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A young Hong Kong side under Anshy Rath will look to make a mark in the side’s first Asia Cup match since 2008

The Preview by Danyal Rasool15-Sep-20182:43

Which three pacers should Pakistan play against Hong Kong?

Big PictureIf an Associate side wants to celebrate a landmark day, who better than Pakistan to share their (non-alcoholic) champagne with. They have championed the Associates’ cause more regularly and sincerely than any other Full Member, who have never quite exuded the superiority complex that, with the reduction of the World Cup to ten teams, has effectively become the ICC’s official policy now. The conviviality of this fixture is even more intimate now as the Associate who has entered through the qualifiers is Hong Kong. More than half of their squad has Pakistani heritage, and a number of them learned their craft in the country that they will be trying to upset.Pakistan will look to put pragmatism first, though. This is serious business; the Asia Cup is the third-biggest ODI tournament in the world, given the number of viewers in the continent and the passion of the followers far outstrips any other regional fan base. And there’s also the small matter of hitting top gear as the World Cup approaches. Pakistan will be eager to show their Champions Trophy success last year wasn’t a one-off, but a harbinger of a golden age that this young team is keen to spearhead. There is a quiet confidence inside the camp that their line-up, at its best, is better than any other in the competition, and they will view the match against Hong Kong as an opportunity to make an emphatic statement.But Hong Kong, who will play their first Asia Cup match since 2008, are no pushovers. They have had a consistent dose of cricket since 2014, playing against the likes of Afghanistan and Ireland. Their most impressive win to date came against Afghanistan earlier this year in the World Cup qualifiers. While that wasn’t enough to see them through to England in 2019, they did manage to peak at the right time at the Asia Cup qualifiers in Malaysia, and edged out UAE in a thrilling final to make it to the UAE.Anshuman Rath hits the last ball of the innings for six over deep midwicket•Peter Della PennaThese will be suitable conditions for Hong Kong to perform to the best of their abilities. Spin bowling is their strength, and if used well, could cause Pakistan problems on the dry surfaces they’re likely to get in Dubai.Nadeem Ahmed is the leader of the attack and was, astonishingly, a part of both teams that played the Asia Cup in 2002 and 2008. But while his experienced left-arm spin does come in handy, Hong Kong, as ever, have a strikingly young team to represent them. Twenty-year-old wicketkeeper Anshy Rath is captain, while no fewer than ten of the 17 players in the squad are yet to celebrate their 24th birthday.Form guideHong Kong: LLWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)Pakistan: WWWWWIn the spotlightBabar Azam is feted as Pakistan’s best batting prospect for ages, and his statistics, especially in ODI cricket, back up the hype. An average of close to 55 with eight hundreds in 44 innings suggests a fairytale start to his international career, and he will be feeling confident of shining at a multi-nation tournament. Fresh on the back of a Zimbabwe tour where he wasn’t really challenged – he scored 184 runs in four innings while being dismissed only once – he will view the Hong Kong game as an ideal opportunity to get his eye in before the match against India on Wednesday.If Pakistan bat first, expect them to score big, and when that happens these days, Babar tends to end up among big runs. With Virat Kohli not playing the tournament, it’s even arguable that he is the best player in the competition, but it will be much sweeter to have that said about him at the end of the tournament rather than the beginning.Hong Kong is the only side in the tournament with a captain under the age of 30. And that’s by some distance; Anshy Rath is barely 20 years old. A classic case of Hong Kong pushing their youth policy to the limit, Rath was appointed after star batsman Babar Hayat abruptly stepped down on the eve of the first qualifying game last month. It didn’t seem to overly burden him as he went on to score a century in his third match as skipper, following it with a crucial half-century against Nepal, to end up their leading run-scorer in the competition. He might not have dreamed of taking on Pakistan and India before his 21st birthday, never mind leading his side out for those games. It will be an emotional moment for Rath, but for a cricketer to whom stardom comes so easily, who is to say he won’t burst to global fame with a noteworthy performance in the next few days.1:40

Can Babar Azam fire in his maiden Asia Cup?

Team newsHong Kong’s batting depth has been a concern, particularly since Mark Chapman left to ply his trade in New Zealand. The top order will be crucial, but they’re unlikely to make any changes to the side that eked out a nervy win against the UAE in the qualifying final.Hong Kong (probable): 1 Nizakat Khan, 2 Anshy Rath (capt & wk), 3 Babar Hayat, 4 KD Shah, 5 Christopher Carter, 6 Ehsan Khan, 7 Aizaz Khan, 8 Scott McKechnie, 9 Tanwir Afzal, 10 Ehsan Nawaz, 11 Nadeem AhmedPakistan, too, are likely to take this game as seriously as any other, if only because they will want their strongest XI firing on all cylinders ahead of their meeting with India. The biggest question still remains whether Pakistan know what their best bowling combination is, and which of the six fast bowlers they have brought to the UAE deserve the nod in the final XI.Pakistan (probable): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 6 Asif Ali 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Usman KhanPitch and conditionsThe Dubai surface is usually extremely dry, even by the UAE standards, but it does tend to take turn later on in the match, particularly under lights. The weather will be extremely hot and sunny – the forecast for the highest tomorrow is 41 C – which may test the fitness of the quick bowlers.Stats and triviaFrom the 22 players who lined up against each other when these two teams met for the first time, in 2004, one player from each side is still standing. Shoaib Malik and Nadeem are likely to battle again, just as they did in Colombo 14 years ago.It is nearly three years since Pakistan lost an ODI in the UAE. That came against England in November 2015, and since then, Pakistan have won all eight matches they’ve played there.

Liverpool supporters have finally received compensation payments from UEFA for injuries suffered before the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.

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Chaos before final in ParisLiverpool fans harmed before kick-offCompensation now set to be paid outWHAT HAPPENED?

UEFA and Liverpool supporters have come to a compensation agreement in regards to injuries suffered ahead of the 2022 Champions League final in Paris. There was chaos before kick-off with a report finding Liverpool fans were robbed and tear-gassed by police in violent scenes that saw the game delayed by over 30 minutes. Fans experienced physical and psychological trauma due to the events that took place which led to legal action being launched in 2022. An agreement to compensate those affected has now finally been reached.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT UEFA SAID

A statement read: "UEFA has today concluded a full and final settlement with those Liverpool fans represented by Pogust Goodhead and Bingham Long and who have raised personal injury claims in respect of their experiences at the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final that took place in Paris.

“The parties have agreed the terms of this statement but that the terms of the settlement will otherwise remain confidential. The settlement agreement has been made without any admission of liability. UEFA is pleased to have reached a common position which it is hoped provides closure for the fans. UEFA will be making no further comment in relation to the same."

WHAT LIVERPOOL'S LAW FIRM SAID

Liverpool supporters were represented by law firms Pogust Goodhead and Bingham Long. Managing Director Gerard Long said: "We are delighted to have reached an agreement for compensation for supporters of Liverpool Football Club that were impacted by the events surrounding the Champions League Final in May 2022. As a local firm, it was important for us to be able to report back to them that we had resolved the matter without lengthy legal proceedings, and they will receive some compensation.

“I would like to make clear that no deduction will be taken from my clients’ damages and that they will therefore receive 100% of the compensation received as part of this settlement.”

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Liverpool fans were initially blamed for the chaos before an independent report found that the fault lay with UEFA and the French authorities. Europe's governing body subsequently issued refunds for Reds supporters who attended the game.

There has been a suggestion that West Ham United could move to offload an "extremely tidy" player of theirs in the January transfer window.

Who could leave West Ham?

Hammers head coach David Moyes faces the prospect of losing many of his current squad in 2024, as a plethora of West Ham players look set to leave upon the expiry of their contracts next year. Indeed, Tomas Soucek, Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna's terms all run out in the next 10 months, though the likes of Soucek, Coufal and Antonio's deals contain further one-year options (West Ham contracts – Transfermarkt).

As such, the window's anticipated re-opening could represent an opportunity for West Ham, technical director Tim Steidten and sporting director Mark Noble to move on a few members of this crop and generate funds before they depart for nothing. This is especially true for the likes of Soucek, as reports suggest that the Czech Republic international could in fact be sold if terms over a new deal aren't agreed soon (Football Insider).

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Johnson, Coventry and Fornals will definitely leave when their contracts run out. The latter could even depart in January if Sevilla step up their interest, but West Ham are set to demand around £10 million (Claret & Hugh). There could be some serious changes afoot at the London Stadium pretty soon, with journalist Paul Brown now sharing an update on Cresswell and his particular situation.

Aaron Cresswell transfer update

The left-back, who has become more surplus behind Emerson despite his contribution in recent years, could leave in January too if his minutes in the first team don't pick up. That is according to journalist Paul Brown, who told GiveMeSport:

"It's possible that Aaron Cresswell leaves. At one time, he was a key part of this team and a guaranteed starter pretty much every week. That's not so much the case anymore.

"If he is not getting that by January, it may be best for all parties if he does make a move."

The Englishman has made over 330 appearances for West Ham in all competitions since joining from Ipswich Town, with journalist Sam Delaney once hailing the "extremely tidy" player.

"At left centre-back, he’s like a secret weapon, because he’s extremely tidy in defence but, usually, no one is expecting your centre-back to be a threat going forward," said Delaney to the U Irons podcast in 2021.

“He takes up that deep position on the left and receives balls from whoever’s playing at left wing-back and delivers beautiful crosses from there – which is not always a position that the opposition are ready for you to be attacking from."

The partnership that CSA entered into with SuperSport could also be at risk, and the board is at risk of heavy financial losses if the tournament is postponed again

Firdose Moonda17-Aug-2018South Africa’s stadiums have had to submit bids to host a team in the new, yet-to-be-named T20 tournament by Friday. Six venues will be chosen after an independent process by analytics agency Nielsen Sports, who will present their preferences to CSA’s board.The six venues will correspond to the six teams that will play in the competition – for example if the Wanderers is chosen, a team from Johannesburg will feature in the new tournament. No other specifics of the competition have been made public yet, but CSA CEO Thabang Moroe will meet with the board over the weekend to iron out some details.High on the agenda will be the partnership with the broadcaster SuperSport, which was announced as an equity partner in the new tournament in June, to an uproar from the original GLT20 owners. Four of those owners – Durban Qalanders, Bloem City Blazers, Nelson Mandela Bay Stars and Pretoria Mavericks – have threatened CSA with legal action, with owners reserving their rights to teams.When Moroe, along with CSA Acting COO Naasei Appiah, and board members Iqbal Khan and Louis von Zeuner, met with the GLT20 owners last week, they said they could reconsider the deal with SuperSport and also that they would get back to the owners in 10 days. One owner told ESPNcricinfo that the terms of CSA’s agreement with SuperSport had not yet been agreed, and the contract was not considered finalised.ESPNcricinfo understands that there is now a possibility that SuperSport could pull out of the equity deal and remain in a broadcast capacity only, opening the door for the teams to be privately owned. CSA could face major losses if the tournament goes ahead with SuperSport forgoing its 49% equity share and the continuing opposition from within the board towards private ownership. However, postponing the competition again will have a similar financial stain on CSA, leaving the organisation scrambling over how to pull the event off.In the meantime, CSA have not released any details of domestic fixtures for the new season, which is about a month away. Franchises have received tentative schedules, with the first-class competition set to start at the end of September. A franchise twenty-over tournament is also on the calendar, which means CSA will host two (three if you count the Africa T20 Cup) twenty-over tournaments in the 2018-19 season.

United States women's legend Megan Rapinoe reflected on her glittering career ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she won't be featuring.

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Rapinoe hung up boots in 2023 finaleWon't represent USWNT at 2024 OlympicsGives blunt assessment of glittering careerGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Rapinoe announced she would be retiring from the game at the end of the 2023 season, calling time on a trophy-laden career. She retired as one of the greatest legends of women's soccer, coming through as the sport found its footing in America. Across her 17 years in the game, Rapinoe won gold at the London 2012 Olympics and savoured World Cup glory twice. But despite countless accolades at international level, the 38-year-old admitted her journey was a "long" one.

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She said of her USWNT career to : "I describe my journey as a journey. It has been long. It's always special to represent your country that way, to be one of the few. It's challenging in so many ways, as soon as you accomplish one thing, there is something more. You can't really rest on what you have done prior."

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That final statement rings true once again for the USWNT, who without Rapinoe bounced back from their World Cup disappointment to win the CONCACAF W Gold Cup earlier this month. They now face the daunting prospect of an Olympic Games without the legendary winger, doing so for the first time in 14 years.

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DID YOU KNOW?

While she became a legend of NWSL side Seattle Reign, Rapinoe's career involved journeys across the U.S. and around the world. She joined the Chicago Red Stars in 2009 before switching to the now-defunct teams of Philadelphia Independence and magicJack. Rapinoe enjoyed spells with the Seattle Sounders, Sydney FC in Australia and French side Lyon Women before joining OL Reign in 2014.

Arsenal forward Alessia Russo shared a heartwarming birthday message to England team-mate Mary Earps after the Manchester United goalkeeper turned 31.

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Earps celebrated birthday on ThursdayReceives countless messages from fellow football starsRusso shares heartwarming collage for Man Utd 'keeperWHAT HAPPENED?

The Lionesses goalkeeping icon celebrated her birthday on Thursday and, naturally, received countless well-wishes from team-mates, past and present. One of those was Russo, who remains Earps' international colleague but used to be her club team-mate at United. As such, the Arsenal forward has a collection of touching photos with the England shot stopper, which she shared in a collage to celebrate her birthday.

AdvertisementWHAT RUSSO SAID

Russo posted her collage on her Instagram story, which Earps reposted, alongside the words: "Happy birthday to my coffee partner and my big sis. Love you always mazza. You're the best."

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United have, perhaps unsurprisingly, faltered since Russo's departure in the summer, with Earps and Co a whopping 12 points off the pace in the WSL title race, and nine points off the Gunners in the last remaining European spot. Despite clearly missing former team-mate Earps, Russo has not looked back as her six goals and three assists in 14 league appearances has catapulted her side to within three points off joint-leaders Chelsea and Manchester City.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RUSSO & EARPS?

Russo and Arsenal are next in action in a crunch WSL clash against reigning champions Chelsea next Friday. Earps' United side, meanwhile, are in action this Saturday when they play Brighton for a place in the FA Women's Cup semi-finals.

Ben Raine hit the second-fastest century by an Englishman – from just 41 balls – as Birmingham Bears suffered a shock at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network13-Jul-2018
ScorecardA brilliant century from Ben Raine lifted Leicestershire Foxes to a 102-run victory over Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast at Edgbaston.Former Durham all-rounder Raine smashed his way to 100 from just 41 balls, the second-fastest T20 century by an Englishman, on his way to a blistering 113 from 46 balls with eight fours and ten sixes.Leicestershire are desperate to keep Raine on their books, valuing his combative talents with bat and ball, but he is being pursued by a number of counties – and nights like this will not do anything to calm them down.His first century in any format for Leicestershire featured some magnificent straight hitting and lifted the Foxes to their record T20 total – 229 for five.Talking T20 Podcast

This week Dan Norcross is joined by David Hopps to debate world records feats in the Vitality Blast from Ed Pollock, Joe Denly and (nearly) Dan Christian and still finds time to discuss carrots with Isabelle Westbury.
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Raine then took two wickets in his first over to leave Birmingham’s reply in early disarray 36 for three. There was no way back from that for the Bears who folded to 127 all out with five overs unused to leave the Foxes – the North Group dark horses – with their record T20 win and both teams with two wins and two defeats from four games in the North Group.Raine said: “It was one of those night when everything came off. You have got to back yourself and I am not worried when I come up against good teams like these. The coaches have come up with a lot of strategies for my white-ball game and I have come up with a method which has been working for me this season. “For me, it’s not a shock that an innings like this has come along. I knew I had it in me.”Put in, the Foxes were flying from the word go as Cameron Delport blasted 27 from 14 balls before sending up a skier off Olly Hannon-Dalby. Four balls later, Dom Sibley took a smart catch at cover to remove Neil Dexter but the fielder might soon have reflected that he’d have been better off dropping it as Raine launched his onslaught.He raced to 50 from 21 balls, reaching his half century in the midst of a barrage which brought 20 from four balls from off spinner Sibley.Raine sustained his punishment of a Bears team which was untypically ragged in the field. He dominated a third-wicket partnership of 142 in 66 balls with Mark Cosgrove (42, 41 balls, three fours, one six) and departed, having skied a return catch to Colin de Grandhomme, to a standing ovation from the home fans who appreciated the quality of Raine’s hitting even at the expense of their own team.Under immense pressure from the word go, Birmingham took 17 from the first over but that pressure soon took its toll. Ed Pollock (25, 14 balls) was bowled by Colin Ackermann’s third ball before Raine’s golden day got even better as his fourth and sixth deliveries removed Ian Bell and Sam Hain, caught at deep fine leg and extra cover respectively.Raine had not finished, taking a fine catch to remove the dangerous de Grandhomme, and when skipper Grant Elliott was stumped off spinner Callum Parkinson’s second ball, the Bears’ last vestige of hope disappeared.The Foxes’ perfect day ended with Parkinson rifling through the lower order for a T20 career-best four for 20.

Nottingham Forest hero Brice Samba was a key figure just a few days ago as Ligue 1 Lens put themselves back into the British consciousness following their impressive Champions League qualification.

Indeed, Samba's new side beat Premier League high-flyers Arsenal., as he made six integral saves in the 2-1 win. His performance was one of great intrigue and continued to cement how much of a brilliant acquisition he's been since leaving the City Ground for just £4.3m.

When did Nottingham Forest sign Samba?

Brice Samba signed for Forest in 2019. Joining for an undisclosed fee on a four-year-deal, the Congolese-born stopper came from Caen initially as a backup for Manchester City loan keeper Arijanet Muric. However, with steady performances when given the chance, and Muric displaying a series of costly mistakes – Samba became the first choice between the sticks.

The season prior, he had proven his worth at Caen as they fought for Ligue 1 survival: he made more saves (142) than any other 'keeper and helped limit them to conceding just 54 goals over the course of the campaign. This was a total fewer than the surrounding teams.

How did Samba play at Nottingham Forest?

Samba enjoyed a solid three Championship seasons as an assault on the Premier League slowly came to fruition. In his first season, he took little time to get acquainted with the City Ground faithful – as top form led to receiving the Championship POTM award for November 2019. Later that term, he even found a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

The pinnacle of Samba's Forest career arrived when he was a key part of Steve Cooper's team that gained playoff promotion – and his impact in the semi-finals live long in fans' memories. Against Sheffield United, 6 foot 2 Brice saved three spot kicks before playing the majority of the final against Huddersfield until he withdrew with a groin injury.

He'd given everything for the club and it was ultimately his last Forest outing. He turned down a new contract to go to Ligue 1 with Lens for a mere £4.3m. His decision was based on the raw desire of the French club despite labelling the Premier League being "a dream".

Back in his first season, then-teammate Matty Cash – seemingly anticipated Samba's growth and impact.

“His distribution is just ridiculous. His shot-stopping is brilliant — he is a fantastic goalkeeper and a big, big signing. He is a legend, he is a proper funny guy. He is professional, he does everything right on and off the field. He is a great asset to the club."

How good is Brice Samba now?

Well, to bookend this article, it's clear that Samba has grown exponentially from Championship-grade to Champions League-grade. He also popped onto the international radar, as back in March 2022 he received his first call up for the French national team.

2021/22s complete progress saw Lens jumping at the signature of the would-be-promoted keeper, and he took to Ligue 1 again similarly to how he had adapted to second-tier life in England.

In the first half of the campaign, he had nine clean sheets in just 19 games. Pushing this total to 15 in 38 games at the end of the season, he was included in the Ligue 1 TOTS as the best goalkeeper.

Samba had helped the dynamic Lens to only their third-ever Champions League participation as they finished third. His form has continued as according to FBref and FootballTransfers, the now-£22m-rated man provides outstanding numbers.

Compared to similar-level keepers, Samba sits in the top percentiles for multiple attributes. Goals against (his 0.95 per 90) reflect a top 9%. 78.1% save percentage puts him in the top 8%, and 7.8% of crosses stopped see him in the top 16% percentile. Quite the numbers; you may well suggest that Forest rue letting him so cheaply.

A section of Zimbabwe players have threatened to boycott the series unless their match fees dating back to their tour of Sri Lanka last year are settled

Firdose Moonda14-Jun-2018Uncertainty continues to cloud next month’s T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe, also involving Australia and Pakistan, which remains at risk of a Zimbabwe player boycott.Less than a day after sources told ESPNcricinfo Zimbabwe’s players “understood,” they would not be paid until at least July but acknowledged the importance of playing in the tri-series, the same sources confirmed the players demand for outstanding salaries to be paid by June 25 remains in place.Zimbabwe’s players are owed two months of salary and match fees dating back to their tour of Sri Lanka last year and a section of players remain adamant they will make themselves unavailable for international duty unless the bills are settled.However, some players have relaxed their view on taking part in the on-going warm-up matches against Kenya and have chosen to use the fixtures as practice in the event the tri-series goes ahead.As reported on Wednesday, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, John Nyumbu, Richmond Mutumbami, Tendai Chatara, Natsai M’shangwe, Donald Tiripano and Chris Mpofu played in games against Kenya but Hamilton Maskadza, Peter Moor, Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis, Ryan Burl and Sean Williams had not. Former captain Graeme Cremer, allrounder Sikandar Raza, batsman Craig Ervine and fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani were not named in the practice squads.Raza and Muzarabani are currently playing overseas. There were no fixtures scheduled for Thursday but Friday’s matches may reveal more about which players intend to avail themselves for the national side.Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has acknowledged that they are in a financially precarious position and have not been able to meet their commitments. Ten days ago, in a comment to ESPNcricinfo, ZC said it was “top priority,” to settle its bills and would begin processing payments. Since then, the players have received one month’s worth of salary but are still owed another two, as well as the long-overdue match fees.ZC have also since appointed Vince van der Bijl as a consultant to assist in plotting the way forward, while the players are operating through a representative Gerald Mlotchwa. The players are working on reforming an assoication, which became defunct in 2015, in order to negotiate with ZC.The tri-series is due to start on July 1 and then Zimbabwe are set to play five ODIs at home against Pakistan.

Wolverhampton Wanderers made a host of squad changes this summer, as the Old Gold battled financial restrictions with maintaining a Premier League worthy side.

Many big names bid farewell to Molineux to both begin new chapters of their careers and generate profit for the club to balance the books with, with the club’s record departure fee broken twice in the window.

Former club-captain Ruben Neves joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for £47m, which was a figure blown out of the water on deadline day as Manchester City obtained Matheus Nunes for £53m.

As well as generating money through sales, Fosun will be spared millions in wages for those that have departed, with some players earning far more than what their performance levels portray.

One player that left Molineux this season temporarily is Daniel Podence, who joined former club Olympiacos on loan after his contract in the Midlands was extended to 2025.

How much has Daniel Podence cost Wolves?

Signed for £17m in 2020, Podence has had three and a half years to impose himself in the Premier League, with him leaving on loan this summer suggestive of the fact that he hasn’t quite made the impact that was expected.

Earning £60k-per-week at Wolves, the 27-year-old has so far collected over £12m in wages representing the Old Gold, amounting to 105 appearances in all competitions.

At the point of his arrival in England, the Portuguese winger had an expected transfer value (xTV) of just €8.1m (£7m), a figure that has alarmingly decreased to €5.6m (£4.8m) as it is today, telling of the needless expense Fosun spent to welcome and maintain him, via FootballTransfers.

Taking into consideration his wages plus his transfer fee, Podence has cost Wolves £29m in total, a price that will rise at the point of his return.

Another worrying element of the deal is that it’s highly unlikely that the Midlands side will generate any profit from a future sale, despite him extending his contract prior to his temporary exit, considering the decline in his market value.

Has he been worth it?

In 105 appearances for Wolves, Podence has scored just 16 goals, with his highest scoring tally coming last season where he netted six in 32 Premier League games.

Prior to the 2022/23 campaign, the 27-year-old’s highest scoring Premier League season was in 2020/21, where he was on the score sheet three times in 24 appearances, highlighting his lack of contribution in the final third.

Dividing the total expense that Fosun have spent on the Portugal international with the number of goals he has scored, it works out that Wolves have paid £1.8m-per-goal for the dud, who has been previously dubbed as “frustrating” by The Athletic journalist Steve Madeley.

What is particularly frustrating for the Old Gold is that the winger has got off to a flying start to life at his former club, scoring three in four appearances for Olympiacos in the Stoiximan Super League.

It’s destined to be a long way back for Podence at Wolves, who was criticised by Gary O’Neil before his exit for his ambition not being “aligned” to that of the squad, making any return look increasingly unlikely after the 2023/24 campaign.

While his future is unpredictable, one thing that is certain is that Fosun have been rinsed of millions by the forward, who has failed to repay such debts through his performances on the pitch since his arrival.