Manchester United are in talks with one player over a brand-new Old Trafford deal, according to a fresh report.

Man Utd contract news…

The Red Devils were extremely productive over the summer when it came to player arrivals and departures, but with the window now shut until the New Year, attention appears to have turned to contract renewals.

Man United contracts

Contract expiry

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

2024 (Option for a further year)

Hannibal

2024 (Option for a further year)

Antony Martial

2024 (Option for a further year)

Victor Lindelof

2024 (Option for a further year)

Jonny Evans

2024

Tom Heaton

2024

As can be seen, a number of players are out of contract in 2024, and one specifically, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, looked like he was surplus to requirements at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag. Reports earlier this year said that Ten Hag told Wan-Bissaka was free to leave Man Utd, but as we know, an exit failed to materialise.

The 25-year-old began the current campaign as first choice at right-back but has been sidelined with a hamstring injury recently, with the Red Devils hit with an injury crisis at the back. However, when it comes to Wan-Bissaka, it appears as if a new deal is in the pipeline.

Football Insider provided an update on Wan-Bissaka’s Man Utd future in the last 48 hours, revealing that the club are in discussions with the player over a new long-term deal as he is now seen as integral to Ten Hag’s plans going forward. The report adds it is a significant U-turn by the manager, who was won over by the full-back during the second half of the previous campaign.

Wan-Bissaka's Man Utd career…

The 25-year-old made the move to Manchester from Crystal Palace back in 2019 and has gone on to make 165 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, scoring two goals and registering 12 assists. (Wan-Bissaka stats)

He has made five appearances during the current campaign and hailed as “fantastic” by pundit Micky Gray last season, Wan-Bissaka recently opened up about his future at Old Trafford, admitting he did feel his time at the club could have been up. (ESPN)

"You have that feeling, but for me, I always have that faith in myself to get myself out of situations like that. I had my head screwed on and I was ready to do what it takes.

"It was a hard time and the only thing you can do during a hard time is keep working. I got my head down and then got the chance and was able to help the team. You can just sit there and complain about it and not care, or you can actually try and I thought the best way was for me to try."

It looks as if he may still have plenty of years left ahead of him at Old Trafford now, though, following the recent update, so his contract situation will be one to watch over the coming months.

Nottinghamshire are closing in on the signing of Derbyshire’s Ben Slater.Slater, the 26-year-old opening batsman, is in the middle of a productive season for Derbyshire – he is averaging 43 in the Championship – and was understood to have attracted the interest of several counties. Only three men in Division Two of the County Championship have scored more runs this season.Nottinghamshire have lost several top-order batsmen – the likes of Greg Smith, Michael Lumb, James Taylor and, from red-ball cricket, at least, Alex Hales – over the last year or two. While Slater is solid in the red-ball game, he also has a fine record in List A cricket where he averages in excess of 50 and recently made a century against a strong Yorkshire attack.Meanwhile, Kent are understood to have shown strong interest in Nottinghamshire’s Matt Milnes and Leicestershire’s Neil Dexter.

Mathews shows form and fitness to make 92 for hosts; Steyn undergoes proper workout on humid day

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Jul-2018AFPLeft-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi made a strong claim to a place in the South Africa’s XI for the first Test by taking 5 for 45 in the first day of the warm-up encounter against the Sri Lanka Board XI at P Sara Oval in Colombo. For the hosts, Angelo Mathews batted himself into form, making 92. Danushka Gunathilaka also hit a half century, but Dhananjaya de Silva and Roshen Silva – the two other batsmen in the main Sri Lanka squad, were less successful, collecting 28 and 0 respectively.Sri Lanka Board XI’s batsmen had been cruising on a surface unsuited for fast bowling, before Shamsi began to strike midway through the second session. Having been 2 for 151, the Board XI was eventually dismissed for 287, Nos. 5 to 11 collecting three ducks and two single-figure scores between them.Save for one Lungi Ngidi wicket, and one run out, the remaining Board XI wickets fell to spin – uncapped legspinner Shaun von Berg taking 2 for 82. Left-arm orthodox spinner Keshav Maharaj did not bowl, with South Africa perhaps unwilling to give the Sri Lanka batsmen in this side a sighter of one of their key bowlers.The visitors will be encouraged, though, that even without the services of their main spinner, Shamsi was still capable of running through a strong Board XI middle order. His first wicket, that of Test incumbent Roshen Silva, was a beauty. The tossed up delivery drew him forward, only to dip to beat his shot and rattle the stumps. Two overs later, he slid a delivery into the pads of Minod Bhanuka, who was attempting a sweep. Through that period of play, the Board XI lost four wickets for 22 runs.Though largely unsuccessful on an unfriendly pitch, South Africa’s main seamers had long workouts on a humid day. Of mild concern may be the form and fitness of Dale Steyn, who gave away 52 runs across his 12 overs. He did, however, fire in effective bouncers, even hitting Kaushal Silva on the head on one occasion. Kagiso Rabada and Ngidi nevertheless appeared more threatening in their early spells – Ngidi raising a close caught-behind appeal early in Mathews’ innings.Gunathilaka’s 53 off 66 balls may just be enough to have him considered for the vacant opening position. He had hit nine fours in his innings, before holing out to mid-on attempting another one, off von Berg. Kaushal Silva is not in the Test squad, but did his best to suggest that he should not be totally jettisoned from Sri Lanka’s future plans, making a steady 76 off 119 balls, before a mix-up with Mathews saw both batsmen almost end up at the same end. Silva, having called the run, only for his partner not to respond, could not return to his crease before the return throw came in from mid-on.Dhananjaya de Silva looked excellent against both seam and spin early in his innings, and will perhaps kick himself for the mistake that cost him his wicket. Having just whipped von Berg for four through mid wicket, he ran at the bowler expecting a full delivery. He did not get to the pitch of the ball though, and bunted it tamely to short cover.South Africa faced four overs before stumps and lost the wicket of Aiden Markram, who was bowled by Lahiru Gamage.

England are on the hunt for a whitewash, Australia are looking to save face after their record hammering at Trent Bridge

Preview by Andrew McGlashan20-Jun-20181:53

By The Numbers – England shatter ODI records

Big PictureThe perfect day and the worst day. Rarely have emotions been so polarised than with England and Australia at Trent Bridge. The teams have less than 48 hours to reset themselves before starting again at Chester-le-Street with two distinct aims: a push for a whitewash for England and a face-saving exercise for Australia.There was talk of a whitewash the last time these teams met, in Australia earlier this year, but England’s ambitions on that occasion we scuppered by one of their eye-watering collapses when they slumped to 8 for 5 in Adelaide. That, perhaps, remains Australia’s best chance of taking something this time – that England have a day when they nick a lot rather than middle shots into the stands – although the bowlers took such a hammering at Trent Bridge that it will be tough to recover.It is a mark of the expectations around this England team that holes were picked in the first two performances of this series and it is rare for Eoin Morgan to sound as satisfied with an outing as he did in Nottingham – although if he wasn’t happy then, he may never be. Still, the perfect day in a bilateral one-day series against a poor team is one thing. England will want to save a few for this time next year.After a perfect display, perhaps the one thing England would like is a few more wickets with the new ball. Mark Wood has taken two scalps in three matches with Australia, by and large, not having too many alarms against his new-ball spells only to repeatedly stumble when spin is introduced. That’s working fine for England now, but if they can make impact with the new ball – which highlights the significance of Chris Woakes’ absence – they become even more formidable. And there’s a daunting thought.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WWWLW
Australia LLLLWIn the spotlightJoe Root isn’t a slogger. He almost managed a wry smile when he walked out at No. 7 at Trent Bridge. It will have been one of the least-pressurised situations he will ever have batted – and he barely middled one shot. His fifty in the opening match, when England had lost three early wickets, showed how important his role in the side remains. He purred to a half-century at The Oval and eased into the 20s at Cardiff, but after the pyrotechnics in Nottingham he has had the quietest series of the top order.Tim Paine admitted he hadn’t had a worse day on the cricket field in his life than Trent Bridge. He’s a good man in a difficult position. His captaincy of the one-day team is even more of a sticking plaster than with the Test side, where he at least justifies his position. It’s hard to say the same in this side. You could even suggest he isn’t the best option in this squad: Alex Carey is a talented, dynamic keeper-batsman. If Australia are serious about reviving their one-day team, Paine does not look the answer. He may have just two more matches to make a case.Teams newsEngland have bolstered their pace attack by calling up Craig Overton and Sam Curran. Morgan hinted at the potential for changes due to the lengthy journey from Nottingham to Durham and the short turnaround between games. Tom Curran and Jake Ball were already part of the squad, so may get first dibs.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Alex Hales, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 David Willey, 9 Liam Plunkett/Jake Ball, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood/Tom CurranWhat can Australia do? Shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic springs to mind. Justin Langer has suggested Nathan Lyon could get a call-up, although that may create issues with the tail. Andrew Tye may need to be benched after a tough couple of games. Aaron Finch’s move to No. 5 hasn’t worked, either.Australia (probable) 1 D’Arcy Short, 2 Travis Head, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Marcus Stoinis, 5 Aaron Finch, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Tim Paine (capt & wk), 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Jhye Richardson, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Billy Stanlake.Pitch and conditionsChester-le-Street can offer more help to the pacemen than some grounds around the country, although the Royal London Cup did feature scores over 300. The forecast is set fair for the day-night game and the match is a sellout, an important boost for a county that has had well-documented struggles of late.Stats and trivia This is the first ODI at Chester-le-Street since 2015 – when England beat New Zealand in the decider to take the series 3-2 Jonny Bairstow’s four centuries in 2018 already equals the most by an England batsman in a calendar year (David Gower in 1983) Andrew Tye’s series economy rate of 7.96 is the highest for an Australia bowler to have delivered at least 20 overs in a seriesQuotes”Their top three are brutal. The way they are playing is reminiscent of how we used to play in our day with Gilly, Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting at the top.”
“We’ve always looked at series like this, and games with one day in between, as quite rigorous for the bowlers. Their risk of injury goes through the roof. So we’ll have to see how they pull up, and what they can do.”

USMNT star Tyler Adams got some vital minutes on his way to injury recovery, with Bournemouth youth team boss Adam Connell hailing him a "lovely lad".

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Adams has barely featured since summer signingBut got minutes in with development squadBournemouth youth team boss lauded him as "lovely lad"Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Adams signed for the Cherries for £23 million ($29m) in the summer following Leeds' relegation from the Premier League. But the United States midfielder has made just one appearance all season amid continued issues with his hamstring. However, Adams made significant steps in his recovery last week, playing 60 minutes for Bournemouth's development squad in a 5-0 win over Colchester United in the Professional Development League. After seeing him get his first minutes in over five months, manager Connell was full of nothing but praise for the American.

AdvertisementWHAT CONNELL SAID

The Cherries youth team boss told (via ): “Tyler is a lovely lad. Just from seeing him around the building every day, he’s very humble and very hard-working. Obviously he was probably our marquee signing last summer, so it was great to have him train with us and you could just tell straightaway he wanted to train well, get back and play some competitive football. It was great for our players to play with such a talent and such a big player, captain of the US national team as well. So it was great experience, especially for Lewis Brown playing next to him in midfield. Tyler came through it and looked fine, made some good passes and intercepted well. Hopefully it was a good day for him. It seemed that way and hopefully he can get back out there for our first team soon.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Adams' only appearance this term came in a Carabao Cup fixture against Stoke back in September, with those 20 minutes on the field putting an end to a six-month spell on the sidelines. However, he aggravated his hamstring issue in that clash and required surgery which saw him laid off for another five months. Adams did make a return to the bench against Sheffield United on Saturday, and with an hour under his belt for the development squad, a return to action cannot be too far away.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ADAMS?

That return is likely to be staggered, even despite those minutes last week, with Adams probably set for another spot on the bench in Bournemouth's next match. Andoni Iraola's side host Luton on Wednesday night in the Premier League, before they take a break from club football for international fixtures.

Sunderland's remarkable revival has been spearheaded by the managerial expertise of Tony Mowbray, successfully inflicting his possession-based football onto his young side.

The Black Cats capped their return to the Championship last term with a sensational charge into the play-offs and although it ended in heartache against Luton Town in the semis, the embryonic stages of this campaign have supporters dreaming of a promotion back to the Premier League.

Currently sitting in fifth place, the prospects ahead for Sunderland are chalk and cheese compared to their struggles in the doldrums of League One but having escaped the clutches of the third-tier, the positivity surrounding the Stadium of Light is contagious.

With a youthful squad that plays attractive football, there is a lot to admire about the way in which Sunderland have gone about their business in recent times, including their strategy to recruit young players with boundless potential.

One youngster who has accentuated that strategy is the signing of Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City for £3m as the talented teen became their most eye-catching addition this summer.

Another key example is that of Jack Clarke, who joined on a permanent deal from Tottenham last year, and has since seen his stock and value rise dramatically.

How much did Sunderland buy Jack Clarke for?

Having earned promotion back to the Championship in 2022, Sunderland knew they needed to add quality to their front line and for the most part, utilised the loan market to bring in striker Joe Gelhardt from Leeds United and winger Amad Diallo on loan from Manchester United.

While Diallo enjoyed a successful loan in the North East, scoring 14 goals, their acquisition of Jack Clarke – for a fee believed to be in the region of £4.4m (€5.2m) – was their most impressive piece of business that summer.

The Englishman arrived at the club when his stock was at its lowest, becoming the victim of the £10m fee that Spurs forked out for him in 2019, suffering through three challenging loan spells at Leeds United, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City before finding a home at the Stadium of Light.

After breaking onto the scene as a 17-year-old at Leeds, Clarke quickly became renowned for his electric pace and precise dribbling, utilising those attributes to full effect by becoming one of the hottest prospects that the Championship has seen.

Now a maturing and more complete version of himself at 22-years-old, Clarke is showcasing the potential at Sunderland that his formative years promised.

How much is Jack Clarke worth now?

Sunderland took a gamble on a player they knew had serious potential, and it is paying off.

The 5 foot 9 whizz – who was described as a "diamond" by Mowbray – has proven the critics wrong by becoming one of the most explosive assets in the second tier, demonstrating that X Factor through his performances.

A player capable of getting bums off seats through his ferocious wing play, Clarke has added consistency in the final third to go with his excellent approach play, returning an impressive 21 goal contributions in 45 Championship appearances last season.

An ever-present in the starting XI, the youngster has continued where he left off this time round by taking on the mantle of scoring goals, currently joint-top of the scoring charts with five.

Clarke, is quite simply, in the form of his life and after scoring a brace against Blackburn Rovers, Mowbray lauded his performance as "amazing", a comment that reflects the attacking metrics he's produced so far this season.

The former Leeds academy graduate clearly excels in situations that see his ball-carrying abilities come to life, placing within the top 2% in the Championship this season against his positional peers for progressive carries, fouls drawn and successful take-ons while ranking in the top 7% for carries into the final third per 90, as per FBref.

A ball-carrying phenom, Clarke is one of the best in the Championship at taking the ball in his stride and driving at the opposition, so there was no wonder why multiple Premier League clubs were chasing him in the summer, with Burnley launching a £9m bid that was turned away.

If the £17k per-week star continues to shine brightest at the Stadium of Light, his £7.9m (€9.2m) value, as per Football Transfers, will no doubt continue to rise.

Paul Mullin remains uncertain for Wrexham's clash against Morecambe but Phil Parkinson will be boosted with the return of two key players from injury.

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• O'Connor & Evans back in contention
• Mullin set for late fitness test
• Wrexham aim to build on recent win

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons are coming off an impressive victory, having thrashed Accrington Stanley 4-1 at the STōK Cae Ras last weekend. However, as Wrexham aim to maintain their momentum, the uncertainty surrounding Mullin's availability is a concern for Phil Parkinson. However, the manager will receive a shot in his arm as both Tom O'Connor and George Evans have joined team training and are available for selection.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Parkinson said: "There’s been the plus points of Tom O’Connor being back in training this week which is great for us. He gives us options in midfield and at the back because he’s a very versatile player. George Evans was back on the grass yesterday and as I’m stood here watching, he’s out there now and that progress is really positive for us. Nobody likes to see their fellow players injured and with Tom’s there was nothing we could really do because it was a broken foot. It’s great that we had the Alter-G treadmill to keep his fitness levels up."

  However, Parkinson revealed that Mullin's fitness will be monitored, adding: “We’re monitoring Mulls because it’s something that needed to be done but with the sheer volume of games, we didn’t have a chance to do it. We’re just going to see how he is today and tomorrow."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The recent break provided by a full week on the training ground comes as a timely respite for the squad, particularly after a gruelling schedule of seven games in 28 days. And Parkinson tried to make the most of it to fine-tune the settings ahead of the business end of the season.

  “It’s been a good week and the lads that played the majority of those games in recent weeks have had a chance to recharge their batteries," he said. “We’ve had a chance to get some freshness back in us both physically and mentally and I’m pleased with the way the lads have looked. We have been ready for that breather and of course the lads have been lifted by that victory at the weekend, and we’re ready to go again at Morecambe.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Wrexham are three points adrift of league leaders Mansfield Town and can hardly afford to slip up if they have to remain in contention for an automatic qualification spot. Hence, Parkinson's troops should be charged up to secure another crucial victory, this time away from home, after a dominant showing against Accrington Stanley.

Glasgow Rangers hit an all-time low on Thursday evening, losing 2-1 to Aris Limassol, a side who are currently ranked 195th in the continent, behind clubs such as Wigan Athletic and Arminia Bielefeld, putting it into perspective in regard to just how woeful a result it was.

Michael Beale was relieved of his duties last Sunday after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen in the Premiership and the Gers' chances at securing a first league crown since 2021 appear to be all but over, and it is only October.

Heading into the 2023/24 season, Beale had embarked on a major overhaul during the summer transfer window which saw nine new arrivals join the club, while crowd favourites such as Scott Arfield, Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent all left at the end of their contracts.

These new signings were supposed to herald in a new era for the club, one which was to be filled with success and a return to the summit of Scottish football, unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

Why was Michael Beale sacked by Rangers?

To put it simply, his lack of identity or any sort of playing style meant the Light Blues showed no progression on the field of play, leading to poor results.

Indeed, the club have won only eight games from 16 during the current season, a terrible record and perhaps one which could’ve been avoided had Beale given some of his new signings more chances, with Danilo being a great example.

The 5 foot 8 Brazilian striker joined from Feyenoord for a fee in the region of £6m following a season where he netted 14 goals across all competitions, winning the Eredivisie title in the process.

He was even lauded as an “amazing instinctive finisher” by Dutch football expert Melvin Dupper, further indicating how impressive a player he was.

It certainly looked like a shrewd move bringing him to Ibrox, yet he has started just four games so far during his Gers career, playing ten times in total. The striker has been let down by Beale and if the former QPR boss had more confidence in his biggest summer signing, perhaps the Gers wouldn’t be in this mess.

The club now need a manager who can not only get a tune out of the club stalwarts such as James Tavernier and Connor Goldson but also get Danilo fit and firing as he has the quality which could prove to be a danger in the final third.

Who has been linked with the Rangers job?

Former Light Blues defender Kevin Muscat – who played for the club during their treble winning 2002/03 campaign – has shown interest in the vacant role at the club and reportedly interviewed for the position just a few days ago. The Australian is currently managing Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos and has won league titles in both Japan and Australia during his managerial career.

Pascal Jansen, the AZ Alkmaar boss, is also reportedly eager to be the next boss of the club having enjoyed a decent spell at the Eredivisie side since taking over AZ in December 2020, frequently mixing with the big three of Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord.

Philippe Clement, a three time title winner in Belgium, could potentially be a left field appointment as he is now a free agent following his sacking from AS Monaco just a few months ago yet one name hasn’t really come to the fore yet must be included in potential options – Kjetil Knutsen.

Who is Kjetil Knutsen?

New York Times journalist Rory Smith was speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live Monday Night Club just a day after Beale was sacked and named the Bodo/Glimt head coach as one of the potential names who is under “consideration” for the post.

The 55-year-old has impressed during his spell with the Norwegian outfit, holding a two points per game average while winning 144 of the 244 matches he has coached at the club.

He has led them to two top flight titles and they are currently closing in on a third title in four years and this winning mentality would be a huge advantage should he take over at the club in the coming weeks.

Although a slightly left field choice, Knutsen has already secured two victories over Celtic, winning both legs of their Europa League intermediate stage clash during the 2021/22 season and this will endear him to the Gers support. He even defeated Jose Mourinho’s Roma side in the group stages during the same competition.

Could Kjetil Knutsen bring out the best of Danilo at Rangers?

Famed for his attacking approach, Knutsen could bring the Gers back having some sort of identity and his tactical style has been praised by many, including his own captain Ulrik Saltnes, who said his style of play was “kamikaze” and this could bode well for Danilo.

He usually deploys an attacking 4-3-3 setup, which could work out well for the Brazilian, who would be able to operate in the middle of a front three, flanked by two pacy wingers or creative talents.

This system enabled Bodo/Glimt to score a staggering 103 goals in their title win back in 2020 as the coach clearly gave his players plenty of attacking freedom and there are quite a few talented attackers in the Rangers team who require this licence to showcase their abilities.

Knutsen would certainly bring out the Danilo who scored ten goals in the Dutch top flight last season and maybe even spur him on to bigger numbers for the rest of the current season.

James Bisgrove has a massive decision to make soon, and it could potentially change the fortunes of the Ibrox side for the foreseeable future.

There appears to be no shortage of candidates who have put themselves forward in the running, but the quiet Norwegian may just be one of the better options out there at the moment.

He may not be a big name, but this doesn’t really matter if he can prove it on the field. Ange Postecoglou was hardly well known to European audiences, yet his impact at Celtic ensured they won five out of six domestic trophies.

It would be a gamble, but nothing good ever comes from remaining in the comfort zone and Bisgrove must take note of this when casting his eye over potential successors to Beale.

The England captain was not overly concerned by the team’s latest collapse to India’s spin saying it was “a more useful experience than beating Australia”

George Dobell at Trent Bridge12-Jul-20180:43

Morgan relaxed over England’s spin struggles

Eoin Morgan admitted Kuldeep Yadav “exposes” a weakness in England’s game.Kuldeep, the left-arm wristspinner, claimed 6 for 25 as England were thrashed by eight wickets with 59 balls remaining at Trent Bridge.But despite the margin of defeat, Morgan played down the significance of the result. Suggesting that Kuldeep offers such unique challenges that it will rarely damage England, Morgan also reasoned that England would rather confront such challenges now, a year ahead of the World Cup, when they still have the opportunity to find solutions.”He is very good and there is no getting around that,” Morgan said. “He exposes an area of our game that we need to improve on and I think that is a good thing and a healthy thing.”Considering there is only one left-arm [wristspin] bowler in the world it is not a huge concern. You play against one team and he happens to be very good, he is not any old left-arm [wristspinner].”We have played great cricket for the last six months and not come up against anybody like this so it is a chance to improve on this area however long it might take between now and the World Cup.”You have to give credit where it is due, he did bowl well and we need to clarify our plans and commit to them and just be better.””This was definitely a more useful experience than beating Australia. Finding yourself coming up against something that is rare, it is like facing a right arm leg spinner who is very good, you don’t come against many of them but when you do you need to adapt and think on your feet, so it is always a good challenge.”Morgan also claimed that the surface at Trent Bridge provided some assistance to Kuldeep and suggested the pitch at Lord’s – where the second ODI is to be played on Saturday – will prove less helpful for him.”The two grounds we’ve played at have offered more turn than other grounds,” Morgan said, referring to Kuldeep’s five-wicket haul in the T20 match at Old Trafford. “I think Lord’s will be similar to Cardiff [where Kuldeep finished wicketless] in that regard so the shift will be important.”But that doesn’t paper over the fact that we need to get better at playing him.”England received a further blow with the news that a scan has shown that Alex Hales has a side strain sustained while batting in the nets the day ahead of the Trent Bridge ODI. He is expected to be out of action for three or four weeks and will not, therefore, feature for England in the rest of the series.Dawid Malan, who was called up as cover for Hales, will remain with the squad for the ODI at Lord’s on Saturday.Sam Curran, meanwhile, has been released by England to appear in Surrey’s T20 Blast match against Sussex on Friday. He will rejoin the squad ahead of Saturday’s ODI.

Aston Villa are in sensational form right now and Unai Emery shows no signs of slowing down as the sky appears to be the limit for this talented squad.

Following their 4-1 victory against West Ham United on the weekend, Villa are currently occupying fifth place in the Premier League table having won six of their nine matches so far and their 5-1 opening-day defeat to Newcastle United has been all but forgotten about.

While his energy and experience boosted the side once he took over from Steven Gerrard last October, Emery has utilised all his experience to bring quality players to the club across his first two transfer windows.

The likes of Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, Nicolo Zaniolo and Jhon Duran have all joined the project in the Midlands and despite vast sums of money being spent, they appear to fit perfectly into his system.

With the new arrivals significantly bolstering the squad and giving Emery plenty of depth as his team fight on both domestic and European fronts this season, his ability to move players on who don’t fit into his ideology has also been crucial for progress.

Moving on deadwood such as Marvelous Nakamba, Keinan Davis and Jadon Philogene has enabled the former Arsenal boss to free up room in his ever-growing squad while clearing up some of the wage bill.

It was the sale of Danny Ings back in January, however, which proved to be a key move in Emery strengthening his team and judging by his form since departing, Villa have struck gold on the striker.

How much did Danny Ings cost Aston Villa?

The former Liverpool and Burnley forward moved to Villa Park in the summer of 2021 for a fee in the region of £25m and while this seemed like a large fee on the surface, the Englishman had scored 46 goals across just 100 matches for Southampton and was in the form of his life.

Dean Smith was aiming to build on Villa’s 11th-place finish the season prior and luring another experienced Premier League forward seemed to be the most logical solution.

Leon Bailey and Emiliano Buendia also arrived that summer and everything appeared to be in place for a top-half finish for the club, yet Ings failed to replicate the form he displayed on the south coast.

What happened to Danny Ings?

During his maiden season in the Midlands, Ings performed rather well. Across the squad in the Premier League, he ranked second for goals and assists (13) along with ranking third for shots per game (1.6) and scoring frequency (a goal every 273 minutes) yet Villa slumped to a 14th-place finish as Smith was sacked in November and Gerrard was appointed.

Although he wasn’t outstanding, his performances during 2021/22 looked like they could give him a decent base to build upon heading into his second season and hopes were high, especially with Gerrard having a full pre-season with the team.

Early optimism under the former Rangers manager soon turned into a false dawn and Ings managed to score just twice under Gerrard before he was sent packing.

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Emery’s arrival revived a sinking ship, and it looked as though Ings could become a key part of the side under him as he scored four goals across eight matches heading into the January transfer window.

The Spaniard was looking to build a youthful side and although the striker had shown flashes of his talents, it wasn’t long before he found himself on the move again, this time to London.

Where is Danny Ings now?

An offer of £15m from West Ham United was evidently too good to turn down for Emery during the first few months of his Villa stint and considering he was approaching 31 years of age, the club have struck gold with his sale.

He did manage to find the back of the net three times in 22 matches for the Hammers, even securing a Europa Conference League winners medal in the process, and it looked as though the future could be bright.

West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas held a different view however, saying: “I don't think this system works for Danny Ings. He's often too isolated up front. Hasn't quite clicked barring his two goals against Nottingham Forest. Antonio has great work rate so he has no issues playing as a lone striker. But Ings has struggled in that role.”

It appears he has a crystal ball as this season, Ings has been far from his best and receiving £15m for a player who looked to be in the initial stages of decline was excellent business by Emery.

The 2023/24 campaign has seen Ings go scoreless through nine matches and he has only started twice, with none coming in the Premier League.

The £125k-per-week liability might not be at West Ham much longer if this uninspired form continues while his statistics when compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues are far from the required standard to compete in the English top flight.

Indeed, Ings fails to rank in the top 60% across the big five leagues with regard to non-penalty goals per 90 (0.31) and shot-creating actions per 90 (1.76) while the 31-year-old even fails to rank in the top 50% for touches in the attacking penalty box per 90 (4.59) and successful take-ons per 90 (0.77), indicating that he no longer belongs amongst the elite.

The Englishman still has a year and half left on his current contract and Moyes may begin to think of moving him on sooner rather than later in order to recoup the majority of the £15m that was spent on him just nine months ago.

Emery certainly got the better end of the deal and his is team flying, especially with Ollie Watkins stepping up to the plate and looking like a man reborn under the 51-year-old, with eight goals and five assists in just 14 games this season.

The key will now be for Emery to move on players for decent transfer fees while using this to bring in fresh talent. The model is working so far and with their recent form, the Villa Park side could finally win their first major trophy since 1996.