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“They went into a negative position to save their wickets and defend the balls. The ball is turning from the rough. I think positive approach is the best way to play on this wicket,” Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella said

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong03-Feb-2018As soon as third umpire Joel Wilson confirmed to the on-field umpires that Mushfiqur Rahim was out, the balance of the first Test became a lot more skewed. Bangladesh will have to fight without their two most experienced batsmen on the fifth day against Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella later said that despite the batting-friendly Chittagong pitch, it is their game to win. He also said Sri Lanka were helped by Bangladesh’s defensive approach. Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur both got out trying to defend, while Imrul Kayes’ was caught at square leg off a soft lap sweep.”We have a pretty good chance to win the Test,” Dickwella said. “It is a pretty good wicket. It is all turning from the rough, and outside the stumps. We are hoping to start the day well. We are bowling in good areas, line and length.”They went into a negative position to save their wickets and defend the balls. I don’t think it is the way to bat on this wicket. The ball is turning from the rough. I think positive approach is the best way to play in this wicket.”Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam said their approach was to score off the bad balls, but their focus will remain on saving the Test. Taijul bowled 67.3 overs, the most in an innings for a Bangladesh bowler, and conceded 219 runs, the most for a Bangladesh bowler. His returns of 4 for 219 was the most expensive four-for in Tests.”There is a lot to think, and a lot not to think about. We have to save the game. If our batsmen can survive the fifth day, then we can get something out of it. Batsmen would like to score runs off the bad balls. It would have been better had we lost one wicket. Three wickets are too many,” he said.Bangladesh’s predicament in Chittagong was largely down to their spinners’ struggles against Sri Lanka’s batting. Starting the fourth day just nine runs short of Bangladesh’s first-innings total, Sri Lanka piled on the misery by keeping them on the field for 199.3 overs.Sunil Joshi, Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach, said that the spinners could have bowled with more consistency and shown more patience.”I think they could have been better. They could have had more consistency,” Joshi said. “If you don’t get wickets in the first session, you can always get them in the second and third session. You need to be patient. The young Bangladesh spinners need to understand the way they can perform in Test cricket.”It is important for a spinner to understand to bowl a dot ball, where you can bowl one. Consistency is key for Test cricket. These spinners will learn with due time,” he said.

Only 65.1 overs were possible on another rain-affected day on which Tasmania’s third-wicket pair put on an unbroken partnership of 160

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2018Getty ImagesPersistent batting from the Tasmanian pair of Beau Webster and Jake Doran and persistent rain have combined to frustrate New South Wales at the SCG.After much of day two was lost to rain, further weather delays meant only 65.1 overs were bowled on day three.The Blues made an early breakthrough with Steve O’Keefe deceiving George Bailey seven balls into the start of play to leave Tasmania two down and trailing the home side’s first-innings total by 369. But that was the only joy for New South Wales as Webster and Doran put together an unbroken stand of 160 in 64 overs.Webster reached his fourth first-class hundred in the penultimate over of the day, having faced 253 balls to get there. Doran remained not out on 86 at close. The two sides will face a challenge on the final day trying to manufacture a result.

After having lost four successive ODIs in the series against Sri Lanka, England would have thought they would finally break that depressing sequence when they rattled off 321 in the last match

On the Ball with S Rajesh01-Jul-2006After having lost four successive ODIs in the series against Sri Lanka, England would have thought they would finally break that depressing sequence when they rattled off 321 in the last match at The Oval. A face-saving win, perhaps? Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga, though, had other ideas which went something like this: how about a record opening partnership and a win inside 40 overs? After ten overs, they had blasted 133, and the deceleration in the rate thereafter was only when compared to the dizzying standards they had set.When the partnership finally ended, England had been punch-drunk to the tune of 286 runs, scored in a small matter of 31.5 overs. The partnership beat the earlier record for the first wicket, between Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar. That record, though, came against the rather modest Kenyan attack; this one came against – at least on paper – a much stronger attack.

Highest first-wicket partnerships in ODIs

Pair Partnership Against Venue and year

Tharanga-Jayasuriya 286 England Headingley, 2006 Ganguly-Tendulkar 258 Kenya Paarl, 2001-02 Ganguly-Tendulkar 252 Sri Lanka Colombo, 1998 Atapattu-Jayasuriya 237 Australia Sydney, 2002-03 Gibbs-Kirsten 235 India Kochi, 1999-2000 Jayasuriya’s contribution to the carnage was 152, off a mere 99 balls. The wagon-wheel below shows where the assault was concentrated: through the cover region, and the arc between backward square leg and mid-on. Those have always been Jayasuriya’s favourite areas, and this time fetched him 112 of his runs, that’s three-quarters of his total runs.Jayasuriya was severe on all bowlers, but the ones who felt it the most were Kabir Ali and Tim Bresnan: Ali disappeared for 46 from 22 balls, Bresnan for 26 from nine. Steve Harmison was only marginally better, conceding 38 from 24. In all, Harmison went for 97 in his ten overs, the most runs conceded by an England bowler in a one-day international – beating Derek Pringle’s 83 from ten in the 1987 World Cup against West Indies – and the fourth-most overall.

Most runs conceded in ODIs

Bowler Analysis Opponent Venue & year

Mick Lewis 10-0-113-0 South Africa Johannesburg, 2005-06 Martin Snedden 12-1-105-2 England The Oval, 1983 Muttiah Muralitharan 10-0-99-0 Australia Sydney, 2005-06 Steve Harmison 10-0-97-0 Sri Lanka Headingley, 2006 Ashantha de Mel 10-0-97-1 West Indies Karachi, 1987-88

Liverpool's Curtis Jones has sent a message to England boss Gareth Southgate as he believes that he is doing well enough to warrant a call up.

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Jones believes he deserves England call-upStill uncapped by SouthgateReveals Klopp shock after announcement(C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

With Euro 2024 coming up fast, Southgate has only two more games to finalise his squad for the tournament. The 53-year-old's future post the tournament is up in the air and a positive result this summer could see him extend till the 2026 World Cup. Jones has been flirting around the edge of the selection, but has never been capped despite featuring prominently for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Later on in the same interview, Jones also discussed the shocking departure of the German from the Merseyside club.

AdvertisementWHAT JONES SAID

Talking to the BBC, Jones said: "It’s not easy. The lads I’m against are doing well. Gareth and the staff have got a choice, but I think I’m doing enough. Everything around me is going well, so we’ll see."

On Klopp's announcement: "We were in the changing room, actually in the gym, and everyone was told we needed to come in at half 10. It was a bit of a strange one. We didn’t know what was going to be said, but I could feel it amongst the lads it was a little bit strange. He broke the news, it was tough to take. He’s his own man. You've got to respect he’s got his own things he wants to do with his family. He turned me from a boy to a man. I’m grateful for him, so are the teams, the fans, the city."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Jones was handed his professional debut for Liverpool by the German coach in 2019 when the midfielder played against Wolves in the FA Cup third-round clash. Since then, the 23-year-old has become a mainstay in the Liverpool squad, however, the same has not been the case for him with his nation as he hasn't got a single cap for the Three Lions' senior team.

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WHAT NEXT FOR JONES?

If Southgate has any intention of integrating Jones in the England squad, he will only have two games to do so before the tournament. Before Euro 2024, the Three Lions have friendlies against Brazil and Belgium in late March, before facing Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland in early June ahead of the tournament.

Wilfried Mbappé, father to Paris Saint-Germain superstars Kylian and Ethan, is a very private man and tries to remain outside of the public eye.

He isn't on social media which leads people to want to know more about him, so, Football FanCast has decided to answer some of the most googled questions about the father of one of the most famous footballers in the world.

Who is Wilfried Mbappé?

Wilfried Mbappé is the proud father of PSG duo Ethan and Kylian. The latter is widely considered as one of the best footballers in the world.

Whilst Ethan, who is eight years younger than his older brother Kylian, is yet to make his senior debut for The Parisians but is a regular for the under-19s despite being just 16-years-old, so clearly a very talented player himself.

Wilfried also has an adopted son called Jires Kembo Ekoko, who was also a professional footballer for Stade Rennais, amongst other clubs. Ekoko was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was sent to Bondy as a young child by his parents in order to further his education.

According to reports, Wilfried did play football himself but decided to take up coaching and became the Bondy youth leader, helping players to develop their talent but also careers.

He played a role in the development of Arsenal defender William Saliba and Fiorentina winger Jonathan Ikoné, to name a couple, during his spell at the Paris-based club.

What nationality is Wilfried Mbappé?

Wilfried Mbappé was born in Douala, Cameroon and later moved to France, where his two biological sons Kylian and Ethan were born and raised whilst his adopted son Jires was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Wilfried also has Nigerian roots.

What is Wilfried Mbappé's height?

Wilfried Mbappé is 5 ft 10 which is the exact same height as his son Kylian, although, 16-year-old son Ethan is already 5 ft 9, so he could overtake the pair.

What is Wilfried Mbappé's age?

Wilfried Mbappé was born on the 11th of October 1970.

He is 52-years-old.

Where is Wilfried Mbappé now?

Wilfried Mbappé lives a low-profile life and is rarely pictured, but one would assume, like his son, he spends much of his time in Paris.

He is the agent of Kylian and likely works around the clock to help him in his business ventures, PR duties and negotiating contracts with Paris Saint-Germain.

He certainly would've been busy this summer with all the transfer speculation linking Kylian with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, who had a bid accepted worth £259m.

Though, that move ultimately failed to come to fruition after the French superstar rejected the colossal one-year contract offer from the Saudi side.

Wilfried would've been tasked with the difficult job of rekindling the relationship between Kylian and the club after his son was banished from first-team training due to a contract stand-off.

The 2018 World Cup winner is now back training with the squad and has enjoyed a terrific start to the season, scoring five goals in three games.

He and his father are in talks to extend his deal, with the forward's current contract due to expire next year, thus making him available to leave on a free transfer.

What is Wilfried Mbappé net worth?

As of 2022, it was reported Wilfried Mbappé had an estimated net worth of $5m (£4m).

Although, only he himself will know the accurate number. Much of the figures on the web will be very rough estimates.

But with the sizable responsibility of being Kylian Mbappé's agent, he likely gets well looked after financially by his superstar son, who is reportedly worth $180m (£144.7m).

Who is Wilfried Mbappé's wife and family?

Wilfried is a father of three children who are married. He is married to Fayza Lamari, and has been for about two decades. His wife was a former handball player who was also active in football.

Two late wickets were reward for New Zealand’s application – particularly that of Chris Martin whose wiry frame belied an extra yard of zip that none of England’s bowlers could replicate (least of all Steve Harmison). But perhaps more significantly, the b

Andrew Miller in Hamilton06-Mar-2008
Alastair Cook fell for 38 – a stark reminder of the frailties of England’s batting lineup © Getty Images
For 85 overs of the second day at Hamilton, the first Test between England and New Zealand was dying a slow death. The application shown by Ross Taylor and Daniel Vettori during their 148-run stand was admirable but foreboding. England’s bowlers found no swing, seam or spin to help them on their way, and when their own batsmen replied in kind with an 84-run opening stand, the worst sort of stalemate was already being envisaged.But then, Alastair Cook went and played a pull shot that had “mug” tattooed all over it, and suddenly there was life in the match once again. Two late wickets were reward for New Zealand’s application – particularly that of Chris Martin whose wiry frame belied an extra yard of zip that none of England’s bowlers could replicate (least of all Steve Harmison). But perhaps more significantly, the breakthroughs were a reminder of the frailties of England’s batting line-up.Daniel Vettori made a point of bigging up England’s top six on the eve of the series, remarking how they all averaged in excess of 40. What he omitted to mention is that they all too frequently reach that score then give their wickets away. In Sri Lanka before Christmas, England were overwhelmed by three totemic innings – 152 from Kumar Sangakkara at Kandy, and then 197 and 213 not out from Mahela Jayawardene at Colombo and Galle respectively. In reply they mustered a solitary hundred in six attempts, and that came from Cook at the last gasp, when the series was already irretrievable.Taylor’s hugely mature 120 wasn’t quite in the class of those three knocks, but it was a performance of great resolve and substance, the like of which England aren’t too keen to replicate these days. As a squad they have mislaid the art of the meaningful innings – and they can’t even manage it in one-day cricket, where their last centurion was Owais Shah at The Oval against India last summer, 11 matches ago.Andrew Strauss used to score centuries for fun, with 10 in his first 30 Tests, but he was dropped after failing to reach three figures in 25 subsequent innings. Now he’s back in the mix, thanks entirely to the shortcomings of others, and he’s out in the middle already – at least a session sooner than he had envisaged. There’s no time like the present for ending his run-drought either. Ian Bell is incapacitated, Tim Ambrose is on debut, and Ryan Sidebottom – for all his merits – is hardly fit to lace Vettori’s boots at No. 8.New Zealand are flushed with unexpected confidence after the success of their batsmen this morning, and they sense that England are beatable.”We think we can win the game,” said Taylor. “If they were none-down or one-down it would be a pretty even game, but to have them two-down when it is starting to slow up and take a bit of turn, I’m sure the first session tomorrow will be big. If we can put some pressure on England early on then you never know.”Pressure was what England’s bowlers singularly failed to apply after resuming on 282 for 6. “We’re disappointed that we didn’t bowl as well as we did yesterday,” said Ryan Sidebottom, who with 4 for 90 was England’s stand-out bowler and, for once, had the figures to prove it. “We were fired up to get the four wickets and we were stupidly searching for wickets this morning, rather than doing what we did yesterday. We were trying to bowl too quick instead of plugging away, and they scored 100 more than we expected.”Apart from watching him on TV, I haven’t had a lot to do with him [Steve Harmison] but he can bowl at 130kph as much as he wants, because it makes it easier for me. He’d be a hell of a bowler to face if he was bowling at 145-150kph, especially on a bouncy deckRoss Taylor gives a damning assessment of Steve Harmison”Bowling too quick.” That may have been true of the two specialist swing bowlers in the line-up, but oh for such an accolade to be uttered in Harmison’s direction. Taylor could hardly believe his luck when reputation finally met with reality, and he faced up for the first time to the bowler who was once the most fearsome in the world. “Apart from watching him on TV, I haven’t had a lot to do with him,” said Taylor, “but he can bowl at 130kph as much as he wants, because it makes it easier for me. He’d be a hell of a bowler to face if he was bowling at 145-150kph, especially on a bouncy deck.”It was a pretty damning yet utterly honest assessment from a man in only his third Test match. Taylor came to the crease with a reputation for big hitting and a career-best score of 17, and yet he bedded in to bat for more than five hours. “I got off to a bit of shaky start in my first four digs in Test cricket, so it was good to silence a few people who doubted me and whether I was good enough to play at this level,” he said. “It was definitely the most circumspect I’ve ever batted.”England are capable of emulating such feats. Strauss was back to his compact self during the warm-up in Dunedin, while Kevin Pietersen is bristling for a big one after failing to reach even fifty in Sri Lanka. But to judge by the verve and aggression showed by Martin and Mills with the new ball, and the steep bounce and not-insignificant turn extracted by the spinners, Vettori and Jeetan Patel, New Zealand’s bowlers are more up for the challenge than their English counterparts proved to be.England were, after all, bundled out for 131 in their warm-up at Dunedin. “That showed us that England can be beaten,” said Taylor. “It was only a three-day game and it did do a lot on the first morning of that game, but it gave the players in that match a bit more belief they could foot it with England. It showed we are still in the game.”

Tottenham and sporting director Johan Lange are now "lining up a stunning" bid as manager Ange Postecoglou identifies a new top transfer target.

Spurs prioritising new centre-back in January

As confirmed by Postecoglou this week, Spurs are "working" on January transfers behind-the-scenes and "pushing hard" to strengthen key areas. Reliable news outlets like Sky Sports back that a centre-back is very top of Tottenham's transfer wishlist, with Lange drawing up names to potentially go for when the winter market reopens.

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Postecoglou himself has also publicly admitted that the Lilywhites quite simply need to sign a new centre-half, regardless of Ben Davies' impressive form as their makeshift stand-in for Micky van de Ven.

"Centre-back is still a position where, especially in our structure, it is one of the few positions where you need guys with outstanding attributes in there," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's defence (via football.london).

"We’ve been very fortunate that he [Davies] has been able to fill in for us there.

"He’s really good at taking in information, he really understands the game, not just his own role but how we want to play and that’s helped him.Having Romero next to him helps in that sense and Vic because he’s taken a bit of a leadership role back there as well. Ultimately, we still need to sign another centre-back because at the moment we are a little bit on tenterhooks because if something happens again we are short and we are already short."

A few promising names have been linked to bolstering Postecoglou's backline.

Indeed, when it comes to centre-backs on Tottenham's radar, there is a rumoured long list from this past month which includes Uruguay star Sebastian Caceres, Everton's Ben Godfrey, Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi, Genoa's Radu Dragusin, Union Saint-Gilloise centre-back Koki Machida, Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite and a few others.

Tottenham line up "stunning" Morato move

According to The Sun, another highly-rated defender to have caught Spurs' attention is Benfica star Morato.

The Portuguese's contract contains a £68 million release clause, but his form has resulted in Postecoglou personally making him Tottenham's top transfer target.

It is believed Spurs are "lining up a stunning" Morato bid in January as a result. The Lilywhites' scouting department have ran the rule over him four times this season, and they appear to be impressed as Lange and chairman Daniel Levy plot to sign the young centre-back next month.

While his clause stands at £68m, Benfica are cash-strapped and may need to sell for a "bargain" price next month. It's added that Morato is "leading the way" to join Spurs in January, as Postecoglou hopes Levy backs him with new additions.

He could hardly do much better than Benfica's starlet, who's seen as one of the best-rated young defensive talents in Portugal right now.

The 22-year-old was extremely impressive against RB Salzburg in the Champions League earlier this week, helping them on their way to a 3-1 win.

Manchester United winger Antony registered his first goal of the season during Sunday’s 4-2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup.

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Antony scores first goal of seasonPlans to 'close' himself off to focusWants to turn around season for Man UtdGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

After making a huge transfer from Ajax in the summer of 2022, the £86 million ($109m) signing has struggled with form. The criticism was intensifying since Antony had failed to score or assist all season – until the win over Newport County, when his dreadful streak came to an end. Antony provided a first-half assist for Bruno Fernandes' early goal. Then, after Newport equalised to tie it 2-2, the Brazil international scored on a rebound. The Brazilian has now vowed to close himself off and use his first goal to help himself turn his season around.

AdvertisementWHAT ANTONY SAID

Speaking to the media, Antony said: "I fought hard to reach the levels of playing for this club, I know I can build on yesterday’s performance and continue to show my qualities. I pushed myself day after day for better performances.

"I will continue to completely close myself off to improve & play the football that United hired me to do. The whole club, every fan, deserves the best from each one of us. United is one of the main clubs in the world, where everyone wants to be and it's where I want to build my story.

"I know it hasn't been an easy season, we didn't get the results we wanted as a team, but we never stopped working and focusing on what needed to be done to improve."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Erik ten Hag will be fully hoping that Antony can turn his season around as his side has been suffering in the final third of the field, lacking that finishing touch with all of his forwards having misfired so far this season. The Red Devils will have a tough battle ahead of them if they want to make it to the Champions League places for next season as they sit eighth on the Premier League table, 11 points off Aston Villa in fourth.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

The Brazilian is likely to be starting for the Dutchman's side on the right side of attack when they take on Wolves on Thursday, February 1 at the Molineaux as he looks for his first goal contribution in the Premier League this season.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has provided an update on Chelsea's pursuit of an attacker at the end of this window.

The side recently missed out on Michael Olise, who signed a new deal at Crystal Palace.

What is the latest Chelsea transfer news?

The Blues have been sent back to square one in their forward pursuit after Olise signed a new four-year contract with Palace despite the Blues activating his £ 35 million release clause.

One player that the side are reportedly considering is Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson, with Chelsea having held initial talks with Forest after adding the Welsh attacker's name to their shortlist. Chelsea are reportedly willing to include players in the deal in order to bring down the £45m valuation that the Trent-based side has of their youngster who impressed in his first season in the Premier League, racking up eight goals and three assists across 38 appearances.

The Blues reportedly tried to include English defender Trevoh Chalobah in talks regarding a potential swap deal, however, it is understood that the defender would reject a move to the City Ground as he wants to join a club competing at a higher level.

Chelsea aren't the only side to have an interest in the Welsh international, with Brentford having seen a club-record offer of £35m rejected earlier in the window, whilst Tottenham Hotspur also have an interest in the player, and could make a move following the departure of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich.

It remains to be seen whether Forest would sell the player, who is contracted until 2026 and is a fan favourite at the City Ground, however, they could look to balance the books after they spent £150m on players last summer, and £45m would go a long way to doing that.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated that Chelsea "really like" Johnson, however their interest in the last 24 hours was simply "quite formative".

He said: "There is some interest in Brennan Johnson at Nottingham Forest. That might be one to watch between now and the end of the window. As of the last 24 hours or so, any kind of approach was quite formative. But let's see whether that picks up in the coming days, and between now and the close of the window. Chelsea really like the player, for sure. He's had excellent form of late as well, so you can understand why."

What is next in this window for Chelsea?

The focus for the Blues at this point will be on outgoings, after spending over £300m this window.

One player who is set to depart is young star Lewis Hall, who is close to sealing a loan move to Newcastle United. The deal would include an obligation to buy for a total package worth £35m. The London club were originally planning to send the youngster out on loan to Crystal Palace, however, with Newcastle's interest the side became more willing to complete a permanent deal. Hall also preferred a move to Tyneside due to being a boyhood Newcastle fan, as well as the fact that he gets the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

Another player who looks set to depart is Hakim Ziyech. After a move to the Saudi Pro League fell through due to the Moroccan failing a medical, he now looks likely to join Turkish giants Galatasaray on a free transfer. Despite reports stating that he had failed a medical at the Turkish club, the vice-president of the club Erden Timur confirmed that he has not had a problem with his medical yet: “Medical tests are almost over. We did a very detailed check. A certain point has been reached in the transfer. So far, there has been no problem with a medical.”

Arsenal have already completed a host of lucrative deals this summer, but could be set to sneak in one more in order to bolster their first team and comply with their youth-focused transfer style…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

With Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber having joined as part of Mikel Arteta's mini-revolution this window, all of whom are 24 or younger, it is clear the direction that he seeks to take the north London outfit just months after narrowly missing out on the title.

Therefore, the recent report from Italian outlet Calciomercato likely has some credence, as it details their efforts to sign young defender Josip Sutalo from Dinamo Zagreb.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Although the outlet actually seeks to outline Ajax's progression towards a completed deal, with a fee of around €21m (£19m) touted, it is noted that there could be a late movement to snag the 23-year-old before his switch is finalised.

Football Transfers value the Croatia international at just €8m (£7m).

How good is Josip Sutalo?

Despite having only really featured in his homeland, aside from a brief stint in Italy, Sutalo still boasts a fine reputation across Europe as a stellar ball-playing asset capable of dominating and creating from the back.

It is, therefore, no surprise to see him linked with an Emirates switch, given the way Arteta's philosophy is built off the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes' exploits.

Should they decide to swoop in, it could provide ample cover for these two dominant defenders, who could be fearing for their starting spots in no time at all.

Especially given, when ranked against other centre-backs across Europe, Sutalo sits in the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, the top 19% for tackles per 90 and the top 3% for blocks per 90, via FBref.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig praised his composure too, branding him a: "complete & elegant CB".

Such defensive excellence combined with an ability to stride out with confidence unsurprisingly draws comparisons with Laurent Koscielny, which Premier League News Now outlined by writing:

'Šutalo is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, be that when he is picking people out with passes or going on adventures driving up with the ball. He’s a good passer, both short and long but not spectacular as his passes come off slightly under-hit at moments. He’s composed and draws parallels to Laurent Koscielny'.

The Frenchman spent nine impressive years in north London, enjoying arguably his finest season at the club during the 2015/16 term. Maintaining a 7.31 average match rating, this was a figure buoyed by his insane ball progression alongside his solidity.

He would record an 87% pass accuracy, a 91% dribble success rate, 15 clean sheets as well as 3.8 interceptions and 5.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore, during that standout season.

These are statistics eerily similar to that of his potential successors during the 2022/23 campaign in the Croatian top-flight, as he maintained a 93% pass accuracy as well as two interceptions and 1.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Widely recognised as one of Arsenal's finest defensive stars in recent memory – as Arsene Wenger sought to laud his compatriot back in 2011 after dubbing him a "special player" – should Sutalo bring half as much quality as Koscielny did, he would already be recognised as a success.