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Surrey’s Kumar Sangakkara and Scott Borthwick added a partnership of 256 on the final day to ensure a draw against Lancashire

Tim Wigmore at Kia Oval17-Apr-2017
ScorecardIf Surrey are to make the title tilt that many consider within their grasp, they will seldom be able to bully teams as they did Warwickshire at The Oval last week. To thrive in a Division One that appears more competitive than ever, Surrey will need resilience, stubbornness, and the savvy to escape from precarious positions with minimal harm. Kumar Sangakkara and Scott Borthwick displayed plenty of such qualities in adding 256 to ensure a draw against Lancashire.Both played magnificently. In recent times Sangakkara’s innings for Surrey have taken on the air of a father playing with children in the park without wanting to be too mean-spirited: he has thrashed the bowling around a little and then generously chipped the ball to the on side, as in his tame dismissal for 46 on the third day.His brilliance for Surrey has been more fleeting than a club would hope from their overseas star; a year had passed since his last Championship century, during which there have been seven half-centuries, each containing wondrous shots yet none leaving an indelible mark on a match. But here, dreamy batsmanship fused with tenacity, as if Sangakkara was piqued by the notion that this game would be defined by another retired Test great, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.After Surrey’s inertia against Lancashire’s spin twins in their first innings, Sangakkara resolved not to let the opposition attack establish such a hold again. Each of his 16 boundaries were hit so sweetly that the fielders themselves seemed inclined to applaud. Three particularly stood out: caressing Kyle Jarvis down the ground, generating ferocious power from nothing more than a nonchalant push; shimmying down the pitch and contemptuously lifting Simon Kerrigan into the second tier; and then slog-sweeping Kerrigan to reach his century, a shot in keeping with the determination to dominate that infused his innings.Borthwick, meanwhile, moved to The Oval hoping to construct innings such as this. He batted rather more austerely than Sangakkara, underpinned by a firm forward stride to inoculate his stumps from harm. If there was less for aesthetes to savour from Borthwick, he was no less effective, sweeping efficiently against spin, greeting any width on the off side by thrashing the ball through the covers, and scything anything short through his favoured leg side, as when he received an egregious long-hop on 99 to reach his century.”It’s something I’ve dreamt of for the last five or six months,” he said. On a day when Durham lost their opening game in Division Two, this, following Mark Stoneman’s debut century for Surrey last week, was another reminder of the talent that Durham has produced and now has lost.It is a little over three years since Borthwick’s solitary Test cap, as a legspinner, and a little under a year since he was primed to be picked against Pakistan as a specialist Test batsman, only for his batting returns to fall away just as the scrutiny increased. On this evidence, the first cap of the new stage of his career might not be far away, though the scramble for England places has seldom been fiercer.Borthwick believes that batting alongside Sangakkara, just as he used to for Durham, will aid his prospects. “Batting with him it’s almost like you’re learning by watching him and the way he’s talking to you. He’s a bit of a batting coach as well, he gives you tips, especially against spin,” Borthwick said. “At Durham you don’t get to play against spin much so it’s good that I did what I did today, and can learn from Sanga – he’s the master.”Yet, as well as Borthwick batted, he knows that honing his legspin, restricted to nine overs so far in 2017, will increase his chances of another England cap.”I don’t want to be a frontline anything – I want to score runs and take wickets and be an allrounder,” he said. “If we get wickets that can turn I might be able to get more wickets. Looking at that wicket there we’ve just batted on, it’ll spin. So hopefully if we do produce wickets like that than myself, Gareth [Batty] and Zafar [Ansari] can come into the game because I think it will definitely spin. Hopefully we can help each other. There’ll be times when it’ll be my day and times when it’ll be their day.”Lancashire’s flag was removed prematurely from the ground in the afternoon, as if preparing the side for an early getaway, and it seemed a recognition that this was not their day. Yet that detracted little from an admirable display in south London, with the return of James Anderson for their next fixture providing a further source of comfort.

In the summer of 2013, Arsenal managed to lure Real Madrid attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil to the Emirates as Arsene Wenger looked to build another team which could return to the top of the Premier League table.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, the recruitment of the German international couldn’t forge a title winning side, however, his imprint in the team showed the north Londoners could still sign players from clubs such as Madrid, and Ozil was still at the peak of his powers.

The club broke their transfer record by £27.4m to sign the attacking midfielder for a fee of around £42.4m and he went on to make over 250 appearances for the Emirates outfit during his seven seasons at the club, winning four FA Cups in that period.

The former Werder Bremen starlet registered 123 goal contributions during that time frame and became of the most productive attacking midfielders in the Premier League, although at times, the rest of the side couldn’t quite match his incredible ability.

It proved to be arguably Wenger’s last great signing at the club and with current manager Mikel Arteta looking to assert his own authority on the squad, could he follow the Frenchman by signing a player from Madrid who has an exceedingly bright future in the game? As midfielder, Aurelien Tchouameni has been linked with a stunning move to Arsenal this summer.

Could Arsenal sign Aurelien Tchouameni this summer?

With Declan Rice set to undergo a medical before being announced as an Arsenal player next week, along with the signing of Kai Havertz, Arteta is wasting no time in vastly improving his squad and the Frenchman could be the final piece of the jigsaw.

Having joined Madrid from AS Monaco last summer, Tchouameni enjoyed a solid if unspectacular maiden campaign in Spain, winning the Copa Del Rey, while also ranking first in the squad for tackles per game (1.9) and interceptions per game (1.5) as he showcased his defensively abilities in the heart of the midfield.

It isn’t just his defensive traits for which Arteta should be signing him for however, as he ranks in the top 1% across Europe’s big five leagues for pass completion percentage per 90 (92.9%) and also ranking in the top 10% for passes into the final third per 90 (6.88), suggesting that he aims to generate attacking opportunities as often as possible and this could be priceless for Arteta.

The £207k-per-week gem has previously been dubbed a “ball-recovering machine” by journalist Lucas Navarrete and this is evidenced by the fact he ranks in the top 7% alongside his peers on the continent for tackles and interceptions per 90 (4.59) and he could allow the likes of Havertz more freedom to flourish.

It would be a marquee signing to say the least and Arteta would certainly be following in Wenger’s footsteps by luring a talented midfielder with the world at his feet to London, however this time, Tchouameni – who has been lauded as "superb" by pundit Rio Ferdinand – would be joined by a host of other top class talents to the Emirates as the club aim for their first title in 20 years.

By the time Romelu Lukaku ends his career, he can at least say that it was interesting, at times. The striker’s list of clubs seems to grow with each summer these days, without ever settling back into the incredible form that he showed for Inter Milan in the 20/21 season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions.That impressive spell in Italy attracted the attention of Chelsea, of course, resulting in the Belgian making a move he has likely regretted ever since. Failing to make much of an impact at Stamford Bridge, an inconsistent loan spell back at Inter followed last season, leading us to now, where he could be about to stab the club in the back by joining rivals Juventus, according to Fabrizio Romano.In a slightly awkward moment, however, Juventus fans have reacted to the rumours, with a number of supporters airing their concerns outside the club’s medical centre. While Inter supporters are raging too.

Juventus fans deliver verdict on Romelu Lukaku

As per Romano, Inter have pulled out of the race to sign Lukaku this summer, with Juventus’ bid for the Chelsea forward becoming valid if Dusan Vlahovic leaves this summer, amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

Ironically enough, PSG fans have recently staged their own protests about possibly signing Vlahovic, saying: “You come to Paris, we cut your three fingers off!“

Back with Lukaku, though, Serie A giants have Juve reportedly placed a €37.5m (£32.20m), plus €2.5m (£2.15m) in add-ons, bid for the Belgian, who may well find himself playing for Inter’s title rivals next season.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go in this saga, with the move relying on other players, too, but this hasn’t stopped Juventus fans from letting their feelings known.

Gathering outside the club’s medical centre, fans were heard chanting: “We don’t want Lukaku.”

To make things even worse, though, now due to these links, it appears Inter fans are furious with Lukaku. There was talk that he could join the club permanently after his loan last season with Chelsea hoping to get £38m.

Now it seems that deal could be off. Or at the very least, he’s not wanted by this Serie A side either with club fan group Curva Nord’s statement reading (via Romano): “Never see each other again, Lukaku.

“You have betrayed all of us. We always defended you in difficult moments, now you give us a stab.

“You are selling yourself to the highest bidder after kissing our badge. You’re not a real man”.

How many goals did Romelu Lukaku score for Chelsea?

When Lukaku signed for Chelsea in 2021 off the back of a 30-goal campaign for Inter, it looked as though the Blues would finally see their number nine curse come to an end, which saw the likes of Alvaro Morata, and Fernando Torres flop.

The curse quickly continued, however, as Lukaku scored just eight Premier League goals, and infamously shared his regret over the move midway through the season in an interview that all but ended his time at Chelsea.

In total, he scored 15 goals in his second spell at the Blues.

In the space of a season back in England’s top flight, the forward’s reputation took a significant hit. From a 30-goal striker, who was tipped for great things at Chelsea, potential suitors found themselves looking at a player who struggled, before creating controversy in the middle of a campaign with that aforementioned interview.

As shown in Italy, if a team can get the best out of Lukaku, then they’ll have themselves a consistent goalscorer.

Given Juventus’ need to get back into the Champions League next season, however, the question must be asked as to whether the Belgian is worth the risk.

They can ill-afford another season to forget, that’s for sure. After missing out on the Scudetto for three consecutive seasons, the last thing that they’ll want is to witness another team take the Italian crown. Getting back to their dominant best will be the number one priority for Juventus.

USA will appear at the ICC Europe T20 qualifier since the ICC does not host any Americas qualifier. The ICC had announced last year that USA was given a wildcard spot in the tournament.

Peter Della Penna21-Jun-2017Batsmen Nadia Gruny and Shebani Bhaskar anchor a USA batting unit ready to resume international competition for the first time in more than five years after they were named in a 14-player squad for the ICC Europe T20 Qualifier this August. The squad was picked after the conclusion of a series of trials held in Indianapolis from June 9-11, organized by ICC Americas staff, as they continue to oversee USA’s cricket operations while the USA Cricket Association is under suspension.Gruny was USA’s leading scorer at their last international competition in 2012 when they finished runner-up to Canada by virtue of the net-run-rate tiebreaker at that year’s ICC Americas T20 Championship in the Cayman Islands. Gruny, 33, most recently captained a USA Women’s XI last September in Philadelphia against a touring MCC Women’s side featuring former England players Charlotte Edwards and Claire Taylor.Bhaskar was also part of the USA Women’s XI that played against the MCC in Philadelphia, though this will be her first time playing for USA since the 2011 Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh. Only 17-years-old at the time, Bhaskar was USA’s leading scorer at that event with 139 runs in six matches, including a top-score of 72 for USA’s only victory, a one-run win over Zimbabwe in which Bhaskar’s direct hit from cover resulted in the game-ending wicket.USA Women’s T20 squad

Neha Anand, Candacy Atkins, Claudine Beckford, Shebani Bhaskar (wk), Sugetha Chandhrasekar, Nadia Gruny, Uzma Iftikhar, Triholder Marshall, Samantha Ramautar, Akshatha Rao, Erica Rendler, Sindhuja Salguti, Sindhu Sriharsha (wk), Onika Wallerson

The other big name to return for USA is former West Indies Test player Candacy Atkins. The 33-year-old starred for USA in the buildup to the 2011 Women’s World Cup Qualifier but ultimately boycotted the team’s participation, along with several of her team-mates, for what they claimed was discriminatory treatment from the USA Cricket Association by way of tour stipends that were far less than those provided to men’s touring squads. However, Atkins came back to captain USA less than six months later at the 2012 ICC Americas Women’s tournament.One other player with international pedigree, but still relatively new to the squad is former India A and India U-21 batsman Sindhu Sriharsha. The opener played for a USA team captained by Gruny against Pakistan in a two-match bilateral series in November 2015 held in Florida.Of the five players yet to play a full-fledged international for USA, three of them – Sindhuja Salguti, Sugetha Chandhrasekar and Onika Wallerson – played as part of the USA XI that took on the MCC Women last year. Wallerson formerly represented Guyana in the West Indies domestic women’s competition before migrating to the USA. The other two, Neha Anand and Uzma Iftikhar, have a chance to play for USA for the first time against any competition.USA will face Netherlands and Scotland in the double-round robin Europe T20 Qualifier scheduled to be held in Scotland from August 14-19. The ICC announced last year that USA would be given a wildcard entry to the tournament since there is no Americas qualifier. The top two teams will advance to the global qualifier for a chance to go to the 2018 Women’s World T20 in the West Indies.

Liverpool have made an initial approach for Fluminense midfielder Andre as Jurgen Klopp continues to reassemble his team, according to recent reports…

Is Andre signing for Liverpool?

That's according to Football Transfers, who have confirmed that Brazilian outfit Fluminense will listen to offers for the 22-year-old – who is also wanted by Fulham – though not until the Brazilian Serie A campaign concludes in December.

It's stated that Premier League sides, including the Reds have tested the waters in order to ascertain what it might take to finalise a move.

While this might not seem ideal for the Anfield side, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Reds have made a formal approach to Southampton for prodigious midfielder Romeo Lavia – who is valued at £50m – and could re-craft his defensive midfield with two astute purchases spread over the 23/24 campaign.

Andre's outfit will demand €25m (£22m) for his services, which only furthers the argument for the Merseyside club to make their move, securing an exciting and industrious talent to enrich the ranks.

Who is Fluminense midfielder Andre?

Brazil boasts an illustrious history of talent and Andre could prove to be the latest who make the well-trodden path from the South American country to the Premier League.

The one-cap international has made 143 appearances for Tricolor Flu Fluzão since rising through the youth ranks, and now one of the club's eminent names, could take the next step in his development and put pen to paper with Klopp's side.

As per Sofascore, the "leader" – as Andre has been called by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has recorded an average rating of 7.08 in the Brazilian top-flight across 13 appearances this term, completing 92% of his passes, succeeding with 70% of his dribbles and 62% of his ground duels.

Andre's prowess as a touch-tackling midfield gem is further highlighted by FBref, who rank him among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next 8 divisions – the leagues below the established European top five – for pass completion, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Newly-signed Paris Saint-Germain star Manuel Ugarte is listed as Andre's most comparable player, via FBref, which could work in Liverpool's favour considering the Merseyside outfit were actively pursuing the Portuguese pro earlier this year.

Ugarte has been hailed as a "machine" by Kulig and looks likely to cement his stature as one of Europe's foremost holding midfielders over the next year with the French giants, and Andre could provide Liverpool with their own version this winter if the club do decide to forge ahead with a deal.

Ugarte also ranks among the top 1% for pass completion, while ranking among the top 9% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 12% for blocks per 90.

Andre would arrive at Anfield at the season's midpoint and could make a marked improvement on the side's season, offering cover to the holding midfielder and working his way into a prominent position at a Reds team targetting a renaissance to strike fear into the hearts of opposition across Europe.

Graham Ford has stepped down as Sri Lanka coach, ending his second tenure with the side after 15 months

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Jun-2017Graham Ford has stepped down as Sri Lanka coach, ending his second tenure with the side after 15 months. SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said the decision had been arrived at mutually, “after careful consideration and deliberation”.Ford’s relationship with SLC was understood to have been strained due to what he felt were unacceptable intrusions into team matters by the board. Ford had already left the island on leave, which would have ended early next week.One of his grievances was the expanding powers of Asanka Gurusinha, who in February was appointed “cricket manager” – a position with a broadly defined range of duties, some of which Ford is understood to have felt infringed upon his freedom as a coach. In the time since his appointment, Gurusinha was also made a selector.Though there were no reports of a personal rift between the two men, it is understood Ford was made to feel less than fully in control of his team during the recent Champions Trophy. Ford had since met with the board in Colombo but, before his departure from Sri Lanka, struck an optimistic tone about the team’s prospects, saying: “The character that [the team] continues to show is really exciting. If we get a bit of experience among the younger players and we continue to keep that fight – that kind of spirit is really important if we’re going to build and become a highly competitive team.”Ford’s contract was slated until the end of the 2019 World Cup, a duration he insisted on when he took up the role last year because of the instability surrounding the job. Since 2011, Sri Lanka have had eight head coaches (including interim appointments) in nine separate stints – Ford having worked two shifts: from 2012 to 2014, then again from February last year to now.SLC had hired Ford largely because of his excellent global reputation for managing young players – a skill seen as vital to Sri Lanka’s progress following some high-profile player retirements. He oversaw one of the team’s greatest ever Test series victories, against Australia last year, but many of the remaining assignments Sri Lanka have had under his watch have produced disappointing results.Ford, however, has always insisted that it would be years before Sri Lanka becomes a top cricketing nation again, and saw his role as a long-term facilitator of the rebuilding process. The lack of short-term results, however, had prompted SLC to appoint of new coaching and management staff. This difference in expectation is what has partly led to the loss of faith.Sumathipala acknowledged Ford’s role in handling the team at a time when Sri Lanka cricket faced a “volatile and uncertain” period.”We have to thank Fordy for his invaluable contribution to Sri Lanka Cricket,” Sumathipala stated in the SLC press release. “He joined us at a time where we were quoted by the ICC as being on the ‘verge of suspension’ and at a time where things were volatile and uncertain, Ford had faith in us and has given us his fullest support.”This was a decision arrived at mutually after careful consideration and deliberation and we are both confident of its propriety.”

Everton are considering a swoop for Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior this summer, with Sean Dyche impressed by the teenage talent's blistering pace and creativity.

What's the latest on Samuel Iling-Junior to Everton?

According to Calciomercato, Everton are attentive to the Englishman's situation in Turin and are leading the race – alongside Premier League rivals Aston Villa – for his signature.

Juventus are keen to recuperate funds given their detrimental financial issues, and have subsequently touted the 19-year-old at roughly €20-25m (£17m-£21m) following his contract renewal last term.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Given that the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers have also been credited with an interest of late, the Toffees' hierarchy would be wise to act swiftly and bolster their ranks with a precocious talent.

Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?

The former Chelsea academy prospect broke into contention with the Old Lady first-team last year, scoring one goal and providing two assists from 18 appearances across all competitions – starting just three times.

Praised for his "high energy and work volume as well as dreamy ball skills" by scout Antonio Mango, Iling-Junior looks a real prospect and might be best placed returning to his homeland and offered a greater opportunity to impress at a side such as Everton.

The Toffees are a little light on their feet on the offensive flanks despite signing Arnaut Danjuma on loan already this summer; last year, Richarlison completed a £60m deal for Richarlison, while hometown talent Anthony Gordon departed for high-rising Newcastle United last winter for £45m.

Given that there are murmurings over Demarai Gray's possible outgoing at present, it's imperative that another deal is struck to ensure the Toffees do not spend a third successive season battling against relegation from the top-flight.

Gordon was a popular figure on Merseyside before his flight, hailed for his "frightening" skills by pundit Paddy Kenny, and it was his fleet-footed gait that often allowed Everton to progress up the pitch, into dangerous positions.

Despite this, the 22-year-old only scored seven goals and supplied eight assists from 78 total outings for the Blues, never quite the most prolific of youngsters, which means Iling-Junior could be the perfect successor.

Described as an "assist machine" by journalist Michele Neri, the rising star could grow into the creative focal point to form the nucleus of Dyche's outfit's offensive flow.

Yet to find match action with regularity, Iling-Junior has already unearthed a cutting edge that evades many aspiring prospects, with FBref ranking him among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90.

It is important to remember that, yes, this is from limited game time – he averaged just 27 minutes per match in the Serie A after all – but this here is the making of a first-rate phenom and Everton would certainly be wise to bypass the competition and bolster their ranks for years to come.

Victorian team-mate Peter Handscomb is also willing to keep wicket “if it’s good for team balance” in Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2017Australia allrounder Glenn Maxwell has altered his bowling technique, shortening his delivery stride to generate more dip and drift, ahead of the tour of Bangladesh. He has done so in a bid to strengthen his case as the squad’s fourth genuine spin-bowling option, behind Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson and Ashton Agar.”I’ve shortened my bowling stride a little bit to make sure that I’ve got that drop on the ball and that I’m getting the shape that I actually want,” Maxwell said at Australia’s training camp in Darwin. “It’s obviously one of my skills that I can bring to the side, and something that’s going to help me try and nail down that No. 6 position, having that extra string to my bow.”Maxwell is Australia’s incumbent No. 6 after his comeback century against India in Ranchi in March – his first Test since 2014. However, Maxwell bowled just six overs in two Tests on spin-conducive surfaces in that series.”I could understand why I wasn’t bowling at certain stages,” Maxwell said. “I suppose coming into this tour, I’m hoping that I can show that I’ve put a lot of work into my bowling and I can get that opportunity.”Australia are likely to go in with two specialist spinners and Maxwell, but could consider the option of three genuine spinners if the pitches favour spin from the outset. To open that spot, Maxwell’s Victorian team-mate Peter Handscomb could be asked to keep wicket. Matthew Wade is the designated wicketkeeper in Australia’s squad for Bangladesh.”I guess it’s an interesting one. I was doing some white-ball keeping for Yorkshire in England as well,” Handscomb said. “Ultimately I’m happy to do it if it’s good for team balance, if it opens up another position for a batter or a bowler to come into the side. But first and foremost I’ve always said that batting is my No.1.”In the tour of India earlier this year, Handscomb scored 198 runs in four Tests at an average of 28.28, including a match-saving 72 not out in the third Test in Ranchi. “I felt really good in India, obviously, like I said, getting starts, getting into the game, and then just not converting as many times as I would have hoped to.”

South Africa A amassed a 292-run lead courtesy a disciplined show from their bowlers and an unbroken second-innings fifty stand from their openers

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2017
File Photo – Dane Piedt’s 3 for 32 is his fourth three-for in his last five first-class innings•Getty ImagesThree-fors from Beuran Hendricks and Dane Piedt shot India A out for a first-innings score of 120 runs in 39 overs as South Africa A grabbed a lead of 292 runs on the second day in Pretoria.The opening over of the India A innings set the tone for the visitors’ horrid day as a run-out on the first delivery amounted to R Samarth’s departure, followed by Ishan Kishan holing out to David Miller two balls later. While only four India A batsmen managed to register double-digit scores, none managed to convert their starts.Shreyas Iyer top-scored with with a 32-ball 31 before India A found themselves reeling at 74 for 6 in the 22nd over. India’s struggle was further compounded by Vijay Shankar’s inability to sustain his 32-run sixth-wicket stand with Shahbaz Nadeem, having to retire hurt for 26 at the end of the 31st over. Nadeem added 21 runs to his first-innings bowling returns of 4 for 117 off 39.3 overs – the most bowled by an India A bowler in the first innings.Hendricks accounted for three of India A’s frontline batsmen, while Piedt’s scalps included the opposition captain Karun Nair. Hendricks and Piedt collectively conceded 55 runs from 20 overs.The hosts’ openers, Stephen Cook and Aiden Markram put on 66 without any damage in 20 overs to hand them a bigger advantage.Earlier, South Africa A were dismissed for 346 even though they were 274 for 4 at the end of day one, losing their last six wickets for 40 runs. Mohammed Siraj and Nadeem ran through the lower order but their batsmen could not cash in on the advantage.

Defender Pascal Struijk should be given a chance at Leeds United should he want to stay with the club, according to Joe Wainman

The Dutch defender has been with the club since 2018 following his time in the Ajax youth system.

How old is Pascal Struijk?

The 23-year-old defender has hit a crossroads in his Leeds United career.

After arriving in January of 2018, it took the Belgian-born player two years before breaking out into the Yorkshire sides setup, with the 2020/21 season being his real establishing moment under the tutelage of Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa. The defender made 29 appearances for the first team that season, including 22 starts in the league at the age of just 20 across both centre-back and defensive midfield. The youngster impressed many that season, earning an average rating of 6.81 according to WhoScored and receiving praise from Tony Dorigo after a standout performance against Burnley: "Struijk did really well because [Chris] Wood, Barnes, they made it difficult, the ball was in the air all the time, first ball, second ball, corner kicks, so many set-pieces – where we have been found wanting in previous games. We dealt with those a load better today and Struijk and Ayling were magnificent."

The following two seasons have been disappointing compared to the heights he previously set, as playing in an unfamiliar position of left-back throughout Struijk only managed a 6.36 and a 6.66 average rating respectively, with last season ending in a disappointing relegation from the Premier League after three seasons. The defender received a lot of criticism throughout the last two seasons due to lapses in concentration and poor defensive mistakes, with Premier League Hall of Fame striker Alan Shearer branding the defending as "an embarrassment".

This summer, a number of Leeds United defenders have departed following relegation, with Robin Koch and Maximilian Wober heading off to the Bundesliga whilst Diego Llorente has made his loan switch to Roma a permanent one. This has opened the door for opportunities and game time at centre-back, and despite the reports that Liverpool defender Nat Phillips is a target for a move to Elland Road, opportunities may appear for Struijk in his more natural position should he stay this summer.

Speaking on his Youtube channel, Wainman stated that he believes Struijk should get the opportunity at the heart of the defence next season if he stays, but he doesn't believe the player is "as up on Leeds" as many fans believe: "For me Pascal Struijk should be given a chance, but that is if he indeed wants to stay because I don’t think he’s as up on Leeds as we all expect. Trust me when I say this, and I said this with Max Wober before, a lot of them want the exit door. Whether they’ll be able to find new clubs and there’ll be clubs willing to pay the asking price that Leeds United set down will remain to be seen."

Who could partner Pascal Strujk?

There are a number of potential options for Leeds to partner with the Dutchman next season should he choose to stay at Elland Road.

As stated earlier, according to The Athletic, the Whites are interested in signing Phillips from Liverpool in a deal that could set the club back around £10m. The Englishman made a name for himself in the 2020/21 season during the Merseyside clubs injury crisis, making 20 appearances across the Premier League and the Champions League as he helped the club finish in the top four. Since then, opportunities have been limited and a loan move to Bournemouth in the championship in 2021 was his most recent regular football. Despite this, whenever he has played he has impressed manager Jurgen Klopp, who said in 2021: "He's a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He's not easy on the eye, he's not Messi but who cares? Twelve Championship teams wanted him and to me it was clear he was going, and I was fine with that – and it didn't work out for whatever reason, and it's great! Tonight he was spot on, helped the team incredibly."

Leeds could also turn to solutions from within. The club recently announced the signing of former Chelsea and current Wales international Ethan Ampadu, who could be the player chosen to partner Struijk due to his age and playstyle, whilst club captain Liam Cooper has experience at leading a team to promotion from the Championship to the Premier League, which new manager Daniel Farke could rely on in his first campaign at the helm.