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Rabada has bowled nine Super Over deliveries in the IPL. Off them, he has conceded only nine runs while taking three wickets

Saurabh Somani22-Sep-2020Kagiso Rabada is one of only two bowlers to have bowled two Super Overs in the IPL, alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Not coincidentally, both times they bowled a Super Over, their teams won the match.Rabada’s Super Over record reads: nine balls bowled, nine runs given, and three wickets taken. Three very impressive wickets too, in Andre Russell, KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran.The conditions and batsmen dictated Rabada’s choice of bowling plans in each Super Over. While he went for yorkers to Russell and Dinesh Karthik at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in 2019, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium called for different tactics as he faced up to Rahul and Pooran on Sunday night, in IPL 2020.”It just depends what’s working for me on the day, and getting a feel for what work as well,” Rabada said of the match against Kings XI Punjab. “It differs… today was just mixing the lengths up and luckily it helped. Sometimes it doesn’t go for you, sometimes it does.”Rabada finished the contest in three balls, giving the Capitals just three runs to chase in their own Super Over. His first ball was to Rahul, full and tailing into him. The second one was a scorching short one bowled into the batsman who was backing away. Rahul went for a pull while off-balance and was caught at deep square leg. With Pooran perhaps hanging back due to the effectiveness of the earlier short one, Rabada bowled his third ball full and fast on off, zipping past an attempted slog to take out the stumps. The second ball, which got Rahul’s wicket and also set up the third, happened because Rabada sussed the conditions well.”There was also decent bounce in this wicket, and the boundaries are quite big so it’s going to take a good hit to clear it,” he said, explaining why he went for the short ball. “So I just backed myself with the extra pace and bounce, so that hopefully he doesn’t hit it over the fence (laughs). It was a bit of a gamble.”I don’t plan to win, but instead I plan to execute to win, and I think I managed to do that well in the Super Over,” Rabada later told the Delhi Capitals media team. “That’s just the way a game of cricket goes. Honestly, it was a big relief because I knew if I did that, and with the kind of batters we have, three runs to win, we could do that. I was just very relieved that I took the wicket and could help the team in winning.”Kagiso Rabada uprooted Andre Russell’s middle stump•BCCIThe change in tactics for Rabada – despite the yorker plan bringing him great success against T20 cricket’s most fearsome hitter in Russell a year ago – was also a marker of his evolution as a bowler. Rabada’s planning stems from having a ‘feel’ for the moment and the match, an instinct that itself has been developed by experience. “It just about the feeling. And the way you read the game. There are many ways to get the job done. You will be criticised if you don’t get the job done – whether you bowl slower balls or yorkers,” Rabada had told last year, after his first Super Over.And that reading of the game told Rabada that despite the yorker being among the best options for a Super Over, and one he was proficient at, he could mix his lengths up this time around.Unlike last season, when Delhi Capitals could choose between Chris Morris and Rabada for the Super Over against Kolkata Knight Riders, it was clear from the outset that Rabada would have the ball for the Super Over against Kings XI. He was the Capitals’ best bowler on the night too, even if conventional figures might not portray that, and the team were right to trust him.Rabada had 2 for 28 in four overs during the regular match play, but ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats helps see why Rabada was clearly the Capitals’ best choice. His Smart Economy rate – adjusted for the phases in which a bowler bowls and the opposition’s position – was a superb 5.84, while his Smart Wickets tally was 2.51, because he not only got Glenn Maxwell cheaply but also came back to stop K Gowtham, who was leading a late charge for the Kings XI. That meant Rabada’s bowling impact was the best among the bowlers the Capitals had at their disposal, better than even Axar Patel, who conceded half the runs Rabada did in returning 4-0-14-1.The data backed up the cricketing decision to throw the ball to Rabada for the Super Over. And he validated that faith in just three balls.

Chelsea are interested in signing a £35m-rated Premier League defender this summer, according to reports.

Chelsea transfer rumours

Chelsea announced Enzo Maresca as their new manager earlier this week, with the Italian putting pen to paper on a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, which includes the option of a further year.

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The former Leicester City boss takes over an inflated Chelsea squad that was only just beginning to find its feet under Mauricio Pochettino. Maresca must now put his own stamp on the squad, which will likely include a big shift in personnel this summer, both on the incoming and outgoing fronts.

So far, the west Londoners have signed Tosin Adarabioyo to a four-year deal following a free transfer from Fulham and have been linked with plenty others.

Chelsea would reportedly like to sign Dayot Upamecano from Bayern Munich this summer, according to Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk:

"Yes, it's true: Chelsea would like Dayot Upamecano," said Falk. "It's not really clear yet whether he'll have a chance next year. Vincent Kompany is looking at everyone, but would Bayern let him go? That would probably cost a lot of money. At the time, Bayern paid €42.5m to RB Leipzig."

Elsewhere, the capital outfit are also said to be eyeing a move for Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer. In another potentially huge deal, Chelsea are reportedly set to make an offer for Manchester City's Julian Alvarez in the next few days but are expected to face competition for the Argentine from Atletico Madrid and PSG. It has also been claimed that the Blues are plotting a move to sign Benjamin Sesko.

Chelsea chiefs talk about signing £35m Premier League defender

While a lot of the names linked with Chelsea recently have been at the top end of the pitch, a fresh defender has recently been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

GiveMeSport recently provided an insight into Chelsea's transfer plans for the summer, mentioning centre-back as an area the club were potentially looking to improve. Left-back is also a priority area for the west Londoners, with Todd Boehly and co. said to be eyeing a young player who can operate in an inverted role. In their search for a full-back, Chelsea have looked at Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, with the 20-year-old said to have already been discussed by the club.

In terms of a fee for the Cherries star, GiveMeSport states Bournemouth value Kerkez at around £35m – over double the fee they paid AZ Alkmaar for him last year. During his time in England so far, Kerkez has made 33 appearances for Bournemouth, providing one assist in the process.

Despite his limited experience, Kerkez has already been backed to have a great career by former teammate Mat Ryan, who said last year:

“Milos is a great boy. A crazy dude, in a good way. He is always positive and smiling,” Ryan said.

“Hopefully he can develop even further in England and become even more mature. He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities.

“A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”

The England forward was an unused substitute again at the weekend as minutes continue to be hard to come by in the Women's Super League

Two summers ago, Chloe Kelly cemented her status as an England legend. Just 24 years old and winning only her 17th cap, her second ever goal for her country was the biggest in the Lionesses' history, securing a first major tournament triumph, at Wembley, against Germany, in extra time of the 2022 European Championships final. But when Sarina Wiegman's side head out to Switzerland next year to defend their title, there's a genuine chance that Kelly might not even make the squad.

It's been a difficult year for the winger, one encapsulated by her lack of involvement in Manchester City's late win over Liverpool at the weekend. If City want to stick with Chelsea, winners of the last five Women's Super League crowns, in this season's title race, they cannot drop points. Yet, as the board went up for stoppage time at Anfield on Sunday, the score was 1-1, as it had been since Khadija Shaw equalised for the visitors just before the hour.

As City pushed and pushed for an important winning goal, Kelly sat among the substitutes. When that strike finally came in the 92nd minute, she was still there. Since making the move to Manchester in 2020, she has been a central figure, but that has changed for the worse in recent months. As the Euros loom, does Kelly need a January move?

GettyA new and difficult situation

Sunday was not a one-off. Unfortunately for Kelly, it's become a much more frequent scenario than she would have liked in recent times. It's been a new situation for her to deal with, too. That's because since breaking through at Everton, Kelly has essentially been an ever-present in the WSL. Even after being struck down by a brutal ACL injury at the end of the 2020-21 season, she returned with a bang, showing form that allowed her to make that late charge into Wiegman's Euro 2022 squad.

When City welcomed Manchester United to the Etihad Stadium in March, Kelly had started 39 of her team's last 41 WSL matches. So when she emerged from that match, a 3-1 win, as an unused sub for the first time in the league since May 2018 – almost six years – it raised a few eyebrows.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'We have good players'

Two weeks prior to that fixture, City head coach Gareth Taylor started Mary Fowler, rather than Kelly, in the FA Cup clash with Tottenham. It was a dramatic encounter which ended with City suffering a surprise elimination on penalties but Taylor was impressed with Fowler's goal-scoring display and started her again the following week, in a 4-1 win at Brighton which saw the Australia star contribute a goal and an assist. When the Manchester derby rolled around, Fowler was in again, making it three games in a row on the bench for the usually ever-present Kelly.

"We have good players," Taylor said after the derby, explaining Kelly's absence. "We put Mary into the FA Cup game, she scores. She scores against Brighton last week. Mary's a very good player. Of course, the demands are really high of what we ask for, in kind of goals and assists from those players, without it being all about that. But Mary has taken her opportunity and now what Chloe has to do is work hard every day in training to be ready.

"I think that's the main thing, to be ready. The levels have to be good and that's the same for all of the players. I think Jess [Park] is probably a case in point with that one. Her attitude and her enthusiasm and her level of training performance was very good whether she played or not. I think that's a big plus for her."

Getty ImagesFowler takes her chance

Kelly wasn't dramatically out of form when Taylor decided to make this tweak to his starting XI, still averaging more than two chances created per game. But the argument could be made that she was a step off her best level, given the calibre of player she is, and because there was another top-class forward battling for the same place, it led to Kelly losing her spot.

The England star entered 2024 in really good form. She had two goals and five assists in her last seven games as City travelled to London to face Tottenham in the league in January. However, that game started a run of seven that returned just one goal and no assists, and then in came Fowler when City faced Spurs in the cup.

It's fair to say Fowler justified the change too, taking her chance with aplomb. The 21-year-old emerged as one of her team's most outstanding players in the title run-in, scoring four goals and providing four assists in the seven games that followed her breakthrough into Taylor's XI.

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Getty ImagesStaying focused

Unsurprisingly, though she did get back into the line-up at the very end due to an injury to Shaw, Kelly described the conclusion to last season as a "disappointment", both for her as an individual and for the team, as City came up just short in the title race.

"I think I hold myself to a high level and last season, I felt like I was having a good season, in goals and assists, and I was on track. But football's football. Sometimes you can't write the script," she said before the new campaign. "For me, it's staying focused on myself and not letting anyone take you off your journey and I think it's really important that there are bumps in the road. Football is not always straight and narrow but I think it's really important for me that I stay focused and I know the job at hand."

Asked if she was told by Taylor why she fell out of his preferred line-up, Kelly replied: "I think it's important that you keep things in-house as well. For me, my job is to be the best version of myself for the team. Gaz selects the team, I don't select the team, and he picks the team based on what he thinks in that moment. I think I'm ready to be the best version of myself at all times."

A World Cup winner has spoken to Tottenham through his representatives over the possibility of him joining Ange Postecoglou's side this summer, and he'd be a very low-cost option for chairman Daniel Levy.

Ange's desire to sign new centre-back at Spurs

Various reports have indicated that the north Londoners are keen on bringing in another central defensive option, despite Radu Dragusin's arrival in January, and it is believed that Spurs actually made an offer to Tosin Adarabioyo before his move to Chelsea.

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The Lilywhites want to replace Harry Kane this summer.

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A new centre-back is one of Tottenham's key summer transfer agendas, as stated by The Times, with Postecoglou planning an overhaul of the squad ahead of his second Premier League campaign in charge. The Australian, speaking to national media in March, even admitted to the club's desire to sign another body for the heart of his backline.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on bringing in a centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

1. Man City

34

2. Arsenal

29

3. Liverpool

41

4. Aston Villa

61

5. Tottenham

61

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Postecoglou's side struggled when the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were absent last campaign, prompting the recruitment team to bring in the left-footed Dragusin as an alternative.

However, the 22-year-old, who impressed for Romania against Ukraine at Euro 2024 on Monday, could just be one of two new centre-halves brought to N17 this year – as Levy attempts to back Postecoglou with strength in depth.

Hummels holds talks to join Tottenham via his agents

According to HITC, Spurs have now been offered the opportunity to bring in a very experienced, big-name World Cup winner at zero cost. Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels is out of contract at the end of this month and available on a free transfer, with the £113,000-per-week ace's representatives looking for a new home.

Hummels' agents have spoken with Tottenham over potentially joining Postecoglou this summer, as well as the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton, with the Lilywhites handed a chance to bring the 35-year-old to England.

The serial-winning German boasts an array of Bundesliga winners' medals from productive spells at both Dortmund and Bayern Munich, so he would also be an experienced figurehead for Postecoglou's dressing room if Spurs decide to press forward.

Apart from winning on Sunday, Kings XI hope for other results to go their way

Vishal Dikshit31-Oct-20208:42

Should Gayle open for Kings XI?

Big pictureThe Chennai Super Kings have already hurt the playoff chances of two teams in a row – the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bangalore – and in their path next are the Kings XI Punjab, who need to win to stay alive. With the burden of qualifying lifted off their shoulders, the Super Kings have nothing to lose in their last game and a win may even give them a chance of not finishing bottom of the table.The Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win has pushed the Kings XI Punjab down to fifth place now but Kings XI’s net run rate is better than both the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s and the Delhi Capitals’. To qualify, the Kings now need to beat the Super Kings to finish on 14 points which will take them higher than the loser of the Capitals-Royal Challengers clash on Monday.At the same time, the Kings XI will also hope the winner of the Rajasthan Royals-Kolkata Knight Riders game on Sunday doesn’t go above them on net run-rate, in case the Sunrisers win their last league game. If the Sunrisers lose, Kings XI will be through by winning on Sunday.Sunday’s game may not be the toughest among Kings XI’s recent challenges though. A lot of the Super Kings players aren’t firing which means the Kings XI can mainly focus on their recent match-winners: Ruturaj Gaikwad, one of Super Kings’ future prospects, Ravindra Jadeja, for his finishing skills and economical bowling, and Sam Curran’s wicket-taking abilities.This being a day game on Sunday, the Kings XI don’t need to worry about the dew, which, KL Rahul said, hurt them in their last game while bowling second. Chris Gayle’s recent six-hitting ability bodes well for them but they also need to prepare for the possibility of their middle order doing the hard work if they lose both Rahul and Gayle early, especially if they are without Mayank Agarwal and/or Mandeep Singh.Previous meetingShane Watson and Faf du Plessis tore into the Kings XI bowlers while chasing 179 in Dubai almost four weeks ago and handed them a 10-wicket drubbing. A lot has changed since then, though, for both teams.In the newsThere’s a possibility, no matter how small, that the Kings XI will be without both Agarwal and Mandeep. Agarwal hurt his leg during the game against the Delhi Capitals more than 10 days ago and was expected to be fit for Friday’s game but didn’t feature in the XI. Mandeep, meanwhile, got hit on his glove by a nasty short delivery from Jofra Archer during his one-ball stay on Friday, and his fitness update is awaited. In case both are unavailable, Kings XI can open with Rahul and Gayle, and bring in Sarfaraz Khan for Mandeep in the XI.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Shane Watson/Faf du Plessis, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 N Jagadeesan, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Karn Sharma, 11 Lungi NgidiKings XI Punjab: 1 Mayank Agarwal/Mandeep Singh, 2 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Chris Jordan, 8 M Ashwin, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Arshdeep SinghStrategy punts Since the Super Kings have been rotating some of the older players, they could this time leave out Shane Watson for Faf du Plessis, who has an impressive record against two bowlers the Kings XI have been opening with recently: Mohammed Shami (57 off 29) and Glenn Maxwell (43 off 28). Watson has also scored only 18 runs off the 26 balls he has faced from Shami in T20s. Given the two hard-hitting left-hand batsmen in Kings XI’s line-up – Gayle and Pooran – the Super Kings can save Jadeja’s left-arm spin mainly for the right-hand batsmen. Jadeja could bowl in the powerplay if Rahul opens with Agarwal or Mandeep, and can be kept for Glenn Maxwell thereafter. Maxwell has been dismissed as many as five times by Jadeja in the 44 balls he has faced while scoring 58 runs.Stats that matter If Curran scores 14 more runs in the next game, he will become just the fourth Super Kings player to score 200-plus runs and take 10-plus wickets in a season. Albie Morkel (2008), Dwayne Bravo (2012) and Jadeja (2013) are the others. Jadeja has the fourth-best strike rate this season while batting (minimum 150 runs) but it has also been his worst season with the ball for the Super Kings, taking only five wickets with an economy rate of 9.03. The Kings XI have not won even once in Abu Dhabi so far. The Super Kings have won only one of their three games there.

One Chelsea player faces "new doubt" over his future and could push to leave Stamford Bridge on one condition, with new head coach Enzo Maresca set to have a real influence.

Players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer

Ian Maatsen has joined Thiago Silva out of the Chelsea exit door, with the highly-rated Dutch full-back completing his Aston Villa medical on Monday and Omari Kelleyman going the other way in a separate £19 million deal (Nizaar Kinsella).

Chelsea prepared to bid for new priority target in £50 million forward

The west Londoners are keen on bringing in a new attacker or two.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 25, 2024

Chelsea and Villa agreed on a £35 million-plus fee for Maatsen, shaking hands on a club-to-club deal last week, with the Villans then sorting out personal terms. The fee received for him will come as a significant boost for co-Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who are tasked with bolstering Maresca's squad ahead of next season.

The 22-year-old performed exceptionally on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season, helping them reach the Champions League final, but there was little room in Chelsea's already-bloated squad for Maatsen. Attention now turns to who could follow the defender out, and there are many names up for the chopping block.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Malang Sarr, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Omari Hutchinson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marc Cucurella and Conor Gallagher are all players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer, according to various reports from the last few months.

Despite some reports, Chelsea are under no pressure to sell by June 30 to comply with PSR, according to Sky Sports. However, they will have to sell before next year's deadline of June 30, or risk facing stiff sanctions from the Premier League.

Time is on their side in this regard, but it will nevertheless be difficult to find potential buyers for every single one of the aforementioned players. Another squad member who faces uncertainty, according to Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke, is winger Mykhailo Mudryk.

Mykhailo Mudryk could push to leave Chelsea

As per his information, Mudryk could push to leave Chelsea if Maresca doesn't give him the necessary game time, and he's facing a crucial pre-season as a result.

His future is under "new doubt", and may well be an exit nominee despite only joining in January of last year for a mammoth £89 million fee. The Ukraine star has gone on to make 58 appearances in all competitions for the Blues since putting pen to paper on a transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk.

He's scored just seven goals and racked up four assists in that time, though Mudryk has been praised in flashes and even compared to Arjen Robben by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

“Mykhaylo Mudryk looks the real deal, some of his clips today were outstanding," said Gerrard on TNT Sports.

"He reminded me a little bit of Arjen Robben, his footwork, how quick he is, how he manipulates the ball, I would be very excited if I was Chelsea.”

Fast bowler says it was “team decision” not to take a knee during England series

Firdose Moonda23-Nov-2020Kagiso Rabada has said the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement “will always be relevant” to him even though South Africa will not take a knee in their upcoming white-ball series against England. Instead, the squad, who will play together for the first time since March, are considering wearing black armbands in solidarity with the fight against gender-based violence and to mourn the lives lost to Covid_19.South Africa’s head coach, Mark Boucher, last week described BLM as “an ongoing thing for us, not something that we have to continue to show”. Rabada said it would remain part of the conversation, even if it is not front-and-centre of their actions.ALSO READ: ‘Real conversations’ key for anti-racism message – Jordan”Black Lives Matter is one-hundred percent something I will always stand for and I speak for myself,” Rabada said. “It was a team decision not to kneel and to look at gender-based violence and devote ourselves to another cause. However, Black Lives Matter will always be relevant and something I will always believe in and I speak for myself there. But, Mark has stated that the team will not be kneeling and that’s how it’s going to be.”Boucher said the South Africa squad believed they already showed their support for BLM when they took a knee at the exhibition 3TC match in July, following weeks of fractious debates on race in the country. All the players involved in that fixture are part of the squad that will play England and Boucher said of one of them, Lungi Ngidi, who led South Africa’s response to BLM, was satisfied that the team has done enough.According to Boucher, South Africa will now concentrate on living out values of anti-racism rather than demonstrate them with on-field gestures, even though they have not played together as a national team since the BLM movement resurged over the winter.In South Africa, the rhetoric around BLM was particularly divisive and exposed the recently papered-over cracks that have resulted from decades of legalised racial discrimination. After Ngidi expressed his wish that South African players join the rest of the world in “making a stand” in support of BLM, four former players, all white, criticised him, prompting an outpouring of stories of exclusion from players of colour. CSA has set up a social justice and nation-building committee to address historical injustices but has recently made no other public statements about anti-racist action or transformation, including its plans for reparations.Janneman Malan takes a knee on the pitch prior to the start of the 3TC game•AFP via Getty ImagesThe conversation around BLM appears to have shifted from collective to individual action, which Rabada remains in favour of. During the IPL, he spoke about the responsibility that high-profile people, including sportsmen, have to raise awareness over social issues and he reiterated that belief.”It is important, especially if you have a platform like you do as a sportsman – spreading the right message is important. It doesn’t mean anyone should go out of their way to do it but if you would like to, it’s important to spread the right message,” Rabada said. “There is huge responsibility in the things you say and the things you stand up for. We’ve seen the roles sportsmen had to play in all the political movements that were happening during the lockdown. I expressed my opinion on Twitter, and on some podcasts that we did but I am not getting into it too hectically. I am not writing essays about it, I am not writing a doctorate about it but I threw my two cents out.”When asked whether he thought the debate needed to move from whether a team should take a knee as a symbolic gesture, to whether they could better tackle racism in practical ways because repeated taking of a knee diminishes its significance, Rabada said he would “need to think about it”.

Mason Greenwood remains of interest to the Jamaica national team, but an allegiance switch from England for the Marseille winger is proving “complex”.

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Won one senior cap for Three LionsSolitary appearance came in 2020Reggae Boyz have opened their doors Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 23-year-old forward earned his solitary senior cap for the Three Lions back in September 2020 – as he stepped off the bench in a UEFA Nations League clash with Iceland. A lot has happened since then and Bradford-native Greenwood is no longer being considered by the country of his birth.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There has been talk of Greenwood pursuing an international career with Jamaica, as the Caribbean nation hold an interest in bringing him on board – with former Manchester United and England coach Steve McClaren already working as their new boss.

WHAT SPEID SAID

Rudolph Speid, chairman of Jamaica’s Football Federation technical committee, has told of efforts to get Greenwood registered with FIFA: “We are still trying to get him to come but things are complex and not easy to get across the line. No deal is a deal until it’s totally completed but we’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best.”

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Speid added on the job that McClaren is doing since returning to management: “The senior team is one team that we don’t interfere with. It’s in his contract that he can pick whoever he wants, just get the results. That is exactly what we brought the coach for and anybody that plays for Jamaica will be coach’s decision. You can see that we have become more confident on the ball and we are having more possession. We are getting the results, we recently finished top of the table in the Concacaf Nations League, qualified for the Gold Cup and that’s the most we can ask for at this point.”

Arsenal were a tour de force in the Premier League last season, and while they couldn't quite dethrone Manchester City, they were comfortably the second-best team in the competition.

From Kai Havertz at the top of the pitch to David Raya in between the sticks, Mikel Arteta's squad was full of stars with a genuine claim to being the player of the season, and one who really kicked on was Ben White.

The Englishman was an ever-present in the team and won the Player of the Month Award in March, but based on recent reports, he could be in for a fight next season, as the latest name touted for a move to the Emirates is an incredibly impressive defender.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Gerard Romero (via Caught Offside), Arsenal are interested in Barcelona star Jules Kounde and have been in contact with the Blaugrana about the player.

The bad news for the Gunners is that the Catalans do not want to sell the talented defender lest they are made a seriously significant offer.

However, it is still early in the transfer window and with the North Londoners clearly keen on the Frenchman, this might be a transfer worth working on, even if it could impact White's place in the team.

How Kounde compares to White

Now, like White, Kounde is a versatile defender who can play as either a centre-back or a right-back, but with William Saliba and Gabriel firmly established at the heart of the Gunners' best-in-class back four, he'd likely come in as competition on the right.

So, how does he compare to the Englishman?

Well, from a pure output perspective, the Arsenal man comes out ahead. In his 51 appearances last season, he scored four goals and provided five assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 5.66 matches, which for a right-back isn't half bad.

In contrast, the "sensational" Frenchman, as dubbed by analyst Marcus Bring, scored two goals and provided four assists in 48 appearances in 2023/24, which equates to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every eight games.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Can the former Sevilla ace even things up with what's going on under the hood? In short, yes, yes, he can.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.12

0.15

Progressive Passes

6.87

5.88

Progressive Carries

1.74

1.21

Shots

0.66

0.51

Shots on Target

0.22

0.18

Passing Accuracy

89.5

84.3

Live Passes

74.0

57.2

Shot-Creating Actions

1.79

2.50

Goal-Creating Actions

0.22

0.22

Tackles

1.19

1.38

Tackles Won

0.81

0.75

Interceptions

0.95

0.97

Clearances

2.86

2.11

Successful Take-Ons

0.52

0.29

Ball Recoveries

4.83

3.51

Aerial Duels Won

2.31

1.09

According to FBref, the 25-year-old, whom former manager Xavi dubbed "one of the best defenders in the world," comes out ahead in most metrics, including progressive passes and carries, shots and shots on target, passing accuracy, live passes, tackles won, clearances, successful take-ons, ball recoveries, and aerial duels won, all per 90.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion ace does edge it in metrics like non-penalty expected goals and assists, shot-creating actions, tackles and interceptions per 90, but that is about it.

Arsenal lead race for "magic" £50m Martinelli rival

The sensational talent could help the Brazilian return to his best or replace him altogether.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 28, 2024

Ultimately, with White producing more goal involvements and Kounde having the better underlying numbers, it would be fascinating to see which one would come out on top in a battle for the right-back position at the Emirates, and while he may cost a significant sum, this seems like a transfer worth pursuing for the Gunners.

Jack Wilshere is all set to leave his post as Arsenal's Under-18s manager after agreeing to join Norwich City as a first-team coach.

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Wilshere set to leave ArsenalAgrees to join Norwich City Served as Arsenal U-18 coach since 2022Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Last season, Wilshere was linked with moves to MLS side Colorado Rapids and Scottish Premiership outfit Aberdeen as he looked to enter senior management. However, none of the moves materialised in the end as the American club appointed Chris Armas as their head coach while Jimmy Thelin joined the Scottish team.

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Now talkSPORT reports that the former England international is finally parting ways with the Gunners after he agreed to join Championship side Norwich City as their first-team coach. The 32-year-old will work as an assistant to Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup, who joined them on a three-year deal this summer.

DID YOU KNOW?

Wilshere joined the north London club as the coach of their U-18 side in 2022 after retiring from professional football aged 30. During his playing days, he represented the Gunners in 197 matches across all competitions and won two FA Cups and a Community Shield.

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Mikel Arteta's side are currently third in the Premier League, tied on points with second-placed Manchester City and will be next seen in action on Saturday against Bournemouth away from home. The Gunners' Under-18s side will be on the hunt for a new manager, meanwhile, with their women's team also currently without a head coach after the resignation of Jonas Eidevall.