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The Zimbabwe coach added that his side will brace for significantly more lateral movement under lights in their first day-night Test: “It’s almost a reverse of red ball, where it does more during the day time and less at night,” he said

Firdose Moonda24-Dec-2017Uncapped 21-year-old Blessing Muzarabani, more than two metres tall with the experience of only five first-class matches, has a “strong likelihood” of making his debut for Zimbabwe in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.Muzarabani bowled 20 overs, conceded 74 runs and took the wickets of Test batsman Temba Bavuma and under-19 international Dayyaan Galiem in the warm-up match against the CSA Invitation XI last week, and though not expressly quick, Zimbabwe are keen to unleash him as soon as they can.”He’s very tall, he gets a lot of bounce and he gets the ball through when he gets a good rhythm. There was good positive feedback from the warm-up game and we’ll look to him to get us breakthroughs in the Test match,” captain Graeme Cremer said.Coach Heath Streak confirmed Muzarabani could earn his first cap in the fixture. “There’s a strong likelihood. He’s performed well in the warm-up game so there is a strong chance. We’re excited to have him because he offers some variation to what we have. He’s an exciting prospect for the future of Zimbabwe cricket,” Streak said.If Muzarabani plays, he will join an attack that will be led by Kyle Jarvis and will also include Chris Mpofu. Tendai Chatara, who has recovered from an injury that kept him out of Test cricket for three years, could carry drinks.Zimbabwe are likely to have several other bowling options as well with Cremer’s legspin, Sikandar Raza’s offpsin and Hamilton Masakadza’s medium pace, but proper pace is crucial given the format. This is Zimbabwe’s first pink-ball Test and first under lights. As they discovered in the warm-up match, even fairly placid conditions can offer seamers more at twilight.”There’s definitely more that happens when the lights come on and later in the evening. It’s almost a reverse of red ball, where it does more during the day time and less at night.” Streak said.That’s good news for Muzarabani and his ilk, and also for Cremer, who took eight wickets in the warm-up match and enjoyed his first spell of the pink ball. “I find the seam a bit rougher, similar to a Duke ball. I actually prefer it to the red ball, so I saw a difference,” Cremer said. “I find the shiny sides are more slippery than the red ball, but as a wristspinner, the seam is better.”But it’s not such good news for Zimbabwe’s batting line-up. They were bowled out for 196 and 243 and lost the match. “We weren’t as happy as we would have liked to be with our batting, so that’s an area we’ve addressed. Hopefully we can get some runs on the board in this Test,” Streak said.

The victory was set up by a trio of half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Ali Khil, and Darwish Rasooli, to set up an imposing total of 284 for 7

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2018Ikram Ali Khil gets off his feet to play a shot during his innings of 55•Getty ImagesReigning Under-19 Asia Cup champions Afghanistan reprised their regional success on a global stage at the World Cup in New Zealand, defeating Sri Lanka by 32 runs on DLS Method in Whangerei. Having already beaten Pakistan in Group D, Afghanistan clinched a place in the quarter-finals for the second time in their history, having done it in 2014 in the UAE before losing to eventual champions South Africa.The success for Afghanistan is also a 180-degree turn from the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, when they were similarly placed in a group with Pakistan and Sri Lanka but were defeated by both sides.SL’s Kalana Perera out injured

Sri Lanka Cricket has named Thilan Wallekamkanamge as a replacement for left-arm spinner Kalana Perera, who has been ruled out of the World Cup with an ankle injury. Perera had hurt his ankle during a training session on January 16 in Whangarei.

Wednesday’s victory was set up by a trio of half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran (86 off 112 balls), Ikram Ali Khil (55 off 89 balls), and Darwish Rasooli (63 off 44 balls) to set up an imposing total of 284 for 7. The chase was in the balance when rain arrived after 24 overs with Sri Lanka 108 for 3. A revised target of 127 off the final 14 overs was set when play resumed, and the required run rate jumped from 6.80 to nearly ten an over.Afghanistan’s bowlers seized on this to successfully apply pressure. Captain Naveen-ul-Haq snared two wickets in the first four overs after play resumed, including the well-set Jehan Daniel for Sri Lanka’s eventual top score of 48. Naveen finished with 4 for 35 in eight overs and also effected a run-out.Afghanistan play Ireland in their final Group D match. Sri Lanka play Pakistan with the winner joining Afghanistan in the quarter-finals. A tie or a washout would also put Pakistan into the knockouts due to the net run rate tiebreaker.

Newcastle United have asked about the conditions of a loan deal for Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe, and a fresh report has revealed that they’ve already received a reply.

How old is Emile Smith Rowe?

Smith Rowe is 23 years of age and an academy graduate at the Emirates Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first team back in 2020, but last season, he fell significantly out of favour under Mikel Arteta.

In the Premier League, England’s youth international made zero starts and was forced to come off the bench as a substitute on 12 occasions, via WhoScored, so he knows that despite still having three years remaining on his contract, he’ll have to complete a move elsewhere should he want to get more regular minutes under his belt moving forward.

The Magpies, as it stands, have Elliot Anderson as their only natural option in attacking midfield, as per Transfermarkt, so Eddie Howe could do with entering the market to not only bolster his ranks but also provide healthy competition, and if the following update is to be believed, he’s already tried his luck with the talented prospect.

Are Newcastle signing Emile Smith Rowe?

According to 90min, Newcastle and Aston Villa have “both made contact” with Arsenal to enquire about a loan for Smith Rowe, but they are currently “not entertaining” any kind of exit. Chelsea have also seen an approach rejected, with the Gunners not interested in selling their youth product, especially to a direct rival in the form of the outfit at Stamford Bridge.

However, the player himself is believed to be “open” to the idea of leaving before tomorrow’s deadline in order to increase his game time, though it sounds as if it will take a sizeable proposal to prise him away from N7.

Holding on to the ball

Aerial Duels

Finshing

Crossing (via WhoScored)

How many goals does Emile Smith Rowe have?

During his 97 senior appearances for Arsenal, Smith Rowe has racked up 29 contributions (18 goals and 11 assists) and has been dubbed a “difference-maker” by Emirates legend Mesut Ozil, so there’s no doubt that he could have a hugely positive impact in the final third should he put pen to paper at Newcastle.

Read The Latest Newcastle Transfer News HERE…

The Croydon-born dynamo, who pockets £40k-per-week, also recorded a 91.3% pass success rate in the top-flight last season which was higher than any of the regular features achieved in the northeast, so his calmness and composure on the ball would be an upgrade on the boss’ current options at St. James’ Park.

Sponsored by Nike, Smith Rowe is also a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions since the start of his career, including four roles in the midfield, out wide on the left wing and even at centre-forward, so he could be a great option to have in the building should cover be needed if any unexpected injuries were to occur.

Sunderland pulled off one of the shock results of the season so far, thrashing Southampton 5-0 at the Stadium of Light last weekend.

The Black Cats managed to put five past one of the promotion favourites to the bewilderment of many having only netted four times in the fixtures prior.

Despite finding their goal-scoring touch here, supporters were left disappointed late on in the window as star striker Ross Stewart coincidentally joined the Saints, leaving them light on quality options in the forward line.

The Scotsman supplied ten goals in 13 starts last season and if it wasn't for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, could have fired Tony Mowbray's side to automatic promotion.

With Stewart out the door for a reported fee of £8m, a proven Championship striker was needed to fill his void but in this climate, those are hard to find and Sunderland were made to settle for a deadline capture of striker Mason Burstow on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Who is Mason Burstow?

Burstow is a promising 20-year-old striker who was named on the bench in Chelsea's season opener against Liverpool.

More recently, he has was brought off the bench in their 3-1 defeat against West Ham, and again in their victory over Luton Town.

Burstow made his full debut for the Blues in their Carabao Cup clash against Wimbledon last Wednesday night and joins the club with hopes of setting the Championship alight, to the belief of Sunderland Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman.

He said: "Mason is one of the brightest young centre forwards on the cusp of the Premier League environment and he is a player that we have monitored for some time.

"Mason is a mobile number nine with experience in the EFL and he has had a really positive impact on Chelsea’s first-team squad this summer, so we are excited to see the impact he can make in our team.”

While huge praise has been directed towards Burstow, he is yet to fully justify his hype at senior level having failed to score in his loan spell at Charlton Athletic last season which could make Sunderland regret not moving for Tom Cannon, who swatted away the Black Cats' interest to join Leicester City on deadline day for £7.5m.

How good is Tom Cannon?

Sunderland were one of several Championship clubs eyeing up a move for Tom Cannon this summer but were beaten to his signature by Leicester's war chest.

Cannon's stock has quickly risen since January having impressed during a loan spell at Preston North End, netting eight times in 20 appearances.

Since the departure of Stewart, Sunderland have lost their complete forward, who is not only intelligent enough to drop deep and link play effectively but also possesses the pace to run in-behind, latch onto through balls and finish with aplomb.

The 20-year-old is of a similar mould to Stewart as demonstrated by his ability to bully defenders with his physical attributes and remain composed in front of goal, recording 1.24 successful take-ons, 1.13 shots on target and 0.43 non-penalty goals per 90, as per FBref.

Cannon is also the focal point in attack, the one who is going to trigger the press and prevent the opposition from playing out of the back. During his spell at the Lilywhites, he showcased his ability to win the ball back high on a consistent basis, placing in the top 1% of forwards in the Championship for passes blocked and the top 16% for tackles in the attacking third.

Following his move to Deepdale, journalist Josh Bunting described Cannon as a "threat" and he certainly demonstrated that on numerous occasions for the Lilywhites, with the clip above highlighting the youngster coming alive in the box to showcase his superb finishing attributes.

Although Sunderland were unable to stump up the £7.5m to bring Cannon to the Stadium of Light, he would have undoubtedly aided Sunderland's promotion bid and been a huge upgrade on their signing of Burstow.

A new deadline of March 31 has been set to decide the stalled tournament’s future

Firdose Moonda13-Feb-2018A proposal to re-launch a drastically reimagined T20 Global League – as a CSA-owned tournament – was rejected by the Cricket South Africa Members’ Council at the organisation’s board meeting in Durban last weekend. A new deadline of March 31 has been set to decide the stalled tournament’s future.The rejected plan, seen by ESPNcricinfo, had proposed the GLT20 be transformed from an IPL-style league to a model similar to the BBL, where the eight teams would be owned and run by CSA and not private owners. The plan included capping the number of foreign players per squad at three, and with only two in each starting XI. Significantly, each team had to adhere to strict transformation targets, to pick five players of colour, including at least two black Africans, in their starting XI. Such a league was set to cost CSA 180 million rand for the first three years, after which it was set to turn a profit.The model would also have had far-reaching effects on the current domestic structure, resulting in the scrapping of the franchise T20 competition – last season called the Ram Slam – and the relegation of the one-day cup to a “non-consumer facing product”. That would mean no List A matches being televised; as it is, only a select number of 50-over games are broadcast and no first-class games. The further diminishing of the domestic game is believed to be one of the reasons the Members’ Council – CSA’s decision-making body made up of the 12 provincial presidents – did not agree to the new model for the GLT20.”The franchises have sponsors and for them, cricket still brings in some form of revenue,” an official familiar with the situation told ESPNcricinfo. “Without any televised games, they would have no product to sell. And all that would be left is for them to go cap in hand to CSA and ask for money all the time.”CSA already provides financial assistance to the existing six franchises and 12 provinces, who struggle to generate their own profits but fear that a new 20-over tournament will crowd them out of the picture. With the U-19 team and South Africa A side already seen as more of a stepping stone to the national team than the franchise system, administrators are concerned that domestic cricket will be left to wither away. “There will be a concentration of control and money and power at national level, but domestic development will suffer,” the official said.While CSA’s proposal acknowledged that, “none of our franchises will break-even financially without subsidies from CSA and the Members,” it used that as a reason to emphasise the need for a cost-effective GLT20. It acknowledged that the initial proposal, pushed by former CEO Haroon Lorgat, “over-focused on making money without testing how value was going to be created for all involved, attracting players, and providing playing opportunities.”The Members’ Council’s reasons for rejecting the proposal are not yet known. Instead, the CSA board appointed a task team to come up with another new business model, but the board’s acting CEO is doubtful it will be able to come up with a satisfactory solution by the end of next month.”I don’t think we have enough time to pull it off‚” CSA’s acting CEO Thabang Moroe told journalists in Johannesburg last week. Unusually, the briefing was not open to all media and sidelined several mainstream publications. ESPNcricinfo contacted Moroe for comment, but he declined to do so.

Moeen Ali says he never expected to play 50 Tests and the achievement might help him put an unrewarding Ashes tour behind him

Andrew McGlashan18-Mar-2018Moeen Ali probably had the worst Ashes of any England player. His batting average sank and his bowling average soared. But he isn’t one to dwell on disappointments for too long, especially as he prepares for the significant milestone of his 50th Test.He has only missed one Test since his debut in 2014 – against West Indies, in Antigua in 2015, when he had an abdominal injury – and at his best helped make England’s lower order among the most feared in the world while manfully carrying the role of lead spinner (except for that odd period last year when the tag was given to Liam Dawson) even though it has never been his specialist discipline.”I never ever thought I was going to play that many games,” Moeen said. “When I got 25 I thought 50 seemed like a long way. It’s been great to be part of the set-up and hopefully this week will be an amazing feeling for myself.”The fact he never got out of the starting blocks in the Ashes means he needs to recapture the form that made him such a match-changing force against South Africa last year when he was Man of the Series. He was set back in Australia by a side strain which limited his preparation then suffered a cut spinning finger due to the hard Kookaburra seam which never really healed. The end result was a bowling return of five wickets at 115.To make matters worse, his batting slumped against his opposite number Nathan Lyon who removed him seven times in nine innings.Since then he has regained bowling confidence in the one-day format, playing an important role in the series wins against Australia and New Zealand, but trying to get through ten overs as economically as possible is a very different challenge to teasing out batsmen in a Test match with the pink or red ball”I think the Ashes was quite tough for me and the one-dayers came at a good time and I feel like my confidence is slowly getting back,” he said.Nathan Lyon had the measure of Moeen Ali in the Ashes•Getty Images”Obviously you lose your confidence from such a bad tour as a team, not just as an individual. I’m sure there’s quite a lot of the guys want to put that right…but in terms of confidence you play so much cricket now that you’ve got to get back on that horse and try your best and almost forget about the bad days if you can.”The finger is not causing Moeen a problem anymore – he supplemented his one-day workload with more than 40 overs on England’s two bowling days in Hamilton – although does now have a sore shoulder which he picked up in the second ODI at Mount Maunganui. It is causing him a few problems throwing but his bowling is unaffected.Quite where his batting sits after the Ashes problems is a little harder to deduce given his limited opportunities to build an innings in the ODIs. It is also not yet entirely clear where he will be in the order for Auckland. If Ben Stokes is available as a fully-fledged allrounder, Moeen could be back down to No. 8 with Chris Woakes at No. 9, but if Stokes’ workload has to be restricted he will likely bat No. 5 which would to allow an extra bowler and Moeen would slot in at No. 7.”I hope he’s bowling. The balance of the team is pretty much sorted when he’s in,” Moeen said of Stokes. “Knowing we’ve got a much stronger side when he’s playing, it gives everyone else a good lift, and obviously him being at slip for me, he’s very good in that position. And he’s great to have just to talk to about bowling. When I’m bowling he gives me quite a lot of advice. I’m sure he’s ready to go and ready to perform and give back to the team, which I’m sure he wants to do for what happened earlier.”Stokes will be put through his paces in Auckland on Monday, his first serious bowl since the one-day series and having an injection in his back last week. He was moving freely with the bat during his 27 in Hamilton and then returned for extra centre-wicket practice after the match had finished. For different reasons, this series is a fresh start for two of England’s allrounders.

Newcastle United could make a surprise swoop for a British attacker in 2024, and a reliable journalist has revealed that he's already playing in the Premier League.

Who have Newcastle signed recently?

Over the summer, PIF and Eddie Howe were busy bolstering their ranks with five fresh faces in the form of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento, Yankuba Minteh and Lewis Hall who is the only one to join on loan, and there were also plenty of departures.

With regards to outgoings, Allan Saint-Maximin, Chris Wood and Karl Darlow were the three permanent exits, whilst the club also sanctioned temporary switches for the likes of Ryan Fraser, Jamal Lewis and Isaac Hayden, as per Transfermarkt.

The St. James’ Park outfit will already be assessing their options ahead of the next window and one player that they could set their sights on is West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen, who after establishing himself as David Moyes’ top-performing offensive player so far this season, via WhoScored, has caught the eye of the hierarchy.

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool have earmarked the right-winger as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah should he eventually leave for Saudi Arabia, and if the following update is to be believed, Jurgen Klopp could face competition for the 26-year-old.

Are Newcastle signing Jarrod Bowen?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs claimed that Newcastle could make a move for Bowen next year, but made it clear that he won't come cheap, alongside the fact that they aren't alone in their pursuit. He said:

"Let's see whether the Liverpool links develop. I think the only thing Liverpool will look at as far as Bowen, in a year's time, is just the fact that he will be 27 years of age, and by next summer, he will actually be pushing pretty close to 28, because he's born in December. So, he'll turn 27 in only a few months, and by the time we get to next summer, if you sign him in August, you've got a 28-year-old.

"So, given the money that West Ham would want for Bowen, and given the profile of the player age wise, that might be a negative working against him in some ways. So I think it's too early to be making definitive connections between Liverpool and Bowen.

"But one thing's for sure, he's one to watch next summer in 2024, because there will be plenty of clubs with Champions League football that take a very close look at the player. I think Newcastle is perhaps another club to keep an eye on as well in 12 months time."

How many goals has Jarrod Bowen scored for West Ham?

Since putting pen to paper at West Ham, Bowen has racked up 75 contributions (43 goals and 32 assists) in 163 appearances which has seen him dubbed "unbelievable" by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, so should he put pen to paper in the future, it would be a huge coup for Newcastle.

The England international, who earns £60k-per-week, has also recorded 13 shots so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, highlighting his desire to hit the back of the net, even if the ball doesn’t always manage to do so.

The Irons’ left-footed ace, who has the versatility to operate in seven various positions over the pitch, additionally has a great record when visiting the northeast having made three assists against the Magpies, so if he can achieve this when part of the away side, imagine what he’d be capable of wearing a black and white striped shirt.

Michael Burgess made a century against his former club and Ishant Sharma was able to raise his bat for the first time in his career

ECB Reporters Network21-Apr-20182:11

Mixed fortunes for India duo

ScorecardA fine century from Michael Burgess, the second of his career, helped Sussex to a formidable first innings score at the Fischer County Ground before Colin Ackermann, with an unbeaten half-century, led a spirited Leicestershire reply.Burgess and Ishant Sharma compiled a partnership of 153 for Sussex’s eighth wicket, batting through the morning session without being parted.Burgess, who began his career at Leicestershire, was first to his 50, twice hitting left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson over midwicket for six as he sought to accelerate the scoring rate.India Test bowler Ishant was equally positive as he registered a maiden first-class half-century, leaving his previous career best score of 31 well behind and he would later follow it with two wickets.Ishant, who has played 81 Tests and 80 ODIs, clearly relished his battle with Leicestershire’s own international bowler Mohammad Abbas. Abbas was convinced he had Ishant leg before on 34, but other than that neither batsman gave a chance as the partnership passed three figures.Sharma was finally dismissed for 66, attempting to loft offspinner Ateeq Javid for a straight six, but failing to clear Gavin Griffiths at long-off.”I think I got my highest previous score in a Test match, so I’m pretty happy – I wanted to do as well as I could for the team. Every bowler loves to have a bat, and in internationals you don’t get that many opportunities, especially for India, so I was looking forward to having an opportunity.”I’ve been nightwatchman for India for four years now, so I’m used to the role. Michael [Burgess] and I just batted. I didn’t get nervous when I got close to 50, I wasn’t really thinking about it, just staying in my space.”My main job is to take wickets, so I was probably more pleased about that. The wicket is a bit on the slow side, with more bounce from the top end. It’s good to get used to the conditions, and the soft grounds, I’m getting a lot of benefit from that.”Burgess had a fortunate escape on 98, pulling a delivery from Parkinson to midwicket, where Michael Carberry got both hands to the ball above his head but could not hold the chance. He went to his century off 146 balls, hitting five fours as well as the two sixes, before Sussex captain Ben Brown declared.Buoyed by his success with the bat, Ishant then made an early breakthrough with the ball when he trapped Leicestershire opener Paul Horton leg before with a full delivery. Carberry, defending with purpose and real determination, and the in-form Ackermann saw off the new ball, but Ishant returned to have Carberry adjudged leg before, half-forward to an in-swinger.Sussex should have had a third wicket when Ackermann turned a David Wiese delivery straight to midwicket, only for Luke Wright, looking into the sun, to fail to hold a straightforward chance.

Celtic have unearthed a number of clinical goalscorers over the years and have not found it difficult to find a reliable number nine at Parkhead.

You have the iconic Henrik Larsson and then, more recently, players like Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, Leigh Griffiths, and – currently – Kyogo Furuhashi.

The Japan international is the club's current lethal marksman and scored 27 goals in 36 Scottish Premiership matches for Ange Postecoglou throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Who are Celtic's most expensive striker signings?

Odsonne Edouard

£8.9m

Chris Sutton

£8.2m

John Hartson

£7.8m

Alban Ajeti

£4.8m

Kyogo Furuhashi

£4.7m

The table above shows that the Hoops have been willing to splash the cash in order to find a consistent goalscorer to lead the line at Paradise.

However, it does not always take a huge, record-breaking, transfer fee to unearth a gem and Neil Lennon produced a fantastic example of that when he signed goal machine Gary Hooper in the summer of 2010.

The former Bhoys boss moved to sign the English centre-forward from the lower leagues down south and proved that there are bargains to be had in the transfer window if you know where to look.

How much was Hooper worth at Scunthorpe?

At the time of his move to Parkhead in 2010, Transfermarkt valued the lethal scorer at just €750k (£651k) after his two-year stint with Scunthorpe.

Hooper, who had scored 11 goals in 19 League Two matches for Hereford during the 2007/08 campaign, joined the Iron in the summer of 2008 and enjoyed a fantastic couple of seasons there.

They were in League One at the time of his move there and his fantastic performances throughout the 2008/09 season propelled them up to the Championship.

He racked up an outstanding 30 goals in 56 appearances for the club in all competitions, with 24 of those goals coming in 47 league outings – including two play-off matches. His phenomenal scoring rate made him a reliable option for the third-tier side and helped them to move up to a higher level.

Hooper was then able to prove that he could handle the step up to second-division football in England as he provided a consistent goal threat once again during the 2009/10 campaign.

The English ace, who started his career with Southend, scored 20 goals and provided seven assists in 39 games in all competitions for Scunthorpe, which included 19 goals and six assists in 35 Championship clashes – more than one strike every other match on average.

His goalscoring form caught Lennon's eye at Celtic and convinced the Northern Irish head coach to swoop to secure his services in 2010 as the talented gem had proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer at League One and Championship level in England.

The Hoops took a gamble on the impressive youngster in the hope that his form would be able to translate over to Scottish football and it certainly paid off for them as he went on to be a huge success at Parkhead over the subsequent few seasons.

How many goals did Hooper score for Celtic?

Hooper was a very prolific marksman for the Scottish giants as he racked up an eye-catching 82 goals in 132 appearances for the club in all competitions across three years.

He was able to hit the ground running in Scotland for Lennon with 20 goals and nine assists in 26 Scottish Premiership matches during the 2010/11 season. This shows that the talented forward was involved in more than one goal contribution every game on average, which highlights how remarkably consistent he was at the top end of the pitch.

The English whiz also scored one goal in one Champions League qualifier appearance but was unavailable for the club's loss to Utrecht as they failed to qualify for the Europa League later that summer.

Hooper followed that up with 29 goals and 11 assists in 50 matches for Celtic in all competitions throughout the 2011/12 campaign, which included 24 goals and seven assists in 37 Premiership clashes.

This means that the ex-Scunthorpe star averaged a goal contribution every 1.19 league games that term as he, once again, showcased his ability to provide a consistent threat in the final third.

The former Southend prospect then enjoyed a fantastic final season with the Hoops as he plundered 31 goals and ten assists in 51 matches in all competitions during the 2012/13 term.

He scored 19 goals and assisted eight in 32 Premiership outings and found the back of the net twice in seven Champions League appearances, with two goals against Spartak Moscow in the group stage.

How much was Hooper worth in 2013?

At the end of his final season with the Scottish giants, Transfermarkt valued Hooper at a whopping €5m (£4.3m) and this was a staggering increase of 567% on the initial €750k he was priced at in 2010.

He completed a move to Premier League side Norwich City that summer and his value did shoot up to €7m (£6m) in 2014 but has not moved above €5m since then.

Hooper, who was once dubbed "clinical" by former teammate Elliott Bennett, only scored six goals in 32 top-flight matches for the Canaries as they were relegated to the Championship and followed that up with 12 goals and six assists in 32 second-tier outings during the 2014/15 campaign.

After his spell with Norwich, he went on to play for Sheffield Wednesday, Wellington Phoenix, and Omonia Nicosia before his move to Gulf United in the U.A.E, where he currently plays.

The 35-year-old has not scored more than 13 league goals in a single season since his exit from Parkhead in 2010 after a return of at least 19 Premiership strikes one each of his three years in Scotland.

Therefore, Lennon struck gold for Celtic with the signing of Hooper as his market value soared throughout his time with the club and he proved himself to be a terrific player on the pitch with his consistent stream of goals and assists from a centre-forward position.

The decision to sell him to Norwich in 2013 also proved to be a fantastic decision by the Northern Irish boss as the English finisher failed to sustainably increase his market value or replicate his goalscoring form for the Hoops elsewhere.

With Liverpool starting the season strongly, all is good at Anfield once again after a 2022/23 season littered with struggling and misfortune.

The Reds have charged into form since the summer, winning six matches on the trot across all competitions after starting proceedings with a draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

No doubt, there is more work to be done, but the club looks so much stronger, more organised, and more intense than it did last season, where months of poor form threw Jurgen Klopp's side into insignificance.

A late burst of form did result in Liverpool's resurgence, though it was too little too late as the efforts of Manchester United and Newcastle United proved too strong for the fraught Merseyside club, who could only finish fifth and ceded their spot in the Champions League.

One of the bright sparks from a gloomy campaign was the emergence of Stefan Bajcetic, who, aged 18, provided his outfit with some newfound energy and ferocity in midfield, heralded for his "exceptional" displays by his manager.

His rise is a testament to the rekindled vigour of the Liverpool youth academy, which has welcomed through vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold in recent years and rising first-team star Curtis Jones, who continues to impress this season.

Ben Doak is the latest prodigy edging his way into Klopp's plans, and what a player the Anfield side might have as he continues to make the increments with an age-belying flourish.

How much did Liverpool pay for Ben Doak?

Doak is a Scottish winger with blistering pace and a diminutive stature that allows him to utilise his low centre of gravity to great effect, whizzing and weaving through the half-spaces and wide channels to drive the ball into the danger area.

Still only 17-years-old, he signed for Liverpool from an Ange Postecoglou-led Scottish Premiership giants Celtic for a compensation fee of about £600k, having made two senior appearances for the Hoops despite residing in his formative years.

While the fee paid is quite tall for an unknown youth commodity, he already seems to be repaying the faith entrusted in his precocity and is already valued at £4m by Football Transfers, which marks a 570% increase from that initial fee already.

Clearly, there is a lot to come from this teenage talent, and it's frankly frightening to imagine how steep a rise his price might stretch to as he blossoms over the coming years.

How good is Ben Doak?

Yet to reach his 18th year, Doak has posted 11 goals and eight assists from just 27 matches for Liverpool's respective youth sides, with his performances prompting Klopp to open the door to senior action.

Indeed, having impressed during pre-season and especially after an elegant display against imperious German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, he has already found opportunities to impress this term.

Doak came off the bench against Chelsea in the Premier League opener, and while he sat the following two matches on the bench, he remained an unused substitute and has not been included in the matchday squad for the previous encounters against Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United.

Despite this, he did earn his maiden start against LASK in the Europa League, and while he only recorded a 5/10 match rating – according to Goal – who said he 'found it tough to create anything against a tight defence. Looked a bit brighter in the second half but went off at the hour mark', he looked lively nonetheless.

As per Sofascore, the wily winger did win five of his 12 contested ground duels and succeeded with three of his six attempted dribbles; hardly groundbreaking stuff, true, but it is further evidence of a burgeoning starlet willing to put in the hard graft and work diligently toward his end goal: cementing a spot in Klopp's first-team.

Proclaimed to be a genuine "prodigy" by Liverpool reporter Keifer MacDonald, the ace is headed for glory and is undisputably one of the most promising talents in England, let alone Liverpool, but Liverpool might just have an even bigger prospect in their mix, albeit at a more rudimentary stage. Step forward, Trey Nyoni.

Who is Trey Nyoni?

That rising star is Nyoni, who is still only 16-years-old but has captured the awe at youth level during the short time he has forged his path on Merseyside.

Born in 2007, the dynamic midfielder arrived from Leicester City in the summer following their relegation from the English top-flight in May, though he is some way from making his entrance to senior action.

Despite his youth, the young Englishman (who is eligible to play international football for Zimbabwe through his parentage), has already unearthed a cutting edge to his game that has set the fans' excitement into life.

Across his first two outings in the Premier League 2 for Liverpool, Nyoni has scored in both games and recently bagged a last-gasp winner against Everton in the Merseyside youth derby.

His natural inclination for goalscoring leaves him in good standing for a rise up the ranks in the future, and while he can play on the left wing, he is best used as a creative midfielder in the No. 10 role.

Lauded for his “impressive” start to life at the club by distinguished reporter Neil Jones, who stressed that he is one for fans to keep their eye on, Nyoni is already starring at such a young age, and it is a real possibility that he will continue to grow into a first-class prospect over the coming years.

Doak is a special talent, yes, but that is not to say that his ceiling eclipses the other hopefuls residing in Liverpool's formative ranks; whisper it quietly, but the Anfield side offer a rich pool of young quality right now, and Nyoni could be one to rise to prominence under Klopp's tutelage in a few years.