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Liverpool are planning a midfield overhaul this summer and will be seeking a formula to ensnare Chelsea ace Mason Mount, who has been highly touted across recent months.

What's the latest on Mason Mount to Liverpool?

According to The Athletic, Arsenal are edging the race to sign the out-of-sorts midfielder as the 22/23 campaign draws to a close, though Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool and Manchester United are both very much alive in the pursuit of the 24-year-old.

The Blues, who will welcome Mauricio Pochettino to the dugout in several weeks, will also attempt to hammer out an agreement with Mount as his contract at Stamford Bridge approaches its final year.

However, Chelsea are not expected to retain the England international's services, and have touted him at £60m if a Premier League rival is to lure him away from west London.

How would Mason Mount perform at Liverpool?

Mount's season has been the most challenging of his career, and while he is endeared by Chelsea fans and a boyhood Blue, his story at the outfit might just be drawing to a close.

That's not to say that he hasn't been on the most dynamic and dangerous midfielders in the Premier League over the past several seasons, taking the cream of his exploits with Chelsea in the Champions League, where he triumphed in the 20/21 edition and played the defence-splitting, match-winning assist in the final against Manchester City.

Last season, the 36-cap star recorded an average top-flight rating of 7.43, as per Sofascore, scoring 11 goals and supplying ten assists, forging 2.4 shots and 1.8 key passes per game, completing 85% of his total passes and making 1.3 tackles per outing, hailed as "generational" by journalist Benjamin Lynch.

The £80k-per-week gem has primarily been deployed as an attacking midfielder and left-winger over the past several years, which has a certain similarity to Gini Wjnaldum when he plied his trade at Newcastle United before making the move to Anfield for £25m in 2015.

The Dutchman scored 11 times in his solitary campaign with the Magpies but only plundered 22 goals from 237 outings across the entirety of his Reds career, remoulded as an industrious machine and hailed as the "perfect" engine for the team by his former German manager.

Mount could certainly take a leaf from Wijnaldum's book and occupy a deeper, pivoting role on Merseyside, already displaying signs of prowess in that area by ranking among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, also exhibiting his creative side by ranking among the top 14% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

While not enjoying the most fruitful of seasons, Mount's innate ability is unquestionable, and he could be crafted into a "superstar" – as he has been dubbed by journalist Adi Joseph – under Klopp's stewardship.

ScorecardNew Zealand’s Suzie Bates scored 25 and took 1 for 20 as Southern Vipers started with a win (file photo)•IDI/Getty Images

Georgia Adams hit 41 as the Southern Vipers produced a flawless display with bat and ball to start their Kia Super League campaign with a six-wicket bonus point win over Surrey Stars.Opening batsman Adams crunched her runs from 43 balls in a stylish knock, helping to put on a 66-run opening stand with New Zealand international Suzie Bates. Despite a mini-wobble with victory in their sights, the Vipers chased down their target with 28 balls to spare following a disciplined bowling performance in front of 2,250 at the Ageas Bowl.The only blemish for the home side came when captain Charlotte Edwards, who recently retired from England duty, suffered a sickening neck injury when she collided with Fi Morris attempting to catch Nat Sciver’s aerial strike, forcing her to sit out the rest of the match.Surrey had elected to bat first but opening bowlers Morna Nielson and Natasha Farrant piled on the pressure from the off, with batsmen Bryony Smith and Tammy Beaumont struggling to pierce the infield. The frustration was typified when England star Beaumont chipped Farrant straight to Edwards at mid-on from the 12th ball of the innings.The squeeze continued into left-armer Farrant’s second over when she had Cordelia Griffith leg before and Bates joined the fun by bowling a slogging Smith.The Stars were then left on 26 for 4 when a stunning catch from Edwards, again at mid-on, gave Nielsen her first wicket with the final ball of her spell – and top figures of 1 for 12 from four overs. It got even worse for the visitors when captain Nat Sciver sent back overseas player Marizanne Kapp, who was well short of making her ground.Naomi Dattani was lbw to Morris but Sciver and Rene Farrell milked as many runs as possible in an unbroken partnership of 37 to help the Stars reach 85 for 6 in their 20 overs.The Vipers boasted a glowing bowling card, with home-grown pacer Katie George a surprise standout, only going for 13 in her four overs, including 17 dot balls, and Farrant taking 2 for 17.In reply, Bates and Adams, promoted to the top of the order with Edwards sidelined although able to bat if required, looked more at ease at the crease than their Surrey counterparts. Adams stroked a glorious cover drive before Bates, the ICC’s No. 2-ranked T20 batsman, copied her at the other end as the pair went through the gears to reach 32 for 0 by the end of the Powerplay.Surrey’s day got worse when Kapp dropped a low chance off Adams, and the Sussex batsman made her pay with a beautiful lofted drive down the ground soon after. The fifty stand came up in 65 deliveries, but Adams drilled a caught and bowled at Alex Hartley to end the partnership.Sara McGlashan fell to Hartley’s next ball and Bates was castled by Lea Tahuhu as three wickets fell for two runs, before Alice Macleod was run out with three still required but the home side managed to ease home three balls later.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between England and Sri Lanka

The Preview by Alan Gardner18-May-2016Match factsMay 19-23, 2016
Start time 11am local (1000 GMT)Big PictureAfter a three-month break, in which the upstart T20 has held court, Test cricket is back. We hope you have a good appetite. In late February, Brendon McCullum signed off his international career by slamming the fastest-ever Test century in Christchurch. What does Headingley, one of England’s most-storied grounds, have in store?There was an almighty tale to be told the last time Sri Lanka were in Yorkshire, England’s cricketing heartland but not one which bestows easy favours on the home team. Angelo Mathews’ masterful, career-best 160 helped set up a dramatic victory, spearheaded by Dhammika Prasad’s 5 for 50 and sealed from the penultimate ball of a pulsating match. Those Headingley heroics secured Sri Lanka’s first (multi-Test) series win in England, as well as a clean sweep in all three formats on their 2014 tour.As Sri Lanka’s players cavorted, and James Anderson shed a tear, England were left contemplating another fresh low. Much has changed since then. Alastair Cook, his face set grimly against the wind and rain, slowly turned around the listing vessel under his command, heaving the ship’s wheel with all his might. Two years on and England are sailing with the breeze at their backs again, negotiating some choppy waters to record significant wins over Australia and South Africa in their last three series. Cook himself is about to crest 10,000 Test runs, uncharted territory for an Englishman.That doesn’t mean they can’t be knocked off course again, however. Headingley was again the scene of an England defeat last summer, as New Zealand squared the two-match series, and it is the venue where they have had least success over recent years. The decision to retain Alex Hales and Nick Compton in the top three, after poor and indifferent returns respectively in South Africa, gives Sri Lanka a couple of obvious pressure points to probe, while there will also be a debutant in the top five, due to James Taylor’s forced retirement.But Sri Lanka have their own areas of concern and it would be a truly remarkable achievement if they were to repeat the feats of 2014. The squad has not changed much but Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene will only contribute from the sidelines – they tallied 516 runs in two Tests last time – while only Mathews and Rangana Herath have more than 50 caps. Prasad has been ruled out of the first Test, and Shaminda Eranga has not played in 18 months; Dushmantha Chameera’s pace will catch the eye but he has to learn to catch the edge in conditions of which he has little knowledge.England will hope that this all amounts to a perfect storm for them. Carlos Brathwaite rained on their World T20 parade but international cricket rarely stops moving and series wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan this summer would mean they hold all nine Test trophies – the first team to do so since Australia in 2008 and giving further heft to their status as a coming team under Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace. As if to further chill the Sri Lankans, the weather in Leeds has become decidedly mucky. Test rewards don’t come easily and it is time for these two teams to get their hands dirty again.Alastair Cook and Angelo Mathews pose with the Investec trophy•Getty Images

Form guideEngland: LWDWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Sri Lanka: LLWWL
In the spotlightStepping in to the spot sadly vacated by Taylor is the elegant, unflappable Hampshire batsman James Vince. Marked out as a future international since being compared to Michael Vaughan as an 18-year-old, Vince’s cover drive ought to be classified as an addictive substance but he has learned that there are times when he must overcome his urges to succeed, as a gutsy hundred against Yorkshire demonstrated last month. That innings won over the selectors and he will be back on the same ground looking to prove himself the man to shore up England’s slightly mercurial batting order at No. 5.Big Foot would have a job filling Sangakkara’s boots but it seems like that is just what Kusal Mendis will be asked to do. Experiments with Upul Tharanga, Udara Jayasundera and Lahiru Thirimanne at No. 3 have all been short-lived and Mendis, who made his debut there last year before opening the batting in New Zealand, has had an encouraging start to the tour, with fifties against Essex and Leicestershire. Sangakkara has said he believes the 21-year-old former Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year will be “a very good player as the years go by”; Mathews must be hoping that the future isn’t all that far off.Teams newsAlastair Cook confirmed his XI on Wednesday and there are just two changes to the England team that was roundly thumped in Centurion at the end of the South Africa series, with Vince making his Test introduction and Steven Finn fit to reclaim his place from Chris Woakes. That means no debut for Nottinghamshire’s highly rated seamer Jake Ball.England 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Nick Compton, 4 Joe Root, 5 James Vince, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Steven Finn, 11 James AndersonThe major question marks for Sri Lanka hover over No. 7 and the make-up of the pace attack. Kaushal Silva will return to opener, after missing the New Zealand tour, while Dinesh Chandimal looks likely to keep the gloves and bat four. Dasun Shanaka’s century against Leicestershire, and his ability to bowl seam-up, may win him a Test debut in the allrounder’s spot; Prasad’s injury reduces their bowling options, with the four other seamers in the party having played once each so far, to underwhelming effect.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Kaushal Silva, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Shaminda Eranga/Nuwan Pradeep 11 Suranga LakmalPitch and conditionsHeadingley is likely to be as capricious as ever over the next few days, with rain showers set to break up play while providing longed-for cloud cover for the bowlers. The pitch had a green tinge to it one day out but, if the sun shines, it should still be good to bat on, as Root and Bairstow proved during their record-breaking 372-stand during the last Championship match held there.Stats and trivia Alastair Cook needs 36 runs to become the 12th player – and first Englishman – to 10,000 in Tests. If he gets there in this Test, he will be the youngest to do so. England’s only victory in their last six Tests at Headingley came in 2013 against New Zealand. They have lost four and drawn one. Rangana Herath needs three wickets to become the third Sri Lankan to 300 in Tests. If Sri Lanka’s last tour had been played using the proposed multiformat points system, they would have won 14-6 (with four points for a Test win, two for a draw, two for a limited-overs win).Quotes”Sri Lanka have got a history of punching above their weight and are really, really competitive, no matter what’s gone before.”
Alastair Cook suggests he won’t be taking the opposition lightly“When you have 20-odd thousand runs in your team it is a great advantage, but unfortunately we don’t have them any more.”

Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to end the season on a high note as Liverpool are on a four game winning run and with European football now looking like a real possibility, how they perform over the next few matches will determine which competition they will enter next term.

The summer will be one of transition for Liverpool, much like their season, with plenty of transfer activity planned in order to shape up a squad – midfield in particular – ahead of an assault on trophies next season.

One player who must be ditched is Naby Keita, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it’s the ideal time to let him part ways with the club, especially after an injury-plagued time in Merseyside.

The £120k-per-week liability has missed 22 games due to injury already, making only 13 appearances during 2022/23 and an average Sofascore rating of just 6.47 certainly suggests that freeing up space in the wage budget by releasing him could allow Klopp to bring in a younger, more talented midfielder.

The Anfield side have spoken to Sporting CP behind the scenes regarding midfielder Manuel Ugarte according to reporter Bruno Andrade and it has been reported that he has a £53m price tag, which is more than affordable for the club.

What is Manuel Ugarte's playstyle?

Signing a midfielder is arguably top of Klopp’s priority list this summer, especially with the stagnation on show throughout this season. As such, Ugarte could be a wonderful signing.

The Uruguayan won't give Liverpool goals, as he has scored just once for Sporting in 87 games, however, that doesn’t matter as Klopp will be signing a combative player who can win duels in the middle of the park with ease as the 22-year-old has previously been dubbed a “midfield machine” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Ugarte’s influence in the heart of the Portuguese side's midfield is evidenced by the fact he currently ranks in the top 1% across the globe's next 8 best leagues (outside of the big five) for pass completion rate and tackles won, while ranking in the top 5% for aerials won, ball recoveries and interceptions, suggesting he could be incredible for Klopp as his midfielders this season have failed to show their usual bite.

That tackling stat is particularly appealing with Jordan Henderson (worst 17%), Naby Keita (51%), Fabinho (54%), Stefan Bajcetic (52%) and Thiago (top 8%) ranking below him when compared to positional peers in the top five leagues.

Statically, therefore, Ugarte is one of the finest defensive midfielders on the continent. £53m perhaps sounds a lot on the surface yet taking a look at his figures across the previous 12 months, this could represent a real bargain, especially considering he has just turned 22 years old.

This summer could be the most important during Klopp’s eight-year association with the club, and he will be under pressure to bring in the correct players ahead of next term.

Signing Ugarte would not only improve the midfield, but it would also allow the German to ditch the injury-riddled Keita in the process, thus giving the Reds a solid base to build their midfield around.

Arsenal are now reportedly 'ready to tempt' AC Milan sporting director Paolo Maldini with an offer to sign defender Theo Hernandez.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners and transfer chief Edu are reportedly set to be busy in their backing for manager Mikel Arteta this summer with central midfield thought to be a major summer priority. Indeed, the likes of West Ham star Declan Rice Brighton's Moises Caicedo and even ex-target Raphinha are rumoured to be targets for the Premier League title-chasers.

Reports also suggest that Eintracht Frankfurt star Jesper Lindstrom is a serious target for Arsenal, with the north Londoners apparently pushing for his signature as he looks very likely to leave his current club. In terms of defensive additions, Hernandez is a player who features heavily as a target through the press, coming amid his brilliant form for Milan in Serie A.

The France international was a pivotal player during Pioli's title charge last season, attracting interest from big-hitters like Man City among others. Now, as per reports out of Italy, there has been an update on Arsenal's interest in signing Hernandez.

Calciomercato.it states that the league-leaders are 'ready to tempt' Milan chief Maldini with a 'proposal' to sign the 25-year-old. The news outlet claims that a 'concrete' offer from Arsenal could arrive for Hernandez, and the possibility of including Oleksandr Zinchenko or Kieran Tierney in a swap isn't ruled out either.

Milan value the right-back at around €70-80 million (£61m-£70m) and Arsenal are thought to be willing to offer players as a way of reaching that figure overall, though Maldini is apparently unlikely to be swayed by such an approach.

What would Hernandez bring to Arsenal?

Hernandez is Milan's third-most selected Serie A player and there is good reason for that – he is quite simply brilliant.

The former Real Madrid man ranks as one of Pioli's best-performing players by average match rating, according to WhoScored, with the full-back also sitting in their top five for attempts at goal and key passes per 90 in the final third.

Hernandez has three goals and three assists to his name this season, standing out as a real threat from out wide for Milan and a possibly brilliant option for Arteta if they were to sign him.

The player has also attracted huge praise from both Emmanuel Petit, who called him 'perfect' for the Premier League, and members of the media – with journalist Sacha Pisani calling him an 'elite full-back' since joining Milan.

Rangers are reportedly confident that they could pip a number of Premier League clubs to the signing of Burnley youngster Jack McEvilly.

How good is McEvilly?

The Gers will hopefully embark on a busy summer transfer window later this year, as they look to make significant reinforcements in the market. Once again, they look set to fall short in the Scottish Premiership title race and more quality is ultimately required, in order to close the gap on Celtic.

One player who has been linked with a move to Ibrox is McEvilly, who is making a name for himself at Burnley, standing out as one of their most exciting youth team products. The centre-back is even touted as one of the best young players in his position in England, with many clubs likely to eye up a move for him at the end of the season.

It doesn't look as though Rangers' interest is going away any time soon, following a fresh update, as they look to seal the signing of the 16-year-old.

Could teenager join Rangers?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are "confident they have an advantage over Premier League clubs" in the battle to acquire McEvilly's signature. They and Celtic are both thought to have "registered their interest in a potential deal this summer" and they have an advantage because "Scottish clubs only have to pay a maximum £300,000 compensation for out-of-contract players."

In comparison, Premier League teams could have to spend millions on someone like McEvilly, due to there being "no cap on development costs and what they have to pay."

Newcastle, Manchester United, Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton are all mentioned as potential suitors in the report, but it looks as though the talented Burnley defender could be Ibrox-bound.

While McEvilly clearly wouldn't come in as a key first-team signing by Michael Beale, it is essential that Rangers continue to plan for the future and don't simply focus on the here and now. They need to be in a position where they are a force for many years to come and the centre-back could be exactly what they are looking for, in that respect.

He could come in as a youth team player to begin with, or even be loaned out at some point, before maturing over time and eventually becoming a key figure at the heart of the Gers' defence, as he looks to match the hype.

Arsenal’s stunning 3-2 comeback victory over AFC Bournemouth last weekend could very well be the catalyst that spearheads them to claiming Premier League glory at the end of the season.

The fight and resilience shown at the Emirates was the sign of champions and Mikel Arteta now finds his side five points clear of Manchester City.

Although the victory produced boisterous scenes at the Emirates, once the adrenaline had died down slightly, the Spaniard knows that his side have got to do better, especially defensively.

William Saliba has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.8 over his five previous Premier League appearances and was the man to lose Philip Billing for that opening goal against the Cherries after just nine seconds.

The club have conceded seven goals in that aforementioned five-game period and perhaps a bold change in defence is required ahead of the Europa League tie against Sporting CP this Thursday.

Arteta must rotate his side to prevent any staleness from setting in and it could be the ideal opportunity to give Jakub Kiwior his debut.

Will Jakub Kiwior start against Sporting in the Europa League?

The £58k-per-week ace was signed in January from Serie A side Spezia in a £20m deal in order to add some depth to the side ahead of a busy second half of the season, however, he has yet to play for the club.

He was in excellent form for Spezia during the first half of the campaign, making 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, and four clearances per game, while winning over half of his total duels and he ranked as the club’s seventh-best player in Serie A.

There is no doubting his credentials at the highest level, as the 23-year-old played in all four of Poland’s World Cup games in Qatar, ranking as the squad’s tenth-best player at the tournament as they exited to France in the last 16.

These performances of late have garnered plenty of praise, with talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbing him a “very positive surprise” while Fabrizio Romano stated that he was “untouchable” with those comments just proving that Arsenal have a very bright talent on their hands.

With league glory the priority for Arteta, a Europa League run is very much a bonus and this could give him the chance to play about with his squad, giving others a chance to impress.

Indeed, on Kiwior’s first outing for the Poland national team, he then immediately became a key cog in their backline, with sports journalist Michal Kruczkowski telling The Athletic “from his debut, he became the main player in the Poland defence.”

Therefore, Saliba and co better watch out. The ‘surprise’ defender could well become Arsenal’s mainstay very soon too.

Rangers midfielder Steven Davis has been ‘brilliant for years’ and deserves a new contract, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Injury blow

Davis suffered a season-ending knee injury at the end of December, which cast doubt on whether Rangers would choose to extend his contract beyond the end of the campaign, when is it due to expire.

However, Football Insider reported earlier this month that a new contract is ‘very likely’ to be offered to the midfielder, who would become a player coach, having already started work on obtaining his coaching badges.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

In an interview with Football Insider, McAvennie has claimed that the Gers should keep the 38-year-old around in some capacity, due to the positive influence he could have on their younger players.

When asked whether Michael Beale should offer him a new contract, the pundit said: “Davis is a player that I would look up to. He has been there, seen it and done it. I do not get why he would not want to keep him around the place in a coaching role.

“Defoe was great for [Alfredo] Morelos, just watching him every day. No matter what people say Davis is a great, he has been brilliant for years. If I was a Rangers players I would want to train with him every day and listen to him. He’s a huge figure for them.”

The Verdict: Worth keeping?

If the Northern Irishman is able to make a full recovery from his knee issue, then he would be a trusty back-up option for Beale in midfield, having made 16 appearances for Rangers in all competitions prior to his injury.

However, given his age, the most important reason to keep him is because he knows the club inside and out, having made a total of 360 appearances across his spells with the Teddy Bears, while he also has 306 Premier League appearances to his name.

This experience is vital to have in any dressing room, and he could have a real impact on some of the club’s younger midfield players, including Malik Tillman, who they have been given the green light to sign permanently in the coming months.

As such, letting Davis’ contract run out would be a mistake on Rangers’ behalf, and Beale should offer him a player-coach role to make sure he stays at Ibrox.

ExWHUemployee has given a worrying injury update on West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta.

What happened to Lucas Paqueta?

The Brazilian midfielder was withdrawn early on in the first half of his side’s draw with Chelsea, with what appeared to be an injury to his collarbone.

This will be of some concern to David Moyes, despite his side fighting back to rescue a point in the game, as his summer signing now faces a potential spell on the sidelines.

Speaking on The West Ham Way Podcast, ExWHUemployee revealed that it may be tough to determine how long the Brazil International will be absent for, as West Ham face a tough relegation battle.

“Paqueta was taken off after 14 minutes after what looked like an injury to his collarbone and that is what the club fear,” he stated.

“Paqueta has already missed matches with a similar injury when he first joined and a reoccurrence of the same unique injury would not be good and would have a difficult-to-determine analysis of how long he could be out.”

Big blow for Moyes

The former Lyon star had a difficult start to life in East London as his team has had endured a tough season, but is starting to thrive under Moyes, and has scored twice in his last five appearances.

Given that West Ham are just two points ahead of the relegation zone, another injury to a key player is the last thing they need, as they are already missing Gianluca Scamacca, Kurt Zouma and Maxwel Cornet.

They will be hoping that his injury is minimal and the midfielder can return soon, but if he is to miss an extended period, their survival hopes could be somewhat dented by such a blow.

Chelsea are going to “have to look at” Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie as the club continues to remould the clay at Stamford Bridge, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What’s the word?

According to prominent Spanish outlet Sport, Blues owner Todd Boehly is preparing an offer for Ivory Coast international Kessie, who only arrived in Catalonia on a free transfer last summer.

Formerly of AC Milan, Kessie’s Barcelona dream has not quite gone according to plan, with the midfielder only starting two La Liga fixtures since his arrival, and he could look for a swift change of scenery in order to prevent his career from stagnating.

Discussing the speculation with Football FanCast, Jones revealed that the Blues would indeed monitor the situation, with a concrete offer possibly forthcoming before the close of the winter transfer window.

The journalist said: “These are the sorts of players, McKennie and Kessie, that at least have the potential to be available in this market. I think that’s one thing that’s going to be key for Chelsea now. They both showed an interest in playing in the Premier League at some stage, that’s also something I think that Chelsea are going to have to look at.”

Kante clone

The 26-year-old Kessie has played 19 times for his current outfit since his summer switch, but with just seven starts across all competitions, he might consider his options with the attractive offer of joining the fold at Chelsea becomes a more plausible possibility.

As per FBref, the industrious Ivorian ranks among the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for touches in the attacking box, the top 19% for blocks, and the top 20% for total shots, illustrating a dynamic scope of talent that will bolster the Blues’ midfield and then some.

And with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante both out of contract at the end of the campaign, there is a genuine chance to earn a place within Blues boss Graham Potter’s plans.

The latter of the two, Kante, could see his superlative skills emulated by Kessie, who could place his pivoting presence at the heart of the Chelsea midfield and leave observers waxing lyrical.

Last season, in Serie A for Milan, the £44m-rated Kessie recorded an impressive average rating of 7.07, as per Sofascore, scoring six goals, completing 88% of his passes and making 1.3 tackles per outing en route to the league title.

And with Kante ranking among the top 6% of positional peers for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for tackles and interceptions, the semblance between the pair would leave Kessie in good stead should he indeed find himself donning Chelsea blue.

Indeed, the duo are clearly willing runners who don’t only possess a robust physicality to their play but they have the technical ability and athleticism to make an impact at the opposite end of the pitch too, making them incredibly dangerous midfield propositions.

Just because the “beast” – as dubbed by writer Sacha Pisani – has not quite found his feet in Spain, his superb skill set should not be forgotten, and he could make an excellent impact on an ambitious Chelsea side looking to reassert their authority at the forefront of European football.

Indeed, the maestro would be a dream for Boehly and co, and moves must be made to continue the rebuild in west London with his inclusion.