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Liverpool are considering making a summer approach to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, according to reports.

What's the latest on Neves to Liverpool?

The Old Gold captain first arrived in the Premier League back in 2017 and has since gone on to make 250 appearances at Molineux, but his future heading into the upcoming window is in the air.

The Portuguese international will be out of contract at the end of the next season and reports have claimed that he is ready to quit and embark on a new challenge, so with this set to be the final chance for Julen Lopetegui’s side to cash in, potential suitors are already circling, including the Reds.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed in April that Jurgen Klopp does have the 26-year-old on his list of midfield targets but that a move was not “imminent”, though a fresh update has now emerged which suggests otherwise.

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal and Manchester United, are all “strongly considering” making an official approach for Neves. The Wolves skipper is “keen” on a move to Barcelona, who are also name-checked as admirers, but it’s the trio that are the ones “in the race” to secure his services. The Midlands outfit have set a price tag “in the region” of £40m for their prized asset, though there’s a chance that could be increased given the calibre of clubs chasing him.

Would Neves be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool have clearly been long-term admirers of Neves and it’s no surprise that he’s attracting interest being Wolves’ overall top-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.99, so he would certainly be a fantastic acquisition for FSG and Klopp.

The Nike-sponsored star, called "incredible" by his teammates, is naturally a defensive midfielder who sits just in front of the backline, which is proven by him ranking in the 98th percentile for clearances amongst midfielders, but he’s also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third.

The World Cup and Europa League participant has recorded a total of 72 shot-creating actions and 62 shots since the start of the current term which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, not to mention that he’s got seven goal involvements to his name as a reward.

Finally, Neves has been dubbed a “beast” by the United States’ former professional Jimmy Conrad, so for all of the valuable qualities that he would add to the squad, he could be the perfect Fabinho successor.

Eoin Morgan wants his England one-day team to keep pushing themselves to new heights and believes there is a confidence in the squad that anything is possible

Andrew McGlashan17-Aug-2016Eoin Morgan wants his England one-day team to keep pushing themselves to new heights and believes there is a confidence in the squad that anything is possible.England’s focus now returns to white-ball cricket with Morgan back in charge for the five ODIs against Pakistan followed by a one-off T20 which finishes the international season.The importance given to 50-over cricket is reinforced by there being no rotation in the one-day squad for this series as eyes remain firmly fixed on the Champions Trophy next June.Since the beginning of the last home season, England’s reinvigorated one-day side has ticked up an impressive list of batting feats: a first total over 400, another total of 399, chasing down 350 with six overs to spare, a ten-wicket win chasing 255 and, individually, a record 46-ball century from Jos Buttler plus Jason Roy’s 162.Since May 1, 2015 they have scored their runs faster than any other team and hit more sixes.”The key phrase is pushing the side. Over the last 12-18 months we’ve seen the progression of everyone and the skill levels,” Morgan told ESPNcricinfo at a NatWest Cricket grassroots event. “There’s a huge amount of belief. It’s almost as though there are no restrictions to anything we can do.”However, Morgan wants more consistency from the side – series win against New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been tempered by losses to Australia and South Africa since the last World Cup – and a climb from their current position of No. 5 in the rankings. Within the next year, the period which includes the Champions Trophy, he wants England within the top three.”Realistically, if we want to be favourites going into the Champions Trophy or the World Cup then we need to work our way up the rankings which means showing more consistency in all three facets. We want to be in the top three three years before the World Cup. You still need to deliver in the tournament itself, but getting the results to move up the rankings builds confidence.”Morgan believes that one of England’s most significant results of late has been the tie they earned in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge when Liam Plunkett launched the final ball for six following a stand of 138 between Buttler and Chris Woakes to revive the chase.”We were down and out,” Morgan said. “It’s about building the belief that no matter how far behind the game you are there is an escape route.”‘I had my first hit two days and didn’t walk out of the net thinking I’m that far behind’•NatWestMorgan said he sees “17 or 18 players” that the Champions Trophy squad will come from next year in England. But he added that the squads for the tours to Bangladesh (security permitting) and India will be selected with those specific conditions in mind. He indicated four spinners could be the picked for those trips, something England have edged towards with Liam Dawson’s call-up against Pakistan.Morgan explained that, in a perfect world, he would be able to call on a left-arm quick who can bowl 90mph – that is now available in T20 with Tymal Mills, but he is not an option for 50-over cricket. However, Morgan has been delighted by the battering-ram role played by Plunkett and is excited to have Mark Wood’s pace back.”We probably have three guys who can do it [bowl at 90mph] at the moment and you want to have one in the side that can hurry up the batsmen when the ball is offering nothing else. That’s important in the 50-over game where it can stand still for periods.”From a personal point of view, this series will be Morgan’s return to action having been out for almost a month with a chipped bone in his finger. He led from the front in 2015 home season with prolific series against New Zealand and Australia, but has been the most underwhelming of a dazzling top order since.He hasn’t hit an international half-century in 23 innings but made an unbeaten 47 off 39 balls in the T20 against Sri Lanka, and was frustrated that the injury struck when he was finding form having made a century for Middlesex in late July.”The finger doesn’t look great but it’s functioning better than it looks,” he said. “I had my first hit two days ago and didn’t walk out of the net thinking I’m that far behind. That was quite nice because I actually broke it when I was finding a bit of form which was a bit of a pain. I’ve had breaks away before, then come into series without having scored many runs, so am very relaxed and feel quite refreshed”Eoin Morgan was speaking at the NatWest U13 Club Championships Final. NatWest are proud partners of grassroots cricket. To find out more visit natwest.com/cricket

AB de Villiers has identified the last 10 to 12 overs of South Africa’s innings as the period of play that cost his side the match in their tri-series opener against hosts West Indies in Guyana.South Africa had made 130 for 2 in 30 overs, before de Villiers got out off the first ball of the 31st. Thereafter, the innings fell apart, with the last five wickets falling for 16 runs to leave South Africa 188 all out.”It’s a disappointing loss tonight,” de Villiers said. “Definitely, in the last 10 to 12 overs with the bat in hand we lost our way a bit. I thought we set it up exceptionally well and the communication was that 220-plus would be a winning score. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get there. I had a nice partnership going with Riley [Rossouw], [but] I got out and after that there were no partnerships and we just lost our way. Like I said, 30 or 40 runs more would have been a very competitive total, probably a winning score.”Despite the defeat, de Villiers was happy with the team’s assessment of the conditions in Providence.”The positive out of that is that our assessment [of the pitch] was good. Unfortunately the execution wasn’t spot on in the last 10 overs with the bat in hand. We knew that it would be a turning track, very slow. That’s why we played the extra spinner. Our [team] balance was the same as that of the West Indies team. So we got all of that right.”De Villiers was also full of praise for his spin duo and for the bowling effort as a whole. Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso took 5 for 81 in 20 overs between them as South Africa fought hard to defend a low total.”I thought Imran Tahir and [Aaron] Phangiso had a great partnership going there, so I was proud of the way they performed. Unfortunately, one or two just went over the boundary. That could have changed the game a little bit, but those are the small margins of this beautiful game we play.”There’s nothing more the bowlers could have done. Maybe one or two half-chances could have gone our way, but, as I said, it is with the bat in hand that we cost ourselves tonight.”

Sam Robson equalled the Middlesex record for most runs in a match and showed a discipline that will reawaken the interest of England’s selectors

George Dobell at Lord's20-Apr-2016
ScorecardSam Robson: a quiet man making a big impression again•Getty Images

Sam Robson’s second century of the match secured a draw for Middlesex and provided another reminder of his skills for the England selectors.Robson, who followed his first innings of 231 with a second innings of 106, set a new record for the most runs in a first-class game by a Middlesex batsman (overtaking Jack Robertson, who made 331 in one innings against Worcestershire at New Road in 1949, and Paul Weekes who scored 171* and 160 against Somerset at Uxbridge in 2009) and became the first Middlesex played to make centuries in each innings since Neil Dexter, who did so in 2009 against Kent.The manner in which this match ended – with all 11 members of the Warwickshire side having a bowl and Jonathan Trott keeping wicket – might suggest Robson’s second innings runs were somewhat soft, but it is not so. For the majority of his innings, Warwickshire retained hopes of forcing a win. Had he failed, they may have been successful.It remains true, though, that batting is a more comfortable business at Lord’s when the sun comes out. On this slow wicket, Warwickshire were unable to gain much lateral movement and what variable bounce there was from the indentations made on the first day was expertly negotiated by Robson.Robson really isn’t the type to roar “pick me” at the selectors. Either vocally or with his actions. He described this achievement as “nice” and looked slightly embarrassed by the fuss. Instead, he reasoned that he was better off “focussing on scoring runs for Middlesex” and allowing selection to “be a product of that”. Besides, he knows he will be opening the batting in Durham within a few days and what a great leveller this game can be.But scoring 337 runs in a match tends to catch the eye. And, from a situation a week or so ago where he was some way down the list of those vying for selection, Robson will have forced his name into contention.It has been some time since there has been so little certainty over the identity of England’s top five in Test cricket and it seems fair to suggest that, alongside Alex Hales, Adam Lyth and Nick Compton, Robson is now a realistic candidate to accompany Alastair Cook to the middle when England play the first Test of the summer at Leeds. It may be relevant that Paul Farbrace, the England assistant coach, was among those at Lord’s to see Robson’s second innings.”It’s been a special few days,” Robson said afterwards. “I’m very proud. “I’ve played enough cricket to know there aren’t many days like this.”There has been a sense in recent months – not least from Trevor Bayliss – that England would, in an ideal world, prefer a dynamic opening partner for Alastair Cook. But if they conclude they do not have a player of similar style to David Warner, the likes of Robson and Compton offer an admirably solid alternative. It remains perplexing that, with Cook offering a pretty decent template for the role of opening batsman – he has scored more runs than any Test batsman ever to represent England, after all – that the team management seem to want his opening partner to play in such a different manner.Robson’s qualities are not so different from Cook’s. He has an apparently insatiable appetite for runs, he has excellent powers of concentration and he knows his limitations and works within them. He was, along with Trott, the only man to bat with comfort against frontline bowlers in the match – both Keith Barker and Adam Voges profited from prolonged spells of support bowling – and showed a solidity on off stump that used to be seen as the hallmark of Test-quality opening batsmen. Tests, particularly those in England in early summer, still require such skills.With Robson’s innate modesty to the fore, it was left to the two captains in this match to praise his contribution. Ian Bell described him as “a fantastic player” while Adam Voges suggested Robson would “knock the door down” if he maintained such form in the run-up to the first Test. “He’s made history,” Voges said. “That’s one of the best innings I’ve seen from a teammate.”Warwickshire rarely threatened on the final day. With Barker unable to gain much swing, Rikki Clarke offered the most trouble. He dismissed Compton, falling slightly to the off side as he played across one, with a full delivery and John Simpson missed one from Jeetan Patel but by then the match was all but safe and Warwickshire were reluctant to flog their top bowlers.While the thought of watching Bell and Trott in tandem was an appetising prospect for Warwickshire supporters ahead of this season, few can have thought they would see them share a new ball spell. By the time Tim Ambrose gave up his wicket-keeping gloves and claimed the first wicket of his 16-year first-class career – Voges caught on the mid-wicket boundary attempting to slog a long-hop somewhere towards Baker Street – this game was begging to be put out of its misery. Middlesex took 12 points; Warwickshire 11.Warwickshire leave with spirits boosted, however. Not only can they take renewed confidence in the presence of Trott in their side – he briefly captained the side on the final day and will stand in officially if Bell and the vice-captain Chris Woakes are absent – but they believe both Boyd Rankin and Chris Woakes will have recovered sufficiently to be available for their next game, the Championship match against Yorkshire starting at Edgbaston on Sunday.Middlesex, meanwhile, know they must wrestle with their team selection before their game in Durham. The presence of four seamers – two of whom have unusually long run-ups – puts them under pressure as regards over-rates at all times and may, arguably have cost them a chance to win this game.The spell of 60-minutes when they utilised part-time bowlers on day three released the last bit of pressure they had exerted on Warwickshire. The position of James Franklin, a fifth seamer and No. 7 batsman, looks most precarious.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe could be set to raid former club Bournemouth this summer, amid reports that the Magpies are interested in signing defender Jordan Zemura from the Vitality Stadium.

What's the latest on Zemura to Newcastle?

According to 90min, the Tynesiders are among a number of Premier League clubs who are said to be 'admirers' of the 23-year-old, with the Zimbabwe international facing an uncertain future with his current side with just a matter of months remaining on his existing deal.

As per the report, the 5 foot 8 gem was recently dropped by manager Gary O'Neil due to his ongoing contract dispute, with that situation having seemingly alerted clubs across the division to his potential availability.

The St James' Park hierarchy – including sporting director Dan Ashworth – may have a battle on their hands if they are to make a concrete approach any time soon, however, with West Ham United said to be currently leading the race for the player's signature.

Would Zemura be a good signing for Newcastle?

There will likely be a sense of Deja vu among Newcastle supporters regarding this potential interest in Zemura, with the northeast side having previously snapped up Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth on a free transfer back in the summer of 2020.

Much like Zemura, the Scotland international had endured a turbulent and somewhat toxic end to his time on the south coast having decided against signing a brief, short-term extension on his deal in order to continue playing in that Covid-impacted 2019/20 campaign, with Howe – who was in charge at the time – taking the decision not to call upon the diminutive speedster for the remainder of that season.

That "disgraceful" exit – as per Dorset Live's Daniel Davis – undoubtedly left a bad taste in the mouth among those of a Cherries persuasion, with Fraser having since been dealt a dose of Karma after struggling to make his mark at St James' Park, scoring just three goals and providing only six assists in 59 games in all competitions.

Those woes have been compounded by the fact that the 29-year-old has now been banished from the first-team squad by Howe, with it looking as if a summer exit is now an inevitability – bringing to an end a rather failed deal for all concerned.

With Newcastle still paying the price for that signing, there may be concern among Ashworth and co in enduring a repeat scenario by snapping up another contract rebel in the form of Zemura, particularly with the London-born ace rather inexperienced at the top level.

The one-time Charlton Athletic academy graduate has made 19 top-flight appearances so far this season and has averaged 2.1 tackles per game in that time, albeit while contributing just a solitary assist and recording an average match rating of only 6.57, as per Sofascore – the 18th worst rating among his teammates.

The promising talent did enjoy a positive campaign in the Championship last term – with former boss Scott Parker stating that he has a "lovely forward drive about him" – after scoring three goals and providing one assist, although has since racked up just a solitary goal involvement this time around.

Considering that the highly-coveted asset has hardly pulled up any trees this season – and bearing in mind the comparison to the Fraser deal – Newcastle may well be wise to refrain from pursuing a summer swoop.

تحدث مدرب أتلتيكو مدريد دييجو سيميوني بعد الفوز أمام خيتافي، وقبل مواجهة برشلونة بمنافسات الدوري الإسباني، وإمكانية منافسته على اللقب هذا الموسم.

وفاز أتلتيكو مدريد بهدف نظيف، ويحتل الفريق المركز الثاني بـ 38 نقطة متساويًا مع برشلونة المتصدر والذي يواجه ليجانيس مساء اليوم.

ويلتقي برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد في الجولة القادمة للدوري الإسباني وذلك يوم السبت المقبل.

وقال سيميوني في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “قبل المباراة كنت أتحدث مع اللاعبين عن الامتنان والاعتراف لأولئك الذين لم يبدأوا المباراة، هناك لاعبون مهمون جدًا يتنافسون بطريقة استثنائية، كما يظهر عندما يشاركون كبدلاء”.

وأضاف: “هذه هي قوتنا، من أجل المنافسة كما نريد، نحتاج أن يكون الجميع مشاركًا كما هم الآن، هذه هي أقوى نقطة لدينا”.

ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد هزيمة برشلونة أمام ليجانيس

وأشار لمركزه بالترتيب: “يجب أن نستمر مباراة بمباراة، لا توجد طريقة لرؤية وضعنا الحالي إلا من خلال العمل ومحاولة التحسن دائمًا، دعونا نرتاح قبل مواجهة برشلونة”.

وعن إدارة الفريق، أفاد: “أمثل نفسي بما أشعر به، وليس لدي التزام تجاه أي شخص، وهذا يظهر في كوكا، الذي كان لاعبًا مهمًا جدًا في مسيرتنا ويعرف أنه إذا كنا بحاجة إليه لمدة 20 دقيقة، سيدخل ويقوم بالعمل”.

وبشأن تعزيز الخطة أمام برشلونة في المواجهة القادمة، علّق: “لا أعرف كيف تعتقد أننا سنخطط لذلك، لكن إن كان جيدًا أم لا، فإن ذلك سيعتمد على النتيجة، التي هي ما ستحدد ذلك”.

وعن رؤيته كبطل، استطرد: “أنا مكرر، وممل، ولن أتغير، حتى آخر يوم سيكون مباراة بمباراة، إذا لم ننظر إليها من هذا المنظور، لن يكون هناك ضوء”.

وبشأن التغيير في الالتزام من الموسم الماضي إلى هذا الموسم، أوضح: “سؤال معقد تبحث فيه إذا كان الذين كانوا في السابق لم يقدموا كما يقدمون اليوم، أحيانًا يظهر ذلك وأحيانًا لا، لكن النتائج تظهر الآن”.

وحول الفوز بنتيجة 1-0، أتم: “دائمًا أقول إن أفضل نتيجة هي 1-0 لأنك تعمل جيدًا في الدفاع وتكون حاسمًا في الهجوم، إذا فزت 4-3 فهناك أشياء يجب مراجعتها، بالطبع أنا أحب النتائج الأفضل كما يحبها الجميع”.

Nottingham Forest have enjoyed an impressive start to the season, sitting in 9th place on six points from the first four games and being only merely beaten in visits to Arsenal and Manchester United.

Another busy summer saw the Reds make 13 new signings, including seven on deadline day, where they announced the signing of Ivorian midfielder, Ibrahim Sangare for £30 million – a new club record.

Perhaps a more underrated piece of business, however, was the signing of Anthony Elanga, who joined from Manchester United for a fee of around £15m.

What did Rio Ferdinand say about Antony Elanga?

Speaking on his YouTube channel FIVE, Ferdinand was full of praise for the former United dynamo.

He said:

“[Chelsea] got smoked by Elanga, one of the players [United] let go.

“Elanga has looked red-hot by the way, did you see what he did to Mudryk?

"He’s done well man, every game he’s had an impact since he’s been at Forest. He came on against [Arsenal] and set up the goal, then he scored against Chelsea and got the winner.

"This kid looks electric.”

Seemingly disagreeing with United’s decision to let the winger leave the club, Ferdinand has no doubt about Elanga’s “application and desire” to succeed in his new endeavours.

How did Elanga sign for Forest?

The Swedish whiz made his first-team debut for Manchester United in May 2021 and would score his first senior goal less than two weeks later against Wolves in the Premier League.

Elanga became a regular for United under Ralf Rangnick for the second half of the 2021/22 season, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals, including an unforgettable equaliser against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League knockout stages.

When Erik Ten Hag took over ahead of the 2022/23 season, Elanga lost his position in the starting eleven and made only five league starts over the season.

With his place in the national team at risk, the 21-year-old decided he needed to leave for a club that could offer him more game time, with the Daily Mail reporting in May that over 12 clubs around Europe were interested.

Eventually, Nottingham Forest announced the signing of Elanga in July, becoming their second signing of the summer.

How has Elanga performed for Forest so far?

Without having started in the league yet, the 21-year-old dynamo's impact has been instant.

He got his first assist after only two minutes of coming off the bench against Arsenal on the opening day.

This past weekend when Forest faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Elanga was introduced ahead of the second half with the scores level.

Within three minutes, he found space in behind the defence and placed the ball past Robert Sanchez, which would be the winning goal in a huge 1-0 win.

Just as Ferdinand said, he gave Mudryk – who cost a whopping £89m – a torrid afternoon in west London, as seen by the following clip that shows the Ukraine star getting beaten all ends up by an exceptional piece of skill.

Meanwhile, as per Sofascore, the Sweden international registered the second-highest rating in the match (7.7), having contributed three shots on target, three successful dribbles and a total of four duels won in just 45 minutes on the pitch.

Tricky Trees boss Steve Cooper will be looking for more of the same after the international break when his Forest outfit return to action with a clash to basement boys Burnley at the City Ground on September 18th.

Sunderland are running out of time to do some late transfer business, but they could still sign a Premier League player, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

Will Sunderland make late signings?

The Black Cats have made a fairly disappointing start to their Championship season, having come so close to finishing the playoff places last term. They have only picked up four points from as many matches, with just one win coming their way.

That came at home to Rotherham United earlier in the month, but they have suffered defeats to Ipswich Town and Preston North End, with their only draw a goalless stalemate at Coventry City last weekend. They have also been knocked out of the EFL Cup at the expense of Crewe Alexandra, so there isn't a huge amount of positivity at the club, with Tony Mowbray's job perhaps even under threat.

It could be that a host of players leave Sunderland before the summer transfer window reaches its conclusion on Friday night, with the likes of Ross Stewart, Patrick Roberts, Lynden Gooch, Alex Pritchard and Dan Neil all potentially moving on.

On the flip side, the hope is that some late incoming business is also in the pipeline, in order to improve the Black Cats' squad up until the January transfer, at the very least. Now, a new update has emerged that suggests they are pushing hard to do just that.

Who are Sunderland signing?

According to journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon [via Football League World], Sunderland are looking to complete the signing of Crystal Palace gem Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on Friday. They have reportedly expressed an interest in snapping him up in the recent past.

A loan move for the 20-year-old attacker is in the offing, although the Eagles are hesitant to sell him if they don't believe they have the required squad depth comes the deadline.

Rak-Sakyi would be a brilliant signing by Sunderland if they do manage to get a deal over the line on Friday, with a host of Championship clubs keen on him. Granted, he is still a very young player learning his trade, but he has made four first team appearances for Palace already, with three of those coming in the Premier League. He is also a five-time capped England Under-20 international, scoring once for his country along the way.

Rak-Sakyi has been described as "wonderful" by former Charlton Athletic manager Dean Holden this year, having spent an excellent season on loan at The Valley in 2022/23, scoring 15 goals and registering nine assists in 49 appearances.

That proves what an impact he can make in the Football League, and with regular starts unlikely to come his way in a Palace shirt over the next 12 month or so, it could be most beneficial for his development to move elsewhere for a temporary spell.

Sunderland would be acquiring the services of a special young talent who could produce attacking brilliance at the Stadium of Light, so the hope is that Palace's stance softens in the remaining hours of the transfer window, allowing the Black Cats to complete a significant piece of business.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be aiming to end the transfer window on a high by adding another couple of players to a squad which is brimming with talent.

The Spaniard has lured Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans to Villa Park, despite the demand from much bigger teams and with Europa Conference League football to look forward to, it’s an exciting time for the supporters.

Emery isn’t resting on his laurels however as he could potentially make a swoop for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho before the window closes.

Could Aston Villa sign Jadon Sancho?

According to Caught Offside, Villa are considering a late approach to capture the Englishman in the last few weeks of the transfer window.

There are other Premier League teams interested in the former Borussia Dortmund starlet however, including teams from abroad and this could give Emery some food for thought regarding a potential move.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Sancho cost United a staggering £73m in 2021 after shining in the Bundesliga for Dortmund, yet he has struggled to replicate that form for the Old Trafford side.

Erik ten Hag is reportedly open to letting him go, so long as a realistic offer is made and this could tempt Emery into testing the water with a bid.

What has happened to Jadon Sancho?

The 23-year-old emerged as one of the finest talents on the continent during his stint in Germany, registering an impressive 114 goal contributions – 50 goals and 64 assists – across just 137 games and upon moving to the Red Devils, it looked as though he would just get better.

The move hasn’t worked out as he scored just five goals during his first season and last term was plagued with a variety of issues. He missed the 2022 World Cup due to fitness and form concerns before missing a large chunk of club football.

Sancho didn’t make an appearance for United between October and January and it looks as though his days are numbered.

Emery could reignite the winger however, bringing him to an environment where there is considerably less pressure, forming a dangerous attacking duo alongside Diaby.

Like Sancho, the Frenchman saw the Bundesliga as his playground, scoring and grabbing assists for fun during his spell at Bayer Leverkusen, and he could take the Premier League by storm.

The former Paris Saint-Germain starlet ranked second across the squad for overall Sofascore rating while finishing top of the pile for goals and assists (17), big chances created (14) and third for successful dribbles per game (1.5).

These are impressive figures and the onus will be on him to shine in England. Sancho – lauded as a “phenomenon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in 2021 – did rank fifth across the United squad for big chances created (six) and second for key passes per game (1.7), suggesting that even though he missed large chunks of action, he still contributed well.

The £350k-per-week dynamo may not have endured the greatest of times at Old Trafford, yet a change of scenery may just be the catalyst for him to return to his spellbinding best.

With Diaby prowling on the right wing, Sancho could add goals and assists from the left flank and Emery could have two genuinely world-class players supporting Ollie Watkins should he get his way in the next few weeks.

Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, says there will be no curfews imposed on his players in the wake of Ben Stokes’ arrest

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-20171:45

Getting drunk is the best form of team bonding – KP

Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, has confirmed that there will be no curfews imposed on his players during the forthcoming Ashes, but added that “sensible” guidelines have been drawn up in the wake of Ben Stokes’ arrest outside a Bristol nightclub last month.Speaking in Perth during England’s first nets session since arriving in Australia, Bayliss reiterated his long-held belief that personal responsibility is a key aspect of being a professional cricketer, and added that England’s players themselves had decided when is and isn’t acceptable to have a drink and enjoy the experience of being on tour.”Not drinking between matches is just sensible,” Bayliss told the BBC. “There’s been no set curfews. I think they’re just sensible rulings.”To me, they’re what we should be sticking to anyway as a player or someone around a professional set-up. The players have sat down and had a chat and they’re the ones that’ve come up with it.”With Stokes withdrawn from the tour pending further investigation into the incident outside Mbargo nightclub on September 25, and following the disciplining of three other players who had been out that night – Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball and Liam Plunkett -England’s captain, Joe Root, was forced to deny last week that the England team is beset by a drinking culture.But Bayliss believes that instilling a siege mentality in the wake of the Stokes incident would undermine England’s hopes of success in the Ashes.”We certainly don’t want to put too many curfews on them that keep them in their rooms,” he said. “It’s a long tour, you’ve got to get out and experience the country that you’re touring.”His comments echo the views of Kevin Pietersen, a three-times Ashes tourist, who last week told ESPNcricinfo that nights out on long tours were a vital factor in team bonding.”When we had the great tour Down Under in 2010-11, we had the most incredible couple of nights out at the start of that tour, which brought the team so close together,” Pietersen said. “I know that it sounds so stupid, but if you go and get hammered as a team on a night out – as senior and junior players – the bonds you can create there are better than any ridiculous sessions you can do in the forest in Germany.”Bayliss admitted that the aftermath of the Stokes arrest had been a “difficult time” for the team, but that their arrival in Australia had helped to focus their minds on the task at hand.”It’s a month ago now, and certainly the guys here in Australia have gone about their business and there hasn’t really been chat about it all,” he said. “Everyone’s been concentrating on what we need to do to win this series.”He conceded that Stokes’ absence was less than ideal but echoed Joe Root’s pre-departure statement that the team were preparing to be without the allrounder.”It’s something you’d much rather do without,” Bayliss said. “The Australian media will hammer away and try to put the pressure on in other areas as well. We have to try to deal with that and keep it separate from what we are doing on the practice field and in matches.”Root said the other day himself. They are concentrating on playing without him. If we worry too much about whether he is or he isn’t, that takes the focus off what we are doing. If we see that creeping in with the players, we will stop it as soon as we can. They are getting on with it well.”He also gave an indication of England’s thinking about how they would rebalance the side, with Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes set to move up the order in order to accommodate another bowler.”Having to replace Ben and the combination that we come up with requires doing a bit of both,” Bayliss said. “Personally I think we have to play a bowler in his place which makes our batting not quite as long but when you have Chris Woakes at No. 8, that’s probably the combination I’ve been after for a while.”Mooen Ali batting as low as No. 8 for the last couple of years I think that’s a waste. I think it’s something that as the team develops over the coming years, that’s a combination that we will get to. We have had problems at the top of the order so having Mo at eight and Woakes nine suited us. It’s been successful, so no problems there. Eventually Bairstow and Ali at six and seven and Woakes at eight is a combination England will end up with.”