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Everton have hit a purple patch of form at the right time of the campaign in recent weeks, picking up three consecutive victories that has secured their ever-present Premier League status for another season.

Multiple players have stepped up their performance levels in the last few outings, with James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite regaining their solid partnership that has seen the Toffees boast the fourth-best defensive record in the division.

Despite his injury troubles, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has played a crucial role in Sean Dyche's success, with his aerial prowess causing a real problem and scoring from a set piece in the 2-0 win over local rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park.

However, the club haven't been able to rely on one other player in recent times, with his poor form on Merseyside resulting in a temporary stint away from the club.

Neal Maupay's stats at Everton

After joining the Toffees for £15m back in the summer of 2022, striker Neal Maupay had high hopes of being a success at Goodison Park, given his proven goalscoring record in the Premier League.

He had managed to score 26 goals in 102 appearances for Brighton and Hove Albion prior to his move, with the Frenchman seen as an alternative to main man, Calvert-Lewin.

However, his first – and so far, only – full campaign for the Toffees didn't go as expected, featuring 27 times in the Premier League, scoring on just one occasion in the 1-0 win over West Ham in September.

He failed to score in his remaining 25 league matches for the Toffees, subsequently joining former side Brentford on loan for the 2023/24 campaign, where he's so far managed six goals in his 28 appearances under Thomas Frank.

The deal also includes an option for the club to re-sign the forward on a permanent basis this summer, an option which Everton will be desperate for Frank's side to take up, given his hefty wages on Merseyside.

Neal Maupay's wages at Everton

According to Spotrac, the 27-year-old Frenchman currently earns a reported £50k-per-week with the Bees, the same as his earnings at Everton, which works out to be £2.6m a season – a huge chunk when looking at his lack of impact for the Toffees last term.

His weekly wage is two times higher than current Everton midfielder Dwight McNeil, who only earns a reported £25k-per-week despite his excellent form this season that has seen him walk away with nine goal contributions in the Premier League.

Ashley Young

£40k-p/w

James Garner

£30k-p/w

Nathan Patterson

£28k-p/w

Dwight McNeil

£25k-p/w

Jarrad Branthwaite

£15k-p/w

Given his current spell in London, there is a chance that Brentford could decide to sign him permanently, which would be excellent business for Everton, considering his hefty wage.

His huge salary has undoubtedly contributed to the club's current PSR issues, with offloading the striker – who has cost roughly £17.6m when totalling his £2.6m salary and £15m transfer fee – the best option for all parties.

It would allow the club to save valuable money in their battle to avoid further punishments, whilst Maupay can excel at a club where he's had his most successful stint in England.

Dyche must finally ditch Everton star who earns 6x more than Branthwaite

He only has one year left on his deal at Goodison Park.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 26, 2024

All was going well for Everton this season until their financial issues away from the pitch caught up to them to leave Sean Dyche's side to deal with a 10-point deduction, which was eventually reduced to six. Fighting to stay afloat in the Premier League ever since, the Toffees are reportedly set to finally receive some good news.

Everton takeover news

As things stand, Everton sit four points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand on Burnley in the relegation zone, with Dyche deserving a lot of credit for keeping the Toffees on track even amid off-field issues. Of course, if it wasn't for the six-point deduction, then Everton would be comfortably mid-table and just seven points behind Fulham in 13th, eight points away from Chelsea.

Report: Everton join race to sign versatile “assist machine” this summer

He will be available for just £13m.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 1, 2024

It's a situation that those at Goodison Park will likely have to become familiar with too, according to finance expert Kieran Maguire, who told via Inews when quizzed about the likelihood of Everton being handed a second deduction that it's "pretty inevitable".

So, even if the Toffees avoid the drop this season, they are seemingly likely to have their backs instantly against the wall at the start of the next campaign. But there is still some good news among the negatives.

According to Inews, Everton's takeover by 777 Partners is set to be accepted by the Premier League in the next couple of weeks. This will end an incredibly long wait for the news many thought would come far sooner after Farhad Moshiri reached an agreement over the sale of the club all the way back in September. Now, seven months later, Everton are reportedly finally about to see the takeover given the green light.

The sudden news comes after 777 proved to the Premier League that they could pay back Everton's £150m loan from MSP Sports Capital and fund the finish of the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

Everton must still approach with caution

With another point deduction described as "pretty inevitable" by Maguire, Everton must still approach with caution in the summer transfer market. The last thing they need is to be walking a fine line with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules once again, especially considering that they're on course to maintain their top-flight status in the current campaign.

That said, it could be a summer of departures at Goodison Park. Amadou Onana has been the subject of reported interest from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in the last few months in a big-money deal that would ease some of Everton's FFP fears. Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite has even attracted the interest of Real Madrid, according to reports.

Large sales would impact Dyche's side, there's no doubt about that, but it could be a case of needs must if Everton are to balance the books at last. If they then spend that money from the sales wisely, then 777 will be able to hand Dyche a squad capable of survival once again, even if Everton face another frustrating deduction. Either way, the takeover is at least on its way in what is surely the first big step in the right direction.

Aston Villa's season is threatening to fizzle out as they are struck by fixture congestion and injury woes, with Unai Emery's side now looking less than certain for Champions League football next season.

Villa hit by another defensive injury

The Villans were handed a major boost just last week when it emerged that Tyrone Mings was making good progress in returning from his knee injury suffered at the beginning of the campaign, though he is not expected to feature before the end of the Premier League season.

Versatile defender Ezri Konsa is also on the treatment table, and is facing at least another fortnight out, while Jhon Duran is another key piece of squad depth out of action through injury.

And now they have another problem at centre-back, with Diego Carlos suffering an injury during a training session. Emery later confirmed that it was a hamstring issue and that the Brazilian would be sidelined for between three and four weeks with the injury.

It is yet another issue for the midlands outfit to contend with, having lost Boubacar Kamara to a season-ending knee injury in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United a fortnight ago and with Emiliano Buendia having missed the entire season to date with the same issue.

Aston Villa’s 7/10 star was the real hero over Watkins v Fulham

Aston Villa picked up an impressive win over Fulham yesterday.

By
Tom Lever

Feb 18, 2024

Now, Villa journalist and writer Ty Bracey has had his say on the fallout from Carlos' absence. Speaking to Aston Villa News, he revealed that though it is 'another blow' for Emery, there are alternatives within the squad.

Villa stuttering at crucial point

Injuries are not helping Villa's situation, and the return of European football could see them tested once more. Emery's side were clear favourites for a top 5 spot before Christmas, but have won just three games out of their last seven across all competitions since the turn of the year.

Player	Injury	Return date
Tyrone Mings	Knee	Next season
Boubacar Kamara	Knee	Next season
Emiliano Buendia	Knee	Next season
Ezri Konsa	Knee	March
Diego Carlos	Hamstring	March
Jhon Duran	Unknown	March

Defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League has seen the Red Devils close the gap in the race for European football, and as it stands, all of Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are separated by just five points, though it remains the Midlands outfit leading the way.

They also await their fate in the last 16 of the Europa Conference League draw, which takes place on Friday, February 23rd, and which the Villans will feel that they have an excellent chance of winning with Emery at the helm.

However, with a smaller squad keeping everyone in peak condition for both competitions will become increasingly difficult, and with tricky Premier League games against Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal all to come, it could ultimately prove a step too far for the injury-hit squad.

Of course, the season will still be considered a major success for Villa even if they miss out on Champions League football, with Emery having overseen a major change of fortunes at the club after taking over from Steven Gerrard 18 months ago. Should they add a European trophy too, it would be the best season in living memory for plenty of Villa fans.

Glasgow Rangers' activity in the transfer market over the previous few years has been very Jekyll and Hyde in nature.

On the one hand, duds such as Carlos Pena, Juninho Bacuna, Jordan Jones and George Edmundson, plus a handful of others, have all graced the Ibrox pitch since the Gers gained promotion in 2016, yet they failed to have a positive impact.

On the other hand, however, the Light Blues have made the occasional signing, which has paid off. The likes of Jack Butland, Alfredo Morelos, John Lundstram, and Todd Cantwell are all players who arrived at Ibrox for either nothing or a very small transfer fee and exceeded expectations.

While Michael Beale may have been sacked due to some horrendous results during the early part of the season, he did bring two of the above to Ibrox, while also securing winger Abdallah Sima on a season-long loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion.

He was arguably one of the few bright sparks between August and October last year, scoring for fun despite Beale’s style of play being anything but.

Abdallah Sima’s current market value

The Senegal international enjoyed a productive spell at Slavia Prague between 2020 and 2022, scoring 16 goals and registering seven assists in just 39 matches, which sealed a move to Brighton.

Sima has yet to play a single game for the south coast side, spending a few spells out on loan, but it has been his stint in Glasgow which has been the most successful, showing that he has what it takes to make it for a top-flight club.

Across 33 games for the Glasgow side this term, the 22-year-old has found the back of the net on 15 occasions, chipping in with two assists too, making himself the undisputed number one on the left wing.

He was chosen to represent Senegal at the recent Africa Cup of Nations tournament, yet suffered a hamstring injury during training and was thus sent home in order to recover.

Philippe Clement said the injury would keep him out for at least two months, thus missing some crucial matches. The good news is, he should be back for the title run-in, with his presence in the starting XI key to any success the club go on to have between now and May.

Metric

Europa League

Premiership

Goals

3

10

Assists

0

2

Key passes per game

1

1

Successful dribbles per game

1.8

1.5

Shots on target per game

1.3

0.9

Not only does Sima rank third among his teammates for goals and assists in the Premiership this term (12), but he also ranks first for successful dribbles per game (1.5) and third for shots per game (three), showing how effective he is in front of goal.

At the time of writing, Sima is currently valued at €7.9m (£6.7m) according to Football Transfers and if he can bounce back from injury to enjoy a goal-laden run across the final few matches, this will certainly increase.

He is one of the highest valued players at the club just now, yet going by inflation, a player who represented the Gers between 2002 and 2004 was worth a lot more upon his departure to Spain in the summer of 2004 – Mikel Arteta.

How much Rangers paid for Mikel Arteta

Towards the end of the 2001/02 season, it was announced that Rangers had secured the signature of Mikel Arteta for a fee of £6m from Barcelona, with Alex McLeish lavishing praise on the Spaniard.

"Mikel is an excellent young player and I'm sure he is someone who will really excite the Rangers fans," said McLeish.

"I think the fans will see a class act when he pulls on a Rangers jersey next season. He is very comfortable on the ball and he has an excellent touch and the great thing is his best years are still ahead of him.”

Arteta enjoyed a wonderful debut campaign in Glasgow, playing 27 league matches, scoring four times as the club won their first title since 2000. During the final game of the season, the Gers received a penalty during the final minutes against Dunfermline, knowing that a goal would likely seal the league crown.

Up stepped Arteta. With 50,000 supporters behind him and the weight of expectations on his shoulders, the youngster slotted the ball into the net like he was playing at the local park, thus entering the history books as the club became the first side in the world to win their domestic league 50 times.

Nine goals in 30 games the following season meant he was one of their better performers in an otherwise shoddy campaign, but when Real Sociedad came calling in 2004, McLeish had no choice but to sell him.

Mikel Arteta’s value in 2024 money

With financial issues hampering the club, Rangers accepted an offer of £3.6m from the La Liga outfit ahead of the 2004/05 season, meaning they had lost money on the deal.

In 2024 money, however – with Totally Money adjusted for inflation over the years – Arteta would be worth £13m in the market today, showing that Rangers hit the jackpot by moving on the young Spaniard when they did.

This means he would also be worth nearly £6m more than Sima, who has been one of their best performers this season, showing just how valuable Arteta was 20 years ago.

What Mikel Arteta is doing now

Having retired in 2016, Arteta is now the manager of Arsenal, and he stands on the brink of history. Should the Gunners win the Premier League title this season, he will break the record for youngest manager to ever win the competition.

José Mourinho was 42 years and 94 days old when he led Chelsea to the 2005 league title, while Arteta will be 42 years and 54 days old on the final day of the current campaign.

He has certainly come a long way since playing against the likes of Partick Thistle and Motherwell during his stint at Ibrox between 2002 and 2004, but he will always be fondly remembered as the player who sealed league title number 50 for the Light Blues on that wonderful day in May 2003.

Rangers hit gold on £4m gem who's worth more than Osimhen in 2024 money

Rangers struck gold by selling a striker in 1995 for a big profit

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 26, 2024

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers dipped into the market during the January transfer window to make two new additions to his first-team squad.

The Northern Irish boss brought in German winger Nicolas Kuhn on a permanent deal from Austrian side Rapid Wien and Republic of Ireland international Adam Idah on loan from English outfit Norwich City until the end of the season, with no option to buy.

However, the Hoops also reportedly wanted a goalkeeper and a left-back to bolster their options before they then targeted a central midfielder on deadline day after David Turnbull's permanent move to Cardiff City.

Unfortunately, they could not land any of their targets in those three positions and have had to make do with Kuhn and Idah as their only signings of the window.

The Irish centre-forward has already hit the ground running with five goals and one assist in six Scottish Premiership outings for the Hoops but the former Rapid Wien star has not been as impressive.

Kuhn's slow start to life in Scotland has not been helped by Mikey Johnston – who was sent out on loan to West Bromwich Albion in January – being on fire in England, as the Irish forward currently looks like an upgrade on the recent signing.

Nicolas Kuhn's Celtic stats so far

The 24-year-old whiz was brought in on a five-and-a-half-year deal earlier this year for a reported fee of £3m after a strong first half of the season with his former club.

He had produced two goals and five assists, along with having created 11 'big chances' for his teammates, in 16 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga before his move to Parkhead.

Kuhn has not hit the ground running in Scotland, however, as he has only managed one goal and zero assists in five Premiership matches so far.

The left-footed dynamo did, however, score on his second appearance for the club. He came off the bench against Aberdeen to rifle in a deflected effort, assisted by Idah, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Bhoys.

Appearances

5

Unused substitute

2

Goals

1

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

Pass accuracy

73%

However, as you can see in the table above, the forward has not kicked on since that goal at Pittodrie, with zero goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in the subsequent three matches.

The German attacker was then an unused substitute against both Dundee and Hearts, which speaks to how unimpressed Rodgers was with his performances on the pitch, before he registered an assist against Livingston in the SFA Cup last weekend.

This means that Kuhn has contributed with one goal and one assist in seven appearances in all competitions since his move to Scotland in January, which is one direct goal contribution every 3.5 outings on average.

He was brought in to bolster the club's wide options after Johnston, and others, did not earn regular game time during the first half of the season.

Mikey Johnston's Celtic stats this season

The Ireland international was not offered many opportunities to showcase his quality for Celtic before Rodgers allowed him to join West Brom on loan during the last transfer window.

Johnston started three times and featured in nine games in the Premiership during the first half of the campaign, as he was stuck behind the likes of Daizen Maeda, Hyun-jun Yang, and Luis Palma in the pecking order.

The academy graduate did, however, show glimpses of his quality in those limited minutes on the pitch. He chipped in with two goals and two 'big chances' created in three starts, to go along with an 85% pass accuracy.

Both of those goals came in a stunning 11-minute cameo against Dundee in the Premiership in December as he scored two goals, registered three shots on target, and completed 95% of his passes to earn a 9.5 Sofascore rating in the 3-0 win.

The 24-year-old whiz's impressive displays were not, however, enough to convince Rodgers that he deserved more – or regular – minutes on the pitch moving forward, which is why a loan move to the Baggies was then sanctioned after Kuhn was brought in from Rapid Wien.

Why Mikey Johnston is an upgrade on Nicolas Kuhn

Johnston has been in fantastic form in the English Championship since his move to the Hawthorns earlier this year, and his statistics for Carlos Corberan's side suggest that Celtic already have an upgrade on Kuhn ahead of the summer.

The right-footed gem has been on fire for West Brom as they compete to secure promotion to the Premier League, with a return of six goals and one assist in nine league appearances.

Corberan hailed the 5 foot 9 wizard as "very special" and it is not hard to see why when you look at his recent form, as the talented star has scored four goals and provided one assist in his last three Championship games.

Appearances

9

5

Starts

6

2

Goals

6

1

Assists

1

1

Big chances created

1

0

Pass accuracy

82%

73%

As you can see in the table above, Johnston has significantly outperformed Kuhn in the final third throughout 2024 so far, with six more goals and 'big chances' created combined.

In total, the Irish dynamo has scored eight goals and created three 'big chances' in nine starts and 18 league appearances for Celtic and West Brom combined this season.

That is a return of a goal or 'big chance' created every 1.64 matches on average. Whereas, Kuhn has managed one in seven outings for the Hoops, and a goal or an assist every 3.5 clashes on average, which illustrates the gulf in class between the two at the top end of the pitch.

The Glasgow-born magician currently ranks within the top 1% of Championship attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals (1.05) per 90, and the top 6% for progressive carries (5.27) per 90, which shows that he also looks to bring the ball forward for his team with driving runs.

Overall, Rodgers appears to already have an upgrade on Kuhn to bring back into the first-team squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as Johnston's loan spell in England has been a roaring success so far.

Celtic played a blinder by selling a star who's now worse than Johnston

The Hoops appear to have struck gold by selling the central midfielder last month.

ByDan Emery Mar 2, 2024

Hopefully, the academy graduate will return to Parkhead an improved player and prove himself to offer more than the German winger with his superior ability to score and create goals on a regular basis, as evidenced by their respective form this year, to bolster Celtic's side next term.

South Africa fell to their lowest T20I total as Ashton Agar ripped through them at the Wanderers

The Report by Firdose Moonda21-Feb-2020Ashton Agar claimed the 13th hat-trick in T20I cricket and the second for Australia after Brett Lee as South Africa were dismissed for their lowest score in the format to lose by their biggest margin in a thrashing at the Wanderers.Agar finished with a career-best 5 for 24 to take Australia to an eighth straight T20I win, and to the top of the ICC’s rankings. They extend a successful run that dates back to February 2019, and take the lead in the three-match series.While South Africa’s batting implosion will hog the headlines, their fielding should also come under scrutiny after a wayward performance, with too many short, wide deliveries against a rampant Australian line-up. Aaron Finch and Steve Smith galloped along at 10 runs an over in a second-wicket stand of 80 and even though South Africa pulled Australia back, 49 runs in the last five overs left them with a big total to chase.The home batting line-up, which had a makeshift opener in Rassie van der Dussen, and an emergency replacement in Jon-Jon Smuts (who stood in for Heinrich Klaasen after he injured his hip in warm-ups) never got going. South Africa were 38 for 3 after the powerplay, 44 for 7 after Agar’s hat-trick and only had three partnerships in double figures.Agar, Agar, AgarFaf du Plessis’s inside-out loft over the side found Kane Richardson on the rope to end the most competent innings by a South African frontline batsman at the Wanderers and start a magical run for Australia’s left-arm spinner. His next ball was pitched on middle and leg and beat Andile Phehlukwayo’s flick and was given out by Allahudien Palekar. Phehukwayo reviewed but ball-tracking showed the delivery was straightening and hitting leg stump. That brought Dale Steyn to the crease, in the eighth over, to face the hat-trick ball.He was greeted with a ball that was tossed up, went for the drive and outside edged to Aaron Finch, at slip. Agar took off in celebration and South Africa, on 44 for 7, had all but been defeated. Agar could have another hat-trick when he bowled debutant Pite van Biljon at the end of his third over and had Lungi Ngidi caught at long-on with the first ball of his fourth, but his second hat-trick ball of the night missed Tabraiz Shamsi’s off stump by a whisker.Steyn’s alive…but so are the lights Dale Steyn operated mostly behind the scenes in the England series but stormed his way back into the spotlight in the first few balls of this match. His opening delivery was a touch wide and David Warner creamed it through the covers to start with a boundary. That would not have impressed Steyn, who tightened up immediately and sent down a menacing second ball, a bouncer that fizzed up off a length, Warner top-edged and Shamsi collected at fine leg. Steyn celebrated in his customary fashion – the chainsaw – but in slow-motion, perhaps as a nod to his advancing age.But he won’t like the suggestion that his years had anything to do with his inability to repay the favour when fielding in the next over. Ngidi should have had Smith out for a duck when he cut a short, wide ball to third man, where Steyn was stationed. He got himself into position to take the catch but lost the ball in the floodlights at the last moment and it sailed over his right shoulder. When Steyn realised what had happened, he could only smile sheepishly in response. Steyn eventually made up for it in the penultimate over of the match when he made sure Ngidi did not finish wicketless and clung on to a high ball from Mitchell Marsh’s bat at square leg.Slowly does it for South Africa The spin of Shamsi and Smuts – in addition to Andile Phehlukwayo’s change-ups – pulled Australia back in the mid-section of their innings, when they kept big hits to a minimum. The boundary was only breached three times between the end of the sixth over and the end of the 14th, once when Matthew Wade should have been caught on the deep midwicket boundary by van Biljon. Shamsi conceded a slog sweep that went for six towards the end of his spell, where wides were his only weakness, while Smuts’ two overs cost just 15 runs and he should have been used a little more. South Africa gave away 61 runs in those eight overs, at a rate of 7.62, which kept Australia under 200. In the end, it was still more than a hundred runs too many.Starc’s crucial breakthroughWith moisture in the air, it was inevitable that would be some swing but it wasn’t until Mitchell Starc got hold of the ball that it was on display. His third delivery was directed straight at de Kock, who looked to play leg side, snuck past his attempt and pinged the top of middle stump. That meant South Africa’s most in-form batsman of the summer was out, and the rest of the line-up had a mountain to climb.Agar took the honours but it was Australia’s fast bowlers who did the early damage and reduced South Africa to 38 for 3 in the powerplay, leaving them with no way back. After Starc’s early strike, Pat Cummins was responsible for the other two wickets and had van der Dussen caught at third man and Smuts caught by Adam Zampa, running circles from short-fine leg. Australia scored 70 runs in their first six overs and South Africa’s score, of just over half that, was never going to be competitive enough.Fielding fumbles and Faf Steyn’s miss was comical, van Biljon’s may be explained away by debut nerves but Shamsi’s miss in the final over was inexcusable. Agar top-edged Rabada to short third man, de Kock looked to be going for it as Shamsi ran in which made the keeper think twice. At that point, Shamsi should have committed to the catch but he pulled out and the ball fell between him and de Kock.It wasn’t all bad, with du Plessis taking a stunner at backward point when Carey launched one into the night sky, but that was a rare bright moment in South Africa’s effort, compared to a clinical Australian display.

Aston Villa face Chelsea this evening in the FA Cup, but Unai Emery will still have an eye on bolstering his squad before the transfer window slams shut next week.

The Midlands side have yet to make an addition to their senior side ahead of what could be a busy few months ahead, but they have shown interest in a few players.

Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers is one name that has been routinely linked and Villa have even had two bids rejected for the youngster this month.

Emery could forget about him, however, and pursue a move for another gem who has been shining in the Championship this season.

Aston Villa’s search for new signings

While Rogers appears to be high on Emery’s wish list, Norwich City starlet Jonathan Rowe is a player who is still being monitored by Villa, that’s according to Telegraph journalist John Percy.

He posted: “AVFC are maintaining a strong interest in Norwich forward Jon Rowe: 3 Villa scouts watched him in the match at Leeds on Weds night. Villa are still hopeful of signing Morgan Rogers but Rowe, 20, is also on their radar. 12 goals and 2 assists so far this season.”

With deadline day fast approaching, Emery does not have much time to strengthen his squad, and if he hopes to lead his side to some sort of glory this term, a couple of reinforcements could help this goal.

Latest Aston Villa injury news, return dates and suspensions

FFC keeps you up to date with all the latest Aston Villa news involving injuries.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 26, 2024

With Moussa Diaby beginning to settle into life in the Midlands, could Rowe become another version of the Frenchman but on the opposite flank?

Jonathan Rowe is on fire in the Championship

Since Diaby’s record-breaking move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, he has managed to score five goals and register six assists in all competitions.

While it may not be an outstanding return in front of goal for the talented whiz, the 24-year-old ace is slowly adapting to English football, and could eventually add more consistency in the final third.

According to WhoScored, both Rowe and Diaby love to cut inside on a regular basis, and, considering the pair have a keen eye for goal, the Championship starlet could turn into another version of the former Leverkusen winger should he join Villa.

Indeed, this season alone, the 20-year-old wizard has managed to find the back of the net on 13 occasions along with chipping in with four assists, proving that he is a big threat in the opposition third.

This form has led to widespread praise and data analyst Ben Mattinson even claimed that he was “on fire this season” towards the end of 2023 and there is no doubt he could add something to Emery’s side.

The 5 foot 8 sensation even leads the way in terms of goals and assists (14) among the Norwich squad in the second tier, along with ranking first for successful dribbles per game (1.1) and second for shots per game (two), which clearly shows how impressive he has been for the club.

Villa may be keen on signing Rogers, yet Rowe is clearly still a player of interest to Emery and with just days to go before the window closes, the Spaniard may need to act swiftly if he wants to lure him to the Midlands.

If the Villans can strike a deal for the England U21 international's service then they could have Diaby 2.0 on their hands with another direct winger who can contribute with goals and assists.

The Pakistan quick took his maiden five-for, while the Sri Lanka batsman rescued his side from 80 for 5

The Report by Danyal Rasool in Karachi20-Dec-2019On a day that threatened to mirror the script of its predecessor in the first hour, Sri Lanka dug in and clawed their way to, and then well past, Pakistan’s first innings total. The lead of 80 came courtesy lower-order contributions that will have frustrated Pakistan no end, with Dinesh Chandimal tying the innings together as Sri Lanka held off a surging Pakistan pace attack. The home side, for their part, did well enough to ensure there wasn’t any bloodletting in the tricky final hour the openers had to deal with, as Shan Masood and Abid Ali reduced the deficit to 23 by stumps.From 80 for 5, partnerships of 67, 37, 51 and 36 extended Sri Lanka’s innings well into the third session, Dhananjaya de Silva and Chandimal robbing Pakistan of the momentum they had generated in an opening hour of hostile fast bowling. Nightwatchman Lasith Embuldeniya was dropped early in the day but fell soon after in a bizarre attempt to slog-sweep Mohammad Abbas, while Shaheen Afridi – who picked up his first five-for in Tests – needed no such largesse from Angelo Mathews, bringing one in to tickle the batsman’s inside edge through to the keeper.Pakistan may well have felt this was their chance to come away with a lead, but swift counterattacking – and an ineffectual spell from a confidence-sapped Yasir Shah – poured water over those plans. When de Silva strode down the crease to loft Yasir over his head, following it up with a back-foot punch through cover, the shackles were broken. Yasir was unable to settle on either length, line or pace, with both batsmen taking advantage of the inconsistency as Sri Lanka neared 150.The breakthrough came thanks to Afridi, with de Silva unable to get on top of a short-pitched delivery and sending it straight down fine leg’s throat. But the wicket did little to stem the flow of runs before lunch, and by now, even Niroshan Dickwella, who had used up more than his fair share of luck in his first half hour at the crease, was emerging from his shell. Then Abbas would castle him with perhaps the ball of the day, beating him on the inside edge with an inward-seaming delivery that clipped the top of off, and at 182 for 7, with Sri Lanka nine short of Pakistan’s first-innings total, it seemed this would become a second-innings shootout.Pakistan were guilty of letting the game drift for large spells, and the eighth-wicket partnership at one point scored at nearly 4.50 runs per over. Dilruwan Perera was perfectly comfortable keeping Chandimal company as Sri Lanka brought up the 200 and then beyond, the highlight being Chandimal spanking Naseem Shah for three fours in an over.Dinesh Chandimal struck a crucial fifty•Getty Images

When Chandimal fell, Dilruwan took over the mantle. Pakistan duly spread the field for him; practically begging him to take a single and turn the strike over. Despite this, Dilruwan continued to find the boundary, despite seven fielders stationed in the deep at most points during his ninth-wicket stand with Vishwa Fernando. Haris Sohail may have been successful getting rid of Chandimal, but when they tried his occasional left-arm spin against Dilruwan, he carted him down the ground for a six off the first ball of his spell.Tea came and went, and Sri Lanka moved past 250, and continued to march on. It took the return of Afridi to finally clean Dilruwan up two runs shy of a well-deserved half-century, and the left-arm quick removed No. 11 Lahiru Kumara a couple of balls later to bring an end to what had appeared an interminable innings. It was the first time he had taken five wickets in an innings, but for Pakistan’s most consistent fast bowler over the last couple of tours, you feel sure there is more to follow.At that stage, Sri Lanka walked into the changing room, likely confident it was their day, maybe even their Test match, and the final hour represented an opportunity to ram that point further home. But Pakistan came out determined not to block their way through the fourteen overs they faced, both openers taking the attack to the quicks right from the outset. Abid Ali’s confidence wasn’t surprising, given his form, and Shan Masood didn’t shy away from putting bat on ball either, and got off to a start evocative of the form he displayed on Pakistan’s tour of South Africa at the start of the year, when he regained his place in the side.Sri Lanka turned to Embuldeniya within five overs, and while he got the ball to turn, there were no genuine chances. The 50 partnership came up before the end of the day, and when the light finally faded, Pakistan were a mere 23 runs away from levelling the scores. The Test match may be evenly poised, but the evidence of the last half-session suggests Sri Lanka’s fourth-innings chase will be anything but routine.

Ange Postecoglou is crafting something special at Tottenham Hotspur and it's important to remember that illustrious success will not appear overnight.

Stepping down after nearly nine years at the end of the season, it took Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp nearly four years to taste silverware for the first time, losing three cup finals on the way.

Mikel Arteta has yet to add to his FA Cup triumph after winning the 2020/21 edition just months into his reign at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham were in disarray when Postecoglou was anointed in the summer and the Australian has produced masterful results throughout the maiden phase of his tenure, all things considered.

While Spurs are two points being fourth-placed Aston Villa in the Premier League after 23 matches, just five points better off from the 2022/23 campaign, there is a clear identity and belief that was unseen last year, a vision and focus that will hopefully guide the squad toward a new level of success down the line.

Much of this has sprouted from Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy's no-nonsense approach on the transfer front, shipping on those unsuited to the system and targeting dynamic and technically impressive players to contribute toward the new era.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's Spurs future

While numerous players have departed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since Postecoglou left his post at Celtic in June, there is more flotsam to be shifted away and none more salient than Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Many suspected that Hojbjerg would be sold during the January transfer market but it wasn't to be, with the Dane rejecting several concrete offers to end his stay in London despite only starting six times in the Premier League this season, provided a role from the outset mainly due to absences and a lack of alternatives.

Given that the 28-year-old, who signed for Spurs from Southampton for £15m back in 2020 and has since made 170 appearances, is out of contract in 2025 and looks very unlikely to be penning new terms, there might be a bit of grumbling from the Lilywhites boardroom that he obstinately refused approaches from the likes of Lyon last month.

Ornstein confirms Spurs are in for "monster" signing to upgrade Hojbjerg

Ange Postecoglou would conclude a stunning January transfer window by wrapping up this deal.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 25, 2024

Indeed, Tottenham were interested in signing Chelsea star Conor Gallagher throughout January but it became clear that any successful swoop for the £50m-rated England international hinged on Hojbjerg's sale, which did not happen.

For that reason, in fairness, the £100k-per-week Spurs midfielder will play an important part in the months to come, with his industrious approach to his craft a nice tool to have when the second half of a contest demands stability and composure.

Postecoglou has already demonstrated his ruthless streak and this is typified by the January shifting of Eric Dier for Genoa centre-back Radu Dragusin.

Why Eric Dier left Spurs

Slowly, astutely, Tottenham are starting to shape up under Postecoglou's management, with Dragusin, signed from Serie A side Genoa for around £27m, the perfect player to join a backline boasting first-choice options in Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Both those stars have missed chunks of the campaign in blows that proved detrimental to Tottenham's early-season swagger, eight victories and two draws from the opening phase of the Premier League term succeeded by a run of four defeats in five fixtures.

Dragusin has been described as "complete & dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig and definitely proved the accuracy of such remarks with his aggressive and commanding displays in the rearguard in Italy.

Given the high-octane, free-flowing ideology that Postecoglou is trying to instil down N17, Dier just wasn't suited to the job and ranks among the bottom 12% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes and the bottom 6% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

That latter metric wouldn't be so important if Dier were not at the weakly beating heart of Tottenham's defence last season, conceding a staggering 63 goals in the top-flight.

It is this level of ruthlessness, conviction in his vision, that is underpinning Postecoglou's feasibility in the dugout in north London, and the same stance must be applied to Hojbjerg come summer, when the 6 foot 1 ace can still be cashed in on.

Incongruous in Postecoglou's system

Hojbjerg is a distinguished Premier League player with a wealth of experience across all areas of the professional game, but the 73-cap international is not the only veteran on the block and he is quite simply incongruous in this exciting new Tottenham project.

A lack of mobility and invention in the centre of the park is likely what has inhibited him from a regular starting berth, completing 89% of his passes in the Premier League but 0.2 key passes and 0.4 successful dribbles per game don't exactly bespeak high-level dynamism.

Moreover, the one-time Bayern Munich youngster has only emerged on top in 49% of his contested duels this season, hardly boasting the kind of success rate to evoke confidence in his grip at the core of the pitch.

6

5

0.83

17

39

2.29

Source: Transfermarkt

The table above highlights just how ineffectual he is when called upon, failing to produce the kind of all-encompassing displays needed from someone of his positional role.

Much like Bryan Gil, it's time for Hojbjerg to move on; the Spanish winger utterly ineffectual for the club and starting just twice in the Premier League this season, doing nothing of note.

These are the players that need moving on, freeing up space and facilitating acquisitions of bigger, better and shinier replacements.

With Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr returning from the African Cup of Nations and Rodrigo Bentancur continuing to raise his level after incessant injury issues throughout 2023, it does look likely that Hojbjerg – who has started the past three Premier League outings – will return to the periphery.

He's been hailed as a "warrior" in the past by pundit and former Spurs man Alan Hutton and has many qualities that would secure him a prominent role in a successful European outfit, he just doesn't suit this new Tottenham team and it's now vital that he is ditched alongside fringe players such as Gil, both without a shiny future in Tottenham colours.

After falling to their eighth Premier League defeat of the season away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Christmas Eve, it looked as if Chelsea's season was all but over; however, a string of three league wins since has given the Blues some hope that they can salvage something before May comes around.

Mauricio Pochettino still has a lot to work on, and with the January transfer window in full swing, it will almost certainly involve some new faces.

The latest one touted for a move to Stamford Bridge could help to shore up the defence and become the modern-day Ricardo Carvalho alongside another star who has been likened to John Terry.

Chelsea look to Lisbon for their next Carvalho

According to a report from football.london earlier this week, Chelsea are interested in Sporting CP's incredibly promising young centre-back Ousmane Diomande, and have already 'held talks' with the Lisbon side.

The Blues aren't the only ones interested in the Ivorian though, as the Liverpool Echo revealed earlier this week that Premier League rivals Liverpool are also keen on signing the 20-year-old this year.

Alongside this tough competition, the Pensioners will also have to stump up a considerable amount of cash to get this deal over the line, with football.london reporting that the Sporting star has a release clause worth around £69m inserted into his contract, although there is a reluctance to pay that much.

That said, if Chelsea can get this deal over the line they would have a very talented footballer on their hands, and one that might just be able to follow in the footsteps of Carvalho.

Diomande could become the Carvalho to Colwill's Terry

With Diomande being just 20 years old, it is hard to say whether he'll go on and have a career as impressive and illustrious as Carvalho's, but there are some apparent similarities.

First, if the "immense talent", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, were to sign for Chelsea, he would follow in the legend's footsteps, going from one of the Portuguese league's biggest clubs to Chelsea, with Carvalho arriving from Porto in 2004. Second, both men are right-footed, and lastly, he has the opportunity to form a brilliant partnership with a Blues star who has been likened to Terry: Levi Colwill.

The Southampton-born gem has been compared to the former Chelsea captain for some time now, even giving his thoughts on the matter in an interview with The Athletic: "I'm not going to complain. It's not a bad thing to be called the new John Terry.

"John Terry is a club legend and leader, someone every centre-back at Chelsea should look up to."

The comparisons became more frequent this year, as upon his return from Brighton & Hove Albion this summer, the Englishman was given Terry's iconic 26 shirt number, and like clockwork, the comparisons started flooding in.

While the similarities are there, it will take a lot of hard graft and years of success for the pair to rightfully own the comparisons, with it some feat to live up to a duo who were key figures under Jose Mourinho back in the mid-2000s – memorably forming part of a defence that shipped just 15 league goals in 2004/05.

Still, based on Diomande's underlying numbers from this season, he certainly looks like he could make that happen.

5.42

91.0%

1.45

0.97

83.3%

2.08

80.9

1.94

5.97

The "elite talent", as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, produces a massive 5.42 progressive passes per 90, takes 80.9 touches, makes 5.97 ball recoveries and wins 83.3% of his challenges, indicating his stellar defensive prowess.

At the end of the day, it'll be challenging to live up to the tag of 'the next Carvalho and Terry', but there will be few pairings more likely to do so than these two young starlets.