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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly planning to convince one "remarkable" player to join him in the north London.

Who have Arsenal signed 2023?

Arteta's side, in their bid to challenge for the Premier League title once again, put pen to paper on deals for club-record signing Declan Rice, versatile Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber, forward Kai Havertz and goalkeeper David Raya for a total of around £200 million or more.

Going the other way, Arsenal shipped out Folarin Balogun, Granit Xhaka, Matt Turner, Auston Trusty, Pablo Mari, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares, Marquinhos, Nicolas Pepe, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Albert Sambi Lokonga on either loan or permanent deals.

These acquisitions have proved fruitful so far, even if Havertz has been subject to fierce criticism and Timber is out for most of the campaign with an ACL injury. Raya has gone on to usurp long-reigning number one goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale between Arteta's sticks, while Rice is slowly but surely justifying his mammoth £105 million price tag.

The Gunners are unbeaten over their first six league games, winning four of them, and next take on Bournemouth today as they seek to keep chase with the division's heavy-hitters.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Regardless of their lavish spending over the summer, it has been reported that Arsenal have one eye on January, and one player they've been heavily, heavily linked with is Brentford star Ivan Toney. The England striker, who is currently serving a ban till mid-January for alleged gambling breaches, is subject to intense interest across the Premier League.

Chelsea and Tottenham have been named as other suitors for Toney after his brilliant 20-goal league haul last season, form which resulted in high praise from his manager Thomas Frank.

“Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects,” Frank said earlier this year.

“The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing. He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team. He’s remarkable. I can only talk about the Ivan that I see every day around the place and he’s a fantastic person around the group. He’s got that unique emotional intelligence to be aware of all the players, and every staff member."

The 27-year-old is said to be a personal favourite of Arteta's, according to reporter John Cross of The Daily Mirror, who has an update on Toney's potential move to the Emirates Stadium. According to his information, Arsenal's manager is personally planning to "convince" Toney to join Arsenal by making him a priority target.

Arteta will apparently be hopeful this can sway him to their part of north London over fellow interested sides (Chelsea and Spurs named again), but Arsenal may have to sell players first. Brentford will demand a minimum of £60 million for Toney, a figure which the Gunners could be wary of given Financial Fair Play. Any proposed makeweights will be a struggle to find, according to Cross, as options like Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe are both committed to making it at Arsenal.

Nevertheless, Arteta has a plan to tempt Toney, and it's by showing making the striker Arsenal's "outstanding choice" in the winter.

Ben Duckett will miss the start of the English domestic season after it was decided he would undergo surgery on a finger injury sustained at the end of the 2017 summer.Duckett will have the operation on the ring finger of his left hand next Monday, with the recovery time estimated to be 12 weeks, after he carried the injury over the last few months.The surgery means that Duckett has also been ruled out of the North v South one-day series in Barbados in late March.It has been a difficult few months for Duckett, who played four Tests for England in late 2016 against Bangladesh and India, after he was caught up in controversy in Australia for throwing a drink over James Anderson in a Perth nightclub when the England Lions squad was alongside the main Ashes party.Duckett was not sent home at the time of the incident – which came just a few weeks after the Jonny Bairstow headbutt affair at the same club – but was suspended and given a written warning at the time then omitted from the Lions squad which is currently touring West Indies.Duckett’s absence will stretch the Northamptonshire squad at the start of their County Championship campaign. A 12-week timescale takes Duckett’s likely absence into May but his return could coincide with the start of the Royal London Cup.He will be replaced in the North’s squad by Adam Hose, the Warwickshire batsman, who impressed during Birmingham Bears’ run to the NatWest T20 Blast final.A change has also been required for the South after England allrounder Liam Dawson signed for the Pakistan Super League as a replacement for Shakib Al Hasan, with Ollie Pope, the Surrey batsman, taking his place.Dawson, who is currently with England’s T20 squad for the tri-series in Australia and New Zealand, had also been set to play in the one-day leg of the Lions series against West Indies A. The selectors have yet to decide whether to replace him for that portion of the tour.

Itinerary

• April 8, 1st ODI

• April 11, 2nd ODI

• April 14, 3rd ODI

England women will play three ODIs in India in April next year, after competing in a T20 tri-series involving the hosts and Australia women.The series begins on April 8, five days after the tri-series final in Mumbai. India women haven’t played ODI cricket since their stellar run to the World Cup final in July, when they narrowly lost to England, but they will have some ODI game time before they meet England again. India will play Australia women in a three-match ODI series in Baroda, which begins on March 12.The venues for the series against England are yet to be announced.

It began with India’s bowling coach B Arun questioning Sri Lanka fast bowlers’ fitness on day two when they doubled over and vomited as they struggled to cope with the Delhi pollution. Mohammed Shami was more understanding on day three in saying that Indians’ being used to pollution is not necessarily a good thing but at the same time said the situation was not as bad as was being depicted.On day four, having seen his team-mate Shami vomit on the field, Shikhar Dhawan was more understanding of Sri Lanka’s struggles with the Delhi air, but he only went as far as giving them a benefit of doubt.”It is possible (that their discomfort is genuine),” Dhawan said when asked if he would reconsider India’s stance now that he had seen Shami struggle too. “Now only they (Sri Lankans) know (if their concerns have been genuine). Maybe in Sri Lanka the pollution is not that high. There are more beaches in Sri Lanka. It’s natural that coastal areas won’t have so much air pollution. Of course, they may be feeling discomfort. And it is not as if there is no pollution. I won’t hide that. It is what it is. Maybe they are feeling it more, I don’t know. But I still insist playing is our and [the two words loosely translate to duty and deeds but mean much more], which we should do. They must be feeling it (discomfort), though.”Duty was the theme when Dhawan was earlier asked if he sympathised with the Sri Lanka players, who are not used to these levels of pollution. “Maybe they are not used to this, but there will be many in our team who are not used to this pollution,” Dhawan said. “They come from other states. But whatever our job is, we fulfill it. Nothing should come in the way of your work. That’s my thinking. All of us are not from Delhi so it is the same for them as Sri Lankans.”When pointed out that even those players from other parts of India have some experience of playing in Delhi and having travelled to Delhi, Dhawan said: “See, if you are playing at another time in Delhi, the pollution level is different. It is not as though there is no pollution. Of course there is pollution. And it increases in the winters with the smog. Whatever the situation is, we have to mould to that. No matter who you are playing for – for the country or the state – it is a job, and you have to do that job.”Having grown up in Delhi, Dhawan is expected to be the most acclimatised to these conditions. While he showed awareness of what triggers the pollution in the winter months, he said his side didn’t feel impeded by it. “Look I have been born and brought up in Delhi,” Dhawan said. “Because the crops are harvested in other states (and the stubble is burnt for new crops), the pollution becomes a bit too much in these months. These days there has hardly been any sun either. If there had been sunlight, maybe the pollution would have come down a little bit. But it has not impeded us when playing cricket.”Dhawan confirmed Shami was fine, and “you will see him on the ground tomorrow”. Dhawan complimented both his fast bowlers for the effort they put in these conditions. On a dead pitch, Shami and Ishant Sharma took five wickets between them in the first innings. Shami then provided the first breakthrough in the second, moments before he got sick. “Both bowled at a good pace because those of us standing in the slip cordon can feel that pace,” Dhawan said. “This showcases their mindset and fighting abilities. They know that there isn’t much help from the wicket. It’s a (absolute dead track), but they have bowled with a lot of pace, it’s good for them.”

Nottingham Forest have submitted a bid to Galatasaray for defender Victor Nelsson, according to reports, as Steve Cooper looks to bolster his defensive options ahead of the Premier League season.

The Midlands club haven't been afraid to splash the cash so far this summer, welcoming Antony Elanga, Ola Aina, and Matt Turner, as well as turning Chris Wood's initial loan deal permanent.

What's the latest on Victor Nelsson to Nottingham Forest?

The Premier League side have submitted a bid worth €18m (£16m), with bonuses seeing it potentially rise to €22m (£19m), according to Aksam, via Sport Witness, who have reported that Galatasaray are ready to accept the offer to fend off any future Financial Fair Play issues.

The Turkish side initially wanted the defender's €25m (£22m) release clause to be triggered, according to reports, but have seemingly been forced to settle for Forest's offer.

With the Premier League season getting underway, Steve Cooper will be keen to welcome Nelsson as soon as possible, in order to find his best starting line-up quickly and avoid a relegation battle.

Forest have, of course, been helped by the fact that the defender is willing to accept the move, with a reported desire to play in a bigger league such as England's top flight.

With that said, the deal is certainly one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

Should Nottingham Forest sign Victor Nelsson?

Desperately hoping to avoid a dreaded case of second season syndrome, Nottingham Forest must welcome all the quality that they can get. And, whilst the focus has mainly been on attacking reinforcements this summer, with the arrival of Elanga particularly exciting, now could be the best time to reinforce their backline.

Last season, Forest conceded 68 goals – the fifth most in the league – highlighting just how much they could do with a central defender this summer, which is where Nelsson would come in.

For Galatasaray last season, the central defender made 35 appearances in all competitions, playing a crucial part as his side won the Turkish Super Lig in dominant fashion, securing the title by eight points. It perhaps sums up the power of the Premier League that Forest are in a position to target such players, after facing a relegation battle last season.

If they can secure the signature of the defender, Forest fans may breathe a sigh of relief, with their campaign getting underway with a trip to Arsenal in a difficult start. Whilst their attack is impressive, Forest's survival status could come down to whether the can remain firm defensively, something that Nelsson would certainly help.

Speaking on his side's summer business so far, Cooper told TalkSport, via Nottinghamshire Live: "We need more players, to be honest. We have to be open enough to talk about signings. I think quite rightly there was a feeling that we just signed a load of players. It was unique what happened last summer, and something that hasn't happened before.

"It ended up serving as a big motivation to me to make sure we succeeded where there was a feeling that we couldn't. We now are going through that normal process of having a squad and wanting to do better than last year."

Chelsea making a late transfer approach for Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca this summer is “not ruled out”, according to reliable journalist Ryan Taylor.

Is Matheus Franca leaving Flamengo?

Since graduating from his club’s academy to get promoted to the senior fold back in January 2022, Franca has clocked up a total of 54 first-team appearances at the Maracana Stadium, and Jorge Sampaoli’s side are in a very good position to retain his services.

The Brazil U20 international’s contract doesn’t expire for another four years meaning, that the Serie A outfit have every right to demand a hefty fee in order to sanction his sale – but this doesn’t seem to have stopped Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino from showing an interest.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano previously claimed that the Blues have “really appreciated” and “been following” the 19-year-old for a “long time”, but have never actually taken their admiration one step further, though that has seemingly now changed.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Are Chelsea signing Matheus Franca?

Taking to Twitter, Taylor revealed that Chelsea are still open and considering making an official move for Franca, but it’s Premier League rivals Crystal Palace who are currently ahead in the race for his signature.

He wrote: “Crystal Palace set to up offer for Flamengo attacker Matheus Franca. Chelsea approach not ruled out but interest has gone quiet since club-to-club meetings earlier this month.”

Expanding in his column for the Daily Express, the reporter claimed that the SW6 side “held formal discussions” regarding a swoop for their target in recent weeks, but Roy Hodgson’s team are, at this stage, “showing more intent” for the £21m-valued star.

How many goals has Matheus Franca scored?

Since the start of his career and indeed his time at Flamengo, Franca has posted 14 goal contributions (11 goals and three assists) in 59 matches, which is a promising return for an up-and-coming teenager, so should the attacking midfielder put pen to paper, he could be an exciting acquisition for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Rio de Janeiro native currently ranks in the 99th percentile for most successful take-ons and is averaging 1.9 shots per league game compared to those playing at a similar level, showing that he loves to dribble past his marker and take aim at the net, making him a dangerous threat for the opposition’s defence to deal with.

Flamengo’s “big talent”, as hailed by football scout Jacek Kulig, would also provide Pochettino with wonderful versatility having played in six various positions on the pitch since first bursting onto the scene, including across the frontline and two roles in the midfield, making him a great option to have available.

Franca has also already had a small taste of success having secured two pieces of silverware with his boyhood club, and if he was to join a team with a history of trophies like the Blues, his desire to win more would surely only increase, with this potential fire and fighting spirit making him an ideal recruit.

After a slow start to the summer window, it looks as if Leeds United are beginning to step up their transfer dealings, with manager Daniel Farke now being tipped to make a move for one of his former assets…

What are the latest Leeds transfer rumours?

With The Athletic's Phil Hay reporting that the Yorkshire giants have reached an agreement for the signing of Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea, transfer insider Graeme Bailey has also reported that Farke is "set to reunite" with ex-Norwich City defender, Sam Byram.

In his attached piece for 90min, Bailey adds that the German tactician is looking to add the 29-year-old to his ranks alongside Ampadu, with the Englishman set to be available on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract at Carrow Road.

This follows reports late last week that suggested the Elland Road outfit had taken the versatile full-back on trial, with the 5 foot 11 machine having begun his career on the books at Leeds, making 143 appearances in all competitions before departing in 2016.

Should Leeds sign Sam Byram?

The links to the one-time West Ham United man have come amid Leeds' dire need to strengthen their defensive ranks, with the current squad looking rather light with regard to full-back options, in particular, following the loan departure of Rasmus Kristensen to AS Roma.

While Farke does have the returning Cody Drameh to help provide cover and competition for Luke Ayling at right-back, on the opposite flank a new addition appears a matter of urgency, with Junior Firpo currently the only senior option in that left-sided berth.

As transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported last month, the former Barcelona man – who arrived in Yorkshire on a £13m deal back in 2021 – is set for an exit from Elland Road following a dismal two years at the club, having notably started just 14 Premier League games last season.

Described as often looking "flat-footed or fast asleep" by pundit Paddy Kenny, the 26-year-old's woes last term were laid bare by the fact that he recorded an average match rating of just 6.55, as per Sofascore, ranking him in 22nd place among his teammates.

The signing of former Leeds academy graduate, Byram – who previously made 20 appearances under Farke's watch at Norwich – could then spell bad news for Firpo, with the Thurrock-born ace potentially set to prove a better fit in that left-back berth.

Lauded as a "quality player" by journalist Jack Reeve, the out-of-contract defender appears to be able to offer more in an attacking sense than his Leeds counterpart, with that showcased by the fact that has averaged 6.50 progressive passes and 3.25 progressive carries per 90 across the last 365 days.

Evidently a player who can offer a creative spark from his defensive role, Byram's quality is in stark contrast to that of Firpo, with the former Spain U21 international averaging just 3.55 and 1.32 for those same two metrics, respectively.

While Firpo does come out on top with regard to tackles made per 90 (3.09 v 2.58), as per FBref, the one-time Real Betis man has proven something of a liability in truth, having been dribbled past 1.2 times per game on average last season, while Byram was dribbled past just 0.3 times per match in the Championship.

The latter man, therefore, could represent the all-round package at full-back due to his forward-thinking nature in attack and ability to provide a stern defensive presence, with that having been sorely lacking from Firpo over the past two years.

Northamptonshire and Worcestershire played out a thrilling tie at Wantage Road in the Royal London Cup with Adam Rossington narrowly failing to score the 14 runs required from the final over.

ECB Reporters Network03-May-2017
ScorecardAdam Rossington couldn’t quite haul Northants to victory in the final over•Getty Images

Northamptonshire and Worcestershire played out a thrilling tie at Wantage Road in the Royal London Cup with Adam Rossington narrowly failing to score the 14 runs required from the final over.Rossington paddle-swept two boundaries off Joe Leach to leave two required from the final delivery, but he couldn’t connect with the last ball and Leach’s full delivery escaped wicketkeeper Ben Cox for a bye that tied the scores and left each side with a point each from a wonderful game in bitterly cold conditions.Northants were in control of their chase of 278 with Rob Newton making a maiden List A century in 109 balls – opening the batting in one-day cricket for the first time since 2013. He shared a stand of 106 with Alex Wakely to steer Northants to 198 for 3 in the 39th over.But Newton dragged a lofted drive to long-on, Wakely was run out attempting a sharp single to short third man and Steven Crook edged a cut to Cox for a golden duck as Northants slid to 219 for 6.Rossington only had the bowlers for company but cut and drove with his usual excellent timing to keep Northants in touch. Thirty-nine runs were needed from 30 balls before Rossington pulled and then drove Leach for boundaries but couldn’t find a big over to take complete control of the situation. When only five runs came from the penultimate over, 14 were needed from the final six deliveries and Rossington couldn’t quite deliver, ending 63 not out from 45 balls.Newton’s innings looked to have handed Northants a much-needed victory, after losing their opening two matches in the competition. He drove and cut well in an opening stand of 55 with Josh Cobb before Cobb, having lifted Leach almost onto the upper tier of the Spencer Pavilion, dragged Jack Shantry into his stumps. Richard Levi then pulled Ed Barnard with perfect timing straight to deep square and when Rob Keogh tamely chipped a return catch back to Brett D’Oliveria Northants were in a sticky spot at 92 for 3. Newton and Wakely’s subsequent fine recovery was almost wasted.Worcestershire needed two recoveries of their own to post 277 for 9. From 118 for 5 after Daryl Mitchell made a season’s best 75, Cox made his List A best score. Dropped on 5 by Sanderson running around from long-on, he made a second successful attempt at the stroke and lifted Cobb for six. Another lofted drive cleared mid-off and he cut another boundary to take 17 from Cobb’s sixth over and drove some momentum back into the innings.He went past fifty for the first time in List A cricket in 54 balls with three fours and two sixes – the second over long-on off White.When he fell – caught at third man attempting to paddle sweep Richard Gleeson – Worcestershire were 199 for 8 and in danger of being bowled out well inside the allocation. But Barnard played a gem of an innings from No. 10 to rally the innings for a second time. He struck the ball cleanly down the ground, taking Azharullah for four, then six in an unbeaten 42 from 27 balls. It proved a decisive knock.Northants centurion Rob Newton said: “We feel we’ve outplayed them for 85 overs and a couple of patches have let us down in a big way. We should have nailed them for 230 or 240 and looking back we probably didn’t mix up the bowling enough against the final partnership.”We felt with 12 overs to go that was the time to nail the chase, I unfortunately got out, Alex went when he was just getting into his stride and that put us on the back foot. Adam played an unbelievable knock to almost get us over the line but we feel this is a game we should have won.”Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: “It’s been a really exciting enthralling game, just a shame the weather prevented too many coming along.”We did really we to get the score we did, we thought we were a little above par and at one stage Northants should have won comfortably but we kept going and managed to take something from the game and maintained our unbeaten record.”

Manchester United tying down Marcus Rashford to a new deal at Old Trafford will be an 'exception to the rule' regarding any notion of a salary cap at the Red Devils, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Marcus Rashford?

According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano writing in his exclusive column for Caught Offside, Rashford is now close to finalizing new terms at Manchester United.

Romano detailed: "I can confirm that Marcus Rashford is really close to signing new long term deal at United, though when it’ll be announced is up to the club. It’s technically not done yet, some details have to be clarified soon but talks are very advanced. Man United believe this is like a new signing because Rashford was out of contract in 2024 and many top clubs including PSG were keeping close eye on Marcus’ situation."

The Daily Mail also report along similar lines, revealing that Manchester United are in the latter stages of being able to tie Rashford down on a new deal and that discussions between the club and Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund are continuing to take place.

Capology understand that Rashford earns around £200k-a-week on his current terms at Old Trafford that are set to run until June 2024.

Back in January, The Daily Mail indicated that Manchester United had introduced a new salary cap dubbed the 'Ronaldo rule' that would forbid playing staff from earning over £200,000 per week.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones believes that any notion of a salary cap would exclude Rashford due to his importance at Manchester United.

Jones said: "I was always told as part of this is the general salary cap, yes, will be £300,000, but there always has to be, one, two or three players that are an exception to the rule.

"Marcus Rashford is absolutely an exception to the rule. This is a player that you can't allow to leave the club."

Should Marcus Rashford be excluded from Manchester United's salary cap?

In short, Rashford, who has been hailed as a "standout" player by Declan Rice, is too important to Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag to have any limits bestowed upon his attempts to make sure the England international stays at Old Trafford for the long term.

Last campaign, Rashford racked up 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils, as per Transfermarkt.

The 26-year-old was also Manchester United's third most consistent performer during the season gone behind Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, picking up an average match rating of 7.08/10 for his exploits on the field, according to WhoScored.

FBRef illustrate that Rashford played a crucial part in chance provision for the Red Devils as well, successfully carrying out 120 shot-creating actions in total.

Manchester United fans will be relieved to see Rashford being on the verge of signing a new contract at his boyhood club, as his goals proved vital to their eventual qualification for Champions League football in 2023/24.

All focus at the club will now be on trying to improve on their efforts in the 2022/23 campaign and seeing how close they can push their rivals for the Premier League crown.

Adam Zampa’s dismantling of Sri Lanka arrived too late to salvage the series for Australia, and also too late for his skiddy, accurate wrist spin to be considered for the Test team to face India in Pune from Thursday

The Report by Daniel Brettig22-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAdam Zampa’s variations hassled Sri Lanka’s middle order•AFPAdam Zampa’s dismantling of Sri Lanka arrived too late to salvage the series for Australia, and also too late for his skiddy, accurate wristspin to be considered for the Test team to face India in Pune from Thursday.The frequent omission of Zampa from Australia’s ODI and Twenty20 sides – despite an excellent record in both formats – has been a mystery for quite some time, and there appeared to be thinly veiled frustration on the part of the bowler as he accounted for the series’ pivotal player Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedara and Dasun Shanaka in quick succession to push a target of 188 beyond the reach of the visitors.His wickets came not from any extravagant turn but instead useful changes of pace and unrelenting attack on the stumps, winning a pair of back foot lbw verdicts from the umpire Paul Wilson either side of another slider that bowled Kapugedara between bat and pad. Australia’s selectors had admitted to choosing an “attacking” spinner in Mitchell Swepson over what the panel’s chairman Trevor Hohns called a more “defensive” operator in Zampa.Sri Lanka made a rapid start to their chase but a sturdy Australian effort with the bat meant that they did not have much room to lose momentum. The captain Aaron Finch and his opening partner Michael Klinger both contributed half centuries, before Ben Dunk and Travis Head provided aggressive support through the middle overs.At 0 for 41 in the fourth over, the visitors appeared well in control of proceedings, largely due to the early pyrotechnics of Dilshan Munaweera – including 20 runs off Jhye Richardson’s opening over. However, James Fulkner, Richardson and Head each coaxed outfield catches from Sri Lanka’s top-order batsmen, before Zampa arrived to attack the stumps with quite compelling effect.Those wickets meant that Gunaratne was not around to perform his third Houdini act in succession, and left Faulkner to lead the mop-up operation and the Australians to enjoy the consolation of a win in the final home international of the summer. Australia will next be glimpsed in coloured clothing at the ODI Champions Trophy in May and June.The hosts had recalled Zampa in place of Andrew Tye for the dead rubber, banking on his spin bowling at the ground where he also plays for South Australia. Sri Lanka called in Shanaka in place of the suspended Niroshan Dickwella, leaving Kusal Mendis to take over the wicketkeeper’s gloves and Munaweera to open.Finch had a hearty slice of good fortune in the first over of the evening when he tugged Lasith Malinga to midwicket and was dropped by Munaweera. He made up for it with a series of meaty blows inside the powerplay, while Klinger took some more time to get himself moving.The openers were parted at a healthy 79 in the ninth over, before Ben Dunk and then Travis Head offered further acceleration. At one point a tally beyond 200 looked more than plausible, but Head’s exit and the run out of a steadily building Klinger left the innings to peter out somewhat in the final overs. On a good pitch it appeared an open chase, before Zampa closed the door with some panache.