And have there been higher scores than Warner’s 335 without any sixes?

Steven Lynch03-Dec-2019I was surprised that David Warner’s triple-century was apparently the first at Adelaide, because I assumed Don Bradman made one! What was the previous highest score there? asked Mike Thompson from Australia
It’s true that Don Bradman never made a Test triple-century at his adopted home of Adelaide – but he couldn’t have got any closer. Against South Africa there in 1931-32 he was left stranded on 299 not out when the last man “Pud” Thurlow, playing what turned out to be his only Test, was run out when Bradman sent him back.David Warner’s unbeaten 335 in Adelaide – the highest Test score there – was just the fourth Test triple-century in Australia, behind only Matthew Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04. The others were Michael Clarke’s 329 not out against India in Sydney in 2011-12, and Bob Cowper’s 307 against England in Melbourne in 1965-66.Yasir Shah scored his maiden first-class hundred in the Adelaide Test. How rare is this? asked Nicholas Kelly from England
The feat of scoring a maiden first-class century in a Test is not terribly rare: Yasir Shah in Adelaide was the 42nd to do it overall. Only three of the previous instances were for Pakistan, though: Nasim-ul-Ghani made 101 against England at Lord’s in 1962, Azhar Mahmood 128 not out on debut against South Africa in Rawalpindi in 1997-98, and Saqlain Mushtaq made 101 not out against New Zealand in Christchurch in 2000-01.Yasir’s century came in his 55th Test innings, and he had never previously reached 50. The Australian statistician Charles Davis tells me this is a record: “Others have played more innings before their first hundred, but all of them had made at least one half-century prior.”David Warner unusually only hit one six at Adelaide. Have there been any higher Test scores without any sixes at all? asked Joel Pojas from the Philippines
There have now been 31 triple-centuries in Tests. Eight of them included no sixes at all, including Brian Lara’s 375 for West Indies against England in St John’s in 1993-94, Garry Sobers’ 365 not out for West Indies v Pakistan in Kingston in 1957-58, and Len Hutton’s 364 for England against Australia at The Oval in 1938. Mahela Jayawardene’s 374 for Sri Lanka against South Africa in Colombo in 2006 included one six, as did David Warner’s 335 not out in Adelaide the other day.At the other end of the scale, Matthew Hayden’s 380 for Australia against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04 contained 11 sixes, while Wally Hammond’s unbeaten 336 for England v New Zealand in Auckland in 1932-33 included ten.Abhimanyu Mithun’s five-for saw Haryana go from 192 for 3 to 194 for 8 in the space of one over in the semi-final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy•PTI Abhimanyu Mithun took five wickets in the last over of an Indian T20 match the other day. Has anyone else taken five wickets in a single over across formats? asked Mit Chowdhury from India
That remarkable feat by Abhimanyu Mithun came in last week’s Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 match between Karnataka and Haryana in Surat: Haryana started their last over with 192 for 3, but finished it with 194 for 8, after Mithun claimed wickets with the first four balls then, after a wide and a single, took another wicket with the final delivery.There has been one similar performance in T20 matches: for Bangladesh’s United Commerce Bank in Sylhet in 2013-14, Al-Amin Hossain took five wickets in the final over of Abahani’s innings (W2WWWW). “I wanted to make sure the batsmen didn’t know what was coming,” said Al-Amin. “I bowled different deliveries – and they kept hitting them to fielders.”The only similar performance in first-class cricket was by the New Zealand seamer Neil Wagner, who took five wickets in an over – all of them bowled – for Otago against Wellington in Queenstown in 2010-11.Clyde Walcott hit five centuries in the 1954-55 series against Australia, which I believe is the record, but he also made two fifties. Is seven 50-plus scores also a record for any Test series? asked Kevin Lashley from Barbados
Those five centuries by Clyde Walcott in West Indies’ 1954-55 home series against Australia is indeed still the record: as this table shows, there have been 19 instances of a player making four centuries in a Test series.Walcott did make two additional half-centuries, on his way to 827 runs in the series – even so, Australia still won it 3-0! But there have been eight other instances of a batsman making seven scores of 50 or more in a series, including two from just four Tests, by Patsy Hendren for England against West Indies in 1929-30, and Sunil Gavaskar for India v West Indies in 1970-71.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

While they haven’t quite had the success that the size of the club demands, Arsenal have boasted some genuinely great players during the Emirates era.

The likes of Mesut Özil, Cesc Fàbregas and Santi Cazorla did things few other players could even dream of in the middle of the park, while Robin van Persie looked like the best striker in the world for a period.

Even during the early period of Mikel Arteta’s tenure, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was breaking records up top, but when it comes to the most talented star the team had before the current squad came to be, plenty of fans will point to Alexis Sanchez.

In his pomp, the Chile international was a sight to behold, and now it seems like the Gunners may finally have their new version of the former superstar.

Sanchez's Arsenal career

In the summer of 2014, Arsenal spent around £35m on then-Barcelona winger Sanchez, and while there was some understandable excitement from fans at the time, nobody quite expected him to be as good as he was going to be.

For example, in his first season with the club, the incredibly gifted international managed to rack up a sensational haul of 25 goals and 12 assists in just 52 appearances.

Not only that, but he played a pivotal role in the club’s FA Cup triumph that year, which was their second in as many years.

Over the next three and a half years, the Tocopilla-born phenom would win another FA Cup and three Community Shields while also racking up a tally of 80 goals and 44 assists in 166 appearances, totalling 13556 minutes.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.33 games or every 109.32 minutes for the entirety of his Arsenal career.

Appearances

52

41

51

22

Goals

25

17

30

8

Assists

12

11

18

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

0.68

0.94

0.54

However, for all his work, he’s no longer a particularly popular figure around the Emirates, as in January 2018, he moved to Manchester United as Henrikh Mkhitaryan moved the other way, in what might be one of the worst swap deals in history.

The former Gunners star would fail to make an impact at Old Trafford and, just two-and-a-half years later, was sold to Inter Milan.

In all, Sanchez remains one of the greatest players the Emirates has ever seen, and now it looks like Arteta might just have his own version of the Chilean in his squad.

Arsenal's new Sanchez

While the Gunners have a number of talented wingers in the squad, like Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, someone compared to Sanchez has to be truly special, so it will come as no surprise that the player in question is Bukayo Saka.

Now, the comparison stems from a recent OptaJoe statistic, which is the fact that, following his goal against Fulham earlier this month, the Hale Ender became the first Arsenal player to score and assist ten-plus goals “across all competitions in each of the last three seasons.”

The last player to manage this was the former Barcelona star.

However, we’d argue that the similarities go beyond this one stat, as, like the Chilean, the 23-year-old fan favourite is capable of changing games all on his own.

For example, even though he missed over three months of action this season, the “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already managed to rack up a simply staggering haul of ten goals and 14 assists in 27 appearances, totalling 1971 minutes.

Appearances

27

Minutes

1971′

Goals

10

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.88

Minutes per Goal Involvement

82.12′

That means he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.12 games or every 82.12 minutes, and if that is not a world-class level of output, we don’t know what is.

Moreover, despite not starting a game since late December, the Gunners’ talisman was unplayable against Real Madrid on Tuesday night and could have easily picked up a couple of assists.

Ultimately, Saka is the first Arsenal winger since Sanchez, who is a bonafide superstar, and the good news is that this time, he looks like he wants to stay and fight for titles in North London.

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Celtic provided the perfect response to their 3-2 defeat to their rivals before the international break with a 3-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.

The Hoops had allowed their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table to be cut down to 13 points by losing to Rangers, but immediately bounced back with a convincing win over the Jam Tarts.

Daizen Maeda took his tally for the season to 30 goals in all competitions for the Bhoys with his two strikes against Hearts, whilst Jota added another goal to his collection since his return to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

Whilst many will focus on the attacking talent that was on display, as Jota and Maeda stole the headlines with their goals, the presence of Callum McGregor in the middle of the park was equally as important.

Why Callum McGregor's performance was important for Celtic

The retired Scotland international missed the 3-2 defeat to Rangers before the break through injury and returned to show the Hoops what they missed with a sublime display in midfield.

Celtic’s captain lined up alongside Reo Hatate and Arne Engels in the midfield three against Hearts on Saturday and stood out as the star performer in that area of the pitch.

Celtic’s starting midfielders

Vs Hearts

Hatate

Engels

McGregor

Pass accuracy

89%

81%

99%

Passes completed

59

34

66

Key passes

1

0

2

Big chances created

0

0

1

Tackles + interceptions

0

1

2

Dribbled past

1x

0x

0x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, McGregor outperformed his positional peers in the match with his exceptional use of the ball and his reliability defensively.

This illustrates why his display was so important for Brendan Rodgers against Hearts because it highlights the quality he brings in and out of possession.

The left-footed star provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield for Celtic with his ability to complete passes efficiently under pressure, completing 94% of his passes overall in the division this season.

McGregor, who completes 73 passes per game on average, can control games for the Hoops by dictating the tempo of matches with his passing quality, whilst also frustrating opposition teams because of his press resistance on the ball, forcing them to drop back deeper.

This is part of the reason why Celtic struggled without their captain when they faced Rangers at Parkhead before the break, as Engels is not best suited to that role as the number six.

Why Arne Engels struggled against Rangers

The former Augsburg star started at the base of the midfield, with Luke McCowan and Hatate in the number eight positions, and struggled against the Gers.

Engels is usually tasked with playing as one of the more advanced midfielders, looking to score and create goals, but had to step up in a deeper role against Rangers because of his captain’s injury.

Stats

Engels vs Rangers

McGregor per game (24/25 Premiership

Pass accuracy

88%

94%

Touches

76

89.1

Passes

51

73.2

Ground duel success rate

20%

59%

Possession lost

14x

7.2x

Tackles + interceptions

0

1.7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international failed to live up to the standards that the skipper has set for that position in or out of possession, losing the ball far too frequently and offering little protection to the back four.

The 21-year-old starlet should not be expected to be as effective in that role, though, because he is an attack-minded player who has a future as a number eight for Celtic, rather than as a deep-lying conductor of play.

Engels has racked up ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Scottish giants this term, which shows that he has excelled at his natural game – scoring and creating goals.

The former Bundesliga whiz is not the long-term successor to McGregor, because that is not his natural game, and that is why he struggled in the game against Rangers before the break.

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Rodgers, though, may have already unearthed his next version of the Celtic captain by bringing 19-year-old academy starlet Jude Bonnar into the first-team group.

Why Jude Bonnar could be the next Callum McGregor

The teenage dynamo has been in the matchday squad on five occasions in all competitions since the start of February, and got ten minutes off the bench in a 5-1 win over Aberdeen in the Premiership.

That ten-minute cameo, in which the Scotland U21 international completed all four of his attempted passes, was his first-team debut for the Hoops and the manager spoke to his suitability for the team after the match.

Rodgers told the Daily Record: “He’s got a good profile and fits how we want to play. So that is a nice little taster for him.”

This suggests that the Northern Irish boss sees potential in Bonnar and believes that the teenage talent has the technical skills and know-how to suit the way that his team lines up, with a number six and two eights in a midfield three.

The B team star, whose ability was described as “unbelievable” by former coach Alan McGrillen, spoke to Celtic TV after the game and admitted that he looks up to McGregor as a role model, because of how he acts on and off the pitch every day.

Bonnar has already shown a tiny glimpse of his metronomic qualities, completing 100% of his passes in his cameo against Aberdeen, and Rodgers could look to help him develop and refine that ability to mould him into the new version of McGregor in the future.

The Scottish youngster has also shown the potential to offer a goal threat, as the captain has with eight goals in 28 league matches this term, with a return of ten goals in 46 B team games.

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This is only the start of the road for Bonnar, though, and there is plenty more time left for him to progress as a player and forge his own way in the game, hopefully at Celtic.

The very early signs, however, are that the potential is there for him to develop into McGregor 2.0 for Rodgers as a composed and controlling midfield star who can also provide a goal threat.

With their play-off hopes drifting away in the Championship, Blackburn Rovers have reportedly turned their attention towards the transfer window and signing a future star from the Premier League.

Blackburn suffer another play-off setback

Now as many as seven points adrift of the top six, Blackburn’s play-off hopes are all but over after a frustrating 2-2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday in a game that could have ended far worse. The Owls initially raced into a two-goal lead in the first-half courtesy of Yan Valery and Djeidi Gassama, only for Tyrhys Dolan and a late Yuki Ohashi strike to pull Blackburn level.

Deciding to focus on the positives of his side’s second-half comeback rather than how their play-off ambitions are drifting away, manager Valerien Ismael told reporters: “We showed a great mentality and we learned from the previous weeks. From two nil down to come back from behind we stopped the bleeding and we take more positives from negatives from that game.

“We said we have to stay calm, but that we had to stay on the front foot and be active and we have to be the first to score the next goal. We got the second. It is a little step but at the moment we take what we can get. We stop the bleeding first and it was a great second half.”

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As much as the Blackburn boss will be glad to see his side’s run of five straight defeats come to an end, however, there’s no doubt that he’ll have one eye on welcoming certain improvements this summer in pursuit of the play-offs once again. And that could yet see those at Ewood Park turn their focus towards a Premier League youngster.

Blackburn racing to sign Adam Berry

Joining a hectic Championship race, Blackburn Rovers now want to hijack Stoke City’s deal to sign Adam Berry from Nottingham Forest this summer, according to TeamTalk. The 19-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season when his current Forest deal expires and has also attracted interest from Norwich City to form a three-club race for his signature.

Initially a Manchester United academy product, the young winger has since impressed in Forest’s setup but looks destined to go in search of senior football in the coming months. Whether that comes at Blackburn remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be the first time that Ewood Park played host to a young top flight talent.

It wasn’t so long ago that they were reaping the rewards of loaning Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton. Now though, they seemingly want to welcome a Premier League youngster on a permanent basis.

Compared to both Stoke and Norwich too, Blackburn should be in a position to offer the highest ambitions in their current state as they once again push to secure a place in the top six next season.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has reportedly been a busy man just days into his tenure as Edu Gaspar’s replacement, and it is now believed the Italian has Mikel Arteta’s side as favourites to sign a Brazil international.

Andrea Berta's first priority as new Arsenal director

While a lot of rumours are centering around Berta’s transfer activity, his reliably reported number one priority right now is tying star winger Bukayo Saka down with fresh terms.

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The £195,000-per-week forward’s current deal expires in 2027, and Saka displayed his importance to Arsenal almost immediately after returning from a hamstring injury which sidelined him since December last year.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

TBD

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Saka scored on his immediate return in a 2-1 Arsenal win over Fulham earlier this week, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the agreement of a new contract for him is “top” of Berta’s to-do list at the Emirates Stadium.

“I wanted to start with the top priority, which is absolutely Bukayo Saka,” said Romano on the Here We Go podcast.

“Bukayo Saka is out of contract in summer 2027, so it’s not something urgent, it’s not a worrying situation for Arsenal. But in general, Arsenal want to give a new contract to Bukayo Saka.

“So some contacts have already started. Now Bukayo and his agents will have the opportunity to meet with Andrea Berta to understand the strategy from the new director, and that’s always something important. You can start the conversation already months ago, of course, but then you need to speak to the new director to understand the view, to understand the project, and this is what’s going to happen with Bukayo Saka.”

Amid their attempts to make Saka commit, the next priority for Berta will be Arsenal’s summer transfer window.

According to some reports, Berta is considering the signing of an alternative to Saka on the right-hand side, as part of a potential seven-signing summer spree where they could spend around £300 million (GiveMeSport).

Arsenal have also been repeatedly linked with a move for Wolves star Matheus Cunha, a player who could deputise for Saka on the right given his excellent versatility.

Arsenal in "pole position" to sign Wolves star Matheus Cunha

The Brazil international has starred on the right-wing, left-wing, in centre-attacking midfield, as a second-striker and at centre-forward for Wolves this season, with Cunha enjoying the season of his life.

He’s bagged 15 goals and four assists in 29 appearances this term, and Premier League sides are taking interest given the £62.5 million release clause inserted into his new contract.

According to CaughtOffside, Berta has Arsenal in “pole position” to sign Cunha as things stand, and the director’s connections with him through their time together at Atlético Madrid are tipped to play a key role in convincing the 25-year-old.

In a further boost for Arteta, the outlet reports that Wolves will sell Cunha for even less than his release clause in a potential cut-price deal – so this move is looking more and more like a no-brainer given the player’s outstanding form throughout 2024/2025.

When the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League was made, very few people gave Arsenal any hope of defeating Real Madrid.

Alas, here they stand, 90 minutes from a semi-final spot after defeating the great 15-time Champions of Europe, 3-0, in the first leg.

Declan Rice was the hero, crashing home two remarkable free-kicks before Spaniard Mikel Merino added a third to spark chaos inside the Emirates Stadium.

It was Mikel Arteta’s finest night as Arsenal manager and perhaps the club’s finest in Europe. This was a performance that will live long in the memory.

How Declan Rice scored his two free-kicks

Coming into this match, Arsenal’s club-record £105m signing had never scored a direct free-kick in his entire senior career.

Since moving to the Gunners, he has been a regular set-piece taker, racking up numerous assists courtesy of his pinpoint corner kicks. He’s also taken wide-set plays but hasn’t been given the license to shoot from many.

Minutes played

80

Expected Goals

0.47

Goals

2

Expected Assists

0.08

Touches

43

Shots on Target

4

Dribbles (Completed)

1 (1)

Lost Possession

4

Clearances

1

Interceptions

1

That was until Tuesday evening, where the former West Ham man stepped up and had arguably the best two moments of his career to date.

The first free-kick was special, bending and curving the ball around the wall and past Belgian stopped Thibaut Courtois.

If you thought that was a remarkable effort then the second was even better. This time Rice was standing to the left side of the goal and was further out, but that mattered not for the England international.

Up he stepped, thumping the ball viciously beyond the goalkeeper, right into the far corner. It was spellbinding, it was enough to leave most onlookers speechless.

However, speaking in his post-match press conference, taking a shot for the first free-kick was not initially part of the plan.

Why Declan Rice ignored team orders to score his free-kick

Rice is a brutally honest character and in his post-game interview, speaking to the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Wayne Rooney on Amazon Prime, he admitted that the plan wasn’t to take a shot, most notably for his first free-kick.

In fact, he directly ignored instructions from not just skipper Martin Odegaard, but also heralded set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

“I don’t know if it will ever sink in,” the midfielder began. “I fancied both (free-kicks) and to have the confidence, I am a bit speechless.”

Rice continued: “Martin [Odegaard] was saying to cross, I said it doesn’t make sense to chip it like that. We practice them all the time, (set-piece coach Nicolas) Jover is telling me to cross and it didn’t make sense.”

As a result, a quick comment from Bukayo Saka inspired the 26-year-old to step up and hit it goalbound.

“Bukayo [Saka] said, “If you feel it, go for it”. I looked at the wall and keeper and said I could bend it and that’s what happened.”

Rice also detailed how the second free-kick played out. “We were going to touch and set it, but Mbappe was stood too close. He was in the middle and I just went with it. I practice it a lot. I had the confidence after the first, I had nothing to lose.”

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With no defeats from their last five Championship games, Leeds United are definitely in pole position when it comes to being crowned champions of the notoriously punishing division.

At one stage, it looked as if Daniel Farke’s Whites had fluffed their lines once more in the promotion race with defeats and draws aplenty seeping into their game, but two victories on the trot has now seen them thankfully push away from third-placed Sheffield United to the summit of the league.

Still, not every win that is being collected is the most easy-on-the-eye spectacle to watch, leading to rumours beginning to emerge that the table-toppers are looking at bringing in some new strikers.

Leeds in contact over deal for "phenomenal" star

As per a fresh report by TEAMtalk, the Whites are prioritising a number of signings ahead of potentially voyaging up to the Premier League, with the striker department one area that will likely be boosted by fresh personnel.

The report states that Leeds are especially taken aback by current West Ham United loanee Evan Ferguson, even with the Irishman’s notable struggles under Graham Potter to date.

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After all, the 20-year-old attacker has shone in the past with parent employers Brighton and Hove Albion, meaning there is a potential there for him to light up Elland Road.

Moreover, the report further elaborates that Leeds are monitoring the 6 foot forward’s situation ahead of his return to the Seagulls, with contact already being made over a deal happening in the near future.

Winning the services of a readymade Premier League striker could signal the end for Joel Piroe as Farke’s main marksman, with the Dutchman putting in one too many ineffective performances for the promotion-chasers as of late.

Why Ferguson would be a Piroe upgrade

The former Swansea City man is yet to taste any action in the top-flight across his career, but if his continued wastefulness in front of goal in the second tier is anything to go by, he would struggle to adjust to the sharp step-up in quality.

Whilst he does boast a healthy 15-goal return in the Championship this season, Piroe has also been guilty of squandering 12 big chances across his 42 league outings and counting, with three of those coming about when Leeds just narrowly beat Preston North End 2-1 last time out.

Whereas, Ferguson – at the peak of his powers for Brighton – has proven himself to be a cool and deadly finisher under pressure by notching up an impressive 17 strikes from 80 Seagulls appearances, which included a devastating hat-trick coming his way against Newcastle United way back in 2023.

The worry would be that the 20-year-old has significantly gone off the boil on loan at the Hammers – with a worrying zero strikes hitting the back of the net from six West Ham contests – but Farke will view the previously potent attacker as an upgrade on Piroe regardless, based on what has come before.

Ferguson’s PL numbers at Brighton (22/23 + 23/24)

Stat

22/23

23/24

Games played

19

27

Games started

10

15

Goals scored

6

6

Assists

2

0

Big chances missed

5

4

Stats by Sofascore

From just 25 combined starts across the campaigns above, Ferguson would fire home a lethal 12 goals, with just nine big chances given up across those two seasons also.

Around this time, the much-talked-about Irishman was even being heralded as a potential £100m sensation, with BBC pundit Danny Murphy also weighing in on the conversation surrounding Ferguson by labelling him a “superstar” in the recent past.

Of course, it would now be ludicrous to suggest the Brighton number 28 is worth anywhere near that crazy sum.

But, with Piroe only managing to find the back of the net once from his last ten encounters for Farke’s men, Ferguson would be seen as a big upgrade, particularly if Premier League football is clinched.

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Second season syndrome. It’s sure to be a phrase bandied about online when rival fans discuss Liverpool’s chances under Arne Slot’s management for the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool must ensure they put paid to such notions by bolstering effectively in the summer transfer market and adding the depth that has been somewhat lacking this term.

Slot has worked wonders since replacing Jurgen Klopp last summer and it’s difficult to find faults to pick at, but a resistence to rotation is definitely one area the Dutch tactician has drawn criticism, with some intimating that Liverpool’s recent drop in fluency and sparkle is a by-product of certain players being overplayed.

But this is a minor blemish on a man whose arrival at Anfield has left the city aglitter, with the Premier League title a stone’s throw away and promises already being made of significant summer investment.

However, out with the old and all that. Some players have failed to win their boss over this season and simply have to be sold to make room for fresh faces.

Who Liverpool need to sell this summer

First and foremost, Darwin Nunez needs to be sold this summer. The misfiring striker didn’t even make the bench on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool beat West Ham United at Anfield. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool expect to sell him this summer.

Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota have also endured differing problems this year and either could be deemed expendable if the right bid were to come in, especially now that Mohamed Salah has extended his contract and the likes of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak are being eyed.

It might be a tad harsh to suggest Liverpool need to sell Andy Robertson after his struggles at left-back this term, but with concrete interest confirmed in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, either the Scotsman or his deputy, Kostas Tsimikas, will need to leave.

Several others – Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott – may be sold if the right circumstances present themselves. However, there’s another Liverpool star riding the crest of a wave right now who may also need to go.

Luis Diaz is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, and FSG should cash in for maximum value while they can.

The latest on Luis Diaz's future

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are now willing to accept offers for Diaz this summer in spite of his recent form, should bids reach the ballpark of €80m (about £68m).

The Colombian is one of the best forwards in the Premier League and has rediscovered his touch in the final third over the past few weeks, but aged 28 and approaching the penultimate year of his £55k-per-week contract, it might be the right time for Liverpool to cash in.

Barcelona hold a long-standing interest in the player, while Spanish reports suggest Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League are preparing a bid ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure at the end of his contract this summer.

Diaz has been one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s anticipated Premier League triumph, but he’s not irreplaceable and some difficult decisions will need to be made soon.

Across all competitions this season, the 28-year-old has scored 15 goals and supplied eight assists for his teammates, having registered goal involvements in each of his past five Premier League appearances.

An electric-paced forward with an energy that’s charged not by pace but tenacity, Diaz is the real deal, coveted by the likes of Manchester City last year and heading toward the championship having been outscored only by Salah in Liverpool’s squad, which is nothing to be ashamed about.

Ranking among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref, he’s got the technical capacity to thrive too. Klopp even hailed him once for his “world-class” passing.

Diaz has been indispensable this season for his tactical flexibility, able to skip around the frontline and fill in as a make-do centre-forward, owing to his gifted ability but highlighting the need for a recognised, hard-to-handle number nine.

Left winger

29

6

6

Centre-forward

11

6

0

Right winger

2

1

0

While he’s at his most clinical when placed as the focal frontman, he might find his opportunities limited in that area next term, given Liverpool are headset on signing an out-and-out striker, one who will likely cost quite the figure to bring over to Anfield.

They’ll need to get it right, but the same thing happened when Nunez was brought in from Benfica in the summer of 2022 as Sadio Mane took his leave.

Mane joined Bayern Munich in a deal worth £35m that summer, draping the curtain on an illustrious career at Liverpool. Given that he had turned 30 years old and was a year away from his contract’s conclusion, FSG’s decision was understandable.

Mane still had mileage in the tank but renewing his deal at that point of his career could have knocked the club’s wage hierarchy askew, with Salah being an exception to the rule.

And so history is shaping up to repeat itself. Diaz has been a more than able replacement for his Senegalese counterpart and now faces a similar fate, but given that he is set to consider a departure from the English Champions Elect, it could be a move that benefits all parties.

Back to the present, Cody Gakpo has nailed down the starting berth on the attacking left flank this year, scoring 16 times from 35 matches in the position.

The Netherlands international might have stepped away from the limelight over recent weeks due to injury, but he ranks among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90.

There may well be a conflict of positional interest if these players remain at Liverpool and fight for a place alongside Isak or Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, for example.

The same, curiously, occurred when Mane, Salah and Diaz all played together for five short but sweet months in 2021/22, with Klopp’s new recruit making waves, notching seven goal involvements across 11 Premier League fixtures while winning 5.3 duels per game.

Liverpool wouldn’t grumble if Diaz was still in their mix next season, for sure, but if clubs present bids north of £60m for a player who is entering the later stage of their contract and is not that far away from their 30th birthday, it feels like it could be a no-brainer for sporting director Richard Hughes.

Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid

Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 14, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers all but confirmed their place in the Premier League for another season with a 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Old Gold are now 14 points clear of Ipswich Town in 18th place with just six matches to go, which means that it would take a ridiculous set of results to send them down at this point.

They could lose one of their key players in the summer transfer window, though, as Matheus Cunha – scorer of the fourth goal against Spurs – has been linked with a move away from Molineux.

Why losing Matheus Cunha would be a blow for Wolves

Selling the Brazil international, who has been linked with the likes of Spurs, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester United for a fee of £75m, would be a big blow for Wolves.

This is because of the immense quality that the former Atletico Madrid magician has provided at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League so far this season.

Cunha has scored 14 goals and provided four assists in 27 appearances for Wolves, and no player in the squad has delivered more goals and assists combined than his tally of 18, which is why losing him would be such a blow to the team.

Vitor Pereira, however, may already have a surprise replacement for the Brazilian gem in the form of Fabio Silva, who is currently on loan at Las Palmas in LaLiga.

Why Fabio Silva could be a surprise Matheus Cunha replacement

After the Portuguese youngster scored four goals in 20 matches on loan at Rangers in the second half of last season, Wolves may have sent the attacker to Spain without too many expectations over his performance.

The 22-year-old starlet’s form for Las Palmas in LaLiga this season, however, has come as a surprise, after his lack of output for the Scottish giants last term, and he could return to Wolves this summer as a new player.

Silva, who was described as a “joy to watch” by talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, has played as part of a front two with Oli McBurnie, which means that he could play a similar role to Cunha, playing behind the physical presence of Jorgen Strand Larsen.

Starts

21

xG

8.80

Goals

10

Minutes per goal

179

Big chances created

4

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal international also has a similar level of production to Cunha, with 13 goal contributions in 21 starts, compared to the Wolves star’s 18 goal contributions in 24 starts.

The Old Gold loanee, who has scored against Real Madrid and Barcelona in LaLiga, has provided a clinical edge in front of goal, outperforming his xG, whilst also delivering some creativity in the final third.

These statistics suggest that Silva has improved since joining Las Palmas, with his improved output in comparison to his time at Rangers, and that he could be ready to return to Wolves to compete for a first-team spot next season.

£23m Wolves star is going to swiftly become more important than Cunha

Wolves could be set to lose Matheus Cunha this summer…

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 15, 2025

This means that the Portuguese youngster could emerge as a surprise replacement for Cunha, should the attacker depart this summer, after his unexpected development in Spain this season.

Manchester City’s major squad rebuild continues.

After Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah all joined in January, at the cost of around £180m, more big-money signings are expected to be arriving at the Etihad this summer.

So, get excited Man City fans, one of the most talented left-backs in world football could be on his way.

Manchester City's first-choice left-back target

According to a report by Lyall Thomas and Mark McAdam of Sky Sports News, Manchester City are “interested” in a move for Bournemouth left-back Miloš Kerkez, with Liverpool and Real Madrid also mentioned as clubs that are in the running.

After a very impressive season by the South Coast, the Hungarian international is widely-expected to move this summer, and is valued at £45m, according to a report by Gary Jacob of the Times, although a bidding war could see that price-tag increase.

So, could the 21-year-old be on his way to Manchester?

How Miloš Kerkez would improve Manchester City

As alluded to earlier, Kerkez has been a standout performers this season, with Matt Furniss of Opta’s the Analyst describing him as ‘one of the hottest properties’ in world football right now, adding that he’ll soon become ‘one of the best full-backs in Europe’.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout agrees, describing him as “one of the most talented left-backs in world football”, so let’s assess his statistics.

Minutes

2,897

16th

Goals

2

120th

Assists

5

31st

Progressive carries

89

28th

Progressive passes

141

24rd

Passes attempted

1141

52nd

Key passes

30

64th

Crosses into the area

22

3rd

Shot-creating actions

74

51st

% of dribblers tackled

61.1%

49th

Blocks

33

47th

Interceptions

38

17th

Clearances

100

33rd

Ball recoveries

148

23rd

As outlined in the table, Kerkez ranks highly for most metric across the board, with his attacking statistics particularly impressive, considering he is a full-back.

Only Antonee Robinson and Pedro Pedro have accumulated more than Kerkez’s 22 crosses into the penalty area, helping the Hungarian international rack up five assists, two of which came during a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in November.

So, how would he fit into Man City’s team?

Well, Pep Guardiola has deployed numerous players on the left-wing so far this season, including Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Savinho, Bernardo Silva and Marmoush, but Jérémy Doku has always appeared to be the most natural fit for this position.

The Belgian was in the headlines on Tuesday night, assisting Matheus Nunes’ last-gasp winner against Aston Villa with a sensational, impudent trivela cross that was tucked home at the back post.

Alex Keble told the Premier League that Doku’s introduction changed the game, as a result of his direct dribbling and maverick energy, something such a tactical chess match required.

Meantime, Guardiola stated on Saturday that it was “‘so unfair” that Doku had not been starting more frequently, with this the fourth successive fixture in which he’d been utilised off the bench.

The Belgian ranks second in the Premier League for attempted take-ons this season, as well as first for both successful take-ons and progressive carries, registering at least 38 more of the latter than anybody else, all according to FBref.com.

Thus, with a high-quality, reliable and consistent left-back in Kerkez behind him, we could finally see the best of Doku on a regular basis, should the pair link-up in sky blue.

100% dribbles, 88% passing: Pep has found his own Cambiaso in Man City star

Manchester City claimed a vital 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Tuesday, with one star in particular catching the eye.

ByBen Gray Apr 23, 2025