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Western Australia allrounder Hilton Cartwright has been included in the Australia squad for the second Test against Pakistan at the MCG

Brydon Coverdale and Daniel Brettig20-Dec-20160:49

Quick Facts – Hilton Cartwright

Australia’s selectors have pushed still further towards youth, ignoring Mitchell Marsh in order to draft his Western Australia team-mate Hilton Cartwright into the Boxing Day Test squad as all-round cover for a bowling attack heavily fatigued by their Gabba exertions.Cartwright, who had already been included in the Chappell-Hadlee ODI squad to face New Zealand but did not play, is an allrounder whose virtues have been pushed by the interim selector Greg Chappell in particular, as part of the developmental Cricket Australia XI that first played in the Matador Cup two summers ago.Last season he graduated to the Western Australia state side and performed strongly with the bat in the Sheffield Shield, something he has backed up this season to average 44.50 across 16 first-class matches. His bowling record is less notable, with a career tally of 15 first-class wickets at 41.93 and only four wickets at 74.75 in the current Shield campaign.

Test squad

David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers

However, the acting selection chairman Trevor Hohns emphasised the desire for a batting allrounder to take a place in the top six, a role Marsh has been unable to adequately fill over time. The decision also means the incumbent No.6, Nic Maddinson, could face the axe after three Test innings of 0, 1 and 4 in Adelaide and Brisbane.”The bowlers got through a high workload in Brisbane and although everyone has pulled up okay, on reflection we wanted to give ourselves the option of including an allrounder in Melbourne to ease that workload somewhat,” Hohns said.”To do that, we wanted a batting allrounder, someone to bowl seam-up and capable of batting in the top six as well, and after considering several names we came to the conclusion that Hilton fits that bill. We have seen plenty of him, he has performed well this season and we believe that if called upon he will do an excellent job.”Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood each bowled 56 overs during the win over Pakistan at the Gabba, which for both men was their biggest workload not only in a Test match but in any first-class game. Jackson Bird sent down 45 overs, his highest tally in a Test. As such, the selection shift away from an allrounder, which took place when Marsh was dropped following the first Test of the summer, has been rethought.”It depends on what sort of wickets you play on,” Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, said after the win in Brisbane. “You would have probably liked to have an extra bowling option in this game but we went with the six batsmen, four bowlers and they got the job done, albeit a lot of work into our quicks.”Should Cartwright become Australia’s 450th Test cricketer when the XI is confirmed for Boxing Day, it would mean an uncertain Test future for Maddinson. On debut at Adelaide Oval, Maddinson was bowled for a 12-ball duck by Kagiso Rabada, while at the Gabba he was dropped on 0, then caught behind for 1 in the first innings. In the second, he was caught hooking for 4 as Australia sought quick runs and a declaration.”We’ve had two pink-ball Test matches, so red-ball Test coming up and we know he’s a fine player,” Lehmann said of Maddinson on Monday, before Cartwright was added to the squad. “He’s just got to believe at this level. I actually thought he did a really good team thing the other day [in the second innings].”I know there was some talk in the commentary and media that he probably could have gone up the order and done that, but Steve’s really strong on keeping the batting order very similar. So he came in for two balls, tried to get the game moving as quickly as he could. So I disregard the second innings of this one, and we’ve got some red-ball cricket coming up, so I’m sure he’ll do okay.”Another member of Australia’s new-look side who will be keen to justify the faith of the selectors is wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who replaced Peter Nevill ahead of the Adelaide Test. The selectors preferred Wade’s batting fight down the order and although he scored two Test centuries in his previous incarnation in the baggy green, he has not made double figures since his recall.Wade’s work behind the stumps has also left a little to be desired. In Adelaide, he failed to move for a chance when Hashim Amla edged Mitchell Starc and first slip Matt Renshaw ultimately spilled the chance with his left hand. At the Gabba, Wade missed a stumping chance off Nathan Lyon when Sarfraz Ahmed had 31 in the first innings; he went on to make 59 not out. He also appeared to miss a possible catch when Yasir Shah tickled down leg off Starc late in Pakistan’s chase.”Obviously his batting ability, although he hasn’t got any runs at the moment,” Lehmann said when asked what Wade brought to the squad. “He’s been working pretty hard with that. And his energy behind the stumps. He’d like to keep better obviously, but I thought he’s improved his keeping out of sight in the last 12 to 18 months from where we were.”Peter Nevill is obviously a very good keeper as well. It’s a tight call whichever way you go. But Matthew’s got the chance to nail down the spot and we’ll see how he goes in Melbourne.”

Four Sri Lankans made 50-plus scores on day one of their tour match in South Africa

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Dec-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Kusal Perera’s return to No. 3 suggests the team management is keen for him to resume batting in the top order•AFP

Sri Lanka’s batsmen made a bright start to the tour of South Africa, as Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva hit half-centuries on the first day of the tour match in Potchefstroom. The visitors went to stumps at 328 for the loss of six wickets, against a South Africa Invitation XI consisting of well-heeled first-class players and recent graduates of the Under-19 system.Especially encouraging for the Sri Lankans was the 159-run unbroken opening stand between Karunaratne and Silva, each of whom has struggled at various points during the course of the year. Both men were retired out at the end of the 45th over, Karunaratne with 71 runs to his name and Silva with 80.Kusal Perera only hit 25, but his entry at No. 3 suggests the team management is keen for him to resume batting in the top order as he had done for much of the series against Australia. This would also allow Kusal Mendis to come in at second drop. Mendis, who was in good form during the back end of the ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe, hit 10 fours in his 64-ball 51.Captain Angelo Mathews and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal, both returning from injury, collected a five-ball duck and 23 respectively, before de Silva ensured the day ended briskly, with five fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 57 off 67.The Invitation XI’s batting appears its stronger suit, so it may be that a more thorough workout awaits the Sri Lankan bowlers than the batsmen, so far, have got. Left-arm spinner George Linde took 2 for 72 in the course of the day. Seamers Duanne Olivier and Jason Smith took one wicket each.

Celtic have already clinched the Scottish Premiership title for the 2022/23 campaign but this will not stop Ange Postecoglou from bolstering his squad this summer.

The Hoops have found success domestically and could now push on to compete in the latter stages of one of the three European competitions, after being knocked out in the group phase of the Champions League this season.

Earlier this month, the Daily Record reported that the Hoops are eyeing up a possible swoop for Albirex Niigata attacking midfielder Ryotaro Ito and he could come in with a view to improving their chances in Europe.

It was claimed that the club are keeping tabs on the 25-year-old, as Postecoglou is hoping to strengthen his midfield and attack in the upcoming transfer window, and the forward could come in to partner Kyogo Furuhashi in the final third.

How has Ryotaro Ito performed this season?

The playmaker, who is yet to be capped at senior level by Japan, has enjoyed a terrific start to life in the J1 League after catching the eye in the second division last term.

Ito has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.54 across 14 appearances. He has scored seven goals and created 3.3 opportunities per game for his teammates so far, which illustrates the huge impact he has made in 2023 after he plundered nine goals and 11 assists in 42 outings in the J2 League in 2022.

He is a number ten with the ability to deliver goals and create chances on a regular basis and according to one Japanese author, boasts characteristics that make him a "mix of Jota and Reo [Hatate]."

Journalist Bence Bocsak further hailed the Celtic target as "intelligent" and stated that he has been "pulling the strings" for his side in the top-flight this year, which is backed up by his impressive chance creation numbers.

Ito's 3.3 key passes per match are 1.2 more per game than any Celtic player has managed in the Premiership this term, with Matt O'Riley's 2.1 leading the way for the Hoops. This suggests that the Niigata maestro could come in and be the standout creative force in midfield for Postecoglou.

Kyogo has scored 25 goals from 15.28 xG in the Scottish top-flight this season, proving that the Japan international is a lethal finisher who can magnify the quality of chances he is provided with due to his impressive finishing.

The 28-year-old is a proven and reliable scorer who could thrive from the creativity that Ito can provide from a number ten position if his compatriot can adapt to life in Scotland.

Therefore, Postecoglou could form an exciting and lethal duo at the top end of the pitch by landing the Niigata wizard, who also carries a goal threat with seven goals in 14 matches this year, to partner Kyogo domestically and in Europe in 2023/24.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the sides who are said to be sniffing around the Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Laporte leaving City this summer?

According to reports, the Premier League champions are now opening to allowing the Spaniard to leave in the summer as he looks for more regular action.

And one of the sides said to be interested in the possibility of signing him are Spurs as they aim to keep the 28-year-old in the Premier League.

However, it is also said the French giants Paris Saint-Germain could make a push for the City defender in the summer as City open their doors for an exit.

Spurs have been linked with a number of centre-backs over recent months with Kim Min-jae and Alessandro Bastoni both believed to be targets on Tottenham's radar.

The Lilywhites are expected to make a push in the summer to address their defence with two new centre-backs believed to be on the agenda.

And speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed Laporte is a potential candidate to help solve their defensive issues from this season:

(32:25) "Laporte and his people have been going around Europe letting people know he's available and Tottenham are one of the ones who've had a sniff.

"To be fair, he's a very good Premier League centre-half, isn't he? Outside the top two or three, he would improve most teams, I think, or at least get a game.

"So yeah, I think there'll be a lot of interest in Laporte. It wouldn't surprise me to see him cross the Premier League."

Would Laporte improve the Spurs defence?

Tottenham's defence has been a major concern this season with the north London club only registering a +12 goal difference despite being the league's third-highest scorers.

Spurs have now conceded 41 goals this season and are joined as the eight-worst defence in the league alongside the relegation-battling Everton.

There has to be a caveat when looking at Laporte's stats from this season as his game time has been extremely limited with just 555 minutes of league action under his belt after the "warrior" underwent knee surgery last year (via Transfermarkt).

On top of that, the £120k-per-week ace is playing for one of the most dominant forces in Europe who have only conceded 26 goals in the Premier League this season.

Therefore, his return of 0.48 tackles per 90 minutes is significantly down on his return of more than double that (1.08) from last season where he made 33 league appearances (via FBref).

However, his ability on the ball has been sensational with the 28-year-old ranking inside the top third percentile for pass completion, progressive passes and carries.

And that is something which the Spurs defenders struggled with massively on Monday night as Eric Dier (16) and Clement Lenglet (11) were both victims of losing possession frequently (via SofaScore).

Laporte could also provide the Spurs backline with some much-needed experience and a winning mentality having won numerous trophies during his time at City.

But if the likes of PSG are going to fight for him over the summer, a move to north London could prove a challenging sell.

Newcastle United are one of the sides who admire Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Neves available to leave Wolves in the summer?

The future of the Portuguese midfielder is seemingly under speculation ahead of the summer with his contract at Molineux set to enter the final year over the summer.

And as a result, there have been reports claiming Liverpool have emerged as one of the clubs who would be looking to take Neves' career elsewhere in the Premier League.

As well as a possible move north to Anfield, there have also been some suggestions that Barcelona could be interested in making a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed the Magpies could also provide some competition in the summer for his signature:

"I think he's been absolutely fantastic. He's captaining his team now, I think whoever gets him, it'll be a massive coup because I think he's only going to get better. We know Newcastle like him, I think he'd be a great fit there alongside Bruno."

Would Neves be a good fit for Newcastle?

Coming out of the January transfer window, it was made pretty evident that Eddie Howe was not pleased with the options he had been left with in midfield.

Having gone into the window looking to bring in at least one new face in that department, no new midfield signings were made and Jonjo Shelvey was sold to Nottingham Forest.

So ahead of the summer transfer window, it is apparent Howe will have the midfield identified as an area for improvement over the coming months.

One name which has been linked with a potential move to St. James' Park is that of Manchester United's Scott McTominay.

Comparing the two midfielders, the Portuguese ace has provided Wolves with much more of an attacking threat than the Scotland international has at United.

Having returned five goals to McTominay's one, Neves has also offered Wolves with a higher number of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (via FBref).

As well as providing more passes per game, the Portuguese midfielder hasn't lacked in his defensive input with an almost identical return of tackles per 90 minutes as McTominay.

Given Newcastle are currently only three points off the Red Devils, there could well be a reluctance for Erik ten Hag's side to deal with Newcastle.

Therefore, a potential deal with Wolves could well prove easier to pull off in the summer, although the calibre of clubs also interested in Neves could prove a serious issue for the Toon.

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is set to make a second bid for Manchester United next week, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Meeting held

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers to take control at Old Trafford before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.

A formidable delegation was sent to Old Trafford by Jassim on Thursday and they held talks over a potential takeover for around 10 hours. Those discussions were thought to be positive, with Jassim now committed to taking control in Manchester.

There has now been a further update regarding Jassim, which came after Ratcliffe held his own talks with at Old Trafford and Carrington on Friday, where he even met with manager Erik ten Hag.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports provided ‘more developments’ regarding Jassim and United on Friday afternoon via Twitter, saying that he will make a second bid for the Red Devils next week.

‘More developments as far as the situation is regards to Manchester United and a takeover at the club. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani will make a second bid for Manchester United next week.’

They added that Jassim’s delegation held ‘constructed meetings’ and that he is prepared to ‘overpay’ for the club ‘because of its history and because it hardly ever comes on the market’.

A US source also said:

‘All the numbers people from the bidders will be working out the real value of the club over the next few days. They will be making second bids. The reality is that their first bids were just indicative, in this process the second bids next week are really the first serious bids.’

The Verdict: Heating up

Previous reports stated that both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids were set to be rejected anyway, so it is good to see that the former is already working on a new bid which looks set to be made in the coming days.

The Qatari group wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they can help Ten Hag in the transfer market ahead of the summer window, so they could be looking to overpay as mentioned in order to push through a takeover.

It is definitely heating up between the two parties after their trips to Manchester, and it’ll be interesting to see if Jassim’s next offer is close to the Glazers’ huge £6bn valuation. If it is, then perhaps we could see a deal really start to gather pace, which would be ideal for Jassim and co, although it may result in a bidding war with Ratcliffe and his team, meaning the coming week could be key.

The Warriors are just one rung away from the top of the ladder they set out to climb, but South Australia’s trophy cupboard stays barren

Firdose Moonda in Centurion25-Sep-2010Remember that rasping Creed song, Those scratchy, distressed words could well have been the ballad the South Australian Redbacks and the Warriors waltzed to in Centurion. – a world where hunger knows no bounds.The Redbacks have not won a trophy in 15 years and the parched trophy cupboard is getting anxious. Michael Klinger, their captain, always maintained that the team had high hopes coming into the tournament, and he couldn’t hide his disappointment that they couldn’t fulfil those aims. “It’s definitely frustrating, once we got to the semi-finals, we thought we could go all the way,” Klinger said. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to make it to the semi-finals, but we did. We applied ourselves really well, but we were outplayed in all three aspects today.”The Warriors have an appetite of a different sort. After capturing their first two trophies since the franchise system started last season, they have become addicted to the thrill of victory. Davy Jacobs, the Warriors captain, said before the game that the Eastern Cape side had a vision of becoming the best franchise in the world by next year, but hinted that perhaps their time had come a little earlier.They were ready to ask themselves, With eyes wide open, the Warriors appeared to see everything. The only moment of blur was when Ashwell Prince hung his bat out to dry against the second-fastest ball bowled in the competition. “It’s Shaun Tait’s job to take wickets, you can’t stop that. When Ashwell got out, it was important for the next guy who came in, Colin Ingram, to do the job, and he did,” Jacobs said.Ingram and the captain combined for a second-wicket stand of 104, with Jacobs the dominant partner. His 61 saw him soar to the top of the run charts. Despite his scintillating highs, Jacobs didn’t want to say much about himself. “This is basically the way I have been playing for the last couple of years. But, I don’t like to talk about myself; I’d rather talk about the team.”For the Redbacks, visibility wasn’t always that clear. Strangely, they sometimes saw with the precision of a bird of prey, like when Daniel Harris ran from his follow-through to square leg to dismiss Jacobs. At other times, their eyesight, along with a few other factors, let them down. The Redbacks put down Ingram twice and Mark Boucher once. “Most of the catches were pretty tough and some of them just didn’t stick today. We’ve prided ourselves on good fielding for most of the tournament,” Klinger said.The Warriors were seeing the ball like a pumpkin in the field. Boucher watched it climb a stairway to heaven and spiral down into his gloves to send Harris on his way for eight. Johan Botha almost swallowed the ball, when, three deliveries later, it was hit to him on the midwicket rope. Klinger was gone for 13, and the Redbacks had lost their two kingpins.The one man who may have appeared to have weak visibility was the ultimate Warrior himself, Makhaya Ntini. He laboured in the field and bowled two expensive overs. With the Wanderers pitch expected to be bouncy, will Ntini have fitted his pair of lenses, to be back to his best? “I wouldn’t say he is in bad form, he had a good game in the last match. Perhaps the pitch just didn’t suit him,” Jacobs said, adding that Ntini’s experience can never be underestimated. “He has been playing for South Africa for more than decade and he knows the Wanderers very well.”The Warriors are just one rung away from the top of the ladder they set out to climb. Klinger had some words of praise for his opponents, hinting that he thought the scale was ever-so-slightly tipped in their favour. “They have quite a predictable game, so we knew exactly who was going to bowl which over, but it didn’t matter, because they are so difficult to beat. They probably already had their bad game against Chennai,” he said.So, the Warriors go higher. To Johannesburg. To the final.

Among the plethora of issues at Manchester United this season for manager Erik ten Hag has been the inability to utilise a settled midfield partnership to date, with the frequent chopping and changing in the centre of the park having likely been both a symptom and cause of the club's woes.

While the former Ajax boss largely relied upon an experienced trio of Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes last term, it is only the latter man who has been a regular pick of the three this time around.

In the case of Eriksen, the playmaking Dane has started just six of the club's 11 league games so far, while Casemiro had become something of an issue even before his recent injury setback, with Gary Neville notably suggesting that the Brazilian was "torn to shreds" against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening weekend.

In his place, deadline day signing Sofyan Amrabat has thus far yet to convince – having been dubbed "off the pace" by treble winner Peter Schmeichel following the Manchester Derby defeat – while fellow new recruit Mason Mount has failed to score or register an assist in the top-flight amid an underwhelming start to life at Old Trafford.

With the wait still on to see when young Kobbie Mainoo will make his much-anticipated return from injury, one of the few figures who has been a consistent pick in midfield is Scott McTominay, with the Scotland hero having shone for both club and country of late.

Having netted seven times during his nation's Euro 2024 qualifying run, the United academy graduate has also popped up with three league goals for Ten Hag's side this season, including bagging a brace at the death to clinch a vital 2-1 win over Brentford last month.

After looking destined for an exit over the summer, it has been some revival for the 26-year-old, yet whether this renaissance continues over a long-term basis remains to be seen, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst hinting that his future could still be uncertain heading into next year.

With that in mind, it is no surprise that a 'midfield turnover' has been mooted for 2024 – as per Luckhurst – with Everton's Amadou Onana among those who could usurp McTominay, and others, in the Red Devils' squad.

Man United transfer rumours – Amadou Onana

As per a report from talkSPORT earlier this week, United are believed to be among the clubs who have Onana on their 'radar' at present, with the Toffees potentially set to be forced to sell some of their saleable assets amid their ongoing financial woes.

The former Lille man only made the move to Merseyside on a £33m deal back in the summer of 2022, yet the indication is that the Belgian star could be up for grabs if Sean Dyche's side do have to sell.

The 22-year-old was notably mooted for a switch to the Theatre of Dreams over the summer – with a £50m asking price having been suggested – although it remains to be seen what Ten Hag and co would have to fork out, with CIES Football Observatory valuing him at nearer to €30m (£26m).

Either way, the Premier League giants could potentially get their hands on an exciting young talent either in January or next summer, with such a deal likely to help freshen up an undoubtedly ageing midfield department.

Amadou Onana's style of play

In a similar vein to McTominay, Onana is an interesting option due to his versatility to feature in a variety of roles across the midfield, as he can line up in front of the back four, in a box-to-box number eight berth, or even as an advanced option behind a centre-forward.

While yet to score so far this term, the Senegal-born giant has impressed with his defensive attributes after averaging 2.5 tackles and recovering 6.5 balls per game from his 11 league appearances – far beyond the record of McTominay, who averages just 1.4 and 3.7 for those same two metrics, respectively, from his nine outings.

That dominant presence is also showcased by the fact that the Everton starlet ranks in the top 5% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won per 90, while his United counterpart ranks in just the top 14% in that regard.

For his quality and style in an attacking sense, it is also interesting to note that Onana has earned comparisons to a high profile figure of United's recent past, in the form of Paul Pogba, with former Toffees man Michael Ball having written last season:

'He has got the talent and reminds me a little bit of Pogba in the way he glides around the pitch with a sense of confidence.'

11 games

11 stats

0 goals & assists

4 big chances created

85% pass accuracy rate

2.5 tackles per game

6.5 balls recovered per game

67% total duels won

7.16 average match rating

Stats via Sofascore

A towering figure at 6 foot 4 – similar to the 6 foot 3, Pogba – the Belgian seemingly uses his physical benefits to good effect having been hailed as an "octopus" by teammate Arnaut Danjuma due to his ability to retain possession and keep opponents at bay.

That comparison is one that has long been linked with Pogba, with the current Juventus man having been nicknamed 'Il Polpo' (The Octopus) during his first stint in Turin, while ex-teammate Jesse Lingard also once noted that you "can't get the ball off him" as "he's an octopus".

Paul Pogba's record at Man United

Such a likeness to the World Cup winner may have United supporters sweating regarding the signing of Onana, yet putting aside Pogba's off-field issues – including his frequent desire to depart Old Trafford when at the club – on the pitch he was an undoubted genius when in his pomp.

Be it his remarkable haul of four assists against Leeds United on the opening day of the 2021/22 season, or his breathtaking run under then-interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – which saw him record 13 goals and nine assists in the league in 2018/19 – there were real standout moments in the Frenchman's spell in red.

While both the club and supporters may have expected more from an £89m investment than a mere League Cup and Europa League triumph, there were glimpses of the world-class talent that Pogba could be, even if not shown over a consistent period.

Of course, the sour end to the 30-year-old's time at the club – in which he was notably booed off against Norwich City in April 2022 – epitomises the polarising status that he holds among supporters, yet on a purely playing basis, the elegant ace could truly sparkle – when he wanted to.

As such, if young Onana is brought into the fold he could perhaps look to emulate the silky style of Pogba, while also adding in his own impressive defensive qualities, thus ensuring that Ten Hag could potentially have an all-round package on his hands.

Perhaps a raid on Goodison in 2024 wouldn't be the worst idea for the Red Devils hierarchy…

Arsenal are reportedly "working" on the option of signing a Premier League club's "underrated" star who Paul Merson is a big fan of.

January looming for Arteta

The north Londoners suffered their first league defeat of the new season last Saturday, losing 1-0 to Newcastle in what was a controversial blow for manager Mikel Arteta. Arsenal's boss made no secret of his disdain for Newcastle's winning goal, which could've been ruled out for three separate offences in the build up. However, VAR allowed Anthony Gordon's strike to stand, and now Arteta must swiftly put that result behind him.

The Gunners also have January to consider soon as the winter window reopens in just under two months time, giving Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar an opportunity to strengthen their title challenge.

It's been widely reported that Arsenal want to sign a striker, leading to links with Brentford star Ivan Toney. An injury to Gabriel Jesus means Eddie Nketiah is Arsenal's only natural centre-forward option, and Arteta also reportedly wants a right-wing alternative to Bukayo Saka. Wolves winger Pedro Neto is a rumoured target for Arsenal to provide Saka some competition, while it's also been suggested that Arteta is eyeing a new central midfielder.

Arsenal "working" on Douglas Luiz

Supporters will be familiar with Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, who Arsenal were plotting to sign in 2022 but ultimately failed.

The Brazilian, according to recent reports, is a name back on Arteta's radar. UOL and journalist Bruno Andrade have an update on the matter, claiming Luiz is an option Arsenal are "working" on signing. This comes as Fulham take pole position for Fluminese star Andre, another target for Arsenal, and they say the club have "have their eyes on another Brazilian" in Luiz as a result. Liverpool are also keen on the 25-year-old who has starred for Villa under Unai Emery this season.

Paul Merson praises Douglas Luiz

The former Man City midfielder has been praised by Arsenal legend and Sky pundit Merson already this season, who called Luiz "one of the most underrated players" in England right now.

Merson isn't the only pundit to heap praise on Luiz, though, with former Villa defender Alan Hutton telling Football Insider that he could fetch Emery's side a marquee fee following an "outstanding" start to the season.

“I think at this moment in time, with some of the market valuations, it would have to be over £50million,” said Hutton on Luiz.

“He’s at a great age, he’s been outstanding. He could probably play for most teams in the Premier League, with Manchester City being the strongest one.

“I think he ticks all the boxes. I think we’re talking record fees here. Obviously, Jack Grealish’s the highest and he’s not going to reach that, but we’re talking record numbers here for a midfielder.

Likes to shoot from distance

Plays the long ball

“Hopefully he doesn’t, he’s a massive part of what Villa do moving forward, but it would have to be a big number."

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was spotted picking his nose and then eating it as he watched LA Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres.

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• Boehly spotted at MLB opener
• Cameras spot him picking his nose
• Proceeds to potentially eat it

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In Major League Baseball's season opener, Boehly's Dodgers started their Shohei Ohtani era with a 5-2 win against the Padres in a historical event for the sport. The match was played at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, creating history as the first MLB main-season game played in South Korea. Boehly was also present for the event and his actions disgusted fans as they watched the 50-year-old in the background.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In 2022, Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over at Chelsea Football Club after the former owner, Roman Abramovich, had his assets in the United Kingdom seized due to his involvement with the Russian government during the Soviet nation's attempted takeover of Ukraine. Since then, Boehly and co. have pumped in a lot of money into the Stamford Bridge side, however, the results have not followed the trail of money for the Blues as they have struggled to compete.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BOEHLY?

  The American is not only the owner of Chelsea and the Dodgers but he also owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side, RC Strasbourg. He will likely remain with the Dodgers for some time with Chelsea not in action until March 30 when they take on Burnley at Stamford Bridge.