Real Madrid have reportedly made an Arsenal star a 'priority' transfer target this summer but they will need to fork out a mammoth fee for him.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Real Madrid eye Arsenal starEye 'priority' transfer targetWill need to pay mammoth fee for himFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to RMC Sport, Arsenal centre-back William Saliba is an 'absolute priority' transfer target this summer. The report adds that the Gunners do not want to lose the Frenchman but if he is sold he would become the most expensive defender in football history.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The 23-year-old has, arguably, become one of the best centre-backs in the game and if he were to leave Arsenal, reports suggest he could fetch a fee in excess of the £80 million ($99.7m) Manchester United forked out to sign Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019. But the Gunners will fight tooth and nail to keep the France international.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 6ft 4in defender, whose Arsenal contract runs until 2027, has made 116 appearances for the north London outfit, scoring seven goals along the way.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
Transfer speculation aside, Saliba will now be focusing on Arsenal's next game – which is away to Leicester City in the Premier League on February 15
Everton suffered their first Premier League defeat since mid-September after Southampton scored a late winner on Saturday.
Sean Dyche’s men had shown plenty of progress in recent weeks, but they reverted to square one against the Saints.
While they have conceded 17 goals this term, it is the ability to score which has cost them dearly throughout the campaign.
Indeed, in ten matches, the Toffees have scored just ten goals. Only Southampton, Crystal Palace and Manchester United have found the back of the net on fewer occasions than Dyche’s men.
Everton’s top scorers this season
So far this season, only six players have scored for the Goodison Park side, with Dwight McNeil leading the way with four efforts across 12 matches. The former Burnley man has been one of Dyche’s key stars this term, also creating eight big chances while averaging 2.7 key passes per game in the top flight.
Dwight McNeil
Iliman Ndiaye is next on the list with three goals, enjoying a superb start for the club after only joining in the summer.
Michael Keane, Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have all scored twice for Everton this term, while Abdoulaye Doucoure rounds off the list by netting once.
The most surprising aspect of this list is the fact that Calvert-Lewin has scored so few goals, despite being Dyche’s main option to lead the line.
His performances have not been great this season. Is it time to move him on sooner rather than later?
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s season in numbers
Truth be told, the £100k-per-week striker hasn’t been living up to this staggering wage for the last few seasons.
Two seasons ago, he managed just two Premier League goals, improving this to seven during the 2023/24 campaign, but these totals are why Everton find themselves languishing near the bottom of the table.
2023/24
38
8
3
2022/23
18
2
1
2021/22
18
5
2
2020/21
39
21
3
2019/20
41
15
1
2018/19
38
8
3
2017/18
44
8
5
2016/17
11
1
0
Indeed, the Englishman hasn’t scored more than ten goals since the 2020/21 season. Are his best days behind him?
He was even criticised by Jamie O’Hara following Everton’s defeat to Aston Villa in September where he missed an easy chance:
A tad harsh perhaps, but there is no questioning Calvert-Lewin is a shadow of his former self, scoring the same amount of goals as Keane this term.
When compared to positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the striker ranks in the bottom 5% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.14) and outside the top 40% for total shots per 90 (2.78) over the previous 365 days.
This is yet more evidence of his diminishing qualities. The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and it remains to be seen whether or not he signs an extension in the coming weeks.
Judging by his recent form, they could certainly free up a large chunk of the wage bill by either selling him in January or releasing him at the end of the season.
Barkley 2.0: Everton thought they had England's next gem but he left for £0
He slipped through the cracks at Everton like Ross Barkley.
Tait resigned from his position a day after Lance Klusener announced his decision to not extend his deal as head coach
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2021A day after Lance Klusener announced his decision to not extend his contract as head coach of the Afghanistan national men’s team, Shaun Tait has quit as the team’s fast-bowling consultant too. Unlike Klusener, who will see out his contract, which runs till the end of the year, Tait has resigned “with immediate effect”.In a short statement, Tait said, “I have enjoyed my time working with the team especially with the young Afghan fast bowlers whom I personally think have a great future. Having access to a great cricketing mind like Lance Klusener (head coach of Afghanistan during my tenure) has been an absolute pleasure.”Tait, the former Australia quick who is now a Level-2-certified coach from Cricket Australia, was signed up by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in August this year for a period of five months, which was expected to run till the end of 2021. Not long after that, though, the 38-year-old Tait also signed a deal with Indian domestic side Puducherry as their bowling coach, saying at the time that he would be with the team “based on availability from my commitments with the Afghanistan team”.While Afghanistan hardly played any cricket in 2020 because of Covid-19, they performed fairly well under Klusener, winning one out of the three Tests, three out of the six ODIs and nine out of 14 T20Is. Since Tait’s association with the team, Afghanistan’s only international fixtures were at the T20 World Cup, where they lost to South Africa and beat West Indies in warm-up fixtures before winning just two out of their five games in the main competition to crash out in the group stage.
Al-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus has aimed a playful “still hasn’t won anything in Saudi Arabia” jibe at fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Ronaldo headed to the Middle East in 2023Jesus returned to Riyadh for second spellCR7 remains a force for good in world footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo became a trendsetter – not for the first time in his iconic career – when completing a move to the Middle East in 2023. He has been followed to the Saudi Pro League by several familiar faces.
AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Jesus forms part of that group, with the former Sporting and Benfica coach returning to Al-Hilal for a second spell in July 2023. He won the Saudi Pro League title in his debut campaign and has also savoured King Cup and Super Cup triumphs.
GettyDID YOU KNOW?
Ronaldo has just one Arab Club Champions Cup win to his name during a goal-laden stint with Al-Nassr, and has been reminded of his lack of tangible success by a fellow countryman that remains a big fan of what the self-proclaimed GOAT of world football brings to the game.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
WHAT JORGE JESUS SAID
Jesus has told : “We don't have time to meet in Saudi Arabia. We were already friends in Portugal. I met him more times in Portugal than in Saudi Arabia. He is a reference, the pride of the Portuguese. The first time I arrived here, they knew Ronaldo, not Portugal. The billboards in the middle of the city only showed Ronaldo, and that was six years ago. In Portugal, they don't value him much for the image he brings.
“Working with him? I don't think it will be possible anymore. He is an example at 40 years old. In one of the last games we played, I said 'how does he run so much at 39, he is fast and super motivated?' He lacks nothing. He has won everything in sporting terms, the only thing he hasn't been is a World Cup winner with the national team, and he still hasn't won anything in Saudi Arabia!”
The proximity of the ODI World Cup has added the complexity of the Ashes series
Andrew McGlashan12-Jan-2022Australia’s players are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the Women’s Ashes runs safely and ensure no one misses the ODI World Cup amid the Covid-19 cases that have exploded over the last month.The squad will be back under tight biosecure restrictions during the multi-format contest – the schedule for which was recently amended – but there remains the risk that if a player catches Covid towards the end of the series that they would miss the World Cup, starting March 4, due there being only one opportunity for the group to travel to New Zealand.Australia’s players, who are split across 15 in the main Ashes squad and 15 in an Australia A group, will start arriving in Adelaide from Thursday with the whole group assembled by January 17 leaving just three days to prepare for the first T20I.Restrictions on what they can do are expected to be tighter than the men’s Ashes which has operated at Cricket Australia’s level four protocols with players largely confined to their hotel outside of matches.Related
Women's Ashes: Tightrope walk for teams with 'scattered' preparations leaving them undercooked
Women's Ashes schedule adjusted to allow for World Cup quarantine
Women's Ashes walks Covid tightrope ahead of World Cup
Alana King beats Amanda-Jade Wellington to place in Australia's Ashes squad
“In order to get the Ashes up and running we do need to follow some protocols and try and keep everyone as safe as possible,” captain Meg Lanning said. “We are certainly willing to do that and do whatever we need to to get the games up.”Heading into this bubble the risk of catching Covid is significantly increased than what it perhaps was even six months ago. That is a slight difference heading into this series and that World Cup on the back end is something everyone wants to be a part of and certainly doesn’t want to miss.”There is, I guess, that little bit of nervousness but having chatted to the medical staff and all the support staff they are putting everything in place that’s possible to keep the bubble very secure and minimise the risk of getting Covid. Very confident that everything is in place that needs to be and hopefully everyone can stay safe.”Already one player has been caught up in Covid with Katie Mack, who is part of the Australia A squad thanks to an outstanding season for Adelaide Strikers, isolating for seven days after her partner tested positive. Mack is currently awaiting her PCR result and if she remains negative during isolation is hopeful of still joining the squad for the T20s against England A with the worst case being she will only be able to play the ODIs next month.”I’d feel pretty lucky if I could still get there and play all the games, that’s the best-case scenario,” Mack said. “Worst-case scenario is I test positive in a couple of days and have to do [another] seven days isolation from there. It’s not ideal, but Covid’s not ideal in anyone’s life at the moment, so it would be pretty hard for me to say I’ve got it tough.”Australia’s selectors are planning for the possibility that Covid will hit the Ashes in some form with players in the A squad on notice that a call-up may come at any time. Still, on a day-to-day basis the squads will be kept separate to minimise the risk if a case emerges.Covid has had a significant impact on the women’s game in recent weeks with a raft of postponements in the WNCL which has limited players’ preparation ahead of the Ashes although Lanning believed it was a prudent measure not to carry on with those matches.Lanning herself opted to take a break after the WBBL knowing that this intense period of cricket with the Ashes and World Cup lay ahead. With a return to bubble life, which players had hoped was behind them, she is pleased she took the chance to step away.”I felt after WBBL that a break would benefit me a lot and having come back to training it has done wonders,” she said. “It’s not ideal to miss games but think the timing of that was perfect for me, to mentally more than anything switch off.”
We are now 11 games into the Premier League season, and it would be fair to say that Arsenal have not been having the best of times.
Mikel Arteta’s side and their supporters were hoping that this would be the season that they finally beat Manchester City to the title, and while Pep Guardiola’s side have stumbled as well, Liverpool have taken their place atop the table, nine points ahead of the North Londoners.
Now, the Gunners have faced injury problems and a few harsh refereeing decisions, but at the end of the day, the team just haven’t performed well enough on the pitch.
That said, there have been a few standout players, notably Bukayo Saka, who continues to be a shining light in an otherwise bleak campaign, although even he is being outscored by a former Arsenal youngster who was sold in the summer and has since seen his valuation explode thanks to his form, which has seen him outscore Victor Osimhen as well.
Saka's form this season
Yes, while his teammates around him have struggled to reach the levels they did towards the backend of last season, Saka has continued to demonstrate just why he’s one of the best players in Europe, let alone England.
For example, in just 15 appearances across all competitions, the North Londoner’s irrepressible poster boy has racked up a staggering haul of four goals and eight assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games.
Moreover, according to FBref, which has compared players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League over the last 365 days, the 23-year-old dynamo ranks incredibly high for some important statistics.
Progressive Passes Received
14.29
Top 1%
Touches in Opposition Box
7.89
Top 2%
Shot-Creating Actions
5.60
Top 9%
Expected Assists
0.32
Top 10%
Actual Assists
0.33
Top 11%
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.62
Top 12%
Total Shots
3.29
Top 87%
Tackles
1.83
Top 15%
In short, the 42-capped Englishman has been a tour de force for the Gunners in recent seasons as well as this one, and so long as he’s in the team, there is every chance they can get back to their best of the last two years.
Yet, the Ealing-born icon is still being outscored by a former youngster who Arteta sold over the summer. A promising centre-forward who is now worth significantly more than he was just a few months ago.
The promising striker outscoring Saka and Osimhen
Arsenal got rid of a number of talented players over the summer, some for hefty sums of money, like Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, and some just on loan, like Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira, but the player we are talking about was sold from the club’s academy, Mika Biereth.
Yes, the up-and-coming Danish striker, who impressed on loan with Motherwell and Sturm Graz last season, producing 24 goals and assists across 37 appearances between the sides, was sold to the latter for just £4m in early July.
Appearances
20
15
9
Goals
9
4
8
Assists
2
7
4
Goal + Assists per Match
0.55
0.73
1.33
Unsurprisingly, the “fantastic” young forward, as dubbed by Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell, who openly compared parts of his game to both Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, of all people, started this season like a house on fire and currently has a tally of nine goals and two assists to his name in just 20 appearances.
This means that not only is the former Gunner outscoring Saka at present, but also Nigerian superstar Osimhen, who has been consistently linked with a move to the Emirates over the last year or so and has a tally of eight goals and four assists in nine games so far.
Such an incredible start to life with his new permanent club has also seen the London-born poacher’s valuation explode.
In 2024, CIES Football Observatory now currently value him at up to €18m, which is about £15m, or a 170% increase on the fee he cost the Austrian side just a few months ago.
Ultimately, Arsenal probably did the right thing in letting Biereth go out and make a name for himself without having to worry about where he’ll go on loan the following year, but given his start to the season and soaring valuation, we’re sure Arteta wishes he kept him around for a little while longer.
Arsenal must finally sell £110k-p/w flop who was their "obvious captain"
The experienced international has been painfully unlucky at Arsenal.
The Grammy-winning artist and club partner revels in the expansion team's debut win after 2-0 win over LA Galaxy.
Tems joined San Diego FC ownership group in FebruaryNigerian singer expresses excitement over team's 2-0 victory against LA GalaxySan Diego FC face St. Louis SC next in the MLSGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Grammy Award-winning artist Temilade Openiyi celebrated the team's impressive 2-0 victory over LA Galaxy in their inaugural MLS match. The Nigerian-born singer, better known as Tems, joined the club’s ownership group in early February as a club partner through her company . The MLS debutants walked away with a 2-0 win thanks to a debut brace from Anders Dreyer with Hirving Lozano also playing his part in the win over the reigning MLS Cup champions and Tems took to social media to express her joy at the historic victory.
AdvertisementWHAT TEMS SAIDTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Tems' involvement with San Diego FC as a club partner highlights the growing intersection of music, sports, and global entertainment in MLS. Her partnership, alongside other notable figures like actress Issa Rae and World Cup champion Juan Mata showcases the expansion team's ambition to make a significant impact both on and off the field.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
San Diego FC's inaugural match was nothing short of spectacular. The expansion team silenced critics with a convincing 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park and they’ll look to carry momentum into their highly anticipated home opener against St. Louis CITY SC on March 1.
The Crown's social media team celebrates in style, subtly poking fun at their southern rivals after 2-0 win in their 2025 MLS season home opener
Charlotte FC secures impressive 2-0 victory in home openerWilfried Zaha shines on debut with a goal and an assistThe Crown next face Inter MiamiGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Following their convincing 2-0 victory over Atlanta United in their 2025 MLS season home opener, Charlotte FC's social media team took to various platforms to celebrate the win.
The club's Twitter account poked fun at post that Atlanta United’s created after their off-season business, where they hyped up their moves. In response, Charlotte made a tweak at the end of the post to jokingly rub salt into Atlanta United fans’ wounds after the 2-0 loss.
AdvertisementTHE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite the match remaining goalless in the first half, both sides created chances for themselves but failing to convert much to the chagrin of the 51,000 fans watching on. However, that changed in the second half as Charlotte FC broke the deadlock through Pep Biel via a Wilfried Zaha assist.
The Ivorian forward then doubled the lead with his first goal for Charlotte to give his side the advantage. That effectively sealed the game for the home side as Atlanta United struggled to respond, with Charlotte's defense holding firm.
"Great following, great support. I don't know how many was here today, 50-odd-thousand, but I want them to come back. Winning football games is the main reason we're going to keep fans coming back. So we need to keep winning football games,” said coach Dean Smith after the victory.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
Charlotte FC are back in action next weekend for MLS Matchday 3, where they will take on Lionel Messi's Inter Miami at the Chase Stadium.
That is before back-to-back home league games against FC Cincinnati and the San Jose Earthquakes on March 15 and 22 respectively.
It’s been a brutal start to their first Premier League campaign in over two decades, but things are starting to look up for Ipswich Town.
Kieran McKenna’s side picked up their first win of the campaign on Sunday, and with five draws already in the bag, the team sit outside the relegation zone in 17th place and on eight points.
It was a sensational win over an ultra-attacking Tottenham Hotspur side, and while there were unreal performances across the pitch, it was Liam Delap who once again grabbed the headlines.
The former Manchester City ace has been in incredible form for the Tractor Boys of late, but there is another star signed by McKenna who could be sold for even more money down the line.
Delap's current valuation
Ipswich paid City around £20m for Delap in July of this year, and while there was undoubtedly an element of risk in spending so much on a striker with just two Premier League appearances to his name at the time, he has since proven to be a bargain.
The Winchester-born dynamo has made 12 appearances for the Tractor Boys across all competitions this season and has already racked up an undeniably impressive tally of six goals and one assist, equating to an average of a goal involvement once every 1.71 games.
Moreover, he’s not just scoring against the weaker sides or picking up consolation goals either; he’s having a massive impact on the club’s point haul, with a brace against Aston Villa, the equalising goal against Fulham, and a goal and assist against Spurs on Sunday.
Unsurprisingly, such incredible form has attracted the interest of other teams across the country, and based on a report from Caught Offside last month, the Lilywhites are one of said sides, with the report claiming that Ipswich could be willing to part ways with their star striker for just €40m, which is about £33m.
Now, while that certainly feels low, it would represent a £13m profit, and given the club’s outlay over the summer, it might not be entirely unrealistic.
Competition
PL
LC
Appearances
11
1
Goals
6
0
Assists
1
0
Goals + Assists per Match
0.63
0.00
With that said, should the Tractor Boys sanction the sale of Delap for such a price – they shouldn’t, by the way – fans can rest assured that they have another up-and-coming star in the team who could make them a lot more money, at least based on the valuations of his contemporaries.
The Ipswich ace who could be sold for more than Delap
So, several promising Ipswich stars could become Premier League icons in the future, from club-record signing Omari Hutchinson to former Sunderland ace Jack Clarke, who’s yet to show his best in East Anglia.
However, the player in question is the club’s incredible left-back, Leif Davis, who joined McKenna’s revolution from Leeds United in the summer of 2022 for a fee reported to be in the region of £1m.
Since then, the Newcastle-born “animal”, as dubbed by former manager Scott Parker, has made 101 appearances for the Blues, in which he’s scored six goals and provided a massive haul of 37 assists, equating to an unbelievable average of a goal involvement every 2.34 games.
That level of return for a full-back has seen the Englishman become one of the club’s most important players, and after another barnstorming campaign last year, in which he racked up two goals and 21 assists in 44 games, he was rightfully voted the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year by his teammates.
So, with that said, why do we believe the 24-year-old star could one day net the Tractor Boys more money than the fee being banded about for Delap? Well, that’s down to the valuations of other attacking full-backs in the league.
For example, Spurs’ Pedro Porro, who has as many goal involvements as Davis this season, is currently valued at €45m by Transfermarkt, which is around £38m, and not only is he just as effective as McKenna’s talented left-back, he’s also just a year older, so why shouldn’t their valuation’s be similar?
On top of that, FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Premier League, consider Trent Alexander-Arnold to be the seventh most similar full-back to the former Leeds ace this season, and according to Transfermarkt, he’s worth around €70m, which is about £58m.
Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool
Now, this isn’t to say that the 6 foot talent will be sold for a price quite that high.
Nevertheless, it does show that valuations for effective attacking full-backs are only growing in the modern game, and based on his performances over the last few years, Davis’ development doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon either.
Therefore, while Ipswich might make a small profit on Delap in the coming transfer windows, they could well make a monumental profit on their sensationally gifted left-back.
Ipswich loan flop has seen his value soar 123% since leaving
The talented striker just couldn’t get to grips with things at Ipswich.
Mitchell Marsh available for Scorchers following hamstring injury, while Sixers hope Steve O’Keefe recovers from injured calf
Tristan Lavalette27-Jan-2022Big PictureAt stake in the final is – obviously – the title, and also the mantle of being deemed the greatest club in BBL history, with the winner to claim a record fourth crown. Perth Scorchers were the competition’s trendsetters after making the final in five of the first six seasons, but two-time defending champions Sydney Sixers have been the dominant side recently, including beating their arch-rivals in last season’s decider. Remarkably, this will be the fifth final contested between them, with the 2-2 deadlock to be broken at the Marvel Stadium.But these powerhouses enter the decider in vastly different shapes, with a full-strength Scorchers hot favourites against a depleted Sixers. Even though they have been shut out of Perth for the last seven weeks due to Western Australia’s hard border restrictions, Scorchers’ enviable depth and talent across the board have made them the team to beat all season.Scorchers have endured Covid-19 dramas and injuries at various points but eventually fielded their strongest team of the season in the qualifying final, where they demolished Sixers by 48 runs. However, a hamstring niggle to star Mitchell Marsh soured the win, although he has been confirmed to play in the final.Related
How Kurtis Patterson revived his stalled T20 career
Injury-hit Sydney Sixers set to ask again for Steven Smith
Silk taken out retired hurt with one ball remaining and two runs to win
Scorchers have the wood over Sixers, having beaten them three times this month, and face a weakened opponent who limped into the final after emerging allrounder Hayden Kerr inspired a dramatic victory over Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday.A decimated Sixers will be without openers Josh Philippe and Jack Edwards, who have tested positive for Covid-19, while veteran spinner Steve O’Keefe and batter Jordan Silk suffered injuries during Strikers’ innings.Sixers are optimistic that O’Keefe will recover from a calf injury in time for the final, but Silk, who was retired hurt before the final ball against Strikers due to a hamstring injury, is almost certain to miss. Batter Daniel Hughes could be a welcome addition, having not played since injuring an ankle during the warm-up ahead of the qualifying final.So shorthanded were Sixers against Strikers that they had to call up assistant coach Jay Lenton at the last minute, as he took the gloves in his first competitive match in a month. They then requested for a third time for an exemption for Steven Smith to play, but that request was denied late on the eve of the final, which means Smith will not be playing. His presence could have been a major tonic for Sixers’ quest for a historic hat-trick of titles.*Hayden Kerr’s emergence this season has been a success story•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightMitchell Marsh has arguably been the most in-form T20 batter in the world since his heroics at the T20 World Cup, but a hamstring injury has threatened to derail his golden run. Fortunately for the 30-year-old, who has a history of soft-tissue injuries, scans revealed no serious damage, as captain Ashton Turner on Thursday declared Marsh was a certain starter, although the allrounder might just be confined to batting.There are plenty of unknowns in Sixers’ make up, but Hayden Kerr’s major emergence this season has been a success story. The left-arm quick is the second-highest wicket-taker this BBL, while his explosive batting materialised memorably against Strikers at the top of the order. If he conjures another starring role in the final, Kerr could soon find himself vying for higher honours.Team newsWith Marsh available, Scorchers are set to field the same line-up that accounted for Sixers in the qualifying final.Perth Scorchers (possible): 1 Josh Inglis (wk), 2 Kurtis Patterson, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Colin Munro, 5 Ashton Turner (capt), 6 Laurie Evans, 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Jhye Richardson, 9 Andrew Tye, 10 Jason Behrendorff, 11 Peter HatzoglouHenriques has had a lingering calf injury, but he revealed on Thursday that he would play. The Sixers’ captain also believed O’Keefe would find a place in the XI, but ruled Silk outr. There are, however, still considerable unknowns, not least whether they can risk Hughes.Sydney Sixers (possible): 1 Hayden Kerr, 2 Justin Avendano, 3 Jake Carder, 4 Moises Henriques (capt), 5 Daniel Hughes, 6 Dan Christian, 7 Sean Abbott, 8 Ben Dwashuis, 9 Jay Lenton (wk), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Steve O’KeefePitch and conditionsThe final will be at Scorchers’ favoured Marvel Stadium, where they are unbeaten from four matches this season. In the qualifying final, the pitch showed signs of wear and tear, with the venue having hosted several matches amid Victoria’s hub due to the BBL’s Covid-19 chaos. The pitch should be conducive to spin, but the ground’s short boundaries ensure plenty of runs is always in the offering. Heavy rain is forecast in Melbourne on Friday, meaning the final is expected to be played under Marvel Stadium’s closed roof.Stats and trivia Scorchers have an overall 14-9 record over Sixers, including three back-to-back wins. Marvel Stadium’s only other hosting of a BBL final was in the 2018-19 season between Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars. Before his 98 not out in the Challenger against Strikers, Kerr’s previous highest BBL score from 11 innings was 22. Scorchers’ opener Kurtis Patterson has hit four half-centuries in 12 innings. In 27 innings before this season, he hadn’t cracked fifty even once. The final features three of the top five all-time BBL leading wicket-takers: Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye and Ben Dwarshuis.Quotes”They’ve been the best team for the last couple of years. We can’t wait for the opportunity for a little bit of redemption after what happened last year. We feel like we have taken lessons out of that. We have come back this year as a better team.” Scorchers’ captain Ashton Turner on another chapter in the rivalry against Sixers“It adds complexity when you’re carrying [injured] players in the field. Fielding is such a large component of T20 cricket. You want your key players playing, but you need to make sure they can contribute in the field.” *This preview was updated at 5.00am GMT on Friday (January 28) after Steven Smith’s unavailbility for the final was confirmed.