Kent’s slide towards Division Two continues with innings defeat at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2024

Oliver Hannon-Dalby took six-for•Getty Images

Warwickshire banked their first Vitality County Championship victory of the season in the most emphatic fashion, by an innings and 21 runs over struggling Kent, before lunch on the third day at Edgbaston.Kent were bowled out in their second innings for 243 on the third morning as Warwickshire’s seamers completed the demolition job they start on their opponents on the first day.Bowled out for 156 first time round, Kent mustered little more at their second attempt even against the Kookaburra ball on an easing pitch as Oliver Hannon-Dalby took 6 for 43 (9 for 74 in the match).Only Joey Evison (65) offered prolonged resistance as the visitors’ dismal season delivered a sixth successive Championship defeat and another shunt towards relegation. Injuries to key pair Tawanda Muyeye and Grant Stewart only added to a grim three days in the West Midlands for Matt Walker’s side.After Kent resumed on the third morning on 157 for 3, they advanced comfortably enough to 171 before Hannon-Dalby hit them with a burst of 3 for 6 in 14 balls. Sharp in-duckers trapped Jack Leaning and Muyeye lbw and Charlie Stobo sent his first ball to Rob Yates at second slip.Hannon-Dalby was 60 percent of the way to taking all 10, but that pathway was ended by Ed Barnard who trapped Stewart lbw and followed up with the wicket of Matt Parkinson, who edged to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.Alfie Ogborne edged Michael Rae to slip before Evison, running out of partners, lifted Barnard for six to reach a 93-ball half-century. Evison batted impressively in both innings but when another attempt to clear the ropes, off Michael Booth, found only Alex Davies at long-on, another Championship ordeal for Kent was complete.Their Division One status will expire shortly but Warwickshire’s appears safe for another year after this victory as other teams in the bottom half of the table struggle in their games around the country.

Manchester United’s need for new additions this summer is evident, falling way below the expectations demanded by the fanbase throughout 2024/25.

The Red Devils ended the year in a measly 15th in the Premier League, subsequently missing out on any form of European football and resulting in a huge financial loss.

Ruben Amorim’s side will have to recruit well during the off-season if they are to have any chance of rising up the table and pushing for a place among the top four once again.

Sales will likely need to take place, with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho just two first-team talents touted with respective moves away from Old Trafford.

Any funds generated will likely go a long way in their pursuit of new attacking talent, something which is desperately needed if the Red Devils are to reach the next level under the current management team, overseen by Jason Wilcox.

The latest on United’s hunt for new talent this summer

Bryan Mbeumo is a player who’s been firmly on United’s radar over the last couple of months, with Wilcox and co placing two separate offers for the Brentford star.

However, the two sides are no closer to agreeing a fee for the Cameroonian international this window, putting doubt over any potential deal for the 25-year-old star.

He’s not the only star being considered by the hierarchy, with Boca Juniors’ midfield sensation Milton Delgado another player in their sights, according to Argentine outlet Canal 26.

They claim that the Red Devils are preparing an offer for the 20-year-old this week after racking up 30 senior appearances across the last two campaigns.

It also states that the offer is in the region of €11m (£9.5m), a deal that could prove to be a potential bargain if he can replicate the levels produced by one of Europe’s leading talents.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s answer to Bellingham

Jude Bellingham has been a player constantly on United’s radar over the last couple of years, but they have missed out on his signature at every opportunity to land the youngster.

The Englishman even met higher-ups at the club during his time at Birmingham City, but decided to make a move to join Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund back in 2020.

The Red Devils also tried to land the 21-year-old before his subsequent switch to Real Madrid, with the youngster undoubtedly now one of the best players in the midfield department within Europe.

He’s registered 38 goals and 27 assists in his 99 appearances for the LaLiga giants, with Amorim certainly wishing he had such a talent at his disposal at Old Trafford.

However, he could land his own version of the Englishman with a deal for Delgado this summer, as the Argentine has similar qualities of breaking up the play and being able to control possession, as seen by his stats from the recent campaign.

The youngster, who’s been labelled “complete” by one South American journalist, has managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, along with more passes into the final third per 90 – showcasing the quality he possesses with the ball at his feet.

He’s also thrived without the ball at his feet, winning more tackles and making more interceptions per 90 – handing Amorim that added defensive quality he’s craved at the heart of the side.

Games played

20

31

Minutes played

847

2488

Pass accuracy

89%

86%

Passes into final third

4.8

4.7

Tackles won

2.1

1.2

Interceptions made

1.8

1.1

Clearances made

1.2

0.8

Take-on success

67%

54%

Recoveries made

7.8

3.5

When regaining the ball, Delgado has further demonstrated his talents, completing more take-ons than Bellingham last season, potentially being the perfect deep-lying midfielder for the Red Devils.

Whilst the 20-year-old may have a lot of work to do if he is to match the levels produced by the Real Madrid star in Europe, he’s already demonstrated that he has the ability to star in key areas.

£9.5m for a player of his talent and potential could prove to be an excellent pickup for Wilcox and the United hierarchy, having the chance to land a leading midfield talent, whilst also having the chance to develop further, given his tender age.

Their own Zubimendi: Man Utd in talks to sign "strongest DM in the world"

Manchester United are looking to sign a central midfielder this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now plotting a move for an “elegant” player who they made a bid for during the January transfer window, according to a new report.

Wolves set sights on new defender

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Craig Dawson departing Molineux means Vitor Pereira will be tasked with bringing in new options in defence this summer, and there is a strong desire to bring in a new centre-back.

With Wolves recording the worst defensive record outside the Premier League relegation zone last season, it is no surprise that signing at least one new centre-back is on the agenda, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

Target	Current club	Potential cost
Christopher Wooh	Rennes	Over £4m
Igor Julio	Brighton	Under £13m
Jhon Lucumi	Bologna	£24m

The need to sign a new defender may also be exacerbated by the fact January signing Nasser Djiga could be making a move north of the border to Rangers, as revealed by Liam Keen.

There has now been a new update on Wolves’ interest in Udinese’s Thomas Kristensen, with a report from Football Insider revealing they are plotting a move for the defender, who they made a £12m bid for in the January transfer window.

Despite that offer being knocked back, the Old Gold are ready to rekindle their interest in Kristensen, having been long-term admirers, but there could be competition in the race for his signature, with AFC Bournemouth and Como said to be eyeing moves of their own.

"Elegant" Kristensen could be solid signing for Wolves

Scout/analyst Jacek Kulig has previously dubbed the Dane an “elegant” and “dominant” centre-back, while also praising him for his ability in aerial duels, which has regularly been on display over the past year.

Indeed, the 6 foot 6 colossus has been able to use his frame to his advantage, placing in the 90th percentile for aerials won per 90, when compared to other centre-backs in the top five leagues in Europe.

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He’s been in excellent form at the Club World Cup.

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There are also some indications that Wolves could stand a good chance of luring the 23-year-old to Molineux, given that he expressed his desire to move to the Premier League in an interview with Zach Lowy last season.

“If you want to improve as a defender, Italy is the best place to do it. Right now, I’m here in Udine, I have a lot to improve on, and Udinese is a great place to improve…but I still have a dream of playing in England one day.”

Kristensen could now be ready to take the next step in his career, having made his mark during his second season in Italy, so it is promising news that Pereira’s side are now ready to rekindle their interest.

New Zealand are about to embark on a period where they will play six Tests in two months. That’s rare, on two counts. First, it’s almost a whole year’s work for them – like in 2020 and 2021, when they went on to become the inaugural World Test Champions. And second, all of those matches are in Asia. In the last decade, they have never played more than three subcontinent Tests in a single year. This eight-week trip, starting with the one-off game against Afghanistan on Monday, then the two against Sri Lanka, and finally the three against India, is essentially uncharted territory.Kane Williamson acknowledged it when speaking to the media on Saturday. “You know such a volume of Test cricket that we don’t usually get, and obviously in this part of the world,” he said in Greater Noida.New Zealand’s record in Asia is underwhelming, with 16 wins from 90 Tests. They have found it even harder to succeed in India – 2 wins in 36 Tests. Lots of effort is being made to improve on this. Domestic teams have been touring the country for a good while now. The next generation of New Zealand batters and bowlers have put in a lot of time trying to expand their game to succeed in conditions where spin plays a huge role. Allrounder Rachin Ravindra and fast bowler Ben Sears joined the Test squad in Uttar Pradesh after a four-day training camp in Chennai with their Wellington team-mates.Related

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Williamson highlighted the importance of New Zealand learning to play differently in Asia and touched on the difficulty of playing long-form cricket in just staccato bursts.”I think it’s absolutely about trying to adjust your game,” he said, “because we’re not here consistently in this format. We go through quite long intervals of not playing here. So you know it is trying to sort of familiarise yourself again and for us, our last Test match was sort of six or eight months ago. So you know, as a team it’s really connecting with that again as a red-ball group and looking to apply our skills, our plans as well as we can.”0:32

Williamson: Root has been something else for a period of time

Williamson, himself, a veteran of over 100 Tests and a leading member of the Fab Four, is yet to fully crack batting in India and Sri Lanka. In 22 innings, he averages 31.36 and has managed only five fifty-plus scores. One of them was his debut innings, back in 2010, when he was at the crease for 299 balls to score 131. Since then, however, only five of his knocks have lasted 100 balls or more. The defensive skill which sets him apart, and enables him to shape so much of New Zealand’s fortunes on their own turf, is severely tested by the quality of the bowling and the nature of the conditions here.Williamson was looking forward, though, to facing that challenge again, starting with New Zealand’s first ever Test match against Afghanistan. “It’s really important that we look to grow as a unit,” he said. “It’s nice and clear on how we want to play over here. We always know that it’s a tough challenge whenever you play in these parts of the world, slightly different from back home. But you know always a great experience and playing against a really, really strong side.”New Zealand have bolstered their support staff, on a short-term basis, with the additions of Sri Lankan spin legend Rangana Herath and former India batting coach Vikram Rathour as they push for a better result in the 2023-25 cycle of the World Test Championship. They finished sixth out of nine teams last time. This time, they occupy third place, behind India and Australia.”In some ways it’s like tournament sport, isn’t it?” Williamson said. “Even though it’s over a longer period of time in the Test Championship, but the value of games is high. The context around Test cricket with the Test Championship is really key and it’s brought out a lot of really exciting games. And so naturally having six Test matches together is a big part of our Test Championship calendar and one that we’re excited about.”

It’s been a hectic summer for Chelsea so far this year.

Instead of enjoying some time off and getting themselves ready for an intense Premier League campaign next season, the Blues have been fighting their corner in the Club World Cup.

Enzo Maresca’s men might have stumbled somewhat against Flamengo on Friday, but in the small hours of Wednesday morning, they bounced back with a 3-0 win against ES Tunis.

More importantly, the game also saw summer signing Liam Delap open his account for the club, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club could be looking at someone who’d be a great teammate for the Englishman.

Chelsea target attacking reinforcements

With Chelsea looking to improve on their fourth-place finish in the Premier League next season, it’s not been a surprise to see them linked with a host of attacking stars in recent weeks, such as Hugo Ekitiké and even Victor Osimhen.

Transfer Focus

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

The former managed to rack up a tally of 34 goal involvements in 48 games this season and would reportedly cost around £84m, while the latter managed to amass a haul of 45 goal involvements in 41 games and could cost around £60m.

However, as brilliant as they would be for the Blues, they’re both centre-forwards, so it would be hard to describe either of their potential arrivals as good news for Delap, unlike with Alejandro Garnacho.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Telegraph, Chelsea could still make a push to sign the Manchester United star this summer.

The report claims that the West Londoners are now ‘weighing up the possibility’ of signing the Argentine international while sending Christopher Nkunku the other way in a swap deal.

We say ‘sort of’ swap deal, as the report claims the pair moving in opposite directions would be handled as separate deals, meaning a fee would have to be paid for the winger, who the Red Devils value at £60m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Garnacho’s potential and ability, it might be one worth pursuing, especially as he could be a great signing for Delap.

Why Garnacho would be a great signing for Delap

Okay, there are two main reasons why Garnacho could be a great signing and teammate for Delap at Chelsea, and the first relates to his output.

Even though the United ace is far from being the finished product and can certainly be a little frustrating at times, his raw output is actually quite impressive, especially for someone his age.

For example, in 58 appearances this season, totalling just 3568 minutes, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by Statman Dave, managed to score 11 goals and provide ten assists for a pretty rubbish Red Devils side.

Appearances

58

47

Minutes

3568′

3032′

Goals

11

8

Assists

10

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

178.35′

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or one every 169.90 minutes, which is actually better than some of the Blues’ better wing options, like Pedro Neto, were able to manage.

So, just imagine how effective the former Ipswich Town gem could be with someone able to produce those numbers in a dysfunctional team to his left.

The second reason the Madrid-born ace would be a great teammate for the Englishman is that he is also a young, developing player, so in theory, they could develop alongside one another, learn each other’s game and hopefully reach their respective peaks at near enough the same time, in turn helping the squad as a whole.

Ultimately, signing Garnacho might not be a popular decision to start with, but he’s shown that in the right environment, he can thrive, and with an exciting, capable striker like Delap next to him, he could become exceptional.

He'd be a dream for Ekitike: Chelsea move close to signing £55m star

The tremendously exciting attacker could become a superstar at Chelsea.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Arsenal have spent big in transfer windows in the past, but this summer is starting to feel like something else entirely.

At the back, Andrea Berta and Co have signed Kepa Arizabalaga and are soon to sign Christian Mosquera.

In midfield, they’ve made a significant investment in the £60m Martin Zubimendi, are being linked with Eberechi Eze, and have completed the shrewd signing of Christian Norgaard.

Then, in attack, the club are set to land Noni Madueke for around £52m and, perhaps most exciting of all, look set to make the statement signing of Viktor Gyokeres, and if reports are to be believed, they are now looking at someone who’d help him perform even better at the Emirates.

Arsenal target perfect teammate for Gyokeres

There was no doubt in the minds of most fans that, coming into this summer, Arsenal had to go all out for a new striker.

Transfer Focus

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

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Mikel Arteta and Co must have felt the same way, as their hunt for a number nine has been one of the biggest sagas of the window thus far.

However, once it was clear that Benjamin Sesko was being priced out of a move by RB Leipzig, the Gunners promptly turned their attention to Gyokeres.

Despite Sporting CP’s president talking a big game, it now looks like the North Londoners have got their man, for an initial price said to be just £55m.

The good news doesn’t stop there, though, as it now appears that Berta and Co are looking to sign another attacker, someone who could help the Swede perform even better at the Emirates.

At least, that is according to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs, who has revealed that Arsenal are keen on Anthony Gordon.

Jacobs claims that the Premier League runners-up hold a ‘genuine interest’ in the Newcastle United star, although they’d likely have to make a sale before making an offer for him.

Moreover, while there is no mention of how much he might cost in the story, reports from earlier this month claim that the Magpies could demand as much as £100m for the Englishman.

While it would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, Gordon would undoubtedly be a level-raiser for Arsenal’s left-hand side, and someone who could help Gyokeres be even more effective.

Why Gordon would make Gyokeres even better

While there are undoubtedly a range of reasons Gordon could help Gyokeres perform at an even higher level at Arsenal next season, the most important of the lot is down to his output.

After all, if the Swedish international isn’t being supplied a steady stream of chances to convert, he’s not going to rack up the goals.

Additionally, with 13 assists to his name last season, the former Coventry City ace is reasonably creative, but if the man to his left isn’t a reliable finisher, then he won’t see his assist tally soar either.

Fortunately, over the last couple of years, the Newcastle star has proven himself to be a real threat on the wing, both as a creator and a goalscorer.

For example, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, he’s scored 21 goals and provided 23 assists in 90 appearances, totalling 6815 minutes.

In other words, the Liverpool-born “nightmare,” as he described himself, has averaged a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 154.88 minutes across the last two years.

In contrast, Gabriel Martinelli, who he’d likely replace, has scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in 95 games, totalling 6204 minutes in the same period, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.27 games, or every 213.93 minutes.

Gordon vs Martinelli since 23/24

23/24

Gordon

Martinelli

Appearances

48

44

Minutes

3869′

2640′

Goals

12

8

Assists

16

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

138.17′

203.07′

24/25

Gordon

Martinelli

Appearances

42

51

Minutes

2946′

3564′

Goals

9

10

Assists

7

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

0.31

Minutes per Goal Involvement

184.12′

222.75′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Finally, in addition to his output, the former Everton gem also ranked in the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers for passes into the penalty area last season, according to FBref.

This is important because, by looking at the Swedish goal machine’s heatmap from last season, it’s evident that he likes to spend as much time in the penalty area as possible.

Therefore, to get the most out of him, his teammates need to get the ball to him in dangerous areas, which is something the Toon star could do based on that metric.

Ultimately, Gyokeres has the potential to be a game-changing signing for Arsenal, and Arteta and Co. could get even more out of him by pairing him up with Gordon.

Related As exciting as Gyokeres: £80m "superstar" now open to signing for Arsenal

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Sri Lanka have a three-month gap in their international schedule after the Champions Trophy, which could allow their Test players to feature in the early stages of the county season

Matt Roller28-Aug-2024Dhananjaya de Silva hopes that his Sri Lanka team-mates can earn more opportunities in county cricket through their performances in England, which he believes would be particularly beneficial to their batters.Counties have been allowed to field two overseas players in their XI in each format since 2021. A relaxation of visa criteria has enabled a series of players with minimal or no international experience to win deals, yet Sri Lanka’s squad have largely found themselves overlooked – in part because of their touring commitments.Vishwa Fernando is the only member of the 18-man touring party to feature in the Championship this year, playing three matches for Yorkshire after making two appearances for Durham at the end of last season. Dimuth Karunaratne (three games for Yorkshire) and Asitha Fernando (two for Nottinghamshire) have also featured previously.Related

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Dinesh Chandimal revealed in Manchester that he has been trying to secure a county contract without success. “The last few years, I wanted to get a county deal,” Chandimal, who has scored 15 Test hundreds, said. “I didn’t get it so far. If I can do well in this series, hopefully I will be picked by one of the counties. It is my dream to play a season of county cricket.”Speaking ahead of Thursday’s second Test at Lord’s, Dhananjaya confirmed his own aspirations to play in the Championship. “Playing in these conditions will be better for the batsmen,” he said. “We are only getting the chance while we’re touring here. But if the batsmen can play county [cricket], it’ll be nice for them.”Sri Lanka have a three-month gap in their international schedule after the Champions Trophy, which could allow their Test players to feature in the early stages of the county season. Wanindu Hasaranga, who is not part of their Test squad, has twice signed for Manchester Originals in the Hundred but has been denied No-Objection Certificates by SLC.Dhananjaya said that Sri Lanka have prepared well for the second Test and will make two changes, with Pathum Nissanka – who has thrived in ODIs this year – and Lahiru Kumara replacing Kusal Mendis and Vishwa Fernando. “Overall, Pathum is the best batter in the country at the moment,” Dhananjaya said. “He has a good mindset and he has a good technique.”He also played down the absence of Mark Wood, suggesting that Chris Woakes had been harder to face. “The speed is not troubling me, but the line and length,” Dhananjaya said. “The opening bowler, he bowls in one area for 20 to 30 balls and that’s the problem we have: with the swinging ball, not the pace… if the plans work here, we’ll get on top.”

West Ham United have now opened talks to sign a “phenomenal” Tottenham Hotspur target, who is tempted by a move to the London Stadium this summer, according to a report.

West Ham looking to get revenge for Kudus

It will, of course, be a huge disappointment that Mohammed Kudus decided to join one of West Ham’s biggest rivals, and the forward has continued to make the headlines since sealing a move across the capital.

Upon arriving in north London, Kudus insisted he “only wanted Spurs” in his first interview, and there could be justified anger about the way in which he went about getting the move in the first place, having allegedly refused to return to pre-season training.

Losing a player of the winger’s quality to one of their bitter rivals will be a bitter pill for Hammers fans to swallow, but there has now been a suggestion that they could get instant revenge by swooping in and signing one of Tottenham’s transfer targets.

According to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), West Ham have now entered negotiations to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, and they are more determined to get a deal over the line than any other club in the race for his signature.

Luiz is also on Spurs’ transfer shortlist, with reports suggesting the midfielder would be keen on a move to north London, however, it has now been revealed that he is tempted by a move to the London Stadium, with the Irons currently working to find an agreement.

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A deal will not be cheap, with Juventus setting an asking price of €40m (£35m), but the Italian club are also open to more creative ways of getting the Brazilian off the books, with an expensive loan also on the table, including an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met.

"Phenomenal" Luiz could be statement signing for West Ham

Of course, it will be difficult to compete with Tottenham, given that Champions League football is on offer in north London next season, but the Juventus maestro could be a real statement signing if the Hammers are able to get a deal over the line.

Crucially, the former Aston Villa man is already proven in the Premier League, catching pundit Lee Hendrie’s eye during his spell at Villa Park.

Hendrie said: “He continues to have an absolutely unbelievable season doesn’t he, scoring goals? But that’s his bread and butter, getting back, doing the horrible side of the game and having quality amongst that is absolutely phenomenal.”

As pointed out by Hendrie, the 27-year-old is a very well-rounded midfielder, having particularly impressed going forward in his final season with Villa, regularly chipping in with goals and assists in all competitions.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

35

9

5

FA Cup

3

0

1

Conference League

12

0

4

Consequently, Luiz could be a fantastic signing for West Ham, with the central midfielder now desperate to seal a return to the Premier League.

Liverpool’s backline will already have a fresh look next season, amid the arrivals of both Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong at full-back, although that might not be the end of the overhaul if reports are to be believed.

Indeed, the search for a long-term partner or successor to Virgil van Dijk continues, not least with the Merseysiders having already cashed in on 22-year-old starlet, Jarell Quansah, following his £35m switch to Bayer Leverkusen.

A key part of England’s success at the U21 European Championships this summer, the academy graduate has somewhat surprisingly been let go by Arne Slot, albeit while having been restricted to just four Premier League starts last time out.

That departure may not be too much of a blow when taking that limited involvement into consideration, although further upheaval could lie in store, with Ibrahim Konate reportedly holding out for a move to Real Madrid next summer.

Reports have indicated that the Frenchman – who has just 12 months left on his contract – is willing to run down that deal in order to follow Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu, with that uncertainty only heightening the need for at least one new recruit in the centre of the defence.

Latest on Liverpool's centre-back search

Speaking of contract uncertainty, reports have suggested that the Reds could be ready to make the most of Marc Guehi’s situation at Crystal Palace, with the Eagles skipper also into the last year of his deal at Selhurst Park.

There have been claims that personal terms have already been struck with the England international, although any noise has quietened down of late, with those at Anfield having also previously been in the mix for ex-Bournemouth sensation, Dean Huijsen.

With the Spaniard having since sealed a £50m switch to Madrid, Liverpool have been left seeking alternatives, with talkSPORT outlining that the Premier League champions could well be in the mix for Parma teenager, Giovanni Leoni.

As per the report, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur appear to be among ten top-flight clubs in England who have made an enquiry for the 18-year-old, with the youngster fresh off the back of an impressive first season in Serie A.

Transfer Focus

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

A swift exit could well be on the cards as a result of that fine start to life in Parma, albeit with it yet to be seen whether the Inter Milan target would be willing to move to the Premier League, with his preference said to be to remain in Italy.

Why Liverpool should make a move for Leoni

At a time when Konate appears to be angling for an exit in the near future – with Quansah already departing – there might well be a desire for Slot to acquire a ready-made, proven option like Guehi to partner Van Dijk, with the 24-year-old having only recently played his part in Palace’s shock FA Cup triumph.

That said, a more long-term option like young Leoni certainly shouldn’t be overlooked, with the in-demand defender arguably “one of the most complete teenage centre-backs in Europe”, in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig.

While the former Sampdoria and Padova starlet has only enjoyed a solitary season in Serie A, that relative lack of experience should not be of too great a concern, not least considering the impact that the aforementioned Huijsen made for Bournemouth last season.

Signed from Juventus after a six-month stint with Roma at the end of 2023/24, the Netherlands-born star had made just 14 Serie A appearances prior to joining the Cherries, with a period of adaptation likely to have been expected.

As it proved, the now 20-year-old proved to be a real standout figure in Andoni Iraola’s exciting side, having made 32 Premier League appearances in all, with pundit Jamie Redknapp highlighting the way he “makes the game look effortless”.

That gamble more than paid off for those on the south coast, with perhaps now the time for Liverpool to replicate that trick with Leoni, with journalist Graeme Bailey even noting the likeness between the Italian and Huijsen:

“One scout has told me that Leoni is probably the best young defender he saw last season – composed, elegant and defensively astute. He actually compared him to Dean Huijsen.”

Games (starts)

14 (4)

17 (14)

Goals

2

1

Assists

0

0

Key passes*

0.1

0.1

Pass accuracy*

88%

89%

Tackles & interceptions*

1.0

1.7

Dribbled past*

0.2

0.3

Total duels won*

49%

61%

Possession lost*

4.7

5.1

A right-footed, 6 foot 5 centre-back – much like Huijsen – what particularly sets Leoni apart from his peers is his quality in possession, having averaged an 89% pass accuracy rate in Serie A last term, having lost possession just 5.1 times per game on average, as per Sofascore.

For context, Huijsen averaged 84% and 9.2 for those same two metrics last season, respectively, albeit while having featured 32 times in the league, with Leoni only making 17 appearances in Italy’s top-flight.

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Like Huijsen too, the Parma ace was only dribbled past 0.3 times per game, while he didn’t make a single error leading to a goal, thus showcasing an innate composure that perhaps belies his years.

And so, while Liverpool may have missed the boat on Madrid’s new hero, the opportunity to sign the next best thing is certainly not one to turn down.

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Setting his sights on further arrivals, Regis Le Bris is reportedly set to drive Sunderland’s move to sign a former Arsenal midfielder who he has already worked with in the past.

Commencing their summer business in style, the Black Cats are reportedly set to break their club-record deal to sign Habib Diarra from Strasbourg before also welcoming Reinildo from Atletico Madrid. An impressive double swoop, Le Bris will have himself a much-needed replacement for Jobe Bellingham as well as key depth at left-back.

Given that Leeds United were also interested in Diarra, Sunderland’s move looks all the more impressive. Those in Wearside, by outbidding another promoted side, are set to make quite the statement.

The Black Cats may not be finished with their spending, however. Names such as Charlie Creswell have threatened to steal the headlines as of late in what would be another big-money deal. The defender has impressed ever since swapping Leeds for French side Toulouse and could now be on his way back to English football as a result.

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Creswell’s arrival would deal Leeds another blow, who could watch on as their former player stars elsewhere in the Premier League next season. That said, he’s not the only name on Sunderland’s reported radar.

As well as strengthening their backline, those at the Stadium of Light have also reportedly turned their focus back towards their midfield and signing an ex-Arsenal player. Perhaps attempting to find a partner for Diarra, Le Bris is now reportedly driving the move.

Le Bris driving move to sign Matteo Guendouzi

According to their former chief scout Mick Brown, Le Bris is set to be the “driving force” as Sunderland race to sign Matteo Guendouzi. The Frenchman previously worked under the Sunderland boss during their time together at FC Lorient’s B team several years ago and could now finally have the chance to reunite with his former manager.

Speaking about the potential deal, Brown told Football Insider: “Sunderland are in a position where they feel they need to strengthen their squad. They need Premier League-level players and to get those you have to be ambitious in the market.

“A lot of it will depend on what sort of fee his club are going to demand for him. The manager is playing a big role in their recruitment so far and did the same when they were in the Championship, he appears to have good relationships in France. He’s worked with Guendouzi before and he’s going to be the driving force behind the move.”

Previously dubbed “impressive” by former Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, Guendouzi has unfinished business in the Premier League and could have the chance to return from Lazio with a bang courtesy of the Black Cats this summer.