Still in the market for an attacking reinforcement even after signing Jack Grealish, Everton have now reportedly been handed a major boost in pursuit of a top target.
Moyes "looking forward" to "best version" of Grealish
It wasn’t so long ago that Grealish was breaking records by becoming the most expensive British player of all time, and everyone involved at Everton will be desperate to see a player worthy of that £100m price tag arrive and not the version that Manchester City have witnessed in the last couple of years.
There’s plenty of debate over whether the former Aston Villa man ever truly lived up to his price at The Etihad, but it’s hard to forget the impact that he made during their infamous treble-winning campaign – even if that was not reflected through goals.
That’s the calibre of player that Everton have welcomed to The Hill Dickinson and David Moyes is keen to see the “best version” of that player.
Whether Grealish will be ready to make his Everton debut as soon as Monday’s Premier League opener against Leeds United remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that he’ll play a key role in the Toffees season with minutes under his belt.
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His arrival was a statement of intent by The Friedkin Group and they’re not done there on the transfer front. In fact, reports are now suggesting that they’ve received a major boost in pursuit of a La Liga star.
Kubo now wants to leave Sociedad amid Everton interest
According to reports in Spain, Takefusa Kubo has now asked to leave Real Sociedad following news that Everton submitted an opening offer to secure his signature earlier this summer.
Initial offers from those in Merseyside as well as from West Ham United and Bournemouth were believed to be around the €40m-mark (£35m) and, therefore, short of the winger’s €60m (£52m) release clause. As such, it would be easy to assume that all parties are still fairly far apart in negotiations, but Kubo’s request to leave could yet soften Sociedad’s stance in a major boost for Everton and others.
Since earning the praise of scout Jacek Kulig, who dubbed his start to the 2023/24 campaign as “fantastic”, Kubo has only kicked on and deservedly earned interest from the Premier League.
Both teams have had similar journeys so far but on Sunday, one will have glory and the other heartbreak
Shashank Kishore19-Oct-20244:55
NZ or SA – who will be crowned first-time T20 world champions?
Big picture: A shot at historySome pictures speak more than words can convey.Like Siya Kolisi looking skywards and roaring into the Parisian sky, before lifting last year’s Rugby World Cup.Like Grant Elliott, a South African by heritage, offering a hand to a crestfallen Dale Steyn after hitting the winning six to seal New Zealand’s final at the 2015 ODI World Cup.Like Katy Perry joining Meg Lanning’s victorious Australian team on the winners’ podium in front of a record 86,174 fans at the MCG in 2020.Or, more recently, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – standing side by side, like brothers in arms, with the Indian flag, their medals and the World Cup trophy, before walking into the sunset.On Sunday, South Africa and New Zealand will go toe to toe to earn the right to add to the iconic images and moments of the sport, for which one works hard for years, or decades in the case of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, and Marizanne Kapp.New Zealand have a shot at glory after 14 years, South Africa their second in two years, having vanquished Australia, the team that broke their hearts on a sparkling Cape Town afternoon last February.Their journeys to the World Cup final have been somewhat similar. Filled with stunning wins that warmed the hearts. And losses that questioned – with a transition looming – the pathway structures that haven’t exactly been able to replicate the benchmarks set by Australia and England. Which is why their appearance in the summit clash holds out hope for the women’s game and the sport’s expansion.Dubai has a massive significance for both teams. South Africa lifted their only ever silverware – senior or junior – at a World Cup here in 2014 under Aiden Markram’s captaincy. For New Zealand, this was the epicentre of their most recent finals heartbreak at the men’s T20 World Cup in 2021.Irrespective of what happens in the grand finale on Sunday, the women’s T20 World Cup will have a new winner.Can New Zealand do it for their old guard, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu?•ICC/Getty Images
Form guideNew Zealand WWWLW (last five T20Is, most recent first) South Africa WWWLWIn the spotlight: Sophie Devine and Anneke BoschFourteen years ago in Barbados, Ellyse Perry’s boot intercepted an absolute rocket hit from Sophie Devine to prevent a boundary that would have sent the T20 World Cup final into a Super Over. A generation has come and gone, but Devine has willed herself to fight through the highs and lows. On Sunday, she has a rare opportunity to finish her captaincy career with the ultimate crowning glory.Anneke Bosch’s batting until the semi-final had come in for sharp criticism from several quarters as she was striking below a run a ball. The team management was aware of it but continued to back her as they believed a big knock was around the corner. On Thursday, Bosch batted out of her skin to send Australia packing – her unbeaten 74 was a knock full of enterprise and innovation. After a performance for the ages, she will hope for another impactful innings.Team news: Not many changes expectedThere is little indication that both teams will greatly change with their XIs from the semi-final. South Africa have remained unchanged all tournament.New Zealand (probable): 1 Georgia Plimmer, 2 Suzie Bates, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Rosemary Mair, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Fran JonasSouth Africa (probable): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Anneke Bosch, 4 Chloe Tryon, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sune Luus, 6 Annerie Dercksen, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Sinao Jafta (wk), 10 Nonkululeko Mlaba, 11 Ayabonga KhakaAnneke Bosch was innovative during her unbeaten 74 in the semi-final•ICC/Getty Images
Pitch and conditions: Spin to winThe build-up to the last two major ICC finals was dominated by chatter around the pitch and conditions. In Ahmedabad, at last year’s 50-over World Cup, you didn’t know until a day before the final which surface was going to be used. In Barbados, this June, rain had been predicted all day with the threat of a hurricane – which eventually delayed India’s departure – loomed. There is less drama this time around.Pitches in Dubai have taken turn, and taking the pace off has been a ploy captains have often stuck by. Pakistan exploited this quite superbly against New Zealand. India realised the perils of playing three seamers when they conceded 160 in their opening game against New Zealand.The absence of dew has been a reason why spin has been effective. Dew had reduced the toss to a lottery at the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, but its effect has been minimal this time. While temperatures have considerably dropped in the last two weeks, it will still test players’ fitness, especially because evenings continue to be muggy.Stats and trivia Bates is set to become the most capped player in women’s internationals, surpassing Mithali Raj’s tally of 333 matches. Wolvaardt has overtaken Dane van Niekerk to become South Africa’s highest run-scorer at a T20 World Cup. New Zealand have lost just one wicket in the powerplay in this tournament. Amelia Kerr’s 12 wickets at this T20 World Cup are the third-most by a bowler at a single edition. Two wickets on Sunday will take her past Anya Shrubsole and Megan Schutt’s joint record. Bosch’s 74 not out in the semi-final is the highest individual score of the tournament so far.Quotes”Playing that final, we put ourselves behind the eight ball. In such games, you have to be at 200%, and stay calm. We kind of got flustered, we do get flustered at times. But throughout this tournament, we have been calm and clear about how we want to go about things. It shows the growth of this team.” “We’re the grandmas of this team, still standing. Leah [Tahuhu] with her bionic knees, Sophie having dealt with a lot of stuff as captain, and me keeping on going – it’s really a special moment. There have been tough times, we have been through ups and downs, but that we have made the final is special. We look after each other.”
How India bounce back from their T20 World Cup upset at the hands of New Zealand will demonstrate the character of the side, Jemimah Rodrigues says.It will also have a huge bearing on their semi-final prospects with Group A – the tournament’s ‘group of death’ – delicately poised just two days in following New Zealand’s 58-run victory in Dubai on Friday and Pakistan’s fightback against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on the opening day.Australia, the defending champions and title favourites, open their campaign on Saturday against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, South Africa defeated West Indies by 10 wickets in the earlier game on Friday to join Bangladesh at the top of Group B, with Bangladesh to play England on Saturday.And it will require some turnaround from India. Bowled out for 102 chasing 161 for victory, none of their batters passed captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 15 runs from No.3, and only five reached double-figures, including Rodrigues with 13 batting at No. 4. For New Zealand, seamers Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu took 4 for 19 and 3 for 15 respectively.”Today would be the game we would like to forget, because this is a World Cup,” Rodrigues said. “We need to keep moving on and keep picking ourselves up. We can’t stay stuck at this game. We need to pick ourselves up, and I think that will show the character of this team.”We know every game from here is so crucial for us. We know that, but at the same time, we’re going to go one game at a time and just make sure we stick to our process and do our job well. If we can do that, I think we play our best cricket, I think we can win matches.”New Zealand laid the foundation for victory with a 67-run opening stand between Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, who attacked the powerplay, followed by captain Sophie Devine’s powerful 57 not out from 36 balls.Related
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It was quite the turnaround for a side whose T20 World Cup in 2023 was over as soon as it had begun with heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa, and who lost all eight games they played – including five T20Is – against England in June and July.But Rodrigues said her side wasn’t necessarily caught off-guard by New Zealand attacking in the powerplay.”They came out with a lot of intent,” she said. “We did create opportunities, but unfortunately we didn’t make the most of them. Then the way we came back after the start was … I mean, not many positives in this game, but still, going forward, we need to have the right approach because the tournament is not over. We need to take some positives from this game and a lot of learnings from this game.”It’s not the easiest of conditions, it’s really hot here in Dubai, but I think we’ve got enough time to get used to the conditions so we don’t give an excuse, like it’s too hot or whatever it is. We just need to do our job and win the match for the team. So when it comes to conditions, I think we are very used to the conditions. It’s got better from the first day we’ve come here. So I think we are very prepared for this and all of us stay in India, so we are very familiar to such conditions.”Rodrigues also said India weren’t rattled by a controversial moment in the 14th over of New Zealand’s innings. India thought they had run out Amelia Kerr, who had hit a Deepti Sharma delivery towards long-off and run a single with Devine. As Harmanpreet Kaur gathered the ball, the batters attempted a second run, just as Deepti took her cap back from the umpire. Harmanpreet threw the ball in and Richa Ghosh broke the stumps with Kerr short of her ground but the ball was deemed to have been dead, sparking heated discussions between Harmanpreet and the India team management with the umpires. As it turns out, Kerr was dismissed two balls later.”We know how important Amelia Kerr’s wicket is and yes, at that moment it felt a little, ‘why didn’t it go in our favour?'” Rodrigues said. “But at the same time, I think we did what we could. We spoke to the umpire, then we had to accept the decision of the umpire and move on. I think that’s what we did really well, that we just moved on from that and we got her out pretty soon. So that worked for us.”
Birmingham City are looking to put themselves in contention for promotion to the Premier League and have made contact to sign a prolific goalscorer from one of Europe’s top-five leagues, according to a report.
Birmingham City line up summer signings
The Blues are looking forward to returning after claiming promotion to the Championship last time out, and it is fair to say there is plenty of progress being made in their hunt for summer signings.
Recent reports have noted that Birmingham are hotly pursuing Leeds United forward Mateo Joseph and it is said that Real Betis and RC Strasbourg are also competing for his signature.
Intriguingly, Joseph hasn’t closed the door to an exit from Elland Road, citing his need for regular game time in a recent interview while enjoying some downtime during the off-season.
He stated: “We achieved our goal as a team, but I personally want to be more involved in the final stretch of the season. I think I need more participation to continue developing as a player.
“The season has just ended, and we have to stop and evaluate. We’ve been promoted to the Premier League. We’ll see what the club says, but I want to play more to continue growing.”
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Oli McBurnie could also join Birmingham after becoming a free agent following Las Palmas’ relegation from La Liga, albeit competition from all angles exists regarding the Scotland international’s availability.
It does feel like the Blues will arrive into the new campaign with a genuine shot at something more than consolidation. However, if they manage to pull off a deal for their latest target, it could signal they are looking to put themselves in the mix for promotion.
Birmingham City eye ambitious Kyogo Furuhashi swoop
According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Birmingham City have made contact with Rennes over Kyogo Furuhashi’s availability after the Japan international fell out of favour in France.
Despite only joining Habib Beye’s men in January for £10 million, the 30-year-old has barely featured and now appears primed for a quickfire exit.
Labelled “excellent” by Brendan Rodgers, Furuhashi has scored 156 career goals, combining his exploits for club and country and is most revered for his time at Celtic, where he became a pivotal force in helping the Scottish champions claim nine major honours.
The former Yokohama F. Marinos man has endured a difficult few months, but a move to Birmingham could be the perfect tonic to reignite his fortunes as the Blues look to put themselves in contention for a return to the Premier League under Chris Davies.
Is this really Liverpool? Remarkably, FSG are firing on all cylinders in the summer transfer market, acting with the viciousness of the champions that they are.
Indeed, Arne Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, shouldering the unenviable weight of Jurgen Klopp’s still-warm seat in the dugout. And he did it with minimal investment, only welcoming Federico Chiesa to the fold for £12.5m in August 2024.
FSG have long towed the line between shrewdness and frugality in transfer windows, but with Michael Edwards back in the boardroom, there’s a newfound sense of awareness that Anfield stands atop a mountainous pile of European clubs vying for the ascendancy.
But for all the Florian Wirtz’s, the Jeremie Frimpong’s and Milos Kerkez’s, there are some outgoings in the pipeline too.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s already gone, and the 31-year-old Andy Robertson is being chased by Atletico Madrid. And the backline is set for more shake-up, with Jarell Quansah on the brink of a move abroad.
Why Liverpool are selling Jarell Quansah
Quansah, 22, is a fantastic talent. Across the past two campaigns, he has proven himself worthy of a place in Liverpool’s first team, winning the Carabao Cup and the English top flight and appearing 58 times in total.
However, he suffered a setback right at the start of Slot’s tenure, withdrawn at half-time during the season opener against Ipswich Town, Slot later citing his team’s lack of success in the duel as the reason behind the tweak.
Features proved few and far between over the next several months, and though the English ace played a larger role over the later months of the term, he will no doubt be frustrated by his lack of opportunities.
It’s for this reason that negotiations have moved apace with Bayer Leverkusen, who are closing on an agreement for the transfer of Quansah, worth €40m (£34m).
Jarell Quansah for Liverpool
A formal bid has not yet been made, but all parties expect an agreeable resolution, with personal terms not thought to be an issue.
As such, Liverpool will need to sign themselves a replacement – and they’ve got one in mind all right.
Liverpool set to bid for new centre-back
According to The Telegraph, Liverpool are expected to make a ‘significant offer’ for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who helped his side win the FA Cup in May.
Though a formal approach has not yet been made, Scott Wilson of the Northern Echo has reported that the Reds are ‘firm favourites’ to sign the central defender, with Football Insider even stating that he’s told friends he “wants to join Liverpool”.
Guehi is entering the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park, so although Tottenham Hotspur tabled a £70m bid in January, Eagles chairman Steve Parish will know that his bargaining chips are diminishing, for the Reds could snap him up on a free next year.
Why Liverpool want Marc Guehi
Guehi’s contract situation means FSG hold the cards (or, at least, more than they would have a year or two ago). And it’s a good thing, for the central defender is one of the most talented and complete defenders in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehicelebrates after the match
A strong and secure presence, Oliver Glasner has unlocked a new level of ball-playing quality at Palace that Guehi has latched onto and used to foster his technical skill.
Last season, he was an iron-solid star for his side, instrumental in beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup.
The 24-year-old is entering his prime years and has now acquired a certain taste for silver, but it’s not the Magpies he will be joining; instead, Liverpool could provide this titan with a home to grow into one of the best defenders across Europe, surpassing Quansah in Slot’s ranks.
Quansah’s 2024/25 campaign was perhaps not the best representation of his potential, so instead, see below the Englishmen’s statistics contrasted against each other in the Premier League, Guehi’s from last year, and the Merseyside talent’s from 2023/24, under Klopp’s leadership.
Matches (starts)
17 (13)
34 (34)
Goals
2
3
Assists
0
2
Touches*
76.5
64.9
Pass completion
89%
84%
Key passes*
0.2
0.5
Ball recoveries*
4.2
4.3
Dribbles*
0.2
0.4
Tackles + interceptions*
2.5
2.6
Clearances*
2.3
4.6
Duels (won)*
4.5 (64%)
4.9 (59%)
Now, it might feel like at a glance the younger Three Lions star (who has been called up but not yet made his official debut) has outperformed Guehi, but the Palace man’s inferior pass completion rate and success in the duel, which is largely down to the 6 foot 3 Liverpool talent’s dominance, is circumstantial.
Last season, Guehi won 63% of his ground duels (Quansah won 60% in 2023/24) in a Palace side which battled adversity near the bottom of the table in the earlier phases of the campaign and still throughout fought on a lower rung of the ladder than Slot’s title-challenging Reds.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehiin action
It goes without saying that Guehi was in the thick of more defensive action, and a move to Merseyside would see his crispness on the ball developed while adding a progressive, mobile quality which has led one analyst to hail him as “England’s best centre-back.”
The south London centre-half, moreover, ranked among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goal involvements, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, and the top 18% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.
The Premier League perhaps hasn’t yet woken up to this player’s underrated passing game, but they will.
Slot is happy to sell Quansah for a reason. Though the prospect is highly talented and may yet become a player of distinction under Erik ten Hag’s mentorship at Leverkusen, Guehi is simply a cut above, a “monster in defence”, as has been noted by reporter Bobby Manzi.
We’ll hark back to that earlier point: Slot was frustrated by Quansah’s lack of success in the duel last August, later suggesting that he’s “outgrown being a talent” and perhaps needs to play with regularity, something the Dutch boss is not willing to offer him at Anfield.
Liverpool are aiming for the stars this summer, and by bringing in Guehi to rival Van Dijk and Konate in central defence, the club’s lofty ambitions might just be realised.
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Leeds United need to have a huge summer transfer window if they are to be successful during their first season back in the Premier League after a two-year absence.
Daniel Farke has led the Whites back to the promised land after securing the Championship title, with the German deserving of the opportunity to try and keep the club in the top-flight.
He’s been subject to a potential change, but the board have come out and publicly backed the 48-year-old to be a success and lead them to survival in 2025/26.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkebefore the match
If he is to keep the club in the division, he will need backing in the transfer market, handing him the funds to make the additions he will certainly need to inject further quality into the squad.
With the window opening earlier this week, it presents the manager with the chance to improve various key areas of the side, leading to numerous names already being mentioned over a move to Elland Road.
The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new additions this summer
It’s been reported that Leeds could have a sum in the region of £100m to spend on new additions this summer, with key quality and depth needed all over the pitch.
The likes of James McAtee, Igor Paixao and Callum Wilson have all been key targets this summer, but as of yet, no progress has been made to take any of the trio to Yorkshire during the off-season.
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson
However, a new name has entered the mix over recent days, with Getafe attacking midfielder Christantus Uche firmly on their radar, according to Spanish outlet Marca.
Their report claims that the Nigerian has a €25m (£21m) release clause in his deal, but that the Whites are preparing a move in the region of £17m for his signature.
The 22-year-old, who’s registered four goals and six assists in LaLiga this season, also has interest from Wolves and Brentford ahead of the summer – with Farke’s men needing to act quickly to land his signature.
Why Leeds’ £17m target could be Farke’s own Rodrigo
Back in the summer of 2020, Leeds splashed a fee in the region of £26m on Spanish star Rodrigo, looking to add serious quality to their front line ahead of their return to the top-flight.
Former Leeds striker Rodrigo.
He joined from LaLiga outfit Valencia, scoring seven goals in his first year in Yorkshire, helping Marcelo Bielsa’s side register a top-half Premier League finish.
The attacker would end up scoring 28 times in his 99 appearances for the Whites, subsequently departing the club after dropping back into the second tier in 2022/23.
Rodrigo’s contributions within the final third saw him become a fan favourite during his time at Elland Road, something which Uche could replicate if he joins the club this summer.
The Getafe star would follow in the Spaniard’s footsteps, potentially being their marquee signing in their first season back in the Premier League – also joining from another Spanish top-division outfit.
When delving into his stats from the current campaign, the Nigerian international has massively impressed, leading to his maiden call-up with his country this month against Jamaica.
His tally of 10 combined goals and assists will certainly give Farke the added threat in attacking areas he will crave in the top-flight, adding a new dimension to the club’s front line.
Christantus Uche’s stats for Getafe in LaLiga (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
33
Goals & assists
10
Chances created
1.1
Successful dribbles
1.2
Duels won
8.1
Aerials won
3.3
Touches in opposition box
4.1
Stats via FotMob
Uche, who’s been labelled a “monster” by talent scout Antonio Mango, has also created 1.1 chances per 90, along with 1.2 successful dribbles – having the skillset to take the ball into forward areas and cause the opposition havoc.
The youngster’s talents don’t stop there, winning 8.1 duels per 90, 3.3 of which were aerially, handing a serious threat from set pieces which could hand Farke an added dimension to his squad.
Such an all-round skillset showcases the talent that Uche possesses, only improving more over the next couple of years, especially considering his tender age of just 22.
Given the interest from other sides in England’s top-flight, the hierarchy will have to act quickly to avoid missing out on his signature, with the Nigerian having the tools to play a key role in their hopes of survival throughout 2025/26.
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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.
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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.
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.
Market Movers
Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?
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 may already have their next Callum McGregor and it is not Arne Engels.
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1-7 – India’s win-loss record in Test matches at Edgbaston. They had lost seven of their first eight games (with one draw) before beating England for the first time at the venue on Sunday.India’s win at Edgbaston is also the first time they have levelled a series in England immediately after losing the first Test. They had lost the first Test on 13 previous series in England and went on to lose the second in six and draw it in seven.336 – India’s margin of victory at Edgbaston is their biggest by runs away from home. Their previous biggest was a 318-run victory against West Indies in North Sound in 2019.Related
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10 for 187 – Akash Deep’s match figures at Edgbaston are the best for India in a men’s Test in England. Chetan Sharma, also at Edgbaston in 1986, is the only other India bowler with a ten-for in England.17 – Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj’s tally of wickets at Edgbaston is the joint highest by India’s new-ball bowlers in a Test. Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2005, and Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav against Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2019, also took 17 wickets.272 – Runs scored by Jamie Smith at Edgbaston, the third-highest by a wicketkeeper in a Test. Only Andy Flower is ahead of him with aggregates of 341 against South Africa in 2001 and 287 against India in 2000.1692 – Runs scored by England and India at Edgbaston – the highest for a Test between the two teams, bettering the 1673 in the previous match at Headingley. It is also the fourth-highest aggregate for a Test match not to end in a draw.3365 – Total runs in the first two Tests, the highest for the first two matches in any bilateral Test series. The previous highest was 3230 by Australia and England in the Ashes of 1924-25.India scored 1849 runs at Headingley and Edgbaston, the most by any team across the first two Tests of a series.
The rapidly changing global T20 landscape leaves England’s domestic offering on an uncertain footing
Alan Gardner16-Jul-2023How do you like them apples? Somerset’s cider boys finally ended their Finals Day hoodoo to cap one of the most-dominant seasons in the history of T20 (no team anywhere in the world has won as many as 15 games in a single campaign), providing a feelgood story in the middle of another English summer in which discontent about the schedule is impossible to ignore – even after 12 hours of getting bladdered in the Hollies Stand.The T20 showpiece remains one of the domestic game’s great days out. Where else can you see three thrillingly contested 20-over fixtures and a conga in the crowd led by a fancy-dress giraffe? Saturday at a packed Edgbaston felt like a triumph of elemental proportions, too, as the groundstaff – who began their day at 3.30am following hours of heavy rainfall in Birmingham – kept the show on the road even as stormy weather repeatedly threatened to trigger the use of a reserve day for only the second time in the competition’s 20-year history.T20 is a fickle game, as more than one participant from the four teams involved reflected – except Somerset’s unstoppable form suggested quite the opposite. They were the first team ever to win 12 games (out of 14) in the Blast group stage, and then in all three of their knockout encounters successfully fought back from losing positions.Related
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Key to their success was a cutting edge with the ball. Somerset had the competition’s two leading wicket-takers – Matt Henry overtaking Ben Green with his four-for in the final to finish on 31 for the season – and claimed an almost unbelievable 151 out of 170 wickets going. Only one team in the South Group avoided being bowled out by Somerset this summer and that was Sussex, who played them once (and made 183 for 8 in a five-wicket defeat). Essex were on the receiving end three times.With the bat, the big guns at the top of the order are all England candidates of varying merit – Tom Banton, Will Smeed and Tom Kohler-Cadmore scored almost 1500 runs between them at strike rates of 150-175 – and yet their hero on Saturday was journeyman pro Sean Dickson, whose 53 in the final was the joint top-score of his nine-year T20 career.Somerset’s head coach, Jason Kerr, has been involved with the club since 2006, a time that encompassed seven fruitless trips to Finals Day. He said afterwards that his overriding emotion had been one of relief.”I genuinely believe you get what you deserve, and I genuinely believe we’ve been the best team in the competition this year,” he said. “But we had to go out there and demonstrate that, and that’s what we managed to go out there and do.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”We’ve been building as a side. We’ve been to Finals Day for the last three years, and last year we didn’t turn up at all. We didn’t do ourselves justice, so I was adamant that we were going to do that this year. I think Lewis [Gregory] has led the group immensely well, but it really has been a team performance throughout the campaign, and that has shown with glory today.”Gregory, Somerset’s captain, called the experience “pretty damned good”. This was not, however, the first time he had held a T20 trophy aloft, despite having spent his entire county career at Taunton. That is because Gregory is also the captain of Trent Rockets, the reigning champions in the men’s Hundred, whose campaign to defend their trophy gets underway in just over a fortnight’s time. Another T20 showpiece, anyone?When the counties voted to create a second, city-based short-format competition back in 2017, the inevitable result was the Blast having to live in the shadow of a shinier, better-resourced competitor. But the global T20 landscape has shifted a huge amount in the intervening period and both English tournaments now find themselves hemmed in on all sides – by the behemoth that is the IPL at the start of the season and an increasing number of competitors in the middle of the year: the CPL, Major League Cricket and the Global T20 Canada.Surrey, defeated by Somerset in the second semi-final, felt the knock-on effects directly in the farrago of Sunil Narine’s non-appearance – despite the club believing they had an agreement for the West Indian spinner to fly back for Finals Day between his commitments to LA Knight Riders in the MLC. And speaking on BBC radio at Edgbaston, Glenn Maxwell, the Australia allrounder who joined Birmingham Bears straight from the IPL but recently opted to pull out of a planned stint at the Hundred for workload reasons, underlined the difficulties facing the ECB and the county game.The umbrellas were in regular action on Finals Day but only 10 overs were lost•Getty Images”I think now the Major League Cricket tournament’s come in, that’s going to affect the Blast really badly,” he said. “When you’ve got an opportunity to go over to America for two weeks, compared to 14 games here with a stressful schedule where you’re travelling all over the place. There was one week where we played on a Tuesday in Durham, Thursday in Leeds and then Friday here in Birmingham – that’s three games in four days with a day’s travel in between.”It can really drain you, your body and mentally. I found that very tough this year and I think with the Major League being a lot more attractive, bigger crowds, I think there’s eight [six] overseas players per team, the excitement of a new tournament, it’s only two weeks long. Less of a burden on your schedule. I think it’s going a lot more attractive to some overseas players.”Maxwell also pointed out the absurdity of England running its entire 50-over competition in parallel with the Hundred, with the result that the some of the country’s best white-ball players have barely played any List A cricket (a format which, unlike the Hundred, is played internationally and features a World Cup every four years). “I would say it does the same thing as T20 cricket but it’s not relevant to the international schedule,” he concluded.That is almost a whole other conversation, none of which really helps the Blast. There are signs that the competition has bounced back a little post-Covid, with the ECB reporting a 15% increase in advanced tickets sales and overall attendance expected to be in the region of 800,000 – similar to 2022 but down on the pre-pandemic high of 920,000. Edgbaston can still throw a party like no other in T20 but the logistics are more challenging than ever.Rumours about the Hundred being wound up have persisted, despite public denials from the ECB management and a broadcasting deal that runs until 2028. And even then, as Maxwell alluded to, an 18-team system is hardly the optimum starting point for a competition to achieve cut-through in an ever-more crowded market.Somerset’s success this weekend, after an 18-year gap since winning the third edition of the Twenty20 Cup in 2005, was a story that will resonate with many beyond the heartlands of county cricket. But whether the Blast will look the same in 18 months – let alone 18 years – is at the crux of the challenge for those running the game.