India’s oldest living first-class cricketer turned 100 years old on January 26, 2020

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jan-2020Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh dropped by. Soon after, another legend, Sunil Gavaskar paid a visit. Vasant Raiji does not recollect those greats visiting him at his ocean-view south Mumbai residence. But there is a reason cricketing greats want to visit Raiji. On Sunday, the oldest living Indian first-class player completed a century in life. Born on January 26, 1920, Raiji is 100 years old now.Primarily a batsman, Raiji represented Bombay (as it was known in his time) and Baroda in nine first-class matches before turning his attention to the family business of chartered accountancy. In a decade-long career that coincided with World War II, Raiji scored 277 runs at an average of 23 with one half-century.

Wishing you a very special birthday, Shri Vasant Raiji.

Steve & I had a wonderful time listening to some amazing cricket stories about the past.
Thank you for passing on a treasure trove of memories about our beloved sport. pic.twitter.com/4zdoAcf8S3

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 26, 2020

Incidentally, Raiji’s first-class debut wasn’t with Bombay or Baroda, but for a Cricket Club of India (CCI) team that played against Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939. History books list it as a festival match though, in which Raiji was out for a duck in the first innings and made 1 not out in the second.It was a match in which he got the opportunity to play against some India stalwarts, including CK Nayudu, Mushtaq Ali, Vijay Hazare and Lala Amarnath. Raiji’s Bombay debut came in 1941 against Western India under Vijay Merchant’s captaincy, a match that also featured Raiji’s brother Madan.After that Raiji made his debut for Bombay in 1941 against Western India under the captaincy of Merchant. That match also featured Madan.In 2011, talking at a function organised by CCI to celebrate Merchant’s birth centenary, Raiji recounted what Merchant had told him and Laxman Kenny, his opening partner.”You two play for separate clubs,” Raiji remembered Merchant saying. “You will not have much of an understanding with each other while running between the wickets. Be very cautious.”As it happened Raiji, Kenny and Merchant were run out.Despite becoming a chartered accountant, Raiji’s love for cricket never diminished. In the 1930s, Raiji was one of the founding members of the Jolly Cricket Club along with his longtime friend, the late Anandji Dossa, a well-known statistician in the last century. Former India allrounder Bapu Nadkarni, who died recently, played for Jolly, as did Eknath Solkar, Ashok Mankad and Yajurvindra Singh.Despite switching careers, Raiji poured his love for the game into words by authoring several books, with his subjects ranging from CK Nayudu, Victor Trumper, Duleepsinhji and his own hero LP Jai, the former Bombay batsman who played one match, India’s maiden Test at home, against Douglas Jardine’s England in 1933 at the Bombay Gymkhana.Raiji was one of the thousands that turned up to watch that historic match as a 13-year-old, but it was not easy. His father Naisadrai had to shell out INR 100, a king’s ransom in those days, so that his son could enjoy India’s first Test.Raiji never forgot the events of the match, including Lala Amarnath becoming India’s first Test centurion. Did that innings make Raiji take up cricket seriously? “Back then, there was no culture of deciding,” Raiji told recently in an interview. He said Naisadrai wanted him and Madan to join NM Raiji & Co, the family-run CA firm. “Cricket was a hobby.”Raiji’s memory might be failing him at times, but he does keep half an eye on cricket. He even has a view on the raging debate on four-day Test cricket. “A four-day Test series won’t work at all. There will be too many drawn matches,” he told .A centurion in life, Raiji continues to enjoy his hobby.

It was a night of conflicting emotions for Arsenal last night.

Mikel Arteta’s side finally returned to Premier League football after two weeks off for the international break, and while they looked a little rusty, they picked up all three points, winning 2-1.

However, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhães both came off injured and while the former didn’t look too bad, the latter appeared to be holding his hamstring, which could be terrible news ahead of next week’s Champions League game against Real Madrid.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Furthermore, while they ultimately won, the home side’s performances were mixed. Some players really stepped up, while others looked poor, including one Arteta signing who has to be dropped ahead of the next two games.

Arsenal's stand-out performers vs Fulham

So, before we get to the disappointing player in question, it’s worth looking at those who played well last night; the team did win, after all.

While Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have received much of the praise following last night, deservedly so, other starters stepped up to the plate, such as Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain had a good international break, starting both games for Thomas Tuchel, and carried that form back into the match against Fulham as he was seemingly here, there, and everywhere throughout the 90 minutes.

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Granted, he did miss a chance towards the end of the game, firing well over the bar, but in all, it was a composed and dominant performance, as fans have come to expect, and enough to earn a 7/10 match rating from football.london’s Tom Canton.

Two players who did one better than the Englishman were Timber and Merino who received 8/10 match ratings from the journalist.

Before coming off, the former put in a brilliant showing, getting forward to help out in attack and making several impressive defensive contributions, including a vital tackle on Antonee Robinson in the second half.

Merino scored yet another goal for his efforts, and while it was a little scrappy, he continues to deliver for his manager and teammates.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all great last night, as there was one Arsenal ace who underwhelmed and once again showed that the club should probably be looking to move him on as soon as possible.

The Arsenal star who must be axed after Fulham

It is a cruel irony that Arteta got Saka back from injury last night and then lost Timber and Gabriel. What makes it worse is that Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori are also injured.

So, with few options, the manager turned to Jakub Kiwior to replace the Brazilian titan.

While he’s shown glimpses of quality in the past, this performance further reinforced the idea that Arsenal need another centre-back in the summer and that, as podcaster Phil Costa claims, he just “isn’t good enough” to regularly feature for the Gunners.

As he was against Fulham earlier in the season, the Polish international looked uneasy at the back, unconvincing on the ball and was a significant step down in quality on the man he replaced and the star he was playing alongside.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by Canton, who awarded him just a 6/10 on the night and laid part of the blame for the Cottagers’ goal at his feet for his ‘tussle’ with the rapid Adama Traore.

Interestingly, his statistics for the game are rather mixed, with the positive being the fact he won four of five ground duels, made five clearances and completed 93% of his passes.

Kiwior’s game in numbers

Minutes

74′

Clearances

5

Tackles

3

Dribbled past

1

Errors Leading to a Shot

1

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Lost Possession

4

Passing Accuracy

41/44 (93%)

All Stats via Sofascore

However, on the other hand, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, made an error that led directly to a shot and was dribbled past, which, if it happens against Fulham, could be a serious problem against Real next week.

Therefore, if there is any chance that White, Timber, or even Rice can fill in at centre-back in the next two games, Arteta must drop Kiwior from the starting lineup, as he’s just not good enough to start for a team like Arsenal.

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As the chance to complete a league double over Manchester City arrives, Manchester United have reportedly held talks with the representatives of one particular target worth as much as £68m this summer.

Man Utd looking to shock Guardiola once again

Scoring twice in the final two minutes to defeat Manchester City at the Etihad back in December, Manchester United will be hoping to find something to salvage from a disastrous campaign by completing a double over their rivals this weekend. Last time out, Amad Diallo was Ruben Amorim’s hero. This time, however, his side must look towards a fresh attacking spark amid the winger’s absence.

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Speaking ahead of the Manchester derby, Amorim spoke about his side’s ambitions for the rest of the season and their problems compared to City’s. The former Sporting CP boss told reporters: “We want to win this game, we want to improve in the league table and especially we want to win games.

“We are going to have full focus on this game. I don’t see one win as a special moment. Special moments are to win titles. Even if the third division, you can beat the best team in the division.

“I am more focused on our problems; I think we have bigger problems than Manchester City. They had problems in that run. They have improved. They have maybe the best coach in the world. They have top players. It will be a difficult match. I am so focused on improving my team, I am not focused on City’s improvements.”

Season

Competition

Match

2024/25

Premier League

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2024/25

Community Shield

Man City 1-1 Man Utd

2023/24

FA Cup

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man City 3-1 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man Utd 0-3 Man City

The Manchester United boss also admitted that the focus is to improve his side, saying: “The focus must be on how to improve our team in every aspect. Of course, the Premier League is so different.

“People say Sir Alex Ferguson took two or three times to win something… it is completely different nowadays. The pressure is different. No matter the context, we need to be there [at the top]. We will have to say a lot of adversity and big teams.”

That is, of course, likely to come in the form of summer reinforcements, which could yet include the arrival of a much-needed, big-money goalscorer when the transfer window opens.

Man Utd hold positive talks with Ekitike

According to Anfield Watch, Manchester United have now held positive talks with the representatives of Hugo Ekitike over a potential summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the deal won’t come cheap, with the German club set to remain firm on their €80m (£68m) asking price in the coming months.

With competition from Liverpool for the Frenchman’s signature, the Red Devils should go all out to sign what would be an instant solution to their attacking problems.

Dubbed “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Ekitike has scored 19 goals in all competitions so far this season and looks like he’s only just getting started on Europe’s top stage.

Liverpool are set for some big changes this summer and are now making pre-window advances to bring in a talented defender to bolster the ranks at Anfield.

Liverpool could be set for landscape to change under Arne Slot

Arne Slot has become a heroic figure on the red half of Merseyside since arriving from Feyenoord last summer and did his reputation no harm during the week as Liverpool saw off rivals Everton to maintain their 12-point advantage at the Premier League summit.

Despite the euphoric scenes at Anfield, some supporters are trepidatious heading into the summer due to heavy rumours that Trent Alexander-Arnold is on his way to Real Madrid.

The Reds academy graduate isn’t the only one with an uncertain future at the club. Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have yet to commit to fresh terms despite being on the cusp of claiming a Premier League medal.

Sending the transfer mill into overdrive, Liverpool are now said to be eyeing a move for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki and hold out hope the French playmaker could join on a cheap deal following news he has agreed to leave for around £25 million.

On the same token, Freiburg right-back Kiliann Sildillia has been lined up as a potential Alexander-Arnold replacement, albeit Manchester City, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion want to sign the Bundesliga star this summer.

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Whatever circumstances fall Liverpool’s way over the next few months, Slot doesn’t appear to have much time to waste. He has now reportedly set his sights on an alternative defensive target to add some solidity to his backline.

Liverpool make advances to sign Rayo Vallecano's Andrei Ratiu

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have identified Rayo Vallecano’s Andrei Ratiu as a target to replace Alexander-Arnold, and club chiefs have already initiated pre-summer moves to bring the Romania international to Anfield.

Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen are also in hot pursuit of the 26-year-old, who has registered two goals and three assists in 28 appearances across all competitions this season.

Andrei Ratiu’s La Liga statistics in 2024/25

Chances created

24

Tackles won

34

Duels won

144

Successful crosses

6

Recoveries

138

Possessing a release clause of around £21 million, Ratiu could be on the market for a relatively cheap price as Liverpool scour the market for contingencies should Alexander-Arnold complete a free transfer to Real Madrid.

Conor Bradley is another exciting alternative in reserve, though his injury status in recent times shows the need for reliable cover on the right-hand side of defence. Importantly, Slot sees Ratiu as a ‘perfect fit’ for his high-octane system, indicating he has done his homework on the Aiud-born man ahead of the window.

Until Alexander-Arnold’s departure is officially ratified, supporters will hold out hope that a fairytale u-turn from the Three Lions international could be on the cards.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy could soon green-light a move for a “fantastic” manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to a report.

Ange on thin ice at Tottenham after Chelsea defeat

Tottenham’s poor form continued against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Thursday, suffering a 1-0 defeat against their London rivals, but in truth they have had little to play for in the Premier League for quite some time.

Winning the Europa League is the last remaining avenue for Spurs to have a successful season, with a triumph ending their long trophy drought, while also granting them access to next season’s Champions League.

As such, Postecoglou is on very thin ice, and Levy has now started to identify potential replacements for the Australian, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola one of the names on the shortlist, having enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Cherries.

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Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner is also of interest, alongside Fulham manager Marco Silva, and there has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the Portuguese coach.

According to a report from Football Insider, Levy could green-light a move for Silva, with Postecoglou under serious pressure as we approach the business end of the season.

Former Everton chief Keith Wyness goes on to explain why appointing the Fulham boss could make perfect sense for Levy, saying: “Silva is probably more in the running than Iraola.

“I think he’s more of a Levy character, he’s got the London experience – performing well with Fulham.

“He’s been with Everton, Watford – he’s got the runs on the board.

“I think he would operate at Spurs quite well. He’s done well on a tight budget with Fulham, and that’s what Levy will be looking for.

“We’ve seen the numbers at Tottenham, they’re not spending much on wages or fees – it’s very low.”

"Fantastic" Silva has earned move to top club

The 47-year-old has had his fair share of setbacks, previously being sakced by Everton, but he has since done a stellar job with Fulham, having achieved promotion from the Championship before stabilising the Cottagers as a Premier League club.

In light of his accomplishments, the former Everton boss has been lauded as “fantastic” by journalist Konstantinos Lianos, and he is on course to record a top-half finish in the Premier League this season.

Should Postecoglou fail to win the Europa League, it is looking likely the 59-year-old will depart this summer, particularly with his relationship with the fans increasingly under strain.

Silva has proven he could be a solid replacement for Ange, but there also has to be questions asked of Levy, given that so many top managers have now failed to bring success to Spurs.

Leeds United have fallen into a sticky predicament within their promotion push, but that hasn’t stopped the club in pushing to land a high-profile summer target, per reports.

Leeds United risk failing to claim automatic promotion

Despite claiming a point at Luton Town courtesy of Daniel James’ first-half strike in a 1-1 draw, the Whites have won one of their last six Championship matches under Daniel Farke.

Frustratingly, Burnley now sit at the summit following their narrow victory over Coventry City, while Sheffield United remain in contention even after a shock loss to Oxford United on Saturday lunchtime.

On the eye, a sense of fragility has crept in at the wrong time for Leeds United. The situation is still salvagable as it stands, but they will certainly want to rectify their on-field issues to put forward the best picture possible to potential targets come the summer window.

Providing a marker of their ambitions in the market, the Yorkshire giants have made an opening approach for West Ham star Tomas Soucek in a deal that could see the Czechia international earn £120,000 per week.

Premier League promotion would need to be a certainty for the veteran to entertain the possibility, and the same goes for Leeds United’s pursuit of Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.

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Illan Meslier has been dropped due to a string of erratic performances, so it only makes sense that their recruitment team begin to do their homework on stoppers far and wide that could replace the Frenchman.

Looking to rectify the problem, Farke and company have now cast their eye on a Premier League veteran who could be on the move this summer.

Leeds United eye surprise move for Newcastle United stopper Nick Pope

According to The Sun, Nick Pope is being lined up by Leeds United as a replacement for Meslier following question marks over his form since recovering from injury.

Intriguingly, the Magpies’ pursuit of James Trafford could put the England international under ‘serious pressure’ at St James’ Park. However, the Whites also have Trafford in their sights should promotion occur at Elland Road.

Nick Pope key statistics in 2024/25 – Premier League

Saves

61

Save percentage

69.3%

Goals conceded

27

Error which leads to goal

2

High claim

28

Labelled “brilliant” by Pep Guardiola, there is no doubt Pope has lived up to that billing since arriving in the North East. The former Burnley man has kept 31 clean sheets in 86 appearances, playing his part in a top-four finish and EFL Cup triumph under the stewardship of Eddie Howe.

Nevertheless, the 32-year-old, who is a CAA Stellar client alongside Leeds United pair Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle, may feel his best chance of continuing to receive first-team football could come elsewhere amid Newcastle’s desire to land a younger profile.

Saying that, it does feel unlikely that the £60,000 per week earner would drop down to the second tier, making promotion a necessary development before any serious talk of a move can take place.

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship once again as they prepare to take on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in the early kick-off this afternoon.

The Whites are looking to bounce back from successive 2-2 draws against Swansea and Queens Park Rangers either side of the international break.

Daniel Farke has already confirmed that there will be one change to his starting line-up for this clash with the Hatters, as Illan Meslier will be dropped to the bench in favour of Karl Darlow.

Why Daniel Farke is right to drop Illan Meslier

The German head coach looks to be making the sensible decision to take the French stopper out of the firing line, after he fumbled a cross for Swansea’s first goal last weekend.

Meslier has now made three errors that have directly led to goals for the opposition in the Championship this season, with the other two coming in away games against Sunderland and Hull.

The left-footed dud has also conceded 2.73 more goals than the average goalkeeper would be expected to based on the xG of the shots against him this term, which shows that he has underperformed as a shot-stopper whilst also being error-prone.

This is why Farke is right to drop him from the side to give Darlow, who has not made a single appearance in the league this season, a chance to shine between the sticks.

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However, Meslier is not the only player who should be taken out of the team, as the former Norwich City head coach must also ruthlessly ditch Dan James.

Why Dan James should be dropped

The Wales international should be removed from the XI as well as the French flop after his disappointing performance against his former club last weekend.

James started on the right side of the attack at Elland Road for the 2-2 draw with the Swans and was not directly involved in either of the two goals that Leeds scored, as Wilfried Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson got on the scoresheet.

Minutes

85

Touches

34

Pass accuracy

50% (8/16)

Shots

4

Goals

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, the former Manchester United man endured a torrid time against Swansea, completing just 50% of his passes and failing to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch.

The £50k-per-week star has now gone four matches without a goal or an assist, and seven games without a goal, in the Championship, which is why Farke must ruthlessly take him out of the XI for this clash with Luton, given the other options he has at his disposal.

Gnonto scored one minute after coming on for James and the Italy U21 international, who has racked up six goals and five assists in the league, should be brought into the starting line-up this afternoon.

The Italian dynamo’s late goal against Swansea was more than the Welshman has contributed in his last four league outings, and Farke must, now, provide Gnonto with an opportunity to showcase his quality from the start.

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Therefore, Meslier is not the only player who should be dropped against the Hatters, and was not the only player who flopped against Swansea last time out.

Leeds United are now weighing up whether to make a £3.5 million bid to sign a 26-year-old defender who will likely replace Maximilian Wober, according to a recent report.

Leeds already planning exits ahead of new arrivals

Daniel Farke’s men moved a step closer to the Premier League over the weekend, as a win over Preston North End moved them five points clear of third-place Sheffield United. The Whites now know they need just eight points from the 12 possible to secure a place in the top flight.

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So as the Premier League dream moves ever closer, Leeds are already looking ahead to the summer transfer window. There are a number of positions that Farke will want to strengthen, as signing a new goalkeeper has become a priority given the poor form of Illan Meslier this season. The Frenchman may soon be on his way out of Elland Road, but he may not be alone, as according to Football Insider, Leeds want to sign a new striker as they believe Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe are not good enough for the Premier League.

There are doubts at the club about the pair, and therefore, they could be moved on in the hope they can find a better striker in the transfer market.

The departures may not stop there, as Leeds United News states that defender Max Wober is expected to leave the Whites at the end of this campaign. The 27-year-old has had a terrible season with injuries, playing just seven games in the Championship, and despite being under contract until 2027, he could be moved on by Farke, especially if a replacement is found.

Leeds now considering £3.5m bid for Modibo Sagnan

So, given Wober is heading towards the exit door, signing a new defender has become a priority, and according to Africa Foot, Leeds are now considering a move to sign Modibo Sagnan from French side Montpellier.

The report states that several teams are interested in signing the centre-back, who can also play left-back, with the Whites already identifying the 26-year-old as a recruitment priority. It states that Leeds chiefs will have already made contact with Sagnan’s entourage over a possible move to Elland Road in the summer transfer window. Leeds are considering making an offer for the defender, worth €4 million, which is roughly £3.5 million.

Montpellier find themselves in relegation trouble towards the end of this season, and should they be relegated to Ligue 2, it could benefit Leeds when it comes to negotiating a transfer for Sagnan.

Apps

26

Goals

2

Clean sheets

0

Interceptions per game

1.1

Tackles per game

2.2

Dribbled past per game

0.8

Clearances per game

4.4

His potential arrival would see him join Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, who have been Leeds’ main centre-back pairing in this campaign. The Whites are already incredibly short at centre-back, so if Wober does leave in the summer, Sagnan arrives as an important player and one who could play a lot in the Premier League.

Chelsea has been the home to countless attacking stars over the years, but not many have managed to match the levels produced by Ivorian striker Didier Drogba.

The forward joined the Blues back in the summer of 2004 from Ligue 1 outfit Marseille, with José Mourinho working tirelessly to complete a deal to take him to Stamford Bridge.

Such a deal would prove to be a masterstroke, with the now 47-year-old starring over two separate spells in West London, claiming a total of 12 major trophies with the Blues.

Drogba notched a total of 164 goals during his time at the club, arguably scoring the most important goal in their history during the Champions League final back in 2012.

However, in the present day, Enzo Maresca doesn’t have the focal point he desires to have his own version of the talisman, leading to huge rumours over a deal for a new number nine this summer.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of a new striker this summer

Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has been hugely touted with a move to join Chelsea this summer, with the 22-year-old starring in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

He’s managed to notch a total of 12 goals in 31 appearances for the Tractor Boys, leading to links to move to Stamford Bridge given his £30m release clause.

However, it appears as though Maresca’s side have been handed a boost in their pursuit for his signature, with Delap not interested in a move to Manchester United after their own willingness to land him.

Players such as Jonathan David and Victor Osimhen have also been thrown into the mix lately, but Borussia Dortmund talisman Serhou Guirassy is the latest player to emerge as a target.

According to journalist Maurizio Russo, the Blues are currently leading the race for the 29-year-old, who has managed to net 28 goals in his 40 appearances across all competitions this term.

Chelsea’s best striker since Drogba

Over the years, Chelsea have spent big to try and fill the centre-forward role, but so far to no avail, given their huge hunt for a new number nine.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Álvaro Morata and Christopher Nkunku have all tried to cement their place at the top end of the pitch, but none of them have successfully managed to do so.

The hierarchy have splashed over £200m on the aforementioned trio alone, highlighting the need to land the right star to end their hunt over the next few months.

Guinean forward Guirassy could manage to do just that should he complete a switch to the Bridge this summer, but he won’t come cheap, currently having a £70m release clause in his contract.

However, when comparing him to the current options at the manager’s disposal, he’s massively outperformed them both – showcasing what a sensational signing he could be in their quest for Premier League glory.

Guirassy, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, has outscored Nicolas Jackson and Nkunku in 2024/25, whilst also registering a higher goal-per-shot-on-target rate – demonstrating his clinical nature in the final third.

Games played

25

26

27

Goals scored

15

9

3

Goals per shot-on-target

0.5

0.2

0.2

Shots taken

3.4

3.3

2.4

Fouls won

2

1.2

1.1

Aerials won

3.9

0.8

1.5

Aerial success rate

54%

34%

42%

He’s also won more fouls per 90, whilst also registering more shots per game – offering an all-round presence that the Blues have greatly missed in recent months.

However, the 29-year-old has dominated aerially, winning more of the duels he’s entered in the air, finally allowing Maresca to have that target man that he’s craved since joining last summer.

Whilst £70m may appear to be a mammoth sum of money for a player entering the back end of his career, the Dortmund attacker has the star quality to make an immediate impact in West London.

With the majority of the side being full of youngsters, the balance between them and Guirassy could be a successful one, massively aiding the club in their title ambitions throughout 2025/26.

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With The Friedkin Group looking to make their mark at the beginning of a new era at Everton, the new owners have now reportedly submitted an opening offer to sign an in-demand defensive target.

New era approaching at Everton

Preparing to bid farewell to the historic Goodison Park in the coming weeks, it’s all change at Everton and they’ll be desperate to commence a new era in fine fashion this summer. Attempting to add the signings to match an impressive new stadium, the Toffees have already reportedly set their sights on the likes of Liam Delap and Vangelis Pavlidis.

The former will reportedly be available at the bargain price of just £30m if Ipswich Town are relegated back down to the Championship this season, which is beginning to look like an inevitability. If Friedkin are looking for a statement of intent, then winning the race to sign the impressive forward would certainly provide exactly that this summer.

It’s not just attacking reinforcements that David Moyes will need if he is to take Everton away from the misery of relegation battles once and for all, however. The former West Ham United manager will also need some fresh faces within his backline, especially in the face of Michael Keane’s likely exit as a free agent this summer.

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Just what Friedkin’s budget will be ahead of the summer window remains to be seen, but it looks set to be a busy one for Everton, who have already reportedly submitted an opening bid for one star.

Everton submit opening bid to sign "perfect" Hancko

Looking to commence their summer transfer window with a bang, those in Merseyside have reportedly made their first move. According to Tuttomercatoweb, Friedkin have now submitted an opening offer worth €25m (£21m) to sign David Hancko this summer, only for Feyenoord to reject that opening bid in pursuit of around €30m (£26m) for their defender.

Whether Friedkin will be keen to up their offer will certainly be interesting to see, especially given how close they already are to Hancko’s reported valuation and amid competition from Bayer Leverkusen.

A player who has the “perfect profile” to act as the modern-day hybrid between a centre-back and full-back according to analyst Ben Mattinson, all signs are pointing towards a move away from Feyenoord for Hancko this summer whether it’s to Everton, Leverkusen or elsewhere.