All posts by h716a5.icu

Arsenal's purchase of Declan Rice last month sent shockwaves throughout the Premier League.

This was a potential England captain in waiting joining arguably a sleeping giant in English football.

It has nearly been 20 years since the Gunners won the league, but Rice has joined with the beast showing signs of awakening from its slumber.

They fell five points short of Manchester City last term but with Rice and co now, excuse the pun, in their arsenal, they look well poised to challenge again.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Amid Jurrien Timber's devastating ACL injury, Edu and Mikel Arteta could look at bringing in another defender.

Amongst possible targets are Benjamin Pavard and Kyle Walker-Peters.

That said, another attacker could well arrive as Arsenal hunt a back-up to the effervescent Bukayo Saka.

Last summer, one of their priority targets was Wolves winger Pedro Neto, but after an injury-hit spell that interest appears to have vanished.

Now valued at just £10m, as per Football Transfers, it's a transfer that journalist Ben Jacobs spoke about recently to GIVEMESPORT: "I think Arsenal have looked at Neto previously, but I'm not aware that they've gone back to the table for him at this stage," he said.

What are Pedro Neto's strengths?

Neto has spent a great deal of time on the sidelines in recent years, notably last campaign when he missed 21 matches between October and February with an ankle injury.

Set-pieces

Finishing

Through balls

Aerial duels

Crossing

Physicality

Dribbling

That said, there is still a phenomenal talent inside the Portuguese and given Arteta's qualities as a coach, he could surely extract more.

Indeed, the 23-year-old showed as much during Wolves' opening league match of the season against Manchester United.

The young forward looked back to his best during their 1-0 defeat, notably playing four key passes, five crosses and completing four of his six dribble attempts.

In a nutshell, that encapsulates what Neto is best at. The "explosive" talent, as per AFTV's Robbie Lyle, is a creative force and one who on his day is incredibly difficult to stop.

Like Saka, he favours cutting inside onto his dangerous left foot to wreak havoc, and that's precisely what he did against United.

Having scored just 11 goals in 113 outings for the Old Gold, a lack of end product is perhaps a concern but at such a young age and ravaged by injury in the last few years, there is still plenty to come.

Such a move, of course, could well see the Gunners raid their fellow English sides again. They have done so three times already this summer, bringing in Kai Havertz from Chelsea, Rice from West Ham and David Raya from Brentford.

Declan Rice

West Ham

£105m

Kai Havertz

Chelsea

£65m

David Raya

Brentford

Initial loan

Gabriel Jesus

Man City

£45m

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Man City

£30m

Ben White

Brighton

£50m

Aaron Ramsdale

Sheffield United

£30m

The north Londoners have seemingly been keen to flood their squad with Premier League experience. It's obvious to see why; they have proven success in the division and won't take long to settle in.

Rice was never going to come cheap but paying as much as £105m speaks volumes. When they have a track record of playing immensely well in England's top flight, you will have to pay a premium.

At 24, he is just one year older than Neto and has already hit the ground running at the Emirates.

A lung-busting recovery run to dispossess Bernardo Silva in the Community Shield caught the eye before he came very close to opening his account for the club when he struck the post against Nottingham Forest.

Should a move for Neto be revived, it is hoped he would take little time to adjust either. Arsenal have long been searching for a player who will give them license to rest Saka, and in the flying Wolves star, they may well find their answer.

The Indian Medical Association wrote to the BCCI saying it was troubled by the Test match taking place in hazardous conditions while Sri Lanka manager Asanka Gurusinha urged ICC to deploy air-quality meters in the future

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2017The decision to play the Delhi Test amid high pollution levels has drawn strong criticism from both participating countries with the Sri Lankan manager Asanka Gurusinha and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) deeming the conditions far from ideal. While the IMA wrote to the BCCI and Vinod Rai, the head of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, stating that it was troubled over the third Test between India and Sri Lanka being played in such conditions, Gurusinha urged the ICC to deploy air-quality meters in the future.Gurusinha further said both the India and Sri Lanka dressing rooms had to use oxygen cylinders. “The players are not able to breathe so we’re using oxygen cylinders in the changing room. This has been medically advised to us,” he told . “Even the Indian team is using oxygen cylinders in the dressing room.”The matter has reached the ICC’s attention as well with a spokesperson saying, “The ICC has noted the conditions in which the Delhi Test was played and has already requested the issue is considered by the medical committee for guidance should the situation arise in future. The matter is likely to be discussed in February’s ICC meetings.”According to , IMA president KK Aggarwal said the conduct of the match sent out the message that it was safe for children to play cricket even when the PM (particulate matter) 2.5 levels were more than 300. “Rain and poor light are taken into consideration when determining suitable playing conditions, we suggest that atmospheric pollution should now also be included in the assessing criteria for a match,” Aggarwal stated in his letter to the BCCI.Contending that air pollution could be an important factor in affecting the performance of athletes, Aggarwal quoted from medical literature and said the poor air quality in Delhi may increase the risk of lung and heart disease and trigger a potentially life-threatening event.The safe levels of atmospheric particulate matter, according to World Health Organisation air-quality guidelines, are 20g/cu mm (annual mean) for PM10 and 10g/cu mm (annual mean) for PM2.5. If the air quality index (AQI) is between 151 and 200, it is recommended that outdoor exercises be reduced.”The message from the India and Sri Lanka cricket match that has gone home is that it is safe for children to play cricket even when the PM 2.5 levels are more than 300,” Aggarwal wrote in his letter.The first signs of players’ discomfort in the polluted Delhi atmosphere came on the second day of the Test when five Sri Lanka fielders came out wearing masks in the post-lunch session. There were two stoppages of play spanning a total of 22 minutes after fast bowlers Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal appeared to struggle. Later in the Test, Lakmal and India’s Mohammed Shami were seen throwing up on the field. While the India camp initially appeared to be skeptical of Sri Lanka’s difficulty as bowling coach B Arun questioned their bowlers’ fitness, opener Shikhar Dhawan later conceded the visitors’ discomfort could have been genuine.Pollution in Delhi has been a major health concern in recent winters. A public health emergency was declared by the government in November this year, with schools closing down for a week even as the Delhi half marathon almost turned out a non-starter. During the Test match, air quality in some parts of Delhi was reported to be hazardous, and very unhealthy in the area adjoining the Feroz Shah Kotla.During the interruptions, match referee David Boon was seen talking to a doctor, who had a stethoscope around his neck, presumably for advice on how big a health hazard the current pollution was. Gurusinha felt the ICC needed to lay down guidelines in relation to pollution-related issues. “The match referee David Boon is handling our request. He is collecting all the data. This is an unprecedented situation, and has not happened anywhere before,” he said.”The ICC managers need to sit down and look at the problem. I don’t think anyone should jump the gun but we need to set a standard. Going forward, it should be treated like bad light which is measured by light meters. They may have to use pollution meters. The measures should be universally applied.”SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala offered praise to the Sri Lankan team for sticking it out in tough conditions. “I am proud of the character, spirit and perseverance you each showed under pressure. The challenges you faced, were not limited to the technicalities of the game only, but of external circumstances that challenged each of you personally as well.”

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers could offer an out-of-favour Premier League ace a 'chance' to get his career back on track at Parkhead, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest Celtic news?

Hoops manager Rodgers has been proactive in the transfer market since returning to the hot seat at Parkhead, sanctioning deals to bring in Gustaf Lagerbielke, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Yang Hyun-jun, Marco Tilio, Odin Thiago Holm and Maik Nawrocki, as per Transfermarkt.

In their first two league matches of the campaign, Celtic emerged victorious at home to Ross County and away to Aberdeen at Pittodrie to now sit at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, which is a position they are all too familiar with in the east end of Glasgow.

Next up for Celtic is a trip to face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday in the Viaplay Cup, with Rodgers keen to enjoy similar success to his side's treble-winning campaign last term under Ange Postecoglou.

Trying to tie down key assets at Parkhead has become a main priority in the final weeks of the window and it is believed that Celtic have opened dialogue with Liel Abada and Reo Hatate over prolonging their deals in Glasgow, as per The Daily Record.

Academy product Stephen Welsh has penned a new four-year contract extension at his boyhood club and has labelled Rodgers as one of the "main reasons" he was keen to stay at his current employers, as per BBC Sport.

In terms of transfer news, The Northern Echo claim that Newcastle United outcast Ryan Fraser has emerged as a target for Celtic and it is believed that a 'formal approach' is being readied for the £42k-a-week Scotland international.

Fraser has been training with Newcastle United's second string and is out of the picture at St James' Park alongside Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones thinks that Fraser could be tempted by the possibility of moving north of the border to join Celtic.

Jones stated: "I'm waiting for someone to take a chance on Ryan Fraser. It's surprising, in a way, that he's remained at Newcastle so far, but it's largely down to the fact that he's been very cautious about stepping down to the Championship.

"Even though there have been offers there, and some of them quite decent, he didn't really want to do that.

"He's been hoping that something exciting might open up. Maybe this is it. Maybe the chance to join Celtic and link-up with Brendan Rodgers could be something that ticks those boxes for him."

Who else could Celtic sign this summer?

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic are keen on Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence, as he stated on Twitter X: "Celtic are keen on Wolves winger Daniel Podence. He has one year left on his contract & wasn’t included in the squad last night. Wolves want around £12m, but it’s understood Celtic see room for negotiation, if they make an approach."

Celtic are also reportedly interested in Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier alongside Crystal Palace, AS Monaco, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Al Nassr, as per 90min.

Nantes left-back Quentin Merlin has been linked with a move to Parkhead this summer and would cost in the region of £7 million, according to Mailplus.

Republic of Ireland youth international Rocco Vata could be on his way out of Celtic this window and the club have no plans to extend his contract of facilitate a loan deal for the attacker, as per Sky Sports journalist Joseph.

Ajmal, 40, is likely to make an announcement after the ongoing National T20 Cup ends on November 26

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-20170:48

Quick facts: Saeed Ajmal

Saeed Ajmal will bring to an end one of the most illustrious modern Pakistan careers at the end of this month, once the National T20 Cup – the Pakistan domestic T20 tournament – ends.Ajmal, 40, is leading Faisalabad and news of his impending end came on a fitting day in which he played a lead role in a win over Lahore Blues. He took 3 for 26 from his four overs, including the wickets of Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam, and ran out Mohammad Hafeez in a seven-wicket win. He will hold off from making an official announcement until the end of the tournament.When he does leave, he will do so as one of Pakistan’s most successful spinners. Though he made his international debut late, in the 2008 Asia Cup, it was under Misbah-ul-Haq’s captaincy, from 2011 onwards, that he became a major all-format force for Pakistan. He ended, ultimately, with 178 wickets from 35 Tests at an average of 28.10; under Misbah, however, he took 141 wickets in just 26 Tests. He played a lead role in a number of Pakistan’s early successes under Misbah, not least his 24 wickets in the 3-0 whitewash of England in 2011-12.He was equally important in the white-ball formats, an important part of successful sides until 2011, and almost a solitary burden-bearer in the less successful sides thereafter. He ended with 184 wickets from 113 ODIs at 22.72 and another 85 wickets from 64 T20Is.But for all the success, there was also the more problematic issue raised by his action. He was reported for an illegal action twice in his international career and it clouded somewhat the sheer potency of his doosra, a delivery he used to devastating effect.He was reported first in 2009, during an ODI series against Australia in the UAE, though he was cleared soon after. But it was when he was reported in August 2014, at the peak of his powers, that his international career was effectively over. Subsequent tests found that his elbow straightened well beyond 15 degrees when delivering both the offspinner and doosra.At the time he was banned, he was the no.1 ODI bowler in the world, and in the top ten of both Test and T20 rankings. At that point, nobody had taken more international wickets than him in the preceding three-year period. It was suggested at the time that Pakistan’s excessive reliance on him – only one bowler had bowled more overs than him in that three-year period – had worn away his action and made it particularly ragged.He was able to remodel his action and return but he was never the force that he had been. He played just two ODIs and a single T20I in 2015 after the World Cup, but he was clearly a different bowler and a much reduced force.He has continued playing domestic cricket, and has been busy with an academy in Faisalabad since then. Until earlier this year, in the run-up to the PSL, he was hoping to use the league to return to international cricket. But he played only four matches for Islamabad United and picked up three expensive wickets. After his retirement, Ajmal will continue with Islamabad United as their spin-bowling coach in the PSL.

The allrounder picked up four awards at the ceremony, while Rangana Herath and Chamari Atapattu were named the men’s and women’s cricketers of the year

Madushka Balasuriya01-Nov-2017SLC awards for 2016-17

Cricketer of the Year Rangana Herath
Women’s Cricketer of the Year Chamari Atapattu
Test Batsman of the Year Dhananjaya de Silva
Test Bowler of the Year Rangana Herath
Test Allrounder of the Year Dilruwan Perera
ODI Batsman of the Year Kusal Mendis
ODI Bowler of the Year Suranga Lakmal
ODI Allrounder of the Year Asela Gunaratne
T20I Batsman of the Year Asela Gunaratne
T20I Bowler of the Year Lasith Malinga
T20I Allrounder of the Year Asela Gunaratne
T20I Batswoman of the Year Chamari Atapattu
T20I Women’s Bowler of the Year Sugandika Kumari
ODI Batswoman of the Year Chamari Atapattu
ODI Women’s Bowler of the Year Inoka Ranaweera
Emerging Cricketer of the Year Niroshan Dickwella
Best Batsman (domestic) Sadeera Samarawickrama
Best Bowler (domestic) Malinda Pushpakumara
Most Promising Cricketer Asela Gunaratne
Emerging Cricketer of the Year (domestic) Ron Chandragupta
Most Promising Cricketer (domestic) Wanindu Hasaranga

Asela Gunaratne’s haul of four trophies at SLC’s Annual Cricket Awards provided a timely reminder of the calibre of talent that has been sidelined by injury in recent months, while Rangana Herath took home the night’s biggest award when he was feted as cricketer of the year.The 39-year-old left-arm spinner was also – unsurprisingly – named Test bowler of the year. The period under consideration, from June 2016 to June 2017, saw Herath play 11 Tests and pick up 73 wickets at an average of 18.68. Herath’s spin partner Dilruwan Perera was named Test allrounder of the year, after taking 31 wickets at 27.19 and scoring 319 runs at 24.53 during the same period.It was Gunaratne, though, who scooped up most of the limited-overs prizes, as he was named the best batsman in T20Is as well as the best allrounder in both T20Is and ODIs. He also claimed the country’s most promising cricketer award.Between February 2016, when he made his international debut, and July 2017, when he sustained a thumb fracture, Gunaratne had been one of Sri Lanka’s most in-form batsmen: scoring 455 runs in Tests at an average of 56.87, 472 runs at 36.30 in ODIs, and 181 runs 30.83 in T20Is. His slow-medium bowling – especially in white-ball cricket, where he has picked up 23 wickets in 30 matches – also brought considerable balance to the side.Meanwhile. wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who has fast become a mainstay in the national side, was named the Emerging Cricketer of the Year after scoring 1603 runs in 37 international matches in 2017, with two hundreds and 11 fifties.In ODIs, pace spearhead Suranga Lakmal was named bowler of the year, while Kusal Mendis capped off a fine freshman year with the award for best batsman. Mendis, who debuted during last year’s tour of England, has been part of an inconsistent batting unit but has nevertheless managed to amass 1156 runs at 32.11 in 39 ODIs.The awards night also threw up some forgotten faces, with Dhananjaya de Silva picking up the award for best Test batsman and Lasith Malinga being named best T20I bowler.De Silva had debuted and top-scored in Sri Lanka’s series win last year over Australia before underwhelming series against South Africa and Bangladesh saw him dropped from the one-off Test against Zimbabwe. He was drafted back in for Sri Lanka’s second Test against India, but was then quickly shifted to the A team, where he has since impressed. De Silva’s brief but fruitful Test career has seen him score 726 runs at 38.21, including two hundreds and two fifties, in 10 Tests.Malinga, meanwhile, was dropped ahead of the start of the ODI series against Pakistan due to a lack of form, but a look at his T20I performances since returning from injury earlier this year – 12 wickets in six matches at 16.50 apiece – indicates that, while he may not be as consistent as before, he can still be an asset in the shortest format.ICCOn the women’s side Chamari Atapattu cemented a record-breaking year as she was named women’s cricketer of the year, and also took home the award for best batswoman in both ODIs and T20Is. Atapattu provided one of the highlights of the Women’s World Cup this year when she smashed an unbeaten 143-ball 178 not out against Australia, which eventually led to her becoming the first Sri Lankan woman to sign with a franchise T20 league. Women’s ODI Captain Inoka Ranaweera, meanwhile, was named women’s bowler of the year, while Sugandika Kumari took home the award for T20Is.In the domestic awards, recent national team debutants Malinda Pushpakumara, of Chilaw Marians CC, and Sadeera Samarawickrama, of Colts CC, were named best bowler and batsman respectively. Slow left-arm spinner Pushpakumara picked up 77 wickets in nine first-class matches at 13.79 in the 2016/2017 season, while right-hand bat Samarawickrama scored 1016 runs at 59.76 in the same period.Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s Wanindu Hasaranga, who made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe earlier this year, was rewarded for a blistering start to his first-class career as he was named the most promising domestic cricketer. The fiery 20-year-old has played just 15 first-class matches but has already scored 877 runs at 41.76, while his legspin has scalped 16 wickets at 26.00. The Colombo Cricket Club’s Ron Chandraguptha, who scored 837 runs at 59.79 and has also impressed with the Sri Lanka A team, was named the emerging domestic player of the year. NCC’s Chathuranga de Silva, who recently earned a national recall for the T20I series against Pakistan, was named best allrounder.The guest of honour at the ceremony was former Indian World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev, while several other former cricketers were also in attendance to hand out awards.

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper David Button is set to leave the club on a free transfer to join League One side Reading, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

When did David Button join West Brom?

Button first arrived in the Midlands from Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2020, but despite establishing himself as the club’s official number one during his three-year spell, he last season was significantly out of favour having been handed just 13 starts in the Championship.

England’s former youth international’s contract is also set to expire in less than a year so the ongoing transfer window is the ideal time for the Baggies to cash in should they not view him as part of their plans moving forward, which seems like the case.

The 34-year-old was dropped by Carlos Corberan for the 2-2 pre-season friendly vs Salford last month despite being fully fit and available for selection, and it’s not the first time that the boss has publicly made his feelings towards the shot-stopper clear.

Back in February, The Express & Star’s Lewis Cox revealed all on a conversation held with the Spaniard regarding the veteran’s performance during the 2-0 defeat vs Birmingham City where he was at fault. He said:

“We've had a chat with Carlos Corberan just there and he actually said an interesting thing in that that first goal really knocked Button and he was just unable to sort of recover, rediscover his composure – which says a lot.”

Is David Button leaving West Brom?

According to Football Insider, Button "will be allowed" to leave West Brom this summer and he's actually closing in on a free transfer to Reading, who are "poised to sign" him before the end of the window.

The Hawthorns goalkeeper is "not in" Corberan's plans for the future, hence why he is set to depart for nothing rather than the club demanding a fee for him.

Alex Palmer was named between the sticks for the Championship's opening day 2-1 loss to Blackburn Rovers, and moving forward, it's expected that Josh Griffiths is "set to battle him for the number one jersey".

Firstly, Button will know that his lack of game time last season was an indicator that he doesn’t really have a long-term future at the club, but he hasn’t helped himself having kept just two clean sheets over the course of the previous second-tier campaign, so West Brom would be making completely the right decision by letting him go.

He also only made 17 saves from 37 shots on target against, giving him a success rate of just 51.4% which was noticeably lower than Griffiths’ 67.6% and Palmer’s 71.8%, via FBRef, showing that he is the weakest of all three goalkeeping options.

Standing at 6 foot 3, Button has been labelled a “huge problem” between the sticks by journalist Josh Bunting, and when you take into consideration the fact that he isn’t getting any younger, sanctioning his exit for any amount would be the best outcome for both parties.

Returning Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers could hardly have written a better script with regard to the opening weekend of the new Scottish Premiership campaign, with the Northern Irishman seeing his side hit four against Ross County at Parkhead, while their Old Firm rivals subsequently slipped up away to Kilmarnock.

With the reigning champions already now in the driving seat in the quest to retain their title, the hope will be that Rodgers and co can strengthen their position even further with notable new additions over the coming weeks.

The Glasgow giants have already brought in five new faces as they also prepare for another crack at the Champions League group stage, although having lost the likes of Aaron Mooy and Jota in recent months – and with Carl Starfelt on his way- increased quality is likely to be needed before the window is out.

What are the latest Celtic transfer rumours?

Amid the confirmation that the aforementioned Starfelt has joined La Liga side, Celta Vigo, speculation is rife that the Hoops are interested in Volendam's Xavier Mbuyamba and Elfsborg's Gustaf Lagerbielke, with Rodgers seemingly keen to bring in an additional centre-back recruit despite having already wrapped up a deal for Polish ace, Maik Nawrocki.

As for more attack-minded additions, the Daily Mail has reported this week that the treble winners are also among the clubs who are interested in Manchester City starlet, James McAtee, with the 20-year-old potentially in line for an exit from the Etihad in search of increased game time.

The report notes that despite City's reluctance to allow the promising Englishman to depart, the growing list of suitors could well spark an exit for the playmaker, with either a permanent or temporary move having been mooted.

How good is James McAtee?

Despite having been restricted to just six first-team appearances for his current side, the Salford native has previously dazzled in City's youth ranks, notably scoring 15 goals and providing nine assists in just 34 games at U18 level, while also contributing 46 goal involvements in just 52 outings for the U21's.

Such stellar form from the 5 foot 11 youngster was then replicated on loan at Sheffield United last season in England's second tier, with the "top talent" – as described by Jacek Kulig – having registered 13 goals and assists in 43 games in all competitions.

Noted for his "electric pace & acceleration", the England U21 international seemingly tore Championship defences to shreds last term after bagging nine goals in the league alone, with a player of such potential needing to continue his development with regular game time.

As far as Celtic are concerned, the hope will be that McAtee – who is valued at £3m by Football Transfers – can follow in the footsteps of Patrick Roberts if he is to make the move north of the border, with the latter man having dazzled after joining the Bhoys from the Cityzens on loan back in February 2016.

Over what would prove to be a two-and-a-half-year stint in Glasgow, the diminutive winger was truly sensational on the flanks after chipping in with 44 goals and assists in just 78 games in all competitions for the club, having won a host of domestic honours in that time.

The then-youngster – who had begun his career at Fulham – particularly shone following Rodgers' arrival at the start of the 2016/17 campaign as he went on to net 12 goals and provided 24 assists in 65 games under the ex-Liverpool boss – who dubbed him an "absolutely phenomenal player" in 2017.

While the Englishman ultimately did not sign permanently for the Premiership side he certainly made an impact when he was at the club, with the aim now to repeat that transfer blinder by securing McAtee's services this summer.

Shaun Marsh, continuing his fine form from the JLT cup, was Western Australia’s highest scorer of the day

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-2017Hilton Cartwright made 61 off 128 balls•Getty ImagesThe 111-run second-wicket stand between Shaun Marsh and Hilton Cartwright propped up Western Australia at the WACA, only for them to slide from 2 for 170 to 7 for 258 on day one against Tasmania. Tasmania’s rally was crafted by the pacers, who shared the wickets around; Jackson Bird, Sam Rainbird and Gabe Bell picked up two apiece as the hosts closed the day on 7 for 285.Being put in to bat first, Western Australia lost opener Cameron Bancroft cheaply – for 18. The century stand followed, as Shaun Marsh extended his fine form from the JLT Cup in the company of Cartwright. Captain Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Ashton Turner failed to build partnerships in the middle as Bird and Rainbird struck.Nathan Coulter-Nile, batting on 36, would look to lead the lower-order resistance come day two.

Manchester United are thought to be eyeing a possible surprise move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia ahead of both Liverpool and Chelsea.

Who is signing Romeo Lavia?

The Red Devils have been relatively busy so far this summer ahead of the 2023/24 season, with Mason Mount and Andre Onana already making the move to Old Trafford from Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.

However, Erik ten Hag appears to be on the hunt for more additions ahead of his second year in charge, and it looks as if Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund will be the next big-money arrival.

A €70m fee has been agreed between the two clubs, with the player already agreeing a five-year deal. Hojlund has even undergone a medical and is poised to complete the relative paperwork on Wednesday ahead of an official announcement.

After the Denmark international, there could be more work to be done in midfield, with United and Ten Hag seemingly after a further addition to potentially play alongside Mount.

Read The Latest Man United Transfer News HERE…

Reports have claimed that Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is close to joining the club and reuniting with Ten Hag in the process, however, it appears as if the Red Devils also have their eye on Lavia, a player who has been heavily in demand over recent weeks.

The Daily Mail shared a transfer update in the last 48 hours and touched on the race to sign Lavia, with Southampton expecting a big week. They said that Liverpool, following the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson will make an improved bid, something which has now happened, whereas Chelsea have maintained contact as well.

However, the report adds that ‘a foreign club and Manchester United are the surprise elements still in the mix’. It is believed that the Red Devils would need to sell first before making a move of their own, whereas Amrabat is a cheaper option at around £25m.

Who could leave Man United?

It appears as if the Red Devils may need to sell before making any further summer signings, and at the start of the window, the club reportedly put 13 players up for sale.

Donny van de Beek, Fred and Scott McTominay were the three central midfielders who could end up departing, with those at Old Trafford valuing them at £20m, £20m and £40m respectively. Van de Beek has been linked with a move to Real Sociedad, Fred a switch to Fulham and McTominay at West Ham, however, they are all still on the books in Manchester.

Should one or two depart, it could open the door for the club to make a move for Lavia, dubbed a defensive midfield “monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick. However, with Chelsea and Liverpool both keen, it could mean that United don’t have the time to make their move, so may end up going for Amrabat.

It is good to see that Old Trafford officials aren’t looking to stop after the eventually secure Hojlund’s services, so they may well be active in the market right up until the September 1 deadline in regards to both incomings and outgoings.

Official announcement yet to be made as BCCI awaits clearance on two new venues – Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram

Arun Venugopal05-Sep-2017Australia will arrive in India for a limited-overs series following the conclusion of their tour of Bangladesh in Chittagong, with Chennai scheduled to host the first ODI on September 17. The remaining matches will be played in Kolkata (September 21), Indore (September 24), Bangalore (September 28) and Nagpur (October 1). Australia will then travel to Ranchi (October 7), Guwahati (October 10) and Hyderabad (October 13) for the T20I series.ESPNcricinfo has independently confirmed the fixtures with each hosting centre, though the BCCI is yet to make an official announcement less than two weeks before the series opener. The board is awaiting ICC clearance for its two new venues – Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram.An Assam Cricket Association official confirmed that Javagal Srinath, the former India fast bowler and match referee, had inspected the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Monday on the ICC’s behalf. A report is awaited.In drawing up the itinerary, the BCCI has had to factor in other changes as well, with Bangalore, which was initially supposed to host the second ODI on September 21, now hosting the fourth ODI on September 28. The fixtures are likely to be made official in “a day or two” according to a top BCCI official. Prior to the series, Australia are also scheduled to play a warm-up fixture in Chennai on September 12.India beat Australia 2-1 in a four-Test series earlier in the year. India also got the better of Australia when they last hosted them for a limited-overs series in 2013-14, clinching the seven-match ODI series 3-2 and winning the only T20I in Rajkot.Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram, which was initially allotted a T20I against Sri Lanka, will now host a T20I against New Zealand on November 7 subject to ICC clearance. Kerala Cricket Association secretary Jayesh George said Srinath had inspected the Greenfield Stadium last week. A report is expected to be out soon.”We were initially supposed to host Sri Lanka in December and Odisha [Cuttack] were supposed to host the New Zealand game in November,” George told ESPNcricinfo. “But, there is a festival in Odisha in November, so we are now hosting the New Zealand game instead.”