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Chris Wright claims five-for as Stoneman shares 164-run stand with Rory Burns, who contributes 75

ECB Reporters Network09-May-2021A damp outfield that delayed the start of play for nearly three hours, coming on top of the loss of the entire third day to the weather, resulted in Leicestershire and Surrey settling for a draw in their LV= Insurance County Championship match at The UptonSteel County Ground.There was some fine cricket played in the 48 overs possible however, as after Surrey resumed on 146 without loss, Leicestershire took all ten of the visitors’ first-innings wickets for a further 178 runs.Seamer Chris Wright led the way by picking up 5 for 60, with left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson taking three wickets as the pitch began to offer turn.Mark Stoneman’s fine century, made from 208 deliveries, ensured Surrey picked up three batting bonus points.Related

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There had been speculation that with Surrey going into the final day 350 adrift on first innings, agreement might be reached regarding Leicestershire setting the visitors a target.By the time umpires Ian Gould and Richard Illingworth decided play could start, however, there was not enough time for that to be a realistic proposition.Rory Burns quickly became Wright’s first victim, top edging an attempted pull high to midwicket, before Hashim Amla’s full-blooded cut at Ben Mike was beautifully caught by Colin Ackermann at gully.Ollie Pope, going for quick runs, should have been stumped off Parkinson before he was bowled by Wright, then the spinner produced a beautiful delivery that turned off middle and hit the top of Ben Foakes’ off stump.Jamie Smith and Jordan Clark were bowled by Wright deliveries that kept low, and Ackermann, standing wide at slip, made another fine catch to see the back of Stoneman, cutting at Wright.Jamie Overton turned a long hop straight to midwicket, Reece Topley skied an attempted straight hit to cover and Rikki Clarke was bowled by Ed Barnes – the Yorkshireman’s first wicket for Leicestershire – to bring the innings and match to a close.

Henry ripped through top order while Wagner exposed England’s fragile middle order

Valkerie Baynes12-Jun-2021A devastating opening spell from Matt Henry backed up by Neil Wagner and later Ajaz Patel snuffed out England’s hopes on the third day of the second Test at Edgbaston.England were left reeling at 3 for 30 as Henry tore through their top order either side of tea and by the close, they were nine down and just 37 runs ahead. Their fragile middle order was exposed once more and New Zealand were on the cusp of victory – although not enough to take the extra half-hour at the end of the day to try and finish it off.Having resumed on 229 for 3, still 74 runs behind, New Zealand lost their remaining seven wickets for 96 runs, but that wasn’t quickly enough for England, who collapsed to 76 for 7 still nine runs adrift, only clawing their way ahead via an eighth-wicket partnership between Mark Wood and Olly Stone.Bearing in mind that New Zealand were resting spearheads Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson ahead of next week’s WTC final, a theme that had developed surrounding the tourists’ incredible depth became outright dominance as England had no answers.Ross Taylor batted with greater fluency than on the previous day, pushing his overnight score on from 46 via a series of boundaries, including a deft sweep off Dan Lawrence to bring up his fifty. He then hit back-to-back fours off James Anderson through the point region, with the second looking more intentional than the first.Taylor was dropped on 68 hooking to long leg, where Sam Billings grassed the chance but he was eventually out nicking Stone through to wicketkeeper James Bracey for 80, the third New Zealand batter and fifth overall this match to be dismissed in the 80s.Bracey, the England wicketkeeper playing his second Test, had a moment to forget a short time later when he dropped Tom Blundell off Stone with the batter yet to score.Wood was bowling with sharp pace for reward as Blundell and Henry Nicholls withstood the pressure. But that was only until Nicholls was struck on the helmet attempting to pull a rapid bumper. No sooner had he been given the all-clear to continue, Nicholls gloved Wood’s next delivery down the leg side and Bracey held on.Anderson had toiled for 24.2 overs before taking his first wicket of the match, bowling Wagner for a duck and, when Wood had Henry out lbw, New Zealand’s lead was just 50 with only two wickets in hand.Ross Taylor batted with great fluency•AFP/Getty ImagesStuart Broad mopped those up, including the wicket of Blundell, caught by Joe Root, who let out an almighty shout directly at the ball after he held on at slip, having dropped one the previous day off Stone that would have dismissed top-scorer Will Young on seven. Broad remained the pick of England’s bowlers with 4 for 48 from 23.1 overs.But the lead was 85 by that point and, when Henry had Rory Burns out for a second-ball duck, attempting to drive and edging to Tom Latham at second slip, the danger signs were there. Burns had been England’s in-form batter this series and it would fall to someone else this time. As it turned out, not even Root could come to the rescue.Henry had Dom Sibley caught by Daryl Mitchell at third slip shortly before tea and, after the break, Zak Crawley’s lean run continued when he fell lbw to Henry for 17 Ollie Pope rattled along to 23 off just 20 balls but he was struck on the knee roll by a Wagner inswinger and sent on his way with England still 27 behind.Lawrence, who has impressed among the relative newcomers to this England side with a fifty on debut in Sri Lanka in January, scores of 46 and 50 against India in Ahmedabad and an unbeaten 81 in the first innings of this Test, was Wagner’s second scalp, caught behind without scoring.Bracey, out for a duck on debut at Lord’s and again in the first innings here, managed a wry smile as the Edgbaston crowd roared when he got off the mark and they were equally enthusiastic when he pulled Trent Boult through midwicket for four.His relief was brief, though, when Patel was re-introduced into the attack and struck with his third ball when Bracey moved across his stumps and ended up pressing the ball into middle with his glove.Where there was Root there was hope, even if he had faced 54 balls to reach double figures. But his attempted cut off Patel produced only a top-edge through to Blundell.What remained for home fans was another entertaining knock from Wood, who had put on a show on the second morning to reach 41 with some big hitting. This evening he took England into a five-run lead with a slog-sweep off Patel for six over deep midwicket. Two fours off as many balls in Patel’s next over brought up England’s hundred but they were seven wickets down and only 15 ahead.Wood’s partnership with Stone was worth 44 before Wood skied a Wagner short ball almost directly above his own head and Blundell had aeons to set himself beneath it, gloves at the ready.Boult rearranged Broad’s stumps in the last over of the evening, but Anderson survived the remaining four balls to ensure the match would see a fourth day.

It was an interesting summer of transfer business for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

Daniel Levy and Co splashed £65m to secure the services of Premier League proven striker and once-capped England international Dominic Solanke, but most of their business looked markedly different in approach.

Instead of bringing in another two or three older players who had the experience of consistently playing in the top flight, the Lilywhites opted to sign several young up-and-coming talents in players like Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Yang Min-Hyeok.

Signings like these might not get the fans off their seats at the moment, but they are all highly rated and have the potential to develop into something special.

Moreover, by focusing on younger players, the club can ensure they don’t miss out on the next big thing, as they did in the mid-2010s when, instead of listening to David Pleat about a future England star, players like Clinton N’Jie and Moussa Sissoko came through the door.

N'jie & Sissoko's Spurs careers

Okay, so let’s start with Sissoko first, as while he had his detractors early on, he did end up spending five mostly successful years in North London.

In fact, while many in the media dubbed him a £30m flop following his underwhelming debut campaign in N17, he quickly improved and soon became a genuinely useful player for Mauricio Pochettino during a period in which he had the club fighting for major honours.

The former Newcastle United midfielder played 202 games for the Lilywhites, scoring five goals and providing 16 assists, mostly from central and right midfield.

On the other hand, N’jie was an unmitigated flop. While he wasn’t egregiously expensive, his £12m fee was still reasonably sizeable for a young forward in 2015.

There wasn’t an enormous amount of pressure on the then-22-year-old at the time, as his job was to occasionally play off the left and be the backup for a then-still-young Harry Kane, but even then, he failed to deliver.

In 14 appearances across his one and only season with the club, he failed to score and provided just a single assist before he was sent on loan to Marseille for the following season. A year later, he eventually joined the French team permanently.

Overall, while Sissoko was eventually a successful signing, N’jie certainly wasn’t, and around the time the club signed the pair, Pleat was telling them to sign an encouraging talent from the lower divisions who could play all over the pitch.

Spurs missed out on Ollie Watkins

Yes, the youngster that Spurs missed out on signing is indeed England international Ollie Watkins.

According to an article from the Athletic, Pleat recommended a number of talented youngsters to Spurs in the mid-2010s, from James Maddison to Dele Alli and a certain ‘box-to-box midfielder’ from Exeter City.

Yes, before he was terrifying defenders up top, the Newton Abbot-raised marksman was, in his own words, a “utility man” who was happy to play anywhere, including but not limited to “left-wing back, centre midfield, right wing, striker.”

However, while he was at one point more familiar with the role Sissoko played, he soon developed into a seriously deadly attacker, and after wowing fans at Exeter’s St James’ Park, he earned a move to then-Championship side Brentford, where yet more impressive form finally earned him a massive £28m move to Premier League side Aston Villa.

Since his move to Birmingham, the dynamic goalscorer has gone from strength to strength and moved from the wing to the centre-forward position, and, so far, he’s racked up 70 goals and 27 assists in 172 games, which explains why the club value him at a whopping £75m.

Appearances

78

143

172

Goals

26

49

70

Assists

17

17

27

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

0.46

0.56

However, he took another step up last season, as in 53 appearances, he scored 27 goals and provided 13 assists, which helped the Villans qualify for the Champions League and booked him a place at Euro 2024, where he scored England’s winner in the semi-final.

Ultimately, while clubs cannot sign every player recommended by their scouts, on this occasion, Spurs would have been better off listening to Pleat and bringing in Watkins alongside Sissoko instead of N’jie.

He left for £0: Spurs gem who Poch compared to Messi is outscoring Maddison

The talented attacker has thrived away from North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 10, 2024

Former Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech has declared his spell with Galatasaray is "over", while tearing into "low level" coach Okan Buruk.

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Ziyech left Chelsea for GalatasarayWinger now wants transfer exitHits out at "low level " coach BurukFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ziyech initially joined the Turkish giants on loan for the second half of last season from Chelsea before making the move permanent in the summer. After a productive loan stint, the 31-year-old has struggled at the Super Lig team this term, making just three starts in his 11 appearances and failing to get on the scoresheet. Now, the Morocco international says he doesn't want to play for the club anymore and tore into Galatasaray manager Buruk, too.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT HAKIM ZIYECH SAID

"Galatasaray is over for me. I don't want to play here anymore. I'm leaving in January," he said, relayed by journalist Haluk Yürekli. "I've never seen a coach of such a low level. I don't care that much [if joining Galatasaray was a mistake]. I want to be left alone, no matter what happens. I regret coming here."

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The career of the attacking midfielder Ziyech, who can also play as a winger, appears to be on a downward trajectory after falling out of favour at Chelsea and now Galatasaray. The former Ajax man's contract runs until next summer but he may be off before then as these comments are unlikely to go down well at the Turkish giants.

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It may be up in the air if Ziyech will play for Galatasaray again, with the January transfer window just a couple of weeks away. There is also the chance he runs down his contract and leaves as a free agent at the end of the season.

Contrary to local reports, ESPNcricinfo understands Boucher has not taken legal action against those who mentioned him in their testimonies

Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2021Mark Boucher, South Africa’s men’s national coach, will make a submission to Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Social Justice and Nation-Building (SJN) project in response to allegations in which he has been implicated. Although CSA as an organisation will not comment on the SJN proceedings while they are ongoing, Boucher in his personal capacity confirmed his intention to co-operate with and support the SJN.”I have been asked by the SJN to submit a written reply to the various allegations made during the hearings that have taken place. The documents that I have been furnished with, as well as the various reports in the media require my full attention and consideration, which I will be giving to them over the course of the next week,” Boucher said. “My intentions are to cooperate fully with all requests made by the Ombudsman, so that the objectives of the SJN can be achieved.”Related

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Boucher’s name has cropped up in a few statements by former players at the SJN hearings on racial discrimination in the game, leading to questions asked about him by the ombudsman Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza. Some testimonies imply the involvement of Boucher, usually as part of a group of players, in some of the incidents that have come out. The culture of the national team, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s and specifically at the 2007 World Cup, has come under scrutiny through stories from former players Paul Adams, Roger Telemachus and Loots Bosman.While it is not clear how many of the members of those teams will present to the SJN it is expected that those with current involvement in South African cricket are likely to exercise the right of reply afforded to anyone who has been named in the proceedings.Boucher was first asked for a reaction to the SJN testimony following South Africa’s 3-0 victory over Ireland in the T20I series last week, when his name was mentioned at the hearings. Then, he said: “I fully respect the sensitivity around this. I am not going to give a knee-jerk response. I will go back home, assess the information that’s on the table, that’s available to me and I will reply respectfully and appropriately to all of the allegations. And at the right time as well. I need to get home and have a look at what’s been said and then I will come through with a response.”Contrary to local reports, ESPNcricinfo understands Boucher has not taken legal action against those who mentioned him in their testimonies. He called accusations of seeking the legal way out “hurtful, factually incorrect and do not serve the greater good of our country or the intentions of the SJN in mending past hurts and building relations.”As things stand, a date and time for Boucher’s submission at the SJN has yet to be confirmed.

Look, Mohamed Salah has scored at Vicarage Road. It’s 3-2.

It was August 2017. On his Liverpool debut, a former Chelsea flop took the first steps of an odyssey that continues to this day. Of course, Liverpool didn’t manage to hold on that day, plugged back by Miguel Britos’ controversial 96th-minute equaliser, but that doesn’t matter anymore.

It was, in many ways, the real genesis of Liverpool’s glory days, with Jurgen Klopp assembling a world-class strikeforce in its infant stage, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino also scoring for a side that had no clue what lay ahead.

Mane and Firmino’s ships have sailed but Salah still reigns supreme in the Premier League, remaining after Klopp left in the summer and starting life under Arne Slot with aplomb, posting three goals and three assists across just three opening fixtures.

1.

Mohamed Salah

44

25

0.56

2.

Darwin Nunez

54

18

0.33

3.

Cody Gakpo

53

16

0.30

4.

Diogo Jota

32

15

0.47

5.

Luis Diaz

51

13

0.25

32 years young. The athletic phenomenon looks as good as he ever has, and he’s not the only long-serving Liverpool stalwart making a positive impression.

Indeed, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s vice-captain, continues to thrive for club and – in a newfound capacity – country. He’s one of football’s finest technicians. He’s world-class. He’s only 25, but his valuation, as recorded by Transfermarkt, has skyrocketed over the years.

1 Trent's market value in 17/18 ​​​

The year that started it all. Liverpool’s 2017/18 season would end in dejection in a Gareth Bale-fuelled Real Madrid victory in the Champions League final, not helped by Loris Karius, but Alexander-Arnold took steps onto the senior stage, and Liverpool knew they had a new star.

The 17-year-old’s expertly dispatched free-kick against Hoffenheim was just the beginning, and at that same time, when Salah scored his debut goal, this young lad was valued at a paltry £1m.

2 Trent's market value in 18/19

Transfermarkt’s lowly £1m valuation one year before lifted to €25m (£21m), but his efforts across the campaign let Liverpool fans know they had a special player in their midst.

Up until the end of the 2018/19 season, Klopp’s Liverpool were a talented and exciting bunch, but not the stuff of champions; having fallen against Los Blancos in last year’s Champions League final, few envisaged the Reds would return and vanquish their demons.

‘Corner taken quickly.’ We all know it. Alexander-Arnold went from strength to strength, showcasing his prodigious playmaking powers and earning acclaim.

3 Trent's market value in 19/20

Trent’s efforts in winning Europe’s elite club competition were nice and all that, but Klopp’s boys had developed a hankering for silverware and were bothered by missing out on the Premier League title by a single point, to Manchester City.

Alexander-Arnold posted four goals and 13 assists in the division that year, which was instrumental in clinching the highest place on the podium. His efforts the year before had sent his value soaring toward the elite level, with Transfermarkt indeed valuing him at €80m (£69m) in the summer of 2019. Spoiler alert: it rose higher still.

4 Trent's market value in 20/21

Klopp’s dynasty did have its peaks and valleys, and the 2020/21 campaign was one of frustration as the Premier League champions were ravaged by injuries, though they did pull off a great escape in their own right to claim a top-four spot against all the odds.

In a COVID-affected world, Alexander-Arnold endured some hardship, though he did begin the campaign with a frankly absurd market value of €110m (£93m), which really does underscore just how special he is.

5 Trent's market value in 21/22

Bounce back. Liverpool restored their position as behemoths of the European game and returned to the ascendancy. Two trophies were won this year and Alexander-Arnold was on fire, the right-back clinching 21 goal contributions across 47 matches.

Defensive frailties and Liverpool’s overall poor performances the year before pulled the 25-year-old’s value back down to earth, however, still, it stood at a commendable €75m (£63m).

6 Trent's market value in 22/23

This was a low point. Alexander-Arnold was among the most rebuked Liverpool players during the nadir of Klopp’s tenure. Liverpool capitulated and missed out on Champions League football after finishing fifth.

Patchy form and shoddy defending characterised the term, with the Reds possibly burned out after the agonising near misses of the year before.

Much of the criticism headed Alexander-Arnold’s way was undue, for he still popped up with some magical moments, offered world-class creativity and was hailed as a “genius” by Reds reporter Neil Jones.

His market value stood at €80m (£69m) at the start of the campaign but hit its lowest ebb after the off-season.

7 Trent's market value in 23/24

Klopp revamped Liverpool’s midfield, a realm that Alexander-Arnold started to step into with greater regularity, flaunting his glittering range of passing.

Liverpool’s resurgent side weren’t always treated to the maestro’s performances, for he missed a chunk due to injury, but Klopp praised him for his “world-class” quality, and rightly so.

The woes of the season before meant that he started the season with a market worth of ‘just’ €65m (£55m), which is still a considerable valuation, but he resided in the penultimate year of his £180k-per-week contract and only renewal would see him return to the summit of football’s priciest players.

8 Trent's market value in 24/25

At the time of writing, it’s September 2023. Where’s that contract, Mr. Hughes? Apologies for the levity but do try not to fret. The aforementioned Salah is the first of Liverpool’s central trio to receive contractual attention, and there’s tentative promise with that one, but let’s just wait and see, ay?

Back to Trent, who is finally getting the Three Lions recognition he deserves, performing with audacious gusto for club and country. The city-born superstar’s situation is probably the most concerning of the lot, not least because Real Madrid lurk, interested in snapping up another elite talent on a free transfer.

It simply cannot happen. Alexander-Arnold, despite his present situation, has a market value of €70m (£59m), but just imagine what would happen if Liverpool got him to scribble that nib and spell his signature.

To put it another way, just imagine what would happen if Liverpool can’t get him to do exactly that.

Klopp sold Liverpool star for £6.5m, he's now outscored Chiesa since 2021

The club may regret allowing the talent to depart Anfield.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 11, 2024

Rodrigo Bentancur will not be involved in Tottenham's training until he gets the green light from the club's medical staff following his collapse.

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Bentancur collapsed during Liverpool winStrectchered off and taken to hospitalClub will continue to monitor his conditionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bentancur is under close medical supervision after a frightening collapse during Wednesday night’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. The 27-year-old will not be permitted to return to Tottenham’s training facilities until he receives full medical clearance, according to

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Bentancur collapsed suddenly during the first half of the match, despite no contact with any other player. The alarming nature of the incident led to a lengthy nine-minute delay as he received medical attention on the field. He was eventually stretchered off to a standing ovation from both Tottenham and Liverpool fans.

WHAT BENTANCUR SAID

The midfielder was immediately taken to hospital for a series of medical examinations. After being discharged later that evening, Bentancur reassured fans with a social media post. Sharing a photo alongside his fiancée, Melany La Banca, he wrote, “All good, guys! Thank you for the messages!!! Congratulations for the victory boys!!!”

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DID YOU KNOW?

While the immediate health scare seems to have passed, Bentancur could be sidelined for an extended period. The Uruguayan international has already missed significant time this season due to disciplinary issues and suspensions. Earlier this year, Bentancur served a seven-match suspension following allegations of a racial slur against team-mate and club captain Son Heung-min during an interview in Uruguay. After serving the ban, he missed last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle after picking up a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation.

Teenager paves way for visitors as Stars leapfrog rivals to go top of Group A

ECB Reporters' Network28-Aug-2021South East Stars 167 for 4 (Capsey 61) beat Southern Vipers 147 for 7 (Elwiss 45, Capsey 2-9) by 20 runsSouth East Stars beat Southern Vipers by 20 runs at the Ageas Bowl in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, thanks to a boisterous half-century and a return of 2 for 9 from 17-year-old Alice Capsey.Capsey’s 61 from 46 balls, combined with useful contributions from Bryony Smith (42 from 25) and Phoebe Franklin (30 from 29), helped the Stars to 167 for 4 – the most runs conceded by Vipers in the competition. Vipers desperately missed strike bowler Lauren Bell, isolating after close contact with a Covid-positive case.In reply Vipers sunk to 32 for 3 in the Powerplay, with both openers caught trying to hit out against Capsey – Georgia Adams at short extra cover and Tara Norris at mid-on.Vipers recovered to reach 147 for 7 thanks to a smart innings from Georgia Elwiss, with 45 from 32 balls, and some late heroics from Alice Monaghan, who hit an unbeaten 30 from 17 balls and tonked the only six of the day over deep midwicket, but their early losses cost them.The win puts Stars at the top of the table with one round to go.Vipers had won the toss and chosen to field but Stars teed off early – Aylish Cranstone punishing Norris’s first over for 15 runs, before the left-armer trapped her lbw. Smith took over where Cranstone left off, hitting the ball hard down the ground as Stars racked up 56 runs in the Powerplay.By contrast Capsey started slowly with 5 from 13, but the dismissal of Smith in the ninth over – caught at long-on, handing debutant Chiara Green her first wicket of the competition – seemed to galvanise her. Two overs later she audaciously scooped Elwiss to the boundary, and followed that up by smashing three boundaries – including a lofted drive down the ground – from Norris’s next over.Capsey shared a 64-run partnership with the fluent Franklin, helped by some uncharacteristically poor fielding in the deep from Vipers. Franklin was bowled by Adams in the 17th but Capsey was unfazed, bringing up a 41-ball half-century with a single in the 19th.She was eventually run out with one ball of the innings to go after a bad fall prevented her making her ground at the non-striker’s end, and limped off clutching her quad. But she came roaring back to open the bowling for Stars to great effect.

Ruben Amorim using Sir Alex Ferguson's journey at Manchester United as motivation ahead of facing Arsenal in FA Cup.

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Amorim following Ferguson's journey as Man Utd bossRemains motivated ahead of facing Arsenal in the FA CupMan Utd held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw last weekendFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Amorim endured a tough start to life at Old Trafford, losing six out of the nine matches the club played in December. United, however, started the New Year with a spirited performance against league leaders at Anfield last weekend and will now face Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

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Ahead of meeting the Gunners, the Red Devils boss claimed that he has been watching footage of Sir Alex Ferguson's journey with the club and revealed how he has been seeking motivation to beat the Gunners from the legendary manager's time at Old Trafford.

WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

Speaking to reporters, the Portuguese coach said: "Maybe I will need that in the future, I don’t know. It’s about the feeling of winning. That feeling can give you so much confidence. If you win one thing then you believe you can win more.

"That feeling is addictive. You feel it and then it’s really easy to follow that by trying to win again. I know that story (of Ferguson). I think he saved his job, not by winning the Cup but by beating a strong opponent in an earlier round."

He added: "They (the fans) were saying ‘Fergie out’ – and then they won that game and then reached the final and won it. I know that. I think it’s important for the future for the confidence of the players."

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After facing the Gunners in the FA Cup, United will be back in action in the Premier League on Thursday night as they take on Southampton at home.

Celtic continued their sensational start to the Scottish Premiership campaign with a thumping 6-0 victory on their travels away at St Johnstone on Saturday.

The Hoops have now won all six of their matches in the division and are yet to concede a single goal, with a staggering six clean sheets for Kasper Schmeichel already.

Kyogo Furuhashi scored twice in the first half and substitute Adam Idah found the back of the net off the bench in the second half, as Brendan Rodgers’ strikers combined for half of the team’s goals at the weekend.

The Japan international doubled his tally for the season, having only scored two goals in all competitions before Saturday, but also missed three ‘big chances’ against St Johnstone, and has now missed ten in the Premiership this term.

Idah, who has scored four goals in his last three games, will be hoping to push Kyogo throughout the season and eventually claim a place in the starting XI.

Celtic invested £8.5m to sign the young marksman on a permanent deal from Norwich City in the summer transfer window, which shows that they believe that he has the potential to do that.

However, the Hoops have not always had the best of luck when signing promising centre-forwards who still need to develop, with Vakoun Bayo being one example.

How much Celtic paid for Vakoun Bayo

The Scottish giants swooped to sign the Ivorian striker from Dunajska Streda for a reported fee of £2m in January 2019, to be Odsonne Edouard’s understudy in the same way that Idah is currently Kyogo’s.

He had scored 22 goals and provided nine assists in 32 matches for the Slovakian side in all competitions, which convinced Celtic to splash out a fee of £2m to sign him ahead of the second half of the 2018/19 campaign.

Bayo only made one appearance in all competitions during the second half of that season, as the young forward settled into life in Glasgow following his move from Slovakia.

In the 2019/20 campaign, the Ivory Coast international made 16 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants and contributed with two goals and one assist in all competitions.

Celtic decided to send Bayo out on loan to Toulouse in Ligue 2 and the youngster enjoyed a solid season in France, with a return of 13 goals in 36 appearances.

Despite his impressive loan stint, the Hoops took a loss on the forward as they sold him to Belgian side Gent for a fee of £1.4m in the summer of 2021, which meant that they had a howler with the striker as he struggled on the pitch for the club and his value plummeted.

Things could have been very different for the Premiership champions, however, as they had reportedly sent scouts to watch Erling Haaland in action before they signed Bayo.

When Celtic passed up on Erling Haaland

In the summer of 2018, Celtic reportedly sent scouts to watch Haaland when he was playing for Molde in the Europa League against Glenavon in a qualifier.

It was claimed that Hearts and other teams from Europe were also keeping tabs on the Norway youth international at the time, who was 18 and breaking through with Molde.

The young marksman scored four goals in five Europa League qualifiers that term, along with 12 goals in 25 league games during the 2018 campaign, with those scouts in attendance.

However, Celtic did not opt to go any further with their interest in the teenage marksman and that allowed RB Salzburg to swoop in and sign him for a fee of £4.5m in January 2019.

Whilst it may never be known whether or not Haaland would have turned down a switch to Salzburg to play for the Scottish giants, their decision not to act upon their interest in him should be seen as a blunder.

They were clearly in the market to add a young and promising striker to the squad, hence the move for Bayo in the same window that the Norwegian star joined the Austrian outfit, but they opted to sign the Ivorian instead.

Haaland is certainly one that got away for Celtic as he is worth significantly more than the £4.5m that he was available for at the start of 2019.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Erling Haaland's current market value

At the time of writing (30/09/2024), his current market value on Transfermarkt is a staggering €180m (£152m) and that is, obviously, far more than the fee Salzburg paid for him.

Haaland scored a sensational 29 goals in 27 games for the Austrian outfit before Borussia Dortmund swooped in to sign him in January 2020.

The Norway international then fired in 86 goals in 89 matches for the German giants, including 62 goals in 67 matches in the Bundesliga, before earning his move to Manchester City.

In the summer of 2022, the Cityzens paid a reported fee of £88.5m to sign the centre-forward from Dortmund and they have not looked back since.

The 24-year-old marksman has made breaking record a habit during his time in England so far. He scored the most goals in a single season in Premier League history in his debut campaign with City, firing in 36 goals for the club in the 2022/23 term.

He also went on to become the quickest player in the league’s history to hit 50 goals in the competition, as it took him just 48 games – the next quickest being Andy Cole with 65 matches.

Appearances

6

xG

6.25

Goals

10

Big chances missed

3

Minutes per goal

54

As you can see in the table above, Haaland has enjoyed a sublime start to the current campaign, with ten goals in six matches, and may even have breaking his own record of 36 goals in one season in his sights.

The former Malde ace has scored 100 goals in 106 appearances for City in all competitions since his move to the club just over two years ago, and has established himself as a global superstar in football.

Therefore, he is one that got away for Celtic as they ended up signing Bayo, for only £2.5m less than Salzburg paid for Haaland, instead of landing the generational striker.

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