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The six-wicket defeat meant Renegades tumbled to the bottom of the BBL table

Tristan Lavalette13-Jan-2022Haris Rauf finished his BBL season in style to help fuel Melbourne Stars’ crucial six-wicket victory over crosstown rival Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium.Before heading home ahead of the PSL, Rauf claimed two early wickets to help restrict Renegades to a lowly 7 for 122, before Glenn Maxwell emerged from a drought with an unbeaten 68 from 45 balls as Stars hauled down the chase in the 15th over.Related

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A rejuvenated Stars (18 points) moved to fifth on the ladder, while inflicting a blow to Renegades (15 points) who tumbled to the bottom. Playing their third match in four days, Stars showed no ill-effects and claimed their 15th win in 22 games in the Melbourne derby after their Covid-19-hit team lost to Renegades by five wickets on January 3.Rauf finishes BBL stint on a highA pumped-up Rauf wanted to go out in style and did so with the key wickets of Shaun Marsh and skipper Nic Maddinson in his first over to leave Renegades in tatters at 2 for 9.After hitting speeds of 150kmh/93mph, Rauf briefly left the field mid-innings with an apparent niggle in his leg. It didn’t curtail his speed when he returned in the backend marked by a brutal short ball that whacked a rattled Jake Prestwidge on the gloves.Having taken nine wickets from five matches, Rauf’s pace prowess and innate exuberance will be missed but Stars are fortunately blessed with a strong attack.Their brilliant spin duo Adam Zampa and Qais Ahmad bowled superbly with four wickets and were particularly destructive in the power surge to halt Renegades’ attempts at a fightback. The Afghanistan legspinner’s double strike in the 14th over gave Stars a stranglehold they wouldn’t relinquish.Renegades’ rejigged batting order failsIn a crux fixture, Renegades rejigged their batting order with Marsh and Maddinson shuffling up one position with the big move being opener Aaron Finch sliding down to No.5 after just two half-centuries from seven innings this season.It didn’t work with Renegades slumping to 3 for 25 leaving Finch to rescue the innings along with youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk. Apart from arguably taking the catch of the tournament – a one-handed blinder on the boundary against Adelaide Strikers – Fraser-McGurk has had a disappointing season with just two scores in double digits from seven innings heading into this game.He once again lacked fluency and found boundaries hard to find against Stars bowlers executing their lengths. In a desperate bid to up the ante during the power surge, Fraser-McGurk unsuccessfully charged Ahmad to end his sluggish 32 off 39 balls.It was left to Finch who was generally left frustrated in his sedate 44-ball 45 as Renegades fell well short of a competitive total.Maxwell finds form at the top Maxwell decided he needed a spark after being unable to reach double figures in his previous four innings. Moving up from No.4, Maxwell opened for just the third time in his BBL career and it did the trick.Stars were shaky at 2 for 15 in the second over but that didn’t deter Maxwell from unleashing his natural aggression as he smashed spinner Zahir Khan for a straight six to get off the mark.After turbo-charged batting in the powerplay, Maxwell – batting without a helmet or cap against the spinners – and Joe Burns smartly knocked the ball around for easy runs.Maxwell impressively held the innings together to make a case to stay in the opener’s role moving forward. With their frontline team finally coming together – set to be further strengthened by the imminent return of Marcus Stoinis – and Maxwell rediscovering form, Stars look ominous as they make an unlikely push for a first BBL title.Renegades’ season is at the crossroads Defending such a low total, Renegades needed early wickets and they did exactly that with Joe Clarke and Beau Webster falling within the opening two overs. Much depended on Zahir and legspinner Cameron Boyce, who made a triumphant return against Sydney Sixers after two years on the BBL sidelines, but they were thwarted by a determined Maxwell.Without scoreboard pressure, Renegades were always on the back foot and it didn’t take long for the contest to run out of steam. Having fallen off the pace of the top five, Renegades – who recently lost the services of quick James Pattinson and allrounder Mohammad Nabi – are heading towards a third straight wooden spoon.

Pakistan ticked several boxes as they wrapped up a fourth win in four games at the T20 World Cup

Sreshth Shah02-Nov-20212:55

Have Pakistan arrived at the perfect batting template for these conditions?

With one foot in the semi-final already, and having an opportunity to tick off some other boxes before the knockouts, Pakistan did exactly that by opting to bat first, putting on a total of 189, and then defending the score with ease.Pakistan’s 45-run win over Namibia has now confirmed their final-four spot, leaving only Scotland in their path to a 100% group-stage win rate.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the US. Match highlights of Namibia vs Pakistan is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

It was Pakistan’s first time winning a game while batting first in this tournament. Their captain Babar Azam mentioned that as their main objective at the toss and he backed his words up with a 49-ball 70 as well. His opening partner Mohammad Rizwan complimented him with 79. And an all-round bowling effort saw them cruise to victory.The only box Pakistan did not tick was in testing their bench strength. Pakistan played the same XI like their first three games, and Azam said that was because the Namibia contest was their first in Abu Dhabi. Although Pakistan’s bowlers could take only five wickets in Namibia’s chase, they did well to restrict their opponents to 144 with Imad Wasim and Hasan Ali going at economies of less than six.Azam-Rizwan develop a century habitPakistan’s start was not fluent. Left-arm seamer Ruben Trumpelmann beat Rizwan’s outside edge thrice in the first over to start off with a maiden. Rizwan then struggled with his timing as he either missed or mis-hit his shots. With the Namibia seamers – JJ Smith and David Wiese, along with Trumpelmann – all bowling change-ups on a sticky deck, Pakistan could only muster 29 in the first six overs. That was the fourth-lowest powerplay score in all T20Is for a team that lost no wickets.But while Rizwan was looking off-colour, Azam kept finding the gaps with his controlled aggression and together they reached 59 in ten overs. At that stage, Azam was on 43 and Rizwan 16 in 25 balls.But with ten wickets in hand, and only ten overs left, the duo had the liberty to up the risks. Azam’s 70 took them to their fifth T20I century stand – the most by any pair in the format’s history – before the first wicket fell in the 15th over. But by then, Pakistan were at 113.Mohammad Rizwan: at the top of his game•ICC/Getty Images

Rizwan changes gearsAggression was the only way to approach the last five overs. But Fakhar Zaman did not last long, caught by the wicketkeeper Zane Green as he dived to his left after being briefly wrong-footed. That brought in Mohammad Hafeez at No. 4, and he began with an assault that saw him make 32 in 16 balls that included five fours. Most of those boundaries were deft shots, either scooping fours past short fine leg or threading late cuts between backward point and short third man.In Hafeez’s company, Rizwan finally found his hands. Before the final over, he was on 55 off 44 balls. And then he decided to break loose. The last over from Smit went for 24 off Rizwan’s bat and Pakistan’s late hitting took them to 189 for 2. Namibia leaked 130 in the back half after conceding only 59 in their first half.Hasan finds his footingAlthough Hasan hasn’t been horrendous by any means, the success of the other bowlers in the Pakistan set up so far meant that he was the least impressive bowler in the XI coming into the game.On Tuesday night, he – instead of Imad – was given the new-ball duties alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi, and struck in his first over by getting a full ball to swing in and dislodge left-hand batter Michael van Lingen’s stumps.That set the tone for his first spell, where he conceded just nine runs in two powerplay overs. He returned for another two overs later in the innings, and conceded only 13 in those 12 balls to finish with 1 for 22. It was just the kind of return Pakistan needed from Hasan for his own confidence moving into the business end.Too much for Namibia to doAlthough Namibia lost just five wickets, they were never really in the chase. Craig Williams batted for 37 balls, but he could eke out only 40. Stephen Baard made a run-a-ball 29 before being run out. Gerhard Erasmus’ 10-ball 15 looked promising, but he was snuffed off by Imad before he could cause big damage.With three overs to go, Namibia’s chances of a win according to ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster was 0.67%. And despite the ultra-aggressive hitting from David Wiese it kept dipping even further. Wiese did the best he could to ignore the match situation and entertained the crowds with his two sixes and three fours to finish unbeaten on a 31-ball 45.

Rewind to just shy of three weeks ago and West Bromwich Albion were top of the Championship, undefeated in their first six games and looking firmly on course to a Premier League return after a four-season hiatus. Now, while not exactly in a crisis, the Baggies are without a win in three and have slipped down to fourth.

In their last three games, Carlos Corberan’s side have suffered defeats at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough and most recently were held to a scoreless draw with Millwall.

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“We have to manage this situation,” Corberan said after the loss to Boro. “Every game and every defeat has a message for us, detailing things we did well and things we need to improve.” “We need to get these messages from every game to be able to move on and prepare for the next one.”

After the draw with Mlilwall, Corberan said: “The fact we now have an international break is a perfect period for us to find improvements in the squad, even though we know we will be missing some players who will be away. We are going to work and keep growing as a team.”

Harry Whitwell impressing

Talking of growing the team, one player that Corberan is very excited about is young midfielder Harry Whitwell. Whitwell, 18, has been the star player for Richard Beale’s U-21 side this term. Last month, he netted five goals in three games and earned a nomination for the Premier League 2 player of the month for September.

As a result of his good form, not only is the England U-18 international now training with West Brom’s first-team, he’s also on the radar of higher England age groups, according to the Express & Star.

Speaking about Whitwell, who turns 19 next month, Corberan said he’s delighted with the teenager’s development: “I knew he had a lot of potential. But the level he is maturing as a player, every time he plays with us, every time I watch him, I feel more pleased about how he is performing and growing.”

The youngster could soon leave

Despite being impressed with Whitwell, Corberan may soon let him leave The Hawthorns, albeit not permanently.

“He is a player you can think of two possibilities. He is still a young player. He can make the full year here, progressing how he is, or think about the loan if something appears or we find something we consider is his next step,” Corberan explained to Express & Star.

Any decision on Whitwell’s future, however, won’t be made right now: “These decisions in this time right now? It’s not the moment. These decisions need to start at the end of November and beginning of December, according to how he is progressing, and more things.”

Aston Villa are riding the crest of a wave right now under Unai Emery and the way things are going, there appears to be no slowing down under the Spaniard.

The 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening was just reward for the Midlands side, repeating their victory over the side that they defeated in the 1982 European Cup final.

Thoughts will now turn back to domestic matters, which should be Emery’s bread and butter. Without a top four finish in the Premier League, they won’t be able to experience the scenes displayed at Villa Park in midweek.

The former Arsenal manager has been given free rein in the transfer market to bring players in that he thinks can improve the side, which is evident with regard to the arrival of Amadou Onana.

The Belgian isn’t the only signing that has made an impact in the starting XI, as Morgan Rogers has exerted his influence during the opening few weeks of the season, and he could turn out to be one of Emery’s finest acquisitions.

How much Aston Villa paid for Morgan Rogers

Midway through the 2023/24 campaign, Rogers had scored seven goals and registered nine assists for Middlesbrough, emerging as one of the brightest talents in the second tier.

The former Manchester City youngster was clearly attracting attention due to his exploits for Boro, which led to Emery eventually bringing him to Villa Park.

Rogers cost the club an initial £8m fee, but this could rise to £16m if all the odd-ons were met.

Given how well he has performed in a Villa shirt since making the move, this fee could soon turn out to be a wonderful bargain.

Morgan Rogers’ statistics for Villa

It didn’t take long for the player to settle in at his new club, especially making the leap from the Championship to the Premier League.

In 11 top flight games, Rogers scored three times while grabbing one assist, despite starting eight times. He also played another five times in the Conference League but failed to register a goal contribution in the competition.

This season, he has forced his way into the starting XI for good, playing from the start in all Champions League and Premier League matches thus far.

While he may have scored just once and chipped in with two assists, his performances have been dazzling under Emery, who has deployed him as an attacking midfielder.

Indeed, in the Premier League, the 22-year-old has created four big chances, averaged 1.4 key passes per game and succeeded with two dribbles per game, proving how influential he is going forward.

The Englishman also averages 1.8 shots per game in the top flight, while he has even missed three big chances across six matches, indicating that his goal tally should certainly be more than one.

The more he plays, the better Rogers will get. Judging by his recent displays, there is no reason why he can’t reach the very top, especially with experience in the Champions League against teams such as Bayern.

Did Emery sell a player in the summer who is currently outperforming Rogers this term, however? As Moussa Diaby has taken to life in the Middle East with ease…

Moussa Diaby’s Villa stats under Emery

The Frenchman became the club’s record signing in the summer of 2023, arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee in the region of £51.9m, clearly suggesting that Emery meant business ahead of his first full season in charge of the club.

The winger made a total of 54 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring ten goals and grabbing nine assists in the process. Given the record fee, there was no doubt Diaby was expected to offer more in the final third.

With the need to move a couple of players on to comply with financial fair play regulations (FFP), Emery accepted an offer of around £50m to sell the winger to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, thus ending his spell in the Midlands after a solitary campaign.

Recouping the fee they paid out for him just 12 months prior was good business by the manager, but this is looking like a slightly hasty move on their part, especially with his current form for his new side.

Moussa Diaby's record since leaving

Many may have questioned his decision to move to the Middle East, despite approaching the peak years of his career, but Diaby has showcased his talents for Al-Ittihad during the early stages of his spell.

The £130k-per-week sensation may not have opened his account since his move from England, but he has registered seven assists in just six league games, a sublime start.

Metric

Diaby

Rogers

Goals

0

1

Assists

7

2

Key passes per game

3

1.5

Big chances created

9

4

Successful dribbles per game

2.3

2

Shots per game

1.5

1.8

Previously hailed as “perfect” by one prominent analyst, Diaby has taken to life at his new club with ease and there appears to be no stopping him.

Along with his assists, Diaby has also managed to create nine big chances in the league, while averaging three key passes per game and succeeding with 2.3 dribbles per game – a success rate of 61% – which clearly proves just how effective he is in the final third of the pitch.

Compare these statistics to the ones that Rogers has recorded this season, and it is clear who is enjoying the more productive season. No doubt about that.

Of course, Diaby did struggle at times for Villa, often being played out of position as a centre-forward, but perhaps a change of scenery has done him the world of good.

Aged just 25, he looks like he could be coming into the best years of his career, which may mean Emery sold him a tad early.

Rogers has plenty of time to get better and if he continues to demonstrate the form he has shown over the first few weeks of the season, he could enjoy a season to remember.

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كشف تامر النحاس وكيل اللاعبين، عن اختيار عبد الله السعيد عندما كان لاعبًا في الإسماعيلي بين الانتقال إلى الأهلي والزمالك.

وقال النحاس خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “ملعب أون” المذاع على قناة “أون سبورت”: “أنا الذي أخذت عبد الله السعيد من الإسماعيلي للنادي الأهلي، القصة وقتها كانت صعبة من ثلاثة اتجاهات، لأن الزمالك والأهلي كانا يريدان ضم اللاعب، والإسماعيلي كان يريد أن يبيعه للنادي الذي سيدفع أكثر”.

وأضاف: “عندما دخل الأهلي والزمالك لشراء عبد الله السعيد، اللاعب اختار الأهلي، رغم أن الزمالك يكاد يكون دفع الشيكات، لكن لم يستطيعوا أن يتوصلوا للاعب، لأنه جاء إلى مصر ولم يظهر وقتها”.

وواصل: “أنا كوكيل لاعبين عندما تحدث منافسة بين ناديين لضم لاعب، أجلس معه وأشرح له مميزات وعيوب كل ناد”.

طالع | خاص.. الزمالك يحسم مصير عبد الله السعيد

وأكمل: “الزمالك كانت أمواله أكثر من الأهلي لضم عبد الله السعيد في ذلك التوقيت، لكن نحن لم ندخل في تفاوض لاننا لم نُحب أن يحدث مزاد، عمرو الجنايني كان موجودا وقتها، لكننا اخترنا الأهلي والموضوع وقف عند ذلك”.

واستطرد: “جماهير الأسماعيلي تحزن جدًا من انتقال لاعب من الفريق للأهلي، رغم أن كل مجالس إدارات الإسماعيلي في آخر 20 سنة كلهم باعوا لاعبين للأهلي، والأهلي في بعض الأوقات يدفع قيمة مالية أكبر من القيمة الحقيقية لأنه يشتري من الإسماعيلي، لأنه يريد أن يرضيهم أو يُساعدهم”.

واستمر: “اللاعب الذي ينتقل من الإسماعيلي للأهلي، نسبة نجاحه عالية جدًا، لأنه اعتاد على الضغوط في الإسماعيلي أكثر من لاعب آخر في ناد غير جماهيري”.

وبسؤاله هل الأهلي دفع في عمر الساعي أكثر من قيمته الحقيقية لمساعدة الإسماعيلي ماليًا، أجاب: “طبعًا، 50 مليون جنيه، المفترض عندما يضم النادي لاعبا بهذا المبلغ، عندما يُشارك يُسجل أهدافا فورًا أو يُشارك دائمًا، لكن معنى أنه لا يُشارك أنه مازال لم يظهر بمستوى يُنافس به زملائه، هو لاعب كبير لكن هل النادي لديه رفاهية أنه يجرب لاعبا ضمه بهذا المبلغ مرة وإثنين وثلاثة؟!”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Ameaçado de rebaixamento, o Grêmio deu início a uma limpa dentro do seu elenco e resolveu afastar sete jogadores na reta final do Brasileirão 2021 buscando uma última mobilização tentando se livrar da queda. Os nomes que não farão mais parte do grupo são Léo Pereira, Léo Gomes, Luiz Fernando, Everton, Guilherme Guedes, Jean Pyerre e Paulo Miranda. A medida foi explicada pelovice de futebol do clube, Dênis Abrahão.

-É verdade que os sete jogadores são dispensados. Uns de férias, outros machucados, outros querendo sair. A grande maioria, quase na sua totalidade, já estava com a cabeça em outro lugar – justificou Abrahão em coletiva nesta segunda-feira, ainda completando:

-Não que sejam eles os culpados, mas foi uma decisão antes tarde do que mais tarde. Foi o momento que eu decidi necessário e suficiente para fazer o que tinha que ser feito – disse o dirigente.

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+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Denis Abrahão não escondeu a sua insatisfação com a postura do elenco na partida diante do Bahia, quando o Tricolor gaúcho conheceu mais uma derrota.Na avaliação dos diretores, a mobilização dos atletas para ajudar o time não era a esperada e o afastamento foi a solução encontrada.

Jean Pyerre e Paulo Miranda

Do grupo afastado, Jean Pyerre e Paulo Miranda são os atletas com maior destaque. O meia, inclusive, esteve presente na última sexta-feira, em Salvador, na derrota para o Bahia.

Z-4

Com 36 pontos, o Grêmio está na 18ª colocação e precisa ter um desempenho impecável para sair da zona de rebaixamento. Além disso, seus rivais diretos precisam tropeçar.

Kieran Powell will replace him under the concussion substitute rule

Firdose Moonda10-Jun-2021West Indies batter Nkrumah Bonner has been ruled out of the first Test against South Africa in St Lucia after being diagnosed with concussion. Kieran Powell will replace him under the concussion substitute rule.Bonner top edged the very first ball he faced, off pacer Anrich Nortje, when he attempted to hook a short delivery but played the ball onto his helmet’s badge. He appeared shaken and was checked for concussion on the field – while South Africa reviewed unsuccessfully for a possible catch – and allowed to continue. He faced 32 balls in all and scored 10 runs but did not take the field when West Indies arrived to bowl, midway through the second session.Instead, Powell was on the field and will now also bat in Bonner’s place. Powell has not played for West Indies since 2018 and was recalled for the series.If was a big blow on a day of blows for West Indies, who were routed for 97 – the 19th time in Test cricket they’ve been bowled out below 100, and their lowest total against South Africa. Bonner, averaging 62.50 in his four Tests before this one, was one of only five players to face more than 30 balls in the innings.

Barcelona chiefs are convinced that their £55 million transfer target is actually prioritising a move to Arsenal this summer, with club officials at Atletico Madrid also holding this belief about the player.

Arsenal targeting next key signing after Riccardo Calafiori

Earlier this week, the north Londoners finally announced their first outfield signing of the summer window, with Italy international defender Riccardo Calafiori joining from Bologna in an initial £34 million deal.

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The Spaniard really likes him.

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The 22-year-old, who helped Bologna qualify for the Champions League and stood out as one of Italy's star players during Euro 2024, is capable of playing as both a centre-back and a left-back – thereby shoring up two positions in Mikel Arteta's defence.

Calafiori has now joined up with his new squad on their pre-season tour of the USA, and his arrival is a big boost for Arteta as the Spaniard seeks to beat Man City to a Premier League title at the third attempt.

Now, focus switches to who else sporting director Edu Gaspar and the Arsenal recruitment team could bring in before summer deadline day on August 30. A new midfielder is rumoured to be on the agenda, and they've been linked with a few interesting names lately.

Arsenal have reportedly held talks with Paris-Saint Germain over Fabian Ruiz, according to some reports, and Football Transfers claim the move could even be agreed as a loan deal.

Emile Smith Rowe's potential £35 million move to Fulham has paved the way for Arsenal to bring in a new creative midfield man, and Ruiz is apparently one of the players who could fit that mould.

Stats per 90

Ruiz

Smith Rowe

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.25

0.56

Actual Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.40

0.19

Progressive Passes

6.24

6.36

Shots on Target

0.40

1.30

Passing Accuracy

89.3%

88.1%

Passes into the Final Third

4.90

3.86

Key Passes

1.44

1.36

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.29

2.95

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.25

0.00

Live Passes

62.0

55.9

Completed Through Balls

0.25

0.00

Tackles Won

1.33

0.74

Blocks

0.89

0.68

Clearances

1.24

0.23

Successful Take-Ons

1.19

0.68

Carries

59.6

42.0

Ball Recoveries

6.34

5.00

Perhaps the most regularly mentioned midfield target, though, is Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino. The Spaniard's deal includes a £55 million release clause, but his contract will expire next year as things stand, meaning he could leave for much less.

Barcelona chiefs convinced Merino is prioritising Arsenal move

Fabrizio Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, shared this week that Barcelona chiefs believe Merino is prioritising a move to Arsenal over remaining in his homeland – which would surely make them favourites.

"Atletico had in their list Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad," said Romano. "Atletico and Barca, both clubs are still thinking of Mikel Merino, but both clubs feel that Mikel Merino is giving total priority to Arsenal."

Called a "well-rounded" player and "one of the best" in La Liga by performance analyst Marcus Bring, the 28-year-old impressed for Spain at Euro 2024, scoring the winner against Germany in their quarter-final tie before they went on to win the tournament.

Merino also racked up eight goals and five assists across 45 appearances in all competitions for Sociedad last season.

Manchester United have held discussions with agent Jorge Mendes as Ruben Amorim reportedly wants to bring Sporting's Geovany Quenda to Old Trafford.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• United are long-term admirers of Quenda
• They could make a formal offer next summer
• Laying the groundwork early to ease negotiations

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Mendes' Gestifute agency is leading negotiations on behalf of Quenda's agent, Igor Campedelli. The report says Mendes has already acquired a 50 per cent stake in the teenager's image rights, highlighting his belief in Quenda’s potential. Despite United’s keen interest, the club have not yet submitted a formal offer, though Sporting insiders anticipate a bid next summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United are not alone in pursuing Quenda as Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest as part of their revised recruitment strategy, which prioritises signing young players with superstar potential. Additionally, Manchester City, Liverpool, and RB Leipzig have made inquiries, intensifying the competition for the promising midfielder. Mendes is reportedly set to engage with multiple clubs in the coming weeks to identify the best career path for Quenda.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Having started his youth career at Benfica, Quenda switched to Sporting’s academy at the age of 12. Since then, he has steadily progressed, making his first matchday squad as a 16-year-old under Ruben Amorim last year. Last month, Quenda made headlines when he became Sporting’s youngest-ever league scorer, surpassing a record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo. He also earned the distinction of being the club’s youngest player to start in a Champions League match and also played a pivotal role in Sporting’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Manchester City.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  With Mendes orchestrating talks and clubs like United, PSG, and Liverpool circling, Quenda’s departure from Sporting appears increasingly likely. While his destination remains uncertain, his growing reputation and record-breaking performances suggest that he could become a major player in European football. In the short term, he will continue to build his reputation in the Portuguese top flight with a fixture against Santa Clara next Sunday.

The possibility of one high-earning Chelsea ace being used in a swap deal for a Real Madrid player has been mooted this week, as Todd Boehly and the recruitment team look to both trim Enzo Maresca's squad and upgrade his options simultaneously.

Chelsea undergo busy summer as they seal signings and departures

The confirmed signings of Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian bring Chelsea's total expenditure of the window to around £81 million so far, and the soon-to-be signing of Renato Veiga from FC Basel will take that up to £93 million.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 10, 2024

Boehly, assisted by his co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, have operated cleverly to ensure Chelsea are not flying too close to the wind in regard to PSR by agreeing a host of outgoing transfers.

Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, Lewis Hall, Michael Golding, Thiago Silva and Hakim Ziyech have all departed Stamford Bridge to the tune of around £89 million – meaning Chelsea have registered a net spend of just £4 million so far.

The aforementioned bunch are now also trimmed off the wage bill, saving Chelsea more cash, but a few more expected to follow them out the door. Armando Broja, Malang Sarr, Romelu Lukaku, Trevoh Chalobah, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Mykhailo Mudryk and Conor Gallagher are other players who could be sold by Chelsea, according to various reports from the last few months.

Chelsea are under pressure to sell Gallagher with his contract expiring in under 12 months, while the likes of Lukaku don't appear to have a future under Maresca. Another high-earning player who could leave with the Belgian is goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is believed to be on around £155,000 per week.

Kepa Arrizabalaga's stats for Chelsea
Number	Total
Appearances	163
Goals conceded	175
Clean sheets	59
Bookings	10
Minutes played	14,521
via Transfermarkt

The 29-year-old, who spent last season on loan at the Bernabeu, is also attracting interest from Saudi Arabia and could reunite with N'Golo Kante at Al-Ittihad (Rudy Galetti).

Arrizabalaga is also rumoured to be very keen on quitting Chelsea this summer, and a move back to Real Madrid may well be on the cards for him.

Arrizabalaga could be used in Chelsea swap deal for Lunin

According to The Boot Room, Arrizabalaga could be used in a Chelsea swap deal for Real keeper Andriy Lunin.

Chelsea have enquired over the possibility of signing the Ukraine international, who featured at Euro 2024, amid his contractual standoff with Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Lunin's deal is set to expire next summer as things stand, with Real under pressure to agree an extension or consider selling. If talks don't progress over a new contract, it is believed Chelsea are among the sides who could look to strike a deal with Florentino Perez.