Hardik to lead in Rohit’s absence; no changes in the red-ball squad for the remaining two Tests
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2023
Rohit Sharma is not available for the first ODI against Australia•AFP via Getty Images
Rohit Sharma will miss the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia because of family commitments. In his absence, vice-captain Hardik Pandya will lead the side in Mumbai on March 17. This will be the first time Hardik will captain India in ODIs.There were no changes to the red-ball squad for the last two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where India have retained the trophy after taking a 2-0 lead. However, the selection committee, currently without a chairman after Chetan Sharma’s resignation, did not name a vice-captain; KL Rahul was Rohit’s deputy for the first two Tests but there have been concerns over his form. In his last five Tests, Rahul has 117 runs at an average of 13, with a best of 23.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Jaydev Unadkat, who was released ahead of the second Test for the Ranji Trophy final, is back in the squad. Earlier in the day, Unadkat led Saurashtra to their second Ranji title in three seasons. There was more good news for him: he found a place in India’s ODI side as well. He will be competing with Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik and Shardul Thakur for a slot in the playing XI.Unadkat played the last of his seven ODIs back in 2013 but he has been on the selectors’ radar for quite some time now. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the selectors were impressed by his performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy recently, where he was the highest wicket-taker with 19 scalps from ten games, and helped Saurashtra win the title.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Ravindra Jadeja, who made a dream comeback to Test cricket after a five-month layoff following a knee surgery, also returned to the ODI fold. So did Shreyas Iyer, after missing the ODIs against New Zealand and the first Test against Australia with a back injury. That meant there was no place for Shahbaz Ahmed and Rajat Patidar who were part of the ODI squad for the New Zealand series.Jasprit Bumrah continued to miss out as he recovers from his back injury.India’s Test squad for third and fourth Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (capt), KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev UnadkatIndia’s squad for ODIs against Australia: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat
Arne Slot has confirmed that Liverpool have agreed on a deal with Parma for defender Giovanni Leoni ahead of Liverpool's Premier League opener against Bournemouth. The Reds will fork out £26 million ($35m) for the Italian teenage sensation as the Dutch manager is eager to throw him straight into first-team action.
Liverpool seal £26m deal for LeoniSlot rules out loan move for defenderReds’ summer spending surpasses £300mFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Leoni has been given the green light to fly to Merseyside to finalise personal terms and undergo his medical, expected to begin on Thursday. The deal, which includes performance-related add-ons, will take Liverpool’s jaw-dropping summer transfer outlay beyond the £300 million mark, the third-highest single-window spend in Premier League history. Chelsea still lead the charts with £434.5m spending in the 2023/24 campaign.
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It has been reported that there will be no question of Leoni being shipped out on a loan deal. Instead, the plan is to throw him into the mix immediately as the Reds prepare for their Premier League title defence. With only Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté fully fit heading into Friday’s opener against Bournemouth, and Joe Gomez just back from an Achilles layoff, the arrival of a fresh defensive option is timely.
WHAT SLOT SAID
Speaking to reporters, Slot confirmed: "The clubs have agreed a deal but he hasn’t signed for us yet. The moment he signs for us, I can go into more detail."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Leoni’s rise has been swift. Just last summer, he joined Parma and instantly established himself as a first-team regular, clocking up 17 appearances, 14 as a starter, in Italy’s top flight. Tied to a long-term contract until 2029, the youngster was not expected to leave so soon, but Liverpool’s lucrative offer proved too tempting for Parma to turn down.
Football Association (FA) chief executive Mark Bullingham has offered a guarded response regarding Sarina Wiegman's long-term future as England boss following the Lionesses' dramatic Euro 2025 final triumph over Spain. While Wiegman remains under contract through the 2027 World Cup, there is no confirmation yet about her plans beyond that tournament.
Wiegman leads England to back-to-back Euro titles
FA chief non-committal on Wiegman contract talks
Manager set to stay through the 2027 World Cup
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Wiegman guided England to a second consecutive European Championship title, defeating Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Basel. The result served as redemption for the Lionesses, who lost to La Roja in the 2023 World Cup final. The 55-year-old head coach is contracted until 2027 with the England women's team; however, her future beyond that remains uncertain, and Bullingham's recent comments have not offered much insight.
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WHAT BULLINGHAM SAID
Speaking to BBC Sport, FA chief Bullingham said: "She’s an incredible person, incredible coach and incredible leader. We’re very lucky to have her, proud to have her as part of the team, and obviously she will be working with us for the World Cup."
Regarding potential contract talks, he added: "It’s a bit early for that. We are delighted she is with us for the World Cup, and we will have that conversation at an appropriate time.
"She is an incredible manager, and we’re delighted to be working with her, so that has to be up to her. We will have those conversations when they’re ready to go."
When asked if it may be difficult to convince Wiegman to stay with England before the Euro final, Bullingham added: "Not hard at all. We are committed to her until 2027, and she is committed to us. We have a new [coaching] team coming in for her.
"We haven’t quite started working on the plans for [the 2027 World Cup], but I know her focus, hopefully after success on Sunday, will shift quite quickly to that."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Wiegman has transformed the Lionesses into a European powerhouse since taking over in 2021. Under her leadership, England have won back-to-back Euros and reached the 2023 World Cup final. Her calm authority and tactical excellence have made her one of the most respected managers in not just the women’s game but in the sport of football.
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WHAT NEXT FOR WIEGMAN?
The 55-year-old will remain in charge of England as the Lionesses prepare for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The FA appear content to wait before entering any formal contract discussions. Her future beyond the next tournament may ultimately be her own decision.
The England international scored twice and assisted another as Enzo Maresca's side tore the European champions apart
Cole Palmer inspired Chelsea to Club World Cup glory as the England international produced a virtuoso performance against European champions Paris Saint-Germain to secure the global crown for Enzo Maresca's side. Palmer scored twice and provided an assist as the Blues became the inaugural winners of FIFA's revamped tournament in New Jersey with a 3-0 victory.
Despite being the underdogs, Chelsea began the final on the front foot, and Palmer curled narrowly wide after a fine team move. Robert Sanchez did have to react well to keep out Desire Doue at the other end, but the Blues's early pressure eventually told midway through the first half when Palmer guided a shot into the bottom corner after good work by Malo Gusto.
Palmer produced an almost identical finish after quick feet created room inside the penalty area for him to make it 2-0, and the Blues made it three before half-time when Palmer carried the ball towards the edge of the penalty area before playing in Joao Pedro to chip the onrushing Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG looked to get themselves back into the game after the break, but both Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha were both denied by stunning Sanchez saves, while substitute Liam Delap twice forced Donnarumma into strong stops shortly after replacing Pedro. Joao Neves then saw red in the closing stages for PSG after he pulled Marc Cucurella's hair.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from MetLife Stadium…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Robert Sanchez (10/10):
Easily his best game for the club. Made excellent saves to deny Dembele, Vitinha and Doue while his ability to bait PSG's press led to him springing attacks with his diagonal passes. Who needs Mike Maignan?!
Malo Gusto (8/10):
He got help, but that shouldn't take anything away from how he kept Kvaratskhelia quiet. Also proved a useful out-ball in attack, as illustrated by the role he played in setting up the opener for Palmer.
Trevoh Chalobah (8/10):
It's amazing to think that Chelsea still might get rid of the England defender this summer. He read the game mightily well and ensured Dembele barely had a sniff.
Levi Colwill (8/10):
Equally impressive alongside Chalobah at the heart of the Blues' defence. His passing out of defence also kicked-off a series of Chelsea attacks.
Marc Cucurella (8/10):
Showcased his excellent defensive instincts throughout. Cut out Doue's pass for what would have been a certain Hakimi goal at 0-0, and continued to get himself in the way of PSG's forwards thereafter.
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Midfield
Reece James (7/10):
Helped Gusto out up against Kvaratskhelia while also doing a decent job on getting close to Ruiz in midfield. Looks increasing comfortable in his new role.
Moises Caicedo (9/10):
Returned from injury and was absolutely everywhere, particularly in the first half. Never let Vitinha have any room while shielding the ball expertly when he picked up possession. Capped an outstanding season.
Enzo Fernandez (7/10):
Did some good defensive work in closing down Vitinha and Neves. Didn't really offer much in possession before being forced off due to injury after an hour.
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Attack
Cole Palmer (10/10):
What a player! Bounced back from his early miss to expertly net the opening two goals before laying in Pedro for Chelsea's third. Left Beraldo and Mendes in the dust on a number of occasions while also working hard to get back defensively.
Joao Pedro (9/10):
Looked in the mood from minute one as he pressed relentlessly from the front. Held the ball up well, made a couple of key defensive headers and got the goal his performance deserved with a fine chipped finish over Donnarumma.
Pedro Neto (7/10):
His final ball was sometimes lacking, but he worked so hard to get up and down the left flank. Ensured Hakimi couldn't have a say on the game with his tracking back.
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Subs & Manager
Andrey Santos (7/10):
Put himself about well in midfield after replacing Fernandez.
Liam Delap (7/10):
Twice denied by Donnarumma in an energetic showing for the final quarter of the game.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (6/10):
Thrown on for the final 12 minutes.
Christopher Nkunku (6/10):
Replaced Neto in the closing stages.
Enzo Maresca (10/10):
Didn't fear the PSG press, and instead ensured his side played with even more energy themselves to expose the European champions. Looks to have found a system that could lead to more glory going forward.
Former South Africa captain Mignon du Preez is relishing the prospect of creating havoc with Brisbane Heat’s swashbuckling Harris sisters in the upcoming WBBL season.The 34-year-old dynamic middle-order batter joined the Heat as a direct nomination for this WBBL season, after previously scoring 2292 tournament runs for the Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars in six seasons at a strike rate of 114.She retired from international cricket last year after 15 years at the top, including a long stint as South African skipper.Related
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“I have played against the Harris sisters [Grace and Laura] and they have smacked the ball all over the place,” du Preez told AAP after flying into Brisbane on Wednesday.”I’ve been on the receiving end of that, so it will be nice to be in their team for a change and not playing against them. The Heat have been in the top four teams nearly every competition I have played in the Big Bash and I have always admired them.”They looked like a bunch of girls that enjoy each other’s company on and off the field…and teal is my favourite colour.”Du Preez has been named in the Heat’s squad of 14 to play three away games to start the competition, beginning with the clash against the Melbourne Renegades on Friday.While not playing for South Africa anymore, she has still featured in plenty of cricket in other leagues around the world. She intends to play for the Heat with the aggressive approach that has been her trademark.”I have been playing cricket since I was four years old and it is probably the only thing I know,” du Preez said. “It was one of the hardest decisions to step away from international cricket, but once you know the time is right, you just know.”I know it is close to the end of my career, and I intend to have as much fun as possible with the Heat. I played in the CPL and the FairBreak Invitational tournament earlier this year.”Recently in South Africa our domestic structure got professionalised and I am contracted there and played over the weekend.”Du Preez had been in chats with Heat head coach Ashley Noffke and star batter Georgia Redmayne about joining the team for the past two years.Her new team-mates are excited about what du Preez has to offer.”I am so stoked. I’ve been sending her some sly messages to try and get her over for a few years,” Redmayne told AAP. “Mignon is a super player and a super teammate to have around the group as well. She is probably the leading run-scorer against the Heat, so it is nice to have her on our side.”
Kyogo Furuhashi became the latest star to be sold by Celtic for a significant profit when he joined Ligue 1 side Rennes in the January transfer window.
The Hoops signed the Japan international from Vissel Kobe for a reported fee of £4.6m in the summer of 2021 under Ange Postecoglou, and enjoyed his goalscoring talents for almost four years.
Kyogo racked up 85 goals in 165 appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys, winning the Scottish Premiership title in all three of his full seasons at Parkhead.
Rennes swooped in to sign him for £10m in January and that represented a profit of £5.4m for the Scottish giants, which shows that the club played a blinder by bringing him to Glasgow back in 2021.
Celtic, however, do not always get it right when they cash in on their top talents. An example of a player who was possibly undersold by the Hoops was attacking midfielder Ryan Christie.
Ryan Christie's record at Celtic
In the same summer that saw Kyogo move to Paradise for a fee of £4.6m, Bournemouth moved to sign Christie from the Hoops for a reported fee of £2.5m.
That came after the Scotland international had produced 42 goals and 44 assists in 151 matches in all competitions for Celtic during his time in the first-team at Parkhead, proving himself to be a reliable attacking midfielder who could score and assist goals on a regular basis.
The left-footed star, who scored five penalties for the Hoops, was utilised in a multitude of positions throughout his time with the club, mainly as an attacking midfielder but also as a winger, a central midfielder, and a deep-lying or defensive midfielder.
He made his breakthrough as a regular in the senior side at Celtic at the start of the 2018/19 campaign under Brendan Rodgers, but the Northern Irishman left to join Leicester City that season before he got the chance to see Christie flourish.
It was his form in the 2019/20 campaign that really caught the eye, though, as the Scottish maestro racked up a staggering 21 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions.
Christie proved himself to be a central or attacking midfielder who could be relied upon to deliver quality at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis, whether that be as a scorer or a creator of goals.
Ryan Christie's incredible form in 2024/25
At the time of writing (20/03/2025), Transfermarkt values the Bournemouth central midfielder at a whopping £10m, which means that his value has soared up since the Hoops cashed in on him for just £2.5m.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
During his time with the Cherries in England, Christie has reinvented himself as a deep-lying playmaker, predominantly playing as a central or defensive midfielder – rather than being a number ten by trade.
The Bournemouth star has made 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League this season, to go along with five ‘big chances’ created, and this shows that he has added a defensive edge to his game, winning possession back from the opposition on a regular basis.
As you can see in the chart above, Christie ranks highly among his positional peers in the division this season when it comes to progressing play and creating chances for his teammates from a deep-lying midfield role.
He has developed into a well-rounded midfielder who can make a difference for his team in and out of possession in matches, with his creative talents on the ball and his tackles and interceptions to break up play off it.
Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie.
Rodgers kickstarted his development by unleashing him as a regular starter for Celtic in the 2018/19 campaign, and the Northern Irish boss can, now, unearth his next version of Christie in Arne Engels.
Celtic's new Ryan Christie in 2025
Like the Scotland international, the Belgian maestro is a versatile star who can play in central or attacking midfield, on the right flank, or as a deep-lying midfielder – as he did in the defeat to Rangers last weekend in the Scottish Premiership.
Engels is also a player who can be relied upon from the penalty spot, as Christie was, as he has found the back of the net eight times from 12 yards in all competitions this season.
The 21-year-old star has been trusted to be the main penalty taker for the Scottish giants, despite the likes of Daizen Maeda, Kyogo – in the first half of the season – and Adam Idah being at the club, which speaks to how much faith Rodgers has in his ability.
Engels has also racked up 12 assists, to go along with his ten goals, in all competitions for the Hoops this term, which shows that the midfield star can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position – just as Christie did during his time at Parkhead.
Arne Engels
Whilst it took Christie to move to Bournemouth to develop the defensive side of his game, the current Celtic star has already shown that he can provide quality in and out of possession.
24/25 Champions League
Arne Engels (per 90)
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Tackles
2.40
Top 29%
Dribblers tackled
1.41
Top 28%
Percentage of dribblers tackled
71.4%
Top 10%
Passes blocked
1.12
Top 26%
Aerial battles won
0.50
Top 49%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Engels provided plenty of defensive quality during the Champions League campaign for the Hoops, with his ability to make tackles and disrupt opposition attacks.
The 21-year-old star, who was described as “so underrated” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a well-rounded central midfielder who can make things happen in the final third on a regular basis, whilst also offering strength and reliability off the ball.
Brendan Rodgers, Arne Engels
The next step for Engels, however, is to increase his output in the final third to the levels that Christie hit in the 2019/20 campaign, so that he can be relied upon as the main man for goals and assists for his side.
His form for the Scottish giants this season suggests that he has all the attributes required, in and out of possession, to be the manager’s new version of the Scotland international, and it is now down to him to put it all together.
Celtic make £1.6m offer to sign versatile 6ft 6 player to replace Schlupp
Ben Stokes has confirmed that the England and Australia players caught up for their post-Ashes debrief in a nightclub. This, after reports on Monday night that the Australians were locked out of the home dressing room at the Kia Oval.Following England’s 49-run victory in the fifth Test, which confirmed a 2-2 draw, England had their usual team bonding session with friends and family once all their media commitments had concluded. The celebrations largely centred on the key performances through the series, along with the retirements of Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali.With much on the agenda, the get-together lasted longer than usual, meaning that when Australia’s players knocked on the dressing room door to mingle with their opponents, as they did at the end of the 2019 series, they were not immediately invited in. By the time England had finished and went to extend an invitation, the Australians had already left the ground.However, Stokes took to social media at 4.11am to clarify that the players did toast a hard-fought series.
An anonymous source from the Australian dressing room, however, told Fox Sports: “We don’t really care, we’ve got the urn, but after a hard-fought series it is pretty pathetic. Talk about the spirit of cricket.”What was originally pegged as an amicable series took a sour turn when Jonny Bairstow was stumped by Alex Carey during the second Test, as England’s wicketkeeper walked out of his crease. England believed the dismissal, while within the laws of the game, contravened the spirit of the game, and stated unequivocally that they would have withdrawn the appeal. From that point onwards, the tone of the series changed dramatically, particularly in the stands, with Carey and Australia captain Pat Cummins booed at every sighting.Brendon McCullum was particularly incensed by the incident. “I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer with them any time soon,” he told BBC TMS at stumps after Australia had triumphed at Lord’s to go 2-0 up. A month on, the head coach had softened his stance.”Yeah, we’ll have a beer,” answered McCullum when asked if drinks were back on the table. He also clarified his reaction, stating he held no ill will towards Australia, particularly Cummins.Related
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“I definitely don’t think less of Pat,” McCullum said. “I’ve had the pleasure of being able to coach Pat over in the IPL and he’s an absolute champion fella. He’s done an amazing job with the captaincy and the Australian team. I consider him one of my mates as well.”I think if we look back to after that Test match, I don’t necessarily think what I said was construed in the right way. What I said was I’ve made mistakes in the past and there’s times when you look back. Maybe when you’re a little bit younger you don’t quite understand some of those decisions you make. I look back with regret at some of them and I put my hand up to say that. I guess that’s what I was challenging but in the end everyone’s entitled to do what they want.”There’s no right or wrong in that and that’s the grey area around the spirit of cricket. I just I guess I know with the benefit of time what I’d have done in that situation. But they’re more than entitled to do what they want. I guess Ashes series have all these twists and turns and moments people talk about and what people are remembered by. That was certainly one of those as was some of the spells from both sets of bowlers and some of the innings from both sets of batsmen.”Despite the flashpoint at Lord’s, both sets of players were largely congenial with one another. Stokes reasoned franchise cricket played a part in improved relations between the bitter rivals.2:24
Stokes ‘proud’ of England team and ‘inspiring’ Stuart Broad
“You can spend nine weeks with someone who you’ll play against, like I’d spend two or three years at Rajasthan with Steve Smith. You get to know each other,” he said. “I think it’s just the natural progression of how, where franchise cricket has taken players from all across the world to actually be able to spend time together and understand each other more is a reason as to why you’re probably not going see the sort of aggression and stuff out in the middle that you might have seen from previous Ashes series.”McCullum also reflected with pride at how his charges had acquitted themselves this series, especially after Lord’s, to win two of the final three Tests. Had rains not intervened at Emirates Old Trafford, they could have become only the second team in Ashes history to overhaul a 2-0 deficit. Since taking the reins at the start of the 2022 summer, McCullum has overseen a run of 13 victories in 18 Test matches, with just one draw – the rained-out fourth Test, which confirmed Australia’s retention of the urn.”I looked from afar at this series and to now be a part of it and witness how special it is something quite incredible,” McCullum said about his first experience of Ashes cricket. “I don’t want it to end actually, I think we should go round again and have another five Tests and keep doing what we’re doing. But it’s been an incredible six weeks and I’m really proud to be sharing a dressing-room with the England boys.”You’re sharing this series with the Aussie boys too, who have certainly… they walk away with the urn and both teams walk away with two victories under their belt, but I think both sides have stayed true to their styles and that’s what makes a great heavyweight fight. It’s two different styles and total conviction in them.”
Leeds United are currently competing to land promotion from the Championship back to the Premier League at the second time of asking this season.
The Whites are two points clear at the top of the table and four points ahead of Burnley in third place, which means that they have a good grasp on an automatic promotion spot.
Daniel Farke’s side fell just short of promotion in the 2023/24 campaign when they lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final, having finished third in the second tier.
The West Yorkshire outfit beat Millwall 2-0 on Wednesday night to put themselves clear of Sheffield United and Burnley, who were both held to draws on Tuesday night.
Manor Solomon forced an own goal from Jake Cooper in the third minute of the match, before Ao Tanaka wrapped up the three points with five minutes of normal time to go.
Whilst it may not go down as a goal or an assist, it was another contribution to a goal for Tottenham Hotspur loanee Manor Solomon, who has been in terrific form this season.
Manor Solomon's form this season
The Whites swooped to bring the Israel international to Elland Road last summer after the likes of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville were sold, as their departures left the team needing to find goals and assists from elsewhere.
Solomon had a fairly quiet start to life with the Championship side, with zero goals and one assist in eight appearances, but has now emerged as a reliable performer for Leeds on the left flank.
The 25-year-old winger has started 21 of his 30 appearances in the second tier for the Whites, which shows how much Farke has trusted him, and has recorded seven goals and seven assists in that time.
Solomon is also, somewhat, unfortunate to have only recorded seven assists because he has created 12 ‘big chances’. This suggests that his teammates have let him down at times with their wasteful finishing, as they have not made the most of the high-quality opportunities that the Spurs loanee has created for them.
24/25 Championship
Manor Solomon (per 90)
Percentile rank vs att. mids & wingers
Non-penalty goals
0.34
Top 14%
Assists
0.34
Top 7%
Expected Assisted Goals
0.34
Top 1%
Shot-creating actions
5.10
Top 1%
Successful take-ons
2.60
Top 3%
Progressive carries
4.80
Top 6%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the former Fulham man ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers in the Championship in a host of key attacking metrics.
These statistics illustrate how productive the Leeds star is in the final third and as a dribbler who can get his team up the pitch, which also may be why the club are reportedly interested in signing him permanently.
Leeds interested in signing Manor Solomon
The Whites currently have Solomon on a season-long loan deal that is due to expire in the summer, and they do not have an option to make it permanent ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Journalist Ben Jacobs recently confirmed, however, that the club do want to sign the Israel international on a permanent basis if they get promoted to the Premier League this year.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “The priority is to get promotion and then assess what targets are possible. Leeds are more focused on finding a playmaker and trying to buy Manor Solomon, while Cameron Archer remains on their radar.”
Jacobs has revealed that they will try to buy him, as well as Southampton centre-forward Cameron Archer, but they must first focus on landing automatic promotion out of the Championship in the next two months.
The Tottenham forward is currently valued at €9m (£7.5m) by Transfermarkt, but it remains to be seen exactly how much Leeds will need to pay to land the exciting forward this summer.
Farke, meanwhile, has already hit the jackpot with another Leeds attacker who is already worth even more than the £7.5m that Solomon is valued at – Joel Piroe.
Leeds struck gold with Joel Piroe
The German head coach arrived at Elland Road in the summer of 2023 and immediately decided to recruit a new centre-forward to bolster his squad.
Market Movers
Leeds eventually swooped to sign Dutch number nine Joel Piroe from Championship rivals Swansea for a reported fee of at least £10m ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, after he had scored 19 goals in the league in the previous season.
The Dutchman, however, made 23 of his starts as an attacking midfielder for Leeds last season, compared to 14 as a striker, and contributed with 14 goals and three assists in all competitions across both positions.
This term, Farke has relied on him as the go-to centre-forward option for the club, in his natural position, and his output at the top end of the pitch has improved as a result of that decision.
Piroe, who was described as “dangerous” by journalist Josh Bunting, has racked up 15 goals and six assists in all competitions for the West Yorkshire outfit, which means that he has already produced more goals and more assists – with two months of the season to go – than he did in the 2023/24 campaign as an attacking midfielder.
The left-footed star’s market value has increased as a result of his impressive form on the pitch for Leeds in the last two years, and his improvement in the current campaign, as it has soared beyond the £10m that was initially paid for him in 2023.
At the time of writing (14/03/2025), Transfermarkt values Piroe at €14m (£11.7m) and this means that his value has gone up since Farke brought him to Elland Road from Swansea last year, and that he is worth significantly more than Solomon.
The Whites have, therefore, hit the jackpot with the 25-year-old star because he has been a terrific performer on the pitch, whilst his value has soared off it.
At the age of 25, Piroe also still has plenty of time left to develop and improve over the years to come, which means that there is time for his value to skyrocket during the remainder of his spell in Yorkshire.
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He is already worth even more than Solomon is at the moment and could be worth millions more, potentially, if Leeds are promoted to the Premier League and he can translate his goalscoring form over to the top-flight.
Player faces charges of sexual coercion of another person, and bail conditions prevent him from travelling abroad
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2023Sandeep Lamichhane has been left out of Nepal’s squad for the upcoming Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series in Dubai, also featuring United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Lamichhane is currently out on bail, facing charges of sexual coercion of another person, and bail conditions prevent him from travelling abroad.While the legspinner was not in the provisional 15-member squad, efforts were being made to secure court permission for him to travel. But his name didn’t feature in the final squad announced by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Saturday.Nepal’s participation in the tri-series begins on Monday when they take on PNG in Dubai. Last week, in another Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series, also featuring Scotland and Namibia in Nepal, Lamichhane took 13 wickets in four matches. That performance helped Nepal win all four games in close finishes. He returned three wickets in each of the first three games before picking up four in the final game against Scotland.Related
Sandeep Lamichhane joins Nepal in UAE as an injury replacement
Lamichhane allowed to travel but participation in CWC League 2 tri-series subject to ICC approval
Lamichhane's fate for Dubai tri-series to be decided on Friday
Scotland players refuse to shake hands with Lamichhane
His involvement in that series was met with protest by fans as well as opponents. The Scotland players refused to shake hands with Lamichhane post-game, while Namibia decided to bump fists rather than shake hands after one of their games. The boards of both teams also issued statements ahead of the series, condemning gender-based violence.Lamichhane was suspended by CAN last year after an arrest warrant was issued following the allegations against him. He was taken into police custody and later granted bail, which was followed by his suspension being lifted by CAN earlier this month and his inclusion in the squad for the tri-series against Namibia and Scotland.Nepal are placed sixth in the seven-team Cricket World Cup League 2 league table. Lamichhane has picked up 55 wickets in the competition – the most for Nepal – and is third in the overall list of wicket-takers.Nepal squad for UAE-PNG tri-series: Rohit Paudel (capt), Dipendra Singh Airee, Gyanendra Malla, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Kushal Bhurtel, Lalit Rajbanshi, Bhim Sharki, Sundeep Jora, Kushal Malla, Shyam Dhakal, Gulshan Jha, Aarif Sheikh, Pratis GC
Liverpool feel like they are moving, almost inexorably, toward the Premier League title.
Despite a few recent hitches, the title-chasing pack simply don’t have the resources to close down the big gap that Arne Slot’s side has established over the duration of the season.
But what about the future? So much hinges on the outcome of several off-the-field issues that have plagued Anfield throughout the campaign yet somehow failed to knock the title charge out of kilter.
Liverpool managerArneSlotbefore the match
The Times’ Paul Joyce has revealed in the wake of Liverpool’s crushing victory over Manchester City that talks are ongoing with non-committal superstars Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, though it remains a great concern with all three out of contract in little over four months.
Liverpool appear to be heading to the top-flight title this season and may even hit further goals – into the Carabao Cup final and one of the favourites to lift the Champions League for a seventh time – early days in that one, though.
However, Slot will want to consolidate his reign with sustained success over a number of areas, and that means sorting out the futures of more than just the ‘big three’.
The other players who may leave Liverpool
In Joyce’s article, he touches on the abiding rumours around the futures of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.
Luis Diaz in action for Liverpool vs Wolves
Diaz is an important member of the first-team squad but, aged 28 and with two years left on his deal, could find himself sold if a fresh contract cannot be agreed upon.
Nunez, conversely, is a popular figure at Anfield but appears to have regressed this season and will likely be sold to make room for a new and more clinical striker.
24/25
16
4
1.6 (0.6)
3
23/24
36
11
3.0 (1.3)
27
22/23
29
9
2 9 (1.3)
20
With Giorgi Mamardashvili arriving from LaLiga side Valencia in a deal worth £29m, it seems likely that second-choice between the sticks, Caoimhin Kelleher, will be sold, especially since the Irishman has been candid about his desire for regular first-team football.
The unerring correspondent also commented on Harvey Elliott’s situation. The 21-year-old playmaker is immensely talented but will need to have some internal conversations given Slot has scarcely used him this season. Indeed, Elliott hasn’t started in the Premier League this term.
Liverpool player Harvey Elliott
However, that’s not to say Slot isn’t willing to promote Liverpool’s youngsters. With Real Madrid coveting Trent, it looks like Conor Bradley may be playing as Liverpool’s first-choice right-back next year. There’s also Jarell Quansah, who isn’t likely to usurp Van Dijk but could take his baton in a few years.
Let’s have a closer look at the powerful centre-back.
Jarell Quansah is Liverpool's future star
Liverpool’s academy has gone from strength to strength over the past several years. Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and indeed Elliott had graduated throughout Jurgen Klopp’s reign but the depth and potential seems greater today.
Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah.
There’s a whole host of up-and-coming talent pushing against Slot’s first team now, but it’s indeed Quansah and Bradley who lead the charge.
The significance of Quansah’s breakout campaign last year was accelerated when Joel Matip ruptured his ACL against Fulham in December 2023 in what ultimately proved a career-ending injury.
Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip
The English defender was described as “an absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig as he staked his claim for a prominent role in Liverpool’s side, even pipping the out-of-sorts Ibrahima Konate to a regular starting berth in the closing months of the Premier League season. Quansah started this beside Van Dijk term too, albeit was withdrawn in the campaign’s opener at half-time against Ipswich.
He’s suffered something of a slow season under Slot’s wing since but remains one of Merseyside’s biggest jewels, starting 11 of the final 15 fixtures.
And after a momentous cameo as off-colour Liverpool held Wolverhampton Wanderers at bay to claim three invaluable points last weekend, Slot was full of praise for his much-improved young star, saying “he is back to being the same Jarell” after “a bit of a difficult time” at the beginning of 2024/25.
With a strong athletic base and exciting technical qualities, Quansah has all the parts to become a leading centre-back in the years to come.
In fact, such skills have already seen him compared to Tottenham Hotspur titan Cristian Romero and Real Madrid’s Eder Militao via FBRef’s similar players feature. Romero’s availability leaves something to be desired but his footballing ability is a thing to behold.
Goals
0.13
0.12
Assists
0.00
0.00
Touches
92.71
92.18
Pass completion
90.6%
90.9%
Progressive passes
4.43
4.92
Shot-creating actions
0.99
1.21
Progressive carries
0.93
0.81
Ball recoveries
4.89
5.40
Tackles + interceptions
3.44
3.42
Clearances
3.37
2.98
Aerial duels won
2.12
3.26
See the defenders’ statistics collected over the past year. It’s uncanny how similar Quansah and Romero are across a number of areas: both crisp with their passing yet creative too; both mobile players, covering immense stretches of ground and both active and crunching with their challenges.
Quansah hasn’t played all that much Premier League football this season, but last year, he incredibly won 64% of his total duels, as per Sofascore.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah
To put that into context: the awe-inspiring Van Dijk has won 69% in 2024/25 and Romero, 26, has emerged on top in 61% this season and 68% the year before.
While Tottenham have struggled in Ange Postecoglou’s second term, largely due to ceaseless injury problems, Romero has been part of that fitness problem, last starting against Ipswich Town in November.
He’s a brilliant and dynamic defender, aggressive and tenacious too. Real Madrid have been linked with him over the past year as they prepare to sign a new long-term member for their central rearguard, but Daniel Levy is down to play hardball.
Well, the tight chairman has retorted with £150m demands for the 2022 World Cup winner. That’s quite the exorbitant figure.
We’re not saying that Quansah – or indeed Romero – is worth such an obscene amount of money, but the rising Liverpool sensation is clearly doing something right, and now that he’s found his feet – he must push on, and maybe raise his stock and standing on the continental scene.
Bye-bye: £140k-p/w dud's Liverpool career looks totally finished under Slot
Liverpool might look to part ways with this talented member at the end of the season.