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Looking to add to an attack that is already filled to the brim with quality in depth, Liverpool are now reportedly interested in signing a winger who once embarrassed Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool transfer rumour

There are still a number of unanswered questions about Arne Slot's Liverpool side and its future. The Dutchman has at least delayed the need for those queries to receive an answer after winning three from three in the Premier League, including a 3-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford. But those long-term questions and concerns still remain.

Liverpool eye £50m move for £68k-p/w ace to replace Virgil van Dijk in 2025

The Reds are already planning for a future without their captain.

ByBen Browning Sep 10, 2024

Among those regard the future of stars such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. As things stand, all three are set to depart at the end of the season upon the expiry of their current deals in what should be seen as nothing short of a disaster for those at Anfield.

That's not to say that those three stars are pushing to leave, however, especially Van Dijk and Salah. Quite the opposite in fact. Club captain Van Dijk recently reiterated that he's looking to stay put in Merseyside, whilst Salah seemed to send a message to Liverpool about his future after their dominant display against Manchester United.

If this is to be Salah's final season at the club, meanwhile, then there's no doubt that the Reds will need to turn their attention towards finding a replacement as soon as possible. And that could lead them to a name that those at Anfield already know all about.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are now interested in a move to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, who are reportedly set to remain firm on their stance of keeping hold of their star man in the January transfer window.

Of course, the Bees recently lost Ivan Toney to Saudi Arabia side Al-Ahli and are in no position to lose yet more firepower in the form of Mbeumo. But if Liverpool do come knocking, such a move could prove to be too tempting to turn down for a player of such quality.

"Brilliant" Mbeumo can ease Salah blow

It almost goes without saying that replacing Salah will be a near-impossible task for Liverpool, whether it's next summer or in years to come. The Egyptian already has his place as one the greatest wingers in Premier League history. Some may even go as far to say that he is the greatest. All good things must come to an end, however, and the Reds may be left turning towards Mbeumo, who Brentford boss Frank described as "brilliant" in 2022.

The Brentford star, who earns a reported £45,000-a-week, is a player that Liverpool already know all about, especially central defender Konate. The Frenchman was on the receiving end of Mbeumo's quality when he scored the Bees' third in a stunning 3-1 defeat over the Reds in the 2022/23 campaign.

ESPNcricinfo understands that two other Australian cricketers have told their franchise that they want to go home

Nagraj Gollapudi25-Apr-2021

Andrew Tye speaks to countrymate Marcus Stoinis during an IPL 2021 match•BCCI

Andrew Tye, the Rajasthan Royals fast bowler, flew back to Australia on Sunday to avoid the risk of not being able to return home, his exit coming even as India battles a severe wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, with over a million positive cases recorded in the past four days.*Although both the BCCI and franchises have stressed that the IPL is secure because it’s being organised in a bio-secure environment without crowds, ESPNcricinfo understands that some players, especially the overseas contingents, are anxious about the situation, which Ricky Ponting, the Delhi Capitals coach, has called “quite grim”.At least two other Australian players have informed their franchise as of Sunday morning that they would look to return home at the first opportunity, in terms of flight availability. Last week the Australian government said it would reduce the number of permitted flights arriving from India by 30% and there are suggestions further restrictions could be introduced. The franchise concerned is yet to respond to our query on the matter.”There was a number of reasons [for leaving], but the main one was with the situation that has started to happen back home in Perth with a lot of cases in hotel quarantine coming out of India,” Tye told SEN radio from Doha on Monday as he transited onto a flight to Sydney. “Now there’s been a community case in Perth governments are trying to restrict numbers coming back in, especially Western Australia.””I just thought to try and get on the front foot and get home before I got locked out of the country. It’s been a long time in bubbles and hubs – doing the calculations earlier, think I’ve had 11 days at home out of the bubble since August, so for me I just wanted to get home.David Hussey, an assistant coach with the Kolkata Knight Riders, opened up on the subject to the . “Everyone’s sort of a bit nervous about whether they can get back into Australia. I dare say there’ll be a few other Australians a bit nervous about getting back into Australia,” he said.”There’s definitely concerns [from the Australians],” Tye said. “A lot of guys have been in touch today once they realised I was leaving. Some of the guys are very interested in what route I took home and other guys are just happy to make sure I’m okay. Not sure if I’ll be the only one.””They are having over 300,000 cases a day and they are only the ones being reported, we know there’s probably a lot more than that number who can’t get tested. Yes, the IPL and BCCI have done an amazing job of keeping us safe but at the same time it’s tough and you also feel bad for the amount of people out there with Covid and we are still able to play cricket.”On Monday, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association issued a joint statement.”Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association remain in regular contact with Australian players, coaches and commentators taking part in the Indian Premier League, which is being conducted under strict biosecurity protocols,” they said.”We will continue to listen to feedback from those on the ground in India and the advice of the Australian Government. Our thoughts are with the people of India at this difficult time.”Tye is the second Royals player to leave the IPL for home after Englishman Liam Livingstone went back last week. Livingstone had cited “bubble fatigue” as the reason, just days before the UK announced it was putting India on the red list of countries barring inbound passengers from the country except locals who would need to quarantine at paid facilities.Tye had been retained by the Royals, but didn’t play in any of their first five games of the ongoing season.1.00am GMT, April 26 – the story was updated with Tye’s comments on radio

Julen Lopetegui and West Ham are on the hunt for a clinical striker, to provide goals for the team and take the burden away from the wide players, such as Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.

The performances of Michail Antonio and Danny Ings haven't been of the standard needed, at least from a goalscoring perspective, with Antonio scoring seven goals in 32 appearances and Ings only scoring one goal, in his 30 appearances in 2023/24.

There have been many striker links already, including Aston Villa's Jhon Duran, and Borussia Dortmund's Niclas Füllkrug, who could both prove good options to improve their clinical finishing around the box.

West Ham transfer news

According to French outlet L'Equipe, West Ham have entered the race for RC Lens striker, Elye Wahi, along with Leicester City, who are also believed to be interested.

The report mentions Chelsea as another team who registered interest earlier this month, and is now saying the Premier League trio could table the first offer in 'the next few hours'.

Wahi made 37 appearances in all competitions for Lens last season, scoring 12 goals, providing four assists – totalling 2,395 minutes of football.

Why Wahi can be West Ham's own Osimhen

Now, of course, Victor Osimhen is widely regarded as a "world-class striker" – as dubbed by Jose Mourinho – having made 32 appearances last campaign for Napoli, scoring 17 goals and providing four assists in his 2,476 minutes.

Interestingly, FBref's 'similar players' feature likens Wahi to reported Chelsea target, Osimhen and has the Nigerian striker as Wahi's most comparable striker in Europe's top five leagues.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Wahi

Osimhen

Non-Penalty Goals

0.43

0.52

Shots Total

2.89

3.73

Shots on Target

1.33

1.55

xG: Expected Goals

0.50

0.65

Assists

0.16

0.11

Shot-Creating Actions

1.99

2.47

Progressive Carries

2.66

1.59

Aerials Won

0.55

1.81

Regarded as a "jewel" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Wahi even showed his goal-scoring prowess the season prior, scoring 19 goals in 33 games played. And the metrics show Wahi to be a clinical finisher, who is most dangerous when in and around the box.

Ranking closely in shooting metrics to one of the elites in Europe, Wahi averages 2.89 shots per 90, of which 1.33 are on target, producing an xG of 0.50 per 90. But the 21-year-old can also be involved in the build-up.

Producing 2.66 progressive carries per 90, which ranks in the top 12% among forwards in the top five leagues, Wahi can drive his team forwards using his carrying qualities, as well as provide for others, as seen by his 0.16 assists per 90, ranking higher than Osimhen in this metric.

The Lens striker – who currently earns around £48k per week according to FBref – could prove to be a very good value for money move at the striker position, offering goal threat, but also the ability to link play in attacking zones.

It may be West Ham's London rivals who will be getting their hands on Osimhen, but Lopetegui and the Hammers could be in the mix to land the next best thing.

Outscored Bowen & Fullkrug: West Ham pursuing "stellar" Duran upgrade

West Ham still hunting for perfect striker choice

ByConnor Holden Jul 31, 2024

New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has personally requested that the club make a key signing in one area, with Stamford Bridge chiefs casting their eye on a £34 million player for him.

Chelsea's busy summer transfer window with nearly £120m spent

Chelsea are set to sign Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors with everything in place over their £17 million deal, and he'll be joined by Caleb Wiley, who is also set to make the move to west London in an £8.5 million deal from MLS outfit Atlanta United (The Athletic).

Chelsea hold new talks with Premier League club over signing £70m "talent"

He’s fresh off the back of an excellent campaign.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 19, 2024

The £25.5 million spent on both Americans takes Chelsea's total expenditure for the window to nearly £120 million, following on from the £93 million invested in deals for defender Tosin Adarabioyo (free), striker Marc Guiu, homegrown starlet Omari Kellyman, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Portuguese ace Renato Veiga.

There could still be more signings to come through the door, as co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley reportedly set their sights on a star winger. Indeed, Chelsea are targeting a star wide forward for Maresca, and one who can compete with the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Raheem Sterling.

Raheem Sterling's all-time stats for Chelsea
Appearances	81
Goals	19
Assists	12
Yellow cards	13
Red cards	0
Minutes played	5,321
via Transfermarkt

This has lead to the likes of Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams being linked in the past fortnight, alongside others, with Federico Chiesa's representatives also reaching out to Chelsea.

However, they could also shore up their defensive department as well, with Chelsea reportedly contacting Nottingham Forest over a deal for Murillo. The Brazilian's arrival would do wonders to fill the void left by Thiago Silva's departure, coming after the veteran centre-back re-joined boyhood club Fluminense on a free.

Meanwhile, there have been sporadic murmurs that a new goalkeeper could come through the door as well. Maresca is said to be a big fan of Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and has plans for him next season.

Maresca asks Chelsea to sign new goalkeeper with Mamardashvili targeted

However, that hasn't stopped Chelsea's boss from making a personal transfer demand behind the scenes.

According to Football Transfers, Maresca has personally asked Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper after a week assessing his current squad in training. It is unclear what this means for Sanchez, but in terms of the players who have admirers at the club, one of them is Valencia shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The 23-year-old Georgian, who helped his country to the last 16 of Euro 2024, is in the final year of his contract and could be available for a cut-price £34 million – a huge drop down from his £84 million release clause.

Arne Slot and Liverpool have lodged an enquiry for a potential new forward this summer, it has emerged, as they look to improve on last season's Premier League action.

Reds hunting additions

Liverpool are yet to make any moves in the transfer market, but are understood to be targeting significant change this summer after finishing third in the Premier League last season.

A new midfielder is at the top of their wishlist, alongside a left-sided centre-back to provide competition for Virgil van Dijk and eventually replace the Dutchman.

Priority target: Liverpool lining up their answer to Rodri in £101m talent

FSG are believed to be readying a bid for this prodigious player.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 11, 2024

Meanwhile, they will likely need a new goalkeeper too amid speculation linking both Alisson and Caoimhín Kelleher with moves away from Anfield this summer, and thirds-choice goalkeeper Adrian having already departed.

But it is at the top of the pitch that their focus appears to be at the moment, if the latest report is to be believed.

Liverpool chasing wide man

Now, it has emerged that Liverpool have made an enquiry for exciting Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who was in EURO 2024 action for his nation.

The 23-year-old was a rare bright spark for Napoli last season, grabbing 11 goals and 8 assists in 34 outings and winning back to back player of the month awards at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. His talent has been evident for some time now too.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's Napoli career (Serie A)

2022-23

2023-24

Appearances

34

34

Goals

12

11

Assists

13

8

Yellow Cards

1

8

Shots on target per 90

1.07

1.48

Former Napoli boss and current Italy manager Luciano Spalletti was full of praise for the Georgian during their time together, comparing him to Liverpool legend Mo Salah when it came to holding onto the ball in tight spaces.

"He is really one who has sensitivity in dribbling, in caressing the ball, in bringing those feints that are so difficult to defend against," the Italian said, via Football Italia.

"Mo Salah is one of those guys who has this quality in the tight spaces and in finishing so precisely, he doesn’t feel the pressure. You can see that he is a quiet boy, he will have a great future."

And Liverpool clearly feel the same way, with Slot's side having reportedly made a recent enquiry for the young winger, whose head has been turned away from Napoli this summer.

"I don't want people to think that Kvara wants to stay at Napoli", his agent explained after a disappointing midtable finish in Serie A. "We want to leave, but we are waiting for the end of the Euros so as not to disturb Khvicha. The priority is to join a team that plays in the Champions League."

However, Liverpool's hopes were swifty shot down for now, with this new report explaining that "the Italian side do not want to lose the winger this summer" and have "made clear" their stance to interested parties.

That could yet change; Kvaratskhelia has three years left on his £31,000 a week deal in Naples, but should he seriously push for a move the Italian side may be forced into parting ways with him. For now though, his future seems to lie away from Anfield despite their efforts.

Since the appointment of Sean Dyche at the start of 2023, he’s done an excellent job of transforming the Everton squad after years of relegation near-misses from the Premier League.

The former Burnley boss has dragged the club out of any impending danger, with the Toffees looking a much more settled outfit than when he arrived at Goodison Park.

Dyche has built some strong on-field partnerships during his time on Merseyside, many have allowed his side to flourish and excel under his guidance.

James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite have worked well together in their first full campaign alongside each other, contributing to Everton’s record of just 51 goals conceded in 2023/24 – the best of any side outside the top four.

Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are two other first-team members who have often found themselves impressing together, with the pair contributing with 14 goals in the Premier League last season.

However, Dyche’s side could be about to create another partnership between two players who have previously impressed when featuring together elsewhere.

Everton register interest in Premier League talent

According to Football Insider, Everton are set to pursue a move to sign Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer.

The 28-year-old joined Pep Guardiola’s side for £45m during the summer of 2022, but his stock has fallen rapidly in recent months, following a disappointing loan spell at the London Stadium that saw him feature just eight times for the Hammers, which also included a red card against Nottingham Forest.

He may not appear to be the player he was upon his move to the Etihad, but one thing is for sure, and that is that he’s desperately lacking confidence, with Dyche potentially one of the best managers to rediscover his previous form.

Kalvin Phillips' stats at West Ham in PL 2023/24

Statistics

Tally

Games

8

Goals

0

Assists

0

Minutes played

307

Yellow cards

1

Red cards

1

Average rating

6.10

Stats via FotMob

Should he make the move, it would allow Phillips to rekindle a partnership he made with one player earlier on in his professional career.

Why Phillips would be perfect for Jack Harrison

Attacker Jack Harrison has proven over the last few years that he’s an excellent Premier League talent, playing a key role for Leeds United despite their relegation back to the Championship in 2022/23.

In the three seasons before their eventual relegation, he managed 24 goals and 20 assists, starring alongside Phillips before his big-money move to champions Manchester City.

However, neither player have made a huge impression since their respective moves from Elland Road, with Harrison only managing to produce a tally of four goals and three assists for Everton last season – his lowest goal return during his time in England’s top flight.

As previously mentioned, the “phenomenal” Phillips, as dubbed by journalist Jules Breach, failed to make an impact during his temporary stint at West Ham, looking a shadow of his former self in recent seasons.

With the duo previously impressing together at Leeds, everyone knows what they are capable of when performing at their scintillating best, but it’s been a struggle for either player to shine when not playing on the same side.

A move for Phillips this summer could allow him to finally regain the impressive form that earned him his £45m move a couple of years ago, having previously started every game during England's surge to the Euro 2020 final – lauded as a "beast" under Gareth Southgate by former Holland midfielder, Nigel de Jong.

In need of a new lease of life amid a stagnant period for the Yorkshireman, moving to Merseyside could be just the answer for the £150k-per-week star, with the deal also allowing Harrison to potentially reach the heights he produced during his time at Leeds.

Related Imagine him & Gnonto: Everton in contact to sign £20m Onana replacement

The transfer business is starting to ramp up at Goodison Park.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 17, 2024

If Arne Slot proves to be the perfect man to lead Liverpool into the new era with silver-laden success, then he will need more than just the effective implementation of his tactical approach to click into place.

Liverpool have not enjoyed the scattergun transfer window that certain segments of the Reds support might have hoped for, but all is in order at Anfield, with sporting director Richard Hughes revealing that the plan is to reinforce the team after Slot has ingrained his philosophy and familiarised himself with the club's existing options.

While Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip's contracts expired last month, FSG feel that the sweeping changes enforced last summer have left the first-team squad in a good position, with depth across all walks.

That said, several exciting names have been linked with a move to Merseyside, and should rumours surrounding Luis Diaz's potential summer sale sprout into something more tangible, there's a Premier League star waiting to join the club.

Liverpool transfer news

As per Football Insider, Liverpool have joined a host of top Premier League outfits in the race for Eberechi Eze, who played a starring role in Crystal Palace's 2023/24 campaign, suggesting they are 'making their move' to try and sign him.

Oliver Glasner's outfit are confident that they can retain the Eagles' services, financially secure following Bayern Munich's £50m acquisition of Michael Olise, but Eze is understood to have a £60m release clause in his contract – Liverpool have all the knowledge needed to forge ahead with an official swoop.

Of course, all of the division's biggest hitters are sniffing around, so if Slot and his transfer team are serious in their interest, concrete action must be taken swiftly.

Luis Diaz's 23/24 season in numbers

Let's forget about Eze for a moment. Should Liverpool really seek to cash in on Diaz? The Colombian is widely accepted to be one of the most talented wingers in the Premier League and started every league match for the Reds during the second half of last season.

But the 27-year-old has faced criticisms centring on his output, posting just 13 goals and five assists across 51 matches in all competitions last term. He's one of the slickest dribblers around and has a tireless energy about him that makes him a nightmare for defenders, never afforded a moment to breathe.

As per FBref, the talent ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, speaking of his technicality, creativity and eagerness to drive forward and into the danger area.

But in spite of that, he only ranks among the top 24% for progressive carries and the top 21% for successful take-ons per 90, suggesting that he doesn't wheel away with speed with the regularity that perhaps he's capable of.

Further evidencing this, during those blistering early days of Diaz's Premier League journey, during the latter half of the 2021/22 campaign (following his £39m January transfer from FC Porto) he ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in the English top flight for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for forward carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

This regression of underlying numbers has seeped into his direct output, and if an outfit were to offer Liverpool a fee in excess of £50m for his signature this summer, allowing him to wander off to pastures new and targetting Eze might be a beneficial move for the fluency of Slot's side.

Why Eze would be an upgrade on Diaz

Silky-smooth and electrifying when capering forwards, Eze is the real deal, with the perfect goalscoring instinct to successfully partner his ball-carrying ability. It's no wonder that he's been described as a player that his opponents will "have nightmares" about by reporter Edmund Brack.

Having scored 21 goals and supplied eight assists across 51 starting appearances over the past two Premier League campaigns, Eze is proving himself to be one of Europe's foremost attacking talents, even ranking among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90 (FBref).

He's more clinical and more mobile than Diaz, and while they match up pretty well, it's clear that Eze boasts the more rounded skillset – as you will see below.

Premier League 23/24: Luis Diaz vs Eberechi Eze

Statistics

Diaz

Eze

Matches played

37

27

Matches started

32

24

Goals

8

11

Assists

6

4

Pass completion

85%

84%

Big chances missed

13

5

Big chances created

5

7

Shots per game

2.5

3.1

Key passes per game

1.8

2.0

Ball recoveries per game

3.4

5.0

Dribbles per game

1.8 (54%)

2.6 (52%)

Duels won per game

4.6 (40%)

6.1 (48%)

Stats via Sofascore

The Palace man would thrive at a top outfit such as Liverpool, with analyst Ben Mattinson even remarking: "Eze is a superstar who’s been held back by previously having too much responsibility."

His stop-start motions have even earned him a stylistic similarity to that of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, according to FBref's model. His semblance to that of the Three Lions linchpin further suggests that he could be the perfect man to spearhead Slot's new regime from the left flank.

Saka, indeed, is a goalscoring maverick, scoring 20 times – and adding 14 assists – for the Gunners last term and proving his shooting skills and then some at Euro 2024.

The 22-year-old has averaged 2.3 dribbles and won 5.3 duels on average at the Germany-hosted tournament this summer, expounding in itself on Eze's similarities to one of the most highly-valued players in world football.

Liverpool must make their move quickly, for there are plenty of rival suitors eyeing a move themselves. Slot would not be let down, and neither would the roaring Anfield fanbase.

Related Liverpool could sign dream Van Dijk successor in £50m "monster"

He’d be a considerable force under Arne Slot’s management.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 13, 2024

The Brazilian continued his red-hot form by putting Bayern Munich to the sword, and Los Blancos could be next

"The most underrated Brazilian in the history of Barcelona". That's what Spanish publication christened Raphinha after seeing the Barcelona winger score a stunning hat-trick in Wednesday's 4-1 rout of Bayern Munich at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

A few months ago, no one would have thought to make such a bold statement about Raphinha, but he's completely reinvented himself under the guidance of new Barca boss Hansi Flick. The 27-year-old was deservedly named Man of the Match for his latest dazzling display in the Champions League, which left him visibly emotional as he told reporters: "Since I signed I have dreamed of these nights: scoring goals, playing these games and making a difference."

Raphinha is making more of a difference for Barcelona than any other player in the squad right now. He also promised that "the best is yet to come", which should send shivers down the spines of Real Madrid's defenders ahead of Saturday's blockbuster Clasico encounter at Santiago Bernabeu.

Getty/GOALShades of prime Neymar

Barcelona teams have rarely been short on scintillating Samba skill. From Romario and Ronaldo Nazario to Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, the Blaugrana's proud history with Brazilian talent dates back over 30 years.

Raphinha is finally making a strong case to be mentioned in the same breath as those icons. He is now the fourth Brazilian to score a Champions League hat-trick for Barca, after Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Neymar – the latter of whom was also the last player from any club to hit a first-half brace against Bayern in the competition back in 2014-15.

Barca won the treble that season, and Neymar posted a staggering total of 50 goal contributions in 51 appearances. Raphinha has a long way to go to match his compatriot, but he's already up to 17 in just 13 games, and he's giving supporters reason to dream of silverware again.

Neymar ultimately blew his chances of becoming a Barca legend when he sealed a world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. He was, though, undeniably one of the most gifted footballers ever to wear the Blaugrana shirt, and Raphinha appeared to be channelling the prime version of Neymar on Wednesday.

His second goal, especially, was straight out of the Neymar playbook, as he effortlessly took a cross-field pass from Marc Casado in his stride before cutting in onto his right foot and curling the ball into the far corner of Manuel Neuer's net. Making the difficult look easy is the mark of a great player, and Bayern simply couldn't cope with Raphinha's ingenuity, pace and disorientating footwork.

AdvertisementGetty Images/GoalSilenced 'disrespectful' fans

Raphinha's revival has been such a compelling story because few expected him to still be on Barcelona's books at the start of the 2024-25 season. The Catalan club reportedly placed a €60 million (£51m/$65m) price tag on his head in the summer transfer window after deeming him an expendable asset.

That came after Blaugrana president Joan Laporta had publicly declared interest in Nico Williams, on the back of the Athletic Club winger's superb Euro 2024 with Spain. Barca couldn't afford Williams without reducing their wage bill, and selling Raphinha was the obvious solution, with the Brazilian said to be pocketing around €5m per year.

A large section of the Barca faithful agreed that Williams was an upgrade on the former Leeds United man. One fan even went viral for wearing Raphinha's No.11 shirt with Williams' name on the back, which prompted the Brazil international to respond with a series of laughing face emojis.

Privately, though, Raphinha was hurting, as he admitted in the build-up to the Bayern game. "I thought it was a joke in bad taste and it was disrespectful. People need to respect the players that are here. We're here giving our best and fighting for the club. To see a photo like that wasn't very nice for me, I took it as a lack of respect."

Raphinha has successfully silenced that "disrespectful" group this season. Williams is no longer even a talking point, and Laporta owes their current No.11 a sincere apology.

Getty Images'Different mentality'

Much of the credit for Raphinha's evolution must go to Flick. The Brazilian was initially signed from Leeds to fill the spot on the right flank in July 2022, but Lamine Yamal changed everything. The teenage star made that role his own during a breakout 2023-24 season, leaving Raphinha's future up in the air.

Had Xavi still been in charge, Raphinha probably wouldn't have survived, but Flick took an immediate shine to him after being chosen to succeed the axed Spaniard. Raphinha now operates on the left or in a central role just behind Robert Lewandowski, and has worked hard to make himself indispensable.

"It's very important for me to have the confidence of the coach and my team-mates," he said at the start of the week. "My mentality at the beginning of the season was different from other years – I knew I had to adapt to a new position to play here."

Raphinha has been setting the tone for Barca going forward with his dynamic dribbling and progressive passing, while also leading their press out of possession, much to Flick's delight. The German tactician demands an expansive, high-energy brand of football, which Raphinha has become the face of.

“He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match," Flick beamed when quizzed on Raphinha's impact after the win over Bayern. "His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot."

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(C)Getty Images'Learned all that at Elland Road'

Raphinha has claimed he is now "working at 200 percent", having also embraced the extra responsibility of being one of Barcelona's four club captains. But the biggest difference between this version of the Brazilian and the one that flattered to deceive under Xavi is that he seems to have a permanent smile on his face.

You can sense the confidence surging through Raphinha's veins, for perhaps the first time since his days at Leeds. He played with the same carefree abandon in West Yorkshire, where the pressure on his shoulders was far less pronounced.

Leeds finished ninth in their first season back in the Premier League after a 16-year absence, largely thanks to the relationship Raphinha struck up with Patrick Bamford in the final third. An alarming slide towards the relegation places followed in 2021-22, but Raphinha's standards didn't drop, and his 11 goals prevented the Whites from falling back into the Championship.

Raphinha became a hero among supporters across those two seasons for bringing flair and a tenacious edge to the Leeds team. "They tell me he learned all that at Elland Road," Guy Mowbray even said when commentating on Raphinha's hat-trick showing against Bayern for 's new Champions League highlights show.

The gulf in quality between Leeds and Barca is obviously huge, but Raphinha is finally playing with uninhibited joy again. He savoured every minute in the English top-flight, and has rediscovered the same passion at Barca this term.

Ipswich Town have had great luck buying a number of Welsh gems in recent times, with both Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead standing out as glowing examples in the current squad.

Both Burns and Broadhead, who were born in Cardiff and Bangor respectively, were key parts of the Tractor Boys puzzle that won promotion up to the Premier League as plucky underdogs, with a combined 27 goal contributions tallied up between them in the second tier.

This evident success, with Burns scoring a crucial goal on the final day of last season to secure a richly deserved promotion no less, could mean Ipswich shop in the Welsh market once more soon, with this Bluebirds youngster potentially taking their fancy.

Ipswich looking at young Cardiff midfielder

Football journalist Darren Witcoop took to social media in recent days to confirm Premier League interest is there for homegrown Cardiff prodigy Rubin Colwill this summer, with Ipswich outright named as an interested party.

Labelled as being 'admirers' in the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, Witcoop did reveal that Colwill is likely to stay put regardless of this new interest, but Ipswich might well be too tempting for the 6 foot 2 talent to resist, who has even reportedly had Arsenal sniffing around for his services in the past.

In and around the first team in the Welsh capital for Erol Bulut's men over a number of seasons, Colwill will also be intrigued at the prospect of testing himself in the division above, as opposed to sticking it out with the Bluebirds routinely finishing in mid-table.

How Colwill would fit in at Ipswich

Colwill could find it hard to break into McKenna's settled first-team, however, but he could shine alongside his fellow compatriot Broadhead when given a chance to impress, and also be direct competition to Conor Chaplin just behind the lone striker spot in that number ten role.

Colwill and Broadhead have even recently been together in the same Wales camp, in rather drab circumstances in a 0-0 draw versus Gibraltar unfortunately, but the 22-year-old could opt to move to Suffolk to link up with his international teammate at club level.

Ipswich would hope this connection would take Colwill up a notch on the pitch subsequently, with the exciting attacker registering nine goals and six assists when donning a Bluebirds strip, from 107 total games to date.

Colwill's numbers for Cardiff in the Championship (23/24)

Stat (* = per game)

Colwill

Games played

36

Games started

14

Minutes*

45

Goals

1

Assists

2

Big chances created

4

Stats by Sofascore

Not even a main starter for Cardiff a lot of last season, Colwill still managed to amass some encouraging numbers for his boyhood club regardless – as can be seen looking at the table above – with Ipswich now looking towards the 22-year-old as a way to add strength in depth to the attacking positions, with limited numbers at McKenna's disposal in Chaplin's spot in the side.

Colwill has played all across the attack for Cardiff when needed, even playing as a centre-forward on occasion, with McKenna and Co admirers of the 22-year-old's versatility presumably as much as his raw talent.

With a close-knit team environment crucial in Ipswich upsetting the odds to pull off back-to-back promotions last season, Colwill will hope he can instantly blend in if he does join, with a familiar face in Broadhead beside him.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 20, 2024

The two rain-affected draws in their three-Test series against Pakistan have put England on a sticky wicket in their quest for a place in the final of World Test Championship (WTC). To put these results in perspective, a win in the forthcoming tour of India will fetch only 24 points – given it is a five-Test series – but the difference between a win and a draw in a three-Test series is 27 points (40 points for a win, 13 for a draw).The WTC schedule is not halfway through yet, with 14 out of 27 series still to be played, but here is a look at where teams stand at this point.