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BBC News
6 minutes ago
- BBC News
Cardiff exit Champions League after defeat to Athlone
Cardiff City Women bowed out of the Champions League qualifiers after they lost 4-0 to Athlone Town in the semi-finals of the first qualifying Groves put the reigning League of Ireland Women's Premier Division champions ahead after 15 Molloy's two goals in the space of three minutes before the break gave the hosts a 3-0 lead at Waesch's goal early in the second half sealed the win and end the Welsh double winners' hopes of will face newly-crowned Croatian champions ZNK Agram in the final on Saturday, 2 August.
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Benjamin Sesko: Is Man Utd, Newcastle and Chelsea target on brink of big move?
"He's good in front of goal. He has a good attitude. He is relentless."You can see why Premier League teams are interested in £70m-rated Leipzig striker Benjamin only being 22, it feels as if the Slovenia international has been linked to English football for years - so could this be the summer he makes the move?Manchester United have made him their top striker target, while Newcastle United want him - if Alexander Isak had been strongly linked to Arsenal for some time before they went for Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres. Plus Chelsea, too (though who isn't...?).Big, strong, quick, good in the air and a fine finisher, Sesko has been compared to Erling Haaland - and not just because they both played for why are so many clubs being linked with him? 'The quality to play in one of Europe's best sides' Sesko is a goalscorer. In fact, nobody in his age range has scored more goals in the past two seasons (more on that later).But last season he became more of an all-rounder, with 9.7% of his touches coming in the opposition box - compared with 17% the season got involved more on both wings and further back into midfield. He was one of the fastest strikers in the Bundesliga at 35.7km/h - and had the best aerial success rate of strikers involved in at least 60 of them.A recruitment specialist working at the highest level recently spoke to BBC Sport reporter Alex Howell about Sesko, who stands at 6ft 5in tall."He's so athletic, he's big, physical and strong," said the anonymous source."I think the physicality of the Premier League won't overawe him. "When you look at some players in Europe, where the tempo is slower, you see them struggle to transition to bigger leagues."The Bundesliga is one of the big three in the world, but when you look at transitioning in big leagues he has the physical capabilities to do it." And what are some other qualities of Sesko, who idolised former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he was younger?"He is clinical, he can drop in into space," said the recruitment expert."One of his strengths is getting the ball quickly. He can hold it, hold defenders off, he can give it to the winger, he can give it to the 10."He's good in front of goal. He has a good attitude. He is relentless.""You wouldn't expect him to hit the ground running straight away, but in six to 12 months he will be fine and you've got yourself a very good player."Central European football expert Lukas Vrablik added: "I think Sesko has the quality to play in one of Europe's best sides. He can be a big asset. At the same time he's a player who will develop. "He's not the finished product yet. Right now he might not be one of the best strikers in Europe, but he has room for improvement." So how prolific is he? Sesko has spent the past two seasons in Germany with Leipzig, having joined them from sister club Salzburg in was a deal that had been agreed and announced in the summer of 2022 - making him unavailable for any English has scored 39 goals in 87 games in all competitions in those two seasons (plus eight assists), with 27 in 64 in the of those goals have come in the Champions moving to Germany, Sesko is the top goalscorer currently aged under 23 in all competitions, of players who are based in Europe's top five is one above Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and five clear of Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £100m this summer."Last season, I don't think he was as good as the season before - but that was also influenced by Leipzig not being so good as a team," added Vrablik."There are big expectations for him as a striker. There is big hype around him."Sesko has shown clinical finishing in his time in Germany, six forwards have scored more goals in the Bundesliga in the past two seasons, even though Sesko is 16th for expected goals, 14th on shots and 22nd on touches in the opposition he is lethal from long range too, with 36.8% of his shots - and 23.1% of his goals - coming from outside the box. Both are higher than any Bundesliga striker to score 12 or more goals last season. Where it all started for 'confident' Sesko All of Sesko's senior football so far has come for Red Bull teams in Europe, having left home aged 16 for played two seasons for Salzburg's feeder club - Liefering - in Austria's second tier, scoring 22 goals in 44 21 goals of those came in 2020-21, having only netted once the season from there he played for Salzburg, bagging 29 goals in 79 games in two full seasons. He won the league both seasons, plus the Austrian Cup, scoring in the final win over journalist Miran Zore said in 2024: "We kind of expected his success but no-one knew he was so special, except his agent, Elvis Basanovic, who tried to convince people about his potential. "He used to send messages to scouts and directors, saying, 'this is the next goal machine'."When he was struggling in Salzburg at the start, people were asking his agent, 'where's this goal machine'. Now, everyone is laughing about it." In 2022, Sesko himself was quoted as saying: "My team-mates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I'm better than him."Manchester City striker Haaland (who left Salzburg before Sesko's debut) netted the same amount of goals for the Austrian club as Sesko - but the Norwegian only needed 27 matches, 34% of the amount Sesko maybe his team-mates were just being so, that comment alone would suggest some degree of self-assurance."I hear from people in Slovenia who worked with him that he's a really hard-working guy - and really confident," said Vrablik. "He has a healthy confidence, which is really important for a striker."For his country, Sesko has scored 16 goals in 41 games and featured for them at Euro 2024. Only three players have ever scored more for the former Yugoslav in 2024, former Slovenia international Miran Pavlin said: "He has to focus on playing well and the transfer will come - if not this year, then in one or two years. "He has the potential to be one of the top 10 strikers in the world, for sure." Man Utd lead the chase - but where will he actually go? There is no certainty that Sesko will leave they have failed to qualify for Europe this season and have started a summer rebuild under new boss Ole Sport was told Sesko has an informal agreement with his club that he can leave if an elite team offer about £ Sesko joined Leipzig from sister club Salzburg in 2023 he had a release clause of £55m - but last summer he signed a new long-term suggest that also has a release clause, which has begs the question of who could afford him? The answer is: not many teams bar Premier League sides or Saudi clubs."He's well positioned to make a difference at a top club. It's just a matter of time until he moves," said Vrablik. "But maybe not this summer."I think the price paid a part [on why he hasn't moved yet]. There are not many clubs who can afford him right now, which is a problem if he wants to move on."I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay at Leipzig another season. It might be good for his development if he can repeat the season from before Euro 2024."It depends on the market, maybe some departure would bring this effect. I expected him to end up at Arsenal." Arsenal were interested in Sesko before signing Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, in a deal worth up to £64m (73m euros ) - so still big money, but slightly United had put Sesko and Aston Villa's England striker Ollie Watkins at the top of their list, but are now focusing on the Slovenian and have spoken to have already spent £130m on forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, but still have money to Hojlund is United's other Newcastle also want Sesko - if their own star striker Isak was not part of their pre-season tour to Asia and BBC Sport was told he is looking at his are said to be interested in Isak but a move would certainly cost in excess of £100m. That fee would, in turn, leave Newcastle able to afford Wilson left St James' Park on a free transfer this summer, meaning 21-year-old William Osula would be their only senior striker if Isak did Manchester United, a move to the Magpies would enable Sesko to play in the Champions League next would Chelsea - who have also been the Blues have already signed strikers Liam Delap and Joao Pedro for a combined £90m this summer, so would need to offload Nicolas Jackson and perhaps of Europe's elite teams - including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan - have also been reportedly keen in the past those links have gone it be the same for those Premier League clubs currently in the mix for his signature - or is this finally the summer Sesko makes his move?
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Chelsea agree deal for Ajax defender Hato
Chelsea have agreed a fee of around £37m for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, subject to the Dutch club's supervisory board 19-year-old Dutchman is expected to sign a seven-year contract lasting until 2032 and will complete a medical, having been given the green light to travel to west London. Chelsea consider Hato a talented young option to add competition to the backline, where he is capable of playing at either left-back or in central made his senior debut for Ajax in February 2023 at just 16 years and 335 days old, making him the third-youngest player ever to feature in an Eredivisie game for the clubHe has made 75 appearances for the Eredivisie side and made his senior debut for the Netherlands in have decided to sell him, with a need to raise funds after a two-year hiatus from the substantial revenues of the Champions League. They will return to Europe's top-tier competition this season. Chelsea are believed to be close to finishing their summer business but remain in the market for another attacker, having held talks with the representatives of RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons without making a formal bid. They are also aiming to make further player sales with Christopher Nkunku likely to leave, as well as an openness to sell striker Nicolas Jackson for the right price. There also remains a squad of unwanted players training separately from Enzo Maresca's first team, including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu. Who have Chelsea signed this summer? Hato would be Chelsea's eighth addition to the squad this summer, with their spending so far reaching a combined sum of over £250m, which is balanced by over £150m of player Gittens - £48m from Borussia Dortmund. The England youth international arrives from the Bundesliga with a growing reputation as a direct, pacey winger capable of unlocking Pedro - £55m from Brighton. Chelsea moved swiftly to secure the Brazilian forward, who impressed in the Premier League with his creativity, link-up play and finishing Delap - £30m from Ipswich Town. A powerful striker with Premier League experience, Delap adds a different profile to Chelsea's attacking Sarr - £12m from Lyon. The 19-year-old centre-back joins as one for the future, bringing strength and composure in defence after progressing through Lyon's Essugo - £18m from Sporting CP. A highly rated Portuguese midfielder, Essugo is known for his tenacity and maturity, having debuted in Liga Portugal at just 16 years Willian - the Brazil winger joined the Blues from Palmeiras this summer in a £29m deal that was agreed in May Paez - a £17m deal to sign Ecuadorian teenager Paez was agreed in 2023 but he has linked up with Chelsea this summer after turning 18 in May.
