Two days before the Delhi T20I between India and Bangladesh, the air quality in Delhi has plummeted to hazardous levels, and led to a public-health emergency. Schools have been shut, construction work stalled, and athletic activity advised against, but the two teams trained out in the middle and continued to shrug off the threat of playing in such poor air quality.This match is the first international fixture in India after Diwali, which raises severe questions over BCCI’s planning because it is well documented that the weeks immediately after Diwali are some of the most hazardous on public health. The BCCI has had first-hand experience with Ranji Trophy matches cancelled and a Test match interrupted in the past.The schedule was announced as early as June 2019. Match allocation in the BCCI works on rotation basis, but exchanging matches is not unheard of. However, the current BCCI office bearers took charge only last week, until when the board had been under the charge of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, who had been entrusted with ensuring the implementation of the Lodha Committee’s reforms and overseeing the running of the board while that happened. So direct responsibility for this scheduling is hard to pin down.Questions asked of CEO Rahul Johri, who was the chief executive even when the current BCCI was not in charge, went unanswered. New secretary Jay Shah didn’t respond either, but new president Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday that it was not possible to change the venue at such a short notice.The two camps, who are at possibly the biggest risk because they are undertaking strenuous athletic activity, tried to play the issue down. While the Bangladesh players privately complained of burning eyes, sore throats and their struggle to sleep, their coach Russell Domingo said they were not going to moan about it. In what might come across as an insensitive statement, he even said it is not like anybody has died on the field.”It’s not something you’d want, but there is nothing you can do about it,” Domingo said. “It is what it is. We have to make sure that we prepare as well as possible and deal with it as well as possible. Thus far, for sure have some scratchy eyes and some sore throat now and then, but it’s been okay. Nobody’s been sick or dying or anything like that. We’ve been okay with it.”Domingo, who was one of the members of the Bangladesh camp who wore a mask during training, was thankful the team was playing just a T20I and not a Test match or ODI. “Obviously you don’t want to be in it for six or seven hours,” Domingo said. “Three hours we’re playing and three hours practice sessions. It’s probably as long as you would want to be in it at the moment.”Domingo also said conditions back home might have helped the players ready themselves for this game. “There’s a bit of pollution in Bangladesh as well so it’s not a massive shock to the system as maybe some other countries can experience. The players have dealt with it really well – ‘It’s a bit smoky but let’s get on with it and practise.’ They haven’t made too much of an issue out of it. Coaches haven’t either. And we just have to go about our business as well normally would.”Bangladesh spin consultant Daniel Vettori wears an anti-pollution mask at training•PTI

India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour compared it with playing in extreme weather conditions. Rathour himself played a lot of cricket in north Indian winters, so he was asked how much worse the pollution has become over time. “I don’t think you even notice it,” Rathour said. “Playing cricket, you play sometimes in very hot weather… 45-46 degrees [Celsius]. Sometimes you play in extreme cold. Once you are in a game, I don’t think you notice these things. It’s when you are sitting out…”When told of the emergency conditions and the public-health advisory against athletic activity, Rathour said: “I understand that but we are here to play a game and can’t really do much about it. We are here to play and we will play.”That’s what the local hosting body, the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) said too. “As you must be aware that BCCI has said that it’s too late to change the venue at the last moment,” Rajat Sharma, the DDCA president, told ESPNcricinfo. “DDCA, however, is taking all possible measures in consultation with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). A meeting was held by the representatives of DDCA with various other departments such as DPCC, Traffic Police, SDMC (South Delhi Municipal Corporation), PWD (Public Works Department) and others chaired by member secretary CPCB. The situation was reviewed and departments were advised to take certain measures to help reducing the pollution around Arun Jaitley Stadium.”DDCA was advised to wash the trees inside the stadium so that the dust doesn’t flow. DDCA was also asked to survey the area of about two kilometres around the stadium and if any polluting items such as construction material, burning garbage etc. is found it is to be reported to CPCB. They will ensure immediate action.”With the AQI (air quality index) reaching 471 on the afternoon two days before the match, these measures are not likely to make any significant impact on the air quality.

It's been a long old season for Crystal Palace fans this year, with hefty defeats to rivals, an injury list that never seems to shrink and football that could put anyone to sleep.

However, the decision to replace Roy Hodgson with Oliver Glasner feels like a turning point and could be the best thing that's happened to the Eagles for quite some time.

The Austrian has enjoyed brilliant success in Germany and is known for his progressive and attacking style of play, something he'll likely bring to Selhurst Park once he has the right players.

That means many current starters, such as Jordan Ayew, probably won't be in the team a few years from now, but the club could already have the perfect replacement for the experienced Ghanaian.

Jordan Ayew's Crystal Palace career

Now, the first thing to say is that Ayew has been a brilliant player for Palace over the years. While he has never quite grabbed the attention in the same way as Michael Olise or Eberechi Eze, for example, his contribution to the team has been invaluable.

He first joined the south Londoners on a season-long loan from Swansea City for the 2018/19 campaign before making a permanent move a year later for just £2.5m, which now looks like an absolute bargain.

So far, the 32-year-old has made 201 appearances for the Eagles in which he has scored 23 goals and provided 21 assists, meaning that he has averaged a goal involvement every 4.56 games in the five and a half seasons he has been at the club, which, for the price paid, is a brilliant return.

That said, if the club want to truly push on under the guidance of Glasner and help him to achieve something similar to his Europa League glory with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, they'll need to provide him with dynamic players with room to develop and as brilliant as Ayew has been at Selhurst Park, he is not that.

Luckily, the emergence of a talented youngster at the club means they might already have the perfect replacement.

Why fans should be excited about Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

The youngster in question is 21-year-old Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who already has quite an impressive record for a young player.

He joined the club's youth setup from Chelsea in 2019 and made 56 appearances across the various youth sides, in which he scored 29 goals and provided 16 assists, meaning he averaged 0.80 goal involvements per match, primarily from the wings.

With junior football no longer a sufficient challenge for the Southwark-born gem, he was sent out on loan to League One outfit Charlton Athletic for the 2022/23 season, where he scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 43 league appearances.

He made a tangible impact during his time at The Valley, with then-manager Dean Holden describing him as someone who would "run through a brick wall for Charlton" and as a "fantastic young player" with "a real chance of going to the top level."

Since returning from loan, the "remarkable" winger, as described by former manager Hodgson, has made ten appearances for the club. However, only three of those have been starts, and he might have to wait until next season for his next one as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.

It is clear then that Rak-Sakyi could well replace Ayew in the starting lineup over the next couple of years, but he could do more than that, as with how he is spoken about by those in the know and his impressive record, he could be the heir apparent to Wilfried Zaha's throne.

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's record
Teams	Crystal Palace U18	Crystal Palace U21	Crystal Palace	Charlton Athletic
Appearances	17	39	10	49
Goals	8	21	0	15
Assists	8	8	0	9
Goal Involvements per Match	0.94	0.74	0.00	0.48
All Stats via Transfermarkt

If the 5 foot 10 gem can break into the first team as an academy product, he'll be following a similar route to Zaha, and while he primarily plays on the right wing, he has made 38 appearances on the left, suggesting he's versatile.

Crystal Palace should hand academy "monster" his debut in place of Mateta

The incredibly talented youngster has been tearing it up at youth level and deserves a chance in the first team.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 4, 2024

Ultimately, Glasner has a big project on his hands at Palace, and while players like Ayew have been brilliant over the years, the emergence of Rak-Sakyi gives the Austrian an opportunity to replace him in a year or two seamlessly.

MatériaMais Notícias

A equipe feminina do Palmeiras entrou em campo, nesta quarta-feira (26), contra o São José-SP em busca da liderança do Brasileirão e venceu a equipe paulista por 4 a 1. Com isso, o Alviverde chegou aos 24 pontos e ultrapassou o Corinthians, assumindo, provisoriamente, a ponta da tabela.

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O time de Ricardo Belli entrou em campo com Jully; Katrine, Tainara, Thaís (Karol Arcanjo) e Bruna Calderan (Carol Santos); Júlia Bianchi, Duda Santos, Rafa Andrade e Bia Zaneratto (Ary Borges); Carol Baiana (Camilinha) e Ottilia (Chú).

Na primeira etapa, o Verdão teve uma grande atuação e não sofreu sustos. Com isso, conseguiu abrir o placar cedo, aos 14 minutos, com um gol de Thaís. Ainda nos 45 minutos iniciais, Júlia Bianchi ampliou e, nos acréscimos, Bia Zaneratto encaminhou o triunfo alviverde – com o gol, a atacante chegou aos sete tentos na competição e se isolou, ainda mais, na artilharia.

Na segunda etapa, o Palmeiras continuou superior, mas, aos 17 minutos, o São José diminuiu e esboçou uma reação, anotando o seu primeiro e único gol no confronto. A esperança da equipe do interior paulista, porém, chegou ao fim poucos minutos depois, pois, em cobrança de pênalti, Duda anotou o quarto tento palestrino.

No restante do embate, o Verdão seguiu controlando, chegando à meta adversária e sofrendo pouco, apesar de um susto, aos 32 minutos, com uma bola na trave originada após grande jogada do São José pelo lado esquerdo do ataque. Com isso, o confronto foi conduzido ao seu final e o Alviverde saiu, mais uma vez, vitorioso.

Com o resultado, o Palmeiras chegou aos 24 pontos e assumiu, provisoriamente, a ponta da tabela do Brasileirão. O próximo embate das Palestrinas será no domingo (30), às 20h (horário de Brasília), contra o Flamengo.

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New Zealand are ready to embrace the “most extreme” conditions they could encounter in Australia, but don’t believe the pink ball will be toughest element of their challenge in the Perth Test.The forecast is for temperatures to top 40 degrees Celsius over the weekend, and while that is not unusual for cricketers around the world, New Zealand have only three days to prepare for the opening Test. Add to that the pace and bounce the Perth Stadium pitch is expected to produce, plus a chance of cracks opening up as the heat takes it effect.It doesn’t end there. There is the floodlight element, but with the game starting a 1pm local time there will only be a short window played in darkness, although the lights will start to have an effect around 5pm as shadows come across the ground.ALSO READ: New Zealand’s great chance to defy history in Australia“Coming to Perth is probably the most extreme [conditions] we will face, perhaps if it was Melbourne or Sydney it would be a little more like home, so good on them for bringing us over here first,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said. “This is a different challenge than we have had for a while, we’ve had a lot of success at home and we play well there generally, but Australia also came and beat us there a few years ago.”We’ve got to be careful that we don’t overstate what the pink ball might do at night. We start an hour earlier than most pink-ball Tests, so that’s an hour less in darkness, so perhaps a bigger factor may be the heat that we are going to face over the next four or five days and making sure we are aware of that. We’ve played in many different conditions so it’s not a surprise.”The Australians are taking the conditions in their stride and coach Justin Langer said they would “hopefully” have an advantage from it, but acknowledged that all players would be tested.”We are talking about elite athletes so they’ll be well prepared for it but there’s no doubt it will have an effect. If you’re a fast bowler or batting in a helmet for hopefully a long period of time being in 40 is like being in a sauna,” Langer said. “It will be a battle of endurance, fitness and skill and, again, that’s why we love Test cricket.”New Zealand are ranked second compared to Australia’s fifth but do not have history on their side as they aim for just their second series win in Australia following the 1985-86 victory. Asked whether he believed New Zealand had earned enough kudos for their climb up the rankings, Stead said the outcome of this series and the one to follow against India were important in making a judgement.”I think after this summer you’ll probably know a lot more,” he said. “When you look at the programme we have – England, Australia and then India – you’d argue they are up there with the best teams in the world. When we get to end of the summer I think it’s probably an easier time for me to answer that.” New Zealand had a daytime training session at Perth Stadium on Tuesday [they will train under lights again on Wednesday] and there was a scare when Ross Taylor took a nasty blow on the right hand from a throwdown. He immediately dropped his bat, ripped off the glove and left the net with the physio but he appeared to have escaped serious damage. An NZC spokesman said initial assessment suggested no fracture and there were no immediate plans to get it x-rayed.There was already a fitness battle going on with Trent Boult having his first bowl since arriving in Australia as he aimed to overcome a side strain. He sent down two spells during the session at decent pace, between them having a lengthy conversation with captain Kane Williamson, Stead and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen.”We’ve got to be really careful how we manage the next couple of days if we do think he’s going to start,” Stead said of Boult. “I don’t think [today] you’ll see him bowling 15 overs or anything, but he does need to be able to prove that he can get the intensity we want.”On some lively net pitches, Lockie Ferguson looked a handful, but he might need Boult to be ruled out in order to make his debut despite the attraction of his pace on the Perth Stadium pitch.”I think most wickets will suit Lockie,” Stead said. “He’s certainly got pace and we are acutely aware of that and he’s got a very good red-ball record. The hard thing for us is how he fits into the team, we’ve had some success with guys who have been consistently there.”The pace would suit him, no doubt about it, people want to see the ball flying around – look at Australia’s attack, they are built around [Mitchell] Starc, [Pat] Cummins and [Josh] Hazlewood – so if he gets a go it will be exciting.”

Leeds United have been warned that they are unlikely to land one of their targets this summer despite their reported interest in the exciting attacker.

Leeds set for summer of change

Currently flying high in the Championship, it appears that 2024 will be a summer of change for Leeds regardless of the season's outcome. As it stands, the Whites sit two points behind Ipswich Town and the second automatic promotion spot, and will find themselves heading into the playoffs at the end of the campaign should nothing change in the final quarter of the season.

With a swathe of stars from their last Premier League season still contracted to the club (and currently on loan across Europe), a decision will have to be made on their futures, while a squad overhaul is likely should they return to the English top flight.

On the flip side, their standout stars could be plucked from Elland Road this summer should they remain in the second tier, with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, Crysensio Summerville and Archie Gray all thought to be subject to interest from Premier League clubs.

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Early rumours have linked Leeds with a move for Sunderland standout and former Elland Road man Jack Clarke should they lose Summerville or Gnonto this summer. Though his season has now been ended through injury, Clarke has enjoyed an impressive campaign prior to that, with the 23-year-old grabbing 15 goals and 4 assists in 33 Championship outings.

Once signed by Tottenham, should Leeds make the step up to the top flight, Clarke is understood to be firmly on their radar.

How Clarke stacks up against Leeds' current options

23/24 season

Jack Clarke

Crysensio Summerville

Wilfried Gnonto

Appearances

33

33

28

Goals

15

15

5

Assists

4

8

2

xG

10.2

12.7

3.7

Shot accuracy

38.2%

34.7%

32.3%

Palmer reacts to Leeds links

The move has been dubbed 'highly unlikely' by pundit Carlton Palmer, who revealed that he felt Clarke would not want to return to his former side after making just 28 appearances across two seasons during his last stint in Yorkshire. However, he did admit that he would be an excellent addition to Daniel Farke's attack.

"I think it's highly unlikely that Clarke will return to Elland Road", Palmer told Football League World. "First of all, Leeds have got to get promoted. There are also a host of clubs who are in for the winger, and I can't see him going back to his old club; I just can't see it being an option.

"The Whites obviously have some business of their own to take care of. They have to get back to the Premier League, because that's where Clarke will want to be going. Both Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville will receive interest from other clubs too. If they get promoted to the Premier League, then, yes, they might stay, but I'd expect offers to come in for Gnonto and Summerville, so they will need to bring in another player.

"Leeds would need to bring in another player, and Clarke could be that player. I think that he's a great player, and that he'd be a great fit for Daniel Farke, but I just don't think that he'll revisit that again."

If there is one thing that has been cause for concern for Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side this season, it is their form in front of goal.

The Blues have scored the eighth most in the Premier League this season, with 47, but have missed 51 out of the 82 big chances they have created.

Pochettino has trialled different players up front this season, including summer signings Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer. Jackson is still finding his feet in the Premier League, with Palmer better suited to a deeper role or one on the right wing.

With hundreds of millions of pounds spent under new owner Todd Boehly since his takeover in 2022, it will be somewhat frustrating for Chelsea fans that they are still struggling in front of goal so much.

Two strikers Chelsea could sign this summer

With Pochettino’s side reportedly desperate to land a new number nine this summer, there are two frontrunners on the list.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is one option for Chelsea having been linked so regularly all season and crucially, the Nigeria international is already confirmed to be leaving the club this summer. However, a new name has been thrown into the mix of late; Sporting striker Victor Gyokeres.

According to Italian journalist Marco Fallisi, Chelsea, along with Arsenal, are the English clubs who could provide competition to AC Milan for Gyokeres’ signature next summer. It's stated that the Premier League pair are at the front of the queue.

The reports suggest the Swede could cost just £43m, a great deal cheaper than the £100m plus that Osimhen is being touted with.

How Gyokeres and Osimhen Compare

In the 2022/23 season, Osimhen was one of the world’s deadliest strikers, scoring 31 goals in 39 games in all competitions, in a historic Scudetto-winning season for Napoli.

Incredibly, Gyokeres has already overtaken the Napoli striker’s tally from last season in the same number of games. Sporting’s talisman is currently on 36 goals in 39 games, whilst also hitting double figures in assists. As the stats suggest, Gyokeres is one of the deadliest strikers in Europe this term.

The Sweden international, who has been described as a ‘powerhouse’ by football analyst Ben Mattinson on X, is a very physical striker, who uses that to his advantage.

Gyokeres’ hold-up play stands out, and he uses his 6 foot 1 frame to dominate opponents, able to drop deeper and hold up the ball before spraying passes forward into the path of teammates who have made runs in behind. His 14 assists in 2023/24 compared to Osimhen's measly tally of four stands out in this regard.

Indeed, in comparison, Osimhen tends to stay further forward, doing most of his work in and around the penalty area.

This is partly down to his relationship with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; the tricky Georgian winger developed a superb partnership with Osimhen last season and loves to whip crosses into the box for the 25-year-old to attack.

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Pochettino could have his very own Osimhen out on loan at this current moment in time

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 23, 2024

One thing that can be said about both strikers is that their penalty box instinct is second to none. Both players can sniff out chances from nowhere, able to follow in for rebounds or get on the end of crosses with ease, the mark of a top striker.

They have plenty of touches in the opposition penalty area too. Gyokeres averages 8.82 per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 1% of strikers in Europe. In comparison, Osimhen averages 7.30 per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 5%.

If Chelsea are looking for a pure finisher in the penalty box, you cannot go wrong with either option. With that being said, Gyokeres may well prove to be the best option if they are looking for a more complete centre-forward who can both create and score.

Both players are the same age, 25, although Gyokeres might prove to be cheaper than the £100m Osimhen. It could well be down to Pochettino's preference as to which striker they will try and sign this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain's move for Napoli's Victor Osimhen has stalled yet again as they look to fill the gap left by Kylian Mbappe's departure.

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PSG want to sign Victor OsimhenNeed to facilitate exit of Ramos or Kolo-MuaniTalks continue to coolGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

PSG have been on the hunt for a new signing all summer long, and the club have had their eye on the Napoli duo of Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. While Les Parisiens have pretty much given up on their hope of signing the Georgian, they still remain on the trail of the Nigeria hitman – although talks have cooled.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Per, the Ligue 1 side will have to sell either Gancalo Ramos or Randal Kolo-Muani before proceeding with the signing of the Napoli ace. However, neither forward is ready to accept a departure from the Parc des Princes, and therefore the talks for the transfer of Osimhen have stalled.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

It is believed that Osimhen will not continue in Naples, where Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku is a target, but if PSG snooze for too long they could possibly lose out on his signature altogether with the Blues and some Saudi clubs also showing interest in his services.

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WHAT NEXT FOR OSIMHEN?

The Nigerian has not joined up with his Napoli teammates for pre-season despite their camp already having begun. He will likely continue pushing for an exit as hard as possible.

Moises Henriques’ 98 went in vain as the Blues slipped in a chase of 266

The Report by Alex Malcolm17-Nov-2019

Matthew Short congratulates Jake Fraser-McGurk on his debut half-century•Getty Images

Victoria got a glimpse into the future with Matthew Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Will Sutherland starring to overcome New South Wales in a close contest at the MCG.Short put together a Man-of-the-Match display, making a career-best 88 and taking 2 for 21 that included the key wicket of Daniel Hughes. Fraser-McGurk stole the show with 54 on debut after scoring 51 on his Shield debut earlier this week. Sutherland took two sensational outfield catches and bowled Moises Henriques for 98 in the penultimate over of the match to seal the game for Victoria as the Blues veteran was on track to see his side home.The Blues were left to rue a game that slipped from their grasp. Daniel Sams’ career-best 5 for 46 helped restrict Victoria. His mix of cutters undid Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, and Peter Handscomb. The Blues were 1 for 143 halfway through the chase with Hughes and Henriques in complete control. But Hughes’ dismissal, lbw to Short, triggered a collapse and Henriques ran out of support.Short and Fraser-McGurk put together an outstanding 95-run stand to underpin their total of 265 after Victoria won the toss on a good surface. They came together with the side on 4 for 150 after veterans Marcus Harris (44) and Peter Handscomb (38) were unable to capitalise on fluent starts. Short played beautifully, attacking the spinners with positive footwork on the way to his fourth List A half-century.But he was overshadowed by Fraser-McGurk. The 17-year-old made a stunning 54 from just 49 balls; four of his first five scoring shots were boundaries and in all, he struck seven fours and a six.Short threw away a century holing out with more than seven overs remaining and Victoria were bowled out with four balls left in the final over of the innings.Veteran seamer Peter Siddle showed his class taking the early wicket of Jack Edwards. But the game was slipping away from Victoria before Short turned it with two wickets in the middle overs. Siddle compounded the Blues pain by nabbing two more.Henriques tried to manage the chase with the tail but aside from Sams’ 13, none of the last eight batsmen reached double figures. Sutherland took a sensational diving catch in the outfield to remove Sams and then backed it up by removing Henriques with a yorker to leave 12 runs needed from the final over. The final pair couldn’t get it done.

Liverpool are willing to pay at least £50m to seal the signing of a "complete" player in the summer transfer window, according to a new update regarding the Reds' upcoming business.

Liverpool could further bolster midfield

The Merseysiders continue to plan for life after Jurgen Klopp this summer, with FSG making a number of eye-catching appointments in recent times. Michael Edwards is returning to the club as CEO of Football, while Bournemouth pair Richard Hughes and Mark Burchill are coming in as sporting director and chief scout respectively.

While the new manager is yet to be confirmed, the individual in question will no doubt be eyeing new signings at the end of the season, and it could be that further midfield reinforcements come in, despite last year's rebuild.

Atalanta ace Teun Koopmeiners is one player who has been linked with a summer move to Liverpool, with one report claiming that they are in pole position to snap up the Dutchman, and the most recent update suggesting that he wants to leave his current club in the summer window.

Shakhtar Donetsk youngster Georgiy Sudakov is also reportedly wanted by the Reds, in a move that could cost them as much as £85m, and away from the midfield, there are other potential targets, including Real Madrid star Rodrygo, who will admittedly be extremely difficult to sign.

Liverpool ready to pay £50m+ for "complete" ace

According to an update from Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are willing to stump up the cash to sign Koopmeiners, with €60m (£51.7m) potentially enough to get their man.

The Reds are believed to be "following him very closely", seeing him as a primary target this summer, and perhaps the biggest aspect of the update is that fellow Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport states Alonso is one of his "biggest fans".

It does appear as though Koopmeiners is seen as a strong option for Liverpool moving forward, and possibly being considered an ideal replacement for Thiago in the squad, assuming the Spaniard moves on when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

Appearances

25

Starts

24

Goals

10

Assists

3

Key passes per game

1.9

Tackles per game

1.2

Pass completion rate

81.9%

There is certainly plenty working in the 26-year-old's favour given his all-round quality in midfield, leading Dutch legend Ruud Krol to say of him:

"Koop is a great player. He has an international calibre and is the starter in the Dutch national team. I certainly see him doing well at a big club. Juve or Milan? He would certainly be invaluable to both of them. Koopmeiners can play in all positions in the middle of the pitch: both as a playmaker and as a midfielder. He is a complete footballer who would be useful for all coaches, including Allegri."

Such high praise speaks volumes about Koopmeiners' ability, and should Alonso end up being Klopp's replacement, he could jump at the chance to work alongside the Atalanta man.

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However, Liverpool's midfield is well-stocked, so there is an argument to say that the funds could be used elsewhere on the pitch, but too much depth is not often a bad thing.

تفاعلت الصحف والوسائل الإعلامية الإسبانية مع حصد لاعب مانشستر سيتي ومنتخب إسبانيا، رودري، لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم عن عام 2024 ضمن جوائز فرانس فوتبول بالتعاون مع يويفا.

وتعتبر تلك النسخة هي الأولى من نوعها بعد تطبيق الشراكة بين الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، ومجلة “فرانس فوتبول”.

واستضاف مسرح “دو شاتليه” في باريس مراسم حفل مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” الشهيرة لتوزيع جوائز الأفضل في العالم لعام 2024، وعلى رأسها الكرة الذهبية.

وتنافس 30 لاعباً على جائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم عن عام 2024، وأسفرت القائمة النهائية عن أصحاب المراكز الثلاث الأولى وهم رودري وفينيسيوس جونيور وجود بيلينجهام.

اقرأ ايضاً.. الكرة الذهبية 2024.. رودري يفوز بجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم

وقالت صحيفة “آس”: “لاعب خط الوسط الإسباني يلامس سماء باريس ويحصد الجائزة الثانية لـ إسبانيا خلفاً للويس سواريز في عام 1960”.

وكتبت صحيفة “ماركا”: “من رودريجو هيرنانديز إلى رودري: “طفرة” اللاعب الشامل الذي أعاد الذهب إلى إسبانيا، يستلم راية الكرة الذهبية بعد 64 عام من حصد لويس سواريز للجائزة وتكريماً لـ تشافي وإنييستا وراؤول”.

وعلقت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “إيتانا” و”لامين” يقودان حفل “الكولي” في باريس، “رودري” يصنع التاريخ قبل خيبة الأمل البيضاء، رودري هيرنانديز هو ثاني إسباني يفوز بالكرة الذهبية متقدما على فينيسيوس، الذي لم يحضر الحدث مثل بقية بعثة مدريد”.

وأوضح موقع “ريليفو”: “رودري، الكرة الذهبية التي تستحقه إسبانيا. إنجازات رودري مع مانشستر سيتي والمنتخب الإسباني انتهت إلى ترجيح كفة الميزان لصالحه على حساب بقية المرشحين”.

وكتبت صحيفة “سبورت الكتالونية”: “رودري، يحصد الكرة الذهبية على حساب فينيسيوس!”.