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Manchester United have provided an update on Antony after he was taken off with an injury against Fenerbahce on Thursday.

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Man Utd shed light on Antony injuryWinger stretchered off on TurkeyAt least ruled out of West Ham clashFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

It has been confirmed by the Red Devils that Antony sprained his ankle during the Fenerbahce game, which has ruled him out of having any involvement during Sunday's Premier League clash with West Ham. Unsurprisingly, he took no part in training on Saturday ahead of the game.

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Antony left Fenerbahce's Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on crutches on Thursday night, with his left ankle in a protective boot. Erik ten Hag initially said that United would have to wait around 24 hours for medical tests to be carried out, which clearly now have been. The Brazilian was only brought off the bench in the final 20 minutes of the 1-1 draw but had to be replaced himself after only 17 minutes on the pitch.

WHAT MAN UTD SAID

An update from the club early on Saturday evening explained: "Erik ten Hag's side will face West Ham without Antony, who was missing from Saturday's training session due to an ankle sprain he picked up in the closing stages of the game against Fenerbahce."

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DID YOU KNOW?

United have not set a timeframe for Antony's recovery other than he will be absent against West Ham. Sprains typically take between two and six weeks to heal, although it can be longer in severe cases.

This time the opening stand was worth a mere 186 as WA were made to regret bowling first

Daniel Brettig08-Nov-2020

In the space of two sparkling innings, Will Pucovski has rocketed to the front of the queue for places in Australia’s Test match top six, vaulting to the top of the Sheffield Shield averages and giving Victoria a powerful start to a match in which they were sent in to bat by Western Australia on a grassy pitch at Karen Rolton Oval.Where Pucovski’s 255 not out in a record partnership of 486 with Marcus Harris was put together against lowly South Australia on a decidedly batting friendly surface, this unbeaten innings of 183, again with strong support from his opening partner, was a powerful riposte to Western Australia’s morning inclination that this would be a day for their all-seam attack.The two major challenges set for Pucovski were to battle full deliveries as Cameron Gannon, Matthew Kelly, Aaron Hardie, Cameron Green and Lance Morris all tried to extract swing and seam, and then to make use of his pull and hook shots as the same quintet dropped increasingly short in the face of scant success for the former method.Harris accompanied Pucovski up until the pair had put on 186 more than halfway through the day, before the Victorian captain Peter Handscomb offered strong support for the most part, albeit with the occasional moment of awkwardness. Looking on, the new Victoria coach Chris Rogers was once glimpsed laughing in conversation with a couple of his squad members: in batting terms at least, he will seldom feel more content as a mentor no matter how long his career carries on.The Warriors’ selection had been somewhat forced by an agreed decision with Cricket Australia to allow the spin bowler Ashton Agar to return home to Perth for some rest prior to looming duties with Australia A and the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. The state’s 14-day mandatory quarantine requirement was going to seriously cut into the time available otherwise, although there were plenty of occasions when the Warriors would have liked to call upon their leading wicket-taker.It was instead left to D’Arcy Short, who alongside Scott Boland and Queensland’s Brendan Doggett was one of three Aboriginal cricketers taking the field in NAIDOC week, to offer up some overs of left-arm wrist spin. Short was at least able to beat Pucvoski’s bat with a top spinner, a better outcome than the vast majority of deliveries that were either left alone, defended stoutly or dispatched the boundary with some flourish.Harris survived a low chance in Green’s first over, edged into the cordon where Sam Whiteman was deemed to have scooped it up on the half volley, before his leading edge was taken by the same fielder with a superlative one-handed dive after the fashion of Steven Smith in the slips for Australia. Handscomb’s approach veered between conservatism and considerable risk, and he was to offer a half chance to the slips when scything at Gannon late in the day.These undulations only served to amplify how Pucovski showed a masterful ability to move up and down the gears depending on the scoring opportunities on offer, starting more slowly than Harris, skating into the 70s, then pulling things back before gliding to his second century in as many innings.There was to be more acceleration later on in the day, in spite of a liberal supply of boundary fielders placed by the Western Australia captain Shaun Marsh, and boundaries came with a decided rush when the hardness and bounce of the second new ball gave Pucovski a little more to work with.Stumps arrived with the second wicket stand worth 136, and Pucovski already 20 runs ahead of the Shield’s next heaviest scorer, the Test incumbent Travis Head. It may be a matter of weeks before they are international team-mates.

Former South Africa fast bowler has gained permanent Australian residency and now lives in Sydney

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2020

Morne Morkel, the former South Africa fast bowler, has signed up for Brisbane Heat as a local player for Big Bash League 2020.Morkel, now an Australia resident, was a replacement international player for one game for the Perth Scorchers in 2019. He has now signed for the full season with the Heat after gaining permanent residency.”I am still enjoying my cricket enormously and the chance to be part of the Heat squad is something I am keen to experience,” Morkel, who retired from international cricket in 2018, said. “I admit it will be a bit unusual to call myself a local, but we are enjoying living and working here and this is another aspect of our lives that I am looking forward to being a part of.”Apart from 544 international wickets, Morkel also has 77 wickets in 70 games in the Indian Premier League, where he was also captained by the Heat’s current assistant coach James Hopes when playing for the Delhi Daredevils.Earlier this week, he had ended his three-year stay at Surrey, saying it was no longer feasible to spend long periods of time away from his family in Sydney. Currently recovering from an ankle injury, Morkel will link with the Heat later this month.Heat coach Darren Lehmann said he was eagerly awaiting Morkel’s arrival. “I saw a line from Dan Christian the other day that ‘old blokes win stuff’ and while I am in no way putting Morne in the ‘old’ category like ‘Christo’ certainly is, we believe his experience with bowling in different conditions is invaluable and will be beneficial to the squad,” he said.”Anyone who has played or coached with him or against him will happily attest that he is a champion person. On the international front, I consider his best bowling efforts came as he got older. His control and skill with the ball were his trademarks so it will be great to introduce him into our group.”Lehmann also confirmed that the Heat were working on additional recruiting options, given their international players Tom Banton and Lewis Gregory have been named for England’s white-ball tour of South Africa, which overlaps with the start of the Big Bash.”We’ve got a few things in motion and will stay close with Tom and Lewis to map out the best plan for them to get here and perform at their best in the BBL.”The tournament starts from December 10, with the Heat opening their season the next day against the Melbourne Stars in Canberra.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na última terça-feira (10), o lateral esquerdo Welington, do São Paulo, saiu de campo lesionado, já nos minutos finais da partida contra o Palmeiras, pelas quartas de final da Libertadores. Ainda sem a confirmação da gravidade da lesão, o atleta virou dúvida para os próximos jogos da equipe, obrigando o treinador Hernán Crespo a fazer mudanças na escalação.

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Caso não possa contar com Welington, Crespo tem três opções, uma mantendo o esquema original da equipe e as outras duas alterando a formação da defesa, partindo de um trio de zaga para uma linha de quatro.

A substituição mais óbvia seria a entrada de Reinaldo no lugar de Welington. O camisa 6 era o titular da posição antes do jovem ganhar mais protagonismo na equipe e chegou a ser capitão em algumas ocasiões.

Maior assistente do São Paulo na temporada, Reinaldo se destaca na parte ofensiva, dando profundidade ao ataque e participando da criação das jogadas do Tricolor. Na defesa, porém, o lateral comete alguns erros, principalmente na transição defensiva, onde acaba deixando o corredor livre e levando algumas infiltrações nas costas. É por esse motivo que o camisa 6 joga melhor quando é escalado como um ala, por não ter tantas responsabilidades defensivas.

A outra opção para escalar Reinaldo seria em uma linha de quatro jogadores, onde ele seria utilizado como um lateral esquerdo, sua posição habitual. O problema, porém, seria na cobertura defensiva, pois o lateral direito, Daniel Alves, também foca muito no ataque, o que pode resultar em uma dupla de zaga desprotegida e vulnerável aos contra-ataques adversários.

Pensando nisso, a terceira opção seria utilizar Léo pela esquerda em um esquema com linha de quatro. Lateral de origem, o jogador pode exercer a função na defesa e, na fase ofensiva, permanecer um pouco mais recuado, formando um trio com os dois zagueiros. Assim, o time conseguiria manter três jogadores na defesa durante os ataques, mas não ficaria com o lado esquerdo desprotegido quando estivesse defendendo.

Hernán Crespo chegou a utilizar esse esquema contra o Palmeiras, quando, no primeiro tempo, Léo jogou pela esquerda, permitindo que Gabriel Sara atuasse mais centralizado no meio de campo. Assim, essa pode ser a alternativa escolhida pelo técnico.

Com a possibilidade de não contar com Welington pelo menos na próxima partida, Crespo precisará escolher alguma alternativa para a lateral esquerda do São Paulo no próximo compromisso do clube.

O Tricolor Paulista enfrente o Grêmio no próximo sábado (14), às 21h, no Morumbi, pela 16ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Atualmente na 16ª posição da tabela, o São Paulo enfrenta o 19º colocado, um adversário direto na briga contra o rebaixamento.

The franchises had earlier been told to expect the fixtures list by August 20

Shamya Dasgupta26-Aug-2020With just over three weeks to go for the start of IPL 2020, there is still no clarity on the schedule of the 60-match tournament, to be played across the UAE. The delay in announcing the fixtures list – which the franchises had been told to expect by August 20 – stems from Covid-19-related travel restrictions between the emirates.There has been a spike in infection cases in the UAE, and mandatory checks have been ramped up at the border, making travel into Abu Dhabi more time-consuming than before. ESPNcricinfo understands that the IPL Governing Council members who are in the UAE have been speaking to officials of the Emirates Cricket Board – headed by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE’s minister of culture, youth and social development – to try and get the matter resolved urgently.It’s not only that the tournament is likely to be split – the plan is to host 21 of the 56 group-stage games each in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and 14 in Sharjah, with the playoffs in the first two emirates. In addition, Abu Dhabi is the base for two teams, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, who will have to cross the border several times.Though officials of the BCCI and IPL Governing Council have so far not commented on this, it seems to be no more than a matter of logistics, of synchronising team travel schedules so they comply with Covid-19-specific border entry regulations. Matt Boucher, the CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket, believes the border issue, however, should not be too big a problem if everyone concerned follows the protocols put in place by the BCCI (for the event) and of the UAE government.”At the border, it’s either a DPI test or a PCR test, and it’s purely to protect the population of Abu Dhabi. Many hundreds of people are using the border every day, and it’s certainly not a hassle or an issue,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “It just has to be, of course, tailored into the event schedule with rotational testing. But the teams need to be tested in accordance with the protocols of the event, the UAE government, and the BCCI protocols for the event. And if those are in line with the testing procedures at the border, then the facilitation will take place.”The way the UAE authorities want it to work is for all team members – players and anyone else travelling into Abu Dhabi – to return negative tests 48 hours before they get to the border. After that, with VIP lanes and police escorts in place, the delay shouldn’t be as much as some people fear, Boucher felt.”If Sunrisers Hyderabad is staying in Dubai, and playing in Abu Dhabi on a Wednesday, the team rotation for that test needs to take place 48 hours before they travel to Abu Dhabi. And they can then travel seamlessly back to Dubai. It shouldn’t be a sticking point.”The match schedule and the testing of the players need to be aligned. It’s not an easy task, it needs to be thought out, it needs to be calculated, but the safety of the players and others is the most important thing. It’s not an international border, it’s a safety mechanism.”Similar logistics will apply for the Abu Dhabi-based teams, Boucher said. “For example, if Mumbai are playing in Dubai on Wednesday, then 48 hours before that match they need to have the PCR test to return from Dubai. That will be facilitated by a VIP lane and Dubai police escorts and Abu Dhabi police escorts. Upon their return to the Abu Dhabi border, the police will already have all the negative test reports, and they will seamlessly come through the border via a VIP lane.”There have also been murmurs of some teams not being happy about playing games in the afternoon heat, with matches starting at 2pm local time – ten double-headers had tentatively been penciled in by the IPL Governing Council when they announced the decision to shift the tournament to the UAE. Whether that is still a sticking point or not remains to be seen.

Cristiano Ronaldo has rejected claims Real Madrid are "lucky" and says he considers Los Blancos to be the best club in the history of football.

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• Ronaldo hails Real as world's best club
• Won a host of titles with Spanish giants
• Explains secrets to club's continued success

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League last season and went on to strengthen their squad in the summer by adding French superstar Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian wonderkid Endrick to an already talented squad. Carlo Ancelotti's side will therefore be looking for more trophies in 2024-25 and to continue their European dominance after having lifted the Champions League in six of the last 10 years.

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  Madrid have often been described as "lucky" over the years after making a habit of pulling off last-gasp wins and coming from behind in games when they appear to have no hope. Ronaldo, who won a host of titles during his time at the club, has explained why it's not luck that sees the Spanish giants continue to add trophies to their cabinet on a regular basis.

• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  Ronaldo told Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel: "Real Madrid are looking very good. It's the kind of team, they don't rush under pressure. This is why they most of the people say they are lucky. No they are not lucky. They prepare for this kind of moment. The Bernabeu has a different aura, the energy is different. When the big teams go there, they score a goal after 85 minutes, 90 minutes, the pressure is a lot. For me it's the best club ever in the history of football.

  "I always say Madrid are going to be better. We don't know, let's see. Mbappe is there now. I think Madrid will keep strong but I don't know if they will be better than last year. Let's see. They have a fantastic team, fantastic players. I believe they will be one of the best teams in the world."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ronaldo is Real Madrid's all-time top scorer after bagging 450 goals for Los Blancos. He also scored his 900th career strike recently, netting for Portugal in a Nations League triumph over Croatia.

Jurgen Klopp's reign at Liverpool has seen both peaks and valleys, but there is an ominous sense that the lionised manager's final few weeks on Merseyside will be categorised by misery and rueful resignation.

Failing to defeat Manchester United in commanding positions across recent trips to Old Trafford in the FA Cup and Premier League has unravelled Liverpool's thrilling campaign like a loose kite in the wind, with the buffeting struggles of the past few weeks resulting in successive Anfield losses against Atalanta (in the Europa League) and Crystal Palace (in the top-flight).

The Carabao Cup was won in February in what seemed like a galvanising tone-setter for the months to come, with the Reds fighting with such fervour amid persistent injury blows to fire on all cylinders. After overcoming such obstacles, Liverpool have inexplicably collapsed.

At Craven Cottage on Sunday, against Fulham, Klopp simply has to spark his team back into life, with Manchester City starting the weekend two points clear of their two contenders, with Arsenal also falling to an unexpected defeat last weekend.

Liverpool have an unusually near-clean bill of health, though Conor Bradley continues to recover from an ankle injury that will keep him out for a few more weeks.

Klopp has to rebound from the midweek Europa League exit against Atalanta, where the Merseysiders sparked spark and initiative, and might make three changes to the starting XI.

1

GK – Alisson

Alisson's return from injury has come at the perfect time for Liverpool, even if he has not quite had the happiest of returns over the past few games.

The Brazilian is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world and is marginally behind Alphonse Areola in the most reliable shot-stopper in the division, having saved 75.3% of the shots faced this season (Areola has saved 75.8%).

2

RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool might have won at Atalanta on Thursday but the damage was done and it was a bleak performance, lacking the electricity and snap that was needed. Trent Alexander-Arnold's return to the starting line-up was a bright spark though.

The inventive right-back is always looking to make things happen and will provide his profligate forwards with everything they need to rediscover their shooting boots, hailed as a creative "genius" by reporter Neil Jones.

3

CB – Ibrahima Konate

Ibrahima Konate has done a superb job this season after Joel Matip's season was cut short by injury back in December, but the France international has been guilty of some poor performances recently.

He will need to have his wits about him against in-form shooter Rodrigo Muniz.

4

CB – Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk has cut a disconsolate figure over the past few matches but he called for the fans to rally around the squad on Thursday night and, if Liverpool are to turn things around, he will be at the heart of the success.

5

LB – Andy Robertson

Possibly Liverpool's best performer throughout this recent poor patch, Andy Robertson will be crucial against Fulham, pumping energy and creativity into the team.

It's been a bit of a stop-start campaign for the Scotland skipper, but he's returning to his best recently and could be the catalyst on Sunday.

6

DM – Wataru Endo

Wataru Endo signed for Liverpool from German side Stuttgart in a surprise £16m deal last summer, after missing out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, and while he's largely been fantastic, the Japanese's recent showings have left much to be desired.

Still, he must anchor the midfield against the Cottagers, doing the groundwork for a few other midfielders to supply the forwards ahead of him.

7

CM – Harvey Elliott

Dominik Szoboszlai has fallen by the wayside, and while he can pick himself back up, he must be ditched for Harvey Elliott in this one, with the dynamic midfielder more than deserving of a spot in his favoured position.

The 21-year-old is truly a first-class prospect and has started to prove why he can play a lasting role in this Liverpool team, having been described as a "special talent" by The Athletic's James Pearce.

8

CM – Alexis Mac Allister

Alexis Mac Allister has been a monster of a signing for Liverpool and will need to harness the full scope of his world-class ability if he is to lead the club back toward the light.

He's clinched seven goal contributions from his past eight outings in the Premier League and he might just be the difference-maker once again at Fulham.

9

RW – Mohamed Salah

What has happened to Mohamed Salah? The Egyptian talisman has been out of sorts for a while now and has toiled through recent fixtures.

That said, he's one of the deadliest forwards in Europe, having scored 24 goals and supplied 13 assists in all competitions this season.

10

LW – Luis Diaz

With electric pace and deft dribbling, Luis Diaz will be an important presence down the left channel, causing Fulham a host of problems and driving the play into promising positions to ensure Liverpool hit prolific form once again.

Celtic and Brendan Rodgers have a dream to sign a rather ambitious transfer target this summer, but face significant obstacles to make it become a reality ahead of the new season.

Celtic leave title in Rangers' hands

A bonkers 3-3 draw with Rangers at Ibrox over the weekend kept Celtic top of the Scottish Premiership for now, a point ahead of their Glasgow rivals but having played a game more than Philippe Clement's side, leaving the title in their rivals' hands.

The Scottish Premiership title race

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal Difference

Points

Celtic

32

23

6

3

51

75

Rangers

31

24

2

5

50

74

It has been a tough season for Brendan Rodgers' side despite their success in Scotland's top flight, with a tough Champions League group stage seeing them concede a mammoth 15 goals and losing four of their six games. Winning just one, they finished bottom of their group with the second worst goal difference of anyone in the group stage.

Despite their struggles abroad, they could still claim a domestic double, with Rodgers' side in the semi-finals of the Scottish cup against Aberdeen, while Rangers take on Hearts in the other semi-final, potentially setting up another Old Firm derby in the final.

Celtic chiefs eyeing up swoop for 6ft 2 keeper who doesn't have a weak foot

The Hoops are eyeing up a replacement for current number one Joe Hart this summer.

ByDan Emery Apr 10, 2024

There are no shortage of question marks heading into the summer transfer window, with it set to be a busy one for Celtic and their transfer team Should they get their way, it could well be a record-breaking one too.

Hoops would "love" to sign Kieran Tierney

Now, they have been handed a boost in their dream to bring Kieran Tierney back to Celtic Park after it emerged that Arsenal have already told the defender he can leave the club this summer.

The North London side paid Celtic £25m in 2019 to take Tierney, then Celtic's captain, to the Emirates Stadium, where he currently earns £110,000 per week. After a strong start to his career with the Gunners he found himself down the pecking order and has spent this season on loan with Spanish side Real Sociedad.

Now, TeamTalk claim that Tierney has "already been informed that he will be available for sale" this summer and that the defender "intends to use the European Championships as a way to display his talents", with Scotland in a group with Germany, Switzerland and Hungary.

It is added that Arsenal value the defender at around £25m ahead of the summer transfer window, and while Celtic "would love to bring him back to Glasgow if they get the opportunity", that sort of fee is "thought to be beyond Celtic’s financial capabilities" amid reported interest from Aston Villa.

However, Villa are keeping tabs on several defenders as things stand and should their interest not materialise, there doesn't seem to be a long line of suitors for the 26-year-old Scot. With Arsenal having tried to sell him permanently last summer only to let him leave on loan, Celtic will be hoping a repeat will allow them to lure him back to Celtic Park either on loan or at a cut-price fee.

Newcastle United's unthinkable season last campaign was helped massively by the financial backing from the Saudi PIF, with players such as Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier playing a key role in the club's success.

The Magpies finished in the Premier League's top four, securing a place in the Champions League for this campaign before being knocked out in the group stage.

However, things haven't gone as planned this campaign, with Eddie Howe's side lingering around mid-table after suffering somewhat of an injury crisis throughout the season.

Sven Botman was the latest player to be ruled out through injury, with the Dutchman needing surgery on an ACL injury that could see him miss up to nine months.

Despite the injury crisis, many players who had an impact at the club before the takeover have still failed to gain any game time, with certain players being victims of the club's rapid success.

One player in particular is currently on loan away from St James', with the club needing to permanently offload the player to help in their battle to avoid any punishment for breaking PSR rules.

Ryan Fraser's stats at Newcastle United

After arriving at St James' on a free transfer from Bournemouth in the summer of 2020, winger Ryan Fraser made 18 appearances in the Premier League during his first campaign for the team – failing to score a league goal during the 2020/21 season.

However, the attacker did manage to find the back of the net on his Newcastle debut in the 1-0 Carabao Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers in September 2020.

His second season on Tyneside saw him have his best season for the Magpies, scoring twice in his 27 games in a campaign in which the club finished 12th in the Premier League.

It would all rapidly go downhill for the Scottish international, with the 2022/23 campaign his worst to date for the Magpies, with Fraser only featuring eight times in the league – featuring for just 311 minutes, with the winger subsequently leaving the club on loan ahead of the current season.

The 30-year-old joined Southampton on loan during last summer's transfer window, with the former Bournemouth attacker scoring eight times in the Championship, having enjoyed a good run of form in the second tier.

How much Ryan Fraser earns in 2024

After signing a five-year deal at St James' Park, the attacker would take home £42k-per-week, a decent chunk of money given his lack of impact during his time at the club.

His wage sees him earn £12k-per-week more than talented youngster Elliot Anderson, who currently earns £30k-per-week, and unsurprisingly teen superstar Lewis Miley who is on a weekly salary of £5k. The "terrible" forward, as Fraser said of his own performances on Tyneside, currently earns a whopping £2.1m a year, with the club needing to clear the attacker off the wage bill at the next opportunity.

His good form on loan at Southampton could tempt Russell Martin's side to permanently sign the 30-year-old, with Fraser still having one more year under contract at St James'.

Should he leave the club, Howe's side would command a fee for his services, with his transfer fee and wages going a long way in the club's battle to stay within the PSR confines.

The attacker's move to Newcastle has been a disaster for both parties. Nine goal contributions in 59 appearances for the Magpies is a poor return given the club's desire to sign him back in 2020.

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Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Everton have often conducted poor business in the transfer market in recent seasons, with their spending partly to blame for the club's point deduction this season.

The Toffees spent a lot of money during the 2019/20 season, with the club spending upwards of £100m on players – with just one signing remaining at Goodison Park in 2024.

Players such as Alex Iwobi, Moise Kean and Jean-Philippe Gbamin arrived at the club, for fees all over £20m, with the latter leaving the club on a free transfer last summer after making just eight appearances for the Toffees.

However, one big-money signing over the last few years impressed for the Toffees, before leaving the club to hunt for European football. His departure was one that many fans were unhappy with, but it did see the club make a profit on their investment.

Lucas Digne's stats at Everton

Left-back Lucas Digne joined Everton for £18m back in 2018, with the defender having great pedigree after his spell in Spain playing for European giants Barcelona.

He made an immediate impact during his first campaign for the club, making 37 appearances for the Toffees during his first campaign – with his set-piece ability catching the eye.

His second campaign in 2019/20 was just as successful, with the Frenchman making 39 appearances for the club in all competitions, with Digne grabbing nine goal contributions – a great return for a defender.

However, the appointment of former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez would be the start of his Everton downfall, with Digne falling out of favour under the Spaniard.

Although he started all nine games at the start of the 2021/22 campaign, he would quickly lose his place in the starting lineup, with the left-back sometimes not even being included in the matchday squad.

Digne wasn't involved in four consecutive games throughout December and January, with his lack of game time leading to his departure.

Although the departure wasn't a hit with the Everton fanbase, his move to Aston Villa in January 2022 was a profitable one for the club, with the Frenchman leaving for £25m – making the Toffees £7m on the defender during his three-and-a-half-year stint at Goodison.

Lucas Digne's market value in 2024

Just over two years on from his Everton departure, the "phenomenal" defender, as dubbed by his agent Mikkel Beck, has failed to impress at Villa Park under Unai Emery, with the former Arsenal boss preferring to use Alex Moreno over the £25m man.

His lack of form has seen his value drop to just £10m – as per Transfermarkt – with the 30-year-old now worth less than current Toffees left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko, who boasts a market value of £24m – less than two years on from his £17m move to the club.

Whilst there's no debate that Digne is better going forward, Mykolenko has excelled defensively, blowing the Frenchman out of the water and being a real part of Everton's stellar defence that has the best defensive record outside the Premier League's top four.

The Ukrainian has averaged 2.7 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, with former Everton man Digne only managing to reach a tally of 1.8.

Mykolenko also dominates with regard to interceptions and clearances, with his tallies of 1.6 and 3.5 respectively, far more than the attacking full-back who's struggled at times defensively this campaign.

The Frenchman has only averaged 1.1 interceptions and 2.2 clearances, with 23-year-old Mykolenko seemingly more suited to boss Sean Dyche's defensive system.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Although at the time it was an unpopular decision to let Digne leave, it turned out to be a brilliant piece of business with the club replacing him with a younger and more defensively solid full-back who has outperformed the former Toffee this campaign.