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Celtic’s march towards yet another Scottish Premiership title at Parkhead continued this week.

On Tuesday night, the Hoops swatted aside Aberdeen 5-1 at Parkhead, with Daizen Maeda scoring both the first and the last goals of the evening, with Jota, Callum McGregor and Yang Hyun-jun on target in between.

The Celts therefore remain 13 points clear of Rangers at the top, ahead of Saturday evening’s trip to St Mirren.

Meanwhile, a former Celtic striker, who Brendan Rodgers thought so highly of, is not living up to expectations elsewhere, enjoying two goal-filled, trophy-laden years in Glasgow, but having now disappeared into the footballing wilderness.

Celtic's best modern-day strikers

Daizen Maeda’s double on Tuesday took his tally to 54 goals for Celtic, a whopping 25 of which have come this season, hence why current right-back Alistair Johnston described the Japanese forward as “one of the most in-form players in Europe”.

Meanwhile, speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club, former Hibs and Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart believes that Maeda has “stepped up a level” this season, becoming “top class”.

So, let’s analyse how he compares to Celtic’s other best centre-forward of the last decade or so.

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

54

188

4

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2021-25

85

126

8

Odsonne Édouard

2017-21

87

140

7

Moussa Dembélé

2016-18

51

121

7

Leigh Griffiths

2014-21

123

118

3

As the table outlines, somewhat surprisingly, Leigh Griffiths boasts the best minute-per-goal ratio of any Celtic striker over the past decade, also spending the longest period of time at the club.

One of the centre-forwards on that list, who racked up very impressive statistics during his time in Glasgow, has not quite lived up to the hype since departing for pastures new.

Celtic struck gold selling "world-class" striker

Shortly before his 20th birthday, Moussa Dembélé joined Celtic on a free transfer from Fulham, becoming Rodgers’ first signing for the club back in 2016.

Well, the Frenchman would make quite the impression, straight away scoring crucial goals during Champions League qualifiers against Astana and Hapoel Be’er Sheva, before netting a perfect hat-trick during his Old Firm debut, a thumping 5-1 victory, becoming the first Celtic player to score a Glasgow derby hat-trick since Stevie Chalmers in 1966.

Dembélé then starred in the Champions League group phase too, bagging a brace on matchday two against Manchester City, before also netting away at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

This makes him one of only nine Celtic players to have scored three or more goals in a single European Cup campaign since 1978, as outlined below.

Maeda

4

2024/25

Idah

3

2024/25

Kühn

3

2024/25

Dembélé

3

2016/17

Samaras

3

2012/13

Miller

3

2006/07

Sutton

3

2003/04

Larsson

3

2001/02

Mo Johnston

3

1986/87

His manager Rodgers described the striker as an “outstanding young talent”, before also adding he has the potential to be “world-class”.

In total, Dembélé scored 32 goals during his first season at Celtic and then 16 times the following campaign, winning back-to-back trebles, before he was sold to Olympique Lyonnais for £20m, at the time a Scottish transfer record fee.

He scored a respectable 70 goals in 172 appearances for Lyon, spending a brief period on loan at Atlético Madrid, only featuring seven times for los Colchoneros, not starting a single match, but earning a La Liga winners’ medal.

Following the expiration of his Lyon contract in 2023, Dembélé joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

There, up until his sacking in January, his manager was former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, also playing alongside current Scotland international Jack Hendry as well as ex-Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

Dembélé did score 12 Saudi Pro League goals last season, only 12 players managed more, netting 21 times overall, but won’t be adding to this tally any time soon, undergoing surgery on a ruptured achilles tendon suffered against Al-Okhdood earlier this month.

At 28-years-old, the Frenchman should be in his prime, but is now set to be sidelined for around nine months, hence why his Transfermarkt value has plummeted to around £7m, at his peak he was worth around six times that, proving that Celtic were right to cash in when they did.

Sold for £2.5m, now worth 300% more: Celtic may rue selling Engels upgrade

There are many former Celtic players thriving in the Premier League right now, but one in particular has become the division’s “best ball-winner”.

1 Feb 24, 2025

Rangers reportedly want Davide Ancelotti as their new manager, with Steven Gerrard's potential Ibrox return seemingly on hold.

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Carlo set to leave Real Madrid & join BrazilHis son Davide has been long-time assistantRangers also linked with Gerrard reunionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Rangers appear to be leaning towards the 35-year-old Italian tactician over a possible return for former boss Gerrard. The Scottish Premiership side are actively working to secure a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, who was dismissed earlier this year after a 16-month tenure. Barry Ferguson, the former Rangers captain, has stepped in as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Having spent his entire coaching journey alongside his father, Davide Ancelotti could now be ready to step into the spotlight on his own. From Paris Saint-Germain to Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and currently Real Madrid, he has built his resume as a reliable assistant coach across Europe’s top leagues.

Should he take the Rangers job, Davide is reportedly planning to bring along fellow Real Madrid assistant Francesco Mauri as part of his technical team. Meanwhile, Carlo is set to be joined in Brazil by former Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement.

TELL ME MORE

According to Italian outlet , Serie A newcomers Como are also monitoring the situation closely. If their current manager, Cesc Fabregas, departs – possibly to Bayer Leverkusen amid Xabi Alonso’s expected move to Real Madrid – they may try to persuade Ancelotti Jr. to return to Italy instead of heading to Glasgow.

DID YOU KNOW?

The prospect of Davide landing the Rangers role could leave Gerrard disappointed. The Liverpool icon had been rumoured to be interested in returning to the Ibrox dugout, where he achieved significant success from 2018 to 2021. During his stint with Rangers, Gerrard famously halted Celtic’s nine-year title run, completing the 2020–21 league campaign unbeaten and finishing a massive 25 points ahead. However, his subsequent managerial spells have been far less fruitful. After leaving Glasgow in late 2021 to manage Aston Villa, Gerrard’s tenure lasted less than 12 months before he was let go. His move to Saudi Arabia with Al Ettifaq ended similarly, with the club in 12th place when he was relieved of his duties this January.

Lamine Yamal was snapped swapping signed shirts with former Barcelona forward Thierry Henry after their 4-3 Clasico victory over Real Madrid.

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Yamal scores as Barcelona win Clasico clashCatalans now on bring of league titleWonderkid keeps shirt swap promiseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Henry had been wowed by Yamal during Barcelona's 3-3 draw with Inter at the end of April and the pair agreed to swap shirts after this weekend's Clasico during a post-match interview on CBS Sports. The former France star revealed he planned to be in attendance for the game and asked for the teenage sensation's jersey, but Yamal was keen to get an Henry shirt for himself from the deal.

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Henry is an all-time great thanks to his spells at Arsenal and Barcelona but Yamal is already on the way to similar heights after a breathtaking start to his senior career. The 17-year-old helped Spain win Euro 2024 last year and is leading Hansi Flick's club side to a 28th La Liga title, playing a starring role in Sunday's 4-3 victory over Real Madrid which took them seven points clear at the top of the table with only three games remaining.

WHAT YAMAL SAID

Yamal spoke to the media after the Clasico win. He said: "It was a very important match to gain a considerable lead. After the Champions League match, it was very important to win, and even more so if it was against Madrid. Today is time to enjoy it."

WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL AND BARCELONA?

Yamal and Barcelona have the chance to wrap up the title on Thursday night when they take on city rivals Espanyol, with the teenager very likely to be involved.

As dream starts go, this could take some beating for player who turned professional two days ago

Vithushan Ehantharajah19-May-2023 Kent 278 (Evison 77*, Lawes 3-41) and 80 for 4 (Mueyeye 42, Crawley 31*, Lawes 2-2) trail Surrey 362 (Abbott 78, Sibley 60, Atkinson 55*, Bhuiyan 4-65) by 4 runsThere was still one delivery left in the 83rd over, but Arafat Bhuiyan already had his jumper off down at fine leg. Realising his error, he chucked it over the boundary rope, walked in for the final delivery, then chucked his hat on top of that and hurried to the bottom of his mark at the Vauxhall End to continue his spell with the second new ball. For a player who has waited for seven years to break into the professional game, he didn’t want to waste a second.It was a show of faith from Kent captain Sam Billings to give first dibs to a bowler in just his second day of first class cricket, but Arafat had earned it. Surrey had just slipped into the lead with only two wickets remaining. Sean Abbott had passed fifty for the second time this season and was hellbent on hitting the red off the ball, alongside Gus Atkinson who had his eye in. There was scope for a sizeable lead, and Kent needed to put a stop to it.Their fears would be realised as Atkinson struck three gorgeous sixes – all down on one knee – in a superb 55 that helped established a lead of 84. The good news for Kent is they whittled it down to four by stumps on day two, thanks to an eye-catching 42 from Tawanda Muyeye and an unbeaten 31 from Zak Crawley. The bad news came in the form of a thrilling late burst from Tom Lawes, nipping out Muyeye and then Jack Leaning with the final ball of the day to leave Surrey with just six second-innings wickets to take.The visitors go into the weekend up against it, not least because there aren’t many better than the Division One leaders and defending champions at turning the screw in the second half of matches. That Kent were able to go toe-to-toe with them for most of Friday was thanks to Arafat.The 26-year-old’s 4 for 55 had Surrey on the ropes, with 180 for 6 on the board, before Abbott counter-attacked to 329 and Atkinson’s blow landed them on 362. There was no dismay from the seamer as he missed out on a five-wicket haul on debut. The four he did nab were as impressive as any milestone.Related

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Arafat’s maiden first-class dismissal was none other than newly appointed England vice-captain Ollie Pope, crown prince of Surrey, lord of this manor what with a red-ball average of 97 here at the Kia Oval. A usual dance down the track, a usual flick through midwicket went unusually awry as Pope found Grant Stewart at a well-placed midwicket.Jamie Smith became the second; indeterminate footwork and a loose attempt at a punch sending an edge to Jack Leaning at second slip. In the space of four deliveries, he had Ben Foakes – another catch to Leaning – and Will Jacks, who had struck Arafat for six over square leg before being too slow on a pull and gifting a catch to Michael Hogan at mid-off.Past, present and future England internationals in his first go at this level. As far as dream starts go, this could take some beating for a cricketer who only turned professional two days ago. The action itself is smooth, energy collected in the gather and released with a smoothness that suggests there’s a lot to work with, particularly an outswinger that moved late enough to surprise an impressive batting line-up beyond the dismissals on the scorecard. The run-up starts tentatively, but that can be smoothed out at this level. He is more than capable, and willing to get better.”To be able to get four first-class wickets on my debut in the first innings, I’m over the moon really,” Arafat said. “I’m here to do well and I’m always going to keep my mind that way.”He admitted to nerves when he first took the ball on day one, though he did start with a maiden against Dom Sibley, whose 60 carried the first 50 overs of Surrey’s response to Kent’s first innings.”I was more nervous yesterday than today,” he said. “Today I came in and I needed to bowl some overs in the nets. I was more nervous bowling than batting yesterday. But today it came out quite nice.”Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Arafat moved here at the age of 14 and has UK residency. Living in east London, it was only a short train to Chelmsford, where Bangladesh were playing Ireland in three ODIs last week. Arafat, though, was unable to attend as he was up in Kidderminster preparing for a 2nd XI match for Worcestershire against Warwickshire. Rain ended up washing out the match completely.That pretty much reflects Arafat’s journey to this point. A lot of second-team cricket and a lot of waiting. As it happens, a first taste of county seconds came at Surrey, playing alongside Pope against a Kent XI that also featured Crawley back in 2017. Stints for Derbyshire and Essex twos followed. There was a period on the MCC Young Cricketers’ Scheme, though that came to an end after just a year. To have fallen through the gaps in a programme regarded as a safety net must have been a blow. But Arafat’s persistence won out.He gives special credit to the South Asian Cricket Academy, an initiative established ahead of the 2022 season, which didn’t just catch him but allowed him to thrive. SACA, co-founded by Tom Brown and former England international Kabir Ali, made arrangements to move Arafat up to Birmingham over the winter to join their training programme on a full-time basis. He then showcased his talents during a trial session at Leyton Cricket Ground’s indoor school in February, with Kent head coach Matt Walker in attendance.After impressing in Kent’s seconds with 17 wickets, he was offered a contract earlier this week to improve the club’s bowling depth, becoming SACA’s seventh “graduate” to move from the scheme onto a county contract. All the hard work, all the second team gigs, all the waiting had come good. That he is only one of three British Bangladeshis to have been on staff at a county – a community in excess of 600,000 – speaks to the necessary work SACA are doing to improve British Asian representation in the county game.”I’ve worked hard for this,” Arafat said. “Seven years is a long time to become a professional cricketer. Playing for different counties, trialling around. There are quite a lot of other people, it’s not only just me. There are a lot of people trialling, still trying. I happened to be at Kent in pre-season, and obviously being at SACA has helped me. I’m going to give credit to Dr Tom Brown who has helped me during the winters.”Arafat’s team-mates from Blackheath Cricket Club have been at the Oval these last couple of days, congregating down at fine leg with him between spells and occasionally using the advertising boards to drum their approval throughout his 20 overs. His twin brother has been watching him intently, and there is hope his parents will be in attendance on Saturday.They will have to watch him bat first as Kent look to establish a good enough lead to give him and their bowlers something to work with. That nightwatchman Wes Agar was one of the four lost in the evening session does at least mean there are a few batters to come to pump up this second-innings score, along with Crawley who looks settled and hungry for something big.Surrey could argue they should be further in front given the nature of some of the decisions against them. Most contentious was Sibley’s on the stroke of lunch, after Joey Evison had found his edge. In real time, it looked a spectacular diving catch from Leaning to his left, but replays were less than convincing. Even Sam Curran, always of Surrey but a Punjab King until the end of May, took to Twitter to offer an opinion – very not out, to paraphrase – with an accompanying screenshot, both of which were deleted pretty quickly.Lawes, too, felt aggrieved when Agar used the new ball get some extra lift off the pitch. An edge ballooned to first slip, though assessment of the replays and the loop of the ball suggested the deflection was off the right shoulder of his body rather than the bat. Fair to say they had their revenge by stumps.

The former USMNT stars have voiced support for MLS discussions about potentially shifting its schedule to align with European leagues

• Keller believes MLS fans would adapt to a schedule shift
• Gomez believes that it will be easier to bring in quality players
• Both analysts supported a potential schedule shift

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Amid rumors MLS might align its schedule with Europe, Kasey Keller pushed back on Don Garber’s concerns about fan resistance. The former USMNT goalkeeper argued the commissioner may be overstating the backlash and cited a past consulting firm recommendation to hold the MLS Cup Final in the summer to avoid clashing with other major U.S. sports.

  “I think he's [Don Garber] kind of overestimating kind of the impact of this,” Keller said on the podcast. “I think the majority of soccer fans know when the seasons are supposed to be, and MLS has always kind of done their own thing and kind of said ‘No, we're going to do our own thing.’ So I don't think that's going to be a big issue. Clearly, the Scandinavians are known to have a little bit of break in the winter, when it's the coldest…So, I think that has been shown in multiple other leagues.

  Keller dived more into the findings that consulting firms have suggested to MLS.

  “Also, MLS hired a consulting firm years ago and looked at when was the time that MLS could most impact In the American sport scene. And it basically told them, ‘you need to have your finals In the summer, in June’. ‘You need to be there when you have very limited competition with the other sports in America," Keller explained. "Right now, you're hosting your finals, in probably the most congested time in American sports… Where if they had the MLS playoffs in May and June, their competition would be the beginning to the middle of Major League Baseball."

  Keller mentioned the league has learned from initially ignoring the study and is better positioned to act on those findings.

  “The impact would be huge, but they decided to ignore the consulting firm and just say, ‘nope, we're going to continue to do it anyway’. Well, I love the fact that Don [Garber] has realized and that MLS and the owners of realized that a shift is there," Keller said. "So, I love that the conversation is happening, because I think it can be a major help to U.S soccer to get aligned with the rest of the leagues.”

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• WHAT HERCULEZ GOMEZ SAID

  Former U.S. international Herculez Gomez also shared his perspective on the potential calendar shift, highlighting several key benefits, with a particular focus on how synchronising with international transfer windows would enhance the league's player movement capabilities.

  “This is what the rest of the world does,” Gomez explained. “You want to line yourself with the international transfer windows, why? Because it's easier to do player movement, it's easier to sell players, it's easier to bring in quality players, you can help your brand here within the United States and Canada. It's being a participant in the global game, the transfers. MLS wants to shed the retirement league image."

  He added, “Well, you've got to start producing talent, you gotta start buying talent, producing talent and selling talent, and doing so, you have to align yourself with the international window, that is one. No. 2 is quite frankly what Kasey has been saying. You can talk about visibility; times have changed. You're no longer on a linear network; you're no longer on networks that have massive properties, you're on a streaming service that allows you to have programming whenever you want."

  He also rejected concerns about weather challenges during the winter months, insisting solutions exist and that climate shouldn't be a factor in the decision-making process.

  “Now, there are leagues around the world that in the winter, take a pause. The U.S. is no different, will be no different, climate shouldn't be a factor the same way. Climate isn't a factor when you play in the summertime here… They can find ways around it, but the most important thing here is to align yourself with the world to be a maximum participant in the transfer market.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Both analysts advocacy for schedule alignment represents a growing sentiment among American soccer figures that MLS must further integrate into the global soccer ecosystem.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  MLS executives will continue evaluating potential schedule modifications as they prepare for the massive opportunity presented by the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

ICC says tickets will go on sale for the final only after the conclusion of the first semi-final, scheduled on March 4

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Jan-2025Tickets for the 2025 Champions Trophy final, scheduled on March 9, will be available only four days prior to the match. Announcing the sale of tickets on Monday for the eight-team tournament, which begins from February 19, the ICC said tickets for the final will be available after the first semi-final, which is scheduled on March 4.Such a late release of tickets for the final has been necessitated by the hybrid model put in place for the tournament because of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the event. As a result, it was decided India would play all their matches in Dubai, including the knockouts should they reach them. Dubai will host the first semi-final, however, regardless of whether India reach the last four or not. In case India reach the final, that too will be played in Dubai. The second semi-final will be played in Lahore, and should India not make the final, that game will also be played in Lahore.Related

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• Hybrid model agreed for Champions Trophy and ICC events from 2024-27

The ICC on Monday said the tickets for the Pakistan leg of the Champions Trophy, comprising 10 matches and the Lahore semi-final, will go on sale from Tuesday (2 pm Pakistan time/1.30 pm IST). Tickets for the Dubai leg are not going on sale yet, the ICC saying, “information would be made available in the coming days” without specifying any date.Tickets for matches in Pakistan are priced from 1000 Pakistan rupees [approx. 3.59 USD] for the general category, while the premium category starts from 1500 rupees [approx. 5.38 USD]. Sumair Ahmad Syed, the tournament director and PCB COO, said the tickets have been made “affordable” to ensure “fans from all walks of life can be part of this historic spectacle, making it a celebration for all generations of cricket lovers.”India and Pakistan are both in Group A, along with Bangladesh and New Zealand. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan group game is scheduled to take place in Dubai on February 23.The PCB is currently racing to have its stadiums ready for the event. All three venues in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi have been undergoing varying degrees of renovation but the Pakistan board remains confident that they will be ready ahead of time. Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and Karachi’s National Stadium are due to host a short triangular ODI series with New Zealand and South Africa before the Champions Trophy.The 2023 ODI World Cup in India was also hampered by a late release of tickets, with the first batch going on sale 41 days before the opening game.

Liverpool love to get their business done nice and early in the transfer window, and that ethos has proved no different this summer.

Whereas last year, an August attempt to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, who is now set for Arsenal, fell through, this summer FSG are fully settled into their new infrastructure and are attacking the market with menace.

There will be something of a pause over the next days though, with the market slamming shut this evening until next Monday, prematurely opened due to exceptional circumstances because of the Club World Cup.

However, this won’t mean sporting director Richard Hughes will freeze his negotiating, having already signed Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold and pushing to close deals for Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, both of whom are expected to play for Liverpool next season.

But with the likes of Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and Luis Diaz’s futures uncertain, there’s only so much the Reds can do.

Indeed, with interest fierce for Colombian winger Diaz, Liverpool may need a new star to complement Mohamed Salah on the opposite flank.

Why Liverpool need new forwards

If Liverpool manage to pull off the signing of Wirtz, he would more likely than not take the number ten spot, which would push Dominik Szoboszlai into a deeper, eight-type role.

And if Diaz is sold, with Barcelona and Al-Nassr among the 28-year-old’s admirers, the urgency for a new left-sided forward would only be heightened.

Mohamed Salah, after all, can’t do it all on his own once again next season. The Egyptian King was the leading man through Arne Slot’s successful first season on Merseyside, winning the Premier League.

Most Goals + Assists 24/25 (Europe’s top 5 leagues)
Player	Apps	Goals	Assists	G/A
Mohamed Salah	38	29	18	47
Harry Kane	31	26	10	36
Kylian Mbappe	34	31	3	34
Omar Marmoush	33	22	12	34
Mateo Retegui	36	25	8	33
Data via Transfermarkt

He might have signed a new two-year contract at the club, but Salah turns 33 in a few days and will need some more support.

That’s why, if Diaz goes, Liverpool are ready to sign one of the most exciting wide forwards playing in English football.

Liverpool chasing new winger

As per Football Insider, Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon is at the top of Liverpool’s shopping list this summer, with FSG warming to the idea of signing a new winger.

Though AC Milan’s Rafael Leao has also been added to the list, it’s Gordon who Liverpool hope to give priority in the event of Diaz’s departure, though Arsenal are believed to be interested too.

Valued at £80m, the England international clearly wouldn’t come cheap, but he was profiled by Liverpool’s chiefs last summer and is of a long-standing interest to the Premier League champions.

What Anthony Gordon would bring to Liverpool

When Gordon transferred from Everton to Newcastle for £45m in January 2023, he was a talented prospect, sure, but perhaps not one who justified such a heavy outlay.

Fast-track to the present, and the 24-year-old’s stock has ballooned almost twofold, having been crowned Newcastle’s 2023/24 Player of the Season after notching 28 goal involvements.

Declaring himself a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, Gordon didn’t reach the same heights last season even as his side went from strength to strength, winning the Carabao Cup and restoring their place in the Champions League, but he still contributed toward the team’s success.

Ferocious when striding forward, powerful with his shooting and clever with his passing, Gordon has the full package of qualities at his core, and could find himself reaching a new level in his development, if charged by Salah.

Long renowned as one of the deadliest goalscorers on the continent, Salah has tailored his game to a new level of playmaking over the past few years, with Father Time casting furtive glances his way.

As per FBref, the winger ranked among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last term for assists, the top 14% for goal-creating actions and the top 4% for carries into the penalty area, emphasising his peerless ability to drive into dangerous positions and make things happen.

With Gordon overlapping on the alternate flank, finding space of his own, Salah might just find the perfect man to arc his crisp, threaded cross-box passes toward.

Though Liverpool’s main man is getting on a bit, he’s hardly going to fall from a proverbial cliff at the start of the 2025/26 season, especially after reaching such astronomic heights in a new role, intensity reduced, under Slot’s wing.

However, he will need support, and Gordon – essentially a right-footed version of the Reds star – proved across the 2023/24 term that he can produce almighty hauls across both goalscoring and creative metrics to drive his team toward success.

With an athletic style, improvements across the past two years under Howe’s coaching, and indeed a desire to return to Merseyside having been released from Liverpool’s academy aged 11, boyhood Red Gordon would be a credit to Liverpool’s team.

For now, we will have to wait and see what happens with Diaz, but if Saudi suitors pay the big bucks for Liverpool’s experienced star, who better to bring into the fold, giving Salah a new partner to work with, than the Prem-proven Gordon?

Outscored Isak & Ekitike: Liverpool open talks to sign "monster" new Suarez

Liverpool are looking to sign a new striker this summer.

2

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025

The wheels are in danger of coming off for Chelsea this season, if they haven’t already.

Enzo Maresca’s side have looked a shadow of the team that demolished Barcelona over the last week or so.

First, they lost to Leeds United, then drew with Bournemouth, and then, to make matters even worse, they threw away a one-nil lead and lost to Atalanta on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

It’s a run of form that should see the board reflect on who is and isn’t good enough to represent Chelsea, and there is one player who has been even worse than the underwhelming Jamie Gittens and therefore shouldn’t play another minute this season.

Chelsea's poor performers vs Atalanta

Unfortunately for Maresca, although he bears a great deal of responsibility for the loss, more than a handful of Chelsea players were seriously poor against Atalanta on Tuesday night.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Gittens, for example, once again put in a performance that should seriously worry fans as he was utterly ineffective against the 12th-placed Serie A side.

Somehow, the former Borussia Dortmund gem remained on the pitch for the full 94 minutes, despite doing nothing of any note on or off the ball.

For example, he registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.26, lost seven of his ten duels, failed to take a single shot on target and played just a single key pass.

To say it was an underwhelming showing from the Englishman would be an understatement, and therefore the 5/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Dom Smith was more than justified.

The journalist gave Benoit Badiashile the same rating, and it’s hard to disagree.

Sure, the French centre-back made a few good interceptions and tackles in the first half, but he was partly responsible for Charles De Ketelaere’s winner, as he kept backing off from the Belgian before he shot.

It was also a really disappointing night for Enzo Fernández.

The World Cup winner has been crucial for the Blues at times this season, and a source of goals from the middle of the park.

However, against the Bergamo outfit, he was hugely frustrating, as while he did get into dangerous positions on more than one occasion, he either fluffed his lines or made the wrong decision.

Fernández’s game
Minutes	67′
Expected Goals	0.01
Goals	0
Expected Assists	0.42
Assists	0
Key Passes	1
Crosses (Accurate)	1 (0)
Passes (Accurate)	24/33 (73%)
Lost Possession	15
Dribbles	0
Duels (Won)	10 (3)
All Stats via Sofascore

Now, there is an argument that all three of these players should be dropped for this weekend’s game, but there is another player in the squad, someone who’s been worse than Gittens, who should probably never play for the club again.

The Chelsea flop who cannot play another minute for Maresca

While there are a few Chelsea players who need to be sold in the upcoming transfer window, the first one out the door should be Tosin Adarabioyo.

Now, it should be said that he was far from the worst player on the pitch on Tuesday night, but he still managed to disappoint in the 18 minutes he spent on the pitch.

For example, he lost 100% of his ground duels, committed a foul, lost the ball four times and didn’t even make a tackle, despite the hosts pushing more in the closing minutes.

However, the defeat to Atalanta is not the sole reason the 28-year-old should no longer be getting any minutes for the team, as he has cost the side on multiple occasions this season.

The most recent example of this came in the game against Leeds United.

It was at Elland Road that, under very little pressure, he lost the ball in the Blues’ penalty area, which led directly to the hosts scoring, and content creator Tom Overend calling him “utterly embarrassing.”

Moreover, the statistics from his season overall do not make for pleasant reading.

In the four Champions League appearances he’s made this season, the former Fulham star has averaged just one point per game and conceded eight goals.

Tosin’s 25/26
Competition	EPL	UCL	EFL Cup
Games	9	5	1
Starts	5	3	1
Minutes	557′	239′	90′
Goals	0	0	0
Assists	0	0	0
Points per Game	1.78	1.00	3.00
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Then, in the Premier League, he has averaged just 1.78 points per game across nine appearances, five of which have been starts.

Finally, FBref have ranked him in just the top 38% of centre-backs in the league for tackles won per 90, but the top 13% for tackles attempted, meaning he simply isn’t winning enough of them.

Ultimately, Gittens has been disappointing this season, but he’s still young and could come good.

However, Tosin is an experienced defender who has directly cost Chelsea points and, given he was signed for free, should be sold as soon as possible.

Watch out Delap: Chelsea set sights on "one of Europe's most in-form CFs"

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

2 days ago

That, and other talking points from the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match

Nagraj Gollapudi31-Oct-20203:16

What makes Sandeep Sharma tick?

Virat Kohli’s troubles against Sandeep Sharma continue
No other bowler has got Virat Kohli out as many times in the IPL as Sandeep Sharma. Seven, that’s how many times a bowler with the international experience of just two T20Is has bested the India and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain – and one of the best in the world across formats – in the competition. It is not an insignificant number.David Warner, the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain, recognised that fact when he kept Sharma on for his third straight over in the powerplay. Knowing that the pitch was slow, Sharma took off the pace off the ball: his first ball to Josh Philippe was just 113kph, and the next one, to Kohli, was 123kph, which was driven through the covers for two.Sharma sensed that Kohli would attack him on what is the smallest ground around, but he had an ace up his sleeve. He asked wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha to come up to the stumps, and challenged Kohli with a 126kph delivery, pitched on a length. On cue, Kohli attempted to clear cover, but hit straight into the hands of Kane Williamson, stationed at short extra cover.That was Strike Seven for Sharma against Kohli. It is also the joint-highest in the IPL for a bowler getting a batsman out – Zaheer Khan had got the better of MS Dhoni that many times too.Were Royal Challengers Bangalore one batsman short?
In the two matches they had lost before this one, against the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings, there was one clear weakness for the Royal Challengers: their lower-order batting. Despite that, today, they left out Shivam Dube to make space for their best quick bowler, Navdeep Saini, who had to sit out the match against the Mumbai Indians after hurting a webbing on his bowling hand in the defeat against the Super Kings.However, was it wise playing four fast bowlers – Saini, Chris Morris, Mohammed Siraj and Isuru Udana – on a slow surface? The Royal Challengers might argue that the strategy worked in Sharjah when they beat the Kolkata Knight Riders comfortably and lost a close match against the Kings XI Punjab. But both those matches were played in the first half of the tournament, when the pitches were still relatively fresh. Now, the surface is not just slow, but also the dew gathered pretty quickly and it became more difficult for bowlers to grip the ball.Would it then have been prudent for the Royal Challengers instead to field an extra batsman – Dube or even Moeen Ali – to bolster the lower order, which once again failed, re-establishing the fact that the Royal Challengers continue to be heavily dependent on Kohli and AB de Villiers to succeed?Did Sunrisers’ brisk powerplay batting help them?
In a word: yes. Only once before in this IPL had Sunrisers made a quicker start in the Powerplay: when they dashed off the blocks to raise 77 in the victory against the Delhi Capitals in their previous match. Although the target was just 121 here, the dew factor coupled with the slow nature of the pitch could potentially have proven to be a massive hurdle for David Warner’s team.But, after Warner perished early in the chase, Manish Pandey and Saha showed courage to take risks that took the Sunrisers to 58 for 1 after the first six overs and eventually that paid off. The powerful start ensured the Sunrisers continued to be ahead of the curve despite a couple of hiccups in the middle overs. The experienced Jason Holder came in and duly sealed victory without breaking a sweat.

Barcelona will report to La Liga that Marc-Andre ter Stegen is expected to be out for around four months following the goalkeeper's surgery.

• Barcelona have filed a four-month lay-off for Ter Stegen
• Goalkeeper publicly stated recovery will not take as long
• Barca intend to unlock salary cap space to register Garcia

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to a report from , Barcelona's medical report to the league will specify a four-month lay-off for goalkeeper after his recent back surgery. The report, authored by surgeon Amelie Leglise, was promptly prepared after the operation and forms part of a detailed documentation package Barcelona must submit to La Liga's medical committee. The club aim to have 80 per cent of Ter Stegen’s salary freed up for registration purposes under La Liga's injury provision, a rule that applies if a player is ruled out for at least four months. This move comes even as Ter Stegen himself declared on social media that his expected absence would be three months, a figure that does not meet the threshold for the salary exemption. Barcelona’s report will be reviewed by an independent panel of doctors appointed by La Liga.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The discrepancy between the club's official timeline and Ter Stegen's public prognosis highlights ongoing tensions between player and management. Ter Stegen’s three-month estimate was perceived by club executives as potentially undermining Barcelona’s financial strategy, which hinges on satisfying La Liga’s requirements to register new signings such as Joan Garcia, who has replaced the German as first choice goalkeeper. Barcelona, already exceeding their salary cap, are under financial constraint and need this long-term injury ruling to facilitate the squad’s registration process. The club will provide extensive medical evidence, including recovery guidelines, imaging and assessments, to support their claim. Final approval rests with La Liga’s committee, which recently ruled in Barcelona’s favour in a similar case involving Andreas Christensen.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Under La Liga rules, clubs can use 80% of a long-term injured player’s salary to register new signings if a four-month lay-off is certified.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN?

  Barcelona has up to 30 days to complete and submit the medical file, but intend to present it as early as next week. La Liga will then decide if the four-month absence is sufficiently substantiated to trigger the salary exemption. With Ter Stegen dropped to third choice by Hansi Flick, the 33-year-old faces an uncertain future at the Catalan side.