For Rashid Khan, few days could be as good as February 20. He had become the highest paid cricketer from an Associate nation in IPL history and only the second from Afghanistan to ever be part of the tournament. But Friday came pretty damn close: in the afternoon, he took five wickets in nine balls to demolish Ireland and in the evening, he was bought by Guyana Amazon Warriors for USD 60,000 in the Caribbean Premier League draft.”It was a special day for me taking the best figures for my country, special for the cricket of Afghanistan,” Rashid told ESPNcricinfo and then went on to talk about how his team fought hard to protect their record-breaking 10-match winning streak in T20Is.”It was a very crucial time because it was raining and we thought the match was going to go to Ireland because they were on top of us on D/L Method so coming back from that stage and winning the match, it was sort of surprising but really happy with a great performance by all the boys.”

Afghanistan not satisfied with record streak

Having won 10 T20Is in a row – more than any other international team has ever managed – Afghanistan are keen to push for even greater heights.
Rashid Khan, whose 5 for 3 were the best figures for his country in the shortest format, said, “we talked about that before the match as well, the skipper said, ‘Let’s do it and let’s increase the winning of matches so Afghanistan makes a world record’. So far we are doing our best, winning ten in a row. It’s wonderful for cricket in Afghanistan to be in that stage. we are doing our best to keep it up and win more.”

Despite the bright ending to Rashid’s day, at one point, things had looked rather bleak, literally. When dark clouds and heavy rain converged on Greater Noida, halting Ireland’s chase of 185 in the seventh over, they were ahead of the D/L par score by 12 runs.Rashid admitted that Afghanistan thought their streak was over, but the moment the umpires informed them that a restart was possible, the mood in the camp changed. They were still up against it though. Ireland had eight wickets in hand to hunt down the 46 runs they needed to win off the remaining 29 balls.”The skipper [Asghar Stanikzai] told me you have to bowl the two overs in a very crucial time,” Rashid recalled. “He said just go and do your best and when I came and took two wickets in the first over, I was full of confidence and did the rest of the job.”The reason Rashid felt so good was because he had taken out two of Ireland’s most experienced batsmen in the blink of an eye. He said the team had seen Kevin O’Brien and Gary Wilson as “key wickets” and only after they were gone did “we believe we could win the match.” That belief translated to performance on the field as Afghanistan dragged Ireland from 65 for 2 to 93 for 9 and a win by 17 runs.Rashid was yet to take a five-wicket haul in domestic T20s, but overnight, his 5 for 3 in two overs put him alongside the best in international cricket. In fact, his figures were exactly the same as Rangana Herath’s against New Zealand in a virtual quarter-final at the World T20 in 2014.”That’s my best and this was the first time I took a five-wicket haul and on a great occasion, when the team needed me, I feel great,” Rashid said. “It feels great to be in that stage, with all those bowlers in the Test nations. It’s a wonderful moment for me and for my country as an Associate team player coming and getting into the top five for best bowling figures.”So what helped him do so well when the game was on the line? “I always love to play in pressure [situations],” Rashid said. “When the team is under pressure, then I love to play in that condition and love to perform. I have done it in the past and I keep enjoying it. Bowling is my strength and I always believe I can do it. Since being taken in the IPL [for USD 595,000 approx], that has given me more energy and more confidence. I’m just doing my hard work and the rest is happening.”All that was left now was to tune in to the CPL draft. “When we were leaving the ground after the match, we were saying the draft is about to start so we were watching,” Rashid said.Mohammad Nabi became the first player from Afghanistan to be picked in the draft, with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots taking him on for USD 90,000. Rashid couldn’t have been more thrilled. “He’s a wonderful allrounder and is a wonderful fielder as well. We’re really happy for him because the way he has played over the years is really amazing.”More good news came Rashid’s way for not only was he picked up in the draft, he found out he would be playing under Sohail Tanvir, who had been his Comilla Victorians team-mate in the Bangladesh Premier League. “I know Sohail Tanvir, I played with him in BPL,” he said. “So when I was taken in the draft, Sohail Tanvir texted me to say what’s up and congratulated me. Hopefully we’ll do well this year with Guyana.”Rashid was only an 11-year-old when Afghanistan made their first trip to the West Indies, for the World T20 in 2010. Now 18, he is looking forward to playing in the various islands and bowling on what he expects to be favourable conditions for legspin.”I haven’t been to the Caribbean,” Rashid said. “Hopefully we’ll enjoy it. As far as it’s concerned, wickets in the Caribbean are suitable for spinners. We’ve been discussing it with coach Phil Simmons too since he’s from the Caribbean. It’ll be a great experience for us to play in the Caribbean. We have a series there before CPL as well. We’re supposed to play West Indies for five ODIs and three T20Is so we’ll get used to the conditions before CPL.”

An update has emerged on Liverpool and their attempts to bolster their midfield options ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign…

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Reds are poised to enter negotiations with Southampton over a deal to sign central midfielder Romeo Lavia.

He has also stated that the club have already been in talks with the player's representatives as the Belgian is one of their top targets heading into the remainder of the summer transfer window.

The reporter Tweeted: "Liverpool have been in contact with the agents of Roméo Lavia for 2 weeks — still ongoing. He’s high on the list, considered as ‘top talent’ in his position. Sources expect LFC to open talks with Southampton soon — as there will be competition from Arsenal and Chelsea."

James Pearce, of The Athletic, has suggested that the club will only pursue the £50m-rated ace as a third addition in midfield and the Daily Mail have claimed that they are willing to part ways with Thiago Alcantara, which would then open the door for the Saints starlet to come in.

Where would Romeo Lavia fit in at Liverpool?

The Belgian enforcer was predominantly deployed as a defensive midfielder at St. Mary's last season, meaning that he could line up at the base of Jurgen Klopp's midfield, with two players sitting ahead of him.

Having a ball-winning battler in the number six position could make new signing Alexis Mac Allister, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this summer, unplayable next term.

As you can see in the Opta chart above, the Argentina international is one of the outstanding players in his position when it comes to taking shots and scoring goals.

The 24-year-old showcased his quality in the final third as he scored ten goals in 31 Premier League starts for the Seagulls last season. To highlight how good that tally was, no Liverpool midfielder managed more than Curtis Jones' record of three league strikes, which suggests that Mac Allister has the potential to be Klopp's main attacking outlet in that area of the pitch.

Lavia's presence in the middle of the park could provide the World Cup winner with the freedom he needs to do his damage to the opposition, as the 19-year-old has proven himself to be an impressive ball-winner at Premier League level.

The graphic below, as provided by Opta, shows that the Southampton talent excels at winning possession back for his team, which is the perfect trait for a defensive midfielder to have as he is capable of consistently breaking up attacks.

Lavia, who was hailed as an "absolute monster" by writer Benjy Nurick, has also averaged more tackles, interceptions, and blocks combined per 90 (5.67) over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions in comparison to Liverpool's current number six – Fabinho (4.63).

These statistics suggest that the former Manchester City man has the quality to be an upgrade on the Brazil international when it comes to breaking up play and stopping the opposition.

Having a player with the quality to be a phenomenal screen in front of the defence would then allow the other midfield players, notably Mac Allister, to push forward without having to worry too much about their defensive responsibilities.

Such a player, therefore, could make them unplayable as they constantly burst forward to make an impact in the final third.

يخوض فريق النصر مباراة قوية اليوم السبت أمام نظيره الطائي، في المواجهة التي ستجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري السعودي.

ويلتقي النصر مع الطائي على أرضية استاد الأول بارك، في الجولة 25 من مباريات الدوري السعودي.

ترتيب الدوري السعودي بعد فوز الاتحاد على الفيحاء وتعادل الأهلي مع الاتفاق

ويدخل النصر المباراة أمام الطائي محتلاً المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي برصيد 56 نقطة من 24 مباراة، فاز في 18 وتعادل في مواجهتين، وخسر 4 مرات.

أما الطائي فيتواجد في المركز الـ16 بجدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، وفي جعبته 22 نقطة من 24 مباراة، حقق الفوز في 6 مواجهات وتعادل بـ4 لقاءات، وخسر 14 مرة. موعد مباراة النصر والطائي اليوم في الدوري السعودي

تنطلق المباراة اليوم الخميس في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، العاشرة بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة النصر والطائي اليوم في الدوري السعودي

تذاع المباراة بين فريقي النصر والطائي عبر قناة SSC 5HD. معلقين مباراة النصر والطائي اليوم في الدوري السعودي

وأسندت قناة SSC مهمة نقل فعاليات وأحداث المباراة للمعلقين فارس عوض ومدحت شلبي.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Other new entries in the IPL include Vishnu Vinod for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Washington Sundar for Rising Pune Supergiant

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2017Ben Hilfenhaus, the Australia and Tasmania fast bowler, has been signed up by Delhi Daredevils to replace JP Duminy, who withdrew from IPL 2017 owing to personal reasons.Hilfenhaus, who retired from first-class cricket last year, played a key role in Melbourne Stars’ run to the semi-finals in the Big Bash League 2016-17. With 12 scalps from nine games at an economy of just over eight, Hilfenhaus, 34, finished as his team’s second-highest wicket-taker behind Scott Boland.In December last year, Hilfenhaus also picked up career-best figures of 5 for 23 playing for Canterbury against Otago in the Super Smash. Daredevils open their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.Royal Challengers have made a replacement of their own, roping in Kerala wicket-keeper batsman Vishnu Vinod after KL Rahul was ruled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury. Vinod, 23, was the fifth-leading run-getter in the inter-state T20 tournament, where he scored 199 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 164.46. He also smashed 14 sixes, the most by any player, in the tournament.Rising Pune Supergiant, meanwhile, have picked up Tamil Nadu allrounder Washington Sundar to replace R Ashwin, who is recovering from sports hernia. Seventeen-year-old Washington, who was part of the India team that reached the final of the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, made promising first-class and List A debuts in the 2016-17 domestic season. Washington, who was in and out of the Ranji Trophy team this season, was part of the Tamil Nadu team that won the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Deodhar Trophy. He has scored 85 runs in six List A innings and has taken seven wickets in the eight matches he has bowled in.”I am very happy to be a part of this team,” Sundar told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s a great privilege to be sharing the dressing room with some of the legends of the game.”

Marcus Stoinis’ ability with the ball and his experience with the Australia A side in the subcontinent edged him ahead of other contenders to replace Mitchell Marsh for the Test series in India

Daniel Brettig09-Mar-20172:22

‘No such thing as form, trust what you’re doing’ – Stoinis

Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis surprised many with his extraordinary innings at Eden Park last month. He will be hoping to surprise many more by contributing to Australia’s Test tour of India over the next three weeks after being called up to replace Mitchell Marsh despite an underwhelming Sheffield Shield season.Entering into this week’s match for Victoria against Western Australia in Alice Springs, Stoinis had cobbled a mere 126 runs at 12.60 in six games. A first innings of 46 on Wednesday was his highest score of the season so far, but it remains a meagre base from which to launch an Indian campaign.However the current Australian selection panel is nothing if not clear in its convictions, and as the interim chairman Trevor Hohns stated, Stoinis’ greater heft as a bowler vaulted him ahead of the New South Welshman Moises Henriques, who has enjoyed a prolific summer with the bat. The Auckland performance helped too.”When we looked at the various options we had to replace Mitch, there were two or three people who came to mind, and certainly Marcus was one, Moises was another, another young man by the name of Jack Wildermuth was considered as well, he’s had a terrific season too,” Hohns said.Marcus Stoinis has struggled in this season’s Sheffield Shield•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

“Marcus got over the line because a couple of years ago here with Australia A he performed very well, secondly we consider to give us as many options as we possibly could have in this series, we considered the stronger bowler to be the best option at this stage. That’s what got him across the line.”[Auckland] was very impressive, there’s no doubt about that. What he showed there was his ability to perform under extreme pressure as well so that obviously was taken into account, albeit it was a different form of the game.”As a seam bowler, Stoinis has developed greater accuracy and subtle variation over the past 18 months since his international debut in a T20 in England. He is not as fast as Marsh at his fittest, but will present a strong seam and extract bounce or movement if any is available.Stoinis’ visit to India earlier in 2015, when he played in both first-class matches for one substantial score, now takes on greater significance. Pondering his chances of succeeding on the tour, Stoinis said it was vital that he knew his game and its limitations in difficult conditions – more so than worrying about the unsteady Shield ground on which he stands.”There’s no such thing as form really,” he said. “I went in and made a hundred for Australia recently and hadn’t made many runs before that. You just have to get involved and trust you know what you are doing.”Like most others in Australia, Stoinis has watched the events of the first two Tests closely. He said the touring team appeared to be doing a lot of things right, whether in preparation and strategy, or tactics and match play. What had gone right in Pune, Stoinis felt, had gone awry in Bengaluru – mastery of the key moments.”I think emotions are running high and the series is on the line … it’s a big time for Australian cricket,” he said. “Like every game of cricket there are critical moments and you just have to back yourself that you know what you are doing when you are out there.”

Tottenham Hotspur seem to be closing in on a new defensive target…

What's the latest on Edmond Tapsoba to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, who added to the words of his compatriot Fabrizio Romano from mid-June.

The latter first noted: "I keep saying that Tapsoba is a priority target because they [Spurs] love Tapsoba. Tottenham's scouts have been there many times this year to follow Tapsoba. So, he is a player they really love, and they feel he is perfect for Premier League football.

“He is a leader. So, there are many factors in a deal and Tottenham think he is a fantastic option."

However, the latest comes from Galetti, who told GIVEMESPORT: "On the table, there are around €25m (£21m) and the German club is concretely evaluating this proposal. Last winter, Arsenal asked them for him but then now they decide to go for Timber, who is close as well.

“So, the Burkina Faso player [Tapsoba], we can say that is one step away from joining Tottenham. In the next few days, they will push and close the deal positively."

Who could Tapsoba emulate at Spurs?

Given how Mauricio Pochettino kickstarted his reign in north London, which has been comfortably the most successful of any in recent history, perhaps Ange Postecoglou could seek to take a leaf out of his book as he continues his summer spending.

The Argentine added some key defensive assets to his side within the first three transfer windows, but the likes of Kieran Tripper, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld offered far more than mere solidity.

All boasted fine ball-playing skill sets that made them integral to the style of play he sought to implement, which worked to great effect.

Now, with their new boss looking to kickstart a revolution of his own, Tapsoba could seek to mimic the latter of that aforementioned trio as the skilful centre-back to underpin his all-action and possession-dominant philosophy.

After all, when compared to others in his role across Europe, the Bayer Leverkusen star ranks in the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons, via FBref.

The 24-year-old is the quintessential ball-playing centre-back, yet boasts the physicality to take to English football with ease too.

This was exactly the case for Alderweireld too, who arguably enjoyed the pinnacle of his Spurs career during the 2015/16 campaign.

Maintaining a 7.28 average rating, which made him the third-highest-rated defender in the whole division for that season, he would record six goal contributions, a 70% dribble success rate, 1.7 interceptions and a mammoth 7.2 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

His presence as a rock at the back for Pochettino aided his title charge massively, which ultimately ended in failure.

Postecoglou will be keen to replicate some of the hallmarks from that tenure but add his own cutting-edge to push them over the line. Tapsoba's arrival would mark a key step towards achieving that goal.

Counties producing two ‘below average’ pitches in a 12-month period could be penalised under new regulations brought in by the ECB for the 2017 County Championship season.In a further attempt to encourage counties to produce better quality pitches, the ECB have widened the criteria under which they can take action. Whereas, in the past, pitches had to be rated ‘poor’ or even ‘unfit’ to incur a penalty, the new regulations state that “Two or more Below Average pitches in a 12-month period, rated so because of sub-standard performance relating to spin, seam or unevenness, if allied to intent would liable to penalty.”Ahead of the 2016 season, the ECB announced several other measures designed to encourage better pitches. In particular, they announced that visiting captains would be able to choose to bowl first in the Championship without the need to utilise a toss of the coin and they declared that away sides would be awarded 16 or 20 points (depending on the number of bonus points already won) if the home side prepared an “unfit” pitch. The home side would get no points from the match irrespective of any bonus points already won. Those regulations remain in place for the 2017 season.The final rating of pitches will be made by one of the Cricket Liaison Officers. With the ECB having increased the number of CLOs to 10, there should be one at every day of Championship cricket. They will consult with the umpires, players and ground staff before coming to a conclusion. The addition of the clause “if allied to intent” would suggest they are not seeking to take a punitive view to counties hit by poor weather or excessive use of their squares, but rather encourage a better balance between bat and ball..Other changes to the playing conditions allow for time lost during a Championship match to be made up (to a maximum of 30 minutes) over the first three days – rather than just on the day concerned – while the ECB have confirmed that the hours of the day-night games will be 2pm until 10pm. The intervals will still be referred to as ‘lunch’ and ‘tea’ despite being scheduled for 4pm and 6.40pm. Play cannot extend beyond 10pm to make up for lost time.Meanwhile, in limited-overs cricket, the ECB have banned the use of the heavy roller after the start of games in the Royal London Cup, meaning only a light roller can be used between innings. There was a concern that, with the tournament scheduled for April and May, bowling first might provide too much of an advantage. The heavy roller can also not be used in the NatWest Blast.The new Laws relating to the size of cricket bats, outlined previously by MCC, are due to come into effect on October 1 and are not being adopted for the English domestic season. But other Law changes will be adopted: a batsman can now be caught off a fielder’s helmet and a batsman will not be run out if their bat bounces up having previously been grounded once he has completed his run. In the unlikely event that a bowler’s cap falls off and breaks the wicket during his delivery, the umpire will call no-ball.Other regulations used in 2016 – notably the change to the toss regulations- will remain in place for the 2017 season.

West Ham United may be about to lose their captain, best player and all-round fan favourite, but the wider view of Declan Rice's imminent £105m switch to Arsenal is that David Moyes has funds to strengthen in multiple positions.

Who are West Ham United looking to sign?

John Cross claims in a report in The Mirror that West Ham have eyed up as many as seven newbies to bolster their ranks once the Rice sale – making him the second most-expensive British player of all time – officially goes through.

Among those being targeted by the Europa Conference League winners are Denis Zakaria of Juventus, Everton's Amadou Onana and Manchester United captain Harry Maguire.

While Maguire's name will not exactly get supporters' pulses racing all that much on the back of losing Rice, it is a move that could make sense in more ways than one.

The England international has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford and, according to TEAMtalk, he is available for £30m this summer – £50m cheaper than four years ago when he arrived at United from Leicester City.

Is Harry Maguire a good option for West Ham?

Maguire was restricted to just eight Premier League starts last season and a further eight appearances from the substitutes' bench after failing to win over head coach Erik ten Hag.

However, the 30-year-old – roughly entering the peak age for a centre-back – still performed to a high standard when called upon by Ten Hag last season, and likewise for England during the recent international break.

As Ten Hag himself said after bringing Maguire into the side for a Europa League tie against Real Betis in March, the Englishman has arguably become a "more dominant and dictating" defender, and one who is "taking more initiative."

FBref's player comparison model puts Maguire pretty much on a par with team-mate Raphael Varane and Real Madrid's Eder Militao in terms of their statistical profiles across the past 12 months, showing he is far from finished.

The 2.94 aerial duels Maguire won per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, is higher than any West Ham defender (Angelo Ogbonna is highest ranked with 2.55), while his pass-completion percentage of 85.1 is again higher than any Hammers defenders from last season (Kurt Zouma 84.4).

There is no hiding from the fact that Maguire is not the colossus he was early in his United career, but Moyes may just be the perfect man to kick-start his career – just like he did with Jesse Lingard's.

Lingard joined West Ham on loan from Man United in January 2021 at a time when many had written off his Old Trafford career (sound familiar?), only to score nine goals and assist five more in 16 games for the Irons.

That was more goals in half a season than he managed in any of his six full campaigns in Manchester, which would earn him a place back in the United team the following season.

It may have only been a temporary revitalisation for Lingard, who flopped at Nottingham Forest last season having not found the net in the Premier League, but Moyes proved the man to get the best out of him at his lowest point.

Different positions they may be, but who is to say the Scotsman cannot now do the same with Maguire?

Gary Kirsten has joined the Hobart Hurricanes as coach of Tasmania’s Big Bash League team for the next two seasons

Daniel Brettig03-Apr-2017Gary Kirsten has joined the Hobart Hurricanes as coach of Tasmania’s Big Bash League team for the next two seasons. Kirsten was chosen for the role by a panel including Ricky Ponting and David Boon.Having previously coached India and South Africa, Kirsten has recently taken on a range of consultancy roles after he resigned as coach of Delhi Daredevils in the IPL by mutual agreement in late 2015.Kirsten, 49, was replaced there by Paddy Upton, who, via his concurrent job as coach of the Sydney Thunder, provided an insight into the workings of a South African coach to former Thunder general manager Nick Cummins, who in January was named the new chief executive of Tasmania Cricket.”I am committed to developing the young T20 talent within the club and the region – at the same time creating the best environment for our leaders and experienced players to perform their best,” Kirsten said. “To have the opportunity to work within Australian cricket is a huge privilege.”I have thoroughly enjoyed watching BBL over the past few years and I’m really looking forward to this coaching opportunity with the Hurricanes and Tasmanian cricket. My vision is to help the Hurricanes become the club of choice for all aspiring BBL players. I would also like to help create an environment which enables a positive and entertaining brand of T20 cricket and to help deliver consistent success to the club.”Cummins joined Ponting and Boon on the coaching selection panel alongside Cricket Tasmania’s general manager Andrew Dykes and Hurricanes general manager Bill Avery.”Gary has a contemporary approach to T20 coaching and is looking forward to creating a vibrant and strong environment for players to succeed,” Avery said. “We are striving for the Hurricanes to be a BBL club of choice for local and international T20 players, and Gary shares this vision.”Kirsten is expected to visit Hobart in mid-year to get acquainted with the team before taking up the role at the outset of the BBL. Tasmania, meanwhile, have to also find a state coach, after deciding to remove Dan Marsh from the role while this year’s Sheffield Shield was still in progress.

Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion have a "great relationship" and are "talking about a deal behind the scenes" for Ecuadorian superstar Moises Caicedo, claims transfer insider Ben Jacobs.

It's hoped that the informal conversations between the two sides will increase the likelihood of an official bid being accepted at the first time of asking.

Chelsea transfer news – What's the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?

There's no such thing as a quiet transfer window at Stamford Bridge, and that has once again been borne out this year, with the West London club engaging in something of a fire sale over the last few weeks.

The club have shipped off several players from the team that helped them win their second Champions League two years ago to the ludicrously wealthy Saudi Pro League while seeing academy graduates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount join AC Milan and Manchester United, respectively.

There have also been a few incomings in the guise of Villarreal striker Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig and youngster Diego Moreira from Benfica B.

However, the biggest signing the Pensioners look set to make over the coming weeks is midfield maestro Caicedo, who has been hailed as the "crown jewel", with the Guardian reporting that the Seagulls want £100m.

What has journalist Ben Jacobs said about the situation surrounding Moises Caicedo and Chelsea?

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "The clubs have got a great relationship and rather than going back and forwards with formal offers, they're very much talking about a deal behind the scenes to try and see what is possible, verbally and slightly more informally.

"So, when, and I think it is fair to say when, Chelsea place a formal offer, again, for Moises Caicedo, there's a higher confidence that there'll be a framework there for success or just an offer actually being accepted.

Who are Chelsea's most expensive signings ever?

Chelsea are a club that has become synonymous with free-spending and extravagance since their takeover by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003.

That hasn't changed under their new owners and Todd Boehly; if anything, they're spending more, breaking the record for the most amount spent in the January transfer window earlier this year, forking out an eye-watering £323m on eight players in just a month. So who are their three most expensive signings ever?

In third spot is new boy and Ukrainian international Mykhailo Mudryk, who joined Chelsea this January in a deal work £88.5m after being heavily linked to Arsenal for much of the preceding month.

It's fair to say that things haven't gone entirely to plan for the tricky winger yet, as other than a brief cameo against Liverpool in February, he is yet to show fans why he cost as much as he did, with no goals and just two assists in his 15 Premier League appearances.

Coming in at number two is Belgian international Romelu Lukaku, who the Blues spent a hefty £97.7m on to prise from Inter Milan, something they undoubtedly regret doing now.

To say the former Everton man's time in West London has been a disaster would be an understatement, as, after a poor first season at the club, he was immediately loaned back to Inter, who now look set to re-sign him for a fraction of what they sold him for.

And Chlesea's most expensive signing in the club's history is another new boy, World Cup-winning midfielder Enzo Fernandez who cost a whopping £106.8m from Benfica.

Unlike Mudryk, Fernandez has already shown some promise in midfield and, under Mauricio Pochettino, could flourish and end up being well worth the massive outlay the club paid to get him.