Trevor Bayliss has admitted England are no closer to settling on their top-order batting line-up despite winning the Test series against India.The imminent retirement of Alastair Cook, the on-going struggles of Keaton Jennings and the acceptance from Joe Root that he performs better at No. 4 leaves England with a vacuum where their top three should be.While Bayliss, the England coach, has suggested Moeen Ali could fill the void at No. 3 as a temporary measure, he gave a lukewarm response to the idea as a permanent move and suggested it remained possible Root could revert to the role.”Joe has always said he wants to bat at No. 4,” Bayliss said. “But he understood where I was coming from [in requesting he bat at No. 3]. I thought it was for the best of the team he batted at three. All credit to him. He has taken that role on with no problems. He has taken one for the team in that respect.”Hopefully we can find someone who can do a decent job at No. 3 and he can bat where he feels most comfortable. If we had a No 3 averaging 50 to allow him to bat at No. 4 that would be handy.”Moeen was promoted from No. 7, where he batted in the first innings, to No. 3 in the second innings in Southampton. While he has batted everywhere between No. 1 and No. 9 in Test cricket – and recently scored a double-century at No. 3 in the county championship – Bayliss suggested he might struggle to make a success of the position in the long term as he tends to struggle on quicker surfaces.But with Test series coming up in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean, however, Bayliss did hint Moeen may be given a chance to stake a claim for the position.”In the right conditions I would not put it past Moeen [to make a success of the No. 3 position],” Bayliss said. “He works hard at his game. In spinning conditions, he can cover that position pretty well at the moment.”His challenge will be on the faster wickets. But we haven’t got any of those for a while. We have winter tours to the subcontinent and West Indies. In Mo’s favour he plays spin reasonably well so he has a chance.”Moeen’s versatility might also allow England to accommodate another spinner in their team this winter. In an ideal world, they may well like to play three spinners – Jack Leach is the most likely to join Moeen and Adil Rashid in the side – without leaving out the left-arm swing of Sam Curran, the all-round skill of Ben Stokes or a couple of specialist seamers. So Moeen, who was asked to open in the UAE, bat at No. 4 and 5 in India and then demoted to No. 7 or 8 when the side returned to England, may well be asked to adapt once again. Bayliss accepts it’s not ideal, but says Moeen is keen.Joe Root in a pensive mood•PA Images via Getty Images

“Batters would like to have a settled position in the order,” Bayliss admitted. “You always find in any era or team there are one or two guys who have to be a bit flexible. Mo has been that guy for us over the last few years. When Rooty asked him if he was keen to do it – bat at No. 3 in the second innings – he jumped at it.”Bayliss admitted England were also undecided as to who their Test keeper should be. Rating Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler at a similar level with the gloves, he also mentioned the uncapped Ben Foakes but suggested having the team’s vice-captain – which is Buttler – as keeper could provide some assistance for the captain.”It is 50-50 [between Bairstow and Buttler],” Bayliss said. “Young Foakes is right up there.”But being a keeper you are in a perfect spot to see what is going on, the angles and what the fields are. It always helps to have a vice captain standing behind the stumps. Whether Jos is vice-captain or not, he plays a vital role in this group of guys. Both he and Stokesy have been fantastic allies for Joe. Obviously going forward over next five to ten years that group of guys and Jonny will be there.”Jonny is very keen to keep. He tried it before the match started and was keen to keep but he admitted it was not right to keep. He is one of our better batters so he was always going to play if he wasn’t keeping but, going forward, he wants to keep.”Bairstow failed a fitness test on his finger fracture ahead of the fourth Test and there remains no guarantee he will be fit to reclaim the gloves. Bayliss, hoped, however there would be no repeat of the loose stroke that cost him his wicket in the second innings.”Unfortunately it is not the first one he has played,” Bayliss said. “He was very honest about that. He said it was a poor shot. He realises he has to do better.”But he went away and worked hard with Mark Ramprakash. Our players do not step away from that challenge. They work even harder.”England are expected to name their squad for the final Test on Tuesday morning. Rory Burns, the Surrey opener, will be one of those waiting for the call. James Vince might also have a chance to stiffen the top order.

Durham, dismissed for 103, looked lost, but Chris Rushworth was outstanding, dragging them back into the contest by claiming figures of 8 for 51

David Hopps11-Sep-2018

Chris Rushworth in action•Getty Images

ScorecardSussex ran aground against the unwavering qualities of Chris Rushworth at Chester-le-Street as a day that should have confirmed them as serious promotion challengers instead threatened to undermine their challenge at a critical time.Having dismissed Durham for 103, Sussex should have observed a day of blue skies and imagined that the match might be in their grasp by nightfall, only for Rushworth, with subtle variations in nibbling but far from impossible conditions, to begin an extraordinary turnaround.As rugged as the Durham Heritage Coast, he turned in a redoubtable shift of eight for 51 against somewhat fatalistic batting, the second best figures of his career. What should have been a potentially matchwinning lead instead amounted to a paltry 19 runs.Cameron Steel’s composed, unbeaten century – only Durham’s fifth of a difficult batting summer (they are hardly alone in that) – then impressed upon Sussex what might have as Durham built a lead of 201 with six wickets remaining. It is a definite, if by no means impregnable, advantage.This was a naïve batting display by Sussex who hit out against Rushworth’s persistent probing as if fearing a ghost in a fog. Their promotion tilt has gathered pace despite a top six hardly replete with pedigree and this was a day when more nous would have served them well. As one of only three frontline seamers, Rushworth bore a heavy burden. “He keeps coming,” said Sussex’s Ollie Robinson afterwards. And no wonder.Rushworth is not just a county cricketer; he is a heritage cricketer, a player who with every insistent delivery represents the traditions and the culture of the region that he represents. Such qualities have been indispensable during Durham’s recent travails and when his benefit season was announced at close of play it did not seem, as so often, an anachronism, but a richly deserved recognition to a loyal servant who given good fortune can bundle in for a good few years yet.This Chester-le-Street pitch has been known to flatten out in the third and fourth innings this season (a timing that is expressed in these parts as: “When we can’t get any batting bonus points” – they have two). Durham have overcome Derbyshire and Leicestershire from unpromising positions so they will be aware that Sussex could do the same.Durham, seven down overnight, had been duly rounded up for 103, but the first day, according to the locals, had been a foul, malevolent day with the biggest black cloud seen over the ground since the ECB relegated them for financial difficulties. Sussex, by comparison, batted in conditions where, as AE Housman had it, “Up from the eastern sea / Soars the delightful day.” Just an hour’s defiance against the new ball could have made all the difference.Remorse, though, took hold instead as Rushworth set to work. Tom Haines fell for nought, fifth ball, an ugly poke to third slip; his fellow opener, Phil Salt, attempting to dominate from the outset, came a stride down to clip in front of square and fell to an excellent catch by Graham Clark.Luke Wells was bowled through the gate by Matt Salisbury next ball, which did’nt just continue a lean season but was the moment that for much of the innings seemed designed to deny the persistent Rushworth all ten until David Wiese, the last wicket to fall, was lbw to give Salisbury a second wicket.Most of Rushworth’s wickets came to deliveries cutting back, such as the one that struck Harry Finch’s off stump as he offered no stroke, the bowler’s 400th first-class wicket for Durham. Ben Brown was lbw to one that might have been a tad igh. But tere were giveaways, too, such as Michael Burgess’ pull to a fielder in the deep. For once, there was no Sussex late-order recovery, Will Smith expertly snaffling a second catch at point to dismiss Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer outdone first ball by one that left him and Ollie Robinson’s glide knocked on by the wicketkeeper to first slip where Paul Collingwood proved that your reflexes don’t go as quickly as some people think.In response, Steel and Alex Lees put on 72 for the first wicket before Lees was clearly aggrieved to be given out caught behind on 43 off the bowling of Robinson. He left with half-a-dozen glares back at the umpire; “never look back” is a decent life motto, especially if you are a county batsman wanting to avoid a fine. Archer, who bowled impatiently, then accounted for Smith and Clark, but Sussex’s frustration returned when Steel was given a life on 95 when he top edged a delivery from Jordan, but Salt, running backwards from slip, slipped as he misjudged the catch.For all Steel’s contribution, the day belonged to Rushworth. “It has been a good day: personal milestones, good news and putting us in a winning position,” he said. “If you looked at the state of the game this morning and you told someone what was going to happen they wouldn’t believe you. It has been an incredible day of cricket.”

Arsenal could already be weighing up their options within the squad for the remainder of the season ahead, as the January transfer window fast approaches.

Despite making a stellar start to the 2023/24 campaign, Mikel Arteta and Edu have been linked with a host of players that are rumoured to be targets in January, with plenty of work to be done on bolstering the current side.

From injuries, to form, to potential departures, the Spaniard could opt to delve back into the market after Christmas, even though the Gunners spent over £200m in the summer to welcome four new faces to the Emirates.

The majority of the summer spending was accumulated to pay West Ham United a fee of £105m to capture Declan Rice’s signature, and although the Englishman has made a magnificent start to life across the capital, rumours suggest that the midfield is an area targeted to be strengthened even more in January.

Arsenal January transfer targets

One name that has been mentioned as a potential target for the Gunners is Fluminense ace Andre, who rejected a move to Liverpool in the summer.

The Brazilian, who is said to be valued around the €35m (£30m) mark, is expected to be available in the January window, as the Brazilian footballing calendar concludes, with Arsenal reported to have sent scouts to watch the player in action.

At 22-years-old, Andre has been a top performer for Fluminense in defensive midfield, however the highly talented gem isn’t the only midfielder that Arteta’s side are claimed to admire.

Taking up a more advanced role than the Brazil international is fellow target, Georgiy Sudakov, who has risen through the ranks at Shakhtar Donetsk to find himself sitting on a pedestal for some of Europe’s biggest clubs to eye.

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal join Juventus, Manchester City, Chelsea and Brighton as those interested in the attacking midfielder, who has impressed over the past few years at his boyhood club.

With a market value of €40m (£35m), the 21-year-old’s progression is identifiable in his rise in value, with his actual cost destined to vastly surpass such a figure if Shakhtar were to take a similar approach to how they sold Mykhailo Mudryk.

The Gunners will be hoping that their potential approach for Sudakov ends in a different light to their efforts to sign Mudryk, with the player’s talents in high demand ahead of the January window.

Why Georgiy Sudakov would be a strong signing for Arsenal

Lauded as “majestic” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Ukrainian is best fielded in the number ten role, a position that could certainly be bolstered in Arteta’s squad.

Although Martin Odegaard has made the position comfortably his own, aside from Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith-Rowe, who both range in reliability in terms of fitness and form, the north Londoners’ options wear thin.

The Norwegian could also benefit from some healthy competition for his position, in a move that could promote higher individual performance in the bid to fight for a place in the squad.

In Sudakov, the manager could add a “well-rounded” midfielder to his ranks, as described by Mango, with the 21-year-old showcasing his progression already this season in both the Premier Liga and the Champions League.

Earlier this season in the Champions League, the rumoured Arsenal target scored against Barcelona in the group stages, securing a 7.6 match rating, followed by a 7.1 match rating against the Catalan giants this week in the tournament.

7

2

1.9

1.42

85%

2.0

As portrayed in the table above, the 11-cap Ukraine international has flexed his playmaking ability in the Premier Liga so far this term, averaging a stellar 1.9 key passes per game for Shakhtar.

To put into perspective, Arsenal’s key creator Odegaard has averaged 1.7 key passes per game in the Premier League this season, reinforcing the levels of Sudakov’s creative side in the midfield.

The Gunners’ captain isn’t the only player that could be threatened by talks of the club’s interest in the Shakhtar whiz, with Kai Havertz’s claim to being among the favoured XI now on thin ice.

How Georgiy Sudakov compares to Kai Havertz

After arriving from Chelsea in the summer, the £65m fee Arsenal paid to acquire Havertz is yet to be justified, as the 24-year-old continues to struggle to show his worth in his fourth season in the Premier League.

Since arriving in England from Germany, the Champions League winner has failed to show his prowess in playing as a forward for the Blues, where he netted only 19 league goals in 91 appearances despite leading the line.

At the time of his arrival, there was hope that Arteta would field the German in a deeper role that he was so dangerous in when representing Bayer Leverkusen, seeing him contribute to 77 goals in 150 appearances.

Although the manager has handed the 6 foot 4 whiz a chance to excel in midfield, Havertz’s form has been far from impressive, averaging just 0.7 key passes per game in the Premier League and failing to create a single big chance in 11 appearances, via Sofascore.

In signing Sudakov, Arteta could add a clear upgrade to the former Chelsea dud to his ranks, with his numbers over the past year prevailing to be more appealing than the German’s, as highlighted in the table below.

Kai Havertz

Georgiy Sudakov

82.9%

84.8%

1.98

4.69

1.52

1.32

2.35

3.36

3.53

5.41

1.98

2.16

0.12

0.48

With Arsenal’s resources in midfield currently being limited, introducing a talent as promising as Sudakov to the squad could significantly bolster the depth and competition required in the side to take the Gunners back to the top.

United States Women and Gotham FC star Midge Purce has been ruled out for several months after confirming an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.

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Purce injured in first NWSL game of seasonUSWNT forward has confirmed torn ACLShe will miss the 2024 Olympics in ParisWHAT HAPPENED?

The forward was substituted after she went down during Gotham's NWSL win against Portland Thorns on Sunday. She has since confirmed the diagnosis of an ACL injury and will not be able to feature at the Paris Olympics this summer. Gotham have confirmed that Purce will have an operation in the injury.

AdvertisementWHAT PURCE SAID

"I've torn my ACL," she wrote in an Instagram post. "It's a reality I'm still struggling with and has left me with not too much to say."

She added: "I'm heartbroken to no longer be availbale for my season with Gotham FC or for Olympic selection with the USWNT – know I'm rooting for you both all year long."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Purce's injury sparked outrage from Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amoros, who blamed the USWNT's busy fixture schedule for the latest blow for his side, who are already without Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams due to injury.

"We are paying the consequences of a tournament that shouldn’t have happened,” Amoros said of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, which took place for the first time between February 20 and March 10 this year.

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USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR PURCE?

Purce will begin her recovery from the injury while her team look to battle for the NWSL title. Gotham's 1-0 win against Portland was their first game of the season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em jogo válido pela volta das oitavas da Copa Libertadores, Palmeiras e Delfín se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (2), às 19h15 (horário de Brasília), no Allianz Parque, em São Paulo.

O Verdão venceu o jogo de ida, em Manta, no Equador, por 3 a 1 (gols de Gabriel Menino, Rony e Zé Rafael) e pode perder por até um gol de diferença. O vencedor do confronto pegará Jorge Wilstermann-BOL ou Libertad-PAR, nas quartas. No jogo de ida, os paraguaios venceram em casa por 3 a 1.

Com a melhor campanha da fase de grupos (16 pontos), o Palmeiras terá mando de campo garantido nos jogos de volta dos mata-matas até a semifinal, caso chegue. A final será em jogo único, no Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasOrlando City anuncia compra de Antônio Carlos, ex-PalmeirasPalmeiras01/12/2020PalmeirasPresidente do Palmeiras testa positivo para Covid-19Palmeiras01/12/2020PalmeirasApós novembro quase perfeito, Palmeiras inicia dezembro recheado de decisõesPalmeiras01/12/2020

RETORNOS DE RAPHAEL VEIGA, WILLIAN E JAILSON

Durante os treinamentos de preparação para o confronto decisivo pela Libertadores, as novidades foram os retornos do meio-campista Raphael Veiga e do atacante Willian Bigode, recuperados da Covid-19 após período de quarentena. A dupla foi desfalque diante do Goiás, Delfín-EQU e Athletico-PR.

O goleiro Jailson, que vinha fazendo transição física depois de também ter contraído coronavírus, participou das atividades normalmente.

>> CONFIRA O CHAVEAMENTO ATUALIZADO DA LIBERTADORES

Horário, transmissão, arbitragem, prováveis escalações: os dados de Goiás x Palmeiras

Data: 02 de Dezembro de 2020
Horário: 19h15 (de Brasília)
Local: Allianz Parque, em São Paulo-SP

Árbitro: Darío Herrera-ARG
Assistentes: Juan Belatti-ARG e Cristian Navarro-ARG
VAR: Leodán González-URU

Transmissão:
– FOX SPORTS (TV por assinatura);

O assinante poderá assistir ao jogo online pelo Fox Play.

continua após a publicidade

ESCALAÇÕES, DESFALQUES, PENDURADOS E SUSPENSOS DE PALMEIRAS X DELFÍN-EQU:

PALMEIRAS: Weverton, Gabriel Menino, Emerson Santos (Luan), Gustavo Gómez e Matías Viña; Patrick de Paula, Danilo, Lucas Lima (Raphael Veiga) e Zé Rafael; Gabriel Veron e Rony. Técnico: Abel Ferreira

Desfalques: Felipe Melo, Wesley, Luiz Adriano e Luan Silva (machucados).
COVID-19: Renan e Marcos Rocha.

DELFÍN: Banguera; Jonathan Gonzalez, Luis Canga, Agustin Ale e Geovanny Nazareno; Joao Ortiz, Charles Velez, Oscar Benitez e Janer Corozo;
Carlos Garces e Jhon Jairo Cifuentes. Técnico: Miguel Ángel Zahzú

كشفت تقارير صحفية حقيقة اهتمام نادي مانشستر سيتي بالتعاقد مع حارس مرمى فريق باريس سان جيرمان، جيانلويجي دوناروما، في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الحالي.

وتحوم التكهنات حول مستقبل حارس مرمى مانشستر سيتي، إيدرسون، حيث من المعروف أنه مطلوب بقوة في الدوري السعودي.

وحاول نادي النصر الحصول على خدمات إيدرسون، قبل أن يفشل في التوصل إلى اتفاق مع مانشستر سيتي بسبب الرسوم المالية.

وأبدى نادي اتحاد جدة اهتمامًا مماثلًا بالتعاقد مع الحارس البرازيلي، حيث دخل في مفاوضات بالفعل مع مانشستر سيتي.

وظهرت تقارير صحفية، اليوم، تفيد أن مانشستر سيتي يضع دوناروما، حارس باريس سان جيرمان، كخيار محتمل لخلافة إيدرسون في ملعب “الاتحاد” حال رحيل الأخير (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

ولكن الصحفي الشهير فابريزيو رومانو نفى الأمر، حيث ذكر أن جيانلويجي دوناروما لا يمثل خيارًا بالنسبة لنادي مانشستر سيتي.

وأوضح أنه لا توجد أي محادثات أو مفاوضات أو خطط لدى مانشستر سيتي للبحث عن حارس من هذه النوعية الكبيرة.

Everton have a knack for allowing their homegrown talents to flourish within the first-team set-up at Goodison Park when given a chance, past players such as Leon Osman, Wayne Rooney and Ross Barkley were impressive for the Toffees when transitioning into the men's team.

Osman, in particular, goes down as a hall-of-famer for those with Everton connections – sticking it out with the Toffees throughout his lengthy career, scoring 62 goals from an astonishing 454 matches over 16 years.

But, as was the case with Rooney and Barkley, often a top talent decides to up and leave their hometown team in the pursuit of success elsewhere and more prestige.

Sold by Frank Lampard last year – the player in question handing in a transfer request to speed up his exit from Merseyside – Anthony Gordon joined Newcastle United for a substantial transfer fee and has performed reasonably well for the Magpies under boss Eddie Howe so far.

How much did Newcastle United sign Anthony Gordon for?

Newcastle would break the bank to bring the 22-year-old winger to St James Park, signing the Liverpool-born midfielder for £45m back in January.

This transfer fee meant Gordon was Newcastle's second most expensive buy ever at the time, now in the bronze medal position to Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak as the Magpies continue to openly flex their muscles in the transfer market.

The excessive transfer fee to bring Gordon to Tyneside was justified arguably, the youngster in flashes at Goodison Park showed the potential he possessed to become a future top talent.

He would score seven goals from 78 appearances when transitioning from the youth teams at Everton to the first team fold in the Premier League, netting four goals in his final full campaign for the club before Newcastle swooped in and purchased the young attacker.

How has Anthony Gordon performed since leaving Everton?

It hasn't been all smooth sailing for Gordon since joining Newcastle, the young midfielder no longer a bright spark in a team fighting against relegation.

Now, he was part of the new-look Newcastle United who were aiming for top-four football instead of surviving year after year by the skin of their teeth.

He would only score once during his first 16 games with the Magpies, netting on the final day of last season away at Stamford Bridge in a 1-1 draw versus Chelsea.

But, this campaign so far, he has started to come into his own featuring for Howe's men.

Not only are his goals and assists on the up – netting two goals and assisting a further two in the Premier League from just seven outings – but his commitment and work ethic all around for the Tynesiders has improved too.

The 22-year-old is in the top 98% of wingers in Europe for tackles this season, completing 2.66 per 90 minutes according to FBRef. That aggression and determination has further seen Gordon block a remarkable amount of shots in Newcastle's favour, completing 1.53 per match.

He's not just an electric winger who can provide a goal or assist, but he's also transforming into a midfielder who is more than happy to pick up the dirty work for his side even if it does come to his detriment at times. Indeed, Gordon was suspended for Newcastle's visit to West Ham United, his discipline coming under scrutiny.

But, this aggression and determination means that Gordon has cemented himself as a regular under Howe this campaign and has left Everton wondering whether they should have kicked up more of a fuss to keep their homegrown talent.

So good have his performances been that he's outperformed every Toffees man so far this season with his goals and assist output, current Everton winger Dwight McNeil only has one assist so far this campaign but from two matches less than Newcastle's number ten. When it comes to outright contributions, meanwhile, only Abdoulaye Doucoure can match him.

Still, Gordon is now showing why Newcastle paid £45m for his services – and at only 22 years of age still – he should only improve for the Champions League side in the years to come.

Glasgow Rangers know a win today will secure them a place in the League Cup final next month and that is all the motivation the squad need as Philippe Clement is set for his most important match in charge of the club so far

Hearts are the club who stand in the way of a third final appearance in the previous five seasons, but the Light Blues know they will have to improve following their last match against the Jambos last week.

They came from a goal down to win 2–1 thanks to two efforts in added time during their Premiership clash, but a more confident performance will be expected, especially following the 5-0 demolition of Dundee in midweek.

Clement could make some changes to the starting XI for the clash this afternoon however, with Scott Wright dropping to the bench.

Scott Wright’s statistics vs Dundee

The right-winger enjoyed a solid performance for once as he played almost the full match while registering three key passes and taking 51 touches, indicating how keen he was to be involved.

The Scot did look lively in spells and played a part in Danilo scoring in the second half, yet he did lose possession 16 times and delivered only one cross during the tie – which wasn’t accurate.

With just a four-day turnaround, Clement could be looking for some fresh legs and if there is anyone who should be rotated, it is Wright.

He has featured in every game since the Belgian took over, but the winger hasn’t quite shown enough to deserve a start against Hearts, giving the 49-year-old licence to unleash Todd Cantwell on the right.

Todd Cantwell’s season in numbers

The Englishman will replace Wright as Sam Lammers’ stunning display against Dundee – scoring a screamer while also grabbing an assist – ensures he will start once again in the number ten role just behind the striker.

Cantwell has played on the right this season and while it may not be his favoured position, there is no doubting his effectiveness out wide.

The 5 foot 9 dynamo scored twice and grabbed an assist from just six games on the right-hand side of the attack last term and Clement could get him firing by unleashing him this afternoon.

The former Norwich City starlet is currently ranked first across the squad for successful dribbles per game (four) in the Europa League this term, while he ranks fifth in terms of shots per game (2.3) in the Premiership.

He hasn’t had the same level of impact as last term, yet the midfielder has missed five games due to an injury suffered against Celtic in September.

Journalist Josh Bunting hailed him as a “catalyst” following his immediate impact during the second half of last season following his January move from Norwich. While he may not have hit those heights quite yet, Clement could certainly bring out the best in the 25-year-old.

He has scored once against Hearts in three previous matches against the Tynecastle outfit and with a trophy on the line, the Belgian must unleash his strongest starting XI today.

Manchester City appear to be working on their transfer plans ahead of 2024, and a specific target has now been hailed by one reporter.

Man City transfer news; Arthur Vermeeren

The treble winners made a bright start to the new Premier League season, however, back-to-back top-flight defeats to Wolves and Arsenal prior to the international break have left Pep Guardiola’s side in third place. Domestic action returns this weekend, though, with City looking to get back to winning ways when they host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.

Meanwhile, off the pitch, City appear to be working behind the scenes in regards to 2024 additions to bolster Guardiola’s side even further. Reports earlier this month shared a Man City transfer update on Arthur Vermeeren, claiming Etihad officials have made contact over a move to sign the Royal Antwerp midfielder.

Those in Manchester aren’t the only side keen on the Belgian, though, with journalist Graeme Bailey providing a new Vermeeren transfer update. Bailey, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, hailed the player, calling him “special” and a “little superstar”, while also citing Man City’s attempts to sign him by making initial contact, however, Arsenal and Tottenham have also made enquiries alongside Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.

“This guy is special. Antwerp have a little superstar on their hands here in Arthur Vermeeren. He really is, from what I’m being told speaking to scouts, they think he’s special. Our understanding is that Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham have all enquired about him, so have Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Juventus, Barcelona as well who looked in the summer at him.”

Arthur Vermeeren profiled…

Vermeeren is primarily a central midfielder who can also turn out in a defensive midfield role and has been on the books with Royal Antwerp since 2018. Still just 18 years of age, the player has enjoyed a phenomenal rise over the past 12 months, with his Transfermarkt valuation going from €500,000 to €17m in the space of a year. (Arthur Vermeeren profile – Transfermarkt)

Now a senior Belgium international, Vermeeren is one appearance shy of 50 for Antwerp, contributing to nine goals for his current employers. He has also impressed in this season’s Champions League group stages, providing two assists in as many games. (Arthur Vermeeren stats – Transfermarkt)

Bailey isn’t the only fan of Vermeeren, though, with teammate and former Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld praising the midfielder, saying:

"Do I sometimes watch with my mouth open? Certainly. Everyone knows perfectly what to do when in possession of the ball and when losing the ball. Then the qualities of such a boy come to the fore. What he shows at his age is fantastic. I have rarely seen that."

Therefore, if City manage to win the race for Vermeeren’s services, they could have a real star on their hands, so it looks as if his future will be one to keep an eye on in 2024.

It is fair to say that it has not been the start to the season that Manchester United would have hoped for, with the Red Devils currently languishing outside the top four having already crashed out of the Carabao Cup in midweek.

A notable problem among the plethora of issues facing Erik ten Hag is the lack of goals that his side have scored this term, particularly in the attacking ranks, with Marcus Rashford the only forward to have netted in the Premier League so far this term.

With that in mind – and with Anthony Martial having just a matter of months left to run on his existing deal – attention is turning toward potential striking additions that could be made in January.

Man Utd transfer news

As per a report from the Daily Mail earlier this week, the Red Devils are hoping to ease the burden on £72m summer signing, Rasmus Hojlund, by signing an experienced centre-forward in the New Year, with the likes of Porto's Mehdi Taremi and Napoli's Victor Osimhen having been under consideration in the recent past.

The piece does note that one other intriguing target is Brentford talisman, Ivan Toney, with the one-cap England international seemingly set to leave the Bees either in January or next summer.

An additional report from TEAMtalk has revealed that the 27-year-old – who is currently sidelined due to suspension following a string of betting breaches – has requested to move on in the winter, with a fee of £80m having been touted.

The stats that show why Ivan Toney would be an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund

That £80m asking price could prove a sticking point for United, although if the club can rustle up the required funds it could prove a particularly astute move, with Toney likely the Premier League-ready talent that Ten Hag is craving.

Unlike Hojlund, whose three goals for the club so far have all come in the Champions League, the former Newcastle United marksman has become a feared prospect in England's top flight, scoring 32 goals across the last two seasons combined.

That prolific record for the west Londoners would indicate that Toney is a far more proven option than his United counterpart, with the 20-year-old Dane having only scored 30 club goals at senior level to date.

In the 2022/23 campaign, for instance, while the youngster chipped in with just nine Serie A goals for Atalanta – as well as a further two assists – the Brentford ace scored 20 league goals and provided a further four assists, showcasing the difference in quality between the pair.

A notable benefit of Toney is also his likeness to a player that was a top target for Ten Hag in the summer in the form of Harry Kane, with compatriot Declan Rice having said of his talents last year:

"He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker, he's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have."

How Ivan Toney compares to Harry Kane

While United missed out on Kane as the England skipper moved on to Bayern Munich in the summer, the Red Devils could find a carbon copy of the ex-Tottenham Hotspur star in the form of Toney, with the pair both prolific and clinical in the final third.

What also sets the pair apart is their ability to link play and provide a creative spark when leading the line, with Kane, for instance, creating 14 'big chances' last term in the league and averaging 1.5 key passes per game, to go along with his stellar haul of 30 goals.

Toney, meanwhile, enjoyed a scarily similar record for Thomas Frank's side after creating 12 'big chances' and averaging 0.8 key passes per game, further emphasising just what a 'playmaker' he is, as Rice noted.

The likeness between the two Englishmen has also been outlined by Frank in the past, with the Danish tactician having previously stated: “They are very good finishers and take good decisions. They are both good in the link-up play, two very good players.”

Having been unable to get Kane through the door in the recent window, Ten Hag could snap up the next best thing in Toney, with such a deal likely to help ease the pressure on the undoubtedly exciting, yet raw Hojlund.