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In the match at Adelaide, Brian Lara took over as the leading runscorer in Test cricket, and faced Shane Warne, the leading wicket-taker. Has this ever happened before

Steven Lynch28-Nov-2005The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket. We apologise for the lack of a column last week, which was caused by a family bereavement:

Leading run-scorer v leading wicket-taker, not happened since 1886-87. © Getty Images
In the match at Adelaide, Brian Lara took over as the leading runscorer in Test cricket, and faced Shane Warne, the leading wicket-taker. Has this ever happened before? asked Mathew Stephenson from Australia
It has happened … but not for a very long time. The last time the leading Test runscorer of the time faced the leading wicket-taker was back in 1886-87, in the first Test at Sydney, when Arthur Shrewsbury of England faced up to the Aussie “Demon”, Fred Spofforth. Going into that match Shrewsbury had 903 runs and Spofforth had 94 wickets. The last time the two record-holders were even in the same game was as long ago as 1903-04, at Melbourne, when Clem Hill and Hugh Trumble (in his last Test) both played for Australia against England.How many Test runs had Brian Lara scored when Sachin Tendulkar made his debut? asked Alvin Parish
That’s a nice easy one, because the answer is none – Tendulkar made his debut first, aged just 16, against Pakistan at Karachi in November 1989. Lara didn’t make his debut until 13 months later, also in Pakistan, in the third Test at Lahore in 1990-91. By then Tendulkar had scored 588 runs, in 11 Tests.What is the longest run of ODIs without losing? Did South Africa break the record recently? asked Johan van der Knaap from Kimberley
South Africa came very close: when they won the first match of the ongoing series against India at Hyderabad they had gone 20 ODIs without defeat. But they lost their next match, at Bangalore, to fall just short of the record of 21 – set by Australia in 2003, a run that included that year’s World Cup. For a longer list, click here.Which cricketer called his autobiography A Hell of a Way to Make a Living? asked Ben Forrest from Colchester
The man with the whimsical title was Ken Rutherford, the former New Zealand captain. His book was published by Hodder Moa Beckett in New Zealand in 1995. Actually New Zealand cricketers seem keen on zany titles for their books: Danny Morrison’s was called Mad As I Wanna Be, John Wright penned Christmas in Rarotonga, Ian Smith was Just a Drummer in the Band, while Gavin Larsen went for, er, Grand Larseny.I’ve often wondered, what are the top batting averages over a Test career, worldwide? I know that Don Bradman was 99-point-something. Is there anyone higher? asked Alf Lacis from Australia
You’ve proved a friend of mine wrong – he claimed that everyone in Australia knew Don Bradman`s exact batting average, which was 99.94! If he’d managed four runs in his final innings, rather than a duck, The Don would have averaged exactly 100. And, given a qualification of 20 innings, no-one comes close to him: next on the list is the South African Graeme Pollock, who averaged 60.97. The only others over 60 are the great West Indian George Headley (60.83) and the old England opener Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73). The highest current player is India’s Rahul Dravid, with 57.62, a whisker ahead of Sachin Tendulkar (57.25) and Jacques Kallis (57.07). For a full list of the highest Test averages, click here.I’ve been trying to find out about this but can’t: didn’t Shaun Pollock have some kind of dream debut with an English county side in the mid-1990s? I’m wondering, did I dream this up or is it true? asked Dilip D’Souza from India
No, you didn’t imagine it – Shaun Pollock made a sensational debut for Warwickshire in 1996. In his first match for them, against Leicestershire at Edgbaston, he took four wickets in four balls as Leicestershire crumpled to 9 for 5. He finished with 6 for 21 (and, not surprisingly, the Man of the Match award) as Warwickshire won by seven wickets.

The Gunners centre-back has taken her game to the next level over the past few months, and with others out injured, she should get her chance to start

There was plenty for Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall to be happy about following his side's emphatic 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of a Women's Super League-record Emirates Stadium crowd on Saturday. Following a shock defeat to West Ham, as well as an FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, the Swede has been under pressure recently, and the welcome win moved the Gunners back to within three points of leaders Chelsea with eight games to play.

Cloe Lacasse seriously impressed on a rare start, Beth Mead was unplayable at times and Lia Walti ran things in the middle of the park. But at full-time, Eidevall made sure to give his makeshift back four – disrupted by Leah Williamson and Amanda Ilestedt being absent – special credit for the victory, singling one player out in particular.

"We had to rejig and you could see Laia Codina, for example, she has been training really well so she was ready to play. But it is still a new back four to play together. But in that unit we have to acknowledge a player like Lotte Wubben-Moy. We have to acknowledge the level she is playing at this season and seeing how she develops," he said.

"A performance like she has today is incredible. I think it is something the whole club should be very proud of because she is Arsenal through and through. She is coming from our academy, our community and to see her excel the way she does at Emirates Stadium, it is fantastic. I am really, really happy for her and the club to see that."

Getty ImagesStepping up last season

Her manager's glowing appraisal after Saturday's huge result has been echoed by most onlookers throughout the current campaign. Almost every Arsenal fan would agree that Wubben-Moy is firmly in the conversation for the Gunners' Player of the Season award, while a spot in the WSL Team of the Year also seems likely if she continues on her current trajectory.

Wubben-Moy's emergence as a key player has not come out of the blue, though. Following Leah Williamson's devastating ACL injury last season, and with other starting centre-back Rafaelle missing a decent chunk of the 2022-23 campaign too, she stepped up when it mattered, playing near enough every minute of her side's congested run-in.

Forming an unorthodox partnership with Steph Catley at the heart of the defence, she chipped in with a string of vital contributions; none more so than in her side's Champions League semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg, where she provided the pinpoint cross for Jen Beattie's headed equaliser that sent the game to extra-time.

Heartbreakingly, it would be Wubben-Moy's tired error in that additional period that would eventually gift the German side their place in the final, but she did not let this setback affect her performances for the remainder of the season, scoring in Arsenal's victory over Everton a few weeks later, a result that went a long way to sealing their spot in the Champions League for the following campaign.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesReaching new heights

New heights have been reached since then, though, with few defenders enjoying better WSL seasons so far. And it was telling that when Williamson did return to the WSL starting line-up in February against West Ham, it was World Cup star Ilestedt that dropped to the bench, not Wubben-Moy, suggesting that the Englishwoman has risen to the very top of the defensive pecking order.

Delving into the statistics, it's not hard to see why. Earlier in her career, there were concerns that Wubben-Moy was not as effective in possession as some of her club and international colleagues. But this campaign, no outfield player has completed more long balls or racked up more progressive passing distance than her in the WSL.

She is also carrying the ball effectively; just five WSL players (Anna Patten, Maya Le Tissier, Laia Alexandri, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter) have racked up more progressive distance than Wubben-Moy's 1766 yards this season. And of those players, just Greenwood has registered fewer minutes than the Arsenal star.

Wubben-Moy has always excelled at bread-and-butter defending too, and this has continued recently. Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr and Rachel Daly are among the top-class centre-forwards that she has kept scoreless this season, and she is yet to make an error that's led to an opponent having a shot this term. Meanwhile, only Liverpool's towering forward Sophie Roman Haug has won more aerial duels.

Getty ImagesStruggling for international recognition

But amid this excellent run of form, Wubben-Moy has found international recognition under Sarina Wiegman hard to come by this season. She made her Lionesses debut back in 2021, coming on as a substitute during an emphatic friendly victory over Northern Ireland, eventually earning a maiden start in her side's infamous 20-0 thrashing of Latvia in November that same year.

Since then, she's been a near ever-present in England squads, only pulling out of a few camps due to injury. Despite this, her playing time has been frightfully limited. In fact, since that Latvia game, she's only managed a single start, a 45-minute outing in a friendly against Belgium in June 2022.

Thus, while she has a Euro 2022 winners' medal, and was a part of the Lionesses' impressive run to the 2023 World Cup final and Finalissima triumph, it all came as a spectator. That will surely change in the upcoming fixtures against Austria and Italy, though.

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Getty ImagesTiming is everything

In the past, it's been easier for Wiegman to ignore Wubben-Moy. During the Euros, Williamson and Millie Bright were always going to be impossible to displace at the heart of defence. And at the World Cup, Greenwood and Carter each emerged as deserved starters as the England boss flipped between a back-three and back-four.

But in this camp, Bright and Williamson are unavailable due to injury, and it's hard to argue that Carter and Esme Morgan – who has taken a lot of Wubben-Moy's potential minutes in recent times – are in anything like the same form as her at club level. The same can also be said of United pair Le Tissier and Millie Turner.

With all of that in mind, and with two low-stakes games for Wiegman to experiment in coming up, it is surely time for Wubben-Moy to seize her opportunity.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is personally keen to close a deal to sign a midfielder he has previously shown heavy admiration for, according to recent reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester City?

The Blues have favored quality over quantity this window in the transfer market, strengthening their squad with the additions of Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, as per Transfermarkt.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester City have also added another exciting young talent to their conglomerate The City Football Group, stating on X: "Excl: RB Salzburg talent Leon Lalić joins Man City/City Group, here we go. It’s first deal ever from RB Salzburg to City Group — historical for 2006 born midfielder. Lalić will initially join Lommel. David Fernandez’s team followed Lalić for more than 2 years."

City are also believed to be keen on Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze in the final stages of the transfer window; however, the Eagles are looking to hold out for a fee of £70 million for the 25-year-old, according to Football Insider.

Eze has become a target for Manchester City following their decision to withdraw from their pursuit of West Ham United playmaker Lucas Paqueta. His former club, Queens Park Rangers, would be entitled to 20% of any fee Crystal Palace recoup for the midfielder due to a sell-on clause present in his contract at Selhurst Park.

BILD via The Manchester Evening News share quotes from RB Leipzig chief Oliver Mintzlaff who had dispelled rumours linking Spain international Dani Olmo with a move to the Etihad Stadium, stating: "Dani Olmo will be part of the Leipzig squad, no matter who is interested."

Olmo also recently commented on links to Manchester City directly, stating: “There is nothing [in the rumours]. I’m fully focused on the task in Leipzig, the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the cup. Man City are a big club – one of the biggest in the world. Josko [Gvardiol] went there. But I’m happy here.”

Who else could Manchester City sign?

Transfer guru Romano has delivered a fresh update on Manchester City's pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes on X, revealing: "Manchester City will insist to close Matheus Nunes deal with Wolves in 24/48h after initial €50m proposal plus add-ons discussed yesterday. Pep, big fan of Nunes; player has already accepted City as destination. It's now up to Wolverhampton."

Cited by The Mirror, Manchester City boss Guardiola is no stranger to £85k-a-week earner Nunes and has previously offered up some really high praise when discussing the Portugal international, saying back in 2022: "I would say that Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today."

In his time at Molineux, Nunes has become a fan favourite due to his tenacious displays in the middle of the park and has featured 41 times for Wolves in all competitions, registering one goal and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Football Insider claim that Manchester City are confident of sealing a deal to land Nunes and are readying a bid close to £60 million to try and get a deal over the line, which would also help to provide cover for the injured Kevin De Bruyne.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag has made tracks to try and bring in some competition for Andre Onana between the sticks and bolster numbers in the goalkeeping department at Old Trafford, according to reports.

Who is the goalkeeper target?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United have already made an approach to Benfica about goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos as they look to secure a speedy replacement between the sticks amid news that Dean Henderson is in talks with Crystal Palace over a move to Selhurst Park.

Matej Kovar has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen and Nathan Bishop has moved on to Sunderland, creating a void to be filled in the goalkeeping department at the Premier League giants.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has issued a further update on the permutations surrounding Vlachodimos potentially heading to Manchester United, stating on X: "Manchester United are informed on the conditions of Odysseas Vlachodimos deal, as revealed yesterday. He wasn’t in Benfica squad last week as he’s expected to leave the club by the end of the window. Deal with Man Utd could only advance if Dean Henderson leaves the club."

Benfica youngster Samuel Soares has been given the nod ahead of Vlachodimos recently, and his boss, Roger Schmidt, has admitted that he is happy to introduce some 'new energy in the goalkeeper position' at the club.

Would Vlachodimos be a good signing for Manchester United?

Manchester United definitely need to get someone into the building at Old Trafford to help with available numbers in the goalkeeping position, which has been depleted further due to veteran Tom Heaton's calf injury, as per The Manchester Evening News.

Vlachodimos is an experienced stopper with a distinguished pedigree and would help provide some calm as an alternative to Onana at the club, and could actually be a better option to having behind the Cameroon star than Henderson.

In his time at Benfica, the 29-year-old has become a fan favourite as the last line of defence, keeping 94 clean sheets in 225 appearances across all competitions for the Primeira Liga holders, as per Transfermarkt, an impressive rate.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was quick to praise Vlachodimos in 2022 following the Reds' 3-1 victory in the Champions League over Benfica away from home at the quarter-final stage, as per BT Sport cited via Reuters, stating: "We should have scored much more. I think, mainly because of their goalkeeper, credit to him. Their goalkeeper was probably the game's best player. We played well, but he made a couple of really good saves."

Compared to his positional peers in Europe's next eight divisions below the top five leagues on the continent, Vlachodimos ranks highly with his clean sheet percentage, with 56.3% of his last 90 minutes across the previous 365 days resulting in a shut-out, as per FBRef, ranking him in the 99th percentile for that figure.

Now looking unfancied at Benfica, it looks like the chance has emerged for Manchester United to bring the Greece goalkeeper to Old Trafford before the end of the window, in what could be a shrewd if unspectacular move.

A potentially major update has surfaced for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp and co work fervently to rectify the issues in the transfer market and secure a first-class new holding midfielder.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

Chelsea have beat Liverpool to the signings of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia recently in a remarkable show of strength and incisiveness, and the Reds now need to move with their own swiftness to reaffirm their own guile.

The Anfield side have compiled a shortlist of options, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure believed to be the most coveted names.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The latter, Doucoure, is likely the primary target, with the Independent confirming on Wednesday afternoon that the Malian midfielder could be available for less than £60m, and that while the Eagles are wary of losing too many players this summer, Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to secure his signature.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

There is much to lament about Liverpool's transfer strategy this year, and it's unequivocally true that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could have handled the recent events with more conscientiousness.

Saudi Arabian sides swooped for defensive midfielder Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson to compound the departures of midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose contracts concluded in June.

This is not to say that such outgoings were not necessary, rather, an illustration of the smoother road that could have been taken; Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both penned deals with the club, but the squad currently feels thin.

Resting on their laurels is not an option, and the powers that be must now throw the kitchen sink to secure Doucoure's services, with the 23-year-old impressing for Crystal Palace since completing an initial £18m transfer to Selhurst Park from French side RC Lens one year ago.

The £60k-per-week machine is a first-class ball-winner, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions per 90, as per FBref – for comparison, Fabinho ranks only among the top 34% after his "awful" season, as was said by Jamie Carragher.

This strengthening of the formidability of the midfield would only improve the performances of those around, and Doucoure, who has been described as "the complete holding midfielder" by former boss Patrick Vieira, could play to £60m man Szoboszlai's qualities.

The Hungarian midfielder has been lauded as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his technicality and flair, and ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.

He also ranks among the top 5% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90, which could pay dividends for Doucoure's progress on Merseyside, with such a robust and industrious midfield partner easing his workload.

Liverpool have fallen by the wayside, but the new season signifies an apt opportunity for meaningful, impactful change, and now is the time to steal a swoop for Doucoure and enhance Liverpool's midfield.

USWNT star Kristie Mewis was in a wistful mood as she shared some stunning pictures from a dreamy winter break with fiancée Sam Kerr.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mewis posts photos of idyllic retreat
• Pair enjoy break in stunning winter location
• Kerr on comeback trail after ACL injury

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The pair, who announced their engagement in November, wowed social media followers with breathtaking pictures of their snow-covered holiday, including shots of them swimming outside under clear blue skies.

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• WHAT KRISTIE MEWIS SAID

  "Photo album purging this week," said Mewis, as she posted the stunning collection of photos from her and fiancée Kerr's winter break.

  🚨 IMPORTANT: Delete this slide, via the three dots 'More Actions' button above, if there are no quotes to use in this story

• Getty
  

  THE GOSSIP

  It's not known when their trip took place but it appears to be before Kerr suffered a season-ending ACL injury after an 'innocuous' incident during Chelsea's mid-season training camp in Morocco.

  The injury is expected to keep the Australian international on the sidelines for the remainder of this season and the beginning of next term.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MEWIS & KERR?

  While Kerr begins her long road to recovery, Mewis will be hoping to make her WSL debut for new club West Ham against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday. The Hammers are currently 11th in the table and in desperate need of a victory in their battle to beat the drop.

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2017Kyle Hope drives through the off side•Getty ImagesKieran Powell (77) and Kyle Hope (61) completed half-centuries in West Indies’ second innings as the visitors had a useful outing in their tour match against Zimbabwe A. After their 126-run second-wicket partnership, West Indies’ middle order notched up useful contributions before allowing their bowlers to have a go at the Zimbabwe A batsmen. In 27 overs bowled by West Indies in the closing stages of the match, they managed to snuff out four top-order wickets before the game ended in a draw.Powell and Hope began the final day on an overnight score of 74 for 1 and both brought up their respective fifties soon after. The Zimbabwe A bowlers failed to dismiss either set batsmen, and both of them chose to retire out instead. That allowed the West Indies middle order to have another bat, and Jermaine Blackwood (25), Shane Dowrich (37) and Shimron Hetmyer (48) took their total to 263 before they chose to declare.Shannon Gabriel then quickly removed the hosts’ opener Brian Chari, before a brief resistance between Chamu Chibhabha (24) and Tarisai Musakanda followed. But Raymon Riefer then removed Musakanda, after which Chibhabha and Ryan Burl returned to the pavilion as well in quick succession. The game ended with Peter Moor (10*) and Richmond Mutumbami (1*) at the crease.

Liverpool are looking to sign two more central midfielders during the summer transfer window, according to a new update regarding the situation.

Are Fabinho and Henderson leaving Liverpool?

The Reds are experiencing a tumultuous summer in their midfield, with huge changes being made, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are two exciting signings who will hopefully improve Liverpool immeasurably, but James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left when their respective contracts expired at the end of last month.

It now looks as though Fabinho and Jordan Henderson will also be moving on, however, with the pair both expected to complete moves to Saudi Arabian in the coming days. That would leave the Reds' midfield looking a short of options, so it is clear that more new faces would be required between now and the beginning of the new Premier League campaign.

Will Liverpool sign more midfielders?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool still plan on bringing in another couple of midfielders this summer, as they prepare for life without Fabinho and Henderson:

"Liverpool and manager Jurgen Klopp are keen to add two more midfield signings this summer, sources have told Football Insider. This news comes in the wake of imminent departures for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian clubs."

The report continues: "A well-placed source has told Football Insider that a defensive midfielder is seen as a 'must' – with the impact of Fabinho’s departure set to take its toll on the Merseysiders’ squad."

This is exactly what Liverpool supporters will be wanting to hear, with the imminent exits of both Fabinho and Henderson something that few saw coming. Granted, both were poor last season, but they were still expected to play important squad roles, even if Jurgen Klopp no longer saw them as key starters.

If FSG don't make the money available to bring in tailor-made replacements for the duo this summer, it will simply be unacceptable, and it is absolutely vital that they back Klopp fully this time around, having arguably not provided him enough funds in past transfer windows, such as last year's, when the midfield wasn't added to sufficiently enough.

In terms of potential targets, any two from Romeo Lavia, Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone and Kalvin Phillips possibly makes the most sense, although the latter does turn 28 later this year and suffered an injury-plagued first season at Manchester City, barely even getting a look-in with a team the Reds will be hoping to compete with.

As the report alludes to, signing a proper No.6 in the mould of Fabinho is particularly vital for Liverpool, such is the lack of depth in that department if the Brazilian goes. Lavia is arguably the standout option there, despite still only being 19 years of age.

The Belgian excelled for Southampton last season, despite their relegation to the Championship, averaging 2.1 tackles per game – the second-highest tally in the squad – and had the highest pass completion rate (86.4%) of anyone there to start more than one league game.

Arsenal have been linked with Porto striker Mehdi Taremi; however, he is not 'on the radar' for the time being at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How good is Mehdi Taremi and who has been linked with signing him?

Taremi is a player with a knack of finding the back of the net and enjoyed a masterful campaign for Porto last season, registering 31 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Taremi was extremely consistent for the Portuguese giants in 2022/23, recording an average match rating of 7.47/10 in Liga Portugal alongside taking on 2.9 shots per game.

His clinical form in front of goal has attracted interest from the Premier League and O Jogo via TEAMtalk have reported that Arsenal and Manchester United among others are keen to secure the £29k-a-week ace's services in the off-season.

The Sun have picked up on a potential hint from Taremi's agent Borna Khoramdel, who is the CEO of Arvand Sport, that he could be on his way to join Manchester United following a post on Instagram that showed a picture of his representative at Old Trafford.

Sky Sport cite that AC Milan are big admirers of Taremi and claim that Porto have lowered their asking price for the Iran international to €20 million (£17.09 million) plus bonuses. Roma and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal are said to be monitoring his situation.

Football Insider mooted back in April that Mikel Arteta could look to bring another striker to north London this window that possesses a different profile to current options Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, targeting a physical presence in the frontline.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Arteta will move to bring in an alternative forward to add to his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Yeah, I mean, Mehdi Taremi is suddenly being linked with a lot of clubs. Whenever that happens, I'm always a little bit cautious about whether he's just being touted around and what the meaning is behind it.

"I haven't heard too much on this one in terms of Arsenal's genuine interest. As far as I've been told, a forward of this sort of mould isn't really on the radar at this sort of time."

What else is going on at Arsenal this transfer window?

The Gunners have already already secured their first signing in the summer in the form of Kai Havertz, who has moved across London from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £65 million, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber have both underwent medicals at the club and will be officially announced this week, according to The Evening Standard.

Speaking to The Residency quoted by 90min, Arsenal midfielder Jorginho admitted that he has 'no idea' when both deals will be announced.

Southampton star Romeo Lavia is another midfielder that is under consideration from Arteta as he aims to bulk up his midfield, as per The Guardian, signifying that some exciting times may be in store at the Emirates in the next few weeks.

Manchester City are now eyeing a stunning move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to a recent report from The Sun.

Which midfielder are Man City signing?

With club captain Ilkay Gundogan putting pen to paper on a move to Barcelona, there is a huge gap in Man City's midfield that needs to be filled, and Declan Rice emerged as a major target, with a £90m bid being tabled earlier this week.

However, the Citizens have now pulled out of the race as they were unwilling to match Arsenal's offer of £105m, and they have now started to run the rule over other targets, including Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga, as reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Veiga is not the only La Liga central midfielder that City have shown an interest in, as The Sun reports they are now mulling over a stunning £90m move for De Jong, who has been linked with a move away from Barcelona for quite some time.

Rivals Manchester United considered the Dutchman a major target a year ago, but he opted to remain at Camp Nou, and the report details that he is still in no major rush to leave Spain.

However, Barca want the central midfielder off the wage books, and they know that City have the money to sign a top-class midfielder, following their pursuit of Rice.

Guardiola tried to sign the 26-year-old in 2019, and the Man City manager remains a fan.

How much does Frenkie de Jong earn?

According to Capology, the former Ajax man rakes in a massive £620k-per-week at Barcelona, so it is no wonder the La Liga club are keen to get him off the wage bill, particularly considering the recent arrival of Gundogan.

Despite Barca's willingness to sanction the departure of the Netherlands international, he is thought of in high regard by manager Xavi, who described him as "spectacular" last season.

The Arkel-born midfielder certainly played his part in Barca's title-winning 2022/23 campaign, making 33 appearances in La Liga, during which time he picked up two goals and four assists.

Over the past year, the maestro has averaged an 89.5% pass-completion rate per 90, which ranks him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, indicating he would be a perfect fit for a Guardiola system.

However, De Jong's attacking output probably does not justify a £90m outlay, particularly if he is seen as a Gundogan replacement, so Man City should initially test the waters with a much lower offer.