While there is great cricket in the Women’s Big Bash League, networks and newspapers often have their staff elsewhere

Jarrod Kimber07-Jan-2017I don’t know who Lea Tahuhu is. I can tell you that Meg Lanning is a freak. That I love watching Suzie Bates’ captaincy. That Eshani Kaushalya is a legend in my house. And that I would happily watch Mithali Raj cover drive on an endless gif for three consecutive days.But I haven’t covered women’s cricket in almost five years. I look at the bits that are televised. I went to two full matches of at the 2016 World T20, and half of another after being locked out of the ground. I saw a fair bit of the first weekend of the WBBL that was on TV. And I follow scorecards and series results.So while I should know more, and do know a bit, I don’t know who Tahuhu is. But here she is at the Docklands, and the keeper is a long way back. The boundary may not be long, but the keeper is incredibly close to it. And to the third man and fine leg. One ball in and I get it; Tahuhu is fast; she is as fast as any women’s bowler I have seen live. She’s Katherine Brunt in her heydey fast.The first ball takes an edge, and even with the fine third man, it’s four. Other balls are pining through to the keeper; there is a ripping bouncer – that is called a wide – and the ball hits the bat hard a few times. Tahuhu takes 1 for 19 from four. She bowls them straight up, in control from the start, and then drops the mic, and walks into the outfield where her contributions are occasional rocket throws, including an off-balance one for a last ball run-out.Only hardcore fans might have seen moments like these•Getty ImagesOn the big screen, Tahuhu asks a trivia question, “Which country do I represent, England, South Africa and New Zealand?” Because despite the fact she is probably as quick as bowler in women’s cricket right now, only goes for 4.05 runs an over in ODIs, and averages 18 in T20s, her own team don’t think she is famous enough for people to know where she comes from.The World Cup this year will be Tahuhu’s third major tournament. And most probably, her breakout one. The problem is, so few women cricketers have broken out and are known by fans of the men’s game. But because of this league, and the KSL in England, players like Tahuhu can start to play as professionals. Tahuhu has played in both leagues. She deserves to be a professional cricketer, and if she keeps bowling like this, she will be for a while. However, for women’s cricketers to be better paid, they have to be more well known.And the WBBL is trying. The early weekend, shown live on one of the few cricketless weekends of the year, was a brilliant idea. The problem has been most games since that one haven’t been shown live, or at all. They were on Cricket Australia’s website, which is handy for hardcore fans. But the casual fans aren’t going to be lured there, or, really, even know that it exists. The WBBL has to be in the heat of summer, but during that period, Channel 10 and the newspapers have cricket writers at other grounds.While there are good signs – the queue outside the ground waiting for the stadium to open was very promising, even if the big crowd didn’t follow for the game itself – there was also a missed opportunity.With the Test finishing early today, and Channel 10 cameras already set up for the BBL game tonight, it would have been a perfect time to show some WBBL. Sadly, logistics made it impossible.So only hardcore fans would have seen Kris Britt’s lazy run-out. Not to mention, all the other great things, like Danielle Wyatt slapping the ball straight down the ground, Emma Kearney and her windmill wrong-footed action, Sophie Molineux’s incredible timing, Natalie Sciver’s classy innings, and former World T20 final star, and not to mention the best Australian player – and one of the best in the world – Lanning. By the end of the game, even the Renegades men were down on the boundary sitting down to watch their team nervously win what should have been an easy win.Even if Channel 10 had decided to put the game on once the Test had ended, the TV audience would have still missed out on Tahuhu. And as far as women’s cricket has come, that is still the problem: we just don’t see enough.And Tahuhu is worth seeing. Her ball to Lanning was angled in, straightened, and took the top of off, at pace. It looked great on the jumbotron screens hanging from the roof. It would have looked even better on TV screens around the country.

Manchester United do not have many options at centre-forward, and it has certainly been a tough season in front of goal for the Red Devils. The two players who have tended to lead the line this term for United have been Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

Denmark striker Hojlund has struggled in the Premier League this season and has managed just two goals and no assists in 17 games in the top flight. Zirkzee has been slightly more profitable, with three goals and two assists in 22 top-flight appearances.

It might not come as a surprise that they are targeting a new centre-forward and looking to add a new player up front for Ruben Amorim to call upon. Their targets include one of the deadliest marksmen in the Premier League.

Man United target Premier League striker

The player in question here is Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap. The England U21 international has been in exceptional form this term for the Tractor Boys, which has grabbed the attention of some of England’s biggest clubs.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a report from Sky Sports, the Englishman, formerly of Manchester City’s academy, is one of the centre-forwards United have shortlisted as they ‘chase a new striker’ during the January Transfer window.

However, they will not be the only Premier League side targeting a move for the Ipswich number 19. Chelsea have also been linked with him as recently as Wednesday, and could well make a move this winter. In terms of a price, it was reported by Blues insider Simon Phillips that an offer ‘north of £50m’ would be what it takes for Ipswich to sell him.

Why Delap would be a good signing for Man Utd

It has been a really impressive first half of the campaign for 21-year-old Delap. Bearing in mind how poorly Ipswich have performed this term, his eight goals and two assists in 21 games make for very impressive reading.

Described as a “lethal” striker by football analyst and The Overlap: The Breakdown host H, Delap has made some major contributions for the Tractor Boys this term.

That includes two goals against Aston Villa, a goal and assist against Tottenham Hotspur and a goal and assist against Chelsea.

In fact, someone who he could enjoy playing alongside is Amad. The Ivorian was described as “sensational” by Sky Sports pundit and United legend Gary Neville after his Manchester Derby heroics earlier in the season.

Indeed, that sentiment has certainly been backed up by Amad’s numbers in the Premier League this season.

Despite limited opportunity under former manager Erik ten Hag, he has thrived in the top flight. The 22-year-old has six goals and six assists this term. That included a 12-minute hat-trick in United’s last top-flight win at Old Trafford against Southampton.

The United number 16 has been in sparkling form throughout the Premier League season, as his stats via FBref show. For example, Amad averages 2.1 key passes and 0.38 assists per game, placing him in the top 19% and the top 11% respectively.

Key passes

2.1

81st

Assists

0.38

89th

Shot-creating actions

4.65

84th

Goal-creating actions

1.02

98th

Having an attacker with that creative ability is every striker’s dream, and Delap could certainly benefit from such proactivity in the final third from Amad. He has an impressive conversion rate, 22% in the Premier League this term according to Sofascore, and could massively benefit from Amad’s vision.

Although £50m is a steep deal, it might be a smart move for United as they look to supplement the goals of Hojlund and Zirkzee with the deadly finishing of Ipswich’s star man.

As for his link-up with Amad, United fans might be excited at seeing two players with superstar potential don that famous Red shirt and combine at Old Trafford.

Their answer to Foden: Man Utd prepare offer to sign ex Man-City player

Man United are looking for attacking reinforcements and could sign their answer to Phil Foden.

ByJoe Nuttall Jan 23, 2025

It is very clear that, in 2025, Manchester City’s objective is to overhaul their squad by bringing in an array of young players.

Already in January, the Citizens have spent over £125m to recruit Abdukodir Khusanov (20), Omar Marmoush (25), Vitor Reis (19) and Juma Bah (18), as Pep Guardiola seeks to refresh his team.

However, could it be a youngster that Man City actually signed last January who proves to be the best value business of all?

Manchester City's highly-rated Argentine youngster

A year ago, Manchester City confirmed the signing of Claudio Echeverri for a reported fee of £12.5m plus add-ons.

As noted by Sam Lee of the Athletic, the teenager signed a contract until 2028, but would spend the remainder of 2024 back on loan at River Plate.

Well, that 12-month loan is now over, but Echeverri is currently in Venezuela competing at the South American U-20 Championship, scoring during a 6-0 demolition of Brazil and then against Colombia, as Argentina seek to win the competition for the sixth time.

La Albiceleste have reached the competition’s final stage, which does not conclude until 16 February, but it will be interesting to see if Echeverri is included in Man City’s Premier League and Champions League squads, thereby allowing him to feature upon his return.

So, who is Echeverri?

Well, data analyst Ben Mattinson describes the 19-year-old as a “future superstar”, praising his “ball-carrying and dribbling prowess”, adding that Man City have got themselves an “absolute bargain”.

Meantime, António Mango believes he is a “dribbling menace” while, according to Pro Future Stars, Echeverri is the third-best “infiltrating midfielder” under the age of 21 in world football, as per CIES powered by Wyscout.

Thus, in short, Man City supporters should be excited.

How Echeverri compares to past Man City stars

Of course, Man City have recent history when it comes to buying River Plate stars.

Julián Álvarez was signed for £14m in January 2022, with the Argentine scoring 36 goals in 103 outings for the Sky Blues, winning six major honours, before being sold to Atlético Madrid for a humongous £81m last summer, representing a huge profit.

So, let’s compare how Álvarez and Echeverri performed at the Argentine giants, before making the move to Manchester.

Statistics

Claudio Echeverri

Julián Álvarez

Appearances

48

122

Starts

29

81

Minutes

2,499

7,953

Age of departure

19-years-old

22-years-old

Goals

4

54

Assists

8

31

Shots on target %

36.3%

47.4%

As outlined in the table above, Echeverri and Álvarez were at very different stages in their development by the time they arrived at Man City.

Álvarez, at 22 years old, won five major honours, including the Copa Libertadores, also already accumulating six senior competitive international caps before making the move.

In contrast, Echeverri has made less than 50 senior appearances for River Plate and is still only a youth international, thereby unlikely to make an immediate impact as Álvarez did, scoring on his debut in the FA Community Shield against Liverpool.

Writing in the Guardian’s Next Generation series for 2023, Juan Carlos Pasman labels the teenager “a classic number 10”, praising his “excellent close control, dribbling skills and… exceptional first touch”.

Echeverri is nicknamed “El Diablito”, which translates to the little devil, a homage to former Bolivian striker Marco Etcheverry, which gives you some idea of his playing style.

At the weekend, Guardiola deployed Marmoush in a quasi-number ten role, in-behind Erling Haaland, with Graham Ruthven of Total Soccer Show noting that the Norwegian looked much better with a secondary forward closer to him.

Thus, this very much could be a role that Echeverri would thrive in whenever he arrives in Manchester, with the Argentine set to be the next young superstar at Man City. Marmoush, then, isn’t the only reason for City supporters to be excited…

Their answer to Rice: Man City exploring late move for "elite" £42m star

Manchester City are seeking midfield reinforcements, so could they sign a number six many believe to be better than Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

ByBen Gray Jan 29, 2025

Chelsea have held talks with a forward’s camp over the possibility of a January transfer, as the player’s representatives look to secure him a move to the Premier League this month.

Chelsea end 2024 with dip in form as January window opens

Enzo Maresca’s side are set to end 2024 on a slightly downward trajectory in terms of form, having lost their last two league games against Fulham and Ipswich Town, but it has been an excellent conclusion to the year overall when looking at the bigger picture.

£130k-per-week Chelsea ace wanted by manager and could leave on loan

Stamford Bridge exits are beckoning next month.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 28, 2024

Maresca has ushered in a promising new era at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea look like firm favourites to seal a place in the Premier League top four by the end of this season and make a return to the Champions League.

Only Liverpool and Tottenham have scored more goals in the top flight than Chelsea so far this campaign, and before their defeat to Fulham, they hadn’t lost a single Premier League game since late October.

Following Chelsea’s defeat to Ipswich, Maresca suggested that their slight slump in form this last fortnight has been down to general fatigue.

“I like to analyse game by game. I think tonight, when you create so many chances, you can probably do something better defensively but offensively, it’s not many things to say,” said Maresca after Chelsea’s loss at Ipswich.

“The Fulham game, I don’t think we played in the way we like to play; it was more up and down and that is not our football.

“Everton is a difficult game for everyone. We tried to win the game. Probably, also, December I think we played nine games. We started with the first five or six winning all the games but then we struggle a little bit finishing [the month].

“We probably also arrive at the end of the month feeling a little bit tired in general. We have finished the first part of the season, we are going to start the second part. We are happy with where we are but we know we can do many things better.”

Maresca already has real strength in depth, which has allowed them to operate with an ‘A’ and ‘B’ team across all competitions this season, but it is believed Chelsea could still be active in January.

Chelsea hold talks with Randal Kolo Muani's camp ahead of January

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani and his team have approached the Stamford Bridge side over a potential winter move.

The £203,000-per-week France international has been told he’s free to depart by manager Luis Enrique, and Kolo Muani’s camp have held talks with Chelsea ahead of January, alongside other Premier League sides.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt star favours a move to England above all, and his camp are working to secure him a winter switch to the division. As things stand, it is thought that a loan move is the most likely scenario for him, even if PSG would prefer a permanent deal.

da premier bet： Manchester City are keeping tabs on a £67 million-rated Netherlands star who snubbed Paris Saint-Germain this month, according to a new report.

Man City back on track ahead of monster Real Madrid clash

da winzada777： Following a dismal start to the season, City look to be getting back to at least somewhere near their best. After sweeping aside Chelsea in the Premier League last week, Pep Guardiola’s side survived a scare to beat Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday night and secure their spot in the competition’s knockout phase play-offs.

City went behind on the night thanks to a goal from Raphael Onyedika just before the break, but second-half goals from Mateo Kovačić and Savinho, as well as an own goal from Joel Ordonez secured a 3-1 win.

“In the second half we lifted our soul and our hearts were free,” Guardiola said after the game. “For today, we are in the next round, that’s good. The first half was so academic, we didn’t have the spark to do it against a team that defends really well.”

Related Their answer to Rice: Man City exploring late move for "elite" £42m star

Manchester City are seeking midfield reinforcements, so could they sign a number six many believe to be better than Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

Posts ByBen Gray Jan 29, 2025

Defender Manuel Akanji hinted after the win over Brugge that he believes City can now go on to win the competition, just as they did in 2022/23. The Cityzens will face Real Madrid in next round.

“Obviously Real Madrid and Bayern Munich aren’t the teams you want to face but, whoever it is, we are looking forward to the challenge and I think we can beat every team in Europe,” he said. “Whoever comes, we are ready for the challenge. Even though we didn’t play as good as we used to do, I think no team wants to face us.”

City eyeing Leipzig star Simons

While City are undoubtedly in their best form of the season, Guardiola will likely feel the need to further strengthen his squad to restore the club to its former glory. Having already spent a combined £123 million on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis this month, City’s January transfer business appears to be complete.

However, according to journalist Christian Falk, the club is already planning ahead for the summer, with RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons emerging as a key target.

The Dutchman joined Leipzig on a permanent deal from PSG earlier this month, having snubbed a return to the French captial amid fears he wouldn’t be guaranteed game time by manager Luis Enrique. Falk reports that despite Leipzig having only just secured his signature on a permanent basis, the German club would be willing to sell him at the end of the season for a fee of between £59 million to £67 million.

City are keeping tabs, claims Falk, but will face competition from Manchester United and Liverpool, who are also interested in the midfielder.

Xavi Simons Bundesliga Stats 2024/25

Games

11

Goals

4

Assists

3

Chances Created

21

Successful Dribbles

16

FotMob Average Rating

7.66

Stats per FotMob. (As of January 31, 2025)

Simons has been one of the Bundesliga’s outstanding players since initially joining Leipzig on loan in 2023. In 60 games for the Red Bulls, the 21-year-old has scored 15 goals and produced 19 assists. He was also a standout player for the Netherlands as they made it to the semifinals of last year’s European Championships.

Liverpool’s so-called circumspection in the transfer market has been more than offset by sustained success under FSG’s guidance across the past decade or so.

Arne Slot’s start to life as Jurgen Klopp’s successor has been a remarkable thing, more so when you consider the summer spending presented only Federico Chiesa as the sole first-team signing, a wonderful talent but discarded by money-troubled Juventus ahead of the final year of his contract.

It was an eye-catching buy, something that Liverpool have cultivated something of a reputation for across so many years of prize-winning sustainability. Football is fickle and its legion of supporters are too, but Liverpool have done alright over these past years, and may yet crown a new chapter with a Premier League title, six points clear with a game in hand.

Few foresaw this, however, there’s a German sat in a reclining chair somewhere in a Red Bull, wry smile on his face, who always knew that the time was right to relinquish his power and usher in someone new.

Liverpool may well win the Premier League and perhaps another competition too, but if the Reds wish to stay ahead of their fierce rivals over the coming years, it feels paramount that signings are made this year.

There is a willingness to fork out funds on the right target. Liverpool, after all, held a genuine interest in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Why Liverpool wanted to sign Kvaratskhelia

At the start of January, Liverpool made their interest in Kvaratskhelia known. Rumours were starting to surface of the Georgian’s potential departure from Napoli.

While Paris Saint-Germain were in the driving seat after holding early talks, Anfield’s sporting director Richard Hughes was attentive and, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, ready to pounce.

Fledgling intrigue failed to materialise into something concrete, with PSG advancing discussions and Liverpool opting against lodging an official bid. The 23-year-old is now formally Parisien property.

It does show that Liverpool would be willing to spend big on a left-sided forward, however, and shines a light on Luis Diaz’s contract situation: the Colombia international, 28, is contracted until 2028 but has long-standing interest from Barcelona.

Liverpool aren’t naive and have already honed their sights on a different target on the wing.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Liverpool monitoring rising talent

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool have been scouting Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens, though Chelsea are also interested and have already made a formal enquiry.

Gittens might only be 20 but he’s already become a major player for the Yellow Wall and has excelled both in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Liverpool would need to fork out an incredible €100m (translating to about £85m) figure to bring Gittens to Merseyside, but if Diaz, for example, is signed by Barcelona, this could be a road worth pursuing.

What Jamie Gittens would bring to Anfield

Gittens might only be in the maiden stage of his career but he’s already proving himself as an important member of a talented Dortmund side, racking up 16 goals and 14 assists across 84 professional appearances for BVB, joining them after leaving the famed Manchester City academy.

With fleet feet, nifty skills and composure during vital moments, Gittens is undoubtedly made for Premier League football, his exciting performances over in Germany translatable.

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley has even proclaimed Gittens to be “England’s best left winger in 2024/25” after his goal-heavy success under Nuru Sahin’s wing this season.

As per FBref, Gittens ranks among the top 7% of positional peers in the German top flight this season for goals scored while also ranking among the top 1% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, highlighting not only his aptitude in front of goal but also his athletic qualities that could align neatly with Slot’s style.

Liverpool might have missed out on one of the world’s foremost wide forwards in Kvaratskhelia, but Gittens would be an able alternative and, perhaps, one with the capacity to eclipse the Georgia superstar down the line.

Matches (starts)

17 (15)

18 (14)

Goals

5

7

Assists

3

3

Shots (on target)*

2.9 (1.0)

1.9 (0.9)

Big chances missed

2

4

Pass completion

83%

83%

Key passes*

1.7

0.8

Dribble (success)*

1.1 (31%)

3.1 (52%)

Ball recoveries*

2.6

2.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

1.4

Total duels (won)*

4.2 (44%)

5.6 (51%)

Curiously, Gittens is already proving himself to be a clinical striker in front of goal, converting seven of his 11 big chances in Germany this term. Kvaratskhelia is also sharp in the final third, bagging five of seven in Serie A before jetting off to France.

However, you could actually make a compelling argument for Gittens being the more complete player from an attacking standpoint, for the English talent outranks Kvaratskhelia when considering combative and ball-carrying metrics. He might not be quite so heavy with his creative output, but Gittens has actually racked up as many assists as the new PSG recruit in respective leagues this year.

And anyway, the £49k-per-week prospect racked up eight assists last season despite only starting 18 matches across all competitions for Dortmund.

Hailed for one “special” Champions League performance by Romano, Gittens has the world at his feet and could become a major player at Liverpool.

It might actually be beneficial for his development to make the move to Anfield now and learn under the wing of superstars Diaz and Cody Gakpo, always with his sights set on a moveless starting berth down the line.

He’s already outperforming Kvaratskhelia in some interesting metrics and could ascend to the next level in Slot’s thriving system.

Liverpool now want "astonishing" forward to replace Salah; Slot loves him

The Reds are eyeing an attacker who plays for one of Europe’s top clubs.

ByDominic Lund Jan 18, 2025

Manchester City star Ruben Dias appears to be quite taken with rumoured partner Maya Jama after an eye-catching social media post.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Dias and Jama dating for months
• Latter uploads bikini-clad Instagram snaps
• Man City star "breathless" over post

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old caused something of a stir online when he commented with a 'breathless' emoji in response to Jama's bikini-clad photos from her trip to Thailand. This is the latest sign they are getting increasingly more public with their relationship.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE GOSSIP

  This development follows a claim that the couple are getting 'more serious' after the centre-back reportedly introduced the 30-year-old to his mother, Bernadette. This comes after reports suggested the Love Island presenter is being followed on Instagram by Dias' mother.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Jama reportedly began dating Dias last September at the MTV Europe Music Awards, two months after splitting up with rapper Stormzy.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT ?

  While Jama enjoys her holiday, Dias is currently celebrating City's 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday afternoon as they rose to third in the Premier League.

da fezbet： Arsenal are now believed to be the favourites to sign a forward who Mikel Arteta idolises for his speed, with the Gunners expected to have a busy summer after failing to make a single new signing in the January transfer window.

Arsenal set for "big summer" after uneventful January

da pinnacle： Their 2-0 loss to Newcastle earlier this week, not to mention injuries to Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, highlight the need for Arteta’s side to acquire more options for the final third ahead of next season.

Related What Newcastle are now demanding for Isak with Arsenal handed £75m discount

There are discrepancies over his value.

Posts 6 ByEmilio Galantini Feb 8, 2025

While their January was mostly uneventful, despite a widely reported Arsenal bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, reliable journalist Charles Watts expects the club to have a “big summer” as they look to mount another Premier League title challenge next campaign.

However, the journalist also sends a word of caution, with a lot of Arteta’s preferred targets potentially very hard to obtain.

“Alexander Isak may well be first choice in Mikel Arteta’s mind. But that would be an incredibly difficult deal to get done given the sort of fee it would take to tempt Newcastle into doing business,” said Watts.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Leicester City (away)

February 15th

West Ham (home)

February 22nd

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26th

Man United (away)

March 9th

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

“Benjamin Sesko – another long-term target – is far more gettable and there is a relationship already there, with the player and his representatives and with RB Leipzig as well.

“But there will be rival interest in the Slovenia international. So it’s not a foregone conclusion that Arsenal will land him if they do firm up their interest once again. The same could be said for Nico Williams, who is another player Arteta would love to sign, but one who several clubs will be in the mix for come the summer.

“So, whilst I do believe it will be a big summer for Arsenal in the transfer market and that the club will look to be aggressive, it will not be easy given the competition they will face for their top targets.”

Now, according to a report from Spain, Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi has emerged as a potentially astute option.

Arsenal are now the "most likely" team to sign Karim Adeyemi

Indeed, it is believed that Arteta is a real fan of the forward’s pace, balance and proficiency in front of goal – so much so that Arsenal are now the “most likely” team to sign Adeyemi this summer.

The north Londoners are prepared to make a concerted effort to seal a deal for the German, who could cost around £33 million, which is the price Napoli apparently agreed for his signature in January before the move fell through.

Adeyemi, meanwhile, is believed to be keen on a move to the Premier League. Interestingly, he’s also drawn past comparisons to footballing icon Lionel Messi.

“You know who he reminds me of, in his movements?,” said former Poland international Janusz Gora in an interview with The Athletic. “Lionel Messi. The way he glides inside from the right onto his strong left foot with quick little turns.”

Manchester City have endured a disastrous season in the Premier League to date and currently sit in sixth place in the division after 20 matches.

The Cityzens have won ten, drawn four, and lost six of their games in the top-flight so far, leaving them a staggering 12 points behind Liverpool in first.

Pep Guardiola is now looking to bolster his playing squad ahead of the second half of the season by dipping into the January transfer window to add more quality to his group.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are expected to complete a deal to sign Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt this week to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

The Egypt international has racked up 14 goals and seven assists in 16 appearances in the Bundesliga so far this term and will look to replicate that level of output in the final third in the Premier League in the months to come.

As you can see in the clips above, the 25-year-old is a dynamic forward who can make magical things happen by coming in off the left flank or playing through the middle.

He has also thrived across all competitions with a return of 19 goals and 12 assists in 25 matches for Frankfurt, including four goals and two assists in six outings in the Europa League.

Marmoush may not be the only high-profile addition of the window, though, as the Citizens are also reportedly interested in signing a star from Real Madrid after landing the Bundesliga marksman.

Manchester City eyeing up French star

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are interested in a potential deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, with Guardiola lining up a move for the versatile titan.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that City and Premier League rivals Liverpool are both eyeing up a swoop to bring the France international to England this year to bolster their respective midfield set-ups.

It states that the Manchester City board have made funds available to Guardiola to go and pursue the signing of Tchouameni, although there is no mention of how much it would take to secure the former Monaco star’s signature this month.

Football Insider adds, however, that a January transfer for the French star is unlikely because Carlo Ancelotti would prefer to keep his squad together until the end of the season, at least.

This means that City and Liverpool may have to wait until the summer transfer window to seriously pursue a deal to sign the towering midfielder, who joined the Spanish giants from Monaco in the summer of 2022 for a fee of £85.3m.

Guardiola could swoop to sign the Real Madrid star to be an upgrade on one of his current Manchester City central midfield options – Mateo Kovacic.

How Tchouameni compares to Man City midfielder Mateo Kovacic

The Croatia international has struggled with the absence of Rodri at the base of the midfield for the Citizens, as it has exposed his weaknesses out of possession.

Kovacic has been dribbled past a whopping 1.3 times per game on average by opposition players in the top flight, which shows that it has been too easy for opponents to get the better of him in transition.

The former Chelsea star, who won the Champions League with the Blues, has also only won 54% of his duels in the Premier League, barely more than half of his physical contests, and this shows that he has not been dominant in his battles.

Without Rodri, City do not have a defensive anchor in the middle of the park to hold the team together off the ball, with Kovacic’s struggles off the ball illustrating that perfectly.

As you can see in the table above, the Croatian dynamo ranks lowly in the majority of the key defensive performance indicators, which shows that he offers very little to the team out of possession.

Without a fit and firing Rodri available, City need a player with the quality to step up in that role and that is why Guardiola should push for the board to get a deal done for Tchouameni this month, or in the summer, as he could come in as an upgrade on Kovacic.

Firstly, the French star only turns 25 later this month and that means that the Cityzens would be signing a player who is heading into his prime years and would have plenty of time left to be a star for the club in the long-term.

Tchouameni is also a versatile player who can play as a centre-back, a defensive midfielder, or as a central midfielder, which means that Guardiola could utilise him in a plethora of ways.

The Real Madrid star is also a technically secure and defensively dominant star who could step up to offer far more than Kovacic in midfield for City, improving their defensive work without Rodri available.

Tchouameni has won 64% of his duels in LaLiga for Real this season and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, which shows that he wins the majority of his physical contests and consistently looks to break up opposition attacks with his ability to make defensive interventions.

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old midfield machine has been incredibly more effective defensively in comparison to Kovacic this season, making more tackles and interceptions whilst also being dribbled past far less frequently.

Tchouameni, once described as “one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet” by analyst Raj Chohan, has the physical and technical attributes, having showcased them in a major European league for a gigantic club already, to thrive in English football.

A huge upgrade on De Bruyne: Man City chasing move for ex-Chelsea player

Manchester City have already been busy this window, but don’t appear to be slowing down.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 12, 2025

Therefore, Man City must ensure that they win the race with Liverpool to sign the impressive titan, this month or in the summer, to be a big upgrade on Kovacic in the middle of the park.

Plays of the day from the fifth ODI between England and Sri Lanka in Cardiff

Andrew McGlashan in Cardiff02-Jul-2016Single of the day

Jason Roy and James Vince made their ODI debuts in the same game, the rain-ruined match against Ireland last May. Today they opened the batting together, Roy beginning the match with 840 runs to his name and Vince zero – he had not played another ODI since that dank day in Dublin when he did not get a bat. He soon opened his account this time, gliding his first ball down to third man. June had been a frustrating month for Vince as he faced just 96 deliveries across six innings – perhaps July will be kinder to him.From good fielding of the day…<BR
Sri Lanka's fielding has been a mixed bag throughout this tour. And so it continued. Kusal Perera held a good one to cut off Roy – just 166 runs short of a double hundred – but the pick of the grabs was from Kusal Mendis when he ran round at deep cover to dismiss Eoin Morgan. The England captain had just deposited a straight six towards the River Taff but then he tried to go inside-out over cover and did not get the placement quite right. It extended to 21 Morgan's run of international innings without a fifty.…to bad fielding of the day

It appeared Sri Lanka would finish their fifty overs without a major blemish. But it wasn’t to be. Joe Root was shelled on 90 when he skied to deep midwicket but Suranga Lakmal could not hold the catch running in. Then, two balls later, debutant Chaminda Bandara let a ball through his legs at short third man to gift Chris Woakes a boundary.Power of the day

The wonders that Jos Buttler can produce with bat in hand are nothing new, but that doesn’t make them any less notable. In the 47th over, Nuwan Pradeep delivered a very respectable slower-ball yorker. It was just outside off stump, pitching almost perfectly on the popping crease, yet Buttler was able to drive it wide of long-off as he whipped his bottom hand through the shot to generate astonishing power.Throw of the day

Another factor to be thrown into the debate as to whether Jonny Bairstow should be England’s Test wicketkeeper is his brilliance as an all-round fielder without the gloves. He eats up the ground in the outfield and has a rocket-like throw, both facets coming together to remove Mendis. Bairstow sprinted round the boundary from deep square, swooped and skimmed a flat throw towards Buttler who completed the run out.Ball of the day

Liam Plunkett’s pace has given England’s attack an important dimension in this series, keeping Sri Lanka’s batsmen on the back foot for lengthy periods of time. He has spoken about banging the ball in and allowing the pitch to provide variation, but he removed the 22 yards from the equation to dismiss Angelo Mathews with a searing yorker. His celebrations suggested it was a dismissal he would remember fondly.