To say that Mykhailo Mudryk’s time at Chelsea is yet to meet expectations would be an understatement in the truest form. The Ukrainian was welcomed in January as the man to finally help kickstart the Blues’ season, before going on to endure a nightmare start to life at Stamford Bridge.Not helped by Chelsea’s dismal form in general, Mudryk ended the season with just two assists in the Premier League, and not a single goal to his name. Considering his reported hefty price tag of up to £89m, the pressure was on the 22-year-old to hit the ground running.In fairness to the winger, too, his first game against Liverpool, coming from the bench, showed plenty of promise, as he gave James Milner another reason why the curtains are perhaps closing on his illustrious career.With that, Mudryk had the excitement of the fans behind him. But, since then, he has failed to deliver.That hasn’t stopped him from backing himself on social media, however.

Mudryk hits back at fan

Fans love to have their say in football, with some even going as far to advise the professional players on what they should do, and how they should play. But, believe it or not, the player coached by football geniuses every week probably knows what they’re doing.

Criticising Mudryk, one fan took to social media to comment on the player’s Instagram post, saying: “Bro learn to make 360 turns with the ball it will help u change direction and be unpredictable. Running with the ball in one direction isn’t good enough. Clue.”

Talk about game-changing tactics…

Understandably, the Chelsea man couldn’t resist hitting back with a sarcastic comment, asking: “Didn’t win [the] Ballon d’Or yet?”

With that said, Mudryk will aim to finally prove himself on the pitch for Chelsea, likely opting not to take the advice of the supporter next season.

What is the market value of Mudryk?

Today’s transfer market is, of course, very different to how things used to be, given the incredible inflation in prices. That said, however, Chelsea massively overpaid for Mudryk, whose value is currently at just €50m (£42.61m). For context, the London club paid up to £89m for the Ukrainian back in January.

Even at the time of his arrival, as per Transfermarkt, Mudryk was only valued at the €40m (£34.09m) mark, which raises the question as to how Chelsea ended up paying almost triple that price for his signature.

The player they believed was arriving was someone who had been involved in 13 goals in 12 league appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk. What they got, though, was a player clearly not ready to save a sinking ship.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, things may get slightly easier. After all, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager has gotten the best out of young talents in the past such as Dele Alli. What’s more, the Argentine will almost certainly be an upgrade on Frank Lampard.

At the very least, he did show some glimpses of his mercurial talent while playing for Ukraine at the U21 European Championship this summer. Perhaps that is a sign of things to come.

Hamish Bennett said being patient and waiting for the Bangladesh batsmen to make mistakes worked for him, on his return to ODI cricket after three years

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-20171:16

‘Didn’t expect another game after Hamilton 2014 – Bennett

It has been almost seven years since fast bowler Hamish Bennett made his ODI debut for New Zealand. In that series, he played two ODIs, against Bangladesh in Bangladesh, and New Zealand were humbled 4-0. Bennett remembers that series clearly, and was especially pleased that, on Wednesday, when he made his return to international cricket after three years – his previous ODI appearance was in January 2014 – New Zealand got the better of them.”It was a really good feeling,” Bennett said after New Zealand’s four-wicket win in the Ireland tri-series. “To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to get another game after Hamilton in 2014. But, especially good to win against Bangladesh after losing there 4-0, good to get one over them.”Bennett made his debut when he was 23, but had never managed to cement his place in the New Zealand first XI. Now, with a few first-choice players away at the IPL, Bennett slotted in and was simply happy to play with some of the friends he has made on the domestic circuit. “It was good to get out there. I’ve always wanted to play international cricket with Neil Broom, Tommy Latham and Ross [Taylor] as well,” he said. “So it was good to play a game for New Zealand with a couple of good mates.”That New Zealand had to chase only 258 was courtesy Bennett’s final two overs, where he conceded only three runs off the bat and took three wickets. His short-pitched deliveries against the Bangladesh middle and lower-order paid rich dividends, and he said that his plan to be patient and force his opponents to make mistakes held him in good stead.”You get lucky at the death sometimes – it goes one way or the another,” Bennett said. “It went my way today but my main job was to attack on that slower surface, it was just about trying to put the balls in the good areas. It was just about trying to contain them and get them to do something silly.”I think, in one-day cricket, you can afford to be a little bit patient with the ball because eventually the batting team will have to come at you. My mentality was just about trying to be patient and wait for them to make the play. I didn’t want to go searching too much, just wanted to keep building pressure.”Bennett, who was described by half-centurion James Neesham after the game as “one of the best death bowlers in New Zealand”, finished with figures of 3 for 31 and Bangladesh were kept to 257 for 9. But both players felt their team’s fielding effort was not up to scratch – the Bangladesh innings featured several misfields with players letting balls through or diving over them, overthrows that went to the boundary, and dropped chances – which left them chasing more than they should have been.”The target could easily have been a little bit less, we were a little sloppy, in the field,” Bennett said. “We should’ve kept them to about 230, but we never really had any run-rate pressure [in the chase], so it’s a fair reflection that 250-odd was a good score to chase.”Man-of-the-Match Neesham, whose 48-ball 52 shepherded New Zealand home with 15 balls to spare, said: “We bowled a bit better than 260-odd. If we’re honest with ourselves, our fielding let us down a bit, and 20-30 runs went abegging. You’ve got to chase the target you’re set and doing it with 12 balls to spare or whatever was ideal.”

If Arsenal supporters thought their side's summer spending spree was set to conclude with the arrivals of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, they have another thing coming.

According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, manager Mikel Arteta is on the lookout for another right-sided attacker to complete his squad for the 2023/24 campaign.

Who have Arsenal signed this summer?

Rice and Timber's rather drawn-out arrivals will surely be confirmed in the coming days, with the pair joining for a combined £143m, on top of the £65m splashed out on Kai Havertz from Chelsea earlier in the window.

Granit Xhaka is the only first-team regular to have departed after the Swiss midfielder joined Leverkusen for a fee of £21.4m, so it is fair to say Arsenal's squad is a lot stronger – or certainly will be – than at the end of last season.

Arteta is seemingly not content just yet, though, as he is seeking a player who can give Bukayo Saka some competition on the right-hand flank.

If previous reports are anything to go by, Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby could be the man Arsenal and Arteta go all out to sign before the transfer window closes, according to Dean Jones on The Football Terrace (via TEAMtalk).

What positions can Moussa Diaby play?

Diaby is as versatile as they come, having played right across the forward line in his 41 appearances for Leverkusen in all competitions last season. It is out on the right the 10-cap France international prefers to play, featuring there 17 times last season, as per WhoScored.

The Frenchman scored 12 goals and assisted nine more in all competitions – the vast majority of those goal involvements coming when he was fielded out on the right.

That would therefore see him fit the criteria of the type of player Arteta is after, with Diaby – valued at around £50m, according to the Daily Mail – also showing last season he has an end product to his game.

As Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes put it in an interview with The Athletic earlier this year, Diaby is an "extremely fast, technically strong" player, one who is able to beat an opponent and also lead counter-attacks.

As per FBref, Diaby ranks in the top 19% of all attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues in terms of non-penalty goals per 90 scored last season (0.35), while he is in the top 20% for progressive carries per 90 (4.04).

To put that in some perspective, Saka – one of the best performers in the Premier League last season – was in the top 21% (0.33) for non-penalty goals and top 10% for progressive carries (5.04).

If Arsenal are to spend £50m on a player then it will be on someone who can seriously rival Saka for a starting spot, or at the very least provide a high-quality replacement when the Englishman needs a rest.

Given FBref's player comparison tool ranks Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah as the player most like Diaby across Europe's top five leagues, it is fair to say Arsenal would be getting exactly that.

For example, the French phenom scored from 0.11 of his shots last season, compared to 0.14 for Salah, while they completed a near identical number of passes (24.7 v 24.6 respectively) and were also alike in terms of shot-creating actions per 90 (3.67 v 3.83), which factors in passes and take-ons leading to a shot.

Diaby could therefore be the ideal signing for Arteta in his search for what he will hope is the final piece in a title-winning jigsaw.

Serie A champions Napoli are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate this summer.

How important is Konate for Liverpool?

The 24-year-old arrived from RB Leipzig two years ago and has reached a point where there is an argument to say he is the Reds' best centre-back option.

Much of that will depend on how Virgil van Dijk performs after a poor campaign by his high standards – with Konate Liverpool's standout player in that position in 2022/23. Indeed, when fit, the Frenchman averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the Premier League, compared to Van Dijk's 0.8 and 1 per game for those metrics respectively.

The £70,000-a-week Konate is a hugely important player for Liverpool and should continue to be for many years – assuming he stays at Anfield for the foreseeable future. A worrying new update has emerged, however, with Konate linked with a shock exit from the Reds.

Could Napoli sign Konate this summer?

According to Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Napoli are eyeing a summer move for the Liverpool ace, seeing him as a strong option to come in and replace Kim Min-jae, who is set to join Bayern Munich.

He has "not played so much" for the Reds, which is seen as a reason Napoli potentially have a chance of signing him, although they realise a "remarkable" fee would be needed to have any chance of snapping him up.

Frankly, the idea of Liverpool losing Konate this summer doesn't even bear thinking about considering he is still only 24 and has so many years ahead of him at the top level.

With Van Dijk and Joel Matip both ageing and Joe Gomez nothing more than a backup option, it is imperative that the Reds keep hold of someone who could be the leader of their defence well into the future.

While Napoli are clearly a great club in their own right, Konate will surely not even consider moving on from Liverpool, with a promising summer materialising in the transfer market and a stronger season surely expected in 2023/24 following a blip last time around.

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Konate as "incredibly talented" and no doubt values him greatly, and his absence was felt badly when he was injured last season, with the Reds boss clearly using him whenever he was available.

Liverpool simply must retain his services for as long as possible, hopefully extending his current deal at some point, which expires in the summer of 2026.

On Friday in Bristol, Mark Wood did what fast bowlers like to do: zipped one through a batsman at close to 90mph, shattering the stumps. But there was added significance for Wood when he removed Paul Stirling because he feared he may never get the chance to do it again.A third ankle operation within a year followed by a rehabilitation that was slow and, at times, lonely allowed his mind to wander. “I thought the dream was gone at times,” he said after a successful comeback outing against Ireland.It was a million miles away from the joy of claiming the Ashes-clinching wicket at Trent Bridge in 2015. That was, of course, “Stuart Broad’s Test” but Wood will always be the man who claimed the final scalp of Nathan Lyon to spark celebrations. Since then, though, joy at international level has been fleeting for him: three more Tests – the same number as surgeries he has had – and a handful of one-day internationals spread over two English seasons.The first of his operations came at the end of 2015 when he left the Test series against Pakistan in the UAE, the second early in the 2016 season and the third at the end of the summer after, gallingly, putting his body on the line to earn Durham a Championship victory that appeared to secure their Division One status only for ECB sanctions to mean otherwise.Three operations on the same part of the body, especially one so crucial to a fast bowler who relies on an explosive delivery stride at the crease, led to a player outwardly so cheerful and upbeat as Wood to have doubts. It was not helped when two possible comeback dates – the one-day series in the West Indies and a Lions tour of Sri Lanka – came and went.”I had questioned at times whether I would actually ever play for England again,” he said. “After the first two operations, I always believed I would get back but then this one, because it [the recovery] didn’t happen at the same rate as it did previously, I was a little bit unsure if I would ever get back to the standard I wanted to set and the pace I wanted to bowl at. It just took a little bit longer than I expected, but it’s good to finally get there.”Wood said he did not feel any pain in Bristol because the adrenalin was surging through his body, but the concerns over his ankle had remained as recently as last month when finishing pre-season with Durham. They manifested themselves more so when he was bowling on his own at a set of stumps and he spent time with the England psychologist, although it wasn’t until he had got through a few spells at the start of the Championship season that his worries were eased.In the most recent of those four-day matches, against Gloucestershire, he tweaked his groin, but he called that “a blessing” because it stopped him thinking about the ankle.”The physios were telling us ‘it’s normal to feel pain, you’re sensitive in that area’. When I am going to nets by myself and having to bowl at cones and stuff, you’re not in the game scenario, the adrenaline’s not pumping. I’m looking for my ankle, ‘is that niggling, is that hurting?’ If I feel anything I could bowl five overs but if I felt one ball, I’d be thinking ‘why is this still hurting?'”Now it’s sort of changed. I spoke with the England psychologist and it was to change my mindset. Rather than looking for pain, [it is] can I still perform with a small amount of pain there? So now, if it doesn’t affect my performance then I am happy. If it was ever to affect my front leg position, if it’s not braced, then I’d be a little bit unhappy but now I deal with it a lot better.”Wood accepts he will probably never be pain free and the ankle will trouble him from time to time. He has had special bowling boots designed to try to stop his front ankle rolling when it slams down in the delivery stride and has also worked with Kevin Shine, the ECB’s lead fast bowling coach, to try and to ensure the leg and foot come through straight rather that splaying to the left and putting pressure on the ankle.He also acknowledges that he probably can’t play every game, but just a short time on from wondering if he would bowl for England again now believes he can withstand the demanding schedule ahead to play a part in Test cricket – including the Ashes – once more.”If you ask me now, I am confident. If you’d asked me before the Durham Championship games, I might have been not sure about how it was going to go. I’m pretty confident now I could get through any sort of international cricket be it Test, one-day or Twenty20.”I wouldn’t say it’s honestly ever going to be totally pain free, I think that’s just the trouble I’ve had – three operations and the way that I bowl, it’s just going to flare up from time to time. Hopefully, that’s the end of the major pain. I haven’t got any bones left in there that are sticking out or anything like that. I’m held together with a bit of tape pretty well.”

يعود فريق الكرة بالنادي الأهلي لمواصلة مشواره المحلي في الدوري المصري، بعد الفوز اليوم على سيمبا في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وكان الأهلي قد تمكن من الفوز على سيمبا بنتيجة 2-0، في اللقاء الذي أقيم على أرضية استاد القاهرة، في إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، وكان فاز ذهابًا أيضًا ولكن بهدف نظيف.

وبذلك حسم الأهلي بطاقة التأهل إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، منتظرًا الفائز من مباراة بترو أتليتكو الأنجولي ومازيمبي الكونغولي.

ويتواجد الأهلي في المركز الحادي عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، ولديه 17 نقطة جمعها من الفوز في 5 لقاءات وتعادل مرتين وتلقى هزيمة وحيدة. موعد مباراة الأهلي القادمة أمام إنبي في الدوري المصري

ويلاقي الأهلي منافسه إنبي يوم الإثنين الموافق 8 أبريل الجاري، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، الحادية عشر بتوقيت السعودية.

Frank Lampard didn't get many things right during his two managerial spells at Chelsea, particularly when taking charge as caretaker boss last season. But, this is still a man with veteran Premier League experience on the pitch. And, with that, likely comes the fairly natural ability to spot the next best thing, especially in midfield.

The Blues' transfer policy in the last year hasn't exactly looked like it's come from veteran experience, meanwhile, with the technique seeming more like throwing things at the wall, and seeing what sticks, more so than anything.

After going through three different managers, before landing on new boss Mauricio Pochettino, it's difficult to really decipher what exactly the plan is at Stamford Bridge.

As it turns out, though, on the rare occasion when Lampard should have been listened to in the technical area, he could have helped Chelsea sign a transformative player in Declan Rice.

What did Frank Lampard say?

Speaking on Steven Bartlett's podcast, The Diary of a CEO, Lampard said: "I wanted to bring in Declan Rice.

"I was like 'this kid is going to be the captain of Chelsea for the next 10 years'. It didn't happen, anyway, it is hard to dissect people's work."

The Premier League legend also spoke about his difficult spell as caretaker boss last season, saying: "The biggest thing about the low standards was the size of the squad. The motivation was tough with players outside the Champions League squad.

"When I came in, very quickly I noticed that some players were thinking about the season's going to peter out and what the future's going to look like and that was a difficult situation.

"When you have international players in a big number then of course you're telling internationals to stay at home and it's not easy, and to have the conversation with them every Friday and to get them lined up coming in is also not easy for your own energy."

On Mason Mount and his recent move to Manchester United, he said: "I think it's a great signing.

"So in terms of what he'll bring to Manchester United, it won't just be what Mason brings, he will bring loads of talent, but he's just going to go and (raise) the levels."

Is Declan Rice going to Arsenal?

Of course, even if Chelsea now wanted to sign Rice, they'd stand little to no chance, with the England international all but an Arsenal player.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Rice has been given permission to take his medical, and an agreement has been reached with West Ham. It's now reportedly about the small details, before the deal can be officially confirmed by the Gunners. The deal will reportedly be worth £105m.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have so far welcomed Christopher Nkunku, and Nicolas Jackson to bolster their attack. In truth, however, it's been a summer focused on departures at Stamford Bridge.

So far, the Blues have waved goodbye to 12 players in total. Most notably, they have lost Kai Havertz to Arsenal, Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City, and academy graduate Mount to Manchester United.

After those deals that could strengthen their Premier League rivals, Chelsea may need to find some reinforcements themselves this summer if they are to make a return to the top six, at the very least, next season.

As things stand, it looks set to be a complicated first season for Pochettino.

The future of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is still uncertain, despite his contract set to expire.

According to The Athletic, United have backed out of an agreement to extend his contract, despite the fact the ‘keeper signed an extension. The Spaniard agreed to lower his £375k-per-week wages that he earned, but the Red Devils didn’t sign the deal, and they have now submitted a new proposal with an even sharper wage decrease which is being considered by the 32-year-old.

It’s a saga which Erik ten Hag would have preferred to avoid during a summer which should be involving bringing better quality players to the club in preparation for the Champions League next season.

Despite winning the Premier League Golden Glove award for keeping the most clean sheets, he committed a host of mistakes, most notably against West Ham United as he let a weak shot from Said Benrahma evade him and a woeful mix-up with Harry Maguire against Sevilla in the Europa League cost them a goal – and perhaps Ten Hag is better off letting the liability depart.

The question is, who would his replacement be? With United looking to make a surprise move for former Chelsea ‘keeper Thibaut Courtois according to sources in Spain (via Football 365), it could cost them €90m (£77m), as this is the fee that Ten Hag could ‘tempt’ Real Madrid with, as per the report.

Could Manchester United sign Thibaut Courtois this summer?

Regardless if De Gea leaves or not, United still require a world-class shot-stopper ahead of next season, and the Belgian certainly has all the credentials to shine at Old Trafford.

He would bring a winning mentality to the club having claimed a Champions League crown and two La Liga titles since joining Madrid in 2018 along with a host of other honours. The Belgian has also won two Premier League titles, indicating that he would have no difficulty settling in should he move to Manchester.

The former Chelsea star could also be an upgrade on De Gea, as he conceded 0.98 goals per game last term compared to the 1.1 per game that the United ‘keeper let in, while Courtois saved 78.9% of shots faced per 90 during 2022/23, with De Gea saving 71.7% of shots faced per 90 – a significantly higher total in the same time period.

The Madrid gem is also a commanding presence when crosses are delivered into the box, stopping 8.2% per 90, while De Gea manages to stop just 3.1% per 90, and this ability at set pieces could be a big boost for Ten Hag knowing that Courtois could be relied on heavily.

Journalist Josh Bunting lauded his performance against Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final as “immense” and the 6 foot 6 titan could bring an added presence to the United defence, which is something that will stand them in good stead during their pursuit of more silverware.

Imran Tahir, who went unsold at the IPL auction in February, has said how special it was to pick three early wickets to set up Rising Pune Supergiant’s win against Mumbai Indians

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2017Listed No. 1 in the ICC rankings for bowlers in ODIs and T20Is, Imran Tahir was “sad” and “down” after going unsold at the IPL auction two months ago. But an injury to Mitchell Marsh opened a door for Tahir: he was signed as a replacement and shone with 3 for 28 in Rising Pune Supergiant’s seven-wicket win in their opening match against Mumbai Indians.After Mumbai raced to 41 for 0 in four overs with consecutive sixes from Jos Buttler, Steven Smith brought on Tahir, who bowled Parthiv Patel around his legs and then removed Rohit Sharma and Buttler within the space of three balls in his next over.”The way they were playing it looked like they were going to end up getting 200,” Tahir told after the match. “I always love challenges, and when I bowl I always look to get wickets. I was very fortunate to get Patel out and obviously, the next two wickets were very special. Those guys were really good against spin bowling and it was very special for me that I got them out and [I’m] really, really happy with the way the ball came out. I’ve been here for one week and I’m trying to do well because it’s a new team and they gave me a lot of confidence.”I always come on the ground with a smile on the face but inside I’m always ready to fight and try to give as much as I can. I love doing what I’m doing and I always look for a challenge.”Tahir expressed how disappointed he was when no franchise picked him at the auction in February, when he had a base price of INR 50 lakhs. He had been released by Delhi Daredevils after an unimpressive IPL last year, playing four matches for five wickets with an economy rate of 8.62.”I was obviously sad not to be part of this league [in the auction] but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Tahir said. “But really relieved and pleased with myself about playing the way I’ve been playing and just deliver it today.”I’m grateful to god and my family supported me, especially my wife. I was quite down when I didn’t get picked in the league. But our life carries on and I came here to prove myself again, that’s what my job is. I don’t blame no one for not picking me. My job, if someone picks me, is to come and perform, that’s what we do for a living.””I always come on the ground with a smile on the face but inside I’m always ready to fight”•BCCI

Supergiant played two legspinners – Tahir and Adam Zampa – in the absence of R Ashwin and left out Faf du Plessis from the XI. Zampa, their highest wicket-taker last season, did not impress as much as Tahir on Thursday, with 1 for 26 from three overs, but Ajinkya Rahane said the strategy of playing two attacking legspinners worked for them.”Both of them are attacking, both of them look to take wickets, and that’s very important in T20,” Rahane said. “Zampa did well for us last year, and Imran Tahir is a world-class bowler. It’s good to have them both in our side, and we, as a team, know they’re always looking to take wickets.”Rahane gave Supergiant’s chase of 185 impetus, scoring 60 off 34 that featured six fours and three sixes. He brought up his half-century off only 27 balls; Supergiant were 79 for 1 in the ninth over.”When you’re chasing 180-190, it’s important to continue the momentum after the first six overs,” Rahane said. “I knew I was batting really well, and striking the ball well. So, for me, it was really important to play with that same momentum. Smith was completely new [on the pitch] at that time. So, I just wanted to take my chances and play my normal shots. I mean, I didn’t take any risks. But it was important for both of us to keep rotating the strike and hit one boundary or six in an over.”When you are chasing 180 plus, it’s the openers’ job to consolidate the innings. For me and Mayank [Agarwal], our discussion was to play positive cricket. We did not set any target for the first six overs. We just wanted to play our attacking game, and later on just capitalise on that. Unfortunately, he got out, but I was batting well. And Smith was there, I told him I’ll take my chances, and he should just carry on and play a long innings.”

Fulham star Joao Palhinha is "said to want" a move across London to West Ham United, according to reliable club insider ExWHUemployee.

Who will West Ham sign?

Following the departure of star midfielder Declan Rice to Arsenal, there is a lot of work to be done for manager David Moyes as the Irons look to source as a capable replacement.

The England international made the move to Mikel Arteta's side in a British record £105 million transfer deal (including £5m in add-ons), giving West Ham a huge financial windfall but also a glaring squad problem to solve.

There have been a fair few star midfielders linked with a move to the London Stadium, notably Switzerland international Denis Zakaria, Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka and Man United's Scott McTominay.

Palhinha is another player of interest to West Ham in that position, though some reports suggest Fulham are set to dig their heels in and could even demand as much as £90 million (The Daily Mail).

The Portugal international, who dazzled at Craven Cottage in his debut season after signing from Sporting Lisbon last summer, is apparently keen to join West Ham.

That's according to ExWHUemployee, who claimed on his Patreon (via The West Ham Way) that Palhinha is personally said to want to make the move.

However, there is a problem in the form of his club, who are not particularly keen to sell their star and have rejected West Ham's opening bid for him.

“Whilst Fulham are said to have turned down the first offer from West Ham for Joao Palhinha, the player is said to want a move across London,” stated Ex.

“He could speak to Fulham to see what their plans are for him. Although as of our last report the club do have a number of other defensive midfielder targets so Fulham would have to lower their demands significantly for a deal to happen.”

How good is Joao Palhinha?

The 28-year-old, according to WhoScored, ranked as one of Marco Silva's best-performing players by average match rating whilst scoring multiple goals from midfield.

Palhinha was also an un-droppable member of the Fulham starting eleven, with goalkeeper Bernd Leno being the only player in their squad to feature over more league minutes (WhoScored).

Over 2022/2023, the tough-tackling ace averaged more successful challenges per 90 than any other Fulham star, and than anyone in the entire Premier League for that matter (WhoScored).

Want-away Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, speaking last season, called Palhinha an "amazing, amazing" player and one of their best 2022 summer signings.

“I think this year there’s been some sensational [signings] that we have made," said Mitrovic.

“For me personally, [Joao] Palhinha is the signing of the season so far, amazing, amazing [player].

“[Bernd] Leno is the signing that we made that’s amazing. The players who fit straight away and didn’t need time to adapt like before, they fit straight away.”

Meanwhile, Sporting boss Ruben Amorim also lavished praise on Palhinha during the "special" player's time in Portugal.

"I often tell Palhinha that he is very good without the ball and with the ball," said Amorim in 2021.

"More than a tactical coach, I get it in Palhinha’s head that he is a special player.”