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The Blues staged an impressive fightback, with two of their substitutes making significant contributions late on in the 3-2 win

Chelsea always seem to do things the hard way. It took them until the final 10 minutes of the game to finally start playing against Nottingham Forest, ultimately showing impressive character to turn what looked as if it was going to be a defeat into all three points.

It was the Blues who started on the front foot – Mykhailo Mudryk giving the visitors the lead after eight minutes, darting inside Willy Boly in the box before sliding the ball past Matz Sels. It didn't last long, though, with Boly heading home via a deflection off Conor Gallagher to level things up.

The hosts, needing a point to secure their Premier League survival, went ahead after 74 minutes as Callum Hudson-Odoi tormented his former club by cutting inside and bending an effort past Djordje Petrovic in the Chelsea goal.

The game then went a bit bonkers, with the Blues scoring twice in quick succession, through substitute Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson – who had had a nightmare 81 minutes until his goal, put on a plate for him by the returning Reece James – to stage an impressive late comeback and keep their European qualification hopes very much alive.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the City Ground…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Djordje Petrovic (6/10):

Big save inside two minutes as Chris Wood tried to lob him. Not his fault for either Forest goal.

Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):

Struggled to cope with the dangerous Hudson-Odoi and offered very little going forward after being given the nod at right-back. Moved inside when Gusto came on.

Thiago Silva (7/10):

A typically assured and solid performance from the Brazilian centre-back, who came out on top in his battle with Wood. Unlucky not to score as he glanced a clever header against the post in the second half.

Benoit Badiashile (5/10):

Got caught out inside two minutes by Wood's run in behind him but settled into the game after that. Sacrificed for Gusto as Pochettino attempted to deal with the growing threat posed by Hudson-Odoi.

Marc Cucurella (5/10):

Was deployed in an inverted full-back role but wasn't particularly effective, either in defence or attack.

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Moises Caicedo (5/10):

Allowed Morgan Gibbs-White to nick the ball off him and race away to set-up Hudson-Odoi for Forest's second goal. Had been okay until that point.

Conor Gallagher (5/10):

Forest fans wanted him sent off for dragging down Hudson-Odoi but Cucurella's position ultimately saved him. A pretty ineffective display from the Chelsea captain.

Getty ImagesAttack

Noni Madueke (4/10):

Struggled to get into the game as ex-Chelsea defender Ola Aina marshalled him well. Hooked before the hour mark as Pochettino had seen enough.

Cole Palmer (7/10):

Claimed the assist for Mudryk's opener with a delightful through ball that cut right through the Forest backline. Looked a threat throughout.

Mykhailo Mudryk (6/10):

Started the game superbly well as he showed supreme composure to give Chelsea the lead. Faded after that, though, and was a passenger before eventually coming off for Sterling.

Nicolas Jackson (6/10):

Ran down blind alleys on multiple occasions in the first half and was at fault for the Forest goal, as he didn't bother following Boly's run. Headed into an empty net for the winner to save his bacon somewhat.

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Malo Gusto (5/10):

Came on for Badiashile after 58 minutes but couldn't stop Hudson-Odoi from cutting inside and bending his effort into the far corner. Wasted a huge chance to score a fourth in stoppage time.

Christopher Nkunku (6/10):

Replaced the ineffective Madueke just before the hour mark and took up a No.10 role. Didn't manage to impact the game as much as he'd have liked.

Raheem Sterling (7/10):

Brought on for Mudryk with about 15 minutes to go and made an immediate impact, scoring the equaliser with a jinking run inside and smart finish into the corner.

Reece James (7/10):

A welcome return to action – his first appearance since December 2023 and his pinpoint cross left Jackson with the simple task of scoring the winner.

Mauricio Pochettino (7/10):

Changed the game with his substitutions after realising his starting XI weren't up to the job. Is helping inspire a recovery at the end of the season and clearly deserves more time to put things right.

The UAE coach felt his side had had to deal with ‘really juicy’ conditions in the first ODI, but wanted his batsmen to find ways to deal with similar challenges in the future

Peter Della Penna11-Apr-2019After a memorable three-run win over Zimbabwe ended the host nation’s 2019 World Cup dreams at last year’s qualifying tournament, UAE entered the four-match ODI tour this week with hopes of replicating the feat across an entire series rather than just a one-off encounter.That goal got off to a bumpy start on Wednesday in Harare as Zimbabwe crushed UAE by seven wickets in a one-sided match. UAE coach Dougie Brown gave credit to Zimbabwe’s seam attack led by Kyle Jarvis and Man-of-the-Match Tendai Chatara for exploiting bowler-friendly conditions after UAE lost a crucial toss.”We lost the toss and got sent in on a pitch that had been covered after having heavy rain only yesterday,” Brown told ESPNcricinfo after the match. “So it was really juicy, really moist bowling conditions. They bowled exceptionally well to be honest. The ball seamed and it bounced. When the spinners bowled, it spun as well, but it stuck and it made scoring really difficult.”That said, we’ve still got to find a way if we do lose the toss to try and post a total that’s defendable. 200 may be defendable, but when you get bowled out for 110, you’re always against it.”While UAE’s lower order battled to stretch the innings out into the 45th over after they had been reduced to 42 for 6 in 23 overs, their final score of 110 wasn’t remotely competitive as Zimbabwe cruised to the target in just 23.1 overs. Brown said that although his bowlers showed heart, conditions had changed dramatically by the time Zimbabwe came out to bat.”You need early wickets,” Brown said. “We didn’t quite get them although we bowled really well. But the pitch certainly changed over the course of the day with the sun out.”Brown said he hopes that with two matches now under their belt, including a warm-up victory over a Zimbabwe Chairman’s XI prior to the first ODI, he believes UAE will soak up the lessons learned in foreign conditions to put in a stronger showing in the second ODI on Friday.”It’s a four-match series and we’ll bounce back strong,” Brown said. “Hopefully we’ll start to address what didn’t quite go right today and make some plans and try to put them in place for the game on Friday.”

Chelsea are set to make a “mind-boggling” offer for a new centre-back in 2024, according to a new report.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues and Todd Boehly were once again busy over the summer, bringing in Mauricio Pochettino as manager and making a number of new signings.

Chelsea summer signings

Axel Disasi (Monaco)

£38.5m

Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal)

£30.1m

Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)

£52m

Kendry Paez (Independiente del Valle)

£17.27m

Robert Sanchez (Brighton)

£25m

Moises Caicedo (Brighton)

£115m

Lesley Ugochukwu (Rennes)

£23.5m

Angelo Gabriel (Santos)

Undisclosed

Alex Matos (Norwich)

Undisclosed

Diego Moreira (Benfica)

Undisclosed

Ishe Samuels-Smith (Everton)

Undisclosed

Dujuan Richards (Phoenix All Stars Academy)

Undisclosed

Romeo Lavia (Southampton)

£58m

Deivid Washington (Santos)

£17.1m

Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution)

£14m

Cole Palmer (Manchester City)

£42.5m

All fees courtesy of Sky Sports

However, it hasn’t led to an immediate impact, with Chelsea once again struggling in the Premier League. After 20 rounds of fixtures, the Blues sit just inside the top half, with eight wins, eight defeats and four draws. As a result, there could be further transfer activity this year, with Pochettino recently hinting at the need for new additions, saying:

"After the first half of the season, we need to check. That is the reality. If we are not receiving enough, maybe we need to do some movement.

"That is the thing to analyse with the sporting directors, to see if we can change this dynamic and improve in the second half of the season. We need to be more aggressive. Then it's a massive assessment and when the transfer window opens, we will see what we can do.”

Chelsea make transfer plan to land dream Boehly move for "complete" star

The Blues could solve their striker problem once and for all…

ByTom Cunningham Jan 2, 2024

Recent rumours have claimed that Chelsea are working on a deal to sign centre-back Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP ahead of Arsenal. Other defensive targets appear to be Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo, however, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni is also a player of interest.

Chelsea set to make Bastoni offer

According to reports in Italy in the past 48 hours, Chelsea are set to make a “mind-boggling” offer in the region of €60m (£51.6m) to sign Bastoni, who could “radically change the squad available to Pochettino”.

The report adds that Inter Milan may be tempted to accept the offer which will allow them to keep Lautaro Martinez for longer, although a potential move to Stamford Bridge wouldn’t be until the summer.

Bastoni, a left-footed centre-back, has been with Inter since 2017 after leaving Atalanta and is now valued at a career-high €60m by Transfermarkt. The 24-year-old has now made 183 senior appearances for Inter in all competitions – 19 of which have come during the current campaign – with the defender contributing to 17 goals during his time with Inter. (Alessandro Bastoni stats – Transfermarkt)

He has earned plenty of praise over the last few years, including Serie A expert Conor Clancy, who labelled Bastoni as a “phenomenon” following initial rumours of a move to England.

"He's the best Italian centre-back around. He's a phenomenon. He is going to be the next generation of Italian defence himself."

Chelsea aren’t short of centre-back options at this moment in time, with Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Malang Sarr and Thiago Silva all available to Pochettino, but come the summer, things could once again look different, so the club may see a move for Bastoni later this year as a key priority, making this one to watch.

The five-wicket win was set up by some excellent bowling from Shreyas Gopal and Jofra Archer

The Report by Vishal Dikshit20-Apr-20198:16

Post-match show – Royals v Mumbai

Rajasthan Royals announced a change of captain just over an hour before the game against Mumbai Indians and, three-and-a-half hours later, saw new captain Steven Smith lead the team home in a tricky chase with an unbeaten half-century.The five-wicket win was set up mainly by some strangling bowling from Shreyas Gopal and Jofra Archer, after Mumbai Indians had looked set for a much bigger total than 161 for 5, having reached 81 for 1 at the halfway mark.Archer and Jaydev Unadkat bowled five of the last six overs that saw Mumbai score only 52 runs. Legspinner Rahul Chahar gave Royals a scare early on in the chase, again bagging three wickets, but Smith’s unbeaten 59 off 48 balls took them home after he had brought the equation down to 25 required from 24 balls along with Riyan Parag. Royals now have six points from nine matches, still placed seventh, while Mumbai are at No. 2 with 12 points from ten games.Steven Smith cracks one to the off side•BCCIAggressive openers and contrasting No. 3s
On a strange Jaipur pitch that had scattered patches of grass, both Powerplays were driven by the more attacking openers – Quinton de Kock for Mumbai and Sanju Samson for Royals. Put in to bat, de Kock used the middle- and leg-stump lines of the Royals pace bowlers and the ball turning into him from Shreyas to pepper the leg-side boundary, scoring 42 of his first 50 runs there. Jofra Archer put him down at long-on when he was on 4 in the third over, and that helped, as de Kock cashed in to hammer three fours and a six on the trot off Dhawal Kulkarni in the next over.Mumbai, however, lost steam after de Kock’s 34-ball half-century. Their No. 3 Suryakumar Yadav scratched his way to 34 off 33, with only one boundary (a six) in his first 30 balls. His slow scoring added pressure on de Kock, and both fell within a space of five balls, and Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard were left with too much to do at the end.Royals’ chase started with Samson hitting two consecutive fours off Hardik in the first over, followed by three off Krunal Pandya in the next to race to 21 off his first seven deliveries. Ajinkya Rahane handed a catch to cover in the fourth over before Royals’ No. 3, Smith, played the role Suryakumar could not earlier in the day, to help the hosts race to 60 for 1 in the Powerplay.After Chahar had Samson hole out to long-on for 35 off 19 and Ben Stokes chop on a legbreak for a duck, Smith changed gears to anchor the chase as Royals unveiled a new No. 5.Jofra Archer spilled three catches in the deep•BCCIThe 17-year-old Royals enforcer
Mumbai have been known to unleash unknown youngsters in the past, but were on the receiving end this time when 17-year-old Parag walked out at 77 for 3 after eight overs. With a healthy run rate going, Parag used audacious strokes to attack whichever the Mumbai bowlers erred with their lines or lengths, sometimes even when there was nothing wrong with the delivery. He first scooped Hardik to fine leg, then scythed him to third man, and later smashed Chahar for six down the ground. He even took on Malinga when he sent down an inaccurate yorker by drilling a drive over the covers.Parag’s 43 off 29 made sure Smith could afford to slow down and chaperone the chase as the senior batsman. From 29 off 18, Smith went without a boundary for 18 deliveries to avoid a stutter despite late wickets that included Parag’s run-out and another first-ball duck for Ashton Turner.Archer’s mixed day
Apart from dropping de Kock early on, Archer put down two more chances – both of Hardik, both off Unadkat – but he made up for them with his bowling. Smith saved three of his overs for the death and Archer was accurate with a variety of deliveries: yorkers, bouncers, tight lines. That strangled Mumbai in the end despite having Hardik and Pollard in the middle when the 16th over started.Before that, Shreyas used his wrong’uns to good effect yet again to get the big wickets. He took a return catch off Rohit Sharma with his third delivery and returned seven overs later to concede only singles and doubles in his remaining three overs. He nearly had de Kock stumped with a googly in the 13th over but got him in his next over with another wrong’un, a top-edge going to long-on.The result means that Mumbai are now winless against Royals in Jaipur since 2012.

Rangers, after the loan exit of Sam Lammers and injuries to both Danilo and Kemar Roofe, are reportedly looking to add to their attacking options in Philippe Clement's first transfer window at the club. Reports suggest that they are even going head to head with Old Firm rivals Celtic in pursuit of a new forward.

Rangers transfer news

Despite already signing Fabio Silva on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers this month, Rangers still want to boost Clement's frontline with further fresh faces. The Gers have been linked with moves for Michy Batshuayi and Lawrence Shankland, who could both have plenty to offer at Ibrox. Batshuayi, a former Chelsea striker and Premier League winner would bring a wealth of experience to help the younger Silva. Shankland's Scottish Premiership goals this season, meanwhile, 13 in 21 games to be exact, would undoubtedly add extra firepower to Clement's side.

As per reports though, it may not be either of those options that the Gers choose to turn to in the near future. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Rangers are in the race to sign Tommy Conway from Bristol City, but face competition from Celtic, Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The in-demand 21-year-old caught the attention of many in his last outing for Bristol, in which he netted the winning goal in an FA Cup upset victory over West Ham United.

Clement closing in on signing dream Sima partner at Rangers

Rangers have made an offer to sign a current Benfica defender

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 17, 2024

With 18 months left on his current deal at Ashton Gate, Conway may have a decision to make sooner rather than later. Those at Ibrox will hope that his Scottish routes play a part in his choice, allowing Rangers to land a deal for the young forward at some stage. With a number of clubs interested, Conway is certainly one to watch both this month and during the summer transfer window.

"Excellent" Conway could be just what Rangers need

The last thing that Rangers will want is a short-term solution leading the line for Clement. Instead, they could do with a player of Conway's potential and current ability to slot straight into first-team football. In Conway, the Gers would have a player ready to perform at the level asked but someone who is far from the finished article and could yet reach the very top, creating an ideal situation. It's no surprise that the Bristol City man has attracted plenty of interest, either.

Conway's stats paint the picture of a player breaking through, having scored eight goals in 22 appearances in all competitions this season. Former manager Nigel Pearson knew all about the Scot's ability too, praising the forward after handing him his senior debut in 2021.

Pearson said via The Bristol Post: "Today Tommy Conway started, and I thought he was excellent. He was really good. Alex Scott going on, most people at the club hadn’t heard of these players before, the coaching staff didn’t know who they were."

Added firepower seems to be the desire at Ibrox and now another option has reportedly been added to the list of potential fresh faces to lead the line. Eight points adrift of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic with two games in hand, any arrival could prove to be a difference-maker for Clement.

Inter Miami bagged the Deal of the Year award for bringing on board Lionel Messi in 2023 as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain.

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Messi joined the Herons last summerLed Miami to the Leagues Cup titleContinues his incredible form in MLS 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

Nearly a year into the Messi era, Inter Miami continue to soar to new heights. The team has reached significant milestones, both in sporting achievements and commercial success and at the 2024 Sports Business Journal Awards in New York, Inter Miami outshone three reigning major sports champions, including the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, MLB's Texas Rangers, NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, and the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, to win Team of the Year, while Messi's signing was celebrated with the Deal of the Year award.

Messi's arrival came just months after he led Argentina to a historic World Cup victory, making his move to South Florida one of the most high-profile transfers in football history. The impact of Messi's presence was felt almost immediately, as he guided a previously struggling Inter Miami team to the Leagues Cup title within weeks of his debut. On the field, Messi proved to be a game-changer, but his influence extended far beyond his performance during matches.

AdvertisementGetty Images/Goal//MLSTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The acquisition of Messi has had a transcendent effect on Inter Miami and MLS, drawing worldwide attention to the league and positioning soccer prominently within the United States. Inter Miami were the most googled sports team in 2023, and Messi's jersey became the best-selling item in MLS. The club's social media presence has also surged, with Inter Miami's Instagram account now being the third most followed sports team account in the United States, trailing only the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

An excited MLS commissioner Don Garber said: "The signing of Leo Messi was a game-changer, raising the profile of not just the club but of MLS and the entire sport in North America. Jorge Mas, Jose Mas and David Beckham believed in MLS and made an unprecedented investment in the greatest player to ever play the beautiful game.”

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DID YOU KNOW?

Inter Miami won the Deal of the Year award by outshining other notable deals such as Josh Harris & Co's acquisition of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, the merger of UFC and WWE into TKO Group Holdings, and other media rights agreements signed by NASCAR, the NCAA, and the National Women’s Soccer League, respectively.

The paceman’s stint with Gloucestershire is over after suffering a stress fracture in his back

Alex Malcolm14-May-2019Any hopes fast bowler Daniel Worrall had of making Australia’s Ashes squad have been dashed after a stress fracture in his lower back ended his season with Gloucestershire.Worrall, 27, has not played since experiencing back soreness during Gloucestershire’s Royal London Cup match with Middlesex at Lord’s on April 21.Gloucestershire released a statement confirming that scans had found a stress fracture in Worrall’s back.”Dan had multiple investigations where the Gloucestershire medical team eventually diagnosed a stress fracture in his back, which will require a period of time on the sidelines before returning to bowling,” the statement said.Gloucestershire confirmed he would not play the remainder of the English season and the club is searching for another overseas bowler.South Australia’s sports science and sports medicine manager John Porter said: “Daniel’s injury is a recurrence of a pre-existing stress injury and he will have the next 12 weeks off bowling. We are aiming for him to return early in the Australian domestic cricket season.”It is wretched luck for the injury-ravaged Worrall. He had his county stint last season ruined by a foot fracture that saw him miss the start of the Australian domestic summer with South Australia.He returned with a bang taking 17 wickets in two Sheffield Shield games prior to Christmas to put his name in the mix for an Ashes call up. He then suffered another back injury that curtailed the start of his BBL campaign.Worrall returned to play a big part in the Melbourne Stars run to the BBL final, taking 4 for 23 in the semi-final win over Hobart Hurricanes, before injuring his hamstring in another Shield game in March.

Neal Maupay welcomed Mohamed Salah to the "slap head club" after the Liverpool star shaved off his hair in a bold new look.

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Salah shaves off hair in new lookMaupay known for winding-up othersWelcomes him to 'slap head club'WHAT HAPPENED?

Egypt international Salah displayed a new haircut and beard trim on Friday and soon after the Liverpool ace revealed this on social media, Everton striker and Brentford loanee Maupay responded with a cheeky message.

AdvertisementWHAT NEAL MAUPAY SAID

He posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Welcome to the slap head club brother 🙏🏼."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Putting haircuts to one side, Salah has been linked with a Liverpool exit but the 31-year-old has also suggested he wants to stay at Anfield next season. His contract expires in 2025 and, unless he signs a new deal, the former Roma man could leave for free next summer – 12 months on from manager Jurgen Klopp departing the Merseyside outfit.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

While Maupay will head back to Everton after the expiration of his Brentford loan, Salah will prepare for Egypt's upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burkina Faso on June 6 and Guinea-Bissau on June 10 respectively.

West Ham are primed to make an imminent move for one club's "brilliant" forward as David Moyes wrestles with a shortage of attacking options.

West Ham lacking forward depth

Moyes is currently facing the prospect of a real forward shortage at West Ham, as concerns surround star winger Jarrod Bowen following an injury he sustained in their 1-1 FA Cup draw with Bristol City on Sunday.

ExWHUemployee says West Ham could move for "scintillating" 10-goal forward

He’s been in fine form this season.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 6, 2024

Summer signing Mohammed Kudus is representing Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations right now as well, and it is believed striker Michail Antonio has suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury.

If Bowen's injury is a serious one, it would deal a hammer blow to Moyes who would have just the out-of-favour Danny Ings and youngster Divin Mubama to choose from as number nine alternatives.

West Ham fear Antonio could be out for six weeks and they may well be forced to dip into the market for short-term striker options (The Guardian), with Moyes also chasing the signing of a winger. The likes of Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Maxwel Cornet have failed to impress overall when called upon, with the need for more attacking options looking a serious one at West Ham.

According to club insider ExWHUemployee, West Ham have their eyes on the likes of Norwich City Jonathan Rowe among a plethora of other potential targets, while Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that they're real admirers of Ajax captain Steven Bergwijn.

Now, as per transfer reporter Dean Jones for Sportslens, another interesting name to have emerged is Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.

West Ham "primed" to make Gnonto move

The journalist now claims West Ham are "primed" to make an approach for Gnonto "in the coming days" as Moyes seeks attacking reinforcements.

The Italy international, who starred for Leeds at points in the Premier League last season, has been used more irregularly under Daniel Farke this term but both the Hammers and Fulham could offer him a way out.

West Ham considered him in the summer window, but Gnonto wasn't allowed to depart as Leeds didn't want to cash-in on their star asset.

That could change this window, as it is reported elsewhere that the Whites will sell for Gnonto for around £13 million (Il Romanista.it).

Despite his lack of starting opportunities this season, Leeds boss Farke praised the 20-year-old for his unwavering attitude.

"What I like a lot about Willy at the moment is his attitude," said Farke earlier this month.

"He was always used to shine, always the posterboy. It’s not easy when he’s on the bench, but when we score and do positive stuff, the first one celebrating on the pitch is Willy."

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones also expressed his shock that Gnonto isn't starting as many games this season.

"I'm really surprised a player that is this good is not in the starting lineup at a Championship club," he said.

"Especially when he was given a second chance at Leeds to make things work and was forgiven for that little moment he had in the summer. He is a brilliant player."

Sunderland will be glad that there's a lack of mid-week fixtures in the Championship this week, Michael Beale's men needing time to recuperate and digest what's really going wrong at the Stadium of Light after a torrid recent run of form has seen the Black Cats drop out of the playoff picture.

Three defeats in a row in all competitions has led to Beale's position in the Stadium of Light dug-out come under rightful scrutiny, with supporters already fearing another home defeat this coming weekend at the hands of Stoke City after losing 1-0 to Hull City last time out on their own patch.

Beale could be an even more unpopular figure if Alex Pritchard is sold this January, but he could go some way to appeasing the Black Cats fanbase on his back if he can land this exciting replacement for the 30-year-old.

Sunderland search for a Pritchard replacement

It looks as if Pritchard, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, could well be heading out the exit door this transfer window – Football Insider revealing that former Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray is very keen to add Pritchard to his new roster at Birmingham City, with an official approach being made.

Even Turkish club Sivasspor have reportedly got a deal in the works to sign the attacking midfielder, with the Black Cats scrambling around now to sign an adequate replacement for their out-going creator.

Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles could well be that man, with the Northern Echo reporting on Wednesday that Sunderland are in advanced talks to sign the Hungary international after Sky Sport's Keith Downie first broke the second-tier outfit's interest.

It's reported a deal is moving closer to completion with further talks set to take place in the next 24 hours of the transfer window.

Able to play down the left wing as well as playing in an attacking midfield role Pritchard excels in, Styles could well be the perfect purchase to make if the 5 foot 7 midfielder does up and leave this month.

How Styles would fit into the Sunderland team

Styles' main joy in a Tykes shirt to date has come from playing down the left wing, Beale keeping in mind the 23-year-old's flexibility if Jack Clarke also leaves the Championship giants this month.

Playing in that role predominantly during the 2020/21 season at the level with the now League One side, Styles managed eight goal contributions as Barnsley shocked everyone by getting into the second tier playoffs that campaign.

This season, Styles has three goals and two assists next to his name in the third tier with Neill Collins using him more as an attacking midfielder.

One of those goals came away at Northampton Town in September, showcasing Styles' urgent approach to instinctively loop a shot over the lackadaiscal Cobblers goalkeeper without a second thought.

Praised as being a "excellent" midfielder by his Tykes manager in Collins during pre-season, Styles has shown why he's so highly regarded at Oakwell with standout displays in League One.

With Sunderland looking passive recently in attack – a limp performance against Hull City allowing the Tigers to pick up a narrow away win last game – Styles could inject more energy and bite into proceedings wherever he is selected.

Also, with Jobe Bellingham being arguably overused by Beale and Pritchard's future being up in the air, Styles could well be a fantastic option to rely upon in attacking midfield if signed.

Adept at also rolling his sleeves up and launching into tackles on top of helping out in attack, Styles could also be utilised alongside either Dan Neil or Pierre Ekwah further back.

Losing a figure like Pritchard would be a major blow, but signing such a versatile replacement in Styles could see the Black Cats win in the long term with the 23-year-old midfielder keen to impress in the division above again.