Aston Villa are thought to be preparing a €30m transfer offer to sign Napoli winger Hirving Lozano.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news on Hirving Lozano?

Unai Emery looks set to be backed by owners NSWE this summer with a “huge” transfer budget. The Villa manager sealed a brilliant turnaround in the Midlands last season after taking over back in November, with the club finishing seventh in the Premier League to guarantee Europa Conference League football next season.

As a result, new signings appear to be on the agenda, with an agreement already reached with Youri Tielemans. A new attacker appears to be next on the wishlist, with transfer rumours of a move for Lozano circling in recent days, and it looks as if Villa are ready to take the next step.

One Spanish outlet shared an Aston Villa transfer update on Friday regarding Lozano. The report stated that Villa Park is viewed as one of the most attractive options for the player, with Emery’s side ready to make their move after missing out on Marco Asensio to Paris Saint-Germain.

An offer worth €30m (£25.6m) is being prepared by Aston Villa, with the story saying that ‘Lozano would be a huge boost for Aston Villa as he would add speed, skill and goal to their attack’.

Who is Hirving Lozano?

Lozano, sponsored by Nike, is primarily a right-winger but can also turn out on the left if needed. The Mexico international actually shares the same agency as Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey and has been with Napoli since 2019.

During that time, the 27-year-old has made 155 appearances for the Serie A side, scoring 30 goals and registering 17 assists, helping the side to the Italian title last season. Journalist Derek Clark described Lozano as "frightening" earlier this season, and he could be a player that fits the bill for Emery’s side.

As per FBref, Lozano ranks in the 99th percentile for crosses into the penalty area, something star striker Ollie Watkins could thrive from, and he also contributes defensively for an attacking player. He ranks in the 97th percentile for blocks and the 92nd percentile for tackles made in the attacking third.

Emery tended to play either a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 system last season, so Lozano could occupy a role on the right-hand side next season as the Villa boss looks to take the club to the next level, and with a bid being readied, it looks as if a deal is one to keep an eye on.

David Warner’s 156 off 128 balls – his seventh ODI hundred in 2016 – headlined Australia’s 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand

The Report by Daniel Brettig at the MCG09-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDifferent crowd, different context, similar result. Australia returned to the scene of their 2015 World Cup final hiding of New Zealand and duly inflicted another enormous defeat on the visitors, completing the first clean sweep of a Chappell-Hadlee series in a decade, in front of a far smaller gathering than last time.Only 20,591 spectators were on hand to see the heavy lifting done by the vice-captain David Warner, who soared to his second ODI hundred in as many innings and seventh of the year, in conditions far more challenging than those prepared for either of the first two matches of the series.Warner’s innings was all the more laudable for the fact that most batsmen found scoring difficult on a slow and capricious pitch. After his 156, the next best score on either side was a doughty supporting hand of 37 by Travis Head, part of the only century stand of the match.On a chilly December day in Melbourne, the visitors had bowled with accuracy to some nifty plans devised by the captain Kane Williamson, notably catching out Aaron Finch and Steven Smith with a fielder placed at a shortish square leg. However Warner endured through the difficult passages and accelerated during a rearguard stand with Head, reaching his century, then going on to guide the Australians to a total that proved well beyond New Zealand.Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood both proved fiendishly difficult to counter in the evening, while Head made a further contribution to the match with the wickets of Martin Guptill and BJ Watling. James Faulkner chimed in with the vital dismissal of Williamson. The failure of New Zealand’s batsmen to make any impression on the scoreboard undermined some decent work earlier in the day by their bowlers, Warner’s excellence excepted.Trent Boult performed nicely for New Zealand, while the recalled Lockie Ferguson again demonstrated the high pace he is able to generate from a fast-arm action. It was Ferguson who came closest to dismissing Warner early on, but Henry Nicholls was unable to cling onto a difficult, diving outfield chance when the opener was on 18.The hosts had gone in with an unchanged team for the third match, retaining their fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins while also continuing to ignore the all-round skills of Glenn Maxwell. New Zealand had to leave out Jimmy Neesham due to continued pain in the arm that was struck by Starc in Canberra, while also recalling Ferguson at the expense of Matt Henry.Mitchell Starc blasted out Henry Nicholls and Colin Munro with lethal reverse-swinging yorkers•AFP

While the new ball did not swing a great deal, Boult bowled the ideal lines to coax Finch and Smith into false strokes towards the leg side that were snapped up by Nicholls. Smith’s wicket was a particular source of satisfaction after his tall scores in the first two matches of the series.George Bailey, again showcasing his backside-to-the-bowler stance, hung around to add 62 with Warner, but when his dismissal by Colin de Grandhomme was swiftly followed by Mitchell Marsh being bowled off bat and body, the Australians were in difficult straits.Warner was able to find a useful ally in Head, who struggled with timing but was at least able to rotate the strike and form a partnership, ultimately worth 105. That stand gave the hosts something to work with, and Warner was able to push on further once he passed three figures, surging beyond 150 and only being dismissed via a run out on the final ball of the innings.Matthew Wade and James Faulkner had provided some support at the back end of the innings, ensuring Australia were able to set New Zealand a total of good value on a sluggish pitch and expansive outfield. Guptill and Tom Latham made a fair start to the chase, reaching 44 in good time before Pat Cummins coaxed Latham into granting another catch to square leg, this time patrolled by Faulkner.Williamson was pinned in front of the stumps by Faulkner from around the wicket, and two overs later Guptill cracked Head’s very first ball into the outstretched hands of Bailey at cover. Nicholls was comprehensively yorked by Starc, and when Watling was found to be lbw to Head on a DRS review the game was all but up.Smith ended the match with another ripping catch, this time diving to his right at slip. While a vast match and series victory over a New Zealand side lacking both confidence and sharpness, this was no World Cup final. By their restrained celebrations it was clear that both Australian players and spectators alike were well aware of this fact.

Chelsea and Inter Milan are set for key transfer discussions involving several different players, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who are Chelsea linked with?

The two huge clubs could end up being busy together during the summer transfer window, with various individuals potentially moving from one to the other.

For Chelsea, this summer represents a huge period in their recent history, with Mauricio Pochettino coming in as manager and looking to turn their fortunes around. For that to happen, the right signings need to come in, though, and it is also a case of getting rid of the dead wood, allowing the Argentine to work with exactly the players he wants to.

It remains to be seen who will come in, but Romelu Lukaku could possibly return from his loan spell at Inter, while Andre Onana has been continually linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Are Chelsea and Inter set to discuss transfers?

Taking to Twitter, Romano provided an update on the current situation, saying that Lukaku's future is a big talking point in the coming days, but also mentioning other players who could head either way:

"Chelsea and Inter are set to schedule a meeting in the next days, as called yesterday.

"Understand Inter will ask about Kalidou Koulibaly as priority target. Romelu Lukaku’s future, main topic; but Trevoh Chalobah for Inter, Andre Onana for Chelsea will be also discussed."

This is an encouraging update from a Chelsea perspective, suggesting that the club are working hard on sorting both incomings and outgoings early in the transfer window – it hasn't even officialy opened yet (June 14).

Lukaku's future is arguably the most intriguing piece of business out of those mentioned, with the Belgian a striker with so much pedigree, but also someone who there are still doubts over.

His cameo in the Champions League final against Manchester City summed up why his critics often don't rate him, with two huge spurned missed in Istanbul, and at 30, it may be more beneficial for Chelsea to sell him permanently – potentially to Inter – and look to bring in a younger striker this summer.

Meanwhile, seeing both Kalidou Koulibaly and Trevoh Chalobah head to Italy would divide opinion, with the former an experienced head who could come good and the latter a big young prospect,

Onana would surely be an upgrade on Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy between the sticks at Chelsea – Pep Guardiola called him "exceptional" before the Champions League final – so hopefully his arrival is confirmed sooner rather than later.

Brendan Rodgers is now in his second stint in charge of Celtic after the club confirmed his arrival on a three-year deal to replace Ange Postecoglou this week.

The Northern Irishman won seven trophies in less than three years, between 2016 and 2019, during his first spell in Glasgow and will now be hoping to replicate that success this time around.

He will be able to use the current summer transfer window to bolster his squad and ensure that the team is capable of playing in his 4-2-3-1 system but the experienced coach will also be able to enjoy some of the extremely talented players who are already at his disposal.

Could Jota thrive under Brendan Rodgers?

Rodgers has a player at Celtic who could be his next James Maddison in the form of Jota, whose quality was described as "scary" by former Hibernian forward Tam McManus, with the Portuguese talent potentially set to thrive next term.

The Hoops boss worked with the England international during his time at Leicester City and enjoyed great success in deploying the ex-Norwich ace as an attacking midfielder or out wide on the left.

Maddison racked up 49 goals and 33 assists in 166 matches for the 50-year-old gaffer. He also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.32 across 35 Premier League outings in 21/22, which was their last full season together, and contributed with 12 goals and 11 'big chances' created.

Jota primarily plays off the left flank and is able to cut inside onto his favoured right foot, in the same way that Maddison did when he was asked to play there by Rodgers.

The £17k-per-week hotshot, who pundit Alex McLeish once dubbed a "revelation", could be the figurehead of the Celtic manager's attack, akin to how the English maestro was for him at the King Power, based on his form for Postecoglou in 22/23.

Scottish Premiership defenders should be scared of the 24-year-old dynamo after his incredible performances in the season just gone as the number 17 produced 11 goals and 11 assists from 13 'big chances created' across 33 league outings.

The exciting ace, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.45, also caught the eye during the 21/22 Premiership campaign as the forward scored ten and assisted ten in 25 starts, proving that his 22/23 contributions were not a flash in the pan.

These statistics show that the ex-Benfica prodigy has the quality required to carry the attacking load in terms of both goalscoring and creating in the final third, which is exactly what Maddison did – as shown by his form under Rodgers at Leicester.

Indeed, it is clear that the 50-year-old head coach may already possess his next version of the mercurial Foxes star.

Match facts

January 2-6, 2017
Start time 1030 local (0830 GMT)3:16

Moonda: ‘Another chance for Amla to get into form’

Big Picture

Table Mountain looms over the Newlands ground, grand and forbidding, with sheer crags in its higher reaches, and rugged pine forests on its lower spines. It imposes itself upon the city. It leaves you daunted. You wonder how on earth it was ever climbed.Sri Lanka will know the feeling as they prepare to play in Cape Town, just two days after the 206-run loss at Port Elizabeth. They only have one day to practice, New Year’s Eve having been a travel day. And now they’ve arrived at the ground for the first time to find rivulets of grass running the length of the pitch. Cape Town may be one of the most stunning places on the cricket circuit, but it will not be an easy venue to play in.It is South Africa’s seam attack that will be most encouraged by the colour of the Newlands surface. Over the past year, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott and Vernon Philander have all averaged less than 24. They moved the ball for longer than the Sri Lanka quicks in Port Elizabeth, and were far more consistent in their lines and lengths. If the venom ever leaves this pitch, they are capable of creating immense pressure regardless. Sri Lanka reflected in Port Elizabeth that they played poor shots, but South Africa’s attack had also forced them into taking risks.The hosts’ top order also outguns Sri Lanka’s. Hashim Amla may not have made a Test half-century in his eight most recent innings, but was positive and fluent for much of his second-innings 48 in Port Elizabeth, and has three 40-plus scores in his last five innings, in any case. The others have been in such form in recent Tests that it seems a pity someone will have to be dropped when AB de Villiers returns.Many people do climb Table Mountain, of course. Every day tourists make the ascent by foot, as well as on cable car. Sri Lanka will hope that even if the challenge is daunting, it may not be completely impossible.Dimuth Karunaratne will want to show the application he displayed in the second innings in Port Elizabeth while avoiding silly run-outs•AFP

Form guide

South Africa: WLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWWWW

In the spotlight

The tracks are green so that Rangana Herath is neutralised, but this also means that Keshav Maharaj has limited opportunity to impress in his first home series. He was doughty in Port Elizabeth rather than dominant – capable of bowling to a plan and keeping things tight until such time as the pitch begins to favour him, and he put together a wonderful spell to take the wicket of Dinesh Chanidmal in the second innings. With Tabraiz Shamsi and Dane Piedt also in contention for Test places, Maharaj will want his good run to continue.Just as Dimuth Karunaratne made himself comfortable in the second innings at Port Elizabeth, he ran himself out and squandered his start. He is expecting a tougher inspection of his temperament at Newlands. There have been glimpses of a very good opener in the making on tours of New Zealand and he will hope he can channel his best innings – the 152 on a lurid green Hagley Oval track – on what may be a similar pitch here.

Teams news

South Africa have already announced they will retain the same eleven, despite a strain to one of Quinton de Kock’s fingers.South Africa (possible): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stephen Cook, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Kyle Abbott, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Kagiso RabadaSri Lanka may think about changes in the No. 3 position, with Upul Tharanga and Dhananjaya de Silva thought to be capable of batting there. Dushmantha Chameera may also be rested for this match in favour of Lahiru Kumara.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kaushal Silva, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Kusal Mendis, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 7 Kusal Perera, 8 Rangana Herath, 9 Lahiru Kumara, 10 Suranga Lakmal, 11 Nuwan PradeepVernon Philander has 31 wickets in Cape Town at an average of 19.93•Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

The pitch looks likely to provide seam and bounce for most of the first two days, and the spinners will not hold out much hope for deterioration. The weather is forecast to be dry for the duration of the Test.

Stats and trivia

• No Asian side has ever won at Newlands in 10 attempts. India have managed to draw, doing so twice.
• Quinton de Kock needs 41 runs to complete 1000 in Test cricket. If he gets there in the first innings, he will be the joint fifth-fastest South Africa batsmen to the milestone, level with Faf du Plessis.
• Vernon Philander has 31 wickets at Newlands at an average of 19.93.

Quotes

“We want to win the Test series but more important is the brand of cricket we want to keep playing. We want to play it positive and aggressive, and when the opportunities are there to rather err on the expansive side than the conservative side. That’s the type of cricket we’re trying to play.”

Manchester United could be a potential destination for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic if he decides to leave his current employers in the forthcoming transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Dusan Vlahovic?

According to Corriere Torino via The Faithful MUFC, Manchester United are eyeing a move for Vlahovic and would need to pay around €90 million (£77.4 million) to land the Serbia international this summer.

The report states that Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal made proposals to try and land the 23-year-old in the January window; however, nothing came to fruition and he remained at Juventus.

ESPN claimed last month that Chelsea are said to have made an offer of €80 million (£68.8 million) as they look to sign a striker this off-season and Vlahovic is believed to be their preferred striking target at Stamford Bridge.

Vlahovic is unhappy at Juventus and has become a hot topic around Europe as many clubs look to capitalise on the fact Juventus will be plying their trade in the Europa Conference League next term rather than the Champions League, where they would've been situated if it wasn't for a 10-point deduction.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Vlahovic could end up at Old Trafford this summer as speculation swirls over his future.

Jones said: “The situation around Vlahovic is very interesting. Potentially he’s one of the hottest frontmen on the market this summer – but we also have to consider Juve might change manager and my information is that could well sway his decision to stay if it happens.

“Let’s consider that he does leave Juve, there is good value to be had. Generally, there is a feeling he goes at around €70m, although I was told that he won’t leave for less than €80m (£70m). Even at that price, he holds good value in my eyes and would be worth the pursuit.

“A source in Italy told me he sees Bayern Munich and Manchester United as the two most likely landing spots for him but there are a few other clubs looking at this too so let’s see how it all opens up in the next few days as a decision is looming.”

Would Dusan Vlahovic prove to be a good signing for Manchester United?

Vlahovic, who has been hailed as a "monster", certainly knows where the back of the net is and would add a predatory instinct to a Manchester United side that did endure moments of profligacy in front of goal throughout this campaign.

In 42 appearances within 2022/23, Vlahovic managed to register 14 goals and four assists for Juventus in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show that the £216k-a-week ace was also a constant problem for opposition defenders to contend with, as he averaged 2.5 shots per match in Serie A.

The Serbia international also showed his capacity to lead the line effectively, successfully carrying out 63 shot-creating actions this season, according to FBRef.

Manchester United need to find a quality striker to add extra goals to their side heading into next term and Vlahovic could help the Red Devils to become genuine Premier League title challengers under Erik Ten Hag if they can get a deal over the line for the striker.

Tottenham Hotspur have an "edge" in any deal to get James Maddison from Leicester City, claims insider Dean Jones.

The England international was a key part of the Foxes side that was relegated from the Premier League last season, but Spurs could hand him a lifeline.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – James Maddison

The shock relegation of Leicester City has meant that the departure of some of their best players now looks incredibly likely, chief among them James Maddison.

The England international was one of the few bright sparks in what was otherwise a bleak season for the Midlands club, scoring ten goals and assisting a further nine in the league alone.

That kind of form has led to interest from a host of top clubs alongside Spurs, notably Newcastle United.

The expected price tag for the player Gareth Southgate once labelled as "world-class", is £60m, according to the reports.

What has Dean Jones said about James Maddison to Tottenham Hotspur?

Jones made it clear that Ange Postecoglou was keen on the player and that the club have an advantage with any transfer due to their connections with those negotiating the deal.

Speaking on the The Football Terrace's Done Deal Show, he said: "Tottenham have had an interest in James Madison for a long time, as we know. They've got their new manager in place now, and he's very much on board with the addition of James Madison. My personal understanding of it is that the people being used to do the deal have good connections with Tottenham, which could give them an edge in this conversation.

Jones gave an insight into the possible price, adding: "Now that's been backed up by a couple of people that I've spoken to in the last week. And they just feel that like Tottenham are in a very good position to go and get this done at £55m/£60m if they want to go and do it now."

Would James Maddison be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

The former Norwich City man would be an excellent signing for the North London club if they want to return to the free-flowing attacking football that was so synonymous with the club in years past.

Granted, he was a part of the relegated Leicester City last season, but that relegation came despite Maddison's performances, not because of them.

According to WhoScored, the 26-year-old averaged an incredibly impressive rating of 7.24 across his 28 Premier League appearances this year, even when the surrounding team weren't reaching anywhere near those levels.

His underlying numbers help to demonstrate further that he has the capability to be plying his trade at a higher level.

FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, place the player in the top 6% for expected assists, the top 10% for actual assists, the top 12% for total shots and the top 13% for shot creating actions, all per 90.

The attacking "monster" – as once described by journalist Josh Bunting – doesn't hide away from the defensive side of the game either, as FBref also have him in the top 17% for tackles per 90.

If Spurs are to rediscover their footballing identity in the coming season, Maddison could be the player that helps them do it.

The dismantling of the existing power structure in Indian cricket administration could be far more comprehensive than previously thought

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Jan-2017The dismantling of the existing power structure in Indian cricket administration could be far more comprehensive than previously thought, if the Lodha Committee’s interpretation of the modification in the Supreme Court’s January 2 order holds true. The consequence could be the removal of all the existing BCCI office-bearers and most of the senior administrators at state associations.On Tuesday the Supreme Court modified one of the sub-clauses in its January 2 order concerning the eligibility of an office-bearer. Originally the order had said: “A person shall be disqualified from being an Office Bearer if he or she has been an Office Bearer of the BCCI for a cumulative period of 9 years.” But on Tuesday, the court modified that to: “Has been an Office Bearer of the BCCI or a State Association for a cumulative period of 9 years.”According to the Lodha Committee’s interpretation of the modification, if a person had finished nine years as an office-bearer, whether at BCCI or state level or both combined, that person was ineligible to remain as office-bearer at BCCI or state level effective immediately. It is understood the Lodha Committee consulted legal counsel involved in the case, including the BCCI lawyer, before arriving at its interpretation.Eligibility criteria as specified in the modified Supreme Court order of January 2

“All the office bearers of BCCI and of its affiliated State Associations who fail to meet the norms recommended by the Committee and accepted by this Court, shall forthwith demit and cease to hold office namely: A person shall be disqualified from being an Office Bearer if he or she”
(a) Is not a citizen of India;
(b) Has attained the age of 70 years;
(c) Is declared to be insolvent, or of unsound mind;
(d)Is a Minister or government servant;
(e) Holds any office or post in a sports or athletic association or federation apart from cricket;
(f) Has been an Office Bearer of the BCCI or a State Association for a cumulative period of 9 years;
(g) Has been charged by a Court of Law for having committed any criminal offence.”

The original Lodha Committee recommendation regarding eligibility had made it possible for an individual to serve nine years each at both BCCI and state level. According to the earlier recommendation, a BCCI office-bearer’s cooling-off period could have been a three-year term at their state association, after which they could once again contest an election for a BCCI position. And if they won the BCCI post, the ensuing three-year term would serve as their cooling-off period from holding office at state level. An individual could therefore have spent 18 years in Indian cricket administration between the BCCI and his state association.This situation had been discussed and made clear to the Supreme Court bench during hearings of the BCCI-Lodha case. Now, however, the 18-year period has been shrunk to a total of nine years, whether they were spent at BCCI or state level, or both.This would mean that of the high-profile BCCI and state administrators at present, only Sourav Ganguly, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, and Arshad Ayub, the president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, are likely to remain as office-bearers because most of the others have held posts for more than nine years at state level.It also meant that there could be no interim president to head the BCCI as the court had directed, after it removed the incumbent Anurag Thakur, and secretary Ajay Shirke, from office. The court had said the most senior BCCI vice-president and the joint secretary – Amitabh Choudhury – would take over the interim roles of president and secretary respectively.However, while one vice-president – ML Nehru – is 78 years old and over the Lodha Committee’s age cap of 70, the other four – CK Khanna, GK Gangaraju, TC Mathew and Gautam Roy – have all been office-bearers at their state associations for more than nine years, as has the joint secretary Choudhury. According to the interpretation of the Supreme Court’s modification to its order, none of them are eligible to continue as office-bearers at any level.”By remaining quiet about Thakur and Shirke’s obduracy, the rest of the BCCI has brought this upon themselves that the Supreme Court has provided nine-year disqualification on Tuesday,” a Lodha Committee source said.Due to the lack of clarity over who was eligible and who was not, the BCCI removed the names of its office-bearers from its website on Wednesday. “On Monday the court said the most senior vice-president and joint secretary would lead the BCCI in interim roles. Now yesterday the court issued another order. There is confusion over whether the remaining (eligible) office bearers can continue,” a senior BCCI official said. “We are not sure if the total of nine years is at state and board level.”Despite the confusion, however, the daily operations of the BCCI have not been affected much. The chief executive officer Rahul Johri has been ratified by the Supreme Court to lead the board until the panel of administrators is appointed at a hearing on January 19.On Wednesday, Johri consulted the Lodha Committee regarding the selection meeting for the limited-overs series against England, scheduled for January 6. His concern was about who would convene the meeting in the absence of a board secretary. The Lodha Committee told Johri to convene it himself, and as “an exception,” the meeting would be attended by all five India selectors instead of the recommended number of three.One of the Lodha Committee’s recommendations was that the selection committee’s strength be reduced from five members to three, but the BCCI had refused to comply and picked a five-member panel at its annual general meeting last September.Once the panel of administrators to run the BCCI is appointed by the Supreme Court on January 19, the next step for the Lodha Committee would be to see that the state associations conduct fresh elections for office-bearers. The states will then appoint representatives to take part in a special general body meeting at which the BCCI would adopt the new constitution as per the Lodha Committee recommendations. This meeting could happen in March, following which a date for the BCCI elections to pick new administrators will be decided.

حقق بوكايو ساكا، لاعب فريق آرسنال، رقمًا رائعًا بعد أدائه في مباراة الأمس ضد شيفيلد يونايتد، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتلاقى الفريقان في ختام منافسات الجولة السابعة والعشرين من البطولة، حيث فاز آرسنال بستة أهداف دون رد (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

ولم يسجل بوكايو ساكا أهدافًا في مباراة الأمس ولكنه صنع هدفًا، على ملعب “برامول لين”.

وذكرت شبكة “أوبتا” العالمية أن بوكايو ساكا صنع 50 هدفًا لـ آرسنال في مختلف المسابقات، ليصبح سادس لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي يسجل 50 هدفًا على الأقل (54)، ويقدم 50 تمريرة منذ نوفمبر 2018.

وأوضحت أن ساكا حقق ذلك الإنجاز بعد كل من النجم المصري محمد صلاح، سون هيونج مين، برونو فرنانديز، رياض محرز وكيفين دي بروين.

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a move for Wolfsburg midfielder, Felix Nmecha, with the German maestro potentially set to be available on the cheap this summer.

What's the latest on Nmecha to Man United?

According to SPORT1, the Red Devils are said to have 'thrown their hat into the ring' with regard to the signing of the 22-year-old, with the Premier League giants ready to rival Borussia Dortmund in the battle for the playmaker's signature.

The report suggests that United have already held talks with the player's father ahead of a potential move to Old Trafford, with the youngster potentially set to be available for as little as €15m (£13m), due to his expiring contract.

This comes amid reports that Newcastle United are also readying a bid for the former Manchester City youth product, ensuring that Erik ten Hag and co may have a fight on their hands if they are to land an agreement.

Who is Felix Nmecha?

The one-cap Germany international – who previously turned out for England at youth level – began life on the books at the Etihad, before sealing a free transfer switch to Germany back in the summer of 2021, following his old brother, Lukas who had made an earlier £11m move to Wolfsburg.

In the case of the younger man – who made just three appearances for City at first-team level – the promising midfielder appears to have blossomed following that move to the Bundesliga outfit, with current boss Niko Kovac having recently stated:

"Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically."

That consistent run in the side in a midfield berth appears to have paid dividends for the Hamburg native as he racked up three goals and six assists in 30 league games in 2022/23, having also received hefty praise from journalist Josh Bunting, who stated:

"He’s very quick,technical ability is good, a ball carrying number 8, strong in his duels and has an intelligent eye for a final pass."

That latter trait could ensure that Nmecha proves to be a dream heir to current United man Christian Eriksen, with the 31-year-old having also been lauded as a "player who plays with intelligence" by club legend, Paul Scholes.

Having been signed on a free transfer last summer, the Danish ace went on to provide two goals and ten assists in 44 games in all competitions in the most recent campaign, thus mirroring Nmecha in that ability to be a creative spark from the centre of the park.

A more youthful alternative to the one-time Tottenham Hotspur man may be in order amid Eriksen's recent woes since returning from injury, however, with journalist Scott Saunders highlighting the 120-cap gem's physical shortcomings after stating that he is "bypassed too easily in a deep role".

Nmecha, therefore, could offer greater athleticism in that midfield berth – shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 19% among his European peers for successful take-ons – as well as a superior defensive presence, with the 6 foot 2 starlet ranking in the top 7% for aerial duels won.

Eriksen, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 18% and the bottom 12% for those same two metrics, respectively, while the experienced asset also averaged just 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game from his 28 league outings, while the former City ace averaged 1.4 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game from his 30 league appearances.

With Nmecha evidently able to replicate Eriksen's creative brilliance as well as being able to offer a greater work ethic in midfield, the £2k-per-week ace could well represent a long-term successor and replacement for the gifted Dane.