A stunning last-wicket partnership led by Mohammad Musa stole the show for Islamabad United

The Report by Danyal Rasool23-Feb-2020The touchpaper has been lit, the wheels are in motion. The PSL has truly come to life, and it did so with the unlikeliest, daftest, most ludicrous contest of T20 cricket you’re ever likely to see. It might have ended with a predictable result, of Lahore Qalandars failing to hold their nerve when it mattered, while Islamabad United had ice running through theirs. But it didn’t half take the scenic route, with Islamabad losing wickets regularly, each blow seemingly knocking them out of the game, only for the two-time champions to get off the mat, ready to have another go.No one quite knows how it came to the final over, but we all found ourselves watching No. 11 Muhammad Musa wallop Usman Shinwari for six over cow corner to bring the required runs down to three. Moments later, he was scampering through for the winning run, collapsing in elation just as 11 Lahore men in front of a heartbroken home crowd keeled over in despair.How do you make sense of that? It must have been weeks ago that Mohamad Hafeez rolled back the years to power Lahore towards a total in excess of 180, finishing two runs shy of a hundred few would begrudge the 39-year old. It combined the two attributes Hafeez frustratingly fails to find on the same day regularly enough: conventional elegance and judicious power-hitting, and on a day when Fakhar Zaman and Chris Lynn fell somewhat early, Hafeez shouldered the responsibility of scoring the bulk of Lahore’s runs.Having set Islamabad 182 to chase, Lahore got off to the perfect start thanks to Shaheen Afridi, whose face, contorted in agony as he stared down at his feet when the winning runs were scored perhaps the most harrowing picture of the night. For if ever a young man deserved to win a game, it was Shaheen Afridi, who kept Luke Ronchi on a leash in the first over before getting rid of him. Hafeez did likewise for Colin Munro, and when Shadab Khan walked out to bat at No. 4, it seemed like a desperate ploy.Mohammad Hafeez celebrates•Getty ImagesBut a combination of Lahore’s almost impressive ability to self-destruct for sustained periods of time with an Islamabad batting order that continued to go for their shots in the face of increasingly insurmountable odds kept the game in a somewhat edgy balance. One wicket for Lahore would tilt it in their favour, before a profligate over from one of the bowlers – and there were a few of those today – swung it back the way of the defending champions. Shaheen would return in the 18th over and appeared to have finally, unassailably, put his side the right side of the result when he had Amad Butt nick off, leaving Nos. 10 and 11 with 20 to get off the final three overs.But as Lahore’s frenzied panic appeared to rise, 18-year old Musa was seeing things very clearly. Aware they only needed one big hit, he was content to see out a tricky penultimate over from Haris Rauf, and pounced on one that Shinwari banged in short and right within the teenager’s swinging arc. It was suddenly three off five, and clinical as you like, Islamabad did it in singles.Star of the dayWith the Islamabad captain, Shadab, down on his luck with the ball, this was an especially opportune time to remind everyone of his all-round credentials. He held himself back until the Powerplay was done, but one, unbroken four-over spell would showcase the full range of his abilities. While Hussain Talat at the other end gave away 14 runs in his first over, that’s all Shadab would leak in his entire allotment, which also included the vital wickets of Zaman and Dane Vilas.Had you forgotten by any chance Shadab is an allrounder? With Islamabad teetering on the edge at 7 for 2 in the third over, out strode the 21-year old. A nick to Shaheen went unheard by seemingly everyone in the ground, but once that bit of fortune went his way, Shadab would show everyone how tremendously exciting a batsman he can be. He kicked off the carnage with a couple of clattered fours off Shinwari, before smashing Rauf for 17 in his first over. When the Powerplay was done, Shadab showed he wasn’t. Hafeez and David Wiese would go for six before his fourth maximum of the evening brought up a 28-ball half-century. It might get lost among the madness at the finish, but the renewed confidence of their captain bodes very well for Islamabad going forward.Miss of the dayIslamabad’s openers. No really. Believe me. Check the scorecard. Both of them!Ronchi has figured out the art of PSL batting better than perhaps any other overseas player, with his strike rate off the first handful of balls he faces higher than anyone in the game over the last two years. But Ronchi needs that first boundary. When Shaheen denied it to him off his first three deliveries, he began to get fidgety, and failed to spot the subtle deception off the following slower ball, spooning it to Wiese.Munro had a quiet game too, undone by Hafeez, who had a charmed day all round. It left Islamabad in the unfamiliar position of needing the middle order to provide them the explosive start they are so used to. Enter Shadab…Where the teams standLahore remain winless and consequently rooted to the bottom of the table. With two wins in three matches, Islamabad go top with four points.

The Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology this season, but the system is not in place despite the campaign having started.

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Premier League to introduce new technologyOffsides to be semi-automated this seasonNew system not in place for start of campaignWHAT HAPPENED?

Top-flight clubs voted unanimously in favour of introducing the technology for the 2024-25 campaign in an attempt to streamline VAR reviews amid complaints about the time it takes to check incidents and come to a decision.

AdvertisementAFPTHE EXPLANATION

However, the new system has not been introduced in time for the first game of the season, with the campaign having kicked off this week. Instead, the plan is to start using it in the English top flight after one of the international breaks in either September or October.

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The semi-automated offside technology, which was first put to use in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, could shave over 30 seconds off of a VAR check, the Premier League says. It is also expected to be used in FA Cup matches hosted at Premier League stadiums and for the semi-finals and final at Wembley.

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HOW DOES IT WORK?

An explanation from the Premier League says "computer vision cameras" will be placed in every top-flight stadium this season.

"These cameras around the ground will track the ball as well as thousands of data points for each player and the ball," the Premier League adds.

"When a match-defining moment occurs, such as a penalty, a goal or a red card, the technology will track to see if any attacking player involved in the build-up to the incident was offside.

"If a player receives a ball in an offside position, the technology will send an alert to the officials in the VAR Hub.

"They will check that the point of contact with the ball and automated offside line have been correctly recorded. The VAR will then inform the on-field officials if an offside has been recorded."

In the very first game of the season, versus Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester United looked vulnerable and unconvincing.

Unfortunately for Erik ten Hag, that has continued to be the case all season, with only an FA Cup and an unlikely top four spot somewhat salvaging the campaign.

In fairness to the former Ajax boss, injuries have hit his squad hard, especially in the defensive department, with only Diogo Dalot evading the crisis.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at who Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking to sign this summer in order to bolster the backline.

Man Utd's search for a centre-back is underway

According to a report from Italian outlet CalcioMercato, Man Utd are looking to sign a centre-back, with Gleison Bremer at the top of their list.

The story mentions that the Red Devils' new ownership group led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe have already made contact with the Brazilian defender, who currently commands the Juventus defence.

The former Torino ace is known to have a €58m (£50m) release clause in his contract, and Ratcliffe will have no issues meeting that figure.

Therefore, a move this summer seems likely, especially with the latest news of another setback to a United defender.

Man Utd struck gold by selling academy grad who's worth less than Maguire

The former Man United ace has struggled in the Premier League this season.

By
Tom Lever

Mar 25, 2024

Why Bremer would be the perfect replacement for Harry Maguire

There’s no doubt about it: when on the field, Harry Maguire’s performances have massively improved, with the fact that he won the November Premier League Player of the Month award supporting that.

However, the 31-year-old has had a rather troubled season due to a handful of injury setbacks, making him miss six games already, with another issue occurring this week on international duty with England.

Ten Hag needs reliability and availability from his players, which plenty haven’t been able to provide, including Maguire, and with the interest in Bremer, he could be replaced at the end of the season.

Unlike the United number five, Bremer has yet to pick up an injury this season, which means he has played 28 out of a possible 29 Serie A matches this campaign, picking up 12 clean sheets in the process.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig described the 27-year-old as the “complete package,” relating to his ability on the ball, his defensive dominance, and his athleticism, which were all on display in his most recent game for Juventus against Genoa.

As you can see, the former Torino man is a physical monster, winning nine of his 11 duels in the tie, but what’s most impressive about Bremer is his ability to be one step ahead and read the game.

Alongside his pace, this allows the centre-back to have a proactive approach to defending, as shown by his five interceptions and three tackles, which will be important when Ten Hag inevitably plays a high line next season.

The latter is also vital when playing alongside Lisandro Martinez, who isn’t the quickest himself, but that slight weakness could be harnessed by Bremer’s ability to cover ground easily and recover swiftly.

Overall, Maguire has certainly been a solid player for United this season, but his injuries and profile have held the team back at times, with reports last season indicating Ten Hag's concerns over the former skipper's 'sluggish pace'.

Whereas, the introduction of Bremer could just transform the team’s approach entirely.

استضاف معرض الشارقة الدولي للكتاب بدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، قائد منتخب مصر ومهاجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، اليوم الأحد.

وتواجد محمد صلاح بقاعة الاحتفالات، في لقاء جماهيري تحدث فيه عن رحلته في الوصول للعالمية، متحدثًا عن أبرز المحطات الهامة التي مر بها.

ووجه قائد المنتخب الوطني نصيحة لمهاجم فرانكفورت والمنتخب الأول، عمر مرموش، والذي يقدم أداءً مذهلاً في الدوري الألماني.

اقرأ ايضاً.. مهاجم إنجليزي سابق: لا أريد أن ينظر أطفالي إلى محمد صلاح.. “ليس عالميًا”

وقال محمد صلاح خلال معرض الشارقة: “عندما ذهبت إلى بازل بدأت أشاهد ماذا يفعل اللاعب الأوروبي؟، لان هنالك فارقًا بين مصر والخارج”.

وأضاف صلاح: “لقد عرفت لماذا الأوروبيين ناجحين، حيث يقوم اللاعبون بعمل جلسات الاستشفاء بشكل دائم بالإضافة إلى المواظبة على التدريبات وصالة الجيم، لذلك كنت أتبع هذه الخطوات في بداية مسيرتي ومحاولة فعل المزيد”.

وتابع: “كنت أطمح أن أكون الأفضل بينهم، لكي يعلموا أنه هنالك شخصا ناجحا قادما من الوطن العربي وقادرا على فعل ذلك”.

وعن نصيحته لـ عمر مرموش أوضح صلاح قائلاً: “مرموش لديه إمكانيات عالية ولاعب في غاية الأهمية للمنتخب الوطني ونادي فرانكفورت، كل ما أريده منه ومن الناس هو الابتعاد عن المقارنات”.

وأكمل حديثه قائلاً: “يجب على الناس عدم مقارنته بي، ووصفه بأنه محمد صلاح الجديد وسيقوم بمسيرة أفضل، هذه التصريحات ستضعه تحت ضغط كبير ولا يجب أن يحدث ذلك”.

وأردف صلاح: “غير مقبول فكرة المقارنة بين لاعب ناجح منذ سنوات وآخر في بداية مشواره، يجب على مرموش أن يعيش تجربته الخاصة وعمل شيء مختلف عني في اتجاه الذي يراه شخصياً”.

وعن تجربته في تشيلسي أجاب صلاح: “لم تكن تجربتي ناجحة معهم، ولم أقل أنه يتم اضطهادي من المدرب لأنني مصري وعربي، لقد نظرت للحياة بمنظور مختلف لكي أساعد نفسي على النجاح”.

وأكد صلاح: “في ذلك الوقت شاهدت الكثير من المقاطع على يوتيوب، وبالفعل ساعدتني على التغيير، ومن بين هؤلاء الذين ساهموا في تغيير أفكاري وعقليتي هم الدكتور إبراهيم الفقي، والاستاذ مصطفى محمود”.

وحول نصيحته لأي رياضي أجاب قائلاً: “يجب على الرياضي  أن يقرأ كثيراً في علم النفس، لأنه عندما تفهم الناس وقدرتك على التعامل معهم ستكون بمواقف جيدة”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após protagonizar uma polêmica no último fim de semana, por usar uma chuteira de tom verde, no empate em 0 a 0 entre Bahia e Corinthians, o atacante Jô deu a volta por cima na vitória do Timão por 2 a 1 contra o Sport, nesta quinta-feira (24), que lhe rendeu algumas marcas pessoais.

O segundo tento contra o Leão da Ilha, aos sete minutos do segundo tempo, foi o de número 200 do Alvinegro na Neo Química Arena, juntou o camisa 77 a Dentinho como artilheiro do corintiano no Século XXI e o deixou a um de Romero, como atleta com mais gols no estádio em Itaquera.

Jô marcou o seu 55º gol com a camisa do Corinthians, sendo 26 deles na Neo Química Arena.

>> Baixe o novo app de resultados do LANCE!
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A partida contra o Sport marcou a segunda consecutiva do centroavante como titular sob o comando do técnico Sylvinho. Reserva nas seis primeiras partidas do treinador pelo Timão, o atleta ficou de fora da derrota para o Red Bull Bragantino, por 2 a 1, em Itaquera, na última semana, por conta de uma lesão na panturrilha, mas voltou ganhando espaço no time.

– Com o Jô, nós tivemos uma conversa, assim que ele se colocou à disposição. Vocês sabem que o Jô ficou fora de um jogo, um intervalo de dois três dias fazendo fisioterapia, se resguardando e voltou, voltou para o elenco, uma coisa bem rápida, para reduzir a área de atuação dele, trazer, buscar e tirar o melhor desse atleta – disse Sylvinho em entrevista coletiva virtual, após a vitória contra o Sport.

E a avaliação do treinador foi positiva com essa entrada do atacante à equipe titular.

– Onde ele poder dar o melhor para a gente, muita retenção de bola, oxigenando um pouco o time, o meio-campo, fazendo a defesa sair, um atleta experiente, que entendeu perfeitamente, e sabe que isso vai produzir, vai dar para ele uma condição de ajudar o time e ser ajudado, é isso que tem acontecido, vem ocorrendo esse entendimento do atleta, a serviço do time, tem sido aproveitado, estou feliz pelo atleta e sempre pelo grupo – destacou o técnico.

Jô estava há quase um mês se marcar gols. O último, havia sido no dia 26 de maio, na goleada corintiana por 4 a 0, sobre o River Plate (PAR), na última rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana.

Liverpool are reportedly preparing to table an offer of over £50m for an "intelligent" player this summer, with Real Madrid also interested in signing him.

Liverpool transfer news

It is soon to be a busy period at Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp's shock departure as manager meaning a perfect replacement has to come in. Sporting CP boss Ruben Anorim is the obvious favourite to take charge, but former Bayern Munich leader Niko Kovac has also emerged as a new option.

Away from the managerial situation, new signings will also be needed, not to mention individuals who best suit the next manager's playing style. If Amorim does come in, he could reportedly take Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres with him to Liverpool, although rivals Manchester United are also interested in beating them to his signature.

Similarly, Goncalo Inacio is another much-linked option for the Reds, as he continues to shine at the heart of Sporting's defence. He could now even be available for as little as £40m this summer, which would be an added boost.

Xabi Alonso was previously a front-runner to be the new manager at Anfield, and while that now won't be the case, one of his Bayer Leverkusen stars, Alejandro Grimaldo, has also emerged as a reported target for Liverpool. The left wing-back has played a major role in his team's Bundesliga title success this season, scoring nine goals and registering 12 assists in the competition.

Liverpool readying offer for Real Madrid target

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool are readying an offer of €60m (£51.2m) offer for Real Sociedad ace Takefusa Kubo this summer, having been linked with him in the recent post.

They face stiff competition from Real Madrid, however, with the La Liga giants considering snapping up their former player in front of the Merseysiders. The report says that the Reds are in "attack mode" for the winger/midfielder, as Michael Edwards is clearly not messing around since his return to Anfield as CEO of Football, having already made boardroom appointments like Richard Hughes.

Kubo could be a great signing for Liverpool in the summer transfer window, with the 22-year-old attacker registering 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) in La Liga this season. He has also been hailed by former United midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who said: "He’s a very good player. He already speaks Spanish because he was at the Barcelona academy for a bit and this is helping him a lot now.

"I think he can play well for Real Madrid. He has a very good chance [of succeeding in Spain]. He’s left-footed and very intelligent on the pitch. He always makes the right decision at the right time."

Not only that, but Kubo has also been likened to none other than Lionel Messi, which is the ultimate praise for any footballer, considering he is widely seen as the greatest player in the history of the game.

Liverpool must bench Curtis Jones to unleash a “staggering” teen

This top talent has yet to start in the Premier League this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 16, 2024

Predominantly a right-sided attacking player, the Sociedad man could be looked at as a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, but his versatility also allows him to shine centrally and on the left.

Chakabva produced a defiant 142-ball innings but failed to secure Zimbabwe a draw

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Jan-2020

Suranga Lakmal took down Zimbabwe’s top three first thing in the morning, Lahiru Kumara blasted out the tail late in the day, and in between, Sri Lanka’s attack squeezed enough life out of a still-docile Harare surface to seize victory on day five. Zimbabwe scored enough runs to make Sri Lanka bat again, but the visiting openers needed only three overs to knock off the 14 runs required. Lakmal, who took 4 for 27, and Kumara, who took 3 for 32, had done most of the day’s heavy lifting.Zimbabwe did resist, but in fits and starts. After the openers and No. 3 Craig Ervine had been removed for within eight runs of each other, inside the first six overs of the day, captain Sean Williams and Brendan Taylor launched a counterattack, targeting Sri Lanka’s frontline spinner Lasith Embuldeniya in particular, perhaps reasoning that he was the biggest threat to Zimbabwe on a day five surface, after he had already taken five wickets in the first innings. They hit Embuldeniya out of the attack but couldn’t survive the seamers after lunch as Lakmal made Taylor his fourth victim, and Kasun Rajitha removed Williams.No. 7 Regis Chakabva then produced a defiant 142-ball innings, batting with Sikandar Raza for almost 17 overs, then with Donald Tiripano for almost 20. But the second new ball became available soon after tea, and Kumara used it to wreck Zimbabwe’s lower order. He got Tiripano lbw, then uprooted the off stumps of No. 9 Kyle Jarvis and No. 10 Ainsley Ndlovu. Embuldeniya removed Chakabva to end Zimbabwe’s innings.Following the dismissals of Taylor and Williams, who made 38 and 39 respectively, Zimbabwe were perhaps guilty of failing to move the score forward. They batted 92 overs in all but were all out for 170. If they had hit perhaps 60 runs more, they might have given Sri Lanka a slightly tougher chase given the overs left in the match. They may also have been more successful at unsettling Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who largely settled into a comfortable rhythm while ringing the bat with catching fielders.After four days of slow-burn cricket Lakmal brought the Test to life with a little seam movement in his first three overs. He dismissed Prince Masvaure with his second delivery, straightening a ball off the seam to take the batsman’s outside edge. Next over, coming around the wicket to debutant left-hander Brian Mudzinganyama, Lakmal jagged a ball back in, and struck the batsman on the pad. As Mudzinganyama had shouldered arms, it didn’t matter that he had been hit outside the line of off stump – umpire Marais Erasmus gave the lbw decision almost immediately. When Ervine fell in Lakmal’s following over, chipping a ball to short midwicket, Zimbabwe were in disarray.Williams and Taylor arrested the decline, and then produced perhaps the most aggressive period of batting in the entire match when they started hitting Embuldeniya around the park. Williams hit three square boundaries in the space of four Embuldeniya balls, and Taylor struck successive fours in the spinner’s next over. Each of the batsmen did offer half-chances off Embuldeniya but succeeded in having him removed from the attack.After these two were dismissed in the first two overs after lunch, Embuldeniya did come back to bowl quieter spells. It was he who dragged Raza out of his crease and had him stumped towards the end of the second session, leaving Sri Lanka requiring just one more wicket to break through to the tail.Chakabva played and missed occasionally but was resolute for the majority of his stay. However, Kumara put in an energetic shift with the second new ball to break the match open for Sri Lanka. Lakmal’s experience and quality are well known, but for Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler to bowl one of his best spells at the very end of a tough Test suggests serious tenacity.

The Melbourne Stars have been dealt another major blow on the eve of the BBL finals with legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane unavailable because of international duty while they also face a nervous wait on Haris Rauf’s availability.Lamichhane was believed to be available for the whole season, but he informed the Stars last week that he would not be around for the finals as he heads home to Nepal for a tri-nations ODI series with Oman and the USA which forms part of the qualification pathway for the 2023 50-over World Cup.Rauf is currently playing for Pakistan in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Pakistan which concludes on Monday and was expected to be back in Australia for the Stars’ BBL qualifier on Friday at the MCG. He has missed the past four games of which the Stars have lost three. However, the Stars believe there is a chance Rauf could be held back in Pakistan to potentially play in the first Test which starts on February 7 in Rawalpindi although he was not named among the probables for that series.The Stars will also be without opener Hilton Cartwright for the finals due to a broken finger. They won 10 of their first 11 matches of the tournament to guarantee a double chance at reaching the final but have lost three in a row including to the Brisbane Heat on Saturday.The Stars were confident on Friday that Rauf would return but coach David Hussey conceded after the loss to the Heat that it is not guaranteed.”He might get picked to play Test cricket [but it’s] not confirmed as yet. We’d like him back,” Hussey told reporters. “We’ll see what happens there. We’re still working behind the scenes.”It’s great that he started off his journey playing for the Melbourne Stars and now he’s representing his country. I’m rapt for him, great person, and hopefully, we do get him back for the qualifier.”Whatever he does, I hope he actually represents Pakistan for 100 Tests and 400 T20s and 150 one-day internationals. He’s brought a different dynamic to our group, he’s tried every game he’s played, he fields his butt off and he’s just fitted in the group perfectly.”Lamichhane’s loss is an even bigger blow to the dynamic of the Stars attack. He took 1 for 16 from four overs against the Heat and the Stars have bowled more spin than any other team in the BBL. The Stars spinners have bowled 25 more overs and taken 20 more wickets than the Melbourne Renegades who are second on that list but Lamichhane’s exit will force a rethink.”I’m always a big believer that spin is going to your friend throughout the tournament,” Hussey said. “It’s a fantastic strategy that we have that we might have to rejig a little bit. I must admit I didn’t deal with it too well when he told me he was leaving because he’s a quality person, a quality player and a big part of our plans to go deep into the tournament.”But when you get called up to international cricket, it should be celebrated. It was a couple of days of kicking cans about losing a great player but I’m pretty happy for him.”The Stars took a punt on unknown Pakistan quick Dilbar Hussain against the Heat and it backfired with the Lahore Qalandars development player conceding 56 runs from his four overs. But Hussey was prepared to stick with him and he will stay on as Lamichhane’s replacement even if Rauf returns.”It’s his first time at the MCG in front of a decent crowd representing a new team, his English is not great, he’s only arrived with the Stars in the last couple of days,” Hussey said.”Foreign conditions. I thought there was a lot to offer – 145kph away swingers, good slower ball, good fast bouncer, good control, good yorker. I think he’s got a pretty good future in the game. I think he’s going to ruffle a few feathers later on in the tournament.”

Kylian Mbappe has responded to questions of whether he could be the first man since Cristiano Ronaldo to enjoy a 50-goal season for Real Madrid.

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• French star joined Blancos as free agent
• Opened goal account in Super Cup win
• Looking to emulate Portuguese legend

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Portuguese superstar Ronaldo achieved that feat across six successive campaigns during his time at Santiago Bernabeu – between 2010 and 2016. A personal-best of 61 efforts was posted in 2014-15, with nobody able to scale such heights since.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real believe that they have somebody ready to follow in those illustrious footsteps, with World Cup winner Mbappe being acquired as a free agent. He has become the latest ‘Galactico’ in Madrid and opened his goal account for the Blancos in a 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta.

• Getty
  

  WHAT MBAPPE SAID

  Mbappe has told when asked if he can hit a half-century in his debut campaign: “We are at Real Madrid, we have no limit, if I can score 50, then 50, but the most important thing is winning and improving as a team, because we will win as a team.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Frenchman added on enjoying a dream debut for the Liga title holders: “It was a great night, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. To play with this shirt, with this badge, for these fans, it's a gift for me. We won a trophy too, that's very important, we know that here we always have to win and I am very happy.”

West Bromwich Albion will be crying out for a hero to step up to the mark against Preston North End this coming Saturday, needing just one more vital win to finally secure a spot in the Championship playoffs.

Brandon Thomas-Asante could start as the lone striker for Carlos Corberan's promotion-seeking Baggies against Ryan Lowe's men, hoping to fire in the decisive strike that sees the West Midlands outfit battle it out in the playoffs very soon after recently serving a suspension.

There will definitely be one absentee up top for the Baggies, however, when push comes to shove in these potential crunch clashes to follow, with the injury-prone player in question looking to be moved on in the summer whether West Brom go up to the Premier League or remain as a second-tier side.

Daryl Dike's record at West Brom

It's been an extremely frustrating move for Daryl Dike ever since he uprooted from firing in goals in the MLS to join West Brom in 2022, linking back up with his ex-Barnsley manager Valerien Ismael in the process.

Joining mid-way through the 2021/22 season to give the West Midlands side more firepower up top, after netting 11 goals from 19 games during his final few months donning Orlando City colours, Dike would only manage to line up two times in the Championship for his new employers before his first injury setback occurred.

From the two years he's been on the books at the Baggies, the cursed 6 foot 2 attacker has only managed to make 32 appearances with only five games managed this season under Corberan – all of which have come in 2024.

This wretched luck with the American centre-forward makes the initial £7m fee that the Baggies forked out to land Dike look even more like a colossal waste of cash now, even with Dike firing in eight goals when fit including one this January against Aldershot Town in the FA Cup.

West Brom must now consider offloading Dike, with the towering striker's luck with injuries showing no signs of improving as the 23-year-old now finds himself out of action until the end of 2024 after being stretchered off against Ipswich Town in February.

It would be a hard sell for any club trying to take him on, owing to this string of terrible injuries, but the Baggies could still gain some cash back on their dud somehow according to Football Transfers' valuation.

Dike's transfer value in 2024

Dike's transfer valuation still comes in at a respectable £2m, according to the site, – a drop off £5m – despite the lofty centre-forward being missing for most of this season for Corberan's men.

That means the 23-year-old is remarkably valued higher than other first-team assets who play week-in-week out such as Grady Diangana and Alex Mowatt, who are both worth just £1.7m and £1.3m respectively all whilst still amassing 80 appearances this season between them.

In an ideal world, therefore, the second-tier side would be able to sell Dike at near to this valuation, but his sketchy track record in the treatment room at the Hawthorns will no doubt put off any suitors despite the American's prolific nature in front of goal when fit.

Dike also comes in as being the second highest earner on the wage bill at the Championship club currently too, earning a staggering £32.3k-per-week which is more than double that of experienced first-teamer Conor Townsend's salary at £11.5k-per-week.

Therefore, an awkward conversation could soon have to be had to terminate Dike's contract before more needless money is unnecessarily chucked away.

As Football League World's fan pundit Matt Smith has stated, moving the marksman on would be "the wise thing to do at a club where every penny matters at the moment…"

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