Taking six wickets on the first day of a Test after losing the toss and bowling on a slow pitch might not be the worst day’s work. But with Sri Lanka having pushed past 300, scoring at 3.66 runs per over across the day, Pakistan were pushed onto the back foot by the time stumps were called in Galle on the first day of the second Test.Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Nawaz, who picked up two wickets on the day, indicated Pakistan might have got things strategically wrong by choosing to press ahead in search for wickets as opposed to trying to restrict the runs.”I think we let them score a little bit too much,” Nawaz said. “The pitch isn’t like the first Test; it wasn’t turning and the pitch was slow. I think we would have been better served by squeezing the score rather than attacking. Because the pitch was very slow and the wickets weren’t coming as easily, you needed to work especially hard for them. So if we’d restricted their score, perhaps the wickets would have come easier.”For much of the day, it was the home batters that dictated the tempo of the play, scoring at over four runs per over in the first and last sessions. In the morning, Sri Lanka’s positive intent was laid crystal clear in the way Oshada Fernando played, scoring 50 off 70 balls including three sixes off the spinners. In the final session, even when Naseem Shah threatened to burst through the lower order with a late new-ball wicket, Pakistan went searching, and Niroshan Dickwella’s unbeaten 43-ball 42 kept the scoring rate sprightly.Nawaz singled out Oshada for praise, but it wasn’t as if Pakistan had no chances. Late in the second and third sessions, two straightforward catches were put down, reprieving Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella respectively. Pakistan captain Babar Azam was responsible for shelling both chances, leaving Nawaz to rue what might have been.”In cricket, anyone can drop catches,” Nawaz said. “It’s very rare that it happens to Babar, but if those catches had been taken then we might have been able to restrict them to a lower score. Oshada attacked the spinners in the morning and the scoring happened quickly, and then when Chandimal and Mathews struck up a partnership, that was very effective for them.”I think it could still be a spinner’s game, because I expect the pitch behaviour to change on the third and fourth day. In the second innings, the spinners will be more effective.”

He will stay in charge until Rahul Dravid recovers from a bout of Covid-19 and can join the team in UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2022

VVS Laxman will fill in as India’s head coach at the Asia Cup, although his appointment is only on a temporary basis. As soon as the regular head coach Rahul Dravid recovers from a bout of Covid-19, he is expected to link up with the side in the UAE.Laxman, who is in charge of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, is familiar with most of India’s players. He was their head coach during a tour of Ireland in July, and during a tour of Zimbabwe in August. India sent a second-string team for both those assignments. It’s different at the Asia Cup. Laxman will be working with a full-strength squad for the first time, although injuries have prevented Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel’s participation.India, who won the Asia Cup when it was last played in 2018, begin this year’s campaign against Pakistan on August 28. This tournament will present them with another opportunity to fine tune their combinations for the T20 World Cup in October.Dravid, it is understood, experienced only mild symptoms of Covid-19. A BCCI release on Wednesday said he “will join the team once he tests negative and is cleared by the medical team”.Laxman, 47, is one of the best batters India has produced. His unbeaten 281 against Australia in 2000-01, while following-on, is still revered as one of the best innings ever played in Test cricket. He finished his career in 2012, with 8781 runs from 134 Tests, and moved on to coaching and commentary.Laxman was heavily involved in the IPL as mentor to Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2013-21, when he was asked to take over as director of cricket at the NCA and create a roadmap for up-and-coming players to break into India’s men and women’s teams at both senior and junior level.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement may have been offered plenty of backing by new CEO Patrick Stewart, but the Ibrox faithful know that he isn’t the right choice to lead the club into the future.

Indeed, during the 3-1 victory over St Johnstone in Glasgow on Sunday afternoon, the Union Bears departed in the 55th minute as a sign of protest against the board and their decision to back the manager.

With the January transfer window in full swing, the only thing that might save Clement will be a deep run in Europe and winning the Scottish Cup.

The Premiership title race is all but over, as Celtic currently top the standings by a staggering 15 points.

The only positives from recent weeks have been the performances of certain individuals. Nico Raskin has impressed in recent weeks, even captaining the Gers to a memorable 3-0 win over Celtic at the start of the year.

Hamza Igamane has been the other big positive in the previous few months, emerging as someone who shouldn’t be dropped from the starting XI.

If he maintains this current form, then there will be a host of clubs queuing up to secure his signature this summer.

Hamza Igamane’s amazing season in numbers

Rangers were in need of another striker last summer. Despite Cyriel Dessers scoring 22 goals, he wasn’t the answer for Clement.

The arrival of Igamane for a fee believed to have been £1.7m was certainly a surprise, especially considering the youngster had not played senior football outside of Morocco before.

While seen as a big gamble, if the striker could settle and score goals, there was no doubt the Light Blues might strike gold on the Moroccan starlet.

Struck gold they have. Just seven months after moving to Scotland, Igamane has emerged as a hot prospect, one that has already scored 12 goals in just 21 appearances for the club thus far.

A few weeks ago, it was reported that Everton had sent scouts to watch the striker during the Europa League clash against Tottenham Hotspur. Igamane did his chances of a big move no harm by scoring the opener against the Premier League outfit.

Although the 22-year-old has eventually settled into the rigours of Scottish football, it has been in Europe where he has showcased his true talents and that he belongs at this level.

Across four Europa League games, he has netted four goals, scoring once every 48 minutes, along with having a stunning 67% goal conversion rate in the competition.

Furthermore, averaging 1.3 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles on the continent indicates that Igamane offers more than just a clinical threat in the final third.

He has already endeared himself to the Ibrox faithful, who see the striker as the ideal heir to Alfredo Morelos, with the pair sharing similar attributes.

The more goals he scores, the higher the interest will be heading into the summer transfer window. If a big-money move comes in, he might just make the Light Blues a significant profit.

Having excellent players operating behind him will allow Igamane to improve as the season progresses. Though, should he stay, he could well be complemented by one of the SPFL’s top young talents.

Rangers eye move for Dundee star

According to the Sun, Rangers are considering making a pre-contract move for Dundee starlet Lyall Cameron, who has enjoyed a wonderful season at Dens Park.

Cameron was briefly linked with a move to Glasgow last summer, but nothing materialised in the end. Celtic were the ones to sign a Dundee star, bringing Luke McCowan to the club, who has settled in well at Parkhead.

Could Cameron perhaps follow in his former teammate’s footsteps by making the switch from Dundee to Glasgow?

The report from the Sun claims that the Gers are leading the chase for Cameron’s signature, although there is plenty of interest from other parties.

The chance to win trophies and compete in Europe on a consistent basis suggests a move to Ibrox could be the perfect one for the player to take his game to the next level.

Why Rangers should sign Lyall Cameron

Earlier this season, following a game against Rangers, analyst John Walker took a look at his performance, saying: “Had a look at him closely v Rangers on Saturday & he was an absolute stand-out.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

So, he’s already stood out against Clement’s side but what could he offer if he signs in the summer? Well, in the Premiership this season, the Dundee sensation has already scored five goals and registered four assists. When taking into account all competitions, he has registered a total of 15 goal contributions.

This tally is made even more remarkable considering he has operated either in the centre of the Dundee midfield or at times, as a defensive midfielder.

Should he move to Ibrox, could his future be in a more advanced role? It’s something that would see him linking up directly with Igamane.

Considering Cameron has created four big chances in the top flight throughout 2024/25, along with averaging 1.7 key passes and succeeding with 0.6 dribbles per game, he could be excellent if he moved slightly further forward should he join Rangers.

Averaging 59.7 touches of the ball per game demonstrates his willingness to often get involved during games, not shying away from the challenge of more illustrious teams.

These statistics should be enough for Clement to see that he could add a quality midfielder to his squad for nothing, boosting the homegrown quota in the process.

Aged just 22, Cameron still has plenty of development to do. A move to Ibrox could be fundamental in achieving his dreams while improving as a player.

At the time of writing, the youngster has 12 caps for the Scotland U21 side. Switching to Rangers ahead of next season could see him garner the attention of Steve Clarke, who might find it hard to ignore him.

Enquiry made: Rangers could sign a "vastly experienced" Barron upgrade

Rangers could target a player who can potentially leave his club for free

By
Ross Kilvington

Jan 11, 2025

When it rains, it pours for Tottenham Hotspur, with the recent saga involving Bayern Munich’s wantaway starlet, Mathys Tel, only serving to heap further misery on the North London outfit.

As Ange Postecoglou beautifully put it himself amid the loss of Radu Dragusin to injury in midweek, “every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s usually been an oncoming train.” Poetic indeed.

Hampered by an ever-growing list of absentees, the Lilywhites are seemingly in desperate need of reinforcements before the deadline, albeit with it looking as if chairman Daniel Levy has failed in his charm offensive over Tel, with the teenager rejecting the chance to move to N17 after a £50m agreement had been reached.

While that refusal may lie more in the forward’s hesitation over making a permanent exit from the Allianz Arena, it will sting all the same, with just a matter of days left for Spurs to turn their attention elsewhere…

Tottenham looking at Mathys Tel alternatives

For a team that have scored 46 Premier League goals this season – the third most in the division – there could be an argument that it is not the attacking unit that is in need of strengthening, not least with a 19-year-old who has failed to score at all this season in Germany.

If Postecoglou’s squad is to be appropriately bolstered at the top end of the pitch – whether that is needed or not – it may require a far more Premier League-proven talent to arrive in the door, hence the club’s apparent interest in Manchester United sensation, Alejandro Garnacho.

As per the Daily Mail, Tottenham are said to have launched a surprise late enquiry regarding the Spain-born, Argentina international, with United seemingly open to a sale for a fee in the region of £60m.

Transfer Focus

The report claims that Levy’s approach was centred on doing a deal on an initial loan basis, amid their long-standing interest in the winger, although negotiations are yet to ‘progress’.

How Garnacho compares to Mathys Tel

The question of whether a new left-winger is a priority – amid the rise of the likes of Mikey Moore – is a valid one, although few Spurs supporters would seemingly turn up their nose at the addition of a “generational” talent like Garnacho, as hailed by Statman Dave.

Attitude issues have been a potential concern at Old Trafford in recent times, with the wideman left out of the Manchester Derby back in December by manager Ruben Amorim, although when in the groove, the former Atletico Madrid starlet is a real terror down the flanks.

Previously lauded as a “game-changer” by journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the 20-year-old has worked his way back into favour under Amorim of late, starring off the bench in Bucharest in midweek after teeing up teammate Kobbie Mainoo to make it 2-0 on the night.

A direct and relentless winger, in the mould of a Son Heung-min perhaps, Garnacho appears particularly well suited to the front-footed Postecoglou approach, with his record in recent seasons ensuring he would be a truly worth arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Yes, Tel is certainly exciting too, but only a year older than the Frenchman, Garnacho has proven his talents on a far more consistent basis, having already chalked up 14 goals and assists in all competitions this season. Tel, meanwhile, boasts just one assist and no goals.

Stat (per 90)

Garnacho

Tel

Goals

0.22

0

Assists

0.07

0.36

Progressive passes

1.68

3.21

Progressive carries

5.55

2.14

Successful take-ons

26.4%

50%

Shot-creating actions

2.85

1.43

Tackles

1.09

0.71

Interceptions

0.51

0.36

38 goal involvements in 121 senior games for the Red Devils is no mean feat, with the fleet-footed star also showcasing his talents on the big occasion, having scored at Wembley in the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2024.

In all in 2023/24, Garnacho registered 15 goals and assists – only one short of what Tel achieved at Bayern. As can be seen in the table above however, it is the United academy graduate who perhaps represents the more all-round option, while boasting the benefit of his Premier League experience.

Having been stung in the past by losing the likes of Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov to the Manchester side, how nice it would be for Spurs to get their own back for change, landing what could well be a big upgrade on Tel in the process.

Another Kulusevski: Spurs want to sign "unreal" PL star before the deadline

Spurs could land themselves another attacking talent after Mathys Tel before the end of the month.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 1, 2025

شهدت مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وبورنموث، الجارية حاليًا في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز موسم 2024/25 على ملعب “الاتحاد” طرد اثنين من اللاعبين.

ويلتقي الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة السابعة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي.

وطُرد لاعب فريق مانشستر سيتي، ماتيو كوفاسيتش، في الدقيقة 68 من عمر المباراة الجارية حاليًا ضد بورنموث.

جاء طرد ماتيو كوفاسيتش بعدما تدخل بقوة لاعب بورنموث إيفانيلسون، ليحصل على بطاقة حمراء مباشرة، ويضطر مانشستر سيتي إلى اللعب بـ10 لاعبين.

وتساوت الكفة بعدما طُرد لاعب بورنموث، لويس كوك، في الدقيقة 73، لتدخله ضد نيكو جونزاليس، ليلعب الفريقان منقوصين بـ10 لاعبين فقط.

وتشير النتيجة في الوقت الحالي إلى تقدم مانشستر سيتي بهدفين دون رد، بفضل عمر مرموش وبرناردو سيلفا.

We are pretty much halfway through silly season now, and as things stand, the only addition Tottenham Hotspur have made to their injury-riddled squad is that of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Now, the former Slavia Prague shot-stopper has seriously impressed thus far, but given the hole in the Lilywhites’ squad, he simply cannot be the only signing Daniel Levy and Co make this month.

There were strong links to Paris Saint-Germain’s exciting forward Randal Kolo Muani over the last week or so, but he now looks set to join Serie A giants Juventus on a short-term loan.

Fortunately, it appears as if the club are not letting this setback stop them from looking for another attacker, as recent reports have linked them to another exciting forward from Ligue 1, a forward who looks like he could be miles better than the Frenchman.

Tottenham chase free-scoring forward

According to a recent report from Daily Mail journalist Matt Barlow, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in signing OGC Nice star Evann Guessand.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League teams West Ham United and Bournemouth are keen to bring the Ivorian international to England this month.

The good news for Levy and Co is that it shouldn’t cost them too much to sign the 23-year-old ace this month, with the report revealing that offers in excess of £20m should be enough to tempt the French side to come to the table.

He might not be a household name in England, but based on his form this season, signing Guessand for £20m could be a brilliant deal, especially as he’s been far more impressive than Kolo Muani.

How Guessand compares to Kolo Muani

So, with Kolo Muani now almost certainly off the table as an option for Spurs this month, would signing Guessand instead be a wise option? How does he stack up to his fellow Ligue 1 attacker?

Well, despite having a much lower profile in world football, the Nice star actually comes out way ahead of his older counterpart when we compare their pure output from this season, which for strikers is what matters more than anything.

For example, in 25 appearances, totalling 1937 minutes, the “very interesting” Nice star, as analyst Ben Mattinson described him, has scored nine goals and provided five assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.78 games, or every 138.35 minutes.

In contrast, the PSG ace has scored two goals and provided one assist in 14 appearances this season, totalling 453 minutes, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 4.66 games, or every 151 minutes.

Moreover, while it is a little closer when we compare their underlying numbers from this season, the 23-year-old Ivorian still emerges victorious in the majority of relevant metrics.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.56

1.19

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.74

0.50

Progressive Passes

3.02

1.25

Progressive Carries

3.02

2.00

Shots

2.60

3.77

Goals per Shot

0.19

0.07

Shots on Target

0.99

1.51

Goals per Shot on Target

0.50

0.17

Passing Accuracy

76.9%

73.1%

Expected Assists

0.19

0.15

Key Passes

1.05

1.25

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.05

0.75

Shot-Creating Actions

3.28

3.27

Goal-Creating Actions

0.62

0.75

For example, he produces more actual non-penalty goals plus assists, scores more goals per shot and shot on target, completes more progressive passes and carries, has a better passing accuracy, produces more shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Spurs fans might be understandably upset over missing out on the talented Kolo Muani this week, but from a pure output and underlying metric perspective, Guessand looks to be the far superior player.

Therefore, Levy and Co should be doing all they can to ensure they get this deal done ahead of the chasing pack.

Their answer to Caicedo: Spurs submit bid to sign "ball-carrying machine"

The promising midfielder could be a game-changer for Spurs.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 15, 2025

Put those Darren Stevens retirement stories away for a moment because he is not quite finished yet. A return to Leicestershire, the county where his career began, felt like a fairytale ending – only he has no intention to end. Influential contributions with bat and ball helped give Kent an 82-run win in this Royal London Cup play-off and now takes them to a semi-final tie against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday.If Stevens’ intervention with the bat felt entirely predictable – 41 from 24 balls with The Meet Café & Bar at deep midwicket fearing partial demolition from his wrecking ball – his bowling spell was a bonus. Ten overs in mid-innings for 37 runs felt as if Leicestershire had taken their largesse too far as he was met conservatively throughout. It was canny stuff but perhaps not that canny. He had a towel down before his final over, as if determined to see the job through, and suitably somebody should have brought him out a little stool to sit on while they did it.Grace Road is one of the quieter grounds on the circuit, even in their first home knockout tie for 11 years, but sporadic cries of “Stevo” punctuated the day, often for no specific reason. Perhaps some of them came from Leicestershire supporters who would like him to return for a final year. Coincidentally that knockout tie was also against Kent when Paul Nixon, now their head coach, made 31 in a three-wicket win. Considering the ECB’s machinations, it’s a toss-up who is most likely still to be around another 11 years from now – Leicestershire or Stevens.His last ball should have been the perfect finish. Scott Steel, who fulfilled the anchor role for Leicestershire much as Ben Compton had done previously for Kent, risked a leg-side pick-up, but it fell to the 12th man, James Logan, on the half volley and trundled for four. By the time Logan left the field, his duties complete, Stevens’ hands were still on hips in mild-mannered exasperation, but his job had been done.Leicestershire still needed 196 from 21 at 9.33 an over at that point and even though they had seven wickets left they never really made contact with it. A flurry of runs and then Steel swung rather mindlessly at a short ball from Nathan Gilchrist to sky one straight up in the air and fall for 65 from 94 balls.The batter who might have turned the tie for Leicestershire was Wiaan Mulder, their South African allrounder, one of the driving forces behind their play-offs place. Mulder made 81 from 71, his innings ending when he was bowled by a delivery that jagged back substantially, and low, from Joey Evison, who suitably is the young allrounder positioned to fill Stevens’ shoes. Nobody sang “Joey” in homage, even though he had earlier made an excellent half-century, but as Stevens has already recognised, he is a player of considerable promise and can write his own tunes.Related

• Steven Croft lights the way in Blackpool as Lancashire scale Notts' tall target

• Strauss review proposes smaller Championship top tier

• Stevens vows to play on next season after 'gutting' release aged 46

• Stevens' white-ball Canterbury swansong takes Kent into play-offs

Kent’s early incursions came through Harry Podmore, whose career has been so curtailed by injury that a decade after his county debut for Middlesex he was playing only his 99th match across all formats. That he was fit and firing after recovering from severe side and knee injuries was a considerable bonus. His first wicket was a bit of a gimme as Nicky Welch slapped him to point, but he bowled Rishi Patel and Lous Kimber with excellent deliveries that seamed back through the gate. Grant Stewart made short shrift of the tail to finish with 4 for 42. Kent had been helped a little by the fact that the surface died a little as the game progressed, but as Nixon agreed, Leicestershire did not lift their game when most needed.Stevens’ innings had been marked by a succession of flat bats with Ed Barnes conceding three of his four sixes, enough for Barnes to finish with undistinguished figures of 2 for 75 in eight overs, his mood uplifted by two good wickets. Leicestershire set two short thirds to him and appeared to have a theory, but it didn’t come off. Predictably, he eventually fell short at deep midwicket and a repair bill for The Meet was avoided after all. It was another South African who carried Leicestershire’s fight with the ball, Beuran Hendricks, a lithe left-armer who is more slippery than he looks, was the bwler who silenced Stevens and he was the pick of their attack with 2 for 35.Half-centuries from Evison and Compton in an opening stand of 95 in 18 overs handed Kent an initiative that they never relinquished. Evison drove Kimber from the attack with three sixes in two overs between straight and long-on before he was dismissed trying to sweep Steel; Compton, his off stump clipped by Mulder as he played defensively, made 56 from 80 balls with only four boundaries and was probably out at a perfect time, although he loves batting so might not think so. A third Kent half-century, this time from Joe Denly, kept Leicestershire at bay.

Tottenham Hotspur’s season has been a bit of a disaster this year, but there are reasons to be hopeful for the future.

Daniel Levy and Co may not have bought enough ready-made players for Ange Postecoglou over the summer, but they did sign a number of up-and-coming prospects.

The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and their very own Mikey Moore look like they could develop into sensational players together at Spurs.

Fortunately, recent reports have now linked a slightly older but still developing talent for a move to the club this month, a tremendously exciting attacker who shares a lot of similarities with Dele Alli.

Tottenham target incredible phenom

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of multiple clubs ‘monitoring Rayan Cherki’s situation at Lyon.’

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta are all interested in the sensational French talent. Spurs are perhaps one of the most interested parties with GIVEMESPORT further reporting that they are ‘tempted’ to make an offer to get him out of France.

However, while the competition could be a challenge for Spurs to overcome, the price might not be as, according to the story, the Ligue 1 side are only after about €22m for the 21-year-old, which is about £18m and has been described as an “absolute bargain” by “many executives,” per Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.

It looks like it could be an incredibly complicated deal to get over the line given the amount of competition, but with how unbelievably talented Cherki is, it’s a deal Spurs must fight for, especially as there are some similarities between him and Dele.

How Cherki compares to Dele and why Spurs should sign him

Okay, so before we go into some of the reasons why Spurs should be doing all they can to sign Cherki this month, let’s examine some of the ways in which he’s similar to the player Dele was in his pomp.

The first and most significant is that, like the former England star was when he was a youngster, the Lyon ace has been winning rave reviews for his sublime skills for years now.

For example, just a couple of years ago, The Athletic’s Alex Barker described the Frenchman as “a future Ballon d’Or winner,” while talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him a “world-class talent.”

On top of that, Ted Knutson, the founder of Statsbomb, described the Lyon phenom as “a masterful dribbler and string-puller” just a couple of weeks ago, and while Dele wasn’t necessarily the exact same type of player, he too won a mountain of plaudits when he was coming through.

For example, even as his powers started to fade in 2019, then-Spurs boss José Mourinho answered that “he can do anything he wants” to a reporter’s question on his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or in the future.

Moreover, when he was scoring for fun and running games as a youngster, the Milton Keynes-born superstar was included among the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Neymar Jr and others in a BBC article about players who could become contenders for the prestigious award once Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stopped winning it.

With all that said, another significant indicator the Lilywhites should be doing all they can to sign the Pusignan-born gem this month is his outrageous underlying numbers.

Cherki’s FBref Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Expected Assisted Goals

0.44

Top 1%

Shot-Creating Actions

7.81

Top 1%

Progressive Passes

9.93

Top 1%

Successful Take-Ons

4.34

Top 1%

Assists

0.48

Top 2%

Passes Attempted

60.03

Top 4%

Touches in the Opp’s Box

7.08

Top 7%

Progressive Carries

5.11

Top 15%

Shots Total

3.08

Top 19%

All Stats via FBref for the last 365 Days

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, the 21-year-old sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers for expected assisted goals, shot-creating actions, progressive passes and successful take-ons, the top 2% for actual assists, the top 4% for attempted passes, the top 7% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Spurs are looking to build a team of young talents who can grow together and challenge for major honours a few years from now, then we aren’t sure there are many better options on the market than Cherki.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do all they can to bring him to N17 as soon as possible, as they would have another Dele-level talent on their hands for a relatively small fee.

Related Perfect Son replacement: Spurs weigh up late move for "unstoppable" PL star

Spurs could replace Heung-min Son with a late move in the transfer window.

Posts 3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 29, 2025

Host city organizers have been encouraged by announcement of the task force, optimistic about federal assistance

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Andrew Giuliani expected to lead 2026 World Cup task force
• U.S. President Donald Trump to serve as the chair
• 2026 World Cup hosted by U.S., Canada and Mexico

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former N.Y. gubernatorial candidate Andrew Giuliani is expected to be appointed as executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Sports Business Journal reported Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump will serve as the chair of the task force.

  Vice President J.D. Vance will serve as vice chair, and the task force will be located in the Department of Homeland Security. It will include multiple cabinet staff, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

  Last week FIFA President Gianni Infantino stressed that travelers from around the world will be welcomed at the 2026 World Cup, saying the sport's governing body has assurances about security from the White House.

  “It is very important we have the engagement of the different government agencies to make sure that security is guaranteed, that fans can travel to the U.S. and around the U.S., that transportation is working perfectly, that the world will be welcomed," Infantino told The Washington Post.

  Infantino met with Trump in Washington D.C. in March and followed it up by meeting with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel last week in Miami, the Post reported. He also met with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and discussed "security and potential issues" that could arise from a high volume of visitors expected to come to the U.S. for the global tournament.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Giuliani was on the golf team at Duke, and briefly played professionally. During Trump's first term, he served as the Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of the Office of Public Liaison. The role included the arranging of sports teams' visits to the White House.

  He is the son of former N.Y. Mayor and longtime Trump ally Rudy Giuliani.

  Host city organizers have been encouraged by Trump’s announcement of the task force in March, with hopes the administration will support the appropriation of federal funds to assist with security and logistics.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 2026 World Cup matches will be played in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and East Rutherford, New Jersey. Matches will be held in Mexico and Canada, as well.

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Despite losing their final game in the Champions League group stage against PSV 3-2, Liverpool still managed to finish top in the group phase, automatically qualifying them for the round of 16. The Reds won seven of their eight games played, earning 21 points and finishing with 12 goal difference.

One man in particular who took his chance against PSV, was Harvey Elliott, who has struggled for minutes under Arne Slot so far, but managed to score in their final Champions League group game, also managing 70 touches, enjoying 100% dribble success and winning 100% of his ground duels.

After his performance in Holland, Elliott could have shown his manager that attacking reinforcement isn’t needed, with recent links to Lyon attacking midfielder, Rayan Cherki, proving he can provide that creative spark needed, whether it’s from the bench or a starting position.

Liverpool's very own Cherki

Elliott has made 14 appearances for Liverpool this campaign, scoring three goals, providing one assist and totalling 404 minutes played so far.

Market Movers

The 21-year-old did miss the start of the season with a broken foot, but since returning, Slot has been easing him back, with substitute appearances in the Premier League and starts in cup competitions.

The youngster joined from Fulham back in the 2019/20 season, being an extremely highly rated teenager at the time. His value quickly skyrocketed, going from a €4.00m (£3.3m) player to a €22.00m (£18.4m) player in the span of two years, spending time with Blackburn on loan – as per Transfermarkt.

According to Transfermarkt, Elliott is now worth €35m (£29.2m), having stagnated at this value since September 2022, having a brief dip in December 2023, before returning to the same value.

This £29.2m valuation is higher than the French attacking midfielder being linked to the club, begging the question of whether Liverpool really need him.

Cherki vs Elliot comparison

Cherki has made 24 appearances so far this season, scoring five goals, providing eight assists and totalling 1,501 minutes played. His current value is €30m (£25m), which is less than Elliott’s as previously stated.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Cherki

Elliot

Goals

0.30

0.13

Assists

0.48

0.35

Progressive Carries

4.77

3.00

Progressive Passes

10.1

7.85

Progressive Passes Received

8.08

7.55

Shots Total

2.41

2.96

Passes into Final Third

4.77

5.11

Passes into Pen Area

3.97

2.75

Key Passes

4.11

2.19

Shot-Creating Actions

7.68

4.72

When comparing the two players’ metrics – having used Cherki’s from this season and Elliott’s from last season due to minutes played – you can see Cherki outperforms Elliot in all but two areas, the Englishman having a higher shot volume and completing more passes into the final third, thus showing his willingness to drop deep and link play.

Elliott was labelled “elite” for a performance against Newcastle back in 2022 by Statman Dave on X, with a midfield performance orchestrating play, completing long passes, making ball recoveries and completing dribbles in the final third.

Whilst Cherki has perhaps shown a higher level thus far, Elliott has shown his potential already playing in the Premier League, and given more trust and responsibility, Elliott could go to the next level, taking the creative burden as a playmaker in this Liverpool side, which would see his underlying numbers spike.

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