KL Rahul, Lungi Ngidi and Temba Bavuma were the biggest gainers in the ICC rankings following the first Test between South Africa and India in Centurion.While Rahul’s knock of 123 in the first innings – his seventh Test hundred – helped him climb 18 spots up to No. 31 among batters, Ngidi’s match haul of 8 for 102, which included figures of 6 for 71 in the first innings, pushed him 16 places up to No. 30 among bowlers. Bavuma, meanwhile, progressed 16 steps to be placed at No. 39 after scores of 52 and 39* in a losing cause.
Full rankings tables
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Also benefiting was South Africa’s left-arm seam-bowling debutant Marco Jansen, who entered the charts at No. 97 following his faul of five wickets at SuperSport Park, including 4 for 55 in the second innings.There were other notable movers in the Test rankings as well after India wrapped up a 113-run win, their first at the venue. Mohammed Shami, whose figures of 5 for 44 and 3 for 63 played a big role in the win, moved two steps up to No. 17, while Kagiso Rabada’s seven wickets in the match meant he gained one position to be No. 6 in the rankings.Jasprit Bumrah and Mayank Agarwal too managed to make a move up in their respective rankings. Bumrah entered the top ten to be ranked ninth after five wickets of his own in the match, while Agarwal’s contribution of 60 in the first innings helped him rise one place up to No. 11 in the batting charts. Ajinkya Rahane also moved two places up to No. 25 and South Africa captain Dean Elgar went up to No. 14, gaining two places after a gritty 77 in the second innings.Marnus Labuschagne continued to lead the batting rankings, while Pat Cummins remained the top-ranked bowler in the format.
Ao que tudo indica, as conversas relacionadas a contratação do zagueiro Willyan Rocha pelo São Paulo não teriam avançado.
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Titular do clube portuguêsPortimonense, o jogador de 27 anos já havia negado uma proposta de empréstimo do Bordeaux, da França, e já existiam conversas acontecendo com o São Paulo. O clube brasileiro tinha acertado, inclusive, as bases salariais do jogador e seu staff. O que faltava seria apenas a liberação do zagueiro pela equipe atual.
+ Veja a situação do São Paulo no Paulistão 2022
Willyan Rocha seria uma opção perfeita para Rogério Ceni. É um zagueiro alto, que poderia entrar como mais uma opção de primeiro volante. Porém, de acordo com informações divulgadas pela Gazeta Esportiva, o presidente do Portimonense não teria concordado em liberar o atleta para o Tricolor.
Pelo o que parece, o São Paulo está tentando marcar reuniões com o presidente do clube, porém, ainda não obteve respostas. O Tricolor tem até dia 25 de fevereiro para inscrever atletas na primeira fase do Paulistão 2022. Ainda há vaga para a inscrição de mais três reforços.
The World Cup's all-time leading scorer has personally nurtured the 19-year-old, but they will soon have to part ways
If you begin typing 'Stefanos T' into Google, the number-one search will take you to one of Greece's finest athletes in the modern day. And that would be tennis sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas. Always open with a joke…
Anyway, lagging behind in second is namesake Stefanos Tzimas, the reason why we're here today, and it won't be long until he's the king of that particular Hellene query. Having recently turned 19 and only moved to the 2. Bundesliga with Nurnberg last summer, he has already secured a mega-money move to one of Europe's top-five leagues, with Brighton agreeing a £20.8m (€25m/$26.2m) deal on deadline day of the winter transfer window. This made him one of football's most expensive players without a senior international cap to their name of all time.
The likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich were also heavily linked with Tzimas, but why exactly were some of the continent's premier talent spotters so keen to snap him up in spite of this small sample size at senior level? GOAL has the lowdown on the Seagulls' next scoring sensation…
Where it all began
Tzimas was born in the Greek city of Thessaloniki on January 6, 2006, and was snapped up by local side PAOK at the tender age of seven. It was difficult for the club to keep his talent under wraps as he swiftly soared through the youth ranks – he made his Under-19 league debut at only 15 – and into the B team.
That stint in the reserve side proved a quick detour on his way to the seniors, as Tzimas earned himself a promotion to the first-team having only played 10 games, scoring seven times. He soon became the youngest scorer in PAOK history when he netted in a 6-0 win against Ionikos, making history with, at that point, an uncharacteristic header shortly after his 17th birthday in March 2023.
"I thought I was going to score, but not with a header, it didn't even occur to me that I would score with a header, I rarely do," he said post-match, demonstrating his confident but humble nature.
Tzimas is said to have gone home that evening and stayed up until the early hours watching his goal on repeat, before dragging himself out of bed and taking himself to school the next morning, where he humbly accepted a warm ovation from his teachers and classmates.
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The big break
The potential of Tzimas was evidently enormous, yet PAOK opted to blood him into the fold slowly and steadily – he made only two more appearances that season after his record-breaking goal, coming off the bench for run outs in their final games of the campaign. That summer, he became a full-time member of the first team.
PAOK would go on to win the 2023-24 Greek title from under the noses of usual suspects Olympiacos, and Tzimas made an early impression on that run with a goal on his first start two weeks into the season. Across the entire campaign, he would play 24 times and conjure up four goals plus one assist, averaging a direct involvement every 88 minutes.
Though his boyhood club were still playing it safe with his development, Tzimas was attracting suitors from all over Europe. A wise head on young shoulders studied his options carefully, and opted to join 2. Bundesliga outfit Nurnberg on loan with an option to buy, largely thanks to the influence of their famous head coach.
"For me, this will be my first experience abroad and I have consciously decided to move to Nurnberg. I am ready and looking forward to learning a lot from Miroslav Klose and playing a successful season together with the team," Tzimas revealed upon arriving in Germany.
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How it's going
Perhaps surprisingly, Tzimas didn't enjoy the best of starts to life with Nurnberg, despite his eagerness to impress new boss Klose. He played just over 80 minutes across their first four league games of the season, making unspectacular cameos from the bench. But then everything changed in a trip to SSV Ulm.
Tzimas, again, started the game on the bench, but when Nurnberg went behind shortly after the restart, Klose called for the Greek to lead the line and inspire a comeback. He did just that. Within minutes of coming on, Tzimas tormented the Ulm defence and came up with an equaliser. Deep into stoppage time, he won the deciding penalty, which was converted by Taylan Duman. Nurnberg had done it, and Klose's masterstroke paid off.
That's not where the story of the day ended, however. In the 100th minute, Tzimas lost his cool and was shown a red card for a cynical foul with the ball way out of his reach. Klose was furious in his post-match assessment of the teenager, and the local press weren't too kind either.
But one way or another, that day was the turning point in Tzimas' career so far. After serving a two-match suspension, he was thrown into the starting line up by Klose to great reward, bagging the opener in a 3-2 triumph at home to Preussen Munster, with three further goals arriving over the next two games.
Tzimas had arrived. A forward famed for his technique and hustle was now turning chances into goals, a sixth sense for scoring developing week on week. By the time the January transfer window opened, he was tipped to join the leaders of either the Bundesliga – Bayern – or the Premier League – Liverpool.
Where there's a wonderkid, though, there's a scout or data analyst from Brighton keeping tabs on them. The Seagulls, managed by Fabian Hurzeler, who shares a personal bond with Klose, agreed a deal with Nurnberg at the eleventh hour. The German side would trigger their own purchase option from PAOK, then sell Tzimas on immediately to Brighton for £20m on the condition he spent the rest of the season back on loan at the Max-Morlock-Stadion.
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Biggest strengths
Make no mistake, Tzimas is showtime. The power and poise in his running style – hunched but nimble – combined with his newfound nose for goals makes him a super fun forward to watch in full flight.
Under the wing of Klose, he's managed to add several new weapons to his arsenal. Tzimas has all sorts of finishes in his locker, be they first time, top corner or even the renaissance of the outside-of-the-boot trivela. Arriving at in the right place at the right time is becoming the norm for him, to boot. Right now, Tzimas has confidence oozing through his veins. The audacious is the ordinary, best demonstrated by the couple of dinks he's already scored with this term.
There's something to be said of his robust mental strength, too, particularly after being torn to shreds for his dismissal. It would have been easy to simply stay at PAOK and fight for his spot there, but he instead wanted to learn from Klose and opted to move to the second division in a foreign country to make that happy. With Liverpool and Bayern both taking a look at him, he could have spurned the advances of Brighton to hold out for a bigger move, only again to choose a sensible step. In a sport increasingly driven by money, Tzimas wouldn't have been blamed for donning some novelty dollar-sign contact lenses and simply letting the highest bidder win the race for his services, yet that's not what's happened.
Manchester United are eyeing a January move for another Chelsea player, amid their interest in wantaway star Christopher Nkunku, with many other Premier League sides also on red alert over a possible Stamford Bridge exodus winter.
Nkunku unsettled and considering Chelsea exit
Nkunku has been prolific when given the opportunity by manager Enzo Maresca, scoring 10 goals in all competitions and making 17 appearances in total, but the Frenchman still isn’t a mainstay in the first team.
Chelsea star now "unhappy" under Maresca and tempted to join elite club
The Italian could lose a prolific player.
ByEmilio Galantini Nov 13, 2024
He’s only got one Premier League start under his belt so far this season, with the rest of his 10 top flight outings coming off the bench, which has resulted in him playing just 155 minutes in the competition.
The 26-year-old would’ve hardly envisaged this when making the £52 million move from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023, resulting in Nkunku’s widely reported discontent at being a bit-part player for Maresca.
Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures
Date
Leicester City (home)
November 23
Aston Villa (home)
December 1
Southampton (away)
December 4
Tottenham (home)
December 8
Brentford (home)
December 15
The £195,000-per-week forward has scored in every single Conference League match this campaign, including their qualifiers against Servette, and bagged a hat-trick in their 5-1 demolition of EFL minnows Barrow in the Carabao Cup.
Nkunku also bagged a dramatic late winner away to Bournemouth in the league, with Maresca praising his contribution when called upon.
“Christo, every time he plays, he scores, and he does well,” said Maresca on Nkunku.
“Also, he was probably our best player in pre-season, no doubt. He was playing then as an attacking midfielder, and now we are using him as a nine, which we all know isn’t his position – he’s more of a second striker or between the lines.”
Nkunku is apparently “unhappy” at Chelsea right now, due to his reduced playing time. This is backed by reliable media sources like The Telegraph, who state that Nkunku is considering his future at Stamford Bridge.
Man United are reportedly keen on signing Nkunku amid the uncertainty surrounding his status at Chelsea, with the international also attracted by this possibility of joining Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Man United eyeing January move for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Now, as per a report by CaughtOffside’s Mark Brus in Fabrizio Romano’s Dailybriefing, it is believed United are also considering a January move for Chelsea summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
The £30 million arrival was a key player for Maresca at Leicester, but he’s been reduced to just 43 top flight minutes this season and wasn’t named in their last three matchday squads.
Dewsbury-Hall
It is believed Man United could attempt to sign Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea in January, with the most likely possibility being a loan. However, Amorim’s side are not his only suitors, with Tottenham, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham, Brighton and Brentford all in the mix as well.
Called a “revelation” and “wonderful” at Leicester by Brendan Rodgers, the 26-year-old is in a difficult situation right now and contracted until 2029, so perhaps a move away for more game time could be what is needed for him.
The footballing world descended on France for everyone’s favourite popularity contest on Sunday night, the Ballon d’Or, an award yet to be won by any Arsenal player, not even the great Thierry Henry.
Yes, a year after Lionel Messi won his eighth award, it was someone else’s turn to be crowned as the best player in the world.
This time, it was Manchester City’s Rodri, after he enjoyed yet another stellar 12 months that saw him lift the Premier League title and win Spain their fourth European Championship.
However, while the attention is firmly on the victorious Spaniard, there were another 29 players ranked by the voting journalists, including four Arsenal players and one former Gunner who was sold by Mikel Arteta early on in his stint at the club.
Arsenal's Ballon d'Or nominated stars
The first Arsenal name lands in 26th place and is the indomitable Declan Rice, who has been an integral part of Arteta’s side since making his £105m switch to the Emirates last summer.
Since then, the Englishman has made 63 appearances for the club, scored eight goals, provided 12 assists, was named in the PFA Team of the Year and finished runner-up in the Gunners’ Player of the Season Award – not bad for a debut campaign.
William Saliba finished in 24th place, which some may see as relatively low for a player who made 50 appearances for the best defence in the Premier League last season.
We move down to 21st to get to arguably the North Londoners’ most important player and unquestionably the poster boy of this iteration of the team: Bukayo Saka.
The 42-capped international enjoyed his best campaign to date last season, racking up a frankly ridiculous haul of 20 goals and 14 assists in 47 appearances, meaning that he maintained a freakish average of a goal involvement once every 1.38 games for the league runners-up.
Saka’s Arsenal career
Appearances
237
Goals
62
Assists
60
Goal Involvements per Match
0.51
All Stats via Transfermakrt
The 23-year-old phenom has continued that incredible form into this season and, in just 11 matches, has already scored four goals and provided seven assists, making it feel like he should have been ranked far higher on this list.
Finally, the highest-placed Arsenal player in this year’s Ballon d’Or list is club captain Martin Odegaard, who chalked up a tally of 22 goals and assists and was named the club’s Player of the Season for 23/24.
However, there are a couple of former Gooners on the list as well, including one who was ranked higher than the four aforementioned stars and was sold by Arteta four years ago.
Every Premier League player at the 2024 Ballon d'Or – ranked
10 players were included in the top 30.
By
Charlie Smith
Oct 29, 2024
Emiliano Martinez's Arsenal exit
Yes, the player in question is goalkeeping superstar Emiliano Martínez.
Emiliano Martinez for Aston Villa
The Argentinian shot-stopper joined the Gunners’ reserve team in July 2010 for around £1m but didn’t really get a chance in the first team until Bernd Leno’s injury against Brighton & Hove Albion in June 2020.
With the German out of the team, the Mar del Plata-born star stepped up, ending the season with 23 first-team appearances and playing a vital role in the club’s unexpected FA Cup victory.
However, Arteta clearly didn’t rate him as highly as he did Leno, so when Aston Villa came in with a £20m offer in September of that year, the Spaniard gladly accepted it and sent the FA Cup winner on his way.
In the years since, the “world-class” 47-capped international, as dubbed by Gary Neville, has established himself as one of the best keepers in the game, making 171 appearances for the Villans, winning two Copa América title and playing a significant role in Argentina’s third World Cup triumph two years ago.
These achievements saw the former Arsenal man named the best goalkeeper in the world for the second year running on Sunday night and ranked 18th in the Ballon d’Or list overall, seven three places above Saka.
However, with all of that said, while Arteta might have been able to get more money for Martinez back in 2020, the Gunners now have a supremely talented shot-stopper of their own in David Raya, so getting rid of the World Cup winner when he did was probably the right decision for all parties.
£25m profit: Arsenal hit gold selling PL star now worth millions less
Arsenal have become much better sellers in recent years.
Real Betis beat the Los Blancos thanks to big performances from several key stars including Cardoso and Hernandez
Betis beats Carlo Ancelotti's side 2-1 in the La LigaHernandez and Cardoso impresses in attack against Spanish giantsVictory boosts Betis' European qualification hopesAFPWHAT HAPPENED
Real Betis secured a memorable 2-1 comeback victory against Real Madrid at the Benito Villamarin stadium on Saturday. American midfielder Johnny Cardoso and Isco’s penalty ensured that the Los Verdiblancos walked away with the win despite Brahim Diaz’s opening goal.
The game was played on level despite the difference in star power, with Betis causing more than a few problems for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
So much so that, despite Cucho Hernandez, Antony and even Cardoso missing a few chances, the Los Verdiblancos still walked away with the win and were celebrating with their home fans after the game.
The win sees Real Betis move up the league table into sixth place and gives them a two-point buffer over seventh place Rayo Vallecano in the race for European qualification.
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Despite a topsy turvy season for Real Betis, the win over Real Madrid has sent the Los Verdiblancos into sixth place. The club struggled to find a consistent stretch of form earlier in the season but have now lost just once in their last six games which has pushed them back into contention for a top six finish.
That run includes three consecutive wins, beating Getafe and Real Sociedad, alongside the Los Blancos, in their last three league games.
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The Los Verdiblancos now face Portuguese side Vitoria De Guimaraes in the UEFA Conference League over two legs with the Round of 16 tie sandwiching Real Betis’ La Liga fixture against Las Palmas.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is apparently attempting to convince the Gunners board to sign a Brazilian forward, and it is believed the Premier League title contenders are prepared to bid around £75 million for him.
Arsenal still targeting new forward after Edu departure
The north Londoners will be conducting their transfer activities without influential sporting director Edu, who resigned from his post last Monday after a memorable five-year stint at the club.
Arsenal camp insiders now backing world's "best" recruiter to replace Edu
The Gunners are actively searching for his successor.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 15, 2024
Nevertheless, Arsenal’s remaining executives have experienced conducting major deals, and their recruitment preparation is often done nearly a year in advance – according to reliable journalist Simon Collings (Standard Sport).
Interim director Jason Ayto was involved in an Arsenal transfer meeting in the USA this week, with the club chief, Arteta, managing director Richard Garlick, director Tim Lewis and the Kroenkes all in attendance to discuss the club’s plans for next summer (Charles Watts).
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
Fulham (away)
December 8
Everton (home)
December 14
One of the items on their agenda is said to be a new forward, with Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg recently reporting that Arsenal have maintained their interest in signing Leroy Sane on a free transfer from Bayern Munich post-Edu’s departure.
As well as Sane, there are reports that Arsenal could still look to end their long wait for a prolific striker.
There is a lot of pressure on Kai Havertz to lead the line right now, amid the inconsistent form of Gabriel Jesus, and there have been a few interesting options linked in the last few weeks.
Arsenal are believed to be keeping tabs on Alexander Isak, as talks over a new contract at Newcastle United run into complications, as other big-names abroad.
Arsenal prepared to bid £75 million for Raphinha
According to reports out of Spain, via sportskeeda, Barcelona forward Raphinha is firmly on their radar as well amid his sensational start to 2024/2025. The Brazil international is enjoying the best run of his career to date right now, bagging 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions already, which has understandably put a host of elite clubs on red alert.
Arsenal are prepared to make a £75 million bid for Raphinha, as per the relayed information, and Arteta is personally trying to tempt high-ranking chiefs at his club to sign the former Leeds United sensation.
Barca boss Hansi Flick, speaking to the press recently, even claimed that he’s “never had a player like” Raphinha in his entire managerial career.
“He is a good example of how the team can function,” said Flick on Raphinha’s electric form. “He always has a good attitude in training and in matches. For us he is very important, also because of the counter-pressure he does. And also because of how he prepares to score.
“He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match. His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot.”
Nervy four-run victory set up by classy 124 from Quinton de Kock
Deivarayan Muthu23-Jan-20223:00
Cullinan: ‘de Kock toyed with the India bowlers, there are few who can do that’
Three-nil, and job well and truly done for South Africa. Their clean sweep over India in the ODIs was completed on the back of a chanceless century from Quinton de Kock and a chancy but classy half-century from Rassie van der Dussen, which carried the hosts to 287 despite a late collapse of 7 for 73. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli then set up India’s chase with fifties, but neither could convert it into a big one. And though No. 7 Deepak Chahar threatened to flip the script with a barrage of boundaries in a knock of 54 off 34 balls – his second successive fifty in ODI cricket – South Africa’s seamers held their nerve and closed out the match.Dwaine Pretorius, picked in place of left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, was tasked with defending five off the last over, with India’s last-wicket pair of Yuzvendra Chahal and Prasidh Krishna in the middle. After Prasidh pinched a single first ball, Chahal went for the glory hit and spliced a catch to cover-point, India losing by four runs with four balls unused in their chase.Chahar had entered in the 38th over, at the fall of Shreyas Iyer’s wicket, with India still needing 93 off 77 balls. Two overs later, Suryakumar Yadav spooned a leading edge to mid-off and Jayant Yadav holed out soon after, but Chahar gave India enough reason to hope.Chahar has opened the batting for his state team Rajasthan in India’s domestic 20-over tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and is rated highly for his batting by his Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming. At the Premadasa Stadium in July last year, he pulled off a heist from No. 8, helping India overhaul Sri Lanka’s 275.At various points on Sunday, Chahar looked like he could pull off another heist. After being on 20 off 17 balls, he sized up Pretorius’ cutters and walloped him for back-to-back sixes. When Lungi Ngidi missed his yorkers, Chahar carved him for back-to-back fours. He notched up a 31-ball fifty, but just when the target was seemingly within India’s grasp, he was undone by Ngidi’s slower ball in the 48th over. India needed ten off 17 balls at that point, but they blew it under pressure.India penalised for slow over rate
India have been fined 40% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over rate against South Africa in the third – and final – ODI in Cape Town on Sunday.
On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Bongani Jele, TV umpire Allauhudien Palekar, and fourth umpire Adrien Holdstock levelled the charge.
Captain KL Rahul pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
That India made a decent fist of the chase was also down to a 98-run partnership between Dhawan and Kohli. Dhawan had a rickety start, failing to latch onto three full tosses from Pretorius in his first over, but found a way to manufacture scoring opportunities by taking regular trips down the pitch. He stepped out to slam Pretorius for six over mid-on and went onto score 24 off 25 balls from the seamer.Kohli, too, often stepped out or across his stumps to inject more urgency into the innings. However, once the ball grew older, the likes of Sisanda Magala and Andile Phehlukwayo regularly took pace off the ball and exploited the Newlands track. So, Kohli cut out risks and accumulated his way to 65 off 83 balls. Left-arm fingerspinner Keshav Maharaj, the most economical bowler on the day, then coaxed a leading edge from Kohli that was pouched by Temba Bavuma running back from cover-point.Iyer flickered briefly, as did Suryakumar, and Chahar caught fire at the end, but South Africa’s seamers eventually extinguished India. Phehlukwayo had a major role in India’s slide, snagging both Dhawan and Rishabh Pant (a first-ball duck) in his second over. He returned to have Jasprit Bumrah caught by Bavuma in the penultimate over.Related
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de Kock, Phehlukwayo signal SA's rise back to the top
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With the series already conceded and no Super League points up for grabs, India had started the day well, taking two wickets in the powerplay, but de Kock was his breezy self, claiming 34 of the 53 the hosts had scored in the first ten overs. By the time de Kock had got to his fifty in the 18th over, South Africa were 93 for 3. Jayant, playing his second ODI in place of R Ashwin, found biting turn and bounce to challenge South Africa. de Kock, however, messed with the offspinner’s length – and head – by launching a six over his head and reverse-sweeping a four past slip.van der Dussen, too, got into the act when he cracked Jayant to the right of point for four and then shovelled Chahal’s wrong ‘un past mid-on for another four. Prasidh, in particular, peppered van der Dussen with short balls in the lower 140 kph range, but he survived that burst and then attacked the spinners.The absence of Venkatesh Iyer meant India had only five bowling options, and ever-lurking presence of both de Kock and van der Dussen left them scrambling for a sixth bowler. So, Shreyas came on to bowl some spin in the 31st over and ended up leaking 21 runs in three overs filled with loose balls. After spending six balls on 99, de Kock reached his 17th ODI ton – and sixth against India – with a drive off Shreyas. Among wicketkeeper-batters, only Kumar Sangakkara (23) has more ODI hundreds than de Kock.de Kock threatened to hit full-tilt when he took Chahal for back-to-back fours in the 35th over, but Bumrah returned to the attack in the next over and had him holing out for 124 off 130 balls. It snapped a 144-run fourth-wicket partnership that came at the rate of over six an over. The stand could’ve been cut short much earlier had Pant, the wicketkeeper, not dropped van der Dussen twice – when he was first on 12 and then on 48.It needed a spectacular sliding catch from Shreyas at deep midwicket for India to remove van der Dussen for 52 off 59 balls. It was the first time that they had dismissed van der Dussen – after 288 balls – since the first innings of the third Test at this venue.Shreyas was also involved in the run-out of Phelukwayo (4), which added to the flurry of late wickets. It didn’t cost South Africa in the end as they capped their home summer with a dramatic victory.
Everton have produced some fantastic footballers over the years and the Toffees have an incredibly underrated academy. Of course, Wayne Rooney is the standout player; he played 117 games for the club across two spells, sandwiched between a legendary career at Manchester United.
There are other notable academy graduates to come out of Goodison Park, too. Leon Osman spent his entire career at the club, aside from a brief loan spell at Derby County, and racked up 433 games. The likes of Richard Dunne and David Unsworth also played for the Toffees after graduating from the academy.
However, there is one other player who did not quite live up to the hype, and Toffees fans might well be disappointed with how his career ended up. That man is Ross Barkley.
Barkley’s Everton career
Born and bred on Merseyside, England international Barkley might well forever be a ‘what could’ve been’ player at Goodison Park. When he was at the club, he impressed but was inconsistent, and left in January 2018 for Stamford Bridge, joining Chelsea for £15m.
In total, the midfielder played 179 games for his boyhood club. Barkley managed 27 goals and 25 assists in that time, playing mainly as an attacking midfielder, with the ability to play deeper or even out wide.
His finest campaign in that famous Blue shirt was in 2015/16. The England international played all 38 games in the Premier League, scoring eight goals and assisting eight goals. One of his finest moments in that season was scoring two goals and assisting one in a 4-0 thrashing over Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
Sadly, the midfielder never actually played for the Toffees in the 2017/18 season. An injury kept him out until January before he made the move to West London. His final game for his boyhood club was a 3-1 defeat against Arsenal.
An article from The Athletic explained that Everton fans “wanted Barkley to succeed and become a legend” at the club. Sadly, it did not work out like that, and his departure in 2018 was a disappointing end to something that could have been so great.
In recent years there may be another player who fits into the same category as Barkley, who has now departed Goodison Park despite such a promising early career.
Everton's next Barkley never lived up to expectations
The player in question here is academy graduate Tom Davies. The midfielder now plies his trade at Sheffield United, but once had such a promising career ahead of him for his boyhood club.
Tom Davies
The 26-year-old was once held in high regard by a legend of English football, fellow Scouse midfielder Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool legend might be from the Red side of the city, but he once described him as a “terrific footballer”, and the player to “be excited about at Everton”.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
Sadly, things did not quite go according to plan for the midfielder. He made plenty of appearances for Toffees, 179 to be specific, scoring seven goals and grabbing eight assists in that time. However, a lack of opportunity in the starting lineup, and he struggled to nail down a regular starting spot.
Davies minutes by PL season for Everton
Season
Games
Minutes
2015/16
2
97
2016/17
24
1543
2017/18
33
1091
2018/19
16
976
2019/20
30
2026
2020/21
25
1426
2021/22
6
233
2022/23
19
527
Stats from Transfermarkt
Davies was called “England’s next star” by Ryan Kelly of Goal back in 2017, but he never got selected for the national team whilst at Goodison Park. However, he did play for the Three Lions at age group level, up until the U21s, for whom he played 23 times.
He left his boyhood club to move to Sheffield United in 2023. Incredibly, the Blades paid nothing for him, meaning this once high-rated English talent ended up a free transfer. Sadly, it has not worked out at Bramall Lane, either. The midfielder has managed just nine appearances in 18 months at the club and is yet to feature this season.
Looking back on this, Toffees fans may well be disappointed things did not work out how it was suggested it might between Davies and his boyhood club. Like Barkley, he is another player who football fans might wonder what could have been.
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It’s no secret that Manchester United have been home to one of the very best academies in English football over the years, producing endless talents that have had a huge impact on the beautiful game – namely the ‘Class of 92’.
David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes were the six graduates who progressed into being key first-team players in Manchester.
The six players made over 3000 appearances for the club during their respective periods at the Theatre of Dreams, contributing to their success, which has seen them claim 20 English top division titles – making them the most successful club in the country.
Fast-forward to 2024, new boss Ruben Amorim is on the lookout for a new crop of stars to make the jump into his squad, potentially making his tenure in the Premier League a roaring triumph.
Manchester United’s U18 squad in 2024/25
Whilst the club’s first-team have failed to deliver during the opening months, leading to the sacking of Erik ten Hag, the academy side have thrived and impressed beyond any imagination in recent weeks.
During the U18 Premier League season to date, the Red Devils have played nine matches, winning all nine and sitting at the top of the table – sitting five points clear of rivals Manchester City, boasting the only unbeaten record in the division.
Their record is all the more impressive when delving into their stats, scoring 43 times in their outings – an average of 4.7 goals per game, whilst conceding just four goals in the process.
Winger James Scanlon has caught the eye, scoring nine times and registering four assists in his eight appearances, currently sitting as their top-scorer and playing a huge part in their attacking success in recent months.
16-year-old Chido Obi-Martin arrived in the summer from Arsenal, joining with high expectations after his record from 2023/24 which saw him score 32 times in 18 matches during the U18 Premier League campaign.
The Dane has already made a solid start to life in the North, registering four goals in his opening four matches, including a hat-trick on his debut against Nottingham Forest in the 6-0 victory.
However, there’s another youth prospect who could have a significant role to play under new boss Amorim, following in the footsteps of multiple current members of the 39-year-old’s squad.
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Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are two players currently plying their trade for United, making the step up from youth level to the professional game with ease.
The English man has already made his mark at international level, featuring under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024, with Garnacho also featuring for Argentina, but also having a talismanic role in the opening weeks of 2024/25.
The 20-year-old has already registered seven goals and four assists in his opening 19 matches of the season, the most of any player in the Red Devils side.
Amorim could add another talented academy star into the mix in the coming years in the form of centre-back Godwill Kukonki, who has starred in the U18 setup despite being just 16.
He’s made eight appearances, playing a huge part in their defensive success in recent months, earning him an immediate call-up to Amorim’s squad.
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Kukonki, who’s been dubbed as “incredibly exciting” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been involved in first-team training after his appointment, even travelling with the side for the game against Ipswich Town at the weekend.
Manchester United’s youngest-ever appearance makers in history
Player
Date
Age
1) David Gaskell
24/10/1956
16 years, 19 days
2) Jeff Whitefoot
05/04/1950
16 years, 5 months, 15 days
3) Duncan Edwards
04/04/1953
16 years, 6 months, 4 days
4) Angel Gomes
21/05/2017
16 years, 8 months, 20 days
5) Willie Anderson
28/12/1963
16 years, 11 months, 17 days
Stats via Transfermarkt
He may have a lot of developing before he’s able to make an impact at Old Trafford, but his 6 foot 5 frame could see him develop into a key figure over the years to come in the new-look back three.
The injury crisis at the back could allow the youngster to make strides into cementing a place under Amorim, with the former Sporting CP boss evidently showing a lot of trust in the stars despite his tender age.
Their academy has been a source of solace over the years, with Kukonki having all of the tools to become a part of United’s revival under the former Portuguese international during his tenure in the North West.
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