Former South Africa opener puts team’s inability to win World Cups down to poor culture

Firdose Moonda23-Jul-2021Loots Bosman has put South Africa’s inability to win a major tournament down to poor culture, which he said left players of colour feeling excluded. The former opening batter was speaking strictly about the time he was part of the team, which included the 2007 World Cup and the 2007 and 2010 T20 World Cups, as he highlighted broader problems within the system.”There was no chance of us winning a World Cup. The team was divided,” Bosman said at CSA’s Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings. “We go into camps where we buy into one thing and then you deal with the same person who treats you like you don’t exist. How are you going to win a World Cup when you don’t back the guy next to you?”Bosman detailed instances of foul language and private conversations which he felt belittled him. “The environment was bad. Most of the time, the guys don’t greet you. They will just look at you. You could see they don’t care that you are greeting. They literally look the other way. They made you feel as though you don’t belong there.Related

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“Most of the time, we [players of colour] were carrying drinks. You could see when you go and take something, for instance if someone is batting and someone needs gloves, you have to rush to the dressing room and grab someone’s gloves, and you walk in while they are talking and when you hear things they are talking about. It was sad.”There was an occasion where I was 12th man and you literally can’t look away. There was a time when I didn’t see someone wanted something. These guys would shout and say, “f****** wake up, stop sleeping.” That language was a normal thing. The management could hear that too.”While he did not give specific examples of what was said other than the expletive, Bosman was particularly critical of the way he was treated at the 2007 World Cup where he did not bat in the only match he played, against West Indies. “I was told I would bat at No. 3. I was told to pad up but then a wicket fell and I was told, ‘You’re not batting.’ Then another wicket fell. And I didn’t go. I ended up not batting. And the next game I was dropped. How can I be dropped? I did nothing. I didn’t bat and when I was supposed to bat, I kept being shunted down the order.”Asked by the ombudsman Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza whether instances such as that made him lose his confidence, Bosman said, “it breaks you. Inside. You cry inside. You put on a brave face but inside you are so broken.”Bosman is not the only player to talk about the 2007 World Cup at the SJN. Last week, Roger Telemachus revealed that it was at that tournament that a clique of white players who controlled the team were nicknamed “The Big Five.” Bosman indicated the group was almost hostile. “That environment was just bad. You could just see those guys don’t want us [players of colour] to play there. They couldn’t hide it. It was painful to be there. There was no chance we were going to win the World Cup in that environment.”Like Telemachus, Bosman did not mention the names of the clique but hinted that they were specialists in the same discipline as him – batting. “There has always been this thing that there are no black batters. There are black batters but they are not being used. I was there,” he said. “When you are competing with white players and you are black, you have no chance. When you are black, you are going to struggle.”Bosman concluded by saying he spoke for many former players of colour, some of whom have not been able to express themselves for fear of compromising their career possibilities. He is currently not involved in cricket in South Africa, after last coaching in the Northern Cape, but is trying to find a way in. “I don’t just speak for myself. I spoke for the retired black players. We are all in this. There are a lot of current players who are scared to say something. We are all suppressed and neglected. We lost a lot and we are hurting inside.”

da bet esporte： Having already welcomed five fresh faces so far this summer, Aston Villa have now reportedly turned their attention towards a sixth and lead the race to sign an attacking boost for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa transfer news

da bwin： With Ross Barkley, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea, Ian Maatsen and Lewis Dobbin already through the door, Villa don't look like stopping on the transfer front anytime soon.

Related Aston Villa make first move to sign "unique" £56,000-p/w Luiz replacement

The Villans have made their first offer…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jul 11, 2024

The Villans have since been linked with moves for the likes of Joao Felix and even Ivan Toney as they look to bolster Emery's frontline ahead of next season. Of course, if a forward does arrive, they'll be tasked with partnering Ollie Watkins, who proved once and for all that he's made for the big stage by scoring the winner in England's Euro 2024 semi-final win over the Netherlands.

Now, reports suggest that those in the Midlands have turned towards a player who'd make quite the strike partner for the freshly crowned England hero next season.

According to Bild via The Boot Room, Aston Villa are now in pole position to sign Maximilian Beier from Hoffenheim in a deal worth £25m this summer. The 21-year-old enjoyed an outstanding Bundesliga campaign last time out to earn such impressive interest and could now arrive to make his biggest career move to date.

Reportedly ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in the race to sign the young German, a deal for Beier would highlight just how far Villa have come under Emery. From a club scrapping for relegation and then languishing in mid-table, the Midlands have become a side capable of competing with the very best on and off the pitch in the last two years.

"Incredible" Beier would be an upgrade on Duran

As Duran's Aston Villa future continues to be thrown into doubt, Emery could solve a problem before it even emerges by signing an upgrade on the forward in the form of Beier this summer. The Hoffenheim man, at just 21 years old, still has plenty more to come and should only accelerate towards his potential with a move to the Premier League, especially under Emery.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Maximilian Beier

Jhon Duran

Goals

16

5

Assists

1

0

Expected Goals

11.4

2

Minutes

2,420

475

Credit where it's due, Duran stole the headlines when he did receive an opportunity last season, but that opportunity didn't fall his way nearly enough. Now, if Beier arrives, he could find himself even further down the pecking order, especially after the 16-goal campaign that the young German just enjoyed.

The forward has earned plenty of praise in Germany, including from Bundesliga legend Miroslav Klose, who told the league's official website: "I played against him in my first years as FC Bayern's U17 coach and his qualities were immediately apparent. He runs an incredible amount, works for the team and rewards himself with goals. I'm sure Julian Nagelsmann has him on his radar."

Central Punjab go top of the table with thrilling three-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2021

Azam Khan top scored for Royals with 50 off 30 balls•Getty Images

Eliminated Southern Punjab (SP) closed out their campaign with a win over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) thanks to a 48-ball 78 from Tayyab Tahir, and several high-impact cameos lower down the order.After being put in to bat, Tahir got SP off to a brisk start at his end, but with Sharoon Siraj and Agha Salman struggling to get going, KP kept the innings in check through to the midway period. But then a combined 49 off 26 balls from Azam Khan and Aamer Yamin helped lift SP, racking up 98 in the last 51 balls. Niaz Khan and Maaz Khan came in for particular punishment, going for a combined 74 in seven overs.KP got off to a wretched start in the chase, losing three quick wickets and managing just 29 in the powerplay. It left them with nearly two runs a ball to fetch from the last 14 overs, and they might have crumbled completely if it wasn’t for a 79-run stand between Kamran Ghulam and Nabi Gul, who scored 46 and 54 respectively.Needing 63 off the last five, the required rate was just about manageable, with Iftikhar Ahmed giving it a good go towards the end by whacking an unbeaten 33 in 21. But with the crucial wicket of Gul at the hands of Mohammad Ilyas, SP were a bit too far ahead in the game and saw off KP with 11 runs to spare.Wahab Riaz looks to scoop over short fine leg•Getty Images

A late cameo from Wahab Riaz broke Balochistan hearts to eliminate them from the tournament, with Central Punjab going top of the table after a thrilling three-wicket win.Wahab’s side, who opted to field first, looked to have the game effectively wrapped up in the first ten overs, with Sameen Gul and Mohammad Faizan ripping through the Balochistan top order. Five of the top six failed to reach double figures but opener Abdullah Shafique hung on, his key sixth wicket partnership with Amad Butt, who smacked an unbeaten 43 off 27 balls, ensuring Balochistan would have at least something to defend. Shafique top scored with 60, while Umaid Asif added late fireworks with a five-ball 15. General sloppiness hampered Central Punjab’s cause, 11 wides allowing Balochistan to finish with 162.Balochistan kept chipping away at Central Punjab, picking up regular wickets and ensuring they remained behind the asking rate slightly. Muhammad Akhlaq, Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf all contributed cameos, but with each of them falling just as Central Punjab established control, there were worries they’d run out of batsmen. But with Central Punjab needed 29 off 18, a spectacular 18th over which saw Butt belted for four sixes – three at Wahab’s hands – broke Balochistan spirits and hearts. Central Punjab cruised to victory with 11 deliveries to spare, and, alongside Southern Punjab, Balochistan, too saw their campaign come to an end.

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： O São Paulo segue na busca de melhorar sua situação na tabela do Campeonato Paulista. O combate contra a Ponte Preta, neste domingo (13), às 18h30, é a chance da equipe garantir sua segunda vitória na temporada e aliviar mais ainda a pressão.

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da poker：
Rogério Ceni deve seguir com o sistema de rodízio que segue adotando nesse início de temporada. Dos 24 nomes testados, somente três deles estiveram presentes em todas as partidas até agora: Gabriel Sara, Rigoni e Alisson. Porém, nenhum deles jogou os 90 minutos.

O gol do Tricolor é uma outra questão que está sendo avaliada pelo treinador, que segue adotando um revezamento entre Jandrei e Tiago Volpi. Volpi atuou contra o Guarani e o Red Bull Bragantino, enquanto Jandrei contra o Ituano e o Santo André.

O São Paulo segue na quarta posição do grupo B, somando quatro jogos, uma vitória, duas derrotas e um empate. A Ponte Preta, por sua vez, está em segundo lugar do grupo D. O clube soma sete pontos, com cinco jogos, duas vitórias, um empate e duas derrotas.

+ Veja a situação do São Paulo no Paulistão e simule os próximos jogos

SÃO PAULO x PONTE PRETA

Local: Estádio Moisés Lucarelli ,Campinas (SP)
Data/Horário: 13/02/2022, às 18h30
Árbitro:Raphael Claus
Assistentes:Danilo Ricardo Simon Manis eEvandro de Melo Lima
VAR:Thiago Duarte Peixoto
Onde acompanhar: Paulistão Play, Premiere e em Tempo Real na parceria LANCE!/Voz do Esporte

SÃO PAULO
Volpi, Rafinha, Arboleda, Miranda e Léo; Gabriel, Gabriel Sara e Alisson; Rigoni, Rodrigo Nestor e Calleri. Técnico: Rogério Ceni.
Desfalques: Patrick, Luan e Luciano (lesionados)

PONTE PRETA
Ygor; Kevin, Thiago, Fabrício e Guilherme; Wesley, Leo Naldi, Leo Santos e Fessin; Ribamar e Lucca. Técnico:Gilson Kleina.
Desfalques: Luís Fernando, Dedé e Igor Formiga.

A breakout star last BBL season, the legspinner was the Melbourne Renegades’ highest wicket-taker

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2021Peter Hatzoglou, who starred for the Melbourne Renegades in the 2020-21 Big Bash League (BBL) season, has signed a two-year contract with the Perth Scorchers.The tall legspinner was the Renegades’ highest-wicket taker with 17 scalps from 12 innings and was the tenth highest overall in the competition’s last edition. After being signed as a replacement player a week before the tournament began, Hatzoglou provided a silver lining for the Renegades in an otherwise disappointing season, in which they finished last on the points table.The Scorchers’ head coach Adam Voges said that he expected that when Hatzoglou teams up with left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, they would be a “strong spin duo”.”Peter quickly became a crowd favourite in the Big Bash last year and I’m sure the Scorchers members and fans will love watching him,” Vogues said in a statement. “He gives us the flexibility to bowl spin at different times throughout the innings and will combine with Ash Agar to make a strong spin duo.”Vogues also confirmed that legpinner Fawad Ahmed will be leaving the Scorchers after two seasons with the side. Last season, Ahmed was the Scorchers’ fourth-highest wicket-taker with 15 wickets from 16 innings.”Sadly, we say goodbye to Fawad who’s been a huge asset to our team over the past two seasons. On behalf of the team and the club, we want to thank Fawad for his time at the Scorchers and wish him all the best in the future,” Vogues said.The next edition of the BBL will commence on December 5 and run till January 28, 2022.

Arsenal have managed to get their transfer business fairly spot on over the last few years, whether buying or selling.

Mikel Arteta has welcomed Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus into his team, but perhaps the most high-profile arrival has been Declan Rice.

The £105m man was one of the biggest transfer stories of 2023, and his move to the Gunners has been a success so far.

So, fans should be excited that one of the latest players touted for a move to N5 this summer could be the perfect man to unlock the former West Ham United captain and get even more out of him.

Arsenal transfer news

Speaking on the latest episode of Football Insider's Inside Football podcast, Keith Wyness, the former CEO of Everton, revealed that Arsenal are still interested in the Toffees' star midfielder Amadou Onana and that he's heard "negotiations are ongoing" between the two clubs.

While that sounds like good news for the Gunners, it doesn't mean a deal will come cheap.

A recent report from the Mail Online revealed that while the Merseysiders are willing to sell the Belgian, they will still demand a fee in the region of £50m.

That said, even for that amount of money, this seems like a transfer well worth pursuing, especially as it could help Arteta get even more out of Rice going forward.

How Onana could unlock Rice

So, there are two ways in which Onana could help Arsenal get more out of Rice. The first is that he could start as the team's left eight, thus allowing the Englishman to become the club's starting six – a role he admitted was his "best position" on the pitch.

However, the other way the Everton ace could get more out of the former Hammer is by starting at the base of midfield himself and allowing the Arsenal man to maraud forward as the left-eight, a role he claimed leaves him "excited."

This may well be the best use of the pair in midfield, as last season, the 25-year-old started 19 of 51 games in central midfield for the North Londoners and racked up an impressive ten goals and assists in the process, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.9 games.

In contrast, the Dakar-born star scored just two goals from 17 starts in a central area, which equates to a goal involvement every 8.5 games, suggesting that he wouldn't be able to match the Englishman's offensive output in that role.

Moreover, when comparing the pair's defensive-midfield relevant underlying numbers, the Merseysider's 6 foot 4 "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, actually comes out on top.

Onana vs Rice
Stats per 90	Onana	Rice
Passing Accuracy	84.1%	88.9%
Tackles	3.06	2.32
Tackles Won	1.64	1.42
Blocks	1.08	1.03
Shots Blocked	0.26	0.31
Passes Blocked	0.82	0.73
Clearances	1.34	1.45
Miscontrols	0.86	0.87
Dispossessed	0.43	0.61
Ball Recoveries	6.90	4.97
Aerial Duels Won	2.24	1.09
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 Premier League Season

For example, while he has slightly worse passing accuracy, blocks fewer shots, and makes fewer clearances, he makes more blocks overall, miscontrols the ball less often, makes far more ball recoveries, wins more aerial duels, makes and wins more tackles, and is dispossessed less frequently as well, all per 90.

Ultimately, the beauty of signing Onana is that Arteta would have the freedom to play him either as a six or left-eight, but to get the absolute most out of Rice, he should stick with playing him as the former. Therefore, Edu and Co should do all they can to bring the Belgian ace to N5 this summer.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 19, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

da roleta： O São Paulo venceu a Ponte Preta por um placar de 2 a 1, no Estádio Moisés Lucarelli, neste domingo (13). A partida começou com uma vantagem para a Ponte Preta, que marcou o primeiro gol, após uma cobrança de pênalti. Mas o São Paulo se salvou nos últimos minutos, com gols de Gabriel Sara e Calleri. Assista aos gols da vitória do São Paulo!

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The out-of-sorts midfielder has been dropped from the Blues' starting line-up and faces a significant battle to regain his place

When Chelsea take to the field against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, Enzo Fernandez will almost certainly not be in the starting line-up. The strange thing is, that won't really come as a surprise.

A blockbuster £107 million ($132m at the time) signing from Benfica in January 2023, the midfielder is no longer a guaranteed starter under Enzo Maresca despite being made vice-captain in the summer, as the team seemingly evolves and progresses without him.

Consistently inconsistent, the Argentine finds himself in a funk and risks being left behind if he cannot find his place in the Italian's plans by rediscovering some his best form and, crucially, maintaining it.

• Instagram
  

  Worst possible start

  Of course, Fernandez was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons before a ball had been kicked this season; amid Argentina's wild Copa America victory celebrations in July, Enzo was the man holding the camera and bizarrely live-streaming as he and his compatriots belted out a racist and transphobic chant at the expense of France's national team.

  The song included the words "they play in France, but they are all from Angola" and "their mum is Nigerian, their dad is Cameroonian, but on the passport it says: French".

  A deserved backlash arrived quickly, as a number of his Chelsea colleagues – many of whom are of Afro-French descent – turned on Fernandez and unfollowed him on Instagram. Centre-back Wesley Fofana labelled the incident "unabashed racism".

  Fernandez inevitably apologised, claiming he "stands against discrimination in all forms" and apologised for "getting caught up in the euphoria". "That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my character or beliefs. I am truly sorry," he wrote.

  However, his actions still resulted in disciplinary action from Chelsea and a FIFA investigation. Although there were reports of a rift, his club-mates, including Fofana, eventually forgave him – but it would be remiss to say the debacle hasn't had some effect on him this season.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield misfit

  On the pitch, Fernandez's performances this season haven't all been bad, but he certainly hasn't shown the level of consistency many would expect of a £107m player. Indeed, ahead of the trip to Man Utd he has lost his place in Maresca's so-called 'A team'.

  Fernandez had been a starter in the early part of the season, aided by Romeo Lavia's five-week absence as a result of a hamstring injury suffered after an impressive showing on the opening day of the Premier League season against Manchester City. However, now Lavia is back to full fitness, Fernandez has been dropped.

  The Belgian started the previous two league games against Liverpool and Newcastle, with Maresca tweaking his tactics in favour of more defensive solidity and in-form Moises Caicedo playing the role of the shuttling midfielder in the manager's preferred 4-3-3 shape, while Cole Palmer has, of course, been starring as a No.10. At present, it's hard to see how Fernandez fits.

  He certainly hasn't been the creative force Chelsea would have hoped in 2024-25, and arguably since he signed; a deep-lying playmaker, Fernandez is yet to register a league goal or assist this campaign, and his pass completion percentage in the league is concerningly low at 80.7. Meanwhile, there are question marks over whether he has the stamina and physicality to be effective as a defensive midfielder.

  The vast majority of Blues followers have backed Fernandez to the hilt in the belief that he will come good and become one of the best midfielders on the planet, with a damning recent statistical comparison of Chelsea's win rate with and without him (35% with, 81% without) swiftly rubbished. Patience, though, may soon run thin.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'It's a matter of balance'

  For his part, Maresca insists that he maintains faith in the midfielder and that his decision-making has been purely tactical. "I still trust Enzo," the head coach said in his press conference before the trip to Old Trafford.

  "There is not any reason in the world I can lose confidence in him. The reason why he is not playing in the Premier League is because at this moment I take a different decision. My confidence is 100% with Enzo.

  "In this moment, I know you are looking for some different reasons for Enzo [not starting], but it’s very simple. He’s not playing in this moment, we have so many games, he’s going to play for sure in the future. And it doesn’t mean Romeo and Moi are always going to play. At the moment one of them drops [their levels], probably we will change it."

  He added: "It’s a matter of balance. Romeo and Moi give us physicality and strength in the middle. This is why we found the option of Malo [Gusto] in the pocket. Otherwise, when we play with Enzo it has to be with one of Moi or Romeo, and Enzo moves forward we struggle in the middle for physicality."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Weight of expectation

  Maresca has previously stated that he believes Fernandez and, previously, Caicedo have both been suffering under the weight of the eye-watering £100m+ transfer fees Chelsea paid for their respective services in 2023, as the former arrived from Benfica in January and the latter was signed from Brighton in the summer.

  The head coach has openly admitted he feels the club made a mistake by paying that much and putting that expectation on the pair's shoulders.

  "The price does not have to be a problem for them, it’s something that the players can do nothing about," the Italian said recently. "Sometimes players feel under pressure because the club pay too much, but this is a big problem and is a weight on the shoulders which does not help the players."

  There is certainly some truth in that. Fernandez has always been fighting a losing battle in trying to live up to that price tag, and it's more likely than not that he never will with few players truly worth that astronomical sum. All Chelsea can hope for in the short-term is some consistency, with the 23-year-old more than capable of turning things around.

Rangers have increased their efforts to complete the signing of Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh transfer update from the Spanish press this week.

Rangers transfer news

Philippe Clement will no doubt be happy with the transfer business that the Gers have already completed this summer, with a host of new stars arriving at the club. That being said, further fresh faces are expected moving forward, with Goncalo Borges linked with a move to Ibrox.

Rangers have sent a proposal to the 23-year-old Porto attacker, who made 17 appearances in the Primeira Liga last season, although only one of those came from the start.

Meanwhile, Jordan has stood out as a primary transfer target throughout the summer window, with a move even reportedly agreed in some outlets.

The Spaniard still has three years remaining on his current deal at Sevilla, but he appears to be surplus to requirements there, hence his switch to Rangers potentially coming to fruition. Jordan has won the Europa League twice with the La Liga side, highlighting his credentials as a strong signing for Clement's men ahead of the new Scottish Premiership season.

Rangers make fresh proposal for 30-year-old

According to a new update from the Spanish newspapers on Monday morning [via Sport Witness], Rangers willl "push again" to sign Sevilla central midfielder Jordan this summer, but they claim a transfer is not as far along as other outlets reported in the last few days.

While the 30-year-old isn't believed to be close to sealing a move to Ibrox yet, the Gers want to sort a loan-to-buy option, with a permanent deal of €4m (£3.3m) at the end of this coming season. They have offered to pay 40% of his current salary during the next 12 months in order to get a deal over the line.

At this point, it would arguably be a surprise if Jordan didn't become a Rangers player in the coming weeks, certainly on loan, if not on a permanent basis. In fact, the loan-to-buy option could be the best outcome for Clement, in terms of having a season to assess the veteran midfielder and decide whether he is worth persevering with beyond the 2024/25 season.

Sevilla

198

7

14

Espanyol B

85

13

0

Eibar

75

10

8

Real Valladolid

37

3

3

Espanyol

17

1

0

While Jordan is a slightly ageing player, everything points towards him being an effective addition for Rangers, given his aforementioned success in a Sevilla shirt, and the fact that he is now a hugely experienced figure. He has made 219 appearances in La Liga in total, chipping in with 14 goals and 18 assists, showing that he is capable of delivering end product from the middle of the park.

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Added depth in the midfield is never a bad thing, as Rangers look to narrow the gap on Celtic next season, and there is no reason why Jordan can't come straight in as a key man from the off, having completed 88.4% of his passes in the league last term.

A club director is said to be waiting for an official bid from Chelsea to sign their highly-rated defender this summer, with Stamford Bridge chiefs overseeing a busy transfer window thus far.

Chelsea seal eight signings with more tipped to follow

The west Londoners, backed by Todd Boehly and co, have already sealed eight signings as they attempt to support new head coach Enzo Maresca and add some serious talent to his roster.

Maresca makes transfer demand as Chelsea chiefs eye £34m player

The Italian’s requested a key signing in one area.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 20, 2024

Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Renato Veiga (FC Basel), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City), Marc Guiu (Barcelona) and the latest new recruit, Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), put pen to paper on moves to west London alongside Estevao Willan – who'll join in 2025.

While it has not yet been announced, Chelsea are also set to seal the transfer of Aaron Anselmino after reaching an agreement with Boca Juniors, and the young Argentine centre-back will cost around £17 million.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley have spent nearly £120 million on the aforementioned additions, but have raised around £89 million in player sales to help make up the difference, with Chelsea registering a net spend of £31 million.

In terms of further new recruits, Chelsea remain in the market for a new star winger after failing to seal a deal for Michael Olise, who instead chose to join Bayern Munich. The Blues reportedly want a player who can compete with or even replace Raheem Sterling, after the Englishman was reduced to a more bit-part role at the end of last season.

Appearances

81

Goals

19

Assists

12

Yellow cards

13

Red cards

0

Minutes played

5,321

Transfermarkt

Maresca has apparently made it clear he wants another striker at Chelsea as well – one who can compete with Nicolas Jackson and provide an alternative option to the Senegalese international forward.

Fabrizio Romano also tipped Chelsea to sign multiple senior central defenders at the start of the window, but there have been very few full-backs linked with moves to the club since then.

That is until now, with Lecce left-back and Denmark Under-21 international Patrick Dorgu now on their radar ahead of a possible swoop. The 19-year-old, who made 32 Serie A appearances last season, is also capable of playing as a left-winger – which could help to reinforce multiple areas of Maresca's first team.

Pantaleo Corvino waiting for official Chelsea bid to sign Dorgu

The teenage defender could even be another signing for the future if they decide to formalise their interest, with their plans for Dorgu not quite clear.

However, reports in Italy claim there is indeed interest from Maresca's side. It is believed Lecce director Pantaleo Corvino is waiting for an official Chelsea bid to sign Dorgu, to better understand just how keen they really are.

Contact has been made over a move for Dane from Chelsea's side, as well as from two of their London rivals in Arsenal and Tottenham. The £25 million starlet is already garnering quite a reputation, as explained by his coaches at international level.

"You can just say that with some players it can go incredibly fast," said Denmark Under-21s boss Steffen Højer.

"He has already had a lot of playing minutes in Serie A with Lecce, and he has done really, really well. What is special about him is that he is a quiet and calm guy, but things are just incredibly natural for him on a football pitch."