Kevin De Bruyne has confirmed that "there is no problem" between him and his Napoli head coach Antonio Conte. The former Manchester City midfielder expressed his anger after being taken off in the 72nd minute of Napoli's 2-1 loss to AC Milan over the weekend, prompting Conte to fire a warning and stating that "if he was upset about something else he's got the wrong person."
De Bruyne's midfield masterclass in the Champions League
Just days after being on the losing side in a 2-1 result against AC Milan, De Bruyne took matters into his own hands from midfield and teed up Rasmus Hojlund twice to help Napoli beat Sporting CP 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Belgian became only the sixth player in the competition's history – after Angel Di Maria, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane – to deliver two or more assists on at least five separate occasions.
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Conte in no mood for tantrums
De Bruyne was substituted once again on Wednesday on the 81st minute mark. Over the weekend, the former Manchester City midfielder was brought off in the 72nd minute, much to his disappointment as he angrily gesticulated and expressed his disapproval of Conte's decision to take him off.
After the game, Conte delivered a strong message, emphasising that De Bruyne will need to accept his decisions moving forward. "I hope he was upset about the result because if he was upset about something else he's got the wrong person," said the Italian boss, even clarifying later by adding that "certain behaviours should be adopted" and that "those who don't know me make mistakes but it's up to me to correct the situation."
De Bruyne responds to Conte's warning
Speaking to after the win over Sporting, De Bruyne addressed rumours of a rift between him and the manager. "There's never been any problem with Conte. I'm a winner, I want to make a difference on the pitch," said the 34-year-old. "A lot has been said in recent days, but the truth is that there's no problem: I just want to play and have fun."
Conte, too, cleared the air from his side shortly afterward. "I have nothing to say to Kevin; he's a serious guy who works hard," said the former Chelsea and Juventus manager. "I understand that everyone wants to play, but I also want to win, and if I make a substitution, it's not to make things worse, but to bring home victories. Then again, I repeat, I want to win first; the team must work as a whole, no one excluded."
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When does De Bruyne play next?
De Bruyne will be keen on adding to his tally of three goals and two assists this season when Napoli welcome Genoa on Sunday. It's a crucial game for Conte's troops as they wouldn't ideally want to head into the international break without maximum points.
The franchise did not retain Faf du Plessis, who had led the team in IPL 2024
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2025Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to announce their captain for IPL 2025 on Thursday in Bengaluru.The name of the new captain could not be confirmed, but the frontrunner for the position is likely to be Virat Kohli, who had led the franchise from 2013 to 2021 before stepping down from the role. He had also stood in as captain for three matches in IPL 2023.Another option is middle-order batter Rajat Patidar, who has been with RCB since 2021 and was one of their three retained players ahead of the mega auction in November. Patidar, 31, was captain of his state team Madhya Pradesh in the 2024-25 seasons of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.RCB need a new captain after not retaining Faf du Plessis, who led them for three years from 2022 to 2024. They did not bid for du Plessis, 40, at the auction and he was sold to Delhi Capitals at base price.Du Plessis in turn had taken over the captaincy from Kohli, who ended his nine-season stint as RCB captain in 2021. To date, Kohli has led RCB in 143 matches in the IPL, the second highest for a captain after MS Dhoni. His record stands at 68 wins and 71 losses with four no-results. While RCB are yet to win the IPL, Kohli led them to the final in 2016, a season in which he scored a record 973 runs. He was the top-scorer in IPL 2024 too; his 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.69 playing an important role in RCB’s late dash into the playoffs where they lost the Eliminator.Apart from RCB, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals are the other teams yet to name their captains for the upcoming season. Shreyas Iyer, KKR’s captain last year, will lead Punjab Kings this year, while the former DC captain Rishabh Pant is now leading Lucknow Super Giants.
New Hundred role will run concurrently with existing duties at Derbyshire
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2025
Mickey Arthur will remain with Derbyshire during the Metro Bank One-Day Cup•Getty Images
Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket, is set to combine his duties at the club with a new role as director of cricket at Northern Superchargers.Derbyshire finished rock-bottom of the County Championship in 2024, with one win in 14 matches in Division Two, and failed to reach the knock-outs in either the T20 Blast or the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.However, Arthur’s managerial experience, which includes a recent stint as Pakistan’s team director, has proven attractive to Superchargers, where he will work alongside the men’s and women’s head coaches, Andrew Flintoff and Lisa Keightley.He will advise the Hundred teams on recruitment and offer support to the head coaches, but Derbyshire insist his role at Superchargers will be “largely hands-off”. He will remain with the county during the Metro Bank One-Day Cup which runs concurrently to the Hundred.”Derbyshire remains my primary focus and I’m committed to achieving our goals of bringing success to the club,” Arthur said. “We encourage all of our players and coaches to develop their skills in new environments and this is another example of that.”As a club, our personnel are in demand and that’s a testament to the work being done behind the scenes, and we are confident results will soon come on-field.”Ryan Duckett, Derbyshire’s chief executive, added: “Mickey remains fully committed to Derbyshire, he lives and breathes the club and we hope that he can use this opportunity to showcase the quality Derbyshire has.”It’s been a positive winter, with Mickey, Wayne [Madsen] and Zak [Chappell] lifting silverware overseas, while Harry Moore and Pat Brown have represented us within the England setup recently.”Our squad has been working hard over the winter, and this will ramp up even further over the next couple of months to give us the best possible chance of success in 2025, with an exciting summer ahead.”
أعلن المدير الفني لمنتخب البرتغال، روبرتو مارتينيز، قائمة اللاعبين المستدعاة لخوض مباراتي في فترة التوقف الدولي المرتقب لشهر أكتوبر الحالي، لعام 2025.
ويخوض منتخب البرتغال مباراتين ضد كل من أيرلندا والمجر، وذلك في خضم منافسات تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم، نسخة 2026 في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك.
اقرأ أيضًا.. الكشف عن رسالة رونالدو إلى سوبوسلاي بعد مباراة البرتغال والمجر
ويمتلك منتخب البرتغال 6 نقاط بعدما خاض مباراتين في تصفيات كأس العالم، المجموعة السادسة. قائمة منتخب البرتغال لمباراتي أيرلندا والمجر في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026
If we just forget about yesterday afternoon’s rather underwhelming North London Derby – it was just a friendly after all – it would be fair to say this has been a largely positive summer for Arsenal.
Aside from yesterday’s minor blip, Mikel Arteta’s side have looked good on the pitch, and the board have been hard at work in the transfer market off of it.
The North Londoners have made six permanent first-team additions thus far, and while the likes of Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke are certainly exciting additions, the most significant is undoubtedly Viktor Gyokeres, who finally completed his £63.5m transfer from Sporting CP last week.
However, even then, the club continue to be linked with a host of talented players, including the superb Rodrygo, although they may be wise to opt for another, cheaper international they’ve been linked with, someone who could be described as another Gyokeres.
Arsenal's pursuit of Rodrygo
There is no doubt that one of the most exciting transfer links for Arsenal fans this summer has been to Rodrygo, as the Brazilian international has been at the heart of so much of Real Madrid’s domestic and continental success over the last six years or so.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, over the last two and a bit seasons, he has been playing out of his favoured left-wing position, and that, combined with an absurd amount of talent at the Bernabeu, has supposedly seen him become available this summer.
There have been a host of top clubs linked with the 24-year-old so far this summer, and according to reports from earlier in the window, the Gunners are very much interested.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo
It’s not hard to see why Arteta and Co would be keen to bring him to London, as even when not in his best position, the former Santos gem is still effective.
For example, in 54 appearances last season, totalling 3452 minutes, he was able to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.16 games, or every 138.08 minutes.
However, with a price tag of up to £86m, according to some reports, Arsenal may want to look elsewhere for an attacker they’ve previously linked with, one who could be described as Gyokeres-esque: Ademola Lookman
Arsenal could sign Lookman instead
Now, it is undoubtedly the case that for much of the last couple of weeks it’s looked like Lookman would be heading to Inter Milan, but as things stand, that move appears to have stalled.
Atalanta's Davide Zappacosta celebrates scoring their fifth goal with AdemolaLookman
So, with Arsenal already being linked with him several times this window, there is no reason they couldn’t hijack the move.
With that said, three reasons make the Nigerian international a Gyokeres-esque signing, with the first reason being his senior journey.
Like the Swedish international, the former Everton ace spent some time in English football but was never really able to establish himself in the Premier League, as in total, he has a record of just 11 goals and six assists in 96 games across spells with the Toffees, Leicester City and Fulham.
Then, instead of accepting a bit-part role in England, the London-born dynamo decided to move to Europe, joined Atalanta in Serie A and has been a lean, mean goalscoring machine ever since.
Lookman’s recent form
Season
22/23
23/24
24/25
Appearances
33
45
40
Minutes
1858′
2809′
2871′
Goals
15
17
20
Assists
8
10
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.69
0.60
0.67
Minutes per Goal Involvement
80.78′
104.03′
106.33
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In fact, in the three seasons he’s spent in Bergamo, the “world-class” star, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, has an incredible record of 52 goals and 25 assists in 118 appearances, totalling 7538 minutes.
In other words, the 29-capped international has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes since joining the Serie A side, which is probably reason enough for the Gunners to consider him over Rodrygo.
Finally, at 27 years old, the Europa League winner is the same age as Gyokeres and should be ready to have an instant impact at the Emirates in a season in which the North Londoners have to win something.
Ultimately, Rodrygo would be a great signing, but at potentially just £43m and with the incredible record he has, Lookman might just be the better option.
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She joins spinners Priyadharshani, Kumari and Dilhari, who may all play a role throughout the campaign
Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Sep-2024Left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera, 38, has been named in Sri Lanka’s women’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad, with 21-year-old seamer Kawya Kavindi making way. Ranaweera had been left out of the squad for the women’s Asia Cup, which Sri Lanka won, in July. She had also been omitted from Sri Lanka’s squads to Ireland, more recently.But with the T20 World Cup likely to be played on pitches that favour spin in the UAE, the experienced Ranaweera has been recalled. Although her bowling has not been especially penetrative in the shortest format this year, she does have 91 T20I wickets from 82 appearances for Sri Lanka, with an economy rate of 5.86.Kavindi’s omission, however, means Sri Lanka have just three main seam-bowling options in their World Cup squad: Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, and Ama Kanchana.Related
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Their spin cupboard is fuller. Ranaweera joins Inoshi Priyadharshani, Sugandika Kumari, and Kavisha Dilhari, who may all play a role throughout the campaign. There is also always the offspin of captain Chamari Athapaththu.On the batting front, a Sri Lanka squad has never looked stronger. In addition to their talisman Athapaththu, the likes of Harshitha Samarawickrama, and 18-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne have also been among the runs in the last few months. Their triumph in the Asia Cup will give them confidence that they can push for a place in the final four of the T20 World Cup.The World Cup is scheduled to begin on October 3. Sri Lanka are in Group A for the first round, alongside Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and India.Sri Lanka squad for T20 World Cup 2024Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshi de Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika KumariTravelling reserve: Kaushini Nuthyangana
Thomas Frank will be entering the biggest season of his managerial career in 2025/26, as he looks to take Tottenham Hotspur to the next level after his appointment this summer.
The Dane spent seven years in charge of Brentford across the capital, but he’s now been tasked with the challenge of leading the Lilywhites back to the top end of the Premier League.
Whilst he’s constantly thrived during his stint with the Bees, the expectations of the fanbase of Spurs will bring added pressure to him in his quest for success in North London.
The Europa League success back in May will only heighten the need for added trophies in the years ahead, with the fanbase wanting to reach the next level under Frank’s guidance.
Undoubtedly, he will want to make his own mark on the side, needing funds to make additions to land the players he craves, with numerous players already on their radar.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer
Attackers have been the main focus for Frank in recent weeks, with numerous forwards already touted with a move to join Spurs during the current window.
Antoine Semenyo, Rodrygo and Xavi Simons have all been touted with big-money moves to join the Lilywhites, as the hierarchy look to back the Dane in his quest for success.
Xavi Simons celebrates
However, none of the aforementioned stars have been close to a move, but the same can’t be said for West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus, who’s emerged as a key target.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed that positive talks have commenced over a deal to sign the 24-year-old winger this summer, with the player himself wanting a move to join the club.
However, any deal could prove to be an expensive one, with the Ghanaian currently having a £85m release clause within his contract at the London Stadium.
Why Kudus would be a better signing than Eze for Spurs
In their quest for added attacking reinforcements, Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has been strongly linked with a move to join Spurs this summer, but not for the first time in his career.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
He’s been a player firmly on their radar over the past couple of years, but no deal has ever been agreed for his services, however, that could change this summer.
The 27-year-old currently has a £68m release clause in his contract, a deal which could be a bargain given his tally of 14 goals and 12 assists across all competitions last season.
However, it appears as though they will face stiff competition from North London rivals Arsenal, after they made contact with his representatives over a move to the Emirates.
The Spurs fanbase shouldn’t worry, with a move for Kudus being a better addition, having the tools to become a key player in Frank’s ambitions of taking the side to the next level.
When comparing the player’s respective stats from the 2024/25 campaign, the West Ham star has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, highlighting the talent he possesses.
Kudus, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist Joel Bortey, has registered a higher shot on target rate, demonstrating his accuracy within the final third.
Games played
32
34
Goals & assists
8
16
Shot on target accuracy
28%
27%
Pass accuracy
84%
74%
Take-ons completed
3.2
2.3
Carries into final third
2.1
1.6
Carries into opposition box
1.5
0.7
Fouls won
2.2
1.7
He’s also completed more take-ons per 90, along with more carries into the opposition penalty areas, showcasing his desire to get the ball forward at any given opportunity.
The Ghanaian has also won more fouls per 90 and completed more of the passes he’s attempted, offering a real nuisance to the opposition’s backline – something which has been desperately missing in North London.
It’s unclear if Spurs will negotiate a deal for the winger this summer, but it’s evident that he could provide Frank with the tools to thrive in his first season in charge.
Eze will remain as a key target no doubt, but it’s clear that Kudus is a better option in attacking areas, with the hierarchy desperately needing to pursue a move for his signature.
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Whilst Daniel Farke will want to keep the main ingredients of his Leeds United camp together, which just sealed a fantastic Championship title success, he will be very aware that some stars from that promotion journey might not be able to cut it in the intense environment of the Premier League.
After all, despite Ipswich Town cruising to automatic promotion alongside Leicester City during the 2023/24 campaign, both of those previously high-flying outfits have now been hit over the head with the reality of relegation, alongside an equally dire Southampton side.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkebefore the match
Therefore, if there is an upgrade available to Farke, he should bring them into the building with open arms.
Leeds could consider loan swoop for Aaronson upgrade
As per a report from journalist Alan Nixon, Leeds have been ‘looking at’ signing long-term target £15m-rated Emiliano Buendia, with Aston Villa preparing to loan him out again this summer.
The report states that Unai Emery’s Villans are seeking out a fresh loan destination for Farke’s former Norwich City wizard, and this availability will surely pique the interest of the German situated in the Whites dug-out after promotion.
Nixon further elaborates that the Whites will wait it out, however, considering they are only allowed two Premier League loan arrivals. But, the silky South American has starred under Farke before, so the temptation will surely be palpable for a reunion.
Adding Buendia will also gift the former Canaries boss more freedom in the number ten spot in his starting lineups to come, with a worry that Brenden Aaronson just isn’t well-equipped to be a dangerous attacking midfield force up a level, having struggled in the elite league before.
How Buendia could be a huge upgrade on Aaronson
When Buendia has been injury-free at Villa Park, he has more than shown off his suitable nature for the testing division.
Indeed, minus picking up eight goal contributions for Norwich during his debut season at that level under Farke, a further 17 of the Argentine attacker’s goal and assist tally in the Premier League have come about when donning Villa claret and blue.
Unfortunately for Aaronson, away from just helping Leeds seal the title with a respectable nine goals and two assists, he can only boast one goal and three assists next to his name in the deep-end of the Premier League, with his spell so dismal that he was chucked out on loan to Union Berlin.
Therefore, if there is an opportunity to bring in one of Farke’s former Carrow Road favourites, Leeds should persist, with Buendia not just comfortable playing in a number ten spot to potentially usurp Aaronson, meaning he could also offer the Whites plenty of versatility ahead of the gruelling 38-game marathon to come.
RW
129
25
43
AM
88
13
10
LW
44
9
7
RM
8
0
1
SS
4
0
0
CF
3
0
0
RB
3
0
0
LM
2
1
0
CM
1
0
0
Judging by the numbers, Buendia is actually more adept playing as a right winger than an out-and-out number ten.
Former Norwich midfielder Emi Buendia.
As a result, the “outstanding” South American – as Farke once waxed called him – could give the likes of Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto a run for their money, away from stealing the American’s starting space.
Having also played in the Champions League last season with Bayer Leverkusen, this could be just one temporary signing, alongside other new recruits entering Elland Road, that allows Leeds to compete in the big time, knowing he has what it takes to dazzle some tough defenders.
Former Norwich attacker Emi Buendia.
Whilst Aaronson didn’t miss a single game in the Championship last season, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether, as plans begin to be put in place to ensure Leeds upgrade all over the park.
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It now feels more like a matter of when and not if Ange Postecoglou is relieved of his duties as Tottenham Hotspur manager.
The Australian coach has done well enough in the Europa League this year and stands one game away from the final, but in the Premier League, they sit in 16th place with 19 defeats to their name.
Understandably, then, there have been numerous reports in recent weeks linking a number of top-class managers with the club, with Andoni Iraola being one of the most notable.
Yet, while the Spaniard would likely do a brilliant job, a recent report has now linked the North Londoners with an even better candidate.
Tottenham's manager search
Before getting to the manager in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other names that have been linked with the Tottenham job in recent weeks, such as Niko Kovač and Oliver Glasner.
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The former would be difficult to take away from Borussia Dortmund, but it would almost certainly be worth the effort, as not only has he turned the side around, but he’s also got an impressive track record of winning major silverware with Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Interestingly, Glasner has also got a track record of success with Frankfurt, winning the Europa League with them in 2022, and on top of that, he’s led Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final this season, which would have been unthinkable when he took over.
Yet, to be comfortably described as ‘far better than Iraola,’ Spurs potential hire would have had to do something even bigger than that in recent years, which is where Xavi Hernández comes in.
According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in hiring the former Barcelona boss.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that German giants Bayer Leverkusen and Saudi Pro-League side Al Hilal are also keen on the Spaniard.
As he’s currently unemployed, the World Cup winner has the luxury of joining whichever side he wants, so Daniel Levy and Co should do what they can to convince him, as he’d be an even better hire than Iraola.
Why Xavi would be a better hire than Iraola
So, if the decision Spurs have to make in the summer is between Xavi and Iraola, why should they go with the former?
First and foremost, while the Bournemouth manager did a great job getting Rayo Vallecano promoted to La Liga and has turned the Cherries into an upper mid-table Premier League side, he has no experience managing a huge club.
Moreover, this lack of experience at the top means we have no idea how he’d cope with the added pressure to get over the line in competitions.
In contrast, the former Barça boss led his former side to the title and Spanish in 22/23, which was their first in four years.
On top of that, when you compare their recent records, it further makes the case for the league winner, whom Joan Laporta dubbed “the best manager in the world.”
Games
143
84
Wins
91
34
Draws
23
20
Losses
29
30
Points per Game
2.07
1.45
For example, he won 91 games in charge of the Catalan giants, drew 23, lost 29 and averaged 2.07 points per game, while the Cherries boss has won 34 games, drawn 20 and lost 30 since taking the job on the south coast, which comes out to 1.45 points per game.
Ultimately, while Iraola would be a good hire for Spurs, Xavi has the experience and record to suggest he’d be an even better one.
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Chelsea’s striking woes continued when they were held to a 2-2 draw against 18th-placed Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson has gone 11 matches in all competitions without scoring a goal for the Blues, whilst Christopher Nkunku has scored one goal in his last 13 games in all competitions.
Chelsea'sNicolasJacksonreacts after sustaining an injury
Enzo Maresca does not have a lethal, powerful, centre-forward like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who has scored 21 goals in the top-flight this season.
Chelsea are, however, reportedly interested in signing a striker who could come in as their answer to the Norwegian marksman ahead of next season.
Chelsea eyeing Serie A marksman
According to CaughtOffside, the London giants are one of several Premier League clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Juventus number nine Dusan Vlahovic.
Juventus' DusanVlahovicduring the warm up
The report claims that Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Arsenal are also keen on the Serbian forward, and it reveals that the English teams keen on him could bid on his services at a fee of £39m.
This suggests that Chelsea could bid £39m in an attempt to sign Vlahovic from Juventus, who CaughtOffside claims are open to moving on from the striker this summer ahead of his contract expiring next year.
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It is now down to the club to agree a deal with the Old Lady to bring the left-footed marksman to Stamford Bridge, to give Maresca the chance to develop his own version of Haaland.
Why Dusan Vlahovic could be Chelsea's Erling Haalnd
Like the Man City star, Vlahovic is a bit of a throwback striker in style in the sense that he provides a physical presence, standing at 6 foot 3, at the top end of the pitch, combining power and pace with technical quality.
Just under three years ago, Serbian FA president Nenad Bjekovic claimed “Vlahovic is better and more complete than Haaland”, and added: “The Norwegian has devastating power, but Dusan is not inferior: there is also very little difference in their height.”
The 25-year-old star has not been at his best this season, with nine goals from 12.03 xG in the Serie A, but Chelsea could look at that as an opportunity to get a bargain on the forward.
Vlahovic has produced better performances in previous seasons, including his haul of 24 goals from 18.23 xG for Fiorentina and Juventus combined in the 2021/22 campaign, and the Blues could look to get him back to that level.
Appearances
27
33
25
xG
9.73
16.67
12.03
Goals
10
16
9
Minutes per goal
194
145
190
Big chances created
4
3
3
Assists
2
4
4
As you can see in the table above, the Serbian has had better campaigns in front of goal between that prolific 24-goal year and his current struggles.
Vlahovic, who was once described as “incredibly prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, has also scored four goals from 3.20 xG in six outings in the Champions League this term, which shows that he can also step up on the European stage.
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It would be a gamble for Chelsea to take, given his finishing struggles in the Serie A this season, but it is one that could pay off as he has the potential to be Maresca’s own version of Haaland, as a physically impressive and prolific striker, if he can recapture his form from previous campaigns.