Tag Futebol

حسم نادي ليفربول متصدر جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز موقفه من التعاقد مع مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي آينتراخت فرانكفورت، عمر مرموش، في يناير.

وكانت هناك العديد من التقارير الصحفية التي ربطت ليفربول بإمكانية ضم مرموش في الميركاتو الشتوي خاصة مع انخفاض مستوى، داروين نونيز.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماركا: أرنولد أبلغ ليفربول بقراره النهائي بشأن مستقبله

ولكن بحسب صحيفة “ذا أثلتيك” البريطانية فإن ليفربول لن يتعجل في ضم أي مهاجم جديد خلال الشهر المقبل وبالتالي، فمن غير المرجح أن يتعاقد الريدز مع عمر مرموش حتى نهاية الموسم.

أيضًا تم وضع اسم مرموش على طاولة ليفربول من أجل تعويض رحيل محتمل لمواطنه محمد صلاح، بعد تألقه اللافت للأنظار مع فرانكفورت هذا الموسم ومنافسته، هاري كين، على صدارة الهدافين في الدوري الألماني.

الجدير بالذكر أن هناك أكثر من نادٍ خارجي يرغب في ضم مرموش مثل توتنهام، نوتينجهام فورست، برينتفورد وبعيدًا عن إنجلترا هناك برشلونة وروما.

Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is looking to grow his £75 million ($100m) fortune after becoming a shareholder in an oats company.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Tied to a lucrative contract in Munich
• Expanding investments away from the pitch
• Starred in comical announcement video

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 31-year-old continues to do the business on the field, as captain of his country and a prolific presence at club level. Kane won the European Golden Shoe with Bayern last season, before helping to fire England to the final of Euro 2024.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT KANE SAID

  Kane is now back in Germany and expanding his business interests. It has been revealed that the former Tottenham frontman has invested in the German-British oats company 3Bears. He has said of that partnership: “As an athlete, breakfast is the most important meal for me and of course I pay a lot of attention to what I eat, and what my family eats too. When I discovered 3Bears, I was deeply impressed by how they take oatmeal to a new level.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The porridge-producing company, which is based in Munich and was founded in 2016, will allow Kane to get involved in various projects – including developing his own product line and having a say in marketing processes.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  Kane has starred in a comical video promoting his deal with 3Bears, but his day job remains out of the pitch with Bayern. He has already hit two hat-tricks this season, taking him to 10 goals in total, and will be hoping to enjoy a return to England on Wednesday when Bayern face Aston Villa in the Champions League.

Everything you need to know about the new Barcelona kits for the 2024-25 season.

Barcelona continue to partner with Nike for the 2024-25 season as the club marks its 125th anniversary in style.

Shop Barcelona 2024-25 kits at NikeBuy now

The American sports manufacturing giants have been supplying the Catalonia-based side's kits since 1998 and the the 26-year-old partnership with Nike will continue despite a switch to Puma being considered at one point.

GOAL takes a look at what the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and co. will be wearing in the upcoming season.

READ MORE: All the new 2024-25 football kitsNikeBarcelona 2024-25 home kit, release date & priceShop Barcelona 2024-25 kits at NikeBuy now

Barcelona's 2024-25 home kit has been billed as being "inspired by the club's legacy, trajectory and roots" and it is a throwback to the first ever Barca kit from 1899. It was officially released on July 18, 2024.

Instead of vertical blue and maroon stripes, the 2024-25 home kit features just two blocks of blue and maroon on the torso, with the Barcelona club crest uniting them in the middle, while the sleeves are in corresponding blue and maroon colours.

The Nike 'swoosh' and the Spotify logo are rendered in gold, while the Catalan colours are visible on the back of the collar.

Very similar to the iconic 1998-99 season kit – then unveiled as Barca's 100th-anniversary kit (1899-1999) – this kit marks the club's 125th anniversary.

AdvertisementNikeBarcelona 2024-25 away kit, release date & priceShop Barcelona 2024-25 kits at NikeBuy now

Barcelona's away kit for 2024-25 is a black number, with subtle neon-like flourishes featuring the club colours on the crest and Nike logo.

The Spotify logo is emblazoned on the front of the shirt and rendered in a pinkish, neon red, while maroon and blue feature on the sides.

It was officially released in September 2024, just after the season started.

GettyBarcelona 2024-25 third kit, release date & priceShop Barcelona 2024-25 kits at NikeBuy now

After some delays, FC Barcelona have finally unveiled their third kit for the 2024/25 season on September 17, as part of their "Together We Rise" campaign, which celebrates the rise of women's football and reflects the belief that women and girls are driving forces behind change.

Following the success of their two-tone home kit, which celebrates the club’s 125th anniversary, and the black away kit, first showcased against Girona last weekend, the light green third strip has now been revealed. Featuring a unique blend of green hues, it marks a first for the club during this milestone year.

The Nike Barça 2024-25 third jersey showcases a sleek and contemporary design, blending a soft "Barely Volt" hue with striking blue logos and detailing. Officially, the shades are labeled as "Barely Volt / Old Royal."

A unique feature of the shirt is the inclusion of a gender symbol, adding a thought-provoking touch to its design. While the color palette isn't entirely new for the Catalan giants, with Volt being a familiar choice, this marks the first time the club has donned the softer "Barely Volt" shade.

As seen with Nike's other 2024-25 third kits, Barcelona’s jersey includes a rotated Swoosh. The crest sits on the left side in a vibrant monochrome volt design, accented with blue.

The Blaugrana might debut the new kit in their Champions League opener against AS Monaco on Thursday at the Stade Louis II.

Released on September 17, the Nike Barcelona 2024-25 third jersey is available for purchase at a price of €150 (£125, $167).

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Barcelona 2024-25 training kit release date & price

According to leaks, Barcelona's 2024-25 training kit will be in garnet with inserts of gold and blue.

Deliberated as the new Nike Vaporknit pattern, the jersey is based on Nike's 2024 national team shirts with a new pattern over the shoulders.

All the logos, including that of the brand, sponsors and club crest will be embossed in gold.

The pricing for the training wear is likely to be around £65 ($80) for the adult version.

Robin van Persie's Heerenveen side fell to a 9-1 defeat against AZ Alkmaar, bringing about the Dutch side's worst-ever loss.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Heerenveen lose 9-1 to AZ AlkmaarVan Persie equals the club's worst defeatTroy Parrott scores four goalsGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Life for Van Persie as a senior team head coach has been average so far, as his Heerenveen side began the season with one win, a draw and defeat. However, on Saturday evening, things took a turn for the worse as the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker – who played under the likes of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson in his distinguished career – led his side to a 9-1 thrashing in the Eredivisie against Alkmaar.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sven Mijnans opened the scoring for the hosts just four minutes into the match. Heerenveen equalised through Luuk Brouwers before the 20-minute mark, however, former Tottenham Hotspur striker Troy Parrott scored four goals before the hour-mark to put Van Persie's side in serious peril. Ibrahim Sadiq, Mexx Meerdink, Kristijan Belic and Zico Buurmeester all found the net to complete a humiliating thrashing.

DID YOU KNOW?

The loss against Alkmaar on Saturday equalled Heerenveen's worst-ever defeat, as the side had lost 8-0 to eventual Eredivisie champions PSV last season in April. The four-goal showing at AFAS Stadion also made Parrott the league's current top scorer, tied with PSV's Hirving Lozano.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR HEERENVEEN?

Van Persie will hope to see the Dutch side shake off the embarrassing scoreline as soon as possible – with former Netherlands international already looking forward to their next Eredivisie clash against Twente on Tuesday, September 17.

Leeds United got their stuttering promotion charge at the top of Championship back on track with a win over Middlesbrough on Monday night, but it was anything but smooth sailing for the Whites at the Riverside Stadium.

Michael Carrick's men constantly found a way to unnerve and unsettle Daniel Farke's automatic promotion-chasing Whites, with Emmanuel Latte Lath in particular causing the likes of Joe Rodon and Illan Meslier all sorts of bother in the barnstorming 4-3 contest.

The final scoreline would ultimately swing in Leeds' favour to the visible relief of the German manager at full-time, helped by Wilfried Gnonto putting in another blistering display from down the right wing.

Now onto nine goals in all competitions for the season after firing home for 3-2 against Boro, the £3.8m fee Leeds splashed to sign Gnonto only two years ago continues to look like an absolute masterstroke.

Wilfried Gnonto's transfer to Leeds

If Leeds do end up parting ways with their dynamic Italian attacker in the very near future, the Whites will take some reassurance away from the fact they will end up making a very healthy profit on their star player.

The £3.8m spent to secure the slick winger's services from FC Zurich at the back end of 2022 continues to look like a golden bargain, with the 20-year-old ripping it up in the Championship as of late with Daniel James having to make do with a spot on the Leeds bench recently as a result.

The deal looks even more like a steal when you evaluate the millions Leeds wasted on other flops in the same transfer window Gnonto arrived into Elland Road, with the likes of Brenden Aaronson costing the Whites a reported £25m who is now nowhere to be seen in Farke's promotion-chasing camp.

Leeds won't think about selling on their standout 5 foot 7 winger just yet however even with higher-up suitors rumoured to be eyeing up his services, hoping that the 20-year-old can continue delivering in pressurised games to steer Leeds even closer to an immediate return to the Premier League.

Georginio Rutter

£36m

Brenden Aaronson

£25m

Luis Sinisterra

£21m

Tyler Adams

£20m

Marc Roca

£10.9m

Maximilian Wober

£10m

Darko Gyabi

£5m

Wilfried Gnonto

£3.8m

Wilfried Gnonto's numbers at Leeds

Gnonto would quickly become a fan's favourite during his first season donning Leeds white, succeeding whilst other names on that extensive list failed to settle down in their new West Yorkshire location.

The diminutive winger would net four goals during his debut season in all competitions, with one of those strikes coming in the FA Cup – away from the slog of the Premier League – against Cardiff City where the attacker would net this sublime beauty.

Gnonto also terrorised top-flight defences for Leeds even with his team suffering relegation at the end of his first campaign, with football talent scout Antonio Mango describing the Italian attacker as "explosive" in the process.

It wasn't a shock, therefore, to see a number of Premier League clubs circle for the 20-year-old's services in the immediate aftermath of Leeds' disastrous demise down to the second tier, with Gnonto even refusing to play at the start of this campaign to try and push a move through.

Gnonto would eventually decide to knuckle down and stay put in West Yorkshire away from being a disruptive presence, a smart decision by the now on-fire number 29 who has become even better under Farke.

His electric display away at Boro showed off how crucial he is to his side's promotion chances currently away from just his decisive strike getting the better of a shaky Seny Dieng, with a remarkable 11 ground duels won as a constant livewire at the Riverside.

Leeds slapping a bumper £30m fee above Gnonto's head is no coincidence therefore, with Farke fully aware that the likes of Everton will come back in for the former Inter Milan man soon.

Wilfried Gnonto's transfer value in 2024

That £30m price tag means the 20-year-old is now worth two times more than Kalvin Phillips' value currently, further exposing how much the former Leeds great has fallen off since leaving the comforts of Elland Road behind for the riches of Manchester City and how much Gnonto has grown to become an exciting and valuable asset.

In the case of Phillips, the struggling star has seen his value slide all the way down to a meagre £13.3m, as per Football Transfers, with his loan stint at West Ham the latest chapter in his ongoing downfall.

Phillips will look to resurrect his faltering career after his dismal Hammers spell is over, with Leeds reportedly even taking a fancy to bringing back their former academy product to West Yorkshire in the summer.

They'll definitely be able to get him back for a cut-price, whilst knowing they can definitely sell on Gnonto for far more than the £3.8m they paid to Zurich only two years ago.

It remains to be seen what Gnonto's future entails at Leeds, but if Leeds do slip up at the final hurdle in their hunt to win promotion back to the top flight, expect the 20-year-old to be edging for a move to the Premier League without the Whites.

Leeds could soon cash in on a player who's worth more than Dan James

Leeds United will be faced with a conundrum about what to do with this star in the summer.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 21, 2024

Zimbabwe have a new captain in Chamu Chibhabha, who is returning to the side after 19 months

The Preview by Mohammad Isam29-Feb-2020Big pictureThe Mashrafe Mortaza retirement speculation circus has taken the spotlight in Bangladesh, turning the ODI series against Zimbabwe into a bit of a sideshow. To add more spice to the unfolding melodrama, BCB president Nazmul Hassan has already said that this is going to be Mashrafe’s last series as captain.But we mustn’t get carried away and consider the fact that Bangladesh are playing their first ODI after seven months with several changes in personnel, which certainly warrants a discussion. To start with, the team management could hand an ODI debut to Mohammad Naim, who impressed against India in November. Meanwhile, Liton Das could be given the No. 3 role, a position he has batted in on nine occasions averaging a paltry 15.87.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah will then have to bat around Mohammad Mithun and Afif Hossain, who is a like-for-like replacement for Sabbir Rahman. Mohammad Saifuddin is returning from a back injury, although it is likely that the team management will be monitoring his workload.For Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza and Craig Ervine will form the batting core, but how a new combination at the top – most likely Chamu Chibhabha opening with Timycen Maruma – and an iffy lower order shape up could determine their fate. Bowling-wise, a bit of pace and some accurate legspin from Tinotenda Mutombodzi could make the difference.Form guide
Bangladesh LLLLL
Zimbabwe LLLLL
Chamu Chibhabha has taken over as the new Zimbabwe ODI captain•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightMashrafe, sure, Mushfiqur Rahim is in the side too. In the one-off Test last week, Mushfiqur completed his third double-hundred in Tests, looking in sublime form. Bangladesh will expect their most experienced batsman to play the dual role of anchor and enforcer depending on the situation of the game. All in the shadow of the ongoing drama around his choosing not to travel to Pakistan.Chamu Chibhabha will have a lot to prove as he not only returns to the ODI team after July 2018, but also takes over as first time captain . A sedate top-order batsman who bowls brisk medium-pace, Chibahbha made a total of 77 runs in his last first-class match.Team newsFrom the squad against Sri Lanka last year, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman and Rubel Hossain have made way for captain Mashrafe, Saifuddin and Liton. Naim could make his debut, while Bangladesh have Taijul Islam, Al Amin Hossain and Shafiul Islam as bowling options.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal 2 Mohammad Naim, 3 Liton Das, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Mehidy Hasan, 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur RahmanChibhabha and Maruma are the likely new opening pair, though Tinashe Kamunhukamwe could also be in the picture. Zimbabwe also have 19-year-old spin-bowling allrounder Wesley Madhevere fresh out of the Under-19 side.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Chamu Chibhabha (capt), 2 Timycen Maruma, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Brendan Taylor (wk), 5 Sean Williams, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Tinotenda Mutombodzi, 8 Donald Tiripano, 9 Ainsley Ndlovu, 10 Chris Mpofu, 11 Carl MumbaPitch and conditionsSylhet typically offers a pitch without much grass and with even bounce. Plenty of runs are available if batsmen give it a bit of time. The weather should be clear.Stats and triviaTamim Iqbal is 108 runs short of becoming the first Bangladesh batsman to score 7000 ODI runs.Bangladesh have won the only ODI played at this venue, against West Indies in December 2018.

Tottenham are said to be very keen on bringing in a £60 million striker as chairman Daniel Levy and the recruitment team eye up Harry Kane successors.

Spurs sporadically linked with new centre-forward

While Richarlison is Spurs' current second top scorer in the league and has recently come into a rich vein of form, there is a real case to be made that the Brazilian isn't quite the long-term 20-plus-goal per-season striker which Ange Postecoglou could benefit from.

Tottenham readying bid for £43m player as Ange looks to tie up deals quick

They’re increasingly likely to make a move.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 21, 2024

There are even suggestions that Tottenham could opt to sell Richarlison and upgrade if they receive a big enough offer for him this summer, which perhaps adds fuel to the fire that a striker signing could well be possible.

Alasdair Gold hinted that Spurs are in contention for Brentford striker Ivan Toney earlier this week, and the England international would be quite a stellar capture if they can beat other top suitors to his signature.

"I would love to see Tottenham nick him off of Brentford and get there before Arsenal do," said Teddy Sheringham on Toney potentially joining Spurs.

"Toney has got something about him. He carries himself well and can take on the mantle of being the main man at a club. Everyone is suggesting that he could be the icing on the cake for Arsenal, but I think he could be a big, big player for Tottenham at this moment in time."

There are other, cheaper and more attainable names mentioned regarding the centre-forward role, though, with Union St. Gillosie striker Mohamed Amoura having quite the season.

Amoura has admirers at Spurs who've been running the rule over him in recent weeks, according to reports, and the Algeria sensation may well be one to watch when the transfer window reopens.

Another striker apparently attracting Postecoglou's attention is Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is already into double figures with 10 Serie A goals this season, and his performances are said to be turning heads in north London.

Tottenham really want to sign Zirkzee as price tag revealed

According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, as translated by Sport Witness, Tottenham have a strong interest in signing Zirkzee but Bologna could demand up to £60m to part company with their talisman.

It is unclear whether this valuation is enough to deter Spurs, but they will have to pay close to a record fee amid the growing clamour for Zirkzee's services.

"It was an excellent goal from a player with extraordinary qualities," said manager Thiago Motta, after a strike away to Sassuolo earlier this campaign.

"He scored a similar goal in training. Joshua is very talented, but I want to emphasize that he also works very hard for it."

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de ficar um longo período afastado dos gramados em virtude da Covid-19, John Kennedy retornou ao Fluminense no final de maio e fez trabalhos para recuperar o condicionamento físico. O atleta, de 19 anos, segue treinando com a equipe Sub-23 do Tricolor para readquirir a forma física e ficar à disposição do técnico Roger Machado.

> Confira a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro

RelacionadasFluminenseGanso se reapresenta e treina no Fluminense; Santos tenta a contratação por empréstimo do atletaFluminense07/06/2021Fluminense‘Extremamente completo’, Gabriel Teixeira ganha Roger e cresce para ser decisivo no FluminenseFluminense06/06/2021FluminenseRoger Machado critica horário de Fluminense x Cuiabá: ‘Futebol brasileiro pensa que está em Londres’Fluminense06/06/2021

Com isso, o atleta superou o lateral Samuel Xavier e foi o jogador do Fluminense que ficou mais tempo longo dos gramados devido à Covid-19. A última vez em que ele esteve em campo foina vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Botafogo pelo Campeonato Carioca, no dia 17 de abril.

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Cria de Xerém, o atacante é uma das grandes promessas do clube carioca. Ele temoito jogos disputados e dois gols marcados na temporada. Até o momento, foram15 partidas e 4 bolas na rede desde que subiu para o time profissional em 2020.

O Fluminense volta a campo na quartano duelo contra o RB Bragantino, pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, às 21h30 , no Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid. Na primeira partida, o Tricolor venceu por 2 a 0 e pode garantir a classificação com um simples empate.

O Fluminense segue embalado na temporada e terá uma maratona de jogos em junho. Além da Copa do Brasil, a equipe comandada por Roger Machado terá pela frente sete rodadas do Brasileirão no mês. Bons testes antes dos duelos contra o Cerro Porteño pelas oitavas de finais da Copa Libertadores, que serão realizados nos dias 13 e 20 de julho.

Sunderland are now glancing nervously at the Championship relegation zone, the Black Cats unbelievably finding themselves just nine points off the dreaded bottom three after suffering six defeats on the spin in the second tier.

At one point, the main goal for the Wearside outfit was attempting to achieve promotion to the Premier League. Now, the more immediate aim could well just be to bring stability back into the building and stop the rot before they sink any further down the league standings.

New bodies in through the door in January haven't exactly exploded into life to help raise spirits for Mike Dodds' men, with Romaine Mundle scoring his first goal for Sunderland against Southampton last time out generating somewhat of a smile from the Black Cats fanbase amidst a quiet start otherwise from the ex-Tottenham Hotspur youth player.

Sunderland would love to turn back the clock and have one former loanee back on their books to make the mood more positive, with the one-time Black Cats attacker in question starring down the right wing – where Mundle has lined up for his new team – in the Premier League now.

Antoine Semenyo's time at Sunderland

Antoine Semenyo's brief loan spell at Sunderland has been somewhat forgotten about, considering how little impact the current AFC Bournemouth attacker made on those at the Stadium of Light back in 2020 and also what he has since gone on to achieve after the short-term move.

Still, the now 24-year-old winger – despite only managing to play 184 minutes for the Wearside outfit at the time – was well thought of by then Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson during his short spell.

Parkinson would praise Semenyo for being a "dangerous" presence for his then League One Black Cats team from off the bench, but the young loanee would never really be able to displace the likes of Charlie Wyke and Chris Maguire who were experienced and reliable heads up top.

The Ghana international would never really kick into gear for the Wearside giants, making just seven appearances before returning to Bristol City goalless.

Yet, regardless of this underwhelming loan stint so early into his career, Semenyo would go from strength to strength after this back at his parent club.

Not even the most optimistic Sunderland fan would have predicted that Semenyo would go on to have a career in the Premier League after failing to break into the Black Cats' first team, but the Wearside oufit must now watch on knowing the peaks Semenyo has managed to get to wondering if they could have utilised the Cherries star more effectively at the Stadium of Light.

Antoine Semenyo's statistics since leaving Sunderland

Semenyo would eventually turn into a creative, goalscoring menace back at Ashton Gate, Bristol City rewarded for continuing to persist with their one-time Academy prospect until he would repay their unwavering faith with exceptional displays back.

Semenyo's breakthrough 2021/22 campaign would see him score eight goals and pick up 12 assists from 31 appearances, becoming a key performer for the Robins that season in the process after previously fading in and out of contests.

He would even be called up to the Ghana squad off the back of this standout campaign, with interest from higher-up suitors following closely behind.

It was going to take a hefty bid for Bristol City to part ways with their star man, and when top-flight side Bournemouth offered up £9m to try and persuade the Robins to offload their breakout winger, it was an offer the second-tier club couldn't refuse.

Still, although Bristol City managed to bank a respectable £9m, Semenyo doesn't quite break into their top five record departures looking at the table above.

His exit will sting more now when you look at how swimmingly he's taken to top-flight life, however, with the Cherries winger onto five goals now this campaign in such a demanding and tricky division.

Sunderland will aim not to be so hasty in writing off Mundle like they were with Semenyo on loan, with the Bournemouth number 24 standing out once more recently playing the role of goalscoring hero in a 2-0 away win at Burnley for Andoni Iraola's men.

Mundle will hope he can settle into his new surroundings better after breaking his duck against Russell Martin's Saints, with the Black Cats in desperate need of a dependable figure in attack like Semenyo now to end their disastrous run of losses.

Romaine Mundle's struggles at Sunderland

Mundle did shine in spurts at St. Mary's away from his deflected strike catching Gavin Bazunu off-guard, the ex-Standard Liege man winning four duels in total to try and stop a Southampton comeback.

Yet, Sunderland need a prolific figure in attack – especially with Jack Clarke in the Stadium of Light treatment room – and so Mundle will have to show this hunger and desire to score goals on a consistent basis away from this one-off contest versus the Saints to further impress.

The 20-year-old has struggled to get consistent first-team minutes away from this game which hasn't helped him fully acclimatise, averaging just 46 minutes per match so far in a Sunderland strip.

The stuttering Wearside outfit will need to be patient and hope Mundle can blossom into a hero for the club over time alongside their other inexperienced squad members.

They will be anxious about history repeating itself considering that Semenyo was once disregarded as an underwhelming winger whilst on loan, and has since gone on to become a devastatingly effective attacker for Bournemouth in the top flight.

Sunderland succumbed to their fifth straight Championship loss last night at the hands of high-flying Leicester City, veteran striker Jamie Vardy proving to be the difference-maker with an early strike for the Foxes in the 1-0 Black Cats loss.

Mike Dodds will have been encouraged by the performances of some of his players in the narrow defeat – with the stuttering Wearside outfit amassing 17 shots on the Leicester goal to the away side's lesser ten – but the scoreline would still make for grim reading at the end all the same.

There were some notable under-performers from a Sunderland perspective as well, especially Pierre Ekwah in the centre of the park who was substituted off dead on the hour mark by Dodds after a dire showing at the Stadium of Light.

Pierre Ekwah's performance vs Leicester in numbers

With the likes of Chris Rigg standing out in midfield as a lively presence, Dodds' bold team selection to start the energetic 16-year-old somewhat paying off, Ekwah's poor night was further exposed unfortunately by the teenager looking bright.

Whilst Rigg would win duels aplenty – with seven notched up next to his name by the end of the 90 minutes – Ekwah would duck his brave responsibilities on the contrary against Enzo Maresca's men by winning just one duel all game with zero aerial duels even attempted.

The 22-year-old Frenchman was also unable to spark into life from an attacking point of view, failing to register a single effort on Mads Hermansen's goal alongside coming away from the 1-0 loss without a single completed dribble.

The below-par Sunderland number 39 might well find himself axed from Dodds' starting eleven for his side's next second-tier match away at Southampton as a result, with Leo Hjelde at left-back also guilty of having an off-day against the Foxes to further trouble Dodds' upcoming team selections.

Leo Hjelde's performance vs Leicester in numbers

The January recruit from Leeds United also struggled against Leicester, with the explosive Abdul Fatawu for the away side causing all sorts of issues for the former Whites man and the rest of the Sunderland back four to contend with.

The entertaining 19-year-old winger would end the contest at the Stadium of Light with a 100% successful dribble rate next to this name, Dodds' men unable to lay a glove on the Leicester number 18 for large spells of the game.

Hjelde, meanwhile, squandered possession 17 times in total to allow Maresca's men to grow in confidence on their travels further, on top of only completing two accurate crosses from down the channels to attempt to unnerve the visitors when foraying forward.

Hjelde's numbers vs Leicester

Minutes played

90

Duels won

5/9

Possession lost

17x

Touches

63

Accurate passes

28/36 (78%)

Accurate crosses

2/6

Stats by Sofascore

As can be seen in the table above, Hjelde likely walked off the pitch unsatisfied with his showing and potentially worried that Dodds could roll the dice by selecting a new left-back over the poor 20-year-old for the trip to Saints coming up this weekend.

The Norwegian defender would pick up an unsatisfactory 4/10 rating from Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith after the 1-0 defeat, described as 'really struggling' when Leicester bombed forward with venom early on by Smith.

The 6 foot 2 full-back could breathe a little easier over his first-team spot owing to Sunderland's lack of other options that could come in to replace Hjelde, with Niall Huggins and Dennis Cirkin long-term casualties in the treatment room at left-back.

But, with the Black Cats in dire straits at the moment, Dodds could just make some surprising calls regardless involving his starting elevens to try and gain some positive results soon.