da dobrowin： O Santos não contratará mais o meio-campista Rodrigo Zalazar. As negociações com o Schalke 04 estagnaram, e os alemães devem vender o jogador uruguaio ao Braga, de Portugal.
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da premier bet： O Lance! apurou que o Peixe fez grandes esforços para que Zalazar vestisse a camisa alvinegra. O clube considerou que avançou nas tratativas durante a tarde da última quarta-feira (12) e aumentou o otimismo, mas sempre reconheceu que o cenário seria difícil por envolver altas cifras.
+ Confira 30 jogadores que ainda não fizeram sete jogos no Brasileirão e podem trocar de clube
O Alvinegro, então, chegou a oferecer cerca de 6 milhões de euros (R$ 31,8 milhões) ao Schalke, valores considerados ideais para concretizar a transação. No entanto, os alemães recuaram e não se sentiram seguros em negociar com o Peixe.
Uma das razões é que, no passado, o Santos aplicou ‘calotes’ em negociações. Um dos casos aconteceu na gestão do ex-presidente alvinegro Modesto Roma, quando o clube não pagou o Hamburgo, da Alemanha, pela contratação do zagueiro Cleber Reis em 2016. Nesta situação, o Peixe até sofreu um Transfer Ban da Fifa, com José Carlos Peres na presidência, e ficou impedido de registrar novos atletas.
O recuo do Schalke foi inicialmente noticiado pelo “Uol”.
+ Até 70% OFF em produtos do Peixe para os torcedores fanáticos!
VIRADA DE CHAVE
O Santos agora concentra os esforços para fechar com Roberto Pereyra e Bruno Henrique. Ambos estão livres no mercado, o Alvinegro fez propostas para tê-los na equipe e aguarda respostas. As negociações seguem, e o Peixe pretende avançar ainda nesta quinta-feira (13).
O clube já contratou o lateral Dodô e tem tudo acertado com Jean Lucas e Julio Furch.
Tahir finished with figures of 4-0-27-4, but his Smart Stats were even better, given the batsmen he dismissed and the time when he dismissed them
ESPNcricinfo stats team14-Apr-2019After 14 overs of Kolkata Knight Riderss’ innings, they were well placed at 121 for 3. Chris Lynn had just pasted Ravindra Jadeja for three successive sixes in the previous over – which had gone for 23 – and had motored along to 82 off 50, and with Andre Russell still to come, Knight Riders were on course to score around 190 or even more.Enter Imran Tahir. He had already done a double-wicket act earlier in the game, dismissing Nitish Rana and Robin Uthappa in the 11th over. This time, he took out even bigger names, getting rid of both Lynn and Russell in the space of five deliveries, which eventually was instrumental in restricting Knight Riders to just 161.ESPNcricinfo LtdTahir finished with figures of 4-0-27-4, but his Smart Stats were even better. Given the batsmen he dismissed and the time when he dismissed them, Tahir’s four wickets were worth 5.4, which makes his haul the best of IPL 2019, in terms of Smart Wickets. That is because Smart Wickets takes into account three factors when calculating the value of a dismissal:- The quality of the batsman dismissed
– The batsman’s score at the time of the dismissal
– The state of the game at the time of the dismissalAlzarri Joseph’s six-wicket haul against Sunrisers Hyderabad was only worth 4.9 and is in second place, because his last three victims were Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul, and those wickets came when the match was almost in the bag.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn Tahir’s case, all four victims were top-class batsmen, and two of them – Uthappa and Russell – were dismissed very early in their innings, which gives his wickets more value (since dismissing a dangerous batsman early is always more beneficial to the fielding team).Among these four wickets, Russell’s was worth the most, at 1.65, followed by Uthappa (1.47), Lynn (1.18) and Rana (1.11). Add up those values, and Tahir’s wicket value becomes the highest of IPL 2019.
Former captain and team-mate braced to be overtaken as England’s leading run-scorer
ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2024
Alastair Cook was Joe Root’s captain in each of his first 53 Tests•Stu Forster/Getty Images
Alastair Cook hailed Joe Root as “a genius” after losing his record for the most England Test centuries to his former team-mate. Root made 103 in the second innings against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Saturday, his second hundred of the match and his 34th overall in Test cricket, taking him clear of Cook’s former benchmark of 33.”He is quite simply England’s greatest, and it’s absolutely right that he should have this record, on his own,” Cook, who was England’s captain in each of Root’s first 53 Tests, said on commentary for the BBC’s “Take it in, Joe. We are watching a genius.”I don’t think there’s a batsman that I can remember watching play [who shares] the sense of inevitability about scoring runs that Joe Root gives off. I called it when he was on about 6 today, that he was going to get 100. I know he’s in great form, but it’s just a pleasure to watch a master, a craftsman at work.”Twin hundreds at Lord’s took Root’s career aggregate to 12,377 runs, and he needs 96 more runs at The Oval next week to overtake both Kumar Sangakkara and Cook. That would make him the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test history, and England’s highest. “He’s just got the final one to tick off next week,” Cook said. “In this kind of form, there’s no reason why he can’t.”Root milked Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya during his second hundred of the match, scoring 60 runs off the 59 balls he faced from him. “The spinner was bowling today, and quite honestly, he could have hit him wherever he wanted with absolutely no risk,” Cook said. “That is the art of batting: low-risk shots which score you runs.”Cook was in the opposition when a teenaged Root made his List A debut as an 18-year-old in 2009, making 63 off 95 balls for Yorkshire against Essex. “He couldn’t get the ball off the square,” Cook recalled. “Everyone said, ‘he’s a good player’, but I didn’t see that.”Related
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But three years later, Cook was England’s Test captain when Root made his international debut in the final match of their 2-1 series win in India. “I saw someone mentally ready to play Test cricket,” Cook said. “The only check was when he walked out to bat for the first time, how he would handle it.”The game was in the balance and he walked out to bat with his England cap on, looking 13, massive smile on his face. I watched his first few balls, and I was like, ‘This bloke is here to stay.’ I honestly said, ‘He’s scoring 10,000 runs.’ I don’t know who I said it to, but I know that I said it.”
According to a report by Football Insider, the Villans are under pressure to ‘sell a prize asset’ before 30 June to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules, claiming that Martínez is one of the most likely candidates to be sacrificed.
Well, there are plenty of suitors for the back-to-back Yashin Trophy winner.
Goal documents Manchester United’s interest, while The Telegraph claim that numerous Saudi Pro League clubs would be delighted to secure his signature.
Well, given, as noted by Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic, Martínez’s propensity to deliver ‘defining moments’ and ‘standout performances’, he will be a difficult man to replace, but have Aston Villa actually managed to identify an upgrade?
Aston Villa's first-choice Emi Martínez replacement
According to a report by John Townley for Birmingham Live, Aston Villa will ‘target’ a move to sign LOSC Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, should Martínez be sold.
Lucas Chevalier for LOSC Lille.
French publication L’Équipe has previously noted that newly-crowned European champions Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the 23-year-old, with TEAMtalk claiming that he is valued at just £34m by les Dogues.
Chevalier joined Lille as a 13-year-old, making 127 appearances for the senior team, conceding exactly 127 goals and keeping 44 clean sheets in this time.
So, could he soon be swapping Northern France for the English Midlands?
Why Lucas Chevalier would be an Emi Martínez upgrade
During his three seasons as Lille’s number one, Chevalier has earned countless rave reviews.
Alongside Rayan Cherki of Olympique Lyonnais, they were the only non-PSG players to feature in Ligue 1’s team of the season.
Meanwhile, following les Nordistes’ stunning 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in October, Joel Domenighetti of L’Équipe described Chevalier’s display as ‘exceptional’, while Nick Hartland of Get French Football News labels him ‘one of the breakout stars’ from this season’s competition.
Described as “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, what makes him so good is that – in the words of Liam Tharme and Matt Pyzdrowski of the Athletic – he not only boasts ‘excellent reach’ and exceptional ‘handling’, but also that his ‘super-strength’ is his ‘accomplished’ in possession play.
Lucas Chevalier for Lille.
So, how did the young Frenchman compare to the man he could be replacing between the Villa Park posts this season?
The table makes for interesting reading, considering the duo played a near-identical number of minutes this season across their respective domestic leagues and the Champions League
Appearances
48
49
Minutes
4,350
4,275
Goals conceded
53
57
Clean sheets
13
14
Post-shot xG – goals-conceded
+9.6
+4.7
Saves
123
144
Save %
74.9%
72.8%
% of crosses stopped
5.4%
11.3%
Ball recoveries
83
45
Errors leading to an opposition shot
4
8
Note: Martínez’s statistics are Premier League and Champions League only.
Across Europe’s top five leagues, the Frenchman ranks tenth for post-shot xG – goals conceded, while he is also 11th in this season’s Champions League for the same metric, a key figure as Lille upset the odds to finish seventh in the league phase.
Meantime, his save percentage ranks highly both domestically and in the Champions League, with his Ligue 1 figure of 74.6% a noteworthy amount higher than Martínez’s 69% in the Premier League.
This is not to denigrate Martínez in any way, given that former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton believes the Argentine has been an “outstanding goalkeeper” and a “brilliant shot-stopper” since joining the club in 2020.
Nevertheless, if the Claret and Blue Army are able to sell the 32-year-old for a big fee and replace him with a 23 year old, this is surely an upgrade they should be looking to make.
Aston Villa book medical to sign forward who Emery feels can be next Duran
Kerr wasn’t given run-out because the ball was deemed dead, but questions around the incident remain
Shashank Kishore04-Oct-2024There was confusion, and no little anger, as India were at the centre of an umpiring controversy during their women’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand in Dubai on Friday, which India lost by 58 runs.They felt they had a legitimate wicket – a run-out of Amelia Kerr – but it wasn’t to be, with the umpires deciding the ball was dead when the dismissal was effected.The appeal for the run-out came after Kerr was caught short of her ground while attempting a second run at the end of the 14th over of New Zealand’s innings. Having hit the ball towards long-off off the last ball of Deepti Sharma’s over, Kerr and Sophie Devine took a single, and didn’t seem to have any plans to push for the second. Deepti asked the umpire to hand her cap back to her and was been given it.However, with Harmanpreet Kaur, the fielder, collecting the ball and ambling in with it in her hands, Kerr and Devine tried pinching a second. Harmanpreet fired the ball in, Richa Ghosh collected it, and broke the stumps with Kerr short of her crease.The umpires – Anna Harris and Jacqueline Williams – decided the ball was dead, and anything that came after, the dismissal in this case, would not count as having occurred with the ball “in play”. Section 20.1.2 of the dead-ball law says: “The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.”For that moment when the bowler collected her cap and the batters seemed happy with just the single, it is reasonable for the umpire to deem the ball dead. However, the umpires omitted to send the batters back to their respective ends. Kerr should have been back on strike for the start of the next over, but it was Devine who took strike against Renuka Singh and nudged a single. Kerr was out off the following delivery when she hit the ball to Pooja Vastrakar at extra cover, to be dismissed for 13 off 22 balls.Related
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Before that, though, play was held up for over seven minutes, with India head coach Amol Muzumdar visibly upset at the ruling, engaging in an animated chat with the fourth umpire, while Kerr was near the boundary before being called back.Speaking after the game, Jemimah Rodrigues said, “I was not there when the umpire gave the cap to Deepti, but, I mean, New Zealand were pretty sure that it was a double run and Amelia went for it, which showed that the over was not called out yet. And we all thought that, okay, we got that run-out.”What if that run-out wouldn’t happen? Would they give us a two for that. So I think, honestly, that’s not in our control at the end. We respect the decision of the umpire and we were okay with that. But yeah, it’s a bit harsh when Amelia herself walked out because she knew she was out.”Devine, who was batting alongside Kerr, explained she hadn’t heard the umpire call the over and they were trying to pinch a second run. “My understanding is that the ball is dead when the umpire calls ‘over’ and I didn’t hear the umpire call ‘over’,” she said. It was an interesting one, and I guess it broke a little bit of momentum and maybe stalled them [India] a bit.”That’s part of cricket. Interpretation is going to be slightly different. We were always trying to pinch runs here and there because you never know when one run is going to change things. The umpires have a job to do and we respect that, and I sometimes push the boundaries a little bit.””We know how important Amelia’s wicket was, at that moment it felt a little [like] why didn’t it go in our favour,” Rodrigues said. “But, at the same time, I think we did what we can.”We spoke to the umpire. Then we had to accept the decision of the umpire and move on. So I think that’s what we did really well, that we just moved on from that. And we got her out pretty soon. So that works for us.”
Chelsea officially announced the signing of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town earlier this week, after triggering his £30 million release clause, and it is believed they’re seriously pursuing another former Man City gem to accompany the Englishman and Cole Palmer.
Chelsea announce Liam Delap deal as striker pens six-year contract
The 22-year-old was Kieran McKenna’s shining light in an otherwise disappointing campaign for Ipswich, who dropped straight back down to the Championship just one season after clinching promotion.
Chelsea make "official offer" to sign "promising" striker after 20-goal season
The west Londoners are the first club to submit a bid.
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Delap bagged 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys, which is impressive for an under-performing side, and Chelsea will only pay around £20 million of the clause up front with the rest due via installments (Sky Sports).
Knowing his quality, Ipswich smartly inserted a sell-on clause into the deal, hoping to make a further profit if Chelsea eventually decide he isn’t suited to them after all.
Ipswich Town 2-0 Chelsea
8.08
Bournemouth 1-2 Ipswich Town
8.05
Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa
8.04
Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton
7.83
Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town
7.55
via WhoScored
“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” said Delap about his move to Chelsea.
“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies. Growing up watching this club and how incredible it has been over the years, I wanted to come here to win trophies. When I spoke to the club, everyone wanted to get back to the very top, and they have the quality and the players to do that.
“The hunger and desire to keep adding trophies, to take the club back to where it belongs, that is the main objective.”
Delap is in very good company at Stamford Bridge, having worked with Enzo Maresca during their time together at Eastlands, as well as Palmer, with both players coming through the academy together.
According to recent reports, Chelsea are attempting to add another ex-City academy ace to their ranks who could accompany the duo – heavily-linked Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens.
Jamie Gittens
Some media sources claim that Chelsea have already submitted an offer for Gittens, and journalist Simon Phillips says that they’re really trying to get a deal done.
Chelsea "pushing" to sign Jamie Gittens amid £20m price drop
While the consensus was that the winger would cost around £50 million, his price has now dropped to around £30 million, gifting BlueCo a £20 million discount.
Phillips also states that Chelsea are “pushing” to sign Gittens, and they have a trump card in the form of Carney Chukwuemeka, who Dortmund would ideally like to keep in the Bundesliga, so they’re actually being very open in negotiations.
“Any fee for Jamie Gittens to join from Dortmund would not be £50m, it would actually be closer to £30m,” wrote the journalist.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittensin action with Lille's Bafode Diakite
“This has now been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.
“Chelsea are pushing on Gittens, and again, our insiders believe that this will get over the line. SPTC sources have heard that Dortmund are ‘being nice’ to Chelsea in these discussions and this is likely to be because they want to keep Carney Chukwuemeka in some capacity. Gittens to Chelsea is moving, but there is other interest.
“If Chelsea sign Gittens, I do not believe that it will be the only new winger arriving this summer with Jadon Sancho now gone. Although, that ‘winger’ could just be another new attacking midfielder who is versatile and can play on the left wing as well as other positions.”
The 20-year-old bagged 12 goals and registered five assists in all competitions last season, with ex-Dortmund captain and sporting director Sebastian Kehl believing Gittens is “almost impossible to defend against” inside the penalty area.
Gittens is also represented by the same agency as Romeo Lavia and Tyrique George, which could further help to facilitate a deal.
It has been a strong season for Enzo Fernandez in a Chelsea shirt. The Argentina international, who joined the club in 2023, has largely been a key player under his namesake, Enzo Maresca, this term, despite a period where he was not first choice in midfield at the start of the campaign.
In all competitions, he’s made 44 appearances, scoring seven goals and registering 13 assists. Of those goal involvements, 13 have come in 35 Premier League appearances. He has also been the Blues’ captain this term, leading them in 29 appearances in total.
These impressive performances have clearly been eye-catching, with Fernandez now linked with a shock move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
The latest on Enzo Fernandez’s future
It will be an interesting couple of weeks for Fernandez, who is reportedly a key target for one of Europe’s biggest clubs Real Madrid.
The former Benfica star was first linked to Los Blancos back in March by TeamTalk, who said they ‘are considering a move’ for him. Fernandez was reportedly ‘very interested in a move to Madrid if the opportunity presents itself’ this summer.
In recent days, there has been more positive news for fans of the West London club to hear. Highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano said that Todd Boehly and co are desperate to keep the World Cup winner, after interest from the Santiago Bernabeu.
In a news article from one Spanish outlet, it seems that a potential price tag for Fernandez this summer has been revealed. It is an eye-watering amount that the Blues would ask for, specifically £102m, if Madrid want a deal to get over the line.
Although Romano suggests Chelsea do not want to lose their vice-captain, there could be a ready-made replacement in the pipeline and ready to step if he does depart.
Chelsea’s in-house Fernandez replacement
It is not often midfielders are described as a “complete” midfielder at just 21 years of age, but that is exactly what football analyst Ben Mattinson said about Andrey Santos.
The Brazilian – who signed for a fee in the region of £18m in January 2023 – is still on Chelsea’s books, but is currently on loan at French side Strasbourg.
What a season it has been for the former Vasco da Gama midfielder, who was born in Rio de Janeiro. He has featured in 34 games across all competitions from the middle of the park, scoring 11 times and registering five assists.
In Ligue 1 for a Strasbourg side who impressed throughout the campaign, he managed to hit double-figure goals, one of only two players from his club to do so. The tenth was a special strike in the final game of the season, in a 2-2 draw with Le Havre.
Between Fernandez and Santos, Chelsea have two players of very similar profiles. Just look at the position they have played this season. Fernandez has played as a number eight for the most part, playing 28 times in that role, also playing 11 times as a number six. As for the Strasbourg star, he has played 24 times as an eight and ten as a six.
In fact, when looking at their stats from this season, their profiles seem to align well. They are all-action midfielders who can pop up with a regular goal, create chances and also put in some impressive shifts without the ball.
Andrey Santos
There are numbers on FBref that reinforce the fact they are so similar, with Santos arguably better. For example, he averages 0.32 goals and 5.93 ball recoveries per 90 minutes compared to 0.19 goals and 4.83 ball recoveries each game for Fernandez.
Goals
0.32
0.19
Passes into final third
4.45
5.24
Progressive carries
0.91
1.86
Tackles and interceptions
4.48
2.46
Ball recoveries
5.93
4.83
Described as a “monster” in that midfield by Mattinson, it certainly seems like Santos could hold his own in the Chelsea side and replace Fernandez, should the need arise. He beats him in several key stats and has more combined goals and assists this season.
If Boehly and co do lose Fernandez, Chelsea fans must surely feel in safe hands, with Santos ready to step in at any given moment and help fill the void of such an important player in their side.
Could be another Sterling: Chelsea lead Arsenal in race for "superstar"
Chelsea are looking to add depth to their side this summer
Tottenham Hotspur are on the look-out for new managers to replace the under-fire Ange Postecoglou this summer, with widespread reports claiming the Australian is likely to walk regardless of their success in the Europa League final.
Tottenham identify managerial candidates amid Postecoglou uncertainty
Postecoglou has now led Spurs to 20 Premier League defeats in a single campaign, breaking the club’s record which was previously held by former Lilywhites boss Ossie Ardiles, who oversaw 19 top flight losses in the 1993/1994 season.
Tottenham: £4m-per-year manager enters pole position to replace Postecoglou
The Australian could still leave Spurs if they win the Europa League.
1
By
Emilio Galantini
May 10, 2025
While Postecoglou has an all-important Europa League final on the horizon, which could well save Tottenham’s season, the 59-year-old’s future remains uncertain.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.05
Pedro Porro
6.98
James Maddison
6.98
Dominic Solanke
6.88
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Even if Spurs win the competition and end their 17-year wait for a piece of major silverware, all while qualifying for next season’s Champions League, there is still absolutely no guarantee that Postecoglou will be in charge next term.
As per the reliable David Ornstein and other media sources, Postecoglou remains likely to be replaced by Tottenham this summer in the event they’re victorious in Bilbao against Man United come May 21.
“I think the direction of travel is for Spurs to make a change in the summer, irrespective of the outcome of this match,” said Ornstein on the Sky Sports Back Pages podcast this week (via GiveMeSport).
“I do take the point on the emotion, and we saw what happened with Manchester United [under Erik ten Hag], although that may serve as a warning why clubs shouldn’t repeat what they did.
“The view of the club seems to be that he hasn’t got what he should’ve out of the team this season, and that’s putting it politely. And therefore, whatever happens in this Europa League campaign, I think that a new coach coming in over the summer is a very high possibility.”
In terms of Tottenham’s reported managerial targets, the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund) and Edin Terzić (free agent) have all been linked in recent weeks.
Tottenham hold talks with ex-Barcelona manager Xavi
Now, as per ex-Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, via his personal website, former Barcelona boss Xavi has also attracted interest from N17. The Camp Nou legend guided Barça to a La Liga and Spanish Super Cup title in 2023, but later parted company, telling any future manager that they’d “suffer” in the job.
He’s been out of work ever since, with Keys sharing information from a “very good source” of his that Tottenham have held talks with Xavi over becoming their new manager.
However, as things stand, it is believed the 45-year-old is not looking to make a Premier League move just yet. This comes as a dampening blow for Spurs, with Xavi arguably the most exciting free agent coach available for hire right now.
Unlike Postecoglou, Xavi has also been praised for his in-game tactical switch ups and versatility when it comes to making substitutions.
“Xavi is intelligent, and he knows it,” said ex-Liverpool and Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez. “The substitutions that Xavi makes are intelligent.”
da betobet： If there is one area of the team Arsenal need to strengthen this summer, it’s the attack.
da leao： While Mikel Arteta’s side finished a distant second to Liverpool in the Premier League this season, they ended the campaign with a better defensive record than anyone in the league but with 17 fewer goals scored.
So, with this apparent weakness compared to their title rival, it’s hardly surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers, like Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins, in recent weeks.
However, the North Londoners could also do with more options off the left, which would help to explain the links to a player who could be their next Lukas Podolski.
Arsenal's winger search
Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over some of the other wingers who have been linked with Arsenal this summer, like Nico Williams and Rodrygo.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has been a long-term target for the club and has a release clause worth around £50m, which doesn’t seem too unreasonable for a 22-year-old international who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games this season.
Rodrygo, on the other hand, could cost as much as £85m, but considering he’d be moving from Real Madrid and has produced 24 goal involvements in 51 appearances this year.
However, while both players would be excellent additions to the Gunners’ squad, neither one can really be compared to Podolski, unlike Leroy Sané.
Interestingly, according to a recent report from German outlet BILD, the Bayern Munich star, who is out of contract this summer, could be on the move, and when it comes to English clubs, he would only be interested in joining Arsenal, with his desire to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur ‘low.’
It would appear as if there is some degree in the player from the Gunners as well, as earlier this week, it was fairly widely reported that talks had taken place between his representatives and the club.
It might not be the most exciting transfer, but Sané has more than proven himself over the years, and there are certain elements to this potential deal that could make him become a new Podolski for the club.
Why Sané could be Podolski 2.0
So, before getting into some of the other reasons why Sané would be a good signing, it’s worth addressing why we look at him as a potential Podolski 2.0.
Leroy Sane for Bayern Munich
The first is that both players would have joined the club from the Bundesliga as German internationals, and furthermore, while the former Gunners ace joined from Koln in 2012, he too had spent time and won titles with Bayern Munich.
Secondly, both players are positionally versatile, with the Bayern star mainly playing off the left but being able to play off the right as well, while the 40-year-old was also primarily a left-winger at the Emirates but has spent more time up top in his career.
On top of that, the pair are both left-footed, and while they can easily create and score goals, they have tended to favour the latter throughout their careers.
For example, the former Manchester City ace, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “world-class,” has scored 133 goals and provided 125 assists in his 496 appearances, while the Koln legend has found the back of the 238 times and provided 138 assists in 700 games.
Sané & Podolski
Bundesliga
Sané
Podolski
Appearances
200
210
Minutes
12501′
15482′
Goals
51
70
Assists
47
37
Goal Involvements per Game
0.49
0.50
Minutes per Goal Involvement
127.56′
144.69′
Premier League
Sané
Podolski
Appearances
90
60
Minutes
6089′
3268′
Goals
25
19
Assists
30
12
Goal Involvements per Game
0.61
0.51
Minutes per Goal Involvement
110.70′
105.41′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Last but not least, given the fact he’s 29 years old and would be joining for free, the Essen-born international could have a similar impact as his senior compatriot did at the club, in the sense that he could come in, spend a couple of seasons as a useful offensive option and then move on, without being a significant financial burden.
Ultimately, Sané is still a brilliant footballer, and considering he’d be available for free, bringing him to the club feels like a no-brainer for Arsenal.
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Fast bowler believes England are still in the contest after witnessing fast start to own innings
Andrew Miller08-Oct-2024Brydon Carse was tired but proud by the close of the second day in Multan, after coming through a two-day trial in oppressive heat to claim his maiden Test wickets in the course of Pakistan’s imposing first-innings total of 556.Though he was made to wait until the 19th over of his debut performance, having had a first-day lbw verdict against Shan Masood chalked off on review, Carse was rewarded with the wickets of Naseem Shah and Aamer Jamal in his final two spells, to round off a wholehearted effort in conditions that his team-mates insisted are unlikely to get much tougher as his England career progresses.”It’s been hard work and hard toil over the last two days, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the challenge,” Carse told Sky Sports at the close. “Being out there with this group of lads, it’s been a tough but good two days.”A couple of the guys and Stokesy [Ben Stokes] said to me when we came in after fielding, ‘look, Brydon, it’s not going to get as tough as this [again] over the last two days’. There were times out there when the heat was probably the biggest challenge, and obviously the wicket, but as a group of bowlers, everyone kept on coming back, with the seamers in short bursts. Yeah, it was challenging at times.”Although Pakistan’s total is imposing by any standards, it could have been significantly worse had England not maintained their discipline until the bitter end. It was only in the closing moments of Pakistan’s innings, when Jamie Smith missed a stumping and Gus Atkinson dropped a sitter at midwicket, that the fatigue truly began to tell, but those misses ended up costing England just six runs between them.”I had a conversation with Woaksey and Gus towards the end there,” Carse said. “Both them boys’ legs were proper hanging on. There’ll be ice baths. we’re testing our hydration … I’ve been in the red for most of these two days, even with the constant consumption of water and fluids. But tonight, the lads will refuel and get food down us, and try and get a good night’s sleep, and hopefully have a good batting day tomorrow.”Coming into the contest, with memories of England’s victory at the same venue in 2022, it had been widely assumed that reverse-swing would be the likeliest means for the seamers to challenge on this surface. But the ball steadfastly refused to budge through England’s 149 overs in the field – a fact which surprised Carse.Related
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“The guys were working on the ball out there, but I don’t think it was as abrasive over the square as we probably expected. There was a lot of short-pitched bowling and a lot of changing of fields, which is certainly a role that I have been used in back home in county cricket at certain times. But hopefully in the second innings, we can get that ball reversing quite quickly, then we might be able to set slightly different fields and not be as predictable.”Reflecting on his maiden stint as a Test bowler, Carse admitted he thought his first-day lbw appeal against Masood had been “stone-dead”, despite DRS showing it to have pitched just outside leg. Given Masood had made just 16 of his eventual 151, it was a key moment in Pakistan’s innings, as was Chris Woakes’ disputed boundary catch off Salman Agha, which was eventually given as six, and which Carse later acknowledged was “one of those 50-50 chances that didn’t go our way”.But he and England stuck to their task, and Carse’s moment of catharsis came in the fifth over of his opening burst on the second morning, as Naseem poked a lifter off his hip to Harry Brook at leg slip.”Popey actually said to me after the fourth over: ‘Do you want to go one more?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, definitely’. Because I felt I was close to getting the breakthrough that we needed. And then obviously it came, and it was a special feeling, although probably not the celebrations that you often expect.”With two days gone, England are behind in the game, and may yet have to contend with Ben Duckett’s injury absence after he was struck on the thumb while completing the final catch of Pakistan’s innings. But Carse was adamant there was plenty for his team still to fight for, especially given the flying start that Zak Crawley has provided to their first innings with his run-a-ball 64 not out.”We spoke last night when we had them 340 for four, if you had that sort of score back home in England, you’re probably behind the game quite a bit,” he said. “But coming into today, in that first session, they only got 60 or 70 runs, and we scored 100 there tonight in 20 overs. If we can come tomorrow and bat positively and really put their attack under pressure, let’s see where we’re at by the end of the day, and then there’s still two full days of cricket to go.”