Northamptonshire piled up a huge total and only Rehan Ahmed responded with the bat

ECB Reporters Network23-Jun-2023A traumatic couple of days for Leicestershire predictably ended on another low note as the Foxes concluded their home fixtures in the Vitality Blast with a crushing 92-run defeat at the hands of neighbours Northamptonshire Steelbacks.Chris Lynn, who has hit Blast centuries against Foxes in each of the last two seasons, continued his assault with 62 from 35 balls, Saif Zaib hitting 55 off 25 as the two piled on 114 off 50 balls for the third wicket in a total of 210 for seven from their 20 overs. Mike Finan took two for 30 as the best of some modest bowling figures.Rehan Ahmed made a spirited 49 off 32 balls but the Foxes were bowled out for 118 in 16.4 overs in reply, Ben Sanderson taking three for 20, with two wickets each for David Willey, Andrew Tye and Justin Broad, with wicketkeeper Lewis McManus involved in a county record five dismissals.Related

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With Leicestershire’s head coach Paul Nixon placed “on leave” by the club on Thursday, bowling coach Alfonso Thomas and batting consultant James Taylor were in charge of the Foxes.The circumstances behind the decision to relieve Nixon of his duties after six years in the job remain shrouded in mystery. The club’s website belatedly carried a statement from chairman John Thorpe essentially explaining that he could say nothing for legal reasons.Chief executive Sean Jarvis was a little more forthcoming in an interview with BBC Radio Leicester, speaking of “comments” and “allegations” as he alluded to events over a period of months, suggesting Nixon’s departure was unrelated to the announcement – also made on Thursday – that senior players Colin Ackermann, Callum Parkinson and Chris Wright would be leaving at the end of the season.Ackermann and Parkinson were both selected to face the Steelbacks, although Ackermann handed captaincy duties to overseas player Peter Handscomb.The Australian won his first toss in the role, asking Northamptonshire to bat first. Steelbacks openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Emilio Gay needed a couple of overs to get the measure of a slow pitch but still managed to rack up 49 runs in the powerplay.Checked by a tight over by Rehan, they were parted in an excellent over by Callum Parkinson, the eighth of the innings, when a top-edged pull by Vasconcelos dropped safely into the hands of Mike Finan behind square. Aussie Lynn signalled his intent with three boundaries from his first six balls but Gay (30 from 27 balls) holed out to long-on as the Steelbacks reached halfway at 77 for 2.The remainder of the innings was one of increasing carnage for the home bowlers, Lynn and Zaib taking the total to 129 for 2 after 15 overs, Lynn getting lucky on 37 when he was caught off a Finan no-ball, before the final five overs piled on another 81.The third-wicket pair took turns to clear the ropes as Tom Scriven and Matt Salisbury took the brunt of their assault, the former conceding 22 in one Salisbury’s worst over costing 23, including back-to-back sixes by Zaib, who followed his partner in being caught off a no-ball, on 54.After they were parted two balls into the 19th over as Lynn picked out long-on, four more wickets followed, Finan dismissing Tye with his next ball, before Zaib was caught on the boundary. Willey was run out and Broad found the fielder on the cover point boundary to give Scriven some consolation in the 20th, although Broad’s 10 off four balls had taken the total past 200.The Foxes had twice chased more than 211 to win in the Blast, including 219 against the Steelbacks in 2018, but on this season’s form it looked a tall order, more so after Handscomb was comprehensively bowled by Willey for three in the opening over.By the end of the powerplay, the home side were 30 for 4, Rishi Patel caught behind attempting to ramp Sanderson, who then bowled Ackermann first ball and had Wiaan Mulder edging behind. They might have been five down had a Sanderson direct hit been reviewed after Rehan, on six, was judged to have made his ground by the on-field umpire.Rehan, sent in to open the innings with Handscomb, made the most of his reprieve, clubbing Freddie Heldreich for three sixes in an over, but with Nick Welch also caught behind, at the halfway stage in the chase the Foxes at 74 for 5 were scoring at barely half the required rate of 13.4 runs per over.The young England allrounder – about to joins up with Ben Stokes’s squad ahead of the second Ashes Test – looked set to celebrate with a half-century only for his luck to run out on 49 as he miscued Broad to cover, the South Africa-born German international following up by bowling Scriven in the same over.Swindells, who had helped Rehan add 66 for the sixth wicket as the sole highlight in the Foxes innings, perished on 20 when he helped one into the gloves of McManus. Finan belted Heldreich for six but was stumped next ball as the ninth wicket fell in the 16th over before Salisbury was caught at midwicket to put the home crowd out of their misery in the 17th.

Leeds United will be hoping to end their two-year Premier League exile come the end of the season, with Daniel Farke looking to complete the job in the last eight games of the campaign.

The German has led the Whites to top spot in the Championship, doing a superb job in galvanising the squad after the play-off final defeat last time around.

However, he will be hoping to go one better and avoid a play-off heartbreak repeat by helping the side achieve an automatic promotion spot, currently boasting a two-point lead over third place.

Unsurprisingly, the thought of a return to England’s top flight will be an exciting thought for the fanbase, potentially coming up against some huge clubs once again next year.

If they are to be a success in the division above, additions will be needed to ensure the side is competitive enough to avoid an immediate return, aiming to repeat a deal for one player who starred at Elland Road.

Raphinha’s time at Leeds United

Very few people could’ve predicted how well Raphinha would perform at Leeds after his £17m move from French outfit Stade Rennais during the summer of 2020.

The Brazilian would become an immediate hit with the supporters for his flair and ability to create carnage within the final third, helping the side register a top-half finish in their first year back in the Premier League.

He would go from strength to strength during his time in Yorkshire, registering 11 goals in his second year at the club, cementing himself at the top of the Whites’ goalscoring charts.

However, his second year in England would be his last, with the hierarchy cashing in his splendid form in the final third, joining Barcelona in a £55m deal, the biggest fee received by the club in their history.

His subsequent departure would have a huge impact on their league standing, with the club dropping into the Championship, a position which they are yet to get themselves out of.

Leeds also had one other player who could’ve followed on a similar trajectory at Elland Road, but ultimately he failed to live up to the hype he arrived with.

The Leeds player who's now worth £66.5m less than Raphinha

Their time in the Premier League allowed for added investment into the first-team squad, handing Marcelo Bielsa the tools to build on the promotion-winning campaign.

Directed by Victor Orta, they spent upwards of £100m during the summer of 2020, with Raphinha just one of the players to move to Yorkshire, looking to take their career to the next level.

Helder Costa was another talent to make a big-money move to the club, joining in a £16m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, making his move permanent after spending the year on loan the year prior.

The winger notched five goals and six assists in the Championship back in 2019/20, being a key member of Bielsa’s squad during their return to the top flight.

He managed three goals and three assists from his 22 league appearances in their first year back in the top flight, but it would be his final season as a consistent first-team member, with the forward dropping down the pecking order.

The 31-year-old made just two appearances in the first half of the following season, before joining Valencia on loan – but was unable to make the desired impact, making just 13 starts and failing to score a single goal.

It wouldn’t be enough to force himself back into Bielsa’s plans, subsequently being sent out on another temporary stint to Al Ittihad, before being released from his contract in Yorkshire in October 2023.

Games played

71

Cost per game

£225,000

Goals scored

8

Cost per goal

£2m

Assists registered

9

Cost per assist

£1.7m

The attacker cost a staggering £2m per goal he scored during his time at Elland Road – a staggering figure – often failing to deliver within the final third, certainly going down as a waste of money, especially considering he cost just £1m less than Raphinha.

His career has since taken a nose dive in recent years, now featuring for Yunnan Yukun in the Chinese Super League, with his time at Leeds having an impact on his career as a professional.

Costa’s decline can further be seen in his current market value, now valued at just £500k by Transfermarkt, a figure £66.5m lower than the Brazilian, who’s now valued at £67m after his splendid form at Barcelona.

Given his drop-off in recent years, it’s safe to say the club made the right call in parting ways with the attacker, but they must regret forking out £16m for his services – with the wide-man certainly not living up to the price tag.

The difference in value between himself and Raphinha in 2025 should be a stark reminder for the hierarchy this summer, with the right additions needing to be made if the Whites are to continue on their upward trajectory.

Leeds had a "superb" gem who was ahead of Gray, but Farke let him go for £0

Leeds United once had a talent who looked destined to go right to the very top.

1 ByEthan Lamb Mar 23, 2025

With their sights set on Championship promotion, Leeds United are set to receive the boost of a returning star who hasn’t played since the start of the year in an injury-ridden campaign.

Leeds injury news

They may sit top of the Championship, but that doesn’t mean Leeds have had it easy on the injury front throughout the current campaign. At the beginning of the campaign, Daniel Farke was forced to turn towards the likes of Ao Tanaka earlier than planned due to an injury crisis in midfield. To his credit, the former Bundesliga midfielder has thrived at the heart of a side gunning for silverware and become one of their star men.

With the fixtures coming thick and fast at the end of the Championship campaign and everything still to play for, there’s no doubt that Farke will be keen to welcome key men back to his strongest side and get over the line in the race for promotion.

It looks as though the German is set to get his wish on that front too, having told reporters that Patrick Bamford is now back in training and on course for a return at Leeds for the first time in 12 games.

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The former Norwich City manager said in his press conference when asked about potential returns: “Everyone who was available for the last game is available for this game, which is definitely good news. All were able to recover from knocks from the last game.

“Some other good news is Patrick Bamford was able to take part in team training this week. He was out for nine weeks, but he was able to handle the load and that’s good news because he is making good progress.

“It’s also good news on Ethan Ampadu and Max Wober and we are still hopeful we will have them the other side of the international break. We are hopeful for the run in.”

Bamford could provide unexpected boost

Whilst some may be quick to write Bamford off after a campaign full of injuries and a lack of goals, he could yet provide a surprising boost for Farke’s side at a crucial time. Of course, this isn’t the star striker who reached double figures in the Premier League, but he is still a player who should add vital depth and extensive experience in the Leeds dressing room.

Almost into the last year of his current £70,000-a-week contract, it remains to be seen whether Bamford will find himself at Elland Road as they potentially step into the Premier League. For now, his focus should be on making his mark on a season which has threatened to run away from him.

Having missed the last 12 games, the Whites shouldn’t rush the forward back to action as soon as Portsmouth, but games such as Queens Park Rangers next weekend could be one to keep an eye on if he continues to step up his recovery.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo alcançou com a vitória sobre o Ceará nos pênaltis, na quarta-feira (10), o recorde de ser o brasileiro que mais alcançou semifinais em toda a história da Copa Sul-Americana: cinco vezes.

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+ Confira a avaliação das atuações no duelo entre Ceará e São Paulo pela Sul-Americana pela equipe do LANCE!

Se na edição deste ano o Tricolor ainda realizará a disputa por uma vaga na final ante o Atlético-GO, em datas a serem confirmadas pela Conmebol, nas outras quatro disputadas, em apenas uma o clube conseguiu a classificação.

Recorde atingido na Sul-Americana por um lado, por outro o São Paulo vê a mesma marca na Copa Libertadores correr risco. Isso porque se antes o clube ostentava o posto de maior semifinalista da competição continental com folgas, com suas dez disputas, já vira o Grêmio alcançá-lo e agora tem o rival Palmeiras empatando a marca, com a classificação ante o Atlético-MG.

Confira o desempenho do São Paulo nas semifinais da Sul-Americana:

1 – 2003: São Paulo x River Plate

A semifinal conhecida pela briga generalizada em que Luís Fabiano proferiu a frase que marcou a sua carreira. Tricolor acabou eliminado nos pênaltis para o River.

2 – 2012: São Paulo x Universidad Católica

O São Paulo encarou os chilenos da Católica na semifinal. Após empate em 1 a 1 fora de casa, a equipe segurou o 0 a 0 no Morumbi e garantiu a classificação para a final, sendo campeã em cima do Tigre, da Argentina.

3 – 2013: São Paulo x Ponte Preta

A mão de todos os tropeços são-paulinos. Diante da Macaca, o Tricolor perdeu por 3 a 1 em pleno Morumbi e depois, apesar de jogar em Mogi Mirim, não saiu de um empate em 1 a 1 e foi eliminado.

4 – 2014: São Paulo x Atlético Nacional

Após perder na Colômbia por 1 a 0, o Tricolor devolveu o placar no Morumbi, mas acabou levando a pior na disputa de pênaltis e foi eliminado.

Semifinais de Copa Libertadores disputadas pelo São Paulo:
1972, 1974, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 e 2016

TABELA
> Confira classificação, jogos e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22
> Confira todos os jogos da Copa do Brasil-22
> Confira todos os jogos da Copa Sul-Americana-22
> Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Leeds United face Millwall at Elland Road tonight looking to return to winning ways after falling to a first Championship defeat since November against Portsmouth on Sunday.

Daniel Farke will want to see a reaction from his side as they look to further bolster their push for promotion as the season gradually approaches its conclusion.

The Whites have already received a boost ahead of the clash with Alex Neil’s side, with promotion rivals Sheffield United and Burnley both dropping points at home against Bristol City and West Brom last night.

However, if Farke’s side are to avoid following suit, multiple changes may need to be made from the side that lost on the South Coast at the weekend, handing them the best chance of extending their lead at the summit.

One player in particular needs to be dropped from the side, with his performance against Pompey below the levels expected of a player pushing for a return to the Premier League.

Why Aaronson needs to be dropped against Millwall

Attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson returned to Leeds in the summer after spending last season on loan at Union Berlin following relegation from England’s top flight.

The American international has posted eight goals and two assists in his 36 league appearances to date, only managing one of those contributions since the turn of the year.

His showing against Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon was an unacceptable one, failing to deliver in the final third and unable to prevent the side from falling to defeat.

The 24-year-old only managed 21 touches, completing just 11 passes, but also lost 100% of the duels that he entered – highlighting how disappointing in and out of possession.

After such a disappointing showing, Farke must take action and drop him from the side, needing to hand one player a needed start to try and claim an important victory.

The player who Farke needs to start against Millwall

Since the start of the campaign, the Whites have often had a very settled side with very few changes made – mainly only occurring due to injuries or suspension.

Despite Aaronson’s poor form, he’s started every single game since the end of August, with the manager needing to take him out of the firing line and hand a start to Largie Ramazani this evening.

The Belgian joined in an £11m deal from Almeria in the summer but has struggled with injuries, returning to first team action over the last couple of weeks.

The 24-year-old has found starts hard to come by after his big-money transfer, appearing from the off just seven times in 2024/25, but still managing to register four goals and two assists in the process.

Ramazani, who’s previously been labelled “electric” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, came off the bench against Pompey at the weekend, looking to make an impact after falling behind.

During his 22 minutes on the pitch, he registered 11 touches and completed six passes whilst also completing 100% of his crosses – producing an encouraging showing in such a short period.

Minutes played

22

Touches

11

Passes completed

6

Crosses completed

1/1 (100%)

Chances created

1

Ground duels won

1/1 (100%)

Fouls won

1

While he’s primarily a winger, Farke could look to shift him centrally or even opt for Daniel James or Manor Solomon to move inside and allow for Ramazani to enter the attack at Aaronson’s expense.

Sunday’s defeat was a disappointing one for the club, especially after their recent form, which has seen their phenomenal unbeaten run lead them to the top of the table.

Given the dropped points from their rivals last night, it’s pivotal that Farke’s side return to winning ways, putting them one step closer to ending their two-year absence from the top flight.

Left for £0: Leeds may rue losing "monster" who's playing like Van Dijk

Leeds may regret moving on a £15m-rated star for nothing

ByRobbie Walls Mar 12, 2025

Allan Border, the former Australia captain, has revealed he has Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement.Border, who turns 68 in July, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2016. “I walked into the neurosurgeon’s and he said straight up, ‘I’m sorry to tell you but you’ve got Parkinson’s’,” Border said. “‘Just the way you walked in. Your arms straight down by your side, hanging not swinging.’ He could just tell.””I’m a pretty private person and I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me sort of thing,” he told . “Whether people care you don’t know. But I know there’ll come a day when people will notice.””I get the feeling I’m a hell of a lot better off than most. At the moment I’m not scared, not about the immediate future anyway. I’m 68. If I make 80, that’ll be a miracle. I’ve got a doctor friend and I said if I make 80, that’ll be a miracle, and he said, ‘That will be a miracle.'”Border played 156 Tests between 1979 and 1994 – 93 of them as captain – and was the first batter to score 11,000 runs, finishing with 11,174. He also led Australia to victory in the 1987 World Cup, and ended up playing 273 ODIs. Since retiring, he has served as an Australian selector and been a broadcast commentator.”No way am I going to get another 100, that’s for sure,” Border said. “I’ll just slip slowly into the west.”

Cole Palmer has often been Chelsea’s go-to man in terms of goal contributions ever since his £40m transfer from Manchester City back in the summer of 2023.

The 22-year-old has exceeded beyond all expectations at Stamford Bridge, scoring 39 times and registering 21 assists in all competitions after his move.

No other Blues player has been able to match such a tally in the same time period, with the England international undoubtedly Enzo Maresca’s key man – notching 20 of his contributions since the Italian’s appointment.

Such form within the final third has allowed the former Leicester City boss to lead the side to a top-four place with just 10 games to go, looking to secure Champions League football in West London once again.

However, Maresca and Palmer would’ve had a great chance to achieve such a feat had they secured the services of one attacker who was previously on their radar.

Chelsea’s hunt to land Alexander Isak last summer

After Maresca took the reins at Chelsea, it became evidently clear that he wanted to land a new striker, with various players constantly touted with a move to the club.

Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney were two names who refused to stay away, but missed out on the pair, with Alexander Isak another name thrown into the hat at one stage.

It was reported that the Blues were keen on a deal last summer, with Newcastle United demanding over £100m for his signature, but they could land him at a cheaper price upon the opening of the window in a few months.

It has emerged that the Magpies would be willing to let him leave for €100m (£83m) should they fail to qualify for the Champions League, with Maresca’s side needing to stay on track to prevent them from doing so – increasing their chances of landing the Swede.

However, whilst he’s notched 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25, it’s safe to say the club made the wrong call in offloading a player who’s managed to outscore him this campaign.

The former Chelsea star who’s outscoring Palmer & Isak

Despite being the club’s leading talisman in 2024/25, Palmer has found form hard to come by in recent weeks, failing to register a single goal or assist in any of his last nine matches across all competitions.

However, the same can’t be said for winger Mohamed Salah, who has continuously been a nuisance to all defenders this campaign with his contributions in attacking areas.

The 32-year-old was once on the books of Chelsea, joining from Swiss side FC Basel back in January 2014, arriving in a £11m transfer – but his time at the Bridge would be one to forget.

He would be limited to just 19 appearances for the Blues over a two and a half year period, scoring twice before being sent on various loans to Serie A outfits Fiorentina and Roma.

He would join the latter on a permanent basis for a fee of around £13m, before moving to current side Liverpool in 2017, racking up just short of 400 appearances since his transfer – starting constantly with his ability to find the back of the net.

Salah, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Roy Keane, has notched 243 goals in his eight years on Merseyside, with his tally of 32 this campaign his second-best at Anfield.

2017/18

52

44

14

2018/19

52

27

10

2019/20

48

23

13

2020/21

51

31

6

2021/22

51

31

15

2022/23

51

30

16

2023/24

44

25

13

2024/25

42

32

15

Total:

391

243

109

However, his subsequent tally is higher than those of Palmer and Isak, who have only both been able to register a total of 14 and 22, respectively – showcasing how impressive the Egyptian has been under Arne Slot.

His goals look set to win Liverpool another Premier League trophy, with his goals and assists firing the Reds 15 points clear of Arsenal with just a handful of games remaining this season.

Such form, combined with their success, must rub salt into the wounds of all Blues fans, demonstrating what they could’ve had if they had kept hold of the winger all those years ago.

However, Salah will always remain a case of what could’ve been at Stamford Bridge, with Maresca undoubtedly wishing he had a player of his quality to aid his top-four ambitions this campaign.

Worth more than Neto: Chelsea have a 17-year-old "future Ballon d'Or winner"

Chelsea already struck gold on their “future Ballon d’Or winner” who’s already worth more than Neto

1 ByConnor Holden Mar 11, 2025

Former West Indies offspinner Ryan Austin and former Leeward Islands captain Steve Liburd will be his assistants

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2023Former West Indies batter Robert Samuels has been appointed interim head coach of the West Indies women’s side for their upcoming limited-overs series against Ireland at home. Samuels had been assistant coach to Courtney Walsh until April, when Cricket West Indies (CWI) had decided not to renew their contracts as well as that of the other assistant coach Corey Collymore.Samuels played six Tests and eight ODIs for West Indies in 1996 and 1997, and played 106 first-class and 77 List A games.”Robert brings continuity and stability to get the team through this period,” CWI High Performance Manager Graeme West said of Samuels’ appointment. “He has great knowledge of the players and the women’s game in general – and strong knowledge of the support staff – so it’s almost a seamless transition with Robert coming in as Interim Head Coach.”He has his own ideas, and is trying to implement them now as Interim Head Coach as opposed to assistant coach. He has made a good impact and start over the last few days, and I’m sure it will continue throughout the series.”Samuels will have interim assistant coaches in former West Indies offspinner Ryan Austin and former Leeward Islands captain Steve Liburd, who is head coach of the West Indies Women’s Under-19 Rising Stars.The trio’s first assignment begins with West Indies Women’s three-match ODI series against Ireland from June 26 to July 2. The series will be part of the Women’s Championship, at the end of which the top five sides will directly qualify for the World Cup in 2025. West Indies are currently second from bottom on the 10-team table, with five defeats in six games.The ODI series will be followed by three T20Is from July 5 to 9. All six white-ball matches will be held at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, where an 18-member West Indies squad is currently training ahead of the series.

أوضح محمد يوسف، المدير الرياضي للنادي الأهلي، موقف لاعب الفريق، التونسي محمد الضاوي كريستو، بعد نهاية إعارته لنادي الصفافسي التونسي.

وكان نادي الصفاقسي التونسي ضم لاعب الأهلي محمد الضاوي كريستو في بداية الموسم الماضي لمدة موسم واحد على سبيل الإعارة.

وقال يوسف خلال تصريحات للموقع الرسمي للأهلي: “التونسي كريستو، لاعب الفريق، الذي انتهت إعارته إلى نادي الصفاقسي تلقى عرضًا للانتقال إلى نادي النجم الساحلي”.

طالع | قرارات مجلس إدارة الأهلي في اجتماعه اليوم

وتابع: “جار التفاوض بهذا الخصوص لحسم الأمر، وهناك اتجاه لتلبية رغبة اللاعب بالعودة إلى ناديه السابق النجم الساحلي”.

وكان محمد الضاوي كريستو انضم إلى صفوف الأهلي في انتقالات يناير 2023، قادمًا من فريق النجم الساحلي التونسي، بعقد مدته 4 سنوات ونصف.

وتُوج كريستو مع الأهلي ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا مرتين، وكأس مصر مرتين، والدوري المصري لمرة واحدة.

The Todd Boehly era at Chelsea has seen huge funds dropped in the transfer market to try and hand various managers with the ammunition needed to achieve Premier League glory.

The American has splashed over £1.3b on new additions since taking over in May 2022, with the 51-year-old investing over £40m in 17-year-old Geovany Quenda from Sporting CP.

The teenager is set to return to his boyhood club on loan until the summer of 2026, when he will move to Stamford Bridge looking to nail down a regular starting role despite his tender age.

He won’t be alone in being a teenage sensation on the books by that point, with Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian both moving to the club before Quenda arrives in West London.

The trio will be hoping to make an immediate impact in England, potentially trying to emulate the success of one player who captured the hearts of the fanbase during his time as a Blue.

Eden Hazard’s stats as a Chelsea player

Back in the summer of 2012, Chelsea forked out £32m for the signature of Belgian winger Eden Hazard – a deal that will undoubtedly be one of the best in the club’s history given his record at the club.

The attacker is not only one of the best to grace the Bridge but also England’s top-flight as a whole, registering 110 goals and 78 assists in his 352 appearances during his seven years in West London.

There’s no debate that his best season came in his final year at the club, notching 21 goals and 17 assists in his 52 outings, helping the Blues win the Europa League in his final game before his eventual departure.

After winning two league titles, one FA Cup, a Carabao Cup and a PFA Player of the Year award, Hazard would move to Real Madrid in a £150m deal in the summer of 2019 – banking a whopping £118m profit in the process.

However, despite the huge spending over the last few years, the club have been unable to land a replacement, potentially offloading one who could’ve fit the bill too prematurely.

The Chelsea star who could’ve been the next Hazard

Cole Palmer is the latest attacker at Chelsea trying to play a key role in their ambitions of returning to Premier League glory, undoubtedly being the star in the final third since his move in 2023.

He’s notched 60 combined goals and assists in his 78 outings, helping Enzo Maresca’s side push for a Champions League place come the end of the current campaign.

However, he could’ve been aided in his attempts by Christian Pulisic, had the Blues decided to keep hold of the forward, rather than sell him during the summer of 2023.

The American international star scored 26 times in his 145 appearances after joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2019 – the same window Hazard departed for Madrid.

Such an occurrence led to journalist Owuraku Ampofo dubbing the 26-year-old as the “next Hazard”, but he was prematurely sold by Todd Boehly – joining Italian giants AC Milan for just £17m.

The move has allowed the winger to take his career to the next level, registering 16 goals and 10 assists in his first season in Serie A, cementing himself as a key member of the side at the San Siro.

He’s since taken his game up a notch in 2024/25, already scoring 15 times to date, subsequently outscoring current Blues star man Palmer, who’s only managed 14 under Maresca.

As a result of his consistent displays under Sergio Conceicao, his market value has skyrocketed, with Transfermarkt now valuing Pulisic at £42m – a rise of £25m in the near two years since he left England.

Christian Pulisic’s stats for Chelsea (2019/2023)

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2019/20

34

11

8

2020/21

43

6

4

2021/22

38

8

5

2022/23

30

1

2

Total:

145

26

19

Stats via Transfermarkt

His subsequent value is also higher than new signing Quenda, who’s only valued at £25m despite his big-money transfer to the club, showcasing the mistake the club may have made in allowing the American to depart.

Boehly has gained a reputation for making needless additions since his takeover, spending huge fees on players not up to the level required of the Premier League.

He could’ve saved himself a lot of cash had he kept hold of Pulisic, with their loss Milan’s gain, potentially being a key player in their Serie A title ambitions for many years to come.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Mar 23, 2025