Having also received a pep talk from SA’s Bavuma, they are eager to shake off a poor start and make a splash in the World Cup

Sreshth Shah in Bloemfontein25-Jan-2020On March 24 2019, it seemed like Nigeria’s hard work at the Africa Division One tournament would amount to nothing. They had beaten the three teams ranked higher than them already – Namibia, Uganda and Kenya – and needed to only defeat Sierra Leone to qualify for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup. But Sierra Leone, having scored 138, reduced Nigeria to 91 for 7. Nigeria captain Sylvester Okpe couldn’t watch the game any longer.”I was in the dressing room, praying for a miracle,” Okpe, who idolises MS Dhoni and Daren Sammy for their calmness, said. “I was chewing on the bottle cap so hard that nothing was left of it.”However, their No. 8 Peter Aho came to the rescue. Before the match, Aho’s highest score in the tournament was 3. But he struck 21 off 32 balls on the day, including the winning runs, to seal Nigeria’s two-wicket win, and their spot in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup. It remains Aho’s highest score for Nigeria.ALSO READ: U-19 adventure only the tip of Japan’s cricket icebergThe scenes, as expected, were one that the team had never experienced before. As the players ran onto the ground to celebrate, bottles were thrown in the air, coaches performed silent prayers near the boundary, and some cried their hearts out.”When the game was going against us, the supporters at the pavilion were supporting Sierra Leone, because [the hosts] Namibia were second, and if we lost, then they would qualify on net run-rate,” Okpe told ESPNcricinfo. “Everyone was against us. If you watch the clip you won’t see me running onto the pitch, because I was crying – tears of joy – near the boundary.”It was a very emotional moment for us. To be the first team qualifying for a major ICC event. To make it for the first time in over 115 years of cricket in Nigeria, we were really excited and we couldn’t help but express it.”Cricket was introduced to Nigeria by the British Empire in the 18th century. The first time a Nigerian team played another country was in 1904, when they faced off against the “Gold Coast” (now Ghana). A power struggle between the expatriates and the locals then followed as both groups formed their own cricket associations in 1932 and 1933 respectively, and it took as long as 1957 for both associations to integrate and become one.Although cricket in West Africa was never popular, Nigeria led the charge in the 1960s to change that culture. They formed the West Africa Cricket Conference – together with Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone – to expand the sport in the region by 1976 and started the WACC quadrangular tournament, a bi-yearly event between the four teams. Such was Nigeria’s dominance that they won the first 10 editions between 1976 and 1997. But as football, boxing and athletics began to grow through the country, cricket took the backseat again.Nigeria captain Sylvester Okpe addresses the media•Getty ImagesWith Nigeria’s qualification into the U-19 World Cup, there’s hope that the interest around cricket would rise again. “Most support was coming from individuals and ICC previously,” board president Yahaya Adam Ukwenya told ESPNcricinfo. “Now, with the qualification, we have the government putting their hand up. More private sectors are coming through too.”The ICC has worked closely with us in setting up of tournaments. One of the reasons we’ve started doing well is the coaching clinics the ICC have conducted across the country, improve the standard of our practice sessions.”The side had also received a pep talk from the South Africa cricket team ahead of the tournament.”When we came to the World Cup, we were lucky to be in the same hotel as the Proteas too, who were there to play the first Test against England in Pretoria.”Temba Bavuma came to speak with us. We saw Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander too – it’s really helped us, very encouraging. Bavuma spoke about believing in ourselves and being true to our processes. Told us to believe in our talent.”Another source of inspiration for them has been the Nigerian football team. Football is, by far, the most popular sport in the country, and the team believes they can learn a fair bit from the Super Eagles.”In soccer, the game never ends till the final whistle,” Okpe said. “Most of the Nigerian teams that succeeded, they don’t give up easily. In schools, we’ve played football like that also. The bond that comes with team spirit, it’s really helped us.Before the 2020 U-19 World Cup got underway, Okpe had said: “we are like the Leicester City of cricket… we can shock the world”, referencing how the English club defied odds of 5000/1 to win the 2015-16 Premier League season. While Nigeria haven’t had the best tournament so far, losing by ten wickets to Australia and by 246 runs against West Indies, they’ll hope to do well to remember how Leicester City eventually won that title.

In the face of a fine bowling attack, England’s top-order weaknesses were exposed

George Dobell at Newlands03-Jan-2020The electric car is a nice idea. It’s cheap to run, environmentally friendly and increasingly fashionable. But then you look at the details. They cost a fortune, the battery doesn’t work too well in the cold and, if you want to drive from London to Crewe, you’re likely to run out of power in Birmingham.England’s batting line-up is a bit like that. The idea of a line-up including Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and, indeed, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow, sounds great. But in reality it has been leaving England well short of their destination time and time again.Certainly it felt that way after the first day in Cape Town. An increasingly impressive half-century from Ollie Pope gave England some sort of foothold in the game. But an end of day score of 262 for 9 felt like a missed opportunity.ALSO READ: England ban football warm-ups after Burns injuryThe fact that five of the top seven reached 29 but failed to pass 47 underlines that sense of waste. Those batsmen had, as Pope put it later “done the hard work” but failed to build on the foundations. “The hardest bit of batting is getting to 30,” Pope said. “It’s definitely a missed opportunity.”There will be those who criticise the desire or concentration of the team. And it’s true that Ben Stokes, who looked as secure as anyone, seemed to suffer a lapse of concentration when he drove to extra cover.In general, however, such explanations are probably a bit simplistic. Instead, this was a day which showed up the technical flaws of a side who have reached 400 just twice in the first innings since the end of 2017. That is a period of 26-and-a-half Tests. It is a record of consistent mediocrity.Take the dismissal of Buttler. He had, as so often, looked pretty good. But when he received a decent ball that left him, he edged it, in part, because he was coming down the wicket with a view to manufacture a scoring opportunity. Would a man with confidence in his defensive technique have done that?

There has been a tendency in the England set-up to trust natural instincts in the belief that talk of technique clutters the mind

Much the same might be said about Joe Denly’s dismissal. He had battled hard to reach 38 – at one stage he went 48 balls without a run – but was eventually undone by what appeared to be an arm ball from Keshav Maharaj which crept through the gap between bat and pad. That weakness, a propensity to leave a gate and allow himself to be dismissed by the ball coming in, is exactly what held him back during his first spell in international cricket a decade ago. It is frustrating that it doesn’t appear to have been recognised or corrected.And then there’s the opening pair. Both Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley can reflect that they received fine deliveries; better, more experienced players may well have been dismissed by them. This is an excellent South Africa opening pair and England have not fielded a less-experienced pair of specialist openers (so excluding nightwatchmen) since the Oval Test of 1963.But such is the lot of an opening batsman in Test cricket. That is why they must have techniques to withstand such bowling. And as Sibley and Crawley, both of whom move a long way across their stumps, played at deliveries they could have left, you were left wondering where the old-fashioned opening batsmen, the sort who could leave well and see the shine off the ball, had gone. Later Joe Root, prone to fall to the off side, was bounced out – not the first time he has been inconvenienced by the short ball in recent times – Sam Curran left a straight one and Dom Bess was punished for defending one that would have missed another set of stumps.Even Pope had some fortune. He was dropped, a tough chance at short cover, on 21 and reprieved again, on 56, when it transpired that the bouncer he had hit to fine leg was actually a no-ball. But, as he ramped Kagiso Rabada for four over the keeper and marshalled the tail with more control than Buttler manages, he provided a reminder of how much potential he possesses.Ben Stokes reacts as Anrich Nortje has him caught•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesInevitably, after another disappointing display with the bat, there will be scrutiny of the county game. And it is true that the County Championship schedule renders it hard to prepare players for the rigours of Test cricket, though if it serves any purpose, it really should be to teach batsmen to play the moving ball.Toby Radford, the former West Indies batting coach who this time last year was part of the set-up that secured victory over England, was in attendance at Newlands and he suggested the county game was not to blame. “Several countries have more consistent performances [in Tests] despite coming from weaker domestic systems,” he said. Which is a fair point.So perhaps we should look at the coaching set-up. It is hard to see a lot of improvement going on in the England environment. For all the talent of Moeen and Bairstow and Buttler, their averages of between 28 and 35 look pretty modest. All are between 29 and 32. This should be their golden age.But again, that may be simplistic. We also need to question if players really buy into the need to improve technically. Whether there is a culture, in English cricket, of technical excellence. Or whether, over recent years, there has been a tendency to trust natural instincts in the belief that talk of technique clutters the mind. Of whether the “that’s the way I play” mentality has started to excuse the absence of rigour exhibited by the likes of Steven Smith, Virat Kohli or Kane Williamson.To be fair to England’s batsmen, it takes time to implement technical changes. So while batsmen are involved in international series, they may be reluctant to tinker with something they feel at least gives them some chance of success. And with the gap between international series almost non-existent these days, the time for technical work and the hours of drilling that come with it are limited.Let us also acknowledge this is a terrific South Africa attack. On this surface, offering a bit of bounce and a bit of movement off cracks that are likely to widen, they had enough encouragement to trouble the batsmen all day. We already knew Vernon Philander and Rabada were special, but with the pace of Anrich Nortje, who may be the find of the year, and the control of Dwaine Pretorius and Maharaj, they are a relentless force. They deserve a huge amount of credit.So these dismissals were not as much due to lapses of concentration as they were a fine bowling attack preying upon weakness. Bowlers know that, against England, if they put the ball in challenging areas for long enough, the batting will collapse. It doesn’t happen occasionally; it happens nearly every time. It’s competence that breeds confidence; the other way around will only work for so long.England are not exactly like the electric car. With technology advancing rapidly, there is reason to believe the electric car is the future. There is no such sign of progress from England’s batsmen.

Chris Sutton admits he is “not sure what has happened” to an “excellent” Celtic player, following the weekend defeat away to St Johnstone.

Celtic suffer disappointing Scottish Premiership loss

Brendan Rodgers’ side produced a strangely below-par display on Sunday afternoon, losing 1-0 away to their bottom-of-the-table counterparts, in a result that few saw coming. The manager himself was livid at what he saw, sharing his unhappy comments after the game and making it clear his players had been read the riot act.

“There’s definitely anger. I’m trying to control it. And listen, I look at my own self first and foremost. I’m proud of my career and how I teach players and how I inspire them and how I motivate them. Am I doing the very best job I possibly can to inspire these and motivate these to get over the line? So that’s my first look.

“But I just think there’s a comfort there I don’t like. And it doesn’t matter if you’re 13 points or three points ahead. It’s not enough. We have to be much better than where we were in our ambition in the game.”

Rodgers sets high standards at Celtic and it is good to see him lambast his players, rather than go easy on them because of the state of the Scottish Premiership title race. The Hoops may be 13 points clear of Rangers, but it is clear that the 52-year-old is taking nothing for granted, not enjoying seeing his players perform with complacency.

Sutton bemused by "excellent" Celtic player's form

Taking to X after Celtic’s loss to St Johnstone, Sutton gave an assessment of the form of winger Nicolas Kuhn, among others, admitting he doesn’t know what has happened to him.

Sutton has every right to question the form of Kuhn, who made such a bright start to life at Parkhead, being lauded by Rodgers upon his arrival: “We believe he is a dynamic player who has an excellent level of quality and all the attributes to fit well into our style of play He has the profile we are looking for, he has a real attacking intent, a player with great pace and ideas, the ability to create and score goals and a player with a great energy and work ethic.”

Worse than Kuhn: Celtic must axe star who lost the ball every 4 touches

Celtic slipped to a shock defeat to bottom side St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon

ByRobbie Walls Apr 6, 2025

The German, thought to be on around £12,000 a week at Parkhead, has only scored twice since early January though, coming in 14 appearances, with a couple of assists also coming his way in that time. A long campaign may simply have caught up with him, but it is clear that he isn’t the force he was.

Arsenal have endured some bad luck this campaign that has derailed their title challenge, leaving supporters frustrated due to their unusually high volume of muscle injuries.

Arsenal's hard luck story this season under Mikel Arteta

At the start of the campaign, Mikel Arteta would’ve been optimistic that his side could finally claim the Premier League title under his reign after steadily building a squad capable of fighting on all fronts.

Stylistically, an aggressive focus on set-pieces alongside signings such as Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori appeared to have added extra steel to the flair present in the Gunners’ attack. However, their season hasn’t gone the way many envisaged.

Crashing out of the EFL Cup and FA Cup to Newcastle United and Manchester United put an end to dreams of domestic cup silverware, while their inconsistent run of form in the Premier League compared to Liverpool has become a bitter pill to swallow for an expectant support.

Nevertheless, Arsenal have been subject to an injury crisis that has left them with a major shortage of bodies in forward areas throughout the second half of 2024/25. Unfortunately, recognised strikers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are still ruled out, leaving square pegs in round holes through the middle.

Bukayo Saka has been the main absentee of a long list for the Gunners, taking their tally of players who have spent time on the sidelines to 18 across this term. Returning during the week, the England international fired his side to a 2-1 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.

Other incidents such as Declan Rice’s harsh red card at home to Brighton & Hove Albion set an unwanted tone early on, culminating in a series of unfortunate events that have left the North Londoners feeling short-changed despite still being on course for a respectable second-place finish.

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In a seemingly never-ending cycle of setbacks, Arsenal have fallen victim to yet another body blow ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.

Arsenal's Grade 3 hamstring tear statistical anomaly

Arsenal have now suffered three Grade 3 hamstring tears in one season, following confirmation that Gabriel Magalhães has been ruled out until next term with an injury of that description. Saka and Havertz comprise the other two who fit the criteria.

According to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, in a 20 year-period of Premier League football (from 2001/02 to 2021/22) only 3 per cent of hamstring injuries were Grade 3, making suffering three such problems in the space of six months a truly rare phenomenon that has barely been witnessed in football history.

Arsenal’s hamstring injuries this season

Gabriel Magalhães

Out until next season

Bukayo Saka

Finally back after long setback

Kai Havertz

Return unknown

Ultimately, many contributing factors play their part in a club falling short of their objectives. In this case, Arsenal have a right to feel that injuries have definitely altered the course of a season that was destined to deliver so much promise.

Regardless of what division Leeds United find themselves in next season, this summer is a huge window for boss Daniel Farke to provide the added quality to the first-team squad.

The German has already made some shrewd additions in the transfer market, landing the likes of Ao Tanaka and Jayden Bogle, who have both been two of the Championship signings of the season.

However, he will have to replicate such dealings this summer – especially if they secure promotion to the Premier League, needing to invest if they are to secure survival in 2025/26.

The Whites already have serious quality within the current squad, helping them sit second in the division with just a handful of games remaining this campaign.

If they are to reach the next level, Farke will want to build on the progress made, with one player seemingly already on their radar ahead of the summer transfer window.

Leeds set to make offer for defensive star

According to Africa Foot, Leeds are set to make a €2m (£1.7m) bid for Porto left-back Zaidu Sanusi regardless of what division they find themselves in next season.

The Nigerian has only made six first-team appearances for the Liga Portugal outfit this season as he continues his recovery from the ACL injury he suffered last season.

However, Sanusi has already stated that no deal has been agreed after other rumours suggested a deal was already agreed for him to move to Elland Road.

This report claims no bid has yet been made, but the Sanusi could be open to a move to Yorkshire in the near future to gain more first-team minutes given his lack of action since his return from injury.

It would be a superb addition for the Whites, potentially being the next version of a former fan favourite who captured the hearts of many during his time at the club.

Why Sanusi could be Leeds’ next Ben White

Defender Ben White thrived during the 2019/20 season at Leeds, spending the season on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, making 49 appearances across the promotion-winning campaign.

He featured for every minute of the league campaign that season, highlighting the importance he held under Marcelo Bielsa in their return to the Premier League.

However, after promotion, the club tried to sign him on a permanent basis, but were unable to strike a deal with the Seagulls despite offering a £30m deal for his signature.

He’s since moved to Arsenal in recent years, featuring for the Gunners in the Champions League and thriving at right-back, taking his career to the next level.

The Whites could land their next version of White with a move for Sanusi, with the full-back being ranked as a similar player to the Arsenal star by FBref for his displays in Europe last campaign.

When delving into their respective figures, the Nigerian has matched or bettered the 27-year-old in various key areas, showcasing what a phenomenal addition he would be to Farke’s side.

Sanusi, who’s been labelled a “superstar” by one analyst, managed to win more tackles per 90 along with more interceptions made, highlighting the defensive quality he possesses – aiding Farke should he sign this summer.

How Sanusi compares to White in the UCL (2023/24)

Statistics (per 90)

Sanusi

White

Games played

4

10

Minutes played

307

754

Tackles won

1.2

0.6

Interceptions made

1.2

1

Clearances

1.8

1.2

Take-ons completed

1.5

0.5

Aerials won

2.7

1.1

Stats via FBref

He’s also managed to complete more take-ons per 90, whilst also winning more aerial battles, offering that all-round presence that may be needed should they achieve promotion this summer.

With Junior Firpo’s contract set to expire this summer, the club will need added reinforcements in the left-back area, with the Porto star certainly providing just that.

Should he get anywhere near the level produced by White during his time at Elland Road, he would be a superb addition – especially for the bargain fee touted for his signature.

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Leeds United have a huge summer window ahead of them regardless of what division they find themselves in.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 2, 2025

As the chance to complete a league double over Manchester City arrives, Manchester United have reportedly held talks with the representatives of one particular target worth as much as £68m this summer.

Man Utd looking to shock Guardiola once again

Scoring twice in the final two minutes to defeat Manchester City at the Etihad back in December, Manchester United will be hoping to find something to salvage from a disastrous campaign by completing a double over their rivals this weekend. Last time out, Amad Diallo was Ruben Amorim’s hero. This time, however, his side must look towards a fresh attacking spark amid the winger’s absence.

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They’d be getting an instant upgrade.

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Speaking ahead of the Manchester derby, Amorim spoke about his side’s ambitions for the rest of the season and their problems compared to City’s. The former Sporting CP boss told reporters: “We want to win this game, we want to improve in the league table and especially we want to win games.

“We are going to have full focus on this game. I don’t see one win as a special moment. Special moments are to win titles. Even if the third division, you can beat the best team in the division.

“I am more focused on our problems; I think we have bigger problems than Manchester City. They had problems in that run. They have improved. They have maybe the best coach in the world. They have top players. It will be a difficult match. I am so focused on improving my team, I am not focused on City’s improvements.”

Last 5 Manchester derbies

Season

Competition

Match

2024/25

Premier League

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2024/25

Community Shield

Man City 1-1 Man Utd

2023/24

FA Cup

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man City 3-1 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man Utd 0-3 Man City

The Manchester United boss also admitted that the focus is to improve his side, saying: “The focus must be on how to improve our team in every aspect. Of course, the Premier League is so different.

“People say Sir Alex Ferguson took two or three times to win something… it is completely different nowadays. The pressure is different. No matter the context, we need to be there [at the top]. We will have to say a lot of adversity and big teams.”

That is, of course, likely to come in the form of summer reinforcements, which could yet include the arrival of a much-needed, big-money goalscorer when the transfer window opens.

Man Utd hold positive talks with Ekitike

According to Anfield Watch, Manchester United have now held positive talks with the representatives of Hugo Ekitike over a potential summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the deal won’t come cheap, with the German club set to remain firm on their €80m (£68m) asking price in the coming months.

With competition from Liverpool for the Frenchman’s signature, the Red Devils should go all out to sign what would be an instant solution to their attacking problems.

Dubbed “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Ekitike has scored 19 goals in all competitions so far this season and looks like he’s only just getting started on Europe’s top stage.

It is a truly testing time for Tottenham Hotspur right now, with Ange Postecoglou’s future in real doubt and the Australian relying on a good run in the Europa League to restore faith in his position.

Tottenham face change of manager and losing key players this summer

Spurs take on Eintracht Frankfurt over two legs which will define Postecoglou’s position, according to credible media sources like Fabrizio Romano, and anything less than impressive is highly likely to result in the Australian’s eventual dismissal.

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Postecoglou’s tenure has been called “irreparable” by some, regardless of their campaign in Europe, and Postecoglou even admitted in a press conference this week that he’s aware of the rhetoric surrounding his position.

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

The Lilywhites are on course for their worst Premier League season, currently sitting 14th in the table after 16 top-flight losses, which is a real crash back down to Earth for Postecoglou after he recorded the best ever start by a new manager in the competition’s history last season.

Their on-field troubles and lack of stability under Postecoglou are also resulting in star players being linked with moves away from N17, including defender Cristian Romero, who is attracting serious interest from Atletico Madrid ahead of the summer window (Sky Sports).

Tottenham are believed to be targeting Atalanta’s Isak Hien as a potential replacement for the Argentine already, but he isn’t the only one who could end up departing.

It has also been revealed that Man City are now displaying an interest in star left-back Destiny Udogie, which will surely be a worry for Spurs given the pull of Eastlands.

As the threat of players jumping ship looms large, Tottenham midfielder Pape Sarr has revealed that he nearly made an exit of his own.

Pape Sarr makes Tottenham exit admission after nearly finalised deal

The Senegalese, in an interview with D Sports, claims that it very nearly happened during Antonio Conte’s tenure.

Sarr admitted he packed his bags and nearly left Tottenham, but an injury to Oliver Skipp prompted Conte to perform a full U-turn over letting him depart on loan.

“I was about to go on loan to Italy,” said Sarr.

“Everything was almost established, but the week before the finalisation, I remember that we were holding an opposition between us. I was a substitute with Ndombele.

“That moment, I was so excited, I wanted to show all my talents. Two days later, Skipp injured himself in training, and I replaced him. After the match, it was Conte himself who called me and said, ‘You’re not going to go on loan, I’m counting on you, you’re going to stay’.

“I had already packed my bags, and I called my dad and my agent, because they had already made the trip. At first, I was a little dubious, because I knew I was not going to play, but I thought that, once I had the opportunity, I would show up. At first, being one of the 20 players selected for the game was a real challenge for me.”

Since then, the 22-year-old has become a mainstay for Tottenham. He dazzled next to Yves Bissouma at points last term, and has been equally useful for Postecoglou this campaign – bagging six goals and three assists across 44 appearances in all competitions.

Chelsea supporters may have been left confused when the team news dropped for the game against Brentford on Sunday, as several stars were left out of the side.

Despite the Blues not being in action again until Thursday, against Legia Warsaw, Enzo Maresca left Marc Cucurella, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and Pedro Neto on the bench from the start.

Those decisions contributed to a toothless and uninspiring performance from the Blues, who are now just two points ahead of Aston Villa in sixth place after the weekend’s results.

Chelsea have, now, scored three goals in their last five matches in all competitions, failing to score more than one in any, and their lack of a clinical, reliable, number nine has been an issue.

Christopher Nkunku has scored one in his last 11 matches for the Blues and Jackson, who recently returned from injury, has gone ten games without a goal.

The London giants need a consistent, ruthless, centre-forward to fire them to glory, which is what Manchester City found when they signed Erling Haaland in the summer of 2022.

Why Chelsea need their own Erling Haaland

The Cityzens reportedly agreed a deal worth £51m to sign the Norway international from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, and that has turned out to be a bargain.

To date, the left-footed monster has scored 120 goals and provided 19 assists in 138 matches in all competitions for City, including 84 goals in 94 Premier League outings.

The Norwegian superstar hit the ground running in England, where he was born, with one of the best individual seasons in the history of the Premier League, scoring 36 goals and providing eight assists in 33 starts.

His tally of 36 goals broke the record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League season, previously stood at 34, and led City to the top-flight title.

24/25

40

30

4

23/24

45

38

6

22/23

53

52

9

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old marksman has delivered an exceptional number of goals in every season he has played for Pep Guardiola’s team to date.

The former Dortmund star has also delivered in big games, scoring six goals in eight games against Manchester United and four goals in six matches against Chelsea, to be a difference-maker for City against their rivals.

This is why the Blues must try to find their own version of Haaland in the upcoming summer transfer window, because Nkunku and Jackson’s recent form shows that the club does not currently have a number nine who can be relied on week-in-week-out.

Maresca could be on the right track to finding his answer to the Manchester City superstar, though, as Chelsea have reportedly made a move to sign a new forward.

Chelsea submit bid for prolific striker

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Sporting centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that they have submitted an offer in the region of £64m in an attempt to convince the Portuguese giants to part ways with the Sweden international, but Manchester United have come in with the same bid.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that Chelsea and the Red Devils are now fighting it out to land the former Coventry City and Brighton & Hove Albion striker back to England this summer.

However, the report does not reveal whether or not these two bids of £64m will be enough to tempt Sporting into cashing in on their star forward ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whether they can sign Gyokeres at that price or if they have to spend a bit more to acquire his services, Chelsea must push to get a deal over the line for the Swedish centre-forward in the next transfer window because he could be Maresca’s answer to Haaland.

Why Gyokeres could be Chelsea's answer to Haaland

As aforementioned, the Blues do not have a reliable, consistent, striker who they can expect to score 20 or more goals every season to fire the team to glory, as City do with their Norwegian phenom.

After a return of 21 goals and ten assists in 46 Championship games for Coventry in the 2022/23 campaign, Gyokeres opted to move abroad to sign for Sporting to take his career to the next level.

That has turned out to be a masterstroke by the 26-year-old marksman because he has scored 86 goals and provided 26 assists in 93 matches for the Portuguese outfit to date.

Gyokeres has also stepped up to perform in the Champions League for Sporting, even scoring a hat-trick whilst up against Haaland earlier this season, which shows that he can compete at the very top level.

The Swedish star, who was described as “unplayable” by former teammate Maxime Biamou, has also delivered exceptionally impressive performances in the Portuguese top-flight in his two seasons with Sporting so far, proving himself to be a lethal finisher.

Appearances

33

26

xG

22.71

24.63

Goals

29

30

Conversion rate

25%

28%

Big chances created

11

11

Assists

10

6

As you can see in the table above, the Chelsea target has fired in an unbelievable 59 goals in 59 appearances in Liga Portugal since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, which shows that he can find the back of the net on a consistent basis if provided with enough service.

Gyokeres has also outperformed his xG in both seasons, which speaks to his ruthless nature in front of goal, and this suggests that he would thrive in a team that creates plenty of chances, as Haaland has with Man City.

He has a Haaland-esque goal return in all competitions for Sporting, as well as outperforming him with his hat-trick against Man City earlier this term, and that is why he could be Maresca’s answer to the Cityzens star.

New target: Chelsea eye move for £50m star who's "similar to Bellingham"

The Blues have set their sights on an “incredible” midfielder, who has been compared to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

ByDominic Lund Apr 7, 2025

It is now down to the club to ensure that they can beat Manchester United in the race to sign the striker, who previously played for Ruben Amorim, to bolster their squad and provide them with their own ruthless, clinical, and consistent number nine to compete in the Premier League next term.

This summer is crucial for Ruben Amorim in his quest to return Manchester United to glory, with the upcoming window handing him his first opportunity to overhaul the squad.

The 40-year-old took the reins from Erik ten Hag back in November, but the January transfer window was no way near long enough to make the wholesale changes needed.

The showing against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night is evidence that he has an excellent spine of the side to build on, but is still in desperate need of investment to catapult the Red Devils up the Premier League table.

It remains to be seen how much money Amorim will have at his disposal given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting operation, but it’s pivotal that the manager is given the funds to make his mark.

With the window just a couple of months away, rumours have already started circling, with numerous players already on the club’s radar ahead of 2025/26.

The latest on Man Utd’s hunt for a new striker

Over the last couple of days, it has emerged that United have made Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap their number one target to become their new talisman at Old Trafford.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a superb first season in England’s top flight, finding the net 12 times in his 31 appearances for the relegation-threatened outfit.

However, should the Tractor Boys drop back into the Championship come the end of the season, the forward could be available for just £30m – putting Amorim and the hierarchy on red alert.

Despite the interest in Delap, the likes of Matheus Cunha and Viktor Gyokeres continue to be touted with a move to the North West, also joined by Victor Osimhen if one report is to be believed.

According to Turkish journalist Ali Naci Kucuk, the Red Devils have already made an offer to the Nigerian’s representatives of around €20m a season (£660k-per-week) to prise him away from Napoli.

Why United’s latest transfer target would be an upgrade on Hojlund

Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund arrived with huge expectations at United after the hierarchy forked out £72m for his services back in the summer of 2023.

However, his time at the club has been nothing but successful, only scoring 24 times in his 87 appearances to date, with only eight of his efforts coming in 2024/25.

He’s often shared the centre-forward role with Joshua Zirkzee this campaign, failing to nail down the starting position constantly – understandably so given his run of 21 games without a goal earlier in the season.

Such a lack of form has led to the recent rumours over a new forward arriving this summer, with Osimhen the latest player to be thrown into the mix ahead of the opening of the window.

The Nigerian, who’s currently spending the season on loan at Galatasaray, looks almost certain to leave his parent side, Napoli, in the coming months, with United desperately needing to pounce and complete a deal for his services.

When comparing his figures with Hojlund from 2024/25, the 26-year-old has massively outperformed the current Red Devils talent, with his signing taking the attacking department to the next over.

Osimhen, who’s been labelled “sensational” by commentator Matteo Bonetti, has hugely outscored the Dane, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – demonstrating the clinical edge he possesses in attacking areas.

Games played

33

44

Goals scored

29

8

Shot-on-target accuracy

56%

55%

Shots on target per 90

3.4

1.5

Shot-creating actions

3.8

2.8

Take-on success

60%

16%

Aerials won

4.2

1.3

Aerial success rate

64%

39%

He’s also managed to complete more of his attempted take-ons, whilst also winning more of the aerial battles he’s entered – offering the all-round presence the club have desperately craved.

Whilst the touted weekly wage offered for Osimhen’s services may seem ludicrous, his stats prove that he’s way above the levels of the options currently at Amorim’s disposal.

If the former Sporting CP boss is to mastermind a revival over the summer, he needs to attract elite-level talents to transform the side, with the Nigerian certainly needing to be at the top of his shortlist.

Ugarte upgrade: Man Utd in advanced talks for "out of this world" £52m ace

Man Utd are looking to strengthen in midfield

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 17, 2025

A Rangers manager target is now ready to make his return to the dugout, with those at Ibrox keen on a move, according to a fresh update.

Rangers manager rumours ramp up

The 49ers Enterprises look set to be the ones tasked with appointing a new permanent Gers manager this summer after agreeing a deal in principle to take over in Glasgow.

Barry Ferguson is in charge until the end of the season and has done his chances of landing the job on a full-time basis no harm, especially with impressive performances in Europe and against rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

However, Ferguson isn’t the only name on Rangers’ manager shortlist. Former Newcastle and Everton boss Rafael Benitez was one of the early names mentioned, and recently, ex-Southampton manager Russell Martin and Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior have both been linked with a move to Scotland.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Apr 16, 2025

Steven Gerrard has also been mooted with a possible return to Glasgow after leaving Rangers for Aston Villa back in 2021. Things didn’t work out for the 44-year-old in the Midlands and, after an 18-month spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard is currently without a job.

Talking recently, Gerrard said he wasn’t looking to return to the dugout just yet, saying: “I don’t want to be back in work, not at the moment. I’ve just come out, so I am happy waking up, being free, doing the family stuff and being free from the stress.

“I will go back in at some point but when it is round the clock for 18 months, I just want to be free and do normal things that you can’t do when you are coaching like a game of golf or go down the boozer. I want to do normal things that you can’t really do when you’re coaching, so I am all good. I’m good and stress free. I’m out of work in terms of the coaching and management, which is obviously 24/7.”

However, it now looks as if the attacking 4-3-3 boss is willing to return to the dugout ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Steven Gerrard ready for return to management with Rangers keen

Talking to EFL Analysis, reporter Graeme Bailey provided an update on Southampton’s search for a new manager. One of the Saints’ targets is Gerrard, and Bailey added that he is also on “Rangers’ list”, with the ex-Ibrox boss now “ready to return to the UK”.

“Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are both on Southampton’s final shortlist to be their new manager. The two England legends have been on Southampton’s radar for the last few weeks and both are in their sights.

“Lampard only took over at Coventry earlier this season, but has impressed in his short time with the club and it is believed Southampton would be an option he would consider.

“Gerrard, who is on Rangers’ list to return to Ibrox, is out of work following his stint in Saudi Arabia and is ready to return to the UK – we understand.”

Gerrard’s record at Rangers

Games

192

Wins

124

Draws

41

Losses

27

Players used

65

Average goals scored per game

2.12

Average goals conceded per game

0.72

The former Liverpool midfielder guided Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title back in 2021, their first since 2011, so it is easy to see why the 49ers have their eye on Gerrard, and a move looks like one to watch following this update.