All posts by h716a5.icu

Unai Emery hasn’t added much in terms of recruitment at Aston Villa since arriving in October 2022, yet he has managed to utterly transform their fortunes since his appointment.

The club were heading for a relegation dogfight under Steven Gerrard, winning just twice in the Premier League before his sacking and the European spots seemed like a world away at the time.

The Spaniard has managed to bring the best out of those at his disposal. Ollie Watkins has been sensational under the 51-year-old, scoring 12 goals since Christmas while Tyrone Mings has been revitalised, keeping eight clean sheets in the same timeframe.

Arguably the most improved player is Jacob Ramsey, with the youngster thriving in Emery’s setup of late, and it appears as though the former Arsenal boss has hit the jackpot with the academy graduate.

How much is Jacob Ramsey worth?

The 21-year-old has seen his value soar in recent months with journalist Pete O’Rourke detailing his current worth to Football FanCast.

He said: “Villa are lucky they’ve got such a top young player on their hands and they won't want to even consider selling him.

“In the going market right now, he’s probably in the £50m bracket at least, but I don’t think Aston Villa would even consider selling him. They want to keep him and build a team around him going forward.”

There is no doubt he has been rejuvenated under Emery, becoming a key component to the team's run to secure a European spot ahead of next term.

Ramsey managed just two goal contributions under Gerrard during the early part of the season, yet since November, he has added six more – three goals and three assists – to add some much-needed attacking intent from the midfield area.

His performance against Newcastle United recently was a prime example of how much he has improved. The Englishman was a menace to the opposition defence, making four key passes, succeeding with three dribble attempts, creating two big chances, and taking four shots in total.

That was all complemented by a goal and an assist in a truly wonderful attacking display from the £70k-per-week starlet.

The “special talent” – as dubbed by Sam Tabuteau last year – could be the fulcrum that Emery needs to build a Villa team which could take the league by storm next season, especially if the first months of his reign are just a brief appetiser of what’s to come.

Tottenham Hotspur may have been hard done by on Thursday night by referee Anthony Taylor after he failed to show Victor Lindelof a second yellow of the game.

Are Tottenham's Champions League dreams over?

After the rough weekend for the Lilywhites on Tyneside, Thursday's clash against Manchester United may have been a must-win to keep their faint hopes of Champions League football alive.

In truth, even a win for Spurs would've still provided them with an uphill challenge to land a spot inside the top four with just five games to go.

However, there will be positives to be taken from the game in north London with Ryan Mason's side showing a lot of desire to fight for their manager in the second half.

The first half showing optimised the issues at Spurs currently, however, the side which showed out for the second 45 minutes provided the fans something to cheer about.

Alongside some glaring misses, Spurs may feel they should have had a crack at three points against 10 men after Lindelof manhandled Son Heung-min to give away a free kick.

However, Anthony Taylor only awarded Tottenham the free kick and failed to pull a second yellow card out of his pocket for the Swede.

As it was not a dangerous challenge, VAR was unable to intervene, but an image of the incident shows the centre-back should feel very fortunate not to have been sent for an early shower:

Should Lindelof have been red-carded?

The Swede probably felt an incredibly lucky man after Taylor only awarded the free kick as he done his absolute best to prevent Son without making any attempt for the ball.

Had he not already been on a yellow card, then it would have been interesting to see whether Taylor's decision would have been different.

The incident happened with around 20 minutes – including stoppage time – remaining on the clock with the north London side pushing for an equaliser.

Taking to Twitter during the game, The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare said: "Really should have been a second yellow for Lindelof."

Although Spurs probably should have played the remaining time against one-less man, they can only have themselves to blame for not winning the game.

Dire defending in the first half set them up for an uphill challenge in which they still missed some huge opportunities to win the game.

Eric Dier's header somehow was put wide from a matter of yards out and the South Korean could have had another on the night.

There were some positives to take for Spurs, it will be interesting to see if they carry into their next game away to Liverpool.

Jonny Bairstow, looking more battle-hardened by the month, completed his third Test hundred in eight innings to rouse England from a problematic opening day in the Lord’s Test

The Report by David Hopps09-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJonny Bairstow screams with delight after scoring a Test hundred at Lord’s•Getty ImagesJonny Bairstow, looking more imposing and battle-hardened by the month, completed his third Test hundred in eight innings to rouse England from a problematic opening day in the Lord’s Test. For Bairstow, it could not be a more perfect treble: Cape Town, a maiden hundred where his father ‘Bluey’ spent his winters; Headingley, his home ground, an outpouring of Yorkshire pride; and now Lord’s, where a Test century is regarded as the greatest gift of all.Bairstow’s hundred came 11 balls from the close when he tucked Rangana Herath through square leg and emitted what has now become a recognisable primeval roar, his rugged beard caked with sweat, not the sort of sight you would want to encounter on a foggy night on Baildon Moor. Not the sort of sight, if you are a Test attack looking for just rewards, that you particularly want to meet at Lord’s either.Bairstow, the ginger energiser, rode his luck at times. He should have fallen on 11 when Shaminda Eranga spilled an inviting chance at midwicket off Nuwan Pradeep, a chance which, if taken, would have left England 102 for 5. He also survived Sri Lanka’s lbw review, on 56, by the width of a single thread of seam after the umpire, Sundaram Ravi, had initially turned down the appeal. The bowler was Eranga, desperately unfortunate to be denied the chance to put right his blemish in the field.But it was Bairstow’s desire and the equilibrium of his captain, Alastair Cook, that allowed England to escape to 279 for 6 on a day when Sri Lanka’s seam attack, led by Pradeep, drew more encouragement than might initially have been expected on what had appeared to be a bountiful batting surface and the tubby left-arm impresario Herath again revealed a charming ability to kill with kindness.England have the series won, but questions about a sketchy batting order remain as pressing as ever after Sri Lanka, finally able to feel the sun on their backs, looked a more methodical bowling outfit than they had done in two nithering northern Tests as they sought to extend a good Lord’s record with a victory, in a series already conceded after heavy defeats at Headingley and Chester-le-Street.Cook, the youngest man to reach 10,000 Test match runs, five months ahead of Sachin Tendulkar, had been presented with an encased silver bat to mark the occasion before the start of the final Test at Lord’s.The bat so received, it was time to encase his mind and make inroads into the next 10,000. Not for the first time, England were fortunate for his resilience. His failure to log a 29th Test hundred when Pradeep had him lbw for 85 came as a surprise to many in the capacity crowd, but his was the steady heartbeat in an ailing England batting line-up with uncomfortable questions remaining unanswered ahead of the Test series against Pakistan.”The first session will be crucial,” Cook had said, not that he personally needed any reminding of the fact in his 129th Test. The pitch looked flat and the weather was settled. Pads were buckled, helmet donned and once again he settled into the rhythms of an English Test summer, dispatching anything on his pads with familiar authority.But others were less successful. To a batsman possessing Cook’s rational approach, to lose four for 88 must have seemed entirely illogical. And of those four wickets to fall only Joe Root can claim that his place is impregnable.Alex Hales must wish he could settle into the sort of natural Test rhythm that Cook finds so effortless. A quicker tempo perhaps but one in which he can make his own music. He settled reasonably enough against the new ball, but Angelo Mathews’ medium pace seemed to make him jittery. When Herath had his first perambulation of the innings, Hales self-destructed against the second ball he faced, attempting a mow over long-on but the ball instead looping gently to first slip where Mathews held the catch.It was the fourth time that Hales has fallen to spin in this series and the fact that England’s opening stand of 56 was their highest of the series was an indicator of the lurking issues.Nick Compton left five overs later, only a single to his name, and was treated to the slightly embarrassed Lord’s silence upon his dismissal that communicates an expectation of impending doom. In its uncomfortable disapproval, it feels more like a blackballing than the open criticism preferred elsewhere.Compton drove charily at an overpitched delivery from Suranga Lakmal wandering down the slope and edged to Dinesh Chandimal, who had been passed fit to keep wicket. Compton is unlikely to figure in the Test series against Pakistan, the selectors’ patience – and they have been patient – surely exhausted.Compton’s mind is also encased, but in his case it so encased in the grip of self-doubt that he appears inhibited at the crease. In his 16 Tests for England he has rarely played with freedom, but his unproductive form now extends to county cricket, so much so that he has not struck a half-century for 17 first-class innings. If he loses his England place, it is hard to imagine him spending golden years on the county circuit.Fifteen minutes before lunch, Sri Lanka picked up Joe Root as well, the most valued wicket of all. Root got too far across to an angled delivery from Lakmal and Sri Lanka overturned umpire Rod Tucker’s “not out” on review. England had lost 3 for 15 in 40 balls and suddenly it was Sri Lanka’s morning.England were 84 for 4 on a surface that had promised batting riches when James Vince was bowled by Pradeep, pushing emphatically down the wrong line whereupon his off bail was clipped from the stumps with the certainty of a kitchen chef slicing the vegetables. It was a fine post-lunch period by Sri Lanka as Eranga and Lakmal also passed the outside edge in a focused display.By the time Cook departed five minutes before tea, lbw to a delivery angled in from around the wicket by Pradeep, there was a sense of a recovery. Moeen Ali hung around in that, too often, fascinating, fleeting Mayfly way of his until he was beautifully unpicked by Herath, who followed up one which bounced and turned surprisingly with a little floater to have him caught at slip.But Eranga’s failure to hold Bairstow’s clip off his pads gradually ate away at Sri Lanka’s day. Two boundaries for Bairstow in the next four balls suggested that the fizz might have been let out of the bottle, and although that fizz spilled fortunately through the slips at times – Mathews shuffling his slips and gullies with the impatience of a roulette loser in a Colombo casino – his gusto carried England to the end of a difficult day which presented more questions than answers.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly wants to keep midfielder Mason Mount at the club beyond this season, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed.

Could Mason leave Chelsea this summer?

The future of the Blues star has been a big talking point in recent months and he is still yet to make a decision on where he will be playing his football next season. He hasn't reached an agreement over a new deal at Stamford Bridge, and with his current contract expiring next year, that is concerning.

Not only that, but Mount has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool numerous times, with the Reds seeing him as a strong option to come in and bolster their midfield options. It feels as though any outcome is possible at this point, although the terms of any potential extension will need to be improved if Chelsea are to keep hold of the 24-year-old.

What's Boehly's stance on Mount?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs said that Boehly has made it clear that he wants to retain Mount's services moving forward:

"I think the first thing to say is that Chelsea haven't held any new, formal talks with Mount yet. Although Todd Boehly reiterated to Mount directly and quite recently that he wants him to stay, that wasn't a formal conversation or negotiation.

"The last negotiations that have taken place between Mount and Chelsea, the parties were reasonably far apart in terms of striking a deal, so they agreed to discuss it during the summer. That's still the plan at the moment."

It is at least encouraging to hear that Boehly values Mount as a player and wants to keep him, with the Englishman registering 70 goal contributions (33 goals and 37 assists) in 195 appearances for Chelsea, as well as being hailed as "incredible" by Statman Dave earlier this season.

At 24, losing him at this point in his career would be criminal, with the midfielder capable of finding another level into his late-20s, as he matures as a footballer. It seems clear that Mount will remain stubborn when it comes to a potential new deal, however, and if he doesn't feel valued and his £80,000-a-week wages aren't increased significantly, he will have no hesitation in moving on.

The lure of Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp could also be great, given the German's standing in the game, so it is set to be a tense few months ahead, even though opinion may be split among the Blues fanbase, especially after a fairly underwhelming season by their No.19.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first ODI of the series between England and Sri Lanka

The Preview by Andrew Miller20-Jun-2016Match factsTuesday, June 21
Start time 2pm local (1300 GMT)3:10

‘Morgan form a bit of a concern’

Big pictureThe most recent shot played in contests between England and Sri Lanka was a vast six over midwicket, as Kusal Mendis dispatched Joe Root’s offspin into the Tavern Stand during the soggy last rites of the third Test at Lord’s. An irrelevance in the bigger picture, maybe, after England’s thumping victories in the first two Tests at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, but an indication nonetheless of a squad with renewed confidence.It has taken them several weeks to come to terms with the challenge of English conditions, but as the tour shifts focus from the five-day to the one-day formats, so too has the distance between the sides narrowed. Sri Lanka’s valiant showing in that Lord’s Test has been followed up by a brace of thumping victories over Ireland in Dublin – precisely the sort of challenge for which a demoralised outfit might have struggled to raise itself.Instead, they enter the first ODI against England at Trent Bridge with expectation as well as hope. On the 2014 tour, they picked up the spoils in all three formats and though the Tests have eluded them time around, their draw at Lord’s has at least left the nascent Super Series with the faintest of pulses. Sri Lanka trail 10-2 with 12 points still up for grabs in the coming six matches – therefore a 5-0 clean sweep (as Sri Lanka achieved on the 2006 tour) would leave the fate of the series hanging on next month’s one-off T20.Sri Lanka have, however, suffered another shocking moment of misfortune where their bowling attack is concerned, with the news of Shaminda Eranga’s hospitalisation for an irregular heartbeat. He would have been ruled out of the series anyway, after the ICC confirmed on Sunday that his bowling action – reported as suspect during the Durham Test – has been found to be illegal, but such health concerns make other issues pale into insignificance.With Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera already ruled out of the tour with injury, Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling stocks are running alarmingly low. That said, Dasun Shanaka’s wobbly seamers were an incisive threat against Ireland, and with a glut of allrounders in their ranks, Sri Lanka are adept at cobbling together combinations for all conditions. England, who have lost each of their last three ODIs, following the collapse of their resolve against South Africa earlier this year, will be taking little for granted.Eoin Morgan and Angelo Mathews pose with the series trophy•Getty ImagesForm guideEngland: LLLWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: WWLWLIn the spotlightFrom his integral role at the World T20, and then on through his maiden stint with Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Jos Buttler has been both central and peripheral to England’s fortunes in the past few months. Ever since his axing from the Test team in November, Buttler has been regarded as a one-day specialist, but the emphasis where he is concerned is clearly on the “special”. A player of such phenomenal power, poise and technique has been absorbing lesson after lesson during an invaluable sojourn in India, and those are now ripe for translation back into the ODI arena.Kusal Perera was a notable and frustrated absentee from Sri Lanka’s World T20 campaign – the mysteries surrounding his failed drugs test deprived a young player of one of the highlights of his career, and his team of one of their likelier game-changers – how different that seminal group-stage clash against England in Delhi might have been with his explosive qualities at the top of the order. He hinted that he was in a hurry to resume his career with a lively cameo in the Lord’s Test. The coming weeks will surely remind everyone of what Sri Lanka have been missing in recent months.Team newsBen Stokes’ absence in England’s middle order creates a minor dilemma for the selectors, who will surely be tempted to unleash Jonny Bairstow’s sky-high batting confidence, albeit at the expense of a modicum of team balance. Moeen Ali can expect to slot in at No.7, Steven Finn is fit to resume his role as the leader of England’s ODI attack, while Chris Woakes and David Willey provide contrasting swing options with right and left-arm respectively. Eoin Morgan, the captain, is somewhat short of runs in recent England outings, but he is set to appear at No. 4.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 David Willey, 11 Steven Finn.Sri Lanka’s batting order is anyone’s guess, let alone their actual line-up, following the contests in Malahide in which two nominal frontline batsmen, Kusal Mendis and Upul Tharanga, popped in at No. 8 and 9 respectively. Seekkuge Prasanna’s devastating pinch-hitting in the second contest pillaged nine sixes in a thrilling 95 from 46 balls, so he’ll be ripe for another foray up the order if the mood takes him. Eranga’s absence leaves a vacancy in the seam-bowling ranks, so there is potential for a recall for the offspinner, Suraj Randiv.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Upul Tharanga, 5 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 6 Angelo Mathews (capt), 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Farveez Maharoof, 9 Seekkuge Prasanna, 10 Suraj Randiv / Nuwan Pradeep, 11 Suranga LakmalPitch and conditionsThere’s little prospect of Trent Bridge offering the sort of 400 v 400 belter on which Nottinghamshire and Northants went toe-to-toe earlier this month. Since June 10, when the game against Derbyshire was washed out, the groundsman reckons the pitch has had four hours of sun and 100mm of rain.Stats and trivia It’s not the most obvious home from home, but Sri Lanka have a remarkable recent record in ODIs in England. In the past decade, they have beaten their hosts in 11 of their 16 encounters in England, with two series wins out of three, plus a one-off win in the 2013 Champions Trophy. However, Sri Lanka won’t recall their last visit to Trent Bridge with much fondness. They were thumped by 10 wickets in 2011 en route to a 3-2 series loss, with Alastair Cook, no less, making 95 from 75 balls. Angelo Mathews goes into the match with exactly the same number of runs (4140) in both his Test and ODI careers. Alex Hales needs 38 more runs to reach 1000 in ODIs. To judge by his recent record, he should be odds-on. In South Africa, he made five consecutive ODI scores of fifty-plus: 57, 99, 65, 50 and 112. One more would set a new record for an England batsman.Quotes”It’s a key summer in that we’re 12 months down the road and we have built a lot of confidence. There’s a bit more expectation on us as a side and it’s important to relish that expectation.”
“We need more guys coming to England and playing a lot of cricket to get used to these conditions. The more you play you more you get used to them so we need more guys coming in, playing league cricket, county cricket, that’ll be very beneficial for us going into the World Cup in 2019.

Manchester United will surely look to continue their rebuild of the squad over the summer transfer window and now a new update has emerged on their plans for the transfer window.

What's the latest on Moises Caicedo's future?

According to 90min, Manchester United retain their interest in Brighton and Hove Albion ace Moises Caicedo.

As per the report, Brighton will now listen to offers of around £80m for their talented midfielder this summer and a host of elite Premier League clubs will compete to secure his signature, including Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal alongside the Red Devils.

Who would Caicedo replace in the Man United team?

With Casemiro in the latter stages of his career at 31 years old, finding a worthy successor will be no easy task for Erik ten Hag as he continues to refresh and rebuild the Man United squad.

As a result, if an opportunity is presented to secure the services of Caicedo this summer, it would be unwise for the Red Devils to ignore it, as the Ecuadorian could not only be an incredible heir to the Man United superstar, but an ideal partner for Casemiro to work with to eventually pass the baton on to in the defensive spot.

When comparing the two players, they are similar, particularly in their defensive involvement with Caicedo having made 1.55 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes compared to Casemiro's 1.50.

They also make a similar number of ball recoveries per 90 minutes (7.14 vs 8).

Caicedo's outstanding form in the Premier League has seen him earn a lot of praise over the season so far, with Jamie Redknapp full of compliments for the South American talent:

"He has been magnificent, he possesses all the attributes to play in every area, brilliant tackler.

"He’s progressive with his passing, a revelation and I’m sure a lot of clubs will be looking at him right now. He also has an eye for goal. Very, very impressed with this guy."

The Man United boss will surely be keen to build a squad that competes at the highest level and puts the club firmly back in the mix to dominant English football, so the signing of youthful prospects like Caicedo would certainly put the club on the path to success.

With that being said, the powerbrokers at Old Trafford will need to put in a lucrative offer to fend off their Premier League competitors for the signing of Caicedo, but if his recent form is anything to go by it would be absolutely worth it.

West Ham all but secured their Premier League safety with a hard-fought and deserved 1-0 victory over Manchester United over the weekend.

It was the Irons’ ninth clean sheet of the season and Said Benrahma’s goal after a calamitous David De Gea error catapulted David Moyes’ men up to a seven-point cushion above the relegation zone.

This result means that the Hammers can turn their attention to their mouth-watering Europa Conference league semi-final against AZ Alkmaar, as they bid for their first European trophy since 1965.

Ahead of this game, Moyes provided an injury update on Kurt Zouma, who damaged his ankle in the loss to Crystal Palace back on 29 April.

The Scotsman revealed:

“Kurt has had a day back, but he is just starting back really, and we are just trying to see how his ankle is and how he is getting on. Hopefully, he is making good progress.

"It’s a good chance that it is probably too soon for tomorrow, but we will see how he feels tomorrow and make a decision based on that."

Despite a lack of clarity on his fitness, even if there is any chance he could be available, then West Ham must take the big risk on Frenchman for the biggest game of their season so far.

Why is Kurt Zouma so important for West Ham?

The centre-back has made 28 appearances in all competitions for the East Londoners, and when he has been available he has been the go-to defensive asset, starting 23 of 25 top-flight games when in the squad.

This is because the 11-cap international has registered the highest rating (6.72) of any West Ham defender, as per WhoScored.

The former Chelsea star has built a reputation for reliability, consistency, and solidity. This is also displayed by the £125k-per-week star’s rank in the top 5% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for clearances per 90, according to FBref.

This is followed by the fact that the 28-year-old colossus has recorded the most clearances in the Hammers team, averaging 4.8 per game.

Moyes has previously described the French titan as “commanding” and “exceptional”, and his European experience would be crucial this evening.

The Saint-Étienne prodigy spent seven years at Chelsea, having accrued appearances in the Champions League on multiple occasions and his calmness would hugely benefit his teammates.

Last season, the Irons painfully crashed out of the Europa League at this stage to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt, and Zouma’s return from injury could be the catalyst to victory.

Therefore, Moyes must take a big risk by unleashing the £30m defender at the London Stadium this evening as West Ham will surely want to carry a clean sheet into the away leg next week.

Despite his side’s 58-run defeat to Australia in the final of the tri-nation series in Barbados on Sunday, West Indies captain Jason Holder chose to focus on the gains made by the side, particularly performances from the top-order batsmen

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2016Despite his side’s 58-run defeat to Australia in the final of the tri-nation series in Barbados on Sunday, West Indies captain Jason Holder chose to focus on the gains made by the side, particularly performances from the top order batsmen.Two of the four centuries struck in the tournament came from West Indies batsmen – Marlon Samuels scored 125 in a defeat against Australia, but Darren Bravo’s crucial 102 helped the team rally from an early slide and knock South Africa out of the tournament in the last league match in Barbados on Friday. Both batsmen, however, were dismissed for 6 in the final, as West Indies failed to chase down 271.West Indies remained at No. 8 on the ICC ODI rankings but their march to the final ensured that they opened up a five-point lead over Pakistan, who are placed ninth.”Credit must go to the whole group,” Holder said after the final. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to get this far. We’ve put up some pretty good performances leading up to this final. And still in this final, we’ve got some things to shout about. It’s just important that we keep improving. Improvement is the name of the game. We just have to keep building and moving our way up the rankings.”We asked one of the top four batsmen to put up a big hand each time and go on and get a big score for the team. We got two hundreds in this series, from Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo. Credit must go to them.”I thought Kieron Pollard coming back into the West Indies team did a really good job, not only with the bat and the ball, but his presence in the dressing room, his experience counted for a lot. Things like that, we really need around our cricket. Hopefully we can have him in the dressing room going forward.”Holder admitted that his bowlers had let Australia get away with 20 to 30 runs more than they should have after pinning them down to 156 for 5 in the 31st over. Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade’s crucial 57 pushed Australia to 270 for 9 before Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood cut through West Indies’ batting, taking 3 for 32 and 5 for 50 respectively.Holder also said that fast bowler Shannon Gabriel’s absence in the end overs affected West Indies strategy. Gabriel dismissed Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell in the space of five balls in the 31st over but had to leave the field due to injury after bowling seven overs.”I felt we conceded 20-30 too many. We lost Shannon Gabriel as well, his overs at the end were crucial. With the bat, we fell away and didn’t recover after a decent start. The wickets of Smith and Maxwell changed the game; credit to Shannon.”

It is no real secret that Manchester United are set to target a new centre-forward addition this summer, with the question now as to just who will be the man to lead the club's attack for the foreseeable future.

As per Manchester Evening News, manager Erik ten Hag is believed to be keen on bringing in a 'world-class' number nine ahead of next season, with both Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Napoli's Victor Osimhen having been mooted as potential top targets.

In the case of the latter man, the Nigerian marksman has come to wider attention as a result of his standout form as part of the Serie A side's Scudetto success, having thus far scored 23 goals in just 29 league games this season, as well as a further five goals in just six Champions League outings.

A player who is said to be on the "same level" as Manchester City machine, Erling Haaland – according to journalist Tom Colomosse – the 24-year-old certainly won't be allowed to leave Naples without a fight, amid reports that Luciano Spalletti's side could demand as much as €150m (£130m) for the former Lille ace.

Such a hefty asking price would likely blow United's budget – amid reports that Ten Hag will have £100m to work worth this summer, before player sales – hence the need to consider alternative targets if a compromise on Osimhen's value cannot be met.

As it is, it would appear that the Red Devils may well have already identified a more affordable candidate for the role in the form of Osimhen's compatriot, Gift Orban, with recent claims in Belgium suggesting that the Old Trafford outfit having been scouting the Gent starlet.

Should Man United sign Gift Orban?

The promising 20-year-old could well be United's answer to Osimhen, having also proven himself to be a real prolific and clinical presence in recent times, much like his fellow Nigerian.

Hailed as "electric" and someone who is simply "born to score" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Orban has caught the eye after scoring 19 goals in just 19 appearances so far this season for the Pro League side, after previously bagging 19 goals and registering seven assists in just 24 games for Norwegian outfit, Stabaek.

Clearly a real talent, the 5 foot 10 ace has already earned comparisons to the Napoli ace due to his fine start to life at senior level, with CBS reporter Ben Jacobs having stated earlier this year:

"And he is, naturally, because they’re both Nigerian, being compared a little bit to Victor Osimhen. He’s a little bit smaller than Osimhen, but he’s not afraid to put his body about, he’s clinical, he’s intelligent and he’s got good awareness."

The youngster is perhaps following in the footsteps of his compatriot after making the decision to move to Belgium earlier this year, with Osimhen having previously enjoyed a stellar stint at Pro League side Charleroi, where he scored 20 times in just 36 games.

While the 25-cap marksman has since gone on to blossom in both France and now Italy, the hope for those at United will be that young Orban could make a more direct route to England by linking up with Ten Hag this summer, having proven himself a real "phenomenon" – according to his manager, Hein Vanhaezebrouck.

With it set to take a colossal fee to prise Osimhen from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, the Gent ace would be far more attractive with a fee of closer to €50m (£44m) having been suggested by Vanhaezebrouck, while transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed the asking price could be closer to €20m (£17m) last month.

Either way, United could well find value for money in the emerging superstar.

Afghanistan will host Ireland in a series of nine matches across formats in Greater Noida, their adopted home ground in India, in March 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2016Afghanistan will host Ireland in a series of nine matches across formats in Greater Noida, their adopted home ground in India, in March 2017. The series, consisting of five ODIs, three Twenty20s and a four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture, will be played from March 8 to 31.”This will be a great opportunity for our squad to test themselves,” Ireland head coach John Bracewell said, according to . “It’s always good for a team’s development to test themselves in different conditions, and there’s no better place than India to do that. I’m sure the younger players in particular will benefit from playing in subcontinent conditions.”Both sides have played eight completed ODIs against each other till date, with Ireland winning five and Afghanistan three. The recently-concluded ODI series in Belfast finished at 2-2.Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s performance director, welcomed the prospect of playing a bilateral series that has context. “This tour is exactly what we have been pushing for in recent times, where the national team plays across all three formats over a four-five week period, just like the Full Members have been doing for years,” he said. “Both sides are aspiring to become Test countries and to organise bilateral tours on a regular basis in series with context, rather than focusing mainly on tournament cricket.”These matches will not only be part of the pathway to Test cricket for both countries, but also part of the World Cup qualification pathway.”