New Zealand women’s coach has decided not to be with the side for their three-match ODI series against Australia in the wake of an NZC World T20 review
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2019New Zealand women’s coach Haidee Tiffen has decided she is not in the “right frame of mind” to be part of the tour of Australia later this month following the NZC review undertaken in the wake of the World T20 campaign.With the team set to depart for Australia on February 18, Tiffen has requested a leave of absence, saying that given the nature of the recent review, which recommended the coaching and support staff roles be advertised at the end of the current contracts, it was best that she remained behind. High performance coach Bob Carter will tour with the side as interim coach in her absence.”I just want to do what’s best for the team,” Tiffen said. “The review was fairly confronting and challenging and I can’t really imagine being in the right frame of mind to help this side during the upcoming Rose Bowl series.”I love the players; I love the team and I love the job – but for everyone’s sake I think this is the best course of action at the moment.”New Zealand suffered a group-stage exit from the World T20 after losing two out of their four matches. They recently lost their home ODI series against India, but hit back with a clean sweep against the visitors in the three T20Is that followed.Bryan Stronach, head of high performance, said NZC accepted Tiffen’s request and would support her through the tough time.”We totally respect her position and will work through this with her,” Stronach said. “The high performance environment is an extremely challenging one and the most important thing we can do right now is to make sure we support Haidee.”Stronach also added Tiffen would keep her position until her contract ends on July 31, and that she had been encouraged to reapply for the position.
Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Arsenal have been nothing short of dominant, with the side leading the way in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League Group B.
On Wednesday night in Europe, the Gunners raced out the blocks to secure a 5-0 lead by half-time versus Lens, with the tie concluding 6-0, a much more convincing victory than the 1-0 away win against Brentford.
9/10 star delivers best Arsenal display yet in Gunners player ratings vs Lens
Arsenal romped to a 6-0 victory over Lens in the Champions League.
ByMatt Dawson Nov 29, 2023
Mikel Arteta took the opportunity to rotate some of his key men in the second half in order to protect them from injury, with one of those being Bukayo Saka, who has suffered a couple of knocks this season already.
Because of this, the boss may look to reinforce the right-wing position in his side this transfer window.
Arsenal transfer news – Neto
As per TEAMtalk last week, Arteta is interested in signing the “elite” Pedro Neto, but it is rumoured that only a fee upwards of £60m will be considered by Wolves.
Wolves winger Pedro Neto.
Manchester United and teams from Saudi Arabia also recognise Neto as a target, but the Portuguese winger’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has been in contact with the club from north London.
Despite the 23-year-old currently nursing an injury himself, Arteta is still a huge admirer of his talent, and Arsenal are the club who are most likely to acquire his services, with Neto wanting to remain in Europe.
How Pedro Neto compares to Bukayo Saka
The winger who can operate on either flank has plenty of similarities to Saka, who will inevitably be above him in the pecking order.
Much like the England international, Neto is “incredibly talented and physically gifted”, according to Wolves boss Gary O’Neil. Physicality and the ability to bounce off players to create or retain the ball, is one of Saka’s most important traits, therefore Neto would be like-for-like competition.
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Pedro Neto.
Both attackers are left-footed right-wingers which ensures build-up and attacking structure remains the same, with the wingers thriving in 1v1 scenarios where they can chop back onto their strong foot or go to the byline for a cutback.
Creativity is an attribute that both individuals possess, with Saka excelling at shot-creating actions per game (5.14), key passes (2.79) and assists (0.44), via FBref.
Also, bearing in mind that Neto plays in a far less dominant side, he produces almost identical numbers, 4.37 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, 2.54 key passes, and 0.71 assists. Each statistic above puts the two players in the top 90 percentile in the Premier League for those actions.
The only aspect of Neto’s game that doesn’t compare to Saka’s right now is his output in front of goal, only netting one goal this season, with the England international scoring four. However, Neto has proven he can still tear Premier League defences to shreds.
Indeed, he is more of a creator this campaign and has registered the most assists in the top flight, 7, which is two more than Arsenal’s star boy.
It is quite clear why Mikel Arteta views Pedro Neto as the perfect Saka back-up.
In a positive sign as he continues his recovery from hamstring surgery, Chelsea posted a photo of their captain Reece James at their training ground.
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Instagram post of James training
Been out injured since December
Recovering from hamstring surgery
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Blues shared the image on their official Instagram account of James in training at their Cobham base as he steps up his recovery from hamstring surgery. The 24-year-old has not played since December 10 when he was forced off against Everton.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
James has been plagued by hamstring injuries in recent years. A knee injury also ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup, and he has played just once for England since.
WHAT JAMES SAID
In a recent Instagram post of his own, James said: "I've been gone a while, but I'm doing well, really well. The journey has been long and tough, but nothing I couldn't handle. I'm in a good place. The comeback is on. [I'm] more hungry than ever; stay well in the meantime and see you soon."
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WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA & JAMES?
While James will be hoping to play again this season and possibly force his way into Gareth Southgate's squad for the European Championship, his Chelsea team-mates will look to book another domestic final spot when they face Manchester City at Wembley today in the FA Cup semis.
Australia’s largest cricket state, New South Wales, will not express public support for Cricket Australia’s current chairman David Peever and his board before further consideration of the findings of the cultural review released publicly on Monday.The Cricket NSW board, chaired by the Credit Suisse Australia chief executive John Knox, convened for a regular meeting in Sydney on Tuesday night and discussed the release of the cultural review, which has handed down numerous highly critical findings about the culture of CA. “The CNSW Board is considering the review,” a spokesman said.As owners of CA, the state associations have the constitutional right to sack individual directors by a two thirds vote of state delegates at an extraordinary general meeting. Should each state’s three delegates for such a meeting vote en bloc, four out of the six states would be required to carry any motion to remove a board director.While the CEOs or chairmen of three states – Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania – have expressed support for Peever, NSW carries considerable influence as the largest of the state associations. It is also the home state of the long-serving board director Mark Taylor, who has been suggested by past administrators as the most appropriate man to take CA forward while carrying out the review’s 42 recommendations.Western Australia, home state of the board director Bob Every who resigned in protest at Peever’s intention to continue for another three years, has also declined to say anything beyond the fact that the WACA is considering the findings of the review. Cricket Victoria, meanwhile, released a statement from its chairman Paul Barker expressing support for CA in general but not Peever specifically.”Cricket Victoria will continue to support Cricket Australia in the delivery of the overall strategy for cricket,” Barker said, “and in the effective implementation of the Ethics Centre recommendations – as supported by Cricket Australia.”There is consternation among the states about CA’s decision to withhold the cultural review to stakeholders until after last week’s AGM, at which Peever was re-elected for three years. Internal discussions, in which the role of the outgoing chief executive James Sutherland was placed at the heart of cultural problems, has also left some states unimpressed.This has been underlined by the fact that it was Peever and the then lead negotiator Kevin Roberts who led the adversarial MoU dispute with the Australian Cricketers Association last year, before Sutherland was compelled to intervene and broker a compromise with a looming Test tour of Bangladesh under threat. Similarly, Peever’s public discussion of the review findings, both at a press conference in Melbourne on Monday and an interview with Leigh Sales on that night’s current affairs program, left plenty of questions being asked about his ability to serve as frontman for the organisation.Cricket Australia chairman David Peever•Getty Images
Colin Carter, joint author of the governance review that brought the current board model into effect, said it was “completely astonishing” that the states found themselves voting for the re-election of the chairman for another three years without having access to the cultural review beforehand.”The one thing I would say is that I am incredibly surprised that the ‘shareholders’ voted on the composition of the board before they had a chance to read the report,” Carter told . “There is a legitimate debate that goes on, to what extent as you move up the chain should senior people be held accountable and even lose their jobs. That’s a debate that goes on in the banks at the moment, in the churches and the Essendon footy club a few years ago. There is a no black-and-white answer to that because the circumstances are all different and stuff like that.”I don’t think it is possible to have a strong view that board members should be re-signed or sacked or whatever. What I do think is completely astonishing is that decisions were made about the composition of the board for the next three years before any of the people who were voting had a chance to read the assessments that were made. From a governance point of view, I think that was not correct.”Bob Merriman, the former CA chairman, has stated bluntly that Taylor should replace Peever as chairman as soon as possible, while also slamming the findings and process of the cultural review. “I believe Mark Taylor should be the chairman tomorrow and the place should get back on its even footing, either Mark Taylor or Earl Eddings. He [Taylor] is one of the greatest captains we’ve had in our time,” Merriman told the . “He’s been on the board for at least 10 years and has experience in what cricket people really want.”We don’t want this kind of crappy, academic bullshit that’s been presented. We want people that know the game and know what to do with the game. I’m concerned for the game, I’m concerned for the leadership of the game. We’ve lost some good people. I don’t know how in the hell we rely upon non-cricket people to make decisions that are so important for the game. I personally think it’s a disgraceful report as to its quality, I’ve read it in detail.”I think the wisest thing that’s happened is James Sutherland has decided to retire rather than put up with this kind of crap. All the actions James Sutherland took to cover and do the right thing in Cape Town were not even mentioned – the fact that he acted so quickly to suspend the captain and the vice-captain – and under his leadership, the administration took every step that was possible. Now we find a situation where, against the better judgment of a number of people, we’ve got people reporting and investigating without the proper quality. To me, the report is an absolute bloody nonsense and a disgrace.”Another former director, the South Australian Ian McLachlan, reiterated his opposition to a fully independent nine-person board, preferring to see a model where six state-appointed delegates mix with three nationally-appointed independents. A former cabinet minister in Federal Parliament, McLachlan led SA’s opposition to CA governance reform in 2011-12, before sitting on the initial nominations committee for the new board that unearthed Peever, Roberts and Jacquie Hey as the first three independents.”Until they let the states elect their own person to the board, the states will simply be told what to do from Jolimont, and that’s exactly not the way to run cricket,” McLachlan told the . “That was the one mistake in the Carter/Crawford report. It says CA is there to represent its owners, and the states are the owners, but it also contradicts that by saying the owners can’t have a direct member on the board. That in my view has led to the owners not knowing anything because they’re not told anything.”
Leeds United could be set to lose one of their breakthrough stars next year, with a fresh report claiming that he’s the subject of huge interest in the Premier League.
Leeds players linked with exits
Since the summer, Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville have both continued to attract significant interest, so there’s a strong possibility that they will once again be the subject of attention during the upcoming window, and they might not be the only ones heading for the exit door in January.
Real Betis have reached an agreement to sign Marc Roca on another loan should they not buy him permanently having been impressed with his start to life in Spain, whilst Eintracht Frankfurt are confident that Robin Koch will remain with them beyond the end of the current campaign, so they could be two deals to watch very closely.
The Whites are seemingly facing a battle to hold onto a fifth star in the form of Archie Gray who, since graduating from the club’s academy, has become a regular feature this season having made 12 starts from 15 games under Daniel Farke in the Championship (WhoScored – Gray statistics).
The England youth international’s central midfielder has established himself as the manager’s second best-performing defensive player so far this term (WhoScored – Leeds statistics), and this impressive form since the 17-year-old’s senior breakthrough appears to have caught the eye of a high-profile club.
Liverpool interested in Archie Gray
According to The Daily Mail, Liverpool are readying an offer for Gray, but there are also two other clubs plotting a swoop in January.
“Liverpool are preparing a summer bid for Leeds midfield player Archie Gray in a move that could cost them over £40million. Leeds would be reluctant to sell a player who joined their Academy at the age of nine, and is the great nephew of club icon Eddie Gray, but with other Premier League clubs including Crystal Palace and Everton also interested, they may have little choice.”
Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray.
Journalist and Whites fan James Marshment has described Gray as an “unreal talent”, and there’s no doubt that he’s shown what he’s capable of following his deserved promotion to the first-team.
The Durham-born ace has won 21 out of his 31 tackles made this season which is the joint second-best success rate throughout the squad (FBRef – Leeds statistics), showing how much he loves to get stuck into challenges and win back possession for his team.
Farke’s teenage prodigy is also capable of making a positive impact in the final third having clocked up nine involvements, five assists and four goals, in 53 appearances across all age levels since the start of his career (Transfermarkt – Gray statistics), highlighting the impression he has at both ends of the pitch.
Furthermore, Gray is a versatile operator having been deployed in six various positions over the grass since bursting onto the professional scene, including one in defence, two in the frontline and three in the centre of the park, so it’s important that chiefs do everything they can to retain the services of their academy graduate beyond January.
Arsenal are back where they belong thanks to the revival of Mikel Arteta’s squad, as the Spaniard continues to turn things around at the Emirates after a difficult start to life as a manager at his former club.
The Gunners fired themselves into a title charge last season, leading the pack for the majority of the campaign before being knocked off their perch by Manchester City, who won the Premier League by five points in their bid for the treble.
Despite the agony of being so close after years of mediocrity by Arsenal’s standards, Arteta led his team to fulfilling their goal of being reinstated into Europe's elite with Champions League qualification.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
From the later years of Arsene Wenger’s tenure, to Unai Emery’s highs to quick lows during his 18-month stay, the Gunners endured a spell of over a decade without making significant progress.
The failure to grasp consistency, to players coming and going and viewing Arsenal as a stepping stone in their personal progression, the north Londoners seem to be exiting the tunnel of adequacy thanks to Arteta’s clear motive for success.
In 2018, the Emirates saw a host of changes and struggles, with star player Alexis Sanchez opting to leave for Manchester United, and Wenger departing that summer as Emery took charge.
The sale of Sanchez reinforced the lack of progression in north London, yet his ugly exit was quickly eased by the arrival of United midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
When did Arsenal sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan?
The January window of 2018 saw drama unfold between United and Arsenal, as the two fierce rivals engaged in a swap deal as Alexis went to Old Trafford and Mkhitaryan arrived at the Emirates.
After the theatrics and negativity that the Chilean induced at the club due to his poor mindset and desire to leave, the Armenian’s arrival dispersed a sense of relief and excitement, as the Gunners realised the talent that had acquired despite painfully losing their superstar.
While the former Borussia Dortmund playmaker didn’t impose his best game at Old Trafford, there was hope that the extent of the 28-year-old’s talent would unfold under Wenger’s free-flowing style of play.
That January was a pivotal time for both Arsenal and Mkhitaryan, as the Gunners later welcomed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the club, who was a former teammate of the Armenia international in Germany.
The angst felt towards Alexis was quickly relieved by the arrival of the former Dortmund duo, as a new wave of talent arrived with the goal of achieving at the Emirates.
How much did Henrikh Mkhitaryan earn at Arsenal?
Mkhitaryan was one of United’s top-earners in the 2017/18 campaign, and with a high calibre talent came a high wage demand.
The Gunners matched the £200k-per-week salary of the 28-year-old at Old Trafford, eased by the exit of Sanchez, who relieved Arsenal of paying out his monstrous wage of £350k-per-week.
Mkhitaryan was introduced into the squad as the north Londoner’s second-highest earner, picking up a hefty salary of £10.4m-per-year.
How many goals did Mkhitaryan score?
There was a lot of excitement regarding Mkhitaryan’s arrival, despite his inability to fully translate his quality to the Premier League during his 18-month stay at Old Trafford.
Prior to his move to United, the Armenian had an unbelievable campaign in Germany, recording 55 direct goal contributions in 52 appearances in all competitions, scoring 23 and assisting 32 for Dortmund.
henrikh-mkhitaryan
In Manchester, Mkhitaryan managed only a fraction of that level of performance, scoring 13 and assisting 11 in a total of 63 appearances for the Red Devils, warranting his swift exit just a year and a half after his arrival.
The form that the former Dortmund whiz portrayed at United should have sparked a slight level of concern from Arsenal’s side, particularly as they were handing over a player with 80 goals in 166 appearances in Sanchez.
There were however signs of encouragement in his first campaign in the capital, as in his first Premier League start for his new club, he rolled back the years by recording three assists during Arsenal’s 5-1 demolition of Everton, assisting his former teammate Aubameyang to reminisce on their perfect partnership at Westfalenstadion.
Mkhitaryan ended his first spell at the Emirates with nine goal involvements in 17 appearances, scoring three and assisting six in all competitions to round off an adequate introduction.
Unfortunately, things just didn’t tick in England for the Armenian the way they did in Germany, as in his second campaign, he scored only six goals in a total of 39 appearances, form that saw him slip down the pecking order as he battled injury and lacklustre performances.
Was he worth it?
After his first full season at Arsenal, the club made the decision to send the midfielder on loan to Roma in 2019, which subsequently marked the end of his time in north London as he signed permanently for the Italian outfit in 2020 after failing to make an impact under Emery.
In 59 appearances, Mkhitaryan left the Emirates having scored just nine goals, a poor record considering his primary deployment being on the flank with his role to advance in the final third.
It wasn’t just his uninspiring form in front of goal that contributed to his premature axing at Arsenal, as he was often untraceable on the pitch, reinforced by him being dubbed as “anonymous” by journalist Layth Yousif, who blasted one of his performances as “pitiful”.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan Premier League vs Bundesliga record
Premier League
Bundesliga
Apps
78
90
Goals
13
23
Assists
14
36
Via Transfermarkt
What was most concerning was that while he failed to grasp the demands of playing in the Premier League, Arsenal were paying Mkhitaryan a blockbuster wage of £200k-per-week, which over his 18 months at the club, racked up an expenditure of £15.6m in salary alone.
To put such costs into perspective, the Armenian cost Arsenal around £1.7m per goal he scored while at the club, highlighting just how horrendous the deal proved to be, with the pill made somewhat easier to swallow as Sanchez also failed to perform at United.
What is Henrikh Mkhitaryan doing now?
Ironically, the two players involved in the terrible swap deal in January 2018 have found sanctuary playing together at Inter Milan.
henrikh-mkhitaryan
At the San Siro, Mkhitaryan’s poor form in front of goal has continued, portrayed by his mere seven goals and three assists in 59 appearances so far for the Nerazzurri, with the height of his career proving to have come in Germany.
Arsenal were rinsed by the Armenian’s monumental salary, yet were lucky that his tenure in the capital lasted only 18 months to spare any additional financial strain to maintain the midfielder.
Proposto pelo sócio proprietário José Carlos Peruano, o pedido de abertura de comissão de inquérito para investigar suposta “utilização da máquina do clube” por Marcos Braz, vice-presidente de futebol, chegou ao presidente do Conselho de Administração do clube, Bernardo Amaral, ao ser encaminhado porAntonio Alcides Pinheiro, presidente do Conselho Deliberativo, nesta segunda-feira
A informação foi inicialmente publicada pelo “UOL”. Em seu pedido (publicado na íntegra pelo portal), Peruano – que foi candidato à presidência do Flamengo em 2018 – demonstra”preocupação a utilização da máquina do Clube pelo Sr. Vice-Presidente Marcos Braz, na sua campanha à Vereador do Estado do Rio de Janeiro” – Braz (PL) acabou eleito com mais de 40 mil votos, sendo o sexto vereador mais votado no município.
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Em seu pedido de abertura de uma investigação detalhada do caso, José Carlos Peruano ainda destacou três fatores, em documento enviado ao presidente Rodolfo Landim e ao Dr. Antonio Alcides Pinheiro da Silva Freire, presidente do Conselho Deliberativo: “uso das cores rubro-negras; uso de dizeres que remetem ao Flamengo (“no Rio, não em outro igual”, “gelo no sangue”); e uso de funcionários do Flamengo, pedindo voto para ele nas dependências do Clube.”
Agora, caberá a Bernardo Amaral, presidente do Conselho de Administração avaliar e definir se existem elementos para a abertura de um processo de investigação.
Manchester United are reportedly ready to consider transfer bids for Mason Greenwood, with the Red Devils preparing to “cash in” on the winger.
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Forward taking in Spanish loan spell
Has impressed in La Liga
Expected to see permanent sale sanctioned
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Devils allowed one-cap England international Greenwood to leave Old Trafford for a Liga loan spell at Getafe back in September 2023. The 22-year-old has impressed in Spain, leading to talk of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid expressing interest.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
United are yet to make a definitive call on Greenwood’s future but the expectation is – with his last appearance for the Premier League heavyweights coming in January 2022 – that a sale will be sanctioned in the next window.
WHAT ROMANO SAID ABOUT GREENWOOD
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Red Devils are heading down that path, saying of a forward that is under contract with his parent club until 2025: “Man United have not made final decision yet about Mason Greenwood but feeling is that club will be ready to consider proposals in case of permanent transfer bids. Man United could cash in on Greenwood this summer, waiting for INEOS verdict after internal talks.”
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WHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has left the door open for Greenwood to return to Old Trafford this summer, but he is unlikely to have a future in Manchester. With that in mind, a parting of ways and a completely fresh start is considered to be the best option for all concerned.
A report has shared how Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca really feels about a potential forward signing, with the club apparently seizing pole position to secure his services.
Chelsea short of striker options after Jackson and Guiu injuries
Both Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu will be sidelined for a significant period at Chelsea through hamstring injuries, leaving the west Londoners with precious few striking options to select from in the final third.
Chelsea now willing to make huge bid to sign star with £833m release clause
The Blues are prepared to make a huge bid for a defender.
ByDominic Lund Feb 17, 2025
Maresca played Cole Palmer as a false nine in their 3-0 defeat at Brighton last Friday, with Chelsea failing to register a single shot on target and proving ineffective in their attacking phases.
Aston Villa (away)
February 22nd
Southampton (home)
February 25th
Leicester City (home)
March 9th
Arsenal (away)
March 16th
Tottenham (home)
April 2nd
Christopher Nkunku, who was reliably believed to be pursuing a Stamford Bridge exit in the January transfer window (Florian Plettenberg), is Maresca’s only real option in that area of the pitch.
On paper, the £195,000-per-week forward is hardly a bad choice, having scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, but even Palmer’s presence as a false nine against Fabian Hurzerler’s side couldn’t quite inspire Nkunku’s best form.
While Maresca backs the Frenchman as a solution to Jackson and Guiu’s absences, Chelsea’s boss insists that he isn’t their only point of call.
“Because of Nico and Marc’s situation, we are working and trying to find different solutions,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s striker shortage.
“Christo could be one of the solutions, but it’s not the only solution. It can be Christo, as he played the last game, and also different kind of players. For sure when you don’t have a proper nine who can be a threat always, you have to change not only the nine, also a little bit the way you want to play.
“I have said many times I consider Christo a very important player, and I have said since day one Christo is not a nine. Christo is an attacking midfielder, but we use him as a nine to find a solution.
“Christo is a completely different player to Nico on and off the ball, so we probably need to adjust something because the skills of the players are different.”
What Enzo Maresca thinks about Liam Delap with Chelsea in pole position
Ahead of the next Premier League campaign, co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who oversee Chelsea’s recruitment strategy, will be looking to ensure that Maresca isn’t left in such a precarious position when it comes to centre-forwards at his disposal.
One of their top targets, according to various reports, is Ipswich Town star Liam Delap.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapapplauds fans after the match
The English striker has scored 10 goals this season, which comes as impressive when factoring in that they’ve been for a relegation-threatened side, and he’s reliably believed to be turning heads in west London.
Reporter Simon Phillips has claimed that Chelsea have already laid the groundwork to sign Delap, and could seek to strike a deal before this year’s Club World Cup. CaughtOffside now have another update on the 22-year-old’s future, which involves Maresca’s personal stance on the player.
The outlet reports that Chelsea are in pole position to sign Delap, above the likes of Man United, and Maresca believes that the former Man City starlet is a valuable number nine to have at their disposal.
Delap would also apparently cost around £40 million, which is actually cheaper than other mooted figures.
Liverpool have shaken off last year's malaise and are now pushing for a more successful season, securing ten points from the opening four games of the Premier League campaign.
The important point, however, is not the points tally itself but the rekindled verve and cohesion that has suffused across the squad in such a short time; where previously Jurgen Klopp's side was bereft of inspiration, now a course to success looks attainable once more.
The focus was on rebuilding the midfield after the disappointing campaign, with a fifth-placed finish ending an illustrious seven-year streak in the Champions League.
James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left in June after their contracts expired, while Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were sold to Saudi Arabian sides and Fabio Carvalho left on loan.
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch made up the additions to replenish the ranks, and while it looks an impressive reconstruction, the defence is still untouched despite growing concerns over the Reds' defensive ranks.
Last season, the Merseyside outfit conceded 47 goals to compound a miserable year, a far cry from the 26 strikes shipped across the 2021/22 Premier League season, with a 92-point season leaving the club just one point behind champions Manchester City.
For now, Liverpool will endure with the same backline, but change is needed to ensure a lasting spot is cemented among England and Europe's elite. One move could well be to replace Joel Matip.
Is Joel Matip leaving Liverpool?
It is likely that veteran centre-half Matip is nearing the end of his time at Anfield, having now entered the final year of his contract and unlikely to reclaim a starting berth with regularity.
Signed on a free transfer in 2015 following the culmination of his contract with German side Schalke, Matip has made 189 appearances, scoring 11 goals, and played an important role in the whole gamut of silverware secured under Klopp's stewardship, praised for his "outstanding" performances by pundit Jamie Carragher.
The 32-year-old was culpable for poor displays last season, however, and it does not look like a new contractual proposal is on the horizon, with Liverpool's pursuit of fresh faces to bolster the defensive line well-documented over the past several months.
And indeed, as Klopp's team orchestrated a late-season purple patch at the business end of the 2022/23 campaign to salvage European football, Matip was left on the periphery, starting only three of the final divisional matches of the calendar.
The £100k-per-week centre-back is a very distinctive defender and boasts an array of arresting qualities, ranking among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
Accurately replacing his presence will be no easy task, but given Liverpool's desire to sign a left-sided central defender, when that bridge is crossed it might be wise for Klopp to opt for a shrewder path when landing the perfect heir to his position in the squad.
As such, rising talent Jarell Quansah, who is projected for his most prominent role yet on Merseyside this season, might be the man for the job. Here's why.
Who is Jarell Quansah?
The 20-year-old titan has been on Liverpool's books for a considerable time, rising through the club's youth ranks from the age of five and captaining the U18 outfit to the FA Cup youth final in 2021.
Blessed with electric pace and an innate technical ability, Quansah completed a loan move to League One side Bristol Rovers last season as Klopp and co sought to nurture him closer to the fore, with Rovers boss Joey Barton proclaiming that "the sky's the limit" after he made 17 appearances, completing 78% of his passes and averaging 4.3 tackles per game, as per Sofascore.
jarell-quansah-liverpool
Having also been been described as "impressive" by reporter Ben Bocsak following his England call-up for the U20 World Cup, Quansah has been building a foundation on Merseyside, and while some supporters will bemoan the decision to make do with the current crop of centre-backs, it is the opportune moment for the 6 foot 3 colossus to shine on the major stage.
His chance came against Newcastle United. Liverpool had gone a goal down at a raucous St. James' Park and looked destined for a date with disaster after captain Virgil van Dijk's botched challenge on a box-surging Alexander Isak resulted in a red card.
The Reds pulled through and clinched an unlikely victory through substitute Darwin Nunez's clinical double following a commendable display of defensive resilience, with Quansah entering the match action in the 77th minute and looking the part as a momentous result was achieved.
After that eye-catching debut, Scouted Football said: "An imposing centre-back, he defends on the front foot, holds his own in the air, and is comfortable on the ball."
His second appearance, another substitute showing against Aston Villa last weekend, was even more arresting, with the defensive giant completing 96% of his passes (22/23), succeeding with his one attempted dribble and making one clearance.
As Liverpool search to sign a left-footed defensive ace to continue the renaissance and allow Van Dijk to shift onto his favoured right side, it might be unwise to break the bank on a right-sided centre-back to replace Matip when Quansah currently waits in the wings.
The current campaign will be telling, and as the season progresses, Quansah's qualities will be more easily discerned, but after such a promising ascent from his formative years to top level football, he looks like he may well prove to be an invaluable asset.
There is also the matter of the holding midfield; Fabinho's £40m sale to Al-Ittihad this summer left a gaping hole in Anfield's centre, and while Endo and Gravenberch have both been signed, the former is not quite the first-class phenom to make the role his own for years to come, while the talented Dutchman is more of a multi-functional midfielder than a specialist No. 6.
Allowing Quansah to develop within the Liverpool first-team could prove to be a masterstroke, and with Matip ostensibly headed for the door next summer, he is the shrewd and suitable replacement.