Jack Leaning adds 67 not out in crucial 167-run stand as hosts recover from 60 for 3 chasing 227
ECB Reporters Network09-Apr-2023
Ben Compton led the charge with an unbeaten ton•Getty Images
Kent 222 (Crawley 91, Tremain 5-44, White 4-57) and 227 for 3 (Compton 114*, Leaning 67*) beat Northamptonshire 117 (Vasconcelos 39, Quinn 4-25, Stewart 3-6) and 331 (Keogh 116, Berg 56, Azad 51, Evison 4-62) by seven wicketsBen Compton’s unbeaten 114 helped Kent to a seven-wicket victory over Northamptonshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury.Compton produced a crucial stand of 167 with Jack Leaning, who made 67 not out, as Kent recovered from 60 for 3 to successfully chase down a target of 227.Earlier Rob Keogh had scored 116 not out and Gareth Berg 56 as Northamptonshire posted 331 in their second innings, the duo sharing a stand of exactly 100 that set up an initially taut run chase. Joey Evison had Kent’s best bowling figures with 4 for 62.The visitors had looked heavy underdogs at the end of day two, when they were still 58 behind with eight second innings wicket remaining, but after batting through Saturday they began the final morning on 300 for 7, 195 in the lead.Although Kent polished off the tail relatively quickly, the additional 31 runs Northamptonshire stockpiled ensured a jittery couple of hours for the home fans, until Compton and Leaning bedded in.Berg reached fifty from the second ball of the morning, with a single off Michael Hogan, but the bowler took revenge in his next over, sending Berg’s middle stump flying.Evision wrapped up the innings with two quick lbws, removing Jack White for 7, then getting Chris Tremain for a duck.It was a target that looked some way off when Zak Crawley had his stumps splayed by Chris Tremain, having made just 3. Daniel Bell-Drummond responded with a rapid 32 from 31 balls but Berg then ripped out his off stump and when Tremain then bowled Joe Denly for 5, Kent still needed 167.Compton’s initial caution faded after he reached fifty by pushing White through the covers for four. He was nearly out on 53 when he edged Keogh just past Ricardo Vasconcelos at thirst slip and he responded with a reverse-swept four.Leaning’s diligence meant Kent were on a far healthier-looking 158 for 3 at tea and he subsequently nudged a single off White to bring up his half-century.On Easter Sunday last year Compton had scored 115 in a heroic but doomed rearguard action against Lancashire. This time round he swept Keogh to fine leg for four to reach three figures and the victory was confirmed shortly afterwards when Leaning scrambled a single off the same bowler. Kent take 19 points, Northamptonshire three.
Titans coach also admits he couldn’t have done much to convince Hardik against moving to Mumbai
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2024
Ashish Nehra: Very excited to see how Gill operates•BCCI
Gujarat Titans are under new management with Shubman Gill succeeding Hardik Pandya as captain of the franchise that made the final in each of the two years they’ve been involved in the tournament.Although he is one of the best batters in the world in limited-overs cricket at present, and is coming into the IPL having discovered that his Test game has improved as well, scoring 452 runs against England in the recently concluded five-match series, Gill does not have a lot of experience as captain at the highest levels of the game and that brings a little bit of intrigue to how the Titans will go about their business this year.Ashish Nehra, their head coach told reporters on Saturday, that he was “very excited to see how Gill operates.”Related
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“The whole of India, not only me,” he added. “He is that kind of player. He is someone who is looking to play and looking to do well in all three formats. So we as a franchise, as a support staff, are really excited to help him grow as a person more than as a captain. If he grows as a person, then he will definitely be a better captain going forward.”And you know, Hardik also did not captain anywhere before he captained GT. Now there are ten teams. This is not the first example. You will see more and more people, you know, somebody like Shreyas Iyer, even Nitish Rana did captaincy for KKR. So this is a great experience for all these guys and let’s see who capitalises on that and move ahead, again, first as a person then as a player.”Gill is also one of the Titans’ key batters, having scored 1373 runs at a strike rate of 147.79 – the highest over the last two years of the IPL. Their batting coach Gary Kirsten believes captaincy is a good step up for him.”I think the leadership is going to be an important role for him and I know he’s really keen to do the job and we, as coaches, just need to assist him in making sure he’s getting the best out of his players and he’s leading the team appropriately and in the way we want him to lead,” Kirsten said. “He’s a quality player. He’s a thoroughly nice person. He’s got massive motivation and determination as an individual, which we’ve seen when playing for India. But like any new leader, he’s starting from scratch and he’s going to be met with challenges along the way and we, as coaches, will just have to assist him along the way.”Titans will be without another key performer from the past with Mohammed Shami out injured, which takes a little bit away from the threat they pose as a fast-bowling unit.”In any sport, you have to move on. You can’t buy experience to replace Hardik, Shami, it’s not going to be easy,” Nehra said. “But there’s the learning curve. Every year, new guys come and they step in and that’s how teams move forward. In IPL, every team has the luxury of 25 players. It’s a 12-person game, but you are talking about Hardik Pandya and Shami – to fill those shoes is not easy. But like I said, we have enough people, Umesh Yadav, again a guy who has been playing IPL [for] 10-12 years. Sai Kishore, he didn’t play last year, but he’s been doing so well. So every year, you will see new guys and you have to believe in yourself and prepare for that.”We’re going to see Shahrukh Khan become the main actor,” Nehra said when answering a question about the finishers in the squad, “IPL is a very long tournament. It’s not like we’re playing just three, four, five matches. Conditions are also difficult in May and June. It will be hard on the players, especially fast bowlers. Injuries can also happen. So every player we have is important and those we have are experienced. Spencer Johnson, if you see, wherever he’s played, he’s played well. Azmatullah Omarzai again, he has all the skills in this world as an allrounder and we are very hopeful that they’ll have a great IPL.”Shubman Gill has scored 1373 runs at a strike rate of 147.79 in the last two years of the IPL•Associated Press
Titans do have a strong spin bowling unit though, led by Rashid Khan, and while they will lean on them as the IPL goes on, Nehra all but ruled out the prospect of producing turning pitches, even though Ahmedabad has both red (marginally more pace-friendly with extra bounce) and black (slow and low) soil pitches and offers the team the option of tailoring their home advantage.”We have not decided that but I don’t think so… In the end, you just have to play good cricket. Black soil or red soil, there’s not too much difference. It’s just a little bounce.”Titans begin their season on March 24 when they will be going up against Hardik who now captains Mumbai Indians. Nehra convinced him to join the Titans over Lucknow Super Giants back in 2022. Could he have done the same now and prevented him moving?”I didn’t try to convince him a lot,” Nehra said, “That is because as you play more, the more experience you gain – like he came here and played for two years. Even so, he has gone to such a team that I could have stopped him had he been going to some other team. [But] he played for that team for five or six years. And the way this game has been going along, people say that it is heading in the direction of soccer or basketball. So, we will end up seeing those trades [in cricket too]. Yes, GT will miss Hardik Pandya. But it is a new opportunity for him. Every year IPL teaches you something new, and this year too there will be something new to learn. Best wishes [to him] from our side.”
RCB batter was speaking after scoring match-winning 70* in Ahmedabad, where he dominated Gujarat Titans’ spin attack
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-20242:57
‘Awesome to hear Kohli say he has worked on playing spin’
Virat Kohli has brushed off any criticism of his strike rate against spin in the IPL, after scoring a match-winning 70 not out off 44 balls against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Kohli’s innings, and an unbeaten 100* off 41 balls from Will Jacks, helped RCB hunt down 201 with four overs and nine wickets in hand.”All the people who talk about strike rates and me not playing spin well are the ones who love talking about this stuff. But for me, it’s just about winning the game for the team,” Kohli said after the match. “And there’s a reason why you do it for 15 years – because you’ve done this day in [and] day out; you’ve won games for your teams.”Kohli scored 500 runs in an IPL season for the seventh time during his innings against GT. He had come into the game with a strike rate of 161.62 against fast bowlers and 123.57 against spinners in IPL 2024, but was able to get the better of GT’s spin attack. Kohli scored 61 runs against Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Sai Kishore at a strike rate of 179, his highest against spin in a T20 innings (min. 10 balls) since 2016. Twenty-two of those 60 runs also came off sweeps – a shot that he doesn’t employ regularly against spin.Related
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“I am not quite sure if you’ve been in that situation yourself to sit and speak about the game from a box. I don’t really think it’s the same thing [as playing out there],” Kohli said. “So for me, it’s just about doing my job. People can talk about their own ideas and assumptions of the game, but those who have done it day in [and] day out know what’s happening, and it’s kind of a muscle memory for me now.”Despite winning by nine wickets with 24 balls to spare, RCB remain at the bottom of the points table with three wins and seven losses. However, they have won their last two games, after winning only one of the first eight.”Look, we wanted to step up for ourselves, [and] play for a bit of self-respect,” Kohli said. “We can’t carry on in a big tournament like we did in the first half, so it’s just about going out there and playing the cricket we want to.”If you see with the ball as well, we are attacking the game way more, and the bowlers are being courageous. The fielders are putting bodies on the line. So that’s the way we want to play our cricket. That’s the way we always play, and it’s not been up to the standard so far in the tournament, barring the last two games.”So yeah, we just want to continue with the same work, and just have a good atmosphere in the change room, and for us as cricketers, have some self-respect, [be aware of] why we are playing at this level, and also for the fans who back us tremendously well.”Kohli had spoken similarly last year as well after scoring a century against Gujarat Titans in what turned out to be the final match of RCB’s season. Earlier this season, he spoke of how he ‘still got it’ in T20s after leading RCB to a win over Punjab Kings.
In what would be quite the move, Manchester United are now reportedly aiming to hijack Real Madrid’s attempts to sign their top target this summer in a deal worth around £42m.
Amorim expresses Man Utd frustration
Even Ruben Amorim wouldn’t have been aware of just how difficult a job he had on his hands when he arrived a number of months ago, but the reality has since hit him in the most ruthless fashion. The former Sporting boss arrived with all the hope in the world that a young, ambitious manager would finally have what it takes to turn things around at Old Trafford.
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Now in April, however, the squad that Erik ten Hag left behind has failed to adapt to his 3-4-2-1 system and it’s clearer than ever that Manchester United simply cannot afford to get things wrong this summer. Without back-to-back Premier League wins all season, the Red Devils had their latest moment to forget against Nottingham Forest – losing 1-0 courtesy of Anthony Elanga.
Amorim expressed his frustration over the result as his side took one step forward and two steps back once again. He told reporters: “It’s more [of] the same since this season began. So I think if you look at the game we are improving the way we play football.
“We are creating more chances, we are dominating more games. But in the end, when you don’t win, you feel that and that is a good thing. So we know that this season is going to be like that, the momentum. So we continue to go to the next [game].”
Go again is exactly what United must do too, with the Manchester derby awaiting in a run of crucial games towards the end of the campaign.
Man Utd’s next five games
Date
Competition
Manchester United vs Manchester City
06/04/2025
Premier League
Lyon vs Manchester United
10/04/2025
Europa League
Newcastle United vs Manchester United
13/04/2025
Premier League
Manchester United vs Lyon
17/04/2025
Europa League
Manchester United vs Wolves
20/04/2025
Premier League
With key clashes in the Europa League – arguably United’s last chance to qualify for European football – Amorim will be desperate to avoid a repeat of the Forest result and kick on once more at Old Trafford.
Man Utd target Hincapie hijack
One way to ensure that results such as the one against Nottingham Forest becomes less of a habit is to welcome some much-needed defensive reinforcements. And if reports are anything to go by, INEOS are well aware of that.
According to TeamTalk, Manchester United are now aiming to hijack Real Madrid’s move to sign Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen, who value their central defender at €50m (£42m) this summer.
Described as “athletic”, “physical” and “quick” by analyst Ben Mattinson, 23-year-old Hincapie could go from a Leverkusen invincible to Manchester United saviour this summer. Having already reportedly made contact over a move, the Red Devils’ plot to seal an ambitious hijack on Madrid seems on.
Celtic failed to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership when they were beaten 1-0 by St. Johnstone away from home on Sunday.
The Hoops had the chance to move 16 points clear at the top of the division after their city rivals Rangers had been beaten 2-0 on Saturday by Hibernian, but failed to pick up a singe point of their own a day later.
Celtic had 26 shots on goal, nine of which were on target, and did not do enough to beat Andrew Fisher, who saved all nine of those efforts on target, between the sticks for the Saints.
The likes of Nicolas Kuhn, who was substituted at half-time in the match, Daizen Maeda, and Jota all ended the game without helping the team to find the back of the net.
It was an off-colour performance from Jota on the left wing as he played 76 minutes without scoring a goal or creating a ‘big chance’ for his teammates, although he did register a shot on target and two key passes.
Why Jota has been a great signing for Celtic
The Hoops swooped to sign the Portuguese forward on a permanent deal from Rennes in the recent January transfer window for a reported fee of £8m, 18 months on from his £25m move from Parkhead to Al Ittihad.
His performance against St. Johnstone was not reflective of his form since making that return to Glasgow from France at the start of the year, though, as he has been a great signing for Brendan Rodgers so far.
The 26-year-old talent has scored four goals, created three ‘big chances’, and assisted two goals in six starts and three substitute appearances in the Premiership since his £8m switch, which shows that he has been incredibly productive in the final third for the Scottish giants.
24/25 Premiership
Jota (per 90)
Percentile rank vs wingers
Goals
0.71
Top 4%
xG
0.52
Top 4%
xG on target
0.76
Top 1%
Shots on target
1.60
Top 1%
Assists
0.32
Top 16%
Chances created
2.13
Top 20%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, his statistics also place him very highly among his positional peers in the Premiership, as he has been one of the most frequent scorers and creators in the division per 90.
These statistics also show that he is well on his way to replicating the kind of form that earned him his £25m move to Saudi Arabia in 2023 in the first place.
As you can see in the graphic above, Jota consistently provided a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Premiership during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns under Ange Postecoglou earlier in his Celtic career.
Whilst the Hoops managed to bring the former Benfica man back to the club in January, the Bhoys did lose a talent last summer who could have become Jota 2.0 at Parkhead in Rocco Vata.
Why Rocco Vata deserved more chances at Celtic
The Irish youngster came up through the academy system at Parkhead and only made six appearances in the first-team before he left the club at the end of his contract last summer to sign for Watford.
After four appearances in the Premiership under Postecoglou in the 2022/23 campaign, Vata was not given many chances to impress at senior level by Rodgers last season.
Rocco Vata and Daniel Kelly
The teenage sensation made two appearances, one in the Premiership and one in the SFA Cup, and played 29 minutes of football in the first-team, scoring against Buckie Thistle in his 26 minutes of cup action.
Vata, who was valued at £43k by Transfermarkt at the end of his Celtic career, scored 12 goals in 15 Lowland League matches in the 2023/24 campaign and scored in his only appearance that lasted more than three minutes for the first-team, but that was not enough to earn him any more outings for Rodgers.
The Ireland international took his chances, limited as they were, when they came and excelled as a goalscorer at youth level, yet still did not get more than three minutes of Premiership football in the entire season, leading to his move to Watford last summer.
Rocco Vata's soaring market value
At the time of writing (07/04/2025), Vata is currently valued at £854k by Transfermarkt and this means that his value has soared by a whopping 1,886% in the 2024/25 campaign from the £43k he was rated at by the end of his time in Glasgow.
Rocco Vata
His market value has skyrocketed as a result of his exposure to regular first-team football with Watford in the English Championship, as the Hornets have been willing to offer him the senior minutes that his promise at Celtic suggested that he deserved.
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The 19-year-old talent has racked up 31 first-team appearances and 1,282 minutes of action in all competitions so far this season, including 27 outings in the Championship, after his 29 minutes of football for the Hoops this term.
Vata, whose screamer against Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup is shown above, has shown that he has what it takes to play regular football at senior level, and that he can contribute at the top end of the pitch.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed that the Irish whiz, who has been playing on the left wing of late for Watford, had an “exciting” future ahead of him during his time at Parkhead, and his potential is finally starting to shine through.
24/25 Championship
Rocco Vata
Appearances
27
Starts
10
xG
2.35
Goals
3
Big chances created
4
Assists
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Vata has been directly involved in six goals in ten starts in the second tier for Watford so far this season, which shows that he is well on the path to delivering goals and assists on a regular basis.
His return of 23 goals in 34 matches for Celtic’s B team showed that he had the potential to be a Jota-esque figure on the wing, by finding the back of the net on a regular basis, whilst he has now added creativity to his performances with the Hornets.
The Hoops, therefore, messed up when they failed to keep him at Parkhead last summer because they lost a player who could have developed into their next version of Jota on the wing, with the quality that he displayed at youth level in Glasgow and at Watford this season.
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Celtic could have had their own homegrown star, whose value is now soaring at an exceptional rate, but they will now have to watch from afar as his career develops in England.
When Liverpool beat West Ham United, responding after losing against Fulham one week earlier, it felt like a corner had been turned. Perhaps that defeat at Craven Cottage was the final twist in the overtures of a certain Premier League triumph.
The ribbons will turn red this season. Later this afternoon, Liverpool have the chance to win the top-flight title against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, should they return to winning ways on the road and second-placed Arsenal fall at Ipswich Town earlier in the day.
Though Mikel Arteta’s attention is almost solely focused on the continental stage, this feels improbable, if not out of the question. In any case, it’s a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot will join an exclusive list of managers to lift the Premier League trophy on their first attempt.
Managers Who Won Premier League in 1st Season
Season
Manager
Club
2004/05
Jose Mourinho
Chelsea
2009/10
Carlo Ancelotti
Chelsea
2013/14
Manuel Pellegrini
Man City
2016/17
Antonio Conte
Chelsea
Sourced via GIVEMESPORT
Leicester might be doomed but they still have quality in attack and will look to capitalise on any Liverpool complacency.
Liverpool team news
Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in first-team training after his ankle injury suffered against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield last month.
However, Conor Bradley looks set to reprise his role at right-back, with the under-fire Andy Robertson pushing for a recall after his cameo last week, skewing into his own net off the bench following a mix-up with the skipper.
Joe Gomez remains absent due to an ankle injury, but Darwin Nunez could feature after missing out on Merseyside one week ago.
Darwin Nunez for Liverpool
Nunez might be destined for departure this summer, but his return does boost a Liverpool frontline looking to return to its best.
That’s not to say the Reds have been poor in attack lately, but Mohamed Salah hasn’t scored in five games, Diogo Jota and Nunez are out of sorts and Cody Gakpo hasn’t got going again since recovering from injury.
How Slot can respark Liverpool's frontline
Liverpool looked somewhat back to normal last weekend as they secured victory over West Ham, all but sealing the already overwhelming odds in the title race following Arsenal’s draw at Brentford.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah
Salah, after renewing his contract, produced a stunning trivela assist for Luis Diaz, the one man in Slot’s attack who is very much on form right now.
However, the Egyptian, 32, will be desperate to return his name to the scoresheet as he looks to build on his haul of 32 goals across all competitions
For whatever reason, it’s not quite clicking for Salah in front of goal. But it will again. With Trent not fit enough to start from the outset, Slot might be inclined to unleash Harvey Elliott in midfield, perhaps replacing Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool enjoy the Hungarian’s tireless running but a more fixed creative point could be the perfect solvent of unfluent play in and around the final third.
Liverpool player Harvey Elliott
Having featured prominently under Jurgen Klopp last year during Liverpool’s injury-hit spell, Elliott has played a reduced part since the spinning of the managerial wheel, yet to even start in the Premier League this year. Still he’s got six goal involvements across the different competitions.
And it’s not as if he hasn’t demonstrated his capacities when given a shot. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for all of goals, assists and shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.
This perfectly illustrates his ball-playing game and skill in driving into dangerous positions, but most importantly, it underlines his ability to maximise his output when reaching such junctures, something Salah will be eyeing hungrily.
Harvey Elliott in the Premier League (LFC)
Season
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
24/25
12 (0)
0
1
23/24
34 (11)
3
6
22/23
32 (18)
1
2
21/22
6 (4)
0
0
20/21*
0 (0)
0
0
19/20
2 (0)
0
0
*Spent season on loan at Blackburn
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see, Elliott’s playing a bit part for the first time since his debut campaign, having only featured six times in 2021/22 but starting on four of those occasions before suffering a season-ending injury at Elland Road.
Elliott, described as a “special talent” by Sky Sports’ Neil Mellor, hasn’t played all that much this season, but he has showcased his vast playmaking skills on numerous occasions. For example, Liverpool might have been abject in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United, but subs combined to score a late consolation, the young midfielder expertly playing Federico Chiesa through.
Ultimately, claiming that Liverpool are out of sorts simply isn’t true, having won five of their past six Premier League matches, but fans have been frustrated by the lack of spark in the centre at times this term and Elliott surely deserves a starting berth having been limited to full appearances in the cup competitions.
He’s come up trumps on several occasions, notably scoring the winner in the first leg against PSG, but now the £40k-per-week talent needs a chance to show he can pull strings in the Premier League and bring Salah back into goalscoring form.
Salah doesn’t dribble as much as he used to but he’s hardly averse to an electric burst, and with Elliott’s crisp timing, it could be the perfect tonic for his recent struggles to break the net.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
Elliott has acknowledged Salah for “teaching him” over the past several years at Liverpool, and now he has the chance to repay his tutor on what could be a momentous day for the Merseysiders.
Leicester won’t want to repeat some of their dismal displays of late, but if Elliott gets into a creative flow and connects with Salah, the Foxes simply won’t have a say in the matter.
Worth more than Huijsen: Slot has hit the jackpot on Liverpool "monster"
Liverpool hope to employ this star for many years to come.
Manchester United find themselves 14th in the Premier League table after their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
The Red Devils needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund to avoid a 16th defeat in the top-flight this season, in what has been a significantly below-par campaign for the club.
INEOS and Ruben Amorim must work together to ensure that the recruitment work this summer is spot on, as there have been too many missteps in recent years, including the signing of Mason Mount in the summer of 2023.
Why Mason Mount has been a flop for Manchester United
The England international signed for the Red Devils from Chelsea for a reported fee of £55m ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and has had a rough time in Manchester so far.
Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount
Since the start of last season, Mount has missed a whopping 50 matches through calf and hamstring injuries, which have heavily disrupted his time at Old Trafford.
When available, however, the English attacking midfielder has not done enough to justify the money spent on his services, with a return of one goal and one assist in 39 appearances in all competitions.
Market Movers
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This has led to his market value, as per Transfermarkt, plummeting to just £24m, which shows that he has been a flop for Manchester United so far because the midfielder has not delivered goals or assists, or consistent availability, and is now worth significantly less than the fee they paid for him.
Mount is not the only player from that batch of recruitment in 2023 who has not been good enough, though, as Andre Onana should be ruthlessly ditched by INEOS this summer.
Why Man Utd should sell Andre Onana
Manchester United reportedly paid £47.2m to sign the Cameroon international from Ajax in the summer of 2023, and his value has plummeted in the two years since then.
It was recently reported that the club would consider offers of at least £20m for Onana, which means that he could be sold for even less than Mount is currently worth (£24m).
As you can see in the highlights above, Onana most recently had a night to forget against Lyon with two mistakes in the Europa League, which led to him being dropped against Newcastle United in the Premier League.
That came directly after former United midfielder Nemanja Matic dubbed him “one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history” after being asked about Onana’s claim that his team were better than Lyon.
Whilst the Red Devils eventually won the tie over two legs, the Cameroon international’s personal performances did not do much to dismiss Matic’s harsh claim.
Andre Onana (Premier League + Europe)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
44
43
Goals conceded
73
59
Errors leading to shots
3
1
Errors leading to goals
3
5
Penalties committed
1
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, making errors is not a new issue for Onana because the shot-stopper has been error-prone throughout his two seasons in Manchester to date.
Manchester United'sAndreOnanaduring the warm up before the match
He has not been a reliable, safe, pair of hands between the sticks, due to these errors in the Premier League, the Champions League, and the Europa League, and that is why INEOS must ruthlessly cash in on him this summer.
United should look to move Onana on, whether that is for a fee of £20m or another figure, and then attempt to recruit a replacement who can be relied upon week-in-week-out at the top level, without Amorim having to be concerned about his goalkeeper making calamitous errors consistently.
Better signing than Huijsen: Man Utd preparing bid to sign £51m "monster"
Manchester United are plotting a bid to sign a star who’d be an even better addition than Dean Huijsen.
Liverpool are looking to build on their Premier League title triumph under Arne Slot and could now target a world-renowned midfielder to bolster their engine room, per reports.
Liverpool aim to establish dominance over English football
Arne Slot hasn’t taken long to make a lasting impact at Anfield, delivering the Reds their first Premier League title in front of supporters after a thumping 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Wild celebrations capped what has been a brilliant debut campaign for the Dutchman, but what comes next as Liverpool look to establish domestic dominance?
Arne Slot celebrates Liverpool's Premier League triumph
Conceivably, FSG will be willing to facilitate an exciting summer on Merseyside as Slot’s side aim to retain their top-flight crown in 2025/26.
According to reports, Xavi Simons could join Liverpool’s growing Dutch contingent for a fee of £60 million following an outstanding campaign in RB Leipzig’s engine room.
Similarly, the Reds are set to step up their interest in 33-goal Celtic forward Daizen Maeda. However, Arsenal and Aston Villa are also admirers of the Japan international’s unique profile.
Liverpool could sign their best forward since Salah in £87m "superstar"
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Truthfully, there has never been a better time to join Liverpool. In addition to their potential transfer dealings, Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have signed contract extensions at Anfield in another major boost to their hopes of further silverware.
Nevertheless, second-season syndrome is a real phenomenon, which is something they will be keen to counteract by enacting a squad refresh to maintain hunger against a rejuvenated set of title competitors.
Heeding that warning, Slot has turned his attention to another compatriot who could add a new dimension in midfield alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Aliister, per recent developments.
Liverpool turn attention to Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have positioned themselves to sign Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong due to his uncertain contact situation at the La Liga giants.
Earning around £310,000 per week, the Netherlands international is heading into the final year of his deal, and economic issues at his current employers have offered hope to the Reds in their pursuit of a statement midfield signing.
Frenkie de Jong’s La Liga statistics – 2024/25
Chances created
18
Pass completion
95%
Tackles won
9
Duels won
39
Goals
2
Assists
2
Arsenal and Manchester City are also in the mix to sign De Jong, who is now at risk of completing a surprise departure from Barcelona if they aren’t able to agree on fresh terms. Enjoying a fine campaign, the 27-year-old has made 40 appearances across all competitions, registering two goals and two assists as his side close in on the La Liga title.
That said, De Jong is now heading into the prime of his career and may fancy a new challenge, making the Premier League a logical landing point should circumstances align. Liverpool are aiming to keep themselves ahead of the rest in years to come, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to witness some high-profile arrivals at Anfield like the man in question.
Liverpool are now stepping up their pursuit of a £84m striker, with FSG considering the addition of a marquee signing this summer.
Reds eyeing striker with Nunez heading for exit
It appears as though Darwin Nunez’s time at Anfield could be coming to an end this summer, having fallen down the pecking order, often being utilised as a substitute rather than being a regular starter in the Premier League.
Nunez is now attracting widespread interest from across the continent, with bids in the region of £50m being made by Serie A side Napoli and Bundesliga team RB Leipzig, which means the Reds could recoup a large portion of the £85m they paid for the Uruguayan.
While the 25-year-old has played a sporadic role for Arne Slot’s side this season, the manager will need to bring in a replacement this summer, should he decide to cash-in, and FSG are now weighing up the addition of a marquee signing.
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That is according to a report from GiveMeSport which states Liverpool are stepping up their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with scouts set to watch the striker in action for the German side this weekend.
A summer deal for Eiktike will not be cheap, with Frankfurt setting an asking price of £84m, which FSG have reservations about paying, so a delegation of scouts will watch the Frenchman against SC Freiburg to assess whether he is worthy of such a hefty price tag.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Should the Reds be impressed by what they see, they could enter negotiations over a deal for the forward over the coming weeks, with the player himself willing to consider a move to the right club.
"Phenomenal" Ekitike could be Nunez upgrade
The move to Paris Saint-Germain early in the 22-year-old’s career may not have worked out, but he has certainly managed to prove his worth to Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season, picking up 22 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
Football scout Ben Mattinson has been particularly impressed by the Frankfurt star’s performances, taking to X to lavish him with praise earlier this season.
There are also clear signs the Reims-born forward could be an upgrade on Nunez, having outperformed the Uruguay international across a number of key attacking metrics over the past year.
Statistic per 90
Hugo Ekitike
Darwin Nunez
Non-penalty goals
0.51
0.35
Assists
0.27
0.17
Successful take-ons
1.95
0.69
That said, Liverpool are right to have concerns about forking out £84m, given that Ekitike is yet to prove himself over a sustained period of time, and they should look to get a deal done for a lower price if possible.
If this season has proven anything for Arsenal, it’s that they desperately need another striker in the team.
A combination of lacklustre finishing and a torrent of injuries to key offensive players has left the Gunners 15 points off Liverpool in the Premier League.
Moreover, as things stand, the Reds have scored 17 goals more than Mikel Arteta’s side, which is something that desperately needs to be addressed in the summer.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetalooks dejected after the match
Fortunately, that’s something the club appear to be working on, as, over the last week or so, their supposed interest in Viktor Gyokeres has seriously intensified, even if they already have a player worth millions more than him in the squad.
How much Arsenal have to pay for Gyokeres
Arsenal were reportedly interested in Gyokeres at points last summer, but it’s really been since new Sporting Director Andrea Berta turned up that things seem to be heating up regarding the Swedish superstar.
Moreover, while there remains some disagreement over the exact price that Sporting CP might demand for their prolific striker once the window opens, a recent report from The Athletic has claimed that it will likely be somewhere between £60m and £70m.
While the upper figure would undoubtedly represent a significant financial investment from the North Londoners, it would be hard to argue that it’s not a reasonable valuation from the Portuguese giants.
For example, since moving to Lisbon in 2023, the former Coventry City star has made 100 appearances for the club, totalling 8207 minutes, in which he has found the back of the net 95 times and provided 28 assists.
In other words, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has averaged 1.23 goal involvements per game since moving to Lisbon, or one every 66.72 minutes, which is frankly absurd.
Gyokeres’ unreal record
Season
23/24
24/25
Appearances
50
50
Minutes
4169′
4038′
Goals
43
52
Assists
15
13
Goal Involvements per Match
1.16
1.3
Minutes per Goal Involvement
71.87
62.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In all, it’s not hard to see why Arsenal are so interested in signing Gyokeres this year, although even if he joins for £70m, he’ll be competing with someone with an even higher valuation next season: Kai Havertz.
How much Kai Havertz is currently worth
Yes, believe it or not, the player in question is none other than Kai Havertz.
Kai Havertz celebrates for Arsenal
The former Chelsea star joined Arsenal for around £65m in the summer of 2023 but was then placed in the CIES Football Observatory’s top 100 most valuable players in world football earlier this year, with a staggering valuation of €130m, which converts to about £109m.
Now, we know that for some of you, that will seem like an absurd number, and while it is probably a little inflated, it would be hard to argue that the German international hasn’t improved his reputation and standing in the game since his initial move two years ago, so perhaps a fairer price tag would be somewhere in between.
With that said, and while he might still divide opinion, the “magnificent” footballer, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been a handy player for the Gunners, especially since moving up top halfway through last season.
Moreover, prior to his injury in February, the Aachen-born poacher was actually enjoying a decent enough campaign leading the line, racking a tally of 15 goals and five assists in 34 appearances across 2776 minutes of action.
Havertz’s 24/25
Competition
Prem
UCL
EFL Cup
FA Cup
Appearances
21
8
4
1
Goals
9
4
2
0
Assists
3
2
0
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.57
0.75
0.50
0.00
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That means the “superb” attacker, as dubbed by Arteta, was averaging a goal involvement every 1.7 games, or every 138.8 minutes, which, again, for a makeshift striker in arguably the toughest league in the world, is not bad going.
Ultimately, Arsenal should still go out and sign Gyokeres as he looks to be a lean, mean goalscoring machine, but in Havertz, the club have a reliable backup who can also do a job in the middle of the park.
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