All posts by h716a5.icu

West Ham United have started the season in good form regardless of the notable sale of Declan Rice in the summer to Arsenal, winning half of their games so far and sitting in seventh spot.

It's been the fresh blood added into the building for the Hammers that has seen them perform so well in the infancy of this campaign, the midfield additions of Mohammed Kudus and James Ward-Prowse have been inspired buys by David Moyes – both new faces contributing to 11 of the club's goals in all competitions so far, Ward-Prowse already notching up six assists.

The likes of Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen have also been ever reliable for the Hammers, both players scoring recently in a dominant 2-0 victory against a hapless Sheffield United side at the London Stadium.

It's looking rosy away from just the current crop of first team performers at West Ham too, with teenager Callum Marshall an academy prospect being hyped up to be the next best thing rising through the ranks at the club.

Who is Callum Marshall?

Winning the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for September, Marshall is highly regarded at West Ham at just 18 years of age.

Drawing comparisons to Northern Ireland goalscoring hero David Healy – according to Sammy McIlroy – Marshall born in Glengormley and featured for Northern Irish side Linfield before joining the Irons in 2022 – there's lots of expectation in the air that the youngster will go on to have a fantastic career.

He has 40 goals to his name for both West Ham U18's and U21's, already scoring eight times this campaign in the Premier League 2 from just six starts.

It's even led to the prolific marksman being capped by his country at senior level already, featuring twice for his nation under Michael O'Neill against Denmark and San Marino.

The Northern Ireland manager doesn't want to put too much pressure on the young man's shoulders, although an impressive teenage attacker that "excites people" will always have people raving about the potential he possesses.

The former Stoke City boss said: “I can’t think back to when we’ve had a young striker – they generally come in later…A young striker coming in always excites people.

"Like every country, you want somebody at the top end of the pitch who can be a natural goalscorer, and without putting any burden on Callum, he has the potential and has shown the potential certainly since we’ve had him in. We’ve seen that he has the attributes."

What path could Callum Marshall follow at West Ham?

West Ham will hope that Marshall will follow a similar trajectory to former talisman, Rice, albeit that it doesn't end with another club poaching him.

The England international gradually rose through the ranks to become the star-man for the Hammers, going from a player on the fringes waiting for his moment in the spotlight to captaining the club to Europa Conference League glory, before his £105m departure to the Emirates.

There's no reason why the teenage striker can't start knocking on the door of the first team sooner rather than later, with West Ham's main striker, Michail Antonio, 33 years of age with his career running down.

Likewise, Moyes' other option as an out-and-out striker is Danny Ings, the ex Burnley man 31 years of age and prone to an injury, having netted just three goals for the club to date.

Marshall will just continue plugging away in the youth set-up for the time being, scoring goals by the bucket load if recent evidence is anything to go off.

But, don't be surprised if he's starring up top for the Hammers in a few years time as a raw, exciting and hungry figure, who could potentially be the next best thing since Rice.

Will Jacks scored a maiden Surrey century in only his third first-team match to add to the sense of feelgood about Surrey’s crop of young stars

ECB Reporters Network23-May-2018
ScorecardVirat Kohli will discover an impressive young team-mate when he arrives in London for his first stint in county cricket next month in the muscular form of teenage all-rounder Will Jacks.Jacks, a 19-year-old allrounder, cracked a sparkling maiden hundred in only his third first-team appearance in to ease Surrey to an emphatic six-wicket Royal London One-day Cup win over Gloucestershire at the Kia Oval.Jacks, who earlier turned his hand to five overs of offspin, hit a majestic 121 with 14 fours and four sixes to dominate a second-wicket partnership with Dean Elgar, the South Africa Test batsman, that added 158 in 25 overs to help Surrey canter to their opening south group win with 27 balls to spare.In pursuit of Gloucestershire’s 282 for 6 at an asking rate of 5.66 an over, Surrey lost mercurial opener Jason Roy to only the fifth ball of the reply. Fresh from a disappointing IPL stint with Delhi Daredevils, Roy drove hard at a wide, swinging length-ball from Craig Miles only to be caught at third man off a thick outside edge.That brought together Jacks and Elgar who raised 50 inside eight overs. Jacks, a tall, Chertsey-born strokemaker, proved the major aggressor cantering to a maiden half-century for his home county from 47 balls and with nine boundaries.The duo raised their century stand in the 17th over with Edgar, despite his vast international experience and having made 140 more List A appearances than his rookie partner, content to play second fiddle.The broad-shouldered Jacks received one let off when on 70 after Chris Dent downed a diving chance at extra cover, but otherwise the England Under-19 batsman remained strong and aggressive, clubbing a brace of sixes against slow left-armer Tom Smith. He then moved to three figures with his third maximum off Smith and removed his helmet to acknowledge the applause for his 86-ball century with 12 fours.Elgar raised his 59-ball 50 but perished soon after when attempting to slog sweep against Benny Howell then, with 98 still required, Jacks’ fun ended after 100 balls when he was caught on the ropes at backward square. He sidled off to a standing ovation, leaving Ben Foakes (50*) to guide Surrey through.Surrey, previously without a win, elected to bowl on a green-tinted pitch and having lost their opening two South Group matches when batting first.The decision paid quick dividends when Sam Curran had George Hankins caught at backward point driving on the up. Fellow opener, left-handed Dent, was then tucked up by Jade Dernbach and, shovelling to leg, spooned one to midwicket as Gloucestershire limped to 46 for 2 from their 10-over Powerplay.With the field spread, Gloucestershire rebuilt as Gareth Roderick and Howell posted 50 within 11 overs before Roderick dragged on against Rikki Clarke.Howell reached the first half-century of the match from 56 balls and with four fours and a six against veteran off-spinner Gareth Batty, yet Burns continued to take pace off the ball by giving stints to Scott Borthwick’s leg-breaks and Jacks’ off-spin.Borthwick struck to remove the dangerous Howell. Having reached 60 with a straight six, Howell drove Borthwick’s next delivery to mid-off to make it 114 for 4 at the mid-point of the innings.Borthwick enticed Ian Cockbain to work against the spin and chip a comfortable catch to wide mid-on, forcing Jack Taylor and Ryan Higgins into another rebuilding job.Higgins, the former Middlesex all-rounder, scored his first List A 50 off 51 balls, then Taylor reached the milestone from 62 deliveries with a six over mid-wicket as the sixth-wicket pair added 110 in 18.1 overs.In the dash for late runs Taylor heaved a catch to cow corner to gift Curran a second scalp, leaving Higgins to clatter three fours during a Dernbach over on his way to an unbeaten 81 off 70 balls – his highest score in any form of county cricket.

Southampton return to action in the Championship this afternoon as they host Leeds United at St. Mary's in the televised early kick-off.

The Saints come into this match off the back of four straight league defeats under Russell Martin and they are now in desperate need of a positive result to change the mood.

They were beaten 2-1 by Middlesbrough, despite taking the lead through Adam Armstrong, in their last match and now have to face Daniel Farke's Whites, who are unbeaten in their last six Championship outings.

What's the latest Southampton team news?

Martin has confirmed that Scotland international Ross Stewart will not be available to make his debut but is out on the training pitch and doing shooting drills ahead of his return.

The head coach did not reveal any other new injury concerns during his pre-match press conference but he could look to make some changes to his side in order to return to winning ways today.

Will Samuel Edozie start against Leeds?

Southampton's manager must now unleash Samuel Edozie from the start against the Yorkshire-based outfit as he could cause them problems alongside Che Adams in attack.

The 20-year-old wizard came off the bench against Middlesbrough last weekend and caught the eye with a Sofascore rating of 7.3 as he created one chance for his teammates.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.04 across eight Championship matches so far this season and has contributed with two goals and zero 'big chances' created.

The former Manchester City man has been able to drive the team up the pitch with his ability to take the ball past opposition players, with 1.8 successful dribbles per clash.

Ryan Fraser, who started against Middlesbrough on the left flank, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.7 across five league games for Southampton and is yet to contribute with a goal or a 'big chance' created.

The Scotland international has also only completed 0.4 dribbles per match and has not proven himself to offer more than Edozie, as an attacking threat or as a ball carrier to push the team forward in counter-attacking situations.

How many goals has Che Adams scored this season?

Martin must now unleash the 5 foot 10 hotshot ahead of Fraser to start alongside Scottish marksman Adams, who has scored three goals in seven Championship clashes this term.

The former Birmingham number nine has struck three times from just four league starts and has been able to showcase his ability to tee up his fellow attackers with three 'big chances' created.

His ability to provide assists, of which he has two this season, along with his goalscoring threat makes the 27-year-old ace the perfect foil for the 20-year-old magician to play with.

Adams could provide the ex-Manchester City prodigy with the chances he needs to add to his tally of two goals whilst he also has the finishing ability to potentially get on the end of any passes and crosses that the winger could produce.

Therefore, Edozie, who was once hailed as "exciting" by Martin, and the Scotland international could cause Leeds problems at the top end of the pitch this afternoon and should both start in attack alongside Adam Armstrong.

Virat Kohli’s team will face an incredibly tough path to the playoffs if they drop points against CSK

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu04-May-2018Form guide (most recent match first)

CSK: lost to KKR by six wickets, beat Daredevils by 13 runs, lost to Mumbai by 8 wickets
RCB: beat Mumbai by 14 runs, lost to KKR by six wickets, lost to CSK by five wickets

Big PictureRoyal Challengers Bangalore could probably afford one more loss. But only if they get very lucky with other results going their way.They came away from the IPL auction like a tourist with a detailed itinerary: allrounders, check; big-hitters, check; KKR’s bowling attack that knocked them over for 49, double check. But one month in, all they have is a bag full of knock-off merchandise. Five defeats in eight matches with a squad that Virat Kohli thought was the most balanced is, essentially, like being stuck with t-shirts that say Wrong instead of , right?But some innocent bystanders have given them a helpful tip, at least with respect to their next adventure. It is hard to compete with Chennai Super Kings’ batting line-up. So make fools of their bowlers.Target scores well above par if batting first. Forget about the run-rate and safeguard wickets for the death if chasing. Basically, RCB have to figure out a way to beat a monstrous batting team with virtually the tournament on the line.It seems karma wants them to learn how everyone that faces RCB feels.In the newsAB de Villiers has been declared fit after viral fever ruled him out of RCB’s previous two games. Quinton de Kock, however, has flown back to South Africa for a wedding.Previous meetingA high-scoring affair when RCB posted 205 and CSK chased it down in a blaze of sixes in Bengaluru. De Villiers made a rip-roaring 68.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Ambati Rayudu, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Imran Tahir, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 KM AsifDe Kock’s absence may see Parthiv Patel getting his first game of the season.Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Manan Vohra/Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Brendon McCullum 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Mandeep Singh, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Mohammed SirajStrategy puntImran Tahir has taken 15 wickets in Pune, the most among anyone in the CSK squad, and he has taken out AB de Villiers two times in three IPL innings. This head-to-head can be quite compelling for the viewer as well because the batsman also strikes at 185.7 against the legspinner.Stats that matter RCB have four wins in five games in Pune, and de Villiers was Man of the Match in three of those games. He has made 211 runs at a strike-rate of 177. Viral fever, begone. CSK have rarely had a phenomenal bowling line-up. But they mask that problem with their spinners and Dhoni’s ability to use them. In each of their eight years, their economy rate had always hovered around 7 and strike rate around 25. In 2018, those numbers have risen to 8.49 and 34.50. Before Tim Southee was brought in to the XI, RCB were conceding a six every six deliveries in the death. Now, that figure is a far more respectable 18.3. Dhoni has scored 329 runs at a strike-rate of 169.6. That’s his best tally after nine matches in any season of IPL.Fantasy pickAmbati Rayudu. He’s the highest scorer of the IPL this season with six scores of 30-plus in nine innings. He’s also been hitting at a strike-rate of 153 with 56 hits to and over the boundary.Quotes”The last four days have been a blur I have been suffering from severe viral flu, one of the most debilitating illnesses I have ever experienced. Aside from one visit to the hospital, I have barely left my hotel room. Sleep has been almost impossible, and the migraine headaches have been extreme.”

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a hugely significant piece of Newcastle United news regarding one specific player.

Who have Newcastle signed recently?

The Magpies have spent vast chunks of recent times languishing somewhere near the bottom of the Premier League table or even being relegated to the Championship, which has been unacceptable for such a huge club.

Thankfully, the good times have returned to St James' Park, however, with finances no longer an issue in the slightest, and Eddie Howe building a side that finished fourth in the league last season, qualifying for the Champions League in the process.

Not only has the manager created a strong unit, but he has also acquired the services of some top players, many of whom have become new heroes at Newcastle. The likes of new signings in recent years Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have all made a big impression, among others, and you'd expect they will continue to be vital figures moving forward.

There is always going to be interest in some of those players from other big clubs, so tying down their future is absolutely essential. A new update suggests that that is very much the case with one individual.

Which Newcastle player could sign a new deal?

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Bruno Guimaraes has agreed a contract extension with Newcastle – one that will keep him at the club for the foreseeable future and includes a release clause of approximately £100m:

"EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle agree new deal with Bruno Guimaraes, here we go! It’s done — contract until June 2028. Key detail: understand the new deal will include release clause and it will be in the region of £100m. Bruno, so happy to extend as he loves the club."

This is fantastic news for Newcastle, considering what a huge impact Guimaraes has made at St James' ever since arriving from Lyon in January 2022. His arrival coincided with the Magpies becoming a force again, and his influence in the middle of the park has arguably been unrivalled at times.

At 25, the Brazilian is heading into his peak years, so to tie him down to a new contract that will see him remain at Newcastle into his 30s feels every bit as important as any new signing that comes along in the approaching transfer windows.

Magpies legend Alan Shearer is clearly a big fan of Guimaraes, calling him "absolutely magnificent" in the past. Granted, he is arguably yet to hit top form so far this season, but he has still averaged 1.8 tackles per game in the Premier League and enjoyed a 92.3% pass completion rate in the Champions League.

There is always the threat that one of Europe's biggest teams could trigger his release clause one day, following reported interest from Chelsea, assuming he keeps improving as a player and doesn't drop off, and while losing him would be an enormous blow, it is at least nice to know that he would only be allowed to leave for a massive transfer fee.

Yet to really get out of second gear, Arsenal have still managed to remain unbeaten in their opening four Premier League games, with their most impressive win coming last time out in dramatic style against Manchester United.

Their draw against Fulham aside, it has been as expected from the Gunners, who are looking to push Manchester City all the way again having missed out on the league title in the previous campaign.

Those at The Emirates have certainly backed Mikel Arteta, too, splashing the cash in the summer transfer window on reinforcements who could bridge the gap to Pep Guardiola's side.

If the summer arrivals don't do the job, however, the North Londoners have already turned their attention to January additions, with reports indicating that Mikel Arteta has already made contact with one particular target.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

When looking at the current Arsenal squad, there's not a lot, if anything, that they urgently lack, meaning that it could simply be a case of extending their quality even more in January and looking towards the future with a luxury signing or two.

With the Champions League to think about this season, and that hopefully still being the case come January from Arsenal's perspective, there's no limit on the depth that a side needs.

With that said, according to Voetbalkrant, Arsenal are among the sides interested in Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa in January, and Arteta has already reached out to the 18-year-old over a potential move in the winter transfer window.

The Gunners will have to act quickly if they are to secure the teenager's signature, however, given that AS Monaco, Liverpool, Ajax, Lyon, and Borussia Dortmund are all also reportedly keeping an eye on him. Meanwhile, Chelsea also reportedly had a €30m (£26m) rejected for Nusa in the summer, suggesting that Brugge would want a fairly big offer to sell their future star.

Should Arsenal sign Antonio Nusa?

With the foundation for success already built at The Emirates, Arsenal would be doing themselves no harm by pursuing stars for the future. And that's where Nusa could come in.

The youngster has attracted plenty of interest from across Europe, which will only entice the Gunners even more when January comes around. That interest comes as little surprise, too, given that the winger, at 18, is already so heavily involved in first-team action in Belgium.

When at his best, Nusa has earned plenty of deserved praise, including from Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, who praised his fellow Norwegian, telling TV2, via Sport Witness: "Fantastic! He is an incredibly exciting player. You see it, everything he gets the ball, it’s exciting. He is still young and will get even better. It was cool to see him. He deserved to get the chance that he takes it to such an extent. Incredibly cool!

“He must continue as he has done. Work hard, be humble. He’s a nice boy. Very calm and nice type. It’s going to be just fine. He just has to enjoy the football and continue to deliver as he does. Then it will be good.”

Karachi Kings crushed Multan Sultans, first with an authoritative batting performance, led by Joe Denly, and then snuffing out Multan’s pursuit on the back of Shahid Afridi’s three-wicket burst

The Report by Arun Venugopal10-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a nutshellLed by Joe Denly’s 55-ball 78, Karachi Kings crushed Multan Sultans with an authoritative batting performance, and condemned them to their second successive loss in as many days. Put in to bat, Karachi overcame a slow start to amass 188 – this season’s highest total – before Shahid Afridi snuffed out Multan’s pursuit with a three-wicket burst, including a maiden over.Despite beginning the chase positively, scoring 53 for 2 in the Powerplay, Multan lost five wickets in the next seven overs, including those of Ahmed Shehzad (24) and Kieron Pollard in successive overs, for merely 34 runs. With heavyweights such as Kumar Sangakkara (18) and captain Shoaib Malik also having departed, Multan had no hope of coming back into the game.Karachi’s innings, on the other hand, suffered no such jitters as they lost only three wickets in all. After a slow start to the Powerplay that yielded only 32 runs for the loss of Lendl Simmons, who laboured to 4 off 13 balls, Denly and Babar Azam first rebuilt and then ensured a surge. Together, they put on 118 in 13.2 overs, the highest this season, and the most any Karachi pair has made in the PSL.Initially, it was a gusty Denly that did most of the heavy-lifting even as Azam struggled to rotate the strike. Azam eventually caught up, and while he didn’t quite manage the lusty heaves that Denly profited from, he hung around till the 19th over and finished with a 39-ball 58, including six fours and a six. The climax saw Karachi’s total swell further thanks to some fearless striking from Colin Ingram. Karachi’s bowlers enjoyed the cushion of the big total and shared the spoils as Multan were bowled out in the final over.Where the match was wonDenly and Azam kept the scoring-rate increasing steadily – from 68 to 1 in 10 overs, they made 53 in the next five – but the decisive thrust was provided by Ingram, who blasted an unbeaten 29 off eight balls, with four sixes. Ingram’s late assault helped Karachi pile on 49 runs in the last three overs, with Hardus Viljoen going for 21 in the penultimate over. Three of his four sixes were dispatched to the long-on region with the seemingly simplest of methods – clear the front leg, free the arms and tee off. Ingram rubbed it in with a six off the last delivery to puncture whatever was left of the fielding side’s morale.The men who won itMuch like Ingram, Denly’s stroke-making, too, was remarkably uncomplicated. With both him and Azam struggling to find any scoring momentum – either through singles or boundaries – Denly began to manufacture opportunities by making room and jumping out of the crease. Denly connected with most of his swings, and when he didn’t cart it between deep midwicket and long on, he smacked it through the off side. Having made single-digit scores in his last two innings, Denly also ensured he went the distance this time. During the course of his 25th T20 half-century, which included 10 fours and two sixes, he also helped Azam get past a cautious start and accelerate the scoring.Where they standKarachi have dislodged Multan from second position by virtue of a better net run-rate. Karachi have also played two games fewer than Multan, who have nine points from nine matches and have slipped to third spot on a congested table.

Abahani now have to beat Legends of Rupganj in the Super League match on April 5 to become champions

Mohammad Isam02-Apr-2018Abahani Limited remained on course to clinch their 19th Dhaka Premier League title after a crushing 127-run win over Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity. Abahani now have to beat Legends of Rupganj in the Super League match on April 5 to become champions.However, if they lose and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club win against Khelaghar on the same day, it will leave Abahani, Rupganj and Dhanmondi Club on 22 points each. The winner will then be decided by most wins, head-to-head between teams on equal points and then net run-rate.At the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Abahani made 241 in 46.3 overs batting first, a competitive score given that they had slipped to 156 for 8 in the 35th over. Mehidy Hasan and Taskin Ahmed added 49 runs for the ninth wicket; Mehidy made 50 off 44 balls with five fours and three sixes while Taskin thumped two sixes in his 22-ball 26.Nazmul Hossain Shanto was Abahani’s top-scorer with 54 off 56 balls that included six fours and a six. Seamer Abdul Halim took 4 for 10 but captain Nazimuddin didn’t use him after Halim removed Mosaddek Hossain in the 25th overAbahani then went on to bowl out Khelaghar for 114 runs in 27.3 overs. Mashrafe Mortaza took three wickets while there was two each for Taskin, Nasir Hossain and Sandip Roy.Substitute fielder Tanbir Hayder fails to stop a boundary•Associated PressShiekh Jamal Dhanmondi Club kept themselves in the title hunt after a 10-run win over Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club in a low-scoring game at the BKSP-3 Ground.Batting first, Dhanmondi Club were bowled out for 183 runs in 38 overs. Zakaria Masud took three wickets while there was two each for Farhad Reza and Sharifullah.In reply, Doleshwar were shot out for 173 runs in 48.2 overs. They were kept in the hunt by the tenth-wicket stand between Arafat Sunny and Salauddin Sakil, who added 67 runs after they had slipped to 106 for 9 in the 34th over. Seamer Robiul Haque had Sakil caught and bowled in the 49th over to complete their 10th win. Tanbir Hayder took four wickets to go with his unbeaten 43.Mohammad Shahid celebrates, Gangnam style•Raton Gomes/BCBLegends of Rupganj beat Gazi Group Cricketers by eight wickets at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium.Batting first, Gazi Group were bowled out for 152 in 45.4 overs with Mohammad Shahid picking up four wickets.Rupganj reached the target in 22.5 overs with Avishek Mitra top-scoring with 57 off 61 balls that had five fours and two sixes. He added 63 runs for the second wicket with Mohammad Naim, who struck five fours and two sixes in his 34-ball 45. Avishek then added 78 runs for the unbroken third-wicket stand with Mushfiqur Rahim who was not out on 30.

Whilst Aston Villa have been far from perfect in the Premier League so far this season, Unai Emery's side have at least shown glimpses of what could come, once the former Arsenal manager fine tunes his tactical plan.

The Villans, of course, got off to a disastrous start on the opening day, losing 5-1 against Newcastle United. Since then, however, they have won three out of four games, with their only other loss coming at Anfield against Liverpool.

Coming from behind to defeat Crystal Palace 3-1 last time out, too, it's clear that the Midlands club are beginning to find that form. And now, they've reportedly turned their attention towards the January transfer window, eyeing up a move for a certain La Liga star.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Villa had one of the most impressive transfer windows in England's top flight, spending a reported €93m (£80m) on five fresh faces, in total. The most successful of those arrivals so far has been Moussa Diaby. The former Bayer Leverkusen winger has hit the ground running, scoring two goals and assisting a further two in five Premier League games.

There's no doubt that Emery will have European aspirations this season, after taking Villa to Europa Conference League qualification last season, and with that, January reinforcements could still come in.

According to reports in Spain, via Caught Offside, the Midlands club are keen on signing Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand, who reportedly has a release clause of €60 million (£51.6m).

As things stand, Emery could do with another centre-back option following the long-term injury to Tyrone Mings, which has left the Frenchman with Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Diego Carlos, and Calum Chambers to call on for most of the campaign.

Should Aston Villa sign Robin Le Normand?

Welcoming a player of Le Normand's quality would once again confirm that Aston Villa are in the process of reaching a new level under Emery, which started with European qualification last season, and progressed with the signing of Diaby in the summer.

Statistically speaking, Le Normand has been a standout in La Liga in the last few years. According to FBref, the Spaniard is in the top 97 percentile for aerial duels won per 90, the top 76 percentile for pass completion rate, as well as the top 77 and 78 percentiles for progressive carries and progressive passes per 90, to more than earn his reported £46k per-week at Sociedad.

Meanwhile, compared to Konsa, Torres, and Carlos this season, Le Normand stands out in several areas, as per FBref, which you can see below:

Player

Progressive Passes

Interceptions

Tackles Won

Robin Le Normand

18

7

5

Diego Carlos

3

2

4

Pau Torres

31

1

2

Ezri Konsa

10

4

8

With that said, it'll be interesting to see whether Villa trigger Le Normand's release clause. It's clear that he has that extra quality to potentially help them improve even further, and perhaps even take them to Europa League qualification this season, making the potential move one to keep an eye on.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke's "well-placed source" has shared an interesting update West Ham United manager David Moyes' transfer plans, concerning Jesse Lingard.

Who just signed for West Ham?

The Irons, helped by new technical director Tim Steidten, secured the signings of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus over this summer.

West Ham's brand new quartet come in to replace the departed Declan Rice, who joined Arsenal in a deal worth £105 million, and striker Gianluca Scamacca after his return to Italy with Atalanta.

Moyes' side have started the new Premier League season with aplomb; remaining unbeaten over their opening four matches with three wins and a draw.

Striker Michail Antonio, despite two arguably lacklustre seasons prior to this one so far, has lead the West Ham line brilliantly as Jamaica's international ace seemingly replicates his 2020/2021 form.

However, a potential injury to the 33-year-old is a real possibility given their hectic fixture schedule; including a plethora of Europa League matches from now into the festive period.

Antonio's history of fitness issues are a serious cause for concern at West Ham, and bearing this in mind, there have been reports that the east Londoners could take to the free agent market in search of more attacking options.

Moyes ultimately failed in his attempts to bring in a new striker to replace Scamacca on deadline day, despite their last gasp push for Paris-Saint Germain forward Hugo Ekitike.

One option who could provide forward depth is Lingard, who despite not being an out-and-out centre-forward, has proven in past seasons that he can contribute with both goals and assists at West Ham.

The 30-year-old free agent was training at Rush Green in a bid to maintain his fitness level, and reports claim he has actually impressed on-lookers at the club.

Now, journalist O'Rourke has shared an interesting update on Lingard's potential return to West Ham on a Bosman.

The reporter writes for Football Insider that Moyes and co are now facing a battle with two other clubs from Turkey for the ex-Man United ace, so if they're to sign him, West Ham need a formal offer to table fairly soon.

That is from his "well-placed source"' sharing that Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are likely landing spots if West Ham don't make a move.

What happened to Jesse Lingard?

The ex-Nottingham Forest ace hasn't been able to showcase his rip-roaring 20/21 form at West Ham, where he bagged nine goals and five assists in 16 matches.

Lingard has instead endured being on the periphery at both Man United and Forest since then, perhaps explaining why he is still available for hire.

However, we if the player can replicate his brilliant displays whilst on loan at West Ham two years ago, they could be landing a "sensational" free agent.

“He (Lingard) looked like someone going nowhere but he’s been sensational at West Ham," said Nigel Winterburn to The Sun in the summer of 2021.

"I think there’s a conversation to be had at Man Utd as to whether he’d fit back into their plans,” Winterburn told The Sun. “If not, he’s had this success at West Ham, so I don’t know why he’d want to sign elsewhere. He knows the club, so I think West Ham would be favourites to sign him.”