Finishing his first-class career in style, quick Peter Siddle snuffed out Cooper Connolly’s late heroics and also claimed the final wicket as Victoria ended Western Australia’s dreams of a historic fourth straight Sheffield Shield title in dramatic fashion at the WACA.Victoria’s eventual 34-run victory was essentially sealed when Campbell Kellaway, who scored the match’s only century, took an absolute blinder of a one-handed catch at fine leg to dismiss Cameron Gannon in the shadows.Siddle, who finished with 792 wickets from 231 first-class matches, sealed the win with 16 balls left when he dismissed Corey Rocchiccioli before receiving a guard of honour from both teams after the match.”Definitely an incredible career, still trying to convince him to go around again next season,” Victoria captain Will Sutherland said of Siddle, who finished his 19-year first-class career with 4 for 68 off 17.2 overs.It was a consolation win for Victoria, whose slim chances of reaching the final ended when Queensland drew their match against South Australia. Victoria were top of the ladder at the midpoint of the season before four straight defeats proved costly.The result means South Australia will host Queensland in the final at Karen Rolton Oval starting on March 26.”We’ve only got ourselves to blame,” Sutherland said. “In saying that, we did win four games and Queensland three and they’ve somehow made the final, which is interesting and confusing with the bonus points. But there were two games we should have won.”Will Sutherland was among the wickets•Getty Images

Needing 382 off 84 overs, WA fought hard but were always up against it, even though the surface had flattened out as the match wore on. With New South Wales having lost to Tasmania, WA were unable to secure the victory needed to leapfrog past Queensland and qualify for the final.In his return to Shield cricket after making his Test debut in Sri Lanka and playing in the Champions Trophy, Connolly lived up to the billing as WA’s talisman with 56.He had shared a 107-run partnership with Hilton Cartwright, who top-scored with 79, to lift WA to 233 for 4 and a sniff of victory but they ultimately fell short.”It’s obviously disappointing. It’s been a frustrating year for the group and we will no doubt reflect over the next few months,” WA captain Sam Whiteman said.Victoria started the final day’s play at 335 for 8 with a lead of 346 runs as Kellaway resumed on 151 not out. Having batted since late day two, Kellaway continued his indefatigable knock with Australia selector Tony Dodemaide watching on with interest in the terraces.Kellaway finished unbeaten on 165 from 338 balls with Victoria declaring 40 minutes into the day’s play. Siddle had shortly before holed out on 15 and received healthy applause from his team-mates as he bowed out from Shield cricket.The 40-year-old Siddle wasn’t done yet as he rocked WA’s bid for a rollicking start when he had Whiteman inside-edging to short-leg for a golden duck. It completed a miserable match for Whiteman, who made a pair after a seven-ball duck in the first innings.Whiteman’s dismissal forced Jayden Goodwin and Cameron Bancroft to bat cautiously through to lunch as the run rate required lifted to more than five an over. But they played with more intent on resumption with Goodwin pounding offspinner Todd Murphy for a couple of sixes down the ground.After a recent lean run, Goodwin had been fortunate to retain his position ahead of Sam Fanning but battled through 132 balls in the first innings – the most by a WA batter. He rattled along to 46, but got carried away and tamely hit Murphy to cover before Bancroft nicked off to Sutherland.Cooper Connolly scored a fluent 56•Getty Images

Ashton Turner was seen as a key due to his positive instincts, but on 21 he edged Siddle to second slip and WA looked down and out at 126 for 4. However, Connolly has enjoyed big moments in domestic cricket before and entered having made four half-centuries in his six previous Shield innings, including a top-score of 56 in WA’s first innings.The aggressive Connolly went against type and scored just nine off his first 37 balls in a desperate bid to get through to tea. Connolly and Cartwright held on, but WA faced the daunting task of needing 208 runs off the final 38 overs.They put the foot down after the interval with Connolly stroking fluently through covers while Cartwright reached his half-century with a six off the back foot sparking healthy applause from his team-mates in the terraces.The sparse crowd started to slowly build as fans trickled in hoping for a remarkable finish. But the match turned when Cartwright was bowled off the inside edge from a full Sutherland delivery.The moment proved too big for wicketkeeper Joel Curtis, who was stumped after running down at Murphy as WA’s task looked beyond them at 242 for 6. However, Connolly still had belief and he reached his half-century with a six off Murphy that sailed into the ground’s construction site.WA got to within 100 runs as a grandstand last hour was in the works before Connolly mistimed a drive off Siddle to cover. Gannon then threw the bat in a last-ditch effort until Kellaway capped the best match of his fledgling career with a moment of brilliance in the field that he’ll never forget.

2025 will forever be an historic year for Crystal Palace, but a crucial week or so in the transfer market awaits, if Oliver Glasner’s side are going to enjoy another strong season.

The Eagles had never won a major trophy before, but have now picked up two, defeating Manchester City in May’s FA Cup Final, before fighting back from behind twice to beat Liverpool on penalties in the FA Community Shield earlier this month.

As cup winners, Palace entered a major European competition for the very first time on Thursday night, facing Fredrikstad in the Conference League play-offs, prevailing 1-0 in the first leg at Selhurst Park, with Jean-Philippe Mateta the night’s only scorer.

So, advantage Palace, but work to do if they’re to oust the Norwegian Cup winners next Thursday and book their spot in the league phase.

Meantime, with Glasner’s star man departing, and other key players potentially set to follow, expect Steve Parish to be busy in the transfer market between now and the window closing on 1 September.

Crystal Palace's need for reinforcements

As has been widely reported, including by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Arsenal are poised to sign Eberechi Eze for around £67.5m, hijacking the deal, when it appeared as though the England international was going to join Tottenham instead.

From a Palace perspective, they’re losing their talisman, a player who scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists across all competitions last season, including scoring the opener in both the FA Cup semi-finals and final at Wembley.

Eze certainly will not be an easy man to replace, but have the Eagles identified their top target?

Well, according to Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace have Yéremy Pino on “their list of targets” to replace Eze, adding that a deal with Villarreal will not be easy to finalise.

Meantime, a report by the Guardian claims that signing Yéremy is their number one priority, noting that he has a £67m release clause, but Palace are very much ‘hoping to pay less’, making contact with the La Liga side who ‘are not keen on selling’.

To date, just four Spaniards have called Selhurst home, namely Vicente Guaita, Pablo Couñago, José Campaña and Víctor Camarasa, so could that extremely exclusive club be about to gain a new member?

What Pino would be a dream replacement for Eze

To date, Yéremy is a one-club man, joining Villarreal as a 15-year-old, making his senior debut in 2020, and accumulating 169 senior appearances for the Yellow Submarine to date.

By starting the 2021 Europa League Final, which his side won on penalties against Manchester United in Gdańsk, aged 19 years and 4 days at the time, he became the youngest player to win a UEFA club competition final.

Now 22, he’s continued to be a consistent performer for el Submarino Amarillo, who are back in the Champions League this season.

António Mango labels him a “unique talent”, while Ruairidh Barlow is impressed by his dribbling, creativity, intelligence and overall technical ability.

So, let’s assess how he compared to Eze last season.

Yéremy Pino vs Eberechi Eze 2024/25 comparison (league only)
Statistics	Yéremy	Eze
Appearances	34	34
Minutes	1,950	2,603
Goals	4	8
Assists	8	8
All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:
Shots	0.8	2.2
Shots on target	0.5	1.1
Chances created	1.8	2
Big chances created	0.46	0.38
Forward passes	7.6	8.1
Take-ons completed	1.2	2.4
Take-on success %	50%	52%
Touches	49.3	54.9
Touches in opposition box	5.1	3.6
Average SofaScore rating	6.94	7.28
Statistics courtesy of Squawka and SofaScore

As the table outlines, while Eze does come out on top for the vast majority of attacking metrics included, there are some key stylistic similarities between the pair.

Both registered eight league assists, with the Spaniard creating marginally more big chances per 90, with the pair’s number of forward passes and their take-on success percentage nigh on identical.

Despite mustering fewer shots, Yéremy did rack up more touches in the opposition’s penalty area too, emphasising that he is a goal threat.

Thus, while all Palace supporters will be heartbroken about the news of Eze’s departure, and finding a replacement of equivalent quality will be pretty much impossible, Yéremy might just fit the bill.

Still only 22 years old, the Spain international also has plenty of room for improvement, so could he soon be strutting his stuff in South London?

As big a talent as Eze: Crystal Palace enter race to sign "magic" £40m star

Crystal Palace are on the hunt for a big-money Eze replacement.

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 21, 2025

Liverpool entered the 2024/25 season with a reputation to uphold.

Arne Slot’s debut campaign in charge could hardly have gone better, with the Reds claiming the Premier League title.

Yet this summer has brought significant change at Anfield, with a reshaped attack, a record-breaking midfield signing, and the arrival of a long-pursued striker.

The summer business was headline-grabbing.

Florian Wirtz joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, briefly becoming the most expensive player in British football history before that record was broken weeks later by Alexander Isak’s £125m switch from Newcastle.

The squad was further bolstered by Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Geovani Leoni and Hugo Ekitike, while mainstays Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez departed.

Results at the start of the season have been strong – a 4-2 win over Bournemouth, a 3-2 victory at Newcastle, and a 1-0 triumph against Arsenal before the international break.

But behind the scenes, Slot still has questions to answer.

Wirtz's struggles at the start of the season

Signed from Leverkusen after interest from Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, Wirtz was expected to light up Anfield.

Instead, the playmaker has endured a difficult start, raising the possibility of tactical adjustments.

Starting all three league matches, he has yet to register a goal or an assist.

While he grew into the second half against Arsenal, critics have noted that his influence does not match the price tag.

This issue has also extended to international duty.

After Germany’s 2-0 defeat to Slovakia in World Cup qualifying, manager Julian Nagelsmann publicly questioned his players’ commitment.

Wirtz responded days later with a direct free-kick goal against Northern Ireland, showing flashes of quality that hint at his long-term potential.

But Liverpool fans are still waiting for that same spark in red.

His numbers underline the paradox. According to FBref, Wirtz ranked highly for creativity and progression last season: 5.02 progressive carries, 6.74 progressive passes, and 5.66 shot-creating actions per 90.

Yet those underlying metrics have not yet translated into output, leaving Slot with a conundrum.

Liverpool's Wirtz solution

This is where Dominik Szoboszlai enters the conversation.

Lauded by journalist Bence Bocsák as “Gerrard-esque,” the Hungarian has quietly been one of Liverpool’s most effective performers this term.

After being criticised by Slot for his part in Bournemouth’s opening goal on the first day, he responded emphatically.

A stunning 30-yard free-kick secured victory against Arsenal, while his stint at right-back in the raucous win at St James’ Park highlighted his versatility.

Szoboszlai has typically been deployed in defensive midfield or even wide to cover injuries, including Jeremie Frimpong’s absence.

But it could be argued that his natural home is in attacking midfield, the very role Wirtz is occupying.

With Alexis Mac Allister struggling for fitness, a space has opened up – and Szoboszlai has the credentials to fill it.

Statistically, Szoboszlai compares favourably in some key areas.

Matches Played

31

36

Goals

10

6

Assists

12

6

Progressive Carries

131

72

Progressive Passes

176

131

His pass completion rate of 84.3% dwarfs Wirtz’s 78.3%, while his pressing intensity and stamina have been widely praised.

He averages 4.73 progressive passes and 4.30 shot-creating actions per 90 – slightly behind Wirtz, but with greater efficiency.

His ability to contribute defensively adds another dimension to Slot’s midfield puzzle.

Wirtz still leads the way for goal involvements last season (22 to Szoboszlai’s 12), and his 198.1 progressive passing distance per 90 shows his ability to advance play.

But Szoboszlai’s adaptability may give him the edge in the short term, particularly in high-intensity fixtures where control and work rate are paramount.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The tactical question, then, is whether Liverpool persist with Wirtz to allow him to adapt, or whether Slot pivots towards a proven performer in Szoboszlai.

With Isak now leading the line and Mohamed Salah and Ekitike offering themselves from wide, creativity from midfield is vital.

Wirtz will almost certainly prove his value at Anfield over the long haul, but Szoboszlai offers a compelling case right now.

His pressing, ball progression, and leadership have been crucial to Liverpool’s perfect start, while his ability to step into Wirtz’s role could provide the spark needed in the months ahead.

As Slot weighs his options, Liverpool supporters may soon see the Hungarian restored to his preferred role – and if he continues to play as he has, the £116m signing could find himself fighting for minutes sooner than expected.

Liverpool have a prodigy who has the potential to hit Wirtz's price tag

Liverpool have enough quality to sustain a lengthy period of illustrious success.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 7, 2025

Arsenal have been told by officials that a highly-rated France international could be available to sign in the near future, with the player attracting interest from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Man City too.

Andrea Berta seals new William Saliba contract in boost for Arsenal

As first revealed by David Ornstein, star defender William Saliba has agreed to sign a new Arsenal deal which will keep him at the club until 2030.

This follows serious interest from Xabi Alonso’s Real, who are in the market for a world-class centre-back next summer, and Saliba’s contract was due to expire in just under two years.

Mikel Arteta was faced with a looming threat of losing the 24-year-old either next year — for a fee mooted to be around £70 million (El Desmarque) — or the summer of 2027 for nothing.

However, with Saliba now poised to pen a new long-term extension, all doubts surrounding his future have been removed. As a result, Arteta is set to benefit from having one of Europe’s best central defensive partnerships in the Frenchman and Gabriel – who also signed a new contract in the summer – for years to come.

Appearances

4

Minutes played

275

Clean sheets

2

Tackles made

8

Interceptions

3

Ground duels won

21/29

Aerial duels won

10

Clearances

18

via Footy Stats

Some reports have suggested that the ex-St Etienne star has been given a bumper pay rise to around £300,000-per-week — which would make him Arsenal’s highest earner above the likes of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.

New sporting director Andrea Berta was apparently key in securing Saliba’s future, with the Italian seriously upping the ante in talks since his appointment in March.

Interestingly, the ever-present Saliba could even help Arsenal secure a 2026 summer signing.

Agents tell Arsenal they could sign Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate

After missing out on Saliba, Real are likely to seriously pursue Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate, who’s available for nothing next year as things stand.

Since joining the Reds for just £36 million in 2021, Konate has formed an excellent partnership with Virgil van Dijk, but Arne Slot faces the prospect of losing him at the end of this season.

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, while Real are deemed top contenders for his signature, agents have now told Arsenal that they could sign Konate too, with his intermediaries reaching out to suitors as they prepare for the possibility of an Anfield exit.

As Konate’s camp refuse to rule out a move to one of Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Arteta’s side already have a secret weapon.

William Saliba is like a "brother" to Ibrahima Konate

Saliba may well push the case of Arsenal to Konate given their friendship, with the 26-year-old already describing Arsenal’s star as like a “brother” to him despite their Premier League title rivalry.

The “sensational” defender would be a snip for Arsenal on a free transfer, but a lot could depend on whether Berta opts to trigger Piero Hincapie’s £45 million option to buy.

The Ecuadorian has been struggling with a groin problem, and as a result, hasn’t yet got a consistent run in Arteta’s team.

While it’s always tricky to determine who has ‘won’ the transfer window, Arsenal certainly have a strong shout this year.

New Sporting Director Andrea Berta has been transformational since his arrival, overseeing eight additions to Mikel Arteta’s squad over the last few months.

Moreover, while a number of those players have been signed to bolster the squad, others could be real game-changers for the starting lineup, like Eberechi Eze.

The Englishman is an unbelievably exciting signing for the Premier League hopefuls, although they did sell their own version of him not too long ago.

Eze's return to Arsenal

Signing a player of Eze’s quality is hugely exciting and would have been enough to delight the Arsenal fanbase regardless of the nature of the deal.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, the fact that it looked like the club had cooled their interest in him weeks prior, only to suddenly reenter the conversation in the 11th hour and steal (rescue) him from Tottenham Hotspur, was enough of a story to send the fans into delirium.

It’s easy to see why Arteta was reportedly so keen to bring the 27-year-old to the Emirates this summer as well, as not only is he a creative force, but he also knows exactly where the goal is.

Despite playing for a mid-table side last season, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, was an output machine, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling 3303 minutes.

In other words, the versatile game-changer, who can play in the middle of the park or out wide, averaged a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes – just imagine what he’ll do with better players around him.

Moreover, it’s not just the hijacking of his move to Spurs or the quality he’ll add to the side that makes this transfer so special; there is the human side, which is the fact that the club released him as a 13-year-old and has finally made his way back.

In short, Eze’s move to Arsenal is one of the best of the summer, even though the club sold someone who could’ve been described as their version of the Englishman not too long ago.

Arsenal's former Eze

It would be fair to say that fans were left quite disappointed by Edu Gaspar’s final summer transfer window at Arsenal, as he only oversaw five signings, two of which were the loan deals for Raheem Sterling and Neto.

However, while he failed on the incoming front, he did do reasonably well regarding outgoings, as he saw Eddie Nketiah move to Crystal Palace for £30m, Aaron Ramsdale join Southampton for up to £25m, and Emile Smith Rowe move to Fulham for up to £34m.

The latter was undoubtedly the one most fans were sad to see go, as even though the money was good for someone who had fallen out of Arteta’s plans, there was a belief he could be something special.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the former fan favourite is the player who could have been described as the Gunners’ own Eze.

The first reason stems from the positions he’d play under Arteta.

Smith Rowe’s versatility
Position	Games	Goals	Assists
Attacking Midfield	102	19	15
Left Midfield	45	15	3
Central Midfield	41	8	5
Right Midfield	12	4	1
Left Winger	3	0	0
Centre-Forward	2	0	0
Right Winger	1	0	0
All Stats via Transfermarkt

While he now almost exclusively plays as an attacking midfielder for the Cottagers, he would spend plenty of time in other areas of the pitch at the Emirates.

For example, across his time with the Gunners, the “phenomenal” talent, as dubbed by one analyst, made 54 appearances in attacking midfield, 25 in left-midfield, ten in central midfield, three at left-wing, three in right-midfield, and he even played up top on two occasions.

It wasn’t just where he played that made him similar to the former Palace man, though, but how he played, and still does to an extent.

Even though he wore the number ten in North London – another similarity to the club’s new star – the Croydon-born gem was far more of a ball-carrier than someone who’d play pinpoint passes like traditional tens. In the words of his manager while on loan at Huddersfield, Danny Cowley, he was “like Dennis Bergkamp but with pace.”

For example, in the 20/21 season, his best at Arsenal, the 25-year-old ranked in the top 9% of Premier League midfielders for progressive carries and the top 14% for carries into the penalty area per 90, per FBref.

Finally, in addition to the similarities in their game, both players have featured for the national team and progressed through the Gunners’ legendary Hale End academy.

Ultimately, while they have finally signed the real thing, for some time, Smith Rowe was Arsenal’s own Eze.

Arsenal sold homegrown Gyokeres for £4m, now he's one of the best in Europe

Arsenal had a promising talent in their ranks who could have been their own homegrown Gyokeres.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 3, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A empolgação da torcida do Botafogo voltou a ser refletida nas arquibancadas. Nesta quarta-feira (26), os ingressos para o confronto com o Coritiba, pela 17ª rodada do Brasileirão, esgotaram rapidamente.

Não havia mais bilhetes na primeira 1h30 das vendas para o público geral pela Internet. Na véspera, em torno de 18 mil ingressos tinham sido vendidos para sócios-tocedores.

O sistema pode colocar eventualmente ingressos à venda de compras que não foram finalizadas ou de torcedores que desistiram da compra.

+ Nova camisa do Botafogo tem fotos reveladas; confira como ficou o uniforme

MINHA TORCIDA BOTA PRA FERVER! ????????️

Em poucas horas de venda para o público geral, ingressos para o jogo com o Coritiba esgotam! Vamos jogar juntos por mais uma vitória no Brasileirão! #VouTeApoiarAtéOFinal

⚠️ A retirada de gratuidades começa nesta quinta (17), às 9h, nos… pic.twitter.com/djOnF5jcS9

— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) July 26, 2023

No Twitter oficial do Botafogo, o goleiro Lucas Perri deixou o recado.

– Fala, torcida do Fogão. Ingressos esgotados para o domingo. A gente conta e precisa do seu apoio. Vamos juntos!

A partir desta quarta, quando estava previso o início das vendas nos pontos físicos, vai começar a retirada das gratuidades para crianças (menores de 12 anos), idosos (acima de 60) e Portadores de Necessidades Especiais na bilheteria Oeste do Nilton Santos e em General Severiano, das 9h às 17h.

Pep Guardiola has been urged to leave Manchester City and seek a new challenge by one of his most trusted confidants. The Catalan coach has enjoyed remarkable success since moving to England in 2016, lifting 18 major honours during the greatest period in City’s history, and is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2027.

• Guardiola and City have dominated English football

  After achieving incredible success in both Spain and Germany with Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively, Guardiola and City have dominated English football since joining forces nine years ago. Under the 54-year-old’s stewardship, City have won six Premier League titles – including an unprecedented four in a row – as well as two FA Cups and four League Cups. City also lifted their first Champions League crown as part of only the second treble-winning season in English football history in 2022-23.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Planchart believes time has come for a new challenge

  And after presiding over what has been the golden spell in City’s history, Guardiola has now been told he should look for new mountains to climb. In an interview with Spanish publication Carles Planchart – who worked alongside Guardiola at Barcelona, Bayern and City as a performance analyst – believes the time has come for his close friend to seek a fresh challenge.

  Planchart said: “It’s a personal decision he’ll (Guardiola) have to make. I think a project should last five or six years, no more. But not for him, for everyone. Afterwards, you have to regenerate. As a friend, I would tell him to look for a new project because he still has a long way to go.”

• Pep wants to manage a national team at a World Cup

  What a new project would look like for Guardiola remains to be seen. The manager has previously expressed his desire to manage a national team at a World Cup before he calls time on his illustrious coaching career, saying in February 2024: "I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that.”

  When pressed if he had a preferred national team in mind, Guardiola added: "I don't know who would want me! To work for a national team they have to want you, just like a club."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Emotional Barcelona return ruled out

  Guardiola has categorically ruled out completing an emotional return to Barcelona, however. Having built one of the greatest club sides in football history during his first stint as Blaugrana boss between 2008 and 2012, he insists he has no intention of managing the Spanish giants again. 

  In an interview with in July, Guardiola said: “It's over. It's over forever. It was very beautiful, but it's over now.”

  And when pressed on a potential presidential post at Camp Nou, Guardiola added: “No! I'm no good at this.”

Glasgow Rangers need to improve the pipeline from the academy to the first-team because it has not produced enough in the way of regular starters in recent years.

So far this season, no academy graduate has played more than 35 minutes of football for the Light Blues in the Scottish Premiership under Russell Martin, per WhoScored.

Last season, Ross McCausland was the only academy graduate who started more than one league match for the club, starting four times in total before his summer exit on loan.

Why Rangers need to improve their academy pipeline

Whether it comes down to academy recruitment, the facilities at the academy, the first-team coaching staff and their willingness to bring through academy talent, something needs to be done.

Findlay Curtis, who turns 19 next month, has scored three goals in 228 minutes of action in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, yet he has only played 35 minutes in the league.

Given that Rangers have scored one goal in their last three Premiership matches combined, Curtis’ lack of involvement does not feel like a wise use, or lack of use, of talent.

Bringing through academy talent is important for multiple reasons, because it can save the club millions on new signings by creating players for the first-team, and it shows young players that this is the place to be if you want to progress your career.

The lack of examples in recent years of players making the step from academy football to first-team regular at Rangers may cause players to rethink whether they want to be at Ibrox, which may be part of the reason why the Gers lost their own version of Bukayo Saka.

Rangers must rue losing their own Bukayo Saka

19-year-old whiz Archie Stevens left the Light Blues this summer upon the expiry of his contract, after the club failed to agree new terms with the winger.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The teenage talent has since signed for Premier League giants and Champions League outfit Arsenal, though there is no mention of any potential compensation for Rangers, which means that they may have lost him for £0.

Stevens, who signed from Wimbledon in 2022, made his first-team debut for Rangers against Queen of the South in the League Cup in August 2022, at the age of just 16.

Player

Age at debut

Derek Ferguson

16 years, 24 days

Bailey Rice

16 years, four months, and 14 days

Tom Walsh

16 years, four months, and 27 days

Paul Nsio

16 years, five months, and 15 days

Zak Lovelace

16 years, seven months, and 7 days

Alfie Conn

16 years, seven months, and 8 days

Archie Stevens

16 years, six months, and 19 days

The English forward became one of the youngest players in the club’s history when he made that appearance in the cup, but he left this summer with that being his only outing in the first-team.

Now, he has been compared to Arsenal star Bukayo Saka upon his arrival at The Emirates. The Sun are said to have compared the two in because of their similar style of play, as both are wingers who like to drive at defenders and excite supporters.

Dunfermline boss Michael Tidser described him as a player who likes to “get bums off seats”, which is what he did for the B team at the start of last season with one goal and two assists in four Challenge Cup matches, per Transfermarkt.

Whilst it remains unclear as to why the winger decided to move on from Ibrox, the lack of a clear pathway to the first-team may have been a contributing factor.

Rangers must regret losing star who was "like Lionel Messi" for nothing

Rangers had a star who was compared to Lionel Messi and allowed him to leave for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 22, 2025

Now, the Gers are left to rue losing a player who is now at one of the biggest clubs in the world at the age of 19, with a chance to progress and become the next Saka or Noni Madueke with the Gunners in the biggest competitions in the world, and they may have lost him for nothing.

Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood climb IPL 2025’s Orange and Purple Cap tables respectively after the RCB vs RR game

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-20251:28

Rayudu: ‘This is the exact template RCB would love Kohli to play’

The Orange Cap tableGujarat Titans’ (GT) B Sai Sudharsan remains at the top with 417 runs from eight games at an average of 52.12 and a strike rate of 152.18. But Virat Kohli has jumped to No. 2 after his second successive half-century, this time 70 off 42 balls. He is now on 392 runs from nine innings.Nicholas Pooran, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) No. 3, had started the IPL with a bang, and was the top run-getter from Game No. 7 to Game No. 39. But a dry patch has pushed him down to No. 3, with 377 runs from nine innings.Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Suryakumar Yadav, who has been super consistent in the IPL this season without really making an almighty splash, is fourth with 373 runs. He hasn’t had a single proper failure this season: 29, 48, 27*, 67, 28, 40, 26, 68* and 40*.Not far behind Suryakumar are Jos Buttler of GT and, after his 49 in 19 balls against RCB, Yashasvi Jaiswal, both on 356 runs, though Buttler has played one innings fewer than Jaiswal, who had a woeful start to the season but now has 75, 51, 74 and 49 in his last four innings.2:12

What makes Hazlewood a much-improved T20 bowler?

The Purple Cap tablePrasidh Krishna, the GT quick bowler, is still the Purple Cap holder with 16 wickets from eight games, but RCB’s Josh Hazlewood has tied with him in terms of wickets. On Thursday night, he picked up 4 for 33 to derail RR’s chase. He is second because of a slightly inferior economy rate than Prasidh.Below them is a pack of seven bowlers with 12 wickets each.RCB’s Krunal Pandya is the latest entrant in that with his 2 for 31 against RR. The other six are GT’s R Sai Kishore and Mohammed Siraj, Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) Noor Ahmad, Delhi Capitals’ (DC) Kuldeep Yadav, MI’s Hardik Pandya and LSG’s Shardul Thakur. Of them, Kuldeep has the best economy rate (6.50), followed by Noor (7.66).The following are some of the other IPL 2025 tables that might interest you.Highest batting strike ratesBest bowling economy ratesMost sixesBest bowling figures in a match

Things have gone a bit mad at Chelsea since Todd Boehly completed his £2.45 billion takeover back in 2022. The Blues currently have a whopping estimated annual payroll of £164,216,000, with the average Blues player earning more than £4.5m per season.

A clear out in the summer helped things a bit, as the likes of Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ben Chilwell headed for the exits, however, the Blues still spent more than £250m on new signings for Enzo Maresca.

Football FanCast has ranked every Chelsea player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Rank

Player

Gross pay per week

Gross pay per year

1

Raheem Sterling

£325,000

£16,900,000

2

Reece James

£250,000

£13,000,000

3

Wesley Fofana

£200,000

£10,400,000

4

Enzo Fernandez

£180,000

£9,360,000

5

Marc Cucurella

£175,000

£9,100,000

6

Pedro Neto

£160,000

£8,320,000

7

Moises Caicedo

£150,000

£7,800,000

8

Cole Palmer

£130,000

£6,760,000

9

Joao Pedro

£125,000

£6,500,000

=10

Tosin Adarabioyo

£120,000

£6,240,000

=10

Jorrel Hato

£120,000

£6,240,000

12

Alejandro Garnacho

£110,000

£5,720,000

13

Jamie Gittens

£108,000

£5,616,000

=14

Mykhailo Mudryk

£100,000

£5,200,000

=14

Liam Delap

£100,000

£5,200,000

=14

Levi Colwill

£100,000

£5,200,000

17

Benoit Badiashile

£90,000

£4,680,000

18

Axel Disasi

£80,000

£4,160,000

=19

Robert Sanchez

£60,000

£3,120,000

=19

Estevao

£60,000

£3,120,000

=21

Marc Guiu

£50,000

£2,600,000

=21

Filip Jorgensen

£50,000

£2,600,000

=21

Trevoh Chalobah

£50,000

£2,600,000

=24

Malo Gusto

£45,000

£2,340,000

=24

Romeo Lavia

£45,000

£2,340,000

=26

Gabriel Slonina

£40,000

£2,080,000

=26

Dario Essugo

£40,000

£2,080,000

28

Andrey Santos

£35,000

£1,820,000

29

Facundo Buonanotte

£25,000

£1,300,000

30

David Datro Fofana

£15,000

£780,000

31

Tyrique George

£7,500

£390,000

=32

Josh Acheampong

£5,000

£260,000

=32

Leo Castledine

£5,000

£260,000

34

Jimmy-Jay Morgan

£2,500

£130,000

Here's a detailed look at the top 10 Chelsea earners… 10 Tosin Adarabioyo £120,000 per week

After securing the services of Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham in 2024, Chelsea were able to offer the defender a big contract.

Those at Stamford Bridge handed Adarabioyo a four-year deal on more than £6m a year, and he has gone on to become a regualr under Maresca.

9 Joao Pedro £125,000 per week

Chelsea splashed the cash on Joao Pedro early in the 2025 summer transfer window, with the Brazilian even able to jet out to the USA and play a part in the Blues’ Club World Cup triumph.

Pedro scored some important goals at the CWC and cost an initial £55m from Brighton.

8 Cole Palmer £130,000 per week

Cole Palmer has been Chelsea’s standout signing under Boehly, going from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge after struggling to break into Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side.

Some may have questioned the Blues for paying £40m to sign Palmer, but he’s been the star man and was rewarded with a new extension to his £130,000 per week deal through until 2033 last year.

7 Moises Caicedo £150,000 per week

Moises Caicedo is Chelsea’s second most expensive signing of all time after they pipped Liverpool to a deal back in 2023.

Arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion in a transfer worth a whopping €116m, Caicedo looks set to play an important role over the coming years as he looks to justify that price tag.

6 Pedro Neto £160,000 per week

Another big-money signing, Pedro Neto swapped Wolverhampton Wanderers for Chelsea in Maresca’s first transfer window to add yet another attacking star to the Blues’ ranks.

He starred at Molineux and was arguably their most important player when fit, and he’s been a reliable performer so far in London.

5 Marc Cucurella £175,000 per week

Left-back Marc Cucurella is next on the list, picking up £175,000 per week. The Spaniard was another to swap Brighton for Chelsea and has had his ups and downs in west London.

He now appears to be first choice under Maresca, though, so he’ll be hoping to become one of the first names on the teamsheet while under contract.

4 Enzo Fernandez £180,000 per week

Chelsea’s club record signing, Enzo Fernandez is only the fourth highest-paid player at Stamford Bridge, something which may surprise some.

The Blues did fork out a whopping €121m for the Argentine’s services from Benfica, and now, they’ll be hoping Fernandez and Caicedo can star in midfield over the coming years.

3 Wesley Fofana £200,000 per week

On £200,000 per week is central defender in Wesley Fofana. Signed from Leicester City in 2022, Fofana has also had his injury issues at Stamford Bridge.

He managed just 29 Premier League appearances across his first two seasons with the Blues.

2 Reece James £250,000 per week

Club captain Reece James picks up £250,000 per week. The right-back has struggled to stay fit in recent seasons but is under contract until 2028.

His injury history appears to be a cause for concern for the Blues, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do with one of their top earners if he can’t remain fit.

1 Raheem Sterling £325,000 per week

Top of the charts is Raheem Sterling, who actually isn’t in Maresca’s first-team plans at Stamford Bridge. The winger spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Arsenal, however, the Gunners didn’t want to make a move permanent.

Sterling is still under contract until 2027, picking up just under £17m a season with the Blues.