All posts by h716a5.icu

Liverpool have made plenty of high-profile sales over the years – but how many actually went well? Most players in recent years, admittedly, have gone on to struggle after leaving the Reds.

Sadio Mané's Bayern Munich spell was disastrous, as was Philippe Coutinho with Barcelona. Emre Can hardly improved his career after leaving, either.

But that doesn't mean there haven't been some awful decisions down the years. So here are Football FanCast's picks for 10 sales Liverpool shouldn't have made.

10 Conor Coady – £375k to Huddersfield Town (2014)

There are some on this list that looked bad at the time and some on this list that look bad in hindsight. This one is the latter.

Few eyebrows raised when Liverpool sold Conor Coady to Huddersfield Town. He'd just spent the previous campaign on loan at Sheffield United in League One and while he did well, his future at Anfield didn't seem particularly bright.

What looks bad is that after just one season with the Terriers, Wolves bought him for £2m. That alone makes it seem that Liverpool got a terrible price but Coady would excel in the Midlands, helping them to promotion as captain and consolidating their position in the Premier League.

In the end, the Reds sold a very valuable academy product for just £375k.

9 Pepe Reina – £2.5m to Bayern Munich (2014)

Pepe Reina was an outstanding goalkeeper for Liverpool at his best – really, their finest since Bruce Grobelaar in the 1980s. Brendan Rodgers didn't appear to particularly rate him when taking over in 2012, however, and sent the Spaniard out on loan in 2013.

Now, it was more complicated than that. Reina and Liverpool expected him to head to Barcelona that summer – but the move collapsed when Victor Valdes decided to stay. The Reds had already signed Simon Mignolet as a replacement, so off Reina went to Napoli for a year.

The Spaniard did well, while Mignolet struggled. That didn't appear to change things at all, with Liverpool selling Reina in 2014 to Bayern for £2.5m. The goalkeeper barely played but rejoined Napoli in 2015, playing regularly for three seasons. Mignolet continued to struggle and really, Liverpool failed to replace Reina properly until Alisson arrived in 2018.

8 Luis Suárez – £75m to Barcelona (2014)

2014 is looking like a pretty dreadful summer for Liverpool, right? Well, it was even worse than you think.

Now, in their defence, Liverpool pretty much had to sell Suárez. They'd only kept him the previous summer by assuring him he could leave for Barcelona or Real Madrid in 2014, should they bid. And Barcelona did. On top of that, the Uruguayan bit (as in actually biting) a player for the third time in three-and-a-half years that summer – he'd get a four-month ban.

The problem here is that Liverpool just let their star player go without any plan to replace him. You're likely thinking 'how do you replace Suárez?' and it's a good question – we're not sure. What you don't do is attempt to replace his 30+ goals and 11 assists with Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert, Lazar Markovic and Fabio Borini. Because that's what the Reds did.

It didn't work. Could Liverpool have even kept Suárez? We doubt it, and that's why he's so low on this list. But selling a player is absolutely pointless if you go so comically backwards.

7 Nicolas Anelka – we're cheating (2002)

Okay, so Liverpool didn't sell Nicolas Anelka because they never actually owned Nicolas Anelka. We're cheating with this one but it's too good to leave out.

Anelka was the young player to watch in the late 90s as Arsenal snapped him up in 1997 to be their future star. His reputation as a 'sulk' held him back, however, and Real Madrid had their go at getting the best out of Anelka. While he had his moments, the same attitude problems persisted.

Back to Paris Saint-Germain he went, and back came the attitude issues. They did, however, allow Liverpool to get Anelka on loan in 2002 and the Frenchman looked good. But the Reds decided not to sign the striker permanently as they felt El Hadji Diouf was a better bet. The Senegal star essentially cost the same money.

Anelka moved to Manchester City and scored 30 Premier League goals in the next two seasons, with 45 being his total tally there. Diouf scored three – all in his first campaign – before joining Bolton for next to nothing in 2004.

6 Raheem Sterling – £49m to Manchester City (2015)

It was clear that Raheem Sterling could leave Liverpool back in 2015 after a fairly ridiculous interview and public criticism of Brendan Rodgers. The Reds didn't actually need to sell him, however.

But they did and to Manchester City for £49m – a team they'd been in a title challenge with just one year prior.

What makes this one really burn, though, is that Liverpool replaced Rodgers with Jurgen Klopp just a few months later. They almost certainly could have kept Sterling at the club – and we can only imagine what kind of player he could have been for the Reds under the German.

5 Craig Bellamy – £7.5m to West Ham (2007)

You won't find a more obvious example of a team regretting a sale than Liverpool buying Craig Bellamy back in 2011. They originally sold him in 2007 to West Ham for £7.5m and, to be fair, it made a little bit of sense.

Fernando Torres arrived that summer, leaving less space for other forwards. But the Reds would also quickly find that they lacked options that weren't Torres – something they tried to fix a year later with Robbie Keane. That experiment only lasted six months, however.

Bellamy would instead leave West Ham for Manchester City in early 2009. He was productive there, too, even if he was back at Anfield two years later.

His second spell saw nine goals across all competitions as Liverpool won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final. That was in one of the final seasons of Bellamy's career – showcasing what they missed for the prior four years after letting him go.

4 Dejan Lovren – £10.9m to Zenit St. Petersburg (2020)

The problem here isn't so much that Liverpool decided Dejan Lovren wasn't good enough, it's that they decided they didn't need a fourth centre-back. Now, in their defence – it made some sense.

Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez would be their primary options, while Fabinho could cover if needed. Lovren had barely played the previous season and this would work in all but the worst injury crisis.

Liverpool then suffered the worst injury crisis. Van Dijk was ruled out for the season by the end of October. Gomez was out for the season a few weeks later. Matip followed by January. The Reds even tried Jordan Henderson at centre-back – he was ruled out in February.

The truly crazy thing is that Liverpool were top of the Premier League at Christmas. If they'd still had another centre-back option available, they would have had a much easier time of maintaining that.

3 Javier Mascherano – £25m to Barcelona (2010)

Javier Mascherano was one of the absolute best defensive midfielders on the planet in 2010. Liverpool, however, were coming off a wildly disappointing season (more on that in a bit). Rafa Benitez was out as manager and Roy Hodgson was in – things wouldn't turn around.

But Mascherano essentially forced his way out at the end of the transfer window with Liverpool putting up little fight. The sold him to Barcelona for £25m and without any sort of replacement or plan, really.

The Argentine would thrive in Catalonia while the Reds struggled over the next few years to get things together. There certianly wasn't any sort of Mascherano replacement.

They let one of the world's best go because he asked to – and Liverpool were left looking far too compiant.

2 Michael Owen – £8m and Antonio Nunez to Real Madrid (2004)

Michael Owen won the Ballon d'Or as a 21-year-old in 2001. Three years later Liverpool let him go to Real Madrid for £8m and a player who really provided little value.

And this isn't a case of inflation – £8m was an absolute pittance back then, too. Liverpool had paid £14m for Djibril Cissé that summer and he certainly hadn't won the Ballon d'Or.

The catch here is that Owen only had a single year left on his contract and likely would have left for nothing eventually. But if we're being honest, Liverpool just let him leave for nothing a year early – or practically nothing. They'd definitely have gotten £8m of value in one year of Owen, plus there was a chance he'd sign a new contract. It was a horrible sale.

The sole reason this isn't an overwhelming no.1 on this list is that Liverpool somehow won the Champions League that season despite lacking a reliable goalscorer. Having Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in midfield helped, admittedly.

1 Xabi Alonso – £30m to Real Madrid (2009)

Real Madrid restarted their Galacticos project in 2009 and one of their key signings was Xabi Alonso for £30m. The Spaniard was regarded as one of the world's best passers in a great Liverpool team.

Alonso was incredibly important to Liverpool – he was their deep playmaker. The one who played the defence-splitting passes that got Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres into the game. Without him, the Reds struggled to involve their two stars.

And that was completely evident in the season post-Alonso. Liverpool went from a title challenge to 7th in the span of one year, despite still having Gerrard, Torres and Javier Mascherano in their side. The only difference was Alonso leaving – and it made a dramatic one.

The Reds tried to replace him with Alberto Aquilani, who wasn't just half the player but also rarely available for selection. A disaster of a sale that set Liverpool backwards in a way few sales ever have.

Shikhar Dhawan retired hurt after being hit on his elbow on Thursday and did not train with the Sunrisers on the eve of the match.

Alagappan Muthu21-Apr-20183:03

Tait: Sunrisers should play Stanlake again if he’s fit

Big pictureForm guide (most recent match first)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: lost to Kings XI Punjab by 15 runs, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets, beat Mumbai Indians by one wicket

Chennai Super Kings: beat Rajasthan Royals by 64 runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by four runs, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets

Loads of people were waiting for them. Others not so much. They’ve been at the centre of all the drama (including some that was unsavoury). They’ve got some pretty charismatic personalities. Perhaps when the IPL ends ( y’know, like all good things) Chennai Super Kings could keep the band together and go into the reality show business. For now though, they have some cricket to play. On Sunday, they’ll be up against the best bowling team in the tournament.Sunrisers Hyderabad have conceded runs at only 7.54 per over this season, the best economy rate among all teams. With Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shakib Al Hasan as first-choice picks, that’s to be expected.Super Kings won’t be afraid though. They know calculated hitting – as opposed to going after every ball – is clinging on to its three square inches on the T20 landscape. MS Dhoni has built his entire career on the idea and his team has bought into it unequivocally. With three wins from four games, and the best run rate (9.68) in this IPL, the plan is working.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn the news Shikhar Dhawan retired hurt after being hit on his elbow on Thursday *and did not train with the Sunrisers on the eve of the match. Billy Stanlake missed that game with injury, and if he’s back to full fitness, Chris Jordan might have to move back to the bench. Faf du Plessis came into the IPL carrying a couple of injuries, but with Shane Watson’s century in the last game, even if he is fully fit, he might not be able to break into the Super Kings XIThe likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Yusuf Pathan, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Deepak Hooda, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Siddharth Kaul, 11 Billy StanlakeChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Ambati Rayudu, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Sam Billings, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Imran Tahir, 11 Shardul ThakurStrategy puntDhoni has lost his wicket to a legspinner three times in 19 deliveries this season. Additionally, the Super Kings captain has made only 11 runs against this type of bowling. So Rashid, over to you.ESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter Sunrisers’ weaker suit is their batting; their middle order the source of their problems. Nos. 4 to 7 have collectively averaged 23 since IPL 2015, placing them seventh out of 10 teams. With the inclusion of Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan this edition, they are contributing more runs, but their rate of scoring – 8.05 – is the slowest out of all the teams. Shakib Al Hasan was perhaps bought with the specific reason to address that, and has every chance of coming good against Super Kings. In the IPL, he has made 85 runs off 60 deliveries against the current Super Kings bowlers and has been particularly severe on Dwayne Bravo, walloping 33 in 16. The battle of the finishers: Dhoni has hit Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 81 runs in 41 balls in the IPL, without ever losing his wicket. Another head-to-head to look out for: Harbhajan Singh has dismissed Manish Pandey four times in 10 innings and has given away only 64 runs in 64 balls.Fantasy picksSuresh Raina. He hit form in the previous game for Super Kings, and considering he’s back in the yellow jersey again, there is every chance it can snowball into a big run. He’ll want to be wary of Rashid, though. Since IPL 2015, Raina has been dismissed by right-arm legspinners eight times in 24 innings, scoring only 155 runs off 122 balls.

Manchester United are now eyeing a move for an “elite” striker who has an £83m release clause, with recruitment chiefs identifying alternative targets to Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen, according to a report.

United's search for a striker

With Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee flattering to deceive this season, Man United have set their sights on signing a new striker this summer, and several highly-rated options have been linked with moves to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have now made contact to offer Osimhen a big salary, with the Nigerian forward poised to leave Napoli in the summer, while they have also been chasing Gyokeres, who Ruben Amorim knows very well from their time together at Sporting CP.

Reports from Spain have suggested United have already struck an agreement to sign Gyokeres in the summer, although with no other sources corroborating the news, it is probably wise to be very skeptical about such a deal.

Man Utd progressing in talks to sign £33m ace who wants Old Trafford move

The summer transfer window is still a few months away from opening but United are looking to wrap up a deal fairly quickly.

1 ByBrett Worthington Feb 17, 2025

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Man United are now identifying alternative targets to the Sporting star, and they are contemplating a move for FC Porto’s Samu Omorodion, who has also impressed in the Liga Portugal this season.

Amid fears they could miss out on their top targets, perhaps owing to their very poor league position, United have picked out Omorodion as an alternative option, with scouts watching him in action earlier this month.

The Porto star nearly completed a £34.4m move to Chelsea last month, but the Blues were unable to strike an agreement on personal terms, opening the door for a potential move to Old Trafford in the summer.

However, INEOS are at risk of having to shell out a considerably higher fee, as the 20-year-old has a release clause of over £83m.

Omorodion impressing in debut Liga Portugal season

While Gyokeres has been getting the majority of the headlines, the Spaniard has also been on the scoresheet regularly in the Liga Portugal this season, with 13 goals and three assists to his name in 18 outings.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson believes a big move could be on the cards for the youngster soon, in light of his impressive performances this season, branding parts of his game as “elite”.

Gyokeres has proven himself over a more sustained period, while the Sweden international also has six goals in eight Champions League games this season.

However, given United’s current league position, they may find it difficult to compete for the Sporting forward this summer, and Omorodion’s goal record suggests he could be a suitable alternative option.

Figures of 6 for 55 in second innings, and 9 for 77 in the match, seal revenge for early-season defeat against Notts

David Hopps at Trent Bridge13-May-20182:11

County round-up: Red-hot Henry too much for Sussex

ScorecardWhen it comes to conversations in cars heading out of Greater Manchester, Peter Kay’s Car Share has a monopoly on all the best lines. But if Lancashire raise a Championship challenge this season perhaps Graham Onions and Keaton Jennings will look back on their own chat en route to Trent Bridge.Although a calamitous batting collapse had consigned them to defeat in their opening match against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford, Onions and Jennings concluded that Lancashire had not done too much wrong since. A return encounter offered the chance to remedy matters – and, for two former Durham professionals, it was an ideal opportunity to establish themselves as matchwinners for the Red Rose.That task has been accomplished, and how so. Onions, whose career-best figures of 9 for 67 came on this ground for Durham in 2012, took 6 for 55 in Notts’ second innings, and 9 for 77 in the match, and as craftily as he made use of encouraging seam-bowling conditions, one of county cricket’s greybeards has the nous to recognise that some of those wickets were carelessly donated. Jake Libby’s three-hour 46 made him the exception.

First win as @LancsCCC players. Tastes bloody beautiful. Special mention to @JetJennings pic.twitter.com/88G523x1tT

— Graham Onions (@BunnyOnions) May 13, 2018

The stand-out batsman in the match though, was Jennings, whose 126 in Lancashire’s first innings was composed and judicious, exemplifying the considered approach which he gives to his cricket. If an England return might be viewed as premature, it seems inevitable that an opportunity will eventually come to add to his six Test caps – the last of them won against South Africa at Old Trafford last summer.Their car-share chat, though, was about Lancashire, not England. “We travelled together a few days ago and we said how good it would be for us to succeed and it kind of worked out that way with Keaton getting a hundred and me getting nine wickets in the match,” Onions said. “Keaton’s innings was pretty special on a tricky wicket to bat on against a very good attack.”Last week on a very good wicket he batted beautifully and his tempo was great. His innings was better purely because the wicket was doing enough to keep the bowler interested. What he has shown is that he has learned a lot from his past England days. His mentality has got stronger and he backs himself. The Test matches he played were against a very good South African side and without a doubt he is knocking on the door.”Lancashire needed only 65 minutes of play on the third morning of their match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge to claim their first Championship victory of the season, cutting Nottinghamshire’s lead to 16 points – or one victory – in the process.The margin, as Notts were dismissed for 138, was an innings and 67 runs, made a mockery of a table in which Notts lay top and Lancashire seventh and amplified the feeling that this Championship season could be as compact as a fully-squeezed concertina.Resuming five-down and with a deficit of 99, Nottinghamshire’s sixth-wicket pairing of Libby and Tom Moores were parted inside the first half an hour of the day when Moores wafted at a wide one from Onions, who backed it up by gaining an lbw verdict against a disbelieving Stuart Broad.James Anderson sent Luke Fletcher on his way for a second-ball duck and then had Libby ninth out, lbw. Onions, appropriately, delivered the winning moment to his new side by having Jake Ball caught in the deep by Steven Croft.”We’ve done a lot of good things this season but we were completely outplayed by Notts in the first week of the season, so we’ve come here wanting to show them how good we are,” he said. “Collectively, we’ve done some good things and we just have to keep that going now.”So Lancashire’s hellish start to the season is over. Hell, of course, is many different things to different people. As Kayleigh said in Car Share: “The only hell I know is standing in the middle of an aisle trying to get people to sample my Mini Cheddars.”

Arsenal come into Sunday's north London derby full of renewed optimism, swagger and purpose.

The Gunners won at Goodison Park a week ago for the first time since 2017 and then dispatched PSV with ease on their return to Champions League action in midweek, winning 4-0.

However, they now come up against one of the best Spurs teams in recent memory. Not since the days of Mauricio Pochettino have we seen a Tottenham side with such energy and excitement, yet that's what Ange Postecoglou has achieved within just months of being the manager.

The fixture's top scorer in Harry Kane may no longer be there to wreak havoc upon the Gunners, but the Lilywhites still have threats, notably in the forward line.

Declan Rice will have to be at his best to disrupt the rhythm of James Maddison, with the midfield battle set to be key.

It feels like the game could be won or lost there, with Martin Odegaard's own radiant qualities shining through in Europe last Wednesday, where he scored a sumptuous goal to round off proceedings.

However, who sits alongside Rice and the club captain remains up for debate. Fabio Vieira earned his first start of the campaign against Everton but Kai Havertz was back in from the start last time out.

How has Kai Havertz performed at Arsenal?

Eyebrows were raised across English football when the German moved across the capital.

In the words of editor Jai McIntosh, the 24-year-old had been "underwhelming" at Chelsea, even if he was the man to score a Champions League final-winning goal.

The problem with Havertz is that he's never really been able to find his best position. At Leverkusen, where he became known as a wonderkid, he produced 46 goals and 31 assists in 150 outings from largely an attacking midfield position.

That was a goal contribution rate of one every 1.9 fixtures, but that dwindled at Chelsea. Often fielded as a make-shift striker or centre-forward, the Germany international became less creative, laying on just 15 assists but scoring 32 from 139 outings. That saw him register a goal involvement once every 2.9 matches.

Now, at Arsenal, his ability to influence play in the final third is waning again, having yet to register a goal or assist in his seven appearances from central midfield.

That isn't due to a lack of trying, however. Against Manchester United prior to the international break, he was gifted with a glorious opportunity from six yards out but scuffed his kick. Against PSV, he then fired an effort over the bar from inside the box, albeit on his weaker right foot.

Havertz has picked up good positions but is simply lacking the end product. Chelsea fans will tell you that was the story of his stint at Stamford Bridge.

That said, could brighter times be around the corner?

How did Havertz perform against PSV?

According to some renowned figures in the Arsenal social media space, the German had his "best game yet" when the Dutch side came to town a few days ago.

It was a solid response from Havertz who had been dropped for the visit to Goodison Park, with Vieira replacing him and ultimately starring. It was the young Portuguese's delicious through ball that set Gabriel Martinelli on his way to open the scoring. So they thought anyway, only for VAR to adjudge Eddie Nketiah offside in the build-up.

There was a fear that the diminutive Vieira, who stands at a slight 5 foot 7, would get eaten alive up against the likes of Amadou Onana and Abdoulaye Doucoure. After all, Havertz is a great deal taller at 6 foot 4 and would have relished the physical contest, We were wrong; Vieira got on just fine.

That could well mean that Arsenal's new £65m man could struggle to get back in the side, even if he did look good in Europe.

No player won more duels (9) during the game than the midfielder, an aspect of the game that Mikel Arteta loves to see, as he made four tackles.

Havertz also played two key passes and maintained a pass success rate of 93%. Yet, his ability to coast through games without being too noticed was evident in the fact that goalkeeper David Raya had more touches during the contest (57 to 46).

Against Spurs, the £280k-per-week earner;s work rate may be able to see him keep track with the willing runners from midfield, but if it's creativity they are seeking, Vieira simply has to start.

It feels harsh on Havertz, but he has done little to warrant his selection in the league yet, having withstood a largely underwhelming start to his Arsenal career so far.

West Indies have named a 13-man squad for a three-match tour of Pakistan, with Jason Mohammad set to captain

Danyal Rasool29-Mar-2018Jason Mohammed will captain a notably weakened West Indies side set to tour Pakistan for a three-match T20I series. With less than 72 hours to the first ball being bowled, there was increasing concern over the fate of the tour, but the announcement of the 13-man squad will come as a relief to the Pakistan Cricket Board, who had already begun to sell tickets for the three games to be played at the National Stadium Karachi.As with Sri Lanka’s visit to Pakistan last October, West Indies’ side is well off from what would be considered a full-strength unit. Just four of the side that will tour Pakistan were in West Indies’ squad for the World Cup qualifiers earlier this month, with skipper Jason Holder, Chris Gayle and Devendra Bishoo among those absent. There are two new faces in what is a relatively inexperienced side, Andre McCarthy and Odean Smith having received their maiden call-ups.Another intriguing aspect to the squad is the complete absence of any players from Barbados. West Indies have, at present, a sizeable Barbadian contingent in their regular starting line-up, including their captain Holder, but he, as well as the likes of Shai Hope, Carlos Brathwaite and Ashley Nurse do not feature.Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin and Samuel Badree are the most experienced players on the team sheet. Also part of the touring party are wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton and opener Andre Fletcher, both of whom played in Karachi on Sunday in the Pakistan Super League final.Commenting on the tour, Cricket West Indies (CWI) Chief Executive Officer Jonny Grave said, “Following the successful hosting of the Pakistan Super League final in Karachi on the weekend, our squad are now en route to Pakistan for our three-match T20I series. This tour is a further major step for our friends at the PCB to bring their cricket back home, and we are pleased that our players and support staff have recognised this and supported this venture.”Independent security advisors Eastern Star International have confirmed to both CWI and WIPA that they are satisfied the risk is manageable and can be mitigated to an acceptable level. We have made it very clear to the players and support staff that had personal reservations about this tour that we fully understand and respect their position.”West Indies were due to visit Pakistan in November, but a number of factors – including unforeseen bad weather – meant the tour had to be postponed. The reluctance of several West Indies players to tour Pakistan due to security concerns has been evident ever since the tour was announced, and it emerged just last week that CWI was offering its players around USD25,000 if they agreed to tour Pakistan for the series.The three T20Is will be played consecutively from April 1-3, all at the National Stadium in Karachi.West Indies squad: Jason Mohammed (capt), Samuel Badree, Rayad Emrit, Andre Fletcher, Andre McCarthy, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Rovman Powell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Marlon Samuels, Odean Smith, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams

Sunderland are back in Championship action this weekend and journalist James Hunter has dropped a key injury update regarding a couple of players.

Who is currently injured at Sunderland?

The Black Cats have gone nearly a fortnight without playing, with the international break frustratingly getting in the way of their momentum, having enjoyed a stunning 5-0 win at home to much-fancied Southampton in their last outing at the Stadium of Light.

On Saturday afternoon, Tony Mowbray's side head to Queens Park Rangers looking to continue their good form, with their opponents sitting 17th in the table currently after picking up two wins and three defeats from their opening five matches.

Sunderland have been having to make do without two key figures this season, however, with Aji Alese and new forward Eliezer Mayenda both failing to play a single minute of Championship action between them in 2023/24 to date.

Ahead of Saturday's trip to west London, a fresh update has now emerged regarding the pair's availability.

Will Sunderland duo be fit to face QPR?

Taking to X, The Chronicle's Hunter claimed that Alese and Mayenda could return to full training later this month, so although they won't take part this weekend, they are both making steady progress:

"Good news on the injury front with two men just weeks away from full training and possible involvement in #safc's Championship campaign."

The report itself goes into more detail, saying:

"Aji Alese and summer signing Eliezer Mayenda could be back in full training within a fortnight – and could feature in Sunderland's Championship campaign before next month's international break. Defender Alese has not played since aggravating a thigh injury when he was rushed back to play in Sunderland's play-off semi-final second leg against Luton Town in May.

"And Spanish striker Mayenda has played no part after suffering a hamstring injury in his very first training session with the Black Cats following his move from French side Sochaux at the end of July. Head coach Tony Mowbray says both players are training with the club's medical staff but could be involved with the first team sessions before the end of September."

While not having Alese and Mayenda available for Saturday's clash with QPR isn't ideal, this still has to be considered a positive update for Sunderland when looking at the grand scheme of things.

To have the duo back by the end of the month could be a real boost for Mowbray, in terms of quality and depth, as the Black Cats look to continue to show that they should again be considered among the clubs capable of being promoted to the Premier League ahead of next season.

The former played his part in last season's success, making 21 Championships and chipping in with a goal and assist apiece, while the latter joined from French side Sochaux in the summer and is still looking to make his mark as a bright 18-year-old talent.

While neither are necessarily among the first names on Sunderland's team sheet, having lots of options is so essential across a long and gruelling season domestically, and both Alese and Mayenda could have big parts to play between now and next May.

The former Australian legspinner will be joined by another old Royals hand Zubin Bharucha, who has taken over as head of cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-20181:00

Warne announces Royals arrival

Shane Warne has returned to the Rajasthan Royals franchise as its mentor ahead of the 2018 IPL season. Warne, 48, will renew his association with the side he led to a title in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. The former Australian legspinner went on to lead the Royals for the next three editions, before retiring after the 2011 season. Warne, who has mentored the side in the past, remains the Royals’ third-highest wicket-taker of all time, with 58 scalps from 56 matches.”I am very happy and excited to be back with the Rajasthan Royals, who I believe hold a very special place in my cricketing journey,” Warne was quoted as saying in the Royals website. “I am overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on me by the franchise and fans of Rajasthan Royals. We have a strong, young and energetic bunch of boys, and I am looking forward to work with them.”While Warne has worked with India batsman Ajinkya Rahane in the past, he will work with compatriot Steven Smith – the frontrunner to lead the side – for the first time in the IPL. Warne will also be joined by another old Rajasthan Royals hand Zubin Bharucha, who has now taken over as head of cricket. Bharucha and Warne had worked together during the early years of the Royals. Manoj Badale, co-owner of Royals, said bringing back Warne was a way of giving back to the fans “who have stood by us in trying times.””As we are looking to build a strong team that can be in contention for the title, we believe Warne is the right person to mentor the Rajasthan Royals,” Badale said. “Zubin has also contributed immensely to the growth of the team, and we are happy to have both back on board. We are excited and looking forward to a successful comeback.”According to the Royals website, Warne will have a “multitude” of tasks on and off the field. “His main role will be to work closely with the senior leaders in the team, particularly the captain, to ensure all areas of strategy and tactics are covered. In addition, he will be working with all the spinners to impart technical knowledge in the art of spin.”

Arsenal have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent seasons. From missing out on the Champions League to arch-rivals Tottenham in 2021/22 to running Manchester City close to the Premier League title in 2022/23, the Gunners' meteoric rise has seen them shift their spending up a gear in the transfer window.

In the summer of 2022, Mikel Arteta was allowed to open up the chequebook and raid his former club for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus for a combined £82m, with the pair becoming vital cogs in the Spaniard's footballing machine.

With the aim of challenging Man City for the title once more, Arsenal have turned their volume of spending up a notch, replacing the likes of Matt Turner, Rob Holding, Granit Xhaka and Florian Balogun with David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz for a combined £208m.

Out of that quartet, it is Rice who has made the most impressive start to life in north London, etching his name into Gunners folklore by scoring the winner in a pulsating 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

The Englishman is forming a strong partnership with Thomas Partey in the engine room and despite the qualities the latter possesses, Arsenal could have upgraded on the Ghanaian by signing Federico Valverde in 2016.

Did Arsenal almost sign Fede Valverde?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal had the opportunity to sign Valverde in 2016 when he was plying his trade in Uruguay for CA Penarol.

While the 25-year-old has become one of the best midfielders in Europe, his path to the top could have been a lot different.

The Gunners took the 50-cap Uruguay international on trial for a week seven years ago but Arsenal's manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, declined the opportunity to secure his services with Real Madrid swooping for him instead in a £4.5m deal.

Despite being rejected by the Frenchman, Valverde spoke fondly about his brief stint at the club and particularly, the impact Alexis Sanchez had on him as a youngster.

He said: "I have always been grateful to him. When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me.

"I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player."

What has Valverde achieved at Real Madrid?

Lauded as "untouchable" by manager Carlo Ancelotti, Valverde has enjoyed a glittering career so far in the Spanish capital, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League in 2022. Such sparkling form and honours have seen his value rise to a meteoric £129m, as per Football Observatory.

The versatile midfielder, who can operate box-to-box, as a number 10 or on either flank, has become an important player in the Italian's system due to the fact he can play in a variety of positions, but it isn't just his versatility that has caught the eye.

Speaking on BT Sport after Real's 5-1 demolition of Celtic in the Champions League last season, Joe Cole heaped praise on Valverde for the array of technical and physical attributes he brings to the party while putting him in the same bracket as Jude Bellingham, saying:

"He's standing right at the top of the tree with Bellingham in the young players, and he's on the verge of becoming the best.

"He's box-to-box, he scores goals, he's a technician he was the unsung hero in the final, I thought he was outstanding against Liverpool.

"His stats this year are unbelievable, his goals, assists, goal involvements, incredible player and we talk a lot about Bellingham in this country, but this kid is every bit as good as Bellingham."

The departure of Casemiro to Manchester United was the catalyst for the £134k per-week star to grasp more opportunities to impress next to the untouchable duo of Luca Modric and Toni Kroos, doing so by becoming the driving force in that midfield, covering ground quickly and making lung-bursting runs to contribute further forward.

In the 2022/23 season, Valverde scored more goals than he managed in his previous five seasons for the club, amassing 12 goals in 56 appearances, compared to a total of six in the seasons prior, demonstrating that his influence on this Real side grows fast as he continues to play more regularly.

Valverde's former teammate Casemiro always believed in the Uruguayan's ability and predicted he would stand tall among the world's elite.

Speaking in 2020, the Brazilian said: "He's going to be one of the best No 8s in the world in two years"

According to FBref, Valverde is backing up that claim by producing frighteningly good metrics when compared against players positionally similar to him across Europe's top five leagues. He ranks in top 8% for progressive carries, top 10% for non-penalty goals, top 10% for expected assists and top 13% for progressive passes recorded.

For as long as Valverde continues to have a growing influence at Real by producing in every department, Arsenal will continue to rue their decision to let the 25-year-old slip through the net who is now worth a whopping £129m, as per Football Observatory.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Stokes requested permission to leave the court via a back door in the hope of avoiding an anticipated media scrum

George Dobell07-Feb-20181:09

ECB’s Lord Patel happy for Stokes to make his England return

Ben Stokes’ hopes of avoiding the spotlight when he attends court next week appear to have been dashed.ESPNcricinfo understands that Stokes, who is set to appear in Bristol Magistrates Court on February 13 to answer charges of affray, requested permission to leave the court via a back door in the hope of avoiding an anticipated media scrum. That permission has been denied, however, meaning Stokes will have to enter and leave the court through the front door.Stokes was arrested following an incident outside a bar in the city on September 25. Two other men, Ryan Hale and Ryan Ali, have also been called to attend court on the same day in connection to the incident. Stokes has intimated that he will plead not guilty.Stokes missed the Ashes after the ECB decided he would not be considered for selection until a decision had been made over whether he was to be charged. They have subsequently cleared him for selection and he is expected to depart for New Zealand shortly after his appearance in Bristol Magistrates Court.It had initially been hoped that Stokes would link up with the squad for the start of the T20 leg of the tour in New Zealand, but a day after he was made available the court date was confirmed for February 13 which is when England play in Wellington.He will face the ECB’s disciplinary committee following the culmination of criminal proceedings. It is entirely possible that date could be anything up to 12 months away.