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Andrew Strauss and Tamim Iqbal are as different as two characters and batsmen can be

Sidharth Monga in Chittagong10-Mar-2011Andrew Strauss and Tamim Iqbal are as different as two characters and batsmen can be. Strauss, always well prepared, almost general-like, relies on taking emotion out of it when he goes out to bat or lead the side. He doesn’t force you to the edge of your seats; in fact he makes you sit back further, his presence is reassuring. Tamim is not that easy on the watcher. He relies on the eye and the adrenalin. “Watch me,” he seems to say every time he goes to bat. He is the loudest presence in team gatherings, be it nets sessions or matches or off the field. He is cool with the attention he gets; he knows he deserves it.In another world, they could perhaps have been perfectly complementing opening partners; on Friday they remain crucial to their own sides’ fortunes in their won different way. The two have one thing in common, though. They love playing each other. Strauss averages 99 in seven ODIs against Bangladesh at a strike-rate of 106, which are both a massive improvement on his overall statistics, 36 and 81 respectively. Two of his three 150-plus scores have come against them. In ODIs, Tamim’s figures go up, not that drastically: he averages 32 and strikes at 105 runs per 100 balls against England, as opposed to 30 and 80 respectively. It is still a considerable show of affection for the English attack, especially when you see his Test record against England, an average of 63 and two of his four hundreds.It is hardly any surprise, though, that Strauss should do well against Bangladesh. Their attack is based more on containment getting wickets than wickets getting containment. For accumulators, for workers of singles, for batsmen who don’t panic or get overly restless after four-five low-scoring overs, this attack doesn’t pose that much of a challenge. Plus his being a left-hand batsman negates Bangladesh’s left-arm spinner a bit, something Strauss himself acknowledges.On the other hand, Tamim preys on unsettled bowlers. And England, skilful as their attack might be, are not the most consistent bowling unit. They are a bit like Indian attack who are irresistible when they are good, but uninspiring when bad. Tamim takes his chances, and tries to lay into them early. In Tests, more than in ODIs, it has worked, except that the batsmen following him haven’t made full use of the starts Tamim has given them against England.In the week after the embarrassment against West Indies, Bangladesh – the team and the country – have looked to Tamim even more than they usually do. It’s not always just the runs that he scores. When Tamim does well, he lifts the whole team up. The rest of the batsmen become more confident when he does well.And in the last week, Tamim seems to have taken the extra responsibility to try and bring the team out of the shock of 58 all out. Two days ago, he took them all out to play golf and fish, away from the media attention, away from former players’ criticism, away from thinking about the disaster last week. He has been cheerful at the nets sessions, and has had the air of a man who knows he has the ability to bring a turnaround.”Very dangerous player,” Strauss says of Tamim. “We know clearly he takes the game to the opposition. He has done well against England in the past. I think we know a little bit more about him as a player now, but we are going to have to make sure we get our plans right straightaway from ball one, otherwise he will get off and running.”Strauss himself doesn’t make too much of his record against Bangladesh, mostly because “I haven’t played against them in Bangladesh, so that’s going to be a different scenario for me”. Apart from that, Strauss also knows his side hasn’t been too good with banana peels this tournament. He helped them out after the stumble against Netherlands, but Ireland proved to be too slippery. On the evidence of the matches so far, Strauss knows his side can lose to Bangladesh, more so now that they are without Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad.Strauss has decided on his opening partner, but is keeping his cards close to his chest. What is not a secret is that Strauss will want to do the job himself, add to his dominance of Bangladesh, and just make sure there are no more stutters before they qualify for the quarter-finals. As the captain of the side, he will also have to plan how to keep Tamim quiet.

Leeds United could strike a bargain under £1 million deal for a "top-class talent" this summer, as it is believed he's played the last game for his current club.

Leeds making transfer plans for next season

The Whites have drawn this Championship season to a close this afternoon with their final game at home to Southampton, excluding the Play-Offs still to be contested, but the Elland Road board have been drawing up their summer transfer plans for months.

Leeds United in pole position to sign 25 y/o international

Leeds are already eyeing key squad improvements in the transfer window.

ByJosh Barker Apr 27, 2024

It's been a long campaign but entertaining campaign following Daniel Farke's side, who were locked in a three-way battle for the automatic promotion places with both Leicester City and Ipswich Town for the vast majority of it.

However, the Yorkshire giants have one eye on next season, and it is believed they wish to strengthen in key areas across the defence. Leeds are one of the sides eyeing a free move for West Ham defender Ben Johnson, according to recent reports, with the full-back rejecting multiple contract offers and looking set to leave.

Leeds have displayed fragility at the back on a few occasions recently, with both Liam Cooper and Sam Byram's deals also set to expire in the summer, meaning Farke may want to bring in suitable replacements for the pair.

Leeds want to make Joe Rodon's deal permanent from Tottenham, and they've also been linked with PEC Zwolle’s Anselmo García MacNulty as they eye up fresh options at the back.

Elsewhere in defence, there is now the suggestion that they could move to bring in a new goalkeeper as an alternative to current mainstay number one Illan Meslier.

Leeds eyeing under £1 million move for Viktor Johansson

Rotherham shot-stopper Viktor Johansson stands out as a very interesting option in this regard.

The Swede, who has one cap for his country at international level, has been a revelation for Rotherham despite their otherwise dismal campaign – with Aftonbladet claiming this week that he may have just played his last game for the club against Cardiff City this afternoon.

Rotherham 2-0 Coventry City

8.83

Rotherham 0-1 Plymouth Argyle

8.55

Rotherham 0-0 Huddersfield Town

8.31

Southampton 1-1 Rotherham

8.12

Swansea 1-0 Rotherham

8.05

They add that the goalkeeper's contract has a very affordable buy-out clause of around £736,000, and Leeds are eyeing a summer move for Johansson who they could sign for under £1 million.

"Viktor's been a wonderful goalkeeper for the club. Everyone is aware of the huge interest in him," said Rotherham boss Steve Evans.

"I'm getting phone calls from managers who want my opinion on what he's like behind the scenes. They don't ask what he's like between sticks. They see that for themselves. Whether he's with us next season remains to be seen but, at the minute, I'm planning with him. He hasn't gone anywhere yet.

"Fans have bonds with managers and players because they recognise what they do and how hard they fight for their club. Viktor is a top-class talent. I've sat in the stands and watched him and he's been wonderful. More importantly, he's a really good guy off the pitch. He's really professional.

"He's also really humble, which is different to how you sometimes find players in the Championship who have got aspirations.”

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is personally looking at bringing in a replacement for a "relentless" Spurs player, as Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich eye a move for their potential third player after Harry Kane and Eric Dier.

Spurs ready to back Postecoglou rebuild after positive season

Even though Spurs missed out on fourth and Champions League qualification to Aston Villa, the 2023/2024 season still represented a campaign of real positives under Postecoglou.

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The Lilywhites significantly improved on their 2022/23 finish under Antonio Conte and a succession of interim bosses after the Italian, with Postecoglou implementing an exciting brand of high-pressing football and making himself a popular figure at N17.

Postecoglou, though, has been frank in admitting that this Tottenham squad needs to undergo "drastic" change this summer – and suggests a few players could be set to depart as they're not part of the rebuild.

"We need change. Change has to happen," said Postecoglou on the summer transfer window.

Sheffield United 0-3 Tottenham

Tottenham 0-2 Man City

Tottenham 2-1 Burnley

Liverpool 4-2 Tottenham

Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham

"You can’t want to alter your course and expect the same people are going to be on that. It’s just not going to happen. We’ve had two windows and we’ve had some development of players, for sure, but when I say we’ve still got a long way to go, that’s what I’m talking about. It’s impossible to say you’re going to have drastic change and yet expect everyone to be on that journey.

"It’s not for the want of trying. It’s just that we’re going to play a certain way, we’re going to train a certain way, and we’re going to have a certain mindset. And that’s not for everyone."

Tottenham are ready to back Postecoglou in the summer transfer market, as the Australian prepares to implement this serious change. The club, led by chairman Daniel Levy, will look to make three key signings at least in the form of a new striker, centre-back and midfielder (Tom Allnutt).

However, there could even be more of an overhaul, as other reports suggest Postecoglou wants more full-back depth behind Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie. Right-back Emerson Royal has also been linked with a summer exit to facilitate this, with GiveMeSport sharing an update on the Brazilian's future this week.

Ange seeking Emerson Royal replacement as Bayern Munich eye move

According to GMS, Postecoglou is personally on the lookout for Royal replacement at Spurs, with a host of big-name clubs taking interest in the 25-year-old.

One of them, interestingly, is Bayern Munich – coming after their previous Tottenham deals for both Dier and Kane over the last 12 months. As well as Bayern, Juventus and AC Milan are said to be interested in Royal, which is a big compliment to the defender who could well be on the move.

Three years after he joined from Barcelona, the South American has racked up over a century of appearances for the north Londoners in all competitions, with pundit Kevin Campbell calling him "relentless".

Chelsea's recruitment strategy has left plenty to be desired and more to be pleaded for since the £4bn takeover from an American consortium led by Todd Boehly in 2022.

The splurging, scattergun approach has gone down like a lead balloon and after failing to qualify for European football last season, slumping to a 12th-place Premier League finish, the Blues have made gains and now perch in seventh with three matches left of the 2023/24 campaign.

There have been a host of extreme-cost deals and it's hard to say that any have been bona fide successes yet – barring, of course, the extraordinary talent that is Cole Palmer.

Palmer 'only' cost an initial £40m last summer though, which marks less than half the outlay that was parted with for Mykhaylo Mudryk's signature in a rather ridiculous set of circumstances.

Mudryk's market value in 2024

The jury's still out but it is leaning toward a particular direction. Mudryk arrived at Stamford Bridge to voluble fanfare in January 2023 after Chelsea hijacked Arsenal's bid and landed the Ukrainian for a £89m fee.

He had the world at his feet and had drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. for his style of play but a return of six goals and four assists from 56 outings for Chelsea hardly speaks of money well spent.

1.

Moises Caicedo

Brighton & Hove Albion

£115m

2.

Enzo Fernandez

SL Benfica

£106m

3.

Romelu Lukaku

Inter Milan

£97.5m

4.

Mykhaylo Mudryk

Shakhtar Donetsk

£89m

5.

Kai Havertz

Bayer Leverkusen

£76m

Moreover, the fleet-footed winger has been sapped of the confidence that fuelled his natural, athletic attributes, ranking among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries but only the top 24% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Analyst Raj Chohan branded the 23-year-old as "raw, immature" and lacking in "development", with such factors precluding success of any measure of note.

As such, that erstwhile £89m figure is not reflective of Mudryk's current market value, with Football Transfers crunching the numbers and revealing that he is currently worth just £21m.

Grim reading. Mudryk's £89m tag highlights the importance of striking while the iron's hot, and Chelsea must now take a leaf from Shakhtar's book and cash in on striker Armando Broja, who is worth over two times Mudryk's value.

Why Chelsea must cash in on Armando Broja

Chelsea's transfer strategy has not been great but Broja is not part of that problem, joining the renowned Cobham Academy aged eight and going from strength to strength within the youth ranks.

Broja missed the majority of the 2022/23 season with an ACL injury and he started just six Premier League matches under Pochettino, scoring once, before being shipped out on loan at the current campaign's midpoint.

Since arriving at Craven Cottage with Fulham, the Albania international has only featured seven times in the top flight, each time as a second-half substitute. He's yet to score.

Despite this, the 22-year-old is a talented centre-forward, described as "athletic and powerful" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with qualities that would interest a range of Premier League clubs.

He's already showcased his ability at the highest level in England, enjoying a commanding breakthrough campaign out on loan with Southampton in 2021/22 that led The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell to hail the "animal" of a striker, blessed with a range of skills beyond simple goalscoring.

Indeed, as per FBref, Broja ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 9% for blocks per 90.

Chelsea are aware of his talent but still hope to cash in on their homegrown product, with The Sun even reporting that the west London outfit are preparing for Broja to be the first player out of the door this summer with a multi-faceted rebuild being targetted.

It is understood that German side Borussia Dortmund, who recently defeated Paris Saint-Germain to advance to the Champions League final, are already engaged in negotiations with Chelsea transfer bosses.

The Blues are adamant that the 6 foot 3 centre-forward is worth about £50m but this lofty figure has so far deterred potential suitors and the Yellow Wall, while eager to bring Broja to their turf, are reluctant to part with such a fee, instead proposing an outlay nearer to £25m, half of Chelsea's request.

Given that he doesn't have a long-term future at the club, fighting tooth and nail to reach an agreement with Dortmund is essential, especially with ambitions to sign high-profile new forwards such as Victor Osimhen, who has scored 76 goals from 131 matches for Napoli.

Even if Chelsea were to acquiesce and accept Dortmund's devalued proposal of £25m, Broja would still command a prettier penny than Mudryk's current worth on the market.

Without question, Chelsea have fallen by the wayside since momentously triumphing in the Champions League final against Manchester City in 2021, but one thing you can't fault the owners for is a lack of ambition.

Broja is contracted to Stamford Bridge until 2028 but with the cogs shifting it's hard to imagine him cementing a regular starting berth that reflects his promising skill set.

The kitchen sink must be thrown at convincing Dortmund to do a deal, lest Broja falls deeper into obscurity and sees his value plummet, as has happened with Mudryk.

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Manchester United legend and assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has opened up about the most valuable lesson he ever learnt under Sir Alex Ferguson.

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Van Nistelrooy hired as Man Utd asst. coachSummarises most valuable lesson from FergusonTipped to take over from Erik ten Hag at Man Utd(C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Van Nistelrooy worked under the legendary Manchester United coach, Ferguson, between 2001 and 2006 as the Dutchman claimed the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the 2001/02 and the 2002/03 seasons. The former striker is now working under Erik ten Hag as Manchester United's assistant coach and he has revealed a few valuable lessons he learned from Ferguson.

AdvertisementWHAT VAN NISTELROOY SAID

Speaking to The Guardian, Van Nistelrooy said: "As a player, the most important thing I took from working with Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alex Ferguson was their relationships with the individual. It’s not a football player; it’s a person. When you reach that connection, you get the best out of people – and from there on you can help them build their careers. I never let that thought go out of my mind.

"Sometimes you have to be tough on them and sometimes you have to get your arm around them. That mixture is important, but the most important thing is to always be honest and straight. When you have knowledge about the game and what is necessary at the highest level, you must share it.

"As a coach, you just try to help players reach their goals. And it is something that makes you feel really proud when you see young players develop. Gakpo went on to Liverpool and Noni to Chelsea, but there are a couple more from that time who are now in the PSV first team. The feeling I get when I see this is comparable with winning a league, really.

Getty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Van Nistelrooy started his coaching career as the assistant manager of the Dutch national team under Guus Hiddink and his latest job as PSV head coach was his first experience as the manager of a senior team. Former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke has also tipped the 48-year-old to take over from ten Hag in case of the Dutchman's untimely sacking

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WHAT NEXT FOR VAN NISTELROOY?

The Dutchman will now travel back to the United Kingdom with the Red Devils following the end of their United States tour as they look to begin preparations for the start of the Premier League.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hailed backup goalkeeper Karl Hein for his "good performance" after penalty heroics in a friendly against Bournemouth.

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David Raya & Aaron Ramsdale on a breakHein is Arteta's first choice in the USAEstonian earned plaudits with an all-round showWHAT HAPPENED?

With both David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale on a break after their respective national teams, Spain and England, reached the Euro 2024 final, Hein finds himself as the senior goalkeeper on Arsenal's three-match tour in the United States. And the Estonian shot-stopper put his best foot forward to impress Arteta in the pre-season friendly against the Cherries.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The match at Dignity Health Sports Park culminated in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Fabio Vieira scoring for the Gunners in the 18th minute. However, it was Hein, who emerged as the hero, saving penalties from Philip Billing and Ryan Christie, ultimately securing a 5-4 victory for Arsenal in the shootout.

WHAT ARTETA SAID

Arteta was delighted with Hein's performance and stated: "I'm very happy for him. Obviously, he had to be really patient and wait for his opportunity. He came back from his holidays really sharp and prepared; he knew that he had big games ahead of him and he started tonight, and I think he had a really good performance."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Despite his impressive showing, a decision regarding Hein's future at the club looms large. The 22-year-old Estonia international signed a long-term contract extension in the summer, but the arrival of England youth international Tommy Setford from Ajax suggests Hein might be loaned out to gain regular playing time.

"That's the conversation we are having," said Arteta.

"Obviously, David and Aaron are away at the moment and we are really really short in that position, but we want to develop our players – especially a player like Karl who has big potential and a big future ahead of him. He needs to play games, so we're going to explore that option as well."

Cummins XI 60 for 0 (Wade 36*) v Finch XI 150 (Warner 42, Finch 40, Zampa 2-18, Richardson 2-16, Cummins 2-26)Australia’s opening batsmen made the most of a truncated first warm-up match on their tour of England with Aaron Finch, David Warner and Matthew Wade finding form before the intersquad game at the Ageas Bowl was abandoned due to rain.The contest between a Finch XI and a Cummins XI had already been cut to a 20-over affair because of a poor forecast and the weather closed in after 5.5 overs of the Cummins XI chase when they were racing along at 60 for 0 in reply to the Finch X’s 150 all out.Warner had resumed the T20 form that lit up the Australia season during which he averaged 138.33 with a strike-rate of 142.12. He struck 42 off 35 balls in an opening stand of 75 in 9.2 overs with Finch who made 40 off 29 deliveries.The innings fell away once the stand had been broken when Ashton Agar bowled Finch. Josh Philippe (20), one of three uncapped players on the tour, and Mitchell Marsh (23) made starts but the final eight wickets fell for 38 runs.Kane Richardson struck twice in an over to remove Marnus Labuschagne and Daniel Sams – the latter for a first-ball duck. The lower order was wrapped up by Pat Cummins (2 for 26) and Adam Zampa (2 for 18).The Cummins XI were soon out of the blocks in the chase as Wade cracked three sixes in an unbroken stand with Marcus Stoinis – both players in the positions where they have enjoyed considerable Big Bash success. AJ Tye’s first over back in Australia colours was taken for 22.”It was nice to get out there and play some cricket, unfortunately the weather has closed in on us,” Wade said. “The bowlers got some overs under their belt and managed to have a little hit”Starcy was certainly flying in so it was nice to get a couple out of the middle. Just to stand in the middle with no nets around you is valuable. The bowlers haven’t had a lot of match practice, it’s all good bowling in the nets but then go and stand in the field is always the hardest part so these matches are vital for us.”The Australians hope to fit in at least three more intersquad games before the opening T20I on September 4.

The tour will also include three ODIs and two T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2020Bangladesh will host Zimbabwe for a one-off Test as well as three ODIs and two T20Is starting February 22. This will be the first time the two sides play a Test series that doesn’t have at least two Tests.The Test will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, less than two weeks after Bangladesh play the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi from February 7.The ODI series against Zimbabwe will run from March 1 to 6 in Chattogram, while the two T20Is – on March 9 and 11 – will be held in Mirpur. A week later, the same venue will host the World XI v Asia XI matches as part of the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation.Zimbabwe will also play a two-day practice match ahead of the Test, but the venue for that hasn’t been announced.The two sides last played a Test series in 2018, also in Bangladesh, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Everton, like most clubs, have had their fair share of dodgy transfers over the years, with players such as Dele Alli and Moise Kean each springing to mind.

However, in the case of the Toffees, a bad transfer can be what makes or breaks their season. Since the departure of Carlo Ancelotti, the club have been in something of a downward spiral and have failed to finish inside the top ten of the Premier League.

To rub even more salt in their wounds, near the start of the 2023/24 term, Everton were handed the most severe points deduction in top-flight history. However, as of Monday 26th February, the deduction has been scaled down somewhat to six points.

Although these additional four points have allowed Sean Dyche's men some breathing room in regard to the relegation dogfight, they are still not performing to the standards expected of them on the pitch.

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Their top goalscorer is Abdoulaye Doucoure with six goals across all competitions, whilst Dominic Calvert-Lewin has the joint second-most with four.

Although, for Doucoure, these numbers are more than acceptable, the fact that Calvert-Lewin is two behind him should strike worry across fans.

If their form doesn't pick up soon, it is unlikely that they will manage to find their way out of the relegation battle.

One player who hasn't been much help in keeping the Toffees up is that of Andre Gomes. The Portugal international joined the Merseyside club in 2019 for a reported fee of £22m but hasn't yet made much of an impact in recent years.

How much Andre Gomes earns

Any player arriving from Barcelona in the late 2010s is likely to have been on an extortionate amount of money and would be expecting similar with each new club that they join.

In the case of Gomes, as per Capology, the midfielder is remarkably the third-highest paid player at the club with a salary of £112k-per-week, behind only Jordan Pickford and their top scorer, Doucoure.

For any player, that is an awful lot of money, but for a player who has impacted Everton as little as Gomes has, that weekly wage is fairly concerning.

GK – Jordan Pickford

RB – Seamus Coleman

CB – Kurt Zouma

CB – Michael Keane

LB – Lucas Digne

CM – Andre Gomes

CM – Idrissa Gueye

CAM – Gylfi Sigurdsson

RW – Theo Walcott

LW – Bernard

ST – Richarlison

Since arriving at the club, he has played a total of 106 games with just three of those appearances coming this season. During that time, he has amassed a mere 11 goal contributions, which, from a midfielder, is not the sort of return you want to see.

In comparison, Doucoure, who has represented the blue of Merseyside for two years fewer, has had 15 additional goal contributions which puts into perspective how poorly he has played.

Indeed, Gomes has had his fair share of injuries as he has missed a total of 53 games whilst employed by the Toffees, but, his returns still should have been better.

How much the top players at Everton earn

As Gomes earns £112k-per-week, this salary puts him on a much higher amount than that of Everton star-boy, Jarrad Branthwaite.

The defender has had something of a breakout in 2023/24 and has cemented himself in the Toffees' starting XI, with some valuing him around a mega £100m ahead of a potential summer move. That said, despite being one of their key players, he only earns a slender £35k-per-week.

#1 Abdoulaye Doucoure

£130k

#2 Jordan Pickford

£125k

#3 Andre Gomes

£112k

#4 Dele Alli

£100k

#5 James Tarkowski

£100k

#6 Amadou Onana

£100k

This is nothing short of incredible and shows that he earns just over a third of what Gomes does despite playing each week-in and week-out.

In addition, in just this season alone, the 21-year-old has played in more games than the Portugal international has over his last two seasons in Merseyside.

Hence, why, in the summer, Dyche needs to find a way to bring Gomes' time at Goodison to an end. It would free up some crucial room in their wage budget in order to strengthen their team in the areas it needs to do so, especially if they manage to retain their Premier League status.

Arsenal are well and truly back in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta's side have won their last five games in a row and have dramatically improved their goal difference after blowing away West Ham United and Burnley.

While the entire team deserved credit, Martin Odegaard has perhaps stood out the most, with his three assists and one goal suggesting that he could well be back to the form he showed last season.

With how impressive the captain has been of late, Arteta would surely have to have two of him in the team, and as outlandish as that sounds, the Gunners once released a youngster from Hale End at 13 years old who is now similar to the mercurial Norwegian.

Eberechi Eze's journey to Crystal Palace

Yes, you read that right; the Gunners once had a young Eberechi Eze on their books, only he wasn't with the club for very long as he was released at just 13 years old.

The next few years were tough for the Greenwich-born gem as he was released by Fulham, Reading and Millwall before finally finding his footing in West London at Queens Park Rangers.

The dynamic midfielder would make his debut for the Hoops in an FA Cup Third Round tie against Blackburn Rovers in January 2017.

Still, it was not until the 2018/19 campaign that he truly established himself in the first team after spending the first half of the 2017/18 season on loan in League Two with Wycombe Wanderers before coming back to finish the year at Loftus Road.

In the following campaign, Eze would score four goals and provide four assists in 42 appearances for QPR before exploding in 2019/20 and scoring 14 goals and providing eight assists in 46 appearances.

Such a remarkable return from a young player understandably brought with it eyes from the Premier League, and after some negotiations, Crystal Palace signed Eze for £20m.

How Eberechi Eze compares to Martin Odegaard

Now, it's undoubtedly a big shout to compare a very talented midfielder with one who is captaining a team fighting for the league title, but it's one made primarily by the football database FBref.

The comparison is made by grouping positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues and then ranking them based on how close they are to one another for several key metrics, and in this case, Odegaard is considered to be the seventh most similar player to Eze.

For example, the "silky" Palace gem, as described by former teammate Geoff Cameron, produces 0.55 expected goals and assists per 90 to the Norwegian's 0.48 while also producing 2.95 progressive passes per 90 to his 2.90.

Eze

Odegaard

0.47

0.51

2.95

2.90

0.55

0.48

0.78

0.69

4.50

4.38

This obviously doesn't make them identical players, but there is an undeniable similarity in their underlying statistics, which suggests that they could play similar roles within a team.

So, it would certainly have been beneficial for the Gunners to keep a hold of the talented Englishman as not only has he produced 34 goal involvements in 113 appearances for the Eagles, but he could also act as the perfect backup to their captain.

Oh, and there is also the small fact that the CIES Football Observatory now values him at around €40m, which is about £34m, and that is likely a conservative estimate in today's game.

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Ultimately, football clubs can't predict the future, and maybe Eze, who scored ten Premier League goals last season, did not show enough potential when he was 13, but they may now regret letting him go as it appears as though they fumbled their own homegrown version of their current captain.