Any idea that Chelsea would be in for a quiet summer after spending £900million over the last four windows has been quickly put to bed as Todd Boehly looks to spend big on a goalscorer extraordinaire to solve his striker woes.

Chelsea's search for a striker

Despite spending heavily since taking over in 2022, Boehly is still on the lookout for the perfect number nine for his Chelsea team. Mauricio Pochettino has struggled to settle on a preferred option up front with a number of different players taking on the responsibility. Injuries to Nicholas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have left the Blues with little firepower upfront, with much of the attacking onus falling upon the shoulders of Cole Palmer.

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Efforts to sign a new number nine have so far proved fruitless for the West London side, with rumours of a move for Napoli talisman, Victor Osimhen, yet to come to fruition. With 26 goals in Serie A last season, Chelsea will be one of many big clubs lining to try and bring the Nigerian to the Premier League.

Likely to be another season without European football, it will be difficult for Chelsea to entice Osimhen to come to West London, leading to links with alternatives like Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson. And it is now suggested that the West London outfit will turn their attention away from Osimhen and make a shock bid for a player who knows the Premier League well.

The Blues plot shock striker move

In a move that very few saw coming, it is now reported that Chelsea have expressed an interest in signing Bayern Munich forward, Harry Kane. First broken by Football Insider's Wayne Veysey, it is revealed that Chelsea chiefs have caught wind that the Englishman is unhappy in Germany and is eager for a move back to his home country.

Veysey reports that Bayern would only look to recoup the £82million fee they paid to Tottenham last year, a modest price for a player of his quality. Whilst the Boehly era at Stamford Bridge has seen some ludicrous fees thrown around, this transfer would represent good value for money.

Kane made the switch to Bavaria this summer and has excelled at his new club, scoring 24 times in just 21 Bundesliga games this season. Few expected the 30-year-old to settle in so quickly in Germany, making his goal tally all the more impressive. Speaking on his start at Bayern, the club's sports director, Christoph Freund, sang the praises of the striker, telling the press:

In theory, the Kane to Chelsea deal makes sense. The Blues are a side crying out for a goalscorer whilst the former Spurs man may be eager to return to London. Another factor is Kane's standing as the Premier League's second all-time goalscorer. Just 47 goals behind Alan Shearer, the former Spurs man could be inclined to return to England to break the record.

A win-win for all parties then – apart from Spurs fans, who would have to see their all-time top scorer in the shirt of their rivals.

Lionel Messi turned down an enormous Saudi offer in favour of joining Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.

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Messi in Middle East before Miami moveGargantuan offer made to Argentine starMessi rejected move for family reasonsWHAT HAPPENED?

Messi was targeted by the Saudi Pro League after Paris Saint-Germain confirmed the Argentina international was set to leave the club when his contract expired in 2023. Former club Barcelona were also linked with a move for Messi before he finally opted for a new challenge in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.

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Saudi Pro League clubs have managed to snap up a host of huge names in recent years including superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema. Messi was also wanted in the Middle East with Al-Ittihad president Anmar Al Haili revealing just how much money his club were willing to offer the Argentine to move to Saudi Arabia.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Al Haili told : "We actually contacted Messi at the end of his contract in Paris. We presented him with an offer of €1.4 billion, but the player refused because his family wanted America. It is surprising that the player was able to refuse such a huge offer for the sake of his family. He managed to convince his family, but he did not hesitate to refuse. We respect this, because family is more important than money."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI

Messi has gone on to thrive in MLS, winning the Leagues Cup and helping fire Miami to the top of the current Eastern Conference standings. The Argentina star has also admitted recently he expects Inter Miami to be his last club before he finally opts to hang up his boots. Meanwhile, Saudi teams continue to target top stars, with players such as Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne and Virgil van Dijk emerging as new targets for big-spending clubs.

Rangers are reportedly willing to sell an "excellent" player at the end of the season, with the individual in question out of contract in the summer of 2025.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers will be looking for new signings regardless of whether they win the Scottish Premiership title this season, and it's fair to say plenty of potential targets have emerged in recent times.

One player who has been backed to seal a permanent move to Rangers is Oscar Cortes, assuming he impresses on loan from Lens between now and the end of the campaign.

Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie will be out of contract at Bramall Lane in the summer, being available as a free agent, and he is also considered an option for Philippe Clement's side.

There is also a chance that current players could move on at the end of the season, with Cyriel Dessers one individual who has been linked with a switch away, as a shock claim this week revealed the Gers may look to part ways with a player who has thrived under Clement due to a desire to make the squad younger.

Now, it looks as though another Ibrox ace could be joining him out of the exit door, following a fresh claim regarding the Gers' summer clearout.

Rangers to put second big name up for sale

According to an update from Football Insider, Rangers "plan to accept offers" for Tom Lawrence to leave the club during the summer transfer window, seeing him as an expendable figure.

"Rangers could sanction the departure of Tom Lawrence next summer, sources have told Football Insider. Speaking to the new edition of Football Insider’s Insider Track Podcast, transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed the 30-year-old could be sold with Philippe Clement keen to shape the squad in his image.

"Well-placed sources have told Football Insider that the manager is eager to lower the age of his squad and recruit young high-potential assets in future windows."

In truth, there is some definite sense in allowing Lawrence to enjoy a fresh challenge in the current window, considering he hasn't exactly been a regular under Clement so far this season. Only seven starts have come his way in the Scottish Premiership, with a further six appearances coming from the substitutes' bench, and he hasn't registered a single goal contribution.

The fact that the 30-year-old is out of contract next year also means that this summer could be the last chance to receive good money for his signature, rather than losing him on a free in 2025.

Should Lawrence stay on, it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing, however, with David McCallum praising his influence around Rangers' B team back in August, saying: "Tom was excellent around the group, sharing his experience, and we spoke before the game about that. That’s what some of these games are going to be about, when we get the odd occasion where a player, or two, drops down from the first-team squad to get important minutes."

Related Wow: Rangers could now sell "outrageous" Clement favourite in huge clearout

Would this come as a shock to supporters?

Posts ByHenry Jackson Feb 17, 2024

Barcelona are reportedly considering selling winger Raphinha – but prospetive suitors will have to pay a huge fee to secure his services.

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• Raphinha repeatedly linked with Barca exit
• Previously rejected large bid for winger
• Brazilian's minimum price tag revealed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Barcelona and new boss Hansi Flick rate the 27-year-old very highly but due to the club's financial issues, they may consider selling him. The report adds he won't be sold for anything less than €90 million (£76m/$98m), with the Catalan outfit previously rejecting an offer worth €80m.

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  Ever since Raphinha joined Barcelona from Leeds in 2022, it seems the winger has been linked with a transfer exit in virtually every transfer window since then. Perhaps, the Brazilian international is somewhat under-rated at the La Liga team.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Raphinha, whose contract at Barca runs until the summer of 2027, has scored 20 goals and bagged 25 assists in 87 games for the Spanish outfit so far. He joined from Leeds for £55m ($65m) just under two years ago.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While Raphinha's future is somewhat up in the air, the Barcelona star is currently out in the United States representing Brazil at the 2024 Copa America. He will hope to feature in their next match against Paraguay.

Glasgow Rangers returned to the summit of the Premiership table for the first time since 2022 following their professional 3-0 victory over St Johnstone last weekend and it represents a stunning turnaround.

Philippe Clement has certainly rejuvenated a squad which was clearly stagnating under Michael Beale and losing 3-1 to Aberdeen back in September has proven to be a major blessing in disguise.

All that matters between now and the end of the season is wins, and they can deliver a major psychological blow to Celtic by defeating Hearts this afternoon and extending their advantage – temporarily at least – to five points.

The previous three games against the Jambos this season have all ended up in victories for the Light Blues and Clement will be aiming for more of the same today.

The key question is, will the Belgian make any changes to his starting XI from the win last weekend?

While the majority of players performed well, there were still a few who may be benched for the home clash today, with Scott Wright being one of the most notable players who delivered yet another dismal display for the Gers.

Scott Wright’s performance against St Johnstone in numbers

Given the club had played four games across the first 18 days of February prior to the trip to McDiarmid Park last week, it was evident Clement was going to freshen up things.

This meant Ross McCausland dropped to the bench in order to be given a rest, and he was replaced by Wright, who was making only his seventh start of the campaign.

With the side under pressure to win the game in order to move top of the table, it was certainly a big gamble to start the winger, especially as he had scored just twice all season.

In the end, he was only given 45 minutes to showcase his talents before he was hooked for Dujon Sterling at half-time.

In the first half, Wright failed to really get involved in the game, taking just 21 touches, making one key pass and winning only two of his seven contested duels in what was a rather underwhelming performance.

Sterling certainly offered more in an attacking sense, and he is a natural full-back, which goes to show just how poor Wright had been against the Saints.

Scott Wright’s season in numbers

It is not Clement’s fault that he is still having to rely on Wright, as Beale failed to add anyone of value to the right-wing area during the summer transfer window.

Under the former Club Brugge coach, the Scot has started only four matches, and it is clear he favours McCausland as his main choice on the right flank.

Among the rest of the squad, Wright currently ranks in a lowly 17th spot for shots on target per game (0.2), while ranking 21st for big chances created (one), 17th for key passes per game (0.6) and 15th for successful dribbles per game (0.4), and these figures clearly suggest he has failed to have any sort of positive influence when given a chance in the team.

Against Hearts, Clement must ditch Wright and unleash McCausland, as the Northern Irishman will be fresh and ready for the challenge.

Ross McCausland’s statistics this season for Rangers

The youngster has come on leaps and bounds since being given an opportunity by interim manager Steven Davis following Beale’s sacking in October.

He enjoyed a brief cameo in the defeat to Aris Limassol, before enjoying a 49-minute spell against St Mirren as he came on for fellow academy gem Zak Lovelace in a win over St Mirren just a few days later, and he has been part of the senior side ever since.

Indeed, the winger has failed to play in just two games since the clash in Paisley and there is no doubt he can be a key player for the future if he maintains his current level.

Two goals and three assists across 25 matches is a solid, if unspectacular return, but the talent is clearly there.

He was hailed by journalist Josh Bunting in 2022, who said: “Ross McCausland looks like a superb talent for Rangers and Northern Ireland, that’s a stunning strike to equalise against Celtic B in the Glasgow Cup, such a nice technique to even hit the target, so good at picking up the little pockets of space to get shots in on goal.”

Premiership statistics this season

Scott Wright

Ross McCausland

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

2

Key passes per game

0.6

1.7

Big chances created

1

2

Successful dribbles per game

0.4

0.9

Against Hearts in December, McCausland delivered a decent performance as he made two key passes, succeeded with two of his four dribble attempts, and won over half of his ground duels, proving he is no lightweight despite his slender frame.

Another display like this against the same opposition today could see plenty of chances being created as they chase another league victory.

Among his teammates in the top flight this season, McCausland has impressed. Not only does he rank fourth for key passes per game (1.7), but he is also seventh for successful dribbles per game (0.9) and this shows that he can be a key attacking threat.

It is clear that after his performance last weekend, Wright should no longer be starting matches for the Gers, especially with the club in a title race with Celtic.

Every point will need to be earned with good performances, but the Scot is currently the weak link whenever he starts and there could be a time when this will come back to haunt Clement.

From now on, it should be McCausland and Sterling who are the main contenders for a spot on the right flank and this will surely be an area in which the manager seeks to improve once the summer transfer window comes around.

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Unfortunately, he does not have that luxury and the moment and must work with what he has, but the 20-year-old talent should have enough in his locker to terrorise the Hearts defence.

The clash against the high-flying Jambos today will be as tricky a match as the Gers have faced in recent weeks, but if the starting XI can step up and perform well, then all three points should be secured.

Celtic will make one area of the pitch a priority when it comes to new signings during the summer transfer window, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Celtic transfer news & title hopes

The Hoops are part of what looks set to be a fascinating Scottish Premiership title race this season, sitting three points ahead of rivals Rangers, who do admittedly have a game in hand. Brendan Rodgers' side could still be the favourites to go all the way currently, given their recent success in the division, but they will know that any slip-ups in the coming months could prove to be fatal.

New signings may well be needed at the end of the campaign, regardless of who wins the title, and Celtic have been linked with a move for Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski, who has scored 13 goals in 23 league appearances this season.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Scott McKenna also emerged as a rumoured target for the Hoops at the end of January, and while he joined FC Copenhagen on loan instead, he could still be an option in the summer.

Celtic targeting left-back this summer

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that a new left-back is a "top target" for Celtic this summer, seeing it as the most important position to strengthen in.

"As you look at it right now, you would say that left-back will be the top target for the summer window. But you're also wondering what situation Celtic will even be in by then. At the beginning of January, I thought this was going to be a strengthening job to make sure they can hold Rangers off in terms of a title challenge. But here we are the start of February, and Rangers are firmly back in the title challenge.

"I think that there is plenty of time for the scope to change around transfers and also for Brendan Rodgers to totally win everybody over. There are certainly going to be some question marks about the results of recent times."

Left-back does definitely feel like a position that could be improved upon at Celtic this summer, in order to take Rodgers' side up another gear. Greg Taylor is clearly a good option there, making 157 appearances and counting, but he is currently out injured and is out of contract next year, so there is no guarantee that he will sign an extension.

Meanwhile, Alexandro Bernabei has only started three Scottish Premiership games this season and is still a relatively unproven option, so it could be that Rodgers wants to sign someone who can push Taylor harder to regular minutes, allowing him to rotate more effectively in the process.

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For now, though, it is a case of focusing on on-pitch matters and ensuring that another league title heads to Parkhead this season, with some recent results giving Rangers hope, allowing them to close the gap on their adversaries.

Manchester United are reportedly 'prepared' to bring Mason Greenwood back for pre-season training if they fail to sell him in the next fortnight.

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Man Utd looking to sell GreenwoodPotential suitors yet to meet asking priceCould return to United for pre-season trainingWHAT HAPPENED?

The Mirror reports the Red Devils are 'prepared to welcome Greenwood back' amid their struggles to sell the forward. United are trying to shift the one-time England international but as of yet nobody has met their asking price – which is understood to be upwards of £40 million ($50.6m).

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Lazio had a £30m ($38m) bid for the 22-year-old – who spent last season on loan at Getafe – rejected by United earlier this month, with Juventus and Napoli, among others, also thought to be interested in recruiting him. His contract at United runs until 2025 but it seems Greenwood may have played his last game for the Premier League giants.

DID YOU KNOW?

Greenwood swapped United – who are said to be keen on selling their academy product and bringing in Bologna's Joshua Zirkzee as a replacement – for Getafe on loan in 2023-24 and scored 10 goals and bagged six assists in 36 appearances in all competitions.

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United are due back for pre-season on July 8 but it remains to be seen if Greenwood – who is also wanted by Getafe but most likely on another loan deal – will head back to Carrington for then as transfer negotiations continue behind the scenes.

أعدت شبكة “anfieldindex” الإنجليزية تقريرًا مطولًا عن المحترف المصري عمر مرموش، لاعب فريق آينتراخت فرانكفورت، في ظل ارتباطه مؤخرًا بإمكانية الانتقال إلى صفوف ليفربول الموسم المقبل.

ويقدم عمر مرموش أداءً مذهلًا مع آينتراخت فرانكفورت، في الموسم الحالي، حيث يتصدر قائمة هدافي الدوري الألماني برصيد 8 أهداف.

وذكرت تقارير مختلفة في الفترة الأخيرة أن مرموش مطلوب بقوة في الدوري الإنجليزي، من جانب عدة أندية، على رأسها ليفربول، آرسنال، مانشستر يونايتد وغيرهم.

وتحدثت شبكة “anfieldindex” الإنجليزية عن ذلك الاهتمام ومدى حاجة ليفربول إلى خدمات عمر مرموش.

وقالت الشبكة في تقريرها: “حقق ليفربول بداية رائعة للموسم تحت قيادة مدربه الجديد، آرني سلوت، ومع ذلك لم يكن كل شيء مثاليًا، ومن غير المتوقع أن تكون الأمور هكذا، حيث لا يزال الهولندي يبدأ مهامه، إنه يبني فريقه الخاص بينما يستخدم إلى حد كبير العناصر المتبقية من عصر يورجن كلوب”.

وأضافت: “أحد المجالات التي يجب أن يتطلع فيها سلوت إلى تعزيز الفريق هو عندما يتعلق الأمر بفعالية ليفربول أمام المرمى، حيث خلق الفريق 28 فرصة كبيرة في الدوري الإنجليزي هذا الموسم، لكنهم أضاعوا 17 من تلك الفرص الكبيرة وسجلوا 11 فقط، وهذا معدل نجاح يبلغ 39٪”.

وواصلت: “من ناحية أخرى خلق مانشستر سيتي 20 فرصة كبيرة وسجل 10 منها وبالتالي لديه معدل نجاح بنسبة 50٪، هذه الفجوة بنسبة 11٪ بين مانشستر سيتي وليفربول هي الفجوة التي سيحتاج سلوت إلى سدها إذا أراد أن يكون فريقه فائزًا بالدوري الإنجليزي”.

وهنا طرحت الشبكة تساؤلًا: “لماذا يمكن لـ عمر مرموش مساعدة ليفربول في سد الفجوة بنسبة 11٪؟”.

وأوضحت: “كانت هذه الفجوة واضحة في الموسم الماضي أيضًا، حيث حقق ليفربول أعلى معدل أهداف متوقعة في الدوري الإنجليزي (87.8) لكنه لم يحقق الأهداف المتوقعة واحتل المركز الثالث فقط من حيث إجمالي الأهداف المسجلة (86)، الفارق إذا هو أنه في حين تجاوز كل من آرسنال ومانشستر سيتي بشكل كبير معدل أهدافهما المتوقعة، كان أداء ليفربول أقل من المتوقع”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رسميًا | عمر مرموش لاعب شهر سبتمبر في آينتراخت فرانكفورت

واستكملت: “إذا أراد ليفربول أن يكون في نفس مستوى منافسيه في صدارة الدوري، فسوف يحتاج إلى أن يكون أفضل من حيث القدرة على إنهاء الفرص، ولهذا قد يحتاج سلوت فقط إلى مهاجم فعال يمكنه الاعتماد عليه وإحداث تأثير ثابت أمام المرمى”.

وقدمت الشبكة إجابتها قائلة: “اللاعب الوحيد الذي قد يكون قادرًا على القيام بذلك هو عمر مرموش، كان المهاجم المصري على رادار ليفربول منذ الموسم الماضي، والسبب في ذلك له علاقة كبيرة بحقيقة أن الأرقام تشير إلى أنه مهاجم فوق المتوسط”.

واستدلت الشبكة بإحصائيات شبكة “FBref” المتخصصة، حيث قالت: “في العام التقويمي الماضي، تجاوز مرموش معدل أهدافه المتوقعة بمقدار 0.11 لكل 90 دقيقة في جميع المسابقات مع آينتراخت فرانكفورت، كما احتل المرتبة العاشرة بين أفضل المهاجمين وفقًا لـ Wyscout في تحويل الفرص إلى أهداف بنسبة 17.64٪ – أعلى من متوسط ​​صلاح في الدوري الإنجليزي، والذي كان 15.65٪، فقط جوتا حقق معدل تحويل أعلى (25.64٪) من مهاجمي ليفربول في الموسم الماضي، مع العلم إنه لعب حوالي 1200 دقيقة أقل من مرموش”.

وتابعت: “هذا الموسم أصبحت كفاءة مرموش أمام المرمى أفضل، حيث يبلغ متوسط قدرته على تحويل الفرص إلى أهداف حاليًا 30.76٪، مما يجعله أفضل هداف في الدوري الألماني هذا الموسم، هو ببساطة جيد جدًا في وضع نفسه في مواقف تسجيل الأهداف ثم فعال أيضًا في تسجيل هذه الفرص”.

وطالبت الشبكة بإلقاء نظرة على خريطة تسديدات عمر مرموش، حيث قالت: “ستجد مهاجمًا يسدد في الغالب من مناطق خطيرة”.

وتساءلت الشبكة من جديد: “لماذا يعتبر مرموش أكثر من مجرد لاعب هداف (قادر على إنهاء الهجمات)؟”.

وأجابت قائلة: “إن كونك هدافًا رائعًا أمر جيد، ولكن لكي تتناسب مع نظام ليفربول، فأنت بحاجة إلى أن تكون أكثر من ذلك، يفرض سلوت طلبًا كبيرًا على مهاجميه ليكونوا قادرين على الضغط على مدافعي الخصم بشكل فعال من الأمام، يجب أن يكون عمل مهاجم ليفربول بدون الكرة بنفس فعالية ما يقدمه عندما تكون الكرة معه”.

وأكدت: “لا يقتصر الأمر على أن مرموش يركض بسرعة قصوى تبلغ 35 كم/ساعة هذا الموسم فحسب، بل إنه يغطي أيضًا مساحة كبيرة ولا يخشى المشاركة في عدد كبير من المواجهات الثنائية، ويحتل حاليًا المركز الخامس بين أفضل المهاجمين في المواجهات الثنائية الدفاعية لكل 90 دقيقة (2.83)”.

وأردفت: “كما أنه يحقق متوسط ​​ثالث أعلى عدد من الركض السريع في الهجمات المرتدة لكل 90 دقيقة (20.87) خلف ثنائي لايبزيج بنيامين سيسكو (21.28) ولويس أوبيندا (22.37)، ومن ثم فإنه من حيث المقاييس البدنية، فإن مرموش مجهز بالتأكيد للعب بأسلوب سلوت في كرة القدم”.

وأثنت الشبكة على مرموش، قائلة: “بالإضافة إلى كونه لاعبًا بارعًا في إنهاء الهجمات، فإنه يساهم بأكثر من ذلك، فهو يشارك في بناء الهجمة وينتقل إلى العمق ويحاول أيضًا التغلب على اللاعبين، حيث بلغ متوسط ​​مراوغاته 5.83 مراوغة كل 90 دقيقة، هذا الموسم، أي أكثر من لويس دياز (5.57 مراوغة في المدة نفسها)”.

هل هذا فقط ما يقدمه مرموش؟ لا، حيث قالت: “كما أنه لديه أعلى عدد من التمريرات المتوقعة (0.56 تمريرة كل 90 دقيقة) في الدوري بأكمله متفوقًا على مايكل أوليس (0.49 تمريرة في المدة نفسها)، في الموسم الماضي بلغ متوسط ​​تمريراته 0.18 تمريرة كل 90 دقيقة، وهو ما يجعله لا يزال ضمن أفضل 10 مهاجمين”.

وشددت: “الشيء الجيد فيه هو أن مرموش يتمتع بقدر وافر من الطاقة والسرعة، لذا يمكن أن يلعب على الأطراف بشكل أساسي من الجناح الأيسر لأنه يلعب بالقدم اليمنى، لكنه لعب أيضًا على الجناح الأيمن في الماضي، ولا شك أنه سيتناسب مع دور المهاجم رقم 9 تحت قيادة سلوت، التواصل مع أجنحة ليفربول وإيجاد مساحة داخل منطقة الجزاء من أجل إنتاج فرص لليفربول، وهو المكان الذي يحتاج إليه أكثر في الوقت الحالي”.

واقترحت: “لكن من المفيد أن نعرف أنه في حالة الحاجة إلى ذلك، يمكن لـ سلوت الاعتماد على مرموش من أجل لعب أدوار أخرى أيضًا، حيث بالنظر إلى جميع البيانات، من تعدد استخداماته إلى سماته البدنية وقدرته على إنهاء الهجمات، هناك عدد قليل من اللاعبين في السوق الذين يناسبون فريق ليفربول تحت قيادة سلوت”.

واختتمت: “سيتعين على ليفربول إيجاد مساحة لـ مرموش بين خيارات الهجوم في الفريق، وقد يحتاج حتى إلى التضحية بشخص آخر من أجل ضم المصري، ومع ذلك، قد يكون هذا هو الثمن المطلوب لدفعه لسد الفجوة مع مانشستر سيتي”.

Two Tests into a pulsating Ashes series, and the notion of “redemption” is already becoming very tedious. One journalist at Lord’s even added the word to his listed of muted phrases on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, at the moment that Ben Stokes clipped Nathan Lyon off his toes to jog through to his seventh Test century and – lest we fail to notice the elephant in the room, let alone ignore it – his first since the events outside Mbargo nightclub on September 25, 2017.Before the Fall. After the Fall … can’t we all just move on? Just as Steven Smith is still being expected by some to keep apologising for events that occurred close to two years ago now, in spite a series of on-field performances that confirm that the sport is so much richer for his involvement than his banishment, so Stokes too can’t help but be judged by his returns in the context of that incident.And yet, it is clear that for Stokes in particular, that terrible night in Bristol and its career-threatening aftermath remain as enduringly relevant as ever, not because he feels he deserves to be punished for evermore, but because of his desire to bury those lingering bad memories between a mountain of new accolades.And so it wasn’t enough for Stokes to light the flame of the 2019 World Cup with that extraordinary outfield catch in the tournament opener at The Oval. Or to carry the team’s batting when the wheels started to wobble in defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia. Or to dig deep and refuse to falter when New Zealand surged in the early stages of England’s run chase in the final. Or to go beyond even his own exhausting limits, and do it all again minutes later in the Super Over.No, that was just the start for Stokes as he enters, at 28, his prime as an international sportsman. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo’s George Dobell in Jaipur earlier this year, Stokes said that his personal motivation for winning the World Cup was to ensure that the feat became the first paragraph of his rewritten player profile. That objective duly achieved, he’s making a play for the rest of the word-count.And so, in that context, a first Test century since Bristol feels very significant indeed. Not to mention, a first Test century at Lord’s since his riotously carefree 101 from 92 against New Zealand four years ago. And his first against Australia since in December 2013 when, in only his second Test, he went toe-to-toe with Mitchell Johnson on a Perth flier, scoring 120 from 195 in an exhibition of pugnacity that was entirely at odds with the timid tone of England’s overall campaign.Self-evidently he’s not the same cricketer that he was before his life choices became tabloid fodder. Prior to his recall in New Zealand in February 2018, Stokes’ international career been rattling along at a strike-rate of 98.74 in ODIs and 63.77 in Tests (or 3.82 an over, brisk by any standards). Now that he has placed a greater premium on his wicket, those numbers have slipped to 87.16 and 48.45 respectively. And if, in doing so, he has sacrificed a few top-notes of destruction, then he’s also sent self-destruction packing at the same time. That run of ODI form in early 2014, for instance – 0, 5, 5, 4, 0, 4, 0, punched locker, broken hand – isn’t going to be replicated in a hurry.Ben Stokes belts one through the leg side•Getty Images

And so it was fitting that Stokes’ first Test century of his new era was a hard-fought grind. He could have been out three times in his first six balls as Lyon ragged it out of the rough outside the left-hander’s off stump, and would have been out for 6 from 13 balls had Lyon again reviewed an lbw appeal that was hitting leg.But somehow, he found a means to endure, by sliding ever deeper into his crease, watching the turn and shelving the sweep, and taking it upon himself to be the sheet-anchor that this England batting line-up so desperately needs, as it attempts an urgent and cruelly abrupt metamorphosis from pro-active, hard-handed white-ball bullies to soft-power Test survivors.And on that note, it is also telling how Stokes’ name has been exempt from the mutterings of post-World Cup burn-out that have afflicted so many of his team-mates in that glorious campaign. Jason Roy looks lost at the top of the order, Joe Root’s form is in freefall, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow are fighting against instinct to make that transition. Moeen Ali has been canned, and is currently bowling seam-up for Worcestershire in a losing cause at Northampton. Aside from Stokes, only Chris Woakes and the new boy Jofra Archer seem genuinely unaffected by what’s gone before, though Archer may be facing exhaustion issues of a different type if 44 overs per Test becomes the norm.ALSO READ: Archer could be the weapon that turns the series – Root“It was a dogged hundred,” Stokes admitted of an innings in which his first fifty came from 106 balls, a notch below that post-Bristol strike-rate. “I’m proud of how I managed to get through from not feeling great to playing my shots. That comes from experience and knowing all kinds of situations, Tests, ODIs, just finding a way to get there, keeping an eye on how many overs, how many runs to get us there.””I looked at the score at 60-70 and I had no idea how I was still there,” he added. “I was speaking to Graham Thorpe [the batting coach], saying ‘nothing is working’, and he said ‘just find a way’. I know the bigger picture but sometimes you get annoyed. When it got to the stage where I could start playing my shots, everything felt a bit easier.”And it’s a measure of Stokes’ exhaustive groundwork that, once the time came to flick that switch, with England suddenly 200 runs to the good and scenting an opportunity to square the series with an aggressive declaration, he was able to up the tempo as surely as he had done in the World Cup final, powering Lyon out of the rough for consecutive sweeps for six, before calibrating his angles and options with a thinking-man’s swagger to rattle through to his second fifty from 54 balls.And in doing so, Stokes left a dent in one of Australia’s key weapons in the series. Lyon began the innings level with Dennis Lillee on 355 Test wickets, and ended it on the same number after an admittedly luckless but nevertheless expensive analysis of 26-3-102-0.”We kept out Nathan’s good balls and when we attacked we really committed to doing it,” said Stokes. “He could have had me five or six times to be honest, but I thought attack was the best form of defence by the end because every time I defended one I kept nicking it but finding the gap which was remarkable.”I was running down the wicket and laughing at some points, thinking I can’t be placing it any better. From a five-fer to none for 100 will give our batting unit a lot of confidence, especially on a pretty helpful wicket from spin. Not taking anything away from him, he bowled really well and probably didn’t deserve none for 100.”And as the teams regroup and head for Headingley with the series at an apex, Stokes’ quiet authority begins to take on an altogether new significance, especially if – as anticipated – Smith is deemed unfit to take his place in Australia’s line-up.In case it needs restating, Stokes missed the last Ashes due to those events he’d sooner not remember. He could be about to reach this series’ make-or-break moment as the most prized wicket on either side.

It means the country’s prime minister has no power to dissolve the board or remove the chairman, with that clause being removed completely

Umar Farooq21-Aug-2019

Imran Khan wants provincial teams to form the core of domestic cricket in Pakistan•Getty Images

The government of Pakistan formally notified the new PCB constitution with certain amendments, toning down the powers of its own patron-in-chief. This is the fourth time in the last 12 years that the PCB constitution has been redrafted. This latest change means the patron-in-chief, who is also the country’s prime minister, has no power to dissolve the board or remove the chairman, with that clause being removed completely, effectively making the PCB an independent body.According to the new constitution, the prime minister of the country is still a patron of the board, but his power to dictate to it has been curbed. Earlier, his general policy directions were compulsory to implement, but will now, constitutionally at least, only be up for consideration. “The Patron may, from time to time, give to the Board general policy directions for its consideration,” clause 5.3 reads.The patron earlier had the power to dissolve the PCB, with this once igniting an embarrassing crisis for the board when former patron Nawaz Shariff dismissed the then-chairman Zaka Ashraf and dissolved the board of governors. Sharif formed a management committee to pick the new PCB chairman from among its eight members, which ultimately brought Najam Sethi to power.Changes of government have always rung changes at the PCB because the prime minister has held absolute power with the board. This has hindered the PCB’s ability to push through a long-term vision, with the board beholden to the desires of its incoming patron every few years. But the new constitution makes a significant tweak that eradicates the ability of the patron to dissolve the board of governors altogether.When Imran Khan won a general election in 2018, Sethi’s future became the subject of intense speculation, with the two of them having a famously poor relationship. With the prime minister allowed – according to the then PCB constitution – to change the PCB chairman if he so desired, it seemed unlikely Sethi would be able to stay on beyond Imran formally taking charge. In what was widely seen as an anticipation of his impending removal once Imran became prime minister, Sethi tendered his resignation just before Imran was due to take office, leading to Ehsan Mani being ushered in.Until now, chairmen had the authority to act as executives of the board who tried to implement policy they had proposed themselves, which according to Mani was a conflict of interest. The new constitution tackled governance loopholes related to the administration of cricket and the functioning of its governing body, bringing it in line with the best practices of corporate governance.The patron’s role is now more narrowly worded in Clause 32.5, giving them only oversight authority and the ability to launch an audit if they believed financial mismanagement may have taken place at the board. “Notwithstanding anything contained in this clause, the Patron in his exclusive discretion to be exercised, for reasons to be recorded in writing, after being reasonably satisfied that there is sufficient evidence of financial mismanagement within the Board, may direct conducting of a special audit of the Board’s accounts. The audit report shall only be submitted to the Patron for his consideration,” the clause reads.To many, this change might seem a calculated political ploy by the current patron-in-chief, with Imran already having made one intervention which resulted in Mani becoming chairman of the PCB. But whether the constitution, and indeed the institution that is the PCB, is sturdy enough to withstand a future patron-in-chief looking to shake things up at the PCB once more, only time will tell.