ScorecardMatthew Patrick was at the centre of a very tense game, first picking up two wickets with his offspin to further a South Africa collapse and then scoring a vital 25 runs off 61 balls to see West Indies through to victory in the fifth-place play-off match in Potchefstroom.South Africa were rather well placed at 120 for 4 in the 29th over but then Patrick and left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd (10-1-18-2) took control of the innings, triggering a collapse that resulted in the hosts losing six wickets for only 23 runs.With only 143 on the board, West Indies might have hoped for a straightforward finish but they ran straight into trouble, losing two wickets with only 11 runs on the board. Bryce Parsons and Merrick Brett turned five of their 19 overs into maidens and picked up four wickets between them as well to keep South Africa in the game, but Patrick, coming in at No. 6, absorbed all that pressure and made sure he stayed there while the winning runs were hit.Jonathan Figy plays a drive•ICC via Getty

ScorecardUdaybir Walia’s Player-of-the-Match performance helped Canada take 13th place with a win over UAE in the play-off at Potchefstroom. Walia came in at No. 8 and made an unbeaten 42 as he put together an unbroken 86-run stand with Harmanjeet Singh Bedi to rescue his team after they’d fallen to 93 for 6 in a chase of 175. Earlier in the day Walia, bowling for the first time in the tournament, took 3 for 16 to close UAE’s innings after medium-pacer Akhil Kumar and offspinner Gurjot Gosal shared five wickets to restrict UAE.A Aravind, Ansh Tandon and KP Meiyappan all got into the 20s for UAE around Alishan Sharafu, who came in at 70 for 4 and was unbeaten on 65 by the end of the innings after Canada had elected to field. In response, Canada lost wickets regularly, four of them to offspinner Rishabh Mukherjee, who finished the tournament with eight wickets in his last two matches. But little damage came from the other ends as Walia and Bedi saw Canada through.Ifeanyichukwu Uboh wheels away in celebration•ICC via Getty

ScorecardA five-wicket haul by Ifeanyichukwu Uboh helped Nigeria to their first win in the Under-19 World Cup, beating Japan by eight wickets. His efforts brought the opposition down from 81 for 3 to 115 all out which then set up opener Sulaimon Runsewe to score a half-century and close the game out with 164 balls to spare. Japan have not won any of their games in this tournament, nor put up a total above 120, but they looked good for it with Shu Noguchi doing his best to stick to the crease, but his wicket for 31 off 77 balls caused a seven-wicket collapse for only 34 runs.

Tottenham Hotspur will approach the summer transfer window with the same focus regardless of the final standings in the Premier League: Ange Postecoglou's priority is to sign a new striker.

There's no question that Spurs have made improvements from last season, where an eighth-place league finish left the outfit in tatters, Antonio Conte sacked in fiery circumstances and Harry Kane fleeing to Bayern Munich.

But Postecoglou has installed a fresh sense of belief, stamped in his identity, and inculcated an entertaining and enterprising style of play.

Kane hasn't actually been replaced – directly at least – and while Heung-min Son and Richarlison have found prolific success as central focal points, it would be foolish to avoid the lack of an out-and-out centre-forward.

Spurs lining up new striker

Postecoglou will likely seek reinforcements across the pitch but it's clear that signing a striker is at the front of his mind, with recent reports suggesting that a Premier League star is being lined up.

Indeed, according to Football Insider, Tottenham already have 'concrete interest' in Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke and are planning to launch a move this summer, with Andoni Iraola's club tagging him at £50m back in January.

However, the Cherries player has been in scintillating form this season and Spurs are not the only named suitors, with London rivals Arsenal and West Ham United eager to snap him up.

Dominic Solanke's season in numbers

Tottenham were drubbed on Tyneside for the second season running last weekend but have demonstrated overall progress across the campaign, currently perched in fifth place after 32 matches, three points behind Aston Villa in the top four having played a game less.

With the sixth-highest scoring record in the division this season, Tottenham certainly aren't struggling in forward phases but do lack that final sharpened point to lift them to new heights, and Solanke could be the solution.

1.

Cole Palmer

20

0.86

1.

Erling Haaland

20

0.81

3.

Ollie Watkins

19

0.61

4.

Alexander Isak

17

0.86

4.

Mohamed Salah

17

0.71

4.

Dominic Solanke

17

0.54

The current Premier League campaign hasn't seen the kind of staggering goalscoring numbers from usual suspects Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah, but both world-class stars have maintained comparative levels of prolificness.

Solanke has also found himself in the mix. As per Sofascore, the 26-year-old has scored 17 goals and added three assists from 32 Premier League appearances this term, averaging 1.1 key passes, 1.1 dribbles and 5.5 successful duels per outing.

He's also scored just one penalty this season. While spot-kicks cannot be discredited, it does portray a measure of Solanke's prowess in and around the final third, finding ample goalscoring success from open play to underscore his elite movement and burgeoning ball-striking ability.

1.

Ollie Watkins

19

0

19

2.

Dominic Solanke

17

1

16

2.

Erling Haaland

20

4

16

3.

Alexander Isak

17

4

13

4.

Mohamed Salah

17

5

12

5.

Cole Palmer

20

9

11

Look at the table above, when recording non-penalty goals, Solanke can be observed to stand behind only Ollie Watkins in the scoring charts, level with factory-built machine Erling Haaland.

It's a huge improvement from the 2022/23 season, where Solanke made an impression on his top-flight return with promoted Bournemouth, who stayed up relatively comfortably, having scored six goals and supplied seven assists from 32 fixtures.

While he's less creative, the one-cap England international has taken his clinical edge to another level, with former Bournemouth manager Scott Parker marvelling over his newfound deadliness at top-flight level.

Furthermore, given that he has already demolished Spurs centre-back Cristian Romero and recently sold Eric Dier during Tottenham's 3-2 home defeat against Bournemouth last season, scoring one goal and setting up two more, he clearly has the formula to inflict damage on high-level teams such as the Lilywhites.

Solanke notably ran rings around Dier, who received a dreary 4/10 match rating courtesy of Football.London, with Alasdair Gold noting of the defender's display that he was 'slow to react to Bournemouth's first two goals though and was caught upfield for the third.'

As for Romero, he could only muster a 5/10 rating having been 'sloppy' in the early stages of the clash.

It's no wonder that Tottenham are so desperate to secure his signature this summer.

Why Spurs are desperate to sign 'deadly' Solanke

While Solanke's goalscoring ability answers the primary question behind Tottenham's interest, he is developing into much more than a simple 'bagsman' and this is why a host of Europe-competing Premier League sides are pushing for a deal.

Solanke joined Bournemouth from Liverpool in a £19m transfer back in 2019 as a young forward who had failed his audition at Anfield, scoring one goal and supplying one assist from 27 senior displays.

His early years at the Vitality Stadium did little to prove his worth as a top-level goalscorer, scoring three times in 42 Premier League games for Bournemouth before their relegation, but there were signs of future prosperity.

His drop into the Championship was arguably the best thing for his development and he was hailed for having been shaped into a "top, multi-faceted forward" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, words that now ring true indeed.

For a team like Spurs, reliant on hard work and big bursts of energy, Solanke might just be the perfect player, offering something different, more predatory, than Richarlison and Son – the latter is prone to periods of struggle and Tottenham's captain is dynamic and creative and must be used in a deeper, more fluid role.

Moreover, Solanke is chipping in with over one key pass every game in the division this season, which highlights his quality as a multi-faceted centre-forward.

The £50k-per-week Englishman has a range of qualities and while several other exciting names are floating about on the transfer market at the moment, it's hard to dispute his polished ability in front of goal.

Tottenham, for now, will fight fervently against Aston Villa for a fourth-placed Premier League spot to confirm their presence next season in Europe's elite club competition, but with Postecoglou stirring up a promising project down N17, Solanke might just be convinced to join regardless.

MatériaMais Notícias

Um jogador de futebol está acostumado a ouvir críticas e xingamentos de torcedores. Contudo, o goleiro André Regly parece não concordar com essa tradição. O arqueiro, na época em que defendia o Bangu, processou, em 2017, um banguense por ter sido chamado de ‘goleiro de futebol de botão’. Na Justiça, André entrou com ação judicial por danos morais e pediu R$ 25 mil. O goleiro perdeu o caso e ainda foi obrigado a arcar com custos do processo.
+ Confira a classificação do Brasileirão!

RelacionadasFora de CampoEm São Paulo, Renata Fan é vacinada contra a Covid-19: ‘Meu presente de aniversário’Fora de Campo06/07/2021Fora de CampoEmoção até o fim em Itália x Espanha rende à Globo sua melhor audiência na EurocopaFora de Campo06/07/2021Fora de CampoMenina ofendida por ingleses na Eurocopa recebe R$ 259 mil em arrecadação de ‘vaquinha’Fora de Campo06/07/2021

Segundo o portal ‘Jota’, o torcedor teria usado um aplicativo de mensagem instantânea para enviar as mensagens em um grupo privado. Em seguida, a pedido do goleiro, as apagou.

Para piorar, a defesa do banguense ainda apresentou um ‘estudo’ para comprovar que, em comparação com estatura média de arqueiros, André Regly, com 1,81m, fica abaixo do padrão.

Segundo decisãoda juíza Bianca Chojniak, da 7ª Vara Cível do Foro de Santo André, o goleiro ‘exerce função notória e pública, estando sujeito a críticas dos torcedores por seu desempenho no exercício da profissão’.

Chelsea have conducted questionable business in the transfer market in recent seasons, splashing the cash on players who aren't up to the level required of the Premier League.

Marc Cucurella and Axel Disasi cost the Blues £63m and £38.8m, respectively, with the defensive duo failing to make any sort of positive impact since their arrival at Stamford Bridge – part of a backline that has already shipped 57 league goals this term.

The club's erratic spending has caught up with them in recent months, losing over £90m in the previous financial year – putting the club at risk of breaking the Premier League's FFP rules.

The Blues' hefty spending in the market certainly has contributed to the club's hefty losses, with multiple sales needed over the summer to balance the books.

One particular player needs to be moved on during the next transfer window after he failed to have the desired effect after his big-money move to England.

Hakim Ziyech's stats at Chelsea

After forking out £33m for his signature, winger Hakim Ziyech arrived in London with high expectations after registering 19 goal contributions in 21 Eredivisie matches for Ajax during the 2019/20 campaign.

However, his brilliant form didn't carry over to England, and in his first season in Blue, he returned just six goals and four assists in 39 appearances and missed 14 games through injury.

Although his second season at Stamford Bridge was an improvement, it was still an underwhelming campaign. In 44 games, the wideman scored eight goals and provided six assists – including a brilliant effort against Crystal Palace.

The 2022/23 campaign saw the Moroccan ace lose his place in the first team and produce his worst return yet, providing just three assists in 24 appearances and failing to find the back of the net on any occasion.

Hakim Ziyech's Chelsea career

Season

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

Appearances

39

44

24

Goals

6

8

0

Assists

4

6

3

Stats via Transfermarkt

He would leave Stamford Bridge on loan for the current campaign, joining Turkish side Galatasaray for the entirety of the season – potentially ending his time in the Premier League.

Hakim Ziyech's wage at Chelsea

The "awful" flop, as dubbed by former Chelsea TV presenter Jake Heasman, currently earns £100k-per-week, as per Spotrac, with the 31-year-old earning more than double that of current first-team member Malo Gusto – who only earns a reported £45k-per-week, despite registering eight assists in all competitions.

With the winger currently spending the season away from the Blues, the club have been relieved of some of his hefty wages, but the club have still splashed £100k-per-week on the forward for the three previous seasons.

Ziyech pockets £5.2m per season at Stamford Bridge, taking his earnings to £15.6m throughout his three full seasons at Stamford Bridge – a ridiculous amount given his lack of impact.

Although they've managed to loan him out for 2023/24, he will return to the Blues in the summer and still take home his huge wages, even if he isn't in Mauricio Pochettino's first-team plans.

The club desperately need to get rid of the Morrocan attacker – who has cost roughly £48.6m in total when also factoring in his £33m transfer – with the board able to save over £5m a year in the process, an amount that will go a huge way towards complying with FFP for another season.

Related Poch must immediately bin Chelsea star after 4/10 Arsenal display

It was a dreadful evening at Emirates Stadium for Pochettino’s side.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 24, 2024

Carlo Ancelotti admitted that Real Madrid will miss retired icon Toni Kroos as he claimed that it is 'impossible' to replace the German midfielder.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ancelotti opens up about missing Kroos
• German midfielder retired after the 2023-24 season
• Real Madrid won't sign any more players in this window

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Los Blancos legend Kroos decided to hang up his boots at the end of the 2023-24 season as he bowed out of club football after winning the Champions League title. His last competitive match as a professional footballer, however, was the Euro 2024 quarterfinal between Germany and Spain where La Roja emerged victorious 2-1.

Advertisement

• (C)GettyImages
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Now ahead of the 2024-25 season, manager Carlo Ancelotti admitted that the team would miss the presence of the German in the dressing room while claiming it is 'impossible' to find his replacement. The Italian manager also reiterated that the club will not sign any more players in the ongoing summer transfer window.

• WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

  Speaking in his pre-match press conference about Kroos, the 65-year-old said, "The first game went well, we will always miss Kroos, he was a special player. Looking for another one is impossible, we have to adapt."

  He added, "The squad is closed, we have to wait until the market closes. We think Alaba will come back well. And we have young players who can play. We have been unlucky with Joan’s injury. Asencio and Jacobo can contribute."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  The reigning European and Spanish champions kicked off the new season midweek as they beat Atalanta to clinch the UEFA Super Cup. They will begin their La Liga journey on Sunday against Mallorca.

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship this afternoon as they travel away from Yorkshire to take on Coventry City at the CBS Arena.

The Whites remained in the top two with a 3-1 win over Hull City on Easter Monday, as goals from Sam Byram, Crysencio Summerville, and Dan James secured all three points at Elland Road.

They are one point ahead of Leicester City, who have one game in hand, and are one point behind Ipswich Town, who take on rivals Norwich City in the early kick-off today.

Daniel Farke's side are hunting for automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and a win against Coventry – who are seventh in the division – would be another step in the right direction.

Despite the 3-1 win on Monday, Leeds were not entirely convincing in their performance against the Tigers and the German head coach could make changes to his starting XI as a result of that.

One player who should be unleashed from the start, if he passes a late fitness test, is Bulgaria international Ilia Gruev, who the boss revealed has a chance of returning from an ankle injury this weekend.

The player Ilia Gruev could replace

Farke could brutally drop teenage sensation Archie Gray down to the bench to make room for the former Werder Bremen star to start in midfield.

The 18-year-old whiz, who has been shortlisted for the Championship Young Player of the Year award alongside Jonathan Rowe and Jordan James, started in his favoured midfield position against Hull but failed to showcase the best of his abilities.

Gray, who has spent the majority of the season impressing at right-back, played next to Glen Kamara and did not impose himself on the match, in or out of possession.

Archie Gray	Vs Hull City (01/04/2024)
Minutes played	90
Duels won	4/8
Pass accuracy	83%
Key passes	0
Possession lost	10x
Long ball accuracy	33.3%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international was not at his best on the ball against the Tigers, with some wasteful passing in midfield.

Gray ranks within the top 32% of Championship full-backs for progressive passes per 90 this season with 4.06. However, he only made three against Hull in 90 minutes, which shows that he was not very forward-thinking with his passing as well as being inefficient.

That contributed to the away side being able to dominate for spells in the game, as Liam Rosenior's side ended the match with 56% possession at Elland Road.

Leeds may have had more control of the game if they had Gruev available to play next to Kamara, as he has the quality on the ball to be a metronomic presence in the middle of the park for Farke.

Why Ilia Gruev should start

The 23-year-old maestro has been a terrific performer for the club in 2024, having broken into the starting XI on a regular basis thanks to Ethan Ampadu dropping back into centre-back to cover for Pascal Struijk's continued absence.

Gruev, who has started 14 of his 23 appearances in the second tier, is a central midfielder who provides fantastic reliability and progression with his passing, whilst also being an above average defensive presence for his position.

The £5m signing currently ranks within the top 13% of Championship midfielders for tackles won (2.71) per 90, and the top 23% for interceptions (1.32) per 90 this season.

This shows that he is among the best in the division when it comes to winning the ball back for his side through tackles and interceptions per game.

Gruev also brings quality in possession with a phenomenal pass accuracy of 91.2% in the league, which places him within the top 2% of his positional peers, and this shows that the talented gem rarely gives the ball away in midfield.

The metronomic star, who was described as a "revelation" by analyst Ben Mattinson, ranks within the top 39% for progressive passes per 90 with 4.80 – 0.74 per 90 than Gray and 1.80 more than the English gem managed against Hull.

Therefore, not only would the former Bundesliga ace provide more reliability in possession but he would also provide more incision with progressive, forward, passing to move the team up the pitch to create opportunities for his teammates.

This is why Farke should brutally drop Gray to the bench, or to right-back if Sam Byram needs to be rested, to make space for Gruev to return, if he is fit enough to start.

Who Ilia Gruev should start next to

Glen Kamara should occupy the other position in midfield as the Finland international has been a super reliable performer for Farke since his move from Rangers last summer.

Like Gruev, the former Arsenal academy graduate is fantastic on the ball and is a player who the opposition struggle to dispossess in the Championship.

The 28-year-old star ranks within the top 2% of midfielders in the division with a pass success rate of 92.6% for Leeds this season, which is not far away from Flynn Downes' league-leading 93.8% in that position.

Kamara also ranks within the top 7% of his positional peers for progressive passes (7.00) per 90. This shows that he is incredibly forward-thinking and progressive in possession, which helps the Whites to build attacks and break down stubborn defences.

The Finnish ace holds his own defensively, off the ball, with a duel success rate of 59%, including a 61% success rate in ground battles, which shows that opposition players find it hard to get the better of him in physical contests.

He is, therefore, a reliable performer at both ends of the pitch for Leeds as the former Rangers star is efficient with both his defensive and offensive contributions, as shown by his duel success rate and fantastic passing efficiency.

This is why Kamara and Gruev work so well as a pairing for the Whites as they both have the quality to retain possession at an exceptional rate, whilst also being progressive passers who do their defensive duties, and that is why Farke must unleash them both against Coventry.

علق محمد ربيعة لاعب فريق سموحة، على انضمامه لصفوف منتخب مصر الأول للمرة الأولى في مسيرته، موضحًا موقفه من الانضمام إلى الأهلي أو الزمالك خلال الفترة المقبلة.

واختتم منتخب مصر مبارياته في تصفيات أمم إفريقيا بالتعادل أمام بوتسوانا بهدف لكل فريق، بعد أن حسم الفراعنة تأهلهم من الجولة الرابعة.

وقال محمد ربيعة في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة المحور: “كنت أتمنى الانضمام لمنتخب مصر، منذ زمن ولم أتوقعها وكان انضمامي في المعسكر الأخير مفاجأة”.

وأردف: “علمت بانضمامي لمنتخب مصر قبل بداية المعسكر بيوم، وحفل زفافي كان يوم 15 نوفمبر الماضي يوم مباراة الرأس الأخضر، وقمت بتأجيله بسبب مباراة المنتخب”.

طالع | حسام حسن يحدد 5 منتخبات مرشحة للفوز بـ كأس أمم إفريقيا.. ويصرح: سنقاتل عليها

وتابع: “أي لاعب كرة يتمنى هذه الفرصة وتأتي في العمر مرة، وشرف لي أن يرتبط اسمي على اسم رامي ربيعة، وزملائي هم من أطلقوا عليّ اسم ربيعة بسبب الشبه بيننا”.

واختتم: “الأهلي والزمالك أندية كبيرة ولها اسمها وتاريخها وأريد أن يختار الله لي وليس أن أختار أنا، وشرف لي أن ألعب لأحد الناديين”.

West Bromwich Albion have faltered in their last few league matches as the season begins to draw to a close, but recent disappointing results still haven't culminated in the West Midlands outfit slipping out of the Championship top six.

The Baggies will still fancy their chances in the playoffs if they get there – secure in fifth position currently – even with three draws on the trot ridding Carlos Corberan's men of that longed-for winning feeling.

The draws piling up high could see the Spaniard experiment with his starting XI when Rotherham United come to town tomorrow night, knowing that the Millers are already relegated and look certain to finish right at the bottom of the division.

As a result, first-team faces such as Kyle Bartley could find their position filled by someone fresher tomorrow amidst two changes from the side that drew 2-2 to Stoke City last time out…

1 GK – Alex Palmer

Alex Palmer will find his spot in-between the sticks is still set in stone for tomorrow night's clash, despite the Baggies number one leaking five goals in his last three Championship starts.

Still, without his goalkeeping heroics against Stoke last game – with the 27-year-old making five saves in total – Steven Schumacher's men could have walked away with the win.

2 RB – Pipa

The first change from the side that ended up stumbling to a 2-2 draw on the road versus the Potters could see Darnell Furlong drop out of the side, having underwhelmed throughout.

Pipa looks likely to be the immediate replacement for Furlong if Corberan decides to axe his settled right-back for the test of Rotherham, despite the Spanish defender not featuring for the Baggies since the middle of March.

Furlong's poor showing could demand such an alteration however, with the West Brom number two – who has been praised as being "workmanlike" in the past by football journalist Joseph Chapman – winning zero duels in total and squandering possession 14 times in the action-packed contest.

3 CB – Semi Ajayi

Another change to the usual back four Corberan picks might well see Kyle Bartley dropped for Semi Ajayi to have a run-out, with the ex-Leeds United defender experiencing an equally torrid afternoon at Stoke.

The West Brom number five would also fail to win a single duel in the back-and-forth affair, alongside registering no tackles at all in the 2-2 draw.

Ajayi could be preferred therefore back at the Hawthorns, with the Nigerian centre-back successfully launching himself into three duels in the Watford draw prior to the underwhelming Stoke away day.

4 CB – Cedric Kipre

There were question marks surrounding the fitness of Cedric Kipre before a ball was kicked at Stoke last time out, Corberan anxious about who to select in the heart of defence consequently.

Kipre managed to start against the Potters without any more bruises being sustained thankfully, putting in a valiant display in the process with six successful duels on top of making six clearances.

The integral Baggies number four will more than likely line up to face off against Rotherham next time out therefore, eager to help his team pick up a clean sheet and win.

5 LB – Conor Townsend

Conor Townsend will also find he's still in his manager's first-team plans for the game tomorrow, having put in a solid if unspectacular shift against Stoke.

The 31-year-old would lackadaisically give up possession 26 times in the entertaining draw, but was still defensively switched on with three clearances and two tackles managed.

Therefore, Corberan could excuse his experienced defender's lacklustre time of things on the ball if he can help shore up the back four against the Millers on the way to three points being clinched.

6 CM – Okay Yokuslu

Although Corberan could disrupt the back four by making changes here and there, the Spaniard will keep trusted holding midfielder Okay Yokuslu in his XI for the visit of Rotherham.

The Baggies number 35 wasn't at his best in the Stoke draw – amassing just 26 touches of the ball from a forgettable 70 minutes – but his replacement in Yann M'Vila isn't exactly banging down the door to replace him off his own display.

The 33-year-old wouldn't win a single duel from his lacklustre 20-minute showing, compared to Yokuslu's impressive four. Moreover, Yokuslu's steel and grit shone through even more with four successful tackles managed.

7 CM – Alex Mowatt

Alex Mowatt was quiet last match alongside Yokuslu, with the former Leeds man knowing he will have to be more adventurous and creative against Rotherham from the get-go.

Only notching up one key pass in the draw at Stoke, if Mowatt can reach his peak against a Rotherham side who have been known to concede goals for fun, the 29-year-old midfielder could have a field day cutting open the Millers with killer ball after killer ball.

8 RM – Jed Wallace

Jed Wallace will remain down the right-hand flank at the Hawthorns tomorrow night, having netted his side's second goal of the afternoon last game before Stoke mounted a comeback.

Away from just that strike, the cool head of Wallace did fade in and out of the contest. But, his strike alone should be enough for Corberan to play him against Rotherham.

9 CAM – Grady Diangana

Grady Diangana is excelling playing in the number ten spot for Corberan's promotion-chasers recently, moved there after a season of hit-and-miss performances played out on the wing.

Assisting the opening strike at the Potters, Diangana would also prove to be a nuisance with many a surge forward which resulted in the Baggies number 11 being fouled four times.

Rotherham manager Leam Richardson will fear that the former West Ham United attacker could cause the Millers all sorts of bother if on top form, especially if the South Yorkshire side are feeling charitable at the back having already been relegated.

10 LM – Mikey Johnston

Mikey Johnston would score after being found by Diangana in the 2-2 draw, taking his West Brom goals total to a magnificent seven strikes from just 13 second-tier contests.

Johnston won't just settle for these numbers now, however, looking to score again versus Rotherham tomorrow.

Pakistan is preparing to enter a new broadcasting landscape this year, planning a new deal for the first time in recent memory without a bilateral series against “unreliable” India – according to the PCB chairman – to sell. Though they have not played a full bilateral series against their neighbours since 2007-08, the value of each of their broadcast deals this century has included series with India.That deal is due to be renewed this year, and with a shrinking broadcast market to boot, the value of the PCB’s media rights from 2020 to 2023 is likely to be lesser than the last deal – worth USD 145 million when it was signed but it was hit by the cancellation of two series against India. However, the PCB’s senior management, including chairman Ehsan Mani, remains optimistic about finding new ways to create alternative avenues of revenue.”Definitely [not playing against India] is a loss but we are not thinking about it,” Mani said in a PCB podcast. “It’s like a pie in the sky… if it’s not happening that is fine, we have to live with it. We don’t need to survive on it. I am very clear about planning on the basis of the fact that we are not playing them. Because in the past they had promised twice, thrice that they will play but pulled out… so they are unreliable. We cannot rely on them for resuming against playing India anywhere in the foreseeable future. If it happens, let it be like in Asia Cup and ICC events. We are interested in cricket and we always kept sports and politics separately, unlike India, so it’s the same this time.”A bilateral series against India forms the financial cornerstone of every country’s broadcast rights, but over the last decade and more, with the additional hit of not being able to play at home, the PCB has managed to not only survive, but to a degree, thrive. Over the last five years, the PSL has also emerged as a critical commercial product, the current three-year broadcast deal for it worth USD 36 million. Additionally, the PCB also earns USD 15.65 million annually from the fee the six PSL franchises pay, and USD 25 million in annual sponsorships that run till 2021. Between 2015-23, the board is also set to earn approximately USD 115-120 million from ICC revenue.Not playing India has hit revenues – it is estimated the loss of two series in the last cycle cost the PCB as much as USD 80 million – and affected investments in domestic cricket and pathway systems. But it has not crippled the board.”We need to be innovative and creative on how we look at our next rights cycle,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan told ESPNcricinfo’s podcast last week. “India is not on the table so we’re going to have to look at other ways. But you know we’ve got good international markets, a huge diaspora in the UK, huge in the US and I think we really need to think differently about how we sell our rights.”We’ve been focusing without India for a while now. We won’t really know the impact in terms of the values that we can get until we get into the marketplace. But we’re looking at what we need to be doing differently rather than just going out in your conventional way in terms of selling your broadcast rights. So many different platforms, different players out there now. We’ve been planning very hard over the last 12 months. We started our contingency planning a while ago, looking at what the broadcast deal might look like, what we might lose on that and looking at what we need to do internally.”ALSO LISTEN: Podcast with Wasim KhanBilateral ties between the two countries were snapped after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 and other than a limited-overs series in 2012-13, they have only faced each other in multi-team tournaments. The PCB pushed for ties to resume before seeking compensation for those losses by going for arbitration but that backfired as the Pakistani board ended up paying almost USD 2 million in legal costs after losing the case.Pakistan’s current broadcasting deal ends with the Bangladesh series that was scheduled this year. They have no home series scheduled in the next seven months, though there is a fairly packed international calendar next year that includes tours by England and Australia. However, given the current global scenario that could well be subject to change.”Our most important commercial contract is the media rights of our bilateral series and it has expired recently,” Mani said. “Until 2023 we have England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa [touring], and all are good series. But it’s a big challenge today (due to the coronavirus pandemic) how we are going to market it and monetise it. For instance, broadcasters in England are suffering. In fact, the sports broadcast industry itself is undergoing tremendous economic pressure. They might not able to pay much this time so we have to think about alternatives.”We have a commercial contract with Pepsi ending next year after 19 years. They have been our major partner, so all stakeholders need to have some certainty to renew our deals. There is a cost impact after our commercial contracts expire, and we are assessing which sponsors are ready to come on board with us, not knowing what we can offer during this uncertain period. So there are challenges but we have to find an innovate way to deal with these things, like why not use digital platform to keep supporters engaged. We have to show some flexibility to meet their expectations and merge it with our aspiration.”

One of the surprise packages of the Premier League so far this season has been Wolves. Gary O’Neil’s side were tipped to get relegated at the start of the season by many, but have proved doubters wrong and now find themselves in 11th on 46 points, just three points behind eighth-place West Ham.

This impressive season came after losing two of their best players in the summer window last season. Ruben Neves left Molineux to join Saudi side Al-Hilal for £47m, before Manchester City bought Portugal international midfielder Matheus Nunes for £53m at the end of the window. That deal was a record sale for Wolves, which broke that of the Neves deal.

O’Neil’s side have also struggled with injuries at times this season, to two key players in particular. Pedro Neto is currently on the sidelines for the second time this season and has missed 20 games up to now. Matheus Cunha pulled his hamstring in February and missed several months of the season.

With those sales and injuries being a potential stumbling block for Wolves, it is fair to say they have handled it very well, and to be 11th in the table is impressive.

They have also had a couple of standout stars, including Rayan Ait-Nouri, who has become integral to the side, and another defender, whose emergence has seen him make his international debut this season.

Toti Gomes’ season in numbers

The man in question here is Portuguese defender Toti Gomes. The 25-year-old defender joined Wolves from Estoril Praia in Portugal in 2020, before going out on loan to Swiss side Grasshoppers. It was a deal worth a measly total of £900k, according to journalist Nathan Judah.

This season, Toti has been immense for Wolves and has become a key player under O’Neil. The Portugal international has played 39 times in all competitions, with 32 of those appearances coming in the Premier League. Captain Max Kilman is the only Wolves player with more games under his belt this season.

According to Sofascore, Toti has been a part of four clean sheets for Wolves in the Premier League this season. The left-footer, who has also played left-back, is a wonderful defender, and he averages four ball recoveries per 90 minutes and wins a total of 3.9 duels per game.

His superb performances this season led the 25-year-old to be rewarded with his international debut for Portugal. He made his first appearance for the national team on the 16th of November 2023, against Liechtenstein, with his second cap coming on the 21st of March 2024, against Sweden.

Toti’s transfer value in 2024

The aforementioned £900k that Wolves initially spent on Toti has certainly proven to be a good investment so far, and not only because he has become a key player for O’Neil’s side this term.

Toti has seen his value soar in recent months, and, according to CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth £34m, a staggering increase of 3,677%. Indeed, there is only one player at Molineux currently more valuable than the 25-year-old, £42.7m Cunha, and two players of equal value to Toti, in Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes.

The Wolves manager certainly believes that the Portugal international’s value is justified, explaining in January that he believes his performances in the Premier League have been “incredible”, given the “money the club spent on him”. This is reflected in his decision to play Toti in the majority of his side’s games throughout 2023/24.

Wolves fans do not need to worry about Toti leaving the club any time soon, given the 6 foot 2 defender has just signed a new five-year deal to stay at Molineux until the end of the 2029 season. With no rumoured release clause, the 25-year-old does not seem likely to leave Wolves anytime soon.

Wolves hit the jackpot on Molineux star who's worth more than Hwang

Wolves have a player in their ranks who could make them a small fortune in the future…

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 30, 2024