Hardik Pandya led his side to the trophy in their inaugural season, becoming the seventh team to win the T20 competition.
Buttler had one of the most impressive campaigns this tournament has ever seen. He tied Virat Kohli’s record for the most centuries in a single season (4) as he scored 863 runs in his 17 innings, winning the orange cap in the process.
The Englishman’s most important ton came in the semi-finals against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. They were set a total of 158 runs to win and Buttler ensured a spot in the finals for his side after bringing up his 100 off 59 deliveries, finishing on 106*.
The Royals fell just short in the finals as they looked to win their second IPL title, their first since 2008 when Shane Warne led the franchise to victory.
Buttler was named ‘Most Valuable Player’, ‘Gamechanger of the Season’, and ‘Powerplay of the season’ by the organiser. He also hit the most fours (83) and sixes (45) throughout the tournament.
After showing promising signs in his three-game cameo at the end of the 2021 campaign, Malik truly broke through as a young star this campaign for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He picked up 22 wickets in 14 matches with an economy rate and strike rate of 8.8 and 15.3 respectively.
His best figures came in a last-ball defeat against the Titans. In his four overs, Malik conceded just 25 runs and claimed all five wickets in the innings. The 22-year-old also picked up a four0wicket haul in the tournament as he looks to improve his game in the domestic campaign.
Despite finishing eighth in the table, Sunrisers will still be happy with the positives this season, such as the pace and talent of Malik.
Along with the Gujarat Titans, the Lucknow Super Giants also made their debut this season. Both franchises had impressive seasons with the Titans and Super Giants finishing first and third respectively in the standings.
When the season started slowly, fans speculated whether the introductions of these new teams meant that the ‘star players’ being spread across ten teams lessened the excitement in each game. However, as the season progressed, it was clear this was not the case and that it was just an adjustment period for each team.
Having ten teams in the tournament also allowed players such as Malik to break through and gain more game-time and experience in a competitive environment.
Here are the other awards given to players by the organisers:
Purple Cap (most wickets)- Yuzvendra Chahal
Best Catch- Evin Lewis
Fastest Delivery of the Season- Lockie Ferguson
Fairplay award- Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals
Super Striker of the Season- Dinesh Karthik
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]]>Worcestershire finished the day on 59-1, trailing by 138 after Derbyshire made their highest score of the season so far.
Derbyshire were let off the hook early on after Luis Reece (42) was dropped on 22 after Ed Pollock missed an easy chance. He and Leus du Plooy (62) built a good partnership of 86 and increase the run rate after a slow evening session on day 2.
Things changed immediately after the new ball was taken as Charlie Morris forced Reece to edge his shot into the gloves and Ben Cox with his first delivery of the day. After a few scares, du Plooy managed to reach his half-century off 109 balls.
Anuj Dal (114*) came into bat and did not waste time after seeing through the new ball. He built a quick 46-run partnership with du Plooy before the latter was trapped for LBW off the bowling of Ed Barnard.
Dal and Alex Thompson (54) saw Derbyshire through to the lunch break on 381-6. The pair carried on their solid batting reaching their 50-partnership and bringing up the 400-run mark for the hosts soon after lunch.
Thompson brought up his half-century off just 79 balls as Derbyshire continued to pile on the runs in search of their second win of the season. Baker then took the wickets of Thompson and Sam Conners (16) before the tea break.
Following this, Dal stepped on the accelerator after tea and raced to his second first-class 100. Derbyshire declared on 565-8, lead of 197, with the injured Ryan Sidebottom finishing on 31*.
Ian Bell came in as a batting coach for Derbyshire this season and Dal spoke about how he has helped add runs at the end of an innings.
“Bell has stressed that to us. He calls it the engine room, number seven onwards. We have to take away the individual stuff and focus on making partnerships and working as a pair. It has been a real focus for us.”
It is the first time Derbyshire have made 500 runs in two separate innings in a single season at home.
Worcestershire started their second innings off quickly as Ed Pollock (23) scored 18 in the first over off Conners. Pollock was sent back to the dressing room soon after as Suranga Lakmal bowled him out.
Although Derbyshire are more likely to seal the victory on day four, rain is forecast at various points throughout the day which could hinder their chances. The visitors will restart with Azhar Ali (10*) and Jake Libby (17*).
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]]>The 10-time Bundesliga champion, whose contract expires in June 2023, is seeking a new challenge in his career. He spent two years at Lech Poznan in the Polish league before joining Borussia Dortmund, and eventually Bayern.
Here are four teams who should look be looking to acquire Lewandowski this summer.
The Spanish side have been heavily linked with Lewandowski, with the Polish international reportedly favouring a move to Barcelona.
Xavi’s side currently have four strikers on their roster after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Memphis Depay, Luuk de Jong, and Ferran Torres in January.
Aubameyang has scored 11 league goals in 15 appearances since joining, including a brace in his first-ever El Classico. Memphis is Barcelona’s top scorer in the league so far with 12 goals while de Jong is very much a ‘kitchen sink’ option for Xavi.
Torres has shown promising signs since joining from Manchester City, but the 22-year-old has found himself guilty of missing big chances in various games.
It is likely that Barcelona would need to offload at least one of these forwards to make room for Lewandowski in terms of squad size and game time.
The Rossoneri are currently battling for their first Serie A title since 2011 as they sit two points clear at the top of the table.
Stefano Pioli has used Olivier Giroud (9) most often this season in the striker position along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic (8) off the bench, but it is Rafael Leao (10) who has scored the most goals in the league for them this season.
Milan’s defence have conceded the lowest number of goals along with Inter and Napoli but both their rivals have scored more, with Inter outscoring them by ten.
The seven-time Champions League winners have also struggled to score as frequently at home. They’ve scored 26 goals at home compared to 38 away in the same number of games (18). Although Lewandowski has scored more away from this season (18 in 16), he has still scored an impressive 16 in 17 at home.
The Blues have made many marquee signings over the past two seasons in the striker position with Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, and Kai Havertz all coming in, but Thomas Tuchel’s side still lacks a clinical nature in the final third.
Mason Mount (11) has outscored all the Chelsea strikers in the league this season with Lukaku, Havertz, and Werner scoring eight, seven and four respectively.
Lukaku has been under fire from pundits and fans this season after an interview earlier in the season aired on Sky Italia. Many questioned the Belgian’s commitment to the club despite backing from his manager.
Lewandowski has only played twice against Chelsea in his career as he faced the London side in the last 16 of the 2019/20 Champions League. In those two games, he scored three goals and got five assists on his way to lifting the trophy in Lisbon.
If Lewandowski wants to have a challenge, Arsenal is the place for him. The Gunners would need to secure Champions League qualification to have any chance of signing the former Best FIFA Men’s Player, but if they can manage to finish in the top four a move would not be out of the question.
Mikel Arteta has progressed his side over the past 12 months as they go from battling for Europa Conference League last season to pushing for Champions League this season. New signings such as Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale along with Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard have given Arsenal a new identity under the Spaniard.
Arsenal are the only team in the top seven to underperform their expected goals tally. Aubameyang struggled to fire in the first part of the season and Alexandre Lacazette was finding more assists than shots on goal.
Eddie Nketiah has been scoring in recent games, along with a good record in the Carabao Cup, but has struggled to find consistent form over the course of the season.
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have been Arsenal’s top scorers this season, but they have also been good creatively. With the addition of Odegaard, Lewandowski can feed off the youngsters’ build-up play while bringing his world-class talent.
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]]>Derbyshire are trailing by 94 runs after ending the day on 274/4 thanks to a wonderful batting display from star-man Masood as well as a solid inning from Guest (77).
Masood revealed after the final session what the secret is to his world-class form.
“I think momentum is very important in this game. We were backed up by some very good fightback [from the bowler] and they picked up wickets for cheap runs and the pitch was good so we had to make the most of it.”
Conners and Suranga Lakmal began the day looking to build up momentum by attacking nightwatchman Adam Finch, but it was Ed Barnard (21) who was dismissed first off the bowling of Conners.
Conners then struck again two balls later after Ben Cox (2) was given out for LBW by the umpire despite the ball seeming to miss the leg stump. He also struck in the next over as Baker (0) edged a shot straight into the gloves of Brooke Guest. Worcestershire were reduced to 344-8 after starting the day 326-5.
Ryan Sidebottom then came in and claimed the wicket of Finch with his first ball of the day after Shan Masood took a diving catch. However, following this, he was then taken off immediately after with a suspected calf injury.
A stunning catch by Anuj Dal off the bowling of Conners after an aggressive shot from Charlie Morris (12) ended the innings as Worcester were all out for 368. This was Conners’ fifth wicket of the innings, coming from 31 overs.
Masood came out firing in the 30 minutes before lunch scoring 23 in as many balls before the break. Billy Godleman (14) began to build a strong partnership with the Pakistani International after lunch but dragged the ball onto his own stumps just before the 50-run partnership.
This did not waver Masood’s form though, as he continued to score at an impressive rate, bringing up his 50 off just 53 balls. Subsequently, he did manage to bring his 50-run partnership with Guest, who also got off to a flying start.
On day one it seemed as if Derbyshire bowlers were having a poor day, but Worcestershire struggled even more today. Morris, Finch, Barnard, and Ben Gibbon all had an economy rate of over four due to poor bowling as well as several overthrows in the field.
Just before tea, Masood brought up his 100 off 115 balls and hit eight fours on his way there. It is the third time he has reached the mark for Derbyshire this season, also reaching 50 six times in seven innings, as he moved past the 800-run mark in the campaign.
Derbyshire went into the tea break at 202-1, scoring a huge 172 runs in the afternoon session. Guest and Masood reached their 150-run partnership in the process as they dominated the Worcestershire bowlers.
Worcestershire made a breakthrough five balls after the break as Gibbon bowled Masood out after a laboured attempt to block the ball. This wicket settled the scoring rate as Worcester improved their line and length.
An hour later Guest was caught behind by Cox after a lazy shot led to him nicking the ball with the edge of his bat. Baker then dismissed Wayne Madsen (19) after trapping him for LBW to give the visitors some late momentum.
The hosts will begin the third day with Leus du Plooy (23*) and Luis Reece (20*) at the crease as they look to take the lead against their opponents.
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]]>Haynes (133) led Worcestershire to 326-5 at the end of play on day one after Derbyshire’s bowlers struggled to find their rhythm.
After choosing to bowl at the toss, Derbyshire did not take long to grab their first wicket as Ed Pollock (7) was caught behind by Brooke Guest off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal.
Ryan Sidebottom, who recently extended his loan spell at Derbyshire, picked up the second wicket of the innings with just his third ball. He trapped Jake Libby (17) for LBW as both openers were dismissed for just 41 runs.
After the final session, Sidebottom expressed his feelings toward the extension.
“It was nice to get the backing against Glamorgan and then to sign for another month. I think it shows they’re putting a little bit of faith into me and it gives me the confidence to go out and do what I do to repay that.”
Azhar Ali and Haynes saw Worcestershire through until lunch, with the latter taking a more aggressive approach before the break. The visitors went into lunch at 89-2, Ali on 19 off 70 and Haynes on 33 off 58.
The pair brought up their 50-run partnership on the first ball after lunch and Worcestershire reached the 100-mark soon after. Lakmal and Sidebottom were running in hard after the break, but they struggled to find a breakthrough.
Haynes then reached his half-century in unorthodox fashion after he top-edged Lakmal short ball over the wicket-keeper’s head and for four. This was the 21-year-old’s seventh 50 in first-class cricket.
Ali managed to bring up his 50 off 117 balls and reached a 100-run partnership with Haynes in the process as the pair continued to frustrate the bowlers.
Things got worse for Billy Godleman’s side when Lakmal was substituted during his 15th over with an apparent eye injury, but the bowler managed to return a few overs later.
Both Sidebottom and Sam Connors were erratic with their bowling and spinner Alex Thompson could not force an error from either batter as they went into the tea break at 209/2.
Things finally changed for Derbyshire after the break as Ali (88) edged a delivery by Thompson to Wayne Madsen in the first slip. The 187-run partnership between Ali and Haynes was the second-highest partnership against Derbyshire.
Haynes reached his second century in as many games off 169 balls, hitting 12 fours on his way to the ton.
He also reached the 50-partnership threshold with Brett D’Oliveira (35), who hit the only six of the day with a big shot over long-off after a loose ball from Leus du Plooy.
Conners’ picked up his first wicket of the match after Derbyshire took the new ball, and it was the big wicket of Haynes. The batter misjudged the delivery and edged it to Thompson at first slip.
Worcestershire’s 300 brought up a landmark moment in Derbyshire history. It was the first time that five consecutive batting sides reached 300 runs in an innings.
Sidebottom got one final wicket before the end of the play after D’Oliveira’s offensive shot was caught brilliantly by Anuj Dal.
Ed Barnard (18*) finished the day at the crease alongside nightwatchman Adam Finch (5*) as Worcestershire prepare to build on their solid foundation tomorrow.
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]]>Although Christensen and Azpilicueta will decrease Chelsea’s depth in this position, the task of replacing Rudiger will be the toughest part. The German has played over 800 minutes more than teammates in the same position and has been one of the best defenders in the league this season.
Here are four potential defenders who could replace Rudiger next season.
Kounde has been the favoured replacement for many Chelsea fans as the Frenchman has been on the radar of many top clubs over the last two seasons.
The 23-year-old has made 28 league appearances this season, helping Sevilla keep 11 clean sheets in their battle for a Champions League spot.
When compared to Rudiger, Kounde matches up very well defensively. They both have won a similar number of tackles and win the majority of them in the defensive third. Rudiger attempts more tackles against players dribbling at him than Kounde, but they are both successful 60% of the time.
The Sevilla defender has made the same number of clearances that Rudiger but is more successful in winning possession after pressing his opponent. Kounde is comfortable passing from the back and wins 63% of his duels.
Due to his age and potential, Kounde is likely to have a high value in the current market. It has been reported that he has a release clause worth £80 million but Sevilla could accept a fee between £60 million and £70 million.
Chelsea could avoid paying a fee at all for a defender as Levi Colwill, who is currently on loan at Huddersfield, has shown he can play in Rudiger’s role.
Colwill has operated on the left side of a back three and a back four this season in his 28 Championship appearances. His quality and positioning skills have helped Huddersfield in their fight for promotion back to the Premier League.
The 19-year-old has a pass completion of 78% and 86% in his own half. He averages 1.3 interceptions per game, 1.7 tackles, and 4.2 clearances on his way to 11 clean sheets so far this season.
The Englishman wins 65% of both ground and aerial duels and has only made one error leading to a shot.
Huddersfield have taken many young English players on loan from the Premier League before with the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Trevor Chalobah and Ben Chilwell all having stints at the club.
Current manager Carlos Corberan has predicted a bold future for Colwill.
“I think he is going to be one of the most important centre-backs for this country in the future. I am seeing a player with a lot of potential and a lot of personality.”
N’Dicka has the potential to be a like-for-like replacement for Rudiger after being a shining light for Frankfurt in a disappointing domestic campaign.
The Frenchman has played 30 of Frankfurt’s 32 league games as the club currently sits in 12th. Defensively, he averages over four clearances per game along with 1.9 tackles and 1.5 interceptions. He has made more tackles, interceptions, blocks, and clearances than Rudiger this season, and is more effective when pressing the opponent.
The 22-year-old has also shown that he can progress the ball in a similar fashion to Rudiger. Both defenders have a dribble success percentage of 71%, with N’Dicka attempting twice as many dribbles, and completing over 84% of their passes. He has also scored four times and picked up four assists in the Bundesliga this season.
Frankfurt had better luck in their European campaign as they made their way to the Europa League final after beating West Ham. N’Dicka had a special game in the second leg as he managed to win three tackles, made three interceptions, four clearances including one off the line, won eight of his 12 duels, and completed 87.1% of his passes.
Jokso Gvardiol
Gvardiol, much like Kounde, has been linked with many clubs over the last 12 months. Manchester City, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich have all shown interest in the centre-back, who has shown he is very comfortable on the left side of a back three.
The Croatian intercepts far more often than the aforementioned defenders and averages a similar number of tackles per game. He is also very efficient when pressing in the midfield third but does not clear the ball as often as other centre-backs.
The 20-year-old has attempted almost six times as many dribbles as Rudiger and only has a slightly lower success percentage at 68.3%. He has also progressed the ball the same distance as Rudiger this season while attempting 80 fewer carries.
After a poor start to the season, RB Leipzig are currently fifth and one point off a Champions League spot. Their Europa League campaign came to end in the semi-finals after losing to Rangers.
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]]>Following their 3-0 win over Brentford, the interim manager told Sky Sports the club needs to improve in every part of the pitch except the goalkeeper position.
“Apart from goalkeeping where we have three excellent goalkeepers in Tom Heaton, Dean Henderson, and David de Gea, in all other areas there will be players leaving the club. I wouldn’t put focus on special areas of the pitch- it should be through the whole team.”
Rangnick also said that the club has not spoken to Erik ten Hag yet about specific transfers as the Dutchman focuses on his final games at Ajax.
Despite many expected exits this summer, here are four players that ten Hag should consider building his future squad around.
Although many have criticised United’s defence this season, Varane has been the anomaly. He has been a solid figure at the back, but injuries have limited his playing time as he has only played in 21 league games this season, starting 19 of them.
In those 21 games, Varane averaged 3.4 clearances per game, 1.3 tackles, and only gets dribbled past once in every two games. Most importantly, the Frenchman has made zero errors leading to a goal or even leading to a shot and has not given away any penalties.
The 29-year-old has won 68% of his ground duels and an impressive 73% of his aerial duels. He has been successful in 67% of his dribbles and wins more fouls than he concedes, receiving no yellow or red cards this domestic campaign.
The four-time Champions League winner scored his first Premier League goal in their victory over Brentford and can be an important figure in the spine of this team with the right partner.
Even though Garner is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, it seems like a risk worth taking for the Red Devils.
The midfielder has been a pivotal figure in helping Nottingham Forest in their fight for promotion back to the top division of English football. His ability to create from midfield is something ten Hag could with Paul Pogba likely to leave in the summer.
His recent performance against Swansea perfectly epitomised what he brings to a team. Garner picked up two assists in their 5-1 win, completing 95% of his passes including eight key passes. He also made four tackles, won seven of his eight duels, and drew two fouls.
The 21-year-old is known better for his playmaking than his defensive nature, so pairing him alongside a more defensive midfielder could help Garner thrive in the upcoming season.
Elanga has been Manchester United’s breakthrough player this season and his work on the pitch has led him to 19 appearances in the league.
The winger has scored two goals and assisted twice in his 12 league starts and has gained invaluable experience as he leads the forward line with Cristiano Ronaldo. He has also shown his versatility as he can play across the front three, whether it is as a winger on either side or as a striker.
The 20-year-old also made his international debut in March during Sweden’s World Cup playoffs but could not do enough to avoid defeat to Poland in the final round.
His pace and dribbling ability give him the basic attributes needed for a forward and with finishing that can be polished by a manager prolific with helping youngsters, his development next season can be crucial for the club.
The £76.5 million signing of Sancho has not started the way many expected. He only averages 66 minutes per game in the Premier League this season, grabbing three goals and three assists.
The 22-year-old’s playmaking from wide areas has still been proficient after making his switch from the Bundesliga. He averages a pass completion rate of 84% in the league, with an impressive 81% in the attacking half, and makes 1.4 key passes per game.
Depending on the future of Bruno Fernandes, playing Sancho in the ‘number ten’ role could be an effective move from ten Hag. Sancho played well in this role for Borussia Dortmund and with wingers such as Antony linked with moves to the club, his time could be even more limited on the wing next season.
It would be a bold move to give up on Sancho after one ‘poor’ season. The England international will need to have a good start to the 2022/23 campaign to gain his place back in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the Qatar World Cup.
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]]>Manager Erik ten Hag has already been announced as the next man in charge at Manchester United, and it seems many players could follow him out of the club this summer. Here are a few of the Ajax players who could leave in the next window.
Gravenberch has attracted interest after impressive displays for both club and country over the past two years. The 19-year-old’s current contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 season, and it is likely that the club will sell him this summer after he revealed that he will not sign a new contract.
The midfielder has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Liverpool both showing interest. Still, reports have stated that Gravenberch favours a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Bayern have reportedly already placed a bid worth £12.6 million, but Ajax rejected it as they want a minimum of £21 million.
The Dutch international has made 30 league appearances, scoring twice and assisting his teammates five times. He has won the league title twice with Ajax and won two Dutch league cups. He was also part of the Dutch under-17 side that won the U17 European Championship in 2018.
With the 24-year-old’s contract set to expire this summer, Mazraoui has been on the radar of many teams across Europe.
Bayern are once again favourites to sign to right-back on a free transfer, but he has also been linked with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Barcelona, who signed their current full-back Sergino Dest from the same club.
Bayern have either played Benjamin Pavard at right-back or opted to play with three central defenders to accommodate their right-hand side. Julian Nagelsmann wants the deal to be secured sooner rather than later as Mazraoui is yet to choose his preferred suitor.
The Morrocan international has played in 23 league games this season and played in all of Ajax’s Champions League fixtures. He has nine combined goals and assists this season and has also shown he can play in central midfield.
It seems like Antony could be Ajax’s big cash cow for the summer as the Brazilian winger continues to excite fans with his silky performances on the pitch.
Barcelona, Liverpool, Bayern, and Manchester United have been battling for Antony’s signature, with Juventus rumoured to have joined the potential bidding war in recent days.
The 22-year-old has scored 12 times and racked up eight assists in all competitions this season. His impressive performances in the Champions League helped Ajax win all their six group games, with big wins over Sporting Lisbon and Borussia Dortmund.
He has been integrated into the Brazil squad after manager Tite admired his club performances. Antony played in nine of Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers, starting in the final two, and scoring twice. He was also part of the Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo last summer.
Despite openly wanting a move away from the club in January, Tagliafico has played an important role in Ajax’s domestic campaign this season.
The Argentine had his heart set on a move to Barcelona to join Xavi’s revival at the club, but the move could not be completed before the deadline. He expressed his disappointment in his current side for not doing more to get the transfer completed, and he will likely once more seek a move away in the summer.
It is unclear whether Barcelona are still interested in the left-back, but Chelsea and Atletico Madrid have been linked with a move for the 29-year-old.
Tagliafico played five times in Argentina’s recent Copa America success but only made nine appearances in the World Cup qualifiers due to various injuries.
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]]>Thomas Tuchel announced that the German defender would be leaving on a free transfer after Chelsea’s victory over West Ham. The manager expressed his frustration after the decision was made.
“Without the sanctions we would at least be able to carry on fighting, but our hands are tied
He is a key figure and will stay that way until the end of the season. But it is disappointing. We will miss him a lot. He gives courage in the dressing room.”
Rudiger has played a pivotal role in the Blues’ defence this season. His pace and ability to cover ground quickly allow the full backs to attack without the worry of leaving too much space behind them. He has helped progress the ball too with both his passing and dribbling capabilities and scored five times for his team in all competitions this season.
One of the 29-year-old’s best performances this season came in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final against Tottenham.
Rudiger scored the only goal in the game after he headed home from a corner that was misjudged by Pierluigi Gollini. The centre-back won possession six times throughout the game, including three interceptions, and won 50% of his duels.
He also completed a staggering 96.9% of his passes while creating one big chance in the game and he was successful in his one attempted dribble.
A move to the Spanish capital has reportedly been the chosen destination for Rudiger, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
The two main central defenders for Real Madrid this season have been David Alaba and Eder Militao. Here is how Rudiger compares to both defenders and Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, who recently extended his contract at the club.
All three La Liga defenders tackle more efficiently than Rudiger, but the German wins the ball more in the midfield third whereas the others win it more frequently in the defensive third. Only Araujo (75.9%) however has better success when tackling attackers who are dribbling than Rudiger (64.9).
Rudiger has very similar statistics when it comes to tackles, interceptions, and clearances to Alaba and Araujo, but Militao is clear in all three areas. The Brazilian although has made the most errors leading to shots from the opposition.
All four players have very similar pass completion rates, with Alaba leading the pack by a mere 1.7%. Despite his impressive passing stats, Rudiger’s 88.1% completion rate is the lowest of the pack due to less success when attempting long passes.
Both Araujo (76.3%) and Militao (74.2%) are more successful when it comes to aerial battles than Rudiger (67.8).
Rudiger has also been linked to PSG and Manchester United along with Real Madrid. With only a few games remaining in the season, it is likely that Rudiger’s future club will be announced once the league campaign is finished.
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]]>Johnstone, 29, has reportedly attracted interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur along with Southampton.
The former Manchester United academy keeper has represented England three times at senior level and shown he can make an impact at the top level of English club football.
One of Johnstone’s best attributes is his shot-stopping ability. During the 2020/21 season, West Brom’s most recent spell in the Premier League, Johnstone made more saves than any other keeper as he stalled his side’s eventual relegation.
He made 20 more saves than second-place Aaron Ramsdale, who was playing for Sheffield United at the time, and this earned him a call-up to the England national team.
His best performance arguably came against Manchester United in the 2020/21 season. The Red Devils won 1-0 but the Baggies did not deserve to lose from their performance. Johnstone made outstanding saves, most notably from point-blank range against Anthony Martial.
Bruno Fernandes scored the winner from the penalty spot. His initial was saved by Johnstone but had to be retaken after the keeper left his line too early.
A weakness that has been pointed out under different managers has been Johnstone’s capability with his feet. He looked vulnerable in possession in the 2018/19 season when coached by Darren Moore and seemed equally as uncomfortable when playing as a sweeper-keeper under Valerian Ismael more recently.
He has also drawn criticism for his lack of presence and command in his penalty area, an important skill for all goalkeepers.
With both David de Gea and Hugo Lloris currently enjoying good form at their club, it is likely that Johnstone will be brought in for competition or as a backup option. Here is how he compares to both Dean Henderson and Pierluigi Gollini, the current ‘number twos’ after Manchester United and Tottenham respectively.
Johnstone has played far more games than both his counterparts. Gollini has played ten games this season and Henderson has only played in three, partially due to reasons off the pitch.
Henderson has the best save percentage of the three goalkeepers (70%), but Johnstone (64%) has faced over eight times as many shots on target compared to his England teammate.
Johnstone has kept 15 clean sheets in his 36 appearances this season and only concedes 0.92 goals per game. Gollini has only kept one clean sheet in his ten games, Henderson is yet to fill this column.
The championship keeper has also registered an assist this season, but his individual mistakes have led to four yellow cards and a red card.
Throughout his time at West Brom, he has had a mixed relationship with the fans. He had a difficult start to life at the club and this was reflected by his struggling connection to the fans. Johnstone proved many fans wrong as he won promotion under Slaven Bilic.
He built a better relationship with the fans during the short spell in the Premier League despite being relegated. This was also boosted when he stayed on at the club despite many expecting a deserved move to a club in the top division.
Johnstone has interacted with fans on social media previously as he responded to negative criticism, something he would need to rethink if he joined a ‘top six’ club. Ultimately, Johnstone’s relationship with West Brom fans can epitomise the club’s reputation of bouncing up and down the top leagues in England.
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