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When Kemar Roofe left West Brom in 2015, few would have predicted that he would be getting ready to feature in the Champions League seven years later.

The Baggies academy graduate was impressive for the U21s during his time at the Hawthorns, hitting 24 goals and 16 assists in 78 appearances but he was never given a chance in the first team.

After an impressive loan spell at Oxford United in the 2014/15 season which saw him hit six goals in 16 appearances, he would join the U’s on a permanent deal in the summer of 2015.

Another superb season in League Two was to come, as Roofe managed 17 goals and ten assists for Oxford United as they earned promotion to League One.

His form in the fourth tier convinced Leeds United to sign the forward the following summer and he would continue his fine run in the Championship with the Whites, with the Baggies no doubt regretting not giving Roofe a chance at this point.

After hitting 33 goals and 14 assists for the Yorkshire club, Roofe would move to Anderlecht where he enjoyed a fruitful but short spell, scoring seven times in 16 outings before his move to Rangers in 2020 where he has since thrived.

So impressive has he been that the attacker even scored from the halfway line in continental competition. Roofe was lauded for that moment of brilliance against Standard Liege in the Europa League by former boss Steven Gerrard.

He said: “He manages to take someone on – and to then have the vision and audacity to try the strike in the first place, I just think that’s a moment of genius.

“And it’s probably the best goal I’ve seen live – and I’ve been a professional since 1998. Unbelievable strike and he deserves all the plaudits for it.”

Roofe has always offered a goalscoring threat wherever he has been in his career and has 34 Rangers goals to his name thus far, helping the Gers win the Scottish Premiership title in 2021 and then helping them to a Europa League final last term.

He now looks set to make his Champions League debut this season after Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side sealed their spot in the group stages, which certainly does not reflect well on the Baggies. They let him go to a League Two side despite his impressive academy form, having never given him a chance to impress in the first team. This was certainly a transfer howler from Albion.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies want to sign the England international to bolster their squad this season.

However, the reporter has added that the situation is complicated as his current club are looking to bring in a replacement first before sanctioning a move.

He Tweeted: “Newcastle are keen on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, but The Blues unlikely to entertain anything until they bring in another midfielder of their own. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong still Chelsea’s main midfield target. Similar situation with NUFC’s interest in Armando Broja.”

It is unclear as to whether the Toon are eyeing a permanent or loan deal for the gem, but it has been reported that he is valued at £40m by the Blues.

Imagine him & Bruno Guimaraes

If Newcastle can swoop in for the midfield machine after Chelsea bring in their own target, Eddie Howe could form an exciting partnership in the middle of the park with Gallagher and Guimaraes.

The pair could form a brilliant pairing in midfield due to their similar skillsets and ability to function in a high-energy system.

In Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, Guimaraes ranks in the 88th percentile for pressures and the 99th for tackles won per 90 in his position. Gallagher, meanwhile, ranks in the 93rd percentile for pressures and the 94th for tackles won in the final third per 90.

This shows that both players excel at pressing the opposition and making tackles to win the ball back high up the pitch in dangerous positions.

They could, therefore, be vital in games when Howe feels counter-pressing will be key to winning the match. The head coach would have two players capable of effectively winning possession back in critical areas, but what could they do when they get the ball back?

Guimaraes scored five goals and set up one in 11 Premier League starts last season, whilst Gallagher – who Patrick Vieira dubbed “special” – scored eight goals and provided three assists on loan to Crystal Palace in the top-flight.

This shows that both players are central midfielders with the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch when they have the ball at their feet.

Therefore, they could be an exciting pairing for the Magpies as they have the potential to be a terrific high-pressing duo in the Premier League – winning possession in the final third and contributing to counter-pressing goals.

BBC journalist Alex Howell has now confirmed some exciting Tottenham Hotspur transfer news involving Udinese left-wing-back Destiny Udogie.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites keep busy…

The Lilywhites and head coach Antonio Conte have been seriously attacking the transfer market this summer with six major signings having already been confirmed.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence have put pen to paper on moves to N17 with there being reports of more in the pipeline.

Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo, like Udogie, has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in the last few weeks and it appears the latter man is certain to join Spurs after Fabrizio Romano revealed a fee had been agreed during the week.

The Latest: BBC reporter says done deal

Indeed, as now backed by the ever-reliable BBC via their reporter Howell, there has indeed been an exciting Udogie development with the north Londoners reaching a full agreement.

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The journalist confirmed (via Twitter):

“Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign defender Destiny Udogie from Udinese. The left back will be loaned back to his club before joining up with Spurs next season.”

The Verdict: Great move…

A player with vast potential, members of the media have certainly been quick to point out the 19-year-old’s ability since the links to Spurs popped up.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has highlighted Udogie’s ‘superb technique’ and ‘footwork’ for a player of his stature whilst Islington Gazette reporter Josh Bunting has claimed the defender is ‘incredible’.

The Italy Under-21s international certainly comes with a glowing reputation already and sporting director Fabio Paratici may have just sealed an absolutely brilliant addition at N17 – not to mention a possible future star.

Newcastle United have reportedly watched RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko closely ahead of a potential move.

The Lowdown: Striker wanted

With links to the likes of Armando Broja and Ludovic Ajorque in recent days, it is clear that the St. James’ Park outfit want to bring in a new striker for Eddie Howe before the transfer deadline.

They are also reportedly interested in signing Marco Asensio and Jack Harrison, suggesting that the manager wants to bring in a winger as well before the window closes.

The Latest: Sesko watched

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the North East club have watched Sesko closely ahead of a possible move this summer, alongside Manchester United, Wolves, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.

The striker has drawn comparisons with former Salzburg hitman and now Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, and impressed during a recent pre-season friendly against Liverpool, in which he scored the only goal of the game.

The Verdict: Get it done

Given the number of high-profile clubs courting Sesko this summer, the Tynesiders would do well to secure his signature.

With 11 goals and seven assists in total over all competitions last season (Transfermarkt), the 19-year-old is clearly very talented, and the Magpies would no doubt benefit from his development.

Clocking an in-game speed of 36.11 km/h in 2021, Sesko also possesses unique speed as ‘one of the fastest players on the planet’, even dubbed the ‘new Haaland’ for that combination of electric speed and raw power.

That pace could also make him an option on the wings – the Toon could kill two birds with one stone should they be able to strike a deal.

Wolves have been credited with an interest in Mario Vuskovic recently and the Hamburg centre-back could be the ideal man to replace Romain Saiss in Bruno Lage’s side next season.

According to Sky Germany, Wolves are keen on signing the 20-year-old after his impressive performances with the Bundesliga.2 side last season.

Despite only exercising their option to buy the defender for £2.7m in March, the German side are seemingly looking to make a quick profit on the young defender, with the report from Sky Germany claiming that they value him at around £8.6m.

Although he is only 20, Vuskovic has already amassed 76 senior appearances for Hadjuk Split and Hamburg SV, while he is also a regular in the Croatia U21 side, so could be a solid addition to Lage’s backline next season.

The Old Gold are still yet to make a signing this summer and with the season set to kick off in less than a month, supporters will be desperate for some new additions, especially after a disappointing end to last season.

Wolves’ success in the early part of the last campaign was built on a strong defence, and Saiss was a big part of that, making 31 appearances in the top-flight and averaging a strong 6.84 rating from WhoScored for his appearances.

If Lage is going to stick with playing three centre-backs again next season, then another signing is needed to support Conor Coady and Max Kilman in Wolves’ backline, and Vuskovic could represent an excellent long-term option for the Old Gold.

At 6 foot 2, he is unlikely to struggle with the physicality of the Premier League, and £8.6m could prove to be a bargain if he can adjust quickly and live up to his obvious potential.

BBC contributor and podcaster Dave Azzopardi was full of praise for the centre-back recently, suggesting he was “very highly rated” by those at Hamburg and given Wolves’ need for new signings, the Croatian should be a priority for Lage this summer, as he could slot in on the left-hand side of the defence to fill the gap left by Saiss’ departure.

And, in other news… Lage plotting game-changing Wolves bid for £22.5m-rated star, he’s “one of the best”

Tottenham Hotspur aren’t just trying to sign Premier League striker Richarlison, as reports are also emerging of a move for Bundesliga defender Piero Hincapie.

The Lowdown: Conte wants new defender…

The Lilywhites and head coach Antonio Conte are said to be chasing a world class central defensive upgrade for the north Londoners’ back three, coming after they sealed deals for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma.

Spurs are also said to be in talks over signing Richarlison from Everton as transfer chief Fabio Paratici and Conte show no sign of slowing down ahead of what will be an entertaining 2022/2023 season.

Links to various defenders have come to light in the last few days alone as Paratici continues to spin various plates.

The Latest: Duran makes Hincapie claim…

As per journalist Marcos Duran of Relevo, it appears a development has come to light on Spurs’ hunt for Bayer Leverkusen star Hincapie.

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Indeed, as shared by the South American reporter, Tottenham have been in contact over signing the Ecuador international and this may just be the ‘beginning’.

He explained (via Twitter):  

“As reported in Italy and Germany, both Milan and Tottenham were contacted by the Ecuadorian Piero Hincapié, a

@bayer04_es player.

“Player and club, in talks to improve the contract. He wants to play in the Champions League, but the market is just beginning.”

The Verdict: Take it further?

Reports state it will take a £34 million fee for Spurs to sign Hincapie this summer but his glowing endorsements in past years suggest he could be worth it.

The 20-year-old, who would come to north London with many years ahead in a promising career, has already been called ‘South America’s best young defender’ by his former club president Andres Fassi.

Quite the tag, it’s hardly a surprise Hincapie has caught Spurs’ attention after starting 20 games in a breakthrough Bundesliga campaign, and this could well be one to watch over as the summer window progresses.

Liverpool were involved in one of football’s biggest deals some years ago when they sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in a mega-money deal worth £142m.

After joining from Inter Milan back in 2013 for £8.5m, the Brazilian went on to make 201 appearances for the Reds across all competitions.

In those appearances, the playmaker scored 54 goals and delivered 45 assists before making his move to Spain.

Now that Liverpool have successfully moved on from their former hero by winning the Premier League and Champions League after his exit, it seems as though Jurgen Klopp could have the chance to secure what could be the Merseyside club’s next Coutinho.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Reds could look to make a move for Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio.

With 235 appearances for the Spanish club, the 26-year-old has scored 49 goals and delivered 24 assists in the process.

Despite making 42 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s side across all competitions this season, the Spaniard only started 23 of them, suggesting that he’s more of a rotation player than anything else.

In those appearances, he still managed to find the back of the net 12 times, highlighting his attacking talent.

Labelled as a “magical” player by Casemiro, Asensio is currently picking up a weekly wage of £117k-per-week and is also as one of the players of a similar vein to Coutinho according to FB Ref.

To highlight the similarities between the two players, they both ended their recent domestic seasons with an average of over two shots per game and at least one key pass per game. With that in mind, it would appear that the attacking midfielders are both capable of creating and scoring goals in pretty equal measure.

In terms of a potential move to Anfield this summer, the prospect of potentially getting more regular minutes whilst playing in the Premier League under a manager like Klopp could be a very tempting one for the Spain international.

Combine that with current Liverpool winger Sadio Mane looking to leave the club this summer, his potential exit could pave the way for a player like Asensio to work his way into the first team.

Should an opportunity to strike a deal with the Spanish club to sign the 26-year-old arise, Liverpool should definitely explore the option to see if he can be an extra goal threat for them at Anfield.

In other news: Klopp could finally axe £125k-p/w Liverpool flop by signing “unbelievable” £60m star

West Bromwich Albion will release Romaine Sawyers once his contract expires in July, according to a report from the Express & Star. 

The lowdown: Surplus to requirements

Having previously been a mainstay under Slaven Bilic, the midfielder – who was a product of the Baggies’ youth system before undergoing multiple transfers – saw a dramatic reduction in game-time in the latter half of last season with Sam Allardyce in The Hawthorns hot seat.

The 30-year-old spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Stoke, where he directly contributed to seven goals in 29 outings.

Instead of returning to Albion, though, it appears that the St Kitts & Nevis international will be free to seek pastures new and find a home elsewhere…

The latest: West Brom won’t keep Sawyers

As per the Express & Star, West Brom manager Steve Bruce has chosen not to extend Sawyers’ stay with the Baggies.

It’s claimed that there was an option to add a further 12 months to the 30-cap midfielder’s contract, but the club have decided against triggering the clause.

The report added that The Hawthorns hierarchy would ‘rather spend the money needed’ in order to keep Sawyers at the club on adding fresh faces to the squad, with Reading’s John Swift cited as a potential target.

The verdict: Bruce missing a trick

While the Baggies academy graduate has failed to pull up any trees since returning to The Hawthorns in 2019, scoring just once and providing one assist in 64 appearances, Sawyers still remains an impressive Championship operator and therefore would’ve been of use to Bruce’s ranks without the requirement of a transfer fee.

During the recently completed season, the 30-year-old – who was once hailed as an ‘unbelievable technician’ by former West Brom academy coach Jimmy Shan – earned a 6.72 Sofascore rating whilst completing 32.1 accurate passes and 0.4 successful dribbles and winning 2.3 duels per game, having made 19 Championship starts.

Sawyers may no longer be a surefire starter at a Championship club with aspirations of promotion, but Bruce may yet live to regret not retaining his services for at least another 12 months.

In other news: Sawyers isn’t the only player who looks like he’ll be exiting West Brom this summer

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on Manchester United’s pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong after news of financial troubles at Camp Nou.

The Lowdown: 95% possibility

De Jong, who worked under new United boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent days.

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Spanish journalist Gerard Romero revealed that there is a 95 per cent chance of the Dutch midfielder reuniting with Ten Hag in Manchester, adding that Barcelona need to sell this summer.

The 25-year-old has been at the Nou Camp since 2019 and has made 138 appearances for the Catalan giants, but it looks as if his days in Spain are now numbered.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Transfer expert Romano dropped an update regarding De Jong on Thursday morning. He revealed there ‘has been contact with Manchester United’, but added that ‘sources say there’s no full/close agreement with Barcelona’ as of yet.

Romano also backed up Romero’s financial news, suggesting Barcelona’s situation could have an impact on the midfielder’s future.

The Verdict: Pogba replacement

Plenty of incomings and outgoings are expected this summer, with Paul Pogba expected to fall into the later of the two when his contract expires this summer.

Therefore, De Jong, primarily a central midfielder who can also turn out in a holding role, could prove to be a replacement for the Frenchman.

However, Fred will be the only central midfielder available to Ten Hag should Pogba depart, and if De Jong is the marquee midfield addition, you could argue that a few more reinforcements in the centre of the pitch will be needed ahead of the 2022/23 season.

In other news: ‘Important’ – Romano also drops this Man Utd update as Ten Hag close to first piece of business. 

A deep dive into numbers from the last 30 years or so will reveal that Dale Steyn is not merely great, but is actually among the finest half-dozen quicks to ever have played the game

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Jul-2018 • Updated on 31-Aug-2021Just how good is Dale Steyn? Outstanding, right? Almost everyone will agree he is an all-time great. But as he stands on the verge of breaking the record for South Africa’s most Test wickets, requiring one more dismissal to go clear of Shaun Pollock, the numbers suggest he has been even better than he is in most people’s estimation. It may be that Steyn is not merely great, but is actually among the finest half-dozen quicks to ever have played the game.We will eventually measure Steyn’s record in relation to the best quicks through cricket’s modern history, but before that let’s look at how he compares to his 21st-century peers. Among fast bowlers who have taken over 200 wickets since 2000, Steyn’s average of 22.42 is third-best, behind those of Glenn McGrath and Vernon Philander. While McGrath was experiencing a late-career harvest (his overall numbers are slightly worse), Philander is buoyed by spectacular numbers while playing at home – he has been nowhere near as effective as Steyn outside South Africa, and his returns in Asia have been particularly modest relative to his exploits elsewhere.Where Steyn is a clear leader, however, is in strike rate; no one else on the list gets close to his 41.6. He is also the second-highest wicket-taker for this period, with 421 scalps. Only James Anderson has been more successful, but Anderson’s average (27.23) and strike rate (56.2), are not in Steyn’s league. This is no real surprise – although Anderson has been a supremely skillful bowler, Steyn could do pretty much everything Anderson could do, but at 10kph faster.How Steyn stacks up against other fast bowlers of his era•Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo LtdAmong Steyn’s clearest claims to greatness have been his performances in Asia, where quicks generally encounter the least helpful surfaces. He has 92 wickets in the continent, well clear of Anderson, who is the next-most-successful non-Asian seamer this century with 59 wickets. Among quicks to have played at least 20 Tests in Asia since 2000, though, Steyn’s numbers compare favourably even with those of Asian fast bowlers. His numbers are virtually indistinguishable from those of Shoaib Akhtar, with other wonderful Asian quicks – the likes of Chaminda Vaas and Zaheer Khan – sitting way back.The best Test fast bowlers in Asia since 2000•Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo LtdWe have now established that Steyn is the most penetrative and versatile quick of the last 15 years, but let’s now look a little further back and bring the great ’90s bowlers into the frame. To do a meaningful comparison across eras, though, we must account for varying conditions and trends. Although bowler-friendly tracks have made a roaring comeback over the past few years, much of Steyn’s career was played in an infamously batting-friendly period. So instead of merely stacking up these players’ averages and strike rates against each other, let’s look at how much better each bowler was than his peers, by calculating the difference between each bowler’s numbers and the mean bowling numbers in his career span (that is, the mean bowling stats from between the bowler’s first and last Test).From among a group of eight truly outstanding quicks, Steyn has the best average differential, though he is neck-and-neck with McGrath.

Where Steyn sets himself apart from McGrath, however, is via that incredible strike rate. Only Waqar Younis had a better strike rate differential than Steyn, but then Waqar was more expensive as well.How much better is Steyn over others in his era?•Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo LtdWhere Steyn’s versatility – owing probably to his mastery of reverse-swing – really become clear is when his figures in Asia are compared to those of the best visiting quicks through cricket’s history. His raw average and strike rate in Asia is staggering enough, but throw the differential numbers in – that is, compare Steyn’s stats to the mean for his era, while doing the same for the other non-Asian greats – he comes out ahead of the pack in terms of average.How Steyn’s numbers in Asia stack up against the rest•ESPNcricinfo LtdOn strike rate, Steyn and Wes Hall are well clear of the rest. Effectively, Steyn’s wickets in Asia have come an astounding 28 balls closer together than they have for the average bowler in his era.ESPNcricinfo’s jury panel recently voted in McGrath as the right-arm quick in our Test team of the last 25 years, but given the above numbers, I would replace McGrath with Steyn, owing not only to Steyn’s prowess on the toughest continent for quicks, but also because of the value he adds via his strike rate. A full fifth of McGrath’s wickets had also come against minnows, by which of course I mean England 1994 through 2003.Even Malcolm Marshall, whose record in Asia is what clinches him the “greatest fast bowler ever” tag, for many, was not quite as statistically dominant as Steyn has been there.Is Steyn the greatest-ever non-Asian quick bowler in Asia?•Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo LtdBy now, it is clear that numbers-wise, Steyn has a strong claim to being the finest fast bowler of the last 30 years – in a fairly crowded field. He is also almost certainly the best non-Asian quick in Asian conditions. Among bowlers of any ilk with more than 200 wickets, from any era, Steyn’s career strike rate of 41.6 is the best. If you are a captain in need of quick wickets, with minimal release of pressure, there is no better player to call on from your great-bowler rolodex than Steyn; he is the most aggressive great bowler there has been.

Finally, one more figure that puts Steyn in the league of the most sublime quicks to ever bear down on batsmen: his record in victories. Aside from the first few years of his career, in which Australia dominated, South Africa have arguably been the best Test team in the world for a good portion of Steyn’s career. In that time, no bowler has been more crucial to his team’s success. In fact, few quicks have ever been as impactful for any team as Steyn. Of bowlers that played in the last 100 years, only Richard Hadlee and Imran Khan have better averages in victories (minimum: 100 wickets in wins). Steyn has more wickets in wins than the other top 15 bowlers (by average). It pretty much goes without saying by this stage that Steyn’s rocking strike rate is the best.

With all these numbers considered and put into historical context, Steyn’s career comes out looking even more monstrous than perhaps he has got credit for. How many bowlers in history can claim to have dominated matches in Galle (in 2014), as well as at the Wanderers? There is stiff competition for the pace-bowling spots in an all-time XI, but having been the clear leader during his playing period, and having put up spectacular numbers despite playing in one of the most batting-friendly eras in history, he deserves to be part of any all-time XI conversation.Stats updated till July 18, 2018