England men's and women's tour of Pakistan moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi will host the England men’s and women’s teams for the two T20I double-headers and the three women’s ODIs, instead of Karachi. The two double-headers have been advanced by a day, from October 14 and 15 to 13 and 14, and the women’s ODIs will be played on October 17, 19 and 21, instead of 18, 20 and 22. It will be the first time the England men’s team will tour Pakistan in 16 years.The two visiting sides will arrive in Islamabad on October 9. While the men’s squad will leave for Dubai on October 15 for the T20 World Cup, the women will stay back for the ODIs.The PCB said in a release the matches were rescheduled “due to operational and logistical reasons”. The PCB is yet to announce the timings for the matches.”We are delighted to welcome both the England men’s team for what will be their first tour to Pakistan since 2005, and the England women’s team, who will be touring Pakistan for the first time,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said. “Both are additional tours with England men’s side scheduled to return to Pakistan in the last quarter of 2022 for white-ball and ICC World Test Championship fixtures.”England’s men’s squad was originally scheduled to visit Pakistan in January but the two boards could not find space in a crowded itinerary, and moved the T20Is to October as part of the T20 World Cup preparations.The two teams are grouped separately in the T20 World Cup, England in Group 1 and Pakistan in Group 2.

O’Neil could now bench Larsen and unleash Wolves’ "lightning" star

Wolverhampton Wanderers face yet another difficult task in the Premier League this weekend as they seek their first three points of the season.

Gary O’Neil’s men have been given a poor draw when it comes to fixtures, taking on Arsenal, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and now Liverpool in the opening six games.

If they can somehow come away from the clash against the Anfield side with a point or better, then the Old Gold can start to look forward in a more positive way.

O’Neil could make a few changes for the clash, with Jorgen Strand Larsen potentially dropping to the bench this weekend.

Jorgen Strand Larsen’s game in numbers vs Villa

The on-loan striker has scored just once for the Molineux side but was given the task of leading the line against Villa last weekend.

Despite taking the lead, Wolves suffered a 3-1 loss, but Larsen didn’t play too badly. During the match, he attempted two shots, won four of his six aerial duels and lost possession just twice – albeit while touching the ball on just 12 occasions.

All he needs now is to turn these performances into goals, then his confidence will soon begin to soar.

For the Liverpool clash, however, could O’Neil mix things up slightly and choose someone who has already found the back of the net for the club this term?

Goncalo Guedes has already netted three times since returning from a loan spell at Villarreal, although they have come in the EFL Cup.

Why Goncalo Guedes should be unleashed by O’Neil

The manager has unleashed the Portuguese gem in both cup games so far. Along with his three goals, he has also created a big chance, averaged 1.5 key passes per game and has taken four shots per match, underlining how impressive he has been in front of goal.

The £27m signing from Valencia in 2022 hasn’t exactly enjoyed the best of times in the Midlands, yet it looks as though O’Neil is set to give him a chance to showcase his talents this term.

Goncalo Guedes

Journalist Andy Brassell lavished praise on the player when he was signed, saying: “For Wolves I think Guedes will be absolutely fantastic, they need that little bit of extra bang up front, maybe they could be in a bit of trouble if they’re not scoring goals.

“He’s someone who can play as a striker or as a winger, lightning quick, on his day as good as it gets.”

The key for Guedes now is to ensure he delivers decent performances in the Premier League when called upon.

His display against Brighton in the cup could well see him secure a start against Liverpool, but he will need to back this up.

Goals

1

Assists

0

Key passes

2

Total shots

4

Touches

32

Possession lost

12

Wolves aren’t quite in trouble, yet. But they will need to pick up points soon, otherwise O’Neil could come under some pressure.

Their fixtures have been tough, no doubt about it, but this is a team that beat Chelsea twice and Manchester City last term. The next few weeks could be interesting indeed.

Wolves wanted to sign "unplayable" star for £21m, now he's worth £103m

Wolves wanted “super” striker, who’s now worth five times the amount

ByConnor Holden Sep 27, 2024

الاتحاد الإنجليزي يرد على انتقادات جوارديولا لكرة كأس الاتحاد

رد الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم على التصريحات التي أدلى بها المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر سيتي، بيب جوارديولا، بشأن الكرة المستخدمة في بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي.

وخاض مانشستر سيتي مباراته في دور الـ16 من كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي ضد بليموث، أمس الأول، حيث فاز بنتيجة 3/1.

وتأهل مانشستر سيتي إلى دور ربع النهائي حيث سيخوض مباراة ضد بورنموث.

وانتقد جوارديولا الكرة المستخدمة في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، مؤكدًا أنها ليست جيدة، على العكس من تلك التي تُستخدم في الدوري الإنجليزي ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال جوارديولا في تصريحاته: “الكرة ليست مناسبة، أنا آسف، لقد حدث ذلك لسنوات عديدة في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي وكأس كاراباو، أعلم أنها تجارة ويتوصلون إلى اتفاقات، لكن الكرة ليست جيدة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جماهير مانشستر سيتي عن مباراة بورنموث في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي: وقت الانتقام

وأضاف: “هل تعلم كم عدد التسديدات التي مرت فوق العارضة؟ ليس فقط هالاند، انظر إلى المباريات الأخرى، لقد قلت ذلك لسنوات عديدة، إنها الحقيقة”.

وواصل: “كرة دوري أبطال أوروبا استثنائية، وكرة الدوري الإنجليزي استثنائية، وهذه ليست جيدة”.

من جانبه، قال متحدث باسم الاتحاد الإنجليزي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “إندبندنت” الإنجليزية: “تم اختبار كرة ميتر أولتيماكس برو – المستخدمة في كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي وجميع مسابقات الاتحاد الإنجليزي الأخرى – وفقًا لاختبارات الفيفا”.

وأضاف: “يجب أن تفي جميع كرات القدم على المستوى الاحترافي باعتماد الفيفا للجودة الاحترافية، وهذه الكرة تلبي جميع متطلبات الاختبار”.

وواصل: “نحن نتفهم أن التفضيل أمر شخصي، لكننا على ثقة من أن الكرة تؤدي بشكل جيد، بالنظر إلى تسجيل أكثر من 350 هدفًا في مسابقة خروج المغلوب حتى الآن، فإن ذلك يوفر عنصرًا مثيرًا لمثل هذه البطولة التنافسية”.

Why Joao Felix has been left out of Chelsea's squad for Man City showdown as transfer rumours swirl – explained

Joao Felix will play no part as Chelsea take on Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

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Felix absent from Chelsea squadPlayer granted compassionate leaveLinked with transfer in final week of windowFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Felix was reported around five hours before the game in Manchester to have not travelled with the squad. It sparked some speculation given that the Portuguese's future at Stamford Bridge has been far from certain amid a lack of regular playing time.

AdvertisementAFPTHE EXPLANATION

Journalist Matt Law offered clarification as to why Felix is absent and it is nothing to do with any transfer activity. The player has been granted compassionate leave by the club due to a family bereavement and has flown home to Portugal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Felix joined Chelsea on a permanent transfer last summer, following a previous loan spell in the latter half of 2022-23. But he's started only three Premier League games – and just nine across all competitions. The 25-year-old has been linked with AC Milan and, surprisingly, even Manchester United in recent days.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

It remains to be seen how long Felix will spend back home with his family. But if there is to be any movement on the transfer front, there is only just over a week until the winter window closes on February 3.

Santos anuncia a renovação de contrato com Weslley Patati

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos anunciou a renovação de contrato do atacante Weslley Patati até o final de 2024. A informação foi antecipada pelo LANCE!/DIÁRIO DO PEIXE na última terça-feira. O Menino da Vila comemorou a renovação e a boa fase que vive na Copa São Paulo.

RelacionadasSantosSantos goleia o Chapadinha e está classificado para a 3ª fase da CopinhaSantos12/01/2022SantosReforços do Santos começam a treinar no CT Rei Pelé com o elencoSantos12/01/2022SantosRicardo Goulart vai começar a treinar no CT Rei Pelé nesta quintaSantos12/01/2022

– Agora a torcida pode ficar mais tranquila. Ainda vou ter muito tempo jogando com esse manto, se Deus quiser. Vamos que vamos, já renovamos e vamos para cima. Estou muito feliz por vestir esse manto, por dar alegria à torcida e espero continuar assim – vibrou Patati, que completou:

– Graças a Deus estou podendo mostrar o meu melhor futebol. Quero continuar assim, dando o meu melhor, me destacando e sempre crescendo cada vez mais. Espero que a torcida possa continuar nos apoiando no resto da Copinha, todo mundo junto, vai ser uma força muito grande para todos nós. Estou muito feliz por estar crescendo ao longo do campeonato. A gente vai chegar, temos certeza, nosso grupo está muito forte e unido.

O vínculo do jogador era até dezembro deste ano. Houve uma videoconferência na segunda-feira entre os representantes do atleta e a diretoria santista. Haverá ajuste salarial e a multa milionária da joia santista mantida em € 100 milhões de Euros (cerca de 640 milhões de reais).

Natural do Maranhão, Patati chegou ao Santos em julho de 2019, quando foi aprovado nos testes e assinou contrato de formação. O talento mostrado foi tanto que o contrato profissional não demorou para chegar. Hoje ele tem multa milionária com o clube (100 milhões de Euros).

O ano de 2021 foi o primeiro do atacante na categoria Sub-20 e ele anotou seis gols, sendo o principal destaque do Santos na disputa do Brasileiro da categoria. O garoto também foi convocado para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-18. Ele antes acumulava convocações para a Seleção de base.

O presidente Andres Rueda também comemorou a renovação e fala em investimento na base.

– O Patati é mais um exemplo de que estamos olhando para a base e investindo no futuro do clube. O importante é ressaltar que não pensamos nesses jogadores como produtos para venda e sim como reforços para ganhar títulos. Investimos no nosso elenco para ganhar campeonatos e seguiremos assim. Estamos felizes com mais essa renovação, assim como fizemos com outros jogadores formados no clube e que já estão no time profissional – afirmou Rueda.

Former USYNT defender and NYCFC Homegrown product Christian McFarlane completes Manchester City transfer

The 18-year-old defender has joined the reigning Premier League Champions, while NYCFC retain a sell-on percentage

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  • Christian McFarlane joins Manchester City
  • 18-year-old defender provisionally cap-tied to England
  • Becomes second NYCFC player to join Premier League side
  • Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Former U.S. youth international defender Christian McFarlane, 18, has officially joined Premier League side Manchester City from New York City FC.

    The Homegrown product made 13 first-team appearances with the in 2024, after developing at the MLS NEXT Pro level with NYCFC II. He signed his first professional contract with NYCFC at age 14 in September 2021 and has been with the club since.

    Born in the UK, McFarlane represented the United States at the youth national team level but is now provisionally cap-tied to England after featuring in 2024 UEFA European U17 qualifiers with the .

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  • WHAT MCFARLANE SAID

    “I'm incredibly honored to represent New York City FC on a global stage. This club has provided me with amazing opportunities and invaluable lessons that I will carry throughout my career, including my time at Manchester City and beyond,” McFarlane said. “It's been a privilege to grow here and be part of such a special organization. I'm also excited about the next chapter with Manchester City. Visiting their facilities and seeing the players up close is a dream come true, it’s something every young player aspires to achieve. I know this move will be pivotal for my development, and I’m ready to embrace the challenge and make the most of this opportunity."

    With the transfer, McFarlane becomes the fourth NYCFC Homegrown player to feature for a top European division, following in the footsteps of U.S. internationals Joe Scally and James Sands, as well as defender Andres Jasson. He also becomes the second player in club history to move straight to City, following in the footsteps of winger Jack Harrison, who joined the English side from the in 2018.

    "I want to give all my thanks to David Lee, Sam Pugsley [NYCFC’s Vice President of Sporting Operations] and everyone at the club for always advocating for me. Their support has meant so much, and I truly appreciate everything they’ve done for me and my career,” added McFarlane . “Making a move to Manchester City is a huge step, and I’m grateful to be part of the City Football Group. Having that connection is so important, and it shows young players out there that if you have the right mindset and work hard, opportunities like this are possible. It’s a dream come true, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

  • WHAT NYCFC SAID

    “We are incredibly proud to see Christian reach this incredible milestone in his career. He’s a player who has come all the way through our academy system, continued his development with New York City FC II in MLS NEXT Pro, and ultimately earned his place in our first team,” Sporting Director David Lee said. “For Christian now to have the opportunity to continue his journey at Manchester City, a club at the pinnacle of world football, is a testament to his hard work, talent, and dedication. I can't wait to follow his career and see how well he's going to do in Manchester knowing that he'll give everything he can to reach the highest level he possibly can in football.

    “Christian displayed signs of elite potential in our academy at a very early age and signed his first professional contract before he turned 15, which is unusual, but speaks to the trust and commitment we had in each other, and the belief in the vision we presented that our development pathway could help Christian maximize his potential and achieve his dream of playing in Europe,” added Lee.

    “The amount of work that goes into producing a player that can perform at our first team level, let alone do so at the age of 17, is enormous and a huge credit goes to all the staff in the academy for all the work they have done to help Christian. “This moment reflects the amount of exceptional talent we have in New York and underscores our responsibility to continue to identify talent and provide the best pathways possible to as many of those young players so they can achieve their maximum potential within our developmental pipeline.”

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    WHAT NEXT FOR MCFARLANE?

    The 18-year-old will join the City system this window, looking to work his way up into the senior team under manager Pep Guardiola. With defender Kyle Walker recently departing the club for a loan move to AC Milan, there is now a roster spot on that part of the pitch he can take, but it remains to be seen if he is being looked at in a senior role.

Marcus Stoinis gives Australia injury concern ahead of T20 World Cup

Australia face a nervous wait to find out the severity of the injury allrounder Marcus Stoinis suffered in Delhi Capitals’ first match of the resumed IPL in Dubai after he limped out of the attack in his second over.Stoinis, who had tweaked his back during pre-season training with Western Australia, had bowled his seventh delivery when he was unable to continue with what appeared a hamstring injury a month before Australia begin their T20 World Cup campaign.He was one of the players to opt out of the tours of West Indies and Bangladesh due to bubble fatigue and was hoping to use the IPL as a way of tuning up before the World Cup.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo recently he said he was aiming to develop himself into one of the best finishers in the world having been given the role with Delhi Capitals under Ricky Ponting and shown promise for Australia, whereas he opens for Melbourne Stars in the BBL.Related

  • Marcus Stoinis fit to bowl in the next warm-up game

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  • Stoinis: 'Over the next three years I want to be the best finisher in the world'

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  • Mitchell Marsh's simple plan: 'I have just practised hitting sixes'

If Stoinis’ injury was bad enough to sideline him from the World Cup his likely replacement would be Dan Christian who was among the three traveling reserve players Australia named.The Capitals-Sunrisers match was not an ideal one from Australia’s point of view with David Warner collecting a third-ball duck in his first innings since the IPL was suspended. Like Stoinis, Warner was not part of Australia’s recent tours and had also been dropped by SRH in the opening stage of the competition.The members of the Australia squad not at the IPL are expected to depart for the UAE in around two weeks and are due to have two warm-up matches against India and New Zealand before the tournament.Some of those players will have a chance of a game in domestic cricket before flying out. Mitchell Marsh took his opportunity with a century for Western Australia on Wednesday while Josh Inglis and Ashton Agar also played. Kane Richardson was part of the South Australia side.Captain Aaron Finch is still recovering from the knee surgery that ruled him out of the Bangladesh tour while New South Wales players will not have the opportunity for a game with their fixtures still to be confirmed due to Covid-19 border closures.

Mignon du Preez, Dane van Niekerk help South Africa go 4-0 up against West Indies

Chasing 186, West Indies fell short by 36 runs in the penultimate ODI of the five-match series

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2021

Cherry-Ann Fraser (L) celebrates her maiden ODI wicket, as Mignon du Preez walks while Anisa Mohammed (R) rejoices•CWI

Mignon du Preez’s unbeaten 65 and Dane van Niekerk’s 3 for 23 proved pivotal in South Africa’s successful defence of 185 in the fourth ODI against West Indies, who put on 150 for 9 in reply, suffering a fourth straight defeat in the five-match series.After West Indies put the visitors in to bat, South Africa lost wickets intermittently, with none of the batters other than du Preez crossing 30. Opener Laura Wolvaardt departed in the second over the match as pacer Aaliyah Alleyne had her caught. One-down Lara Goodall was the next to fall, offspinner Hayley Matthews bowling her in the 13th over. Opener Tazmin Brits and No. 4 van Niekerk made 30 and 20 respectively, but regular strikes from the hosts meant the tourists were 88 for 4 inside 26.5 overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, in North Sound, Antigua.Du Preez’s arrival at No. 5 meant South Africa began a slow, but effective, rebuild as the experienced batter, playing her first international innings since the tour of India in March, struck five fours in a 91-ball stay. She was involved in three partnerships of 30 runs or more – with van Niekerk, Chloe Tryon and wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta, whose unbeaten 46-ball 28 at No. 8 came in an unbroken 63-run stand. du Preez and Jafta added 36 to South Africa’s tally in the last five overs.Four West Indies bowlers picked a wicket apiece, debutant Cherry-Ann Fraser included, with captain Anisa Mohammed the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 26 from her 10 overs. From the outset, though, the 186 target posed a challenge, for West Indies – set to feature in the ODI World Cup Qualifiers in November-December – who had been unable to cross 160 in the previous three ODIs. Besides, they were yet to chase in the series. On Thursday, their batting unit did little to counter the trend.Opener Rashada Williams’ 90-ball 42 was followed up by 22, 14, and 15 from Deandra Dottin, Matthews and Kycia Knight at Nos. 4, 5, and 6. No other batter got into double digits. Five of the six bowlers South Africa deployed took at least one wicket each, with Masbata Klaas returning the best figures among the quicks with 10-2-25-2 and wristspinner van Niekerk taking the overall honours. Van Niekerk, the captain, dismissed Dottin, Mohammed, and Fraser, and played a part in Williams’ run-out in the 39th over as the hosts eventually fell 36 runs short in their pursuit.”Honestly we just went wrong with the bat, again we lost two wickets in the powerplay,” right-arm pacer Shakera Selman told CWI Media after the match. “We’ve spoken a lot about that [but] we still managed to do it again today, which gave South Africa the upper hand when they were bowling, but I still thought that we should have made that 186.”At this stage perhaps it’s mental because we’ve done all the preparations that we could possibly do. The coaches have prepared us well, they’ve worked really hard with us, unfortunately we just aren’t executing. So we just have to show up bat properly.”The teams return to the same venue on September 19 for the fifth – and final – ODI.

Leeds could sign amazing Kouyate alternative who’s like Kante

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has been dealt several blows to his first-team squad with a string of unfortunate injury issues in recent weeks.

Central defender Max Wober, who returned to the club after a loan spell with Borussia Monchengladbach last season, has suffered a knee injury and is not expected back for another five weeks or so.

max-wober-leeds-united-academy-transfer-loan-james-debayo-farke

Meanwhile, central midfielders Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu have also been dealt blows as they are set to be out of action until 2025, both with knee injuries.

Ampadu was forced off in the first-half of the win away at Cardiff City before Gruev came off in the first-half of the 1-1 draw away at Norwich City, which has left the Whites light in the middle of the park.

Farke’s only senior options in central midfield are currently Ao Tanaka, who is currently away on international duty with Japan, and Joe Rothwell, with both players having joined during the summer transfer window.

This has forced the former Monchengladbach and Norwich head coach to consider the free agent market, with Chiekhou Kouyate emerging as a possible option for the West Yorkshire-based side.

Leeds United's interest in Chiekhou Kouyate

The Boot Room had initially reported that the Whites had already agreed a deal with the former Nottingham Forest enforcer, who left the Tricky Trees at the end of last season.

It was claimed that the colossus was due to undergo a medical and finalise his move to the club over the weekend and that they had agreed a one-year contract, with an option to extend it by a further 12 months.

However, LeedsLive followed up on that and insisted that no deal has been struck with the 34-year-old star and that the club are still assessing their options in the free agent market.

Cheickhou Kouyate for Nottingham Forest.

LeedsLive added that Kouyate remains an active target for the Whites and is still a player who could arrive at Elland Road to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

However, they have not reached an agreement with the defensive midfielder on personal terms and a move for the Senegal international is not thought to be advanced at this moment in time.

Interestingly, the report revealed that Kouyate is simply one of a number of free agent players the club are monitoring with a view to potentially adding them to the playing squad to alleviate their current injury woes.

Transfer Focus

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

With this in mind, Leeds could forget about the former West Ham United and Crystal Palace ace by swooping for fellow out-of-contract midfielder Francis Coquelin.

Why Leeds should swoop for Francis Coquelin

The French enforcer is not out with a long-term injury and is, instead, looking for the right club to take the next step in his career, after being turned down by several Ligue 1 sides.

Coquelin recently revealed that Montpellier and Lille both went with alternative targets to him after initial interest, and that he has set himself a deadline of the end of January to find a new team.

The 33-year-old ace left Villarreal at the end of his contract in July and has been without a club since then, after a solid showing in LaLiga with the Spanish outfit.

Appearances

17

Starts

10

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.1

Ball recoveries per game

3.5

Duels won per game

2.5

As you can see in the table above, Coquelin made 17 appearances in the top-flight last term and showcased his quality in and out of possession, remaining composed on the ball whilst also being able to disrupt the opposition with tackles, interceptions, and recoveries.

All 17 of those outings also came within the last six months of the season, after he missed the first half of the campaign with a knee injury, which means that he has played plenty of football this calendar year – albeit not this term.

Coquelin was once compared to Premier League legend N’Golo Kante by ex-boss Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, as the French boss described both players as ball-winners who can win possession without committing fouls.

The 33-year-old ace, who played 160 matches for the Gunners and 105 times in the Premier League, continues to live up to that description with 2.1 tackles and interceptions and 1.1 fouls per game in LaLiga last season, which shows that he wins the ball back more often than he commits fouls.

Leeds must now attempt to persuade the former Arsenal man to return to England for a stint in the Championship, as he could be a better option than Kouyate, who could be particularly rusty in comparison.

Why Coquelin is a better alternative to Kouyate

In the 2023/24 campaign, the Senegal international only made 12 appearances in the Premier League and started two matches for Nottingham Forest, before his release in the summer.

Only two of those outings were in the second half of the season and he has not started a league game at club level since December 2023, ten months ago.

This means that it could take Kouyate a long time to get back up to speed and to be ready to feature for Leeds, whereas Coquelin was playing regularly for Villarreal in LaLiga – one of Europe’s major leagues – in the second half of last term.

Therefore, the French free agent could make more sense for the Whites given their need for short-term reinforcements in the middle of the park, as his relatively recent performances for Villarreal suggest that he is more likely to hit the ground running than Kouyate.

Coquelin could also be a better option due to his suitability for the style of play. Leeds have averaged 59.7% of possession in their matches this season and, therefore, need midfielders who are comfortable on the ball to dictate matches.

Appearances

12

17

Pass accuracy

64%

88%

Pass accuracy in own half

82%

89%

Long pass success rate

0%

63%

Opposition half pass success rate

53%

87%

As you can see in the table above, the former Arsenal man was significantly better in possession for his respective team than Kouyate was last term.

He could offer far more to the Whites in possession, as a composed and reliable presence on the ball in his half and in the opposition’s, and that is another reason why the club should swoop for him instead of the ex-Nottingham Forest man.

Leeds ace started over £84m-rated star for his country and was astonishing

The Whites star’s confidence will surely be boosted by his efforts for Spain.

ByDan Emery Oct 11, 2024

Ipswich struck gold on "scintillating" star whose value has soared 728%

It’s been an incredibly tough start to life in the top flight for Ipswich Town this season.

Kieran McKenna’s side had to play Liverpool and Manchester City in what has to have been the hardest set of opening fixtures in the league this year.

However, while the Tractor Boys couldn’t pick up a point in either game, they have since drawn against Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton and, in the process, have shown a dogged determination that may well keep them in the Premier League.

In fact, as their fans will attest, it’s this determination and drive to win that has seen them fly up the leagues in recent years, an ascent that has also seen a number of their players see their valuations soar.

Ipswich's rapid rise

It might seem absurd to some, but only two years ago, Ipswich would have just kicked off their fourth campaign in a row in League One, having finished down in 11th place the season prior after appointing McKenna midway through the season.

However, unlike the year before, the Blues would take the league by storm in the Northern Irishman’s first full season in charge, eventually ending up in second place and securing automatic promotion back to the Championship, where they had spent most of the last two decades.

Now, there was an expectation that the club would be competitive in the second tier, with the Guardian tipping them for a potential play-off fight, but very few, if any, pundits have them down as going up automatically, but that’s precisely what happened.

Over the course of the campaign, McKenna’s side were simply spectacular, winning 28 games, scoring 92 goals and ending on 96 points, which was just one behind champions Leicester City.

In all, the last two years have been sensational for Ipswich, and while they bought in some exciting talents over the summer, they can still rely on the players who have been with them since League One, including one whose valuation has skyrocketed in the last two seasons.

Conor Chaplin's valuation in 2024

Yes, the player in question is the talented attacker Conor Chaplin, who joined the club from Barnsley in July 2021 for an undisclosed fee that has since been revealed to be just £750k.

That fee has since proved to be an absolute bargain, as while the 27-year-old isn’t the biggest name in the team, he has been an effective player for the club and one that has made significant contributions to both promotions.

For example, in the club’s last season in League One, the “scintillating” star, as dubbed by EFL pundit Don Goodman, found the back of the net on 29 occasions and provided five assists to boot in 52 appearances across all competitions.

The Worthing-born ace kept up his brilliant form last season as well, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists in 47 matches, meaning that over the two promotion-winning campaigns, the former Barnsley poacher averaged a goal involvement every 1.76 games.

Unsurprisingly, such an unreal run of form has seen his valuation explode, and according to Transfermarkt, he is now worth €7m, which converts to about £5.8m or a massive 673% increase on the fee he cost the club.

Chaplin’s Ipswich career

Appearances

152

Points per Game

1.84

Goals

54

Assists

17

Goal Involvements per Match

2.14

All stats via Transfermarkt

Ultimately, Ipswich have enjoyed an incredible couple of years, and while the main story is undeniably the back-to-back promotions, it’s great to see the players who have been with them from the beginning get the recognition they deserve.

McKenna must drop Burns and unleash Ipswich's sensational "diamond"

The incredible talent has to start on this afternoon

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 21, 2024

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