Liverpool are believed to be eyeing a prolific international striker as a replacement for Darwin Nunez at the end of the season, according to a fresh update.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are likely to have a quiet January transfer window, with Arne Slot seemingly content with the squad at his disposal, but that hasn’t stopped players from being linked with moves to Anfield.

Finding a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah is going to be an almost impossible job, given the Egyptian’s world-class brilliance, and Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has been mentioned as an option, as well as Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. Newcastle United are also thought to be interested in the pair, though.

Liverpool’s midfield may have excelled this season, but they are still reportedly keen on signing Nottingham Forest ace Morgan Gibbs-White, as they look to provide even more competition for the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott in attacking areas.

In terms of players who could leave in the near future, Federico Chiesa has been backed to seal a quickfire Anfield exit, having only arrived from Juventus last summer. Things haven’t worked out for the Italian yet this season, but that said, seeing him depart this month would still be a surprise, weakening the Reds’ squad in the process.

Liverpool keen on signing "magical" striker

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool are eyeing the signing of Lille star Jonathan David this summer, seeing him as a replacement for Nunez.

The current Reds striker is reportedly on AC Milan’s radar ahead of a potential switch at the end of the season, and the Merseysiders seemingly view David as both an upgrade and a “long-term investment”, with Slot a fan of his versatility and goal-scoring ability.

David could be a fantastic signing by Liverpool, considering he is arguably one of Europe’s most potent attacking players currently, shining for both club and country and is on course to be available for free in the summer.

The 24-year-old has scored a highly impressive 31 goals in 59 caps at international level for Canada, while this season, he has netted 11 times in 12 Ligue 1 starts. Not only that, but he has also been lauded for the “magical” campaign he is enjoying by Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic.

With Nunez now in his third season at Liverpool and still flattering to deceive, there are genuine doubts over whether he will ever be good enough for this Reds side under Slot, in terms of his finishing and general all-round game.

Appearances

15

Starts

12

Minutes played

1180

Goals

11

Assists

1

Shots per game

2.3

Key passes per game

0.5

Man of the Match awards

3

In David, they could have a perfect upgrade, with the Canadian potentially keen on testing himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world, so a cheap transfer could be ideal for all parties.

The soccer analyst believes that the Norwich City forward needs to find the right balance between his performances for club and country

• Sargent's impressive club form contrasts with USMNT struggles
• Lalas emphasizes the importance of translating club success to international level
• Sargent hasn’t scored for the USMNT since 2019

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Josh Sargent continues to shine for Norwich City, recently netting a dramatic stoppage-time winner against West Bromwich Albion. However, his performances for the USMNT in the recent CONCACAF Nations League matches didn’t quite hit the same heights. This inconsistency caught the attention of Alexi Lalas, who tackled the topic on his State of the Union podcast, acknowledging the frustrating gap between Sargent’s club form and his national team contributions.

  “This is where the Josh Sargent discussion gets interesting,” Lalas said. “He’s having a hell of a year, and we always talk on S about looking at things through Red, White, and Blue-colored glasses. What American players do at their clubs matters, but ultimately, there’s a direct line to what they do for the national team.”

  Lalas stressed that while Sargent was handed the No. 9 role during the recent USMNT window, he struggled to make an impact – though so did the team as a whole. “He didn’t produce in a system that didn’t produce, so it’s not all on him,” Lalas noted. “But when Josh Sargent scores a goal, the American in me says, ‘Hey, that’s great – an American scoring goals, no matter the level.’ I love to see that.”

  Still, Lalas couldn’t ignore the lingering concerns about Sargent’s ability to replicate that success for the USMNT. “But the other part of me says, ‘OK, fool me once.’ This is a player who still hasn’t consistently translated his club form to the national team. So while I’m happy for him, my excitement is tempered until he proves he can do it in the Red, White, and Blue.”

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• WHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

  The former USMNT defender further added that Sargent needs to figure out a balance between his performances for club and country.

  “And I totally get why the reaction from many out there, ‘Yeah, that’s fine and well but you didn’t do it for the national team’. And if you’re going to be an international, in this case, Sargent is an international, there is going to have to be a balance. And we’ve said times that just because you’re playing well for your club, doesn’t mean it necessarily translates to the national team. And by the way, the opposite is true too, just because your playing like crap at the club team, doesn’t mean you can’t come into the national team and do great things," he continued.

  “Josh Sargent has been far from doing even great things when it comes to the national team and that’s why I think that there is this tempered balance type of opinion when he does something like that. And it shouldn’t only apply to Sargent."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sargent has been in superb form for Norwich City this season, netting 13 goals for the Canaries in 25 league appearances out of which nine have come in his last 11 games. However, in contrast, the USMNT international has scored just 5 goals in 28 caps for the team, with his last goals coming against Cuba in November 2019.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following their win over West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City have moved back into the race for a promotion playoff spot and are five points behind sixth place Baggies. They face Plymouth Argyle next on April 4 on the road before hosting Sunderland at Carrow Road on April 8 and then go back on the road to face third-place side Burnley on April 11.

“You feel proud when you realise that you have achieved something that not many are able to,” Nadeem says after reaching the landmark of 500 first-class wickets

Syed Hussain17-Jan-2023Shahbaz Nadeem recently became the latest entrant in the club of bowlers with 500 first-class wickets. He got there in the previous round of Ranji Trophy matches, at the end of which, he also had 381 wickets in the tournament, putting him in 12th place for most successful bowlers in the Ranji Trophy. For a boy from Muzaffarpur, around 80 kilometres from Patna, reaching the milestone is a “feeling of satisfaction” and also one of having “achieved something that not many are able to”.”It’s a really nice feeling when, after playing for so many years [he made his first-class debut in December 2004], you reach a place like this, you achieve something big,” Nadeem told ESPNcricinfo. “As a cricketer, it’s a feeling of satisfaction, you feel happy. Whether you play for your country or for your state [in India’s domestic circuit], you feel proud when you realise that you have achieved something that not many are able to.”Nadeem has played all his domestic cricket for Jharkhand, a total of 129 first-class matches (before the start of the latest round in the Ranji Trophy, on January 17) and 127 List A matches, plus 144 T20s, which includes 72 appearances in the IPL, where he has been with Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants.Related

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Along the way, after knocking on the doors of the national team loudly and persistently for many years, he got to play two Tests: at his home venue of Ranchi, against South Africa, in October 2019, and in Chennai, against England, in February 2021. He has eight wickets from those two games.Nadeem’s career took off in right earnest after his father, a policeman, was transferred to Muzaffarpur from Dhanbad. In the 2004-05 season, he was picked to play for Jharkhand against Kerala in Jamshedpur (in Jharkhand, a state carved out of the larger state of Bihar in 2000). It was an unremarkable debut, as he picked up just two wickets in a drawn encounter, but he stuck it out, and has today made his name among India’s domestic giants.ESPNcricinfo LtdAnd now, after getting to 500, 600 doesn’t seem too far away. Nor does the magical number of 637, the Ranji Trophy wicket-taking record that’s in the name of Rajinder Goel, a left-arm spinner like Nadeem, who played 157 first-class matches between 1958-59 and 1984-85.”When I am playing, I don’t have specific targets, but yes, if you keep playing and keep performing well, you do achieve some goals, and if I can get to 653 wickets, it will be great,” Nadeem said. “But it’s not like that is my aim. I just want to keep performing well and making my team win.”Shahbaz Nadeem waits for ‘another opportunity’ in Test cricketAt 33, after more than a decade-and-a-half of professional cricket, there might not be many opportunities for Nadeem to add to those two Test appearances, but he hasn’t stopped dreaming altogether.”The only thing I can do is keep picking up wickets, as many as possible, and I am doing that,” Nadeem, who has 30 wickets including three five-fors from five matches in this season’s Ranji Trophy so far, said. “I was third in the wicket-takers’ list last season [with 25 wickets from five matches], and I have been picking up wickets this season too.”I feel that if, season after season, I am among the top wicket-takers, , I can get another opportunity to play Test cricket.”Before that, though, there is a Ranji Trophy campaign to worry about, and for Jharkhand, placed third in Elite Group C behind Karnataka and Kerala at the moment, the remaining games are massive. As they are for Nadeem, who might tick off a few more milestones before he feels he has had enough.

She has been withdrawn from the squad on the advice of CA medical staff

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2023Australia captain Meg Lanning has been ruled out of the Ashes due to medical reasons. Alyssa Healy will lead the side in the multi-format series which begins on June 22.Lanning returned to playing in January after taking an extended break from the game to manage her mental health and led Australia to the T20 World Cup title in South Africa during March before going on to feature in the inaugural WPL.”It’s an unfortunate setback for Meg and she’s obviously disappointed to have been ruled out of the Ashes; it’s a significant series for the team and she’ll be missed, but she understands the need to put her health first,” Shawn Flegler, CA’s head of performance for women’s cricket, said.Related

• Lanning ruled out of West Indies series but Healy and Perry return

• Australia 'a little bit rattled' by Lanning's sudden Ashes withdrawal

• A new chapter in Lanning-Harmanpreet captaincy saga

• Healy considers ditching Test match opening role

“Meg will remain at home where she will continue to work with medical staff with the aim to return to playing as soon as possible. We ask that Meg’s privacy is respected at this time.”A CA statement added: “On the advice of CA medical staff, Lanning has been withdrawn from the squad due to a medical issue which requires management from home. A timeline for Lanning’s return to play will become clearer in due course.”It will be the second Ashes series that Lanning has missed after she sat out the 2017-18 series in Australia due to a shoulder injury.Lanning was part of the promotion of the fixture announcement for next summer little more than a fortnight ago.During Lanning’s absence from the team last year Healy stepped into the captaincy and will again be supported by Tahlia McGrath as vice captain.Australia will not replace Lanning in the Ashes squad with Australia A touring concurrently for the first part of the trip meaning they can draft players in as required.The loss of Lanning will leave a huge hole to fill in the top order across formats. There could be significant rejigging for the Test match with Healy having recently indicated she will consider a move down the order to manage her workload.

Ipswich Town supporters will be hoping that their relegation-threatened team’s positive January continues against Brighton and Hove Albion, with a draw and a win already collected this month in all competitions.

After the Seagulls travel to Suffolk, Kieran McKenna’s men then have a double whammy of Manchester City and Liverpool to contend with, as more and more fixtures in the Premier League come thick and fast for the Tractor Boys.

The Northern Irish manager will know he can rely on the likes of Liam Delap moving forward among other top first-team personnel to continue to put in admirable performances, with the 21-year-old wanting to let his football do the talking amidst rampant speculation linking him with a move away from the top-flight minnows.

How Ipswich can ensure Premier League survival

In all fairness, McKenna’s men have been far from poor this term with some notable players becoming household names across the campaign to date.

The biggest part of their survival bid will be the aforementioned Delap. He’s seriously caught the eye on the way to notching up plenty of goals with his eighth Premier League strike of a glittering season coming last time out versus Fulham when he calmly slotted a penalty away in the 2-2 draw.

Before that, he also managed to score and assist during a dramatic 2-0 win over Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, with the Blues now interested in snapping up the potent attacker at some point this January.

There have been other star performers in the side which include Leif Davis at the back who has transitioned to top-flight football equally as well.

The ex-Leeds United man has three goal contributions next to his name in the league as a gung-ho option in defence but has also managed to show solidity at the back when needed, notably winning as many as six duels won in total versus Nottingham Forest back in November.

Alongside these two faces, there have been other standout individuals such as Dara O’Shea who won five duels himself versus Chelsea, but there have also been some notable underperformers.

One of which has been the captain…

Sam Morsy's struggles at Ipswich in the Premier League

Sam Morsy’s difficult adjustment to Premier League life was clear for all to see in Ipswich’s last league clash at Fulham, with the midfielder giving away one of the two spot-kicks at Craven Cottage due to some reckless tackling on a day where most of his play felt erratic.

He ended up winning just two of his seven duels against Marco Silva’s hosts – with his average per game for the season a far heftier 4.3. His showing against Chelsea was also below-par considering all of the star performers surrounding him, having registered just 71% of his passes.

Therefore, McKenna could well have a selection conundrum to address involving the long-standing Ipswich servant, with Kalvin Phillips also standing out in the FA Cup in his place with a goal tallied up against Bristol Rovers.

With Nemanja Matic also touted with a move to Suffolk, there might not be space for the 33-year-old veteran anymore in his starting XI on a consistent basis, despite the fact Morsy has been a regular during the club’s promotion heroics.

1. Axel Tuanzebe

£40k-per-week

2. Dara O’Shea

£35k-per-week

= 2. Arijanet Muric

£35k-per-week

3. Ben Johnson

£30k-per-week

= 3 . Sam Morsy

£30k-per-week

On top of Morsy sliding down the pecking order due to his out-of-sorts form, he could soon be axed for good by Ipswich owing to his high salary which sees him rake in a £30k-per-week pay packet.

Amazingly, both Delap and Davis earn less despite taking to the top flight like a duck to water, with the exciting pair both taking home a lesser £20k-per-week.

Whilst Morsy did win the club’s Player of the Year for his side just last year as promotion was reached, McKenna will know he needs to keep up with the times, which could result in the ageing midfielder’s game-time lessening even more as survival is sought after.

Ipswich could sign a "monster" Matic alternative in £8m star

The experienced international could be just what Ipswich need.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 16, 2025

India have several questions on the make-up of the playing XI to mull ahead of the Mohali Test, including how many bowlers of which type to pick – and their nets session has provided some clues

Sidharth Monga in Mohali03-Nov-2015India start the series as favourites – even Dale Steyn concedes that – but they also start the series with tough selection calls. In the last Test they played, they were without both their first-choice openers, and one replacement – a makeshift opener – scored a century, carried his bat, and took the Man-of-the-Match award. The other replacement scored a hundred earlier in the series. Their leading fast bowler is out of the first Test with a one-match ban. They have been playing with only five specialist batsmen of late, but can they afford to do so against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander at the start of a big series. If they do play only four specialist bowlers, will they have any reservations against playing just the one quick?Two days before the Test, team director Ravi Shastri spoke about a few of these issues. The number of bowlers, he said, depended on the conditions underfoot and overhead. Sri Lanka was oppressively hot so India needed that extra bowler there. It has cooled down in India’s November now, and if the pitches turn as asked, India could beef up their batting and go with just four bowlers. The big question, then, is will this new leadership team of Virat Kohli and Shastri, who have shown an inclination towards pace, be okay with playing just the one quick?”Tomorrow you can play four spinners if you give me a pitch that will turn on the first day,” an emphatic Shastri said. “No rule that you have to play a fast bowler. West Indies played four fast bowlers in their time. No spinners. What stops a team from playing four spinners if you get a track of that kind?””Home conditions,” Shastri added mischievously.So that still remains a riddle because Shastri said he hadn’t seen the pitch, and it is the pitch that will decide whether India play four bowlers or five. So let us start by eliminating players based on the nets session. What happens in the nets is not always conclusive, but KL Rahul, Varun Aaron and Bhuvneshwar Kumar can be ruled out for the moment. The two fast bowlers bowled at stumps in a side net as the others practiced at the main nets, and Rahul’s lack of activity sits consistent with Shastri’s backing of Shikhar Dhawan, who has had a rough ODI series but has scored three hundreds in his last three first-class matches, two of them Tests.”That’s a mistake people make here,” Shastri said. “They mix Test form with one-day cricket form. Test form, he comes on the back of two hundreds in two matches. So is he in form or is he out of form? For me he is very much in form. And hot. If you remind me of that 187 against Australia [in India’s last Test in Mohali, which was also Dhawan’s debut], that I am sure will be in his mind, and will help him.”Shastri said it was a big series and compared it with the one against Australia in 2000-01 – a young Indian team against world-beaters – and added that the pressure was equally on South Africa because they are the No. 1 side and have not lost an away series in nine years.There is every chance India might not take the big risk of playing just five specialist batsmen. That might also save them the happy headache of having to choose between Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored a hundred in his last Test as a replacement opener, and Rohit Sharma, in whom they have invested time and Tests because they see something in him. Both had proper stints with the bat in the nets, so it is safe to say neither of them is out of contention at the moment.Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra look primed to join R Ashwin, who is “absolutely fine” now, which means India could have only Umesh Yadav as the pace bowler. There is an out-of-the-box thought that Stuart Binny could be added as the extra pacer at the expense of Pujara or Rohit. Binny wasn’t present at the nets, though. Jadeja and Binny both finished their Ranji Trophy matches, but Jadeja was playing in Delhi and Binny in Jaipur. Delhi is better connected and closer to Chandigarh.With only one more nets session to go before the first Test of the series, there are plenty of permutations and combinations. The team won’t divulge their thought process because they don’t want the opposition to get any clues. Another way of looking at it, albeit simplistic, is that one-and-a-half days before the Test, only 12 players had proper stints at the nets. One of them, Ishant Sharma, is banned from playing the first Test. That leaves six specialist batsmen including Dhawan, Pujara and Rohit, a wicketkeeper in Saha, three spinners and Umesh Yadav.

MatériaMais Notícias

da 888casino： Confronto marcado para às 18h (de Brasília) do próximo domingo (16), Juventude e Atlético-MG coloca, frente a frente, dois times que estão na zona de rebaixamento. Porém, com grau de esperança bem diferente para conseguir sair dessa situação.

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da apostebet： >Goiás x Corinthians, pelo Brasileirão, é suspenso pelo STJD

No caso da equipe anfitriã, além da absoluta incerteza sobre quem será o próximo treinador efetivo do Papo, os 20 pontos na lanterna da competição (13 distante do Ceará, primeiro fora do Z4) restando 18 em disputa deixam a situação do cliube caxiense “na conta do milagre” para evitar a queda.

Já para o semifinalista da Sul-Americana neste ano, a equipe dirigida por Eduardo Souza tem 29 unidades e em 18° lugar, tendo de tirar uma diferença de quatro pontos sendo que, na próxima rodada, os oponentes imediatamente acima do Atlético-GO se enfrentam na rodada.

FICHA TÉCNICA
​JUVENTUDE x ATLÉTICO-GO

Local: Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul (RS)
Data e hora: 16/10/2022 – 18h (de Brasília)
Ártbitro: Felipe Fernandes de Lima (MG)
Assistentes: Celso Luiz da Silva e Leonardo Henrique Pereira (ambos MG)
VAR: Igor Junio Benevenuto de Oliveira (MG)
Onde assistir: Premiere

JUVENTUDE (Técnico: Lucas Zanella)

Pegorari; Paulo Henrique, Thalisson, Vitor Mendes e Rodrigo Soares; Élton, Jadson, Chico, Capixaba e Rafinha; Isidro Pitta.

Desfalques: Kelvi (lesionado)

ATLÉTICO-GO (Técnico: Eduardo Souza)

Renan; Dudu, Lucas Gazal, Wanderson e Arthur Henrique; Willian Maranhão, Gabriel Baralhas e Wellington Rato; Airton, Diego Churín e Luiz Fernando.

Desfalques:Shaylon (suspenso),Pedro Paulo, Ramon Menezes e Ronaldo (lesionados)

He will lead a side with Buttler, who will join on June 1 and play ten group games plus any knockout fixture

Matt Roller24-May-2023

Liam Livingstone was Lancashire’s all-format captain in 2018 but stepped down at the end of that season•Harry Trump/Getty Images

Liam Livingstone will captain Lancashire in the 2023 T20 Blast – with his England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler in the ranks for the majority of the season.Livingstone spent a single season as Lancashire’s all-format club captain as a 24-year-old in 2018 but stepped down after struggling for form as the club were relegated from Division One of the County Championship.”I think I was a very different person and player back then,” Livingstone told LancsTV. “I think my experience around the world over the last couple of years will obviously make things a little bit different for me, and we’ve got a lot of players to bounce ideas off so it certainly won’t just be me making all the decisions.”We’ve got a really good squad. I don’t think it’s too difficult a job: we’ve got a lot of experience, we’ve got more experience coming back in – hopefully Jos in the next couple of games. I don’t think it’s a difficult task. We’ve got a lot of people to bounce ideas off and hopefully the team should pretty much captain itself anyway – it’s just a few decisions here and there.”Livingstone will deputise for club captain Keaton Jennings, who sustained a hamstring injury while playing in the Championship last month. “Handing Liam the reins for this summer’s Blast gives us some consistency and allows Keaton to focus fully on his recovery,” Glen Chapple, Lancashire’s head coach, said.Lancashire played in the opening game of the Blast season against Derbyshire on Saturday, winning by four wickets. They initially named Dane Vilas as captain when announcing their squad, but left Vilas out of the side altogether to accommodate Daryl Mitchell and Colin de Grandhomme as their two overseas players and were instead led by veteran batter Steven Croft.Buttler, Livingstone and Phil Salt all returned from the IPL this weekend but Buttler will take a short break before returning to the Lancashire set-up on June 1, when they play Yorkshire at Headingley. He is due to play 10 group games for Lancashire this season – more than he has managed across the last five years combined – as well as any knockout fixtures, having dropped out of England’s Test set-up and with no clash between the Blast and England’s white-ball fixtures this season.”I’m really looking forward to pulling on the Red Rose once again and representing Lancashire Lightning in this summer’s Vitality Blast,” Buttler said in a press release.”To have the opportunity to play so many matches in this year’s Blast is really exciting for me and it’s a chance to really help the team after coming so close in last year’s final.”Lancashire’s next Blast fixture is against Leicestershire on Thursday afternoon.

Matthew Waite’s maiden century put Worcestershire in a strong position on the third day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire at the Incora County Ground.The former Yorkshire all-rounder passed his previous highest first-class score of 59 to end unbeaten on 109 from 149 balls which took Worcestershire to 473, a lead of 152.Ben Gibbon shared a stand of 86 from 126 balls, Worcestershire’s highest for the 10th wicket at Derby since 1899, before he was dismissed by fast bowler Zak Chappell who finished with 5 for 69 from 22 overs.In reply, Billy Godleman, 86, and Haider Ali, 65, shared an opening stand of 134 but Derbyshire lost wickets in clusters and closed on 269 for 6, 117 ahead, with skipper Leus du Plooy unbeaten on 52.Worcestershire’s prospects of such a sizeable lead appeared slim when Brett D’Oliveira was run out in the second over of the day.He had added only two to his overnight 87 after he came back for a third run and was stranded when Brooke Guest relayed Anuj Dal’s throw to the bowler’s end leaving the Worcestershire skipper stranded.D’Oliveira departed kicking the air in anger but if Waite thought he was to blame, he more than made up for it with the best innings of his career.With the help of the lower order and some generous assistance from Derbyshire who persisted with short-pitched tactics for too long, Waite transformed a decent advantage into a potentially decisive one.Both Joe Leach and Josh Tongue were caught at leg gully by Wayne Madsen, one of them a blinder, but from then on Derbyshire’s morning went pear-shaped.Gibbon lobbed a bouncer from Suranga Lakmal to short midwicket but it was signalled a no ball and that cost 75 runs.Waite pulled Ben Aitchison for two consecutive fours to take the lead into three figures before he cut the left-arm spin of du Plooy for his 14th four to bring up his century from 143 balls.The fact that all the Derbyshire players applauded showed just how well Waite had played from the moment he came in with his team still in arrears.Gibbon was by no means a sleeping partner, pulling Matt Lamb’s leg spin for six and driving him through the covers for another boundary before Chappell finally put an end to Derbyshire’s frustration.A chipped catch to midwicket gave Chappell his fifth wicket, making him the 14th Derbyshire player to take five in an innings on debut, although few in the home dressing room would have been in the mood to celebrate.It was now a case of how Derbyshire would respond after such a chastening passage of play and they came out as if determined to wipe out the deficit before tea.This was Billyball take two as Godleman and Haider went after Worcestershire from the off, unsettling the bowlers who could not find a consistent line or length.Godleman was first to his second 50 of the match which came off 55 balls and Haider reeled off some glorious off-side strokes as the pair sailed along at more than five an over.Haider pulled Waite for six and drove him down the ground for three to reach his first 50 for Derbyshire but two wickets in the last two overs of the session lifted Worcestershire.Haider was lbw as he pushed forward at D’Oliveira and Brooke Guest was bowled when Leach straightened one to take the off stump.Godleman and Madsen put Derbyshire in profit but Leach pinned Madsen with a full length ball before Gibbon brought one back to bowl Godleman.D’Oliveira beat Lamb’s forward push and Dal was lbw to Waite leaving du Plooy as Derbyshire’s best hope of setting a challenging target.

da realsbet： Chelsea has been the home to numerous midfield talents over the years, with many capturing the hearts of the fanbase and leading them to success over various time periods.

da dobrowin： Frank Lampard will arguably remain one of, if not the club’s most iconic players, producing countless moments of magic during his time as a player at Stamford Bridge.

The Englishman scored 211 goals for the Blues, still holding the record to this day for the most goals scored by a player in the club’s history – showcasing how important he was during his stint in West London.

Fast forward to 2025, Enzo Maresca has a talented crop of players in his hands, helping to try and secure the Italian a top-four finish during his opening Premier League campaign at the helm.

As a result, he’s been targeting reinforcements in the January transfer window, including one player who could return to England in the coming weeks.

Chelsea make enquiry to land midfield star

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have made contact with Juventus to ask about a potential loan move for midfielder Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian only joined the Serie A outfit in the summer, joining in a £42m deal from Aston Villa, but it’s a move that is yet to go to plan for either party.

He’s only featured in 12 league matches, starting just three of them, with former side Manchester City and surprise top-four hopefuls Nottingham Forest also in the race for his signature.

However, Romano confirmed that the Italian outfit are reluctant to allow him to leave on a temporary basis after his move just a handful of months ago from Unai Emery’s side.

Whilst a deal may seem tricky given the interest from elsewhere, it would be a superb addition for Maresca’s side, undoubtedly proving a better option than another player linked with a move to the Bridge.

Why Luiz would be a better signing than Mainoo for Chelsea

In recent weeks, Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has been regularly touted with a move to join the Blues after it was confirmed they would accept a reasonable bid for his services to satisfy the division’s PSR rules.

No bid has been made for the 19-year-old’s signature yet, but the Red Devils youngster is a name who simply won’t go away, leaving the door open for a late move before the end of the window.

It’s unclear how much Ruben Amorim’s side would demand to part ways with their star academy graduate this month, but it’s clear that he would provide quality in the middle of the park – helping secure a top-four spot.

However, a move for Luiz would certainly be a better option, having that experience at the top level of the English game to have a serious impact at the Bridge to help Maresca in his quest.

When comparing their respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Juve ace has produced various impressive stats, many of which have completely blown Mainoo out of the water, showcasing why he would be the better option for the Blues.

Luiz, who’s previously been dubbed “one of the best in the world” in a midfield position by one Sky Italia journalist, has completed more of his attempted passes this campaign, whilst also creating more chances per 90, highlighting his ability to create opportunities for his teammates.

How Luiz compares to Mainoo in 2024/25 so far

Statistics (per 90)

Luiz

Mainoo

Games played

12

16

Minutes played

414

1211

Pass accuracy

91%

87%

Chances created

2.6

0.9

Successful dribbles

2

1.5

Dribble success rate

82%

51%

Duels won

56%

48%

Aerials won

57%

43%

Stats via FotMob

However, the Brazilian has been just as impressive defensively, winning more of his ground and aerial duels than Mainoo, making him the perfect box-to-box option at the heart of Maresca’s side should he move.

Given the interest from other Premier League clubs, the Blues may face stiff competition for the former Villa ace’s signature, but it’s a signing that would hugely improve their chances of Champions League football.

He has the opportunity to make himself a fan-favourite should he make the move, providing the added quality and dimension that has often been lacking in the recent poor run of form.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jan 22, 2025