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A look at how the stats stack up for Pakistan and South Africa ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 semi-final

S Rajesh17-Jun-2009The overall numbersAs you’d expect with a team which has won five games on the trot in the tournament, South Africa have excellent numbers with both bat and ball – they are marginally ahead of Pakistan in both aspects. Neither of the two teams are at the top of the tree in terms of batting stats – West Indies takes that honour – but with the ball South Africa and Pakistan are easily the two best sides in the competition. They have taken the most number of wickets in the tournament so far with 42 and 41, and are the only sides who have conceded less than seven runs per over.

The Powerplay oversBoth South Africa and Pakistan have been among the more conservative teams with the bat during the first six overs, scoring at less than eight runs per over. South Africa, though, have been excellent at keeping wickets in hand, losing just three during the Powerplay overs all tournament, and averaging 77 per wicket. Their opening partnership of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis has been among the best in the competition. Pakistan, on the other hand, have lost nine wickets during the first six overs.

As bowling teams, South Africa have been far superior in the first six, taking 11 wickets – the second-highest, after England’s 13 – at an excellent average and economy rate.

Wayne Parnell and Dale Steyn have been exceptional in the first six. Mohammad Aamer is the most successful for Pakistan, but he has been relatively expensive, going at seven-and-a-half per over.

The middle overs – 7 to 14Pakistan have been the slightly stronger team overall in the middle overs, scoring at a better rate and taking four more wickets than the South African bowlers.

The star bowler in the middle overs has been Shahid Afridi who has done a remarkable job of taking wickets and keeping the runs in check. In 114 deliveries he has taking eight wickets, an average of less than 15 balls per wicket, at an economy rate of only slightly more than five per over.

The last six oversSouth Africa have been the slightly better batting team in the last six overs, but both have been outstanding with the ball, conceding less than ten runs per wicket, and less than seven per over. That’s ensured that the batting teams have had little momentum towards the end of their innings.

Umar Gul has taken the most number of wickets in the last six overs, but there have been several other star performers from both teams. Saeed Ajmal has been outstanding, both in terms of taking wickets and keeping runs in check, and the same applies to Steyn, Parnell and van der Merwe as well.

How the runs have been scoredThere’s little to choose in the manner in which the two teams have scored the runs in this tournament: the dot-ball percentages are almost equal, but Pakistan have, surprisingly, scored a higher percentage of their runs in singles, twos and threes.

The extras factorSouth Africa are clearly ahead in his area: they’ve bowled one no-ball and 17 wides, to Pakistan’s eight no-balls and 23 wides.

Alyssa Naeher was the undoubted hero for the USWNT in their W Gold Cup penalty shootout win over Canada, as she saved three and scored one herself.

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• Thrilling contest went all the way
• Crazy conditions in California
• Veteran keeper made the difference

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Chicago Red Stars custodian, who has become an international centurion after reaching 100 caps, appeared to have suffered spot-kick agony at the end of an epic encounter that saw Adriana Leon snatch a 127th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

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  Conditions at Snapdragon Stadium in California made life difficult for both sides, with torrential rain making the pitch almost unplayable. That worked in favour of the USWNT at times, especially when Jaedyn Shaw was assisted by a puddle when opening the scoring, but the game would ultimately be settled by a battle of nerves from 12 yards.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Naeher held hers to keep out three of Canada’s efforts – with Leon, Jordyn Huitema and Jessie Fleming all being repelled. Naeher even got in on the penalty-scoring act, as she calmly fired the USWNT’s third penalty low into the bottom corner.

Ruben Amorim says Manchester United "just have to survive" when asked about inching closer to the Premier League drop zone after losing at Wolves.

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• Man Utd lose 2-1 at lowly Wolves
• Inching closer to relegation zone
• Amorim says they "just have to survive"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 10 men of United fell to a 2-0 defeat at Molineux on Thursday, leaving them just seven points above the Premier League's bottom three. With five losses in seven games, head coach Amorim admitted the Red Devils just need to keep their head above water amid this challenging period.

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  WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

  “In this moment, we just have to survive and to win sometimes, to work on the team,” he said, when asked about the threat of getting pulled towards the relegation zone. “We already knew it, when I started this job and started with the team, the new idea of no time to train, a lot of games, tough games, we already knew it, it’s a long journey, like I said in the first day we have to continue and we have to fight these bad moments because this is part of football.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When Amorim replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag, hopes were high that the Portuguese could improve United's ailing fortunes. But so far, they seem to be going backwards. However, they are seven points behind the top six – the same gap to the relegation zone – and there is time for the ex-Sporting CP boss to come good.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Amorim will hope United can end the year on a high when they host in-form Newcastle United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Monday.

The transfer window finally came to a close on Friday night, and it would be fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a successful summer of business.

Ange Postecoglou's squad has been made much more robust with the additions of Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray, and while some fans may have been hoping for a last-minute deal, there simply wasn't the need for one.

The Lilywhites' fierce rivals Arsenal, on the other hand, were forced to engage in some last-minute panic buying as they secured the services of Raheem Sterling on a season-long loan following a summer of constant links to attacking talent.

The former Manchester City ace is a Premier League veteran at this point and will likely be a useful player for the Gunners, but Spurs fans can rest easy in the knowledge that they already have a winger who's worth substantially more than the Englishman.

Raheem Sterling's valuation in 2024

Sterling completed his season-long loan move to Arsenal on deadline day last week, and while the Gunners didn't pay a fee for the Chelsea ace, we know that his current valuation is around €46m thanks to Football Transfers, which converts to about £39m.

While this is still a reasonably impressive valuation, it's significantly lower than it was just over a year ago, when Football Transfers priced the 29-year-old at around €71m, which is about £60m.

The reason for this collapse in the player's valuation is likely two-fold. The first reason is that, after starring in a brilliant City team for so many years and racking up an incredible haul of 204 goals and assists in just 339 games, the Kingston-born dynamo has struggled to have the same level of impact at Stamford Bridge, where he has racked up 31 goals and assists in 81 appearances.

This brings us to the second potential reason his price has fallen so dramatically: the Blues were clearly trying to get rid of him over the last few weeks. After all, if a team clearly no longer wants their own player, why would said player's valuation increase?

In all, while the 82-capped international will probably be able to contribute at the Emirates, he's not the player he once was, and Spurs already have a winger who is worth millions more than him.

Dejan Kulusevski's valuation in 2024

Yes, the player in question is Swedish superstar Dejan Kulusevski, who joined the North Londoners on an initial 18-month loan deal in January 2022 under former managing director Fabio Paratici.

The talented winger's move was made permanent for around £26m in June 2023, although according to Football Transfers, he is currently worth around €57m, which converts to about £48m, or £9m more than Sterling's new valuation.

Now, that might seem like a lot of money for a player who has been somewhat inconsistent during his time in North London, but when the former Juventus ace is at his best, he is an incredible asset to have in the team.

For example, in his 99 appearances for the Lilywhites, the "special player", as described by Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir, has scored 15 goals and provided 20 assists, meaning he's averaged a goal involvement every 2.82 games for the club, which is more impressive when taking into account the football played under former manager Antonio Conte.

That said, this is set to be a big season for the 24-year-old, as he's now at the age in which he needs to nail down a regular starting spot in the team, and given his raw ability, there is no reason why he couldn't do that.

Ultimately, while Sterling is the winger grabbing headlines at the moment, Tottenham have a far more valuable player in Kulusevski in their squad.

Spurs hit gold on amazing star who'd be worth way more than Haaland in 2024

The incredible superstar was a game-changer for the Lilywhites.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 4, 2024

It’s safe to say that no Chelsea fan could’ve predicted the ridiculous spending that has taken place at Stamford Bridge over the past couple of years.

American Todd Boehly took over the reins from Roman Abramovich back in 2022, with the 50-year-old splashing the cash to try and improve the squad.

He’s spent over £1.1bn on new transfers, somehow avoiding any FFP and PSR breaches, and recruiting some excellent talents in the process.

The addition of Cole Palmer from Manchester City stands out as the best piece of business, with the 22-year-old registering 33 goal contributions in the Premier League last season – the most of any player in the division.

However, another talented youngster is yet to showcase his full potential in West London, with his time with the Blues plagued with various injury issues.

Roméo Lavia’s stats at Chelsea

After Southampton’s relegation to the Championship back in the 2022/23 season, Chelsea decided to raid the Saints for one of their star talents.

The Blues forked out a whopping £58m for the signing of midfielder Roméo Lavia – a huge figure for a 20-year-old who only made his Premier League debut during the relegation campaign a couple of years ago.

Since his big-money move to the Bridge, the Belgian has really struggled to maintain fitness, restricting him to just 32 minutes of football last season – coming in the 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in December last year.

However, he’s already achieved more minutes this campaign, featuring for 66 minutes during the opening-day defeat against Champions Manchester City a couple of weeks ago.

Lavia desperately needs a consistent run of minutes if he is to reach his potential and provide any value for money, with his market value already taking a plunge as a result of his injury setbacks.

Roméo Lavia’s market value in 2024

Ethan Ampadu joined Chelsea in a £2.5m deal from Exeter City after a tribunal, moving to London with huge potential after making his first-team debut at the age of just 15.

But, after just 12 first-team appearances and various unsuccessful loans to Italy, the Blues decided to cash in on the Wales international last summer, selling him for £7m to Championship side Leeds United.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

The decision already looks to have backfired, with the 23-year-old featuring in every single league outing since his move, earning a place in the EFL Team of the Season for the 2023/24 campaign.

As a result of his impressive displays, the “unbelievable” Ampadu, as dubbed by teammate Dan James, has seen his market value soar – now worth in the region of £15.6m as per Football Transfers.

His subsequent value is higher than that of current first-team member Lavia, who is only valued at £12.6m a year on from his big-money transfer to Stamford Bridge.

Whilst undoubtedly there is a huge gap between the Championship and the Premier League, Ampadu has demonstrated that he has the ability to be a success in the top flight once again after impressing in England’s second tier last season.

The £7m fee the club sold him for now seems to be an absolute bargain, with the club potentially living to regret the transfer in the years ahead.

Chelsea will regret selling a superstar who's "similar to Cole Palmer"

Boehly might have made a mistake in selling him

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By
Joe Nuttall

Sep 7, 2024

Chelsea flop Cesare Casadei has agreed to join Serie A side Torino but the Blues are reportedly holding out for a €20 million (£17m/$21m) fee.

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• Cesare Casadei agrees Torino move
• Chelsea demand a €20 million fee
• Torini make initial bid worth €12 million

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Casadei joined Chelsea in the summer of 2022 from Inter Milan as he spent his first two seasons away on loan to Reading and Leicester City. However, Enzo Maresca does not have the 21-year-old in his plans for the Blues' future. As such, it had been reported that the Italian youngster is on his way out of Stamford Bridge and a move back to Italy is the most likely outcome.

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  Serie A side Torino have shown interest in bringing Casadei to Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino in January and journalist Gianluca di Marzio has now reported that the 21-year-old has agreed to a move to Il Toro. However, Chelsea are said to be holding out for a transfer fee of €20 million.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  As per the report by Di Marzio, Torino have already submitted their first bid for Casadei worth €12 million (£9.9m/$12.3m) but the bid has been turned down by Chelsea, with a number of other clubs also keen on securing the 21-year-old's services.

• WHAT NEXT FOR CASADEI?

  The 21-year-old will be hoping to quickly make the move to Torino and get incorporated into Il Toro's squad before their Serie A clash against Juventus on Saturday, January 11, or before their Fiorentina showdown on January 19.

Troubled by injuries, Ryan Harris was not a member of the Australia attack at the start of the series. By the end, he had forever written himself into Ashes lore

Daniel Brettig27-Aug-2013Finally, Ryan Harris was injured. His right hamstring twinged, he had a final word with Australia’s captain, Michael Clarke, then trudged from the Oval middle. Harris did not want to leave. Even though he had dismissed Kevin Pietersen, and greatly reduced Australia’s chances of defeat by doing so, there remained the sense of a match unfinished. But Clarke insisted that Harris should depart, for he had given all that might have been expected of any bowler. Certainly more than had been expected of Harris, who in his near-34 years had never played four consecutive Tests.In a series Australia lost conclusively in terms of margin if not the day-to-day run of play, Harris kept England honest. So honest in fact that on the slow, dry pitches of their coach Andy Flower’s choosing, the same batsmen who had cut, pulled and driven Ricky Ponting to distraction in 2010-11 were not once able to compile an innings of 400 runs. Words like consistent, repeated, unerring, and persistent have been seldom applicable to the Australia team in 2013 but they are all apt for Harris. In keeping fit across the series and also managing to improve on the handsome Test-match record he had brought into the Ashes, he may even have surprised himself a little.It would have been easy for Harris to think he was never going to reach the Ashes. The quality of his bowling had been belatedly recognised by selectors at state and national levels after his move from South Australia to Queensland in 2008, and Ponting then Clarke sang his praises generously but accurately whenever he had turned out for Australia after making his Test debut in New Zealand in 2010. But his body repeatedly failed at inopportune times, a long list of injury troubles accruing as steadily as wickets did whenever he was fit.All told, it was quite a list. There was the knee surgery that forced him home from England in 2010; the ankle fracture that ended his Boxing Day Test later that year; a hamstring strain that kept Harris out of the third Test in Sri Lanka in Clarke’s first series as captain; a hip complaint that sent him home from South Africa in Clarke’s second; shoulder surgery that ended his hopes of playing any Tests in the 2012-13 summer; lastly an Achilles complaint that ruled him out of the backend of the 2013 IPL. That last ailment left Harris with precious little time to regain fitness and form ahead of the Ashes, and lingering concerns about its effects kept him out of the first match at Trent Bridge.So it was not until Lord’s that Harris entered the fray, and he started as though making up for plenty of lost time. Two wickets in the first hour, three on the first day, and five in the first innings. He had set a cracking pace, and would barely let himself flag again until The Oval. Each Test can be treasured for at least one passage and usually more in which Harris earned admiration among spectators, team-mates and opponents alike. Recalling poor spells from Harris over the series is about as difficult a task as remembering poor shots by Ian Bell. His fielding was equally full-blooded, and his batting stubborn.All the while, Harris succeeded through methods that were simple yet subtle, thoughtful yet instinctive, and aggressive yet measured. Bluff and bluster are no more a part of Harris’ repertoire than fancy footwork and switch-hits are of the indefatigable opener Chris Rogers – all energy, effort and aggression is channelled into his bowling, including a bouncer more venomous than any sledge could possibly be. He excelled in confusing Alastair Cook with subtle movement either way, dragged Jonathan Trott across his crease, and in Durham humbled Joe Root with an away-cutter the equal of anything to flick Clarke’s off stump.Ryan Harris’ boots are to be put on display in the Lord’s museum after his Ashes exertions•Clare Skinner/MCCEnglish admiration for Harris was near enough to universal. His wickets were applauded warmly, the quality of his bowling recognised without exception by the local writers. A lack of histrionics makes Harris something of a throwback to another time – he is solid, reliable and knowledgeable where Australian cricket has become flashy, flighty and forgetful. The Oval crowd may have directed boos at Clarke on the Ashes presentation dais, but there was nothing of the sort for Harris. In contrast to Mitchell Johnson, it is impossible to imagine the Barmy Army composing a song to belittle him.Whatever Harris offers on the field, he replicates away from it. Adam Gilchrist has noted previously that as a team-mate he is genuinely interested in hearing the thoughts of others, whether about cricket or life – a quality increasingly rare among the egos that populate international sporting change rooms. A tale emerged from the end-of-series drinks shared by the two teams that summed this up quite artfully. Harris was engaged in discussion with Stuart Broad when Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, sidled up to the pair, wishing to join their chat. Instantly realising the history between the other two, Harris gave them room, and the timing of his earnest observation “I think you two need a moment” is said to have brought the house down.Critical to Harris’ longevity in the series, and his chances of now going on to inflict more damage on England in the return matches at home, is the decision by the national selectors to keep him and Peter Siddle away from the limited-overs formats. This is despite the obvious temptation created by Harris’ ODI bowling average and strike rate, which are likely to remain frozen at an eye-popping 18.90 and 23.40 respectively. Like at The Oval when his hamstring went, Harris is very keen to return to play at all levels for his country, but has grown to understand the wisdom of allowing him to rest.Once Harris had walked from the field on the final evening of the series, he underwent a quick examination of his hamstring, then sat down for a well-earned break, taking off his boots as he did so. What washed over him at that moment was a bittersweet mix of emotions. Disappointment over the result of this Ashes bout, but pride at the efforts that would rightly earn him Australia’s Man-of-the-Series garlands. Most of all, a sense of relief and accomplishment at meeting his own goal of getting through the series without having to fly home early. In recognition of his Ashes exertions, the boots will now be placed on display at Lord’s. Fortunately for Australia, Harris himself is not yet ready to become a museum piece.

At the scene of one of his finest innings, Michael Clarke is about to embark upon perhaps the most pivotal Test match of his career

Daniel Brettig at Lord's17-Jul-2013Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin, captain and deputy, were Australia’s last two men to leave the Lord’s nets on the eve of the second Test.Haddin was jovial as he walked for the pavilion, looking ahead to the chance of reversing the painfully narrow result at Trent Bridge. But Clarke was the personification of pensive. Lost in his own thoughts and staring straight ahead, he appeared to be steeling himself for a match that can be argued to be the most critical of his captaincy and career so far.It was a starkly contrasting image from that portrayed at his pre-match press conference and spoke more truthfully of Australia’s position than any amount of sunny rhetoric. Whatever good feelings emerged from the Nottingham Test, it was still the tourists’ fifth consecutive Test match loss, a sequence of under-performance last witnessed in 1984.And whatever confidence Clarke derived from a team display that showed far greater determination and unity than anything served up in India, it was also a match in which he wrestled unsuccessfully with two old adversaries – the No. 4 position and the patience of England’s bowlers.Australia cannot win this series, nor get close to doing so, if Clarke continues to be corralled in the manner he was at Trent Bridge. While in the first innings he was the victim of James Anderson’s very own fast-medium version of the ball of the century, in the second Clarke struggled for his usual sprightly timing and momentum. Much as they did in 2010-11, England succeeded in reducing Clarke’s scoring areas, forcing him to play straighter and sapping his patience. As Alastair Cook put it: “we were happy with the way we bowled to a lot of their batsmen.”For his part, Clarke said the swift starts that characterised many of his best innings at No. 5 had been largely reactive to the kind of bowling he had received, and indicated that patience was just as important as proactivity. At Trent Bridge he had been kept quiet, and did not wish to force the pace unnecessarily on a surface not amenable to fast scoring. But the sight of Clarke scratching around was a source of as much worry for Australia as Ashton Agar’s fearless first innings had been a tonic.”I think it varies because mainly as a batsman you’re reacting to what the bowler is doing, not the other way around and you’re not always in control so a lot is determined by where they bowl the ball,” Clarke said. “That determines how quickly I score, I guess. It looks to me that England certainly are working on a plan to dry me up because through my career there have been times when I got off to good starts.

Having glimpsed uncertainty in English eyes at times in Nottingham, Clarke and Australia must now go on to establish a foothold in the series.

“To me as a batter it doesn’t make much difference. To make 100 or 200 you’ve got to bat for long periods so whether you’re 10 off 10 balls or 10 off 50 balls, it doesn’t matter. I think it’s just about batting, enjoy batting. The longer you’re out there, the more chance you have of scoring runs. Patience and wait for that bad ball.”Four years ago at Lord’s, Clarke played a hand he still regards as close to his very best. Setting out in pursuit of an impossible 522 for victory, he punched and glided to 136, accompanied for most of the way by Haddin in a bold fourth innings counterattack against high quality bowling by Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Graeme Swann. That day Clarke motored to 22 for 15 balls before settling in. He recalled the occasion dimly because it concluded in defeat, but noted motivation to make a score in the chase because he had failed first up. So it is again this time.”I remember losing the Test match,” Clarke said. “I remember not making any in the first innings and needing to make a score in the second innings. The reason you play is to have success as a team and we didn’t win that Test. If I can get a start hopefully I’ll go on to a big score.”A substantial tally from Clarke can shape the outcome of the match, which must be won if Australia are to maintain any serious hope of claiming the series. On a pitch not quite so dry as Nottingham but already showing some evidence of cracking, the need for a major first innings tally is critical, particularly after the Australians kicked away a chance to pressure England by slipping to 117 for 9 in response to their hosts’ mediocre 215 on day one of the series.Another such decline would almost certainly lead to a heavy defeat and set Australia on another ruinous path, no matter how much the unity of the team has improved in the days since Darren Lehmann replaced the litigious Mickey Arthur as coach. Having glimpsed uncertainty, if not fear, in English eyes at times in Nottingham, Clarke and Australia must now go on to establish a foothold in the series.Anything else will undo much of the team’s recent progress, damaging the newfound unity that contrasts so visibly to the poisonous atmosphere depicted by Arthur in his leaked compensation claim. Those revelations have not overly affected a team that has largely moved on from the divisions suggested by Arthur, helped in large part by the appointment of Lehmann and the return of Haddin. But no team’s foundations are so solid that they can withstand repeated doses of losing.In addition to “Mickeyleaks”, preparations for Lord’s have also been punctuated by the appearances of a quartet of luminaries from brighter days, as Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne have blessed the team with their presence and the odd snatch of advice. In 1989 and 1997, Waugh and McGrath turned on defining displays at the home of cricket. In 2013, Clarke desires the same. His stony expression said as much.

Pakistan wicketkeeper picks up a few batting tips from India batter during pair’s stint at Sussex

Sreshth Shah11-May-2022Among all the batters Mohammad Rizwan has seen or played with, he believes Cheteshwar Pujara is second only to Younis Khan in terms of concentration.Rizwan has been observing Pujara closely, with both players representing Sussex in the ongoing County Championship in England. Last month, Rizwan shared a 154-run partnership with Pujara to help their side to a mammoth first-innings lead against Durham.”In my life, the player with the highest levels of concentration and focus I have seen is Younis ,” Rizwan told . “So No. 1 is Younis . After that, it was Fawad Alam but now Pujara is No. 2 and Fawad Alam No. 3.”Pujara has averaged 143.40 so far this season with four centuries in seven innings, and shared a few tips with Rizwan on how to bat in English conditions.”I try to find out what makes these three guys so good in terms of their focus and concentration,” Rizwan said. “I keep talking to Younis about this. With Fawad, I haven’t talked a lot about this.”With Pujara, I had a chat when I had just come to England and got out a couple of times. He told me a few things, that you should play close to your body. Now it is no secret that we play a lot of white-ball cricket and there we play well away from the body because the white-ball doesn’t swing or seam much and you are always looking for runs.”So here, I got out chasing a couple of wide deliveries early on. Then I sought him out at the nets and he said, ‘in Pakistan or in Asia, we are accustomed to forcing our drives. You cannot force your drives over here. Secondly, you have to play closer to your body.'”It’s a rare occasion for an India international and a Pakistan international to represent the same team, but Rizwan said that it didn’t feel “strange” at all. He also said that outside the international arena, cricketers feel part of a “larger family” and are looking to help each other get better at the game.”Believe me, I haven’t felt strange at all about it [playing alongside Pujara]. I even joke around with him and also tease him a lot. He is a very nice person and his concentration and focus are unreal. If you can learn something from someone else, you must take that opportunity.”The cricket fraternity is like a family for us. But if you are playing for Pakistan and your own brother is playing for Australia, then you will, of course, try to get him out because you are playing for your country. But that fight happens only on the ground. Otherwise, we are like a family. If I say ‘our Virat Kohli’, then I will not be wrong. Or ‘our Pujara’, ‘our Smith’ or ‘our Root’, because we all are one family.”Like Hasan Ali said that when he meets James Anderson, he would try to learn something from him. It just means we are all part of one family and we share knowledge with each other if it would help someone improve their cricket.”

Regis Le Bris will be raring to go ahead of this weekend's next set of Championship fixtures, hopeful that his Sunderland side can make it four wins in a row without tasting defeat when travelling down to Portsmouth.

Before that, however, the Black Cats have the frantic occasion of transfer deadline day to deal with, as many new targets now begin to be linked with the early second-tier pace-setters.

It has been well publicised this hectic transfer window the twists and turns that have come from Alexandre Mendy's uncertain future at SM Caen and Sunderland's reported admiration, but any last gasp deal for the Ligue 2 sharpshooter looks to be very much dead in the water now.

Instead, the promotion hopefuls have set their sights on other targets in the centre-forward spot, including this bright attacker from the Premier League.

Sunderland's search for a striker

As per a report by Sunderland Nation, Le Bris' men are now working on a potential loan swoop involving Chelsea youngster David Datro Fofana, in a bid to bolster their striker spots before the close of the window later on today.

It is reported that Chelsea are keen to offload Fofana to try and trim down their over-populated squad, with Sunderland keen on adding the Ivorian to their ranks as a result, after the 21-year-old showed signs of his potential out on loan with Burnley last campaign.

Displaying flashes of his brilliance for the Clarets, even as they stared relegation in the face, Fofana could be able to take to the demands of the Championship well.

He might well even be seen as an upgrade on Mendy, with the Caen man nine years older than his counterpart, on top of only ever playing in his native France and never in the hustle and bustle of the English game.

What Fofana could offer Sunderland

The 21-year-old would only make 15 appearances last season for Vincent Kompany's men in the Premier League, but he will largely be held in high esteem by those with connections to Turf Moor based on what he gave to the Clarets even in those fleeting moments.

Fofana would bag four strikes in total in league action, alongside picking up a further assist, as the ex-Burnley number 23 then returned back to Stamford Bridge somewhat proud of his efforts in Lancashire.

Chelsea didn't just splash the cash to acquire Fofana last year for a fee around £10m on a whim, however, with the 21-year-old a revelation at his former employers in Molde FK, with a mightily impressive 34 goal contributions managed from just 65 games in Norway.

Yet, the bumper move to West London just hasn't gone to plan for Fofana so far, with Le Bris perhaps the best manager to get more out of the £30k-per-week youngster now – as per Capology – having already managed to get two goals out of Eliezer Mayenda this fresh Championship campaign, after he fired blanks under previous Black Cats bosses.

Labelled as being an "outstanding" talent by now ex-Clarets manager Kompany after scoring this screamer versus West Ham United last campaign, this also feels like a purchase that suits the Sunderland ethos of developing young and hungry gems more so than forking out wads of cash to sign Mendy.

The 31-year-old does boast an unbelievable goal return of 101 goals from 291 professional appearances, but Sunderland are now going full steam ahead to find a striker away from their previous interest in the Caen man, as a move for Fofana potentially goes down to the wire.

Imagine him & Jobe: Sunderland in positive talks over Ekwah replacement

Sunderland could forget all about Pierre Ekwah with this late buy.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 29, 2024