All posts by n8rngtd.top

“A lot of these guys haven’t played in the subcontinent before, so being exposed to a different brand of cricket is good for them.”

Deivarayan Muthu11-Sep-2021After being skittled for their joint-lowest total in T20I cricket in the series opener against Bangladesh, New Zealand have shown improvement over the next four matches despite losing the series 3-2. Their captain Tom Latham has been central to both the victories, following up his maiden T20I fifty in the second match with another crafty half-century in the fifth T20I.On Friday, Latham worked his way around a middle-order wobble and launched New Zealand from 83 for 4 in the 11th over to 161 for 5. Latham was on a run-a-ball 29 at one point, but teed off in the 19th over, when he lined up Taskin Ahmed for two sixes and a four in four balls. He eventually finished with an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls.Related

• Tom Latham ready to embrace multiple roles for New Zealand

• Pakistan to allow 25% capacity crowds for New Zealand series

• Tom Latham to lead New Zealand in Bangladesh and Pakistan with IPL-bound players unavailable

• Taylor left out of T20 World Cup squad; NZ pick Chapman, Todd Astle among 15

“It was obviously nice to spend a little bit of time in the middle,” Latham said. “Haven’t played a lot of T20 cricket for New Zealand but also for Canterbury over the last couple of years. For me, it’s just about finding a way in these conditions that are so foreign to us and probably a little bit harder than what we expected. So, for me it’s about, I guess, do the role as best as you can and it was nice I could do that.”It was opener Finn Allen who had set the scene for New Zealand’s victory, clattering four fours and three sixes. After flickering briefly in the last two T20Is, Allen caught fire when he walloped left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam for 4,6,4 in the fourth over. Allen pressed on to 41 off 24 balls before Shoriful struck back to have the batter playing on with the last ball of the powerplay. Ben Sears also impressed, in his second T20I, pounding the deck at speeds north of 140kph. He hit 147kph with his second ball and had Mohammad Naim nicking off for 23 off 21 balls. Latham delivered a glowing appraisal of the two rookies.”Yeah, especially it was great to see Ben come out; he hasn’t had a lot of opportunity on this tour so far,” Latham said. “To bowl like he did – he bowled quite quick, which is nice to see. Someone like him who hasn’t been around in domestic cricket for that long and Finn at the top showed how explosive he can be and got us off to such a good start, which is probably why we got to the score we did.”At the end of the fourth T20I, in which New Zealand subsided to 93 all out, their coach Glenn Pocknall admitted that his side was about ten runs short. Latham said that New Zealand didn’t panic, heading into the final match, and backed themselves to turn in a collective performance.”For us, it’s about continuing what we’ve been doing and in the last three-four games we were very close to putting it altogether,” Latham said. “We didn’t want to change things too much and we just knew we had to be better for a little bit longer. It was nice the guys were able to go out there and play with freedom today and one put a good score on the board but also bowl really well to defend a good score. So, certainly very pleasing getting into the Pakistan series.”None of these players on the Bangladesh tour are part of New Zealand’s squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, but this stint in trying conditions was an important step in their growth, according to Latham.”I think a lot of these guys haven’t played in the subcontinent before, so for them to have exposure to a different brand of cricket and a different way of cricket is going to be good for them and good for New Zealand cricket, Latham said. “Over the recent years, we’ve had some good results in the subcontinent across all three formats. So, the more we play in these conditions the more we are able to learn, we push our games forward.”New Zealand will next travel to Pakistan on September 11 and serve quarantine for two days before hitting the nets. Latham was enthused about New Zealand’s first tour of Pakistan since 2003. Spectators up to 25% capacity have been allowed for the white-ball series in Rawalpindi and Lahore later this month. New Zealand will also be bolstered by the return of Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman and Ish Sodhi who are all part of the T20 World Cup squad.”It’s obviously very pleasing for Pakistan as a nation to have international cricket back and back there they’ve had a couple of series in recent times and obviously this is another one,” Latham said. “So, for us, it’s just about going there and trying to adapt to conditions like we’ve done here and see what we get. So, another opportunity for the group and they’re all looking forward to it.”

[ad_pod ]

Say what you want about Romelu Lukaku, but since his move to Manchester United Everton have never truly filled the void left by the Belgian.

The Toffees have done their best to replace his goal scoring prowess by signing the likes of Cenk Tosun, Richarlison and Theo Walcott. But Marco Silva’s side still lack the level of proficiency that is required to score goals on a regular basis at this level, but that could all change during the summer transfer window.

According to Italian media outlet Calciomercato, the Merseyside club are interested in Juventus wonderkid Moise Kean, who enjoyed a breakout year with the Serie A champions last season, and they are ready to relaunch a bid worth €30 million to prise him away from the Old Lady.

With that in mind, here are two reasons why the exciting attacker can solve a major problem on Merseyside…

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Scope for development

Kean has already showcased a level of potential that has got the footballing world talking. At just 19-years-old he is a sensation with a frightening scope for improvement.

With further exposure to first-team opportunities and years of experience under his belt, it’s likely that Kean will blossom into a goal-machine in one of Europe’s top five leagues, whether it be with Juventus, Everton or another interested suitor.

Everton have previously reaped the rewards of signing a prodigious young striker, with Romelu Lukaku providing goals and entertainment before earning the Toffees a profit of a whopping £47m.

Not only will Kean’s natural and perpetual improvement provide Silva with a clinical weapon on the field, it could ultimately result in another financial windfall further down the line.

Filling the Lukaku void

Averaging a goal every 89 minutes in Serie A last season, there is a very clear reason why Kean has been linked with a move to the Premier League.

At Everton, the striker could finally fill the void left by Lukaku.

Of course, the Toffees would represent a step down in prestige for Kean, but that doesn’t mean he will suffer from an absence of quality service. Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Bernard alone assisted 16 goals between them last season, and with a striker of the Italy international’s standard in the side, that number is likely to increase.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tosun and Richarlison have all tried and failed in their endeavour to fill the Lukaku-shaped hole in Everton’s attack and, until a clinical striker is brought into the club, that trend looks set to continue.

Kean has been tipped for greatness since his debut at age 16, becoming the first player born in the 21st century to play in any of Europe’s top five leagues.

On paper, Everton would be a sideways or even backward step in the Juventus man’s career, but it could be the launching pad that sends his name into a bracket alongside some of the world’s best.

South Africa have mastered the art of being better travellers than hosts and seem to have a plan to succeed in Bangladesh too

Firdose Moonda20-Jul-2015From the outside, it can seem pretty easy being a South African Test cricketer.Despite six months of inaction, the team remains top of the Test rankings. Even if South Africa’s nearest rivals, Australia, go on to win the Ashes 4-1 and Bangladesh beat them in both Tests, South Africa will still remain at the summit. Not so bad for an outfit their captain has described as “a team in transition, which people will see more now than ever.”In the last two years, South Africa have undergone an almost complete changing of the guard. They have a new captain, new openers, a new wicketkeeper and have rotated through four different spinners but they have enjoyed success in the midst of all that because they worked out how to be better travellers than hosts. They will hope the upcoming series against Bangladesh will be another example of that.South Africa last lost a series away from home nine years ago, in Sri Lanka in 2006. They have since played 14 away series, of which seven have been in the subcontinent, won 10 and drawn four. The four shared spoils came in India and the UAE; the victories everywhere from Australia to West Indies. The key has been their ability to adapt and that is what South Africa will want to instill into the younger crop on this outing, before the bigger challenges of touring India and hosting England come around.By then, South Africa will not want to be carrying the label of a new-look side, they will want to have found their look. That means they will want to know exactly who will open the batting, who is next in line for the middle-order spots, who the reserve seamers are and which spinner is the first-choice. All of that needs to be discovered in Bangladesh and Hashim Amla knows it.”To try and get the team together and grow for the next couple of years is important. We’ve got a lot of new faces, mixed with guys who have played a lot of Test cricket. I hope those guys will get to understand what Test cricket is about in Bangladesh and for some of us to put in some big performances to help them get used to Test cricket.”Amla has identified the batting line-up as the area undergoing the most change because it “takes five or six years before a batsman has gained experience in Test cricket.” South Africa’s senior opener, Dean Elgar, only has 15 Tests under his belt and whoever occupies the No. 5 spot in this series will have played fewer than that. Surprisingly, even the so-called experienced players like Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy have played only 20 and 27 Tests respectively.That leaves Amla, with 82 caps, as the most senior member of the batting group. He will have to anchor a line-up which could see Reeza Hendricks make his debut at the top and one of Stiaan van Zyl or Temba Bavuma slot in for AB de Villiers in the middle, where Quinton de Kock is need of some runs.Amla hopes the change in format will translate to a change of fortunes for his wicketkeeper. “Quinny is a wonderful talent who works very hard. I think its a matter of time before he makes a big play for us,” Amla said. If he doesn’t, Dane Vilas is lurking as a replacement.At least at the other end of the XI, matters are more certain. South Africa’s premier pace pack of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel will resume their regular positions, with Kagiso Rabada likely to be forced to watch and learn for now. “KG is a wonderful talent. The caution should be that you never want to rush players into the international environment and our bowling attack is pretty settled,” Amla said. “There is a possibility of some guys making their debut but that will only be a decision taken later.”That decision could also impact Aaron Phangiso, a surprise inclusion in the Test squad, who may have to wait while Simon Harmer is entrusted with the specialist spinner’s job. Harmer was preferred over Dane Piedt but with both new to the international game, he will know this is his opportunity to prove his worth.Harmer, who took seven wickets on debut against West Indies, prepared with club cricket in Manchester, which allowed him to “keep my engine running,” and has already sussed out what he will need to do to be successful in Bangladesh. “You need to be as patient as possible. It’s easy to get carried away because it does turn,” he said. “Variation is also key over here. The wickets do turn so you need to keep the batsmen thinking the whole time. You need to be able to vary your pace and bowl balls that don’t turn as much as the one before it.”His goal is to pick up “at least one five-for in the second innings,” to win a match for South Africa, which would help extend their lead at the top of the table. The most South Africa can gain is seven points, from a 2-0 series win, which will give them a decent cushion as the season unfolds. Even though that may not be foremost on the players minds, if it happens it could make life as a South African Test cricketer a little easier going in to a busy summer.

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2015David Warner timed his dive to perfection at mid-off to complete the catch and West Indies were 37 for 3•Getty ImagesNathan Lyon was getting plenty of turn and bounce from the Windsor Park pitch resulting in a few close calls for leg before•Getty ImagesWhile there were some unplayable deliveries…•Getty ImagesBoth Dowrich and Samuels notched up fifties as their fourth-wicket partnership moved along to 144•AFPDowrich’s dismissal triggered another West Indies collapse as they lost their last seven wickets for only 35 runs•Getty ImagesMitchell Starc took three of those wickets to finish with innings returns of 4 for 28 in 18 overs•Getty ImagesThe collapse left Australia with a target of 47 runs and David Warner’s swift 28 helped them get there in five overs•Getty ImagesThe collapse left Australia with a target of 47 runs and David Warner’s swift 28 helped them get there in five overs•Getty ImagesThe win helped Australia retain the Frank Worrell Trophy and Adam Voges, whose debut ton helped set up the win, was awarded Player of the Match•Getty Images

Glasgow Rangers lost a host of attacking players during last summer under Michael Beale, who, if truth be told, were not properly replaced.

Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos left after their contracts expired, while Antonio Colak and Fashion Sakala – despite being fairly one dimensional, scored 30 goals between them – were sold by Beale in order to raise funds for future arrivals.

Overall, these four players scored 45 goals combined last season, something which Beale had to replace in the summer.

Aside from Cyriel Dessers, who has found the back of the net on 20 occasions since joining, and Abdallah Sima, the other summer recruits have failed to really give the club much going forwards.

Danilo has missed most of the season due to injury, while Sam Lammers was so poor, Philippe Clement ended up sending him out on loan to FC Utrecht, where he has scored nine goals in just 16 Eredivisie matches since February.

While the other three were dispensable, especially Kent, following his poor final season in front of goal, it was clear Beale made a mistake allowing Morelos to leave.

How much Alfredo Morelos cost Rangers

The summer of 2017 proved to be a disastrous one for Rangers. Pedro Caixinha, who was appointed as manager in March, made a total of 11 new signings, which ranged from the expensive flop Carlos Pena to a bargain move for Ryan Jack.

Combine this with the fact that Caixinha failed to lead Rangers beyond the first qualifying round of the Europa League, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Luxembourg side Progres Niederkorn, it was clear his managerial spell wasn’t going to last long.

There weren’t many reasons to be cheerful as a supporter, but the acquisition of Morelos for a fee of just £1m from Finnish side HJK Helsinki.

The Colombian had scored 46 goals in just 62 appearances in Finland and Caixinha was certainly hoping he could replicate this type of form in Scotland throughout the 2017/18 campaign.

Over the next six seasons, Morelos would exceed all expectations and then some.

Alfredo Morelos’ Rangers statistics

Morelos scored 18 goals in his maiden season at Ibrox, certainly proving to be worth the £1m that was paid to sign him, and he would go from strength to strength.

Tallies of 30 and 29 goals saw him emerge as one of the finest signings the Light Blues had made since returning to the top flight in 2016.

It wasn’t just his performances domestically which were impressive, but under Steven Gerrard, the Colombian striker was a feared presence in European competition.

The 2019/20 Europa League competition certainly proved it. Across 17 games in both qualifying and the main tournament, the centre-forward scored 14 times as the Gers lost to Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.

A few months later, Morelos would go on to make history. His goal against Benfica during the group stage of the 2020/21 competition saw him become the highest ever goal scorer in Europe for the Ibrox side, with his 22nd effort surpassing the total of club legend Ally McCoist, who had terrorised defences on the continent during his 15-year spell at Rangers.

By the end of his time in Glasgow, Morelos had netted 29 goals in Europe, further extending his advantage over McCoist, but he couldn’t add to that tally in the Champions League last season.

His final campaign in Scotland saw the 27-year-old score just 12 times in all competitions as he battled fitness problems, and it appeared he was looking to move on when his contract expired.

In reality, he should have left for a big transfer fee a couple of years previously when he was in his prime at the club. Failing to extend his contract was certainly a mistake, especially as his market value has risen recently since departing Rangers.

Alfredo Morelos’ current market value

A few years ago, Morelos was a target for quite a few clubs on the continent, with Gerrard even rejecting a bid of around £16.25m from French side Lille in the summer of 2020 for their prized asset.

Hailed as a “nightmare for defenders” by one former Premiership opponent back in 2019, Morelos failed to really recover from an injury sustained while on international duty in April 2022, thus ruling him out of the Scottish Cup and Europa League finals.

He looked a shadow of his former self when returning the following season before leaving last May. A few years ago, clubs were queuing up to secure his signature, but he had to wait a few weeks in order to make his next move.

Following what was a surprise move to Santos, Morelos has scored just three goals in 13 games for the iconic Brazilian club, which counts Pele, Neymar, and Robinho as former alumni.

They were relegated at the end of last season; therefore, the Colombian will be aiming to fire them back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Despite his poor form, Morelos’ market value means Rangers made a big mistake in letting him go for free. According to Transfermarkt, the striker is now currently valued at €4m (£3.5) and this could rise steadily if he begins to score on a frequent basis.

It’s a far cry from the €15m (£12.9m) he was valued at in 2020 following his wonderful season, but there is no doubt if he can return to this sort of form in Brazil, the striker could soon start to garner plenty of interest.

Much will depend on his attitude and whether he wants another crack in Europe. Poor fitness and mindset certainly disrupted his progress during the final two years at Ibrox.

If he can battle these demons and continue to showcase his true talents, Morelos could be a good signing for a number of sides.

Turning down a bid of nearly £17m four years ago showed that Gerrard believed in his main centre-forward, but he has since failed to ever match those lofty heights. Perhaps the club should have struck when the iron was hot.

Rangers could finally replace Kent with 20 y/o who "wants to go to Europe"

Rangers may have been given a boost with regards to a player they have been linked with…

By
Ross Kilvington

May 8, 2024

Leeds United will need every single one of their players firing on all cylinders this Saturday, needing to win against Southampton and hope Ipswich Town slip up to swoop into that final automatic promotion in the Championship at the death.

It will have to be a major improvement on the showing the Whites dished up at Loftus Road last time out, knowing that a disastrous defeat like the 4-0 one suffered in West London against Queens Park Rangers would really irk the Leeds masses in such a high-stakes contest at Elland Road.

The lone striker position will be one spot in the Leeds side that Daniel Farke will have to think long and hard about before the lunch-time clash, with both Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe struggling there as of late and the first name in this wasteful duo looking touch-and-go to be fit.

There are other options in the form of Mateo Joseph and even this forgotten face in the Leeds ranks up top too, who could be moved on in the summer for a healthy profit despite barely featuring for the promotion-chasers this season.

Joe Gelhardt's season in numbers

Joe Gelhardt has faded into the background for Leeds this campaign, falling way down the pecking order under Farke after once being viewed as the future of the Whites in attack.

Signed three years ago for £1m from Wigan Athletic – with the Latics having to offload their academy product for a cheap fee owing to their financial woes at the time – Gelhardt would leave a lasting impression on the Whites masses when gifted first-team opportunities shortly after his arrival.

Praised for his tenacious displays by Jamie Carragher in 2022, who described the then teenage sensation as "special", Gelhardt did manage to fire in two goals for his new employers during the 2021/22 season even whilst playing in the brutal nature of the Premier League.

His Whites career hasn't quite gone to plan after this blistering start, however, with just nine Championship appearances coming his way this campaign and zero goals to show for it.

Still, despite only being given 19 minutes of second-tier action this year, Gelhardt could be offloaded for significant profit soon with his transfer value higher than Bamford's according to Football Transfers.

Gelhardt's transfer value in 2024

Leeds would be fools to not try and cash in on Gelhardt this coming summer, especially if they look to add more strength in depth to the striker spots over the ex-Wigan man to handle the jump up to the top flight if promotion is sealed.

The now 21-year-old attacker boasts a hefty £6.4m valuation according to the site even with his fringe status, whilst the more experienced if injury-prone Bamford comes in at a lesser price-tag of £5.6m.

This is a shock considering the former Middlesbrough man has been lethal in patches this season for the Whites, with nine of his 60 Leeds goals coming this campaign under Farke.

Yet, Gelhardt was worth a staggering £12.7m just last year when he was still being given moments to shine in the Premier League, which would make him worth more than Daniel James' current £10.9m price today remarkably.

There is still time for Gelhardt to, arguably, make this season a successful one on a personal note if Farke gambles on giving him some much-needed minutes versus the Saints and he fires a potential promotion-winning goal home against Southampton.

But, with his current position on the Leeds periphery not looking likely to change realistically, it could well be that the Whites cash in on the 21-year-old – who did receive enquiries from the likes of Celtic in January – very soon before his value depletes.

Manchester United have completed the shock signing of former youth-team player Tommy Rowe on a free transfer.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Man Utd bring back former youth player
• Rowe returns after 21 years
• Will take up player-coach role

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rowe, who graduated from United's youth team, returned to the club after 21 years on a free transfer on Tuesday. The midfielder played for teams like Wolves, Bristol City and Doncaster Rovers in his 17-year-long senior professional career where he made 650 appearances, before returning to his former club.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Rowe has returned to Old Trafford, he won't be a part of the senior squad. Instead, he will take up a player-coach role in the club's Under-21 side replacing Tom Huddlestone who left the team at the end of the 2023/24 season. The 35-year-old could also feature in some EFL Trophy matches as the competition allows up to five players to feature for the U21 team.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Quoting the Red Devils, The Sun wrote, "He will create various unique development opportunities for United’s Academy players by coaching from within training sessions and driving daily standards on and off the pitch."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Erik ten Hag's side are off to a nightmare start in the 2024/25 campaign, having lost two out of their first three Premier League matches including an embarrassing defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Liverpool last Sunday. They will aim to get back to winning ways after the international break as they take on Southampton on September 14.

In April of 2023, everything fell apart for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal. A run of wretched games saw their Premier League title hopes ultimately fade away with a whimper.

This season it looked as though the Gunners had learnt their lesson. 2024 has been dominated by swashbuckling football, notably putting six past Sheffield United and West Ham, and five past Burnley.

However, lessons have seemingly not been learnt, notably by the manager whose squad management must be called out. Indeed, April is here again and a withered, tired-looking group of players look out for the count.

A 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last Sunday was bad enough, only for the Londoners to then fall to a second-leg defeat in Munich, beaten 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate by Harry Kane's Bayern.

Losing to the Bundesliga giants is usually nothing to be ashamed of. However, Thomas Tuchel's side have not been at the races this term, conceding the German top-flight trophy for the first time in 11 years. They do, however, still boast a chance of winning the Champions League.

The back end of this campaign promised so much for Arsenal but it's all ending in rather predictable circumstances; without a trophy.

It's a bitter pill to swallow for supporters, who notably saw a number of fan favourites fail to deliver on the biggest of stages. An isolated Gabriel Martinelli – who simply hasn't been the same player this season – struggled to have much of an impact, the same could be said for Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal's biggest underperformer against Bayern

This honour could have been given to a number of players in green on Wednesday evening. Kai Havertz started up top as an out ball but once moved into the centre of midfield following Gabriel Jesus' introduction barely had a kick.

However, it was a player we all hold in such high regard who had one of his worst nights in Arsenal colours; Saka.

It is difficult to point the blame at such a well-loved figure. He has been there since the start of this project and dragged Arteta's team through many a moment. This season he is still the club's top scorer on 18 goals but his powers have waned towards the end of the term.

The Englishman missed the home match with Luton a few weeks ago because of injury and truth be told, he hasn't really looked too fit since.

He has found the net just twice in his last eight outings and only has one assist to show for his troubles since 20th January. For a young individual so creative, so full of flair, it's hugely disappointing.

Bayern are no mugs defensively but without Alphonso Davies, ruled out due to suspension at the Allianz on Wednesday, Saka had a wonderful opportunity to dominate up against Noussair Mazraoui, a right-back playing at left-back.

Did he dominate? No is the short answer. The 22-year-old received no change from the Moroccan with Arsenal's number 7 failing to complete any of his three dribble attempts or four crosses.

Handed a 4/10 match rating courtesy of GOAL's Charles Watts, the Arsenal reporter noted that he was 'always on the fringes of things'. What didn't help were Saka's actions towards the end of the game. Having taken a quick free-kick, spurning the chance to get the ball into the area with seconds remaining, he planted the resulting corner straight at the man at the near post.

That just about summed up the winger's display with Saka left to rue a night where he failed to provide a single key pass or have a shot. This was a night to stand up and be counted but their main man did not do so.

Key to Arsenal's summer will be finding a player Arteta can rotate Saka with. He looked spent in Germany and it is hardly surprising for someone who's missed just three games all campaign. It's back to the drawing board for the Gunners.

Arteta could unleash Zinchenko in new role to revive his Arsenal career

Zinchenko was a big underperformer in Arsenal’s last match.

By
Joe Nuttall

Apr 17, 2024

Ronald Koeman has given Ryan Gravenberch a reminder of the weakness the Netherlands coach saw in the midfielder before his improvement at Liverpool.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Gravenberch has performed well this season
• Midfielder given fresh start under new coach
• Koeman pointed out a flaw that hindered him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gravenberch has had a resurgence at Liverpool since new coach Arne Slot came in to replace Jurgen Klopp. The Netherlands international impressed in his first Premier League game of the season as the Reds beat Ipswich, and then attracted further acclaim with his performance in the 3-0 win against Manchester United on Sunday.

Advertisement

• Voetbalzone
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gravenberch was named in Koeman's squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Germany and the coach was asked about the ex-Ajax man's recent displays. However, the coach was quick to point out a flaw in his game.

• WHAT KOEMAN SAID

  Speaking at a press conference, Koeman said of the midfielder: "I have always seen the potential in him, but I believed he lacked focus, this is something that he had to improve and now it seems that he finally realises what is asked of him."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Imago
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR GRAVENBERCH?

  Gravenberch will hope to feature in Oranje's games on September 7 and 10. He will then return to Merseyside to start preparing for the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest on September 14.

One of the biggest clubs in the world are hoping to sign an "irreplaceable" Manchester City player for just £43m this summer, according to a worrying transfer update.

Man City transfer news

Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, Pep Guardiola will again be on the lookout for new signings in the upcoming transfer window, as he freshens up his squad.

While established players are being linked with moves to the Etihad later in the year, youngsters are also needed for the long-term picture, and Lokomotiv Moscow ace Sergey Pinyaev is reportedly wanted by City.

Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has enjoyed a fantastic season, scoring 11 goals and registering 10 assists en route to Xabi Alonso's side winning the league title recently. The move for Wirtz may have hit a snag, but there is still hope that the German could be at the Etihad in time for next season.

Guardiola may feel that a new centre-back is needed moving forward, especially with John Stones proving to be an injury-prone figure, and Everton ace Jarrad Branthwaite has been backed to sign for City. The young Englishman has been a rare bright spark for the Toffees this season, and could jump at the opportunity to join the reigning Premier League champions despite his success in Germany.

Links surrounding a move for Bayern Munich forward Jamal Musiala are also refusing to go away, with the German having the potential to mature into one of the best players in the world. He has 16 goal contributions (10 goals and six assists) in 20 Bundesliga starts in 2023/24 heading into this weekend.

Man City could lose "irreplaceable" star

According to a fresh claim from Catalunya Radio (as relayed by Sport Witness), Manchester City star Bernardo Silva is wanted by Barcelona this summer, and the player himself has "practically decided" to leave the club.

Barca are hoping to sign the Portuguese for just €50m (£43m) due to a release clause that exists in his current contract, and he sees them as his first choice to join.

Losing Silva this summer would be a massive blow for City, considering he has become a genuine legend during his time at the club, not only winning five Premier League titles and one Champions League crown, but also proving to be one of the league's outstanding players during that period. Meanwhile, Guardiola clearly thinks the world of the 29-year-old, saying of him:

"I could stay here and talk for 10 minutes on what Bernardo Silva means for me and our team. He is a player that is beyond good in all departments – solidarity, intelligence, he understands everything. We are in love with him. The problem is he has no big cars, he [dresses] maybe not for high style. He is humble and everybody loves him in the locker room. We were lucky not to lose him. He is irreplaceable. I know he is happy here."

Every Premier League Golden Boot winner

Some of the Premier League’s greatest goalscorers have won the Golden Boot – here’s every player to earn the coveted prize.

By
Stephan Georgiou

May 26, 2025

Admittedly, Bernardo isn't getting any younger, but he remains a world-class footballer who shouldn't drift past his peak for another few years, so City should do all they can to keep him. That being said, if he has decided he wants to leave, it would be hard to begrudge him a fresh challenge.