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Manchester United are expected to be busy in January, and now a fresh report has claimed that one of their highest earners could be departing the club alongside academy star Marcus Rashford before the end of the month.

Marcus Rashford set for exit

It appears highly unlikely that Rashford will still be a member of Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United squad come the end of the transfer window, with an Old Trafford exit highly-anticipated for the Premier League star.

The 27-year-old netted the first goal of Ruben Amorim’s reign, but following comments about being open to a departure he has not featured for the club in almost a month, with his last appearance coming against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.

As per Sky Sports, the Red Devils are ready to let him leave this January but are “leaning towards” a straight loan move in order to try and raise his price tag ahead of a summer sale. His brother and agent has been in Milan in recent days discussing a potential move to Serie A, while there is also believed to be interest from across the Premier League, though it is stressed that “all options remain open”.

However, his hefty wages make a continued exile unlikely from a financial standpoint given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s previous reported fury at the Red Devils wage bill, which he feels is well beyond what is should be given the return on investment his side are receiving from those under massive contracts.

As a result, a re-integration or a departure seem likely, and with no signs of the former all signs currently point to a mid-season exit. Now, another player could be set to follow him out of the Old Trafford exit door.

Man Utd ace closer than ever to exit

That comes according to a report from Caught Offside, who report that Manchester United high-earner Casemiro is now “closer than ever” to a departure from Old Trafford this month amid strong interest from Saudi side Al-Nassr.

The Brazilian has fallen down the pecking order in Manchester since his arrival at the club two and a half years ago, a transfer which then Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag hailed as “magnificent”.

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He has started just three Premier League games under Ruben Amorim, and has been an unused substitute on a further five occasions as the new Manchester United boss searches for a winning formula.

Taking home a massive £350,000 a week at the Theatre of Dreams, Manchester United will be keen to move him off if he is not a regular starter, and to that end his availability has reportedly caught the eye of Al-Nassr, where former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo currently plies his trade.

Appearances

22

Starts

16

Tackles and interceptions per 90

5.05

Pass Accuracy

79.3%

Errors leading to a shot

3

As per the report, Amorim “is poised to allow Casemiro to leave Man United in this window” and Al Nassr are “believed to be pushing to get a deal over the line this winter”, with the Saudi side “prioritising” a move for the decorated Brazilian.

For his part, Casemiro “is ready to seriously consider an offer” should it arrive, in what is likely to be the only opportunity to continue earning anything like what he is currently paid at Old Trafford. For the Red Devils, shifting one or more of their highest earners this winter may be considered a huge success.

Kylian Mbappe has matched the goal tally set by Cristiano Ronaldo in his debut season at Real Madrid by netting his 33rd strike of the campaign.

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• Ronaldo scored 33 in debut season
• Mbappe matches that tally
• Scored twice against Leganes in 3-2 win

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The France international netted a brace against Leganes as Madrid won 3-2 on Saturday evening. Los Blancos remain in second place in La Liga but are now level on points with Barcelona and, in the process of netting his double, Mbappe has matched the haul Ronaldo reached in his first campaign at the club.

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  After moving to Madrid from Manchester United, Ronaldo scored 33 goals throughout the campaign and Mbappe is already level with that tally. The former PSG superstar, though, will have to go some to match the Portugal international's highest-scoring season; in 2014-15, Ronaldo netted 61 goals in all competitions.

  Mbappe is now just four goals away from matching Ivan Zamorano's record for the best debut season in Madrid history, having scored 37 in 1992-93.

• WHAT MBAPPE SAID

  Mbappe told reporters on matching his idol's record: "Very special. I'm sure the most important thing is the things you do with the team, but scoring the same number of goals as Cristiano is always good. We know what he means to Real Madrid and to me. He gives me a lot of advice; he's scored a lot of goals, but we have to win titles here."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mbappe is the leading goalscorer in La Liga for the entirety of 2025, having netted 12 times. His closest rival, Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona, has scored seven.

Just like that, a single result has put a screeching halt to the momentum Arsenal were starting to build over the last two weeks.

Mikel Arteta’s side followed their win at home to Manchester United on Wednesday night with a seriously disappointing draw away to Fulham on Sunday.

However, with a Champions League home tie to win against AS Monaco tonight, there is no more time to think about what could’ve been, although they have received a timely boost concerning when Folarin Balogun who sadly won’t be returning to London with the Principality club.

Balogun's Arsenal return in ruins

If Balogun was fit to face the Gunners then it’s likely he would have been looking to prove that Arsenal made a mistake in selling him for £34m last summer, and based on his form for the Ligue 1 side, he might have a point.

In his first season on the French Riviera, the 23-year-old marksman scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 32 first-team appearances, meaning he maintained a rather impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.13 games.

Appearances

32

10

Goals

8

3

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.40

This season has seen the New York-born dynamo maintain his great form in front of goal when injuries have allowed, and he has a tally of three goals and one assist to his name in just ten appearances, four of which have been off the bench.

Overall, while Arsenal clearly didn’t view him as good enough to lead the line, Balogun has been putting in some impressive performances for Monaco in the season and a bit since.

Unfortunately for tonight’s visitors, he has not travelled with the squad owing to a shoulder problem that kept him out of Monaco’s clash with Toulouse a few days ago.

Balogun had recovered from a dislocated shoulder but has now suffered a setback. As a result, this is particularly good news for a certain Arsenal defender…

Great news for Saliba & Arteta

Arsenal are facing something of a defensive injury crisis ahead of this evening with the likes of Gabriel, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori all not spotted in training on Tuesday. Thus, the fact that Monaco will be missing their leading marksman is only good news for William Saliba who will be without some of his partners in crime.

While the Gunners dropped points a matter of days ago, the club still have a great chance of avoiding the Champions League playoffs in the new year, and that task has now been made a great deal easier by Balogun’s absence this evening.

Given Saliba is in brilliant form at the moment and is undoubtedly the club’s best defender, the 6 foot 4 star likely would have no issue bullying the 5 foot 10 Balogun out of the game even if he was fit.

Indeed, the “special defender,” as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano, was one of the few players who could come out of Sunday with his head held high, earning an 8/10 match rating from the Standard’s Simon Collings, who wrote that he ‘did not put a foot wrong.’

Then, against United, he scored again, helped to keep a clean sheet and received another 8/10 from Collings, who praised the 23-year-old for being ‘so composed on the ball’ and utterly ‘dominant’ throughout the encounter.

Lastly, while the Monaco man is a dangerous forward, nobody would suggest he’s more of a threat than Viktor Gyokeres, and when the Gunners’ “world-class” number two, as dubbed by Romano, came up against him last month, he failed to score or provide an assist.

Ultimately, Arsenal’s season is in a precarious place at the moment, and with Monaco’s American superstar out, it gives them a great chance of getting things back on track. After all, only two players in the whole squad have scored more than him for the Ligue 1 side; wingers Eliesse Ben Seghir (five goals) and Maghnes Akliouche (four goals).

Despite all of those injuries, perhaps Saliba’s evening might be a great deal easier than he was anticipating…

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Everton would have walked away from their Premier League stalemate with Arsenal as the far happier side, having frustrated the Gunners all afternoon by putting in a defensively dogged display.

Mikel Arteta’s men would only muster up one big chance all contest consequently, as Sean Dyche’s visitors intentionally sat back in order to pick up a share of the points, with Arsenal even amassing a whopping 77% possession.

The Everton defenders certainly earned their praise come the full-time whistle, therefore, with the likes of James Tarkowski battling hard throughout the 90 minutes to keep stars such as Kai Havertz at bay.

How Everton's defence performed at the Emirates

The aforementioned Toffees captain led by example at the Emirates Stadium alongside his centre-back partner Jarrad Branthwaite, as the ex-Burnley man successfully won four duels alongside making seven clearances to preserve his resolute side’s clean sheet.

Branthwaite also put his towering 6 foot 5 frame to good use with three duels of his own won, whilst Jordan Pickford had to stay alert throughout with five saves tallied up which would constantly frustrate faces such as Bukayo Saka attempting to beat the clued-up 30-year-old.

Whilst Pickford would rightfully win a lot of plaudits at the full-time whistle for some top-notch stops, Ashley Young also put in a gritty display at the back to ensure a draw was sealed, with the ex-Aston Villa man winning a sublime seven duels to routinely thwart Gabriel Martinelli bombing forward.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse Everton's very own Alexander-Arnold

It wasn’t just in north London that Young has shone this term. For his relegation-threatened side this campaign, he has starred as an attacking menace, with the 39-year-old rolling back the years to become his side’s answer to Liverpool phenom Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Often operating as a winger during his hay day in the Premier League, Young’s creativity from this more forward-thinking spot is still managing to come to the forefront as he now regularly lines up in a back four.

This season to date, the top-flight veteran has amassed an impressive one goal and three assists, with that solitary strike coming against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a comprehensive 4-0 win just one match before the shut-out at Arsenal.

This resurgence is even more admirable considering there were shouts for Young to be axed from Goodison Park this summer, with his high £40k-per-week wage the topic of many a discussion on Merseyside.

Now, he is more than justifying this steep pay packet, with his numbers not too dissimilar to that of Alexander-Arnold – according to FBRef.

Young vs Alexander-Arnold – 24/25 PL numbers

Stat

Young

Alexander-Arnold

Games played

13

14

Goals scored

1

0

Assists

3

3

Shot-creating actions *

2.40

4.08

Passes attempted *

50.23

76.51

Progressive passes *

5.75

7.46

Tackles *

3.11

2.34

Interceptions *

1.44

1.03

Clearances *

3.11

1.28

Stats by FBRef (* = per 90 mins)

While the Everton veteran is understandably still ranking behind Trent for a host of numbers, you can see the similarities between the two in the way they progress the play via their passing.

Unsurprisingly, Young has more defensive know-how than the Real Madrid-linked 26-year-old too, with more tackles and clearances averaged when glancing at the above table, albeit the Toffees are more defensively active than Liverpool.

It’s been quite the sharp turnaround for the ageing full-back, who will hope these stellar performances keep coming in order to see out the twilight of his playing days in style.

Dyche does have a reputation for getting the most out of experienced heads at his disposal, with the Toffees boss keeping his fingers crossed that Young and Co can continue picking up results like the draw at Arsenal to push further away from the dreaded relegation spots.

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Liverpool’s victory over Real Madrid in midweek was their first over the Spanish side in eight games, stretching back to the stunning 4-0 thrashing of Los Blancos in 2009.

Despite their strong start to the campaign, many had claimed the Anfield side had yet to defeat a genuine world-class team. The 2-0 victory in midweek will surely put that argument to rest.

Ending this winless run against the 15-time European champions will also give them a psychological boost, especially if the two sides meet in the latter stages of the Champions League this season.

The barren spell started way back in 2014 when Brendan Rodgers was in charge. Having finished second in the 2013/14 Premier League table, the Reds qualified for the group stages, drawn in the same group against Madrid.

A 3-0 loss at Anfield was followed by a 1-0 defeat at the Bernabeu as Rodgers’ side struggled in the competition.

Despite coming so close to the league title just months before, Rodgers failed to truly improve his squad during the summer transfer window.

Liverpool’s business in the 2014 summer transfer window

Rodgers had money to spend ahead of the 2014/15 campaign and with the prospect of playing against Europe’s elite, the supporters looked forward to an exciting summer.

Southampton were targeted, as Adam Lallana, Ricki Lambert and Dejan Lovren made the move to Merseyside. Lazar Markovic was one of the more exciting signings, as the Reds splashed out £20m on exciting Benfica winger Lazar Markovic, while Mario Balotelli returned to the Premier League.

A couple of interesting signings for sure, but they weren’t quite of the required quality to fire the club to glory during the 2014/15 season.

While money was available due to Champions League qualification, Rodgers secured a financial windfall for one of his key players – Luis Suárez.

Liverpool's sale of Luiz Suarez

The 2013/14 season was a remarkable one for the Uruguayan as he scored a staggering 31 goals in the Premier League while registering 13 assists. This was made even more special considering the striker missed the first five matches of the season due to suspension which had carried over from the previous campaign.

These performances under Rodgers were bound to attract attention from elsewhere and when the summer transfer window opened, it was clear Suarez would be leaving Anfield.

Indeed, when Barcelona came in with an offer of £75m, Suarez left for La Liga, linking up with fellow South Americans Neymar and Lionel Messi.

He is still remembered fondly among the Anfield faithful and if he remained at the club, just how many goals would he have scored?

Luis Suárez’s Liverpool statistics

The centre-forward signed for the club in January 2011 with Kenny Dalglish spending around £22.7m to lure him from Ajax.

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He signed alongside Andy Carroll and he went slightly under the radar due to the Reds spending £35m on the Englishman. This new strike partnership looked like it could fire Liverpool to glory in the future, especially given both players were under the age of 24 at the time.

Only one left their mark at Anfield, however, as Saurez became one of the best strikers in the world.

He netted 17 times during the 2011/12 campaign as the Reds won the League Cup while reaching the FA Cup final, before adding another 30 goals the following season – although this was marred towards the end when he was given a suspension due to biting Branislav Ivanovic in a tie against Chelsea.

Despite this, 2013/14 was incredible for the player. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher lavished praise on the Uruguayan for his exploits at the club, saying:

Luis Suárez’s career statistics

Club

Games

Goals

Assists

Barcelona

283

195

113

Ajax

159

111

68

Liverpool

133

82

34

Atlético Madrid

83

34

6

Gremio

53

26

17

Inter Miami

37

25

10

FC Groningen

37

15

12

Nacional

20

8

3

Via Transfermarkt

Despite leaving Liverpool more than a decade ago, the 37-year-old is still going strong.

What Luis Saurez has done since leaving Liverpool

The former Ajax gem spent six seasons at Barcelona, finally getting his hands on the Champions League trophy while scoring 195 goals for the La Liga side.

A spell at Atlético Madrid saw Suarez secure yet another league title, before he had spells at Club Nacional in his homeland and Gremio in Brazil.

It was his move to MLS side Inter Miami in December 2023 which has seen him enjoy an Indian summer to his impressive career. Linking up with former Barcelona teammate Messi in Florida, the duo aimed to fire the club to glory.

Across 30 MLS and MLS Cup Playoff games during the 2024 season, Suarez scored 21 goals along with grabbing nine assists as Miami ended the regular campaign with a points total of 74, the highest in the history of the league.

They were surprisingly defeated by Atlanta United in the first round of the playoffs, but for his performances, the striker was rewarded with a new one-year contract extension.

“I’m very happy, very excited to continue for another year and to be able to enjoy being here with this fanbase, which for us is like family,” Suarez said.

His exploits for Miami have even seen the player nominated as one of the best attackers at the Best FIFA Football Awards 2024, ranking him alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland to name just a couple of stars.

He might not win the title, but just being named alongside some of these players is a testament to Suarez’s amazing longevity and the fact he is still scoring regularly for his club side.

Forever a Liverpool icon, the Uruguayan will be aiming to finish his career on a high next term by leading Miami to MLS glory, that’s for sure.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Após a saída confirmada de Vagner Mancini nesta segunda-feira (14), o Grêmio não demorou nem 24 horas para oficializar o nome do substituto no cargo de técnico da equipe: Roger Machado. O treinador retorna ao clube e assinou contrato até o fim da temporada 2022.

Roger chega ao Imortal junto com Roberto Ribas e James Freitas como auxiliares; Paulo Paixão como coordenador de preparação física; e Jussan Anjolin como analista de desempenho. O treinador e sua comissão já se apresentam nesta terça-feira pela manhã e vão comandar o treinamento.

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Essa será a segunda passagem no Grêmio do profissional atualmente com 46 anos de idade na função de treinador. Ele comandou o Tricolor gaúcho entre 2015 e 2016. Além disso, foi jogador do clube entre 1994 e 2003, e também auxiliar técnico da comissão fixa de 2010 a 2014.

No intervalo entre as passagens pelo Imortal, Roger teve a oportunidade de treinar diversos clubes do cenário nacional como Atlético-MG, Palmeiras, Bahia e Fluminense, a sua última equipe, onde permaneceu por somente cinco meses.

A expectativa é que a estreia do novo comandante aconteça já nesta semana, diante do União Frederiquense, na próxima quarta-feira (16), às 19h (de Brasília). O Grêmio luta para sustentar a atual liderança na fase de classificação do Campeonato Gaúcho.

Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Johan Lange has been in touch with the representatives of a £100m player ahead of the January transfer window, according to a report.

Tottenham's inconsistent start

Tottenham have made an inconsistent start to their Premier League campaign, with five wins, one draw and four defeats to their name after their opening 10 games, while they will also be disappointed with their 3-2 loss at Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursdsay.

However, Ange Postecoglou has made it clear that he aims to bring a trophy to north London in his second season with the club, which means that he may have to strengthen his squad in the upcoming transfer window.

The Lilywhites are currently the top scorers in the Premier League, but they continue to be linked with moves for attacking reinforcements, including Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers and Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Tottenham make contact with Jack Grealish's agents

Rogers and Hudson-Odoi clearly aren’t the only Premier League players on Spurs’ radar, however, as Football Transfers report that Lange has been in contact with the representatives of Manchester City winger Jack Grealish over a possible move.

The Tottenham sporting director reportedly came close to signing Grealish during the summer transfer window, and he is now back in contact with his agents to sound out a move this winter.

Given that Lange is Villa’s former sporting director, he was instrumental in the winger’s €117.5m (£100m) move to the Etihad Stadium, and the pair have retained a good relationship ever since, which could give the Lilywhites an advantage in negotiations.

The report also makes it clear that Postecoglou wants to bring in competition for Son Heung-min and James Maddison in the January transfer window, and Grealish is seen as a versatile option, capable of strengthening both positions and saving the club money.

Although the 29-year-old has not been a mainstay in City’s starting XI this season, he could well be a good signing for Tottenham at the right price, particularly considering the praise he has received from Pep Guardiola in the past. The Spaniard lauded the England international as “unbelievable” for the part he played in City’s treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, and he also impressed considerably during his time with Aston Villa.

In his final season with the club, the Birmingham-born winger recorded 16 goal contributions in 26 Premier League games, although he is yet to record similar numbers in a City shirt. As a result, a fresh start could be necessary for Grealish, and it should certainly be exciting news that Tottenham appear to be in the race for his signature ahead of the January transfer window.

Of course, Postecoglou already has some great options at his disposal, including Son and Brennan Johnson, with the latter already notching seven goals in all competitions this season. However, with Tottenham looking to compete on all fronts and win their first trophy since 2008, it is important to have strength in depth, so Grealish could be a shrewd acquisition at the right price.

Jhon Duran was left on the bench for Aston Villa's clash with Celtic ahead of his move to Al-Nassr, and was spotted having fun with the cameramen.

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• Duran left on the bench against Celtic
• Makes faces at Champions League cameras
• Set to join Al-Nassr ahead of transfer deadline

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Unai Emery decided to leave striker Duran on the bench during Aston Villa's thrilling 4-2 win over Celtic on the last matchday of the Champions League league stage as he nears a transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. While in the dugout, the Champions League's TV crew had their cameras fixed on the Colombian, who pulled some hilarious faces before telling the crew to pan away to the action on the field.

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  Duran is now set to complete a transfer to Al-Nassr for a reported fee of €77 million (£64.4m/$80m) as per The Athletic's David Ornstein. Al-Nassr have already agreed personal terms with the Colombian striker, who is set to sign a five-and-a-half-year deal with Cristiano Ronaldo's side.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR DURAN?

  The Saudi Pro League's winter transfer window is set to shut on January 31 and Al-Nassr will be keen on tying up the deal as quickly as possible, with Duran having already passed his medical. Ronaldo and Al-Nassr will be back in Saudi Pro League action on Thursday night against Al-Raed.

Liverpool haven’t exactly got the easiest run of fixtures on their return from the international break, with tricky tests in the Premier League and the Champions League coming up.

Both Chelsea and Arsenal stand in the way of Arne Slot’s men when top-flight action kicks back into gear, whilst an away trip to RB Leipzig then awaits his confident group away from league action, who are two wins from two in the prestigious competition.

It will be intriguing to see if the Dutchman brings Luis Diaz back into his XI for the home clash with Enzo Maresca’s Blues, with the Colombian attacker on the substitutes bench for the majority of his side’s slender 1-0 away win at Crystal Palace last time out.

Diaz's form this season

Slot had the luxury of dropping Diaz knowing that Oliver Glasner’s Eagles were languishing near the foot of the league, with Cody Gakpo then stealing the headlines with an assist for Diogo Jota’s winner in place of the Reds number seven.

Still, Chelsea will be a far harder match for his table-topping side so Diaz could be thrown back into the mix, having been in electric form this season in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has five goals and one assist next to his name from seven clashes in the league, undoubtedly helping his side pick up six wins from seven games to sit at the very top of the tree as a result.

Two of those strikes came away at Manchester United at the start of last month, as Slot’s flashy away side showed no mercy at Old Trafford in a comprehensive 3-0 demolition job, making the likes of Casemiro look like a school boy with some of his errors on the day.

Whilst Liverpool’s decision to bring Diaz into the building in 2022 continues to pay off, the Reds haven’t always struck gold in the transfer market in the attacking positions, with one purchase in 2018 going down as a notable misfire despite his cult hero status among some.

Shaqiri's time at Liverpool

Xherdan Shaqiri was arguably a perplexing buy when he arrived through the door at Anfield five years ago. Indeed, Liverpool swooped in for the Swiss attacker’s services after Stoke City fell down to the Championship despite with Gary Neville describing the winger as “unprofessional”.

The Reds picked him up for a fee of £13m, hopeful that he could prove to be a shrewd capture, with the 5 foot 7 menace showing off his class on the books of Bayern Munich and FC Basel.

Shaqiri’s numbers at Liverpool

Season

Games

Goals scored

Assists

20/21

22

0

4

19/20

11

1

0

18/19

30

6

5

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Away from a bright first campaign that saw Shaqiri’s exploits help Klopp’s side lift the Champions League, injury issues then began to trouble him which saw his minutes significantly dry up.

Only managing to make 33 appearances across his final two campaigns, the Swiss winger just couldn’t justify his hefty pay packet playing for the Reds, which saw him rake in £80k-per-week and £4.1m-per-year across his three-season stretch at the club, according to Capology.

Diaz only earns a lesser £55k-per-week in contrast, with the Colombian forward perhaps edging closer to a wage increase down the line if he keeps up his stellar easy season form for Slot’s men.

Taking into account Shaqiri’s £13m transfer fee, on top of his yearly wages, the ex-Bayern man would cost the Reds a sizeable chunk overall at £25m.

Whilst Diaz aims to continue firing on all cylinders, Shaqiri now finds himself back in his native Switzerland playing for Basel, as the 33-year-old begins to contemplate the end point of his playing days.

He did have some moments of magic in a Reds strip, with this strike against Man United in 2018 late on a fond memory Liverpool fans will still latch onto, but he did end up costing the Premier League club lots of money that could have better spent elsewhere.

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“Finals Day is nearly a month away and after this everyone goes back into four-day cricket”

Matt Roller23-Aug-2021

Luke Wright was Sussex’s leading run-scorer in the Blast group stage•Getty Images

Asked to draw up a schedule for a T20 competition from a blank calendar, few could devise something as illogical as what has been served up for this season’s Vitality Blast: 126 group games in a 39-day window, a five-week gap before the quarter-finals, then three more weeks before Finals Day in mid-September.The result is a tournament that lacks any sense of flowing narrative throughout the season, with long breaks between rounds, players coming and going at various stages and teams who had gone on winning runs to reach the knockouts having to reacquaint themselves with one another after a month apart.The root cause is the Hundred, which now occupies the midsummer headline slot and has forced the Blast to adapt but that tournament was voted for by the counties in the first instance and is not going anywhere soon. For the Blast to survive and retain its popularity – tickets have flown for three out of the four quarter-finals – it must adapt and address its relationship with the Hundred.”Everything I’ve read so far in the papers has been critical of the scheduling but not many people are coming up with solutions, and that is the hardest part,” Luke Wright, who returns from Hundred duty to captain Sussex against Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday night, said. “How do you make it ideal for both white-ball and red-ball cricket, and make everything fair for everyone?Related

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Wright, Salt assault sets up Sussex before Lenham cleans up

Sussex seal quarter-final spot as Archer makes low-key return

“Personally, I think it’d be nice to have the Blast done in a block. Finals Day is nearly a month away and after this quarter-final everyone goes back into four-day cricket. That means for any team if you have any sort of momentum, you lose it, and most people will lose their overseas players because it’s so far away.”I don’t think that’s ideal and you’d really want it pretty soon after the quarter-finals. They’re all this week, so this weekend being Finals Day would probably be ideal. People would be in T20 mode – or in this case coming from the Hundred – and going into it fresh rather than from a massive break or coming in from four-day cricket. It would be nice to bring that forward.”There is every chance that Wright will get his wish in 2022. The managing director of county cricket, Neil Snowball, told the this month that the ECB is exploring the possibility of completing the Blast before the Hundred starts. With the Commonwealth Games – which features women’s T20 cricket – running until early August, the most likely outcome is that the Hundred will shift slightly later in the summer, with the Blast’s knockout stages following straight on from the groups in late July.As well as solving the issues that Wright addresses, that will add relevance to the wildcard draft – in which Hundred teams select a player based on Blast performances – which took place almost unnoticed this year, two weeks before the end of the group stages. There is no prospect of the Blast or the Hundred being scrapped so the two have to coexist.In the meantime, Sussex and the seven other quarter-finalists have to buckle up and get on with it but that is easier said than done. Take Wright, the leading run-scorer in Blast history, as an example: he scored 306 runs at a strike rate of 156.12 in the Blast’s group stages but found himself running the drinks for Trent Rockets in the Hundred given their top-order strength, meaning his last pro innings was over a month ago.”I went into it in real good form from the Blast but we’d signed three top-order batters [Alex Hales, Dawid Malan and D’Arcy Short] so it was always going to be difficult,” he said. “I actually had a few other Hundred teams trying to work out if I could transfer across to play for them but that’s not allowed under the current rules. Most of the team have been playing but I’m one of the few that hasn’t.”Sussex are close to full strength for the first time this summer heading into their quarter-final. Jofra Archer is injured and Ollie Robinson is on Test duty but George Garton, Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills all return after spearheading Southern Brave’s Hundred triumph and Rashid Khan is available for his third Blast game of the summer, having shared a dressing room with Wright at Trent Rockets.”We’ve had people presuming that Sussex are like a franchise team when we’re full-strength but the thing people don’t realise is that when those guys aren’t around, we’re not like the Test-ground teams with big, strong squads and we have loads of young lads coming in. To get through like we did in the group stages without those guys being available all the time was a fantastic effort.”We’ve got a lot of boys who won the Hundred and seem in great form so hopefully they can carry it on for us. Most of the lads are in top form and those guys at the Brave were unbelievable. They’ll be confident and feeling good so we’ll get them rested up today and then see if we can feed off that.”Rash has always been great for Sussex in terms of wanting to play. He could have easily not pitched up here for us and gone back with everything going on but he’s a credit to himself and is such an impressive guy. The way he has handled himself is unbelievable; I couldn’t even imagine what it must be like for him, having his family back [in Afghanistan]. I’ve played with the odd overseas player around the world who can park it off a little bit at times but Rash is all-in. He gives his all for every team he plays for.”David Wiese will be Sussex’s other overseas player on Thursday after Travis Head’s return to Australia and after consecutive quarter-final defeats they hope their fortunes will change. James Kirtley, a Twenty20 Cup winner in 2009 while rooming with Wright, is in his first season as head coach and his meticulous, analytical approach is a contrast to Jason Gillespie’s hands-off attitude in previous seasons.They face a Yorkshire side without Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, on England duty, and Lockie Ferguson due to Covid – and without home advantage due to the Test match at Headingley. “At this point in the competition you’re not going to be playing any poor teams,” Wright said. “Being at Durham, there might not be so many fans in which is a shame but even still, it’s going to be a great game of cricket.”