With the Dutchman having been finally put out of his misery on Monday, GOAL assesses his possible successors in the Old Trafford dugout…

It's finally over! Erik ten Hag's miserable Manchester United reign has been belatedly brought to an end, with the club confirming on Monday that the Dutchman had been sacked as manager – less than 24 hours after a 2-1 loss at West Ham.

Ten Hag will undoubtedly feel hard done by. He felt that once again this season some decisive decisions went against him at the London Stadium, while he'll also probably point to the fact that he won two cups during his time in charge at Old Trafford.

However, there's simply no getting away from the fact that the supporters have had to endure far too many painful defeats on Ten Hag's watch. Indeed, the bottom line is that he failed dismally to justify INEOS' decision to retain his services after last season's historically bad eighth-placed finish in the Premier League and a dreadful start to the current campaign left Sir Jim Ratcliffe & Co. with no option but to sack him.

The question now, though, is who could replace him? Ten Hag's former assistant, Ruud van Nistelrooy, has been appointed interim boss and is obviously a contender to land the job on a permanent basis. But who else is in the running? GOAL runs through all the leading contenders below…

Getty Images11Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

The mere fact that some supporters were pining for the return of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer long before Ten Hag's dismissal showed just how bad things had gotten under the former Ajax boss. United did play some fine counter-attacking football with the Norwegian at the wheel, but it was clear long before the end of his tenure that he was not the man to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford – despite his incessant talk of the treble of 1999.

Solskjaer was little more than a lame Sir Alex Ferguson tribute act and it's telling that he's not been picked up by a single club since being sacked by United all the way back in 2021. Obviously, this would be an appealingly cheap option for a club that now has to pay its outgoing manager a serious severance package, but this would be a backward step in every way. Even Solskjaer's supporters would struggle to justify his appointment.

AdvertisementGetty Images10Massimiliano Allegri

There are few coaches on the market right now with a CV as impressive as that of Massimiliano Allegri, who parted company with Juventus at the end of last season. The Italian has won six Serie A titles, including five in a row during his first spell in Turin, while he also reached the Champions League final with the Bianconeri on two separate occasions.

However, Allegri is a very strong character with a win-at-all-costs mentality that might provoke unhappy memories of Jose Mourinho's time at Old Trafford. Allegri will always argue that the end justifies the means, and, in his defence, he did manage to get Juve back into the Champions League last season in difficult circumstances, while also winning the Coppa Italia.

However, an awful lot of Juve fans were happy to see the back of Allegri and his outdated and painfully boring brand of football. He might well be capable of sorting out some of United's many problems, but they might not be any better to watch!

Getty Images9Ruud van Nistelrooy

Van Nistelrooy has plenty going for him right now. He unquestionably lacks experience but did a decent job at PSV before standing down after one season in Eindhoven, citing a lack of support – which wouldn't be an issue at Old Trafford, where he's a hugely popular figure dating back to his playing days. There's also an undeniable feeling that he's in the right place at the right time.

It certainly wasn't a surprise to see United immediately name Ten Hag's No.2 as the new caretaker coach and if his reign starts well, there will be a groundswell of support for him in the media to take over on a permanent basis, in much the same way that Rio Ferdinand foolishly championed hiring Solskjaer after a purple patch.

There are better managers than Van Nistelrooy available, but he's another low-cost option that could really appeal to the owners.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty Images8Thomas Frank

An obligatory mention for one of the Premier League's over-achievers, with Thomas Frank still doing a fine job at Brentford on a relatively small budget. The likeable Dane has been at the helm for nearly six years now and has been repeatedly linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent seasons.

However, it's hard not to suspect that if that move were going to happen, United would have made it during the summer. Frank is quite clearly a fine coach but it doesn't seem he has the proven track record of success or star appeal that INEOS are looking for in a new boss. After all, he's yet to win a major honour.

With the Arne Slot era firmly underway at Anfield, it appears that the new Liverpool boss is looking towards some of England's Euro 2024 squad to bolster his side.

Liverpool target the Three Lions' top talents

The biggest news out of Anfield recently has been the developing saga around the future of Anthony Gordon. The 23-year-old was first offered to Liverpool at the end of June as his current club Newcastle United sought to solve their PSR concerns. With these financial issues now ironed out, there is no need for the Magpies to sell but Liverpool are still being linked to strike a deal.

Priority target: Liverpool lining up their answer to Rodri in £101m talent

FSG are believed to be readying a bid for this prodigious player.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 11, 2024

With no incentive to let Gordon leave, Newcastle could ask for a reported £75million for the England international this summer. Despite this, it may be the player himself who pushes for a move away from Tyneside with the Merseyside-born star a boyhood Liverpool fan.

If they cannot get a deal for Gordon over the line, his England teammate Eberechi Eze has long been linked with a move to Anfield. A recent report suggested that the Crystal Palace star has a £60million release clause in his contract which would have to be met for the player to leave South London this summer.

With Slot and co clearly keeping a close eye on the Three Lions during their Euro 2024 campaign, it appears that Liverpool have been eyeing up another player who has impressed in an England shirt this summer.

Fabrizio Romano shares Liverpool interest in another England star

As relayed by TBR, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool have been scouting Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. Speaking on his Playback Live Show, Romano shed more light on the deal telling viewers:

"Marc Guehi has been linked with Liverpool. I can tell you that Liverpool have been scouting the player for a long time. He's a player they like, for sure.

"I can confirm to you, but not only Liverpool – there are also other clubs, for example Arsenal and many others who appreciate the player. But in terms of the bid, in terms of the negotiations, it is a different story."

Guehi, valued at a minimum of £65m, was a vital part of Palace's side last season, featuring 29 times for the Eagles in all competitions. It was his exploits in South London that saw the 24-year-old called up to Gareth Southgate's squad for this summer's tournament where he has gone on to feature in all but one of his nation's games.

With players set to return home from Germany over the course of the next few days, there is every chance that the talks between Guehi and Liverpool could restart and the deal could progress at a rapid rate.

How the game played outIn a departure from the run-fests that have populated the Lanka Premier League 2020 so far, the Jaffna Stallions and Kandy Tuskers played out a rare low-scoring affair that eventually saw the Tuskers sneak a six-wicket win.It was fittingly Asela Gunaratne, unbeaten on a 37-ball 52, who scored the winning runs – coming down the pitch to swat Duanne Olivier for a straight six off the first ball of the final over. That it was just the fourth six of the entire game tells a story, as both sets of players struggled to score fluently.That it even came to that point was down to a combination of tight bowling and unambitious batting on the part of the Tuskers. Having done exceedingly well to limit the Stallions to 150, the Tuskers suddenly found themselves struggling to get ahead of the required rate.Wanindu Hasaranga, who ended with figures of 2 for 23, was once again the standout threat, but it didn’t help the Tuskers’ cause that they lost three wickets inside the powerplay period for just 44 runs. Their response to that was to then eschew any sort of risk in their chase – though there was an incentive to get the runs quicker and leapfrog in the net run rate stakes the Galle Gladiators, whom they are competing with for a final semifinal spot.In the end Gunaratne’s cool head would prevail, putting on two consecutive 50-run stands with Kusal Perera and Irfan Pathan, to see his side through.Earlier, it was once again Gunaratne that had made the difference, after his miserly four overs had given away just 21 runs and accounted for the wickets of Minod Bhanuka and Thisara Perera. Both those wickets came in a pivotal 13th over, after Bhanuka along with Shoaib Malik had resurrected an ailing Stallions innings.Led by the finally available Dale Steyn, the Tuskers had reduced the Stallions to 3 for 50 in the powerplay period, before a slow-burn 59-run fourth wicket stand off 53 deliveries between Malik and Bhanuka brought forth consolidation – the plan clearly being to set the stage for a customary late assault from the likes of Thisara and Wanindu.Gunaratne though would intervene, before Steyn would return to dismiss Wanindu cheaply to leave the Stallions reeling on 104 for 6 in the 15th over. Malik would do his best to up the scoring rate with a few boundary hits, but in the end with recognised batsman running out, he too would fall for a 44-ball 59. Fourteen runs off the final two overs would see the Stallions limp to 150, a score that was going to be hard to defend despite their best efforts.Dale Steyn is thrilled to pick up a wicket•AFP

Stars of the dayWith figures of 2 for 33, a well-taken catch, and the introduction of a fishing-themed celebration, the Steyn effect on the Tuskers cannot be understated. Indeed, it was expected that Steyn’s entry would add some much-needed firepower and potency to the Tuskers’ bowling ranks, but it’s his influence on his fellow bowlers as a result of his in-game nous and experience that really stood out. Steyn was seen constantly giving advice to his colleagues, and it’s no fluke that it coincided with one of the most well-rounded bowling performances of the tournament.At the other end of the speed spectrum lies Asela Gunaratne. While his bowling may be hard to describe, it’s nevertheless effective. And with the bat, his mentality and composure in pressure moments makes him the ideal finisher. After a long spell out with injury, Gunaratne looks to finally be finding his best form.For the Stallions, it seems they have had get-out-of-jail free cards right through out the tournament, and why not when you have game-changers such as Wanindu Hasaranga in your ranks. While Steyn ensured he wouldn’t be able to do any damage with the bat, he more than made up for it with the ball; once again it was his control and variations, namely his excellent googly, that caused the opposition batters all kinds of trouble.Turning pointAt 100 for 3, seven overs remaining, and Thisara and Wanindu still to come, the Stallions would have been relatively pleased with the situation. But in the space of two overs all those plans went out the proverbial window, as first Gunaratne dismissed Bhanuka and Thisara in the space of an over, and then Steyn took out Wanindu four balls later. The Stallions’ innings never recovered after that.Where the teams standThe win sees the Tuskers go ahead of the Gladiators on points in the race for the final semifinal spot, but they still lag behind on net run rate. Regardless of whether the Gladiators win their next game or not, if weather doesn’t intervene, it’s all set for straight play-off between the two tomorrow.

Lahiru Kumara forced off the field as tourists’ injury problems continue in Centurion

Andrew Fidel Fernando and Firdose Moonda28-Dec-2020Sri Lanka’s coach, Mickey Arthur, is set to raise the issue of injury substitutions with the ICC after seeing the number of his players requiring treatment rise to five on day three of the first Test against South Africa in Centurion.Sri Lanka had already lost the services of Dhananjaya de Silva and Kasun Rajitha, and were left further depleted when Lahiru Kumara and Wanindu Hasaranga were forced off the field during the afternoon session. Although Hasaranga later returned, claiming a four-wicket haul, Sri Lanka ended the day with Dinesh Chandimal being attended to by the physio after experiencing discomfort as he left the field at stumps.Arthur, who could be seen with furrowed brow on the Sri Lanka balcony, had already confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he would be bringing up the topic of replacements for discussion by the ICC’s cricket committee, of which he is a member.”In terms of Covid substitutions, I sit on the ICC cricket committee and I will be having a chat at the end of this Test match,” he said after the close of play. “India lost one of their quicks today [in Melbourne]. I suspect that more teams are going to lose their quicks as it goes on. The rigours of the workload is just going to be too much with coronavirus around.”The injury blows, which for a period left Sri Lanka with just two fit bowlers from their initial six-man attack, took place after lunch. Kumara walked off the field a ball into his 22nd over with a hand on his groin, although he took relatively easy strides to the dressing-room staircase. Sri Lanka’s captain, Dimuth Karunaratne, finished his over.Related

Faf du Plessis misses a double but proves he's still the daddy for South Africa

Dhananjaya de Silva suffers torn thigh, out of SA series

Shanaka's toil exemplifies SL 'big ask' amid bowlers' injuries

Kagiso Rabada returns to South Africa Test squad

Faf du Plessis 199 hands South Africa iron-grip on Test against depleted Sri Lanka

Six overs later, Hasaranga, who had just taken his second wicket of the match, slid to field on the cover boundary and appeared to land on the ball. He got up and attempted to walk off the pain but found he could not stand for too long and soon sat down for relief. He was helped into the emergency buggy and driven out of the ground. Kusal Mendis had to take over bowling from Hasaranga’s end.That left Sri Lanka with only Vishwa Fernando and Dasun Shanaka, who has only taken up as much bowling as he has in this match because of the absence of Rajitha and de Silva, and part-timers to bowl at South Africa. Rajitha bowled 13 deliveries with the new ball on day two before leaving the field with a groin injury and is not expected to take any further part in the match; neither is de Silva, who has been ruled out of the series entirely with a quadricep tear sustained on the first day while batting.There was some respite for Sri Lanka as Hasaranga was deemed fit enough to return and bowl again before tea, by which point South Africa’s lead was above the 150-mark.Things could have got even worse when, in between times, Niroshan Dickwella required treatment on field for what appeared to be a bee sting. Dickwella touched the back of his neck in discomfort, was attended to by the team physiotherapist and was able to resume wicketkeeping duties.Meanwhile, as Sri Lanka dealt with an expanding injury list, South Africa announced the return of Kagiso Rabada to their squad for the second Test, and had him at the ground running laps at lunch. Rabada has recovered from a groin injury sustained during last month’s T20s against England.

While Newcastle United have already shored up their defence with the shrewd signing of Lloyd Kelly this summer, welcomed on a free transfer after his contract expired with Bournemouth, Eddie Howe is hoping to bolster further at the back.

The Magpies were flying high during the 2022/23 campaign, incredibly recording a fourth-place finish in the Premier League before a deluge of injuries battered the squad last term. Newcastle fought valiantly but failed to make it out of their Champions League group, finishing eighth in the top flight moreover.

Howe will be confident that his team will reach loftier heights once again after a summer of purposeful, impactful spending, with an exciting name being considered after Kelly's arrival.

Newcastle eyeing another defender

Last week, Corriere di Bologna – via Sport Witness – revealed that Chelsea and Newcastle had joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Riccardo Calafiori, currently starring at Euro 2024 with Italy.

Bologna qualified for the Champions League last season but have lost manager Thiago Motta to Juventus, and now Calafiori could follow suit but head toward the Premier League.

Valued at €40m (£34m) by the Serie A outfit, the versatile defender would be the ideal addition to complete Newcastle's backline.

Why Riccardo Calafiori would be perfect for Newcastle

Newcastle might have welcomed Kelly to the fold but their defensive issues run a bit deeper. Veteran Paul Dummett's contract has expired and, most importantly, Sven Botman's rotten luck continues.

The Dutchman, signed from Lille for around £35m in July 2022, enjoyed an imperious debut campaign in England but started only 15 times in the Premier League as he spent much of last autumn recuperating from a knee injury before rupturing his ACL in March, set for nine months on the sidelines that may well see him return after the new year.

Calafiori, like Botman and like Kelly, is left-footed. The Bologna star is comfortable at left-back but plays the lion's share of his football at centre-back, having been described as an "aerial monster" by analyst Ben Mattinson.

In Serie A last season, as per Sofascore, the 22-year-old featured 30 times and kept ten clean sheets, completing 90% of his passes and averaging 1.7 tackles, 2.5 clearances and 0.6 key passes per game.

The complete package? It certainly looks that way. As per FBref, Calafiori ranks among the top 1% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for interceptions per 90.

His first performance at the Euros, against Albania, and then his third versus Croatia where he popped up with a vital assist (video above), also serves to show why the Italian is such a sought-after player right now, producing some all-encompassing, seat-raising performances from the back.

Taking an obscene amount of touches and driving forward whenever he could in that clash with Albania, the 6 foot 1 titan offers so much to the fluency and fizz of his team.

Minutes played

90'

Touches

117

Accurate passes

99/106 (93%)

Key passes

1

Long balls

2/4

Dribble attempts

2/2

Tackles

1

Clearances

3

Front-footed and assured in his style and its success, Calafiori would make a real difference to Howe's team, influencing the progressive play from deep and perhaps even providing Bruno Guimaraes with the perfect partner from the rearguard.

Guimaraes needs no introduction, having cemented himself as one of the Premier League's finest midfielders since his advent in 2022. Utterly mesmeric in his all-including style of play, the Brazilian would benefit greatly from such a creative, front-thinking central defender.

Calafiori's willingness to drive the ball forward would play right into Guimaraes' hands. The 26-year-old Toon ace covers immense stretches of ground in the middle of the field, averaged 1.9 dribbles, 7.7 successful duels and 6.4 ball recoveries per Premier League game last term.

He also notched 15 goal contributions across his 37 appearances, so he'd definitely be a grateful recipient of Calafiori's uniquely creative passing, borne from a ball-carrying proclivity.

What Newcastle's starting XI could look like after £128m spending spree

The Magpies will be looking to reclaim a European spot in 2024/25.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 9, 2024

أوضح محمد عبد الهادي الجهني رئيس نادي أحد السعودي، حقيقة قطع الزمالك إعارة اللاعب كوراد ميشالاك، كما وجه رسالة إلى جماهير القلعة البيضاء.

وقال محمد عبد الهادي في تصريحات عبر قناة “صدى البلد” عن ما تردد بشأن قرار الزمالك بقطع إعارة ميشالاك: “أولًا كل الاحترام لأي قرار يتخذه مجلس الإدارة، نحن مع الزمالك وجماهيره في أي شيء يرونه مناسبًا، لكن حتى الآن لم يصلنا أي شيء بخصوص هذا الأمر”.

وتابع: “إدارة الزمالك محترفة، طبيعي هناك 3 أطراف في الإعارة، أحد واللاعب والزمالك، وقطع الإعارة الخطوة الأولى ليس أحد ولكن مع اللاعب، ولا يوجد شيء حتى الآن، وكل ما تردد غير صحيح”.

طالع أيضاً.. موعد والقاة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك والمصري اليوم في كأس الكونفدرالية.. والمعلق

وأكمل: “لا توجد أي بنود تخص قطع إعارة اللاعب مع الزمالك، كونراد عقده كبير مع أحد، وتنازل عن 500 ألف دولار من قيمة عقده في مُقابل أن ينتقل إلى نادي جماهيري مثل الزمالك، فمن الطبيعي أن اللاعب عنده الرغبة في إثبات نفسه، لكن بعيدًا عن ذلك نحن مع قرار الزمالك في أي شيء”.

هل اللاعب يحصل على مستحقاته بانتظام مع الزمالك؟ أجاب: “ليس لدي خلفية عن هذا الموضوع، وحتى لو عندي لن أتدخل في هذا الملف إطلاقًا”.

وأوضح: “كونراد ميشالاك لم يُقدم أي شيء من مستواه المعهود، لكن اللاعب يحتاج إلى وقت، وإذا نظرنا للكرة المصرية عمومًا، أفضل 3 أندية في مصر الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز، لا أعتقد أن هناك لاعب جناح سجل 4 أهداف، رغم أنهم يلعبون بشكل مستمر، كونراد كمستوى لاعب كبير، لكن حتى الآن لا أعرف سبب عدم الظهور بمستواه مع الزمالك”.

وأتم: “أنا رسالتي لجماهير الزمالك كانت في بداية انتقال كونراد، لكن الآن لا يشجعني على ذلك، لأن جمهور الزمالك يحتاج رسائل في الملعب، أي شيء آخر لن يفيد، ونسأل الله أن يوفق اللاعب فيما يخدم الزمالك وجماهيره”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo vem mal no setor ofensivo nesse Campeonato Brasileiro. Com apenas 18 gols marcados em 21 jogos, uma média de 0,85 gols por jogo, a equipe tem o quinto pior ataque da competição, na frente apenas deSport (8), Grêmio (15), Atlético-GO (17) e Chapecoense (17).

RelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo goleia o Nacional e chega ao G4 do Paulista FemininoSão Paulo23/09/2021São PauloArboleda e São Paulo negociam renovação de contrato; zagueiro busca valorizaçãoSão Paulo23/09/2021São PauloSão Paulo teve seu menor número de finalizações no Brasileiro em empateSão Paulo23/09/2021

Além disso, o número de gols é o pior do time em 21 rodadas desde o começo do Campeonato Brasileiro de pontos corridos, em 2003. Os piores anos em termos ofensivos do São Paulo tinham sido nas temporadas de 2013 (20 gols), 2016 (22 gols) e 2019 (23 gols).

O Tricolor, nesse Brasileirão, só marcou dois ou mais gols em cinco partidas nesse Brasileirão (2 a 2 contra o Cuiabá, 2 a 0 sobre o Internacional, 2 a 1 no Athletico, 2 a 1 diante do Grêmio e 2 a 1 contra o Atlético-GO.)

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

Vale destacar que o São Paulo sofreu com desfalques no ataque nesse Brasileirão. Luciano ficou quase dois meses parado por conta de um estiramento na coxa, enquanto Marquinhos ficou um mês fora devido a um estiramento. Crespo espera contar com Calleri por mais minutos para melhorar o rendimento do ataque.

– Vocês não podem ver os treinos, não sabem da condição física do Calleri. O último jogo dele foi em abril, cinco meses sem jogar, quinze dias com a gente, então acredito que 15 minutos está bem. Não podemos arriscar uma lesão e ficar fora por um tempo. Ele não está em condições de jogar como titular, precisa de tempo, vamos ver o tempo que ele precisa para voltar o que ele sabe fazer – afirmou o treinador após o jogo contra o América-MG.

VEJA O RENDIMENTO DO ATAQUE DO SÃO PAULO EM 21 RODADAS DO BRASILEIRÃO DESDE 2003
2021 – 18 gols
2020 – 37 gols
2019 – 23 gols
2018 – 34 gols
2017 – 26 gols
2016 – 22 gols
2015 – 29 gols
2014 – 37 gols
2013 – 20 gols
2012 – 33 gols
2011 – 33 gols
2010 – 27 gols
2009 – 29 gols
2008 – 36 gols
2007 – 29 gols
2006 – 34 gols
2005 – 30 gols
2004 – 28 gols
2003 – 41 gols

After another season in which they fought Manchester City for the Premier League title, Arsenal have a massive summer ahead of them to recruit the players who'll help them finally get over the line next year.

It looks as if Mikel Arteta is about to welcome his first new major signing in the coming days in the shape of Riccardo Calafiori, and there have been countless rumours linking the club to a whole host of talented strikers from Benjamin Sesko to Viktor Gyokeres.

However, the midfield is another area of the team that must be strengthened in the coming months, and the good news is that Edu Gaspar and Co seem to agree.

Based on recent reports, the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates has excelled there in recent seasons and could even help Declan Rice become even more effective.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal want to sign a central midfielder this summer and have identified Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino as a player of interest.

The report claims that Arteta is a fan of the 28-year-old's overall talent and, in particular, his 'physicality.'

His age profile would make him an unusual signing for the Gunners considering their transfer activity over the last few windows, but according to The Athletic, they do not see this as a problem thanks to the 'relative youth of the squad.'

No price is mentioned in the story, but a report from Spain last month revealed that the Merino would be available for €25m, about £21m. This might prove to be a bargain, especially if he can form a brilliant partnership with Rice.

Why Merino would be a great signing for Rice

Now, to get straight to the point, there is one key reason why signing Merino is a brilliant decision for the team and for Rice, which is the position in which he thrives.

The Spanish international has started in other positions before, but the vast majority of his starts – 241, to be exact – have come in the centre of midfield, not in defensive or attacking midfield, but right in the middle, as an eight.

This is an area of the pitch that the former West Ham United captain started in 19 times for the Gunners last season, and while he said that playing this role leaves him "excited", he has also admitted that playing slightly deeper as a six is his "strongest position."

So, with this in mind, signing Sociedad's "monster" midfielder, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, would allow Arteta to keep his record signing in the position, which he has admitted to being his strongest while fielding an out-and-out central midfielder in the eight role, which should also see that area of the pitch improve.

This shouldn't negatively impact the team's attack, either.

In 45 appearances last season, the 26-capped international scored eight goals and provided five assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.4 games – he showed his heading ability against Germany as well.

This level of output is only marginally worse than the Englishman's average of a goal involvement every three games, from 17 goals and assists in 51 games, and he did that in a far more effective side as well.

Appearances

32

7

6

Goals

5

2

1

Assists

3

1

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.42

0.33

Lastly, the 6 foot 2 titan might actually improve the team's overall solidity as well.

According to Squawka, he was the only player in Europe's top seven leagues last season to win over 300 duels over the course of the campaign – 326, to be precise.

Ultimately, Rice put in a fine shift in the middle of the park last season when called upon, but by signing Merino Arteta can get the most out of him by starting him at the base of midfield and playing a star whose bread and butter is acting as the midfielder that links defence to attack – and for just £21m, this transfer is a cost-effective no-brainer.

Forget Gyokeres: Arsenal now confident of signing £30m "powerhouse"

The prolific number nine could be a game-changer for the Gunners.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2024

With Amadou Onana’s departure from Everton all but confirmed, Sean Dyche’s side are now leading the chase to sign a new defender.

Toffees target Onana successor this summer

The big news out of Goodison Park is that the saga around Amadou Onana’s future has finally come to an end. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on Saturday that the Belgian is on the verge of joining Aston Villa for a fee in the region of £50 million.

Related Dream Broja alternative: Everton ready to move for "remarkable" £33m star

The club are still trying to bolster their forward line this summer.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 12, 2024

With the 22-year-old’s exit expected for some time, The Toffees have long been on the search for Onana’s successor in the middle of the park. Wilfred Ndidi was thought to be Everton’s perfect candidate to fill this vacancy, however, it has now been reported that the Nigerian has opted to remain at Leicester City, signing a new three-year deal at the King Power Stadium.

The Toffees have also held a longstanding interest in former Liverpool man Arthur Melo. The Brazilian midfielder is a free agent this summer after his contract with Juventus expired at the end of last month. Despite featuring for just 13 minutes during his time at Anfield, Everton have made contact with the player in the hope that he can help fill the gap left by the departing Onana.

Whilst a lot of the Toffees’ time appears to be being spent on finding an Onana replacement, it is reported that the Merseyside outfit are also serious about bringing in a sought-after defensive player this summer.

Everton ahead in the race for Serie A defender

As relayed by Sport Witness, the Italian press are claiming that Everton are leading the chase to sign Hellas Verona defender Jackson Tchatchoua. The outlet claims that the Toffees seem to be serious about signing the player having already made a bid for the defender via an intermediary to try and kick-start negotiations.

This development follows news from earlier this month which stated that Everton had an interest in Tchatchoua, however, it now transpires that the Toffees have gone one further and put in a bid for the full-back. West Ham were also said to be eager to pursue a move for the 22-year-old with the Hammers looking for a new right back to replace the outgoing Ben Johnson.

The report by Sport Witness claims that Verona want €8 million (£6.9 million) minimum to part ways with the defender this summer. Having paid just £2.5 million last month to make Tchatchoua's loan from Belgian side Royal Charleroi S.C. permanent, the Italian outfit would be in for a decent bit of profit if the deal is to go through.

Throughout his 26 league appearances for Verona last season, the natural full-back played as both a right and left-sided midfielder, suggesting that he is not afraid of pushing forward when necessary. Tchatchoua's versatility could prove vital to Dyche's side next season as they look to once again stave off relegation from the Premier League.

The opener left 69 of the 176 balls he faced from the quicks, in order to prosper on a green Hamilton pitch

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2020

Tom Latham struck 12 fours and a six during his 86 on the opening day of the first Test against West Indies but the leave was probably the shot that defined his innings.After winning the toss on a greener-than-usual Hamilton pitch, West Indies got debutant Will Young out early, but Latham and Kane Williamson added 154 for the second wicket to put New Zealand in front. They finished the day on 243 for 2. During the course of his knock, Latham not only left balls on line but also on length, with the West Indies fast bowlers often erring on the shorter side. Of 176 balls he faced from the pacers, Latham left 69 (39.2%).Watch the cricket on ESPN+

New Zealand vs West Indies is available in the USA on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the series

“There was probably a little bit more grass on this Hamilton wicket than we have traditionally seen in the past,” Latham told the host broadcaster after the day’s play. “Probably had a little bit more pace as well than we are used to seeing here.”I think initially it [the pitch] was probably a little bit slower. Sometimes when it’s a little bit softer, it tends to hold in the wicket a little bit more. But it did dry up a little bit and quickened up but I think West Indies bowled a little bit short, which allowed us to leave a lot of balls on length early on to get ourselves in.”Since the start of 2018, Latham has scored 1517 Test runs, the most by any opener in that period. His average of 52.31 is also the best among openers with at least 1000 runs in that time. He has done this while playing most of his cricket on seamer-friendly New Zealand tracks. So, how did he prepare himself for this particular Test?”You always hope the coin toss goes your way but you have to be prepared to bat first on a wicket like that. Try not to deliberate too much the day before. On a wicket like that, you probably want to limit driving the ball. Ideally, wait for something a little bit straighter or something a little bit shorter, so that was sort of the plan.”The danger for me was driving the ball on the up and bring the slips into play. They obviously bowled well in periods and bowled a lot of dots to me and Kane but it was nice to try and overcome those periods and seek some little rewards after that.”Latham had a moment of luck as well. When on 43, he went to cut a short and wide delivery from Holder only to nick it to the wicketkeeper. But apart from Darren Bravo at first slip, hardly anyone else appealed and Latham survived.”You sometimes need that,” Latham said. “So you’ve got to make most of those things when you get the chance.”While New Zealand have the upper hand, Latham thinks both their batsmen and bowlers would have to adapt a little bit as the pitch is expected to quicken up as the game progresses.”Hopefully it will quicken up a little bit as we see here in New Zealand, it tends to quicken up a bit on day two. So the lengths we bowl may change a little bit but that’s about adapting to the surface each day. Hopefully, firstly we can do that with the bat and then when we get our chance with the ball, we can do that too.”