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Florida, Morrisville, Dallas and New York among shortlisted venues inspected by ICC, with USA set to co-host tournament with West Indies

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Jul-2023The 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be played from June 4 to 30 next year in the Caribbean and the USA, across 10 venues, ESPNcricinfo has learned.It is understood that this week an ICC team inspected some shortlisted venues in the USA, which will be hosting an international global cricket event for the first time. These include Lauderhill in Florida, which has hosted international matches already (and is set to host West Indies vs India in the coming fortnight), Morrisville, Dallas and New York, for tournament matches and warm-ups.Morrisville and Dallas are currently hosting the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket in the USA. The grounds in Dallas (Grand Prairie Stadium), Morrisville (Church Street Park) and New York (Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx) are yet to get international venue status, which is mandatory as per ICC rules. A final decision on the venues will be taken by the ICC together with Cricket West Indies (CWI) and USA Cricket (USAC) in the next few months.This week Ireland, Scotland and Papua New Guinea qualified for the 20-team T20 World Cup via the regional qualifiers pathway put in place by the ICC. While PNG topped the East Asia-Pacific Qualifer, Ireland and Scotland finished in the top two positions in the Europe Region Qualifier. Qualifiers from the Americas (for one spot), Africa (two spots) and Asia (two spots) regions will be determined in the coming months.Construction workers put the finishing touches on Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, ahead of this year’s MLC•Peter Della PennaTwelve teams had already qualified for the tournament before the regional qualifiers, including hosts West Indies and USA, and the top eight teams at the 2022 T20 World Cup – Australia, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan and Bangladesh qualified by virtue of their spots in the T20I rankings, completing the 20-team roster.The format for the 2024 World Cup will be different to the last two editions (2020-21 in the UAE and 2022 in Australia), where the first round was followed by Super 12s. Next year, the 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five each for the first round, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the Super 8s. The Super 8 teams will be split into two groups of four each, with the top two in each group reaching the semi-finals.The 2024 T20 World Cup is the first of the eight men’s global events in the ICC’s next commercial cycle from 2024-31, which was finalised in 2021. The decision to appoint the USA as a co-host was part of a strategic move by the ICC with twin goals in mind: one, the North American market was identified as a strong market for growth of the game. And two, the ICC’s ambition to have cricket feature in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games (LA28).The USA being pencilled in to co-host a major cricket event, the ICC felt, would only help in the push for cricket’s inclusion in LA28. The ICC made a presentation to the LA28 team, with a final decision to be taken by the International Olympics Committee later this year.

توصل مسئولو نادي الزمالك، برئاسة حسين لبيب إلى اتفاق مع مدرب فرنسي لتولي منصب المدير الفني لفريق كرة اليد الأول بداية من الموسم المقبل.

وأنهى مسئولو الأبيض الاتفاقن مع الفرنسي فرانك موريس، لتدريب فريق كرة اليد خلال الفترة المقبلة خلفًا للمدرب الإسباني فرناندو باربيتو.

وعلم بطولات، من مصادر خاصة أن موريس، سيتولى تدريب الزمالك بعقد لمدة موسم، بداية من الموسم المقبل.

طالع.. صفقة بـ 7 أرواح.. الزمالك يقترب من التعاقد مع لاعب فلسطيني

بدأ فرانك موريس مشواره التدريبي عقب اعتزاله اللعب عام 2002، حيث عمل في مركز تطوير المواهب بمدينة بيزانسون حتى 2006. ثم تولى تدريب نادي إي إس بيزانسون ونجح في إعادته إلى دوري الدرجة الثانية من أول موسم. بين عامي 2008 و2013، درّب نادي يو إس سانت، وتوج بلقب أفضل مدرب في دوري الدرجة الثانية الفرنسي عام 2010.

في عام 2014، تولى تدريب فريق يوسام نيم جارد، وحقق معه إنجازات لافتة أبرزها الوصول إلى نهائي كأس فرنسا 2018 واحتلال المركز الثاني في مرحلة الذهاب بالدوري موسم 2017-2018، إلى جانب التأهل إلى بطولة أوروبا للأندية لأول مرة منذ 25 عامًا.

وفي 2022، انتقل إلى تدريب نادي دانكيرك حتى نهاية موسم 2024-2025، قبل أن يقرر النادي عدم تجديد عقده.

Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku looked as though he could’ve departed during the January transfer window after being touted with a move to various sides.

The French forward, who cost £52m in the summer of 2023, has mainly been an impact player under Enzo Maresca this campaign, starting just six matches in the Premier League.

However, the injury to Nicolas Jackson has allowed for increased minutes in the side, starting each of the past four outings, but only managing to find the back of the net on one occasion.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, Nkunku has registered 17 goals in 48 matches but ultimately has been unable to nail down a regular starting role when the squad is fully fit – with the club needing to cash in on him this summer.

That said, considering his relatively impressive record in front of goal, there have been two poorer signings, and they both need to be given the boot…

Mykhailo Mudryk’s stats for Chelsea

In January 2023, Chelsea secured an £88.5m deal for winger Mykhailo Mudryk from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk – with real hope and expectation of transforming the club’s attack.

The Blues won the bidding war with fellow English side Arsenal for the 24-year-old, and he looked to be a phenomenal addition after his cameo off the bench against Liverpool for his debut.

He was unable to find the back of the net in any of his first 17 appearances, but registered seven strikes last year in his first full campaign at the Bridge.

This campaign has seen the Ukrainian score three times, but he has been provisionally suspended since December after testing positive for a banned substance – putting his Blues career on hold for now, at least.

After such an expensive fee was shelled out for his signature, it’s safe to say Mudryk hasn’t lived up to expectations, scoring just 10 goals in his 73 appearances for the club.

However, despite his lack of impact in the capital over recent years, one other first-team member has undoubtedly been a worse addition, with Maresca desperately needing to cash in on him this summer.

The Chelsea player who’s been a worse signing than Mudryk

Over the years, Chelsea have made countless additions to try and catapult themselves back to the top of the Premier League, but have so far been unable to achieve such a feat.

All areas of the pitch have been strengthened as a result of Todd Boehly’s investment, but one department evidently needs more signings – especially after the lack of form of one player.

Maresca has continuously shown faith in goalkeeper Robert Sanchez between the sticks, as seen by his tally of 22 appearances for the Blues throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

The Spaniard joined the club in the summer of 2023 for a reported £25m but has since failed to live up to his huge price tag, often prone to a mistake in recent months.

Whilst he’s been benched for each of the last three games, it’s been something that is deserved when delving into his stats from 2024/25, struggling to offer that presence needed to bolster their defensive record.

Robert Sanchez’s stats for Chelsea in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics	Tally
Games played	21
Goals conceded	27
Goals conceded per 90	1.3
Clean sheets	4
Pass accuracy	69%
Errors leading to goals	5
Yellow cards	5
Stats via FotMob

The 27-year-old has conceded 27 times in his 21 Premier League outings, an average of 1.3 goals conceded per 90, whilst also only completing 69% of passes, unable to effectively play out from the back – something which Maresca demands from his keepers.

Sanchez has also made five errors leading to goals, the joint-highest of any shot-stopper in the division, undoubtedly costing the Blues in key moments which could affect their chances of securing Champions League football.

Whilst he cost nowhere near as much as Mudryk, the fee paid still looks way too expensive for the lack of impact he’s made on the side, often hindering the squad as a result of his selection.

Maresca has finally made the right decision in opting for Filip Jorgensen ahead of Sanchez in recent games, with the Italian needing to offload him this summer and try to recoup as much of the £25m fee as possible.

Chelsea have a "ridiculous" 19-year-old who simply has to replace Nkunku

Chelsea will be looking to claim a first leg triumph over FC Copenhagen this evening.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 6, 2025

A “shut up” message has been sent on behalf of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, amid claims of big-spending Wrexham “ruining football”.

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Hollywood co-owners at the helmPrepared to splash the cashBroken records on & off the pitchFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Plenty of headlines have been made in North Wales since a couple of Hollywood stars completed a remarkable takeover in 2021. The history books have been rewritten since then, with three successive promotions lifting the Red Dragons into the Championship.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham’s A-list co-owners have been prepared to splash the cash, allowing a meteoric rise to be enjoyed, but their exploits have not earned universal acclaim. Critics have questioned their business model, but many are missing the point.

DID YOU KNOW?

Record-breaking revenue figures have been posted at SToK Racecourse, as the award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series aids that cause, with Reynolds and McElhenney not digging as deep into their own pockets as many have accused them of doing.

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GettyWHAT HUMPHREY KER SAID

Wrexham director Humphrey Ker has told : “Everyone's been incredibly nice, but you do see lots of people online like, 'Oh, they're ruining football, and it's disgraceful. This is everything that's wrong with modern football'.

“You do end up thinking, well, hang on, there's a lot of football clubs that are going out of business because their owners are grinding money out of the fans. Also, just because you've got loads of money behind you, there's no guarantee that you are going to get back-to-back-to-back promotions.

“It's never been done before and the other bonkers thing about us is that we've actually lived within our means. In the National League, we spent way more than anyone else. In League Two, we spent a fair bit more than everyone else.

“In League One, we were basically spending about the same or less than a number of other clubs. Birmingham spent way more than we did and I think Huddersfield spent about the same, but all our money comes from sponsorship.”

Talks are progressing between Liverpool and one of their star men over a new contract, with a deal now said to be ‘close’, according to a recent report.

Liverpool's summer transfer plans

Arne Slot and co. still have so much of their attention on the pitch as they look to wrap up the Premier League title, with the Reds also into the last 16 of the Champions League and among the favourites to win that competition as well, with a League Cup final to play next month too.

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But as the season progresses it means the summer transfer window is getting ever closer and those high up at Anfield must already have their eyes there, as they have some big decisions to make over key players.

One player whose future is up in the air is of course Mohamed Salah, and Liverpool are being linked with a move for Lamine Yamal, which would be quite a shock but possible due to Barcelona’s financial difficulties, which will force them to sell at least one or two key men this summer.

It’s been reported that Liverpool are “above all” the other Premier League teams in the race to sign Yamal, but face competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, who are also watching on.

The Reds are among the teams who are dreaming of signing the 17-year-old at the end of the season, but Barcelona have no plans to sell their superstar if they don’t absolutely have to.

In defence, with questions over the future of Virgil van Dijk, Fabrizio Romano has reported that Liverpool are prioritising signing a centre-back in the summer transfer window in order to add more depth whether the Dutchman stays or gos.

Talks progressing over new contract for Liverpool superstar

While the Premier League leaders begin the search for a new centre-back, according to a report from Spain, Liverpool are now close to agreeing a new contract with Van Dijk after talks progressed in recent weeks.

The report states that the Reds’ intentions are clear – they want the Netherlands international to remain at the club. Talks between the player and the club have now ‘progressed’ to a point that it is being reported that a deal is ‘close’ to being agreed, with the captain ‘considering’ the latest offer.

It is reported that Liverpool believes their captain still has a lot to offer at the age of 33, and his leadership and experience mean he can remain a key figure in the team. They consider the renewal of Van Dijk’s contract a priority as they try to maintain stability in the defence during a summer where there could be a lot of change. For Van Dijk, while he has offers from elsewhere, he feels comfortable at Liverpool and hasn’t ruled out staying for another season.

Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool stats

Apps

306

Goals

26

Assists

13

The Dutchman currently earns £11,440,000 a year at Anfield, making him the second-highest earner at the club behind Salah. Despite being at the latter end of his career, Van Dijk still remains a key player for Liverpool and Slot, and with new arrivals expected in defence over the summer, keeping Van Dijk makes more sense for the new signings, as he can help them settle in with his experience and defensive qualities.

Manchester United are clearly struggling to settle under new manager Ruben Amorim, completely changing their style of play, in an attempt to rescue their season. However, the Red Devils currently sit 15th in the Premier League, 14 points away from a top-five spot.

Back-to-back league losses against Crystal Palace and Tottenham has put their season in further doubt, as Amorim’s side are also now set to be without Amad Diallo for the remainder of the season, after suffering an ankle injury, which he will undergo surgery for.

With Diallo now out, United could possibly regret sanctioning the loan move of Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa in January, who has made some energetic cameos for Unai Emery’s side already since joining the Villains.

Marcus Rashford's start at Aston Villa

Rashford joined Aston Villa on an initial loan deal, already making two appearances for Villa, striking the woodwork against Ipswich from a freekick, which Ollie Watkins converted to make it 1-1.

The 27-year-old has already shown his versatility, playing as both a centre-forward and a left-wing option in his two games.

United lined up with Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho in their front three against Tottenham, with two “nines” and a typical touchline winger, who wants to operate in wider zones. Rashford could have offered something different, adding pace to the frontline and the ability to operate in multiple zones.

Rashford made 426 appearances for United, scoring 138 goals, providing 63 assists and totalling 28,596 minutes played, but INEOS may have made an even bigger mistake than allowing Rashford to leave in January, having let another academy graduate depart in the summer.

Man Utd's bigger mistake than Rashford

The Red Devils sold Scott McTominay to Napoli in the summer for a fee of around £21m plus £4.2m in add-ons. Since leaving the club, the 28-year-old has made 24 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing four assists.

Stats (per 90 mins)

McTominay

Mainoo

Ugarte

Goals + Assists

0.40

0.10

0.05

xG

0.22

0.08

0.04

Progressive Carries

1.52

1.41

0.50

Progressive Passes

3.36

3.78

2.88

Shots Total

2.42

0.79

0.49

Key Passes

0.71

1.15

0.50

Shot-Creating Actions

1.66

2.18

1.75

Tackles + Interceptions

2.19

3.50

5.75

Ball Recoveries

4.69

4.74

5.56

Aerial Duels Won

1.66

1.03

0.81

When comparing McTominay’s underlying numbers to Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte, who have often played in a double pivot for United this season under Amorim, you can see the extra goal threat the Scotland international brings from midfield, as well as physical presence with his 1.66 aerial duels won per 90.

McTominay may not have the same creative qualities as other United midfielders, making fewer key passes and averaging fewer shot-creating actions, but his overall impact in both boxes cannot be underestimated, alongside his mentality.

One-time interim boss Ralf Rangnick was impressed with McTominay’s “leadership skills” which led to the comment on him being a future “captain”, and it is this experience and extra presence that United could use in these testing times ahead.

With the Red Devils now left looking particularly light in midfield – with Ugarte, Mainoo, Toby Collyer and Christian Eriksen all missing the trip to North London – it could be said that moving on McTominay to Italy represents a bigger mistake by INEOS than sanctioning a loan move for Rashford.

Indeed, with there is a slim chance that the latter man could return to Old Trafford for next season, the Scotland star’s time in Manchester is now definitely over.

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Coach Simon Helmot confident she will be available for their third game in Adelaide despite busy schedule

Alex Malcolm15-Oct-2022

Harmanpreet Kaur was player of the WBBL last season•Sarah Reed/Getty Images

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur will miss Melbourne Renegades opening two WBBL matches in Mackay but coach Simon Helmot is confident last year’s player of the tournament will be available for their third match in Adelaide despite a heavy workload at the Asia Cup.Harmanpreet will captain India in the women’s Asia Cup final on Saturday in Sylhet just 24 hours before Renegades open their WBBL campaign against Adelaide Strikers in north Queensland.Workloads have become a major issue for the elite female players this year with Smriti Mandhana withdrawing from the WBBL while Australia captain Meg Lanning is on an indefinite break from the game.Harmanpreet has played 16 T20Is and six ODIs for India since late June including tours to Sri Lanka, England, which included the Commonwealth Games, and the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. She also played in the ODI World Cup earlier this year in New Zealand during February and March.Helmot was confident she will be fine to join the Renegades after the Asia Cup final for the full WBBL but he said they would carefully monitor her workloads when she arrives in Australia.”Obviously, she’s heavy into the Asia Cup at the moment so hopefully as soon as that finishes she can jump on a plane and come and join us up in Mackay or in fact, in Adelaide,” Helmot told ESPNcricinfo. “So that’s when we expect her. I’m expecting her to miss the first two matches, and then we’ll have to check how she’s feeling and how she’s going.”She’s played a heck of a lot of cricket recently. But having had a few messages over WhatsApp with her in recent times she’s really excited about coming back. She had an awesome time [last season]. She was player of the series and she was such an important player, not just runs but 15 wickets as well, and her support and leadership for Soph [Molineux].”Related

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Workloads have become a major topic of conversation among the senior players in the women’s game with the rise of T20 domestic leagues on top of a burgeoning international schedule that is set to get busier over the coming years under the new women’s Future Tours Programme. A women’s IPL is also set to be launched next year.The WBBL runs over six weeks and is a full 14-game tournament plus finals. There is more travel involved for all the teams this season than the last two with Covid bubbles and hubs a thing of the past.Helmot is acutely aware of workload management having spent more than a decade travelling on the men’s international T20 circuit. He has coached in both the IPL and CPL this year alone. He is keen to have the Renegades’ female players take control of their own preparation to ensure they stay physically and mentally fresh.”I don’t know all the answers,” Helmot said. “But what I do know is that for the Melbourne Renegades, every single training from today onwards is optional. Most of these girls are still going to want to train. In fact, there’s times where I’ll need to suggest or recommend or enforce that they’re not training. And that’s hard.”Some have had a heavy workload coming into this competition. And so we will be careful in how much we train and what training looks like and the intensity because the most important thing is the 14 matches. I think now the players can make more decisions for themselves.”

Liverpool are believed to have reached an agreement over a loan move for a “very smart” Reds player in the January transfer window, following a recent development.

Liverpool transfer news

Arne Slot has made it clear that he doesn’t see a great need for new signings this month, having inherited a superb squad last summer – one that is top of the Premier League table and still having a chance of winning the quadruple this season.

That hasn’t stopped Liverpool being linked with a host of players in recent weeks, however, with Victor Osimhen seen as a world-class option for the Reds. The Nigerian is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, but is considered a potential upgrade on Darwin Nunez.

With Mohamed Salah’s future still up in the air, there is also a need for Liverpool to look at possible long-term replacements, and Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo continues to be seen as a strong option to bring in. He has already proven himself in the Premier League and could be an astute addition.

Lyon ace Rayan Cherki is also thought to be a transfer target for the Reds, who have reportedly made an enquiry about his availability. The 21-year-old has two goals and four assists in the Europa League this season, as well as three apiece in Ligue 1.

Liverpool reached agreement over loan move

According to Marca [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have reached agreement with Las Palmas over a loan move for Stefan Bajcetic until the end of the season. The move will either be made official on Friday or Saturday, bringing an end to the 20-year-old’s disappointing temporary stint at RB Salzburg since last summer.

This is pleasing news for Bajcetic, who was growing stagnant at Salzburg, only starting once in the Champions League so far this season, not helped by the sacking of manager Pep Lijnders, who he worked with at Liverpool.

The Spaniard’s stock has fallen over the past year or so, having burst onto the scene as one of the few positives in a dismal 2022/23 campaign, with Klopp saying of him: “Good boy, good player. Very smart in his movements.

“The younger you are, the more important it is that you have a good start in the game. He had a few situations – I’m not sure if he saw that he had space or just hoped that he had space – when he turned and there actually was space. He did really well.”

There is now huge competition for places in Liverpool’s midfield, with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai making up a world-class unit this season, and Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott also representing strong options.

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For that reason, Bajcetic will have to work hard to force his way into Slot’s plans, but he will hopefully return for pre-season feeling good after a successful stint at Las Palmas. He has shown what he is capable of the past, and it is vital that patience is shown with him, given his age.

West Ham United have made an offer to sign a forward who they were actually chasing as far back as 2021, as co-chairman David Sullivan looks to support now-official new manager Graham Potter with potential signings.

West Ham announce Graham Potter as new manager

On Wednesday afternoon, the Hammers confirmed Julen Lopetegui’s dismissal as head coach after just six months in charge, and it didn’t take long for the club to officially announce Potter as the Spaniard’s heir.

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The tactician was out of work since April 2023, following his sacking by Chelsea, but is now back in the dugout and ready to try and turn around West Ham’s dismal fortunes under his predecessor.

Potter has put pen to paper on a two-year contract at the London Stadium, and he will take charge of his first West Ham game in the FA Cup against Aston Villa on Friday.

“I am delighted to be here,” said Potter after taking the West Ham job. “It was important to me that I waited until a job came along that I felt was right for me, and equally that I was the right fit for the Club I am joining. That is the feeling I have with West Ham United.

Fulham (home)

January 14

Crystal Palace (home)

January 18

Aston Villa (away)

January 26

Chelsea (away)

February 3

Brentford (home)

February 15

“My conversations with the Chairman and the Board have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and high energy to create the solid foundations that can produce success, and we are on the same wavelength in terms of what is needed in the short-term and then how we want to move the Club forward in the medium to long term.

“West Ham United is a huge Club, at the heart of London, with a tremendous fanbase and great support all around the world. I saw the scenes that followed their Europa Conference League victory in 2023, and it was clear that this is a Club with everything in place to become consistently successful, both on and off the pitch.”

With their managerial situation now resolved, attention turns to January, as West Ham seek to sign a new forward before deadline day on February 3.

West Ham make offer to sign Benfica star Arthur Cabral on loan

According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, via Sport Witness, Benfica attacker Arthur Cabral is back on their radar. Interestingly, the Brazilian was a target for David Moyes, with West Ham holding meetings over Cabral as far back as 2021 – during his time at FC Basel in Switzerland.

Now, it appears Sullivan and technical director Tim Steidten have returned to the bidding for his services, and it is believed West Ham have tabled an offer to sign Cabral on loan with the option-to-buy.

Serie A side Torino have done the same thing, but Benfica rejected both of their approaches – insisting that any temporary deal must include a mandatory purchase option. The Primeira Liga heavyweights want the buy-clause to be set at around £12.5 million, which doesn’t seem like much on the face of it, but Cabral hasn’t exactly been prolific over the last two seasons.

That being said, the 26-year-old centre-forward did finish 2022/2023 as the Europa Conference League’s top scorer with seven goals – the year West Ham won the competition.

It would be fair to say that the last couple of weeks haven’t been particularly enjoyable for the Arsenal faithful.

They’ve seen their team drop more points in the Premier League, crash out of the FA Cup and given themselves an extraordinarily large hill to climb in the League Cup, and then, to top it all off, Gabriel Jesus is now out with an ACL injury.

Altogether, this has made the need for a new attacking signing this month all the more pressing, and one of the names that keeps popping up is Dušan Vlahović.

The Serbian international is an incredibly talented forward and someone who’d certainly improve Mikel Arteta’s squad, but based on recent reports, the club could end up signing another striker who’d be an even better addition.

Arsenal plot striker swoop

According to a recent report from journalist and transfers expert Ben Jacobs, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Interestingly, Jacobs has revealed that the Slovenian international was “sold” on the North Londoners project in the summer but opted to remain in Germany as he believed it was “best for his short-term development.”

However, Jacobs does pour some cold water on the news by claiming it’s “unclear if Sesko could be persuaded to move mid-season.”

A potential price tag is not mentioned in the journalist’s report, but stories from last month claimed that Leipzig would demand at least €70m for their star attacker, which comes to about £59m.

In all, it could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given how well Sesko is playing this season, his age and his potential, it could prove to be value for money down the line and a better investment than signing Vlahovic.

How Šeško compares to Vlahović

So, if Arsenal are currently looking at both Vlahović and Šeško as potential additions to the squad, either for this month or in the summer, which one should they go for?

Well, when we compare their pure output from this season, which is, of course, what matters most for a centre-forward, it’s a close-run thing, but it’s the Leipzig star who comes out on top.

In his 24 appearances so far, totalling 1683 minutes, the unreal “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 12 goals and provided three assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.60 games, or every 112.20 minutes.

In contrast, the Juventus star has found the back of the net 12 times and provided two assists in 23 appearances totalling 1873 minutes, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 133.78 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Serbian international, he comes out an even more distant second-best when we take a look under the hood and compare their underlying numbers from this season.

Šeško vs Vlahović

Statistics per 90

Šeško

Vlahović

Progressive Passes

1.95

0.88

Progressive Carries

2.11

0.95

Shots

2.36

3.48

Goals per Shot

0.24

0.06

Shots on Target

1.22

1.02

Passing Accuracy

69.2%

67.6%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.87

1.91

Goal-Creating Actions

0.33

0.07

Successful Take-Ons

1.46

0.27

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

For example, the Leipzig star, whose “ball striking is a joke” according to Mattinson, comes out ahead in almost all relevant metrics, including but not limited to actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, successful take-ons, goal-creating actions, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

Finally, while there isn’t a massive difference in their ages, the fact that the Slovenian is three years younger at 21 and already outperforming his former Fiorentina star further cements the idea that he is the forward with a higher ceiling.

Ultimately, while both players are incredibly talented and would surely improve Arsenal’s frontline, it is quite clear that Šeško is the better option and therefore, the Gunners must do what they can to sign him as soon as possible.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 15, 2025