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Tottenham Hotspur have a notable reputation for nurturing their academy prospects, turning their starlets into notable first-teamers who go on to have celebrated careers in the game.

The obvious example is of course Harry Kane, once just a youth player with humble beginnings before going on to surpass all expectations, becoming Tottenham's top scorer in their history with an astounding 278 goals in total which saw him go above the great Jimmy Greaves.

Glenn Hoddle, Ledley King and many more have all stepped up to the mark too when a first-team opportunity came calling after developing as a youth player with Spurs, King actually staying put at Spurs for the entirety of his playing career.

Tottenham will hope they can have their next superstar in the making with 16-year-old Mikey Moore, likened to Paul Gascoigne by ex-Spurs striker Jermain Defoe recently for his ability to "glide past people" with ease.

A closer look at Tottenham's academy sensation, Mikey Moore

Born in 2007 – the same year Harry Kane was still just a youngster at Spurs – Moore is being touted as the next best thing in Tottenham quarters.

The young forward even appeared on the Guardian's Next Gen List released at the start of the month, a list that picks the best of the best involving emerging youngsters in football.

Switching between playing at left wing position and an out-and-out centre forward, Moore has been a revelation at U18 level for Spurs the past couple of seasons.

His goalscoring prowess has come to the forefront particularly in the last few weeks, netting a remarkable seven goals from six starts including a further four assists – Moore singlehandedly able to win games for his side up top.

Last time out versus Norwich City, he scored a hat-trick and supplied two assists as the rampant U18 Spurs side won 7-2 with Moore virtually impossible for the opposition defenders to contain and thwart.

It's no surprise to see outlandish suggestions that Moore could well be the next Gazza for Spurs therefore, Defoe stating as such whilst appearing on the No Tippy Tappy Podcast when Moore was only 15.

He said: "It’s a big statement, but he reminds me of Gazza a little bit, the way he glides past people, it’s easy and he’s doing it at 15. Hopefully we see him in the Premier League soon."

Such praise has resulted in Spurs tieing down Moore to a new bumper contract, the five-time England U17 international signing on the dotted line to extend his time with Tottenham until 2026 to deter any potential suitors from attempting to buy the teenage starlet.

A bright future lies ahead for Tottenham's Mikey Moore…

It's too early to say whether or not the 16-year-old will go on to have an esteemed career with longetivity, Moore is still a teenager learning and developing in the youth ranks.

Ange Postecoglou also won't want to fast-track him into the senior fold in case it hampers his progression, with Moore perfectly comfortable playing regularly for the U18's at this moment in time.

Moore will just want to continue his dazzling current form, the youngster twisting and turning defenders for fun regularly whilst also remaining clinical in front of goal

Only time will tell if Moore can reach the heights of Gazza, with the former England hero – who won the FA Cup and scored 33 goals in 112 games for the club – having been an 'icon of his generation', as per Spurs' official website.

Trying to emulate the enigmatic and balletic playmaker is no small feat, but if Moore is this highly thought of at just 16 years of age, the heights he could possibly get to are frightening.

West Ham United are back in business this season after toiling somewhat last year, finishing 16th in the Premier League though winning the Europa Conference League in June.

This momentous triumph dispelled any concerns over the club's drop in form, with David Moyes and his transfer team since making some impressive summer signings to restore fluidity.

And with the Irons currently seventh in the league and top of their Europa League group, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic for the future, but not everyone in the squad is performing well.

How is Nayef Aguerd playing this season?

Nayef Aguerd was so important after recovering from an ankle injury sustained in July 2022 that lay him on the sidelines for an extended period, making his debut in Premier League debut in November and making 30 total displays.

Praised as a "superstar" by reporter Mohamed Salad last season, the Moroccan played four times during his nation's stunning 2022 World Cup run, keeping clean sheets against Croatia, Belgium and Spain.

But this season, the £50k-per-week titan has left much to be desired, with a notably calamitous game against Liverpool leading The Athletic's Roshane Thomas to state that "defensive errors are holding him back."

The match before, Moyes bemoaned his "bad timing" for Bernardo Silva's equalising goal for Manchester City, shortly after the break, which proved detrimental as the Sky Blues turned the match around.

To compound matters, he was sent off against Chelsea in August and missed the subsequent match against Brighton & Hove Albion – good thing the Irons won both.

He is, of course, a very good centre-back, making 4.1 clearances per game this term and winning 58% of his duels, but he's not hit his stride yet this year and could use a bit of competition.

Who is Kaelan Casey?

Perhaps the time is right for West Ham to unleash their latest academy star, with dynamic central defender Kaelan Casey impressing over the past few years.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut last season, coming off the bench against FCSB in the Europa Conference League, while he has sat on the bench in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur and Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup this season.

Casey penned a long-term contract with the London Stadium side in August, and may only be young, but boasts the talent and the confidence to succeed at the highest level.

A versatile player, he can play across defensive and midfield roles and, as such, would be a tailor-made heir to Declan Rice's position in Moyes' team, with the England star and Irons graduate completing a £105m move to Arsenal in the summer.

Said to be a talent that “other clubs are envious of” by Thomas, Casey is now a distinguished 72-appearance member of West Ham's youth teams, with the hulking 6 foot 3 prodigy – captain of the U21 outfit – looking every bit the future Premier League player.

Aguerd is an immensely talented centre-half and one who will play a major role for West Ham when facing the upcoming obstacles.

But with such an exciting youth prospect in Casey waiting in the wings, it might be wise for Moyes to offer him a route into the first team, adding a dimension, kickstarting his career and providing Aguerd with the incentive to perform at his zenith.

Southampton were relegated from the Premier League down to the Championship after an 11-year stint at the top level at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Saints enjoyed many years in the top-flight and enjoyed some adventures on the European stage, which included a 2-1 win against Inter at St. Mary's in 2016.

They were able to use their position within the division, and when they were in Europe, to splash the cash on new signings to bolster their squad.

Who are Southampton's most expensive signings?

*Includes the sell-on fee that Chelsea received from his move to Newcastle United this summer.

As you can see in the table above, Southampton have been willing to shell out millions on players over the years but they have not always been able to unearth a success like Sadio Mane or Danny Ings.

One signing the club had a nightmare with was their deal to sign central midfielder Mario Lemima from Italian giants Juventus in the summer of 2017.

How much did Southampton pay for Lemina?

The Saints reportedly splashed out an initial £15.4m to sign the Gabon international from the Serie A side, in a move that could have cost up to £18.1m including add-ons.

Vice-chairman, at the time, Les Reed hailed the midfield maestro as an "outstanding" player and stated that the signing was a "statement" of intent from the club as he had featured in the Champions League final for his former team earlier that year.

The fee that the club paid was just shy of the then-club-record £16m they spent to sign Sofiane Boufal from Lille the previous year, which illustrates how expensive Lemina was at the time.

He arrived at St. Mary's off the back of a season as a rotation option for Juventus.

The 6-foot technician averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.92 across 19 Serie A appearances and only started eight matches.

Lemina produced 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game and came out on top in 50% of his individual duels to go along with one goal and one assist, as per Sofascore.

His best form for Juventus, however, came during the 2015/16 campaign.

The Gabon international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.26 across ten league outings and contributed with an eye-catching 3.9 tackles and interceptions per match, which only Claudio Marchisio (4.9) was able to better within the squad.

He also showcased his impressive ability in possession with 2.2 dribbles per game and a sublime success rate of 96%. This shows that opposition players found it almost impossible to dispossess the central midfielder when he had the ball at his feet and was moving up the pitch.

These performances were seemingly convincing enough to make Southampton spend a significant amount of money on his services ahead of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign, with Reed and then-manager Mauricio Pellegrino bringing him to England.

How many appearances did Lemina make for Southampton?

The 30-year-old flop made 52 appearances for the Saints in all competitions over the course of his four-year stay on the south coast.

Lemina did, however, enjoy a fantastic debut season with the club as he became an instant success with his consistently impressive displays in the middle of the park.

The Gabon international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 across 25 top-flight outings and caught the eye with his defensive and ball-carrying attributes.

He made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and showcased his strength with a duel success rate of 61%, as per Sofascore, which showed that opposition players rarely got the better of him in physical contests.

Out of every player with at least five Premier League appearances, only Oriol Romeu (2.7) made more tackles per match than Lemina (2.2) as the ex-Old Lady ace displayed his ability to win possession back for his side on a regular basis.

The former Marseille star once again showed off his dribbling skills with 2.2 successful dribbles and an excellent success rate of 89% across the top-flight campaign.

However, Lemina's form dipped throughout the following season as the central midfielder averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.89 over 21 appearances and only won 53% of his battles, to go along with 1.1 dribbles at a success rate of 64%.

His performance regressing over the course of the 2018/19 campaign led to loan moves to Galatasaray and Fulham over the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons respectively.

How much did Southampton sell Lemina for?

Southampton eventually sold the former Juventus maestro to Ligue 1 side Nice for a reported fee of €5.5m (£4.8m) in the summer of 2021.

This means that his value dropped by a staggering £10.6m throughout his four-year spell at St. Mary's, from the initial £15.4m that the club paid to sign him from Italy.

He was never able to follow up on his impressive first season on the south coast and ultimately turned out to be a poor signing as they did not get much value back on or off the pitch.

Therefore, Reed had a mare with the signing of the ex-Marseille gem in the summer of 2017 and he may look back on that as one of his worst pieces of business during his time at the club.

Where is Lemina now?

The central midfielder, who was once hailed as "combative" by journalist Josh Bunting, is currently playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League after his move to the Molineux from Nice in January of this year.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across six top-flight matches so far this season and has completed 0.8 dribbles with a success rate of 50%. The former Juventus dynamo has also lost 51% of his individual duels for Gary O'Neil's side so far this term.

These statistics suggest that Lemina has not been able to get back to the levels that he showed during the 2017/18 campaign for Southampton and that the club's decision to sell him in 2021 has not come back to bite them.

However, they may well still regret their move to sign him from Turin in 2017 as his market value dropped considerably by the time they were able to cash in on his services.

Celtic have got off to the start you'd expect from a side aiming for a third consecutive Scottish Premiership title, remaining unbeaten and sitting top of the league once more. Their victory in the first Old Firm derby of the season against Rangers before the international break established their dominance once more, and they have since picked up where they left off.

Brendan Rodgers hasn't missed a beat in the Scottish Premiership, as he looks to make it a second stint to remember at Celtic Park. The additions that he made during the summer transfer window will certainly help his pursuit of success, too, with one particular arrival earning plenty of praise from journalist Dean Jones.

What has Dean Jones said?

In total, Celtic spent a reported €22m (£19m) on reinforcements during the summer, welcoming ten fresh faces, from Nat Phillips to Luis Palma. So far, that spending looks set to pay off, with the Scottish giants already four points clear of Rangers at the top of the league.

One particular signing has impressed many around Celtic Park, however, and that's Thiago Holm. The 20-year-old arrived for a reported €3m (£2m) from Norwegian side Valerenga, and has been the subject of praise from Jones ever since.

Jones told GiveMeSport: "It feels like this could be a big opportunity for him. He's got massive potential. I think one of the things that Celtic are crying out for at the moment is players with confidence. So, I think this moment would have come at a good time, not just for him but for Rodgers.

"Rodgers seems in no doubt about the player’s ability, and he'll want him to be a big part of his team going forward. But I'm sure that one of his big reservations is in terms of consistency and ability to maintain standards across the duration of an entire game. So, this is part of the process, a stepping stone. Getting his first Norway cap is a brilliant sign, and I think Celtic are onto a good thing with him.”

With that said, it will be interesting to see whether the youngster will get an opportunity from the start for Celtic in the coming weeks, as he looks to make his full debut in the Scottish Premiership.

How has Thiago Holm performed this season?

So far this season, Holm has made four appearances for Rodgers' side, making just one start, which unfortunately came in Celtic's shock Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Kilmarnock.

Still so young, the sky is the limit for the Norwegian, who will only get better with even more opportunities to impress. The fact that he recently earned his first Norway cap suggests that Holm is a player ready to burst into life, and potentially become an important member of the squad for both club and country.

If Celtic can get the best out of him, then he could go down as one of the deals of the summer transfer window in Scotland, considering the small fee that they paid and the potential that the young midfielder has.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany could be trumped by several clubs – and one particularly close to home – in the hunt to sign a promising young striker this summer, according to recent reports.

Is Derry Scherhant going to Burnley?

According to reports, Burnley have 'shown interest' in Hertha Berlin forward Derry Scherhant this window and even made an enquiry regarding his availability.

However, their arch-rivals Blackburn Rovers have emerged as genuine suitors to land Scherhant on a loan deal, and both suitors also face further competition for the 20 year-old from Sky Bet Championship outfits Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End, as per Football Insider.

Earlier in the window, Telegraph Sport revealed that Premier League high-flyers Newcastle United were keen to add Scherhant to their 'pool of emerging talent' and it was said at the time that a fee of around £1.5 million would suffice to bring the Germany Under-20 international to the Premier League.

Bringing in young talent that can eventually push for first-team involvement at Newcastle United has become a long-term strategy for sporting director Dan Ashworth; nevertheless, it looks as if any move for Scherhant has died down at St James' Park for now.

Nottingham Forest have also been touted as a potential destination for Scherhant and were reported to be reading a bid of £1.8 million for the starlet, according to Football Insider, so he is player a man in demand.

Cited by The Burnley Express, Kompany has spoken about the chaotic nature of Burnley's transfer window so far and how he has managed to navigate a high turnover regarding his squad, stating: “Yeah, I think we always did anticipate it would have to be that busy. To make it less busy, that’s why we did four or five transfers in January last season because we knew it was going to be the same as what we experienced 12 months ago.

How good is Derry Scherhant?

Scherhant is obviously a talented youngster who has attracted eyes from around the English game owing to his promise; however, it is unclear whether he would be able to break into Burnley's starting side at present due to having limited senior experience under his belt.

In his senior career, the 20-year-old has featured 11 times for Hertha Berlin, getting himself on the scoresheet once against Borussia Monchengladbach last term, as per Transfermarkt.

His exploits in Hertha Berlin's second string have reason to be admired however, with the German youngster notching 27 goals and eleven assists from 48 outings.

Capable of playing either on the flank or as an out-and-out number nine, Berlin-born Scherhant would certainly provide excitement and flair wherever he ends up playing his football this term; nevertheless, he will need regular senior involvement to fulfil his true potential, which may be more likely at one of Blackburn, Preston or QPR.

Football Insider report that Burnley had a bid of £10 million rising to £12 million turned down for Sunderland winger Jack Clarke this window and it is said that the Wearside outfit are demanding £15 million for the Englishman before agreeing to sanction his exit from the Stadium Of Light.

Believed to retain an 'active interest' in the 22-year-old, this could signal that Kompany has turned his attention elsewhere for potential offensive additions.

The visitors need to bulk up their middle order and tighten fielding if they are to avoid losing their first T20I series to India in Rajkot

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu03-Nov-20172:00

Dasgupta: India should continue with a similar team combination

Big pictureImagine running into a brick wall again and again and again. It’s perhaps T20 cricket’s equivalent of dropping three catches, and in addition New Zealand’s ground fielding in Delhi featured uncharacteristic fumbles. The cost of such indiscipline was 154 runs, the match and their No.1 ranking. Kane Williamson is not a captain who would give excuses, but deep down this defeat would have stung. The visitors now need a strong response to force the series into the decider in Thiruvananthapuram.For all the skill Tom Latham and Williamson displayed in the ODI series, they lacked the muscle to have a proper crack at a target of 203. New Zealand are also struggling to identify a finisher. Henry Nicholls’ audition for the role in the ODIs gave the side hope, but Colin de Grandhomme has had an underwhelming stint both with the A team and the senior team, managing 91 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 81.98. He has fared worse with the ball, taking a solitary wicket at an average of 203 and economy rate of 6.76. New Zealand need to work out a way to fit Ross Taylor, who hasn’t played T20Is since the World Cup last year, in the middle order.India’s batsmen ran away with the chances offered to them, but the management would have been more pleased with the bowlers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled Colin Munro with a pinpoint yorker; and dew or not, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel continued being remarkably accurate.Form guideIndia: WLWWL (completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LLWWWIn the spotlightSince his debut in 2014, Shreyas Iyer has been such a prolific scorer in domestic cricket that some feel he should have been given an international cap much earlier. The Mumbai batsman did not even get to bat on Wednesday, and will be eager to announce himself to the world, and possibly even throw his hat in the ring for the rolling No. 4 slot in ODIs.It seems hard to believe that Ish Sodhi wasn’t even part of the ODI squad for the India tour. From a fill-in for the injured Todd Astle, he led the attack in Delhi, showing excellent control over both the legbreak and the wrong’un. He had the second-best economy rate on a night when 351 runs were scored.Team newsWith Ashish Nehra now retired from all cricket, there is one spot up for grabs in Rajkot. India might consider handing a debut to Hyderabad quick Mohammed Siraj or beef up their middle order by including Manish Pandey or Dinesh Karthik.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli (capt.), 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Mohammed Siraj/Manish Pandey/Dinesh Karthik 11 Yuzvendra ChahalNot so long ago, Taylor’s T20 future was uncertain, but this middle order now needs his experience. He could come in place of fellow Central Districts batsman Tom Bruce.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson (capt.), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Ross Taylor/Tom Bruce, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Ish SodhiPitch and conditionsThe pitch to be used on Saturday looked completely devoid of grass in the middle of a lush green outfield. The track is known to favour batsmen and more runs could be expected for the second T20 too. Rajkot, like Delhi and Kanpur, will continue to provide the teams with pleasant, early winter conditions.Stats and trivia Virat Kohli needs 12 runs to surpass Tillakaratne Dilshan’s tally of 1889 and become the second-highest scorer in T20Is. Brendon McCullum leads the list with 2140 runs. Yuzvendra Chahal needs three wickets to become the joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is this year along with West Indies’ Kesrick Williams and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. New Zealand need to win the remaining matches in the series to reclaim the top spot in T20Is and establish a three-point lead over Pakistan. The average first-innings score at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in the last two IPL seasons is 169. Only one T20I has been played at this venue, in 2013 when India chased down 202 against Australia.Quotes”It’s my home ground so I know what to expect from the wicket. I’m looking to bowl the way I did in the IPL because you don’t get much turn, it’s skiddy and there’s not much bounce.”
India left-arm spinner “Taking the conditions into account, especially in T20s, is really important because you have to try and get something out of the wicket or conditions because batsmen are constantly trying to get after the spinners. “
New Zealand legspinner

Newcastle United are hoping to close on the final piece of the summer puzzle, with Eddie Howe's side homing in on the signing of an exciting Premier League star.

What's the latest on Lewis Hall to Newcastle?

According to Sky Sports, Newcastle are in advanced negotiations with Chelsea for the signing of talented youngster Lewis Hall, discussing a fee in the region of £30m.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

It was previously reported by the Evening Standard that the Blues had agreed a loan deal with Crystal Palace for the 18-year-old while offering Hall a bumper new contract with the club, but appear to have been swayed by the chance to recuperate a large sum for an academy graduate.

The Magpies have already signed Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento for the first team this summer, but Howe recently claimed that he would "love" one more signing, and it appears he has got his wish.

How good is Lewis Hall?

Praised for his "assured" age-belying presence on the ball by journalist Fentuo Tahira Fentuo, Hall stood out as a ruby among rubble last season as Chelsea foundered in an abysmal campaign, finishing 12th in the Premier League and looking just about as miserable a squad as can be.

He only played nine times in the Premier League but earned an average Sofascore rating of 7.01, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 1.2 shots and 1.7 key passes per game, and also making 2.7 tackles per outing.

According to BBC Sports' Raj Chohan, the 5 foot 10 gem has an "unbelievable dribbling ability" and is a "top tier talent", ranking among the top 16% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, to emphasise this point.

Also ranking among the top 5% for tackles and the top 10% for interceptions per 90, Hall could very well provide the Magpies with the perfect option to rival Dan Burn for a regular starting berth in the Toon team – indeed, Newcastle will play in the Champions League this term and could feasibly achieve silverware across four fronts.

Given Hall's dynamism and aptitude across both offensive and defensive sides of the game, he could be moulded into Howe's very own version of Chelsea's Reece James, which would sting the Blues considering they are the ones granting his sale.

James, like Hall, is a graduate of the Cobham academy and has recently been appointed club captain after making 148 appearances, scoring 11 goals and providing 20 assists, winning the Champions League and earning praise for potential "beyond the sky" by former manager Graham Potter.

The all-encompassing defender ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for shot-creating actions and the top 8% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, highlighting his own ball-playing and carrying skills that set him within the top stratosphere of such talents.

Hall is right at the maiden stage of his career and he will continue to build the blocks together as he rises to prominence, and Chelsea might just rue his sale in the future as Newcastle nurture a prodigy to rival James in the Premier League.

Arsenal have enjoyed a period of stable progression under Mikel Arteta, with little cause for worry as he forges a brighter future. However, that has not been a process without its hiccups…

Is Douglas Luiz leaving Aston Villa?

Having handed Emi Martinez a show of faith amidst Bernd Leno's injury, the Argentine impressed in between the sticks for a period.

Many thought they have pulled a blinder when such a stint resulted in a permanent move away to Aston Villa, retrieving a hefty £17m fee for what was essentially a backup goalkeeper. Few could have imagined just how far he would continue to grow.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Now, in an attempt to avenge that devastating decision, and bolster their midfield too, perhaps the Gunners could seek to snag Douglas Luiz from Unai Emery's clutches.

After all, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones suggested that they remain in the hunt, speaking to GIVEMSPORT:

"I think it’s an open secret in football that Arsenal still want Douglas Luiz, but they have failed to sign him in the past and given that Aston Villa are in a better place now than they were in 2022, I would expect them to keep hold of him again.

"It would take a huge offer to change their stance on that and while I do actually think this would be a great style of player for Arsenal to sign, I’m not convinced they have the capability in this window to make an offer that is so strong that Aston Villa can not turn it down.

How good is Douglas Luiz?

In his debut campaign at Villa Park, the Argentina international quickly established how much of a blunder sanctioning his exit was with his fine goalkeeping displays.

Featuring in all of their Premier League games that year, he maintained a 7.18 average rating, buoyed by his 15 clean sheets and 3.7 saves per game, at a 76% success rate, via Sofascore.

He was comfortably the highest-rated shot-stopper in the division that term, made even more impressive given how busy he was. Martinez was forced to make the third-most saves that year too.

However, that was not the extent of his success in the Midlands, given he has gone on to feature 112 times for the club.

His exploits led to an emergence within his national team, which had huge ramifications on the recent 2022 World Cup.

The 30-year-old was called upon on numerous occasions, emerging at the biggest moments to keep his side alive. He helped them crawl through a penalty shootout against the Netherlands before his last-minute save from Randal Kolo Muani prevented France from winning the final at the death.

Then, he would be the hero yet again, saving once in another shootout to become the hero. Gabby Agbonlahor even suggested: "I think he's the best goalkeeper in the world."

To think of where his career has risen, and how easily he was allowed to leave by Arteta, it likely remains one of his few big regrets from his time at the Emirates.

However, adding Luiz to his ranks should alleviate that frustration, given the attacking impetus he would offer to his engine room, alongside a tireless work rate. It could be the key addition that helps push them closer to that title.

His 7.10 average rating in the league last season was the best of any Villa player, largely bolstered by his 12 goal contributions 86% pass accuracy, two tackles and 1.2 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

The Brazilian is creative yet cut-throat, with writer Jack Grimse having branded the £75k-per-week star a "warrior" in the past.

To bring this kind of steel and elegance to Arteta's side, which prides itself on blending work ethic with pure quality, and at last, they could be set to get back at Villa for taking and turning Martinez into one of the world's best.

Hemantha Devapriya said that competing with the top countries was an invaluable experience even though Sri Lanka came home with only one win in seven matches

Sa'adi Thawfeeq22-Jul-2017Sri Lanka may have won only one match out of seven in the Women’s World Cup, but coach Hemantha Devapriya believes the experience of playing against the top seven countries was an invaluable learning curve.”The tournament enabled our players to really see the standards of the other teams,” he said. “It’s a big demand for them to work hard and get into that level within a very short time. They have been talking to players from other teams and they know the areas they have to work on and they are ready to learn.”Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in their final league match before returning home, and Devapriya contended that they could well have beaten West Indies and India too if not for a couple of issues. “Overall I am happy with their performance but we could have done a little better if our middle-order batting and fielding came up to their capabilities.”We were struggling to put 200-plus runs on the board and only two players had strike-rates of over 50 – Chamari Atapattu and Eshani Lokusuriyage,” he said. “However, if you see during the tournament, we crossed the 200-run mark on four occasions and the girls have shown improvement in their strike-rates. Some batters’ strike-rates have gone up to 85-90 and that is a good indication.”Where, in the past, Sri Lanka have struggled to the match power-hitting in modern cricket, at the World Cup, they had one of their key players, Atapattu, slam an unbeaten 178, with 22 fours and six sixes, against a full-strength Australian attack. Devapriya noted this as an improvement, but highlighted that there were other aspects of batting that needed work.Chamari Atapattu’s breathtaking knock against Australia has won praise from the Sri Lanka women’s coach•Getty Images/ICC”We did practice a range of shots and I can see that they are now capable of using those shots,” he said. “We worked a lot on playing off the back foot and how to use the pace of the ball especially the flat bat shot and the sweep shot and inside out shots. The players are now taking calculated risks and playing those shots little by little.”We are concentrating now on taking more singles because the confidence is not there. We have given them a lot of singles targets, which quietly they are improving but still we are not up to international standards. Placing the ball and working with soft hands those are the areas we are working on.”Another lesson learnt was the importance of facing up against quality sides and battling it out. “We noticed that against sides like Australia, England, India and New Zealand very hardly do you get a loose ball,” Devapriya said. “They are accurate and they are well ahead in the practical and mental game. Our players aren’t powerful strikers of the ball. We have to put the players through special exercises to get more power into their shots and bowling. Fielding is coupled with fitness. The players now have a better understanding of what is required of them to become better cricketers.”As much as improvements need to be made to the current squad of players, Devapriya was conscious of highlighting the need to build the necessary infrastructure that will feed new players into the system.”If you notice our present side has aging players,” he said. “India has several players who played in the last World Cup because they introduced them as youngsters. Now they have a lot of experience behind them and their mental and tactical game is streets ahead of us. India has developed fast. They were a little ahead of us when we played them in the last World Cup, but now for us to get there it’s going to take some time.”The first steps towards that goal have been taken. “Sri Lanka Cricket, in the recent past, has introduced an under-23 tournament,” Devapriya said. “There was no tournament like that before. The selectors picked 60 players from the tournament called the development squad and after further trials pruned it down to 30. Of that we are hoping to get at least another 5-6 players from the emerging squad. We’ll have to work closely with them and see how they can fit into the national squad.”What is encouraging is leading girls’ schools have now taken up to cricket. At the moment we have about 2500 girls playing and Sri Lanka Cricket is working hard to promote the game. If all goes well we might see some good players coming through the schools.”Sri Lanka are next scheduled to tour the Caribbean for a series of five ODIs in October. The tour, however, is yet to be finalized by the two cricket boards.

Another ruthlessly efficient bowling performance from Nottinghamshire swept them to their fifth victory of the Specsavers County Championship season and strengthened their lead at the top of the Division Two table

ECB Reporters Network21-Jun-2017
ScorecardJames Pattinson claimed an eight-wicket match haul•Getty ImagesAnother ruthlessly efficient bowling performance from Nottinghamshire swept them to their fifth victory of the Specsavers County Championship season and strengthened their lead at the top of the Division Two table.After being bowled out for 134 in their first innings Leicestershire struggled just as badly the second time around and, with Ben Raine unable to bat due to injury, they succumbed for exactly the same total, to lose by an innings and 280. Luke Fletcher took 3 for 16 and James Pattinson bagged 3 for 38 – giving him a haul of 8 for 71 – as the match was wrapped up just after lunch on the third day. Clint McKay hit his way to an unbeaten 41 from 24 balls but by then the contest was almost over.Stuart Broad only bowled one over before leaving the field but by that stage the visitors were five wickets down and spiralling to their second heavy defeat against Notts this season.Pattinson had helped himself to five Foxes wickets during the previous day and needed only five deliveries to add to his tally as Leicestershire began their second innings after being made to follow-on 414 behind. Pattinson took eight wickets when the sides met at Leicester in early April and another four in the Royal London Cup clash between the two sides at Welbeck and made the early breakthrough by having Paul Horton caught behind for 6.Jake Ball also struck in his opening over, with Brendan Taylor taking a sharp catch at third slip to remove Harry Dearden, who has fallen for 12, 0, 6 and 0 against Notts this season. Mark Cosgrove made 22 before falling lbw in Luke Fletcher’s first over to leave the innings in tatters at 49 for 3.Fletcher struck twice more, dismissing Colin Ackermann by the same method and then had Mark Pettini caught at second slip. Steven Mullaney removed Ned Eckersley for 20 and with the final ball of the morning session Pattinson nipped out Lewis Hill to bring the finishing line even closer.Hill had received treatment earlier in the over after being struck on the helmet and had earlier survived a catch at slip after the umpires ruled it had come off the forearm rather than the glove or bat.McKay hit Mullaney for two sixes in a bold act of defiance but at the other end Dieter Klein was yorked by Pattinson and then Gavin Griffiths nicked Ball into the hands of second slip, condemning Leicestershire to their heaviest innings loss since 1932.Nottinghamshire gained the full 24 points from their victory and face promotion rivals Kent under the Trent Bridge floodlights next week, whilst Leicestershire only gathered two bonus points ahead of their next fixture against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.