Leeds United will hope they can make up some more ground on the automatic promotion spots in the Championship when they travel to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, a win at Ewood Park would put Daniel Farke's men within four points of Ipswich Town if Kieran McKenna's side succumb to a loss away at Middlesbrough.

Confidence will be high in the Whites camp after their 3-2 win last match over Ipswich's next opponents, Leeds surviving a scare at Elland Road to beat Michael Carrick's Boro – the Whites nearly slipping up in the game after racing into a confident 3-1 lead.

Leeds' teenage starlet Archie Gray stood out at the back for Farke's promotion-chasing team, the 17-year-old winning seven of his 11 duels in the contest to shore up his anxious defence, as per Sofascore.

Where Gray shined, however, Leeds' usually reliable centre-back and captain Pascal Strujik struggled.

The Dutch defender was bailed out time after time by his more switched-on defensive teammates to ensure Boro didn't snatch a share of the points, the 24-year-old's cemented spot in the first team at Elland Road potentially under threat after this below-par day at the office.

Pascal Struijk's game vs Middlesbrough in numbers

Struijk was way off the pace compared to his usual standards, only winning two of his six duels on the night.

In stark contrast, when Leeds upset the odds and won 1-0 away at Leicester City in early November, the 6 foot 3 defender won 80% of his duels against sterner opposition.

His dire 90 minutes would lead to Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross giving Struijk a sub-standard 5/10 rating in his player rating article after the Boro game was over, describing his individual display as 'hardly rock solid', especially in a shaky second half.

The Antwerp-born brute also uncharacteristically gave possession away 12 times in the game, unsuccessfully playing the role of a calm defender when his side needed him to be just that.

Farke could well look to bring back an experienced option ahead of his underperforming Dutchman for the game against the Riversiders consequently, Liam Cooper deserving of a chance in the first-team again ahead of the unconvincing number 21 for the trip to Lancashire.

Liam Cooper's season in numbers

The Scottish defender is a loyal Elland Road servant, nearly a Whites player for a decade now after joining from Chesterfield in 2014 – going on to make 275 appearances to date for the West Yorkshire giants.

His powers have diminished in recent seasons however as he begins to see out his career, finding his minutes cut this campaign with Farke preferring to start the likes of Struijk over the 32-year-old.

Yet, Cooper has been dependable for the Whites when called into action this season.

Labelled as "Mr Reliable" by former Leeds United player and current football pundit Michael Bridges for his useful role in the team still, the £25k per week man – as per Capology – could slot in to replace Struijk at Ewood Park and fill in competently against Jon Dahl Tomasson's men.

The experienced asset notably impressed when Leeds had to settle for a draw at Rotherham United in their last away match, winning eight duels in total during the game at the New York Stadium.

Moreover, the physically dominant defender was also composed on the ball against the relegation-threatened Millers – accurate with 108 of his passes in the game.

Farke could start Cooper to show to Struijk that his spot isn't set in stone in the starting eleven, demanding that all of his players step their performance levels up in a bid to win promotion or face the chop.

AC Milan ultras will not be cheering for USMNT stars Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah against Genoa, with a silent protest about to be staged.

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Rossoneri fans calling for changeFresh face in the dugout is expectedSan Siro could become very quietWHAT HAPPENED?

Disgruntled Rossoneri supporters are ready to make their feelings known when it comes to the future of under-fire head coach Stefano Pioli. A change in the dugout at San Siro is expected this summer, but Milan’s most passionate fans are hoping to speed that process along.

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Milan’s ultras have announced that they will be making no noise at Sunday’s home date with Genoa, while calling on the rest of those in attendance to do likewise. That could mean that United States internationals Pulisic and Musah, along with the rest of their club colleagues, end up playing in complete silence.

WHAT ULTRAS SAID

A statement released on the official Instagram account of Curva Sud Milano reads: “On Sunday against Genoa, Curva Sud Milan and AIMC won’t put up banners or wave flags and will refrain from any sort of support. We invite the rest of the crowd to join the protest whose only target is to encourage the club to continue the investment policy begun last summer, picking a coach who knows how to motivate the team and valorize young players, making appropriate signings to cover roles that were left exposed this season. Making decisions and names is not up to us, but the club must send a strong signal that they want to strengthen the project started last summer. Always with Milan in our hearts.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MILAN?

Fan protests on social media have already seen Milan distance themselves from a move for former Real Madrid and Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, but whoever is at the helm next season – potentially with Pulisic and Musah at their disposal – will have Champions League football on the agenda as the Rossoneri look to confirm a runners-up finish in Serie A.

Manchester United look to have been given a shot in the arm regarding their pursuit of one particular target after it emerged that his club would be open to selling him next month, as per a report.

Manchester United prepare for West Ham United trip

Last weekend, despite fielding a depleted squad and coming off the back of consecutive defeats to Bournemouth and Bayern Munich, Manchester United fought hard to claim a credible 0-0 draw against rivals Liverpool at Anfield in a fixture where Erik Ten Hag's men weathered the storm to take a valuable point.

Undoubtedly, the Red Devils have endured an inconsistent campaign so far and sit seventh in the Premier League table with 28 points from their opening 17 matches, leaving them six behind Manchester City, who occupy fourth in the divisional standings heading into this weekend's fixtures.

As cited by Sky Sports via METRO, Dutch boss Ten Hag singled out Raphael Varane, Jonny Evans and Andre Onana for special praise and complimented his side's collective resilience in a tough Anfield environment, as he stated: "We know what he [Varane] is capable of, he has many such performances and I think he did very well as the whole team in the partnership with Jonny Evans."

Related Man Utd could sign Mainoo's dream partner in £50m "defensive monster"

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He then added: "Both led the team from the back, also Andre Onana played a big part in it but I can mention all the players because it was a really good team, very disciplined."

Man Utd's rumoured centre-back targets for January

Latest update

David Alaba

18th December

Fikayo Tomori

16th December

Ronald Araujo

11th December

Jean-Clair Todibo

10th December

Marc Guehi

9th December

Leny Yoro

8th December

Next up for the Red Devils is a trip to London to face West Ham United on Saturday, in a test that will once again require Manchester United to show their capacity to dig deep as they seek to move closer to the Champions League slots.

Manchester United receive Roony Bardghji boost

According to 90min, Manchester United have scouted Copenhagen sensation Roony Bardghji on several occasions and it has now emerged that his current employers could cash in on his services next month.

Roony Bardghji's statistics in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

Goals

Assists

30

11

0

Roony Bardghji's key in-game statistics – Superliga (as provided by Sofascore)

Shots per game

1.5

Shots on target per game

0.8

Goal conversion

28%

Key passes

1.2

Left foot goals

6

Right foot goals

1

Interest in the 18-year-old is widespread from England and further afield, with Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Ten Hag's men all holding talks with intermediaries over a potential deal for the Sweden Under-21 international.

From the continent, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Marseille, AS Monaco, Napoli and PSV Eindhoven are all keen on the Kuwait City-born youngster, who is under contract at Copenhagen until the summer of 2025.

Labelled "superb" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, there is no doubt that Bardghji is a hot topic among the world's elite clubs at present and it looks only to be a matter of time before he secures a blockbuster move elsewhere.

This will be the most high-profile tournament for Butt since returning from his spot-fixing ban in January 2016

Umar Farooq19-Feb-2019

Lahore Qalandars have roped in Salman Butt to replace the injured Mohammad Hafeez for the remainder of the PSL 2019 season.This is the most high-profile event Butt will be part of after his return in 2016 from his five-year suspension for his involvement in the the spot-fixing scandal of 2010. He will play under the leadership of AB de Villiers, who was handed the captaincy by Qalandars after Hafeez fractured his thumb.Hafeez’s absence will be a major setback for the Qalandars, who had picked up the allrounder in the Platinum category and had named him captain in a bid to rectify their poor PSL record: the team has finished bottom of the table in every season so far.Hafeez injured his thumb while attempting a return catch against Karachi Kings on Saturday. He will undergo surgery later this week and is expected to be out of the game for at least one month.With Hafeez out, the Qalandars were looking for someone to provide stability and experience as an anchor at No.3, a role that Butt appears suited for.”It was unfortunate to lose Hafeez. We believe that only an experienced Pakistani player like Salman Butt can replace him,” Aaqib Javed, the Qalandars director, cricket operations, said.Before he was banned, Butt’s T20 strike rate was 107.98, considered adequate in the 2007-2010 period. His overall domestic T20 strike rate is 113.55, and he has scored 2278 runs at an average of 36.15. Butt’s consistency is also highlighted by his runs-per-innings figure of 30.4, second only to Babar Azam among Pakistani batsmen who have at least 2000 T20 runs.Butt’s T20 numbers have looked better since his return from the ban. He averages 55.35 since 2016 – the highest for any Pakistan player with a minimum of 500 runs. Azam is the next best, at 39.89, in that same period. Butt has made 941 runs in 24 T20 innings with nine half-centuries since his return to senior competitive cricket.Butt believed he was well-prepared for the challenges of playing in the PSL. “I’m pretty excited naturally. It’s the kind of tournament that has arrived after about nine years for me, but I’m confident that I’ve played all the first-class cricket, the domestic tournaments, the National T20 and the One-Day cups,” Butt said in Lahore. “My whole focus is on the PSL and I’m very grateful that Lahore Qalandars and their management have given me this long-awaited chance to perform. And I really hope that if I can come good and help the team win then definitely the other things will work out.”Butt, 34, marked his comeback in January 2016 with a century in the National One-Day Cup, and went on to finish the tournament as its second-highest run-getter, with 536 runs at an average of 107.20. He then led his first-class team, Water and Power Development Authority, to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title, scoring twin hundreds in the final to finish the season with 741 runs at 49.40. He was also the second-highest run-getter in the National T20 Cup in 2018, with 350 runs at 70.00.He was 26 when he was banned, having played 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is by then. Since then, he has attended anti-corruption rehabilitation programmes conducted by the PCB, taken part in social work, and publicly apologised, though he hadn’t pleaded his innocence until 2013. The two other players punished at the time, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, have also returned to cricket after completing their bans. Amir has been successfully re-integrated into the national set-up, and played all three formats for Pakistan since, while also featuring for Karachi Kings for a fourth consecutive season in the PSL.Over the last two years, Butt’s national selection had been mooted on occasion, but the PCB has treaded cautiously on the matter. Butt’s consistent domestic performances had impressed Pakistan’s previous head coach Waqar Younis and former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, while the lack of stability in the opening combination ensured the topic of his return stayed relevant. The current coaching staff, led by Mickey Arthur, have also been impressed by Butt, but have left it to the selectors and the PCB to decide on his possible return.Butt could have been back in the Pakistan squad as early as their tour of the West Indies in the first half of 2017, with Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman then, publicly clearing his selection. However, with the revelations of spot-fixing in the PSL that season, the climate for Butt’s prospective return turned adverse, though he had no connection with any of the players in the scandal. That forced the selectors to wait longer, and a year later, they decided to look beyond Butt and try out younger prospects.

MatériaMais Notícias

O lateral-direito Rafinha, que fez história no Flamengo entre 2019 e 2020, já tem em mãos uma oferta para retornar ao clube. Em entrevista nesta terça-feira, o vice-presidente de futebol Marcos Braz confirmou as negociações – que avançaram nas últimas semanas, segundo o próprio dirigente -, mas também esclareceu que o retorno do camisa 13 ao Ninho do Urubu na temporada de 2021 depende do jogador aceitar as novas condições propostas pela direção.

– Eu e Bruno (Spindel, diretor de futebol), há duas semanas, estamos conversando com o Rafinha, com seu empresário, e, algumas vezes, os dois juntos. Encaminhamos uma proposta do Flamengo, apresentando algumas questões de quando ele chegou aqui em 2019. Passamos todos os pontos em relação ao que o clube está passando. O Flamengo não, todos clubes do mundo. Esperamos ser compreendidos por ele. Avançaram as questões. O Flamengo tem tempo para fazer essa contratação. O atleta tem tempo para avaliar as nossas questões. Esperamos que tenhamos um final feliz, que dê tudo certo como deu na primeira vez, mas não depende apenas do Flamengo. Depende do jogador também – afirmou Marcos Braz, VP de futebol do clube.

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Campeão da Libertadores e do Brasileirão em 2019, e do Carioca, da Recopa Sul-Americana e da Supercopa do Brasil, em 2020,Rafinha se despediu do Flamengo em agosto de 2020, com 46 jogos e seis assistências. O lateral-direito acertou com o Olympiacos, da Grécia, clube do qual se despediu neste ano.

O camisa 13 já está no Rio de Janeiro e acertará seu futuro em breve. No último contrato com o Flamengo, Rafinha tinha a opção de deixar o clube caso recebesse uma oferta para retornar à Europa. Marcos Braz explicou que a cláusula fez parte da estratégia de convencimento do atleta na primeira negociação, e que não deve ocorrer de novo caso o jogador volte ao Ninho.

-Quando o Flamengo começou a operação do Rafinha, ele era atleta do Bayern. Tinha história lá, 14 anos de Europa. No convencimento final, uma das coisas que apresentamos ao atleta, parte financeira, conhecia nossa estrutura, uma maneira que podíamos ativar a situação dele querer voltar sem preocupação era apresentar uma maneira de retorno segura. Não de adaptação ao Flamengo, mas de vida. É muita coisa envolvida. Achávamos que não teria nenhum problema. “Rafa, vamos para lá. Qualquer problema, você volta.” Não foi um descuido ele voltar de graça para a Europa. Sempre tivemos essa preocupação. Foi o que foi oferecido, até porque o que ele ganhava no Bayern era muito maior. Estamos conversando sobre esse assunto, temos essa preocupação, mas é pouco provável dela passar como passou lá atrás.

South Africa cruised to a 3-0 sweep in their T20I series against Sri Lanka with a 39-run win in the third match at SuperSport Park in Centurion. The hosts put in a complete performance with both bat and ball, running to 163 for 5 – the highest total of the series – after being put in to bat by Sri Lanka, and then sharing the wickets around with Sune Luus’ all-round efforts winning her back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards.Consistency in batting was a primary goal for South Africa coming into this series, and the several changes that have rung through their top order resulted in the kind of performance coach Hilton Moreeng has been looking for. Four of the top five passed 20, and all kept their strike rates well above 100 as the runs flowed.Tazmin Brits and captain Dane van Niekerk kicked things off with a rapid 58-run opening stand, Brits peppering the cover boundary in a 29-ball 36 before she was caught off Inoka Ranaweera’s left-arm spin at the end of the eighth over. Van Niekerk swiped three fours and one majestic inside-out six over extra-cover before she had to leave the field with a stomach ailment halfway through the innings.Lara Goodall and Marizanne Kapp kept up the run rate in her absence, raising the hundred in the 13th over. Kapp fell in the pursuit of quick runs, but Luus entered the fray with two slog-swept sixes as South Africa raced past 150. Luus and van Niekerk – back in the middle having recovered from her symptoms – fell off consecutive deliveries in the final over but Faye Tunnicliffe swiped a boundary from the penultimate delivery to boost the score beyond 160.Set a daunting target, Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a disastrous start when Kapp bowled Prasadani Weerakkody with the second ball of the chase. Sri Lanka did not reach the boundary until Chamari Atapattu slashed a top-edge over the slips off Shabnim Ismail at the end of the fourth over. In a brief flurry, Atapattu and Hasini Perera picked up four boundaries in six balls thereafter, but the introduction of Luus’ legspin slowed things down again, while Nadine de Klerk struck in her very first over to bowl Perera for 13.Atapattu took a brace of boundaries off de Klerk and Luus, but the required rate was rising all the time and when Ismail returned to clean-bowl Atapattu with the first ball of her third over, Sri Lanka had lost their captain and almost any hope of winning the game.De Klerk was on a hat-trick when she removed Imalka Mendis and Nilakshi de Silva with successive deliveries in the 17th over, by which time the required rate had rocketed to almost 20. Kavisha Dilhari survived the hat-trick ball, and Shashikala Siriwardene once again exhibited some fierce strokeplay – including a remarkable checked drive, inside-out over cover – but South Africa’s total was never in any real danger.

The Pakistan board has urged the ICC to take action against the BCCI for India’s use of army camouflage caps during their third ODI against Australia

Umar Farooq in Karachi10-Mar-20192:39

India’s credibility in the cricketing world has gone down badly – Ehsan Mani

The PCB has taken “strong notice” of India’s use of army camouflage caps during their third ODI against Australia in Ranchi, urging the ICC to take action against the BCCI.MS Dhoni, who is an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Indian territorial army, distributed the caps to the team before the toss. The move was initiated as a way to pay tribute to those killed in the terror attack in Pulwama last month. The BCCI had approached the ICC before going ahead with the plan, and the ICC confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that permission had been granted as it was part of a charity fundraising effort.”We have strongly taken up the matter with the ICC,” PCB chairman Ehsan Mani told reporters in Karachi. “There is absolutely no misunderstanding in the ICC about our position. We believe that cricket and sports should not be used for politics and we have said this very clearly. Their [India] credibility in the cricketing world has gone down very badly.”

There should not be any ambiguity as we are taking this very strongly. We don’t do politics, neither we do we use cricket for politicsEHSAN MANI

India’s captain Virat Kohli had explained at the toss in Ranchi that donning the caps were meant to encourage countrymen to donate to the National Defence Fund to help with the education of the martyrs’ dependents.”This is to pay respect to the martyrs of the Pulwama attack and their families,” Kohli said. “All the players have decided to donate their match fees from this particular game to the National Defence Fund. I, as the captain of the team, would urge everyone in the country to do the same, donate how much ever they can to the National Defence Fund and help in the education and well-being of the families and the children of those who lost their lives in the attack. So this is a very special cap and a very special game indeed.”Mani, however, insisted that ICC should take “strong action” against India, especially as there was already precedent for the same.The Indian players walk out for the Ranchi ODI in their army camouflage caps•Getty ImagesMoeen Ali, the England allrounder, was banned in 2014 for wearing wristbands bearing the slogans ‘Save Gaza’ and ‘Free Palestine’ on the first two days of the third Test against India at The Ageas Bowl. While the ECB had defended Moeen’s stance, describing his actions as humanitarian rather than political, match referee David Boon had reminded Moeen of the ICC’s clothing and equipment regulations.Similarly, South African legspinner Imran Tahir was reprimanded by the ICC for his celebrations during a T20I against Sri Lanka in early 2017. After dismissing Asela Gunaratne, Tahir went off on one of his usual celebratory runs before taking off his playing kit and revealing a t-shirt with an image of the late Junaid Jamshed, a Pakistani pop icon and latterly religious preacher who had died in a plane crash.”You have two examples from the past already, where both Imran Tahir and Moeen Ali were sanctioned for something similar,” Mani said. “The ICC had taken strong action against them and we have sought similar action against India. The permission they took was for a different purpose but they acted differently.”We have been in touch with ICC from day one, sent one letter already and another is being followed up in next 12 hours. There should not be any ambiguity as we are taking this very strongly. We don’t do politics, neither we do we use cricket for politics.”Ties between the two boards have deteriorated sharply in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. The BCCI initially wanted to have Pakistan banned from the World Cup this summer, before deciding to tone that down by asking the ICC to “sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”.BCCI officials did not bring up the request at a recent ICC board meeting but it was brought up – and turned down – by the ICC head Shashank Manohar.

حسم حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي تشيلسي، كيبا أريزابالاجا، مستقبله بالفعل رسميًا بمعرفة وجهته المقبلة.

وكان كيبا معارًا في الموسم الماضي مع ريال مدريد ولكنه عاد إلى تشيلسي عقب نهايتها، خاصة مع عودة الحارس الأساسي تيبو كورتوا ووجود أندريه لونين.

وجود الإسباني مع تشيلسي لم يكن متوقعًا لأنه كان خارج جميع خطط المدرب، إنزو ماريسكا، في الموسم الحالي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رومانو يوضح مستجدات انتقال أوسيمين وسانشو إلى تشيلسي

We’re delighted to sign @kepa_46 on a season-long loan 🍒 — AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) August 29, 2024

واليوم، أعلن نادي بورنموث المنافس في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي عن تعاقده مع كيبا على سبيل الإعارة لمدة موسم من تشيلسي.

وكان كيبا قد انتقل إلى تشيلسي في عام 2018 قادمًا من أتلتيك بلباو مقابل 80 مليون يورو كانت قيمة الشرط الجزائي في عقد اللاعب.

ولكن أداء الحارس المتذبذب جعل تشيلسي يخرجه من حساباته من الموسم الماضي بعد التعاقد مع، روبرت سانشيز، من برايتون بالصيف الماضي.

Emma Hayes assumed legendary status at Chelsea as she became the first woman to feature on the iconic Shed Wall ahead of her departure to the USWNT.

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• Hayes immortalised at Chelsea
• Carves out a place on the Shed Wall
• Special tribute ahead of her move to the USA

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A special installation was unveiled at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday during the CFC awards to honour Hayes' contributions and incredible achievements at Chelsea. For over a decade, Hayes has been synonymous with Chelsea Women's football, guiding the team to unprecedented success and securing an impressive tally of 15 trophies. Her departure marks the end of an era but also highlights the indelible mark she has left on the club's history.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hayes' inclusion on the Shed Wall places her among an illustrious group of Chelsea legends, including the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ray Wilkins, and Peter Osgood. This symbolic gesture underscores her status as a trailblazer and role model for aspiring women footballers and coaches.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hayes has guided Chelsea to four successive WSL titles and could potentially win a fifth on the trot if they can end the season on a perfect note. However, the Champions League remains elusive in her 12-year stint at the club with the latest heartbreak coming against Barcelona in the last four stage earlier in April.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Fans and visitors to Stamford Bridge now have the opportunity to witness Hayes' legacy firsthand, as her place on the Shed Wall stands as a permanent reminder of her extraordinary accomplishments. She will return to the pitchside on Wednesday evening in a London derby against Tottenham at Brisbane Road, while USWNT fans continue to await her arrival across the pond in the summer.

Adam Armstrong continues to be the main man up top for Southampton under Russell Martin, the proven Championship goalscorer is already into double figures for the Saints after 19 games played.

Southampton's ever-reliable number nine has scored 12 goals in the second tier to date, the 26-year-old helping himself to brace last match against Cardiff City as the Saints romped home to a convincing 2-0 win.

It could be argued, however, that Martin's men depend on Armstrong a bit too much to bail them out in tricky games.

Che Adams and Will Smallbone come in as the next joint top scorers for the Saints this campaign, but are way off Armstrong's hefty tally with a paltry three goals.

Ross Stewart's unfortunate time in a Saints strip to date hasn't helped Southampton share out the goal load effectively either, the Scottish attacker joined the promotion hopefuls from Sunderland in the summer but reoccurring injuries have gotten in the way from him making an impact so far.

Martin could think outside of the box to end his ongoing quest of finding another clinical goalscorer therefore, Saints flop Paul Onuachu potentially returning from a fruitful loan spell out in Turkey ready to be gifted another opportunity to impress up top.

Paul Onuachu's statistics at Southampton

Costing Southampton £18m last season from Genk, Onuachu was meant to the "significant signing" the Saints needed in their bid to mount a relegation escape, as per then-boss Nathan Jones – the Belgian striker hopefully firing in pivotal goals to help his new club stay afloat in the Premier League.

Instead, Onuachu would look out of his depth to the dismay of his new employers who felt ripped off.

The towering, 6 foot 7 striker is still goalless for the Saints, failing to find the back of the net in 12 appearances last season as Southampton sunk down to the Championship.

Folding on the big stage with the south coast club, Onuachu's unerring ability to finish chances without flinching for his previous club Genk was nowhere to be seen in England – the 29-year-old scoring an impressive 85 goals from 134 appearances for the Belgian side.

The disregarded Southampton striker has found a new lease of life away from the club this campaign out on loan at Trabzonspor, finding his shooting boots again.

This spell out in Turkey to date could potentially save his career at St Mary's from completely going down the drain, Martin watching on now with intrigue to see if Onuachu can keep up this newly found electric form.

Paul Onuachu's statistics at Trabzonspor

Onuachu has amassed seven goals already out on loan, from just ten appearances to date for his new short-term club – with journalist Dean Jones hinting that he could be deserving of "another opportunity" back at St Mary's at the end of the season.

Trabzonspor's number 30 has managed to put away seven strikes despite only accumulating an xG of 4.39 playing in Turkey, as per Sofascore, helped by an outrageous strike finding the back of the net against Konyaspor last month.

Onuachu acrobatically connected with a cross into the area to catch the opposing goalkeeper off-guard, Trabzonspor thankful for their loanee's moment of magic which allowed the team to get over the line and win 2-1.

Southampton fans will already be fantasising about Onuachu's return to St Mary's as a different beast, slotting effortlessly into the striker positions alongside the 5 foot 8 Armstrong to form a frightening partnership in attack – the old-school 'little and large' combination.

Yet, Saints fans have fallen victim to getting carried away about the ex-Genk "monster" before – as hailed by journalist Benjy Nurick – and they'll opt to temper their expectations somewhat in case he fails to deliver again.

But, Martin will still have his fingers crossed that the £18m Southampton dud can return and become a deadly striker for the club after such a disappointing start to life in English football.