Take out India’s 20-7 win-loss record since the start of their home season last year, and you have a team on very shaky ground. Misunderstandings between captain and coach which led to the coach quitting even as the squad was mid-flight to the Caribbean, a thumping in a very high-profile global final just last weekend, and two middle-order superstars on the wane.West Indies, in the past few years, have seen coaches sacked and players banned. Successes have been scarce – they have won two of nine ODIs this year, and slumped to ninth on the ICC ODI rankings. Both teams’ mindset off the field must be rather similar. Except, they aren’t.The negative forces currently surrounding India are strong enough to destabilise any team, but winning is the most impactful nullifying factor in sports. Despite their issues, in terms of personnel, skills, confidence and form, India have the edge, no doubt. They just made the final of the Champions Trophy; West Indies did not qualify for the Champions Trophy, and while it was in progress they lost an ODI to Afghanistan at home.In the five-match series against West Indies, India’s biggest stumbling block could be the slow nature of the Caribbean pitches. Apart from the occasional turner, India have played their ODI cricket on predominantly high run-scoring surfaces. They last played an ODI in the West Indies four years ago. Here, hitting through the ball or swinging across the line may not be viable options. Instead, opening the face of the bat late and nudging accurate bowling into gaps could be the best alternatives. How effectively will India adapt?West Indies have honed their ODI cricket on such surfaces in the recent past. The lower the scores, the higher are West Indies’ chances. A series win against India is a must as they aim to climb the rankings and get direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup.
Form guide
West Indies WLLLW (completed matches, most recent first) India LWWLW
In the spotlight
Spinning allrounders may be the most productive asset on low, slow pitches. West Indies picked Roston Chase for the series against Afghanistan, albeit on Test form. He didn’t quite deliver, but still has the best resume for the job. A quick, flat and accurate modus operandi with the ball is well supplemented by his boundary-hitting ability.Virat Kohli will be pleased to get back on the field, given the distractions off it. Fingers have been pointed and focus was temporarily shifted away from the game. All eyes will be on how Kohli leads his team in the wake of the biggest controversy of his captaincy tenure. He is also India’s best and most capable batsman in challenging conditions. A determined Kohli is not what West Indies will want to come up against.
Team news
With Shannon Gabriel unavailable due to injury, West Indies named an unchanged 13-man squad for the first two ODIs. Fast bowler Kesrick Williams and legspinner Devendra Bishoo may miss out.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jonathan Carter, 5 Jason Mohammed, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Jason Holder (capt), 9 Ashley Nurse, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Miguel CumminsRohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah are the two exclusions from India’s squad from the Champions Trophy. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav were picked in their place, but they may not make the XI initially. Ajinkya Rahane is likely to take Rohit’s opening spot, and Umesh Yadav could be brought in for Bumrah.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Umesh Yadav
Pitch and conditions
In the three T20s played between West Indies and Pakistan at the Queen’s Park Oval – the venue for the first two ODIs – earlier this year, the highest score was 138 for 3 in a successful chase. Run-making is unlikely to get any easier, which could mean both teams’ batsmen face a trial of slow bowling. There is no rain forecast.
Stats and trivia
The previous ODI played at Queen’s Park Oval was between India and Sri Lanka in 2013
India have lost three of their last four away ODIs against West Indies
Quotes
“We see [Rahane] more powerful at the opening slot and that’s where he can play his game the best, so during the course of all these five games, Ajinkya will definitely open with Shikhar.”Virat Kohli
Chelsea's pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo is "still on" despite their second bid being rejected by the Seagulls, claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.
Is Moises Caicedo joining Chelsea this summer?
It's been a hectic transfer window for Mauricio Pochettino's side so far this summer. From selling a swathe of first-team stars to signing a handful of promising youngsters, Chelsea are certainly making a splash in the market.
However, the name that has seemingly been attached to the club more than any other over the last month or so has been Brighton's Caicedo, as the saga to bring him to Stamford Bridge rumbles on.
The protracted nature of the deal is not from a lack of trying on the west Londoners' part, as according to Sky Sports, they have had two offers rebuffed by the Seagulls, the second being worth an eye-watering £80m.
That said, Roberto De Zerbi's side are under no obligation to sell after the 21-year-old signed a new £60,000-a-week contract in March this year that doesn't expire until summer 2027.
If the Pensioners want to secure the signature of La Joya, then they'll have to stump up the £100m that Brighton want – a fee that reflects the transfer of the positionally similar Declan Rice.
However, in good news for fans of the club, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that, despite their second offer being rejected, talks remain ongoing with the deal very much "still on."
He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:
"From what I am told, and this is my information, is that the negotiations are not stalling now, the negotiations remain ongoing. Of course, with Brighton on their position, they want big money, and with Chelsea on their position, they don't want to overpay, but they are still speaking, they're still talking, and I still expect some contacts in the next days for Moises Caicedo.
"Then, at some point, it's going to be time to decide. For sure, the deal is still on while I'm speaking."
Who else has been linked with a move to Chelsea this summer?
While the Blues certainly seem set on signing Caicedo this summer, they're still looking elsewhere in the market for potential transfers so as not to be left empty-handed should the Ecuadorian remain on the south coast.
One of the names touted as a potential alternative is Southampton's exciting youngster, Romeo Lavia.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are now 'plotting a full-scale hijack of Liverpool's pursuit' of the 19-year-old following the recent setback regarding Caicedo.
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
The Merseysiders are currently leading the chase for the Belgian's signature, having seen their opening offer of £34m plus £4m in add-ons rejected as the Saints hold out for a team to match their £50m valuation.
Should a deal for Caicedo not materialise, Pochettino's side could use some of the money put aside for the Ecuardoian and make an offer Southampton feel they cannot refuse.
While he might not be the club's number one choice, the 5 foot 11 "monster" demonstrated his qualities last season, averaging a match rating of 6.56 in an incredibly dysfunctional Saints team and maintaining a passing accuracy of 86.4% to boot, per WhoScored.
Ultimately, Blues fans should rest assured that, at the moment, the deal to sign Caicedo is still on, and even if it collapses, Lavia could be the ideal alternative.
Mason Crane marked his maiden England Test call-up with three wickets as Hampshire closed the gap on Glamorgan at the top of the NatWest T20 Blast South Group
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2017Hampshire 119 for 2 beat Glamorgan 118 for 6 by eight wicketsMason Crane marked his maiden England Test call-up with three wickets as Hampshire closed the gap on Glamorgan at the top of the NatWest T20 Blast South Group.Legspinner Crane was picked for the Test squad to face the West Indies later this month before leaving Glamorgan in a twist. James Vince then completed the thrashing with his 21st T20 fifty to ease Hampshire to an eight-wicket victory.Glamorgan won the toss and chose to bat on a slow pitch which had seen the Western Storm struggled to 70 in their Kia Super League defeat to Southern Vipers earlier in the day.Liam Dawson put aside his disappointment of failing to return to the England fold by bowling Aneurin Donald third ball of the match. And the left-arm spinner bagged the huge wicket of danger man Colin Ingram, who had smacked Gareth Berg over the fence, in the following over as Chris Wood held on at long-on.The visitors were struggling as they only reached 34 in the Powerplay and it was only going to get worse as Crane then came into the attack and proved why he has been called upon by the England selectors.The 20-year-old showed off his incredible googly to bowl opener Nicholas Selman to further pin Glamorgan.Crane then dragged Chris Cooke down the track to sky a top-edge to Gareth Berg at cover before snatching a third scalp a ball later on his dream day by having former South Africa Test star Jacques Rudolph stumped.The home grown leg-spinner ending with figures of 3 for 21, to boast a combined analysis of 5 for 36 with spin twin Dawson. Another Hampshire academy graduate, keeper Calvin Dickinson, again impressed with his quick hands on debut to stump Craig Meschede off the wily Shahid Afridi – leaving the visitors 65 for 6.Pakistan legend Afridi chalked up returns of 1 for 16 – although a dropped caught-and-bowled tainted his evening slightly.The Welsh side were heading for a sub-100 total before Andrew Salter crashed his highest T20 score of 37 – which included a huge six over long on – to help his side score 16 from the final over and set Hampshire 119 to win.Isle of Wight-raised Dickinson opened on his first professional appearance but departed in the first over as he was lbw to Ingram, while attempting a hoicked sweep.But from there Vince and Tom Alsop looked in fantastic nick pummelling the ball to all angles of the Ageas Bowl in a 68-run stand for the second wicket.Alsop in particular punched back-to-back powerful on-drives straight down the track.But after reaching 28 he picked out Marchant de Lange off Ingram on the long-on boundary to end an entertaining knock.At the other end, skipper Vince was caressing the ball through holes in the field with pure guile and appeared unstoppable as he reached a 32-ball fifty – eventually reaching an unbeaten 60.At the half way point Hampshire only required 26 – and they reached the target with 37 balls to spare to go second and within a point of Glamorgan.
Celtic have been linked with a switch for Fabian Rieder this summer – but reliable journalist Mark Hendry has revealed that the Hoops are yet to make an official bid for the midfielder.
Who is Fabian Rieder?
The 21-year-old currently plies his trade for Young Boys in his native Switzerland, having worked his way into the first-team there and been handed his debut three seasons ago for the side. At just 18-years-old he was thrust into the spotlight with the club, making 23 league appearances for the club during that first campaign.
Despite his youth, he was a regular in the XI and helped the team to claim a Swiss Super League crown as a teenager. He then improved his output a campaign later, starting ten more games and ultimately bagging two goals and seven assists from midfield.
In 2022/23, that increased even more. He started 31 times in the league for Young Boys – the most of his career to date – and swapped his seven assists for seven goals this season, with a further four assists to boot. His eleven goal contributions meant that he ended the year with a rate of 0.39 per 90 on average. Not only was he excellent offensively though, he also was superb helping his side out at the back – he had 42 tackles won in total over the course of the season – an amount that put him eighth in the league-wide rankings.
Are Celtic signing Fabian Rieder?
After these performances for his club, it has led to interest in his services this summer. Celtic are one of the sides that have been linked with a switch for the midfielder, with the Scottish Premiership side reportedly putting him on their transfer radar this summer.
Switzerland international Fabian Rieder.
However, according to a report from reliable journalist Mark Hendry, the Hoops have actually yet to make an official bid for Rieder and they have not even made "contact" with the 21-year-old over a potential move to the club.
Even worse for fans of the move is that there are offers on the table for the midfielder from elsewhere – and Celtic are not one of those clubs that have made a bid. It means that he could actually be lured elsewhere this window before the Scottish outfit have even made an approach to sign the midfielder.
Hendry said: "Also informed this week that there has been no contact from Celtic FC for Fabian Rieder. He has 'a lot of concrete' offers – none Celtic at this time."
It would be a blow for the Scottish Premiership outfit if they weren't able to land Rieder this transfer window. He's already seen as a real talent in the game and someone that could instantly boost their midfield should they sign him.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that the Swiss man has a "complete profile" and added that "many top five league clubs" should be trying to snap him up this window. It means that he must have a lot of ability if he feels Rieder could make it in a big league – and therefore, it would be a shame for the Hoops to miss out on him this summer.
Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has already signed a total of nine players since taking over the Ibrox side last November.
The seven summer arrivals have yet to truly display their talents due to the season not yet underway, but if they are as impressive as his two January signings, then the club could be in the perfect position to claim back the Premiership crown.
Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell were the first two players to arrive under the Beale revolution and while Raskin gave the club some much-needed steel in the heart of the midfield, evident by averaging 1.8 tackles per game which ranked him third in the squad, it was the Englishman who was particularly inspiring.
How good was Todd Cantwell last season?
Having registered zero goals or assists for Norwich City during the first half of the season, the 25-year-old looked like a man reborn under Beale, scoring six times and grabbing five assists, including a first Old Firm goal.
Given he played just 16 league matches, he remarkably finished third in the squad in terms of overall Sofascore rating and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.5), showing how easily he settled into life at the Gers.
The former Canaries starlet will be hoping to continue this stunning run of form once the Premiership season kicks off in a couple of weeks and Beale could even be planning a repeat of his Cantwell masterclass with a move for Charlie Cresswell.
Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?
Rangers had an opening offer rejected by Leeds United for the youngster last month, according to Football League World, and it remains to be seen whether Beale will go back in for the defender, though given the evidence below, it is certainly something the Teddy Bears boss should do.
Like Cantwell, the “unbelievable” titan – as hailed by Leeds presenter Joe Wainman last year – was playing in the Championship last season.
He featured in 30 matches for Millwall across all competitions and even added an unlikely goal threat, scoring five times overall.
The 20-year-old was impressive for the Lions, winning 60% of his total duels in the second tier, displaying his physical presence and this would certainly stand him in good stead should he make the move to Scotland, with the physicality tending to be a problem for players arriving from England.
Not only that, the youngster showed great maturity by ranking second across the whole squad for his overall Sofascore rating (7.13), accurate passes per game (28.1) and clearances per game (3.1) as he turned into one of their finest players during a season where they finished eighth, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot.
Millwall loanee Charlie Cresswell.
Cantwell saw the chance to join Rangers and rejuvenate his game and although Cresswell is playing well, moving north of the border could give him opportunities which wouldn’t be on offer at Leeds.
Playing in the Champions League is a key example.
Creswell may have the chance to showcase his abilities on the grandest club stage of all and the 6 foot 3 titan would certainly have the physical presence to mix it with the best.
By signing the young talent, Beale could well repeat his Cantwell transfer masterclass, and it could pay off for the Ibrox outfit handsomely in the future.
تحدث برناردو سيلفا لاعب وسط مانشستر سيتي عن رد فعله بعد ركلة الترجيح التي أهدرها أمام ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
وسدد برناردو سيلفا ركلة الترجيح في وسط المرمى وتصدى لها لونين بسهولة، وحسمت المباراة بفوز ريال مدريد (4-3) أمام مانشستر سيتي ليتأهل لنصف النهائي.
وقال برناردو سيلفا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية: “إنها كرة القدم، إنها وظيفتنا، كان الأمر صعبًا”.
وأضاف: “في الليلة الأولى لم أنم كثيرًا، وفي الثانية أفضل قليلاً، وفي الثالثة كنت أنام طوال الليل تقريبًا، ولكن هذا هو الحال، إنها كرة القدم، عليك أن تفعل ذلك، أن تتعامل مع هذه المشاعر”.
وتابع: “كان لدي خياران، في ذهني كان لدي التسديد على أحد الجانبين، لن أخبرك بأي منهما، والوسط. انتظرت، أردت أن أنفذ ركلة الجزاء الثانية أو الثالثة لأرى رد فعل حارس المرمى”.
وأشار برناردو: “في البداية تحرك بسرعة، ولهذا السبب اعتقدت أن التسديد في الوسط كان خيارًا جيدًا، لأنه في لحظات الضغط تلك يتحرك 99% من حراس المرمى، لقد اختار عدم القيام بذلك وقام بعمل جيد”.
Trevor Bayliss has admitted England are no closer to solving their top-order batting issues despite completing a 3-1 victory over South Africa in the Investec Test series.England climb to No. 3 in the Test rankings as a result of the win and have now beaten South Africa – the No. 2-rated side – home and away within the last couple of years. But Bayliss, the England coach, accepts their search for an opening partner for Alastair Cook goes on and insisted they would not use the result to “paper over cracks”.While there are still question marks on three positions in the top five – Dawid Malan averaged just 8.75 from his first two Tests and Tom Westley a more promising 30.50 – most of the focus is likely to fall upon Keaton Jennings ahead of Friday’s selection meeting which will pick the side for the first Test against West Indies.Jennings, who opened with Cook in all four Tests against South Africa, finished with a series average of just 15.87 and was unable to take advantage of being dropped in both innings of the final game at Old Trafford. It leaves him with a Test average of 24.50 after six Tests (although statisticians have worked out that figure would drop to 7.16 had each of the five dropped chances he has benefited from in his career been taken). Most notably, he made a century on Test debut against India having been dropped before he scored a run.Although Bayliss was sympathetic to the challenges facing a top-order batsmen in this series, he conceded Jennings had not scored the runs he would have wanted. “Keaton would be disappointed with the way he went at the top of the order,” Bayliss said. “He batted on some very tough wickets for an opening batter and against a top-quality bowling attack”Are we any closer to solving those problems at the top of the order? To be honest, no. We’re not papering over the cracks. We know there are some spots which haven’t been cemented. We’re still looking for those guys to prove their worth at this level. We’ve still got two or three positions we haven’t nailed down yet. They know they have some things to work on.”While Bayliss offered no guarantees to Jennings over selection for the West Indies series, he did hint that he had a good chance of making the Ashes tour party.”He’s still an option to go to Australia,” Bayliss said. “I’d be surprised if we don’t take more than a couple of openers. He’s working hard in the nets and that’s as much as you can do. If he works hard enough and backs his ability then there’s no reason he can’t make a go of it.”
Liverpool are in the market for another midfielder and recent reports have linked them with Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucouré.
The Athletic has been one of those making that link in recent weeks, so the player could soon be heading to Anfield – if the Reds get their way, of course.
But who is Doucouré, and more importantly, just how good is he? Football FanCast has taken a look into the data for everything you need to know.
Doucouré is a Malian player who spent the early part of his career with RC Lens. He started his professional career there in 2018, with the club sitting in Ligue 2.
Two seasons at that level saw them promoted, though, and Doucouré continued to impress in France's top flight. Those performances earned him a move to Crystal Palace last summer in a deal worth up to £26m.
Doucouré is a defensive midfielder, with WhoScored's data placing him in either deep midfield or a more traditional centre-midfield role. No matter where he is, the Malian is all about winning the ball back and protecting his back four.
That would be the primary reason Liverpool sign him if they can find a deal with Palace.
Doucouré is a defence-first player. He averages a little over one shot per 90 minutes, says FBref data, while he's rarely involved in build-up play. Again, the data shows this – the 23-year-old is directly involved in creating under two shots per 90. That's very, very low.
His passing perhaps explains that best. Doucouré only passed it into the penalty area 11 times last season, while he averaged under five progressive passes – which are forward passes of at least 10 yards – per 90.
It won't be a surprise to learn that he doesn't dribble often, either – he only attempted to dribble past someone 21 times last term.
What you get, then, is a player who focuses almost entirely on stopping the opposition.
How good is Cheick Doucouré?
So bearing in mind what Doucouré wants to do, it's easy to see why Liverpool are interested. His standout stat is in interceptions, where the player averages 1.8 per 90 – that's in the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top 5 leagues.
And it's defensive stats across the board that also stand out here. Doucouré is within the top 15% of midfielders for tackles in the final third and the percentage of dribblers tackled, as well as in combined tackles and interceptions.
Overall tackles won are also a highlight, where he places in the top 13%, as does his ability to recover loose balls, which ranks among the top 25%. It's not often you find a player capable of doing all of this to a high level.
It's worth mentioning that Doucouré is consistent with the ball, too. While he rarely tries to take players on, he's very successful at it when he does – only 4% of midfielders are more successful.
He's reliable on the ball, averaging under one mis-control per 90 (placing in the 74th percentile) and is in the 83rd percentile for touches in the defensive third.
All in all, Doucouré is an incredibly consistent player – and one with a very bright future.
How old is Cheick Doucouré and what is his potential?
Doucouré is still only 23 and all of these impressive stats came in his debut Premier League season. Not only that, but Palace weren't especially consistent last time out, even changing their manager halfway through.
As part of a more consistent side – and with extra Premier League experience under his belt – there's every reason to believe that Doucouré can improve quite a lot, even next season – whether that's at Selhurst Park or Anfield.
What is Cheick Doucouré's injury record?
This is a big concern for Liverpool fans, of course. The Reds have had some excellent midfielders in recent years, though pretty much all of them have battled serious injuries – or simply had to contend with a lit of time in the treatment room.
Doucouré is actually quite exceptional in that regard. Transfermarkt has him down as suffering just one notable injury in his entire career up to now – a muscle problem back in early 2021 – and that only saw him miss one game.
There were some mild 'fitness' issues at the start of the 2019/20 season, but that's your lot.
Who would Doucouré replace at Liverpool?
Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.
As per The Athletic's article on the Reds' interest, Doucouré would essentially replace Fabinho in the squad.
The Brazilian is expected to leave for Saudi Arabia in a £40m deal to Al-Ittihad, with the midfielder undergoing a medical earlier this week and being left out of the club's pre-season trip to Singapore.
Fabinho is essentially the only out-and-out defensive midfielder in Jurgen Klopp's squad. Doucouré is a natural replacement, then, and the Reds would arguably do very well to find someone better suited to the job.
How would Jurgen Klopp use Cheick Doucouré?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
This one's quite interesting as change appears to be on the horizon at Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp has typically used a very versatile midfield, opting for multi-faceted players in the centre of the park.
Indeed, the acquisitions of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have already been noted signings of that ilk.
Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum were the best examples of that in the Reds' Champions League and Premier League-winning side. Both players could be solid defenders, while both were comfortable in their possession games, too. And, of course, they had the energy to press high and play at pace.
But Liverpool have moved to rebuild their midfield this season, bringing in Szoboszlai and Mac Allister as the likes of Henderson, James Milner and Naby Keita all departed.
The new Reds pair are much more attacking than former Reds such as Henderson or Wijanldum, suggesting Klopp wants to be more proactive and creative with his midfield.
Such a gameplan would require a covering player in defender to sit behind them. That, really, would be Doucouré's role – he'd likely be asked to sit deep and cover for two players who want to be on the front foot – particularly when taking the stats into account.
Indeed, he appears perfectly suited to do just that.
How does Doucouré compare to Moisés Caicedo?
Doucouré isn't the only young, energetic defensive midfielder to be linked with clubs this summer. Moisés Caicedo is also supposedly wanted and has been linked with Liverpool in the past.
A look into the data shows a mix of similarities and big differences. The standout of the latter is that Caicedo is just far more accomplished on the ball.
As per FBref, he averages over 20 more touches per 90 minutes, and not only does he attempt over 24 more passes but he completes them at a higher percentage.
But it's the fact that they're so similar defensively is perhaps why Liverpool will believe they're finding a gem with Doucouré. The Malian wins more interceptions than Caicedo, while his tackling is notably better, too.
The Brighton man does make more tackles overall, but importantly, Doucouré wins possession on more occasions. He also clears the ball twice as often as Caicedo, while also committing fewer errors.
It's easy to see why there's so much hype around Caicedo as his stats, overall, appear more impressive – and he's still just 20.
But if you're after an out-and-out defensive midfielder as Liverpool are, there's a very good case to be made for Doucouré – when it comes to the data, at least.
What are Cheick Doucouré's wages?
Capology has Doucouré down as earning around £60k per week – but we imagine that salary would climb quite a bit if he were to join Liverpool.
For comparison, that's the same figure Adrían earns at Anfield, again per Capology, and only six players earn less than that on the red half of Merseyside. Szoboszlai reportedly earns twice that and it's very possible that Doucouré would demand a pay packet of a similar level.
What is Cheick Doucouré's asking price?
BBC reporter Alex Howell understands that Crystal Palace would want around £70m in order to sell Doucouré this summer. That's a big increase on the £26m they dealt for just a year ago.
But in their defence, Liverpool apparently see that as a fair price. It would now come down to whether the Reds can actually pay it, and whether Doucouré is the player they ultimately decide to sign.
Before the offer for Fabinho, Liverpool were linked quite heavily with Southampton's Romeo Lavia. The Reds are currently thought to be keen on moving quickly for the Belgian amid potential competition emerging from rivals Chelsea.
There has also been talk of Khephren Thuram at OGC Nice, per Sky Sports, even if links to him have died down a little in recent weeks. Melissa Reddy has also previously named Sofyan Amrabat, Ryan Gravenberch and Kalvin Phillips as 'mooted' Fabinho successors.
In other words, there are options galore right now and it's not completely clear who Liverpool could move for.
The Reds went into this summer needing to reinvest in their midfield. They've done just that, with almost certainly others to come.
But there have been tentative links to centre-backs, too. Joe Gomez's future isn't too clear, while Joel Matip's contract expires next summer. A new addition there may be surprising if no one were to leave but it's one to keep an eye out for.
Attacking options seem set for now, even with Roberto Firmino departing. Though, Saudi Arabian interest in Luis Díaz could prove problematic if they were to turn his head at all. Again, that's one to watch out for as the transfer window thunders on.
Aston Villa are looking to strike a deal to bring Barcelona star Franck Kessie to the Premier League ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, according to fresh reports.
Who is Franck Kessie?
Kessie is naturally a central midfielder who has plied his trade at Camp Nou since joining on a free transfer from AC Milan last summer, but his debut season with Xavi’s side didn’t go as well as hoped having failed to receive a consistent run of game time.
In La Liga last term, the 26-year-old made just seven starts and was reduced to being brought on as a substitute on 21 occasions, as per WhoScored, highlighting just how out of favour he is, and he may now have to look elsewhere should he want to get more minutes under his belt moving forward.
The Blaugrana have reportedly been placed under pressure to sell quickly in order to help ease their financial worries and the Ivory Coast international is likely to be one of the players placed in the shop window having been deemed surplus to requirements during his time so far in Spain.
The Midlands outfit have recently announced that Morgan Sanson has joined Ligue 1 outfit Nice on a season-long loan so Unai Emery will need to enter the market to find a suitable replacement, and it sounds like the Ivory Coast talisman has been highlighted as a potential candidate.
Are Aston Villa signing Franck Kessie?
According to reports in Spain (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are “showing a keen interest” in Kessie and he is indeed a player that Barcelona are “looking to move on” before the end of the transfer window. The Catalans feel that they can demand a “significant amount of money” for the midfielder who has reportedly “already agreed to make a move to England” should he move onto new pastures.
NSWE’s excellent financial backing of their boss so far means that they are definitely “in the mix” to land their target, though it’s not specifically stated how much he would cost.
Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.
Aston Villa will know that Kessie wasn’t given a fair chance to prove what he was capable of last season, but having made a hugely positive impact when handed the rare opportunity to showcase his talents, Emery would be acquiring a promising player should he put pen to paper.
The Africa Cup of Nations star, who earns £149k-per-week, posted six goal contributions (three goals and the same number of assists) during his debut campaign at Barcelona, not to mention he also ranked in the 88th percentile for number of attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area, highlighting his desire to get involved with the action in the final third.
Kessie, who has been dubbed a “warrior” for his mindset and attitude towards the beautiful game by talent scout Jacek Kulig, furthermore has the flexibility to operate in four various roles across the centre of the park and even at centre-back, so he would provide the boss with plenty of versatility and be an all-round exciting midfielder to have in and around the building.
Arsenal continue to be handed a lifeline in the race for a true star who they have had their eye on multiple times in the past…
Is Moises Caicedo leaving Brighton and Hove Albion?
Although it might seem like Chelsea are now in the driving seat when it comes to signing Moises Caicedo, the Gunners have seemingly remained quietly interested in the background.
After all, although the report emerged earlier this week, it was noted by journalist Graeme Bailey that an outside chance remains.
Given they saw two bids rejected for him in January, their interest in the Ecuadorian general is common knowledge.
However, it is now the Blues who have felt the sting of Brighton and Hove Albion, who recently saw an £80m offer instantly pushed back, with their demands now rising to a mouth-watering £100m.
Whilst it seems unlikely that Mikel Arteta sanctions another deal of such magnitude, it has been noted that he is willing to offload plenty of deadwood to make way for additional signings, and the Seagulls sensation could be a just reason to do that.
How good is Moises Caicedo?
To lure such a relentless midfield maestro to the Emirates would represent a sensational coup for the north London outfit, who have already bolstered their ranks significantly this summer.
England stalwart Declan Rice has padded out the midfield at last, whilst Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz offer added solidity and firepower respectively.
It seems that – at last – they have a squad brimming with the sort of quality and depth that is capable of issuing a sustained challenge towards Manchester City.
This was supplemented by their January additions too, as Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard both joined the club as they sought to maintain their title charge.
Whilst unsuccessful in that venture, it cannot be said that the latter acquisition failed, given how instantly creative he proved to be under Arteta.
Signed for just £27m, the 28-year-old immediately forced his way into contention, recording eight goal contributions in his first 11 Premier League games, many of which were short cameo appearances from the bench. In the end, he would finish the term as the club's fifth-best performer with his 7.09 average rating in the league.
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He deservedly garnered praise, with his new Spanish coach noting:
"Seriously, we knew about his quality and what he could bring to the team. We are really pleased with him, he can play on the right, he can play on the left, he can play as an attacking midfielder, as a nine, a false nine.
“He’s really contributing to the team and he really takes a lot of responsibility in games to make things happen and we love that.”
The hope will be that Caicedo would have a similarly revolutionary effect, with his figures last year – from the very same outfit in which Trossard arrived from – suggesting he would take little time to acclimatise; especially considering the wealth of improved quality he would be joining too.
Starring for a plucky outfit that defied all the expectations last season, he maintained a 7.08 average rating in the league, buoyed by his 89% pass accuracy, 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.
For comparison, his rating would have made him Arsenal's sixth-best performer in the league, whilst his key passes per game matched that of Gabriel Jesus. He would have also stood alone as the club's top tackler too, also per Sofascore
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Understandably, such a fine campaign drew praise – local journalist Andy Naylor even wrote: "Caicedo? He’s a machine."
Such maturity and star quality for a 21-year-old gem are truly exceptional, and with his entire career laid out in front of him, he could hold down Arsenal's midfield with Rice for the next decade.
It seems that not only would such an unlikely late swoop emulate their Trossard masterclass, but it could surpass it given the young enforcer's impossibly high ceiling.