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Leeds United may have seen a late twist arise over a spree of deadline day exits, according to Phil Hay.

Who is leaving Leeds United?

It has proven to be a busy deadline day at Thorp Arch this summer with the future of a number of their players still hanging in the balance with just a matter of hours remaining until the window shuts.

Indeed, it is being reported the Whites are still sweating over the future of their Italian youngster Wilfried Gnonto with Premier League side Everton believed to hold a serious interest in the winger.

And on top of Gnonto, there are reports suggesting Luis Sinisterra could be set to depart by the end of play with the likes of Bournemouth said to be making a move for the Colombian.

This comes after the Yorkshire club have already seen the likes of Jack Harrison leave this summer for a Premier League return.

And it seems as if Gnonto and Sinisterra may not be the only players who could still make a late exit from Elland Road with Darko Gyabi potentially leaving the club before the end of the day.

It has been reported by The Athletic's Leeds correspondent, Hay, that there has been a "late development" in the youngster's future with a loan move to Fleetwood Town initially believed to be on the cards.

Instead, French side Valenciennes have made a late approach to Leeds to take the 19-year-old over to Ligue 2 on a permanent basis, and his future now hangs in the balance.

How good is Darko Gyabi?

The 19-year-old midfielder made the move across to Leeds last summer from Manchester City in a deal which is believed to be worth in the region of £5m.

He is a player who arrived at Elland Road with England's U19s manager, Simon Rusk, noting the player as one who has real leadership qualities: “He’s got real energy,” Rusk said.

"I think what I do have is, there are a few players who would possibly be deserving of the armband. Obviously, we had the camp in September and Darko lent himself to some leadership roles, he captained the group in one of the games.

“We lost [former captain] Sammy Braybrooke unfortunately, due to a nasty injury earlier in the season, so Darko’s stepped up to that well.”

However, appearances for the Whites have been hard to come by since making the move from the Premier League champions.

Indeed, since arriving in Yorkshire, Gyabi has made just five appearances for Leeds with a late cameo on the weekend making up his only opportunity in the Championship under Daniel Farke (via Transfermarkt).

However, with his current opportunities at Leeds not looking promising, it will be intriguing to see whether the Whites could potentially look to cash in on the young prospect after just one year at the club.

Whether his future hinges on the departures of Gnonto and Sinisterra is yet to be seen – Leeds chiefs may not want to lose three promising talents all in the space of 24 hours.

The summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday and Leicester City could make further additions to their squad before the deadline passes.

Who have Leicester signed this summer?

Enzo Maresca has been able to bolster his group with the signings of Mads Hermansen, Conor Coady, Harry Winks, and Stephy Mavididi on permanent deals.

The Foxes have also dipped into the loan market to sign Yunus Akgun, Callum Doyle, and Cesare Casadei until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Earlier this month, journalist John Percy claimed that Leicester are one of the teams interested in signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Premier League champions Manchester City.

The treble-winners are reportedly looking for a fee within the region of £15m to allow him to leave on a permanent basis, although they could be forced to settle for a loan if no one is willing to stump up that figure.

How good is Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

Maresca could land a big upgrade on current Leicester centre-back Jannik Vestergaard by securing a deal to sign the England U21 international before the deadline.

Harwood-Bellis has proven himself to be an exceptional Championship performer after an impressive season on loan with Burnley last term and has the potential to develop further at the age of 21, which means that he could be a signing for the future as well as the here and now.

The Cityzens prospect averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.21 across 32 second-tier appearances for the Clarets last season as he caught the eye with 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and a ground duel success rate of 65%.

Vestergaard, meanwhile, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 across four league outings for Leicester this term and has won 62% of his ground battles alongside 2.5 tackles and interceptions per match.

This comes after the Denmark international, who did not make a single league appearance last season, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.76 across ten top-flight clashes during the 2021/22 campaign.

These statistics suggest that the £15m-rated titan has the ability to perform to a greater level by being more efficient in his ground duels whilst also making more defensive interventions per game to help his team to win possession back on a consistent basis.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig reacted to Harwood-Bellis' performances at Championship level by stating that the defender is "the real deal" and has the potential to play for a top-six side in the Premier League.

No central defender within the division averaged a higher Sofascore rating than the colossal gem during the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests – based on his performance levels – that no one from that season has a better chance of making it at the top level.

This means that Leicester would be signing a player who has the quality to make an immediate impact on the pitch whilst also having time on his side to go on a journey with the club, as he could develop into a Premier League quality ace if the side earns promotion this season.

Whereas, Vestergaard is heading into the final years of his career at the age of 32 and is not a player who is likely to be part of the XI in the long-term, which is another reason why Harwood-Bellis could be a big upgrade on the former Southampton man.

Lahore Blues secured victory over Lahore Whites while Umar Akmal’s sensational 148 saw UBL beat Fawad Alam’s SSGC

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2017

Delaying the declarationSui Northern may have bossed the game, but an experienced captain like Mohammad Hafeez will regret not declaring earlier for so long. Batting first, they out on 511 in 150.1 overs against Habib Bank before being dismissed. Azhar Ali and Khurram Shehzad scored centuries – 118 and 133 respectively as they ground HBL’s bowlers down. Amad Butt did come away with a six-wicket haul, but not before bowling 38 overs and conceding 106 runs.In response, HBL were dismissed for 202 and asked to follow on. However, with bad light meaning several overs were lost, only 19 overs could be bowled in the second innings, with Ahmed Shehzad’s side at 67 for one when the match was called off. Given the extent of HBL’s dominance, they will be disappointed to kick off the Super Eight stage with a win.The two-day gameHave you ever heard of a contest where 167 runs were enough to secure an innings victory? Well, here’s one. On a pitch that seemed to have laid a particularly potent curse on all who batted upon it, WAPDA beat Khan Research Laboratories by an innings and seven runs in a game that lasted merely 120 overs. KRL were skittled out for 95 in their first innings, 40 of them coming from one man, Junaid Ali. WAPDA’s Waqas Maqsood registered the best figures of the tournament, taking nine wickets for 32.WAPDA appeared to have let KRL back into the contest with a fairly ordinary batting display of their own, getting dismissed for 167. More than half of those runs – 86 – came off the bat of No. 8 Khalid Usman as they opened up a 72-run lead. As it turned out, KRL’s second innings was even more listless than the first as they meekly surrendered for 65. Mohammad Asif took six wickets as WAPDA wrapped up a comfortable win.The Lahore DerbyLahore Whites and Lahore Blues played in the final of the recently concluded National T20 Cup, with the Blues coming out on top. They played each other again in the QeA’s Super 8 round, with the same outcome, the Blues sealing a 9-wicket win.They began sharply, bowling out Lahore Whites for 141, Aizaz Cheema and Bilawal Iqbal sharing 8 wickets between them. Their batsmen followed that up with a solid 281, with opener Tayyab Tahir and captain Saad Nasim scoring 83 runs each. Having opened up a 140 run lead, they proceed to clean up the Whites for 207, Cheema’s 7 wickets securing him an 11-wicket haul for the match. That left the Blues with the straightforward task of chasing 68 runs for a win, which they did in under 10 overs for the loss of just one wicket.Fawad watchFawad Alam stormed back to form, scoring 124 for Sui Southern. It was, albeit, an innings in vain as a second-innings collapse saw them slump to 149 runs.United Bank captained by Younis Khan, scored 252 in the first innings, with Shan Masood top scoring with 75. Saad Ali, who has been far and away the highest scorer in the tournament, also scored 52, while Ahmed Jamal’s 6 for 52 ensured UBL weren’t allowed to bat SSGC out of the game.While Alam’s century secured his side a 27-run lead, the innings of the round belonged to Umar Akmal, who once again demonstrated his seemingly boundless ability with the bat – if he is motivated enough. He smashed 148 in 166 deliveries, effectively batting SSGC out of the game as they declared at 328, setting SSGC a target of 302. SSGC never looked like escaping with a draw, let alone clinching victory, with no batsman scoring more than 27 (Alam managed 26) as they were bundled out for 152.

Tom Westley has committed to the County Champions, Essex, for another season, after signing a one-year contract extension

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2017

Tom Westley has committed to the County Champions, Essex, for another season, after signing a one-year contract extension which keeps him at the club until the end of the 2019 season.Westley, who is a graduate of Essex’s Academy, played a key role in the club’s County Championship triumph and also earned his maiden England call-up, playing in five Tests against South Africa and West Indies.The 28-year-old Westley has made 149 first-class, 71 List A and 59 T20 appearances for Essex since his debut in 2006, and is currently the club vice-captain. “I am delighted to sign an extension to my contract and it was an easy decision to make, with the vision and plans the club have in place for the coming years,” he said.”Winning the County Championship was just the start of that journey, and as a group of players we have spoken about creating a legacy that will be remembered for years to come. To be a part of this team with my close friends and achieve the success we have done in the last two years is special, and has given us all a hunger to continue to improve.”My desire to improve myself is bigger than ever and I hope to continue contributing valuable runs and knowledge to this club over the coming years.”

Thilanga Sumathipala sent out a message of solidarity with Pakistan, reiterating that the PCB and and the government of Pakistan have stood by Sri Lanka in the past

Umar Farooq29-Oct-2017Thilanga Sumathipala, Sri Lanka Cricket’s president, has vowed to support Pakistan in their bid to host top-flight cricket on a regular basis. He was speaking at a media conference in Lahore, during Sri Lanka’s short visit for the third T20I.”Since we have experienced more than 30 years of war, we know what isolation means,” Sumathipala said. “We have gone through more than 30 years of war in Sri Lanka, but Pakistan has never cancelled a single game of cricket which we agreed to play against each other in Sri Lanka.”There are various [types of] people. We appeal to them to keep children, women, religious places and sports aside. Leave us alone, let us play our game of cricket in peace and harmony. We want to enjoy the game of cricket and give everyone opportunities and a chance to share our happiness in the game.”Since the attack on the Sri Lankan team nearly nine years ago, Pakistan have been trying to convince the world to visit, but had not managed to convince teams to tour until 2015, when Zimbabwe visited for a short series.But the first real sign of cricket returning on a more regular basis was taken earlier this year when a number of international cricketers featured in the final of the Pakistan Super League. Then, in September, Pakistan hosted a World XI, coached by Andy Flower and captained by Faf du Plessis, for a three-match series. Sri Lanka’s short trip is the latest step in the PCB’s efforts to convince international sides to tour the country.”Good or bad, Pakistan cricket and the government of Pakistan have stood by Sri Lanka,” Sumathipala said. “This is not a matter of just government. As you all understand, since the last incident was against Sri Lanka, the sentiments were quite different. We thought we should take the initiative and support Pakistan cricket.”If Pakistan is weak in cricket, Asian cricket will be weaker and that will make world cricket weaker and weaker. Your strength is our strength and it’s our responsibility to look after each other. We strongly believe in that.”The one-off match in Lahore was played under extraordinary security arrangements, with thousands of armed policemen deployed between the stadium and team hotel. The arrangements were similar to the security protocol followed for a presidential visit.”The arrangements made for the team and spectators are very much satisfactory,” Sumathipala said. “You deserve regular good cricket being played in your country. It is such a wonderful country that has produced so many talented cricketers. We don’t want anyone to fear and leave Pakistan away from international cricket. We encourage Asian regions to play more games in Lahore and in other [Pakistan] cities if possible one day.”As far as SLC is concerned, we are happy and privileged to be here to support Pakistan cricket. We believe in, especially in the Asian region, Pakistan is a very important, pivotal partner, a brother that we can’t allow to be left alone.”

AB de Villiers is unlikely to play Test cricket for South Africa again and they need to accept that, according to their captain, Faf du Plessis. In the aftermath of their 1-3 series defeat in England, where batting collapses were a significant cause of South Africa’s inability to compete, du Plessis admitted their problems cannot be solved by waiting on de Villiers to make a comeback because that may not happen.”I would love AB to play – we all know how good he is and we missed him, but we’ve spent too much time talking about when he is going to come back. The hope of him coming back is something we need to move past, we need to find someone else to fulfill that role. If AB comes back it’s a huge bonus but I don’t expect him to come back into the Test team,” du Plessis said.De Villiers’ last Test was 19 months ago against England in Johannesburg, when he was stand-in captain following Hashim Amla’s resignation. Since then, de Villiers had been confirmed permanent leader but had to sit out what would have been in first series in charge – against New Zealand last August – with an elbow injury. Du Plessis took temporary charge of the side and when they won away in Australia, was asked to do the job full-time. De Villiers needed more time to recover and conceded the Test team had made strides under du Plessis.Then, in January this year, de Villiers announced a sabbatical from the longest format until at least December, when South Africa are due to host India. He cited workload management, with an eye on the 2019 World Cup, as the main reason for his decision. However, during this tour, it emerged that de Villiers had actually wanted to retire from Tests completely in late 2016 but was persuaded to stay on by CSA. De Villiers has since said he will make a firm decision on his future when the board announce their plans for the coaching position at the end of this turn. Russell Domingo, who has de Villiers’ support, is out of contract and is expected to be replaced by Ottis Gibson which may bring on a full retirement by de Villiers, or at least a hanging-up of his Test whites.Du Plessis now wants the team to get used to the idea instead of wallowing in the what-could-have-beens. On this tour, they tried three different No.4s to replace de Villiers in JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma. With Duminy dropped and de Kock unlikely to be able to adapt his game to a more conservative situation, they seem to have settled on Bavuma to take the team forward.”We didn’t come here planning for JP to be dropped, we were hoping that he could bowl and play those x-factor innings,” du Plessis said. “The change with Quinton going in at four was to transfer pressure back on the England team and he is the one guy who can do that. He did that in the second Test with match-changing innings on a greentop but from a consistency point of view your number four needs to play the way the team needs him to play and Quinton plays the way Quinton need to play. In conditions like this, with the ball moving around, I think it’s better for Quinton to come in at six or seven like your Bairstow, Stokes and Ali.”Temba is probably technically our best player along with Hashim and myself. I love what I see in Temba’s character and he’s going to be an important leader for us in the team,” he added. “I’m a big believer that, if you see that in somebody you give them responsibility to bring the best out in them. When he batted at four he was our best player in really challenging conditions and that showed me that he has the capability of being South Africa’s number four for a long time.”Overall, du Plessis conceded that the series was lost with the bat but hopes South Africa will be able to find the personnel to bulk up their reserves and discover the team balance they need going forward. “From a batting perspective we haven’t been where we needed to be, myself included, and England has a really quality bowling attack so we knew the series was going to be won and lost there,” he said. “The learning for the batting unit will be important – we know there are holes we need to fix. Heino [Kuhn] didn’t do as well as he would have liked, he’s a quality player so we’ll have to look at that and, from a balance point of view, six or seven batsmen is always the question for us.”

Tottenham Hotspur have now made contact with the agent of Fiorentina's Arthur Cabral to discuss a summer move, with the striker viewed as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, according to a report from Goal.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has recently called on the club's hierarchy to resolve the situation surrounding Kane's future, saying: "[It’s] fair to say I am not relaxed about it! It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club."

"So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone."

However, it appears as though the transfer saga is going to continue for a little while longer, as Bayern Munich are now preparing to put a third offer on the table for the England international, which is expected to arrive at the end of the month.

The striker allegedly believes he would have a strong chance of winning the Champions League with Bayern, and he is ready to make a move to the Allianz Arena this summer.

Sky Sports reports that the 29-year-old will not sign a new contract this summer, and he remains open to formal talks with Bayern Munich.

As such, Spurs have started to run the rule over potential replacements for their talisman, and they have now made their first move to sign Cabral, according to a report from Goal Brasil (via Sport Witness).

With the Lilywhites worried about Kane's potential departure, they have made contact with the agent of the Fiorentina striker, who is valued at around €40m (£34m) by his current club.

As it stands, Tottenham are just gathering more information about the situation, and he is not the only striker being considered, with several other names on the list of targets.

Who is Arthur Cabral?

The Brazil-born forward first started to make a name for himself during his time with FC Basel, scoring a total of 65 goals in 106 appearances for the Swiss club, before completing a move to Fiorentina, where he has continued to impress.

Last season, the 25-year-old scored 17 goals in all competitions for the Europa Conference League runners-up, having found his feet in the Serie A after a slow start to life in Florence, scoring just two goals in 14 games during the 2021-22 campaign.

The former Basel man has been lauded as a "goal machine" by football scout Jacek Kulig, with Daily Mail reporter Matt Barlow claiming he is good with both feet, and strong in the air.

Although Cabral had a solid 2022/23 campaign with Fiorentina, he is still yet to prove himself at the highest level, so there are question marks about whether he would be a suitable replacement for Kane.

Of course, Spurs are unlikely to bring in anyone capable of scoring 30 Premier League goals in a season as Kane did last term, though they should still be able to attract a better replacement than the Fiorentina striker.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has been a busy man throughout the summer transfer window as a raft of fresh additions have come through the door at Ibrox.

The Gers have snapped up seven new signings to bolster their playing squad after the club's failure to secure a single piece of silverware last season.

Sam Lammers, Leon Balogun, Cyriel Dessers, Kieran Dowell, Abdallah Sima, Jack Butland, and Dujon Sterling have all arrived either permanently or on loan since the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, the Scottish giants may not be done there as they still have well over a month to get their business done before September's deadline.

Last month, it was reported that the Light Blues are still in the race to land Malik Tillman on a second loan spell after his impressive performances for the club last term.

Bayern Munich, although they would be open to a sale, are prepared to sanction another temporary deal if the right opportunity comes about, whilst Premier League teams are also showing an interest in his services.

How many goals did Malik Tillman score last season?

The USA international plundered 12 goals across all competitions for Rangers and his return to Glasgow could allow Beale to brutally bin Ianis Hagi.

It was recently claimed that some unnamed teams in the Serie A are keeping tabs on the Romania international with a view to a potential swoop for his signature this summer, which could open up the door for the Gers to cash in on him.

The 24-year-old wizard missed 69 competitive games through a knee injury between January 2022 and 2023. He made his comeback under Beale last season and, understandably so, struggled to make a significant impact.

Hagi scored one goal and failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates across eight Scottish Premiership outings for the club, to go along with a Sofascore rating of 6.90 – the 15th-best score within the squad.

Tillman, on the other hand, ranked ninth on the team with an average Sofascore rating of 7.09. The £13k-per-week sensation, whose "infectious" attitude was hailed by ex-Gers boss Alex McLeish, racked up ten goals alongside 12 'big chances' created in 28 league matches for Rangers.

Fashion Sakala (12) was the only winger or midfielder with more Premiership goals than the German-born talent, which highlights how important the exceptional loanee was to the side with his ability at the top end of the pitch.

His form was also more impressive than Hagi's most successful campaign at Ibrox to date. The Romanian maestro averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 and contributed with seven goals to go along with six 'big chances' created in 33 matches during the 2020/21 title-winning season.

This suggests that Tillman has the ability to offer more, as a scorer and a creator, than Hagi in the final third as a midfielder or wide player.

Therefore, with the additions of Dowell and Sima to further bolster the club's options in those areas of the pitch, bringing the Bayern Munich dynamo back to Glasgow would allow Beale to cash in on Hagi amid interest from teams in Italy.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLegspinner Shadab Khan picked up three wickets to help Pakistan register their fifth successive T20I win•AFP

In a nutshellFor arguably the two most volatile sides in world cricket, this was a rare predictable day as Pakistan eased to a six-wicket win over the West Indies at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. Pakistan won the toss, bowled first and stifled the hosts with spin. Chasing 112, Pakistan, as if to stay true to their reputation, lost their top three cheaply, before Shoaib Malik and Babar Azam took control of the chase and steered them home.The game was dominated by its youngest player: 18-year old Pakistan legspinner Shadab Khan who enjoyed a debut that bordered on the surreal. He took three wickets with his first eight balls in international cricket as West Indies slumped to 49 for 6. Carlos Brathwaite and Kieron Pollard came together, and two of the game’s most fearsome hitters were forced to play a consolidating role. Brathwaite managed to inject some momentum in the closing overs, but all that ensured was his side just about managed to get to three figures.Pakistan weren’t authoritative in response, with Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad reminding everyone why they have spent long stints in international wilderness. However, with the asking rate never rising above six, West Indies’ spirited display in the field merely delayed the inevitable.Where the game was wonIt has often seemed no total is too small for Pakistan not to slip up on. Here, they slipped to 49 for 3. But the in-form pair of Malik and Babar, quickly establishing a reputation for consistency, had the clear-headedness to steer the chase with risk-free cricket. They rotated the strike regularly and picked off the poor deliveries to eat into the target. By the time Babar sliced a catch to short third man, Pakistan needed only 18 runs off five overs. The hard work had been done.The men that won itShadab Khan may have been warned by his teammates how playing for Islamabad United was far different to playing for Pakistan, that too in an away game. However, the 18-year old made a mockery of the step up, snaring Chadwick Walton and Lendl Simmons within four deliveries. Walton didn’t pick the googly while Simmons dragged a legspinning delivery onto the stumps. Remarkably, Shadab’s figures of 4-0-7-3 could have been even better had Kamran Akmal, fielding at backward point, not put down a regulation catch.The streaks continueThis win means Pakistan have now triumphed in each of their last five T20Is, four of them against the West Indies – the other was a commanding nine-wicket win over England. They are unbeaten since losing to Australia at the World T20 last year, and Sarfraz boasts a 100 percent win record in his five games as Pakistan captain in the format. West Indies’ losing run, on the other hand, stretches to four – all of them against Pakistan – and have only won one T20 in the six they’ve played since being crowned World T20 champions in India last year.Moment of the matchIf the PSL was a dream of sorts for Kamran, he was brought sharply back to reality over the course of the afternoon’s events. Playing his first international in nearly three years, with captain Sarfraz having taken over the wicketkeeping role, Kamran was tasked with patrolling the backward point area as Shadab bowled. If he was hoping for an uneventful afternoon, he was to be disappointed. With Shadab’s figures reading three wickets for three runs, Pollard sliced one, headed for what seemed a straightforward catch to Kamran. The 35-year old was painfully slow to move towards the ball, and though he reached it in time, put it down, burnishing his reputation for butterfingers even further.What was more, this was only the second time Kamran was playing as a specialist batsman. The other came in a game against South Africa in 2007. He had dropped a catch then too, Loots Bosman being the batsman reprieved.Where they standPakistan take a 1-0 lead. The series now moves to Trinidad & Tobago, where the remaining three matches will be played.

Manchester United are ready to compete to sign Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

Is Emiliano Martinez leaving Aston Villa?

The Premier League shot-stopper still has another four years remaining on his contract in the Midlands, but having established himself as Unai Emery’s overall third-best-performing player last season alongside winning the World Cup, he’s been attracting significant interest.

The Argentina international has reportedly emerged as a target for the Red Devils, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and it’s been claimed that there is a chance he could leave his club in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dean Jones, journalist and transfer expert, revealed that there’s “potential” for the 30-year-old to join a more high-profile suitor should a big enough offer be tabled, and if the following update is to be believed, Erik ten Hag is prepared to seriously pursue his target.

Are Man United signing Martinez?

According to Football Transfers, Man United are “ready to battle” Chelsea to sign Martinez ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Ten Hag “hopes to team him up” with his compatriot Lisandro Martinez and believes that their existing connection will “benefit” his side’s defensive unit.

The Old Trafford boss “sees him as the perfect replacement” for David De Gea whose future still remains uncertain, and they could hold an advantage over the Blues because the goalkeeper “wants a move” to a club in the Champions League.

Should Ten Hag consider a bid for Martinez?

Man United will know that Martinez is a man in-demand off the back of the World Cup where he was dubbed Argentina’s “unsung hero” by journalist Josh Bunting, so should Ten Hag fail in his pursuit of Inter Milan’s Andre Onana, Aston Villa’s £120k-per-week goalkeeper could be the perfect alternative.

In the Premier League, the 6 foot 4 colossus kept 13 clean sheets from 36 appearances last season and ranked in the 99th percentile for most crosses stopped so he isn’t afraid to come out of the sticks, claim the ball and clear the danger from his area. Meanwhile, he has been branded "the best penalty-kick keeper in the world" by teammate John McGinn, who went on to call him a "unique character" when speaking on Sky Sports Premier League (7:25 pm, January 13, 2023).

The Universal Twenty Two client also recorded 97 saves from 132 shots on target against, giving him a save percentage of 74.2%, via FBRef, which was higher than De Gea whose success rate was just 71.1%, so it’s clear that Martinez, who admitted he created "chaos" at Old Trafford when Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty, would be an upgrade on the boss’ current first-choice in the net should he put pen to paper in M16.