ديمبلي: أنا مُلهم إيكتيكي.. وهذه أفضل مباراة لعبتها الموسم الماضي

تحدث الدولي الفرنسي عثمان ديبملي، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي باريس سان جيرمان، عن فوزه بجائزة الكرة الذهبية 2025 في مقابلة صحفية أجراها مع مجلة فرانس فوتبول الفرنسية.

وتنافس على الجائزة 30 لاعبًا، بينهم النجم المصري محمد صلاح، جناح فريق ليفربول الإنجليزي، بعد الموسم المميز الذي قدمه مع ليفربول.

وفاز الفرنسي عثمان ديمبلي بالمركز الأول في سباق الفوز بالبالون دور فيما جاء لامين يامال، نجم منتخب إسبانيا وبرشلونة في المركز الثاني، وفيتينا البرتغالي جاء بالمركز الثالث، بعدما توج مع باريس سان جيرمان ببطولات مميزة بجانب فوزه بدوري الأمم الأوروبية مع البرتغال.

ونقلت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية تصريحات عثمان ديمبلي، وقال عن مركزه في قلب الهجوم: “بالتأكيد مختلف، اللعب كجناح ليس كاللعب الحر، أو ما يُسمى بالمهاجم الوهمي ولكنه لاعب حر، يمنحني لويس إنريكي حرية كبيرة، أنا بحاجة إليها”.

وأكمل: “أُشارك مع زملائي في الفريق، ومع المدرب (لويس إنريكي)، الذي يُقدم لي أيضًا بعض النصائح، أحاول الدخول إلى المساحات المفتوحة، خلف المدافع، وأن أكون حرًا، إنه مركز أعرفه وأحبه كثيرًا، فهو تكتيكي للغاية، أُفضل اللعب كلاعب حر على اللعب على الجناح، مع أن هذا لا يمنعني من اللعب هناك، نتبادل الأدوار كثيرًا، معظم مهاجمينا يلعبون كجناحين بالتدريب”.

وعما إذا تعلم هذا الدور من مهاجم آخر كشف: “ليس بشكل خاص لكنني لعبت في برشلونة مع ليو ميسي الذي كان لاعبًا وهميًا في مركز 9، كان عليك أن ترى كيف يتحرك وكيف نسيه الجميع، كان يمشي لكنه كان يعلم جيدًا أن الكرة ستصل إلى قدميه لأن بوسكيتس رآه، كان يذهب إلى مركز 9، إلى الأجنحة، أينما وُجدت مساحة، كان يتحرك في كل مكان، كان يبقى في موقع تسلل وفجأة يظهر، رأيت كل ذلك لمدة 7 سنوات، اليوم أحاول القيام بذلك”.

اقرأ أيضًا | عثمان ديمبلي: لست أفضل لاعب في العالم.. وهذا ما فعله ميسي عند تتويجي بالكرة الذهبية

وبسؤاله عن تشبيهه بـ كريم بنزيما، رد: “نعم، وأنا أيضًا اللاعب الذي كنته هذا الموسم هو اللاعب الذي حلمت به، لأنني أشعر أنني قادر على كل شيء، أنا أكثر اكتمالًا، أستطيع اللعب في الوسط، على اليسار، على اليمين، تغيير أسلوب اللعب، التمرير، التسجيل، المراوغة”.

عن ندمه من عدم تسجيل هدفًا في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا: “لا ضد آرسنال في ملعب الإمارات سجلت، ربما كانت أفضل مباراة لي هذا الموسم، مع أنني لم أسجل هاتريك أو هدفين، في كل مباراة كلما دخلت الملعب أقول لنفسي إني سأسجل 3 أهداف، هذا صحيح مع أنني أحيانًا أفشل في التسجيل أو أسجل هدفًا أو اثنين”.

وعن رده حول الانتقادات التي كان يتلقاها: “اعذروني على أسلوبي لكنني لم أهتم، لعبت بأسلوبي، إن أعجبك فأعجبك وإن لم يعجبك فهذا ما أمتلكه، تقبله أو اتركه، مع أنني كنت أرغب في تسجيل الأهداف إلا أنني لم أفعل ذلك عمدًا”.

وعن التراخي بعد الفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا: “لا نحن منافسون، نريد الفوز ونواصل الفوز خصوصًا أنه عندما تخوض كل هذه التجارب ترغب في الاستمرار وتكرار الأمر، لم يقل شغفي، لا يزال لدينا الكثير لنقدمه لباريس سان جيرمان، أهداف كبيرة مع النادي، أنا منافس، أريد اللعب على أعلى مستوى ممكن والفوز في كل مباراة، والفوز بالعديد من الألقاب”.

وعما إذا كان أكثر رغبة في التألق، قلل :”نعم بالطبع لأنه إذا لم تفز، إذا لم تكن جائعًا مع لويس إنريكي، ستكون على مقاعد البدلاء. أو سيشترون لاعبًا آخر”.

وبشأن قيامه بالضغط على المنافس، صرح: “طلب منا المدرب القيام بذلك، وخاصةً نحن المهاجمين لأننا كنا أحيانًا نضغط للأمام ولكن ليس بشكل كامل، وكان المنافسون يحاولون التقدم، عرض علينا جميع تلك الفيديوهات، مع تقدم الموسم بدأنا بالضغط جميعًا معًا، يمكنكم رؤية ضغطي لكن الجميع يفعل ذلك في الخلف لأنه إذا قمت بذلك بمفردي، سنموت. إنه شيء يجب علينا القيام به وسنفعله دائمًا، في أسلوب لعبنا عندما نضغط جيدًا نستعيد الكرة بسرعة كبيرة، أخبرني إيكتيكي أن مدربه قال له يتعلم مني كيفية الضغط”.

وأتم: ” ما قاله الخليفي؟ إنه سعيد للغاية وأن علينا المضي قدمًا، كان يفكر بالفعل في الخطوة التالية”.

Dele 2.0: Spurs open talks to re-sign the Championship's "best full-back"

Tottenham Hotspur still haven’t made headway in the summer transfer market, but Thomas Frank is at least in place as the new manager, and a forward plan is being put into place.

Of course, there’s no need for concern. Miles of transfer market activity still stretch in front of the Lilywhites, who are in a fantastic position after ending 17 years of searching for silverware with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League, thus securing a seat at the Champions League table.

How does Frank propel this Spurs side forward? Will the Danish tactician take the seeds from Ange Postecoglou’s chaotic, up-and-down tenure and plant them in fertile soil?

The Londoners have a lot to work out, but Frank’s track record denotes his potential at the Tottenham helm. His adaptable and dynamic coaching style will be expected to breed greater consistency than we’ve seen in recent years. To achieve this, his approach must see a big upswing in defensive security.

Why Frank needs to fix Spurs' defence

Last season, Tottenham’s woes were shaped by the defensive calamities which plagued Postecoglou’s system, preventing it from ever reaching its full capacity. That and an overload of injury problems, that is.

16.

Tottenham

17th

65

17.

Wolves

16th

69

18.

Leicester

18th

80

19.

Ipswich

19th

82

20.

Southampton

20th

86

While the loan signing of versatile defender Kevin Danso has been made permanent (along with forward Mathys Tel), Tottenham need to enforce a sharp turnaround in defensive stability and mentality.

Losing Cristian Romero will hamper that. The Argentina international is on Atletico Madrid’s radar and may leave the English capital this month, with Spanish outlet AS revealing the La Liga side are prepared to table a £61m offer.

What happens there is uncertain at this stage, but we do know Frank will have a contingency plan if he does lose his combative centre-half. Interest has been shown in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi through 2025.

However, it’s not just central defenders needed to create a squad capable of competing across multiple fronts. Indeed, Daniel Levy and co are looking toward the flanks.

Spurs lining up new full-back

As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Tottenham have been in contact with Sunderland for Dennis Cirkin, four years after the left-back moved from Spurs to the Stadium of Light as a teenager.

Cirkin, now 23, has been an integral part of a Sunderland side that has stabilised itself in the EFL and will now return to the Premier League, though he might yet jump ship.

With Levy holding talks with Spurs’ divisional rivals, there’s a good chance this one might gather pace in the coming weeks, especially as the Black Cats are thought to be sounding out potential replacements.

Why Spurs want to sign Dennis Cirkin

Cirkin has never played a game in the Premier League, but he has established himself as “the best full-back in the Championship”, as has been remarked by journalist Josh Bunting.

After featuring prominently for Tottenham’s development sides, Cirkin has now made 116 appearances for Sunderland, of which 72 have come in the Championship, with eight goals scored and four assists placed.

While a robust physicality and a desire to get forward are staples of the Englishman’s skill set, his defensive roots are forked deep indeed, having averaged 2.5 tackles and 5.6 successful duels per league match last season, as per Sofascore.

His flair and roundedness, partnered with his development further down the English pyramid, even suggest that Cirkin could be Frank’s own version of Dele Alli, who was once such an indomitable force at Tottenham.

Dele joined Tottenham one decade ago, in 2015. He was highly touted, signing him from MK Dons for £5m and beating off fierce competition from clubs such as Liverpool.

An attacking midfielder, Dele transcended his role and became one of the greatest young stars that English football had ever seen, with his former manager, Jose Mourinho, even predicting he would become “one of the world’s best”.

This was hardly baseless; he was named the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year across his first two seasons at Spurs, having notched 67 goal contributions across his first three seasons in the top division.

And like Cirkin, Dele was more than capable of a wonder strike.

Mourinho has also recognised the former prospect’s skills. Back when the Portuguese manager managed Tottenham, he singled Cirkin out for praise after watching the development side compete in the UEFA Youth League.

Mourinho said: “I couldn’t be at the game but I watched on video our youth team playing in the [UEFA Youth League], and we also have [Dennis Cirkin].

“OK, he’s 17, but he’s a kid with a lot of quality, and I look forward to bringing him to train with us, and to help his development.”

These are players greatly opposed as far as positional value is considered, and Cirkin is older than his teenage compatriot was when he first headed down N17, but Tottenham know the value of signing a player who has cut their teeth in the EFL and would arrive in the Premier League with the expectation that they would look firmly in place among the high-level competition.

Dele’s story might have been a poignant one in recent years, but there’s no question he proved to the masses that those who foster their talents below the Premier League can become superstars in the division.

Cirkin has the advantage of having graduated from Tottenham’s academy, but he’s now in with a shout for returning and jockeying with Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence (who would shift back to the right upon Cirkin’s arrival), and becoming a major player for an exciting new Spurs project.

Could be better than Mbeumo: Spurs submit bid for £65m Premier League star

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Punjab Kings part ways with Bayliss and Bangar

The development is a part of Kings revamping their coaching staff. Recently, they appointed Ponting as their new head coach

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Sep-2024

Punjab Kings will have a new captain and a new coach in IPL 2025•Associated Press

Punjab Kings have parted ways with Trevor Bayliss and Sanjay Bangar, their head coach and head of cricket development, respectively, in IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the decision was taken recently by the franchise board on which the four co-owners sit.The development is a part of Kings revamping their coaching staff. Earlier this month, they appointed Ricky Ponting as their new head coach.While Bayliss took over as Kings head coach after IPL 2022, Bangar joined the franchise in December 2023. Kings, who have never won the IPL, finished eighth in 2023 and ninth last season.Related

Ponting: 'We are not going to sit back and just accept mediocrity'

Ponting appointed Punjab Kings head coach

Incidentally, Bangar’s first stint with Kings, in 2014, was as their head coach, a position he served in till the end of 2016. Post that, he was appointed India’s assistant coach. In 2021, he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore as their batting consultant before being promoted to the head coach’s role. In December 2023, he rejoined Kings.Bayliss had replaced former India captain Anil Kumble, who was the franchise’s head coach from 2020 to 2022. In a desperate search for the winning formula, Kings have constantly churned out coaches in the last decade.Kumble was the fifth coach Kings had appointed in five seasons after Sanjay Bangar (2014-16), Virender Sehwag (2017), Brad Hodge (2018) and Mike Hesson (2019).Recently, Kings signed former Australian captain Ponting for a four-year contract (2025-28). In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Ponting said, “The biggest thing that I want to do at Punjab Kings is make everyone aware that it’s going to be a different place. We are not going to sit back and just accept mediocrity and finish down the bottom and have other people sit back and talk about the way the franchise is going. It is going to be more dynamic. And people are going to be talking about this team and this franchise in a different way than ever before.”

Liverpool consider move for "very dangerous" ace Everton have bid twice for

Liverpool find themselves in the hunt for reinforcements and could look to swoop under the nose of rivals Everton to land an attacking target, according to a report.

Liverpool set to trigger more business after Kerkez announcement

After Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz were confirmed by the Reds, Milos Kerkez is also now set to join in a £40 million move from Bournemouth. The Hungary international joins Arne Slot’s revolution and signs on after weeks of negotiations by all parties to find agreement, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

Moving on, Liverpool have turned their attention to Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and an agreement over personal terms is said to be close as he enters the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Talking up a potential deal, Keith Wyness believes Guehi moving to the red half of Merseyside would suit all parties as Oliver Glasner will be keen to cash in before losing the England international on a free becomes a distinct possibility.

He stated: “It would be a no-brainer for them (Liverpool) if they can get hold of him, and all the noises coming out of the Marc Guehi camp are that he’s keen to go.

CrystalPalace's Joel Ward and Marc Guehi hold the trophy with teammates during the Victory celebrations

“I think it’s a fantastic deal. I think Palace also recognise that I think he’s got just another year left on his contract. So they’d like to cash in as well. All parties could be very happy.”

While Liverpool’s summer business is bubbling away, they could now bid for a midfielder who has already been firmly on the radar of their closest rivals.

Liverpool could hijack Everton to sign Merlin Rohl

According to reports in Germany via Sport Witness, Liverpool could move for SC Freiburg midfielder Merlin Rohl this summer despite Everton having already made two bids to sign the Germany Under-21 international in January.

Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are also in the frame to sign the Berlin-born star, who registered a solitary assist in 20 appearances over the course of last season.

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Labelled “very dangerous” by Antonio Di Salvo, Rohl managed to create nine chances in action for Freiburg on Bundesliga duty and also completed 12 dribbles despite suffering a ligament tear that limited his scope to make a lasting impact.

Nevertheless, he is now back fit and firing and has even scored at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships in a 3-2 win for Germany against Italy.

Admittedly, Liverpool have strong competition for places currently in the middle of the park, though it would be intriguing to see who could make way if Rohl were to arrive at Anfield, potentially at the expense of arch-rivals Everton.

Free to leave: Burnley eager to win race to sign "fantastic" £80k-p/w ace

With promotion to the Premier League sealed, Burnley have reportedly already turned their attention towards the summer transfer window and the signature of a struggling Chelsea ace.

Burnley still fighting for Championship title

Promotion may be sealed for both Burnley and Leeds United but the Championship title is set to go down to the final day with the former desperately hoping for Daniel Farke’s side to slip up. As things stand, the Whites will win the title with 100 points on goal difference if both sides win on the final day of the season – representing the quality that both have shown throughout the majority of the campaign.

After being named the Manager of the Season, Burnley boss Scott Parker told reporters: “I’m really excited and proud of the achievement on an individual level, but of course, I couldn’t do this without a group of people and a group of staff that have supported and been the main driver all season.

“This is a group that has been on a journey this year, which has probably epitomised everything that a team may go through at times. I’ve witnessed the progression of this group as players and human beings to the point where they achieve success.

“We’ve worked hard as coaches, but you need a group of players that can engage. With the defensive record and everything else we have gone through this year, we’re well worthy of being promoted out of this division.”

Burnley want to sign Fulham ace who previously won promotion under Parker

Burnley are now looking to sign a player who has worked with their manager before.

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Away from their promotion party, meanwhile, the Clarets are already reportedly thinking about Premier League reinforcements, which could yet include a struggling midfielder who’s desperate for a move this summer.

Burnley keen to sign "fantastic" Dewsbury-Hall

According to TeamTalk, Burnley are eager to win the race to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall this summer, who is free to leave Chelsea after just one season at the club. The former Leicester City star has struggled for game time since arriving at Stamford Bridge and now needs to summer switch if he is to get back to his best.

Whilst his preference is to play European football, Dewsbury-Hall may have little choice but to revive his career outside of the spotlight and under Parker at Burnley next season. It’s there that all parties would benefit if the £80,000-a-week ace returned to his talented best in the middle of the park.

Dewsbury-Hall

Despite his struggle for game time, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has never had to question his midfielder’s work rate, telling reporters in March: “I am very happy for Kiernan. He is now much better compared to the start of the season, probably because he is understanding his role. He is working very well every day in training, even if he doesn’t get many minutes in the Premier League.

“It’s not easy to work every day with the same intention, but he is working fantastic. He showed how important he can be for us, and hopefully he can be even more important from now on.”

Worth more than Trossard & Merino: Arsenal struck gold on the new Fabregas

After putting in what might be one of the club’s all-time great performances away to European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday night, Arsenal had the task of dispatching Ipswich Town yesterday afternoon.

Given the hype before their Champions League game and the sheer jubilation that followed it, it wouldn’t have been all that surprising to see the Gunners struggle to motivate themselves for a Premier League game that ultimately now means little in the grand scheme of their season.

However, Mikel Arteta has instilled a certain philosophy in his team, and they came out flying against the Tractor Boys, coming away from Suffolk as fully deserved 4-0 winners, with the likes of Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard seriously impressing.

Yet, as good as the two starters were and as vital as they will be for the rest of the season, one of the second-half substitutes is now worth considerably more than both and could even be the Gunners’ new Cesc Fàbregas.

Merino & Trossard's game vs Ipswich

With Thomas Partey set to miss the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain thanks to his brainless yellow card in the closing stages of last week’s win, Arteta left him out of yesterday’s starting lineup, moving Merino into midfield and starting Trossard up top, in preparation for the upcoming game.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

While some were understandably worried about changing a winning formula, it would be fair to say it was a tweak that worked perfectly.

For example, the Belgian scored a goal in both halves and what made them all the more impressive was that he did so with little space to manoeuvre in the box, which might be how he has to operate next Tuesday.

We weren’t the only ones impressed with the former Brighton & Hove Albion man either, as the Standard’s Simon Collings awarded him an 8/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘made his case’ to start against PSG and ‘offered more than just goals.’

Moreover, be it the confidence he’s gained from playing up top or the simple fact that he’s now had a sizable run of games in the side, the former Real Sociedad star was phenomenal and earned an 8/10 rating from Collings.

For example, his brilliant backheel allowed Gabriel Martinelli to score his 50th goal for the club, and while he didn’t get on the scoresheet himself, he was here, there and everywhere in the middle of the park, as exemplified by his statistics.

For example, in just 57 minutes of action, the “duel monster,” as dubbed by Arsenal content creator Adam Keys, amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.48, provided one assist, took 33 touches, played one key pass, was accurate in 100% of his crosses, created one big chance, won ten duels and made six tackles.

Minutes

57′

Expected Assists

0.04

Assists

1

Expected Goals

0.44

Key Passes

1

Big Chances Created

1

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (1)

Touches

33

Duels Won

10

Tackles

6

Dribbled Past

0

In short, both Trossard and Merino put in stellar displays yesterday and should now be nailed-on starters for next Tuesday’s season-defining encounter.

Yet, both players are worth considerably less than one of yesterday’s substitutes, who could be the club’s next Fabregas.

cesc-fabregas-arsenal-academy-transfer-arteta-edu-jack-henry-francis-wilshere

The Arsenal gem worth millions more than Trossard & Merino

So, first things first, how much are Merino and Trossard worth today? Well, according to Football Transfers, the former is worth around €39.7m, which is about £34m, and the latter is valued at €31.8m, which is about £27m.

Now, while those are not insignificant valuations, they are, surprisingly so, much lower than Ethan Nwaneri’s, which is a whopping €54.6m, which comes out to about £47m, or £20m more than the Belgian and £13m more than the Spaniard.

Arsenal'sEthanNwaneriand MylesLewis-Skellyduring training

It might seem like an absurd number for someone who’s just turned 18, but that might actually work in his favour, as the Hale Ender is already showing an ability to thrive in a title-chasing side at such a young age, scoring nine goals and providing two assists in just 33 appearances, totalling 1294 minutes.

In fact, it’s this ability to step up and perform like a seasoned professional at such a young age that makes him so similar to Fabregas.

The former captain became the youngest player to represent the team in a competitive fixture – a title now held by the Enfield-born gem – when he came off the bench against Rotherham United in a League Cup match in October 2003.

Then, over the next few years, he became a regular starter in the team, so much so that he started the club’s triumphant FA Cup final against Manchester United in 2005.

On top of breaking through in similar ways, there is a real possibility that the Gunners’ “unplayable” young star, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, could eventually move into the position once held by the Spaniard in time, as while he’s thriving on the wing at the moment, his most played position across his junior career was attacking midfield.

Finally, like the former Barcelona star, the teenage phenomenon has already shown that nothing about top-flight football fazes him, which could be one of the characteristics that help him establish a starting role in the first team in the years to come.

Ultimately, while Merino and Trossard should and almost certainly will start against PSG, Nwaneri looks like he will be one of Arsenal’s best players for potentially the next decade or more.

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Man City now looking to sign ex-Real Madrid defender in £30m+ transfer

Manchester City are eyeing a £30 million-plus move for a former Real Madrid defender this summer, as Pep Guardiola looks to shore up his side’s shaky backline, according to a new report.

City eyeing Champions League qualification

After a poor start to the campaign, City have shown signs of resurgence in recent months. While they’re still not quite at the level that brought them sustained domestic dominance in recent years, Pep Guardiola’s side are now firmly back in the hunt for Champions League qualification — a prospect that seemed highly unlikely just a few months ago.

Speaking to the club’s official website, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan recently addressed the importance of securing a top-four finish, calling it a “responsibility” to ensure City remain among Europe’s elite despite an underwhelming season.

“Our team is made and built to be more than this — it’s built to be a contender for the title every single year.For various reasons, we haven’t been at our best for a long period of the season. We are where we are right now, and we need to accept the situation.

“There are minimum targets that have to be achieved at this club, and that’s definitely qualifying for the Champions League next season. We have to do it – it’s our responsibility.”

City eyeing move for Lazio defender Mario Gila

One of Manchester City’s most pressing issues this season has been their defensive frailty. In the Premier League, Guardiola’s side have already conceded more goals than in any previous campaign under the Spaniard — and the most since the 2009/10 season, when Mark Hughes and Roberto Mancini led the team to a fifth-place finish.

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Guardiola attempted to bolster his defensive options in January, bringing in centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens and highly rated teenager Vitor Reis from Palmeiras. However, Khusanov has struggled to impress since his arrival, and reports suggest he could already be sent out on loan this summer. As for Reis, the 19-year-old is seen more as a long-term prospect rather than an immediate solution to City’s defensive issues.

According to CaughtOffside, City are now eyeing Lazio centre-back Mario Gila as a key target for the upcoming transfer window. Pep is reportedly a fan of the 24-year-old’s “composure, passing ability and understanding of defence”.

The report adds that Lazio are open to selling the former Real Madrid defender for a fee in the region of £34–39 million. However, City will face stiff competition for his signature, with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid themselves all monitoring the situation closely.

Gila has been one of Lazio’s key players this season, starting 26 of the club’s 28 Serie A games, winning an impressive 33 tackles and making 118 recoveries.

Huge upgrade on Meslier: Leeds big move for "world-class" GK

Leeds United have a huge task on their hands this summer to try and make the right additions regardless of what division they will be playing their football in next season.

With just a handful of games remaining, Daniel Farke’s men still sit within the Championship’s automatic promotion places, with their destiny still in their own hands.

If they were to claim a return to the Premier League, a handful of additions would be needed to strengthen the first-team squad to prevent an immediate return to England’s second tier.

It remains to be seen how much money the 49ers will invest in the squad in the next couple of months, but it’s a huge window for Farke to make the additions he needs to take his side to the next level.

One thing is for sure, the Whites desperately need reinforcements in one area of the pitch, with a player emerging on the club’s radar over the last couple of days.

Leeds plot summer move for PL star

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of several sides in the race to land Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale this summer should they drop into the Championship.

The 26-year-old also has admirers from the likes of Newcastle United and Bournemouth, with the shot-stopper having a relegation release clause in his contract.

He’s been unable to prevent the Saints from sitting at the foot of the table, keeping just two clean sheets in his 21 Premier League outings in 2024/25 to date.

The report claims that the Whites have the England international at the top of their shortlist this summer, but any move for him will purely depend on whether they achieve promotion this season.

It’s safe to say that a deal for Ramsdale would inject a sense of excitement in the fanbase, providing an upgrade on the options currently at Farke’s disposal throughout the current season.

Why Ramsdale would be an upgrade on Meslier

Current number one Illan Meslier has endured a torrid few weeks between the sticks, often producing a mistake or two which has prevented the club from claiming more points in their hunt for promotion.

The Frenchman was at fault for both goals in the 2-2 draw against Swansea City last weekend, with his errors undoubtedly costing the side two points after Wilfried Gnonto’s stoppage-time strike.

He’s now conceded 27 goals this campaign, with a goal prevented xG of -2.73, undoubtedly holding the side back from reaching the next level under Farke’s guidance.

Whilst Ramsdale has struggled to prevent the club from sitting bottom of the table this year, he’s still managed to produce some incredible numbers – many of which blow Meslier out of the water.

The former Arsenal shot-stopper, who’s previously been labelled “world-class” by journalist Dan George, may have conceded more goals this season but has made more saves given the opportunities he’s faced.

Games played

21

39

Goals conceded

50

27

Shots on target faced

6.6

2.2

Saves made

4.2

1.6

Short passes completed

100%

99.6%

Crosses prevented

0.9

0.8

He’s also completed more short passes than Meslier, having the ability to play out from the back and prevent similar mistakes to those made by the current number one this season.

Whilst Ramsdale has previously failed to deliver against Leeds, conceding to Patrick Bamford when the Whites last previously featured in the top flight, he’s managed to feature consistently after his move to the south coast.

The club can’t afford to enter another top-flight with Meslier between the sticks given his recent mistakes, potentially costing them a chance of survival.

Whilst they would likely have a battle for his signature this summer, it would be a signing that would massively bolster the squad, handing Farke the tools he needs to succeed in Yorkshire.

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Stats – It's been a bowlers' World Cup, but that might change now

Despite bowlers dominating, this is only the third men’s T20 World Cup with three or more 200-plus totals, with two of them coming in Gros Islet in St Lucia

Sampath Bandarupalli18-Jun-2024

The bowlers’ World Cup

Yeah, so far it is the lowest-scoring T20 World Cup ever, with a run rate of 6.71 across 37 completed matches in the Group Stage. The previous lowest was 7.43 in 2021, 0.72 runs per over higher than this one.A wicket has fallen every 17.80 runs, also the lowest at a T20 World Cup. That’s 3.62 runs fewer than the previous mark of 21.42 in 2010 and 2022.Boundaries – fours as well as sixes – came every 8.1 balls, the slowest at a T20 World Cup.

The top-order batters (1 to 3) averaged 18.19 runs per dismissal, 5.54 runs fewer than at any other T20 World Cup. They struck at 110.44, which is by far the lowest at a T20 World Cup.Also, every seventh innings by a batter in the top-three positions was a duck, but it took nearly 14 innings for a half-century.

Pacers rule in America, spinners have fun in the Caribbean

The venues in the USA were a dream for the quick bowlers as they bagged 125 wickets in the 13 matches played across New York, Dallas and Florida. They averaged 17.50 in those games while going at an economy of just 5.94. The spinners got to bowl only a fourth of the total overs in the USA and took 34 wickets at 21.6.

Spinners did much better in the West Indies. They took 116 wickets across 24 matches at an average of 19.46 and an economy rate of 6.61, and had six four-wicket hauls, including a five-for. The fast bowlers were relatively more expensive in the West Indies with an economy rate of 6.87, but they had better numbers when it came to taking wickets – 181 at an average of 17.52.

Dot balls and maiden overs galore

Lockie Ferguson signed off his – and New Zealand’s – campaign at the World Cup with an unbreakable record against Papua New Guinea – bowling 24 dot balls and finishing with four maidens, while also picking up three wickets.Before the 2024 edition, the fewest runs conceded in four overs at a World Cup game was eight, while Kemar Roach and Ajantha Mendis had bowled 20 dot balls in a game each.The mark of 20 dot balls was replicated eight times in 2024 – Ottniel Baartman, Frank Nsubuga, Adil Rashid, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Ferguson (vs Uganda), Mohammad Amir and Mustafizur Rahman all did it. Tanzim Hasan went one further by bowling 21 dots against Nepal, a record which lasted about half a day, with Ferguson topping it.

The previous record for the fewest runs conceded in four overs at the T20 World Cup was bettered as many as seven times in this tournament. The first eight editions had 11 instances of a bowler conceding less than ten runs in a match in a four-over spell. But 2024 has already witnessed 12 of those, including three in the same innings.The count of maiden overs bowled in the tournament is also high – 38 in 37 matches. It is already 17 more than the previous highest of 21 maidens in 2012 across 27 games. All told, 26.03 % of the total maiden overs bowled at T20 World Cups have come in the 2024 edition.

Small totals can be big enough

Only one team had successfully defended a total of less than 120 in a full 20-over game in the first eight T20 World Cups – 119 by Sri Lanka in 2014 against New Zealand, courtesy Rangana Herath’s magical spell of 3.2-2-3-5. That has been topped four times in 2024 already.First, Pakistan failed to chase down India’s 119 in New York after being 72 for 2 in 12 overs.The next day, South Africa defended 113 for 6 against Bangladesh, also in New York, to break the record for the lowest total defended in a T20 World Cup.Five days later, South Africa survived a scare against Nepal in Kingstown, where they successfully defended 115 for 7.The record changed hands again when Bangladesh beat Nepal in Kingstown by 21 runs despite being bowled out for only 106.Although this did not result in a win, Oman held Namibia to a tie while defending 109 in Bridgetown. Namibia, however, picked up the points from the match by winning the Super Over.

Sub-100s the norm

Teams getting bowled out under 100 runs became quite normal at this World Cup – there have been 12 such instances so far. The previous highest instance of this in any edition was eight, in 2014 and 2021, while no other edition had more than four.Three of the five sub-50 totals recorded in T20 World Cup history have also come in 2024, two of which were by debutants Uganda.

Contrary to the perception that this tournament hasn’t produced many high totals, it is only the third T20 World Cup with three or more 200-plus totals. Two 200-plus totals came in the last two days of the group stage – in Gros Islet in St Lucia.The inaugural edition had five 200-plus totals, while the 2016 edition had four. No team could breach the 200-run mark in the 2010 and 2014 editions.Australia became the first team to reach that milestone in 2024 with 201 for 7 against England, which happened to be Australia’s first 200-plus total at a T20 World Cup.Sri Lanka matched Australia’s effort with 201 for 6 against Netherlands, their first 200-plus total at the competition since the 260 for 6 against Kenya in their first match in 2007.West Indies topped both with their highest T20 World Cup total – 218 for 5 against Afghanistan.

ICC: 'The volume of ODIs and T20Is in the calendar is very much up to every member'

The chief executive and general manager, cricket, of the ICC talk about the next Future Tours Programme cycle and its many challenges

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi and Osman Samiuddin05-Aug-2022The ICC will soon publish the Future Tours Programme (FTP), the game’s new international cricket calendar for 2023-27. The squeeze on that calendar is the greatest it has ever been: more domestic T20 leagues marking out their own bits of territory, an ever-expanding IPL, more ICC events, more bilateral cricket.The ICC’s role in the discussions that led to this calendar is primarily as a facilitator. We sat down with two officials who played a lead role in that regard, the chief executive, Geoff Allardice, and its general manager of cricket, Wasim Khan, and talked about how and why the calendar is the way it is, the impact it has on player workloads, and the first-ever women’s FTP.Is international cricket in clear and present danger from T20 leagues?
Geoff Allardice: No. T20 leagues have been part of the cricket calendar for 15 years now. They have gradually been growing, but the number of countries putting on leagues – there have probably only been one or two new ones since the last FTP cycle [which ended in 2018].Related

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The time set aside has changed a little bit, but the countries who put on those leagues are also committed to international cricket and have reinforced that at ICC meetings.Wasim Khan: Once we do publish the FTP, you will see that there are more matches in the next cycle than in the current cycle. So, though you hear a lot about bilateral cricket being squeezed out, the facts probably don’t back that up. Yes, there’s additional ICC events, but that also helps with the sustainability of the world game, which is critical. Apart from two or three nations who play a lot of lucrative international cricket, there’s others that are striving for that. We just have to find a way of coexisting, and looking at the FTP, I think we’ve found a way for that to happen in the next cycle [2023-27].Is there a contradiction in members trying to have their T20 leagues but also trying to find space for international cricket?
Allardice: Even four years ago, a large number of the countries set aside windows where their national team players could play in their domestic leagues. It’s just a case of fitting in the international fixtures around them. The balance that each country puts into its FTP regarding the number of ODIs, T20Is and Tests they play is very much a country-by-country choice, and it depends on their market and what appeals to their fans and their broadcasters.Geoff Allardice: “The idea of players choosing certain formats over others is not something that’s just started happening”•Patrick Bolger/IDI/Getty ImagesIs it true that Sourav Ganguly, who is the head of the ICC cricket committee and on the ICC board as BCCI president, said at the chief executives’ meeting that there needs to be a review of the volume of cricket being played going forward? Could you talk about those discussions?
Wasim: The conversation really was around whether anything needed to give, and that was a conversation that the members had between themselves, which we tried to facilitate. Sourav had his own views on the amount of cricket being played. But I don’t think anything concrete came out of that. Again, it was just a healthy debate that they all had around.Allardice: And there are some countries that have got busy schedules and they probably use more players than some of the other countries. Any increase in volume is probably [about] some of the lower-ranked Full Members rather than the top teams.The FTP isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach in terms of what formats you play. The only real structure around it is in [terms of] the World Test Championship. We will say: here’s your six series over two years, and they go off and schedule those. Then they can do things outside that in any format. And really, the volume of ODIs and T20Is is something that is very much up to every member as to how the ratio or balance between the formats should be.Was any commitment made towards maybe looking at how better to streamline T20 leagues within international calendar?

Wasim: There was a conversation around looking at the next cycle, post-2027, just to have a bit more discussion about the amount of cricket that is factored into that next cycle. But nothing in terms of where we are now, because the FTP commitments are set in place in many ways in terms of broadcast and commercial deals. And everyone seems comfortable in terms of where they’ve got to in the FTP.Is it correct that in this upcoming FTP there are about 15% more Test matches, 16% more ODIs, and 6% more T20Is than in the last one?
Wasim Khan: I’m not quite sure of the percentages, but there’s certainly more matches being played in the next cycle. There’s more ICC events in the next cycle. With more teams coming into, or taking part in, the World Cups – we have got five new nations playing women’s ODI cricket, which is a huge step forward for us, there’s going to be a 20-team men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, which is going to be massive for the game.Here today, the other side of the world tomorrow: all the world’s an airport for top players these days•Albert Perez/Getty ImagesUnderpinning that, we’re putting a high-performance strategy together that’s going to support development and growth in those countries. Because for us as the ICC, with these new nations that are coming in, making sure they are competitive is really critical. So we are looking at how we can support them, and provide them with some real high-performance resources to help them, so that when they do get on the world stage, they do themselves justice and it’s a good spectacle.Player workload has become a serious topic of discussion. Virat Kohli raised it. Ben Stokes took a break, came back and played, and now has retired from ODIs and called on administrators to take a look at what’s happening. Does it become a concern for the ICC when big players drop out? When somebody like Stokes, Player of the Final in the last World Cup is not at the 2023 World Cup, is it a hit to the ICC’s World Cup as a product?

Allardice: The idea of players choosing certain formats over others is not something that’s just started happening. When I started working in cricket, players were choosing Test cricket over ODI cricket or vice-versa, so that is going to happen.The only other caveat I’ll throw in is, the calendar at the moment is still playing a little bit of catch-up from Covid, in that there are series in the schedule that probably in a new world wouldn’t necessarily all be arranged in the way that they are. And it is because of tours being postponed or rescheduled, and trying to fit them into the period of this FTP or broadcast-rights cycle. There is still some of that going on at the moment and probably will be over the next nine months or so as well.But certainly, the balance of players playing international cricket versus domestic leagues will continue to evolve. I’m hoping that the best players play international cricket as often as they can. Playing international sport is a huge ambition for most players. They want to play in World Cups and ICC events, but if the economics of the domestic leagues change, then there’s going to be a continual juggle of the balance between those two things from an administrative point of view and players’ point of view. It’s a case of finding that balance in how they spend their calendar year, across which international competitions, which series and which leagues they should play.Wasim Khan: club vs country is not a dilemma that affects only cricket•Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty ImagesHow much concern do the members have about the workload of their own players? Is that something that keeps coming up?
Wasim: The workload question – and I’m talking with my old hat [as PCB CEO] on as well – that’s something that you have to manage as a cricket board. You are always trying to strike a balance between the issues that the players’ associations might have and those conversations that take place with the cricket boards, and to try and find a balance.In countries that don’t have a players’ association, that’s really the responsibility of the cricket boards to kind of look at the scheduling and balance it with playing enough cricket so the fans are satisfied and there’s enough commercial income being generated, while also looking at the health and well-being of players. That’s modern sport now, whichever way you look. You take football in England, for example. You are seeing players pulling out of playing for England – [it’s] the club-versus-country issue.In your experience with the PCB and the ICC, do you think members are by and large getting that balance right?
Wasim: Everyone’s trying to find it. Is it perfect? No. But is it something that the cricket boards are conscious about? Absolutely.At the end of the day, you are dealing with human beings, players. You want your best teams out there, but at the same time you want to make sure that you are trying to strike the balance. You are starting to see more countries now putting out two sides. We have seen recently ODI teams and Test teams [of one country] are playing simultaneously and that might be something that happens more and more as everyone tries to find a balance.Allardice: There are only some countries that are going to need to do that. There’s a lot of countries wanting international fixtures. There’s no shortage of demand for international cricket among the members.Like with the FTP for men’s cricket, the first FTP for the women’s game provides a frame, in the form of the Women’s Championship, and leaves the rest up to the individual boards•Mike Owen/Getty ImagesWasim is right in that the management of each player and their workload, what they do for the national team, what they do in domestic leagues, what they do in national domestic cricket, it’s very much an issue for each of the members to juggle themselves. The management of their players, it’s not something that necessarily bounces off to the ICC on any sort of regular basis.When the FTP is announced, each country will have its own message around that, in the way that they have structured it, who their opponents are, what their commercial arrangements might be, what it means for their players. For us to try and answer on behalf of each member and have that answer apply to all members isn’t really realistic; it’s going to be country by country.Has there ever been a thought given about the ICC having conversations with leading international players or captains on cricket issues?
Allardice: A long time ago, 10-15 years ago, there was the odd occasion when there were captains’ meetings around events. But these days getting people in one place at one time is a bit of a challenge. In today’s world, it’s more doable through virtual means, and it’s something we’ve discussed with FICA [the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations]. So if your question is, are we open to it, the answer is yes.Wasim: There’s a number of issues that could be discussed with the captains. There’s a huge amount of discussion at the moment around neutral umpires, for example. As Geoff said, we are always open to looking at that, it’s just making sure we can logistically make that work so that we can get a host of topics on the table – use those opportunities with the brains that are there to say: well, here’s three or four other areas that we’d like to get your feedback on. Because, you know, getting a broad spectrum of feedback from stakeholders to help us, inform us more about the game and therefore make more better decisions, is really, really important.Cricket has got to the point where the icon player of the last World Cup will not be on view in the next tournament, though he will be playing other formats•NurPhoto/Getty ImagesAre we soon going to see the end of the all-format player? And if so, will it hurt the quality of cricket?
Allardice: There’ll still be all-format players. Whether they play every match that their country schedules in those formats is a different question.The FTP comes about from a lot of members working in their self-interest to see what their calendars look like. Does that extract a cost in terms of a loss of collective vision for the game? Is that how cricket is?
Allardice: It is certainly at the moment, yes, in that [it’s] here are the global events, here are the competitions that you have all agreed to participate in, and beyond that, how you promote cricket within your territories is your decision. And that then comes down to management of players, the fan preferences, the broadcaster preferences, the seasons, the venues available, all those types of things. And if ICC was to try and have sort of a top-down calendar approach, it certainly wouldn’t satisfy all the countries because each of them would have their own things that they would prefer to do.Recently Ravi Shastri suggested that bilateral T20 series should be scrapped. Is there discussion about limiting bilateral T20 series to a few matches in the lead-up to a T20 World Cup?
Allardice: As an example, you may find one country decides that it wants to focus on T20 cricket – international and domestic. And if we decided that we are not going to play T20Is, then what’s that country going to do? Their whole strategic focus might be on that format. Another one might say, well, we want our domestic [T20] league to be the focus, and we will play ODIs only. And some other people are saying, we shouldn’t play ODIs, we should wind back ODIs. So that’s why there’s no right answer, there’s no one answer that works for everyone.Wasim: And again, the game is going to continue to evolve. Where the game is and what it might look like in four years’ time after the next cycle, it’s likely to be very, very different.Having captains’ conferences is something the ICC is open to. Wasim Khan: “Use opportunities with the brains that are there to say, well, here’s three or four areas that we’d like to get your feedback on”•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesThe conversation then could be different: Where is the world game now? How are we balancing player welfare with having the right sort of mix of different formats? These are the sorts of conversations from the current cycle that we are already getting, and in four years’ time it’s going to evolve further.The first-ever women’s FTP – that is a fairly big achievement, a big shot in the arm for women’s cricket.

Allardice: The three things we want to do with women’s cricket is: get a calendar where people know what’s coming, and it’s coordinated. Secondly, we cover it, whether it’s streaming, broadcasts, whatever – make it as widely available and valuable as possible. And thirdly, run campaigns around making heroes out of the women players.This Commonwealth Games has been a fantastic opportunity to do that. We had a panel session with seven of the captains [during the ICC conference]. They were very excited about the opportunity, and it is great for us in that women’s cricket is front and centre. Cricket at the Commonwealth Games is the best female players in the world.The structure of the women’s FTP is the Women’s Championship. And then what they do around that is very much the members’ call.Is there more Test cricket in this women’s FTP?

Wasim: Firstly, in the Women’s Championship, it’s four home and four away series over a period of time [2022-25] for each team. Series of three matches each.The Champions Trophy makes a comeback into the FTP from the upcoming cycle•AFP/Getty ImagesAs for Tests, look, there has to be something that drives your game and grows your game. We as the ICC made decisions quite a while ago that to drive the men’s game, the format that we would focus on would be T20 cricket.Now there’s absolutely nothing stopping [women’s] teams if they want to play four- or five-day Test matches. That’s entirely their decision. We have certainly never restricted them and said there to be four- or five-day matches. The countries that wish to do it will do it. I mean, New Zealand made a strategic decision that they wouldn’t play [Tests]. That’s their personal decision.One thing that there was some discussion around is looking at domestic structures. When you leap from one thing to another, you have to show that there’s a foundation that’s going to support that. A lot of countries now turn their attentions to: what does our domestic structure look like if we have ambitions to play the longer format in the future?Allardice: Same answer as with the men’s: how you use the three formats to promote the game in your country or your local audience and with your potential players in the future is up to you. Some countries like multi-format series [Tests, ODIs, T20s, or at least two of those three formats, in one tour]. We don’t tell them that you should do this or that.The only structure we put in place was in the [women’s] ODI game, and that dates back to 2014. And what it’s done is given more countries a consistent volume of cricket, a consistent fixture list that is now the backbone of their FTP.

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