Chelsea's academy has become a goldmine for producing talent on a widescale and while the likes of Reece James, Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher have cemented their place in the first-team, others have been shipped out on loan or released as a youngster and gone on to excel elsewhere.

With a history of loaning out a whopping 41 players in 2019, it comes as no surprise to see talent slip through the Blues' net and one example of that is when they painstakingly released a 14-year-old Declan Rice.

The Englishman rose to first-team stardom in east London, amassing over 200 appearances for the club and capped his final emotional term with victory in UEFA's Europa Conference League before sealing a £105m move to Arsenal this summer.

If releasing one of the Premier League's finest prospects wasn't enough to churn the stomach, Chelsea lost an even bigger talent when Jamal Musiala was snapped up from under their noses four years ago.

Why did Chelsea let go of Jamal Musiala?

A two-window transfer ban was imposed upon Chelsea in 2019 and several of Europe's prying hands looked to steal some of their top talents. Although winger Callum Hudson-Odoi was subject to a bid from Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga giants also sought to prise Musiala away from west London, as per Sky Sports.

The German-born attacking midfielder, who was 16 years old at the time, turned down a long-term offer from Chelsea in favour of a three-year deal with Bayern.

During that period, it was fashionable for young English players to hone their craft in the Bundesliga with Musiala following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson, two players who enjoyed fruitful spells in Germany.

Chelsea did receive compensation from Bayern for taking their hottest prospect – reportedly around £170k – but he's developed into one of the best young talents in world football since leaving Stamford Bridge, nothing will cure the devastating blow of having Musiala snatched from them.

How good is Jamal Musiala now?

The "future Ballon d'Or" winner – as dubbed by teammate Alphonso Davies – has already elevated himself towards the realm of being world-class at 20 years old.

The Germany international has combined his ability to glide past defenders, his press resistance and his sharp awareness to become the complete attacking midfielder, who continues to take the world by storm.

Capping off his sensational season in the Bundesliga last term by posting an impressive 12 goals and 13 assists in 33 appearances, Musiala's performances caused the footballing world to stand up and applaud as he came second to Jude Bellingham in the prestigious Golden Boy award.

Once praised by German legend Lothar Matthaus, who compared him to the great Lionel Messi for his ability to excite and entertain on the field, the youngster is delivering on the potential that his formative years promised, and some.

Similar to Messi, gliding past the opposition like they're not even there is a major hallmark of Musiala's game, backed up by how his metrics hold up against his fellow positional peers across Europe's top five leagues.

In the past year, the £83k per-week phenom has delivered a devastating impact in the final third, demonstrating his glowing technical attributes by placing within the top 1% for successful take-ons, top 2% for pass completion, top 12% for assists and top 17% for progressive passes, as per FBref.

Excelling on the domestic stage for Bayern and the international scene for Germany has seen Musiala's value rise exponentially to a whopping £129m (€150m), as per Football Observatory, with the 20-year-old continuing to carve a path to an untouchable legacy, while Chelsea are left wondering what could have been.

Chelsea and Manchester United were both desperate to hire the transfer market maestro – but he's been persuaded to return to Anfield

When Michael Edwards was formally announced as Fenway Sports Group's new CEO of football on Tuesday, there was no packed press conference, no news story on Liverpool's official website, no celebratory social media post and no photograph either. But that felt fitting.

Edwards has always been one of the most media-shy figures in football, and while some Liverpool supporters might struggle to pick him out of a line-up, every single one would recognise his contribution to the club's success under Jurgen Klopp.

There was, then, no need for any fanfare. A simple statement sufficed because the significance of Edwards' return to FSG is obvious to everyone. With Klopp having already announced his intention to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, his former padel partner is unquestionably the most significant signing the club's owners will make this year.

Edwards, after all, has just been entrusted with the most difficult job in football: finding a worthy successor to a man that he himself has previously described as "a leader who will be remembered at Liverpool forever".

But when it comes to big calls, Edwards rarely errs. Indeed, his past success at Anfield is the reason why Liverpool fans are now suddenly far more optimistic about the future.

Getty Rise of 'the laptop guru'

Edwards joined Liverpool in 2011 as head of analytics and was derided in one infamous article as the "laptop guru" who had "done a number" on Brendan Rodgers after the manager's dismissal in October 2015. As it transpired, Rodgers had only himself to blame for failing to listen to Edwards' advice when it came to players such as Roberto Firmino, the multi-talented forward who was shockingly deployed at right-wing-back shortly before the Northern Irishman's exit.

By that stage, Edwards had been promoted to Liverpool's technical director, and it was he who pushed FSG to replace Rodgers with Klopp rather than Carlo Ancelotti or Eddie Howe, the other two names on the club's shortlist of potential new managers. Edwards and Klopp quickly clicked, and the former was appointed sporting director in November 2016, much to the latter's delight.

In complete contrast to Rodgers, Klopp liked the "concept of a sporting director" and said that "having worked under this model previously, I have found it to be nothing but positive and forward-thinking. Michael is absolutely the right person for this. He has the knowledge, expertise and personality to flourish in the role… This decision is hugely positive for us and it will make us better and stronger in managing the process of building and retaining playing talent at all age groups." Klopp wasn't wrong.

AdvertisementGetty'Similar opinions' on 'smart' signings

The pair formed a close working relationship – literally, with their offices adjacent to one another – and while they clashed occasionally over player recruitment, their arguments always ended amicably and, more importantly, in agreement.

It certainly helped that they shared "similar opinions" on football, as underlined by the fact that former Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp believed that ex-Hoffenheim forward Firmino – whom Edwards ended up naming his dog after – was a "smart" signing for Liverpool even before he had arrived at Anfield.

Such an obvious eye for astute acquisitions certainly helped Edwards when it came to convincing Klopp of Andy Roberton's world-class potential – and that Mohamed Salah would be a better signing than Julian Brandt. The pair also combined to great effect for the transformational transfers of Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Fabinho and Alisson Becker.

Getty Balancing the books

However, while Edwards' signings rightly drew a lot of attention, his sales also played a pivotal role in Liverpool's success. The Reds did not have anything like the same resources as Roman Abramovich's Chelsea, Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City or the commercial colossus that is Manchester United, so Liverpool always needed to balance the books – and Edwards worked wonders in that regard.

The Van Dijk and Alisson deals simply would not have been possible if Liverpool had not forced Barcelona to pay an extortionate £105 million for Philippe Coutinho, but Edwards also deserves immense credit for convincing clubs to pay over the odds for the likes of Christian Benteke, Jordon Ibe, Mamadou Sakho, Joe Allen, Kevin Stewart, Dominic Solanke, Danny Ward, Ryan Kent, Danny Ings, Rafael Camacho, Ki-Jana Hoever and Rhian Brewster.

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Getty ImagesSuccess without Klopp?

When one considers that Edwards was also integral to an infrastructural overhaul at Liverpool, including the establishment of the research department, it's easy to understand why many connected with the club believe Edwards to be the second-most important factor in the Reds' revival over the past nine years, after Klopp.

The question now is whether he can replicate that success without Klopp – the most complete manager in modern football, as Edwards knows only too well. The reason why he threw his weight behind Klopp in 2015 was because the ex-BVB boss ticked every box. He had enjoyed success in Europe, had proven he could beat teams with bigger budgets, and had an exemplary track record when it came to improving players.

Liverpool could not have hoped for a better manager, either. He understood the club, the city and its people from the moment he arrived at Anfield. Furthermore, as this season has underlined, Klopp is not merely a charismatic master of motivation. He's also a tactical genius capable of not just reading games, but changing them with formation switches and substitutions.

Less than a year after revamping his entire midfield, Klopp has won a Carabao Cup with kids and somehow kept a injury-ravaged squad fighting on four fronts. Even if Liverpool don't end up winning the Premier League, it will be difficult trying to convince anyone to try to follow a veritable miracle-worker!

But if anyone can, it's Edwards, a transfer market maestro that both Manchester United and Chelsea were unsurprisingly desperate to hire. Seriously, what coach wouldn't relish working under a director renowned for making one successful signing after another.

The allrounder put Ireland in sight of an unlikely win, but was held down in the last over as the hosts opened the series with a win

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSimi Singh celebrates a wicket•International Cricket Council

Allrounder Simi Singh came close to pulling off a miracle on T20I debut, but his lower-order counterattack – an unbeaten 57 off 29 balls – wasn’t enough for Ireland, who lost to Netherlands by four runs in the opening game of the tri-nation T20I series in Rotterdam.Netherlands had come back from a batting slump to inflict a much more serious collapse on Ireland. Their captain, Pieter Seelaar, top-scored with 36 to lift them up from 52 for 4, before taking the crucial wickets of Paul Stirling and Gary Wilson as the visitors lost half their side with less than 50 on the board in a chase of 145.Before long, Ireland had fallen to 63 for 7. But Simi, who had gained a regular spot in Ireland’s ODI team towards the end of the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe earlier this year, put together an innocuous but useful 33-run partnership with George Dockrell to keep them alive. At the fall of Dockrell’s wicket, Ireland needed 49 off 20 balls. Fifteen of those were made before the start of the 19th over, in which Simi went big against the left-arm medium pace of debutant Fred Klaasen, hitting him for 15 off 4 as he brought up his fifty. Then Barry McCarthy closed a 22-run over with a six. But medium-pacer Paul van Meekeren conceded only seven off the last over to give the hosts the win; he held his nerve as Simi faced up to the last ball with six needed, sending down a yorker.Earlier, Netherlands had to rethink their plan after starting strongly through their top three, who had made 46 in the first five overs before the collapse. Seelaar and Bas de Leede (33) stabilised the innings with a 64-run stand for the fifth wicket, but neither could push on as wickets fell – six in the last five overs – and Netherlands ended up falling a ball short of completing 20 overs. McCarthy and Simi took three wickets each.

Liverpool should be emboldened that while Saturday evening's shattering defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League has resulted in an injury to the in-form Cody Gakpo and suspensions to Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, the rekindled verve and vitality is there for all to see.

What's also pleasing is that the Anfield side boasts a wealth of academy talent that eclipses anything the club has been seen in recent years, with such exciting options offering a different approach for manager Jurgen Klopp, should he need it.

And use it he has; last season, with Liverpool suffering an incredible depletion of form and fluidity, a young Stefan Bajcetic was brought into the senior fold to aid the beleaguered Reds in their efforts, and he shone as the brightest spark in a midfield that was languishing heavily below expectations.

Hailed for his "exceptional" rise to prominence by Klopp last season, the 18-year-old Spaniard is but one example of the rich crop of precocity just waiting for a chance to impress on the major stage.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the obvious example, having been promoted to Liverpool's vice-captain in the summer and praised as "world-class" by former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves.

The aforementioned Jones has also enjoyed an impressive rise over the past year, while Ben Doak, aged 17, has currently made eight senior showings in age-belying fashion, and has been proclaimed to be a 'Scottish Wayne Rooney' by his agent Jackie McNamara due to his small yet strong stature and innate physicality.

Some remarkable talent, and all names starting to make themselves known on the major stage, but perhaps one of Liverpool's most prodigious youngsters is yet to become known to the masses.

Oakley Cannonier, goalscoring sensation, has recently returned from injury and is looking to continue his ascent to prominence after demonstrating such a sharp cutting edge in the earliest phase of his youth career.

Who is Oakley Cannonier?

Cannonier's progress beneath the surface at Liverpool has seen him be hindered by a long-term injury that has ruled him out of contention for much of the past year.

The aptly-named Cannonier has been firing the strikes home with vicious regularity at youth level, scoring 44 goals and supplying five assists from only 60 appearances for the Reds' respective development sides, heralded as a "goal machine" by prominent Liverpool reporter Neil Jones for his efforts.

The 19-year-old forward exhibited his prolific abilities last term with a flourish, scoring ten times from only 12 outings during a term that was hampered by injury – including seven goals from only four matches in the UEFA Youth League.

Last month, the striker returned to action with a resounding hat-trick in a friendly against Hull City after indeed spending ten months on the sidelines, and will now surely be viewed as one to keep an eye on as he continues to build back the form that left the likes of The Athletic's James Pearce describing him as "outstanding."

An out-and-out centre-forward, Cannonier will indeed be hoping that he could find his name on the senior team sheet this season for the first time, perhaps linking up with academy peer Kaide Gordon, who is looking to pick up where he left off under Klopp's wing after battling his own long-term absence.

How good is Kaide Gordon?

It's perhaps a testament to Gordon's prodigious skill set that he is still only 18-years-old (for a few more days) and has already forged four senior showings under Klopp's stewardship and netted his maiden goal – and that's despite spending the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign on the sidelines with a long-term injury.

Once described as "exceptional" by his manager, Gordon thrived for Liverpool's development squad after signing from Derby County for a reported fee of £3m as a 16-year-old, posting 12 goals and five assists across all competitions.

The one-cap England U21 international is capable of thriving across both offensive flanks and boasts skill, speed and guile in abundance.

Already demonstrating his ability to provide both incisive and creative danger, the Merseyside outfit's second-youngest-ever goalscorer would work seamlessly in tandem with Cannonier, providing the all-encompassing attacking threat as the focal frontman.

Liverpool's Youngest Goalscorers (LFChistory.net)
Player	Age	Result & Competition
Ben Woodburn	17 years, 1 month, 14 days	2-0 vs Leeds, League Cup
Kaide Gordon	17 years, 3 months, 4 days	4-1 vs Shrewsbury, FA Cup
Michael Owen	17 years, 4 months, 22 days	2-1 vs Wimbledon, Premier League
Jordan Rossiter	17 years, 5 months, 30 days	2-2 vs Middlesbrough, League Cup
Ki-Jana Hoever	17 years, 8 months, 7 days	2-0 vs MK Dons, League Cup

With both Gordon and Cannonier sharing an unfortunate spell on the sidelines with long-term injuries despite remaining pleasingly ensconced in the maiden stage of their professional career, with ample time to grow into their skin, they can both prove to be the first-rate phenoms Klopp and Liverpool crave for in the future.

As mentioned earlier, Liverpool's rise since that fateful day when Klopp graced the Merseyside club as manager for the first time has done more than just improve the first-team squad.

Liverpool, as a footballing institution, has been comprehensively rejuvenated, the stains of a miserable period in the club's history wiped away, and sustained success is now stitched into the fabric of the outfit once again.

As such, youth players are now held in a higher regard. The investment is felt. Gordon and Cannonier are but two of the teenage sensations pushing for a place on the Premier League pitch soon, and given the immense quality brimming from each, there is every possibility that both earn a shot to cement their berth soon enough.

He has also elaborated on why he thinks two new balls is a bad idea in ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2018Ahead of their five-Test tour of England, India have their “most complete” pace attack in a long time, according to Sachin Tendulkar. He is particularly enthused by the variety within the fast-bowling group.”This is the most complete fast-bowling attack that India have had in many many years. In my assessment, this attack would go as one of the best,” Tendulkar told . “We have the luxury where we have a swing bowler (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), a tall bowler (Ishant Sharma), a skiddy bowler (Jasprit Bumrah) and a genuine quick bowler (Umesh Yadav).”It is a nice combination to have with so much variation on offer.”The batting ability of Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Tendulkar felt, would help balance India’s line-up.”The current India team is constantly looking at seamers who can contribute with the bat big time,” he said. “I think these two guys have contributed crucial runs every now and then.”Hardik has just got into the side but I think Bhuvi contributing brilliantly and that contribution changes the balance of the team in a positive manner.”It’s good to have batsmen who can bowl four-five overs but even better if we have bowlers who can score those crucial runs. The kind of contributions that can help you move forward.”In a separate interview with , Tendulkar also elaborated on his view that two new balls in ODI cricket was a recipe for disaster.”The point I am trying to make is the rule was introduced to help the bowlers upfront and also prevent discolouring of the ball,” he said. “I felt the surfaces we’re playing on are not helping the bowlers to swing. Neither have I seen swing up front nor have I seen reverse swing later. It’s kind of, we’re caught in-between.”The ball doesn’t get old enough to reverse. The bowlers’ hands are tied in the death overs. Earlier, the bowlers heavily relied on reverse swing; they had something to look forward to once the ball started getting scuffed up. Right now, with two new balls, that is not happening. Reverse swing has always been an integral part of cricket, both in Tests and ODIs. Since the introduction of two new balls, one has not seen the ball reverse. That element has been taken away from the game. It’s not healthy.”Tendulkar said the ODI series between England and Australia – in which England racked up three 300-plus scores including a world-record 481 for 6 at Trent Bridge – showed how much the combination of two new balls and flat pitches affected the balance between bat and ball.”This series reiterates my point,” he said. “If you see, the amount of swing the bowlers get off the surface has not been adequate, considering that they are playing with two new balls. When there is no help from the surfaces, even four new balls will not help the bowlers. If you want to have two new balls, then the surface provided must help the bowlers up front. The grounds over a period of time have become greener. As a result, the ball doesn’t get scuffed up. The ball retains its lacquer.”

Cole Palmer joined Jude Bellingham at the top of a notable 2023-24 chart after a match-winning display for Chelsea against Newcastle.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Palmer equals Bellingham's goal contributions tally
• England duo top elite European chart
• Palmer scored and assisted against Newcastle

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer starred for Chelsea on Monday as he contributed with a goal and an assist in the club's 3-2 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League. With the stellar show at Stamford Bridge, the Blues star has now equalled England team-mate Bellingham's 19 goal contributions this season and the duo are leading the chart of players aged 21 or under with the most number of goal involvements in Europe's top five leagues.

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• (C)GettyImages
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Palmer has netted 11 times and provided eight assists in the Premier League, Real Madrid star Bellingham has scored 16 La Liga goals and contributed with three assists. Overall, the former Borussia Dortmund player has 29 goal contributions in all competitions this season, while the Chelsea youngster has 26.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Palmer, who graduated from Manchester City's youth academy, left the club last summer to join Chelsea. After the match-winning performance against the Magpies, the player claimed that his transfer paid off as he finally has an opportunity to showcase his talents.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR COLE PALMER?

  The 21-year-old will be next seen in action on Sunday as Mauricio Pochettino's side face Leicester City in an FA Cup quarter-final clash.

Tottenham Hotspur are a team seemingly unstoppable this season, having taken to life under Ange Postecoglou with remarkable ease.

They remain one of just two teams who are still undefeated in the Premier League, and have fine results against Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United under their belts to show for such fine form. It is outstanding the speed with which a feel-good factor has returned to N17, with this tenure promising to surpass even Mauricio Pochettino's, should it be maintained.

Not only are the tactics refreshing and forward-thinking, but the positivity they command is visible from the stands and onto the pitch. However, this has also largely been aided by some truly outstanding performances, two of which are coming from summer acquisitions in James Maddison and Micky van de Ven. Indeed, the former already has five assists in his first nine games for the club.

Starring at opposite ends of the field, it is equally impressive to see how the likes of Yves Bissouma and Destiny Udogie have become mainstays, as stars left behind from previous regimes now poised to shine for the new one.

On the surface, Spurs is a perfect, faultless place to play football at the moment. However, there are a few stragglers who are perhaps hanging on by a thread, seeking to reignite their stuttering careers by simply being around such unbridled positivity. Step forward Hugo Lloris.

Why is Hugo Lloris not playing?

When viewing the squad, there are a few duds who stand out as players who are perhaps overstaying their welcome in north London, in light of the refreshing revolution.

For example, the likes of Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg were two players consistently linked with departures throughout the summer and yet remain on the books, both far from the starting side.

They were previously mainstays of the first XI under the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, but with the brand of football being implemented, are being left behind. It could be argued that the same is certainly true of Lloris, who was another who probably should have left over the summer.

Having enjoyed 11 successful years in N17, growing into a fine shot-stopper and a regular for the French national team, the 36-year-old had accomplished all there was to do without actually claiming silverware with his club side.

However, as Postecoglou sought to usher in a new era, even sanctioning Harry Kane's exit, it seemed the perfect time to truly expunge the old guard. Especially with how tough a year the 145-cap ace had endured under Conte, with the goalkeeper completely devoid of confidence, and seemingly making high-profile errors every other week.

Making just 25 starts in the Premier League, the former Lyon man would keep just seven clean sheets and was present for the majority of a campaign which saw them ship 63 goals across the 38 games.

To make matters worse, he would make four errors that directly led to goals, whilst only managing a disappointing save percentage of 67%, via Sofascore.

Former Celtic star Chris Sutton would lambast Lloris' torrid campaign, writing for the Daily Mail: "There can be no disputing Lloris has been a brilliant goalkeeper and there is a real pressure that comes with being the person between the sticks. But there can also be no denying he has turned into a liability."

This was a notion supported by The Athletic's James Maw, who had suggested even as far back as 2019: "Hugo Lloris in a big game, yet again. The guy is a liability."

Postecoglou was clearly aware of this decline, making Guglielmo Vicario one of his first acquisitions following his appointment. As such, the ageing stopper has fallen dramatically down the pecking order, and is actually yet to make a single appearance in any competition this term.

For all the rumours surrounding his potential move to Italy, with Newcastle United even reportedly making a late move for him on Deadline Day, sticking in north London has stagnated the twilight of his career, whilst he continues to drain Spurs of precious funds.

How much did Spurs pay for Hugo Lloris?

It is a shame to see such a fine legacy be tarnished, but recency bias is certainly a thing, and it will likely take years before fans can properly separate that terrible year from the admirable 11 years of service he has given to the club.

Appearances

25

8

Average Rating

6.80

7.31

Saves per game

3.2

3.6

Save Percentage

67%

78%

Errors Leading to Goals

4

0

After all, he has been a true servant to the club ever since his 2012 move, which has since become a huge coup.

Especially given the fact that he has gone on to feature 444 times for the club, the £13m initially paid marks a mere drop in the ocean compared to the return gathered.

How much does Hugo Lloris earn?

However, whilst that fee was a fine piece of business, the subsequent wages he has accumulated have certainly racked up a healthy outlay for the Lilywhites, made even tougher to take given how poor Lloris was last season.

In fact, with the Frenchman sitting on his £100k-per-week wages and failing to even make it into the matchday squad, it is actually astounding the rate at which he has gone from a cult hero to a man the hierarchy will be desperate to get off their books.

It is worth noting that his wage did sit at an initial £80k-per-week until he earned his contract extension in 2016.

Does Hugo Lloris deserve to earn £100k-per-week?

Whilst the 6 foot 2 ace might have been good value for such a salary two years ago, to be offloading that much nowadays for a player who does not even play is criminal.

Especially given how Daniel Levy has gained a reputation for being a shrewd businessman, to allow such a blatant waste of funds marks a gross piece of mismanagement on his part.

Fortunately, the 'keeper's contract is set to expire at the conclusion of this year. However, unless he is to make a January exit, that will mean an entire year of paying someone who is offering nothing to the club. To make matters worse, he actually remains one of their higher-earners, with only the likes of Maddison, Heung-min Son and three others earning more.

Stars such as Pedro Porro, Bissouma, Van de Ven and even his replacement Vicario have to watch him snag a far higher wage, whilst not even providing a fraction of what they have offered to kickstart the new season.

Tottenham Hotspur recorded yet another impressive victory over the weekend, extending their Premier League unbeaten run at the hands of Luton Town.

However, it was a game marred by referee drama again, with the official in question rightly dismissing Yves Bissouma for two foolish yellow card offences in the first half. It will mark a big blow to miss someone who has grown so swiftly into a hugely integral figure for Ange Postecoglou.

How is Yves Bissouma playing this season?

Having been brought in under Antonio Conte, opportunities were limited for the Mali international, despite having starred previously for Brighton and Hove Albion.

However, the clean slate provided by their new boss has already paid dividends, with the £25m man now boasting a 7.27 average rating in the league, making him the Lilywhites' seventh-highest-rated player.

The 27-year-old sits at the base of their midfield and provides the link between defence and attack, willing to accept the ball in tight areas and dictate the play. Such is his return to form, which has seen him maintain a 91% pass accuracy alongside 3.3 tackles per game, pundit Jamie O'Hara sought to laud him:

"For me, when he came in from Brighton, I thought he’s going to be a brilliant signing. And last season, he was terrible. This season, he looks unbelievable. He looks like a £100 million player."

So, with his one-match suspension sure to be a tough one to take, the former Celtic boss must begin devising a plan of how to replace such a monumental figure.

With few midfielders within the squad matching his play style, perhaps an experiment could be in order, to move Pedro Porro into a more central role to truly flex his creative muscles.

What are Pedro Porro's best qualities?

After all, the Spaniard boasts all the attributes needed to thrive in such a position, given he boasts fine anticipation, is strong in the tackle and remains economical in possession.

In fact, when compared to other full-backs across Europe, the former Sporting CP man sits in the top 1% for blocks per 90, the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90, and is averaging a pass accuracy of 83% in the league this term, via FBref.

Although the £85k-per-week dynamo is starring on the right flank for Postecoglou, such a shift would only mark a temporary one, to retain an element of creativity that the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp perhaps lack.

Average Rating

7.46

7.29

Pass Accuracy %

83%

91%

Key Passes

1.6 per game

0.6 per game

Tackles

3.0 per game

3.3 per game

Ball Recoveries

5.1 per game

6.1 per game

Stats courtesy of Sofascore.

Such a suggestion is only reinforced given how Emerson Royal could certainly step in and perform if needed too, as although minutes have been scattered for the Brazilian, he still boasts a 92% pass accuracy and 2.4 ball recoveries per game in the Premier League, via Sofascore.

To further emphasise Porro's ability to shift inside, his heat map, whilst naturally very focused down the right, does actually have patches in the midfield areas anyway.

Then, Postecoglou's praise for the 24-year-old should act as decisive proof, given his delight with the adaptability of the new system:

"Pedro has been super. Obviously, with our full-backs, we’re asking for a different type of role than they’re used to, and both him and Destiny have opened up really well to it.

“They’re trying to learn, trying to understand it. I think it suits Pedro in many respects because he’s such a good footballer, technically, he’s a very good footballer, but he’s also a great athlete."

Whilst it will not be forever, a home clash against Fulham marks as good a time as any to trial an idea that could offer a viable replacement should Bissouma suffer from a long-term absence later in the season.

West Ham United are seemingly interested in a replacement for Michail Antonio. Although the Jamaican international has certainly left a mark on the Premier League following his dramatic ascent through the divisions, the 33-year-old's consistency has sometimes left fans with a lot to be desired.

Who could replace Michail Antonio?

Antonio has enjoyed an intriguing West Ham career – with 100 direct goal involvements in 237 Premier League games, and last season's Conference League victory capping his spell in east London. However, with transition for the Hammers, an aging Antonio debatably doesn't strike the same fear he used to, as he netted just five league goals last term.

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So who could be his replacement at the London Stadium? Well, TEAMtalk has suggested Bayer Leverkusen's Adam Hlozek as an eye-catching heir. An even more imposing figure is cut by VFB Stuttgart's revelation Serhou Guirassy – whose ridiculous 14 goals in just eight Bundesliga games this term has had heads turning all around Europe. Today's focus though, doesn't come from Germany.

Instead rather, we move over the western border to the Netherlands as AZ Alkmaar's Greek forward Vangelis Pavlidis is the latest name to be tipped as a potential successor.

How good is Vangelis Pavlidis?

Ever-improving and ever-prolific since his switch to Eredivisie football in 2019, the 24-year-old has all the makings of a stalwart striker in any of the 'top five' leagues.

The Greek front man at Alkmaar initially got his formative start at VFL Bochum and then BVB Dortmund II, yet Holland was where the 'under the radar' goal rush started when he moved to Willem II on loan (and then permanently) in 2019.

At the Tilburg side, Pavlidis notched a total of 33 goals in 82 games. 28 of those came in 73 Eredivisie outings before he was snatched up by Alkmaar in July 2021.

41 goals in just 67 league games has the 6 foot 1 Greek propelling Alkmaar consistently near the top of the table. This season alone, a jaw-dropping (and improved) 13 goals in nine have helped them fly to second place. West Ham have moved along speculation by going to watch the Greek in his latest headliner performance.

How good could Vangelis Pavlidis be?

Goals are all well and good when underlining a striker's raw ability in front of goal, of course. But what about the more in-depth numbers when compared to similar strikers at his level?

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FBref provides a sparkling scouting report of Pavlidis, especially when compared to Porto's Mehdi Teremi, Sporting's Viktor Gyökeres and PSV's Luuk de Jong. When looking over a stat report littered with green – Pavlidis notably brings 0.80 non-penalty goals per 90 (ranking in top 2% among his European peers).

His non-penalty xG is 0.54 per 90, which puts him in the top 6% percentile and even better – combining this with creating for teammates, his npxG + xAG (Assisted Goals) comes in at 0.74 – which lands him in the top 3% percentile.

Near-malleable in nature to his team's attack, it's hard to see a player of his ability not adapt to a greater challenge. Even if he didn't produce goals in the PL in a prospective move to the Irons, 29.57 passes per 90 (top 6%) and 2.75 progressive passes (top 11%) create space and chances for others. Pavlidis could really open the offensive floor for teammates – he causes havoc with 6.96 touches in the opposition area per 90 (top 1%).

The Greek wonder could be a well needed wrecking ball for Moyes' side, ensuring that with Antonio potentially set to be on his way sooner rather than later, the Scotsman can acquire a dream replacement.

يستعد نادي ريال مدريد الإسباني لاستقبال نجمه الجديد كيليان مبابي، ويخطط لوضعه في نظام لياقة بدنية على غرار كريستيانو رونالدو.

ووقع مبابي عقدا لمدة خمس سنوات مع ريال مدريد في وقت سابق من هذا الصيف بعد مغادرة باريس سان جيرمان في صفقة انتقال حر.

وودع مبابي بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا “يورو 2024” مع منتخب فرنسا، ويستعد الآن للانضمام إلى زملائه الجدد في الفريق.

ويتطلع ريال مدريد إلى تغيير اللياقة البدنية لمبابي قبل الموسم الجديد، ووفقًا لصحيفة “آس” الإسبانية، كلف ريال مدريد مدرب اللياقة البدنية أنطونيو بينتوس بهذه المهمة.

اقرأ أيضًا | بيان رسمي | ريال مدريد يوجه طلبًا هامًا لجماهيره بشأن مبابي

وقد طُلب من بينتوس إعادة مبابي إلى أفضل مستوياته للمشاركة في كأس السوبر الأوروبي ضد أتالانتا الشهر المقبل.

وسيتتبع مبابي نظامًا غذائيًا صارما يتضمن أحد أنواع الأسماك ودجاج وخمس قيلولات يوميا.

وأشار التقرير أيضًا إلى أن رونالدو كان يتتبع جلسات السباحة المنتظمة واستخدام غرفة العلاج بالتبريد للحفاظ على لياقته البدنية.

ومن المقرر الآن أن يخلف مبابي رونالدو والذي عمل مع بينتوس خلال فترته الأولى في ريال مدريد.