Mohammad Amir has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 27-year-old left-arm quick, however, has said he will continue playing white-ball cricket for Pakistan.Amir brings his Test career to a close with 119 wickets at an average of 30.47. His Test career was split into two parts. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in July 2009 and played 14 Tests, picking up 51 wickets at 29.09, before being banned for five years for his role in the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal. After his return in July 2016, he played 22 Tests, taking 68 wickets at 31.51. The retirement has come at a time of excellent returns across formats for Amir. Since the start of 2018, he has taken 24 wickets in six Tests at an average of 21.00, and in the recently concluded World Cup he was Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker with 17 at 21.05.Unlike other fast bowlers who have given up the longest format in their 20s, Amir has not suffered too many injury setbacks. But his workload has been a major talking point. In the time since his return, Amir has bowled the seventh-most overs in international cricket, across formats, among fast bowlers worldwide. Among Pakistan’s fast bowlers, he has bowled 419 overs more than Hasan Ali in second place.The physical toll led Amir to contemplate Test retirement last year, but he put that decision off, after coming to an agreement with Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur to manage his workload in order to extend his career.”Cricket is different since 2010 and if you look back I have lost five precious years of my career,” Amir told ESPNcricinfo then. “Just imagine had I played in all those years, the count could have been 70-80 Tests.”I can’t roll back that lost time but I can manage my workload to extend my career as much as I can. With every passing day I’m getting older and I know fans want me to play. But if you look rationally I’m human and not an iron man. My passion is still there and I want to be there for fans, serving the country for a long time.”Has Mohammad Amir lived up to his potential?•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Now Pakistan fans will only see him in the green ODI and T20I kit, and not the Test whites.”It has been an honour to represent Pakistan in the pinnacle and traditional format of the game,” Amir said in a statement. “I, however, have decided to move away from the longer version so I can concentrate on white ball cricket.”Playing for Pakistan remains my ultimate desire and objective, and I will try my best to be in the best physical shape to contribute in the team’s upcoming challenges, including next year’s ICC T20 World Cup.”It has not been an easy decision to make and I have been thinking about this for some time. But with the ICC World Test Championship commencing shortly, and Pakistan boasting some very exciting young fast bowlers, it is appropriate that I call on my time in Test cricket so that the selectors can plan accordingly.”I want to thank all my team-mates as well the opponents in red ball cricket. It has been a privilege to play with and against them. I am sure our paths will continue to cross in limited-overs cricket as all of us play and compete with the same vigour and determination.”I also want to thank the PCB for providing me the opportunity to don the golden star on my chest. And, I am grateful to my coaches who have groomed me at various stages of my career.”

Arsenal had to sit on the sidelines and watch the FA Cup action over the weekend, but following their thumping 5-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out, spirits are high.

That said, the arrival of a new face before the transfer window slams shut this week could help further lift the mood, especially as the latest name touted for a move to N5 could mimic Leandro Trossard's fantastically successful move last January.

What's better is that this player's finishing ability has been compared to arguably the greatest Premier League player of all time: Thierry Henry.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Conducting the right transfer has become something of an art form in the modern game, with a plethora of different strategies and ways of looking at the market, but in this case, it seems as if Arsenal are simply looking to repeat the same trick they pulled last year and head to the Amex for their latest star.

According to reports from Spain, the Gunners are keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion ace Karou Mitoma, either this month or in the summer if it comes to that.

The report has revealed that it is Mikel Arteta himself who is pushing for this transfer, although the club are set to face some stiff competition, with Manchester United and Manchester City both big fans of the Japanese international and keen to add him to their ranks this year.

If the north Londoners can get their man this month, it would be the second January in a row in which they have signed the Seagulls' premier winger. However, with the Mirror reporting last month that any deal would cost in the region of £70m, it would be a far more expensive transfer than the one for the Belgian.

How Mitoma compares to Arsenal's left-wingers

The Gunners are blessed with an incredibly talented team – of that there can be no doubt – and while this talent certainly extends to the left wing in the shape of Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, it stops there, and neither one has lit the league alight this season.

On a pure league goals and assists basis, the Japanese superstar has his potential new teammates beat, registering three goals and four assists in just 17 appearances.

In comparison, the Belgian has scored four times and assisted once in 17 appearances, and the Brazilian has four goals and two assists in his 19 league appearances.

Mitoma

Martinelli

Trossard

17

19

17

3

4

4

4

2

1

7

6

5

The "insane" 26-year-old, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, isn't just impressive because of his numbers, though, as in his short time in the Premier League, he has already racked up quite the catalogue of impressive goals and mazy runs.

In fact, his finishing was something that former teammate Christian Burgess flagged to Sky Sports, with the Englishman claiming that Mitomoa "finishes like Thierry Henry," which could be just the thing to convince Arsenal fans that he is a player worth signing, and when you watch his goal compilations, it's impossible to miss.

Ultimately, with the opportunity to end the club's two-decade title drought still within reach and Martinelli and Trossard not quite at the races this season, signing Mitoma should take precedence as one of the Gunners' critical objectives before the window ends.

Moreover, the sight of a left-sided forward bursting down the wing before gently guiding the ball into the far corner has been missing from the Emirates for far too long.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na primeira colocação do Campeonato Maranhense e nas quartas de final da Copa do Nordeste, o Sampaio Corrêa segue se reforçando para a temporada. A mais nova contratação da Bolívia Querida é o zagueiro Victor Oliveira.

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Com passagens pelo Atlético-GO, Fluminense, Paysandu e pelo futebol europeu, Victor aguarda apenas a aparição de seu nome no BID para poder estrear com a camisa do Sampaio.

No clube desde a última semana, o zagueiro de 26 anos e 1,90cm de altura, já está pronto fisicamente para jogar, já que no período que ficou sem clube, trabalhou com o preparador físico do sub-20 do Vila Nova para manter a forma.

Em vídeo divulgado nas redes sociais do clube, Victor mandou um recado ao torcedor.

– Fico feliz de chegar em uma semana tão importante para o clube, acredito que o grupo está preparado e chego com o intuito de poder ajudar. São duas partidas muito importantes, venho me preparando muito desde a minha chegada e estou a disposição – comentou o zagueiro.

O Sampaio encara o Moto Club nesta quarta-feira (14) em partida que decide o primeiro colocado da primeira fase do Campeonato Maranhense. No domingo (18), o compromisso da Bolívia Querida será diante do Ceará, pelas quartas de final da Copa do Nordeste.

Glasgow Rangers continued their 100% record in 2024 after securing passage into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals following a 2-0 win over Ayr United at the weekend.

As the saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked and the Light Blues are back in action this evening against Ross County, with Ibrox being the venue.

The Gers have the chance to move level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership table with a win over the Staggies tonight, and this is clearly all the motivation the starting XI need to hear.

Philippe Clement has totally transformed the club since taking over last October and won one trophy already in the bag this term. Could he secure what would be a sensational treble in the coming months?

With the tie tonight being their fourth game in 11 days, the rotation of his squad will be vital in order for the club to continue their excellent run and Clement will surely make a few changes to his team.

Rangers team news vs Ross County

Clement spoke to the media prior to the clash against Ross County this evening and gave an update on a couple of squad members, most notably Leon Balogun and Ryan Jack.

“Leon trained with a mask,” said Clement following Balogun’s withdrawal against Livingston after suffering a facial injury.

“We still need to make some adjustments with the mask. That’s always normal, I have some experience with that getting some knocks. So yeah we will see tomorrow how he is, if he can be in the squad or not.

“Ryan Jack will not be in the squad because he is still in a kind of individual programme to rebuild him.”

While Balogun may miss out, Jack will certainly be absent from the squad this evening.

Ryan Jack’s season in numbers

The midfielder has entered into the final few months of his contract at the Ibrox side, and with his recurring injury problems, might he depart at the end of the season?

Once a regular in the starting XI, Jack has been utilised as more of a rotation option this term, making just 21 appearances throughout 2023/24, of which only 12 have been starts.

Among the squad this season, Jack ranks in a lowly 11th spot for accurate passes per game (26.7), while also ranking 24th for tackles per game (0.2) and 16th for key passes per game (0.6), which clearly shows that even when he has been given a chance in the starting XI, the 31-year-old has failed to produce the goods.

With Clement signing Mohamed Diomande during the January transfer window, plus being able to call upon Nico Raskin, John Lundstram and even Dujon Sterling, his central midfield area looks stacked.

This could suggest Jack won't be given an extended contract, yet he still has a big part to play between now and the end of the season, especially with the club in a title race.

Against County, however, the Belgian manager will have to replace Jack and this could mean Lundstram comes back into the starting XI having been rested against Ayr last weekend.

John Lundstram will play against Ross County

Since Clement arrived in Glasgow, Lundstram has been one of the first names on the team sheet and his performances have been wonderful.

In fact, the former Sheffield United midfielder has missed just one match since then, a 2-0 win over Motherwell on Christmas Eve due to injury, and he has looked back to his old self under the Belgian.

The Englishman has been a rock in the heart of the midfield and his performances have been key to the Ibrox side going on a wonderful run under the former Club Brugge manager, losing just once since he took charge.

A rest against Ayr would have done him the world of good, and he will be thrust back into the starting XI this evening as County are the visitors to Ibrox.

John Lundstram’s future is still unclear

Like Jack, the 29-year-old is also out of contract at the end of the current campaign, yet his displays will surely mean Clement offers him an extension sooner rather than later.

The £22k-per-week dynamo has made 136 appearances for the Gers since joining in the summer of 2021 and has worked his way to being a key figure in the starting XI.

60.9

63.6

1.4

1.7

0.9

1

3.6

4

0

4

The first few months of his Ibrox career were a struggle as he took a while to adapt to the physical nature of Scottish football, but he found his feet during the club’s stunning run to the 2022 Europa League final.

Garnering “cult hero” praise from Ibrox legend Ally McCoist ahead of the final against Eintracht Frankfurt, Lundstram had proven the doubters wrong.

A difficult 2022/23 campaign in which the Gers failed to win any trophies while suffering humiliation in the Champions League group stages once again saw Lundstram face his critics, but he has responded well under Clement.

Indeed, across the whole squad, the midfielder currently ranks third for big chances created (four) in the top flight, along with ranking third for accurate passes per game (63.6), second for accurate long balls per game (5.4) and third for tackles per game (1.7), clearly showcasing his strengths across a range of performance metrics this season.

With these statistics, it is a no-brainer for him to be included back in the starting XI. The question is, who will partner him against County?

Tom Lawrence could potentially come back into the heart of the midfield having missed the Ayr clash due to a precaution, while Clement also has the likes of Raskin, Sterling and Diomande to choose from.

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It is not a bad selection headache to have, but the only important thing tonight is securing another three points and piling the pressure on Celtic ahead of the weekend.

Not many supporters felt there could be a title challenge when Michael Beale was sacked a few months ago, but it is testament to the wonderful job Clement has done since taking over at the Glasgow Side.

Former England batsmen Mark Ramprakash and Jonathan Trott have emerged as high-profile candidates for the role of the next India batting coach as the BCCI continues to interview a number of aspirants to appoint support staff this week.The board has started the recruitment process to find batting, bowling and fielding coaches for the men’s team and the interviews are scheduled to take place from Monday to Thursday.Ramprakash and Trott are understood to have been interviewed along with other candidates that include former Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera, as well as former Indian cricketers Pravin Amre, Amol Muzumdar, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Vikram Rathour. Former South Africa batsman Jonty Rhodes, who was the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians in the IPL until recently, and Ant Botha, who represented South Africa Under-19s before moving to England, have applied for the post of fielding coach. For the bowling coach position, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Amit Bhandari and Paras Mhambrey are understood to be among the applicants.The contracts of the head coach and the assistant coaches ended after the World Cup in July before they were all given 45-day extensions for the ongoing tour of the USA and the West Indies. The BCCI has since reappointed Ravi Shastri as head coach for another two years.ALSO READ: Kapil Dev-led CAC wants to be involved in selecting assistant coachesThe selection panel will send its shortlist of the final choices for the three positions to the board, which can involve the head coach before making the final decisions. It is believed that Shastri is likely to stick with his existing support staff – Sanjay Bangar (assistant coach), Bharat Arun (bowling) and R Sridhar (fielding) – all three being automatic entries in the recruitment process. These three men were handpicked by Shastri in 2014 when he joined the Indian dressing room as the team director. Bangar and Sridhar continued to keep their positions even during Shastri’s one-year absence in 2016-17 when Anil Kumble was the head coach, though Arun was dropped and then re-hired.Trott, meanwhile, has been invited to apply for the batting coach role with England Under-19s and England Lions. He is currently in a temporary role as batting coach at Kent, though he had a brief stint with the England side ahead of the Test against Ireland at Lord’s a few weeks ago.Interest in Ramprakash and Trott comes at a time when English coaches appear to be somewhat undervalued at home. The status of England coaches, however, does appear higher overseas. Paul Farbrace, the former England assistant coach, was also approached by both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – he declined both – while Michael Yardy, the former England allrounder, was recently appointed as New South Wales’ batting coach. Peter Moores is also understood to have been the subject of interest from South Africa in recent weeks, though he has declined to confirm the approach.

West Indies were bowled out effectively under a session’s worth of batting as they handed India a 318-run win, their biggest away win by runs

The Report by Varun Shetty25-Aug-2019
West Indies were blown away by Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul, falling to 100 all out in what was effectively under a session’s worth of batting as they went down by 318 runs, the visitors’ biggest away win by runs. In the process, Bumrah became the first bowler from Asia to take five-wicket hauls in Australia, England, South Africa and the West Indies, in only his 11th Test. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and 60 points in their inaugural World Test Championship match.India had set the hosts a target of 419 after declaring on 343 for 7 with Ajinkya Rahane registering a century and Hanuma Vihari scoring a brisk 93. West Indies, in reply, lasted only 26.5 overs.ALSO READ – Sidharth Monga: Bumrah perfects the outswinger, his latest weaponBumrah’s spell was built around hitting the stumps, specifically the off stump, whether the batsman was right- or left-handed. He did this four times, all against West Indies’ recognised batsmen, on the back of fast-moving deliveries.Left-hand opener John Campbell tried to drive Bumrah through the off side but only managed to offer a wide passage for the ball to swing in late and knock the off stump over. It was a fiery stamp on the game from Bumrah, who had looked off-colour in the first innings because of a stiff back. As if to add further strength to that bounceback, Bumrah produced a repeat of the ball to Darren Bravo, smashing his off stump in much the same manner off what turned out to be the last ball of the second session, with West Indies on 15 for 5 after nearly 113 overs in the field.It had all started with Kraigg Brathwaite’s wicket in Bumrah’s first over. A loose prod at a wide outswinger was Brathwaite’s downfall, with the thin edge carrying conveniently through to the keeper. Debutant Shamarh Brooks was in early, as a result, but minutes after Bumrah’s inswinger rattled Campbell’s stumps, he was the victim of a big inswinger from Ishant Sharma and was trapped in front of leg stump as he fell over trying to flick.Jasprit Bumrah is swarmed by his team-mates•Getty ImagesBumrah could have had a fourth before tea – India bowled only 45 balls for the five wickets they picked up in that session – but the edge he induced with an outswinger to Shimron Hetmyer was dropped at third slip by Virat Kohli. Kohli was visibly relieved in the very next over as Hetmyer chased an outswinger from Ishant and Rahane held on to it safely at gully.West Indies had reshuffled their batting order, possibly because of Roston Chase’s 38 overs and two innings of wicketkeeping for Shai Hope. They were both pushed a spot down from the first-innings order, but found themselves in the middle after only 7.3 overs in the chase, trying to salvage something for the hosts.Bumrah was having none of it. While the wickets of Campbell and Bravo came from full swingers, he deceived Hope off the surface. Bumrah was barely short of a good length in the second innings, and this meant he could straighten one from middle stump past Hope’s outside edge. West Indies had only just got past the lowest Test total ever – 26 by New Zealand – at that point.An exasperated Jason Holder showed no signs of putting up a fight, swatting a short ball straight to backward square leg to be dropped by Vihari off Ishant, then pulling Ravindra Jadeja for four from a good length two overs later. He could only get as far as the second ball of Bumrah’s next over – an outswinger from middle stump that squared him up before taking out off stump. That was Bumrah’s fifth wicket.Moments after an ironic applause when West Indies made it to 50, Mohammed Shami bowled a peach that left Chase from a good length and took his off stump.Kemar Roach, among the best bowlers in the Test, albeit with little fortune, proved a thorn with the bat as well. He struck five sixes, including three off one Jadeja over, as he put together West Indies’ highest partnership of the match for the last wicket with Miguel Cummins. From 50 for 9, the pair took West Indies to 100 in under seven overs. Six cleanly-struck sixes helped that cause, but Ishant had Roach top-edge a pull 20 minutes from stumps as India sealed the win, which took Kohli past Sourav Ganguly’s 11 for most away wins as captain, and on par with MS Dhoni’s 27 wins overall.Ajinkya Rahane celebrates his hundred•Associated PressWest Indies’ batting was far removed from India’s effort earlier in the day. Having begun the day 260 ahead, they stretched the lead to 418 on the back of Rahane’s 102 and Vihari’s 93.Rahane’s hundred was his tenth in Tests, and his first since August 2017. It’s a milestone that has eluded him for a while, so when he did manage to find it with a tuck behind square, the relief was telling. Rahane smiled, stretched his arms as he acknowledged the dressing room, and then fell to his knees and rested his head on the bat to take a moment. It had been a long time coming.The man to take charge for India in the second session was Vihari, though. Aside from his driving, he also played the shot of the day, a ramp off Shannon Gabriel that went for six over the third-man boundary. On a slow pitch, it was also fitting that such a shot came from a man who had been in the Caribbean with the India A team since the start of the month.In the push for a declaration, Vihari was given the time to pursue his hundred even after Rishabh Pant holed out to deep backward square-leg. Vihari swept a ball from wide outside off past midwicket to get into the 90s, but fell shortly after, trying to pull Holder and getting himself cramped to edge the ball to the keeper down the leg side.The run to the declaration had been set up in a first session where Rahane oozed patience once again. His first-innings fifty had its moments of nervousness and fidgeting, but on Sunday, he barely provided a chance. Starting the day on 53, he made full use of West Indies’ reliance on spin and generous fields – point and long-on were perennially out – and continued to build his innings around singles and twos. When the partnership approached 100, even he couldn’t resist stretching his arms and creaming a Holder delivery wide of mid-off on the rise. It was Holder, though, who eventually held the catch at mid-off as Rahane tried to chip Gabriel. That ended the stand on 135 for the fifth wicket, adding to the 82 they had put up in the first innings to save India the blushes.It was one of the few moments of cheer for West Indies, who had begun what turned out to be a humiliating day, when Kohli fell in the second over of the day for 51 by handing a catch to extra cover off a leading edge.

English referees Anthony Taylor and Stuart Atwell faced online wrath for "taking forever" to deny Xavi Simons' goal for Netherlands against France.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Simons thought he had put the Dutch ahead
• VAR denied him the goal
• Deemed an offside Dumfries to be interfering with the play

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a highly anticipated Euro 2024 group stage match between the Netherlands and France, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate, Taylor and Attwell found themselves at the centre of a storm following their decision to disallow a goal by Dutch youngster Simons – which sparked significant controversy and online backlash.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Many users expressed their frustration over the legitimacy and the time taken to reach the decision. The hashtag #VARcontroversy began trending, highlighting the widespread dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled.

  An X user, @ToonPolls, wrote: "English VAR drop the first clanger of the tournament. Shock. Couldn’t make it up man. #Euro2024."

  Meanwhile, @AnfieldSector, took a dig at Atwell and his team: "Fully English VAR team, by the way. Took 5 minutes out of the game for a simple VAR check. 😂😂😂."

  Whereas, @TikiTokaMate, added: "Longest VAR check being with the English officials, imagine my shock."

  Furthermore, @SwissRamble, wrote: "'Stuart Attwell on VAR'" must be among the worst words a football fan can hear."

  And @PaddyArsenal seconded him: "Every single decision at the Euros was made accurately and quickly then they got Stuart Attwell on VAR."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The critical moment occurred in the 69th minute of the match when Simons scored what appeared to be a breakthrough goal for the Netherlands. His low, driven shot found the back of the net, seemingly putting his team ahead against one of the tournament favourites, France. The Dutch fans and players erupted in celebration, believing they had secured a crucial lead. However, the celebrations were short-lived. Taylor, after consulting with VAR officials, decided to review the goal for a potential offside infringement. The review process was painstakingly long as the point of contention was the position of Denzel Dumfries, who was judged to be in an offside position and potentially obstructing the view of France's goalkeeper, Mike Maignan.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The fallout from the Netherlands-France match highlights the need for continued refinement of the VAR system. Recommendations include clearer guidelines for offside rulings, faster decision-making processes, and better communication with the on-field referee. After being spared the blushes by VAR, France will return to action against Poland on June 25, whereas, the Netherlands will take the pitch at the same time against Austria.

As part of the team’s new directive, the assistant coaches and all other technical staff will report directly to the newly-appointed interim team director Enoch Nkwe

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Aug-2019

Lance Klusener has been added to South Africa’s coaching staff•Gallo Images

Former South Africa allrounder Lance Klusener has been appointed the team’s assistant batting coach for the T20I leg of their India tour next month. Along with him, former South Africa assistant coach Vincent Barnes has been named the assistant bowling coach, while former batsman Justin Ontong has been given the assistant fielding coach role.As part of South Africa’s new plan, the assistant coaches and all other technical staff will report directly to the newly-appointed interim team director Enoch Nkwe, who will be in charge during the India tour, which comprises three T20Is and three Tests.Klusener represented South Africa in 49 Tests and 171 ODIs from 1996 to 2004. Considered one of the best allrounders of his generation, he collected 1906 runs and 80 wickets in Tests, as well as 3576 runs and 192 wickets in ODIs. He took up a coaching role with his domestic side Dolphins in 2012, before serving as the batting coach for Zimbabwe in 2016. In 2015, he was roped in by South Africa to tutor the lower order during their home series against England. Klusener was also appointed as the head coach of Glasgow Giants for the inaugural Euro T20 Slam, though the tournament was ultimately cancelled two weeks before the scheduled start.”In terms of the new team structure, the team director appoints his three assistant coaches who have specific skills focus in the three key disciplines of batting, bowling and fielding,” Corrie van Zyl, CSA’s acting director, said. “His [Klusener] record as one of the best allrounders in the world, particularly in white-ball cricket, during his playing career speaks for itself and he also has extensive coaching experience both at franchise and international level.”Barnes had been South Africa’s bowling and then assistant coach from 2003 until 2011 and has been CSA’s high-performance coach since 2011, while also working with the side’s elite fast-bowling group. Ontong represented South Africa in all three formats between 2001 and 2015. He also served as South Africa’s fielding coach under Ottis Gibson, before the restructure was announced earlier this month.”He [Barnes] also has extensive coaching experience at international level and his knowledge of playing conditions in India will make his contribution invaluable,” van Zyl said. “Vincent currently also fills the role of the HP Bowling Lead for CSA. Ontong meanwhile has built up a strong relationship with the players over the last two years and is an acknowledged expert in this department.”Enoch is targeting a batting coach who has extensive knowledge of Indian conditions for the Test series and we will be in a position to announce this successful candidate shortly.”Under CSA’s recent restructuring programme, the roles of head coach and team manager have been merged to create the team director’s post. CSA introduced the changes – including a decision against giving Gibson and the support staff contract extensions – as part of sweeping changes to the way the senior men’s team would be run after the disappointing 2019 World Cup.

With the transfer window closed, clubs must turn to the free agent market if they want to make further additions throughout the remainder of the season. We've already seen the likes of Derby County take full advantage of that to sign former Stoke City man Dwight Gayle and now we could see Sheffield Wednesday or Bolton Wanderers go down a similar route.

Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday eye free agent

The two clubs are in contrasting positions, of course, with Bolton competing for an automatic promotion spot in League One, sitting level on points with second-place Derby and only behind on goal difference. Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, are fighting to survive in the Championship and sit four points adrift of safety in England's second tier.

Yet, even though both are in such different circumstances, they remain level in the race to seal a deal that could go on to decide their fortunes, be that securing promotion or avoiding relegation. According to TeamTalk, Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton are eyeing moves to sign Ravel Morrison, who is once again a free agent following his release from DC United – the third club to release the former Manchester United youngster in his career.

Now 31-years-old, it really could be last chance saloon for Morrison, who must get his next move right. With Bolton and Sheffield Wednesday interested alongside Peterborough United, the midfielder has a crucial decision to make. Of course, if Morrison does complete a move to Bolton, then he will be directly competing against former club Derby in the race for promotion.

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What could add a bitter taste on top of potential promotion defeat at the hands of their former player is the fact that Morrison enjoyed his best spell at Derby, featuring at Pride Park more than any of his other 12 clubs, making a total of 38 appearances.

Morrison could get last chance at success

Morrison may look back on his career at what might have been rather than what was. A Manchester United academy graduate, the future was promising. Ultimately, however, his potential was left unfulfilled and now Morrison has been left facing the reality of awaiting one final chance of success in English football.

Manchester United

Academy graduate

January 31, 2012

West Ham United (released)

January 31, 2012

February 8, 2015

Birmingham City (loan)

August 6, 2012

June 30, 2013

QPR (loan)

February 19 , 2014

June 30, 2014

Cardiff City (loan)

September 24, 2014

December 16, 2014

Lazio

July 1, 2015

February 14, 2019

QPR (loan)

January 31, 2017

June 30, 2017

Atlas (loan)

August 31, 2017

June 30, 2018

Ostersund

February 14, 2019

July 16, 2019

Sheffield United

July 16, 2019

January 9, 2021

Middlesbrough (loan)

January 31, 2020

July 31, 2020

ADO Den Haag (released)

September 21, 2020

January 9, 2021

Derby County

August 7, 2021

July 21, 2022

DC United (released)

July 21, 2022

January 1, 2024

With Bolton, Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough reportedly exploring moves, Morrison will hope to finally settle into a side and avoid a fourth career release.

Chelsea have had something of an inconsistent 2023/24 season thus far. Despite reaching the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool last month, the Blues currently reside in 11th place, 14 points off the top four spots.

Granted, their form in the last campaign wasn't much better as Todd Boehly's team found themselves finishing the season in the bottom half of the table.

The last couple of years have been a major fall from grace for the west London club as, prior to Boehly's takeover, the side not only finished in the top half of the Premier League table, but they managed to achieve Champions League qualification.

So, despite the American spending over £1b in both transfer and loan fees since the start of his tenure, the Stamford Bridge club have made little obvious progress to date.

For example, in Saturday's clash against Brentford, the Blues had to rely on an 83rd-minute goal from Axel Disasi in order to gain a point from the encounter, the two sides playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw in west London.

It wasn't just Disasi who proved to be Chelsea's saviour this afternoon, however, one other player whom Boehly acquired from Ligue 1 having started to pick up form and showcase his ability. That player being, Malo Gusto.

Malo Gusto's game in numbers vs Brentford

Gusto has been a fairly consistent starter for Mauricio Pochettino this season due to the injuries which Reece James has suffered to date.

The France international has played a total of 26 times for Chelsea in all competitions this term and has provided his team with six assists – notably teeing up Nicolas Jackson's opener against the Bees with a delicious cross.

During the game, the promising defender also managed to successfully dribble past his opponents twice and win 66% of the duels which he attempted, as per Sofascore, having also chalked up three key passes from his wing-back berth,

The former Lyon man did, however, manage to lose the ball 17 times, although that was likely due to his willingness to make things happen for his side in a creative sense, seemingly more than deserving of his 7/10 match rating – as per GOAL.

The attack-minded defender wasn't the only Chelsea player who had a stellar game, however, as Disasi was the reason behind the Blues getting a point at all.

How well Disasi played against the Bees

Disasi is another one of Boehly's signings which seems to have aged well. The defender was signed for a fee in the region of £38m and has been a regular in Pochettino's squad.

The 25-year-old has appeared a total of 34 times for the west London club and has scored twice during that time.

Whilst these returns aren't the strongest, defenders are often not judged by the amount of goals they contribute to their team, rather, they are judged by the amount of goals they can keep out.

The former Monaco man largely did a stellar job at that during their meeting with Thomas Frank's side as he managed to win 60% of the duels which he attempted and cleared the ball a total of three times.

Disasi also had 81 touches of the ball, which is more than what Ben Chilwell managed despite the former Leicester man playing in a much more advanced role.

If the centre-back's form continues as it has been doing over the last few seasons, there is no reason as to why we won't be seeing the 6 foot 2 titan donning the blue of Chelsea for many years to come.