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Also: what was the first Test series that didn’t involve either England or Australia?

Steven Lynch24-Nov-2020Of people who achieved the highest score and best bowling in the same Test, who played the most matches? asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England
That’s an interesting one, and it turns out the answer is an England captain: Michael Vaughan played in 82 Tests, but recorded his highest score (197) and his best bowling figures (two for 71) in the same one, against India at Trent Bridge in 2002. Those wickets included a much-replayed classic offbreak to bowl Sachin Tendulkar between bat and pad for 92.Two others, both from Pakistan, won more than 50 caps yet achieved their personal bests in the same match: Majid Khan (63 Tests) made 167 and took 4 for 45 against West Indies in Georgetown in 1976-77, while his frequent team-mate Wasim Raja (57 Tests) had 125 and 4 for 50 against India in Jalandhar in 1983-84.Another Pakistani from that same era leads the way in one-day internationals. Offspinner Tauseef Ahmed played 70 ODIs, yet recorded his highest score (27 not out) and best bowling figures (4 for 38) in the same one, against New Zealand in Sialkot in 1984-85. Once again there are two others who played more than 50 matches yet saved their bests for the same game: India’s Yusuf Pathan (57 ODIs), who scored 123 not out and took 3 for 49 against New Zealand in Bangalore in 2010-11, and the current South African seamer Andile Phehlukwayo, who has so far played 58 matches but scored 69 not out and took 4 for 22 against Pakistan in Durban in 2018-19.Worth a mention is England’s John Lever, who occupies 12th place on both lists: his best performances in 22 Tests were 53 and 7 for 46 against India in Delhi in 1976-77, on his debut – while his personal bests in 21 ODIs, 27 not out and 4 for 29, both came against Australia at Edgbaston in 1977. Thanks to Shiva Jayaraman from the ESPNcricinfo stats team for help with this one.Aaron Finch played for his eighth IPL team in 2020. Is this a record? asked Jared Harrison from Australia
Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch moved to the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020, and made 12 appearances for them. This followed one match for the Rajasthan Royals in 2010, eight for the Delhi Daredevils (2011-12), 14 for the Pune Warriors (2013), 13 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (2014), three for the Mumbai Indians (2015), 26 for the Gujarat Lions (2016-17), and ten for the Kings XI Punjab in 2018.In fact Finch already held this record, as no one else has played for more than six IPL teams, a feat shared by overseas players Moises Henriques and Thisara Perera, and the Indians Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj Singh.There were 1262 runs in the Ashes Test at Nottingham in 1997, but the highest individual score was Alec Stewart’s 87. Is this the highest aggregate without an individual century? asked Allan Draycott from England
That Test at Trent Bridge in 1997, which featured ten half-centuries but no individual hundred, turns out to be second on this particular list. On top is another England Test, against South Africa in Durban in 1927-28, which had a total of 1272 runs – and 13 half-centuries – but a highest individual score of 90, by Wally Hammond.Two other Tests had more than 1200 runs but no centuries: Australia vs West Indies in Melbourne in 1960-61 (1227 runs, highest score 92 by Bob Simpson), and England vs Australia at The Oval in 1993 (1225, highest 83 not out by Ian Healy).Ishan Kishan, who is yet to play an international match, made 516 runs this IPL for the Mumbai Indians•BCCIIshan Kishan scored more than 500 runs in the 2020 IPL. Is he the only player to reach this milestone without having played international cricket? asked Steve Rafferty from New Zealand
Ishan Kishan’s 516 runs for champions Mumbai Indians is a new record for an never-capped player in an IPL season. He also topped the 2020 six-hitters’ list, with 30. But there is one other man who managed more than 500: Kishan’s team-mate Suryakumar Yadav hit 512 runs for Mumbai in 2018, and he hasn’t been capped yet either.What was the first Test series that didn’t involve either England or Australia? asked Martin Chapman from England
Test cricket was over half a century old before there was a match that didn’t involve England or Australia. It came in 1931-32, when South Africa travelled to New Zealand after being hammered 5-0 in Australia. The 217th Test match of all started on February 27, 1932, in Christchurch: the South Africans cheered themselves up by winning it by an innings, and won the second Test in Wellington as well, to take the series 2-0. The next Tests not involving England or Australia were not until after the Second World War – in 1948-49, when West Indies toured India.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Sunday's Mariners–Rangers game was a big one for Seattle star Julio Rodriguez.

The center fielder crushed his career 100th career home run, a 391-foot two-run homer off of two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom in the third inning.

But, that wasn't the biggest news of the game. This home run was Rodriguez's 20th of the season, marking his fourth consecutive season in which he's logged at least 20 homers. On top of that, Rodriguez has also tallied at least 20 stolen bases in all four of his MLB seasons. With this combination, Rodriguez officially became the first MLB player in history to start their career with four consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, per Mariners PR.

Rodriguez has 20 homers and 20 stolen bases so far this season. In his rookie year, the Mariners star logged 28 home runs and 25 stolen bases. His second season was his career-best with 32 HRs and 37 SBs and last year, Rodriguez had 20 HRs and 24 SBs. He's currently on pace to pass his totals from last season.

Aston Villa could make a move for an “excellent” striker in 2026, amid Ollie Watkins’ struggles to make an impact.

Villa lay down marker with victory over Arsenal

Villa secured their seventh win on the spin in all competitions on Saturday, courtesy of a 2-1 victory against Premier League leaders Arsenal, which came in dramatic fashion, with Emiliano Buendia firing home a late winner to send Villa Park into raptures.

Unai Emery was delighted with the result, despite also making it clear his side must keep their feet on the ground, saying: “Today we must be happy, the supporters, Aston Villa fans and ourselves because we did the job we needed.

“Of course, we got three points and we are, in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world, more or less, now feeling strong and feeling comfortable.

“But this is a race for 38 matches and we are on 15.”

It is difficult not to get too carried away, with the Villans now just three points behind Arsenal, but Watkins may need to get back to his best if Emery’s side are going to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

The Englishman has scored just three goals in 15 league outings, and Aston Villa are now lining up a move for a new striker in 2026, with a report from Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) revealing they could launch an attack to sign Bologna’s Santiago Castro next summer.

Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the centre-forward, and a deal could be on the expensive side, with the Italian club potentially set to demand €40m – €50m (£35m – £44m) for his services.

Ideally, Bologna would like to keep hold of the 21-year-old, and they are planning to offer him a bumper new contract in the coming weeks, in order to ward off the interest from elsewhere.

Emery's a fan: Aston Villa willing to make mega-money bid for £52m "baller"

The Villans are lining up a winter move for a new midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Dec 7, 2025 Castro could be "excellent" addition to Villa's attack

Donyell Malen has proven himself as a solid option at striker this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions, but Villa may still have room to bring in another centre-forward, given that the Dutchman regularly features out wide.

Castro has proven he could be a viable target with some of his displays this season too, having scored five goals in all competitions, two more than Watkins, while he also showcased his ability to create chances last term, leading to high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

The Argentinian hasn’t been prolific since moving to Bologna, chipping in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 outings, but he is still very young, having only turned 21 in September, and Villa should continue to monitor his performances between now and next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are now readying a January move for an “amazing” striker, who has been praised by Thomas Frank in the past.

Tottenham looking to sign new striker despite Richarlison returning to form

Frank managed to stave off some of the pressure by recording a 2-0 victory against Brentford on Saturday, which was his side’s first home Premier League victory since the rout of Burnley on the opening day of the campaign.

It was a comfortable win for Spurs, who never really looked threatened throughout the match, with the Bees recording an xG of just 0.29, and Richarlison continued his recent uptick in form, scoring his sixth Premier League goal of the season.

That said, some of Frank’s other attacking options haven’t been quite so prolific in front of goal, with Randal Kolo Muani still yet to open his account in the Premier League, while Dominic Solanke has featured in just three matches in all competitions, having struggled with an ankle injury.

As such, the manager may want to bring in a new striker during the upcoming transfer window, and a Premier League star has now entered the frame as a target.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which states Tottenham are now readying a January move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, with his future at Selhurst Park up in the air.

Palace may be forced to cash-in on the centre-forward, given that no progress has been made in negotiations over a new contract, and it has previously been revealed they could look to hold out for £44m.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke also added: “He’s under contract until 2027 but if he’s not going to sign a new deal by next summer, you would imagine Palace would be more increasingly open to selling Mateta to get a fee for him, rather than potentially letting him run down his contract.”

"Amazing" Mateta has earned move to top club

Lauded as “amazing” by Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, the Frenchman has been in impressive form this season, netting nine goals in 23 matches in all competitions, while also providing two assists.

The 28-year-old has now proven himself over a number of years in the Premier League, scoring a combined 30 goals across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, meaning he has earned the opportunity to prove himself at a top club.

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In fact, Frank was personally left impressed by the Palace star for his performance in a 2-1 defeat against Brentford last season, describing him as “very hard to handle.”

As such, Tottenham should definitely look to capitalise on the Eagles’ stalling contract negotiations by pursuing a move for Mateta in the upcoming transfer window.

The Pittsburgh Pirates had their chance of a possible comeback attempt get extinguished on Saturday when first baseman Enmanuel Valdez got tagged out at third while he was trying to ask the umpire for time so he could try to shake off an injury.

This all happened in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Pirates trailing the Cleveland Guardians 3-0. Valdez hit deep shot to center that hit off the wall and allowed him to get all the way to third. He seemed to injure himself on the slide and motioned to the ump for time but that was when he got tagged out.

This was a pretty brutal way to get called out:

The announcer summed that up perfectly this line: "I don't think I've ever seen that."

Here's another look at that play:

The Pirates went on to lose the game, 3-0.

Chelsea have now reportedly launched their first move to re-sign Antonio Rudiger in what would be a sensational return for the experienced central defender.

It’s no real surprise that the Blues have set their sights on more experience. As impressive as their young squad is, it is still exactly that – young. Enzo Maresca has already suffered the consequences of an inexperienced side at times this season, with Chelsea too inconsistent to seriously challenge for the Premier League title but good enough to secure a top four place.

Against Wolverhampton Wanderers, that quality was on full show as goals from Malo Gusto, Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto wrapped up a comfortable 3-0 defeat. In the same week, however, Chelsea drew 2-2 with Qarabag in a game they should have comfortably won – highlighting their inconsistencies once again.

The addition of a serial, experienced winner could be the missing piece to the puzzle – particularly within Maresca’s backline. The Blues have suffered a number of injuries and suspensions within their back four this season, leaving Maresca with little choice but to come up with internal solutions.

Against Qarabag, 19-year-old Jorrel Hato especially struggled, begging the question as to whether he’s ready to be thrown into the current Chelsea side. Maresca defended his decision to rotate in midweek, but admitted that young players need the chance to make mistakes.

The Italian told reporters: “They are talented, they are young. When they are young you have to give them chance to make mistakes.”

Still, the question of experience will remain and as Rudiger’s contract continues to tick down at Real Madrid, the Blues could have the ultimate solution to their problems lying in wait.

Rudiger makes Real Madrid decision as Chelsea come calling

According to reports in Spain, Chelsea have now made contact with Rudiger over a return to the club in 2026 when he’s set to become a free agent at the end of his Real Madrid contract.

Alas, whilst Rudiger does love the West London club, his preference is to extend with Real Madrid and stay put. Leaving the ball in the Spanish side’s court, the German has less than nine months to get his wish.

If that contract doesn’t arrive, then Chelsea should come swooping in. Rudiger is a two-time Champions League winner these days and one of the most experienced defenders around at 32 years old. He’s led the Blues before and would comfortably do it again.

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Having previously written in the Players’ Tribune that Chelsea will always be “in his heart”, a return to Stamford Bridge could be the perfect way for Rudiger to close out an excellent career.

Whether Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso will let him leave that easily is another question, though. The Spaniard previously reiterated that the German is “very reliable” and losing that for the cost of nothing next summer is something that the La Liga giants should want to avoid.

Chelsea "actively in talks" over signing "very mature" England international

Former Premier League star Troy Deeney believes Bournemouth sensation Antoine Semenyo has what it takes to reach the very top — even suggesting the Ghanaian forward could one day line up for Real Madrid. The Watford legend hailed the 25-year-old as one of the Premier League’s most underrated stars and challenged him to maintain his stunning early-season form to fulfil his world-class potential.

• Semenyo starts off 2025/26 with a bang for Bournemouth

  Former Watford striker Deeney has joined the growing list of admirers praising Bournemouth forward Semenyo, who has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League this season. The Ghana international’s explosive form has fired the Cherries to second place in the table, just four points behind leaders Arsenal, as he continues to shine under Andoni Iraola’s management.

  Semenyo’s numbers speak for themselves: six goals and three assists in his opening nine league matches, a tally bettered only by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. The 25-year-old’s pace and precision in the final third have made him one of the league’s most dangerous attackers, helping Bournemouth maintain their strong start despite selling over £200 million worth of players in the summer.

  With major departures such as Milos Kerkez to Liverpool and Dean Huijsen’s £50m move to Real Madrid, the Cherries have relied heavily on Semenyo’s individual brilliance. His relentless performances have not only inspired Bournemouth’s rise but also attracted attention from top clubs across Europe — and Deeney believes that, if he keeps it up through the season, he could very well follow Huijsen to the Santiago Bernabeu.

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  Deeney set challenge for Semenyo and predicts Real Madrid move

  Speaking to talkSPORT, Troy Deeney described Semenyo as one of the Premier League’s “unsung heroes” this season and predicted a bright future for the Ghanaian star. “I just don’t know if Semenyo can keep it up — do you know what I mean?” Deeney said. “If he does, then my God — he’ll probably end up playing for Real Madrid. But I think he’s very good, very powerful, very direct. I just don’t know whether he’ll keep it up.” 

  When asked whether he considered Semenyo among the top performers in the league, Deeney replied: “Yeah — he’s a good shout, Semenyo.”

  Deeney’s comments come amid mounting excitement around the Bournemouth attacker’s development and his growing influence on Iraola’s team.

• Several Premier League heavyweights linked with Semenyo

  Since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City, the Ghanaian has become an indispensable part of Iraola’s system. His technical growth, particularly in decision-making and finishing, has seen him evolve from a promising talent into one of the most consistent forwards in England’s top flight.

  Semenyo’s form this season has reignited transfer speculation, with several elite clubs monitoring his progress earlier this year. Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur all reportedly explored potential deals in previous windows, while Real Madrid and Chelsea are now said to be keeping tabs on his performances. Bournemouth’s refusal to entertain offers reaching £50 million underlines just how valuable he has become to their project.

  The Ghanaian signed a new deal in July 2025, extending his stay until 2030, but reports suggest the contract includes a confidential release clause. While the exact figure remains undisclosed, it had previously been revealed that it’s lower than Bournemouth’s current £100m valuation. The club remains determined to keep their talisman, but should Europe’s heavyweights come knocking, Semenyo’s future could dominate the headlines.

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  Bidding war for Sememnyo in the summer of 2026

  For now, Semenyo’s focus remains firmly on Bournemouth and their unexpected title challenge under Iraola. His performances have made him the face of the Cherries’ new era, and with confidence soaring, he’ll be aiming to sustain his remarkable run deep into the campaign. Should his output continue, a bidding war could erupt by next summer, with Liverpool and Manchester United expected to reignite their interest depending on their attacking situations.

  For Bournemouth, keeping hold of Semenyo may prove increasingly difficult if the goals keep flowing. Additionally, with Ghana having secured their berth in the 2026 World Cup, a string of strong performances in North America could raise the demand for the Bournemouth forward even more.

  Deeney’s words may have been light-hearted, but they carry weight. The former Premier League striker has long been known for his straight-talking assessments, and his belief that Semenyo has the potential to play for one of football’s most prestigious clubs speaks volumes.

In stark contrast to this time last month, the mood around Chelsea at the moment is a good one.

Enzo Maresca has overseen three wins on the bounce, including an incredible result at home to defending Premier League champions Liverpool.

However, while the team has generally been performing well, there are a few players who continue to underwhelm.

One of those is undoubtedly Alejandro Garnacho, and therefore he should be dropped for someone previously compared to a young Callum Hudson Odoi.

Garnacho's slow start to life at Chelsea

It would be fair to say that the signing of Garnacho was not universally welcomed by the Chelsea support.

After all, while he’s an undeniably talented footballer, he doesn’t have the best of reputations and left Manchester United on poor terms.

Unfortunately, while there have been glimpses of the talent who racked up 21 goal involvements for a terrible Red Devils side last season, they have been nothing more than that, glimpses.

Appearances

58

Minutes

3568′

Goals

11

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

Overall, the Argentine international has been somewhat disappointing, as in his six appearances thus far, totalling 273 minutes, he has produced a grand total of zero goals and zero assists.

Worse yet, while some of the games have been against top opposition, he also failed to turn up in the EFL Cup game against Lincoln City and offered very little against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

In fact, he was so underwhelming against the Tricky Trees, that he was taken off at half-time with a combined expected goal and assist figure of just 0.01, no key passes, just seven accurate passes, zero shots and a match rating of 3/10 from the Standard’s Dom Smith, who wrote that he ‘ran down blind alleys and failed to produce anything dangerous.

In short, Garnacho is showing no sign of improving, and therefore, Maresca should take him out of the team for the game against Ajax.

The player who should replace Garnacho

Two names might stand out as potential replacements for Garancho against Ajax: Jamie Gittens and Estevao.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, the former has arguably been just as disappointing so far this season, and the latter is primarily a right-sided player and deserves another start in his favoured position.

Therefore, Maresca should do what he did against Benfica and bring Tyrique George in from the start, but instead of playing him up top, put him out on the left.

Now, it would be fair to say that the young Englishman hasn’t exactly blown anyone away this year, but it’s equally true that he has shown more in his limited minutes than the former United star.

For example, he was the one who saved the club from a massively embarrassing defeat to Lincoln by scoring and assisting a goal.

On top of that, he has also simply looked more engaged and threatening in games, which could be down to him being an academy graduate or him having a better attitude.

Moreover, despite being just 18 years old at the start of last season, the academy gem, who respected analyst Ben Mattinson once described as a “young Hudson-Odoi,” was able to amass a tally of three goal involvements in 12 Conference League appearances.

Finally, while Ajax are not going to be pushovers, they are also going to be one of the easier Champions League opponents the West Londoners face this season, so it makes sense to give youth players a run-out in these fixtures.

Ultimately, George might not end up being a better player than Garnacho, but at the moment, he is offering far more, and therefore, MarEsca should start him against the Dutch giants.

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Journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed that Leeds United are keen on signing a “sensational” Champions League player in the January transfer window.

Mixed Leeds injury news ahead of Burnley clash

The Whites make the trip to Burnley on Saturday afternoon, in an important Premier League clash between two of last season’s promoted sides.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke has provided an injury update ahead of the game, admitting that there is both good and bad news to report.

“Good news was Lucas Perri, so he was able to train the last two weeks together with us, so he was able to use also this international break to build up a bit his fitness level. Of course, after being out so long, he can’t be there at 100 percent, but you see him going more or less from day to day, which is good news.

“With Willy Gnonto, he won’t be available for this game because his calf problems are sorted but sadly he had to use the international break for a little minor hernia surgery, so not a major thing but he needed to do this. He will be just back in team training next week so I expect then to have him available, perhaps already for Friday evening for the next home game but definitely not for this away trip.

“Very positive and good news was Daniel James because he is a bit ahead of schedule in his rehab, so a compliment also to our medical department, our rehab coaches. He was even involved already, I would say, in major parts of team training during this week but he is definitely not in contention for the starting line-up. Noah Okafor is also struggling a little bit with some adductor problems, he could be perhaps even in contention to be picked for the squad, so I didn’t expect this.”

Away from injury news, Leeds continue to look at potential new signings, and an exciting attacking player has been mentioned as an option.

Leeds have Champions League ace on their "radar"

Speaking to LeedsUnited.News, Bailey claimed that Leeds are eyeing a potential move for Bodo/Glimt winger Jens Petter Hauge in January.

Hauge stands out as such an exciting option for Leeds, with scout Jacek Kulig once calling him a “sensational” player who always stood out as a youngster with huge potential.

Now 26, the 13-cap Norway international is a proven top-level player, scoring twice in as many Champions League appearances, as well as netting six times in the Europa League.

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Hauge is capable of flourishing on both wings and as an attacking midfielder, but is predominantly a left-sided player, and he could add so much quality to Leeds’ attacking midway through the season.

Aston Villa have not had the best of starts to the 2025/26 campaign, having picked up just one point from their opening three Premier League fixtures, yet to break their duck.

There was an acceptance from Unai Emery and the powers that be that the summer transfer window would weigh heavily on the club after missing out on Champions League football following a contentious final-day defeat at Manchester United.

However, a late flurry of activity indicates progress and promise. Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliot completed deadline-day loan moves; Victor Lindelof joined on a free transfer after his deal with Man United expired.

The late moves salvaged Villa’s frustrating summer, especially since Monchi and Damian Vidagany have retained the services of the most talented first-teamers.

Aston Villa have kept their best players

In August, Aston Villa sold Jacob Ramsey to Premier League rivals Newcastle United for a £43m fee. A poignant one, for sure. However, the sale of the homegrown talent has turned pure profit for the club, and perhaps played a role in securing a series of late-window additions.

Loan deals for Marcus Rashford, Axel Disasi and Marco Asensio came and passed, but the likes of Ollie Watkins and John McGinn remain at Villa Park after offers from divisional competition were resisted.

Watkins might not be coming off the back of his best season, but he still notched 17 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, while McGinn’s leadership, energy and presence within the dressing room are factors not easily replaced.

While the opening weeks of the campaign have felt somewhat stale, the mixture of fresh quality and abiding experience emphasises the club’s capacity to challenge in the Europa League and push for a high finish in the Premier League.

These players will play important roles this season, but none more so than Morgan Rogers, who was exceptional last season and might be viewed as the talisman of Emery’s project.

How Morgan Rogers' market value compares

Last month, Rogers was named the PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2024/25 Premier League season. The honour bears testament to his extraordinary strides in such a short time, only joining Villa from Middlesbrough in the Championship in January 2024.

The 23-year-old earned opportunities across the second half of the 2023/24 season in the Premier League, but it is last year that he truly came into his own, scoring 14 goals and supplying 16 assists across all competitions, including a haul of 19 goal contributions in the league alone.

He scored a hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League and bagged a consolation goal as Villa were knocked out against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, with pundit Jamie Carragher hailing him as an “unstoppable” force.

The Lions might have started the campaign without much of a roar, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Rogers will be among the driving forces when Emery does create a winning formula for the months ahead.

Athletic and enterprising, no matter the tactical role handed to him, Rogers typically plays in a forward-thrust central midfield berth or out on the left flank, where his pace and power allow him to take on defenders and split lines.

Left winger

93

24 (10)

Attacking midfield

48

14 (10)

Right winger

43

9 (17)

Centre-forward

23

7 (4)

Young he may be, but Rogers has already led a storied career, developing his talents in the EFL after first looking for success within Manchester City’s packed youth academy.

The exciting part is there’s still so much for the England international to give, so much potential as yet untapped.

Senior figures at Villa feel Rogers has the potential to become one of the very best in the Premier League, defining the coming years for Emery’s side and perhaps fetching a transfer fee to rival that of Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, who joined the champions from Newcastle United for a British record £125m fee on deadline day.

One of the most dangerous strikers in the world, Isak’s name has come to be feared in English football, and he has made incremental progress across his three terms on Tyneside. Rogers, too, has shown the signs of bit-by-bit development, and could find himself stretching into even loftier conversations with another knockout year under Emery’s wing.

Indeed, as per CIES Football Observatory, Rogers has been valued at £99m, whereas Isak actually comes in at a smaller price: £89m.

Of course, this doesn’t paint an accurate picture in actuality, since Isak has just moved to Merseyside for a record-breaking fee. Still, it underscores the Three Lions star’s potential to develop into a star of a similar stature, having made such impressive progress across just one full season in the top flight.

Isak, 25, wasn’t refined when leaving Real Sociedad and arriving at St. James’ Park in 2022, but his years under Eddie Howe’s tutelage have shaped him into a superstar. So the parallels can be found with Rogers at Aston Villa.

Whether Aston Villa succeed in nurturing Rogers toward a world-class level remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he has the skills and passion to achieve just that.

Already considered by leading data and analytical site in CIES Football Observatory to have a projected value above that of Liverpool’s new striker (though take that with a pinch of salt, given Isak’s actual price), Rogers is the Midlands outfit’s biggest star, and many feel the best is still to come.

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