All posts by h716a5.icu

Glasgow Rangers face two matches in the space of five days which could potentially make or break their season.

First up is the Champions League playoff second leg against PSV Eindhoven this evening before Old Firm rivals Celtic travel to Ibrox for their Premiership clash on Sunday.

Michael Beale will be taking it one match at a time however and this evening's tie represents an ideal chance for the Gers to secure a major financial windfall which could influence their transfer business not just before deadline day but for the subsequent windows too.

What is the Rangers team news vs PSV?

Speaking to the media before the crucial match, Beale stressed the importance of the tie, saying: "The two games we've got coming up in the next four or five days is what it's all about, playing for this club.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

"This team is due a big performance and we have a great opportunity. We know we will have to perform better than we did last week if we want to go through.

"There won't be too many surprises, but we have a lot of variety across the forward positions. We know we will need to be strong defensively first and then take our opportunities when they come."

Kieran Dowell will miss the game due to a slight knee problem, but it appears as though the Gers have a clean bill of health aside from that.

With so much at stake, will Beale unleash his most expensive summer signing?

Will Danilo start against PSV?

The Brazilian joined the club from Feyenoord before the start of the season for a fee in the region of £6m following an impressive stint in Rotterdam.

He scored 14 goals in all competitions during the 2022/23 season, including ten in the Dutch top flight and was even hailed as an “amazing instinctive finisher” by analyst and Eredivisie expert Melvin Dupper before his arrival.

This form clearly impressed Beale and securing his signature was a major coup for the Light Blues, and he could certainly torment PSV this evening.

The 24-year-old has already scored twice against the Eindhoven based outfit before in seven matches, and he has enjoyed a solid start to life in Glasgow.

Although starting just three of his five matches thus far, he has netted two goals, including the winner against Greenock Morton in the League Cup, and given his ability in front of goal, he must start tonight.

Danilo ranks fourth across the squad for shots on target per game (one) in the league, while also ranking second for successful dribbles per game (1.3) and it indicates that despite averaging just 45 minutes per game, he is doing all he can to get on the scoresheet.

The Brazilian also won possession back once per game while recovering 3.7 balls each match, and it’s evident that he deserves to lead the line for the club against the Dutch side.

Leaving his most expensive signing on the bench wouldn’t be the greatest idea and the tie represents a perfect opportunity for him to showcase the form that saw Beale shell out £6m on him in the first place and secure with it a financial war chest in the process.

Aston Villa have “stalled” in talks to sign Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna, but a reliable journalist has revealed that a deal has not yet completely been ruled out.

What position does Marcos Acuna play?

Acuna is primarily a left-back who has plied his trade at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium since 2020 having moved there from Sporting CP, and last season, he was a standout star during his 21 La Liga starts under Jose Luis Mendilibar.

The Argentina international firmly established himself as the Spanish outfit’s overall second top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.78, so despite still having another two years remaining on his contract, there’s a chance he could be on the move having caught the eye of Unai Emery in the Midlands.

According to reports, NSWE have already held contact with all parties regarding a swoop for the 31-year-old, with The Telegraph’s John Percy confirming that a deal is being worked on.

Football Insider later shared that the veteran had agreed personal terms over a move to the Premier League, and even though talks had continued, a switch might not be as advanced as initially imagined.

Are Aston Villa signing Marcos Acuna?

Taking to X, Rudy Galetti revealed that Aston Villa have been paused in their approach for Acuna by Sevilla who are now having second thoughts over letting him leave for the top-flight in England in a setback for Emery and Villa.

“Talks between #AstonVilla and #Sevilla for Marcos #Acuna is stalled in this moment. The [Spanish] club is not so convinced to let the [Argentina] player go: internal evaluations in progress to decide if stay in the negotiation or definitely close the door.”

Aston Villa having to halt their pursuit of Acuna will come as a setback to Emery, but with the defender having been hailed a “star man” by journalist Josh Bunting, the boss shouldn’t give up on his goal of reaching an agreement before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

The Zapala native, who is naturally left-footed, last season won 36 out of his 57 tackles made in La Liga which was the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, via FBRef, so loves to get stuck into challenges, but he’s also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch.

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE…

Sevilla’s £47k-per-week earner clocked up seven goal contributions (four assists and three goals) across all competitions and whipped 147 crosses into the opposition’s box, again more than any of his fellow teammates, representing his desire to create chances in the final third.

Finally, Acuna, who has the versatility to operate in seven different positions over the grass, already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the top level having secured seven trophies for both club and country since the start of his career, including the 2022 World Cup, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the squad at Villa Park, but by the looks of things, a move to England isn't guaranteed at this moment in time.

With AB de Villiers and South Africa’s four premier pacemen back in the reckoning, coach Ottis Gibson is excited about picking the playing XI

Firdose Moonda22-Dec-2017Ottis Gibson enjoyed a dream start as South Africa’s coach – with a clean-sweep over Bangladesh a couple of months ago – and if he could have it his way, he won’t be waking up anytime soon.Though South Africa’s assignments get tougher over the next three months, starting with the four-day, day-night Test followed by series against India and Australia, they are well resourced for the fixtures, better than they have been for several reasons. The return of star batsman AB de Villiers and as their premier pacemen – Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada – are all fit, selection could be a little bit of a nightmare. But Gibson doesn’t mind at all.”Some nightmares you want to wake up quickly from but this one is a good nightmare because you are bringing back such good quality players,” Gibson said. “It’s going to be interesting selection but if we get right and you look at the strength of the team we can put on the park, that’s a pleasing thing. It’s good to have all those guys back. Getting the right blend is going to be a challenge but it’s one we’re all looking forward to.”South Africa’s main dilemma will be deciding if they are going to get de Villiers in the team by lengthening the line-up to seven batsmen, or by leaving Temba Bavuma out and choosing three of the four seamers in the attack. Of those, Dale Steyn will demand the most attention, because he been sidelined for the longest and his chances of a comeback were the slimmest.While Philander struggled with a back injury for a few months and Morkel battled through a side-strain, Steyn has not played an international in more than a year since last November. He is now aiming to return, not just to take the five wickets he needs to overtake Shaun Pollock as the country’s leading Test wicket-taker, but to play for a few more years or so. But he may not be included in the starting XI immediately.Without giving too much away, Gibson said he wants to see how Steyn has come through the warm-up match against Zimbabwe, of which he and Bavuma played two of the three days before joining the Test squad. Steyn bowled three spells (of five overs, four overs and then three overs) in Zimbabwe’s first innings and went wicketless, but found rhythm and conceded just 16 runs. Assessing him in the next few days will be more crucial than any of that. “When you’ve had such a long layoff and a significant injury, you just have to wait and see how you pull up. Hopefully he pulls up well from that game, and we’ll see how he goes going into this summer,” Gibson said.Like so many, Gibson is eager to see Steyn back to his best and work with him. “He has been a champion bowler for a long time, probably along with James Anderson, probably the best of the modern generation in terms of wickets taken, games played and the way he has led the South African attack for a number of years,” Gibson said.For now, Gibson may have to content himself with trying to build the rest of the side into the formidable unit he wants to turn them into, especially as they aim to dethrone the world’s top Test side. “Against Bangladesh, we started to try and talk in a particular way around the dressing room and we tried to play in a particular way. We tried to be very positive in the way we went about Test cricket and take opportunities when they come along,” Gibson said. “Hopefully we will try and continue that in this game and then leading into the India series. India are the No.1 team in the world at the moment and we know we need to be at our best if we are going to compete with them and beat them, which is our ultimate goal. We just want to continue the progression that we started in the Bangladesh series.”Zimbabwe may not present a same kind of challenge but it’s important for Gibson that the team starts to gel again, after more than two months playing domestic cricket. It is also a match Gibson will use to re-emphasise his own philosophies, especially as a new(ish) coach. “The players, in general, have responded quite well to me. I am quite a laid back person anyway and a bit firm when I needed to be and I think Faf has made it quite easy for me as well. He has been outstanding as a captain and a leader and we chat – I was just back home for a couple of weeks and we were talking constantly about the game and planning ahead so he has been very good. In general, the players have been good. We’ve been winning so its been easy that way,” he said.He also wants to make sure South Africa have some fun in the new format – a four-day Test which will also be played under lights. With the novelty of the famous St George’s Park brass band, it may even feel a lot like home for Gibson. “I love the band. I’m from the Caribbean so music is in our blood over there,” he said, reminiscing about his own playing days down the coast in East London. “But hopefully they’ve learnt a few more sounds. Last time I was here I think they played the same song for about five hours.”

Chelsea travel to face Bournemouth on September 17th in a game that they'll view as must win. Their new, expensively assembled squad will have eyes on at least Champions League qualification – beating lower Premier League sides should be fairly standard.

Of course, having so many new players – especially young ones – means a lack of experience in the squad. That's particularly noticeable up front, where Raheem Sterling is really their only forward player with plenty of Premier League success.

So what is his personal record against Bournemouth, then? We at Football FanCast have had a dip into the data to have a look and see what we can expect from him when the Blues face the Cherries.

What is Raheem Sterling's goals record vs Bournemouth?

Sterling has faced Bournemouth for every year they've been a Premier League side – and has only missed one fixture since. That came in 2016 during the Cherries' first top-flight season as he missed the second fixture through a groin injury.

His history with them actually starts a little before that, though. There were six minutes in an FA Cup game for Liverpool back in 2014, and a start for the Reds in the EFL Cup the following year. The latter brought his first goals against Bournemouth – a brace in a 3-1 win.

And when he was played, Sterling has shone. His very first Premier League game against Bournemouth saw him bag a hat trick and started a run of six consecutive meetings where he scored.

As a result, Sterling's record against Bournemouth is fantastic. He's faced them 14 times across his career, scoring 11 times. This is his third-best record against any opponent, with only Watford and Norwich struggling more.

What is Raheem Sterling's assists record vs Bournemouth?

Sterling hasn't picked up assists against Bournemouth at quite the same rate. Still, he has several to his name, particularly after the season just finished.

In all, there have been four. The first came in 2016 for Manchester City and another followed in 2018. He's already matched that total with Chelsea, though, as Sterling assisted in both fixtures in the last campaign.

Four assists in 14 games, then. Along with 11 goals, it's an incredible record from the England star.

How many goal contributions does Raheem Sterling have vs Bournemouth?

It's 11 goals and four assists across 14 fixtures in all competitions. He's contributed for three different clubs, too, with two goals for Liverpool, nine goals and two assists for Man City, and another two assists for Chelsea.

In other words, Bournemouth really struggle to handle Sterling – no matter who he's playing for. He finds a way to contribute against them and has been doing so for around a decade now.

What is Raheem Sterling's head-to-head record vs Bournemouth?

Sterling has played for Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, so you'd imagine his record is pretty fantastic against a team like Bournemouth. But it's actually even better than you'd think.

In 14 meetings, Sterling has never lost to Bournemouth. He's also never drawn with them – in other words, his side has won on literally every occasion. It's difficult to boast a better record than that and we can't imagine many players in the Premier League could match that against any opponent.

14 wins in 14 games across three competitions, for three different clubs. It feels safe to expect another when Chelsea visit Bournemouth this season.

Who has Raheem Sterling scored the most goals against?

Sterling hasn't scored against anyone more than the 11 he has against Bournemouth. But given they came in 14 games, it's not actually his most notable opponent.

That would be Watford. Sterling also has 11 goals against them but they came in just 10 matches. The fact he's also managed two assists in that span just makes it even more remarkable and few players boast a record that good against anyone.

In terms of just overall goal contributions, though, Bournemouth have suffered the most. Sterling's 11 goals and four assists combined for 15 contributions in 14 games. That's the most of any opponent in his career and you can likely expect more to come.

How many goals does Raheem Sterling have in September?

September has been a very good month for Sterling. He's bagged 21 goals in the month since the start of his career, for all three clubs and England.

His first came all the way back in 2014 as he scored against West Ham for Liverpool. Since then, he's picked up at least one September goal every single year – most years he finds multiple.

Of course, Sterling struggled in front of goal for Chelsea last season. He did manage to find one September goal, though, as he scored against RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League. The forward would only score once more for the Blues until January.

How many goals does Sterling have for Chelsea?

Unfortunately few, given his £50m price-tag. Sterling has just nine goals since moving to Chelsea, with three of those coming in the Champions League last season against RB Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb and Borussia Dortmund.

In the Premier League, things arguably look even worse than 'six goals all season' sounds. Sterling scored three times in August last year but wouldn't find another league goal until January and then didn't score again until May.

But it's the nature of the goals that's worrying. The August three came as a brace against relegated Leicester City and a single strike against relegated Southampton. All three post-New Year were in two fixtures against Nottingham Forest.

So Sterling only actually scored against three Premier League teams last season, two of which were relegated and the other battled relegation.

What is Raheem Sterling's Premier League goal record?

Sterling hasn't been the most prolific goalscorer in the Premier League but his longevity has him high on the all-time scorers list. In total, the forward has 115 Premier League goals.

That's two more than Ian Wright and good enough for 22nd all-time in the competition. In fact, Sterling only needs to match his small haul of last season in order to move into the top 20. He'll hope to do better than that, of course, but it just goes to show how long the player has been going for.

As for assists, Sterling is now 23rd on the all-time Premier League list with 59. Mohamed Salah knocked him down a spot with his assist against Chelsea on the opening day – so Sterling could move back up there quickly.

In fact, the seven players above Sterling – Salah aside – are all out of the Premier League now. There's potential for him to shoot up the rankings at quite a pace if he finds his creative boots this season.

What is Chelsea's record against Bournemouth?

Chelsea vs Bournemouth isn't exactly the most common fixture in football. It's only happened on 19 occasions, with the vast majority since 2015. Before that, there were a couple of League Cup meetings in 1994, two Division two games in 1988 and one fixture in the short-lived Full Members' Cup in 1989.

Of course, the Premier League history since 2015 is the most relevant stuff here – and Chelsea do have the better record there. But not by as much as you'd likely think.

There have been 12 Premier League meetings and Chelsea have won seven of them. Bournemouth have four wins of their own, however, with one game finishing in a draw.

Notably, the two wins last season were Chelsea's first after failing to win either of the previous three. It's also interesting to note that the two biggest wins in the history of this fixture are for Bournemouth – 4-0 at home in 2019 and 3-0 away in 2018 (Chelsea do also have a 3-0 win at home in 2016, though).

This certainly isn't one that always goes Chelsea's way, then. But with Raheem Sterling and his perfect record in the squad, perhaps they've found a way around that.

When is Chelsea vs Bournemouth?

Bournemouth host Chelsea on Sunday, September 17th at 14:00 UK time. It's a game that will give everyone a good idea of where these two teams stand this season.

Bournemouth, of course, go into this one with few expectations. A defeat is pretty much expected after losing both fixtures last season and another here would essentially confirm them as a lower-table Premier League side.

Chelsea are a little different. Their enormous overhaul over the last couple of transfer windows makes their entire squad one big question mark. No one knows what to expect – with a near-£1bn spend, you'd expect a title challenge but few would put them in that bracket. A top-four finish feels like a must but their squad far from guarantees that.

And after finishing 12th last season, should they simply count a higher finish as progress? Or would that be a gigantic underperformance?

It's really unclear but this game with Bournemouth could give us an idea. Lose and you're looking at midtable again. Win with conviction and perhaps Chelsea could threaten at the top of the Premier League table – if they find consistency.

Alastair Cook is refusing to look beyond the next game as he prepares for his record-breaking 150th Test

George Dobell in Perth12-Dec-20172:06

‘Not many people play 150 Test matches’ – Cook

Alastair Cook is refusing to look beyond the next game as he prepares for his record-breaking 150th Test.Cook, England’s record Test run-scorer, will on Thursday become the first England player – and the eighth man from any nation – to appear in 150 Tests. But while Cook insisted those who have suggested he was on the verge of retirement (the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Mitchell Johnson) did so from a position of ignorance – “they have no contact time with me” – he did admit he had “no idea” whether this Ashes campaign could prove to be his final Test series.All of which did little to quell the rising tide of speculation that suggests Cook could be tiring of the demands of a life as an international cricketer. And while he points to the extra training sessions he is taking as proof of his enduring ambition, he did hint that a decision about his future could be taken by the selectors unless he is able to rediscover his form with the bat.Cook has never been dropped from the Test team but the scars of losing the ODI captaincy at the end of 2014 are still apparent.”At the moment, I’m very much taking things on a game-by-game basis,” Cook said ahead of the third Test at the WACA. “I’m trying to score runs, trying to set up England wins.”Could it be my last series? I’ve no idea. And I’ve said that since I gave up the captaincy. Things change incredibly quickly. I was taught a lesson in 2014 with that World Cup. In the morning I was expecting to lead England in that World Cup and in the afternoon I got a phone call saying they didn’t want me to do it. And that was an hour after a meeting when they said they wanted me to, so you end up living on the edge in professional cricket.”I wouldn’t be going to do extra gym sessions or the extra batting behind closed doors if I wasn’t keen on carrying on. The people who are saying that [I’m finished] have had no contact time with me. They wouldn’t know the extra nets I’ve been having behind closed doors. I was with the batting coach Gary Palmer for an hour-and-a-half yesterday morning desperately trying to keep working at my game. That’s probably not a guy who’s given in.”It doesn’t get any easier. I think I said before that it doesn’t matter what you’ve done before, you still go out on nought every time you bat. That’s why it’s called Test cricket. It’s meant to be hard. I’m not saying I’m absolutely flying here, because you only fly when you’re really scoring runs.”If you’re scoring runs all the time your place is guaranteed and if you don’t there are plenty of other people who want your place so that hasn’t changed. That hasn’t changed in my 12 years and it won’t change in the next 20 years. People want your place and it’s up to me to score runs to get those people off my back. It’s just judged on results.”He did, he admits, lose a little of the drive required to lead the side at the end of 2016 but says he has enjoyed the transition back into the ranks.Alastair Cook lines one up in the nets•Getty Images”I did my stint doing the best job in the world,” he said. “And at that time, I’d run out of that motivation to really drive this side on. In that last year, we lost too many games of cricket for a side that talented. So I probably felt as if I wasn’t doing my job well enough to drive that team forward and didn’t quite have the energy that job needed.”I’ve really enjoyed the last 12 months, with Essex obviously winning the County Championship and with England winning the last two series. We’ve got the biggest game of our lives coming up now, and we’ve got to scrap unbelievably hard for the five days.”It is, Cook says, the fact that he has played so many consecutive games (this match will be his 148th in succession; only Allan Border, with 153, can claim more) that provides most cause for pride. It is a record that demonstrates consistency, sustained fitness and a good relationship with the England management who have ensured he has been extended patience during the lean days.There have been a few of those, too. And, while is he keen to remind us that it is only four Tests since he made a double-century at Edgbaston, he is in something of a lean run now. That Edgbaston effort is his only hundred in his last 25 Test innings and he has not reached 40 in the eight innings since it.”Clearly I’d like to score more runs,” he said. “My job at the top of the order, and it has been since 2006, is to try to get England off to a good start and on this tour I have struggled. I thought in Adelaide I played a bit better. Four games ago I got a double hundred. So it’s amazing how the cycle of the world goes. I’m not going to sit here and say I’m setting the world alight but you get through that first hour as a batter and you try to get a big one. That doesn’t change.”I probably didn’t think I would be here when I turned up in Nagpur [for his Test debut] all those years ago. It’s obviously a very special moment in terms of a personal milestone. Not many people play 150 Test matches so to do that and do it at the top of the order, I’m quite proud of that.”It is a very special thing to pull on that cap. It’s a special thing to walk out and play for England. And that’s why I love doing it. Hopefully there can be a few more.”

The two bowlers claimed five wickets between them to derail Dhaka Dynamites’ chase of 168

The Report by Mohammad Isam29-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRaton Gomes/BCBExcellent end-overs bowling from Dwayne Bravo and Mohammad Saifuddin ensured Comilla Victorians jumped back to the top of the table with a 12-run win over Dhaka Dynamites in the last match of the season in Chittagong.Saifuddin, who had conceded more than 30 runs in an over twice in the last four weeks, held this nerve this time to defend 20 off the final over.Earlier in the evening, Comilla enjoyed a rapid start but Kevon Cooper’s strikes limited them to 167 for 6. Cameos from Kieron Pollard, Mosaddek Hossain, and Jahurul Islam brought Dhaka close but not close enough.The opening salvo
Tamim Iqbal led the way for Comilla again, taking regular trips down the pitch to hit the new ball over the top. He was particularly severe on Abu Hider, taking 16 runs in seven balls. Tamim added 60 for the opening stand with Liton Das before falling 13 short of his third successive fifty in the league.Liton kept the scorecard ticking as well, before he was stumped off Shakib Al Hasan in the 12th over. He had made 34 off 30 balls with three fours.The slowdown
Imrul Kayes struck two fours – both off Mosaddek Hossain in the 11th over – and followed it with a six off Sunil Narine. However, just as he looked to move into a higher gear, he fell for 26, caught at long-on, as he tried to loft Cooper. Marlon Samuels then tried to lift the run-rate, hitting two straight sixes and five fours, but it wasn’t enough.Cooper removed both Samuels and Jos Buttler off successive balls in the 19th over to peg back Comilla.Denly’s one-man show
Evin Lewis fell in the second over of the chase for six – his third single-digit score in this season’s BPL. In the absence of Shahid Afridi, Dhaka were in danger of slowing down in the Powerplay, but Denly provided the thrust. He struck Mahedi for a six in the first over before finding two fours in the fifth over off Hasan Ali. Denly then struck Al-Amin Hossain for fours through cover and straight down the ground but Bravo derailed the chase by dismissing both Shakib Al Hasan and Sunil Narine in the next over.Things got worse for Dhaka when Saifuddin bowled a charging Denly in the 13th over to leave them at 83 for 5.Bravo v Pollard
With the required run-rate soaring, Pollard slammed Al-Amin over his head for a six, leaving his side needing 60 off the last five overs. But Bravo conceded only eight runs in the 16th over and then Pollard and Mosaddek had a horrible mix-up in the following over, resulting in Mosaddek getting stranded in the middle of the pitch.Then Bravo got Pollard to swing one off the hip, but the substitute fielder Solomon Mire took the catch at deep square leg.The Cooper-Bravo collision
Cooper and Bravo collided near the middle of the pitch in the 18th over with Bravo collapsing and Cooper unable to reach the non-striker’s end and getting run out. Tamim, the Comilla captain, immediately asked Cooper to continue batting, to which he initially said no. Tamim asked him again but Cooper denied him a second time.When he stood by the edge of the boundary, the Dhaka coach Khaled Mahmud instructed Cooper to continue, after which he came back to bat. Tamim didn’t have a problem, and told the same to the on-field umpires.Late scare for Comilla
Cooper came back and slammed the last ball of the over for a six over extra cover. In the next over, Jahurul scooped, pulled and square drove Hasan Ali for three fours in a row to bring down the equation to 22 off nine balls. Hasan then gave just one run off the remaining three balls to set things up for Saifuddin to seal victory.

Everton supporters will reserve judgment on the club's summer transfer activity until the closing of the window, and whilst manager Sean Dyche has bolstered the attacking ranks, a new centre-forward feels a necessity for the Goodison Park side.

Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma have been signed on loan, while striker Youssef Chermiti has joined the fold on a £15m deal, though at just 19 years of age, he is not quite ready to lead the line.

For a side that scored only 34 Premier League goals last season, the second-lowest in the division, it will be crucial to secure a new talisman, and whilst he is still unrefined, mooted Toffees target Hugo Ekitike might be the man for the job.

What's the latest on Hugo Ekitike to Everton?

According to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Everton are pursuing the Paris Saint-Germain forward and hope to beat the advances of AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt to his signature.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

While the Ligue 1 champions "haven't received any written offers yet", the Blues are hoping to advance negotiations, though will have to cough up €35m (£30m) for the 21-year-old's services.

How good is Hugo Ekitike?

The talented Frenchman signed for PSG from divisional rivals Reims for €35m (£30m) last summer, but he only posted four goals and assists during his first season for the affluent outfit, though he did only start 14 times.

Described as a "special, special player" by his former Reims boss Oscar Garcia, Ekitike did plunder ten goals and four assists from just 15 starting appearances in Ligue 1 the season prior, earning him his big-money move to PSG.

The £80k-per-week phenom did showcase his creativity, ball-playing skills and defensive work rate during his time in the French capital, ranking among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for assists, the top 2% for interceptions and the top 19% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

This precocious level of dynamism in his arsenal bodes very well for the path in which his career will take, and Ekitike could harness such qualities under Dyche's leadership at Everton, where he would be handed a starring role to rival the likes of the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the No. 1 spot at the spearhead of the system.

The knock-on effect such a statement of intent might have on his teammates would be immense too; Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana has been linked with a move to Manchester United of late, just one year on from his £33.5m transfer from Ligue 1 side Lille, and given Ekitike's style of play, it could convince him to stay.

Highlighting the 21-year-old's 'strength', 'tenacity' and 'determination', scout Jacek Kulig also described Onana as a "one-man army in midfield", and given that the bustling powerhouse recorded a solid average Sofascore rating of 6.92 for his relegation-threatened side last season, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles per game and succeeding with 59% of his ground duels.

The £100k-per-week machine also ranks among the top 7% of midfielders for aerial wins per 90, further emphasising the control he asserts on his midfield realm.

Observing Everton's signing of such an exciting and talented attacking star could convince Onana to remain on Merseyside, with his industrious nature in the middle providing Ekitike with a license to exhibit his creativity in its brightest light.

And given the PSG man's own efforts in threading the different elements of a striking skill set together, it might just be the signing to strengthen the resolve and fluidity of this Everton, and Dyche must ensure a swoop is successfully completed.

Transfer insider Dean Jones will be 'absolutely amazed' if Arsenal manage to seal a deal to bring in one of the finest talents in La Liga this window.

Is Ansu Fati leaving Barcelona for Arsenal?

According to La Vanguardia via Football London, both Arsenal and arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur have shown interest in offering Spain international Fati a route to the Premier League this summer.

Reports in Spain claim that Arsenal have taken a 'serious interest' in the £231k-a-week ace and have submitted a 'very serious' proposal to Barcelona; however, their advances are believed to have been rebuffed by both the player and his current employers.

Fati is content to stay at Barcelona for the duration of the upcoming campaign and La Blaugrana boss Xavi will respect his wishes despite speculation surrounding his future.

Earlier this year, Manchester City were keen on Fati and it was mooted that Barcelona would accept a bid in the region of £90 million for the 20-year-old in light of financial problems at the Catalan giants, as per Football Insider.

Last term, Fati made 51 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, registering ten goals and four assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Another Spanish outlet has indicated that Barcelona received an offer of €60 million for Fati from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal; nevertheless, he has no intention of moving to the Middle East despite their football revolution taking shape.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has his 'doubts' over whether Arsenal could facilitate a move to bring Fati to the Emirates Stadium.

Jones stated: "I will be absolutely amazed if Ansu Fati ends up at the Emirates. He’s obviously got a lot of talent but his injury record and valuation brings about other concerns.

"I don’t think Arsenal are finished in the transfer market and I think that an attacking player is actually possible – but Fati? I still have these doubts."

What else could occur at Arsenal in the remaining stages of the window?

Arsenal look to be in good shape to mount a Premier League title challenge this term following the additions of Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz; however, Mikel Arteta may want to fine-tune his squad with one or two more signings before the end of the window, as per Transfermarkt.

According to Calciomercato, Arsenal are keen on sanctioning a deal for Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella and would be willing to include striker Folarin Balogun and defender Takehiro Tomiyasu in a swap deal to entice the Italy international to north London.

The Sun report that Kieran Tierney is wanted on loan by La Liga outfit Real Sociedad; however, Arsenal are only keen to let the Scotland international move for a fee of around £30 million.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has shared updates from Jorginho's agent Joao Santos speaking about his client's future at Arsenal on Twitter X, which read: "Jorginho’s agent João Santos: 'I’m sure, Jorginho will stay at Arsenal. He’s happy in England. Let’s move on'. 'I had some calls from Saudi and also Spanish clubs like him but he’s staying at Arsenal, it’s decided', told TMW."

Spinners Shreyas Gopal and K Gowtham wrapped up Karnataka’s second win of the season while Rinku Singh’s 136-ball 122 not out ended in vain for Uttar Pradesh

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2017Railways secured their second outright win of the season, routing Assam for 55 in their second innings and handing them an innings-and-184-run loss in Guwahati.Resuming on 41 for 7, Assam added only 14 runs to their score before being dismissed in 32.3 overs. Seamer Anureet Singh, who sparked the collapse, ended with 5 for 28 – his 15th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Deepak Bansal and Amit Mishra complemented him with two wickets each. Wicketkeeper Kunal Saikia was the only Assam player to reach double figures in their second innings.Legspinner Shreyas Gopal bagged a match haul of nine wickets, including four in the second innings, to wrap up Karnataka’s second outright win in two matches, against Hyderabad in Shimoga.Chasing 380, Hyderabad were bowled out for 320 with B Sandeep top scoring with 80. The overnight pair of opener Tanmay Agarwal and captain Ambati Rayudu had extended their stand to 53, before Agarwal was pinned lbw by offspinner K Gowtham. Allrounder Stuart Binny then claimed the key wicket of Rayudu for 31 to pin down the visitors to 117 for 4. Sandeep and Ashish Reddy then propped up the chase with fifties each before the spinners cleaned up the lower order. Gowtham took three wickets, and stretched his match haul to six. Hyderabad were ultimately dismissed in 109.4 overs.Karun Nair, who had struck 134 off 229 balls, was named Man of the Match in his first match of the Ranji Trophy season.Offspinner Chirag Khurana’s second six-wicket haul of the match trumped Rinku Singh’s 136-ball 122 not out – his maiden first-class hundred – and secured Maharashtra’s 31-run win over Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow.Resuming on 256 for 4, Maharashtra added 26 runs to their overnight score before declaring on 282 for 7, setting Uttar Pradesh a target of 324.The hosts lost Almas Shaukat and Himanshu Asnora early, and when captain Suresh Raina was dismissed for 5 by Khurana, Uttar Pradesh were 105 for 4. Akshdeep Nath and Rinku then put on 112 for the fifth wicket in 21.2 overs. The stand ended when Nath was dismissed for 79 off 123 balls. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar contributed 23 but his wicket triggered a collapse: Uttar Pradesh lost their last five wickets for 38 runs to be bowled out for 292.

Manchester United have undergone a major change in their goalkeeping department ahead of the new season. David De Gea has departed United following a 12-year spell, while Andre Onana has been recruited as his replacement.

The former Inter Milan ‘keeper joins the club along with Mason Mount, yet it appears as though Erik ten Hag isn’t finished with his transfer business, especially regarding outgoings.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United?

Henderson appears to be leaving Old Trafford this summer, with Nottingham Forest keen on signing him for a fee in the region of £20m.

The £100k-per-week Englishman however hasn’t made the move just yet, with injury issues preventing him from securing the switch.

He enjoyed a successful loan spell at Forest last season, and it is perhaps the best time to make the move away from United, having played just 29 matches for the senior side since making his debut in 2020.

He was even dubbed “terrible” by reporter Chris Philpotts previously and Ten Hag will be keen to get his high earnings off the wage bill, while bringing in someone younger as a replacement.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

With this in mind, the Red Devils have shown interest in Turkish ‘keeper Altay Bayindir, and they will be hoping to sign him before the transfer window shuts.

Who is Altay Bayindir?

According to Turkish outlet CNN Turk (via Sport Witness), United have ‘started official attempts’ to bring the player to the Premier League this summer.

The 25-year-old has a low release clause, which currently stands at just €6m (£5m) and this could allow Ten Hag the opportunity to bring in a decent backup option to Onana, while still having plenty of funds to fuel a few more transfers.

The five-cap Turkish international has been at current club Fenerbahce since 2019 and has kept 44 clean sheets across 143 matches, winning the Turkish Cup last season.

The shot-stopper conceded 31 goals last term for the Turkish side, the same total as Henderson, yet he played more matches (26 to 18) and he also had higher pass success rate in his own half (92% to 86%), conceded possession less often per game (8.6 to 13.7) and also kept more clean sheets (nine to six), demonstrating that he could be an ideal replacement for Henderson should he leave Manchester.

His impressive pass success rate in his own half could fit in well with Ten Hag’s tactical philosophy, as he likes to build attacks from the back and this will allow him to successful pass the ball accurately to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

The 6 foot 5 titan may not be the most exciting signing, yet with a solid number one in Onana, Bayindir would be providing some added competition for the Cameroonian across the whole season.

With a hectic schedule likely due to European commitments, the Turkish international may gain some action in the cup competitions.

With the player still to reach his prime, signing him for a fee of just £5m could turn into an excellent bargain a few years down the line.