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The West Indian opener has cited injury, and the Sri Lanka fast bowler inadequate preparation time

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Nov-2020Foreign players, franchise staff and tournament organisers continue to arrive in the Sooriyawewa area ahead of the start of the Lanka Premier League, but the tournament has been hit by two further high-profile player withdrawals.Chris Gayle has told the Kandy Tuskers franchise that he will not be traveling to Sri Lanka on account of an injury. Lasith Malinga – Sri Lanka’s most recognisable T20 player – has also pulled out a week from the tournament’s start date, citing inadequate preparation time. The arrival of Andre Russell this week, however, will ensure that the tournament will have at least one global star.Gayle’s exit had been rumoured for several days, but Malinga’s withdrawal has come as more of a surprise, particularly as he was one of the Galle Gladiators’ marquee players, and was expected to lead that team. Now 37, Malinga had not played a competitive match since March, and said that the lack of cricket and training this year had prompted his decision to withdraw.”Since the West Indies series early this year, I haven’t had any cricket, and there hasn’t been any training for me at all,” Malinga told ESPNcricinfo. “When the draft happened last month, I thought there would be about three weeks of training before the LPL, but there has been nothing. They are only having us come to Hambantota this week, and even there they are asking us to do three days of quarantine.”It’s not easy for a bowler to play at a high level without training. At the LPL they also have matches on back-to-back days. So I decided not to play the tournament.”Although the Sri Lanka coaching staff had run training sessions and training camps through the year, and invited Malinga to at least some of them, Malinga is not understood to have engaged in any rigorous training with the national squad.Also withdrawing from the tournament this week is Ravi Bopara, who had been drafted late into the Jaffna Stallions franchise, but has now confirmed to the franchise that he will not play. He had requested 100% of his LPL payment before the tournament; the franchise felt it could not accommodate this. Both the Kandy Tuskers, who lost Gayle, and the Stallions are looking for replacements for these players. There has been no word from the Gladiators yet about a replacement for Malinga.The Colombo Kings franchise, meanwhile, which had lost Kabir Ali as coach due to his testing positive for Covid-19 this week, has replaced him with Herschelle Gibbs, who initially traveled to Sri Lanka to work as a commentator for the tournament. Gibbs will have Rangana Herath as an assistant coach.The first match of the LPL is scheduled to be played on November 26. The tournament is set to be played at the Sooriyawewa stadium in its entirety, and is set to run until December 16.

When a transfer window comes around Chelsea get busy. That has always been the motive since Todd Boehly took over.

However, rather than throwing the book at big-money names this summer, the Blues have been shrewd, planning for the future by wrapping up a number of deals for future stars.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

£30m

25

Omari Kellyman

£19m

18

Marc Guiu

£5m

18

Estevao Willian

£28m

17

Renato Veiga (still TBC)

£11.8m *

20

Caleb Wiley (still TBC)

£8.5m *

19

Aaron Anselmino (still TBC)

£17m *

19

Still, there could be room for one big expenditure if they can sell players like Conor Gallagher and Romelu Lukaku in the forthcoming weeks to raise funds.

Nico Williams continues to be linked with a move, as does Borussia Dortmund sensation Karim Adeyemi.

However, a striker continues to elude Boehly who will no doubt be keen to add to Enzo Maresca's firepower.

Chelsea still targeting a new striker

Last summer, Nicolas Jackson was brought to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £30m from Villarreal.

It took a while for the Senegalese striker to get up to speed but he did actually enjoy a pretty impressive debut campaign in England despite criticism from various corners, scoring 17 goals in all competitions.

So, is a striker really necessary? Well, it depends who it is you'd imagine. Newcastle forward Alexander Isak was linked a few weeks ago but the Toon don't want to sell and with the PSR deadline now having passed, they no longer need to cash in on their prized assets.

Who else is of interest? Well, Chelsea lodged a bid for Atletico Madrid's young striker Samuel Omorodion earlier this week. There's also a certain Victor Osimhen.

The latest on their interest in the Nigerian comes from Football.London who report that it is a deal the Blues could still 'look to do' before the window closes.

That comes after talks involving a possible swap deal including Lukaku fell through.

The trouble is that it could take a fee north of £100m to draw him away from Napoli and the Serie A.

How Osimhen compares to Alexander Isak

Now, who would turn their noses up at either striker? Certainly not us. However, there is a question to be asked, who is the better option?

Well, Isak has Premier League experience and has shone in English football already, scoring 25 goals from 40 matches in all competitions last term.

So, he knows where the back of the net is. Sadly, just like Osimhen, he doesn't have the greatest fitness record.

2021/22

18 (63)

10 (5)

2022/23

31 (50)

11 (106)

2023/24

17 (92)

25 (12)

Total

66 (205)

46 (123)

Besides the 2022/23 campaign, the Swedish striker appears to have a better fitness record, but even with Osimhen missing more days through injury, he has scored more goals.

Therefore, the next comparison should be in how well-rounded their game is. Let's take a look at the numbers in a bit more depth.

Goals

0.68

0.84

Assists

0.14

0.08

Shots on target

1.64

1.43

Key passes

1.05

1.08

Shot-creating actions

2.45

2.87

Progressive carries

1.55

2.71

Touches

25

28.9

Aerials won

1.68

0.40

Aerials won %

44%

20%

Tackles

0.41

0.20

In some key areas for a striker, it's Isak who looks like the more captivating asset. He scored more goals per 90 minutes, registered more shot-creating actions and was more likely to carry the ball forward in a progressive manner.

That said, it's Osimhen who looks like the stronger of the two physically, reigning supreme in the air and doing his fair share of defensive work, winning more tackles.

What other factors can we take into consideration? Well, the ability to perform on the big stages should be something that Maresca and Co look at.

At the age of 25 (Isak is 24), the Napoli forward has been scoring at a bigger and more consistent rate for a number of years now. He's taken his side to a historic Serie A triumph too. In short, there is a reason that Joao Cancelo once hailed him as "one of the best strikers in the world."

Further boasting nine goals in 17 Champions League fixtures – with Isak having scored just once at Europe's top table – there is a reason to believe that Osimhen is the more likely of the two to help Boehly meet his dizzying ambitions for Chelsea.

Newcastle's star man is no doubt still a fantastic option but Osimhen, with his power and goalscoring ability, could be perfect, ushering in a new era under Maresca and taking them to the next level.

Top priority: Chelsea hold talks to sign their own Musiala in £60m phenom

A host of Premier League sides are vying for this prodigious talent’s signature.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2024

Glenton Stuurman and Migael Pretorius miss out through injury, as does Raynard van Tonder

Firdose Moonda08-Jan-2021Fast bowler Daryn Dupavillon and medium-pacer Ottniel Baartman have received maiden call-ups to South Africa’s Test squad for their historic two-match series in Pakistan. The trip will be South Africa’s first to Pakistan since 2007 and will take place in both a security and biosecure bubble.South Africa’s squad features most of the same players that beat Sri Lanka 2-0 at home. Dupavillon and Baartman replace Glenton Stuurman and Migael Pretorius, who were suffered injuries in training during the Sri Lanka series and have not recovered in time to travel. Neither has top-order batsman Raynard van Tonder, whose spot has been taken by the returning Keegan Petersen.The only additions to the group that were involved against Sri Lanka are in the spin department. Alongside Keshav Maharaj, South Africa have included George Linde, who played one Test in India in 2019, and Tabraiz Shamsi, who has two Test caps to his name. Shaun von Berg and Senuran Muthusamy, who are first and fourth on the first-class bowling charts this season, miss out.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn total, South Africa have given themselves nine pace-bowling options including two allrounders. Dwaine Pretorius, who did not feature against Sri Lanka as he recovered from a hamstring injury, has been given the green light to play as has Kagiso Rabada, who has been doing rehab after a groin strain. Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Wiaan Mulder, Dupavillon and Baartman make up the rest of the seam pack.”Considering that the conditions that will be faced are largely unknown to the South African team, we wanted to strengthen the attack with the skill sets that Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde have to offer, while giving players like Daryn Dupavillon and Ottniel Baartman an opportunity after making strong cases for themselves in recent seasons,” Victor Mpitsang, South Africa’s convenor of selectors, said.Dupavillon and Baartman are 14th and 28th on the first-class wicket-takers’ list and have leapfrogged the likes of left-armer Marco Jansen (in second place) and medium-fast bowler Lizaad Williams (who is fifth) but have impressed with big performances. Dupavillon, who debuted for South Africa in an ODI last summer, took 11 wickets for the Dolphins against the Knights while Baartman, who may seen as a replacement for Vernon Philander much in the way Stuurman was, has enjoyed an average in the low 20s over the last two seasons.South Africa’s batting line-up is expected to be unchanged from the top six that did duty against Sri Lanka, which consisted of Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma. de Kock will continue to captain the team and keep wicket while Kyle Verreynne remains in the squad as cover. Sarel Erwee is the back-up opening batsmen with Petersen a reserve player.The squad will leave South Africa next Friday on a commercial flight and will not be required to quarantine at home. Two of them, Shamsi and Baartman, will play in the domestic one-day cup, which starts on Saturday and is being staged in a biosecure environment in Potchefstroom.The entire squad will have a period of quarantine on arrival in Pakistan before commencing training and an intra-squad match. South Africa’s two Tests will be played in Karachi and Rawalpindi before three T20s in Lahore. The T20 squad will be named at a later stage.South Africa Test squad: Quinton de Kock (capt), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman

The Black and Yellow were eliminated from the competition with the loss, but Campbell earned his biggest opportunity yet with the senior team.

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Borussia Dortmund lose 1-0 to Wolfsburg in DFB PokalUSMNT prospect Cole Campbell plays 43 minutes18-year-old earned second senior appearanceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Borussia Dortmund crashed out of the 2024-25 DFB Pokal on Tuesday, losing 1-0 to Wolfsburg in extra time. However, one silver lining for both U.S. Soccer and Dortmund fans is that Cole Campbell continues to earn more minutes under Nuri Sahin

The U.S. youth international was a 77th-minute sub and played 43 minutes with the senior team on just his second appearance for the club.

He made his professional debut just this past weekend, and earned the trust of Sahin enough to have a large impact on the match Tuesday.

The match felt bound for penalties after a back-and-forth display, but a 117' strike from Jonas Wind handed Wolfsburg the victory, eliminating Campbell and Dortmund from the domestic cup competition.

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Campbell was lively in his cameo, testing defenders with his skillful footwork and pace on the right side of the pitch. However, his youthfulness got the best of him at times, with Wolfsburg's defense taking advantage of his inexperience in certain moments.

His introduction to the game did, however, bring a sense of excitement onto the pitch for the . However, Wolfsburg's late strike with minutes to spare in extra-time took all of the momentum Dortmund had in the match.

With the result, it was their fifth-straight loss on the road across all competitions for Sahin and Dortmund. Appointed manager of BVB in the summer, the ex-player is already feeling the heat on his managerial seat.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dortmund are five-time winners of the tournament, with their last victory coming in 2021. In 2017, U.S. international star Christian Pulisic earned his first professional trophy by winning the cup with BVB, as well.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CAMPBELL, BVB?

Dortmund return to the Bundesliga on Saturday when they clash with rivals RB Leipzig. The will be searching for a much-needed victory after losing their last three matches.

Everton will desperately want to build on the 15th-placed finish in the Premier League last season, with the club needing to dip into the market to improve Sean Dyche’s squad.

The Toffees managed to string together a great end to the campaign, winning five of the last eight matches to secure another season of top-flight football, despite receiving multiple points deductions during the 2023/24.

The club have already made attempts to strengthen Dyche’s side, re-signing Jack Harrison, with Iliman Ndiaye and Tim Iroegbunam also arriving on Merseyside this summer.

However, the Toffees still need to offload players if they are to boost their current financial position and avoid any repeat of last season which saw the club docked a total of eight points for breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules.

Despite the priority to move players out of the door at Goodison Park, Dyche is still targeting new additions including one star to replace a player who is edging ever closer to move away from the club.

Everton transfer news

According to journalist David Ornstein, Everton midfield Amadou Onana is edging ever close to a move to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa this summer.

The Belgian, who featured in every minute of his nation’s Euro 2024 campaign, has constantly been touted with a move away from the club, with the West Midlands looking to be the most likely destination.

However, the deal would see the Toffees make a decent profit on the £33m they forked out for his services in 2022, with Unai Emery’s side expected to pay a fee in the region of £50m to lure Onana away from Merseyside.

Undoubtedly, the deal would leave a huge hole in the middle of Everton’s midfield, but, the club have wasted no time in finding a replacement, in the form of Juventus talent Weston McKennie according to Italian outlet Tutto Sport.

The USA international has been told he’s free to leave the Italian side this summer, with Dyche’s side able to fork out the £20m asking price should the Onana deal reach its completion in the coming days. It's said they have already made enquiries about a move.

McKennie would be a brilliant replacement for the outgoing Belgian, whilst also being the perfect player for former teammate Wilfried Gnonto, who’s also been strongly linked with a move to Everton, after the duo spent six months together at Leeds United during the back end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Why McKennie would be the perfect Onana replacement

Although Onana would be a huge loss to Dyche’s side, the Everton faithful shouldn’t worry, with McKennie producing some impressive stats that could see him perfectly fit the hole left by the youngster.

The “dangerous” USMNT star, as he described by former boss Jesse Marsch, contributed with seven assists last campaign, over three times more than Onana, a figure that could play perfectly into the hands of Italian forward Gnonto should the pair be reunited together at Goodison.

Games

30

34

Goals + assists

2

7

Progressive carries

21

64

Tackles won

50%

63%

Clearances

31

69

Take-ons completed

12

18

The American ace also completed three times more progressive carries, demonstrating his ability in carrying the ball forward, liking to create opportunities for his teammates whenever possible.

However, he’s also excelled defensively in 2023/24, averaging a 13% better tackle success rate compared to Onana, whilst also making over double the amount of clearances.

He’s unfortunately become a victim of the new system implemented by new Juventus boss Thiago Motta, with their loss Everton’s game this summer should they win the race for his signature.

McKennie has proven his talented at both ends of the pitch in recent times, allowing Dyche to have a suitable replacement for one of his key midfielders, whilst also allowing a potential new signing in Gnonto to hit the ground running and flourish at the club.

Dyche must cash in on Everton star who earns even more than Pickford

He’s no longer matching his lofty salary on the field.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 15, 2024

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi is surprisingly absent from the list of stars taking part in the “first ever El Clasico in Japan”.

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World Cup winner Iniesta now retiredLegends 'Clasico' lined up in AsiaMessi will not feature after MLS seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner sent records tumbling across his iconic spell at Camp Nou. Messi plundered 672 goals for the Blaugrana, helping them to 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. Much of that success was enjoyed alongside fellow La Masia academy graduate and World Cup winner Andres Iniesta.

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With ex-Spain international Iniesta choosing to hang up his boots at 40 years of age, an exhibition match has been arranged in honour of an all-time great midfielder that spent five years with Vissel Kobe after bidding farewell to Barca in 2018.

VitasDID YOU KNOW?

A contest that is being billed as "A Historic Match: The First-Ever 'El Clasico' in Japan" will take place at the Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo on December 15, with iconic stars from Barcelona and Real Madrid’s illustrious histories preparing to take to the field.

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The likes of Xavi, Rivaldo, Javier Mascherano, Rafa Marquez, Bojan Krkic, Adriano, Ludovic Giuly, Javier Saviola, Roberto Carlos, Luis Figo, Iker Casillas, Julio Baptista, Steve McManaman, Savio and Ivan Campo will all be involved, but there is no Messi.

Mukidul Islam took four wickets while Khaled Ahmed picked up a three-for for the hosts, in Chattogram

Mohammad Isam31-Jan-2021A few more runs on the board would have delighted the West Indians at the end of their three-day game against the BCB XI at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram. They were placed on a precarious 190 for 7 before useful lower-order contributions from Joshua Da Silva (46) and Raymon Reifer (49*) saved them, after half-centuries from John Campbell and Nkrumah Bonner on the second day. Eventually set a target of 389, the hosts finished on 63 for 2 in 29 overs in the fourth innings.The West Indians lost No. 3 Bonner (80) early in the day before Da Silva and Reifer’s partnership. Da Silva struck three fours in his over two-hour stay, while Reifer was unbeaten on 49 off 94 balls, having hit five fours and a six. The duo added 82 runs for the eighth wicket in 28.3 overs.BCB XI seamer Mukidul Islam took four wickets while Khaled Ahmed picked up a three-for. Saif Hassan and Towhid Hridoy took three wickets between them.In reply, the hosts lost Saif and Mohammad Naim to Reifer, before Shadman Islam (23*) and Yasir Ali (33*) took them to stumps without the loss of any further wickets.The likes of Saif, Shadman and Yasir would not have taken much confidence from this game. It remains unclear whether Saif or Shadman will open with Tamim Iqbal in the first Test, starting February 3 across town, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.For the West Indians, their captain Kraigg Brathwaite, didn’t bat in the second innings but he would be pleased with the efforts of Bonner, Campbell, Da Silva and Reifer. Jermaine Blackwood, Shayne Moseley and Kyle Mayers would, however, look to get more confidence from the nets.After play, Brathwaite said that he was satisfied with the fact that his batsmen got two hits in the middle, while his bowlers, too, got to bowl enough overs. He was especially happy with how Rahkeem Cornwall, who took a five-for in the first innings, and Bonner performed.”I am very happy. I thought the guys got a good blow,” Brathwaite said. “The batters got two chances to bat. Some guys got good scores. Fast bowlers and spinners got to bowl in the second innings where we could get 29 overs in. So I am quite happy. We got ten wickets in the first innings, which was good. I think the guys are ready to go.”I was very impressed [with Cornwall]. He bowled well, created a lot of pressure with dot balls. I know Rahkeem’s ability. I knew he was always a quality offspinner. It is good to see him in these conditions. I know he will do well in this Test.”It was very good to see Bonner get to a nice score. I thought John batted well in both innings. I don’t want to single out guys. Everyone is working really hard. I am happy with all the batters. They are confident, so we have to enjoy it out there.”

Tim Southee the only quick in the top ten, which is dominated by spinners

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2021Ashton Agar and Ish Sodhi have both moved up in the latest T20I rankings for bowlers following impressive hauls in the recent five-match series between New Zealand and Australia, which New Zealand won 3-2. While left-arm spinner Agar rose four places to be ranked No. 4, legspinner Sodhi entered the top ten by climbing three spots to No. 8.The table is still headed by Rashid Khan, with Tabraiz Shamsi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman completing the top three.Related

Virat Kohli jumps back into top five in T20I rankings; Jos Buttler moves up to 19th

Questions remain for Australia in T20 jigsaw puzzle

NZ rewarded for thinking to maintain winning season

Sodhi was the leading wicket-taker in the series with 13 strikes – at an average of 12.07 – including a career-best 4 for 28 in the first T20I in Christchurch.Agar, meanwhile, was just behind Sodhi in the wicket-takers’ list, with eight strikes. His wickets came at an economy rate of 6.88 and featured a match-winning 6 for 30 in the third T20I in Wellington. Agar’s haul also bettered his own record for the best T20I figures by an Australian bowler.The T20I bowling rankings continued to be dominated by spinners, with Sodhi’s team-mate Tim Southee the solitary pacer to sit inside the top ten. Also up there are Mitchell Santner, who took six wickets against Australia at 16.16, and Adam Zampa, who got four wickets. They are at No. 7 and No. 6 respectively.

With just eight days until the campaign gets underway, Leeds United are reportedly battling both Sheffield United and Burnley to sign a Premier League gem for Daniel Farke.

Leeds transfer news

Having already lost Glen Kamara and Archie Gray, Leeds could be left with it all to do by the time their campaign gets underway, with Crysencio Summerville also set to join West Ham United, according to Fabrizio Romano. Suddenly without three key men, it's no surprise that the Whites have been linked with attacking reinforcements as of late.

Losing Summerville is a particularly big blow for those at Elland Road, but the potential arrival of a Premier League gem would almost instantly ease any concerns in Yorkshire.

Bid made: Leeds make £2.5m offer for "wizard" who may replace Summerville

He has 64 senior assists.

4 ByCharlie Smith Aug 1, 2024

According to a new update from Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas, Leeds are battling Burnley and Sheffield United to sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on loan from Crystal Palace this summer. The young winger impressed on loan at Charlton Athletic in the 2022/23 campaign, before showing glimpses of his quality in cameos at Selhurst Park last season. Now, in pursuit of a starting place, he could complete another loan move.

After such a standout season in League One at Charlton, a move to the Championship would certainly make sense for Rak-Sakyi, but it remains to be seen whether Leeds will win the race for his signature.

"Remarkable" Rak-Sakyi could help fill Summerville void

Replacing Summerville will be no easy task, but signing Rak-Sakyi could certainly help fill the gap in attacking quality that the Dutchman would undoubtedly leave behind. The young winger is full of potential but may still struggle to gain crucial minutes at Palace next season, making a loan move his best option as things stand.

Scoring 15 goals and assisting a further eight in League One for Charlton, the 21-year-old needs the chance to step into a better level in the form of the Championship, particularly after the praise of former boss Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson previously told Palace's official website: "He's dealt with it [stepping up] very well. For such a young man he's shown a remarkable maturity and a remarkable sangfroid.

“Coming into a group of senior players that he’s probably only watched from the terraces before, you wouldn’t notice that with his performances in the training sessions where he’s really taken the responsibility that he’s capable of taking.

"Everyone’s taken to him and been appreciative of him and what he can do so it’s nice we’ve been able to have him with us in a situation where a vacancy has occurred because we’ve had enough senior players out of our squad to not be able to fill our 20-man quota."

Sergino Dest admits to making a “big mistake” when joining AC Milan, but the USMNT star continues to dream of turning out in “beautiful places”.

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Slipped down the pecking order at Camp NouEndured testing loan spell at San SiroRebuilding form & fitness in the NetherlandsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international finds himself back in the country of his birth at present, with a permanent transfer to Dutch giants PSV completed in the summer of 2024. That move, which came on the back of a loan stint in Eindoven, saw Dest sever ties with La Liga giants Barcelona.

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He got to play alongside Lionel Messi in Catalunya, but slipped down the pecking order at Camp Nou and realised that a loan move was required in order to find regular game time. A season-long switch to Milan was agreed in 2022, but a testing stint in Italy did not play out as planned.

WHAT DEST SAID

Dest admits as much, telling : “Milan for me was a big mistake. Obviously, it is a beautiful club but I was not ready at that time to go there, mentally. At that moment, my heart was still in Barcelona and I could not really focus on the next thing. I think that is why it went the way it went.”

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Dest concedes that he has taken a professional step backwards in returning to the Netherlands, but he needs to put down roots somewhere after struggling for form and fitness of late. He added on agreeing to remain at PSV: “Maybe it is good for me to be stable at one club a little longer because I kept moving every year to another club. But I also do not want to waste time. I want to get the maximum out of my career.

“I am glad that I had this path. I made a lot of mistakes that I will not make in the future. It is just all experience, man. I accept it. I cannot change it. This is just the path I have to follow at this moment. And better things will come. I know I am going to come back.”