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Curran had been looking forward to seeing county attacks trying to keep Kohli quiet but now he knows that demanding task might fall to him

Andrew McGlashan01-Jul-2018

Sam Curran collected his first ODI wickets•Getty Images

Sam Curran has been savouring the “rollercoaster” for the last few weeks after earning England debuts in Tests and ODIs and is now eyeing up a chance to challenge himself against Virat Kohli after missing out playing alongside him for Surrey.Kohli had been due to play a month with Surrey in preparation for India’s tour of England but a neck injury sustained towards the end of the IPL put paid to that. Curran had been looking forward to seeing county attacks trying to keep Kohli quiet but now he knows that demanding task might fall to him as part of England’s T20I squad for the three-match series, which starts at Old Trafford on Tuesday, where Curran would complete a hat-trick of debuts in a little over month should he play.”I was pretty excited when he was meant to be my team-mate at Surrey and I was expecting to be laughing at the other county bowlers,” Curran said. “Now if I get the chance it’ll be my chance to get taken down! It’ll be fun.”You want to play against these big names and test yourself, find out where you need to improve. All the Surrey boys were gutted he didn’t come because we were expecting some big crowds and learning the way he trains, apparently he’s a freak in the gym, so it would have been special to work with him.”India, who completed a 2-0 T20I series win over Ireland last week, should prove a much sterner challenge than Australia provided, with Kohli part of a power-packed batting line-up. England, though, have had a stellar season in the white-ball game having whitewashed Australia in the ODIs, during which they piled up a men’s world-record 481, then careered to 221 in the T20I at Edgbaston.Sam Curran on…

His first Test wicket “In two years’ time I’ll say Keaton was fielding at first slip! It was pretty special and I won’t forget it for a long time.”
Being England’s youngest ODI wicket-taker “Those are just stats that just come along the way. After my first two overs I thought it would be a pretty long day and that I’d end up going for 100! Luckily enough it swung round quickly and I’ll take those couple of wickets.”
His future role “Definitely I see myself at 4, 5, 6, especially higher up in one-day cricket. Maybe a bit like Stokesy does for England, I could see myself doing that at Surrey. Who knows how it’ll pan out over the next couple of years but I do want to be a batter who bowls, but it will always be tough to get up the order when you’re bowling as much as I am.”
Amar Virdi’s wicket celebrations “I think he is slowly starting to realise he’s got to save his energy in a long four-day game! They are getting smaller and smaller. There was another big one when he got [Cheteshwar] Pujara out. Your emotions take over and you lose control.”
Surrey’s T20 Blast hopes “We go into the Blast every year with some serious names. We have [Aaron] Finch and [Jason] Roy up top who is pretty explosive, and we’ve signed Nic Maddinson to slot in behind them after a couple of games. Morne Morkel is a massive signing, and is scaring a few people in four-day cricket and with a packed house at The Oval it’ll be the same. Everyone wants to get to Finals Day so hopefully we can be there.”

Curran was drafted into England’s ODI squad for the final two matches against Australia and, for a short while, batted alongside Jos Buttler in the early stages of his magnificent century at Old Trafford to seal the whitewash. “Bowling at Kohli is probably like what other teams think bowling at England at the moment,” he said. “They are special, particularly on these wickets.”Curran overcame an expensive start on his ODI debut at Old Trafford to grab two middle-order wickets making him England’s youngest one-day wicket-taker ahead of Stuart Broad and it included the sight of Ashton Agar leaving a straight delivery. “I was surprised if I’m honest. Even Jos, as soon as it left my hand, he said, this is ending badly. One of those, [Kumar Sangakkara] was saying it pitched on middle and hit middle, but I’ll take it!”His white-ball debut followed a maiden Test match against Pakistan at Headingley. He joked that in years to come he’ll describe his first wicket as caught slip, rather than Shadab Khan being taken at deep midwicket, but said it was “surreal” to be part of the attack.”It’s been a pretty special couple of weeks. Wouldn’t have thought it at the start of the summer, thought I’d just deal with my Surrey stuff but that’s how things go, you just get on a roll and ride the rollercoaster and just try to enjoy it. Watching Jimmy and Broad on the sofa and then next thing I know I’m stood at mid-on watching while they are steaming in. It’s pretty surreal. I won’t forget it.”As it stands, Curran is not part of the one-day squad to face India although that may change if his brother, Tom, does not shake off a side strain which will keep him out of at least the first T20I. There could be the chance of an England Lions appearance in the four-day match against India later in July and Curran will remain in the Test mix when Ben Stokes is unavailable for the Lord’s Test against India due to his trial in Bristol.In the shorter-term, however, Curran will switch his focus back to Surrey duty and the Vitality T20 Blast. Curran is one of a host of young players making a big impression with the county who are top of the County Championship. Earlier this season Curran played alongside Ryan Patel, Amar Virdi and Ollie Pope as the first quartet of teenagers in a Championship side in the post-war era and he hopes their success can move into the T20 format.”It’s been pretty mad,” he said. “I started first, then Ollie Pope came through last year in T20s, and Ryan Patel and Amar Virdi in the four-day stuff. This year Will Jacks is in. I have played with them since U-15s and some of them have played together since U-9s or below. It’s pretty cool, some of the wickets Amar Virdi has got this year is amazing. He has got some serious players out when filling the shoes of Batts. Pope has three hundreds this year. He whacked it in T20s and has taken it to four-day stuff. Hopefully it carries on.”

Arsenal come into Sunday's north London derby full of renewed optimism, swagger and purpose.

The Gunners won at Goodison Park a week ago for the first time since 2017 and then dispatched PSV with ease on their return to Champions League action in midweek, winning 4-0.

However, they now come up against one of the best Spurs teams in recent memory. Not since the days of Mauricio Pochettino have we seen a Tottenham side with such energy and excitement, yet that's what Ange Postecoglou has achieved within just months of being the manager.

The fixture's top scorer in Harry Kane may no longer be there to wreak havoc upon the Gunners, but the Lilywhites still have threats, notably in the forward line.

Declan Rice will have to be at his best to disrupt the rhythm of James Maddison, with the midfield battle set to be key.

It feels like the game could be won or lost there, with Martin Odegaard's own radiant qualities shining through in Europe last Wednesday, where he scored a sumptuous goal to round off proceedings.

However, who sits alongside Rice and the club captain remains up for debate. Fabio Vieira earned his first start of the campaign against Everton but Kai Havertz was back in from the start last time out.

How has Kai Havertz performed at Arsenal?

Eyebrows were raised across English football when the German moved across the capital.

In the words of editor Jai McIntosh, the 24-year-old had been "underwhelming" at Chelsea, even if he was the man to score a Champions League final-winning goal.

The problem with Havertz is that he's never really been able to find his best position. At Leverkusen, where he became known as a wonderkid, he produced 46 goals and 31 assists in 150 outings from largely an attacking midfield position.

That was a goal contribution rate of one every 1.9 fixtures, but that dwindled at Chelsea. Often fielded as a make-shift striker or centre-forward, the Germany international became less creative, laying on just 15 assists but scoring 32 from 139 outings. That saw him register a goal involvement once every 2.9 matches.

Now, at Arsenal, his ability to influence play in the final third is waning again, having yet to register a goal or assist in his seven appearances from central midfield.

That isn't due to a lack of trying, however. Against Manchester United prior to the international break, he was gifted with a glorious opportunity from six yards out but scuffed his kick. Against PSV, he then fired an effort over the bar from inside the box, albeit on his weaker right foot.

Havertz has picked up good positions but is simply lacking the end product. Chelsea fans will tell you that was the story of his stint at Stamford Bridge.

That said, could brighter times be around the corner?

How did Havertz perform against PSV?

According to some renowned figures in the Arsenal social media space, the German had his "best game yet" when the Dutch side came to town a few days ago.

It was a solid response from Havertz who had been dropped for the visit to Goodison Park, with Vieira replacing him and ultimately starring. It was the young Portuguese's delicious through ball that set Gabriel Martinelli on his way to open the scoring. So they thought anyway, only for VAR to adjudge Eddie Nketiah offside in the build-up.

There was a fear that the diminutive Vieira, who stands at a slight 5 foot 7, would get eaten alive up against the likes of Amadou Onana and Abdoulaye Doucoure. After all, Havertz is a great deal taller at 6 foot 4 and would have relished the physical contest, We were wrong; Vieira got on just fine.

That could well mean that Arsenal's new £65m man could struggle to get back in the side, even if he did look good in Europe.

No player won more duels (9) during the game than the midfielder, an aspect of the game that Mikel Arteta loves to see, as he made four tackles.

Havertz also played two key passes and maintained a pass success rate of 93%. Yet, his ability to coast through games without being too noticed was evident in the fact that goalkeeper David Raya had more touches during the contest (57 to 46).

Against Spurs, the £280k-per-week earner;s work rate may be able to see him keep track with the willing runners from midfield, but if it's creativity they are seeking, Vieira simply has to start.

It feels harsh on Havertz, but he has done little to warrant his selection in the league yet, having withstood a largely underwhelming start to his Arsenal career so far.

Southampton boss Russell Martin could be dealt another injury blow, as one of his most important players came off injured during their final game of the international break…

How have Southampton started this season?

The Saints had a miserable 2022/23 season, as they finished 20th in the Premier League and were swiftly dumped to the Championship, after only winning six matches and scoring 25 points.

The South Coast side also lost some of their best players during the transfer window, most notably they sold club legend James Ward-Prowse to West Ham for £30m, Romeo Lavia to Chelsea for £58m and Nathan Tella to Bayer Leverkusen for £20m, in total, which generated £156m in transfer revenue.

Despite losing so many key players before the season started new manager Russell Martin has guided his side to a solid start to the season, as Southampton currently sit seventh in the table on 10 points.

Although they have somewhat started well, the most notable point of their season so far has been their 5-0 thrashing by Sunderland, which ended their unbeaten start to the season.

And it now seems like things could go from bad to worse for the new Saints boss…

Who has suffered an injury at Southampton?

As per Daily Echo senior reporter Alex House, Polish defender Jan Bednarek came off in the 34th minute during his nation's 2-0 loss to Albania in the European Qualifiers.

Despite the disappointing result, the 27-year-old Saints titan was one of the Eagles' stand-out performers during the international break.

His most impressive performance was in Poland’s 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands, where he finished the game with the second-highest rating of 7.8, per Sofascore, only behind goalscorer Robert Lewandowski.

Last summer, the £60k per-week defender left Southampton on loan and moved to Aston Villa but by doing so, he angered the St Mary's fanbase after he described his new club Aston Villa as “massive.”

How big a blow is Bednarek's absence?

After he was recalled from his loan in the January transfer window many Southampton fans were quite right to resent his return.

However, since his comeback on the pitch, he has been an integral part of the squad and heralded as one of Southampton's best players

This was confirmed by his Sofascore rating last season – as after rejoining in January, the "monster" – as once hailed by journalist and analyst Sam Tighe – ranked as the Saint's third-best performer with an average rating of 6.93.

His stand-out performances were also backed up by BBC pundit Garth Crooks, after Southampton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in February.

He said:

“What a defensive display by Southampton at Stamford Bridge.

“Bednarek was the standout defender for me.

“The Poland international has had a difficult season, but put his body on the line on more than one occasion, organised his defence brilliantly and weathered everything Chelsea could throw at him.”

Bednarek’s injury could mean he misses Southampton’s massive Friday night fixture against third-place Leicester, which would undoubtedly be a gutting blow to Martin and the team.

So far in 2023/24, the £60k-per-week centre-back has started every game this season, so it'll be a tough task to replace him, with the burden likely to fall upon recent summer additions Mason Holgate, who joined on loan from Everton, or versatile 19-year-old Shea Charles, who joined on a permanent deal from Manchester City but is typically a defensive midfielder.

West Ham United and Manchester City have quite an extensive history with one another, facing off 120 times in the years since their initial meeting on St George's Day 1924. Football FanCast has everything you need to know as the two teams prepare to meet again in the Premier League.

While it's still early in the new season, the four games played by both sides can give us some insight into their form going into the game and how they might approach it.

To nobody's surprise, the visitors have started the season off like a house on fire, claiming all 12 points on offer before the international break and doing so without breaking a sweat. So far, they have scored 11 league goals and conceded just two, making them the clear favourites going into the game on Saturday.

That said, the Hammers have also started their league campaign with some brilliant performances and equally brilliant results. In fact, David Moyes' men are currently unbeaten after their first four games and occupy fourth spot in the table, level on points with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal.

Whilst there might have been an element of good fortune with their win over Brighton & Hove Albion – they took less than half as many shots and finished the game with 22% possession – their wins against Chelsea and Luton Town were both thoroughly convincing and suggest that the Hammers could well be the real deal this year.

However, for as good as the East Londoners have looked so far, Pep Guardiola's side are European Champions for a reason, and so they will be going into this game as firm favourites, especially with their Norwegian goal machine already finding the back of the net at an inhuman consistency.

West Ham vs Man City: What's their head-to-head record?

West Ham and City have faced off against one another fairly regularly since their initial meeting 99 years ago. Their 120 games mean that they have averaged 1.2 matches a year since that first meeting.

Despite the reasonably even nature of this fixture for the first 80 years of its existence – with periods of dominance for either side – the last decade-plus has, unsurprisingly, come to be dominated by the incredibly wealthy Man City.

In total, the Sky Blues have come away victors from this game on 63 occasions, whereas the Hammers have only been able to beat their Northern opponents 37 times and claim a single point 19 times.

City's sheer dominance can be seen in the fact that they have only lost two games against the Irons in their last 20 meetings in all competitions.

West Ham Wins

37

Draws

19

Man City Wins

63

West Ham vs Man City: What's their Premier League record?

Well, with everything we just explained about the recent nature of this fixture, it should come as no surprise to anyone that City has well and truly dominated in the Premier League era.

In total, the Cityzens have won 27 of their 44 league clashes since the league's creation – a 61.3% win rate. West Ham, on the other hand, have claimed all three points on just nine occasions – with the last time coming back in 2015, pre-Guardiola.

The points have been shared eight times, with the most recent draw coming just last year.

West Ham Wins

9

Draws

8

Man City Wins

27

West Ham vs Man City: What's their record at West Ham?

This might actually come as a surprise to some, given their overall record, but when they're playing host, it's West Ham that have come out with all three points more often than not.

In the 58 games held in East London over the years, the Hammers have come away as victors on 25 occasions, giving them a pretty respectable win rate of 43.1%.

City, on the other hand, have won just 20 games in the East End.

West Ham Wins

25

Draws

13

Man City Wins

20

West Ham vs Man City: What's their record at Man City?

West Ham's home record might've made for pleasant reading for their fans, but their record in Manchester certainly doesn't. In fact, when the teams clash in the northwest, it's hardly even a competition.

In total, Man City have won 41 of the 59 games held in the city, giving them an outlandishly good win rate of 69.4%.

For their part, the Irons have managed to leave Manchester as winners just 12 times – 20.3% – and with a share of the spoils six times – 10.1%.

West Ham Wins

12

Draws

6

Man City Wins

41

West Ham vs Man City: Which team has the most goals?

Well, the answer to this probably shouldn't surprise people, considering how this fixture has gone over the years. Yes, Man City have scored more goals than their East London opponents over the years.

Although, with City winning almost twice as many games as the Hammers, the fact that they have scored just 59 more goals than them is actually somewhat surprising.

In all, the treble winners have scored 214 goals in 120 games – giving them a ratio of 1.7 goals per game – whereas the Hammers have scored 155 goals – giving them a ratio of 1.2 goals per game.

West Ham Goals

155

Man City Goals

214

West Ham vs Man City: What happened in last season's fixtures?

City and West Ham played their 119th and 120th games against one another last season, meeting only in the Premier League. Unfortunately for Moyes' men, both games were one-sided affairs won with relative ease by Guardiola's side as they chased down a third successive Premier League title.

Their first meeting in the league came in the opening weekend and saw Erling Haaland open his City account with a goal in both halves to hand the defending champions all three points.

The reverse fixture came in May and saw Haaland joined on the scoresheet by Nathan Ake and Phil Foden as the hosts ran away 3-0 winners – despite West Ham going in level at the break.

West Ham vs Man City: What is West Ham's biggest win?

West Ham registered their biggest win over the blue half of Manchester twice in the same year. In the 1962/63 season, the Hammers beat City 6-1 home and away in the old First Division.

The first instance came in September when the East Londoners travelled to Maine Road and came away with maximum points thanks to a brace from Malcolm Musgrove and goals from Johnny Byrne, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, and Tony Scott.

The reverse fixture at Upton Park went just as well, with braces coming from Hurst and Alan Sealey, whilst Ronnie Boyce and Peter Brabrook added another two goals to West Ham's tally.

West Ham vs Man City: What is Man City's biggest win?

Man City's biggest win over the Hammers came in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final in January 2014, when they put six goals past Adrian in the Iron's goal to no return.

Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo scored a hat-trick that day, whilst Edin Dzeko scored a brace, and Yaya Toure rounded off the scoring with one of his own. City would beat the Hammers 3-0 at Upton Park in the second leg to well and truly demolish their opponents.

City would beat Sunderland 3-1 in the final to claim the trophy.

West Ham vs Man City: What are the recent results?

The last five games between these two sides have seen 12 goals scored – including one penalty and one own goal – and a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw in the League Cup. Unsurprisingly, City have come away the more successful side.

Still, with just three wins out of five, an argument could be made that they have slightly underperformed, given their utter dominance of English football in that period.

West Ham can take some encouragement from the 2-2 draw last May and their League Cup win going into the game this weekend.

West Ham vs Man City: When is it?

West Ham host Man City on Saturday 16th September at 3pm British Summer Time. Whilst this fixture hasn't traditionally been one with high stakes in the Premier League or one that has even been all that competitive following City's takeover in 2008, the teams' positions in the table and recent form have given this upcoming game some much-needed jeopardy.

Both teams will be going into the contest with high morale and their own goals in mind.

City will want to continue their dominant start to the season and keep their winning run going for as long as possible, especially after Arsenal managed to find a last-minute winner against Manchester United just before the international break.

On the other hand, West Ham will want to keep adding points to their tally early on in the season to avoid another relegation scrap come the new year. And with how his new signings are performing, we wouldn't put it past Moyes being able to use the positive atmosphere at the London Stadium to pull what would be the surprise of the weekend and come away with a point, if not more.

Overall, this should be an exhilarating game to watch on Saturday, with a lot on the line for both sides and a stadium that should be rocking before a ball is even kicked.

Manchester City are set to offer Erling Haaland a bumper new contract, amid interest from one of Europe's top clubs, and the Saudi Pro League, according to a report.

Is Erling Haaland staying at Man City?

Haaland's current Man City contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2027, meaning he has just under four years left on his deal, but there has still been speculation over whether he will be willing to commit his long-term future to the club.

In a documentary called "Haaland: The Big Decision", Alf-Inge Haaland suggested his son wants to try out every top league in Europe, saying:

“I think Erling wants to test out his capabilities in every league.

"Then he can stay in every league for three to four years maximum. He could have two-and-a-half years in Germany, two-and-a-half in England, and then in Spain, Italy, France, right?

“We do not know if it will be like that, but I think he would like to test his abilities in the big leagues.”

In a report from Marca, it is claimed the Norwegian one day wants to be a part of Real Madrid, although that was prior to his move to City, so he may have reconsidered his future, and could be open to staying in the Premier League.

The Sky Blues will certainly be hoping the 23-year-old is keen to commit to another new contract, to such an extent they are now willing to double his wages, with a £600k-per-week deal on the table if he extends his stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond 2027.

According to The Daily Star, Real Madrid remain huge admirers of the forward, and the Saudi Pro League is becoming ever more threatening, meaning Man City are willing to shell out a huge amount on wages, in a bid to ward off interest from elsewhere.

Right now, the former Borussia Dortmund man is City's joint-highest earner, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, but he is now in line for a 60.5% pay increase, should he sign a new deal to stay with Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side.

How many goals has Erling Haaland scored?

In his professional career up to this point, the Man City star has amassed a whopping 193 goals in 242 appearances, including 58 in 59 games for the Citizens, while he has also impressed at international level, scoring 24 times in 25 games.

Lauded as "incredible" by Guardiola, it is no wonder a number of clubs are lining up to sign the £375k-per-week marksman, and City could have a battle on their hands trying to keep him, considering he is weighing up playing in every major European league.

Since the Norway international arrived at the Etihad Stadium, the Sky Blues have enjoyed unbelievable success, winning a historic treble last season, so there is no reason for him to seek pastures new anytime soon.

In order to keep one of their best players, City will likely have to keep winning silverware, but there is no reason why they cannot keep up their current success, having won a total of 15 trophies under the helm of Guardiola.

عزز فريق أتالانتا الإيطالي تقدمه أمام باير ليفركوزن بهدف ثانٍ في المباراة المقامة بين الفريقين بنهائي الدوري الأوروبي.

ويلتقي أتالانتا وباير ليفركوزن على ملعب “أفيفا” في العاصمة الأيرلندية، دبلن، لخوض نهائي بطولة الدوري الأوروبي لموسم 2023/24.

وأضاف أديمولا لوكمان الهدف الثاني لفريقه أتالانتا في الدقيقة 26 من عمر المباراة من تسديدة رائعة في الزاوية البعيدة.

وكان لوكمان سجل هدف أتالانتا الأول في شباك ليفركوزن، في الدقيقة 12 من عمر المباراة.

يذكر أن باير ليفركوزن قد تأهل إلى النهائي بعدما فاز على روما الإيطالي بنتيجة 4-2، فيما تأهل أتالانتا بعدما تغلب على مارسيليا الفرنسي، بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف. هدف لوكمان الثاني في مباراة أتالانتا وباير ليفركوزن

Chelsea have “made contact” to enquire about a deal that would bring Leeds United defensive midfielder Tyler Adams back to the Premier League, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Tyler Adams leaving Leeds?

The United States international still has another four years remaining on his contract with Daniel Farke’s side having only joined last summer from RB Leipzig, but having established himself as their overall top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.73 during his debut season in the top-flight, he’s grabbed the attention of Mauricio Pochettino and Todd Boehly.

The Daily Mail recently reported that the Blues, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United all hold an interest in the 24-year-old, and CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has since confirmed what he’s heard on him potentially moving to Stamford Bridge.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: “It may look on paper like Chelsea have got a lot of young midfielders already, but give it two weeks or so and two or three of them might have departed out on loan and there may be space for more than one midfielder. This is where somebody like Tyler Adams, as a squad player at Chelsea, may be one to watch. He's certainly on their list of possibilities."

Are Chelsea signing Tyler Adams?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Chelsea have held initial discussions with Adams’ team to discover how much it would take for them to get a deal over the line this summer. He wrote:

“Chelsea made contact with Tyler Adams camp to be informed on conditions of the deal, exploring costs. He’s one of the names being considered as £20m relegation clause is available. Focus remains on Moises Caicedo talks, separate deal and separate story."

As Romano stated above, Chelsea’s priority is still securing the services of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo but it’s believed that Adams putting pen to paper won’t affect that deal at all, so it could be a massive coup if the hierarchy could recruit the latter alongside their number one defensive midfield target this summer.

The New York native last season ranked in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 97th percentile for blocks, via FBRef, highlighting how strong he is at protecting his backline and clearing the danger before it gets through to his defence.

Whilst Leeds’ talisman isn’t effective at the opposite end of the pitch having recorded zero goals or assists since arriving, he has been dubbed the “heart and lungs” of the USA national team, of which he has captained, by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so he would also bring excellent leadership qualities to both the dressing room and out on the pitch.

Finally, Adams is a versatile operator having been deployed in an outstanding seven various positions since the start of his career, including four roles in the centre and even at centre-back, left-back and right-back, so he is extremely adaptable to meet the manager’s needs, another attribute that will no doubt be attractive to Pochettino.

An update has emerged on Leeds United's efforts to bolster their playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…

What's the latest Leeds transfer news?

According to Football Insider, the Whites have made an enquiry over Everton central defender Mason Holgate as they pursue a deal to sign him during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Sheffield United and Southampton have also made contact with Sean Dyche's side in order to gauge how much it would take for the Toffees to sanction a move.

It states that the manager has told the former West Bromwich Albion loanee that he is free to leave but his £72k-per-week wages could limit his options unless the Premier League team are willing to continue paying a percentage of it.

Where can Mason Holgate play?

The 26-year-old enforcer is an extremely versatile defender who has proven himself capable of playing in any position across the back four, as well as in a defensive midfield role.

His flexibility to be deployed in either a full-back spot or in the heart of the defence would make him a useful player for head coach Daniel Farke, who could then forget about the possible departure of Max Wober.

Despite having only been signed in January for £10m from Red Bull Salzburg, it has been reported that the Austria international is set to complete a move to German side Borussia Monchengladbach on loan.

The 25-year-old ace, like Holgate, is a versatile player who has played at left-back, centre-back, or in a no.6 position, although both players predominantly play at the heart of the backline.

Therefore, Farke could forget about the blow of losing, if the move goes through as reported, Wober by bringing in another gem who can cover across multiple positions to alleviate any injury or suspension issues when needed.

Holgate, who was once hailed as a "leader" by the Liverpool ECHO's Sam Carroll, is also a player with the potential to be an excellent signing for Leeds due to his quality.

The English brute has endured a couple of disappointing top-flight seasons with Everton, as he has failed to average a Sofascore rating higher than 6.65, but his form prior to that was impressive.

During the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.82 across 28 Premier League games, and that came after a superb rating of 7.01 over 27 matches throughout the previous season, in which he demonstrated his dominant defending with a ground duel success rate of 69%.

The latter score would have left him top of the Whites team during the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that the potential is there for him to be an outstanding performer for the club.

Wober, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.84 in 16 league outings for Leeds last term, which placed him third within the squad of players with at least one start and won 51% of his battles on the ground.

Therefore, Holgate could replace the Austrian titan both in terms of quality and versatility if Farke can use his coaching skills to get the Everton man back to his best, which could be aided by a drop down to the Championship to play a lower standard of football.

تحدث أسطورة نادي آرسنال، بول ميرسون، عن المنافسة على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث سيخوض فريقه ومانشستر سيتي وليفربول مباريات مؤجلة خلال تلك الأيام.

ويلتقي آرسنال مع تشيلسي، مساء اليوم، في مباراة مؤجلة من الجولة التاسعة والعشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

كما يلتقي ليفربول مع إيفرتون، غدًا، ومانشستر سيتي سيواجه برايتون الخميس، في الجولة المؤجلة نفسها.

ويحتل آرسنال حاليًا صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي بشكل مؤقت برصيد 74 نقطة، بفارق الأهداف عن ليفربول، ونقطة عن مانشستر سيتي، مع العلم أن الأخير لديه مباراة مؤجلة ثانية ضد توتنهام.

وقال بول ميرسون في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “مترو” الإنجليزية: “تعرض إيفرتون لضربة ساحقة على يد تشيلسي لكنه قلب الأمور بفوز حاسم على نوتنيجهام فورست، يستحقون الإشادة”.

وأضاف: “هذه مباراة يجب أن يفوز بها ليفربول للبقاء في السباق على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وسيصعب فريق إيفرتون الأمر عليهم في الديربي المحلي”.

وواصل: “سيعمل جوديسون بارك تمامًا على فكرة إنهاء آمال ليفربول في اللقب، ولكنني أعتقد أن الريدز سيتفوقون عليهم”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أرتيتا: نريد الضغط على مانشستر سيتي وليفربول عن طريق تشيلسي

وأردف: “كما أظهروا ضد فولهام، يرتفع المستوى دائمًا إلى القمة، ومن المرجح أن يحدث هذا مرة أخرى هذا الأسبوع”.

واستأنف: “ليفربول لديه عدد أكبر من اللاعبين القادرين على الفوز في المباريات، ولهذا السبب أقول أنهم سيفوزون أمام إيفرتون”.

وتابع: “أجرى كلوب الكثير من التغييرات على تشكيلته الأساسية في نهاية الأسبوع الماضي، لكنني أعتقد أن أمثال محمد صلاح وداروين نونيز يمكن أن يعودوا إلى الفريق في هذه المباراة، حيث سيفوز ليفربول بنتيجة 2-1”.

واستمر: “إذا فاز آرسنال في المباراتين المقبلتين، فيجب على مانشستر سيتي أن يكون مثاليًا من الآن وحتى نهاية الموسم ليتوج بطلاً، إذا فاز آرسنال اليوم ضد تشيلسي، وأعتقد أنه سيفعل، فسيكون هناك ضغط هائل على فريق بيب جوارديولا للفوز بالمباريات المؤجلة”.

واستكمل: “بحلول الوقت الذي يلعب فيه مانشستر سيتي، قد يكونون متأخرين بأربع نقاط عن آرسنال وليفربول، لذلك سيكونون تحت ضغط هائل، يجب على مانشستر سيتي أن يكون حذرًا لأنه يعاني من بعض الإرهاق بعد مجموعة من المباريات القاسية في جميع المسابقات”.

وشدد: “أشك في أن برايتون سيسبب لهم الكثير من المشاكل، إنهم ليس الفريق الذي كان عليه الموسم الماضي، هو فريق في منتصف الجدول هذه المرة، لذلك أعتقد أن مانشستر سيتي سينجز المهمة هذه المرة ويفوز 3-1”.

ورأت صحيفة “مترو” الإنجليزية أن أيقونة آرسنال، بول ميرسون، يلعب ألعابًا ذهنية مع ليفربول ومانشستر سيتي، من أجل ناديه القديم في ظل السباق المشتعل على اللقب.

Chelsea have now joined the race to sign Real Betis defender Luiz Felipe, who could be brought in to replace Wesley Fofana, though he is also a target for West Ham United, according to reports from Spain.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

Fofana is at risk of missing the majority of the upcoming season due to a serious knee injury, and Mauricio Pochettino has now confirmed that he could enter the market for a new defender to replace the Frenchman, saying:

We feel all so sad. All we can do is help him. After that, because he is a player that is important for the team and the squad. "Of course we now need to think and see if we keep as we are, or if we need to work to maybe add some players.”

The Blues have previously identified a number of centre-back targets, who they could now decide to make a move for, with Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio being named as a potential option at the beginning of this month.

Juventus' Gleison Bremer could also be a target, though there may be competition for his signature from rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with Ange Postecoglou keen on signing the Brazilian.

According to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), Chelsea have now joined the race to sign Felipe, who could be brought in as a replacement for Fofana, with Pochettino including the Italian's name in his list of targets.

West Ham have already held talks with the 26-year-old's agent, and the La Liga side are waiting for them to make an official offer, however, the Hammers have delayed making their first move, allowing the Blues to enter the race for his signature.

Reports from earlier this month stated that the defender is valued at around €20m (£17m), meaning he would be an affordable option for Pochettino this summer.

How good is Luiz Felipe?

With Fofana suffering a long-term injury, it is clear that Pochettino will need to bring in a replacement, and the Real Betis star could be a good replacement, given the level of some of his performances over the past year.

The Brazil-born centre-back has averaged 2.39 blocks per 90, placing him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he also ranks in the 95th percentile for clearances per 90, having averaged 5.40 during the same time period.

Lauded as "excellent" by members of the media, the Italy international also ranks in the 76th percentile for interceptions, but some of his other attributes leave a lot to be desired, particularly his ability in the air, as well as his passing.

The former Lazio man also has problems with his discipline, receiving three red cards over the course of seven matches last season, which will be a concern for Pochettino.

That said, at the price of just £17m, Felipe would still be a worthwhile signing for Chelsea, and they should now move swiftly to secure his signature ahead of the new campaign before West Ham re-enter the race.