أصبح اسم الأردني يزن النعيمات لاعب العربي القطري، يتردد بقوة خلال الوسط الرياضي المصري، في الفترة الحالية، وذلك بعد أنباء عن وجود اهتمام قوي من النادي الأهلي لضمه.

ووفقًا لصحيفة الراية الأردنية، قالت إن محمود الخطيب رئيس النادي الأهلي كلف سيد عبد الحفيظ عضو مجلس الإدارة بإنهاء المفاوضات مع يزن النعيمات لضمه في انتقالات يناير القادمة.

وتواصل برنامج “استاد المحور” مع المتحدث الرسمي لنادي العربي القطري الذي يضم يزن النعيمات، لمعرفة حقيقة المفاوضات وموقف النادي من رحيل لاعبه إلى الأهلي.

وقال جمال الغندور مقدم برنامج “استاد المحور” المذاع على قناة “المحور”، :”محمد الكواري المتحدث الرسمي لنادي العربي القطري قال غير صحيح تفاوض الأهلي معنا لضم يزن نعيمات في الفترة الحالية”.

طالع | حقيقة مفاوضات الأهلي مع بابلو الصباغ لاعب منتخب سوريا

وأضاف: “الأهلي لم يتواصل معنا رسميًا أو شفهيًا، واللاعب مستمر بشكل طبيعي في صفوف العربي القطري”.

ويعد يزن النعيمات، أحد اللاعبين المميزين في الوقت الحالي بالوطن العربي، حيث يقدم مستويات رائعة تجعل جميع الأندية تهتم بضمه والظفر بخدماته، وساهم في تأهل منتخب الأردن إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 القادم، كما كان قد وصل إلى نهائي بطولة كأس أمم آسيا الأخيرة وخسر مع النشامي اللقب أمام قطر.

The American League Championship Series comes down to one game to decide who will meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 World Series.

What follows is a look at the five players who will decide the outcome of Game 7 on Monday night.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladdy Jr. has been on fire in the postseason, hitting .462 with a franchise postseason record six home runs and 12 RBIs. He's posting a ridiculous OPS of 1.532 in October, but has hammered Mariners pitching in this series. In the last four games, he's 9-for-15 with three home runs, three walks and one strikeout. He has also done some crazy things. There isn't a baseball player on the planet hotter than Guerrero right now. He'll have his say on Monday night.

Cal Raleigh

Like Guerrero, Raleigh has been big in the playoffs. He's hitting .302 with four home runs and seven RBIs, and also boasts an OPS of 1.028. Aaron Judge's only challenger for the AL MVP award, Raleigh has been mostly bottled up in this series. The 60-homer man is 5-for-22 with two home runs against the Blue Jays. In his career against Toronto's Game 7 starter Shane Bieber, Raleigh is 2-for-8 with a pair of singles and a strikeout. Seattle needs him to break through against the righty. If he doesn't, Seattle's offense may not have the punch it needs to win.

Shane Bieber

Speaking of Bieber, who would have thought he'd be here? He spent most of the season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, then the Guardians sent him to Toronto at the trade deadline before he'd pitched a big league game in his return. Now he's starting Game 7 of the ALCS. The former Cy Young winner has made two postseason starts and is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP and 10 striekouts against two walks in 8 2/3 innings. He took the win in Game 3 of the series, as he went six innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out eight. Toronto would take that performance again in a heartbeat.

George Kirby

Kirby took the loss in Game 3 and had the opposite performance of Bieber. He surrendered eight runs on eight its in four-plus innings and the Blue Jays hit three home runs on him. Before that, the 27-year-old righty had allowed three runs on nine hits in 10 postseason innings. His lone ALCS start ballooned his playoff ERA to 7.07. The Mariners need him to bounce back and put his Game 3 disaster behind him. If he can't, the season may end Monday night.

Josh Naylor

Naylor has made himself a lot of money in the postseason. The Mariners acquired the impending free agent from the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline and he has been oustanding when it has mattered the post. His has three postseason home runs and is hitting .341 with a .974 OPS in October. He has hammered Toronto's pitching in this series as well. Naylor is 9-for-21 with all three of his postseason homers in the first six games of the series. In the last three games, he's 6-for-10 with two bombs. If Seattle is getting a big hit in Game 7, there's a good bet Naylor will be the one delivering it.

In the MLB postseason, teams have to be ready to adjust on the fly. This is doubly true for do-or-die elimination games, such as Friday night’s decisive Game 5 between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers.

In a game where one run might decide the difference between your season ending and your quest for the World Series carrying on, a team might have to pinch run for a better player than you normally would, or bring in a starting pitcher out of the bullpen to keep the game going, or any number of other bold strategies we only see in the playoffs.

And sometimes, in extreme circumstances, you have to let the loser fish win the mascot race.

The Mariners have hosted the Salmon Run—a mascot race around the warning track—at every home game at T-Mobile Park since the start of the 2024 season. Like many mascot races, the Salmon Run includes a lovable loser, who earns their status as a crowd favorite despite never coming in first. In Seattle, that’s Humpy.

As Friday’s game carried into the 14th inning, someone high atop the production team made a call—there would be a second “Salmon Run.” And this time, Humpy would win.

With the initial Salmon Run taking place before the game went to extras, it was decided that a second race would be run in the middle of the 15th inning, at which point the game was still tied 2–2 with the Mariners up to bat.

Despite falling behind early, the other salmon contenders ran into each other late, and Humpy was able to sneak through for their first ever victory. The crowd was electric.

Less than 10 minutes later, the Mariners would finally score the walk-off run that sent them to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2001.

Obviously, it’s the players on the field that deserve the most credit for the win, but I do think it’s worth shouting out Humpy and whatever production staff was behind the decision to run a second race.

Before Humpy’s victory, things at T-Mobile Park were . The Mariners had gotten runners in scoring position several times in extra innings, but never able to bring them home. The ballpark was still packed despite the game nearly entering its sixth hour.

When you have a loser in the mascot race and you want them to win, you can only fire that bullet once, but given the circumstances, there was simply no better time for the Mariners’ stadium ops team to pull the trigger. The result was an explosion of joy across the tens of thousands of fans at T-Mobile Park, which also served as a collective exhale after two hours of baseball that were as edge-of-your-seat as the sport can get.

The gambit worked. Humpy and the Mariners left Friday’s game as winners. Who doesn’t love an underdog story?

This has not been a good week for Chelsea Football Club.

Down to ten men against league leaders Arsenal, they did at least salvage some pride from that game. To hold one of the best sides in Europe, if not the best side in Europe this season to a 1-1 draw with fewer players is certainly reason to celebrate.

However, a week on from defeating Barcelona in the Champions League, this midweek was a great deal more frustrating for Enzo Maresca and Co.

A game against Leeds United should have been easy, right? Think again. The Blues lost 3-1 and slipped further behind the Gunners in the race for the title. That dream looks over for another year, but according to Maresca, there is one big reason to remain positive.

Maresca shares good news for Chelsea

Maresca has admitted that Cole Palmer’s return to action at Elland Road was the only positive.

The attacking midfielder has been absent for a large portion of the season but has been back among the matchday squad across the last two games.

Palmer came off the bench in the 61st minute for his first outing since late September after toes and groin problems and understandably, that was the only consolation Chelsea’s Italian gaffer could extract from such a horror night on the road.

Maresca said: “Probably it’s the only good news of the night. I’m happy for him, he’s back, now he needs to build a little bit the physical condition and he will be important for us, for sure.

“He’s getting better, but he needs to play minutes. He had more-or-less half-an-hour, hopefully we can give him more in the next game.”

Palmer has been a breathtaking signing at Stamford Bridge, notably bagging 18 goals and registering 14 assists in all competitions for his club last season.

Well, Maresca will certainly need his talisman to rediscover that form after dropping points in consecutive fixtures.

Speaking about the result, the former Leicester City manager stated: “When you play the last two games against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance, no doubt.

“But, for many reasons, it’s not going to be possible for every game again, because we change players, because we have players that we said many times it’s not possible to play every two, three days. When you change players, also the level drops, that is the reality, because they are important players for us. Moises, Reece (James), with these kind of players, we cannot use them every game. It’s impossible, because otherwise they can get injury again and be out for months.”

Chelsea are now fourth in the table after Aston Villa defeated Brighton in midweek. While the Blues looked in something of a title race last week, they are now nine points off top spot.

For the World Champions, you would expect that their hopes now rest on the cup competitions for the rest of the ongoing season.

As bad as Tosin: Maresca's 4/10 flop must never start for Chelsea again

Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.

By
Robbie Walls

Dec 4, 2025

Abhishek Sharma’s 12-ball half-century is the joint-third-fastest in all men’s T20 cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2025

Abhishek Sharma has smashed a 12-ball half-century, playing for Punjab against Bengal in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match in Hyderabad on Sunday. It is the joint-third-fastest fifty and joint-second-fastest by an Indian in men’s T20 cricket.Opening the batting with Prabhsimran Singh, Abhishek took apart a bowling attack headlined by Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep, scoring at well over 15 runs an over against both of them as well as Saksham Choudhary and Writtick Chatterjee. Abhishek hit five fours and five sixes to get to his fifty, conceding just one dot ball in the 12 balls he had faced to get to the landmark.Though he never really threatened to run the record for the fastest century in men’s T20s close – Chauhan’s, in 27 balls – Abhishek did get to the mark in 32 balls before finishing on 148 in 52, with eight fours and 16 sixes. Abhishek, however, already has the record for the joint-second-fastest T20 century, off 28 balls, the same as Urvil Patel, who scored it for Gujarat against Tripura, also in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, last season.Punjab finished with 310 for 5 in their 20 overs, Prabhsimran smashing 70 in 35 balls, but his innings put in the shade by his partner. Punjab’s total was the second highest in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, behind Baroda’s 349 for 5 against Sikkim in Indore in December 2024. They went on to win the game by 112 runs.The fastest fifty in men’s T20s was scored by Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee, against Mongolia during the Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2023. India’s Ashutosh Sharma is at No. 2 on the list for his 11-ball fifty for Railways against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2023-24 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.Abhishek is now the fifth batter to record a 12-ball fifty in the format. Yuvraj Singh was the first, with his innings at the 2007 T20 World Cup against England, which included six sixes in an over against Stuart Broad. Chris Gayle achieved it in the BBL, for Melbourne Renegades against Adelaide Strikers in January 2016. In October 2018 then, Afghaniostan’s Hazratullah Zazai matched it playing for Kabul Zwanan against Balkh Legends, featuring Gayle, in an Afghanistan Premier League game in Sharjah.The last instance was when Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan got there against Cyprus in an international match in Episkopi on his way to an unbeaten 41-ball 144.

Chelsea no longer look like a frightening Premier League title challenger.

Indeed, after beating Barcelona with ease 3-0 in the Champions League at the end of November, and then battling well with league leaders Arsenal 1-1 to close out the month, Enzo Maresca’s Blues came across as credible rivals to the Gunners.

However, fast forward just a few weeks, and the West Londoners have now lost on the road at Leeds United and were made to settle for an unsatisfactory stalemate away at AFC Bournemouth.

If Antoine Semenyo hadn’t fallen victim to a VAR check early on, too, it might well have been back-to-back defeats.

There’s nowhere to hide, either, for Maresca and Co. as the fixtures come thick and fast in December. Thankfully, the January transfer window is also just around the corner, as Chelsea begin to eye up some reinforcements…

Chelsea looking to sign another South American talent

After only scoring one meagre goal against the Whites and the Cherries, Chelsea will surely look to January to fix their striker woes.

As per reports from Germany, the goal-shy Blues are keen on a deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy, with current options at Maresca’s disposal in Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, not “of the level” to steer the faltering Premier League side to a title, as per the harsh words of Sky Sports’ Gary Neville.

That said, the Blues could also look to bolster their side in defensive areas.

Indeed, according to Caught Offside, Chelsea could put their connections with RC Strasbourg, another club owned by BlueCo, to good use once more by going after Valentin Barco in January, with it being stated that the Blues are still closely monitoring the versatile 21-year-old, who can fill in at left-back, after holding interest in his services in the summer.

Yet, it’s his varied ability to be able to line up as a central midfield talent, away from his energetic defensive duties, that has also attracted the likes of Bayern Munich to his services.

Chelsea will hope they can come out on top in any battle that pops up, as the Stamford Bridge titans potentially win their next Estevao by landing another South American treasure who can instantly burst into life in the Premier League.

How Barco could be Chelsea's next Estevao

Like Barco, Estevao was on the radar of many an elite club before Chelsea swooped in, with both Real Madrid and Paris St Germain once eyeing up the exhilarating Brazilian.

Maresca and Co will be over the moon that they snapped up the teenage winger when they did, with the “utterly brilliant” forward – as pundit Pat Nevin labelled him after his outrageous solo effort versus Barcelona – already up to five goals and one assist from just 20 Chelsea appearances.

The expectation will be that Barco would arrive on English soil and be as impactful as instantly, considering the 21-year-old already has plenty of European experience under his belt with Strasbourg, away from also undergoing his early football education in South America.

Barco’s Ligue 1 numbers (25/26)

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

Barco

Games played

13

Goals scored

1

Assists

4

Touches*

69.8

Accurate passes*

42.8 (84%)

Big chances created

7

Ball recoveries*

5.3

Total duels won*

6.8

Stats by Sofascore

Noted as being one of “South America’s biggest jewels” when on the books of River Plate by scout Jacek Kulig, with Estevao, of course, also heralded as “world-class” when just 17 years of age in Brazil by the aforementioned Kulig, Barco has come into his own even more in Ligue 1 with Liam Rosenior’s men, as shown in the table above.

With one goal and four assists for the season in the French top-flight, Barco looks more than ready to leap into the Premier League shortly, with the likes of Marc Cucurella no doubt scared for his starting spot at left-back, as the much-talked-about 21-year-old has created seven big chances and won 6.8 duels per game this campaign as a full-throttle force.

On the flip side, Chelsea’s number three only has only created three big chances and won 4.1 duels par match from his collection of league appearances to date, with Barco keen to shake up the Stamford Bridge first team ranks, much like Estevao did instantly on his arrival from Palmeiras.

Capable of also offering Maresca another body centrally, this does really feel as if it has all the makings of being a top-drawer acquisition from South America, much like Estevao was.

Related 0 dribbles, 0 tackles: Maresca must now bench Mudryk-esque Chelsea star

Chelsea dropped points yet again in the Premier League after a draw against Bournemouth on the south coast.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair 5 days ago

Pat Cummins says his return to bowling has gone better than expected, with Australia’s captain still eyeing a return for the second Ashes Test

AAP05-Nov-2025Pat Cummins remains on track to return for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, but has conceded playing through the rest of the series unchanged could be difficult.Cummins has progressed to bowling off a three-quarter run up as he plots a meticulous return from a back injury that has sidelined the Test captain since July.The 32-year-old was able to get through close to eight overs in the nets on Wednesday, and expects to be bowling at full pace by the start of the first Test.Related

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Cummins has not felt any significant pain since his managed return to bowling, with no signs of any recurrence of the stress injury in his lower back.Officials have been coy on whether Cummins would return for the second Test in Brisbane starting four weeks from now, but the skipper remains a genuine chance.”That’s the aim and we’re building our plan to the second Test,” Cummins said at the Seven Network’s cricket launch on Thursday.  “It’s probably not until you get a bit closer that you can really know where you’re at.”The good thing is that I’m pulling up well and the body is great.”We’re trying to keep that second Test as a live option. I’ll have a really good bowl in Perth, and by then I’ll know where I’m at.”What won’t be so easy, Cummins concedes, is playing every remaining Test this summer once he does return. There is an eight-day gap built in between the second and third Tests, but only four-day gaps between the third, fourth and fifth Tests.Australian officials have already identified that as a pressure point of the summer for bowlers, particularly if Tests go the distance and the hosts spend long periods in the field.”I’m pretty keen to play as much as I can,” Cummins said. “But realistically, if we have a big game and bowl 40 or 50 overs and then there’s a game that starts a few days later, it might be a bridge too far.”I’m trying to get right, and if I get right then hopefully I’ll try to play most of it as I can.”Ashes race: Pat Cummins goes through a running session•Getty ImagesCummins said he did not feel he would need a warm-up match in either the Sheffield Shield, a tour game with the Cricket Australia XI or Prime Minister’s XI against England or England Lions, or a grade cricket fixture to have his body right for Test cricket.Instead, Australia’s pace leader will fly to Perth with the rest of the team next week and spend the Test with the coaching staff.”Before the 2023 ODI World Cup I flew over to South Africa and watched the last couple of ODIs there,” Cummins said. “It was actually a really different view from the coach’s box. It’s a different perspective.”So hopefully I gather some information from being in that position through the Test that later on in the series I can use.”Or maybe Steve Smith needs something and I have seen something differently from up there.”But being close to the game and the conversations, I think I will need that going into the second or third Test.”Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will lead the pace attack in Cummins’ absence, with Scott Boland to keep his spot after taking a hat-trick in Australia’s most recent Test in the West Indies.Australia are hoping allrounder Cameron Green can bowl up to 20 overs in his next Sheffield Shield match, with Beau Webster a chance to stay on as a second allrounder.

Ben Stokes has insisted that Shoaib Bashir and Mark Wood can still play roles for England in the rest of the Ashes series after missing out on selection for Thursday’s day-night Test at the Gabba.England have made a single change from the side that lost inside two days in Perth, with Wood ruled out and replaced by the allrounder Will Jacks. Wood has been wearing a brace over his strapped left knee in Brisbane this week but will remain with the squad, while Stokes said that Jacks’ inclusion ahead of Bashir was simply a “tactical” decision for a pink-ball Test.Bashir – along with Jacob Bethell – has been released to play for England Lions against Australia A in a four-day fixture at Allan Border Field, which starts on Friday, and Stokes stressed that he is still seen as England’s “best spinner” ahead of the final three Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.”We tried to look at how we thought spin was going to be used, and there was a bit of a tactical element to it,” Stokes said on Wednesday evening, before England trained. “Obviously Jacksy’s ability with the bat, to have that down the order for us is useful as well. [But] if it ever comes down to picking our best, number one spinner, selection would go the other way.”Stokes and Brendon McCullum explained the decision to Bashir before England named their team publicly on Tuesday afternoon. “It was pretty much that we thought that was the best XI for the conditions and the circumstances of the game,” Stokes said. “But he knows that if it comes down to picking our best spinner, he’s the man.”Related

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Bashir has not played a first-class match since the second Test of England’s series against India in July, when he broke the little finger on his left hand attempting a return catch. He was expensive in England’s internal warm-up match in Perth and, after being named in a trimmed 12-man squad for the first Test, was left out in favour of an all-pace attack.England first picked Bashir for their tour to India in early 2024, when he had only taken 10 first-class wickets, and have backed him as their first-choice spinner for the last 18 months. He also now finds himself in the unusual position of having a contract with England but not with a county, after his Somerset deal expired at the end of last season.Wood’s setback after bowling only 11 overs in his first international appearance since knee surgery is a clear concern for England. At this stage, he appears unlikely to be fit in time for the third Test in Adelaide on December 17, but Stokes said that Wood will do “everything” possible to return later in the series.”It’s obviously a little bit of a setback,” he said. “But he’s doing everything that he can, and the medical group are doing everything they can to try to get him to potentially be available for selection in the last three [Tests]. But yeah, look, we’ve got a lot more time to go on this tour, and we’ll just see how things play out with that.”Stokes said that the “incredibly talented” Jacks has a chance to establish himself as a more regular Test cricketer three years after winning his first two caps in Pakistan, and said that he had performed impressively since arriving in Australia.”He’s turned himself into the cricketer I always thought he could be,” Stokes said. “He’s incredibly talented, and I think he’s gone from strength to strength since that Pakistan tour. He’s been playing so well in the nets and the time he’s been out here training. It’s great for us that we’ve got someone who’s looking in pretty good order coming into a big Test match.”England are 1-0 down heading into Thursday’s second Test and have not won any of their last nine Tests in Brisbane, a run which dates back to 1986.

Liam Scott made his maiden first-class century and Jake Lehmann also made a ton as South Australia dominate Tasmania

AAP06-Dec-2025Liam Scott had the finest day of his cricket career, scoring a maiden first-class century and helping South Australia to a commanding position over Tasmania.After team-mate Jake Lehmann also made a ton, Scott plundered 147 as the home side surged to 426 and a first-innings lead of 231 at Adelaide Oval.Tasmania then went to stumps at 73 for 3 in reply, still trailing by 158 runs at the end of day two after being all out for 195 on Friday.A win would be vital for South Australia, who entered this round in fourth spot on the ladder, just behind Tasmania.And their dominance was best summed up by Scott’s innings, with the bowling allrounder having shown talent with the bat since his debut in 2019-20.The 24-year-old fired from the moment he arrived at the crease, attacking Billy Stanlake and cutting him for five separate boundaries. He also took to the spinners, bringing up his century and pumping the air in joy after one of two slog-sweeps that went for six off Ruwantha Kellepotha.Another six came when he used his feet and hit Nivethan Radhakrishnan back down the ground, before he later took Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell over the legside boundary.Scott’s innings came with Lloyd Pope (36) offering support in a 76-run ninth-wicket stand that completely took the game away from Tasmania.It came after Lehmann reached his second century of the summer, continuing on a late-career resurgence that began at the end of last season.He reached 100 from 96 deliveries, before being bowled next ball when chopping onto his own stumps off Brad Hope.After being put to the sword in the field Tasmania then slumped to 42 for 3 early in their second innings, with Jordan Buckingham removing both Radhakrishnan and Hope.

Has the ship already sailed? Will it ever happen for Federico Chiesa at Liverpool?

The forgotten man last season, the Italian winger has again been rather luckless this time around, having been unable to use the Mohamed Salah situation to his benefit this week.

Indeed, even with the Egyptian having been left out for the trip to San Siro, Chiesa could not pounce on that potential opening in the right-wing berth, having been forced to miss the meeting with Inter Milan through illness.

Almost halfway through his second season at Anfield, the ex-Juventus man – signed for a bargain £13m fee – remains bound to the periphery, featuring for just 29 times across all competitions in total.

Notable moments, like his crucial ‘winner’ against Bournemouth on the opening day, have seen the 28-year-old secure cult hero status on Merseyside, although the jury is out on whether he can truly emerge from the shadows.

Latest on Federico Chiesa's future

In truth, the Reds claimed Premier League glory last term without the impact of any new signing, with Chiesa – the only senior addition that summer – having been restricted to just six league outings all season.

Games

6

10

Starts

1

0

Goals

0

2

Assists

0

1

Big chances missed

1

1

Big chances created

0

1

Key passes*

0.3

0.1

Pass accuracy*

93%

74%

Successful dribbles*

0

0.1

Possession lost*

2.2

3.7

Frequently overlooked by Slot in 2024/25, even increased influence this time around has not altered his standing in the attacking pecking order, with all of his ten top-flight appearances coming from the bench.

The man who intervened to deny Wilson Isidor from securing a potential winner for Sunderland not too long ago, there is a will for Chiesa to do well, not least with options not exactly brimming on the flanks.

That being said, Slot – such is his neglect of the one-time Fiorentina star – appears to have other ideas, such has been the winger’s limited game time, with a January exit still being mooted according to recent reports.

As reported by The Athletic, the Euro 2020 hero is said to have a ‘number of admirers’ with the winter window now looming, albeit with it said to pose a potential ‘risk’ if Liverpool do let him depart, considering their relatively small pool of attacking alternatives.

That said, Chiesa himself may wish to push for a move, should his standing not improve, with reports last month suggesting that his agent was in talks over a possible switch, amid hopes of forcing his way back into Italy’s plans ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in March.

A desire to depart would be no surprise considering his lack of use over the last 18 months, with Liverpool perhaps left to reflect on the wisdom of signing off on such a deal.

That said, Chiesa isn’t alone in that department…

Liverpool's pointless signing belongs in the Rodgers era

As harsh as it may be, the minimal impact of Chiesa would force anyone to come to the conclusion that he has been an almost pointless signing, with Slot showcasing little appetite to hand a regular role to the albeit injury-hit forward.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rightly or wrongly, ‘pointless’ may be the word that springs to mind at present regarding this summer’s marquee signing, Alexander Isak, with the misfiring Swede again looking off the pace against Inter.

Hooked on the 68-minute mark, having made just 25 touches and registered just a solitary shot, the ex-Newcastle United man was again largely a bystander to proceedings at San Siro, with the excuse of his lack of pre-season now beginning to wear thin.

With just two goals in all competitions for his new side, following that controversial, club-record switch from St James’ Park, the 26-year-old has already entered disaster signing territory, with Slot and co in need of a drastic improvement heading into 2026.

There is also a sense that, while depth is needed, was this a move that FSG truly needed to make, considering they had already plucked Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt?

While Isak has toiled, the young Frenchman has dazzled, scoring eight times already from just 22 appearances, rubberstamping the belief that he should be the starting striker.

As for Liverpool’s actual number nine, Isak looks like following in the footsteps of the notable transfer misfires of the Brendan Rodgers era, echoing the post-Luis Suarez world that saw the likes of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli and Christian Benteke all flatter to deceive at Anfield.

The summer of 2014, in the wake of Rodgers’ near miss with regard to the title, was particularly egregious, with that centre-forward pairing of Lambert and Balotelli ultimately scoring just seven times between them during their forgettable, brief stays on Merseyside.

Perhaps a better comparison lies with Benteke though, signed a year later, with the Belgian – like Isak at Newcastle – looking prolific in the Premier League at Aston Villa, having scored 49 goals in 101 games for the Midlands side.

Just ten in 42 would follow under Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp.

It might be too soon to write Isak off just yet, and throw him in with that trio of disastrous Rodgers signings, although on current evidence, he is looking like the Benteke of 2015.

Hopefully Ekitike can prove to be the Roberto Firmino…

Fewer touches than Alisson & only 10 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped

Liverpool returned to winning ways in Italy but it wasn’t all positive for Arne Slot.

1 ByMatt Dawson 2 days ago