كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، أن نادي باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي يرغب في التعاقد مع الدولي الهولندي فرينكي دي يونج من برشلونة الإسباني.

مستقبل اللاعب الهولندي حتى الآن غير مضمون في برشلونة، وهناك أنباء حول رحيله في الصيف المقبل، بسبب رغبة البلوجرانا في تخفيض عقده.

وأشارت التقارير إلى أن برشلونة حدد سعر بيع اللاعب الهولندي، وهناك أنباء حول اهتمام مانشستر يونايتد وبايرن ميونخ بضم اللاعب.

طالع أيضًا.. نيمار ينتقد باريس سان جيرمان وتصرفات مبابي “المغرور”

وحسب ما أفادت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، فإن بطل الدوري الفرنسي على استعداد لتقديم 68.5 مليون جنية إسترليني للتعاقد مع دي يونج، والذي لا يمانع التدرب تحت قيادة لويس إنريكي في الموسم المقبل.

كان دي يونج يأمل أن يتمكن من التغلب على فترته الصعبة في النادي عندما رفض مانشستر يونايتد في الصيف قبل الماضي، لكن الأمور ازدادت سوءًا ويقال إنه هو نفسه الآن منفتح على الرحيل، بسبب وضع برشلونة.

صاحب الـ 26 عامًا أصبح مستاءًا بشكل متزايد من المشاكل داخل وخارج الملعب، وسيكون على استعداد لوضع حد لإقامته التي استمرت في برشلونة منذ 2019 وحتى الآن.

وحسب ما أفادت التقارير البريطانية، فإن برشلونة يحدد 85 مليون جنية إسترليني للتخلي عن لاعب أياكس السابق، مما يعين أن باريس سان جيرمان سيكون مطالبًا برفع العرض المقدم للبلوجرانا.

وشارك دي يونج خلال الموسم الحالي في 16 مباراة مع برشلونة بجميع المسابقات، وسجل هدف واحد فقط، وغاب عن الملعب لمدة شهرين بسبب إصابة في الكاحل.

West Ham have done it. This humid, sticky, unforgiving evening in Prague will go down in their history.

It was far from a classic, but the Hammers won’t care. The trophy was clinched at the death when the ever-present Jarrod Bowen sprinted on goal and calmly slotted it into the back of the net.

The club had flirted with relegation throughout the year, finding themselves in the drop zone at various points.

But through the murky turmoil of domestic football, the Europa Conference League provided a shining beacon of light that has culminated in the club’s first major trophy in 43 years and European success since 1965.

There were many points within the season when the faith wavered. The trust in David Moyes, who was elated at full-time and his cohort of extravagant new signings was under constant scrutiny.

But they have emerged as champions, blessed with another season of top-flight and European football.

In recent weeks, when the pressure intensified, one player who has emphatically proven his worth is Lucas Paqueta, who was instrumental in this monumental victory.

How did Lucas Paqueta perform against Fiorentina?

The Brazilian arrived in East London with humongous expectations for a club-record fee of £51m – a dazzling, scintillating playmaker expected to orchestrate another top-half finish.

However, at the start, he flattered to deceive. The 40-cap international often cut an anonymous, dejected, and uninvolved figure, unable to showcase his extraordinary talent.

The 25-year-old didn’t score his first goal for his new club until January 2023, but in the latter stages of the Premier League and in Europe, the former Lyon ace has repaid every penny of his transfer.

Although he struggled to influence the first half of their famous 2-1 victory, he provided that match-winning moment, threading an expertly weighted through ball to the onrushing Bowen, who coolly converted.

As well as this, the joyous technician recorded two key passes from his 46 touches, won 11 defensive duels, and made four tackles, as per Sofascore, in a well-rounded performance from central areas.

Throughout the term, the £150k-per-week star’s contribution to the defensive effort has been undeniable; in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers, he ranks in the highest 4% for tackles, blocks, clearances, and aerials won per 90 – a glowing testament to his unrelenting work rate and commitment to the Irons.

Described as “simply sensational” by CBS’ James Benge following the game, the attacker has finished the season with 43 appearances, 12 goal involvements, and the second-highest average rating in the squad across the campaign.

Big players forge even bigger moments and Paqueta’s contribution to this fateful European excursion is unforgettable. It may well have been Bowen who popped up with that remarkable late goal, but it was his Brazilian colleague that he owes it to.

More power to Moyes, who after receiving a torrent of speculation regarding his future, is deservedly entitled to another season at the helm.

Aberdeen have enjoyed a stunning resurgence under Barry Robson during the final few months of the Scottish Premiership campaign.

Jim Goodwin was sacked following a woeful 6-0 defeat by Hibernian in January and Robson was placed in interim charge before finally securing the job on a full-time basis at the start of May following a run which included nine wins from their final 15 games to finish in third place and secure European football next term.

Much of their good form has come down to the performances of on-loan Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson, who is attracting the attention of both Rangers and Celtic, however, might his future be with the Dons in 2023/24?

The 21-year-old dropped a major hint following their 3-0 win over St Mirren, in which he scored a free kick that secured third place in the table, as a video appeared of him indicating he’d see the fans in Europe.

He said: "Thank you for your support this season. It's been incredible. I’ll see you in Europe."

Could Aberdeen sign Leighton Clarkson ahead of next season?

Nothing should be ruled out, especially with the video hinting that Clarkson could be playing European football for the club next term.

Jurgen Klopp may feel that the midfielder requires another campaign with regular first-team football and with added continental exposure on the table, it could have benefits for all parties that’s for sure.

The Englishman has been outstanding this term for the Dons, scoring six times and grabbing nine assists across all competitions, while a Sofascore rating of 7.14/10 ranks him as the second-best performer for the club in the Premiership.

He also further underlined just how important he was for Aberdeen by ranking first for big chances created (nine), free kick goals (two), key passes per game (1.6) and second for tackles per game (2.2), suggesting that not only can he score, but his ability to set up plenty of chances for his teammates, while being able to provide defensive support when required, are key strengths of his.

Indeed, he was lauded by Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Ljinders when the player was just 17, claiming that he could “dictate play” and “speed up the tempo of the positional play”, certainly proving that he is well thought of among the staff at the Anfield side.

Another season in the North East would do his game wonders and with the added experience of already playing in Scotland for a year, imagine how good he can be throughout 2023/24.

It’s over to you Robson.

A bonus-point victory increasingly looked a possibility for Karnataka after they ground Delhi on the second day of their Group B fixture at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Resuming on 131 for 3, Karnataka almost batted the entire day to make 414. When the last wicket fell, in what was to be the final ball of the day, they had opened up a lead of 324.Despite five of their batsmen unable to kick on after crossing fifty, their good performance with the ball on the opening day – Delhi were bowled out for 90 after S Aravind’s four-for – meant Karnataka had made enough ground to push for seven points.Karun Nair, the captain, and Kaunain Abbas, playing in just his second first-class match, put together 89 for the fifth wicket after Ishant Sharma struck in the second over of the day when he had nightwatchman Abhimanyu Mithun poking an away-swinger to the wicketkeeper. For close to a session, Delhi’s spinners were rendered ineffective on a surface that had considerably eased out as both batsmen milked singles quite comfortably.Halfway through the second session, Delhi’s bowlers had respite against the run of play when Nair and Abbas fell. Stuart Binny briefly entertained in his 32, before chipping a simple return catch to Vikas Tokas. Karnataka’s batting depth then surfaced, with Shreyas Gopal (46) and CM Gautam adding 77 for the eighth wicket. Karnataka added 47 for the last two wickets, before Varun Sood, the left-arm spinner, picked up the last wicket to finish with 4 for 80. Gautam remained unbeaten on 63.Shahbaz Nadeem’s first five-for this season helped Jharkhand nudge ahead•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shahbaz Nadeem’s 7 for 74 helped Jharkhand snatch a two-run lead over Rajasthan in Vadodara. That, after Rajasthan, in reply to Jharkhand’s 209, put together 100 for the first wicket, courtesy fifties from Manender Singh and Vineet Saxena. Nadeem scythed through the middle-order with his left-arm spin as Rajasthan lost their last seven wickets for 61. Jharkhand lost Anand Singh early, but Virat Singh’s 35 and Pratyush Singh’s 33 not out helped extend the lead to 75, with eight wickets in hand when stumps were drawn.Jaydev Shah became the first Saurashtra captain to score a double century as Maharashtra’s bowlers, who nearly conceded a lead despite scoring 600-plus against Delhi last week, were run ragged again. Jaydev (217), who has scores of 193, 64 and 0 so far this season, put on 174 for the sixth wicket with Chirag Jani (100 not out), before Saurashtra declared on 657 for 8.There were contributions from Sheldon Jackson (105) and Cheteshwar Pujara too. Pujara, returing to the domestic circuit in a bid to get match ready ahead of the Test series against England, made 93. He was the first man to be dismissed on the day, in what was to be a rare moment of cheer for Maharashtra. They ended on 18 without loss, trailing by 639.No play was possible between Vidarbha and Assam in Trivandrum because of rain and a wet outfield. Vidarbha, who chose to bat, will resume on 254 for 3, with Ganesh Satish (93) and Ravi Jangid (31) at the crease. Sanjay Ramaswamy, the opener, made 83 and shared a 131-run second-wicket stand with Ganesh to consolidate Vidarbha’s innings on the opening day.

England are set to be without their leading wicket-taker, James Anderson, for the first Test against India next month.

George Dobell in Chittagong19-Oct-2016England will be without their leading wicket-taker, James Anderson, for the first Test against India next month.Anderson has already been ruled out of the tour to Bangladesh due to a stress fracture in his left shoulder and now England captain, Alastair Cook, has revealed he will not be ready for the opening match in Rajkot which starts on November 9.”He won’t be ready for the first Test match,” Cook said ahead of the opening Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong. “He might be ready to do some training, but he won’t be ready for the first Test. A decision will be made on when he comes out over the next week or so.”With little more than a week between the end of the Bangladesh series and the start of the one in India, England had planned for Anderson to join the squad in Bangladesh. That decision will now be reviewed, with Cook non-committal about when Anderson could return.”I spoke to him last night and he is training well and in good shape physically,” Cook said. “But he hasn’t yet bowled and that has been the problem in the past. However physically well he’s been in the rest of his body, it’s when he starts bowling [that the problem occurs].”While Anderson’s long-term injury record is excellent – he did not miss a Test through injury from 2011 (he was rested from the dead-rubber Test against West Indies at Edgbaston in 2012) to the middle of 2015 – there will be a concern that, aged 34 and with 119 Tests behind him, the miles on the clock are starting to show.Even before the first Test in India, Anderson will have missed six of England’s most recent 18 Tests in less than 18-months (two against Australia with a side strain, two against Bangladesh with this shoulder problem and one each against Pakistan – also shoulder related – and South Africa with a calf strain). It was also noticeable in South Africa that it took him a little longer to regain full pace than had been the case previously.England would still dearly love to have him available in India. He was described as “the difference between the sides” by MS Dhoni after England won in India in 2012 and showed in the UAE a year ago – when he averaged 15.61 and conceded 1.87 runs per over – that he retains the skills and control to be an asset to his side whatever the conditions.But they will not risk rushing him back. While the selectors were criticised in some quarters for delaying Anderson’s return in the Pakistan series, it now seems he returned a little early: he first felt pain from the shoulder during the Sri Lanka series.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in action for the final time this season, as Julen Lopetegui’s side face a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal.

It’s been a Premier League campaign of ups and downs for Wolves, who looked like relegation candidates earlier this term, sitting bottom of the table on Christmas Day.

Lopetegui reinstated the level of football that Molineux had become accustomed to over the years and now with survival confirmed, the club have the chance to end the season on a high.

Last time out, Wolves were held to a dramatic late draw against relegation-threatened Everton in the final action at Molineux of the 2022/23 campaign.

While the hosts controlled the possession with 53% over Sean Dyche’s side on the day, the Toffees posed a real threat, registering 1.99 expected goals to the Midlands outfit’s 1.57 – as per Sofascore.

It’s been a recurring theme this season for Wolves to be shy in front of goal, sitting as the league’s lowest scorers this campaign, scoring just 31 goals in 37 games.

While Wolves’ final-day opponents have been one of the best-performing sides, the Gunners have shown their defensive vulnerabilities of late, something that a certain ace in Lopetegui’s squad could unlock.

Should Hwang Hee-chan start for Wolves against Arsenal?

Lauded as “dangerous” by Kevin Campbell, Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan has had to be patient for game time this campaign, making just 11 starts in a total of 26 appearances in the league – as per Sofascore.

In the previous game, the South Korean was undeniably the host's shining light, as echoed by his Sofascore match rating of 7.2 in what was an impressive individual display.

The 27-year-old opened the scoring in the 34th minute, with a simple finish but one that showcased his strong positioning to act as a poacher from the parried shot.

Praised as having “everything” by Arsenal legend Ian Wright on BBC’s Match of the Day – as relayed by Molineux News – the forward could pose a real threat to the Gunners’ fragile defence.

Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in their previous nine fixtures – conceding 18 goals in the process, showing the defensive form that all but cost Arteta’s side the title.

The Gunners’ nervous defence was stunned last time at the Emirates by Brighton, who targeted the backline in a way that could be replicated by Hwang with his pace and strength.

Jakub Kiwior has made just four starts in the Premier League, and should be a target for the attacker to exploit one-on-one, with his lack of experience and weaknesses exposed in the north Londoners’ previous home game.

The Poland international was handed a Sofascore match rating of just 6.1 against the Seagulls, followed by a 6.4 last time out at Nottingham Forest, hinting at a potential lack of confidence going into the final day.

The centre-back lost possession seven times against Brighton, while the Wolves forward attempted eight ground duels against Everton, showing his instinctive nature to press, which could expose Kiwior once more.

Lopetegui’s side could end the season on a high with a win, but could also lift themselves off of the bottom of the scoring table against a wounded Arsenal side.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is personally keen on signing Man United defender Harry Maguire this summer as Spurs weigh a bid, according to journalist Sami Mokbel.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

Postecoglou's appointment marks the end of a long, drawn out search for Spurs' next manager after Antonio Conte, who departed north London over two months ago.

The Lilywhites had spoke to other big name candidates, including former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, but chairman Daniel Levy instead elected to move for Postecoglou.

Fresh off the back of a domestic treble win at former club Celtic, Levy spoke to Tottenham's official website on the Australian's hire, who is set to start work on July 1.

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play," explained Levy.

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

Postecoglou is apparently set to have a major say on Tottenham's transfer planning after he enjoyed great success with that at Parkhead.

Leicester City star James Maddison, Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie and Brentford's David Raya have all been mentioned as targets in the last 48 hours – but Mokbel has shared news on a fairly new target.

Man United's Harry Maguire, who has been left on the periphery at Old Trafford, is apparently attracting Postecoglou's personal interest.

According to Mokbel, writing for The Daily Mail, the 57-year-old is keen on moving for the £200,000-per-week centre-back and Tottenham are now "exploring" a bid.

It's added that the former Leicester City star will be allowed to leave this summer, and Spurs have made checks on his situation ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Who is Harry Maguire?

Maguire impressed for England in Qatar as they reached the quarter-finals, but at club level, there have been many question marks surrounding the 30-year-old.

Former Man City captain Richard Dunne, speaking to Virgin Media (via The Irish Mirror), slammed Magurie's physical attributes – claiming he is too slow.

"You want to try and play a nice style of football and move the ball quickly, but Harry Maguire is painfully slow when he has the ball at his feet," said Dunne.

"He takes five or six touches every single time, he hesitates and he doesn't make the pass."

A move for the ex-Hull City man could be a divisive one among Tottenham supporters, but Maguire has at least displayed true leadership qualities in recent seasons.

David Miller’s third ODI hundred helped South Africa pull off the second-highest chase of all time and seal the series against Australia with two matches to spare

The Report by Firdose Moonda05-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:59

By the Numbers: South Africa’s second-highest successful chase

David Miller’s third ODI hundred helped South Africa pull off the second-highest chase of all time and seal the series against Australia with two matches to spare. Miller has chosen not to play his domestic cricket at the Durban-based Dolphins this summer but thrilled his former home crowd during the highest successful chase at Kingsmead with a heroic knock that will become the stuff of legend.In the 31st over, with Miller on 26 and South Africa needing to score at more than eight runs an over, he tweaked a groin muscle running between the wickets. At the start of the next over, South Africa lost their fifth wicket and their last specialist batsmen when JP Duminy holed out. They were 217 for 5 and victory was 155 runs away. But Miller dug deep and along with another local lad, Andile Phehlukwayo, with whom he put on 107 off 70 balls for the seventh-wicket, took South Africa home.Miller’s innings completely overshadowed Australia’s efforts. David Warner and Steven Smith notched up a century each to build on an opening stand of 110 in 13 overs. Australia plundered 71 runs off the last five overs to post what they would have thought was a match-winning score. The truth is that they should have put on more. Australia went quiet in the middle period and managed just 67 runs between the 14th and 28th over, at a rate of under five.Imran Tahir controlled the squeeze but was assisted by Dwaine Pretorius, Phehlukwayo and Duminy, who all understood that pace off the ball would be the most effective. Australia’s inexperienced attack, which has been their Achilles heel throughout the tour, could not copy that. Mitchell Marsh was their most economical bowler while the spinners, Adam Zampa and Travis Head, conceded 83 runs in 10 overs between them. That was less than Dale Steyn, who leaked 96 runs to hold the unenviable record of the most expensive effort by a South African bowler in ODIs. But Steyn won’t mind after the batsmen bludgeoned the bowlers’ blues away.South Africa’s chase was set up by Hashim Amla, who underlined his return to the side with a quickfire 45 that included nine fours in a rare display of power-hitting from the master of finesse, and Quinton de Kock, who topped up on his Centurion hundred with 70 off 49 balls. But they lost 3 for 39 when Faf du Plessis, de Kock and Rilee Rossouw were dismissed in the space of 39 balls and although they had kept up with the required run rate, it seemed Australia had taken control.Duminy and Miller saw off three boundary-less overs and the match seemed to be drifting to the inevitable but then Miller changed his tone. He took 15 runs off Zampa, including a six and two fours – a flat sweep over midwicket for six and fours on either side down the ground – to hint that South Africa were still in the hunt.Three more boundary-less overs followed and then Duminy was dismissed and responsibility fell on Miller. He survived a review in the 34th over, on 40, when Matthew Wade was convinced Miller had edged John Hastings behind but Snicko did not agree. That gave Miller the rare opportunity to spend a lengthy period of time in the middle and made full use of it, despite his injury.Miller pulled with power and timed the ball well. Even when he lost Pretorius to a leading edge, after a stand of 48 in 6.3 overs, he found the perfect partner in Phehlukwayo, who should have been dismissed from his first ball. Chris Tremain appealed for a caught behind but umpire Adrian Holdstock did not hear the edge. Australia had used their review so could not refer it upstairs but if they had been able to, replays showed Phehlukwayo would have been out. If he felt guilty, it did not show. His response was to flick Mitchell Marsh off his pads to allow South Africa to enter the last 10 overs needing 88 runs to win.On 71 off 54 balls, Miller was the man in charge and ushered Phehlukwayo through strike rotation while scoring boundaries seemingly at will. When Australia decided to pitch it up, Miller got underneath full deliveries and swung hard. He reached his hundred off 69 balls when he whacked a short-of-a-length delivery behind square on the leg side but the best was yet to come. As the 47th over came to an end, Miller sent Daniel Worrall on to the grandstand roof and out of the ground with the biggest of his six sixes.South Africa needed 24 runs of the last three overs, 17 off the last two and thanks to Phehlulwayo’s ten in the penultimate over, just three off the final over. Phehlukwayo hit the winning runs, with four balls remaining, to leave Australia stunned.After Warner’s eighth hundred – and fourth in 2016 alone, which makes this year his most successful in the format – and Smith’s shifting gears to go from 16 off 31 balls to a hundred off 104 balls, they would have thought they had done enough. But, on batsmen-friendly surfaces throughout the country, South Africa have showed that enough is a relative concept. In so doing, they won their first bilateral series against Australia since 2009 and their first ODI in five meetings against Australia at Kingsmead, dating back 2000.

Manchester United have a 'big opportunity' to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison in the off-season as Erik Ten Hag looks to strengthen ahead of 2023/24, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving James Maddison?

As per The Telegraph, Leicester City are set to sell Maddison this summer and Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur all hold an interest in signing the £110k-a-week ace.

It is said that Maddison is valued at around £45-60 million by the Foxes and they may elect to sell several first-team players to try and raise transfer funds of their own as they prepare to compete in the Sky Bet Championship.

According to The Athletic, Arsenal are also keen on Maddison, potentially creating a transfer tug-of-war for his services between several high-profile clubs.

Football Insider claim that Leicester City are lining up a bid for Queens Park Rangers midfielder Ilias Chair, who could be acquired as a replacement for Maddison, who is all but guaranteed to leave the King Power to return to the English top-flight.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano has confirmed that Manchester United are one interested party in trying to lure Maddison elsewhere this summer.

Romano said: "They know there will be competition, because now is a big opportunity I would say on the market to sign Maddison, now that they have been relegated. Newcastle will be there for Maddison, but they know there are other clubs informed, including Tottenham Hotspur and also including Manchester United. So it's not an easy one.”

What were James Maddison's stats like for Leicester City in 2022/23?

In 2022/23, Maddison was a shining light in a Leicester City side that flattered to deceive and eventually suffered relegation on the final day of the season. He also caught the eye of former assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Juanma Lillo, who described him as an "authentic footballer".

Across 32 appearances in all competitions, the 26-year-old netted ten goals and laid on nine assists in total for Leicester City, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Maddison was Leicester City's most consistent performer during the campaign, racking up an average match rating of 7.24/10 for his exploits on the pitch.

As per FBRef, Maddison has also been an inventive presence in attack and has managed to successfully carry out 138 shot-creating actions in the Premier League.

With Leicester City set to try and balance the books in the forthcoming transfer window, Manchester United could inherit a creative midfielder with distinguishable qualities in the form of Maddison this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a big boost in their pursuit of a new manager as they seek to swiftly move on from their Arne Slot disappointment.

What's the latest on Ange Postecoglou to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to The Mirror, which offered an update on a potential move to appoint Ange Postecoglou.

Whilst Slot seemed to have emerged as the frontrunner, with the Dutchman having since been ruled out of contention, it will be music to Daniel Levy's ears to hear that the Celtic boss is reportedly open to a switch should the Lilywhites come calling.

The highly ambitious nature of the Australian means such an opportunity would be hard to turn down, especially after he has arguably achieved all he can in Scotland.

As Slot has since tied himself down in Feyenoord for the foreseeable, this marks an outstanding alternative that could leave fans questioning why he was not top of the list in the first place.

Is Ange Postecoglou a good manager?

Whilst it might have been appealing to snag the title-winning Slot, it is easy to forget the fine work that Postecoglou has done in reinstating Celtic's dominance over Scottish football.

When he came in, Rangers had just ended their monopoly over the SPFL in embarrassing fashion, and they needed someone to immediately take them back to the top. However, few would have envisioned the 57-year-old would do it in such an emphatic way.

His side would lose three games in his first season, scoring 92 goals in 38 games whilst conceding just 22. This season has been arguably more impressive as they retained the trophy at a canter.

His 4-3-3 system worked wonders, and a possession-based style with high-octane pressing may be something the Spurs faithful would enjoy based on the grievances some had during Antonio Conte's reign.

Former Wales international John Hartson was quick to laud such a swift transition as they went on to reclaim the title from Rangers, suggesting that the experienced coach had been "outstanding" having "united the club". Levy will see the latter as an absolute must for his next appointment.

Even though Slot may have guided his team to silverware, they are neither the top scorers nor the best defence in their division. Both boast title pedigree, but only one had a philosophy that truly dominated.

To further emphasise this gulf in class, Postecoglou has maintained a 2.30 points-per-game average across his 111 games at the helm of Celtic. Despite being in charge of his team for just 100 games, Slot's average is 2.15 in comparison.

Whilst the Lilywhites fanbase was quick to lambast the hierarchy for their failures in securing the Feyenoord boss, and deservedly so, it has since become clear that he was merely using their interest to spur on a new contract.

They need someone wholly committed to the cause, willing to take their time and transform this sinking club back into a force to be reckoned with. Given his work in doing so at Celtic, and his reported desire to make the move happen, Postecoglou surely marks a far better alternative to Slot anyway.