The hosts were 94 for 5 and 128 for 6 before a late-order rally took them up towards a decent score but it wasn’t enough

Vishal Dikshit18-Sep-2022

Smriti Mandhana made 91 off 99 balls with 10 fours and a six•Getty Images

A solid and classy knock of 91 from vice-captain Smriti Mandhana powered India to victory after their bowlers restricted England to 227 for 7 in the first ODI in Hove. Nearly everything went right for India after they won the toss and chose to bowl on a slow pitch. They got early wickets. They kept things tight. And they were so ruthless they allowed only one partnership to cross fifty runs in the entire innings. If that wasn’t enough of a clinic, when it was their turn to bat, three of the top four – Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur – hit half-centuries to seal the chase with 34 balls to spare.India’s bowling was a collective performance from the quicks and spinners that left England devoid of any kind of momentum in a stop-start innings and the conditions were such that low bounce accounted for two wickets. The hosts had slipped to 94 for 5 and then 128 for 6 and were staring at a much lower total until Danni Wyatt hit 43 and Alice Davidson-Richards made unbeaten 50 towards the end.India had England’s batters on a leash right from the start with the return of Jhulan Goswami after six months for her farewell series. Emma Lamb whipped Meghna for two fours through the leg side before she edged a bouncer behind off the same bowler in the eighth over. Nine balls later, Goswami’s inswinger trapped Tammy Beaumont lbw for 7 off 21 with England having crawled to just 26 for 2 in 10 overs.Sophia Dunkley, who scored heavily against India in the T20Is, and debutant Alice Capsey steered the hosts through a stable period but a spin squeeze from both ends ended the 43-run stand when Harmanpreet took a one-handed catch at short midwicket to send Capsey back. In what would become a pattern for the entire England innings, just when it looked like Wyatt and Dunkley were rebuilding steadily, Dunkley first handed a straightforward catch to cover off Harleen Deol and a ball that kept really low from Rajeshwari Gayakwad deflected off Amy Jones’ back foot to hit the stumps, leaving England 94 for 5.Alice Davidson-Richards anchored and held England’s innings together•Getty Images

Wyatt and Davidson-Richards collected boundaries off loose deliveries from Meghna, Rana and Deol. Wyatt, however, fell to a soft dismissal too when she missed a sweep off Deepti to lose her stumps. England could have been six down in the same over had Deepti hung on to a low return chance from Ecclestone while diving to her right. Ecclestone and Davidson-Richards revived England from 128 for 6 with a much-needed fifty stand. Ecclestone scored briskly off the spinners with a few sweeps, including two for fours against Sneh Rana in an 11-run 40th over, while Davidson-Richards rotated the strike by coming down the pitch regularly. But another delivery kept low, this time from Deepti, to strike Ecclestone right in front on the back foot for 31 off 33.Davidson-Richards made sure they survived 50 overs as Dean deftly opened the face of the bat late on the off side for her two fours and also got a life when Goswami spilled a low catch diving forward from short fine leg. Davidson-Richards then went after Deepti in the penultimate over and Meghna in the last to help them collect 45 runs in the last six overs.India lost Shafali Verma for 1 but Bhatia and Mandhana’s 96-run stand kept them ticking at over 5.50 an over. If Bhatia’s innings saw several half chances and edges land safely, Mandhana’s was replete with elegant cover drives that fetched her regular boundaries. She struck three of those in quick succession off Kate Cross and Issy Wong. India were 59 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, having hit 11 fours compared to England’s three in the same period. Conditions looked much better for scoring during the chase and Bhatia cashed in, top-edging a six and clattering three more fours to bring up a 45-ball fifty. She fell immediately after though, when she came down the track and missed one from Dean.Mandhana was confident as ever and along with Harmanpreet eased along with the asking rate around four an over. Harmanpreet took out her trademark sweeps and Mandhana crunched Dean back down the ground for her 24th half-century. England also tried a spin squeeze with Ecclestone, Dean and Lamb but it didn’t work. With a comfortable 71 needed off 20 overs, Harmanpreet scooped Cross for a four and Mandhana smoked Wong over long-on for six to close in on her century, but a cross-batted swipe against Cross resulted in a top edge and Mandhana was caught at mid-on to fall nine short.Only 30 runs left for victory from there, Harmanpreet brought up a patient 80-ball fifty before hitting the winning runs with a sweep for six.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após empatar sem gols com o Vasco, em São Januário, na última quinta-feira, pela 10ª rodada, o Grêmio desperdiçou a chance de entrar no G4 do Campeonato Brasileiro da Série B.

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Entretanto, não desistindo de encostar nos líderes, o Imortal poderá ter mudanças na equipe para a sequência da competição. No duelo contra os cariocas, Diogo Barbosa, que entrou no decorrer do segundo tempo no lugar de Nicolas, ganhou elogios do técnico Roger Machado na entrevista coletiva sobre sua atuação que poderia resultar em uma possível disputa pela posição.

“É um jogador que, para esse sistema, talvez tenha mais característica que o Nicolas, porque é mais leve, que produz mais em jogo combinado ou de vitória pessoal no terço final. Naturalmente teremos mais jogadas de linha de fundo e cruzamento pela estrutura do sistema”, disse o comandante.

O próximo desafio do Imortal na competição nacional será diante do Novorizontino, em sua Arena, terça-feira (7), às 21h30 (de Brasília).

The Mavericks head coach has become part of the Toffees ownership group through an investment with Roundhouse Capital Holdings

• NBA legend adds Premier League club to investment portfolio
• Kidd joins through Roundhouse Capital Holdings, part of The Friedkin Group
• Kidd becomes latest American to invest in English football

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd has officially joined the ownership group of Everton Football Club. The American has done so through an investment with Roundhouse Capital Holdings, a subsidiary of The Friedkin Group. The announcement confirms the Basketball Hall of Famer's entry into English football ownership while maintaining his current coaching position with the NBA franchise.

  “I’m honored to be joining Everton’s ownership at such an important moment: with a new stadium on the horizon and a bright future ahead, it’s a great moment to come on board,” Kidd said in a statement released by the club.

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• WHAT MARC WATTS SAID

  “On behalf of The Friedkin Group and the Everton Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome Jason to our ownership group. As one of the NBA’s greatest players and now a successful coach, his knowledge and winning mentality will be an incredible resource for Everton,” Everton Executive Chairman Marc Watts said. “He is a respected leader and household name for many sports fans and will bring a deeper understanding of high performance as we collectively strive to build a brighter future for this storied club.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Friedkin Group's acquisition of Everton, now including Kidd as an investor, follows a pattern of American investment across the Premier League landscape. That includes Stan Kroenke at Arsenal, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at Wrexham and several other Americans across the English football pyramid.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  have endured another tough season as they have won just eight of the 33 league games that they have played this term. However, despite that, they sit 17 points above the relegation zone in 13th place and could potentially move up the table as they face Chelsea on April 25 and then host Ipswich Town at Goodison Park on May 2.

Glasgow Rangers’ transfer activity during the winter window consisted of just one signing, as defender Rafael Fernandes arrived at Ibrox on a six-month loan deal with an option to buy.

It was perhaps not the most inspiring window, but if Fernandes impresses, he will be another talented youngster with the potential to make the club a significant profit in the coming years.

Bridging the financial gap between them and Celtic is the main aim, especially with the Parkhead side benefiting from the Champions League windfall gained due to making it past the league phase.

Philippe Clement did manage to get another deal completed before the transfer window closed, although the Light Blues will have to wait until the summer to see the fruits of their labour.

Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron signed a pre-contract agreement with the Ibrox side, and the move could turn into a smart piece of business.

“I am delighted that we have agreed a deal for Lyall to join the club and to continue his career at Rangers come the summer,” said Technical Director Nils Koppen after the deal was announced.

“Lyall has a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow at Rangers in the coming years.”

Why did Rangers sign Lyall Cameron?

Adding another home-grown player is vital for the club, especially regarding European squad quotas – and Cameron fits the bill perfectly.

His ability to push forward from the heart of the midfield could give Clement’s side something extra, especially given his recent displays at Dens Park.

Indeed, across 30 matches in all competitions, Cameron has registered 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – ranking him as the third-highest goalscorer in the squad this term.

Furthermore, Cameron has also created four big chances in the top flight, averages 1.6 key passes and wins 3.8 total duels per game, demonstrating his talents across a range of performance metrics.

Of course, if he is to succeed at Rangers, performing to a consistent level will be key as there are so many talented players in his position.

However, the 22-year-old will be a solid option to call upon, and his wages are likely to be lower than someone like Kieran Dowell, who has offered nothing since joining the Gers.

Goals

5

Assists

4

Big chances created

4

Key passes per game

1.6

Ground duels won per game

3.1

Shots per game

1.5

Via Sofascore

This philosophy might take some time to pay off, but if Clement can build a squad full of exceptionally talented players with a few experienced heads scattered throughout, it could soon prove to be successful.

The manager must also start to utilise the talent that is emerging from the academy, as there are several players there who could save the manager millions in the transfer market.

Bailey Rice and Findlay Curtis are two superb youngsters who have a bright future ahead of them if they can forge their way into securing regular minutes for the first team.

That said, the Gers did sell a youngster who was earmarked as the next big thing at Ibrox. Alex Lowry may have been their own Cameron if he had a better mentality.

Rangers already had their Lyall Cameron

Considering how well his Ibrox career began, seeing Alex Lowry depart Rangers without living up to his full potential will pain the majority of supporters.

Having not made a first-team appearance for the club this season, it looked as though Clement was likely to sell Lowry if a suitable offer arrived during the winter window.

English League One side Wycombe Wanderers agreed a fee with the Light Blues and the midfielder left Glasgow to kickstart his career down south.

Hopefully, he gets the chance to perform, as there is no doubt Lowry has exceptional ability which should have seen him become a success at Rangers.

Why Lowry could have been a success at Rangers

Having impressed for the youth sides, Lowry’s big break came during a Scottish Cup clash against Stirling Albion in January 2022, although it was due to unfortunate circumstances.

Ianis Hagi suffered a season-ending knee injury and Lowry came on in his place. It only took a few minutes, but the 18-year-old slotted home the opener to enjoy a stunning debut, and it looked like a star was born.

He made another six appearances for the Gers between then and the end of the campaign, scoring another goal while grabbing two assists in the process.

The teenager was even named on the bench for the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt, although he failed to make it onto the pitch.

These impressive displays should have been the catalyst for Lowry to make more inroads into the first team during the 2022/23 season, yet he managed to feature just seven times for the Ibrox side in all competitions.

He was praised by former teammate Rory Wilson for being “top-class” in 2023, but it was clear opportunities were required if he was to make the grade at Rangers.

A loan spell at Hearts during the first half of last season saw Lowry register five goal contributions – four assists and a goal – in 17 appearances, yet he started just 11 times for the Tynecastle side in total.

Clement recalled the youngster last January due to him suffering an injury, but he didn’t make a first-team appearance for the Light Blues until he was sold a few weeks ago.

Having all the talent in the world is great, but if the mentality to succeed and become the best you can be isn’t there, then that talent is ultimately wasted.

Lowry now has a second chance to succeed in the senior game by moving to Wycombe, a place where the pressure won’t be nearly as great as it is at Ibrox, even if the Chairboys are chasing promotion to the English Championship.

If he can secure a consistent run of games in the senior side between now and May, Lowry might just fulfil his vast potential, no doubt about that.

Clement has struck gold on Rangers' star who's worth 5x more than Cameron

Rangers have hit the jackpot on a player who is worth millions more than Lyall Cameron.

ByRoss Kilvington Feb 8, 2025

علق لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، داني كارفاخال، على قدوم تشابي ألونسو لتدريب الفريق الملكي، بالإضافة إلى التعاقد مع دين هويسين واقتراب انضمام ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.

ويواصل كارفاخال تعافيه من الإصابة والتي تعرض لها بداية الموسم بقطع في الرباط الصليبي، بهدف أن يكون لائقاً لمنافسات كأس العالم للأندية 2025 الشهر المقبل.

ويتواجد ريال مدريد في المجموعة الثامنة بمنافسات كأس العالم للأندية، بجانب الهلال السعودي، باتشوكا المكسيكي وسالزبورج النمساوي.

اقرأ ايضاً.. فينيسيوس ينصفه القانون.. حكم تاريخي ضد مشجعين بسبب العنصرية في الدوري الإسباني

وقال داني كارفاخال في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “لا يزال أمامنا كأس العالم للأندية هذا اللقب الأخير بعد خسارة جميع بطولات الموسم، وسنحاول الفوز به مجددًا”. 

وعن اقتراب تعيين تشابي ألونسو مدرباً لـ ريال مدريد، أفاد قائلاً: “لا أعلم إن كان الأمر رسميًا أم لا، لم تتح لي الفرصة للتحدث مع تشابي، لكنه يعرف النادي أكثر من أي شخص آخر، لقد كان لاعبًا ودافع عن قميصه لسنوات طويلة، إنه يعرف معنى أن تكون لاعبًا في ريال مدريد، وأعتقد أن هذا أيضًا ميزة إضافية لوصولي كمدرب”.

وعن رأيه في نجاح تشابي ألونسو مع ريال مدريد، أكد كارفاخال: “الوقت كفيل بإثبات ذلك، أليس كذلك؟ إذا كان تشابي ألونسو هو الشخص المناسب لإحداث نقلة نوعية في ريال مدريد هذا العام، الذي لم نفز فيه بأي من الألقاب الثلاثة الكبرى، لكن هذه هي كرة القدم، النتائج هي التي تحدد مستقبل المدربين واللاعبين”.

وتابع: “لقد عشت لحظات استثنائية هنا، ولحظات أخرى لم نفز فيها بأي شيء، تشابي ألونسو سيقدم أداءً رائعًا، وهو قدم موسمين رائعين مع باير ليفركوزن”.

ويحول رحيل كارلو أنشيلوتي، أشار: “أشعر بحزن شديد لرحيل كارلو، في النهاية، كنتُ معه لسنوات عديدة، في عاميه الأول والثاني، فزنا بكل شيء معه، وهو بمثابة أبٍ لي في عالم كرة القدم، أشعر بحزن شديد، لكن في النهاية آمل أن يحظى المدرب يوم السبت المقبل بالوداع الذي يستحقه كأنجح مدرب في تاريخ ريال مدريد، وأعتقد أن ملعبنا سيُخلّد ذكرى أحدٍ بالتأكيد”.

وعن تعاقد ريال مدريد مع هويسين، قال كارفاخال: “لم أتحدث معه بعد؛ لكنها صفقة رائعة ولاعب جيد، نرحب به وسيساعدنا كثيرًا”.

وبخصوص منافسة ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد على مركز الظهير الأيمن، أوضح: “المنافسة مع أرنولد؟ هذا واضح، لم يتم الإعلان عن ذلك رسميًا بعد، لكن يبدو الأمر كذلك، لا نتحدث عن الخوف هنا؛ سنكون زميلان في الفريق، المنافسة تُحسّن كلينا وتُبرز أفضل ما في كلٍّ منا”.

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has said allrounder Daryl Mitchell, who sustained a fracture in his finger, is unlikely to be available for their T20 World Cup opener against Australia in Sydney on October 22. Stead, however, is hopeful that Mitchell will be available for their second match against Afghanistan.Mitchell had suffered a blow on the little finger of his right hand while batting in the nets ahead of the recently concluded T20I tri-series against Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Hagley Oval. He was subsequently ruled out of the series and his participation in the T20 World Cup was also in doubt at the time.Related

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Mitchell’s unavailability for the opening match also means New Zealand will be without their first-choice XI, and the side will be taking a call on his replacement only after assessing the conditions in Sydney.”Daryl would have been in our first XI so I think in all likelihood he is unlikely to be available for that first game,” Stead said. “It is more likely the second game is what we are targeting at this stage. I think the one thing we’ve not done is gone to Sydney and had a look at the pitch, what the condition of the pitch is. It’s obviously the first game of the World Cup and the first match is being played at the SCG after the AFL season as well. We just have to look at the conditions, have a look at what’s put in front of us before we make some calls on that final XI. But in terms of the structure of the side, we have tried to keep it reasonably consistent throughout the tri-series as well.”Stead said that while New Zealand were mindful of the players’ workload considering they are coming into the World Cup immediately after the tri-series, all the players in the squad – except for Mitchell – will be given an opportunity to play in their upcoming warm-up matches against South Africa (on October 17) and India (October 19).”For us, it’s managing guys’ physical and mental state leading into this first game,” Stead said. We’ll use the two warm-up games in all likelihood to play all members of the squad. Except obviously Daryl right now. Just sharing a bit of the workload around and making sure guys are ready for that first game.”We’re still managing the workload of the players – there’s another two games in three days and with trainings around them as well coming off the back of the tri-series, there’s still a little bit of management of guys and making sure they’re physically just fine but more just that they need that freshness and readiness to go. It might sound strange but the five matches in seven days quite taxing and you put travel with it as well. We’ll certainly be taking this week just to manage the resources around.”There were a number of positives for New Zealand despite their loss in the tri-series final against Pakistan. Allrounder Michael Bracewell emerged as a matchwinner for them with the ball on multiple occasions, while opening batter Finn Allen displayed his aggression from the top of the order, striking at 145.16. Stead was also pleased to see captain Kane Williamson return to form with a 38-ball 58 in the final.”It’s great to see Kane back hitting the ball as he was,” Stead said. “He went out with great intent and showed that he can play those match innings that just change the game as well. I don’t think I put Kane necessarily in that sort of power sort of a category but I’ve said for a while you’ve got guys like Devon Conway who through batsmanship can actually generate strike rates and be as good as anyone in the world. He showed that last year and in the World T20 final and it was great to see him back.”Stead also indicated that Glenn Phillips, and not Allen, will be the back-up wicketkeeper to Conway at the moment.”I think tomorrow Glenn Phillips will probably take the gloves just for a short period of time,” Stead said. “Finn Allen’s another option for us. For the moment we just allow him to keep going with the bat the way he is. He is an outstanding fielder as is Glenn as well. That’s something we hope won’t happen obviously but if something happens to Devon, then we would fly a keeper-batsman over to fill that spot.”

Tottenham Hotspur have been blessed with genuinely world-class talents over the years.

The North Londoners might not quite have the trophies to show for it, but the likes of Mousa Dembélé, Son Heung-min, Harry Kane and even Dele Alli all made names for themselves in N17 and became stars of the Premier League.

However, before that crop of players almost led the Lilywhites to domestic and continental glory, the club had another, arguably more talented star on their books: Gareth Bale.

The Welsh icon may have found glory while playing for Real Madrid, but he was just as unplayable during his time with Spurs, and while the club might not find another player exactly like him anytime soon, recent reports have touted a youngster with unmistakable similarities for a move this month.

Tottenham target Serie A ace

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in signing Lecce star Patrick Dogu this month.

In fact, the report has revealed that ‘influential figures behind the scenes’ at Spurs have been trying to work out how they can jump ahead of rivals Manchester United to secure the Dane’s services.

The good news is that Lecce have already agreed to sell the full-back this month should an appropriate offer come in, but the bad news is that the Serie A side value the Danish international at £34m.

It could prove to be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but given Dorgu’s impressive form and sky-high potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as there are shades of Bale about him.

How Dorgu compares to Bale

Okay, the first thing to say is that even if Dorgu ends up being a roaring success at Spurs, which seems possible, he’ll still be some way off reaching the sensational heights that Bale did in his final season before joining Real Madrid in 12/13, when he produced 36 goal involvements in 44 games.

However, just because it’s unlikely that the Dane will be able to reach quite the same world-class levels as the Welshman doesn’t mean that there aren’t a number of evident similarities between the pair, because there are.

The first is the simple fact that, like the former Galactico, the Lecce gem will be joining the North Londoners – should a deal be struck – as an incredibly exciting and attack-minded left-back with the ability to play further up the pitch.

Dorgu’s positional versatility (with Lecce)
Position	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Left-Back	23	1	1
Right-Wing	11	3	0
Left-Midfield	9	1	0
Left-Winger	5	0	0
Right-Back	3	0	0
All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, in his 56 games for the Serie A side, the “super high potential” Dane, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has made 23 appearances at left-back, 11 at right-wing, nine in left-midfield, five at left-wing and three at right-back, while the remaining five appearances were likely short cameos and therefore not attributed to a set position.

It’s not just this ability to play in attack and defence that makes the 20-year-old similar to the Cardiff-born icon; it’s also how he plays.

For example, according to Mattinson, the Copenhagen-born gem is an incredibly “dynamic” full-back who “loves to carry the ball up the field” and does so with such ease, in part thanks to the fact that his “dribbling is top drawer.”

However, while the offensive side of his game is what makes him most similar to the former Madrid star, he is no slouch when it comes to defensive duties, with Mattinson describing him as a “1v1 specialist” and someone who can “dominate his opponent physically.”

Finally, the 6 foot 2 prospect shares the former Spurs star’s incredible stamina, with Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino describing him as having “an engine unmatched by anyone else.”

Overall, there are several apparent similarities between Dorgu and Bale, and these similarities are also what would make the youngster an ideal player for Posetcoglou, as he’d be able to play in multiple roles, he has explosive pace and, combined with his stamina, that could make him a nightmare for opponents in the Australian’s high-octane system.

Ultimately, it might require Daniel Levy and Co to invest more than they’d like to in a young player, but this looks like a transfer they must make.

Blockbuster move: Spurs target £40m PL star who can fix their Solanke issue

The sensational talent could develop into something special at Spurs.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 21, 2025

Chelsea have been alerted to the availability of a “wonderful” midfielder, who has now been cleared to leave his club for £25m this summer, according to a report.

Blues planning summer transfer business

Although the winter transfer window has only just ended, the Blues have already started to work on their summer transfer business, with Enzo Maresca planning to make additions in a number of different positions.

One area in which Maresca is keen to strengthen is centre-back, and there is a belief that Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi will opt to move to Stamford Bridge this summer despite interest from a number of the Premier League’s top clubs.

The west Londoners have also been chasing a striker for quite some time, and they remain in pole position to sign Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap at the end of the season, with the former Manchester City man believed to be keen on the move.

Not only are Chelsea keen to strengthen in defence and attack, but they could also bring in some new faces in the middle of the park, having recently made the decision to sell Andrey Santos if they are able to make a significant profit.

AC Milan could offer Chelsea £103k-per-week star in part-exchange for Felix

The Rossoneri are already making plans to sign him permanently.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 8, 2025

According to a report from CaughtOffside, the Blues have been alerted to the availability of young Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg, who has now been cleared to leave the Black Cats for £25m in the summer.

However, given that Rigg is regarded as one of the top young prospects in England, there may be stiff competition for his signature, with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United also being named as potential suitors.

Sunderland are now resigned to losing the midfielder, despite previously being unwilling to sell him, with the Championship side looking to cash in for a big fee.

Rigg could be a future star

Although he is just 17 years old, the teenager has already made 54 first-team appearances for Sunderland, including 27 in the Championship this season, aiding his side’s promotion push by chiming in with four goals and one assist.

Former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has also previously lauded the youngster, saying: “He knows where the goal is and wants to run forward, he’s got energy to burn and can keep running all day.

“Rigg is doing really well and is a real positive for our football club. I’m eulogising about him there, we shouldn’t overly build him up. He’s still a young boy but he has wonderful qualities and wonderful attributes.”

£25m is a large fee for such a young player, but the Sunderland ace’s emergence as a first-team player at such a young age indicates he is destined for great things.

As such, Chelsea should make an approach to sign Rigg this summer, but it may be difficult to win the race for his signature if they don’t secure Champions League football amid the fierce competition for the European places this term.

América focused on Liguilla, not Club World Cup speculation, the executive said

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The CAS is expected to issue a final decision next week surrounding Club León's expulsion

América and LAFC could face off on May 21 or 28

In their last five meetings vs Pachuca, have managed just one victory

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite growing speculation and recent comments from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Club América remain cautious about fully committing to the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

The situation centers on Club León, whose participation hangs in the balance following allegations of violating FIFA’s rules on multi-ownership. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to issue a final decision next week. Should León be officially excluded, the vacant spot would likely be decided through a play-in match between América and LAFC.

While América has tried to stay removed from the controversy, potential dates for the match have already been floated, with May 21 and May 28 in the United States emerging as possibilities.

Speaking to , América’s operational president, Héctor González Iñárritu, made it clear that the club is not prioritizing the situation just yet.

“We’re treating it as something secondary because nothing is official,” he said.

Infantino recently suggested that a direct elimination match between León and LAFC would determine the final Concacaf representative. However, if León is ruled ineligible, América would step into that role. Even with FIFA hinting at such a scenario, remain focused on domestic priorities, particularly the upcoming Clausura 2025 Liguilla.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Amid speculation surrounding a potential spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Club América’s leadership continues to emphasize its commitment to domestic objectives. Team executive Iñárritu made it clear that the focus remains on the upcoming Liguilla, not on hypothetical scenarios.

“Right now, we’re fully focused on preparing for the Liguilla,” said González Iñárritu. “If that [Club World Cup] opportunity presents itself, we must be respectful of CAS timelines, of FIFA’s rules, statutes, and procedures – after all, it’s the global governing body.”

He underlined that until there is an official decision, América won’t allow speculation to distract from its current priorities.

“Until something official comes through and the possibility becomes real, we can’t afford to lose focus,” he added.

González Iñárritu also dismissed the ongoing discourse as premature and unproductive, emphasizing the importance of concentrating on what the club can actually control.

“I don’t want to get caught up in that discussion because, frankly, it leads nowhere at this point. If the opportunity does materialize, we’ll address it then. For now, our attention is on the championship, on the possibility of winning a fourth straight title, on recovering key players, and being as prepared as possible,” he concluded.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

América will face a familiar and difficult opponent in the Liguilla quarterfinals, as recent matchups against Pachuca have proven challenging. In their last five meetings, have managed just one victory, highlighting the difficulty André Jardine’s side could face as they pursue a historic fourth consecutive title.

The last time these two clubs met in a knockout round was during the 2023-2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, where Pachuca eliminated América en route to lifting the trophy. That recent setback adds extra weight to this quarterfinal clash.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CLUB AMÉRICA?

América will face Pachuca in the Liguilla quarterfinals, which kick off on May 7 and 8. will play the second leg at home.

The January transfer window officially slammed shut for business last Monday and Chelsea went through the month without any major additions to their squad.

19-year-old central midfielder Mathis Amougou joined from Saint-Etienne on a permanent deal to provide competition in the midfield positions in the second half of this season and beyond.

He was the only first-team signing of the window for the Premier League giants, however, as they opted against any moves for a new goalkeeper or number nine.

The Blues, who were dumped out of the FA Cup by Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, will now have to aim for a successful end to the campaign with largely the same squad that they had in the first half.

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League and competing to win the Conference League, which means that there is still plenty to play for in the months to come.

One player who could have a big role to play in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign is forward Christopher Nkunku, who was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window.

Christopher Nkunku's failed January exit

Football Insider recently reported that Enzo Maresca has attempted to appease the France international after the attacker remained in London after the deadline passed.

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The 27-year-old forward’s future was up in the air throughout the window as he was linked with an exit away from Chelsea amid interest from multiple other European sides.

It revealed that the former RB Leipzig star was a target for Manchester United in the closing stages of the window, as Ruben Amorim’s side looked to bolster their attacking options. They were in talks with the Blues over a deal for the striker, but they failed to reach an agreement before the deadline.

Football Insider added that Chelsea also explored a swap-deal with Bayern Munich that would have seen Nkunku join the Bundesliga giants in exchange for Mathys Tel making the move to Stamford Bridge in the opposite direction.

The young attacker, however, completed a move on loan to Tottenham Hotspur, with an option to make it permanent in the summer, and that ended any chance of a swap deal for Nkunku.

Last week, Maresca claimed that they had always planned to retain his services, saying: “We planned since December to keep Christopher Nkunku. It was our intention. For sure now he will have bigger role. He played half an hour vs West Ham. Hopefully he can get more minutes and help us.”

Football Insider’s report suggests that Chelsea did explore multiple avenues to part ways with the forward, though, and his form in the Premier League to date suggests that they were right to look at the possibility of moving him on.

Christopher Nkunku's struggles at Chelsea

The Blues officially completed the signing of the French attacker from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £52m, after his impressive form in the Bundesliga.

Nkunku racked up 70 goals and 54 assists in 172 appearances in all competitions for the German side, which suggested that he had the potential to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch at Stamford Bridge.

The issue facing Chelsea upon his arrival, though, was about where he was going to play. Nkunku played in a front two for Leipzig and the Blues only play with one striker – Nicolas Jackson.

He has featured in a multitude of positions throughout his career, in midfield, on the right or left flank, as a number ten, as a second striker, and as a centre-forward, without nailing down one.

The majority of his appearances for Chelsea, to date, have come as a striker, with 24 outings in that role, but he has also played 11 times as a number ten and played eight games as a winger.

Christopher Nkunku (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

11

20

xG

2.30

3.96

Goals

3

2

Big chances missed

3

5

Assists

0

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Nkunku has failed to offer much in the way of quality in any of those positions in the Premier League over the last 18 months, with just six goal contributions in 31 games.

Chelsea, however, may already have a player who could be the end of the Frenchman in the form of Estevao Willian, who is due to link up with the squad in the summer.

Why Estevao could be the end of Nkunku

The Premier League giants agreed a £29m deal to sign the 17-year-old Brazilian forward last summer, but he will not be able to officially join the club until his 18th birthday in April of this year.

Analyst Ben Mattinson previously described him as a “superstar” who could be a “future Ballon d’Or winner” and went as far as to say that he is on the same level as “early Santos Neymar”, which speaks to how impressive the youngster has been in his home country.

The teenage attacker primarily plays on the right flank and his arrival at Stamford Bridge in the summer would provide Maresca with another attacking option to finally ditch Nkunku by unleashing the teenage sensation.

Chelsea would have the likes of Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho, Estevao, Cole Palmer, and Nicolas Jackson to compete in the positions that Nkunku can play in, which suggests that there would be plenty of cover available to part ways with the French forward.

2024 Brasileirao

Estevao Willian

Appearances

31

xG

10.54

Goals

13

Big chances created

11

Assists

9

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 17-year-old lit up the Brasileirao in the 2024 campaign with his ability to score and assist goals on a regular basis for Palmeiras.

He has showcased his quality in the Brazilian top-flight week-in-week-out at the age of just 17 and Chelsea will be hoping that he can translate that form over to the Premier League next season.

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Posts ByConnor Holden Feb 10, 2025

If Estevao can hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge and emerge as an immediate first-team option for Maresca then his arrival could be the end for Nkunku, who has struggled for game time and form as it is.