30 overs a sideA counterattacking 59-ball 81 from Manish Pandey helped India A to an unassailable three-nil lead over South Africa A, as they ran down a target of 208 with four wickets and 13 balls remaining. The match in Thiruvananthapuram was reduced to 30 overs, and the hosts were tottering at 26 for 3, having lost Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ricky Bhui and allrounder Krunal Pandya within seven overs when Pandey joined Ishan Kishan in the middle. The duo not only brought respectability to the chase but also kept abreast of the required run rate, adding 70 in just 49 balls before the wicketkeeper fell to the left-arm spin of George Linde for 40.Next man in Nitish Rana departed for a run-a-ball 13, leaving Pandey, who had gone past fifty by then, in the company of left-hander, Shivam Dube. Dube didn’t disappoint as he got going immediately, clearing the ropes off just his eighth delivery. Though Pandey fell to the left-arm spin of Bjorn Fortuin – for the only fifty of the match – with 34 still required, by this time the equation was just over a manageable run-a-ball. But Dube knocked off the target with plenty to spare, finishing unbeaten on 45 off 28.The visitors had relied on a series of small contributions from their top and middle order to set a challenging target. There were no fifties as Heinrich Klaasen top scored with a 21-ball 44 that included four hits over the fence and two fours. Opener Janneman Malan and No. 3 Matthew Breetzke were guilty of squandering starts but at least each of their thirties came at faster than a run-a-ball. For India A, pacer Deepak Chahar and Krunal, with his left-arm spin, picked up two wickets apiece, but Krunal was by far the most effective bowler in the match, having gone at under five an over.The fourth unofficial ODI will be played in two days time at the same venue.

His new contract will extend up to the 2021 T20 World Cup in India

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-20192:09

‘Ravi Shastri was the unanimous choice’ – Kapil Dev

Ravi Shastri will remain head coach of the senior India men’s team, with his new contract extending up to the 2021 T20 World Cup in India.The BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) spent much of Friday interviewing five candidates for head coach, with a sixth – Phil Simmons – pulling out of the race earlier in the day. The CAC rated the candidates on five separate categories – coaching philosophy, experience, achievements, communication, and “knowledge of modern coaching tools” – and Shastri emerged the winner.The three members of the CAC – former India captain Kapil Dev, former India coach Anshuman Gaekwad and former India women captain Shanta Rangaswamy – agreed “unanimously” to retain Shastri’s services, Kapil announced, with Mike Hesson, the former New Zealand and Kings XI Punjab coach, and Tom Moody, the former Sri Lanka and Sunrisers Hyderabad coach, coming a close second and third respectively.Ravi Shastri’s coaching CV•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Apart from Shastri, Hesson and Moody, the CAC also interviewed Robin Singh, who has coached at four-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians and was formerly India’s fielding coach, and Lalchand Rajput, India’s manager during their victorious World T20 campaign in 2007 and more recently coach of Afghanistan and Zimbabwe. Hesson, Robin and Rajput made their presentations to the CAC in person, while Moody and Shastri – who is with the India team in the West Indies – appeared via teleconference.The interviews for the remainder of India’s backroom staff will commence next week, tentatively from August 19-22. India’s senior selection panel, led by MSK Prasad, was supposed to pick the head coach’s support staff, as per the BCCI’s new constitution, but ESPNcricinfo understands that the CAC wanted to have a say, and expressed its interest and wrote to the BCCI requesting to be involved in the process.The contracts of Shastri and his earlier support staff were meant to expire at the end of the 2019 World Cup, but they were given a 45-day extension keeping in mind the ongoing West Indies tour. Ahead of the team’s departure for the Caribbean, India captain Virat Kohli made a public announcement that he would prefer if Shastri were to continue as head coach.When Shastri was appointed in July 2017, the CAC at the time – comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman – had consulted Kohli during the selection process. This time, the CAC did not seek Kohli’s opinion on the matter.”Absolutely not,” Kapil said, when asked if the CAC had been in touch with Kohli before it made its pick. “If we had asked him, we would have had to ask the whole team their opinion too.”The previous CAC had also tried to sort out the differences between Kohli and Anil Kumble, who had stepped down as head coach in fractious circumstances before Shastri’s 2017 appointment. It subsequently emerged that Kohli had refused to budge in that instance, which eventually resulted in Kumble opting to walk away.Shastri first joined India’s backroom staff as team director during the 2014 tour of England, and remained director in the absence of a head coach, when Duncan Fletcher’s tenure ended after the 2015 World Cup. Shastri was out of the set-up when Kumble became head coach in June 2016, but returned as head coach after Kumble’s resignation.Since then, Shastri has overseen Test match wins in South Africa and England, and a maiden Test series win in Australia, in 2017-18. Under Shastri, India most recently reached the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup in the UK, topping the round-robin phase of the tournament before exiting with a loss to New Zealand.

اتخذ نادي مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي قرارًا صادمًا بشأن لاعب الفريق، هاري ماجواير، حسبما ذكرت تقارير صحفية اليوم.

ودخل اللاعب صاحب الـ31 عامًا الأشهر التسعة الأخيرة من عقده الحالي مع مانشستر يونايتد.

ويمتلك مانشستر يونايتد خيارًا في عقد ماجواير، يتيح للنادي تمديد صفقته لمدة عام آخر.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ديلي ستار” الإنجليزية، فإن مانشستر يونايتد مستعد للموافقة على رحيل ماجواير في موسم الانتقالات الشتوي المقبل.

وأوضحت أن الأمر لا يقتصر عند هذا الحد، بل أن مانشستر يونايتد منفتح على فكرة رحيل اللاعب الإنجليزي مقابل سعر مخفض.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مانشستر يونايتد يتلقى خبرًا مطمئنًا من مدرب المغرب بشأن مزراوي

وأفادت أن مسؤولي الشياطين الحمر ينوون الاستماع إلى العروض التي تبدأ من 10 ملايين جنيه إسترليني، من أجل ماجواير.

ويمثل ذلك خسارة كبرى لـ مانشستر يونايتد الذي دفع 85 مليون جنيه إسترليني لضم ماجواير في 2019.

وسبق أن جذب ماجواير اهتمامًا قويًا من جانب وست هام في صيف 2023، ولكن تلك الخطوة لم تتم، مع العلم أنها كانت ستنعش خزائن مانشستر يونايتد بـ30 مليون جنيه إسترليني على الأقل.

Sunderland are believed to be "very close" to signing another player on deadline day after Romaine Mundle, according to journalist Samuel Venancio.

Sunderland signing Mundle and Styles

The Black Cats look set to have an extremely busy deadline day, with some important late business happening before the window slams shut. Young Standard Liege midfield Mundle has now arrived at the Stadium of Light, with a medical taking place on Wednesday and an announcement on Thursday, and the Englishman is seen as someone who can provide extra quality in the middle of the park.

Meanwhile, Barnsley ace Callum Styles is another who is set to make the move to Sunderland on loan with an option to buy, with the Hungary international a player who is capable of thriving as both a midfielder and a left-back, giving Michael Beale extra depth in his squad, as they look to mount a genuine Championship promotion challenge.

It looks as though a third player could be coming in, too, which will no doubt delight Black Cats supporters.

Sunderland "close" to signing Jose Cifuentes

Speaking on his YouTube channel [via Sunderland A.F.C. News], Venancio claimed that Sunderland are "very close" to sealing the signing of Rangers ace Jose Cifuentes, as they look to complete some important late transfer business.

"There are some details to be given today. I came back from talking to someone and they told me it is very close to the deal being completed for Jose Cifuentes. He ruled out a move for Turkey and there was also an enquiry from English football from the Championship.

"There the club that would be interested is Sunderland, which is where the manager who was the manager who took José Cifuentes to Britain at Rangers. Let me just confirm the name here, it’s Michael Beale. That must be it, after all he is English and was the Rangers coach and he took José Cifuentes at the time for Rangers only that there was a change in technical command in October at the Scottish club."

Cifuentes could be such an eye-catching signing by Sunderland on deadline day, even though he has struggled for regular playing time at Rangers this season, starting only six Scottish Premiership matches in 2023/24 to date.

The 24-year-old is a midfielder with undoubted pedigree, having won 19 caps for Ecuador, appearing twice at the 2022 World Cup in the process, and John Thorrington, who was Los Angeles FC's general manager during his time at the MLS side, has said of him:

"What I'll speak to about Cifu is I think if he's not the most talented midfielder in the league, he's up there. I think he has absolutely everything he needs to succeed. I'm not surprised to receive and hear of interest from high-level clubs in Europe,' Thorrington added. We, as I say, evaluate these opportunities on a case-by-case basis and we will cross that bridge when the appropriate opportunity comes."

The Diallo alternative Sunderland could sign after Mundle

Sunderland could well be busy with multiple incomings even with Amad Diallo reportedly not rejoining.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 31, 2024

This perfectly highlights why Cifuentes could be an influential addition for Sunderland, providing a combination of energy and quality in midfield areas.

Newcastle United are believed to be plotting a move for a "phenomenal" player this summer, but other Premier League clubs are also interested.

Newcastle transfer news

There is no doubt that this has been a disappointing season at St James' Park overall, with their league form not hitting the heights of last term and an early Champions League exit also coming their way. Injuries have played a big part in their struggles, however, so there is only so much Eddie Howe has been able to do.

Summer signings will be needed in order to ensure Newcastle keep heading in a positive direction, and they are reportedly in pole position to sign Everton midfielder Amadou Onana. A £60m fee could be needed to get their man, though, with the Blues demanding big money for his services.

The Magpies are also thought to be battling Inter for the signing of exciting Turkish youngster Can Uzun, who is currently plying his trade at FC Nurnberg.

It looks as though Howe is also targeting another huge talent who could have a massive future in the game following a fresh claim that has emerged.

Newcastle want Archie Gray

According to HITC, Newcastle are keen on signing Leeds United youngster Archie Gray in the summer transfer window, but are far from alone in wanting to snap him up.

"Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United remain interested in signing Archie Gray from Leeds United, HITC understands. Sources have told HITC that Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester City all wanted to sign Archie Gray from Leeds United in the January transfer window.

"HITC understands that Liverpool, Newcastle and City have not given up on signing the teenager. The Premier League clubs are continuing to keep close tabs on Gray, who is a midfielder by trade but has been playing at right-back under head coach Daniel Farke this season."

Gray is someone who Newcastle should be looking to sign as soon as possible, with the 17-year-old a special young talent who could grow into a genuine star over time.

Despite his age, the midfielder has started 26 Championship games this season (prior to this weekend), helping Leeds get into the play-off places, while Jermaine Beckford has lauded him recently, saying:

"I thought he was incredible [against Cardiff]. Watching him play, you forget about his age, you forget he's only 17 years old. When he first started training with the first team, he was still doing his GCSEs.

"He played with such maturity, he was so confident on the ball. He didn't rush, he didn't panic at all. Everything about his game today was absolutely spot on, and if today is anything to go by, this kid has such a bright future ahead of him. He's in the right place to learn, he's got a little bit of everything in him. Phenomenal player, he did really well today."

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ByHenry Jackson Feb 9, 2024

Gray could arrive at Newcastle as a squad player to begin with, allowing him to adjust to life in the Premier League, but his meteoric rise suggests that it might not take long for him to be a starter.

Whether the Magpies can see numerous other clubs remain to be seen, but he should be considered a priority long-term target, such is his ceiling as a player.

Jobe Bellingham is reportedly attracting interest from Premier League clubs but Sunderland are holding firm on their £20 million ($25m) valuation.

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Bellingham monitored by Palace and othersSunderland don't want to sellHave set a price tag of £20m for the playerWHAT HAPPENED?

The England Under-19 midfielder, who joined Sunderland from Birmingham last year, has become a pivotal player for the Black Cats, making 45 appearances and scoring seven goals. Despite significant interest from top-flight teams, Sunderland are determined to keep their young talent unless their £20m asking price is met.

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According to Crystal Palace and several other clubs have seen offers turned down by Sunderland. Club owner, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, has made it clear that Bellingham, brother of Real Madrid and England star Jude, is not for sale – unless their demands are met. Louis-Dreyfus views Bellingham as a cornerstone of Sunderland’s future, especially as they aim to improve on their 16th-place finish and push for promotion next season. Borussia Dortmund, where Jude once played, have also shown interest.

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With four years left on Bellingham's contract, Sunderland are in no hurry to sell. Additionally, Birmingham City, his former club, have a 15 percent sell-on clause, further complicating any potential deal. The financial windfall will be substantial in case of a sale, but Louis-Dreyfus is firm in his belief that keeping Bellingham is crucial for the club’s aspirations.

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Sunderland’s new manager, Regis Le Bris, will be key in deciding Bellingham's fate. His entourage has always prioritised game time and development over immediate financial gain and if Le Bris can assure Bellingham of his importance to the team and his development, the young midfielder might opt to continue his growth at the Stadium of Light rather than pursue a premature move to the Premier League.

Everton have received an offer from a big Premier League club for a "unique" Goodison Park hero, according to a fresh transfer update.

Everton transfer & point deduction news

The Blues have been given a huge boost with the news that their 10-point deduction in the league has been reduced to six, immediately increasing their chances of avoiding relegation to the Championship.

It is a welcome shot in the arm, during a campaign in which the club have had to deal with so many different issues, including the ongoing saga surrounding 777 Partners and a takeover at Goodison Park.

Everton have continued to be linked with new signings, however, with Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar seen as an option to come in during the summer transfer window, having been hailed as a "superhero" in the past. Jack Harrison also reportedly wants to make his loan move at Goodison a permanent one at the end of the season, rather than return to Leeds United.

Sunderland centre-back Daniel Ballard has also emerged as a target for the Blues, being seen as a possible replacement for Jarrad Branthwaite, should their influential defender move on to pastures news this summer.

The Englishman isn't the only player who could potentially depart Everton once the current campaign is done and dusted, however, and a big update has dropped regarding one of his teammates.

Everton receive Arsenal offer for Amadou Onana

According to Spanish publication Sport [via Arsenal Station], Arsenal have already made a proposal for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana this summer, with the Blues willing to cash in, although they don't say how much the Gunners have bid.

The Merseysiders are believed to be demanding a fee of approximately £51m for his services, so those at the Emirates have been made aware that they won't be signing him on the cheap.

At this point, it is beginning to feel as though Everton would be better to cash in on Onana in the summer, especially if his head is turned by a move away. The money they could receive for him may help Sean Dyche rebuild his squad in various areas of the pitch.

That being said, the Belgian is arguably one of the best players at the club currently, with his former international Roberto Martinez lauding his abilities during their time together, calling him "unique" and also saying of him:

"Someone with such physical presence and dynamism is needed, just think of [Marouane] Fellaini in 2018. He is also a leader on the pitch who has made strides in his career. From Germany, to France and now the Premier League… He deserves this."

Everton more than likely have no chance of keeping Onana if they are relegated this season, but even if they stay up, it is easy to envisage the midfielder wanting a new challenge, with Arsenal possibly representing one of the most exciting options in the country at the moment.

Everton boosted as "phenomenal” player wants to sign this summer

It’s more good news after the club’s points deduction was reduced from ten to six.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 26, 2024

As long as the Blues don't allow him to leave on the cheap, getting as much money as possible for him instead, it could make sense for all parties to bring an end to his time at Goodison.

MatériaMais Notícias

A realização de partidas e eventos, assim que for permitida a presença de público em estádios no Rio de Janeiro, pode ter novidades. Na semana passada, a Câmara dos Vereadores aprovou o projeto de lei de autoria do vereador Tarcísio Motta (PSOL-RJ), que estabelece que gratuidades e ingressos com benefícios de meia-entrada nos estádios deverão ter condições de retirada e venda equivalentes aos demais bilhetes. O projeto agora espera sanção do prefeito Eduardo Paes (DEM-RJ).

O Projeto de Lei 1656/2019, elaborado em 12 de dezembro de 2019, tem como objetivo pôr fim às restrições que aconteciam para a comercialização destes bilhetes nos eventos. Antes dos jogos passarem a ser realizados com portões fechados em virtude da escalada da pandemia de Covid-19 no Rio de Janeiro, a permissão para gratuidades e as vendas de ingressos com meias-entradas aconteciam em dias e horários específicos.

Ao LANCE!, o vereador Tarcísio Motta destacou que o intuito é assegurar um direito que é garantido a cada cidadão.

– O nosso projeto não exclui que o torcedor apresente a obrigação de comprovar seu benefício de meia-entrada nem justificar sua gratuidade. Mas os dias e horários mais restritos traziam consequências nos jogos. Estas restrições acabavam excluindo da bilheteria muitos torcedores com direito adquirido, mas que não tinham condições de deslocamento para retirar os bilhetes no dia estabelecido – disse.

Aos seus olhos, caso seja aprovado, o Projeto de Lei ajuda a tornar os estádios mais democráticos.

– Uma das ideias do projeto é esta. Assim que for permitida a volta do público, passada a pandemia, queremos tornar a ida ao estádio mais acessível. Este é um dos caminhos para tornar o estádio mais plural, mais diverso – declarou.

Após a aprovação do projeto na Câmara dos Vereadores, o prefeito Eduardo Paes (DEM-RJ) tem até 90 dias para definir se ele será sancionado como lei.

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The Aston Villa faithful must be in dreamland this season, with Unai Emery working his magic to continuously exceed expectations.

Villa's latest result was a huge 2-1 away win against Fulham, which was vital after their 2-1 loss at Villa Park against Manchester United last weekend.

However, the intense schedule is finally catching up with the squad, with the defence looking particularly thin after the injuries to Ezri Konsa and Diego Carlos.

That said, they could also do with another midfielder to fill the void left by Boubacar Kamara, and one former star would have been perfect for Emery's side.

When Kamara could play for Villa again

Although the defeat to the Red Devils could be looked upon as a missed opportunity later on in the season, it will be the loss of Kamara that the Villa fans will be concerned about.

The French midfielder was substituted in the second half after clashing knees with a United player, and at the time, it looked like a short-term impact injury.

However, it was reported earlier this week that Kamara had actually ruptured his ACL, which will keep him out for the rest of the season. It's been stated that we won't see him back in action until September or October.

The 24-year-old is a vital cog in Emery's system, providing defensive security to the team and a perfect balance to the midfield alongside Douglas Luiz. Kamara is the only midfielder in the squad whose main focus is on the defensive side of the game, as highlighted by the fact that he averages the most tackles and interceptions in the squad, and his absence could just be season-defining.

Replacing him will be hard but they could have had the perfect stand-in had things gone differently a few years ago.

Aston Villa sold the perfect replacement

Stamford Bridge is now the home of Carney Chukwuemeka after he swapped his boyhood club for Chelsea in 2022. The midfielder, who has been described as a "superstar" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, left for £20m during Steven Gerrard's reign and could well have now been the perfect man for Villa's midfield.

At just 20 years old, he has plenty of quality that he has yet to show to the Premier League since moving to the Blues. During this spell, Chukwuemeka has played 22 games for Chelsea, but Mauricio Pochettino showed his trust in the youngster by starting him in the first two games of the season.

However, he has had a horrific time with injuries this season, which has seen him miss 23 matches already this campaign, but he has shown glimpses of his quality, scoring and assisting in five games for the Blues.

His best performance in a Chelsea shirt was against Man United towards the end of last season, which proves he could have provided great cover for Kamara.

Minutes

82

Pass accuracy %

93%

Touches

73

Successful dribbles

2/2

Duels won

5/5

Tackles

2

It's clear that Chukwuemeka is an extremely confident player when on the ball, whether it be when he is passing the ball or using his 6 foot 2 frame to breeze past opponents, as shown by his high touches and pass accuracy, along with his 100% dribble success rate.

The former Villa gem also made two tackles and won 100% of his duels, which shows that he would have been more than capable of performing the defensive duties that the injured 24-year-old usually takes on.

Although Villa did benefit financially from the midfielder's exit, signing a player with a similar profile and potential would cost much more than the £20m fee they let him go for, and he would have excelled under Emery if he had never left.

Gareth Southgate will surely make a change in the midfield as his so-called experiment with the Liverpool man fizzles out at Euro 2024

It's back to the old drawing board for Gareth Southgate after his Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment malfunctioned for a second time in England's lacklustre 1-1- draw with Denmark on Thursday night. The question of who should play alongside Declan Rice in midfield is now one of many the Three Lions' boss must answer, and he has a matter of days to find a solution.

Liverpool's Alexander-Arnold was among a host of England players to fall well below their usual standard in Frankfurt, misplacing passes and failing to create anything of note as a deep-lying playmaker. That he was hooked after just 55 minutes was telling, and perhaps a reflection that Southgate is prepared to shelf his so-called experiment for the time being.

So disappointed was the England manager with the performance that he bizarrely saw fit to yearn for the days of overlooked pair Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson. "We have been trying to find a solution in midfield for seven or eight years," he said in his post-match press conference. "If we hadn't had Declan Rice, I don't know where we'd have been. Unfortunately, Kalvin (Phillips) wasn’t a possible for us for this tournament and Hendo (Jordan Henderson) the same, so we're trying to find something different."

Southgate must now come up with a solution in midfield, but what are the options available to him?

• Getty
  

  The safe option

  Southgate is well known – and often lamented – for his pragmatism, and if his substitutions at the tournament thus far are anything to go by then it is the most sensible choice who will be first in line to replace Alexander-Arnold in the starting line-up.

  Chelsea's Conor Gallagher has twice come off the bench to replace his Liverpool counterpart, with the manager giving him as many as 35 minutes against Denmark having seen enough of his own experiment in Frankfurt.

  It is not the most exciting selection, given Gallagher's main attributes are his tenacity and work rate, but the 24-year-old does have a knack for getting into decent attacking positions and creating opportunities for his team-mates at club level. Whether he can translate that to the international stage remains to be seen.

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• Getty
  

  Proven on the biggest stage

  If Southgate wants to lay the foundations for future success and take a minor risk, then Mainoo should be his man. Technically adept and capable of operating as a number eight or in defensive midfield, the breakout Man Utd star is an England starter in waiting.

  He may lack experience at senior international level, but he has shown during the club season that he is made for the biggest stage – most emphatically evidenced by his dynamic performance and wonderfully-taken goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

  The Slovenia clash could provide him the perfect platform to find his feet alongside Rice and develop their understanding before pushing on into the knockout stages and beyond. Even after the tournament is over, that is a midfield partnership we could see for years to come.

• Getty
  

  Bellingham deeper, Foden unleashed

  One of the most tantalising options, and surely one that Southgate won't pip for, is having both Bellingham and Phil Foden in the same midfield. That would, of course, require the former to play deeper as a No.8, but he showed in his time at Borussia Dortmund that that is something he is more than capable of doing.

  Bellingham may be shining as No.10 at club level, but he rose to prominence as a box-to-box midfielder, and he has already shown he is more than prepared to muck in at both ends of the pitch. He looked exhausted against Denmark after his all-action display in the victory over Serbia, and England could perhaps conserve his energy by demanding less of him in the attacking third, even if he continues to make those dangerous late runs.

  Foden, meanwhile, has looked like a square peg in a round hole on the left wing, with most his best moments in an exceptional club season (27 goals, 12 assists) coming as a roaming attacking midfielder who occupies the right half-space. If Southgate backs Bellingham to do the job defensively and gives Foden the same freedom as Pep Guardiola does, the results could be devastating.

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  A deserved chance

  One man who seems to have drifted inexplicably to the back of Southgate's thinking is Cole Palmer; a creative force in a remarkable debut season with Chelsea in 2023-24, he has been left on the bench for England's opening two games even when they have been sorely lacking ideas.

  It would be another out-of-character attacking shift for the Three Lions boss, but if he does choose to deploy Bellingham in a deeper role and keeps Foden wide then Palmer could become an option for the attacking midfield role.

  The 22-year-old has shown in a young, struggling team at Chelsea that he can create chances almost at will, and the slower pace of tournament football may well suit his languid style as he takes his time and finds those spaces for his team-mates. Harry Kane could be a main beneficiary.