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The tour consists of a 50-over warm-up match, a five-match Youth one-day series and two multi-day matches in June-July

Sreshth Shah22-May-2025

Ayush Mhatre, the 17-year-old teenager who had a sparkling first-class debut with Mumbai and with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, will captain the India Under-19 team that will travel to England for a multi-format tour in June-July 2025. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old from Bihar and Rajasthan Royals opener, is also part of the 16-member squad.The tour will see India Under-19 play England Under-19 in a 50-over warm-up match, a five-match Youth one-day series and two multi-day matches. Wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu, from Mumbai, will be the vice-captain.Vihaan Malhotra from Punjab, who has opened the batting with Suryavanshi in the past, is also part of the squad. Others to represent India U-19 previously are wicketkeeper-batter Harvansh Pangalia of Saurashtra, Bengal seamer Yudhajit Guha, Kerala legspinner Mohamed Enaan and Punjab offspinner Anmoljeet Singh.Enaan was the highest wicket-taker (16) in the two Youth Tests against Australia U19 while Anmoljeet (nine) was second. Pangalia struck a century – 117 – in that series too.Khilan Patel, the allrounder from Gujarat who was Player of the Series in the Cooch Behar Trophy – the domestic Under-19 four-dayer tournament – on the back of his left-arm spin bowling and batting has earned a call-up too. The others in the squad are Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Henil Patel, Pranav Raghavendra and Aditya Rana.The standby players are Naman Pushpak, D Deepesh, Vedant Trivedi, Vikalp Tiwari and wicketkeeper Alankrith Rapole. The squad was selected by the Junior Cricket Committee, which is currently led by Thilak Naidu.India Under-19s warm-up game will be played on June 24 at Loughborough University. The five-match youth ODIs will be played across Hove, Northampton and Worcester between June 27 and July 7. The first multi-day contest starts on July 15 in Beckenham and the second multi-day contest will be played at Chelmsford starting July 20.Age wise, all the players in this squad are eligible for the 2026 Under-19 World Cup scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia early next year. Since the previous edition of the Under-19 World Cup, this will be the third engagement for the Under-19 side, having hosted Australia Under-19 at home in 2024, followed by the U-19 Asia Cup where they finished runner-up last year.India U-19 squad: Ayush Mhatre (capt), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (vice-capt, wk), Harvansh Pangalia (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohamed Enaan, Aditya Rana, Anmoljeet Singh

Batter unbeaten on 65 with 105 still needed and four wickets standing

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-May-2025

An injury to centurion Jordan Cox marred a strong Essex display on the third day of the County Championship Division One match with Somerset at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.Fresh from his recall to the England squad, Cox extended his overnight score of 61 to an unbeaten 103 as his side stretched their second innings total from 163 for four to 259 all out. But he retired hurt immediately on reaching three figures, having collapsed clutching his lower left side after taking the single that put him on 99.Cox took no further part in the Essex innings and was replaced in the field when Somerset began their quest for 321 to win on a pitch still offering assistance to seam and spin. They closed on 216 for six, Lewis Gregory making 57 and James Rew 65 not out.The first hour’s play saw Cox and Michael Pepper build rapidly on the Essex overnight advantage of 224.Cox reverse swept Jack Leach for boundaries off successive deliveries before greeting the introduction of Craig Overton with a glorious extra cover drive for four. Pepper leant good support and the pair had taken the total to 234 for four when misfortune struck.Cox had been in some discomfort and the quick single off Leach on the cusp of his ton ended with him prostrate the bowler’s end. After several minutes of treatment, he was helped to his feet, but he continued only long enough to slog-sweep Leach for four and complete a 155-ball hundred.Pepper glanced a four off Overton to take the lead past 300, but on 36 became the first of three victims in quick succession for Migael Pretorius, leg before on the back foot.Noah Thain edged to wicketkeeper Rew, while Sam Cook top-edged a pull shot to be caught at fine leg. Leach weighed in with the wickets of Kasun Rajitha and Simon Harmer as Essex plunged from 252 for four to 259 all out.A lead of 321 still looked secure enough on a pitch which had aided bowlers from the first morning. So it appeared, as Somerset’s fragile top order misfired again, leaving the 91 for five at tea.Andy Umeed edged a catch to second slip off Jamie Porter to depart without a run on the board and soon it was eight for two as Archie Vaughan top-edged a shot to leg off Cook to give a simple catch to mid-wicket.Harmer was introduced from eighth over and struck first with the total on 54, Tom Lammonby falling lbw for 30 to a ball that turned past the left-hander’s forward defensive shot and struck his back pad.Tom Abell played well to reach 29 before a sharply turning delivery from Harmer nipped back to clip his off stump and make it 71 for five. With only seven runs added, Tom Banton, on 13, went to reverse sweep the spinner and was judged to have got a touch on the way to the ball reaching Dean Elgar at slip, a decision which clearly frustrated the Somerset player.Skipper Gregory and Rew were unbeaten at the tea interval and both came out for the final session in positive mood.Anything remotely loose was punished mercilessly with boundaries in a counter-attacking partnership that only served to highlight previous batting inadequacies. Gregory raced to a half-century off 80 balls, with 7 fours.Rew was equally impressive and was unbeaten on 37 when his captain brought up the 100 stand with a flashing cut for four off Rajitha. But the same over saw Gregory attempt another back-foot forcing shot only to get a thick inside edge onto his stumps.Rew’s 10th four, guided to third-man off Cook, brought up a fluent fifty off 91 balls and the Somerset 200. He was still there at the close with a further 105 needed against a refreshed attack and the second new ball tomorrow.

Red Bull's head of global soccer Jurgen Klopp has opened up on having to fire Marco Rose from his position as Leipzig head coach. Rose, once hailed as the man to cement Leipzig among Europe’s elite, was dumped midway through a miserable third season at the Red Bull Arena back in March. It was a campaign that spiralled into chaos, with Leipzig crashing out of the Champions League in the first phase, managing just one win in eight matches, before a gut-punch defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach left them languishing in seventh place in the Bundesliga.

Zsolt Low’s short-lived fix

Rose won 72 of his 125 matches in charge of Leipzig, delivered two trophies in the form of the DFB-Pokal and German Supercup, and guided the club to Champions League qualification twice. However, he was dismissed after a run of just three wins from his final 11 games in all competitions. Following the exit of Rose, in a desperate bid to stop the rot, Leipzig turned to Chelsea’s trusted assistant Zsolt Low, giving him the reins until the end of the 2024-25 season. But the gamble backfired spectacularly. The Hungarian coach couldn’t change the club’s fortunes as defeats piled up and morale sank. By the end of the campaign, Leipzig had not only missed out on Champions League football but were also left empty-handed in their chase for any European spot in 2025–26.

AdvertisementgettyKlopp lifts the lid on Rose's exit

Klopp has now admitted that wielding the axe on Rose was a bitter pill to swallow. In an interview with he said: "It’s not great. It will never be my hobby. But it’s things you have to do. What I want is to hire coaches for the right reasons. And if you finish working together, then it is also for the right reasons and not for the media asking for it."

The ex-Liverpool boss spoke of his desire to create stability but admitted modern football doesn’t allow it.

"I want to instil this (stability); more trust, going through the hard times," he added. "If you are convinced, then you are convinced. The world is like that: ‘Oh my God, you are great!’ Then it is, ‘Oh no! You’re s***.’  There’s no grey area anymore. And very often life is grey."

Werner the chosen one

Leipzig wasted little time finding their new man. In came Ole Werner on June 24, with the 37-year-old seen as a rising star of German coaching, as he signed a deal through 2027. Werner, who opted to leave Werder Bremen early despite having a contract until 2026, has built a reputation as a no-nonsense manager with a sharp tactical brain. He took Bremen back into the Bundesliga at the first attempt in 2021 and steadied the ship with finishes of 13th, ninth, and eighth. More tellingly, his side closed out the 2024–25 season on an eight-match unbeaten run, including a gritty 0-0 draw against Leipzig themselves.

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A lightning start at Leipzig

If anyone doubted whether Werner was ready for the leap, he’s answered in style. Leipzig have roared into the new campaign under their fresh-faced coach, chalking up four wins from their first five Bundesliga fixtures. Werner’s first big test, however, looms large. This weekend, he leads Leipzig into a showdown with Borussia Dortmund, a clash that will truly measure whether his early success is built on solid ground or fleeting momentum.

BCB chief Faruque Ahmed says Shanto will continue to lead Bangladesh in the longer formats though

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jan-2025

Najmul Hossain Shanto has quit as Bangladesh’s T20I captain. BCB president Faruque Ahmed told a local newspaper that Shanto had informed the board of his decision but that he will continue to lead in Tests and ODIs.”Shanto has finally informed us that he will not continue as the T20I captain. We have accepted his decision. There’s however no T20s coming up, so we will not think about a new captain just yet. We have an understanding with Shanto that when he is fit, he will continue as the Test and ODI captain,” Faruque told the Dhaka-based on Thursday.This puts to rest the captaincy debate after Shanto had expressed reluctance towards being all-format captain back in October. At the time Faruque convinced Shanto to continue as captain across formats. Shanto however got injured during an ODI against Afghanistan in November, which prevented him from touring the West Indies.There, Bangladesh handed the Test and ODI captaincy to Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The visitors drew the Test series 1-1, before they lost the ODIs 3-0. Litton Das then led the T20I side to a 3-0 series win. Whether that T20I result pushed the BCB into agreeing with Shanto is unknown, but the fact that Mehidy and Litton were good enough to be considered part of the leadership group was good news for Bangladeshi cricket.Shanto became Bangladesh’s all-format captain in February 2024. The appointment came on the back of impressive stints against New Zealand at home and away, in the absence of then-captain Shakib Al Hasan. Bangladesh’s subsequent T20I performances however were great as they lost bilateral series against Sri Lanka and USA. They managed to reach the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup last June but did not win a match in that round.Shanto too suffered a nosedive in form in the format, scoring just a single fifty in his 24 matches in charge, averaging 18.76 as the T20I captain despite having shown improved form in the format after the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Whether he continues to be part of Bangladesh’s T20I side depends largely on his form during in the ongoing BPL.Bangladesh’s next T20I assignment is likely to be a three-match series against Zimbabwe in March this year. Litton could be a frontrunner for the captaincy given his showing in the West Indies. That said, he has been off colour with the bat in white-ball cricket of late.

Rain was the only winner as the BBL game in Coffs Harbour between top-of-the-table Sydney Sixers and defending champions Brisbane Heat was washed out without any play.The game was abandoned just over an hour after it was scheduled to start.The point apiece for the no result put Sixers three points ahead of second-placed Perth Scorchers, who were scheduled to play Sydney Thunder later on Friday.Heat, who beat Sixers in last season’s final but lost to them in Brisbane last week, moved up to fifth with their point.Rain had fallen over the north coast venue for several hours.At one stage, it appeared to have almost ceased, but it intensified and forced the abandonment of the game to the disappointment of the several thousand fans who arrived at the ground.Michael Neser had been scheduled to make his comeback from an hamstring injury suffered almost two months ago while playing for Australia A. Heat had also named wicketkeeper Tom Alsop in their squad, with the England Lions representative poised to make his season debut.Heat, who had lost three games straight before Friday’s washout, will next play Thunder in Brisbane on Monday. Sixers, who suffered their first loss in their last start after winning their first four, face Melbourne Stars at the MCG next Thursday.

Liverpool beat Bournemouth to get their Premier League title defence off to a flyer, though it was hardly a match without its vulnerabilities for the Anfield side as their defensive frailties were exposed against a spirited Cherries side.

Arne Slot cut a cool figure throughout his maiden year at the Liverpool helm, but he was left hot under the collar after Antoine Semenyo led a fightback from the visitors, who found themselves two goals down after the hour mark when Cody Gakpo coolly dispatched following Hugo Ekitike’s first-half goal, making it two in two for the £79m summer signing.

But while there was plenty of attacking intent on display, the Reds struggled to produce the kind of complete performance that the fanbase would have hoped for as they kicked off their title defence.

Liverpool's performance vs Bournemouth

Mohamed Salah got his goal in the last embers, paying an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota as he did so. His goal followed the volleyed strike of Federico Chiesa, who restored the lead before stoppage time after Semenyo’s double exposed Liverpool’s defensive problems.

But the Merseysiders got the job done, cementing their title defence with three points. Virgil van Dijk improved after his error-strewn display at Wembley in the Community Shield, but Slot’s backline struggled to perform, with Ibrahima Konate in particular singled out as a weak link, looking rusty in central defence.

While the pursuit of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak continues to rumble in the background, there will be plenty of attention on the other end of the field, with a £26m deal completed for 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni and a move still in the works for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

But Liverpool have already welcomed some new quality to their ranks, with two new starters playing against Bournemouth.

One of the newbies showed shades of the recently sold Darwin Nunez, and it wasn’t the goalscoring Ekitike.

Liverpool's new Darwin Nunez

Liverpool might have earned themselves a winning start to the Premier League campaign, but it was far from convincing against a slick Bournemouth side who implemented a high press to a good effect.

And Milos Kerkez certainly left plenty to be desired on his first league appearance in a Liverpool shirt. It was always going to be a match freighted with nerves for the 21-year-old, especially when pitted against his old Bournemouth teammates and Semenyo, who emerged the victor in that individual battle.

The young Hungarian lacked control and composure, lunging in with a series of challenges and being shown the flash of Antony Taylor’s yellow card before being replaced by the veteran Andy Robertson before the hour mark.

It was an erratic display which evoked memories of that man Nunez, who was sent off on his Anfield debut three years ago in a 1-1 draw with Fulham.

Minutes played

59′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

47

Accurate passes

25/27 (93%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles

0/0

Tackles

1

Duels won

4/10

Bookings

1x

According to Sofascore, the 21-year-old won four of his ten attempted duels and made five clearances for Liverpool, also completing 93% of his passes, but he was also handed a 5/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle, who drew attention to Semenyo getting the better of his former teammate at the Vitality Stadium.

Though Nunez ultimately succumbed to his mercurial nature, unable to channel it and succeed under first Jurgen Klopp’s wing and the Slot’s, his high-level talent was never up for question on Merseyside.

And the same could be said of Kerkez, who last season was remarked to be “one of the most talented left-backs in world football” by scout Jacek Kulig.

The rising star will hope to establish more of a stable level of success at Liverpool than Nunez, who joined Al Hilal this summer after three years with the Reds, but there’s no question that he will need to temper his aggression if he wishes to succeed Robertson and play a confident part in a backline that even at this early stage has shown that improvements are needed as Slot quests for a successful title defence.

He'd get Isak & Wirtz firing: Liverpool could sign "one of the best LWs"

Liverpool may yet sign a few more forwards in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 15, 2025

Seamer takes five-for as Northants battle to limit first-innings deficit

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2024

Half-centuries from Sam Robson and Leus du Plooy gave Middlesex the upper hand on the second day of their Vitality County Championship game against Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors’ School.Robson enhanced his impressive record at the Northwood venue, which includes four first-class centuries, by grinding out a vital 58 while Du Plooy hit an unbeaten 66 as the home side reached 250 for seven, a first-innings advantage of 43.However, Ben Sanderson kept Northamptonshire right in contention with figures of five for 58, regaining his status as Division Two’s leading wicket-taker after being briefly displaced by Middlesex captain Toby Roland-Jones.Northamptonshire were dismissed for 207, with Roland-Jones taking a season’s best of five for 49 – and the visitors’ hopes of restricting Middlesex to a lower total were not helped as Prithvi Shaw shelled a trio of slip catches.Sanderson and Lewis McManus, who had hauled Northamptonshire out of difficulties the previous evening, did enough to usher the visitors beyond the key landmark of 200 as they extended their partnership to 83.Sanderson unfurled a pair of classic drives to the boundary off Tom Helm and thoughts of a maiden first-class half-century must have entered the veteran seamer’s mind as he overtook McManus to reach 40.However, those thoughts were dashed when Henry Brookes bowled Sanderson around his legs and, although debutant Dom Leech cracked a cover boundary to raise the visitors’ 200, Roland-Jones quickly wrapped up the innings by capturing their last two wickets in three balls.In reply, Middlesex’s opening pair both survived close calls during the hour prior to lunch, although they made it to the interval unscathed on a surface with variable bounce and pace.With just a single to his name, Robson edged a rising delivery from Justin Broad through the slips, while Mark Stoneman offered a tricky slip chance off the same bowler and Shaw, going low to his left, was unable to hang on.Sanderson made the breakthrough soon after the resumption, getting the ball to swing and uprooting Stoneman’s off stump for 36, but Robson and Max Holden dug in for an afternoon of laborious progress.Robson cut the seamers with authority to keep the scoreboard moving and passed 50 from 118 balls with a sweet cover drive for four off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, whose change of ends then bore immediate fruit as he trapped Holden leg before.Northamptonshire might have removed Robson as well in the next over, with Shaw – who had also put down Holden – fumbling another opportunity, but Sanderson made amends immediately after tea with two wickets in as many deliveries.With Robson lbw to one that kept low and Stephen Eskinazi succumbing in identical fashion, Middlesex were suddenly wobbling at 129 for four but a bristling partnership of 72 between Du Plooy and Fernandes was exactly what they needed.Leech eventually brought the stand to an end with his first Northamptonshire wicket, having Fernandes taken at second slip, but Du Plooy remained to nudge his side into the lead with a crisp off-driven boundary.However, Sanderson returned with the new ball and promptly claimed two more wickets in quick succession, completing his third five-for of the summer before Roland-Jones launched a late flurry of boundary-hitting.He took two fours from successive Sanderson deliveries and had just cracked Broad to the fence to earn Middlesex a batting bonus point when the deteriorating light brought play to a close.

An “interesting” Everton player is now said to be very close to leaving the club in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.

Everton eyeing Premier League attacker and others

Blues supporters will be desperately hoping to see new signings arrive on Merseyside this summer, as David Moyes looks to take the team forward and make them a top-half Premier League side again.

Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has been linked with a move to Everton, with the veteran a proven top-flight attacker who could add much-needed firepower in the final third. A tally of 88 goals in 239 Premier League appearances highlights the Englishman’s pedigree.

The Blues are also believed to have entered the race to sign Timothy Weah, with the USA international currently plying his trade at Juventus. He scored five goals in Serie A last season, only starting 18 out of 38 league matches, so a fresh challenge may appeal to him.

Elsewhere, Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto appears to be a leading start to add to Moyes’ attack, with one report claiming that they are battling Wolves for his signature, with the latter tabling an offer for his services. Now, an Everton exit rumour has emerged, with one player not expected to be at the club at the start of next season.

"Interesting" Everton ace close to leaving

According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Youssef Chermiti is now “very close” to leaving Everton this summer, heading to Championship side Stoke City.

The 21-year-old is reportedly likely to move there on a season-long loan deal, hopefully picking up some important experience before the Blues make a decision over his future at the end of next term.

This feels like a shrewd decision for all parties, with the report saying ‘sources believe Chermiti is not in Moyes’ plans for Everton next season’, so he needs to enjoy regular football elsewhere. He is under contract until the summer of 2027, so there is no rush to sell him permanently yet.

The Portuguese has struggled to make an impression in a Blues shirt, failing to register a single goal or assist in 24 appearances, but he was lauded as a “very interesting” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past.

Hopefully, Chermiti will flourish out on loan at Stoke, with the Championship a massive test of any players’ credentials, then giving Moyes a headache when he returns to Everton next summer.

Same agent as McNeil: Everton eyeing swoop to sign "incredible" PL rival

He’s got plenty of experience.

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 21, 2025

He will have to do a lot in 2025/26 to show the Scot that he is worth persevering with long into the future, though, and it will be interesting to see how he fares over the next 12 months or so.

Was that the goal that sealed Jadon Sancho’s Chelsea fate? With the Blues having already completed the comeback in Wednesday’s Conference League final, the Englishman extended that lead even further with a stunning strike from the left flank.

Introduced off the bench on the hour mark, the on-loan winger swiftly helped to rubberstamp victory with that delightful curling effort past a helpless Adrian, with that marking his 15th goal involvement of the season on his 41st outing for the west London side.

While there remains lingering doubts over whether Enzo Maresca’s side will sign the £25m man permanently – amid the presence of a £5m cancellation clause – the latest suggestion is that talks are now being held with the player’s representatives over contract terms.

As reported in recent days, the Blues are hopeful of negotiating fresh terms with the Manchester United outcast, in order to bring him in line with their current wage structure at Stamford Bridge.

If a deal can be agreed, the one-time Borussia Dortmund man could be set to stay put for the long term in the capital. That said, even if a deal is struck, it may not prevent the club from seeking out further attacking reinforcements this summer.

Latest on Chelsea's search for a winger

Liam Delap is all but confirmed as the latest exciting arrival under the Todd Boehly regime, with the £30m acquisition set to join the likes of Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez in bolstering Maresca’s ranks next season. Sporting CP teenager, Geovany Quenda, meanwhile, will make his move next summer.

With the likes of Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke already on the books – alongside the suspended Mykhaylo Mudryk – there does appear to be significant depth on the flanks, yet recent reports have indicated that a new winger remains a priority target for the club.

According to one Spanish news outlet, the Blues are said to be turning their attention toward AC Milan sensation, Rafael Leao, with Boehly and co believed to be ‘stepping up their interest’ in the Portugal international.

Transfer Focus

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As per the report, the Conference League winners are said to be readying a ‘concrete push’ to land the 25-year-old from the San Siro, with the Serie A side’s financial woes – and lack of European football next term – opening up the possibility of a sale occurring this summer.

Leao himself is said to be ready to move on from his current side, with Chelsea viewing this as the opportune time to pounce, having been keeping tabs on the player over an extended period.

With negotiations set to ‘accelerate’ over the coming weeks, the former Lille star could be the new attacking figurehead at Stamford Bridge..

How Rafael Leao compares to Sancho

As noted already, Sancho did end the campaign with five goals and ten assists to his name under Maresca, although there remains that nagging feeling that he is damaged goods, not least amid his dismal spell at Old Trafford that has yielded just 18 goals and assists in 83 games.

Equally, there must also be alarm bells ringing at the fact that Sancho’s best work in 2024/25 arguably came in Europe’s third-tier competition, having actually only scored three goals and provided five assists in the Premier League.

With just 22 goal involvements to his name in 89 games in England’s top-flight to date, the question remains as to whether the Manchester City youth product is entirely suited to the rigours of the Premier League.

Indeed, as pundit Tony Cascarino noted earlier in the campaign, Sancho is lacking that real athleticism to be able to beat his man, as he ‘doesn’t have that burst of acceleration to get at defenders’, while largely playing a ‘conservative game’.

That is not an accusation that can be labelled at Leao, by contrast, with the Milan ace hailed by national team boss, Roberto Martinez as “one of the best players in the world one-on-one and when it comes to exploiting spaces.”

Such dribbling prowess is evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref. Sancho, for instance, ranks in just the top 18% in that regard, with both men typically lining up on the left flank.

Leao’s greater threat is also laid bare by the fact that he ranks in the top 14% for touches made in the attacking penalty area, with that again placing him ahead of his Chelsea counterpart, who ranks in the top 18% for that same metric.

Equally, even amid a disappointing season collectively for the Italian giants, Leao was still able to register 23 goals and assists, with that return including 18 goals and assists in Serie A .

As evidenced in the table above, the wantaway star has hit double figures for assists in each of his last four seasons in Italy’s top-flight, while scoring at least eight goals in that time.

For comparison, since moving to England in the summer of 2021 on a £73m deal, Sancho’s best league return came in 2022/23, when he scored six times and provided only three assists for United.

Of course, the caveat is that Leao is yet to try his hand in the Premier League, although he seemingly possesses the pace and power to thrive. As noted by Bologna defender Nicolo Casale, “when he accelerates it’s difficult to hold him and in a moment he runs away and you don’t catch him.”

It’s arguably a long time since anyone said anything similar of Sancho…

Instant Delap upgrade: Chelsea to hold meeting over signing £84m "monster"

Chelsea are not hanging about in their bid to improve the squad

By
Ross Kilvington

May 30, 2025

With time running out to ease their PSR fears, Aston Villa could have no choice but to sell a player that Unai Emery loves amid reported interest from Atletico Madrid this summer.

Aston Villa must sell players this summer

Despite their success in recent years and rise into becoming a top six side, Aston Villa must sell players to comply with PSR rules this summer. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire explained their situation on Sky Sports, saying: “I think of the 20 Premier League clubs, Villa are the ones who we’re most concerned about.

“Last season, when they did qualify for the Champions League, for every £100 of revenue that Aston Villa brought in, they spent £91 on wages. Those players will have had contract step-ups for qualifying for the Champions League.

He's like Palmer: Aston Villa could have bid accepted for £30m "machine"

Unai Emery is targeting several high-profile players this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

“And remember, Villa have done very well in that competition. So that will be a plus. And they have sold some players as well, in both the last summer market and the January one. But I think there is still a perception that Villa will have to box clever.

“And of all of the clubs under pressure to sell players by June 30, I guess they’re the ones who are the club that gives the most attention because their spending in the last couple of years before getting into Europe was so extensive.”

It’s, therefore, likely to be a frustrating summer for those in the Midlands. Already, Emiliano Martinez has found himself among the headlines, and he’s one player who could make way to help Villa on the PSR front.

Meanwhile, Morgan Rogers is not short on admirers, although he is someone that Villa want to keep hold of in the coming months. Whichever route the Villans go down, they must approach their PSR problems with caution – avoiding a sanction at all costs – and that could yet see them sell one particular defender.

Atletico Madrid eyeing Lucas Digne move

As reported by Paul Joyce and relayed by Fabrizio Romano, Atletico Madrid are now looking at a move to sign Lucas Digne in the event that they fail to sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool this summer.

Whilst Digne’s departure would be a frustrating one, he is the type of player that Aston Villa should be looking to move on if they are to comply with PSR rules this summer.

At 31 years old, the £120,000-a-week defender will be past the peak of his powers sooner rather than later and as Ian Maatsen looks to break into Villa’s best side, this summer could be the best time for all parties to go their separate ways.

Whether Emery agrees will be the question, however. The Spaniard has never hidden his admiration for his left-back – going as far as to describe Digne as “amazing” last year.