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One club's star player is now interested in talks to join Chelsea, and he's seen as a "perfect" player for manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino's plans to sign new Chelsea striker

The west Londoners have gone on a slightly upward trajectory of late, winning 4-1 away to Spurs on Monday last week before scoring four past Man City in a nail-biting 4-4 at Stamford Bridge over the weekend. Some of Pochettino's side now have time to rest up over the international break, with the Argentine, Todd Boehly and his co-sporting directors also gaining a minute to discuss transfer plans for January.

Despite scoring eight in their last two league games, it is still believed Chelsea want to sign a striker. Heavily criticised summer signing Nicolas Jackson has managed to get on the scoresheet far more often lately, but the former Villarreal star still looks a fair bit away from the finished article.

The Blues have been linked with Brentford star Ivan Toney as one option, with Napoli star Victor Osimhen coming as another.

“I like him [Palmer], I think he’s good but I don’t think he’s the answer,” said pundit Peter Crouch on TNT Sports (via TEAMtalk) recently, urging Chelsea to bring in a number nine.

“I think with Chelsea, as well as they did against Arsenal, I think they need a traditional No.9 – they’ve had Drogba as the main one in recent times but now they’ve been linked with Ivan Toney.

“If they can go out and get him, then that’d be absolutely perfect for them because what they have around that is perfect.”

While Toney possesses Premier League experience, Osimhen could come as a great option for Chelsea given just how excellent he's been for Napoli.

Osimhen "interested" in Chelsea talks

As per TEAMtalk, Chelsea may have been handed a boost in pursuit of the Nigerian, with Osimhen now "interested" in opening talks to join Pochettino.

Osimhen is more open to leaving Naples after a bizarre TikTok row with his club, opening the door for interested suitors like Chelsea to tempt him away.

The 24-year-old, who's scored six goals in eight Serie A appearances this season, is on a reported £113,000-per-week (Salary Sport), but his wages won't be the issue. If Chelsea do manage to sign Osimhen, the report suggests he could cost as much as £120 million, but he's seen as the "perfect solution" to solve Pochettino's striker problem.

Osimhen's former manager, Walter Mazzarri, was one of the firs to notice Osimhen's quality in 2021 – and he has since gone on to become a superstar at Napoli.

“Osimhen is phenomenal because he runs alone at five players and gets through. If you look at genuine scoring opportunities, compared to the number Napoli created lately, I didn’t see that many,” Mazzarri told DAZN as quoted by Football Italia, after an Osimhen brace against Sampdoria.

“We intentionally kept a deep defensive line, because if we pushed higher like the other teams, we’d concede four or five like they did with Osimhen able to run into space. Obviously, Napoli had more possession and attacked more, but this was an intentional approach.”

Manchester United are set to battle Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea for Benfica's Joao Neves.

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Neves in demand after impressing with BenficaLiverpool join Man Utd and Chelsea in transfer raceBut Benfica want huge fee for teenagerWHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool have joined Manchester United in the race for Neves ahead of the summer transfer window, according to (via). The Red Devils have been linked with the Benfica star for some time now, while Chelsea are also said to be keen on the 19-year-old. Yet his price tag may prove problematic for all three sides, with Neves thought to have a release clause set at €120 million (£102m/£130m).

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Neves has refused to commit his future to Benfica, prompting further speculation he could be on the move in the summer. However, Benfica are keen to keep hold of the youngster and reportedly want to increase his release clause to €150m (£128m/$162m).

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The 19-year-old has featured 27 times in the Portuguese top flight this season, notching three goals and two assists.

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An intriguing summer awaits for all three Premier League clubs, particularly with Liverpool set to wave goodbye to Jurgen Klopp and uncertainty surrounding the futures of Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino due to underwhelming campaigns. All three clubs may be in the market for fresh talent, and Neves is clearly viewed as one of the hottest prospects around right now.

In a phase where Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf were pulled into Test cricket, Fakhar Zaman’s entry is an exciting prospect for a team that normally takes two days to make a play

Osman Samiuddin in Abu Dhabi15-Oct-2018From the day he took over as coach, Mickey Arthur has been itching to transform Pakistan from what they were under Misbah-ul-Haq to something altogether more attacking. Let’s be generous and call it an evolution rather than a transformation, kind of like how England went from the grim attrition of Nasser Hussain to the colourful bloom of Michael Vaughan.He went some way to that end by including not just Shadab Khan but also Faheem Ashraf in the Test side this summer in Ireland and England. Young, multi-skilled attacking players, PSL graduates free of the fears of an older albeit cohesive Test core, and the results were instant and impressive.The third player he was desperately finding a way to fit in was Fakhar Zaman, maybe not as an opener in England, but somewhere in that middle order. Another PSL star, another young player precisely in the mould he wants. Conditions and circumstances mean neither of Shadab or Faheem play tomorrow but Arthur does finally get to throw Fakhar into the Test XI.However well or not he does, you won’t want to miss it. Pakistan’s opening pair may not have a settled identity but in the UAE that has not meant that it is not successful: the first wicket averages 47.35.Fakhar, though, brings another dimension, an element of urgency that Pakistan’s opening pairs haven’t had since perhaps as long ago as Saeed Anwar (not counting Shahid Afridi’s occasional stints). It threatens to upturn what has been a successful formula for years: start steady, keep wickets in hand, build on it, tighten the screws a bit more and boom, we’re late into day two and the game is beginning to roll. Fakhar is not naturally wired to do steady.”One of the reasons is exactly this, to get someone who can play aggressively and score at a brisk pace,” Sarfraz Ahmed said. “You need someone like that in a team. Teams around the world do that.”Pakistan hovered around that three runs per over rate in both innings in Dubai, though the 2.93 in a first innings that lasted 164.2 overs could’ve done with a bump. “If you’re talking about the run-rate,” Sarfraz said, “then in the first Test’s two sessions we scored 200 runs. We lost two quick wickets after that and then we had to focus on rebuilding the innings.”We hope that the batsmen target at least three runs per over once they get set. That is the requirement these days and if you don’t play to that you fall behind in the Test by a day.”The days since the Dubai Test have been filled with talk of a rift between Sarfraz and Arthur, which the former emphatically dismissed. There was a divergence in plans on the final morning (when Sarfraz didn’t bring Mohammad Abbas on for 15 overs despite Abbas opening with Yasir Shan being the pre-play plan) and there was an honest meeting between the pair in between the Tests, but a rift this isn’t. Different wavelengths every now and again but not a rift – at least not yet.The pressure will begin to build very quickly however, especially if Pakistan don’t win this series. They’ve already gone four Tests without a win in the UAE, a veritable fortress for so long. Three Tests against New Zealand will not be easy, especially if results in the preceding limited overs games don’t go well.Sarfraz is drawing hope from the fact that Pakistan dominated four days of the first Test and never looked in any danger of losing. An appeal here, a review there and they might have won it and things would not be looking like they are right now.”There is no pressure after the draw, not as a team or as a captain. We have played well and were unfortunate that the wicket didn’t fall and we didn’t win the Test.”As a team and as a captain I’m very confident for this Test. I’m happy with the way the team responded in the first Test. For four and a half days everything was going fine but unfortunately we couldn’t win the match. Credit goes to Australia they fought really hard but the way we fought in the first Test I’m proud of the team.”

Manchester United could be set to lose one of their senior squad members next year, with a reliable journalist revealing that he’s been the subject of internal talks at a club who want to buy him in January.

Man Utd's current defenders

The Red Devils have Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans as their natural options at centre-back as it stands, but there’s a strong possibility that three of them could soon be heading for the exit door.

Both Lindelof and Evans will have reached the expiration of their deals at the end of the current season (Man Utd contracts), whilst Maguire could attract attention once again having been the subject of interest over the summer despite not leaving before the deadline.

Another player who is facing an uncertain future is Raphael Varane, who has fallen significantly out of favour this season having made just four starts and the same number of substitute appearances in the Premier League (WhoScored – Varane stats).

The France international is therefore expected to receive offers from clubs in the Saudi Pro League during the upcoming window, and with CaughtOffside having since claimed that Erik ten Hag could sell him for the right price, the 30-year-old has emerged as a serious target for a high-profile admirer overseas.

Bayern Munich want Raphael Varane

Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg confirmed that European giants Bayern Munich are interested in Varane and have held talks over a possible move, but as it stands, a deal is unlikely to take place due to his unbelievably high salary.

He wrote: “Excl. News #Varane: Internally, FC Bayern has considered the 30 y/o. Discussions took place. Internal opinion: interesting but currently unrealistic because of his salary. It's not a hot topic yet, but he remains under observation in the next weeks.

"Bayern informed that his departure in winter is possible / #MUFC. Price valuation: €20-30m [£17-26m] / a loan is not an option at this stage. Salary: more than £17m.”

Man Utd need to keep "leader" in Varane

Standing at 6 foot 3, Varane provides a fantastic physical presence at the heart of Man United’s backline with his height where he’s currently averaging 2.5 clearances per game in the top-flight. The Lille native is also extremely calm and composed in possession, recording a 92.4% pass success rate at this moment in time which shows how good he is with the ball at his feet as well as when he’s trying to get rid of the danger off the ground.

Sponsored by Puma, Ten Hag’s colossus even has the versatility to operate out wide at right-back and higher up as a defensive midfielder alongside his usual role at centre-back (Transfermarkt – Varane stats), so the fact that he’s able to easily adapt to positions outside of his own makes him a great option to have in the building.

As per journalist Josh Bunting, Varane is a “leader” in the defence and he’s arguably one of the strongest options that the manager has at his disposal, so sanctioning his sale at the start of next year could be the wrong decision to make, but by th looks of it, it's a possibility.

He has warned his players that Bangladesh could yet make a strong tilt for their target of 321, and told them not to let their shoulder drop if a partnership develops

Liam Brickhill05-Nov-2018Optimism is Zimbabwe’s most enduring, and endearing, quality. Having not played a single Test all year before this one, not won a Test since their historic fifth-day triumph against Pakistan five years ago, not won a Test in Bangladesh since 2001, and stumbled through a 3-0 defeat in the preceding ODIs, they have batted and bowled their way into a position of strength. Ten wickets are all that stand between them and the sweet relief of victory that will justify the hope and optimism of their coach, Lalchand Rajput.”We are always positive,” a beaming Rajput said after Zimbabwe left the field on the third day with Bangladesh still 295 runs adrift in the fourth innings. “We are here to win. I’m a very positive person and I never give up until the last. This is a situation where we have the opposition in such a position that it’s very difficult to lose.”While the current situation might have surprised many, Rajput is not one of them. Zimbabwe prepared well for this tour, he explained, having been in camp for almost two months before departure. Had a few decisive events not gone against them in the ODIs, that scoreline, he felt, might not have been so lopsided.”I’m not really [surprised], because if you look at the ODI series we had chances in the first ODI,” he said. “In the second two ODIs, there was a lot of dew and the toss was crucial, but still we got to 280 in the last ODI. We are not that troubled that we lost the series 3-0 as we had our chances, but we could not finish and take those chances.”Now the Test match has been good so far, with two more days to go, and we have to try and bowl well and field well because such chances don’t come very often. And if you look at the stats as well, teams have not often chased more than 300 in the fourth innings here.”Indeed, Bangladesh’s highest winning fourth-innings effort with the bat in this country is the 101 for 7 they scored against Zimbabwe in Dhaka four years ago, while only twice before have other teams chased over 300 to win here.But records are made to be broken, and while there has been some turn and bounce on offer, the Sylhet pitch has not yet disintegrated into the sort of minefield where Zimbabwe could be assured of rolling Bangladesh over cheaply. Rajput reminded the press corps that cricket is a funny old game, and it’s too early to celebrate just yet.”It’s a positive situation yes, and the boys are very happy, but cricket is a very funny game,” he said. “It can change in just one session. We’ve got to be really focused on our bowling now, because we just have to bowl and field well. If one partnership is there, we don’t have to put our shoulders down. On this type of wicket, if one wicket falls, you might get or three, so you’ve got to be positive when that happens.”As a coach you’ve got to be giving them the positives, and time to time during the drinks break or the lunch break, you’ve got tell them that they’ve got to be upbeat. In cricket you’ve got to have the body language that you want to win badly, that’s important. The body language shows how keen you are to win, and you’ve got to not drop the body language at all.”You cannot take anything for granted until the last wicket is taken or the last runs scored. We look at the positive aspects of the game, and we are very positive that we can try and get those ten wickets tomorrow.”Hope springs eternal. This time, it may well be justified.

West Ham United are targeting USMNT defender Mark McKenzie this summer as the Hammers believe he is the solution to their defensive issues.

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West Ham targeting Mark McKenzieUSMNT defender has 13 capsHammers looking to bolster defenseWHAT HAPPENED?

According to Belgian media personality Sacha Tavolieri, the English Premier League side are set to push for the 25-year-old center-back this summer. The ex-Philadelphia Union homegrown defender left MLS in 2021, and has since gone on to flourish in Belgium. Now, he could be set for a sensational move to the Hammers.

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McKenzie was recently called into the USMNT squad for the CONCACAF Nations League finals in March. A narrow semifinal victory over Jamaica and a brilliant Dos A la Cero win over Mexico in the championship game saw the U.S. lift the trophy for the third-straight year.

McKenzie, meanwhile, did not appear off the bench. It was his first call-up to the USMNT in exactly one year, with his last international showing being the Nations League in March, 2023.

His rise in 2023-24, however, could put him in the picture for the U.S. going forward, especially if he finds himself competing in the Premier League next season.

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McKenzie has scored five goals in 118 appearances for Genk since his arrival in January, 2021

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GENK AND MCKENZIE?

Genk take on Cercle Brugge on Saturday, April 13 in First Division A Championship Group action. Meanwhile, the Hammers will look to close a deal with Genk before the season ends, confirming their first signing of the summer.

Newcastle United want to complete the signing of an "exceptional" player at all costs during the January transfer window, according to a new update.

Newcastle want Tonali replacement

It has been a very taxing start to the season for Eddie Howe, who has had a lot to deal with during a campaign when his side were seemingly going to kick on further. Instead, Newcastle have suffered some desperately bad luck in the injury department, with so many important players missing for chunks of action, depleting them hugely, as was shown in the 2-0 defeat away to Bournemouth in their last Premier League outing.

On top of all the injuries, the Magpies have also had to go through the misery of having new signing Sandro Tonali suspended for 10 months for betting offences, bringing an end to his season before it had barely got underway. Such is the Italian's influence in the middle of the park, attention has swiftly turned to finding a replacement, with a new signing in January feeling vital.

Kalvin Phillips has been linked with a move to Newcastle a number of times, as he continues to struggle for game time at Manchester City, and the likes of Ruben Neves and N'Golo Kante have also been seen as targets for the Magpies, with the pair both now playing in the Saudi Pro League.

Newcastle desperate to sign Phillips

According to a new update from Tutto Juve, Newcastle want to sign Phillips at all costs in January, seeing him as their primary midfield target to make up for the loss of Tonali.

The report does state that the asking price "could be an issue as Newcastle United find themselves having to deal with FFP restrictions", adding that "Dan Ashworth and the Newcastle board most likely have not budgeted a central midfielder for the next transfer window", while Juventus are also providing stiff competition. It is also claimed that City aren't keen on losing a huge amount of money in the deal, considering they signed Phillips for big money last year, with a six-month loan with no option to buy looking unlikely.

Phillips still looks like a brilliant option for Newcastle in January, although it clearly isn't going to be easy to bring him in on their own terms, given City's current stance. The fact that he has the same agent as Nick Pope could help, though.

The 27-year-old will surely be desperate for a move away from the Etihad midway through the season, especially with Euro 2024 around the corner next summer, and St James' Park could be perfect for him, allowing him more regular starts in the second half of the season.

City manager Pep Guardiola has called Phillips "exceptional" in the past, showing that he clearly values the midfielder, despite picking others in front of him at the moment, and he has proven himself at the top level for a sustained period now, shining so much for England at Euro 2020.

Of all the options Newcastle are looking at to replace Tonali, Phillips seems to be considered the best following this update, and if a deal of some kind can be struck, he could be an inspired signing, whether that's on a short or long-term basis.

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New Zealand required only 14 deliveries on the final day to clinch a series win that took them to No. 3 in the Test rankings

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Christchurch29-Dec-2018New Zealand required only 14 deliveries to wipe out Sri Lanka’s tail and claim a 423-run victory in the second Test at Christchurch, by extension winning the series, and moving up the No. 3 in the Test rankings.Angelo Mathews, who retired hurt with hamstring trouble at tea on day four, did not come out to bat, which meant that only three dismissals stood between New Zealand and the series win.Watch LIVE on ESPN+

Readers from the US can also watch the match LIVE here, on ESPN+

This was a record fourth consecutive series win for New Zealand, with the team having beaten West Indies and England at home in the last summer, and having defeated Pakistan in the UAE earlier this month.Trent Boult claimed two of those dismissals, bowling Suranga Lakmal with the third ball of the day, before trapping Dushmantha Chameera in front of the stumps with the first ball of his next over. Boult finished with match figures of 9 for 107, having taken 6 for 30 in the first innings.In between those two Boult wickets, Neil Wagner bounced Dilruwan Perera out, having him caught in the square leg region by Kane Williamson, who ran towards the boundary to complete a good overhead catch. Having taken three vital wickets on day four, Wagner finished with wickets of 4 for 48 from his 29 overs in the second innings.The margin of victory is the greatest for New Zealand in matches not involving an innings result, beating their 254-run win over Zimbabwe in 2016. It is also Sri Lanka’s heaviest defeat not involving an innings result, with the 304-run loss against India last year being their previous worst.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a third successive defeat in the Premier League as Aston Villa leapfrogged the London side into the top four on Sunday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou was appointed in the summer after exemplary work in Scotland with Celtic, with the approach from Daniel Levy decidedly more pragmatic after failed spells with Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

And though recent travails have yielded rotten results, it's important to remember that injuries and suspensions have wreaked havoc on Postecoglou's budding dynasty – Rome wasn't built in a day and all that, but it's true, and time will reap lucrative rewards.

The Lilywhites squad's lack of depth has proved to be the Achilles heel so far, and while the forthcoming run of fixtures looks daunting, Postecoglou will be confident that his side can maintain a foothold on Champions League contention and bolster in January, with some exciting names linked…

Tottenham transfer targets – Santiago Giménez

Tottenham will prioritise the strengthening of the defence this winter and rightly so, with Micky van de Ven injured until after the new year and the squad options failing to evoke confidence.

But the frontline could also use some attention and considering that Spurs are firmly in contention for Feyenoord striker Santiago Giménez – according to French outlet L'Equipe – it may well be wise to make a move.

The report claims that the Eredivisie champions would demand €50m (£43m) for the Mexican star, also stressing that he could leave in January given the arresting possible recuperation on Feyenoord's part.

With Real Madrid also named as a suitor, Postecoglou should launch an offer quickly to provide his outfit with a starring talisman for years to come.

Santiago Giménez's style of play

While many have made the jump from Dutch football to the Premier League with seamless ease, there have been some notable players to have flattered to deceive since arriving on English shores, with the judicious Levy probably wary of coughing up such a sum for a player somewhat untested on the biggest stage.

In 2020, Steven Bergwijn's £27m January transfer to London didn't work out and Vincent Janssen scored 27 Eredivisie goals in the season before his transfer to Spurs, while Antony has been abject at Manchester United since his staggering £86m move from Ajax last year.

Nonetheless, Gimenez looks the real deal and has been lauded for his "insane" finishing ability by journalist Antonio Mango, with his haul of 18 goals – including a hat-trick against Excelsior on Saturday – and three assists from 16 appearances across all competitions this term certainly not to be sniffed at.

Player

Goals

Per game

Santiago Gimenez

16

1.39

Erling Haaland

14

1.13

Mohamed Salah

10

0.79

Heung-min Son

8

0.68

Alexander Isak

7

1.09

*Sourced via FBref

The 22-year-old joined Feyenoord from Mexican side Cruz Azul in July 2022 and played an important role in his club's title triumph, scoring 28 goals and providing three assists across the 2022/23 campaign.

Spurs have been delightfully fluid under Postecoglou's management and had flourished with Heung-min Son up front before injuries derailed the progress, but the acquisition of a free-scoring target man such as Gimenez could be a useful avenue to delve down.

To emphasise this point, the 23-cap international ranks among the top 1% of forwards across divisions similar to the Eredivisie for goals scored and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 3% for total shots taken and the top 20% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Welcoming the 5 foot 11 talisman to the fold could be the perfect way to sharpen the spearhead, providing Son with the counterweight to settle the equilibrium.

Heung-min Son's season in numbers

Son's a stalwart down the N17; adored by Spurs supporters and respected across the game, the South Korean gem has completed 386 appearances for his side since joining from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m in 2015, having clinched 153 goals and 81 assists.

Last season, he was definitely not at his best as Tottenham struggled but he has been revitalised this time around after Postecoglou recognised his goalscoring brilliance should be channelled into a focal role up top.

Appointed captain this summer, the 31-year-old has bagged eight goals and an assist from ten matches as centre-forward in the Premier League this season and earned praise for "finishing everything with aplomb" by football.london's Alasdair Gold.

The £190k-per-week ace might be a natural scorer but he is expansive in his skill set and has demonstrated his dynamism over the past few months, ranking among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, pass completion and progressive passes, and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90.

How Santiago Giménez could thrive at Tottenham

This difference in style would be perfect as Tottenham look to compete across multiple fronts going forward, and while Son is thriving Alejo Veliz is the only other senior centre-forward in the fold; aged only 20 and joining from Argentinian side Rosario Central for £13m in the summer, he's not ready for a starring role.

Harry Kane – Spurs' record goalscorer – was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer after many years of service, having plundered 32 goals and five assists last year. Son has been immense in taking the baton but he is not the long-term solution.

Gimenez has been dubbed a "machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his prolific escapades and looks like he boasts enough quality in the final third to assume the role that Kane has left behind.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Finishing

Passing

Dribbling

Ball retention

*Sourced via WhoScored

Son could even form a partnership with the Eredivisie star under Postecoglou's wing, utilising his protean threat to blend with Gimenez's knack for finding the back of the net.

While £43m is no small sum, Spurs will clearly need to strengthen in January if they are to return to form capable of matching the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, and this could be the impactful addition needed to spearhead the resurgence.