Premier League clubs will sensationally vote on a proposal to scrap VAR completely ahead of the 2024-25 season.
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Clubs to vote on resolution Put forward by Wolves14 of 20 members must approve for rules to changeWHAT HAPPENED?
Per , Premier League clubs are to vote on ditching the VAR system ahead of the 2024-25 season at their annual general meeting next month. Wolves have formally submitted the resolution, which will require the approval of 14 of 20 clubs to pass.
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There have been a variety of VAR controversies this season, most notably Liverpool's wrongly disallowed goal against Tottenham. Nottingham Forest have also repeatedly complained about the usage of the technology, even writing to the Premier League to protest against it. The Premier League, through a spokesman, has insisted that the competition "remains committed" to VAR.
WHAT WOLVES SAID
In a statement, Wolves said: “There is no blame to be placed — we are all just looking for the best possible outcome for football — and all stakeholders have been working hard to try and make the introduction of additional technology a success.
“However, after five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future.
“Our position is that the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result we should remove it from the 2024/25 season onwards.”
They added that VAR has “numerous unintended negative consequences that are damaging the relationship between fans and football, and undermining the value of the Premier League brand”.
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The Premier League will conclude this weekend and the general vote will take place next month. Wolves will need the support of 13 other Premier League clubs for the motion to be passed, and for VAR to potentially be removed completely from the English game.
It may only be January but it feels as though Arsenal’s campaign is at a crossroads.
There was so much positivity heading into this campaign, notably after the arrival of Declan Rice but despite sitting top of the Premier League at Christmas, that feel-good factor has been eradicated swiftly.
Mikel Arteta’s side have won only one of their last seven matches across all competitions, a run that’s seen them drop down the table into fourth and be dumped out of the FA Cup.
They only have themselves to blame for not appearing in the hat for the fourth round of the draw, though.
Arsenal had 18 shots but couldn’t convert a single one in their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, golden chance after golden chance coming and going as utter disbelief engulfed the Emirates Stadium.
Therefore, it’s never been more evident that Edu Gaspar needs to go out and bring in attacking recruits this January.
Arsenal’s January transfer targets
The Gunners have a number of strikers on their shortlist for 2024 with Ivan Toney reportedly one of the most notable.
However, with an alleged £80m asking price and Arsenal’s FFP difficulties, a deal seems tough to do this month. Equally, fellow target Victor Osimhen will command an almighty price tag, leaving any mega-money move in doubt until the summer.
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Perhaps a more realistic move could be to bring in a winger. How about Pedro Neto?
In the summer of 2022, David Ornstein of the Athletic revealed that the Gunners' main priority was the Wolves creator, but no deal came to fruition.
Now, in the opening exchanges of January, Fabrizio Romano claims that the interest is still there.
In a briefing for Caught Offside, he suggested that Arsenal have liked the Portuguese sensation for a long time, although a summer move looks more likely than this winter.
Previous reports have stated the 23-year-old could cost around £60m.
How Pedro Neto compares to Bukayo Saka
Arsenal’s attack in 2022/23 was one of the most exciting and free-flowing in the Premier League.
A front four of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard were electric, all helping themselves to double figures in the goal department.
However, Saka aside, the forward line hasn’t been at the races this term. Jesus has just three league goals, Martinelli two and Odegaard four.
Saka has hardly been on fire himself recently, scoring only a solitary strike in his last seven outings, but on the whole it’s been another successful campaign for the Englishman, tallying nine goals and 12 assists.
Unfortunately, like the rest of his colleagues, he’s struggling in the present. That only goal over the last month was a fortuitous bundle over the line from close range in the 2-1 defeat to Fulham.
His display versus Jurgen Klopp’s side in the cup was then perhaps one of his most wasteful in Arsenal colours.
Minutes Played
90
Touches
61
Accurate Passes
26/36 (72%)
Key Passes
1
Shots on target
1
Shots off target
2
Dribble Attempts
0/4
Duels Won
4/12
Possession Lost
20x
Saka spurned a glorious chance to put his side ahead in the second half, volleying wide from close range and his overall decision-making was not as intelligent as we’ve become accustomed to.
It would be right to suggest that the winger looks rather tired at the moment, hence why signing some competition is much-needed.
In Neto, they’d have the perfect man. Before an injury that’s kept him out for the last couple of months, the “pace monster” – as he was dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson – had been a sensation.
Only Mo Salah and Ollie Watkins (8) have more than the Portuguese’s seven assists. With just one goal this season, however, he is unlikely to solve Arsenal’s attacking woes by himself, Just by adding another body to the party, it would no doubt help, though.
Goals
0.10
0.33
Assists
0.70
0.33
Shots on target
0.60
0.92
Pass Success Rate
73%
76%
Shot-creating Actions
4.31
5.75
Successful take-ons
2.30
1.68
Carries
31.8
40.3
Progressive Carries
5.30
4.89
Key Passes
2.50
2.72
Progressive Passes
3.10
3.64
As you can see, while Saka still reigns supreme, Neto matches him pretty closely in a number of areas, most notably key passes and progressive carries, where the latter even trumps the Arsenal star throughout this season.
Martinelli benefited last season from increased competition when Leandro Trossard came in, now it’s time for Arteta to do the same to his right-hand side.
It’s not as though he hasn’t tried. Remember links to Raphinha a few summers ago? Well, nearly two years down the line, Edu and Co could finally hand their talisman some much-needed competition.
Titular absoluto nas últimas duas temporadas pelo Flamengo, e destaque nos vários títulos conquistados pelo clube, Gerson teve sua renovação de contrato colocada em pauta. A diretoria abriu as conversas com Marcão, pai do atleta, a fim de prorrogar o vínculo do jogador. O atual contrato é válido até dezembro de 2023, e a intenção é de garantir o camisa 8 por, pelo menos, mais um ano.
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A informação sobre o início das tratativas foi publicada inicialmente pelo “Globoesporte” e confirmada pelo LANCE!. A negociação está em estágio inicial.
A negociação pela renovação inclui um reajuste salarial e da multa rescisória de Gerson que, com 23 anos, é um potencial alvo de clubes do exterior. A rescisão atual estipulada em contrato é de 70 milhões de euros (R$ 471 milhões hoje).
A diretoria do Flamengo, desde o fim de 2019, negociou e conseguiu renovar com a maioria dos titulares e atletas importantes nas conquistas do Carioca, Libertadores e Brasileirão daquele ano, que foram seguidas de outros títulos.
Gerson, Rodrigo Caio, Filipe Luís e Arrascaeta – todos contratados em 2019 – são os atletas que não tiveram os vínculos prorrogados com o clube desde então.
Contratado pelo Flamengo em julho de 2019, Gerson rapidamente tornou-se uma das referências da equipe. São 93 partidas, seis gols e seis títulos: Recopa Sul-Americana, Supercopa do Brasil, Libertadores, Carioca e dois Brasileiros.
No radar da Seleção Brasileira, do técnico Tite, Gerson não tem propostas para deixar o Flamengo neste momento. Ao longo de 2020, Nice, da França, Tottenham, da Inglaterra, e Borussia Dortmund, da Alemanha, buscaram informações sobre o camisa 8 do Flamengo, mas não foram feitas propostas.
Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the opportunity to sign a big-name player in an eye-catching move during the January transfer window.
Newcastle transfer news
Eddie Howe will have been relieved to see his side pick up a 3-0 win away to Sunderland in the FA Cup third round on Saturday as he looks to turn the Magpies' season around. New signings could help make a big difference in that respect, and lots of individuals have been linked with moves to St James' Park.
That applies from back to front, with Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi seen as an option to strengthen Newcastle's defence – Sporting CP hero Goncalo Inacio is another option – while rumours suggesting Kalvin Phillips could arrive from Manchester City are refusing to go away, ahead of a possible loan switch.
Meanwhile, VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy has also been backed to complete a move to Newcastle a number of times of late, should Howe desire more attacking firepower moving forward.
Now, a shock transfer rumour has come to the fore, as the Magpies are linked with a signing that would cause quite a stir in the North East.
Newcastle offered chance to sign Jordan Henderson
According to a fresh update from HITC, Newcastle have been given the opportunity to sign Jordan Henderson this month, with other Premier League clubs also believed to be in the conversation.
"In terms of where the Englishman may end up, it’s our understanding that the first club who were made aware of his potential availability was former club Liverpool.
"Intermediaries have been hard at work over the weekend attempting to offer their client to some of the Premier League’s top teams. Some of these sides who have been made aware of his availability include Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Fulham and West Ham."
There is no question that Newcastle signing Henderson would catch the eye hugely, considering his past as a homegrown star at Sunderland, prior to joining Liverpool in the summer of 2011.
The 33-year-old's move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq hasn't panned out the way he hoped – he earns a reported £350,000 per week there – and while his best days are now behind him, he does still possess quality and a huge amount of experience.
Henderson is a Champions League and Premier League-winning captain, tasting glory with Liverpool in 2019 and 2020 respectively, and he has also racked up 81 caps for England, playing at World Cups and European Championship alike.
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The reaction to the midfield veteran moving to Newcastle could be negative among the fanbase, however, not only because of his Sunderland past but also due to his advancing years, not acting as a long-term addition.
For those reasons, it is a transfer that should be avoided, but if Howe genuinely believes Henderson could boost his midfield options in the second half of the season, he should be trusted, especially as Jurgen Klopp has lauded the "special career" that the Englishman has enjoyed.
England captain will miss the Australia warm-up but expected to make full recovery for World Cup opener
ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2019England’s preparations for the World Cup have been hampered by the news that Eoin Morgan, their captain, has sustained a “small flake fracture” to the left index finger after an incident during a fielding drill.Morgan, who had been preparing for England’s warm-up match against Australia at the Ageas Bowl on Saturday, was sent to hospital for an X-ray after practice.An ECB statement confirmed the fracture, but added that Morgan is “expected to make a full recovery” ahead of England’s opening fixture in the World Cup, against South Africa at The Oval on May 30. He will, however, sit out the Australia game.The injury occurred while Morgan was practising his slip catching on the Ageas Bowl outfield. He was clearly in serious pain after the impact, and left the field immediately for treatment.Although the diagnosis has allayed fears about Morgan’s availability, the loss of their captain would have been a grievous blow to the team’s hopes of living up to their No. 1 world ranking, and lifting the World Cup for the first time in the team’s history.Morgan’s leadership has been an integral part of England’s rise from ignominy at the 2015 World Cup, both through his on-field tactical acumen and cool head, and in fostering the close-knit team culture that has already enabled the squad to regroup following the potential disruption caused by Alex Hales’ failed drugs tests.Speaking at the launch of the England team kit earlier this week, Morgan explained how the team had put in place contingency plans to cope with unexpected setbacks.”We’ve planned for instances when the [team] culture had been tested or individually we’d been tested,” he said. “There’s still loads of things that we’ve planned for that might continue to crop up throughout the World Cup.”I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth, I’d say we’ve been better equipped at dealing with anything that’s cropped up, certainly as a group,” he added.”Our prep and planning has been excellent and the guys have responded to that by performing on a consistent basis.”Joe Root did not train on the eve of England’s warm-up match either, having stayed at home for personal reasons. He is due to link up with the squad on Friday evening.Adil Rashid is also expected to miss the Australia game due to rest an ongoing shoulder niggle. Liam Dawson, England’s belated inclusion in the 15-man party, is expected to take his place.
أعرب أحمد بيومي طعيمة لاعب النادي الأهلي السابق، عن حزنه بعدما قرر مجلس إدارة القلعة الحمراء في الاستغناء عن خدمات اللاعب.
وكان الأهلي قد قرر الاستغناء عن لاعب الوسط أحمد بيومي طعيمة مواليد 2003 بعد مشاركته مع الفريق الأول، وذلك على سبيل الإعارة.
وقال أحمد طعيمة في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “كنت منتظر شيء آخر ولكن هذا قرار النادي الأهلي وتحت أمره، كنت في البداية حزين ولكن حاليًا أركز في الخطوة المقبلة وأخرج لأوروبا”.
طالع أيضاً.. اتحاد الكرة يعلن استبعاد الأهلي من كأس مصر ومنصب ميكالي الجديد
وتايع: “أنا متربي طول حياتي في الخارج وأتولدت في اليونان، لعبت أول سبعة سنوات في أكاديمية وبعد ذلك انضممت لفريق عمرو وردة الحالي لعبت معهم لمدة 5 سنوات، وأتت كورونا وعدت إلى مصر ولعبت في الجونة لمدة عام وبعد ذلك انضممت للنادي الأهلي”.
وأكمل: “بعدما صعدت للفريق الأول بالأهلي اللاعبون كلهم تحدثوا معي، لو كنت استمريت كنت سأشعر أنني سأفعل شيء، هناك لاعبون في الفريق تعجبوا أنني أتيت من اليونان”.
واستكمل: “كولر كان يعرفنا كلنا ويعرف كل واحد باسمه ومركزه، أكثر واحد كان يتحدث معنا مساعده كارلوس لأنه كان يدرب المستبعدين، بعدما قدمت أداءً جيداً كنت أتوقع أنني سأستمر وبعد ذلك النادي يخرجني على سبيل الإعارة، ولم أتخيل الأمر ينتهي بهذا الشكل”.
وأوضح: “كنت أريد أن أثبت نفسي وأستمر مع الأهلي، سامي قمصان كان يتحدث معي ويقول لي أنني لاعب جيد، وفرق معي في آخر ثلاثة مباريات بالدوري”.
وأفاد: “رفضت توقيع عقد ثلاثي مع الأهلي لرغبتي في الاحتراف، تركيزي حاليًا أخذ نسبة مشاركة، أريد أن أنضم للنادي لكي أحصل على فرصة المشاركة في المباريات، لدي عروض من أكثر نادي لكي أحصل على هذه الفرصة”.
وواصل: “مثلي الأعلى محليًا مروان عطية، وهو أفضل لاعب رقم 6 في مصر يلعب السهل، وكان يتحدث معي في التدريبات وينصحني”.
وأتم: “ما أحتاجه المشاركة لكي أثبت أنني لاعب جيد، وأثبت نفسي في الدوري، وأحلم بالعودة إلى الأهلي مرة أخرى، لدي عروض من أكثر من نادي ولكن سأختار الفريق الذي فرصة مشاركتي معه ستكون أكبر حتى لو نادي صغير”.
Everton were on an incredible run of form ever since losing 3-0 at home to Manchester United after the November international break. The Toffees managed to go on a four-game winning streak, keeping clean sheets in all four which was the first time the club managed to do so since November 2002.
However, the Merseyside club are now on a four-match losing streak and could find themselves inside the Premier League relegation zone within the next fortnight should this spell continue.
The side’s 3-0 defeat away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday certainly brought Everton straight back down to earth and may have caused head coach Sean Dyche to question his starting lineup.
Nathan Patterson’s performance in numbers
One of the players who stuck out like a sore thumb for their dismal display at Molineux was Nathan Patterson.
Dyche switched his team up from the one that lost 3-1 against Manchester City in midweek, bringing Michael Keane back into the fold over midfielder Andre Gomes, changing his formation from a 4-4-1-1 to a 5-4-1. As a result, Patterson was deployed as a right wingback, but the tactical tweak certainly didn’t have the desired effect the manager hoped it would have.
During the game, Patterson lost 60% of his ground duels, was dribbled past once, made merely two passes into the final third and failed to whip a single accurate cross into the box, according to FotMob.
Furthermore, the Scotland international was beaten to the ball twice for Wolves’ first two goals and also picked up an early booking for a foul on Joao Gomes when the match was goalless, rendering him idle for the remainder.
Additionally, Patterson lost possession of the ball 13 times and managed to record fewer touches of the ball than the goalkeeper, with 43 to Jordan Pickford’s 47, before eventually being whipped off by the manager in the 63rd minute when the game was 3-0 to the hosts.
Nathan Patterson's Stats vs Wolves
Expected Assists
0.01
Passing Accuracy %
69%
Touches
43
Passes Into Final Third
2
Crossing Accuracy %
0%
Possession Lost
13
Ball Recoveries
3
Ground Duels Won
2
Ground Duels Lost
3
Stats via FotMob
It was a night to forget for the 22-year-old, who was handed a match rating of 4/10 by the Liverpool Echo, but his replacement had a far more assured performance.
Seamus Coleman’s stats this season
Club captain Seamus Coleman made just his second appearance of the season on Saturday, coming on for Patterson with less than a half-hour remaining. However, Wolves didn’t score while he was on the pitch and were much more assured down the right.
The £73k-per-week defender won 67% of his ground duels during his time on the pitch and made five passes into the final third which was more than Patterson in half the time, while also making six ball recoveries in total.
The Republic of Ireland skipper has been a reliable servant for Everton since joining the club over a decade ago, with former manager Frank Lampard even describing Coleman as a “warrior” when he was in charge.
Seamus Coleman's Stats vs Wolves
Expected Assists
0.01
Touches
24
Passes Into Final Third
5
Successful Dribbles
2
Passing Accuracy %
83%
Ball Recoveries
6
Duels Won
2
Duels Lost
1
Stats via FotMob
In addition, the veteran has played as a centre-back 11 times throughout his career. This means that Coleman offers Dyche a positional flexibility that Patterson doesn’t possess to switch between a back three and a back four in-game.
While Patterson may be the future of Everton, Coleman has proved that he can still do a job at Goodison Park and may have played his way into the starting lineup ahead of next week’s FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace.
There was a moment in the 2023/24 campaign, not too long ago, that rival supporters anticipated Tottenham Hotspur's ostensible downfall under Ange Postecoglou, with a fast start halted by a stark decline in form.
Table-topping Tottenham had started life under Postecoglou's wing tremendously but were stumped when Chelsea won against the nine-men Lilywhites in November to kick off a five-match winless run, flinging them down the table and outside the top four.
But four victories from the past five Premier League matches have restored the feel-good factor and Spurs are now just one point behind fourth-placed neighbours Arsenal after 20 fixtures.
With a thin squad compounded by injuries and worsened further by the imminent departures of Heung-min Son, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr to the Asia Cup and African Cup of Nations, Postecoglou has requested January signings across multiple positions.
Spurs transfer news – Conor Gallagher
Before the January transfer window opened, 90min published a report highlighting the main areas of concern for Spurs this month, revealing that Chelsea's Conor Gallagher is the number one target to bolster the engine room.
Chelsea's Conor Gallagher
With the Stamford Bridge side keen to continue investing after another poor campaign, Gallagher has reportedly been transfer-listed for £50m despite his impressive form.
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However, Football Transfers have recently revealed that Chelsea are considering raising their demands to an exorbitant £60m to conduct business with their London rivals, which would make a deal rather tricky.
Conor Gallagher's season in numbers
Gallagher played a key role for Chelsea during their abject 2022/23 season after a brilliant loan spell with Crystal Palace, but since the summer he has come alive and proved to be one of the most influential members of Mauricio Pochettino's squad.
This year, as per Sofascore, the 23-year-old has started 19 matches in the Premier League (missing one game due to suspension), registering four assists, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 1.3 key passes, 2.7 tackles and 6.8 ball recoveries per game while succeeding with 77% of his dribbles.
This highlights his all-encompassing nature in the centre of the park and the "relentless" energy – as has been said of his skill set by journalist Mike Stavrou – that has left teams such as Tottenham so eager to get their hands on him.
With Reece James spending the lion's share of the year out injured, Gallagher has also captained Chelsea 11 times, backing up past praise from Ashley Cole that he is a born “leader”, something that would only enhance Spurs' prospects.
Conor Gallagher's style of play
Still really only in the early phase of what could be a long and illustrious career in the Premier League, Gallagher is something of an all-round midfielder, with strengths across the park that make him effective in different phases, breaking up play, starting attacks and influencing key moments with his range of passing.
Defensive contribution
Finishing
Passing
Discipline
Key passes
Tackling
*Sourced via WhoScored
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and successful take-ons, the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 19% for tackles and the top 1% for blocks per 90.
Such metrics highlight the very point that he offers the box-to-box skills to comfortably slot into any system, with his industrious approach and intelligence leaving many Chelsea supporters perplexed as to why the club hierarchy wishes to cash in on him.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher
But it is this very assortment of qualities that has won Postecoglou over, with Spurs actually failing with a £40m offer on deadline day in the summer, evidently still enticed by his availability.
How Conor Gallagher compares to Rodrigo Bentancur
While this is all well and good, the question as to whether Spurs can afford to part with £60m (Chelsea's asking price) at the season's midpoint remains to be seen, especially given that the club are prioritising the strengthening of the defence.
#
Player
Club
1
Rodrigo Bentancur
Tottenham Hotspur
2
Guido Rodriguez
Real Betis
3
Boubacar Kamara
Aston Villa
4
Lucas Paqueta
West Ham United
5
Sandro Tonali
Newcastle United
Further, Gallagher offers noticeable similarities to Rodrigo Bentancur, who is an excellent centre-midfielder and appears to be finally returning to fitness after spending most of 2023 caught up in injury problems that have limited him to a smattering of appearances.
Bentancur, aged 26, scored five goals and provided 18 assists last term before suffering an ACL injury in February 2023, with the £75k-per-week ace returning in October before picking up an ankle knock which ruled him out until the victory over Bournemouth on New Year's Eve.
Described as a "Rolls-Royce" by football writer Tom Robinson, he ranks among the top 10% of midfielders in Europe for goals, the top 16% for tackles, the top 4% for blocks and the top 6% for clearances per 90, showcasing his effectiveness across both areas of the field.
It would be unfair to draw comparisons between the respective players this season given the Uruguayan's limited match action, but he played 18 times in the English top-flight during 2022/23, and with Gallagher amassing 19 appearances since the summer, information can be more accurately collated.
Stat (per 90)
Gallagher
Bentancur
Goals
0.00
0.30
Assists
0.23
0.12
Shots
1.24
0.90
Shots on target %
41%
60%
Pass completion %
89%
84%
Shot-creating actions
3.22
2.04
Progressive passes
5.82
4.55
Progressive carries
1.98
1.56
Tackles
2.94
2.69
Blocks
1.64
1.68
Interceptions
1.53
1.20
The table evidences that Gallagher is currently performing at the higher level, and while Bentancur might click into gear with a rejuvenated, Postecoglou-led Spurs side, it would be foolish to abandon the pursuit of the Blues star purely because parallels can be drawn stylistically.
Of course, the price tag is the stumbling block and Daniel Levy and Spurs technical director Johan Lange will have a tough task in whittling the £60m demands down, but should an affordable valuation be discovered, then Spurs must push ahead.
It is a well-known fact that Manchester United have been underwhelming in attack this season, which is highlighted by the fact that only three teams have scored fewer than them this campaign in the league.
However, the most scrutinised player is 20-year-old Rasmus Hojlund, who only moved to the Red Devils last summer for £72m.
Since joining from Atalanta, the Danish striker has failed to live up to his price tag, as he has only netted twice in 16 Premier League matches.
Although those goals have arrived in his two most recent games, Erik ten Hag is still keen to address the centre-forward issue by scanning the market for a new star to lead the line.
Therefore, let's take a look at three dream strikers that Man Utd could sign in the near future to replace Hojlund.
1 Serhou Guirassy – Stuttgart
Stuttgart strikerSerhou Guirassy.
Serhou Guirassy is looking like one of the best value-for-money signings on the market, as according to Football Insider, Man Utd are interested in signing the Stuttgart star for just £15m in January.
The 27-year-old has been one of the most in-form strikers in the Bundesliga this campaign, netting 17 goals and registering two assists in just 14 appearances.
Top scorers in Europe's best 5 leagues
Player
Goals scored
#1 Harry Kane
22
#2 Kylian Mbappe
19
#3 Lautaro Martinez
18
#4 Serhou Guirassy
17
#5 Erling Haaland
14
Stats via Whoscored.
Those statistics blow Hojlund out of the water, and his reliability in putting the ball in the back of the net would make him a cheap, realistic upgrade on the Dane.
The next striker who could push Hojlund down the pecking order is perhaps a wildcard option, Brian Brobbey of Ajax, who formerly worked with Ten Hag at the Dutch club.
A report towards the end of last week from the Mirror stated that United are planning on making a move for Brobbey this summer.
The 21-year-old has become a key figure in the Ajax side this season, and he boasts an incredible record of 13 goal contributions in 16 Eredivisie starts.
Brobbey's record under Ten Hag
Games
32
Goals
13
Assists
3
Minutes played
869
Starts
7
Minutes per goal
67
Stats via Transfermarkt.
Not only would Brobbey provide goals, but he would also elevate those around him with his ability to cause chaos in the final third, as shown by his shot-creating actions being in the top 5% in the Eredivisie this season, as per FBref.
Therefore, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Alejandro Garnacho could benefit from the ex-Leipzig striker.
3 Viktor Gyokeres – Sporting
Sporting CP strikerViktor Gyokeres.
Despite only moving to Portugal this summer in a £20m deal from Coventry, Viktor Gyokeres could be on the move once again after impressing for Sporting.
According to a report from Correio da Mania via The Sun towards the end of December, Ten Hag is interested in signing the Sweden star, and his release clause of £87m could be activated this summer.
Gyokeres is the definition of a complete striker, who can score and create from nothing. The 25-year-old has scored an impressive 11 goals and provided eight assists in 16 Liga Portugal games this season.
The clinical striker beats Hojlund in almost every single metric, according to FBref's comparison tool, and the table below shows a handful of statistics from their respective leagues proves that.
Gyokeres vs Hojlund
Stats (per 90)
Gyokeres
Hojlund
Goals
0.69
0.16
Assists
0.50
0.08
Shot-creating actions
4.33
2.25
Successful take-ons
2.38
0.80
Touches (Att pen)
8.91
4.10
Stats via FBref
Sir Jim Ratcliffe will want to start his United adventure off with a bang, and signing a finisher who has been described as a "Rolls-Royce" striker, by football writer Zach Lowy, would be the perfect way to do so.
CoA has given Super Kings till the end of the week to revert with a solution to the long-standing issue
Nagraj Gollapudi09-Apr-2019
The Chennai Super Kings boys celebrate a wicket•BCCI
Chennai might miss out on hosting the IPL 2019 final if the long-standing issue over the three closed stands at MA Chidambaram Stadium remains unresolved. In case the stands remain locked, then the BCCI has kept Hyderabad (home to last season’s losing finalists Sunrisers) and Bengaluru as back-ups to host the four play-off matches – Hyderabad will then most likely host Qualifier 1 and the final, with Qualifier 2 and the Eliminator taking place in Bengaluru.The issue was discussed by the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators (CoA) and the IPL management on Monday, and it was decided to allow Chennai Super Kings a few more days to try and find a solution to the problem.Super Kings, as defending champions, have the right to host the final at their home base, and are expected to revert by end of this week after which a final call will be taken on the playoff venues.The stadium has hosted the IPL 2019 opener between Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore as well as two more games since then with the stands closed. However, the IPL Governing Council has been concerned about the bad optics the vacant stands present, especially on TV, for the marquee matches.”There are three stands that are locked. If they can’t clear the issue, we can’t have the finals there,” Vinod Rai, the CoA chairman, told ESPNcricinfo. “Otherwise the fallback options are Hyderabad and Bangalore.”The Chennai corporation had closed the three stands – I, J and K, adding up to roughly 12,000 seats – in 2012 as there were discrepancies when the stadium was refurbished before the World Cup in 2011. Only once since then have they been opened to the public, after Tamil Nadu Cricket Association got special permission to do so for an India v Pakistan ODI in December 2012.Rai also said that the league phase of the women’s IPL exhibition matches would be played in Visakhapatnam, and the one-off play-off is likely to take place in Bengaluru. A final schedule would be released by the BCCI shortly.