For many Manchester United fans, they no doubt wish that the season could just be over already, with the 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest being the latest underwhelming showing.

Erik ten Hag’s team are now eighth in the Premier League after 20 games, losing nine matches already.

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With that in mind, the boss is desperate to make additions to his squad in January, with injuries preventing squad rotation.

Man Utd transfers latest – Ederson

According to Goal Brasil, the Red Devils are interested in signing Ederson of Atalanta, who has been previously described as “instrumental” by Breaking The Lines.

Talks are yet to begin between the two clubs, but United are contemplating sending a proposal in January.

The Brazilian is estimated to be worth £26m, as per CIES Football Observatory, and the midfielder is reportedly keen on the move.

Ederson’s style of play

Due to what seems to be a never-ending injury list, Ten Hag will look to bring in the 24-year-old engine. The boss has already purchased an Atalanta player this season, and therefore, the potential signing of Ederson could see the Rasmus Hojlund trick repeated.

Hojlund has netted just once in the Premier League this season, yet there have certainly been signs of promise in his embryonic United career, having scored five times during the club's Champions League group stage run.

Signing Ederson could then also prove an exciting addition for both the present and future, with the Atalanta midfielder a vital cog in Gian Piero Gasperini’s system this season, playing every Serie A game and starting all but one.

The ex-Salernitana man has also netted four goals this season in Italy, which would make him United’s second-highest top scorer in the Premier League.

The midfielder has a vast skill set, and the table below shows his profile using stats from this season’s Serie A, while comparing them to his positional peers.

Ederson's 2023/24 Serie A Stats
Stats (per 90)	Ederson	Percentile
Passes into the final third	6.10	Top 11%
Progressive passes	6.99	Top 5%
Touches	64.52	Top 31%
Tackles won	1.78	Top 11%
Dribblers tackled	1.66	Top 4%
Interceptions	1.54	Top 4%
Stats via FBref

As you can see, Ederson is the definition of a box-to-box midfielder who can impact the game at both ends of the field. He currently plays in the midfield two of a 3-4-2-1 variant, which is an extremely demanding role both in and out of possession.

What instantly stands out regarding the Brazilian is his incredible out-of-possession work rate and statistics. His physicality and athleticism allow him to cover ground well, and when you combine that with his high tackles, dribblers tackled, and interception statistics, he would massively help United’s issue with defending transitions.

Furthermore, he is confident on the ball and is always willing to receive a pass, even under pressure. When in possession, Ederson likes to progress the play and get the ball into the attackers. His progressive passes and passes into the final third showcase that, and with Kobbie Mainoo the only defensive midfielder that can currently do that in the Red Devils squad, Ederson would be a welcomed addition.

Overall, the signing of Ederson would elevate Man United to a whole new level. With Casemiro potentially out the door, Sofyan Amrabat failing to impress, and Scott McTominay offering nothing but goals, Ten Hag should look to sign the Brazilian this January.

If United’s number 18 does leave this month, it could free up the funds to sign his compatriot, and he would walk into the United starting XI.

أثار أحمد حسام ميدو، نجم الزمالك السابق، الجدل مجددًا بتصريحات نارية حول واقعة سقوط قاعدة درع الدوري المصري الجديد لحظة احتفال قائد الأهلي محمد الشناوي.

وطالب ميديو بضرورة إجراء تحقيق عاجل في هذا الحادث، موجهاً طلبه إلى وزير الشباب والرياضة الدكتور أشرف صبحي.

وعبر ميدو عن استيائه الشديد من جودة الدرع، واصفًا إياه بأنه “يشبه جنط عربية نقل”، وتساءل عن كيفية تصنيع درع كلف الدولة ملايين الجنيهات بهذا الشكل المزرى.

طالع أيضًا | ثروت سويلم: هناك شيء خاطئ في تركيب درع الدوري.. ولا تأجيلات لـ الأهلي

وكتب ميدو، عبر حسابه الرسمي بمنصة “إكس”: “أتمنى أن يكون هناك تحقيق من قبل معالي الوزير الدكتور أشرف صبحي في واقعة سقوط قاعدة درع الدوري لحظة احتفال الشناوي كابتن الأهلي”.

وأضاف: “إزاي درع مكلف الدولة ملايين يكون مفكك بالشكل ده؟ وإزاي درع الدوري يكون شكله كده أصلا؟ والله أنا افتكرته چنط عربية نقل!!”.

وواستلم الأهلي، درع الدوري المصري عن موسم 2023-2024، أمس السبت، عقب مواجهة جورماهيا الكيني في بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، وخلال قيام محمد الشناوي برفع الدرع سقطت قاعدته أرضًا أمام الجميع.

أتمنى أن يكون هناك تحقيق من قبل معالي الوزير الدكتور أشرف صبحي في واقعة سقوط قاعدة درع الدوري لحظة احتفال الشناوي كابتن الأهلي..ازاي درع مكلف الدولة ملايين يكون مفكك بالشكل ده؟ وازاي درع الدوري يكون شكله كده أصلا؟ والله أنا افتكرته چانط عربية نقل!!

— Mido (@midoahm) September 22, 2024

Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s captain, says that his team will have to cobble together a new strategy to stay alive in the World Cup, after a disastrous defeat to Bangladesh at The Oval was compounded by a hamstring strain for Lungi Ngidi that will keep one of their premier strike bowlers out of action for up to ten days.With Dale Steyn, their iconic attack leader, still inching his way back to fitness following a shoulder problem, du Plessis admitted that “Plan A is gone”, having come into the World Cup with hopes of deploying those two men alongside Kagiso Rabada to form one of the most formidable pace attacks in world cricket.And now, with just three days to dust themselves off before taking on India in their opening World Cup fixture in Southampton on Wednesday, du Plessis said that he was still searching for answers as to why South Africa’s campaign has got off to such a poor start.”I have to believe that we can still win the World Cup,” du Plessis said. “I won’t be South African if I said no.”I’ll go back and try and see how we can lift the spirits in the team. We’re playing a strong team in India in their first game, and our third game, so as a team, we know. We know we’re not good enough at the moment and we have to turn it around.”It’s not like international cricket [is] ‘there you go, there’s a win for you’. The World Cup is set up with strong teams, and we have to win. We have no other choice. We won’t be going back and just falling over, I can promise you that.”Faf Du Plessis of South Africa addresses the media during the Group Stage match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019•Getty Images

South Africa’s performance was fatally undermined when Ngidi left the field after bowling just four expensive overs in Bangladesh’s record ODI total of 330 for 6. He did not reappear, even to bat, and Dr Mohammad Moosajee, the team doctor, confirmed he would be sent for scans after experiencing “sharp discomfort in his left hamstring”.”Look, it didn’t go according to plan,” said du Plessis. “We spoke a lot before the game about trying to be aggressive, but obviously then Lungi got injured and that changed completely.”Now all of a sudden, as captain, I have to bowl 15 to 20 overs of medium to slow or spin or bowling, so then you need to bowl the team out in order to make sure that you don’t have to chase a big score.”But the nature of subcontinent teams is that they do get a big score on the board, they can squeeze you when they have runs on the board, and that’s exactly what happened.”Options for South Africa are thin on the ground going into the India fixture. Dwaine Pretorius is waiting in the wings as a seam-bowling allrounder, and Tabraiz Shamsi could conceivably link up with Imran Tahir in a twin-spin attack. But their ideal scenario, of fast and hostile bowling to cow their opponents into submission, is now to all intents and purposes over.Plan A is gone,” said du Plessis. “It’s gone because Plan A was those bowlers playing together. They haven’t played a game together on this tour.”Initially Plan B was Anrich Nortje, an extra pace bowler that we had lined up for if we had an injury, to have another X-factor bowler that can bowl 145 plus. He got injured, as well.”So now you’re moving into your all-rounder territory. You have two medium pace all-rounders and then you have Chris Morris that like sits in between your fast bowlers and your medium pace bowlers.”So, now, we have to really look at what we can do to try to be effective; is it playing all-rounders together, do we play two spinners. Now it’s reshuffling all our cards and see how best we can deal with it.”Steyn is at least making progress towards his long-awaited return. He practised in the middle after the match, and should be close to consideration for the India game. However, having not played competitively since the IPL in April, and with a possible six must-win matches still to come in the group stages, his realistic return may be deferred until the West Indies match on June 9.”Any captain would say that it’s not easy [managing injuries], but I mean, I can’t complain about it,” said du Plessis. “That’s not going to change anything. I have to find a way. The coaching staff, the team, has to find a way. It’s not going for us from an injuries point of view.”For now, du Plessis’ task is to motivate a dispirited dressing room, and he warned that – whereas there was comfort to be taken in the manner of their opening defeat against India – the Bangladesh loss was a different matter altogether.”From my style of captaincy, has always been there’s a line, and if you don’t perform to that line, then there’s a lot of harsh words,” he said. “I’m certainly not Mr. Nice Guy. There’s times for strictness and there’s times that you see a dressing room needs you to be strong and to motivate them, and that was the previous game when we lost to England the way that we did.”But now, today was not good enough. There’s absolutely no excuses from me. So if the guys think they can make excuses for a performance like today, then they will be challenged. That’s a fact.”At the moment, it’s a skill thing. Our skill is not where it needs to be. It’s got absolutely nothing to do with injuries. You can make excuses, as many as you want. But every single player in our dressing room is not playing to their full potential, and that’s why we’re not putting the performance on. It’s just about making sure you look at yourself in the mirror and see how you can find that answer.”

Glasgow Rangers are currently preparing for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign in La Manga, enjoying a training camp in the Spanish sun.

Philippe Clement will be hopeful this can reinvigorate the players following an exhaustive period in which the Gers played nine games from the start of December until 2nd January, winning a trophy and qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League in the process.

With the club chasing further glory on both domestic and European fronts when the season resumes next week, Clement will hopefully have added another player or two to his squad.

Fabio Silva – arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a six-month loan deal – is the only fresh face to join the Light Blues during the winter window thus far.

The onus will be on the Belgian coach to sign a few more players and there appears to be another name linked with a move to Scotland – Tashreeq Matthews.

Rangers transfer news – Tashreeq Matthews

It is no secret that Clement is aiming to bolster his attacking options this month. Danilo faces another three months out due to suffering a knee injury, while Cyriel Dessers lacks the composure that the club require for a title challenge – having scored just nine goals in 30 games to date.

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Several names have been mentioned with regard to a move to Ibrox, most notably Michy Batshuayi, and Clement has a few decisions to make over the coming weeks.

According to Soccer Laduma (via Glasgow World), the Light Blues are also seemingly chasing a move for Tashreeq Matthews, who is currently playing in Sweden for IK Sirius.

The report states that Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Kaizer Chiefs are also keen on securing a deal for the talented gem, and it is believed the player fits the current player-trading model at the club.

He has a contract that runs until 2026, and it remains unclear how much the Gers will have to fork out should they wish to lure him across the North Sea.

It wouldn’t be the first time the Ibrox side have raided a Scandinavian club for an attacking player who is displaying wonderful potential, as Alfredo Morelos joined the club in 2017 from Finnish side HJK Helsinki, and he went on to become a cult hero among the supporters.

Alfredo Morelos’ Rangers statistics

Morelos was arguably the finest signing former boss Pedro Caixinha made during his dismal spell at the club, and it shows that there are plenty of gems ready and waiting to be plucked from outside Scotland.

The Colombian only cost the club £1m and considering how many goals he would net over the next six years, it soon appeared to be a stunning bargain.

Having netted 46 goals across just 62 matches for Helsinki, there was no doubting his ability in front of goal, yet playing for Rangers was a major step up in class, was he ready to handle it?

Morelos scored 18 goals during his debut campaign in Scotland before netting 30 in his second and any questions about his ability to shine for the club were put to one side.

The next four seasons saw the 27-year-old become the leading European goal scorer in the club’s illustrious history, ending up with 29 goals in 63 continental matches, although he did miss the 2022 Europa League final, diminishing their chances against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Alfredo Morelos' Rangers stats	Games	Goals
2022/23	48	12
2021/22	42	18
2020/21	44	17
2019/20	47	29
2018/19	48	30
2017/18	43	18
Stats via Transfermarkt

Morelos departed Scotland after six enjoyable seasons and while his last season wasn’t quite as productive as first anticipated, he leaves a plethora of wonderful memories.

Matthews may not be an out-and-out striker like Morelos, but his form in the Swedish top flight as a winger for IK Sirius could see Clement repeat the blinder Rangers had when signing the Colombian centre-forward.

Tashreeq Matthews’ career statistics

The South African starlet began his career at Borussia Dortmund, playing twice for their youth side in the UEFA Youth League before enjoying loan spells at FC Utrecht and Helsingborgs before ending up at IK Sirius via Varbergs, and he shone during the 2023 Allsvenskan campaign.

The versatile attacker – who can operate on either wing while even being able to operate in a more central role – managed to register 20 goal contributions across 30 top-flight matches, and it clearly proves he has the knack of not only finding the back of the net, but also setting up plenty of chances for others.

The 23-year-old impressed among his teammates, ranking first for goals and assists (20) in the top division along with ranking second for shots per game (2.2), first for big chances created (seven) and second for key passes per game (1.5) and these statistics clearly showcase how impressive he was in the final third for the Swedish side last season.

If there is one area that Clement desperately needs to improve this month, it is his attacking options and the 5 foot 9 dynamo has proved that he can register solid numbers in a side that finished in midtable.

Writer Gavin Valentine lauded the winger amid interest from the Light Blues, saying: “Technically gifted, good finisher, good playmaker something we lack.” And he could thrive in Scottish football if given the chance.

Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson was another to heap praise on Matthews, saying: “A creator and finisher, Matthews could provide the numbers fans always hoped Ryan Kent would.”

Could he follow in Morelos’ footsteps and impress after joining Rangers? No one will know unless the move happens, but the fact that he can provide a goalscoring threat from a wide position indicates that Clement must take a gamble on the player.

The Gers have played it safe with certain signings over the last couple of years and while not every risk will pay off, there could be the chance to unearth the next rough diamond who could be turned into a profitable asset.

Matthews may not be the finished article just yet, but if the 49-year-old can get him registering 15-20 goal contributions a season, then the South African winger will generate the Ibrox side a decent profit.

There may have been sections of the Tottenham Hotspur support who were scratching their head at the news of the club's interest in former Chelsea flop, Timo Werner, with the German speedster having hardly been the most exciting capture on the surface.

The 27-year-old – who has signed on an initial loan deal from RB Leipzig – had previously faltered in the Premier League during his time at Stamford Bridge, scoring just ten top-flight goals across two full seasons, prior to being sent back to the Bundesliga.

That return to his homeland had also failed to pan out as the one-time Stuttgart man netted just twice in the first half of 2023/24 – and yet, the early evidence would suggest that Ange Postecoglou has pulled off something of a masterstroke, such has been Werner's fine start to life in Lilywhite.

Rather than being tasked with trying to emulate the likes of Harry Kane through the middle, the versatile asset has instead found a home for himself on the left flank in his embryonic Tottenham career, registering two assists across his first three league outings.

That early impact has led to praise from pundit Jamie O'Hara, with the former Spurs midfielder stating that Werner has been a "good signing" for the club and that Postecoglou can "get the best out of him", despite his prior woes in west London.

With Heung-min Son soon set to return from the Asian Cup later this month, the former Celtic boss now has real competition on the flanks in the form of the South Korean star, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and Werner – a pool of talent that could help fire them toward a Champions League berth.

That strength in depth, however, should prove bad news for one promising talent at N17, with Bryan Gil seemingly needing to find a new home over the summer, despite opting to stay put in the winter window.

January interest in Bryan Gil

It is telling of Gil's woes that in the previous two January windows he has been shipped out on loan back to his native Spain, with that epitomising just what a dismal deal it has been for all concerned since his arrival from Sevilla back in 2021.

That £25m capture – which also saw Erik Lamela head in the other direction – looks to be a real costly mistake as far as Spurs are concerned, with the playmaker having quickly been sent back to La Liga to join Valencia in 2022, prior to making a return to Andalusia a year later.

As pundit Noel Whelan stated, sending the youngster back to a league that he has already impressed in appeared "utterly pointless", hence the intrigue regarding a potential move within the Premier League last month.

The suggestion late in the window was that Brighton and Hove Albion were keen to sign the 22-year-old on loan until the end of the season, with the two clubs having even held talks regarding that potential temporary switch.

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As it proved, however, the four-cap international reportedly shunned that interest amid his desire to stay in north London, although it remains to be seen how much game time he will go on to get this season, particularly amid the signing of Werner.

Bryan Gil's season by numbers

Since turning down the Seagulls' advances, Gil has been described as a "fantastic young player" by his manager, with Postecoglou hinting that the 5 foot 9 dynamo has largely not been helped due to injuries this season.

That being said, when the £40k-per-week talent has featured of late he hasn't exactly done much to impress, with Sky Sport pundit Jamie Carragher brutally stating that the winger "looked like a boy playing in a man’s game", after he was hooked at half time in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

That outing at the Etihad was one of just two league starts that the left-footer has earned so far this season, having also struggled to make an impact off the bench with no goals or assists in 11 games in all competitions.

As Postecoglou noted, injuries have been a factor in derailing his progress, although there is a nagging feeling that Gil simply struggles to impact games, having created zero 'big chances' and averaged just 0.3 key passes per game in the league in 2023/24.

Part of a group of players whom writer Mitch Fretton described as "unwanted" at the club last summer, the peripheral figure also averages just 0.4 tackles and interceptions per game, with the defensive part of his game also lacking.

How Bryan Gil compares to Timo Werner

It is quite remarkable that in just four appearances for Spurs to date, Werner has already matched Gil's record of two assists – despite the fact that the Spaniard has now played 42 games for the club.

While there have been stints out on loan, in over three years at N17, Gil has also failed to score so far in all competitions, with the north Londoners having hardly seen any return on their rather sizeable £25m investment.

It is not as if the Brighton target has particularly ripped it up during his time in Spain either, his best returns seeing him score four goals and contribute four assists in 29 games for Eibar, while providing just nine goal contributions in 45 games for Sevilla.

Werner, meanwhile, chalked up 160 goals and assists in just 213 games across two spells at Leipzig, while also actually boasting a solid record for the Blues with 44 goal involvements in just 89 games.

Werner v Bryan Gil – across the last 365 days

Stats (per 90)

Werner

Gil

Non-penalty goals

0.27

0.12

Assists

0.21

0.18

Shot-creating actions

2.99

2.62

Progressive passes

2.46

2.80

Progressive carries

3.95

3.15

Successful take-ons

1.23

1.98

Touches (att pen)

6.04

3.38

Progressive passes received

9.73

9.39

Stats via FBref

The Champions League winner's superior threat can also be seen by the fact that he ranks in the top 11% among his European peers for touches in attacking penalty area per 90, while Gil, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 34% in that regard.

With Werner already making an immediate impact under Postecoglou, it is hard to see young Gil being able to replicate such a resurgence over the coming months, with the eventual outcome likely to be a much-needed exit this summer.

Mustafizur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin ensured that Bangladesh kept fighting, but too many of their batsmen failed to build on starts in a chase of 315

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy02-Jul-2019

Hardik Pandya picked up the crucial wickets at regular intervals•Getty Images

As it happenedBangladesh are out of the 2019 World Cup. They’ve beaten the teams they were expected to beat, and also a couple they may not have been, but they haven’t managed to win any of their meetings with the tournament favourites, despite looking impressive and coming close on a couple of occasions. They came close against India at Edgbaston, but not close enough, falling 29 runs short in a chase of 315.With this result, India become the second team after Australia to seal a spot in the semi-finals. They won an important toss, and got to a hugely advantageous position via a 180-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma, who scored his fourth hundred of this World Cup, and KL Rahul. Bangladesh kept chipping away at that advantage, with Mustafizur Rahman’s cutters limiting the damage India could do in the slog overs, and their batsmen keeping them close to the required rate right through their chase, but they never completely nullified it.Bangladesh lost a few too many wickets off not particularly threatening deliveries, and though seven of their top eight got past 20, only two of them went on to score half-centuries: the unfaltering Shakib Al Hasan and their No. 8 Mohammad Saifuddin. That, in the end, sealed the deal.Tamim Iqbal and Mosaddek Hossain played on, done in by the slowness of the pitch but also their angled bats, while Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim hit aggressive shots straight to fielders on the 30-yard circle. Shakib, using the pace of the bowlers smartly and going at close to a run a ball despite only hitting six fours in 74 balls, kept Bangladesh in the chase despite all these setbacks, but when he was sixth out with 136 still to get, foxed by a clever slower ball from Hardik Pandya, the game looked over. Pandya, the fifth bowler with no sixth bowler in the XI, did a stellar job, varying his pace, hitting the pitch hard, and finishing with three wickets.Despite Shakib’s dismissal, Bangladesh’s required rate hadn’t yet gone out of hand, and Sabbir Rahman and Saifuddin kept the game alive with an entertaining stand of 66 in 56 balls. The partnership may also have given India a couple of pointers for future matches: it showed the value of having a useful batsman at No. 8, and also the tendency of Mohammed Shami to go for runs in the late overs. Should they go back to playing two spinners, the Shami vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar question – despite the wicket threat of the former – probably has a straightforward answer.Runs were harder to come by against Bhuvneshwar and Jasprit Bumrah, and a slower offcutter from the latter ended Sabbir’s innings in the 44th over. Saifuddin needed one of the tailenders to stay with him if Bangladesh were to get 70 off 41, but they didn’t, not for long enough anyway.The equation came down to 29 off 14 when Saifuddin took a single to bring the No. 10 Rubel Hossain on strike for the last two balls of Bumrah’s quota of overs. Those two balls was all Bumrah needed, two inch-perfect yorkers proving too good for Rubel and Mustafizur.Rohit Sharma sends Mohammad Saifuddin over the extra-cover boundary•Getty Images

The match was played on the same pitch that hosted the England-India match on Sunday, and it remained the same kind of pitch: flat but progressively slower. It also meant the square boundaries were the same – short on one side, long on the other. Both teams picked their teams with the boundaries rather than the surface in mind: spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Mehidy Hasan went out, and seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rubel Hossain came in.Batting first was a no-brainer, and Rohit and Rahul gave India the perfect start. Bangladesh’s bowlers took a while getting used to the conditions, and offered plenty of hittable balls, with Rohit in particularly damaging form, pulling Mashrafe Mortaza and launching Saifuddin over extra-cover for big sixes in the first six overs. Bangladesh could have dismissed him in between, for 9, but Tamim dropped a sitter at deep square leg when he miscued a pull off Mustafizur. That miss will go down alongside the no-ball from the 2015 World Cup quarter-final in the annals of what-if moments in Rohit v Bangladesh.Rohit made Bangladesh pay for the miss, and much as he did against Pakistan batted at a higher tempo than is usually the case in the early parts of his big ODI innings. There were drives all around the ground and a number of his trademark pulls, but what was also apparent was a willingness to go hard at balls wide of off stump, as seen in a couple of sliced boundaries backward of point early on.This aggression may well be a product of having Rahul – who is still finding his feet as an ODI batsman – rather than Shikhar Dhawan at the other end. Rahul began in more circumspect fashion, before unfurling a series of pretty drives and flicks once he was past 20.The only Bangladesh bowlers to come to terms with the conditions initially were Shakib – who bowled to the right-hand batsmen with the short boundary to the leg side, and almost never gave them the chance to pull or slog-sweep – and, oddly enough, Soumya. Unlike his quicker colleagues, Soumya varied his pace – between gentle medium and gentler medium – and bowled into the pitch, asking the batsmen to manufacture their own power. A slower ball ended Rohit’s innings at 104, off 92 balls, just when whispers about 200 were growing more audible.As in the England game, the pitch began slowing down around the halfway mark of the first innings, and the other bowlers also began following Soumya’s example. Runs became harder to come by, and a frustrated Rahul nicked off trying to slash Rubel.Virat Kohli looked bright and enterprising in scoring 26, before failing to get enough power into his shot while trying to pull Mustafizur: this time the fielder at deep square leg held on. Pandya came and went in the same over, edging Mustafizur’s cutter to wide slip, and suddenly Bangladesh were back in the game.Ben Stokes put England back on track after a similar stutter on Sunday, and Rishabh Pant threatened to play that role for India today, smoking three successive fours off Saifuddin immediately after Mustafizur’s double-strike. But he fell for 48, trying to slog-sweep Shakib to the longer boundary, and India’s innings lost momentum. MS Dhoni showed flashes of brilliance in a 33-ball 35, but Mustafizur took both him and Dinesh Karthik out with his cutter-bouncer, and he eventually finished with 5 for 59 – his fourth five-for in ODIs and his third against India.India only made 63 in their last ten overs. It left Bangladesh chasing far less than they might have been – 350 looked a distinct possibility when Rohit was still at the crease – and on another day they might well have pulled it off. They just didn’t manage it on this most important of days.

Arsenal will be looking to make amends for their festive period slump when they restart their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta may be hoping that the break has helped his frontline rediscover their goalscoring form and that the rest of the side can go back to their best of last season.

However, with the transfer window in full swing, the club have also been linked to several potential recruits, with one of the latest having the potential to be the perfect partner for William Saliba – and he just so happens to have been likened to Gabriel.

Arsenal look to Germany for a new defensive stalwart

As per a report from The Athletic last month, Arsenal are keeping an eye on highly-rated Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt – with the Gunners, therefore, likely to be interested in recent developments in Bavaria regarding the centre-back.

According to a more recent report from German publication BILD this week, the former Ajax star has had a 'fall-out' with Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel over his lack of game time this season, which has, in turn, led to an opportunity for the Gunners.

However, the north Londoners aren't the only ones in the picture, as the BILD report also notes Manchester United as a possible suitor, with Erik ten Hag's time with the centre-back in Amsterdam potentially set to help the Red Devils jump ahead of Arsenal.

No transfer fee has been reliably reported as of yet, but the CIES football observatory values the 24-year-old at £43m, and with his position in the team plus his aforementioned relationship with the manager, this could well be accurate.

How De Ligt compares to Gabriel

Now, if the Dutch "monster", as he was described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, ends up signing for Arsenal, it would almost certainly be with the guarantee that he would be given a starting role alongside Saliba, meaning that, unfortunately for Gabriel, a seat on the bench would beckon.

While learning how to play with a new partner can take time for centre-backs, it could be a relatively painless experience for Saliba, as according to FBref, the second most similar player in Europe's top five leagues to De Ligt is Gabriel.

FBref comes to this conclusion by looking at where each player ranks for several key metrics across those leagues and then ranks the ten most similar players for those who play in said leagues.

However, how do the pair stack up when comparing their underlying numbers? Should Gabriel be worried?

Well, it's more bad news for the former LOSC Lille man, as in almost every relevant metric, Bayern's "generational" talent, as described by talent scout Jacek Kluig, has him beaten, although the fact that De Ligt has played fewer minutes this season does mean that there is perhaps an element of doubt with these figures.

Stats per 90

De Ligt

Gabriel

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.31

0.11

Progressive Passes

4.63

3.99

Progressive Carries

0.98

0.55

Passing Accuracy

93.0%

86.6%

Tackles Won

0.98

0.61

Blocks

0.73

1.04

Clearances

4.63

2.45

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

That said, with how emphatic the gap is in some areas, more minutes would likely make little difference to the overall outcome.

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Ultimately, Gabriel is a brilliant defender, of that there is no doubt, but if Arsenal can get their hands on De Ligt for a relatively modest price, they absolutely should, as a partnership between him and Saliba could make a massive difference in the title race and beyond.

Now that the January transfer window is closed, Tottenham Hotspur can look back on it as a great success, having welcomed Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin in the early stages. And now the good news is set to continue, with Ange Postecoglou potentially handed a late fitness boost ahead of his side's next game against Everton.

Tottenham team news

The Lilywhites have had quite the campaign of injuries, exposing their lack of squad depth throughout. The return of James Maddison was certainly a welcome sight last time out against Brentford, however, as he made his first Premier League appearance since a lengthy spell on the sidelines, helping Spurs to a 3-2 victory.

Postecoglou spoke about the midfielder's return, saying via Reuters: "(Maddison) got more and more into the game and I think he's one of the guilty ones who spent more time in the first half chatting to the ref than getting on the ball.

"That's not what we want him to do. We want him to play football and I thought in the second half his quality shone through and when he's like that, and I'm sure that game will do him the world of good, it just gives us so much more flow."

If Maddison's return wasn't enough of a boost, the North London club could now welcome back Pape Matar Sarr after he was knocked out of AFCON with Senegal by Ivory Coast on penalties in the last 16.

Postecoglou confirmed that Sarr faces a late fitness test and decision ahead of the Everton game, saying via Spurs' official website: "We'll see how it goes. He's had a long trip back so we'll see how he holds up in training and make a decision around him. Everyone else got through the game ok, we're the same as Wednesday night."

"Great" Sarr is quietly crucial for Spurs

Whilst the spotlight will undoubtedly continue to shine on Maddison in Spurs' midfield, Sarr will continue to impress behind the Lilywhites' protagonists flying forward. The midfielder's return should hand Postecoglou a major boost in the coming games, potentially starting against Everton, with Sarr's stats representing a player who's been at the top of his game so far this season.

Progressive Carries Per 90 (1.85)

72nd percentile

Progressive Passes Per 90 (6.54)

82nd percentile

Assists Per 90 (0.20)

91st percentile

Aerials Won Per 90 (1.32)

71st percentile

It's no surprise that Sarr's performances have been praised so highly by Postecoglou, who said via The Spurs Web earlier this season: "Yeah, brilliant. He’s been great from the moment I arrived. He’s got a great energy about him, but he’s got quality there too.

"He’s one of those midfielders who causes the opposition real problems because whether it’s him running with the ball or without the ball, he runs forward, he runs aggressively and he disrupts the opposition. He’s just got a great temperament for a young guy. So really pleased for him.”

Former Olympic champion Usain Bolt has pointed to Arsenal's failure to win a trophy as the reason why Manchester United enjoyed a better season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Gunners finished 29 points ahead of Red Devils
• Erik ten Hag's side savoured FA Cup glory
• Bolt measures success in medals won

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United suffered the worst Premier League campaign in their history, slumping to an eighth-place finish, while registering a negative goal difference for the first time before lifting the FA Cup. Arsenal, meanwhile, took the title race into the final weekend, eventually finishing two points behind champions Manchester City.

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• WHAT USAIN BOLT SAID

  Speaking on talkSPORT, Bolt was asked which side had the more successful season: "It’s like I’m running on a circuit and doing well and then I get to the Championship and win no medals.”

  Asked if an eighth-placed finish for the Red Devils was good enough, Bolt responded: "Yeah, but we’re in Europe. Everybody always asks me who I’d rather win the Premier League out of Arsenal and Man City – I’m like, 'Man City, easy.' People are like, ‘But they’re your rival’. I know a lot of Arsenal fans and when they’re top of the table they talk so much and I’m like, ‘You haven’t won yet!’ Imagine if they actually won? Oh my God, It would be over."

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Bolt is a huge football fan and after hanging up his running spikes he trained with Australian side Central Coast Mariners in 2018, playing in two friendly matches before deciding not to pursue an unlikely second sporting act on the football pitch. He has since played in the Soccer Aid charity game.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Manchester United are set for a busy summer following their disappointing Premier League campaign as INEOS prepare for their first transfer window in charge of the club's football operations. Plenty of ins and outs are expected on the pitch, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe's first key decision will be whether to stick or twist with under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.

أتم مجلس إدارة النادي المصري البورسعيدي، برئاسة كامل أبو علي، إجراءات التعاقد مع صفقة جديدة للنسور الخُضر استعدادًا لانطلاق الموسم الجديد.

وبعد التنسيق مع الجهاز الفني للفريق الأول بقيادة علي ماهر، أتم النادي ضم ثامن الصفقات.

وأعلن النادي المصري، تعاقدة مع الدولي البنيني أتدجيكو سامادو لاعب فريق باني جانسي إف سي البنيني.

طالع أيضاً.. السوبر الإفريقي.. طموح الزمالك يطارد أرقام الأهلي القياسية في المملكة أرينا

وجاء تعاقد المصري مع أتدجيكو بعقد يمتد لثلاثة مواسم بداية من مطلع موسم 2025/2024 وحتى نهاية موسم 2027/2026.

جدير بالذكر أنه تم الحصول على الاستغناء الخاص باللاعب ودفع المقابل النقدي للصفقة لناديه والحصول بالتالي على البطاقة الدولية للاعب.

يذكر أن اللاعب أتدجيكو سامادو والذي كان محط أنظار العديد من الأندية العربية والأوروبية يبلغ من العمر 20 عامُا، ويلعب بمركز لاعب خط الوسط المدافع، وهو من العناصر الأساسية لمنتخب الشباب البنيني، وقد تم استدعاء اللاعب للانضمام لمنتخب بنين الأول والذي يقوده الألماني جيرنوت روهر، وذلك خلال التوقف الدولي الأخير مطلع سبتمبر الجاري، والذي خاض فيه منتخب بنين مباراتين بتصفيات كأس الأمم الإفريقية أمام منتخبي نيجيريا وليبيا.

وتأهل المصري إلى دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، وذلك بعد الفوز على الهلال الليبي بنتيجة 5-3 بركلات الترجيح.