Manchester United are now targeting Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow, who could be brought in alongside Andre Onana, according to reports from the Netherlands.

Which goalkeeper are Man United signing?

Man United goalkeeper David de Gea officially became a free agent on Friday following the expiration of his contract, and it is now looking increasingly likely that the Spaniard will not return to Old Trafford for the upcoming campaign.

As such, Erik ten Hag is tasked with bringing in a suitable replacement, and Onana is at the top of the list, as the manager retains a good relationship with the Inter shot-stopper from their time working together at Ajax.

The Cameroonian is viewed as a huge upgrade on De Gea due to his distribution and reading of the game, however, he will not come cheap, as it is believed it will take offers in excess of £50m for Inter to consider a sale this summer.

Not only is Onana emerging as a key target, but Dutch outlet 1908 reports the Red Devils hold a concrete interest in signing Bijllow, who could arrive at Old Trafford in addition to the Inter 'keeper (via Sport Witness).

The report explains that United are looking to replace De Gea, though Feyenoord are apparently not interested in allowing the £6k-per-week goalkeeper to leave and are pushing for him to sign a new contract.

Voetbal International reports the player himself would love to make the switch to Old Trafford, but at the moment, it appears as though Feyenoord will stand in his way.

Who is Justin Bijlow?

The Rotterdam-born goalkeeper has played for Feyenoord throughout his entire career, and he has impressed enough to be called up for The Netherlands on several occasions, amassing a total of eight caps for his national side.

Hailed as "brilliant" by members of the media, the 25-year-old has recorded a very impressive average clean sheet percentage over the past year, placing in the 92nd percentile compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level.

Given his international experience and impressive performances at club level, it is unclear whether the Dutchman would be happy playing second fiddle to Onana, who would surely be first-choice if he costs over £50m.

If he is willing to accept a more limited role, Bijlow could be a fantastic addition to Ten Hag's squad, who could even be capable of pushing for a starting spot.

Virat Kohli’s fluent half-century and Mohammed Shami’s three-wicket haul were the highlights in India’s 45-run win via D/L method at the Oval

The Report by Nagraj Gollapudi at the Oval28-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammed Shami snuffed out three of New Zealand’s top four in an opening spell of five overs•Getty Images

A handsome, unbeaten half century from Virat Kohli, and a lethal spell of fast bowling from Mohammed Shami helped India to a 45-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis method over New Zealand in the teams’ first warm-up match. Late afternoon rain, after 26 overs in the chase, forced the players off the field, and they never returned. By then, India had made 129 for 3, well ahead of the D/L par score of 84.Regardless of the rain, India remained the favourites throughout, especially with Kohli dominating the New Zealand bowlers. His weak IPL form might have created certain doubts, but the Indian captain did not take a step back and batted with his usual positive tempo. He walked in to bat after Ajinkya Rahane had fallen into the short-ball trap set by New Zealand’s new ball pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult.The Oval pitch was hard with a lot of pace and bounce, which both Boult and Southee utilised to dare the Indian openers. Southee constantly tested Rahane with the short ball, and the strategy proved successful in the last over before lunch. Rahane walked out of his crease, attempting to hook a Southee bouncer, which climbed too fast on him. The weak response went straight to Boult at fine leg. It might have been a recurring dream for Rahane, considering Southee had got him out in similar fashion during the ODI series late last year in India.But the break came at the opportune time. And then there was Kohli. Standing about a yard outside the crease, a strategy that he had used on his previous trip to England in 2014, Kohli punched, pulled and cut with aplomb. Having punched Adam Milne to the straight boundary, Kohli repeated the stroke against Southee and then cut him for another four to swiftly move into the 20s.Shikhar Dhawan, however, had a nervous start. Neil Broom, standing at point, dropped a straightforward catch when Dhawan had made just one run. Boult, the bowler, could not believe his ill luck when, off the final delivery in the same over, an outside edge off Dhawan’s bat fell a yard short of Martin Guptill at second slip.Dhawan batted resolutely and stitched a 68-run partnership with Kohli, before becoming the second Indian batsman to rush into a short ball and pay the price. His march to a half-century was cut short after his pull on the run went to Corey Anderson at short midwicket.Dinesh Karthik arrived nervously to the crease and remained anxious throughout. He fell after mis-hitting a short ball from outside the off stump straight to Mitchell Santner at short midwicket. Having bagged a nine-ball duck, Karthik tapped the back of his head, perhaps, realising how terribly he had batted.Shikhar Dhawan made 40 before holing out to short midwicket•Getty Images

A distracted Kohli was then lucky to get away on 45 when he drove Boult uppishly, away from his body. Santner, this time at short cover, leapt, but the force of the shot beat his outstretched hands. Eventually Kohli reached his fifty when he lunged forward and unfurled a beautiful cover drive off Colin de Grandhomme in the 24th over.Overall it was a good day at work for Kohli and India. Kane Williamson had opted to bat on a warm morning, but Shami stuck an immediate blow when Guptill failed to clear Bhuvneshwar Kumar at mid off. Luke Ronchi, the other opener, was aggressive against Hardik Pandya, who shared the new ball. The allrounder leaked 29 runs off his first three overs.Ronchi survived a scare on 26 after his push-drive against Jaspirt Bumrah went to mid-on, where R Ashwin dived to his wrong side, but in vain. He cashed in, hitting three boundaries in Shami’s fifth over, which included a powerful six – picked from outside off stump and pulled over deep midwicket.But Shami finished the over with wickets off consecutive deliveries. First Williamson erred by playing too close to body and steered the ball straight to Rahane at first slip. Shami then punched the air for the second time after one that seamed away had caught Broom’s outside edge on its way to MS Dhoni.This was the Shami’s first competitive match for India after the World Cup semi-finals in 2015. Recurrent injuries to his knee had kept him out of the reckoning, but after he had regained fitness in March, the selectors picked him in the squad. Shami, with his skiddy pace, is always an asset for Kohli with both the new ball and the old one.Also with Umesh Yadav showing a range of skills in his four-over spell during the latter half of the New Zealand innings, the team management has a welcome headache of choosing between two fast men.The bigger concern would be the form of the top order. Rahane remains the third-choice opener behind Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, who had joined the squad on Saturday. Rohit is set to feature in the second warm-up match against Bangladesh on Tuesday. All three openers will be under the scanner again as India hope to zero in on the ideal combination before they head to Birmingham, where they start their tournament proper, against Pakistan next Sunday.

Emi Martinez threatened to "beat the sh*t" out of Cristian Romero for his rash tackles in the World Cup final after fouling France's Kylian Mbappe.

Article continues below

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• Martinez reveals half-time Romero threat
• Tottenham star had fouled Mbappe
• Argentina beat France in World Cup final

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham defender Romero flew into a challenge with France star Mbappe in the first half of the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar last December. The South American side won the game on penalties after a 3-3 draw but at half time, Villa keeper Martinez pulled his fellow countryman aside to warn him about his reckless challenges in an effort to stop him getting sent off.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT EMI MARTINEZ SAID

  He told : "I know Cuti's (Romero) weakness, I remember in the final against France he went with both feet against Mbappe. He grabbed the ball, everything. And at half-time I grabbed him by the shirt and told him, 'If you get kicked out, I'll beat the sh*t out of you after the game'.

  "I have to tell Cuti 'Please, stop hitting'. Cuti plays like that, on the edge of a red card, and I'm always catching him in that sense. But he's impressive."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Argentina won their third World Cup crown in one of the greatest finals of the tournament's history. Lionel Messi also finally achieved his dream to win this great trophy after many years of trying. Argentina got the win without having any players sent off, so maybe Martinez's chat with Romero did the trick…

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ARGENTINA?

  Argentina duo Martinez and Romero may cross paths again when they return to international action in the Copa America in June of next year.

This is the first instance of the India team getting a full-time, professional manager

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2017Former Tamil Nadu captain Sunil Subramaniam has been named India’s administrative manager on a one-year contract. This is the first instance of the India team getting a full-time, professional manager, marking a departure from the system of ad-hoc appointments made by the BCCI on a tour-to-tour basis. Subramaniam will join the team before the second Test that begins on August 3 in Colombo.Subramaniam, 50, was picked by a committee comprising BCCI acting president CK Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary, CEO Rahul Johri and Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji, in accordance with the Lodha Committee’s recommendation approved by the Supreme Court. The committee, according to reports, had shortlisted more than 10 candidates before interviewing them. Subramanian said he would meet with Johri on Monday when he would be apprised of his duties. “It feels good to be a part of the team,” Subramaniam told ESPNcricinfo.During his playing days, Subramaniam, a left-arm spinner, picked up 285 wickets from 74 first-class matches. An NCA-certified coach, Subramaniam has acquired renown for having worked extensively with India offspinner R Ashwin in the past. Over the years, he has also coached teams in the Duleep Trophy and has been associated with the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association Academy.On his appointment, a BCCI press release said: “He has a rich vein of experience when it comes to management and administrative capabilities, having served both public and private sector organisations for over 16 years.”

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 door could well be open for Tottenham Hotspur to strike a deal for Japanese international, Daichi Kamada, following the midfielder's recent exit from Eintracht Frankfurt.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

According to 90min, the Lilywhites have reportedly been offered the chance to land the free agent this summer following the collapse of his proposed move to AC Milan, with the north Londoners – as well as Newcastle United – having been 'informed' about the 26-year-old's situation.

As per the piece, the 6 foot sensation – who has been without a club since coming to the end of his contract at Frankfurt last month – had reached an agreement regarding a move to San Siro, albeit with subsequent changes to the hierarchy at the Serie A outfit leading to the club pulling out of a deal.

This follows reports in Germany that revealed Tottenham's interest in the former Sagan Tosu man heading into the January transfer window, following the playmaker's impact at the World Cup in the winter.

Who is Daichi Kamada?

The 29-cap dynamo notably started all four games for his country during their run to the last-16 in Qatar, having also impressed in the Bundesliga last term after scoring nine goals and chipping in with six assists from his 32 league outings.

Prior to that, Kamada had been part of the Frankfurt side that claimed Europa League glory during the 2021/22 campaign, notably scoring five goals in 13 appearances in the competition that season, including in the first-leg, semi-final victory over West Ham United.

As journalist Josh Bunting stated back in August, the exciting gem is not only an "incredible talent" but is also simply a "joy to watch", hence why the likes of Spurs and Newcastle have been paying such close attention to him of late.

If Ange Postecoglou is to seal a deal for Kamada ahead of those rival suitors over the coming weeks, the 57-year-old could seemingly find a perfect partner for recent addition, James Maddison in the centre of the park, with the latter man having joined on a £40m deal from Leicester City.

With the ex-Celtic boss likely to utilise his preferred 4-3-3 formation next season which includes two advanced midfielders – or number eight's – then the Greek-Aussie could be able to slot Kamada in alongside Maddison in that system.

Like the Englishman – who notably averaged 1.7 tackles per game in the Premier League in 2022/23 – the Frankfurt machine can also muck in defensively having averaged 1.6 tackles per game last term.

Also lauded as a player with "intelligent movement in and around the box", according to Bunting, Kamada showcased a real desire to get forward and impact proceedings in the final third as he ranks in the top 10% among midfielders for touches in the attacking penalty area, with Maddison sharing that front-foot approach as he ranks in the top 1% in that regard.

The duo are also alike due to their ability to net themselves or tee up others with quality service, with the former Foxes ace – who registered 19 goal involvements in the top-flight last season – ranking in the top 1% for both non-penalty goals and assists, while Kamada is not too far behind as he ranks in the top 5% and the top 15% for those same two metrics, respectively.

To potentially have two players who possess that same attacking and creative intent is a truly exciting prospect as far as Spurs are concerned, with it no doubt set to be a real bargain if Postecoglou can snap up the in-demand asset on a free.

Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson believes relations between players and Cricket Australia will take a long time to heal after difficult negotiations over the MoU

Daniel Brettig19-Jul-20173:46

What exactly is the Cricket Australia-ACA pay dispute?

Negotiations between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association are continuing at a snail’s pace but the damage has already been done, the former Test paceman Mitchell Johnson has said.Talks between the two warring parties – including the chief executives James Sutherland and Alistair Nicholson – resumed in Melbourne on Wednesday with time fast running out to avoid major dislocation to the game, both in terms of commercial deals with sponsors and broadcasters, and also the Bangladesh tour in August.While discussions are now taking place on the sort of level that should lead to an eventual resolution, little movement is discernible from CA’s strong desire to end the fixed revenue percentage models at the core of past collective agreements, and likewise the ACA’s intent to keep the model in place. Johnson, who retired from the international game in 2015, said relationships would take a long time to heal whatever the outcome.”It’s been pretty disappointing and once it’s all dealt with, the player and CA relationship is going to be a struggle … it’s going to be very ordinary,” Johnson said in Sydney. “Even if it gets sorted, the damage has already been done. There’s been personal insults about the players being greedy. That’s not the case.”The relationship is going to have to build again. The last time I felt this way – not to this extent – was the Argus Review [in 2011]. That was the last time we had a little bit of trouble between the players and CA.””If we lose this battle as players, does then the ACA start getting their legs chopped from underneath them and the players lose the ACA?” – Mitchell Johnson•Getty ImagesCommercial pressure is mounting in terms of players looking at signing deals with sponsors competing against CA’s major corporate partners. It has been reported that both Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith are close to signing deals with Mercedes to follow on from Mitchell Starc’s newly unveiled contract with an Audi dealership in western Sydney. The ACA’s commercial manager, Tim Cruickshank, is currently in India for talks about the collective intellectual property passed on from CA to the players’ commercial arm, the Cricketers’ Brand, when the most recent MoU expired on July 1.”The players have fought so hard, the ACA, for the last 19 years, and got this model that we have in a really good place, and other things as well,” Johnson said. “From the CA point of view, I know David Peever, ex-Rio Tinto … no unions. So that is the thing that concerns me a lot. If we lose this battle as players, does then the ACA start getting their legs chopped from underneath them and the players lose the ACA?”That is the scary thing from my point of view. Cricket will still go on but I don’t know what sort of input the players will have in the future. I saw Nathan Lyon this morning and I think he’s as disappointed as everyone. The way it has been dealt with in the media, it probably should have been more of a private matter … it could have been dealt with very differently.”Speaking at the launch of a new app called BowlFit for young fast bowlers, Johnson also said England’s recent loss to South Africa at Trent Bridge would place doubts in the minds of the team led by Joe Root ahead of a likely pace-based Australian assault in the forthcoming Ashes series.”They’ve got a few issues to sort out,” Johnson said. “It’s only one game but it’s the way they got beaten that you see the score line. Joe Root being a new captain; they’ll try and put a bit of pressure on him to see how he handles it. Australia are a huge chance. It’ll be a great series but there are some scars there as well.”You want to be consistent and they probably haven’t got that consistency at the moment. It’s going to be hard for them now because they have been beaten, there’s pressure on them. I don’t care too much about England to be honest. I don’t care what they bring as long as it’s a good contest.”Another area Johnson found intriguing was the selection of Gary Ballance at No. 3, though a finger fracture has ruled him out of the next Test against South Africa. “England have Gary Ballance at No.3 and when you’re at No.3, you’re meant to be one of the best players in the team, if not the best,” Johnson said. “I don’t think he is.”If you’re a bowler and you see Gary Ballance at No.3, then you actually get a lot of confidence from that. Australia would have a lot of confidence. They [England] have changed their team a little bit over the past. They’re trying to find the right squad. It’s getting close to an Ashes series, so you want to lock that in.”

The Sri Lankan batsman will replace Australia’s Beth Mooney in Yorkshire’s top order

Shashank Kishore27-Jul-2017

Chamari Atapattu has become the first Sri Lankan woman to sign a contract with a franchise-based T20 league. She will represent Yorkshire Diamonds in the second edition of the Kia Super League that kicks off from August 10. Atapattu has been picked as a replacement for Beth Mooney, the Australia opener, who pulled out citing injury concerns.”I was on holiday with my family in Anuradhapura when I got a call, asking if I’m available. I said yes immediately. it was a pleasant surprise,” Atapattu told ESPNcricinfo. “I didn’t expect to play in the T20 league because most of the teams had already announced their squads.”Playing in the Women’s Big Bash League was my original target, but this is a great opportunity. I wasn’t expecting it, but now I’m looking forward to learning a lot. This is a great step, not just for my career but also for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka.”Atapattu left her imprint in a disappointing World Cup campaign – Sri Lanka won just won one game in seven attempts – when she smashed an unbeaten 178, the third-highest score in women’s ODIs, against Australia in Bristol. That knock, she says, transformed her outlook towards batting.”I used to always fear playing big shots and getting out, but that knock changed my approach,” she said. “To do it against a champion team gave me and the team so much belief. We used to think we have to fight and compete, but after that performance, we slowly started talking about looking to win. When I went out to bat in the next game, I felt a different batsman.”In England, Atapattu hopes to put into practice words of advice from her idols Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara. “Just hearing them speak highly about your game is a big boost,” she said. “I felt great when I heard of their appreciation. I’ve learnt a lot from them. Sanath has taught me how to not lose my style of play, Kumar has often spoken about trying to build an innings. I want to have Kumar’s consistency.”Atapattu also hopes to learn from her ‘friend’ Stafanie Taylor, who will play for Western Storm in the Super League. “We both bat alike,” she laughed. “When I see her play, I think ‘I should also play those kinds of shots.’ I’ve asked her about it and she has been very kind. We also spoke during the World Cup. I’ve also spoken a bit to Mithali Raj. Hopefully whatever I have learnt I can put to practice in England.”After her knock against Australia, Meg Lanning, the Australia captain said that she had already earned a potential bid from Melbourne Stars, even if it was only in jest. “If she’s going to bat like that every time, I’d be happy to have her,” Lanning said. Her exploits in England could well be a pathway to Australia, but Atapattu doesn’t want to put herself under pressure.”It was nice of hear that comment,” she said. “I don’t want to think about that at the moment. I’m excited to leave on Saturday. Mingling with some of the best players will help me train and prepare better. If I do well in England, I will definitely get many more chances. My family is more excited than I am. I hope to make them even happier.”

The 22-year-old has already struck 18 times in 16 appearances in all competitions this season and is now being linked with the likes of Real Madrid

Santiago Gimenez says Tuesday night's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid is going to be "one of the most important" of his career – and he's not wrong. For starters, Feyenoord need a win at De Kuip to climb above the current Group E leaders and their star striker is clearly key to them achieving their objective.

Gimenez missed the two teams' first meeting in Madrid through suspension and the Dutch champions still only lost 3-2 at the Metropolitano. The fans are cautiously optimistic, then, that Arne Slot's side can gain revenge with the Mexico international back in the starting line-up, and having already shown what he can do at this level with two goals in a 3-1 win over Lazio on matchday three.

But this isn't just a colossal clash from Feyenoord's perspective; it also very much feels like this could be a defining moment for Gimenez. A positive performance against one of Europe's biggest names – and best defensive sides – could well convince the numerous scouts certain to be in attendance that Feynoord's free-scoring forward should be their employers' top transfer target, if not in January than at the end of the current season.

We have, of course, seen plenty of strikers shine in the Eredivisie in the past only to subsequently disappoint at the very highest level, so are we looking at the next Robin van Persie here – or another Mateja Kezman?…

Getty'Already spoken with Atletico Madrid'

Just a month ago, Morris Pagniello claimed that while Gimenez's father Christian, a former professional footballer, is representing the 22-year-old's interest, he has been working alongside them as a consultant for nearly 18 months. Pagniello also claimed that several members of Europe's elite were interested in signing Gimenez.

“We have already spoken with Atletico Madrid," he told . "We also talked about him with Inter, AC Milan, Lazio and Napoli. For me, he could be perfect for both Inter and Juventus. They would be the best options for him. I've been telling various clubs to believe in him, his value went from €10m to €40m in just under 12 months. Now the teams closest to him are Real Madrid and Tottenham."

Pagniello's comments understandably caused quite the stir, but Gimenez, who has previously expressed his fondness for Madrid as well as the idea of plying his trade in Serie A by pointing out that he has an Italian passport, promptly took to social media to set a few things straight.

"In the last few hours, statements have come out about my future that have emerged from sources far from my environment," he wrote. "Given this situation, I would like to clarify that I do not have a representative and that the person in charge of my career is my father with the help of Mariel.

"It is important not to take into account claims that have not been made by them or by me. I am very grateful for the understanding and support that everyone shows me every day. We have always been very open with information and know that as soon as there is any news to give, we will gladly let you know."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSet to surpass Suarez

Speculation surrounding his future hasn't abated, of course, and in a funny way, Gimenez only has himself to blame, given transfer talk is inevitable when a player is performing at such a high level.

Gimenez is tearing up the Eredivisie in a manner not seen since Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan sensation once scored 30 Eredivisie goals across a single calendar year; Gimenez already has 29 in 2023 – and another three games to work with. Not bad for a player that cost Feyenoord just €6 million (£5.2m/$6.6m) when he joined from Cruz Azul in the summer of 2022.

It's also worth remembering that he started slowly. It took him some time to get to grips with what Feyenoord's highly-rated coach Arne Slot was asking of him, particularly from a defensive perspective.The goals weren't exactly flowing either, though. He scored just twice during the first half of the 2022-23 Eredivisie season.

Getty From super-sub to leading man

However, at that stage, he was being used primarily as an impact substitute, with Slot often preferring to start with Danilo up front. There were flashes of Gimenez's enormous potential, though, most notably in a Europa League loss at Lazio, when he scored twice in a 27-minute cameo.

Furthermore, the longer the season went on, the more comfortable and, thus, confident he became leading the line for Slot. Gimenez became Feyenoord's first-choice forward in February and was integral to their title triumph, netting in nine consecutive games during the run-in.

He ended the campaign with a record of 23 goals in 45 appearances (only 27 of which were starts) – and his fine form unsurprisingly led to him being included in the Mexico squad for the 2023 Gold Cup, after failing to make the cut for Qatar 2022.

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Getty Argentina-born Mexico match-winner

Gimenez was tasked with serving as El Tri's super-sub by new coach Jaime Lozano – and, given his familiarity with the role, he played it perfectly. In a tight and fiercely-contested final against Panama, Gimenez was only brought on in the 85th minute. But it mattered not. Just three minutes later, he won the game – and the tournament – for Mexico by controlling a ball on halfway, turning his man, and then racing away to score with a low, left-footed strike.

It was the perfect illustration of everything he has in his locker: excellent technique, strength, speed and a cool head. For Gimenez, it was a beautiful moment that also felt like vindication for choosing to represent Mexico over Argentina.

People had told him he was crazy – and worse – for turning down the land of his birth. However for Gimenez, Mexico had always felt like home. He had lived nearly his entire life there, with his father having left Independiente for Veracruz in 2004, when Gimenez was only three years of age, before going on to spend the remaining 14 years of his professional career with Mexican clubs.

Cruz Azul was one of those clubs, and that's where Gimenez took his first steps towards stardom. He started out as a midfielder, but despite being considered a little shy and awkward at first, he developed into a lethal goalscorer, striking 100 times across four seasons at under-age level. He made his pro debut at just 16 years of age and there had been talk for some time that the boy was destined to play in Europe one day.

The move to Feyenoord still came as something of a surprise and Gimenez wasn't convinced at first. It was his father who felt that the Netherlands would be the perfect place for him to develop as a player, and he was spot on.

Ravi Shastri is clear on one thing as he takes over the position of India coach from Anil Kumble: the captain is the boss of the team. The coach and his backroom staff, according to the new India coach, are there only to make sure the players are in the right frame of mind to perform at their best.Shastri beat four other candidates to the job and said he only applied for the position having understood the “gravity of the situation” once Kumble stepped down in less than ideal circumstances last month.Shastri was team director just before Kumble was appointed coach last year, and he said he had been disappointed when he was overlooked as head coach in 2016. But after Kumble’s one-year contract expired in June, the BCCI chose not to renew it and instead sent out an advertisement seeking candidates for the position. Kumble himself had been one of the applicants, even though he was told he would be given “direct entry”. Shastri, though, was not.The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) – Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman – tasked with finding India’s next coach told the BCCI that Kumble remained their first choice. But Kumble stepped down after realising the differences between him and the captain Virat Kohli had become “untenable”.It was then that Shastri decided to enter the fray, with the BCCI re-opening the interview process.”I had not really wrapped my head around the gravity of the situation,” Shastri told . “There was nothing personal. I really hadn’t begun to understand the seriousness of this. But when I sat down and gave it a serious thought, I began to tell myself: ‘Here is a unit that I have been part of and enjoyed a great working relationship with. Having been part of the unit that helped it become No. 1, I thought the onus is on me now to make it work again, in the best interests of everybody involved. That’s when I knew it’s time for me to apply again.”According to various individuals from the BCCI and CAC as well as the committee of administrators one big point of difference between Kohli and Kumble was who was the boss.Shastri is more than happy to let the captain take charge. “It’s always the captain’s team and it is the leader who calls the shots. That’s how it has always worked. A coach’s role, effectively speaking, is to stay in the background and let the onus be on the players. The coach and support staff’s role is to get the players in the most brilliant frame of mind to execute things and if done effectively, it brings enjoyment to the player’s game.”Shastri said his relationship with the support staff – both Sanjay Bangar (assistant coach) and R Sridhar (fielding coach) were appointed by him – as well as the positive rapport he has with the players meant he could hit the ground running.”I’m simply going to press the refresh button and begin from where I left. I know what I’m stepping into, players have an idea of what’s coming, so that ticks the first box. Just to give you an idea, I won’t be spending the first six to eight months in the job warming up to the team. That had already been accomplished in my previous stint. This time, it’s going to be about getting on the job from day one.”Although Shastri and Kohli will be the men in command, a new challenge awaits them in the form of Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan, who have been appointed as consultants by the BCCI at the behest of the CAC. The CAC felt, with India travelling overseas in the next two years for challenging Test series’ and the 2019 World Cup in England, the players needed experienced specialist hands to ensure success.Asked for his thoughts on working with Dravid and Zaheer, Shastri was optimistic, but hinted he would have the last word on support staff appointments.”In fact, even in my last stint, I had asked people like Rahul and Zaheer to come every now and then,” Shastri told . “I even asked Sachin [Tendulkar] to come at some stage and have a chat with the boys. I always believe that you need a fresh set of ideas. Your core team is meant to do the job for 200 days a year and every now and then, whenever you get some fresh inputs through with the quality of players like Zak (Zaheer) or Rahul it can only be good.”Tomorrow it could be an excellent fielding coach. What stops Jonty Rhodes from coming and having a chat with the boys? Overseas, I could pick the brains of a fast bowler who has bowled very well in those conditions – say in South Africa or Australia. It’s fresh inputs that might trigger off something. I am always open to such kind of ideas.”