واصل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك تدريباته الجماعية مساء اليوم الجمعة على ملعب النادي، استعداداً للمواجهة المرتقبة أمام بتروجيت في الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الزمللك مع بتروجيت في المباراة المقرر لها يوم 24 مايو الجاري على استاد الكلية الحربية، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثامنة للمرحلة النهائية من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وشهد مران اليوم انضمام الثنائي حمادة السيد ومحمد الشافعي إلى الجهاز الفني للفريق، بناءً على طلب المدير الفني أيمن الرمادي.

طالع.. رسميًا | الزمالك يبدأ إجراءات رفع إيقاف القيد بعد سداد مستحقات بوطيب

تولى حمادة السيد منصب المدرب المساعد، بينما تم تعيين محمد الشافعي معداً بدنياً، وذلك بهدف تعزيز الجهاز المعاون والاستفادة من خبراتهما في الفترة المقبلة.

وقاد الثنائي التدريبات الجماعية بجانب باقي أعضاء الجهاز المعاون تحت إشراف أيمن الرمادي، الذي عقد جلسة مع اللاعبين قبل انطلاق المران، شدد خلالها على أهمية التركيز والعمل الجاد خلال فترة التوقف الحالية، مطالباً الجميع بغلق صفحة المباريات السابقة والاستعداد بقوة للمرحلة المقبلة.

وتضمّن المران برنامجاً تأهيلياً وبدنياً خاصاً للاعبين، حيث تم تقسيم التدريبات إلى جزئين؛ الأول بدني باستخدام أدوات مخصصة، والثاني تدريبات تأهيلية بالكرة شملت تمريرات متنوعة، في ظل حرص الجهاز الفني على الوقوف على الحالة البدنية لجميع اللاعبين.

من جهة أخرى، خضع الرباعي محمود بنتايج، وناصر منسي، وصلاح الدين مصدق، ومحمد شحاتة لتدريبات تأهيلية خاصة داخل صالة الجيمانيزيوم ضمن البرنامج العلاجي الموضوع لهم.

ويعاني اللاعبون من إصابات متفاوتة تعرضوا لها خلال اللقاء السابق أمام بيراميدز، حيث أصيب ناصر منسي في العضلة الخلفية، وصلاح الدين مصدق بكدمة في الكاحل، بينما يعاني محمود بنتايج من إجهاد عضلي، ومحمد شحاتة من آلام في العضلة الخلفية.

كما أدى ناصر ماهر تدريبات تأهيلية متنوعة داخل أرضية الملعب تحت إشراف الجهاز الطبي بقيادة الدكتور محمد أسامة، في إطار تعافيه من إصابة بكاحل القدم.

ويأمل الجهاز الفني للزمالك بقيادة أيمن الرمادي في تجهيز كافة اللاعبين بأفضل صورة ممكنة قبل لقاء بتروجيت المقبل.

Tom Brady and Birmingham City are being tipped to spend again, with a transfer prediction made ahead of a return to the Championship.

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Transfer records broken in 2024Went on to win League One titleIntend to reach the big time againFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues slipped out of the second tier on the back of some disastrous decisions – such as appointing Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney as boss – and a collection of forgettable performances.

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They have bounced back to that level at the first time of asking, with the League One title being secured under Chris Davies. Big money was splashed out in 2024 while building a promotion-winning squad, with records being smashed when acquiring star striker Jay Stansfield for £15 million ($20m).

DID YOU KNOW?

Birmingham have grand plans for the future, which include the construction of a new 62,000-seater stadium, and intend to return to the Premier League in the not too distant future. As a result, more movement is expected on the recruitment front.

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Getty/GOALWHAT EFL PUNDIT SAID

West Midlands native and EFL pundit Lee Hendrie has told : “Listen, I think they’ve established what they needed this season in League One, squad-wise and squad depth. And now they’re going to have to step that up.

“I do feel that they have got good players that can step right into the Championship, for sure. But be-all and end-all, I think if they want to go again, which I’m sure they will do, their owners are looking to further things on where they want to get into the Premier League.

“I think that they will have to invest and bring that little bit more quality that can certainly stand them a chance in the Championship. So, they will have to spend money and I’m sure they will do, having the season they’ve had.”

Jayawardene appointed head of performance for the three teams, Zaheer becomes head of cricket development

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Sep-2022

Mahela Jayawardene and Zaheer Khan have worked together at Mumbai Indians since 2018•BCCI

Mahela Jayawardene has taken up a broader role at Mumbai Indians, as the franchise’s global head of performance. In his new position, Jayawardene will oversee the coaching and scouting at all the three teams the franchise owners now have – Mumbai Indians in the IPL, MI Emirates in the ILT20, and MI Cape Town in the SA20. Zaheer Khan, earlier the director of cricket operations, is now the global head of cricket development for the three teams.In a statement, the group said that the team management recognised the need for a central team at the helm of affairs because of the company’s expansion to “ensure consistency […] on ethos, values, and learning, that have made MI one of the most loved cricket brands across the globe”.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that the franchise will shortly unveil the new head coach for the IPL team, a job Jayawardene held since the 2017 edition of the IPL, overseeing three title wins.Related

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Big-hitting Tim David proves his worth

Elaborating on the roles and responsibilities of the two men who will be right at the top of the backroom staff, the statement said that Jayawardene would be involved with “overall strategic planning, the creation of an integrated global high-performance eco-system, as well as responsibility for each team’s coaching and support structures, working closely with the team head coaches to ensure synergies, a consistent brand of cricket, and implementation of best practices set by MI.”Jayawardene has already started work in his new role. Jayawardene was also involved in the process to identify the five direct acquisitions for the SA20 team in August.Calling the elevation “an absolute honour”, Jayawardene said he looked forward “to this new responsibility to build a strong cohesive global brand of cricket”.As for Zaheer, he would be “responsible for player development, building on MI’s robust programme around talent identification and grooming and adopting the same across geographies, which has been core to MI’s philosophy and success”.”MI has been home for me as a player and as a coaching team member, and now as we embark on a new journey, I look ahead to working closely with all the stakeholders in the global network to unearth new potential that can join the family,” Zaheer said.The streamlining of the top roles in the coaching staff came after the Mumbai Indians owners bought the two new teams.Mumbai Indians have been the most successful team at the IPL over the years•BCCI

“I’m happy to have Mahela and Zak as part of our global core team. Both have been an integral part of the MI family and embody the spirit of the cricket MI stands for,” Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, the owners of Mumbai Indians, said. “I’m confident that they would be able to ensure the same flows through all our teams globally and make a difference in the cricketing ecosystems across the globe.”The ILT20 and the SA20 will both have their inaugural seasons in January-February next year. The owners felt that the changed circumstances needed one person in charge of the coaching arm globally, a role that best suited Jayawardene because of his extensive experience as an international player and captain, as well as a coach in franchise T20 cricket.In the IPL, Jayawardene has been the second-most successful coach after Stephen Fleming, who has been with Chennai Super Kings since 2009 and has won four IPL titles with them. The Jayawardene-Rohit Sharma [Mumbai Indians captain] combine has made three IPL playoffs in six seasons and, remarkably won the title each time. They are the only team with five IPL titles and the only team apart from Super Kings to successfully defend the title, in 2020.Jayawardene and Zaheer have worked closely since the latter joined the support staff at Mumbai Indians in 2018. In 91 matches since then, Mumbai Indians’ win-loss ratio of 1.289 has been the best among the original eight IPL teams. However, Mumbai have struggled for form and consistency in the last two seasons, and finished last in the ten-team event in 2022 where they won just four out of their 14 matches.

“I feel very blessed, very grateful right now. Last two and a half years have taught me a lot. I’m going to turn 34 in November, so celebrations [on getting to landmarks] are all [a thing of] the past. I have put a lot of things in perspective and, actually, I was a bit shocked because this was the format I least expected a century to come in any time soon, but it’s all God’s blessings. I have been working hard and this was just a moment which was very special for me and the team as well.Related

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• Kohli shreds Dubai's nerves with perfectly imperfect comeback knock

“It [the thoughts running through his head] was an accumulation of a lot of things. As I said, when I came back into the team [after a break], the team’s been really open and welcoming and helpful, given me space to work on my game. I know there was a lot of stuff going on on the outside but they really kept my perspective right.”And I kissed my ring [on a chain around his neck] in the celebration as well. You see me standing here like this right now because [of] all the things that have been put in perspective [and] have been done by one person, who stood by me through all these difficult times – that’s [his wife] Anushka [Sharma] and this hundred is specially dedicated to her and our little daughter Vamika as well.”As I said, [it helps] when you have someone next to you putting the things in right perspective like I have [had], and Anushka has been by my side through all these times…”Time away from the game taught me a lot of things, when I came back I wasn’t desperate. I was grateful for what God blessed me [with] before. People were talking about me not getting a hundred but I looked at how much he has given me already, so that really calmed me down, that relaxed me, I was just happy to come back.”Six weeks off, I was refreshed, I understood after taking a break how tired actually I was mentally and physically. Your competitiveness doesn’t allow you to take that call, but I think it was a blessing in disguise for me. I wanted to be the best version of myself for the team, and when I came here, when I started playing in the nets, I felt like my old rhythm was coming back. It was just about getting those performances in the middle again.”

VAR was temporarily down during Tottenham's 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest due to a fire alarm at Stockley Park.

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• VAR goes down due to fire alarm
• Issue resolved soon after
• Tottenham lose 2-1 to Forest

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  At the start of the second half of Spurs' loss to Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Easter Monday, the Premier League confirmed that VAR was down until further notice. Almost instantly, however, the issue was sorted.

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• WHAT VAR SAID

  The Premier League Match Centre tweeted at 9.08pm: "The match will be operating VAR until further notice due to a fire alarm at the VAR Hub at Stockley Park."

  A minute later, the same account commented: "VAR is now back up and running."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Aside from VAR issues, Tottenham are on course to have their worst ever Premier League season, with Ange Postecoglou's men sitting 16th in the division with 18 defeats from 33 games. Forest, on the other hand, are up to third and could qualify for next season's Champions League.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Things don't get much easier for Tottenham as they head to champions-elect Liverpool on Sunday in their next Premier League match.

Tottenham Hotspur have held “concrete talks” to sign a £20m+ attacking “monster”, according to a Sky Sports journalist.

Tottenham qualify for Europa League last 16 with win over Elfsborg

Ange Postecoglou’s side got back to winning ways on Thursday evening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with youngsters Dane Scarlett, Damola Ajayi and Mikey Moore all scoring in a 3-0 Europa League win over Elfsborg to book their place in the last 16.

Talking after the win, Postecoglou said: “It was “Made in Tottenham” tonight. It’s brilliant for the club and I’m sure there are academy coaches and players who won’t sleep because they are pretty excited. We’ve got a big week coming up and we’ve got to try to manage the load of our players and try to protect them.

“We kind of knew we would have to rely on some young players tonight and all the way through this campaign to be honest. I thought they stood up really well. The whole group played well but we were going to need some young boys to make an impact and not just the three goalscorers.

“We had a couple of 18-year-olds in there as well who continue to drive us on. So it’s a great night for the club and something the whole academy should be proud of.”

Attention now turns back to the Premier League and the transfer market, with Monday evening’s deadline fast approaching.

So far, Spurs have only brought in one new player in goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, although Postecoglou admitted he could do with more due to the sheer number of injuries in the squad.

Tottenham reach out to agents over signing "remarkably quick" £25m defender

Spurs could still get a centre-back over the line.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 31, 2025

Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel has been heavily linked with a permanent big-money move to north London, with a verbal €60m agreement being reached and Levy travelling for talks. Since then, it has been claimed that Tel will not join Spurs and has informed them of their decision, as per Fabrizio Romano, but another attacker is of interest to Spurs, albeit for the summer window.

Tottenham hold “concrete talks” to sign Tzimas – Sky Sports

According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg in the last 48 hours, Tottenham have held “concrete talks” to sign Stefanos Tzimas, currently playing at 1. FC Nurnberg.

Any transfer would cost around €25m (£21m) in the summer, with top-flight rivals Aston Villa also in discussions with the attacker. However, it is Brighton & Hove Albion who are leading the race for Tzimas at this moment in time.

Tzimas, described as a “monster”, is currently on loan at Nurnberg from PAOK but the German side plan to activate a permanent transfer for €18m before potentially selling the teenager on straightaway.

The Greek forward has been in impressive form during the 2024/25 campaign, scoring 10 goals in 17 appearances in all competitions. That has resulted in praise from German football expert Tobias Kroger, who compared Tzimas to Benjamin Sesko.

“He reminds me a lot of Benjamin Sesko. He has a really interesting all around package for a striker: He’s good in the air but also quick for his height. He is good at making runs into open spaces but is also clinical in one-vs-one situations with the keeper. His link-up play is also very good. His technique is also very good but not elite.”

Victors at Lord’s return to earth with a crash but Oval decider offers chance for final push

Firdose Moonda27-Aug-2022A broken car with new wheels is still a broken car. So even if you blur out Dean Elgar’s dismissal by James Anderson for the sixth time in 11 matches; Sarel Erwee’s almost hour-long vigil ending with an edge; Aiden Markram failing again, and South Africa losing two wickets for 10 runs with the old ball and 5 for 7 with the second new ball, and focus only on the 87-run stand between Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen, you will not be able to look past the obvious: South Africa’s batting is brittle.But that issue was dissected two days ago with a study of the systemic problems in South Africa’s domestic system and depth, and to revisit it would just be depressing. This analysis could consider whether Pieter Malan, who played in the 2019-20 series against England should be recalled, or whether his younger brother, Janneman, part of the white-ball set-up, should be given an opportunity. It could go through domestic cricket statistics for the last few seasons and it would toss up the same names and similar numbers, none of which make compelling enough arguments to displace the incumbents. So it feels a little pointless.These are the players South Africa have to work with, and when they are most up against it, they offer shards of hope that could expand into something bigger. On a morning that began with the Springboks losing 17-25 to Australia in the Rugby Championship and the top three losing their wickets inside 14 overs, it was Petersen – out of form in his county stint with Durham and out of practice since then – and van der Dussen, with a broken finger, who kept South Africa’s engine going.Petersen is the most technically sound batter in the South African line-up right now. His defensive game is solid, he moves his feet well and he has a soft, wristy touch. He is not afraid to get a good stride in against the fuller ball and he keeps his cool when the opposition go short. England tried to cramp him for room but Petersen rode the bounce, and found a way to play some shots. The quality he displayed best in this innings was patience, as he faced 159 balls over four hours for just 42 runs. It’s not Bazball at all, and there may be some criticism over the way he stonewalled instead of trying to chip away at the deficit quicker, but that would be harsh. South Africa did not have much to come after him, so he had to play responsibly.Van der Dussen’s approach is usually the same and this time it was enhanced by a dash of heroism as he came out to bat despite a series-ending injury. After copping a ball to his left index finger while fielding at short fine leg late on day one, van der Dussen spent the entire second day off the field and was then seen in training gear on the third morning on the dressing-room balcony with an aluminium splint around the digit. When Elgar was dismissed, he changed into his whites. With his Test career on the line, van der Dussen was not going to let a lack of finger functionality stop him from making his case.Rassie van der Dussen remained defiant despite battling an injury•AFP/Getty ImagesHe left the first four balls he faced, but he had to keep out the fifth. Immediately after his bat made contact with the ball, he took his top off the handle, to minimise the impact on the injury. In total, van der Dussen hit 116 of the 132 balls he faced. Each one would have hurt. The balls that pinned him to his crease and forced a block would have hurt a little more. He eventually got one from Stokes, in the first over after tea, that spooked him so much that, when the next ball curved away, he followed it and nicked off. He left carrying his bat in his right hand.While South Africa’s management ignored queries about the extent of van der Dussen’s injury until the end of play, his reactions implied it was serious. This has since been confirmed and van der Dussen will return home to consult a finger specialist. He is out of the third Test, and may be wondering about his red-ball future, considering he averages 24.16 from his last 13 innings and might have been dropped for that decider anyway.Related

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Today, his innings was a microcosm of South Africa’s. It was painful but gutsy and, in the end, it counted for very little. They only have themselves to blame. The days of blockathons are long gone, but not even that would have sufficed after the way their first innings went. Being shot out for 151 left South Africa in a dire position, against a top-quality England attack in helpful conditions for both seam and spin, and has asked them the questions about their batting resources that need to be asked. The answers are proving difficult to find.But for this series, going to south London at 1-1 is not the worst thing that could have happened, and not just for neutrals. South Africa will only play one more three-Test series in this cycle (against Australia at the end of the year) before six two-Test series in the 2023-2025 World Test Championship. That could leave a generation of players who never get to experience the ebbs and flows of multiple meetings over the course of a month or more, and the thrill of a decider.This squad may not have wanted that, especially as they had the opportunity to build on the momentum of their massive win at Lord’s and the quality of bowling that could have closed out the series here. So their broken car will keep chugging along, knowing that it can’t be powered by the wheels alone. The rest of the parts have to be re-oiled since they can’t be replaced, and South Africa will have to go again.

Queens Park Rangers are now in “advanced talks” over signing a “talented” Premier League player, having now reached an agreement on personal terms, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

Rs keen to strengthen in midfield

With Tottenham Hotspur’s Yang Min-Hyeok completing a loan move until the end of the season yesterday, QPR may feel they have suitable strength in depth in wide areas, given how highly the South Korean is rated by CEO Christian Nourry.

After completing the deal to sign the young winger, Nourry said: “I am pleased to welcome Min-Hyeok to QPR and to provide him with the opportunity to experience English football for the first time.

“Min-Hyeok had been identified by some of the most elite clubs prior to his arrival at Tottenham as a world-leading attacking prospect.”

QPR now chasing "brilliant" forward who's scored two Champions League goals

Marti Cifuentes is keen to strengthen his attack before the January transfer window closes.

ByDominic Lund Jan 22, 2025

Now, the Rs may turn their attentions to strengthening in other areas, and they have been pursuing new options in the middle of the park, having recently been linked with a move for Hull City’s Xavier Simons.

Simons is a more defensive option, but Cifuentes is also keen on bringing in a more advanced player, having recently identified a versatile option.

Last week, the Hoops made contact over a deal to sign Chelsea attacking midfielder Harvey Vale, who is capable of playing in multiple positions, but has been unable to force his way into first-team contention at Stamford Bridge since returning from a loan spell with Bristol Rovers.

There has since been a promising new update on the Rs’ pursuit of Vale, with reporter Ben Jacobs taking to X to confirm they have made an offer to sign the midfielder, and he has agreed personal terms on a move to Loftus Road.

QPR are now in “advanced talks” with Chelsea to discuss the complexities of a deal, currently discussing bonus payments and a potential sell-on clause.

BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella has also corroborated the rumours, stating the west Londoners are leading the race for the startlet, despite interest from other unnamed Championship clubs.

Vale could thrive in the Championship

The 21-year-old has been limited to reserve football this season, but he was a key player for Bristol Rovers in League One last term, making 39 appearances in League One, registering two goals and five assists.

Cifuentes’ side still have an outside chance of making a play-off push, given that they are six points off the top six, and Vale’s performances for the Gas indicate he could make an instant impact at Loftus Road.

Having proven himself in the third tier, the “talented” youngster could now be ready to make the step-up to the Championship, so it is promising that QPR are now close to securing a deal.

MatériaMais Notícias

51 dias se passaram desde que o Always Ready, da Bolívia, derrotou o Corinthians, em La Paz, por 2 a 0, pela primeira rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores. Neste período, o Timão disputou 13 jogos, somando sete vitórias, cinco empates e uma derrota, com 66% de aproveitamento.

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> GALERIA – Retrospecto positivo! Os jogos do Timão na Arena com a volta do público

Durante este intervalo, diversos acontecimentos ocorreram no clube alvinegro, que lidera o Brasileirão após sete rodadas, está garantido nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil e com a situação bem encaminhada para avançar ao mata-mata da Libertadores.

Agora, pela rodada final da fase de grupos da competição continental, as equipes se encontram novamente, e oLANCE!traz cinco mudanças que ocorreram no Corinthians desde o confronto na Bolívia.

Rodízio

A partida em La Paz contra o Always Ready marcou o iniciou do rodízio, nova metodologia implantada por Vítor Pereira para controlar o físico dos atletas durante a maratona de jogos do clube. Desde a derrota para os bolivianos, o Timão não repetiu escalações, e Vítor utilizou 29 jogadores nas 13 partidas seguintes.

‘Sumiço’ do quinteto

Durante as cinco partidas em que a equipe foi treinada pelo interino Fernando Lázaro, o ‘quinteto mágico’, formado por Giuliano, Paulinho, Renato Augusto, Róger Guedes e Willian, atuou junto em todas as ocasiões. Desde o jogo contra o Always Ready, os cinco jogadores nãoestiveram mais em campo juntos, apenas contra o São Paulo no Morumbi, pela semifinal do Paulistão, por 58 minutos.

TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Timão na Libertadores

Recuperação de Jô

Após a vitória por 3 a 0 contra o Avaí, pela segunda rodada do Brasileirão, Vítor Pereira revelou ter feito um desafio para Jô perder 3,5 quilos. Caso o centroavante cumprisse a promessa, o treinador pagaria um jantar ao atleta. Jô não apenas recuperou a sua forma física, como retomou a boa fase e se firmou como centroavante titular do Timão.

Reviravolta na Libertadores

A derrota na Bolívia deixou o alerta ligado durante toda a fase de grupos da Libertadores para o Corinthians, já que perder pontos para o adversário mais fraco do grupo, mesmo na altitude, poderia custar a classificação. Com 100% em casa e buscando pontos cruciais longe de seus domínios, especialmente contra o Boca Juniors na Bombonera, o Timão superou a derrota em La Paz e precisa de um empate para avançar ao mata-mata da competição.

Variações táticas

Nos 51 dias que passaram após a derrota por 2 a 0 para o Always Ready, em La Paz, o Corinthians passou a utilizar cada vez mais esquemas com três zagueiros, formando uma linha de cinco na defesa. As variações táticas, inclusive durante as partidas, permitiram ao Timão se ajustar melhor ao seus adversários e as diferentes situações nas quais a equipe pode ter que superar.

Chelsea have only scored four goals in their last five Premier League games, three of those four goals being scored by Cole Palmer, the other being a freekick from club captain, Reece James.

Whilst Nicolas Jackson has started the season well, scoring nine goals and providing four assists in 21 games played, there have been dry spells (including this current five-game run) for the forward. Despite the brilliant all-round play the 23-year-old provides, he has still managed to miss some important chances this season, which in turn has cost the Blues on occasion.

This has led many fans to call for another striker option alongside Jackson, perhaps one that can offer something different from the bench. With the January window open, Chelsea’s directors could definitely achieve that this month.

Chelsea's striker search

According to reports from BILD, Chelsea are keen on Bayern Munich forward, Mathys Tel, and have already made contact with the player’s camp. On the other hand, Bayern Munich are interested in Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, which could cause a knock-on effect.

The 19-year-old can play as both a striker, but also as a winger (both sides), most commonly getting minutes as a left-winger for the German giants in his limited chances so far. Last campaign, Tel made 41 appearances under Thomas Tuchel, scoring ten goals, providing six assists and totalling 1,406 minutes played, with 24 of his 41 appearances coming from the left.

Tel has only made 12 appearances so far this campaign under new manager, Vincent Kompany, and is yet to provide a goal or assist in his 351 minutes played.

How Tel compares to Nicolas Jackson

As previously mentioned, Jackson started the season well, with Maresca taking a liking to the Senegal international for his on-ball qualities (aside from scoring goals), along with his off-ball movement and work rate to help the team in their overall play both in and out of possession.

Tel is an option who could play as that centre-forward for Chelsea, in a similar way to Jackson, dropping deep to play alongside Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández in a pentagon-shaped midfield (with Moises Caicedo and one of their fullbacks inverting, usually at the base of midfield), but also making runs in behind and arriving in the box to finish chances.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Jackson

Tel

Goals

0.53

0.63

Assists

0.23

0.38

xG

0.63

0.34

xAG

0.15

0.25

Progressive Carries

2.22

4.06

Progressive Passes

1.40

2.56

Shots Total

3.33

3.75

Goals/Shot

0.16

0.17

Key Passes

1.11

1.20

Shot-Creating Actions

3.16

4.14

Aerial Duels Won

0.58

1.05

When you compare the metrics of Jackson and Tel (from last season, as it gives a better understanding with a better sample size of minutes played), you can see Tel actually ranks as slightly more clinical with 0.17 goals/shot ratio, compared to Jackson’s ratio of 0.16. This is also considering Tel has a slightly higher shot volume per 90, with 3.75 shots per 90 compared to Jackson’s 3.33.

Despite being slightly smaller (6 foot tall compared to Jackson who is 6 foot 1), the 19-year-old also wins more aerial duels than Jackson with 1.05 compared to his 0.58, which is an important metric to analyse when looking at alternative striker options for the Senegal international.

One area the Blues will know they can improve on, is ensuring they capitalise on their creative quality from the likes of Palmer, Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Enzo Fernández, who can all provide brilliant crosses and long balls into the penalty area.

Having a striker who can add aerial prowess would give Maresca another attacking tool to utilise in his side, while potentially usurping Jackson in the near future.

Mykhailo Mudryk vs Mathys Tel comparison

But Tel isn’t just a striker option. As previously mentioned, he played more of his games for Bayern on the left under Tuchel, showing his versatility and how his skill set can translate into different zones on the pitch.

Comparisons such as Marcus Rashford and Cody Gakpo come to mind, with a taller framed winger, who can play as a centre-forward, using their instincts for a goal and physicality/athleticism to thrive.

Being right-footed, it allows Tel to cut inside and get his shots off on his stronger foot, something that has already become a trademark for him at such a young age with his excellent ball striking. Another example of this would be Kylian Mbappe, who has played as both a left-winger and a striker, but loves to cut inside from the left, often getting into his best shooting zones from that position.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Mudryk

Tel

Goals

0.32

0.63

Assists

0.16

0.38

xG

0.19

0.34

xAG

0.44

0.25

Progressive Carries

5.26

4.06

Progressive Passes

1.75

2.56

Shots Total

1.75

3.75

Key Passes

2.28

1.20

Passes into Pen Area

1.05

1.58

Shot-Creating Actions

3.68

4.14

Successful Take-Ons

1.58

3.61

One weak area for Tel as a winger, is his lack of range when it comes to crossing, often choosing to apply driven crosses into the box, rather than a variety of chipped/whipped attempts alongside them. This is similar with his key passes, often being similar compared to having a more creative range, especially when you consider how technically creative Tel is when dribbling and shooting.

Tel has been labelled an “absolute jewel” by Jacek Kulig, praising the youngster’s output at such a young age for Bayern. His mixture of pace and power allow him to be an outlet from the wing, whilst also having the quality to drift inside, link play and get a high volume of shots off, looking to be that goal-scoring winger type.

Whether Tel plays more as a striker or as a left-wing option, the 19-year-old’s addition would certainly equip Maresca with another option that is different from what they already have, allowing changes to be made to affect games sooner.

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