All posts by h716a5.icu

Arsenal have been linked to a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his squad this summer.

After narrowly missing out on their first league title since 2004 to Manchester City, the Spaniard will aim to bridge the gap on the champions ahead of the new campaign, which they could do so in signing this star.

What’s the latest on Kai Havertz to Arsenal?

As reported by journalist Alex Goldberg via AFCStuff, Arsenal are eyeing Chelsea forward Kai Havertz this summer.

The German is reportedly a player the Gunners “really want” the ace, who is expected to depart Stamford Bridge as per The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg.

Steinberg’s report claims that Chelsea could demand a fee in the region of £75m for Havertz, who was linked to Real Madrid earlier this summer.

What could Kai Havertz bring to Arsenal?

Lauded as “incredibly talented” by former boss Graham Potter, the German has been one of Chelsea’s star performers since joining the side in 2020.

The 23-year-old has contributed to 47 goals in 139 appearances in all competitions for the Blues as per Transfermarkt, and could be a revolutionary signing for Arsenal should rumours be believed.

While Arteta has sculpted a dominant attack at the Emirates, unlocking the best out of captain Martin Odegaard, the Norwegian could be taken to the next level in playing with Havertz.

The Spaniard could capture the essence of a former 'dynamic duo' that the German international was once part of if the Arsenal boss opted to equip him as a central attacking midfielder rather than an out-and-out forward.

When playing at Bayer Leverkusen, the Chelsea gem was deployed in the middle of the park in a 4-3-3 formation, identical to what’s on show in Arteta’s system in north London.

During this time, Havertz formed a dynamic partnership with Julian Brandt, with him identified as the goalscorer of the two, while the now Borussia Dortmund ace acted as the creator.

In the 2018/19 season, the duo contributed to 38 of Leverkusen’s 69 goals, with Havertz scoring 17 and assisting three, and Brandt scoring seven and assisting 11, as per WhoScored.

Unleashing Havertz in midfield alongside Odegaard could replicate the success the German had in the Bundesliga alongside his national teammate.

Hailed as being Arsenal’s ‘magical conductor’ by journalist Charles Watts via GOAL, the 24-year-old averages 2.1 key passes per game in the Premier League this season, similar to Brandt’s 2.6 in the Bundesliga when playing alongside Havertz.

Such numbers signify that Arsenal’s number eight could be a perfect outlet for the Chelsea whiz to thrive alongside, and form a potential marriage as strong as his previous one with Brandt in Germany.

With a hefty price tag above his head, only time will tell if the Gunners will be willing to pay the fee to their rivals for the £150k-per-week star, however, there’s little doubt over the impact he could have in Arteta’s system.

There are no immediate plans to change the captaincy of England’s Test or limited-overs team, according to Andrew Strauss

George Dobell16-Nov-2016There are no immediate plans to change the captaincy of England’s Test or limited-overs team, according to Andrew Strauss. Strauss, the managing director of England cricket, has said he has “every faith” that Alastair Cook will continue as Test captain into the English summer and promised no “recriminations” against Eoin Morgan for his decision not to tour Bangladesh.While Strauss admits to some disappointment that Morgan did not feel able to commit to the Bangladesh tour – Morgan suggested his focus and, as a consequence, his performance might be compromised by the security issues – he defended Morgan’s long-term record and confirmed that he would lead England in the limited-overs series in India after Christmas. Alex Hales also pulled out of the Bangladesh tour.”I’m disappointed that we didn’t take a full squad out to Bangladesh,” Strauss said. “But if I’m honest we’ve moved on and it is right to move on. That was a tour that could have derailed us and undermined a lot of the good work that has gone on. I’m confident it hasn’t done that and that is a relief.”We told the players there wouldn’t be any recriminations for pulling out and when I look back on it I am very grateful that the vast majority of the team thought it was the right thing to do. Those that did go probably strengthened their opinions that it was the right thing to do.”I stand by what I said and there is every reason to expect Eoin Morgan will come back in as captain against India. He’s done a great job with the one-day team over the last 18 months and it has been a phenomenal transformation. He has to take a lot of credit for that and we look forward to him continuing that.”Whether there are long-term consequences for Morgan remains to be seen. While it is clear England are reluctant to make a change to the captaincy ahead of the Champions Trophy in June – they have been down that path before, not least at the 2015 World Cup – it may be that Morgan’s authority has been eroded to the point where he cannot withstand any sustained loss of form. It’s not just that his relationship with his ECB employers is a little more strained than before, it is that Jos Buttler and Joe Root have emerged as viable candidates as leadership replacements.It all means Morgan will arrive in India under more pressure to deliver, in terms of runs and results, than for some time.Cook’s future lies within his own hands. Strauss is clear that he wants him to continue but respects that, after several turbulent years in the job and with a young family to consider, Cook will look no further into the future than the end of each series. As things stand, though, Strauss has received no indication from Cook that his resignation as captain is imminent.”He’s given me no indication that he is thinking of standing down,” Strauss said. “But one thing we’ve consistently done is find time at the end of series to have a conversation about what direction the team is going in, what challenges there are and for him personally and how much the captaincy is taking out of him. We’ve done that a couple of times and it is guaranteed that we’ll have a similar conversation at the end of this series.”From what I’ve seen he is in a really good place. I think he is very comfortable leading this team as he has been for a while now, so it probably takes less out of him now than it used to. He’s batting well, which is a big part of it, and he’s still young. It is quite scary how young his is really and I have every faith that he will carry on past this series and into the summer.”Whether that includes the Ashes remains to be seen. Once the India series is over, Cook will have six months away from the glare of international cricket and, in that time, he will have plenty of time to reflect on his motivations and priorities. There is no indication at all that he is considering retiring as a player: he has said often that he likes the idea of a future as a specialist batsman and without the responsibilities of captaincy.”It is always dangerous to look too far ahead in this game,” Strauss said. “My gut feeling at the moment is that there is benefit in him carrying on past this series definitely. But a lot of it comes down to where he is at and what his motivation is and how the team is developing. We’re sitting here right now and it looks to be in a good place but who knows where we will be in three Tests time or in seven Tests time.”Alastair has still got a lot of cricket left in him whether he is captain or not. Every indication he has given me is, he is driven, he’s passionate, he’s motivated, he’s loving this environment and he’s excited about some of the young players coming through and that is not a bad place for him to be.”Ultimately the decision is about whether Alastair is the right person to take the team forward and if we decide that is not the case then we think about who his replacement is. The first thing we need to ask ourselves is whether it is right to continue and as I’ve said he is in a really good place at the moment.”Strauss also suggested that Saqlain Mushtaq could be offered a much greater coaching role with England. Saqlain, the former Pakistan offspinner, is currently in the middle of a short-term consultancy role which has garnered effusive praise from the team and his fellow coaches. The ECB has already extended the role, and Saqlain is also thought likely to return to India to work with the limited-overs team in January, with Strauss hinting that they are effectively using this series as an extended trial period.”Clearly the development of spin bowlers is really important,” Strauss said. “We’ve got a couple of guys here who are quite young and making their way in the game and we’ve tried to provide them with some support along the way.”We hadn’t worked much with Saqlain before. He did some work in the summer and we wanted to see more of him over the course of this tour.”The indication is that he’s done a good job. He’s a very good people person and he connects well with the bowlers, so that is great and why we want him to work more with us over the winter. At the end of the winter we will sit down and work out what we want to do with our spin bowling and work out the best way of supporting them.”Personally I’m not convinced you need a coach there every single game, but I think you need someone there enough that they develop strong relationships with players and be there at important times in series and on tours.”It is an obvious area we need to have the right support for players in, while also bearing in mind that we don’t want people there for the sake of it. And we also want players to think for themselves and not become too reliant on coaches to do their thinking for them.”

Zimbabwe fast bowler Brian Vitori has been suspended from bowling in international cricket for 12 months, after his action for some deliveries was once again found to be illegal

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Dec-2016Zimbabwe fast bowler Brian Vitori has been suspended from bowling in international cricket for 12 months, after his action for some deliveries was once again found to be illegal. He was hit with a suspension by the ICC because it was the second time in the space of two years that his action was deemed illegal.Vitori had been suspended from bowling for an illegal action in February 2016 but was cleared by the ICC to resume bowling in June this year after undergoing remedial work.Vitori can appeal against “any procedural aspect” of the latest test that led to his suspension, but he can approach the ICC for another assessment of his action only after 12 months.The independent assessment of Vitori’s action took place at the University of Pretoria, an ICC-accredited testing facility in South Africa, on December 12. He had been reported for a suspect action during the tri-series final against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo on November 27, and tests revealed that some of his deliveries exceeded the permissible limit of 15 degrees.Vitori, 26, has played four Tests, 20 ODIs and 11 T20Is since his debut in August 2011. The tri-series final against Sri Lanka in November, when Vitori took 3 for 52, was his first international match since he was reported for a suspect action for the first time, back in January.

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya really wants to join Tottenham Hotspur and it’s his “priority”, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

The north Londoners, lead by new manager Ange Postecoglou, must source a replacement for long-serving goalkeeper and number one Hugo Lloris.

The 36-year-old has been a mainstay for Spurs over a spell lasting more than a decade, having amassed over 450 appearances for the Lilywhites in all competitions.

However, as he enters the final 12 months of his contract, Lloris recently confirmed to Nice-Matin that he is seeking new opportunities and a potential move elsewhere this summer.

“We are coming to an important moment, whether for the club or for me. It’s the end of an era,” said Lloris.

“I have desires for other things, I will ask myself quietly to study what will be possible. But I don’t forget that I still have a year of contract with Tottenham and that in football it is always difficult to predict what will happen.”

In terms of who could replace Lloris between the sticks, there have been a fair few names mentioned in the press, including AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, Everton keeper Jordan Pickford and Croatia number one Dominik Livakovic in recent weeks.

However, the one most regularly mentioned is Raya, with a few reports even suggesting that the north Londoners are close to a full agreement with Brentford.

Bees boss Thomas Frank had declared that his keeper won’t leave for a penny less than £40 million but some sources claim Spurs are attempting to sign him for around £20 million plus add-ons

Sharing an update on the situation, reliable reporter Romano claims there isn’t a full compromise on the final fee yet, but Raya is determined to join Postecoglou at Spurs.

Indeed, the Spaniard wants a move to Tottenham as “priority”, but Spurs certainly won’t pay the £40m original asking price.

Who is David Raya?

Called “exceptional” for Brentford by members of the press, Raya has proved that he is a capable number one, having stood out as one of their best perfomers overall last season according to WhoScored.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has hailed his distribution in recent seasons as well, which could potentially make him a sure-fire candidate for Postecoglou’s attacking, free-flow brand of football out from the back.

Alastair Cook’s decision to resign from the England captaincy stemmed from his reservations about “how much he had left in the tank”, according to Andrew Strauss, England’s director of cricketSpeaking at Lord’s on the day it was confirmed that Cook, 32,

Andrew Miller06-Feb-20171:57

Dobell: Cook served England with distinction

Alastair Cook’s decision to resign from the England captaincy stemmed from his reservations about “how much he had left in the tank”, according to Andrew Strauss, England’s director of cricket, who says that the ECB expects to be able to name his successor within a fortnight, ahead of the one-day squad’s departure for the Caribbean on February 22.Speaking at Lord’s on the day it was confirmed that Cook, 32, would be standing down from the captaincy after a record 59 Tests in charge, Strauss praised the considered manner in which his former opening partner had reached his decision. The timing of Cook’s announcement leaves his successor – almost certainly Joe Root – a full four months of preparation before England’s next Test series against South Africa in July.”This wasn’t one of those situations when it was right for me to persuade him to carry on,” Strauss, from whom Cook inherited the captaincy back in 2012, told Sky Sports at Lord’s. “I’ve been there myself. You either know if you have got it in you to carry on, or, deep down, you know it’s time to step aside.”He did it the right way. He didn’t jump to conclusions, he allowed the dust to settle after the India tour, he took some time to speak to the people closest to him, whom he trusted. I support and understand that decision.”Cook’s resignation had been on the cards ever since the tour of India in December, which finished with back-to-back innings defeat for a dispiriting 4-0 scoreline. As he had indicated at the time, Cook chose not to make a snap decision, but instead took the opportunity to take stock before informing Strauss of his intentions when the pair met up in January.”When the India tour finished, Alastair said to everyone that he’d sit down with me and talk things through,” Strauss said, “both the learnings from the India tour and what the England team could do to get better, but also his own position.”We met up in January and I was interested to see how he had fared in India. I know how draining the England captaincy can be, especially on a long tour away from home when you are on the wrong end of the result.”So we had a conversation around that, and it was pretty clear that Alastair knew how much drive, determination and energy was going to be required of the England captain in the next 12 months or so.”He had some thoughts and reservations about how much he had left in the tank as England’s longest-serving Test captain, and it was right that we didn’t jump to conclusions, and let the dust settle. I allowed him to go away and think further. But, over the last ten days or so, it was clear his mind was made up.”Andrew Strauss discusses Alastair Cook’s decision to stand down as England captain•Getty ImagesDespite the speculation that has surrounded the role, Strauss insisted that the search for Cook’s successor would only now begin in earnest.”There is a process to go through,” he said. “It would have been entirely wrong for me to have spoken to other players about the captaincy before Alastair stepped down, and especially while two important white-ball series were going on in India.”Now’s the chance for myself and selectors, and the coach, to have conversations amongst ourselves and some players in the England environment, to get an understanding of who the right person is, what their philosophy is, and how they intent to take the team forward, so that when we come to announce the new captain, we are sure he’s the right man.”Although Root is the outstanding candidate to inherit Cook’s role, his lack of captaincy experience is a justifiable concern – he has led in only four matches to date in his first-class career. Strauss, however, played down that aspect of his candidature.”That is the reality in this day and age,” he said. “It’s very hard for England players to get a great deal of county captaincy experience. But on one level there’s only so much you can do to prepare yourself. I think playing in the set-up for a number of years and understanding the demands is more important.”[Cook’s decision] gives the new captain a huge amount of time to get used to the idea and have conversations about off-the-field stuff with the coaches and support staff, so that when he steps on the field for the first time as England captain in July, a lot of that stuff will already be taken care of.”He added: “Joe has done a very good job as vice-captain. He’s matured a lot over the last two years and there is absolutely no reason he won’t be one of the strong candidates.”For the time being, however, Strauss preferred to focus on Cook’s own contribution as England captain, which included 24 Test wins, two Ashes victories, and memorable series wins in India and South Africa.”I honestly believe he deserves to be looked upon as one of England’s great captains,” Strauss said. “I also think the great measure of a leader is what the people who played with you and under you feel about you. I’m certain that there isn’t a single player in that dressing room right now who doesn’t think Alastair has done an unbelievable job as England captain.”More than anything, he has had that personal touch. He has shown empathy for people and he’s understood just how difficult it can be to play for England. He’s had the time and inclination to help people through that. As he walks away he can do so with his head held exceptionally high knowing he gave absolutely everything to the role.”His record stands for itself as England’s longest serving captain and the longest serving one day captain as well. To combine that longevity with his individual performances is a testament to his drive and character. He was certainly never in it for personal glory.”

Everton could finally be set to end their striking woes this summer, by preying on one of the relegated clubs…

What's the latest on Kelechi Iheanacho to Everton?

That's according to Tribal Football, who suggest that the Toffees are one of a host of Premier League clubs seeking to rescue Kelechi Iheanacho from facing the Championship with Leicester City.

With Nottingham Forest and Burnley the other main suitors, it seems that whoever gains this coup will take a small early victory over what is set to be three relegation rivals.

Football Transfers value the £80k-per-week marksman at €16.3m (£14m), however, the Foxes' status as a second-tier club could see a further bargain earned as they seek to offload their higher earners.

Is Kelechi Iheanacho better than Dominic Calvert-Lewin?

The Nigeria international has endured a tumultuous tenure across his years in England, however, has remained a top-flight mainstay ever since his emergence at Manchester City in 2015.

Despite seemingly having been around forever, he is still just 26 and poised to enter his prime years soon. That bodes well for the Merseyside club, should they sneak him through the door early.

After all, he has remained a relatively consistent goal threat in his last three years at the King Power Stadium, notching 12 goals during the 2020/21 league campaign, then recording a further 17 goal contributions across all competitions the year following, before his five goals and five assists proved not enough to halt the relegation of his team most recently.

Although when fit Dominic Calvert-Lewin arguably boasts the perfect profile to be a Sean Dyche number nine, his injury woes have made him dreadfully unreliable across their last two relegation-threatened terms.

The England international made just 17 league appearances last season, matching his figure from the year prior. No longer can he be trusted as a sole forward to lead the line throughout a whole campaign, despite all the hype surrounding his pace, power and ability to score. Fortunately, these are assets that Iheanacho can also bring to the table.

When comparing the former Sheffield United gem with his potential new teammate, his best league goalscoring year came under Carlo Ancelotti, and even then that tally of 16 was only four shy of his potential successor's apex.

Purely being a present striker would most be regarded as an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin nowadays, and given that this transfer option has played nearly ten more league games than the 26-year-old across both of the past two years, the writing is on the wall. That is without mentioning the immense physical assets that arguably elevate Iheanacho beyond the struggling striker too.

Not to mention he would offer that finishing touch that has been lacking at Goodison Park, with Dyche's team having recorded just 34 goals most recently as they avoided the drop by two points.

They were the second-lowest scorers in the whole division that year, so to add someone who was once lauded by former Everton striker Tony Cottee for making finishing "look so easy", would be a match made in heaven.

R Ashwin has stressed that putting pressure on David Warner and Steven Smith right from the first Test will be important in India’s plans for dominance

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-20170:53

Quick Facts – R Ashwin’s stellar numbers in 2016-17

India offspinner R Ashwin believes stifling the attacking instincts of Australia’s captain and vice-captain, Steven Smith and David Warner, will be the key to India’s success in the four-Test series against Australia, which starts in Pune next week.”I had some duels with Warner and the world knows they are great batsmen,” Ashwin told the . “But as I said, the key to this series is how well we start off.”More often than not, it’s about wearing the opposition down and if you can start doing that from the beginning, it gets easier towards the end. I know that Smith and Warner will play in their free-spirited fashion and if we can curb their natural instinct, play to our strengths and make them play to the pace that we want them to play, we will do a fine job.”After the ICC had rated the Nagpur pitch for the India-South Africa Test poor [the game finished inside three days], India’s home Tests over the last year-and-a-half have featured few surfaces that offer excess turn from the start with variable bounce. Ashwin said the nature of pitches was “not a big deal” for him, but felt the well-rolled pitches would help Australia’s batsmen, many of whom have never played a Test in India.”I think they will come prepared for what is in store. I was having a talk with (umpire) Kumar Dharmasena the other day on how differently they prepare pitches in Sri Lanka than they do it in India,” Ashwin said. “He was saying that the Indian curators roll the pitches to an extent that they go completely dead, something that Sri Lankans don’t. I think Sri Lanka produces some of the best wickets around the world while ours are slower in nature. But then, the Aussies will have to come to terms with the slowness of the Indian pitches, something that they are not used to.”Over the last year and a half, Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have become captain Virat Kohli’s go-to strike force. Since the start of the West Indies tour in August 2016, they have accounted for 127 wickets out of a total of 222 wickets in 13 Tests. Ashwin felt Jadeja’s unrelenting accuracy helped him get a little more creative at the other end.R Ashwin has said that Ravindra Jadeja’s accuracy allows him the liberty to experiment when bowling from the other end•Hindustan Times”Jadeja is one who will not give anything away. That gives me the luxury to extend my imagination a lot more,” he said. “There are pockets of the game when we don’t get wickets and that is the time when I try to make things happen. During the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, Mitchell Santer and Luke Ronchi were going very well. Jadeja was bowling a tight line and I bowled a ball outside the leg-stump of Santner and got him to nick to gully on a slow pitch.”Those are exactly my strengths and when I don’t offer the same things over and over again, they try to do things to get the runs away and makes mistakes. So Jadeja and me, bowling the way we do, create opportunities for each other.”While Australia’s pace attack, led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, has been talked up as the biggest threat confronting India, Ashwin felt Nathan Lyon and the rest of Australia’s spinners could not be taken lightly.”Nathan Lyon is a fine bowler. He got a seven-for in New Delhi in the last Test Australia played against India,” he said. “He puts a lot of revs on the ball and we can’t take anything for granted. Then they have Ashton Agar, Steven O’ Keefe and they are no spring chickens and are pretty good bowlers and we have to play out of our skins. And don’t forget, we are always playing that one batsman short all the time.”When Ashwin was asked if he was surprised at not being the vice-captain despite being a direct selection across formats, he said he led without a title by playing key roles in India’s wins. “I have really crossed that stage, where I think I deserved this or being faced with decisions that is not in my hands,” he told . “I lead without a title. I end up playing a crucial part in most matches which India wins.”If there are some parameters cricket adapts, a lot of things will be different around cricket. But unfortunately cricket is not as professional as it should be. I have got to the stage where I have realised, I am not here to change the whole thing, but if it is possible for me to change things, I will. As of now, I am at peace with myself.”To be honest, I am not even sure if I want to be a vice-captain. I do a lot of hard work. So to try and think at what is not coming my way is way too demanding on my mind.”

Todd Boehly is eyeing a Chelsea move for Bayer Leverkusen youngster Florian Wirtz this summer as Mauricio Pochettino looks to continue his overhaul of the squad ahead of 2023/24.

What’s the latest on Florian Wirtz to Chelsea?

According to journalist Simon Phillips reporting on his Substack, the Blues are currently keen on making a move for the talented attacking midfielder as Pochettino looks to rejuvenate the squad.

The 20-year-old currently earns £76k-per-week at the Bundesliga outfit and if he joins Chelsea, he will surely secure a major increase on that figure. The German international has a contract until 2027, indicating that the Blues will need to submit a substantial offer if they have any ambitions of signing Wirtz during the transfer window.

Could Chelsea sign Florian Wirtz this summer?

The Stamford Bridge side are undergoing a huge rebuild this summer, with a mass exodus currently occurring, as seven players have already departed and there will likely be more as the club try to keep in line with the financial fair play rules.

There will need to be some new arrivals to offset the large volume of exits however, and Wirtz could be an excellent option, with the youngster looking to follow in the same trajectory as compatriot Kai Havertz.

Havertz left Chelsea to join Arsenal following a three-year spell at the Blues and he too, like Wirtz, played for Leverkusen before making a move to the Premier League.

The duo also tend to operate in similar positions too, with Havertz perhaps more forward-thinking as he is usually deployed as a centre-forward whereas Wirtz mainly plays just behind the striker, or on the right wing if required.

The “incredible” talent – as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano – has already scored 23 times and registered 30 assists during his spell at Leverkusen, despite only turning 20 in May and Havertz also shone at the club during the embryonic stages of his career.

The 24-year-old was even more prolific, netting 46 goals while securing 31 assists during his spell in Germany and the pair have both proven they are dangerous in the final third.

The youngster has actually outshone Havertz over a few attacking metrics across the previous 365 days, completing more successful take-ons per 90 (3.87 to 0.82), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.66 to 2.48) and progressive passes per 90 (6.71 to 3.27), underlining just how effective he is in the final third, and he could even be an upgrade on the former Chelsea star judging by these statistics.

Statman Dave even went as far as to hail him a “wonderkid” and the future appears bright for the German starlet.

Dolphins defeat Titans by five-wickets, courtesy of Robbie Frylinck’s 20-ball 54

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2017Robbie Frylinck’s 20-ball 54 powered Dolphins to a five-wicket victory against Titans in the final over of the opening game of the Momentum One Day Cup at SuperSport Park.Frylinck, who was playing his first List A game since January 2016, came in to bat in the 45th over and strung an unbroken 66-run partnership with Khaya Zondo for the sixth wicket. They took Dolphins from 259 to 325 in 49.3 overs. Frylinck’s innings included six fours and three sixes, after he had taken 1 for 66 in ten overs, to earn the Player-of-the-Match award.The platform for the Dolphins’ finish had been built by their top three – all of whom made half-centuries – with Sarel Erwee and Morne van Wyk putting on 117 for the opening wicket. Cody Chetty made a brisk 50, before falling in the 39th over to Albie Morkel, who returned the best figures for Titans with 2 for 36 from seven overs.Titans had also benefitted from a strong opening stand after losing the toss with Jonathan Vandiar and Henry Davids, who made 51 and 87, adding 153 in 25.5. Dolphins medium-pacer Calvin Savage starred by taking 4 for 60 – the best figures of the match – but couldn’t prevent the 46-ball 68 from 20-year-old Rivaldo Moonsamy in the closing overs of the Titans innings.

Chelsea are interested in signing goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa this summer as Mauricio Pochettino looks to sign a reliable number one ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Emiliano Martinez to Chelsea?

According to one report, the Villa shot-stopper is attracting interest from both Chelsea and Manchester United, with the two Premier League clubs battling it out to land the World Cup winner during the summer transfer window.

No fee has been mentioned regarding a potential move, although he does have a contract until 2027 and having been valued at around €38.5m (£33m), it will likely take a big offer to make the Villa Park side even consider selling him.

Could Chelsea sign Emiliano Martinez this summer?

Despite not being able to offer Champions League football next term, Martinez could be tempted by a move to Stamford Bridge, especially considering compatriot Pochettino looks to be embarking on a long-term project, which will see the Blues challenge for silverware again.

With Edouard Mendy departing Chelsea, joining Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, it leaves just £71.6m signing Kepa Arrizabalaga as the main choice for the number one jersey, but it appears as though Pochettino wants a change.

The Spaniard kept nine clean sheets in 29 matches, conceding 33 goals during those ties, while he has even been dubbed a “liability” previously by former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot – and this summer could be a time to bring someone new in.

Indeed, Martinez could be an upgrade on the 28-year-old. Not only is he more confident with the ball at his feet, taking 42.41 touches per 90, with the Spaniard only averaging 37.52 per 90, but he is also a more reliable option when dealing with crosses, stopping 12.4% per 90 compared to just 5% per 90 for Arrizabalaga, with the Argentinian international offering a better presence when dealing with deliveries into the box.

The Villa star shouldn’t be fazed by making a move to Chelsea, with his World Cup heroics in Qatar last year giving him plenty of experience to succeed at a top-level club. On his way to helping Argentina win their third world crown, he kept three clean sheets in seven games, yet it was his antics in the two penalty shootout wins against the Netherlands and France which endeared him to the world.

He saved two penalties against the Dutch in the quarters while also keeping an effort from Kingsley Coman out in the final and subsequently won the Golden Glove Award for his performances throughout the competition.

The £120k-per-week titan was even lauded as “crazy” by compatriot Pablo Zabaleta for his display against the Dutch, and he could certainly be a star for Pochettino should he sign for Chelsea this summer.