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Since his return to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, Brendan Rodgers has been backed by the Celtic board in the transfer market in all three windows so far.

The biggest show of faith from the board so far has been the decision to break the club’s transfer record in an £11m swoop for Augsburg star Arne Engels.

However, his signings in his first window back at the club have not been hugely successful as a collective in their first 18 months or so in Glasgow.

Paulo Bernardo, who was on loan last term before joining permanently this summer, is the only one who remains a regular fixture in the side in the present day.

Celtic's 2023 summer signing woes

Per Transfermarkt, Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Luis Palma, and Odin Thiago Holm were the four most expensive signings in that transfer window, all costing £2.5m or more.

Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, and Holm combined for just 13 starts in the Scottish Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign, and none of them have started a game in the division this season, with Lagerbielke currently on loan with FC Twente.

Palma started well at Celtic, with five goals and nine assists in his first 16 league games, but has only produced two goals and zero assists in 16 Premiership matches in 2024.

One signing that may have gone under the radar as a flop from that summer of recruits has been Australia international Marco Tilio, who was brought in for a fee of £1.5m from Melbourne City.

Marco Tilio's Celtic struggles

Shortly before his official unveiling, Football FanCast suggested that Tilio could have been Rodgers’ own version of Manchester City star Phil Foden, as a diminutive, left-footed, attacking midfielder, who can play centrally or out wide.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig had named Foden as a “similar” type of player to the then-Melbourne star and listed dribbling, technique, and ball control among the £1.5m signing’s strengths, after a return of ten goals and five assists in 25 A-League starts in the 2022/23 campaign.

Tilio, however, arrived with an injury and was not fit until September 2023, which meant that he was already down the pecking order by the time he was available.

The winger went on to play just 28 minutes across two games against Hibernian and Motherwell in November and December 2023, as the winger failed to break into the starting XI, with the likes of Palma, Hyun-jun Yang, Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi, Hyeon-gyu Oh, and James Forrest ahead of him in the forward areas.

Tilio was then sent out on loan to Melbourne City for the second half of the season and scored one goal in four matches, whilst missing nine games through injury, before returning for a second loan there in the summer transfer window.

24/25 A-League	Marco Tilio
Appearances	3
Goals	1
Assists	0
Big chances created	0
Key passes per game	1.3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old attacker scored one goal in three matches at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, but he has been out with a hamstring injury since November and is expected to be back at the end of December.

So far, it has been £1.5m wasted for Celtic as they have only got 28 minutes of action from him in what will have been two years by the end of his current loan with Melbourne.

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His form in Australia, along with his continued injury issues, does not suggest that he is likely to return to Parkhead and live up to being their own version of Foden.

Tilio’s contract with Celtic does not expire until the summer of 2028, though, and there is still time for him to overcome his struggles, but it currently looks as though it was £1.5m wasted by the Scottish side.

There have been plenty of disappointing signings completed in the Premier League in 2024, but which players make up the top 10?

Another exciting year of Premier League action is nearly over, with drama taking place at both ends of the table during the past 12 months.

We have seen some exceptional new signings made by various clubs taking their teams to another level, but not every transfer can be a success, meaning some players will have managers regretting their decision in the market.

Here are our picks for the 10 worst signings in the Premier League in 2024.

10 Raheem Sterling Chelsea to Arsenal (loan)

Having been cast aside at Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca making it clear that there was no future for him at Stamford Bridge, Raheem Sterling completed a loan switch to Arsenal in the summer.

On the face of it, it looked like a shrewd piece of business by the Gunners, but now 30, the Englishman is a fading force. He has started just twice in the Premier League, despite the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard struggling for top form.

9 Savinho Troyes to Manchester City

When Savinho made his Manchester City debut against Chelsea on the opening weekend, it looked like the champions had signed the new Riyad Mahrez.

While much focus has been on City’s struggles in defence and midfield this season, the wide players have also been a big issue, including their new signing.

Savinho is yet to score in the Premier League, despite making 13 appearances, and a lack of substance has become increasingly evident as the weeks have passed.

8 Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall Leicester City to Chelsea

When Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall joined Chelsea from Leicester City, there was arguably a nagging feeling that he wasn’t at the level required for the Blues.

Granted, Maresca knew him well from their time together with the Foxes, but he has struggled to make any kind of impression this season, featuring for just 56 minutes in the Premier League in the first 16 matches.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez look on a different level to him and his move has so far been a colossal waste of money.

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2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024 7 James Ward-Prowse West Ham to Nottingham Forest (loan)

Not many felt that James Ward-Prowse’s loan move from West Ham United to Nottingham Forest in the summer was bad business, with the midfielder’s experience and set-piece ability having the potential to make him a good signing.

But while Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have shone in 2024/25 to date, the Englishman hasn’t, only managing sporadic outings in the league and looking like a player past his best.

A red card against Chelsea summed up a disappointing campaign thus far for Ward-Prowse.

6 Ben Brereton Diaz Villarreal to Southampton

Southampton knew the importance of signing a top striker after their promotion from the Championship, and Ben Brereton Diaz was brought in as the man to add extra firepower.

The Chile international may have done relatively well at Sheffield United last season, scoring 6 goals in 14 league appearances, but he has flopped badly for Saints, not yet netting in the competition this term.

5 Kalvin Phillips Manchester City to Ipswich Town (loan)

The manner in which Kalvin Phillips’ career has drifted in recent years has been sad to see, having become such an important player for Leeds United and England at the turn of the decade.

Ipswich Town offered the midfielder a chance to end a miserable spell at Manchester City, signing him on loan, but he has continued to be an ineffective figure.

Phillips has managed seven Premier League starts, but his influence has not been what Kieran McKenna hoped for, hence him not being a regular starter.

4 Matthijs de Ligt Bayern Munich to Manchester United

It was clear that Manchester United needed at least one new centre-back signing in the summer, and Matthijs de Ligt came in as a high-profile £42.9m acquisition alongside youngster Leny Yoro.

The fact that Bayern Munich were willing to sell the Netherlands international acted as a potential warning sign to the Red Devils, and the defender has struggled in these opening months of the season.

In truth, De Ligt hasn’t looked like much of an upgrade on Harry Maguire, which is damning in itself, often finding himself at the scene of the crime when goals are conceded, and generally looking a long way from the prodigious talent that emerged at Ajax.

3 Joao Felix Atletico Madrid to Chelsea

A former Golden Boy winner, Joao Felix’s permanent move to Chelsea in the summer felt exciting following his previous loan spell.

While plenty of attacking players at Stamford Bridge have shone from Cole Palmer to Noni Madueke, the Portuguese has been a spectator for much of the campaign.

Felix has started only twice in the league and scored just once in nine games in the competition, and now 25 years of age, he is in danger of not reaching his vast potential.

2 Eddie Nketiah Arsenal to Crystal Palace

Eddie Nketiah’s time at Arsenal reached its natural conclusion at the end of last season, as it became abundantly clear that he was never going to be up to the level required to be a top player at the Emirates.

The English striker’s £30m move to Crystal Palace was always going to be intriguing, and while there was hope that he could flourish in south London, he has endured a horrible season to date.

Nketiah hasn’t scored in his first 13 Premier League appearances and his confidence appears to be extremely low, as summed up by a poor one-on-one finish against Brighton.

1 Joshua Zirkzee Bologna to Manchester United

Manchester United signed Joshua Zirkzee for £36.5m during the summer window, and while far from a vast amount in the modern game, he has still been a huge flop, failing to come close to justifying his price tag.

The Dutchman may have scored the winner on his debut at home to Fulham, but since then, he has netted in just one other game in the Premier League, as well as lacking the pace to be a dangerous threat in the final third.

While Rasmus Hojlund is raw but has clear potential, it’s hard to see Zirkzee being a success under Ruben Amorim, so it wouldn’t be a shock if he lasted no more than one season at Old Trafford.

Welsh Fire hit rock-bottom after slipping to sixth consecutive defeat

Harshini Mehta24-Aug-2022Dan Lawrence starred with bat and ball as London Spirit recorded their fifth victory out of six in their Hundred campaign, beating winless Welsh Fire by 18 runs.The England international top-scored for his side with an impressive 43 off 26 and with Adam Rossington and Ben McDermott weighing in with 32 apiece, Spirit set a challenging target of 157 despite Ish Sodhi’s tight spell on debut.Lawrence made sure that total was never seriously challenged as he decimated Fire’s top order with 4 for 20, and despite some explosive hitting from the middle order, Fire came up short.Related

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After Fire won the toss and chose to field, Spirit opener Rossington produced the early pyrotechnics with a flurry of boundaries off Dwaine Pretorius and David Payne. His partner Daniel Bell-Drummond was undone by a beauty from Jake Ball, but Rossington’s brutal striking brought the hosts to 41 for one at the end of the powerplay.Sodhi, Fire’s replacement for Adam Zampa, applied the brakes, only giving away two runs in his first five and pressure told when Rossington slog-swept the New Zealand legspinner straight down Ben Duckett’s throat in the deep. Eoin Morgan went without scoring but McDermott picked up where Rossington had left off, smashing his second six over long-on.McDermott too though fell to Sodhi’s wizardry at which point he had 2 for 6 in 14 deliveries. But Lawrence caused a dent in his bowling figures, twice planting him into the Grandstand.A third six to the long side followed as he endangered the cameras beyond the longer square boundary and with Kieron Pollard also clearing the ropes in his last appearance before making his way back to the Caribbean Premier League, Spirit posted a competitive 156.Dan Lawrence gets down to slog-sweep•ECB/Getty ImagesFire struggled for momentum from the off, taking 17 balls to find the boundary and the out-of-form Joe Clarke holed out soon afterwards off the bowling of Thompson trying to go the aerial route.Thereafter Lawrence returned to centre stage – his delivery to captain Josh Cobb caused him to skew his effort and he was comfortably caught by Bell-Drummond; two balls later, he yorked Bethell with a beauty and David Miller’s effort was seized by Pollard on the boundary edge.Pretorius and Duckett briefly raised Fire’s hopes with a partnership of 52 off 28, the latter striking two big sixes, but Lawrence returned to castle Duckett with the last ball of his spell.Leus du Plooy took up the challenge clubbing consecutive sixes and Matt Critchley blazed 21 from six balls, but Chris Wood dismissed both in the final set of five to finish with 4 for 28 as Spirit clinched victory.

Birmingham City are believed to be preparing an offer to sign a defensive beast in the January transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

Birmingham eyeing immediate Championship return under Davies

It has been a positive start to the season for the Blues, who sit top of the League One table and in pole position to seal a quickfire return to the Championship.

Birmingham have opened up a three-point between themselves and second-place Wycombe Wanderers, and perhaps most importantly, they have a four-point advantage over Wrexham, who have also played a game extra but were also fancied by many to be among the leading clubs to go up.

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At this point, it would be a surprise if Chris Davies’ side didn’t return to the Championship at the first attempt – it would arguably even be a big disappointment, given their start to the campaign – and it is an exciting time for supporters with Tom Wagner and Tom Brady heavily involved behind the scenes, giving the club something of a Hollywood feel not dissimilar to promotion rivals Wrexham.

The January transfer window will provide Birmingham with an opportunity to bring in more reinforcements and strengthen Davies’ squad, and it looks as though that may be the case, following a new claim.

Birmingham preparing new offer for defensive beast

According to Football Insider, Birmingham are readying an improved offer for Hannover 96 centre-back Phil Neumann in January, having shown an interest in him during the summer transfer window.

The report points out that the League One side “had a £3.4million offer knocked back by the German outfit” at that point, as they held firm and ensured he remained at the club for the time being.

Neumann could be an ideal addition for Birmingham, adding more quality to the back-line for the second half of the season and hopefully being viewed as a player who could then thrive in the Championship next season and beyond.

At 27 years of age, the German now possesses a huge amount of experience, and he has a total of 168 appearances to his name in the 2.Bundesliga. He has scored four goals and registered eight assists for good measure.

Neumann has started 11 matches in the league this season, averaging an impressive number of clearances per game, and on top of that, good stats for aerial duels won per game and interceptions per match.

Appearances

11

Starts

11

Minutes played

990

Goals

0

Assists

0

Clearances per game

4.5

Aerial duel wins per game

2.5

Interceptions per game

1.9

It could feel like a statement signing if Birmingham get it done, not to mention impressive work by Wanger and Brady, further suggesting that exciting years could lie ahead. Building from a position of strength is always hugely important and that’s exactly what the Blues may well be doing if they got a deal over the line.

After serving as the catalyst for KKR’s 2014 IPL title run, Robin Uthappa’s early season struggles typified the Knight Riders’ fortunes. But Thursday’s win over Super Kings showed last year’s magic was still there just waiting to be stirred

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Kolkata30-Apr-2015Earlier that over, Manish Pandey had pulled a long-hop straight into deep midwicket’s hands. Now Robin Uthappa skipped down the track, looking to clip Pawan Negi to long-on. He didn’t quite reach the pitch of the ball. It gripped, turned past the closed face of his bat and clanged in and out of MS Dhoni’s gloves behind the stumps.This was the ninth over of Kolkata Knight Riders’ innings. They were 57 for 2, chasing 166, and their required rate was approaching 10 an over.Uthappa had made 34 and 39 in his last two matches. Knight Riders’ had lost both of them, losing steam after getting off to good starts in chases. Had Dhoni completed the stumping now, Uthappa would have been out for 28.At a similar stage in Chennai Super Kings’ innings, Uthappa had been similarly iron-gloved behind the stumps, failing to catch Dwayne Bravo when he nicked a googly from Brad Hogg. He had also shown lead feet twice in the early overs, diving late and awkwardly to let through five wides and then four runs off Brendon McCullum’s gloves, both off Pat Cummins’ bowling.Uthappa is no keeper. He performs the task eagerly and he presumably works hard on it, but he doesn’t move like someone who has done it all his life. Why would he? It is a difficult job. It is a specialist job. Like Kedar Jadhav and Ambati Rayudu – who wear the big gloves on and off for Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians – Uthappa keeps wicket to give his team the option of lengthening their batting or, occasionally, to fit in an extra bowler.It is an uneasy compromise, and it is likely Knight Riders treat his occasional lapses behind the stumps as a price they are willing to pay because of what he gives them with the bat.Knight Riders won nine straight matches on their way to the 2014 title and most of those wins followed a simple formula: field first, restrict the opposition to 160 or less, and chase it down with minimal fuss. The lack of fuss was largely down to the starts Uthappa gave them. He made ten successive 40-plus scores.After a slow start to the season, Uthappa had fallen just short of 40 in successive games and Knight Riders had fallen just short of chasing down reasonable targets. Now Uthappa had another shot at taking his team home.Given the start Chennai Super Kings made racing to 64 for 2 in five overs, it was quite a feat that Knight Riders restricted them to 165. A spin-friendly pitch played its part, but part of the reason had also been Super Kings’ overly aggressive approach.Suresh Raina yet again showed a tendency to throw his wicket away after an early sequence of dot balls. Brendon McCullum rushed to 32 off 11 before falling lbw to Hogg, trying to heave the spinner’s first ball across the line. Faf du Plessis, who had spanked Piyush Chawla for three gorgeous fours through the off side in the previous over, ran down the pitch and swiped at thin air playing across the line to Hogg’s googly.Knight Riders batsmen had shown the same sort of tendency too. Pandey was out to a soft dismissal. Gautam Gambhir top-edged an attempted leg-side swipe to third man. Immediately after Uthappa’s let-off, Suryakumar Yadav fell exactly like Gambhir.All those batsmen, from both sides, were either batting fluently or new to the crease when they were dismissed. Uthappa, on the other hand, was looking scratchy. He began his innings with a beautifully timed clip off his legs against Mohit Sharma, but since then had quietened, especially against Negi’s darts which were spinning sharply and causing problems.A lot of these problems were down to Uthappa’s tendency to play around his front pad. He has worked hard on this over the last couple of years. He has remodeled his pick-up and backlift to ensure his bat comes down in a far straighter line than it used to, and after every ball he plays a shadow front-foot drive – from that half-forward trigger movement, with his wrist cocking simultaneously to bring his bat up near his right shoulder, to the checked finish with the full face showing.Against the fast bowlers, Uthappa was generally getting it right. Against Negi, who was angling the ball into him with his low, round-arm style, Uthappa’s old instincts were taking over. On a surface with less help for the spinners, he might have got away with it chanceless. Here, he only got away thanks to Dhoni’s hard hands.If Uthappa had been out, it would have been out to a mixture of a good ball and a genuine weakness. He wouldn’t have thrown his wicket away. In Twenty20, the concept of ‘throwing your wicket away’ doesn’t carry the same weight of meaning that it does in the longer formats, but in this game, in this Kolkata Knight Riders chase, Uthappa’s role was to stay in the middle. They had the batting depth to be able to pull it off around him.Therefore, Uthappa didn’t attempt anything outrageous. He continued to flounder against Negi for a while and popped one off the leading edge not too far from short cover while trying to work Negi across the line again, but in between he simply drove down the ground or clipped off his pads, and picked up a couple of smart twos into the deep-set leg-side field.At the other end, Andre Russell gave him the room to play this way, carving Negi for a big six over cover, hoicking Ravindra Jadeja through midwicket and crashing Dwayne Bravo through point.The equation had come down to 63 off 36 when Ashish Nehra came back into the attack. The first ball was nice and full, within Uthappa’s driving arc. Down came that perfectly straight bat and the ball whistled low and flat over the long-on boundary. Nehra shortened his length a touch, Uthappa waited on him and used his pace and left-arm angle to guide him for two fours to the fine third man boundary. In the expanded repertoire of Twenty20, these were old-fashioned percentage shots. Fifteen came off that over and Knight Riders could see the finish line.With Russell doing the heavy lifting at the other end, Uthappa kept playing the percentage shots – even when it came down to six off six balls. He faced three balls in the final over, drove all of them down the ground, and picked up two singles and a double. He had set out to bat just this way, from start to finish.

Jordan Henderson has been linked with a sensational return to Sunderland and Dan Neil has now provided some interesting words regarding a possible reunion.

Henderson linked with Sunderland return

The Black Cats are flying this season, sitting five points clear at the top of the Championship table and excelling under new manager Regis Le Bris. On Saturday, they picked up a 2-0 win at home to Oxford United, as they continue to look like a side capable of winning the title.

While Sunderland have a squad brimming with quality, including highly-rated pair Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham, they are also a young group of players who could do with extra experience as the season goes on and more pressurised matches arrive.

Henderson has been backed to make a stunning return to his former club in recent months, having fallen out of favour at Ajax and generally lost his way since leaving Liverpool for the Saudi Pro League last year, in what represents a hugely exciting transfer rumour.

It has even been claimed that the 34-year-old is open to the idea of coming back to Sunderland after bursting onto the scene as a teenager, earning him a big-money move to Anfield in 2011 in the process.

Neil makes Henderson claim at Sunderland

In quotes provided by The Daily Mail, Sunderland ace Neil admitted he has spoken to Henderson in the past, adding that he would “love” to play with him at the Stadium of Light.

“Jordan is someone I’d love to play alongside, he’s a top quality player who has won everything in a great career so he’s welcome to come back if he wants. He’s inspired us local lads to keep striving to emulate him.

“I got in contact with him a couple of years back, and we met for a coffee. He gave me some good advice which I’ve kept to heart. It might be a bit nerve-wracking captaining a side with him in it but it’s something I’d happily do.”

Signing Henderson in January could prove to be a masterstroke by Le Bris, should the former Liverpool man be genuinely keen on an emotional reunion taking place.

The Englishman clearly isn’t the force he was during the peak of his powers at Liverpool during his late 20s and early 30s, during which time he captained the Reds to Premier League and Champions League glory, also winning multiple other trophies as skipper.

He is still good enough to be playing for Ajax, however, and there is no reason why he couldn’t be a real force back at Sunderland, putting his vast experience to good use and being a great foil for the likes of Rigg and Bellingham.

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Henderson may have to accept a squad role, considering how well the Black Cats are already doing this season, but he could ultimately be the cherry on top when it comes to Le Bris’ side being a Championship-winning outfit, coming to the fore in big matches and proving to be a calming presence.

Glasgow Rangers have a huge game in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to travel away from Ibrox to take on Aberdeen.

The Light Blues are currently six points behind the Dons in the table and have the chance to half that gap by collecting all three points on their travels tonight.

Aberdeen and Celtic are both sat on 25 points in the top-flight, with eight wins and one draw apiece, whilst Rangers are lagging behind on 19 points, having already lost twice in the division.

Philippe Clement needs his team to pull a top-class performance out to cut the gap and move closer to the top of the table to ensure that they do not drift away in the title race.

A defeat would already see them go nine points behind the Dons, and possibly Celtic if they win their match, which would be a sizeable points tally to overturn in the coming months.

Rangers are looking to win back-to-back matches in the Premiership after they picked up a 2-1 win against St Mirren at Ibrox last time out in the division, thanks to another strong performance from man-of-the-moment Vaclav Cerny.

Vaclav Cerny's recent form for Rangers

The Czechia international was signed on loan from Wolfsburg during the summer transfer window and has had an interesting time in Glasgow so far.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He produced one goal and two assists in his first six appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which was a promising start to life with the Light Blues.

However, the winger then went on a run of five matches without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts, a run in which Cerny appeared to snap back at some supporters during a game against Hibernian – after a section of the crowd hit out at some of his decisions on the ball.

The left-footed ace, though, did not let that affect him and he appears to be back at his best, with five goals and one assist in his last four games in all competitions.

Cerny registered braces against Kilmarnock and FCSB in the Premiership and the Europa League, and scored the winning goal against St Mirren last time out in the league.

Rangers will need the winger to be at his best to get the better of the Dons, who are yet to lose in the league, and will need the striker alongside him to carry their weight as well, which is why Hamza Igamane may be dropped from the starting XI for this game.

Hamza Igamane's performance against St Mirren in numbers

The 21-year-old centre-forward was handed a huge chance to showcase his quality from the start in the win over St Mirren last time out in the Premiership.

He had come off the bench to score against FCSB on Thursday night in the Europa League, brilliantly finding the bottom corner with a composed finish, and Clement rewarded that with a starting spot on Sunday.

A game against St Mirren at Ibrox in the league was a fantastic opportunity for Igamane to prove to Clement that he has what it takes to be starting week-in-week-out for the Gers, and that he can be the go-to guy for goals this season.

Unfortunately, Igamane did not grasp his chance to make a statement to the home supporters and failed to build on his promising cameo against FCSB in Europe.

Minutes played

45

Shots

0

Big chances created

0

Dribbles completed

0/1

Duels won

0/7

As you can see in the table above, the Morocco U23 international struggled badly in the opening 45 minutes of the match before being withdrawn by Clement.

The former FAR Rabat centre-forward failed to register a single effort on goal and did not create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates, which illustrates his lack of impact in the final third.

He also proved to be a liability out of possession for the Gers, losing all seven of his duels against opposition defenders, and these statistics do not suggest that he is the best option to lead the line against an in-form Aberdeen side.

Therefore, Clement must ruthlessly ditch Igamane from the starting XI in order to unleash Cyriel Dessers alongside Cerny as part of the front three this evening.

Why Cyriel Dessers should start

The Nigerian striker has had his fair share of criticism throughout his time at Ibrox and some of it has been justified, as his finishing has left a lot to be desired.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Dessers has missed a staggering 33 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership for the Light Blues, since Michael Beale signed him from Cremonese in the summer of 2023.

This shows that the 29-year-old forward is far from a lethal marksman who is likely to take the majority of the chances that fall his way in the box.

What you cannot fault Dessers for, however, is his movement in the box and his ability to generate high-quality openings for himself in front of goal, either with his own play or by moving to make angles for his teammates to pass to him.

The former Serie A attacker has still scored 19 goals in the division since the start of last season, despite missing 33 ‘big chances’, and that speaks to the quantity and quality of chances that he gets in front of goal.

Appearances

9

Goals

3

Big chances missed

6

Shots per game

2.0

Big chances created

3

As you can see in the table above, the £27k-per-week ace may not always take advantage of the chances that come his way but he is always a threat in front of goal.

Dessers, who Clement claimed has a “big heart”, has produced six goals and ‘big chances’ created in nine appearances in the division and averages two shots per game, which shows that the striker is always involved.

Therefore, the manager should unleash the experienced attacker from the start ahead of the inexperienced Igamane, as he may have a better chance of causing Aberdeen problems alongside Cerny.

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Eye-catching batting displays from IPL debutants Ayush Badoni and Abhinav Manohar also lit up a tense match at the Wankhede

Deivarayan Muthu28-Mar-2022Lucknow Super Giants threatened to become the first team to defend a target in IPL 2022, but late blows from David Miller, Rahul Tewatia and Abhinav Manohar ensured it was Gujarat Titans who won the battle of the new teams.After Dushmantha Chameera and Avesh Khan bowled with rapid pace in the powerplay to begin Super Giants’ defence of 158, their spinners brought them control, despite the dew setting in at the Wankhede Stadium. Krunal Pandya, who bowled to Hardik Pandya (33 off 28 balls) for the first time in an official match, bested his younger brother. In the next over, Deepak Hooda bowled Matthew Wade for 30 off 29 balls.It left Titans needing 81 off 49 balls, with Abhinav, who had played all of four T20s before Monday, listed at No.7. With the left-handed pair of Miller and Tewatia in the middle, Rahul gave the offspinner Hooda another over, but the move worked against Super Giants as Tewatia and Miller walloped him for a four and a six each, narrowing the equation to 46 off 24 balls. As a result, Chameera, Super Giants’ most penetrative bowler on the day, bowled just three overs.Tewatia then laid into Ravi Bishnoi, before Avesh removed Miller in the 18th over to tighten the chase. Chameera tightened it even further with a nine-run penultimate over.Avesh was left to defend ten off the last over, but Abhinav and Tewatia coolly sealed the deal for Titans, with five wickets and two balls to spare.Shami scythes through top order
Mohammed Shami landed the very first ball of the match on a Test-match length with a bolt-upright seam. It veered in with the angle and then seamed away to scratch KL Rahul’s outside edge. The ball continued to nip around in the early exchanges, and Shami made two more incisions in the powerplay, storming through the defences of Quinton de Kock and Manish Pandey to leave Super Giants 29 for 4 in the fifth over. Varun Aaron, also struck in the powerplay, having Evin Lewis caught brilliantly by Shubman Gill off an uppish pull.Mohammed Shami picked up three wickets in three powerplay overs•BCCIThe Hooda-Badoni rescue act
Hooda was slow off the blocks and was on 7 off 15 balls at one point. He then lined up the seemingly weaker links in the Titans’ attack, taking Hardik and Aaron for 36 off 20 balls. In his first bowling shift in the IPL since the 2019 final for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings, Hardik went wicketless while giving up 37 runs in his four overs overall.When Rashid Khan pitched one in his slot, Hooda confidently slog-swept him for six, and moments later brought up his half-century off 36 balls. Ayush Badoni made a half-century of his own, on IPL debut, reaching the landmark with an audacious pulled six off Lockie Ferguson in the 19th over. From 47 for 4 at the halfway mark, Super Giants racked up 111 runs in their last ten overs, with Krunal also contributing an unbeaten 21 off 13.Chameera’s double-strike
Chameera might not even started the tournament had Mark Wood been fit. Having got his chance, he showed why he probably should be a regular in Super Giants’ XI by getting rid of both the Titans openers. In his first over, the Sri Lanka quick had Gill toe-ending a catch to point for a duck. Then, in his second, he yorked No.3 Vijay Shankar for 4 off 6 balls after having pushed him back with hard lengths.Tewatia and Abhinav finish it off
Wade and Hardik played themselves in and put on 57 in eight overs before falling within ten balls of each other. Titans needed a strong finishing kick, and it came from Tewatia, for whom they had forked out INR 9 crore at the auction earlier this year.He dominated a 60-run fifth-wicket stand with Miller, punishing the spinners in particular. All up, Tewatia struck 30 off 15 balls from Hooda and Bishnoi. After slog-sweeping Hooda for six, he reverse-swept Bishnoi for six, messing with the legspinner’s line and forcing him out of his comfort zone.Abhinav also stepped up under pressure, cracking the first two balls of the last over, bowled by Avesh, for fours. Fittingly, it was Tewatia who hit the winning runs, sparking big celebrations in Titans’ camp.

Santos have reportedly initiated transfer talks with Juventus for Arthur Melo after securing the services of Neymar from Al-Hilal.

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Neymar set to return to his boyhood clubBrazilian outfit looking for more quality reinforcementsHave already approached the Bianconeri for MeloFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Brazilian outletSantos have put forward a proposal to bring in Arthur on loan until the end of the current season, with an option to make the move permanent. He shares a strong bond with Neymar, having played alongside him in the Brazilian national team. However, at just 28 years old, Arthur finds himself on the fringes at Juventus, with the Italian club actively looking for ways to offload him.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Although Juventus included Arthur in their Champions League squad list, he has not been selected for a single match this season. During the last transfer window, the midfielder was hoping for either another loan spell or a permanent move, but no concrete offers materialised. In fact, Arthur’s last official appearance came on May 29, 2023, when he played 74 minutes for Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final. However, his team suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Greek side Olympiacos.

DID YOU KNOW?

Arthur began his professional career at Gremio, where he rose to prominence, winning the Copa do Brasil in 2016 and the Copa Libertadores in 2017. His impressive performances in Brazil attracted the attention of Barcelona, who secured his signature in 2018. During his time at Barca, Arthur played a key role in midfield, helping the club secure the 2018-19 La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

With Juventus looking to part ways with the midfielder, a move to Santos could present Arthur with a much-needed opportunity to revive his career. In his first two seasons in Turin, Arthur made more than 30 appearances each year. However, his role in the team diminished in the 2022-23 campaign, leading to a loan move to Liverpool. Unfortunately, his time in England was marred by injury, as he played just two matches before undergoing surgery for a thigh issue.

Liverpool and Arne Slot are keeping tabs on a new defender ahead of a potential summer move, it has been revealed, with the Reds’ backline in need of reinforcements.

Liverpool's defensive concerns

Though they have conceded just two goals in five games so far this season, there are longer-term concerns over the Liverpool defence. Of the Premier League winning back four, all of Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold remain, but the Scot and Van Dijk are now over 30 years old (33 in Van Dijk’s case) and there are concerns over Alexander-Arnold’s future amid interest from Real Madrid and an unclear contract stance.

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A centre-back is on their shopping list as they look to rejuvenate their backline, but there are also concerns at left-back. Kostas Tsimikas has been a valuable understudy but is unlikely to be able to take the first-choice mantle from Robertson, meaning that a new left-back may be required.

With that in mind, the Reds are keeping tabs on one Premier League star, and will have a chance to see him up close and personal this weekend.

Liverpool join queue for Premier League defender

That comes as Liverpool have been named as one of the sides keeping a close eye on Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, who can also play higher up in midfield or as a wing-back. The defender has also been on the radar of Manchester United in recent months, but is just 12 months into his £30,000 a week “long term” contract at the Vitality Stadium, and is unlikely to be available on the cheap.

That has not stopped interest from mounting though, and Liverpool are the latest side reportedly keeping tabs on the Hungarian international, who shares a dressing room with Dominik Szoboszlai on international duty.

As per TEAMtalk, the Reds are “continuing to watch” the young defender as they plan for a future beyond their current options, and that his name “continues to come up again and again” in scouting reports compiled at Anfield.

Milos Kerkez vs Andy Robertson 23/24 Premier League

Milos Kerkez

Andy Robertson

Appearances

28

23

Goals and assists

1

5

Shot creating actions per 90

1.46

5.16

Tackle % won

71.4%

60.5%

Fouls committed per 90

1.14

0.48

It is added that given his age and relative experience, the defender is “a prime candidate”, but that they will have to fight off several other clubs around Europe to secure him. Manchester United are named as the most obvious of those, and it is claimed that it would have set any interested party back “over £40 million” to secure his signature over the most recent transfer window, a fee which is unlikely to drop as he continues to impress in the Premier League.

Former teammate Mat Ryan revealed what Bournemouth should expect from their new defender when he made the move, hailing his “unique skill set” and backing him for success in the Premier League.

“He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities. A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”

Now, it appears that the Hungarian is living up to that prediction, and could be set to provoke a scrap for his signature next summer, one which Liverpool will be hoping to win.