Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered another batting malfunction even though Rashid Khan went wicketless again
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-20253:33
Bishop: Siraj has overtaken Shami on recent form
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) suffered another batting malfunction in IPL 2025, this time on a black-soil surface at home, managing 152 for 8 against Gujarat Titans (GT). At one point, they went 36 balls without a boundary and had to wait until the 13th over for their first six. It was Heinrich Klaasen who hit that six, and in the final over of the innings Pat Cummins (22* off nine balls) cleared the boundary to give their attack something to defend.Rashid Khan went wicketless for a third successive game and after four games this season, he has figures of 1 for 143 in 14 overs. Mohammed Siraj, though, was at his best, especially in the powerplay, and then came back in the end overs to york Aniket Verma, SRH’s last recognised batter, and Impact Player Simarjeet Singh. Hyderabad boy Siraj came away with his career-best T20 figures of 4-0-17-4.Siraj had started SRH’s slide when he dismissed both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma in the powerplay. In the very first over on the day, he had Head chipping a catch to midwicket for 8 off five balls. Abhishek picked four fours before Siraj had him caught at mid-on in his third over of the powerplay. Abhishek became Siraj’s 100th victim in the IPL and sixth in the powerplay in IPL 2025. No other bowler has more wickets than Siraj in the first six overs this season.R Sai Kishore, the left-arm fingerspinner, then stifled SRH in the middle overs with his control and variety. He cut Klaasen’s innings short on 27 off 19 balls when he knocked him over with a quick fizzer. He went onto have Nitish Reddy holing out for 31 off 34 balls. GT had handed a franchise debut to Washington Sundar but they didn’t even need him with the ball.Captain Cummins then made a sparkling cameo to push SRH past 150. He was the only SRH batter in the top eight to have a strike rate of over 160.
New Zealand white-ball captain will play alongside Nathan Smith at The Oval
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025Surrey have filled the main gap in their T20 squad with the signing of New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner for the majority of the Vitality Blast season. Santner is available for eight group-stage games and the knockouts in September, if Surrey qualify.Batting allrounders Dan Lawrence, Cameron Steel and Will Jacks were Surrey’s spin options in the Blast last year, but the addition of Santner brings them a frontline option with more than 200 appearances in the format. Surrey have been losing semi-finalists two years in a row, and have not won the trophy since its inaugural season back in 2003.Santner, who recently became New Zealand’s white-ball captain, will arrive in London after the IPL, where he is due to play for Mumbai Indians. He will miss the end of the group stages on international duty but should be available for the knockouts in September. He is also likely to feature in the Hundred again this year, having spent last season with Northern Superchargers.Related
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“I’m really looking forward to connecting with the players and coaching staff at Surrey,” Santner said. “I’ve heard quality things about the environment and have thoroughly enjoyed playing at the Kia Oval previously. I’ve been fortunate to play against many of the squad so it will be great to share the same changing room and play some entertaining cricket.”Alec Stewart, who remains involved with Surrey’s recruitment in his new role as a ‘high performance cricket advisor’, said: “Mitch will bring quality and experience to the Surrey side. He’s a proven international cricketer who plays T20 cricket all over the world and has built an excellent skillset.”Santner will play alongside his international team-mate Nathan Smith at The Oval, with Smith due to play in both the County Championship and the Blast from the start of May until the end of the season, around his New Zealand commitments.
With less than two weeks to go until they get their Premier League campaign underway, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in pole position to jump ahead of Juventus and sign an attacking star.
Frank pays tribute to "fantastic" Son Heung-min
It’s been a mixed first summer for Thomas Frank in North London. Whilst he hasn’t seen Daniel Levy hand him a major overhaul at Tottenham, he has still welcomed some key reinforcements.
Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha have been the most impressive arrivals on that front, whilst Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel have also turned their loan moves permanent to take Spurs’ list of incomings to four for the summer.
After Heung-min Son announced his decision to depart this summer, though, the Lilywhites must turn back towards the transfer market to replace an irreplaceable Tottenham icon.
The South Korean leaves as one of the greatest Premier League players to ever play for Spurs and an undeniable club legend.
Whilst he didn’t get the chance to enjoy Son’s magic beyond this summer in the early days of his tenure, Frank had nothing but praise for his departing captain – telling reporters: “For me, personally, I would have loved to have worked with this fantastic person and player.
“He is a true Spurs legend in every aspect, one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League. It is never easy to find the perfect timing and me coming in from the side, it makes it a bit easier to end on a high.”
As irreplaceable as his moments to remember are, Spurs must attempt to find the heir to Son’s throne this summer and that has reportedly seen them turn towards a Ligue 1 star.
Tottenham in pole position to sign Kolo Muani over Juventus
According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are now in pole position to sign Randal Kolo Muani ahead of Juventus, who have so far failed to get their deal over the line for the Paris Saint-Germain forward.
The Frenchman spent the second half of last season on loan at the Serie A club and enjoyed a rejuvenated spell. So far, however, talks between those in Turin and PSG have not gone well and are not advancing – leaving the door ajar for Spurs to enter.
After scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances for Juventus, Kolo Muani sent a timely reminder of his quality last season and finally backed up the previous praise of fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe.
Once sold to PSG for £77m by Eintracht Frankfurt, Kolo Muani is still capable of reaching those levels if Spurs take a gamble this summer.
Celtic have had a strong start to the Scottish Premiership this season, winning both their opening games with clean sheets and sitting comfortably with an early four-point lead over Rangers.
Celtic have made numerous additions to their title-winning team, including Arsenal’s Kirean Tireny on a free transfer. Additionally, Brendan Rodgers has continued the pattern that his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, started and has once again delved into the Japanese market to bring in Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, who become the 7th and 8th Japanese players to join the club this decade.
Rodgers had also planned on bringing in Go Ahead Eagles winger Jakob Breum, but that deal now seems to have been indirectly foiled by their rivals.
Rangers scupper Celtic transfer hopes
Former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers.
In July, a move for Breum looked likely. Celtic had begun negotiating a price, the player and agent were ready and willing, and the Go Ahead Eagles director spoke candidly about their willingness to sell for the right price. Fast-forward to the present, and Go Ahead Eagles are looking less inclined to sell.
The main reason for this is that the club has received a £6.6 million cash windfall, which means they don’t have to sell Breum if they don’t want to. Last season, the winger registered 15 goal involvements in 26 league appearances, which is likely why the club are inclined to keep hold of him.
In a bitter twist for Celtic, it’s now being reported by Football Insider that a significant factor in Go Ahead Eagles’ reluctance to sell Breum is because of the money they received from Rangers when they signed Oliver Antman.
Rangers brought Antman in from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday for an initial fee of £3 million. This income, partnered with the £3.6 million that the Eagles will receive from their qualification to the Europa League, has changed the Dutch side’s financial situation to the point where a sale of Breum is no longer necessary and attractive.
While it’s almost certain that Rangers had no idea that their deal would scupper Celtic’s move for Breum, it will likely be a cherry on top of the Antman signing that many Rangers fans will take some joy from.
Celtic's next move…
It’s a pain to have a long-term transfer target fall through, and that pain is only exacerbated by Rangers’ involvement, but there is still plenty of time left in the window for Celtic to get their winger.
One other issue that has arisen from the Antman/Breum debacle is that Football Insider also report that Celtic were waiting on the signing of Breum to green-light a sale of Hyunjun Yang to Norwich City. With the season underway, Celtic don’t want to be left shorthanded and so were waiting for their new signing before Yang on. This will now have to wait until they secure an alternative.
One player that Celtic may now go for is Brondby winger Clement Bischoff. TeamTalk had reported earlier this week that Bischoff was a player on the radars of both Celtic and Sunderland. Celtic would have to be willing to spend more than they had planned to spend on Breum, however, as Brondby want £6.3 million for the 19-year-old.
“He gave me a few words in terms of how the wicket would play… He read the wicket to the tee.”
Mohammad Isam23-Oct-2024Keshav Maharaj said that he benefited from Tamim Iqbal’s advice about the Dhaka pitch. The left-arm spinner has taken six wickets in the opening Test match against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium so far, bowling almost the perfect line and length in conditions that have assisted both seamers and the spinners. South Africa are in a good position in the game, needing three more wickets to bowl Bangladesh out in their second innings with the hosts leading by 81 runs.”I just sent Tamim a message,” Maharaj said. “I have got a good relationship with him. Obviously we played in the BPL. I just asked for some advice based on conditions and how to go about the business. He gave me a few words in terms of how the wicket would play. It wasn’t wrong. He read the wicket to the tee.”Maharaj played under Tamim for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024. He took three wickets in three matches, but all of them were at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Maharaj is playing his first match in Dhaka and so he did what other overseas bowlers visiting the subcontinent do. In 1998, Shane Warne got in touch with Bishen Singh Bedi so that he could be better informed about how to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar.South Africa began the third day’s play with three wickets in the first 30 minutes before Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali put on 138 runs for the seventh wicket. Maharaj bowled 37 overs, taking 3 for 105.Related
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“It’s nice to get a marathon spell out of the belt,” he said. “I love bowling. We should get a little bit less [square] cut balls at the start of the spell, but I think I settled in quite nicely. When the ball got a little bit older, there wasn’t much reaction from the wicket so I tried to keep it as tight as possible.”Maharaj’s discipline allows him to play both attacking and defensives roles based on the match situation. He helped keep the pressure up from the other end when Kagiso Rabada was running hot in the first session and then later South Africa looked to him to pose as the primary threat, which he did to break a big partnership and pick up Jaker’s wicket.”We have a four-bowler line-up in our attack,” Maharaj said. “My job, apart from trying to create opportunity, was to hold up an end. I think this morning when I bowled in tandem with KG [Rabada], you could see that his tail was up and got the ball to do a little bit.”So my job at that stage was to try and hold up an end, and then when the switch came, I posed a little bit more when the ball started to spin. I think as a spinner you want to allow yourself to settle in and get those long spells on a wicket like this, knowing that there is a ball that will turn and be in your favour. Luckily enough, towards the back end in the middle of my spell, I got some reward from that.”Maharaj gave credit to Mehidy and Jaker for putting up the rearguard action. He said that South Africa tried really hard to remove the pair, but couldn’t do it for a long period. “I think yesterday was probably the day that we went a little bit searching (for wickets), if I’m honest. And then we got the three wickets, and I think Mehidy and Jaker Ali played really well.”We threw everything at them, and I don’t think it was a case of us taking our foot off the gas. I think they played really well, and you must give credit towards the batters in that situation,” he said.
Crystal Palace have now made an approach over a deal for an “amazing” defender, journalist Mike McGrath has revealed.
Crystal Palace set sights on Guehi replacement
Marc Guehi will forever be remembered for being the first captain to lead Palace to a major trophy, but with two Premier League clubs battling it out for his services, it is looking increasingly likely that the Englishman could be heading for the exit door sooner rather than later.
Newcastle United and Liverpool are keen on the defender, who could be available for around £60m, and the centre-back’s departure could be a real blow for Oliver Glasner, considering he was among the Eagles’ most consistent performers in the Premier League last season.
Crystal Palace’s best performers 24/25
Average rating (WhoScored)
Daniel Munoz
7.11
Eberechi Eze
7.09
Trevoh Chalobah
6.92
Maxence Lacroix
6.88
Marc Guehi
6.81
Amid doubts over Guehi’s future, the Eagles have started identifying potential replacements, and Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande has emerged as a major target, having tabled a bid for the Ivorian.
However, in a report for The Telegraph, McGrath has revealed there is another option from much closer to home, with Crystal Palace submitting an enquiry over a potential loan deal for Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong.
Palace have a history of doing deals with their London rivals, and Acheampong is now of interest, although only on a loan deal, with the reported asking price of £35m perhaps deemed to be too high.
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The Eagles are very interested in signing a full-back, and could make an approach in the very near future.
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Only one loan is allowed from a Premier League rival, and the defender has been identified as the perfect addition to Glasner’s squad, given that he is versatile, with the defender comfortable playing at both centre-back and right-back.
"Amazing" Acheampong could be fantastic signing for Crystal Palace
The 19-year-old is still in the early days of his career, but he is clearly very highly-rated in west London, having been praised by Enzo Maresca after impressing in the Europa Conference League last season.
Maresca said: “The one that I fell in love with [tonight] is Josh Acheampong, because potentially he can be a fantastic player for this club, and for football in general”.
Teammate Tosin Adarabioyo has been left similarly impressed by his fellow defender, saying: “Josh has absolutely everything to be a top, top defender. He’s quick, he’s strong, he’s amazing on the ball, and he has a lot of confidence which I love to see in a young defender.”
The teenager is still inexperienced at first-team level, having made just 14 appearances for Chelsea, but he is clearly very talented, and Palace have a good history of signing young defenders on loan from their London rivals.
Chalobah impressed Glasner during his brief spell with the Eagles last season, prior to being recalled, and the manager will be hoping that Acheampong can have a similar impact at Selhurst Park, should the Blues be open to a loan deal.
FSG’s transfer ethos – getting their work done nice and early – often leaves Liverpool somewhat in the corner of the room while rivals party late into the market, enjoying the thrill of Fabrizio Romano and the rest’s transfer updates.
There are worse problems to have, it must be said. And the real success is found on the field. Liverpool are on the verge of signing Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez, having already added Jeremie Frimpong.
Now, it’s time to sign a centre-forward, for Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota left plenty to be desired as Arne Slot’s focal frontmen last season, actually paling in comparison to Liverpool’s wider forward.
Mohamed Salah
38 (38)
29
18
Luis Diaz
36 (28)
13
7
Cody Gakpo
35 (23)
10
5
Diogo Jota
26 (14)
6
4
Darwin Nunez
30 (8)
5
3
Federico Chiesa
6 (1)
0
0
Luis Diaz was even called into play as a makeshift number nine for much of the campaign, his false-nine-type qualities proving invaluable for the Reds as they marched toward the Premier League title.
Who, then, to sign? Targets like Hugo Ekitike, Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen would all do a job, but Alexander Isak is the cream of the crop, and sporting director Richard Hughes would rake in the plaudits if he got that one over the line.
The latest on Alexander Isak to Liverpool
It’s pretty clear Liverpool will sign a striker this summer. However, who that player might be is less certain. Liverpool can dream, though, and signing Isak would be an incredible way to cap off a wonderful summer.
As per transfer insider Ben Jacobs for GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are prepared to break the British transfer record to sign Isak this summer, with Newcastle United valuing their striker at over £150m.
The “unstoppable” Isak, hailed by pundit Ally McCoist as “the best out-and-out forward in the league”, was outscored only by Mohamed Salah in the Premier League last season, his 23-goal return illustrating his elite ability.
However, Newcastle’s position on their talisman’s unavailability has been absolute (insofar as any stance can be absolute in the transfer market). Liverpool can dream, and it appears they will try, but don’t hold your breath.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
Luckily, Liverpool are one of the most astute transfer operators, and they’ve already lined up the perfect alternative.
Liverpool line up Isak alternative
As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool have sounded out a potential move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez this summer, and while the La Liga side would be looking for an unrealistic £160m figure, Anfield hold a trump card.
Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez
Indeed, Diego Simeone is interested in bringing Nunez to the Wanda Metropolitano this summer, and previous reports even suggest personal terms have been agreed for around a month. As a result, TEAMtalk suggest that a swap deal is an avenue they are exploring this summer.
This would no doubt be a difficult one to get over the line, but Liverpool’s interest is long-standing and the Argentina forward would be perfect for Slot’s system.
Why Julian Alvarez would be perfect
Alvarez had been tracked by Liverpool during his time at Manchester City, where he scored 36 goals and laid on 19 assists across two trophy-laden campaigns, earning an £81.5m transfer to Atletico Madrid last summer.
His first term in Spain was his finest yet, posting 29 goals and seven assists across 55 matches, blending newfound potency with his robust and dynamic attacking style. Making a direct comment on his exploits in Spain, journalist Roy Nemer even described the player as “the best forward in the world.”
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of strikers across Europe last year for passes attempted, shot-creating actions and progressive carries, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
Already something of a nomad, the 25-year-old has demonstrated continual development and would now prove the perfect alternative to Isak, who is actually considered by the data-driven site as being one of Alvarez’s most comparable players.
River Plate
122
54
31
Manchester City
103
36
19
Atletico Madrid
53
29
6
Argentina
44
12
33
Liverpool need a new goalscorer to perch at the front of their ship, but they also need a centre-forward who will play with flair and bring the attacking players together.
One of the Merseysiders’ attacking staples is that when the frontline clicks, they perform in concert, effectively unplayable. Isak aligns perfectly in this regard, but Alvarez too could dovetail into Slot’s set-up and provide a higher level of goalscoring threat while using his technical skills and off-the-ball intelligence to open up a new dimension.
Isak’s completeness is echoed by Alvarez, but the roots of the South American’s style are shaped by a natural quality in front of goal. As per Sofascore, he only missed seven big chances in La Liga last season, scoring 17 goals and creating nine big chances too.
And this isn’t a simple anomaly. Across his two campaigns in the Premier League, the 2022 World Cup winner scored 20 goals from 44 starts, only missing 14 big chances.
It’s pretty clear he’d prove an upgrade on Nunez, and while Isak is FSG’s first-choice pick, Alvarez might just be the perfect fallback if ambitious efforts to bring Isak over from St. James’ Park don’t pull through.
The winds of change are blowing at Anfield, all right, but there’s more still to come for the Premier League champions, who are packaging a proven squad with exciting additions who might just solidify Slot’s early success, shaping it into a dynasty.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold made his debut for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is desperate to bolster his attacking options this summer, and Hugo Ekitike is a major target.
The Blues face competition from Manchester United, however, as the Red Devils have entered the race for the young Frenchman.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
This could put Maresca on high alert, and he will do everything he can to try to lure the Eintracht Frankfurt striker to Stamford Bridge.
He isn’t the only transfer target to emerge from the Bundesliga, as news has emerged about their potential interest in a current RB Leipzig starlet.
Chelsea could target Bundesliga sensation
If a move for Ekitike does go through, Maresca will be keen on linking up with players who will be able to provide him with plenty of chances in the final third.
Of course, Cole Palmer will be ideal for him, but how about having a talent like Xavi Simons available?
Writer Bobby Vincent stated during a Q and A for football.london could perhaps be a target.
“As for Xavi Simons, I’ve heard his name mentioned a couple of times this summer as a potential option but nothing absolutely concrete yet,” said Vincent.
“He is someone who has cropped up in the past as well, so there is definite interest there.”
The Dutchman is still only 22 years of age and would make an ideal long-term option for Maresca, especially as he could work wonders with Ekitike.
Why Chelsea must sign Xavi Simons
Last season in the Premier League, Palmer created 24 big chances. Next on the list were Enzo Fernández with 13 and Pedro Neto with 11. These were the only players with over ten big chances created.
By signing Simons, Maresca would be getting a player who will be able to generate plenty of opportunities for Ekitike, who scored 22 goals in all competitions for Frankfurt this season.
Xavi Simons celebrates
Indeed, across 25 domestic matches last season, the youngster created 12 big chances, while also averaging two key passes per game and recording seven assists for Leipzig, which speaks to the kind of quality that he could provide the French striker with in front of goal.
Metric
Bundesliga
Champions League
Goals
10
0
Assists
7
0
Big chances created
12
4
Key passes per game
2
1.4
Successful dribbles per game
1.3
1.4
Via Sofascore
It is no wonder he has been hailed as a “fantastic talent” in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig. Now, Simons is finally delivering on his massive potential.
While Leipzig may have underwhelmed in the Champions League last season, Simons, who has been hailed as a “pocket rocket” by analyst Raj Chohan, shone from an individual perspective.
Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the tournament, the 22-year-old ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions (5.91) and total shots per 90 (2.69) while also ranking in the top 9% for successful take-ons (1.88) and in the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.49) per 90.
This set of statistics proves that Simons is among one of the finest attacking midfielders on the continent when it comes to creating chances, which is why he would be a dream signing alongside Ekitike as they could link up in the final third with the Dutchman creating chances for the striker to tuck away.
It could be a dream duo for the club next season, and if the club go far in the Club World Cup, there will be money to spend.
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Chelsea could have the chance to reignite a move for a former target
This summer simply has to be a seismic one for Tottenham Hotspur.
Ange Postecoglou and his squad turned what could have been an utterly disastrous campaign into an iconic one with their Europa League triumph in Bilbao last week, and now it’s Daniel Levy and Co’s turn to deliver.
With Champions League football secured, the Lilywhites board should be able to push the boat out that bit more in the transfer window and bring in the right stars to ensure their Premier League campaign next year can be just as memorable as their European one this year.
Fortunately, that seems to be happening, as recent reports have linked the North Londoners with one of the most exciting players on the continent and someone who could send Son Heung-min packing.
Tottenham transfer news
Before getting to the young superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other impressive players who have been linked with Spurs in recent weeks and months, such as Marc Guehi and Leroy Sané.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could cost up to £50m, and while that is a lot of money, he’d bring plenty of experience at the domestic and international level while also potentially being the perfect replacement for Cristian Romero should the World Cup finally move on this summer.
Sané, on the other hand, would be completely free thanks to his contract expiring in June, and while he’s nearer to the end than the start of his career, he’d undoubtedly add something to the Lilywhites attack, as in just 45 games this season he has scored 13 goals and provided six assists.
Leroy Sane celebrates for Germany
However, another more exciting major target for Tottenham has now entered the picture: Xavi Simons.
According to a recent report from ESPN, Spurs are interested in the RB Leipzig star, although they are certainly not the only ones.
Other stories from earlier this month have also credited the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United with an interest in the Flying Dutchman, who could cost around £67m.
It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Simons’ incredible ability and potential, it’s one well worth fighting for, especially as he could be the perfect Son upgrade.
How Simons compares to Son
So, the first thing to say is that one of Simons’ biggest strengths is that he can play off the right or in attacking midfield with relative ease, but considering Brennan Johnson has been in fine form in the former and James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski occupy the latter, it seems likely that he’d come in as a left-wing option.
Xavi Simons celebrates
Therefore, one of his primary competitors for game time, and the man he’d ideally be the long-term heir to, is Son, so who comes out on top when we compare them?
Well, when it comes to their raw output, it’s the former Pairs Saint-Germain gem, with 11 goals and eight assists in just 33 first-team appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games.
Appearances
33
46
Goals
11
11
Assists
8
12
Goal Involvements per Match
0.57
0.50
In contrast, the former Bayer Leverkusen star has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in 46 appearances for the North Londoners this season, which comes out to a goal involvement every other game.
Okay, what about their underlying numbers from this year? Which winger comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?
Unfortunately for the Chuncheon-born icon, this is another battle he loses, as in most relevant metrics, bar a few here and there, the 22-year-old “game-changing signing,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, comes out comfortably ahead.
These metrics include, but are not limited to, non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, goals per shot and shot on target, passes into the final third and penalty area, expected assists, tackles won, interceptions, blocks, clearances, successful take-ons, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Goals + Assists
0.67
0.64
Progressive Passes
5.86
4.74
Progressive Carries
3.56
4.10
Shots
2.09
2.35
Shots on Target
0.96
1.02
Goals per Shot
0.20
0.11
Goals per Shot on Target
0.43
0.25
Passing Accuracy
78.6%
78.9%
Expected Assists
0.25
0.22
Passes into the Penalty Area
2.51
2.18
Passes into the Final Third
3.31
1.75
Live Passes
44.4
36.5
Shot-Creating Actions
4.52
4.99
Tackles
1.17
0.73
Tackles Won
0.88
0.38
Blocks
0.79
0.47
Interceptions
0.50
0.21
Clearances
0.79
0.73
Successful Take-Ons
1.38
1.24
Ball Recoveries
5.36
3.63
Aerial Duels Won
0.79
0.26
Finally, the Amsterdam-born “superstar,” as dubbed by Mattinson, is a decade younger than the captain, so there is every chance that he’ll continue to get better and better in the coming campaigns, which is a scary thought indeed.
Ultimately, Son has been an incredible player for Spurs over the years, but Simons looks to be better than him in practically every way, so Levy and Co should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.
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The iconic Spurs star should walk away this summer.
Even though this season is still ongoing, there’s only one question on Rangers supporters’ minds: who will be the next manager in the Ibrox dugout?
Barry Ferguson is still yet to oversee a home win for Rangers in five attempts during his interim spell, following Sunday’s 1-1 draw in the derby, hoping to change that at Ibrox this weekend.
So, as much as he might want it, it’s very unlikely that he is going to get the job full-time and, while there appear to be two clear front-runners to be appointed right now, should Rangers turn their attention to a “world-class manager”?
Rangers new manager latest
At the time of writing, there are two clear favourites to be appointed as the next Rangers manager.
One is Steven Gerrard, with Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider reporting that he is ‘now the leading candidate’ to be re-hired, just under four years after leaving the club for Aston Villa.
Gerrard has been out of work since January, when he was sacked by Al-Ettifaq after, as John Duerden of the Guardian puts it, a generally ‘underwhelming’ spell in charge of the Saudi Pro League club.
Thus, a report by TEAMTalk claims that Gerrard ‘would be very open’ to the possibility of a return to the Ibrox dugout.
The other manager seemingly in the fray is Marco Rose, with Mark Pirie of the Daily Record stating that the German is ‘being considered’ by Andrew Cavenagh, Paraag Marathe and the rest of 49ers Enterprises, ahead of their proposed takeover.
The 48-year-old is also currently out of work, having been sacked by RB Leipzig in March; he’s previously been in charge of RB Salzburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.
Both would be intriguing appointments in very different ways, but should the 49ers actually attempt to appoint a manager with vastly more experience?
Rangers could land a world-class manager
A report by Mark Pirie of the Daily Record back in March claimed that Rafa Benítez is a candidate to become the new Rangers manager, stating that the Spaniard is ‘aware’ of speculation linking him to the vacancy.
Everton's former manager Rafael Benitez.
Few active managers on the planet can boast quite as impressive a CV as Benítez, as outlined in the table below.
Real Valladolid
1995-96
25
Osasuna
1996
9
Extremadura
1997-99
92
Segunda promotion
Tenerife
2000-01
46
Segunda promotion
Valencia
2001-04
162
La Liga X2
UEFA Cup
Liverpool
2004-12
350
Champions League
FA Cup
UEFA Super Cup
Internazionale
2010
25
FIFA Club World Cup
Supercoppa Italiana
Chelsea
2012-13
48
Europa League
Napoli
2013-15
112
Coppa Italia
Supercoppa Italiana
Real Madrid
2015-16
25
Newcastle United
2016-19
146
EFL Championship
Dalian Professional
2019-21
38
Everton
2021-22
22
Celta de Vigo
2023-24
33
Benítez’s credentials are there for all to see, having won the Champions League, two La Liga titles and the Europa League twice, as well as various other trophies, managing some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool, Real Madrid, Inter and Chelsea.
His successor at Newcastle United, Steve Bruce, said that Benítez is unquestionably a “world-class manager”, even if his last two jobs, in charge of Everton and Celta Vigo, have both gone pretty disastrously.
He was never likely to succeed at Goodison was he, becoming only the second man, after William Edward Barclay in 1892, to manage both Merseyside giants.
Nevertheless, Dietmar Hamann, who played for Benítez at Liverpool, alongside Gerrard of course, described his former boss as a “genius” and a “fantastic manager”, adding that Rangers “could do a lot worse” in their search for a new head coach.
So, if the 49ers are looking for a manager who has vast experience when it comes to both British and European football, could the 65-year-old be the man tasked with overseeing the Rangers rebuild, pipping his former captain – and Rose – to the post?
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A high-profile European coach is now among the main contenders to become the new manager of the Gers.