رحب جيانلويجي دوناروما بمنافسة جيمس ترافورد على حراسة مرمى مانشستر سيتي بعد انضمامه من صفوف باريس سان جيرمان مقابل 30 مليون جنيه إسترليني.
وكان الحارس الإيطالي صاحب الـ26 عاماً قد وقع لصفوف مانشستر سيتي في اليوم الأخير من سوق الانتقالات، وقد كانت هذه الخطوة مفاجئة بعد انضمام ترافورد من بيرنلي في وقت سابق مقابل 27 مليون جنيه إسترليني.
وكان ترافورد قد انضم لمانشستر سيتي بدلاً من إيدرسون الذي انتقل إلى فنربخشة مقابل 14 مليون جنيه إسترليني الأسبوع الماضي ليكون حارساً أساسياً قبل أن يتذبذب مستواه في بداية الموسم حيث كان مسؤولاً عن هدف جواو بالينيا في فوز توتنهام بهدفين نظيفين على ملعب الاتحاد.
وقال دوناروما في تصريحات عن المنافسة على قميص حارس المرمى في تصريحات نشرتها “الجارديان” البريطانية: “أنا سعيد لأن المنافسة مفيدة للجميع”.
أقرأ أيضاً.. بينهم عمر مرموش.. فيروس الفيفا يضرب الأندية في مقتل خلال التوقف الدولي
وأضاف :”أتطلع بشوق للقاء زملائي الجدد وعلينا أن نكون مجموعة قوية ومتحدة تضم أشخاصا يهتمون ببعضهم البعض وهذا مفتاح النجاح ومعاً يمكننا تحقيق نجاح باهر”.
وواصل: “أريد الاستمتاع بكل شئ، أريد التعرف على المدينة وأشخاص وزملاء جدد، أتطلع بشوق لاكتشاف أجواء الملعب والنزول لأرض الملعب والاستمتاع بأجواء الملعب التشجيعية”.
وأكمل: “اللعب في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مع مانشستر سيتي تجربة رائعة بالنسبة لي، وأنا مستعد لهذا التحدي، لطالما حلمت باللعب في البريميرليج لأنه أفضل دوري في العالم”.
وختم: “أعتقد أن تحقيق النجاح في الدوري الإنجليزي أقصى ما يمكن تحقيقه في مسيرتي، لذلك أنا سعيد جداً بوجودي هنا ومستعد للعب في النادي الذي بذل جهودا كبيرة لضمي وآمل أن أكون عند حسن ظنه”.
England indebted to rookie as Sri Lanka’s bowlers probe away on rain-truncated day
Andrew Miller22-Aug-2024
Asitha Fernando ripped into England’s top-order after a morning rain delay•Getty Images
England 259 for 6 (Smith 72*) lead Sri Lanka 236 by 23 runsAsitha Fernando produced a compelling display of all-purpose seam and swing bowling, while Prabath Jayasuriya chipped in with two bewilderingly brilliant deliveries in an otherwise steady display of left-arm spin, as Sri Lanka fought gamely to stay in touch on a gloomy second day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.By the close, England were indebted to their rookie keeper, Jamie Smith, who justified his promotion to No. 6 with a hard-earned 72 not out, his third half-century in five innings since taking over from his Surrey team-mate Ben Foakes at the start of the summer. Harry Brook added another fifty of his own as England recovered from a dicey 125 for 4 to close on 259 for 6, with a slender lead of 23 in the bank.As had been the case throughout the West Indies series earlier in the summer, the impression after two days of action is that England should yet close out this contest with some ease, but the quality and spirit of the visitors’ bowling has forced them to graft with rather more diligence than might have been the case in previous incarnations of the Bazball era. Asitha in particular was superb throughout his 14 overs, spread across three key spells, including an incisive mid-innings bout of reverse-swing that belied the dank conditions.After sweating under the covers for several hour during a rainy morning in Manchester, the Old Trafford pitch was ripe for seam bowling when play finally got underway at 1.15pm, and Asitha was primed to cash in. With his bustling approach and a commitment to a full length, he posed problems from the outset, under still-dense cloud cover and with the floodlights in full beam.His performance went into overdrive from the first ball of his second over, when Dan Lawrence was pinned on the pad and given out lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel. Although that decision was successfully overturned, with the ball shown to be skimming over the bails, the information was stored away and perfectly processed by the bowler.Two balls later, and now with Ben Duckett on strike, Asitha fired the ball in a good two feet fuller, and was this time the successful reviewee, with the ball shown to be both pitching on and hitting leg stump as Duckett was turned inside-out on his attempted flick across the line.And in his very next over, Asitha served up the piece de resistance of his new-ball spell, an exceptional wobble-seam delivery, pitching half a foot fuller than the Lawrence ball, and straightening off the pitch to smash into the top of Ollie Pope’s off stump. England’s captain was gone for 6, and at 40 for 2 in the ninth over, England had a bit of a rebuild to undertake.Root is no stranger to skinny top-order scorelines, of course, and as he bedded in for the long haul, it was Lawrence who initiated England’s counterattack, with a brace of forceful whips through the leg side as Asitha strayed in length. But, having scored just four of his 30 runs through the off side, his vulnerability in the channel was superbly exploited by Vishwa Fernando, who nicked him off after a change of ends, using the breeze from the James Anderson End to push a lifter across his bows from his left-arm angle.Jamie Smith gets on top of a pull•Getty Images
Despite the conditions, Sri Lanka were able to find some appreciable reverse-swing off a typically abrasive Old Trafford pitch, meaning that Root and Brook had to be on their mettle even as their 58-run stand clipped along at more than five an over. Milan Rathnayake, Sri Lanka’s first-day hero, was picked off for three fours in an over as he strained for that swinging full length, but it was Asitha’s return to the attack that would prise the most vital wicket of the day.Root had reached 42 from 56 balls in another understated display of touch and timing when he was undone in expert fashion, climbing into a wider line from Asitha while still playing for the inswing that had been the feature of his over to that point. This ball, however, held its line and skidded straight on, and Dinesh Chandimal scooped up the low edge to leave England wobbling at 125 for 4.Brook, however, kept the foot down in his familiarly forceful manner, driving with heavy timing whenever the ball was over-pitched, and working the gaps well, with Sri Lanka’s field still veering towards the defensive given England’s reputation for boundary-hunting. He duly rattled along to a 59-ball half-century, his 14th in just 25 Test innings, and if it was beginning to feel as though something special would be needed to dislodge him, then Jayasuriya obliged shortly after tea.Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner had been diligent without being threatening for much of his day’s work, when out of the blue, he served up something unplayable: a perfectly pitched ripper that gripped and bounced on middle and leg to clip the top of off. Brook could only blink in astonishment – as, indeed, would Chris Woakes, some 18 overs later, when he fell in near-identical fashion, to almost the only other spinning delivery to deviate from the straight all day.Between those two moments, however, there was Smith, with the third fifty of his fledgling career, and unquestionably the hardest-earned yet. He was forced to graft against the swinging ball early in his innings, although one massive straight six off Jayasuriya signalled his refusal to be cowed, but it was the mid-point of his innings that displayed his savvy – in particular a relative grind through the 40s, after Rathnayake had induced two inside-edges in the space of three deliveries with his probing fourth-stump line outside the rookie’s eyeline.Woakes was the ideal ally for a defensively minded rebuild, as England – a batter light in Ben Stokes’ absence – focused on batting long, rather than rushing into a lead. Sri Lanka’s tactics arguably failed to adapt to the dominance that their bowlers were exerting in this period, although in reducing the pair to a run-rate of less than three an over in their 52-run stand, they succeeded in keeping themselves in the game.And when the light began to fail, only minutes after Woakes’ extraction, there was never any thought of Sri Lanka bowling spin in the gloom for the sake of filling out the overs, as had been England’s approach at the same stage on day one. Dhananjaya de Silva marched his players straight off for the pavilion, with six wickets in the bank, and the prospect of a night’s rest for his quicks before they continue their quest to stay in touch with a quietly engrossing contest.
Southampton are now “interested” in signing a £400k+ defender who has been likened to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph has revealed.
Still overseeing major rebuild at St. Mary's
The Saints came from behind to defeat National League side Eastleigh in their first pre-season friendly, with Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer getting on the scoresheet, but new manager Will Still has insisted he is still very much in the process of a rebuild.
Still said: “I think there are a lot of things to learn. We’re going to have to work incredibly hard and we’re not going to walk over any opposition, you can see that it’s a team in the middle of a complete reconstruction.
“We’re restructuring the identity and style of play and after 10 to 11 days training we’ve seen a lot of positive things as well as things we have to work on.”
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Of course, Still’s main ambition next season will be to lead his side to promotion from the Championship, but he may have to bolster his backline if they are to achieve that goal, having shipped 86 goals in the Premier League last term.
Newly appointed Southampton manager WillStillin the stands
Southampton have already made one new addition at centre-back, securing the signing of Joshua Quarshie from Hoffenheim, and they have now joined the race for another, according to an update from Joseph on X.
The Sky Sports reporter claims the Saints are now “interested” in signing Volendam centre-back Xavier Mbuyamba, and there are positive signs that a deal could be possible, with the Dutch club “keen” to cash-in on the defender this summer.
However, Watford are also interested in the centre-back, while Fabrizio Romano has revealed the likes of Gent and Rangers could also provide competition for his signature, and the transfer expert believes his price tag will be around the €500k (£434k) mark.
"Dominant" Mbuyamba could excel at St. Mary's
Earlier on in his career, the Volendam defender was often compared to Van Dijk, perhaps given that he is a “dominant” figure in defence, according to scout Jacek Kulig, who also praised him for his tackling and heading ability.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk
However, after coming through the youth ranks at Barcelona, before going on to sign for Chelsea, the Dutch defender’s career probably hasn’t panned out how he would’ve hoped, but there are signs he is now ready to test himself properly in England.
During his time with Volendam, the Maastricht-born ace has established himself as a key player, making 62 Eredivisie appearances across the past two seasons, and showcasing his attacking threat by scoring ten goals.
At 23-years-old, Mbuyamba still has plenty of time to fulfill his potential, and for a fee of around £434k he could be a bargain signing for Southampton this summer.
رفض ميكيل ميرينو، لاعب خط وسط آرسنال، التقليل من ِشأن مانشستر سيتي، وذلك قبل مواجهة الفريقين اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ويستضيف آرسنال نظيره مانشستر سيتي على ملعب الإمارات، في قمة الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
اقرأ أيضًا.. أوديجارد: مستعدون للفوز على مانشستر سيتي مجددًا.. وما حدث معي “غريب”
ويرى ميرينو أن مانشستر سيتي لا يزال مرشح وبقوة للفوز بلقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم.
وقال ميرينو في تصريحات إلى ”Hayters TV”: ”أعتقد أن الجميع بالغوا قليلاً بشأن حالة مانشستر سيتي وقالوا إنهم خسروا مباراتين، وأنهم الآن خارج سباق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز”.
وأضاف: ”لكن لا يزال الطريق طويلًا، هذه أصعب بطولة دوري في العالم، لذا سيكون من الصعب على أي فريق مواصلة الفوز في كل مباراة”.
وأوضح: “إنها مجرد البداية، ستكون بطولة طويلة وسيدخل مانشستر سيتي سباق المنافسة على الدوري الإنجليزي بلا شك”.
وأردف: “كان الموسم الماضي صعبًا للغاية علينا بسبب كثرة الإصابات التي تعرضنا لها، أما هذا الموسم فلدينا تشكيلة ضخمة مع خيارات واسعة في كل مركز، الجميع يحفزون بعضهم البعض وهذا ما يرفع مستوى الفريق، هذا ما نريده كفريق ونأمل أن نتمكن من تحقيق إنجازات كبيرة معًا من خلال تحفيز بعضنا البعض”.
واختتم ميرينو: ”البدلاء في آرسنال لا يقلون أهمية عن اللاعبين الأساسيين، كل لاعب يرغب في البدء بشكل أساسي، لكن يجب أن تتحلى بالعقلية الصحيحة والعقلية المناسبة، مباراة دوري أبطال أوروبا كانت خير مثال على ذلك، لاعبان يدخلان الملعب ويصنعان الفارق ويمنحونا الفوز بالمباراة، هذه هي العقلية التي نحتاجها مع اقتراب نهاية الموسم”.
Josh Philippe made a stunning 139 off 119 on debut for NSW against his old side WA as the Blues held on in a thriller after Jhye Richardson took 5 for 63
AAP22-Sep-2024
Josh Philippe made 139 off 119 balls•Getty Images
Josh Philippe has made a perfect start to life in New South Wales colours, plundering a sparkling century against his former side to lead the Blues to a thrilling eight-run One-Day Cup victory over Western Australia.Philippe made an off-season switch from WA to NSW in a bid to reignite his Sheffield Shield career. But it’s with the white ball that Philippe has made a memorable early impression, with the 27-year-old cracking a career-high 139 off 119 deliveries to lead NSW to 287 for 9 at Cricket Central in Sydney on Sunday.Philippe’s innings overshadowed the return to form of WA’s injury-prone quick Jhye Richardson who put his injury woes behind him to finish with 5 for 63, including two wickets in three balls in the sixth over.In reply, three-time defending champions WA had a chance to pinch victory after moving to 279 for 9, needing nine runs off the final eight balls.But Will Salzmann ended WA’s hopes, taking a tough catch at deep point while running backwards and looking into the sun to dismiss AJ Tye.Salzmann had returned expensive figures of 2 for 72, but he had the last laugh with the match-winning catch.Cameron Bancroft top scored for WA with 71, while Ashton Agar (51), Ashton Turner (41) and Hilton Cartwright (41) also produced handy contributions.Philippe plundered 17 fours and three sixes in his devastating knock, with the star opener particularly brutal down the ground, both along the deck and over the top.Agar, WA’s lone spinner, suffered plenty of punishment from Philippe on the way to figures of 1 for 58 from eight overs. Richardson claimed Philippe’s wicket in the 38th over courtesy of a brilliant one-handed diving catch from Bancroft at mid-on.But the damage had already been done, with Philippe’s knock helping NSW post a formidable total despite the lack of support around him.Matthew Gilkes scored 41 off 47 batting at No.7 to be the next best scorer, while tail-ender Tanveer Singh added a handy 26 not out off 14 balls at the death.
Chelsea’s opening Premier League match is under three weeks away, yet it doesn’t appear as though Enzo Maresca is finished with his transfer business.
Despite adding plenty of talent to his already bloated squad, including the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens, the Italian is still on the hunt for more attacking players.
Over the previous few weeks, Tyler Dibling, Karim Adeyemi and even Real Madrid starlet Goncalo Garcia have all been linked with moves to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescabefore the start of the second half
While initial links have been established, nothing concrete has been made regarding any of these three players as of yet.
All of Maresca’s attention is being taken up by the potential transfer of Dutchman Xavi Simons.
The RB Leipzig starlet is edging close to a move to the Blues, and given his performances in the Bundesliga since the summer of 2023, could he be the final piece of the attacking jigsaw for the club?
RB Leipzig's Lois Openda and Xavi Simons.
Any move could potentially go through at some point this week, but what exactly will the former PSG sensation bring to Chelsea?
Why Chelsea are trying to sign Xavi Simons
On Sunday, journalist Ben Jacobs gave an update on X regarding the club’s pursuit of the attacking midfielder.
“Chelsea advancing talks with Xavi Simons. Terms now broadly in place,” said Jacobs. “Club-to-club talks ongoing. Chelsea expected to place a first formal offer soon after verbal discussions over numbers. Talks described as positive.”
RB Leipzig'sXaviSimonsreacts after the match
If all goes to plan, Maresca could be welcoming Simons to Stamford Bridge sooner rather than later, and it will give him more firepower.
The playmaker could cost Chelsea a reported £70m, but on the surface, this could be money well spent by the London outfit.
The Blues return to the Champions League this season for the first time since 2022/23. As such, signing someone who can make a difference in this competition makes perfect sense.
Step forward, Simons. When compared to his positional peers in the Champions League last season, the Dutch starlet was sublime across a range of performance metrics.
Not only did he rank in the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.88), but the 22-year-old also ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and in the top 11% for progressive carries (3.22) in Europe’s premier club competition.
With ambitions heightened ahead of European competition next term due to the club’s success at the Club World Cup this summer, signing Simons would give Maresca a chance of taking his team deep in the tournament.
Given that João Félix seems to be moving on in the next few days, with Chelsea recouping the same fee that they paid for him a year ago, there is space for Simons to come in.
Despite his obvious strengths and his growth potential, do the Blues really need to make him a priority signing?
Indeed, it’s arguable that their defence needs more work ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Chelsea closing in on another signing
The links to attacking players seem to grow day by day, but there haven’t been as many defenders linked with a move to the club.
One player whom the club have shown plenty of interest in, however, is Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues “will be in direct contact” with Hato regarding a potential deal. Romano also went on to state that Hato “only wants Chelsea” which should pave the way for Maresca to wrap up this deal as soon as possible.
David Ornstein of The Athletic has further reported that personal terms have already been agreed with Chelsea closing in on a deal that may be worth around £40m.
The squad is heavily stacked from an attacking perspective, but there is no doubt that Chelsea needs another couple of defenders to freshen things up.
As such, could Hato turn out to be an even better signing than Simons ahead of the 2025/26 campaign?
Why Hato would be a better signing than Simons for Chelsea
One reason why Maresca is keen on adding the teenager to his squad is surely due to his positional flexibility.
Over the course of his embryonic career thus far, Hato has played 88 games at left-back and 70 matches as a centre-back.
Hato’s league numbers for Ajax by season
Stat
22/23
23/24
24/25
Games played
11
33
31
Goals scored
0
1
2
Assists
0
2
6
Touches per game
57.4
94.8
67.2
Accurate passes per game
42.6 (91%)
72.8 (93%)
45.2 (90%)
Total duels won per game
3.1
5.5
4.1
Clean sheets
1
5
11
Stats by Sofascore
Last season, however, saw the 19-year-old operate on the left side of the defence and he showcased his talents, both going forward and defensively.
In the Eredivisie. The defender helped Ajax keep 11 clean sheets while he averaged 1.9 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and was dribbled past only 0.3 times per match.
Along with his eight goal contributions, Hato also managed to create six big chances in the top flight, while averaging 0.6 key passes per match, thus displaying plenty of attacking intent for his club.
Furthermore, when compared to his positional peers in leagues similar in reputation to the Dutch top-flight over the previous 365 days, Hato ranked in the top 5% for assists (0.21) per 90, along with ranking in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area (2.33) per 90.
On this evidence, Hato would offer plenty at both ends of the pitch for Chelsea, thus giving Maresca a major boost.
There was no doubt that the 2024/25 season was his major breakout campaign for the Dutch giants, one that was largely praised by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Netherlands' JorrelHatois shown a red card by referee Glenn Nyberg
“Jorrel Hato is having an excellent season,” said Kulig. A fantastic mix of complete full-back, playmaking full-back, and ball-playing centre-back. Over 100 games for Ajax and 6 caps for Oranje at 19. Immense quality and experience for such a young defender.”
Simons will bring something extra to the Chelsea attacking department; there is no doubt about that. Still only 22, he will only go from strength to strength in the next few years.
Hato, on the other hand, may well turn out to be the better signing for the Stamford Bridge outfit given that the Blues are already stacked in offensive areas.
By signing both players, it would signal yet another statement of intent by Maresca. Chelsea will surely be a force to be reckoned with this season if the squad can gel swiftly.
Instant Felix upgrade: Terms now "in place" for Chelsea to sign £60m star
With João Félix poised to join Al-Nassr for £43m, Chelsea are in talks to sign a £60m attacker who’ll be a massive upgrade.
Derby County are now interested in signing an experienced defender to add to their already busy summer window, according to a recent report.
Derby announce the signing of Owen Beck from Liverpool
On Friday afternoon, the Rams announced that Owen Beck had joined the club on a season-long loan deal from Liverpool. The left-back becomes Derby’s first loan signing of the summer and their sixth arrival altogether. This is the 22-year-old’s sixth loan spell away from Anfield, after spells at Famalicao, Bolton Wanderers, Dundee on two separate occasions, Blackburn Rovers and now Derby.
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During his time at Ewood Park, Beck worked with John Eustace, and the defender has admitted it was a “no-brainer” to reunite with the Derby boss once again. Beck also went on to add to Derby’s media team that Eustace “got the best out of him” during his time at Blackburn.
“Obviously, I know the gaffer well from last year. I spoke to him with that experience of working with him before in mind. It moved pretty fast and was a no-brainer for me.
“We built a really good connection. I feel like he got the best out of me. When he called up and we had that conversation again where he was looking to bring me in, it was a no-brainer, really!
“I enjoyed playing under him. As I said, I feel like he got the best out of me. I feel like he can get even more out of me this season, and I can push that step further.”
Derby County interested in 32 y/o defender
As the Rams wrap up a deal for Beck, they have now turned their attention to another defensive signing. According to the MailSport, relayed by Football League World, Derby are keen on signing Jake Bidwell from Coventry City.
Bidwell only signed a new contract with the Sky Blues in January of this year, extending his stay until 2027, but the Championship side are open to offers for either Bidwell or Jay Dasilva this summer, after bringing Miguel Angel Brau to the club as their new left-back.
32-year-old Bidwell has been with Coventry since January 2022, when he joined on a free transfer from the Swans. The left-back, who can also play centre-back and left midfield if needed, has been a consistent performer for the Sky Blues. Last season, he started 23 of the 29 Championship games he played, as he featured heavily under Frank Lampard, but it appears as though now he’s fallen down the pecking order.
Jake Bidwell’s 24/25 Championship stats
Apps
29
Minutes per game
72
Goals
1
Assists
1
Big chances created
5
Key passes per game
0.8
Clean sheets
6
Interceptions per game
0.6
Tackles per game
0.7
His potential arrival at Pride Park would be an interesting one, as the Rams have just brought Beck in, and they already have Callum Elder and Craig Forsyth at their disposal.
However, the Rams may hold an advantage in the race to sign Bidwell, as the Englishman is represented by Wasserman, which is the same agency as Andreas Weimann, meaning the club have a familiar path to negotiations on the personal side of things.
Only local pride at stake with Derbyshire confirmed as wooden-spoonists
ECB Reporters Network28-Sep-2024
Sol Budinger top-scored with 87•Getty Images
After two days lost to the weather, Leicestershire finished on 264 for eight after their season-ending Vitality County Championship with East Midlands neighbours Derbyshire at last saw some action.With Derbyshire’s 17th Championship wooden spoon confirmed by Glamorgan’s victory over Gloucestershire, this match has little at stake beyond local pride, although Leicestershire could overtake Northamptonshire to finish fourth in Division Two.Leicestershire opener Sol Budinger will remember it at least for a career-best 87. There was a half-century, too, for Liam Trevaskis.Derbyshire’s spinners prospered in the final session of an 80-over day. Mitch Wagstaff, in his sixth first-class match, finished with two for 24 from his leg breaks, his best figures so far, with skipper David Lloyd picking up three wickets from his offies.Glamorgan and Gloucestershire, similarly hit by the late-September rain, forfeited an innings each to facilitate a positive result in Cardiff. For there to be a winner here, it may need a similar arrangement.After the downpours of the first two days, the start of day three was delayed until noon. On a green-tinged pitch, Derbyshire opted to bowl first after the toss had gone their way and should have had early wickets to show for it.But catching has not been their strong suit this season – not much has, by the evidence of the table. Ian Holland, on three and again on nine, plus Budinger on 42 were given lives in the hour of play before lunch.All three chances were created at the pavilion end. Holland was spilled by wicketkeeper Brooke Guest off Zak Chappell, before Martin Andersson saw Aneurin Donald give Holland his second let-off at gully and Budinger put down by Lloyd at first slip in his next over.At the other end, Budinger had profited from five boundaries in the same over as the 17-year-old pace prospect Harry Moore struggled to find the right length and Leicestershire were 54 without loss at the first interval.Holland, his luck plainly in, enjoyed a third escape not long after the restart, Guest again unable to cling on down the leg side as the former Hampshire all-rounder top-edged a pull on 28, Moore having returned at the more favourable end.They were not inexpensive mistakes. Budinger, a left-hander with natural ball-striking talent, reached 51 from 40 deliveries with his ninth four and went on to pass his previous first-class best of 72 with his 14th boundary. A maiden century looked his for the taking until, 13 runs away from it, he shaped to drive the left-arm seamer Luis Reece but somehow managed to spoon the ball into the hands of the bowler.The wicket was all-rounder Reece’s 200th in all formats for Derbyshire to go with more than 8,000 runs. He is the first to achieve both those milestones for the county since Dominic Cork in the 1990s.Budinger’s partnership with Holland, which was worth four at the moment of the first dropped catch, had put on 120. Reece picked up his second wicket in the same spell when Holland cut straight to the man at backward point for 44.Lewis Hill, in his first appearance since announcing he would step down as captain at the end of the season, twice cut Chappell to the boundary before driving him handsomely down the ground for another but was adjudged leg before to Chappell – Derbyshire’s player of the year – just before tea.Harry Swindells, making only his second Championship appearance of the season, helped Trevaskis take the total beyond 200 but departed in comically dreadful fashion, ballooning an awful full toss straight to mid-on as Wagstaff took a wicket with his fourth delivery.Trevaskis completed his second half-century of the season before being bowled by Lloyd for 57, before Ben Mike and Ben Green were both caught behind to give the two spinners another wicket apiece, Lloyd picking up his third as Tom Scriven was leg before sweeping.
ظهر أندرياس كريستنسن لاعب فريق برشلونة الإسباني، في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الأربعاء، للحديث قبل المباراة أمام نيوكاسل يونايتد الإنجليزي.
ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على نيوكاسل غدًا الخميس، في الجولة الأولى لمرحلة الدوري ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا لموسم 2025-2026.
وافتتح كريستنسن الحديث بشأن فرص برشلونة ضد نيوكاسل قائلاً: “نحن في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وستكون هناك سرعة كبيرة، نيوكاسل فريق رائع، علينا أن نكون مستعدين، الأجواء ستكون جزءاً كبيراً من المباراة، وهي من أفضل الأجواء التي عشتها”.
وعن المنافسة القوية بين لاعبي برشلونة على مراكزهم في التشكيل، أفاد: “لقد طرأت تغييرات، لكن هناك العديد من المباريات، وستكون هناك فرص للجميع، الجميع يلعبون بشكل جيد، يجب أن تكون مستعداً عندما يقرر المدرب إشراكك، إنها وضعية حساسة، لكن عليك أن تقدم أفضل ما لديك وأن تكون جاهزاً عندما يحين دورك في اللعب، وأن تستمتع بذلك”.
وحول شعوره بعد غياب طويل عن اللعب بانتظام، أجاب: “أشعر أنني بحالة جيدة جدًا، في الموسم الماضي، كنت تحت ضغط كبير، أشعر أنني بحالة جيدة، والمعالجون الفيزيائيون يعملون معي بشكل جيد، إنهم يعتنون بنا بشكل رائع، العودة إلى الفريق في حالة جيدة أمر جيد بالنسبة لي، وأنا مستعد للعمل والنضال”.
اقرأ أيضًا | جيماريش قبل لقاء برشلونة: علينا التفكير في المستقبل بعد رحيل إيزاك ونرغب في صناعة التاريخ
وفيما يتعلق بالضغط الجماهيري، أستطرد كريستنسن: “لا داعي للتفكير في الأمر، إنه جزء مهم من المباراة، لكنهم سيضغطون في كل حركة، علينا إدارة هذا الضغط، لقد كان جزءًا من استعداداتنا، إنه ملعب صعب، وعلينا التحلي بالهدوء، علينا أن نلعب بأسلوبنا”.
وبشأن التعطش لدوري أبطال أوروبا، أشار: “كل موسم في هذه البطولة له طابع خاص، في العام الماضي، كدنا نصل إلى النهائي، الجمهور متعطش جدًا للوصول إلى النهائي، إنه هدفٌ لنا، ونسعى جاهدين لتحقيقه، كان الأمر مؤلمًا، كانت اللحظة الأخيرة من المباراة التي ودعنا فيها البطولة”.
وعن زميله ماركوس راشفورد، علّق: “التحدث باللغة الإنجليزية يُسهّل التواصل معه، يُضيف جودةً وقد اندمج جيدًا، عليه أن يُثبت ذلك، أصبح أكثر درايةً بالنظام، لقد كان مفيدًا جدًا للمجموعة، لدينا فريق شاب، وهو قادر على التواصل معهم”.
وبشأن التشكيلة الأساسية غدًا وإمكانية تواجده بها، أتم: “لا أعرف (يضحك)، اسألوا هانز فليك الآن، أتمنى أن أكون كذلك، أنا جاهز في حال اختارني، لكن ليس لدي أي فكرة”.
How many more signings will West Ham United get through the door before their Premier League opener against Sunderland?
So far, the Hammers have brought in Callum Wilson on a free transfer from Newcastle United, while full-backs El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters have also arrived.
Meantime, they also appear set to bolster their goalkeeping options, having reportedly agreed a £9m deal to sign Botafogo shot-stopper John Victor.
Now though, the Irons have their sights set on a midfielder, one who would belatedly replace Declan Rice, two years on from his departure for Arsenal.
West Ham United targeting a new midfielder
Fair to say, neither Graham Potter, nor his predecessor Julen Lopetegui, settled on a reliable, first-choice midfield combination last season, as the table below illustrates.
West Ham’s Premier League midfield options 2024/25
Players
Appearances
Starts
Minutes
Tomáš Souček
35
30
2,567
Lucas Paquetá
35
27
2,380
Edson Álvarez
28
20
1,772
Carlos Soler
31
14
1,409
Guido Rodríguez
23
16
1,149
James Ward-Prowse
15
12
1,039
Andy Irving
10
1
166
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com
As the table documents, aside from Tomáš Souček and wantaway Lucas Paquetá, none of West Ham’s midfielders were ever able to establish themselves as nailed-on starters, with both managers in charge chopping and changing their options.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek
As they seek to bolster that area of the pitch, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider is reporting that West Ham have made a formal move to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus on loan, amid interest from Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.
The Brazilian only moved to Turin from Aston Villa, for a reported fee of £42.3m as recently as last summer, but O’Rourke notes that la Vecchia Signora are eager to move him on following, as former-Juve player Alessio Tacchinardi puts it, a “disaster” of a campaign.
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Luiz featured in only 17% of I Bianconeri’s minutes across all competitions last season, not winning over either Thiago Motta or current manager Igor Tudor, hence why O’Rourke asserts that it is ‘inevitable’ he will return to the Premier League, so could this be in East London?
How Douglas Luiz would improve West Ham
While Luiz did endure a nightmare campaign in Italy, it’s worth remembering that the reason Juventus spent big to sign him in the first place is because he was amongst the Premier League’s best midfielders during his last couple of seasons at Aston Villa.
Statman Dave heralded his “exceptional performances”, while his then-manager Unai Emery stated that he was “progressing a lot as a midfielder… adding goals and… being demanding”.
Meantime, Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines praises his ‘duel-winning capacity’ and ‘press resistance’ in possession, describing these as his greatest strengths, concluding that he would be a ‘valuable addition’ to any Premier League squad.
Adam Bate of Sky Sports agrees, noting that Luiz added goals to his game, starting to ‘showcase his creative qualities’ during his final campaign in the Midlands, ‘often operating in more advanced areas’ and flourishing when utilised with a more solid midfield base behind him, namely provided by Boubacar Kamara.
This is similar to the transformation undergone by Rice following his move to Arsenal; Mikel Arteta thought he was buying the best number six in the Premier League but, as outlined by Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, he thrives as a number eight, set to be given even more attacking license this forthcoming campaign, following Martín Zubimendi’s arrival in North London.
Over in the east side of the capital, Luiz could do something similar because, if there’s one thing West Ham do boast, it is an array of defensively astute midfielders, namely Souček, Guido Rodríguez, Edson Álvarez and others.
So, let’s put that hypothesis to the test by comparing where these midfielders take their touches.
Douglas Luiz 23/24 vs West Ham midfielders 24/25 touches
Players
Total touches
% in defensive 3rd
% in middle 3rd
% in final 3rd
Douglas Luiz
2,373
22%
53%
25%
Lucas Paquetá
1,810
20%
55%
25%
Tomáš Souček
1,284
28%
49%
23%
Edson Álvarez
1,248
29%
55%
16%
James Ward-Prowse
851
21%
60%
19%
Guido Rodríguez
710
31%
60%
9%
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com
As the table notes, when compared to the vast majority West Ham’s midfielders last season, Luiz took an exponentially higher proportion of his touches during his most recent Premier League season, in the final third, with only Paquetá’s figures comparable, and he will purportedly be on the move this month.
Álvarez, Rodríguez and James Ward-Prowse in particular do the vast majority of their work in the defensive or middle third of the pitch, which could be exactly what Luiz needs to thrive in a more attacking role.
Thus, all the available evidence suggests a move to the London Stadium could be the perfect fit for Luiz, where he could become the talismanic midfielder Hammers everywhere have been craving, ever since Rice waved goodbye.
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