It's been a decent week for Arsenal in the Premier League. Their draw away to Manchester City and wins at home to Luton Town have kept them within touching distance of league leaders Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta's side will need to win most, if not all, of their remaining games to lift the title this season, but with their goalscoring form since the turn of the year, that's entirely possible.

However, at the start of next term, Gabriel Jesus could find his game time more limited; at least, that looks like it could be the case based on recent reports linking the club to a new number nine who has been compared to Harry Kane in the past.

Latest Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal are among several top fight clubs across Europe interested in signing Bologna's talented striker, Joshua Zirkzee, this summer.

The report revealed that while AC Milan would likely be the forward's preferred destination, he would not be opposed to moving to the Premier League, with both the Gunners and Manchester United being the most interested English clubs.

Bayern Munich has a buyback clause worth around €40m – £34m – but it appears clear that neither party is interested in making that happen, so the Rossoblu will be able to name their price once the window opens.

The Italian report claims that Bologna considers Zirkzee's situation similar to Rasmus Hojlund's last summer. So, a price tag of around €75m has been discussed for clubs outside of Italy, which comes to about £64m. While that would be a serious investment from Arsenal, he might just be worth it.

How Zirkzee compares to Jesus

So the first and arguably most important thing to consider with any new potential striker signing is how their output compares to the forward they could replace, and in this case, Zirkzee comes out just ahead.

Appearances

31

27

Goals

11

8

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.54

0.48

In his 31 games this season, the Dutchman has scored 11 goals and provided six assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.8 games. In contrast, Jesus' return of eight goals and five assists in 27 appearances means he averages a goal involvement every two games.

Okay, so what about their underlying numbers, then? Well, here it is a lot closer, and it's actually the Brazilian who just about edges it in the most relevant metrics for a starting number nine.

Expected Goals + Assists

0.51

0.63

Goals

0.40

0.30

Assists

0.12

0.22

Progressive Passes

2.69

2.67

Progressive Carries

1.70

2.22

Shots on Target

1.03

1.26

Goals per Shot on Target

0.31

0.24

For example, the former Manchester City ace produces higher expected goals and assists figure, provides more actual assists, completes more progressive carries, and takes more shots on target per 90.

However, it isn't all that one-sided, as Bologna's "insane athlete", as data analyst Ben Mattinson described him, scores more goals, completes more progressive passes, and has a better conversion rate from his shots on target, all per 90.

Moreover, while it seems from the surface that Jesus is the better creator, Mattinson has argued that it is the ineffective attack of Bologna that is hampering the 6 foot 4 titan's creative numbers and that, in reality, his "his intelligence as a creator & facilitator is out of this world."

The respected analyst has drawn comparisons to former Tottenham Hotspur forward Kane, in that Zirkzee is burdened with the vast majority of the creative work in his current side and if he was placed in a team with goalscoring wingers and midfielders, his "productivity would sky-rocket."

Arsenal could sign the ideal Martinelli upgrade in "on fire" £26m ace

The incredible talent would be the perfect competition for the Brazilian.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 5, 2024

Ultimately, Arsenal have a great forward in Jesus, and he's likely to play some sort of role at the club for a number of years to come, but if they have the opportunity to sign Zirkzee this summer and bring him into a team with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka out wide, they absolutely should.

Having seen the havoc that Kane – who boasts 213 Premier League goals – has wreaked across north London, snapping up a similar figure would be a welcome treat for the Emirates side.

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O Corinthians entra em campo neste domingo, pelo Brasileirão, pressionado a conquistar sua primeira vitória na competição e sob o comando de Sylvinho e terá pela frente um adversário que criou problemas para o clube recentemente: o América-MG. Além disso, o técnico da equipe mineira é um desafeto corintiano, que já fez provocações que não agradaram dirigentes.

Com duas derrotas em seus dois primeiros jogos, Sylvinho passa por sua primeira turbulência no clube. Se tropeçar novamente, ou seja, se empatar ou perder, ele será o técnico do Timão com pior início neste século, mas há algo ainda mais preocupante: largar muito atrás de rivais diretos em uma luta ingrata do meio para baixo na tabela. Pontos esses que podem fazer falta.

Ainda sem acertar o esquema, apesar de já ter definido que prefere trabalhar com uma linha de quatro na defesa, o treinador corintiano precisa buscar os resultados para trazer de volta a confiança para o time e assim conseguir também que a torcida possa ver evolução no desempenho do time. E isso tem necessidade de ser mostrado o quanto antes, para que as críticas não cresçam.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBrasileirãoAmérica-MG x Corinthians: prováveis escalações, desfalques e onde assistirBrasileirão05/06/2021CorinthiansGustavo Mosquito pode completar 50 jogos pelo Corinthians neste domingoCorinthians05/06/2021CorinthiansEm recuperação de lesão, Jemerson inicia transição no CorinthiansCorinthians05/06/2021

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>Relembre o desempenho do Corinthians no Brasileirão por pontos corridos

O problema é que o adversário deste domingo faz parte da mesma faixa de tabela que o Corinthians, ou seja, trata-se, hoje, de um confronto equilibrado, sem favoritos. Ainda mais se pegarmos os duelos da temporada passada, em que as equipes se enfrentaram pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil.

Naquela ocasião, o América-MG venceu o Timão na Neo Química Arena por 1 a 0, e depois foi decidir o confronto em casa, empatando em 1 a 1. O jogo foi marcado por uma polêmica de arbitragem, já que o gol de empate do time mineiro saiu de um pênalti bastante contestado pelo Alvinegro até hoje, uma vez que Lucas Piton não teria colocado a mão de maneira faltosa na área.

A eliminação corintiana acabou não trazendo muitas consequências para o então técnico Vagner Mancini, cuja prioridade era permanecer na Série A do Brasileirão. No entanto, o confronto estremeceu a relação entre o Timão e Lisca, treinador do América-MG. Tanto é que na busca por um novo comandante, os dirigentes alvinegros descartaram o profissional.

Essa rusga ocorreu justamente no Independência quando, após eliminar o Corinthians, Lisca provocou os corintianos dizendo para uma das câmeras de transmissão que havia vencido o clube pela terceira vez, sem contar um desentendimento com a comissão técnica durante a partida. A rivalidade com o treinador americano acabou se tornando um aperitivo a mais para os duelos.

Por essas e outras, a partida da tarde deste domingo acaba sendo bastante importante para a sequência do time na temporada. Uma vitória pode iniciar a retomada da confiança do time, enquanto uma derrota pode trazer ainda mais problemas, incluindo para tentar reverter a desvantagem na terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, em que o Atlético-GO encaminhou a classificação em São Paulo.

Garber's vision, accomplishments have significantly shaped the landscape of U.S. soccer over 25 years at MLS helm

When Don Garber was named MLS commissioner in 1999, the Los Angeles Times ran an editorial claiming that the former NFL international senior vice president was a "bad choice in any language" for the job. Here was a businessman with little apparent soccer knowledge, brought in to run a struggling league, the supposed centerpiece of the growth of a sport still relatively fresh in the mainstream consciousness of the U.S. landscape.

Twenty-five years later, it would seem some of the critics got it wrong. Garber has now been at the helm for a quarter of a century, and during his tenure, MLS has undergone immense growth, both in terms of size and profitability. What was once a struggling institution is now central to an ever-growing U.S. soccer landscape, a real hub of the beautiful game in a country that is embracing the sport more every day.

This didn't all happen overnight, though. Some of Garber's changes were immediate, but most of MLS's growth has come over time, with key events assisting the notoriety of the league on the global stage. Garber, who celebrates his 25th anniversary as MLS commissioner this month, helped rescue the league from collapse and now leads an MLS that has grown in profile both in the U.S. and internationally.

“MLS has driven the rise of a soccer nation in America and Canada," Garber told the Associated Press. "And that sounds like it’s amorphous, but it’s not. That’s the most important accomplishment, that we built a powerful soccer nation. We’ve been the driver of the growth of the beautiful game in our region at so many different levels. We have become a respected league in the eyes of players, fans and institutions that govern the sport. I am most proud of that. ”

GOAL US takes a look at some of the major changes Garber has made to help MLS become a major player in world soccer.

Getty ImagesIncreased club valuations

When Garber took over, MLS, as a financial institution, was in trouble. There were genuine concerns as to whether the league – then just 12 teams strong – could survive long into the 21st century. Two teams folded two years after he started, the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny, deemed not "economically feasible" at the time. But in 2005, as MLS went back to 12 teams, and the momentum shifted.

Today, the average valuation of an MLS club is $678 million, according to Sportico. There are two clubs valued at more than $1 billion: Los Angeles FC, and Inter Miami CF. MLS is now home to 20 of the 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world. LAFC would be the seventh most valuable club in England's Premier League, fourth most valuable in Spain's La Liga, and third in Italy's Serie A, according to Forbes

Advertisement@LAFCMLS Expansion

One of the biggest issues Garber faced when he took over was the relative lack of size of the league.

Compared to other major leagues in North America, MLS's reach was small at just 12 teams. Those clubs were also managed by six ownership groups. Garber needed the necessary investment to push MLS forward. The commissioner was able to sell soccer's future in this region and attract some of the most well-known top -ollar investors around the world. From the New York Yankees (NYCFC) to the Atlanta Falcons' Arthur Blank, the profile of ownership groups have dramatically changed.

As a result, so has the league.

Since 2004, the league has almost tripled in size and spans two countries. There are now 30 teams in the U.S. and Canada, with several hopeful ownerships in markets such as Indianapolis and Las Vegas.

In 2005, Real Salt Lake's expansion fee was reported to be $7.5 million. Today, the expansion fee is $500 million.

Getty ImagesBecks and Messi

David Beckham's arrival in MLS changed the landscape of American soccer. Suddenly, the U.S. had a global megastar in its ranks, an elite athlete but also a recognizable brand. To say that Beckham merely "put MLS on the map" would be a masterclass in understatement. Garber played a significant roll in his recruitment as the commissioner created the Designated Player rule, allowing teams to largely bypass the salary cap to sign big names.

As a result, a host of globally known players followed Beckham to North America — including Thierry Henry, David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. There were some moves that didn't pan out, Rafa Marquez and Andrea Pirlo for example, leading to the famous "retirement league" criticisms. But Beckham's signing and DP rule proved to be a significant boost for MLS.

And of course, it also paved the way for the league's most monumental signing – Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who joined Inter Miami last year after winning the World Cup with his home country. MLS needed big names in order to grow. And under Garber's stewardship, it has more than delivered.

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USA Today ImagesPlayer development and scouting

Garber once stated his ambition for MLS to be a top global league by 2026. While that remains to be seen, several rules implemented over the past few years have raised the league's profile as a place where talent can develop.

MLS wonderkid Cavan Sullivan might be gaining recent attention, but the league has either developed or signed prospects who have gone on to star in international leagues. For example, Gladbach's Joe Scally, who has made 89 Bundesliga appearances at just 21 years old, got his pro debut at NYCFC. Another notable player is Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron, who scored 11 goals in the Premier League during the 2022-23 season. MLS continues to send more impactful talents abroad.

The most successful MLS sides tap into their own communities and have expansive scouting networks to bring in talent. This approach has allowed MLS clubs to become profitable and sustainable franchises, with the best teams acquiring talent, developing it, utilizing it, and eventually moving it on for a profit. Although there are still challenges in encouraging the U.S.'s best players to stay in the league, there is now a structure in place that has allowed American soccer to undergo organic growth.

Celtic are back in action in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they travel away from Parkhead to take on their closest rivals to keep their place at the top of the table.

A defeat at Ibrox would see the Hoops move two points behind Rangers, having played a game more than them, whereas a win would see them go four points clear.

Brendan Rodgers' side come into this match off the back of a 3-0 win over Livingston last time out, thanks to an own goal from Jamie Brandon and strikes from Paulo Bernado and Matt O'Riley.

The Bhoys have won five of their last six matches in all competitions and will be looking to carry that form into this massive top of the table clash this afternoon.

Rodgers may look to make alterations from that win over Livingston, however, as Kyogo Furuhashi had a particularly poor showing at the top end of the pitch.

The Northern Irish boss must now unleash Norwich City loanee Adam Idah over the Japan international to form a potentially lethal partnership with O'Riley in the final third.

Kyogo's performance against Livingston in numbers

The 29-year-old striker was selected to lead the line on the artificial pitch and struggled badly throughout the match before Idah was brought on to replace him during the second half.

Celtic will need every player to be at their best to ensure that they can get the better of their rivals and strengthen their chances of securing a third successive league title over them.

With this in mind, Kyogo should be dropped to the bench after his underwhelming, to say the least, display last time out with zero goals and zero assists in the 3-0 victory for the Scottish giants.

Kyogo Furuhashi

Vs Livingston (31/03/2024)

Minutes played

71

Sofascore rating

6.4

Goal contributions

0

Shots

4

Big chances missed

2

Key passes

0

Duels won

2/4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese forward had opportunities to find the back of the net, with two 'big chances' created for him by his teammates, but did not have the finishing quality to put them away.

This has been a common theme throughout the season for the former Vissel Kobe star. No Celtic player has underperformed their Expected Goals tally by more than his -4.21.

Kyogo has scored ten goals from 14.21 xG in the Premiership so far this season, and missed 20 'big chances' in total, which illustrates how wasteful he has been, as was the case again versus Livingston.

Why Adam Idah should start

Rodgers must now ditch the experienced striker to start the on-loan Ireland international, who has made a big impact in his short time at Parkhead so far.

He came off the bench to replace Kyogo last Sunday and made an instant impact with an assist for O'Riley's goal and Celtic's third strike in the 82nd minute.

Since his move from Norwich City at the end of last transfer window, Idah, who Rodgers dubbed an "incredible" talent, has racked up five goals and two assists in eight Premiership appearances for the Hoops, despite only starting four of those games.

He has scored five goals from an xG of 4.37, which includes a missed penalty away at Hearts, and this shows that the talented youngster has outperformed his xG so far.

Whereas, Kyogo has severely underperformed his xG and, on current form, is unlikely to take a chance if it comes his way, whilst Idah appears more likely to find the back of the net.

The 23-year-old Irishman, who scored six goals in 12 Championship starts during the first half of the campaign for Norwich, has been in lethal form for Celtic and should be given a chance to really make a name for himself against Rangers in what could be a season-defining match at Ibrox.

23/24 Premiership

Kyogo Furuhashi

Adam Idah

Appearances

31

8

Goals

10

5

Minutes per goal

206

83

Assists

4

2

Aerial duel success rate

25%

71%

Duel success rate

39%

50%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Canaries academy graduate is also a far better outlet for the side at the top end of the pitch due to his strength in duels, particularly in the air, in comparison to Kyogo.

This means that he is more of a handful for opposition defenders, who do not find it easy to get the better of him in physical contests during matches.

He could also form an exciting partnership with O'Riley at the top end of the pitch due to both his ability to finish chances created by the midfielder, as well as his quality as a creator for the Denmark international, which was on show against Livingston for the third goal.

Matt O'Riley's Celtic season in numbers

The former Fulham youngster positioned himself perfectly to fire into the back of the net from Idah's clever lay-off inside the box last weekend, for his 12th Premiership goal of the campaign.

O'Riley is the top scorer in the Hoops squad with his 12 strikes in 30 appearances in the division, to go along with his 11 assists – also the most of any player in the team.

The left-footed maestro, who has been directly involved in 23 goals in 30 Premiership games, has the ability to consistently contribute at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

This means that the Danish playmaker, who has created ten 'big chances' in the division, has the finishing ability to score from chances that Idah creates, whilst also being able to tee up the Irish marksman to find the back of the net.

Therefore, they could be a terrific pairing due to their combined quality at the top end of the pitch, which could cause problems for the opposition's defence throughout the match.

Whereas, Kyogo's performance against Livingston did not cause any issues for the defence and Rangers could find it too easy to keep him quiet on his current form, which is why Idah should be unleashed.

Now, just imagine O'Riley and the £23k-per-week striker causing mayhem at Ibrox this afternoon to secure all three points for Rodgers' side.

يلتقي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، مع نظيره سموحة، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتقام المباراة بين الأبيض والفريق السكندري، اليوم الجمعة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من المسابقة المحلية على ملعب الجيش باستاد برج العرب.

طالع..الزمالك يستقر على صفقة جديدة بطلب من جوميز

ويبحث فرسان ميت عقبة، عن الفوز على سموحة، من أجل مواصلة الانتصارات في الدوري بعد الفوز على البنك الأهلي بالجولة الأولى بثلاثية مقابل هدفين.

ويغيب عن الزمالك، أحمد سيد زيزو، والذي تأكد عدم تواجده في اللقاء بسبب الإصابة التي تعرض لها أمام البنك الأهلي.

وفي المقابل، يدخل سموحة اللقاء منتشيًا بفوزه على حرس الحدود بثلاثية مقابل هدف، في الجولة الأولى.

ويحتل الزمالك المركز الخامس من جدول ترتيب المسابقة برصيد 3 نقاط، بالتساوي مع سموحة صاحب المركز الثالث بفارق الأهداف. موعد مباراة الزمالك وسموحة في الدوري المصري

وتنطلق المباراة في تمام الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسادسة مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة بين الزمالك وسموحة. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك وسموحة في الدوري المصري

وتنقل المباراة على قناة أون تايم سبورتس 1

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to secure a pemanent deal to sign a £165,000-per-week striker in the summer after his manager admitted he can't stop him joining Spurs.

Tottenham set to pursue new striker this summer

The 2023/24 summer transfer window was something of a major one for Tottenham as they lost star-man Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for a fee worth somewhere in the region of £82m.

Additionally, they also had a change in the managers' seat, as Ange Postecoglou joined Daniel Levy's team on a four-year deal after having a rather successful stint with Celtic. Despite the Australian joining the club to lead them towards Champions League qualification once again, the departure of Kane was understandably a bitter pill to swallow – during his time with his boyhood club, he played a total of 432 times and managed to contribute to a total of 344 goals.

Premier League all-time top scorers
Alan Shearer	260
Harry Kane	213
Wayne Rooney	208
Andrew Cole	187
Sergio Aguero	184
Data via Premierleague.com

In order to fill the gaping void left by their talisman, Postecoglou has had to rely on the likes of Son Heung-Min and Richarlison to create the goals they'd be missing thanks to Kane's departure. The duo have done a solid enough job filling the void, while a January move for Timo Werner and the addition of youngster Brennan Johnson has also helped, but Spurs are expected to pursure a new striker this year.

Werner's previous stint in England wasn't the most prolific, scoring just 23 goals in 89 games, but Ange saw something in him which he loved, as he revealed after Spurs' 3-1 win against Crystal Palace.

"I thought Timo, he missed the chance in the first half, but he was a constant threat to them and was in the right area for the goal," he said. "I understand that with attacking players, goals make them feel better and make them more confident.

"I guess it relieves the pressure on them a little bit but just in general I thought he was really aggressive with his running. He kept taking on the full-back and I thought apart from the missed chance his general play was really good."

Werner's permanent move to Tottenham is now all but confirmed

Due to a clause in the German's loan deal, Spurs have the option to make Werner's move to England a permanent one. And, as per a report from Caught Offside, RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose has practically confirmed that the 28-year-old will become a Tottenham player come the end of his loan.

As per another report from BILD, Tottenham have until the middle of June to decide 'whether to exercise a purchase option' on the £165,000-a-week forward.

But, from the way both Rose and Postecoglou have been talking, it feels as if that deadline is more of a formality than anything else.

In an 18-overs-a-side contest, the Scorchers looked on track to chase down 199 after a 124-run stand between Liam Livingstone and Josh Inglis, but fell 15 runs short

The Report by Alex Malcolm23-Dec-2019

Getty Images

Jake Weatherald’s match-winning 83 and a momentum-changing spell from Rashid Khan has helped the Adelaide Strikers hold off the Perth Scorchers in a high-scoring classic at Adelaide Oval.In a rain-affected game that was reduced to 18 overs a side, the Scorchers looked on track to chase down the Strikers’ monstrous target of 199 after a stunning 124-run stand between Liam Livingstone and Josh Inglis in just 8.4 overs. But Rashid, after being hammered for three sixes by Livingstone in his first nine balls, removed both openers off consecutive deliveries before befuddling Ashton Turner to swing the momentum back the Strikers’ way. The Scorchers failed to wrestle in back, falling 15 runs short.Earlier, Weatherald and Alex Carey made sublime half-centuries to set up the winning total. Weatherald smashed 83 from 47 balls before Carey outdid him with a sensational 55 from 24 balls.Weatherald’s trip to Paris
The Strikers started slowly after the early loss of Phil Salt. The Englishman’s BBL journey started poorly after he miscued trying to loft Jhye Richardson over mid-off in the first over, adding just 2 to his duck against Sydney Thunder. The Strikers were 1 for 16 after three overs before Weatherald lined up Joel Paris’ second over, having faced three dots from him in his first. His first boundary was streaky, a French cut past leg stump. But he launched the next ball over the midwicket fence. Paris then dropped a tough caught-and-bowled chance before Weatherald pounded the next two to the rope to take 20 from the over. Matthew Short followed up, striking three fours in Mitchell Marsh’s first over to push the run rate above 10 an over.Raining boundaries
An untimely rain delay at the end of the fifth over appeared to give the Scorchers a reprieve by both halting the Strikers’ momentum and giving them a big advantage chasing as the game was reduced to an 18-overs-a-side contest. But it had the opposite effect. The rain greased up the surface and the outfield. It nullified the Scorchers’ spin threats in Ashton Agar and Fawad Ahmed and the Strikers took full toll. Alex Carey played a sublime knock after the loss of Short. He started with two incredible inside-out sixes off Agar against the angle over cover. Agar, Australia’s T20 spinning allrounder, only bowled one over in the innings after conceding 16.Carey’s timing was freakish and he was impossible to bowl to. In the 17th over, he paddled Chris Jordan to fine leg before hitting the same line and length over cover. Weatherald ran himself out, bizarrely failing to beat Richardson firing the ball in from the rope due to his injured shoulder. The Strikers were set to score 200 in 18 overs but fell just short, mainly due to a stunning jumping catch from Agar by the rope to remove Carey. Richardson was the only Scorchers bowler to get through unscathed, taking 2 for 29 from his four overs, including two excellent ones at the death.Living large
Livingstone and Inglis started the run chase with a required run rate of 10.78. By the end of the eighth over, the Scorchers were 0 for 111 needing a very manageable 88 from 60 balls with 10 wickets in hand. Inglis set the tone with a pull shot that went like a bullet to the midwicket rope off the first ball of the innings. Inglis matched Carey’s 360-degree play with boundaries all around the park. Livingstone just stood still and swung hard, clubbing seven massive sixes over the leg side. Livingstone matched the fastest fifty in Scorchers’ history taking just 21 balls to raise his bat. He brought it up with a 98-metre six that landed in the first tier of the Members’ stand. No bowler was safe from the staggering assault. He hit the first three balls he faced from Rashid Khan for sixes over the leg side.Rashid’s revenge
The star legspinner was having a dirty night having earlier dropped Livingstone at long-on. He rarely gets hit for four consecutive sixes by one batsman. Chris Gayle once did it in the IPL; Livingstone tried and perished, holing out to deep midwicket. Inglis was bowled sweeping next ball to change the game in a heartbeat. Rashid bamboozled Turner in his next over to have him caught behind. Rashid’s figures went from 0 for 28 after 1.3 overs to 3 for 40 after four and the Scorchers needed 50 runs from 30 balls. They saw off Rashid’s final over and tried to target the Strikers’ inexperienced quicks, but failed. Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Bancroft, and Cameron Green all holed out while Agar fell to his younger brother, Wes, for the second time this season, strangled down the leg side.

Tottenham Hotspur took another step towards qualification for the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Lilywhites are now ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference and have a game in hand over their rivals, which puts them in a strong position to qualify for the competition.

Spurs did not qualify for any European tournament last season and that meant that they have had to go through the current campaign with their full focus on domestic football.

This has allowed them to push on in the Premier League to fight for Champions League qualification, which they are now on course to achieve.

Qualifying for the competition could see Ange Postecoglou strengthen his squad further to deal with the extra matches that would bring, and Spurs have already been linked with possible targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham's interest in England U21 star

The Lilywhites are reportedly keen on a deal to add a versatile England U21 international to their ranks to add to their options on the flanks.

According to TuttoSport, Spurs are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Juventus dynamo Samuel Iling-Junior at the end of the season.

The report claims that fellow Premier League side Fulham are also eyeing up the former Chelsea youngster, as Marco Silva wants to revamp his wing department.

It states that both teams have set their sights on the 20-year-old wizard, who can play on the wing or at full-back, and that he could be available to sign.

TuttoSport reports that Juventus have failed to agree a contract extension, after talks with the young gem, and that his current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2025. This means that he will only have one year left on his contract this summer, which could make it the last chance for the Italian side to cash in on him.

The outlet states that the Serie A giants are hoping to rake in a fee of at least €15m (£12.8m) for the English talent, rather than losing him for nothing 12 months later.

Spurs are now hoping to swoop in to take advantage of his contractual situation, which has seemingly forced Juventus into considering a sale, this summer.

Tottenham could repeat their Dejan Kulusevski masterclass by landing another impressive young winger from the Italian side to bolster their Premier League squad.

Dejan Kulusevski's Spurs career in numbers

The club signed the Sweden international on an 18-month loan deal from Juventus in January 2022 and eventually made that move permanent in the summer of 2023 for a fee of £25m.

He hit the ground running with a fantastic return of five goals and eight assists in 18 Premier League appearances, which included 14 starts, during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign – almost one goal contribution per start on average.

His form, however, dipped during the 2022/23 season as the left-footed forward produced just two goals and seven assists in 30 top-flight appearances.

That did not stop Spurs from making the deal permanent last summer, though, and the 23-year-old has looked back to his best at times this term.

Appearances

29

xG

3.5

Goals

6

Big chances created

12

xA

5.9

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, Kulusevski has been lethal in front of goal – with six goals from just 3.5 xG – and has been let down by his teammates in the final third.

He has only racked up three assists from 5.9 xA and 12 'big chances' created, which suggests that his fellow forwards have been wasteful with the chances that have come their way in the box at times through the Swedish star's impressive creativity.

Overall, though, these statistics show that the young winger has the ability to provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from out wide on a consistent basis.

He has, therefore, been a fantastic signing for Spurs, after just one goal and three assists in his last 20 Serie A games for Juventus, and they could land their next version of him by securing a deal for Iling-Junior.

Why Spurs should sign Samuel Iling-Junior

The 20-year-old, like Kulusevski, is a left-footed forward who can play on either flank, although he has predominantly been deployed down the left.

This season, however, the young gem has been utilised as a left-midfielder in Juventus' usual 3-5-2 system, which has given him experience both defensively and offensively, essentially acting as a wing-back for the Italian giants, in the Serie A.

Last summer, analyst Ben Mattinson claimed that Iling-Junior's "explosive" wing play was "wasted" in the Serie A side's "negative" tactics, and his underlying statistics this season suggest that there is some truth to that.

The England U21 international has only started two league matches for Juventus and, yet, ranks within the top 3% of his positional peers for Expected Assisted Goals (0.33) per 90, and the top 7% for non-penalty goals (0.16) per 90 with one goal and two assists.

He has been electric in the final third when given an opportunity to play but has rarely been provided with minutes – with just two league starts – and this suggests that his talent has been wasted so far this season.

Iling-Junior produced 14 goals and 15 assists in 58 games for Juventus at U19 level as a winger and Postecoglou could unlock his true potential by bringing him back to London, having left Chelsea as a teenager, to play as a forward.

Instead of being, essentially, a back-up wing-back for Juventus, the left-footed "assist machine" – as dubbed by Eurosport's Michele Neri – could come in to provide competition on the flanks at Spurs, given the impressive attacking qualities he possesses.

Iling-Junior, who scored two goals for England U21s against Luxembourg last month from a wide position, is another talented young player the club could snap up from Italy to bolster their ranks.

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Therefore, the English whiz could join as Kulusevski 2.0 and look to follow in the Swedish star's footsteps to become a key Tottenham performer after struggling for game time with the Old Lady.

Is it a “ridiculous” idea or is it necessary “for this day and age”? Listen to the players’ opinions and decide for yourself

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jan-2020The ICC is exploring the idea of regular four-day Test cricket, to the point of possibly making it part of the 2023 Test championship. The argument for the move is that it could free up a calendar that is currently clogged with too many fixtures. But there is also a worry that without the fifth day, chances of a definitive result might reduce. Here’s what the players think.Joe Root, England captain: I think here’s a place for it in the game.”I do,” he told . “Whether that’s across the board or can it be flexible – we’ve obviously played one against Ireland. I’m sure that pitch would’ve been fit for a three-day game. I think it’s worth trialing. I do think it’s worth trialing and it might not always make sense for England to play especially if its against Australia or some of the bigger sides but it might draw a bit more interest with some of the countries who struggle to get people in the ground.”ALSO READ: ECB gives ‘cautious’ backing to four-day proposalFormer England captain Nasser Hussain prompted Root about the possibility of spin going out of the game if there isn’t enough time for a pitch to deteriorate, especially outside Asia. “If you don’t try it you don’t know,” Root replied. “You should be open minded enough to at least try it and see how it goes. I think the most important thing is not making a definitive decision. I love playing five days of cricket personally. I think it’s the best format. The extra day, like you say, it really does make [sure], majority of the time, 99% of the time, the best team’s won the game.Joe Root rallies his team before the start of play•Getty ImagesNathan Lyon, Australia offspinner: I hope ICC aren’t even considering it”Ridiculous. I’m not a fan of four-day Test matches,” he told “I believe you’ll get so many more draws and day five is crucial.”One, there’s the weather element. But the wickets these days are probably a lot flatter than they have been in the past, so it allows teams to bat longer and to put pressure on sides. You need time for the pitch to deteriorate and bring spinners in more on day five as well.ALSO READ: One day too many? Early finishes point to new possibilities for Test cricket”It’s a challenge You’re challenging yourself in different ways – physically and mentally. It’s not just a walk in the park. Five-day Test matches, they are hard work especially if the conditions aren’t in your favour. You want to challenge yourself. I’m all against four-day Test matches.”Nathan Lyon holds the ball up after his five-wicket haul•AFPDavid White, New Zealand Cricket Chief executive: It demands serious attention”Given the congested schedule, four-day Tests demand serious consideration in order for us to accommodate an increasingly packed calendar – ICC world events, bilateral arrangements, and domestic leagues,” he told .Glenn McGrath, former Australia fast bowler: Hate to see it get shorter”I’m very much a traditionalist I like the game the way it is. To me five days is very special and I’d hate to see it get any shorter. The introduction of pink Tests, day-night Tests is a great way to continue keeping our game fresh and moving forward. In respects to changing how many days its played, I’m actually against it. I like the way it is.”Jos Buttler, England wicketkeeper: In this day and age, we have to consider it”Test cricket is the pinnacle but you have to be open to change,” Buttler said. “I think the game has changed and if four-day Test cricket could preserve and potentially improve Test cricket I think it has to be looked at. I think we all love a five-day finish with all three results possible on the last day but can four-day cricket be a success? I think if it’s done properly it can be. In this day and age we have to consider all the opportunities to see how we can do what’s best for Test cricket.”The scoreboard reflects Glenn McGrath’s best Ashes figures•Hardy’sVernon Philander, South Africa fast bowler: I am a purist”I hope five-day Test cricket doesn’t come to an end,” he said. “There is only one format and that’s Test cricket. T20 cricketers come and go and the names come and go, Test cricket is the ultimate. Hopefully we can still see five-day Test matches. I know there has been a lot of talk about having four-day Test matches but I am a purist when it comes to cricket and I would like to see Test matches survive for five days.”Tim Paine, Australia captain: Merit in trying it out for the odd Test”I think it should be taken into consideration,” he said. “I dare say going back six or seven years if you let the players decide on pink ball that probably wouldn’t have happened. There is always going to be some give and take. I think there is some merit on it being in the odd Test like we did with England and Ireland. But I think the big marquee Test series, the Test championship stuff has to stay five days.”Vernon Philander celebrates the wicket of Joe Root•Getty ImagesRassie van der Dussen, South Africa batsman: Pitches will change to force results”I’ve never played a five-day match in my life,” he said. “It’s difficult to say. In terms of over rate, we were a bit slow [in Centurion], England were also a bit slow, so there is definitely scope to fit in more overs in the day. We were coming off at 5.30 and there was bright sunshine on most days and you can definitely squeeze in half an over there and make up another eight overs. In the calendar these days, it’s definitely something that you have to consider. The pitch does deteriorate enough in four days to get a result and I think that will also make groundsmen prepare pitches that will force results in four days, like we had at Centurion. We’ll also probably have it at Wanderers where the cracks open up. It’s something to consider.”Keshav Maharaj, South Africa left-arm spinner: I just want to play”I just want to play Test cricket, whether its five days, four days, two days,” he said. “I just want to bowl and hopefully get some runs when I bat. I’ve got no issues with the duration of the Test match, I just want to play Test cricket.”

نفت قائمة المهندس هاني أبوريدة المرشح لرئاسة اتحاد الكرة المصري، التصريحات المنسوبة إلى محامي القائمة، والتي تحدثت عن أمور تخص عمل المجلس الجديد حال انتخابه لقيادة الكرة المصرية في السنوات المقبلة وما يخص رابطة الأندية.

وأعلن الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم عن فتح باب الترشح للائحة النظام الأساسي، وعدم الترشح بشكل فردي ووفقًا لنظام القائمة الموحدة.

وأنهى اتحاد الكرة تجهيزاته لاستقبال المرشحين للانتخابات المقبلة وفتح باب الترشح بداية من الأحد الماضي تمهيدًا لـ انتخابات الجبلاية، والمقررة يوم 10 ديسمبر المقبل.

طالع | هاني أبوريدة يتقدم بأوراق ترشحه لرئاسة اتحاد الكرة.. تعرف على القائمة

وأكدت القائمة في بيان رسمي أن التصريحات المنسوبة للمحامي ليست حقيقية على الإطلاق، ولم يدل بها المحامي، الذي كان دوره التقدم بالأمس بأوراق ترشح القائمة لخوض الانتخابات والإجراءات القانونية ولم يكن له أي دور فيما يخص غير ذلك.

وأشارت إلى أنه سيتم خلال الفترة المقبلة الرد على جميع الاستفسارات بشكل واضح ومنظم، والإعلان بشكل رسمي عن خطة العمل والبرنامج الانتخابي لأعضاء الجمعية العمومية قبل الانتخابات.