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He promised himself he would have an unforgettable year, and now he has earned a national call-up

Shashank Kishore05-Oct-2022

Rajat Patidar’s journey from Indore to the Indian team has been swift. In February, he went unsold at the IPL auction. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, he picked himself up and promised to have an unforgettable year. It is this promise he has delivered on, as he finds himself on the cusp of the India cap.Currently part of India’s second-string ODI squad led by Shikhar Dhawan, Patidar is fighting for a middle-order berth. If and when he gets picked in the XI, it’ll be a spot well deserved.”It’s a dream come true for me,” Patidar told BCCI.tv of his call-up. “The IPL was the turning point for me. But I feel I have the ability to play all three formats. I am trying to focus on the processes [of the formats] differently. I want to keep myself in the present, and play to the demands of the team.”Related

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At 29, Patidar understands selection and snub are two faces of the same coin. As much as that boring cliche goes, in Patidar’s mind, it is as simple as being able to control the controllables – and for him, that is to score runs.A week after his IPL snub, Patidar hit twin fifties in a game Madhya Pradesh won against Gujarat. He finished the Ranji Trophy league phase with 335 runs at 83.75, with no score below 53. Those runs translated into a knockout berth for MP.After he helped MP to the Ranji quarter-finals, came a phone call from Mike Hesson in early April, asking of his availability because Royal Challengers Bangalore needed a replacement.Patidar was in the midst of finalising his wedding preparations in May, but it was something he happily postponed to be a part of the IPL.Within 24 hours of the phone call, he was on the plane to Mumbai, and a few weeks down the line, he became the first uncapped Indian to hit a century in a playoff game. That knock at Eden Gardens against Lucknow Super Giants was followed by a half-century in Qualifier-2 against Rajasthan Royals.Patidar finished his second IPL season with 333 runs at a strike rate of 152.75. It marked his coming of age. Having played for nearly seven years in relative anonymity, he was firmly in the national consciousness.Rajat Patidar recently struck two centuries in three first-class games against New Zealand A•Manoj Bookanakere/KSCA

It is this form he has built on. A week after IPL ended, he was part of MP’s march to their maiden Ranji title. He made 323 runs in the knockout stages, including a century in the final; on the way, he had crossed a half-century in every knockout game.Most recently, he struck two centuries in three first-class games against New Zealand A. It was made special even more because it was his first stint with India A. This dream run that started in February culminated with his India call-up last week. Much of this run-scoring spree is down to how he “feels”; and it is not only about technique.”Especially if you talk about batting, but I also don’t judge myself on performance,” he had said after the Ranji final. “I need to get that batting feel – the shots are good, the balance is there, the head is in the right position. Till I don’t get that feel, I don’t feel I’m in good form. Obviously it is every batsman’s job to score runs, but for me, if I feel good about my batting, the runs come automatically.”The feel he speaks about is something he has learnt from watching AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik from close quarters.”Virat, AB – they were all my idols; experienced international players,” he said. “I felt a little overawed meeting them for the first time. It was a great moment to speak to them for the first time. Watching them all train and bat in the nets, I learnt a lot on how they approach their cricket.”Fast forward to this Monday, when he had his first full training session with the senior national team. He was welcomed in a huddle by stand-in coach VVS Laxman, who underlined why he had gotten this far. Laxman is believed to have appreciated Patidar’s big-match temperament and hunger for runs. Dhawan, the captain, then spoke to Patidar about his potential.”Legendary players, if they welcome you in the huddle, it feels motivating,” Patidar said with a smile, as he reflected on his first day in office. “It felt good, I know a lot of the guys. But this is the first time I’m playing with Shikhar [Dhawan] bhai; in fact, I had a chat with him the first time over here itself.”I thought how it would be when I talk to him, [and] how I can talk to him, but he himself came up to talk to me. It was nice talking to him, he appreciated my performances and wished me well for my future.”

Turning their attention towards the future, Manchester United are now reportedly closing in on their first signing of the Ruben Amorim era with one target now set to travel to complete a medical.

Man Utd transfer news

Three Premier League defeats in a row and admitting that his side may well find themselves in a relegation battle as the new year gets underway, to say that Amorim has endured a tough start would be an understatement. And things aren’t set to get any easier anytime soon.

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Currently just seven points adrift of the dropzone, the Red Devils have the task of becoming just the second team in Europe to defeat Arne Slot’s Liverpool side this weekend before squaring off against Arsenal in the FA Cup. As January potentially commences another nightmare month on the pitch, however, those at Old Trafford must back their manager in the transfer market away from the action.

On that front, the transfer rumours are already coming thick and fast and the Red Devils could even have the first official signing of the Amorim era sealed sooner than they think.

According to Paraguayan journalist Bruno Pont, Manchester United are now closing in on signing Diego Leon with the young defender set to travel to complete his medical at the club.

In a deal worth a reported £4m, those at Old Trafford will have to wait until the summer and after Leon’s 18th birthday to see their new man in action, given that he’s unable to complete a move before that point. At least securing his signature in advance nonetheless, the teenager is undoubtedly a rising star to watch.

Leon could receive a fair few opportunities when he does arrive too, with the left wing-back spot very much up for grabs in the face of Luke Shaw’s continued injuries and the fact that Diogo Dalot is currently playing out of position.

"Powerful" Leon is one for the future

Of course, Manchester United need far more than the arrival of a 17-year-old left-back in 2025, but that doesn’t mean Leon isn’t a good place to start. One for the future, the left-back may solve one of Amorim’s greatest problems for years to come at the reported cost of just £4m. Described as “powerful” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leon could prove to be quite the coup from Cerro Porteno.

As they wait for his official arrival in the summer, Manchester United should also turn their attention towards players likely to make an instant impact in the hope of pushing on from the embarrassment of a relegation battle.

Liverpool advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over lowly Accrington Stanley, with Arne Slot tasting victory for the first time in 2025.

While the Reds have been imperious in their performances this season, a Premier League draw against Manchester United preceded a miserable first-leg defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in their Carabao Cup semi-final tie.

To have been stumped once again at Anfield this afternoon would have been a calamity, but Slot’s much-changed side still needed to overcome their opponent’s physicality and get the job done.

It was a big opportunity for some. Rio Ngumoha, 16, showed his precocious quality, but it was Harvey Elliott who was perhaps the biggest winner on the afternoon.

Harvey Elliott stakes his claim

Accrington Stanley might be struggling in League Two, but there’s something about the FA Cup, it ekes out quality unknown to those lower-down outfits when pitted against giants.

But Elliott placated the giant-killing beast, with The Athletic’s James Pearce hailing the 21-year-old’s “brilliant” performance. It’s been a tough campaign for the playmaker, fracturing his foot in September and thus languishing on the fringes of the Slot project.

Elliott’s role has been so peripheral that he’s been at the centre of transfer rumours linking him with Brighton & Hove Albion and even Borussia Dortmund in Germany. In fairness, if he doesn’t earn opportunities, the diminutive ace will be justified in wishing to move away, such is his immense talent.

Liverpool have to keep him on the books, allowing him to bloom under Slot’s wing. The same, however, can’t be said for Darwin Nunez, who must be sweating over his place after another performance that left plenty to be desired.

Why Slot must sell Darwin Nunez

Nunez continues to frustrate. He missed two great opportunities this afternoon while showcasing the drive and tenacity that speaks of his ambition and determination to succeed in a Liverpool shirt.

Indeed, club legend Robbie Fowler even claimed that the more he watches the former Benfica man, the more he believes the striker is “not a Liverpool player”.

The problem, however, is that Nunez is failing to prove himself as the centre-forward that Slot’s system needs. The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle gave him a 6/10 match rating, acknowledging his endeavour and work in setting up Diogo Jota’s opening goal, but is it enough?

That’s now four goals and four assists apiece across 26 appearances this season, marking a regression in output since Jurgen Klopp left Merseyside.

24/25

26 (14)

4

4

23/24

54 (33)

18

13

22/23

42 (26)

15

4

While FSG have more pressing transfer priorities, there’s no question that the din surrounding Nunez’s place in the team is getting louder and louder, especially with recent reports revealing that the Uruguayan has been informed that he needs to improve, lest he be formally transfer-listed and focus be placed on buying a successor.

It may have already started. As per Football Insider, sporting director Richard Hughes would consider accepting bids in the £60m ballpark for Liverpool’s record signing.

The 25-year-old won’t want this to happen, will be desperate to prove his worth. That said, Jota scored and Chiesa opened his account for the club after an injury-hit start to his Liverpool career. Might he be in the process of leapfrogging his fellow frontliner?

Liverpool will surely feel that they can do better, and must seek to cash in on Nunez for the best price possible.

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واصل نادي الزمالك خطواته لإعادة ترتيب أوراق الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، بإعادة تشكيل الجهاز الفني الذي سيتولى المهمة حتى نهاية الموسم الجاري.

وكان مجلس إدارة الزمالك قد اتخذ قرارًا بإنهاء التعاقد مع البرتغالي جوزيه بيسيرو، المدير الفني السابق للفريق، عقب سلسلة من النتائج السلبية بخروج الفريق من نصف نهائي بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

ووجه الزمالك في بيان رسمي، الشكر لبيسيرو وجهازه المعاون، مثمنًا جهودهم خلال الفترة التي قضوها مع الفريق.

وفي خطوة أخرى ضمن إعادة هيكلة منظومة الكرة، وافق مجلس الإدارة على اعتذار عبد الواحد السيد عن عدم الاستمرار في منصبه كمدير للكرة، مع تكليفه بمهمة جديدة داخل قطاع الناشئين للاستفادة من خبراته الكبيرة، والمساهمة في دعم بناء جيل جديد يخدم مستقبل النادي.

وفي إطار هذه التغييرات، أعلن الزمالك تعاقده مع أيمن الرمادي، المدير الفني السابق لفريق سيراميكا كليوباترا، لقيادة الفريق الأول خلال المرحلة المتبقية من الموسم، وتم الاتفاق معه خلال جلسة عقدها مع إدارة النادي، ليبدأ مهامه رسميًا بدءًا من اليوم.

طالع أيضًا | عضو اتحاد الكرة يُدافع عن بيبو بعد استبعاده من الجهاز الفني الجديد لـ الزمالك بسبب الجماهير

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة مهمة أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا يوم الجمعة المقبل، الموافق 9 مايو، في الجولة الخامسة من المرحلة النهائية لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، حيث يحتل الفريق المركز الثالث في جدول الترتيب برصيد 40 نقطة، ويسعى لإنهاء الموسم بأفضل شكل ممكن لضمان مقعد متقدم. الجهاز الفني الجديد لـ الزمالك

أيمن الرمادي: مدير فني

أيمن عبد العزيز: مدرب عام

أحمد سمير: مدرب مساعد

حازم إمام (الصغير): مدرب مساعد

عماد المندوه: مدرب حراس مرمى

محمد علاء: محلل أداء

وائل القباني: مدير كرة ماريو تومليانوفيتش: مدرب الأحمال. 

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed plenty of wonderful European nights throughout their history, particularly since they made it to the group stages of the inaugural Champions League campaign in 1992/93.

Prior to that, the Light Blues had reached three European Cup Winners’ Cup finals, winning in 1972, but the club’s exploits in the Champions League and Europa League over the last 30 years have enabled a new generation of supporters to see the Gers do well on the continent.

Season

Competition

Opponent

Score

2021/22

Europa League

Frankfurt

Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers (5-4 pens)

2007/08

UEFA Cup

Zenit

Zenit 2-0 Rangers

1971/72

Cup Winners’ Cup

Dynamo Moscow

Rangers 3-2 Dynamo Moscow

1966/67

Cup Winners’ Cup

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich 1-0 Rangers (aet)

1960/61

Cup Winners’ Cup

Fiorentina

Rangers 1-4 Fiorentina (agg.)

The Light Blues have a great chance of progressing to the last 16 of the Europa League this season. With this in mind, we have taken a look back at some of the finest European nights the Gers have enjoyed since 1992.

8 Rangers 3-2 Braga Europa League round of 32, 2019/20

Following an impressive start to the 2019/20 campaign, Rangers endured a slump following the winter break, allowing Celtic to take the lead in the Scottish Premiership title race.

The Europa League looked like the only salvation as the club prepared to take on Braga in their last-32, first-leg clash at Ibrox in February.

The Portuguese side took a two-goal lead in Glasgow, but with the clock ticking down, Joe Aribo skipped past several defenders to score.

Bedlam ensued minutes later as Ianis Hagi scored a free-kick before the January signing stole the show with a fine individual effort to seal a 3-2 comeback win. Ibrox was rocking, and they went on to win the second leg 1-0 the following week.

7 Rangers 1-1 Inter Champions League group stage, 2005/06

Domestically, the Light Blues were dismal during the 2005/06 season, finishing third in the league. In the Champions League, however, they made history.

They were a different animal in Europe, defeating Porto in the group stages. In order to secure passage to the knockout stages, becoming the first Scottish club to do so in the process, they had to get at least a draw against Inter at Ibrox.

Adriano opened the scoring for the away side before Peter Lovenkrands scored with a neat finish to send the Gers into the last 16, where they ended up losing to Villarreal on away goals.

6 Rangers 2-0 Parma Champions League qualifying, 1999/00

Parma were one of the best teams on the continent in the mid-to-late 90s, and had won the UEFA Cup the season before this Champions League qualifying clash.

Dick Advocaat’s Rangers side sent them packing in the first leg, as goals from Tony Vidmar and Claudio Reyna secured the club’s finest European result in years.

Many expected Parma to respond in the second leg, but they could only win 1-0, thus losing on aggregate.

5 Leeds United 1-2 Rangers Champions League second round, 1992/93

Rangers weren’t given much of a chance against Leeds United during the 1992/93 season as the champions of England and Scotland faced off in a ‘Battle of Britain’ to see who would seal a place in the group stages of the Champions League.

In the first edition of the revamped competition, two rounds preceded an eight-team group stage, where the winners of the two groups would face each other in the final.

Having secured a comfortable 3-0 aggregate win over Danish outfit Lyngby in the first round, the Gers recorded a stunning 2-1 win over Leeds at Ibrox – but better was to come a few weeks later at Elland Road.

A sublime volley by Mark Hateley put the Light Blues in the driving seat before Ally McCoist netted his 29th goal of the season – in November – via a diving header to ensure Rangers won the battle.

In the end, they missed out on the final by a single point. So close, yet so far.

4 Lyon 0-3 Rangers Champions League group stage, 2007/08

This result proved that Rangers could mix it up with the best teams in Europe. Having won their opening game against Stuttgart, the Gers headed to Lyon to face a club who had won their seventh league title in a row.

First-half goals from Lee McCulloch, Daniel Cousin and DaMarcus Beasley sent the French side into a daze, with the Gers looking imperious.

They even secured a point against Barcelona in their next game. The last three games ended in defeat as Rangers slipped into the UEFA Cup, where another journey was about to begin…

3 Fiorentina 0-0 Rangers UEFA Cup semi-final second leg, 2007/08

Slipping into Europe’s secondary competition wasn’t what Walter Smith would have had in mind, but after sending Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and Sporting CP packing, all that stood between them and the final was Fiorentina.

A drab 0-0 draw at Ibrox was followed by an even worse game in Italy. It was clear the Scottish side were playing for penalties, but when Barry Ferguson missed their first, it looked as though the plan backfired.

However, it was left to Nacho Novo to send the Light Blues into their first European final since 1972, and he dispatched his effort with ease, sending the travelling support delirious.

2 Borussia Dortmund 2-4 Rangers Europa League knockout round play-off, 2021/22

After finishing second in their group, Giovanni van Bronckhorst led Rangers to the knockout play-offs of the Europa League, yet a clash against Borussia Dortmund – who had dropped down from the Champions League – was only expected to end in defeat.

What happened next will surely go down as one of the most emphatic wins in the club’s European history. They raced into a two-goal lead, before adding a third through John Lundstram.

Dortmund pulled one back, but an own goal saw the game finish 4-2 to the away side.

The following week, a 2-2 draw enabled the Light Blues to seal progression to the last 16 – but that wasn’t the end of the story.

1 Rangers 3-1 RB Leipzig Europa League semi-final second leg, 2021/22

The Gers had sneaked through on penalties in their last European semi-final, but that wouldn’t be the case this time.

A 1-0 loss in Germany left the home side with plenty of work to do against RB Leipzig. Goals from James Tavernier and Glen Kamara gave the Ibrox side a 2-0 lead as they edged closer to the final.

It looked as though Christopher Nkunku’s goal would deny them a place in Seville, although Lundstram had Ibrox shaking as he netted what turned out to be the goal that sent the club to a fifth European finale.

The club may have lost the showpiece event, but the journey was extraordinary.

MatériaMais Notícias

Luís Oyama está de volta ao Botafogo. O volante desembarcou no Rio de Janeiro na tarde desta terça-feira, foi aprovado nos exames médicos realizados no Estádio Nilton Santos e será anunciado oficialmente pelo clube durante a semana. O Alvinegro, vale ressaltar, pagou um preço menor do que o Mirassol pediu pelo volante no começo do ano.

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Ainda antes da chegada de John Textor na rotina do clube, o Glorioso havia buscado a permanência de Oyama, um dos destaques da última Série B, no clube. A proposta, contudo, pouco andou: o clube paulista pediu mais de R$ 3 milhões – os números oferecidos pelo Alvinegro alcançaram cerca de 30% dessas cifras.

Sem ter como levantar fundos à época, o Botafogo desistiu de Oyama, que seria aproveitado pelo Mirassol no Paulista. Outros nomes chegaram e o Alvinegro entrou em processo burocrático para a chegada de John Textor, o que impediu a chegada de mais jogadores.

O nome de Oyama voltou à rotina do Botafogo esse mês. O novo departamento de futebol do clube, liderado por André Mazzuco, considerou que o jogador valia o investimento – mas não pelo valor solicitado antes. Então começaram as negociações e as formas que o “novo Botafogo” colocou em prática para conseguir um negócio menor.

O Mirassol foi eliminado da Copa do Brasil e teve o fim do Campeonato Paulista – desta forma, as finanças do clube, que está na Série C, não passariam mais por nenhum ‘impacto’ durante o ano. O contrato de Oyama com o Leão iria até maio de 2023, o que permitiria que ele assinasse um pré-contrato e saísse de graça para outra equipe a partir de novembro.

A nova condição financeira do Botafogo também foi primordial: o Mirassol, que manteve 40% dos direitos econômicos do atleta, prevê mais um retorno financeiro no futuro com uma possível venda. Todos esses motivos resultaram em uma nova proposta e negociação melhor para o Botafogo: cerca de R$ 2 milhões por 60% de Luís Oyama.

Outros clubes do Brasil estavam de olho e fizeram contatos oficiais por Oyama, que optou pelo Botafogo – o Mirassol, pelos motivos já citados, resolveu fazer negócio com o Alvinegro.

Ou seja, o clube pagou menos do que o Mirassol pediu há dois meses pelo jogador – o lado ruim é que ele não poderá jogar a Copa do Brasil por já ter entrado em campo na competição. De qualquer forma, é mais um reforço confirmado para Luís Castro.

West Ham United’s academy has produced some simply incredible players over the years. The Hammers boast players who could be considered some of England’s best, including midfielder Frank Lampard, who played 179 times for the club before moving to London rivals Chelsea where he made his dynasty.

They also brought through two players who ended up having success under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Michael Carrick was one of those players, and he played 154 games in Claret and Blue, before joining Tottenham Hotspur and United just two years later.

Defender Rio Ferdinand, who made 150 appearances for the Hammers, followed a similar path, going to Old Trafford via their bitter rivals Leeds following his move from East London.

In more recent times, Declan Rice is one of their most notable academy graduates. He played 245 times for the club, winning the Europa Conference League in 2022/23. Mark Noble, who retired the season prior, racked up 550 appearances on Claret and Blue.

As good as these players were for the Hammers, they have failed to hold on to some of their talented academy stars in recent years.

The West Ham academy graduates who left the club

Over the past four years, there have been two notable departures from the West Ham academy. The first of those was 24-year-old Jeremy Ngakia. The London-born defender left his boyhood club to join Watford in 2020 after he could not agree on a new deal with the Hammers.

After playing for the East London outfit at both under-18 and under-21 level, Ngakia played five times for the first team in the 2019/20 campaign. His debut came against Liverpool in the Premier League, and he made a further four appearances, all of which came consecutively. However, he never played again for the Hammers despite those outings and joined Watford the following summer.

Another major loss for West Ham in recent years came this summer. They lost striker Divin Mubama, who saw his contract in East London expire at the end of last season. He made the move to Manchester City, who paid their Premier League rivals compensation to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.

Mubama made 18 appearances for the Hammers’ first team, scoring once in that time. He was also part of the under-18s side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2022/23, helping his side to the final after a hattrick in the semi-final against Southampton.

It was certainly frustrating to lose both of these talents, but losing Sonny Perkins was arguably an even bigger loss, given how highly rated he was.

Perkins was supposed to be West Ham’s superstar

Perkins was one of the most highly-rated youngsters at West Ham during his time at the club. Although he is predominantly a centre-forward, Harry Brooks, a private coach for the England under-18 side, compared to him legendary Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta:

In total, the Hammers academy graduate made three first-team appearances at the London Stadium, all in 2021/22. Two of those came in the Europa League for a total of 99 minutes, and he made a three-minute cameo in the Premier League, his only top-flight appearance to date.

Much to the fury of those in east London, the 20-year-old joined Leeds on a free transfer in 2022 following the expiration of his contract, signing a three-year deal at Elland Road. However, things haven’t quite worked out for him for the Whites, for whom he has played just four times.

He has been out on loan twice during his time at Leeds. After a loan to Oxford United, the striker is currently at Leyton Orient in League One on a temporary basis, although things have not worked out for him so far for the club. He has just three goals and two assists in 15 games.

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

League One

8

1

0

EFL Trophy

3

1

0

Carabao Cup

3

0

1

FA Cup

1

1

1

The Hammers may have been kicking themselves for letting such a highly-rated talent like Perkins leave the club two years ago. With that being said, he has really struggled since departing the London Stadium, and West Ham fans may be watching from afar hoping the man once compared to Iniesta can get his career back on track.

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Jack Grealish celebrated Manchester City’s FA Cup win over Plymouth at a £3-per-pint social club, with girlfriend Sasha Attwood staying at home.

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England international figured in Plymouth winHeaded out for a few drinks the following dayLeft the North East looking a little worse for wearFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The England international, who has made just 14 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign, was included in Pep Guardiola’s starting XI for a meeting with Plymouth at the Etihad Stadium. City fell behind in that contest, but battled back to claim a 3-1 win and book a quarter-final date with Bournemouth.

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The day after figuring in cup competition, Grealish was spotted letting his hair down in the North East. He visited North Biddock Social Club near Sunderland, having also spent time at the Lord Nelson pub in Gorton, Manchester.

GettyTHE GOSSIP

Grealish ended his boozy Sunday by visiting The Dubliner, where he was seen looking a little worse for wear when stumbling towards a waiting chauffeured car. There was no sign of his partner Attwood, who will be filling parenting duties after giving birth to the couple’s first child in September 2024.

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Grealish also hit the town without Attwood in mid-February when attending the glamorous Chiltern Firehouse venue in Marylebone. After being followed out of that establishment by former model Emma Silverton, Grealish shouted “she’s not with me” before eventually being driven away from central London.

Everton once had a talent, and his name was Ross Barkley. He was the very embodiment of Goodison Park, a homegrown hero with quality to fit.

Barkley has led a wandering career with plenty of peaks and valleys, but his time on Merseyside will always be remembered fondly, even if he did leave to join Premier League rivals Chelsea in a deal worth £15m plus add-ons.

Everton

179

27

25

Chelsea

100

12

11

Luton Town

37

5

6

Aston Villa

36

4

2

OGC Nice

28

4

2

Sheffield Wednesday

13

4

0

Leeds United

4

0

1

So began the interminable years of inconsistency and fallen expectations. The England international’s move to Stamford Bridge did not go to plan, but he left in 2022 to try his hand in France with OGC Nice, before moving back to his homeland and making quite the impression with newly-promoted Luton Town.

So began the resurgence.

Ross Barkley's return to English football

Luton might have fallen straight back into the second tier last season but they gave a very good account of themselves, and Barkley was the centrepiece, even said to be “not far off player of the season” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.

He started 30 Premier League fixtures for the Hatters and made quite the impression, with his metrics highlighting the robust and dynamic nature of the craft.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Barkley averaged 1.5 tackles, 2.1 dribbles, 6.3 ball recoveries 6.1 successful duels and 1.4 key passes per game.

Looking at his performance level from another angle, the nomadic player also ranked among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 16% for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Now, the 30-year-old is back at Villa Park, and this time for good. An industrious and multi-faceted midfield star, he’d be just what Sean Dyche’s side need at present, battling as they are against relegation.

Oh, how Everton must wish they could have enticed him back to his home city, and how they must regret failing to nurture the perfect successor, with Kieran Dowell looking like the next version of Barkley at one stage.

Everton fumbled their next version of Ross Barkley

Everton have suffered their fair share of transfer mishaps over the years, but efforts were exhausted in eking out Dowell’s talents and sadly, he simply wasn’t able to bring about the requisite level for a nailed-down role in the Merseysiders’ first-team squad.

Now plying his trade for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, the 27-year-old Dowell has enjoyed a good career; he hasn’t fallen by the wayside. Still, success at Everton was not something that he achieved, even though the attacking midfielder had once been viewed among the club’s prized talents.

Dowell joined Everton in 2005 when he was a youth seeking to go beyond that nascent level of football and realise a dream carried by incalculable children across the globe.

And he succeeded in reaching the top, breaking into Everton’s senior system and starring during pre-season preparations, learning across several loan spells designed to inculcate within him the many facets needed to become a first-class player.

Dowell actually played five competitive matches for the Toffees, though this does stand as the fewest appearances for any side that he has performed for across the duration of his career so far.

His ability to collect and turn, weave into space and rifle a strike beyond a hopeless goalkeeper had led to a measure of fanfare, with his short-term stint with Nottingham Forest across the 2017/18 campaign particularly eye-catching, as was the strike you can see just above.

This expectation was heightened – though, in hindsight, more apt wording would be ‘compounded’ – through previous claims, via talkSPORT in this instance, that Dowell was set to be Everton’s latest version of Barkley, for they operated across similar parameters and both carried dribbling prowess and excellent ball-shooting skills.

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What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Such potential was echoed through former Tricky Trees boss Aitor Karanka, who said that he was “sure that he will be an amazing player in the future because he has everything. He is powerful, he has technique, he is a good kid.”

Indeed, Dowell’s successful stint with Forest proved to be his most productive, which is hardly beneficial when considering it was the first of four terms away with other sides.

In 2020, having stepped out of the maiden stage of his career, it was patent that Dowell was not going to find a role of any significance at Goodison Park, and so he was sold to Norwich City in a deal worth only £1.5m.

This was two-and-a-half years after Barkley had left for Chelsea, and so Dowell truly had plenty of time to prove himself worthy as the Blues home hero’s successor.

For a player who was tipped to follow Barkley and Rooney to the limelight at Everton, Dowell must look back on his time with the club ruefully. The ability was certainly there, but perhaps he was a fortune of the chequered fortunes that can breed from numerous loan spells that make it difficult at a young age to form a flowing line of consistency.

Presently, Everton await the next top-talented forward to emerge from their academy. It could have been Dowell, but ultimately, it’s one that fans will have turned their emotions away from for much time by now.

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Looking to compete with some of Europe’s best both on and off the pitch, Monchi now reportedly wants Aston Villa to sign a player who’s been compared to John Obi Mikel ahead of Chelsea.

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The Villans proved in the summer that they’re here to stay when it comes to competing for a European place in the Premier League and they’ve since backed that up in the form of results. Losing just once in their opening seven league games – sitting fifth as a result – and even defeating European giants Bayern Munich in between in the Champions League, things can’t get much better for those at Villa Park.

They won’t want to stop there under Unai Emery, however. Whilst they’ve got the chance, there’s no doubt that Aston Villa will want to put their Champions League status to good use by adding further reinforcements to their side in 2025.

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According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Monchi now wants Aston Villa to sign Mario Dorgeles ahead of Chelsea after scouts compared the Nordsjaelland midfielder to former Premier League star John Obi Mikel. It’s not just Chelsea that the Villans will be competing against, however, with Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Brentford also reportedly keeping tabs on the 20-year-old in a busy battle for his signature.

Having won the race to sign Amadou Onana from Everton a few months ago, Aston Villa should be confident in their pursuit of yet another reinforcement and perhaps one that will complete Emery’s midfield once and for all. When 2025 arrives, Dorgeles will be one to watch.

Why Dorgeles is a man in-demand

After making an excellent start to the campaign at Danish side Nordsjaelland, Dorgeles has become a man in-demand around European football. At just 20 years old, his best is still to come in what is an exciting thought given that only four midfielders in world football managed better ball retention than the Ivorian in the 2023/24 season.

What’s more, if he is to follow in Obi Mikel’s footsteps, then swapping Scandinavia for the Premier League certainly makes sense with Villa left hoping that he decides to add a fresh twist by moving to the Midlands instead of Stamford Bridge.

It’s in the Midlands that Dorgeles could form an impressive partnership with current Villa star Onana. The Belgian has got off to the perfect start at Villa Park, quickly becoming one of Emery’s most important players, and could now receive a boost in the form of a midfield partner when 2025 arrives.

With so many of Europe’s top clubs keeping tabs on his progress, Dorgeles has the ultimate decision to make next year. Whether that ends in another vital addition to Emery’s ever-advancing Aston Villa project remains to be seen, however, as they continue to take strides on and off the pitch.