The consequences of the global pandemic had little to no effect on the Premier League club’s spending ahead of the 2020-21 season. While Chelsea ended up splashing over £200m on new signings, the likes of Manchester City and Leeds United weren’t behind. 

However, money never guarantees success and these spendings have also had mixed results so far. While there have been players like Tomas Soucek, Ollie Watkins and James Rodriguez, who have impressed one and all, there have been others who have failed to live up the hype. 

Today, we take a look at five such players who have struggled to live up to the expectations.

Willian - Arsenal

Willian arrived at Arsenal amidst much fan-fare and the Brazilian put on a man-of-the-match performance on his PL debut for the Gunners as well, assisting two goals in a 3-0 win over Fulham. However, that has been his only notable contribution in an Arsenal shirt till date. Since then, he has only provided a solitary assist and has failed to score a single goal across four different competitions. What’s more worrisome is the fact that his conversion rate has deteriorated considerably as he averages1.3 shots per 90 minutes. Note that this is the same player who bagged 11 goals last season with Chelsea.

Kai Havertz - Chelsea

Kai Havertz became the most expensive player of the 2020 summer transfer window when Chelsea decided to pay £71million to Bayer Leverkusen for the 21-year-old. Coming at the back of a fantastic season in Bundesliga, where he had scored 18 goals and nine assists, fans and experts had expected a commanding display from the German but the youngster has not only failed to justify his price tag, but his ineffective displays have drawn extreme criticism as well. So far, the 21-year-old has scored four goals across four competitions and has provided as many assists.

Donny van de Beek - Manchester United

The signing of Donny van de Beek from Ajax was a smooth transition, to say the least, but many supporters and even the former players questioned why he was signed by Manchester United in the first place. Fast forward to the date and the 23-year-old still remains a deviant figure at the club. Regardless of the talent he brings, the title of being one of the worst transfers comes on the back of an extreme muddle as no one is still aware of his best position. Manager Ole Gunnar-Solksjaer has answered the questions regarding his absence in sheer professionalism, but the fact remains that he has started just two league games this season

Timo Werner - Chelsea 

"At the beginning, I had this self-image that I can go on doing my thing here, but in the last few months, I have been brought down to earth. It's the way in England that you never have a quiet game,�striker Timo Werner recently made an honest admission about his time in the Premier League.

The German international, who bagged 34 goals and 13 assists for RB Leipzig last season, has been relatively quiet in the Premier League this term. Joining the Blues for £47.5 million, the 24-year-old fell short of expectations and has failed to adapt to the rugged style of the league, meaning that he has been limited to just five goals in the league; a far cry from the standard he showcased last season. Now, there are several reasons as to why Werner has been failing to find the goal, with one being Frank Lampard’s use of the striker. During the tenure of the former manager, Werner was used in four different positions and that pretty much explains why he is struggling with consistency.

Rhian Brewster - Sheffield United

Splashing a club-record £23.5 million for a player who was yet to make a single Premier League appearance was always going to be a gamble, and that hasn’t really paid off well for Sheffield United this season. The signing of Rhian Brewster from Liverpool received rave reviews considering the fact that he had scored 11 goals in 22 games during his brief loan spell at Swansea City in the 2019-20 Championship season. That £23.5 million, however, has given Sheffield United 734 league minutes, zero goals and as many assists. The 20-year-old has made 18 Premier League appearances so far and averages a mere 0.7 shots per game; certainly not a figure that he wants to be associated with.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ian Kington, Stu Forster

The Premier League returns after the midweek action in UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Burnley will take on Everton at the Turf Moor Stadium to kick-off the weekend action on Saturday.

The first North London derby of the season between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will undoubtedly be the biggest clash of the weekend.

For several fantasy managers, gameweek 10 was a rather below-par affair as it produced an average tally of 44 points. 

So as we inch closer to the new round of Premier League fixtures, here are five players who could potentially get you maximum points in gameweek 11:

Timo Werner (Chelsea) vs Leeds United

Timo Werner, who came on as a substitute in Chelsea’s 4-0 victory over Sevilla in the Champions League, will look to put on his goalscoring boots when his side take on Leeds United in the Premier League. The German international has been Chelsea’s top scorer this season, netting eight goals in 13 matches in all competitions. The 24-year-old has also managed to score three goals in his last five league outings. The Blues manager Frank Lampard will hope that his decision to rest him in the midweek will pay off against a formidable Leeds side.

Edinson Cavani (Manchester United) vs West Ham

Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has been in incredible form for the Red Devils, scoring three important goals in the Premier League. The 33-year-old Uruguayan came on as a substitute in their last Premier League encounter to inspire his side to come from two goals down and clinch a thrilling 3-2 win against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium. Cavani will hope he can continue his glorious form for United when they face West Ham United on Saturday.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) vs Fulham

Kevin De Bruyne produced two assists in Manchester City’s 5-0 thrashing of Burnley in gameweek 10 and he was very unlucky to not have his name on the scoresheet. After being rested for City’s midweek clash against FC Porto in the Champions League, the Belgian will be eager to put in a good performance against Fulham in the Premier League. Interestingly, De Bruyne has four assists in the last four gameweeks.

Che Adams (Southampton) vs Brighton

In Danny Ings absence, Southampton has found a great replacement in Che Adams, who has chipped in with three goals and four assists for the Saints. The 24-year-old, who looked in good form in the first half against Manchester United, is expected to be among the points against Brighton who only have one clean sheet since gameweek 2.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) vs Wolves

Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah has been in great form for the Reds, netting two goals and two assists in his last four matches in all competition. The 28-year-old had laid an assist and had a goal overturned by VAR in Liverpool’s last Premier League match against Brighton. He has struck once and has assisted one goal against Wolves in the last four encounters. The Egyptian is rightly tipped to play his part against Wolves.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Mike Hewitt

As per Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, midfielder Kai Havertz has tested positive for the global virus and the Germany international has subsequently gone into self-isolation, which left him out as Chelsea went on to beat Rennes 3-0 in their Champions League match on Wednesday.

Havertz is also poised to miss Chelsea's game against Sheffield United on Saturday as well as Germany's three upcoming matches.

Havertz made headlines when he joined the Blues from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £70m during the summer transfer window. However, despite scoring four goals and three assists during his first 10 appearances for Chelsea, Havertz has received some flack for his play during the final third of matches. In fact, three of his four goals came in a single match, when Chelsea beat second-tier team Barnsley 6-0 in the Carabao Cup back in September.

However, despite Havertz's slow start, team-mate and fellow countryman Timo Werner feels it's just a matter of time before he starts showing what he's capable of, and said before the game against Rennes, “I know Kai very well and I think he is one of the most talented players in the whole world."

"He is a young boy, only 21 and he can learn a lot but can already play like a very, very old and wise player. I think up until now he feels very well here.

"A bit like me, we have talked a lot about settling in and he feels he is very happy to be here. In a lot of games, he has shown what he can do, what he can bring to the team.

"For Kai, it is very important to score, but I think what you can see in his game, he is about a lot more than scoring goals as a midfield player. He plays a lot of key passes, makes a lot of movement for other players.

"He is very talented and feels good. He will get better and better, like me he has come to a new country, language and style of football and has to learn, but until now he plays very good and we will see a lot more good games from him.�/p>

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

We have seen some mesmerizing performances in the ongoing edition of the English Premier League so far, but at the same time, we have seen some big names coming up with disappointing returns as well. Here, we take a look at three such players who have flopped big time in this season thus far.

Timo Werner (Chelsea)

The 23-year-old made a move to Chelsea on the back of a stellar outing in the 2019/20 season for RB Leipzig. Werner scored a total of 34 goals during the season and thus established his name as one of the best strikers in Europe at present. However, his shooting boots have been missing ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge. Werner has played full 90 minutes in all of Chelsea's four Premier League games thus far and has failed to find the back of the net in all of them. From what has transpired in the matches so far, it appears that he is yet to find the proper synchronization on the field with the other players. Werner will be hoping to end his lean patch soon and regain the form he was in last season.

Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

The French forward was Manchester United's joint-top-scorer in the 2019/20 Premier League season. He scored a total of 17 goals last time around and was thus one of the main reasons behind their late revival of form. However, as things stand this season, Martial has failed to score in three outings for the Red Devils in the Premier League so far. He couldn't find the back of the net despite playing full 90 minutes in their loss to Crystal Palace. He also played 89 minutes in their narrow win over Brighton and failed to score once again. Moreover, his indiscipline on the pitch in their big clash against Tottenham Hotspur saw him getting sent off in the 27th minute as well. That left United with one man short and they lost the match by a massive 6-1 margin.

Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

He spent a major part of the last season on the sidelines due to a series of injuries and thus could accumulate only one goal and three assists in the Premier League. But, as he was fully fit and free of injuries ahead of the beginning of this season, Pogba was expected to be back at his best again. However, things haven't quite gone along the expected lines as he has neither contributed with goals nor assists in the three Premier League games Manchester United have played so far. The transfer speculations to Real Madrid have played some part in contributing to the dip in his performances as well but there's no denying the fact that the Frenchman has been far from his best.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Neil Hall

With the second game week of the new Premier League campaign close to its conclusion, fantasy team owners across the world are either rejoicing for having Harry Kane or Son Heung Minor both in their team, while others are left ruing for not captaining either or worse, not having either player in their side.

But, a new game week brings new hope. If you are tired of your unproductive forward line or your leaky defence, we have a few fixes for you:

Player: Timo Werner

Team: Chelsea

Match: West Brom vs Chelsea

Liverpool may have rinsed Chelsea in their meeting last week but the Blues will take solace in the performance of summer signing Timo Werner.

The German striker had very little to feed off and still managed to put in a decent shift against the reigning Premier League champions and even managed to win a penalty that Jorginho missed. Werner was sharp and ran relentlessly all evening rather futilely. However, with Christian Pulisic and new boys, Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech close to full match fitness, Werner will receive some much-needed support upfront.

He’s due a goal and newly-promoted West Brom, who have shipped eight goals in two games, could be the perfect opponents for Werner to get off the mark.

Player: Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Team: Everton

Match: Crystal Palace vs Everton

With four goals in two Premier League games, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the most in-form striker in the Premier League.

The young Englishman has been terrific so far and is rather modestly priced. The 23-year-old is enjoying life under Ancelotti and the signing of James Rodriguez has added a new dimension to Everton’s attack that Calvert-Lewin is well and truly feeding off.

A great option if you are in the hunt of a mid-ranged forward.

Player: Conor Coady

Team: Wolves

Match: West Ham vs Wolves 

Defence leaking goals? Time to get in Conor Coady.

The Wolves skipper sits at the heart of a sturdy defence that rarely concedes heavily. Wolves face West Ham, Fulham and Newcastle in three out of their next four matches. Expect Wolves to keep clean sheets and Coady to score a few points for your team.

Player: Patrick Bamford

Team: Leeds United

Match: Sheffield United vs Leeds United

If the first two gameweeks are anything to go by, Leeds United are going to be a lot of fun to watch this season.

Coach Marcelo Bielsa’s men score and concede for fun and what better to have the striker of the team that is just relentless in front of goal. Patrick Bamford has scored in each of his first two games and provided a couple of assists as well. The former Chelsea striker found a home at Elland Road and will be extremely productive for Leeds as well as your fantasy team.

Player: James Justin

Team: Leicester City

Match: Manchester City vs Leicester City

If you are in the hunt for a cheap defensive reinforcement, Leicester City’s James Justin is the way to go.

The young fullback has locked down the left-back position for the Foxes, vacated by the departure of Ben Chilwell to Chelsea. The young defender won a penalty on opening weekend against West Bromich Albion and scored against Burnley, showcasing his incredible attacking output.

Justin could prove to be a great acquisition in the long term for your fantasy team.

If you wish to raise the stakes further, Sportsbet.io has even more to offer!

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Alex Livesey

Timo Werner joining Frank Lampard in his Chelsea project was a blow to Jurgen Klopp’s ambitions of defending his Premier League title in the 2020/21 season. Liverpool, in fact, were heavy favourites to land the former Leipzig striker, but failing to match the asking price gave Chelsea a chance to swoop in between and lure in the striker to London.

The Reds, as of now, have made a solitary signing, roping in left-back Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiacos for a fee reported to be around £11.75 million. The club’s hierarchy has always been cautious in term of spending the capital in the market, but losing Werner to their Premier League rivals is expected to force them to look somewhere else in order to add depth in their already attractive attacking line-up.

That said, here are five players who fit the billing for Jurgen Klopp as he looks to get over the ghost of the past. 

Lautaro Martinez

Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez made significant headway in the 2019/20 season, scoring 21 goals and four assists while forming a formidable partnership with Romelu Lukaku up front. Now, given the state of the market and how the global pandemic has affected its financial aspect, it won’t be easy for Liverpool to lure in the Argentine to England, but a prospect of working under Jurgen Klopp, who has led Liverpool to UEFA Champions League and Premier League glory in two seasons, might turn out to be a difficult proposition to reject.

• Five emerging players from the 2019/20 Champions League season

Martinez has the pace to burn, he likes to link up with his teammates, and most importantly, he works tirelessly in winning the ball high up the field, making him a perfect match for Jurgen Klopp’s blueprint.

As far as Inter are concerned, they are looking to hold on to their 23-year-old attacker, but reports doing the rounds say the Italians will consider parting ways if a respectable offer is put on the table.

Donyell Malen

A former Arsenal prodigy, Donyell Malen has been tipped for greatness by many. Blessed with a natural ability of finishing the ball, the 21-year-old PSV forward was an absolute revelation in the 2019/20 Eredivisie season, having scored 11 goals and two assists in 14 league games.

His nippy feet and lightning-quick dribbling skills have garnered comparisons with former Barcelona and Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez. Malen’s game is pretty direct, he loves to take on defenders, while his contribution off the ball is applauding too. In a way, he is quite similar to the likes of Mohamed Salah and even Sadio Mane, which means the opponents usually have no idea what the youngster might do in his second move. 

His defensive contribution, on the other hand, remains a thing to worry, but in Malen, Liverpool will have a solid player who can both score and create for teammates. With age at his side, there’s a lot of time for Klopp to do the polishing anyway. 

Diogo Jota

Wolverhampton forward Diogo Jota has time and again been overlooked due to the goalscoring brilliance of his attacking better half Raul Jimenez but the fact remains that he has been equally essential to Nuno Espirito Santo’s work at the club.

• The numbers game: The search for Europe’s deadliest strikers

Jota notched 16 goals in all competitions in the 2019/20 season but the gravity of his presence goes way beyond that. Like Klopp, Nuno Espirito Santo wants his attackers to barge in and press high up the field in order to retrieve the lost ball, and thus, getting acclimatised to Klopp’s philosophy will take no time for Jota at Liverpool. Add to it the versatility he brings is an added bonus, being capable of working anywhere across the forward line.

There sure remains a question over his consistency as was viable during the post-pandemic tenure, but a player of Jota’s character and ability is synonymous with diligence. And take note that the fight for a place in the first team is only going to lift him up.

Marcus Thuram

The son of FIFA World Cup winner Lillian Thuram, 23-year-old striker Marcus Thuram is scripting his own story in the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach, having scored 14 goals in all competitions while also notching eight assists on the way. A versatile striker, who was utilised across every possible attacking position, Thuram showed what he can deliver with his rugged approach.

Being bulkier means he is well and truly capable of brushing off one-on-one duels. And like many other players of his generation, he is quick and direct in his approach, while also being capable of distorting the opposition backline with clever off-the-ball movement and utilising the pockets of space in the box proficiently.

Meanwhile, his love for dribbling usually stretches the game out wide, which forces the opposition to leave gaps in the middle. It is safe to say the youngster is worth taking a gamble on.

Luis Suarez

“Messi’s future will have an influence on Suarez’s because they are best friends, they get along on and off the pitch,�Luis Suarez’s lawyer, Alejandro Balbi was recently quoted as saying.

• Potential destinations for Lionel Messi should he leave Barcelona

Barcelona are set for a massive overhaul, to say the least, and in the midst of Messi’s desire of leaving his boyhood club, the future of striker Luis Suarez has also been thrown in the air. The Catalan radio station Rac1 has quoted that the striker has already been told by the new Barca coach, Ronald Koeman, that he is not in his plans for next season.

That leaves Suarez's chances bleak in the transfer market. His former club Ajax were recently credited with an interest but sporting director Marc Overmars brushed off the rumours, saying that the chances of him joining the club are "quite small". Then there’s an interest from the Major Soccer League as well. Offers are aplenty, and so, Liverpool can benefit from the situation by offering him a way out.

So, why not?

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Rafael Marchante, 

Brazil great Romario once said, �/span>Strikers are egotists, selfish. We have to be.�This particular utterance may sound bumptious to many, yet the fact remains that these men are solely judged on the statistics they deliver.

European football, this season, was profoundly impacted by the momentous consequences of the global pandemic but it managed to deliver what was promised. For once, the world witnessed someone other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo topping the goal-scoring chart, with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile pipping the duo by bagging 36 league goals.

In that context, a certain Robert Lewandowski was at his lethal best for the record Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. We have had as many as 11 players who crossed the 20-goal mark across the English Premier League, the Italian Serie A, the Spanish La Liga and the German Bundesliga. So, to put things in perspective, and figure out who has been at the deadliest from the lot, we compare all these men across several facets like conversion rate and average shots per game to name a few to obtain a crystallised picture in front of us.

Note: Only the players to score 20 or more league goals are taken into account.

Only league appearances are considered, not the European figures.

Players from the French Ligue 1 have been excluded, given that the league ended prematurely.

Conversion rate

This particular attribute distinguishes how deadly a striker can be with his attempts. It is often said that the best strikers are those who can capitalise on the situations when expectations are least. 

Speaking in that context, a certain Jamie Vardy of Leicester City tops the chart with a conversion rate of 30.26. Having notched 23 goals and five assists in the 2019/20 Premier League season, the England forward attempted a total of 70 shots, with 43 of them being on target.

Up next comes a surprising entrant; Sassuolo’s Francesco Caputo who scored 21 and assisted a further seven. The 33-year-old had a mere 58 attempts, least amongst those who have scored at least 12 goals in the Serie A season but was on target on 35 occasions, completing his tenure with a conversion rate of 30.

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski made heads spin with a return of 34 goals and four assists. In a total of 2762 minutes played in the league, the Polish striker attempted a total of 114 shots (64 on target), maintaining a healthy rate of 25.76. 

Lazio’s Ciro Immobile stole the limelight with an exhilarating tally of 36 goals and nine assists. Having had 71 shots on target from an attempted 119, the Italian marksman finished with a rate of 25.71.

Inter’s Romelu Lukaku had a fantastic season under Antonio Conte, who also tried signing the big Belgian during his time at Chelsea. And now that the pair are working together, the former Manchester United striker finished with a figure of 23 goals and two assists, converting his 75 attempts at a rate of 24.47.

You might be wondering where the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in the list. Well, rightly so, but brace yourself for an utter disappointment as the duo finishes on the bottom of the table. 

Messi, who had a contribution in 46 league goals (25 goals and 21 assists), found the target on 71 occasions from 115 attempts, while Ronaldo, who bagged 31 goals and five assists, attempted a whopping 142 shots, with 80 being on target. The duo, however, returns a conversion rate of 14.67 (Messi) and 15.58 (Ronaldo).

Player	Goals/assists	Total Shots/On Target	Conversion rate
Jamie Vardy	23/5	71/43	30.26
Francesco Caputo	21/7	58/35	30
Robert Lewandowski	34/4	114/69	25.76
Ciro Immobile	36/9	119/71	25.71
Romelu Lukaku	23/2	75/47	24.47
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	22/3	70/42	24.44
Danny Ings	22/2	66/38	24.14
Timo Werner	28/8	100/64	23.53
Karim Benzema	21/8	107/60	18.33
Cristiano Ronaldo	31/5	142/80	15.58
Lionel Messi	25/21	115/71	14.67

Meanwhile, those between 20 and 25 are the likes of Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (24.44), Southampton’s Danny Ings (24.14), former RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner (23.53). Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, for his part, carried a conversion rate of 18.33.

Minutes per goal

Robert Lewandowski and Ciro Immobile once again enter the top half of the tally, having had minutes-per-goal ratios of 81 and 88 respectively in their leagues. The duo put together, has scored a whopping 70 goals and 13 assists between them, which is, with all due respect, more than what Watford and Norwich combined to score (62) in the 2019/20 Premier League season. Deleterious with the ball at their feet, the pair averaged 4.5 and 3.8 shots respectively per game. 

While both Messi and Ronaldo have been at the bottom in terms of conversion, their average of shots per game shows why they are considered as two of the best footballers of the current generation. The Portuguese, who found the back of the net every 94 minutes, took 6.3 shots per game in Serie A, most by any player in the list. The Barcelona frontman, on the other hand, comes second with 4.8 with a figure of 115 minutes per goal.

Player	Minutes per goal	Shots per game
Robert Lewandowski	81	4.5
Ciro Immobile	88	3.8
Cristiano Ronaldo	94	6.3
Timo Werner	100	3.6
Lionel Messi	115	4.8
Danny Ings	128	2.4
Romelu Lukaku	130	2.8
Jamie Vardy	132	2.5
Francesco Caputo	140	2
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	143	2.6
Karim Benzema	150	3.4

As shown in the list, Karim Benzema, who carried Real Madrid on several occasions en route to winning the La Liga title, took 150 minutes to score a goal. A figure that lowly, however, is compensated by 3.4 shots per game.

And perhaps to no one's surprise, Chelsea’s newest acquisition Timo Werner sits fourth with a figure of 100 minutes per goal. His average of 3.6 shots per game, though, is one of the best in the tally. 

Jamie Vardy and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang acquire the bottom spots, which well and truly resonates how fiery the English Premier League can be.

Shots from different areas

Strikers are judged on how efficient they are when not on the ball. Their clever movement of getting into the scoring position is exactly what makes them noxious, and this particular area we are about to scout explore shows how effective these 11 players have been from different parts of the field, like scoring from outside the box, around the penalty area and from the six-yard box.

Starting off with the European golden boot winner, Ciro Immobile, the Lazio striker has bagged a solitary goal from outside the box from 27 attempts. From around the penalty area though, he has attempted a whopping 112 shots (second-best in the list), converting 34 of them, followed by one from the six-yard box.

There are only two players - Karim Benzema and Francesco Caputo - who failed to score a goal from outside of the box. Benzema’s goal against Real Valladolid in August 2019 though came right from the edge of the box, and thus it is quite debatable.

Player	Shots from outside of box/goals	Conversion rate from outside of box	Shots from penalty area/goals	Shots from six-yard box/goals	Conversion rate from inside box	Penalty Goals
Ciro Immobile	27/1	16.67	112/34	3/1	55.56	14
Cristiano Ronaldo	81/2	11.76	115/25	12/4	49.15	11
Romelu Lukaku	15/1	25	73/18	11/4	51.16	6
Francesco Caputo	3/0	0	65/16	5/5	58.33	2
Robert Lewandowski	20/1	20	104/29	14/4	55.93	5
Timo Werner	18/3	20	99/22	6/3	46.55	3
Lionel Messi	84/9	26.92	66/14	9/2	37.5	5
Karim Benzema	25/0	0	86/19	13/2	37.93	5
Jamie Vardy	9/1	50	70/17	10/5	55	4
Danny Ings	15/4	60	61/11	17/7	54.55	1
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	24/2	25	60/18	9/2	55.26	2

However, the highest amount of goals from outside, as a majority of us can expect, has come from Lionel Messi, who notched nine from a whopping 84 attempts.

Robert Lewandowski, being a poacher, has found the net on 29 occasions from the penalty area in 104 attempts. Meanwhile, the best conversion rate from the six-yard box comes from Caputo, who has put the ball into the net in all of his five attempts.

Versatility

All of these 11 players have shown extreme athleticism, and that is duly illustrated by the fact that how potent they have been even with their weaker foot or even their strong presence in the air. In this distinction, we will look at how many shots each player has taken from their right foot, left foot and with their head, before they found the net.

Considering the ability to score with the weaker foot, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has scored nine, while Southampton’s Danny Ings and Sassuolo’s Francesco Caputo have scored eight. The likes of Lionel Messi and Romelu Lukaku are the only left-footed attackers in the list, and the duo has scored two and four goals respectively from their weaker right foot.

As far as headers are concerned, Robert Lewandowski has notched eight goals by rising high, while Timo Werner and Messi are the only forwards who failed to score a headed goal in the 2019/20 league season.

Player	Right foot shots/goals	Left foot shots/goals	Headed attempts/goals
Lewandowski	73/23	24/3	39/8
Werner	92/23	21/5	10/0
Francesco Caputo	35/11	29/8	9/2
Cristiano Ronaldo	126/24	51/5	31/2
Ciro Immobile	95/28	28/6	19/2
Romelu Lukaku	20/4	58/15	20/4
Jamie Vardy	34/11	37/9	18/3
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	67/16	17/3	9/3
Danny Ings	55/13	21/8	17/1
Karim Benzema	69/14	30/4	24/2
Lionel Messi	12/2	142/23	5/0

And for the second time running, both Ronaldo and Messi have oozed class by having 126 and 142 attempts respectively with their stronger foot. 

Note: Stats taken from whoscored, BBC, transfermarkt, one-versus-one and understat

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ander Gillenea, Sven Hoppe, Marco Bertorello

When it comes to transfers in football, there’s simply one golden rule �‘It isn’t official till it is official.�/span>

Last minute highjacks and change of hearts are a commonplace when it comes to transfer. Often we see players and clubs ditching moves that they previously agreed upon owing to a better offer from another club or simply not feeling quite right about the transfer.

Perhaps the most memorable one in recent times was Willian’s failed move to Tottenham Hotspur. The winger was flown in to capital by the North Londoners and was undergoing medical ahead of his move from Anzhi Makhachkala, but Chelsea swooped in late and secured his signature, much to the ire of their cross-town rivals. 

The transfer window is replete with such tales and below, we take a look at some of the more memorable ones from recent times:

Cristiano Ronaldo - From Arsenal to Manchester United

No fanbase can dwell more about ‘what-ifs�than Arsenal’s. 

Arsene Wenger always had a keen eye for talent, however, Arsenal’s finances or a better offer from a rival club have led the club into missing out some of the finest talents in the game. Perhaps none must hurt more than missing out on signing Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo.

"It's true [close to joining Arsenal in 2003] very close, one step away. Incredible. They're a fantastic club. It didn't happen, but I appreciate what they did for me, especially Arsene Wenger."

- Cristiano Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/qmLlWjx2S9

�AFTV (@AFTVMedia) September 18, 2019

The five-time Ballon D’Or winner was making headways as a scrawny 18-year-old at Sporting Club De Portugal and Wenger spotted the talent in the kid before anyone else did, and Arsenal agreed a deal with Ronaldo and the club to bring him to North London. But as luck would have it, Manchester United played Sporting in a pre-season friendly where Ronaldo went berserk, skinning the United defence in a brief cameo and giving them a glimpse of his talent.

That is all it took for manager Sir Alex Ferguson to initiate contact with Sporting CP and sign the young winger and the rest, as they say, is history.

Timo Werner �From Liverpool to Chelsea

Timo Werner’s move to Liverpool was football’s worst kept secret for the longest time. The German striker openly talked about being interested in a move to Merseyside and manager Jurgen Klopp was also keen on bringing in his countryman to bolster an already stacked Liverpool attack.

Liverpool two weeks ago asked time to Leipzig for Timo Werner. The two clubs are not in official talks yet - but #LFC are still Werner’s priority. He spoke with Klopp many times and he will wait Liverpool. He’d consider other bids only if Liverpool will decide to give up #LFC

�Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 29, 2020

Liverpool kept negotiating with RB Leipzig in an effort to pay a lower transfer fee than his 60 million euros release clause, however, the German club stood firm on their valuation of their star. With talks at an impasse, Chelsea swooped in and agreed to pay Werner’s clause, leaving it on the German to decide his future. Liverpool failed to convince the striker that they would be able to negotiate a deal for him and thus, the 24-year-old decided to move to London and join Chelsea. 

Romelu Lukaku �From Chelsea to Manchester United

After a public spat with striker Diego Costa, then-Chelsea coach Antonio Conte exiled the Spanish star from the team and zeroed in on Everton striker Romelu Lukaku to lead his attack in the 2017-18 campaign. Chelsea, who had sold Lukaku to Everton in 2014, were negotiating with the Merseyside team for weeks to re-sign the Belgian star but were put off by their 100m valuation of the striker.

Manchester United, who were deep in negotiations with Real Madrid for the transfer of Alvaro Morata, surprised everyone by striking a deal with Everton for Lukaku. United not only met Everton’s valuation but also sweetened the deal by allowing the club’s record goal-scorer Wayne Rooney join his boyhood club on a free transfer.

Chelsea, who missed out on their primary target, were forced to sign Morata, who left the club just 18 months later, while Lukaku, who had a good debut season with United, left in the summer of 2019 to join Inter Milan, where he would finally play under manager Antonio Conte.

Aaron Ramsey �Manchester United to Arsenal

In June 2008, Manchester United, the reigning European champions, released a statement on their website saying they had struck a deal to sign Cardiff City’s teenage sensation Aaron Ramsey, subject to the player passing a medical.

“Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to contract terms being agreed and the player passing a medical,�read the statement

United were under the impression that they had unearthed a long-term replacement for the legendary Paul Scholes at the heart of their midfield. However, little did they know that Arsenal too had an agreement with Cardiff to sign Ramsey and it was up to the player to decide whether he wanted to move to London or Manchester. The Welsh midfielder, surprisingly, opted for Arsenal and spent 11 years at the club before leaving at the end of last season to join Italian giants Juventus on a free. 

John Obi Mikel �Manchester United to Chelsea

Perhaps the most bizarre transfer saga in Premier League history, Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel signed for Manchester United from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo, but later disappeared from training only to be found in London.

Mikel, who was earlier spotted sporting a Manchester United jersey, claimed that he was pressured into the signing for the English giants by Lyn Oslo and wasn’t allowed to gauge his option. United, miffed by the unprecedented circumstances, sold the player to Chelsea just a few days later, ending this strange saga. Mikel spent 11 years at Chelsea and won all major titles with the Blues. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ben Stansall

Frank Lampard’s Chelsea have made significant headways in the transfer market, bolstering their squad with some consequential additions like Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner. But with the latter’s arrival, a certain Tammy Abraham’s part in Lampard’s adolescent wave has come under heavy scrutiny.

The 22-year-old striker, who impressed one and all while on loan at Aston Villa in 2018/19 Championship season, made an exhilarating start to the recently concluded Premier League season. Seven goals in his opening five league games paved way for Chelsea to finally have answers to their number nine woes, and the streak continued right until Chelsea’s 3-0 home win against Burnley in early January where Abraham notched his 13th goal of the league.

A slump in form since coupled with Olivier Giroud stepping up on given opportunities have now seen Abraham making a handful of cameo appearances since football has resumed. He has, in fact, played full 90 minutes on just two occasions, with one of them coming in an FA Cup encounter against Leicester City. As far as goals are concerned, he has notched just two goals since scoring against Burnley, and Lampard has heavily favoured Giroud in getting goals.

The Frenchman, since the Premier League’s project restart, has been breathtaking, to say the least, scoring seven goals in 10 appearances in all competitions. 

Giroud deserves so much for the credit for the season he is having now.

He was so close to leaving in January after being left as third choice, he stayed, worked hard to get back into the team and is now reaping the rewards.

Elite mentality, a top role model for Tammy Abraham. pic.twitter.com/Tb7Lk4Oxuv

�FutbolChelsea (@FutbolCheIsea) July 20, 2020

Abraham’s plunge has indeed been catastrophic, but he has time and again been criticised for lacking the clinical edge especially against the team from the top half of the table. Except for his goal against Arsenal in December last year, he has failed to score or even provide an assist against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and even Tottenham. 

The issues are deeper as far as Abraham is concerned. While his attitude since being dropped from the starting XI has been questioned, his contractual situation remains another worry. He did extend his stay earlier this month, but that was merely a year’s extension to the deal he signed in 2017. The striker hasn’t been given a pay rise, and this is where things might go south.

At 22, the young forward would want to be a part of the first team for as much as he could, but Werner’s arrival is expected to shake things up a bit. But as things stand for Abraham, he still has Olivier Giroud to contend with, let alone fight the newly arrived German international for the first-team spot.

Is Abraham on the verge of becoming another Michy Batshuayi for Chelsea? While another tenure on loan is looking highly unlikely, a greater possibility is that Lampard would majorly use him either as an impact sub against the teams who sit deep and defend, or for the cup games to give Werner a rest. 

Or if Lampard is to tweak his tactic a bit, he can try linking both of his attackers (Abraham and Werner) in an old-school 4-4-2 approach, which is certainly not new to the German, having already played alongside Yussuf Poulsen at RB Leipzig.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk

Timo Werner revealed Chelsea manager Frank Lampard was the main factor in his choice to join the Blues for next season despite interest from a host of other top European clubs.

Werner, 24, scored 34 goals for RB Leipzig in the 2019/20 season but will not be part of the German side's Champions League campaign next month as he has already arrived at Stamford Bridge to prepare for next season.

The German international was highly sought after with Liverpool linked with a move for a number of months after Werner spoke glowingly of Reds' boss Jurgen Klopp.

However, he said it was Lampard's vision for how he would fit into a new-look forward line next season, with Hakim Ziyech also already signed from Ajax, that convinced him to come to Chelsea.

"He was the main point; we talked a lot about things like system, like how he wants to play and sees me playing, and how the system fits me," Werner told the Chelsea website of Lampard's influence.

"He is a really nice guy who not only told me what he wants from me as a player because he wants to help me as a guy. He knows me now a little bit better and it fits very good between us and now I am happy to be here."

A final day win over Wolves secured Chelsea's place in the Champions League next season and they seem set to spend big to try and close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

As well as Werner and Ziyech, Kai Havertz is reportedly close to a move to London from Bayer Leverkusen, while Chelsea are also keen to strengthen at goalkeeper and left-back.

New generation

Werner watched the team Lampard played in alongside the likes of Petr Cech, John Terry and Didier Drogba win multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League and wants to help create a new era of success.

"When you have a decision to go from your old club and you come to a big club like this, it was for me a dream which came true because Chelsea is a very big club," he added.

"I know of the players before when they won the Champions League with Drogba, with my new manager Frank Lampard, Petr Cech.

"I want to be part of a new era here so I will play to try to give my best."

And Werner believes his style of play is perfectly suited to make the transition from his homeland to England.

"The style of the Premier League is very fast and my speciality is that I am really fast so I think it is perfect for me to play here," he said.

"It is another league in another country so I can improve myself to bring it to another level, so those are the reasons I come to the Premier League and to Chelsea.

"I'll try to score as (many) goals as I can for Chelsea, that is the big reason why they bought me, to bring the goals I scored in Leipzig here, and maybe score more goals than there."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ronny Hartman