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The Ireland teenager has exactly what it takes to be one of the best strikers in Europe over the next decade, so United can't afford not to sign him

George Best. Norman Whiteside. Kevin Moran. Roy Keane. Denis Irwin. John O'Shea. Manchester United's history has been written by Irish players. With the obvious exception of England, no country has provided the club with more players than the island of Ireland. A combined total of 75 players from north and south of the border have played for United's first team, forging an army of of fans across the Irish Sea.

When United announced they would play a pre-season friendly with Athletic Club in Dublin in August, the 55,000 tickets for the Aviva Stadium sold out in nine minutes. Every two weeks, thousands of fans make the journey across the Irish Sea to Old Trafford. They are joined by countless other local fans living in Manchester with Irish roots, stemming from the mass immigration to the city in the mid-19th century.

Lately, however, this huge United stronghold have been starved of an idol to call their own. This is as much the fault of Ireland as United's, as few great footballers have come out of the country over the past decade. But there is a new kid on the block from their shores who is shaping up to be one of the best strikers in Europe: an 18-year-old named Evan Ferguson. The Brighton teenager set pulses racing with an exciting breakthrough campaign in 2022-23 and has made a flying start to this season, averaging a goal every 51 minutes.

His next stop is Old Trafford for Saturday's clash with United, the club he and his former footballer father, Barry, both support. And if United have any sense, they will already be taking the steps to make the Theatre of Dreams Ferguson's permanent home…

Getty'I smell a goalscorer'

Three players scored hat-tricks in the Premier League before the international break. There was little surprise about two of the protagonists, Erling Haaland and Son Heung-Min, who have now scored a combined 11 trebles for their respective clubs. There was far more chatter, however, about Ferguson, who plundered three goals against Newcastle in the space of 42 minutes.

Ferguson's first goal may have been a tap-in, but he showed razor-sharp reactions to pounce after Nick Pope spilled a shot at his feet. His next strike was a demonstration of shooting technique and confidence, taking the ball forward on his own and then curling into the far corner from 25 yards out.

His hat-trick goal was another shot from outside the area and had a stroke of good fortune as it took a heavy deflection on its way in. But it also spoke of Ferguson's sheer hunger to score and he was rewarded for his audacity.

"I smell a goalscorer. Eighteen years old, I think he could be a little special," said an excited Gary Lineker on . "I don’t want to get carried away, but I see a hint of Haaland about him."

Ian Wright, another top striker of yesteryear, was also awe-struck, saying: "He has got everything. Great movement, fantastic first touch, he takes up great positions. He is only going to get better."

Ferguson would have had every right to brag after his performance, but in his post-match interview he looked remarkably humble. When told that Son and Haaland had also scored hat-tricks, he simply smiled and said: "It's good company to keep."

AdvertisementGetty Images'Manboy' and a senior debut aged 14

Ferguson was the sixth-youngest player to score a Premier League hat-trick, and in his short career he has developed a reputation for precocious achievements. His senior debut, for example, came at the age of just 14 in a friendly for Dublin side Bohemians against Chelsea in July 2019. Two months later, still 14, he made his competitive debut in the League of Ireland.

He was 15 when he signed for Brighton and 16 when he began playing and scoring for their Under-23s side. From an early age his physicality always stood out, leading to Brighton staff nicknaming the 6'3 striker 'Manboy'.

“He’s a special talent who will go right to the top. He’s got that aura about him, without any ego. He can do everything with the ball," Brighton’s former U18s coach Mark Beard told “In my first session with him, he asked to do extras on his own, so I did a shooting session with him. He’s an all-round centre-forward who can shoot with both feet, head, volley, score with his back to goal.

"I kept testing him but he had no weakness. The two goalkeepers didn’t save one shot in the 10 minutes the session lasted. I have never seen anything like it.”

GettyIntelligent and inventive

Ferguson is far more than just a powerhouse though. As well as being way ahead of his contemporaries physically, he has developed an understanding of the game players do not usually show until they have had several years of experience at the top level.

Take his goal in the 2-2 draw at Leicester last season, when he timed his run into the box to perfection, evading three defenders to get on the end of Pervis Estupinan's shot and telegraph it in off the post. Former Brighton striker Glen Murray was full of praise in the studio: "He made an incredibly difficult header look very easy — the distance, the angle, the power. He had to generate that power himself. It was just perfect really.

"His understanding of the game, when to drop it off, when to spin it out, when to hold it up… they’re things that can’t be taught. They’re things that experience brings, but he just seems to have such a good understanding so early."

Ferguson is also a hugely inventive player. Take his audacious backheel goal against Bournemouth last season or his textbook control and calm finish in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Grimsby Town. The Premier League's all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer, has also given Ferguson his vote of approval.

"Left foot, right foot, headers, pace, aggression, intuition; there is no obvious weakness to his game, which is only going to get better and better. He has the lot," Shearer told "I love how he can bully defenders. I love his positioning, I love how he’s always asking different questions of the centre-half, either going up against him or, as he did against Newcastle, dropping in short, getting the ball to feet and turning. I love his movement in the box. Perhaps most of all, I love the purity and ferocity of his hunger; how much he craves goals."

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(C)Getty ImagesBrighton's next big export

Brighton are Europe's kings of the transfer market right now, and their recent business makes United's scattergun approach look particularly embarrassing. The Seagulls have made £363 million ($450m) from transfers in the last two seasons alone, turning a profit of £164m. And remarkably, despite selling their biggest assets, they seem to be getting even better.

In the summer of 2021, they sold Ben White to Arsenal for £50m ($62m), while the following year they made £62m ($77m) by selling Marc Cucurella to Chelsea and Yves Bissouma to Tottenham for £25m ($31m). Moises Caicedo, picked up for peanuts from Ecuador in January 2021, took Bissouma's place and proved to be a significant upgrade. After resisting a £70m ($86m) bid from Arsenal for the midfielder in January, Brighton sold him to Chelsea this summer for an astonishing £115m ($142m), breaking the Premier League's transfer record.

Despite the overhaul, they have made another ominous start to the season, thrashing Wolves and Luton 4-1 each, then bouncing back from a disappointing defeat at home to West Ham by outplaying Newcastle. Kaoru Mitoma, Julio Enciso and Solly March have all been influential, but there can be little doubt that their next big-money sale will be Ferguson.

United, Manchester City and Newcastle have all reportedly stepped up their interest in Ferguson, but Brighton have all the cards. Ferguson recently signed a new contract until 2028 and Brighton will be in no hurry to let him leave, especially after making such a huge transfer profit over the summer.

Instead, they can watch Ferguson develop even more before eventually cashing in. Brighton already value Ferguson at £120m ($148m) and that was before his tour de force against Newcastle. If he keeps the momentum up, his value could well rise to £150m ($186m)

"He could not be at a better club at the moment than Brighton under Roberto De Zerbi," said former England striker Chris Sutton on . "At 18 years old he has great physicality. Just imagine Evan Ferguson in another three or four years with the development he will have."

The 21-year-old has not played for the club since he was arrested in January 2022, and his future remains unclear

As it stands, Mason Greenwood is still a Manchester United player. He was included on their retained list for the 2023-24 season, and remains under contract until 2025. However, United are still in the process of completing an internal investigation to decide Greenwood's future. He was suspended by the club after being arrested on suspicion of rape and assault on January 30, 2022.

In October, Greenwood was arrested again over allegations he'd breached his bail conditions, and was subsequently charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Greenwood was re-bailed at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court a month later and his trial date was set for November 2023. But on February 2, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that all charges against him had been dropped.

A few hours later, United released the following statement: "Manchester United notes the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service that all charges against Mason Greenwood have been dropped. The club will now conduct its own process before determining next steps. We will not make any further comment until that process is complete."

With the new season fast approaching, United are yet to conclude their investigation, buthas reported that a decision will be made before the end of July.

GETTYMan Utd staff 'split'

According to , United staff were "split" on whether Greenwood should be allowed to resume his career at Old Trafford when the internal investigation began. Some felt the club owed him a "duty of care" given the fact he has been on their books since the age of seven.

However, the report also stated that a "substantial portion" of staff "would be deeply unhappy" if Greenwood were to wear the famous red shirt again. Meanwhile, United manager Erik ten Hag was asked how he planned to deal with the situation.

“It’s really important but sometimes you get issues,” he told reporters. “Then as a club and team you have to deal with it. We have standards and values. We have to live along those high standards and values and that gives a base if you have a good culture and spirit. That’s our job, not to get distracted by anything. We are human beings and sometimes there are issues, we are not like robots, but we have to focus on our job."

AdvertisementWomen's team reaction

Some members of the United Women's team made it clear that they were "deeply uncomfortable" over Greenwood's potential return, after hearing an audio that was released on social media before his initial arrest – as per .

Their discomfort was shared by the founder of the United Women’s Supporters’ Club, Natalie Burrell. “I don’t think he should play again for Manchester United,” Burrell told . “It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. They need to make a statement and letting him back would be the worst thing they could do.

"It would set our club back in terms of what we’re trying to do with our women’s team and campaigns like Her Game Too, which are trying to encourage women to play and watch football. I just don’t want to see him training. I don’t want to see him in a (United) kit. I don’t want to see him ever coming out at Old Trafford again.”

GettyTV interview & therapy

By the start of March, United had begun mapping out a "phased process" for Greenwood's reintegration into the first-team squad as they considered all of their options – according to . This included encouraging the player to undertake a form of therapy, before a potentially more comprehensive rehabilitation.

The report added that Greenwood could also be challenged publicly on the events of the previous 18 months in a television interview. However, it was also stressed that this was merely one possibility, and that a parting of ways was also still under consideration.

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Getty ImagesLoan transfer talk

United reportedly received loan enquiries for Greenwood from several Turkish clubs after the criminal charges against him were dropped. The Turkish Football Federation announced that their winter transfer window had been extended until March 5 by FIFA following the deadly earthquake that hit the country on February 6.

No deal was pursued by United at that stage, but speculation only increased heading into April. Spanish outlet stated that AC Milan had identified Greenwood as a summer transfer target in a bid to bolster their attacking ranks.

The following month, reported that Juventus had made contact with Greenwood's representatives over a potential season-long loan deal. It was then said that United had begun actively looking for European clubs willing to take the forward on a temporary basis.

United's 2022-23 campaign ended without Greenwood seeing a single minute of action, but he then reportedly emerged on the radar of Jose Mourinho at Roma. It was the Portuguese that initially brought him into the senior ranks as coach of United in 2018, and claimed he had spoken to Greenwood's father about a reunion at Stadio Olimpico.

Inter Milan are reportedly believed to be interested in signing Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah during the summer transfer window.

Is Chalobah likely to stay at Chelsea?

The £50,000-a-week Blues youngster has more than held his own this season, trying his best in a team that has struggled hugely in the Premier League.

Chalobah started 18 of Chelsea's 38 league games, which is a good return for an emerging talent, and he also enjoyed six outings in the Champions League.

Whether Mauricio Pochettino sees the Englishman as a key figure at Stamford Bridge moving forward remains to be seen, however, with the Blues' incoming new manager set to take a close look at his squad when the player return for pre-season.

Chalobah's current deal runs until the summer of 2028, though, so any potential interest in him would likely have to see a sizeable bid tabled.

Could Inter snap up Chalobah this summer?

According to Football Insider, Inter have "made a move" to snap up Chalobah in the summer transfer, seeing him as an exciting option to bring in. They have reportedly "contacted the Londoners to register their interest in a potential deal", with the player himself "keen to hold talks if permitted by his club".

It is even stated that the upcoming Champions League finalists "made enquiries over his availability in January as they were keen on a deal back then", suggesting that they have been long-time admirers of the Chelsea man.

This is a tricky one for the Blues, mainly because Chalobah remains such a big prospect who could potentially be a key man in west London one day, having been described as "the future of this club" by teammate Thiago Silva. Former Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand also once called him "unbelievable", which futher outlines what a talent he is.

Should a huge bid arrive for the three-time capped England Under-21 international, however, Chelsea must at least consider it, with Pochettino arguably needing to bring in genuinely elite defenders in their primes this summer, especially with both Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly now in their 30s (the former is almost 40, in fact).

Chalobah's contract situation puts the Blues in a strong position, and while keeping hold of him remains the preferable outcome, given his long-term potential, if the player wants to move in order to get more minutes, it is something that should be considered by the club.

Both India and New Zealand are playing ODIs after quite a while, and both have reasons to want to do well straightaway

The Preview by Arun Venugopal15-Oct-2016Match factsOctober 16, 2016
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)2:26

Agarkar: Would definitely play Mandeep in the first game

Big PictureOff the top of your head, it might be difficult to remember when New Zealand last played an ODI. Number nuts would tell you it was eight months ago, but perhaps the fact that it was Brendon McCullum’s final ODI appearance has more instant recall value. Things aren’t too dissimilar in the opposite camp. Amid a heavy diet of T20s and Tests, India have not played too many games in the 50-over format. You’d have to go back to Australia in January for any ODIs India have played against top teams this year; that series aside, the only other ODIs they’ve had this year was when a second-string side visited Zimbabwe in June.For both the teams, this five-match ODI series has both immediate and long-term relevance. While the 2017 Champions Trophy is the common bigger agenda, New Zealand would also dearly want to finish the tour on a high and help the scars of the 3-0 Test defeat heal.The visitors have seemingly not let that Test drubbing get to them, keeping it light with generous humour at practice and a bit of gushing over Dharamsala’s gorgeous mountains. In a season where they play 24 ODIs before the Champions Trophy begins in June next year, their build up, as Luke Ronchi suggested, is expected to be gradual with different players being rested and newer players tried out at different stages.India, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of time in this format – they play only eight ODIs from now till June. India captain MS Dhoni, who usually frowns upon any reference to experimentation, admitted they have a limited window to audition players and hit upon their best combination. It is possible every member of India’s 15-man squad will get a game at some point in this series.Form guideIndia WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WLWWWIn the spotlightCorey Anderson will be relieved to return to competitive cricket after being out of action for more than six months. Given that his previous international series (the World T20) was in India, where he has also tasted considerable success in IPLs past, Anderson might be quite comfortable with the venue of this comeback series. While he has been bowling in the nets, for now his role in the team will be restricted to batting in the middle order, where his late-order hitting could prove decisive.Hardik Pandya has had a brief but eventful T20I career so far. After decent performances in the Asia Cup and the World T20, Pandya’s loss of form in the IPL led to his omission for the Zimbabwe tour. Despite a mediocre outing with the India A side in Australia, the selectors have shown confidence in his all-round abilities and now he is set for an ODI debut. Should he click here, the team management will breath a lot easier about the seam-bowling allrounder’s position.Ross Taylor would hope a change of format brings an end to his lean run•Associated PressTeam newsIndia don’t have the services of another comeback man, Suresh Raina – he is recovering from fever. Going by the batting and bowling sequence in India’s practice session, Mandeep Singh and Umesh Yadav are likely to sit out. On the eve of the game, Kedar Jadhav had a lengthy batting stint followed by a brief session of offspin bowling, which suggests he might be called upon to bowl a few overs in the middle stages if required. Despite bowling for nearly three-fourths of India’s nets session, it seems likely that Jayant Yadav will be superfluous to a side that has two other spinners in Amit Mishra and Axar Patel. MS Dhoni indicated he will bat slightly higher up the order, possibly at No. 5.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Dhawal KulkarniThe last time New Zealand came to India they sprung a surprise by playing three spinners in their opening game. There was not much that could be gleaned from their practice sessions on their probable XI, but there will likely be a toss-up between Ish Sodhi and either Matt Henry or Tim Southee for the second seamer’s position. New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Luke Ronchi, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish Sodhi/Matt HenryPitch and conditionsIn the lead up to the game, Dharamsala has remained fairly warm during the day before becoming considerably cooler after sunset. The forecast for Sunday is on similar lines. HPCA chief curator Sunil Chauhan said the surface will be seamer-friendly, but aid stroke-play. “I’m hoping for a 270-plus score,” he said. “The idea was to prepare a pitch that remains good for 100 overs. Dew is likely to set in by the end of the first innings and that it might help the chasing side.Stats and trivia India will play their 900th ODI when they face New Zealand in Dharamsala New Zealand have never won a bilateral ODI series in India Ross Taylor has the highest run aggregate (666 from 18 matches) among active players in matches played between India and New ZealandQuotes”India is all about winning. Let’s be frank. When the media talks about stuff, you only want the Indian cricket team to win. [So] it becomes difficult. If you see at the batting order, if you rest Virat or Ajinkya for a couple of games, you’ll be like ‘what’s really happening, why are they given rest’.”
“It is a completely different ball game now and it is a format where we have played good cricket over the last few years. As much as we wanted to do well in those Tests, it is gone now and now we have to focus on the five ODIs.”

Chelsea have set their sights on Brentford striker Ivan Toney as a summer transfer target.

What’s the latest on Ivan Toney to Chelsea?

According to Simon Phillips, his “best source” has indicated that the Blues are seriously keen on a move for the 27-year-old and his potential betting ban is the sole reason why they've not pushed harder to secure the deal.

Writing on his Substack, he said: “I’ve been told now by multiple sources, and again this weekend by my best source, that Chelsea really want to sign Toney. The latter source in particular believes that if it wasn’t for his potential betting ban pending, then we would have tried to put a pre-deal in place for the summer already.”

This outlet follows Football London’s report, which claims that the incoming Mauricio Pochettino is keeping a close eye on the forward, as well as his teammate and goalkeeper David Raya, in what would be a sensational double swoop.

Football Insider previously stated that 2021 Championship Play-Off winners would demand a fee of £50m for their star man, but given Chelsea’s inexplicably lavish spending under their new ownership, this is unlikely to be a stumbling block.

Recently, when Bees manager Thomas Frank was asked if he’d swap Toney for Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, he jokingly replied “of course not” with a wry smile.

This would be a tricky deal for the 2021 Champions League winners to navigate given the Englishman's heroic status at his current club and that Chelsea cannot offer European football next season.

Why do Chelsea want Ivan Toney?

Since joining the west Londoners in 2020, the one-cap international has undoubtedly been the club’s most influential, productive, and integral player.

In his debut season for Frank’s side, he notched 31 goals in 45 Championship appearances and netted twice in the play-offs as Brentford secured promotion.

Then, like many regular second-tier scorers, his top-flight credentials were questioned, and he was put in the spotlight on whether he could replicate this unplayable form.

However, the “remarkable” attacker – as per his manager – has recorded 32 goals in 66 Premier League outings and is currently the division’s third-highest scorer this term, whose tally of 20 is only bettered by Harry Kane and the record-breaking Haaland.

Micah Richards has also lavished Toney with praise and is impressed with his extraordinary rise. He said: “One thing I’ve always loved seeing is how a player improves from one season to the next. Ivan Toney’s progress, then, has given me a huge thrill. Twenty League goals for Brentford?

“Wow. I don’t know why but nobody is talking about him as much as they should. Toney was superb at Liverpool, his touch and awareness were outstanding. I’d love to see him in the PFA team of the year.”

For a Chelsea team that lacks any focal point or a consistent goal-scoring threat, the former Peterborough man’s potency would be a dream for Pochettino who will be in desperate need of somehow rescuing the team's attack.

Indeed, the Londoners have only scored a goal a game in the top flight this term, meaning a player of Toney's ilk could well be game-changing.

The BCCI has opened the tender process for the next cycle of IPL television and digital rights beginning in 2018, and will accept bids until October 25

Arun Venugopal18-Sep-20163:23

Thakur: Bidding process very detailed and very transparent

The BCCI has opened the tender process for the next cycle of IPL television and digital rights beginning in 2018, and will accept bids until October 25. The television rights are currently held by Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) and expire after the 2017 IPL season. Star India are in possession of the digital rights and the overseas media rights, except in the UK and the US, all of which also expire after IPL 2017.Interested parties will vie for television rights for the IPL in the Indian subcontinent until 2027, digital rights in the same region until 2022 and media rights for the rest of the world until 2022 as well. “Bidders may bid for any combination from the above,” a BCCI press release said.The open-tender process, BCCI president Anurag Thakur said, would ensure there was transparency: “We don’t want anything where anyone can point a finger at us.”Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Thakur said the process did not contravene the Lodha Committee’s recommendations on transacting official business. “Where does this action say it defies the court order? I haven’t seen that.This is routine process, routine working of BCCI. I think the AGM on 21st is not far away; you will have to wait for three days to understand what business we can adopt and what actions will be taken during that time.”One of the eligibility criteria for the bidders is to have “no litigation with BCCI”. Thakur said the board has lost a lot of money in legal battles in the past did not want a repeat of that. In 2015, the BCCI was directed to pay INR 12 crore ($1.8 million) to Nimbus communications for wrongful termination.”We have been into litigation in the past where certain broadcasters have bid. In the first few years the rate is less, in the last few years the rate is more,” he said. “There is more litigation with them and BCCI has lost a lot of money in litigation as well as money which was supposed to be used for promotion of game. Broadcasting rights money is the major source of income for the cricket board.”The existing contract, with SPNI, allows them the first right of refusal as well as the right to match a counter-offer. Their reaction to the IPL rights going up for bidding remains to be seen, although inside sources suggested they felt the BCCI was not honouring the original agreement.Thakur said he had invited SPNI to the bidding process. “We have made it very clear that anyone who wants to participate, they have to come and participate. We believe in transparency, accountability as well as professionalism. Sony has been asked to participate in this. We were supposed to offer – this is our offer to them. Our offer is to come and participate in the bidding process.”As far as IPL is concerned, we are very happy with Sony,” Thakur said. “They have been a good partner and have also put in a lot of effort to make the IPL the world’s most popular cricket league. In a way, we don’t want any litigation and we don’t want to deal with anyone who is already into litigation with the BCCI.”BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri said the board was under no obligation to accept the highest financial bid. “Two people can put similar amount of money but the value could be different,” he said.”Sometimes we get very similar bids but when the financial advisors look at what is the value of it, how it is spread over 10 years, the final definition of the best offer for the BCCI has to be left to the financial advisors.”Johri said the financial due diligence of the process would be handled by Deloitte, and the legal due diligence would be handled by Amarchand Mangaldas.Asked why the television rights for the Indian subcontinent were awarded for ten years, Johri said the BCCI wanted to replicate the current cycle, which gave SPNI the rights from 2008 to 2017. “In our country television is very well established,” he said. “If you look at most cricket tenders, eight years-ten years have been the norm. That’s why we went for 10 years. The area where trends are changing very fast is digital, that’s why we have reduced digital to five years.”The Invitation To Tender document will be available from Monday. While the last day for purchase has been set for October 18, parties interested in the bid could seek clarifications from the BCCI on the tender process till October 4.

Arsenal are planning a 'surprise' move for Wolves winger Pedro Neto as the north Londoners begin to identify summer transfer targets.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners face what could be a pivotal next window as they look to keep pace with England's elite and cement their status as one of the Premier League's best sides.

Arsenal are still well and truly contending for their first domestic crown in 20 years, despite close rivals Man City having two games in hand on them, with Tuesday night's win against Chelsea going a long, long way.

Thinking beyond this campaign, it is absolutely imperative that the club don't rest on their laurels, and bolstering key positions will be crucial.

Sporting director Edu is reliably thought to be prioritising the signing of a central midfield star, regardless of bringing in Jorginho earlier this year, with Brighton star Moises Caicedo and West Ham's Declan Rice seen as major targets.

Meanwhile, the club are also thought to be interested in a deal for South American sensation Vitor Roque and sporadic links remain to Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Now, as per Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke, Arsenal have another target in their sights and are plotting a 'surprise' move for Neto.

The swoop could be deemed a shock due to his limited impact over the last two seasons, with the 23-year-old currently recovering from yet another long term injury.

Arsenal, though, are in the market for a back-up winger to Bukayo Saka and Neto fits the bill for them. The club, as a result, are considering a return for the former Lazio ace who has been dubbed a long term target.

What could Neto bring to Arsenal?

The Portuguese's injury history will be of great concern with Neto missing a plethora of games from the end of the 2020/2021 season to now.

Neto also only scored one goal all season last year and is yet to register a goal or assist in 17 appearances this campaign, as per WhoScored.

Jamie Carragher said recently that he was once a 'superstar player', but that doesn't appear to be the case at this moment despite some impressive performances in the past.

His best season at Molineux yielded 11 goal contributions in 30 league starts over 20/21, including five Man of the Match awards (WhoScored), and Arsenal will be hoping he can rediscover that form if they opt to make a move for the attacker.

A computerised rankings system has gone where the selectors have been reluctant to tread, by offering Kent’s troubled allrounder, Matt Coles, an opportunity to make his case for England’s one-day squad

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2016A computerised rankings system has gone where the selectors have been reluctant to tread, by offering Kent’s troubled allrounder, Matt Coles, an opportunity to make his case for England’s one-day squad when the inaugural North v South series takes place in the UAE next March.Coles, who was left out of Kent’s County Championship fixture against Derbyshire in June following a drink-related incident, was suspended by the ECB for two further Championship matches after being found guilty of throwing the ball in a dangerous manner during their victory against Glamorgan in May. In 2013, Coles was also sent home from an England Lions tour of Australia due to excessive drinking (the same punishment also handed to Ben Stokes).However, his recent one-day form has been impressive. He claimed figures of 6 for 56 against Hampshire, his former county, last week, and 4 for 39, with an economy rate of 4.33, against Sussex yesterday, to finish third in the Professional Cricketers’ Association MVP Rankings for the Royal London Cup, the system by which eight of the squad members for the North v South series have been selected.Tim Bresnan, Harry Gurney and Liam Dawson are three previously capped England players to have made the MVP cut, with the England Lions batsman Ben Duckett, the Northamptonshire left-arm spinner Graeme White, and the Somerset pair of Lewis Gregory and Tim Groenewald also in the mix.Duckett has been in prolific form of late, both for Northamptonshire and the Lions, making unbeaten scores of 163 and 220 in the recent triangular series with Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A although it is purely his Royal London Cup form that has earned this selection.”I had been following the MVP for the last few games when I realised I was in the mix and it put a bit more on the games we had left,” said Groenewald, who was born and raised in South Africa but who has lived in England for 12 years. “I’m really happy to be involved in something like this particularly with it being the first one and it should be a really good tournament.The PCA and the ECB’s National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough have worked closely to enhance the PCA MVP formula, which was first introduced in 2007.The rankings system identifies the match-winners and key influencers of matches, using a formula that measures each player’s total contribution by taking into account conditions, quality of opposition, captaincy and strike rates, as well as runs scored and wickets taken.The remaining players in the North v South series will be chosen by the England selectors, who will have not only the 2019 World Cup in their thoughts, but also the 2017 Champions Trophy, which will be hosted in England in June, three months after the UAE series.”It’s brilliant how the system has worked giving an incentive from guys outside the England set-up to work for,” said Groenewald. “I am sure there will be some really good players out there, players who will be playing in the next World Cup so it’s brilliant to be involved in this tournament.””The North v South series is something that there has been a lot of banter about in the dressing room since the start of the competition and as we got close to the end of the group stage I knew that I was there or thereabouts,” said Gurney, who made his last international appearance in December 2014.”It’s a good opportunity for someone like me just to remind the selectors that I can still do it and that I believe that I have still got an awful lot to offer the international game. It’s up to me now to persuade them that’s still the case.”

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make contact with former Spain boss Luis Enrique as they step up their manager search, according to journalist Matt Law.

What's the latest on Enrique to Spurs?

The 52-year-old has been on the radar of Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy ever since they parted company with former manager Antonio Conte last month. Enrique stands out as one of the more prestigious names to have been linked with a move to north London, alongside the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Julian Nagelsmann and even Zinedine Zidane.

There have even been reports of the tactician already travelling to west London for negotiations with rivals Chelsea, but the Spaniard is also thought to be open to discussions with Spurs.

Enrique was also thought to be the number one choice of Fabio Paratici around a month ago with some sources from other outlets suggesting he is still very much in Tottenham's thinking.

Now, according to reliable journalist Law, writing for The Telegraph, there has been some news in the last 48 hours on Tottenham's potential move for Enrique. Sharing news from his own sources, the reporter claims that Spurs are planning to make contact with the coach as the club begin to push harder in their quest to seal Conte's eventual successor.

It is claimed they're prepared for a battle with Chelsea over appointing Enrique and Spurs could open talks with him as early as this week. While there is no suggestion at this stage that he is Tottenham's top target, or if he will even be offered the job, it is clear that Enrique is high on Levy's shortlist.

What could Enrique bring to Spurs?

Barring an illustrious CV, in which he boasts multiple league titles and a Champions League winner's medal with Barcelona, Enrique also encourages an attack-minded, possession based philosophy. The 4-3-3 attacking manager has also been called 'seriously underrated' by members of the media who hold him in very high esteem.

Enrique's status as a free agent is yet another attractive incentive for Levy to make a move with no club standing in the way of a possible appointment. Commenting on his previous links to Arsenal, Man City boss Pep Guardiola heavily endorsed Enrique, stating:

“He’s a top, excellent, amazing manager. He can train wherever he wants and Arsenal is one of the biggest clubs in the world.”

Spurs, if they opt to take their talks further with a formal offer, could land quite the coach.

West Indies have made an unpromising start to their preparations for the tri-series with Australia and South Africa, as they were beaten twice in the space of three days by Barbados Select in a pair of practice matches

Daniel Brettig28-May-2016West Indies have made an unpromising start to their preparations for the tri-series against Australia and South Africa, as they were beaten twice in the space of three days by a Barbados Select XI in a pair of practice matches.Thrashed by 50 runs in a day-night encounter at the Kensington Oval on Wednesday, West Indies lost again by four wickets in Cave Hill on Friday. These were the first fixtures for the team since their World T20 victory in India, with the squad comprising of some T20 players mixed with younger names.While the main priority for the team was to gain match practice in a variety of conditions ahead of the tri-series, the fact that they were unable to defeat a side composed of some players with limited international experience and Barbados’ fringe players does not bode well for harder assignments ahead.In the first match, half-centuries from Shai Hope and Omar Phillips led the way for Barbados Select in compiling a tally of 290 for 8 from 50 overs. Offspinner Hayden Walsh (3 for 17) and seamers Kevin Stoute (2 for 28), Tarik Shorey (2 for 33) and Dario Seale (2 for 50) then rounded West Indies up for 250 in 47.1 overs.Conditions were lower and slower in Cave Hill, and West Indies scrapped their way to 200 for 9 from 45 overs after choosing to bat. No player was able to make a half-century, while medium-pacer Kyle Mayers scooped 4 for 47.In reply, Barbados Select cruised to the target with seven overs to spare, helped by 49 from Aaron Jones and 48 from Hope. West Indies’ opening match of the tournament is against South Africa in Guyana on June 3.