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“” (See ball, hit ball)Speaking to for the BCCI website, this was how KL Rahul summed up his approach and mindset after getting to a start in India’s pursuit of 208 against West Indies in the T20I series opener in Hyderabad. In stark contrast to his captain Virat Kohli’s early struggles at the other end, Rahul seamlessly built on his start and converted it into a 40-ball 62. It was Rahul’s innings that set the scene for the angry Kohli masterclass in the latter half of the chase.When Rahul had broken into first-class cricket in 2010, he was a proper top-order batsman whose game was founded on the old-school virtues: leaving anything that’s wide of off stump and playing the balls that threaten the stumps with a dead-straight bat.Rahul, however, unlocked the white-ball monster in him during IPL 2018, when he racked up 659 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 158.41. He followed it up with 593 runs in 14 matches in 2019, having expanded his range with a variety of sweeps, scoops and big hits. Some of that funkiness has perhaps seeped into his red-ball game and as a result he has been jettisoned from the Test squad.His white-ball form, though, is reaching a stage where it might be just too hard to ignore. Rahul might not have even started the series had Shikhar Dhawan been fit. This, despite being at the forefront of Karnataka’s 20-overs Syed Mushtaq Ali title defence. Rahul had tallied 313 runs in eight innings at an average of 52.16 and strike rate of 155.72, including some tough runs on spin-friendly tracks in Surat.On the eve of the T20I series against West Indies, Kohli was even asked if the management might consider bumping Rishabh Pant to the top, but the India captain shot that thought down quickly and indicated that Rahul will slot in alongside Rohit Sharma.1:45

Trying to make best use of chance at the top of the order – KL Rahul

Rohit picked out deep midwicket for 8 off 10 balls in India’s steep chase in Hyderabad and Kohli just couldn’t find his bearings early on at the other end. West Indies’ bowlers, particularly Sheldon Cottrell, varied their pace and lengths smartly to make life more difficult for India.After Cottrell had softened Rohit with a length ball that burst off the track and pinged his right glove, left-arm fingerspinner Khary Pierre made the incision for West Indies. However, Rahul continued to pick off runs in risk-free fashion.Having all the shots is one thing and knowing when to use them is another. When Cottrell or Holder found some extra bounce and aimed for the fourth stump, Rahul simply rode it and tapped it behind point, down towards third man.Only when the ball was well short and wide of off did Rahul unleash the full-blooded cut. Hayden Walsh Jr. was the best fielder of CPL 2019, his athletic interventions at backward point turned games as much as his wristspin did for eventual champions Barbados Tridents. Just ask West Indies and Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard. It was a moment of brilliance in the field from Walsh Jr. that ran out Pollard in the second qualifier and KO’d Knight Riders.On Friday night, Rahul cracked a brace of square-cuts, beating a sprawling Walsh Jr. – both to his left and right for fours. Then, after bedding in, in the last over of the Powerplay, Rahul brought out his attacking enterprise. He backed away to left-arm fingerspinner Pierre and slog-swept him over square leg for six. See ball, hit ball.In the next over, Rahul used the extra pace of Walsh Jr. to his advantage and dabbed him fine of short third man for four. He also rotated the strike without much fuss and raised his fifty off 37 balls. During the process, Rahul passed 1000 T20I runs in his 29th innings.Just when Rahul was about to hit full tilt, having sent Kesrick Williams and Pierre for sixes over midwicket, he holed out to long-off while attempting a third six. By then, Kohli had found his touch and India eventually sailed to victory.”[It’s] important to lay a solid foundation as an opener because there are power hitters in the back end,” Rahul told after the match. “Playing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy helped a lot. Doesn’t matter how many hours you spend in the nets. Winning games gives me the most confidence. Did that with Karnataka, happy to do it with India. Good that I can carry my confidence across tournaments.”Rahul has two more T20Is in this series to extend his rich white-ball form and give the Indian management another happy headache in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia – the scene of his Test debut – next year.”It’s a long way [away], honestly,” Rahul said of the T20 World Cup, at the post-match press conference. “I’ve got the opportunity to bat at the top of the order again after a couple of series. So [I’m] looking forward to just making the best use of it. Today was a good outing, a good hit in the middle, and hopefully I just continue the same thing and not worry about October next year, there are a lot of games before that.”

Southampton, after finishing bottom of the Premier League last season in a disastrous campaign overall, have a real chance of an immediate return back to the top flight this season.

Although their chances at finishing in the top two look rather far-fetched now, with Leeds United pulling away from the Saints amidst a poor run of form for Southampton, Russell Martin won't be fazed by his side potentially entering into the lottery of the playoffs with the immense quality at his disposal on the South Coast.

The likes of Adam Armstrong, Flynn Downes and many others for Martin's men have stood out in the drop-down to the second tier, with the ex-Newcastle United striker in particular taking the Championship by storm with 18 goals fired in from 36 appearances.

Despite so many of the current Saints camp excelling and getting supporters at St. Mary's out of their seats with enthralling displays, there is no doubt still some lingering regret from a Southampton perspective about how things ended up with this dud when he was sold on nearly three years ago in 2021.

Mario Lemina's time at Southampton

Southampton would break the bank to land Mario Lemina in 2017, going above and beyond to sign the ex-Juventus central midfielder by forking out a club-record fee that rose to £18m.

The deal at the time was viewed as a coup from the Saints, with then Southampton vice-chairman Les Reed labelling their new Gabonese recruit as "outstanding."

However, much like other bodies through the door in that summer transfer window and later in January – with Wesley Hoedt and Guido Carillo never really settling at St. Mary's in other major flops – Lemina would struggle to ever really show why the Saints splashed significant amounts of money to land him.

1. GK – Fraser Forster

2. RB – Cedric Soares

3. CB – Maya Yoshida

4. CB – Jack Stephens

5. LB – Ryan Bertrand

6. CM – Mario Lemina

7. CM – Oriol Romeu

8. RW – Dusan Tadic

9. CAM – Steven Davis

10. LW – Nathan Redmond

11. ST – Manolo Gabbiadini

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Even on his Premier League debut, Lemina would last just 65 minutes before James Ward-Prowse would come on in his place – the ex-Southampton midfield icon coincidentally joining the Hammers last year after stealing Lemina's thunder against them.

The former Juventus man would go on to make 52 appearances for Southampton over two forgettable seasons, before leaving the South Coast outfit behind for the luxuries of France in OGC Nice.

Southampton would make a disastrous loss on their one-time record-breaking signing, but would have probably been thankful just to have him off their books after two loan spells out at Galatasaray and Fulham illustrated Lemina's lack of desire to stay put with the Saints and fight it out for his spot.

According to Football Transfers, the Ligue 1 side would manage to swoop in and sign the Saints dud for a reduced fee of €5.5m (£4.7m) which was a far cry away from the extortionate £18m once needed to acquire the Gabonese midfielder from a Southampton point of view.

To the 6-foot holding midfielder's credit, he has managed to turn around his stuttering career since which started when relocating to France after waving goodbye to St. Mary's.

Mario Lemina's redemption after Southampton

Lemina would slot straight into the Nice set-up seamlessly after a stop-start time in England, making 32 appearances in his first season in Ligue 1 and bagging two goals along the way.

One of those efforts would be a sweetly struck first-time shot finding the back of the net against RC Lens to help his new employers win 2-1, Lemina loving his football again in an eclectic Nice set-up that saw him line up alongside faces such as Kasper Dolberg and Justin Kluivert to name but a few.

That would catch the eye of Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, who would be successful in their approach for the ex-Saints flop in January last year with a bid of €11m (£9.4m) enough to tempt Nice into parting ways with their redeemed star-man.

Lemina would join the Wolves ranks mid-way through the 2022/23 campaign, with his importance to the cause at Molineux only elevated at the end of this season when the likes of Ruben Neves in holding midfield exited amidst widespread change at the club.

Now, Lemina is a true midfield machine in the West Midlands under Gary O'Neil with any demons from his Southampton move not working out very much now just an after-thought.

Mario Lemina's time at Wolves

Described as being an "unbelievable" footballer by football scout Umir early into his Wolves career, Lemina is arguably one of the first names on O'Neil's teamsheet now when he ponders his Old Gold starting lineups.

The former Saints midfielder has made an appearance in 25 of Wolves' 28 games this campaign in the league, with Lemina's team punching above their weight in the Premier League sitting pretty in ninth spot.

The imposing presence of Lemina in the middle of the park has enabled Wolves to dream big, the Old Gold number five maturing into a resilient defensive option for his West Midlands employers on top of being a reliable source of goals.

This campaign alone, in all competitions, Lemina has more than doubled his paltry Southampton goal tally of two with five next to his name.

The midfielder ended up netting in back-to-back games last December as Wolves picked up two wins in a row against Chelsea and Brentford, heading home against the Blues to make it 1-0 on Christmas Eve during that mini purple patch.

Lemina will just be grateful that he has managed to find his stride in English football with Wolves, after a rocky time of it on the South Coast had left many doubting his star quality.

The vital cog in the Wolves machine could well be reminded of his past Southampton connections head on next season though, if Martin's men end up jumping back up into the promised land of the Premier League at the first try.

Despite spending an exorbitant sum of money, it has been a tough couple of years for Chelsea fans.

The west Londoners went through four managers last season only to end up 12th in the Premier League, whereas this year, they have stuck with Mauricio Pochettino – for now – and are currently 11th.

So far, Todd Boehly and Co's plan to spend big on youngsters has not worked out, and while it could still come good in the end, there are several players on big wages at the club who probably shouldn't be.

In fact, one signing from last year is on substantially more than Conor Gallagher despite making little to no impact since joining.

How much Conor Gallagher earns at Chelsea

Gallagher, a boyhood Chelsea fan, has been with the club for his entire footballing journey. He fought his way through the various youth sides and impressed out on loan before finally taking his chance and staking a claim for a spot in the first team.

The Epsom-born gem made his full debut for the club against Leeds United on the 21st of August 2022 in the Premier League, although it wasn't quite the introduction to the team that he would've hoped for as the Peacocks beat them 3-0.

Starting XI on Gallagher's full debut

Leeds United 3 – 0 Chelsea: August 2022

GK – Edouard Mendy

RB – Reece James

CB – Thiago Silva

CB – Kalidou Koulibaly

LB – Marc Cucurella

CM – Jorginho

CM – Conor Gallagher

RM – Ruben Loftus-Cheek

LM – Mason Mount

ST – Kai Havertz

ST – Raheem Sterling

All Data via Transfermarkt

In fact, the Englishman's first season in the team probably didn't go quite as well as he was hoping it would as, after making 45 appearances, he had just three goals and one assist to his name, although considering he played just 2022 minutes, it isn't as a poor a return as it first looks.

However, the 24-year-old has dramatically improved this season, scoring four goals and providing six assists in just 36 appearances while also captaining the side on 17 occasions in the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

In all, it would be quite hard to argue that the "heart" of the club, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, isn't deserving of his £50k-per-week wages, especially as there's another player in the team earning substantially more than that while making comparatively little impact.

How much Benoît Badiashile earns at Chelsea

There are quite a few players who earn more than Gallagher in Chelsea's current squad – 18 to be exact – including Robert Sanchez, Nicolas Jackson, and Axel Disasi, but perhaps the most surprising is Benoît Badiashile.

The French centre-back is currently bringing home a healthy pay packet of £90k-per-week, which is £40k-per-week more than the stand-in captain, or almost double.

Now, while a wage of £90k-per-week is unimaginable for the vast majority of people, it is not terribly abnormal in the Premier League, and so, if Badiashile was regularly playing for Chelsea, it might be easier to understand, but he's not.

Benoît Badiashile's Chelsea career

Appearances

23

Cost per Appearance

£1.7m

Minutes

1791'

Cost per Minute

£22k-per-minute

Goals

2

Assists

1

All Stats via Transfermarket

In all, the former AS Monaco man has made 23 appearances since completing his £35m move last January, and while a large part of that is due to the 25 games he has missed through injury, it's also been down to a slew of less-than-ideal performances.

For example, when he was selected to start at Anfield in January, he looked utterly hopeless, putting in a display that Gabby Agbonlahor described as "dreadful" and "the worst centre-half performance I've seen in the Premier League."

He was also directly responsible for Newcastle United's opening goal in the club's League Cup tie in December, only avoiding serious criticism thanks to the 92nd-minute equaliser from Mykhailo Mudryk.

Considering his 60 weeks of wages, which amount to £5.4m, and the £35m transfer fee he originally cost the club, it is hard not to look at that £40m as money wasted, at least for now.

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Ultimately, the young Frenchman is only 22 years old, and he could well come good for Chelsea, but given his consistent injury problems and less-than-stellar performances when he is fit, the signs aren't great.

تحدث محمود حسن تريزيجيه، لاعب منتخب مصر، عن مواجهة موريتانيا، في التصفيات المؤهلة لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع موريتانيا مساء غد الجمعة 11 أكتوبر، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثالثة للمجموعة الثالثة من تصفيات كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025.

طالع.. دونجا يعلن حجم إصابته مع منتخب مصر وموقفه من مباراة موريتانيا الثانية

واكتفى تريزيجيه بتصريحات متقتضبة خلال المؤتمر الصحفي، وقال: “مباراة موريتانيا مهمة جدًا، نحن نحترم كل المنتخبات سنظل نحلم بأن نصل دائمًا لأعلى مستوى”.

ومن المقرر أن يخرج المنتخب الوطني لمواجهة موريتانيا على ملعب “شيخا ولد بيديا” في العاصمة نواكشوط، يوم الثلاثاء 15 أكتوبر الجاري، في السابعة مساء، ضمن مباريات الجولة الرابعة بالمجموعة الثالثة من التصفيات المؤهلة لبطولة أمم أفريقيا 2025.

ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة لـ تصفيات كأس أمم إفريقيا، بجانب الرأس الأخضر وموريتانيا وبوتسوانا.

يذكر، أن منتخب مصر فاز في مباراتي الجولتين الأولى والثانية على الرأس الأخضر وبوتسوانا ويتصدر ترتيب المجموعة بـ 6 نقاط.

Derby County will aim to head back to winning ways on Tuesday night, making the long journey down to Exeter City, the Rams nowhere near their attacking best last match up against Shrewsbury in a 1-1 draw.

Only registering three shots on target in a blunt display against Paul Hurst's lowly Shrews, Paul Warne will look at what he can do to his starting XI to overcome the Grecians up next and not fall victim to another off-day in-front of goal.

Joe Ward could well be one casualty to Warne's lineup for the lengthy trip to Devon as a result, the summer signing from Peterborough United underwhelming mores time than not when pulling on a Rams strip this season.

Joe Ward's performance vs Shrewsbury in numbers

Only lasting for 45 minutes before being substituted off indicates that Warne wasn't best impressed with Ward's showing at the weekend, the below-par right winger frustrating those watching on at Pride Park in the process.

The Derby number 23 would give up possession nine times from just 28 touches of the ball against the Shrews, on top of only completing one accurate cross for the likes of James Collins to try and latch onto.

The underperforming ex-Posh man was also weak when it came to asserting himself into duels, only winning one out of the five duels that came his way.

Ward's passive display might well have allowed Hurst's underdogs to grow in confidence and not feel scared about playing a team near the top-end of League One, with Aaron Pierre then managing to equalise late on for the plucky visitors to steal a surprise share of the points.

Derbyshire Live journalist Josh Holland was critical of Ward's forgettable 45 minutes in his post-match thoughts, handing out a 5/10 rating to the 5 foot 6 midfielder who 'really struggled to get into the game'.

With Warne needing his players to be more switched on and ruthless even when facing off against opposition they should comfortably overcome, the Rams boss could axe Ward from his starting lineup for the trip to Exeter tonight.

Tom Barkhuizen is the logical replacement for the sub-par Derby number 23, with the ex-Preston North End man far more dangerous going forward in his second half showing than Ward last time out.

Tom Barkhuizen's season in numbers

Barkhuizen very much fits the mould of the ageing Derby team Warne has at his disposal, with the tricky attacker being 30 years of age.

Yet, even as his career gradually winds down, the Rams number seven has been a thorn in the side for many League One defences this season with the 5 foot 10 winger onto six goals in all competitions from 31 appearances.

The experienced midfielder – who is comfortable playing down both channels – stood out when Derby had to mount a comeback to win against Burton Albion last month – helping himself to a goal and an assist in a standout individual display that steered the Rams back on course to a dramatic 3-2 win.

Minutes played

89

Goals

1

Assists

1

Key passes

3

Shots on target

3

Passes completed

18/26 (69%)

The former Preston man tried his hardest to help his team pull off another win against Shrewsbury when introduced into the contest, but his best efforts were to no avail – hitting a solitary effort off target on a poor collective day at the office for Warne's promotion chasers.

Described as being "brilliant" by football journalist Leigh Curtis early into his Rams career, the £7.6k-per-week winger will hope he has done enough to break back into the first-team fold against Exeter tonight.

Derby can't afford many more slip-ups if they want to make that second spot in the third tier their own, meaning Ward's time in the starting lineup could now be up as Warne becomes more cut-throat with the pressure intensifying.

Will Bangladesh change their plans for who the finisher will be and what is their best bowling combination to face South Africa?

Mohammad Isam28-May-2019Will they break the grand plan for Mosaddek?The first big question that will be posed in front of captain Mashrafe Mortaza, coach Steve Rhodes, chief selector Minhajul Abedin and BCB president Nazmul Hassan, ahead of their game against South Africa is whether they should break their long-term plan to bat Sabbir Rahman at No. 7 in order to accommodate Mosaddek Hossain.The plan was so ingrained in their thinking that the BCB reduced Sabbir’s ban for abusing a fan on Facebook to ensure he played the three ODIs against New Zealand back in February. But even though he struck his maiden ODI hundred during that series, Sabbir’s form of late hasn’t been as encouraging.And then came Mosaddek’s blinder against West Indies in the tri-series final, especially his sudden six-surge during a chase. Bangladesh have been searching for years for at least one lower-order batsman to be able to do something similar. Sabbir was their marked man for this role but now Mosaddek’s case looks stronger.PLAY: Who will win the World Cup? Take part in Cricket Picks and have your sayRubel or Saifuddin, or both?Mohammad Saifuddin’s all-round abilities give him the edge over Rubel Hossain, who has, however, the experience of playing two previous World Cups and being a match-winner on occasion. It is not quite a secret that Mashrafe has considerable faith in him and has said often that he prefers Rubel in the death overs.Saifuddin hasn’t had enough performances to warrant the same unflinching faith but the general habit in Bangladesh cricket is to risk a youngster on a big occasion.Given the conditions, they could also play both Rubel and Saifuddin, if they feel picking Mehidy Hasan would make it one spinner too many. But Mehidy’s accuracy with the ball, and his batting, could make him a starter.Does Liton’s fifties give him an outside chance?Suddenly, Liton Das has also thrown himself in the mix, especially after his fifties against India in the practice match and against Ireland two weeks ago. It is unlikely that they would break the Tamim Iqbal-Soumya Sarkar opening combination, and Liton has largely been picked as their back-up. However, in the two chances he has been given so far he has looked in good touch.In the event of the team management seriously considering including Liton. they would have to reshuffle the batting order again. It would mean Shakib Al Hasan being sent to No. 5 after he has established himself at No. 3 since the start of 2018. And it would also mean Mohammad Mithun, who was the only notable performer in the ODI series against New Zealand back in February, sitting out.Who will take the new ball?Bangladesh haven’t done too well with the new ball this year. Mashrafe has been the only constant during the first Powerplay, with Saifuddin and Mustafizur Rahman at times giving him company. Rubel is said to be more comfortable bowling in the middle and death overs, while Saifuddin is still developing. They tried Abu Jayed for a couple of games but he is only going to play if the conditions are conducive to swing. Mashrafe and Mustafizur therefore seem to be the most likely pairing but if that isn’t working, Mashrafe has also not been shy to bring Shakib and Mehidy into the attack early.

Leeds United were in "advanced" talks to complete their first signing of the January window, according to one journalist, but there's been a twist.

Leeds looking to sign new defender

The Whites have been quiet so far in the winter market, Daniel Farke’s side doing their talking on the pitch as they push for immediate promotion from the Championship.

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Second-tier wins over Birmingham City, Cardiff City, Preston North End and Norwich City have seen Leeds close the gap on Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton.

Farke has recently hinted at the need for new signings but also admitted that getting the right players in is proving tough.

Additions in defence, especially at fullback, have been linked, with Liverpool’s Calvin Ramsay, Tottenham Hotspur’s Ben Davies, West Ham’s Ben Johnson, Burnley’s Connor Roberts and Everton’s Ben Godfrey all rumoured targets.

Daiki Hashioka transfer update

According to Belgian journalist David Van den Broeck, the Whites were in “advanced” talks to sign Daiki Hashioka from Jupiler Pro League side Sint-Truiden, and the player was reportedly keen on a move to Elland Road.

However, following this claim, The Telegraph's Mike McGrath stated that Luton Town were also in talks to sign Hashioka on a permanent deal, and Phil Hay has added that Hasioka is now "off" to join the Hatters at Kenilworth Road.

Hashioka is a right-back who made a permanent move to his current employers from Urawa Reds Diamonds back in 2022. The Japan international is valued at a career-high €2m by Transfermarkt and has also made a number of appearances as a right-midfielder alongside his favoured full-back role.

Sint-Truiden

91

2

14

Urawa Reds

96

6

7

Japan

7

0

0

At Elland Road, Archie Gray has made the right-back spot his own this season, with Djed Spence’s loan spell from Spurs coming to an end earlier this month and Luke Ayling joining Middlesbrough.

Therefore, Gray, Sam Byram and Jamie Shackleton are the current options for Farke, so bringing in an experienced option like Hashioka could have been a shrewd move by the Whites, but by the looks of things, a deal is off and the club will have to look elsewhere in the final days of the market.

Arsenal know what they need this January; a goal-scoring striker capable of firing them to Premier League glory.

Simple stuff, right? Think again. The January window is a notoriously difficult one to do business in with your typical selling club unwilling to move from some pretty remarkable asking prices.

A £100m price tag has been slapped on their reported no.1 target Ivan Toney this month while fellow target Victor Osimhen boasts a £120m asking price. That sort of money isn't going to be paid this month, particularly after spending £105m on Declan Rice last summer.

It's why Getafe striker, Borja Mayoral, at a mere £39m has been touted with a move instead. A deal in that price region is far more realistic over the coming weeks if the Gunners are to improve their forward line.

A surprise move for Arsenal this January

With the likes of Toney and Osimhen out of their reach for the next month, at least, alternative options will have to be weighed up.

Genoa forward Joshua Zirkzee is one alternative for Edu and Co, who boasts a reported £50m valuation. The dilemma for Arsenal, however, is how far they go this month to bring in a striker.

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If they can wait until the summer then the market may well be easier to navigate. Therefore, a short-term option could be considered by the club's transfer team.

Karim Benzema anyone? Well, this time last year the Frenchman was linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

The prolific striker's contract was coming to an end with Real Madrid and Arsenal, alongside Manchester United, were reportedly in the race to sign the now 36-year-old on a free transfer.

Well, a year on and after just a matter of months in Saudi Arabia, Benzema is unhappy. The veteran has missed numerous training sessions since the turn of the year and could be on the lookout for a move away.

It must be noted that Arsenal haven't explicitly been named as suitors yet this time around but we know that the club appreciate his talent based on reports a year ago. Could a move be on the cards? It's far-fetched no doubt but for the second half of the season there are worse shouts.

How Karim Benzema compares to Gabriel Jesus

No matter who it is, Arsenal need to bolster their forward options this winter. Gabriel Jesus is injured again and has only scored three Premier League goals this season anyway.

As for Eddie Nketiah, he has failed to find the net in the nine league outings that have preceded his hat-trick against Sheffield United at the back end of October.

Therefore, a proper goal-scoring machine is required. Mikel Arteta's side have only won one of their last five Premier League games and have scored one goal in their last three matches from a whopping 61 shots. It's grim reading.

Benzema, for all of his flaws when it comes to attitude and such, would be a spectacular signing in a bid to improve that horrendous record.

If a loan move could be arranged then it saves Arsenal money and gives them time to subsequently splash the cash in January on the right player, rather than someone like Mayoral who they may be less convinced about.

Notably hailed as "the best no.9 in the world" by Zinedine Zidane and "the best of his generation by far" courtesy of Jean-Pierre Papin, it would be foolish to look away from such a player, even if it goes against the club's general transfer policy over the last two years. Compared to Jesus, he is certainly streets ahead in the goal department.

2023/24

20

12

5

2022/23

43

31

6

2021/22

46

44

15

2023/24

21

7

3

2022/23

33

11

8

2021/22

41

13

12

Such jaw-dropping form for Benzema saw him officially crowned as the best player on the globe for 2022 when he lifted the famous Ballon d'Or.

The French forward's form may have dropped a tad since that illustrious moment but despite his declining age, he remains one of the most feared strikers on the planet.

For a mere six months on loan, this could well be a signing that powers Arsenal to the title and rather sadly, banishes Jesus from the starting XI in the process. They need a goal-scoring sensation and in Benzema, they'd find one of the best in that department on the planet. It's worth a thought, surely?

Jadon Sancho claimed that he is still in the dark on a possible permanent move from Manchester United amid reports that Erik ten Hag could be sacked.

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• Sancho shining on loan at Dortmund
• Winger has yet to decide on his future
• Could potentially stay on in Germany

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a public spat with Ten Hag, Sancho was shipped off on loan to his former employers at Borussia Dortmund. After a slow start to his second innings in Germany, tallying three goals and two assists across 17 appearances, Sancho sprung back to his best against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday evening.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sancho's exceptional display, which saw him become the first English player to execute more than 11 take-ons in a single Champions League match, has sparked interest in his stock. The German outfit are guaranteed Champions League football for next season which could further prompt them to seek a permanent transfer for the winger from United.

• WHAT SANCHO SAID

  Reflecting on his time at Dortmund, Sancho expressed his pleasure at being back in Germany but remained uncertain about his future.

  "Obviously, I came here at 17, and they gave me the opportunity to play professional football, so I'm just delighted with all staff and players that welcome me back," he said.

  When former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, further pressed on his future, Sancho replied, "Who me? I really don't know. I'm just focused on the present right now."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Sacnho's brilliant run in Europe makes him a strong contender for England's Euro 2024 campaign. However, the forward is not taking anything for granted and remains determined to keep giving his best, adding: "I take it game by game and performances like today I hope it carries on."

تقدم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، على نظيره مودرن سبورت، في المباراة الجارية الآن، بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري الممتاز.

الأهلي يلاقي مودرن سبورت، ضمن مواجهات الأسبوع الـ34 والأخير من عمر بطولة الدوري المصري هذا الموسم 2023-2024.

طالع..خاص.. الأهلي يوافق على رحيل لاعبه رغم الخسارة الفنية

وسجل عمر كمال عبد الواحد الهدف الأول للأهلي في المباراة في الدقيقة 53، بعدما استلم كرة عرضية متقنة من الناشئ محمد رأفت ليضعها بسهولة في الشباك.

الأهلي حسم لقب بطولة الدوري قبل نهاية المسابقة بـ3 جولات كاملة، ويتصدر الآن الترتيب برصيد 85 نقطة.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، يتواجد فريق مودرن سبورت في المركز السادس بجدول ترتيب الدوري برصيد 51 نقطة. هدف الأهلي أمام مودرن سبورت