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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:15

‘Surprised by the Bengaluru pitch’

First there was control, then panic and eventually wickets. Most of them went to Nathan Lyon, whose 8 for 50 was the best ever haul by a visiting bowler in India. He personified Australia’s ability to adapt to unfavourable conditions – which included a lost toss – and by the end of the day they had ransacked 10 wickets for 189 runs, put up a score of 40 for 0 themselves and did their chances of retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy no harm whatsoever.Most teams coming to the subcontinent will be aware they have to invest heavily in maintaining tight lines and lengths for pressure is as good as any help they might receive off the pitch to pick up wickets. The batsman starts to feel trapped, doubts begin to fester, he searches for release and…India know this template well. Yet they lost Cheteshwar Pujara on the stroke of lunch. Virat Kohli gave his wicket away – and then a review as well – by padding up to a straight ball. Were it not for KL Rahul’s 90 on his home ground in Bengaluru, they would have been in far worse shape. And that is saying something considering they were bundled out for under 200 for the third time in as many innings.Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were in prime form with the new ball. Six of the first 12 overs on Saturday were maidens, the result of their getting just enough movement in the air and off the pitch. Lyon was precise with his line and smart with his length. He got the ball to turn and bounce sharply on some occasions and on others he made it drift and go straight on. His biggest strike, though, was simply down to a set up.Kohli was new to the crease and only a few seconds ago had a good length ball jumped past his inside edge and hit his thigh pad. Something told the Indian captain he could trust the bounce here, that if he was playing on the back foot, the ball was unlikely to threaten his stumps. That made picking length very, very important. Lyon flattened his trajectory, Kohli left the ball, suckered into believing it was short, it thudded into his pad in front of middle stump and umpire Nigel Llong put his finger up. While the error in judgment can be forgiven, the gamble with DRS was less so for it was driven not by logic but hope, and even a little bit of fear at losing the best batsman in the team giving Australia the kind of momentum they would love.Watching all this from the other end was Rahul. His innings spanned 205 balls – the next best was a mere 66 – was a battle all through. He was struck on the glove as Starc peppered him with bouncers. He was often unsure against Hazlewood’s two-way movement. He could have been caught on 30 but even Peter Handscomb, whose agility is already becoming legend, was unable to hold on to a rather difficult chance low to his left at silly mid-off.Nathan Lyon’s 8 for 50 was the best figures by a visiting bowler in India•Associated Press

Rahul had the mettle to work past his troubles, to not buckle to pressure and go looking for that boundary that makes him feel better for but an instant. He had had enough of that in Pune. Normally a free-flowing batsman – evidenced by his striking the first ball of the match to the point boundary – he understood the importance of a big score and buckled down to get it. With time at the crease, his defensive game grew tighter but most of all, he was able to absorb all the pressure Australia piled up on him.The same could not be said of his team-mates. Ajinkya Rahane hurtled down the pitch against Lyon only for the straighter ball to beat his outside edge. He was so far past the crease that Matthew Wade even had time to recover from a fumble and pull off the stumping. The 17 runs he made marked the ninth time out of 10 innings that he has fallen for a score under 30. Karun Nair, who was brought in to lengthen the batting line-up, playing for the first time since his 303 not out in December, committed the same mistake against O’Keefe and this time the ball turned sharply to leave him stumped too.Against the vagaries of the M Chinnaswamy strip – hosting a Test for the first time since large-scale renovations of the outfield – and the discipline of the Australian bowlers, it was difficult not to imagine India as those kids waiting for Mum and Dad to slack off so they can raid the sweets in the pantry. But by the end of the day, with no hope of their craving being satisfied, they could only fold their hands over their chest and go “this sucks”.By tea, Australia’s GOAT had gutted India’s middle order and sent back their big three. The first of his wickets was a major turning point. He had a set Pujara caught at short leg off what became the very last ball before lunch and a 61-run second wicket partnership was broken.Against a bowler in such rhythm, the lower order folded quickly. R Ashwin was undone by a spitting cobra. Wriddhiman Saha edged one that didn’t turn as much as he thought. Ravindra Jadeja inside edged a catch off the pad to slip – which was only confirmed when Smith made fine use of the review available to him. Even there, Australia were thumping India. And it all tied in to Lyon’s skill. A newfound skill.In the early part of his career, he couldn’t figure out how to bowl on turners. He would either be too slow and too full and get driven a lot, or too quick and too short leading to outcomes a lot worse. Here all of his wickets came off the 5 to 6m mark. For a batsman, that meant even if he came forward, he couldn’t reach the pitch of the ball. To then make connection, he has to push his hands out in front and that compromises his balance. Playing back is a risk too because Lyon’s overspin generates awkward bounce.Against that, the extra batsman was of little use. M Vijay, however, was not among of the XI having injured his left shoulder in the 333-run defeat in Pune and in his place came Tamil Nadu team-mate Abhinav Mukund. The 27-year old was representing India for the first time in over five years and his team was using their eighth opening pair in the last 12 months. He got an eight-ball duck, the partnership yielded only 11 runs, the position is clearly cursed, it time to call Scooby Doo yet?

West Bromwich Albion's preparations for the new season have been rocked by reports that key player Jayson Molumby could be on his way to Leeds United.

With strong suggestions that manager Carlos Corberan is also wanted by Leeds, the Baggies potentially face a double blow ahead of the Championship campaign getting underway.

What is the latest with West Brom's transfer business?

Speculation surrounding Corberan's future at The Hawthorns will not go away until Leeds name Sam Allardyce's successor, which could happen by the end of the week.

However, Albion may now have to brace themselves for a Leeds bid for Molumby, who played in 43 of their 46 league matches last season.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Leeds are keen on the Republic of Ireland international and believe he is available at a good price.

Should Leeds step forward with a bid that matches Albion's valuation, the Baggies could bring in a ready-made replacement who may yet be an upgrade on Molumby.

Should West Brom sign Marvelous Nakamba?

Marvelous Nakamba played a starring role in Luton Town's promotion to the Premier League last season, with the Hatters barely conceding a goal from open play when the Zimbabwean was on the pitch.

The 29-year-old joined on loan from Aston Villa in January and made 20 appearances in total, but he is now back at his parent club and may again be loaned out to the second tier.

Sunday Mirror reporter Darren Witcoop suggests Albion are waiting to pounce for Nakamba should Luton not get to his signature first.

That would be a major coup for the Baggies on the basis of last season, with Nakamba ranking in the top 2% of his positional peers for tackles won (4.05) per 90 minutes over the past 12 months, as per FBref. To give that some perspective, Molumby has a figure of 1.83 tackles per 90 minutes.

While Molumby does have more of an attacking threat to his game, scoring four goals compared to zero for Nakamba, the latter – valued at £4m by Football Observatory – comes out on top for dribblers tackled (1.71 v 0.87), blocks (1.27 v 1.24) and interceptions (1.01 v 0.68).

When factoring in their all-round games, WhoScored gives Molumby a rating of 6.56 and Nakamba 6.93, with that based on their performances in the Championship alone.

As pointed out by football reporter Josh Bunting, "quality" Nakamba is a "tough tackler" who is "good at starting counter attacks", while also having the ability to carry the ball forward.

Should Corberan – or whoever else is in charge – get the opportunity to sign Nakamba on loan or otherwise, Molumby could be made to look a player of the past very soon indeed.

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.

Daniel Worrall, Joe Mennie and Chris Tremain have been chosen for Australia’s limited-overs tour of South Africa after the selectors were compelled to dig deep into the nation’s pace reserves to cover for the resting Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood

Daniel Brettig05-Sep-2016

Daniel Worrall, Joe Mennie and Chris Tremain have been chosen for Australia’s limited-overs tour of South Africa after the selectors were compelled to dig deep into the nation’s pace reserves to cover for the resting Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.For a series that will be played in conditions more suited to pacemen than the just completed bout with Sri Lanka, Worrall, Mennie and Tremain have been rewarded for breakout domestic seasons for South Australia and Victoria, the two sides that contested last season’s Sheffield Shield final.National selector Rod Marsh said the seam and swing bowling trio will be needed to support John Hastings and Scott Boland against South Africa and also the opening match against Ireland. Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins and Peter Siddle were among the bowlers not able to be considered due to injury. Usman Khawaja, who played two ODIs against Sri Lanka with scores of 6 and 0, was left out of the squad. Adam Zampa is the frontline spinner in the squad with Nathan Lyon also omitted.Ins and Outs

Ins: Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain, Daniel Worrall
Outs: Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Nathan Lyon, Nathan Coulter-Nile

“Chris, Joe and Daniel all had terrific summers last year and have also impressed us during the recent Australia A series with consistent performances,” Marsh said. “They are young players with a bright future who thoroughly deserve their selection and we look forward to seeing them work with John Hastings and Scott Boland, who have both performed well for Australia since returning from injury.”Mennie and Worrall formed a potent seam and swing combination alongside Chadd Sayers for the Redbacks last season, while Tremain moved from New South Wales to Victoria and soon found himself spearheading the bowling attack for the team that eventually lifted the Shield.”I think consistently playing has been a big help,” Tremain said in Melbourne. “People keep saying I got starved for opportunity in NSW but I don’t think that was the case. It was a matter of not doing the right things at the right time to give yourself an opportunity to play there. Coming down to Victoria I got a few good opportunities early, did ok and rolled with the punches early.”Then, rather than worrying about whether I was going to play the next game I worried about the next ball or how I was going to stay in the moment rather than worry about what had gone or what was going to happen. If there was any big change in my game it would be more upstairs in my head than anything else. Playing consistently and not worrying too much about whether I was going to play the next game, was a big step.”Tremain’s first Australian tour will coincide with that of the new assistant coach David Saker, who took up the role as Darren Lehmann’s deputy after helping guide the Bushrangers to the Shield. A plain speaker, Saker has ensured Tremain stays level in mindset, neither seduced by success nor downtrodden by failure.”He just called and said what are the odds that my first tour is your first tour?” Tremain said. “He’s good and he’s no punches pulled, so I’m sure regardless or playing for the Renegades or Victoria or Australia coming up, if I’ve done something wrong you get scolded for it and rightly so.”If you do something right it’s not a big pump up, it’s a pat on the back and congratulations for doing your job. He’s really good at keeping people level, keeping people concentrated on what they need to do and not getting too far ahead or behind what they’re doing.”While South African pitches should provide more assistance than Sri Lanka, Tremain said that the high benchmark being set by the likes of Hastings gave him a level of consistency to aim for. “I’ve been watching the ODIs in Sri Lanka at the moment and they look like they’re very difficult to bowl on,” he said. “Watching John Hastings and Scotty Boland work over there, [James] Faulkner, the way they go about their business on flat wickets is a really good viewing point for wickets that might offer a little bit more.”Doing the hard work on these flat wickets just makes it that little bit easier on a wicket that might offer a bit more. Rather than looking at what we might get in South Africa I’ve been looking at what it’s like when it is really hard and flat and you can’t get the ball up around their ears or get it to swing. Viewing that sort of stuff has put me into a mainframe that things are going to be difficult, they might not be as difficult as Sri Lanka, but if I prepare for something really difficult and get a pleasant surprise, then grab it with both hands.”Travis Head retained his place in the ODI squad following a series of cameo performances in Sri Lanka, but there was no room for Glenn Maxwell. Mitchell Marsh returned to the squad after being rested from the Sri Lanka ODIs, while the captain Steven Smith also returned to the ranks.Australia will play Ireland in Benoni on September 27 followed by the five ODIs against South Africa starting September 30 in Centurion.ODI squad: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, George Bailey, Scott Boland, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain, Matthew Wade (wk), Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa.

Yorkshire’s allrounder David Willey will rejoin the England ODI squad later this week after an injury to his left hand was found to be less serious than first feared.Willey was struck on the hand in his follow through by a fierce drive from Durham’s Mark Stoneman while bowling in Yorkshire’s NatWest T20 Blast semi-final on Saturday. He continued to play a full part in the game, finishing his overs and opening the batting with his hand tightly strapped, but was initially ruled out of the one-day series against Pakistan after scans on Sunday.However, it has now been confirmed that Willey only suffered bruising, rather than any kind of break, and he will link up with the England squad after Wednesday’s first ODI at the Ageas Bowl.An England spokesman said: “On further review today, David Willey has been cleared of a fracture to his left hand and he will rejoin England’s ODI squad on Thursday. His progress will be monitored by the medical team during the series.”Willey had tweeted on Sunday evening that he still hoped to play a part in the series and he followed that up with a picture of the bruising on Monday, adding: “Good news! No serious damage so I’ll be back as soon as the swelling goes!”Willey’s commitment to the cause was not enough to get Yorkshire through to the NatWest Blast final but England will doubtless be happy to have him available, as well as relieved that his fighting spirit did not result in greater damage. Jake Ball, who was called up as cover, will remain with the squad.England also have a slight concern over the fitness of Stuart Broad, who also played on Finals Day but is not part of the limited-overs squads. Broad will undergo a scan on his left ankle on Tuesday and has been withdrawn from Nottinghamshire’s Championship squad for their match against Yorkshire at Scarborough.Alastair Cook, England’s Test captain, has meanwhile been made available to play in Essex’s next two Championship matches, against Leicestershire and Worcestershire.

Georgia Adams hit 41 as the Southern Vipers produced a flawless display with bat and ball to start their Kia Super League campaign with a six-wicket bonus point win over Surrey Stars

ECB Reporters Network31-Jul-2016
ScorecardNew Zealand’s Suzie Bates scored 25 and took 1 for 20 as Southern Vipers started with a win (file photo)•IDI/Getty ImagesGeorgia Adams hit 41 as the Southern Vipers produced a flawless display with bat and ball to start their Kia Super League campaign with a six-wicket bonus point win over Surrey Stars.Opening batsman Adams crunched her runs from 43 balls in a stylish knock, helping to put on a 66-run opening stand with New Zealand international Suzie Bates. Despite a mini-wobble with victory in their sights, the Vipers chased down their target with 28 balls to spare following a disciplined bowling performance in front of 2,250 at the Ageas Bowl.The only blemish for the home side came when captain Charlotte Edwards, who recently retired from England duty, suffered a sickening neck injury when she collided with Fi Morris attempting to catch Nat Sciver’s aerial strike, forcing her to sit out the rest of the match.Surrey had elected to bat first but opening bowlers Morna Nielson and Natasha Farrant piled on the pressure from the off, with batsmen Bryony Smith and Tammy Beaumont struggling to pierce the infield. The frustration was typified when England star Beaumont chipped Farrant straight to Edwards at mid-on from the 12th ball of the innings.The squeeze continued into left-armer Farrant’s second over when she had Cordelia Griffith leg before and Bates joined the fun by bowling a slogging Smith.The Stars were then left on 26 for 4 when a stunning catch from Edwards, again at mid-on, gave Nielsen her first wicket with the final ball of her spell – and top figures of 1 for 12 from four overs. It got even worse for the visitors when captain Nat Sciver sent back overseas player Marizanne Kapp, who was well short of making her ground.Naomi Dattani was lbw to Morris but Sciver and Rene Farrell milked as many runs as possible in an unbroken partnership of 37 to help the Stars reach 85 for 6 in their 20 overs.The Vipers boasted a glowing bowling card, with home-grown pacer Katie George a surprise standout, only going for 13 in her four overs, including 17 dot balls, and Farrant taking 2 for 17.In reply, Bates and Adams, promoted to the top of the order with Edwards sidelined although able to bat if required, looked more at ease at the crease than their Surrey counterparts. Adams stroked a glorious cover drive before Bates, the ICC’s No. 2-ranked T20 batsman, copied her at the other end as the pair went through the gears to reach 32 for 0 by the end of the Powerplay.Surrey’s day got worse when Kapp dropped a low chance off Adams, and the Sussex batsman made her pay with a beautiful lofted drive down the ground soon after. The fifty stand came up in 65 deliveries, but Adams drilled a caught and bowled at Alex Hartley to end the partnership.Sara McGlashan fell to Hartley’s next ball and Bates was castled by Lea Tahuhu as three wickets fell for two runs, before Alice Macleod was run out with three still required but the home side managed to ease home three balls later.

Liverpool could now miss out on the signing of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Is Mount leaving Chelsea?

The future of the Englishman has been a major talking point of late, with plenty of speculation surrounding whether we will remain at Stamford Bridge or not. He has had a disappointing season by his high standards, only scoring three goals in 35 appearances in all competitions, and he is yet to agree a new deal.

Mount has been continually linked with a summer move to Liverpool instead, with the Reds badly in need of making a number of new signings in the middle of the park. He appears to be someone who Jurgen Klopp admires and believes would strengthen that area of the pitch at Anfield, and reports have suggested that a transfer is likely.

The 24-year-old has been at Chelsea since childhood, however, and it looks as though his exit is still far from a given, following a new update that has emerged.

Will Liverpool miss out on Mount?

According to Football Insider, there is now "growing within Chelsea that Mason Mount will snub interest from Liverpool and sign a new long-term contract". The report goes on to say that the "imminent appointment of Mauricio Pochettino has given hope to those inside Stamford Bridge that Mount will stay put".

The Blues have "promised Mount more first-team action and a key role in the side as part of his contract negotiations", which they hope will encourage him to extend his stay at west London.

This is a clear blow for Liverpool, with Mount someone who could be such an effective addition to the midfield this summer, even though his 2022/23 season has been largely underwhelming. He has the tactical nous to thrive under Klopp – Jose Mourinho has lauded him for being "very, very intelligent" in the past – while 70 goal contributions (33 goals and 37 assists) for Chelsea show that he could provide more end product than the Reds' current options.

It does feel as though Mount would ultimately prefer to stay at Chelsea, however, as long as he is offered an acceptable contract, so Liverpool may need to start looking elsewhere for an alternative. Someone like Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister could be an ideal choice, for example, having scored eight times in the Premier League this season, as well as averaged 2.1 tackles per game.

Journalist Dean Jones has stated that Arsenal are confident Mikel Arteta will stay with the club despite recent exit talk.

What's the latest on Mikel Arteta and Arsenal?

It's certainly been a fantastic season for the Gunners so far as they enter the final stages of the Premier League sitting at the top of the table.

And regardless of how it all finishes, Arteta has certainly enhanced his reputation as one of the game's most exciting young managers.

With that being the case, there has been talk in foreign media that the Spaniard is wanted by Real Madrid, with Arsenal already considering Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi as a possible replacement.

However, in an update on GiveMeSport, Jones revealed in his column that there are no real concerns about an exit internally.

He wrote: "Arsenal hold no fears over Arteta walking out on them at the end of this season, despite links with Real Madrid."

He added: "There are even suggestions that Roberto De Zerbi is seen by the board as an ideal replacement at Emirates Stadium.

"But sources are adamant they are not on that line of thinking right now at Arsenal and that there is total faith Arteta will be leading them into the Champions League next term."

Would Arteta join Real Madrid?

Seeing as Arteta is a former Arsenal player and has been given his first shot at management with the North London side, it would make sense for him to show loyalty and stay put.

What's more, the club are just starting to reach a new level under his management so it would be odd for the 41-year-old to abandon the project at this stage.

On top of that, Arteta came through at Barcelona as a youngster at the start of his career, so it remains unclear if he would be open to working for bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Interestingly enough, pundit Gabby Agbonlahor recently told Football Insider it would make more sense to stay with Arsenal for the time being.

He explained: “The talk of him going to Madrid, I don’t see why he would want to go right now.

“He’s built something special. Even if he doesn’t win the league this season, he’ll want to do it next season. He’s got Champions League football to look forward to.

“Arsenal is his club. Dream jobs like Real Madrid, or Spain – that can wait for the future. He’s got plenty of time.”

Mikel Arteta looks as though he is planning ahead for next season as Arsenal have shown interest in Bayern Munich youngster Ryan Gravenberch.

What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch to Arsenal?

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Gunners are keeping an eye on his scenario at Munich with a view to making a move during the summer transfer window.

He said via Twitter: “Arsenal is monitoring him and his situation at Bayern! But no negotiations yet. Lot of competition with Ødegaard, Xhaka, Partey, Jorginho … but nevertheless: He could get more playing time there. Now all depends on Tuchel.”

He only joined the Bundesliga side last summer for a fee of €18.5m (£16m) and if Arsenal could land him for a similar price, it would be a wonderful bargain.

Could Ryan Gravenberch join Arsenal?

With Thomas Tuchel recently taking over at the club, much will depend on whether he wants him in his squad ahead of next season and Arteta will certainly be keeping an eye on this over the coming weeks.

The north Londoners have enjoyed mixed success recruiting from the Bundesliga in the past, notably bringing in the likes of Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac, however by luring the Dutchman to the club, they could repeat their Granit Xhaka masterclass.

The Switzerland international signed from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2016 and although it took him a while to step up to the standard required, he has been magnificent under Arteta, especially this season.

The 30-year-old has registered ten goal contributions – five goals and five assists – so far in the league, while making 1.3 key passes and creating five big chances, vastly improving his attacking output.

Gravenberch occupies the same position as Xhaka and although his debut season in Germany hasn’t exactly gone to plan, his final campaign for Ajax was excellent and gave the continent a glimpse of his incredible talent.

The 20-year-old played 30 matches in the Eredivisie as Ajax won another league title, and he was instrumental, scoring twice, grabbing five assists and completing 1.1 key passes per game alongside creating six big chances, an indication of his offensive prowess from a central midfield position.

His maturity levels were excellent too, chipping in with the nitty-gritty side of the game by making two tackles per game and winning an impressive 58% of his total duels, so it’s no wonder Bayern came calling for his signature.

Dutch pundit Wim Kieft lauded Gravenberch as the “greatest talent in the Netherlands” and there is no doubt his potential is limitless. Thus, perhaps jumping to a European heavyweight so soon in his career was a slight misjudgment.

Arteta, therefore, could work his magic on a young player again to help the 6 foot 3 maestro live up to his immense potential. Should he do so, then the 20-year-old Dutchman could be the heir to Xhaka in the engine room.

Journalist Steve Kay says that Arsenal are ‘not aware’ of any contact that has taken place to sign RB Salzburg striker Noah Okafor this summer.

The Lowdown: Registered interest…

It has recently been reported that Arsenal have registered their interest in signing Okafor, who is valued at £25m by Salzburg.

However, North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also thought to be interested in his signature, along with West Ham United, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

The Latest: No contact made

Taking to Twitter, Kay has since shared that ‘sources’ have told him that the Gunners are ‘not aware’ of any contact taking place over Okafor, while RB Leipzig have also shown an ‘interest’ in him:

“According to some reports Arsenal are showing interest in signing the RB Salzburg striker Noah Okafor.

“Sources are telling me close to the club that they are not aware of any contact taking place.

“RB Leipzig have shown some recent interest in signing the young striker.”

The Verdict: Get it done!

At just 22 years of age, Okafor is a big talent, having scored 34 goals and made a further 23 assists in 108 games in total over all competitions for Salzburg, with 12 goal contributions coming so far this season (Transfermarkt).

He has also been capped 12 times by Switzerland, scoring twice and producing one assist (Transfermarkt), and is capable of playing anywhere across the forward line.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig describes Okafor as a ‘superb’ player who is ‘powerful’ and ‘agile’ with ‘electric’ pace and ‘super’ technique, as he ranks in the 90th percentile of all forwards in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and in the 85th for successful take-ons per game (FBRef).

Given Arsenal’s injuries in forward areas this term, with the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah all having faced extended periods out, Okafor would be a smart signing to provide cover, and eventually challenge for a regular starting spot.