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Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli this summer and the Moroccan could prove to be the next Raphinha at Elland Road.

Could Leeds sign Abde Ezzalzouli this summer?

According to the Spanish news outlet Sport, the 21-year-old's agent, Javier Garrido, has already travelled to England and spoken to Leeds about the possibility of a summer deal.

They suggest that the Yorkshire club will make an offer for the young star should they remain in the Premier League this season, as relegation to the Championship would make any move unlikely.

Ezzalzouli has spent this season on loan with Osasuna in La Liga and has caught the eye with his performances, contributing five goals and two assists in all competitions, with a solid 6.60 average rating from WhoScored for his displays in the Spanish top flight.

It might be difficult for Leeds to prise the youngster away from the Nou Camp this summer given that Xavi seems to rate him highly, singing his praises after a 2-2 draw with Osasuna in 2021.

He said: "Extraordinary Abde, Gavi and Nico. They are supporting the team in difficult moments. The effort is extraordinary. Young people make a difference and that is difficult to digest. It is positive and negative because they will not always perform excellently because they are young.

"Abde’s game is spectacular, and also Nico and Gavi’s. Abde is a differential player. He can make a difference, it is not because of the goal. He is a dagger. A marvel. It is a surprise. It is great news. They are making a difference in a tremendous way. But we all have to demand more from each other.”

What is Ezzalzouli's style of play?

Xavi's quotes about the youngster being a skilful difference-maker will certainly remind Leeds fans of Raphinha, who starred at Elland Road for two years before linking up with the legendary Spaniard at the Nou Camp.

In 67 appearances for the Peacocks, the Brazil international would contribute an impressive 17 goals and 12 assists, including a penalty in his final appearance for the club last season which helped keep the club in the Premier League.

Raphinha was signed as a promising youngster from Stade Rennais and certainly made his mark before moving on to bigger things, so Victor Orta will surely be looking to repeat that trick with another tricky winger such as Ezzalzouli.

As per WhoScored, both Raphinha and Ezzalzouli excel in their defensive contributions, while they both like to cross the ball, so they are clearly similar types of wingers who like to hug the touchline before cutting inside, while also working hard in their own half.

Therefore, if the La Masia graduate joins Leeds and lives up to his obvious potential, there seems no reason why he couldn't replicate Raphinha in the future.

New Zealand quick Mitchell McClenaghan said after their eight-run win against Australia that they knew what lenghts to ball on, as early as two-three overs into the match

Sidharth Monga in Dharamsala18-Mar-2016

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Early doors into the warm-ups, on a beautiful sunny day bucking all forecasts, it was apparent New Zealand were going to be unchanged from the XI that stunned India in Nagpur. This was not an identical pitch but similar: the only grass it is likely familiar to is of the kind that brings tourists from far and wide to the Himalayas, and the only pace and bounce it has seen is that of the tireless groundstaff trying to get games in during the rain. Slowness was going to be the theme of the day as might suit the surroundings.Mike Hesson and Kane Williamson, though, saw something in the pitch, and decided to play Mitchell McClenaghan in place of Nathan McCullum, who had set the pace – or lack of it – for New Zealand with Shikhar Dhawan’s wicket in the first over of their defence of 126. So belatedly, long after every other bowler had done so, McClenaghan came out to mark his run-up.”I knew [I was playing] when I went to the toilet and walked back and saw it on the white board. It was quite late doors,” McClenaghan said. He went on to be the Man of the Match banging cutters in the middle of the pitch, bowling the 19th over for two wickets and three runs to shut Australia out of a chase of 143.New Zealand’s success so far is a success of execution from the bowlers all right, but their think tank has made choices that have been spot on. They have read the pitches perfectly. It becomes all the incredible because the first look they got of the square in Dharamsala was about two-three hours before the match; the ground was completely covered because of the incessant rain on Thursday.Twenty20, because of it short duration, is a lot about assessing conditions early, almost freakishly early. Mike Hussey used to do that with the bat. Mike Hesson seems to be doing it as a coach. His boys are not too far behind, though. As early as two overs into the game, even though Martin Guptill was going bang bang, McClenaghan knew he was not going to bowl full or yorkers or fast.”It was pretty early,” McClenaghan said of the change in the mindset. “I walked over after [Shane] Watson’s second over or halfway through the first. We were thinking about and talking… early into the game you have got to assess these kind of things. Walked over to Timmy [Southee] and Boulty [Trent] and Nath [McCullum] and kind of picked their brain. We basically, early, probably three overs into the game, realised it was not a yorker wicket. It was really hard to time off back of a length and cutters and change-ups. Every time someone went on pace they got pumped. That assessment was made pretty early.”Last-minute change made, early assessment done, it doesn’t quite add up if you don’t execute it well. McClenaghan, the joint second-fastest to 50 ODI wickets and within a reasonable shout of being among the fastest to 100, knows how to execute those wicket-taking lengths. Despite such an impressive record, he is used to sitting out of the ODIs; despite the great World Cup Southee and Boult had, he is the one chosen to do what he does best.The second ball McClenaghan bowled was a cutter that might have got him an lbw another day. In his second over he got Watson, the master of bowling cutters on tacky pitches, with a slower ball. Then he came back for the sucker punch in the 19th over with 22 required. He bowled slower short balls to the right-hand batsmen, and lovely legcutters landing on a dime to the left-hand batsman Ashton Agar. Mitchell Marsh and Agar had earlier hit sixes off the threatening Mitchell Santner in the 17th over to give Australia hope. Both perished against McClenaghan within five balls.McClenaghan was later asked how difficult it is to sit out games and then walk in at such a short notice and bowl so well. He was all praise for the culture in the team. “That’s the nature of our team,” he said. “Everyone’s ready to go, everyone knows his role in the side, and whoever gets picked on the day or whether is late or early, we are confident that our guys can do the job and they have got the skills to support the team.”A case in point is the exclusion of Southee and Boult, but McClenaghan knows this culture had taken root fairly early on. “We are just growing as a team,” he said. “Our culture is going to new levels. We are confident in each other, we are confident in our own game. We have left guys like Matt Henry at home who has arguably been our best bowler this year. We just know that we have got the squad, and we have got the depth, and we trust each other. To leave people out like that, kind of says a lot for where we are going as New Zealand cricket.”New Zealand now have a foot in the semi-final. As McClenaghan remarked, a leadership team just as strong of Hesson and Brendon McCullum has been established seamlessly in Hesson and Williamson. Four more sets of conditions to assess then.

Phil Hay was surprised that Leeds United’s fourth goal on Saturday was allowed to stand.

The Lowdown: VAR decisions go Leeds’ way

Leeds will have been thanking the VAR officials on Saturday as some big decisions went their way in the form of Junior Firpo not being penalised for fouling Nelson Semedo in the box, while Michael Salisbury decided that Roca hadn’t fouled Traore prior to Rodrigo’s late strike despite being sent to the monitor.

The latter decision was unlikely to impact the game as it was so late on, as Leeds were already leading and Wolves were down to 10 men following Jonny’s shocking challenge on Luke Ayling.

No matter if Leeds were comfortable or not, the difference between staying up and begin relegated this season could well come down to goal difference, and if Leeds stay up by one goal, this incident could be what saves them.

The Latest: Roca appeared to foul Traore

Hay has admitted on The Phil Hay Show that he feels Roca intended to foul Traore in the build-up to Rodrigo’s goal and it probably shouldn’t have stood.

He said: “In the way that I was certain that VAR would send Jonny off, I thought VAR would rule that goal out, and I thought when the referee went to the screen, he would probably do the same.

“I don’t actually have a problem with the fact that he hasn’t – and I mean that from a neutral sense, I didn’t think it was a particularly physical pull on Traore and the ball was still there for him to have it – but it was an attempted foul, without a doubt.”

The Verdict: Leeds ride their luck in a crucial game

Despite the result, had some refereeing decisions not gone Leeds’ way, they could have easily dropped points against Wolves and been a lot closer to the relegation zone than they currently are.

However, a win is a win and Leeds certainly took their chances by scoring four goals from their four shots on target, which shows they are starting to discover a clinical and ruthless nature under Javi Gracia.

Something that does still need to be improved upon is their defensive side of the game, with the Whites having kept just one clean sheet under their Spanish coach, so if they have dreams of staying in the division, keeping the ball out of their own net would be a good place to start.

Jhon Duran could reportedly leave Aston Villa during the transfer window after the club showed a willingness to listen to offers. According to the Daily Mail, Duran hasn't always seen eye to eye with manager Unai Emery, particularly after being substituted in certain games.

That may be part of the reason why Villa are open to the idea of letting him leave, with Serie A giants AC Milan interested, but before they do that, they must have a suitable replacement lined up. Duran may be second-choice in the pecking order to Ollie Watkins, but he's still played 21 games this season, coming off the bench 13 times in the Premier League and starting five matches in cup competitions. Villa will need to fill a 563-minute hole – and it looks like Emery may have a player in mind to do just that.

Iheanacho could replace Duran

Football Insider's Wayne Veysey reports that recruiting a new forward is "the top priority" for Emery, and says Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho is "among the targets".

The plan for Villa is to clear some room in the squad by selling players or loaning them out, and then ideally recruit two new first-team stars before the end of the window. RB Leipzig's Timo Werner was also mentioned as a candidate, but Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg says Spurs are closing in on that particular signing.

Iheanacho could be Villa's Firmino

After breaking through at Manchester City and hitting 21 goals in 64 appearances for the club, Pep Guardiola sold Iheanacho to Leicester in 2017 for a fee of £25m. He's gone on to score 61 times and set up 35 more in his 227 games for the Foxes, with Guardiola celebrating his "incredible" progress back in 2021.

In the Championship this year, Iheanacho has been directly involved in eight goals (six scored, two assisted), but he's been in and out of Enzo Maresca's team in the league, starting only ten of their games up to this point. Significantly, he's out of contract at the end of the season, so suitors like Villa may spy an opportunity to either sign him on a cut-price deal now or wait until the summer to snap him up on a free transfer.

When assessing Iheanacho, the big attraction is his all-round game. While his goalscoring numbers at the King Power Stadium are respectable, his contribution extends far beyond that. When compared to positional peers in similar leagues over the last 365 days (as per FBref), Iheanacho ranks in the 92nd percentile for expected assisted goals per 90 minutes (0.2), which points to his effectiveness as a creator.

Most notably, he sits in the 98th percentile for passes attempted (35.2), highlighting the frequency of his link-up play, and he also scores highly for progressive passes (77th percentile; 2.2) and progressive carries (83rd; 1.8). This shows us that the Nigerian is adept at dropping deep to receive the ball before advancing his team up the pitch.

5th

98th

16th

77th

51st

83rd

Indeed, back in 2021, a model devised by Real Metric Analysis determined that he was one of the five most similar players to former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino, of whom "people will write books" about how the Brazilian "interprets the false nine positions", in the words of Jurgen Klopp (Marca). The comparison, then, is quite the endorsement.

As the table above shows, Ollie Watkins doesn't score particularly well in any of the aforementioned metrics, so Iheanacho could offer Emery a compelling stylistic alternative.

Kylian Mbappe is reportedly set to receive a staggering world-record signing-on fee when he joins Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.

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• Mbappe has reportedly signed five-year contract
• Forward to receive eye-watering signing on fee
• Deal has yet to be made public

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Spanish radio station COPE report that the France captain will receive a signing on bonus of between €120-€150 million (£103m-£128m /$130m-$162m) across the period of his anticipated five-year-deal.

  reported on Monday that a deal is in place between Mbappe and the Madrid giants, although any public announcement is likely to be deferred while may still meet Paris Saint-Germain in this season's Champions League.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A saga that has dragged on noisily for years appears close to drawing to a rather understated conclusion. After Mbappe made it known to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi that he intended to leave on the expiration of his contract this summer, matters have been exceptionally quiet. Real Madrid, PSG and the player's representatives are all seemingly intent on concluding the deal in the most diplomatic matter possible.

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW

  Mbappe looks set to take a pay cut when he signs on in the Spanish capital. But reports suggest he will be top earner on the Madrid roster with a bumper signing-on fee and a share of image rights serving to boost his overall earnings.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR KYLIAN MBAPPE?

  The 25-year-old will no doubt be looking to leave his native Paris on a high and will be eyeing silverware with PSG enjoying a commanding lead in Ligue 1 and a 2-0 advantage over Real Sociedad in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is hoping to secure defensive reinforcements before the transfer window closes next week, with Jurrien Timber expected to miss most of the campaign after injuring his ACL.

What's the latest on Eric Garcia to Arsenal?

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal are now working on a deal for Barcelona centre-back Eric Garcia following the news regarding Timber, who was signed this summer for £38m.

It is claimed that Arteta is searching for a mobile and versatile defender who can serve in a multi-functional role, and Garcia could be the man for the job.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Barcelona are well-covered across the defensive third and are looking to alleviate the weight of their £1bn worth of debt, and Garcia could leave, with Xavi willing to grant a loan departure if his £99k-per-week wages are covered.

How good is Eric Garcia?

Not only could Arteta adequately replace Timber before the end of the month, but he could actually wield his own version of Premier League champions Manchester City's Ruben Dias by completing a swoop for Garcia.

The 6 foot centre-half is already well known to Arteta, who worked with the 23-year-old while serving as understudy to Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium prior to taking the reins at Arsenal.

Garcia only forged 35 displays for himself with the Citizens before joining La Blaugrana on a free transfer in June 2021, and given his ball-playing skills that draw comparisons to Dias', the Gunners' Spanish boss might be wise to push ahead with a swoop for his young compatriot.

As per FBref, Garcia ranks among the top 5% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 3% for passes attempted and progressive carries – illustrating his passing proficiency and quality with the ball at his feet.

He is indeed akin to City's Portuguese titan, who ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for pass completion and the top 1% for passes attempted per 90, and given that Arsenal and Manchester City sit second and third in the 2023/24 Premier League ranking for passes completed (behind Chelsea, who have played a game more), he looks a custom-made fit.

Once hailed an "incredible" prospect by Guardiola, Garcia could bring dynamism and composure to bolster the north London side's backline, boasting the level of requisite technical quality to succeed within Arteta's thriving system.

Technical director Edu would do well to orchestrate a deal and secure an instant replacement for the beleaguered Timber, who has already demonstrated his versatility and quality through his ball-playing ability, ranking among the top 2% of pass completion, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90.

Given the aforementioned metrics, it certainly looks like Garcia could replicate the passing of his Dutch peer, but whether he could emulate the robustness that was seen across his first few matches before his injury remains to be seen.

But given the similarities to Dias and the way in which Arsenal play, this could be a move to ensure the Emirates outfit have a sterling opportunity to seek out silverware and continue the ascent to the very top of European football.

Big Picture

A curiosity of the Twenty20 triangular series spread across two countries is that the Melbourne match will mark the end of the international season in Australia, before the caravan moves to New Zealand for the remainder of the tournament. Having won their opening two matches, the Australian side led by David Warner has the chance to seal a place in the tournament final across the Tasman Sea by making it a hat-trick of wins over an England team irritated by their failure to make the most of a commanding start with the bat on Wednesday.While the fortunes of Billy Stanlake oscillated wildly between Sydney and Hobart, Australia’s more consistent themes have been set by the Perth Scorchers pair of AJ Tye and Ashton Agar during the middle overs, and by Glenn Maxwell with the bat. Warner and Chris Lynn are two members of the top six who will hope for more productive evenings in Melbourne, the stand-in captain in particular needing to find runs to back up what has been an impressive captaincy display so far, while Steven Smith prepares to fly to South Africa for the four-Test series in March.England have faced familiar questions about their now customary aggression following the Bellerive defeat, but under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan they are resolved to keep attacking with both bat and ball. A win would put England in good shape to qualify for the tournament final provided they can find a way past New Zealand, although a loss would make it a particularly glum trip across for the tournament’s conclusion with very little margin for error.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia WWWLW
England LLWLW

In the spotlight

After a summer of much discussion about his future, Glenn Maxwell is finally beginning to play the consistent, match-winning role that both he and the Australian team are looking for. His innings in Sydney and Hobart helped guide the Australians home to comfortable victories, while he has also been able to have an impact with the ball. T20 is a fickle beast, of course, and Maxwell will be eager to continue to have an impact on his home ground. England, by contrast, will be hoping for the sort of decision-making error that has frustrated Maxwell and his team many times in the past.Having belted an outstanding 180 on his last visit to the MCG, Jason Roy has not enjoyed quite the same influence in subsequent matches of the ODI series and was fooled by a Kane Richardson slower ball at the Bellerive Oval. They key to Roy’s success in the earlier Melbourne ODI was a clear mind and confidence in his teammates, allowing him to attack with unbridled fury and security about his role in the side. Further low scores may serve to cloud this clarity, even in the game’s most explosive format.Getty Images

Team news

Australia played Travis Head in place of Adam Zampa in Hobart to lengthen their batting order, and this again seems the most likely selection permutation for a team that has now won three T20 matches in a row. Aaron Finch is still to make his return from a hamstring strain, while the NSW left-armer Ben Dwarshuis is the other member of the squad.Australia (possible): 1 David Warner (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Chris Lynn, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Andrew Tye, 9 Kane Richardson, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Billy StanlakeEngland will consider recalling Liam Dawson’s spin after Adil Rashid proved a difficult proposition for the Australians at Bellerive Oval.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Sam Billings, 7 David Willey, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

Melbourne’s T20 pitches this summer have generally been friendly to batsmen though seam and spin bowlers can benefit from the occasional bit of variable pace and the catching opportunities afforded by the ground’s vast boundaries. The forecast is warm, with scattered showers across the day to disappear by game time.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have won both their previous T20 encounters with England at the MCG, by four runs in 2011 and a more comfortable eight wickets in 2014.
• Glenn Maxwell needs three runs to go past Cameron White and become Australia’s fourth highest run-scorer in T20Is, behind David Warner, Shane Watson and Aaron Finch.

Quotes

“I would like to think it’s a better team with me in it. The last couple of years I’ve hardly put a foot wrong in Twenty20 internationals. I was definitely disappointed not to play but the squad mentality thing is pretty important.”
“We do play a positive brand of cricket, an aggressive brand of cricket, and we’ll try to take it to the opposition where possible. These things do happen but I think over a period of time we’ll have more success than failure.”

Gio Reyna came off the bench for a late cameo, but Jadon Sancho stole the show with an assist in Borussia Dortmund's 3-0 win over Darmstadt.

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Reyna comes in as 88th minute subSancho assists second goalDortmund claim 3-0 winGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Facing off with the team at the bottom of the Bundesliga, Dortmund headed into Saturday's match expecting a win, and that's exactly what they got. The opening goal came from Julian Brandt in the 24th minute, although Jamie Bynoe-Gittens did much of the heavy lifting. The English winger ran a long distance before playing a ball straight into the path of Brandt, who was able to tuck a finish into the far post to seize the lead.

That lead was doubled in the 77th minute as Dortmund effectively sealed all three points with something of a throwback goal. The assist came from the returning Sancho, making his first appearance since returning to the club, while the finish was provided by club legend Marco Reus, making the score 2-0 and all but ending whatever slim hopes there were of a Darmstadt comeback.

YoussoufaMoukoko's late goal made it 3-0, putting an exclamation on a much-needed win for Dortmund.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sancho's introduction came midway through the second half as the winger made his return to Dortmund return after two-and-a-half years away. Having struggled at Manchester United before feuding with manager Erik Ten Hag, Sancho is now back with his former club on loan as he looks to rebuild his career.

Sancho came on in the 55th minute, replacing his fellow Englishman Bynoe-Gittens. The appearance was Sancho's first since August 26, having been exiled from United training since.

He marked it with an assist, offering a reminder of what he can do when confident and fully firing. Sancho isn't even fully fit yet but, if he can play at a high level, Dortmund will look to push back into the upper echelon of the Bundesliga having slipped throughout the first half of the season.

Getty ImagesUSMNT IMPACT

Sancho's return to Dortmund seemingly spells bad news for Reyna, who was struggling for minutes even before the winger's arrival. Reyna is currently behind both Brandt and Marco Reus on the depth chart when it comes to the No. 10 position, and Sancho's arrival only adds another option to a crowded picture on the wings. Moukoko's late goal will only further his case, too, adding more intrigue to the Dortmund attack.

Reyna hasn't seen the field enough this season and has played just 231 minutes in the Bundesliga, making just one start. Things haven't been much better in other competitions with Reyna playing 70 minutes in the DFB-Pokal and 20 in the Champions League. The American has been linked with a move away from Dortmund, with clubs in Ligue 1 and La Liga among those reportedly interested in acquiring his services.

His late cameo off the bench won't silence the rumors as Reyna seems destined for an interesting January.

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GOAL'S RATINGS

Gio Reyna (N/A):

Still on the outside looking in for Dortmund, even with his late cameo during garbage time. How much longer will he remain in this situation? We'll find out soon!

Chelsea’s midfield has undergone a significant amount of change this calendar year.

The Blues have lost Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Conor Gallagher is now targeted by West Ham, who have just had a £40m bid rejected for the Englishman.

Chelsea aren't in the best position to lose Gallagher, as Enzo Fernandez and Carney Chukwuemeka are the only other two central midfielders in the squad.

Their pursuit of Moises Caicedo has been frustrating and unfruitful, with their latest bid of £70m instantly rejected by Brighton, who are demanding around £100m for the Ecuadorian.

The west Londoners may be forced to resort to different targets, and they still retain an interest in Romeo Lavia.

Who is signing Romeo Lavia?

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool are trying to close in on a £45m deal for Lavia, but Chelsea may attempt an “ultimate approach” thanks to Joe Shields’ "pressing".

It was previously reported by The Athletic that the Reds are set to make an improved offer for the Southampton gem, after having an opening offer of £37m be shunned by the Saints, who are holding out for around £50m.

However, the report says that Chelsea retain a firm interest and could have an advantage in the deal due to Shields’ connection to the player.

The 36-year-old was recruited from the south-coast outfit last summer as the club’s co-director of recruitment and was a leading figure in Lavia’s move from Manchester City to Southampton.

What position does Romeo Lavia play?

Despite Southampton’s abysmal season, in which their 11-year stay in the top-flight ended, the youngster emerged from the rubble with a prestigious reputation.

Lavia, who has been described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola, has showcased he is a phenomenal ball player and a tenacious asset in central midfield.

Indeed, in 29 Premier League appearances, the Belgian averaged 2.1 tackles, an 86% pass accuracy, and completed 68% of his dribbles. Such stats are impressive, particularly considering only Enzo Fernandez (2.5) and N'Golo Kante (2.3) made more tackles per game of Chelsea's midfield players last season.

Arguably winning back the ball is his standout trait, as Lavia was one of only three U21 players who won possession in the midfield third 100+ times (114) to display how he excels in his age group.

Nevertheless, he is still extremely comfortable on the ball and holds supreme technical quality. This has been echoed by Jean Kindermans, Anderlecht's head of Academy, who said: “He’s always calm on the ball. You can give him it under pressure and he will solve the problem.

Paul Scholes has also recognised his all-round profile, adding: “He is a young player who can do both sides of the game, equally good defensively but also once he is on the ball he has tremendous feet and can pass it.”

Another player that Chelsea are linked with, who also exudes on-the-ball competence and eye-catching dynamism, is Mohammed Kudus.

In The Athletic’s Profiling of 50 exciting players under the age of 23, it is stated that the Ghanaian sees his best position in midfield and as a result, he could form an exciting partnership with Lavia if played slightly in front.

Last season, the 22-year-old recorded 100+ successful take-ons (104), 100+ ball recoveries (134), and scored 16 goals, ranking him as the highest for each metric in the Ajax squad.

This potentially new-look Chelsea midfield would also include Fernandez, who sits within the best 14% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles per 90, as well as the highest 3% for progressive passes per 90.

These three players can do both sides of the game excellently and could propel Chelsea back into European contention.

A round-up of the ICC WCL Division Five matches played on September 7, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2017One day after an epic 57-ball hundred put his side into the semi-finals, Patrick Matautaava’s spectacular all-round show floored Italy in a six-wicket win for Vanuatu to secure promotion to WCL Division Four. Italy came into the match undefeated after topping Group B but were bowled out for a well-below par 183, having lost the toss.The Italians overcame medium pacer Callum Blake’s double-strike in the fourth over to lay a solid foundation behind half centuries from Peter Petricola (60 off 80 balls) and Damian Crowley (65 off 94 balls). The pair added 124 for the second wicket to take their side to 137 for 2 in the 32nd over.But a day after his four-for set the stage for a dramatic chase against Germany, offspinner Jelany Chilia sparked a collapse by snaring both Petricola and Crowley in back-to-back overs and finished with a vital 3 for 32. Captain Andrew Mansale and Matautaava then hastened the slide by taking two wickets apiece in late spells to wipe out the tail in quick fashion as Italy lost their last five wickets for 13 runs and were all out in 46.4 overs.Openers Jonathon Dunn and Joshua Rasu started the chase in confident fashion, adding 73 in 14 overs for the first wicket, setting up a cakewalk for the middle order. But rather than coast, Matautaava stayed true to his natural instincts and bashed a half-century off 31 balls, bringing up the mark in the 24th over with his seventh four. He then teed off on Hasnat Ahmed’s legspin in the 25th, carting him for three fours and a six before eventually falling for 83 off 60 balls.By that stage, Vanuatu needed just 11 to win and Mansale finished the job, striking a boundary off the fifth ball of the 35th over to remain unbeaten on 15. Five years ago, Vanuatu played in the now defunct Division Eight held in Samoa, beating Ghana in the final. Vanuatu’s win over Italy, and the promotion to Division Four that comes with it, puts them in the top 30 of the ICC’s one-day rankings for the first time.Jersey avoided the banana peel in the day’s other semi-final, trouncing Qatar by seven wickets, after Anthony Hawkins-Kay’s opening spell reduced them to 30 for 5 in the 16th over. The tall medium pacer bowled an unbroken 10-over new-ball spell, finishing with figures of 4 for 10, including four maidens.Qatar’s outlandish hopes of crawling back into the match were pinned to No. 6 batsman Tamoor Sajjad, who scored more than half his side’s runs to finish with 79 off 103 balls as no one else in the top nine reached double digits. New ball left-arm swing bowler Cornelis Bodenstein returned at the death to claim Sajjad for the ninth wicket in the 45th and then knocked over tailender Mohammed Nadeem for a duck in the next over to wrap up Qatar’s innings for 152 in 46.3 overs.Ex-captain Peter Gough and Nat Watkins added 83 in 16 overs to cruise toward the target. Gough eventually finished unbeaten on 71 off 80 balls as the winning runs came courtesy of four overthrows with 22.1 overs to spare. Jersey will meet Vanuatu in the Division Five Final on Saturday while Italy play Qatar in the third-place playoff.In the loser’s bracket, Guernsey held off a late rally from Ghana to win by 23 runs. The decision to shuffle opener Matthew Stokes down to No. 4 resulted in a top score of 75 off 99 balls in Guernsey’s total of 213.Ghana were 8 for 2 only seven balls into the chase before Samson Awiah entered at No. 4 and fought back with 65. Awiah added 89 for the fourth wicket with Obed Agbomadzie before his wicket triggered a middle-order slide from 131 for 3 to 143 for 6, leaving Ghana to get 70 off the last 10 overs. Julius Mensah fought valiantly with 33 off 25 balls but when he fell to end the 47th, the tail needed 24 off 18 balls. Instead, the match lasted just another three deliveries as Jamie Nussbaumer took two wickets while the No. 11 Godfred Bakiweyem was injured and unable to bat.Germany will meet Guernsey in the fifth-place playoff on Saturday after defeating Cayman Islands by five wickets. Sacha de Alwis continued his solid run but was on the losing end for the fourth match in a row. De Alwis added 127 for the first wicket with Darren Cato (62 off 90 balls) and brought up his half-century off 66 balls but lost steam late in his innings. He only hit one more boundary after he crossed 50 until he was eventually dismissed for 94 off 127 balls in the 48th over as Cayman failed to ram home their early advantage before finishing on 268 for 6.Venkatraman Ganesan followed up his 2 for 29 with the ball by top-scoring with 59 off 57 balls in the chase. Kevin Bazil took 3 for 57 but the tournament’s weakest bowling unit was exposed again as Germany overhauled the target with 8.1 overs to spare. Cayman has one more shot at registering their first win of the tournament in the seventh-place playoff against Ghana on Saturday.