Fenerbahce have announced the loan signing of Jhon Duran, just months after the striker departed Aston Villa for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
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Duran joins Fenerbahce on loan
Will play under Mourinho
Saudi Pro League chapter could already be over
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WHAT HAPPENED?
In an announcement on the club website, Fenerbahce have revealed that 21-year-old striker Duran has joined on a season-long loan from Cristiano Ronaldo-captained Al-Nassr, whom he only joined in January. In the short message, Fenerbahce said they hope Duran will have "a season full of success" in their yellow-and-navy striped kit.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Duran is not the first or only player to depart Saudi Arabia after just a few months; current Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson is another notable example. Duran scored 12 in 18 games for Al-Nassr, reaching 50 career goals in the process, but has decided to begin a new chapter and now has the opportunity to be managed by Jose Mourinho.
DID YOU KNOW?
Duran broke through at Envigado in his native Colombia at a very young age, making his professional debut aged just 15 years and two months, before scoring his first goal for the club six months later. Since then, he has played in the MLS, the Premier League, Saudi Arabia and now Turkiye, showing early signs of becoming a mercurial journeyman striker.
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WHAT NEXT FOR DURAN?
Duran will join up with his new Fenerbahce teammates and may get a chance to return to the Champions League, where he shone with Aston Villa last autumn if he and his new side can manage to get through the qualifying rounds. Duran may return to Europe permanently if the loan move goes well, or this could equally just be a detour before he continues to ply his trade in the Saudi Pro League in 2026.
Como are planning a recruitment drive ahead of the 2025-26 season, with the Italian side eyeing a move for Manchester United outcast Antony.
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Como eyeing a move for Antony
Brazilian keen on a return to Real Betis
Man Utd desperate to sell ex-Ajax man this summer
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WHAT HAPPENED?
It seems Real Betis will have to see off interest from the Como to land the winger, as has reported that the Serie A side have made several attempts to sign the Brazilian in recent days following his successful loan in Seville.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Romano explained in detail on YouTube that Como are serious about their pursuit of Antony, whose preference remains to return to Real Betis. Como are said to be patient, despite Antony's wish to choose Los Verdiblancos. The Italian side have been working hard behind the scenes to land the ex-Ajax man, presenting their project and also wanting to talk to the inner circle of the player regarding a move to Italy.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Red Devils are aware of Antony's wish to return to La Liga, although they are yet to reach any agreement with Betis. The Andalusian outfit are in touch with United to understand their demands and are weighing up whether to sign him permanently for a reported fee of £30 million (€35m/$41m) or get him on another loan.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?
At this stage, Antony remains keen to continue at the Benito Villamarin Stadium, where he rediscovered his best form, scoring nine goals in 26 appearances. However, Como could well tempt the 25-year-old to sign for them, with Cesc Fabregas at the helm of an exciting project. In any case, a departure from Old Trafford seems inevitable.
تحدث فابيان رويز لاعب خط الوسط الإسباني بعد مساهمته في فوز باريس سان جيرمان على ريال مدريد برباعية نظيفة في نصف نهائي كأس العالم للأندية.
وكانت اهداف باريس سان جيرمان قد جاءت عن طريق فابيان رويز الذي سجل هدفين في الشوط الأول وعثمان ديمبلي، وفي الشوط الثاني سجل جونزالو راموس الهدف الرابع.
اقرأ أيضًا.. ألونسو: خسرنا بأخطاء دفاعية.. ومودريتش أسطورة ستخلد في تاريخ ريال مدريد
وسيلتقي باريس سان جيرمان ضد تشيلسي الذي تأهل لنهائي كأس العالم للأندية على حساب فلومينيسي البرازيلي بهدفين نظيفين.
وقال رويز في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي “البريطانية بعد نهاية اللقاء: “كانت مباراة رائعة، أداء مثالي، في ظل الحرارة الساطعة”.
وأضاف: “لقد قدمنا أداءً رائعًا ضد فريق قوي مثل ريال مدريد ونحن سعداء جداً بتأهلنا”.
وواصل عن هدفيه: “أنا سعيد بالهدفين بالطبع، لكن سعادتي الأكبر كانت بالفوز، الآن نحتفل لأننا تأهلنا إلى النهائي”.
وبشأن مواجهة تشيلسي في نهائي كأس العالم للأندية :”ستكون مباراة صعبة ، نعلم أنهم فريق جيد ويقدمون أداءً جيدًا، لكن نأمل أن نفوز وننهي الموسم بأفضل طريقة ممكنة”.
وعن كيليان مبابي الذي لعب اليوم مع ريال مدريد ضد فريقه السابق باريس سان جيرمان، قال رويز: “كل فريق يتمنى أن يكون لديه مبابي”.
Nepal medium pacer Karan KC left a devastated USA top order in his wake with 4 for 11 in a seven-over new-ball burst to set up a six-wicket win at Takashinga Sports Club. For the second match in a row, a maiden ODI century was made in vain for USA as Shayan Jahangir was left unbeaten on an even 100 off 79 balls with his side bowled out for 207 in 49 overs. Coming off a golden duck against Zimbabwe, Bhim Sharki’s unbeaten 77 ensured the total was hauled down with ease as they cantered across the line with seven overs to spare.Nepal captain Rohit Paudel won the toss and didn’t hesitate to send USA in to bat under moist early morning conditions. Karan struck with his fifth ball, trapping Steven Taylor with an inswinging yorker to win an lbw appeal. With USA captain Monank Patel out of the line-up sitting back in his hotel room battling illness, Sai Mukkamalla was bumped up to No. 3 but lasted just a single ball as a nervy prod at an outswinger on the fourth stump line produced an edge that carried low to Aarif Sheikh at first slip to make it 6 for 2.Stand-in captain Aaron Jones survived a missed run-out as well as a drop in his painstaking two off 22 balls before a delivery from Karan climbed off the shoulder of his defensive prod and carried to Kushal Bhurtel at gully in the eighth over. Nosthush Kenjige, who batted at No. 9 against West Indies, was sent up to No. 5 as USA’s batting reshuffle continued without desirable results when he poked well away from his body to send another edge low to Aarif at slip for one to make it 18 for 4 in the 10th. It was a new-ball performance that locked up Player-of-the-Match honors.Coming off a century against West Indies, Gajanand Singh got another start but was unable to convert it on this occasion, edging Dipendra Singh Airee’s offspin to Aarif at slip for 26. Sushant Modani watched all the carnage unfold at the opposite end and did his best to stave off Nepal’s bowling unit. The opener made 42 off 71 balls before he finally gave in, playing an ill-advised sweep shot to left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi and saw his middle stump knocked back.Shayan Jahangir’s maiden ODI hundred went in vain•ICC/Getty Images
Jahangir arrived at No. 7 and did his best to shoulder the load with the tail. Entering the day with a best of 39 in his ODI career, he reached a maiden half-century off 56 balls before taking just another 23 balls to reach three figures as he carted a series of lofted cover drives to and over the off-side boundary. However, the single he took to bring up the three-figure landmark left the tail exposed. Gulshan Jha bowled Saurabh Netravalkar on the very next ball before last man Kyle Phillip was pinned lbw two balls later to end the innings with six balls unused.Nepal were rarely troubled in the chase. Aasif Sheikh fell for 12 to a questionable lbw decision given in favor of Netravalkar that struck the batter high above his pads to end the fifth over at 25 for 1. Bhurtel and Sharki teamed up for a brisk 49-run stand that ended when the former was teased into a slog sweep that produced a top edge back to left-arm spinner Kenjige for 39.Captain Paudel stayed mostly in his shell in making 16 before trying to clear mid-off in the ring against left-arm spinner Nisarg Patel but miscued the shot to Jessy Singh diving forward on the circle. Kushal Malla exited after a hasty run-a-ball 13, slogging Taylor’s offspin flat to long-off to make it 137 for 4 in the 33rd over.But Sharki kept his cool and teamed with Airee for an unbeaten 74-run stand that spanned just 10.4 overs. Sharki took 97 balls to get to his half-century, but spurred on by the arrival of Airee, unfurled a series of sweep shots to accelerate alongside Airee, who pumped a series of straight drives to the boundary in his 39 not out off 32 balls. A straight drive by Airee to the mid-on rope for his fifth boundary clinched Nepal’s first win of the tournament while USA stand winless after two matches.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Durham raised the standard for the new mode of ultra-attacking cricket in the LV= Insurance Championship, producing a higher run tally than any other team on the opening day of the season – and that despite losing 20 overs to a damp start in Hove. In response, Sussex leaned on old faithful: Cheteshwar Pujara, in his first match as captain, scored his sixth hundred with the martlets on his chest.The good news for Sussex was that leadership does not look like being a burden. Pujara’s 115 was warmly received by a healthy bank holiday crowd – Sussex’s decision to distribute 2000 free tickets combining with what felt like the first genuine sighting of the sun this spring – and meant that his average for the county actually increased a tick, up to 109.90 from his nine appearances. Pujara is not a particularly demonstrative man, but the very act of pressing out to meet the ball with an authoritative straight bat was a comforting sight for those reclining on their deckchairs.An analogue cricketer in a digital world, Pujara is one of the few Indian cricket aficionados on the planet choosing to focus on the county circuit in preference to the IPL. He was signed by Chennai Super Kings a couple of years ago, but did not get a game (he last played in the tournament in 2014); and having made Sussex his fourth county this time last year, he seems to have decided once and for all just which way he prefers his bread to be buttered.But how does an analogue cricketer fare in the Bazball era? Well, if you’re as technically assured and confident in your processes as Pujara – absolutely fine. Here he moved up and down the gears as required, flicking and guiding the ball into gaps, leaving plenty and attacking when it suited, as demonstrated by a strike rate of 70.55. A rare nod to innovation saw him uppercut the final ball before tea over the keeper for six, taking him to 88 not out at the interval. On the resumption, he took Brydon Carse for three fours in four deliveries to bring up a 133-ball ton.”It was an important knock for the team,” said Pujara, who praised the character shown by his players after Durham’s aggressive start to the match, as well as highlighting the century partnership between himself and Oli Carter that prevent Sussex from being cut adrift.”We are not too far behind in the game, and hopefully if we bowl well tomorrow we are chasing down anywhere close to 350,” he said. “First game, first innings, we were put under pressure, they were 160 for 1 – the way we fought back. Even while batting, we were under pressure, we lost four wickets but the way we fought back we are right in the game. So that’s the kind of attitude we want.”Cheteshwar Pujara scored his sixth Sussex hundred
Carse was the bowler who gave Pujara most trouble, his splice-bothering length twice producing edges that flew between slips and gully; another hit-the-deck effort reared off the shoulder of the bat and also disappeared for four – although that one was a no-ball. Matt Kuhnemann, the Australia spinner on Durham debut, saw an edge fall short and another slash fly beyond the outstretched grasp of slip.It was only a few weeks ago that Kuhnemann, playing in his second Test, helped to bowl Australia to a rare win in India – though conditions were rather more in Pujara’s favour on a crisp April afternoon in England. The comments section of the Sussex livestream featured enough nods to their Border-Gavaskar Trophy rivalry – in amongst complaints about the reliability of the feed – to suggest the IPL hasn’t eclipsed all other forms of cricket yet.Both Sussex and Durham begin this season with new head coaches in place as they attempt to cast off recent underperformance. Between 2003 and 2013, these two counties shared six Championship titles evenly but it is now seven years since either were in the top tier. There is plenty of talent coming through at both clubs, but Paul Farbrace and Ryan Campbell must each find the right blend of youth and experience to oversee a promotion push.Campbell, who took over at Durham after a six-year spell in charge of Netherlands, said that his side felt they had made up for lost time by scoring at more than five runs an over on a curtailed opening day. They continued in the same vein on the second morning, as Ben Raine drove the first ball for four before edging the second to be caught at slip – a fourth wicket for Sussex’s Australian allrounder Nathan McAndrew, who went on to complete a debut five-for as Durham were wrapped up for 376 just after the second new ball became available.Sussex’s reply threatened to come a cropper after some belligerence from their 22-year-old opener Ali Orr, who twice thrashed Raine for six in the space of five balls – either side of being caught off a no-ball. But Raine had the last laugh when he diverted a drive from Orr’s opening partner, Tom Haines, into the stumps at the non-striker’s end, and the Durham seamer then removed Haine, in his first outing since a successful winter with England Lions, via a catch at the wicket in the same over.Pujara was soon ensconced in the manner that brought him more than 1000 runs last year – including a double-century against Durham at Hove – but two quick wickets after lunch saw Sussex slip to 91 for 4. Pujara found an ally in Carter, Sussex’s diminutive wicketkeeper-batter and another academy product, as the fifth wicket yielded 112 in 30-odd overs of sensible batting. That was until Carter’s ill-judged charge gave Kuhnemann his first success in a Durham shirt and the visitors seemed to have taken a grip on proceedings again when Raine won a raucously celebrated lbw decision against Pujara with Sussex still 131 runs in arrears. But the tail was well marshalled by McAndrew, to ensure the home side, who ticked along at 3.64, were still in the game come the close.
England draft duo in after injured Alice Capsey flies home
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2022Maia Bouchier will fly to the Caribbean to link up with England ahead of their T20I series against West Indies after Alice Capsey returned home with a broken collarbone.Bouchier, who turned 24 this week, has played 14 T20Is since making her debut in September 2021 – including all five matches at the Commonwealth Games – but missed out on a central contract and was left out of the initial 15-player squad for the five-match T20I series.But she has now been added to the squad as replacement for the injured Capsey, with Alice Davidson-Richards also drafted into the T20I set-up. She had initially been due to fly home after the third ODI in Antigua on Friday.England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI series on Tuesday night with another crushing win. Coincidentally, they have won both games by 142 runs. The first T20I will be played in Antigua on Sunday, before four more fixtures in Barbados on December 14, 17, 18 and 22.England T20I squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Alice Davidson-Richards, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt
South Africa bowling coach Charl Langeveldt has called on Kagiso Rabada to improve his control on flatter pitches in the same manner as Australia captain Pat Cummins, after South Africa conceded 575 for 8 at the MCG.Having caused Australia’s batters all sorts of problems in the two-day Test in Brisbane on a lively green monster, South Africa’s bowlers could not contain their opponents on a flatter surface in Melbourne across three brutal days in the field as David Warner made a double-century, Alex Carey a century, and Steven Smith, Travis Head and Cameron Green all made half-centuries to grind South Africa into the dirt.There was widespread praise for the efforts of Anrich Nortje who bowled with express pace and picked up three wickets. Langeveldt, meanwhile, singled out Rabada after he finished with figures of 1 for 144 from 28 overs with just one maiden and was the only South African bowler to concede more than five runs per over.Related
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“I think KG wasn’t on song if I can single him out,” Langeveldt said. “For KG, he is a wicket-taker, he always takes wickets. The challenge always for him is to be able to control that. I think Cummins when he started off, he leaked a few runs but then he got consistent, and he was aggressive. And I think that’s [Rabada’s] challenge going forward to make him a brilliant bowler. At the moment he is one of the leading wicket-takers in red-ball cricket. But going forward playing on flatter wickets, I think that’s going to be the challenge for him.”Kagiso Rabada finished with figures of 2 for 144 in the first innings at the MCG•Associated Press
Rabada is currently the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in 2022 and is the only man in Test history with more than 200 Test wickets and strike rate under 40. Rabada’s strike rate of 39.8 is better than Cummins’ 46.5. Cummins has a slightly better average, but Rabada’s career economy rate of 3.38 is significantly more expensive than Cummins’ 2.73.Langeveldt said Australia’s run rate of 3.96 in the first innings was something that the entire group needed to take note of given it was even higher than what England’s Bazballers produced (3.89) against South Africa in Manchester in August.”It’s definitely a red flag,” Langeveldt said. “We always pride ourselves on bowling 18 consecutive balls and that’s kind of one of our KPIs. And we haven’t achieved that in this game and it’s a red flag going forward. We need to improve on that.”It’s been a tough three days for us I think as a bowling unit. The first session we probably didn’t start well on day one. The only problem is just our control. I think it’s something that we need to speak about, something we can improve.”But being a young bowling attack, it’s not an excuse, they’ve played a few tests together. It’s just being able to control the run rate for longer periods. But I was happy with the enthusiasm that the guys showed. I think they were brilliant. Can’t fault them.”
Celtic are in action in the Champions League on Wednesday night as they clash with Bayern Munich at Parkhead in the first leg of their play-off tie.
The Hoops, who will travel to Germany to face Vincent Kompany’s side in the second leg next week, will be aiming for a strong result to give them something to take to Bavaria.
Brendan Rodgers’ side made it through to the play-off round after they only lost two of their eight matches in the league phase, the latest of which came at the hands of Aston Villa in January.
The Scottish Premiership leaders may face their biggest task yet, though, as they come up against a Bayern team that have only lost one of their 21 matches in the Bundesliga this season.
They have scored a whopping 65 goals in those 21 league matches and found the back of the net 20 times in their eight Champions League games so far this season.
Harry Kane for Bayern Munich
The main task for Celtic tonight, therefore, will be limiting what the German giants can do in the final third, and stopping Harry Kane will be right near the top of their list of priorities defensively.
Harry Kane's form for Bayern Munich
The England captain has proven himself to be one of the very best strikers in Europe throughout his career and is set to offer a huge threat to Kasper Schmeichel’s goal on Wednesday night.
Kane joined Bayern in the summer of 2023 after an exceptional spell with Tottenham Hotspur in England, with a return of 280 goals and 61 assists in 435 appearances in all competitions.
The experienced marksman enjoyed a terrific start to life in Germany with 36 goals, from 30.63 xG, in 32 appearances in the Bundesliga in the 2023/24 campaign, as he showcased his ability to consistently find the back of the net.
Kane also scored eight goals and provided four assists in 12 matches in the Champions League last season, which shows that he can do it on the European stage as well.
Harry Kane (24/25)
Bundesliga
Champions League
Appearances
19
7
xG
16.00
6.51
Goals
21
6
Big chances created
8
2
Assists
6
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old centre-forward has been on fire in front of goal in the 2024/25 campaign for the Bavarian side, with 27 goals in the Bundesliga and the Champions League combined.
His incredible form over the years for both Bayern and Spurs has contributed to his market value soaring to a staggering €90m (£75m), as per Transfermarkt, and it will not come as a surprise to anyone that he is worth significantly more than any current Celtic player.
Celtic's most valuable stars
In fact, Kane is worth more than Celtic’s nine most valuable players in the current squad, with Cameron Carter-Vickers currently the most valuable in the group at £11.6m.
Chalkboard
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender is ahead of the likes of Reo Hatate and Arne Engels, who are joint-second at £9.1m, but still falls well short of the Bayern Munich marksman’s valuation.
Celtic’s most valuable players (excluding loanees)
24/25
Market value
Cameron Carter-Vickers
£11.6m
Reo Hatate
£9.1m
Arne Engels
£9.1m
Nicolas Kuhn
£8.3m
Alistair Johnston
£7.5m
Daizen Maeda
£6.6m
Jota
£6.6m
Auston Trusty
£6.6m
Callum McGregor
£6.2m
Greg Taylor
£5.8m
Adam Idah
£4.1m
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Carter-Vickers tops the pile and is ahead of all of the club’s exciting attacking talents – he is even worth more than Adam Idah and Jota combined (£10.6m), which speaks to how impressive his valuation is.
Celtic signed the American central defender from Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £6m in the summer of 2022, which shows that the Scottish giants have hit the jackpot with the colossus, whose value has soared by millions in recent years.
Rodgers must, now, unleash Carter-Vickers from the start against Bayern, after Dane Murray and Liam Scales were given a run-out against Raith Rovers in the SFA Cup last weekend, as he could be the man to silence Kane.
Why Carter-Vickers could silence Kane
As aforementioned, the Bayern Munich centre-forward is an incredibly difficult man to stop from scoring. He has been prolific throughout his career, in England and in Germany, and it will take a big effort from the entire team to keep him at bay.
However, Carter-Vickers is a dominant central defender who may have the tools to have the best chance at silencing him in the clash on Wednesday night.
The USA international, who would have trained with the England captain during their time together at Spurs, has won 67% of his duels in the Champions League and 73% of his battles in the Premiership this season, which shows that he is a physically dominant star.
One of the many reasons why Kane is so effective is that he offers a physical presence in the centre-forward position. The English number nine has won 54% of his duels with opposition defenders in the Champions League so far this season, which shows that he can get the better of centre-backs in physical battles more often than not.
This helps to give him an edge in the final third, as he can brush challenges off to get more opportunities in front of goal, but Carter-Vickers is not a centre-back who is easily brushed away.
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Premiership)
Ground duel success rate
Aerial duel success rate
24/25
72%
73%
23/24
62%
71%
22/23
59%
74%
21/22
59%
73%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Celtic number 20 has consistently dominated opposition players in duels on the ground and in the air in the Premiership throughout his career in Scotland.
These statistics suggest that the 27-year-old colossus, who has only been dribbled past once in five Champions League games this term, has the potential to dominate Kane in duels, which could help the Hoops to silence the prolific forward.
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Therefore, Rodgers must unleash the American defender from the start ahead of Murray and Scales for this big clash at Parkhead on Wednesday night, as his physicality could hold the key to stopping the England international.
Chelsea are thought to be in pole position to sign a new forward for Enzo Maresca, with the star keen to move to Stamford Bridge according to a journalist.
Chelsea tailing off in Premier League title race
A 3-1 defeat to Manchester City left Chelsea a point outside the top four and a massive 13 points off top spot, just a month on from suggestions in some corners that they were in a race for the Premier League title.
Beating Wolves is the only victory that Maresca’s side have managed in their last seven games, and that downturn in form has seen them fall behind Manchester City and Newcastle in the race for a top-four spot.
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Meanwhile, they have been sucked back into a gaggle of clubs aiming for European football, with just a point separating them from Pep Guardiola’s side in fourth and Bournemouth in seventh, with Aston Villa just three points further back.
One of their main issues has been the form of Nicolas Jackson. After an electric start to the season, he has found the net just once in his last nine Premier League starts, a barren run that has coincided almost perfectly with Chelsea’s struggles.
The west London side have long been on the hunt for another striker to provide cover and competition for the Senegal international, with Christopher Nkunku strongly linked with an exit and having flattered to deceive as a lone no.9 during his opportunities under Maresca.
Having seemingly gone cold on signing Napoli star Victor Osimhen despite significant speculation over the summer window, Chelsea appear now to have turned their attentions closer to home.
Chelsea in pole position for Premier League forward
That comes as journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that, according to his sources, Chelsea are leading the way to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer.
The Englishman has enjoyed a fine breakout season in the Premier League since being signed by the Tractor Boys from Manchester City in the summer transfer window. He has scored eight times so far this season, including grabbing a goal and an assist against the Blues last month in an all-action performance.
That has caught the eye of several clubs, while Man City have a buyback clause which complicates matters, but Jacobs believes it is the Blues who are in the lead to land him at the end of the season.
Nicolas Jackson vs Liam Delap 24/25
Nicolas Jackson
Liam Delap
Appearances
22
22
Goals
9
8
Assists
5
2
Minutes per goal contribution
121
169
Yellow Cards
5
8
“I think Chelsea are in pole position for Liam Delap, and I think they are ahead of other clubs in terms of player buy-in. One for the summer”, he explained during a Space on X, relayed by Chelsea News.
Delap has previously been reported as keen to join the Blues, and Jacobs’ reference to ‘player buy-in’ reinforces that idea. However, he will be expensive, with Ipswich reportedly having placed a mammoth £50m price tag on his head this summer as they look to ward off interest in their 21-year-old forward.
Nonetheless, still just 21 years old, his arrival at Stamford Bridge could set the Blues up for the next decade.
Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly have both won races against time to be fit for Arsenal's Champions League semi-final against Lyon – but only one starts.
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Russo & Kelly were both doubts after knocks
Pair had to withdraw from Lionesses duty this month
But recover for Arsenal's Champions League semi-final
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Russo and Kelly were both doubts for Saturday's Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Lyon, eight-time winners of this competition. Kelly pulled out of the England squad before the Lionesses' first game of the April international break due to a foot problem, while Russo had to withdraw between matches after picking up an issue in the 5-0 victory over Belgium.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
However, though both players couldn't be involved in Arsenal's league win over Leicester on Tuesday night, they have recovered in time for Saturday's huge game. Russo is fit enough to start, which is crucial given how important she is to the Gunners' play. Kelly, meanwhile, is able to make the bench.
DID YOU KNOW?
It's not all good news for Arsenal, though. The Gunners are without Daphne van Domselaar, their No.1 goalkeeper, due to an ankle problem that could well have ended her season. Manuela Zinsberger, who has largely been first-choice since joining the club in 2019, will deputise in her absence.
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WHAT NEXT FOR RUSSO, KELLY & ARSENAL?
After Saturday's home leg against Lyon, Arsenal will travel to France to take on the eight-time European champions in the return game on April 27. The winner of this semi-final will face either Chelsea or Barcelona, the reigning champions, in May's Champions League final.