Tag Futebol

One member of the Leeds United squad has seen his availability for the upcoming Championship fixtures thrown into doubt after fresh injury concerns emerged over the international break, it has been reported.

Leeds stars off on international duty

11 members of Daniel Farke's squad are away with their respective nations over the international break. Three of them were a part of Wales' first win under Craig Bellamy's leadership, with Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon and Karl Darlow all starting in the 2-1 win over Montenegro on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, loan signing Manor Solomon was also in action at the same time, with his Israel side falling to a 2-1 defeat against Italy in Budapest, four days on from their 3-1 defeat to Belgium to leave them bottom of their Nations League group.

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The Whites youngster appears to be a promising talent within the academy.

Posts ByDan Emery Sep 10, 2024

Brenden Aaronson and Junior Firpo also featured for their respective countries, with Firpo playing as a striker for the Dominican Republic, though he is unlikely to be deployed their anytime soon by Farke. Finally, new signing Ao Tanaka came off the bench for Japan as they thrashed China 7-0.

At U21 level, exciting pair Mateo Joseph and Wilfried Gnonto were in action as Spain beat Scotland while Italy U21s thrashed San Marino 7-0 with Gnonto named captain. But despite the generally successful international break, Farke has been handed a new headache after yet another injury complication.

Leeds handed further injury blow

That comes as one outlet has offered a concerning assesment of Austrian centre-back Max Wober. The defender played out a 1-1 draw with Slovenia, but Ralf Rangnick later admitted that he was facing an issue, and he sat out of the Norway defeat on Monday night.

It had been thought that it was the same calf problem that has seen him without a single Championship minute to his name thus far this season, but Austrian outlet Krone instead suggest that the defender is "suffering from knee problems", which could further jeopardise his season.

Max Wober's Leeds career to date

Appearances

20

Goals

0

Assists

0

Yellow Cards

4

With knee injuries notoriously dangerous should it be diagnosed as either an ACL or MCL issue, all parties will undoubtedly be proceeding with caution from this point, which could see Wober continue to be absent from Leeds United starting XIs for the forseeable future should it prove to be in any way serious, though there is no further information provided.

The 26-year-old was heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer but no club would meet Leeds' valuation. Having shelled out £10m for the defender just 18 months ago, and with Wober still having three years left to run on his £35,000 a week deal at Elland Road, the Yorkshire outfit were in no rush to take a loss on the Austrian.

His undoubted ability could be crucial in Farke's side making it back to the Premier League at the end of the season, but they may have to wait a little longer in order to see it on show in front of the Elland Road faithful.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na última segunda-feira, o Red Bull Bragantino foi até a Arena Pantanal e acabou derrotado pelo Cuiabá com direito a gol nos acréscimos do confronto.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Apesar do resultado negativo, o técnico Mauricio Barbieri viu o seu time criar bastante ao longo do jogo, mas espera que o Massa Bruta seja efetivo.

‘A gente não conseguiu ser efetivo, o Walter também foi muito bem e no final fizeram um gol num momento em que a gente tinha que ter mais equilíbrio, mais maturidade para não oferecer essa circunstância’, declarou.

Com a semana livre para trabalhos, o Bragantino volta a campo no domingo, quando recebe o Athletico, no Nabi Abi Chedid.

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Nottingham Forest have conducted some excellent business in the transfer market since promotion to the top flight ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, signing players at a great price before selling them for a profit.

Orel Mangala joined the Reds ahead of the first campaign for a fee in the region of £12m, before leaving on loan in January before signing permanently for French side Lyon for a combined £30m after his loan and transfer fee.

Moussa Niakhate moved to Lyon earlier this summer, following in the Belgian’s footsteps, moving in a £27m deal – a move that secured the club an £18m profit on the fee they paid for him just two years prior.

After such a huge amount of money was brought into the club, Forest have looked to strengthen in numerous key areas, with boss Nuno Espírito Santo still looking to add to his squad despite his six first-team additions this summer.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Earlier this week, the Reds secured a deal to sign Portuguese winger Jota Silva from Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes on a four-year deal.

The 25-year-old made his debut for his national side during the previous international break as a result of his excellent performances and figures which saw him register 11 goals and five assists in the Liga Portugal.

The forward could be joined in the East Midlands by another attacker, with the Reds still hunting for reinforcements in the final third despite the recent arrival of Silva.

In recent days, Forest have seen a progression in talks with Argentinian side Tallares over a potential deal to see Paraguayan wideman Ramon Sosa move to the City Ground.

However, they do face tough competition from fellow Premier League sides Fulham, Wolves and Everton for his signature – with the 24-year-old a man in demand this summer.

Despite the interest elsewhere, reports – via Sport Witness – have claimed that Forest hold the edge and that a move is seemingly edging closer to completion, with Sosa potentially travelling to the UK to agree a deal in the coming days.

Their respective transfers could follow one current Reds star who has excelled after his move from a lower-quality division to the Premier League.

Murillo’s market value in 2024

After joining the club from Corinthians in a £15m deal last summer, Brazilian centre-back Murillo has excelled at the City Ground – exceeding all expectations.

He’s made 32 consecutive league starts, winning the club’s Player of the Year award, prompting huge interest from all over Europe.

Games

32

Tackles won

31

Interceptions

37

Passes into 18-yard box

11

Blocks

11

Clearances

188

PSG, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid are just some of the sides who have been linked with a move for the talent this summer, with the Reds demanding a club-record fee to prise him away from the City Ground this summer.

As a result of his excellent progress since his move to England, his market value has soared to a staggering £38m, as per Transfermarkt – a £23m increase on what they paid for his services less than 12 months ago.

His subsequent value is higher than the combined price of Sosa and Silva, whose rumoured price tag of £12m and fee of £5.9m, respectively, only adds up to £17.9m.

The Brazilian’s transfer is an example of the excellent recruitment currently taking place at the City Ground, with Nuno and the fanbase hoping that the two aforementioned players can have a similar impact in the near future.

In a time when FFP and PSR limits are tight, the hierarchy must get these transfers right, with the club needing to take a gamble on foreign talents to improve the club’s standing whilst making them a huge profit down the line.

After Jota Silva: Nottingham Forest want star who'd make Awoniyi unplayable

The Reds are one of several Premier League sides interested in his signature.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 1, 2024

The Manchester City winger has been struggling for game time this season, but could get a huge opportunity at Wembley in Lauren Hemp’s absence

A lot has been made of the absences from the United States women’s national team as they travel to London this week to take on England at Wembley. But the Lionesses have their fair share of big names missing too, with Sarina Wiegman left to ponder what her best attacking line-up looks like without Lauren James, Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone. Such injuries are primed to present opportunities to others for this big game, with Chloe Kelly one of those in the running for a start.

Aggie Beever-Jones and Jessica Naz are also options for England out wide, with Beth Mead expected to line-up on the opposite flank, but Beever-Jones has only made one appearance for the senior team and Naz has been primarily used by Wiegman as a centre-forward. It could all put Kelly in line for what would be just her fifth start of the 2024-25 season, for club and country.

It'd be a welcome opportunity for the player who scored that iconic winning goal at Wembley two years ago, as the Lionesses finally won a first major tournament by defeating Germany in the Euro 2022 final. If Kelly wants to be involved as England go about defending that crown in Switzerland next summer, she needs to take every chance that comes her way between now and then, starting with this international break.

• Getty Images
  

  Growing concern

  When Wiegman announced her squad earlier this month, for games against the U.S. and Switzerland, she did not hide her feelings when asked at what point Kelly’s lack of game time would become a concern for her.

  "I think it's a concern right now, already,” she admitted. “But that's a hard situation. Competition at Man City is high too. But it's also to have a look at what's available. What players do we have available for our squad? We have some injuries up front. Lauren Hemp is injured, Lauren James is injured, so that competition is still going on too. Chloe knows that she's not in the best position at club at the moment, but [she has] enough credit to bring her in, related to the whole team and the availability of players."

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• Getty Images
  

  Lacking game time

  It's no wonder the England manager feels like that. After all, Kelly has started one game in the Women’s Super League, one Champions League qualifier and one Champions League group-stage game across Man City’s first 14 matches of the season.

  On four occasions, she’s not even got on the pitch. Kelly went almost six years without being an unused sub in the WSL prior to this year, but now it’s becoming a much more common occurrence, which will be of great concern to her as well as her national-team coach.

  Amid it all are rumours of a breakdown in relationship with Man City boss Gareth Taylor. It is all casting doubt over Kelly’s future at the club, with her contract to expire at the end of the season.

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  Change in fortunes?

  That’s not just a situation for the winger to deal with once the current campaign is over either, because if she wants to be on the plane to Euro 2025 next summer, she’s going to need to be playing in order to stay in Wiegman’s plans between now and then, never mind earn a ticket.

  As the January transfer window approaches, it would be a surprise if Kelly and her team were not at least tentatively looking at potential switches, in order to increase her game time ahead of that major tournament.

  However, there is a window of opportunity for Kelly at City right now too, after Hemp had to undergo surgery for a knee injury. It means that instead of Kelly being one of four wingers – alongside Mary Fowler and Aoba Fujino – competing for two spots in attack, she is one of three. She’ll still have to fight to get minutes ahead of the aforementioned pair, but the chances of playing are at least higher while Hemp recovers, and some good form could change her standing in Taylor’s plans altogether.

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  Built up 'credit'

  One positive for Kelly is that Wiegman will give her the benefit of the doubt. The England boss has spoken before about players building up "credit" with her and her staff for their exploits with the Lionesses, meaning they will not be simply cast aside without thought if things aren’t working out at club level for a spell.

  Kelly is the latest player that Wiegman has talked about in this manner and that will help her stay in the picture for the time being, with her still getting chances this season for her country.

  The winger was one of the subs Wiegman turned to in the defeat to Germany at Wembley last month, ahead of the in-form Grace Clinton and exciting Beever-Jones, and she got a start against South Africa a few days later too, in which she impressed. She has the trust of the Lionesses boss.

West Indies captain Jason Mohammed said that their batsmen need to be more patient in the middle overs. The visitors were bowled out for only 122, which Bangladesh chased down with 16 overs to spare as they won the first ODI in Mirpur by six wickets.West Indies had slumped to 56 for 5 in the 19th over with Shakib Al Hasan, playing his first international game after serving his one-year ban and finishing with 4 for 8 in the match, posing the biggest threat. Mohammed, who was stumped off Shakib, said West Indies need to come up with a better plan, mainly by being patient against the old ball.”We have to give ourselves a little bit more time,” he said. “It is difficult to score in the middle overs with the spinners, so negotiating that part of the innings is going to be crucial for us. Obviously, we need to play that period of bowling a little better. I think we are going to discuss things and see what the best plan is to come up with.”Related

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A 59-run stand between Rovman Powell and Kyle Mayers gave West Indies hope, but once it broke they collapsed again, losing their last five wickets for just seven runs and in the space of 20 balls. Pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Hasan Mahmud, who was making his debut, were among the wickets, while offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled tidily as well.”We have to try to put little bit more runs on the board,” Mohammed added. “We are inexperienced in terms of batting, but I think they [the batsmen] are capable of doing the job. It was our first outing. Wicket was a little bit difficult. Hopefully [in the] next game, we can put up a better batting performance.”Mohammed felt that his bowlers did well, particularly Akeal Hosein – who was among six debutants in the match for West Indies and who finished with returns of 3 for 26 from his quota of ten overs.”I think the bowlers put up a good performance. Akeal was a standout on his debut,” he said. “He took three crucial wickets for us. He was economical too. I am very happy with the bowlers today.”Hosein, who was instrumental in the Trinbago Knight Riders’ fourth CPL title last year with ten wickets in seven matches, was pleased with his performance, although he would have preferred to have a bigger total to bowl at.”I was happy with my performance. But having said that, not being able to take my team to victory will always be in the back of your mind,” he said. “It was a good experience. We went out there, gave it our all. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result. So hopefully we can bounce back strongly in the next game. I think we definitely need to put on a bigger score. We bowled well, so it is just to give the bowlers something to work with. Hopefully that happens in the next match.”

أجرى المهندس هاني أبو ريدة، رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، زيارة لمعسكر تطوير حكام الدوري المصري الممتاز المقام حاليًا في مركز المنتخبات الوطنية، والذي اختتمت مرحلته الأولى مساء اليوم.

واجتمع أبو ريدة مع 55 حكمًا من حكام الساحة وحاملي الراية وأعضاء لجنة الخبراء، بحضور عضوي مجلس الإدارة محمد أبوحسين ووليد درويش.

خلال الجلسة الودية التي عقدها أبو ريدة مع الحكام، والتي هدفت إلى دعمهم ومساندتهم ورفع روحهم المعنوية، أكد رئيس الاتحاد على دعم الاتحاد الكامل للتحكيم المصري وحكامه على جميع المستويات الفنية والمادية والمعنوية، وأشار إلى أن الأخطاء واردة في عالم كرة القدم، ولكن بشرط ألا تتكرر، مؤكدًا على انتظاره للأفضل من الحكام.

كما أثنى أبو ريدة على الحكام المصريين وأكد ثقته المطلقة بهم وبأعضاء لجنة الخبراء الحاليين. ومع ذلك، أشار إلى ضرورة احترام رغبة الأندية وقرارها بالاتفاق مع رابطة الأندية والمجلس السابق بالاستعانة بخبير أجنبي للتطوير، وسيتم الإعلان عن ذلك قريبًا.

وشدد أبو ريدة على أهمية صرف مستحقات الحكام، مؤكدًا أنها “خط أحمر”، وأن أول قرار اتخذه مجلس الإدارة هو صرف جميع المتأخرات حتى 31 ديسمبر الماضي، وطالب الحكام بزيادة التركيز خلال الفترة المقبلة لتقليل الأخطاء في المباريات قدر الإمكان.

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وأوضح أبو ريدة أن قرار تحمل اتحاد كرة القدم لبدلات الحكام في جميع المسابقات من الدرجة الأولى (باستثناء القسم الأول) وحتى مسابقات الناشئين مواليد 2010، والذي بدأ تطبيقه في الأول من يناير الجاري، يهدف إلى تخفيف العبء المالي عن الأندية وزيادة فرق الناشئين، لتكرار تجربة مشروع القطاعات الذي حقق لمصر ثلاث بطولات متتالية في أمم إفريقيا.

في ختام الجلسة، أعرب الحكام وأعضاء لجنة الخبراء عن شكرهم وتقديرهم لأبو ريدة وأعضاء مجلس الإدارة على جهودهم المبذولة، ووعدوا بتحسين الأداء في المباريات خلال الفترة المقبلة.

كما وجه أبو ريدة وعضوا المجلس الشكر لرموز وخبراء التحكيم المصري المتواجدين في المعسكر، وعلى رأسهم الكابتن أحمد الشناوي والكابتن جمال الغندور والكابتن عصام عبدالفتاح، بالإضافة إلى أعضاء لجنة الحكام: الكابتن وجيه أحمد، والكابتن هشام صلاح، والكابتن فهيم عمر، والكابتن جهاد جريشة، والدكتور عزب حجاج، والكابتن سيد مراد، والكابتن جيمس حنا، مشيدًا بحالة التكاتف بين أعضاء أسرة التحكيم المصري في هذه المرحلة.

يُذكر أن معسكر تطوير حكام الدوري الممتاز انطلق يوم الجمعة ويستمر لمدة أربعة أيام، ضمن خطة تطوير التحكيم المصري والارتقاء بمستواه. وقد تم تقسيم الحكام إلى مجموعتين: بدأت المجموعة الأولى معسكرها صباح الجمعة وانتهى مساء السبت، بينما تبدأ المجموعة الثانية معسكرها صباح الأحد وتنتهي مساء الاثنين.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo parabenizou nas redes sociais o ex-jogador japonêsMusashi Mizushima, que vestiu a camisa do São Paulo entre 1975 e 1985 e serviu de inspiração para a criação do personagem OLiver Tsubasa, do icônico anime de futebol ‘Super Campeões’. Ele completa 57 anos nesta sexta-feira (10).

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O Tricolor relembrou a curiosa história do jogador com o clube e o personagem querido pelo povo brasileiro.

-Hoje é aniversário de Musashi Mizushima, atleta japonês do time campeão paulista de 1985 e uma das fontes de inspiração para a criação de Oliver Tsubasa, de Supercampeões. Felicidades – escreveu o São Paulo.

🎂🎉 Hoje é aniversário de Musashi Mizushima, atleta japonês do time campeão paulista de 1985 e uma das fontes de inspiração para a criação de Oliver Tsubasa, de Supercampeões.

Felicidades! 🥳🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/nu9DibjKRs

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) September 10, 2021

Entenda a ligação entre Oliver Tsubasa e o São Paulo
Para entender essa história, temos que voltar ao ano de 1975. Tsubasa Ozora, ou Oliver Tsubasa, foi inspirado em um jogador japonês que vestiu a camisa do São Paulo entre 1975 e 1985. O jogador é Musashi Mizushima, astro no território japonês.

Naquele ano, o São Paulo deixou que o jovem meia-atacante de 11 anos treinasse na base do clube. Era uma recomendação de Pelé, que o descobriu durante ida ao Japão. Musashi deixou tudo para trás no Japão e sua determinação para vencer no mundo do futebol ficou conhecida em todo o país. Na época, o futebol no Japão não era profissional e os nipônicos nunca tinham disputado uma Copa do Mundo. Logo, as esperanças por dias melhores no esporte estavam nos pés de Musashi, que ganhou fama por isso.

+ Veja fotos da nova terceira camisa do São Paulo para a temporada

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Anos depois, em 1981, o fã de futebol e escritor iniciante Yoichi Takahashi decidiu produzir seu primeiro mangá e usou o futebol como tema, empolgado com a globalização do esporte. O objetivo era tornar o futebol mais popular no Japão. Usando personagens carismáticos e sonhadores, criou “Capitain Tsubasa”, que logo caiu nas graças do público.

Em 1985, finalmente Musashi Mizushima passou a integrar, efetivamente, o elenco do São Paulo para os campeonatos da temporada. No entanto, como o grupo era recheado de bons nomes, o japonês não conseguiu sair do banco em nenhum jogo oficial. Ele disputou só uma partida com a camisa do Tricolor: um amistoso com um time misto entre profissionais reservas e aspirantes contra o Bragantino, fora de casa, em abril de 1985. Vitória do Bragantino por 4 a 3. Porém, Musashi fez parte do grupo campeão paulista de 1985.

يرى النجم الإنجليزي السابق مايكل أوين، أن الدولي المصري محمد صلاح لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ليفربول، قادر على تحطيم الرقم القياسي في تسجيل الأهداف مع الريدز.

ويتصدر إيان راش ترتيب هدافي ليفربول تاريخيًا برصيد 346 هدفًا، بينما يأتي محمد صلاح في المركز الرابع بـ 229 هدفاً بعد ثنائيته امس ضد توتنهام.

صاحب الـ32 عامًا، علق على تواجده في المركز الرابع، قائلا: “من الرائع أن أحقق ذلك في مثل هذا النادي الكبير، ولكن أهم شيء هو أننا فزنا بالمباراة، ولكن تحقيق هذا الإنجاز أمر رائع”.

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وعما إذا كان بإمكانه تحطيم الرقم القياسي لـ إيان راش، قال: “لا أعرف كيف سجل هذا العدد من الأهداف لأكون منصفًا، أعتقد أن كرة القدم في ذلك الوقت كانت سبعة ضد سبعة وليس 11 ضد 11، حقًا! إنه أسطورة عظيمة للنادي ولدينا تواصل جيد”.

مايكل أوين الذي يحتل المركز التاسع في القائمة، يدعم النجم المصري، ويرى بأنه إذا وقع عقدًا جديدًا، سيكون قادرًا على منافسة إيان راش.

وفي تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ليفربول إيكو” البريطانية، قال أوين: “الأرقام لا تكذب، من السهل جدًا القول إنه أحد أعظم اللاعبين على الإطلاق في تاريخ ليفربول”.

وأضاف: “محمد صلاح لا يتباطأ ولا يتوقف، وإذا وقع عقدًا جديدًا، فسوف يكون ضمن الثلاثة الأوائل في ترتيب الهدافين التاريخيين في وقت قصير”.

واختتم: “إذا جدد عقده، ربما في يومًا ما سيكون الهداف التاريخي لـ ليفربول ويهدد الرقم القياسي لـ إيان راش، رغم أنني لم أتخيل قول ذلك في يوم من الأيام”.

Aston Villa's top-four finish in the Premier League has opened up a new world of possibilities for Unai Emery and his squad, who will now seek to consolidate their exciting new position among Europe's elite.

Entering this brave new world has its caveats and it has its setbacks, with the Villans likely needing to trim some superfluous parts to stay in line with the ever-imposing PSR rules.

Diego Carlos and Jacob Ramsey have recently been linked with moves away, the former due to his £100k-per-week salary and 2023/24 struggles and Villa's boyhood star due to growing interest in his signature – Liverpool are among the contenders – and his homegrown status, which would bring a pure-profit recoup for V Sports.

But hang on, you cry. Villa have just qualified for the Champions League, transcending the hopes and dreams of the staunch support after club talisman Jack Grealish was sold to Manchester City in a £100m transfer in 2021, his sale preceding managerial dismissals of Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard.

This is the tortuous road that football now travels down. Aston Villa might need to juggle a few pieces, but they can certainly move for new players, with one currently lined up.

Villa lining up exciting winger

According to Spanish publications AS and Grada1 – via Sport Witness – Villa have registered an interest in Girona's Viktor Tsygankov, who has been valued at €28m (£24m) by the La Liga high-fliers after growing interest in his services.

Emery's side faces competition, however, with Premier League rivals West Ham United and Wolverhampton also eyeing up the 26-year-old, with the outfits ready to launch official proposals for his signature.

Tsygankov will compete for Ukraine at the 2024 European Championship and will likely settle his future after his nation's campaign, and Villa will be ready.

Viktor Tsygankov's season in numbers

Tsygankov signed for Girona in January 2023, joining from Dynamo Kyiv in his homeland for a bargain fee of €5m (£4m), having scored 94 goals and added 64 assists across 234 matches for the Ukrainian outfit after graduating from their youth academy.

He enjoyed a fruitful start to life in Spain after posting three goals and six assists from 19 matches in the Spanish top flight across the second half of last term, influential in helping the Whites and Reds toward a tenth-place finish in their first year back from a three-year struggle in the Segunda Division.

After joining the City Football Group in 2017, Girona have soared beyond the wildest dreams of supporters, revelling in the glow of financial investment but booming through Michel and Quique Carcel's tidy manager-sporting director relationship that has overseen sharp recruitment translated to on-pitch performance.

Tsygankov is not the most prolific of players, clinching six goals and six assists apiece across 29 La Liga matches this season, though he has also created 11 big chances, completed 83% of his passes and averaged 1.1 key passes, one tackle and 3.5 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, showcasing his athletic prowess and commitment levels.

It's this calibre of performance that has led journalist Ben Mattinson to hail him as a “seriously talented” player just waiting for the big move to propel him to the top of the game – though, in fairness, he's already starring in a team that has defied the odds to clinch Champions League football.

But why are Emery and Villa's President of Football Operations Monchi seeking to strengthen with this particular signing?

Why Villa are interested in Viktor Tsygankov

Given that Leon Bailey has shouldered a heavy burden down the right flank at Villa Park this season and the versatile Nicolo Zaniolo is set to depart following the conclusion of his loan spell, moving for Tsygankov could be a very shrewd move to strengthen the squad.

Monchi has already demonstrated that he is not going to fall foul to the temptations of splurging on big names purely for the sake of rubber-stamping the newfound position of prominence. This has already been proven through the pursuit of Ross Barkley, with the former loanee closing on a return to the Midlands after an excellent year with Luton Town.

Tsygankov would mark another piece of business that could initially go under the radar while growing to win over the Villan faithful, with his creativity and agility offering an extra dimension to a multi-faceted team.

One of the principal strengths that would be found in signing Tsygankov would be the inevitable partnership with Ollie Watkins, who has enjoyed a first-class campaign as the Villa spearhead, winning the side's Player of the Season and bagging 27 goals in all competitions, also adding 13 assists.

It's incredible that Watkins finished joint-second in the Premier League's most goals and assists this season, especially given the level of competition he was up against and the fact that the season before, the England international yielded 21 contributions from 37 games, finishing tenth in that ranking.

His dynamism and ability to switch up his direct threat and creative flair has led The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell to hail him as "virtually unplayable", and by providing him with a new partner in Tsygankov, there's no telling how productive he might be next term.

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Bailey created 12 big chances in the Premier League while averaging 1.5 key passes per game, so Tsygankov definitely produces adequate numbers to succeed, slotting right into Emery's system.

Now, efforts simply have to be made to bypass the competition and bring the Ukraine star to Villa Park.

The hiring process for the next Chelsea manager is now reaching a conclusion as Todd Boehly looks to find his Mauricio Pochettino successor.

Kieran McKenna and Roberto De Zerbi were both included in the original list which can be seen below, but it’s Enzo Maresca who's become the first-choice option.

The Italian doesn't have experience of leading a side in the Premier League, but he certainly knows how to win, as shown during his time at Manchester City as an assistant to Pep Guardiola.

It'll be a busy first few months at the helm for Maresca with a number of player's futures undecided at Stamford Bridge.

What the future holds for Trevoh Chalobah

Having progressed through the academy ranks, Trevoh Chalobah has become a frequent first-team player over the past three seasons.

Unfortunately, this campaign hasn’t exactly been brilliant for the defender, having missed the majority of the season through injuries, sitting out of 32 games in total.

This has inevitably had an impact on his market value, with the Blues now reportedly open to selling the 24-year-old this summer.

According to a report from The Telegraph, Chelsea have set a £25m asking price for Chalobah as they look to improve the “club’s profit and sustainability situation.”

To put that into context, it's a price tag worth more than the likes of captain Reece James (£17m) and the same as Christopher Nkunku's current worth, as per CIES Football Observatory.

Given his age, profile, and the fact that he’s a homegrown talent, selling Chalobah for such a little fee seems like a poor decision, especially considering he’d be fantastic under Maresca if he were to join.

Why Chalobah would be perfect for Maresca

Injuries have completely ruined Chalobah’s 2023/24 campaign, hindering his chances of impressing Pochettino.

His Premier League appearances have been limited to 13, with ten of those being starts, but during these games, he’s shown enough to be handed a true opportunity under the next boss.

Chalobah is an extremely well-rounded defender who can operate at both centre half and right back, which makes him a valuable asset to have in the squad.

In order to play both roles, the number 14 has extreme technical ability, defensive security, and athleticism, which makes him the perfect defender for Maresca's 4-2-3-1, as the right-back inverts into midfield, meaning that the wide centre-backs must be able to defend space well and progress the play.

Chalobah's 23/24 Premier League Stats

Stats (per game)

Chalobah

Touches

69

Passes completed

52.4

Pass accuracy

90%

Balls recovered

3.5

Tackles

1.2

Dribbled past

0.4

Duels won

3

Via Sofascore

Another aspect of his game that would suit the Italian's style perfectly is just how confident and comfortable he is on the ball, which enables him to play out from the back.

Under the Foxes boss, it’d be expected that all of his defenders are brave during the buildup phase, and Chalobah’s 69 touches per game and 90% pass accuracy prove he’d be up for the task.

Because Maresca's team always dominates the ball, as shown by their 62% possession this season – the second highest in the Championship – it’s important that, from an out-of-possession perspective, his defenders are proactive and aggressive, which suits Chalobah’s profile also, given his defensive actions shown above.

Overall, to have such an incredible talent in the squad who would slot into a Maresca team perfectly is incredibly lucky, and to let Chalobah go for just £25m seems unreasonable.

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Posts ByTom Lever May 27, 2024