Batsman hadn’t played a first-class game since September and hadn’t scored a first-class half-century since December 2016

George Dobell08-Jun-2018

Jos Buttler has admitted that even he has been pleasantly surprised by his smooth transition back into Test cricket.Buttler hadn’t played a first-class game since September and hadn’t scored a first-class half-century since December 2016 when he was somewhat surprisingly recalled to England’s Test team ahead of the series against Pakistan.But he responded with half-centuries at Lord’s and Headingley, finishing the series as the highest run-scorer on either side and winning the man of the match award in Leeds for an innings of 80 not out in a low-scoring game.While Buttler had come into the Test series in fine form – his final five innings in the IPL season were 67, 51, 82, 95*, 94* and 39 – he concedes he was as unsure as anyone how easily he would manage the switch between formats. But he feels minimising the extent of the changes between formats in his own head has been key to his success.”I think, in a way, it has been a bit of a surprise,” Buttler said. “Up until now it was unheard of in England to pick someone who hasn’t been banging the door down in red-ball cricket. Or even playing it. It’s a new way of selecting someone and I don’t think anyone knew how I was going to do or play.”So it’s really satisfying to know I can make that switch between formats.”Maybe in the past I made more of that switch than there I needed to, really. The basics of the game are similar. As long as you can controlthe mental aspect of it, the actual technique and things look after themselves.”While there has been much talk of the changes to the Australian squad – both in personnel and approach – that England will meet in the RoyalLondon One-Day series starting next week, Buttler is expecting them to be as tough and aggressive as ever.Jos Buttler in the nets at a Royal London event•Royal London

“Maybe verbally they may be less aggressive, but I don’t think tactically or cricket-wise: they’ll still be an aggressive side in that sense,” Buttler said. “I was just starting out at Somerset when the new Australia coach, Justin Langer, was the captain there.”He’s obviously a really successful coach in Australia and some of the mantras he lives by I saw a little bit at Somerset. They will be a highly-organised, disciplined, competitive team with a hard-nosed edge. They will still have that side.”Everyone determines the word ‘sledging’ differently. People always say ‘you know where the line is’ but whose line is it? It’s a hard area to judge.”Is it personal abuse? You wouldn’t walk down the street and abuse a postman for not delivering the letters in the right way. But at the same time in professional sport, if you’re making someone in the middle think about something else and not 100 percent focussed on the ball coming – Steve Waugh called it mental disintegration – then you’re gaining an advantage.”It’s international cricket, it’s going to be hard and competitive so I think they are coming as well with a bit of a point to prove and they’ll want to put that [the ball-tampering scandal] behind them and play cricket again. So I expect a really tough series.”Royal London, proud sponsors of one-day cricket, is celebrating unconventional greatness in the game by championing the independent spirit of players and fans.

Ange Postecoglou has re-equipped Tottenham Hotspur with the firepower to fight for a spot at the top of the Premier League after a period of instability, but could target further transfer arrivals in January.

Who are Tottenham interested in signing?

The Lilywhites currently top the league table after eight matches and are positively flourishing, already boasting victories over Manchester United and Liverpool and drawing against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

But a few injuries to key players will have supporters concerned that the finely-poised equilibrium could be unsettled, with Ivan Perisic ruled out for most of the season, Manor Solomon's knee injury resulting in a lengthy layoff and Brennan Johnson struggling for fitness thus far.

With the £60m Richarlison vacillating from form – with just one league goal this season – it's very much a possibility that Postecoglou will issue a swoop for a new forward during the winter, with Spanish sources revealing that Al-Ittihad winger Jota, aged 24, could be set for a reunion with his former manager.

Indeed, the former Celtic star is attracting attention from Spurs, who want to sign him on loan, after Saudi Pro League rules stipulate no more than eight foreign players can be registered, with the £25m signing having been swiftly cast aside.

Should Tottenham sign Jota?

While Jota is something of an unknown commodity on English shores, Tottenham supporters will be getting familiar with his name following the persisting rumours of Postecoglou's interest.

The 58-year-old boss fielded the Portuguese talent 83 times during their time together at Parkhead, with Jota scoring 28 goals and supplying 26 assists, earning praise for his “brilliant” performances, as has been claimed by Queen of the South manager Marvin Bartley.

Given that he is unable to play league football at present, Tottenham really do present an enticing offer for a player of his ability, who could offer direct and creative threat across the frontline and combat the current spate of injuries.

He could also give Dejan Kulusevski a run for his money, with the Swede having started all eight of Tottenham's Premier League matches this term, scoring twice.

The 23-year-old has been dubbed a "magician" by teammate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for his quality on the ball, but has only registered a direct goal contribution once in every four matches (0.26) on average over the past year, as per FBref.

That being said, he flattered to deceive last year and is now returning to form, but the lack of alternatives on the right flank could prove to hinder Spurs' chances of success for a player who is known to blow "hot and cold" – as was said by Glenn Murray – with Postecoglou also said to have been unconvinced by the Swede ahead of this season, according to 90min.

The 5 foot 9 Jota, comparatively, might be rarely seen in Saudi Arabia but was emphatic in his prolific feats last year, posting 15 goals and 12 assists across all competitions for the Hoops – praised for one "perfect" goal by journalist Josh Bunting.

That added injection of dynamism and depth really could be integral to Tottenham's pursuit of Champions League qualification and perhaps even more this season, with the "revelation" – as he was once dubbed by Alex McLeish – holding the key to unlocking offensive fluidity and constancy.

Kulusevski is a protean threat and one who has already demonstrated his worth in an ambitious Spurs side this season, but given the relative sparsity of the squad's current attacking options, bolstering the ranks with an ace of Jota's calibre might be a prudent move.

The young forward snatched an unforgettable 4-3 victory for the Red Devils to book them a trip to Wembley to face Coventry City

Amad Diallo sent Manchester United to Wembley by scoring the most important goal of his career and settling an epic FA Cup quarter-final tie with Liverpool in the final minute of extra-time at Old Trafford. Amad's last-gasp strike – and his subsequent sending off for taking his shirt off in celebration – provided a fitting end to a whirlwind match in which United played some of their best football of the season, but twice had to chase the game.

Scott McTominay knocked the ball into an empty net from one yard out to put United deservedly ahead, but Liverpool showed their class by turning the tie on its head in the space of four minutes at the end of the first half, with Alexis Mac Allister levelling with a deflected strike before Mohamed Salah netted on the rebound after Darwin Nunez's shot was saved.

The Red Devils stayed in the game and Antony came off the bench to drag the match into extra-time with a late goal. United were again dominant from then on, but again fell behind to a deflected strike, this time from Harvey Elliot in the 105th minute. Marcus Rashford, who had missed a gaping chance to snatch victory in last minute of normal time, lifted himself to pull United level once more.

The fixture looked to be heading to penalties for the first time ever, but Amad had the final say, firing in off the post after a lay off from the outstanding Alejandro Garnacho.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from Old Trafford…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Andre Onana (5/10):

Made a good save from Diaz but also looked shaky. Unlucky with the deflection for Mac Allister's equaliser but sent Nunez's shot straight to Salah's feet and nearly fumbled a shot from the Uruguayan into the net.

Diogo Dalot (6/10):

Supported the midfield well but struggled to contain Diaz and could have done better against Nunez for the second goal.

Victor Lindelof (5/10):

More comfortable back in the middle of defence than at full-back, but Nunez had the run of him.

Raphael Varane (6/10):

Put himself about and made plenty of timely blocks.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5/10):

Played his first game for two months and had the daunting task of playing out-of-position against Salah. Didn't look comfortable.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Scott McTominay (6/10):

Scored a tap-in but again was disappointing with his overall play. That said, he teed up Rashford for the second equaliser after winning the ball high up the pitch.

Kobbie Mainoo (8/10):

A class act and further proof that he can step up against the top opponents after being snubbed by Gareth Southgate.

Bruno Fernandes (5/10):

Another big game which he couldn't put his stamp on, but he battled through visible pain to last the 120 minutes.

Getty ImagesAttack

Alejandro Garnacho (9/10):

United's greatest threat throughout the 120 minutes, never ceasing to cause havoc down either wing and playing his part in three of the four goals. Also ran his heart out and dug deep in defence when needed.

Rasmus Hojlund (4/10):

A bumpy return for the striker, who looked rusty and off the pace in his first game in four weeks. Made several bad passes, only touched the ball 13 times and fell over when he had his best shooting chance.

Marcus Rashford (5/10):

Didn't work hard enough and when he had the best chance of the game at his feet in stoppage-time, he wasted it. However, he made amends by keeping his cool in extra-time to equalise.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Antony (7/10):

The most unlikely figure to inspire United and he sure chose his moment to score his second goal in 39 games. Also worked hard and with intelligence.

Harry Maguire (5/10):

Squandered a great chance in extra-time as he lacked the confidence to shoot and blasted a late effort straight at Kelleher.

Christian Eriksen (5/10):

Tried to pick out key passes but couldn't pull them off.

Amad Diallo (7/10):

Worked hard defensively and then scored the most important goal of his career. Then showed his inexperience by removing his shirt and getting sent off.

Mason Mount (N/A):

His first appearance in several months but barely made a mark in his 15 minutes on the pitch.

Erik ten Hag (7/10):

Oversaw one of United's strongest performances of the season and his changes made a huge impact.

Everton are in the process of being taken over by 777 Partners, but one journalist has dropped a concerning update after what he’s heard from Merseyside.

Does Farhad Moshiri still own Everton?

Last month, Farhad Moshiri reached an agreement with the American investment firm to sell his 94.1% stake in the club, which initially came as music to the ears of supporters who have been calling for him to step down from his position over the past couple of seasons.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein soon after reported that the Toffees had received a loan worth tens of millions of pounds from their new owners to help with projects in the short-term, including the build of the upcoming stadium Bramley-Moore Dock.

The Goodison Park outfit are therefore expected to become the next club to be owned by the 777 Group, and they already have an impressive portfolio of teams under their belt in the form of Standard Liege, Hertha Berlin, Sevilla and Genoa, soon to be joined by Sean Dyche’s side in the Premier League.

Everton takeover update

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Paul Brown revealed in an Everton takeover update that whilst the 777 Partners agreement is expected to go through, they aren’t doing it for genuine reasons to help the club achieve success. He said:

"They're right in that there is no magic wand to fix Everton. I think it's going to be a long, slow process just to get the finances back on track, whoever takes the club on.

"In fact, I've even spoken to people who suggest that this may be less about owning a successful Premier League team and more about adding value to the portfolio and helping to attract new investment into the wider business."

Moshiri potentially leaving the club would be a positive regardless – it’s way past time that there was a major change among the hierarchy with a view to the long-term future, and whilst there are plenty of things going on behind the scenes, there needs to be more of a focus on performances on the pitch.

Dyche’s team have had a majorly disappointing start to the new season having won just two, drawn one and lost five of their opening eight fixtures meaning that they find themselves 16th in the table, albeit with some good form in recent weeks:

The Blues will be wanting someone to invest who will have the sufficient funds to be competitive in the market which will lead to buying better players and therefore making the manager’s squad stronger, but should the 777 Partners be unable to provide the cash or stability required, then this is definitely a deal to be worried about.

ScorecardSmriti Mandhana continued her glittering start to the Kia Super League as she smashed 43 not out to hand Western Storm a bonus point victory over Southern Vipers.In a re-match of both the 2016 and 2017 finals, Vipers were blown away by the Storm having been bowled out for their lowest ever total of 91.Mandhana, on the back of an unbeaten 52, 37 and 48 to start the campaign crashed 43 off 27 to set up a nine wicket victory.Heather Knight won the toss and elected to bowl on a green tinged wicket under unblemished blue skies.And it took until the third over for the Storm to make their first breakthrough, as Danni Wyatt was caught behind off Anya Shrubsole attempting to guide a shot down to third man.Claire Nicholas grabbed her first wicket of the match when she bowled Mignon du Preez – Vipers reaching 28 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay.Sara McGlashan was the only Vipers batsman to appear in any comfort at the crease, with the New Zealander crashing a six straight down the ground. But while McGlashan stroked the ball around, wickets kept on falling at the other end.Captain Suzie Bates was slightly unlucky to be caught and bowled by Danielle Gibson – with the ball nestling in the bowler’s midriff.Arran Brindle was given a life when she was dropped at fine leg, with Nicholas brilliantly diving forward but just failing to hang on.But the missed chance didn’t prove costly as former England star Brindle was run out by a direct hit by Naomi Dattani at mid-off.Maia Bouchier was handed her debut, with Tammy Beaumont unable to play due to the suspected concussion she sustained during Sunday’s defeat to Lancashire Thunder.The Middlesex batsman gained a life when Rachel Priest missed a stumping, but was run out soon after by Knight.McGlashan was then stumped for 31 to leave Vipers 63 for 6 as the innings long collapse continued. The final four wickets were an example in self-destructive batting after growing frustrated at struggling to nurdle runs. Tash Farrant, Amelia Kerr and Katie George all departed playing either reverse sweeps or scoops.Priest avoided all of the gremlins the Vipers batsmen had found in the pitch by hitting 30 off 14 balls. The opener took Farrant apart in the opening over, with two fours and a massive six down the ground, before three boundaries on the spin off George in the next overs gave the visitors a flier.She departed when she swept Brindle to McGlashan, but it couldn’t stop the onslaught from Mandhana, who was accompanied by Knight. The Indian popped Bates over the rope to go alongside five fours, with Knight ending up unbeaten on 18 with Storm winning with 63 balls to spare.

A 189-run sixth-wicket stand left England 250 ahead with two days left to play

The Report by Varun Shetty11-Aug-2018The third day nearly produced 90 overs, and India nearly came back into the game, but the honours belonged, literally, to Chris Woakes. With his unbeaten 120, Woakes became the tenth player to make both the batting and bowling honours boards at Lord’s, and in combination with a mature Jonny Bairstow, who missed out on a century of his own by seven runs, batted India out of the match, lifting England to a lead of 250 by stumps. England still have four wickets in hand, and despite all the overs lost to rain in this Test are well placed to push for a 2-0 series lead.Woakes joined Bairstow when England were 131 for 5 and India’s seamers were beginning to adapt and pick up wickets in batting conditions that were unimaginable under Friday’s dark clouds. By the time India separated them, they had put on 189 for the sixth wicket and England were over 200 runs in the lead.Getty Images

Both Bairstow and Woakes had reasons to be watchful, but their partnership run rate of 4.34 betrayed that. There were several inside-edges and swish-and-miss sequences during the early parts of their alliance, and they survived an lbw review each, but India’s seamers couldn’t sustain the pressure.Bairstow’s tall stance played a part in both his dismissals at Edgbaston, where he was dismissed by balls going both ways from a similar line outside off. There, he wasn’t getting close to the ball, but on Saturday, he seemed to have learned his lesson. Bairstow was routinely to the pitch of the ball outside off, and offered a full face almost every time he drove. His seven boundaries through the covers were diverse – on the half-volley, through the line, against the turn – and every one of his three boundaries down the ground were struck with authority and control. Importantly, Bairstow took the attack to both R Ashwin – whose first over was the innings’ 39th – and Kuldeep Yadav, forcing Virat Kohli to keep going back to his tired and under-staffed pace attack.This allowed Woakes plenty of freedom at the other end, and when he did get over his penchant for finding boundaries off edges, he began playing some regal strokes of his own. Ishant Sharma first tested Woakes with the bouncer, a plan Australia had routinely used against him in the Ashes, but after a few testing deliveries, Woakes signalled the start of his dominance by swatting him to the square-leg boundary. In fact, Woakes almost made a staple of the back-foot shots, scoring freely both in front of and behind square on the leg side, while punishing the easy, short and wide offerings by the end of the last session. Through 18 fours and a control percentage of 86, Woakes outscored Bairstow in reaching his century and was unbeaten at the end of the day.Getty Images

India’s bowlers struggled with their length all day, even with the new ball. Through hitting their natural lengths, both Ishant and Shami fed Alastair Cook’s preference to stay deep in the crease and play mostly off the back foot. There was swing every time they erred full, but the early indications were that they had no control when swinging the ball away from the left-handers. On a distinctly sunny day, they didn’t have help from the overhead conditions, and the seemingly calm start as opposed to India’s blitzkrieg opening 45 minutes on Friday looked ominous for the visitors.But if bowling full wouldn’t do it, bowling straight did. Unable to be menacing or consistent with their swing, India’s seamers looked at doing what they’re used to at home – bowl at the stumps. From that came the lbw of Keaton Jennings, who fell over trying to flick Shami’s full ball, and made the first of England’s two ordinary batting reviews. Rapped right in front of middle with a stride that had him marginally outside the crease, he stood no chance.Cook could do far less as a reaction, both during and after his dismissal to an Ishant corker that jagged away just enough from the stumps to kiss his outside edge. With England two down in the ninth over, just as India had been, Virat Kohli and his team-mates were beginning to chirp.Debutant Ollie Pope and captain Joe Root put a brief stopper with a 45-run third-wicket stand. Pope made his first runs in Tests through a leg-side boundary, and looked generally organised as he moved at a 70-plus strike rate. But he was the second of four batsmen out leg-before, and the last of them to get to use a review. Hit just above his back knee, Pope stood no chance. When Root fell at the stroke of lunch three overs later, England were only 18 behind, but not inspiring too much confidence.The shots their top order had played were no different to the ambitious ones India played yesterday, forcing the thought that perhaps these were just terrible batting conditions for anyone. Kohli’s celebratory screams from the slip cordon made it appear as if India sensed as much. But like Kohli, who sporadically went off the field with a suspected back issue, his bowlers were largely absent after lunch.

Sri Lanka’s captain was impressed with his lead spinner’s ability to bounce back from tough outings in the fifth ODI

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo12-Aug-2018He conceded 81 runs in the third ODI, went at 10 and over in the next one, and yet, claimed 6 for 29 in the fifth ODI, in Sri Lanka’s 178-run victory over South Africa. So emphatically did Akila Dananjaya bounce back from those Pallekele pastings, that Angelo Mathews has declared him to be “made of steel”. Not only did Akila finish the series in possession of the best match figures for a Sri Lanka bowler against South Africa, he was also the series’ best bowler, having taken 14 wickets at an average of 17.85. Despite the expensive outings at Pallekele, his economy rate also finished at a respectable 5.95.Quinton de Kock

On Akila
“We’ve picked him really well through the whole series, but tonight it was really difficult to pick him initially, in the night. He performed really well and bamboozled us.”
On SL’s batting improvement through the series:
“In the first two games we didn’t have the biggest targets to chase. In the last two matches the Sri Lankan batting lineup batted with a lot of freedom. They put a lot of pressure on us. They set us big, challenging totals. In the fourth ODI we batted really well but didn’t manage to finish it. Tonight, Akila just bowled really well.”

“Akila’s made of steel – going for runs in the last couple of games and coming back with a six-for in this game was fantastic,” Mathews said. “He has been bowling so well for us over the past year and a half. You can have a couple of off days but he has been consistent with his performances over the past year and a half. He showed once again what he’s capable of.”At Khettarama, it was the googly that was Akila’s most destructive delivery, claiming the wickets of Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks in consecutive balls, before dismissing Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock as well. It is, of course, unusual that someone who primarily bowls offbreaks has a googly and a legbreak in his repertoire, but an unusual bowler is what Akila has always been. It was on the basis of that unorthodoxy that he made his debut for Sri Lanka way back in 2012, as a 17-year-old. Though largely ignored by the selectors between early 2013 and the middle of last year, Dananjaya has become a more refined bowler over the past six years, and Mathews – who is also a teammate at Colts Cricket Club – has watched him grow.”There is a big difference when you consider his debut, and you look at him now,” he said. “He bowls with a lot of confidence. He’s not afraid to bowl his variations. And those variations are now also bowled with a lot of control. So those add up to a big difference.”As Sri Lanka attempt to nail down their World Cup combination, Akila is imposing himself as the team’s lead spinner – a position Sri Lanka have struggled to fill in limited-overs cricket since the declines of Sachithra Senanayake and Ajantha Mendis. Despite some expensive outings, Akila has at least been reliably penetrative, claiming at least one wicket in each of his last six matches. Though the offbreak has always been his stock ball, the wristspin deliveries are proving effective for him, he said.”I got most of my recent caught-and-bowled wickets with the googly, and I’ve got a lot of wickets with the legbreak as well. In this series I’ve also been trying to turn the legbreak as much as I can. The googly and the legbreak need to get better, so I’ll keep working on those.”

Wrexham are battling with a number of Championship clubs for the signing of a versatile young player shining for his current side, according to a fresh transfer update.

Wrexham transfer news

The Robins enjoyed a legendary 2022/23 season, finally earning promotion back to the Football League fter being crowned National League champions. It was a stunning effort, as Wrexham went toe-to-toe with Notts County in a thrilling title race, and it was a major step in the right direction under the world-renowned ownership of Hollywood acting duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

This season, the Welsh outfit have enjoyed a solid start to life in League Two, currently sitting fourth in the table and looking right in the mix to be in the automatic promotion race again. Some important summer transfer business happened at the club in the summer, with Phil Parkinson bolstering his options by bringing in the likes of James McClean and George Evans, with the former seen as a high-profile signing because of his Premier League past.

Wrexham's spending may need to continue in order for them to keep enjoying their current rise up the divisions, and they reportedly look to be eyeing an intriguing move for one player.

Wrexham transfer latest: Olukayode Osu

A new Wrexham transfer update from TEAMtalk talks up the idea of Olukayode Osu potentially moving to The Racecourse Ground soon, with the Robins one of the clubs keen on snapping up the 21-year-old Bracknell Town defender:

"A host of teams are showing an interest in non-league ace Olukayode Osu, with Sheffield United, West Brom, Huddersfield, Barnsley and Wrexham all tracking the Bracknell Town man.

"The 21-year-old defender, who can also play in midfield, has been one of the star’s of Bracknell Town’s run to the FA Cup first round, where they will face Cambridge United next month.

The report adds:

"There is interest too from further down the EFL ladder with League One Barnsley and Wrexham, of League Two, also expressing their interest in the player, who began his career in AFC Wimbledon’s youth ranks.

Osu is something of an unknown, especially compared to someone like McClean, who arrived having achieved so much for club and country in his career, but he could still be a really shrewd signing by the club. The Bracknell defender appears to be a key man for his current club, who ply their trade in the Southern League Premier Division South, shining at the heart of the defence. He is a versatile figure who can also play in midfield, which is something that could appeal to Parkinson moving forward, and at just 21 years of age, he should only mature as a player in the coming years, possibly looking like a steal over time.

The fact that Wrexham are even in the conversation to sign Osu alongside Championship teams speaks volumes about the giant strides made at the club under Reynolds and McElhenney, with the idea of that being the case in the past simply unthinkable. The Robins now have a real pull for transfer targets, considering the fame of their owners, their chances of success and even the fact that a Disney documentary has been made about them, so Osu could see them as his next club of choice.

As things start coming together for Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea, with glimpses of what may come in their 2-2 draw against Arsenal, you can't help but notice that the Blues are still missing a couple of pieces to the puzzle that could unlock their route back among Europe's elite. They've got the manager they wanted. They got their defensive midfielder in the form of Moises Caicedo, and they kept hold of Levi Colwill in their backline. What they failed to arguably find, however, was an out-and-out goalscorer.

For all the money they spent throughout the summer transfer window, Chelsea did not solve their striker problem, leaving them to go again in the January transfer window. And that could lead them to a certain Bundesliga star.

Chelsea transfer news

Chelsea's need for a striker is no secret in the Premier League, especially after Nicolas Jackson's early-season form, which has seen him find the back of the net just three times in 10 games. Whilst the eventual return of Christopher Nkunku may help to solve Pochettino's crisis up top, the Blues may well look to the transfer market to put an end to their dilemma once and for all.

The latest Benjamin Sesko transfer news suggests that he's on their shortlist, too. According to reporter Simon Phillips, Chelsea are still scouting the RB Leipzig forward as a back-up option, in case deals for either Victor Osimhen or Ivan Toney fail to come to fruition, be it in January or next summer's transfer window.

Chelsea have, of course, done business with Leipzig before, buying and then selling Timo Werner from and to the Bundesliga side, before also landing Nkunku from them last summer. With a relationship already in place, a deal for Sesko could turn out to be fairly routine if Chelsea meet whatever asking price Leipzig demand.

Benjamin Sesko's stats

Sesko has struggled to get into the Leipzig side at times this season, making just two Bundesliga starts in eight games. It's a surprise that he has failed to break into Marco Rose's side, though, given that he has scored twice in just 198 minutes played in the current campaign, which is almost an average of a goal a game. Sesko's stats have been more impressive than Chelsea's Jackson, too, as per FBref.

Player

Goals Per 90

Expected Goals

Goal Creating Actions Per 90

Benjamin Sesko

0.91

0.9

0.90

Nicolas Jackson

0.31

4.1

0.16

It comes as little surprise that Sesko has earned plenty of praise over the years, including from journalist Maxi Angelo, who posted on X back in 2022: "Benjamin Šeško has really showcased why top clubs in Europe wants him this summer against Liverpool tonight. Incredible strength and size. Nice technique and smart movements. One goal to his name in the first half too. Very impressive, especially for being 19."

With that said, as Chelsea continue to search for a striker, Sesko could quickly become an ideal option. When given the chance at Leipzig this season, he has had success in front of goal, making the rest of his season all the more interesting.

MatériaMais Notícias

A partida entre Athletico e Santos foi especial para o meia Nikão, que completou 250 jogos com a camisa do Furacão. São seis anos na equipe, com 36 gols e cinco títulos conquistados, entre eles, a inédita conquista da Sul-Americana e da Copa do Brasil.

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‘Sou grato a Deus e ao Athletico por me proporcionarem isso. Fico muito feliz de alcançar essa marca, é um número que nem todos os atletas conseguem atingir’, disse o camisa 11, antes de completar:

‘Isso só prova o tamanho do carinho e do sentimento de gratidão que tenho por esse clube. Me abriram as portas, me deram oportunidades e sou quem sou por isso’.

Os 250 jogos nem sempre foram do jeito que meia imaginava, entretanto ele garante que em todas as partidas que vestiu as cores do Athletico, raça e dedicação não faltaram.

‘São 250 jogos em que doei o máximo que eu podia, 250 jogos de amor e carinho. Fiz jogos bons, jogos ruins, mas tenho certeza que a cada partida eu dei o meu melhor, se não foi na técnica, foi na raça, na vontade’, concluiu.