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The midfielder has been forced out of the club he has been a part of for 16 years as the Blues' soul continues to be picked apart piece by piece

Two years into the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium's ownership of Chelsea, it's increasingly difficult to be shocked by the decisions made at the highest level – but they are still trying their hardest nonetheless. In the latest in a string of questionable moves in the transfer market, the club is on the cusp of selling academy graduate Conor Gallagher off to Atletico Madrid.

The 24-year-old emerged as a key player and fan favourite last season as an ever-present in Mauricio Pochettino's midfield, even becoming the Blues' stand-in captain on multiple occasions and often hauling his team-mates over the line as Chelsea finally started making some progress in the second half of the campaign.

But in the eyes of the club's decision-makers, all of that counts for nothing in the face of the threat of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). After a mind-bending spend of well over £1 billion ($1.25bn) in two years of Boehly-Clearlake's stewardship, Gallagher – who has been at Chelsea since the age of eight – is viewed as expendable as the hierarchy desperately seeks to balance the books.

Getty'Chelsea is my club'

Perhaps the saddest part of this whole saga is that Gallagher is being torn away from the club he loves by the people who now control it. In normal circumstances there is no way he would choose to leave, but he has become a pawn in the club's financial mess.

Gallagher is one of few remaining members of the squad who will have a profound understanding of what it means and what is required to play for Chelsea, possessing the same grit and determination that have been personified by the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Dennis Wise at Stamford Bridge down the years.

Having joined the Blues aged eight, Gallagher lives and breathes Chelsea, and having someone around a relatively young squad who embodies those deep-rooted values is invaluable. Speaking last year, he said: "Chelsea is my club, I’ve supported them all my life and I just want to do so well whenever I step onto the pitch in a Chelsea shirt." In another interview, he reiterated: "Everyone knows Chelsea is my club and I love playing for them."

AdvertisementGettyUnsung hero

Gallagher has proven time and time again that he is the kind of player a manager loves, making up for what he might lack technically with tireless running, aggressive tackling and relentless pressing. He would charge through a brick wall for the cause.

Former manager Pochettino recognised his leadership potential, too, handing him the captain's armband in the injury absence of both skipper Reece James and vice Ben Chilwell last season. He went from almost leaving last summer to becoming a key figure, starting every single Premier League game he was available for in 2023-24.

The midfielder also brings out the best in those around him by doing the hard yards and dirty work so others don't have to. There is a widespread perception among Chelsea supporters that £115 million ($145m) signing Moises Caicedo had his strongest showings alongside the England international in a double pivot last season, while his presence has helped to raise Enzo Fernandez's game on other occasions.

Gallagher didn't do all his work in the background though – popping up with 16 goals contributions in all competitions in 2023-24. His all-action approach was reflected in a remarkable stat at the end of 2023: Gallagher was the only player in Europe's top five leagues with 20+ shots, 20+ chances created, 20+ dribbles completed, 20+ touches in the opposition box, 20+ duels won, 20+ tackles and 20+ interceptions, per .

Chelsea seriously considered selling him last summer, and evidently his excellent individual campaign has not been enough to change minds at boardroom level.

Getty ImagesShameful handling

It is not an understatement, then, to say that Gallagher has given his all for Chelsea in his relatively short time in the first team – a beacon of consistency, work ethic and grit in what has been an incredibly rocky period for the club as a whole. That makes the implication that he has effectively been forced out of the club even more difficult to stomach.

Late on July 31, Chelsea seemingly briefed multiple journalists that Gallagher had rejected a third contract offer of two years plus the option for a further 12 months, including a pay rise that would have put him on similar wages to his midfield counterparts Caicedo and Fernandez. Meanwhile, it was simultaneously reported that the club had reached an agreement to sell the academy graduate to Atletico Madrid for £34m ($44m).

In another briefing, it later emerged that Gallagher, who was entering the final year of his contract in west London, had turned down the new deal because he had been told he would only be a squad player under Enzo Maresca as he did not fit the new head coach's possession-based playing style, while he also wanted a longer-term contract than what was on offer.

Shortly after that, there were isolated reports that Gallagher would be banished from the first-team squad upon his return from holiday after Euro 2024. That was a claim the club denied, but evidently the choice was simple: either sign the undesirable terms on offer or leave.

Atletico gave Gallagher until the end of the weekend to make his decision, and in the early hours of Monday morning the news broke that he had opted to move to the Spanish capital. From the outside, it seemed the Cobham graduate had been heartlessly wrenched from the club he has been associated with for 16 years and supported for his whole life.

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Getty Images'Not Chelsea's problem'

Let's not get this twisted: this is a mess of Chelsea's own making and their academy graduates are paying the price as the club looks to make 100 percent profit on their homegrown talents in a bid to balance the books in the face of PSR.

Gallagher will be the biggest name to be cashed in on, but he follows the likes of Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson and Lewis Hall in being sold off, while Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja are almost certain to suffer the same fate.

However, when faced with questions over Chelsea's handling of Gallagher and his imminent exit, Maresca pointed the finger at the rule-makers and absolved the club of blame as he called for the regulations to be changed.

"This is not Chelsea’s problem," he said in a press conference on Monday during Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States. "These are the rules. All the clubs at this moment are compelled to sell players from the academy because of the rules. It’s all of the Premier League clubs’ problems."

Asked if the club still aims to develop their own players, Maresca added: "Absolutely. I also think the intention of the club is not to sell players from the academy, but it is the rules at the end that you have to do it. It’s not only us; it’s all the Premier League clubs.

"It’s a shame because in Italy we have Francesco Totti at Roma, 20 years with the same club. A one-club man – we love that in football; the fans want to see that. But with the rules now, it is different from the past. If they want to protect academy players, then probably yes [they need to change the rules]."

The former SA batsman has admitted that he benefited from white privilege during his career

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2020Jonty Rhodes, the former South Africa batsman, has admitted that he might not have been picked to play for his country had it not been for white privilege.”I certainly benefited from the fact that I wasn’t really competing with 50% of the population,” Rhodes said in a recent interaction with , and in Bengaluru. “I literally was competing only with the white players.”You talk about white privilege and it raises a lot of heat and debate on social media but it is the case. I’m very aware of that. My cricketing statistics as a player were very average when I was selected.”If I was competing with the rest of the country then possibly I wouldn’t have been picked. And I would not have been diving around the field.”Rhodes was part of the first, mostly white generation of post-Apartheid South Africa internationals. The racial composition of the team has changed in the years since, with quotas coming into place for players of colour. The current transformation target for the national team is for six players of colour, including two black Africans, to feature per match, averaged over a season.Rhodes is in full support of transformation quotas.”We in South Africa have a legacy of apartheid,” he said. “How many generations does it take to address that? You still have disadvantaged communities based on race. So they might have political freedom but they don’t have economic freedom.”The process of transformation hasn’t been straightforward, with several players, mostly white, giving up on playing for South Africa in order to take up lucrative Kolpak contracts in English county cricket. This has led to a depletion in the pool of talent and experience, particularly at domestic level, which may be one of the reasons behind South Africa’s poor results over recent months.Since the start of 2019, they have lost a home Test series to Sri Lanka, failed to get past the league stage of the ODI World Cup in England, and suffered a 3-0 Test whitewash on their tour of India. They currently trail England 2-1 in a Test series at home.Rugby has had a smoother ride with transformation, and a Springboks team led by Siya Kolisi, their first black captain, and featuring six players of colour, won last year’s World Cup in Japan. Rhodes believes rugby has done a better job than cricket has of reaching out to disadvantaged communities in South Africa.”The biggest question for me is why in over 20 years have we not produced opportunities for young players in disadvantaged communities,” he said. “It’s not about racism. It’s about equal opportunity and that’s not happening.”What rugby has done well is in building their structures, working in disadvantaged areas. Cricket has a lot to learn.”

Manchester City are believed to be interested in signing an exciting "wonderkid" in the summer transfer window, according to a new claim.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola may have assembled a world-class group of players – one that threatened to win back-to-back trebles prior to their midweek Champions League exit – but that doesn't mean that new signings won't be needed in the summer. The manager will want fresh blood added to his squad, not only to add quality but to also keep current individuals on their toes.

One player who has been linked with a move to City at the end of the season is Crystal Palace star Michael Olise, who has also caught the eye of some of their rivals, including Manchester United and Liverpool. The Frenchman has again shone for the Eagles in 2023/24 when fit, scoring six goals in nine Premier League starts.

Meanwhile, Guardiola is thought to be pushing to complete the signing of Bayern Munich ace Jamal Musiala, with a return to England potentially on the cards this summer. The 21-year-old is one of Europe's most sought-after young talents and could be seen as an upgrade on Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish on the left wing.

Gremio teenager Gustavo Nunes has also emerged as a long-term option for City, with Liverpool also providing competition for his signature, seeing him as an heir to Mohamed Salah.

The Citizens have reportedly sent scouts to watch young Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen in action, too, looking at him as a replacement for Stefan Ortega, should he leave the Etihad once the current campaign reaches its conclusion.

Man City eyeing move for "wonderkid"

Musiala, Nunes and Jorgensen aren't the only youngsters seemingly being looked at, however, with HITC claiming that City want to sign Lokomotiv Moscow forward Sergey Pinyaev in the summer window. He has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo by former Arsenal attacker Andrey Arshavin, who also labelled him a "rocket" due to his blistering speed.

There is thought to be strong interest in the 19-year-old from English clubs, although the situation is "complicated", meaning a move won't be easy to get over the line.

Pinyaev looks like a huge prospect, having once enjoyed a trial at Manchester United, scoring five goals in a friendly against Bari, so City could look to strike a deal for him and get one over on their rivals in the process.

Planning for the long term always has to be the aim and the Lokomotiv ace is ideal in that respect, coming in as a squad player to begin with, before hopefully maturing into a key man for Guardiola's side over time, long beyond the Spaniard's time as manager.

Pinyaev has been described as a "wonderkid", highlighting his vast ability, and he already has six caps to his name for Russia, scoring one goal in that time.

Man City eye move to sign £65m star who is INEOS's top target for Man Utd

It could be quite the battle for his signature this summer between the two sides.

ByBen Browning Apr 20, 2024

This season, he has three goals and four assists in the Russian Premier League, showing that he is providing an end product at such a tender age. Whether City can strike a deal remains to be seen, but the lure of playing for arguably world football's best club side would surely be a difficult one to ignore.

Williamson is still recovering from left-shoulder niggle; Latham to lead in his absence

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2020Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the first two ODIs against India as he continues to recover from an inflamed AC joint niggle in his left-shoulder. Tom Latham will lead in his absence and Mark Chapman will take his place in the side.While X-ray scans have “cleared him of anything serious”, Williamson is expected to ease himself back into training with the aim to be ready for the third ODI on February 11.”It’s best for his recovery that he avoids aggravating the joint for the next few days,” team physio Vijay Vallabh said in a statement. “He will continue his fitness training sessions throughout the week and will start batting again on Friday with the prospect of being available for game three next Tuesday.”Williamson’s injury is an opportunity for Chapman to impress. The 25-year-old former Hong Kong batsman who now plays for Auckland Aces is coming off a first-class century in the drawn first four-dayer against India A in Christchurch last week.Prior to that, he had scored a match-winning century for New Zealand A in their 3-2 one-day series win over India A.This will be a comeback of sorts for Chapman, the left-hand batsman who last played for New Zealand two years ago. He had a forgettable debut series against England where he made scores of 1, 8 and 0.”It’s disappointing for Kane, but with so much important cricket still ahead this summer we must take a safety first approach,” chief selectoe Gavin Larsen said. “It’s great to welcome Mark back into the one-day unit off the back of consecutive centuries for New Zealand A against a strong India A side.”Mark’s a versatile player who can cover multiple batting positions and his fielding is a real upshot to have in the squad.”Williamson injured himself during the third T20I last week and subsequently missed the remaining two matches. Tim Southee led New Zealand in his absence.

Pep Guardiola's side have up to £82m to splash on a replacement for the Argentine after making a stunning return on their investment

Manchester City thought that they might have to replace Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva or Ederson this summer. But in the end, Pep Guardiola's most-trusted players all look set to stay.

Instead, the Cityzens' most high-profile departure looks like being Julian Alvarez. City sold El Arana (The Spider) to Atletico Madrid for £82 million ($105m) in a stunning piece of business, making more than five-times the amount they invested on bringing the Argentine to the Etihad Stadium two years previously.

Alvarez was a selfless stand-in for Erling Haaland for two seasons and also carried the baton in De Bruyne's absence, but ultimately he wanted as big a role for his club as he has for his national team and has now got it.

Atletico made City an offer they couldn't refuse and the money-spinning sale gives the champions the opportunity to heavily reinvest in their squad. But how should they replace the serial-winner who scored 36 goals and contributed 18 assists while helping them scoop up six trophies?

(C)Getty ImagesAlexander Isak

The gangly Swedish striker became Newcastle's record signing when he switched from Real Sociedad to Tyneside for £63m ($80m) in the summer of 2022. But he could have joined City, as Pep Guardiola later revealed he was on the club's radar while still in Spain.

Isak has kept getting better, scoring 35 goals in all competitions with Newcastle, leaving Guardiola in awe. "We started to follow him at Real Sociedad. We were impressed. He was a target," the Catalan revealed last season.

"Wow. He is a young player but with these skills. All the clubs around the world take a look. It is not a surprise and he's adapted really well here in the Premier League."

Isak, 25, would make a perfect replacement for Alvarez, and although he would cost a lot, he would be a formidable stand-in for Haaland and could even play alongside him.

AdvertisementGetty Lois Openda

City are well aware of Openda's capabilities as a striker after he scored three times against them in the Champions League last season. The goals were no fluke, as the 24-year-old struck 28 times in all competitions, finishing as the third-top scorer in the Bundesliga.

Openda became RB Leipzig's record signing when he joined from Lens for €45m (£38m/$49m) and they would be reluctant to let him go. However, the Germans have long been a selling club and would surely part with him if City could offer them a tidy profit, funded by the Alvarez cash.

Getty ImagesFlorian Wirtz

Wirtz is more of a No.10 than a centre-forward, but Alvarez often had to perform as a second striker for City so his replacement should also be able to play in both roles.

Wirtz was the standout performer for Xabi Alonso's incredible Bayer Leverkusen side last season, scoring 15 times and setting up another 15 goals for his team-mates. He is valued at more than £100m, which would make him City's record signing, but he could be more than worth it as a replacement not just for Alvarez, but also for De Bruyne, who looks set for his final season with the Cityzens.

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GettyVictor Osimhen

The Nigerian striker was the fifth-leading scorer in Europe when he fired Napoli to the Serie A title in 2022-23, but his relationship with the club has since soured and for some time he has been looking for a way out. Napoli were holding out for a huge transfer fee, but have since dropped their asking price to €100m (£85m/$110m), which is now within City's reach after the Alvarez deal.

Osimhen, 25, would want to be the main man at his next club, which could be an obstacle to him joining City, where Haaland is very much first-choice. But he would also be practically guaranteed silverware at the Etihad Stadium and City could not ask for a better back-up in the event the Norwegian got injured.

If there is one area in which Arsenal have been impressive this season, it is their form in front of goal. They are currently the top goalscorers in the Premier League, with 82 goals, two more than Manchester City.

What makes that number even more impressive is the fact that they have only created 98 big chances, and only missed 52. There have been seven other teams that have missed more big chances than that this season.

The goals have been evenly spread out, too. In all competitions, Arsenal have four players in double figures for goals; Bukayo Saka with 18, Leandro Trossard with 15, Kai Havertz with 12 and Martin Odegaard with 11.

Indeed, the signing of Havertz has been a revelation. Initially, fans were unsure if the £65m that Arsenal spent on the German was justified. With that being said, the former Chelsea man has had a great campaign and recently has settled in up front. He has 11 goal involvements in his last ten Premier League games.

Havertz’s emergence to becoming Arsenal’s first-choice centre-forward is certainly a positive. However, it raises the question of how Mikel Arteta's other option to lead the line could fit in against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday, given his impressive exploits against them last time out.

Gabriel Jesus’ stats vs Tottenham

Last time out in the North London Derby, Arsenal drew 2-2 with Spurs in an enthralling game. Two goals from Son Heung-min cancelled out a Cristian Romero own goal and a penalty by Saka.

One of the best performances that day came from Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus. The former Manchester City man put in a superb showing, running tirelessly all day for his side, and was unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet.

Football.London’s Chief Arsenal writer Kaya Kaynak gave Jesus an 8/10 rating for his performance that day, explaining how he was 'Arsenal's biggest threat' in the second half, and praising him for his “superb pressing”.

Indeed, the stats reflect the praise given to Jesus for his exploits against Spurs last time out. As per SofaScore, the 27-year-old won a superb eight-ground duels, bettered only by Saka and Destiny Udogie, and all three of his tackles.

On the ball, Jesus completed three out of the four dribbles he attempted, and registered two shots, including one on target, although the 27-year-old did miss one big chance.

How Jesus could fit in against Spurs

Interestingly, Arsenal’s number nine started on the left wing in the previous North London Derby, rather than as a centre-forward. He acted more as an inside forward, operating in the half-space and driving into the penalty area.

There is a chance that Mikel Arteta could start him in a similar role again this weekend. Considering Gabriel Martinelli's poor form this season, there is a chance Jesus starts out wide against Spurs again.

Martinelli has scored just six goals and has four assists so far in 31 Premier League games this season. In contrast, his fellow Brazilian Jesus has four goals and four assists, although that is in far fewer games, just 24.

Arteta certainly thinks highly of his number nine, as he noted in an interview last September, as published by the Mail Online. When discussing the chaos that Jesus brings to the pitch, Arteta said “in certain areas of the pitch, I love it”, before explaining how beneficial it is that Jesus “creates space for others”.

There is no doubt that the kind of chaos Arteta is discussing here could be useful in a big game such as the North London Derby. Spurs are an energetic side, who like to play out from the back under Ange Postecoglou.

The intense pressing Jesus brings to the Gunners’ side could be a really important weapon against such a team. It remains to be seen whether Arteta will indeed start Jesus, but there is certainly merit to the idea and could provide Arsenal with the difference to get them over the line in a huge game.

Arteta can soon unleash wildcard who could help hand Arsenal the PL title

The Arsenal star could have a huge impact on the side.

ByTom Lever Apr 27, 2024

In pursuit of 223, RCB folded for 82 to lose by an embarrassing margin of 140 runs

The Retroreport by S Rajesh18-Apr-20209:28

Dada said 158* in IPL opener changed my life forever – McCullum

The opening ceremony was a spectacular affair, but what followed was even more breathtaking, as Brendon McCullum destroyed the home team in the inaugural match of the IPL. In what was a brutal one-man assault on Bangalore Royal Challengers, McCullum blasted an unbeaten 158 from a mere 73 deliveries, the highest score in a Twenty20 match, to propel Kolkata Knight Riders to an imposing 222 for 3. The punch-drunk Royal Challengers were in no condition to fight back after that battering, and collapsed limply to 82 to lose by an embarrassing margin of 140 runs, the fourth-largest defeat in this sort of match.Chris Gayle was expected to be the aggressive opener for Kolkata, but McCullum’s stunning knock ensured Gayle’s absence wasn’t felt at all. In an innings which was reminiscent of Gayle’s blistering knock in the World Twenty20 opener – he had scored 117 from 57 – McCullum gave the Royal Challengers attack no chance. Pace and spin were both treated with equal contempt, and the crowd was treated to an innings of rare explosiveness.The start, though, was deceptive. Six balls into his innings, McCullum didn’t have a single run as Praveen Kumar bowled an excellent first over. Four deliveries later, McCullum had blazed to 18, flicking and pulling Zaheer Khan for four, and then miscuing a flick which, quite incredibly, soared over third man for the first six.Zaheer was quickly pulled out of the attack, but his replacement, Ashley Noffke, fared even worse. His first ball was so wayward that neither McCullum nor Mark Boucher, the wicketkeeper, had a chance of getting to it. When the ball landed within McCullum’s reach, the result was even more devastating: a pulled six over square leg and another over extra cover. Twenty-three in the over, and Noffke out of the attack as well.McCullum allowed himself a breather after that, going 17 deliveries without a boundary, before the floodgates opened again. Sunil Joshi was slog-swept twice – with the bottom hand coming off the bat once – for sixes, before he turned his attention to Cameron White and Jacques Kallis. Line, length, and pace mattered not a jot, as balls disappeared over the ground with ridiculous frequency. When Zaheer returned for another spell, McCullum manufactured the stroke of the evening, going down on one knee and scooping the ball over fine leg for six.Praveen, who bowled superbly in his first three overs, had escaped the McCullum onslaught for most of the evening, but he too suffered in the last over of the innings, as the first two balls vanished over midwicket, before McCullum put the final seal on his innings, depositing the last ball of the innings over long-on. That brought his sixes’ tally to 13, the most in a Twenty20 innings.Shahrukh Khan, the owner of the franchise, had danced through the McCullum innings, and he had even more reason to celebrate as his bowlers then got into the act with equal gusto. Rahul Dravid, under immense pressure facing an asking-rate of more than 11, lasted three balls, losing his middle stump while attempting a heave. The loss of the captain started the slide, and it went downhill quickly thereafter.Kallis mounted the briefest of challenges, lofting Ajit Agarkar over extra cover for a huge six, but fell next ball, pulling tamely to mid-on. The pitch offered some pace and bounce, and Ishant Sharma, especially, exploited it, getting the ball to zip at a fair pace. Agarkar also prised out White, who had held the record for the highest Twenty20 score till a few minutes before. Royal Challengers’ only chance was if he produced a similar stunner, but by the time he nicked one off Agarkar the contest was already over. The end came soon after, when Joshi fell to a miscued pull with 29 deliveries still left in the innings.The match may have been over long before the last ball was bowled, but McCullum’s stunner has given the IPL, and Kolkata, a dream start. With Ganguly’s team playing their next match at the Eden Gardens, this result should ensure that Sunday’s clash against the Deccan Chargers draws a full house, and more. The IPL extravaganza has well and truly begun.

Arsenal have reportedly asked about '10 wide players' as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his squad even further before the transfer deadline.

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Arsenal looking to sign a wide playerReportedly contacted 10 playersLooking for a low-profile winger for the squad(C) Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal have all but completed the transfer of Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino and will likely do so in the next few days. While the Sociedad star was the Gunners' main target for the summer, they have also been looking to sign 'wide players' before the end of the registration period.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Gunners have made enquiries for ten wide players in recent weeks, according to The Independent's Reading the Game Newsletter. For Arsenal, Athletic Club's Nico Williams has been the major target on the wings, however, the Spain star is set to stay in the Basque region for another season and is said to prefer a move to Barcelona next summer.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

While Williams would have been a signing to start regularly for Arteta's side, the Gunners are now looking towards a lower-profile, less costly winger to sign as a squad player, who would play a role similar to the one Leandro Trossard has enjoyed for the last year and a half.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

With just over five days remaining until the end of the summer transfer window, Arsenal will have to hurry up their pursuit of a wide player or a winger, if they are intent on doing so. Regardless, Arteta will be focused solely on Premier League matters for now with Arsenal set to take on Brighton in their next game.

The fast bowler also explored the possible reasons behind his effectiveness in the second innings

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2020Mohammed Shami thinks India’s depth of pace resources is unprecedented in ‘history’.”You and everyone else in the world will agree to this – that no team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package,” Shami told the former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta on , a Hindi talk show on ESPNcricinfo. “Not just now; in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world.”Apart from Shami, India’s core Test-match fast-bowling group also includes Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Who bowls with the new ball, Shami said, is often a difficult choice, especially when the first-choice trio of himself, Ishant and Bumrah play together.”We surround Virat Kohli and ask him to make the decision,” Shami said. “But he normally says, ‘don’t get me involved in all this; you decide among yourselves, I don’t have an issue.’ That is the kind of fun we have in our team meetings. I let the other two start. I have no objection to bowling with a semi-new ball.”Since recovering from a career-threatening knee injury, Shami has featured in 27 out of India’s 30 Tests since July 2017. There have been a number of highlights – a match-winning second-innings five-for in Johannesburg in 2018, 16 wickets at 26.18 during India’s maiden Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, and 36 wickets at 18.63 in the ongoing 2019-21 World Test Championship. He has had a tendency to pick up his wickets in bursts – he attributed this to how he approaches bowling in different situations.”If the batsman is set and we haven’t been able to pick up a lot of wickets, we try to bowl a tight line and length by dropping our pace,” he said. “As soon as we get a wicket, you increase your pace by about 8kph. This difference in speed is pretty visible. If the bowler was bowling at around 140kph earlier, after picking up a wicket he gets his rhythm back, picks up the pace and the same ball is now delivered at 145kph.”My mindset while bowling is that if the batsman is playing well, bowl a tight line and length, dry up the runs, and he will surely make a mistake. Once the set batsman is dismissed, I go for the kill as a bowler. That’s why it seems like I bowl in two different ways. The ‘second-innings Shami’ label – that has been created by you guys (the media).”That label has a lot to do with Shami’s contrasting records in the first – 92 wickets at 32.50 – and second – 88 wickets at 21.98 – innings of Test matches. On the 2017-18 tour of South Africa, for example, 12 of his 15 wickets came in the second innings.”I’m not sure, it just happens,” Shami said, when asked about this. “I use the game very smartly in the second innings. Like in the recent match we played in Vizag [Visakhapatnam Test against South Africa] where I got a five-for, the pitch was pretty dead and wasn’t offering any bounce. It wasn’t turning that much either for our spinners to run through the opposition. But once in a while the ball was staying low. Batsmen find it tough to play when there is uneven bounce, so you need to bowl within the stumps. It is important to understand how the pitch is behaving.”Now that we have played enough cricket in various conditions, we are experienced enough to gauge the conditions. You need to use the available conditions smartly. I am usually pumped up in the second innings when everyone else is tired. Everyone has spent three days on the field. Diesel engines take time to pick up compared to petrol ones. I wait patiently for everyone to tire out. You have five days in a Test match. Once everyone is tired, I step up.”Cricketbaazi

Newcastle United have enjoyed another successful season in front of goal, scoring 78 times in the Premier League this season, with only Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool finding the back of the net on more occasions.

Alexander Isak has been Eddie Howe's main man once again this campaign, scoring 24 times in 37 outings in all competitions – making him the Magpies' top scorer.

Anthony Gordon has enjoyed his best season in black and white, scoring 11 times over the course of the campaign, bagging himself double figures for the first time in his career.

Despite the duo's excellent goalscoring form, the Magpies have lacked goals from a third attacker, with the club potentially reaching the Champions League once more had they had a consistent talent on the right-hand side.

Harvey Barnes has recently been the player to fill the void, but his injury troubles this season have restricted his game time for Howe's side, with big expectations on his shoulders after his £38m move from Leicester City last summer.

However, one player has looked a shadow of his former self at St James' Park this season, with the club desperately needing to cut their losses during the upcoming transfer window.

Miguel Almiron's stats at Newcastle United

After his sensational goalscoring run last season, which saw the attacker score eight goals in just nine Premier League games, Miguel Almiron has failed to replicate any of his good form under Howe this campaign.

He's featured 42 times in all competitions this campaign but has produced the second-lowest tally of goal returns out of the Magpies forwards, only ahead of Barnes, who has played 22 fewer games than Almiron.

Alexander Isak

24

1

25

Anthony Gordon

11

11

22

Callum Wilson

10

1

11

Jacob Murphy

2

7

9

Miguel Almiron

5

3

8

Harvey Barnes

4

3

7

The Paraguayan suffered a knee injury in the comeback win against West Ham United, with the attacker making his return off the bench in the win over Burnley last weekend after a near two-month absence.

However, Newcastle's current chief executive Darren Eales has previously suggested that the club must sell players before making any major signings due to the constraints of FFP.

Although the £60k-per-week winger remains contracted with the Magpies until 2026, his recent troubles with his lack of creative output and injuries prove he's no longer at the level required, with Howe needing to brutally sacrifice the winger to allow for needed investment to take the club back towards the Champions League places.

As a result of his lack of impact on the Magpies' first team, his market value has taken a hit, with the club also needing to cut their losses before it plummets any further.

Miguel Almiron's market value in 2024

Over five years on from his £20m move from Atlanta United in the MLS, Almiron has seen a steady decline in his value in recent years, with the attacker now only valued at £17.2m, as per Football Observatory.

His drop has seen homegrown talent Sean Longstaff overtake him in terms of valuation, with the 26-year-old worth £25.8m despite costing the club nothing after coming through the Magpies' youth system.

With Almiron now aged 30 and coming towards the back end of his professional career, it is pivotal that Howe and the PIF sell the attacker for as much as possible, with his price tag only going to decline in the years ahead – amid reports that he could well leave St James' Park this summer.

He's been a valuable player for the club since his big-money move, but unfortunately, the side has better alternatives in the final third, with the club needing to prevent any loss on the £20m fee by offloading him ahead of next term.

Newcastle hit the jackpot selling "unbelievable" talent for 1264% profit

The club conducted excellent business in offloading him from St James’ Park.

ByEthan Lamb May 9, 2024