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Journalist Barry Anderson has shared some "fascinating" detail on West Ham United and their move for Austria Klagenfurt midfielder Andy Irving in the last 48 hours.

Who have West Ham signed this summer?

David Moyes had to wait a fair bit for his first signing of the summer transfer window, with Mexico international ace Edson Alvarez coming through the door in early August.

The midfielder, who has started life in the Premier League very brightly, was later joined by England international James Ward-Prowse, former Arsenal defender Konstaninos Mavropanos and Ghana star Mohammed Kudus.

The latter player's signing comes as a particularly major coup for West Ham and Moyes, with Kudus excelling for both Ajax and his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last year.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Mohammed to West Ham United,” said the Irons manager after Kudus' arrival.

“He’s a terrific young talent, who has already shone at the very highest level for Ajax in the Champions League and made well over 150 senior appearances at the age of 23 – so it was no surprise to see so many top clubs chasing his signature this summer.

“The fact we’ve been able to attract a player of his undoubted quality to London Stadium shows the pull West Ham have now – the Board and Tim deserve huge credit for getting this one over the line.”

West Ham also attempted a late move to replace striker Gianluca Scamacca, who joined Atalanta earlier in the window, but ultimately failed with a deadline day push to sign Paris-Saint Germain's Hugo Ekitike.

One transfer that has fell quite under-the-radar, though, is their capture of former Hearts midfielder Irving – who has apparently joined from Austria Klagenfurt.

Club insider ExWHUemployee backs this news, and he said on deadline day that the Scotsman has indeed signed but will return to Klagenfurt as part of an "affiliate arrangement agreed" with Hammers transfer chief Tim Steidten.

National World football writer and journalist Anderson, commenting on the move and sharing further background, says that Irving joins in a "big-money" deal and calls it "fascinating".

"Andy Irving's transfer to West Ham from Austria Klagenfurt is fascinating," said Anderson on X.

"He will become an #EPL player in a big-money deal two years after leaving Hearts thanks to a German data analyst. Good move for a player who worked hard to establish himself abroad."

How good is Andy Irving?

Following a 2-0 win over Morton in late 2020, former Hearts boss Robbie Neilson heaped praise on the midfielder's technical ability.

Irving, according to Neilson, can demonstrate exceptional passing ability in the final third.

“He’s got great passing ability, as you seen with the pass for the goal," said Neilson.

"It’s great to have him in. He’s still learning the game. I was really pleased with him. Obviously coming down here, we knew what the pitch was going to be like, we knew the physicality was going to be like, I thought Andy handled it very well.”

In time, perhaps Irving can showcase enough quality to get Moyes seriously thinking.

In a direct reversal of the first ODI, Zimbabwe piled on 333 for 5 before wiping out Afghanistan for 179 to consign them to their second-biggest ODI defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2018AFPBrendan Taylor’s first century since returning to Zimbabwe in September last year underpinned a crushing 154-run win over Afghanistan in the second ODI in Sharjah. Taylor’s 125 turbocharged Zimbabwe’s innings as they racked up 333 for 5, having elected to bat first. The chase was equally lopsided, with Afghanistan at one point in danger of losing by over 200 runs, before Dawlat Zadran cut the margin down with an unbeaten 47 at No. 10 – the highest score of the innings. It was still Afghanistan’s second-heaviest ODI defeat.The result, which brought the five-match series level one-all, was a direct reversal of the first ODI, which was decided by the same margin, with the same totals. On that occasion, Afghanistan had piled on 333 for 5 before Zimbabwe crashed to 179 all out.Taylor’s job began as a tedious one, as he arrived seeking to offset the early loss of Solomon Mire. He put on 85 with Hamilton Masakadza (48), before miscommunication ended Masakadza’s stay and gave Afghanistan some respite. Then came the defining partnership of the match – a 135-run association for the fourth wicket between Taylor and Sikandar Raza off just 110 balls.Taylor raised his hundred off his 110th ball – and the first of the 43rd over – with a drive to long-on, before Zimbabwe kicked into overdrive. The carnage began with Taylor mowing legspinner Rashid Khan over midwicket for six, two balls after getting to his hundred. He followed it up with a six and a four off Dawlat Zadran in the next over. Taylor’s last 25 runs took just 11 balls.At the other end, Raza moved at breathtaking speed as well, hurtling from a run-a-ball 55 to 92 off 74 balls. He was out with seven balls remaining in the innings, chipping a slower ball to cover. His 92 contained nine fours and four sixes.In all, Zimbabwe struck 14 sixes in their innings, and slapped 101 runs in the last eight overs. Afghanistan did not help themselves with their undisciplined bowling, conceding six no-balls and nine wides, but their bowling wasn’t without positives. Their spinners held their own amidst the carnage. Rashid and Mohammad Nabi were parsimonious, returning combined figures of 2 for 69 in 20 overs, while the offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who opened the bowling, took 1 for 47 in 10 overs.The chase was a disaster as Afghanistan lost their fifth wicket shortly after the Powerplay. Nabi then briefly tantalised with a boundary-ridden 31 before Graeme Cremer burst through his defences. Rahmat Shah, the No. 3, fought alone with 43, and was the ninth man dismissed, in the 26th over. Dawlat then delayed Zimbabwe’s victory push with a last-wicket partnership of 64 with Mujeeb. Dawlat scored at a strike rate of over 160, and pillaged six sixes. But it accounted for little.Zimbabwe’s bowlers hunted in a pack. The pacers Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani carved up the top and middle order with five wickets between them, while Cremer wiped out the lower order to finish with four wickets.

Debutant Akila Dananjaya ransacked Bangladesh’s lower-middle order in the morning, and Roshen Silva compiled a second high-quality fifty in the match, as Sri Lanka claimed a 312-run lead and took iron-grip of the Test

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Feb-2018Dimuth Karunaratne steers one through the off side•Associated PressDebutant Akila Dananjaya ransacked Bangladesh’s lower middle order in the morning, and Roshen Silva compiled a second high-quality fifty in the match, as Sri Lanka claimed a 312-run lead and took iron-grip of the Test. That the surface is a spinners’ paradise is plain, but Bangladesh’s meekness in the first innings has put them on the brink of a series loss. In the most dramatic period of play on day two, the hosts lost their last five wickets for five runs. Not even an inspired Mustafizur Rahman spell late in the day could undo the damage sustained before lunch.Also driving Sri Lanka ahead on day two were Dhananjaya de Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal, none of whom got close to a half-century, but whose innings were vital nonetheless. Bangladesh’s spinners were at times guilty of being too wayward. Though they delivered their share of dangerous deliveries through the day, many errors in length also speckled their spells. The visiting batsmen rarely allowed good scoring opportunities to go unused.Mehidy Hasan Miraz – the best of the home side’s spinners – took two for 29 from his 14 overs, and regularly raised wicket-taking opportunities. Taijul Islam also took two wickets, and Abdur Razzak finished with one. Their most potent weapon, however, was Mustafizur and his cutters. In a spell also envenomed by reverse swing, he took the wickets of Dilruwan Perera and Dananjaya off successive balls, and was unlucky to finish without at least one more scalp. Having earlier also trapped Danushka Gunathilaka in front of the stumps, he finished the day with 3 for 35.But it was Dananjaya whose late-morning spell that was of most consequence to the match situation. To him also went the most perfect spin-bowling dismissal of the game so far. Tossing the ball up outside off stump, Dananjaya got the ball to drift away, before it dipped and spat back at the batsman. Mahmudullah offered a forward defence, but so sharp was the turn,that the ball whistled between bat and pad to hit the very top of middle stump. It was his maiden Test wicket. Dananjaya was suitably ecstatic.His remaining dismissals were also off-spin classics. Three balls after bowling Mahmudullah, he lured Sabbir Rahman into an off drive, only for the ball to turn more sharply than the batsman expected. The catch, off the inside edge, would be snapped up low to the ground by Dinesh Chandimal at midwicket. Next over, a similar wicket: another turning delivery, another attempted drive, but this time Abdur Razzak’s mis-hit shot went straight back to Dananjaya.With three wickets having fallen in the space of seven Dananjaya deliveries, Sri Lanka were ascendant. As so often happens when their spinners dominate, the fielding also moved to a higher plane. Fielding at short leg, Kusal Mendis snapped up an inside edge off Taijul Islam’s bat, and though the batsman spent no more than two seconds out of his crease, Mendis threw down the stumps in a flash, while Taijul’s bat was still in the air. The final wicket in the collapse went to Dilruwan Perera.If by establishing a 112-run lead, Sri Lanka had achieved a commanding position in the game, Roshen was most responsible for leading his side toward impregnability. Measured, and intelligent, he played within his limits, leaving balls that did not threaten his stumps, and yet hitting out at balls that deserved punishment. His footwark was swift and precise. Rarely did the Bangladesh bowlers dominate him for long stretches, though conditions were stacked heavily in their favour. There was no side of the pitch that he favoured, and his 58 not out – to go with the 56 in the first innings – is already more valuable than many hundreds.While Roshen found a middle ground between attack and defence, the other batsmen were generally more partial to one or the other. De Silva, for example, blazed a trail, cracking Taijul for three boundaries in one over, while constantly going deep in his crease to make possible his late cut. Having sped to 28 off 24, his ambition would prove fatal in the end. Attempting to deflect a Taijul delivery with an open face, he missed it completely and had it clatter into his stumps.Karunaratne went in the opposite direction. As Bangladesh’s spinners largely turned the ball into him, he played for the straighter ball, and adjusted quickly if the delivery was spinning. His 32 came off 95 balls and featured no boundaries. Chandimal’s 30 was compiled in a not dissimilar spirit, though he did score much faster.

Manchester United appear to be one of two clubs leading the race to sign an in-demand gem, and a new update has been shared when the Red Devils may hear if they are going to be successful.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

It turned out to be an eventful few months at Old Trafford off the pitch, with several incomings and outgoings in the transfer market and a takeover failing to materialise.

In total, United and Erik ten Hag brought in seven new players, with the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount joining in big-money deals. The club also received fees for six players in permanent exits and even sealed late loan moves for Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon from Fiorentina and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, despite the transfer window shutting, it looks as if the Red Devils are still trying to put deals in place ahead of the New Year.

One youngster who was linked with a move to Old Trafford last month was Dino Klapija from Croatian side Kustosija. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said that talks were held over a deal, with RB Leipzig also keen.

“Understand Manchester United and RB Leipzig are both negotiating to sign top talent Dino Klapija — also an option to close the deal now for January Decision on player side expected soon as 2007 born striker will leave Croatian side NK Kustosija soon.”

There has now been a further update, showing how there could soon be a further development.

According to The Daily Mail, ‘Klapija hopes to have a clearer idea of whether he will move to the club after the international break’. It is believed that United and Leipzig are the clubs in pole position to sign the 16-year-old ahead of AC Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea and Juventus and are willing to pay £5m to seal a deal.

Who is Dino Klapija?

Klapija is a centre-forward who previously turned out as a midfielder and is actually yet to make his senior debut for NK Kustosija but has been capped by Croatia at U17 level.

Born in the USA, Klapija was previously on the books of New York City and appears to be a highly-rated teenager going off the clubs who have shown an interest in his services.

He could well be the next player to make the move to Carrington after the club moved on a number of youngsters in recent months.

The likes of Matej Kovar, Teden Mengi, Zidane Iqbal, Charlie Savage and Marc Jurado have all left Old Trafford, with the club adding in some beneficial sell-on and buy-back clauses as well as achievable long-term add-ons.

Should Klapija choose United over Leipzig in the coming days, weeks or months, then you’d expect that he may go into the club’s academy ranks before a potential loan move away looking to get a first taste of senior football.

It could be a while until he progresses into the first team, but after rejecting a £4m move for Erling Haaland previously, United won’t want a repeat when it comes to Klapija.

Celtic were dealt a blow at the start of the summer as they lost manager Ange Postecoglou shortly after the end of the 2022/24 treble-winning campaign.

Who were Postecoglou's most expensive Celtic signings?

The Australian head coach, who moved to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, secured three domestic trophies last season and his excellent work in the transfer market played a big role in his success at Parkhead over his two years in the role.

Ange's most expensive signings

Fee paid

Jota

£13.8m

Cameron Carter-Vickers

£5.9m

Kyogo Furuhashi

£4.6m

Carl Starfelt

£4.2m

Alexandro Bernabei

£3.7m

Fees via Transfermarkt.

He was able to snap up a number of talented gems throughout his spell with the Scottish giants and Celtic may continue to benefit from his work over the years to come.

Postecoglou unearthed gold with several signings and one player who is still at Paradise and has the potential to improve further is central midfielder Reo Hatate.

The now-Spurs chief snapped the Japan international up in January of 2022, which was halfway through his first season in charge of the club, and it has turned out to be an outstanding piece of business.

How much was Hatate worth at Kawasaki Frontale?

At the time of his move to Celtic at the start of last year, Transfermarkt placed his market value at €800k (£686k) after his two years of senior football with Kawasaki Frontale in his home country.

The young dynamo first established himself as a first-team regular with his former club throughout the 2020 J1 League campaign and immediately showcased his attacking quality from a midfield position.

Hatate racked up five goals and five assists across 31 top-flight matches in 2020 and also caught the eye with one goal and two assists in five J League Cup games.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 in those league outings and provided an excellent creative threat in possession with seven 'big chances' created for his teammates.

The Japanese maestro followed that up with an average Sofascore rating of 7.16 across 30 J1 League starts throughout the 2021 season, which shows that the average level of his performances improved as he gained more senior experience.

Hatate contributed with five goals and two assists from the middle of the park and displayed his defensive ability with 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game to go along with a 53% duel success rate, as per Sofascore.

In total, the 5 foot 8 whiz produced 12 goals and ten assists in 77 appearances for Kawasaki in all competitions over the course of his two years of first-team football there.

His impressive form for his former club in the J1 League was enough to convince Postecoglou to swoop for him in January 2022 as part of a move alongside Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi, and the Hoops boss claimed that they would "excite" supporters with their play.

How many goals has Hatate scored for Celtic?

The 25-year-old sensation has found the back of the net 13 times in 68 matches so far in his Celtic career since making the move from Kawasaki last year.

Hatate hit the ground running at Parkhead and produced consistently promising performances as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 in 17 appearances during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign to help the Hoops secure the Scottish Premiership title.

He contributed with four goals and two assists from a central midfield position and did not miss a single 'big chance', which shows that the talented gem made the most of his opportunities in front of goal.

Despite joining in January, the Japan international only finished two goals behind David Turnbull – who was the club's top-scoring central midfielder in the Premiership with six strikes.

Hatate followed that up with an outstanding 2022/23 campaign in his first full year with the Bhoys. He averaged an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.23 across 32 league outings, which was the third-highest score within the squad – only behind Matt O'Riley and Jota – and showed that he was one of Postecoglou's top performers.

The technical ace caught the eye with six goals and eight assists in total, whilst he also created ten 'big chances' and made 1.3 key passes per game for his teammates, as per Sofascore.

No other Celtic midfielder found the back of the net more than four times and this suggests that the former Kawasaki star was the club's biggest goal threat from that area of the park.

How much is Hatate worth now?

At the time of writing (15/09/2023), Hatate is valued at €11m (£9.4m) by Transfermarkt after 18 months of excellent displays in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants.

This means that the Japanese magician's market value has soared by a staggering 1,275% from the initial £800k it was at when Celtic swooped to secure his services at the start of last year.

His exceptional performances as an attacking threat from midfield for the Bhoys have resulted in his valuation rocketing up considerably, whilst they have also attracted interest from Premier League clubs – including Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this year.

Hatate, who was once described as a "beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani, has scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in 68 appearances for the club to date and still has plenty of time to add to his tally as his contract does not expire until the summer of 2026.

His market value could continue to soar if he is able to develop further and improve the standard of his performances in midfield over the course of the 2023/24 campaign and beyond, which could also lead to a significant payday for Celtic if it results in a Premier League team, for example, swoops in to secure his services for a big-money fee.

However, there is no doubt that, whatever happens from this point, Postecoglou unearthed gold in his move to sign Hatate from Kawasaki last year.

The Australian boss was able to identify a promising young talent and helped him to thrive in Scotland by providing him with the perfect platform to showcase his skills, which has led to his soaring market value over the last 18 months.

Luke Fletcher is ready to start taking wickets for Notts again and put memories of his horrific head injury behind him

Jon Culley26-Mar-2018It was a moment that left a permanent imprint in the minds of teammates and opponents, not to mention several thousand spectators in the stadium and many, many more watching on TV. It will be on playback in quite a few of those minds, too, when the man at the centre of one of county cricket’s most horrific incidents begins his run-in for the first time since in a competitive match.Luke Fletcher’s doctors told him that he had dodged a bullet when a ball smashed back down the pitch by the Birmingham Bears batsman Sam Hain struck him full on the skull in a T20 match at Edgbaston last July.So horrifying was the impact that had that blow merely ended his career he might have considered himself lucky. In the event, by some good fortune as freakish as the injury itself, all it cost him was a few stitches and the rest of the season off.Yet Fletcher insists that when he next comes to bowl in a competitive match for Nottinghamshire he will do so without even a hint of trepidation. It has never crossed his mind that perhaps, having been lucky once, he should walk away. He has already bowled in pre-season games and would be ready to face the raw aggression of T20 tomorrow.”I’m from a quite down-to-earth, grounded, hard-working background,” he said. “My dad worked down the pit for 30 years and he had some bad injuries but his attitude was dust yourself off, enjoy the break and then get back on to it. So not any stage did anyone say that I shouldn’t do that, nor did I think it.”I just see this as my job, to go out and play cricket, to run in and bowl. It’s either this or go back to frying chicken at Hooters.”It was a freak injury, he says, yet in the same breath he believes there is every chance it will happen again. He imagines a day when protection for bowlers and umpires will be commonplace. For the moment, though, like his colleagues, he will run in bare-headed.”Hopefully it will not be commonplace but to be honest I reckon it will,” he said. “Definitely in T20 and maybe in later overs in one-dayers, or even early on.”Batters come so hard throughout the whole innings now. They are just trying to hit every single ball out of the park. And, if you are in the way, you are copping it.Luke Fletcher is helped from the field after being struck by the ball•Getty Images”Bowlers and umpires are in a very vulnerable position these days because the ball comes back so fast you don’t have time to react. I can see the day when bowlers and umpires are wearing protective headgear.”Fletcher was discharged from hospital the next day but that was only the start of a long road back to being declared medically safe to resume a normal life.”I could not do anything for two months,” he said. “I had a build-up of pressure in my head and any exercise would have added to the pressure so I pretty much did nothing until the end of the season. I didn’t get into training until I came back with the lads in November and not full training until this year.”I couldn’t drive for six months, which was the killer. It was classed as a traumatic brain injury and you have to report it to the DVLA. You can only drive again when you have a report from your surgeon to say everything is back to normal.”The club got me a bike and I was cycling in every day. It was more dangerous than driving – I came off it a few times on black ice. Seriously, though, they were worried I might have a fit at the wheel and you have to think about other people on the roads.”That inconvenience apart, Fletcher’s biggest concern was boredom. Much as he enjoys the company of his now two-year-old son Freddie, he was not used to being around him quite so much.”I had never had a six-month injury so I didn’t know how I would react to it. The strangest thing was not actually having to be anywhere, not having to see anyone, not having to turn up to anything. I found that quite weird really.”For the first couple of weeks it helped that people kept coming round. Nick Peirce [the ECB’s chief medical officer] came a few times. I got calls asking if I wanted to get involved with some commentary stuff.”It probably stopped me thinking about things too much, although I was never worried because I felt all right. It’s the people around me, my family, my partner Kirsty, who have been more worried.”Now his focus is on picking up where he left off. He had taken 36 Championship wickets at 22.4, reasserting that he was an important component of Nottinghamshire’s attack, when his misfortune struck.Happier times: Luke Fletcher celebrates Notts’ Royal London Cup triumph•Getty Images”We had just won a Lord’s final the week before and things were going well for me and the team in the Championship,” he said “I had seen the opportunity to have a big season and suddenly it was all over.”I had got myself into pretty good shape before last season, so it was disappointing. But I’m only 29 and I think I’ve got a lot of overs left in me yet.”He is better acquainted with the gym, too, than once might have been the case.”When you are young, there are a lot of distractions,” he said. “You go out and enjoy yourself. But my life is different now and in the last couple of years I’ve worked out what I need to do to give myself the best chance to help the team.”I’ve struggled in the past with my weight and probably will all my life. I’m not the most natural athlete but I’ve got a good engine. I’ve done a lot to get back in shape, a lot of running and sessions on the bike.”There are exciting things happening in the game with the new T20 franchises and I hopefully I’ll be putting my hat in the ring for that. I’m just looking forward to getting started again.”

Daryl Mitchell, chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association, insisted that the 100-ball format is “not set in stone” after a meeting between the ECB and a players’ delegation at Edgbaston

George Dobell08-May-2018Daryl Mitchell has warned the ECB that “there’s no competition without any players” and insisted the future of The Hundred is “not set in stone” as England’s professional cricketers press for more information about the controversial tournament.Mitchell, the chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association, was among a delegation of players who met ECB representatives at Edgbaston on Tuesday to discuss plans for The Hundred – the ECB’s new-team 100-ball a side competition proposal.Among the 27 professional players in attendance were Paul Collingwood, Jonny Bairstow and Tammy Beaumont, while the ECB were represented by their chief executive, Tom Harrison, and the managing director of the new competition, Sanjay Patel.And while Mitchell described the meeting as “a good starting point” and stressed the union’s desire to “work with the ECB” to find consensus, he also confirmed there were “an enormous amount of unanswered questions” over the new competition and described the lack of plans for a domestic women’s T20 league as “a huge negative.”As a result, he has warned the ECB the cooperation of the players cannot be taken for granted and requested more clarity over their plans as a matter of urgency.Part of the players’ frustration would appear to be a lack of consultation – only three players (Mitchell and England captains Eoin Morgan and Heather Knight) were alerted to the idea ahead of its announcement a couple of weeks ago.But there is also a concern over moving away from the T20 format that is now accepted worldwide as cricket’s biggest revenue raiser and changes to playing regulations that could see a 10-ball over each innings. The prospect of losing the KSL – the women’s domestic T20 competition – has also caused dismay.”What would it take for this competition not to happen?” Mitchell asked rhetorically. “Probably the players saying they don’t want it. We have the power to do that but whether it does happen or not, I’m not sure. It’s important we work with the ECB and try and shape how it looks for the benefit of our members and the game as a whole.”One of our huge concerns is time frames. Here we are, two years out and there are many, many unanswered questions. The ECB don’t officially have a format that is set in stone. The drafts, general managers, the pay bands… there’s an enormous amount of unanswered questions and the worry for me is that we don’t even have a timeframe as to when we’re going to get those answers.”Why we are moving away from the T20 format, which has been successful around the world? That was a big concern.”And there might not be a domestic T20 for the ladies, which is a huge negative. There’s no getting away from that: they need to be playing T20 cricket if there’s world competitions in that format.”There is no competition without any players, is there? As a union, we would have to feel very, very strongly to go completely against it. Whether that is likely to happen, I don’t know. We need to canvas opinions when we have more details of what it looks like.”The ECB are very keen to stress that the idea is still a concept. It’s an idea that all stakeholders will be consulted on and we’re a huge part of that. So it is not set in stone. It is a concept, but one they are very keen on.”

“Root and Stokes will be allocated to a team for marketing purposes, but they won’t be playing. The ECB made the point that this new audience won’t necessarily know who Stokes and Root are anyway”

While few more details were provided how the competition would work, there was a little more detail over the payment structures. As things stand, it seems each of the eight new teams would have a salary cap of GBP £1m with the top pay-band likely to be somewhere between GBP £110,000-130,000. As the competition is likely to clash with the CPL, however, that figure may need to rise.There is also no change in the expectation that England cricket’s biggest stars – the likes of Joe Root and Ben Stokes – would not be available for the new competition as they would be involved in a Test series.”That’s another concern,” Mitchell said. “The likes of Root and Stokes will be allocated to a team for marketing purposes, but they won’t be playing. The ECB made the point that this new audience won’t necessarily know who Stokes and Root are anyway.”Mitchell also confirmed that, as far the 27 representatives at the meeting were concerned, it would wrong to play Championship cricket at the same time as the new competition.”We’re still very keen that the pinnacle of the domestic game is the Championship and the pinnacle of the international game is Test cricket,” Mitchell said. “The ECB also said their No.1 priority was red ball, Test cricket which was reassuring to hear.Championship cricket is very marginalised at present. We’ll have to have a bit more red-ball cricket – and more changes of format – in the summer months rather than April and September. We’re probably going to have to move away from the blocks we have now to a degree.”The next step in the negotiations is for those PCA members who were present at the meeting to go back to their county dressing rooms to discuss the issues raised. “The ECB have promised we’ll meet more often and be kept in the loop more,” Mitchell said.The ECB also released a statement following the meeting. Repeating the word “concept”, they sought to reassure the players that no firm decision had been taken over the format of the new competition at this stage.”Today’s meeting with the PCA’s Player Representatives gave us constructive and valuable feedback on the 100-ball concept,” they said. “It was invaluable to talk through the concept after sharing it with the ECB Board, first-class county chief executives and chairmen and PCA management.”Players are the core of the game and we look forward to further discussions with them as we continue to develop the new competition.”

Manchester United are now monitoring an “incredible” £28 million striker ahead of a possible move for him in the summer, according to a recent report.

Man Utd news and updates

The Red Devils are back in Premier League action on Saturday lunchtime as they travel to Goodison Park for the final time to face Everton. It has been another week of no midweek matches for United, and Ruben Amorim will be hoping he can welcome one or two players back who missed the game against Tottenham.

Man Utd now agree personal terms with £50m player ahead of summer transfer

Man Utd and INEOS have moved one step closer to possibly completing their first summer signing.

ByBrett Worthington Feb 19, 2025

Kobbie Mainoo looks set to be on the sidelines for the next couple of games, but Amorim could receive a double boost, as defender Leny Yoro and midfielder Christian Eriksen are expected to be back for the game against Everton after recovering from illness. Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer could also be involved, as their injuries are not considered serious.

Away from injury news, it was reported this week that former Man United player Mason Greenwood is being linked with a move to both Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona. The French champions are said to have already offered £62 million to sign the player, which is great news for United, as they have a 50% sell-on clause, meaning they will earn £31 million from that transfer should it go through.

Man Utd monitoring £28m striker with incredible jump

Some of that money they could get from Greenwood could be used to sign a new striker, as according to Turkish outlet Sabah relayed by The People’s Person, Man United are keeping a close eye on Fenerbahce’s Youssef En-Nesyri ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Red Devils have been mentioned with a move for the forward before, but interest has never gathered to the point a bid has been made. But it is now claimed that United as well as Arsenal are monitoring En-Nesyri, as he impresses in Turkey.

The 27-year-old, who has been dubbed “incredible” by David Moyes, joined the Turkish giants in the summer transfer window from Sevilla, and he has become a real hit for Fenerbahçe under José Mourinho.

The forward has scored an impressive 15 goals in just 22 Süper Lig games, as Mourinho’s side try to chase down Galatasaray at the top of the table, but his real claim to fame was his form in the 2022 World Cup, where his headed finish for Morocco against Portugal saw him jump to 2.78 meters, higher than Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous header against Sampdoria.

Apps

35

Goals

23

Assists

4

The Morocco international spent all his career in Spain before moving to Turkey, so he is a player that has never played in the Premier League before. However, the physical power and ability in the air he possesses means he could fit perfectly into the Premier League, standing at 6 foot 2.

The Red Devils need to add more power to their forward line in the summer, and while En-Nesyri may not be their preferred choice to lead the line, he could be a very useful back-up option for Amorim. However, he would be a costly backup, as a team from Saudi Arabia bid 35 million euros (£28m) in the summer, and that was knocked back by Fenerbahce.

England captain insists that a change of coach would be a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction, and says it’s up to the team to improve

George Dobell at Headingley31-May-2018Joe Root has defended Trevor Bayliss after speculation that the England coach could be sacked if England lose again in Leeds.Were England to lose in Headingley, it would be their third series loss in a row and their seventh defeat in 10 Tests. They would also slip to No. 7 in the ICC’s Test rankings.And while it seems unlikely Bayliss would be removed from his position as limited-overs coach – England are rated No. 1 in the world in ODI cricket, after all, and reached the final of the more recent World T20 tournament – it is possible he would be replaced as Test coach if Pakistan prevail in the second Test.But Root, the England captain, insisted such change would be a “knee-jerk reaction” and instead suggested it was his team who should take responsibility for playing “below par these last six months”.”I love working with Trev,” Root said. “I think he does some really great things for this team.”As Jimmy Anderson said yesterday, he can’t do it for us on the field. Ultimately we need to play better. We’ve been below par these last six months.”I don’t see why there’s a need for a change. I think it’s the easy thing to have a knee-jerk reaction and change everything.”Although Root accepted the England dressing room was “low on confidence” and the potential loss of Ben Stokes through injury was far from ideal, he said there was no place for self pity and urged his side to see the game as an opportunity to put things right.”We’re low on confidence after a difficult winter,” Root said. “But there’s no place for “poor-mes” in international sport. We have some very talented players across all departments. It gives opportunities when someone misses out.”The approach is to go out there and put it right. And maybe prove a point to certain people. That can be a driver. I’m looking forward to getting out there straight away and hopefully turning things round.”There’s always noise. When you’re playing well you can lull yourself into thinking you’re playing better than you are. It can be the same the other way round. I’ve been consistent for a while and not kicked on. The same challenges are there for me.”Mentally, I’m really up for that challenge and that fight. Whether that be the captaincy or my batting. I’m really looking forward to this week and I’m glad it’s come about so soon. Now it’s just going and doing it.”

Liverpool should be emboldened that while Saturday evening's shattering defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League has resulted in an injury to the in-form Cody Gakpo and suspensions to Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota, the rekindled verve and vitality is there for all to see.

What's also pleasing is that the Anfield side boasts a wealth of academy talent that eclipses anything the club has been seen in recent years, with such exciting options offering a different approach for manager Jurgen Klopp, should he need it.

And use it he has; last season, with Liverpool suffering an incredible depletion of form and fluidity, a young Stefan Bajcetic was brought into the senior fold to aid the beleaguered Reds in their efforts, and he shone as the brightest spark in a midfield that was languishing heavily below expectations.

Hailed for his "exceptional" rise to prominence by Klopp last season, the 18-year-old Spaniard is but one example of the rich crop of precocity just waiting for a chance to impress on the major stage.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the obvious example, having been promoted to Liverpool's vice-captain in the summer and praised as "world-class" by former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves.

The aforementioned Jones has also enjoyed an impressive rise over the past year, while Ben Doak, aged 17, has currently made eight senior showings in age-belying fashion, and has been proclaimed to be a 'Scottish Wayne Rooney' by his agent Jackie McNamara due to his small yet strong stature and innate physicality.

Some remarkable talent, and all names starting to make themselves known on the major stage, but perhaps one of Liverpool's most prodigious youngsters is yet to become known to the masses.

Oakley Cannonier, goalscoring sensation, has recently returned from injury and is looking to continue his ascent to prominence after demonstrating such a sharp cutting edge in the earliest phase of his youth career.

Who is Oakley Cannonier?

Cannonier's progress beneath the surface at Liverpool has seen him be hindered by a long-term injury that has ruled him out of contention for much of the past year.

The aptly-named Cannonier has been firing the strikes home with vicious regularity at youth level, scoring 44 goals and supplying five assists from only 60 appearances for the Reds' respective development sides, heralded as a "goal machine" by prominent Liverpool reporter Neil Jones for his efforts.

The 19-year-old forward exhibited his prolific abilities last term with a flourish, scoring ten times from only 12 outings during a term that was hampered by injury – including seven goals from only four matches in the UEFA Youth League.

Last month, the striker returned to action with a resounding hat-trick in a friendly against Hull City after indeed spending ten months on the sidelines, and will now surely be viewed as one to keep an eye on as he continues to build back the form that left the likes of The Athletic's James Pearce describing him as "outstanding."

An out-and-out centre-forward, Cannonier will indeed be hoping that he could find his name on the senior team sheet this season for the first time, perhaps linking up with academy peer Kaide Gordon, who is looking to pick up where he left off under Klopp's wing after battling his own long-term absence.

How good is Kaide Gordon?

It's perhaps a testament to Gordon's prodigious skill set that he is still only 18-years-old (for a few more days) and has already forged four senior showings under Klopp's stewardship and netted his maiden goal – and that's despite spending the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign on the sidelines with a long-term injury.

Once described as "exceptional" by his manager, Gordon thrived for Liverpool's development squad after signing from Derby County for a reported fee of £3m as a 16-year-old, posting 12 goals and five assists across all competitions.

The one-cap England U21 international is capable of thriving across both offensive flanks and boasts skill, speed and guile in abundance.

Already demonstrating his ability to provide both incisive and creative danger, the Merseyside outfit's second-youngest-ever goalscorer would work seamlessly in tandem with Cannonier, providing the all-encompassing attacking threat as the focal frontman.

Player

Age

Result & Competition

Ben Woodburn

17 years, 1 month, 14 days

2-0 vs Leeds, League Cup

Kaide Gordon

17 years, 3 months, 4 days

4-1 vs Shrewsbury, FA Cup

Michael Owen

17 years, 4 months, 22 days

2-1 vs Wimbledon, Premier League

Jordan Rossiter

17 years, 5 months, 30 days

2-2 vs Middlesbrough, League Cup

Ki-Jana Hoever

17 years, 8 months, 7 days

2-0 vs MK Dons, League Cup

With both Gordon and Cannonier sharing an unfortunate spell on the sidelines with long-term injuries despite remaining pleasingly ensconced in the maiden stage of their professional career, with ample time to grow into their skin, they can both prove to be the first-rate phenoms Klopp and Liverpool crave for in the future.

As mentioned earlier, Liverpool's rise since that fateful day when Klopp graced the Merseyside club as manager for the first time has done more than just improve the first-team squad.

Liverpool, as a footballing institution, has been comprehensively rejuvenated, the stains of a miserable period in the club's history wiped away, and sustained success is now stitched into the fabric of the outfit once again.

As such, youth players are now held in a higher regard. The investment is felt. Gordon and Cannonier are but two of the teenage sensations pushing for a place on the Premier League pitch soon, and given the immense quality brimming from each, there is every possibility that both earn a shot to cement their berth soon enough.