Tag Futebol

Aston Villa recorded yet another comfortable Premier League victory on the weekend, this time at home to West Ham United, and Unai Emery is building something very special at Villa Park.

The 4-1 win lifts them to fifth in the table and the Spaniard will be pleased by how effective they were in front of goal against David Moyes’ men, who have conceded three or more goals on only two occasions this season.

Can Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League?

The mood at the club is like night and day compared to this stage last season. Steven Gerrard had failed to inspire the team, and he was sacked in October, with Emery stepping in.

Since then, Villa have qualified for Europe via a seventh placed finish and have managed to lure players such as Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres, and Moussa Diaby to the club, signalling a major statement of intent.

Diaby became Villa’s most expensive signing when arriving in the summer, costing a staggering £51.9m and he has already registered five goal contributions – two goals and three assists – across 12 matches.

If he maintains this type of form, along with the others at Villa, Emery could realistically challenge for a top four spot and with it, a first foray into Europe’s elite competition since 1982/83.

Although Diaby has settled in well so far, could the former Arsenal boss unleash a player who has actually outscored him this season and appears to be returning to his best?

Step forward Leon Bailey.

How good has Leon Bailey been for Aston Villa this season?

The winger joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, yet his first season was disrupted by injuries as he made just 18 appearances, scoring once.

Last season the 5 foot 10 ace finally became a more consistent performer, featuring in 36 matches while registering nine goal contributions and this has laid the foundations for his successful start to the 2023/24 campaign.

Across just 12 games so far, Bailey has scored five times and grabbed two assists, flourishing in Emery’s system, and he has, therefore, scored more than Diaby this term.

He came off the bench against West Ham on the weekend and enjoyed a wonderful cameo. The 26-year-old completed 100% of his attempted passes while succeeding with his only dribble attempt and taking two shots during his time on the pitch.

He was rewarded for his intensity by scoring a wonderful goal to cap off an excellent victory and Emery should seriously consider unleashing the Jamaican international for the Europa Conference League tie against AZ Alkmaar.

Journalist Josh Bunting lavished praise on the former Leverkusen star for his “stunning” goal against West Ham while also claiming that his “footwork is sensational” following a solid cameo.

Emery must finally unleash him from the first whistle against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday evening, with his last start coming on the 5th of October, as he could build on his performance against the Hammers and continue his impressive start to the season.

Villa are on a high right now and Bailey could continue his fine form with a start during the week, whilst it would also provide Diaby with a rest ahead of the weekend.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após o empate por 0 a 0 com o Caracas na Venezuela, o Vasco garantiu uma vaga nas oitavas de finais da Copa Sul-Americana. Na saída de campo, o goleiro Fernando Miguel, que salvou o time na chegada mais perigosa dos venezuelanos, exaltou o empenho dos jogadores e a estratégia do treinador Ricardo Sá Pinto.

– Acho que o ideal, o que foi fundamental foi o empenho e a concentração em cima da estratégia que o Mister pediu para que nós tivéssemos nessa partida. Acredito que surpreendemos até a equipe do Caracas e conseguimos, no meu ponto de vista, até um certo controle. Se tivéssemos um pouco mais de tranquilidade poderíamos ter saído daqui mais tranquilos -destacou o goleiro.

– Mas o importante é a transpiração, a entrega, o comprometimento e principalmente a classificação que nós conquistamos aqui hoje. Muito feliz e vamos continuar trabalhando agora para a sequência da temporada – completou.

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Fora de casa, o treinador Ricardo Sá Pinto optou por um esquema 3-4-2-1 e apostou em congestionar o meio-campo para tentar anular o adversário. Neste sentido, o português conseguiu fazer com que o Caracas pouco levasse perigo à meta de Fernando Miguel e teve chances de sair com a vitória na partida.

Com a classificação, o Vasco encara nas oitavas de finais da competição o Defensa Y Justicia, da Argentina. Antes disso, a equipe volta a campo no domingo, às 16h (de Brasília) diante do Palmeiras, em São Januário, pela 20ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Form guide (most recent match first)

Delhi Daredevils: lost to Chennai Super Kings by 13 runs, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 55 runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by four runs
Rajasthan Royals: lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 11 runs, beat Mumbai Indians by three wickets, lost to Chennai Super Kings by 64 runs

Big Picture

We are reaching a stage in the IPL where a defeat can all but eliminate some of the sides. Barring extreme circumstances, with four points from eight matches, Delhi Daredevils, who will be happier coming back home after their defeat in Pune, need to win all their remaining six matches. Or at least five of them. If they do manage to make this match one of those five or six, it will leave their opponents Rajasthan Royals in a similar situation. They still sit at less than 50% success rate, with three wins in seven matches. A win for Royals will put them at No. 4 alongside Kolkata Knight Riders, and make them genuine contenders to make the playoffs. Needless to say, margin for error for either side is minimal.Daredevils are only just recovering from what turned out to be a mistake: having Gautam Gambhir as captain and opening batsman. The rejigged side after his stepping down looks a bigger threat to the opposition. Royals themselves are benefitting from Jofra Archer’s inclusion two matches ago. Both the sides will love a match-winning effort from their big overseas buys. Daredevils’ Glenn Maxwell and Royals’ Jos Buttler have scored 126 and 120 runs respectively in seven matches, which is not what the sides bargained for.

In the news

Mahipal Lomror played ahead of Shreyas Gopal – who has five wickets this season at a decent economy of only 7.06 – in Royals’ last game. It will be interesting to see if they persist with the combination.

Previous meeting

Their last meeting was the first time a side successfully defended a total this IPL. It was a rain-shortened game, and Daredevils failed to chase 71 in six overs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Likely XIs

Delhi Daredevils: 1 Colin Munro, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Liam Plunkett, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Trent BoultRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Mahipal Lomror, 7 K Gowtham, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Jaydev Unadkat

Strategy punt

Royals could think of playing two legspinners: Maxwell has had his share of troubles against that variety of bowling, including against Ish Sodhi, who has dismissed him twice in 28 balls for only 31 runs.Expect Daredevils to hold back spin until they dismiss Ajinkya Rahane, whose strike rate against pace this year has been 117.2 as opposed to 143 against spin.

Stats that matter

• Daredevils last beat Royals in 2012, and have lost to them seven times since then
• Royals’ specialist overseas batsmen have the worst strike rate among all teams this year: 116.4
• Amit Mishra has bowled almost exclusively in the middle overs, going at an excellent economy rate of 6.7
• Avesh Khan has bowled only seven Powerplay overs so far, but he boasts a good economy rate of 7.1
• Jofra Archer comes into the match with a death-overs economy rate of 4.8 in this IPL. He has bowled only four overs in the stage, but in finding a way to score runs off him lies a big challenge for Daredevils

Fantasy pick

Colin Munro looks like he is hitting form after a slow start to the tournament. He has batted 16 and 18 balls in his last two innings; if he goes on to face 30, his strike rate should get you enough points.

Quotes

“We need to win six out of six, which is the only motivation we can take into the remaining games. We are really effective in home games and, if we can keep the team stable, that should serve us well.”

Arsenal finally overcame their Goodison Park demons today, squeezing out a narrow victory over a solid and steadfast Everton side thanks to a goal from Leandro Trossard.

Although far from a game for the footballing purists, there was plenty for the visitors to enjoy despite once again suffering from a lack of cutting edge.

In their four previous Premier League fixtures, a failure to see out games made routine results far more awkward, and the fear was that the same would occur on Merseyside despite their opponents suffering from a toothless run in front of goal.

How did Leandro Trossard play vs Everton?

It took a moment of magic to separate the sides, which always felt like it would come from Mikel Arteta's men, as a well-worked corner routine allowed Trossard the space to strike a wicked left-footed effort in off the far post.

The Belgian explained the thought process behind the tactic after the game: "Obviously they [Everton] have a lot of tall guys & they’re good in the air, we know they’re good on set-pieces, so that’s where we wanted to exploit them. I think it helped & that was the idea behind it."

His role in winning all three points saw him gain a well-earned match-best 7.9 Sofascore rating, as he replaced the injured Gabriel Martinelli with ease. However, such immeasurable creativity was further handed the foundation to thrive by the ever-dependable Declan Rice.

The £105m man was dominant yet again in the engine room, recording 98 touches and mustering a 93% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

His work in breaking up the play was imperative in quelling the little threat of their hosts, with two interceptions and one clearance too.

Despite these two standout displays from the attack and the midfield, it was arguably one defensive titan who stole the show; Ben White.

How did Ben White play vs Everton?

It is a testament to White's performance that Arsenal podcaster Sash boldly wrote: "Ben White has been our best player."

All the figures do support such a notion, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion man shining at full-back both creativity and defensively.

His mammoth tally of 116 touches emphasises his consistent impact, whilst the one key pass recorded showcased his penchant for pushing forward.

Perhaps most importantly, the 25-year-old would win five of his duels, at an 83% success rate, via Sofascore. Given their opposition seldom had the ball, it was important to silence these threats before they could cause them any trouble.

As such, the 7.8 Sofascore rating made him comfortably the best performer of anyone who started, with his showing earning praise from others including Sash.

Writer Simon Collings gave his verdict in his post-match ratings too, after handing White a solid if harsh 7/10 rating: "A good solid performance from the right-back, who had licence to get forward as Everton sat deep. Looks at his best in this team at right-back."

The defensive foundation he offered proved key in finally ending their hoodoo on Merseyside, with the hope being that Arteta's outfit can now use this result as a springboard to get performances back to the level that saw them push for the title last term.

A big update has emerged on Celtic and their attempts to bolster Brendan Rodgers' playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have already confirmed the signing of Honduras international winger Luis Palma from Greek side Aris FC this week and they are now on the verge of another two deals.

According to The Scottish Sun, Liverpool central defender Nat Phillips is on his way to Glasgow and the club have agreed a deal to sign Paulo Bernardo from Benfica.

The report claims that the Hoops are set to sign the Portuguese talent on an initial loan deal with an option to make it permanent at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. It does not state exactly how much the purchase option is valued at but does say that it could be upwards of around £6.5m.

How good is Paulo Bernardo?

Rodgers could repeat Celtic's Jota masterclass in a late swoop for the 21-year-old midfielder as the former Bhoys star also joined from Benfica on an initial loan before making a permanent switch to Scotland the following summer.

The ex-Hoops ace had only scored four goals in 52 first-team matches prior to his move to Parkhead but went on to be an outstanding talent for the club throughout his two seasons.

Jota racked up 28 goals and 26 assists in 83 matches for the Scottish champions, which earned him a £25m transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad this summer.

Bernardo could now follow in his footsteps as another Benfica youth product who could be an excellent player for Celtic if he is able to translate his academy form over to first-team level with this move to Scotland.

The Portugal U21 international produced seven goals and five assists in 38 games – one contribution every 3.17 clashes on average – for Benfica B from a central midfield position.

This shows that he has the potential to find the back of the net from the middle of the park and that could make him a superb option for Rodgers as the club's top-scoring central midfielder in the Scottish Premiership was Reo Hatate with six strikes last season.

Jota had scored nine goals and provided eight assists in 47 outings for Benfica B, which works out as a direct goal involvement every 2.76 matches on average.

Bernardo, who was once hailed as an "exciting" prospect by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also scored five goals in 16 games for Portugal's U21 side, whilst Jota managed five goals in 18 appearances at that level.

These statistics suggest that the 5 foot 11 whiz has the potential to follow in his compatriot's footsteps, albeit in a different position on the pitch, to become a star for Celtic if he is able to translate his B team form for Benfica over to Scottish football in the same way that the £25m magician did.

An initial loan provides the club with the safety net to move on from Bernardo after a season if it does not work out and the option to buy means that they can secure his long-term value at Parkhead if he is a roaring success, like Jota.

Chelsea supporters have been handed an interesting update on Crystal Palace star Michael Olise as the club's transfer plans take shape.

Who will Chelsea sign next?

The west Londoners now face missing out on star midfield target Moises Caicedo after Liverpool and Chelsea agreed a British-record £111 million fee for the Ecuador international.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have been chasing a move for Caicedo all summer, with reports earlier this week detailing they were growing confident, but Liverpool's late hijack appears to have put a dent in their hopes of signing him.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp even confirmed to the media that Liverpool had agreed a fee with Brighton for Caicedo, despite not having limitless resources.

"The fee with the club is agreed," said Klopp in his Friday press conference.

"We will see what that means. We aren't a club with endless resources and we didn't expect a couple of things to happen this summer. Then it happened."

This comes as a very unexpected development late in the transfer window and Chelsea may now have to consider alternative targets, like Southampton's Romeo Lavia.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

Pochetttino's side have already put pen to paper on moves for Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez and Angelo this window, but Todd Boehly and co are after even more after many departures.

Indeed, Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ethan Ampadu have all departed Stamford Bridge for pastures new.

In terms of other transfer targets, Palace star Olise has been central to rumours linking him with a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

The forward's contract contains an enticing £35 million release clause, with journalist Pete O'Rourke sharing the latest on their pursuit to Football Insider.

The reporter writes that Chelsea are set to step up their chase for the Frenchman, after they missed out on Ghana international star Kudus to Brighton.

O'Rourke wrote:

"Chelsea are ready to step up their interest in Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as they are set to miss out on top target Mohammed Kudus – who is closing in on a move to Brighton.

"However, there are question marks about Olise’s fitness. He is set to be out until September with an injury he picked up with France at the Under-21 European Championships."

How good is Michael Olise?

The 21-year-old attacker was a Selhurst Park standout under two different managers last term, finishing 2022/2023 as one of Palace's best-performing players per match with 11 assists and two goals (WhoScored).

Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, commenting on Olise's exceptional form last term, called the player an "enormous talent".

“I have seen him for 10 days less than I have seen the others," said the current Palace manager to media members.

What I make of him is that I think he is an enormous talent – he has got a great possibility to have a wonderful career and a wonderful future. We can only hope we at Crystal Palace can give him that platform.”

Indeed, all signs point towards Olise being a promising move.

MatériaMais Notícias

Não há tempo para descanso. Horas depois de vencer o Fortaleza no Maracanã, pela oitava rodada do Brasileirão, o elenco do Flamengo se reapresentou no CT na manhã deste domingo e realizou a primeira atividade visando o clássico de quarta, contra o Fluminense. Confira as imagens divulgadas pelo clube abaixo.

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O Fla-Flu será disputado às 21h30 e o time de Domènec Torrent, como visitante, buscará a quarta vitória consecutiva. O treinador realizará novas mudanças no time titular – seguindo com o rodízio que considera fundamental para os atletas manterem o bom desempenho físico e técnico. Depois de iniciar o jogo contra o Fortaleza entre os reservas, Gabriel Barbosa deve retornar aos 11 iniciais.

Na atividade desta manhã, os titulares diante do Fortaleza realizaram trabalho regenerativo enquanto os demais, como Diego Ribas e Gabigol, trabalharam no gramado. Pedro Rocha, que deixou o jogo com dores na coxa esquerda, passou por uma reavaliação junto ao departamento médico, mas o clube ainda não informou sobre a condição do atleta que havia entrado na etapa final do jogo.

Bora, @DomeTorrent 👍🏻 #CRF pic.twitter.com/SHT4Ib7Yqe

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 6, 2020

Vamos, @ribasdiego10! ✅⚽️ #CRF pic.twitter.com/VioIuF2fx0

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 6, 2020

É bola na rede, @gabigol! ⚽️ #CRF pic.twitter.com/4HnuHNUrKi

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 6, 2020

Liverpool transfer target Ryan Gravenberch is open to the idea of leaving Bayern Munich for the Reds this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Do Liverpool want to sign Ryan Gravenberch?

The 21-year-old has been linked with a move to Anfield throughout the summer transfer window, being seen as one of many midfield options to come in and bolster that area of the pitch.

After signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, talk of a move for Gravenberch has cooled overall, but rumours have started to return again in recent days.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Dutchman moved to Bayern from Ajax last summer, but he found it hard to be a regular starter in his first season there, starting just three Bundesliga matches and having to make do with a squad role instead.

Will Liverpool sign Ryan Gravenberch?

Speaking on the Born and Red YouTube channel [via The Boot Room], Romano said that Gravenberch would be open to trading Bayern for Liverpool in the current transfer window:

"They love [Ryan] Gravenberch, 100%. It’s about the director [Jorg Schmadtke], it’s about Jurgen Klopp. They really, really like the player and the player is open to the idea of making a move.

"But, at the moment he didn’t go there and say, ‘Let me go’. It’s still something that’s in the early stages between Gravenberch and Bayern and at the moment Liverpool can only wait. It makes no sense to submit proposals or start negotiations if Bayern don’t want to sell."

It does appear as though Liverpool still view Gravenberch as a good option to bring in this summer, and if Jurgen Klopp and his new transfer guru are big admirers, it is hard to go against the legendary Reds manager, especially as the Netherlands international has been called a "better version of Pogba" by former Ajax coach Brian Tevreden.

That being said, the Bayern man is arguably at his best as a box-to-box No.8 in the mould of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, at a time when Liverpool need a No.6 to come in and replace Fabinho. Signing him as well as the other recent recruits would arguably leave the midfield feeling unbalanced, so the money could be used better elsewhere, such as on Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia and Fluminense enforcer Andre, both of whom continue to be linked with moves.

If Gravenberch does come in, it can only be assumed that Klopp believes he could thrive as a No.6, but it would feel like a risk, at a time when the midfield issue simply must be nailed.

علّق ستيفانو بيولي، المدير الفني لفريق ميلان، على هزيمتهم في مباراة الإثنين أمام جارهم إنتر ميلان، حيث حسم الأخير لقب الدوري الإيطالي.

واستضاف ميلان منافسه إنتر ميلان، في قمة منافسات الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين حيث فاز الضيوف بهدفين مقابل هدف.

وحصل إنتر ميلان بذلك الفوز على لقب الدوري الإيطالي هذا الموسم بشكل رسمي، للمرة العشرين في تاريخه.

وقال بيولي في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “فوتبول إيطاليا” بعد المباراة: “حاولت رفع معنويات اللاعبين، فمن الواضح أنها هزيمة مؤلمة لكل المشاركين بها، حاولت قدر الإمكان طمأنة لاعبي فريقي، لأننا بحاجة إلى إنهاء الموسم بشكل جيد، لدينا مباراة مهمة أخرى يوم السبت”.

وأضاف: “لسوء الحظ، لم نتمكن حتى من تحقيق التعادل في هذا الديربي، كانت الأولوية هي إزالة التكافؤ بين الطرفين في الهجوم وإيجاد مساحة للهجمات المرتدة”.

وواصل: “لقد تأخرنا في النتيجة، وأعتقد أن إنتر لم يضرنا إلا في تلك الركنية والهجمات المرتدة، ولكن عندما تكون متأخرًا، عليك المخاطرة، لقد قاتل الفريق بإصرار ورغبة، ولم يكن لدينا القليل من الحظ الذي كان من الممكن أن يمنحنا التعادل، لأننا خلقنا الفرص”.

واستمر: “لقد خاض إنتر موسمًا استثنائيًا، لم يخسر سوى مباراة واحدة، لكن لمدة ثلاث أو أربع سنوات حتى الآن لا يمكن لأحد أن يشك في أنه يمتلك أقوى فريق في الدوري، أما نحن فقد أهدرنا النقاط في بعض المباريات الحاسمة وافتقرنا إلى الثبات”.

وأوضح: “إذا كانت الفجوة بيننا وبين إنتر ميلان كبيرة إلى هذا الحد (يتواجد ميلان في المركز الثاني بفارق 17 نقطة عن البطل)، فهذا يعني أنهم فريق قوي للغاية وعلينا جميعًا رفع المستوى”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. لاوتارو مارتينيز باكيًا بعد تحقيق لقب الدوري الإيطالي: إنتر ميلان يريد المزيد

وخاض ميلان تلك المباراة بعد أيام من خروجه من الدوري الأوروبي، حيث خسر على يد روما ذهابًا وإيابًا، في ربع النهائي.

واستطرد: “لقد حققنا سبعة انتصارات متتالية، لذا فإن مباراتي الدوري الأوروبي ضد روما لم تكن كما أردنا أو توقعنا، كان الجميع في حالة جيدة ويشعرون بالثقة، لكننا قدمنا لقائين كانا أقل من معاييرنا”.

واستأنف: “ثم كان الديربي هو التالي، أعتقد أنه ربما كان الديربي الأكثر توازنًا في اللقاءات الأخيرة، ولم يحالفنا الحظ”.

وسئل بيولي عما إذا كانت هذه نهاية حقبة، خاصة وسط تقارير عن رحيله في نهاية الموسم، حيث رد: “لا أعرف، بدا إنزاجي (مدرب إنتر ميلان) وكأنه يعاني قبل 14 شهرًا وفقًا لما ذكرته وسائل الإعلام وانظروا ماذا حقق بعد ذلك”.

واختتم: “أنا سعيد هنا، وأعمل بشكل جيد وأعتقد أن الفريق لديه مجال للتحسن، سنرى أين نحن جميعًا في نهاية الموسم وسنناقش الأمر”.

Norwich City look to be on the verge of yet another signing this summer, with Derbund, via Pink Un reporting that Christian Fassnacht is in talks with the club.

Who is Christian Fassnacht?

The 29-year-old has spent the entirety of his career in his native Switzerland, having come up through the divisions and landed with Young Boys in the Swiss Super League.

He's been a success there too, with his side claiming the league title in 2022/23. The midfielder played 29 times during that campaign, 26 of which were starts, and produced eight goals with six assists. It meant that his goal contribution tally hit double-digits for the third consecutive season – only in one league campaign has he ever hit less than ten goals + assists.

He's been with his current side since the 2017/18 season and has gone on to rack up nearly 200 league outings for the club during his time there (182 to be exact). That has led to a return of 68 goals and 33 assists – impressive when you consider he plays almost exclusively out wide.

It means that he has a total rate of 0.58 goals or assists per 90 over the entirety of his time with Young Boys – meaning he guarantees one or the other in every second game he features in, extremely good numbers over such an extended period of time.

He was equally as impressive for Thun before that, with ten goals during his lone season with them.

The wide man's showings in his native country have also led to appearances for his national side. He has 19 caps to his name as things stand, with four goals, and remains involved in and around the squad on a consistent basis under Murat Yakin.

Are Norwich signing Christian Fassnacht?

Now, according to a report from Derbund, via Pink Un, the midfielder may finally be about to leave Switzerland and head to England. Championship side Norwich City are in discussions over a potential move for the Young Boys star and the report states that he has already got a medical lined up with the Canaries.

It means that once negotiations are sorted out and a medical is passed, he will almost definitely become a Norwich player – although it is unclear yet just how much he is going to set the second tier side back in terms of a transfer fee.

If Norwich do manage to get a transfer sorted though, his record makes him look like a promising signing for the club. His goal and assist record is exciting, with the midfielder regularly standing out and hitting double-digit tallies in Switzerland. There will likely be some adapting to a different country and league but the 29-year-old has also played for his country, which will be valuable experience that not every member of the Canaries squad will have.

Fassnacht then could be a deal that goes under the radar but ends up being a very good addition if Norwich complete a deal.