Allrounders Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta have been banned from all cricket for four months by Zimbabwe Cricket for recreational drug use. They have also been fined 50% of their salaries for three months with effect from January 2024.Batter Kevin Kasuza, who played last of his seven Tests in 2021, has also been suspended from all cricket activities with immediate effect after he tested positive for a banned recreational drug during an in-house doping test last week.During an in-house dope test last month, Madhevere and Mavuta tested positive for a banned recreational drug in an out-of-competition case and were suspended immediately. They received the sanction following a hearing on last Wednesday when they admitted to charges of “breaching the ZC Employment Code of Conduct”,” a board release stated.Their rehabilitation will be overseen by ZC’s medical personnel and the duo has been ordered to train at the high performance programme. “In taking the decision, the Committee also considered some mitigating factors, with both players showing remorse and having already started working on withdrawing from the habit and getting their systems clean,” ZC said in a statement.Both Madhevere and Mavuta were part of the Zimbabwe side that faced Ireland in a home series in early December. Madhevere played all three T20Is while Mavuta played just the third T20I and the three ODIs after that. While Mavuta hasn’t played any competitive cricket since then, Madhevere featured for Mashonaland Eagles in the ongoing Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s first-class competition.

“What I hope is we win and my performance is crucial to it”

Danyal Rasool28-Dec-2023Despite a couple of late wickets, Pakistan’s shoulders had dropped by the time stumps were called, but Mir Hamza didn’t let the disappointment of the final session sully memories he will carry for the rest of his career. Coming out just after lunch, he had followed up two strikes from Shaheen Shah Afridi with the wickets of David Warner and Travis Head in successive balls, the latter a near-unplayable inswinging delivery that cleaned Head up for a golden duck.No wonder, then, that his face broke out into the broadest of grins when looking back upon the moment a few hours later.”It was a dream for me to play at the MCG against one of the best teams, and to provide us two breakthroughs in one over,” Hamza said at the post-match press conference after the third day’s play. “I was telling myself I have to prove myself if I want to play international cricket for my country. If you look at my last few matches, I bowled well but didn’t take wickets. So I wanted to change that.Related

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“Since the match started, I tried to keep things simple because there’s something in the pitch for fast bowlers. It’s seaming and swinging. I thought if I can swing the ball, I’ll have a great opportunity because the batter isn’t set at the time. I thought that way and believed Travis Head was waiting for my outswinger, but I brought it back in. It was my favourite Test dismissal.”At the time, Pakistan were riding very high. Australia were reeling at 16 for 4, the lowest total upon which they’ve lost four wickets at home since South Africa had taken the first four for just eight runs in Hobart in 2016. The lead was a precarious 70 at the time, and Pakistan believed they were in with a sniff.And though a mix of poor catching, poor fortune and a sensational counterattack from Mitchell Marsh meant Australia had comfortably reassumed the ascendancy by stumps, Hamza was instrumental in ensuring Pakistan retained a fighting interest in the contest. He was the man to break the 153-run fifth-wicket stand between Marsh and Steven Smith by drawing another outside edge from Marsh that Salman Ali Agha clung on to, before Afridi followed up with Smith’s wicket, with the hosts leading by 241.”We are still in the game, and we think we’ll get stronger,” he said. “The new ball will swing in any conditions – as it did for me – but there is something in the pitch. If you see the body language of our boys, it is very positive. We will try to get wickets as soon as possible. We are in the game.”Part of the reason Mir Hamza has struggled to break in is his lack of pace•Getty ImagesHamza needs to make no apologies for beaming after the day, because he knows how rarely these moments come around, and how hard fought they can be. He played six years of first-class cricket before getting his first opportunity in Test cricket in 2018, only to be dropped after one Test. It was to be another four years before the second chance came knocking around; and another two indifferent games later, he was out of the side once more.Then in the first Test of this Australia tour, Pakistan preferred to give two fast bowlers a debut in Perth rather than give Hamza a run. His three Tests apart, Hamza has played 103 first-class games, and taken 418 wickets across 11 years and nearly 19,500 deliveries.So while it may be an exaggeration to call the two balls that rattled Warner and Head’s stumps one-in-a-million moments, terming them one in ten thousand is no statistical exaggeration. Part of the reason Hamza has struggled to break in is his lack of pace, with Pakistan always likely to prefer high pace when taking selection into account. Here at the MCG, Hamza’s speeds were a constant point of focus, largely registering in the 120ks. Hamza, though, knows what he is.”Bowlers know about their quality. Some bowlers are known for seam and swing, and others for pace,” he said. “What matters is that you disrupt the batter – whether you do it with seam and swing, or whether you do it with swing doesn’t matter. Our aim is to win, and we’ve taken 16 wickets. We’ll try and take 20 as soon as possible, and come out with the win. This will be memorable if we win the Test, and what I hope is we win and my performance is crucial to it.”And while reality may fall somewhat short of that ambition, there’s little doubt that Hamza’s performance has ensured Pakistan can do for one more night what Hamza has done for a decade: keeping a dream alive.

تعرض الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، لضغوط متزايدة للرد، بعد أن ساعدت كلمات محمد صلاح في اكتساب الزخم بسبب تغريدة مثيرة للجدل في وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.

وسلطت الأضواء على الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم بعد أن شكك مهاجم ليفربول علناً في تغريدة نعيهم استشهاد سليمان العبيد المعروف بـ”بيليه فلسطين” والذي استشهد في غزة يوم الأربعاء.

وكان الاتحاد الفلسطيني لكرة القدم قد أعلن أن صاحب الـ41 عاماً قد قتل برصاص قوات الاحتلال الصهيوني أثناء انتظاره في مركز إغاثة في مدينة غزة.

وأضاف الاتحاد الفلسطيني: “بلغ عدد لاعبي كرة القدم الذين قتلوا أو ماتوا جوعاً 421 بينهم 103 أطفال”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. الصحافة العالمية تسلط الضوء على صدام محمد صلاح ويويفا في استشهاد سليمان العبيد

وفي منشور عبر موقع “إكس” كتب الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم: “وداعاً سليمان العبيد بيليه فلسطين، موهبة أعادت الأمل لقلوب عدد لا يحصى من الأطفال حتى في أحلك الظروف”.

وقد أعاد صلاح التغريدة ليرد قائلاً: “هل يمكنك إخبارنا كيف وأين ولماذا مات؟”، وحصد منشور صلاح أكثر من 80 مليون مشاهدة ولفت انتباه شخصيات ورموز رياضية وعالمية.

وقد أعاد جاري لينكر مهاجم إنجلترا ونجم برشلونة السابق نشر رد محمد صلاح عبر حسابه على إنستجرام ليزيد الضغط على الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، عبر خاصية “ستوري”، وكتب: “لا نستطيع سماعكم يا يويفا”.

بينما نال رد محمد صلاح على تغريدة الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، إعجاب جيريمي كوربين زعيم حزب العمال البريطاني السابق والنائب المستقل الحالي ليرد على صلاح، بالقول: “أحسنت يا مو”.

تحدث الدولي الإنجليزي ماركوس راشفورد، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة عن ترشيحاته للفوز بالكرة الذهبية وطموحاته مع البلوجرانا الفترة المقبلة.

وانضم راشفورد هذا الصيف إلى برشلونة على سبيل الإعارة من مانشستر يونايتد، وخاض الجولة التحضيرية مع الفريق الكتالوني في آسيا، باليابان وكوريا الجنوبية.

وأشاد راشفورد، بزميله بيدري قائلًا في حوار أجراه مع صحيفة “سبورت”: “لو لم أكن أعرف عمره، لظننت أنه في الـ 28 أو الـ 29، لأنه ناضج جدًا ويفهم اللعبة جيدًا، إنه يلعب وفقًا لسرعته الخاصة، وهذا ما يجعل من السهل على المهاجمين التواجد معه”.

وعن سعادته في التعامل مع هانز فليك, كشف: “إنه يتميز بتواصله المباشر وروحه المرحة، وهذا أمر مهم خاصةً مع وجود العديد من اللاعبين الشباب، يجب أن يكون التوجه واضحًا، لديهم دافع قوي لتقديم أداء أفضل من الموسم الماضي، ولهذا أعتقد أن الفريق سينجح, إنه مدرب استثنائي ويعرف كيف يعمل مع لاعبين استثنائيين”.

اقرأ أيضًا | راشفورد: لامين يامال سيتوج بالكرة الذهبية.. وبرشلونة سيفوز بكل الألقاب

وعن المشاركة في مركزي الجناح والوسط الهجومي، أوضح راشفورد: “أستطيع اللعب في كلا المركزين، لكن في النهاية ما يهم هو التسجيل والتمرير، لا يهمني المركز الذي يلعب فيه”.

وأكد: “أعتقد أن اللاعبين من حولي جيدون للغاية ويمررون الكرة بشكل جيد، لذلك إذا قمت بانطلاقات جيدة وفي الوقت المناسب يمكنني دائمًا خلق الفرص وتسجيل الأهداف”.

وعن سبب رحيله عن مانشستر يونايتد ألمح بطريقة غير مباشرة بأنه كان غير سعيد، وقال: “أحتاج أن أكون سعيدًا لأقدم أفضل ما لدي، بالنسبة لي شخصيًا، كرة القدم هي حياتي أتعلمون؟ لقد كانت حياتي منذ صغري في الحقيقة، لا أعرف شيئًا آخر، لذا فإن الرابط الذي يجمعني ليس فقط بمسيرتي المهنية بل بالرياضة بشكل عام كبير ولا أتوقع أن يزول ولكن نعم، من الجيد دائمًا أن تكون سعيدًا عندما تلعب كرة القدم، هذا هو سبب بدايتي في هذا المجال”.

وعن الانتقال إلى برشلونة: “لا أحد يعلم على وجه اليقين لكنني منذ البداية شعرت بالراحة على أرض الملعب، بالطبع سأتعلم المزيد مع كل مباراة لكن نقطة البداية ممتازة، كلما زادت المباريات، زادت معرفتي وتعلمت أكثر، برشلونة هو أسهل مكان للاستمتاع بكرة القدم وتعلمها”.

وعن صعوبة التواصل مع اللاعبين أتم: “إن التحدي الرئيسي الذي يواجه أي لاعب كرة قدم ينتقل إلى الخارج هو التعامل مع اللغة والثقافة الجديدتين، اللاعبون عندما يستمتعون مع بعضهم البعض، ينادونني “عزيزي”، لا أعرف ما يعنيه ذلك، لكن من المضحك أن يتحدثوا إليك بهذه الطريقة”.

Batter withdrew from India Test tour and IPL but is focussed on World Cup comeback

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-2024Harry Brook says his performances this summer are dedicated to his late grandmother Pauline, who passed away in March.Pauline Brook was visible throughout her grandson’s career and became a cult hero within English cricket. She often collected awards on Harry’s behalf, of which there have already been many in the player’s short career. She was the figurehead of the Brook family and lived next to Burley-in-Wharfedale Cricket Club, where Harry learned the game.Pauline fell ill in January, while Brook was preparing for England’s Test tour of India in the UAE. The 25-year-old subsequently pulled out of the five-match series, before missing the Indian Premier League with Delhi Capitals after she passed away.Brook has since returned to action with Yorkshire and marked his first match for the county since July 2022 with an emotional 69-ball century against Leicestershire, looking to the sky upon reaching three figures. It was his first competitive appearance since England’s fifth T20I against West Indies in December. A second century – 126 not out – came on Saturday against Derbyshire at Headingley, as Yorkshire posted 450 for 5 declared in their first innings.Speaking publicly for the first time since Pauline’s death, Brook dedicated both his centuries to his grandmother and reflected on a tough time for the family. He was also grateful for the time he had with her at the start of the year before her condition deteriorated.”Both of those hundreds [for Yorkshire this season] and all of the runs I’ve scored so far this year are all dedicated to her,” Brook told the ECB Reporters Network.”When I came home from Abu Dhabi, it was a very tough time, and I’m glad I did come home. Obviously, it was a big decision to make. I hadn’t played hundreds of games for England, so to just turn down a big Test tour like that [India] was a big decision to make.”But she comes before all of that. She would have come out there a couple of years ago, so I had to come back and support her as much as I could. I managed to take her out for a coffee and whatnot in that first week I was back.”I was still training with a mindset of trying to get back out for the last couple of Tests, all being well. It all disintegrated fairly quickly, so that didn’t happen. I just tried to support her as best as I could and everyone around us.”Following the conclusion of Yorkshire’s match with Derbyshire, in which rain washed out the entirety of the scheduled third day’s play on Sunday, Brook will play his final County Championship match of this portion of the season, against Glamorgan next week. He will then join England for their T20I series against Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.Brook was an ever-present in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup triumph and will be integral to their title defence. Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott announce their provisional squad on Tuesday (April 30) with Brook set to be a pivotal figure in a relatively young group. He will then return to the Test side this summer for series against West Indies and Sri Lanka from July.”I’m looking forward to it, if selected,” Brook said of the World Cup. “We join up at the end of next month. I’m looking forward to being back with the lads and hopefully producing the goods for England again.”

Fletcha Middleton celebrated his maiden Vitality County Championship century but Hampshire and Warwickshire look likely to draw at Utilita Bowl.Homegrown Middleton, impressive in last season’s Metro Bank One Day Cup, amassed 116, having put on 213 runs for the second wicket with fellow centurion Nick Gubbins.An afternoon collapse saw Hampshire lose five middle-order wickets for 45, which put Warwickshire on course for a 90-run first-innings lead.Rob Yates – who now has 296 runs and 11 wickets this season – and opening partner Alex Davies reached 46 without loss by close – a lead of 136.Middleton’s father Tony had scored his maiden first-class century, against Kent, in this week 34 years ago – he would end that season with 1,238 runs for Hampshire. Fletcha will be hoping to replicate that.There were plenty of similarities. Kevan James and Simon Hinks were in attendance on both occasions; now commentator and match referee. But most notable was the steeliness about the innings.Tony’s would see him score 127 runs in 314 balls across just over six hours. Fletcha kept up the family tradition of crease occupation over quick scoring; his eventual 116 came in 329 balls in four minutes shy of seven hours.For large periods of the morning session the scoreboard seemed to be stuck. Only 10 runs were scored in the first half an hour, with 80 runs spread out before lunch. Middleton and Gubbins are hardly Bazball enthusiasts at the best of times but an idle pitch didn’t help.Gubbins followed up his two half-centuries against Lancashire last week with a 216-ball century – his 17th of his first-class career and his seventh since arriving at Hampshire two and a half years ago.After a session of nothingness, best summed up by a funky field of four midwickets, three covers, a man under the helmet on the offside and a slip, things came alive with stomachs full.Hampshire lost five wickets for 45 runs, in a 103 for six session.Gubbins fell shortly after lunch for 119 when he yorked himself to a Danny Briggs delivery which then spun out the footholds. A James Fuller experiment to try and boost the run-rate failed as he swished to short third for a nine-ball five.Amongst the drama, Middleton, a naturally shy man, looked relieved more than ecstatic to reach three figures with a cover drive, and almost needed coaxing into celebrating by proud captain James Vince.It was a fleeting happy moment for Hampshire before Vince was adjudged caught behind and Tom Prest edged Hassan Ali to second slip – no mean feat on a pitch offering next to no carry for the seamers.At this point the scorecard looked a curious mix of four single-figure scores and two centuries but Liam Dawson and Ben Brown made things look slightly better with a 41-run stand.However, Hampshire’s slowness meant they only picked up a single batting bonus point – inexplicable as Utilita Bowl pitches have been partly designed this season to boost that aspect which would underpin a hopeful title tilt. For comparison, Warwickshire reached their first batting point in 67.2 overs, Hampshire in 93.4.Yates then took over to have Middleton caught bat-pad, before Dawson and Ian Holland turned him to leg slip.The part-time spinner completed back-to-back four-wicket hauls when Kyle Abbott thumped to midwicket before Briggs wrapped things up when Ben Brown’s leading edge saw him exit for 49. Hampshire were bowled out for 365, before the visitors got through 15 overs to close unharmed.

MatériaMais Notícias

Corinthians deve renovar o contrato de empréstimo de Jonathan Cafú com o Cuiabá. Ao que tudo indica, esta será a terceira temporada consecutiva do atacante com o Dourado.

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Primeiramente, a informação foi dada pelo portal ‘Central do Timão’. Segundo o LANCE! apurou, as conversas a respeito da renovação do vínculo de empréstimo estariam existindo, mas ainda sem nada oficial.

Onde jogam? Saiba o clube atual de cada jogador da seleção de Marrocos

Veja tabela da Copa do Mundo e simule os próximos jogos

O novo vínculo encerraria em dezembro de 2023 – justamente quando encerra o contrato do atleta com o próprio Corinthians. O atual, por sua vez, termina no final deste ano. O atacante foi contratado pelo Timão em 2020, sendo um pedido de Vagner Mancini, mas mal atuou – ao todo, foram apenas três jogos em campo.

Em 2021, foi emprestado para o Cuiabá pela primeira vez, atuando em 44 partidas e com seis gols. Retornou ao Timão, mais uma vez não foi aproveitado, cedido ao Dourado – novamente – em abril deste ano.

Nesta temporada, jogou 14 partidas, com dois gols marcados. Jonathan Cafú começou a ganhar mais espaço no final da temporada, quando o Cuiabá conseguiu se livrar do rebaixamento, encerrando o ano na 16ª colocação da tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Ex-Colorado Rapids star advocated for the MLS to loosen its financial constraints to facilitate the next stage of league development

Balboa urges removal of spending limitationsSupports transition to calendar-year scheduleWants balanced approach to player developmentGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Ex-USMNT star Marcelo Balboa critiqued Major League Soccer's financial structure and player acquisition rules, saying the league must "take the handcuffs off" clubs to facilitate further growth.

The former MLS defender highlighted the importance of loosening the salary cap to allow teams to pursue more international talent, as Inter Miami have done in recent years with the likes of Lionel Messi and, last week, Rodriqo De Paul.

“The fact that where we've built these new franchises has been fantastic,” Balboa told CBS Sports Golazo America. “Be it Charlotte the way the people have responded, Nashville with the new stadiums, even San Diego right now, what they did, St. Louis. So I think that's always a huge bonus for me.

"Like anything else, where do we, I guess, take the handcuffs off? And let some of these teams start spending some real money to bring in some big time players besides Messi and DePaul and players like that? It would be nice to see them open up that salary cap."

Balboa supported a potential move to fall-to-spring calendar, aligning the MLS schedule with that of Europe.

"It would be nice to see them go to a calendar year – I think that's going to be important as everywhere else in the world," he said. "So you can bring in transfer fees and bring in players at the right time instead of having to wait, because our transfer window is different than the European window. So, I think there's a lot of positive things that have happened in this league, but I think we're still handcuffing ourselves because we're not allowing ourselves to open that market and allowing ourselves…

"We're standing in a great place, man. In '96, they told us 'You have money for three years and we'll see what we'll do and how will more things out after that?' And we're sitting here, 30 years later talking about a league that is expanded with some of the best facilities in the world, some of the best stadiums in the world and wonderful fans. So we couldn't be happier."

AdvertisementWHAT BALBOA SAID

The former MLS star said that, while there are clubs that could opt to fill their team with foreign players, there will always be MLS teams focusing on domestic talent. 

“We talk about handcuffing, there's always 30 teams,” Balboa said. “So, seven of them are going to take that, ‘We're going to take the full approach of buying the best players of the world, bringing in players.' But there are other teams that have a lot of Americans on there. So I think it's a balance like you do in a South America, like you do in Europe. There's always a balance.

“But there's other teams that you look around that have seven or eight MLS starters. So I go back and say that's what the academy is for. If we do our jobs right we'll be selling 17-year-olds, 18-year-olds to Europe. And then when they get older they'll be coming back.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Colorado Rapids recently announced that they are set to retire Marcelo Balboa’s No. 17 to honor the legacy of the former USMNT defender. Balboa spent five years with the Rapids, making more than 150 appearances, and earning 127 caps for the USMNT, as well.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

MLS is currently reviewing the potential to change the league's calendar to a European model, but there have not yet been any decisions.

Veteran Chris Broad, however, is not in the Elite Panel of Match Referees

Mohammad Isam28-Mar-2024

The ICC has appointed Sharfuddoula in its elite panel of umpires, making him the first Bangladeshi to be included into the group. The new panel of match referees, however, doesn’t include veteran Chris Broad who has officiated in the third most number of international matches.Broad, who has been in the elite panel since 2003, has officiated in 123 Tests, 361 ODIs and 135 T20Is. He was the match referee in the final of the 2009 T20 World Cup and the 2021 World Test Championship.”Chris Broad has been a valuable member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees over many years and has performed his role with distinction,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC CEO said in an ICC release. “He was prepared to take difficult calls in the best interests of the game and was respected by players and officials from all over the cricketing world. On behalf of the ICC, I would like to thank Chris for his long and distinguished contribution to the game.”I would also like to congratulate Sharfuddoula for his inclusion on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, and to acknowledge his achievement of being the first umpire from Bangladesh to be selected on this panel. This is a well-deserved reward for many years of consistent performances in international matches and ICC tournaments.”Sharfuddoula, too, was delighted with his appointment at the highest level, something that he has been aiming for, for a very long time. A former left-arm spinner who played for Bangladesh in the 1994 ICC Trophy, Sharfuddoula took to umpiring in 2007. He made his ODI debut in 2010.”It is a great honour to be named on the ICC Elite Panel. To be the first from my country on the panel makes it extra special and I look forward to justifying the faith shown in me,” Sharfuddoula said. “I have had a fair bit of experience over the years and am ready for more challenging assignments. I would like to thank the ICC and the BCB for backing me and my other colleagues for all their help and guidance. I would also like to thank my family and friends for standing by and supporting me.”He has officiated in ten Tests, 63 ODIs and 44 T20Is in men’s cricket. He has also featured in 41 women’s international matches.Last year, Sharfuddoula stood as an umpire in the ODI World Cup, becoming the first Bangladeshi to do so. He also stood in the Brisbane Test between Australia and West Indies earlier this year.ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees: David Boon (Australia), Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka), Andrew Pycroft (Zimbabwe), Richie Richardson (West Indies), Javagal Srinath (India)ICC Elite Panel of Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Michael Gough (England), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Joel Wilson (West Indies)

Armando Broja is reportedly on the verge of sealing a permanent transfer to Burnley after the Clarets reached an agreement with Chelsea. The 22-year-old forward has endured a difficult few years, beginning with an Achilles tendon rupture that sidelined him for a lengthy spell. Unfortunately, further misfortune followed when he sustained a significant ankle injury shortly after returning to action.

• Broja set for Chelsea exit
• Burnley likely to be his destination
• Albanian eager to get fresh start elsewhere

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The deal has progressed rapidly, with Broja now expected to undergo a medical examination later on Saturday before completing the move. The Albania international has been cleared to travel as final preparations are made for the transfer to be completed, as claimed by

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Broja has been sent out on multiple loan spells in recent seasons, including stints at Southampton, Fulham and Everton. While he showed flashes of promise at Southampton during the 2021-22 campaign, his time at Fulham and Everton failed to reignite his momentum. Notably, he failed to register a single goal during his periods with either of those clubs.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Overall, his Chelsea career saw him make just 38 senior appearances, in which he scored three times. Despite being a product of the club’s youth academy, he never truly managed to break into the Blues' plans on a long-term basis. 

  AC Milan and Ajax both explored the possibility of a transfer, while RB Leipzig and PSV Eindhoven were also monitoring the striker’s availability. However, discussions with all four clubs failed to materialise into firm offers, leading to the eventual deal with Burnley becoming the most viable path forward.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Chelsea are reportedly prepared to sanction a full sale for a fee in the region of £20 million ($27m) and the entire amount will be accounted as pure profit as Broja is an academy product. He remains a central figure for Albania and regular minutes in the Premier League will be vital to ensuring he can perform at his best during upcoming World Cup qualification matches. The decision to join Burnley is seen as a strategic step toward that goal.