Opener was released by Lancashire after three lean seasons following maiden Test tour

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2019

Haseeb Hameed hits down the ground•Getty Images

Haseeb Hameed, the opener released by Lancashire less than three years after starring in his debut Test series for England in India, has signed for Nottinghamshire on a two-year deal.Hameed attracted interest from several counties – including Worcestershire – after his release but the lure of Trent Bridge and the opportunity to work with Peter Moores has seen him sign a deal with Nottinghamshire, despite their relegation to Division Two of the County Championship.”I’m very excited to be joining Nottinghamshire and playing my cricket at Trent Bridge,” Hameed said. “I’ve enjoyed myself every time I’ve played at this great venue and hope to add to some good memories there.”This is a new chapter in both my life and career and I’m full of excitement to start working with my new teammates and helping get Notts back up to Division One where they belong.”I want to thank Lancashire for the support they’ve provided over the years and to my teammates, whom I’ve shared a dressing room with. A special mention to Mick Newell and Peter Moores at Notts for believing in me – I can’t wait to get started.”Hameed – still only 22 – enjoyed a breakthrough season for Lancashire in 2016, when he hit 1198 runs in Division One of the County Championship, including an innings of 122 at Trent Bridge against a Notts attack including Stuart Broad, Harry Gurney and Imran Tahir.His impressive run tally – as well as his temperament and his ability against the turning ball – won him a spot on England’s winter tours, and he made two fifties in six innings in the 2016-17 series in India, scoring 82 on debut in Rajkot and an unbeaten 59 – with a broken finger – in Mohali.But his form disintegrated dramatically over the next three years. He lost his place for the 2017 home Test summer, as his average in the Championship dipped to 28.50, and the following year he made 165 runs at 9.70. He started the 2019 season with an impressive 117 in an early-season Championship game at Lord’s – having also scored 218 against Loughborough MCCU – but it proved a false dawn, and he only passed 50 once after that innings.The theories behind Hameed’s loss of form are plentiful. Some suggest that his technique changed game-by-game with several different coaches competing to make changes, while others claim that he lost his judgement outside off stump after being brought into Lancashire’s limited-overs teams. Other note that his record again seam bowlers was never outstanding – at least not in comparison to against spin.His release from Lancashire came as something of a surprise, despite regular public criticism from director of cricket Paul Allott. At the start of the 2019 season, Allott told that Hameed was “hanging on by his fingertips” at the club.”He’s got six months left on a contract, and he’s not scored a run for two years,” he said. “Not only is he a million miles away from England, he’s hanging on by his fingertips at Lancashire.”Hameed will hope that a change of scene, and a chance to work with one of the most respected coaches on the county circuit, can reinvigorate his career.”There’s no doubting Haseeb’s talent,” Moores said. “It doesn’t get much tougher than Test cricket in India and he proved over there, at a very young age, that he has all the skill, temperament and patience to succeed at the highest level.”He’s enjoyed some more difficult times since then, and that’s going to happen with young players, but the ones that are destined for great things bounce back and move their games on again.”We believe that’s what’s going to happen with Haseeb and it’s great news for Notts that we can be the ones to benefit from that.”

Celtic have identified a priority signing during the summer transfer window, as Dermot Desmond looks to oversee more important business.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops have been linked with plenty of potential new signings of late, as the club look to bolster the squad, regardless of what happens in the Scottish Premiership title race.

Desmond is reportedly keen on bringing in a new striker in the summer, with Celtic even willing to set aside "huge funds" to bring in a top-quality player to lead the line. Liel Abada's exit to MLS side Charlotte FC has heightened the need to bring in attacking reinforcements.

There is also the potential for Adam Idah's loan move to become a permanent one at the end of the current campaign, although his situation appears to be a little unclear at the moment. That's because Mark Lawwell didn't include an option for Celtic to buy the striker in his contract at Parkhead, having arrived on loan from Norwich City in January.

FC Twente left-back Gijs Smal is another player who has been backed to seal a move to the Hoops in the coming month, having been compared to AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini in the past, which is incredible praise.

Whatever happens this summer, it certainly looks as though the Hoops have identified their attack as a primary area of focus, and now a new update has emerged.

Celtic's priority summer target revealed

According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Celtic have made a new winger in the summer window a top priority, following the recent exit of Abada. They are keen to "fill the void" that the 22-year-old has left "as quickly as possible" come the end of the season, ensuring they look healthy in attacking areas.

While no specific player is mentioned in the update, it is encouraging to see Desmond clearly sanctioning moves for attacking stars, given the aforementioned report about a new striker also arriving at Parkhead.

This is a crucial period in Celtic's recent future, at a time when rivals Rangers are threatening to become more of a force again, and the Hoops cannot afford to let their high standards drop.

Matt O'Riley

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Kyogo Furuhashi

9

David Turnbull

7

Luis Palma

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Adam Idah

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Oh Hyeon-Gyu

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Brendan Rodgers is far from secure in his job, with a new claim suggesting that those high up at the club don't see him as the long-term answer as manager – he will likely have to win the league in order to stay in the job – and it is imperative that funds continue to be available to strengthen the squad.

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If Celtic can pip Rangers to title glory, though, keeping Rodgers on as manager in the process, and then sign both a winger and a striker, it could only enhance their hopes of more success moving forward, adding some much-needed firepower to a squad not littered with goals this season.

After Xabi Alonso announced that he would be staying at Bayer Leverkusen this summer, Liverpool have been forced to turn to another candidate who is reportedly well aware of where he stands.

Liverpool's next manager

Alonso's announcement came as quite a shock, with the lure of either Liverpool or Bayern Munich this summer one that looked too good to turn down on paper. However, with his Leverkusen side on course to enjoy a historic invincible season to win the Bundesliga and finally dethrone Bayern, Alonso doesn't want to jump a ship potentially sailing towards even greater success next season.

Back to the drawing board, Michael Edwards and Liverpool must now look elsewhere to complete the impossible task of replacing Jurgen Klopp this season, who could end his time at Anfield with a treble of trophies in the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup.

Whoever comes in next will have the biggest shoes to fill in Merseyside for a long time, and they will need time to do exactly that. That man to fill those shoes, now it won't be Alonso, could well be Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim.

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According to Sunday's edition of Correio da Manha, via Sport Witness, Amorim is aware that he's now becoming the main candidate to replace Klopp at Liverpool this summer, but wants to secure the domestic double in Portugal before anything.

A deal to welcome the manager won't come cheap, however, with Jason Burt and Chris Bascombe of The Telegraph reporting that Amorim could cost the Reds as much as £12.8m this summer. Those at Anfield will hope that it's a cost worth paying and not one they regret if they push on and make the 39-year-old their Klopp replacement.

"Talented" Amorim can make Bradley even better

As good as Conor Bradley has been since coming into Klopp's Liverpool side in the second-half of the season, Amorim's 3-4-3 system has the potential to take the Northern Irishman up an even further level, perhaps whilst allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold to step into midfield.

Given the success that he has had at right-back, it's easy to imagine the attacking benefits that Bradley could provide as a wing-back under Amorim. The Sporting manager is certainly someone who's highly rated around Europe too, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig calling him a "very talented coach" back in 2020.

With that said, whilst there will undoubtedly be disappointment over their failure to welcome Alonso, Amorim could be a more than adequate second choice for Liverpool. If given time, the young manager has the chance to begin what could quickly prove to be an outstanding managerial legacy.

GOAL sat down with the U.S. captain and self-confessed soccer junkie to discuss the team's new era, and her role in leading it

There are times on the field in which all Lindsey Horan can do is laugh.

A self-confessed soccer junkie, the U.S. women's national team captain is in disbelief almost every time she picks her head up with the ball at her feet. She looks up at the talent in front of her and the options begin streaming through her mind. Mal, Sophia, Trinity, Jaedyn… no matter where she plays that ball next, she's going to have a front-row seat to something special.

"It's stupid," Horan tells GOAL with a laugh. "It's like, this is so nice."

For Horan, this is what it's like to have your dreams come true. The USWNT captain has always seen the game through a specific lens. She's always believed that soccer doesn't need to just be played – it needs to be played beautifully. And, when you can look up the field and see arguably the best attack in the world unfolding in front of you, beautiful soccer can be on the menu at just about any moment.

And therein lies the problem. Over the past few years, the USWNT – despite an abundance of talent, and with someone as skilled as Horan to orchestrate the attack – has struggled to play beautiful soccer. It's a team loaded with performers, but one that has produced far too little music. That's why this group is rebuilding. That's why this past year has brought so much change. That's why this team is beginning a new era, one that begins this week with the Paris Olympics.

Now 30, Horan knows this is her last USWNT era. She's one of the group's most experienced veterans, one of the few who has been there, and done that. She has admitted in the past that she hasn't always been the perfect leader but, even at this point in her career, she's still learning.

As she prepares for the Olympics – the U.S. open the group stage against Zambia Thursday in Nice – Horan has taken those lessons to heart. She can both lead this young group, and be its conductor.

"So, so, so many different lessons," she says. "So many experiences. I can list so many, but I think one of the biggest things is, with me stepping into this role, there's Lindsey as the footballer and then there's Lindsey as the captain. Part of me has always stuck with just the footballer, and not like thinking of Lindsey first in a sense. But thinking of my game first and how I see football and whatever.

"I've had to transition away where I'm just like, 'I'm the captain and I'm a leader on this team and I represent this team.' What I say, what I do, so many conversations… if I'm representing this team and I'm a voice for this team – not saying my voice isn't the same as every single player – but I am an outlet for this team. That was a really cool lesson to me because I always just thought of football."

With the USWNT seeking to reestablish their elite status on the world's stage – starting with the Olympics – Horan sat down with GOAL to discuss her first year as captain, what it's like under Emma Hayes and what goes through her head when she looks up with the ball at her feet.

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  The pressures and lessons of being captain

  It was approximately one year ago that Horan was named captain, and suffice it to say, it wasn't the year she imagined. Truth be told, almost everything that could go wrong did.

  The USWNT crashed out of last summer's World Cup early, with the team settling for its worst-ever exit in that tournament. Vlatko Andonovski was gone and Hayes was ultimately in as coach, albeit nearly a year later. Before Hayes arrived, the U.S. had to navigate the Korbin Albert controversy, one that threatened many of the foundational ideals of this team. And Horan herself was no stranger to controversy, as she was forced to apologize after questioning the soccer knowledge of average American fans who still don't fully understand what happens between the lines.

  As captain, Horan has had to navigate just about every controversy imaginable. As someone who so often has been determined to lead simply by playing, Horan has discovered that isn't always an option.

  "I feel like I've grown a lot, especially over the past few months," Horan says. "Just dealing with losses and certain things that have come up within our national team that upset me, but I have a team that I need to help. I need to set an example. I need to be the best person that I can be and make sure that I show up for them."

  That, of course, can be a weight. In the captaincy role, Horan now faces challenges she didn't a few years ago. As one of the faces of this team, Horan is under increased pressure. The microscope is always trained on both her performances and her words.

  "The thing that's been really special is that, when you're in a role like this, it is a lot of pressure… a lot," she says. "I think my message to the team and my message to myself which I learned from my sports psych – is that pressure is an absolute privilege, and not a lot of people get that kind of pressure. Not a lot of people get that kind of feeling.

  "Even before the World Cup games, I think the first game, one of my speeches to the team was saying that pressure is a privilege. We are so lucky to feel this, to feel the stress and anxiety and nerves for a football game. It's an honor to go and play for all these people. It's a lot of pressure and like, for me as a captain, for me as a leader, it's an honor to have that kind of pressure. When I look at it like that, I think it's such a cool example to the rest of the group, and I hopefully made that known to them. But it is such a privilege to have this role and hopefully continue in this role."

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  Learning from Hayes

  The only thing that Horan loves as much as playing soccer is talking about it. You could argue she may even love it more. To Horan, the sport is about so much more than kicking a ball – it's about theory, execution, process, and personality. It's a simple game that, when the right people get talking about it, can become so much more complex.

  Prompt Horan to explain her ideas about how the game should be played, and it's hard to get her to stop – and she knows it.

  "Sorry if I'm rambling too much," she says at one point with a laugh.

  Over the last few months, she's found a new conversation partner, a new kindred spirit: Emma Hayes. The former Chelsea boss finally arrived, and from the moment her hiring by US Soccer was announced, Horan couldn't wait to pick her brain.

  "She obviously has so much experience and has won so many trophies and done incredible things with Chelsea," Horan said of the new USWNT coach. "I'm really excited for a different leader, a different manager, and what she can bring to this national team – because we need to change."

  Hayes certainly is implementing that change, although it'll take some time. She's been on the job for just a few months ahead of these Olympics. This is a process, one that is just getting started.

  Horan is excited to play a leadership role. She's excited to help Hayes execute her vision, both on the field and for this program as a whole. Most important, she's excited to sit down and talk soccer with new coaches and new teammates. There's nothing better, is there?

  "I'm 30 years old," Horan began. "I'm an experienced player and a veteran on the team. And I'm such a footballer and I just want to learn and I want to grow more and I know I still can. I know there are coaches and managers out there who can get that out of me, and get that out of our team.

  "That was like the most exciting thing to me because, like, the way she speaks, the way she teaches the meetings, the culture, the questions she asks, the advice, the speeches – you can learn and you can take so much from all that. I'm just so excited for myself but also for this team. We need that and, especially in this time period, new cycle and everything, it's really, really special. I can't wait to see what she does with our team moving forward."

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  Adjusting to the new vision

  Under the previous regime, the USWNT had a predictable method of play. Andonovski rolled out a 4-3-3 and stuck to his principles. Hayes, in contrast, rarely keeps things so simple.

  At Chelsea, Hayes emerged as a tactical wizard. She's a coach who changes things on the fly at times, as long as the game calls for it. She seems like a coach perfectly designed for Horan – and vice-versa.

  Horan can play as a six, eight or as a 10. She can drift out wide or stay centrally. She can serve as a creator or a tone-setter. She can score goals, make them or prevent them. Horan's biggest strength is her versatility, and Hayes will cook up many different ways to use her in the coming months and years.

  "It's another learning curve for me," Horan says. "Even with the experience that I have, I know I can be the player that I am in her systems and can be adaptable like I want to be. I feel like I'm always a coachable player and person and I want to help in that aspect, as well. Whenever I'm on the field, I know I can help in that sense where, if there is a tactical adjustment mid-game or halftime or whatever, that she can ask that of me and I can help in that way.

  "I think it is very, very cool thing for our team to see because maybe before we weren't as tactically adjustable or maybe we weren't asked to be. And now this is a really big ask of us. For me, I'm going to have to work my mind. If it's mid-game and things aren't going well, what do I need to do? What changes do we have to make? I'm thinking it, but to have a manager that is so intelligent and knows from just seeing maybe the first 15 minutes or whatever that we need to do this now, she can tell me 'Lindsey, get it done' and then it's 'Let's get it done' and make that actually happen and make sure everyone's in a good place. That's my job."

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  Playing with that attack

  In any number of ways, Horan is very much enjoying life with the USWNT these days. In terms of her own role, it's entirely flexible. She's asked to do different things every game. She loves that. She loves being challenged in new ways on the highest level.

  She's also enjoying the team around her and the weapons at her disposal. Last summer, Horan was the USWNT's joint-leading goalscorer at the World Cup. In the upcoming Olympics, that almost certainly won't happen. There are simply too many sharpshooters around her.

  Up first? Mallory Swanson, who missed the World Cup due to the untimeliest of injuries. She's back and in form, giving the U.S. a presence that this team lacked last year.

  "I'm so so happy Mal is back, that's my first thing," Horan says. "She is just a different player and she's grown so much as a person and a player. To have her out on the field is incredible. She's good out wide. You can play her through as the nine. She's back to getting gold. She's doing her thing and she's just like such a spark."

  The USWNT's other joint-leading scorer last year was Sophia Smith, who actually disappointed as the tournament wore on. The Portland Thorns striker is a star, but didn't quite show it at the World Cup. The hope and expectation is that that changes this year.

  "You have Soph, who is so confident and so consistent," Horan says. "She's just another young player where you're just like, 'How do you have this ability and mentality?' She has such a special game. The goals that she scores, the things that she does. She's a very, very unique player."

  And, finally, there's Trinity Rodman, a player that Horan is particularly impressed with. The two have worked closely together both on and off the field – both are brand ambassadors for adidas, strengthening their bond.

  Rodman got an introduction at the World Cup but it felt like just that: an introduction. In the year since, Rodman looks like an entirely new player, one that has the confidence to stare down anyone in her path.

  "She has so much talent," Horan says of Rodman. "She has her physical ability, as do the other two, but Trin? I don't think people see this, but she is a very, very coachable person and works really, really hard. The things that have been asked of her, she's put right into her game. She does so many of the little things where I'm just like, 'This does not get appreciated as much'.

  "People are going to talk about her nutmegs but she's like, really worked on the defensive side of her game as well, where she's tracking back like 60 yards to go make a tackle. She's such a well-rounded player now. I'm really really proud of her."

Defending champions Karnataka survived a Baba Aparajith-Vijay Shankar scare to clinch a last-ball win as they beat Tamil Nadu by one run in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019-20. They became the first team two win both white-ball titles in the same season, having won the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy a little over a month ago, and incidentally, Tamil Nadu were the losing side in the final on both occasions.After being put in, Manish Pandey led from the front, scoring an unbeaten 60 off 45 balls to help Karnataka to a formidable 180 for 5. In response, Tamil Nadu were 80 for 4 at the end of ten overs before Vijay and Aparajith revived the chase by adding 71 in 43 balls for the fifth wicket.It came down to 13 required from the final over with Vijay and R Ashwin in the middle. R Ashwin hit offspinner K Gowtham’s first two balls for fours before playing a dot ball and taking a single to put Vijay on strike. With four needed from two balls, Vijay was run out while returning for a non-existent second run, Pandey’s throw from long-on catching him short.With two required off the final ball for a Super Over, non-striker R Ashwin removed his pads but his namesake M Ashwin could hardly get the ball off the pitch and the batsmen managed only one.Tamil Nadu stumble after strong startTamil Nadu started their chase positively and moved to 64 for 2 at the end of seven overs with Washington Sundar and Dinesh Karthik looking well set. Karthik had just hit two fours off Shreyas Gopal and when Rohan Kadam failed to latch on to a rebound at the deep-backward square-leg boundary in the eighth over, it looked like it would be Tamil Nadu’s night.Karnataka, though, struck back by dismissing the two in successive overs: J Suchith had Karthik stumped and Gowtham castled Washington.Karnataka survive Aparajith, Vijay scareTamil Nadu needed 101 from the last ten overs and Vijay and Aparajith never let the asking rate go past 11. They found at least one boundary per over between overs 11 to 15 and reduced the equation to 52 from five overs.Aparajith then hit the first balls of the next two overs for sixes and took the side closer. But with 31 needed from 18 balls, he fell to Ronit More while looking for another six. Vijay and R Ashwin further brought it down to 25 from 12 and then 13 from six, but in the end, they fell short by the narrowest of margins.R Ashwin’s two-in-two not enoughIt was billed as a contest between Karnataka’s batsmen and Tamil Nadu’s bowlers. And the black-soil surface did seem to aid spinners. There was turn available, with a couple of balls coming slower off the pitch. Add R Ashwin and Washington’s guiles to the mix, and you would back them to trouble most batsmen.Karnataka’s batsmen, though, just don’t fall in that category. KL Rahul started the innings by cutting R Ashwin past point for four. While his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal didn’t look at his best and was pinged on the helmet by a T Natarajan bouncer in the fourth over, the youngster remained unperturbed and flicked the seamer for a six three balls later.In the next over, Rahul used his feet against R Ashwin to hit him over long-on but the spinner had his revenge next ball. Rahul skipped down again but R Ashwin shortened his length this time and had the batsman caught at long-on. Mayank Agarwal fell for a first-ball duck, closing the face of the bat too early to offer R Ashwin a simple return catch.But Padikkal hit Washington for a six and a four in the next over to take Karnataka to 57 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.Pandey leads with unbeaten half-centuryPadikkal’s scratchy innings came to an end when he played inside the line to a Washington delivery and had his off stump flattened. His 23-ball 32 took his run tally for the tournament to 580, the most in a single edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.At the other end, Pandey stepped out against M Ashwin, hitting him for a six and four. He, in the company of Kadam, took the side past 100 in the 12th over.Kadam too hit his stride after a slow start and struck back-to-back fours off left-arm spinner M Siddharth before hitting Vijay for three in a row in the next over. Pandey kept putting away the loose balls and despite just 34 runs from the last four overs, Karnataka managed a total that proved just enough.

Leeds United have not found goals hard to come by in the Championship this season with the fourth-most goals scored in the second tier so far.

Only Ipswich Town, Leicester City, and Southampton have found the back of the net more than the Whites, who have scored 70 times in 38 matches.

Six players have scored at least six goals in the Championship for Daniel Farke's side, and three players have hit double figures for goals in the league.

Crysencio Summerville (15), Dan James (12), and Joel Piroe (11) have all scored more than ten goals in the division for the Yorkshire-based outfit, as the team competes to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Leeds also have a few talented young strikers coming up through the ranks, who could eventually emerge as first-team starters for the German head coach.

Mateo Joseph, who has worked his way into the squad in recent months, could be viewed as the long-term successor to Patrick Bamford at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, U18s star Marley Wilson, who is younger and has more time on his hands to develop before making a first-team emergence, could eventually be Piroe's successor.

Mateo Joseph's first-team potential

The Spain U21 international, who previously played for England at U20 level, has made 13 appearances as a substitute in the Championship this season for Leeds.

Farke has trusted him to come off the bench and attempt to make an impact in matches, although the young gem is yet to deliver a goal or an assist.

Joseph did, however, have his breakthrough moment(s) at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in the FA Cup last month with both of the side's goals in a 3-2 loss against the Premier League side.

The 20-year-old dynamo produced a composed right-footed finish to put Leeds 1-0 up early on before making an excellent run to the back post to head in the equaliser to make it 2-2 in the second half, which proved that he does have the ability to make an impact in the final third at senior level.

His first-team emergence came after an exceptional return for the U21s at youth level, following his move from Espanyol in 2022, as you can see in the table below.

Appearances

7

21

2

Goals

1

16

1

Assists

0

2

1

Joseph, after a slow start in his first season at the club, has racked up 17 goals and three assists in 23 Premier League 2 outings since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

He could now be viewed as the natural successor to Bamford, who turns 31 later this year, whilst Farke could look deeper into the academy to find Joseph 2.0 and an heir to Piroe's position in the form of Wilson, who has starred for the U18s this season.

Marley Wilson's academy form for Leeds

The 18-year-old starlet is a versatile gem who initially made his breakthrough for the U18s during the 2021/22 campaign as a right winger or centre-forward.

Wilson produced two goals and one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions that term in an understated start to life at that level, at the age of just 16.

He was then deployed as a left winger on a regular basis throughout the 2022/23 season, and chipped in with six goals and four assists in 19 outings in all competitions, including five goals and four assists in 13 U18 Premier League games.

The then-17-year-old was also exposed to the U21 set-up for the first time with three appearances for the club in the Premier League 2, with zero goals or assists in 121 minutes of action.

This season, Wilson has primarily been used as a centre-forward or an attacking midfielder and showcased his lethal finishing in front of goal with a terrific return of ten goals in 12 matches.

He has scored ten goals in 943 minutes of action across the U18 Premier League and FA Youth Cup, which means that the teenage dynamo has averaged a goal every 94 minutes in all competitions for the U18s this term.

These statistics suggest that playing centrally is his best position as he has been in the form of his Leeds career so far as a number nine or ten, which are the two roles Piroe has alternated between for the first-team this season.

Joel Piroe's form for Leeds this season

The Dutchman, who was signed from Championship rivals Swansea on a permanent deal last summer, has had mixed success in the league this term.

Piroe, as aforementioned, is one of only three Leeds players with more than ten league goals for the club but his finishing has left a little to be desired at times.

He has scored 11 goals from an xG (Expected Goals) of 11.71 and missed seven 'big chances' across 37 appearances in the Championship during the 2023/24 campaign.

This suggests that the left-footed marksman has been wasteful at times and not made the most of the high-quality opportunities that have come his way in the second tier.

Appearances

37

Key passes per game

0.7

Big chances created

3

Assists

2

Duel success rate

37%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe has offered little to the team outside of his goalscoring prowess, as he has rarely provided creativity and has struggled physically.

Opposition players have dominated him in physical duels – winning 63% of their contests with the Dutch forward – and this does not suggest that the 24-year-old attacker is likely to cope well with a potential step up in physicality or quality in the Premier League, if Leeds win promotion.

Leeds may, therefore, need to find a long-term replacement for Piroe further down the line, whether that is this summer, or a future summer, and Wilson could be identified as a possible option.

The 18-year-old star is six years younger than the former Swansea centre-forward and has showcased his immense goalscoring talent at youth level this season, in similar positions to Piroe, which is why Farke could look to him as a successor to the Dutchman at some point.

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For now, Wilson must make the step up to the U21s and prove himself at that level before then making his mark in the first-team in the future.

Arsenal have omitted Chido Obi-Martin from their list of first-year scholars for 2024-25 amid speculation he is set to sign for Manchester United.

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Martin-Obi linked with Man Utd move Arsenal fail to agree scholarship terms Youngster prolific at youth level WHAT HAPPENED?

Martin-Obi appears to have taken another step towards an Arsenal exit after being left out of the club's list of first-year scholars for the upcoming 2024-25 season. The Gunners have announced 11 new scholars who will train under Jack Wilshere and Per Mertesacker for the next two seasons, but Martin-Obi is conspicuous by his absence.

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Martin-Obi has emerged as a target for Manchester United and has been invited to visit Carrington as talks begin over a potential transfer. Luring the teenager away from Arsenal would be seen as a real coup by the Red Devils. Martin-Obi has developed a fearsome reputation during his time with the Gunners and scored 29 goals in 17 league outings for the Under-18s. The forward is one of the most exciting prospects to emerge from Arsenal's academy and also caught the eye back in April when he scored seven goals in a 9-0 win over Norwich City.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Arsenal wonderkid scored 10 goals in a 14-3 win for the Under-16 team against Liverpool in November.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MARTIN-OBI

Martin-Obi's schoolboy terms at Arsenal have now expired leaving him with a big decision to make on his future. German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also thought to be interested, as clubs queue up to land one of the hottest properties around right now.

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O São Paulo, mesmo com jogadores reservas, bateu o Sporting Cristal por 3 a 0, no Morumbi, pela sexta rodada do Grupo E da Libertadores, passando para as oitavas de final em segundo do Grupo E da competição continental.

ATUAÇÕES: Bruno Alves, Hernanes e Rojas lideram reservas do São Paulo em vitória na Libertadores

Após a partida, o volante Rodrigo Nestor analisou a vitória do Tricolor sobre os peruanos e ressaltou a força do elenco são-paulino para triunfar de maneira sólida diante de um adversário tradicional.

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– Importantíssima a vitória, para ressaltar a força do elenco. Alguns jogadores estavam sem jogar muito, casos do Shaylon, Everton Felipe, até mesmo o Hernanes. Deram conta do recado. Impressionante a força do elenco e o foco que todos têm – disse o jogador, em entrevista coletiva.

Perguntado sobre o Sporting Cristal, Nestor elogiou a equipe peruana, apesar da eliminação do time na chave são-paulina.

– É um time muito bom. Não é a toa que chegou na Libertadores. Eles deram bastante dificuldade para nós, mas conseguimos impor o nosso ritmo e acabou dando tudo certo – finalizou Nestor.

O São Paulo volta a campo neste sábado (29), às 19h, contra o Fluminense, pela primeira rodada do Brasileirão, no Morumbi.

علّق محمد أبو تريكة نجم الأهلي ومنتخب مصر السابق، على تتويج الإسباني رودري لاعب مانشستر سيتي بالكرة الذهبية “بالون دور” 2024.

وتوج رودري بالكرة الذهبية للمرة الأولى في مسيرته، متفوقًا على ثنائي ريال مدريد، فيينسيوس جونيور وجود بيلينجهام، أصحاب المركزين الثاني والثالث على الترتيب.

وخلال الأستوديو التحليلي بشبكة قنوات “بي إن سبورتس” القطرية، قال أبو تريكة: “الكرة الذهبية تقدم حسب الرغبة (قائلاً بالمزاج)”.

وعاد أبو تريكة ممسكًا بكرة ذهبية في يده، مضيفًا: “لا أمزح، الكرة الذهبية تقدم بـ(المزاج)، كيف يحصل رودري على الكرة الذهبية؟”.

وواصل: “فينيسيوس الأحق، إذا حصل أحد بخلاف فينيسيوس على الكرة الذهبية (عليه العوض)، نريد العودة للكرة وسحر الكرة”.

وأوضح: “مع احترامي لـ رودري ، أنا أشيد دائمًا به في الدوري الإنجليزي، لكن نحن نريد أن تمنح الكرة الذهبية للسحرة، للمهاجمين الذين تراهم تقول الله (مشيرًا للاعبين المهاريين)”.

وأبدى اعتراضه: “تعطي الكرة الذهبية للاعب روبوت (آلي) يمينًا ويسارًا، نريد إعادة الكرة لأصلها للمهاريين، هذا التوجه غير جيد للكرة، نريدها للاعب المهاري البشري وليس الروبوت”.

وأكد: “من وجهة نظري الكرة الذهبية لفينيسيوس، لا تحزن فينيسيوس، استمر في لعب الكرة، لقد صنعت إرثًا في الكرة أكبر من الكرة الذهبية، أنت نيلسون مانيدلا الرياضة، لقد غيرت قانون إسبانيا، حاربت العنصرية”.

وأتم: “لا تحزن فينيسيوس، لا أحد يحصل على شيء بالعدل الآن، الجميع يُظلم، بالنسبة لي، الكرة الذهبية لفينيسيوس”. تعليق أبو تريكة على تتويج رودري بالكرة الذهبية

Liverpool supporters have been rocked by the recent revelations that Michael Edwards and co expect Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso to stay put this summer, though fears of disaster have been allayed by the club's anticipation of this, mapping out solid alternative plans.

The second-placed Premier League side will see Jurgen Klopp step down from his duties at the end of the campaign, and while Michael Edwards has returned as FSG's new CEO of Football and Richard Hughes has been appointed as Anfield's sporting director, there's much to sort out.

Chiefly, key trio Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with the latter probably the most likely to depart.

Last summer, Salah was at the centre of a £150m proposal from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, rejected, and aged 31, he might feel that Klopp's exit signals the right time to try something new.

Liverpool's summer transfer targets

Should Salah depart, an eventuality inconceivable in itself, Liverpool would need to identify and secure a worthy successor, with Spanish sources – via Football365 – revealing that Real Madrid forward Rodrygo is on the list.

Actually, the versatile Brazilian has already been the subject of an incredible £68m bid from Liverpool, if the report is to be believed, having previously seen a £51m offer flat-out rejected.

This might seem like an unlikely move on the surface but all the pointers suggest Los Blancos will finally land Kylian Mbappe this summer, with teenage prodigy Endrick also arriving.

Rodrygo, candidly, might not find a place in the project.

Rodrygo's season in numbers

Real Madrid signed Rodrygo when he was just 17 years old for €45m (£40m), the talented teenager joining from Brazilian side Santos, with legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo leaving for Juventus in an £88m deal that same window.

Now aged 23, he's amassed 206 appearances for the La Liga table-toppers, scoring 50 goals and supplying 40 assists, with his dynamic performances leading to praise concerning his striking ability, journalist Sam Tighe remarking earlier in the campaign: "Rodrygo’s finishing levels are straight up terrifyingly good."

He's certainly taken great strides in his development as the years have gone by, now combining his natural fleet-footedness and athleticism with polished and sharpened quality in the final third.

Rodrygo: Real Madrid Stats by Season

Season

Apps

Starts

Goals

Assists

23/24

41

34

13

8

22/23

57

41

19

11

21/22

49

25

9

10

20/21

33

13

2

8

19/20

26

16

7

3

Stats via Transfermarkt

In the Spanish top-flight this season, as per Sofascore, Rodrygo has scored eight goals and added five assists across 24 starting appearances, completing 90% of his passes and averaging 1.3 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per game.

He might have suffered a slight regression in output from the dizzying heights of the 2022/23 term, but there's no question that Rodrygo has grown into his skin wonderfully and has everything he needs to succeed in the Premier League at an outfit like Liverpool.

Rodrygo's style of play

While Rodrygo has principally played as a centre-forward for Real Madrid this season, he has found success across both flanks throughout his Spanish career, namely the right.

As per FBref, Rodrygo ranks among the top 15% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for pass completion, the top 11% for progressive passes, the top 1% for progressive carries, the top 3% for successful take-ons and the top 9% for interceptions per 90, with his qualities drawing comparisons to some top-class talents.

Rodrygo: Similar Players

#

Player

Club

1.

Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal

2.

Vinicius Jr.

Real Madrid

3.

Cody Gakpo

Liverpool

4.

Kylian Mbappe

Paris Saint-Germain

5.

Heung-min Son

Tottenham Hotspur

Sourced via FBref

Veteran Real duo Dani Carvajal and Nacho Fernandez heralded Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo as the club's "magical" duo, and given the likeness between the pair it might be worth Liverpool investing in the latter, with Vinicius Jr. considered one of the world's foremost forwards.

Liverpool have actually been linked with Vinicius Jr. on several occasions in the past, with Spanish reports earlier this season suggesting that those aforementioned Salah and Mbappe transfer facets could have come into play, leaving Liverpool keen to swoop in for the Real Madrid maverick.

It didn't happen, of course, and it's unlikely that Madrid's number seven will be leaving the Santiago Bernabeu any time soon despite the incessant racial discrimination he has battled against, taking the bold and admirable stance to tackle it head-on, and not give in.

From a footballing standpoint, the 23-year-old is a revelation, having plundered 63 goals and 49 goals for Real Madrid since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Similarly versatile to Rodrygo, he ranks among the top 17% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, praised as "the best player in the world" by his manager Carlo Ancelotti.

While the £205k-per-week Rodrygo has never been considered Real's main man, he is undoubtedly a top-class forward and would be a credit to Liverpool's attack, boasting pace and a protean skill set that would make him the perfect foil for a number of players.

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Of course, his arrival would likely mean a player has to leave, but if, for example, Salah has entered the final few months of a sensational career on Merseyside, Rodrygo might just be the perfect player to take the baton and spearhead a new era.