All posts by h716a5.icu

Coming back from a rest, the 24-year-old fast bowler provided some of Pakistan’s brightest spots in a tightly-fought Sharjah Test against West Indies

Umar Farooq in Sharjah31-Oct-2016Pakistan’s decision to rest Mohammad Amir in Abu Dhabi had been met with mixed reactions. The critics said a break might hamper the 24-year-old fast bowler’s rhythm. But there was also the argument that he was playing international cricket for the first time in five years and had already stacked up 202.3 overs on a long tour of England and 45 more during Pakistan’s first day-night Test in Dubai.Perhaps considering UAE Tests are decided by the batsmen and spinners’ contributions, and with two important series coming up – against New Zealand in November and Australia in December – the Pakistan selectors decided to give Amir some time off. The move seems to have worked.In Sharjah, on the second day of the third Test against West Indies, Amir looked like a man refreshed, picking up two wickets on a slow pitch and also pulling off a spectacular catch to dismiss Darren Bravo. Until that moment, when he ran back from cover, dived after the ball and got hold of it while horizontal with the ground, Amir had not had a single Test catch to his name.Kraigg Brathwaite on…

What West Indies must do on day three: “We are in a good position. It is key for me and Jason [Holder] to start fresh and build a big partnership, then look to build a really big lead. The aim for me is to really build a big lead. If Jason and I can spend time at the wicket, rotate the strike, hopefully we can get as big a lead as possible.”
On the pitch: “It isn’t spinning sharply at the moment. [But] the pitch is cracking up a bit, and later tomorrow it will probably crack some more and get some spin. If we can go on and get the lead, then build on that, that will be very good for us.”
On his 83-run fifth-wicket stand with Roston Chase, after West Indies were 68 for 4: “Me and Chase went to school together, so we have a good relationship. I said to him to play as straight as possible. Obviously the pitch is low, so it is key we hit straight down the ground, then rotate the strike, and after that we had a good partnership.”

“It was a combined decision between me and the team management to take a rest and that’s fine,” Amir said. “A bowler can be rested from time to time; even Wahab [Riaz] was rested [in Abu Dhabi] and those who replaced us, Rahat Ali and Sohail Khan, did well. We are just developing our combination. I have been playing for a year now and I think fast bowlers should rest whenever there is a chance.”Because you never know, I or Wahab can be injured at any time. It can happen in cricket and you can’t do anything about that. So when you have a strong bench you can rotate the bowlers you have and give the others some chances as well. Our next tours, New Zealand and Australia, are lengthy so all of us need to be match-ready in case you need someone as cover for an unexpected injury.”Since Amir regained the eligibility to play for Pakistan after his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal in 2010, he has claimed 17 Test wickets at an average of 39.41. Those statistics, however, may have to be taken with a pinch of salt considering he had several catches dropped off his bowling in England. While he has not lost any pace, constantly hitting the low- to mid-140s, the swing he was known for is not quite there.”Playing Test cricket after five years is not very easy and I started with a tough England tour. It takes time to regain your rhythm,” Amir said. “But I feel I am getting there and getting my rhythm back gradually. I did face some problems with fitness earlier, which was expected. After five years of being idle, it’s very tough for a fast bowler to immediately be back at his best. It can’t be done overnight, you need to keep on performing. I still have a long career ahead of me and I am working hard to get where I was before skills-wise.”The swing was missing in England but now I have started developing the shape. And I have mostly been playing T20 cricket since coming back, where I bowl with a different arm-action. I was also going wide of the crease earlier but now I have minimised it and worked on my arm-action and its working my way.”Amir was looking forward to doing well in the two Tests in New Zealand – he is part of a 16-man squad that was announced on Monday – and then three more in Australia, including a day-night Test in Brisbane; Pakistan have yet to name a squad for that series.”Going to New Zealand and Australia and performing there, in those conditions, it gives you immense confidence. I have been to both countries earlier and the pitches there help fast bowlers. With the exposure of playing on tracks like these in UAE, you definitely get a lot of confidence to do well there.”Amir was happiest talking about his catch, though, which helped Pakistan get on top of West Indies. “We actually train to develop these kinds of skills with our fielding coach; it is quite a regular thing. That wicket of Bravo was very important as he was the batsman we wanted to get as soon as possible. We created the opportunity and I made the effort to get him out. So it worked well.”Then, with the wickets of Jermaine Blackwood for 23 and Roston Chase for 50, Amir also helped contain West Indies’ fightback as Pakistan ended the second day with a 37-run lead. They still have four more first-innings wickets to take though.

Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing a Premier League star this summer, as Unai Emery aims to make his presence known in the transfer window.

After an emphatic first spell at Villa Park, the Spaniard has set his sights on bigger things and having secured European football, the club have now been linked with a number of big names.

The latest rumours have suggested that a five-time Premier League winner could be on the horizon in Emery’s plans.

What’s the latest on Aymeric Laporte to Aston Villa?

As reported by 90min this week, Aston Villa are eyeing Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte this summer with initial talks having already been held.

The report states that the versatile centre-back is in the search for regular minutes, which could be ‘on offer’ at Villa, with Tottenham also listed as a possible club interested.

It’s suggested that the Spaniard could have a price tag in the region of £40m.

What could Aymeric Laporte bring to Aston Villa?

Hailed as being the “best left-centre back in the world” by manager Pep Guardiola, Laporte is highly regarded at City, however, has not had as much game time as desired in the manager’s highly contested back three.

With 12 Premier League appearances this season, the Spaniard has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad since the emergence of Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji, who have been faultless this campaign.

While the lack of minutes is disappointing for the French-born Spain international, his frustrations could be beneficial to Villa, who could land a significant upgrade in signing the 29-year-old.

Ezri Konsa has been formidable for Villa this season, featuring in every game in the league and contributing to the club’s rise up the table since Emery’s arrival.

To put into perspective the strength of Laporte, the City ace would be a significant upgrade on the Villa defender, as highlighted through their numbers throughout the season.

Comparing Konsa’s displays this campaign with Laporte’s last term when he played more frequently, it’s clear to see why the Villans are interested in the experienced defender.

While the Villa man averaged slightly higher in terms of defensive attributes, with 1.14 tackles to Laporte’s 1.05 and 0.70 interceptions to his 0.64 per 90 as per FBref, the Spaniard was significantly better when it came to transitioning the ball up field.

The 29-year-old sits in the top 1% in Europe for most progressive passes made by centre-backs, with 8.62 per 90 in comparison to Konsa’s dismal 1.52 this season, showing that he is well and truly among the very best the game has to offer in his left centre-back berth.

Indeed, his reading of the game is exceptional and he boasts complete expertise in playing out from the back.

Most impressively, Laporte averaged a monumental 93.56 attempted passes and an accuracy rate of 94.6% per 90, supporting that he is a wizard on the ball in an area where composure is essential.

Despite Konsa’s impressive displays at Villa Park, Emery could boldly axe the 25-year-old in place of the experienced figure of Laporte, who has been sculpted to be one of the best by “footballing genius” Guardiola.

Kyle Abbott took a six-wicket haul to skittle the hosts for 161 and seal South Africa’s third consecutive series win in Australia

The Report by Brydon Coverdale15-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKyle Abbott started the damage on day four•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesTake a bow, Kyle Abbott. Take a bow, Kagiso Rabada. Take a bow, Faf du Plessis and the entire South Africa squad. A month ago, this team arrived in Australia without its captain and best batsman, AB de Villiers, who is at home injured. They lost their best bowler, Dale Steyn, to a serious injury barely a day into the campaign. And yet they have not only beaten Australia in the series, they have crushed them. Humiliated them.When this series schedule was announced, South Africa were worried that it might be decided by a pink-ball, day-night Test in Adelaide. They need not have feared. In Hobart, they have destroyed Australia by an innings and 80 runs to follow their hefty victory in Perth, and thus have secured a third consecutive series win in Australia. This was a total annihilation, Australia failing even to take the Test to lunch on day four – with a whole day having been lost to rain.Australia faced only 558 deliveries in this Test, their fourth-lowest tally in a home Test loss, and their lowest since Don Bradman’s debut match in 1928. In the first innings they collapsed for 85; at stumps on day three it seemed like they might have found some fight, having reached 2 for 121. But they were about to fold again. From the moment Usman Khawaja edged Abbott behind for 64, Australia lost 8 for 32 in less than 20 overs.Australia have now lost their past five Tests and their past five ODIs. There will be recriminations and there will be consequences. It was hard to imagine Australia slipping further after the Perth Test, but when they travelled to Hobart they were in every way heading south. There are nine days until the Adelaide Test, and Australia will need every one of them. It is entirely possible significant changes will have been made by the next Test.On the fourth morning, Australia’s batsmen were completely unable to handle the swing, seam and bounce of Abbott and Rabada. In the first innings it was Vernon Philander who claimed a five-wicket haul, but in the second Abbott collected 6 for 77 and Rabada took 4 for 34. The fast bowlers have all stepped up in the most magnificent way since Steyn left the field in Perth with a serious shoulder injury.They bowled so tightly on day four that Australia added only 40 to their overnight total in 24.1 overs. Philander might not have taken a wicket, but the pressure he built should not be underestimated. Philander bowled 30 dot balls on the fourth morning before Australia finally got a run off him. Steven Smith took 40 minutes to score his first runs of the day. When the wickets started to come, with Khawaja the first to go on 64, they came quickly.Adam Voges was next, and it is now difficult to imagine him retaining his place for the Adelaide Test. In his past five Tests – against Sri Lanka and South Africa – he has averaged 14.8. In the five before that – against West Indies and New Zealand – he averaged 342. Forget chocolates to boiled lollies, he has gone from chocolates to Brussels sprouts. Here, a confused attempted leave lobbed off his gloves to slip off Abbott.The debutant Callum Ferguson also fell trying to leave the ball. In his case, it was a lack of bounce that caused the problem, as he tried to sway under what he thought was a Rabada bouncer, but which stayed lower, clipped his gloves and flew away to slip. Ferguson had made 1, and it was a miserable way to end his first Test, having been run out by a direct hit in the first innings for 3.If a lack of bounce did for Ferguson, Peter Nevill was brought undone by extra bounce, caught at slip when he fended a fierce Rabada bouncer on 6. Two balls later Rabada had Joe Mennie lbw for a duck, and any hope of late Australian resistance disappeared when Smith fell for 31 in Rabada’s next over, caught behind to a ball that moved away just slightly.Then it was just a matter of time. Mitchell Starc edged behind off Abbott and the result was confirmed when Nathan Lyon lobbed a catch to mid-on to give Abbott a six-wicket haul, and nine for the match. Australia had lost inside seven sessions of play, and South Africa had their third straight series win in Australia. And given their changing team, it is hard to imagine any has been sweeter than this.

Aston Villa are still reflecting on a hugely impressive campaign in which Unai Emery guided them from the threat of relegation and into Europe in his first five months at the helm.

The Villans cannot afford to stand still as they embark on a season of Premier League and Europa Conference League football, though, with strength in depth key if they are to compete on multiple fronts.

One attainable target Villa have been linked with is Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, with Football Insider reporting that Emery's side are in the mix to sign the American this summer, with a fee of around £35m having been mooted.

Leeds paid a reported £20m to land the United States midfielder from RB Leipzig last year, so a slightly higher offer from Villa – should it indeed arrive – may well be enough to prise him away from Elland Road on the back of the Whites' recent relegation to the Championship.

However, Villa are not alone in showing an interest in Adams after his impressive maiden campaign in English football, with Manchester United also said to retain an interest.

What can Tyler Adams provide Aston Villa?

Leeds may have suffered a disappointing campaign last time out, but Adams is one of those who came out of the season with some credit.

Adams was given a seasonal rating of 6.73 by WhoScored, which was the most of any Leeds player – Jack Harrison being the next highest with 6.72.

The 24-year-old also caught the eye at the World Cup midway through the season, earning praise from writer Wes Rucker for being a "machine" as the United States made it to the knockout rounds.

Indeed, Adams' numbers in the Premier League last season were similar to those of Declan Rice, who is wanted by a number of elite clubs this summer, Bayern Munich and Arsenal among them.

Adams completed 82.5 passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, as per FBref, whereas Rice completed 86.5. Adams averaged 67.8 touches per 90 minutes, meanwhile – an almost identical figure to Rice with 68.

There was also very little between the pair in terms of aerial duels won (1.04 for Adams and 1.02 for Rice) and carries (34.1 compared to 39.9 respectively).

With Rice potentially attracting a fee in excess of £90m, Adams should be considered a steal at that aforementioned figure in the region of £35m – though that is not to say Leeds will not play hardball.

Emery will no doubt be excited by the prospect of having Adams in his engine room next season, which would only get even more out of other talented players in his squad, not least the more advanced Jacob Ramsey.

Academy product Ramsey scored six goals and assisted seven more in 35 Premier League appearances last season – figures that could grow even higher with Adams in the side to provide greater defensive cover.

In what is an exciting summer for Villa supporters, Adams may just be the marquee signing ahead of what may well be a season to remember.

As Newcastle United's transfer window gets underway, one player who would fit in nicely at the club is Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, journalist Dean Jones has told Football FanCast.

The Spaniard's future at the La Liga champions is currently up in the air, with it recently being reported he could be on his way out this summer, and last week, the Daily Mail reported that the Magpies were interested in bringing him back to England.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

After securing Champions League football for the first time in 20 years this season, the Magpies are keen to build on their success and Eddie Howe's side has been linked to a number of different players.

The Athletic recently reported that Newcastle are close to signing 18-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh from Danish side Odense Boldklub, with a loan move away from St. James' Park for the season likely for the Gambian teenager, but one winger that would fit in nicely with the team right now is Barcelona's Torres.

Having spent a couple of seasons in England with Manchester City, the 23-year-old has already proven his ability to play in the Premier League and Jones believes he would fit well at Newcastle and be the type of A-list signing they need.

What has Dean Jones said about Newcastle and Ferran Torres?

As Torres' future at Barcelona is unclear, Jones spoke highly of the forward and revealed that his personality would ensure he'd fit in well at the club ahead of any potential move.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the journalist said: "Ferran Torres is a very good technical footballer and in terms of personality, also fits well.

"He ticks the box of being a gettable A-lister."

What would Ferran Torres bring to Newcastle?

The Spaniard could be an effective signing for the Magpies for his proven European track record, as the club prepares for their first Champions League campaign in over two decades.

Torres could offer the side valuable experience in the European competition, and he's shown he has what it takes to perform in the Champions League, scoring three goals and creating one assistant in five appearances for Barcelona in the tournament this season, with four of the five seeing him coming off the bench. Adding someone who has a proven track record in Europe will benefit Newcastle as they make their return to the competition.

With Football Insider reporting that Allan Saint-Maximin could potentially be leaving the Magpies this summer, Torres would be a worthy replacement for the 26-year-old.

Ravi Jadeja struck with the final ball of the fourth day – trapping Alastair Cook lbw for a 188-ball 54 -to leave England 87 for 2 as they attempted to save the second Test

The Report by Andrew Miller20-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:15

Compton: Umpire’s call leaves too much to debate

In an era of faster, harder, shorter – when the virtue of a young batsman is increasingly judged by strike-rate rather than overs endured – Haseeb Hameed produced a throwback innings to match that produced by his captain and opening partner, Alastair Cook, as England launched what already counts as a heroic rearguard, irrespective of what may come to pass on the fifth and final day at Visakhapatnam.While Cook and Hameed were in harness, calmly withstanding India’s best efforts throughout a magnificent opening stand of 75 that spanned 50.2 overs (which is longer, incidentally than four of Australia’s last eight completed innings), survival had seemed very much within England’s grasp – much as it had done for South Africa in similar circumstances 12 months ago, when AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla came together for another mighty blockathon in Delhi.But, in a devastating denouement in the final half hour before stumps, England lost both of their incumbents to a pair of memorable lbws – Hameed for 25 from 144 deliveries, pinned on the shin as R Ashwin grubbed an unplayable offbreak along the deck in a manner utterly reminiscent of Nasser Hussain’s shooter against Carl Hooper in 1997-98.Then, in the final over of the day, Cook, the rock of England’s resistance, played once too often across the line to Ravi Jadeja, and Kumar Dharmasena raised his finger. The umpire’s judgment was spot on on this occasion, for the ball was heading straight for middle and leg, but with India already out of reviews and Dharmasena’s relationship with DRS at an all-time low, he deserved credit for trusting his judgment at such a critical juncture.That late strike allowed India to leave the field with the spring back in their step, and Virat Kohli took the chance to gather his men into a huddle before they returned to the dressing room. India remain strong favourites on a surface that will compromise the more stroke-based techniques in England’s middle order – not least that of Ben Duckett, who is next man in to join Joe Root when play resumes tomorrow – but if any further proof were needed that this five-Test series will be a fight to the finish, this was it.Not for the first time in this match, England’s determination with the bat had been replicated with the ball. With Stuart Broad in another of his rhythmic moods, and with Adil Rashid mixing it impressively to claim four wickets in the morning session, including the prize scalp of Kohli for 81, it required a spiky tenth-wicket stand of 42 between Jayant Yadav and Mohammad Shami to revive India’s second innings, as they slipped from their overnight 98 for 3 to 204 all out on the stroke of a delayed lunch break.Of course, England’s success with the ball wasn’t entirely encouraging, given what it implied about the challenge of batting last, but they were happy to settle for pyrrhic victories wherever they could find them.Broad was particularly eager to strike some psychological blows. He may not feature in next week’s third match in Mohali but, buoyed by the confirmation that his foot injury was not as severe as he might have feared, he produced one of his most skilful spells of a stellar year, manipulating the old ball with cut and cross-seamers alike, and a variety of angles on the crease. He deserved more than just the scalps of Ajinkya Rahane and Ashwin for his morning efforts, as he finished with figures of 4 for 33 in 14 hard-pounding overs.Broad’s success was a reminder that seam, as well as spin, can play a part when surfaces start to crumble, and Hameed received a similarly timely reminder from the very first ball he received in England’s rearguard – a skiddy bouncer from Shami that rapped him on the glove as he took his eyes off the ball. But, when tea was taken 28 overs later, he was looking settled and solid, 12 not out from 84 balls, and oblivious to the attentions of up to four close catchers round the bat.It was a staggering display of technique, resolve and stamina way beyond his tender years, and further enhanced the impression that he is The One, as far as England’s long-term opening ambitions are concerned.However, Hameed could have asked for no better role model in his defiance than Cook, England’s past master in the art of batting time, whose long strides have been so adept for so long at smothering the attentions of Asian spinners.Kohli shuffled his pack largely in vain for the first 33 overs of England’s innings, resuming after tea with his seamers reunited but still no way through England’s defiance. But, then, suddenly, he hit upon the right formula, bringing Jadeja on at the Subba Rao End to target the footholes outside Cook’s off stump, with Ashwin handed the duties from the Vizzy End where Broad’s cutters had found their purchase.The heightened threat to both batsmen’s outside edges prompted a more proactive response, with Cook lining up a series of cuts and a well-placed drive through the covers for four to combat Jadeja, before Hameed responded to an Ashwin drifter that beat the bat by walloping his next ball hard and flat through mid-off for his first boundary in 80 deliveries from the spinners.On 45, Cook survived a reviewed lbw against Jadeja that was adjudged to be turning down the leg-side, although had umpire Rod Tucker raised his finger, it would have stayed up. One over later, he was living dangerously again, when Ashwin implored Kohli to take a second look at another lbw that he was convinced had squeezed pad before bat. Ashwin was right, but the impact was adjudged to be umpire’s call. India, somewhat disbelievingly, had burned through both of their reviews in the space of five balls.But then, with England’s thoughts just beginning to drift towards stumps, came the brace of body blows that undermined so much of their good work. All is not yet lost, with Root in a mood to atone for his wasteful first-innings dismissal, and Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow already attuned to the challenge of batting long on this surface. But as Hameed’s demise showed, accidents can and will happen in the fourth innings. India will believe victory is only a matter of time.

With Pakistan in trouble, they were steadied once again by Azhar Ali and Younis Khan on day two at the SCG

Osman Samiuddin at the SCG04-Jan-2017Pakistan’s batting may have lost them the series at the MCG but it has also been the one suit in which they have competed hardest with Australia. Twice they have gone past 400; the previous time they had crossed 400 in Australia, was 33 years ago when they also did it two innings in a row. The only problem of course has been the 142 and 163 that have bookended these two scores.Nevertheless they will look to their batting once again to salvage what they can from this dead rubber Test at the SCG. That begun disastrously on the second afternoon as they lost two wickets in their innings’ fourth over, before Azhar Ali and Younis Khan – not for the first time – began the repair work with a stand so far of 120.Azhar in particular appeared in pristine touch, continuing from where he left of at the MCG. He was on 58 at the close, bringing his tally since the start of last year to 1256 runs at an average of 66.10. He is just 18 runs short of 400 runs for the series.”He has been fantastic,” said Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur. “Over the last one year he has been the cornerstone of our batting. Just to see him come out with the intent as he did today is amazing.”The amount of time he has spent on field actually on this tour… we were just talking about it in the dressing room, it is almost beyond belief. For him to keep going, keep going and keep going shows a lot of resilience and shows a lot of toughness of mind.”Pakistan are still over 400 runs behind Australia, however, so for now, any targets as to how to move the Test ahead must be pragmatic ones. The ball is now over 40 overs old and the slowness of the surface might feel familiar.”I said earlier to the guys that you can never judge a pitch until the both sides have batted on it,” Arthur said. “At 2 for 6 we were in some serious trouble but to see the resilience and character and intent that has been shown by Younis and Azhar – it has been a real example to the rest of the dressing room and that is how we need to play.”Now we would like to play an attacking brand of cricket and I make no secret of that. Australia have bowled really well this series and kept us under check. We would like our rates to get bigger and to score a little bit quicker but I certainly think again that the resilience shown by these two has been brilliant and hopefully the other guys will take a leaf out of this book, particularly [in terms of] intent. We will carry on with the same intent and see where it takes us tomorrow.”Pakistan made two changes to their XI in the Test, including a significant one in replacing Sami Aslam with Sharjeel Khan. Aslam was one of three players – along with Sohail Khan and Mohammad Asghar – who flew back to Pakistan today as they are not part of the ODI squad.Pakistan have flirted with the idea of opening with Sharjeel since the beginning of the series against West Indies in the UAE, but have banked on giving Aslam a long run at the top. Aslam paid the price for dwindling returns of 22, 15, 9 and 2, as well as an inability to inject any sense of urgency in Pakistan’s starts, which is why Sharjeel was given a chance. But Arthur was adamant this was only a momentary setback in Aslam’s career.”Sami has got a very big future for us,” he said. “He is technically very good. Over the last four months he has developed significantly. Since the third Test in England he has developed significantly and has come off really well.”We just thought we had to change it up somehow. We had to try to do something. We let Sharjeel loose. It was a 50-50 chance. If Sharjeel came off, played really well, we get the momentum up front much like David Warner gives Australia and hopefully he set a tone for us. So that was the idea behind it. Sami Aslam is certainly not out of the picture and I think he has a bright future as an opening batsman for Pakistan.”

Arsenal's move for Galatasaray right-back Sacha Boey could now fall through due to an injury the player suffered on international duty this week, according to reports in Turkey.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners look set for a hectic summer transfer window as they prepare for a return to the Champions League next season. Mikel Arteta’s side’s top four finish comes with added pressure and added expectations, and the way in they slowed down towards the end of the season exemplified the need for more quality depth.

The boss looks to be eyeing up a move for West Ham star Declan Rice in order to strengthen his midfield, while Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby has been identified to reinforce the attack, but they have also been strongly linked with upgrades at right-back.

Ben White had a fabulous campaign but cannot be expected to play every fixture across four competitions, leading to Edu Gaspar to make a £12m bid for Boey earlier this month. The 22 year-old provided four assists in 31 league starts for Gala this season, earning himself a call up to the France U21s squad.

Unfortunately for the youngster, he has picked up an injury at Clairefontaine, with Turkish outlet Sabah, via Sport Witness, now reporting it is bad enough to have thrown his Arsenal move into serious doubt.

His club had apparently been planning to sell for around €20m (£17m), so not far above Arsenal’s bid, but the deal “may fall in the water” due to an ankle injury. There are apparently few details on the extent of the damage, but it is clearly a concern as he has been pulled from the squad.

Is Sacha Boey any good?

This will certainly be a blow to Arteta’s transfer plans if the injury is serious. At 22, Boey is young enough that he would likely be happy to come to a huge club like Arsenal and compete with White for minutes, and the latter could then also provide cover at centre-back if needed.

This season, Boey ranked as Gala’s second best player behind only goal machine Mauro Icardi, as the flying full-back led his team in tackles per game (2.8). Dubbed a player who would “fit perfectly into Arsenal” by Bacary Sagna, he also managed over one key pass and one successful dribble per outing, showing he is effective on both sides of the ball.

For both Arsenal and the player’s sake, one will have to hope the injury is not as bad as initial fears suggest.

Barbados and Combined Colleges and Campuses kicked off their 2017 WCIB Regional Super50 campaigns with victories on day one of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2017Kraigg Brathwaite’s 101 off 146 balls helped hosts Barbados off to a winning start in the 2017 WICB Regional Super50 as they trounced Guyana by 145 runs at Kensington Oval. Brathwaite’s maiden List A hundred in his 31st match anchored the Barbados innings as they eventually finished on 302 for 7.The bulk of the runs came during a 122-run third-wicket stand between Brathwaite and Jonathan Carter, who dominated their partnership while making a brisk 75 off 63 balls. Jason Holder took two wickets with the new ball to make early inroads in Guyana’s chase before the twin spin tandem of Ashley Nurse and Sulieman Benn did the rest of the damage. Offspinner Nurse claimed 4 for 42 while left-arm spinner Benn finished with 4 for 35 as Guyana were bowled out for 157 in just 32 overs.Combined Campuses and Colleges caused a stir at Three Ws Oval earlier in the day as they upset Jamaica by 75 runs. Amir Jangoo top-scored with 64 off 114 balls in CCC’s battling total of 215 for 8, which turned out to be more than enough in the end.Keon Harding wiped out Jamaica’s top three inside the first seven overs before Mark Deyal took three more to wreck the Jamaica middle order. Jamaica were still in with a reasonable chance of chasing down the total at 103 for 5 after 24 overs with Brandon King on 48, but left-arm spinner Larry Edwards struck with the first ball of the 25th to remove King, sparking a collapse of 4 for 20 over the next six overs and Jamaica ultimately subsided for 140 in 35 overs.

Fulham are among the clubs eyeing a move for Coventry City's Viktor Gyökeres, according to Fabrizio Romano, as the forward enters the last year of his contract at the Championship club.

What's the latest on Viktor Gyökeres to Fulham?

A whole host of Premier League clubs are interested in signing Gyökeres this summer, with the Cottagers, as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers, and West Ham United, all "ready to push" for a move, as per the Italian transfer guru.

"Coventry owner, asking for huge amount with just 1 year left on contract," Romano added.

A fee of around £20m has been touted regularly in the past few months, which is likely the very minimum that the Sky Blues would look for in order to simply start negotiations this summer.

Meanwhile, the London outfit are also looking to sign Manchester United midfielder Fred this summer, according to Jason Burt of The Telegraph.

He would also cost the Cottagers £20m, as per the report, as Marco Silva looks to build a side capable of maintaining their place in the Premier League's top half.

Could Fred and Viktor Gyökeres take Fulham up a level?

Seemingly gone are the days of Fulham fans being forced to endure disappointing summers of transfer deals that will leave them bound for yet another relegation from England's top flight.

These are better days under Silva and, with that, a summer of exciting transfer rumours about players ready to take Fulham up a level.

The fact that the London club are in a position to realistically sign both Fred and Gyökeres this summer should be celebrated. It's a sign that they have stepped things up a gear or two. It would be a statement of intent if both players ended up at the club this summer.

Just the thought of Gyökeres and Aleksandar Mitrovic's partnership should send shivers down the spine of near enough every Premier League defender hoping for a routine day at the office.

If Mitrovic wasn't enough to handle – scoring 14 league goals last season – adding the Coventry striker into the mix could result in one of the best partnerships in England's top flight.

Last season, the Swede scored 21 Championship goals as the Sky Blues shocked everyone by reaching the play-off final, before suffering Wembley heartbreak at the hands of Luton Town.

Having scored 17 goals in the season prior, it is clear that Gyökeres is ready to step into the Premier League.

Speaking about the goalscoring machine last season, Sky Blues manager Mark Robins said (via CoventryLive):

"He came in on the back of a spell at Swansea from Brighton and I knew the raw ingredients were there, and he hadn't played.

"And he came in and wasn't starting in the side and he was fuming, absolutely furious that he wasn't playing. But he wasn't ready to do that and I said to him, 'I'm waiting to see it'.

"From that moment on he's showed me. Fair play to him because he's just phenomenal."

He may well have Manchester United's Fred as a teammate, too, with the Brazilian also linked with a move.

The midfielder could become part of the supply line to the potential new Fulham strike partnership, with his 5.47 progressive passes per 90 only likely to benefit those looking to find the back of the net under Silva next season.

Signing one of the best players in the Championship, as well as an experienced Manchester United midfielder would be a significant sign of how much Fulham have improved on and off the pitch in recent times.