Journalist Paul Brown has shared some detail behind a "serious" last-gasp deadline day Fulham bid to sign Tottenham star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Fulham deadline day signings

Despite the links to a plethora of stars very late in the window, Fulham did little business yesterday but did manage to seal a dramatic late loan move for AC Milan defender Fode Ballo-Toure.

The Senegal international, who plays as a left-back, joins Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez, Calvin Bassey, Steven Benda, Alex Iwobi and former Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne as Marco Silva's main summer signings.

Fulham were also boosted by star midfielder Joao Palhinha remaining at the club, as his proposed move to Bayern Munich collapsed in the eleventh hour.

The Portugal international had even travelled for a medical with Bayern, but the Whites ultimately didn't give the green light to the move, possibly because they couldn't source a late replacement.

Hojbjerg, who was a mainstay for Spurs under Antonio Conte last season, has found game time difficult to come by in Ange Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham system.

The Dane, as a result, was being chased by Fulham during the latter stages of the summer window – with journalist Brown sharing what he's heard on the matter to GiveMeSport.

Indeed, it is believed Fulham were the "last club" to make a "serious" last-ditch offer to sign Hojbjerg, but the move didn't come to fruition.

The former Southampton star is now left in "limbo" as a result of this, as explained by Brown to GMS:

“Hojbjerg is also one who isn't going to be allowed to leave. I think Fulham were the last club to make a serious offer, but they no longer need to decide what to do about how they replace Joao Palhinha, and I'm not sure he was their first choice there.

“So, he's currently in limbo. It is interesting that Ange Postecoglou also said today that he's not going to be freezing anyone out. If any of the fringe players they're trying to sell end up staying beyond the deadline, they will be reintegrated.

“He's not quite as strict on squad numbers as other managers and he is willing to work with a slightly bigger squad, while he says that right now it's not a problem in terms of numbers in training or anything like that.

How good is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

While Palhinha staying reduces the need for Hojbjerg, in a hypothetical universe, he may well have been a capable deputy for the ex-Sporting CP ace.

The Denmark international ranked as one of Spurs' best-performing players per 90 last term, according to WhoScored, with Hojbjerg also registering the highest pass accuracy (88.6%) of any Tottenham player with over 10 starts.

He chipped in with nine goal contributions in the league, four goals and five assists specifically, and former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson praised Hojbjerg for his performances at the back end of last year.

"I’ve been surprised by how much he has stepped up this year," said Robinson to Football Insider.

“I thought he was the one who would make way for Yves Bissouma. The club spent a lot of money on Bissouma. I think Hojbjerg recognised that and stepped up.

“He is playing to a level that we have never seen before. He is playing his best football in a Spurs shirt."

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."

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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.

Harry Kane’s struggles at Bayern Munich may be generating “hilarity for miserable souls”, but he is being backed to break a trophy duck in Germany.

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• England captain moved to Germany in 2023
• In danger of missing out on major silverware
• Expected to honour more than 12 months of deal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  That may not happen this season, with the England captain enduring a testing debut campaign at the Allianz Arena. He has delivered on a personal front, registering 29 goals through 30 appearances, but is in serious danger of seeing elusive major silverware fall out of reach once more.

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• WHAT JORDAN SAID ABOUT KANE

  Bayern have slipped off the Bundesliga title pace, and are trailing a Champions League last-16 encounter with Lazio, but Kane is being tipped to spend more than 12 months in Munich. Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has told the : “Anyone who looks at Bayern Munich’s woes as some form of retribution for Harry Kane upping sticks to Germany, where titles are apparently a given for his new club, is particularly mean-spirited. It is ironic given the upheaval, upset and lack of achievement at Tottenham that, after winning the title for 11 years in a row, it looks like Bayern are going to miss out this season. Cue much hilarity for miserable souls who seem to take delight in Kane’s failure to win a trophy. But, really, it is unfair to suggest Kane is complicit in Bayern falling short. He has done his job, scoring 25 goals in 22 games, so placing any criticism at his door is ridiculous. I’ve never been of the view that his lack of trophies reflects poorly on him. The guy scores 25-plus goals a season come rain or shine. That is the definition of a world-class striker and there are so few about. That’s why they command so much money and why they are so difficult to buy. Although Kane could be the perfect signing for any elite Premier League club looking for that elusive world-class striker, I don’t see him coming back to England this summer. If I were him I would want to stay until I had won something, otherwise what was the point in going?”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jordan went on to say, with Kane committing to a contract through to 2027: “In fact, a barren year would be even more reason to stay. The fact that the allegedly wonderful, revolutionary and innovative manager Thomas Tuchel will not be there is unlikely to affect his thinking either. Would his appetite to win trophies have been sated by winning something with an all-conquering Bayern this season? No. So why would he leave after one year when they haven’t won anything? At the time of his transfer I questioned whether a Bundesliga title would be meaningful to the England captain, but he made his choice and I don’t see him cutting and running just because Bayern are having a poor season. He went to Germany to win things and it is more likely than not that they will win something next year. They are certainly a better bet than any Premier League side who might want to sign him — apart from Manchester City. In the unlikely event that Bayern were happy to cash in, Kane would obviously interest England’s top clubs. Chelsea and Arsenal may have most need for his services and are perhaps able to meet his expectations. But a move to either of Tottenham’s arch-rivals is a flight of fancy and would be the ultimate legacy killer for a player who appears to pride himself on loyalty and integrity.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  There has been talk of Manchester United being ready to rekindle their interest in Kane, but the Red Devils cannot offer guarantees of trophy triumphs and Kane – who will lead his country into a quest for Euro 2024 glory this summer – is expected to stay put after stepping out of a professional comfort zone and moving his young family to Germany.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is now advancing in his quest to conclude a deal at Anfield as the German coach continues his squad planning, as per reports.

What's the latest news involving Liverpool?

The Reds have made a relatively strong start to the 2023/24 campaign and sit third in the Premier League table with ten points from their first four fixtures in the English top flight.

Nevertheless, Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has copped criticism from former England forward Jay Bothroyd, who believes that the Uruguay international needs to do more given his £85 million price tag. Speaking on Sky Sports Saturday Social, Bothroyd stated:

"For me he’s between a C and a D. When he has played he’s played the majority of games on the left, and when he has played as a striker I don’t think he’s played well. We spoke about missing chances, and he’s missed loads of chances. I know pricetags, at £80m, I’m expecting him to come in and score goals, but he hasn’t done it in the Premier League yet. He has to really work on his composure as a striker".

Cited by 90min, French defender Ibrahima Konate has taken to social media platform Instagram to show the world his progress as he battles back from a thigh injury. The 24-year-old posted footage of him going out on a run and also, later on, Konate showed fans himself on a bike ride, indicating that he is building his way back up to full fitness. It remains unclear when the former RB Leipzig defender will be available for selection once again.

Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma is believed to be on Liverpool's radar; however, Manchester City, Barcelona and Napoli are also keen on the Japan international, as per the same outlet.

Who could sign a new deal at Liverpool?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has taken to social media platform X to issue an update on the state of play regarding the future of left-back Kostas Tsimikas at Anfield, stating:

"Liverpool are now advancing in talks to extend Kostas Tsimikas' contract. Negotiations are progressing to get it done as soon as possible. Discussions will continue to complete the agreement, as @JamesPearceLFC called."

Capology understand that the Greece international is contracted to Liverpool until the summer of 2025 and earns £50,000 per week on Merseyside.

In his time at Liverpool, Tsimikas has become a reliable understudy for Andy Robertson at left-back and has registered 12 assists in 62 appearances across all competitions for the Reds, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, the 27-year-old has excelled in comparison to his positional peers around Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive passes received, taking in around 7.77 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the 92nd percentile for this metric.

Tsimikas may not overtake Robertson as Liverpool's starting left-back under Klopp in the immediate future; nevertheless, he has proven his worth as a capable deputy who can replicate the Scot's intensity both in attack and defence, with the Reds also in the Europa League this season.

Antony and Jadon Sancho make up a Manchester United squad that was "the most expensive ever assembled" in football, according to a new UEFA report.

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Antony and Sancho signed for big feesUEFA reveals most expensive squad everDoesn't account for 2023-24 windowWHAT HAPPENED?

The report, taken by the European Club Finances and Investment Landscape, revealed Erik ten Hag's side to be worth £1.21bn ($1.52bn) by the end of the 2023 financial year. This beats the record in place since 2020 set by Real Madrid, whose illustrious team were worth an estimated £1.13bn ($1.42m) combined.

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The signings of Antony and Sancho contributed heavily to that final 2023 sum. The Brazilian is yet to fully take off since signing for £82m ($103m) in 2022, while the England winger was recently loaned back to Borussia Dortmund after failing to live up to his £73m ($92m) price tag. Other noteworthy costs include £80m ($100m)-man Harry Maguire, signed back in 2019, as well as veteran Casemiro, for whom United splashed out £70m ($88m) in 2022. Indeed, the figures are damning when lined up with United's fortunes on the pitch, with the Red Devils still a long way off being able to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League.

DID YOU KNOW?

However, that report does not take into account United's spending after the 2023 financial year, meaning £72m ($90m) Rasmus Hojlund, £55m ($69m) Mason Mount and £47m ($59m) Andre Onana are all omitted from that staggering total.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

UEFA's report adds that United's eye-watering sum is joined by Premier League rivals Manchester City, Chelsea, as well as European giants Real Madrid, who all topped £1bn ($1.26bn) in squad values for 2023. Todd Boehly's Blues were recently told they could spend up to another £350m ($439m) in the coming window, if the right player sales are sanctioned.

Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder and club icon Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on what he thinks about two of the Owls' summer signings.

When Sunderland got promoted from League One in 2022, they entered the Championship with one of the strongest squads in the league – Black Cats’ sporting director Kristjaan Speakman managed to recruit the likes of Édouard Michut, Daniel Ballard and Amad Diallo, who would help the side finish in the playoffs.

Sheffield Wednesday on the other hand hasn’t managed to recruit as well as their new league rivals since their promotion to the Championship and losing manager Darren Moore only makes their fight for survival much harder.

Former Watford boss Xisco Muñoz was appointed as Moore’s successor, however, the Spaniard is struggling to guide his side to points.

The Owls currently sit 23rd in the Championship with their only point coming in a lacklustre 0-0 draw to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.

And Palmer hasn't been too impressed by the deadline-day acquisitions of Jeff Hendrick and John Buckley…

What has Carlton Palmer said about Wednesday's transfer business?

Speaking to FootballLeagueWorld this week, Palmer said:

"Sheffield Wednesday needed to bring in some Championship experienced players into their squad, so on deadline day, they secured the services of John Buckley.

“It was believed that Buckley was the subject of a £3 million pound bid from Swansea on a permanent deal, but Buckley rejected the move to stay up north.

"Buckley has fallen down the pecking order at Blackburn starting only 21 games last season, but at 23, has played over 100 Championship games, so is a useful acquisition."

Palmer then turned his attention to Hendrick. The former Leeds United midfielder added:

"Hendrick is 31, is experienced, and has a lot of Championship experience.

"He spent last season out on loan at Reading playing 45 league games. Although they were relegated, that was due to the six-point deduction. So, [Hendrick is] another useful acquisition.

"Both are not top-drawer signings but useful additions to the squad."

Who have Sheffield Wednesday signed this season?

Wednesday’s deadline day business may save them from relegation as they managed to get a few additions through the door. One signing that the three-time FA Cup winners signed was Irish midfielder Hendrick from Newcastle United.

The 31-year-old had seen his minutes vanish at Newcastle United as the Magpies invested heavily in their midfield with the Dublin-born midfielder being nowhere near the quality of £55m rated Sandro Tonali or £42.7m Bruno Guimarães.

Name of signing Former club Price as per Transfermarkt Djeidi Gassama PSG 850k Pol Valentín Sporting Gijón 250k Juan Delgado Paços de Ferreira Free Di'Shon Bernard Manchester United Free Anthony Musaba Monaco Free Ashley Fletcher Watford Loan Devis Vásquez AC Milan Loan Mohamed Diaby Portimonense Loan Jeff Hendrick Newcastle United Loan John Buckley Blackburn Rovers Loan Bambo Diaby Preston North End N/A Reece James Blackpool N/A The £1.2m valued midfielder played three times for Newcastle in the 2021/22 season and was later shipped off to Reading the next year. During his time at the Royals, Hendrick played 45 times in the Championship scoring four and assisting once as his side were relegated.The Owls also reinforced on deadline day with 23-year-old John Buckley arriving on loan from Blackburn Rovers.Like Hendrick, Buckley also plays in the centre of the park and has already played 130 times for the Riversiders despite his relatively young age. Last season, the hard-working midfielder averaged 0.43 yellow cards a game (seven in total), so Muñoz may want to have a chat with his new signing about being less aggressive when defending.Whether Palmer is right in his assessment remains to be seen, but after the international break, the Spaniard will be hoping the arrival of these two midfielders will help change their fortunes on the pitch or they will face an instant return to the doldrums of League One.

Form guide (most recent match first)

Kolkata Knight Riders: beat Royal Challenegers Bangalore by six wickets, lost to Delhi Daredevils by 55 runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets, beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets
Chennai Super Kings: beat Delhi Daredevils by 13 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by eight wickets, beat Royal Challengers by five wickets, beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by four runs

Big Picture

The previous match these two played became the one of most talked about games this season, after Vinay Kumar faltered in the execution of a yorker that became a full toss that Dwayne Bravo blasted it into the stands to win it.That match itself was high-scoring and some of the questions it prompted have remained the same. How these sides address them will likely determine the winner on Thursday evening.Halfway into the tournament the Super Kings have proved to be the best batting unit – in terms of run rate across the three phases of innings. They are third in the Powerplay (8.92), but have the best scoring rate in the middle overs (8.54) and at the death (12.64) where MS Dhoni has regained his golden touch as a finisher. However that advantage is virtually erased by the sloppiness of their bowling, which has been inconsistent throughout innings. The absence of a good new-ball bowler is evident in the Powerplay phase, where the Super Kings are fourth most expensive with an economy rate of 8.63. It gets worse as the innings goes on: in the middle overs, they are third-worst, conceding at 8.40; at the death, where Super Kings have leaked runs at 11.42 an over, they are second-worst in the tournament.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Luckily it would seem for Super Kings, Knight Riders have failed to sustain the early momentum gained by their top order comprising Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine and Robin Uthappa. At the death, Knight Riders lose a wicket every 10.5 balls and score a boundary every five deliveries. Their run rate of 9.91 in this phase is decent, but nothing that truly hurts the opposition.Clearly then this could be a battle that is won or lost at the death.

In the news

Nitish Rana has back spasms and will undergo a fitness assessment on the morning of the game. In case he is unfit, Knight Riders could choose between Ishank Jaggi and Rinku Singh.

Previous meeting

It is the match that will be remembered as the one that pushed fans to troll India seamer Vinay Kumar, following the penultimate-ball six by Dwayne Bravo that helped Super Kings chase down a target of 203. That game also happened to be the last match played in Chennai, after which Super Kings’ home base was switched to Pune.

Likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 5 Nitesh Rana/Ishank Jaggi, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shubman Gill, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Tom Curran/Mitchell JohnsonChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Karn Sharma, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Shardul Thakur, 11 Lungi NgidiESPNcricinfo Ltd

Strategy punt

Best chance for Sunil Narine to regain his impact with the ball. Narine picked up seven wickets in the first four matches, but then could manage just the one wicket in the next four games during which he conceded at a rate of 10.3 with an average of 144. However his numbers against the specialist batsmen in Super Kings are healthy and home conditions are likely to favour Narine.

Stats that matter

• Andre Russell can overpower all kinds of bowling. Of particular note in that list is Russell’s Caribbean team-mate Dwayne Bravo. Russell has 216 runs off 102 balls he has faced from Bravo, a strike rate of 211.8 in 17 innings
• Sunil Narine has had the better of Shane Watson, Super Kings’ gun batsman. In 13 T20 innings he has bowled against the Australian, Narine has got Watson six times
• Robin Uthappa needs 23 runs to register 4000 runs in the IPL. Uthappa also needs nine runs to register 1000 runs at Eden Gardens in the IPL
• Piyush Chawla needs two wickets to register 50 wickets for KKR in the IPL. He will become the first player in IPL history to pick up 50-plus wickets for multiple teams. Chawla previously took 84 wickets for Kings XI Punjab
• This IPL, Chris Lynn has been defensive against left-arm spinners: in four innings so far, out of 27 deliveries he has faced against them, he has got 25 runs at a strike rate of 92.6 with a dot ball percentage of 44.4, and has been out twice

Fantasy pick

The Eden Gardens pitch has helped quick bowlers more than spinners, which gives Andre Russell two bites at the cherry; he can be great value if he gets to bat too, not least because he has big numbers against Super Kings at the death.

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min absolutely cannot wait for a "raw talent" at Spurs to make his debut, with the South Korea star heaping praise on Brennan Johnson.

Who did Spurs sign this summer?

Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy brought in a host of new signings over the summer transfer window.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, playmaker James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, striker Alejo Veliz and Johnson all put pen to paper on moves to N17 before September 1.

Seven new additions in total now arrive to bolster Postecoglou's options ahead of a long and challenging 2023/2024 season at Spurs.

The north Londoners have taken to the new Premier League campaign with real gusto so far; showcasing their new brand of attacking, all-out football under Postecoglou.

Spurs sealed impressive wins against Man United, Bournemouth and Burnley just prior to the international break; scoring nine goals in just three matches.

Tottenham's new manager has been lavished with praise since, and things may only get better as summer signing Johnson is still yet to make his debut in the forward areas.

Son, speaking in a recent press conference on international duty with South Korea, heralded the 22-year-old and explained exactly why he is buzzing to play alongside him.

The winger said that with Johnson's arrival, they will play "even better" football.

"I think that by coming to Spurs (Johnson) wants to improve and go to the next step," said the South Korea captain (via BBC).

"He will feel the pressure as well but I can't wait to have him in our team, playing even better football, better attacking, better fast football, but I think everyone has to take that responsibility.

"You don't want to let Harry go because he's one of best players in world. When you have Harry Kane on your team you have 20-30 goals in your pocket. You have these goals guaranteed, but I think the players have said 'Okay, everyone has to take a big step forward to move this club forward'.

"Everyone has to take a big responsibility because certainly we've lost 30 goals. Now everybody has to step up to make those 30 goals together which is very important."

How good is Brennan Johnson?

The Wales forward stood out among Forest's best players during their successful fight against relegation last term; scoring eight goals and assisting three others in 38 top flight matches (WhoScored).

International boss Rob Page, speaking to the media last summer, also claimed the sky is the limit for Johnson, whilst journalist Mitch Fretton has called him a "raw talent".

“Brennan could potentially have had a move in January,” Page said in 2022.

“But he decided to stay because he’s at a club where he was going to play and enjoy his football. That speaks volumes about him. He didn’t go chasing the money.

“He’s almost the finished article now and Forest have got a wonderful player on their hands. I’ve been to watch him a few times and he’s playing with freedom. He’s really enjoying his football.”

A magnificent rearguard hundred from Kevin O’Brien gave Ireland a lead of 139 in their maiden Test and the prospect of giving Pakistan an awkward run chase

The Report by Alan Gardner14-May-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIreland’s rise from World Cup giant-killers to fully fledged Test nation has featured a band of familiar faces, few more recognisable than that of Kevin O’Brien. From Sabina Park 2007, when he was in the middle to help seal victory over Pakistan, to Bangalore 2011, when his 50-ball hundred (and pink dye job) slayed England, O’Brien has been at the centre of Ireland’s story. Now he is the first Irishman to score a Test hundred.This time the hair was a more natural, russet colour, as O’Brien removed his helmet to soak in the applause at Malahide. Having been made to follow on 180 runs behind, many would have written off Ireland’s chances of taking the game into day five; instead, they will resume their second innings with a lead of 139 and the prospect of giving Pakistan an awkward run chase – at the very least.A thick outside edge through point off Mohammad Amir brought O’Brien to a milestone that held significance far beyond the personal. Amir’s three wickets earlier in the day had put Pakistan into a position from which an innings win seemed entirely possible – even likely – but O’Brien and Stuart Thompson combined for a 114-run rearguard that not only pushed Ireland in front and burnished local pride, but allowed them to sleep on the possibility of another famous upset.It took a ripping delivery from legspinner Shadab Khan to remove Thompson, bowled playing back as the ball lurched from the rough outside off stump, but No. 9 Tyrone Kane then dug in stoically for an hour and a half for 8 off 67 balls to frustrate Pakistan further.Having taken four wickets in brisk fashion during the morning, and then a couple more after lunch, Pakistan’s seamers went flat as the day wore on. Thompson was dropped on 6 off the bowling of Rahat Ali, a low edge to Sarfraz Ahmed’s left, but was largely untroubled in recording a maiden Test half-century that was marked by growing confidence. Rahat was particularly innocuous and Thompson’s thump for four to bring up fifty and the century stand with O’Brien summed up the shift in fortunes.As in the first innings, when he top-scored with 40, O’Brien was an assured presence at the crease, his bat seemingly as wide as St James’s Gate, temperament as reliable as the stout Dublin is most famous for. Rather than booming drives and pulls, he played softly and watchfully, gliding several boundaries through third man or off his pads. A tap through mid-on secured him fifty, another first for Ireland in Tests.The spirit epitomised by Gary Wilson’s first-innings resistance, batting at No. 9 with an injury, and the opening stand second time in between Ed Joyce and William Porterfield coursed through the Irish effort. While Amir bowled through the pain of a knee problem, Shadab found turn and Mohammad Abbas continued his penetrative start to life as a Test cricketer, Pakistan became increasingly anguished.A thick edge through vacant second slip in the penultimate over of the day brought a scream of annoyance from Amir, as a weary O’Brien stared blankly down the pitch. O’Brien came close to playing on and being lbw to Abbas in the next over but there was no succour for Pakistan.Such an outcome seemed unlikely after an eventful morning session, in which Ireland extended their opening stand to 69 before Joyce was run out by a direct hit from Faheem Ashraf at mid-on. In a match that has seen plenty of dodgy running, Joyce was perhaps unlucky to be the only man run out (so far); he ended up fractionally short after calling a tight single, with Ashraf’s throw aiming at one stump doing just enough to dislodge the bails.That gave Pakistan an opening, which they quickly exploited. Andy Balbirnie made an unwanted sort of history when he was hit on the pads and given lbw against Abbas for the second time in the match, becoming the first Ireland batsman to register a Test pair. Keen to avoid a similar fate, Niall O’Brien’s first run came via a risky single that left him on his knees sporting a wry grin and muddy sweater.The elder O’Brien made it into double-figures before being detonated from the crease by Amir, who flattened the stumps with a delivery that reversed in to the left-hander. William Porterfield, who laboured for 120 balls over his 32, was given a torrid time during Amir’s initial seven-over spell and eventually succumbed to a wicked outswinger that Sarfraz held on to.Ireland at that stage were 95 for 4, still 85 from putting Pakistan in for a second time. Paul Stirling was lbw shortly after lunch, Abbas locating his pad fractionally before bat came into play, and when Wilson was caught slip off Amir it was 157 for 6 and the result all but certain. Then Kevin O’Brien’s scriptwriter intervened again.

It has been a difficult couple of years for Everton fans, as they’ve seen their side reach the top of the league in 2020 with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, to now battling to avoid relegation year after year.

The Toffees haven’t finished in the top half of the Premier League since the 2018/19 season under Marco Silva, and in the last three years, they’ve finished 16th, 17th and 18th.

Last season Everton came their closest to relegation as they only secured their survival on the last day, following a massive 1-0 over Bournemouth.

One of the reasons for Everton’s fall from grace is their poor recruitment under owner Farhad Moshiri – luckily, though, it appears there's a new era on the horizon with 777 Partners signing an agreement to buy the British-Iranian's full 94.1% stake in the Toffees.

Since becoming an initial 49.9% shareholder in 2016, Moshiri has spent £530m on 31 players and by 2022, £130m worth of players have been sold for free.

One of these huge flops was Oumar Niasse, who left Everton for free in July 2020 after signing in 2016.

How much did Everton pay for Oumar Niasse?

Prior to the striker's arrival in January 2016, Everton and manager Roberto Martínez had endured a difficult start to the Premier League season, only winning six games out of 23.

Following the poor opening games Everton spent £19m in the January transfer window, with £13.5m being used on the Senegalese forward, making him Everton’s third-most expensive signing at the time, behind Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini.

After moving to the Merseyside outfit, the 33-year-old was ecstatic to sign for the Toffees.

He said:

"It's a great day for me, a big dream to play in the Premier League and a big dream to play for Everton.

"Everton is one of the best teams in the Premier League and the Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world.

"I know Everton is one of the big clubs here in England with history, the fans and the great players, so I'm very excited and happy to be here.

"I started to watch Everton more since the beginning of October because I had heard about their interest. I was interested to see how they play and how they have good young players.

Why did Everton buy Oumar Niasse?

Before signing for Everton, Niasse enjoyed an impressive spell playing for Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia, where he made 40 appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing 14 assists, meaning he averaged a goal contribution every 0.82 games.

The Senegal international also proved himself in the Europa League by scoring four goals and registering three assists in only six games, this earned him an average rating on Sofascore of 7.22, the highest in the squad.

His attacking prowess was also backed up by his stats as in Europe for the Russian side, per game he had the most shots (3.5), the most successful dribbles (1.5), the second most key passes (1.3) and the second most shots on target (1.3).

What happened to Oumar Niasse after joining Everton?

Niasse suffered a pretty torrid time throughout his four years with Everton as his most successful games in the famous blue shirt came when he played for the U23s, as during his time with them, he played 10 games and scored 12 goals.

However, while playing for the first team he was incredibly disappointing, in his 42 appearances he only managed nine goals and four assists in all competitions, meaning he scored more for the youth teams.

Furthermore, during his first season at Everton Niasse had the 26th-worst Sofascore rating in the Everton squad with 6.54.

While playing under Dutch manager Ronald Koeman, after Martinez's sacking, the striker revealed that he was exiled from the squad and his locker was removed.

While speaking to the Guardian he said:

“It’s sad, it’s really sad.

“And, to be honest, I think I don’t deserve this but what I can do is just keep my head and fight to change things. I’m not going to make a drama over this. I just deal with it.

“I know it’s just one period.

“Koeman said: ‘You have to leave.’

“I couldn’t understand how that decision could have been made after 45 minutes but I just said: ‘OK.’

“I’m in the dressing room with the under-23s but I don’t have a locker.

“The other players have where they put their stuff but I don’t.

“I come with my bag and I just have a place I know. I put my bag down, I train and after, I put everything in my car and go home.

“He took my shirt number, and he told me I wasn’t allowed to be in the dressing room for the first team; that I wasn’t going to train with them. I had to go with the second team.”

Although his career in England did get a little better during the 2017/18 season after Koeman’s exit, as under new manager Sam Allardyce the striker’s Sofascore rating improved to 6.85, the 12th-best in the squad.

This prompted the English manager to confirm in 2018 that Niasse's position had never been stronger.

He said:

“I think Oumar’s position at Everton has never really been as good as it is at the moment.

“He’s put himself in a position to shine and score goals. He’s got goals and assists to his name and he’s starting games on a regular basis.

“Oumar’s grasped that position at the moment, making assists, scoring goals, holding it up well, so it’s made it difficult for me to replace him.”

However, the eight goals he would score for Allardyce that season would be his last for the club as at the end of the 2019/20 season he would be released and since then his career has gone even further downhill.

In February 2022, after a disappointing move to Huddersfield where he didn't play, Niasse joined League One side Burton Albion where he would make just 12 appearances and score three goals before being released just five months later.

It would take the nine-cap international eight months before he found a new club, this time he would join fellow League One side Morecambe for another disappointing spell, where he made just 10 appearances and scored one goal before being released in July this year.

Oumar Niasse's career, via Transfermarkt

Club

Appearances

Goals

SK Brann

4

0

Akhisarspor

40

15

Lokomotiv Moscow

40

19

Everton

42

9

Hull

19

5

Cardiff

13

0

Huddersfield

0

0

Burton Albion

12

3

Morecambe

10

1

Since leaving the English third division side the centre forward is still yet to find a new club, proving what a waste of money he was for Everton.