MatériaMais Notícias

No estádio Rei Pelé, CRB e CSA protagonizam o clássico da terça-feira, a partir das 19h15 (Horário de Brasília), pela 25ª rodada da Série B.

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Como chegam

Após a saída de Marcelo Cabo, o CRB ainda não conseguiu se encontrar. Se antes a realidade era a briga pelo G-4, atualmente a batalha é para se recuperar dentro do torneio e respirar aliviado.

Já o CSA, que fez campanha de recuperação, venceu a Ponte na rodada passada e pode entrar no G-4 caso pinte uma combinação de resultados.

Prováveis Escalações:

CRB: Edson Mardden; Reginaldo, Gum, Reginaldo Jr. e Igor (Hugo); Moacir, Wesley e Diego Torres; Bill, Hyuri e Pablo Dyego.

CSA: Matheus Mendes; Norberto, Cléberson, Castán e Diego Renan; Geovane, Yago e Gabriel (Nadson); Rone, Rodrigo Pimpão e Pedro Júnior.

The position has not been filled since 2017 when Giles Clarke, who held the role for two years, resigned

George Dobell29-Aug-2018

Giles Clarke speaks to Najam Sethi•Getty Images

The ECB is looking to improve its public image by reintroducing the role of president.The position was originally introduced in 2015 as an apparent attempt to accommodate Giles Clarke, who was in something of a power struggle for the position of chairman with Colin Graves, but is being reimagined in a far more ambassadorial fashion.The ideal candidate will, an ECB document states, have strong skills in “diplomacy” and “speaking in public” but will not be an official member of the board. Instead they will represent the ECB at selected matches and events but will have “no vote or other say within the decision-making structures of the ECB.”A document shared with the county boards also states the president “will not be permitted to talk to the media without express permission of the ECB Board” and “must avoid making any public or private comments or conducting himself/herself in a manner which would conflict with the policy of the ECB Board, would otherwise be regarded as controversial or which may bring or does bring the ECB into disrepute.”The role, described as “of ceremonial nature”, will take pressure off the ECB’s chief executive, Tom Harrison, who does not always look comfortable in the spotlight, and Graves, who has had a gaffe-laden reign as chairman. Nominations for the position have been invited from various “stakeholders” (members of the ECB board can also nominate candidates) and will be assessed by the ECB’s nominations committee who will, in turn, make a recommendation to the board. The candidate will then require the approval of at least 21 of the 41 ECB members.The term of office is a maximum of three years, though the board “may terminate the appointment at any time” and the incumbent will be expected to “liaise with the Chairman and/or CEO to agree what ambassadorial and ceremonial activity he/she undertakes.” The role is unpaid, though expenses will be reimbursed.Clarke, who remained a member of the ECB board while president, resigned in November 2017. The role has not been filled since.

So far, Liverpool's summer business looks to be paying off, with their new-look midfield working wonders to put them back among the Premier League's best sides. Their opening day draw against Chelsea may have initially sparked some concerns, but since then, the Reds have been firing on all cylinders, and sit just three points adrift of table-toppers Tottenham Hotspur as things stand.

It's been a stark contrast to last season, when Jurgen Klopp's side looked in desperate need of a rebuild, especially the midfield. In came Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, and Alexis Mac Allister to solve that problem, however, and now Liverpool could be looking towards the January transfer window to fix an issue in defence.

Liverpool transfer news

Some may have worried about the Reds after Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left the club in the summer, leaving them incredibly short on options in the middle of the park. But, Klopp swiftly put an end to those worries with his recruitment, and has not looked back since, with Szoboszlai particularly impressing.

Given their focus on rebuilding in the middle of the park, though, Liverpool didn't get the chance to add depth to their backline, which could be the focus in January. The latest Robin Le Normand transfer news certainly suggests that could be the case.

According to TeamTalk, Liverpool officials have been impressed with the defender, who reportedly has a release clause of €50m (£44m). If the Merseyside club are to sign the defender, they will have to fight off interest from rivals Manchester United, as both sides look to add to their defensive options in 2024.

When the January transfer window opens, Le Normand certainly seems like one to keep an eye on, given the reported interest coming from the Premier League.

Robin Le Normand is "aggressive" and excellent on the ball

Le Normand's stats speak for themselves. The 26-year-old has started eight of Real Sociedad's 10 La Liga games, helping them get off to a strong start and leaving them fifth, just four points adrift of the Champions League places. Compared to current Liverpool defenders Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip, Le Normand comes out on top, too, particularly on the ball.

Player	Progressive Carries	Progressive Passes	Tackles Won
Robin Le Normand	9	33	7
Ibrahima Konate	2	5	4
Joel Matip	5	24	4

It's no wonder, then, given his stats, that Le Normand has earned deserved praise over the years at Sociedad, including from former manager Manolo Marquez, who told The Athletic: “He’s aggressive, correct with the ball, strong in duels and fast. I like him, he’s a very important player for La Real.”

When the January transfer window opens, Le Normand is a player that would improve Liverpool, that's for sure. Adding depth to their midfield options certainly helped in the summer, and, now, they could do the same when it comes to their defensive options. By January, too, reinforcements could prove to be all too important for Klopp's side, especially if they are back to chasing some of the top honours in English football.

Manchester United’s season slumped to a new low in midweek as they lost 4-3 to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, despite leading both 2-0 and 3-2 during the tie.

Erik ten Hag is now a man under serious pressure, as the result at Old Trafford means United have won just one of their opening four matches in Europe’s premier competition.

With games against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray to come in the coming weeks, their hopes of securing qualification to the knockout phase are on a knife edge.

Not only that, but the Red Devils are also out of the EFL Cup, while they currently occupy eighth spot in the Premier League table – losing five of their first 11 matches – and this run of form has been United’s worst start to a season since the 1962/63 campaign.

The club could count on Denis Law and Bobby Charlton back then, yet who in this current United side is going to make the step-up to salvage something from this woeful term so far?

Ten Hag has been besieged by injury problems while the likes of Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes have struggled to replicate the form they displayed during his first season in charge, one in which the club won the EFL Cup and finished third place in the league.

With his job looking increasingly on the line with every poor result, is could be time for Ten Hag to drop some of his underperformers and unleash some young talent in the squad, with Malachi Sharpe currently impressing in the academy.

Malachi Sharpe’s youth statistics

The 17-year-old joined the Red Devils from Derby County in 2021 and his promise was clearly noticed by the United hierarchy as he signed his first-ever professional contract in 2022, thus committing his future to the club.

The right-winger was just 15 at the time and moved straight into the U16s squad, but he even went on to play for the U18s, showcasing his incredible potential.

The youngster made three appearances for the U18 side during his first season in Manchester and while last season offered him no opportunities at that level, the current campaign has been much more profitable.

Across just five games in the U18 Premier League and the UEFA Youth League, Sharpe has scored three goals and he looks like a dangerous threat on the right-hand side of the attack.

Although born in Nottingham, Sharpe has gained five caps for the Scotland U17 side, managing to score on his debut against Northern Ireland back in October 2021 and his next step will be to make the jump up to U19 level.

Previously hailed as an “exciting talent” by one source, there is no doubt his future looks promising, and Ten Hag could unearth United’s next Alejandro Garnacho by giving him some experience around the first team squad in the near future.

Malachi Sharpe could be Man Utd’s next Alejandro Garnacho

The Argentinian winger arrived in Manchester from Atlético Madrid back in 2020 as a highly thought of 16-year-old and across the last three years, he has emerged as a regular in the senior setup.

He made his debut during the 2021/22 campaign and really began to make people sit up and take notice last term, as the youngster featured 34 times for the first team under Ten Hag, and it looked as though they had a new star in the making.

Garnacho netted five times during his breakthrough campaign, and he shares a similar goalscoring eye with Sharpe, who is always looking to create opportunities for himself.

Another 15 appearances have followed this season and while he has only scored once, the winger is still a teenager and has plenty to learn during his journey.

Sharpe could certainly take confidence from the fact that Garnacho has made such a positive impression in the first team over the previous 18 months, and he could be the next one on the conveyor belt to make the step-up under Ten Hag.

Considering how poor United have been on the wing this term, a senior chance might not be a million miles away, especially as he does have more goals than Antony during 2023/24.

Malachi Sharpe has scored more goals than Antony this season for Man Utd

As previously mentioned, the Scottish youth international has scored three goals in just five matches so far, while Antony has failed to get on the scoresheet at all for the senior side.

The Brazilian cost United a staggering £81.3m from Ajax during the summer of 2022 and given he had registered 22 goal contributions for the Dutch side – 12 goals and ten assists – combined with his age, it looked as though the club had signed a wonderful talent who was yet to hit his peak.

He did score eight times last season, but his form has nosedived during the current campaign, as the 23-year-old has failed to score or even grab an assist across 11 matches in all competitions, a woeful return given just how big a financial outlay was spent on him.

The right-wing position is becoming a bit of a problem for Ten Hag recently. Marcus Rashford was even deployed there in midweek but ended up being sent off and with Antony failing to live up to the hype, it could give some youngsters a chance to show the Dutchman what they are made of.

Man Utd's forwards this season

Games

Goals

Marcus Rashford

15

1

Antony

11

0

Jadon Sancho

3

0

Alejandro Garnacho

15

1

Facundo Pellistri

7

0

Anthony Martial

14

1

Rasmus Hojlund

14

5

Stats via Transfermarkt

Sharpe is not only outscoring Antony, but also Jadon Sancho, Rashford and Garnacho this season, demonstrating how impressive he has been in front of goal for the U18 side in recent months.

Of course, he isn’t an immediate fix to a much wider problem and throwing him in the deep end could harm his development. Having the teen sensation around the matchday squad, however, could prove to be an invaluable experience and make the transition from the academy to the senior side that much easier.

Sharpe has plenty of qualities which could see him emerge as the new Garnacho at United in the coming years and, at his current rate, he could soon be outscoring every single player at the Red Devils.

Might the supporters see him make his first-team debut before the end of the season? Only time will tell, but it will be worth the wait for when it does happen.

MatériaMais Notícias

No empate em 2 a 2 contra o Palmeiras, neste sábado (05), pela 24ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, na Vila Belmiro, o técnico Cuca escalou o Santos pelo segundo jogo seguido sem meio-campo de ofício e quatro atacantes. O esquema tático foi o mesmo usado pelo treinador na derrota, embora com classificação, frente a LDU (EQU), na última terça-feira (01º), pelo confronto de volta das oitavas de final da Libertadores, na Vila Belmiro.

Diante do Alviverde, se viu o quarteto santista se movimentando bastante, com os jogadores alternando entre as pontas e um posicionamento mais por dentro, até mesmo buscando jogo para compor a ausência das peças centrais.

-Eu tento achar o lugar pro jogador render mais no jogo. Tentei com o Soteldo pela esquerda, Marinho por dentro, Marinho pela direita, o Lucas (Braga) pela direita e esquerda, como segundo atacante, Kaio Jorge de centroavante, de meia e acabou como segundo volante. Então, a gente tenta encaixar o time para que ele possa ser ofensivo ao máximo, dentro de uma organização – disse o treinador em entrevista coletiva ao fim do clássico deste fim de semana.

Ainda que tenha promovido Soteldo a outras funções, além da já acostumada ponta esquerda, Cuca garante que não se trata de uma improvisação, já que o camisa 10 possui versatilidade a ser explorada e atua por vezes centralizado pela seleção venezuelana.

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– O Soteldo não é improvisado assim, ele joga assim muitas vezes até na Seleção dele, é um jogador polivalente, versátil, joga pelos lados, por dentro, a gente tem utilizado ele dentro do que a gente imagina melhor. Hoje ele começou pelo lado, não por dentro, não foi nem o Lucas (Braga), foi outro jogador. E com as variações táticas que a gente fez ele acabou jogando em outros setores. Mas ele é importante pra nós por essa versatilidade, as vezes caindo pelos lados do campo, as vezes sendo nosso armador – mencionou o comandante santista.

Além dos quatro atacantes e movimentação ofensiva, Cuca não deixou de mencionar alguns jogadores que tem atuado pela faixa central, tendo até ela como seu setor de ofício, como Lucas Lourenço e Jean Mota. Jobson também foi mencionado, e o treinador foi franco em dizer que busca recuperar o
futebol do camisa oito, que caiu após ele ter sido contaminado com a Covid-19.

– Não se trata da dificuldade que tem, a gente tem o Lucas Lourenço, tem utilizado o Lucas, é um menino que tenho certeza que vai deslanchar no futebol e ser um grande meia, mas tudo ao seu tempo. A gente tem o Jean Mota, que a gente está fazendo um trabalho de recuperação em cima dele, de dinâmica, amanhã vai treinar de volta, treinou forte ontem – externou Cuca.

– E a gente tem usado as alternativas que a gente tem. Tem o Jobson que tem feito isso, em alguns momentos, antes da covid, tava muito bem, depois da covid voltou muito mal, e a gente tá recuperando, trabalhando forte para quando ele tenha oportunidade volta a ser aquele jogador importante que foi há um mês e meio atrás, por aí – acrescentou.

Também foram testados por Cuca no meio-campo, desde que o técnico assumiu o Peixe, em agosto, o lateral-esquerdo Felipe Jonatan e os atacantes Arthur Gomes e Tailson. Carlos Sánchez era o titular da função, mas rompeu o ligamento do joelho esquerdo no início de outubro e só retornará aos gramados na próxima temporada.

Sarina Wiegman has lots of time to give opportunities to future stars before next year's European title defence – so who might get a chance?

A new cycle begins for the Lionesses on Friday as they kick-off their qualifying campaign for the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euro. After failing to secure Great Britain’s place at this summer’s Olympic women’s football tournament, the focus has already shifted to next year and the road to defending their European title.

Given that Olympic dream died in December, Sarina Wiegman has been granted over 18 months of run-up to the Lionesses’ next big event and it is always interesting when that is the case, because it means there is more chance of players breaking through and changes being made to the team that has completed the previous cycle.

With Wiegman having also signed a new contract that runs until the end of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, the future will be in the back of her mind even more so as she looks to bring in some young talent that can lead this team forward in the coming years.

So, who could take real steps forward in their England career in this cycle? With some for the immediate future and others to keep an eye on further down the line, GOAL picks out nine names that fans of the Lionesses may start to see more of in the build-up to Euro 2025…

• Getty
  

  Grace Clinton

  All signs point to Grace Clinton being the next player to really break through in Wiegman’s England XI. The 20-year-old started both of the Lionesses’ friendlies in February and, despite those being her first two appearances for the senior national team, she did incredibly well. As we move towards competitive fixtures, Clinton looks well-poised to capitalise on the fact that no one has really nailed down that third midfield spot, in front of Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway.

  She showed in February that she can also play as a No.8, while she’s played on the left for Tottenham, on loan from Manchester United, too. It’s unlikely that Stanway relinquishes her place in the No.8 role anytime soon and the wide areas are incredibly competitive, but such versatility is sure to help Clinton secure a regular place in Wiegman’s plans.

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• Getty
  

  Jess Park

  Right there in the competition for that No.10 role is Jess Park, who has been thriving for Manchester City in 2024. Like Clinton, she can play a variety of roles, which makes her an increasingly valuable member of the Lionesses’ squad, but breaking into the starting XI will be her next task, and it is in that attacking midfield position that her chances feel highest.

  “She's doing well. She's enjoying her game. I think she plays with a lot of joy and with a lot of freedom,” Wiegman said of Park ahead of Friday's qualifier against Sweden. “She has had a lot of patience. Over the last year, she made some choices, she went to Everton, got the minutes, came back and then needed to be a little more patient too, but was ready to start when, unfortunately, Jill Roord got injured. I think she's doing a good job, as we see many players in that position who are doing a good job. The competition for that position is really high, which is good for the team.”

• Getty Images
  

  Hannah Hampton

  Another position that has plenty of competition and is slowly coming under the microscope more and more, is in between the sticks. Mary Earps has kept hold of the No.1 shirt rather comfortably throughout Wiegman’s tenure and has justified it with her performances on the biggest stage. However, the form of those behind her in the pecking order is starting to open more debate over who should be England’s first-choice goalkeeper.

  Arguably no English shot-stopper is in better form right now than Hannah Hampton. After joining Chelsea from Aston Villa in the summer, she has had to bide her time, but opportunities are coming thick and fast now and she is thriving in them. Combined with a lack of game time for Ellie Roebuck at Man City, Hampton’s form has helped her to move up the pecking order to be Earps’ back-up for England, but she will have ambitions to climb to the top.

  Can she do it? It will be a tough ask, but she’s doing all the right things to give herself a chance of becoming the Lionesses’ No.1, whether in the near or long-term future.

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• Getty
  

  Khiara Keating

  Khiara Keating is right behind Hampton, too. The 19-year-old has less experience than her international team-mate, Hampton having been part of England’s Euro-winning squad and the group that reached last year’s World Cup final, while this is the teenager's first season as Man City’s No.1, too.

  However, you can’t argue with Keating’s talent. Yes, she’s made some mistakes this campaign, but she will iron those out over time and only get better from the regular game time she is getting at such a young age.

  England have had some very competitive goalkeeper groups over the last few years and that looks set to continue, especially with it looking likely that Roebuck will move to Barcelona this summer in a bid to throw her hat back in the ring with the Lionesses.

ESPNcricinfo’s live blog of the first round of the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 season

Shashank Kishore02-Nov-2018

Aston Villa are considering tabling an offer to sign a new central midfielder according to a fresh report, and he already has an existing connection to Unai Emery.

Aston Villa midfield could be weakened by Luiz exit

NSWE and Monchi have Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Tim Iroegbunam as their options in central midfield as it stands, but there’s a chance that two of those could be set to depart at some stage next year.

Arsenal are long-term admirers of Luiz and have reportedly made him their number one target ahead of the upcoming window, whilst Tielemans has fallen significantly out of favour under the manager since joining over the summer, having made zero starts so far this season in the Premier League (WhoScored – Tielemans statistics).

The Midlands outfit will therefore have to enter the market to search for replacements should they lose one or both of the pair, and it appear that chiefs have set their sights on Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, who has made 124 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s side since joining from Real Betis back in 2017 (Transfermarkt – Ceballos statistics).

From 2019 until 2021, Spain’s international joined Arsenal on loan for two seasons, so he has been managed by Emery when he was in the dugout at the Emirates Stadium, and if the following update is to be believed, the 27-year-old could be about to create a reunion with his former boss, only this time at Villa Park.

Aston Villa plotting swoop for Dani Ceballos

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Aston Villa are ready to move for Ceballos. The Villans are “willing to submit an offer” of approximately €30m (£26m) to secure their target’s services because they are “determined” to sign him in January.

The Real Madrid star is “expected to leave” the Bernabeu Stadium in the coming months as he seeks more regular game time, so with the positive relationship between the player and Emery, this could be a situation to watch in the near future.

Ceballos is a "genius" for Real Madrid

Despite being a box-to-box midfielder, Ceballos is stronger in the offensive aspect of his game having posted 41 contributions (26 assists and 15 goals) since the start of his career, and he constantly poses a threat to the opposition’s defence even if the end product doesn’t always come to fruition.

Sponsored by Nike, Utrera’s native ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons by midfielders which shows that he loves to use his pace and guile to dribble past his marker and create chances for both himself and his teammates in the final third (FBRef – Ceballos statistics).

Likes to shoot from distance

Likes to tackle

Gets fouled often (Data via WhoScored)

Additionally, Ancelotti’s “genius”, as hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is extremely calm and composed in possession, as he’s currently recording a 94.6% pass success rate in La Liga, so his ability to control the game when on the ball will be yet another attractive attribute to Emery and Aston Villa.

Chelsea head into their crunch tie against Manchester City off the back of a confidence-boosting 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the week.

Of course, this was against nine men, but the three points will hopefully be a catalyst for Mauricio Pochettino’s men as they chase a European spot.

The Blues haven’t exactly enjoyed the most encouraging of starts under the former Paris Saint-Germain boss, winning just four Premier League matches so far this season, losing to the likes of Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the process.

The Argentinian spent vast sums in the summer transfer window in order to bolster his squad, yet it has taken some new arrivals longer to settle down than others.

Cole Palmer has arguably been one of the better signings since joining from City, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists, but Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal this term could see Pochettino delve back into the transfer market in the coming months.

Chelsea transfer news

The 51-year-old is seemingly keen to strengthen his squad and according to TEAMtalk, the Stamford Bridge side are interested in making a staggering move for PSG forward Kylian Mbappe.

Pochettino worked with him during his spell in charge of the French club, yet they face serious competition if they are to bring him to England.

Real Madrid are seen as the obvious favourites to secure his signature at the end of the season once his contract at the Parc des Princes expires, yet Chelsea have been named alongside three other Premier League clubs as competition for him.

City, Newcastle United and Liverpool are the other three teams keeping tabs on his situation and there could be a major battle for his services in the coming months.

The capital club rejected a world record offer of £257m from Saudi club Al-Hilal during the summer and despite the player being valued at €136m (£119m), according to Football Transfers, it looks as though he will be available for free come next summer.

Chelsea’s highest scorer this season is Nicolas Jackson, who has scored six goals in 13 matches, yet it is clear that Mbappe would be a major upgrade on the former Villarreal forward.

The stats that show Kylian Mbappe would be a good signing for Chelsea

It feels as though Mbappe has been around forever, and it's remarkable to think he is still only 24-years-old.

Having enjoyed a breakthrough season at AS Monaco during the 2016/17 campaign, he secured a move to PSG and the French sensation has hit new heights in the capital.

He has since gone on to win five Ligue 1 crowns along with scoring 224 goals across just 274 matches, establishing himself as one of the finest players in the world.

The Champions League has alluded him thus far, yet Mbappe became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final during the 2018 tournament while just failing to win another world crown last year, as Lionel Messi powered Argentina to a first triumph since 1986.

His form has led many coaches and players to lavish him with praise, most notably from Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti back in 2022 after PSG defeated the Spanish giants.

He said: “Mbappe is the best player in European football.

“Mbappe is unstoppable, we have tried to control him. [Eder] Militao has done very well, but he is a player who always invents something.”

When compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, the 24-year-old currently ranks in the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.71) along with ranking in the top 1% for touches in the opposition box per 90 (9.09) and in the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 (5.06), indicating how impressive he has been in an attacking sense.

Compare these stats to Jackson’s and it's evident there is a big difference in quality. Indeed, compared to his peers, Jackson ranks in the top 12% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.35) while ranking in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (6.25) and the top 7% for progressive carries per 90 (2.84), demonstrating that Mbappe would be a major upgrade should he join Chelsea.

Kylian Mbappe’s statistics for PSG this season

The Blues signed another Frenchman – Christopher Nkunku – from RB Leipzig ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, yet he suffered a serious knee injury prior to the season starting, and it was a big blow for the club.

He managed to score 23 goals for Leipzig during 2022/23 and was one of the most in-demand forwards in Europe, with Chelsea eventually winning the race for his signature.

10

5

1

0

3

1

2.1

1.4

2.1

1.8

Mbappe managed to score more than his compatriot, however, netting 41 times across all competitions, and he has carried this form over into the current season.

The forward has featured on 14 occasions for PSG during 2023/24 and has already scored 12 goals, with there no doubt he could break through the 40-goal barrier once again.

In Ligue 1 for PSG, the former Monaco starlet currently leads the way for goals and assists (11), while also ranking first for shots on target per game (2.1), second for successful dribbles per game (2.1) and third for big chances created (three), suggesting that he has arguably been their finest attacking option during the current season.

He will be hoping to win the Champions League with the French club by the end of the campaign, thus securing the only trophy that is still eluding him at club level.

Pochettino has worked with Mbappe before and this could potentially be an advantage with regard to making a move for the superstar, although Madrid will still be the favourites to sign him.

The Blues urgently need a consistent goalscorer if they wish to have any success in the near future and Mbappe is the ideal candidate, especially with a midfield bulging with talent ready to create plenty of opportunities for him.

Nkunku will give them a major boost when he eventually returns from injury and he and the PSG gem could even form a formidable duo alongside one another for the Stamford Bridge side.

The move comes after Mathews attracted a hail of public criticism over the team’s performance in the Asia Cup

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Sep-2018

Angelo Mathews is disappointed at getting out•ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka’s selectors have removed Angelo Mathews as ODI captain 10 months after he was asked to resume captaincy duties, and have appointed Test captain Dinesh Chandimal in his place. The move comes after Mathews attracted a hail of public criticism over the team’s performance in the Asia Cup, where they were knocked out following first-round defeats to Bangladesh and Afghanistan.Chandimal, meanwhile, has had good results as Test captain since last October, but has been modest in ODIs over the past two years, having hit only one half-century in the format since September 2016. His appointment is an admission that Sri Lanka face a crisis of leadership in ODIs, as they look ahead to the World Cup in June. Over the past 18 months, Upul Tharanga, Lasith Malinga, Chamara Kapugedara and Thisara Perera have also captained the ODI team. Sri Lanka’s ODI record since the start of 2017 is 30 losses out of 40 completed matches.”The national selectors on Sunday, decided to appoint Dinesh Chandimal as the ODI captain to lead the team in the upcoming England series,” an SLC release said. “Accordingly, they have requested Angelo Mathews to relinquish his duties as the National ODI & T20I captain, with immediate effect.”Mathews had been Sri Lanka’s ODI captain from 2013 to mid-2017, but had resigned last year, following the home series defeat to Zimbabwe. The team, however, continued to perform poorly in the format even after Mathews stepped down, and when new coach Chandika Hathurusingha took over at the start of this year, Mathews was reinstated as captain. Since that reinstatement, however, Sri Lanka have lost six one-dayers and won only two matches – both dead rubbers against a voluntarily depleted South Africa. Of those six losses, two had also been against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. The intense scrutiny on Mathews following the Asia Cup, in which Mathews had batted poorly like the rest of the top order, and had also played a part in running out two batting partners, prompted the selectors to sack him.Chandimal had led Sri Lanka’s Test team to creditable away performances against Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, but was more recently suspended for three consecutive Tests after first being found guilty of ball-tampering, and then of breaching the spirit of cricket (Sri Lanka had won all three Tests in his absence, under captain Suranga Lakmal). The spirit-of-cricket suspension also saw Chandimal miss the ODI series against South Africa in July and August, while a fractured finger saw him sidelined for the Asia Cup.Despite Chandimal’s chequered ODI record, as well as a poor career strike rate of 73.82 across 126 innings, coach Hathurusingha has expressed hope that he can help Chandimal transform into a good ODI player. An attacking limited-overs batsman when he first played for Sri Lanka, Chandimal had progressively become a defensive-minded batsman across formats over the course of several years. Although his conservatism has been an asset to Sri Lanka in Tests, he has sometimes been criticised for batting too slowly in limited-overs formats, and thus unfairly transferring pressure on to team-mates.Sri Lanka’s only ODI trophy since the start of 2017 was won under the captaincy of Chandimal, however. In January, Sri Lanka won a tri-series featuring Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and he had served as acting captain through the majority of the tournament – including in the final – as Mathews was injured. Chandimal’s scores in that stretch, in relatively low-scoring matches, were 34 off 33 balls, 28 off 39, 38 not out off 71, and 45 off 74.