Category Uncategorized

Newcastle United remain interested in signing Galatasary midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, but it is a saga that could go on until the final day of the transfer window.

Do Newcastle want to sign Nicolo Zaniolo?

It has been a positive window at St James' Park so far this summer, at a time when it is vital that the Magpies kick on after last season's brilliance. The likes of Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes have come in from AC Milan and Leicester City respectively, and the hope is that more business will be completed before the end the month.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

One player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle is Zaniolo, who only joined Galatasaray in February, but may already be looking for a move away. Not only that, but the Turkish giants could be forced to sell him, in order to ease their financial issues.

The 24-year-old has had some serious injury problems down the years, including cruciate ligament damage, but he is fit again now and could end up joining a top European club, following the emergence of a fresh update regarding his future.

Will Newcastle sign Nicolo Zaniolo?

According to Milliyet [via Sport Witness], Zaniolo's future may not be decided until the very end of the transfer window, with various teams in the race to sign him. Newcastle are still one of them, while Juventus, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain all mentioned in the report, too.

The Italian has a €35m (£30m) release clause in his current deal, so the Magpies know exactly how much he will be worth, but it remains to be seen if he would choose them over others. An update from Sabah also reveals Galatasaray's financial woes could be the deciding factor in forcing them to cash in as the deadline ticks closer.

Zaniolo could be a real statement signing by Eddie Howe's men this summer, even though his injury history does make it something of a risk, in terms of another serious setback emerging. The fact that so many elite clubs are in for him does suggest that there isn't too much concern about that happening, though, and the positives clearly outweigh the negatives when it comes to signing him.

A 13-cap Italy international who was once lauded as "incredible" by Daniel De Rossi during their time together at Roma, the Galatasaray man could be a great attacking midfield option, coming in as a strong alternative to James Maddison, who eventually joined Tottenham over Newcastle earlier this summer.

Zaniolo could provide something different in the middle of the park, proving to be a link man between Bruno Guimaraes and the attack, with a tally of 42 goal contributions (24 goals and 18 assists) in 128 appearances for Roma outlining the end product he possesses.

At 24, he is still a young footballer, even though he has seemingly been around for a long time, so Newcastle would also be bringing in someone who could be a mainstay of the team for a long time to come, as Howe continues to plan well into the future.

Burnley are thought to be closing in on a deal to sign Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest Burnley transfer news?

The Clarets and Vincent Kompany have been busy so far this summer, making nine signings ahead of their Premier League return which gets underway on Friday against treble winners Manchester City.

Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Jordan Beyer, Dara O'Shea, Michael Obafemi and Luca Koleosho have all joined the club in deals which required a transfer fee, whereas Nathan Redmond and Lawrence Vigouroux have both arrived on free transfers and Jacob Bruun Larsen has signed on loan.

More could be yet to come though at Turf Moor before the September 1 deadline, with previous reports claiming that the club were set to sign Andros Townsend following a successful pre-season stint.

Ajax winger Mohamed Daramy is another final third target and it has been suggested that a loan deal with an option to buy was close.

Berge has also been heavily linked with a move to Burnley, with Mike McGrath taking to X on Monday to say that talks have been held with the Blades over a move to Turf Moor for the midfielder.

“Burnley have held discussions with Sheffield United over a deal for Norway midfielder Sander Berge. The 25yr-old has one year left on contract and there has been interest in previous windows without a deal progressing.”

It looks as if a transfer is moving along quickly, though, with Romano sharing a further development on X. The transfer expert relayed talks claimed by McGrath and added that a verbal agreement is almost complete between the two clubs.

“Burnley are closing in on deal to sign Sander Berge from Sheffield United — verbal agreement almost completed between clubs.

“Sources guarantee medical could take place already today. Burnley started talks earlier for Berge as Mike McGrath called.”

Who is Sander Berge?

Berge, sponsored by Adidas, is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also play slightly further forward in a central midfield role if required.

The 25-year-old is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt and is into the final 12 months of his £33,000-a-week Sheffield United contract after joining the club from Genk back in 2020.

A Norway international, Berge spent time with Valerenga before joining Genk and making 113 appearances for the club. In England, Berge has turned out on 109 occasions for the Blades, scoring 15 times and registering 12 assists. He helped the club back into the top flight last season, finishing second behind the Clarets in the Championship, and was hailed by teammate John Egan, who said:

“In the second half our qualities showed. This big man here (Sander) was unbelievable. One of the best players to ever play in this division.”

Berge contributed to 11 second-tier goals in 37 appearances last season, making more progressive carries than any of his teammates and the second most progressive passes, as per FBref. Therefore, signing a top midfielder from a league rival could turn out to be a wise move by Burnley, and by the looks of things, a deal is close to being completed.

Three catches were dropped during the innings – two of them off top-scorer Solomon Mire – as Sri Lanka failed to defend a target of 317

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Jun-2017

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has once more blamed the loss to Zimbabwe on poor fielding, after his team failed to defend a target of 317. Three catches were dropped during the innings – two of them off top-scorer Solomon Mire.Dropped catches have plagued Sri Lanka for about two years now, but the problem has seemingly reached a nadir in 2017, when chances have been missed almost every match – most memorably in the Champions Trophy earlier in the month, where bad fielding cost Sri Lanka a spot in the semi final.”Poor performance by the bowlers and fielding once again let us down,” Mathews said after the match. “We dropped crucial catches at crucial moments. Can’t say that enough. We have trained extremely hard on fielding, but it’s just that in critical occasions we keep dropping catches, which costs us the game.”Mire was initially dropped on 17 by wicketekeeper Niroshan Dickwella, who failed to hold a tough chance off the bowling of Amila Aponso, then was dropped again on 94 – Lasith Malinga this time failing to hold a straightforward catch, running back from short fine leg. The straightforward catch spilled off Sean Williams by Danushka Gunathilaka at point was also costly. The partnership between Williams and Mire had been only 37 at the time, and they would subsequently go on to make a match-turning 161 together. Gunathilaka has generally been a good fielder during his time in the national team.”The pressure gets to the guys sometimes,” Mathews said. “When someone is under pressure and when the catches come, we miss them. But pressure is something that you deal with day in and day out. We train extremely hard. It’s disappointing to see the best of fielders dropping catches.”Sri Lanka have only about 40 hours to make improvements to their game, with the second ODI scheduled to be played on Sunday.”We have so many young guys in the team and we need to get the attitude and intensity right when it comes to fielding. Today it was very poor. We have to address it quickly as we have only one day and then we have to come back and win on Sunday. We need to have a shift in mindset to stop runs and take those catches.”Mathews also believed the score of 316 for 5 was plenty. Before today, no target greater than 300 had ever been chased down in Sri Lanka, nor had Zimbabwe ever defeated Sri Lanka on the island. Mathews suggested the next game could see a changed attack.”The bowlers weren’t up to the mark. On this wicket 316 was a good score. The bowlers didn’t do well and I have to talk to the selectors about the next game.”

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag will look to 'fast-track' youngster Kobbie Mainoo and will keep him around the first-team rather than sending him out on loan to continue his development, according to journalist Steve Bates.

Who is Kobbie Mainoo?

Mainoo is a talented 18-year-old midfielder for Manchester United who is steadily making a large impression at Old Trafford due to his displays in the engine room at underage levels.

Last term, combining his exploits in various elite development competitions and in the first-team, Mainoo racked up 20 appearances and registered two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

In the Red Devils' 1-0 victory over Lyon in a pre-season friendly earlier this week held at Murrayfield, Mainoo put in a strong performance and backed up the hype he has continued to build over the last few weeks.

Football analyst Statman Dave took to Twitter to share his positive impact on proceedings, stating: "Kobbie Mainoo’s game by numbers vs. Olympique Lyonnais: 94% pass accuracy 48 touches 2 blocks 2 interceptions 1/1 dribbles completed. Bright future."

According to The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United did consider loaning Mainoo out this campaign to continue his development; however, it is now understood that he will be kept in and around the first-team squad after impressing senior figures at the club.

The Stockport-born midfielder is capable of playing in a variety of central positions and will travel on Manchester United's tour of the USA after featuring in friendly victories over Leeds United in Oslo and against Lyon in Edinburgh.

Writing in his column for GIVEMESPORT, journalist Bates has issued an important update on the future of Mainoo at Manchester United.

Bates wrote: "AS soon as Manchester United signed Mason Mount, Erik ten Hag’s phone started ringing with clubs eyeing up a chance to grab one of his midfield stars. The clamour for one player was loudest – rising young academy star Kobbie Mainoo. But the multiple enquiries to take the 18-year-old star on loan met with an immediate and emphatic response from the Dutch boss – “No chance”.

"But ten Hag wants to oversee Mainoo’s development at the club’s Carrington training ground after tying the youngster to a new four-year deal last season."

What now for Manchester United?

Manchester United manager Ten Hag will be focusing all of his attention on preparing his side for the new season over the next few weeks and trying to secure key transfer targets.

Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana travelled to the Carrington training complex to complete his medical ahead of a £43 million move to Manchester United and is expected to be announced imminently, according to The Daily Mail.

The Red Devils are also in advanced talks with Atalanta over striker Rasmus Hojlund to iron out the structure of the fee they will pay for the Denmark international, who has already agreed personal terms with the Premier League giants, as per The Independent.

Talking on the ESPN YouTube channel, journalist Rob Dawson revealed that Manchester United's short-term signing Jonny Evans could end up penning a longer deal at the club, stating: “United privately are saying they are not ruling anything out with him. Possibly he could sign a longer deal for the coming season, spend a year at Old Trafford as a back-up for Varane and Martinez. If that were to happen it would cast a massive doubt on the future of Harry Maguire. If they were to bring Jonny Evans in, there really wouldn’t be a place for Harry Maguire.”

Arsenal are reportedly interested in RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs, as Mikel Arteta and Edu set their sights on bolstering the squad this summer.

The Gunners have already penned a deal with Kai Havertz, and with Declan Rice set to be announced imminently, the clubs’ two former players could be planning something special at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side battled well last campaign, surpassing expectations by taking the title race to the wire, however, a lack of squad depth signalled a time for refurbishment this summer.

Signing Henrichs could be a leap in the right direction in terms of boosting the depth of the squad, in a player that shows shades of a fellow Premier League gem.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed earlier this week that ‘talks’ between the German’s management and the north Londoners had taken place.

Plettenberg added that Arsenal are ‘considering’ the versatile full-back as a ‘backup target’ this summer.

Valued by Football Transfers at €9.2m (£8m), the 26-year-old could be a solid option for the Gunners to consider.

Where could Benjamin Henrichs play at Arsenal?

Hailed as a “talented” player by former Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev, the 26-year-old has played at the top level for the majority of his career, working his way through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen.

The versatile defender departed his boyhood club for Monaco in 2018, before returning to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, where he has cemented himself as a valued member of the squad.

In signing Henrichs, Arsenal could get their hands on a widely versatile defence-minded player, with capabilities of playing both on the right side of defence and in central midfield.

The German international has contributed to 66 career goal contributions over 327 appearances, having an eye for a pass as well as being a sturdy figure at the back.

Averaging three tackles and 1.44 interceptions per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, Henrichs has excelled defensively, as well as showing his abilities on the ball, averaging 4.48 progressive passes per 90 at right-back, via FBref.

Having a versatile full-back is something that the Premier League has become accustomed to, with Arteta reaping the benefits of having both Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko capable of contributing to offensive play.

Despite arriving as a side to watch last term, Arsenal still saw a gap between themselves and champions Manchester City, however, the Gunners could provide an answer to one of City’s sensations by signing Henrichs.

Lauded as a “versatile and tactical genius” by members of the media, John Stones has been a revelation under Pep Guardiola, emerging last season as having the talent to be deployed as a deep midfielder.

Averaging 1.12 tackles and 4.92 progressive passes per 90, via FBref, the Englishman showcased just how far the depth of his versatility goes, acting as the complete player for City.

Like Stones, Henrichs has the ability to venture into midfield, described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being a player that ‘dictates tempo’ in central areas.

Averaging 3.78 passes per 90 into the final third, the 26-year-old has room to grow and flourish around the field, displaying strengths in his distribution and reading of the game.

Arteta could take another page from Guardiola’s book by signing a defensively equipped versatile player, replicating past notes that have seen the revolution of how the Spaniard orchestrates his back line.

Amid links to Manchester United, fans online have been reacting after a viral video emerged highlighting just how impressive Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is with the ball at his feet.

What’s the latest on Andre Onana to Man Utd?

The Red Devils are competing with Chelsea for the goalkeeper’s signature this summer, according to Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian. And the latest news is that the English club have made a second bid for the goalkeeper worth €50m (£43m) but that’s still not enough to seal the deal.

Despite suffering the heartbreak of a Champions League final defeat against Manchester City, Onana enjoyed a season to remember at Inter Milan last season, as his stock increased once more.

Keeping eight clean sheets in 24 Serie A appearances, Onana also played a key role outside of action in the league, picking up silverware in the Italian Cup and Italian Super Cup last season.

After a successful campaign, the goalkeeper has earned interest from both Manchester United and Chelsea, as per Steinberg. And, with David de Gea’s contract at Old Trafford now technically expired, the number one spot could be available for the first time in a decade.

De Gea’s ability has been questioned in recent times, too, particularly after United’s FA Cup final loss against Manchester City, in which he was potentially at fault for the second Ilkay Gundogan goal. Given recent mistakes, now could be the perfect time for Onana’s arrival.

Statistically speaking, Onana is also better with his feet than De Gea. According to FBref, Onana completed 34.9 passes per-90 last season, whilst De Gea completed just 22.8, half of the amount that Onana managed.

Such is the modern-day need for a top side to play from the back and involve the goalkeeper, too, perhaps swapping De Gea for Onana wouldn’t be such a bad idea for Erik ten Hag, who worked with the Inter number one at Ajax.

The Cameroon shot-stopper’s significant ability on the ball has been further backed up by the video posted on Twitter by @Yung_leslie, which you can see below:

Fans were certainly in awe of Onana’s ability, which is great news for MUFC supporters with their side reportedly in pole position to get a deal across the line.

Here are some of the best reactions below…

He would no doubt be an interesting addition to the Premier League.

Arsenal are closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window as Kai Havertz is nearing a switch to the Emirates Stadium, according to reports…

Arsenal transfer news – Kai Havertz

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has provided a fresh update on the Gunners' pursuit of the Chelsea star as he took to Twitter on Sunday morning:

"News #Havertz: He‘s very close to join @Arsenal now! All depends on the final offer from Arsenal.

"Havertz, keen to join #Arsenal now as personal terms are almost agreed. Arteta loves to see him in addition to Jesus.

"Bayern inquired about conditions in the last days but the negotiations with Arsenal are too advanced – Bayern informed. Therefore no offer/hijack from Bayern yet.

"Transfer fee package expected: at least around €80m [£68m] all in."

How good is Kai Havertz?

The north Londoners have endured a mixed bag when it comes to signing players from their capital city rivals over the years.

Petr Cech has perhaps been the most successful arrival, whilst the likes of Willian, David Luiz and William Gallas have certainly divided opinion amongst the Gunners' faithful.

Havertz is more than likely to fall into the latter category.

The German international has been something of an enigma since his £72m arrival in English football back in August 2020.

At Bayer Leverkusen, the 24-year-old was utilised largely as an attacking midfielder or false nine, with his 46 goals and 31 assists from 150 appearances being the very reason behind the Blues stumping up such a hefty sum, but he hasn't really been able to replicate that since.

Just 11 games shy of the aforementioned appearance total, Havertz has managed 14 fewer goals and 16 fewer assists, largely being deployed as a sole striker under an array of different managers, as per Transfermarkt.

It seems likely that Havertz would be deployed in a similar role at the Emirates, given Mikel Arteta's 'love' for him to be an alternative to current no.9, Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian is actually a comparable player when using FBref's player comparison model and what the Chelsea star lacks in terms of goal threat, he more than makes up for in and out of possession – in some ways similar to Jesus.

When compared to other forwards across Europe's top five divisions over the past year, the £150k-per-week talent ranks inside the top 6% for pass completion, the top 9% for progressive passes, and the top 10% for tackles, all per 90 via FBref.

It's perhaps why Gunners legend Thierry Henry made a glowing comparison to another former Arsenal forward – speaking on CBS Sports' Champions League coverage earlier in the year, he said:

"He reminds me sometimes, a little, of Robin [van Persie] – back to goal the way he can hold the ball. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him."

The 6 foot 4 "machine" – as once lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would certainly be a bold risk for Arsenal to take during the offseason but if anyone can get him back to his brilliant best, it's Arteta.

There will also be plenty of question marks over the £68m price tag, especially after the failings of club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, but the Arsenal boss has proven that he must be trusted – if he wants the player, then sporting director Edu Gaspar should do all he can to secure him.

Celtic are "very interested" in appointing Daniel Farke as their new manager, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

What's the latest Celtic manager news?

Celtic have identified Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca as one of their main targets to replace Ange Postecoglou, and Football Scotland report the Champions League winners will not stand in his way, should he make it clear he wants to leave.

Former Hoops assistant manager Johan Mjallby has urged the board to look at appointing either Kjetil Knutsen or Graham Potter, with Pat Nevin branding the latter coach "superb" and echoing Mjallby's calls for him to take over at Parkhead.

Other names linked with the vacant post include former Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, as well as Andoni Iraola, with the former Rayo Vallecano boss set to apply for the job after leaving the La Liga club.

In a recent update on Twitter, Plettenberg has now claimed that Celtic are also interested in appointing Farke, having already made contact with the former Norwich City manager.

The Sky Sports reporter states that "first talks" have already taken place, with the Hoops "very interested in signing him as a replacement for Postecoglou", while the manager himself is "ready to take over a new club".

Should Celtic appoint Daniel Farke?

RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose has hailed the 46-year-old for his "attractive" brand of football, while Chris Kamara also praised him for the "attacking" style of play he implemented to great success against Manchester City in 2019, with his side winning 3-2.

Setting out that way against a team like Man City indicates the two-time Championship winner is unwilling to compromise on his expansive style of play, regardless of the opposition, which suggests he could be a perfect replacement for Postecoglou.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman has recently praised the club's new manager for his attacking outlook, and it could be vital that Celtic appoint a new head coach who is capable of playing a similar way, to ensure a seamless transition.

Hailed as "brilliant" by members of the media, Farke has enjoyed success in England's second tier, however he did not manage to do quite as well in his last job, being sacked by Borussia Monchengladbach after finishing 10th in the Bundesliga.

As such, despite the fact he plays attractive football, Celtic should look at appointing a manager who has more recent experience of success in a top league.

Sam Billings says he is flattered to have been talked up by Michael Vaughan as a potential reinforcement for the Test tour of India, but insists that he remains a work in progress

Andrew Miller02-Nov-2016Sam Billings, the Kent batsman whose technique against spin bowling is considered one of the best among England’s coming generation of batsmen, says he is flattered to have been talked up by Michael Vaughan as a potential reinforcement for the Test tour of India, but insists that he remains a work in progress in first-class cricket.Billings has been on the fringes of the one-day squad for several months without being able to secure a regular berth, but he gave an indication of his aptitude in Asian conditions in the ODI series against Bangladesh last month, when he was drafted in to open the batting in the series decider in Chittagong, and swept his way to a vital 62 from 69 balls in a stiff run-chase.”It was great to contribute,” said Billings during a Chance to Shine event in West London. “I should have got 120 not out to win the game but that’s life and I would have taken 60 at the start. To be involved in another series win in difficult conditions shows how far we are coming along as a group.”Everyone knew that Bangladesh had won their last six home series, including against India and South Africa, so it was no mean feat to win. People think it is only Bangladesh so you should just smack them around but, with Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, they’ve got a seriously good side in their own conditions.”Bangladesh backed up that assertion in no uncertain terms in the subsequent Test series and, speaking in the aftermath of England’s shocking collapse in the second Test at Dhaka, Vaughan argued strongly for Billings’ inclusion for the five-Test series against India that gets underway in Rajkot next week – not least because, as a right-hander, he will be better placed to combat the offspin of India’s attack leader, Ravi Ashwin.”Obviously that is flattering,” Billings said, “Playing spin is one of my strengths. Manoeuvring the ball around and putting spinners under pressure is one of my strengths, but the guys who are there have done it regularly in first-class cricket and are there for a reason.”Billings had his moments in first-class cricket for Kent last season, most notably a career-best 171 against Gloucestershire in Bristol in August but, having missed the early weeks of the summer during his IPL stint with Delhi Daredevils, he played just seven Division Two matches and was unable to put together the weight of runs that earned Ben Duckett and Haseeb Hameed their call-ups.”Haseeb hasn’t had an opportunity yet, and to have a long run at it too,” he said. “These guys have done it over and over in first-class cricket. But any time England calls you just get on a plane and try and get the job done.”While the prospect of Billings joining the England squad remains, for the time being, a pundit’s pipedream, there is no diluting either his confidence or his eagerness to get involved if the chance should arise. And, having sampled the atmosphere of modern Indian cricket during his IPL stint, Billings believes he has been granted a fascinating insight into what it takes to succeed in conditions that previous generations might have regarded as alien.”The IPL was huge for that,” he said. “It is different to a Test match but the basics don’t change: your footwork is paramount.”I was very fortunate to work with Rahul Dravid in the IPL and pick his brains on playing spin. At some points we moved the stumps back and had the used crease to play with and he said, ‘if you can bat on that you can bat on anything’.”This is one of the reasons [Trevor] Bayliss and [Andrew] Strauss are pushing us to go over there. Yes it is T20 cricket but it is about the environment and learning how those guys go about it.”Billings’ grounding sounds somewhat counter to Alastair Cook’s assertion in the aftermath of the Dhaka defeat, that England’s batsmen were inexperienced in Asian conditions. And certainly, given the resources made available by the ECB on their recent Lions tours, and the coaching expertise that has been drafted in to prepare England’s next generation, the scale of the collapse in Dhaka – 10 wickets for 64 runs in 22.3 overs – was extreme.And if the talking point coming out of the Bangladesh tour is the vulnerability of England’s batsmen to the ball turning away from the bat – particularly the left-handers to the offspin of Mehedi Hasan – then Billings gives the impression that such a challenge shouldn’t have come as quite such a surprise, especially given the identity of two of the lead coaches in the Lions set-up.”Graham Thorpe and Andy Flower may be two left-handers, but they were great players of spin, especially against offspin with the turning away from the bat,” he said. “The basics don’t change, you have to get as close to the ball as possible or as far away from it as possible using the depth of the crease.”For me, I identified two years ago that left-arm spin was a really big area I needed to work on,” he said. “The ball going away or sliding on is generally more difficult for a batter when it is turning.”In the UAE last winter, he was able to pick the brains of New Zealand’s left-arm spinner, Daniel Vettori, who was drafted in as a consultant on the England Performance Programme. “We had a hybrid pitch that was ragging square. He was bowling at a good pace, it was seriously tough, and that’s when you work out what’s good for you.”As a consequence of the grounding that he and his fellow batsmen have been given, and given the experienced heads they can call upon during the India tour, Billings remains confident that England will find a means to battle back from their Dhaka ignominy and put up a fight in the coming weeks.”[Alastair] Cook, in his debut Test, got a hundred in India, so they’ve got no better bloke to pick the brains of – although, of course, he does it a different way. Stokesy [Ben Stokes] is still one of the younger lads, even though it feels he’s been around for years, and in terms of his game against spin, he’s come on leaps and bounds and will only get better. We’ll all get better, the more we are exposed to it.”It’s finding different ways all over the place. I’ve got no doubt there are some seriously good players of spin there. It’s a different kettle of fish against [Ravi] Jadeja and Ashwin, but it’s been great to have had these two Test matches. We got out unscathed – yeah we drew, I know we wanted to win – but we’ll go into the India tour with preparation time. I’ve got full faith in the boys and they are definitely good enough to win.”ECB will double its investment in cricket charity Chance to Shine, from 2017, to inspire millions of young people to play and learn through cricket. Visit chancetoshine.org

Arsenal, despite all their progress this season, are seemingly far from content to simply stand still and hope that slow and steady improvement will make them champions. Mikel Arteta is already eyeing moves that would bolster his squad further…

What's the latest on Moussa Diaby to Arsenal?

That's according to Fabrizio Romano, who spoke on the Here We Go Podcast about the Gunners' interest in Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby.

With the Frenchman enjoying a standout season in Germany, thus commanding a reported €80m (£70m) price tag, it seems money will be no object even if it is to just acquire some competition for their stars.

The Italian journalist noted: "I think there is a concrete possibility that they will keep tracking the progress of Moussa Diaby of Bayer Leverkusen, he is a player they appreciate as a winger, but it's not something advanced or close at this moment."

Given Bukayo Saka penned a new contract earlier this week, it seems that this signing would put their star youngster in direct competition with the 23-year-old, gifting the north London outfit two of the most terrifying wide options in the Premier League.

Is Moussa Diaby better than Bukayo Saka?

Given their respective campaigns, it is hard to pull the two apart in terms of quality. From the right flank, these goalscoring wingers have consistently terrorised defences with their pace, trickery and proficiency.

It is therefore no surprise to see Diaby handed a 7.17 average Sofascore rating for his year, in which he has notched 14 goals and assisted a further 11 in all competitions. His creativity is only further emphasised through his 1.8 key passes per game too.

Funnily enough, this is a goal and assists tally mirrored exactly by the 21-year-old, who was recently lauded by Pep Guardiola as someone who commanded extra men to quell his threat.

He claimed: "I decided [to play Akanji left-back] because Saka is an incredible threat and we need a guy who can sustain one against one, like Kyle and Martinelli because they are so good.

“We could jump more the players inside but at the sides we should control these two players because they are amazing."

It seems this terror inflicted upon defenders and managers alike is one Diaby shares, as journalist Alex Barker described the forward as a "demon" just last year after one fine showing.

Whilst it might be a questionable move to spend so big on a player similar to Saka, the form of the England international of late outlines a worrying pattern that Arteta will want to fix.

Despite his impressive numbers for the season, the wide man is currently suffering a five-game barren run with regard to goal contributions, and has only registered a goal or an assist in one of his last nine league appearances. Such dependence on one man in a role makes burnout a certainty, and last campaign's similarity only exacerbates this worry further.

Once again his final four league appearances only merited a sole assist, coming in their dead rubber final-day drubbing of Everton when top four had already slipped out of their grasp.

It is clear that the youngster suffers greatly from fatigue late in the season, and given he has made 43 and 47 appearances in all competitions in his last two respectively, this is no surprise.

The addition of Diaby, whilst expensive, would finally offer a fine rival for the position to give Saka a break. Fortunately, he also boasts the versatility to shine wherever he is deployed, meaning he would come in as far from just a backup.