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West Ham United have not started the 2024/25 campaign on strong footing, but Julen Lopetegui has inherited a talented squad that has the capacity to carve out a successful campaign.

One win from six Premier League matches has left the Irons lodged in 15th place, but the absence of a clear identity has been more concerning. Compound that with the fact that West Ham have created the fewest big chances in the division, and there’s just cause for concern.

16th

Bournemouth

5

9

17th

Southampton

5

9

18th

Leicester City

6

8

19th

Wolverhampton Wanderers

6

8

20th

West Ham United

6

5

This is pretty concerning when considering that Lucas Paqueta sits at the heart of the team, but then the Brazilian playmaker has been short of his best over the past few months to be sure.

Of course, fans would love to have seen West Ham blitz into a rip-roaring start to a new era, but this is a luxury that cannot be expected as much as desired. What rankles is the lack of coherence and formula. Added impetus is needed, but it won’t come from Maxwel Cornet, that’s for sure.

Why West Ham signed Maxwel Cornet

When Cornet arrived in east London to seal his move to West Ham, he was one of the hottest properties from the lower echelons of the Premier League. Burnley had been treated to pure wonders from this mercurial winger.

The Hammers paid £17.5m to land Cornet in the summer of 2022, and there was plenty of excitement at the time. Indeed, he’d enjoyed quite the campaign with the Clarets, scoring nine times in the top flight across just 21 starting appearances. Pundit Alan Shearer had praised his “dangerous” aura for Sean Dyche’s side.

He was also a proud creator, demonstrating a multi-functionality that made him a real unit for a team seeking to stave off the threat of relegation – they failed, but the Ivory Coast international could hold his head high.

As per FBref, Cornet ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers during the 2021/22 Premier League season for crosses and the top 16% for ball recoveries per 90.

Unfortunately, that all fell flat under David Moyes. Transfer insider Dean Jones remarked that Cornet was “wasting his time” at the club, having scored one goal and added six assists across 37 matches in two years of service, before moving to Southampton on loan this summer, where he has started indifferently.

Why did West Ham sign him though? He’d been brought in to replace Andriy Yarmolenko, while Felipe Anderson had departed for good the year before. West Ham were on the hunt for a top-class new winger, and, after all, they had to find a contingency route after missing out on Luis Diaz.

West Ham missed a trick with Luis Diaz

Diaz, as most will know, has been one of the most in-form players in the Premier League this season, with five goals and an assist from his first six matches for Liverpool, whose win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend has shifted them into first place.

The Colombian is a winger of pace and sublime technique, and after an ebb and flowy 2023/24 campaign, scoring only eight top-flight goals from 37 outings, he’s now providing the prolificness that Arne Slot’s side need to challenge Manchester City and Arsenal for the title.

Journalist Jack Collins once said that the 27-year-old was “going to be a superstar” back when he played for Portuguese giants Porto, and despite some hurdles, he’s proving as much on Merseyside. If only West Ham signed him.

Back around the time Liverpool paid Porto an initial fee of £37m for Diaz in January 2022, the Irons had also been sniffing around. The veracity of these claims is strong, straight from the horse’s mouth.

“I spoke to Luis Diaz on the phone, we were quite far down the line to sign him,” Moyes said. “My understanding was that Liverpool planned to come in in the summer, so we thought we’d try and get him in January.”

Matches (starts)

37 (32)

6 (6)

Goals

8

5

Assists

5

1

Touches*

43.8

41.8

Shots (on target)

2.5 (0.9)

2.3 (1.3)

Pass completion

85%

89%

Key passes*

1.8

1.5

Ball recoveries*

3.4

3.7

Dribbles (completed)*

1.8

1.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.0

1.5

Total Duels won*

4.6

4.0

As his stats from last season show, Diaz might not have been the free-scoring sensation that his skillset suggests is within his locker, but he maintains a high level of athletic output, and contributes across many different aspects of the role.

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.

His roundedness is something that would have lifted the fortunes of those around him. Bowen has been West Ham’s best forward over the past several years, and he could have formed a wonderful bond with the Liverpool man. Moreover, just imagine the success that Paqueta could have found behind the fleet-footed winger, playing surgical passes through lines for Diaz to latch onto.

It’s no question that West Ham fumbled the bag with this one. Liverpool’s decision to bid for him in January seems to have been pushed forward from summer plans due, partly at least, to Moyes’ interest.

But given that he’s now worth upwards of €75m (£63m), which was the price tag Liverpool slapped on this summer amid interest from Barcelona, it looks like West Ham have missed their opportunity – it would take an extraordinary effort from Tim Steidten to pull such a deal together.

Of course, some might point toward the signing of Kudus one year later as a reason to have held off, but the Ghanaian isn’t only effective on the left flank, and could have been utilised as part of a deadly and electrifying strikeforce.

West Ham must axe flop who earns more than Kudus & Summerville combined

The Hammers may need to shift one costly asset in January…

ByConnor Holden Sep 27, 2024

In the words of Ron Burgundy, today is kind of a big deal

Alan Gardner21-Jul-2021So, I was watching the football the other night on the BBC, and they started advertising this thing called “the Hundred”. It looked kind of like cricket, so here I am…
Yes ma’am, you’ve come to the right place. The Hundred is the rootin’-est tootin’-est thing to happen to the game since they added a third stump. Or at least since T20 started in 2003.Why does it feel like this is something that’s been buzzing away in the back of my head for some time?
Well, the Hundred is coming in off one of the longest runs imaginable. It was first announced in 2018, to the sound of loud guffaws, and was supposed to be launched last year – only for Covid-19 to force a postponement. Now we’re hours away from the start of the competition, and nobody is laughing any more.What’s it all about then?
It is the Alpha and Omega of the English game. It is the ECB betting the farm and crossing its fingers. It’s about inspiring generations and making up for all those lost years behind the paywall on Sk…[Glazing over] Sorry, you’re losing me
Dang, got to keep this simple. In the words of Ron Burgundy, it’s kind of a big deal.Well that much I had worked out. It’s cricket with pop music and jazzy kits. But how does it differ from, say, T20?
Well, it’s shorter, for a start – 100 balls (hence the name, geddit?) compared to 120. And to speed things up they will bowl 10 balls in a row from each end, meaning a game should take less than two-and-a-half hours.That doesn’t seem significantly shorter than T20…
We live in an entertainment-rich, time-poor era. And being able to squeeze in a televised game between 6.30-9pm – primetime on the BBC – was supposedly one of the big selling points. It’s also SHINY and NEW, which might help when being dangled in front of the flighty young channel-surfers the ECB is hoping to attract to the sport.The Hundred is here, and it is going to be a load of fun. Or else…•Getty Images

The ECB thinks kids still watch linear TV?
Look there’ll also be clips on Twitter. Please don’t make this any harder than it has to be.[Returns to scrolling on smartphone] Okay, you’ve got my attention. Give me the hard sell
For the next four weeks, over the course of 34 men’s and 34 women’s games, the cream of English cricket – plus a generous dollop of overseas talent – will be bouncing around on a nightly basis in front of (hopefully) packed stands. All of the games will be broadcast on Sky’s cricket channel, with a selection also showing on the BBC (if you’re following in India, it will be on FanCode). There will be in-house DJs to add to the atmosphere in the grounds, and rule tweaks to try to makes things simpler for casual followers. As in T20, fours and sixes will be the order of the day; unlike T20, it won’t drag on until beyond the kids’ bedtime (probably, depending on when your kids go to bed). In short, every ball matters.Doesn’t every ball matter in the other formats then?
Very good, clever clogs. But they actually matter more in the Hundred, since they are now the unit of bowling currency – rather than dowdy old “overs”. Plus, if you’ve invested several million quid into getting this off the ground, as the ECB has, then it all matters a great deal.So it’s a load of balls, got it. What have they spent all the moolah on?
Well, creating eight teams from scratch, for a start. And paying the players extra wedge, particularly the overseas ones – even if a lot of them have pulled out at the last minute due to Covid-related restrictions on travel. Despite all that, the ECB still hopes that the tournament can be profitable (if you discount the annual payments of £1.3m to each of the counties in order to get the whole thing signed off – but we won’t bore you further with that here).As always, it’s about bums on seats, eyeballs on screens and selling as much Butterkist as you can…
The usual globalised capitalist schtick. The revolution will be televised – and the opening night will actually be quite revolutionary, with a standalone women’s fixture between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals at the Kia Oval to kick off the whole shebang. The men’s and women’s teams share the same branding and are promoted in the same way, while the two competitions will also share equal prize money.Breaking down gender barriers, eh? I like the sound of that!
Yes, although it’s probably also worth noting that the highest salary band for the women is £15,000, compared to £100,000 for the men; the lowest-paid male players will receive £24,000. There has also been a bit of a row on the eve of the tournament about extending financial support to some of the part-time female players who have had to give up work in order to satisfy biosecurity requirements.Ugh, more bio-bubble life for the players to contend with?
Not exactly – the ECB has opted against putting in place too many restrictions, with most of the rest of society in the UK opening up. But given contact tracing and the requirements to self-isolate have led to a number of cancellations in domestic cricket over recent weeks, there is a chance the Hundred could fall foul of the pandemic once again.I’ll keep my fingers crossed (and my mask on). If there’s one thing we need after the last 18 months, it’s a bit of joy in our lives again…
Yep, the ECB is banking on that. Probably while hoping the good weather holds. With restrictions on crowd capacity in England ending this week, it could potentially be a feel-good moment for the game, helping to finally neutralise some of the rancour around the concept.Related

Did we really need the Hundred?

With friends like these? A Hundred reasons why the ECB has failed the game

The Hundred timeline: How the ECB's new format came about

English cricket's atomic option highlights failure to capitalise on T20 revolution

Katherine Brunt on Women's Hundred pay row: 'Equality doesn't happen overnight'

You mean not everyone’s pleased with developments?
That would be putting it mildly. Traditional fans don’t see it as cricket, established formats have been marginalised (including the successful women’s T20 Super League), and some fear it could be the beginning of the end of the county game. But whatever your view, it’s here and it’s happening. And they do say there’s no such thing as bad publicity.Go on then, I’m sold. Give me a quick rundown of the rule changes and things I should look out for
Balls will be delivered in sets of five, with an option for captains to keep a bowler on for ten balls in a row if they’re feeling in the groove (and they can bowl their quota of 20 balls in two sets of ten each, but not consecutive sets). There will be a 25-ball Powerplay, with fielding restrictions in place, and the fielding side can call a two-minute strategic timeout thereafter. Unlike other forms of the game, if a catch is taken after the batters have crossed, the next batter in will still be on strike. For one, ahem, lucky player per side, fans will get to vote for their walk-on music. There’ll probably be a fair bit of working it all out on the hoof, but the spectacle by and large should look recognisably crickety.Sounds like something the mums and kids should be able to follow. And is it too much to ask about the musical acts involved?
Yes. Yes, it is. But you’ll give it a try?How does that song go? “I don’t like the Hundred, no…”
You love it?Steady on. I was thinking, “…but I’m not implacably opposed.”
It’s a start. We’ll take it.

This season has gone from bad to worse for Tottenham Hotspur, and we are only four games in.

On Sunday afternoon, Ange Postecoglou’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal and, as things stand, have picked up just four points from a possible 12 in the Premier League.

Unfortunately for the Australian, there were several stand-out performers on the day for all the wrong reasons, including Brennan Johnson.

The Welshman has struggled this season, and while he could still come good, he should be dropped for the League Cup clash with Coventry City and replaced with a dynamic young talent who has a bright future ahead of him.

Johnson's recent form

Spurs paid around £47.5m to Nottingham Forest for Johnson’s services last summer, and while he started slowly, he did end his debut campaign in North London with a reasonably respectable haul of five goals and ten assists in 34 games, equating to a goal involvement once every 2.26 games.

However, in the four games he has played this season, the Welshman has failed to score or assist a single goal and hasn’t looked particularly dangerous at any point.

For example, across those four matches, he has only amassed an expected goals figure of 0.79, an expected assists figure of 0.24, and just 0.80 shots on target per game, which would go some way toward explaining why he’s not produced a goal involvement just yet.

Moreover, in his player ratings after yesterday’s match, football.london’s Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold awarded the 23-year-old just a 5/10 because while he was ‘swinging in low crosses,’ none of them were especially dangerous, and when presented with chances himself, he wasted them.

In all, Johnson just hasn’t impressed yet this season, and he should, therefore, be dropped for the game against Coventry, and in his place, Ange should start a youngster who could be a future superstar.

The surprise player who could replace Johnson

Yes, the youngster in question is 17-year-old Mikey Moore, who looks like he could be one of the most exciting youngsters in English football at the moment, at least based on his form at the youth level and how he’s been spoken about.

However, before we get to that, yes, the Southwark-born gem has primarily played off the left wing in his short career so far. Still, he has shown a level of flexibility by starting in attacking midfield, centre midfield and even at centre-forward in the past.

Moreover, considering he is right-footed, it seems unlikely he’d turn down the chance of first-team minutes just because he’d be playing off the right.

In fact, his youth record is so outstanding that we have no doubt he’d thrive anywhere across the frontline in Postecoglou’s attacking system.

Appearances

24

4

5

Goals

19

1

0

Assists

13

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

1.33

0.75

0.00

For example, in 33 appearances across various junior sides, the “outstanding” prospect, as dubbed by Spurs writer John Wenham, has scored 20 goals and provided 15 assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 0.94 games, which is outrageously impressive.

Moreover, he was given two short cameo appearances towards the end of last season when he was still just 16, which signals just how highly the club currently rate him, and with his tally of goals and assists at youth level, they are right to.

Ultimately, Johnson has failed to impress so far this season, and while Moore has less experience playing off the right, he should be given his first start against Coventry tomorrow night; if he’s as good as people believe him to be, then he’s old enough as well.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Ange must now drop Spurs ace after 5/10 display

Tottenham suffered yet another defeat to their bitter rivals, Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Sep 16, 2024

Will the postponement of the IPL have an impact on the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled in India later this year?It is clearly too early to say as the fallout from the postponement of the IPL is yet to settle, after the number of cases inside the bubble began to rise over the last few days. But ESPNcricinfo understands that while the ICC continues to monitor the situation in India, the UAE, which has been slotted in as a back-up venue, is now becoming a more realistic contender to host the global tournament.As it stands, the T20 World Cup, comprising 16 countries, is scheduled to be played in India between late October with the final on November 14.The BCCI recently shortlisted nine venues in India, which were proposed to the ICC, the host for global tournaments. An ICC team of experts from the biosafety, events and security wings was scheduled to visit India from April 26 to do an inspection of the venues but was forced to shelve that plan due to the travel ban imposed by the UAE to and from India.Related

• BCCI to conduct remainder of IPL 2021 in September-October in UAE

• 'Difficult' to play T20 World Cup in India – Mike Hussey

• When and where can IPL 2021 be rescheduled to?

• England counties offer to host remainder of IPL 2021 in September

• Abu Dhabi T10 to be held from November 19 to December 4

This week India crossed the 20-million mark for positive Covid-19 infections, and has been brought to a standstill by a raging second wave. The numbers were significantly high even in March, when the BCCI announced the IPL schedule comprising of six venues.Unlike in the past where all eight teams played on a home and away basis, this season the BCCI decided the IPL would be played on a caravan model, with two venues in operation at a time and the tournament itself split into four legs. The BCCI was utilizing the IPL as a dry run for the T20 World Cup.However, concerns among overseas players and teams as well as their countries are bound to rise in the wake of the IPL bubble being breached. Several countries had banned travelers, including their own citizens, if they were traveling from India, in addition to imposing stiff quarantine norms.Such measures left the overseas contingent in the IPL uneasy. Two players each from Royals Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals immediately left the IPL bubble to return home and left many more anxious.The ICC is keen to avoid such a scenario. On March 5, two days before the IPL announced its schedule, Manu Sawhney, the then ICC CEO, had pointed out that the risks associated with organising a 16-team World Cup were “exponentially larger” compared to T20 franchise leagues like the IPL or bilateral cricket.On Tuesday, a senior BCCI official said the T20 World Cup was “too far away” to make a call about whether it will have to move. The status of the pandemic in the country will be the key factor, but the question is how long can the ICC now wait? Normally, the ICC finalises venues at least a year in advance. The other key question for the ICC to determine is whether it can allow crowds into the tournament. The BCCI has said that even if the tournament is moved to the UAE, it will want to run the event, which would mean in case the crowds are allowed, the ticketing revenues will go to the Indian board.From May 1, the Indian government opened vaccination for all adults over 18 years of age. However, currently, India is facing a vaccine shortage with reports stating several states will not be able to procure enough vaccines until June or July. The BCCI did consider vaccinating players at the IPL but were wary of the optics of such a move.While the next formal meeting of the ICC Board is not until its annual conference in July, it is likely the global body will ask members to meet before that to get a sense of how they are feeling and discuss options.

Whilst the recent focus has been on replacing both Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, Leeds United reportedly hold a concrete interest in signing a midfielder who could ease Daniel Farke's Glen Kamara blow.

Leeds transfer news

To say it's not been a great summer for Leeds would be quite an understatement. The Yorkshire club have seen almost every one of their star players head for the exit door amid Premier League interest, with Summerville and Rutter heading to West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion in between exits for Archie Gray and Kamara to Tottenham Hotspur and Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes.

Imagine him & Ampadu: Leeds battling to sign £7m "absolute baller"

The Whites are reportedly interested in a swoop to sign the Premier League midfielder.

2 ByDan Emery Aug 21, 2024

In desperate need of attacking reinforcements, the Whites have reportedly turned their attention to the likes of Manuel Benson and Largie Ramazani. The former, of course, knows all about Championship promotion, having played a vital part in Burnley's success during the 2022/23 campaign. Since seeing his Clarets career reach somewhat of a crossroads, the winger could yet help Farke's side secure the same achievement.

Ramazani, meanwhile, looks set to arrive from Spanish side Almeria after Leeds agreed a deal worth €11.7m (£10m) to sign the 23-year-old winger.

As the winger arrives to replace Summerville, he could be joined by a midfield addition. According to Charlie Gordon of The Express, Leeds now have a concrete interest in midfielder Alvyn Sanches, whose valuation has reportedly been dropped to £3m from £4m by Swiss side Lausanne-Sport. Amid competition from Celtic, however, those in Yorkshire may have to act fast if they want to secure his signature.

Just 21 years old, Sanches has shown plenty of potential at Lausanne and may even emerge to become a surprise replacement for Kamara late on in the transfer window.

Sanches could replace Kamara

With the ability to play in an advanced role and a deeper central role, Sanches could be an ideal replacement for Kamara, if his output levels reached the next level. As things stand, he's certainly showing signs of that being the case, having scored twice in five games so far this season.

Rutter, of course, will be a difficult man to replicate after scoring eight goals and assisting as many as 16, but Sanches' potential is something that Leeds could take a gamble on if they want to kill two birds with one stone. Having sold Rutter for £40m, it could also represent wise business if those at Elland Road can land a replacement for Kamara for a deal worth just £3m in the next week or so.

Of course, however, there are a lot of stages left until the Swiss complete a move away from Lausanne, be that to Celtic, Leeds or elsewhere, but he's certainly one to keep an eye on in the late stages.

While fans understandably pay far more attention to the players their respective clubs might sign in the transfer window and the sagas often accompanying them, player exits can provide just as much drama.

Unfortunately for Tottenham Hotspur, they've been on the wrong end of a few major transfers over the years, be that Luka Modrić in the late 2000s, Gareth Bale in 2013 or, most recently, Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich last summer.

The Englishman is a modern Spurs legend, but after almost a decade with the club, he did what some thought he'd never do and left the Premier League altogether in search of his first major trophy.

The only positive to come from his exit for the Lilywhites was that he earned them one of the biggest transfer fees in their history, although based on recent reports, they could be set to make even more on one of their current stars.

Harry Kane's transfer

When the final agreements were made and the last contracts signed, Kane's transfer cost Bayern an initial £82m, although the add-ons could reportedly see that figure soar past £100m, and based on his performances last season, we wouldn't be surprised if it already has.

Now, that might seem like an awful lot of money for a player who was 30 years old and entering the final year of his contract at the time, but given his incredible form for the seasons prior and his undeniable importance to the Lilywhites, it was probably fair value.

For example, in the season before he left, the England captain scored a whopping 32 goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances for a Spurs team that looked utterly hopeless at times under Antonio Conte.

Appearances

49

45

Goals

32

44

Assists

5

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.75

1.24

Moreover, when you factor in that he went on to score 44 goals and provide 12 assists in just 45 games for Bayern last season, his transfer fee starts to look very reasonable indeed.

Overall, while it was arguably fair value, Kane's transfer fee was undeniably sizeable.

However, according to recent reports, a player in Postecoglou's squad could dwarf it if he were sold this summer.

Cristian Romero's valuation in 2024

Yes, the player in question is one of Tottenham's co-vice captains, Cristian Romero.

The World Cup winner was reportedly of interest to European giants Real Madrid earlier this summer, but little seemed to come from said interest.

However, according to Paul O'Keefe on the Last Word on Spurs Podcast (via TEAMtalk), Madrid are still keen on the talented centre-back but have been told that they'll need to make a mammoth offer of £150m to secure his services.

If this were to happen, it would instantly be the biggest transfer in the history of the Premier League, and while it's an undeniably ludicrous sum of money, it reflects how important the 26-year-old is to the North Londoners.

Since making his £42m move from Serie A side Atalanta in August 2021, the "incredible" defender, as journalist Alasdair Gold dubbed him, has made 98 appearances for the Lilywhites, in which he's scored six goals and provided one assist.

Appearances

98

Goals

6

Assists

1

Yellow Cards

28

Second Yellows

3

Red Cards

1

He's also been described as "the best defender in the world" by Lionel Messi, and if there is a player who knows a thing or two about defenders – and how to embarrass them – it's probably him.

Ultimately, while Bale and Kane are the two most expensive outgoings in Spurs' history, there is a chance, albeit a small one, that Romero could surpass them this summer. That said, Tottenham's plan to dissuade Madrid with an enormous asking price will probably work.

Talks underway: Spurs pushing for "dream" Johnson teammate in £60m star

The impressive goalscorer would be an incredible signing.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 7, 2024

Manchester United have had a busy time of things so far in pre-season. They have already played four games, which include two of their three on the tour of the United States, with just one more friendly before they face Manchester City in the Community Shield next weekend in their first competitive game.

United’s pre-season actually saw them get off to a losing start, suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Norweigan side Rosenborg. However, they bounced back with a victory over Rangers at Murrayfield. The Red Devils beat the Scottish giants 2-0 thanks to goals from Amad and Joe Hugill.

In the States so far, United have played two games, They first suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal, with their goal coming from Rasmus Hojlund. The Red Devils did defeat the Gunners on penalties after the game. United then overcame Real Betis 3-2, thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford, Amad and Casemiro.

Erik ten Hag’s side have Liverpool and Man City left before the Premier League season gets underway. The Old Trafford side will be hoping to add to their new signings ahead of the season opener, and have recently been linked with one player who could add midfield depth.

Man Utd target South American midfielder

The player in question here is Palmeiras and Columbian international midfielder, Richard Rios. The 24-year-old has impressed for both his club and country, performing particularly well at the Copa America over the summer, which has led to several clubs showing an interest this summer.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, one of those sides are thought to be United. The report states that the Red Devils are one of the clubs in the Premier League who are ‘keeping tabs on his situation’ this summer, and could pounce if a deal becomes possible.

However, they will not be the only side from the top flight pushing for a deal for Rios. Everton, West Ham United and Leicester City are also believed to be interested in acquiring his services this summer. United's focus on signing Manuel Ugarte from PSG could mean they lose ground in the race for his signature.

The report states that Palmeiras would accept a fee in the region of £12m. He does have an astronomical release clause of £84.2m in his contract, but the Brazilian side would negotiate at far less than that price this summer.

Why Rios would be a good signing

The 13-cap international played a crucial role for Palmeiras during his time at the club so far. He has featured 85 times for Verdão, and, despite playing at holding midfield for much of his time in green, has scored five times and grabbed two assists. He has also helped his side to win two trophies.

Should United sign Rios this summer, he could be a great player to partner with Kobbie Mainoo at the heart of the Red Devils midfield. Given the Columbian’s defensive ability, and the fact he plays best in a pivot, it could be the start of a formidable partnership between the pair.

Rios is a good defender, as his stats on FBref show. He averages 3.93 tackles and interceptions per 90, with 7.54 ball recoveries, too. Having some defensive security behind Mainoo would allow him to get forward and operate in the final third, as he does so well.

The 19-year-old is a superb ball-carrier, averaging 1.45 successful take-ons per 90. However, where this partnership could really take off is if they begin to put into play fluid rotations, which could also get the best out of Rios in possession.

Like Mainoo, the 24-year-old is a more than competent ball-carrier, with football analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a "ball-carrying machine" in midfield. Indeed, that is reflected in his stats and on average he completes 0.82 take-ons each game, using his large 6 foot 1 frame to his advantage against smaller opponents, physically overpowering them.

Rios vs. Mainoo ball carrying numbers

Stat (per 90)

Rios

Mainoo

Take-ons attempted

3.28

2.71

Take-ons completed

0.82

1.45

Progressive carries

1.48

1.17

Carries into final third

1.97

1.03

Stats from FBref

Given the pair are both excellent carriers who can break the press with the ball at their feet and carry forward, it could be the way forward for United to have fluid rotations between the two and allow both to get forward and excel on the ball, showing off their technical ability. Mainoo is certainly a good enough defender, given the fact he averages 4.49 ball recoveries and 3.22 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

For just £12m, United could well go all out for Rios this summer. Given the fact he could have some slick rotations with Mainoo, or even play next to a more defensive-minded partner and spend more time on the ball, he could be a superb squad option for the Red Devils.

Related Shock move: Man Utd hold talks to sign £12m titan who's Zubimendi 2.0

He could be the perfect partner for Kobbie Mainoo…

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 2, 2024

Lockers once used by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane are to be sold by Real Madrid, with bids starting at £10,000.

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Santiago Bernabeu has been redevelopedIconic artefacts being put up for auctionOpportunity to claim 'Galactico' memorabiliaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With Santiago Bernabeu having undergone a serious facelift, several artefacts are being put up for auction by the Blancos. A portion of proceeds from the sales will be going to the Real Madrid Foundation, with the Liga giants recouping some of the costs involved in their £500 million ($649m) stadium redevelopment.

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Iconic auction house Sotheby’s are being trusted with presenting and offloading the items that Real are willing to part with. The lots in question include a collection of 24 lockers that have been used by some of the most legendary 'Galacticos' to pass through Madrid – including Ronaldo, Beckham, Zidane, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric.

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Each locker comes with a reserve price of £10,000, with bidding set to open on November 12. A glitzy exhibition at Sotheby’s London Galleries will allow members of the public to view the items before they are snapped up by fans around the world.

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Other items in Real’s collection include a giant stadium mosaic of the club’s crest, which is three metres wide and comes with a reserve price of £12,000. Metal doors that previously stood in place at the Bernabeu are also up for grabs.

The use of a previously off-limits nets facility at Newlands has emerged as a possible source of the Covid-19 infection within the England camp, as the ECB hit back at claims from officials at Western Province that its players had breached the teams’ biosecure environment for a practice session on the eve of Friday’s scheduled first ODI.In an email sent on Thursday, December 3, and seen by ESPNcricinfo, WP informed CSA, ECB and the Claremont Police, who are in charge of maintaining the teams’ bio-bubble, that they could not be held liable for the safety or health of the England team, who opted to practice in a nets facility adjoining a construction site at the Kelvin Grove End of the ground.”Please be advised that the England cricket team has not adhered to the arrangements as agreed by all in the ESSPC [Event Security and Safety Planning Committee] meetings,” the email read. “The practice nets next to the construction site is not allowed to be used on practice days. Three cages of nets was set up on the square on the field. This serves to inform you that the England Cricket Team has accessed and used the nets today (3 December 2020) at their own risk. WPCA and the ESSPC will not be held liable or responsible for the safety and health of the England Cricket Team.”In response, an ECB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo that the session had arisen due to the “unacceptable” standard of the three practice pitches provided on the square at Newlands, and that CSA had accepted England’s request to put up a security cordon to facilitate the use of the nets as per similar arrangements during the T20I series on November 28.”On arrival at Newlands on 3 December, we advised the venue that the three nets provided on the main pitch were not of a standard for conducive practice, as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the respective boards,” an ECB statement said. “Batsmen were unable to face seam bowlers on the nets on the main pitch as the surfaces were rendered and unacceptable.ALSO READ: Explainer – Will the series still go ahead after Covid outbreak?“We requested with CSA that we would like to use the practice nets and that we would create a security cordon to ensure the players and coaches could enter the facility safely, as done previously on 28 November. This was confirmed by England’s Security Team, the Team Operations Manager and the Team Doctor. We were satisfied with this outcome and we were able to practice in the net facility safely.”The team also used the main outfield for fielding drills, a seam bowlers bowl through pitch and a number of nets were used for range-hitting against spin bowlers and coaches throws.”As far as the England touring party are concerned, the safety and health of our players and coaches was not compromised.”The nets at Newlands are currently out of bounds due to the construction of an office block at the Kelvin Grove End of the ground. The building site is attended to by several workers throughout the day. When South African players, including Andile Phehlukwayo and David Miller, who missed the T20 series, and some support staff attempted to have a net after Friday’s postponed first ODI, they were sent back and instructed to return to their hotel rooms.At the time, a third South African player had just tested positive for the coronavirus, causing the first ODI to be pushed back. On Saturday, two members of the Vineyard Hotel staff, who do not work in the same area and have not left the premises since November 16, also tested positive, prompting the entire England touring party to be retested. England returned two “unconfirmed” positive results, but have sought to get the tests analysed by doctors in London. The two England cases meant Sunday’s ODI in Paarl was abandoned.The fate of the rest of the series, which has now been reduced to two ODIs, hinges on the analysis of England’s results. Should positive cases be confirmed, those infected and their close contacts will have to quarantine in South Africa for 10 days before leaving for the UK, which could impact on Big Bash and Christmas plans. If the results of the tests are negative, the series could be completed with back-to-back ODIs on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Liverpool will strengthen this summer, though FSG will only move for a transfer target if they are deemed to be a significant upgrade or addition to Arne Slot's first team.

Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes' calculated methodology suggests that Liverpool will enjoy a smooth transition following Jurgen Klopp's departure last summer.

Joel Matip departed upon the expiry of his contract this month to accentuate the need for reinforcements in central defence, while Mohamed Salah remains Liverpool's only real out-and-out right winger – aged 32 and entering the final year of his deal, this is a pressing concern.

But Liverpool are not restricted to just those positions. Wataru Endo was signed for £16m last season to replace Fabinho at defensive midfield but the 31-year-old is solid if unspectacular, and if the right No. 6 becomes available Liverpool will be certain to pounce.

Liverpool eyeing new defensive midfielder

According to Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, Liverpool are preparing a €45m (£37m) bid for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, with the Brazil star playing an instrumental role in Gian Piero Gasperini's Europa League-winning campaign.

Gaspereini called it a "challenge" to keep hold of such players when suitors like Liverpool are lurking, but the Reds will now weigh up their options ahead of a possible bid.

While Endo and Alexis Mac Allister present Slot with two diverse options to sit at the base of the midfield, Champions League football is back on the cards and Ederson could be the final piece of the puzzle.

Ederson's 23/24 season in numbers

Ederson, aged 24, joined Atalanta from Serie A rivals Salernitana in 2022 and has since completed 90 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals and supplying two assists.

Speaking of his talents, South American football expert Tim Vickery said: "[He's] strong, well-built central midfielder. Strong on the ball, versatile, box-to-box."

Indeed a hulking physical presence, Ederson featured 36 times in the Italian top flight last term, starting 32 matches, and while he proved his multi-dimensional style by notching six strikes, it's the steely defensive game that makes Ederson such an exciting talent.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, the £42k-per-week ace averaged 2.3 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 5.2 ball recoveries per game, also winning 55% of his duels and being described as a "machine" by journalist Carlo Garganese.

He played a key part in winning the Europa League and was especially in the final against Bayer Leverkusen and across two legs against Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

Atalanta stunned Merseyside when dismantling Klopp's Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield; Liverpool responded with a 1-0 victory in Italy but it was a limp and lacklustre performance that Ederson and his peers succeeded in, containing the Reds with tenacity and superior work rate.

Ederson:
Stats	1st leg (0-3)	2nd leg (0-1)
Minutes played	90'	75'
Touches	30	41
Accurate passes	12/17 (71%)	19/23 (83%)
Key passes	0	1
Long balls	2/4	2/4
Dribble attempts	0/0	1/3
Duels won	3/6	7/11
Tackles	2	3
Interceptions	1	0
Clearances	2	3
Stats via Sofascore

He proved himself over two legs against Liverpool and would bring the perfect skill set to solidify the base of Slot's midfield. Without question, he would make for an improvement on Endo.

Why Ederson must replace Wataru Endo

Endo must not be sold this summer, with the depth he provides essential for Liverpool to compete across multiple fronts in the wake of Klopp's departure.

But the Japan international lacks in mobility and enterprise and will hamper his team in chasing down silverware and competing against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City across the duration of the Premier League campaign.

Ederson would bring a refined and more dynamic style. As per FBref, the Brazilian ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 15% for interceptions and the top 19% for progressive passes per 90, suggesting that he can perform a multi-functioning holding role in the centre of the park.

Endo have his strengths but he's approaching the later stage of his career and simply can't produce the same level of robust numbers as his South American counterpart.

League Stats 23/24: Douglas Luiz vs Ederson
Stat (per 90)	Wataru Endo	Ederson
Matches played	29	36
Matches started	20	32
Goals	1	6
Assists	0	1
Pass completion	88%	84%
Big chances created	2	2
Key passes	0.6	0.5
Ball recoveries	3.7	5.2
Tackles	1.7	2.3
Duels won	3.9 (44%)	4.8 (55%)
Dribble attempts	0.3 (67%)	0.6 (55%)
All stats via Sofascore

It's worth noting that while Endo appears to be a crisper and marginally more creative passer than Ederson, this is largely down to the Japanese being inculcated into Liverpool's system. Throughout the 2022/23 campaign, for Stuttgart, he completed just 80% of his passes.

This is by no means meant to discredit Endo's skills; the Liverpool star proved to be an astute purchase after arriving last summer, a surprise addition following Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea in the race to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

Endo, after all, won the club's Player of the Month award for December, featured prominently in the Premier League as Liverpool reclaimed a place in the Champions League with a third-place finish, and even played all 120 minutes as Chelsea were beaten in the Carabao Cup final after Virgil van Dijk netted a last-gasp header – Endo won no less than 12 duels during that affair.

Ultimately, though, Liverpool need to take the next step in their development and build on last season's successes, provide Slot with the tools to craft illustrious success.

Ederson must be signed. For £37m, this could be a deal that the Anfield faithful looks back on as a bona fide bargain.

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