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It appears Manchester United midfielder Casemiro could be to blame after Kobbie Mainoo picked up a serious injury on tour in the United States.

What is the latest on Kobbie Mainoo’s injury?

Following the Red Devils’ recent pre-season friendly match with Real Madrid – which they lost 2-0 – the young midfielder sadly suffered a major fitness setback.

Indeed, the club confirmed the unfortunate situation on their website, noting that he is expected to be ruled out for the first part of the 2023/24 season with this ankle injury sustained during the match against Los Blancos.

They also added that he has flown home from the US tour to the United Kingdom where further assessment of his fitness issue will take place before a medical decision on the next steps.

This comes as a real blow for Mainoo, who looks to be a real talent and had impressed sufficiently in pre-season to actually start four friendlies in a row before suffering this injury.

In a Tweet relaying the news, the official Man Utd social media account said: “Gutted for you, Kobbie. But setbacks are set-ups for comebacks — we’re all right behind you.”

In light of the incident, however, a video was shared on Twitter and it does appear as though Mainoo’s injury comes as a direct consequence of Casemiro’s needlessly deliberate foul on Real Madrid’s Rodrygo just one minute into the friendly.

i wonder how it happened 🤔 https://t.co/14ZvHXtyeb pic.twitter.com/t3Fi2Cvi9f— !¡ (@m4wiii) July 29, 2023

As you can see in the footage above, the Brazilian midfielder cynically fouls his opponent, who then tumbles into Mainoo and catches him awkwardly.

Here is what some bemused fans have been saying about it all online…

Who is Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo?

Described as a “creatively outstanding Stockport-born midfielder” on the official Man Utd website, Mainoo is still only 18 years old but appears to have a very bright future within the game.

Despite his tender age, he has already played in three competitive games for the Red Devils at senior level, as well as the aforementioned friendly games he started this summer.

Mainoo has also represented the club at the U18 level and higher but made his Premier League debut last February, playing ten minutes off the bench in a 3-0 home win over Leicester City.

His recent displays had earned praise from his manager, with Erik ten Hag telling the press: “It’s fantastic. Manchester United is famous for always bringing young players up, and it can be done. We have confidence, he is playing with confidence, and I really like his performance.

“But this year, he showed it in spring, then he got injured. We are really happy. There are more youngsters with us now and they’re all doing very good. But I don’t want to raise expectations too high.”

On top of that, United icon Bryan Robson also tipped the teenager to have a big future, telling The Telegraph: “He’s calculated and he’s reading the game, doing things in his own time.

“He closes down really well, receives the ball and changes the pattern of the game, quickens it up when he wants to and he’s using his football brain. I’m quite impressed with him.”

The left-arm wristspinner, who is likely to replace the suspended Ravindra Jadeja, says he is happy to bide his time and learn from India’s frontline spinners

Sidharth Monga in Pallekele09-Aug-2017Test debuts rarely come in envisaged circumstances. Kuldeep Yadav’s came in the decider of an intense series, as replacement for the injured captain, a batsman. Both sides had thrown everything at each other, and Kuldeep was the ace up India’s sleeve. If some reports are to be believed, there had been a tug of war between the captain and coach over when to show the ace, if indeed it was to be shown. However, with the captain resting, Kuldeep was told the day before the fourth Test in Dharamsala that he was playing. He couldn’t sleep that night.On the morning of the Test, Kuldeep was called upon to to pull Australia back when they were running away with the game at a fast pace. Australia went in to lunch at 131 for 1, but when they came back, Kuldeep got David Warner, Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell to make immediate impact on the series. He hasn’t played Test cricket since, but with Ravindra Jadeja suspended for a match, he is all set to try to make further impact on Test cricket as India’s first left-arm wristspinner.Bigger impact, though, has been made, and Kuldeep has seen it himself. “I think there are a lot of chinaman bowlers around now,” Kuldeep said after India’s training session in Pallekele. “When I started out, there were hardly any. You go to any cricket academy, and there are eight-ten chinaman bowlers practising. People have started bowling like this. That’s one thing that has surely changed after my debut, and I think we will see more of such spinners in the future in not only state and Ranji level, but also, hopefully, at international level. It is a happy feeling that people have recognised this skill.”Personally, too, life has taken a turn for Kuldeep. “If you are playing Test cricket and playing for India, life definitely changes,” he said. “There is no more proud feeling than this that you can give to your family. I feel really proud to represent India, feel happy that the hard work from childhood has paid off.”In between his two Tests – he hasn’t yet been told he is playing but he should if he is fit – Kuldeep has played a whole ODI series under the captain he replaced in the side for the Dharamsala Test. And in that ODI series, in the West Indies, the captain seemed impressed with his sorcery.”If the captain believes in you, then you have done half your work,” Kuldeep said. “Captain’s belief is very important, and Virat supports me a lot. He supported me completely in West Indies, and the way he talks to the players on the ground, the way he spoke to me in the ODIs, it felt very nice because the captain’s confidence is the biggest thing for a player.”The efficiency Sri Lanka’s batsmen have shown in sweeping the ball will pose a test for Kuldeep•Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/ AFPIt will help Kuldeep that the current bowling coach of the team has worked with him at junior levels too. “I have been working with Bharat Arun for the past 10 years,” Kuldeep said, “ever since I was playing in Under-16, in Under-19 also. I share a lot of things with him, and he tells me a lot about bowling as well. He has been seeing me ever since I was a junior cricketer, and he knows what to do and what not to do. It is very easy to work with him so I am happy to continue to work with him.”One of the challenges the duo of Kuldeep and Arun will have to overcome is the Sri Lanka batsmen’s strategy to keep sweeping the spinners. Kuldeep recognises the challenge, but also sees an opportunity in it. “[Kusal] Mendis and [Dimuth] Karunaratne batted very well in the last Test, they played the sweep very well,” he said. “It is difficult for spinners if the batsmen are playing the sweep so effectively. It becomes easy for the batsmen and tougher for the spinner, so my plan is to try and control that shot. But playing the sweep also means a lot of chances, so if you plan even a little bit, it can get you wickets.”Three days out, there seemed to be some grass on the Pallekele surface. Three days is a long time for the grass to survive in Asia, but even if it were to, it won’t faze Kuldeep. “For me, the wicket doesn’t matter,” he said. “I don’t see the wicket at all. In childhood, I used to bowl on cement wickets and there can be no better wickets [for batting] than cement wickets. On grassy wickets, some balls can bounce and some can skid through. So there is still some advantage even if there is no turn.”Kuldeep knows how rare chances for spinners are in a squad that has the No. 1 and No. 3 bowlers in the world. He is mindful he will have to make the most of it. “You cannot walk into the team so easily, and you have to wait; that’s the rule of cricket,” he said. “It is good that I have worked with them [R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja], and I have been in the team with them for last six-seven months. So I have got to learn a lot from them, especially playing Test cricket with them. You gain experience like this and it helps in the future. I try to stay with them mostly and keep talking to them; they help me a lot.”

West Ham have shown interest in making a move for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah this summer.

How much is Trevoh Chalobah worth?

According to the Guardian, David Moyes is in the market for a new centre-back and has shortlisted Chalobah as a possible option.

The 24-year-old is also being targeted by Internazionale, and faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.

It was previously reported the Chelsea hierarchy was open to selling Chalobah, who is now behind teammates Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Levi Colwill in the pecking order.

New manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to head into the season with four centre-backs in the squad, but this plan has been thrown into question due to Fofana’s long-term injury.

With Badiashile also to miss the start of the season through injury, the Argentine doesn’t want his defensive options further depleted.

Nevertheless, Chalobah remains a target for the Hammers, and he could be available for around £25m.

The £50k-per-week gem could be swayed by a move to the London Stadium as he will be eyeing an England debut ahead of the Euro 2024 tournament next summer.

West Ham also have Harry Maguire and Taylor Harwood-Bellis on their radar this summer, according to the same report.

Who can Chalobah replace at West Ham?

The 6 foot 4 titan has been at Chelsea since 2007 and is one of the very few academy prospects to make a notable breakthrough into the first team.

His career in West London began in emphatic fashion when he netted on his Premier League debut in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on the opening day of the season.

In total, he has made 63 appearances across all competitions for the Blues, and although he isn’t a regular starter, he has emerged as a dependable squad option.

Last campaign, Chalobah was Chelsea’s second most-used defender (only behind Silva) and occasionally deputised at right-back for the injured Reece James. On that evidence, he'd provide David Moyes with plenty of versatility, something that could be key as the Irons embark on another voyage in Europe this season.

Former manager Graham Potter is one notable fan of the Englishman’s composure and positional awareness, saying: “I’ve been very impressed from day one. He’s trained really well, very professional, very determined. He’s an impressive character, very focused on his football. He’s a bit of a soldier.”

From a West Ham perspective, someone of this durability and versatility would be the perfect long-term replacement for Angelo Ogbonna.

The Italian is in the twilight years of his career and looks set to struggle with another year of domestic and European football.

The 35-year-old only started 13 Premier League matches last season and Moyes opted for alternative defenders in the crucial, latter stages of the club’s Europa Conference League triumph.

Chalobah can be deemed a certified upgrade due to his superiority in a number of metrics. Defensively, the Chelsea star outranks Ogbonna for tackles per 90 (1.71 vs 0.8), interceptions per 90 (1.28 vs 1.24), and blocks per 90 (0.92 vs 0.8).

Moreover, the former Ipswich loanee is also far more accomplished on the ball, comfortably trumping the veteran for pass completion per 90 (88.1% vs 80%), progressive passes per 90 (3.65 vs 0.8), and progressive carries per 90 (1.01 vs 0.00).

Judging by these statistics and his profile, If West Ham can persuade the Chelsea owners to sanction Chalobah’s departure, it would be an extremely shrewd piece of business.

West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite and coach Stuart Law have expressed how they were happy to restrict India to under 200, as the 190 total was 20 runs short

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-20171:45

Lewis is not conventional – Brathwaite

India’s score of 190 at Sabina Park with short boundaries and a flat pitch was “20 runs short”, according to West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite, who lauded the efforts of quick bowlers Kesrick Williams and Jerome Taylor. The hosts chased down the total with a blistering 53-ball hundred from Evin Lewis, who hit the winnings runs to seal their nine-wicket win.”It was a very good wicket, but we did very well to keep them to 190, especially after the start they had,” Brathwaite said. “Kesrick [Williams] had two very important strikes in the sixth over and then when Jerome Taylor came back and finished, he brought us back into the game. We all thought that 190 was 20 runs short and then the batters proved their worth.”West Indies head coach Stuart Law was expecting a score of 240-250 from India after seeing a rapid start from their openers. “The way the Indians started their batting innings on a very good wicket with fast outfield and small boundaries, I think we did really well to contain them to 190,” he said. “To be honest, at one stage I was looking at 240-250. We didn’t start very well with the ball but we finished very well. It was very difficult to bowl with the new ball, the spinners weren’t getting much turn with the new ball and it was a very easy-paced pitch. If you slightly missed your line or length, you’d go for four or six. But towards the end of their innings, we saw how well they (West Indies) bowled and managed to contain India. Keeping them under 200 was an outstanding effort.”To only chase 190 on a small ground and flat wicket, it’s going to take some chasing but we saw one of the better innings I’ve ever seen in T20 cricket. Evin Lewis, hats off.”Lewis scored his second T20 hundred against India in only three matches, after he had blasted 100 off 49 balls in Florida last August. His century on Sunday was studded with 12 sixes and six fours, and Brathwaite said Lewis’ unconventional shots make him stand out.”He’s a very positive young man, he hits the ball very very cleanly,” Brathwaite said. “Another good thing about him is once he gets in, he goes all the way. He has two hundreds and a 90, something like that. He doesn’t stop short, he doesn’t make 20s or 30s.”Once he gets in, he’s very difficult to stop and he doesn’t give his wicket away. I don’t know what’s the secret, but looking from the outside, he’s a very unconventional player. There are players who are conventional and hit the ball hard, and he’s the other way around. He hits the ball sweetly and cleanly, he also hits them in some funny areas that fielding teams take a while to get accustomed to. But when they are trying to get accustomed to, he’s already 50-odd and heading to 90 or 100.”1:41

My aim is to perform consistently – Karthik

While Law lauded Lewis’ century too, he also said the batsman – who scored all of 67 runs in four ODIs against India – could have found it easier mentally to play more freely in the T20 format as compared to 50-over cricket.”Just the power hitting – how he picked his targets, he hit with the wind, he played all the right shots, played good cricket shots as well,” Law said. “There wasn’t any mad swings of the bat, they were all controlled and controlled aggression which we know Evin Lewis can do. I’d love to see him do that in the 50-over format, that will be one hell of a way to start a 50-over game as well. But credit to the young man, he hasn’t got a big score yet this summer and to finish it off in style like that was a great achievement.”I try not to talk too much to the players; they know their games. We just try and work out options for them and areas where they are very very strong. Batting for me is all about getting your body in a position to hit the ball in the area you are strong at, and Evin did that today beautifully. It might be [a] mental [shift] to carry that sort of mindset into the T20 game. Also there is pressure if you get out having a big woosh, in a 50-over game, in the first three overs – you look like a fool. I just want him to go out there and play his game and if he does get out in the first five overs, it’s no issue for me because if he gets to a good start he can take the game away.”West Indies, the reigning T20I champions, put behind them a 3-1 ODI series loss and were boosted by the inclusion of star players such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine for the one-off T20. Brathwaite said their presence boosted their confidence but they were putting in a lot of hard work in ODIs too, where they are ranked ninth and struggling to gain automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup.”Being able to rub shoulders with them (big players) and being able to ask their opinions, especially in crucial times, even to practice with them is a privilege. It gives the guys a little more confidence but any day with them in the team and not performing, the good thing is they (youngsters) take the mantle upon themselves, be professional – not just off the field but also on it. Whenever we go on the park, we always try to give a 100%.”As a young captain I just want the guys to express themselves. It’s not too many instructions from me; once we have a team plan we go there and try to execute it. The message from me is: always express yourself.”

Chelsea are reportedly "well-informed" on Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga and are "considering" a move for the Spanish midfielder, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Veiga joining Chelsea?

Described as a "very electric player" and "one of the best talents in the world", Veiga's rise to fame has been meteoric.

After enjoying a stellar breakout season with Celta Vigo in La Liga, the wonderkid has attracted interest from the world's biggest clubs, including the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

The 21-year-old has a release clause in his contract worth roughly £34m making him a highly desirable target with enormous potential. The Spaniard popped up with 11 goals and four assists from central midfield in La Liga last term and is set to leave Celta this summer, handing the Sky Blues a tidy profit.

With a host of top clubs knocking on his door, Veiga is spoiled for choice and now potentially has an offer from Chelsea to consider too.

According to transfer guru Romano, Veiga is being closely monitored by the Blues. While all focus is currently on a deal for Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, Veiga could be Mauricio Pochettino's next midfield target.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "Mentioning midfielders and talented midfielders, for Gabri Veiga, guys, on the media it has gone a bit quiet in recent weeks, but I can tell you that behind the scenes things are happening in terms of contacts.

"So, we know he has a release clause around €40m but some clubs believe that they can find an agreement for a value below this fee, so to go for something less than €40m. So, let's see how the conversation will continue but keep an eye on Gabri Veiga because in the next days and weeks clubs will move on the player."

He continued: "We know Chelsea have been following the situation. Chelsea are very well-informed on the situation of Gabri Veiga. Let's see if they will bid for Gabri but for sure he's a player they appreciate and one of the players they are considering at Chelsea. So, not only Chelsea but they are following this situation."

Romano also mentions Romeo Lavia as a midfielder that the Blues are interested in and said a deal for the Southampton man would not impact a potential deal for number one target Caicedo. Assuming this also applies to Veiga, it means that two new midfielders could arrive at Stamford Bridge this window.

Chelsea have not been afraid to spend big in recent years but are looking for a more fine-tuned and less erratic approach to their transfer business this summer. Veiga would certainly provide good value for money and the Blues' interest in signing talented youngsters makes a deal all the more likely.

How good is Veiga?

Veiga's statistical output last season was phenomenal for such a young player, especially given he featured in a struggling Celta team that finished 13th and only three points above the relegation spaces.

Compared to other La Liga midfielders per 90 last season, Veiga ranked in the top two percent for non-penalty goals, the top one percent for shots on target and the top six percent for shots on target percentage.

His ability to provide a goal threat from deep central positions is outstanding and would prove useful for any side looking for more attacking output from their midfield players.

Veiga is still very raw, however, and there are elements of his game which need improvement. Statistically, his passing averages and accuracy were very low compared to other La Liga midfielders, something which would need to improve should he make a move to the Premier League.

At 21-years-old he offers a buying club a project player with an incredibly high potential, albeit he is far from the finished article just yet.

Liverpool are reportedly interested in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, as Jurgen Klopp eyes a midfield revamp this summer.

The German is expected to bid farewell to dominating ace Fabinho who is expected to complete a £40m move to Al-Ittihad, leaving a vacancy for a defensive midfielder to bolster the side.

Could Liverpool sign Joao Palhinha?

The Reds were linked to Fulham’s Portuguese monster in January, but failed to make a move for the 28-year-old.

With the timing of Fabinho’s expected departure, links to the midfielder have resurfaced, with the Liverpool Echo naming Palhinha as an option ‘back on the table’ for Liverpool to consider.

There is however a catch, with a separate report revealing that the Cottagers want a fee of £90m for the player following West Ham’s reported interest earlier this window.

How good is Joao Palhinha?

Signed by Fulham for £20m from Sporting Lisbon last summer, the 28-year-old has been integral to Marco Silva’s side’s progression in the league.

Hailed as an “absolute warrior” by editor and writer Hunter Godson, the Portugal international has lived up to his praise since arriving in the Premier League.

A warrior is a fair description for the midfielder, who averaged the highest rate of tackles per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues, recording a monstrous 4.26 per 90 for Fulham, via FBref.

The former Liga Portugal ace, with 21 caps for his country, has displayed just how much of a combative presence he is in the middle of the park, making Liverpool’s speculated interest somewhat unsurprising.

With an average of 1.33 interceptions and 2.06 aerial duels won per 90, Palhinha is a player many would opt against coming up against in the middle of the park for his sweeper-like antics in protecting the backline.

For the Reds, capturing the dominant gem’s signature could signify the start of a new era in midfield at Anfield, with Klopp already signing attacking option Alexis Mac Allister to bolster the centre of play.

Last season, the Argentine netted an impressive ten goals and two assists for Brighton in an individual campaign to remember, in which he added a World Cup-winning medal to his arsenal.

Klopp could unearth a deadly combo in midfield in deployed Palhinha alongside the 24-year-old, who could thrive if given the freedom to showcase his offensive artistry with the assurance of a mammoth protecting him.

Winning the ball is unquestionably the Lisbon-born star's forte, making him an attractive asset to have in the squad behind the fluent attack Klopp is building, starting with Mac Allister.

The attacking midfielder is capable of spawning attacking sequences with his intricate playing style, as captured by his average of 1.47 key passes per 90 last season.

Klopp could get the best out of Mac Allister to the benefit of the club, with the World Cup winner showing just how much of a threat he can be as Brighton’s favoured playmaker last term.

Combining the creative spark of the Argentine with the defensive expertise of Palhinha could form a balanced pivot in the middle of the park, in a dynamic capable of easing the departure of Fabinho.

Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has praised his now-fellow Test member administrators for their long-term vision in approving governance changes that resulted in Ireland and Afghanistan

Peter Della Penna22-Jun-2017Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has praised his now-fellow Test member administrators for their long-term vision in approving governance changes that resulted in Ireland and Afghanistan becoming the 11th and 12th Full Members of the ICC on Thursday. Deutrom and Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Shafiq Stanikzai said on a conference call following the decision that it was a day of celebration and proof there is a definite pathway for Associates to move forward.”I think it sets a terrific example,” Deutrom said. “What happened today for Full Membership for Ireland and Afghanistan is part of a much broader series of governance changes that the game has had the courage to embrace today.”If you are able to put together and show the sport in your country embraces a robust status, strong governance, strong administration, quality performance over a period of years, not just your men but your women, not just your seniors but your juniors, not just on the pitch but off the pitch, the quality of your financial rigour and can show you are sustainable as a business with your commercial revenue generation… the game has quite rightly said if you’re going to take a step up to the highest levels of the sport, you need to be able to be strong in all of those areas so you’re not going to fall over in any one.”It’s a real measure of faith today. There are 21 criteria. They are very clearly laid out by the ICC now so that option should now be available to [Associate] members to embrace that future if they have the ability.”In terms of scheduling their respective maiden Test matches, Deutrom said he had been more focused on making a case to voters to gain a favorable vote for Test status, making negotiations “inappropriate” until a successful vote had been taken while Stanikzai said his board was still basking in the euphoria of receiving their newfound elevated status.”The next 24 hours is kind of a celebratory time for Afghanistan and the entire nation,” Stanikzai said. “Something huge has happened in our cricketing history.”Indeed there will be talk with some of the Full Members within our region and I’m quite hopeful that we will be playing a Test nation in what will be another remarkable day for Afghanistan.”Both countries had been vying for the last two years to win the Intercontinental Cup, with the winner due to play the lowest ranked Full Member in a four-match Test Challenge that had been scheduled for 2018. A date at Lord’s for 2019 had been promised by the ECB’s Giles Clarke to the winner, though ICC chief executive David Richardson said the planned Test Challenge playoff has now been scrapped following the pair’s elevation to Test status.However, Deutrom said he would not hesitate to bring up the open date at Lord’s in discussions with Tom Harrison, his counterpart at the ECB. Deutrom also said the gate-attendance figures Ireland helped generate from May’s ODI at Lord’s made a compelling case to ECB administrators to lock in a future Test date with Ireland.”In terms of the schedule itself, that’s still subject to discussion in terms of the Full Members talking about the international cricket structure but that isn’t likely to be decided until October,” Deutrom said. “Even though it’s not 100%, when I sit down with Tom Harrison I will be reminding him of Giles [Clarke] referring to the ‘glittering prize’ of Ireland playing against England at Lord’s.”As we saw from Ireland’s inaugural match at Lord’s on May 7, it was fantastic with Ireland able to put 25,000 in the seats during a month of the year when it’s probably not the easiest sell when it’s the end of the Premiership season and of course European rugby and European [Champions League] football.”For that to be the case we need to have discussions to see how it can pan out. We do have a busy season ahead for both of us next year. We do have our own bilateral cricket and also probably what’s going to be a very lengthy World Cup Qualifier so at this stage we don’t know.”Richardson urged administrators and fans to be patient in expecting immediate success from both countries, saying that unless their schedule their maiden Test against each other, it could be years before either scores their first win and noted the early struggles experienced by Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and most recently Bangladesh after gaining Test status. But Richardson said both should expect a “significant increase” from their current ICC funding levels to allow structures to keep them competitive.Under the current funding package, both had been receiving equated to roughly $20 million over eight years but Richardson said he expected that may double at a minimum now that they have access to Full Member levels of revenue shares.

Arsenal have now made their first move to sign Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda by contacting the Spanish club to discuss a deal, according to a recent report from Mundo Deportivo.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice appear to be on their way to the Emirates Stadium, with it being detailed that Mikel Arteta is set to utilise the 22-year-old at right-back next season, despite playing at centre-back for the majority of his career so far.

Back in February, journalist Ben Jacobs explained that the Gunners are looking to plan for the future by bringing in a new option at right-back, telling CaughtOffside:

“Arsenal will look at a right back this summer to add a bit of depth and plan for the long term,”

“Arsenal’s priority remains Ivan Fresneda, who they tried to sign in January. Fresneda opted to stay at Real Valladolid until the end of the season despite offers from both the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund. Fresneda’s agent Luis Bardaji actually said up to 30 teams had made enquiries for the 18-year-old. Newcastle were also tracking him"

Despite the move for Timber now edging closer to completion, there has now been a suggestion that Arteta could go back in for his January transfer target, with Mundo Deportivo reporting Arsenal have reignited their interest and that contact would have already started.

The Real Valladolid ace has always been liked by Arteta, and he is now set to be available for a reduced fee, with his release clause dropping to €20m (£17m) after his side's relegation from La Liga last season.

There is also interest in the 18-year-old from abroad, with AC Milan being named as potential suitors, however the Gunners have now made contact with Valladolid, in order to make sure they win the race for his signature. Barcelona are interested in signing the youngster, but the move is not progressing due to the economic issues at the Camp Nou.

Is Ivan Fresneda signing for Arsenal?

Given Barca's current financial limitations, Arsenal are seemingly very well-placed to finally wrap up a deal for the Spaniard, who has already managed to impress considerably in La Liga.

Matt Clark, of the La Liga Lowdown podcast, has described the starlet as a "remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too", while also lauding him for his "technical ability".

Having made his breakthrough last season, the last thing the young right-back would've wanted is for his side to get relegated, but he had some very solid displays on a personal level, ranking in the 93rd percentile for blocks and clearances per 90 in the past year.

That said, the defender's form did trail off towards the end of the season, putting in a string of very poor performances from March onwards, receiving a 5.9 SofaScore match rating against Athletic Bilbao, and a 5.8 against Real Madrid.

Of course, Fresneda was not helped by the fact he played in a relatively poor team that dropped down a division last season, so he could still be a good signing for Arsenal, particularly considering he will now be available for the reduced fee of £17m.

West Indies’ middle and lower order came to their rescue in a big way as they recovered from a precarious 71 for 5 to end the opening day at 244 for 7

The Report by Danyal Rasool21-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWest Indies’ middle and lower order came to their rescue in a big way as they recovered from a precarious 71 for 5 to end the opening day in Jamaica on 244 for 7. Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich added 118 for the sixth wicket after Mohammad Amir had made three breakthroughs either side of lunch as Pakistan threatened to take a firm hold on the match.Play was called off nine overs early, as the clouds that hovered above for much of the day finally impacted the light enough to convince the umpires to lead the players off after just one over with the new ball, but the final session had not been short of action. Chase and Dowrich, whose partnership started in the first over after lunch, took their stand to three figures but just as it looked like Pakistan were running out of ideas the breakthrough came via a miraculous diving catch on the boundary to dismiss Chase, with Wahab Riaz taking a stunning grab running towards the long-on boundary.The next ball, Dowrich was bowled by Yasir Shah as the visitors wrestled the advantage again, but some gutsy late hitting by Jason Holder and Devendra Bishoo ensured West Indies finished the day with some momentum, and a total to defend.Pakistan were on top for much of the first day, but West Indies produced a heartening response after looking as though they could unravel when Amir and debutant Mohammad Abbas were operating with the new ball. Abbas claimed a wicket with his second delivery in Test cricket as Kraigg Brathwaite edged to second slip where Younis Khan snared another catch, reminding Pakistan it wasn’t just his runs they were going to miss when he hangs up his bat at the end of this Test series.Roston Chase’s reactions from the first day

On how the day went: “We were in bit of a hole early on, but Shane and I had a decent partnership, I thought it was a fighting effort, but disappointed neither of us went on to get that big score. Hopefully the skipper and the rest of the batsman can put us in a strong position, a fighting position and put Pakistan on the back foot”
On what WI need to do on the second day: “I always believe 450-500 is a good first-innings total if we set the tone from early. But as I said, we were in a bit of a hole so if we get 350-plus from here that’ll be a decent comeback for us. If we go into lunch tomorrow losing no wickets or even one, or even if we do get bowled out, if we score quickly enough to get that 350 or 375, that will be a positive for us in that session.”
On the Sabina Park pitch: “The pitch is a bit two-paced. Some balls, when they’re banging in the ball it doesn’t really come off that well. Once you stay patient and hit those areas hard, some things happening for you there.”

However, Abbas’ senior bowling partner was the man of the morning. Showing exquisite control, Amir produced one to dart back into the left-handed Shimron Hetmyer, one of two West Indians on debut. Hetmyer, who had for much of his short stay at the crease been chiefly concerned with Amir’s outswinger, was clearly unprepared for the change-up; Pakistan had almost begun celebrating by the time the his bat came down. Four overs later, Amir castled Shai Hope with his stock delivery, swinging into the right-hander and sending his off stump cartwheeling.When Wahab came on, the runs flowed a little more freely, the batsmen taking advantage of his slightly erratic length and relative lack of movement. Even so, he claimed the scalp of Vishaul Singh, also in his first outing, owing to a sharp catch at square leg from Azhar Ali, the batsman falling over to a ball drifting on to leg stump.When Kieran Powell fell two deliveries after lunch, chasing a wide swinging delivery from Amir he would have been better off leaving alone, Pakistan would have harboured realistic hopes of dismissing West Indies for under 150, but Chase and Dowrich took control of the innings with a sense of grit and determination that supposedly better batsmen had been devoid of. They were excellent in trying circumstances, taking advantage whenever Yasir – who was inconsistent – missed his length, and punished Wahab when his line wavered. They did not panic when the runs dried up, but didn’t go back into their shells so much they couldn’t pounce on the poor deliveries.Chase and Dowrich snapped back into a more aggressive mindset soon after tea, the latter rubber-stamping that fact by slashing Abbas for a pair of stylish square cuts and bringing up the 100-run stand moments later. It was then that the absence of a fifth bowling option began to hurt the visitors as they turned to Amir again, who they would ideally have wanted to rest until the new ball.However, when this Test match has long been forgotten, all people will probably remember is how the sixth-wicket stand was broken. In a moment of play that almost defied belief, Chase struck a lofted drive off Yasir, looking for all the world like it would fetch him a boundary, despite Wahab, hardly a world-beating fielder, scampering back from mid-off. Wahab threw himself at the ball – even the technique looked all wrong – and somehow emerged with it in hand. The umpires asked for TV confirmation – perhaps they were just as astonished as everyone else.The next ball, Dowrich was beaten for spin as he tried to drive Yasir along the ground, the ball thudding into his stumps: 189 for 5 had become 189 for 7 and, just like that, Pakistan again sensed a swift end to the innings.However, no one appeared to have told Holder and Bishoo, who set upon Yasir in a display of counter-attacking hitting, not afraid to loft him in the air, earning multiple boundaries in return. They raced to a fifty-partnership at almost a run-a-ball, and continued to frustrate Pakistan as the new ball was taken.Fortune came to their aid thereafter, as the new ball was only one Amir over old when the umpires decided this was no time of day to be facing fast bowling. Holder and Bishoo didn’t need to be told twice, sprinting off to the dressing room after living to fight another day.

The Indian captain said Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha deserved credit for taking India 152 runs ahead in Ranchi

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Ranchi20-Mar-2017Following the drawn Test in Ranchi, Virat Kohli has hailed Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha for overcoming a difficult situation and taking India to a position from where they could have won the match. When Saha joined Pujara in the post-tea session on day three, India were 328 for 6 in reply to Australia’s 451. They went on to add 199, and India eventually declared with a 152-run first-innings lead.Australia were four down and still trailing by 89 runs at one stage on the fifth day, with more than two sessions of play still left, but India couldn’t quite push on and win, with Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh batting out 62 overs while adding 124 for the fifth wicket. Kohli said he wasn’t surprised Australia, the world’s second-ranked Test side, fought the way they did.”Everyone has to take responsibility equally on the field and our players want to do that,” Kohli said in his post-match press conference. “Conditions were such in the first innings that it wasn’t easy for the bowlers, the pitch was very good. It played very well in the first two innings. In the second innings, [Australia] batted well so it ended in a draw.”But where we were in the first innings, 450 [451] was the [Australian] score and we were 320-odd for 6. From there to make 600 was a very difficult task. We put ourselves in a position to win, so we feel it was a very good effort from us to get into a winning situation.”But then again, if you are playing against the No. 2 side, you will expect that they will come out and fight, not just roll over. Everyone has his point of view. We will look at our positives and we are happy with where we brought the game to after just one innings. We didn’t need to bat in the second innings. But they had to play for a draw. Like I said, they will look at their positives, we will look at our positives and move forward. There is still one match to go, both [teams] will give it their best.”Kohli said the bowlers had struggled to extract help from the pitch when the ball grew older and softer, but did not want to stress the point and take credit away from Handscomb and Marsh.”They batted very well,” Kohli said. “Four down by lunch, and after that they didn’t lose a wicket in the entire session. So credit to them, when someone plays well, you have to give them credit, we understand that.”But we are also very happy with our efforts. [Ravindra] Jadeja’s bowling was outstanding in this match. All the bowlers bowled very well but Jadeja in my opinion was standout. If you look at his economy, on this pitch it was high-class bowling and showed why he is the joint No. 1 bowler [in the ICC rankings for Test bowlers] alongside Ashwin.”Kohli: ‘Saha is one guy who is always willing to do anything for the team’•Associated PressPujara won the Player-of-the-Match award for his innings of 202 off 525 balls, which was the longest ever by an Indian batsman (in Tests with ball data available). That knock took Pujara’s tally for 2016-17 to 1259 runs at an average of 66.26.”You know, sometimes I really feel bad for him,” Kohli said, when asked about Pujara’s contributions through the season. “People don’t understand his importance so much in this team and what a valuable player he is for us. He is the most composed player we have in the team, he is willing to grind for his runs, he doesn’t mind batting under pressure, he likes to take a challenge of batting.”So someone like that is priceless to have in the team. When the pressure situation comes up, he is someone who will put his hand up and play long for the team and hold up one end, which I think is a great quality in him. This season he has been outstanding. I don’t know the number of runs he has scored but he has contributed throughout. He has not been spoken about much or has been in the focus too much but he deserves much more than that. People need to stand up and take notice of what he has done this season, he has been outstanding with the bat and hopefully he will continue that in the last Test.”Saha, Kohli said, was similarly underappreciated. “See, Saha’s knock again was brilliant for us. He’s always stood up when the team needs him and this game was no different. His partnership with Pujara was the reason we had a go at winning this Test. A lot of credit goes to him also.”Again, [he has] not been mentioned too much but he deserves a lot of credit. He’s one guy who is always willing to do anything for the team. Wherever we ask him to bat, he bats. He has no problems in batting after [R] Ashwin, before Ashwin, whenever we want him to do it. He plays any kind of role – positive, defensive, you know, whatever we ask him to do, he never says no.”So you really really feel glad for a guy like that. He’s willing to do anything for the team and put his best foot forward. As I said, I’m really happy he performed in a big pressure match, in a difficult situation and put us in a position to have a shot at winning the game.”Mohammed Shami, who has not played for India since suffering a leg injury during the Test series against England, is making a phased return to action. He bowled in the nets in the lead-up to both the Bengaluru and Ranchi Tests, but has not been named in India’s Test squad yet. He has also played 50-over games for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and on Monday took four wickets in the tournament final against Tamil Nadu. Kohli said he hadn’t spoken to the selectors yet about Shami’s availability for the fourth Test in Dharamsala, but hinted that it could happen.”Yeah, Shami also we sent him to play [the Vijay Hazare Trophy] because we saw him bowling 10-12 overs in a go, and we wanted to give him some match practice.” Kohli said. “I don’t know [about his selection], I haven’t spoken to the selectors still. All kinds of possibilities approaching the next Test.”