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Everton brought in an abundance of attacking talent in the summer in their attempts to become more deadly in the final third as the likes of Moise Kean, Alex Iwobi, Ellis Simms, and Demarai Gray were all sold.

The Toffees used the funds recouped from that talent to bring in Chermiti, Beto, and Arnaut Danjuma, who may have been signed to make Sean Dyche's side more clinical up top.

With only nine goals scored in the league this season, a third of which came in an emphatic victory over Bournemouth, it is glaringly obvious that Everton are still in need of serious firepower in the final third, or perhaps some guile and creativity to help unlock their attacking potential.

In a bid to rectify this problem, Everton could use the January transfer window as an opportunity to bolster their attack by reigniting their interest in Leeds United's Crysencio Summerville.

Are Everton interested in signing Crysencio Summerville?

Everton showed a keen interest in luring Crysencio Summerville away from Leeds United this summer, however, the Dutch dynamo reportedly rejected a move to Goodison Park.

Whilst the door was slammed shut on the Toffees in the summer, his performances for the Whites this season have only heightened speculation linking him with an exit, and several Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on the 21-year-old as the January window approaches, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Writing on X, he said: “Crysencio Summerville with a brace today vs Norwich — he rejected several clubs in the summer to stay at LUFC and feel key player there.

"Bournemouth, Everton and Burnley were all interested and more PL clubs are now monitoring Crysencio towards the January window."

Summerville's brace against Norwich City on Saturday completed a dramatic comeback and took his tally to four goals and two assists for the campaign, establishing himself as a key figure under Daniel Farke.

How does Summerville compare to Dwight McNeil?

Summerville's outstanding individual display against the Canaries has only accentuated why several top-flight clubs are interested in prising him away from Elland Road.

Possessing an abundance of guile and creativity combined with his searing pace and exceptional ball-carrying skills, the 21-year-old has become one of the best players in the Championship and this is backed up by his sublime attacking metrics.

When compared against his positional peers in the second tier this season, Summerville ranks in the top 10% for successful take-ons, top 9% for progressive carries, top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty box, and top 1% for non-penalty xG and shot creating actions, as per FBref.

Lauded by Michael Owen as "exceptional" for his individual performances in the Premier League last term, the 5 foot 6 magician could add the pace and quality that Everton desire in the final third, perhaps replacing Dwight McNeil on the left flank.

Although Everton are restricted by the style that Sean Dyche deploys, compromising fluidity in the final third for a strong defensive base, the Englishman has still flattered to deceive when given the opportunity to drive his side up the field.

Whilst Summerville – who had one of his finishes last season lauded as "incredible" by pundit Nedum Onuoha – is known for unleashing his wonderful flair and trickery that can make a difference in a tight contest, McNeil is unable to provide that same level of threat.

He ranks in the bottom 11% across Europe's top five leagues in the past year for touches in the attacking penalty box, bottom 19% for non-penalty xG, and bottom 29% for carries into the final third.

When comparing that to Summerville's performances in the top flight last term, he recorded more progressive carries (3.22/3.16), touches in the attacking penalty box (4.42/2.24), non-penalty goals (0.25/0.19), and progressive passes (2.84/2.20) per 90.

Dyche must, therefore, reignite his interest in the talented whiz as the statistics suggest that he could provide the Toffees with a much-needed attacking boost.

Leeds United have endured a stuttered start to life in the Championship, as Daniel Farke seeks to navigate the trials and tribulations he inherited after their relegation last season.

First overseeing a rough summer transfer window, coming out the other side relatively unscathed despite some major exits, the German now has the unenviable task of knitting together his side with enough speed to turn them into the title challengers that fans would hope for.

Although, at this point and given the start to the term they endured, being just three points off sixth place marks a fine return, especially given they have enjoyed a clean sheet in each of their last three league fixtures.

Illan Meslier is performing well once again after a torrid last campaign, in which his high-profile blunders arguably played an outstanding role in dooming them to the drop – as he made three errors leading to a goal in the Premier League.

His youth and inexperience reared its ugly head, but there is a quiet understanding that with each year that should lessen. It is a case of trusting the process with the 23-year-old shot-stopper, however there was another Leeds could have enjoyed in the past who likely would still be thriving today.

Potentially, had they kept Kasper Schmeichel and not allowed his easy exit in 2011, they might not have been relegated at all with such a safe pair of hands in the net.

Why did Kasper Schmeichel leave Leeds United?

As son of the legendary Peter Schmeichel, it always seemed like the Denmark international was destined for a bright career. However, despite his father's legacy largely being centred around Manchester United, the current Anderlecht titan would instead start his career with Manchester City, before a stint at Notts County led him to Elland Road.

However, this rivalry proved a step too far for someone so young, as the Whites seemingly could not handle the ties he had to one of their most detested clubs.

The 36-year-old would reveal all on Joe Hart’s YouTube series Gloved: "I remember about three weeks after joining Leeds thinking, ‘What have I done?!’ It was just the wrong club for me at that time. It was very clear, very early on that it was the wrong club for me.

“It was a club where I was not accepted and with my father’s history, it was evident among the fans that they did not approve of that."

He would not solely blame the supporters for the breakdown in relationship, suggesting that from top to bottom the institution gave the impression he was wholly unwanted:

"I just didn’t feel welcome at all at the club, by the whole club, that’s the manager [Simon Grayson] as well. He didn’t give me any kind of confidence. I had a decent season, I thought. I didn’t set the world alight but I had a solid enough season, but I did not enjoy my time there at all. It was a really bad time."

38

13

2.5

6.94

38

10

2.4

6.72

33

8

2.8

6.75

30

8

3.8

6.90

38

15

2.6

6.90

All stats via Sofascore

Leaving for Leicester City, what he would achieve with the Midlands outfit could not possibly have been imagined after departing Yorkshire for a nominal fee, having played just 40 times.

He would become a mainstay as the Foxes made a top-flight return before Leeds, leading them into the Premier League and steering them from relegation. Then, against all the odds, Schmeichel started in every single game as Claudio Ranieri somehow engineered their title charge and subsequent win.

A true fairytale story, it was described by Gary Lineker, who supported them as a youngster: "I saw them in a cup final – lose – that was the closest we ever got to big glory. Won the League Cup a couple of times but this is just something else. This is actually impossible. There were no odds that I would have taken at the start of the season. No odds. You could have given me 10 million to one and I'd have said 'Nah, it's a waste of a quid'."

Adding to such success, Brendan Rodgers would then help them claim an FA Cup too, cementing Schmeichel's legacy as a "#LCFC Legend" in the eyes of BBC broadcaster John Bennett.

Whilst they likely would not have reached the same unparalleled levels that the King Power outfit did with him in goal, Leeds would certainly have benefitted had they put their prejudices aside and placed some faith in the keeper as a young man.

How much did Leicester City sign Kasper Schmeichel for?

It is a testament to the terrible decision-making of Simon Grayson that Schmeichel was allowed to leave at all, let alone for the tiny £1.25m fee paid.

Whilst the manager remains a hero for how he saved them from League One peril, his dismissal came due to a lack of confidence from the hierarchy that he could see out their promotion ambitions.

Perhaps if he had a safe pair of hands to keep a few more clean sheets, he may well have been the man to earn them that top-flight return, that would only come eight years after his sacking.

How much was Kasper Schmeichel worth at his peak?

Although his technical peak inarguably came with Leicester, his value actually reached its highest point after he had departed the King Power Stadium for OGC Nice.

Despite only joining for £1m, which crazily recouped the bulk of the fee they first paid to bring him to the club, that seemingly marked an incredible steal in the eyes of Football Transfers.

As of October 2022, they valued him at €26.2m (£22.7m). Therefore, after departing Elland Road for just £1.25m, his value actually rose by 1716% until last year – albeit with the veteran gem now worth in the region of £9m.

Why was Kasper Schmeichel worth that much?

There are many reasons why Schmeichel's value rose so sharply across his career, with the elite silverware gained unsurprisingly aiding in that venture.

However, it is worth noting that in his prime the shot-stopper was widely regarded as one of the top flight's finest for his role, with former teammate James Maddison noting: "He’s a top goalkeeper, I think he’s in the top three of the Premier League."

Having gone on to play 284 times in the division, keeping an admirable 82 clean sheets for a side predominantly fighting relegation at the start, he truly is a legend of Leicester, and one of Leeds' greatest transfer missteps.

The West Indies captain was left to reflect on another Test defeat but one that offered signs of hope

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's21-May-2012At the end of it all Darren Sammy had to search mentally for the appropriate word to sum up his team’s performance after the five-wicket defeat at Lord’s? Does he go ahead and call it a minor victory considering West Indies started the final day with a chance? Or should he be modest and admit that they had not progressed much from the finishing point at the end of the home Test series against Australia? Sammy settled for “pleased” with a lot of room for improvement.”We were quite pleased. We were told there were no fifth-day tickets printed. We took the game to the fifth day,” Sammy said. “The team continued to show the never-say-die attitude which we promised to bring out here in England. And we had some good performances from some of the players. We’ll take that these positives into the next Test.”The defeat was not unexpected, but what was definitely not expected was West Indies putting up such a determined show and making England work hard for the victory. Barring Shivnarine Chanderpaul, suggested the pre-series coverage, no other West Indies player could stand the stern test in England. Yet, some of them did: Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin and Adrian Barath with the bat and Kemar Roach with ball inspired confidence in team-mates with their contributions.The downplaying of West Indies’ chances before the series was nothing new for Sammy who said his team had become used to such a billing. “For the last ten years they have been saying that about us. We in the dressing room have our own confidence that once we go out and execute, if we bowl in a disciplined fashion, we create problems. We got the last seven wickets [in the first innings] for 130-odd runs. So we could do it. It is about doing it consistently enough. And when you are playing against the No.1 team you have to be at your best all the time.”They produced a strong fightback on the third morning when England lost their last seven wickets for 154. However, they were guilty of letting key moments slip away from them: a couple of examples of letting England off the hook were immediately after removing Alastair Cook on the second morning and then losing three wickets in suicidal fashion on the stroke of tea on the third day.Another important turning point that could be added to the list of faults was Sammy losing his head in the final hour of play on Sunday when West Indies were steadily building a strong lead with Ramdin looking solid at the other end. Sammy had put some pressure back on England with an attacking innings before becoming Stuart Broad’s 10th wicket of the match. He admitted his mistake and suggested the outcome could have been different had he not played impulsively.”I think I let the team down in that department,” he said. “I was striking the ball quite well when the field was spread. If I had batted for the rest of the evening it would definitely have been 250-plus. That could have been the difference.”Kemar Roach gave England a fright but he needed more support•Getty ImagesLuckily, Roach made sure West Indies’ spirit were not be dampened before they went to sleep on the penultimate evening by grabbing two key wickets and raising prospects of an unimaginable victory push. On the final morning, Sammy acknowledge, West Indies were excited. Their hopes rested on the four-pronged pace attack and when England were 57 for 4 West Indies’ hearts started beating faster.”I like watching these guys, standing at slips, running in and knowing that anytime an edge could come my way. Today it just felt right,” Sammy said. He had pouched Jonathan Trott, the first wicket to fall in the morning, brilliantly to his left at second slip, when Trott was beaten by the movement from Roach.However, Roach needed support Fidel Edwards did not turn up at Lord’s. He started the morning with four wides and remained muted for the rest of the session. Shannon Gabriel, the debutant, once again built his rhythm, bowling purposefully on the off stump and managed to remove the dangerous Kevin Pietersen. But back spasms restricted him to only five overs.”Our pacers have been doing a good job for us throughout the last year or two,” Sammy said. “A few more wickets between Fidel and Roach could have been a different story.”Again, though, the problem for West Indies, despite all their fight, was a lack of runs especially in the first innings. The West Indies players need to start reading situations well and adapting quickly. A major talking point during this Test was whether Chanderpaul should bat higher to strengthen the fragile and inexperienced top order.At the end of the day’s play on Sunday, after he had made 91, Chanderpaul was blunt in his disagreement with such a suggestion. According to him young batsmen do not learn anything batting at No. 5 or 6 and to gain experience they need to play at the top which is something Sammy agreed with.”Shiv is quite an experienced players so if he says something he has a lot of reasoning for saying it,” he said. “He has done an excellent job for us at No. 5 and he continues to do that. I more want our batsmen to take a page out of his book instead of saying where should he bat. Right now what needs to happen is our batsmen have to stand up and bat, and set a platform so when he comes in he could play his game and we all can bat around him.”

Thibaut Courtois has cast uncertainty over his future with the Belgium national team by publicly criticising manager Domenico Tedesco.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Tedesco and Courtois relationship strained
• Tedesco reveals he tried to mend relation
• Courtois calls coach a liar on X

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  When Courtois was not selected for the captaincy during Belgium's June 2018 matches against Austria and Estonia, the tension between him and Tedesco grew. Tedesco stated earlier today that his team will play without Courtois in the Euros despite his best efforts to patch things up with the goalkeeper. The Real Madrid shot-stopper responded with the 'liar' emoji to the Belgium boss' quotes on X.

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• WHAT TEDESCO SAID

  Talking to the media, Tedesco said [via Football Transfers]: “It's good that Courtois is fit again, but he communicated very clearly. We are focusing on the players who are here.

  “We plan our preparation based on his statements. I tried everything to take him to the European Championship this summer, but the last thing I heard was that he didn't feel ready to go. It was clear and honest on his part.”

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Courtois made his debut for the Red Devils back in 2011 at the age of just 19. He has since gone on to make 102 appearances for Belgium, making multiple appearances at World Cups and the Euros with the country's golden generation.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR COURTOIS?

  The Belgian is on the way back to action after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament earlier in the season, and could return to action for Carlo Ancelotti's side after the March international break.

Will Jacks scored a maiden Surrey century in only his third first-team match to add to the sense of feelgood about Surrey’s crop of young stars

ECB Reporters Network23-May-2018
ScorecardVirat Kohli will discover an impressive young team-mate when he arrives in London for his first stint in county cricket next month in the muscular form of teenage all-rounder Will Jacks.Jacks, a 19-year-old allrounder, cracked a sparkling maiden hundred in only his third first-team appearance in to ease Surrey to an emphatic six-wicket Royal London One-day Cup win over Gloucestershire at the Kia Oval.Jacks, who earlier turned his hand to five overs of offspin, hit a majestic 121 with 14 fours and four sixes to dominate a second-wicket partnership with Dean Elgar, the South Africa Test batsman, that added 158 in 25 overs to help Surrey canter to their opening south group win with 27 balls to spare.In pursuit of Gloucestershire’s 282 for 6 at an asking rate of 5.66 an over, Surrey lost mercurial opener Jason Roy to only the fifth ball of the reply. Fresh from a disappointing IPL stint with Delhi Daredevils, Roy drove hard at a wide, swinging length-ball from Craig Miles only to be caught at third man off a thick outside edge.That brought together Jacks and Elgar who raised 50 inside eight overs. Jacks, a tall, Chertsey-born strokemaker, proved the major aggressor cantering to a maiden half-century for his home county from 47 balls and with nine boundaries.The duo raised their century stand in the 17th over with Edgar, despite his vast international experience and having made 140 more List A appearances than his rookie partner, content to play second fiddle.The broad-shouldered Jacks received one let off when on 70 after Chris Dent downed a diving chance at extra cover, but otherwise the England Under-19 batsman remained strong and aggressive, clubbing a brace of sixes against slow left-armer Tom Smith. He then moved to three figures with his third maximum off Smith and removed his helmet to acknowledge the applause for his 86-ball century with 12 fours.Elgar raised his 59-ball 50 but perished soon after when attempting to slog sweep against Benny Howell then, with 98 still required, Jacks’ fun ended after 100 balls when he was caught on the ropes at backward square. He sidled off to a standing ovation, leaving Ben Foakes (50*) to guide Surrey through.Surrey, previously without a win, elected to bowl on a green-tinted pitch and having lost their opening two South Group matches when batting first.The decision paid quick dividends when Sam Curran had George Hankins caught at backward point driving on the up. Fellow opener, left-handed Dent, was then tucked up by Jade Dernbach and, shovelling to leg, spooned one to midwicket as Gloucestershire limped to 46 for 2 from their 10-over Powerplay.With the field spread, Gloucestershire rebuilt as Gareth Roderick and Howell posted 50 within 11 overs before Roderick dragged on against Rikki Clarke.Howell reached the first half-century of the match from 56 balls and with four fours and a six against veteran off-spinner Gareth Batty, yet Burns continued to take pace off the ball by giving stints to Scott Borthwick’s leg-breaks and Jacks’ off-spin.Borthwick struck to remove the dangerous Howell. Having reached 60 with a straight six, Howell drove Borthwick’s next delivery to mid-off to make it 114 for 4 at the mid-point of the innings.
Borthwick enticed Ian Cockbain to work against the spin and chip a comfortable catch to wide mid-on, forcing Jack Taylor and Ryan Higgins into another rebuilding job.Higgins, the former Middlesex all-rounder, scored his first List A 50 off 51 balls, then Taylor reached the milestone from 62 deliveries with a six over mid-wicket as the sixth-wicket pair added 110 in 18.1 overs.In the dash for late runs Taylor heaved a catch to cow corner to gift Curran a second scalp, leaving Higgins to clatter three fours during a Dernbach over on his way to an unbeaten 81 off 70 balls – his highest score in any form of county cricket.

MatériaMais Notícias

Leeds United have salvaged a solid start to the Championship season after enduring relegation from the Premier League last year, with Daniel Farke's side a distance away from the top two but firmly in the mix for promotion at this stage.

Appointing Farke was a decision made to strengthen the Whites' prospects of returning to the top flight at the first time of asking, with the German manager having won the Championship on two occasions previously with Norwich City.

However, the task was never going to be easy despite the club's stature and the ostensible quality filling the ranks, with a mass exodus removing many former members during the summer.

Plenty of fresh faces have arrived, but pundit and former England midfielder Carlton Palmer has tipped "more to come" from the Whites in January, with sights set on closing the gap on frontrunners Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Leeds United transfer targets

According to journalist Diego Firmino – via Sport Witness – Leeds are following the situation of Joaquin Piquerez from Palmeiras, with the exciting full-back attracting attention from multiple European clubs following his performances in Brazil.

Numerous outfits are indeed supposedly interested, with Premier League sides Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur both receiving tentative links, but Leeds could offer the 25-year-old a starring role and a platform to build from in West Yorkshire.

The cost of a transfer has not yet been made apparent, but there is no denying that Piquerez boasts qualities that would slot right into Elland Road's starting squad and that Farke and 49ers Enterprises will pounce if given the chance.

The dynamo is currently valued at around £6m by Football Transfers' valuation model, and this ballpark fee would likely be required to prise him away from Palmeiras.

Why Leeds want Joaquin Piquerez

Leeds have been impressive in maintaining a charge on the top of the division despite a range of injury problems, and there may be optimism among supporters that a few well-placed winter acquisitions would work wonders in closing the gap on the front of the pack.

Piquerez would open up a range of possibilities with his thunderous shooting skills and his direct, barrelling approach, having recently starred at the centre of Palmeiras' 5-0 drubbing over Sao Paulo.

As per Sofascore, he has scored three goals and supplied four assists from 21 matches in the Brasileiro Série A this season, completing 85% of his passes, creating 0.9 key passes per outing and also making 6.7 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game, highlighting his impressive multi-functional ability.

Piquerez has also become a regular member of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay squad, starting four of the last five matches since the beloved former Leeds boss took the reins earlier this year.

Given the stunning football that was pumped into the Leeds squad under the distinguished Argentinian boss, it's no wonder that the Whites are apparently intrigued by the possibility of signing a player that Bielsa has swiftly deemed an integral part of his national side's setup.

Sam Byram is the current host on the left side of the Whites backline, and while he has impressed since the summer, Farke is probably doing the right thing in searching for a successor to dominate for the foreseeable future.

Why Joaquin Piquerez is better than Sam Byram

Byram joined Leeds on a free transfer in the summer after his contract with Norwich expired, having previously kicked his career off at Elland Road after rising through the youth ranks.

The experienced defender, now aged 30, has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, with Sofascore recording his performances in the English second tier, having completed 79% of his passes, made 4.4 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per game and scored a goal and an assist apiece.

He is an industrious part of the squad and one who has served well in the absence of Junior Firpo, with the former Barcelona player yet to feature this season due to injury – frankly, few expected he would have remained at the club following the summer.

As per FBref, Uruguayan star Piquerez ranks among the top 4% of full-backs across leagues similar to the Brasileiro Série A over the past year for goals, the top 16% for assists and the top 17% for pass completion per 90, illustrating his natural attacking prowess and his crispness in possession.

Content creator Nathan Joyes was among those to be impressed by United's reported interest, saying: "Would be great business. Tidy left-back, likes to press forward and can certainly pick a pass. Great coup for Leeds if it happens."

This high-octane approach is something that really would slot into Farke's system like a dovetail joint; the 46-year-old likes to implement a possession-based style with an emphasis on intelligent, quick transitions and an understanding of the desired patterns to electrify the opposition on the counter.

Given that Piquerez bombs forward like a machine, he could be the engine on the wing, playing a starring role to catapult the Elland Road side right back into the top flight, serving as the dream heir to Byram.

Byram is a solid and dependable member of Farke's team and offers a balanced skill set across both defensive flanks, ranking among the top 19% of full-backs across leagues similar to the Championship over the past year for shots taken, the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area and blocks, and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90.

The links attached to Leeds' interest are admittedly somewhat tenuous, but there is no question that prioritising the left-back position would be a prudent move in the long term.

Byram has been a good signing and has earned praise for his "important" role in the team by Farke, but age is not on his side and Piquerez could be the perfect addition to dominate the left channel for many years.

Firpo's situation is also somewhat indeterminate, and by landing a free-scoring, robust new star in Piquerez, Farke may yet acquire the tools to break back into the Premier League and then cement a position of prominence.

Wolverhampton Wanderers became a driving force in England behind signing and developing Portuguese talent under Nuno Espirito Santo, with an influx of players from his home nation welcomed to Molineux during his reign and beyond.

The influence of renowned agent Jorge Mendes made the Old Gold the ideal spot for both upcoming and certified talents from Liga Portugal, in the bid to make themselves known in the Premier League.

Some stars took the route with Nuno from the Championship to the top flight, with the likes of Ruben Neves making his name in the second tier before exerting his quality in the Premier League to eventually become captain and leave for £47m.

Neves’ success story was shared by a host of Portuguese talents at Molineux over the years, although not every talent from the nation had a similar outcome, with one name now playing back in the second tier in England.

Ruben Vinagre was one of the highly promising talents unearthed by Nuno from Portugal, and despite all the signs being there for the defender to thrive at Molineux, things didn’t quite go to plan for the full-back.

When did Wolves sign Ruben Vinagre?

Rewind to 2017 and Wolves had just announced the loan signing of 18-year-old Vinagre from Monaco’s academy, a versatile left-back who had joined the French outfit’s academy from Sporting CP in 2014.

It quickly became apparent how highly regarded the teenager’s talents were in Nuno’s side, as he recorded five consecutive appearances at the start of the Championship campaign playing at both left-back and left-midfield.

After the quick spell, the youngster’s game time became more sporadic as he continued to develop in both the youth and first team, however, he made his mark with his electric performances when called upon in the senior side.

On only his sixth appearance in the Championship, Vinagre registered his first goal for Wolves in fine fashion, highlighting just how dangerous of an element he could be to Nuno’s promotion-pushing squad.

By that summer, the Old Gold had secured promotion back to the big time and sealed the permanent signing of Vinagre from Monaco for a fee of just £2m, a worthy acquisition for a reliable young fringe player.

How did Ruben Vinagre perform at Wolves?

Despite the former Sporting CP starlet only making nine appearances in the second tier during his debut campaign, the manager’s faith in him was rewarded with 17 Premier League appearances in the 2018/19 season.

The versatile defender’s progression was highlighted the following year, as he became a more prominent member of the squad, as suggested by his 33 appearances in all competitions.

That term, the youngster was faced with a host of challenges to maintain his position in the pecking order at both left midfield and left back, finding himself in a duel with the likes of Jonny Otto throughout the campaign.

Speaking to the media during the season, Nuno was full of praise for the starlet, calling him a “massively important” member of the squad for his versatility, branding him as “special”.

As Wolves’ success began to grow, by reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League in the 2019/20 campaign, the need for added quality in the squad became a paramount target for Nuno in the transfer window.

The summer of 2020 proved to be pivotal for Vinagre’s future at Wolves, as the club welcomed two players deployable at left-back in Rayan Ait-Nouri and Marcal, automatically pushing the youngster further down the pecking order.

What happened to Ruben Vinagre?

In October 2020, Wolves sent the promising defender on loan to Olympiacos in a bid to continue his development away from Molineux, where the squad had been bolstered without his involvement in mind.

At the time, journalist Josh Bunting admitted he was sad to see the Portuguese leave England, explaining that he had shown “so much potential” during the time he spent discovering the boundaries of his game under Nuno.

Unfortunately for Vinagre, life in Greece did not go to plan, as he struggled for game time at Olympiacos, resulting in him returning to Wolves in December after just four appearances in all competitions.

The Old Gold sought the sanctuary of home comforts as the next destination for the defender to thrive, as he spent the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Portuguese side Famalicao.

The Wolves loanee was handed 20 Liga Portugal appearances during his time at the club, where he recorded three assists, which inspired his next journey in the summer of 2021 as he returned to his boyhood club of Sporting CP.

How much did Wolves sell Ruben Vinagre for?

In July 2022, the end of Vinagre’s critical time at Molineux came to a permanent end, as Sporting paid a fee of €10m (£8.5m) to welcome him back to Lisbon, where he remains as a player today.

Despite being a representative of the Lions, the full-back has played all of his football in England since his permanent transfer, however, the extent of his playing time is rather small.

Last summer, Vinagre returned to the Premier League to join Everton on a season-long loan, however after playing just 24 minutes of league football in the campaign, the Portuguese left Goodison wishing his time could’ve “been different”.

An achilles problem kept the 1999-born ace away from the action in what was a failed loan spell, resulting in him having to take a step backwards in order to push on again in the future.

Where is Ruben Vinagre now?

After returning to Portugal from Merseyside, the 24-year-old was shipped away once more to rediscover his form and fitness, returning to where it all began at senior level in England with the Championship.

Currently, the left-back is playing for Hull City on a season-long loan from Sporting, having made six appearances in the league so far for the Tigers in an encouraging start to the season.

With an average Sofascore rating of 6.53 in the Championship this term, it’s suggested that there is a long way to go for Vinagre to rediscover his level of performance on show at Wolves, but he is finally on the right path.

At times there was hope that Vinagre could be one of the best left-backs in England at Molineux, however, squad competition and failed loan spells have caused the 24-year-old to take a very different path back to the top.

Everyone at Wolves can only look back at the youngster’s time in the Midlands with fond memories, with the hope that he can fulfil the potential he showcased under Nuno’s guidance.

West Indies internationals Kirk Edwards, Sheldon Cottrell and Odean Smith were among the high-profile picks in the 2018-19 Professional Cricket League draft

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2018West Indies internationals Kirk Edwards, Sheldon Cottrell and Odean Smith were among the high-profile picks in the 2018-19 Professional Cricket League draft held in the Cricket West Indies headquarters in Antigua.Smith, who made his international debut during West Indies’ tour of Pakistan earlier in the year, was one of two newcomers, along with Joshua Da Silva, to join the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force. Marlon Richards, Isaiah Rajah and Jeremy Solozano completed the five draft picks as T&T built up a squad seeking to put behind their bottom-place finish in the Four-Day Regional Tournament earlier this year.Cottrel, who was released by T&T, was snapped up by Leeward Islands. However, medium-pacer Roshon Primus, who was also released by T&T, found no takers. Primus, who announced his first-class arrival with 6 for 30 on debut, has played 14 first-class games and taken 33 wickets at 25.87. He has also proven to be a handy batsman, with three half-centuries and an average of 23.50. Primus was also signed up by Guyana Amazon Warriors for the 2017 Caribbean Premier League. It’s unclear whether Primus’ name was present in the draft, and if it was why he was not picked. However, he is still eligible for selection, on a play-for-play contract. T&T also retained West Indies middle-order batsman Kyle Hope.Barbados Pride have welcomed the Jamaican fast bowler Marquino Mindley to their 15-man squad to “support the cast of younger bowlers in the team”. Mindley joins a strong pace attack comprising Chemar Holder, Keon Harding and Dominic Drakes, while Justin Greaves and Shamar Springer make up the allrounders list. Barbados also drafted in Kevin Stoute, who captained them in the early stages of the previous season’s first-class tournament. Kenroy Williams, who was released by Barbados, found a new home in Jamaica Scorpions.Windward Volcanoes retained the allrounder Kyle Mayers along with West Indies batsman Kirk Edwards.The assembled squads will take part in the Regional 4 Day Tournament and the Super50, both of which are scheduled to take place later this year. Guyana Jaguars are the current and four-time champions, having won all their titles in successive seasons.Full squads:Guyana Jaguars: Veerasammy Permaul, Leon Johnson, Vishaul Singh, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gudakesh Motie, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keon Joseph, Anthony Bramble. Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd. Draft picks – Ramaal Lewis, Christopher Barnwell, Tevin Imlach, Ashaya Persaud, Javier SpencerBarbados Pride: Anthony Alleyne, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Dominic Drakes, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Chemar Holder, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Haydn Walsh Jr. Draft picks – Marquino Mindley, Kevin Stoute, Aaron Jones, Tevyn Walcott, Mario RampersaudLeeward Islands Hurricanes: Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Jahmar Hamilton, Keacy Carty, Jeremiah Louis, Devon Thomas, Terrance Warde, Sheeno Berridge, Akeem Saunders, Ross Powell. Draft Picks – Damion Jacobs, Sheldon Cotterell, Orlando Peters, Nelson Bolan, Jason PetersJamaica Scorpions: Nikita Miller, Assad Fudadin, Derval Green, Chadwick Walton, John Campbell, Brandon King, Paul Palmer Jr, Aldaine Thomas, Andre McCarthy, Fabian Allen. Draft Picks – Oshane Thomas, Reynard Leveridge, Kenroy Williams, Denis Bulli, Steven TaylorWindward Islands Volcanoes: Devon Smith, Shane Shillingford, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Tyron Theophile, Roland Cato, Audy Alexander, Sherman Lewis, Delorn Johnson, Alick Athanaze. Draft Picks – Kirk Edwards, Ray Jordon, Tarryck Gabriel, Denis Smith, Josh ThomasTrinidad and Tobago Red Force: Kyle Hope, Tion Webster, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Daniel St Clair, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre, Jason Mohammed. Draft Picks – Odean Smith, Jeremy Solozano, Marlon Richards, Isaiah Rajah, Joshua Da Silva

Chasing 230 in 40 overs in a rain-affected match, Zimbabwe went into the last over needing 15, but managed only 11

The Report by Liam Brickhill22-Mar-2018

A dejected Sikandar Raza walks back after holing out•IDI via Getty Images

Zimbabwe all but crashed out of the running for a spot at the 2019 World Cup with a narrow three-run defeat to United Arab Emirates in their final Super Six match at the Harare Sports Club. Chasing 230 in 40 overs in a rain-affected match, Zimbabwe went into the last over needing 15, but managed only 11. Their chase had been powered by Sean Williams’ 80, but his dismissal in the 37th over left the lower order with too much to do, and UAE held their nerve to record their first victory over a Test nation.How can Zimbabwe still qualify?

Zimbabwe’s loss means they end with five points whereas Afghanistan and Ireland, who will play each other on Friday, have four each. Whoever wins on Friday will take the tenth spot in the World Cup but Zimbabwe still have a slim and improbable chance of making it which rests on the Afghanistan-Ireland match ending in a tie. In that case, all three teams will be tied on five points each but both Afghanistan’s and Ireland’s net run rate will take a beating since the teams will be conceding as many runs as they score. While Afghanistan’s NRR (0.34) is already below Zimbabwe’s (0.42), Ireland’s NRR (0.47) will slip below Zimbabwe’s to a value of 0.377.
However, if Friday’s clash is washed out, the three teams will end on five points again but the NRRs for Afghanistan and Ireland won’t change and Ireland will go through because of a higher NRR.

Needing to score at 5.75 from the outset, with only 40 overs and the potential of further rain delays, this was a situation in which Zimbabwe might have welcomed Cephas Zhuwao’s big hitting up front. But without him in the XI, Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire opened the batting.With the ball skidding on a little quicker on a surface juiced up by the shower, Mohammad Naveed’s pace soon proved too much for Mire. Late on a pull, he spliced an easy catch to Shaiman Anwar at midwicket. Working up serious pace, Naveed then sent Masakadza’s off stump cartwheeling with a delivery clocked at 140kph. Those wickets put a dent in Zimbabwe, but it seemed they were floored when Brendan Taylor played down the wrong line at a delivery from Ahmed Raza that rushed on with the arm, zipping between bat and pad to bowl him for 15. Zimbabwe were reeling against the ropes at 45 for 3 with their best batsman back in the dressing room and the asking rate now at 6.6 per over.But while UAE’s bowling attack packed a punch, they couldn’t quite deliver the knockout blow. Williams and Peter Moor gritted their way through the new ball, a stiffness in their strokeplay that spoke volumes about the incredibly high stakes of this match. It wasn’t until Williams started to connect his reverse sweeps that they began to settle. He collected boundaries off Raza and Mustafa, and then broke free with a remarkable upper cut off Amir Hayat in the 25th over. That shot took him into the 40s, and a quick single soon after brought up a vital fifty from 56 deliveries.Mustafa, Williams pick up demerit points

UAE captain Rohan Mustafa and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams have been found guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during their verbal exchange in the 37th over after Mustafa had dismissed Williams. Both players admitted to their offences and a formal hearing was not required. They’ve each picked up one demerit point as a result, alongside fines of 15% of their match fees.
Mustafa was found to have breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match”, while Williams was found guilty of violating Article 2.1.4, which deals with “using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match”.

Immediately afterwards, however, Moor chipped a drive straight to Adnan Mufti in the covers to fall for 39. A 79-run partnership was broken, and the pressure increased once more. Needing at least a boundary an over, Raza and Williams scampered for every possible run, taking on the field, while Raza managed to puncture the leg-side boundary to keep the asking rate just about within check. Their fifty stand came up from only 36 deliveries, but the exertion began to tell on Williams, and cramps set in.With Zimbabwe needing 53 from 36, Raza heaved mightily to place a flighted delivery from Mustafa on the roof above the players’ dressing rooms, but then whipped a full-toss straight out to Shaiman Anwar at long leg. In an atmosphere of rising tension, Mustafa repeatedly warned the non-striking batsmen for backing up to far, threatening the Mankad but never actually tipping the bails off. When Williams collided with Hayat turning for a second run in the next over, words were exchanged and the umpire stepped in to cool things off. When Williams whipped a sweep over fine leg, but lapped the next ball to be caught, one-handed, by Hayat in that position, Mustafa bellowed a send-off.Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer arrived at the crease in an atmosphere of almost unbearable tension, and in fading light Naveed rifled in a full delivery to bowl him first ball, and the home side slipped to 209 for 7. Craig Ervine and Kyle Jarvis swung gamely, and Ervine was on strike to the final ball with six needed. But Naveed held his nerve, restricting them to two runs to break Zimbabwean hearts.Mohammad Naveed exults after picking up a wicket•IDI via Getty Images

UAE’s innings had begun under rather clearer skies. Asked to bat by Zimbabwe on the same pitch as was used in the game between Scotland and West Indies on Wednesday, captain Rohan Mustafa signalled his intent early with a hack over cover for four. Ashfaq Ahmed was also unafraid to hit over the top early on, but after conceding two boundaries, Tendai Chatara had him caught behind, pushing flat-footed at one that left him off the track.But while Jarvis’ length and swing troubled both edges of the bat, Chatara struggled for any consistency and despite the early wicket his opening spell leaked 31 runs in four overs. He wasn’t the only Zimbabwean to have an off day, and nerves may well have contributed to Zimbabwe’s stiffness in the field.Ghulam Shabber was gifted a life when an edge off his bat flew right between Taylor, keeping wicket once again, and Masakadza at first slip. He was also gifted extra runs, Chatara misreading the spin on the ball as it bounced towards him in the outfield, slipping wrong-footed, and giving away four. When his luck eventually ran out and he was bowled, missing a sweep at Raza, Rameez Shahzad continued to take the fight to Zimbabwe’s bowlers.Shahzad smashed an unbeaten 112 against West Indies earlier in this tournament, and in January he cracked 121 to help UAE chase down 300 against Scotland. Against Zimbabwe he showed that he hadn’t lost any touch by getting off the mark with a towering six off Raza that landed on the roof of the three-storey building at the Golf Course End. Fifteen overs of drives, pulls and dabs later, he brought up a half-century off 51 balls with an adventurous ramp over point, and UAE were bossing the innings at 171 for 3 after 37 overs.Zimbabwe’s bowlers surged once again at the death, and the wicket of Shahzad in the 39th over slowed UAE’s charge. Mohammad Usman and Shaiman Anwar holed out, and when Blessing Muzarabani removed Ahmed Raza in a wicket maiden in the 47th over, UAE had slipped to 211 for 7 with the rain on its way. There was just enough time for Naveed to blast 22 from 10 deliveries, boosting the score beyond Zimbabwe’s reach and, ultimately, shattering their World Cup dreams.