The two spinners took six wickets between them to fashion Afghanistan’s first T20I series win over Bangladesh
The Report by Mohammad Isam05-Jun-2018 Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRaton Gomes/BCB
After teaming up with Rashid Khan to limit Bangladesh to 134 for 8, Mohammad Nabi smashed an unbeaten 31 off 15 balls to guide Afghanistan to their first T20I series win over a Test side other than Zimbabwe. Seventeen-year-old mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman also contributed to the win with 15 dots in a four-over spell.Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb claimed combined figures of 6 for 46 in 12 overs to run through Bangladesh’s batting line-up. Rashid did the bulk of the damage, taking 4 for 12, including the vital wickets of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mosaddek Hossain in one over, the 16th of the innings. Nabi, meanwhile, dismissed Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur Rahim.Bangladesh, though, had a positive start, moving to 81 for 3 in 10 overs, with opener Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah setting up for a late burst. However, two overs later, Karim Janat removed Mahmudullah to set Bangladesh up for a collapse.Rashid first had Shakib holing out to long-on before getting Tamim and Mosaddek off successive deliveries. In his next over, Rashid had Soumya Sarkar holing out to cap an outstanding spell. Abu Hider then launched some late blows with Nazmul Islam in a 26-run partnership for the ninth wicket off 13 balls to boost the total. Bangladesh’s highest stand was 45 between Tamim and Mushfiq but the pair could not find a tempo high enough to hurt Afghanistan.Afghanistan also started slowly in their chase and lost Mohammad Shahzad inside the Powerplay, but Samiullah Shenwari repaired the innings with 49 off 41 balls and took his side to within 20 runs of a series victory. With Afghanistan needing 20 off the last two overs, Nabi clobbered four boundaries in five balls off fast bowler Rubel Hossain to seal it in style.Bangladesh might rue not holding onto their chances. When Shahzad was scoreless in the first over, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur dropped a thick edge to reprieve him. The opener went onto hit four fours and a six in his 18-ball 24 to set the tone for the chase. Following Shahzad’s dismissal, Afghanistan went 30 balls without a boundary before Shenwari disdainfully pulled Rubel to the midwicket fence in the 11th over. He then hammered three sixes off spinners Mahmudullah and Mosaddek.Mosaddek bowled Shenwari in the 18th over to give Bangladesh hope but Nabi dashed it with a breathtaking late assault that ticked off another landmark for Afghanistan.
Rory Hamilton-Brown would love to get a chance to play for England. But for the time being nothing can distract him from his club’s fortunes
Alan Gardner26-Apr-2012Controlling the controllables is one of the mantras of the modern sportsman. In this respect, Rory Hamilton-Brown is very much like his peers – he would love to play for England but is happy for his form to do the talking; winning the Championship would be “a dream come true”, though he will make sure his Surrey side takes things one game at a time. But there is one aspect that is more difficult to govern, even for a talented young cricketer, and that is what people think about you.Having been brought back to Surrey, where he came through the youth system, after a high-profile pursuit by the coach, Chris Adams, to become club captain at just 22 years of age – the youngest in 138 years – Hamilton-Brown, perhaps naturally, made headlines. Not all of them were favourable, with questions raised about his age and inexperience, as well as assumptions about his background. He hasn’t been seen with a newspaper since; he jokes that if he had read everything that was written about him, he might have “ended up on Beachy Head or something”.”I made a promise to myself,” he says of his decision to ignore the write-ups. “To start with, there was a lot of negative stuff. It hurts you a bit because I hadn’t really done anything; I hadn’t shown to be good enough, I hadn’t shown not to be good enough. Obviously with a double-barrelled surname, the media were very interested in that… Because there was a lot of negative, I just felt if I confide with people that care about me within the dressing room – Adams, Ian Salisbury, my father, my mother – and those people are telling me whether I’m doing well or not, I think that’s all you can ask for.”Two years on, Hamilton-Brown is still the youngest captain on the county circuit, though his credentials are no longer in doubt. Leading Surrey back into Division One and securing the county’s first trophy since 2003 has seen to that, and it is for his batting that he now wishes to spark discussion. Following a first season of what he calls “survival”, balancing the captaincy with his role in the side as a batsman, in 2011, Hamilton-Brown scored more than 1000 Championship runs, the first time he had passed the batting benchmark. As the likes of James Taylor, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler entered the reckoning for England, Hamilton-Brown admits to disappointment at being overlooked by the selectors.”As the captaincy’s gone on, a lot of the stuff has become a little bit easier, you can do a few things on autopilot,” he says. “I knew that I wouldn’t reap initial rewards. I thought that it might put my England ambitions back a year or so, but it was a dream of mine to captain the club I’ve grown up playing for, and it’s always been a dream to play for England. I felt that with having the pressures of captaincy, if I could come through that and turn into the cricketer I wanted to be, coupled with being a good leader, that would help me ultimately.”I was disappointed not to be involved at the end of last year. The first year, quite rightly, I had a very good one-day year but my four-day cricket wasn’t quite up to scratch, but then last year I felt, on top of being captain, gaining promotion, winning a trophy and my performances with the bat, I thought it may have been recognised – but it wasn’t. That’s when I go back to keeping my performances on the board for Surrey, and hopefully at some point it’ll get picked up.
“Last year I felt, on top of being captain, gaining promotion, winning a trophy and my performances with the bat, I thought it may have been recognised – but it wasn’t. That’s when I go back to keeping my performances on the board for Surrey”Hamilton-Brown on being ignored by England’s selectors
“I have a belief that if I get my game right, I’ll be good enough. I want to play when I’m ready, if and when I’m good enough. There’s no rush. The rush for me is to put in performances so that people start talking about it.”With his broad shoulders and quasi-mullet of blond hair, as well as the beginnings of a fair beard, there is something leonine about Hamilton-Brown, even beyond his first name. Far from roaring into the room, however, his first words are to apologise for being late, having caught the train in from his mum’s, where he had been to see his younger brother and sister.The sense of family is not far away at The Oval, either, with Hamilton-Brown praising the influence of first-team coach Salisbury, and describing Adams as being “like a father figure”. They were team-mates at Sussex, where Hamilton-Brown spent two seasons rebuilding his career after asking to be released by Surrey in 2007. And Adams was dogged in his pursuit of a player he described at the time as having a “super tactical brain”.Hamilton-Brown says he thinks “very deeply” about the game, to the point where some of his decisions catch even Adams by surprise. He has also shown a willingness to put the team before his own cause, with his move to open the batting – in only his second full season in four-day cricket – prompted by a lack of a natural alternative in the squad.Though he has now returned to the middle order, he believes the experiment did him good in the long run. “I just feel more adept at either situation now, coming in at 120 for 3 or 20 for 3. I feel comfortable, that’s where I’ve done it for a long period of time and had success doing it. It’s just that inner belief that you can do it. But also, it’s nice to walk in at 120 for 3 and the shine’s gone off.”In three Championship matches so far, Hamilton-Brown has 284 runs at 47.33, despite the early season difficulties bemoaned by his team-mate Mark Ramprakash (Hamilton-Brown, for his part, says he prefers results pitches to dead tracks). With questions over the make-up of England’s middle order, his time may not be long in coming, five years after he captained his country at Under-19 level. His response, however, is immediate when asked if he would prefer an England call-up or a Championship winner’s medal with Surrey.”Championship title, no doubt. It would be a dream come true to have a Championship title, but that’s a long way off. It means so much. There’s been so much put in by everyone in this group, Chris Adams, Ian Salisbury, those sorts of guys to start with. There’s been a lot of time and effort. There’s also been a lot of heartache for the last few years at the club, a lot of tough days – so it would be absolutely unbelievable if something like that happened.”Hamilton-Brown led Surrey to the 40-over title in 2011•Getty ImagesHamilton-Brown spent the winter playing cricket in Zimbabwe and New Zealand, where he worked on his offspin – he is keen to maintain his reputation as an allrounder, particularly in one-day cricket, to enhance his international prospects – but he currently has no desire to broaden his horizons further by seeking involvement in the IPL.”It’s not an ambition of mine at the minute because I want to be playing for England and I feel that the runs you score in the first six or seven weeks of the season can sometimes be the most important, because it’s the toughest time,” he says. “For me the ambition is to play for England. I got asked to go into the auction the last couple of years but I’ve not got any interest in it.”Despite being born just down the road from Lord’s, for the time being it is England’s other London ground that is his focus. “Surrey is the bubble I’m involved in. I’m not involved in an England bubble. This club is something that’s very close to my heart and I feel like we’ve been given the opportunity to take a top club from the bottom and potentially make it a successful side for a long period of time. And that’s very exciting.”
Liverpool suffered two worrying injuries to key players in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, and journalist James Pearce has provided an update on the influential pair.
Liverpool's injuries vs Man City
The Reds picked up an impressive result in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, battling their way to an excellent point away to the reigning champions.
Prior to the game, City had won all 23 home matches they have played in all competitions in 2023, but Jurgen Klopp's men proved to be a match for them at the Etihad, showing off their title credentials in the process.
Latest Liverpool transfer news: Alisson heir identified; £85m ace on radar
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ByAngus Sinclair Jul 11, 2024
Erling Haaland opened the scoring before half-time, making the most of some questionable defending to fire past Alisson, and it looked as though Liverpool could be on their way to a damaging defeat in Manchester. Thankfully, Trent Alexander-Arnold equalised with an inch-perfect finish with time running out, however, earning his side a hard-fought draw at the home of last season's Champions League winners.
There were two negatives to take from the game, though, with Diogo Jota leaving the field with an injury in the second half, and Alisson then going down in the dying seconds, with both looking like they may have potentially suffered hamstring issues. It is a big concern ahead of the festive fixtures, with Klopp needing as many of his key figures available as possible.
James Pearce drops Liverpool injury update
Taking to X after the game, Pearce confirmed that Liverpool pair Alisson and Jota are both "set for scans" on the injuries they picked up at City.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
This is clearly concerning news for Liverpool, and the fact that scans are needed to determine the severity of the injuries does suggest that neither simply suffered cramp in a high-intensity encounter.
The idea of the Reds losing Alisson for a sustained period doesn't even bear thinking, considering the Brazilian is seen by many as the best goalkeeper in the world, and his influence has possibly been unrivalled at Anfield this season.
Even against City, on a day when he was far from his best, he still made a crucial save to deny Haaland just seconds before Liverpool went up the other end and equalised through Alexander-Arnold, and he is a colossal presence between the sticks.
Meanwhile, Jota would be another big miss, with the Reds forward scoring eight goals overall this season, and he is someone who does seem to pick up injuries on a frustratingly regular basis.
The hope is that the scans reveal that both Alisson and Jota have only suffered minor issues, potentially not even missing a Premier League game, but that could be wishful thinking, and it is easy to envisage Klopp having to make do without both for a chunk of action.
Not having Alisson available for a lengthy spell would be particularly galling for Liverpool supporters, with Caoimhin Kelleher a solid backup option but not someone a title-chasing team wants in their starting lineup every week, but the Reds do at least have Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo to call upon in attack without Jota around.
England have honed a reputation as one of the most big-hitting ODI sides around, but they are prepared to play a more measured game in Sri Lanka if conditions dictate
ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2018England have honed a reputation over recent years as one of the most big-hitting ODI sides around, but they are prepared to play a more measured game in Sri Lanka if conditions dictate, according to opener Jonny Bairstow.The five-match ODI series, which pits top-ranked England against No. 8 Sri Lanka, starts next week, with pressure on the hosts after a failed Asia Cup campaign that led to the controversial dropping of captain Angelo Mathews. It is a far cry from four years ago, when England went to Sri Lanka to fine tune for the World Cup, were beaten 5-2 and sacked Alastair Cook.SL XI to play England
Since that 2014 encounter, Sri Lanka have only won two bilateral ODI series – against West Indies and Ireland. Their last outing at home, against South Africa in July, resulted in a 3-2 defeat, although the series was lost by the time Sri Lanka managed to win a game.England, by contrast, have won eight series in a row (excluding a one-off defeat to Scotland), and broke their own record for the highest ODI team score in the summer, racking up 481 for 6 against Australia at Trent Bridge. However, Bairstow said England are ready to “grit it out” against Sri Lanka if the surfaces don’t prove so friendly.”If you look at the pitches for South Africa they looked like good cricket pitches,” Bairstow told reporters in Colombo. “Whether they change their tactics and produce pitches that are slightly different for us… so be it.”We’ve got to prepare like that’s the case. Yes, we’d like to play on good pitches and yes, we’d like to have high-scoring games but we’re prepared to guts it out and grit it out if needed.”Both teams have to bat and bowl on them, whether it’s batting first or bowling first, under lights or through the day. We’ve experienced these challenges before in India and Bangladesh and come out on top, so we’re confident going into the series. We like to think the majority of our players have experienced conditions around the world.”Jonny Bairstow bats in the nets•Getty ImagesWhile England have developed an attacking outlook rivalled by few other one-day sides, they have been prone to occasional spectacular collapses, and Bairstow’s comments reflect a recognition that they must be prepared for a variety of challenges ahead of next year’s World Cup on home soil.They will begin their tour proper on Friday, when they take on a Sri Lankan XI in Colombo with a largely settled side. Bairstow has become a default pick at opener – Jason Roy and Alex Hales are the options to partner him – scoring all six of his ODI hundreds over the last 18 months, but he was not even part of the squad four years ago.”It’s great that it’s gone so well but you want to keep it going in the right direction,” Bairstow said. “I’m happy with my game, but you want to keep improving, moving forward, pushing yourself. This is a great opportunity to do that.”
Despite Pakistan overcoming Zimbabwe to secure their place in the tri-series final, their captain Sarfraz Ahmed was vocal in the criticism of his bowling attack. “The bowling was not up to the mark,” he said shortly after guiding his side to a seven-wicket win. “They have to work hard.”Sarfraz had been a loud and, at times, stroppy presence behind the stumps during Zimbabwe’s innings. The very first ball of the day seemed to set the tone, as Sarfraz let rip with a fearful ear-bashing at Fakhar Zaman when he was slow off the mark from midwicket, allowing Zimbabwe opener Cephas Zhuwao to get off the mark. There wasn’t much let up thereafter.But Zaman shrugged off Sarfraz’s histrionics, suggesting that the team are comfortable under their captain and that, perhaps, a bit of sound and fury was what was needed to sharpen them up on a particularly cold winter’s day in Harare. “Yeah, he’s the kind of person who does that sometimes,” said Zaman. “But he’s very good at getting us up on the field. We’re used to it and he’s our captain. And well, it works for us and it worked today.”Sarfraz also had some fiery words for his bowlers, ticking Shadab Khan off during an over when Solomon Mire hit him for two big sixes. Mire took the attack to Pakistan’s bowlers, and Zaman admitted that Zimbabwe had scored 20 to 30 more runs than they thought was par on this pitch.”We were expecting 130 to 140 on this pitch, but Mire played a very good innings,” Zaman said. “We knew that we have a very deep batting lineup – we have Shadab at no. 9 – so we were confident we could chase it.”As it turned out, Pakistan’s lower order wasn’t needed as Zaman and Hussain Talat cracked forties before Sarfraz finished things off with an ice-cold, unbeaten 38. While his tongue-lashing geed them up, Sarfraz’s batting was the picture of limited-overs sangfroid and provided a different sort of a lesson to his team. Zaman said that spending time under Sarfraz had helped him improve his own game, particularly in T20 cricket.”In the start in T20 I was hitting every ball in my striking zone, and after playing eight to 10 games I sat with some senior players like Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed, and spoke about my gameplans with them,” Zaman said. “I realised that I could play proper cricket shots and be successful, and that’s what I’ve been doing recently.”Pakistan’s win means they are assured of a place in Sunday’s final, though they have a dead rubber against Australia tomorrow. Bucking their recent trend in short-format cricket, Australia have won two in two in this tournament and they were buoyed by an opening victory against Pakistan which included Billy Stanlake’s 4 for 8.”We’ll just keep it very simple [against Australia],” Zaman said. “[Stanlake] bowled really well in the last match but every day is a new day. We’ll play him well.”
Erik ten Hag will look to bolster his attacking options at Manchester United by acquiring a £36m-rated ex-Chelsea forward in January.
As per reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils have enquired about 27-year-old, Timo Werner, however negotiations are yet to take place.
The likelihood is that Werner will remain at his current club until the summer, but the move could develop over the next few weeks.
Why Man United want Werner
Following an impressive debut campaign as manager of Manchester United, Ten Hag has been dealt an unfair hand this season, due to the sheer number of players that have been unavailable, with the current list tallying up to ten.
This was on show at Goodison Park at the weekend, with the only attackers on the Red Devils bench being Facundo Pellistri and youngster, Joe Hugill.
Rasmus Hojlund was one of the players who endured time out, which left an injury-prone Anthony Martial as the main striker versus Everton. Unreliable is the most appropriate term to describe the French attacker and Ten Hag will want to ensure that his side isn’t without a true number nine like last season.
Rasmus Hojlund
Availability is key and Werner’s injury record whilst he was at Chelsea wasn’t an issue, only missing nine matches throughout his time in London due to injury.
The RB Leipzig forward is known for his electric pace, movement beyond the opponent and being a natural goal scorer, who is lethal when confidence is high. Werner also recognises himself as a player who can perform in numerous roles and four years ago, he stated “I’ve become more versatile”.
Buying individuals who can cover a handful of positions will be beneficial to United, especially going into the second half of the campaign. Werner can feature off Hojlund, as a lone striker or as a left-sided forward, but Rafael van der Vaart isn’t convinced by the attacker, labelling him as a "blind horse".
The Bundesliga transfer curse
Manchester United have signed a handful of players from the Bundesliga in the past, with the majority of those individuals failing to live up to the high standards set by the United faithful.
Jadon Sancho, Shinji Kagawa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all made the switch from Borussia Dortmund, yet despite having small spells of quality, a lack of consistency has been the driving force behind a shortened career at Old Trafford.
Jadon Sancho
Sancho has been the notable Bundesliga nightmare, now alienated from the squad by Ten Hag after some less-than-favourable numbers. Indeed, the former Dortmund man has only registered 12 goals in 82 outings for the Red Devils.
Unlike the three aforementioned, Werner has played in the English top-flight prior and Premier League fans are more informed of his ability. During his first campaign at Chelsea, Werner played an important role in the UEFA Champions League triumph, whilst also scoring 12 goals and accumulating 15 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions.
However, the signing of Romelu Lukaku in the 2021/22 season affected the German and he later claimed that he “didn’t feel honoured enough”.
RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner celebrates scoring a goal.
It is reasonable to presume that if Ten Hag had his full squad available, including Werner, then the rapid forward would not make it into his best starting XI ahead of Marcus Rashford or Hojlund.
Given the quote just mentioned and the fact that the boss doesn’t rotate often, dressing room unrest may occur like at Chelsea, which raises question marks on whether this would be a smart signing.
West Ham United are admirers of an exciting young coach should they decide to sack David Moyes, according to a reliable journalist.
West Ham's up and down season continues
The Irons have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won five, drawn two and lost five of their opening 12 games, meaning that they currently find themselves ninth in the top-flight table heading into the international break.
Following Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest, which just about epitomised their campaign, Moyes’ side will have gained some confidence that they are able to go on a positive run of form upon their return to domestic action, but regardless, there have been some questions asked about the manager’s position in the dugout.
According to 90min, David Sullivan is happy for the Scotsman to see out his contract until the end of the season unless a candidate that fits the profile of what he’s looking for was to become available between now and then, but it’s not the first time that chiefs have assessed their options in the market.
The London Stadium outfit have previously been credited with an interest in Feyenoord’s Arne Slot and Lille’s Paulo Fonseca, as per the same report, and they have now set their sights on an alternative who has experience playing in the Premier League.
West Ham chiefs considering Michael Carrick
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dean Jones revealed that Michael Carrick is of interest to West Ham and admitted that he has the attributes to match what the board are searching for.
“My expectation would be that they look to be forward-thinking. Unless West Ham suddenly find themselves in crisis and need crisis management, that's the only time I could see them going for somebody with huge experience as their next appointment.
“I would expect them though to go for somebody who's younger, more forward-thinking and is more in tune with the way that the game is heading in the next 10 years, rather than how it's been for the last 10 years. That's what I would be thinking. Carrick is a really interesting one, but we have to see which direction his career goes in right now. But he's definitely somebody who is on West Ham's radar.”
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick.
Michael Carrick's record at Middlesbrough
Since being appointed at Middlesbrough, Carrick has won 29, drawn eight and lost 16 of his 53 games in charge, taking a total of 95 points from a possible 159 whilst averaging 1.79 points per match (Transfermarkt – Carrick statistics), so he’s really settled into life at the helm at the Riverside Stadium.
The Wallsend-born coach, who is 42 years of age, was also named last week’s Championship Manager of the Week for successfully beating Leicester City, so he’s proven that he’s capable of overcoming a squad of mostly Premier League players.
Furthermore, Carrick, who is “perfect” at bringing out the best in his stars and developing younger talents, according to journalist Josh Bunting, led the northeast outfit to the second tier playoffs at the end of last season, so for a manager who already knows what it takes to compete and be successful under big pressure, he could be the ideal candidate for West Ham.
Arjun Tendulkar, the son of Sachin Tendulkar, has been picked in the India Under-19 squad for two four-day matches in Sri Lanka in July.A left-arm quick, Arjun, had been picked in the Mumbai Under-19 one-day side for the JY Lele invitational tournament in September last year. He also bowled in the nets in the lead-up to the Lord’s Test between England and South Africa in 2017, sending Jonny Bairstow off with an injury scare when he struck him on the toe with a yorker. Arjun also bowled in the India nets during the home series against New Zealand last year.However, he did not find a place in the one-day squad that will play five games against Sri Lanka. The four-day squad will be captained by 18-year-old Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman Anuj Rawat, who had scored two half-centuries, including one on debut, in as many matches for Delhi during the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy.”We are happy on Arjun being selected in Indian under-19 team. It is an important milestone in his cricketing life. Anjali and I will always support Arjun in his choices and pray for his success,” Sachin told The one-day squad will be led by 16-year-old Uttar Pradesh wicketkeeper-batsman Aryan Juyal, who had played two matches in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this year and was part of the Under-19 World Cup winning team in January.Seventeen-year old left-arm spinner from Gujarat Siddharth Desai was picked in both squads. He also made his first-class debut in the 2017-18 season and was named the Man of the Match in his first two matches, taking nine and eight wickets against Kerala and Haryana respectively. He currently has 29 wickets from five first-class matches and three scalps from as many one-day matches.Atharwa Taide, also picked in both squads, was the captain of the Vidarbha Under-19 team that won the Cooch Behar Trophy earlier this year. He led them to their maiden title with a marathon knock of 320 off 483 balls in the final against Madhya Pradesh.
Tottenham Hotspur ended a run of three successive defeats in the Premier League with a hard-fought draw against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, but will now need to return to winning ways to fight for a top-four spot.
Ange Postecoglou has worked wonders in north London since leaving Celtic for the Premier League in the summer. Still, while Spurs blitzed into form in the early stages of the season, the squad's thinness has unravelled the progress across recent weeks.
The injury-ravaged side is still only two points off fourth-placed Aston Villa and will have been galvanised by the point claimed at the Etihad Stadium.
However, the January transfer window must be utilised, and while the backline requires the most urgent attention, Postecoglou will be eager to strengthen his attacking options too.
Tottenham transfer news – Wilfried Gnonto
According to a piece from Football.London at the end of last month, Tottenham have shown an interest in signing Leeds United's Italian forward, Wilfried Gnonto.
Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto.
According to Calciomercato, Leeds would look to recuperate €30m (£26m) for the 20-year-old, and whether Spurs would agree to such an outlay remains to be seen, despite the youngster's undoubted talent.
Gnonto handed in a transfer request in August as Everton pursued his signature for £25m and presented four official offers, and while efforts were rejected, there is now a clear sense that the Whites would grant his departure if their valuation was met.
Wilfried Gnonto's style of play
Gnonto was one of the bright sparks at Elland Road last season as Leeds crashed out of the Premier League, with the dynamic forward hailed for his "electric pace" and knack for being an "absolute nightmare for defenders" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Signing for Leeds from Swiss side FC Zurich for £4m in 2022, Gnonto only bagged four goals and assists apiece in his maiden term in England but succeeded in convincing a host of outfits of his quality, leading to a frenzy of activity for his signature this year.
The 13-cap Italy starlet ultimately remained in Yorkshire, however he has not been handed a regular starting berth under Daniel Farke's leadership and has started just six Championship matches, scoring one goal and supplying one assist.
Nonetheless, he is a tremendous talent and would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' budding dynasty, with Postecoglou perhaps initiating the next wave of attacking might down the N17 by completing a transfer.
Spurs' attacking segment is probably more secure than several other areas of the field, with the backline particularly flimsy and in need of reinforcements, but Gnonto would offer a special slice of quality to be moulded into something spectacular over the coming years.
And with Heung-min Son, aged 31, now shifted into the role of focal frontman – to great effect, by the way, scoring nine goals and providing two assists from 11 games in the English top-flight up top – there is space for such a player to make the move and earn a place against the likes of Brennan Johnson.
Why Tottenham should sign Wilfried Gnonto
Gnonto boasts pace and power and, principally placed on the left wing, could prove to be the perfect heir to Son's position in the team in the future, especially with Richarlison still flattering to deceive.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year, showcasing his aptitude as a "pocket rocket" – as has been claimed by pundit Tam McManus – barrelling into the danger area with attacking abandon.
His even spread of goals and assists for the Whites further evidences the protean ability that could replicate Son's prowess, with the South Korean machine posting 154 goals and 82 assists across his Spurs career.
jude-soonsup-bell-alejo-veliz-tottenham-opinion
With someone of Alejo Veliz's calibre awaiting a breakthrough to the starring centre-forward spot in the future too, Spurs really could hit the jackpot here.
Veliz, also aged 20, signed from Argentinan club Rosario Central for £13m in the summer and has been touted as the "complete" striker by Kulig, which could lead him to succeed Harry Kane as Spurs' talisman in the long-term.
Kane has been praised as a "phenomenon" by Bayern Munich sports director Christoph Freund after destroying German football since moving from Tottenham in the summer and ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 13% for assists and the top 19% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Competition
Apps
Goals
Assists
Bundesliga
12
18
5
Champions League
5
4
2
DFL-Supercup
1
0
0
*Stats sourced via Transfermarkt
This evidences the 'complete' skill set that has cemented him as one of the finest players of his generation, and while they are big boots to fill, Veliz is viewed as a prospect with the potential to emulate the Lilywhites' record scorer, having been purchased as he departed.
For his part, the Argentinan ace ranks among the top 15% of forwards for goals, the top 1% for clearances and the top 12% for aerial wins per 90, which really does underscore the multi-functionality that became such an effective trademark of Kane's brilliant career at Tottenham.
With Veliz's natural ease in the striking role and Gnonto's marauding brilliance, Spurs really could unearth a strikeforce of immense quality for years to come.
With Son still plying his trade at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and capable of offering his guidance and skills to the respective pair, this could be a prudent investment that would pay off handsomely.
Conte's "special" £25m Spurs signing is now worth more than Son
This dynamic Lilywhite is a truly thrilling talent.
ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2023
Postecoglou and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will now need to juggle the club's needs and decide whether £26m could be spared for a player such as Gnonto this winter – or indeed if negotiations could whittle down the price, with Rodon used as a bargaining chip – but certainly, it might be a brilliant move that could be lauded down the line.
Enzo Maresca's Leicester City have enjoyed an unbelievable start to the Championship this season, sitting top of the tree in the second tier at the time of writing with 13 wins from 16 matches – at one stage, the Foxes had won nine games in a row before Leeds United spoiled the feel-good factor and defeated the formidable Foxes.
That defeat to the Whites was then followed up with another narrow 1-0 defeat on the road at Middlesbrough, Michael Carrick's men getting the better of Leicester at the Riverside Stadium.
Showing chinks in their collective armour, Maresca will look to January as a time where he can bolster his squad with a couple of new additions especially if the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall leave the building.
Here's what a predicted Leicester XI could look like come the end of the January window…
1 GK – Mads Hermansen
Brondby goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Only missing one game under his Spanish manager this season since joining from Brøndby IF this summer, the young Dane has been fantastic in goal this Championship campaign for the Foxes.
The 23-year-old has only conceded ten goals from 16 second-tier matches to date, Hermansen solving the issue of Leicester not being able to successfully replace Kasper Schmeichel by giving the club another terrific Scandinavian shot-stopper.
2 RB – Ricardo Pereira
The Portuguese right-back is a given to retain his spot in Maresca's starting eleven regardless of January incomings or outgoings, the 30-year-old reliable in defence whilst remaining attack-minded when needed.
Pereira this campaign so far has shone even when the Foxes have a rare off-day, winning five of his six ground duels last time out in the 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough per Sofascore.
3 CB – Jannik Vestergaard
Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard.
Hailing from Denmark much like his goalkeeper, Vestergaard is also a key component to Leicester's steely defence this campaign alongside Hermansen.
Averaging a 7.38 Sofascore rating this season in the second tier, Vestergaard has stood out in terms of his tireless work at the back with Leicester's number 23 recovering the ball an average of 5.4 times per game so far this season.
4 CB – Wout Faes
Leicester City' defender WoutFaes.
A regular first-team figure in the Premier League for the relegated Foxes, Faes has only cemented his spot in the team further since Leicester suffered the drop with the Belgian centre-back excellent at thwarting Championship strikers.
His display in Leicester's 3-0 triumph over Preston North End at the start of October exemplified Faes' overall game – winning two of his three ground duels, whilst accurately picking out teammates with six of his nine attempted long balls as per Sofascore.
5 LB – James Justin
Heralded as the next best thing in English football after signing a deal to join Leicester back in 2019, Justin is one of the first names on Maresca's team sheet currently with his contributions at full-back key.
Much like Vestergaard alongside him in the back four, Justin very rarely has a poor game. This was apparent in the away loss at the Riverside suffered last weekend, the Foxes number two winning four successful tackles across the 90 minutes per Sofascore unfortunately to no avail for his side.
6 CM – Hamza Choudhury
Former Watford loanee Hamza Choudhury.
At Leicester since 2005, working his way up the ranks with plenty of loans away from the King Power Stadium, Choudhury is now in and around the first team centrally and will remain in the midfield trio under Maresca even if other individuals are potentially pinched.
With Wilfred Ndidi and the aforementioned Dewsbury-Hall both rumoured to be out of the door, Choudhury will be even more crucial to Maresca's plans if Premier League suitors swoop in for his top talents.
7 CM – Harry Winks
Leicester's Harry Winks and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
An experienced presence in the centre of the park for the Foxes, notching up over 200 appearances for Tottenham in the first team, Harry Winks has only missed seven minutes of Championship football to date this campaign since leaving Spurs behind.
He's even scored a screamer for his new employers in league action, hitting a thunderous strike into the back of net versus QPR to the rapturous adoration of the die-hard Leicester away fans packed into the Loftus Road away end.
8 CM – Lewis Fiorini
Lewis Fiorini
Maresca does look to be facing a losing battle to keep Dewsbury-Hall at the King Power past this January, with interest in his wanted man intensifying in recent weeks from the likes of Fulham wanting to add the talented midfielder to their ranks.
Maresca could well flex his previous Manchester City connections by replacing Dewsbury-Hall with current City man Lewis Fiorini, the Scottish 21-year-old a hit out on loan in the Eredivisie at NAC Breda and also lower down the EFL pyramid with Lincoln City.
Scoring 16 goals from central midfield in his career to date, Fiorini's next destination simply has to be Leicester to replace an expected departee in Dewsbury-Hall.
9 RW – Jhon Arias
Jhon Arias
Linked with Leeds United on top of other interested parties, the Foxes could break hearts at Elland Road by signing Jhon Arias from under the noses of Daniel Farke's men.
Lacking a fixed right winger option at this moment in time – with Pereira played further forward in the loss at Middlesbrough to accommodate – current Fluminese man Arias would be the perfect, explosive attacker signing Maresca would want to take his Foxes team to another level altogether.
The South American forward has managed nine goals and 14 assists from his year to date out in Brazil, ready to be unleashed onto the Championship if signed.
10 ST – Ben Brereton Diaz
Villarreal forward Ben Brereton Diaz.
Ben Brereton Diaz is being lined up for a return to Championship football just months after departing Blackburn Rovers for Villarreal, the Chile international yet to score for the La Liga side with the Spanish club impatient and unsatisfied with the striker's impotency.
Leicester City could offer the ex-Blackburn man a lifeline, leading the line for the Foxes to cruise home to an automatic promotion spot and return to the Premier League again.
Netting 22 goals during the peak of his Rovers powers during the 2021-22 season, Maresca would be overjoyed with his addition to the group.