Category Uncategorized

Manchester United have been urged to put a struggling Marcus Rashford "out of his misery" by Paul Parker amid talk of a potential sale in January.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• United ready to offload Rashford in January
• Ready to sell at a discounted price of £40m
• Parker wants Rashford gone as soon as possible

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United need to balance their books to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and it has been reported that the Red Devils are prioritising player sales in January to alleviate financial pressure. Rashford’s homegrown status makes him a significant asset in that regard as selling him would register as pure profit on the club’s financial records.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford has managed only four goals in 15 Premier League appearances during the 2024-25 campaign and United are reportedly willing to let him leave for as little as £40 million ($51 million). Nonetheless, United will be happy to part ways with the striker even at a discounted rate as questions remain over his role under Ruben Amorim.

• WHAT PARKER SAID

  Speaking candidly in an interview with about Rashford’s struggles, Parker expressed disappointment over the England international’s apparent lack of consistency and leadership at a crucial stage in his career.

  "Any other player, it would have been done and dusted by now," he said. "It’s been going on for too long. Most other players would have been put out of their misery and one of the saddest things in football is seeing talent go to waste because the player can’t be bothered. That’s what’s happening with Marcus Rashford."

  He added: "He’s 27 now and you can’t keep switching it on and off. He can’t be called a kid. He’s supposed to be a mature player now that leads his teammates along the way, especially because he’s a local lad. If you ask him to lead the way, I believe three-year-olds wouldn’t even follow him at the moment. There’s nothing about him that suggests he wants to be a footballer and a Manchester United player."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

  Rashford's performances have seen him relegated to the bench in recent league matches against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest but he did return to the starting lineup in United’s Europa League clash against Viktoria Plzen, only to be hooked off before the hour mark after another anonymous outing. United’s next test comes on Sunday when they face cross-city rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. It remains to be seen whether Amorim will trust Rashford to start in this high-stakes derby as the pressure on him to deliver is gradually building up.

أدلى المصري عمر مرموش بتصريحات بعد ظهوره الأول بقميص فريقه الجديد مانشستر سيتي ومشاركته أساسيًا في مباراة تشيلسي بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وشارك مرموش في فوز مانشستر سيتي على تشيلسي بثلاثية لهدف بمنافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال عمر مرموش في تصريحات عقب المباراة نشرها موقع مانشستر سيتي الرسمي: “نعم، كانت أول مباراة مذهلة”.

وأضاف: “أنا سعيد حقًا لوجودي هنا، كانت أول مباراة رائعة حقًا، لقد فزنا بالمباراة وكانت الأجواء مجنونة هناك، أنا سعيد جدًا لوجودي هنا”.

وأشاد المراسل بأداء مرموش وتواجده على أرض الملعب، وسأله عن شعوره حيال ذلك، ورد المصري: “الشعور جيد، شكرًا لك على تلك المجاملة، آمل أن أستمر على هذا النحو، إنها مجرد البداية وهنا المزيد من الانتصارات”.

وبشأن تشجيع جماهير مانشستر سيتي والأجواء في ملعب الاتحاد ومدى شعوره بحماسهم، أفاد: “بالتأكيد نعم، تشجيعهم كان خلال المباراة بأكملها، ومنذ الدقيقة الأولى كان لدي شعور بأننا سنحقق الفوز اليوم”.

اقرأ أيضًا | “لديه ميزة مذهلة”.. جوارديولا يُعلق على الظهور الأول لـ عمر مرموش مع مانشستر سيتي

وحول زملائه في مانشستر سيتي، صرح مرموش: “جيدون حقًا، منذ يومي الأول ضموني كفرد من عائلتهم وجعلوني أشعر بالراحة، بالتأكيد لدينا الرغبة وقدمنا كل شيء على أرض الملعب”.

وواصل: “ورأيت ذلك اليوم بأننا أردنا الفوز وحصلنا عليه، نحن سعداء ولكن لدينا الكثير من المباريات القادمة والآن نركز على المواجهات التالية”.

الفوز جعل مانشستر سيتي يتقدم للمركز الرابع في الترتيب، واستطرد مرموش: “الفوز أمر جيد، سعداء به، لكن كما قلت، هذا الآن ماضي ونتطلع للأمام والمباريات القادمة، والمواجهة أمام كلوب بروج (بدوري أبطال أوروبا)، وسنواصل التقدم”.

مرموش تحدث أيضًا عن زميله عبد القادر خوسانوف والذي خاض أول مباراة له أيضًا بقميص السيتي وقد شهد بداية صعبة بالتسبب في هدف وحصوله على بطاقة صفراء، وعلّق: “خوسانوف لاعب استثنائي، وهنأته على مباراته الأولى”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ردود أفعال جماهير مانشستر سيتي على الظهور الأول لـ عمر مرموش: بداية ممتازة وقرار “غبي” من جوارديولا

وعن مباراة مانشستر سيتي المقبلة أمام كلوب بروج والتي لن يتمكن مرموش من المشاركة بها بسبب قواعد الفيفا، شدد: “سأشاهد تلك المباراة من الملعب، هناك ثقة في اللاعبين، لدينا حقًا لاعبون ذو جودة عالية، أثق بأننا سنفوز ونتأهل للمرحلة المقبلة”.

وفي تصريح لشبكة “بي إن سبورتس”، أكد مرموش: “حين سجلت الهدف (لم يحتسب بسبب التسلل) كان الشعور رائعًا جدًا، لكن في النهاية حققنا الفوز وهو ما يهم”.

وأوضح: “بالتأكيد لو سجلت هدفًا كانت ستصبح بداية مميزة.. الانسجام مع هالاند؟ منذ قدومي وهو يتحدث معي ويحاول أن يجعلني أندمج مع الفريق، هو شخص جيد جدًا بالتأكيد ولاعب خرافي، سعيد جدًا باللعب جواره”.

Sunderland will have everything crossed this off-season that they can somehow keep hold of Jack Clarke ahead of the coming campaign, valiantly fending off any suitors interested in their star-man's services as a positive Championship term awaits.

Regis Le Bris will know, even if Clarke does stay put, that the Black Cats need a sprinkling of firepower in the forward positions, having been far too goal-shy last campaign away from the exploits of the ex-Leeds United winger.

That much-needed quality to lead the line looked to be arriving into the building in the form of SM Caen sharp shooter Alexandre Mendy, but that move has gone somewhat awry, as other options are now eyed up this summer by the Wearside outfit.

Sunderland looking at cheap Mendy alternative

As per a report by Slovenian outlet Planet Nogomet, with this development being further relayed by the Roker Report, Sunderland are one of a number of clubs expected to pounce on Bordeaux's unfortunate bankruptcy as a move for Slovenian striker Zan Vipotnik is considered.

Whoever does end up winning his services, with Hadjuk Split, FC Twente and VFL Bochum named as other interested parties from across Europe, the lucky winner would be gaining Vipotnik for free after his contract with the ex-Ligue 2 team was torn up after the club went out of business.

The Slovenia international will be on the hunt for a new place to call home, therefore, with Sunderland hopeful he will pick England over the other array of potential next onward destinations.

With Mendy's move to the Stadium of Light stuck on hold at this moment in time, the Black Cats might see this swoop as an easier one to get over the line, owing to the 22-year-old's new free agent status.

Starring for Bordeaux before their recent demise, Vipotnik had also managed to garner a reputation for being a reliable striker in the same league as Mendy, but could be snapped up for £0 away from his fellow attacker's bold £4.2m price-tag.

What Vipotnik can offer Sunderland

Le Bris clearly wants to add in top talents from his native country this summer, having come up against these stars in the flesh when he was still Lorient manager, allowing him to get a flavour for how they perform before now swooping in.

Vipotnik managed to bag ten goals last season in all competitions for his now-defunct club, taking his overall career goal tally to 44 strikes from 122 games playing in his home country of Slovenia and beyond.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Vipotnik

Games played

37

Games started

25

Goals scored

10

Assists

3

Shots*

2.3

Big chances missed

16

Big chances created

5

Touches*

14.2

Stats by Sofascore

There is definitely room for the in-demand 22-year-old to develop further and hone in on his skills in front of goal too, with 16 big chances missed for Vipotnik last season, with ten goals an impressive tally overall from just 25 starts.

Only needing 14.2 touches per clash in order to regularly make an impact, the free agent forward could live more up to his billing as a "poacher" – as was handed to him by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – surrounded by the likes of Clarke feeding him chances on Wearside.

The goal above from Nazariy Rusyn last campaign showcases Clarke at his explosive best darting forward for the Black Cats, twisting and turning shirts attempting to shut him out, before finding his Ukrainian teammate to tap home.

Vipotnik could well excel playing in a similar manner, with Rusyn only finding the back of the net a meagre two times last campaign in the second tier, which has left Sunderland hunting for a potent striker.

This means that Clarke could help Vipotnik to shine by creating high-quality chances for the forward to find the back of the net, which is backed up by his 12 'big chances' created in the division last term.

Mendy's 22 goals in Ligue 2 could well have filled that gap, but with that move taking an age to get over the line, seeking out a cheap alternative in Vipotnik could prove to be a shrewd move to ensure that the Black Cats bolster their strike force before the window slams shut.

Move over Mendy: Sunderland could reignite interest in exciting attacker

Sunderland could well have other striker targets in mind away from Alexandre Mendy.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 23, 2024

Mumbai will face Uttar Pradesh in the final on March 14

Saurabh Somani11-Mar-2021In a semi-final that had the tournament’s top three run-getters all playing in the same game, Prithvi Shaw’s blazing century won the day for Mumbai against Karnataka. Shaw, captaining Mumbai for only the third time, made 165 off 122 balls, incredibly enough, his score as captain.In his first match leading Mumbai, he had hit a tournament record 227* against Puducherry, and he followed that up with 185* in the quarter-final against Saurashtra.Related

Shaw smashes 227* to become India's 8th List A double-centurion

Padikkal's fourth successive ton propels Karnataka into semis

Shaw's 185* puts Mumbai in semi-final

Shaw’s innings set Karnataka 323, a target that they might have backed themselves to get given how well their own openers – Devdutt Padikkal and R Samarth – had been going. While Samarth fell cheaply, Padikkal threatened to hit an unprecedented fifth List A century on the trot, before he was out for 64, after which Karnataka withered. Both men went past the record for most runs in a Vijay Hazare Trophy season, which was held by Mayank Agarwal who made 723 runs in 2017-18.Shaw has 754 runs this season with a game in hand, while Padikkal’s tally stopped at 737 runs. Samarth, who had a rare failure in the semi-final, stands fourth on the list with 613 runs.Mumbai will face Uttar Pradesh in the final on March 14, after UP put in a clinical performance to go past Gujarat by five wickets in the second semi-final on Thursday.Mumbai vs Karnataka The game was a Shaw showcase from the start. He had missed out on a second double-century in the quarter-final when Mumbai reeled in the target with 8.1 overs to spare, but looked like he would achieve that in this game. He was eventually lbw to right-arm medium-pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak, who was playing his debut season, in the 41st over.Prithvi Shaw has had a record-breaking Vijay Hazare Trophy•ESPNcricinfo LtdShaw was brisk at the start and exploded once past his half-century. He was on 52 off 48 balls, but got to 152 in only 111 balls, reaching the landmark with a six off Ronit More. He took the lead in two substantial partnerships, putting on 71 (69 balls) for the second wicket with Aditya Tare, and then 159 for the third wicket (142 balls) with Shams Mulani, who had earned a surprising promotion to No.4. Mulani had batted only once above No.6 in ten previous List A innings, and while he made 45, it came off 71 balls. Shaw’s pyrotechnics at the other end meant Mumbai were still rattling along at a good rate, but the innings lost some momentum when the captain was out.Shivam Dube (27 off 24) and Aman Hakim Khan (25 off 18) – who made his debut in the previous match, the quarter-final against Saurashtra – did connect with a few blows, but Mumbai lost a cluster of wickets to be bowled out in 49.4 overs for 322. Vyshak was the most successful bowler, with 4 for 56, while Prasidh Krishna took 3 for 64.With their openers in great form, and the likes of Manish Pandey and Karun Nair in the XI, the target wasn’t as daunting for Karnataka as it might have been for any other team. For a while at the start of the chase, they did look like they were on course, but a double-strike by offspinner Tanush Kotian derailed the chase. Samarth had been castled by Dhawal Kulkarni in the second over, but Padikkal was in full flow, getting to his half-century in only 39 balls. He was forced to be more circumspect, however, when Kotian struck in the 13th and 15th overs, sending back KV Siddharth and Pandey. The body blow to Karnataka’s chase came in the 20th over when Prashant Solanki bowled Padikkal for a run-a-ball 64. Although wicketkeeper BR Sharath smashed a 39-ball 61 down the order, the equation had become too steep for Karnataka.Kotian, playing his second List A match, ended up with 2 for 23 in 10 overs.Uttar Pradesh vs Gujarat A collective performance with bat, ball and in the field saw UP end Gujarat’s run in the tournament. Batting first after winning the toss, Gujarat’s innings was in trouble early and never quite recovered. They could muster only 184, bowled out in 48.1 overs. Although UP had some wobbles of their own in the chase, they were mostly in control, and overhauled the target in 42.4 overs.Gujarat’s captain and centurion from their quarter-final Priyank Panchal was the first to fall, and UP kept chipping away at the Gujarat’s top order to reduce them to 92 for 5 in the 26th over. Het Patel, who was Gujarat’s most consistent batsman in the tournament, then stitched together a stand of 66 alongside Piyush Chawla, who negotiated his former team’s attack with greater comfort than the top order had. That partnership apart, Gujarat’s batsmen were kept in check.Yash Dayal had figures of 3 for 34 while Aaqib Khan took 2 for 22 in ten overs, not giving the batsmen any room and employing changes of pace well. UP were also electric in the field, effecting three direct-hit run-outs. Het, who made 60 and whom Gujarat depended on to drag the total beyond 200, was also the victim of a direct hit, having tapped to mid-off and then run around the bowler.Gujarat began their defence well, with Chintan Gaja getting both openers cheaply, but the bowlers didn’t have the luxury of scoreboard pressure. UP were in a spot of bother at 45 for 3, but captain Karan Sharma combined with Akshdeep Nath to steer the team into safe territory.The two put on 89 runs, and could afford to do it at a comfortable pace. Although Sharma was out when he was looking good for more, Nath carried on. He got to his half-century off 73 balls, having seen off an initially uncertain period. Nath fell for 71 with victory in sight, but with only 12 runs remaining to get and 9.2 overs to get them in, UP weren’t in trouble.Upendra Yadav, the Man of the Match in their quarter-final win against Delhi, finished things off in style with a six and a four.

Sunderland supporters will be hoping for a dramatically better season coming up after settling for a dire 16th-place finish last campaign in the Championship which left a bad taste in many a mouth on Wearside.

Regis Le Bris' appointment was a left-field one to say the least, after the Black Cats had gone without a permanent boss for some time, but the Frenchman could be the breath of fresh air Sunderland need from the dug-out to mount a promotion charge again.

The ex-Lorient manager will be keeping his fingers crossed that the club's star men are still at his disposal next season to make the task of competing near the top end of the division less challenging.

One of those players, away from the likes of Jack Clarke and Co is Northern Irishman Trai Hume, who has never looked back since moving to England in 2022, having walked away from his native country.

Trai Hume's time at Sunderland

Hume has amassed 84 appearances for Sunderland in that time span, with the 22-year-old ever-present all of last season in league action, as his importance shone through for the Black Cats regardless of who was occupying the dug-out.

Filling in at left-back 11 times across those 46 games he managed to accumulate, as well as occasionally even playing in the heart of the defence, Hume's adaptability made him a player that could be relied upon, even when Sunderland were suffering with poor result after poor result.

The six-time Northern Ireland international, who also has six goal contributions next to his name donning Sunderland red and white, has begun to attract interest from higher-up suitors as a result, with Leeds United one party keen on the tenacious full-back.

Unai Emery's Aston Villa are also supposed admirers of Hume's work – who was even described as being "outstanding" by football journalist Josh Bunting last season – with Sunderland potentially facing a losing battle to keep a firm grip on the 22-year-old beyond this transfer window.

The only plus side of Hume being moved on is the fact Sunderland would be set to make some serious profit on the former Linfield man, having only signed the defender for a meagre fee of £150k from the Northern Irish side.

Hume's transfer value in 2024

The in-demand defender is now worth even more than Black Cats stalwarts Daniel Ballard and Dan Neil, according to Football Transfers, as Sunderland brace themselves now for bids to come their way.

As per Football Transfers, Hume is worth £6m in the Stadium of Light camp, which is a significant rise from what the Mackems first paid for the 22-year-old two years ago.

Ballard and Neil, on the contrary, are both worth just £5m respectively, despite both players also being integral to the Black Cats cause, having only missed seven league clashes between them last campaign.

Sunderland's top five most valued assets

Player

Transfer value

1. Anthony Patterson

£10m

2. Jack Clarke

£7m

3. Jobe Bellingham

£7m

4. Trai Hume

£6m

5. Pierre Ekwah

£5m

Sourced by Football Transfers

Looking at the table above, Hume is only below the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Jack Clarke and Anthony Patterson when it comes to the most valued assets at the Stadium of Light, with the Northern Irishman earning Sunderland a pretty penny if sold on soon.

It would be a big loss for the Wearside outfit still, with Timothee Pembele the only other recognised right-back in the squad alongside Sunderland's issues in the left-back area with injury, but the Black Cats wouldn't be able to begrudge Hume moving on if Villa came knocking.

Le Bris will be nervous at the amount of possible outgoings, but with the likes of Alan Browne joining the ranks, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom.

Related Sunderland have a perfect Bellingham rival emerging in the academy

Regis Le Bris could call upon this Sunderland youngster to compete with Jobe Bellingham next season.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Jul 10, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Agora é oficial: David Luiz é o novo jogador do Flamengo. Após uma longa novela, o jogador assinou contrato com o Rubro-Negro até o fim de 2022 e, inclusive, já foi anunciado pelo clube. Por isso, a seguir, o LANCE! relembra os títulos conquistados por David Luiz na carreira.

>Filipe Luís é o único jogador com pelo menos mil passes certos no Brasileirão

RelacionadasFlamengoChapa Roxa é registrada e Rodolfo Landim concorrerá à reeleição no FlamengoFlamengo10/09/2021FlamengoCom ingressos de R$ 100 a R$ 900, Flamengo abre vendas para jogo contra o Grêmio, pela Copa do BrasilFlamengo10/09/2021FlamengoCom edema, Diego é mais uma baixa para o Flamengo diante do PalmeirasFlamengo10/09/2021

NACIONAIS

David Luiz chegou ao continente europeu como reforço do Benfica para a temporada 2006/2007. Por lá, ficou até a temporada 2009/2010 e conquistou um título do Campeonato Português e três da Taças da Liga.

Na sequência, o zagueiro se transferiu para o futebol inglês, onde defendeu o Chelsea. Por lá, ele teve duas passagens: ficou entre a temporada 2010/2011 e 2013/2014 e, também, entre a temporada 2016/2017 e 2018/2019. Nos Blues, ele conquistou a Premier League e duas Copas da Inglaterra.

Nesse meio tempo, o zagueiro teve uma passagem pelo Paris Saint-Germain. Ele ficou na capital francesa nas temporadas 2014/2015 e 2015/2016. No PSG, conquistou dois Campeonatos Franceses, duas Taças da Liga Francesa, duas “Coupe de France” e duas Supercopas da França.

Por fim, seu último time na Inglaterra foi o Arsenal, como já dito acima. Pelos Gunners, ele conquistou uma Copa da Inglaterra e uma Supercopa da Inglaterra. Ele defendeu as cores do time de Londres entre a temporada 2019/2020 até junho deste ano.

> Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

INTERNACIONAIS

David Luiz também tem títulos internacionais na carreira. Por times, ele venceu a Champions League 2011/2012 e a Europa League de 2012/2013 e a de 2018/2019 com o Chelsea.Com a Seleção Brasileira, o zagueiro conquistou a Copa das Confederações em 2013.

Agora, caso tenha a chegada ao Flamengo oficializada, David Luiz buscará aumentar a coleção de 21 títulos da carreira. Hoje, o Rubro-Negro disputa o Campeonato Brasileiro, a Copa do Brasil e a Libertadores. E, de acordo com o técnico Renato Gaúcho, o time carioca “quer ganhar tudo”.

*Dados retirados do site “ogol”
** Matéria atualizada às 17h38 após a oficialização de David Luiz no Flamengo

“Being able to produce the kind of freedom in my performance was the biggest thing for me”

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2020For Glenn Phillips, who has had a stop-start international career, smashing a 46-ball century – the fastest in T20Is by a New Zealand batsman – against West Indies was “absolutely massive”. No, it won’t make him believe his future with the national team is all sorted out, but “you don’t get those very often, so I am going to enjoy it”.”That’s just an incredible day. You don’t get them very often… make the most of it,” Phillips said at a media interaction after New Zealand beat West Indies by 72 runs in the second T20I to go 2-0 up in the three-match series. “My whole thing is to try and be an entertainer for the crowd and, in that moment, having the crowd’s back, I wanted to give them something special, the whole team wanted to give them something special. It was amazing for me personally, (that) I could be part of it.”ALSO READ: Stats – Phillips hits fastest T20I ton by a New ZealanderPhillips and Devon Conway got together at 53 for 2 in the seventh over, but they didn’t really pick up pace till the last ball of the tenth over, when Phillips smacked Kieron Pollard for six. Then came the drizzle, overs that netted them 18, 11 and 24 runs, and then a rain delay. The big hitting continued after that as the two put together a 184-run stand, Conway ending on 65* from 37 balls to Phillips’ 51-ball 108.”Big part of our game plan is communication, reading the situation, adjusting to it. So, for me and Devon, we’ve never played with each other before, the communication side of things is even more crucial,” Phillips said. “We’ve both played a lot of T20 cricket, and when you lose two quick wickets, you don’t want to lose three or four. Especially on a ground like this where it’s hard to get going again, on a pitch that’s a little bit two-paced.”So we decided to give ourselves a couple of overs and by the time we both got going, it was 11-12 overs, and we have a very deep batting line-up, so that death phase can start much earlier, especially with the wind being an absolute hurricane in one direction. So making the most of that side and hitting with the wind and basically getting the momentum going. And then even when the rain came, just carrying on from where we started.

There’s guys that are established and still having to come back. And there’s players that are higher up in the rankings than myself. All I can do is, when I am given the opportunity, do the best that I can possibly for the team, because if the team’s winning, then everyone’s happyGlenn Phillips

“We’ve always been a team that’s big on our running between the wickets, especially on a big ground like this, which, I feel we adapted to very well after playing at Eden Park, which is so small, and twos are hard to come by. We said to each other ‘the moment we hit the ball, we’re going to run and look for two, no matter what’. He’s quick between the wickets, I am quick between the wickets, so we might as well use that asset especially when you’re not necessarily in the power-hitting mode.”Phillips, 23, made his international debut in a T20I in February 2017, but has only played 13 matches in the format now (along with one Test).”I had to go back, work on things, and took a step back to be able to move forward again. Then I had the opportunities in the Caribbean (Premier League), which slowly worked my confidence back and I was able to have a couple of good performances, being able to come out against these boys has had a massive part of play in that,” Phillips said. “And be able to produce the kind of freedom in my performance was the biggest thing for me – and, yeah, I was absolutely ecstatic. You don’t get those very often, and I was going to enjoy it.”The stint with Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL – he top-scored for them with 316 runs at a strike rate of 127.41 from ten innings this season – have helped in a big way, Phillips said, especially learning to play smartly against spin: “The problem is not necessarily being able to find the boundary, the problem is finding the ones in between and not put myself under pressure.”Phillips, however, isn’t looking too far ahead. “There’s guys that are established and still having to come back. And there’s players that are higher up in the rankings than myself. All I can do is, when I am given the opportunity, do the best that I can possibly for the team, because if the team’s winning, then everyone’s happy,” he said. “Whether I am playing here or I am playing for the Tallawahs, or the (Auckland) Aces or my club back home, just being able to play the role that I need to play for that team and take it one day at a time.”

After beating Arsenal to the signature of Mykhaylo Mudryk, Chelsea’s Ukrainian hasn’t exactly justified his price tag just yet.

The winger arrived in January 2023 for an absolutely astonishing £89m, and therefore, he arrived with all eyes on him before he’d even kicked a ball.

However, last season, the number ten only started 18 out of his 31 Premier League appearances, netting five goals and providing two assists in the process.

While there is a feeling that the Ukraine international will come good eventually, the same cannot be said for another mega-money signing of years gone by.

What Chelsea paid for Romelu Lukaku

During the 2020/21 campaign, there weren’t many centre-forwards in Europe with a better record than Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgian’s game went to a whole new level in his second season at Inter, boasting an insane record of 24 goals and ten assists in just 32 starts.

The following summer, Chelsea broke their club record transfer fee to re-sign Lukaku, spending £97.5m to secure his services on a five-year deal.

The former Manchester United player’s start to life at Stamford Bridge was fantastic, scoring three goals in his first three games, but an interview voicing his lack of happiness at Chelsea and with manager Thomas Tuchel quickly made his return to the Blues a disaster.

Lukaku’s transfer value in 2024

Since then, Lukaku has been sent out on loan back to Italy, re-joining Inter during the 2022/23 season, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in 19 starts.

Mauricio Pochettino also saw no use for Lukaku last season, sending him on loan to Roma, where he scored 13 goals in 30 starts.

This summer, it seems that Enzo Maresca and Todd Boehly are both in agreement that his future is no longer at Chelsea, with a permanent move on the cards.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Napoli and Udinese are keen on loaning the striker, but the Blues are determined to sell the 31-year-old, with Saudi Arabia looking like a possible destination. But what exactly is Lukaku worth in today’s market?

1. Enzo Fernandez

£84m

2. Kai Havertz

£84m

3. Moises Caicedo

£67m

4. Romelu Lukaku

£25m

5. Wesley Fofana

£17m

Well, according to CIES’ Football Observatory, Lukaku is now estimated to be worth as little as £25m, which is over £70m less than what they paid for him originally.

This makes the Red Devil worth half of what Mudryk is estimated to be valued at, £50m, which just shows how much he’s declined as an asset.

For context, he’s worth the exact same amount as Djordje Petrovic and Trevoh Chalobah, while being far less valuable than Cole Palmer at £85m.

Furthermore, the Belgium international still remains as Chelsea’s third-most expensive signing ever, but compared to the rest of the top five, minus Wesley Fofana, who’s been hit by injuries, his value has plummeted massively.

It’s quite clear that signing Lukaku could go down as one of the biggest howlers in the club’s history, as they now look to cut ties with the striker.

Chelsea will hope that the forward performs well at the European Championships this summer in order to at least raise his price a touch, but the “inconsistent” Lukaku, as dubbed by one journalist, will always be viewed as a flop by the Blues faithful.

No Jackson, £226m trio sign: Enzo Maresca's dream lineup at Chelsea

Chelsea are set for a busy summer with plenty of signings expected.

ByTom Lever May 29, 2024

Football FanCast brings you the latest Everton transfer round-up.

Despite securing their Premier League survival with time to spare last season, the Toffees have been hamstrung financially due to PSR concerns. But with a new stadium on the horizon, it is imperative their final season at Goodison Park is another that sees them retain their top-flight status.

Here are the latest transfer rumours involving Everton, along with a list of the players linked with them since the end of the season.

Financial Fair Play: What is PSR, how does it work and who's in trouble?

Leicester City have become the latest club charged with an alleged PSR breach, but what could happen next?

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 16, 2024 Latest Everton transfer rumours Transfers in

Max Lowe: With Sheffield United set to allow Max Lowe to leave on a free this summer, Everton could be one of the clubs looking to swoop for the versatile full-back, who can also play in defensive midfield. Unfortunately, Everton have some competition for his signature, so may have to persuade Lowe to join the Toffees.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid: Reports have claimed that Everton could make a move for Fulham's Bobby De Cordova-Reid after contract talks in west London stalled. This is another potential free transfer for Sean Dyche, but once again, they will not be alone in their interest in the forward.

Jake O'Brien: Having starred for Lyon in Ligue 1 last term, Jake O'Brien has apparently gained some admirers from the blue half of Merseyside, with Everton seeking a bargain deal to bolster their defence. Everton are said to be monitoring the player ahead of a potential bid in the coming months.

Jack Harrison: Reports suggest that Everton have made the signing of Harrison a priority this summer. It is thought that a second loan deal from Leeds United could be possible given the Whites' failure to secure promotion last season.

Armando Broja: Everton are in a congested race for Armando Broja this summer, according to reports. One potential hurdle could be his reported price tag, with Chelsea thought to be open to a sale for £20m.

Player

Club

Latest reports

Jacob Greaves

Hull

Details

Eddie Nketiah

Arsenal

Details

Daniel Jebbison

Sheff Utd

Details

Wilfred Ndidi

Leicester

Details

Florentino Luis

Benfica

Details

Maxime Esteve

Burnley

Details

Aodhan Doherty

Linfield

Details

Jan-Niklas Beste

Heidenheim

Details

Weston McKennie

Juventus

Details

Kalvin Phillips

Man City

Details

Yankuba Minteh

Newcastle

Details

Arthur Melo

Juventus

Details

Davinson Sanchez

Galatasaray

Details

Wesley Gassova

Corinthians

Details

Elijah Adebayo

Luton

Details

Transfers out

Amadou Onana: Everton could be forced into an early sale this summer, with reports claiming Amadou Onana could be sold for £50m before the end of the month in order to comply with PSR regulations. Several clubs are thought to be interested in the Belgian, so the Toffees shouldn't be short of offers this summer.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin: Everton are braced for offers for Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer, thought reports in the past week have suggested they have made moves to extend his stay at Goodison Park. Newcastle United have been among those to show their interest in the striker, but it appears the club have opened talks over a new deal.

Jarrad Branthwaite: Defender Jarrad Branthwaite is looking like one of the more in-demand players this summer, and Premier League duo Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have been credited with an interest. However, it appears a concrete approach has yet to surface.

Confirmed Everton 2024/25 transfers Transfers out

As the 2023/24 season officially draws to a close, Everton said goodbye to a number of first-team players whose contracts came to an end. Andre Gomes is arguably the most notable of those, with the Portuguese ending a five-year stay at the club.

Dele Alli is also now out of contract, while backup goalkeeper Andy Lonergan will also leave this summer as a free agent.

Player

Club

Fee

Andre Gomes

Released

n/a

Andy Lonergan

Released

n/a

Dele Alli

Released

n/a

Everton 2023/24 transfers

Everton spent all their money on signing two strikers in the form of Beto and Youssef Chermiti back in last year's summer transfer window, but they haven't exactly worked out well for Sean Dyche.

Other than that, it was all down to free agent and loan signings.

Everton 2023/24 sales

Five players sealed permanent exits for cash last season, with around £65 million being raised, but this wasn't enough to avoid PSR sanctions.

A lot of the exits were players who were deemed surplus to requirements at Goodison Park. The likes of Asmir Begovic, Tom Davies, Thomas Cannon, Ellis Simms, Neal Maupay, Andros Townsend and Jean-Philippe Gbamin all fall under that bracket.

Sri Lanka’s cricketers and selectors have been cleared of fixing allegations and the investigation into the 2011 World Cup final dropped, after no evidence was found to support former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s allegations. On Friday, the ICC’s anti-corruption unit [ACU], too, said that it had “no reason to doubt the integrity” of the match, which was won by India.Kumar Sangakkara (captain of that World Cup side), Aravinda de Silva (chief selector), and opening batsman Upul Tharanga were all summoned to appear before a special investigation unit set up by Sri Lanka’s sports ministry. They were each questioned for hours. Mahela Jayawardene, who scored a hundred in that game, was also due for questioning, but the investigation was halted before he appeared before the unit.”From the three statements we’ve got, it was clear to us that the 14 points brought forward by Mahndananda Aluthgamage could not be substantiated,” Senior Superintendent of Police Jagath Fonseka told . “Although it was said that a complaint letter had also been sent to the ICC, the ICC itself has not indicated that. The ICC hasn’t opened up their own investigation either.”Aluthgamage’s allegations had largely – but not exclusively- focused on selection. In particular he had made the point that Sri Lanka had made four changes to their XI for the final. Sangakkara, Jayawardene and de Silva, however, had always maintained that those changes were precipitated by injuries to Angelo Mathews and Muttiah Muralitharan in the semi-final. Muralitharan did eventually play the final, but has since said that he was not fully fit. Mathews, the allrounder who provided balance to the XI, could not play.Aluthgamage had also alleged that Sanath Jayasuriya’s omission from the World Cup squad was suspicious. As the sports minister at the time (Sri Lankan sports ministers have sway over the selection process, under the 1972 Sports Law), Aluthgamage is understood to have tried to get Jayasuriya into the squad. Jayasuriya had been dropped for poor form in 2009, however, and had not played a single ODI in 2010 or the start of 2011. The investigators are believed to have asked de Silva at length about why Jayasuriya was left out.”All three of the statements we took provided reasonable explanations [as to how that game panned out],” Fonseka said. “They especially gave explanations as to why the team was changed. The other thing is this happened back in 2011.”That the investigation was even launched was down to anti-corruption legislature that was only passed last year. The notion that corruption that allegedly occurred years before that legislation was passed could be investigated under that Act has been a shaky legal concept in any case.Aluthgamage made the allegations in the run-up to the August 5 parliamentary elections, in which he is seeking re-election. Although he claims he has evidence in hand, no substantial proof has ever been made public. He had also said he had made a written complaint to the ICC soon after the match, detailing his suspicions. No one at the ICC recalls or the tournament organising committee has memory of such a complaint, however.As this supposed letter had been handed over to the investigators as part of Aluthgamage’s evidence, the former minister could be susceptible to an investigation himself, to determine whether that letter was fraudulent. In fact, it now appears likely that the cricketers who had been made to appear before the investigation unit will push for legal action against Aluthgamage.Not present with any evidence to support claims – ICC ACU
On Friday, Alex Marshall, general manager of ICC ACU explained why the global watchdog was not investigating the matter. “The ICC Integrity Unit has looked into the recent allegations regarding the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Final 2011,” Marshall said in a media release. “At this time, we have not been presented with any evidence that supports the claims made or which would merit launching an investigation under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.”After Althugamage made his allegations public, Marshall and his team reached out initially to the former Sri Lankan sports minister to ascertain if he had any evidence. The ACU also reached out to all the senior ICC officials involved in organising the 2011 World Cup, but none recollected Althugamage sending the ICC a complaint – written or oral – on the final.”There is no record of any letter regarding this matter sent by the then Sri Lanka Sports Minister to the ICC and senior ICC staff at the time have confirmed they have no recollection of receiving any such letter which would have led to an investigation,” Marshall said. “We have no reason to doubt the integrity of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Final 2011. We take all allegations of this nature extremely seriously and should we receive any evidence to corroborate the claims, we will review our current position.”Now the Sri Lankan police is swiftly shutting down its investigation over lack of evidence as well. Over the past few days, as cricketers were hauled in for questioning, public opinion also seemed to have strongly opposed the investigation.