Football’s hottest young talent is going nowhere, with Barcelona wunderkind Lamine Yamal saying he will sign a new contract with the Spanish giants soon.
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The 17-year-old has pledged his long-term future to the Catalan club despite massive interest from French titans PSG and Barcelona being embroiled in financial controversy.
Yamal burst onto the scene as a key cog of the Spanish side that won last year’s Euros.
He became the youngest ever player to feature in the tournament at just 16, and the youngest ever goal scorer when he curled an absolute stunner into the top corner in the champion’s 2-1 semi-final win against France.
His left-footed strike from outside the box also won goal of the tournament.
More than a year earlier, he made his first team debut for Barcelona as a 15-year-old after coming up through the club’s academy, and the records have continued to tumble in club football.
In October he became the youngest ever player to score in El Classico history as he found the back of the net in Barca’s 4-0 win against Real Madrid.
He scored again on his return to the side from an ankle injury in their 2-0 Spanish Super Cup semi-final win against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday to take his season tally to seven goals and 12 assists from 22 games.
So, it’s clear to see why the Parisian club put forward an offer of €250 million for his services.
Barca, of course, rejected it and they have done their best to make it near impossible for any rival to pry away from the Olympic Stadium and then their traditional home of the Nou Camp when renovations are complete in 2026.
That is the year that Yamal’s current deal expires, and it includes a €1 billion release clause.
If that was not enough to alleviate any concerns about him potentially leaving Barcelona, ESPN have reported that there is an agreement lined-up to extend his deal until at least 2030.
“I don’t know when [the contract will be signed], but I believe it will be soon,” Yamal told CNN.
“At the end of the day, Barça is the club of my life. I hope to renew my contract with them and to be with them for as long as possible.
“I want to play in the Spanish league. I want to play for Barça, and yes, I will renew my contract. I will.”
The teenager’s comments are music to the ears of Barcelona officials after Yamal’s teammate Raphinha suggested that a recent fiasco might discourage potential transfer targets from joining the club.
Dani Olmo and Pau Victor were both unregistered on New Year’s Day after Barcelona missed a December 31 deadline to prove they are compliant with La Liga’s financial fair play rules.
Both players travelled with the squad to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, but neither were eligible to play.
Raphinha experienced similar issues when he joined the club in 2022.
The Brazilian had to wait for Barcelona to sell club assets to register him with the Spanish league.
“I think it could,” Raphinha said on Tuesday when asked if the situation could force players to avoid signing for Barcelona.
“I can’t say otherwise because I would be lying and that’s not me, I don’t like lying or telling stories. The truth is that if I was at another club and seeing the situation Pau and Dani are in, maybe I would think twice if it was best to be here.”
La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation confirmed in a joint statement that Barcelona are compliant with financial fair play regulations at present, but they cannot register Olmo or Victor this season.
Barca are challenging the decision with an appeal to Spain’s highest sports court, and they have requested a temporary allowance for the players to play as a resolution to the issue is not expected soon.
Regardless of what happens, Barcelona will be confident that Yamal’s commitment will outshine any reputational damage inflicted by the registration saga.
Raphinha may be correct that players will think twice before joining the Spanish giants, but the club’s officials will be certain that the opportunity to play with the sport’s most exciting young talent, in an expanded Nou Camp once it’s completed, in the shirt worn by the likes of Lionel Messi, Johan Cruyff and Diego Maradona is too appealing.
Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou has insisted his side are among the best pressing teams “in Europe” after two goals from turnovers helped his side beat Brentford, a result that has released some of the pressure on the Australian.
The former Socceroos boss has come under fire over the opening rounds of the new season for a myriad of reasons, namely their poor results despite playing well, susceptibility to conceding from set-pieces and a perception that Postecoglou lacks a tactical Plan B.
Such heavy criticism, which included suggestions on British radio that he would be sacked by Christmas, were only fuelled by Postecoglou’s defiance following last week’s North London Derby loss to Arsenal, a game decided by a set-piece goal, and his insistence he “always wins things” in his second season in charge of the club.
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For these reasons Spurs needed a result, as opposed to simply a good performance, against Brentford to hush the outside noise and kick their campaign into life.
And while the game couldn’t have started any worse for the Londoners, who conceded a wonderfully hooked volley from Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo after 23 seconds, Spurs showed similar levels of fight and resilience that they did during their comeback midweek League Cup win over Coventry.
Club-record signing Dominic Solanke opened his Premier League account with Spurs after eight minutes, with his goal coming as a result of strong press forcing Brentford’s backline into a misplaced pace.
From there Spurs got a foothold on the contest, scoring next through Brennan Johnson just before the half hour mark, another goal created after Spurs’ press forced a turnover just inside Brentford’s half.
James Maddison’s 85th minute dink over Mark Flekken ensured the three points stayed in London and alleviated some of the pressure clouding the Spurs manager.
Speaking in the tunnel post-game, Postecoglou was delighted more by the fact his side got the result than the fact they played well.
“We played really well today,” he said.
“I mean we’ve played well all season but today we had a real sort of energy about us that was the kind of team we want to be.”
While the 59-year-old felt his side left a few more goals out there, he was proud at how Spurs recovered from their early setback to run away with the win.
“We got off to not the best start, but it’s almost like it never happened, the boys picked up from there,” he said.
“The boys didn’t let it affect them at all.”
Former Spurs captain Michael Dawson labelled the win as a “convincing performance (and) convincing result.”
“(Spurs) reacted brilliantly, they really, really did. From that moment there was only going to be one team on the front foot (who) was going to win his football match,” he said.
One of the most pleasing factors of the win to Postecoglou was the intensity and urgency his side showed with and without the ball against Brentford, whose tactics the Australian felt played in his side’s hands.
“The boys went at it. We knew Brentford were going to be aggressive with and without the ball (and) we love that part of the game,” he said in his post-match press conference.
“We thought if we really brought our own energy and intensity that we know we can with and without the ball we could cause them a lot of problems. And we did.”
It comes one week after a frustrating North London derby loss to Arsenal, a game Postecoglou felt was slowed down by their opponents, much to Spurs’ frustration.
Heading into the Brentford game, he revealed he’d instructed his side to exert themselves on the contest and not let history repeat itself.
“We spoke about it during the week we’re at our best when we play quickly and obviously the opposition are going to try and stop us from doing that,” he said.
“From our perspective the more times when we’re in control of the ball (and) can play at our tempo it’s better.”
A particular part of his side’s performance Postecoglou was pleased with was the effectiveness of their press, which contributed to their two opening goals.
The Australian feels that his side are not only “probably the best in the league” at pressing opponents but also “one of the best in Europe.”
According to data from FBref, Postecoglou’s point mightn’t be too wide of the mark as his side’s 18 tackles in the attacking third rank third among sides in Europe’s top five leagues, behind only Angres and Brest of France.
One flashpoint of the contest which played into Spurs’ favour occurred just before the hour mark when Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario appeared to handle the ball outside of his penalty area, only for referee John Brooks to not blow a foul, or penalty, for Brentford.
According to The Athletic, the video assistant referee did not intervene as the handball did not deny a goal or a goalscoring opportunity.
Asked about the incident post-game, Postecoglou said “I saw exactly what you saw.”
“If it wasn’t an obvious goalscoring opportunity which means even if he’d been penalised it would’ve been a free kick and that’s a big turning point?
“I guess we were lucky to get the result.”
Whenever players, particularly strikers, are signed for as much as Solanke there is always an external expectation that they hit the ground running at breakneck speed, much like Erling Haaland in his opening months at City.
For Solanke, few could doubt the effectiveness of his general play in recent games but the No.9 still required a goal to get the monkey off his back and remove any doubts he can live up his price tag.
Postecoglou believes “people are obligated to take their time” to settle in and revealed the striker is still yet to his 100%.
“Dom’s still working his way to fitness. You could see he was out of gas at the end,” Postecoglou said.
“He’s going to be a great player for us.”
Dominic Solanke celebrates his first Premier League goal for Spurs against Brentford.Source: Getty Images
The Australian doubled down on his praise of the No.9 in his post-match press conference, highlighting his importance when Spurs play high-intensity sides like Brentford.
“I thought he led the line well (and was) important for us today as a link up there because we knew they’d go pretty aggressive man to man marking (and) he was going to have to hold the ball up for us, and I thought he did that really well,” Postecoglou said.
Speaking on Optus Sport’s post-game coverage former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison believes Solanke’s strike was the best thing about the Brentford win for Spurs.
“When you pay good money for your centre forward you’re always looking for that first goal,” he said.
“I don’t care how it comes… the taps in are the best goals. He’s in the right place at the right time.”
Spurs now sit 10th on seven points, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with a chance to continue rising up the table against a hapless Manchester United side next weekend.
The 2023-24 summer transfer window has drawn to a close, with some clubs nailing their business while others have fallen well short of the mark as financial regulations heavily influence the Premier League’s spending habits.
Unlike windows of the past, where the Premier League attracted some of the biggest names in Europe, this year has felt a little different, with clubs focused more on ensuring safer financial practice as opposed to nailing their big money signings.
We saw less deals akin to the ones that brought Erling Haaland to Manchester City and Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea in recent seasons, and more like Elliot Anderson’s to Nottingham Forest and Conor Gallagher’s to Atletico Madrid: transfers done to appease accountants more than managers.
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The strict Premier League crackdown on its Profit and Sustainability rules in recent seasons, exemplified by Everton and Forest’s respective points deductions, appear to have frightened clubs.
This was highlighted in the 10 days preceding the June 30 accounting deadline when six clubs – Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester – sold 15 players for a grand total of £323 million ($631.8 million AUD) in a late attempt to meet PSR requirements.
According to a report from The Athletic, those 15 deals accounted for 16% of the Premier League’s spending this window, with some of those clubs enacting creative accounting to ensure their books comply and a costly points deduction is avoided.
Though this did not slow Premier League spending, with 14 clubs parting with over $150 million on players during the window, but did create a strange spending environment that will surely become a mainstay in the coming seasons.
Changed spending conditions have coincided with changing spending habits, which have been on show throughout the window and go in part to explaining the business of some sides.
The average age of the league’s 10 most expensive signings this season is 23.3 years old, highlighting how clubs are targeting younger players with high potential and resale value, as opposed to proven products in the prime of their careers.
Foxsports.com.au rates every Premier League team’s summer dealings in our Transfer Report Card!
Arsenal
Biggest signing: Riccardo Calafiori ($81.3m from Bologna)
Total spend: $186.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m to Fulham)
Total income: $161.4 million (AUD)
Having finished second last season, Mikel Arteta’s side needed a strong transfer window to strengthen their side and solidify their title push. They did just that.
Riccardo Calafiori arrives after a strong season with Bologna and a good Euros campaign with Italy to strengthen one of Arsenal’s problem areas last season – left back, with the Italian’s ability to seamlessly invert into midfield key to Arteta’s tactical shape. Mikel Merino provides midfield strength, and allows Arsenal to push Declan Rice into a deeper role whenever required, while the move to permanently sign David Raya, and sell Aaron Ramsdale, cleared up one of the biggest clouds over the club’s 2023-24 season.
Raheem Sterling’s deadline day arrival from Chelsea is a great move, providing cover on both wings as well as title-winning experience. If Arteta can get the Englishman to perform at his best, like he did when the pair were at Manchester City, it’ll provide Arsenal with an additional goal scoring threat this season and afford Bukayo Saka a chance to rest his legs after an intense year.
Fighting off interest in Leandro Trossard from the Saudi Pro League is shrewd too given the Belgian’s impact off the bench and versatility, which will come in handy given Gabriel Jesus’ recent injury record.
Crucially in modern football the sales of Emlie Smith-Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, which will appear as pure profit on the club’s books, ensure they remain compliant with the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.
Where some feel Arsenal’s window missed the mark is their failure to bring a world class No.9 in, with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney but avoided for various reasons. Arteta has faith in Kai Havertz, who scored eight goals in 13 games as striker last season, with Trossard, Jesus and Sterling as cover.
Grade: B+
Arsenal’s Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori challenges for the ball with Brighton’s Paraguayan attacker Julio Enciso during a English Premier League match between the Emirates Stadium.Source: AFP
Aston Villa
Biggest signing: Amadou Onana ($96.8m from Everton)
Total spend: $295.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Diaby ($97.7m to Al-Itthad)
Total income: $271.2 million (AUD)
Villa were dealt a massive blow this window in losing Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz, two of their strongest performers last season.
The club signed Belgian holding midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton, with the 23-year-old already hitting the ground running by scoring twice in his first three games. Onana adds size, power and strong ball-winning skills to Villa’s midfield, though lacks the passing range and set-piece threat of Luiz.
Not to worry Villa fans, given the club already possesses Youri Tielemans, one of the Premier League’s strongest passers and a set piece specialist to rival the best of them.
Ian Maatsen, who was key in Dortmund’s run to last season’s Champions League final, gives good depth at left back, though there are concerns about the drop off between right back Matty Cash and his understudy, particularly with injuries in central defence not allowing Ezri Konsa to shuffle across.
Diaby’s loss is massive, even if the Frenchman’s performances tailed off at the end of last season, but Unai Emery already has the pieces to compensate for his departure.
Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barenechea, both signed from Juventus as part of the deal to send Luiz the other way, are young and unproven but could become integral cogs in the Villa machine once they return from their respective loans.
Villa haven’t just signed Ross Barkley is an underrated piece of business. The former Chelsea man provides Emery with experience and brilliant midfield cover following an impressive Premier League season with Luton Town.
Omari Kellyman, Tim Iroegbunam and Cameron Archer’s sales will go towards balancing the club’s books, even if the latter was re-signed from Sheffield United before being sold to Southampton, while Philippe Coutinho’s loan move to Vasco da Gama lightens the club’s wage bill.
Grade: B
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: New signing Ian Maatsen acknowledges Aston Villa fans after the team’s victory against West Ham United FC (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth
Biggest signing: Evanilson ($61.3m from Porto)
Total spend: $172.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Dominic Solanke ($106m to Tottenham Hotspur)
Total income: $110.3 million (AUD)
There was no more important player to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side last season than striker Dominic Solanke, who finished the campaign with 19 goals and three assists.
Brazilian striker Evanilson joins for a club-record fee having scored 13 Portuguese league goals last season for 3rd placed Porto.
An unknown quantity in England, Evanilson has all the makings of a well-rounded striker and joins a side that had more shot creating actions last season than Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, though it will be hard for the striker to have link up play as exceptional as Solanke.
First-choice goalkeeper Neto joins Arsenal on loan, with Kepa arriving from Chelsea to replace the Brazilian, marking a significant downgrade in the club’s goalkeeping ranks. The Spaniard is a gamble for Iraola’s side given his failure to set the Premier League alight, weak shot stopping and shortcomings when competing for crosses.
19-year-old Spanish-Dutch defender Dean Huijsen has all the makings of a serious transfer coup, with multi-Premier League winning manager Jose Mourinho once describing the centre back as “one of the highest-quality prospects in European football at this age level.”
Grade: C-
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 25: AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson during the club’s Premier League match against Newcastle United. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Brentford
Biggest signing: Igor Thiago ($58m from Club Brugge)
Total spend: $169.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Ivan Toney ($77.4m to Al-Ahli)
Total income: $129.7 million (AUD)
Sometimes a transfer window is less about what you gain and more about what you lose.
In letting Ivan Toney walk, Brentford offloaded a player who evidently did not want to be at the club for some time, at a significant fee that allowed them to invest in the future of their club by bringing several talented youngsters in, such as Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Gustavo Nunes.
Not only does Toney’s transfer have significant financial benefits for the Bees, but it should also create a harmonised Brentford squad this season.
Igor Thiago was signed as Toney’s replacement after 29 goals in the Belgian league last season but is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa have led Frank’s line brilliantly to begin the season, with the club’s ability to hold on the latter arguably their most important piece of business.
Keep an eye on teenage left back Jayden Meghoma, viewed by many good judges as one of England’s brightest young prospects. Injuries could pave the way for the flyer to break into Thomas Frank’s side at left back at some point this season.
Grade: B
Brighton
Biggest signing: Georginio Rutter ($77.4m from Leeds United)
Total spend: $381.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Deniz Undav ($49.7m to VFB Stuttgart)
Total income: $90.4 million (AUD)
Only Chelsea spent more money than Brighton, which comes as a surprise given the South Coast club’s highly successful ‘moneyball’ style tactics in recent years.
Those tactics are still at play, with the club not splashing huge cash on a big name signing this summer. Instead, they’ve picked up several highly promising footballers who add to 31-year-old coach Fabian Hurzeler’s squad.
Georginio Rutter, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer, Ferdi Kadioglu and Brajan Gruda all have the makings of quintessential Brighton signings and will no doubt be sold for triple their purchase price in 18 months.
Over the opening three games of the season, fresh faced winger Yankuba Minteh has been incredibly impressive, playing with little fear and plenty of creativity and drive, frightening opposition left backs with his relentless attack.
Billy Gilmour’s deadline day move to Napoli weakens the club’s holding midfield stocks, which took a hit earlier in the window with Pascal Gross’ departure to Dortmund. Hurzeler has said as much in recent days, noting the club “don’t have enough players at (No.) six.”
Grade: B
Right winger Yankuba Minteh during Brighton’s Premier League win against Everton. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Chelsea
Biggest signing: Pedro Neto ($104.6m from Wolves)
Total spend: $400.6 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Conor Gallagher ($65.9m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $303 million (AUD)
Deep breath in. And another. 11 players arrived at Stamford Bridge over the summer, bloating Enzo Maresca’s first team squad out to a whopping 30, with a further 12 out on loan.
“You want to ask about where Joao Felix is going to play, I’ve got another question – where’s he going to get changed at the training ground?” Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher questioned.
“How are all these players in one dressing room? How are you putting on a training session?”
The Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling sagas were sour, and typified the current Chelsea regimes cold, and seemingly senseless, approach to business, but the deals to offload Ian Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson were savvy moves that will go towards balancing the club’s books.
In amongst the madness of moving on Sterling and Gallagher, uncertainty around Trevoh Chalobah’s future, the lack of resolution around Ben Chilwell’s situation, and signing three left wingers, there is some small semblance of method.
Chelsea have made their intentions clear with their business; they are backing Maresca in the market and signing players whose profile fits his needs.
There is little risk to the Jadon Sancho deal, while Joao Felix’s signing could be viewed differently if the Portuguese star hits the heights expected of him when he burst onto the scene six years ago.
And yet, despite these faint glimmers of hope there is still the overwhelming sense of restlessness at the Bridge, not only given the way the club has conducted business this summer, and the enormous squad size, but also given the club spent more money than any other Premier League side while failing to address their widely perceived problem area: striker.
Toney and Osimhen were both on the table, though moves for either failed to materialise, with finances key to this. A lack of depth in holding midfield remains a concern for Maresca with Romeo Lavia’s injury history meaning the club are a Moises Caicedo injury away from a near unpluggable hole in their midfield.
Grade: B-
New signing Jadon Sancho is presented to the Chelsea fans before his side’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crystal Palace
Biggest signing: Eddie Nketiah ($48.3m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $130.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Michael Olise ($87m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $174 million (AUD)
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace shocked the Premier League at the back end of last season, winning six of their last seven from 14th to 10th.
The pre-season expectation was for them to build on this, even with Michael Olise’s big money move to Bayern Munich removing one of the stars of last season from the fold.
Joachim Andersen left for Fulham not long after, and things could’ve gone from bad to worse if Newcastle’s aggressive pursuit of captain Marc Guehi paid off.
It didn’t, and Palace’s defence was stronger for it. Trevoh Chalobah arrived on loan from Chelsea, while the promising French Maxence Lacroix joined from Wolfsburg, further strengthening Glasner’s backline.
Japanese international Daicha Kamada and Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr strengthen his frontline, so too does the signing of Eddie Nketiah – who just feels like a Crystal Palace player.
While they’re yet to reap the rewards on the field, Palace have had one of the better windows in the Premier League, defined not so much by who they brought in as much as who they didn’t lose – Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton.
Grade: B+
Everton
Biggest signing: Jake O’Brien ($33m from Lyon)
Total spend: $83 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Amadou Onana ($96.8m to Aston Villa)
Total income: $133.6 million (AUD)
Much like Palace, Everton’s best bit of business in the summer window was not allowing their most important defensive cog to leave the club.
That Jarrad Branthwaite remained at Everton is a massive win for Sean Dyche, even if the defender has missed the opening games of the season through injury.
The 22-year-old was ranked sixth for clearances and seventh for interceptions last season and was a key reason behind Everton keeping 13 clean sheets, second only to Arsenal.
However, the Toffees lost Amadou Onana to Everton, denting their midfield stocks for perhaps the most important Premier League campaign in the club’s recent memory.
Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom headline a suite of creative signings that have their work cut out for them in trying to inspire a side that scored just 40 goals last season.
There’s no doubting Everton have made some smart additions. Whether they’ll be what’s needed to keep them away from the relegation fight is a question only time has the answer for.
Grade: D+
Amadou Onana traded Everton for Aston Villa this transfer window. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fulham
Biggest signing: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $173.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Joao Palhinha ($81.9m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $112.9 million (AUD)
One of the smaller Premier League clubs who executed a smart summer window that leaves their squad stronger this year than when it ended last season.
Of course Joao Palhinha’s departure to Bayern Munich leaves a massive hole in Marco Silva’s midfield – no player made more than his 152 tackles last season. Not signing a replacement may come back to bite them, though Harrison Reed, Sasa Lukic and new signing Sander Berge are more than capable in that role.
At the back Joachim Andersen rejoins from Palace, softening Tosin Adarabioyo’s departure, while Jorge Cuenca offers Silva an additional left footed centre back following Tim Ream’s departure.
In attack, Fulham’s have invested plenty in Emile Smith Rowe, a brilliant attacking talent who’s been stifled by injuries and falling out of Mikel Arteta’s favour in recent years. The winger/attacking midfielder has hit the ground running, scoring in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Leicester City, and could be viewed as a bargain in coming seasons if he can match, or exceed, the 10 goals he scored for the Gunners in 2021-22.
Reiss Nelson provides depth out wide following Willian’s departure for Olympiakos and could potentially push Alex Iwobi into a central midfield role he excelled at for Everton a few seasons ago.
While their business hasn’t set the world alight, it’s quietly done what it’s needed to do: make up for their outgoings and strengthen where possible.
Grade: B-
Fulham attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe joined the club this summer for $65.8 million from Arsenal. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ipswich Town
Biggest signing: Omari Hutchinson ($42.6m from Chelsea)
Total spend: $205 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: George Edmundon (loan to Middlesbrough)
Total income: N/A
Only two players contributed more than Omari Hutchinson’s 16 goals in Ipswich’s promotion campaign last season. A deal to bring the England youth international back to the club is massive towards their bid to stay up, with the attacking midfielder showing lots of promise in the season’s opening games.
Jack Clarke, Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap all have the potential to be great signings, especially for the price tag they were collected at, and could all benefit from Kieran McKenna’s brilliant management, while signing last season’s Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics for just over $17 million is smart business.
This quartet are good enough to cut it in the Premier League, but also have the added benefit that, in the event of relegation, Ipswich can extract a high resale value or utilise their talents to earn promotion back to the top flight.
The deal to bring Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City has rocks or diamonds potential. At his best Phillips is a brilliant defensive midfielder with an exceptional passing range and wonderful ability to bait and beat opposition presses. At his worst he is injury riddled, just ask Manchester City, and error-laden, just ask West Ham.
Ipswich will be praying he’s more of the former, especially considering the 28-year-old’s experience keeping freshly promoted sides in the Premier League.
Grade: C
Omari Hutchinson during Ipswich’s Premier League match against Liverpool FC. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Leicester City
Biggest signing: Bilal El Khannouss ($38.7m from Genk)
Total spend: $153.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ($58.1m to Chelsea)
Total income: $58.1 million (AUD)
A few seasons ago the Foxes had a reputation as one of the savviest market operators in Europe. Deals for N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Wesley Fofana and Ricardo Pereira were struck with little interjection from other clubs and to great benefit for Leicester.
Relegation zapped that reputation. And while it will be hard to replicate their previous market success there are at least several positives to take from Leicester’s transfer window.
Bilal El Khannouss arrives from Genk as the Belgian league’s Young Player of the Season and an Olympic Bronze medallist who was involved in nine goals last season. The Moroccan’s stats may fail to flatter, but he’s a highly technical and intelligent footballer who glides across the park and could provide some necessary creative spark.
That creative spark takes on greater importance without Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the attacking lynchpin around which the club won promotion last season. Dewsbury-Hall’s move to join Enzo Maresca is the club’s only major outgoing – a big plus in their bid to keep their top-flight status intact.
Dewsbury-Hall’s is also major for Leicester given the fee he collected will register as pure profit on the clubs’ books, an important factor given they had significant financial restraints throughout the window.
Elsewhere, Oliver Skipp is a reliable Premier League footballer signed at a good price, while making Abdul Fatawu’s loan permanent is savvy too. Both will be crucial for Steve Cooper this season.
Where their window fell short is really strengthening at striker, especially considering Jamie Vardy’s age and recent injury history and the departure of Kelechi Iheanacho to Sevilla.
Odsonne Edouard has Premier League experience, and was once a prolific goalscorer at Celtic, yet found the net just 21 times in his 103 Palace games. Given the importance of reliable goalscoring in staving off relegation.
Grade: C
Liverpool
Biggest signing: Federico Chiesa ($19.4m from Juventus)
Total spend: $19.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Fabio Carvalho ($43.7m to Brentford)
Total income: $102.6 million (AUD)
This summer always loomed as the end of an era at Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s time at the club had drawn to a close, with Dutchman Arne Slot taking the reins of Anfield.
Immense change was expected, with new personnel viewed as a guarantee in order to assist Slot’s transition in the Liverpool managerial role.
Yet, for much of the window Liverpool were the only club in Europe’s top five leagues to have not signed a single player. That was until Giori Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia before being immediately loaned back to Spain, while a bargain move for Federico Chiesa is as risky as it is promising given the Italian’s recent injury history.
Their lack of market activity has not significantly impacted Liverpool, who have begun the season brilliantly.
Even more impressive is the club’s failure to panic once Martin Zubimendi informed them he would remain at Real Sociedad. The Spaniard, who impressed in the Euro final, was billed as the No.6 the Reds desperately needed, with many doubting who would be shoehorned into the role in his place.
Enter Ryan Gravenberch, who has done so seamlessly, bringing a unique profile into the defensive midfield role and justifying Liverpool’s lack of panic in the market.
Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Bobby Clark all left for good deals given their experience, while Stefan Bajcetic’s loan to RB Salzburg will be beneficial to the club in the coming seasons.
Thiago retired and Joel Matip was released, with the club opting not to dip into the market to replace the experienced Cameroonian centre half. A move for Frenchman Castello Lukeba never materialised, meaning the club only have four recognised central defenders, which could prove their Achilles heel down the line.
Liverpool great Jamie Carragher believes the club “are still short – not in terms of numbers but maybe in terms of quality – at centre-back and in holding midfield,” though credited them for not panic buying, which rarely ever works.
Grade: C+
(FILES) Liverpool new signing Federico Chiesa celebrates scoring a goal for Juventus. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)Source: AFP
Manchester City
Biggest signing: Ilkay Gundogan (Free from FC Barcelona)
Total spend: $40.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Julian Alvarez ($125m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $264.6 million (AUD)
When Julian Alvarez traded Manchester for the warmth of Madrid and the intensity of Diego Simeone, there was a sense that this may be the season City finally trips up.
At times filling in for both Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, the Argentine World Cup winner played the fifth most minutes for Pep in the Premier League last season, scoring 11 and creating eight.
Where exactly would City find a player capable of filling in for both their striker and chief creator? The answer, it seems, had been hiding in plain sight.
Released from the final two years of his Barcelona contract, former City captain Ilkay Gundogan has been deployed as a false nine many times for Guardiola but is naturally a brilliant creative midfielder. There is arguably no better Alvarez replacement in world football.
The German headlines a quiet summer of incomings for City, which includes tricky Brazilian winger Savinho – who joined from Girona and has already shown what a delight he is with the ball at his feet. Both are smart additions that boost an already exceptional squad.
Even still, City enter the campaign without a recognised back up striker on their books.
For any other side this would be deeply concerning. For City, it’s a problem, given Haaland’s relatively good injury record, without yet being a major issue, yet.
Pep noted as much, stating the club’s choice not to replace Alvarez could be a “problem” that may turn into a “mistake” but believes the club have enough players in house who can fill in for Haaland, including Gundogan, Phil Foden and youngsters James McAtee and Oscar Bobb.
Where City were smart this window is their ability to offload unwanted, but talented, academy products for strong fees that allow them to clean their books.
Liam Delap, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle all permanently moved away from the Etihad. Offloading Joao Cancelo’s contract from the club’s books can also not be understated.
Grade: B-
lkay Gundogan re-joined Manchester City from FC Barcelona on a free transfer this summer. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Manchester United
Biggest signing: Lenny Yoro ($101.4m from LOSC Lille)
Total spend: $354.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Scott McTominay ($49.9m to Napoli)
Total income: $164.5 million (AUD)
As has been the case for the last decade, it’s incredibly hard to get a read on whether or not United’s transfer window has been good.
On paper they’ve brought in good players. Lenny Yoro has massive wraps on him and may just be the best centre back at his age group, Joshua Zirkzee is a unicorn of a striker as capable of dropping deep and creative as many attacking midfielders, and Manuel Ugarte appears the kind of no-nonsense midfield anchor they’ve been crying out for.
Matthijs De Ligt was once Europe’s finest young centre half but has failed to impress at two of the continent’s biggest clubs. He arrives with a major question mark. While at just over $25 million, Noussair Mazraoui has all the makings of a bargain.
And yet there is an element of groundhog day about this window. United have had good windows in the past. Remember 2021, When the club signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo? Or 2022, when Casemiro, Antony and Lisandro Martinez arrived at Old Trafford? Or last year, when Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund joined?
All of these windows were rightly perceived as great windows on face value of the signings. And the same can be said for this window. All of United’s deals look good on paper, but that matters for very little if the club’s form doesn’t turn around.
Where United, and their restructured footballing ownership, deserve credit is offloading Mason Greenwood to Marseille, clearing the club of the winger’s baggage. Allowing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to move to West Ham is also smart given he doesn’t fit the profile of an Erik Ten Hag fullback.
At nearly $50 million, the club would have been foolish to reject Napoli’s offer for Scott McTominay, though his passion and versatility could well be missed dearly.
Grade: B-
Manchester United’s new signings (L to R) Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro (using crutches due to a metatarsal injury), Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui acknowledge the fans prior to United’s clash with Fulham. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Newcastle United
Biggest signing: Lewis Hall ($54.6 million from Chelsea – loan move made permanent)
Total spend: $74.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million to Nottingham Forest)
Total income: $132.8 million (AUD)
Arguably no Premier League club had their hands tied behind their back by financial constraints more than Newcastle United.
Manager Eddie Howe described it as “challenging,” before sharing his hopes the club’s minimal business helps them strengthen in future windows.
Out went Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, both of whom would have pushed for a place in Howe’s squad, and potentially starting XI, with Anderson’s move to Forest facilitated purely for financial reasons.
The club’s financial constraints meant they were limited in their ability to dip into the transfer market, with Lewis Hall’s loan move being made permanent and William Osula’s signing the only two the club splashed cash on.
Lloyd Kelly adds much-needed defensive depth, and will be a valuable squad player once everyone is fit, but is hardly a signing to set the world alight.
It would be harsh to judge Newcastle’s incomings too severely due to the club’s financial constraints, though questions need to be asked about their failed pursuit of Palace centre back Marc Guehi, as well as their inability to offload Kieran Trippier – who begins the season as Howe’s right back deputy.
Clearly the money was there, just not used in ways that strengthen the players at Howe’s disposal. What did strengthen Howe’s side was keeping Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, which is about the only commendable business Newcastle conducted.
At best, Newcastle will reflect on this window as one that boosted their squad and brought in two fine young talents. At worst, it will be seen as a failure that failed to achieve anything other than balance the club’s books.
Grade: D+
Nottingham Forest
Biggest signing: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million from Newcastle United)
Total spend: $175 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Niakhate ($52.8 million to Lyon)
Total income: $88.9 million (AUD)
Dare we say it… did Forest have a strong transfer window?
Considering the club have had an even more scattergun approach to transfers in recent years than even Chelsea, their activity was measured, geared towards strengthening Nuno’s squad as opposed to signing as many players as possible.
Elliot Anderson is a wonderful footballer, Nikola Milenkovic has been impressive in recent seasons for Fiorentina, Jota Silva has massive wraps as an elusive winger with goal scoring nous, while James Ward-Prowse’s loan adds depth, experience and set piece threat to Nuno’s midfield.
Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga remain at the City ground, highlighting how their astute incomings came without expensive outgoings.
Given the club targeted seven goalkeepers throughout last season, and current No.1 Matz Sels had the lowest save percentage (57.4%) of all 25 goalkeepers in the Premier League last season, not bringing in a new goalkeeper is the one glaring negative against Forest’s window.
The club lagged in their attempt to sign Aaron Ramsdale, who joined Southampton instead, saw their advances for Neto knocked back, missed out on Sam Johnstone to Wolves, failed in their attempt to bring French international Brice Samba back to the club and were unwilling to meet Liverpool’s valuation for Ireland international Caoimhim Kelleher.
Another clear area the club were attempting to strengthen but failed to do is up front, with their pursuits of Eddie Nketiah, Yoane Wissa, Omar Marmoush, Evanilson and Santiago Gimenez all ending in nothing.
While this is disappointing for Forest fans, their manager reportedly has no qualms with Sels as first choice keeper, while New Zealand international Chris Wood has begun the season in red-hot scoring form.
What isn’t disappointing for Forest fans is the fact their club didn’t panic buy when missing out on their targets and instead stuck the course with what they had and trusted Nuno to get the best out of them.
Grade: B-
Elliot Anderson joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle just before the June 30 PSR deadline. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Southampton
Biggest signing: Aaron Ramsdale ($35.2 million from Arsenal)
Total spend: $205.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Carlos Alcaraz ($29.7 million to Flamengo)
Total income: $82.5 million (AUD)
For much of the window, Southampton seemed to sign players with one eye on remaining in the Premier League and another on gaining promotion in the event they’re relegated this season.
Given last season’s promoted contingent – Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United – all went straight back down at the end of 2023-24, this business approach is as smart as it is sad.
Aaron Ramsdale’s signing late in the window shows the hunger is there for Russell Martin’s side. He headlines a savvy window for the Saints, who also made Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes’ loan moves permanent, while Ben Brereton-Diaz should add goals.
Goals will be a problem for Southampton this season given Adam Armstrong’s never scored more than two Premier League goals in a single season, and Brereton-Diaz has the potential to provide a threat upfront after scoring six times in 14 Premier League games on loan at Sheffield United last season.
There is hope Cameron Archer can blossom into a reliable Premier League striker, which is why the Saints paid Villa $29 million for his services, even if he’s scored more than 10 goals in a season once in his career.
At the very least, should Southampton fail to find the goals they’ll need to survive, their signings this window have a high enough ceiling to serve them well in the coming years.
Grade: C-
Ange bullish wins will come soon | 00:25
Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest signing: Dominic Solanke ($107m from Bournemouth)
Total spend: $234.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Oliver Skipp ($39 million to Leicester City)
Total income: $114.6 million (AUD)
12 months after Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich, Spurs have finally landed on their replacement for the England captain.
In Dominic Solanke, Ange Postecoglou has a striker moulded similarly to Kane as you can get on the market. A career-high 19 goal haul last season is the headline figure for the former Bournemouth man, but his link up play and ability to drag opponents out of position and bring teammates into play is among the best in Europe.
An early injury setback following a disappointing debut has soured the early weeks of Solanke’s time at Spurs but Postecoglou has made it no secret that he feels the 26-year-old will succeed at the club.
“He is a presence and scores different types of goals. I think the way we play suits him,” the Spurs coach said.
Elsewhere, the club brought in Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall in, all three of whom are fine young footballers with the potential to grow into exceptional players around which Spurs’ side can be constructed.
18-year-old Gray in particular marks a significant transfer coup, with the 2023-24 Championship Young Player of the Season already a fine holding midfielder, and capable right back, who was highly-rated by former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Last season, Gray led Leeds in tackles, was ranked third in tackles and won possession back more often than just about anyone at the club.
Away from new signings, Spurs were able to offload several high-wage, low performance players, namely Tanguy Nbombele, and find new homes for footballers who don’t suit Postecoglou’s style, such as Eric Dier, Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
For his part, the Australian described the club’s activity as a “real positive” but noted there were shortcomings with their activity.
“We know there’s still some areas where I look at squad management and we can improve. Again, it’s got to be the right person, the right player and right person,” Postecoglou said, before hinting at potential reinforcements joining the club in January.
One area the club are undoubtedly assessing depth options for is defence. Last season, Spurs’ campaign was derailed by injuries and suspensions to Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie.
At present, Spurs have just four centre backs on their books, with one of those being Ben Davies – who began his career at left back. Depth in this area is a must if Spurs are to blossom in the coming seasons, with a potential January defensive signing on the cards, one in a similar mould to Radu Dragusin.
Grade: B
Spurs record signing Dominic Solanke joined Spurs from Bournemouth during the summer window for $107 million. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
West Ham
Biggest signing: Max Kilman ($78.2 million from Wolves)
Total spend: $247.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Flynn Downes ($35.2 million to Southampton)
Total income: $81 million (AUD)
It’s almost impossible to ignore West Ham’s business and suggest the club aren’t the winners of this year’s summer transfer window.
And the fact they’re the winners is not because they’ve signed a lot of players (nine). If that were the case Chelsea would’ve won by many country miles.
No, it’s the type of players the Hammers have brought in. Good players, with a clear place in the squad, that add value to Julen Lopetegui’s side while coming at largely affordable prices.
Picking up Max Kilman from Wolves is such astute business; only three players made more clearances last season and only four won a higher percentage of their tackles.
He is one of several defence reinforcements joining the Hammers, alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’s defensive excellence compensates for his offensive limitations, and Jean-Clair Todibo, who joins on a loan with an obligation to buy.
Given the two-time French international was on the radar of many clubs, including Manchester United, West Ham’s ability to sign him represents a significant transfer coup.
Last season’s Championship Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville bolsters an already stacked attack line. The Dutchman’s importance could grow depending on the outcome of an FA investigation into Lucas Paqueta’s potential betting breaches.
Spanish international Carlos Soler and Argentinian midfielder Guido Rodriguez provide depth to Lopetegui’s midfield too, especially with James Ward-Prowse’s loan to Forest.
West Ham’s smart signings have been counteracted with necessary outgoings, including Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer, Maxwel Cornet and Nayef Aguerd, all of whom had rather forgettable spells with the Hammers.
Grade: A+
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Biggest signing: Andre ($41 million from Fluminese)
Total spend: $120.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Pedro Neto ($104.6m to Chelsea)
Total income: $192 million (AUD)
Club captain, gone.
Best player, gone.
Fair to say, it hasn’t been the best window for Gary O’Neil’s Wolves. Max Kilman left for West Ham and Pedro Neto for Chelsea, significantly weakening the manager’s defensive and creative options.
“Those guys, we need to replace them,” O’Neil told Sky Sports. That they didn’t could prove damning for the club, even if they have faith in the in-house options they have to make up for their two big losses.
Andre, signed from Fluminese, shapes as smart business, with the ball-winning midfielder a wild success in his homeland. He adds to a strong midfield contingent at the club.
Tommy Doyle’s return is positive after he impressed on loan last season, with Jorgen Strand Larsen has already shown his immense presence up top.
Sam Johnstone is a fine goalkeeper, but is he better than Jose Sa? While question marks remain about the rest of the clubs’ signings, many of whom have high ceilings while lacking Premier League experience.
Speaking to Sky Sports, O’Neil indicated earlier in the window that the club needed to look at bringing in players capable of helping them win now.
“Recruitment has been asset-driven and we are hopeful that we can balance that slightly, to get some that are Premier League ready,” he said.
For the large part the club didn’t, and if their start to the season is anything to go by that strategy will do more short term harm than long-term good.
Ange Postecoglou has drafted a contingency plan should one of his defenders leave, while a Socceroos defender could find himself nudged out of the starting squad.
Catch up on all of the biggest transfer whispers in the latest edition of the Rumour Mill!
ANGE’S $64M CONTINGENCY PLAN REVEALED AS STAR NEARS EXIT
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is wasting little time in preparing for the rumoured exit of Emerson Royal, with a Monaco defender lined up as his replacement.
The Spurs right back has attracted plenty of interest from Italian giants AC Milan, who are in the market for a right-sided defender.
However, Romano claims the deal won’t exactly be straightforward given Monaco have slapped a $AUD64 million price tag on the 22-year-old.
It would be a large outlay on a back-up defender given Pedro Porro is Postecoglou’s first-choice right back.
Vanderson began the season operating as a right midfielder but found himself in defence for six of Monaco’s final eight Ligue 1 games this season.
Postecoglou has a Monaco defender in his sights. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
RED DEVILS PONDER PROMISING DUTCH STAR
Manchester United are pondering whether to meet the $64m release clause of Dutch international Joshua Zirkzee as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his attacking options.
Sky Sports reports the Red Devils are keen on Zirkzee but have not made a final decision on a pursuit of the forward.
However, the report claims the release clause figure isn’t expected to be an issue should United’s transfer committee decide to green light the deal.
Zirkzee is coming off one of his best seasons to date as his 11 goals and five assists helped fire Bologna to an unexpected Champions League birth.
The 23-year-old was previously on the books at Bayern Munich before he moved to Bologna in 2022 for just $13 million.
Joshua Zirkzee is a target of Manchester United. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SOCCEROO’S SPOT UNDER THREAT AS PL NEWBIES EYE DEFENDER
Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess could find his place in Ipswich Town’s starting lineup under threat as a Hull City defender has emerged as the club’s transfer priority.
Burgess, a centre back, started in 38 of the Trotters’ 46 Championship games last season and played a key role in lifting the club to the Premier League.
However, the news of Ipswich making Hull’s Jacob Greaves their top target this summer could leave the Aussie out in the cold.
The Telegraph claims Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is a big fan of Greaves, but the newly-promoted side may have to fend off Everton in the battle for his signature.
McKenna has made a new centre-back his transfer priority. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CHELSEA’S STRIKER SEARCH HITS A SPEED BUMP
Chelsea’s search for a new striker has hit a speed bump after a bid for a 20-year-old was rejected.
The Blues made a $52 million offer to Atletico Madrid for Samu Omorodion but the Spanish side decided to turn it down, per The Athletic.
Omorodion joined Atletico last summer from Granada and was immediately loaned out to Alaves, where he scored nine goals and registered one assist from 35 league appearances.
Although the door may be momentarily shut on moves for Omorodion, The Athletic reports Chelsea still have other transfer targets in mind.
Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran is one who has heavily been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge and the clubs have been in talks regarding the Colombian.
The report also claims Chelsea admire former academy product Dominic Solanke but it appears unlikely at this stage due to his $124m release clause.
Unstoppable Turkey’s new young gun | 00:43
FOXES CLOSE IN ON EX-BRIGHTON BOSS
Leicester City are inching closer towards appointing Enzo Maresca’s successor as they gear up for their return to the Premier League.
According to The Guardian, the Foxes are “close to reaching an agreement” with former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter to take over.
Potter has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 but has not been short of offers, with Ajax one of numerous clubs he turned down.
Should Potter take the job, he’ll have to contend with Leicester’s worrying financial position as they could be docked points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
It doesn’t get much bigger than the opening round of SuperCoach BBL for BBL13.
In seven seasons of Australia’s favourite fantasy cricket game, we have never had a round like what’s in store to kick off the new campaign.
That’s because Brisbane Heat plays three times — yes, three times.
That early fixture has placed a premium on Heat assets and most KFC SuperCoaches will stack their teams with players from Brisbane.
That appears an obvious formula to make a flying start to SuperCoach, but it’s also important you don’t miss players who are underpriced and will appreciate in value quickly.
Rashid Khan would have been one of those, but his back injury has thrown another curve ball at SuperCoach teams.
It’s important to find the right mix between targeting doubles, triples and cash cows to get your team rolling and set yourself up for success in BBL13.
These are the five players every team should start:
1. Glenn Maxwell (Stars) $118,300 BAT-BWL
In seven seasons of KFC SuperCoach BBL, the Stars skipper has never been this cheap. The closest Maxwell came to his starting price for BBL13 was in the 2019-20 campaign, when he finished the tournament at $137,900. That gives you an indication of the bargain you’re getting this summer. Maxwell is the type of three-dimensional cricketer who is a KFC SuperCoach dream as he can score points with the bat, ball and in the field. He’s only this cheap after missing all of last season due to injury, which resulted in a significant price discount. To give you an idea of his pointscoring prowess, Maxwell finished BBL11 with hauls of 103, 138 and 219 in KFC SuperCoach. The Stars are one of the teams on the double in round 1 too.
2. Spencer Johnson (Heat) $125,500 BWL
The big left-arm quick was one of the breakout stars of BBL12, overcoming years of injury problems to surge onto the national radar. Johnson snared nine wickets in 10 matches, emerging as one of the country’s most accurate T20 death bowlers. And his rise was a big win for KFC SuperCoaches who took a leap of faith at $42k. Johnson doubled in price by the end of the tournament, scoring 21, 65, 35, 51 and 71 KFC SuperCoach points. It’s important to target death bowlers in KFC SuperCoach as there’s when most wickets fall — and therefore points are accumulated. Johnson has that role sewn up at the Heat after his impressive finish last season. The only potential issue here is a niggling injury which has hampered his build up. He’s still a must-have if he’s named for the opening game of the tournament though.
3. Tom Curran (Sixers) $180,000 BAT-BWL
The English star is back in the BBL after almost two years and primed to have a major say in Sydney Sixers’ fortunes. Curran started BBL11 at $201k and delivered a score of 140 points in the opening round. He withdrew from that tournament two rounds later with a back issue. That was the last time Curran featured in Australia but he was one of the best scorers in KFC SuperCoach when available. He averaged 73 points in 2018-19 and 71.5 in 2019-20, seasons which included three round scores above 150. He already had a dream role for KFC SuperCoach as a death bowler batting at seven, but could be elevated in the line-up this season after Dan Christian’s retirement. The Sixers are among a host of teams who play twice in round 1.
4. Sam Billings (Heat) $116,900 WKP-BAT
Some would argue Ben McDermott should be in this spot considering he’s only $88,000. The Hurricanes don’t have a double until round 7 though and KFC SuperCoach BBL is all about maximising your returns by targeting the fixture. Instead of taking McDermott (who admittedly is underpriced), why wouldn’t you spend the extra $28k and pick English star Billings instead? His middle-order role isn’t ideal, as it means he relies on the top order failing to score maximum batting points. But considering Brisbane plays three times in round 1, you should expect at least two strong returns. And that’s more than enough to justify paying a price which is about $30k cheaper than he started BBL12. Billings will also keep for the first two matches of the tournament while Jimmy Peirson is playing for the PM’s XI.
5. Quinton de Kock (Renegades) $180,000 WKP-BAT
The South African opener will arrive in Australia after a World Cup campaign where he averaged 59.4 at a strike rate of 107. Only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma scored more runs than de Kock in that tournament, which underlines the form he’s in. It’s normally risky to pay this much for an overseas batter coming into the BBL, but de Kock is no ordinary import. We’re talking about one of the best white-ball batters in the world. The Renegades play five times in the opening three rounds and if de Kock lives up to his reputation early on, you’ll lose touch with the SuperCoach frontrunners quickly unless you start him.
We’ll list five players from each KFC SuperCoach BBL position — BAT, BWL, WKP-BAT and BAT-BWL — to help you lock in your round 1 side by the first ball on December 7.
To start with, it’s the batters.
The best advice we can give you is to target BAT-BWL players, rather than BAT only, for the seven BAT positions in your team.
They have more chances to score points, as long as they’re batting and bowling.
Some batters have huge ceilings, but the risk is if they miss out their SuperCoach score will be reliant on what they do in the field.
Nathan McSweeney (59.3 points, three games) Chris Lynn (54.2), Tim David (51.1) and Cameron Bancroft (51) had the best average of players listed as BAT only in BBL12.
For those risk takers who like a BAT only option, here are five to consider for round 1:
Colin Munro (Brisbane Heat) $156,100
Brisbane Heat has the first triple in SuperCoach BBL history in round 1, which mitigates some of the risk about picking batters. They might only need to fire twice in three games to make their break even and produce a triple-figure score. New Zealander Munro is one of the most experienced T20 batters in the world, having played more than 400 T20 matches and scored more than 10,000 runs. Munro only played eight matches last season but still scored 278 runs at a strike rate of better than 150. If you pick Munro, you won’t have any worries about job security and him not playing all three round 1 games either.
Nathan McSweeney (Brisbane Heat) $128,700
McSweeney had a strong impact in the five matches he played last season, scoring 84, 28, 6, 5 and 41 for a SuperCoach average of 59.3 across three rounds. The beauty for those considering him this year is he has been one of the form batters of the season so far with South Australia. He has 162 runs at an average of 54 in the Marsh Cup and 456 runs at 50.6 in the Shield. Some have even suggested he might crack the Test squad he’s going that well. He might be the best option on this list as he can bowl as well.
Josh Brown (Brisbane Heat) $88,600
One of the great stories of BBL12. Brown has gone from a Fifth XI player in grade cricket to a Brisbane Heat contract and showed his hitting prowess with 62 off 23 balls against Sydney Sixers last season. Some coaches were concerned about whether Brown would start the campaign in Brisbane’s best XI, but Matthew Renshaw being picked in the PM’s XI should ensure that’s not an issue. The 29-year-old is rated as one of the country’s cleanest hitters and is given a licence by Brisbane to launch in the power play. As he explained recently, it’s seen as a bonus if Brown is still in after the first four overs. Brown will be in the sights of many KFC SuperCoach teams due to Brisbane’s round 1 double which is understandable when he’s less than $90k and set to open the batting. If he gets away even once in that opening round, Brown will have justified starting him in SuperCoach. He’s had a few low scores for his club side Norths in recent months but is the type of player who could defy that form and blast off in BBL13. He needs to be considered.
Oliver Davies (Sydney Thunder) $117,100
Davies has scored 129, 67 and 62 in his last two Sheffield Shield matches, standing up for a NSW team which has been struggling. Not bad for a rising star who’s supposed to be more of a white-ball hitter. Starting Davies won’t be easy as it means you will need to carry him for three rounds before Sydney Thunder has the double in round 4. But it would certainly put you ahead of other coaches who will be looking to trade him in for that round. In his first nine rounds last season, Davies scored 65 SuperCoach points or more five times (including a season high of 125 in round 2). The 23-year-old is one of the most exciting batting talents in Australian cricket and has a strike rate of 138 in his short T20 career. You’ve got to like a player in form and there’s no question Davies fits that criteria. It’s just a matter of whether investing that $117k in him from round 1 will be worth it. If you’re prepared to take the plunge, you could have a great point-of-difference pick.
D’Arcy Short (Adelaide Strikers) $67,500
A two-time player of the tournament at rookie price seems too good to be true, especially with a round 2 double. Short is likely to bat in the top three for Adelaide after a frustrating end to his time in Hobart. His recent Marsh Cup form is a concern, making three ducks in five innings since late September. But surely the price tag and early double offsets the risk of picking a player who might not be in top form? Short features in almost 40 per cent of KFC SuperCoach teams and if he recaptures his form of past BBL campaigns, those coaches who start him are going to have a big advantage. He’s by no means a must-have like some of the players listed in this article but probably only needs one decent score in his first three matches to generate money. He’s lost BWL status after not bowling last season but could pick up the odd over in BBL13, especially once Rashid Khan leaves later in the tournament. The issue is he’s unlikely to still be in your SuperCoach team by that point. Chuck him on your BAT bench, play him in the round 2 double and then reassesses how long you hold him after that.
I’d gone through the prices and pinpointed several bargains, headlined by Ben McDermott at less than $90,000.
Then I looked at round 1 and completely ripped up my plans.
For the first time in the five years I’ve played SuperCoach BBL there will be a triple game week when Brisbane Heat plays three times.
Then the Renegades, Stars, Scorchers and Sixers play twice.
No wonder they’re calling it a super round.
I’m really excited because it means there will be a lot of variety in starting teams and I think it’s really going to spice up SuperCoach BBL.
If you haven’t played before, getting involved in the super round is a great reason to enter a team for BBL13.
With that bumper start to the BBL in mind, I have targeted players from the four doubles and Brisbane Heat – with D’Arcy Short the exception.
One of the greatest players in the history of the BBL at a rookie price looks too good to pass up – especially considering the Strikers play twice in round 2.
That’s one of the things I found crucial to being successful in SuperCoach BBL – planning ahead.
It’s why I am still torn on how many Brisbane Heat players to start with.
Yes, the Heat play three times in round 1 and once in round 2.
But by round 3 they have a bye, so going too heavy in round 1 could come back to bite you.
Picking Michael Neser is a non-negotiable.
His price tag might look high, but he’s one of the form cricketers in Australia and scored more than 200 points during a double last season. Imagine the damage he could do playing three times in round 1.
The only knock I have on him is that he bats too low for his ability. Hopefully the Heat elevate him to No. 7 – at a minimum – this season.
The other factors to consider when choosing Heat players for round 1 are durability and selection.
You don’t want to be caught out by a Brisbane player being managed or left out when the Heat plays in six days.
I’m confident Colin Munro, Matt Renshaw and Sam Billings will feature in each game, so they’re in my side.
Ditto Paul Walter, although I’m torn on whether to start him on the bench and play Glenn Maxwell. That’s a call for closer to December 7 when the tournament gets underway.
I can understand coaches picking Quinton de Kock considering he has been one of the best batters of the tournament at the World Cup.
But the $60k saving and triple game week were enough for me to go with Billings instead.
The three Sixers I’ve gone with for round 1 are Tom Curran, Sean Abbott and Josh Philippe.
Curran and Abbott are two of the most consistent scorers in SuperCoach BBL history, while Philippe is a bargain at $102k.
The last call came down to Mitch Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann, who might be battling for one spot in the Heat team.
I always tend to have favoured leg spinners because wickets are where the big points are in SuperCoach.
Swepson might leak a few more runs than Kuhnemann, but a 2-40 is likely worth more than a 0-20 in SuperCoach.
There are two players I wanted to desperately squeeze in but haven’t been able to.
The first is Matt Short, who has been the dominant player in the past two BBL campaigns.
At $244k, he’s just too expensive to start when Adelaide doesn’t play twice.
But, you’ve got to have it in the back of your mind that the Strikers have a round 2 double.
Start planning how you will get Short in then, because he scores so well with bat and ball that he could end your hopes of rankings glory in two games.
The other is McDermott, who is a crazy price at $88k after only scoring 196 runs in BBL12.
If Hobart had a double earlier than round 7 he would have been my first player picked, but the fixture is king in SuperCoach BBL.
Like all SuperCoaches, I will be studying the form closely and keeping an ear to the ground for any team and role whispers in the next month.
There will no doubt be changes to this team before the first ball of BBL13 is bowled.
But for now the Baggy Greens are locked and loaded.
Jadon Sancho’s Manchester United future was plunged into further doubt on Thursday as the club said the England winger will train on his own due to a “squad discipline issue”.
Sancho was dropped for United’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal earlier this month for what United manager Erik ten Hag deemed poor performances in training.
“Jadon, on his performances in training we did not select him,” said United boss Ten Hag after the game.
“You have to reach a level every day at Manchester United and we can make choices in the front line. So for this game he was not selected.”
The 23-year-old responded by posting on social media: “I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!”
In a statement, United said: “Jadon Sancho will remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline issue.”
Sancho was considered one of the brightest young talents in European football when he joined United for £73 million ($141 million AUD) from Borussia Dortmund two years ago.
But he has struggled to live up to that price tag at Old Trafford, scoring just 12 goals in 82 appearances.
The former Manchester City youth player was given time off between October and February last season to complete an individual winter fitness programme in the Netherlands.
Ten Hag has proven to be a strict disciplinarian even with some of his biggest stars at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at the club was cut short after he criticised the former Ajax manager in a television interview, while Marcus Rashford was benched for a match last season after arriving late to a team meeting.
Sancho’s absence compounds a miserable start to the season for United on and off the field.
Ten Hag’s men have lost two of their opening four Premier League games. United are currently without Brazilian winger Antony after he was given a leave of absence to fight allegations of domestic abuse made by his former girlfriend.
Antony is another star missing from the Red Devils’ ranks.Source: Getty Images
United also received criticism for their handling of Mason Greenwood, who has joined Spanish side Getafe on loan, after agreeing with the player that his career at the club could not continue.
The 21-year-old had faced charges including attempted rape and assault, but prosecutors announced in February this year that the case had been dropped after key witnesses withdrew and new evidence came to light.
Initial reports suggested United were planning to reintroduce the striker to the team before a public outcry sparked the decision to part ways.
Meanwhile, protests against United’s owners, the Glazer family, remain a common occurrence at home matches as a process for the Americans to sell the club appears to have ground to a halt.
The Brisbane Heat has launched an audacious bid to try and lure superstar Cameron Green from one side of Australia to the other and be the face of their Big Bash future.
Green is the next ‘it’ man of Australian cricket and potentially a future Test captain, and with one spot still left open on their roster, the Heat are chasing hard for the gun all-rounder who earlier this year lived up to his record $3.15 million price tag at IPL giants’ the Mumbai Indians.
The Perth Scorchers are yet to announce any deal with Green for the upcoming BBL season, and the Heat are making no secret of their desire to try and poach the 1.98 metre matchwinner, who they see as a talent who could be their marquee man for years to come.
“Cameron is a wonderful talent with bat and ball. I’m looking forward to speaking with him about the possibility of joining the Brisbane Heat on a long-term deal,” Queensland Cricket boss Terry Svenson told this masthead.
“I reckon he would love making the Gabba his home.”
Perth say negotiations with Green are ongoing and they are hopeful a deal will be done in the coming weeks.
It would be a massive effort to pull Green away from his home state of Perth where he has grown up and blossomed into one of the rarest talents of recent generations.
But the Heat see Green as a personality and talent big enough to ultimately follow on from Usman Khawaja as the face of the organisation.
Green has spent time in Brisbane previously as part of the academy and has only rarely appeared for the Scorchers in the last couple of seasons as his international career has taken off.
After losing narrowly to the Scorchers in last year’s epic BBL final, if the Heat could get one back on Perth by snaring Green it would one of the competition’s great heists.
This summer’s January-heavy Test schedule won’t allow Test players much of an opportunity to play BBL, but the fact Green was not selected in Australia’s last Ashes XI hasn’t been missed by interested clubs given his status as a lock for the Test team is not guaranteed.
Green is a 10-year Test player and although it will only be a matter of time until he’s back in the baggy green, if the in-form Marsh does manage to keep him out of the Australian side this summer, then Green becomes an even more attractive target for BBL suitors led by the Heat.
There are few more exciting prospects in the booming world of T20 cricket than Green, with his booming batting ability at the top of the order and strike power as a genuine wicket-taker.
Green took a few games to adapt to the unique pressure and expectation of being a 3 million dollar IPL marquee man, but by the end of the Indian tournament he was dominating with some fearless performances.
“I took a lot of confidence out of that. You’re obviously coming up against the best players in the world in pretty foreign conditions, so I had a great time,” Green told this masthead of his IPL experience.
“I felt like I was a different cricketer to when I finished that from where I was before. A lot more confidence in my own game and what I can bring. That was a great tour.”
A former England international was left raving about a key tactical tweak from Ange Postecoglou that already looks to be paying dividends for Tottenham Hotspur while the three promoted teams are learning the hard way about life in the Premier League.
Elsewhere, Liverpool fans are wondering if their star striker has finally turned a corner in what could prove to be a scary warning for the rest of the division.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at the weekend that was in Premier League Talking Points!
THE KEY ANGE TWEAK THAT HAS EX-ENGLAND STAR DROOLING
With every Tottenham game that passes, English pundits are slowly but surely turning into Ange Postecoglou fans.
The Postecoglou era began with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Brentford but it was a 2-0 win over Manchester United that really got the UK media to sit up and take notice.
A comfortable 2-0 win over Bournemouth continued Tottenham’s unbeaten start to the season and, for at least a few hours, Postecoglou’s side was top of the Premier League.
James Maddison’s opener left fans drooling as Dejan Kulusevski’s second-half strike sealed the three points.
Yet it was none of the midfielders or attackers that caught the eye of former England international Joe Cole during the game.
“The fullbacks in particular was an area of concern last year,” Cole said on TNT Sports’ broadcast.
“I looked at that and thought they never looked quite comfortable. But the (second) goal in particular came from (Destiny) Udogie in midfield.”
Destiny Udogie has been a shining light under Ange Postecoglou. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Cole asked Postecoglou if there was “some kind of trigger you’re using” for the fullbacks to tuck into the midfield.
“Because he’s in midfield, the ball comes out to (Ivan) Perisic and he just goes. It almost seems like they’ve been together forever. He went straight away and attacked that space.
“They look like they’re playing with freedom.”
However, Postecoglou refused to give any of his secrets away and had a brilliant response.
“I’m just copying Pep, mate,” Postecoglou replied.
Udogie, who operates on the left flank, hadn’t played for Tottenham until this season but has taken to Postecoglou’s style of play like a duck to water.
On the right, Pedro Porro has also impressed in his ability to get up and down the touchline while also adhering to the Aussie’s tactical instructions.
Who knows what element of Postecoglou’s game will be noticed in Tottenham’s next fixture, but it seems the English pundits are finally seeing ‘AngeBall’ for what it really is.
Pundits are waking up to ‘AngeBall’ (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
REDS’ ‘PERFORMANCE FOR THE AGES’ AS STAR FINALLY ARRIVES
What a performance from Liverpool. After conceding an early goal and playing with 10 men for an hour, Jurgen Klopp’s men showed remarkable grit and tactical intelligence to fight back and claim a smash-and-grab win.
Klopp was asked after the game what the comeback said about his team’s spirit. He replied: “Absolutely everything. In my more than 1,000 games as a coach, I never had a game like this, that is the truth.
“There have been other games, but with 10 men in an atmosphere like this against an opponent like this … It’s not that I can’t remember, I’m pretty sure it never happened because these moments are rare and super-special.”
“It was unbelievable, something very special,” captain Trent Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sport. “You come here with a game plan, dictate the play and kill the atmosphere as that’s an advantage for them.
“But we had to do it the hard way, a very hard way. We dug deep and pulled together. A performance for the ages, one of our best performances. There was some outstanding performances.”
Klopp now has 11 wins in a row against opposite manager Eddie Howe – the longest win streak between any two Premier League managers. The German mastermind was a class above Howe on the day – his reshuffle after the red card narrowed Liverpool’s formation and stifled Newcastle’s attack, before his substitutes Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez had an ideal impact.
Nunez had a tough first season after his club-record arrival for £85m last year, scoring 15 times in all competitions from 42 appearances – but missed plenty of chances with a lack of composure in front of goal. Per Opta Stats, he scored 12 big chances and missed 28.
Has Darwin Nunez finally turned a corner? (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
That lack of consistency saw him drop down Liverpool’s pecking order in attack – and he was clearly ‘fired up’ by that demotion, having not started any of Liverpool’s matches this season.
Klopp told Sky Sports it was a ‘super performance’ from Nunez: “We calmed the game down and brought on Darwin, he was obviously fired up from not starting.
“It’s clear he’s not happy. It’s early in the season, we need to find stability and results. He will play, there’s no doubt about that. We need everyone. We need to find a way of playing. This is a new team with new key players. It needs time.
“He scores two goals and can’t get the smile off his face. For the team, it was super important. You need these things together. You cannot force it. I enjoyed that in the last second.”
There was plenty of pressure on Nunez last season given his price tag, but his maiden Premier League season began by losing his head and copping a red card. A year later he made himself the team’s saviour after Van Dijk was red.
As Manchester United great Gary Neville told Sky Sports of Nunez’s first goal: “It’s a huge moment in this match but an even bigger moment for Darwin Nunez.”
At 24, this might be the turning point in the gifted Uruguayan’s Premier League career. If he can develop the consistency and clinical edge that was lacking last campaign, he could play a key role in lifting Liverpool back into the title picture.
Nunez’s stoppage-time winner secured a vital three points for Liverpool. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRUTAL REALITY FOR TRIO OF PL NEWBIES
For the newly-promoted trio of Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United, they would have gone into this Premier League season with varying levels of optimism.
Burnley steamrolled the Championship last season to finish top of the ladder, Sheffield United also went up via automatic promotion while Luton Town did it by winning the playoffs.
But it’s taken just a handful of games for the three to remember just how brutal life in the Premier League is.
All three teams have failed to gain at least a point from their opening games and it is only Everton’s miserable start that is preventing them from being in the relegation zone.
In fairness, Burnley have faced defending champions Manchester City and Aston Villa in their opening two games, losing 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.
Same goes for Luton Town who lost 4-1 to Brighton and 3-0 to Chelsea in a rough start.
Sheffield United have also faced one of the Premier League’s big hitters and came up short, losing 2-1 to Manchester City on Sunday.
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom has a big job on his hands to avoid relegation. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However, the Blades had two fixtures which they felt they had a chance in but ultimately ended in defeats against Crystal Palace (0-1) and Nottingham Forest (1-2).
As Burnley boss Vincent Kompany pointed out after his side’s loss to Aston Villa on Sunday, the step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a big one.
“Learning comes at a price in the Premier League,” Kompany said.
“When you get punished you have to learn from it really quickly.
“You play against the good sides and everything happens a little bit faster.”
There is still a long, long way to go this season so it is far too early to write off any of these teams.
Luton are yet to play at their famous Kenilworth Road ground, Burnley’s new signings will take some time to gel while Sheffield United have proven they won’t roll over for anyone.
But the longer these teams go without a win, let alone a draw, the pressure could quickly become insurmountable.
Vincent Kompany has learned life as a Premier League manager is not easy. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LUCKY LIVERPOOL AS CAPTAIN EXPOSED AGAIN
Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the finest attacking fullbacks in the world, with his creativity on the ball delivering record assists in recent years. That’s why both Liverpool and England have experimented with playing him as a midfielder – with the Reds having him make underlapping runs to overload the midfield and get him on the ball as much as possible.
But his defensive deficiencies were badly exposed last year and he was given nightmares by Anthony Gordon against Newcastle. First he was given a yellow card for throwing away the ball after being shoved by Gordon – who appeared to have fouled him. Then he escaped a second yellow and a sending-off when he collected Gordon with a stray arm on a counter-attack.
Alexander-Arnold was also at fault for Newcastle’s opener, when he failed to control a Mohamed Salah pass and allowed Gordon to race through and score.
But the fact that the Liverpool fullback – and the team’s new captain – was even on the field caused significant debate.
Asked about the second Alexander-Arnold infringement, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said: “For me, yes. You don’t want to see a player sent off but, for me, that’s a clear red card.”
He added there were “two moments that are key in the game [Van Dijk’s red being the other] and the referee got the first one wrong. We’re not looking at that as the reason we didn’t win the game – that has to fall on our laps.”
Legendary former player Alan Shearer declared: “I think referee John Brookes had a really poor start to the game. The first 10 minutes, I think he got two big decisions wrong.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was perhaps a little fortunate to escape a red card against Newcastle. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I thought it was a clear foul from Anthony Gordon on Trent but he gets a yellow card for time wasting or chucking the ball away and rightly so, that was the right decision but that should have been a foul on Trent.
“And then a couple of minutes later, he’s on a yellow card and that should have been another yellow card. The only thing I can say for the referee is he probably thinks it’s too early in the game to be giving another yellow but that’s not right.”
And Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “The first booking is a needless one, we’re still getting used to the new rules. He just throws it away, which is now a standard booking. He feels hard done by and is pushed and throws the ball away.
“The second incident is too big for him [the referee]. He doesn’t want to make the decision.
“Alexander-Arnold is lucky. He steps out to the left and puts his arm across Gordon. He knows one more and he’s done. I’m convinced that if he wasn’t on a yellow card, he would get one for that.”
Liverpool had Alexis MacAllister’s red card against Bournemouth overturned. For the second week running they had a sending off – but they could have easily have seen Alexander-Arnold off the park as well.
Asked after the match if he thought he would be sent off, Alexander-Arnold said: “It’s always difficult. Especially when you’re away from home, they [decisions] can go against you. It was a bit of a mistake from me and it didn’t help with the crowd on top of me and the team.”
While his attacking ability is unquestionable, there’s no doubt that opposition teams will be putting the fullback firmly in their sights as a potential weakness to exploit.
