While they’ve spent more in windows past, this summer was another hectic one for Chelsea.

The Blues were able to generate a massive £288m in sales, which enabled them to sign a host of incredibly exciting players and still make a £3m profit.

The most promising addition so far has been Joao Pedro, but the likes of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Jorrel Hato could all look like sensational pickups in a few years from now.

However, while there is plenty to be happy about, some fans were left disappointed by the club’s decision not to sign Xavi Simons, who then moved to Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, with the Dutchman being compared to a former Chelsea signing who left having not lived up to expectations, maybe missing out on him isn’t the worst thing.

The Simons saga

Simons has been looked at as one of the most exciting young talents in European football for years now.

Stories of his brilliance in La Masia were doing the rounds as far back as 2017, when he was still just 14 years old, and while he never made it at Barcelona, the last few years have shown why so many were so excited about him.

The 22-year-old has racked up a tally of 33 goal involvements in 48 games for PSV Eindhoven and 46 in 78 games for RB Leipzig.

In short, it’s easy to see why Chelsea were so interested in the youngster for so long this summer, and reportedly had even reached an agreement on personal terms with him.

However, towards the end of the window, the West Londoners finally secured the services of Alejandro Garnacho and reneged on their interest in the player.

This vacuum then allowed Spurs to swoop in and sign the Amsterdam-born gem on a seven-year deal, and while this left some Chelsea fans upset, perhaps they shouldn’t be, as one of their former players who was sold for a sizable loss is now being compared to Simons.

The Chelsea dud compared to Simons

The side effect of Chelsea’s tendency to sign so many promising young players is that, over the years, they’ve had more than their fair share fail to live up to expectations.

Where Are They Now

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Unfortunately, that is what happened with Christian Pulisic, as while he most certainly enjoyed spells of brilliance here and there, he “just didn’t live up to the hype,” per journalist Luke Edwards.

The American international was signed by the Blues for a whopping £58m in January 2019, while Marizzio Sarri was still in charge, and joined up with the club that summer.

At the time, then-Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia described the youngster as “one of the most sought-after talents in Europe,” but just over four years later, he was sold for a paltry £20m.

In other words, the West Londoners made a £38m loss on the former Borussia Dortmund star, and with a tally of just 26 goals and 21 assists in 145 games, it would be hard to call him anything other than a flop.

With all that said, then, what does he have to do with Simons?

Well, according to FBref, the American ace is the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dutchman in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League.

You can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by taking a look under the hood, at the underlying numbers in which they rank closely.

In this instance, that includes metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.67

0.62

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

76.5%

Expected Assists

0.25

0.23

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

4.54

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.51

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

1.42

In addition to these statistical similarities, the young Dutchman has moved to the Premier League from a German side, just as the Milan man did.

Furthermore, they’re both equally capable of thriving out wide or as an attacking midfielder.

Ultimately, while some fans are understandably upset at missing out on Simons, the fact that Pulisic is so similar to him and failed at Chelsea suggests that perhaps the club were wise to steer clear of him.

Chelsea ended Guiu's loan for nothing; they've got a better teen to unleash

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Manchester United have made surprise “contact” to sign a new striker who has been likened to Arsenal’s summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.

Man Utd sign Sesko after Gyokeres snub

In what has been a productive summer transfer window at Old Trafford, INEOS brought in Matheus Cunha from Wolves before landing Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, two players who are set to feature heavily in behind a striker.

Attention then turned to a new centre-forward, and the Red Devils were linked with Gyokeres, who worked under Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP. The Sweden international only wanted Arsenal, though, and eventually got his move to the Emirates, opening his Premier League account with a brace against Leeds United.

United, meanwhile, splashed the cash on Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig in a deal worth more than £70m. The three marquee attacking signings have set INEOS back £200m, however, Sesko is still awaiting his first Premier League start and goal.

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Rasmus Hojlund’s future is also up in the air at Old Trafford, amid rumours of a move to Serie A side Napoli which has resulted in United being linked with making another signing in the final third before the September 1 deadline.

Man Utd make surprise Randal Kolo Muani "contact"

According to Caught Offside, Man Utd have made a surprise attempt to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain.

The French forward is valued at €60m (£51m) by the Champions League winners and spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus. The Serie A side are yet to reach an agreement to sign Kolo Muani once again, which led to the Red Devils exploring a move.

However, unfortunately for INEOS and Amorim, Kolo Muani is not open to an Old Trafford transfer. A source told Caught Offside:

The 26-year-old scored 10 goals in 22 appearances for Juventus last season, and has been compared to Gyokeres and other high-profile forwards by Football Transfers.

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

Alexander Sorloth

Atletico Madrid

Christopher Nkunku

Chelsea

Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal

Ademola Lookman

Atalanta

Should Man Utd move Hojlund on, it’ll be interesting if the Red Devils explore a move for another striker after signing Sesko, but it looks as if that man won’t be Kolo Muani.

The fans might not have got everything they wanted, but it was a pretty good summer transfer window for Chelsea this year.

The club were able to ship out several players they deemed no longer good enough, and bring in a host of brilliant young talents who could develop into superstars for Enzo Maresca.

However, unlike some of their Premier League rivals, there was no blockbuster move for a certifiable world-class player, like Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international’s £125m move to Liverpool is now the league’s record transfer, although, painfully, Chelsea did lose a young talent in the past who is now worth more than that.

The best Ex-Chelsea gems

Over the last five years or so, Chelsea have seen a pretty constant stream of academy products come through and make it into the first team.

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However, like every other team, they’ve also lost out on some serious stars when they were young, with Declan Rice being a big one.

The Arsenal star came up through Cobham alongside Mason Mount and a number of other notable players, but at the age of 14 was let go.

He then moved to West Ham United, where he made 245 appearances and won the Conference League before joining the Gunners for £105m in the summer of 2023 and becoming a key cog in Mikel Arteta’s midfield.

Another youngster the Blues missed out on was Michael Olise, who left the club at the age of 14 and has gone on to become one of the best wingers in world football.

The Frenchman earned a £50m move to Bayern Munich last summer after impressing at Crystal Palace and more than justified his price tag.

In 55 appearances, he scored 20 goals and provided 23 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games.

In all, Chelsea have missed out on some unreal talents of the years, although perhaps the worst is someone now worth more than Isak.

The ex-Chelsea gem worth more than Isak

Unfortunately for Chelsea, there are plenty more stars they let slip through their fingers, but in this case, the player worth more than Isak is Jamal Musiala.

Yes, the German international was once a part of the Blues’ academy, but in the summer of 2019, he opted to join Bayern, for which the club received just £170k.

It was seen as such a disaster by some that Massimo Franchi, the creator of the Golden Boy award, compared it to “the Louvre losing the Mona Lisa!”

Dramatic? Slightly, but the mercurial midfielder has been exceptional in the years since, and according to the CIES Football Observatory, is worth up to 151m.

That converts to around £131m, or £6m more than Isak’s record-breaking move, and while that sounds absurd, his performances suggest otherwise.

For example, despite still being just 22-years-old, the “world-class” superstar, as dubbed by former manager Julian Nagelsmann, has racked up 207 appearances for Bayern, totalling 12163 minutes, in which he’s scored 64 goals and provided 39 assists.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 118.08 minutes.

Musiala’s Bayern career

Appearances

207

Minutes

12163′

Goals

64

Assists

39

Goal Involvements per Match

0.49

Minutes per Goal Involvement

118.08′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

On top of that, he has already won 40 senior caps for Germany, in which he’s scored eight goals and provided eight assists.

Ultimately, Musiala is an exceptional world-beating talent, and Chelsea must rue the fact that they weren’t able to keep hold of him.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 4, 2025

Sam Konstas fell cheaply as NSW lost three wickets late in the day in a game that will have a huge bearing on the Shield final

Tristan Lavalette06-Mar-2025Sam Konstas started cautiously on a tricky surface before falling late on day one as another low-scoring Sheffield Shield match at the WACA appeared to be in the works.After Western Australia was bowled out for 196 in their first innings, New South Wales slumped to 17 for 3 in the pivotal fixture.Less than a month since WA crashed to South Australia in the shortest outright result in Shield history, the green-tinged pitch was again difficult to bat on with significant seam movement on offer.Related

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There was much intrigue over how Konstas would approach the situation having to come out to bat an hour before stumps. He started in orthodox fashion, playing straight and hitting a couple of elegant drives. There was no sign of anything fancy in his first 15 balls but he fell in tame fashion on the next delivery when he chipped left-arm quick Joel Paris to mid-off.Nic Maddinson and nightwatchman Ryan Hadley were dismissed by quick Lance Morris just before stumps to leave the match in the balance.Veteran Jackson Bird and captain Jack Edwards were standouts with five wickets between them. No WA batter reached fifty, but in an encouraging sign opener Cameron Bancroft was resolute with 22 off 66 balls in his return to the field after a horrific head-on collision in the outfield during a BBL game on January 3.Just 0.24 points separates second-placed NSW and WA with a victory for either team putting them into pole position to reach the final.With the remarkable events of the ground’s last Shield match still fresh, Edwards had no hesitation in bowling first despite the hot conditions. The calendar might have flipped into autumn, but March is essentially an extension of summer in Perth and the pitch was baking with temperatures already in the mid-30s Celsius by the time the first ball was bowled.All eyes were on Bancroft in his long-awaited return and he was intent on showcasing his trademark steely defence against accurate new ball bowling from Bird and Edwards. WA only scored two runs off the first six overs with Edwards starting off with three consecutive maidens.The ball wasn’t quite zipping off the surface like the South Australia match, but Edwards did occasionally produce sharp bounce and he had captain Sam Whiteman fending agonisingly short of leg gully.Whiteman had a torrid time, hit on the helmet by Hadley after attempting a pull shot before edging over the slips for a fortuitous boundary. But after battling through early trouble, Whiteman and Bancroft blunted the bowling in a sedate period through the middle part of the first session.The hardnosed openers have a knack of leaving bowlers flustered and they appeared set to bat through the first session as NSW’s quicks started to lose patience. But Liam Hatcher provided a spark 30 minutes before lunch when he nicked off Bancroft before having a huge appeal for caught down the legside off Jayden Goodwin turned down.Goodwin made it through to the long break, but Whiteman didn’t after he chopped on to a back of a length delivery from Edwards. WA reached lunch at 62 for 2 in a total that was eerily similar to the same stage of the South Australia match. On that occasion WA fell apart after the interval and there was a sense of déjà vu when they lost 3 for 27.Edwards was in the midst of a terrific spell and had Goodwin nicking off before Hadley clean bowled Hilton Cartwright, who had an error of judgement when he didn’t play a shot.Ashton Turner was unperturbed and decided to back his attacking instincts as runs flowed quickly for the first time in the day. He drove powerfully, but was fortunate on 21 when he was dropped by Bird in his follow through with the ball almost parrying to mid-off.But Turner couldn’t regain his rhythm after tea and he nicked off to Bird although he was unhappy with the decision. After dismissing Paris on the next delivery, Bird came within inches of completing his hat-trick when Cameron Gannon almost chopped onto his stumps.There was mock applause from several hard-bitten fans in the terraces when WA reached 150. But their mood brightened when wicketkeeper-batter Joel Curtis flourished after a sluggish start to lift the home side to what appears a competitive total.

MatériaMais Notícias

Mesmo eliminados da Libertadores, Corinthians e Liverpool-URU se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (28), pela rodada final da fase de grupos da competição, de olho em uma vaga nos playoffs da Sul-Americana. A bola rola às 21h30, na Neo Química Arena.

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Ambas equipes possuem quatro pontos no Grupo E, mas o Timão leva vantagem no saldo de gols e tem a vantagem do empate para conseguir a classificação ao playoff da Sul-Americana, concedida a todos os terceiros colocados na fase de grupos da Libertadores.

Contudo, o foco de Vanderlei Luxemburgo e da diretoria alvinegra está em afastar o Timão da zona do rebaixamento no Brasileirão, e o treinador corintiano mandará uma equipe alternativa para o duelo contra os uruguaios, inclusive poupando alguns titulares do banco de reservas.

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Já o Liverpool-URU precisa da sua primeira vitória fora de casa na competição para avançar à Sul-Americana. A equipe do técnico Jorge Bava vem de duas vitórias consecutivas e lidera sua chave no Campeonato Uruguaio.

+ Timão se afasta do Z4? Veja tabela e os próximos jogos do Brasileirão

Veja todas as informações da partida:

CORINTHIANS X LIVERPOOL-URU

Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora: 28/6/2023, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Ángel Arteaga-VEN
Assistentes: Tulio Moreno-VEN e Alberto Ponte-VEN
VAR: Yadir Acuña-COL
Onde assistir: Globo (apenas para SP), ESPN, Star+ e em tempo real no LANCE!

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CORINTHIANS:Carlos Miguel; Rafael Ramos, Renato, Caetano e Murillo (Vitor Meer); Giuliano, Matheus Araújo e Adson; Pedro, Giovane (Felipe Augusto) e Wesley.Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Desfalques:Cantillo (transição parcial com o grupo), Barletta (trauma no joelho), Renato Augusto (transição) e Romero (tendinite no joelho direito)
Pendurados:Roni e Fausto Vera

LIVERPOOL-URU:Britos; Martirena, Izquierdo, Pereira e Samudio; Lucas Lemos, Gonzalo Nápoli e Fabricio Díaz; Rivero, Otormín e Rubén Bentancourt. Técnico: Jorge Bava.

Desfalques:Marcelo Meli (suspenso)
Pendurados:-

With Pulisic delivering one of his best performances for Milan, GOAL US writers discuss the heights he can reach this season

Christian Pulisic is back again. There was so much furor, so much anger about him. Here was the U.S. men's national team star who skipped out on the Gold Cup, bailed when U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino needed him.

Turns out that there’s other football to be played. And Pulisic might be quite good for his club. He was excellent against Napoli Sunday, scoring and assisting to lead to a 2-1 win against last year’s Serie A champs. After five games, Milan are top of the table – who could have predicted that?

With his recent scoring streak, the question begs – is Pulisic officially part of that world-class club? Or is this simply a spark of form at the right time? One thing is for sure: Pochettino is smiling somewhere.

GOAL US writers debate Pulisic’s form and analyze Milan’s Scudetto hopes in the latest edition of… The Rondo

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Where does Pulisic's showing against Napoli rank among his best?

  Tom Hindle: Well, it’s gotta be up there. We’ve seen Pulisic take charge of individual fixtures before, and he was excellent in a couple of games last year. But this seemed seismic. A goal, and an assist in a contest that may be decisive at the end of the year. Immense from the American.

  Alex Labidou: It’s definitely in the top three. And part of the reason is that it cements Pulisic as AC Milan’s best player. It is rare to see a star deliver on outsized expectations, and he did just that against Napoli. Remember, talk before the game was whether or not and Pulisic’s surge of form was real and whether they could do it against the defending champions in Napoli. Well, they did. Pulisic’s assist on Milan’s opener was arguably his best and it set the stage for the rest of the match. As for the others in the top three: Pulisic’s goal against Real Madrid, which helped Chelsea reach the 2021 Champions League Final – which the Blues won – has to be up there. And then on the USMNT side, who could forget his hat-trick against Panama in Orlando that all but sealed the Americans trip to the 2022 World Cup?

  Ryan Tolmich: Pretty high, particularly given the stakes. This was a true "prove-it" game for Milan, and it was one for Pulisic, too. He has looked like one of the best players in Serie A. You need to play well in the big games to do that. This wasn't the biggest game of his career, but it was the biggest game of this season so far, and he rose to the occasion.

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• Getty Images
  

  Has Pulisic reached world-class level?

  TH: PLEASE CALM DOWN. Maybe he has. Maybe he hasn’t. Let’s just enjoy the streak and hope it continues for the USMNT.

  AL: Not yet, but he’s knocking at the door. Pulisic has world-class attributes, but as we saw last season – a campaign in which he also got off to a hot start – he needs it to sustain. On a positive, it does seem as if he’s got a competent manager who is driving success at the club, and has full faith in him. That hasn’t happened previously during his time in Europe. 

  RT: Not quite yet, and it'll be hard for him to get there this season. Without Champions League soccer, Pulisic and Milan, realistically, have to win Serie A to ignite that conversation. Is that possible? Sur. But it's a little early. If Pulisic is still scoring for fun come, say, January, we can revisit the question.

• AFP
  

  Are Milan serious Serie A title contenders?

  TH: They’re certainly picking up results. You wouldn’t say they’re favorites, but if the streak continues, and everyone else drops points here and there, they could be in the picture. Ask again in March. 

  AL: Yes. The win over Napoli proved they can go blow for blow with arguably Serie A’s best. More importantly, while and Roma – another surprise contender – have Europe to contend with, Milan do not. The rest between fixtures should help Milan, and Pulisic.

  RT: Right now, you have to say they are. It's been hard for any club to keep hold of the Scudetto, which shows both the parity and volatility of life at the top of Serie A. Milan have a good coach, some talented players and, at present, momentum. Teams such as Napoli, Inter and Atalanta are probably better but, hey, it could happen.

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• AFP
  

  How many goal contributions will Pulisic have?

  TH: This season, in the 25-30 range – and that will be just fine. 

  AL: If he stays healthy, this could be a 30-goal contribution season for him. The reality is he has to slow down at some point, but 30 goal contributions would put him firmly in the running for Serie A Player of the Year – which would be uncharted territory for a U.S. international. 

  RT: The baseline is about 20, given that's the number he hit in each of his first two Serie A runs. If he can hit 30, Milan will be in a very different place. That, obviously, will depend on fitness, form and, in some ways, luck. But Pulisic seemingly has it in him. More conservatively, put him in that 20-25 range to account for rougher moments.

Former Newcastle United and Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has signed with the Arabian Falcons, a third-tier side from the United Arab Emirates, as a free-agent. The former England international had been without a club since July after Buenley allowed his contract to run out at the end of their Championship campaign. This will be Shelvey's tenth senior club.

Shelvey signs with Arabian Falcons

The Arabian Falcons, a side that was formed in 2023, confirmed on Friday that they had completed the signing of former Premier League star Shelvey. The 33-year-old returned to England after a stint in Turkey, as he signed a six-month deal with Burnley in January 2025. However, the Clarets decided against an extension, and after a failed move to Hull City, he remained a free agent.

AdvertisementShelvey made his debut just one day after joining

Shelvey has already made his debut with the Arabian Falcons on Saturday, as they played their UAE third-tier league match. This was the Englishman's first official game since February, when he played 10 minutes off the bench in a 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

Midfielder's career so far

Shelvey started his senior career at Charlton Athletic, where he played 49 games before making a major move to Liverpool. After three years with the Reds, he made a move to Swansea. He followed the pattern and left for Newcastle after three years, where he played until the summer of 2023. He then played for four clubs over two years, including the Burnley spell.

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Getty Images SportShelvey's Premier League stature

Shelvey's storied Premier League career has turned him into one of those footballers who never really reached the elite level but will always be remembered by fans for his glorious moments.

Following a difficult start to life at Rangers, Russell Martin now reportedly faces the threat of losing one of his most influential players amid regular contact from an interested club.

Martin tells Rangers to "seize" Club Brugge chance

Martin would have been the most relieved man in Glasgow when his side got over the line against Scottish League One side Alloa Athletic in the Scottish League Cup. Despite securing a 4-2 victory, the Gers were once again forced into a frantic affair and were found wanting defensively as they allowed their underdog opponents back into the game on two occasions.

Now, arguably the toughest game of Rangers’ season so far awaits. Set to square off against Club Brugge in their latest Champions League qualifier, Martin urged his side to “seize” their opportunity against their Belgian opposition and to play “with a bit more joy” this evening.

Qualifying for the Champions League could be the major turning point that Martin so desperately needs in the early days of his tenure and it could also help keep hold of one star player.

AEK Athens in regular contact to sign Dessers

Despite reports emerging that a deal broke down between AEK Athens and Rangers to sign Cyriel Dessers earlier this summer, it now seems as though the Greek giants have reignited their interest. According to TeamTalk, AEK Athens have been in regular contact to sign Dessers, despite Martin being desperate to keep him in Glasgow.

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The forward’s exit would be the most frustrating twist of the summer for those at Ibrox and Dessers himself is reportedly open to the move before the transfer window slams shut.

Earning praise from Martin for the “brilliant” job that he did in a 3-0 win against Viktoria Plzen earlier this season, Dessers remains an important player at Ibrox despite previous criticism.

After scoring 29 goals and assisting seven more in all competitions last season, it should come as no surprise that Martin is keen to keep hold of Dessers in the remaining weeks of the window. Whether Rangers manage to do so may be another question entirely, however.

Victory for either side would be a significant step towards the Shield final but NSW could only manage two wickets on the third day

Tristan Lavalette08-Mar-2025

Hilton Cartwright and Cameron Bancroft batted through two sessions on day three in an unbroken partnership of 181 to set up an intriguing finish in the pivotal Sheffield Shield match between Western Australia and New South Wales.Batting had proven difficult across the first seven sessions on a tricky WACA surface, but the veteran WA batters dug in to turn the match on its head. Cartwright finished 108 not out and Bancroft, playing his 100th Shield match, was unbeaten on 85 from 260 balls as WA reached stumps at 209 for 2 in their second innings and a lead of 144 runs.Related

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Just 0.24 points separated second-placed NSW and WA at the start of the round with a victory for either team putting them in pole position to reach the final. Given the stakes, WA will be eyeing a declaration at some point on the final day although the surface has flattened somewhat as the match has worn on.”It [the partnership] gives us options,” WA coach Adam Voges said. “There’s still some good divots out there. It’s certainly a new-ball wicket. It’s been a real arm-wrestle for three days.”WA quick Lance Morris looms as a key on the final day, but he may be restricted in how many overs he can bowl in NSW’s second innings. He has a restriction of around 30 overs per game to manage his body. Morris took career best figures of 5 for 26 off 20.3 overs in NSW’s first innings.”We were really clear with Cricket Australia around what Lance’s plans look like,” Voges said. “The game demands from Lance what the game demands, but we’re mindful of the overall management plan with him.”After trailing by 65 runs on the first innings, Bancroft and captain Sam Whiteman went about blunting the dangerous new ball combination of Jack Edwards and Jackson Bird with trademark firm defence.They almost got through to lunch until Whiteman was well caught low down in the gully. It was a tricky period for No. 3 Jayden Goodwin and he could do little against a fired-up Liam Hatcher who added a second wicket.Still 37 runs short, WA’s hopes rested with veterans Bancroft and Cartwright. They were pinned down after lunch and scored just one run in five overs as WA crawled to the lead.Cameron Bancroft plays down the ground•Getty Images

But Cartwright broke the shackles with a couple of boundaries off seamer Ryan Hadley and started to find his rhythm with the ball making a lovely sound off his bat. Cartwright has had a strong season with 694 runs at 53.38, but does sometimes fail to kick on from attractive starts.He almost rued another tease of an innings after edging a good length delivery from Edwards on 42. But wicketkeeper Josh Philippe spilt the catch after diving in front of Bird at first slip.Philippe, who moved from WA ahead of the season, and his team-mates were crestfallen in a crucial moment just before tea.Cartwright reached his half-century off 93 balls immediately after the break and Bancroft, who had been shackled through the second session, started to find his touch with his best shot being a six down the ground off spinner Chris Green.Cartwright continued on his merry way with his cover driving a feature as he continually dissected the crowded off-side field with precision.Bancroft had a nervous moment on 61 when he poked Green through the hands of Sam Konstas at short-leg, while Cartwright started to lose concentration as he neared his century. But he composed himself and reached his century just before stumps to cap WA’s turnaround.NSW had started the day’s play with a lead of 62 runs and looked to kick on after Edwards and Green had frustrated WA’s attack late on the previous evening.There was an unknown over whether Morris would bowl again in the innings due to his restriction. Having already bowled 18 overs in the innings, Morris did take the ball early on day three but it was Cameron Gannon who had Green edging to second slip where Bancroft had an uncharacteristic fumble before eventually hanging on.Morris then completed his third five-wicket haul of his first-class career after Sam Fanning claimed a superb catch at short square leg to dismiss Edwards, who fell just short of his half-century. It was redemption for Fanning after he twice dropped Kurtis Patterson, NSW’s top scorer with 86, on the second day.The unassuming Morris, playing a rare back-to-back Shield match, was somewhat reluctant to hold the ball aloft but deserved the strong applause from the crowd after a performance marked by sustained pace and unwavering accuracy.All eyes will be on how many overs he can bowl on the final day.

Everton felt the excitement as they waved goodbye to Goodison Park and geared up for a new chapter at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, led once again by David Moyes.

But that excitement has been tempered by a frustrating summer transfer window, with the Premier League season now up and running and Everton still in need of a few more faces.

The Toffees were defeated at Leeds United in their season opener, and while the likes of off-the-bench debutants Jack Grealish and Thierno Barry illustrated the start of a new-look Everton, there’s no question that the performance was flat, and that it’s imperative that something is done before the closure of the transfer window.

Everton hunting more signings

Everton’s one-goal defeat at Elland Road left a lot to be desired, and it’s clear that the club need more sparkle going forward.

Grealish will be billed as one of the principal providers in that regard, but the Blues could do with a few more signings to assist the England international.

Though Everton need right-siders and perhaps another forward too, Moyes is considering a move that would bolster his central ranks, and he’s peering over the edge of the Premier League and into the Championship.

Well, according to Football Insider, Everton are now working on a deal for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, though they face stiff competition from Crystal Palace in the race for the 23-year-old.

A move to Ipswich Town has already fallen through for the English talent, with a £20m fee agreed between the clubs, but personal terms proving insurmountable at the negotiating table.

What Hayden Hackney would bring to Everton

Hackney has completed 116 appearances for Middlesbrough since graduating from the club’s youth academy, establishing himself as one of the maestros of England’s second tier.

An all-action player, Hackney is calm and composed when against the ball and sharp and intelligent when in possession, with his natural-born creativity allowing him to influence from the deeper fathoms of the midfield.

Last season, he started 43 times in the Championship, completing 85% of his passes and averaging 1.5 key passes and 6.5 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

Such vast ground-covering performances would add much to Moyes’ Everton side, and the Boro star might even prove the perfect midfield partner to restore Grealish to his one-time level, having been untouchable during that final year at Aston Villa in 2020/21.

Matches (starts)

26 (24)

Goals

6

Assists

10

Shots (on target)*

1.9 (0.7)

Big chances missed

4

Pass completion

83%

Big chances created

14

Key passes*

3.2

Dribbles*

2.5

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

Total duels (won)*

8.9 (61%)

It was a truly remarkable year from the Three Lions star, one that saw him earn his record-breaking move to Pep Guardiola’s brood. However, Grealish has lost his sparkle over the past few years in Manchester and could rekindle that flame on Merseyside.

Everton aren’t blessed with the same depth of technical quality as Man City, but the Birmingham-born forward should have greater freedom to roam and make things happen, and with Hackney playing in balls from behind, the chances of a fluent system are only increased.

As per data from FBref, Hackney ranked among the top 5% of midfielders in the Championship last season for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 8% for shot-creating actions and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90.

There’s no question that he bears the range of passing and the athleticism to add a dimension to Everton’s midfield, thus providing the fleet-footed Grealish with a constant supply line from which he can work his magic in and around the penalty area.

Hailed by former Boro boss Michael Carrick for his “immense” performance against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup during the 2023/24 season, Hackney has spent plenty of time developing his skills in the Championship and is surely now ready to take the leap forward into the Premier League.

His long, calculated passing puts him in a different category from Everton’s current midfield crop, and he would be the perfect kind of deep-lying playmaker to restore Grealish’s X-factor and ensure the Toffees make it a successful and exciting season.

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