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After a resurgent run of form in the Championship, Leeds United's momentum came to a crashing halt against Stoke City in a frustrating 1-0 defeat for Daniel Farke's side. Now, they must avoid a repeat of their early-season run of results and instantly get back to winning ways against Huddersfield Town. On paper, it should prove to be a routine day at the office for the Yorkshire club, given that Huddersfield sit just one place above the relegation zone.

Leeds could be forced to pick up all three points against the Terriers without a pretty key player, however, with the latest injury news potentially dealing Farke an untimely blow.

Leeds injury news

As things stand, Leeds are already without Stuart Dallas for the long-term, meaning that they could do without any other knocks to add to what is fortunately still a list without extensive absentees. As the fixtures come thick and fast in the coming months, things could change at Elland Road in an instant. And Farke will be well aware of the need to keep his squad as fit as possible, making the latest news even more of a concern.

That news, of course, is that Sam Byram is facing a late fitness test ahead of the Huddersfield Town game. Farke told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "Always someone we have to be careful with his injury record, last time he was able to play three games in seven days but each week is different – we make a late decision with him. He came through the game with a few knocks but we’ll make a late decision.”

Byram will be left feeling frustrated if he does have to sit out, having started ten of the Whites' 13 Championship games this season in an impressive run of fitness for the left-back.

Byram missing out would be a blow for Farke

Byram's stats speak for themselves. The former Norwich City full-back has quickly established himself at Elland Road and has proved to be an upgrade on Luke Ayling. When compared, via FBref, it is the summer arrival who comes out on top.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Blocks

Interceptions

Sam Byram

23

43

16

17

Luke Ayling

13

21

10

9

With Leeds in need of a win after suffering defeat against Stoke, they could certainly do with having Byram to call upon, who has previously been spoken incredibly highly of by Farke. The Leeds boss said, via Leeds Live: “Sometimes you have to be a bit careful [when assessing players’ fitness]. Whenever you ask a player if they’re ready to go, then normally everyone wants to play and says ‘Yes, I’m top fit, boss. Let me play, everything’s okay.’

“But Sam is really, really honest because he knows also his history and when you ask him you get to always a really good answer. Never a guarantee, but we got a good feeling that he would be in shape at least to go for many minutes today.

“I’m pleased that he was there each and every second on the pitch because there was this one situation in the second half when we need also his experience but overall his quality in this position, his awareness level. He’s quite important for us.”

Sir Alex Ferguson didn't often get it wrong in the transfer market when in charge of his great Manchester United sides.

This is a manager who signed Wayne Rooney, nurtured the development of Cristiano Ronaldo, poached Robin van Persie from his great rival Arsene Wenger, acquired Rio Ferdinand from fellow rivals in Leeds United and brought Ole Gunnar Solskajer, the scorer of a Champions League final winner, to great fame.

There are, of course, plenty of other names. But for every Ronaldo and Rooney, there is a Bebe, a Phil Jones of the world to plague Fergie's success in the transfer market.

The Scot is renowned as one of the best, if not the best manager the game has seen, but that doesn't mean he didn't get a few things wrong.

After all, the great tactician once suggested that Jones could become the greatest player in the Old Trafford club's history. That was a prophecy that never came true. Indeed, Jones is now 31 and without a club having endured injury hell in Manchester.

That said, he is perhaps not the biggest example of lost potential. Step forward a certain Juan Sebastian Veron.

How much did Man United sign Veron for?

Back in 2001, United went to great lengths to welcome the Argentine to the club. Indeed, they would eventually part ways with £28m to secure his services.

That was a British transfer record at the time, a record that has now soared to Moises Caicedo's £115m in today's market. How times change, but keep that in mind for later.

Learning his trade in Argentina as a young star, it was in Italy where Veron really rose to prominence. Enjoying time with Sampdoria, Parma and then Lazio, the box-to-box midfielder who seemingly had it all in his locker, registered 25 goals and 43 assists at those clubs before moving to United.

It was clear, therefore, what Ferguson thought he was getting. A playmaker who could boost their hopes of winning the Champions League after three successive league titles.

Not just a player capable of influencing play in the final third, United signed the midfielder due to his ability to make an impact defensively. Indeed, as per Sofascore's historic World Cup statistics, Veron made four key passes per game during the 1998 edition, while also making three interceptions and 2.2 tackles per game.

To put those numbers into modern-day context, Bruno Fernandes tops the charts at United for key passes per match this season with 3.2. Casemiro, meanwhile, leads the way for average tackles with 2.7 and Aaron Wan-Bissaka holds the title of most interceptions with 1.4, as per Sofascore.

When considering his multi-faceted style of play, it's hard to believe he underwhelmed at United, but that's exactly what happened.

How many games did Veron play for Man United?

During his stint under Fergie, Veron played 82 times, scoring 11 goals and registering 15 assists. For a midfielder, contributing a goal once every three games isn't an awful number.

You would, however, expect more for the price tag. Paul Pogba, for context, bagged 39 goals and supplied 51 assists in 226 games after returning to United, contributing to a goal once every 2.5 games.

So, why was he thought of so poorly? Well, these words from Sir Alex will help you to understand.

"Juan Veron was capable of exceptional football and was talented. But, at times, he found the Premiership a bit difficult," Ferguson stated. "He was a European player and that was where we got our best form from him."

That was seen in the stats too, with the Argentina international having a hand in 14 goals during 22 Champions League outings, to just 11 involvements in 51 Premier League appearances.

Not moving abroad, and instead heading to Chelsea for £15m perhaps wasn't the best idea, therefore. After scoring just once in west London, a loan move to Inter followed and then he headed back to his homeland with Estudiantes.

What are the best quotes about Veron?

When Veron arrived at Man United's training base, a session that was currently in progress ground to a halt.

As Mike Phelan recalls: "He turned up at Carrington when we were doing a training session. He walked across and the training session stopped. All the players were like, ‘Wow, it’s Veron!’ — Scholes, Giggs, Keane, the lot. They all shook his hand. He made such an impact.”

Unfortunately, that impact was seldom replicated on the pitch, as Paul Scholes once remembered. Detailing why Veron didn't succeed in England, he believed it was due to a lack of their understanding together in the middle of the park:

"Yeah, me and Veron were a disaster," Scholes told Gary Neville. "I think me and Anderson did it once – just, no, it's not working, is it? Just two lads who don't care about defending – don't know the [DM] position that well. But it worked better with a Michael [Carrick] or a Roy [Keane] or a Nicky [Butt], who were brilliant playing a position they knew."

Such an eventuality was frustrating for a player who held so much talent in his locker. Ferguson may well have grown tired of Veron's tendency to fluctuate, but he still holds fond memories.

"He hit a pass for Beckham with the outside of his foot, and no back-lift, and it bent away round the defence. Beckham ran onto it and lobbed the goalkeeper. In moments, he might be sublime," Ferguson remembers.

How much would Veron be worth in today's market?

The inflation of transfer fees in football throughout the years has been rather ridiculous. Only this summer we saw the British transfer record that Veron once held broken twice.

First Declan Rice joined Arsenal for £105m, before Caicedo headed to the Argentine's former employers Chelsea for £10m more.

So, if the United flop was on the move now, how much would he cost? Well, the Transfer Index at Totally Money suggest he would be worth a staggering £86m if the same transfer happened from Lazio to Old Trafford.

They took the 100 most expensive transfers each season in Europe’s big five leagues – England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France – since the dawn of the Premier League in 1992 and armed with that data, produced the TotallyMoney Transfer Index to calculate football's unique inflation.

£158m

£129m

£122m

£121m

£119m

£118m

£88m

£87m

If you're wondering what the stars of today cost, then it hasn't changed a great deal. A further flop in Harry Maguire hasn't seen his transfer value impacted by inflation.

A staggering £80m signing from Leicester City, his career at United has been a tumultuous affair. That said, considering in today's money he only cost £6m less than Veron, he has been a more successful signing.

A club captain, the defender has appeared 176 times, suggesting that for longevity alone, it was a more prudent deal than Veron at the time, who would leave after just two seasons, now to be mentioned among the biggest flops we have seen in England.

The English Football League (EFL) announced its new blockbuster, oversees broadcasting rights deal on Tuesday, worth £148 million ($188m).

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• EFL expand broadcasting globally
• New deal worth £148m
• Championship and Wrexham key factors

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The EFL confirmed in a statement that the move to expand their viewership had been accepted by clubs, meaning a lucrative new deal could be pushed through. The competition is set to receive £148m over the next four seasons to show games outside the United Kingdom – with a mission to plant roots in America.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The deal sees two agencies, Pitch International and Relevant Sports, represent the EFL globally. Pitch International provide EFL rights in Europe, MENA and other regions, whereas Relevant Sports will target distribution throughout North, Central and South America. The aim will be to develop the profile of clubs from the Championship to League Two – including Carabao Cup, EFL trophy and promotion play-offs – in said regions through targeted marketing campaigns.

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT THE EFL SAID

  EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said: “These new agreements represent not only guaranteed levels of revenue but also present the League and our 72 clubs with a fantastic opportunity to establish further the EFL as a premium football brand in markets across the world. In Pitch and Relevent we have two partners with an in-depth understanding of the global TV rights markets and that knowledge, coupled with the enthusiasm of their teams, will hopefully ensure we achieve our objective of delivering value to Clubs alongside taking EFL football to as wide an audience as possible outside the UK.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The popularity of the English Championship and continued rise of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Wrexham are thought to be two deciding factors in this expansion. According to the , the Championship is one of the most-watched leagues in Europe outside of the Premier League, while Wrexham's escapades under their Hollywood owners have generated viewer interest in the plights of lower-league sides.

Chris Lynn’s run of injury misfortune continued during the tri-series final at Auckland, after he suffered a dislocated right shoulder while diving in the field

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2018Chris Lynn looks set to be ruled out of the Pakistan Super League, and will return to Brisbane for further assessment, after suffering a dislocated right shoulder while diving in the field during Australia’s T20 Tri-Series final victory over New Zealand.It was another cruel stroke of injury misfortune for Lynn, who left the field midway through the ninth over of New Zealand’s innings after attempting to intercept a clip through midwicket from Ross Taylor. Sprinting to his left, he reached for the ball with his right arm, in an apparent attempt to protect his troublesome left shoulder, on which he has undergone three bouts of surgery in recent seasons.However, he appeared to jar his right arm on the turf, and it was later confirmed that he had popped the shoulder out of its socket. Although the team medical staff were able to put the joint back into place, he took no further part in the match after being sent for a scan.”Chris dislocated his right shoulder after landing awkwardly on it when fielding the ball,” said Australia’s physio, Alex Kountouris. “His shoulder was able to be put back into place at the ground and he was consequently sent for X-Rays which revealed no major bone injury.”At this stage Chris will not travel to the Pakistan Super League in Dubai. He will return to Brisbane to undergo further scans and assessment and from there we will have a better understanding of the ongoing management, along with the return-to-play timeframes.”Lynn had previously said he would avoid diving in the field in a bid to prevent any further shoulder problems.”It’s something that’s played on my mind for about four years,” he said. “Let’s go one step at a time – I want to dive, there’s no doubt about that, I want to do well and contribute. But at the moment, I don’t want to have another setback because I feel like I’m making good ground.”Lynn had been due to travel to Dubai imminently to take part in Lahore Qalandars’ first match of the Pakistan Super League, on Friday, against Multan Sultans. The Qalandars will be hoping Lynn’s injury is not serious, considering the explosive Australian was their first pick at the PSL draft.Another franchise that will be anxiously hoping for a swift recovery for Lynn is Kolkata Knight Riders. Lynn was the Knight Riders’ most expensive buy at the IPL auction last month, fetching $1.5m. The team is yet to announce its captain and Lynn was one of the names on the shortlist.

Graham McKenzie was a constant in the Australian team when other bowlers struggled to hold their place

Brydon Coverdale06-Feb-2012In the backyard of his Perth house, Graham McKenzie can tend the barbeque with one hand and catch a six with the other. There is no boundary fence between his property and the ground where the Claremont-Nedlands club plays grade cricket each weekend. He can watch a match from behind long-on without leaving his garden.At 70, McKenzie is still surrounded by the game. A hundred metres up the road is the ground where the elite Scotch College plays its cricket. Walking there might have taken him twice as long a couple of years ago. But after a pair of knee replacements last year McKenzie is sprightly again. Making his way around a golf course holds no obstacles now.That his knees caused him problems is hardly surprising. He finished his career with 1219 first-class wickets, a tally that is almost unheard of among Australians, especially fast bowlers. As one of the first non-resident overseas professionals in county cricket in the 1960s, McKenzie piled up the wickets. He didn’t have too much competition for victims during his Test career, either.McKenzie occupies a curious place in Australia’s cricket history. When most people think of the great Australian fast bowlers, the names that come to mind are Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, Ray Lindwall, Jeff Thomson, Alan Davidson. Even Fred Spofforth, whose last Test was 125 years ago, would rate a mention.McKenzie did win some recognition in 2010, when he was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. His former captain Bill Lawry was given the honour on the same night. It was fitting, for these days unless Lawry is commentating, McKenzie’s name is rarely heard in cricket discussions.Yet he carried the Australian attack throughout the 1960s, a decade when they lost only two series. When he played his last match in the baggy green, he was fourth on the all-time Test wicket list, with 246, behind Fred Trueman, Brian Statham and Richie Benaud. The start of McKenzie’s career overlapped with the end of Davidson’s, and he narrowly missed out on playing Test cricket with Lillee.The bulk of the support for McKenzie through most of his Test career came from men like Neil Hawke and Alan Connolly. They were solid performers, but a great deal was expected of McKenzie. Other bowlers, fast and slow, rotated through the attack – the likes of Dave Renneberg, Laurie Mayne, Eric Freeman, Tom Veivers, David Sincock, Graeme Watson, Froggy Thomson – without really holding down a spot.At times, like during the 1965-66 Ashes, McKenzie and Hawke shared the new ball and Veivers bowled offspin, and then it was all part-timers: Doug Walters, Bob Simpson, Keith Stackpole, Ian Chappell. At other times, like on the 1964 trip to England, his workload was such that modern fast men would struggle to bowl as much over the space of two or three years.”We used to bowl a lot of overs,” McKenzie says. “Nowadays every match they play is virtually an international match. I bowled about 900 overs on a tour in 1964. It’s a lot of work. Plus we had a few other two-day matches and one-day matches as well [not included in that tally]. But it was probably not as intense as now.”Being a pace bowler is not easy. It’s great if you can get good support. You can be lucky and have a couple of other good bowlers with you. If you can’t get them out, the others will. A couple of times in my career it was a bit hard. I didn’t have a great deal of support.”I would have loved to have played with McGrath and Warne. To have Shane Warne playing in your team – you’d get a couple and if you couldn’t get the others out, he’d come back on – it would just keep the pressure on at both ends.”That is as close as McKenzie comes to talking himself up. He is softly spoken and humble to a fault, and was said by some to have been too nice to be a great fast bowler. Sledging was not in his repertoire. He bowled when he was asked to by his captains, and he was asked to too often. Generally with McKenzie, being over-bowled didn’t lead to injuries. But his Test career ended sooner than it should have.”In 1964 I bowled a hell of a lot but I don’t think I needed any treatment on the whole trip,” he says. “It must have been the best fitness I was ever at. Later on I had niggles with my back. At the end of your career there’s always something. But you always had to play through it. Nowadays I think they take more precautions, especially if they’re younger. We probably played a lot of Tests that they wouldn’t let you play now.”I played my last Test when I was 29. I could have played on if I’d been looked after. I could have played another two or three years at least.”Not that McKenzie is bitter. Far from it. He is proud of his achievements for Australia and remembers fondly his many tours. Unusually for a fast bowler, he was particularly successful in India, where he took 34 wickets at 19.26. He took ten wickets in his first Test in India, in Madras in 1964. The lack of pace in the pitches there didn’t seem to faze him.

“I liked it in England. It was a good lifestyle. I was single and had no ties, but it probably didn’t help having to bowl all winter and then come back”

“I don’t think the Indians were that used to playing against good pace bowlers,” he says. “So if you bowled really well in India, even though the wickets didn’t help much, it gave you a chance. But it was frustrating. You’d get an edge and the ball wouldn’t carry to slip at times.”On his second trip to India in 1969, he was on the field in the Brabourne Test when the fans rioted. Remarkably, play kept going while smoke filled the stadium.”That was quite amazing,” he says. “In the middle of the field we couldn’t see the people in one of the grandstands. The scorers couldn’t see the match. But because of the problem of security, they said the best thing was to keep the game going. I think the radio scorers became the official scorers.”If you were any further out than about square leg, a few rocks were being thrown in. They didn’t have too many outfielders for that period. I don’t know how long it went. We kept playing for a while there. When we came off, the dangerous time was when we went off into the change rooms. There were a few things thrown at us, but we made it.”India struggled to handle McKenzie in Australia as well. After he took ten wickets against them at the MCG in 1967-68, he was dropped for no apparent reason. It was speculated that he was too good for the Indians and that his dominance would lead to Tests that were too one-sided. As was his way, McKenzie took the demotion in his stride. He went back to Western Australia and helped them win the Sheffield Shield, a rare achievement for the state in those days.Said to have one of the most pure actions among fast bowlers, comparable with Lindwall, McKenzie gained impressive speed from a short run-up of only 16 metres. Speed guns didn’t exist, but he estimates he bowled in the high 140kph region, sometimes into the 150s. It might be a physical impossibility for a ball to gain pace off the pitch, but that’s how McKenzie’s bowling was described by batsmen.He was an attractive proposition for the counties when the rules were relaxed in the 1960s and international professionals could play without living in England. Leicestershire snapped him up and after several years on their books he helped them win the County Championship for the first time, in 1975. County cricket was a valuable source of income in the pre-World Series Cricket days.”You didn’t earn any money in Australia,” he says. “I liked it in England. It was a good lifestyle. I was single and had no ties, but it probably didn’t help having to bowl all winter and then come back. It wasn’t like now, there wasn’t a lot of money if you played in Tests.”McKenzie started as a phys-ed teacher but was rarely able to spend enough time in a school to hold down a job, due to the demands of the touring lifestyle. He entered the financial world in the mid-1960s and worked in that industry after his playing days ended.” I played my last Test when I was 29. I could have played on if I’d been looked after”•Getty Images”It was quite hard when I finished,” he says. “Your friends are in their mid-30s and they’re pretty established in their jobs, and all of a sudden you don’t have any job – you had to start afresh and you didn’t have a lot behind you.”But I don’t regret it. There are some things you can’t buy.”Like the privilege of wearing a baggy green for Australia in 60 Tests. These days the game plays a secondary role in McKenzie’s life, but he should not be forgotten to Australian cricket.”I’m on one of the smaller committees at the WACA, dealing with memorabilia and history and honours, new life members, that type of thing,” he says. “I follow cricket with interest these days but I’m not too involved.”Unless a six lands in his backyard on a Saturday.

The conditions at The Oval represent the best opportunity for Pakistan’s beleaguered batsmen to regain their form and confidence

S Rajesh17-Aug-2010The conditions at The Oval represent the best opportunity for Pakistan’s beleaguered batsmen to get their form and confidence back after what’s been a wretched series so far. In the two Tests so far, Pakistan have averaged 15.75 runs per dismissal (compared to England’s 32.83), while their top six have collectively averaged 10.20, with a top score of 38 in 24 innings.All that could change, though, at a venue which has traditionally been the best one for batting in England. In the ten Tests played here since 2000, teams have averaged almost 38, with 21 centuries – an average of more than two hundreds per game.

Averages at each venue in England since 2000 (Qual: 2 Tests)

Venue	Tests	Draws	Average	100s/ 50s
The Oval	10	3	37.92	21/ 54
Lord’s	22	7	35.79	52/ 101
Old Trafford	9	2	33.28	21/ 32
Chester-le-Street	4	0	33.08	7/ 17
Headingley	10	0	32.96	20/ 40
Edgbaston	10	2	32.68	17/ 44
Trent Bridge	10	2	29.53	15/ 45

Pakistan’s batsmen have historically feasted on the conditions here: in five Tests played by the team here since 1970, they have averaged more than 57, which is a 72% improvement over their average at the second-best venue in England. In these five matches, they’ve scored more than 500 in their first innings on four occasions. Seven hundreds have been scored in these games, which is more than the number they’ve managed in any other venue in England.

Venue-wise batting stats for Pakistan in England in Tests since 1970

Venue	Tests	W/L/D	Average	100s/ 50s
The Oval	5	2/1/2	57.20	7/ 12
Old Trafford	4	1/1/2	33.06	2/ 9
Edgbaston	6	0/3/3	32.34	6/ 8
Headingley	9	2/4/3	27.83	4/ 22
Lord’s	10	3/3/4	26.97	3/ 18
Trent Bridge	1	0/0/1	13.10	0/ 1

Javed Miandad leads the averages table for Pakistan’s batsmen at The Oval, with scores of 260 and 59 in his two innings there, for an average of 159.50. In 22 innings in other grounds in England, he managed only one century and averaged less than 35. Mohammad Yousuf, Zaheer Abbas and Saleem Malik all hundreds here, though they also performed well at other grounds in England.The same can’t be said of Pakistan’s current opener, Imran Farhat. In his only innings at The Oval, in 2006, Farhat scored 91; in 12 innings in other venues in England, he has scored more than 50 exactly once. Inzamam-ul-Haq is one of the few batsmen to average more at other England grounds than The Oval.

Pakistan batsmen at The Oval and at other England grounds since 1970

Batsman	The Oval – Tests	Average	100s/ 50s	Other grounds – Tests	Average	100s/ 50s
Javed Miandad	2	159.50	1/ 1	14	34.73	1/ 4
Mohammad Yousuf	1	128.00	1/ 0	5	58.80	2/ 0
Zaheer Abbas	1	127.50	1/ 0	8	45.07	1/ 2
Saleem Malik	3	121.00	2/ 0	10	57.41	1/ 5
Imran Farhat	1	91.00	0/ 1	6	23.83	0/ 1
Inzamam-ul-Haq	2	33.00	0/ 0	11	43.55	2/ 5

Pakistan will surely be encouraged by these numbers, but England will fancy their chances of sealing the series at a venue where they haven’t lost any of their last eight Tests, and have won five of them. A win against Pakistan will give them a hattrick of wins here, following the defeats of South Africa and Australia in the last two seasons. The last team to beat England at this venue was Australia, way back in 2001. Pakistan’s most recent memory, on the other hand, was much more unpleasant, with the forfeiture in 2006 handing England victory after they trailed by 331 in the first innings.England’s current batsmen, though, don’t have such a great record at The Oval. Kevin Pietersen has scored three hundreds, and has topped 90 in each Test that he has played here, but Paul Collingwood only averages 32.62, with no century in ten innings.

England batsmen at The Oval

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Jonathan Trott	1	160	80.00	1/ 0
Kevin Pietersen	4	523	69.08	3/ 1
Andrew Strauss	6	468	42.54	1/ 4
Alastair Cook	4	352	44.00	0/ 3
Paul Collingwood	5	261	32.62	0/ 2

In the last five Tests here, fast bowlers and spinners have achieved similar numbers: pace has accounted for 111 wickets at an average of 36.02, while spinners average 37.48 for their 43 wickets.

سجل كودي جاكبو لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ليفربول، هدف التعادل للريدز في المباراة التي تجمعه بـ مانشستر يونايتد في كلاسيكو الكرة الإنجليزية.

المباراة تجمع بين الفريقين ضمن الجولة 20، ويستضيف فيها ليفربول على ملعبه أنفيلد رود، نظيره مانشستر يونايتد الذي لم يفز خلال المباريات الخمس الأخيرة.

تقدم ليساندرو مارتينيز هدف التقدم بعد أقل من دقائق على بداية الشوط الثاني، ولكن الرد لم يتأخر.

الهدف جاء في الدقيقة 59، برد سريع من أصحاب الأرض، بعد تمريرة من ماك أليستر لـ كودي جاكبو الذي تمكن من مراوغة ماتياس دي ليخت بطريقة رائعة ووضع الكرة بشكل أروع في شباك الحارس أندريه أونانا. هدف كودي جاكبو في مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد

 

It might sound like it, but it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to state that this summer has been one of Chelsea’s best in a very long time.

Enzo Maresca’s men came into it as Conference League champions and with Champions League football secured, only to then go and demolish Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final.

On top of the successes on the pitch, the West Londoners have been incredibly busy off it, welcoming in a host of brilliant players, including striker duo Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.

Yet, the Pensioners are not done there, as reports have now linked them with a goalscoring monster who is so dangerous he could be bad news for the two forwards.

Chelsea's summer business

To ensure Maresca’s side can kick on next season, the board have gone out of their way to back the manager over the last month or so.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

On top of the £60m for Pedro and the £30m for Delap, the West Londoners splashed £48m on the dynamic Jamie Gittens, who racked up 17 goal involvements in 49 games for Borussia Dortmund last season.

However, the Blues may have saved their most audacious transfer for last, as they’re now being linked to an incredibly in-demand forward who would possibly be bad news for Pedro and Delap: Hugo Ekitiké.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are one of a number of clubs who admire the Eintracht Frankfurt star.

Newcastle United are currently leading the race for his signature and have seen a £70m offer rejected, but Liverpool and Manchester United are also keen on the player, alongside the Blues, per Jacobs.

In terms of how much he’d ultimately cost, reports from earlier this summer claimed that an offer of around £85m should be enough to tempt the German side into selling.

It would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but one well worth fighting for, even if it would potentially be bad news for Pedro and Delap.

Why Ekitike could be bad news for Pedro and Delap

The first thing to say is that both Delap and Pedro are incredibly talented forwards, with the former already racking up a goal and an assist in six games for the Blues and the latter doing even better, scoring three goals in three games.

However, when it comes to pure output, the pair pale in comparison to what Ekitike was able to produce last season, and that ultimately is why his arrival could be bad news for their future game time.

For example, in 48 appearances this season, totalling 3644 minutes, the former Paris Saint-Germain ace scored a mammoth 22 goals and provided 12 assists for good measure.

In other words, the 23-year-old machine was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.41 games, or every 107.17 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star scored ten goals and provided seven assists in 30 appearances, totalling 2136 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.76 games, or every 125.64 minutes.

Ekitiké vs Pedro & Delap in 24/25
Players	Ekitiké	Pedro	Delap
Appearances	48	30	40
Minutes	3644′	2136′	2670′
Goals	22	10	12
Assists	12	7	2
Goal Involvements per Match	0.70	0.56	0.35
Minutes per Goal Involvement	107.17	125.64′	190.71′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Likewise, the former Ipswich Town gem did well, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists in 40 appearances, totalling 2670 minutes, but that still comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.85 games, or every 190.71 minutes.

Then, on top of his vastly superior output, the Frankfurt star, whom journalist Graeme Bailey once dubbed the “next Mbappé,” also has the advantage of more top-level experience.

He has made four appearances in the Champions League and 12 in the Europa League, compared to six for the Brazilian and none for the Englishman.

Ultimately, there are enough games in a season for all three to get game time, but should Chelsea sign Ekitike this summer, his outrageous ability in front of goal would surely see Pedro and Delap relegated to second and third choice, respectively.

PL rivals eyeing £100m Chelsea star; his exit could make room for Ekitike

It would be wise of Chelsea to cash in and upgrade.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 16, 2025

Following their defeat against Bournemouth before the international break, things were beginning to look rather bleak for Newcastle United's European aspirations, as injuries continued to pile up. Two games later, however, and it's clear that Eddie Howe's squad are capable of weathering the storm, having smashed Chelsea 4-1 at St James' Park, before earning a point at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in a game they really deserved to win.

With any panic over just how they'll cope amid growing injury concerns, reports suggest that Newcastle chiefs are now against the idea of signing a long-term target in the January transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

Newcastle haven't exactly been shy when it comes to spending money since the takeover by PIF, which has seen them rise up the ranks in the Premier League to finally regain their place in Europe's elite competition – in which they could still advance to the knockout stage. When the January transfer window swings open, however, it seems as though the Magpies will remain wise in their spending instead of splashing the cash on reinforcements for Howe. And that has reportedly seen those at St James' Park pull the plug on the idea of signing one specific forward.

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle chiefs are now against the idea of signing Hugo Ekitike in January and will pursue other targets. Newcastle's interest in Ekitike dates back to the summer of 2022 when he opted to join PSG over a move to the Premier League side. Struggling for game time ever since, the young forward now needs a fresh start in order to get his career back on track. But that fresh start doesn't look set to come in the form of a move to Newcastle in the winter window.

Newcastle's reported decision comes as a surprise, given the injury problems that they've encountered so far this season, though their attention seems to be focused on elsewhere when it comes to boosting Howe's squad.

"Excellent" Ekitike must get career back on track

Choosing to join a side who have Kylian Mbappe playing in your position was never going to result in consistent minutes for the young forward and Ekitike's stats in Paris don't make for pretty reading. The former Reims man has featured just once all season, which came in an eight-minute cameo against FC Lorient on the opening day of the Ligue 1 season. At 21-years-old, Ekitike desperately needs game time to get things back on track towards his potential.

Former Reims reserve team coach Franck Chalencon certainly believes that Ekitike is full of talent, previously telling TNT Sport: "Very young, we saw a huge potential, something natural, with a feeling for scoring a goal. He's a very clever player which has seen him to adapt and understand the expectations of professional football. His main quality? His instinct for goal. It's very rare that Hugo plays a game without creating a chance himself at any occasion.

"In front of the goal, his ratio is excellent. But he's not only a striker, he can play on the wing, too. Very technical. He knows what to do with the ball, when to keep it, when to give it. He is very confident about his qualities."

Everton boss Sean Dyche and potential new owners 777 Partners could be about to get some much needed relief on the Toffees' wage bill, according to a fresh report.

Everton updates: 777 Partners, Branthwaite & Garner latest

Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright has shared a positive update on his health in recent days following communication from Everton that the 78-year-old has returned home from hospital after having a cancerous tumour removed from his liver. Cited via BBC Sport, one club spokesperson said: "He has returned home to continue his recovery, which is expected to be lengthy but complete."

In conversation with the Price of Football podcast meanwhile, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has indicated that there is a lot of 'red flags' within 777 Partners' proposed Everton takeover, as he stated: "The work of some other Everton fans who have looked into the background of 777, there are lots of red flags."

In-form Everton central defender Jarrad Branthwaite has been in action for England's Under-21 side during the international break and featured in the young Three Lions' 9-1 obliteration of Serbia at the City Ground in midweek alongside James Garner. The duo are now scheduled to take part in Lee Carsley's side's upcoming tussle against Ukraine on Monday 16th October at 5.30 pm in UEFA Euro qualifying.

Everton face a powderkeg clash at Anfield against Liverpool on October 21st in the Premier League once they return from the international break. and Dyche's men will be desperate to build on their 3-0 triumph against Bournemouth at Goodison Park last weekend to move further away from the relegation zone.

Everton's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Premier League

Liverpool (A)

Anfield

Premier League

West Ham United (A)

London Stadium

EFL Cup

Burnley (H)

Goodison Park

Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion (H)

Goodison Park

Premier League

Crystal Palace (A)

Selhurst Park

Everton transfer update – Andre Gomes

According to an Everton transfer update from Calciomercato, Toffees outcast Andre Gomes is being lined up as a potential replacement for Paul Pogba at Juventus after the France international tested positive for a banned substance and now could be set for a ban of up to four years from football.

Gomes, whose £112k-a-week contract is set to expire next June, has been identified as a financially feasible option for the Italian giants to help fill the void that Pogba could leave, though much will depend on whether Everton are okay with losing the Portuguese midfielder's services six months early.

If they did agree to a deal with Juventus in the New Year, Everton could actually save around £2.9 million on Gomes' salary, as they wouldn't have to pay the remaining 26 weeks on his contract from January to June.

In light of potential new ownership at Goodison Park, shifting Gomes, who has netted two goals and seven assists in 100 appearances for Everton but not played a single minute this season and is clearly not in Dyche's plans, may be a cost-effective solution for all parties involved (Gomes statistics – Transfermarkt).