The fight outside a Bristol nightclub involving a group of men including Ben Stokes and Alex Hales, which led to Stokes’ arrest, was described as being like “football hooligans”, a court has been told.Stokes, who is standing trial for affray alongside Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale at Bristol Crown Court, was also described as “bullying” a young, gay couple while his England team-mate Hales – who has not been charged with any offence – was accused by a police officer of kicking a man in the head.Max Wilson, who was a student in the Clifton Triangle area of the city when the incident occurred, described a group of “clearly drunk” men acting aggressively towards one another in the early hours of September 25. Wilson, who filmed part of the incident from his bedroom on an upper floor of a building in the area – footage which was later acquired and published by – confirmed that he had described the men’s behaviour as “like football hooligans” in a police statement and is heard to gasp “F***!” in the footage after Stokes punches Hale.”It was just such a fierce punch,” Wilson said. “It just took me by surprise. I felt a bit sorry for the guy who got punched. It looked like he had his hands up.”Wilson’s footage – shown to the jury several times over the first couple of days of the trial – also showed, according to PC Daniel Adams, the officer in the case, Hales kicking Ali in the head as he lay on the pavement.Asked by Stephen Mooney QC, acting on behalf of Hale, whether it would be fair to describe CCTV footage as showing him “kicking a man in the head,” PC Adams replied: “That’s what it looks like, yes. He’s definitely used his feet on three occasions.”Hales was questioned under caution after the incident but not arrested. He is not on trial. Audio from the footage suggests he tried to pull Stokes away from the fray on several occasions – he is repeatedly heard shouting “Stop, Stokes! No! Enough!” – with both Wilson and other witnesses agreeing he was “trying to stop him [Stokes].””Mr Hales is pulling Mr Stokes back by his t-shirt,” PC Adams stated as he commented on footage for the benefit of the jury.Under cross-examination Wilson confirmed he did not think Hales or Stokes had initiated the violence by shoving “another person” but conceded he could not be certain.Much of the second day of the trial was occupied by evidence provided by Andrew Cunningham, a 37-year-old door supervisor at the Mbargo nightclub in the city. Having first accused Stokes of abusing him and mocking two gay men, William O’Connor and Kai Barry, he went on to suggest the England cricketer had been bullying the pair.In particular, he disagreed with Stokes’ defence barrister, Gordon Cole QC, who suggested CCTV footage from outside the Mbargo nightclub showed Stokes engaged in “joking banter” with Barry and O’Connor. And, under cross-examination, it was suggested that Stokes was so enraged by his interaction with Cunningham that he left the area around the nightclub and headed up the road – where the violent incidents occurred – in an angry and frustrated mood.”He was trying to provoke them,” Cunningham said. “They [Stokes and Hales] were laughing at them, not with them.”I didn’t like the fact he [Stokes] flicked a cigarette butt [at O’Connor]. These two guys [Barry and O’Connor] are harmless guys. Not aggressive.”That’s when I stepped in, because they hadn’t done anything wrong. They’re only little guys. I said ‘If you want to start on anyone, start on me.'”He wouldn’t look at me or acknowledge I was there then.”With Cunningham suggesting that Stokes “didn’t seem drunk,” Hale’s representative in the trial, Mr Mooney, said Stokes’ behaviour “can’t be put down to that.” Instead, Mooney alleged, Stokes finally left the area around the nightclub, feeling angry and frustrated.”Was it bullying?” Mooney asked.”Yes,” Cunningham replied.”It wasn’t drunkenness,” Mooney continued. “Just unpleasantness and aggressiveness.”He was aggressive, threatening, unpleasant, bullying. That was his state of mind he was in when he walked up towards The Triangle.”The final witness of the day, Lauren Sweeney, outlined why she called the police on the night of the incident. Looking out of the window of her flat, she alleges she saw Hale – who had just recovered from a blow from Stokes that had briefly rendered him unconscious – break up a road-sign and take a length of metal from it in the direction of the other defendants.”I thought he was going to use the road-sign in an aggressive act,” Sweeney said. “I didn’t think it was self-defence. It was more than just self-defence. It was an aggressive run towards them.”Under cross-examination, PC Adams agreed that both Ali and Hale had bottles at the time of the original fracas and accepted it appeared that Ali had used his “to aim a blow at Mr Barry.”Commenting as CCTV footage was played to the jury, PC Adams said: “Mr Stokes intervenes by throwing a punch. He appears to throw a punch while Hale is in defensive mode. Hale and Ali are backing away. Hales is following Mr Stokes and trying to pull him back. Mr Stokes brushes him off. Ali and Hale are moving backwards. Their arms are up in a defensive gesture. Stokes strikes out at him. The final punch clear for all to see. It floors him [Hale].”Meanwhile the day began and ended with Judge Blair, Recorder of Bristol, reminding the jury to ignore and avoid “biased and inaccurate comments” on social media.The trial continues.

كشف مارسيلو بيلسا، المدير الفني لمنتخب أوروجواي، عن تشكيل اللاعبين لمباراة كولومبيا، في منافسات بطولة كوبا أمريكا 2024.

ويواجه منتخب أوروجواي نظيره الكولومبي، في إطار منافسات الدور نصف النهائي من بطولة كوبا أمريكا في تمام الساعة الثالثة فجراً بتوقيت “القاهرة”، على ملعب “بنك أمريكا”.

وتأهلت أوروجواي إلى نصف النهائي بعد التغلب على البرازيل بركلات الترجيح، بينما تأهل المنتخب الكولومبي إلى الدور ذاته عقب فوزه الكبير على بنما بخماسية نظيفة.

ويلتقي الفائز من هذه المواجهة مع منتخب الأرجنتين في نهائي كوبا أمريكا، فجر الإثنين القادم على ملعب “صن لايف”.

اقرأ ايضاً.. موعد مباراة الأرجنتين في نهائي كوبا أمريكا 2024 تشكيل أوروجواي أمام كولومبيا في كوبا أمريكا

حراسة المرمى: سيرجيو ألفاريز.

خط الدفاع: خوسيه خيمينيز، ماتياس أوليفيرا، مارتن كاسيرس.

خط الوسط: مانويل أوجارتي، فيديريكو فالفيردي، دي لا كروز، بينتانكور.

خط الهجوم: داروين نونيز، فاكوندو بيليستري، ماكسيميليانو أراوخو. تشكيل كولومبيا أمام أوروجواي في كوبا أمريكا

حراسة المرمى: فارجاس.

خط الدفاع: يوهان موخيكا، كارلوس كويستا، دافينسون سانشيز، دانيال مونيوث.

خط الوسط: جون آرياس، جيفرسون ليرما، ريتشارد ريوس.

خط الهجوم: لويس دياز، جيمس رودريجيز، جون كوردوبا.

Everton boast a rich history of youth production, with some of the game's brightest talents having emerged from Merseyside.

Naturally, Wayne Rooney stands above else, but there are numerous other notable figures such as Ross Barkley, Leon Osman, Francis Jeffers and David Unsworth who too have forged admirable careers.

However, having grown to become both Manchester United and England's greatest-ever scorer for a period, the former is bound to take all the plaudits. After all, he will forever be recognised as one of the greatest players of his generation, forged at Finch Farm.

Since then there has been a keen emphasis on replicating that success, and whilst there are few who will ever accomplish what the former Derby County manager achieved, he has set the benchmark with which all youth products will be set.

What Sean Dyche wouldn't give for a player even half as good as Rooney now, to lift his side out of their predicament and spearhead their push towards a brighter future.

However, whilst far from a like-for-like heir to the Red Devils legend, there is one creative midfielder with that goalscoring touch to resemble the prolific 120-cap marksman.

After all, given the frequency with which Charlie Whitaker is finding the net at the youth level, perhaps it could soon be time to hand him that first-team opportunity. Especially given how desperate the Toffees are becoming for some added firepower to bolster their engine room.

Who is Charlie Whitaker?

Clearly preferring a workmanlike midfield trio of Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Idrissa Gana Gueye, there is hardly much room for added competition, as the former Burnley boss seeks to implement a pragmatic, defence-first play style.

However, when coming up against lesser sides who will seek to sit deep against them, when handed the initiative they freeze. A distinct lack of creativity leaves them hoodwinked, and as such they are left constantly attempting the extraordinary, to no avail due to a lack of technical prowess.

Whilst the solution for many would simply be to slot James Garner into one of those three slots, this is a suggestion that Dyche seems intent on rejecting, instead preferring the 22-year-old to deputise on the wing.

So, perhaps Whitaker could instead be the man to change his mind, offering that offensive impetus that the Manchester United academy graduate would offer, arguably with a touch more attacking flair.

After all, last season saw the 20-year-old shine both against other U21s sides, and when clashing with senior outfits. His tally of three goals and four assists across 11 Premier League 2 games marked an impressive tally for a midfielder, whilst his one goal and one assist in the EFL Trophy came against stubborn Hartlepool and Harrogate Town first-team outfits.

Youssef Chermiti

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3

Lewis Dobbin

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4

Tyler Onyango

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1

Nathan Patterson

21

8

Jarrad Branthwaite

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6

Such form was always foreseen though, given how impressive his 2021/22 term was too. There, featuring in no less than seven different roles ranging from central midfield to centre forward, he would record six goal contributions across another 15 Premier League 2 matches.

Such proficiency was bound to draw praise, with former U23s boss and academy graduate Unsworth even lauding that goalscoring ability that Dyche is craving: "I have really enjoyed the last few months working with him! I really have. He does the hardest thing in the game, which is score goals, and he makes it look really easy.

"For the size of him, he is good in the air, he is brave, we just need him to link play and the future is bright for him. I'm not getting over-excited, because you can't, it is too early. But the signs are very, very good." If Garner is to remain in his makeshift right midfield role, then Whitaker is certainly next in line to burst through and hand the experienced senior manager a true selection headache.

How good is James Garner?

It is worth contextualising Garner's season thus far before delving into his impressive figures, as the bulk of his appearances have been from a position in which he is far from comfortable.

That being said, he did issue a statement that suggested his willingness to play anywhere, which is more of a testament to his commitment rather than his preference. The £30k-per-week maestro claimed: "Wherever I am wanted, I’ll play. I think I have the skillset to play the higher role, say as a No.10, or as a No.8; I can do both jobs. I have a lot of energy and I am willing to do the dirty work.

“But also, I have the creativity to my game, too. This means in that No.10 role, I can potentially help score a goal or help others to do so. Playing deeper, I can help maintain possession and get the team to play forward."

So, to have maintained 1.7 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 4.1 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore, is admirable.

However, his finest performance of the term thus far actually came in the Carabao Cup, where the England U21 international was deployed in his favoured midfield role alongside Onana, as they travelled to face Aston Villa.

Garner would score the opener, and with his energy and technical prowess in the engine room, help spearhead a press that neutralised the hosts. As such, he recorded an 8.2 rating that night, further supported by his one key pass, 81% pass accuracy, 12/14 ground duels won and seven tackles, as per Sofascore.

He was tireless but a constant creative threat, and something which they severely lack when Gueye starts in his place. However, such a showing did little for Dyche, who then pushed him back out wide for the following weekend's game against Luton Town, which they would lose.

If he is to remain stubborn with Garner, then perhaps Whitaker could instead be the man to turn his head. Goals are sorely needed for a side that scored the second-least in the entire division last campaign, and this youngster would certainly provide them.

The similarities he shares with their £15m man are there to be seen, with the only difference being that Dyche is yet to get his hands on him and rebrand him as a winger. Therefore, he might stand a far better chance by remaining steadfast in his favoured position.

The decision to retire from international cricket became much easier once he had made peace with the fact that his career wouldn’t be defined by not winning a World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2018

AB de Villiers steps down the pitch and punches straight•BCCI

When AB de Villiers announced his surprise retirement from international cricket in May, he left the question of playing overseas in any form vague. De Villiers has now confirmed that the IPL will be part of his post-international retirement plans, while reiterating that he also hopes to play for his domestic franchise, Titans, for a while.”I will keep on playing IPL for a few years, and I would like to play for the Titans, and help some of the youngsters. But there are no set plans. I haven’t been able to say that for a long time,” de Villiers told . “There are some offers on the table from around the world, but it will be nice to wake up and wonder what to do; to be normal.”When he had retired, de Villiers had stated he had “no plans to play overseas, in fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket”, likely referring to taking up a Kolpak deal the way several of his South African team-mates did.The timing of his retirement also meant that de Villiers would end his career without a World Cup winner’s medal, but he said he had made peace with that fact.”For a long time, the World Cup was a massive goal,” de Villiers said. “But, in the last few years, I have realised that it isn’t realistic to measure yourself purely on what you achieve in that tournament. That will not be the be-all and end-all of my career.”Yes, I would have loved to win it, but I have great memories from World Cups. The 2007 tournament – my first – was very special. We fell short against Australia, when we tried to play too much cricket too soon, but that shift in mentality probably helped us to go over there and win the Test series we then won over there. Personally, I scored my first ODI century in that 2007 tournament, and I loved the whole experience of being in the Caribbean.”The same goes for the others, in 2011 and in 2015. India has always been close to my heart, because of the passion for cricket, and then obviously 2015 was an amazing game,” he further said about the classic semi-final against New Zealand in which South Africa fell agonisingly short. “We fell on the wrong side of it, but we gave it everything.”De Villiers said that his decision to retire was made simpler when he accepted that the World Cup wouldn’t define his career, and that he didn’t want to pick and choose when he would be playing for South Africa in an effort to carry on until the 2019 event.”I guess that once I acknowledged to myself that I didn’t have to measure my career on one tournament, place so much emphasis on it, it became easier to make my decision,” he said. “I also didn’t want to be picking and choosing my way through fixtures from now until then. It wouldn’t be fair.”

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has shed light on the future of loaned players Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo ahead of the summer transfer window.

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Laporta wants to keep both Felix & CanceloJorge Mendes working with Atletico & Man City to fork out a priceAnsu Fati's future hangs in the balanceGetty WHAT HAPPENED?

Laporta is confident that both Felix and Cancelo, currently on loan from Atlético de Madrid and Manchester City respectively, will continue to be Barcelona players beyond the current campaign – albeit not as permanent signings. Despite the Blaugrana's desire to secure permanent deals for both players, financial constraints may hinder the club's ability to finalise their signings.

AdvertisementWHAT LAPORTA SAID

Speaking to Laporta said: "I think they will continue. I hope that Atletico de Madrid will not put any objection to Joao Felix continuing with us and I think that City will not object either. We have an agent there who is working on the issue, Jorge Mendes, and he knows our intention to continue with the players. What I can't tell you now, because it will depend a lot on the amounts, is whether we are going to sign them or extend the loan. It will surely be an extension of the transfer, already setting a price."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Meanwhile, Laporta was cautious when he was discussing Ansu Fati's future who is struggling for minutes at Brighton.

"Ansu is being followed by Bojan (Krkic)," he said. "You already know that Bojan, apart from dealing with the players who come from the quarry and who are in the first team dynamic but who are not yet making their debut but who do come up to train, also takes care of the players we have on loan.

"To go see them, to talk to them, to see how they are. Fati, Lenglet… There are a series of players that he is following. Ansu had the injury, he has recovered, he has gone through a series of vicissitudes and we will see at the end of the season what is done. In principle, he has to return by contract, but we'll see, we'll see."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Felix and Cancelo are currently with the Portugal squad and are likely to play against Slovenia on Tuesday. After fulfilling their international commitments they will return to Barcelona ahead of their league fixture against Las Palmas on March 30.

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing a winter move for one "really fast" Premier League defender amid injury concerns surrounding Micky van de Ven.

Van de Ven's hamstring woes

Spurs' 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on Monday was the source of bitter disappointment, but not because of the result.

While manager Ange Postecoglou's early-season unbeaten streak came to an unceremonious end, star centre-back van de Ven handed the Australian his biggest worry by far after being forced off with a hamstring injury.

The Dutchman barely managed to limp off the field, needing assistance by Spurs medical staff in a real concern. Tottenham's summer signing has been imperious so far this season, forming a fantastic partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of Postecoglou's defence.

Reports in the last two days have now suggested that van de Ven won't need surgery on the issue, which will come as a much-needed boost for Spurs, but it is still unclear exactly how long he'll be out for.

We'll know more tomorrow when Postecoglou addresses the media before Tottenham's Premier League encounter against Wolves this weekend, but in the mean time, new sporting director Johan Lange has reportedly been considering solutions in the transfer market.

Tottenham considering Godfrey move

The Lilywhites are now looking at alternative options for January, with Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah among the names linked recently.

According to 90min, sharing a transfer update this week, Spurs could now move for Everton ace Ben Godfrey, who has found game time difficult to come by at Goodison Park.

The Englishman was once becoming a regular under Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, even being included in England's provisional squad for Euro 2021.

However, he has since fallen down the pecking order, and it is believed he wishes to reignite his faltering career. Everton, for their part, are open to doing business with interested sides as the January window looms.

Alongside Spurs, Newcastle and other Premier League sides are showing an interest in the 25-year-old, who has been revered for his speed by former teammates.

Godfrey's "rapid" speed can replace van de Ven

Jonjoe Kenny, who now plies his trade for Hertha Berlin in Germany, once called Godfrey a "really fast" and "rapid" player.

“Ben Godfrey catches pigeons, simple as," said the former Everton defender in 2021.

“But when Ben gets going he’s rapid so I don’t know if they have a race or would have a race but yeah, it’s close between them two. Dominic is really quick too but I’d say Ben.”

Alongside Kenny, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has previously heralded Godfrey as a player, having called him "really good" in 2020 during the defender's Norwich City days.

“I said in the past that we are looking for a centre-back because we are short there," said Ancelotti on Godfrey to talkSPORT.

"He is a really good centre-back, but he is at this moment playing for Norwich, so I can’t say more."

Given Godfrey's pace, which is crucial for a centre-back in Postecoglou's high line, he could actually be an excellent candidate to come as a van de Ven alternative.

The Ballon d’Or is the pinnacle of individual honours in football – for those who care, anyway.

For years, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had an unshakeable grip on the golden ball, before Luka Modric disrupted things in 2018, becoming the first different winner since 2007.

With that in mind, the last few winners of the prestigious award may have been forgotten. Here, we have a look back on the last 10 individuals to win the award.

Related Ballon d'Or past winners: The best XI of former champions

Probably the only time you’ll ever see Messi and Ronaldo in the same team.

Posts 1 ByBarney Lane Oct 23, 2024 1 Rodri Winner: 2024

Manchester City midfielder Rodri was a deserved winner in 2024 – depending on who you ask. Ahead of the ceremony, it was widely believed that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior – a La Liga and Champions League winner in 2023/24 – was set to receive the top prize.

However, reports circulated that he was set to be snubbed, and finish second to City star Rodri, who had guided his club side to another Premier League title and been an integral part of Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

It was at least nice to have some mystery over the winner, even if trophies appeared to dictate the destiny of the frontrunners once again.

Related Why Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d'Or

Not even a season-ending injury could stop Manchester City’s Rodri from claiming football’s biggest individual prize.

Posts ByBarney Lane Oct 28, 2024 2 Lionel Messi Winner: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023

Before Messi won his first, the record for most wins was three. Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten had all achieved that improbable feat. The fact that Messi has more than doubled that record is simply ridiculous.

But then, we’d never seen a footballer like Messi before. No one in the history of the game has been this good for this long – even three years at the very top was near-impossible. You can make it look even crazier by introducing the fact that after that win, he had only failed to make the top three in 2018 and 2022 since 2006.

Messi collected his eighth Ballon d’Or at the 2023 ceremony, with the World Cup triumph perhaps the deciding factor over the runner-up, Erling Haaland.

After all, he did score an astounding seven goals in Qatar whilst laying on three assists.

3 Karim Benzema Winner: 2022

Karim Benzema won the 2022 award in dominant fashion. He had over 350 votes more than second-placed Sadio Mané, making it one of the most dominant wins we’ve seen for the award.

And it was deserved. Real Madrid were sensational in 2022, winning La Liga and the Champions League. Benzema was their star performer with 44 goals in all competitions – a season that saw him finally take his place as the team’s main man after so many years in a supporting role.

Benzema was able to use the award to write his name into history – something very few players of his generation have managed.

4 Luka Modric Winner: 2018

Luka Modric’s Ballon d’Or came after another incredible Real Madrid season in which they secured a third consecutive Champions League trophy, as well as La Liga. On top of that, the Croatian led his country as captain to the World Cup final.

For a nation the size of Croatia, that is simply amazing as they went one better than their legendary 1998 team. It cemented Modric as the greatest to ever wear the shirt – and that will be true for a very long time.

Of course, this win was also notable as it was the first time that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or since 2007. It ended a streak that we’d never seen before and will almost certainly never see again.

5 Cristiano Ronaldo Winner: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017

Ronaldo sits second all-time for the Ballon d’Or, three behind Messi and two ahead of anyone else. Yet seeing those dates there undersells just how incredible the Portuguese superstar has been.

For if it wasn’t for Messi, Ronaldo would likely win in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015. Now, you can argue that the pair pushed one another to reach those heights and consistency but really, they’ve gotten in each other’s way.

Ronaldo almost certainly never wins another Ballon d’Or, but his haul of five likely stands unthreatened for a very long time to come. What he and Messi have achieved since 2008 has been utterly ridiculous.

6 Kaká Winner: 2007

It’s quite incredible that we’re five names in here and have already jumped all the way back to 2007. This was a time when the Ballon d’Or winner changed year-on-year, and we need to get back to 2002 before seeing a repeat winner again.

2007 saw Kaká get his turn, though, as his playmaking led Milan to the Champions League trophy. The Brazilian just had it all going forward that season – fast, strong, elite passing, finishing, and a touch as good as any you’ll see.

10 goals in that Champions League campaign sealed the deal – no other player managed more than six. It was unquestionably Kaká’s year.

7 Fabio Cannavaro Winner: 2006

This one does have a little bit of controversy to it, if we’re being honest. Cannavaro was a worthy winner, given Italy won the World Cup that year based primarily on their incredible defence. Nothing shows that better than their goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, coming second in the voting.

Cannavaro, as Italy’s captain and star defender, earned the plaudits and he was arguably the best defender on the planet at the time. He was also the first defender to win the award since Matthias Sammer in 1996, while no defender has won it since.

But we do have to mention that while Juventus and Cannavaro did win Serie A that year, they would be stripped of the trophy after the Calciopoli scandal. The centre-back did have the World Cup to fall back on – and he likely did deserve it anyway – but it was a blight on that year of Italian football.

8 Ronaldinho Winner: 2005

It feels strange to write one year next to Ronaldinho’s name as he really did deserve to win more than one Ballon d’Or. The Brazilian was the player of his generation and essentially defined this era of football.

What Ronaldinho did with Barcelona in the middle part of the decade was extraordinary. Of course, his numbers look fairly pedestrian by today’s standards but it’s impossible to truly get across what made him special without watching him.

There’s a good argument that he should have won in 2006, too, given he was probably even better as Barcelona won La Liga and the Champions League. Brazil’s lacklustre World Cup campaign robbed him of that chance, though. Still, no one thinks back on this era without thinking about Ronaldinho.

9 Andriy Shevchenko Winner: 2004

Shevchenko was a goalscoring powerhouse for around 10 years – and 2004 might have been him at his best. He scored 29 goals in all competitions which was a fantastic amount in Serie A at that time, not to mention that two-striker formations were far more common at the time.

AC Milan won the title that year on the back of Shevchenko’s scoring, helping to boost his standing for the award. But we do need to mention that a bizarre year of football made picking a winner extraordinarily difficult.

Porto won the Champions League under José Mourinho, though few of their players were really good enough to win the Ballon d’Or (Deco did finish second). Even more bizarre was Greece winning Euro 2004 – one of the maddest things to ever happen in football. There’s no question that they didn’t have a player capable of winning.

Thus, Shevchenko found himself at the top of the pile.

10 Pavel Nedved Winner: 2003

Nedved is, if we’re being honest, probably the player on this list with the lowest reputation. Arsenal fans will argue all day long that Thierry Henry should have won this award – a player with a mountain of votes to his name over the years, but no Ballon d’Or.

But Nedved was the outstanding player for Juventus as they won Serie A (legitimately, even) and reached the Champions League final, losing on penalties to Milan. World Soccer also named him their Player of the Year, UEFA named him Midfielder of the Year, and Serie A – the strongest league of the time – considered him their best player, too.

Still, this one carries a little controversy, despite Nedved winning with 190 votes to Henry’s 128. We think he did deserve it but 20 years later, it remains up for debate.

Arsenal are a club drenched in history and tradition, with Arsene Wenger the man who built on their years of success in the past and brought it into the modern era.

What he forged at Highbury, and later the Emirates, marked a dynasty that, if not for the coinciding tenure of Sir Alex Ferguson, would surely have gone down in history as the greatest of all time.

He cultivated a rich winning mentality and combined it with a free-flowing style that revolutionised English football, so his successor always felt doomed to fail with those expectations.

With Unai Emery the man chosen to take that mantle, his reign went unsurprisingly similar to David Moyes', who too was handed the impossible task of succeeding a legend at a huge club.

The two would last a combined 28 months before being sacked, with both going on to enjoy success elsewhere. Perhaps the expectations at such establishments marked an opportunity where nobody could have truly succeeded, with the Spaniard now seeking to prove doubters wrong on his second stint in England with Aston Villa.

Although his tactics and some of his decision-making were largely questioned, it could be argued that it was the transfer business that truly doomed Emery, with some of his acquisitions proving some of the club's worst in recent memory.

Who was Unai Emery's worst Arsenal signing?

Although the last few years of Wenger's time in north London were largely stagnant, with some sections of the fanbase even calling for his head, it always felt like the Frenchman received harsh treatment at the end of what was a sparkling tenure.

However, even his moves in the market had become questionable, with their focus only seemingly realigning since Mikel Arteta's appointment and subsequent combination with Edu.

The two have managed to not only usher in the talent they inherited but invested shrewdly whilst expunging some of their more expensive flops over the years.

Terminating the contracts of Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe, the latter of which marked easily the worst of Emery's roster given the £72m he invested, such tough decisions were a necessary evil in the eyes of many despite some backlash. However, with some others, there could be no argument.

This notion is certainly true when discussing Lucas Torreira's tenure in north London, which seemingly never got going despite his signing seeming the perfect profile needed to add some steel to their engine room.

He was a midfield warrior, and as a side often accused of being in possession of a soft underbelly, his aggressive play style was set to solve all their issues. Emery would even note: "In Lucas Torreira, we have signed a young player who is a very bright talent in the game."

However, it was to be an ill-fated affair, with the 27-year-old managing just 89 appearances across four years before Arteta came in and instantly got rid. The Uruguayan would look back on such a tough period in his career, which has seen him feature for Galatasaray most recently, noting: "A year ago I had been working with a psychologist in Spain because when in the second year at Arsenal I played very little.

Lucas Torreira's cost at Arsenal…
Metric	Finances involved
Per Game	£379k
Per Goal	£8.45m
Per Assist	£5.6m
Per Yellow Card	£2.4m

"It was hard for me to really assimilate it because my life depends on football and when I don’t play I have a very bad time, I am in a very bad mood and many things happen."

However, he had done very little to command additional playtime, with the enforcer only managing 1.1 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game during the 2019/20 Premier League season, despite being billed as an all-action defensive-minded star.

In the end, former Gunners favourite Paul Merson would issue a damning assessment of Torreira's time at the Emirates: "Everyone was raving about Lucas Torreira, but he’s not that good. I said this a few months ago and everyone kicked up a stink.

"He only looks good as he’s what Arsenal have needed for a long time, someone to run around and put their foot in. But, if you put him up for sale tomorrow then none of the top five clubs in the Premier League would be interested."

How much did Arsenal pay for Lucas Torreira?

Although his actual time playing was hardly groundbreaking, the 40-cap Uruguayan was not completely useless under Emery, and did have moments of enjoyment.

After all, he was a relatively important cog in their FA Cup win and their run to the Europa League final, where they were dismantled by Chelsea as Eden Hazard bid farewell to the west London outfit by putting on a masterclass. He did also score a famous goal against rivals Tottenham.

Given the fee paid, however, such an average four years was made even worse, as the £26m expended was no mean feat. He was expected to come in and perform instantly despite his youth and relative inexperience, and ultimately failed.

However, he was hardly handed a sparkling lineup to ease his integration, with the first XI of his debut consisting of Shkodran Mustafi, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Petr Cech.

How much did Lucas Torriera earn at Arsenal?

To make matters worse, as is often the case with an expensive buy, an equally lucrative contract came alongside it to add an extra drain on the club.

Fortunately, the two loan spells enjoyed with Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina somewhat offset what could have made a big outlay into an astronomical one.

Especially given the £75k-per-week salary that Torreira enjoyed, raking in a hefty sum that accumulated a further £7.8m to bring his total cost up to a lofty £33.8m.

Did Lucas Torreira deserve to earn £75k-per-week?

It is fair to say that the former Arsenal midfielder did not deserve to earn anywhere close to the mouth-watering salary he would gain, with the only saving grace being the £5.5m they managed to recoup with his sale to Galatasaray.

His exit during the 2022 summer marked just one of many that Arteta made in an effort to revamp his squad, also offloading the likes of Bernd Leno and Matteo Guendouzi.

Marking a miserable on-pitch return for a man who held so much promise upon first joining, the lack of defensive instinct plus his inability to control a game always made it unlikely that he would succeed under the former Manchester City assistant manager. He preferred a dominant, metronomic presence in the heart of midfield, which Torreira was never going to offer.

Liverpool remain one of the most attractive clubs in European football, especially after they came through the other side of their midfield crisis during the summer to give Jurgen Klopp's squad a fresh coat of paint in the Premier League. Now the focus could be turned towards using that attraction to welcome even more important players for both the present and the future of the club.

The Reds proved in the summer that they're not afraid to splash the cash when it is necessary, and that could be on show for all to see once more when the January transfer window opens, especially if they want to get one over on Manchester United and Barcelona.

Liverpool transfer news

Prior to the summer transfer window, it was difficult to see where Liverpool were going with their squad- they looked at the end of a cycle. It was an era that saw them win every trophy imaginable, but one that was ultimately at its end and out of the Champions League. So out went Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and others, and in came Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alex Mac Allister and Wataru Endo, resulting in the start of a new and exciting chapter in Anfield history.

The Merseyside club could yet add another gem to their midfield gauntlet in January, too. According to Mundo Deportivo, Liverpool are keeping an eye on Arthur Vermeeren, who has also attracted the interest of both Manchester United and Barcelona. Royal Antwerp reportedly value the midfielder at between €20m (£17m) and €25m (£22m), but are unlikely to accept bids for Vermeeren given that his contract doesn't come to an end until 2026.

With such high interest in his signature, the Belgian looks set to have the world at his feet in the forthcoming months – he could have a big decision to make when the transfer window opens.

Liverpool must win race for "fantastic" Vermeeren

It's no real surprise that Liverpool aren't the only side interested in signing Vermeeren. After all, this is an 18-year-old midfielder who is already outperforming some of Klopp's current options in certain areas. Vermeeren's stats will only continue to become even more impressive as he gains more and more minutes at Antwerp.

Player

Progressive Passes

Tackles Won

Interceptions

Arthur Vermeeren

91

15

17

Curtis Jones

19

4

2

Alexis Mac Allister

61

14

14

Harvey Elliott

20

1

2

It's no surprise then that the 18-year-old has been at the centre of praise, including from former Barcelona, Arsenal player and current Antwerp sporting director Marc Overmars, who told SER via Mundo Deportivo: "I have no doubt that he has a fantastic level. The first time I saw him he reminded me of Xavi and Iniesta, a footballer with the same profile."

When January arrives, clubs could find themselves scrambling for Vermeeren's signature. The midfielder looks on course to reach the very top of European football in the coming years, whether that be at Liverpool or other clubs reportedly vying for his arrival. If Antwerp want to keep hold of their talent, meanwhile, they'll certainly face a difficult battle.

The left-arm spinning allrounder replaces Bangladesh allrounder Mahmudullah, who has left for the Asia Cup in the UAE

Peter Della Penna11-Sep-2018Saad bin Zafar, the Canada left-arm spinning allrounder, has been called into the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots squad as a replacement player for the CPL 2018 playoffs. Saad comes in following Bangladesh allrounder Mahmudullah’s departure for the Asia Cup in the UAE. Saad left on Monday night for Guyana, where Patriots face Jamaica Tallawahs in Wednesday’s Eliminator.Saad, 31, made his Canada debut in 2008, after moving from Pakistan as a teenager. He was one of the top performers in domestic cricket, and one of only two players, along with Nitish Kumar of Toronto Nationals, to play every match for the champions Vancouver Knights in the recent Global T20 Canada tournament.Saad scored an unbeaten 79 off 48 balls and took 2 for 26 with the ball to be Man of the Match in the final, playing for a Knights side led by Chris Gayle, who also happens to be the captain of the Patriots in the CPL. Aside from Gayle, other teammates from the Knights whom Saad will be joining as part of the Patriots are Rassie van der Dussen, Evin Lewis and Sheldon Cottrell.Saad’s selection makes him the second North American player to have his stock rise through performances in the Global T20 Canada. USA’s Ali Khan was brought into Trinbago Knight Riders squad as a replacement for Ronsford Beaton after a solid season with Winnipeg Hawks, and finished the league phase tied fourth overall in the season with 14 wickets in nine matches. Khan was subsequently one of five Associate players picked in the Afghanistan Premier League draft on Monday, snapped up by the Kabul franchise led by Rashid Khan.