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Journalist Rudy Galetti has shared news on Arsenal and their links to high-earning Man City defender Joao Cancelo, who is also a target for Barcelona.

Who will Arsenal sign next?

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, after drawn out talks with the Bees over a deal, is next on the list to join Arsenal after both sides agreed a season-long loan deal with the option to buy.

Indeed, sporting director Edu Gaspar appears to have struck a fantastic agreement for the north Londoners, as manager Mikel Arteta will be getting his hands on a brilliant shot-stopper for an initial £3 million loan fee.

Arsenal's option to buy at the end of the new season is rumoured to be set at £27 million, which comes as a big coup for the club, with Raya joining winger Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber and club-record signing Declan Rice.

The Gunners' total window outlay exceeds £200 million, and they may need to balance the books if any other new signings are on the agenda before September 1.

Folarin Balogun, who continues to attract interest from the likes of Inter Milan and Monaco, comes as one potentially high-profile departure while Nicolas Pepe is thought to have agreed a move to Turkey.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE..

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal do generate enough money through player sales to go back into the market, with there being a belief they're still keen on Cancelo from Man City.

That is according to journalist Galetti, who has shared an update on the £250,000-per-week defender.

The reporter claims Arsenal are still keen on Cancelo, with Barcelona putting the player at the very top of their transfer wishlist for Xavi.

However, if they're to move for the former Bayern Munich loanee, Arsenal will need to offload players first – otherwise we can consider their summer business "done".

"On paper, Arsenal are still interested in him," wrote Galetti for Tribal Football.

"But, without important exits in that role, the incoming market of the Gunners – apart from the goalkeeper issue – has to be considered completed. Barcelona, at the same time, remain attentive to the Portuguese player: the Spanish club put Joao at the top of the list as a new possible right-back, as Xavi appreciates him a lot."

What's been said about Joao Cancelo?

The 29-year-old was once an untouchable member of Pep Guardiola's starting eleven at City, having played a key role in multiple title wins.

Eastlands legend Paul Dickov, speaking back in 2021 during the peak years of Cancelo's career at the club, called him the "best full back" in world football.

"He’s been outstanding. He’s assisting and scoring goals himself and for me he’s the best full-back, in terms of creating stuff, and how important he is to the team,” Dickov said.

"We’ve got some of the best players in the world in their positions and to not be relying on one player is remarkable. With the ability to finish too, that's unique."

If Arsenal were to move for the right-back, depending on outgoings, Arteta could potentially help to reignite that past form – though it remains to be seen if they'll step up their interest.

The former Leicestershire spinner and now spin-bowling consultant who helped correct Sunil Narine’s action said that Mohammad Hafeez’s flex will withstand biomechanical scrutiny

Osman Samiuddin02-Nov-2017The man who helped correct Sunil Narine’s action is confident that tests will find Mohammad Hafeez’s action to be legal. Match officials reported Hafeez for a potentially suspect action after the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi. The most-recent instance amounted to the third time in three years that Hafeez has been reported in international cricket.On Wednesday, in Loughborough, he underwent the ICC test that will determine whether his action is in breach of regulations. Carl Crowe, a former Leicestershire spinner and now a spin-bowling consultant, however, is confident Hafeez’s action will withstand biomechanical scrutiny.As well as Narine, Crowe helped Hafeez return from a one-year bowling ban, working with him during a brief stint in England last summer. Though he only spent a day or so with him this time before his test, Crowe felt a distinct difference in the faulty action he worked with last year and now.”He seems more balanced, and is using his body more efficiently, more effectively,” Crowe said. “That’s often an issue with guys who have issues with an arm being flexed. They need to be more efficient with their body, and one or two things we did [last year] helped him do that.”Did we do any work on his action at the moment? No. There are one or two things we’ve discussed in terms of skill development – not necessarily action development – because we’re confident he doesn’t necessarily really need that.”Results from the test are expected within a couple of weeks but whatever they show, the frequency with which Hafeez has been reported only to then return represents, in some ways, unchartered territory for the ICC’s approach and protocols in dealing with suspect actions. Twice already his action has been found to be illegal and each time he has rectified it and returned.At the moment, the first time a bowler is reported and his action subsequently found illegal, he can correct it and, if it passes another assessment, return to bowling immediately. If he is reported and his action found illegal again within 24 months of the first instance, he is automatically suspended from bowling for 12 months. This is what happened with Hafeez in 2015.At the moment, if Hafeez’s action is found to be illegal – for a third time – he will be treated effectively as a first-incident case. That is, he can rectify his action, pass a test and return anytime. Since the ICC clamped down on illegal actions in 2014, no other bowler has been reported three times.Additionally, Hafeez was reported once back in 2005 when protocols were different in allowing bowlers to return, and then again in a T20 Champions League game – outside of international cricket – in September 2014.Crowe once worked with Jenny Gunn, the England bowler whose singularly complex bowling action was at least partly responsible for the ICC’s standardization of testing protocols and development of testing labs across the world. But he doesn’t think there is anything in the biomechanic set-up of Hafeez’s action that could be a trigger for umpires.”Every bowler has different degrees of flex in their arm,” Crowe said. “Many bowlers have idiosyncracies in their action that make it look a certain way. I’m not sure, to be honest, if there is anything particularly wrong about Hafeez’s action.”When we worked together in 2016, he was very keen to take on board any kind of techniques that would help him become more efficient. My view is that it’s about being a better bowler. It can’t be that I am bowling with a straight arm now but disappearing. I’ve worked a lot with Narine over the years, and the performance has got to be high. Same with Hafeez – last year, when we worked together it was about being a better bowler, not just with a straighter arm.”Given his importance to their limited-overs revival – they won the Champions Trophy in June and became the number-one ranked T20 side on Wednesday – Pakistan will draw whatever comfort they can from Crowe’s confidence.”He’s been playing, since he’s remodeled his action, all over the world and I’m confident his action been the same for a while. I’m confident that he’ll go fine, that his flex won’t be a problem.”To the naked eye, of course, it is difficult to tell, but from what I can tell, I am confident. It’s been a consistent action since I’ve seen him. I’ve played back his action on my phone in slow-mo and am confident.”

Needing to win all three T20Is to claim the Ashes, England are facing a complication with the uncertainty around Anya Shrubsole’s fitness and if she is unfit, the visitors could look to field a markedly spin-heavy attack

Adam Collins in Sydney16-Nov-20171:01

‘We’ve got to be fearless’ – Knight

“He’s a very busy man,” Australian captain Rachael Haynes said after Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited her team. He sure is: taking a curtain call yesterday after the successful same-sex marriage survey, this morning honouring the men’s football team for qualifying for the World Cup, then straight to North Sydney Oval for this photo-op with the women who can retain their Ashes silverware with a victory on Friday in the opening T20I.The binary state of the multi-format series – England needing to clean sweep the three T20Is to snatch a come-from-behind win – makes it simple. Haynes, however, stressed she will not be satisfied with a win in the first match alone. “We’re not just thinking it’s one game away,” she emphasised. Instead, they enter the final leg of the Ashes wanting to hammer the visitors.There isn’t much of love lost between the sides, highlighted by Australia coach Matthew Mott stating after the drawn Test – at the same venue on Sunday – that England batted in a way that showed they never much cared about winning. Valid or otherwise, it was punchy.”We had a little bit of a chuckle about it,” responded Mark Robinson, his opposite number. “There’s not much you can really say. Sometimes coaches are frustrated at the end of the day when it doesn’t quite go how you want it to do. I’ve been there myself. But I don’t really take much notice.”England captain Heather Knight believes her charges have claimed some timely momentum by salvaging a split result after Ellyse Perry’s majestic double-hundred. “We fought really hard to get those points in the Test after Australia batted really well,” she said. “Everyone is really looking forward to playing T20, getting a red stripey kit on and going out and expressing ourselves. It is the form of the game where you try and play your shots.”To help with that, she has Sarah Taylor in glittering form after stroking an unbeaten 93 off 76 balls on Thursday in a tour game against the Australian Governor-General’s XI. “It was really nice to see her in the runs being her usual innovative self,” Knight said. “One shot she hit over backward point reverse-sweeping, which is a new one from her.”Robinson quickly added that she has been “outstanding” with the gloves as well. One of the highlights of the Test was her sharp catch to dismiss Elyse Villani up to the stumps off the seam of Anya Shrubsole. “I think it was 140 overs before she let a bye go in that Test Match,” he said, “which is incredible.”Knight also pointed to England’s record in must-win fixtures – including their successful World Cup run – as proof that they can hold nerve when it matters most. “We have got to concentrate like a knock-out game and take confidence from the fact that we have performed really well in knock-out games over the last year,” she said.A slight complication for the visitors, however, is the fitness of opening bowler Shrubsole, who picked up a hamstring niggle at training on Monday. “Anya is a proven international bowler with a great record, so it is going to be a big decision if she didn’t play,” Robinson said. The decision on her will be taken after a medical assessment closer to the toss.Getty ImagesHer omission would open the door to a markedly spin-heavy England attack, doubly so given that the T20 will be played on the same drab surface as the Test, where only six wickets fell in the final two days. Both captain and coach declared the most likely scenario is the two Danielles in the squad – Hazell and Wyatt – will both get their first opportunities on tour. The former is currently ranked third in the world for T20 bowlers in the ICC ratings.”She keeps it simple and she nails what she does,” Knight said. “I know they have both been desparate to get out there and contribute to this tour and they want to make an impact and do well and T20 is their preferred format, where they are bankers.”Robinson noted that given 18-year-old left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone’s excellent tour to date, she might be hard to leave out – much in the way as World Cup champions Laura Marsh and Alex Hartley. When asked if all four frontline spinners could feature in the XI, Robinson said: “Possibly. And we haven’t really used [Wyatt] for the last year as a bowler but she bowls off-spin and the captain has a pretty decent record herself. So, there could be seven spinners at some point.”Haynes, however, is less inclined to make a flurry of changes to her side. “I don’t think that we will take four spinners in to be honest,” she said. “We’ll pick a balanced team and that team will be based on the conditions.” She will have plucky Victoria offspinner Molly Strano as a new option, brought into the squad after the Tests.Australia are yet to finalise their XI in part due to forecasts of rain that could hit Sydney at the worst possible time. But what does appear likely is that 20-year-old excitement machine Ashleigh Gardner will return after being left out for the Test. “She’s a really dangerous player in this format and she’s been very successful in WBBL batting up the order,” Haynes said. The bulk of Gardner’s 414 runs in the Women’s Big Bash League last year came at No.3 and that could give Haynes the freedom to “play around with our order.”England are expected to adopt a similar approach with Katherine Brunt, recast as a T20 blaster in addition to new ball duties in this year’s Kia Super League, where she was the sixth-highest run-getter in the tournament batting from second drop in the Yorkshire list. She batted at No. 5 in the tour game, and Robinson hinted she may again in the main event.From Sydney, the series will move to Canberra, the nation’s capital, for the last two T20Is. If the hosts finish off the job between in the first T20I, they can expect an invite to join PM Turnbull at his place of work.

Newcastle United are reportedly considering signing a prodigious talent to complete Eddie Howe's summer transfer activity, with the central defence the final piece of the puzzle…

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

That's according to the Daily Mail's Craig Hope, who claims that Benfica starlet Antonio Silva is on Newcastle's shortlist as Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth devise a plan to secure one more signing.

This follows deals for Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento, with the former two already making a big impact on their debuts last weekend against Aston Villa in a 5-1 victory.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

Silva, aged 19, is believed to hold a €100m (£86m) buyout clause in his contract with the Portuguese giants, and while this is an unrealistic valuation, Ashworth will no doubt be working hard to discover the feasibility of a deal, with a loan move internally discussed.

Who is Antonio Silva?

Such an exorbitant release clause has unquestionably acted as a deterrent for potential suitors, but it is a testament to the player's quality that Benfica have woven such a condition into his contract.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all been credited with an interest over the past year, but Newcastle's exciting project, and of course affluence, could allow Howe to forge ahead with a package to lure the teenage talent away from his homeland and toward Tyneside.

Despite his youth and inexperience, the "incredible" prospect, as he has been hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been riding the crest of a wave with the Eagles, having played 46 matches across all competitions last season – including starting all ten matches in the Champions League – as his outfit triumphed in the Liga Portugal.

As per Sofascore, he recorded an average rating of 7.17 across 30 matches in the league, completing 92% of his passes, averaging 1.9 tackles and 2.9 clearances per game and keeping 16 clean sheets.

As such, he could be Newcastle's instant answer to Jurrien Timber, with the versatile defender completing a £38m transfer from Ajax this summer as Mikel Arteta looks to make incremental gains on his title-chasing side.

Timber's ball-playing ability sets him in good stead to succeed at the Emirates Stadium, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers for pass completion, progressive passes and progressive carries, and the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

Likewise, Silva is a progressive defender who enjoys playing on the front foot.

Indeed, compared to the Dutchman, he ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for pass completion, also ranking among the top 11% for goals, the top 17% for progressive passes and the top 20% for progressive carries per 90, and he could serve as the build-up conductor to kickstart the Newcastle attacking transitions for years to come.

Having already earned four caps for Portugal, Silva looks like he boasts all the qualities to thrive at the highest level and emulate Timber's rise to stardom.

Indeed, he could even become a "superstar" – as he has been called by Jamie Carragher, and if Howe chooses to swoop and integrate him into the St. James' Park squad, he will no doubt live up to that tag over the coming years.

West Indies coach Stuart Law admitted that the peculiar nature of Neil Wagner’s short ball shook up West Indies, but refused to use that as an excuse after their batting collapse

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2017West Indies coach Stuart Law admitted that the peculiar nature of Neil Wagner’s short ball shook up West Indies, but refused to use that as an excuse after their batting collapse on the opening day of the Wellington Test. Wagner ripped through West Indies for career-best returns of 7 for 39 and sent them hurtling to 134 all out. Six of his wickets came with the short ball.”Wagner’s a funny character. He’s not very tall, he’s not super-quick, but his bumper skids and it doesn’t really bounce. And as a batsman, it can be off-putting,” Law said. “Some can go over your head, some just skid into your throat. So, yeah, fair play to him; he bowled well and bowled aggressively. I think we helped him out with a few freebies, but all in all, New Zealand bowled well.”Our boys generally bounce back better after they know what they’re up against, and know the plans of the opposition. I don’t think their plans will change too much. You just got to go out there and make sure you tire him out and get him to bowl multiple spells. That was the plan for each of their bowlers: get them to bowl a lot of spells, keep them out there as long as we could.”West Indies’ bowlers did their bit to bring the team back, running in hard on a surface bereft of lateral movement. They were rewarded with two wickets; first, their captain Jason Holder ended a strong opening stand when Tom Latham mistimed a hook to mid-on, and then Kemar Roach sent back Kane Williamson cheaply. Even so, New Zealand had slashed the deficit down to 49 by stumps.”Our batsmen are bitterly disappointed with their effort. I know we’re a lot better than how we performed today. We tend to have a habit of not starting a series very well, but it’s only day one out of five, the weather looks like it’s set fair for another four days, so anything’s possible in the second innings for our batters.”But I still think we showed tremendous fight with the ball this afternoon. We bowled some good spells; Miguel Cummins playing his first Test in a while bowled exceptionally well I thought. We just need to hang on to our catches tomorrow and make sure we don’t give them too much of a lead.”With New Zealand’s pacers already laying out a hostile welcome, West Indies needed to keep their disciplines. But Hope perished to an ill-advised pull, Chase glanced a short ball straight into the hands of leg slip, and Dowrich was run out, paying the price for shoddy communication. Then there was Sunil Ambris, the debutant. In trying to negotiate Wagner’s steep bounce, he shuffled back too far and his back heel thudded into the stumps.”He showed no emotion. He walked back into the dressing room, shrugged his shoulders and I said, ‘well, bad luck,’ and that’s it,” Law said. “Hopefully, it’s the only time he’s got out like that. There are a few guys who’ve got out in the first ball of their Test debut and they’ve gone on to be pretty good. Sunil is a class player. We picked him for this game on form. He got a couple of hundreds against Sri Lanka back in the Caribbean in the A team and he got 150 the other day against a pretty good attack at Lincoln University, so he’s disappointed. It’s probably a freak dismissal and one hopes he doesn’t step on them again at any time in his career.”

Chelsea are still "pushing" for a "10/10" talent and someone tipped to be a "future midfield leader" after completing the record-breaking deal to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea transfer news – what is the latest?

The transfer window is already one of the most entertaining periods in the football calendar, one filled with twists, turns, and drama everywhere you look, but perhaps no club does it better than Chelsea.

Ever since their takeover by the Russian Billionaire Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich in 2004, the West Londoners have consistently splashed unimaginable amounts of cash on a seemingly yearly basis, and they've done it again.

After the dramatic developments on Thursday night that saw Brighton accept Liverpool's offer of £111m for their Ecuadorian dynamo Caicedo it looked like Mauricio Pochettino's side had quite embarrassingly lost out on their number one transfer target after spending months trying to get a deal over the line.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

And yet, in another twist nobody saw coming, the 21-year-old turned down the Reds, preferring instead a move to Stamford Bridge following the discussions he had been having with the team.

And according to Fabrizio Romano, a deal has been agreed for a new Premier League record fee of £115m, with the medical already booked and ready to go.

However, with the Pensioners still a little light in midfield, they look set to continue in their pursuit of Southampton wonderkid Romeo Lavia, and just as with Caicedo, they could steal him from under the noses of Liverpool, per Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel and how the Blues are still "pushing" to secure the youngster's signature:

"One of the players in the list of both Liverpool and Chelsea remains Romeo Lavia. Let's see how Chelsea will act after signing Moises. They spent a lot of money, so let's see if they will decide to go also on Romeo Lavia.

"They had the bid in at Southampton, but the same happened also in Liverpool, so both clubs are actively working on Lavia. At the moment, we still have to wait and see how Chelsea will act after closing the Caicedo deal because the focus was on Caicedo in the recent hours and let's see also what Liverpool will decide to do if they want to push for Lavia or maybe go on another Target.

"But I can tell you that Liverpool are already speaking to agents of other players in that position, so there is Lavia but not only Lavia. And Chelsea remain interested in the Lavia deal, so everything is open on that one. Let's see what's going to happen.

"But Chelsea pushing Liverpool still there but Liverpool also speaking to agents of other players for that position so let's see what's going to happen there."

How much will Romeo Lavia cost?

Southampton have been entirely consistent in their appraisal of their youngster so far this year, with the club constantly reaffirming their valuation of the teenager is £50m, following all three of Liverpool's bids that have been slightly below that figure.

However, with demand in the 19-year-old increasing and Chelsea's need for bodies in midfield, Todd Boehly and Co have seemingly increased the asking price, with 90min reporting that they made an offer worth £55m on August 11th.

Not to be outdone and lose another priority target to the same team in under a week, Jurgen Klopp's side have reportedly agreed on a deal worth £60m with the Championship club, per Sky Sports News.

While this is a significant development in this evolving saga, the same publication also reiterates exactly what Romano has said, that regardless of this agreement, Chelsea are 'still pushing to sign Lavia.'

While the fee might be ballooning a far beyond what either team would've thought likely just a week ago, the full Belgium international is an excellent player and an exciting prospect that would help improve both teams' midfield.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig was raving about him only a few months ago, saying:

"Roméo Lavia is a very underrated passer. Born in 2004. Maturity and quality. 10/10 talent. The future midfield leader of Belgium NT and a top Premier League club."

If the West Londoners can sign Caicedo and Lavia in the same week whilst depriving a direct rival of their services, it could go down as one of the greatest transfer coups ever.

Steven Smith said he had never felt better in the middle than during the first stage of his 239 at the WACA

Daniel Brettig in Perth17-Dec-20172:23

Vaughan: Smith has the special skill and hunger of greatness

Australia’s captain Steven Smith has never felt better at the crease than during the early part of his Perth Ashes epic, before he re-adjusted to grind down England and absorbed a considerable physical toll to do so.By reaching 239 before his dismissal, Smith raised his career average to 62.32 after 108 innings in 59 matches, ranking him the second best batsman to Sir Donald Bradman in terms of average – now ahead of his former team-mate Adam Voges. The innings pushed Australia into a strong position to regain the urn with victory in the final Ashes Test at the WACA Ground, and Smith said it was not achieved without considerable exhaustion – support staff ran out a chair for him to sit on during drinks in the final session.”I was actually really tired at tea yesterday, and was struggling a little bit then, and went in and had to have some sugar and a banana and something to eat,” Smith told ABC Radio. “I don’t like to eat too much when I bat.”The strength and conditioning coach Kelly [Aaron Kellett] basically forced it down my throat and said ‘You need something to eat.’ It was good in the end, because it switched me back on and I actually felt pretty good in the last session. I was a little bit tired last night, but a good tired after batting for so long.””I really enjoyed it, particularly out there with Mitch [Marsh] who was playing so well and scoring so freely, it just enabled me to just keep batting and keep batting, and hopefully a few more this morning.”Smith’s innings was played in two distinct phases, as he motored to 92 on the second evening with scarcely believable levels of ease, before digging in on the third day to press into the lead, largely in the company of the recalled Mitchell Marsh. “I think that first night I was on, as you say,” Smith said. “I was in the zone, and everything hit the middle of the bat. I felt incredibly good. Probably didn’t feel quite as good yesterday, but still came off well and got the runs that we needed. That first night was probably as good as I’ve felt.Steven Smith walks off after making 239•Getty Images”I guess it’s just getting across into that position I’ve been getting into for a while, with my back foot on off stump or thereabouts, and watching the ball. If it’s at my stumps and it’s a good length, defending it, and if it’s too full, hitting it. Just defending good balls and putting away bad balls, really.”I just [try] not to think too much. Keep batting and keep enjoying it. I’d prefer to be out there. I don’t like watching cricket that much, to be honest. So I’d prefer to be out there making runs than up there watching someone else do it. That just motivates me to try and score as many runs as I can. I just sit on my bat at the other end if I’m off strike, and try and relax as much as possible. But nothing too different I don’t think.”As for Marsh, who in making 181 stamped himself as a long-term Australian Test player, Smith said the allrounder had made significant technical improvements. “I think his defence, he’s softened his hands a little bit,” Smith said.”He actually nicked one yesterday and it went down and didn’t carry here at Perth on a wicket that’s been pretty quick, to be fair, so I think that’s something he’s improved a lot. He was just defending the good balls, and anything that’s loose he was putting it away. We spoke about it out there: I said ‘That’s just batting. That’s how you do it.’ He was really confident and played exceptionally well.”

Aston Villa could delve back into the transfer market this summer, as Unai Emery weighs up his options before the closing of the window next week.

The Villans have recruited well already in the build up to the 2023/24 campaign, with the captures of Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pau Torres and record-breaking Moussa Diaby, who has proven to be a strong acquisition with the £51.9m man scoring on his Premier League debut.

With only two league games played, there’s a long way to go for Villa, sparking rumours that the club could be eyeing further reinforcements to bolster the squad in preparation for what’s to come.

Who could Aston Villa sign this summer?

The position currently taking the headlines for Villa is at left-back, where speculation has surfaced regarding two figures that could be of interest to Emery and Monchi.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

As reported by journalist Rudy Galetti, Villa’s hopes to capture Marcos Acuna from Sevilla have taken a turn, with talks said to have “stalled” as the Spanish club weigh up whether to allow the 31-year-old to depart.

An alternative has arisen for Villa to target, with Fabrizio Romano stating that the Midlands side are “exploring conditions” for Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares, in the hope of signing the 23-year-old dynamo, who is likely to leave north London this summer.

CIES Football Observatory currently value him at €30m (£26m).

How good is Nuno Tavares?

Despite not making an impact at the Emirates since his arrival in 2021, the Portuguese gem shone away from the capital, where he found sanctuary at Marseille during a season-long loan last campaign.

The left-back became an integral part of the squad in France, registering 31 appearances in Ligue 1 where he showcased his ability in the final third by scoring six goals, via Transfermarkt.

Now, it looks certain that his future will be away from north London, which could be promising news for Villa who could sign a sure upgrade in the position by acquiring the former Benfica sensation.

Having been lauded as “outstanding” as well as possessing “fantastic physical capabilities” by former Marseille manager Igor Tudor, Emery could integrate the Gunners’ talents into his squad perfectly – and it could be bad news for Alex Moreno.

The Spaniard arrived at Villa Park in January from Real Betis, however, has missed the opening fixtures of the season as he nurses an injury.

The 30-year-old is an accomplished full-back but should Tavares make his way to Villa Park, the former LaLiga ace could have his position compromised by the Portuguese based on his playing style alone.

In signing the Arsenal outsider, Emery could equip his side with a wizard of progressive full-backs, with him excelling the Villa man in areas fundamental to those in the position in the Premier League.

As per FBref, Moreno averaged 2.51 progressive passes and 1.56 successful take-ons per 90 during his debut Premier League campaign, numbers that were comfortably succeeded by Tavares in Ligue 1 who averaged 4.41 progressive passes and 2.07 successful take-ons per 90 to assert his attacking prowess.

While being an attacking support system is not theoretically the most important duty of a left-back, the 23-year-old bettered the Spaniard defensively also, communicated by his average of 2.15 tackles per 90 to Moreno’s 1.56 for Villa.

Should Emery make a swoop for the £29k-per-week Arsenal man, the Villans’ winter arrival could already find himself being sidelined, with Tavares asserting himself as one of the liveliest wing-backs in Europe last term.

Leeds United, having enjoyed a quieter period in the transfer window, now seem set to spring back into life as Daniel Farke seeks to push hard to bolster his squad…

Who could Leeds United sign this summer?

With Joel Piroe their latest big-name addition, the Dutchman rewarded his new club's faith in the market by firing home on his debut to hand them their first win of the Championship season.

It marks the start of what promises to be a very profitable career at Elland Road, with the ultimate goal of a Premier League return now firmly in their sights.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

That aim could be handed another huge boost, with Fabrizio Romano suggesting another star they seem set to sign.

He wrote on Twitter:

"Leeds United have submitted official bid for Glen Kamara. Negotiations now at the final stages with Rangers. #LUFC Deal expected to be completed next week, player has already accepted."

Alternative reports have suggested that the Finland international will cost just £5.5m to pry from the Scottish giants, having agreed personal terms earlier in the week.

How good is Glen Kamara?

This acquisition would mark yet another quality addition to Farke's squad, which seems to finally be improving back to the requisite level to challenge at the right end of the table.

This is especially important given the mass exodus endured already this summer, with three permanent exits giving way to a further seven loan departures, many of which were formerly important first-team members.

Kamara would offer a huge upgrade on many of those though, with his performances in the Scottish Premiership over the years having drawn widespread praise.

Steven Gerrard had predicted such a fine career even after first signing the 27-year-old, claiming back in 2019:

"He looked like a Rangers player and he took that performance into the Kilmarnock game and went up a level again. He’s a terrific footballer in possession, always playing with his head up and looking to connect defence and attack.

"But what pleased me most is what I spoke about when we signed him in terms of how he’ll be out of possession. Will he hunt the ball back, be aggressive, work hard for the team and be a monster in the middle of the park? He showed signs of that against Kilmarnock and potentially he can become a top midfielder."

His performances during the 2021/22 season help to supplement this praise, as a relentless midfield warrior but with a surprising offensive impetus that likens him to Casemiro.

After all, he posted six goal contributions that campaign whilst maintaining a 91% pass accuracy, with his one tackle per game still admirable and helping towards his 7.01 average rating, via Sofascore. He remained a key cog in their success, happy to screen a back four but unafraid to push on and add to their attacks.

Elsewhere, the Brazilian joined Manchester United from Real Madrid last summer in a move that baffled many.

It was expected that the 31-year-old would simply offer some solidity at the base of their engine room, but he instead came to create too, with his debut season allowing him to post a 7.21 average rating. This was a figure massively bolstered by his four goals and three assists, alongside his one key pass and mammoth 3.2 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He is often everywhere, with pundit Robbie Savage noting back in May:

"When you’re listening to legends like Scholesy [Paul Scholes] and Owen [Hargreaves] speak about him, as a midfield player, I didn’t realise he has that much to his game: the passes round the corner, the goals."

He continued: "So I think he’s been terrific and has offered a lot more than what people thought. You listen to ex-managers and ex-players saying they weren’t sure but I think he’s proved, even Casemiro the captain of Brazil, has proven people wrong in the Premier League.”

In Auguat 2021, even Rangers Review editor Joshua Barrie went to lengths to highlight just how important Kamara was for Gerrard at Ibrox, making subtle references to players like the Red Devils star, among many other Premier League greats.

Both of these defensive midfielders boast an offensive impetus that has proven imperative for their respective teams, with Kamara likely hopeful that he can enjoy a similarly stunning debut season at Elland Road by continuing to emulate the play style of the legendary stopper.

Scott Cameron, the 21-year old allrounder, who was part of the squad in the recent tri-series in the UAE has been left out

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2018Hampshire seamers Brad Wheal and Chris Sole have been included in Scotland’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in March. Scott Cameron, the 21-year old allrounder who was part of the squad in the recent tri-series in the UAE, was left out.Scotland squad for World Cup qualifiers

Kyle Coetzer (capt), Richie Berrington (vice-capt), Matthew Cross, Alasdair Evans, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Calum MacLeod, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Tom Sole, Craig Wallace, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal, Stuart Whittingham

Allrounder Con de Lange, meanwhile, was unavailable for selection due to a health issue.Wheal and Sole beef up a pace attack, which also includes Safyaan Sharif, Stuart Whittingham and Alasdair Evans.Batsman Michael Jones and allrounder Tom Sole, who had made their ODI debuts in the UAE, retained their places in the squad, which will be led by Kyle Coetzer, Scotland’s top scorer in ODI cricket.The squad will depart for a pre-tournament camp in Pretoria on 15 February before the official warm-ups begin against Papua New Guinea and Ireland.Scotland are the defending champions, having won the qualifiers in Lincoln in 2014. Coetzer believed that this squad had enough depth to repeat the feat and qualify for the 2019 World Cup.”We hope to be in a position by the end of the tournament to not only qualify for the World Cup but also defend our title from the previous qualifying campaign,” Coetzer said. “We have the depth within our squad to make this a reality and we will be raring to go when the opening game comes around.”Scotland’s coach Grant Bradburn was pleased with the side’s preparation and was also upbeat about their chances in Zimbabwe.”The squad have had an excellent preparation phase over the winter months in Dubai including quality game and planning time leading into Zimbabwe,” he said. “The team are now very familiar with the style of cricket that suits our individuals, which is also a style we believe will win the World Cup qualifiers.”We have selected a nicely balanced side while the players themselves are determined to have no fear of bringing their dynamic skill sets coupled with a bloody-minded determination that reflects the prize at stake.”