Says playing only two or three-Test series is “annoying” and “disappointing”

Firdose Moonda14-Nov-2024South Africa’s players want to play more matches in bilateral series in order to build a competitive edge and momentum as a national side, according to middle-order batter Heinrich Klaasen.Asked how the team will approach the fourth and final T20 against India on Friday, given that they can no longer win the series, (and have not won a bilateral series in two years), Klaasen said they just wish they had more games.”That’s the nature of where we are as South African cricket. We don’t play five-match series any more,” he said after their 11-run defeat in Centurion. “How nice would it be if we win on Friday, and then we have another game on Sunday, going into it two-all?”Related

India look to add more shine to already glowing T20 credentials

Of course, the opposite could also happen and South Africa could go 3-1 down which would make any potential fifth game a dead-rubber but Klaasen was not pressed on that. Instead, he was unhappy with how little South Africa play across formats. “Our Test team is playing two-Test series, which is ridiculous in my eyes. It’s disappointing, and it doesn’t sit well with the players, because we want to play more cricket against these guys, and against the other countries as well, but we always find a way to just play two games or three games, and it’s annoying.”Though Klaasen retired from Tests in January this year, he still has strong feelings about the shorter formats, which South Africa play more regularly but not necessarily as much as they would like. South Africa have played a five-match T20I series only twice – in 2022 against India and in June 2021 in the West Indies. Just before that, they hosted Pakistan for a four-match T20I series. Apart from a 50-over series of five games at home against Australia before the 2023 World Cup, their ODI clashes have been limited to three matches since a Sri Lanka series in March 2019, which was preparation for that year’s World Cup, and they have not played a three-match Test series since the 2022-23 summer in Australia. They are also not scheduled to play any three-match series until hosting England and Australia in 2026.For comparison, since August last year, India have played three five-match T20I series (against West Indies, Australia and Zimbabwe) but have also only played three-match ODI series since early 2019. Their Test schedule is far busier than South Africa’s with five-Test series against Australia and England in the next eight months. The Australia Tests start in a week’s time and that squad is already preparing in Perth, while the T20I outfit competes in South Africa. “You see India are playing this Friday and next Friday, which is incredible, on two different sides of the world,” Klaasen said.India are not the only country who have split squads in operation. Recently, England’s Test squad finished a series in Pakistan while their white-ball outfit was in the West Indies, which speaks of both their demand as an opposition and their depth. South Africa could do something similar because they do have some players who are red or white-ball only, such as Klaasen, but whether they could field full competitive squads in two formats at the same time remains to be seen. A case in point is what happened earlier this year when most of South Africa’s first-choice Test players were unavailable for a tour to New Zealand because they were contractually bound to play in the SA20. South Africa lost 2-0, the first time they had ever lost a Test series to New Zealand. Still, they remain in contention for the World Test Championship final and can get there if they win all four home Tests this summer.Klaasen came out in support of his captain Aiden Markram•AFP/Getty ImagesThe planning for those is taking place now, with Kagiso Rabada rested from the India T20Is and Lungi Ngidi on a conditioning break. But Aiden Markram has continued to captain the side and will not get any red-ball domestic game time before those Tests. Markram is in a white-ball run-scoring rut and has not gone past 30 in his last 12 T20I innings. He was dismissed for 29 in Centurion, after hitting successive sixes off Varun Chakravarthy and then dragging him down to deep midwicket. Markram’s reaction was to scream and punch his bat, which Klaasen understood all too well.”If I put your career, as whatever job anyone does, on the table, and I said, ‘if you make one mistake, and that’s the end,’ you will be frustrated if you make a mistake. Not that his career is at all on the line, by the way,” he said. “I’m just saying, people need to understand that that’s what we go through. It’s in the heat of the moment. There’s a billion people that are going to be on your head if you fail. There’s a lot of frustration and he was looking fantastically in the way that he struck the ball tonight. It’s nice to see that he’s finding some rhythm in his game, and hopefully he will kick on.”He also hopes that for himself. Since leaving the MLC in July because of a family emergency, Klaasen has batted in eight T20s at domestic and international level combined, with one fifty. “It’s been a lean run, but I’ve also had a small break so it’s not that easy, in this format especially, just to come in and play aggressive cricket” he said. “For the style that I play, I just have to find some form. I know and understand my game at this moment, which is very nice, and I’m in a fortunate position to understand my game and know where I need to tweak. Also, I don’t look into that too much, because like I said, it’s been a long year, a tough year, and it was still a fantastic year for me.”In 2024 so far, Klaasen has played 55 T20 matches (across domestic and international) in four tournaments, the T20 World Cup and the ongoing bilateral series. He has a batting strike rate of 164.32, his highest for any calendar year.

Conor Bradley is looking forward to playing against his new Liverpool team-mate Florian Wirtz, as Northern Ireland are all set to clash against four-time world champions Germany in a 2026 World Cup qualifying game. Bradley spoke highly of Wirtz, while also claiming that he wants to make the German sensation's night difficult with a solid defensive display.

• Bradley looking forward to facing Wirtz
• Wants to make Liverpool team-mate's night difficult
• Germany face Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifying game 

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bradley is yet to play alongside Wirtz at Liverpool, as he only returned to action from a hamstring injury in the club's Premier League clash against Newcastle United last month and replaced the German attacking midfielder in the second half. Now, with the international break on, the duo are set to compete against each other in Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Germany on Sunday.

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• WHAT BRADLEY SAID

  Ahead of facing his Reds colleague, the full-back said: "Florian's a top player. There's a reason we bought him for the money we did. He's obviously had a brilliant few years at Leverkusen, and now he's come to us, and I think he started the season really well. He's really good with the ball, he's really creative, and he's not scared to take a few risks with the ball as well. He's a top player and I know it's going to be a difficult night for me, but hopefully I can make it a difficult night for him too."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wirtz, who completed a £116 million ($156m) move to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, has featured in Arne Slot's starting lineup in all of their first three Premier League clashes. There was concern over his fitness during the Arsenal game, as the Germany international was replaced by Wataru Endo just a minute before the regulation time ended; however, Slot later clarified that there were no serious injury concerns. 

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The reigning Premier League champions will take on Burnley in their next Premier League game after the international break on September 14.

Glasgow Rangers have agreed a deal to bring a “truly great” player to Ibrox, according to a big update from Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

Russell Martin unhappy after Rangers draw

The Gers kicked off their Scottish Premiership season in disappointing fashion on Saturday, only managing to draw 1-1 away to Motherwell after conceding a late equaliser.

It’s fair to say that Rangers manager Russell Martin wasn’t holding back after the game, telling certain players to “drop their ego” and making it clear that improvements are needed.

“Some of them have to drop their ego, I’ll look at us tactically and accept my responsibility in it. But today, it’s not really tactical, it’s a mentality problem, and we got more than what we deserved actually.

“We need work out who really wants to be all in and who doesn’t. But Europe is not an excuse. This club demands to play in Europe. We’ve qualified for that, so we’re going to be playing in Europe a lot and we’re going to have games after the European games a lot, and we have to manage them way better than today.”

There is still time for Rangers to make new signings, which Martin may want if he is unhappy with some of his current squad, and it now looks as though one piece of business is edging closer to being completed.

Rangers agree deal to sign "truly great" player

According to Joseph on X, Rangers have now agreed a deal in principle to sign Oliver Antman from Go Ahead Eagles this summer, worth £3m.

This is great news for the Gers, with the draw at Motherwell showing that added quality is required this summer, not least in wide attacking areas. Antman has the potential to be an excellent signing for the Scottish giants, with Ibrahim Afellay showering him with praise in the past.

“That Antman is really… I think the treasurer is rubbing his hands. He’s just going to make a great transfer at the end of the season. That boy is so smart. He is also technically skilled and has depth in his game. A truly great player. If I were AZ, I would take him blindly.”

Oliver Antman’s international stats

Caps

Goals

Finland

22

7

Finland Under-21s

11

2

Finland Under-19s

5

0

Finland Under-18s

2

1

Still only 23 years of age, there is so much time for Antman to improve as a player, and his ability to thrive on either flank will appeal greatly to Martin.

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A tally of 16 assists in just 36 appearances for Go Ahead Eagles speaks volumes about his creativity, while seven goals in 22 caps for Finland is also an impressive return.

Aston Villa have now reached a “verbal agreement” to sign a new player for Unai Emery after having a big-money “bid accepted”, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Aston Villa’s quiet summer so far

The Villans, Monchi and NSWE have been unusually quiet so far in the transfer window, bringing in four new players. Yasin Ozcan, Zepiqueno Redmond, Marco Bizot Brest and Modou Keba Cisse have been brought in from Kasimpasa, Feyenoord, Brest and LASK respectively.

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Ozcan has since been sent on loan to Anderlecht, and transfer activity looks set to increase between now and the September 1 deadline.

However, Emery has recently admitted that Villa “don’t have the same power economically” as some of their rivals at the top of the Premier League.

“We need to join some players in the level we want to achieve, but we don’t have the same power economically like seven other teams in the Premier League.

“We must be more intelligent and anticipate something. It is very exciting, the work for me and the club. We are really improving and meeting our objectives, but there is still work to do. We have to be demanding and intelligent.”

Despite Villa’s constant PSR concerns, they now look set to splash the cash on one particular target in their most expensive deal of the window.

Aston Villa have £30m+ "bid accepted" for Evann Guessand

Transfer expert Romano took to X on Monday to share a big transfer breakthrough out of Villa Park. He revealed that Aston Villa have reached a “verbal agreement” after having a “bid accepted” to sign Evann Guessand from OGC Nice.

Guessand now has permission to travel to the Midlands, with a medical and contract signing the next steps ahead of a €35m (£30.4m) transfer.

An Ivory Coast international, Guessand is primarily a centre-forward but can also play on either wing if required, so he’ll provide Emery with a versatile attacking option.

The 24-year-old is valued at a career-high €25m by Transfermarkt, so although Villa are paying over that figure, they are getting a forward who has just enjoyed his best season in front of goal.

He netted 12 Ligue 1 goals and registered nine assists in 33 appearances, while also playing in the Europa League, scoring once.

The Athletic’s Alex Barker has called Guessand an “unpredictable” attacker who is a “real physical handful”, while adding that he is “capable of knocking the ball past opponents and overtaking them through pace”.

It looks as if Villa will soon have an exciting new forward on the Villa Park books, providing real competition to Ollie Watkins in the process.

Gambhir also said he was not thinking about the team’s “transition and that kind of stuff”

S Sudarshanan11-Nov-20241:32

Gambhir: Rohit and Kohli ‘are still very hungry’

Gautam Gambhir has backed the senior batting duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the lead up to the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, which has gained a lot more significance for the WTC final qualification after India’s 3-0 loss to New Zealand at home. Questions around their form gained momentum after both batters scored only one half-century each in ten innings combined against New Zealand and Bangladesh in the current home season.While Rohit tallied 133 runs in those ten innings with only one score of over 25 to average a mere 13.30, Kohli fared marginally better with 192 runs in as many outings, for an average of 21.33. The fact that India lost a Test series at home for the first time in 12 years, and were whitewashed 3-0 for the first time at home, added to the chatter.”Not at all,” Gambhir shot back at the press conference when asked if there were any concerns around the form of the duo. “I have got no concerns whatever over Virat and Rohit. I think they are incredibly tough men. They’ve achieved a lot for Indian cricket, and they will continue to achieve a lot in future as well. I think for me at the most important thing is that they still working really hard, they are still passionate, they still want to achieve a lot more and that is something which is very important. The hunger in that dressing room is incredibly important for me and for the entire group as well. I feel there’s a lot of hunger, especially after what has happened in the last series.”Related

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Questions around Kohli have been a lot louder compared to those around Rohit, who started the year with two Test centuries, against England in Rajkot and Dharamsala. Kohli had missed that entire series against England and scored his last Test century 16 months ago, in the West Indies. In the last five years, Kohli’s batting graph has seen a significant dip with only two hundreds to his name from 60 innings, at an average of under 32, which has taken his overall Test average down from nearly 55 in November 2019 to 47.83.Since Kohli is 36 and Rohit 37, there have also been raised questions around the inevitable transition of the India Test team. With R Ashwin 38 and Ravindra Jadeja turning 36 next month, Gambhir was asked how he was looking at this phase as the coach, especially since he was part of the earlier cycle of change as a player when the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and others retired.”Look, honestly I’m not even thinking that the team is in transition and that kind of stuff,” Gambhir said. “The only thing that is there at the moment in my mind is we go to Australia to play five Test matches. And I’ve said it that there are some incredibly tough people in that dressing room who have to achieve a lot of good things in the future as well. So you guys can keep talking about the transition and all that stuff. For me, I think they’re still very hungry and till the time they’re very hungry, I’m sure that they’ve got a lot of fire to achieve a lot of success for the nation.1:48

Gambhir: ‘I knew it was going to be a highly difficult job’

“And you should never doubt their passion for the country. So I feel that transition or no transition, those things can happen, and those things will keep happening in Indian cricket, but at the moment it’s the five Test matches that are important.”Looking back, Gambhir accepted India were “outplayed” by New Zealand but were not looking at the WTC scenarios, and banking on the experience in the squad to tackle the challenges of winning a series in Australia.”I am not going to sit here and defend [the loss against New Zealand]; I think we were outplayed in all the three departments,” Gambhir said. “They were more professional and we accept that. And I think the criticism what we are receiving, we take it with both hands and we keep moving forward, keep getting better every day. Three Test matches before, we had an incredible Test match in Kanpur [against Bangladesh]. So I know that we haven’t played our best cricket, but it doesn’t change that Australia is a new series and we go out there thinking that we’re going to definitely try and win that series.”The first and foremost challenge is obviously the conditions. In these ten days, if we can get good, proper preparation before the start of the series, I think we are going to be in a really good shape. And we’ve got a lot of experienced players who’ve been to Australia a lot many times. Their experience will come in handy for the young players as well. These ten days are going to be very crucial but come 22nd morning, I think we should be absolutely ready to fire from ball one.”

Manchester United’s summer transfer window is surely about to gather pace.

The £62.5m deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha was finalised at the start of June, and it’s the kind of signing which could reinvent the Red Devils’ frontline.

However, Ruben Amorim needs more firepower, and thus far has been frustrated by the lack of progress over the past month, with any number of additions still needed and a host of exiled first-teamers – like Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho – yet to be sold.

Man Utd's search for forwards

Going into the summer transfer window, it was Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres at the top of Man United’s shopping list, the Sweden striker having previously played so well under Amorim’s wing.

However, the 27-year-old is on the brink of a transfer to Arsenal, with Rasmus Hojlund’s desire to remain at the Theatre of Dreams complicating the pursuit of a new frontman.

But INEOS are still pushing to sign attacking additions.

As per Spanish sources, Man United have reached an agreement with Brentford for the transfer of Bryan Mbeumo. The deal, worth roughly £65m, is on the cusp of finalisation, with the minutiae all that’s left to be ironed out.

This follows Fabrizio Romano’s update from last week, and it’s starting to look likely that the Red Devils are going to receive a momentous boost in the coming days.

Brentford had previously rejected a number of offers from United but their persistence has finally paid off.

Why Bryan Mbeumo is perfect for Man Utd

Mbeumo’s 2024/25 campaign with Brentford underscored his calibre as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards, posting 20 goals and eight assists across 38 matches.

Only Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland scored more.

Amorim struggled to establish offensive fluency at United last season, and you can see why Mbeumo would be such an impactful signing. As per Sofascore, the Cameroonian, 25, complemented his direct return with an average of 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles and 4.7 successful duels per game.

But it’s his goalscoring record that the Old Trafford side covet most. Indeed, Thomas Frank said after the player’s hat-trick over Newcastle United last term that he is “unplayable” when at his finest.

Mbeumo’s style of play, and what he would offer in the final third without even considering the focal frontman, could see him become Amorim’s own version of the ostracised Rashford, one better aligned to the manager’s tactics and vision.

As you will see below, Rashford has provided a clinical presence for United across a number of seasons in the Premier League. Indeed, journalist Mazola Molefe actually named him a “goal machine” only two years ago.

24/25

25

6

4

23/24

33

7

3

22/23

35

17

6

21/22

25

4

2

20/21

37

11

13

19/20

31

17

9

But he’s also ebbed away from his topmost level, whereas Mbeumo is starting to come into his own, and has proved across the past year that he’s one of the most prolific wide forwards across the continent.

It’s clear that Rashford’s days at Old Trafford are numbered, with Amorim not a fan and Barcelona looking likely to act on their interest and snap him up in the coming weeks.

Curiously, Mbeumo’s 20-goal return in 2024/25 surpassed anything that Rashford has ever produced on a single-term basis for United. Thus, it’s clear that Amorim could not only sign a new version of the Three Lions star but a superior player.

Ultimately, Amorim and Jason WIlcox and co all know that Mbeumo alone won’t fix United’s problems, even when considering the flanking partnership to be forged with Cunha.

But by replacing Rashford with a new prolific force such as he, it’s a step in the right direction, for sure.

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Reece Topley, the England fast bowler, is to return home from the Caribbean after jarring his right knee in the first T20I against West Indies in Barbados*.The left-arm seamer picked up the injury in his delivery stride during the fifth over of the series opener on Saturday, and though he attempted to continue to bowl after a short rain delay, he left the field after one more delivery, and took no further part in the match.The injury was sufficient for him to miss England’s second match in Barbados, a seven-wicket win on Sunday to give them a 2-0 series lead. Topley will have a scan in London on Friday to determine the extent of the damage.It was the latest cruel setback in a career that has been littered with injury, and as he walked up the steps to the players’ pavilion, Topley was seen picking up a chair and smashing it on the staircase handrail. The reaction earned him a fine from the ICC amounting to 15 percent of his match fee.It was a similar reaction to that which Topley had produced in Mumbai during the 50-over World Cup in October 2023, when he had swiped another chair out of his path after leaving the field with what would later be revealed as a tournament-ending break to his left index finger.The 30-year-old’s damaged knee joins a list of unfortunate issues, including a career-threatening stress fracture of the back, and a rolled ankle – sustained on a boundary sponge during a practice match in Brisbane – that ruled him out of England’s successful T20 World Cup campaign in 2022.Topley escaped punishment for the 2023 incident, but this time, he was found guilty of a Level 1 breach of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, with Article 2.2 relating to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”Topley admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Richie Richardson, the ICC’s match referee, so there was no need for a formal hearing.In addition to his fine, one demerit point has been added to Topley’s disciplinary record. When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned. However, this was Topley’s first such offence within the time period.*November 14, 8.45pm GMT – This story was updated with news of Topley returning home

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has enjoyed a fruitful summer transfer window in his second year in charge of the club, after Federico Chiesa was his only signing in 2024.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Hugo Ekitike have all come through the door at Anfield to bolster the Dutchman’s options across the park.

The focus is now turning to further exits from the club, after Luis Diaz’s move to Bayern Munich, as Liverpool have accepted an offer from Al Hilal for centre-forward Darwin Nunez.

Fabrizio Romano reports that the Pro League team are set to pay an initial fee of around £46m for the striker, who is poised to agree a three-year contract with Al Hilal to leave England after three years on Merseyside.

Nunez may not be the only high-profile exit to come later this month, though, as Harvey Elliott may also be on his way out of Anfield to move to the Bundesliga.

Romano claims that RB Leipzig are in contract talks with the England U21 international and have made him a priority target to replace Xavi Simons this summer.

Why Harvey Elliott may leave Liverpool

According to Romano, Elliott ‘loves’ Liverpool and would like to stay at the club, but is currently exploring his options because of a potential lack of game time next season.

The English whiz is said to have seen the new signings come through the door this summer and has realised that it may be too difficult for him to get enough opportunities to impress.

Elliott is a terrific young talent, as evidenced by his five goals in six matches at the U21 European Championship this summer, and it would be a blow for the Reds to lose a prospect with his ability.

However, it is hard to begrudge his desire to explore options elsewhere when you consider how his minutes on the pitch dropped after Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the dugout at Anfield.

Appearances

34

18

Starts

11

2

Minutes

1,367

399

Goals

3

1

Big chances created

5

1

Assists

6

2

As you can see in the table above, Elliott found game time harder to come by under the Dutch coach after playing a fairly important role under Klopp in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, Slot did not see him as an important part of his side, as the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch were preferred ahead of him in the middle of the park.

Liverpool should, therefore, look to replace Elliott with a midfielder who is more likely to be utilised by the former Feyenoord head coach throughout the season.

Liverpool join the race for Juventus midfielder

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have joined the race to sign Juventus central midfielder Douglas Luiz before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the former Aston Villa sensation is available for a fee of €40m (£35m), which has seemingly alerted a host of clubs to his availability.

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It states that Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and West Ham United are also keeping an eye on his situation, which means that the Reds could face plenty of competition for his signature.

CaughtOffside adds that Liverpool are showing an interest in the Brazil international, but that it is Forest who are currently leading the race to sign the midfield maestro.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Premier League champions will decide to seriously pursue a deal to win the race for the former Manchester City youngster, who could arrive at Anfield as a perfect replacement for Elliott.

Why Liverpool should sign Douglas Luiz

The Res should be looking to get a deal over the line for the Juventus talent before the end of the summer transfer window because he could be a better fit for what Slot is looking for.

As aforementioned, Elliott did not get much game time in the Premier League last season. That may have been because he is a unique and creative midfielder who lacks outstanding physical attributes, which means that he needs to play in an attacking role or in a team that is built around him.

Luiz, however, is a versatile and physically strong midfielder who can play as a number six or as a number eight in a 4-3-3 system, which makes him far more suited to what Slot needs in the middle of the park.

The Brazilian star, who played 19 times in the Serie A for Juventus last season, is also a proven Premier League performer who can hit the ground running at Anfield in the 2025/26 campaign.

Luiz, who was hailed for his “exceptional” performances for Villa by Statman Dave, has 175 appearances in the Premier League in his career to date, which shows that he is an experienced operator at that level.

His form for the Villans and Unai Emery in his last two seasons in England also shows that he is a well-rounded midfielder who can offer quality in and out of possession.

Appearances

37

35

xG

2.83

6.97

Goals

6

9

Big chances created

7

10

Assists

6

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

2.4

Duel success rate

52%

51%

As you can see in the table above, Luiz is a box-to-box midfielder who can provide goals, assists, tackles, and interceptions for his side in the Premier League, whilst also holding his own in duels.

He also ranked within the top 36% of midfielders in the division for progressive passes per 90 (5.05) in the 2024/25 season, which shows that the Brazilian ace excels at playing between the lines to progress attacks for his side.

This suggests that Luiz suits playing in a deep-lying midfield role where he can break up attacks with tackles and interceptions, whilst having time and space to pick out progressive passes.

The 27-year-old star is, therefore, suited to playing as the number six as an alternative to Gravenberch, whilst his goal and assist return also suggest that he could play slightly further forward as a number eight to contribute at the top end of the pitch.

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Overall, Luiz would be the perfect ‘replacement’ for Elliott because he has a midfield profile that seems far more suited to what Slot wants in his three-man midfield, and he has the versatility to play in a defensive or offensive role, making him the ideal utility player for the Reds.

West Ham United fans will be hoping Graham Potter finds his groove in the Hammers’ hot seat this coming Premier League season, after experiencing an underwhelming start to life in East London.

Potter won’t want another blunder damaging his managerial CV, akin to his Chelsea misfire, with only five victories coming his way last season from 19 games.

He will be nervous about what lies ahead, therefore, especially as he grows accustomed to not having Mohammed Kudus at his disposal, with the ex-Irons star costing London rivals Tottenham Hotspur £55m to snap up.

Still, there’s plenty of time for West Ham to make a splash in the transfer market with some of their own exhilarating signings, as a new £35m ace emerges on their radar.

West Ham weighing up £35m transfer

In all fairness, away from the disappointment of Kudus leaving, West Ham have made some impressive signings here and there.

Indeed, Jean Clair-Todibo has now made his Hammers move permanent this summer, alongside both El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters joining in quick succession to further bolster Potter’s options at the back.

Now, the task at hand will be to improve the attack at the London Stadium in the wake of Kudus upping and leaving, with reports now suggesting West Ham are weighing up a £35m move for Manchester City outcast James McAtee.

The Telegraph has stated that this is City’s asking price amid interest also coming from Nottingham Forest, but the Hammers and the Tricky Trees, who are pushing to seal his signature, would much rather do a deal around the £20m-25m price range instead.

Potter’s side might just have to bite the bullet if Pep Guardiola’s outfit isn’t willing to budge, with McAtee perhaps going down as a bigger talent to obtain than Harvey Elliott, who has also consistently been talked about as another West Ham target this summer.

How McAtee could be a bigger talent than Elliott

Both midfielders in question are at a crossroads in their careers, having been talked up as shining, homegrown talents once upon a time, only to now find themselves stuck on the periphery.

Between them last season, both McAtee and Elliott would only start a meagre five Premier League clashes, with a fresh move to the London Stadium just the switch the ex-Sheffield United loanee needs to show off his class on a more consistent basis.

Despite such limited opportunities, McAtee still managed to chip in with a high seven goals in all competitions, with three of those efforts coming his way in the bread and butter of the top-flight, on top of also managing to break his initial City duck in the illustrious Champions League.

Elliott falls just behind McAtee in his regard, with a slightly lesser five strikes managed on his end, with the hope now that the 22-year-old can come in and fill Kudus’ hole effectively, having displayed more of a flexibility across his fledgling career to date than his Reds counterpart has shown off.

AM

68

24

14

CM

47

26

14

RM

12

4

3

CF

8

3

3

RW

6

3

1

SS

4

0

1

LM

2

0

0

LW

1

0

0

McAtee could well morph into a new Kudus-like figure for Potter on his arrival, with the Salford-born talent an adaptable presence.

Indeed, he can line up as a number ten, as a right winger, or as a left winger, much like the Ghanaian, as seen in his impressive 38 goal contributions from the central number ten slot, on top of his equally high 40 goal-and-assist count as a traditional central midfielder, further highlighting his malleable nature.

On the contrary, the Liverpool number 19 has amassed just 12 goals and assists himself as an out-and-out number ten, with plenty more to frighteningly come from McAtee if he’s handed consistent minutes in East London.

The “incredible” number 87, as he’s been labelled previously by Guardiola, will be champing at the bit to be a leading man for a Premier League side – after also just lifting the Euros with the England U21s alongside Elliott – with West Ham perhaps gifting him that opportunity very shortly if £35m is coughed up.

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Jul 18, 2025

After a huge 4-1 win in the Summer Series last night, Manchester United are finally showing glimpses of the quality of a side that could achieve something under Ruben Amorim.

Rasmus Hojlund, Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo and Ethan Williams all managed to get on the scoresheet, highlighting the talent the side possesses within the final third.

However, despite the four-goal haul, Benjamin Sesko still remains a key target for the Red Devils this summer, with talks being held for the RB Leipzig striker.

The 22-year-old registered 21 goals across all competitions last season, potentially being one of the key targets the hierarchy are pursuing at the top end of the pitch.

However, other targets are also being considered across other areas of the pitch, as the boss looks to make his side as competitive as possible ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

The midfield department has been subject to interest in recent days, unsurprisingly so, given the lack of options currently at the manager’s disposal.

Morten Hjulmand, Eberechi Eze and Douglas Luiz all appear to be on their radar, but the latter could be going elsewhere after Nottingham Forest entered talks to sign him.

However, the goalkeeping department is also subject to investment this summer, with Manchester City shot-stopper Stefan Ortega, according to FootballTransfers.

Their report claims that the Red Devils have already made an approach for the German’s signature, after the 32-year-old was made free to leave the Etihad this summer.

It also states that the player himself is open to discussing a move to Old Trafford despite the rivalry, but no final decision has been made about his next destination.

Why United’s latest signing would be bad news for Onana

Andre Onana has been United’s number one option between the sticks in recent times, costing a staggering £47.2m from Inter Milan back in the summer of 2023.

The Cameroonian was seen as the perfect replacement for David de Gea, but his time in Manchester has been a disaster, subsequently being subject to anger from the fanbase.

He’s been massively prone to mistakes during his stint at Old Trafford, notching a tally of eight errors leading to goals – ultimately costing the side in numerous key areas.

Altay Bayindir was utilised as an alternative at multiple points of the recent campaign, which has highlighted the need for added reinforcements in such an area.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for Ortega would cost this summer, he could provide Amorim with an excellent option to help him improve the situation currently playing out in Manchester.

When comparing his stats to those of Onana in England’s top-flight last season, the German managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, further showcasing why he’d be a great fit for their number one position.

Ortega, who’s been labelled “incredible” by teammate Rodri, managed to register more saves per 90, along with a higher save percentage – handing Amorim a more confident and reliable option between the sticks.

How Ortega & Onana compare in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Ortega

Onana

Games played

13

34

Save percentage

69%

68%

Saves made

2.7

2.5

Clean sheet percentage

27%

26%

Pass accuracy

81%

72%

% of long passes

32%

66%

Crosses stopped

7%

5%

Errors leading to goals

0

6

Stats via FBref

He also completed more of the passes he attempted, with fewer being long balls, having the ability to play out from the back should the side need that option.

The City star’s dominance is further reflected in his tally of fewer errors leading to goals, having the tools to massively improve such a situation ahead of next season.

The next few weeks will be interesting for the player if he is to move, with the Red Devils fanbase undoubtedly sceptical about the move given his status at their rivals.

However, it’s evident that the player himself would be an excellent addition this summer, ending any lingering doubts about the quality currently at the manager’s disposal at the back.

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 31, 2025