Former spearhead Glenn McGrath, however, prefers that Australia play the left-arm quick only if he is “100% fit”

Daniel Brettig in Sydney02-Jan-20181:11

‘Play Starc only if 100% fit’ – McGrath

A recovering Mitchell Starc is a strong chance to return to Australia’s team for the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, though he would be doing so over the objections of the former spearhead Glenn McGrath, who believes the left-arm quick should only resume bowling when he is “100% fit”.Having failed to recover from a bruised heel in time to take part in the Boxing Day Test, Starc bowled off his full run for about 30 minutes in the SCG nets on Tuesday, and is clearly eager to front up on his home ground alongside fellow New South Welshmen Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon. The captain Steven Smith, meanwhile, took a rare day off the nets due to some back soreness but is expected to be fine to play.SCG Pink Test marks 10 seasons

When Glenn and Jane McGrath founded a breast cancer charity in 2005, they intended to raise awareness about the affliction and also to help ensure sufferers were afforded as much support as possible. The first “pink” day three of the SCG Test followed, and in 2018 the Jane McGrath foundation marks 10 years of that day.
“Great to be back here and to think 10 years have gone by is amazing,” McGrath said. “The SCG was my home ground, my favourite cricket ground in the world, so anytime I get to come out here is pretty amazing. But to be the Sydney Pink Test as we call it now makes it that much more special and for 10 years to have gone past is incredible – each year it seems to get bigger and bigger. The way the cricket community has got together and supported the foundation is amazing, I think we’ve got 119 McGrath breast care nurses, supporting more than 160,000 individuals and families going through breast cancer.”
The foundation’s fundraising goal for this match is A$1.3 million equivalent to the employment of 10 full-time breast care nurses over 12 months, who can provide support for 1000 individuals. This year’s events will also feature a “pink picnic” at the Sydney Football Stadium for those unable to get into the SCG, with the cricket to be played on a big screen, and pink picnic rugs and a hampers provided.

With nearly two months between this match and the first of Australia’s tour of South Africa, Starc has the opportunity for a break in between, even if he is named in the squad for the ODI series against England. The announced is due on Wednesday. McGrath, who was famously averse to any sort of resting or management during his long and durable career, said he would prefer to see Australia be cautious with Starc, given the niggardly nature of heel injuries and the looming South African assignment.”You want him playing but you want him at 100% and you want to make sure next series he’s ready to go at 100%, so if Starcy’s not 100% I’d be tempted to rest him, unfortunately for the Sydney public,” McGrath said. “They want to see him performing on his home ground and he wants to be out there as well, but you’ve got to think ‘ok, South Africa’s important’, so we’ll wait and see.”As a player you want to play every game, you really only think about the next game and do whatever you can to get through it. When you’ve got important series, South Africa coming up, Australia have won this series here, he’s such an integral part of the Australian line-up. I think they missed him in Melbourne more so bowling to the tail, because the pace and the lengths he bowls, he can clean up a tail pretty quickly.”The SCG strip, part of a natural wicket block as opposed to the MCG’s drop-in surface, is another factor for the selectors, as its extra live grass may be more helpful to Jackson Bird, who had little joy when replacing Starc in Melbourne. How much the wicket is shaved and whether it dries out much more ahead of Thursday’s coin toss will also determine whether Ashton Agar becomes a serious chance to join Lyon in a dual spin attack.Cummins, who is expected to play his first Test on his home ground, said Starc’s heel was showing good signs in that it had not worsened at all since the first time the left-armer experienced pain, as opposed to the more serious ailment Cummins had suffered during his 2011 Test debut in Johannesburg. But he agreed that it would not be wise to risk Starc’s ability to take part in South Africa.1:34

Starc confident he’s going to play – Cummins

“I’d say that [South Africa] is probably the big concern. If it was really bad that’s I guess what would keep him out,” Cummins said. “But it’s different to me. He can walk around. Each time I kind of bowled a spell it got worse and worse. The way he was saying, it was almost worse in the first innings and stayed the same for the whole Perth match.”And the last couple of weeks it’s definitely got a lot better. So it’s definitely different to what I had. By the end of my match, or even the first innings, I could hardly walk. It’s like anything. It’s a bruise. If you keep smashing it, it will get bigger and bigger. But he says it’s in a good spot now. I think if he doesn’t think he can get through this match he wouldn’t play but we’ll find out in the next couple of days.”Starc joined Cummins, Hazlewood, Bird, Smith and his deputy David Warner for a conference in the middle of the SCG before training, in which the subject up for discussion was swinging the ball. Both conventional and reverse swing are likely to factor in Sydney, and Cummins said the assistant coach David Saker had been at pains to discuss taking care of the ball to ensure it would be capable of doing both.”We were actually just talking about swinging the ball and the keys,” Cummins said. “Obviously for bowlers our major tool is the ball, batters the bat. It’s about getting our message the same, which side to shine. It’s kind of sometimes a decision of ‘when do we start shining it one side or the other to get it reversing’ and things like that. I thought both teams did it pretty well in Melbourne.”He also assuaged concerns that the Australians needed Starc to be playing in order to take 20 wickets. “We’ve seen Birdy out the back there he’s bowled beautifully on this wicket and all season in the Shield and taken lots of wickets,” Cummins said. “So I think he’ll fit in pretty seamlessly and here at the SCG. Hopefully there’s a bit more spin for Gazza [Lyon] and we saw how important the first couple of games were when the ball spun, how damaging he can be.”I think we’ll be fine, we’ve got Mitch Marsh in as well. The good thing about our group at the moment is we can all get up for a big spell and it feels like anyone can bowl that big spell that can crack a game open. It doesn’t feel like there’s one spearhead.”For his part, McGrath said he was not in favour of allowing fielding teams more latitude in terms of deliberate bounce throws to encourage greater reverse swing, a practice both teams were warned about by the umpires at the MCG. “You try to look after the ball and get it swinging on pitches like in [Melbourne] where there’s nothing happening,” he said.”Sometimes in India where the pitches are quite flat. But I think conditions in India are a little more abrasive anyway. Not sure how I feel about that. If that [bounce throwing] happens naturally fair enough, but if it’s intentionally throwing it in the deck any chance they get, I think there is a bit of a line there.”

If England lose in Perth the Ashes will be gone and a whitewash will loom, leaving players, coaches and selectors with tough questions to answer

George Dobell in Perth13-Dec-20171:41

‘If England win it will be a black mark on WACA history’

Just as it is remarkable how a player can make the journey from ‘promising’ to ‘has been’ in the blink of an eye, so a team that looked as if it was rebuilding nicely can suddenly be reduced to rubble.Just three months ago, after they had won Test series against West Indies and South Africa, England were looking forward to this Ashes tour with realistic if guarded optimism. While their squad had some obvious flaws – not least the reliability of the top-order batting, a lack of pace bowling and the on-going issues over spin – it was also given depth by the presence of several allrounders who offered the chance to rebuild with the bat and spread the burden with the ball. They weren’t favourites, but they had a decent chance.Now, as the mushroom cloud from the Ben Stokes affair continues to fall, it seems this England team are coming to a precipice. If England lose the WACA Test – and it bears repeating they have lost their last seven Tests in Australia and their last seven on this ground – the series will be gone and the possibility of a whitewash will rear into view. As a result, there will be scrutiny on both the management – the coaches, the selectors and all those who appoint them – as well as the players. History suggests that someone – maybe several people – will pay with their jobs.So while we become accustomed to hyperbole before games – they’re all huge or massive or big and sometimes all three – when Joe Root said England were playing “one of the biggest games of our lives” this week, he was probably spot on.If England lose, there will be greater reflection on the culture of the team and questions asked about the management style of the coach and the England director. Have the players been given too much leniency and is a firmer hand required? Have England’s Test results improved since Trevor Bayliss was appointed, or might all involved be better served if he concentrated on the white-ball sides? If England lose, both Bayliss and Andrew Strauss will, rightly or wrongly, be left in uneasy positions.If England lose, there will be questions asked about selection. Why was James Vince, for example, recalled to bat at No. 3 despite a County Championship batting average of 32.94 in 2017? What was the experiment with Liam Dawson about and why was Adil Rashid discarded despite the wickets he took in India a year ago? If England lose, James Whitaker will, rightly or wrongly, be left in an uneasy position.Joe Root, James Anderson, Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad at the singing of the national anthems•Getty Images

If England lose, there will be questions asked about whether it is time to invest in younger players. The likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Alastair Cook will all come under scrutiny as questions are asked whether the time has come to make a change ahead of the next Ashes series in 2019. There will be an immediate pressure to bring in new players. We already know that Mark Wood will join the squad for the final two Tests, but the likes of Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone and Dan Lawrence – all in Perth as members of the England Lions squad – could also be added to the party. If England lose, several of this squad will, rightly or wrongly, be left in uneasy positions.Meanwhile, there will be a focus on the county system and the success of the performance centre at Loughborough. Coaches and managers involved will come under greater scrutiny. Why is that England are not producing more fast bowlers – or fit ones, anyway – or potent spinners? Why has it taken so long to find a new opening pair after the retirement of Strauss? If England lose, the likes of Kevin Shine (lead fast bowling coach) and Peter Such (the ECB’s spin bowling coach) will, rightly or wrongly, be left in uneasy positions.There may be further reflection on Stokes, too. Views around the England squad may well have hardened towards Stokes in recent days. While there is still fondness for him as a man and respect for him as a cricketer, there are a few who are only now realising how their own lifestyle has been impacted by that incident. There might well be some resentment. If England lose Stokes will, rightly or wrongly, be held partially accountable.And England will suddenly be, whether for better or worse, at the start of a new rebuilding phase. And that means change, lots of it.The good news – for England at least – is that they can win. They are certainly not favourites, but the margins between these sides are nothing compared to those in 2013-14 and this surface, once so full of pace and fury, has settled into a more sedate dotage. The Australia team is good, but there’s nothing to fear there.In an attempt to close the gap between the side, the England management have decided to make a minor tinker to their batting order. Jonny Bairstow will move back to No. 6, with Moeen Ali returning to No. 7 to ensure there are not left-handers at No. 5 (Dawid Malan) and No. 6. While it does seem fair to ask why they couldn’t have envisaged that problem at the start of the series, it is also probably fair to accept that few could have predicted the extent to which Nathan Lyon should trouble them.Olly Stone was among those at England training on Wednesday. Stone, like Jamie Overton, George Garton, Josh Tongue and Zak Chappell, is the sort of pace bowler who might make a difference the next time England make this trip. If the ECB can find a way to ensure they play enough cricket to develop while not compromising their pace or their fitness, England will have greater firepower next time.But if England lose at the WACA, the future will be a lot closer than many of those involved currently think.

Mason Crane has created a good impression in Australia, but on his English county form his selection would represent a considerable promotion

George Dobell in Sydney01-Jan-20181:57

‘Dreamed of playing in Sydney’ – Stoneman

Mason Crane looks set to make his Test debut in the final match of the Ashes series in Sydney.Crane, the 20-year-old leg-spinner, is set to come into the team in place of either Moeen Ali or Tom Curran as England take the opportunity to blood a new player with the series already decided and the whitewash averted.While it remains possible that Moeen could retain his place if it seems conditions will justify the selection of two spin bowlers, it appears Crane will be first choice if England go in with only one slow bowler.The selection would continue a remarkable journey for Crane. Just over a year ago, he was in Sydney playing Grade cricket for Gordon in a bid to gain experience. So well did it go – he claimed four five-fors and three seven-fors on the way to becoming the leading wicket-taker in New South Wales premier cricket – he was selected for New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield side. That made him their first overseas player since Imran Khan in 1984-85, and their first English player since William Caffyn in the 1960s. He performed admirably, too, with five wickets in the match.But his selection for a Test would be a huge promotion. He claimed only 16 Championship wickets in 2017 – at a cost of 44.68 apiece – and was far from an automatic piece in Hampshire’s side. On this Ashes tour, he has claimed five wickets in first-class matches at a cost of 58.29 apiece.MacGill backs Crane debut

Stuart MacGill, the former Australia legspinner and a mentor of Mason Crane, is adamant that his Test career should have got underway earlier in the Ashes series.
“I think England’s missed a trick by not playing him earlier in the series to be honest, particularly seeing the bowling hasn’t had the penetration they could have hoped for,” he said.
“One of the big differences between me and Mayso, he’s very resilient. When I was young, it took me a long time to be able to cope with getting smacked around a bit.
“I know this guy has got what it takes to cope with a bad day. I’m a big believer in that being a real guide whether or not a slow bowler will make the grade – and Mayso can.”

Moeen has endured a grim tour, however. As well as claiming just three wickets in the first four Tests at a cost of 135 apiece, he has looked devoid of confidence with the bat and averaged just 19.42. That miserable run culminated in a reckless, frantic innings of 20 in 14 deliveries in Melbourne that suggested he had lost faith in his defensive game against both spin and pace and ended with a catch in the covers.Now, with the Ashes gone and England deciding that Moeen may benefit from a spell out if the firing line, Crane looks set to win his Test debut.But while Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, admits that Moeen has had a miserable tour, he remains confident that, in the “long term” he will again prove himself a top England player.”There’s no time like the present to find out if Mason is ready,” Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, said. “We think he’s a guy that has got the goods and the more he plays at this level the better he will get. You have got to start somewhere.”Like any player, you go through highs and lows. The number of runs and wickets makes it one of his lows. But just a couple of months ago we were singing his praises as one of the best all-rounders in the world. Conditions are a bit different here and it’s taken him longer than he would have liked to feel comfortable; there’s not a lot of spin.”He’s different to Nathan Lyon, who gets over-spin. Mo doesn’t and things don’t happen as quickly, without the bounce that Lyon gets. Mo is a free spirit and one or two shots or wickets and he will be off and running. So I’m not concerned long term.”The fact that Australia have called up slow left-armer Ashton Agar suggests they, too, feel that the pitch will spin. And, if England are of the same mind, it seems inevitable they will want both spin options in the side.Mason Crane in action in an England practice session•Getty Images

“The type of wicket we play on might play a part too,” Bayliss said. “Normally that you can easily play two spinners but looking at the wicket it looked like it had a decent covering of grass.”I think it will still spin towards the end of the game – it’s still the same soil – but we will just have to take a look. There’s been no decision right now. And with the series lost it gives us an opportunity to look at some different people.”Meanwhile England confirmed that Saqlain Mushtaq and Stuart MacGill – both spin bowling consultants – would be working for England in the coming weeks. Saqlain, who has worked for England in a part-time capacity for some time, has recently signed a new contract committing him to more hours than ever in 2018, while MacGill, who worked with Crane when he was playing Grade cricket a few months ago, will join the squad ahead of the Sydney Test.

اتخذ نادي أستون فيلا قرارًا بشأن مستقبل اللاعب كليمو لينجليه، الذي يلعب في صفوف الفريق على سبيل الإعارة من نادي برشلونة.

وانضم لينجليه إلى أستون فيلا، الصيف الماضي، قادمًا من برشلونة على سبيل الإعارة حتى نهاية الموسم.

اقرأ أيضًا | للمرة الثانية.. أستون فيلا يعلن تجديد عقد أوناي إيمري

وانتهى مشوار أستون فيلا موسم 2023/24 بالفعل، حيث أنهى الدوري الإنجليزي في المركز الرابع ومن ثم التأهل إلى دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، فإن علاقة أستون فيلا ولينجليه قد انتهت، حيث سيعود اللاعب من جديد إلى برشلونة الإسباني.

وأوضحت أن أستون فيلا لا يفكر في تمديد إعارة لينجليه أو التفكير حتى في مسألة شراءه بشكل دائم.

ويمتلك لينجليه عقدًا ساريًا مع برشلونة حتى 2026، وسيتعين على النادي الكتالوني البحث عن مخرج له، خاصة إن لم يكن ضمن خطط المدرب المرتقب هانزي فليك.

ويمتلك برشلونة فائضًا في مركز قلب الدفاع، حيث هناك رونالد أراوخو، كوندي، أندرياس كريستنسن، كوبارسي وإينيجو مارتينيز، إلى جانب إريك جارسيا وشادي رياض المعارين، ولاعب الرديف ميكا فاي.

Liverpool supporters will undoubtedly have a sense of foreboding ahead of the looming transfer deadline day, with many seemingly unconvinced that the summer business suffices after a subpar season.

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp's side fell by the wayside last year and finished fifth in the Premier League, failing to qualify for this year's Champions League.

Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have been signed, but a first-class holding midfielder should really be targetted to combat the £40m sale of Fabinho, and with time running out, a move must be made soon.

What's the latest on Cheick Doucoure to Liverpool?

According to Sports Zone, Liverpool have "sent a contract offer" to Cheick Doucoure, with the Crystal Palace star having attracted attention from the Anfield side all summer.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Evening Standard, meanwhile, claims that the Reds have been deterred by the Eagles' current £70m valuation of the Mali midfielder, but anything could happen between now and the end of the week, as we've often seen.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

While the figure mooted for Doucoure's name appears rather steep, Liverpool's failed £111m bid for Moises Caicedo, who opted to join Chelsea, suggests that the substance is there to secure a momentous, galvanising new signing.

Although Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schamdtke combatted the failure to sign Caicedo with the astute acquisition of Endo – who has been dubbed a "warrior and leader" by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard – the Japan captain is candidly not the solution.

What Liverpool need is a "combative, intelligent, and consistent" man in the middle, and since Doucoure has been hailed as such by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Klopp must throw the kitchen sink at securing his signature.

As per FBref, the £60k-per-week star ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions, the top 17% for blocks and the top 20% for tackles and clearances per 90, highlighting his excellence as a ball-winning phenom.

It would be a transformative signing for Liverpool, and one that could emulate the club's past deadline day triumph in landing Luis Suarez from Ajax.

While the transcendent Uruguayan joined in January, completing a £23m transfer in January 2011, he represents one of the finest last-minute deals in any transfer window in modern football history, plundering 82 goals and 46 assists across 133 outings for the Merseyside outfit.

The 36-year-old produced one of the most incredible, scintillating individual seasons in Premier League history during the 2013/14 term, posting 31 goals and 17 assists from 33 league displays, almost single-handedly spearheading the Reds' title challenge, albeit falling at the final hurdle.

Heralded for having "everything" by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who described Suarez as his favourite teammate, the defence-shattering striker proved to be one of the most destructive signings in Liverpool's history, and while Doucoure is a very different player, he could have a similarly catalysing effect on Klopp's side.

Indeed, Liverpool boasts a turbo-charged attacking verve and a smorgasbord of high-quality players, but there is a sense that one of two well-placed moves could complete the team.

The club might consider Doucoure's price tag to be exorbitant, but they have left it late and now need to act to ensure that the squad have apt resources to fight for silverware once again.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Tribunal Superior do Trabalho decidiu na tarde deste domingo (27) que a partida entre Palmeiras e Flamengo, será realizada no Allianz Parque. O jogo começou com 20 minutos de atraso.

A decisão foi tomada pelo ministro vice-presidente do TST, Vieira de Melo Filho, em despacho publicado momentos antes das 16h, horário marcado para o início do confronto, dando parecer favorável para a CBF.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoJustiça do Trabalho do Rio mantém suspensão de Palmeiras x FlamengoBrasileirão27/09/2020Futebol NacionalNovela: Palmeiras e Flamengo têm capítulo decisivo por jogo no AllianzFutebol Nacional27/09/2020

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O TST derrubou a decisão do TRT por entender que a esfera trabalhista do Rio de Janeiro não tem competência para legislar sobre uma partida que acontece em São Paulo.​

Rookie fast bowler Shehan Madushanka has been picked in Sri Lanka’s 16-man squad for the tri-series in Bangladesh, while the likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis and legspinning-allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga make their returns.Madushanka, 22, has played only three first-class games and three List A matches, but was picked primarily on the promise of his pace. With Dushmantha Chameera also in the 16, Sri Lanka believe they have two bowlers capable of regularly breaching 140kph. It was new coach Chandika Hathurusingha who took an interest in Madushanka, before suggesting to the selectors that he be groomed with the 2019 World Cup in mind.”He’s got pace and you can’t coach that,” Hathurusingha said. “When we go to the next World Cup, we’ll need about seven or eight fast bowlers who have played at least 15 ODIs each. We’ve chosen Madushanka as a player we might use in the long-term.”Chandimal’s return despite poor form in 2017 is also a long-term move, the selectors and Hathurusingha said. Among the major criticisms of Chandimal is that he bats too slowly in limited-overs cricket, and his dips in form can also be lengthy. Hathurusingha, however, has spoken of helping Chandimal regain the spark and belligerence he had shown in 2010, when he first arrived in international cricket. That aggression has at times been showcased in Tests, but has only rarely been seen in limited-overs cricket, such as when he hit 52 not out off 24 balls in a World Cup match against Australia in Sydney.Mendis returns to the squad on the back of a little domestic form. He hit 177 for Colombo Cricket Club in a first-class match in mid-December. Hathurusingha is understood to have pushed to have him included in the squad as well.Squad: Angelo Mathews (capt), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Wanindu Hasaranga.

Journalist Dean Jones has admitted his shock at who Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly targeting to fill their striker void

The Lilywhites recently lost club legend Harry Kane to Bayern Munich.

What is the latest news with Tottenham Hotspur?

The club are looking at attacking reinforcements after the sale of Kane

The England international departed after a long and arduous saga which saw Bayern have three offers rejected for the Premier League star. There were multiple meetings held between the club's executives for weeks as the two sides aimed to reach a compromise, and eventually, a deal was agreed last Thursday, with personal terms agreed later that evening after a delay, where it was reported that the boyhood Tottenham fan was leaning towards staying at the club after all.

Ultimately, the forward finally completed his switch to the current Bundesliga champions in a deal worth a reported £100m, which reportedly could rise by £15-20m depending on add-ons, with the striker taking the iconic number 9 shirt at the Allianz Arena worn by Bayern legends such as Robert Lewandowski and Gerd Muller in the past.

The sale of their club record goalscorer has given Spurs a lot of money to work with as they look to replace the forward, and the club have been linked with a shock move for Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun. The forward impressed on loan in Ligue 1 last season with Reims and following his return from loan has told the club that he doesn't want another loan spell or to be a backup option should he stay at the Emirates.

A number of Premier League sides, including West Ham United are reportedly fans of the player, whilst French outfit Monaco saw a verbal offer rejected by the Gunners following their pre-season friendly.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Spurs are interested in bringing the player to the club as they look to add to their attacking options following Kane's departure. So far this window, no side has been willing to match the Gunners £50m asking price, however, the Lilywhites now clearly have the funds to do so.

Speaking on The Football Terrace YouTube channel, Jones revealed his shock at the potential transfer, and how Arsenal might need to sell to their rivals in order to fund "something exciting" later in the window:

"For the outgoings, there’s still some work to be done, but it seems like stuff is about to happen, so the next week of outgoings will determine what Arsenal are able to do, but there’s the fullback problem, there’s a defensive midfielder that they still talk about being a problem in terms of depth so let’s see whether they end up doing anything there, and I think a lot will depend on what they end up doing with Balogun.

"I mean they want to get him out the door but we don’t know exactly what the terms will be around that deal at the moment, I mean he’s been talked about as a £50m transfer, even Tottenham were linked the other day, a few other Premier League clubs have been linked too but ultimately they need a big offer to arrive for Balogun to trigger something exciting for Arsenal this window."

Would Balogun be a good signing for Tottenham?

Balogun would be a risky signing with a lot of potential.

After an underwhelming loan spell with Middlesbrough during the second half of the 2021/22 season, the USA international headed to France where he really burst onto the scene. Across 37 appearances in Ligue 1, the striker managed 21 goals and two assists, whilst also averaging one key pass and 1.6 shots on target per game.

Furthermore, the Arsenal loanee ranked in the top 10% in shots on goal and progressive passes received compared to other strikers across the top five European leagues, showcasing that not only is he a strong finisher but a forward who also has the capability to link up with his fellow attackers, something the recently departed Kane was lauded for.

Balogun was the subject of praise from current boss Mikel Arteta, who stated: "He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave, When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

Despite the move seeming unlikely due to the rivalry between the club, Balogun has the potential to be a real star should he make the switch to the White side of North London.

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer said that losing two wickets in the first over hurt the visitors’ chances in the tournament opener in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam15-Jan-2018Two wickets in the first over of the match cost Zimbabwe dearly in their tri-series opener, according to the captain Graeme Cremer. He said that the visitors expected Bangladesh to open with spin, since openers Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire both prefer pace early on.Mire should have been more careful at an innocuous wide down the leg side, off which he was stumped. What stung a little more was Craig Ervine’s soft dismissal two balls later, when he hit one straight to short midwicket. Cremer said that it was a body blow to Zimbabwe as Ervine plays the anchor’s role in ODIs.”We thought they would open with one spinner at least,” Cremer said. “Our openers like pace on the ball. They know that. We didn’t know if it was going to be Shakib [Al Hasan] or Nasir [Hossain]. We thought one of them might open.”We look to Solomon to power those ten overs, so it’s always tough to lose him early. Ervine steadies the innings, so to lose him also was really tough. Momentum definitely shifted towards Bangladesh and it is hard to get out of that. It really made it tough. But the credit goes to them. They bowled really well.”Shakib Al Hasan, who took both wickets and was later adjudged the Player of the Match, said that the Mire dismissal came unexpected.”It wasn’t a planned dismissal. I think it was a good stumping by Mushfiq ,” he said. “He had a good day as a wicketkeeper. We needed early wickets, whether it was the first or second over. In this pitch, wickets in hand make it much easier to score in the slog overs.”Shakib also said that Zimbabwe’s usual weakness against left-arm spin meant that Bangladesh opened with him and Sunzamul Islam.”We were always successful against Zimbabwe because of left-arm spin, which is why we began with two left-arm spinners,” he said. “There was help in the pitch in the early stages.”Shakib praised the pace attack for putting together a fine effort, particularly from Rubel Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. He said that Rubel usually bowls in a tough period in the middle of the innings when batsmen are set. Mustafizur, he said, is working hard to iron out the chinks in his bowling.”I expected them to bat better but I think we bowled really well today,” Shakib said. “Mustafizur, Mashrafe and Rubel did great work. Rubel always bowls when batsmen are set and scoring runs, and he delivers for the team. Nasir’s four overs were important too.”I don’t think he (Mustafizur) bowled too poorly at any stage [in the recent past],” he said. “We can’t expect him to take a lot of wickets all the time. I think he is improving, because he is working hard in his bowling. I am satisfied with his bowling today.”Cremer admitted that Mustafizur’s famed cutters were hard to decipher at times. “He bowled really well,” the Zimbabwe captain said. “His slower ball is really hard to pick up. You have to wait a long time. It is a bit different than his normal stock delivery. He bowled good areas today.”

Aston Villa are looking at strengthening their midfield even further this window, with recent reports revealing one name they are targeting in that area.

Unai Emery has already welcomed Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City to add to the quality available in the middle of the park for the Villans, however there could be more movements made before the end of the transfer window.

The Midlands club had an enjoyable summer, recruiting strongly through the acquisitions of Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby and Tielemans, as well as performing to a good standard during pre-season, however a devastating double injury blow has shaken things up.

It’s thought that the Spaniard could delve back into the transfer market to cover for the long-term injuries of Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia.

Who could Aston Villa sign this summer?

To cover the spell on the sidelines Buendia is due to endure, it’s expected that attacker Nicolo Zaniolo will arrive at Villa Park on an initial loan deal from Galatasaray.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

The Villans have been linked to a host of talent alongside the Italian, with news this week revealing the club’s interest in teen sensation Carlos Baleba.

According to TEAMtalk, Villa are one of the Premier League clubs interested in the Lille midfielder, joining Liverpool, Brighton, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle.

The report claims that the Midlands club have been ‘keeping tabs’ on the 19-year-old, who could be available for £30m, which is the Ligue 1 outfit’s speculated asking price.

What is Carlos Baleba’s style of play?

Deployed in central midfield, the Cameroon international has been described as a “highly energetic” figure in the middle of the park by U23 scout Antonio Mango, who also lauded the youngster as “incredible”.

The teenager is skilled in all areas it takes to be a top central midfielder, with the capabilities to perform both defensive and offensive actions in the bid to help his team.

Such claims are supported by his numbers, with FBref highlighting his strengths last season in Ligue 1, where he averaged 2.45 tackles, 6.21 progressive passes and 2.82 successful take-ons per 90, showcasing just how much of a handful he is for the opposition.

For Villa, the potential acquisition of the rising star could come at a perfect time, with there being speculation regarding the future of current defensive midfielder Douglas Luiz.

Both Tottenham and Arsenal have been linked to the Brazilian, who was Villa’s best performer last season based on Sofascore match ratings for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Should the 25-year-old leave Villa Park, Emery could find his able successor in Baleba, who has similar strengths to the former Manchester City man, who averaged closely to the 19-year-old last term.

Luiz in fact averaged below the Cameroonian in his per 90 statistics provided by FBref, recording 2.24 tackles, 4.55 progressive passes and 0.74 successful take-ons in the Premier League for the Villans.

With the season already away, it would be against Villa’s favours to lose a player as integral to the squad as Luiz at this point, however, Emery could ease his potential exit by chasing the Lille sensation.