Eddie Nketiah told to follow Mason Greenwood to Marseille by former Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang amid transfer interest

Former Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has urged Eddie Nketiah to join his former club Marseille this summer.

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  • Aubameyang wants Nketiah to leave Arsenal for Marseille
  • Ligue 1 side submitted a bid for the striker
  • Arsenal unlikely to accept initial offer
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Aubameyang, who left the Ligue 1 club earlier this summer to complete a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah, has advised out-of-favour Gunners forward Nketiah to move to France amid interest from Les Phoceens. Per , the French side have submitted a €20m (£16.9m) bid for the striker, however, the Premier League giants are unlikely to accept the offer as they rate the player at €59m (£50m).

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    The 25-year-old academy product appeared in 37 matches across all competitions last season and clocked only 1,393 minutes on the pitch where he scored just six goals. The attacker is under contract at Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2027, but due to a number of names being ahead of him in Mikel Arteta's pecking order, the Englishman wants to leave the club.

  • WHAT PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG SAID

    In one of Aubameyang's X posts, a fan left a comment that read, "Tell Nketiah to come to OM (Olympique Marseille). In response, the 35-year-old wrote, "Already done".

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    WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

    Arteta's men will play their final friendly match of their US tour on Wednesday as they take on Premier League rivals Liverpool at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Man Utd sign Lenny Yoro! Red Devils beat Real Madrid and Liverpool to complete £52m deal for Lille star

Manchester United have completed the signing of Lenny Yoro in a £52 million ($68m) deal from Lille.

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  • United sign Yoro in a five-year deal
  • Matched Lille's demands to get him
  • Total fee could reach €70m
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Last week, United and Lille agreed on an initial fee of £52 million ($68m) for the 18-year-old prodigy. However, Yoro had yet to confirm his decision at that point. His initial preference was Real Madrid, but the Spanish giants did not meet the financial demands of Lille. Consequently, the Ligue 1 side leaned towards thrashing out a deal with the Red Devils to secure a sale this summer instead of risking Yoro's departure as a free agent when his contract ends in June 2025.

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  • WHAT YORO SAID

    The new Red Devils man told the club's website: "Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour. Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project, and showed a lot of care for me and my family. I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started."

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    On Tuesday, Yoro completed his medical in England and agreed on personal terms with United, which would see him sign a five-year deal with the Premier League giants, securing his future at Old Trafford at least until 2029. Although an initial fee of £52m was agreed the cost of the deal could potentially escalate to £60m ($77m) if certain sporting objectives are met.

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  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Born in the Paris suburbs, Yoro's family, originally from Ivory Coast, relocated to Lille when he was six. He joined Lille's academy in 2017 at the age of 12 and his rapid development through the youth system led to his selection for France's Under-17 and Under-18 teams. Yoro made his senior debut for Lille against Nice, at just 16 years, six months, and one day old which made him the second-youngest player to represent the club, surpassing even Belgian legend Eden Hazard.

The 10 Tallest Football Players in the World in 2024 (Ranked)

For all their athletic ability and untold riches, football players tend to be pretty average when it comes to height, for sports stars at least. You don't tend to see many players exceeding 1.92m – or 6 foot 3 – and it usually becomes a talking point when they do.

For example, Peter Crouch was a great player in his own right, but he is remembered for being one of the tallest players we have ever seen. Put him up against a basketball player, however, and he is distinctly average – height-wise, that is.

So how tall can professional players get, and who are the tallest professional players in world football today?

With that in mind, we have created a list of the 10 tallest football players still playing the game today in 2024 using data from Transfermarkt.

Disclaimer – for the purpose of this list, we have only included players playing at professional level.

Carlos Miguel

2.04m/6 foot 7

Corinthians

Goalkeeper

Armin Spahic

2.05m/6 foot 8

TOSK Tesanj

Centre-back

Milan Ziric

2.05m/6 foot 8

Vorwarts Steyr

Centre-back

Lucas Berstrom

2.05m/6 foot 8

Chelsea

Goalkeeper

Kevin Gadella

2.06m/6 foot 9

FC Utrecht II

Goalkeeper

Kjell Scherpen

2.06m/6 foot 9

SK Sturm Graz

Goalkeeper

Denys Tvardovskyi

2.06m/6 foot 9

Shakhtar Donetsk

Goalkeeper

Issak Toure

2.06m/6 foot 9

FC Lorient

Centre-back

Tomas Holy

2.06m/6 foot 9

Carlisle United

Goalkeeper

Kyle Hudlin

2.06m/6 foot 9

Huddersfield Town

Striker

10 Carlos Miguel (Corinthians) 2.04m (6 foot 7) – Goalkeeper

We're kicking off our list with a goalkeeper – there is going to be plenty of those – from South America, Brazil to be exact.

Carlos Miguel comes in at a massive 2.04m, or just about 6 foot 7, and we say massive regarding the rest of us. Compared to the rest of the players on this list, he's a good one to two inches shorter.

Miguel began his career in Internacional's reserve side before spending a couple of seasons on loan with Santa Cruz and Boa Esporte before making a permanent move to Brazilian giants Corinthians in August 2021.

He isn't the side's number-one keeper, but he has made eight first-team appearances this year and kept six clean sheets in the process, which is pretty good going for a backup.

9 Armin Spahic (TOSK Tesanj) 2.05m (6 foot 8) – Centre-back

The second man to make it onto our list is Austrian centre-back Armin Spahic, who is the first of three players to come in at 2.05m, or about 6 foot 8.

The 23-year-old is currently plying his trade in Bosnia-Herzegovina for second-tier side TOSK Tesanj, who he only joined in September of last year from fellow Bosnian second-tier side OFK Gradina Srebrenik.

The Austrian looks to be enjoying a relatively successful first season with his new club as he has featured in the starting XI 11 times so far this season and has even found himself on the scoresheet on one occasion – not bad for a new defender.

8 Milan Ziric (Vorwarts Steyr) 2.05m (6 foot 8) – Centre-back

We've got another Austrian centre-back measuring 6 foot 8 inches coming in next, although instead of playing in the Bosnian second division, he has stayed closer to home.

Milan Ziric plays for Austrian third-tier side Vorwarts Steyr, joining them in July last year from fourth-tier side SPG Wels II.

Like his compatriot in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ziric is having a great season with his new side, starting 12 games so far this season and helping them climb to fourth in the table – as things stand.

7 Lucas Bergstrom (Chelsea) 2.05m (6 foot 8) – Goalkeeper

Chelsea goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom.

The last 6 foot 8 player on the list is our second goalkeeper and the first player to ply his trade on these shores, in the Premier League, no less.

Lucas Berstrom is currently a Chelsea player and has been ever since his move from Finnish side Turun Palloseura during the 2018/19 season.

He spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Peterborough United and made 28 first-team appearances for the posh, in which he kept nine clean sheets.

He hasn't made a first-team appearance for the Blues yet, but he was on the team's preseason tour of America and has one international cap to his name.

6 Kevin Gadella (FC Utrecht II) 2.06m (6 foot 9) – Goalkeeper

We have reached the players on this list who tower above pretty much everyone else on a football pitch and probably wouldn't look amiss on a basketball court.

Kevin Gadella plys his trade in his home country of the Netherlands with FC Utrecht II – their under 21 team – and he has been having a mixed season so far this year.

He has featured in 13 games for the club, and he has let in 24 goals and kept five clean sheets so far, and with the team down in 19th place, he'll surely be looking to improve as the campaign continues.

5 Kjell Scherpen (SK Sturm Graz) 2.06m (6 foot 9) – Goalkeeper

We're back in the Premier League for the next one, well, sort of.

Kjell Scherpen is currently on loan to Austrian first-tier side Sturm Graz, but his parent club are Brighton & Hove Albion, back in the English top-flight.

The young Dutchman joined the Seagulls from Eredivisie giants Ajax in the summer of 2021 for an undisclosed fee before spending time in Belgium and the Netherlands on loan before ending up in Austria this season.

He's been having a cracking season this year, having conceded just 32 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, as well as keeping nine clean sheets in the process.

It would be great to see him make it in the Premier League one day, just to see how some of the shorter strikers cope with him.

Ranking the 10 tallest Premier League players for 2023/2024 season

FFC takes a detailed look at the tallest players to ever ply their trade in the Premier League.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 4, 2023 4 Denys Tvardovskyi (Shakhtar Donetsk) 2.06m (6 foot 9) – Goalkeeper

The fourth spot gives us our fourth goalkeeper on the bounce – we did say there were a lot of them on this list – and it's Shakhtar Donetsk's backup, Denys Tvardovskyi.

The 20-year-old has been with the Ukrainian giants for his entire professional career but has yet to be given the opportunity to start a game for the first team, let alone an appearance off the bench.

However, he has started eight games in the UEFA Youth League for the U19s, conceding 12 goals but keeping three clean sheets. He has also earned three caps for the Ukrainian U19 side and one for the U21s.

We reckon it won't be long until we see him in the starting XI for Shakhtar.

3 Isaak Toure (FC Lorient) 2.06m (6 foot 9) – Centre-back

The third spot on the list gives us a much-needed break from the wall-to-wall goalkeepers of the last four entries – my apologies to the union – with 20-year-old centre-back Isaak Toure claiming the bronze.

The Gonesse-born titan stands at 2.06m – 6 foot 9 – and currently plys his trade for Ligue 1 side FC Lorient after completing a move from French giants Marseille earlier this summer.

He's having a reasonably successful season with the men in orange this year, appearing in 18 games and helping his team stay out of the relegation zone, for now at least.

2 Tomas Holy (Carlisle United) 2.06m (6 foot 9) – Goalkeeper

The penultimate player on our list is another goalkeeper who makes his living in the English leagues, Carlisle United's Tomas Holy.

Like the four players before him, the six-cap Czech international comes in at a whopping 6 foot 9 and has been a regular in the EFL ever since his 2017 move to Gillingham from Prague outfit Sparta Prague.

He would make over 100 appearances for the Gills before moving to Ipswich Town in 2019. A couple of loan moves to Cambridge United and Port Vale followed before he joined Carlisle on a permanent contract in the summer of 2022.

Since moving north, Holy has become one of the most important members of the first team and has made 73 appearances to date.

1 Kyle Hudlin (Huddersfield Town) 2.06m (6 foot 9) – Striker

Right, here we are, number one, and we have saved the best until last, a 6 foot 9 striker, yes, a striker.

Just think back to how big Peter Crouch used to look against regular defenders, and then add another two inches. That is how tall Huddersfield Town striker Kyle Hudlin is.

The 23-year-old forward started his career with Solihull before moving to Solihull Moors and finally to Huddersfield Town in July 2022. Since then, he has spent six months on loan with AFC Wimbledon before returning to the Terriers, where he still is this season.

However, he hasn't exactly proved his worth since joining as he's currently on loan at League One side Burton Albion.

However, the talent is undoubtedly there, as he was a real handful at Solihull Moors. Just have a look for yourselves.

'I couldn't see!' – Kylian Mbappe warned custom mask 'can slow down a player' as Robert Lewandowski recalls 'annoying' experience at Bayern Munich ahead of Poland's crunch Euro 2024 clash with France

Kylian Mbappe has been warned by Robert Lewandowski that the custom mask required to protect his broken nose will be “annoying” and affect his vision.

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Real Madrid-bound star suffered broken noseWill be forced to wear protective face coveringBarcelona striker knows all about those issuesWHAT HAPPENED?

Back in 2015, while on the books of Bayern Munich, legendary Polish frontman Lewandowski required a protective face covering after suffering jaw and nose fractures. Real Madrid-bound Mbappe is now in a similar position after taking a nasty blow to the face while on Euro 2024 duty.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT LEWANDOWSKI SAID

Ahead of France’s European Championship meeting with Poland in Dortmund, Lewandowski has said when asked about the issues that Mbappe is about to face: “When I had to wear a mask myself, it wasn't nice. It's quite annoying, especially in the penalty area, I had problems, I didn't react, I couldn't see, my field of vision was hampered… It's a few milliseconds but it can slow down a player. It's a challenge, it's not pleasant, but of course a player's health is more important. For a competition, emotions are very high and everyone wants to play at all costs. I understand the difficulties he faces.”

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France boss Didier Deschamps has said of Mbappe having to get used to wearing an unnatural mask: “Breathing, no. But vision, yes. It limits vision a little. It's supposed to protect so in certain situations, it limits the angle of view. A greater risk of playing in the middle? No, the contacts are everywhere, in all the duels. It all depends on the position. You have to get used to it, it feels like you have 3D glasses. It's better every day. He was in our training sessions. The bruise has gone down a lot. He's getting used to the mask. He wants to play, he's raring to go. He wanted to play against the Netherlands and he wants to play [against Poland].”

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Mbappe was left on the bench for Les Bleus’ uninspiring 0-0 draw with the Netherlands, with the 2018 World Cup winners sitting second in Group D as things stand and aware of the need to pick up another positive result in a bid to reach the last-16 as table toppers.

Na Copa do Brasil, Fluminense pode conseguir sua 'revanche' no mata-mata contra algoz antigo

MatériaMais Notícias

O sorteio da Copa do Brasil proporcionou ao Fluminense a chance de reencontrar um adversário que está “engasgado” há 30 anos. Embora atualmente tenha nova roupagem e se chame RB Bragantino, as lembranças da eliminação nas semifinais do Brasileiro de 1991 para o Massa Bruta com direito a triunfo em pleno Maracanã continuam a pulsar entre os torcedores tricolores.

> Veja quais serão os confrontos da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil

O Tricolor das Laranjeiras, à época comandado por Gilson Nunes, contava com o poder de fogo do ídolo Ézio com a categoria de Bobô. Além disto, trazia em seu elenco nomes como a dupla de zaga Alexandre Torres e Válber, o goleiro Ricardo Pinto e atletas como Pires e Zanata.

Já o Bragantino, desta vez sob o comando de Carlos Alberto Parreira, seguia com a base que no ano anterior foi campeã paulista (leia mais sobre a final do Estadual de 1990 clicandoaqui).

O Massa Bruta tinha no seu elenco os meio-campistas Mauro Silva, Alberto e o veloz Mazinho Oliveira e, na linha de frente, Ivair e Silvio. Marcelo era o responsável por fechar a meta, enquanto Gil Baiano fazia cruzamentos promissores pela lateral direita.

Porém, após uma partida acirrada, a “Linguiça Mecânica” contou com um trunfo que veio do banco. Após jogada engatada por Gil Baiano que culminou em tentativa de Mazinho Oliveira travada pela defesa, Franklin encheu o pé e tocou na saída de Ricardo Pinto.

Marcado aos 43 minutos do segundo tempo, aquele foi o primeiro gol de Franklin (que, no ano anterior, chegou ao clube de Bragança Paulista vindo do Fluminense) no Campeonato Brasileiro de 1991 e, por tabela, que decretou o 1 a 0 do Massa Bruta sobre o Tricolor das Laranjeiras.

No jogo de volta, Ézio abriu o marcador para o Fluminense. Porém, Franklin novamente apareceu para confirmar o empate em 1 a 1 e dar a vaga para a final ao Bragantino. Depois de 30 anos e em um novo mata-mata, o Fluminense comandado por Roger Machado tem a chance de, diante do RB Bragantino, “vingar” aquela geração.

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Fabrizio Romano: "Quality" player set to complete Sunderland transfer

After welcoming Leo Hjelde from Leeds United already this month, Sunderland are reportedly set to complete their next deal of the January transfer window to sign a former Tottenham Hotspur winger.

Sunderland transfer news

After putting pen to paper on a four-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee, Hjelde said: "I'm a ball-playing centre-back, or left-back. I like to get up and down the pitch.

"I've been at some big clubs previously and this has helped me develop as a player and as a person, but I'm now ready to push on and take the next step. I spoke to my dad, who showed me the size of the club and the support. I knew it was a move I simply couldn't turn down."

leo-hjelde-leeds-united-championship

Sunderland sporting director Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman added on the Sunderland website: “We’re really pleased to have acquired Leo on a permanent basis, as he’s a player we’ve admired for some time.

He possesses the ability to play three different positions in our backline, depending on the formation, and he joins us having already experienced the EFL Championship. We hope this will allow him to hit the ground running and help our team throughout the next 16 games, whilst also bringing added strength our squad in the long term.”

Latest Sunderland transfer news: Bellingham latest as SAFC eye Euro starlet

As the manager hunt rumbles on, who could Sunderland be looking to add to their team this summer?

ByBrogan Clasper Jun 7, 2024

The Black Cats aren't done there, however, with their business taking place at the end of the January transfer window. According to Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland are set to complete a deal to sign Romaine Mundle from Standard Liege. The winger is reportedly in England ahead of a medical and contract signing, as Romano revealed on X.

About to welcome his second signing, Michael Beale will now hope to have Mundle available for Sunderland's next Championship game against fellow play-off chasers Middlesbrough on Sunday, February 4.

"Quality" Mundle set to replace Pritchard

Whilst Mundle arrives, Alex Pritchard is set to sign for Birmingham City, according to Sky Sports in a case of out with the old and in with the new at The Stadium of Light. Mundle's stats certainly show that he'd offer something different on the ball than the less direct Pritchard. Here's how they've compared so far this season:

Stats

Romaine Mundle

Alex Pritchard

Progressive Carries per 90

3.53

2.64

Progressive Passes per 90

4.12

6.80

Take-ons Completed per 90

2.35

0.72

Fouls Drawn per 90

3.50

1.84

Ahead of his arrival, Josh Bunting has had nothing but good things to say about the former Tottenham academy player, posting on X: "Romaine Mundle has bags of talent, that is a very good bit of business and as much as Speakman gets criticised the signings have in large been excellent. There’s real quality here and the fact he’s been playing first team football this season is a major positive."

جوارديولا يحرض لاعبي مانشستر سيتي على التمرد ضد الحكام بعد التعادل مع آرسنال

تذمر بيب جواديولا، المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر سيتي، مما حدث خلال مباراة آرسنال مساء يوم الأحد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات الجولة الخامسة من البطولة، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.

وكان مانشستر سيتي متقدمًا في النتيجة بهدف، قبل أن ينجح جابرييل في تسجيل التعادل.

وتسبب هدف آرسنال في إثارة غضب مانشستر سيتي، حيث سبقها مطالبة الحكم للقائد كايل ووكر للتوجه إلى دائرة منتصف اللعب من أجل التحدث معه، قبل ركلة حرة للخصم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جوارديولا يدافع عن إهدار آرسنال للوقت أمام مانشستر سيتي ويعترف: كنا محظوظين

وعاد ووكر بعد ذلك إلى مركزه، ولكنه تفاجئ بالكرة تعبر فوق رأسه، ليسددها جابرييل في الشباك.

وأثار هدف تعادل آرسنال جدلًا واسعًا بين مانشستر سيتي، وحصل الحارس إيدرسون على بطاقة صفراء نتيجة الاحتجاج، في حين تذمر جوارديولا بقوة.

وقال جوارديولا في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “مانشستر إيفننج نيوز” الإنجليزية: “قلقي هو أنه عندما يطلب الحكم من ووكر الابتعاد 20 ميلاً عن مركزه، ربما يتعين عليه الانتظار ولكن يتعين علينا تنظيم أفضل”.

وأضاف: “يتعين علينا الدفاع أمام جابرييل بشكل أفضل وكايل ووكر لم يفعل ذلك، إذا قدموا لنا هذا النوع من المباريات، يتعين علينا التعامل مع الأمر”.

وواصل: “إذا لم يتمكن ووكر من التواجد، فيجب على روبن دياز وكوفاسيتش أن ينظما الأمر بدونه، يتعين على لاعب واحد أن يكون في المقدمة لتجنب تنفيذ الركلات الحرة السريعة”.

وأكد: “هناك دائمًا أشياء يمكننا القيام بها بشكل أفضل، لكن في المرة القادمة، سأقول للاعبي عندما يقول الحكم تعالوا وتحدثوا معي، لن نذهب، سأقول للحكم تعالى أنت!”.

West Ham hold talks to sign attacker for Moyes as ExWHUemployee shares news

Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared some news on West Ham United and talks to sign an "exciting" attacker for David Moyes this month.

West Ham becoming more active after Moyes transfer admission

Widespread reports have backed the east Londoners to become more active before transfer deadline day on February 1, especially after a succession of key player injuries.

£13m forward also expected to join West Ham amid talks for Kalvin Phillips

He’s pretty likely to arrive.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 19, 2024

Michail Antonio recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee problem, while it is believed star midfielder Lucas Paqueta is facing around two months on the sidelines.

Star winger Jarrod Bowen could be back to face Sheffield United in what is undoubtedly better news for Moyes, but Mohammed Kudus being at AFCON with Ghana has also exposed West Ham's real lack of depth in some areas.

Forward Said Benrahma could also depart West Ham this window amid interest from Ligue 1 sides, with Moyes publicly admitting that the club want to get new faces in through the door.

Rumoured West Ham transfer targets

Latest key update

Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart)

January 14th

Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord)

January 13th

Kalvin Phillips (Man City)

January 19th

Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds)

January 19th

Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)

January 19th

“I’ll say yes to that,” said Moyes when asked if West Ham could make signings (via The Evening Standard).

“The truth is we’ll try and do some business. Undoubtedly, there’s a desire from the club to try and do something and from me and everybody there.”

According to Sky Sports this week, West Ham have opened talks to sign Man City outcast Kalvin Phillips as one option, while there have been suggestions of negotiations over Arsenal attacker Emile Smith Rowe.

Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe.

Both men are failing to get regular game time at their current clubs, as the Hammers look to offer them both minutes ahead of Euro 2024.

ExWHUemployee shares news on Smith Rowe talks

As per ExWHUemployee, who shared news on West Ham's talks to sign the Gunners ace, Moyes and co have been a few roadblocks.

West Ham have held talks with Smith Rowe's agent, but it is believed neither the player nor Arsenal are particularly keen on striking a loan deal.

“As we understand it at this moment in time, talks have not been smooth with the players agent stating that Smith-Rowe would rather remain and fight for his place at Arsenal,” said Ex (via West Ham Way).

kalvin-phillips-emile-smith-rowe-west-ham-opinion

“Also Arsenal have no appetite to allow the midfielder to leave as we understand it.”

The 23-year-old has started just one league game under Arteta this season, making six substitute appearances, but it appears the promise of more action at West Ham isn't doing enough to sway him as things stand.

Smith Rowe had been seriously lavished for his potential before this campaign. Sky pundit Jamie Carragher, after being left dazzled by a performance of the midfielder's in 2021, called him an "exciting" talent (Sky via The Mail).

Problems galore for Pakistan as Australia eye series win

Following a meek performance in Sharjah, the onus is on Shoaib Malik and his men to stave off a series loss in Abu Dhabi

The Preview by Danyal Rasool26-Mar-2019Big PictureFollowing a meek, uninspired performance that saw Australia thump Pakistan in Sharjah – that could apply to either of the two ODIs, in all honesty – a seemingly throwaway comment from Shoaib Malik came in for sustained criticism.At the post-match presentation, Malik told Ramiz Raja that Pakistan were using this series to test their bench strength and “winning or losing doesn’t make a difference”. It was clumsily phrased, probably not what he meant in the manner it was interpreted, but it set off a firestorm of outrage, led by Ramiz himself, who questioned why the series was being played then. Either way, Malik and his men find themselves in the limelight squarely once again, looking to stave off a series loss in Abu Dhabi.Pakistan may be missing several key players, but even so, their toothless bowling attack will be of concern. The quicker bowlers in particular have struggled to put Australia under pressure with the new ball, having taken just four wickets all series, conceding 566 runs.As if these problems weren’t intractable enough, Faheem Ashraf has been rested for the remainder of the series, depriving Pakistan of a valuable all-round option. Mohammad Amir’s ODI drought shows no signs of abating, having taken just 5 wickets at 92.6 in the past 21 months. Mohammad Hasnain will probably be given another game, but Usman Shinwari and Junaid Khan could also be looked at as Pakistan seek to bring in changes in the fast bowling department.Leading up to the World Cup, Australia have quietly, efficiently, suddenly, moved into top gear, peaking at just the right time to sneakinto the contenders conversation. Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja suddenly look so impregnable you wonder how David Warner can squeeze into an opening slot at present, while the both pace and spin bowlers have discomfited Pakistan enough to keep them well below par twice in a row.Jhye Richardson’s unavailability following a nasty dislocation of the shoulder opens up an opportunity for Jason Behrendorff or Kane Richardson in the remaining three ODIs. With Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood already battling to be fit ahead of the World Cup, Australia will hope to have as many fast bowling options as possible to choose from. The middle order hasn’t been tested this series, but if the India games were anything to go by, they will be up for the challenge. Pakistan’s job for now is to at least pose them some serious questions. Form guide Australia WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLWLIn the spotlightShan Masood was a shining beacon on a fairly grey Test tour to South Africa a couple of months ago, so much so he was selected for the ODI series here to see if he could be fast-tracked to the World Cup squad. It was a great opportunity to pile on the runs on gentle, docile pitches, but so far, Masood has fallen well short of doing that. He got starts in both games, scoring 40 and 19, but when the time came to kick on, he played ordinary, careless strokes to give his wicket away. His domestic limited-overs form over the past year has been exceptional, but with time running out to claim a World Cup slot, Masood needs a noteworthy display in the games that remain. If that doesn’t happen in the third ODI, Masood may well find himself trying to impress in two dead rubbers, where performances will understandably carry lesser weight.While his circumstances aren’t as dire as his Pakistani counterpart Yasir Shah, Adam Zampa hasn’t reaped the rewards a top spinner on Sharjah’s pitches normally should. He was disciplined and consistent in the first ODI, conceding just 44 in 10 overs, but discipline and consistency is what finger spinners are usually for. The wicket-taking menace that makes legspinners so revered and frustrating in equal measure hasn’t shone through in Zampa’s game thus far, and 1-57 in the second ODI indicated he hasn’t quite hit his straps yet. It was markedly different in the series against India, where, despite going for runs, Zampa took 11 wickets across five games. It is a trade-off any legspinner would be happy to accept, and Zampa’s ODI career average of 36.42 belies the promise of his talent.Team newsShoaib Malik was willing to be so clear about his intentions he didn’t mind copping heavy censure for it, so expect more rotation from Pakistan. Don’t be surprised to see at least one of Abid Ali and Saad Ali make their debuts.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Shan Masood/Abid Ali, 3 Umar Akmal, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Mohammad Amir 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Usman Shinwari, 11 Mohammad HasnainAustralia will need to replace Jhye Richardson. They may opt for the safety of Pat Cummins, or give one of Jason Behrendorff or Kane Richardson some game timeAustralia (possible): 1 Usman Khawaja 2 Aaron Finch (capt) 3 Peter Handscomb 4 Shaun Marsh 5 Marcus Stoinis 6 Glenn Maxwell 7 Alex Carey (wk) 8 Pat Cummins/Jason Behrendorff/Kane Richardson 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile 10 Nathan Lyon 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsSpin is expected to play an important role in Abu Dhabi, too, with both teams likely to opt for two spinners. The weather will be overcast, but rain is unlikely to play any part.Stats and trivia Australia have won 10 of the last 11 ODIs they have played against Pakistan. The only loss came at the MCG in a five-match series in 2017 that Australia won 4-1. If Usman Khawaja scores more than two runs, he will overtake Virat Kohli to become the leading ODI scorer in 2019. Half of Yasir Shah’s 20 ODI wickets have come in just two matches, a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka and a six-wicket haul versus Zimbabwe.

Liverpool 'frustration' could kick in soon after Arne Slot takes over from Jurgen Klopp as ex-Red Ryan Babel sounds warning to former club

Ryan Babel believes Arne Slot deserves his chance as Liverpool boss but warned his former club about a lack of patience.

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  • Dutchman set to replace Klopp at Anfield
  • Babel joined Liverpool from Ajax
  • Slot highly regarded in Holland
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    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Feyenoord boss Slot is all set to replace Jurgen Klopp, with the German legend departing Anfield at the end of the season after over seven years service. Slot is highly regarded in the managerial world after guiding Feyenoord to the 2022-23 Eredivisie title but Babel is aware patience will still be required.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Babel knows a thing or two about swapping the Eredivisie for the Premier League, having joined Liverpool from Ajax in 2007. It’s a move that can often turn pear-shaped and Erik ten Hag’s recent struggles as Manchester United manager should serve as a warning to Slot as he soon prepares to travel to Merseyside.

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    WHAT BABEL SAID

    Babel told The Athletic: “A Dutch manager will naturally want to play football, especially if they have been in the top three in Holland. But different rules apply in the Premier League.

    “Erik ten Hag had done a very good job at Ajax, the players he had there could really execute his vision and that made him look good as a coach. And now he’s at Man United, a big team as well. He wanted to apply his vision but, for some reason, it doesn’t really come and now people question whether he is a really good manager or not.

    “So it’s a fine line to see if a new coach has the squad in place to immediately realise their vision. New coaches always naturally have time, the question is how much time does Slot get? Liverpool have been spoilt with the Jurgen Klopp philosophy and era. I think anything less, then frustration will kick in very, very quickly."

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  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Slot is considered one of the greatest managers in Feyenoord’s rich history, combining positive results with an aesthetically-pleasing style of play. A two-time Eredivise Manager of the Year, his side sit second in the table this season behind only a dominant PSV Eindhoven side, boasting a record of only two defeats from 31 games.

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