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Buttler, Bess, Anderson, Archer out of contention; Foakes, Moeen, Broad, Woakes, Stone in squad

George Dobell11-Feb-2021Joe Root has confirmed four changes to the team that won the first Test against India, with James Anderson rested, and Chris Woakes and Olly Stone seemingly competing for the final berth in a 12-man squad.With just three full days between games, England have been forced to juggle their plans for rotation against some injury concerns within the squad. Ben Foakes is set to keep wicket in place of Jos Buttler, who has returned to the UK for some rest, while Stuart Broad will also play in place of the injured Jofra Archer. Dom Bess, who struggled for rhythm in the second innings, is also out, with Moeen Ali placing his first match of the winter in his place.But with three more Tests to play in the next three or four weeks, Root is prepared to further test the depth of his squad and is insistent England can do so without compromising their competitiveness.”For us to win out here, it’s going to have to be a real squad effort,” Root said. “Guys are going to have to come in and rotate. They will have to come in and be fresh and deliver when they’re given an opportunity. So there might be a few changes from the previous game.”I look at the talent around our squad and every single one of them can play a huge part in delivering something very special over the next couple of weeks. You have to be brave enough to trust those guys that they can win you the game. That is how we are going to grow and become a better team in the long run, with guys pushing for a place all the time.”Ben Stokes is among those nursing some soreness following the first Test, but Root appeared to confirm he will play.”Are there any niggles within the squad? You could say that,” Root said. “There are a few things we want to make sure we are clear on.Related

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“Ben has actually pulled up really well. He’s obviously not played for a little while and he’s got a sore knee but he’s trained hard on Thursday and looks fitter and stronger for it. I think the more he plays, the more of the usual Ben Stokes you’ll see with the ball. He had such an impact with the bat, took an amazing catch at slip and got the vital wicket of their main man Virat Kohli, so I can see him going from strength to strength.”Zak Crawley, who injured his wrist in a fall shortly before the first Test, has returned to the nets but was not considered ready to play.Perhaps the most difficult problem facing Root and Co. was what to do with Bess. While Bess claimed five wickets in the first Test, he also bowled 19 full-tosses and at times looked alarmingly out of sorts. Moeen, who has not played a Test since August 2019, was the obvious replacement, having had the start of his winter campaign scuppered by contracting Covid-19 ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests.”I think, as a whole bowling group, it is important we consider everyone,” Root said when asked whether he would consider rotating the spinners as well as the seamers. “Everyone is human; nobody is a robot. It is important we consider guys who have played a huge amount of cricket and we try to make a good assessment of things going into the next game, whether that is to do with workloads, fitness or where somebody is currently at form-wise. We try to make a good honest decision about what will be the best attack to take 20 wickets on the surface.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Dom’s contributed extremely well over the last three games. But it’s great to see Moeen in such a good place with his game. He’s come on leaps and bounds and looks in a really good place, too.”While England’s original plan was to replace James Anderson with Broad, Archer’s injury had raised the possibility the pair could be reunited for the first time this winter. England have resisted this temptation, however.”Stuart will play and we expect him to do exactly what he has done in the recent past in the England shirt.”We talk about that rotation policy being crucial to our team’s performance so they’re fresh when they come in. But also making sure we’re getting the best out of the likes of Stuart, Jimmy and the rest of our fast bowlers.”Stuart has been extremely professional about things. All he’s tried to do is make sure he’s in the best possible place to start extremely well and he’s a great example for the rest of the guys. He’s not just gone about his own thing, he’s bought into the whole bowling group and he always adds a huge amount.”It’s great to see him so excited about playing and you know he’ll be extremely determined to put in a good performance and really make this game count. If he’s got any sort of point to prove, he’ll want to be the main man and have a real impact.” 7am GMT: This story was updated following confirmation of England’s 12-man squad

If there is one area of their side that they could look to revamp this season, Manchester United could well overhaul their midfield. It was a very frustrating season in 2023/24, and their midfield might well need to change in order to provide them with a better platform for the new term.

There are three of United’s midfielders who are seemingly guaranteed to stay at the club beyond this season. Firstly, captain Bruno Fernandes will stay, despite interest from clubs in Europe including PSG, and from Saudi Arabia. Mason Mount will also likely stay, despite a tough, injury-hit first season at Old Trafford, as will his compatriot Kobbie Mainoo, who burst onto the scene last campaign and is now a crucial player.

In terms of players who could leave, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay are all at risk of being sold. It was confirmed by the Daily Mail in April that all three could depart the club. Donny van de Beek has already gone, and Sofyan Amrabat’s loan expired in June.

With all these changes in the centre of the park, United will no doubt need to strengthen in midfield. Recently, they have been linked with one player who could add quality strength and depth.

Man Utd target Ligue 1 midfielder

The player in question here is AS Monaco and France international midfielder Youssouf Fofana. The 25-year-old has been a crucial player for his club side and has now been to two major tournaments with France. He is now wanted by clubs across Europe this summer.

According to a report from Dharmesh Sheth, a highly reputable journalist for Sky Sports, Fofana is one of the players who United are “looking at in the central midfield area”, along with the likes of Manuel Ugarte, Martin Zubimendi and former loanee Amrabat.

However, the Red Devils are not the only side in the race for the experienced France international. Italian giants AC Milan are also thought to be keen on bringing him to the club, and according to Italian news outlet Calcio Mercato, are thought to have agreed on personal terms with Fofana.

With regards to the price, it is believed that the Rossoneri had a bid of £10.1m plus add-ons was rejected. Instead, Monaco are likely to accept a bid of around £16.9m, after initially requesting £21m for the Frenchman. With sales, this is a figure that United are likely to be able to meet.

How Fofana compares to Ugarte

Fofana was a vital player for Monaco last summer, playing 32 times in Ligue 1, grabbing four goals and four assists. He is a destroyer in midfield, a tough tackling ball-winner who is also a wonderful ball-carrier and a good progressive passer. That is a real feature of Fofana's game, that can go unnoticed, but he screens the back four very well, often winning the ball back and then looking to progress play forward.

Football analyst Ben Mattinson described the midfielder as a "monster" in the middle of the park, and this is certainly reflected in how the 25-year-old plays, given he is such a tenacious ball-winner.

He could prove to be a great alternative to Ugarte in the centre of the park for the Red Devils. United are thought to be targeting the Uruguayan but are put off by his price, with PSG wanting £59m. Both players are tenacious ball-winners, although Ugarte is a more aggressive, front-footed player out of possession. He is similar in many ways to N'Golo Kante, in how front-footed he is when looking to win the ball back for his side.

In terms of their FBref stats off the ball, the PSG midfielder averages 6.42 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, compared to Fofana’s average of 3.27 tackles and interceptions. However, it is far closer when it comes to ball recoveries, with the Monaco midfielder averaging 7.67 per 90 and Ugarte just pipping him with 8.42.

Stat (per 90)

Fofana

Ugarte

Tackles and interceptions

3.27

6.42

Blocks

1.17

1.26

Clearances

1.03

1.16

Aerial duel win %

51.5%

53.8%

Ball recoveries

7.67

8.42

Where Fofana’s quality does shine through over Ugarte is with the ball. He averages 8.3 progressive passes per 90 and 1.77 progressive carries, whereas the Uruguayan midfielder completes half the amount of progressive passes on average, with 4.05 and just 0.74 progressive carries each game.

Why Fofana could be perfect for Mainoo

With that in mind, Fofana could also be the dream partner for Mainoo. The young England international thrives in the middle and final thirds, and having Fofana screening behind him, plus kickstarting attacks with his progressive play, could reduce the defensive responsibility on his young shoulders.

The 19-year-old is also a wonderful ball carrier, who glides past players with ease, able to ride tackles so well and slalom past defenders like they are not there. In fact, last season, the young midfielder averaged 2.70 attempted take-ons and completed 1.46 of those, which ranked him in the top 9% and 8% of midfielders in Europe respectively, as per FBref.

Having someone like Fofana covering behind would allow Mainoo to play much higher, operating in between the lines rather than having to start attacks deeper and carry forward to start United’s attacks. Instead, this is a role Fofana can fulfil.

For a fee of £21m at the most, this could surely be a dream signing for United. Not only is he a cheaper alternative to Ugarte, but he would also allow Mainoo to get further forward, providing excellent cover to the youngster and reducing his defensive responsibility.

It could certainly be a shrewd piece of business from the Red Devils.

Man Utd line up £68m Mainoo partner who's "far less reckless than Ugarte"

The Red Devils’ bid to sign PSG midfielder Ugarte has hit a snag.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 27, 2024

Ange Postecoglou praised a 'really strong' defensive performance as Tottenham silenced Erling Haaland in a 4-0 win at Manchester City.

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Spurs beat Man City 4-0Starting centre-backs Romero and Van der Ven out injuredHaaland stifled in devastating defeatFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Following their best result of the season, Spurs head coach Postecoglou was brimming with pride and praise for his side, who have recently been through a rough patch of form, losing to Galatasaray and Ipswich Town in their last two outings.

With both starting centre-backs Van de Ven and Romero out through injury, Postecoglou was forced into playing a far from ideal central defensive partnership, but got just reward for the risk, as they were superb in keeping City quiet.

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Two-and-a-half weeks ago, Tottenham started Radu Dragusin and left-back Ben Davies as centre-backs against Galatasaray, where they had a torrid time marking one of the world's best strikers in Victor Osimhen. Losing 3-2, it looked as though Spurs' spell without typical starters Romero and Van de Ven was set to be a painful one. Skipping forward to Saturday, the same central defensive partnership was crucial to their clinical 4-0 win against City at the Etihad Stadium, where Haaland was limited to half chances.

WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

In his post-match press conference, Postecoglou was asked about Dragusin and Davies' fine performances, to which he replied, "Yeah, I thought they were all great. You have to be against City because obviously they've got big Erling up there, but the way they deliver the ball, the areas they consistently probe, you've got to be focused the whole time and I thought Ben and Radu were really focused, I thought Vic (Vicario) behind them was really positive as well with his positioning and the way they communicated. I thought Biss (Bissouma) was important to that.

"I think the key for us was we had to do it as a collective today. I think when you play City, you can't rely on individuals to find solutions out there and collectively, I thought we defended really well, but credit to those two guys and not just defensively, but we had to play out from the back.

"It was the only way we were going to deliver balls to the areas we wanted to and both Ben and Radu didn't shy away from that. It wasn't always easy, but they consistently were looking for the ball and looking for us to play out from the back. So credit to those guys."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

Spurs will have been given a huge boost from their unexpected victory of the reigning Premier League champions, and ahead of the Christmas period, which sees them play nine games in the month of December, the morale boost from the result could prove crucial to their season. Their next game sees them host Claudio Ranieri's Roma in the Europa League.

Manchester United are set to pull off an exceptional double deal to strengthen Erik ten Hag's ranks ahead of the new Premier League season, it has been reported, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe ready to back his manager with more additions.

Manchester United's transfer window so far

After early promise, Manchester United's first transfer window under INEOS ownership looked like it was threatening to stall. The Red Devils signed Joshua Zirkzee in a £34m deal from Bologna, before moving for young defensive sensation Leny Yoro, who arrived for £52m despite interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid.

However, departures have been holding up further investment, with only Mason Greenwood, Alvaro, and Willy Kambwala having left for fees over £1m this summer despite reports suggesting that the entire squad was up for sale. They are still hoping for more exits, with Victor Lindelöf, Casemiro and Scott McTominay among those that the club are seeking buyers for.

Manchester United exits (summer 2024)

Player

Fee

Mason Greenwood

£22m

Willy Kambwala

£8m

Alvaro

£4m

Donny van de Beek

£800k

Raphael Varane

Free

Anthony Martial

Free

Omari Forson

Free

Any midfielder that departs may allow the Red Devils to finally bring in a fresh face in their engine room, with Manuel Ugarte a player that they have held protracted talks with PSG over the signing of, only to balk at the price tag despite having agreed personal terms with the 23-year-old Uruguayan.

But for now it is the defence that needs the most work, with Manchester United's Community Shield squad demonstrating the issues at the back. Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof and Yoro were all absent from the matchday squad at Wembley, leaving Harry Maguire to partner veteran defender Jonny Evans and Lisandro Martinez starting at left-back. Now, United have moved to reinforce their backline.

Triple move in progress for Manchester United

That comes as the reliable David Ornstein has revealed that three transfers to bolster the Manchester United backline are close to completion. The Red Devils have agreed a deal to sign Bayern Munich pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui after weeks of speculation, with both players set to pen five year deals at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag's side have agreed to pay €45m (£38.6m), plus a further €5m (£4.1m) in potential add-ons for De Ligt, who will add further depth at centre back and likely speed up any potential exit for Lindelof. His five-year deal includes an option to extend it by a further 12 months should the club wish to.

Meanwhile, Mazraoui will join in a separate deal worth up to 20m euros (£17m), of which £13m will be paid up front. His arrival will, like De Ligt's, be on a five-year deal with the option for another year, though his move hinges on the departure of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Talks on: Man Utd discuss personal terms with "special" £47k-p/w defender

He is wanted by clubs across the Premier League.

ByBen Browning Aug 10, 2024

Fortunately, that is now a formality, with Fabrizio Romano having confirmed that the defender is set to join West Ham, with the right back undergoing his medical on Sunday.

It is unclear how much the pair will take home at Old Trafford, though it is likely to be less than the mammoth £390,000 a week Bayern paid the duo during their time at the Allianz Arena.

Ten Hag has worked with both incoming defenders at Ajax previously and knows them well, which should help him introduce a more sustainable style of football at Old Trafford after clinging on to his job last season.

Reddy, Prasad take Andhra past Punjab; Jharkhand beat MP in last-over thriller

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2025Jaiswal 101, Sarfaraz 64 for MumbaiAfter losing to Hyderabad in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League opener on Friday, defending champions Mumbai bounced back to hunt down 235 against Haryana in Pune.Yashasvi Jaiswal led the steep chase with a 48-ball century – his fourth in T20 cricket – with 16 fours and a six. He eventually holed out with Mumbai seven away from victory. Atharva Ankolekar wrapped it up for Mumbai with a six and a four, in the company of allrounder Sairaj Patil.After Ajinkya Rahane fell for 21 off ten balls, Jaiswal combined with Sarfaraz Khan for an 88-run second-wicket partnership off just 37 balls. Sarfaraz, who is part of capped batters up for bidding in the first set of the IPL 2026 auction, boosted his chances with 64 off 25 balls, including nine fours and three sixes. After winning the Player-of-the-Match award, Jaiswal called up Sarfaraz and shared it with him. Though Mumbai suffered a late wobble, they cruised to victory with 15 balls and four wickets to spare.Earlier in the day, after Mumbai had opted to bowl, Patil emerged as their only wicket-taker, coming away with 2 for 44. Shardul Thakur also kept things tight on a small ground, prompting Haryana to retire Samant Jakhar out on 31 off 14 after the batter had struggled to get the Mumbai captain away in the 19th over. Haryana’s captain Ankit Kumar hit 89 off 42 balls, his joint-highest T20 score, but it went in vain.ESPNcricinfo LtdHemanth Reddy, Prasad stun PunjabAndhra handed Punjab their second successive defeat in the Super League, at the MCA Stadium in Pune. M Hemanth Reddy, 23, was the hero for Andhra, clattering a 48-ball hundred – his first in only his second T20. He finished unbeaten on 109 off 53 balls as Andhra chased 206 from 56 for 5 for their first win in the Super League.Reddy was well supported by No. 7 SDNV Prasad, who scored an unbeaten 53 off 35 balls, after Andhra were reduced to 56 for 5 in the ninth over. Their unbroken 155-run partnership is the highest for any wicket for Andhra in men’s T20 cricket. It is also the second-highest partnership for the sixth wicket or lower in men’s T20 cricket behind Andre Russell and Kennar Lewis’s 161-run stand for the sixth wicket for Jamaica Tallawahs in CPL 2018.After being asked to bat first, Punjab had posted 205 for 5 on the back of forty-somethings from Harnoor Singh Pannu (42), Anmolpreet Singh (47), Salil Arora (42*) and Ramandeep Singh (43). After bagging a hat-trick in the previous game, India international Nitish Kumar Reddy returned 1 for 39 in his four overs.File photo – Ishan Kishan’s 63 set up Jharkhand’s thrilling win•PTI Jharkhand prevail in last-over finish vs MPVenkatesh Iyer took 3 for 17 from his three overs for Madhya Pradesh, but they fell short by just one run against Jharkhand after requiring 13 runs to win off the final over, bowled by Sushant Mishra.Earlier, Ishan Kishan was the architect of Jharkhand’s innings, making another quick start at the top after his 47 against Punjab in their previous game. He scored even quicker against MP, getting to 63 off 30 deliveries, including four fours and five sixes, before Iyer snared him up.Iyer’s two more wickets slowed down a Jharkhand innings where no other batter managed to cross 30. However, Iyer did not have much luck with the bat in hand himself as he fell for 8 at the top of the order. Harpreet Singh (77*) and Harsh Gawli (61) put up a 122-run partnership afterwards. By the time Gawli fell, MP needed just 41 more runs from 25 balls.The required rate rose thereafter, and the equation eventually became too steep as Jharkhand solidified their spot at the top of their Super Group table.File photo – Tanmay Agarwal’s 73 helped Hyderabad breeze through their chase•PTI Agarwal helps Hyderabad breeze past RajasthanHyderabad opener Tanmay Agarwal led their chase of 179 against Rajasthan, hitting eight fours and four sixes during his 41-ball 73. By the time he was dismissed in the 17th over, the scores were level, and they eventually won with six wickets and 17 balls to spare. Agarwal played most of innings in the company of Rahul Buddhi – who made 55 off 36 – during a 95-run partnership for the third wicket.Earlier, No. 4 Mahipal Lomror led Rajasthan’s comeback after they had slipped to 17 for 2, then 85 for 5. His 48 was the highest score of a stop-start innings where four of the top seven got into the 20s but no one could kick on.Manav Suthar (2-20) and Kamlesh Nagarkoti (2-35) were the only wicket-takers for Rajasthan as they struggled to keep up in the chase. Hyderabad now sit at the top of their own Super League table, as the only unbeaten side in Group B after two matches.

As things stand, CSK’s match against Rajasthan Royals in Delhi on May 5 is set to go ahead

Nagraj Gollapudi03-May-2021Three members of the Chennai Super Kings’ IPL contingent – chief executive Kasi Viswanathan, bowling coach L Balaji, and a bus cleaner – have tested positive for Covid-19.It is understood that the others in the group, which is currently in Delhi, have cleared their tests, which were conducted on Sunday.Viswanathan, Balaji and the member of the maintenance staff, ESPNcricinfo has learnt, took a fresh test on Monday morning to rule out the possibility of a false positive. If they test positive again, they will need to spend ten days in a designated isolation facility outside the team bubble and return two negative tests before being allowed to re-enter.Balaji, the former India fast bowler, was in the team’s dugout on Saturday, when the Super Kings lost off the last ball to the Mumbai Indians. As things stand, though, their next match, against the Rajasthan Royals in Delhi on May 5, is set to go ahead.Related

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IPL 2021 and T20 World Cup – what happens next?

IPL 2021 postponed as Covid-19 count increases

Chennai Super Kings' May 5 game against Rajasthan Royals postponed

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO: 'Sandeep fine; Varun a little under the weather'

This follows the news that Monday’s IPL game has been postponed after two Kolkata Knight Riders players tested positive.An ECB spokesperson said the England board was monitoring the situation at the IPL, but the decision to continue to play or leave would be left to the players. “We continue to monitor and communicate with our players and staff currently in India,” the spokesperson said. “In terms of continued participation, it will be a decision that will be taken by each individual.”Among the 11 England players currently at the IPL, three belong to the two affected franchises: Moeen Ali and Sam Curran are with the Super Kings, and Eoin Morgan is with the Knight Riders.This is the second time the Super Kings have had to deal with a Covid-19 outbreak in the team bubble. At IPL 2020, in the UAE, Viswanathan’s wife had been one of several members – including players Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad – to test positive ahead of the tournament.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are ready to take on the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. The backline might need a bit more work but there's enough there to fill Gary O'Neil and the club's many supporters with optimism.

Pedro Neto's £54m sale to Chelsea this week does hand the Old Gold some financial leeway, and while that defensive line still needs some work, there's no doubt that landing another wide forward to replace the Portuguese talent wouldn't go amiss.

Wolves transfer news

According to Sport over in Spain, Wolves are a shock contender to sign Ansu Fati from Barcelona this summer. The winger is surplus to requirements at Camp Nou and his sale would help the financially-stricken giants in strengthening their frontline.

Having completed a middling loan spell with Brighton & Hove Albion last year, Fati proved that he has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League, albeit being pulled back by injuries that have marred his once-prodigious development.

But Molineux could present the perfect conditions for the 21-year-old to rebuild his career, with his agent Jorge Mendes looking at multiple suitors and willing to engineer an initial loan stint with a buy clause inserted.

Why Ansu Fati could be the perfect Neto replacement

Neto is undoubtedly a first-class winger, easily Wolves' most technically talented star last year, but for a player who averaged 15 top-flight stats per season to be sold for £54m is something of a no-brainer.

2023/24

20

18

2

9

2022/23

18

13

0

0

2021/22

13

5

1

1

2020/21

31

30

5

6

2019/20

29

9

3

3

Fati, while hardly free of fitness setbacks himself, could fill that Neto-shaped hole with his fleet movements and ability to blend into various attacking combinations has led former Barca boss Xavi to praise his "extraordinary" potential.

While only scoring four goals and adding one assist across 30 matches for the Seagulls, Fati was only handed nine starting berths across all competitions, and deeper statistical analysis suggests that he could bear fruit in a second shot at English football.

As per FBref, Fati ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for shots taken per 90 and the top 1% for pass completion.

Speaking of an innate goalscoring quality and technical sharpness that could reap rewards for Wolves, completing a deal for this talent could be a masterstroke in hindsight, and O'Neil must fiercely consider landing him instead of fellow target Yoane Wissa.

How Fati compares to Wissa

Wissa has perhaps gone under the radar at Brentford, with the DR Congo international not quite viewed in the same breath as Bryan Mbeumo or Ivan Toney but still forming a crucial part of Thomas Frank's frontline.

A tenacious and versatile forward, Wissa has been a constant threat throughout three terms in the English top flight, signed from French side Lorient for £8.5m in 2021, shortly after the Bees' promotion from the Championship.

The Athletic's Jay Harris called him "simply incredible" last year and his seven-goal (x2) and 12-goal (last season) returns in the Premier League have highlighted a clinical quality that a team like Wolves could really benefit from.

According to The Telegraph's Mike McGrath, Wissa is among the options at Molineux following Neto's sale, with funds readied to launch at such a player, whose dynamism fits into the mould of the Portuguese's multi-functioning wide role.

But in Fati, six years younger than the Brentford man, O'Neil could have a weapon of mass destruction in his grasp, possibly requiring awhile to revivify his teenage talent – talent that led Xavi to also laud him as a "generational player".

Moreover, Fati still proved himself prolific last season, as FBref's data crunch will tell you. Just imagine the kind of quality that could be bestowed on the outfit if injury issues are put firmly to bed.

His £160k-per-week wages with La Blaugrana might seem to present an issue, but Brighton only paid £128k-per-week last year, and while Wolves' top earners pocket £90k per week, the Spain international's bleak few years could convince him to take a reduction and repurpose his career as a highly-rated forward.

1.

Ivan Toney

83

36

2.

Yoane Wissa

102

26

3.

Bryan Mbeumo

98

22

4.

Mathias Jensen

100

8

4.

Vitaly Janelt

104

8

Wissa would be a safer pick, but let's make no mistake: he's a good player, with stripes earned and pinned in the Premier League. The £25k-per-week ace even ranked among 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league last year for goals scored and aerial won per 90, shining a light on the clinical edge and robust body that would be cast into Wolves' attack.

But, again, let's consider the possibilities. Fati has proved himself as something rather special, walking into life on the senior stage with a strut in his step, scoring eight goals from 33 matches in 2019/20 as a 16-year-old.

Injuries have truly wrecked his chances of standing in his early 20s as one of Europe's most exciting players in a generation, but the talent is there nonetheless, latent, waiting to be channelled.

It might seem overambitious to imagine such a player could join Wolves, and not try his hand with an outfit in the Champions League, but his time at Brighton proved that he needs such a ground to host his potential and allow it to bloom.

Wolves simply have to move for Fati over players like Wissa. Talented as the Brentford star may be, he's not going to rise to the highest level of football, whereas Barcelona's wayward prodigy – who once inherited Lionel Messi's number ten shirt at Camp Nou – could restore his giddy potential and lift the Old Gold with him.

Wolves targeting "unplayable" PL machine who could be Hwang 2.0

He seems set to leave this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 13, 2024

Former Premier League star Gus Poyet has backed Manuel Ugarte to shine under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

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Poyet backs Ugarte to succeed under AmorimHighlighted Casemiro's role in the teamMan Utd face Forest on SaturdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Uruguayan midfielder completed his transfer to the Premier League in the summer from Paris Saint-Germain for a huge £51 million ($60m) deal, but he endured a tough start under former United boss Erik ten Hag. However, since the departure of the Dutchman and the arrival of Amorim at Old Trafford, Ugarte has featured in the starting lineup in the club's last four matches across all competitions.

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Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder and former Uruguay international Poyet has backed his compatriot to perform well under the Portuguese coach who had earlier managed Ugarte at Sporting CP. Poyet further claimed that the 23-year-old will also benefit from playing alongside a seasoned campaigner like Casemiro at the centre of the park.

WHAT GUS POYET SAID

Speaking to , the 57-year-old said: "Manuel Ugarte is lucky that Ruben Amorim has joined Manchester United as the manager. He wasn’t a regular starter under Erik ten Hag, but now he’ll be working under a manager who he knows well. I like the player a lot, I think he can make a big impact at the club under a manager who made great use of his abilities at Sporting Lisbon.

"I was delighted to see him come to the Premier League, but he wasn’t starting under Erik ten Hag. Hopefully, now he can get an extended run in the starting XI. That will help him to adapt to the Premier League and I hope he can get a good run in the side and make an impact for United."

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Getty Images SportCASEMIRO TIPPED TO BE MENTOR

Speaking on Casemiro's role in improving Ugarte's game, Poyet added: "Casemiro could be very important for United in acting as a mentor for Ugarte. I said the same thing about Aurelien Tchouameni. I gave him his professional debut for Bordeaux at 18 when I was manager, he then made his move to Real Madrid and had the guidance of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro, you can’t ask for much more as a young midfielder.

"He had that time to adapt before going straight into the team, after a month Casemiro had left and Tchouameni was in the team! He hasn’t looked back since and is one of the best defensive midfielders in world football now. He had the guidance that prepared him for that, and you need to use these senior players in the right way to guide, whilst giving the young player the time to play. I can see the same situation with Ugarte being guided by Casemiro."

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City have made the dream start to the new season, as they look to win their fifth league title in a row, beating their own record set last term of four on the bounce. Of course, they will be closely challenged by Arsenal, although the Gunners have not been able to catch Pep Guardiola and his side as yet.

The Cityzens began the campaign with a trophy, beating Manchester United on penalties to win the Community Shield. Whilst the Red Devils gave their rivals a very good game, even taking the lead through Alejandro Garnacho, City equalised courtesy of Bernardo Silva before winning the shootout in sudden death.

Their first league outing also saw an impressive win, with the Etihad outfit overcoming Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Erling Haaland and former Blues midfielder Mateo Kovacic sealed the points for City to start 2024/24 in the perfect fashion.

Although their squad is already very strong, the Cityzens have yet to make any moves in the transfer market. With around one and a half weeks of the window left, they may well make a late move for one Premier League star.

Man City target Premier League attacker

The player in question here is Crystal Palace and England international attacker Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old versatile attacker has been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park all summer, and could still depart the club before next Friday’s deadline.

According to a report from The Athletic, Eze is a player who Guardiola and his scouting unit ‘do like’, and they could look to bring him to the Etihad Stadium this summer. Whilst the 26-year-old is not believed to be a priority, as per the report, perhaps the Premier League champions could look to sign Eze to reinforce the squad following the injury to Oscar Bobb and the departure of Julian Alvarez.

Interestingly, the Cityzens might not be alone in their chase for the Eagles’ number ten this summer. Tottenham Hotspur also showed a keen interest in signing the attacker, but have not yet made a move.

In terms of a price for Eze, Palace are now able to negotiate a deal for their star man. He did have a release clause worth £60m, but that expired days ago, and the South London outfit can now negotiate a price higher than the old clause in his contract.

Why Eze would be a good signing

The 26-year-old, who earns £100k per week, as per Capology, thrived under new Palace boss Oliver Glasner last season. In 27 Premier League appearances, he scored 11 goals and grabbed four assists. However, six goals and three assists came under the Austrian, in 12 games, including the Eagles’ 2024/25 opener away to Brentford.

There are certainly similarities between Eze and his England teammate, and potential club teammate, Phil Foden. The pair are both silky ball carriers, who glide past opponents and ride tackles with ease and are creative forces in the final third.

This is certainly backed up by their stats on FBref – with the pair noted as similar players in the Premier League last season.

In 2023/24, Eze averaged 2.98 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to Foden’s 2.93. The Palace attacker also averaged 2.68 carries into the final third and 1.89 carries into the penalty box. Comparatively, City’s number 47 averaged just 2.49 final third carries and 1.77 carries into the penalty box.

The duo are also strikingly similar when it comes to their creative passing numbers per 90 minutes. Eze actually averaged more key passes than his England teammate, with 2.37 compared to the City attacker’s 2.3 per game.

Stat (per 90)

Eze

Foden

Key passes

2.37

2.3

Expected assists

0.25xG

0.22xG

Progressive passes

4.08

5.3

Passes into final third

2.11

2.24

Passes into penalty box

1.97

1.8

Should the England international make the move to Manchester this summer, he could strike up a deadly partnership with former City captain Ilkay Gundogan. The German left the Etihad Stadium for La Liga giants Barcelona last summer, but seems set to depart Catalunia after one year. As the Guardian have reported, Guardiola and City would welcome his return.

There is no doubt that the pair could strike up a fluent partnership. Like Eze, the former City skipper is a delight on the ball, a silky passer who averages seven progressive passes and 5.54 passes into the final third, as per FBref.

Together, Eze and Gundogan would be able to form a deadly duo, with the German perhaps slightly deeper next to Rodri, and Eze slightly ahead of him. The Eagles winger would be able to receive passes between the lines from the German and carry City forward as he does best, ultimately looking to provide service for Haaland or another teammate, or indeed try and score himself.

Football analyst Ben Mattinson described Eze as a “superstar” and he would certainly be another gem of an attacker in a City side that dominates possession under Guardiola. Adding another creative force in Gundogan just behind him would only enhance the quality on show from Eze.

It certainly seems like a deal too good for City to miss out on, and he could be the difference-maker as they chase their fifth consecutive league title.

Forget Alvarez: Man City lining up swoop for "terrifyingly good" £70m star

The Cityzens are reportedly interested in signing another winger to bolster the squad.

ByDan Emery Aug 19, 2024

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