All posts by h716a5.icu

From Chemar Holder to Laurie Evans to Mark Deyal, there are a number of relative newcomers who can set the pulse racing

Deivarayan Muthu04-Sep-2019Chemar Holder (Barbados Tridents)
Much like fellow Bajan Jason Holder, Chemar can generate steep bounce and swing the new ball as well. It was on bright display during the four-dayers against India A, where Chemar was the joint-highest wicket-taker with 15 strikes in three games. Chemar has been similarly impressive in List A cricket, but has only played three T20s so far, managing three wickets at an economy rate of 9.81.ALSO READ: Why you shouldn’t miss CPL 2019However, he has been part of Cricket West Indies’ emerging players’ camp in the past and is on the fringes of national selection. A few eye-catching performances this season could well see him play alongside the other Holder for West Indies.John Campbell (St Lucia Zouks)
Campbell is just eight limited-overs internationals old, but has shown enough attacking enterprise as an opening batsman. In May, Campbell combined with Shai Hope and amassed the biggest opening stand (365) in ODIs, in Dublin. He had also given a good account of himself in the domestic 50-over tournament last year, hitting 298 runs in seven innings for Jamaica at a strike rate of 94.30.The method behind the left-hander’s hitting is simple: clear the front leg, maintain a still head, and belt the ball through the leg side. If he can do that consistently and give St Lucia some rousing starts, Colin de Grandhomme and Thisara Perera will have a platform to launch themselves from.Laurie Evans goes off-side during a Vitality Blast game•Getty ImagesLaurie Evans (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots)
England’s Evans is no Chris Gayle or Andre Russell, but has become a T20 globetrotter of sorts, making it to the Bangladesh Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Afghanistan Premier League and now the CPL, after making a splash in the T20 Blast. Evans, however, found no takers at the IPL auction. He is set to fly out to the Caribbean after completing his Sussex duties in the ongoing Vitality Blast.All eyes will be on Alex Hales this CPL, and, as the only other English player in the tournament, Evans will likely fly under the radar. Unless he can do what he can do consistently enough – that could earn him an IPL gig as well.Mark Deyal (Trinbago Knight Riders)
Having a mystery spinner is the fantasy of every T20 team. Believe it or not, Trinbago Knight Riders have the luxury of two of them – who can also pitch in with the bat – in their ranks: Sunil Narine and Mark Deyal.Deyal was part of Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in the CPL previously as a middle-order batsman. He has since added mystery spin to his repertoire – he can turn the ball both ways with his knuckles – and in the inaugural Global T20 Canada, he even doubled up as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order. Deyal also has the experience of playing in number of leagues in the USA. Can he make a bigger leap and do a Narine with Narine this CPL?Mohammad Hasnain (Trinbago Knight Riders)
“I have never seen [an] 18-year old bowl at such pace. Hasnain’s control over his length and swing is very impressive and he varies his pace very well.”Shane Watson, Hasnain’s Quetta Gladiators team-mate in the Pakistan Super League, delivered a glowing appraisal of the teenager ahead of his ODI debut against Australia in the UAE in March. Heck, Waqar Younis sees shades of himself in Hasnain.Hasnain hit speeds north of 150kph and was the Man of the PSL final earlier this year. He subsequently broke into Pakistan’s ODI side and pinged Aaron Finch on his helmet with a 147kph thunderbolt on debut.Hasnain, 19 now, is not yet proven at the top level, but his out-and-out pace has excited TKR. Unfortunately, he will be available for the side’s first three games only. It is understood that Hasnain has been granted an NOC till September 12 and will then return home for domestic duties. It will indeed be a short stint, but his new-ball partnership with USA’s Ali Khan promises to set the pulse racing in the opening week.

Suspended UAE players Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar are a part of the draft pool

Mohammad Isam17-Nov-2019The ownership revampUnlike the previous editions, the BPL teams are fully owned now by the BCB, which has invited sponsors to finance some of the teams. Dhaka Platoon, Khulna Tigers, Rajshahi Royals, Sylhet Thunder and Chattogram Challengers have sponsors, while two others – Cumilla Warriors and Rangpur Rangers – will be run by the BCB.According to tournament rules, BCB directors Khaled Mahmud, Akram Khan, Jalal Yunus, Tanjil Chowdhury and Golam Mortuza will be part of different teams, although their function has not been made clear.Overseas stars in the mixShahid Afridi, Thisara Perera, Dwayne Smith, Mohammad Nabi, Shoaib Malik, Chris Gayle, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hasan Ali, Rilee Rossouw, Darren Bravo and Dane Vilas have been placed in the A-plus category.Many of these players, particularly the ones from West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have a busy schedule, and therefore may not be available for the duration of the tournament.The Indian presenceInterestingly, the draft includes Manvinder Bisla, Manpreet Gony and Kumar Boresa – three Indian cricketers – which is a first for the BPL. A couple of weeks ago, BCB president Nazmul Hassan had said that they were in talks with BCCI to get players for the BPL.Suspended UAE players in the list tooMohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar, the senior UAE players who were suspended in October for multiple breaches of the ICC’s anti-corruption rules, are a part of the draft too. The two, along with Qadeer Ahmed, were charged with trying to corrupt games at the men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers, which took place in the UAE soon after the trio were pulled up.Mushfiqur Rahim plays a reverse-sweep•BCBHow much do the local heroes stand to earn?The domestic players in the A-plus category, which has Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza, will fetch around US$ 59,000, much less than the foreigners in the same category. Rubel Hossain, last BPL’s joint-highest wicket-taker, and Sabbir Rahman, a regular in the Bangladesh T20I side until September, have been put in Category B, which will earn them US$ 21,225.Emphasis on fast bowlersThe new teams were sent the player draft list on Saturday, giving them less than 24 hours to put plans in place to fill their rosters. ESPNcricinfo has seen the draft list, which had a list of fast bowlers with their bowling speeds mentioned in some cases. Earlier, the BCB had said that each of the seven teams must have an overseas quick bowler who bowls above 140kph and a legspinner. Interestingly,Mohammad Sami, the 38-year-old former Pakistan fast bowler, has been mentioned at 164 kph.It was also learned that the BCB has asked the new teams to pick fast bowlers and legspinners in their playing XIs on most occasions, without specifying more. Among these specially mentioned fast bowlers, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Kemar Roach and Oshane Thomas have been placed in Category A, where they will be paid US$ 70,000.

A Test debutant at 30, the opener is enjoying the belated fruits of grinding out runs in provincial cricket, year after year

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town09-Jan-2020Pressure, to (mis)quote Keith Miller, is not what Pieter Malan experienced at the crease on the fifth day of the Newlands Test. Faced with the task of batting out the day to save the Test against one of the most vaunted attacks in world cricket, debutant Malan showed nerves of steel.”That’s not pressure, that’s privilege,” he said after the match. “Pressure is playing out there in the semi-pro game, nobody watching, fighting for your career. Being out there, with the Barmy Army, Jimmy Anderson running in, it felt like a video game at some stage. It was unbelievable. I felt very privileged to be in a position to fight for the team and try and bat long and just be there for as long as I can.”Malan has played his fair share of semi-professional cricket (the provincial tier below franchise cricket in South Africa’s domestic scene). Ninety-five matches to be exact, most recently in November. While his younger brother Janneman was blitzing through the Mzansi Super League, Pieter was grafting hard in the backwaters of East London and Kimberley for Western Province. That’s pressure. ALSO READ: ‘Cricket can teach you lessons if you take it too easy’Trying to stay motivated when the cameras and the big bucks are elsewhere. Trying to catch (at that stage, non-existent) selectors’ eyes through performances. Trying to justify your career choice when you could be part of a fourth of the country’s domestic cricketers unemployed because of a possible restructure. That’s pressure. It could’ve become too much for Malan to handle, but it didn’t.He didn’t blame the structure nor the competition, but recognised that the fault was with his own commitment. “I don’t think I did myself any favours when I was younger. I took a lot of stuff for granted and didn’t put in the hard work that, in hindsight, I needed to put in,” Malan said. “It was also a matter of opportunities being limited and me not taking them.”In 2013, Malan moved to the Cape and was fourth on the provincial run charts the 2014-15 season. In 2015-16, he was third on the charts, and hit the high notes in 2016-17, finishing on top of the list with 1069 runs at an average of 118.77.This allowed him to graduate to the Cape Cobras franchise, and even nail a spot. He literally barged the selectors’ door by finishing third on the run charts in 2017-18 and 2018-19, but the national call-up remained elusive.AFP / Getty ImagesAt the time, Aiden Markram had just taken over the opener’s mantle from Stephen Cook. Malan, like Cook, was nearing the 30s and had begun to accept that an international call-up may have bypassed him. “I thought it was never going to happen.”Malan continued to churn out runs for Cobras and credits former international Ashwell Prince for keeping him in good space. “He has been massive in my career,” Malan said. “He played 60-odd Tests, averaged over 40 and scored hundreds so when he tells you something, you listen. We work on small technical stuff that we just keep refining.”It’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, where you improve something, then the bowler spots another weakness, and you end up going back and forth. He is very good with that. And then also from the mental side, he pushes all the time and I enjoy that.”Specifically, the pair worked on Malan leaving the ball. “In the last three or four years, that (leaving) has been a massive part of my game, leaving the ball well and eliminating dismissals that I felt were soft. As a new-ball player, you want to make the bowlers bowl at you.”In South Africa, it’s tough opening against the new ball, there’s a lot of things happening, there’s nip, there’s bounce, so the less you can give the bowlers, the better. In their third and fourth spells, that’s where the real runs are.”At Cape Town, that showed. Malan’s intricate knowledge of his off stump was underlined by his emphatic way of shouldering arms. Malan’s biceps caused a social-media stir, even though he maintains they are not the body parts he puts the most work into. “I’ve seen that photograph. I don’t do a lot of arms actually,” he quipped. “They should have taken a shot of my legs, that’s where I spend most of my time.”

“Being out there, with the Barmy Army, Jimmy Anderson running in, it felt like a video-game at some stage.”Malan’s reflection of his Test debut

Perhaps that will change now, and Malan will actually end up spending most of his time with the national side. One Test is never enough to tell, but he has already demonstrated the temperament to play at the highest level.Though Malan missed out on a century, he spent six hours at the crease standing up to the England attack. He was challenged by unpredictable bounce and movement off cracks on the pitch that occasionally saw the ball leap up. He was hit on the chest by Ben Stokes, and he saw his team-mates, most of them senior in terms of international experience, unable to show the same resilience.Most of all, he embraced being in the cauldron as it reminded him of the rewards that come from withstanding pressure. “When I walk down the stairs [at Newlands], I always take a second or two looking at the mountain, appreciating where we play, because then we end up playing in Kimberley and there’s nothing to look at.”It’s been a long road but its a road that I am glad I’ve been on because I am a better cricketer, I am a better person and its made me appreciate playing for the Proteas. It’s been tough but it has been been worth it.”

Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title, but Arne Slot has no time for sentiment and is now set to replace one of his star names this summer by bringing in an in-form player, per reports.

Liverpool set themselves up for exciting summer with title almost guaranteed

Despite Everton’s valiant effort at Anfield, Liverpool prevailed in Wednesday night’s Merseyside Derby to restore their 12-point advantage over Arsenal at the Premier League summit.

Arne Slot will have witnessed his side produce better performances this campaign, though few have yielded such an important result as the Dutchman leads his side ever-closer to a second title of the modern era.

Uncertainty reigns over the future of Liverpool trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. The former is reported to be on his way to Real Madrid, while the other two mentioned have yet to put pen to paper on deals that expire in only a couple of months.

Prompting action on the transfer front, Slot wants to bring Rayan Cherki to Anfield this summer and the French playmaker could be available at under £25 million after striking an agreement to leave Lyon.

Working on the premise that Alexander-Arnold does depart for Spain, Freiburg right-back Kiliann Sildillia is also on Liverpool’s radar despite alternative interest from Manchester City, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion.

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Careful consideration needs to be applied to any arrivals that do come in to replace established squad members on Merseyside. The Reds will likely head into next term defending the Premier League title, making them a prime target for scalps in Slot’s second season.

Leaving nothing to chance, the ex-Feyenoord boss is now in the hunt to sign an in-form defender who could become the long-term successor to one of their star assets.

Liverpool want Milos Kerkez to become Andy Robertson successor

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are on track in their pursuit of Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez replacing Andy Robertson at left-back, and the Hungary international may arrive at Anfield this summer should they meet his £45 million evaluation.

Seeking competition within his backline, Slot and company are aware the 21-year-old is ready for a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs, even if the Cherries plan to play hardball in negotiations.

Andy Robertson vs Milos Kerkez – Premier League statistics in 2024/25

Andy Robertson

Appearances

28

Chances created

38

Successful crosses

32

Tackles won

21

Duels won

53

Milos Kerkez

Appearances

30

Chances created

27

Successful crosses

26

Tackles won

23

Duels won

116

Broadly speaking, one or the other hold the monopoly on certain statistical metrics. However, having both compete for the first-choice left-back berth at Liverpool for the next while to come would be exciting for supporters to witness.

Eventually, Kerkez will take over the mantle due to his status as an upcoming star, so it makes sense for the Reds to address £160,000 per week earner Robertson heading into his twilight years soon enough rather than ignoring the inevitable possibility that he will succumb to age-based decline.

The footballing gods were in playful mood on Tuesday evening, as Manchester United slipped to a 13th Premier League defeat of the season, having been undone by one of their own academy graduate at the City Ground.

Now plying his trade for Nottingham Forest, Anthony Elanga ripped through the Red Devils at breakneck speed to net what proved to be the game’s only goal, with the fleet-footed Swede having now registered 29 goals and assists since leaving United back in 2023.

Sold for just £15m, the 22-year-old has made that fee look an absolute “bargain” amid his form since – as noted by analyst Ben Mattinson – albeit with new boss Ruben Amorim appearing to refute claims that selling the winger was a mistake.

Speaking in his post-match press conference following the 1-0 defeat, Amorim suggested that in-form players like Elanga – and Marcus Rashford – had been given a fair “chance” to succeed at Old Trafford, while then going on to state that the “pressure is too big” for certain players at the club.

In essence, the 40-year-old appeared to hint that such talents have only been able to flourish after breaking free of the scrutiny that comes with playing for such a historic club like United.

In the case of Elanga, his fruitful stint at Forest has followed a return of just four goals and four assists in 55 first-team games for United – were the club really in the wrong to sell him?

Why Man Utd sold Elanga in 2023

In the view of journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the “only mistake” that the Red Devils – then led by Erik ten Hag – made was “not getting a higher fee” for the Swedish speedster upon his exit almost two years ago, with Elanga hardly setting the world alight prior to that departure.

Despite scoring his first senior goal away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the 2020/21 campaign, it wasn’t until the arrival of interim boss, Ralf Rangnick, that Elanga properly forced his way into the first-team frame the following season.

Much of the winger’s impact came in the final few months of 2021/22, having scored away at Brentford and Leeds United, as well as in the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Those latter two strikes came in just the space of a few days, although as it proved, Elanga wouldn’t score again for the club after that, having been reduced to a bit-part role following Ten Hag’s arrival.

As the BBC’s Simon Stone has stated, the Dutchman ‘did not feel Elanga had the quality needed to be enough of an influence on his squad’, hence the decision to let him depart.

Having failed to score in 26 games in 2022/23, there were likely few objections when the Malmo-born starlet was eventually sold, not least with Alejandro Garnacho having emerged that season.

Hindsight might suggest that Ten Hag was mistaken in his view of Elanga, although it could be argued that United already have a bigger talent on the flanks – he just wasn’t playing on Tuesday…

The Man Utd star who's worth more than Elanga

There were instant comparisons made between the performances of Garnacho and Elanga at the City Ground, with the Argentine perhaps in danger of heading the same way as his former teammate, amid talk of an exit.

That said, it’s worth remembering that as Elanga toiled in 2022/23, a star was born in Garnacho, with the then-teenager ending that campaign with nine goals and assists in the senior ranks.

In a team that looks far too content with playing it safe in attack, Garnacho is, to his credit, a risk tasker – so too, is Amad Diallo.

As previously explored, the Ivorian had fallen behind the likes of Elanga in the pecking order amid a muted start to life in Manchester, with the diminutive left-footer having arrived on a £19m deal from Atalanta in January 2021.

It has arguably taken until this season for the one-time Rangers and Sunderland loanee to truly become a central figure at Old Trafford, but boy, has he taken his chance.

Player

Current club

Market value

Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United

£46m

Marcus Rashford

Aston Villa

£42m

Alejandro Garnacho

Manchester United

£38m

Scott McTominay

Napoli

£34m

Mason Greenwood

Marseille

£29m

Anthony Elanga

Nottingham Forest

£29m

Dwight McNeil

Everton

£21m

Angel Gomes

Lille

£17m

Andreas Pereira

Fulham

£17m

James Garner

Everton

£17m

Following Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim spell – which yielded two goals and one assist for Amad – the 22-year-old had been the shining light of United’s campaign, up until last month’s cruel injury blow, having chalked up 12 goal involvements in only 20 games under Amorim.

The wing “wizard” – as previously hailed by journalist James Copley – has nine goals and eight assists to his name in total this season, with Elanga, meanwhile, having contributed six goals and nine assists for Forest.

Currently leading his former colleague for goal contributions, Amad is also deemed to be the higher value asset, according to Transfermarkt, having seen his worth soar to £34m. Elanga, by contrast, is valued at ‘just’ £29m.

That rising valuation has followed the signing of a new long-term contract for the £120k-per-week sensation, with Amorim also providing a boost after suggesting that his rising star is set to return before the campaign is over.

As that bumper new deal has indicated, Amad represents the future of Man Utd. Elanga – for all his positive displays since leaving Old Trafford – is now part of the past.

Man Utd's £50k-p/w star is in danger of becoming the new Anthony Elanga

Man Utd saw Elanga come back to haunt them on Tuesday evening at the City Ground

ByRobbie Walls Apr 2, 2025

Arsenal have held discussions over signing a quality attacker “in recent days”, with manager Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta continuing to make a head start on the next transfer window.

Andrea Berta identifies Arsenal transfer target with groundwork done

Berta’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium in late March signalled the start of a new era for the north Londoners, who have one eye firmly on the summer window amid their promising Champions League campaign.

Arsenal: Berta set to table bid for "top player" after £202m transfer boost

The Italian will have a big warchest to reinvest into Arsenal’s squad.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 11, 2025

Arsenal smashed Real Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, taking a comfortable three-goal cushion into their quarter-final second leg at the Bernabeu next week, but Liverpool are about to win the Premier League title by a seismic distance.

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Domestically, their season has been nothing short of a real disappointment, with Berta expected to splash the cash in an effort to rejuvenate and bolster Arteta’s squad ahead of a more fruitful title challenge next term.

Arsenal are already expected to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, and they’ve been in advanced talks since January (Fabrizio Romano), but it is widely reported that yet another Spain international could be on his way to N5 as well.

Indeed, that man is Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, and Berta is reliably believed to have met with the 22-year-old’s representatives last week.

While Berta is attempting to make a head start on negotiations with Williams, it is believed by some sources that the highly-rated forward is demanding around £250,000-per-week to agree a move away from Bilbao this summer (GiveMeSport).

This would make the player Arsenal’s third-highest earner behind Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, but Williams’ £48 million release clause is still viewed as a “bargain” by some following his exceptional exploits over the last 12 months.

Bilbao’s sensation played a vital role in Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024 and registered nearly 20 assists in all competitions last season, so it is clear he would give Arsenal a completely new dimension going forward.

Arsenal hold "high level" talks over signing Nico Williams

Now, according to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Arsenal have held “high-level” talks over signing Williams “in recent days”, but there is a stumbling block in this potential move.

Berta and Arteta both want him at the Emirates Stadium, but his overall package, including wages, could still pose a problem considering they’re also attempting to save funds to buy a proven centre-forward.

A swoop for him remains on the cards for Arsenal, but they’ll have to find a way to navigate this situation regarding his salary, amid interest from Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, who could also swoop for Williams.

“Nico is unique, he is wonderful,” said Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho late last year, raving over the Spanish starlet’s obvious quality.

“During the European Championship, people were talking a lot about Lamine Yamal, who is obviously another wonderful kid, but I personally prefer Nico.”

Chelsea have not held back in the transfer market under new owner Todd Boehly. The Blues have certainly been comfortable to splash the cash, aiming to build a new dynasty at Stamford Bridge, and particularly looking to strengthen in attack.

Over the past few seasons, they have signed several new attackers, including permanent deals for the likes of Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and even a loan move for Jadon Sancho from Manchester United.

They even have three young attackers joining in the next couple of seasons, further strengthening their options in forward areas. That does not include summer targets for 2025, with Kenan Yildiz one player they are linked with.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Yildiz

It seems as though the race to sign Juventus attacker Yildiz is on this summer, with Chelsea set to go head-to-head with one of their biggest rivals, Arsenal, to bring the 19-year-old to London. Whether he moves to West or North London, however, remains to be seen.

A recent report from Caught Offside suggests that the Blues have been ‘intensifying their efforts’ to bring the youngster to Stamford Bridge in the next few months. As well as facing competition from the Gunners, newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool, 13-time winners Manchester United and their rivals Manchester City could all show interest.

As for why Enzo Maresca’s side want to add Yildiz to their ranks, he has been impressive for the Old Lady this term. The Turkey star has eight goals and five assists across all competitions for Juve, and has played everywhere across the frontline. They are eye-catching numbers for such a young player.

With that in mind, his price might not come as a shock, though it is certainly a high fee Juve could demand. Caught Offside report that he is worth £85.2m, if he is to depart the Allianz Stadium this summer.

Incredibly, the Blues have an attacker worth even more than the 19-year-old sensation.

The Chelsea star worth more than Yildiz

Of all the attackers the Blues have bought, none has made the impression that Cole Palmer has. The England international has been in lean form for a few weeks, but his time at Stamford Bridge overall has been exceptional.

Market Movers

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The 22-year-old, who hails from Wythenshawe in Manchester, has an exceptional record in that famous Blue shirt of Chelsea.

He’s managed 39 goals and 24 assists in 85 games so far, and was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year for his 33 goals in as many Premier League games last term.

This term has been slightly slower for the former Man City star. He has managed 14 goals and nine assists in the top flight, although has now gone 12 games without a goal. In that timeframe, he has chipped in with three assists.

With that being said, his underlying stats from the past two seasons, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how talented he is. For example, the 22-year-old averaged 2.5 key passes per game last term, and a slightly better 2.6 key passes per game so far this term.

Goals and assists

1.2

0.7

Key passes

2.5

2.6

Big chances created

0.6

0.6

Dribbles completed

1.8

1.5

Expected goal involvements

0.93xGI

0.76xGI

When considering all that, it might not be a surprise to learn that Palmer is valued extremely highly by Football Transfers. They have him worth £100.2m, higher than any other player in the Chelsea squad.

Interestingly, that is around £15m more than the amount Juventus would be looking to charge for Yildiz this summer. If anything, this further highlights the importance of Palmer to the Chelsea side.

They certainly got lucky with Palmer when they signed him in 2023. He has proven to be a revelation, an “insanely consistent” player as Statman Dave called him. Despite his struggles in recent weeks, there is no doubt about the quality of Palmer.

He'd revive Palmer: Chelsea want to sign one of the best players in the PL

Chelsea are hunting a summer move for a Premier League star who could see Cole Palmer recapture his form.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 30, 2025

Celtic avoided back-to-back-to-back defeats against their city rivals with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon.

A goal from Cyriel Dessers in the first half gave the home side a commanding position heading into the second 45, but a fine goal from Adam Idah secured a point for Brendan Rodgers and his men.

5th May 2025

1-1 draw

16th March 2025

3-2 Rangers win

2nd January 2025

3-0 Rangers win

15th December 2024

Celtic win on penalties

1st September 2024

1-0 Celtic win

It was the final Old Firm clash of the 2025/26 campaign, ending with two wins and one draw apiece, and it may have been the final Old Firm match for left-back Greg Taylor.

Why that may have been Greg Taylor's last Old Firm

The Scotland international is out of contract at the end of this season, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will put pen to paper on an extension at Parkhead.

It was reported by the Daily Record last month that the Hoops are planning to offer him a new three-year deal to stay at the club, but that he also has options from abroad, in the MLS, England, and Dinamo Zagreb.

This means that the 1-1 draw with Rangers on Sunday may have been his last Old Firm match for the Hoops, unless an agreement can be reached in the coming days.

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Taylor may not have been the only player to have played his final Old Firm game for the Scottish giants, though, as Anthony Ralston should be moved on this summer.

Why Celtic should move on from Anthony Ralston

The Celtic academy graduate started for the sixth time this season and, perhaps, showed why Rodgers has not relied on him more often, as he produced a disappointing display.

During Sky Sports’ commentary of the game, pundit Chris Sutton described his challenge on Nedim Bajrami as “daft” in the first half, before suggesting that the full-back had “brain freeze” when he watched Nicolas Raskin run past him in the second half.

There were many moments like the two Sutton commented on, including a dive late in the game that almost presented Rangers with a chance to create something in the final seconds of the match.

As you can see in the table below, Ralston lost the majority of his duels, losing seven of the 13, and offered very little in possession, with all four of his crosses failing to find a teammate.

Minutes

90

Tackles

2

Interceptions

1

Error led to shot

1

Ground duels won

4/8

Aerial duels won

2/5

Key passes

0

Crosses completed

0/4

The Scottish defender, therefore, struggled on and off the ball throughout the match and did not prove himself to be a reliable option when called upon by the Celtic boss.

With Taylor possibly on his way out of Parkhead on a free transfer, the Hoops may look to revitalise their full-back option, and Ralston could be a player on the chopping block if they decide to make changes in those positions, which could make this his last Old Firm match for the club.

Or, if Ralston does stay at Parkhead, Rodgers should look to use other options from the start to avoid the defender from being a liability down the right flank, as he was on Sunday.

Worth more than Maeda: Celtic have struck gold on "immense" star

Celtic have hit the jackpot on this star who is now worth even more than Daizen Maeda.

1 ByDan Emery May 3, 2025

Aston Villa made it five wins from their last six games in the Premier League when grinding out a determined 1-0 victory away at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.

This win – which was clinched courtesy of Villa’s new all-time top-flight scorer Ollie Watkins – guarantees at least Conference League football for Unai Emery’s Villans next campaign.

But, the main prize of Champions League football is still very much up for grabs for the in-form outfit sat in sixth spot.

It wasn’t the prettiest performance by Villa on the South Coast, but at his crunch stage of the season, any win will do, with a big team effort needed to clinch the three points, especially after Jacob Ramsey was dismissed.

Aston Villa's best performers vs Bournemouth

Villa really had to dig deep during the last ten minutes of the clash after homegrown attacker Ramsey was shown his second yellow.

Thankfully, Emery’s visitors were already hanging onto a slim lead courtesy of the aforementioned Watkins, who once again came up trumps for the Villans in their moment of need.

The potent number 11 would find himself in the right place at the right time yet again to fire home his 75th career goal in the big time, with this effort ultimately being the difference-maker to the annoyance of Andoni Iraola’s frustrated hosts.

The Cherries just couldn’t find a breakthrough, with the likes of Emiliano Martinez having to stay very alert throughout with four saves made, alongside both Matty Cash and Lucas Digne down the flanks who won a combined 11 duels on the day.

But, it was once again Morgan Rogers who stood out in attack for Emery and Co, with the electric number 11 understandably a wanted man heading into the hectic transfer window.

Morgan Rogers' transfer value continues to soar

Rogers isn’t the only face that could soon be waving Villa Park goodbye, with Watkins – who the ex-Manchester City man set up for the winner at Bournemouth – also reportedly keen on a move away amidst interest from Arsenal.

For the 22-year-old, however, according to other reports, Chelsea and Stamford Bridge might well be his next onward destination, but off the back of a seriously impressive campaign for Emery’s men, the 6 foot 2 attacking midfielder won’t be exiting the building for cheap.

Indeed, it’s now being speculated that Villa would only consider parting ways with Rogers if a bumper £90m bid was put on the table, with the exciting forward menace arguably deep in the best form of his career at this point in time.

In all competitions this campaign, Rogers has notched up a ridiculous 14 goals and 14 assists from 52 overall games, leading to Jamie Carragher even hailing the four-time England international as an “unstoppable” force, on top of Villa thanking their lucky stars now that they won the 22-year-old for a modest £15m just last year.

Games played

68

Goals scored

17

Assists

15

Original fee

£15m

Value now

£90m

Percentage increase

500%

Emery’s side have had to exercise patience with the 22-year-old, considering he only chipped in with three goals and one assist last season after a January move, but it’s clear that he is destined for greatness now, whether that be with the Villans long-term or with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea.

Further lauded as “magnificent” by scout Antonio Mango after his assist away at Bournemouth, his current employers will just pray that Rogers sees Villa as his home for the foreseeable.

But, with his value increasing by that whopping 500%, Emery and Co would be mad not to sell up, particularly if that £90m does fall into their bank account soon.

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He’s a Champions League finalist.

ByTom Cunningham May 10, 2025

Liverpool are now stepping up their pursuit of a £84m striker, with FSG considering the addition of a marquee signing this summer.

Reds eyeing striker with Nunez heading for exit

It appears as though Darwin Nunez’s time at Anfield could be coming to an end this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, often being utilised as a substitute rather than being a regular starter in the Premier League.

Nunez is now attracting widespread interest from across the continent, with bids in the region of £50m being made by Serie A side Napoli and Bundesliga team RB Leipzig, which means the Reds could recoup a large portion of the £85m they paid for the Uruguayan.

While the 25-year-old has played a sporadic role for Arne Slot’s side this season, the manager will need to bring in a replacement this summer, should he decide to cash-in, and FSG are now weighing up the addition of a marquee signing.

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Liverpool are looking to make sweeping changes to Arne Slot’s squad this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 14, 2025

That is according to a report from GiveMeSport which states Liverpool are stepping up their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with scouts set to watch the striker in action for the German side this weekend.

A summer deal for Eiktike will not be cheap, with Frankfurt setting an asking price of £84m, which FSG have reservations about paying, so a delegation of scouts will watch the Frenchman against SC Freiburg to assess whether he is worthy of such a hefty price tag.

Should the Reds be impressed by what they see, they could enter negotiations over a deal for the forward over the coming weeks, with the player himself willing to consider a move to the right club.

"Phenomenal" Ekitike could be Nunez upgrade

The move to Paris Saint-Germain early in the 22-year-old’s career may not have worked out, but he has certainly managed to prove his worth to Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season, picking up 22 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Football scout Ben Mattinson has been particularly impressed by the Frankfurt star’s performances, taking to X to lavish him with praise earlier this season.

There are also clear signs the Reims-born forward could be an upgrade on Nunez, having outperformed the Uruguay international across a number of key attacking metrics over the past year.

Statistic per 90

Hugo Ekitike

Darwin Nunez

Non-penalty goals

0.51

0.35

Assists

0.27

0.17

Successful take-ons

1.95

0.69

That said, Liverpool are right to have concerns about forking out £84m, given that Ekitike is yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time, and they should look to get a deal done for a lower price if possible.