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Amid a poor start to the season, Ajax are now reportedly ready to offer a Manchester United star a shock move when his contract runs out at the end of the campaign.

Man Utd transfer news

On paper, Manchester United’s transfer business was among the more promising in the Premier League over the summer, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe had finally made his mark on the squad.

In came Leny Yoro, who the Red Devils signed ahead of Real Madrid, before Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui arrived to complete a rebuild of Erik ten Hag’s backline. As if those reinforcements weren’t impressive enough, INEOS also welcomed Joshua Zirkzee and a potential Casemiro replacement in the form of Manuel Ugarte.

Man Utd pushing to re-sign former "engine" who plays like Mazraoui

He’s gone from strength to strength since leaving.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 11, 2024

Despite so many impressive fresh faces, United’s success away from the action is yet to bear its fruits on the pitch, increasing the pressure on Ten Hag. The Dutchman has even beaten his own unwanted record in the current campaign after overseeing United’s worst start to a Premier League season for a second year on the bounce.

It’s not just the manager who could be shown the Old Trafford exit door, though. According to reports relayed by The Hard Tackle, Ajax are now ready to offer Christian Eriksen a shock return at the end of his current Manchester United contract next summer.

The £150,000-a-week midfielder looks unlikely to extend his current deal despite playing a part in Ten Hag’s plans so far this season. Alas, his pending exit should come as no shock given INEOS’s preference for younger players instead of those in their mid-thirties such as Eriksen.

Ajax return fitting for "fantastic" Eriksen

There was, of course, a moment in time in which Eriksen looked to have played his final game in a premature end for a great midfielder. The Dane’s collapse at Euro 2020 was both heartbreaking and shocking, yet it began one of football’s great tales of resilience as Eriksen fought back to not only return to the Premier League, but back to the level he once found himself at courtesy of Manchester United (via Brentford).

Dubbed “fantastic” by Thomas Frank during his time in west London, the conclusion to Eriksen’s inspiring story could receive the most fitting ending if he does decide to return to where it all began.

The Dane left Ajax a fresh-faced gem, but would return a player who found himself at the forefront of arguably Tottenham Hotspur’s best-ever Premier League side under Mauricio Pochettino before swapping north London for Italy, winning Serie A at Inter and earning one last shot in England’s top flight.

Although his time at Old Trafford has been full of frustrating results, Eriksen is still on course to leave having written his name in the history books as an FA Cup winner after the Red Devils defeated rivals Manchester City at Wembley last season.

Fawad Alam hit 56, and added 85 for the sixth wicket with Faheem Ashraf

Danyal Rasool12-Aug-2021

Jayden Seales is jubilant after getting Azhar Ali•AFP/Getty Images

Stumps It is difficult to take issue with a day of Test match cricket when you win the toss, field first and bowl the opposition out within the day for 217, but West Indies will realise they might have easily have had a much firmer grasp on this Test match by now. It was an 85-run partnership between Fawad Alam, who top scored with 56, and Faheem Ashraf – two men who have spent varying periods of time out of this Test side for similarly unsatisfactory reasons – that appeared to have pulled Pakistan back to parity.But a self-destructive run-out with an hour to play allowed West Indies back in, and their quartet of quicks flicked the switch back, romping through the lower order to skittle Pakistan. They might, however, have done their job a bit too well at the end, because it forced the hosts into batting for an awkward four-over period. During that time, Mohammad Abbas prised out Kieran Powell and Nkrumah Bonner for ducks with characteristically glorious seam bowling, leaving West Indies wobbling at 2 for 2 overnight.The first two sessions set up the day for a grand finale, and much of the moving happened in those final two and a half hours. Alam and Ashraf were still getting their feet under the table in a budding little partnership of 23 as they walked out after tea, but a counterattacking knock from the allrounder saw Pakistan hurtle past 150. On a day when the run rate barely tiptoed past 2.25, 52 runs came off the first ten overs in that last session.Ashraf might be at pains to insist he is a bowling allrounder, but he averages over 50 with the bat since his return to the side in December last year. The belligerent pull in front of square and the elegant drive in front of cover were both in full flow, and when West Indies turned to their spinners to give the pacers a break, the runs flowed even more steadily. It appeared Ashraf had helped bail Pakistan out of a tight spot once more, but as the 100-run stand approached, the visitors offered West Indies a gift all wrapped up with a bow on it.Alam and Ashraf set off for an unnecessary single, chancing the arm of Roston Chase, whose shy caught Ashraf short of his crease. The wicket gave West Indies a second wind, and despite a brief cameo from Hasan Ali, the fast bowlers found the quality that had subdued Pakistan for much of the first two sessions, and blew through Alam and the tail. The last three fell without a run being scored after Jayden Seales had Hasan hole out on the onside, while Jason Holder broke through Alam’s defences and had Abbas edge one for a golden duck.Once Pakistan were put in to bat on a morning when showers were forecast, they began stodgily as a potent new ball pairing of Kemar Roach and Seales prowled. Abid Ali and Imran Butt were viewed as the Achilles heel of the visiting side’s batting line-up, and both fell cheaply, leaving the rebuild to Pakistan’s two best batters: Azhar Ali and Babar Azam.Fawad Alam and Faheem Ashraf shared a half-century stand•AFP/Getty Images

Roach and Seales – who now have two wickets each – found prodigious movement with the new ball, which they were careful not to waste. Captain Brathwaite had said yesterday his side had plans against each Pakistan player, and the way they went about dismantling the openers’ techniques suggested he had a point. Both were discomfited by deliveries that kept seaming back in of a length, and when the change-up from Roach targeted Butt’s stumps on the full, he was never in position to play the expansive drive he attempted. He found his off stump uprooted, and it had been coming.Abid had come off the back of an unbeaten double hundred against Zimbabwe, but against sterner opposition previously, his record remains remarkably mediocre. He got off to a streaky start with a thick outside edge that evaded the slips bringing him his first runs, but ever since, scoring opportunities were rarer than a dry day this series. Seales set him up with short deliveries through the over before pitching one up, and the Pakistan opener obliged by nicking it through to Joshua da Silva.Pakistan might have been content to lose just the two openers in the shortened first session, but in an extended second session in hot, humid conditions, West Indies ripped the spine out of the middle order. Their quartet of fast bowlers rose to the occasion, bowling expertly in partnerships – much more so than Pakistan batted in them.Azhar and Azam were removed within five deliveries of each other. Azhar in particular struggled dismally throughout an uncomfortable sojourn out in the middle, surviving no fewer than four reviews before finally nicking off to Holder. The next delivery Azam faced, he found Roach had beaten him on the inside edge, and when West Indies reviewed for a possible feather through to the keeper, Hawkeye supported their claim. All of a sudden, what had been a “nearly” session for Brathwaite’s side was transforming into a dominant one.It wasn’t ill-deserved, either. For the first 45 overs, the hosts stuck with the four pace bowlers, allowing them limited rest in oppressively humid conditions. Not for any extended period, though, was there a discernible let-up in intensity, a dropping of the shoulders or the pernicious creep-in of bad body language. The balls kept landing in the right areas, the pace didn’t fall away and Pakistan continued to be asked questions.Mohammad Rizwan would be the man to answer them, because Rizwan, apparently, does every job Pakistan require nowadays. His first ball was clipped away to midwicket for a boundary, and it soon became evident that that was how the wicketkeeper-batter would play. Seales was pulled away for four the first ball he bowled, and two further boundaries off the same bowler saw the run rate trend upwards.Rizwan fell shortly after, but it was during the Alam-Ashraf partnership, and the manic final hour which saw seven wickets fall that swung the game this way and that before leaving it finely poised overnight.

Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly moving closer to Manchester United exit as the struggling striker has reached an agreement with Juventus.

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Zirkzee has struggled to find his feet at Man UtdJuventus keen to get Zikrzee in JanuaryRed Devils ready to get a deal over the lineFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 23-year-old striker has endured a challenging spell since his £36 million ($42m) summer transfer from Bologna, managing just four goals in 27 appearances for the Red Devils. His struggles to adapt have been compounded by his inability to secure a consistent spot in Ruben Amorim’s lineup.

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According to a return to Serie A, where Zirkzee thrived with Bologna last season under coach Thiago Motta, appears to be on the horizon. Juventus are reportedly eager to reunite the striker with his former mentor, who helped him flourish during his breakout campaign in Italy. The ongoing injury struggles of Juventus striker Arek Milik have left Dusan Vlahovic carrying the load in attack. Zirkzee’s arrival would provide much-needed depth and a player tailored to Motta’s tactical style. Juventus’ sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has reportedly been in discussions with Zirkzee’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, who facilitated Douglas Luiz’s transfer to Juventus earlier this year. While a basic agreement between Zirkzee’s representatives and Juventus appears to be in place, a deal has not yet been finalised.

DID YOU KNOW?

After his most recent substitution which saw the Dutchman leave the pitch in tears, Zirkzee is said to be eager to leave Old Trafford just a few months after his arrival. However, the decision may ultimately rest with new United boss Amorim, who has already excluded Marcus Rashford from his squad in recent weeks, and Zirkzee’s first-half withdrawal against Newcastle only added to the uncertainty surrounding his future at the club.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Financial constraints have left United with limited room for manoeuvring, making player sales essential for securing the funds needed to pursue reinforcements. Zirkzee’s potential departure could help ease those pressures, but the club faces a balancing act in finding a suitor willing to meet their demands. Juventus’ hesitance to commit to a permanent transfer leaves the situation in limbo, with the Bianconeri instead pushing for a January loan until the end of the season.

The striker was denied by Jordan Pickford from the spot as the embattled champions failed to win for the fifth game in a row

Erling Haaland and Manchester City's miserable predicament was encapsulated when the Norwegian squandered a penalty and was then caught offside as Pep Guardiola's side's awful run of form continued with a 1-1 draw at home to Everton on Boxing Day. The result left City with just one win in their last 13 games in all competitions and still outside the Premier League's top five.

City made a comfortable start and took the lead when Bernardo Silva's shot deflected off Jarrad Branthwaite and into the far corner. Phil Foden was spraying passes like Andrea Pirlo but two bad touches by Haaland and a wayward shot from Bernardo ruined the promising moves he had created.

Everton levelled with a breakaway goal made possible by a Jeremy Doku giveaway and from then on City began to lose their nerve. The quick feet of Savinho won them a penalty but in farcical circumstances Haaland had his kick saved by Pickford, scored from the second phase of play but then saw his effort flagged offside.

Guardiola threw on Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in search of a winner but it was City that were left clinging on for a point deep in injury time and it took some disciplined defending to prevent the Toffees grabbing a first victory at the Etihad Stadium since 2010.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Stefan Ortega (5/10):

  Didn't see much of the ball, couldn't be blamed for the goal.

  Rico Lewis (4/10):

  Left Ndiaye unguarded. Still lacks authority in defence and not making up for it when he is on the ball.

  Manuel Akanji (4/10):

  Flapped at the cross towards Ndiaye. Struggled at times to deal with Calvert-Lewin's hold-up play.

  Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

  An asset going forward, hitting the post early on. Not entirely comfortable defensively.

  Nathan Ake (7/10):

  The one defender who knew what he was doing. Made two great tackles on Calvert-Lewin.

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  Midfield

  Bernardo Silva (5/10):

  Sat deeper than usual although also got forward. His goal had a stroke of luck and he should have buried his second chance after Foden's dream pass instead of shanking wide with the outside of his boot.

  Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

  Couldn't stamp his authority on the midfield battle and came second to Idrissa Gueye.

  Phil Foden (8/10):

  Looked closer to the player he was last season, playing some sublime defence-splitting passes which his team-mates couldn't make the most of.

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  Attack

  Jeremy Doku (5/10):

  Set up the goal and often looked a threat but gave the ball away too easily and didn't try hard enough to get it back in the build-up to Everton's equaliser.

  Erling Haaland (3/10):

  Wasn't sharp enough to make the most of Foden's lovely passes and his lack of confidence was summed up when he couldn't beat Pickford from the spot and was then caught offside in the second phase of play.

  Savinho (5/10):

  His trickery often amounted to nothing apart from when he earned the penalty.

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  Subs & Manager

  Kevin De Bruyne (5/10):

  Tried to make something happen in the final third when he teed up Haaland.

  Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (N/A):

  Replaced Ake with five minutes left.

  Ilkay Gundogan (N/A):

  Brought on in the 85th minute but couldn't help the search for the winner.

  Pep Guardiola (4/10):

  Another uninspiring game for the serial-winning coach and his changes came too late.

MatériaMais Notícias

O jovem goleiro João Paulo, de apenas 20 anos, recebeu sondagens de dois clubes da Série A e de mais uma outra equipe em Portugal. A informação foi confirmada pelo empresário do atleta, Pedro Henrique Grochot. Questionado pela reportagem, o agente comentou sobre o assunto.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

‘O João Paulo é uma das grandes revelações da Série A. Já há várias rodadas ele está entre os líderes na estatística de defesas por jogo no Brasileirão, e isso naturalmente acaba chamando atenção dos clubes que buscam informações relativas a sua situação atual. Há clubes que sinalizaram o interesse e possivelmente possam avançar com a formalização de uma proposta. Mesmo jovem, ainda com idade de sub-20, o João, que é um ativo da Chapecoense, mostrou muita personalidade e segue trabalhando diariamente para evoluir e continuar auxiliando seus colegas na busca pela reação no campeonato’, revelou o empresário.

Atualmente, com o fim da 28ª rodada do Brasileirão, João ocupa a segunda colocação no ranking da estatística de melhores médias de defesas por jogo no campeonato, com um total de 3.6, por partida. Atrás apenas do goleiro Maílson, do Sport, com 3.9. João tem 18 jogos na temporada atual e um total de 1586 minutos em campo. 14 desses jogos foram pelo Brasileiro e outros quatro pelo catarinense.

Com passagens pelas bases de Grêmio e Internacional, o jogador, que faz apenas sua primeira temporada como profissional, é um ativo da Chapecoense e tem contrato com o clube da Arena Condá até dezembro de 2024. A multa do jogador é de 12 milhões de euros para o mercado externo e R$ 12 milhões para o mercado interno.

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Pakistan tighten grip on contest despite Babar Azam’s first golden duck in Tests

Danyal Rasool30-Apr-2021This might not have been the best advert for Test cricket, but it is precisely days like these Fawad Alam has come to relish. With Pakistan needing to press home an advantage following an under-par Zimbabwe first-innings total, the left-hander struck his fourth Test hundred – he has never been out for less than three figures once he reaches 50 – stretching Pakistan’s lead past 175, with four wickets still in hand.Zimbabwe’s hapless bowlers tried to make the best of a bad situation, looking to claw a way out of the pit their batters had dug, and emerged from the day with a fair bit of credit. The run-scoring was never free, and breakthroughs fairly regular. Donald Tiripano was the pick of the bunch with three wickets; the removal of Babar Azam for his first golden duck a particular highlight.At that point, Zimbabwe might have felt a surge of optimism about the direction of this game, but it was perhaps fitting that Alam was the man to extinguish those hopes. No stranger to slow, attritional cricket when it seems no one might be watching, he dug in and began to ensure no bowler would settle. The routine of bowlers going through entire overs – spells, even – without needing to make an effort to be economical began to be undone. He used his feet to manipulate the field, work singles, and punish any loose delivery, especially when the spinners bowled a shorter length. He got off the mark the same way he got to his half-century, with a four off a spinner. The first was a smart cut past backward point, the latter an effortless flick back past the bowler that pierced mid-off and mid-on perfectly.Partners came and went either side of him, as they often tend to, but Fawad, as you’d expect, pushed ahead. Never in danger, never hassled, he moved past the half-century as if it hadn’t happened, more important goals and milestones on his mind. Towards the close of a day even the most ardent Test match enthusiasts might have found hard to remain glued to, he drove Tiripano back down the ground, a misfield gifting him the boundary that brought up this third century in in last four Tests.Related

Zimbabwe call up Luke Jongwe in host of changes for Pakistan Tests

Pakistan look to improve away record as Zimbabwe seek 2013 encore

Abid Ali fifty propels Pakistan reply to Zimbabwe's 176

The first session was an excruciatingly slow affair, with Pakistan trudging through 16 overs while adding just 13 to the overnight score, their intent conspicuous by its absence. Imran Butt, seven runs away from a half-century overnight, still hadn’t got to that mark. Azhar Ali’s arrival at the crease added some impetus, and towards the close of the session, the visitors finally looked like they were off and away.Zimbabwe began the day with eight maidens in 14 overs, Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava giving little away. Abid Ali and Butt appeared keen to take their time settling in, as they had the previous day, but ended up finding themselves in a bit of a bind, unable to up the ante as the overs trickled by. Any thoughts of punishing poor deliveries were put to one side, and when Tendai Chisoro’s left-arm spin was introduced, the batters retreated ever further into their shells. It appeared to have the opposite effect of the one Pakistan might have desired, with Abid losing his fluency, nicking off to first slip with one of the few drives he attempted. Brendan Taylor juggled with the catch but ended up holding on.Following the turgidity of the first session, the events of the second seemed positively slapdash. Pakistan raced along at more than three runs an over while Tiripano got himself on a hat-trick at one point. Butt fell nine runs short of a hundred and Azam lasted just one delivery.Zimbabwe enjoyed the better of the first half hour of the middle session. Azhar was undone by the surprise of extra bounce from Tiripano, with gully pouching a straightforward catch. Much more notably, Azam, in his first away Test as captain, fell to the most transparent of traps. Mid-on was brought up close as Tiripano bowled straight, inducing a drive which went to Roy Kaia, stationed there for that purpose. Zimbabwe had suddenly removed the two most prolific batters in the side.Butt at the other end chipped away more cautiously, eager to get to the three-figure mark he evidently had on his mind all session. It didn’t appear much would stop him, before Ngarave finally shaped one away that took his outside edge. It brought the left-armer his first Test wicket, denying Butt his first Test hundred in the process.The partnership that followed between Mohammad Rizwan and Alam was perhaps the one that conclusively wrenched the game away from Zimbabwe. The wicketkeeper continued his rich vein of form, helping to add 107 before falling five short of a half-century, Muzarabani sending his stumps cartwheeling. Faheem Ashraf missed out, too, but that only gave Hasan Ali the chance to have some fun at the bowlers’ expense. They might have been humoured from time to time, but in truth, Pakistan haven’t really left the home side with a chance.

Arsenal have sent scouts to watch Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui as they aim to sign a centre-forward in January.

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• Mikel Arteta wants new No.9
• Scouts sent to watch Atalanta's clash with Young Boys
• Retegui in fine form

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per journalist Maurizio Russo, Arsenal sent scouts to watch Atalanta play Young Boys in the Champions League, with Retegui the focus of their attentions. The 25-year-old scored twice in a 6-1 win, in a performance that may well have piqued Mikel Areta's interest.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Per the report, the Gunners want to sign a striker in January as they aim to bolster their title credentials. The club are currently fourth, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, and have scored the fewest goals of any club in the top four. Retegui has 14 goals this season, and a contract until 2028.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be interested in signing the Italy international, who has 18 caps and six goals under his belt. Atalanta only signed the striker in the summer, spending a reported €28 million (£23m/$29m) to bring him in from Genoa. He scored nine goals in 31 games for the club prior to his transfer.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal face West Ham in a big London derby this weekend before taking on Manchester United next week.

Victor Osimhen, Jonathan David and Julian Alvarez are just three names that have been linked with a move to Chelsea during the ongoing transfer window.

From these respective links, it’s evident that new boss Enzo Maresca wants a world-class centre-forward to give himself the best possible chance of returning to the Premier League’s top four.

However, the Blues didn’t look short of goals in England’s top four last season, scoring 77 goals – the fifth-highest tally of any side in the division.

Cole Palmer topped the goalscoring charts with 22 goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge, with Nicolas Jackson achieving a total of 14 in his first campaign in English football.

Despite the duo’s respective tallies, the Blues are still eyeing a new talisman, with the club set to rival another Premier League side for a very talented goalscorer.

Chelsea interested in £86m forward this summer

According to Football Transfers, Chelsea are set to rival Arsenal for the signature of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer.

The 26-year-old Swedish international registered a staggering 29 goals and ten assists in his 33 matches in Liga Portugal last season – making him the division’s top scorer by eight goals.

Football Transfers' report states that the two Premier League sides are the only options for Gyokeres this window after Italian outfit Napoli pulled out of the race for his services.

Antonio Conte’s side have undoubtedly been priced out of a move for the former Coventry City man, after Sporting set a £86m price tag to prise him away from the Portuguese club ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Chelsea’s interest in the striker could spell the end of their desire to sign another forward, with Gyokeres undoubtedly a better option for Maresca next season.

Why Gyokeres would be a better option than Isak for Chelsea

In recent weeks, rumours have been circulating over a potential move for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, with Eddie Howe’s side wanting a fee of over £100m for his star man this summer.

The fee touted is hardly a surprise, given his goalscoring tally from last season, which saw the 24-year-old score 21 times in his 27 Premier League appearances.

His tally would undoubtedly provide the added goalscoring threat Maresca is looking for, but the club would be better off opting for a move for Sporting striker Gyokeres instead.

He managed to finish the previous campaign with 16 more goal contributions than the Newcastle ace, whilst also averaging more combined goals and assists per 90.

With the Blues wanting an out-and-out centre-forward, Gyokeres, who's been dubbed a "powerhouse" by analyst Ben Mattinson, would prove to be a better addition, winning over double the amount of aerials compared to Isak – giving Maresca the focal point that he’s craving at Stamford Bridge.

Games

33

30

Goals + assists

39

23

Shots per 90

3.4

2.9

Aerials won

49%

20%

Progressive carries

114

68

Goals + assists per 90

1.2

0.9

This season is a pivotal one for Chelsea as they aim to close the gap created by numerous sides above them in recent campaigns, having missed out on Champions League qualification yet again in 2023/24.

With the club already splashing out over £100m on two players under Todd Boehly’s watchful eye – in the form of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez – it’s crucial that should they spend a similar figure this summer that they identify the right talent, with Gyokeres undoubtedly more of a better fit for the Blues.

£110 million "monster" has offer to join Chelsea over Paris-Saint Germain

The Blues are contending with the Ligue 1 champions.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 17, 2024

Wrexham's new minority investors the Allyn family revealed why they chose to invest in the League One club.

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• Wrexham roped in Allyn family as investors
• New York-based business family revealed real reason
• Wrexham face Harrogate Town on Sunday

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Allyn Family, based out of New York, recently formed the Red Dragon Ventures LLC with Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney which helped them to buy minority stakes in the Welsh club. The family-owned Welch Allyn, Inc., a world-renowned medical device company, will now support Reynolds and McElhenney as they try to take the Red Dragons to the Premier League.

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• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Speaking to Syracuse.com, Welch Allyn vice president, Eric Allyn said, "Wrexham was a mining town, a steel town, working-class oriented with lots of breweries. Then the steel and mining collapsed and the breweries collapsed, and the city really collapsed in on itself. We know we can't reproduce Welch Allyn, but at least we can have investments we can connect to. We love to invest in great companies."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham have made significant progress since the actor duo arrived at the club in 2021. They gained promotions in consecutive years and are now plying their trade in the English third tier. Reynolds and McElhenney, however, dream of competing in the Premier League in the near future and as a result are trying to attract more investment in the club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Phil Parkinson's side, who are third in the league and are on a two-game winless run, will aim to get back to winning ways on Sunday as they take on Harrogate Town in an FA Cup first-round clash.

Derby County will enter the Championship next season with a number of products from their academy present in and around the first-team, with the Rams youth set-up hailed as being a fertile place for stars to develop, before shining when making the leap up into the senior mix.

Eiran Cashin, unless he is snapped up between now and the opening day, is the most notable face who has managed to make a first-team spot his own since graduating from the Academy structure, whilst the likes of Max Bird and Jason Knight have got bumper moves away from Pride Park after cutting their teeth in Derbyshire.

Yet, even with plenty of examples of Derby's patience paying off with homegrown stars, there are other examples where the Rams have prematurely let a gem go who has then gone on to excel away from the Championship club.

That doesn't mean Derby won't still win in the long-term, however, with a former Academy starlet in Liam Delap having just completed a bumper move, which could see Paul Warne and Co gain some significant money to put towards their second-tier transfer kitty.

Liam Delap's start at Derby

Delap moving onto Ipswich could see Derby win a sweet cash bonus, with the Championship outfit cleverly inserting a sell-on clause when they allowed the 21-year-old to move on in 2019, in case something like this occurred down the line.

Delap spent ten years in and around the youth set-up at the Rams before moving to Manchester City, with the wide-eyed sensation benefitting from his early Pride Park education, which might well have helped him hone in on his vicious goalscoring skills that have been seen playing youth football for City.

The 6 foot 1 forward would go on to only make eight appearances for Derby U18s, scoring just once from those appearances, before being snapped by the reigning Premier League champions.

Warne's side never unfortunately got to witness Delap at his prolific best, therefore, with there being a theoretical world where the highly rated new Ipswich signing would have gone on to make many a senior appearance at Pride Park, instead of walking away from his boyhood club so early into his fledging career.

Instead, he turned into a notoriously ice-cold finisher of chances playing in the Premier League 2 and beyond for Pep Guardiola's titans, which has led him to making such an expensive switch to Suffolk.

How Delap developed at Man City

Man City didn't just take a risky gamble on Delap coming good, however, with the deadly youngster showing off his goalscoring prowess with the England U16s when still on the books at Derby.

The promising attacker would bag six goals from ten games on the International stage in this age bracket, before going on to be capped all the way up to the U21s, with the goals never drying up.

The ridiculous goal above is just one of many sublime strikes Delap has managed to put away playing for City, with a ridiculous 11 strikes and seven assists managed from 18 U18 appearances after he first waved Derby goodbye.

That fast-tracked the 21-year-old up to the U21 fold, where he became even more of a calm finisher under pressure, with a staggering 35 goals from just 36 games, as his former employers watched on in awe of what their youth player was now doing to defences regularly in the Premier League 2 and other competitions.

Premier League 2

32

32

8

U18 Premier League

18

8

6

FA Youth Cup

7

4

1

EFL Trophy

4

3

0

FA Cup

3

0

0

UEFA Youth League

2

0

0

Premier League

2

0

0

EFL Cup

2

1

0

UEFA Champions League

1

0

0

This composure in front of goal even saw Guardiola take notice and label Delap as an "incredible" finisher, with the Spaniard also allowing the 21-year-old to net a senior strike at the Etihad Stadium, by scoring against AFC Bournemouth in the EFL Cup in 2020.

Delap's value in 2024

Loan spells down in the Championship away from the luxuries of the Premier League giants have also seen him sharpen his skills in finding the back of net further, with eight strikes managed last season for Hull City as Ipswich now gain the services of the highly rated centre-forward for a reported fee of £20m.

Derby won't be mega-rich off the back of this development, but gaining a slim fraction of that £20m will still go a long way you imagine, especially when you consider that amount is more than what the entire Derby squad is currently worth, according to Transfermarkt.

Derby's entire squad, as per Transfermarkt's latest valuation, is currently worth around £12.6m, which is some way off Delap.

Ipswich will hope they aren't paying way over the odds for their new 6 foot 1 star, considering Man City managed to win his services from Derby for just £1m back in 2019.

1. Matej Vydra

£10.2m

2. Jeff Hendrick

£9.9m

3. Seth Johnson

£9.6m

4. Will Hughes

£7.6m

5. Tom Ince

£7.6m

Delap would even become Derby's record departure with that £20m price tag now next to his head, when glancing at the table above, with Warne and Co hopeful that some of this cash can go towards boosting and strengthening their squad ahead of their return to the Championship.

The Championship can be an unforgiving division, and with some additions already entering into the building bolstering the ranks, this new added injection of cash could go some way in further adding strength in depth.

It remains to be seen whether or not Delap becomes a success at Ipswich, after being protected by the youth pitches at City for some time.

But, Derby won't really be paying attention to that, as they focus on survival as a minimum this season to come.

Derby could soon move on promotion hero who earns more than Mendez-Laing

As Derby County continue to strengthen with incomings, a number of players could now be allowed to head for the exit door.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 7, 2024