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Unai Emery gave a very awkward interview after seeing his Aston Villa side blow a two-goal lead over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

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Villa were 2-0 ahead at Old TraffordEnded up losing 3-2 to UnitedEmery focuses on Villa's league points in awkward interviewWHAT HAPPENED?

Villa squandered a 2-0 lead, allowing the Red Devils to stage a second-half comeback with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening. John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker scored to set Villa up for the three points but a late collapse left Emery with his head in his hands. However, the manager refused to be drawn on the negative side of his team's display and instead focused on the 39 points his team have amassed at the mid-way point of the season.

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When asked by the presenter of about what went wrong, Emery replied: "Thirty-nine points. It’s amazing."

The Villa boss added with a wry smile: "Now you’re asking me in another direction! Good, good, only analyse tonight. Sixty minutes, fantastic. Fantastic."

Getty THE BIGGER PICTURE

After an awkward start to the interview, Emery acknowledged the difficult challenge of facing a side like United away from home and stressed the need for his team to learn from the experience. "Manchester United, when they scored the first goal, the supporters here, they came back, the atmosphere, pushing them. And they have very good players," he said. "Of course, we had to be demanding but accepting as well. One team like Manchester United here can come back like they did. I want to analyse this match with the first 60 minutes we played, very good. Then of course we have to take experiences and we have to improve in the level we want to get, the level we want to achieve. Our players are now taking experiences. Manchester United, they have more experiences than us, more time being in the top level, the players and the club and the team. We move on. In the end, very disappointed, but accepting, and trying to understand all our first part of the season."

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DID YOU KNOW?

The loss at Old Trafford was just Villa's fourth league defeat this season and their first since November 5. The Lions are still sitting in third position, just three points behind leaders Liverpool and eight ahead of sixth-placed United.

West Indies’ bowling coach had good things to say about his wards, especially legspinner Devendra Bishoo who has found form once again after a disappointing tour of England

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo22-Oct-2017

West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick credited an “outstanding” bowling attack for setting up West Indies’ first-innings lead over Zimbabwe in the first Test at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Estwick, who has worked with the team’s bowlers for the last 18 months, gave special mention to legspinner Devendra Bishoo, who had a quiet tour of England but came to the fore with 5 for 79 against Zimbabwe.”Over the last year the bowling department has been functioning well, so I’m not surprised that we were able to bowl them out under our score,” Estwick said. “The bowling unit has been outstanding all year, and once Bishoo came to the party. I wasn’t surprised we restricted them to this score.”Bishoo, who took just three wickets across two Tests in England, picked up the fourth five-wicket haul of his career and ran through Zimbabwe’s top order with a combination of spin, bounce and accuracy in helpful conditions on the second day.”He didn’t have the best tour of England,” Estwick conceded. “It’s a difficult place to bowl. But if you look [at the last year], he got 30 wickets in that period so he’s been quite successful. He got eight wickets in Dubai on a flat track as well, so he does his job. The bowling unit has been outstanding; you can’t fault them. They’ve been able to stay on the park and stay fresh. It’s been a long year but we keep going and we keep getting teams out.”Estwick suggested that West Indies had taken their cue from Zimbabwe’s first-day bowling effort, when the patience and consistency of the seamers set up the spinners’ demolition. “Obviously we learnt from the way that Zimbabwe bowled in their first innings where they were patient and soaked up pressure,” he said. “We tried to do the same thing, block it with our seamers and try to get wickets from the other end.”West Indies’ lead stood at 148, with nine wickets standing, at the close of play, but in what has been a fast-moving, see-sawing Test match so far Estwick also warned against any complacency. “[The pitch] is going to get a bit more difficult because it’s going to lose pace, and that means strokemaking is going to get difficult. Zimbabwe lost 7 for 53 [58] after lunch, so the game can change very quickly on a pitch like this. We’ve got to try and take the game as long as possible. Bat until lunchtime and then assess from there. You can’t get ahead of yourself on this pitch. There’s a lot of cricket left.”

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Moonda: Anderson doing what SA would want from Steyn

Honours conferred on active sportsmen don’t always work out as their instigators might have intended – Sir Andy Murray, for one, hasn’t had much to cheer about since being asked to arise in the New Year’s Honours. But for James Anderson, Lancashire’s most prolific Test wicket-taker, the chance to ply his trade from the newly conferred James Anderson End at Old Trafford merely raised his game to heights he has rarely matched in six previous matches on his home ground.By the close of the second day, Anderson’s figures of 4 for 33, his best in Tests at Old Trafford, allied to a brilliant display of ball-striking and strike-farming from Jonny Bairstow in the morning session, had pushed South Africa to the brink of surrender in the series. They limped to the close on 220 for 9, still trailing by 142, with Kagiso Rabada’s last-ball dismissal summing up their futile situation.Anderson’s day was split into three acts, all of them originating from in front of his new fiefdom by the ground’s grand old pavilion. First he strode out with the bat to a hero’s welcome from the crowd, and responded with a vital and undefeated cameo at the end of England’s first innings – 4 not out from 15 balls providing an obdurate foil to the brilliant Bairstow, who reeled off the bulk of a 50-run stand in 9.1 overs for the last wicket before being adjudged lbw for 99 by the tightest of margins. On Bairstow’s watch, England had added 102 runs to their overnight 260 for 4 to turn a dicey position into a dominant one.

Bairstow’s 99, Moeen’s best series

15 Players from England to be dismissed for 99 in a Test. Jonny Bairstow is the latest addition to this rather unlucky set. Bairstow also become the first player since Ricky Ponting in 2008 to be dismissed for 99 against South Africa.
12 Average runs addedThree different pairs have been tried by South Africa during this period but the highest stand has been 21.
3 Number of instances Toby Roland-Jones has dismissed Hashim Amla in this series. In 21 balls he has conceded 7 runs and has got him out three times.
20 Wickets for Moeen Ali in the series so far – the most he has taken in a series. His previous best was 19 wickets against India in 2014.

Then, armed with the new ball and doubtless eager to christen his end of the ground with a wicket worthy of the name, Anderson wasted no time in making his mark. Dean Elgar, South Africa’s anchorman, lasted just three balls before being pinned on the shin by a trademark Anderson inswinger to the left-hander. South Africa reached lunch on 12 for 1 after four testing overs.His most telling intercession, however, came midway through the evening session, when he returned in the 39th over to lively up what had been a meandering South Africa innings. His team-mates had, by that stage, fronted up to keep England in command: Toby Roland-Jones continued his improbable stranglehold over the mighty Hashim Amla by dismissing him for the third time in as many innings – appropriately enough, with a strangle down the leg side – while Moeen Ali, enjoying a superb run of form with the ball, applied a mercy killing to a tenacious but teetering stay from Heino Kuhn, inducing a low edge to slip in the second over of his spell.At 131 for 3, Temba Bavuma had been settling into a dogged but essential stay, in partnership with his captain, Faf du Plessis. But in the whirr of a bowling arm, Anderson accounted for both in the space of three balls – first, a snarling inswinger on a full length, that Bavuma attempted to leave but instead saw kiss the top of off stump, before du Plessis was late coming forward to another perfect-length delivery, and inside-edged on to his own stumps for 27.James Anderson produced a three-wicket burst from the James Anderson End•Getty Images

With the wind behind him, Anderson could have made it three in nine balls as Theunis de Bruyn flinched a searing lifter into the gully off the splice, where Keaton Jennings made brilliant ground to his left but couldn’t cling on with one hand. And then, to compound England’s momentary frustration, Quinton de Kock was reprieved from the very next ball, dropped by Ben Stokes at slip as he squeezed a cramped cut off Moeen.But England’s progress wasn’t dented for long. With fizzing full-length discipline, allied to a threat of movement and a short ball up his sleeve, Anderson ensured that South Africa’s only instinct remained survival. He conceded a solitary run from his next three overs, and that off a yorker to de Kock that all but wriggled through his defences.De Bruyn, who had got off the mark with an unexpectedly emphatic reverse sweep off Moeen, eventually dented Anderson’s figures a touch with a firm clip for four through midwicket. But, as if affronted, Jimmy made him pay with his very next ball – full, straight and bursting off the edge to Joe Root at second slip, as he completed a brilliant, innings-wrecking spell of 7-3-13-3.England’s erratic dominance continued straight after the evening drinks break, when Keshav Maharaj, on 1, edged Moeen off the tip of Bairstow’s gloves and away through his legs to safety. Maharaj briefly cast off his shackles – and surprised a crowd who seemed to be having a post-prandial snooze – by crashing Moeen over long-on for a vast six to save the follow-on, but three balls later, he was pinned plumb in front of the stumps and had given himself out before umpire Kumar Dharmasena had a chance to raise his finger.At 167 for 7, the ever-dangerous de Kock was South Africa’s last real hope of parity, but he seemed as muted, as he had earlier been in the field. He needed 39 deliveries to reach double figures, scored the second of his two boundaries via a thick edge through third slip, and had already survived a tough stumping opportunity on 16 when Stuart Broad found his outside edge for Bairstow to atone with a well-judged leap to his left.The final overs were a mishmash of intent and reticence from England, who were keen to wrap up the innings, but not so keen that they would be required to face any overs before the close. Dawid Malan even entered the fray for an exploratory over of all-sorts, before Broad set the seal on a day of largely unchecked dominance, Stokes swooping brilliantly in the gully to break a determined ninth-wicket stand of 31.The only minor note of discord in England’s day – at least where a hugely contented crowd was concerned – came when Bairstow missed out on what would have been a richly deserved and wildly acclaimed century.Having resumed on 33 not out overnight, Bairstow lost Roland-Jones and Moeen to an aggressive spell from Rabada in the first half-hour of the day, but took it upon himself to counterattack with the confidence of a man who is in the midst of an 18-month golden period. He was especially harsh on Morne Morkel, cracking him for four fours in 12 balls, and Duanne Olivier, whose first over included a towering six down the ground as he charged into the 90s, but despite Anderson’s most worthy efforts, three figures would prove elusive.With just a single needed for his fourth Test century, Bairstow elected for the sweep against Maharaj. He planted his foot outside off stump, but not far enough to satisfy Dharmasena, whose on-field verdict was upheld on review with the edge of the ball just satisfying the parameters of DRS. A groan of anguish went up from the ground, but Bairstow had done his bit. Not least, in setting the stage for the man that the crowd had really come to watch.

Arsenal are set to take a break regarding incoming transfers following the signings of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What has Arsenal's transfer window been like?

The Gunners have really attacked the transfer market as they look to take the next step forward following their success last campaign, finishing second after a title challenge with Manchester City and returning to the Champions League for the first time since Arsene Wenger was manager of the club.

The north London side's first move this window was completing the signing of German forward Kai Havertz from rivals Chelsea for a fee reported to be in the region of £65m. The 24-year-old spent three seasons at Stamford Bridge, with his greatest moment being scoring the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final against City.

The club have also agreed a fee of around £38m for Ajax defender Timber. The 22-year-old Dutch international has come through Ajax's youth system and last summer was the subject of heavy interest from Erik ten Hag and Manchester United before the club ultimately made the move for his former teammate Lisandro Martinez.

The defender has received praise from National team captain Virgil Van Dijk, who said that he "wasn't as far along as he [Timber] is (at the same age)".

The biggest move for Mikel Arteta this summer has undoubtedly been the move for Rice. The West Ham captain led his side to their first-ever European trophy and after weeks of tense negotiations, the two clubs finally reached an agreement on a £105m fee for the English international, who is set to undergo a medical soon. The 24-year-old also reportedly garnered interest from Manchester City, but he will play his football at the Emirates next season.

However, Jones has said on The Football Terrace's 'Done Deal' show that Arsenal will have to wait until the "second phase" of the window for any more incomings, especially in the wide areas, with the focus now on trimming down the squad with some outgoings.

"The focus has been so heavily on getting these first three guys through the door that there is no certainty over who they go for in that position [right wing] yet. So let's wait until the mini clearout starts to take place, the tidy up I should say, of the Arsenal squad takes place.

"And then we'll see, once that second phase is ready to be activated if Arsenal can go for those players in the wide areas."

Who will Arsenal sell this summer?

The club are set to listen to offers for a number of players this window as they look to recoup some of the £208m they have spent so far.

One player who has already left the Emirates is midfielder Granit Xhaka. The 30-year-old has joined German side Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £21.4m. The Swiss international spent six seasons with the Gunners, where he made 297 appearances across all competitions and had a spell as club captain.

Reports also state that his midfield partner from last season Thomas Partey could also be departing the club this summer, with Juventus interested in his signature. Partey enjoyed the best season of his Arsenal career last time out, making 45 appearances for club and country and recording WhoScored rating of 6.92. However, with the arrival of Rice and the reports that the club are looking at Southampton's Romeo Lavia, the Ghanaian could find his game time reduced.

A number of Arsenal defenders could also move on this summer, with Scottish full-back Kieran Tierney being most notably linked with a move to Newcastle United. The 26-year-old has struggled to beat out Oleksandr Zinchenko for the starting spot at left-back, making just six starts in the league last season, and is reportedly holding talks this week with the manager to figure out his future at the club.

Englishman Rob Holding is another player who could leave the club this summer, with journalist Ed Aarons reporting that the centre-back is expected to depart this summer, either permanently or via a loan switch. Holding make 24 appearances for the side last campaign and had an extended run of games following William Saliba's season-ending injury.

It is hard to guess how much Arsenal will make off these player sales, but the club will be hoping it is enough to fund the "second phase" of their already strong window.

The attacking midfielder totaled 31 goal contributions during the regular season, and could yet be a future option for Gregg Berhalter

There is no doubting who the biggest star is in MLS anymore. Lionel Messi will wear that crown for as long as he calls Inter Miami his home, drawing in massive crowds wherever he goes. He may not have been able to lift his new team into playoff contention in 2023, but as the postseason rumbles on without him, the league remains abuzz from it's first brush with 'Messi-mania'.

As well as the biggest name, Messi is almost certainly the best player in MLS right now. But despite his quite ridiculous nomination given how little he played in the league due to his injury problems, he will not be taking home the MLS MVP award for 2023. That prize is Acosta's.

Lucho Acosta has spent the past season spearheading FC Cincinnati's best-ever regular season, as they were crowned Supporters' Shield winners while also earning a place in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, where they were beaten by Messi and Miami.

Acosta tallied 17 goals and 14 assists across all regular season competitions, and as a result, was handed the MVP honors. Actively in the process of acquiring his United States citizenship, the 29-year-old is also looking to earn eligibility to represent the U.S. men's national team, and potentially play a role in the 2026 World Cup on American soil.

What the diminutive Acosta lacks in size, he makes up for in skill, intelligence and awareness across the entire pitch. If Gregg Berhalter has the opportunity to add Acosta to his ranks, it automatically raises the standards of the USMNT.

From a failed move to Paris Saint-Germain to turmoil with D.C. United, and now MVP with FC Cincy, Acosta has adapted and continued to excel in MLS. Now, he's finally being recognized for his brilliance.

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  Where it all began

  Acosta could barely have gotten a better footballing education as he worked his way through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors; the Argentine giants known as the club of the late, great Diego Maradona.

  At just 21, Acosta made the move to the United States, joining D.C. United on loan in 2016 from his beloved Boca. He made an instant impact, with three goals and eight assists in his first season, and United turned his initial loan deal into a permanent one during his first year with the club.

  Two years on, Acosta was regarded as one of the best players in MLS, and his lore only grew after D.C. added legendary Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to their ranks. The duo even scored what might be the most famous goal in league history, while Rooney dubbed Acosta as "one of the best I've played with" during his time in the capital.

  However, after a collapsed transfer to PSG, Acosta left United in 2020 on a free transfer, joining Liga MX side Atlas, but returned to MLSwith Cincinnati in 2021 as a Designated Player. Now, two years on, the Argentine has turned Cincy from cellar dwellers to MLS Cup challengers.

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  Parisian dreams up in smoke

  In January 2019, Acosta was the darling of MLS. Flourishing alongside Rooney, he asserted himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming players in the league. Meanwhile, with Miguel Almiron having completed a $27m move from Atlanta United to Newcastle of the Premier League months prior, all eyes were on MLS for who the 'next Almiron' would be.

  PSG certainly felt that Acosta fit the bill, and they pursued him like hawk late in the MLS transfer window. Per The Athletic, then-GM of D.C. United, Dave Kasper, traveled with Acosta to Paris to meet with the French giants through an 'unnamed intermediary' – but that's when the deal began to collapse.

  The intermediary appeared to give false information to both parties ahead of time, and the two sides couldn't come to an agreement regarding a fee for Acosta, who United valued at $13-15m, while PSG's offer was $9.1m.

  Whether Acosta would have made the grade at such an established European powerhouse is anyone's guess, but PSG's interest highlights the level of talent we are talking about here.

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  A captain & a champion

  When FC Cincinnati joined MLS as an expansion franchise in 2019, they were genuinely awful. There's no point in holding back or trying to frame it in a polite manner. They were awful, and it wasn't just one year of it; it was three-straight seasons where they finished as the worst team in MLS, managing just 14 league wins in that stretch.

  Their fortunes changed in the summer of year three, though. Acosta arrived, and they built a squad around a player who had previously shown so much potential in MLS, but left due to the club refusing to build around him and provide the talent needed for him to truly succeed. Cincy didn't make that mistake.

  Come 2022, Acosta's first full season with the Orange and Blue, he was named captain, and they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Progress.

  This time around, however, has been the stuff of dreams. Cincy went seven games unbeaten to start the season, and only suffered one loss through their first 22 matches in all competitions. Acosta kept scoring, assisting and leading them to glory, and the Argentine even earned the captains' honors for MLS in their 2023 All-Star game against Arsenal in July.

  The 2023 regular-season campaign from Cincinnati has gone down in league history as one the best-ever, only second to the 2021 run by the New England Revolution. Acosta was named on the ballot for 2023 MVP, and is now the first-ever winner of the award for the Orange and Blue. He almost single-handedly turned the franchise around, and is now being touted as an individual who could do that on the national stage – only not with Argentina.

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  Berhalter's next dual-national?

  The 2026 World Cup is still over two years away, but the USMNT's planning for the tournament – which America will co-host – began the minute team crashed out of the 2022 edition in the last 16.

  One aspect of that planning, that admittedly began before Qatar last winter, has been the convincing of dual-nationals to commit to joining Berhalter's squad. Berhalter has been part-coach, part-recruiter over the past few years, and has secured the services of enough players to make his roster one of the world's most talented.

  Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Malik Tillman, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jesus Ferreira are just some of the high-profile names to have committed themselves to the U.S. cause in recent times, while the successful pursuit of Folarin Balogun earlier in 2023 left fans abuzz with anticipation as he rejected England's advances. Recent dual-national call-ups Kristoffer Lund, Kevin Paredes and Lennard Maloney could yet become reliable members of the squad in the build-up to 2026, too.

  Next on Berhalter's radar is Acosta, who earlier this year started his American citizenship process with a dream of playing for the USMNT. In June, Acosta told that he would "obviously" accept a call-up to the squad if it arrived. The Argentine midfielder added: "It’s one reason I started (the citizenship) process."

  Securing Acosta's services would offer the USMNT a veteran presence in their incredibly youthful attack, while allowing them to have an alternative to Gio Reyna at the No.10 position. Reyna's injury history is a cause for concern, and there is no clear back-up for the Borussia Dortmund youngster in the current U.S. squad. Acosta ticks every box that the USMNT need.

Arsenal have been linked to a La Liga gem as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his squad this summer.

The transfer window officially opened on Wednesday, allowing clubs to manipulate their squads in preparation for the new season in August.

The Gunners have been linked with a host of talent already this summer, with the latest name having the potential to be an upgrade for a star expected to depart.

What’s the latest on Nico Williams to Arsenal?

As reported by 90min earlier this week, Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams is a player of interest for Arsenal.

The report follows the narrative of Aston Villa’s push for the winger, with mention of the Gunners being a club that have ‘appreciated’ the player as well as the understanding that they are ‘keeping close tabs’ on his situation.

The 20-year-old has a release clause of €50m (£43m) in place at his current club.

What could Nico Williams offer to Arsenal?

Lauded as “extremely dangerous” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Spaniard has excelled since graduating from Athletic's academy in 2021.

Deployed predominantly as a right-winger, Williams could prove to be a huge asset to Arteta’s side in years to come by competing with Arsenal star Bukayo Saka for a starting spot.

While Saka’s form has made his place virtually untouchable, the forward could help implement a higher quality of depth in the squad – forcing Nicolas Pepe even further out of the picture in the process.

The Ivory Coast international spent the past season on loan at OGC Nice, making the switch back to Ligue 1 last summer in a bid to relocate his form.

As reported by Sam Hill via football.london, the 28-year-old is ‘no longer’ in the Spaniard’s plans, with the report of the understanding that Arsenal have made ‘plans’ over the potential termination of his contract.

With the £72m forward looking unlikely to feature for Arsenal again, the club could recruit a worthy replacement in Williams, who has excelled Pepe this season in their respective leagues.

When comparing the two via FBref based on their 2022/23 performances, it’s clear to see that the Gunners could snatch a clear upgrade on the £140k-per-week dud.

The Spaniard averaged 5.90 progressive carries per 90 this campaign, placing him in the top 4% of those in his position across Europe's top 5 leagues, with Pepe averaging just 2.77 per 90 at Nice.

The 20-year-old also excelled in terms of successful take-ons via FBref, averaging 2.81 per 90 to the Ivory Coast international’s 2.05 per 90, highlighting why he has been identified as having significant strengths in dribbling by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

While the two scored the same number of goals with six, Williams has also provided four assists, showing the expansion of his game and level of performance at a tender age.

At just 20 years old, Arsenal could sign a player for the future in the Spaniard, who would undoubtedly be an upgrade on Pepe, who has failed to make things tick in north London.

Ed Cowan’s unbeaten 134 off 267 balls enabled New South Wales to end the second day of their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria with a 42-run advantage

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2017
ScorecardEd Cowan made his first first-class century in 23 innings•Getty ImagesEd Cowan’s 23rd first-class century gave New South Wales a healthy lead at stumps on the second day against Victoria at the MCG, where the Blues finished at 4 for 300. Replying to Victoria’s first-day score of 258, New South Wales had a 42-run advantage at stumps and plenty of opportunity to extend that lead further yet, with Cowan at the crease on 134 and Peter Nevill on 18.Victoria’s new-ball bowlers, Jake Reed and Scott Boland, dismissed the New South Wales openers Daniel Hughes and Nick Larkin within the first 10 overs of the innings. But Cowan, batting at No. 3, settled in for a series of partnerships that frustrated the Victorians, first a 141-run combination with Kurtis Patterson, who made 61.Moises Henriques then put on a 92-run stand with Cowan which ended when Henriques was lbw to Reed for 51, and by the close of play the Cowan-Nevill partnership had reached 50. It was Cowan’s first hundred at first-class level since October 2015, ending a drought of 23 innings without reaching triple-figures.

A lack of potency and end product is a storyline that has become synonymous with Chelsea’s abysmal season.

The Blues netted just 38 times in as many games, a dismal reflection of the club’s underperforming frontline.

Kai Havertz was often tasked with leading and was the top scorer with a measly seven goals.

It has since been revealed by Fabrizio Romano that the German is open to leaving West London to try a new experience after Real Madrid registered an interest in him last week.

When Havertz finished a difficult debut season in England with the Champions League winning goal in the 2021 final, he was tipped to kick on at Stamford Bridge and display some ruthless consistency.

However, it has unravelled into a disappointing spiral, and he looks set to depart this summer.

One player who has been linked to being part of the Mauricio Pochettino revolution is Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, who has been far more clinical and effective across the year.

What’s the latest on Lautaro Martinez to Chelsea?

The Argentine’s transfer to the English capital could be discussed when the clubs hold talks over the Romelu Lukaku situation later this month, Romano revealed to GIVEMESPORT.

He said: “At the moment I'm not aware of any contact for Martinez, but let's see what's going to happen in the conversations between Inter Milan and Chelsea for Lukaku this month when they speak about that. But at the moment, with Martinez and Chelsea, there is still nothing concrete.”

Previous reports have suggested he may cost around £70m.

Why would Lautaro Martinez be a good signing for Chelsea?

The £186k-per-week forward has been in magnificent form for the Nerazzurri this year, having notched 39 goal contributions in 56 appearances in all competitions this term.

Quite frankly, these are numbers that Havertz can only dream of in a Chelsea shirt.

Whilst the debate rages on the former Bayer Leverkusen prodigy’s best position, it is quite clear to see that the chances cannot keep falling to him and each week that passes he seems to cut an even more dejected and uninvolved figure.

Earlier in the season, Frank Leboeuf described the playmaker as “shameful” and after three full seasons at Chelsea, he is yet to convince anyone that he can consistently perform.

Meanwhile, in northern Italy, Martinez is arguably Inter’s most important player – a devastating outlet that can score and link the play.

In Europe’s top five leagues among his positional, he ranks in the highest 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as well as the best 9% for non-penalty goals per 90, according to FBref.

The 48-cap international star won the World Cup in Qatar and Lionel Messi has even hailed his compatriot, saying: "He's spectacular. He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player and he is showing that.

"He's very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own. He's very complete."

If Chelsea could land this outlandish coup, they will instantly be a more menacing outfit next year.

Arsenal have enjoyed a year of vast progression, with Mikel Arteta having overseen the development of many of his assets into some of the top players in their field.

The Spaniard is owed massive credit for how his project has blossomed, from the stuttered start he faced to the 2021/22 failure to secure top four. Nothing has slowed down his steady improvement, and he and his club profited massively last term.

Having now secured Champions League football and announced themselves as the closest competitor to Manchester City by far, the task is now to bridge that gap, with this summer a key opportunity to do so.

Arguably the biggest weakness that was outlined last campaign came at the heart of defence, as William Saliba's mid-March injury saw their form drop and the title charge derailed. Whilst this is largely owed to the immense presence of the Frenchman, a lack of adequate backup truly exacerbated his absence.

Therefore, bolstering their backline should be high on their priority list.

Fortunately, a fine opportunity has already presented itself for this transfer window, as it was reported last month that the Gunners were one of many clubs monitoring Bayern Munich's Benjamin Pavard.

Reports in Italy have stated that due to a dwindling £84k-per-week contract, an offer of just €20m (£17m) could be enough to tempt him out of Germany as reported by Tuttosport, via FCInternews.

Could Benjamin Pavard replicate Ben White?

Given his ability to play at both centre-back and right-back, it is hard not to immediately draw comparisons between the France international and Ben White.

After all, the former Brighton and Hove Albion stalwart moved to north London having enjoyed the bulk of his career through the centre, only for Arteta to employ him at full-back in their most successful year yet. This is no coincidence.

The presence of such a defensive machine offers that foundation for their free-flowing attack to thrive, and as such Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard have all enjoyed their best goalscoring seasons in the league.

This is owed to the 1.6 tackles and two clearances per game of the 25-year-old whose mere positional awareness makes them a stronger defensive unit.

So, to add another player who has seen similar positional progression to the squad, they would immediately have valid cover for Saliba and whoever is selected as the starting right-back.

After all, during a term in which the Bavarian giants narrowly claimed the Bundesliga title, the 27-year-old has lived up to Uli Hoenes' praise that he would be an "outstanding signing".

His 7.35 average Sofascore rating was actually the second-highest of anyone on his team, only behind Joshua Kimmich, and is upheld through his five goal contributions, 2.3 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 2.5 clearances per game.

His mindset has also been praised too, with his former boss Julian Nagelsmann claiming back in March: "Benji had a good performance. He always wants to win. He scored goals too today. He did very well against Paris (first leg). He's playing more often in his favourite position and is doing a good job. I know that he feels comfortable here."

With an additional offensive impetus but sharing a broader physique that differentiates themselves from the midfielder-style modern-day full-back, these two could offer huge benefits to the squad depth, not to mention adding another serial winner into their ranks.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Mohammad Shahzad, who top scored for Afghanistan, hit eight fours and a six in his 79-ball 66•Peter Della Penna/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Half-centuries from Mohammad Shahzad and Najibullah Zadran set the base for Afghanistan’s 39-run win in the second ODI against Ireland in Belfast on Tuesday.Afghanistan, who were bowled out for 250 after being sent in to bat, overcame Ireland’s solid start to the chase – openers William Porterfield and Ed Joyce added 71 – to spin the hosts out. Rashid Khan, the legspinner, finished with 3 for 28, while offspinner Mohammad Nabi claimed 3 for 45 as Ireland were bowled out for 211 in 48.2 overs. That meant Afghanistan took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series which started with a washout.As many as seven Afghanistan batsmen got into double digits but most could not kick on. Shahzad, the opener, top scored with 66. The visitors, who were cruising at 76 without loss, slipped to 125 for 4, before being rescued by 70-run stand between Najibullah Zadran and Samiullah Shenwari. Zadran smashed six fours and two sixes in his 61-ball knock, before Barry McCarthy, the medium pacer, polished off the tail to finish with 4 for 59 – his best figures so far in his fledgling ODI career. Kevin O’Brien also chipped in with four wickets.Ireland were on course as Joyce brought up a half-century. Then, medium pacer Mirwais Ashraf’s two wickets in the space of four deliveries in the 27th over stalled the chase. O’Brien kept Ireland in the game with a 27-ball 35, but the escalating asking rate meant escalated pressure too, which the hosts could not withstand. O’Brien was fifth man out, before Ireland’s last five wickets fell for 22.The third ODI will also be played at the same venue on Thursday.