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When Liverpool wrapped up a £34m deal for Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, the door was shut at the final hour to conclude a summer of far-reaching change at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp had decided that the dismal 2022/23 campaign called for change, with the sapped midfield replaced by four shiny new signings to restore the club's credentials to compete at the forefront of European football.

Wataru Endo, aged 30, was brought in to replace the declining Fabinho – who was sold to Al Ittihad for £40m – after the Reds missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, and while the Japan international has been an underrated star of late, the long-term solution to the No. 6 position remains unsettled.

It's unlikely that Liverpool will make any moves to complete the midfield this month but there is little question that Klopp and co would be wise to make a move for a specialist deep-lying midfielder who could anchor the engine room for many years to come.

Liverpool transfer news – Fabinho heir

According to a report from Football Transfers, Newcastle United are begrudgingly willing to let the jewel of their midfield, Bruno Guimaraes, realise his dream of playing in Spain and join either of Spanish suitors Barcelona or Real Madrid for less than his £100m release clause.

Liverpool – alongside Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain – are also known suitors but will not receive any such ministrations, with the La Liga sides not in the same financial situation, ensuring the Reds will have to meet that £100m clause.

Profit & Sustainability regulations are inhibiting the Magpies from heavy spending and have now opened the door to potential outgoings to husband resources and ensure that investment can be made going forward.

Bruno Guimaraes' style of play

Chiefly, Guimaraes operates in the deepest reaches of the midfield, with his brilliant range of passing, high energy and relentless recycling of possession establishing him as one of the Premier League's leading midfielders since signing from Lyon for £40m back in January 2022.

Having chalked up 86 appearances for Eddie Howe's outfit, the 26-year-old has scored 11 goals, supplied nine assists and pronounced himself to be the team's "piano carrier", a footballing term highlighting a player who does the unseen work on the pitch.

Last season, as Newcastle defied expectations to surge toward a fourth-place finish and a spot in the Champions League, Guimaraes played 32 times, earned nine goal contributions, completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.3 key passes and 2.4 tackles per game and succeeded with 63% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

The catalyst for success, he has still showcased his myriad of qualities this term but with Newcastle blighted by injury problems and something of a virulent case of 'second-season syndrome', he has perhaps not been quite so influential.

# Passing

# Tackling

# Dribbling

# Through balls

# Concentration

*Sourced via WhoScored

Nonetheless, the £160k-per-week machine ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Having also averaged 2.1 tackles and 6.2 ball recoveries per fixture in the English top-flight this season, it's clear to see why Liverpool might want this all-encompassing midfielder to dictate the play and ward off opposition advances.

For all intents and purposes, he would be the perfect replacement for Fabinho, albeit offering a different style to his compatriot, who is less inventive with his distribution but undoubtedly one of the finest holding midfielders of the last decade, crucial in the club's success.

How Bruno Guimaraes compares to Fabinho

Guimaraes has been hailed as a "world-class" member of the Newcastle project by teammate Dan Burn and with his dynamic approach it is clear to see why so many illustrious (and pass-centric) outfits across the continent are eager to secure his services.

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But he would differ from Fabinho, who completed 219 matches for Liverpool and played a central role in every major honour won under Klopp's guidance thus far, carrying out his duties in the centre of the park – where he usually remained glued – with a singular industriousness that was not replicated anywhere else on the pitch.

Gini Wijnaldum too played his role to perfection but he bounced up and down the midfield passages and influenced play with his intelligence and robustness.

Fabinho was the anchor and this allowed his peers to surge forward and wreak devastation on opponents, emboldened by the knowledge that this pillar of Brazilian power was erected in front of the rearguard, commanding and cultured.

Of course, his final year on Merseyside was not one of success and he was even branded "awful" by pundit and former Red Jamie Carragher for his lacklustre displays.

But the 30-year-old still averaged 2.5 tackles and 1.5 interceptions on average across the duration of his professional career – as per WhoScored – while never dropping below an 87% pass success rate in the Premier League after his maiden year on English shores.

Liverpool have now evolved, and with Alexis Mac Allister shoehorned into a defensive midfield role on many occasions this season, Guimaraes certainly appears to offer the right style to flourish in this revamped Liverpool team, effectively more suited to the placement than the Argentine while flourishing many of the same core qualities.

Liverpool might be flying high but this is certainly not the same team that was once assembled by Klopp's hand, and Guimaraes would be a stunning acquisition to spearhead the illustrious success that is desired over the coming years.

Of course, Newcastle are demanding that divisional rivals pay his full £100m release clause and this is somewhat infeasible, even in the summer, but that's not to say that something won't give at the end of the campaign and Liverpool can't then make their move.

Injury-plagued Dele Alli has angered Everton fans on social media after he failed to join in on the Goodison Park lap of honour .

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Dele Alli missed Goodison lap of honorFans unhappy with absenceContract ends at the end of this seasonGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The former England international joined the Merseyside club in the winter of 2022 with a lot of mystery shrouding his drop in form since his days of stardom with Tottenham Hotspur. The same poor form has continued with the Toffees amid multiple injuries hindering his progress and he has altogether failed to make a single appearance this season. With Everton having played their last home game of the season against Sheffield United, the player thanked the fans, however, Dele was the one figure not available and the same angered the fans with the 28-year-old's contract set to run out at the end of this season.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Everton fan and X user @saywattharry said: "Very poor that Dele didn't even turn up to clap the fans today. He's been a drain on this club for 99% of his time here, could have at least clapped the fans before he shoots off"

Another X user, @Bluestocking63 replied: "I remember the day he arrived and came on the pitch in scruffy jeans and a beanie. Looked like he’d been sleeping rough for a month. He was taking the piss from the start and never really stopped. The sooner he’s gone the better/cheaper. Jobs for the boys"

@HeskethRoy92257 said: "Don't like to say it about any of our players but…..good riddance."

@PeterPapadopo11 said: "Really couldn't care less about Dele Alli in a football sense anymore but do wish him well for his health and personal life."

@thegreatorm said: "Ignoring the fans final insult if not pocking 15m for one start in 3 seasons isn't insulting enough good riddance, another Bill legacy"

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Dele is unlikely to have his contract renewed by the Toffees as they will prefer to get rid of the strain that he currently poses on their wage bill. Some of the fans are not very happy to see the 28-year-old go with him having revealed earlier his battle with mental health and how his coping mechanisms to being molested in his youth have caused his on-field performances to drop.

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WHAT NEXT FOR DELE?

The former Spurs man is still out with an unspecified muscle tear and his future remains highly uncertain with very few clubs likely to gamble on a player who hasn't played a professional match in over a year.

David Warner’s 63 was in vain as Sylhet Sixers slumped further in the BPL 2018-19 points table

The Report by Saurabh Somani18-Jan-2019

Shakib Al Hasan asks for a review•Raton Gomes

How the game played outDavid Warner was upbeat when he won the toss, with Sixers having broken their sequence of defeat in the last game by batting first and defending successfully, but none of the batsmen showed the gumption to stick it out other than the captain. Battling an elbow injury that will cut short his BPL stay, Warner showed Sylhet what they would miss by battling to 63 off 43 to drag his team to a reasonable score. The Dynamites bowlers operated in a pack, managing to rein in Sixers whenever they threatened to get away.In the chase, Dynamites lost three wickets in the first five overs, but their big guns were unaffected, and it was they who piloted the chase. Shakib Al Hasan was dominant, and never let his side feel the pressure of the wickets, and then Andre Russell came and finishing things off in a blaze of sixes. Their unbroken 51 run-stand that took the team to victory in just 17 overs came off a mere 27 balls.Turning points- Warner had started cautiously, but then he saw the top order crumbling around him and decided to cut loose, and 31 runs came off the 15th and 16th overs, ensuring that Sylhet’s bowlers would have a total to bowl at- Dynamites faced a wobble at 39 for 3 in five overs, and Shakib, who had faced only three balls then, smashed Al-Amin Hossain for 14 runs in the last over of the Powerplay to negate the effect of the early strikes. He would later loot 25 runs off the 11th and 12th overs, bringing the equation to below a run a ball- Sixers needed a last-gasp miracle to turn things around but Russell sent Tasking Ahmed into orbit with two massive sixes in the 16th over, making the rest of the chase a mere formalityStar of the dayShakib took the two most important wickets when Dynamites bowled, first trapping Liton Das lbw for a 14-ball 27, and then coming back to snare Warner in the 19th over to deny Sixers a finishing kick or the positivity of good momentum heading into the innings break. He later helmed the chase expertly, timing and placing the ball to perfecting. He was impeccable in his judgement of which moment, and bowler, to choose to attack.The big missBig things were expected of Sandeep Lamichhane, especially since Sixers didn’t have a huge total to defend. However, he wasn’t able to tie down Shakib, which contributed largely to the Dynamites captain scoring freely against the other bowlers too and never letting the early wickets hamper the chase.Where the teams standDynamites have strengthened their position at the top of the table with five wins from six games and 10 points. Sixers remain second from bottom with four points from six games.

Chelsea secured a vital Premier League win against Brighton and Hove Albion over the weekend, despite going down to ten men in the first half as Conor Gallagher received two yellow cards and was sent for an early bath..

Despite playing at a disadvantage, the Blues led 3-1 heading into injury time and while there were nervy scenes after Joao Pedro scored to make it 3-2, Mauricio Pochettino’s men held on for an important three points.

On a different day, the ten men may not have held out and Gallagher was reckless for receiving a second booking and potentially letting the team down.

Conor Gallagher’s game in numbers vs Brighton

The Englishman was deployed in a number ten role just behind Nicolas Jackson and, during his spell on the pitch before receiving his marching orders, the midfielder completed 91% of his passes, succeeded with 100% of his attempted dribbles along with making two tackles.

His sending-off could have changed the course of the match, however, and it was the second Chelsea match in a row in which they have had their skipper for the day sent off after Reece James against Newcastle United.

While Gallagher failed to showcase his true talents, it was Jackson leading the line who was arguably Pochettino’s biggest disappointment, as he failed to have any real meaningful impact on the game.

Nicolas Jackson’s game in numbers vs Brighton

The striker has found the back of the net on seven occasions since joining from Villarreal for £30m in the summer, yet he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype generated upon his arrival.

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The attacker was tasked with leading the line against the south coast side on Sunday afternoon and while his link-up play was generally solid, he failed to provide any real contribution outside his assist for Levi Colwill’s goal.

During his 72-minute spell on the pitch, Jackson took just 31 touches of the ball and completed only eight passes, with both of these statistics dismally proving to be lower than those achieved by Robert Sanchez, indicating how isolated he was at times.

Minutes played

72

Touches

18

Accurate passes

8/9 (89%)

Key passes

1

Shots

1

Dribble success

1/3

Duels won

3/11

Possession lost

7x

Fouls

1

Expected goals (xG)

0.29

The striker contested 11 total duels, but won only three, and perhaps he is still too lightweight to cope with the Premier League at the moment, while the former La Liga gem lost possession seven times and succeeded with just one of his three attempted dribbles.

Pochettino is lacking in a top-class centre-forward and this has meant he has had to persist with utilising Jackson in that role, but the 22-year-old is taking longer to adapt to English football than first anticipated.

The more he plays, the better he will get, but Pochettino will be requiring his players to hit the ground running as they chase a European spot for the 2024/25 campaign.

The win against the Seagulls will give them plenty of confidence, especially doing so with ten men for large sections of the tie, but the Argentinian will be demanding more from players such as Jackson as the festive period begins in a couple of weeks.

If the former Villarreal starlet can grab another few goals, his confidence will surely blossom.

Manchester City have deployed chiefs to watch a new forward live in action as they consider bringing him to the Premier League, according to a reliable journalist.

Man City's season so far

The Sky Blues have made a fantastic start to the new campaign having won nine, drawn one and lost just two of their opening 12 games, meaning that they currently find themselves at the top of the table during the international break.

Whilst Pep Guardiola will be happy with his side’s form and confident that they can go on to achieve big things this term like last season, that may not stop him from assessing his options in the market to see if he could bolster his ranks with players who will improve the squad.

Ahead of January, Napoli’s left-winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been identified as a potential target having established himself as Walter Mazzarri’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.50 (WhoScored – Napoli statistics).

The Georgia international still has another four years remaining on his deal at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium (Napoli contracts), but regardless of his situation, the 22-year-old has been brought onto the radar of the hierarchy at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City send scouts to assess Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Taking to X, reporter Graeme Bailey confirmed that Man City deployed representatives to watch Kvaratskhelia during Georgia's 3-1 defeat to Spain on Sunday, with the forward scoring in a 3-1 defeat.

He wrote: "Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and Newcastle make Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scouting trip. Kvaratskhelia is one of Europe's most intriguing and in-demand talents. Napoli are hopeful of finalising new deal with the Georgian."

However, expanding in his column for 90min, the reporter revealed that the forward is in talks to extend his contract with his current club by a further 12 months which will include a significant pay rise, so any potential suitors may have to act fast should they want to tempt him into starting a new adventure elsewhere in January.

Kvaratskhelia is a real "magician" in the final third

Since putting pen to paper at Napoli, Kvaratskhelia has posted 39 contributions, 22 assists and 17 goals, in 58 appearances which shows just how extremely prolific he can be in the opposition’s penalty area (Transfermarkt – Kvaratskhelia stats).

Sponsored by Nike, the two-footed talent has also recorded 41 shots over the course of the current campaign which is more than any other of his fellow teammates (FBRef – Napoli stats), representing his constant desire to hit the back of the net.

Key passes

Likes to cut inside

Finishing

Likes to dribble

Dribbling

Likes to do layoffs

Through balls

Passing

The Serie A “magician”, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, even has the versatility to operate in five different positions over the grass, including everywhere across the frontline alongside as an attacking midfielder, so it could be a deal to watch ahead of 2024.

Glasgow Rangers secured a confidence-boosting win in midweek against Sparta Prague in the Europa League, and it sets them up nicely to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Goals from Danilo and Todd Cantwell were enough to see off the Czech side at Ibrox and manager Philippe Clement will be hoping for more of the same against Livingston on Sunday.

The Light Blues find themselves eight points adrift of Celtic, although they have a game in hand and the way they are playing under the Belgian, this gap could be cut before Christmas with some luck.

Against Livingston in the Premiership on Sunday, Clement will be looking to rotate his team who sent Sparta packing from Glasgow.

Four changes from that midweek side could be expected in certain areas. Here’s the manager’s predicted XI…

1 GK – Jack Butland

Jack Butland has been in inspired form this campaign for the Light Blues, proving himself to be one of the few transfers that Michael Beale managed to get right during the summer.

The Gers have conceded just six goals in the Premiership so far this term – the best defensive record in the division – and much of it has to do with how good Butland has been between the posts.

2 RB – James Tavernier

Captain fantastic. James Tavernier will once again lead the Gers out for a match, and he has missed just one match so far this term, against Morton in the League Cup back in August, as he was given a rest.

The right-back has already scored ten goals this season across 21 matches, while grabbing three assists, and he is certainly showing no signs of slowing down.

3 CB – Connor Goldson

Like Tavernier, Connor Goldson has missed just one match all season and that was back in August against Livingston.

He is arguably the finest defender at the club and his experience will be vital under Clement, especially if the Light Blues aim to win a trophy or two during the current campaign.

4 CB – Leon Balogun

Ben Davies will drop to the bench from the tie against Sparta and in his place comes Leon Balogun.

The Nigerian re-signed for the club during the summer on a one-year deal having enjoyed a spell between 2020-2022, and he has made two appearances under Clement so far, with the club conceding just one goal when Balogun was on the pitch.

5 LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

Ridvan Yilmaz was foolishly left out of the Europa League squad by Beale, leaving Clement short on cover in that area should Borna Barisic get injured.

The Croatian has started the previous two matches and this could allow Yilmaz to come in for a rare start as he hopes to take his chance under the Belgian following a topsy-turvy campaign so far.

6 CM – John Lundstram

The midfielder looked back to his best during the victory over Sparta on Thursday evening and if he can replicate his European form from the stunning run to the final of the Europa League in 2022, then Clement will have a player ready to go through brick walls for the club.

Lundstram was dribbled past just once in midweek, and he will be given another start against Livingston.

7 CM – Jose Cifuentes

While Ryan Jack has looked back to his best under the Belgian recently, staying clear of any niggling injuries which have cost him games in the past, he could be given a well-deserved rest against Livingston.

This would open the door for Jose Cifuentes to come in and operate alongside Lundstram in the heart of the midfield.

The Ecuadorian has yet to really get into his groove following his move from Los Angeles FC during the summer transfer window, but he has all the required abilities to be a roaring success at the Gers once he hits the ground running.

8 RW – Ross McCausland

The young winger made his debut for the senior side back in 2022 against Hearts, but it has only been in the last few weeks that he has established himself as part of the first-team squad.

He has yet to start in the league but has emerged off the bench four times and has created one big chance while averaging 1.3 key passes per game, showcasing his excellent talents and a start is more than he deserves.

The youngster was dubbed as a “spark” by journalist Josh Bunting following his impressive cameo against the Czech outfit, and he could cause the Livi defence all sorts of problems should he be unleashed.

9 AM – Todd Cantwell

The former Norwich City man scored his first goal of the season against Sparta, curling a low shot beyond their keeper and this should hopefully be the catalyst which gives him confidence heading into the next few months.

The Englishman was deployed out on the right-hand side of the attacking unit once again in midweek, but due to Sam Lammers failing to impress, he should start in the number ten role, a spot where he can significantly impress.

10 LW – Abdallah Sima

The on-loan Brighton and Hove Albion starlet has been wonderful since joining during the summer, scoring nine goals across 21 matches, and his creativity and pace have given the Gers a solid attacking threat on the left wing.

With Ryan Kent departing in the summer, Beale needed a player who could replace him and Sima has done a stellar job thus far.

Former Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta was relieved of his duties in May of this year after almost six years in charge of the club's footballing business.

The Spanish chief endured the highs and the lows at Elland Road as he helped to win promotion back to the Premier League as well as playing his part in their eventual relegation to the Championship at the end of last season.

Orta's most-expensive Leeds signings
Player	Fee (via Transfermarkt and Sky Sports)
Georginio Rutter	£35.5m
Brendan Aaronson	£28.4m
Rodrigo	£25.9m
Dan James	£25.1
Luis Sinisterra	£21.6m

Orta had a number of successes and failures in the transfer market throughout his time at Elland Road but there may be some players he looks back on with regret at not signing.

Whilst it is easy to look at an arrival and judge how they have performed for the club, it is also worth looking at who could have been brought in instead to bolster the squad.

With this in mind, Orta missed a trick in his failed swoop to sign Noni Madueke from Dutch side PSV, who could have been a better option than Georginio Rutter.

Were Leeds interested in Noni Madueke?

Football Insider reported in the summer of 2021 that the Whites had made contact over a possible deal for the winger and were given 'encouragement' that a deal could be done for £20m.

This came after they were put off by the side's initial £25m valuation of the former Crystal Palace academy prospect, who had emerged as a first-team star for PSV.

The outlet claimed that the club were keen to sign an attacking midfielder who could also play out wide and the left-footed ace emerged as a prime target for them.

However, they did not get a deal over the line for him and it was then reported that they remained interested in the England U21 international the following summer.

It was Chelsea, in the end, who secured his services for a reported fee of £29m in January of this year, and 90min claimed that Tottenham and Leeds were also keen on him at the time

The Blues won the race for his signature as Orta was seemingly unable to convince Madueke that a move to Elland Road was the best next step for his development, or he was unwilling to spend £29m on the then-20-year-old wizard.

Who did Leeds sign instead of Madueke?

Leeds were, however, willing to splash the cash during that transfer window as they spent a club-record £35.5m to sign French whiz Rutter from Hoffenheim to bolster their survival chances.

The Bundesliga gem, who was also 20 at the time of the move, arrived at Elland Road off the back of a disappointing first half of the campaign in Germany.

He produced two goals and two assists in 15 league appearances for his former club, which included 11 starts. The France U21 international missed five 'big chances' and produced 0.7 key passes per game in that time, as per Sofascore.

That form came after his return of eight goals and two assists in 33 Bundesliga outings throughout the 2021/22 campaign, in which time Rutter provided 0.5 key passes per match and missed five 'big chances'.

His debut season in Germany also resulted in one goal and 0.2 key passes per clash across nine matches during the 2020/21 term as he made his first-team breakthrough for the club.

In total, Rutter arrived at Leeds with 11 goals and eight assists to his name in 64 appearances for Hoffenheim in all competitions, which is an average of one goal contribution every 3.37 matches.

How many goals did Madueke score for PSV?

Madueke, on the other hand, produced 20 goals and 14 assists in 80 outings in all competitions for PSV during his time in the Netherlands.

He caught the eye in limited minutes on the pitch during the first half of last season as the talented Englishman contributed with one goal and 2.6 key passes per match across five Eredivisie games.

The England U21 international averaged a goal or an assist every 2.35 clashes throughout his spell at his former club and that convinced Chelsea to spend £29m on him.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the young ace as "crazy good" but his form and glowing recommendations were seemingly not enough for Orta to go all out to secure his signature in 2023, 2022, or 2021.

How many goals has Madueke scored for Chelsea?

Madueke has scored two goals in eight starts across the Premier League and Carabao Cup for the Blues since his move to Stamford Bridge in January.

The left-footed magician has not been able to break into Mauricio Pochettino's side on a regular basis. However, he has caught the eye with his exceptional performances for England at U21 level this season.

In three U21 appearances this term, the former Leeds target has scored three goals and provided one assist in matches against Serbia, Ukraine, and Luxembourg.

Statistic	Madueke vs Ukraine (16/10/2023)
Sofascore rating	7.7
Goals	One
Chances created	Two
Dribbles completed	Seven
Madueke's most recent England U21 performance (via Sofascore)

These statistics suggest that Madueke is far too good to be lingering around the fringes of Chelsea's squad and a move to Leeds could have provided him with the chance to play week-in-week-out and showcase his ability to score and create goals.

The 21-year-old phenomenon has proven his quality to deliver contributions at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis for PSV and England at U21 level.

How many goals has Rutter scored for Leeds?

Rutter, on the other hand, produced one goal and zero assists in ten Premier League matches for the Whites as they were relegated to the Championship last term.

His form has improved since the drop down to the second tier as the French dynamo has chipped in with two goals and three assists in 11 outings this season.

He has had a strong start to the campaign but Madueke has not had a chance to showcase his talent at that level and their respective statistics in top-flight football suggest that the ex-PSV star would have been a better option for Leeds.

Therefore, Orta missed out on the chance to sign a homegrown star who could have provided more goals and assists in comparison to Rutter for a similar price in January.

The South African allrounder will be available for the remaining six Vitality Blast group matches and the knockouts, and four of the remaining six county championship matches

Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2018South Africa allrounder Wayne Parnell will play for Worcestershire until mid-September in both the Vitality Blast and County Championship first division as part of his preparation for the home summer.Parnell recently returned to action from a shoulder injury that had sidelined him since the start of the year. He finished as the top wicket-taker for the Edmonton Royals at the Global T20 in Canada, with six wickets from six matches at 22.50.”It was encouraging to be back again after the long layoff and finishing as the leading wicket-taker was good,” Parnell said. “My goal is to get Worcestershire to the quarter-final of their T20 league and also to keep them in the first division, as they are currently in last place.”Parnell will be available for the remaining six Vitality Blast group matches and the knockouts, and four of the remaining six county championship matches. He will return to South Africa to play for his domestic franchise, Cobras, and has made himself available across all formats. “I fully believe in my unique skill set and I back my ability with bat and ball to contribute to Worcestershire and the Cape Cobras’ cause,” Parnell said.Whether that will be enough to see Parnell back in contention for the South African squad and for the World Cup next year, is a matter of speculation. Parnell lost his national contract ahead of the 2018-19 season and has not played international cricket since a Test against Bangladesh in October, at home, last year.

The midfielder has picked up another potentially long-term problem, and may never hit the heights many felt he would

Pedri couldn't hide the tears. The Barcelona midfielder had slumped onto the San Mames pitch after tweaking his right quad, and though he didn't need help off the field, he cut a distraught figure as he limped to the sideline, the Athletic Club fans applauding him off.

That injury, sustained on Sunday, was the latest in a long line of fitness problems that have stunted what should be a glittering career. Now, less than four years after making his Barca debut, it's easy to wonder if the former Golden Boy winner and 'next Iniesta' will ever be the top-level midfielder that so many expected him to.

GOAL takes a look Pedri's injury history, and if the Barcelona star will ever be able to return on his undoubtedly huge potential…

• AA
  

  June 2020: Talent acquired

  Pedri is not a La Masia graduate. It is one of the greatest misconceptions in recent football history that the silky midfielder came through the same academy as Gavi, Ansu Fati and co. Instead, the Blaugrana hashed out a deal with then-Segunda Division side Las Palmas in late 2019 to sign Pedri the following summer, agreeing on an initial €5 million (£4.3m/$5.5m) fee – then regarded as a significant sum for a 16-year-old with little first-team experience.

  Still, there was a sense that Barca had a real talent on their hands. In the months between agreeing his transfer and Pedri's arrival, the Spaniard impressed for Las Palmas, becoming the youngest goalscorer in club history and tallying 10 goal involvements in the second tier.

Advertisement

• Soccrates Images/Getty Images
  

  October 2020: 'Signing of the decade'

  "Pedri is the signing of the decade" Spanish publication claimed in October 2020. The teenager had just turned in a mesmerising performance against Juventus in the Champions League, his display outshining that of a certain Lionel Messi – despite the Barca legend burying a crucial stoppage-time penalty that sealed a 2-0 win.

  That game capped off a rapid rise to prominence for Pedri, one in which the teenager needed less than a month in Catalunya to crack Ronald Koeman's starting XI. He soon became a fixture in a buzzing midfield, and a rare bright spot for a Barcelona team in transition.

• Getty Images
  

  August 2021: Worked into the ground

  Issues started to arrive for Pedri because, you could argue, he was playing too well. The 2020-21 campaign was a grim one for Barca, Messi's swansong ending in a third-placed La Liga finish. Pedri, the humming midfield presence, offered hope that the post-Messi years could be just as beautiful, though.

  A series of managers bought into that hype. Koeman handed him 53 appearances in his debut campaign, rarely giving him a day off as Barca fought to stay alive in three competitions. Luis Enrique was even more assertive with the youngster, a he called Pedri into his Spain squad in March 2021, and had him start two Euro 2020 qualifiers. By the time the tournament proper came around, Pedri was the focal point of the squad, playing all-but one minute as La Roja made a semi-final run. He covered the most ground in the tournament, was named in the Team of the Tournament, and took home the Young Player of the Tournament award.

  That should have been enough, but Pedri was then inexplicably shipped off to Japan to repreent Spain in the Olympics. Unsurprisingly given the amount of matches he had already played over the previous 12 months, he turned in a series of beleaguered showings for his country. By the end of it all, he had played 73 games – and over 4,000 minutes – in less than a year.

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  September 2021: Injury strikes

  It didn't take a medical expert to figure out what would happen next, and Pedri's hamstring was the first muscle to tell him that it had had enough. He missed three games – and less than two weeks – with a minor strain in September 2021, with it the kind of injury that top-level athletes pick up all the time. Unfortunately, for Pedri, it was a sign of things to come.

Steve Denison has been handed one of the biggest personal fines in the history of accountancy regulation

George Dobell13-Jun-2018Steve Denison, the chairman of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, is facing a lengthy exclusion from audit work after being handed one of the biggest personal fines in the history of accountancy regulation.Sky News have revealed that Denison, a former partner at accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), is to be fined GBP500,000 and banned (ESPNcricinfo understands he actually voluntarily agreed to sign an undertaking not to audit and withdraw his name from the register of statutory auditors) for 15 years by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) for his part in the audit of BHS ahead of its controversial sale by Philip Green in 2014. Denison was lead partner on the BHS audit.The deal, which included a GBP215million write-off of debt, saw the lossmaking business with a large pension deficit sold to Dominic Chappell, a three-time former bankrupt with no retail experience, for GBP1. BHS subsequently went into administration and, after no buyer was found, was wound down. 11,000 jobs were lost and the pension deficit was assessed to be GBP571million. Green eventually agreed to pay GBP363million into the pension scheme after the Pensions Regulator initiated legal action against him.It is understood that Denison left PwC voluntarily last week. Sky News have reported that the fine will be reduced to GBP325,000 after Denison agreed to settle. He will be in his late 60s by the time the exclusion expires so it effectively ends his career. He is also understood to have agreed to remove himself from the register of statutory auditors, though he remains a chartered accountant.Denison had previously been obliged to appear before a House of Commons Select Committee who wanted to know why PwC had been prepared to sign off the company’s accounts as a going concern when insolvency seemed imminent.While there is yet to be any official word on Denison’s position at Yorkshire it seems inevitable he will stand down. The ECB’s ‘Fit and Proper Person’ test states that an individual cannot be on a board or general committee if they are “subject to any form of suspension, disqualification or striking-off by a professional body including, without limitation, the Law Society, the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority, the Bar Council or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales or any equivalent body in any jurisdiction outside England and Wales, whether such suspension,disqualification or striking-off is direct or indirect.””The Directors of The Yorkshire County Cricket Club await the full report of the FRC relating to the conduct of its Chairman Mr Steve Denison in his capacity as an Audit Partner of PWC,” a statement from Yorkshire sent to ESPNcricinfo read. “Once all the information has been gleaned, the Board will decide an appropriate course of action.”No further comment on this matter will be made by the Club, or individuals, until the process has been completed.”