The Belgian striker shares his thoughts on cultural significance and personal achievements as well as his goal-celebration and who inspired it
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It’s been a whirlwind few years for Ipswich Town, as Kieran McKenna has led them from the depths of League One to the heights of the Premier League in the blink of an eye.
The Tractor Boys have made a good account of themselves in the top flight so far, as while they are without a win, they have picked up five points.
Moreover, a few of the club’s summer signings have quickly established themselves as key players for McKenna and look like brilliant buys.
Ipswich’s PL record
Match
Opponent
Result
1
Liverpool
2-0 Defeat
2
Manchester City
4-1 Defeat
3
Fulham
1-1 Draw
4
Brighton & Hove Albion
0-0 Draw
5
Southampton
1-1 Draw
6
Aston Villa
2-2 Draw
7
West Ham United
4-1 Defeat
8
Everton
2-0 Defeat
9
Brentford
4-3 Defeat
10
Leicester City
1-1 Draw
All Stats via the Premier League
However, that cannot be said of all of them, including one who simply cannot be trusted to play for the first team again this season.
McKenna's brilliant buys
So, before we get to the offending player in question, let’s look at a couple of the club’s more successful signings this season, starting with the best of the lot: Liam Delap.
The Tractor Boys agreed to pay Manchester City up to £20m for the up-and-coming striker in mid-July, and while there was some excitement around the potential so many believed him to possess, few would have expected him to play as well as he has for the Suffolk side.
In just 11 appearances, the Winchester-born poacher has scored five goals, including a brace against Aston Villa, and if the club are to beat the drop this season, it’ll undoubtedly be largely down to his impressive output.
Now, another star that McKenna welcomed to Portman Road this summer is Sammie Szmodics, and while he hasn’t been able to quite replicate the ludicrous form that saw him rack up 33 goals and four assists in 48 games last season, he’s shown glimpses of quality here and there.
For example, he’s found the back of the net twice in ten appearances from an expected goals figure of 2.01 and, given that he’s missed three big chances on top of that, he could see his tally balloon when he’s fully acclimated to life with the Blues.
However, alongside some of their excellent to middling transfers, the club also made what is now looking like a poor decision to sign another vastly experienced star on loan, a star who might not play for the club again.
Ipswich's transfer mistake
So, the player in question is Manchester City ace Kalvin Phillips, who put pen to paper on a season-long loan deal in mid-August.
The first thing to say is that even though he has had a rough few years, the former Leeds United star showed just how talented he was when playing with the Peacocks, and only last year John Stones commented on his “outrageous” passing abilities.
However, in the last few years, we have not seen the player who starred for the Whites.
The 28-year-old seriously struggled on loan with West Ham United last season, playing just 320 minutes across 14 poor performances that saw him pick up a red card in just his fourth game before ending the season out of the squad entirely.
Unfortunately, his form has not improved much this season, and despite making just eight appearances for the club, he has already picked up a red car, which completely turned the tide of the game against Leicester City on Saturday.
Moreover, reports have now revealed that discussions are being held at the club over potentially cancelling his loan deal due to serious concerns over his conditioning, with some at the club supposedly “amazed” at his ‘lack of mobility and running power.’
Ultimately, Phillips has shown in the past that he is a Premier League-level footballer, but so far this season, he has looked way off the pace, and after costing the club what should have been their first win of the season, he shouldn’t be trusted to play in the league again.
Left for £0m: Ex-Ipswich star is outperforming Hutchinson & Szmodics
The proven goalscorer enjoyed a long stint with Ipswich Town.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 1, 2024
كشف مصدر مسؤول بالجهاز الفني لـ منتخب مصر، موعد سفر الفراعنة إلى المغرب، وذلك لمواجهة إثيوبيا القادمة ضمن التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.
ويواجه منتخب مصر نظيره الأثيوبي في الجولة الخامسة وذلك يوم 21 مارس الجاري، قبل أن يواجه سيراليون بالجولة السادسة يوم 25 من الشهر ذاته.
وقال المصدر في تصريحات لـ بطولات: “منتخب مصر سيطير إلى المغرب يوم الأربعاء المقبل استعدادًا لمواجهة إثيوبيا الجمعة ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة بتصفيات كأس العالم 2026 على متن طائرة خاصة”.
طالع أيضاً.. مشاركة مصرية في تحكيم كأس الأمم الإفريقية للناشئين
وأضاف: “منتخب مصر سيلعب أمام إثيوبيا على استاد العربي الزوالي في الحادية عشرة مساء الجمعة 21 مارس”.
ويتصدر منتخب مصر المجموعة الأولى برصيد 10 نقاط حصدها من 3 انتصارات وتعادل، كما يطمح في تأكيد صعوده لكأس العالم.
Shahrukh Khan applies the finishing touches with an unbeaten 22 off nine balls
Sreshth Shah01-Oct-20214:13
Dale Steyn and Sanjay Manjrekar on the Rahul Tripathi ‘catch’
Punjab Kings kept their playoff hopes well and truly alive by punishing Kolkata Knight Riders for their off-colour fielding effort. Mayank Agarwal made a quickfire 40 after an early reprieve, KL Rahul anchored the 166 chase with a 55-ball 67 and Shahrukh Khan made an unbeaten 22 in nine balls.The result ensured that Knight Riders did not break away from the mid-table pack, with only two points separating the four teams between fourth and seventh. It also confirmed Delhi Capitals’ spot in the playoffs as they can no longer finish below fourth.That the Kings had to overcome only a par total of 165 on a batting-friendly surface was courtesy their death-overs bowling from Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh. After Venkatesh Iyer fell for a 49-ball 67 in the 15th over, Knight Riders could make only 45 runs in 5.2 overs, finishing well short of a total near 180 that they were on course to achieve. The lack of batting time for Knight Riders’ middle and lower-middle order came to the fore as Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik could only make run-a-ball scores of 2 and 11 respectively when the side needed quick runs.Watch the IPL on ESPN+
Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the IPL live in the US. Match highlights of Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).
Kings seamers pull things back after Bishnoi burst
After being asked to bat, a 72-run partnership for the second wicket between Iyer and Rahul Tripathi helped the Knight Riders recover from the early Shubman Gill wicket.The Iyer-Tripathi combo hit 12 fours and two sixes. They took a particular liking to Fabian Allen’s left-arm spin and Nathan Ellis’ assortment of change-ups. Iyer’s power-hitting and Tripathi’s shots over midwicket and point kept Knight Riders’ run rate around eight per over up while they were around.But it was Ravi Bishnoi, the legspinner on paper with a penchant of bowling more googlies, who dismissed both men. A wrong’un in the 12th over had Tripathi slog-sweeping to deep midwicket and then another slog-sweep from Iyer in the 15th sent him back after his second IPL fifty and his highest score of the tournament.At the time, the score was 120 for 4 with 32 balls to go. With Nitish Rana in the middle, and Morgan, Karthik, Tim Seifert and Sunil Narine to follow, a minimum of ten runs per over was on. However, Morgan was lbw to a full Shami ball in the 16th over, which went only for four. Arshdeep dismissed the dangerous Rana for 31 in the 18th. Shami then frustrated Karthik and Seifert in the 19th, and Arshdeep’s boundaryless final over, which included his third wicket gave Kings the momentum.Rahul anchors successfully
With Agarwal back in the XI and finding the boundaries in the opening salvo of the chase, Rahul had the liberty of taking his time. It’s a template he has followed since IPL 2020 with equal doses of praise and criticism. This time, Agarwal’s runs at strike rate of almost 150 allowed Rahul’s scoring rate to briefly slip under the radar. What helped Agarwal to get a solid score on his return to the team was a first-over drop by Morgan when the batter had hit a full ball straight to cover.However, Rahul had made only 14 in 16 balls in the powerplay, and Agarwal’s dismissal soon after – off Varun Chakravarthy – started to bring back old memories. Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram failed to be the aggressive yin to Rahul’s sedate yang and were out for sub-20 scores.With Rahul running out of batting partners and his strike rate still in the 120s, it appeared like the Kings would miscalculate another chase. But with six overs to go, Rahul finally started looking for big shots. He hit Tim Southee for a six in the 15th over to bring the rate down and then struck two fours off the inexperienced Shivam Mavi in the 19th to bring the equation down to five off the last over.But Rahul could not see off the chase himself. He was out on the second ball of the final over when his big shot found long-off. A few balls earlier, he had survived a close call for caught after Tripathi slid along the ground in the deep to take a low catch. While the catch appeared fair in real time, the TV umpire adjudicated that the ball had hit the ground.SRK downs SRK’s team
While Rahul’s innings ensured that there never was a situation when two new batters were at the crease, the team needed a cameo from somewhere to make up for Rahul’s scoring rate.And it came from the man who was playing his first game of the UAE leg. Left out of the XI when the tournament restarted, Shahrukh replaced Harpreet Brar in the XI for this game and came in at No. 6 with the Kings needing 32 from 21 balls. His first shot was nearly four, cut off only by an acrobatic effort by Seifert at deep point. Then came a hook for six that had enough legs to just about beat Iyer’s effort on the boundary line. A cut in front of square off Southee soon followed, and his three boundary shots took him to 15 off seven balls.However, it is the final over that worries every Kings fan. After too many close defeats over the last two seasons, the game was still not in their bag entering the 20th, more so when Rahul was out with them still needing four from four balls.But Shahrukh was not going to take it down to the last ball. Mavi went length, Shahrukh slogged to deep midwicket, Tripathi failed to take the catch, the ball popped over the skirting for six, and the Kings took home the two points.
Phoenix recover from 71 for 6 as pair put on 48 off 30 balls
ECB Reporters Network13-Aug-2021
Emily Arlott and Erin Burns put on a crucial 48 runs off 30 balls for Birmingham Phoenix•Getty Images
Erin Burns, the Australian allrounder, hit 38 from 26 balls and Emily Arlott 22 from 14 to keep Birmingham Phoenix in with an outside chance of qualifying for the final stages of the inaugural women’s Hundred.Phoenix recovered from 71 for 6, needing 55 with 42 balls left, to pip Trent Rockets by three wickets with six balls to spare after Burns and Arlott had put on 48 from 30 deliveries.Left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon took 3 for 26 to make it 12 wickets in the tournament as Rockets Women totalled 125 for 7 from 100 balls, Abbey Freeborn (30) and Heather Graham (26) adding 54 in 39 balls for the fifth wicket. But despite Sammy-Jo Johnson taking 3 for 22 to increase her tally to 15, the total was not enough.Trent Rockets Women remain one of three teams on seven points with a home match against Manchester Originals to come, while Phoenix, on six points, travel to Northern Superchargers on Thursday.Second and third in the final table will meet to decide who meets Southern Brave, who are already through to the Lord’s final.Rachel Priest and Johnson gave the Rockets innings a strong start with 34 from 20 balls, both hitting sixes, but the innings lost some momentum as Johnson was lbw trying to reverse sweep off-spinner Burns, Katherine Brunt was bowled by Gordon and Nat Sciver was run out by a direct hit arrowed in from deep midwicket by Katie Mack to be 63 for 4 from 52.Graham had an escape on nine when she was dropped at cover off Emily Arlott before she and Freeborn added 28 in 15 balls. But both were dismissed in the space of three balls by Gordon, who beat Freeborn’s swing before Graham hit her straight to mid-off in a final set that cost only one run.Shafali Verma, on 16 from nine balls after her match-winning 76 not out against Welsh Fire on Monday, was caught at deep midwicket in an early setback for Phoenix, giving Brunt her wicket for the second time in the tournament and the fifth time this summer after a battle between the two that began in the England-India international series.Katherine Brunt roars after dismissing Shafali Verma•Getty Images
The innings seemed to be going nowhere as Eve Jones was leg before to Georgia Davis’s off spin and skipper Amy Jones to a poor shot that saw her caught at short third man off Johnson, who quickly added a second wicket with a low return catch to remove Mack. When Sarah Glenn had Gwenan Davis caught behind they were 58 for 5.Izzy Wong top-edged to short third man but Burns and Arlott turned things round. Burns swept ball No. 88 straight to deep backward square but Arlott, who survived a tough caught-and-bowled chance to Johnson, kept her cool to win the match with back-to-back boundaries.
George Bailey has been named the new chairman of selectors of the Australia men’s team following the retirement of Trevor Hohns.Bailey, who played 125 times for Australia, joined the panel in 2019 and takes on the top job ahead of selecting squads for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes later this year.Hohns steps down having served collectively on the selection panel for 21 years – 16 as chairman – across two periods from 1991 to 2005 and 2016 to 2021.”Firstly, I would like to thank Trevor for his incredible work which has helped shape the success of Australian cricket over a long period, including during my days as a player and captain,” Bailey said.”In what can be a challenging job Trevor has always been calm, consistent and approachable. Similarly to his journey, he has made my transition from player to selector as smooth as possible. There is a lot I will take from Trevor’s style and very much look forward to the journey ahead.”George Bailey joined the selection panel in 2019•Getty Images
Hohns’ first period as chairman from 1995-2005 involved a period of huge success for the national team which included the 1999 and 2003 World Cup victories plus the record run of 16 Test wins.He stepped down from his first stint after the 2005 Ashes defeat but returned in 2016. The second spell included the dramatic fallout from the Newlands ball-tampering scandal which required the management of the post-ban returns of Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft that happened during the 2019 Ashes were Australia retained the urn in England for the first time in 18 years.”The game has been great to me and I have loved every minute of it, from the good times to the bad,” Hohns said. “I have been extremely fortunate to be involved with some of the greatest Australian teams of all time and many of the best players to have played the game.”The successes of the side over the years have been great but I remember my time just as much for the wonderful people you work with and those you meet along the way. It has been an amazing journey for me, but all things come to an end. I am happy with my decision.”Trevor Hohns’ first period as chairman from 1995-2005 involved a period of huge success•Getty Images
Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s head of national teams, paid tribute to Hohns’ service to the game and the qualities of his successor.”The impact Trevor has had on Australian cricket has been unparalleled over a long period of time,” he said. “For someone to have played such an integral part in so many incredible eras is a feat few, if any, ever achieve.”The role of national selector is one of the most scrutinised in Australian sport and Trevor has performed it with great strength, judgement and humility. We will miss his experience but respect his decision to take a step back from the game and are grateful for his stewardship.””George is a highly respected leader who is now well established on the NSP alongside Justin as the head coach,” he added. “He has brought recent playing experience with a deep understanding of the game, an open and collaborative style and a desire to keep improving the selection function.”Oliver also confirmed a third member of the selection panel would be appointed in the coming months.
Deepti’s three-wicket haul in the first innings helped bowl England out for 219 in the third ODI
Annesha Ghosh03-Jul-2021India clinched a four-wicket win in the final over of the rain-curtailed third ODI of the multi-format series against England in Worcester courtesy Mithali Raj’s unbeaten 75, Smriti Mandhana’s 49 and Sneh Rana’s cameo, after Deepti Sharma’s three-for helped bowl the hosts out for 219.Needing six of the final over, Raj, who earlier in the day became the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket surpassing Charlotte Edwards, hit the winning four after she and No. 8 Jhulan Goswami scored two off the first two deliveries. Piercing the off side with a square drive off Katherine Brunt, Raj helped overhaul the 220 target with three balls to spare, becoming the most successful captain in women’s ODIs with an 84th win in the format leading the side.India needed 38 off the last 30 balls in the 47-overs-a-side contest, with Raj and Rana in the middle. No. 7 Rana, making a vital 22-ball 24, kept Raj company as the duo accelerated with two fours in a 12-run 44th over, delivered by Natalie Sciver.Related
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Brunt conceded six singles in the next over, leaving India 14 to get off the final 12 balls. With Sciver taken off the attack, Sophie Ecclestone, bowling her 10th over having given away just 28 up to that point, was hoicked for four by Rana off the fourth ball just inches past Kate Cross at the midwicket rope. However, with four runs coming in the over – off two singles and a two prior to that boundary – and the equation down to six required off eight, Rana’s failed attempt to go big over deep square saw her being bowled.Raj, though, ensured the chase was sealed without any further drama, her third straight fifty helping India add two points to take their tally to four against England’s six, the teams having split the four points on offer for the one-off Test in Bristol last month.Playing her usual anchor role at No. 4, Raj struck eight fours, pivoting fifty stands with No. 5 Harmanpreet Kaur and Rana, and a 33-run fifth-wicket stand with Sharma. Veering from her typical reluctance to take the aerial route, though, Raj lofted Cross off just the fourth ball of her innings. Exuding similar intent, she unleashed a second pick-up drive en route to 16 off 32 balls, the shot – a four down the ground off Sciver in the 24th over of the run-chase – lifting her to the top of the run charts in women’s international cricket.Though India started their pursuit promisingly, Raj’s arrival at the crease came about after the visitors lost opener Shafali Verma and No. 3 Jemimah Rodrigues inside 16 overs with 154 still required to avert a 0-3 clean sweep in the ODI leg of the tour.Verma’s laboured 29-ball 19 culminated in her trying to clear Cross over the in-field on the off side, instead spooning it to Knight at cover, off the last ball of the reduced nine-over powerplay. India scored 46 for 1 in that period, Mandhana making 25 of that tally at a run a ball.Rodrigues chewed up 21 balls for her four runs on the day, half her tally from her previous innings. She had two lbw dismissals – off Ecclestone – overturned by the DRS. Following the second instance, though, she chopped on the very next delivery while trying to cut crouching low.By the time Rodrigues fell, Mandhana had marched to 40 off 45 balls, riding on an eye-pleasing array of drives, cuts to the third rope, short-arm swipes, and full-blooded pulls. A failed swipe off legspinner Sarah Glenn, however, cut short her innings as she was adjudged lbw one shy of a fifty.The departure of Kaur, who, too, was given out lbw, was in part down to India not reviewing the umpire’s call. Struck on her pad trying to reverse-sweep Knight, replays showed the impact to have been outside off. Raj was at the non-striker’s end at the time.Deepti Sharma and India celebrate the wicket of Amy Jones•Getty ImagesEarlier, Sciver’s 49 and Heather Knight’s 46 headlined England’s performance with the bat. No. 11 Cross’s unbeaten 9-ball 16 somewhat rained down on India’s parade after their six-bowler attack, each of whom picked up at least a wicket, threatened to restrict the hosts to a less formidable score.Seamer Shikha Pandey made early inroads after India opted to bowl at New Road following a rain delay of over an hour and half. Opener Tammy Beaumont, playing across the line to an incoming delivery from outside the off stump that also kept low, was trapped in front in the second over.Conditions remained overcast and a touch windy as Lauren Winfield-Hill and Knight, who took her 50th ODI wicket in Kaur and reached the 3000-ODI-runs milestone on the day, steadied England after the in-form Beaumont’s departure. The duck was Beaumont’s her first scoreless innings in ODIs since November 2016 and fourth overall in the format.After surviving a soft lbw appeal in the first over and later a stumping opportunity off a wide ball in the third over – both off Goswami – Winfield-Hill carted Pandey for three fours in the eighth over, the costliest in the innings, clubbing drives square of the wicket and down the ground.Raj introduced a double change after the completion of the powerplay that saw England make 44 for 1. Sharma and Poonam Yadav’s spin replaced the pace of the Goswami-Pandey tandem and gave away 23 runs for a combined seven overs leading up to the 17th.In Knight’s company, Winfield-Hill brought up the team fifty in the 13th over and strung together a second-wicket partnership worth 67. Rana’s introduction as the third spinner, though, saw Winfield-Hill, reprieved on 24, sweep down Pandey’s throat at deep midwicket for 36 as India’s tactful field placements bore fruit.Knight then steered the rebuild, helped in no small part by Sciver’s brisk scoring. Sciver’s belligerence forced Pandey’s second spell to last only one over as Raj turned to spin again. It took Kaur five balls to break the 42-run third-wicket stand as she forced a rare mistake from Knight, who swept hard only to find Pandey at midwicket.Sciver scored nearly at a-run-a-ball for the most part of her stay. Goswami then returned for her second spell, having gone for just 15 of her five-over first spell. By keeping a tight leash on the scoring, commendably supported by Yadav and Sharma for the most part, she stopped England from scoring a boundary between overs 28 and 43.Amy Jones, playing her 50th ODI, fell victim to the mounting pressure. Coming down the track, cramped for space, she swung half-heartedly, at a loopy Sharma delivery only for substitute Radha Yadav, on for Kaur, to gobble it up at short midwicket.Kaur took at least two trips off the field, limping in the second of those instances after having jagged her knee into the ground while fielding, and was kept company by the physio in the Indian dugout for some time. She returned 1 for 24 in her three overs.While Sophia Dunkley kept the scoreboard ticking with her laps and scoops, Poonam’s googly had her partner Katherine Brunt stumped in the 41st over. Dunkley, coming off unbeaten scores of 74 and 73 in her last two innings, added 14 and 15 with Brunt and No. 9 Sophie Ecclestone respectively before Goswami had Ecclestone pinged on her front pad.Dunkley’s 35-ball 28 ended with Sharma picking up her third wicket as the ball took the leg stump in the 45th over. A tenth-wicket 13-ball 22 stand between Cross and Glenn then injected some final-overs impetus in England’s innings, with Cross hitting 4, 6, 2, 1 off Sharma’s 10th, and the innings’, last over.
Over the past couple of days, Chelsea’s transfer business has taken another turn with the news of Sami Omorodion’s deal collapsing.
The striker looked set to move to Stamford Bridge for £35m this summer, but the deal failed to materialise at the 11th hour, with former loanee João Félix now rumoured to be making a remarkable return to the Blues.
Felix spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan in West London, making 20 appearances, scoring four goals in the process – in a loan deal that cost the club a whopping £9.7m.
After his lack of impact at Atlético Madrid, the Portuguese international could make a permanent move to join Enzo Maresca’s side – but it’s unknown how much any potential deal would cost to sign him from Atletico, who forked out £113m for his signature just five years ago.
He would be the latest big-money signing to arrive at the club after compatriot Pedro Neto, but Maresca’s side might be better off signing another attacking talent who is set for a move during this transfer window.
Chelsea's potential Joao Felix alternative
Although interest in Felix appears to be progressing quickly, Chelsea could reignite interest in Juventus winger Federico Chiesa this summer, after previously expressing their desire to sign the forward.
The Italian winger has been told that he’s not in the plans of new boss Thiago Motta, with the 26-year-old allowed to leave the Serie A outfit before the end of the window on August 30th.
Chelsea, along with Arsenal and Tottenham, have registered interest in a move, with the attacker – who scored nine league goals last season – potentially able to leave the Italian giants for just £25m. A bargain in today’s market.
It’s a shock to see the talented winger out of favour after his impressive season in 2023/24, with Chiesa a better option than one first-team asset currently plying his trade at Chelsea.
Why Chiesa would be better than Sterling for Chelsea
It’s safe to say that winger Raheem Sterling hasn’t had the impact many would’ve expected after his £50m move to Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2022.
He’s only scored 19 times in 81 appearances after his big-money move, even being booed and jeered off the pitch following his abysmal display against Leicester City in the FA Cup last season.
However, despite his poor recent form, Juventus have registered interest in signing the one-time England international in recent days, with the move presenting an opportunity for the Blues to cut their losses on the 29-year-old.
The deal between the two clubs could see Chiesa being included in a swap plus cash move from the Italian side, with the current Juve man undoubtedly a better option for Maresca’s side for the 2024/25 campaign.
When comparing the duo in FBref, Sterling is unable to match the 26-year-old in various key areas – showcasing why the Blues must look to try and sign the Italian in any sale of the former Manchester City ace.
Games played
33
31
Goals + assists
11
12
Shots taken
3
2.3
Shot-creating actions
4.8
3.9
Take-on success
37%
34%
Shots on target
1.02
0.95
The “extraordinary” ace, as described by David Trezeguet, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but he did manage more shot-creating actions and shots per 90 than Sterling, demonstrating the quality he has in the final third.
He also has a higher take-on success rate whilst managing to get more shots on target per 90 – proving that he’s more accurate with the changes presented than the current Chelsea man.
This summer is huge for new boss Maresca as he looks to make an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge, with it being crucial that he gets the recruitment spot on.
Chiesa would provide a lot of qualities that could allow the Blues to push for a return to a Champions League place, whilst also allowing the club to conduct a deal that would see joint-highest earner Sterling leave the club – freeing up vital funds for the final weeks of the window.
With Felix having already tried and failed to sparkle in west London, seeking out a quality alternative like the Juve outcast could prove a far wiser move.
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New Zealand batter signs for nine T20 Blast games, two County Championship fixtures
Matt Roller05-May-2021Somerset have signed Devon Conway as an overseas player for the second half of the T20 Blast’s group stage.Conway appeared for the county’s second XI as an unknown South African in 2010, when he was spending the summer playing club cricket for Taunton Deane, and had another brief trial with the club in 2013. He will return as a New Zealand international, and as the No. 4 T20I batter in the world according to the ICC’s rankings following his decision to leave South Africa and “start afresh” in 2017.Conway has been named in New Zealand’s Test squad for their tour to the UK in June, which comprises two fixtures against England and the inaugural World Test Championship final against India at the Ageas Bowl. There had been concerns about Conway’s safe return to New Zealand under international travel restrictions, but his residency visa was approved last month meaning he will be able to travel home safely.Related
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It is anticipated that he will be available for nine group-stage games, as well as Somerset’s final two fixtures in the County Championship’s initial group stage: against Leicestershire on July 4, and away against Surrey on July 11.”Somerset has a very good reputation and I’m excited to be joining the team for a key part of the season,” Conway said. “England is one of the places where everyone wants to test their skills during the summer and hopefully, I can positively contribute to success in the Vitality Blast and the County Championship.”New Zealand players have been popular among counties ahead of this season’s Blast, on account of the break in their international schedule following the WTC final: Conway joins Finn Allen (Lancashire), Colin de Grandhomme (Hampshire), Lockie Ferguson (Yorkshire), James Neesham (Essex) and Glenn Phillips (Gloucestershire) in the competition.Somerset have employed Babar Azam as one of their overseas players for the last two T20 Blast seasons, but the rescheduled Pakistan Super League and Pakistan’s limited-overs tour of England forced them to look elsewhere for a top-order batsman. Marchant de Lange, the South African fast bowler, is their other overseas player for the Blast.Andy Hurry, Somerset’s director of cricket, said: “With so much international cricket being played at this time, and with England playing ODIs and T20Is against both Sri Lanka and Pakistan during the Vitality Blast this year, we have been working behind the scenes to identify and secure the right player for us.”I’ve followed Devon’s career closely and have been really excited at seeing his International career explode in recent months.”
Although still reeling from a mass exodus of top players this summer, West Bromwich Albion comfortable opening day win in the Championship, overcoming Marti Cifuentes' Queens Park Rangers on their own patch 3-1, was perhaps a tad surprising.
Josh Maja was the star of the show at Loftus Road, scoring a hat-trick after being gifted the starting spot up top by Carlos Corberan, and showed to the overjoyed West Brom masses in West London that losing Brandon Thomas-Asante doesn't have to be the end of the world.
Away from Maja, Tom Fellows also shone brightly against the Hoops, as the West Brom youth product aims to reach even higher heights than he managed last campaign when he broke into the first team and never looked back.
Fellows' time at West Brom
Fellows constantly terrorised the QPR defence last weekend to ensure West Brom comfortably picked up all three points ahead of their clash with Leeds yesterday.
It was Maja's second of the day that was all the 21-year-old's making, however, supplying the chance for his teammate to put away.
Moreover, the tenacious winger was brave and alert with five duels won in total, to give his side the energy they needed to push on to pick up the win.
His aim will just be to keep performing at this high level and strive to become an even more concrete part of Corberan's first-team plans going forward, having had his breakout moment in the spotlight last campaign.
Fellows would finish his promising 2023/24 season with five goals and four assists next to his name from 38 games in all competitions, having previously just starred at youth level for his boyhood employers, before finally going on to make the grade in the senior mix.
As a result, his transfer value for the West Midlands club has also risen, with his current price tag higher than that of Thomas-Asante's – according to Football Transfers – even with the former Baggies man recently winning himself a move to divisional rivals Coventry City.
Fellows' transfer value at West Brom
The standout Baggies prodigy is now worth in the region of £2.4m, with Thomas-Asante having been sold to the Sky Blues this summer for around £2m.
It's been quite the sharp rise for Fellows, who was once just a wide-eyed youngster shipped out on loan to League Two with Crawley Town, but there were signs he would eventually spark into life and become a top Championship performer in the fourth tier, with former Crawley coach Darren Byfield labelling him as "unbelievable" when the pair had previously worked together.
2024
£2.4m
2023
£429k
2022
£429k
Only two years ago, before his rise to stardom in the first-team mix, Fellows was worth just £429k, and his value could soar way above £2.4m if he continues to be a star for West Brom this season, on the way to another promotion charge taking shape.
Whilst the youngster's value continues to go up and up, West Brom might have cashed in on Thomas-Asante at the perfect possible time, with his price-tag standing at a far higher £2.9m in March of this year, before tumbling down to a lesser £2.1m.
The Baggies will continue to look for their next main man up top to complement Fellows' creativity, with Maja undoubtedly benefiting at this point in time, in the wake of Thomas-Asante leaving.
Whoever is chosen to be Corberan's next leading man going forward will love playing alongside Fellows you imagine, who will want to be a key player for his boyhood club moving forward after dazzling against QPR, as promotion is eyed up as the main objective once more.
West Brom can finally replace Thomas-Asante in swoop for PL "handful"
West Bromwich Albion would welcome this new striker in through the door with open arms.
ByKelan Sarson Aug 14, 2024