Following a hectic January transfer window, in which Jhon Duran left for Al-Nassr in a big-money move, Aston Villa are now reportedly in the race to sign a key replacement for the forward this summer.

Aston Villa transfer news

Whilst Duran’s exit certainly opened the floodgates for further arrivals to come flying in at Villa Park, the Midlands club ultimately ended the window without signing a replacement. Instead, they seemed to focus on the surrounding areas – strengthening on the flank through Donyell Malen and Marcus Rashford, before replacing Diego Carlos with Chelsea’s Axel Disasi.

Speaking to the club website after putting pen to paper, late arrival Disasi said: “My happiness to play, my desire to play and to win. I’m still young, but I have experience, so I want to bring this.

“I’m just a guy that loves to give everything for the team, and it’s this that I want to bring. I hope we will succeed. I would say I like to be aggressive, I like to be dominant. I like to play with the ball also from the back, and I can score some goals. I am very happy to be here.”

Revealed: Why Aston Villa missed out on £365k-p/w trio before Disasi loan

It was a busy and hectic winter window at Villa Park as they tried for several new signings.

ByBen Browning Feb 4, 2025

After such a busy window, the Villans are still not done there it seems. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Aston Villa could now take advantage of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s contract doubts to land their Duran replacement.

The Crystal Palace striker is reportedly deliberating over a new deal with his current contract coming to an end in the summer 2026. Leaving the door ajar, Villa could come swooping in and sign the added firepower they may need ahead of other interested parties such as Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest.

"Strong" Mateta is ready for step up

As Aston Villa eye Champions League qualification for the second year in a row, they could welcome a striker who is more than ready to step up to that European level following two standout campaigns at Selhurst Park. Even as Ollie Watkins’ deputy too, Duran proved that there’s still space in the spotlight for another striker to shine.

Minutes

1,862

638

Goals

10

7

Assists

1

0

Expected Goals

8.2

4.9

Outperforming his expected goals by two and hitting double figures this season, it’s no surprise that Mateta has found himself at the centre of Paul Merson’s praise.

The former Arsenal midfielder and now Sky Sports pundit said, as relayed by The Metro: “He’s a strong lad up front, playing at the top of his game, he leads the line, scoring goals now. He runs and works his socks off harder than anyone you know.”

With his Crystal Palace future still in question, Mateta looks set to have quite the decision to make in South London when the summer arrives and Aston Villa alongside others come calling for his signature.

Roston Chase said he had studied Nathan Lyon to try and have more impact with his offspin

Tristan Lavalette04-Dec-2022A beleaguered West Indies can muster an improved performance in the second Test against Australia if their misfiring middle-order takes heed of the gutsy approach from captain Kraigg Brathwaite and debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul, according to allrounder Roston Chase.In their first Test match in Australia since January 2016, West Indies suffered a 164-run defeat in the series-opener at Perth’s Optus Stadium.Continuing their 25-year Test drought in Australia, West Indies were mostly outplayed but in a silver lining managed to bat around 100 overs in each innings to reach their pre-match target. \But both innings fell away after strong platforms laid by openers Brathwaite and Chanderpaul, who produced partnerships of 78 and 116 to thwart the new ball.Four of the five highest individual scores for West Indies in the match were made by Brathwaite and Chanderpaul, whose mix of doggedness and counterattack defied Australia’s star-studded attack for long periods.Related

Wounded West Indies 'want to go one step further' after showing fight in Perth

Perth basks in nostalgia as Chanderpaul emulates father's feats

Labuschagne and Brathwaite cash in on their well-deserved luck

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“The opening partnership was a great sight to see,” Chase said. “Think the other batters will take a leaf out of the openers…then we will be a force to be reckoned with. The middle-order showed glimpses of what they could do but we didn’t cash in on that good start and that let us down for the rest of the game.”The debut performance of Chanderpaul, who made 45 and 51, was particularly pleasing for West Indies as he showcased similar technical and mental characteristics to Shivnarine, his father and legendary batter.”Australia is a tough place to play cricket and to start the way he did shows a lot of character,” Chase said. “His dad had the same characteristics of sticking in and fighting.”That’s where he got it from. If he can emulate what his dad did obviously he would be a legend in the game. Hopefully he can continue in this vein and take confidence from this first game.”West Indies, however, rued a particularly ragged and sloppy bowling performance as they claimed just six wickets in 189.4 overs.”The guys tried hard…thought we were unlucky. I think Marnus has a genie in his pocket,” Chase joked, noting Labuschagne’s good fortune during his 308 runs scored during the match. “It was a good toss to win because it was a good batting wicket.”Roston Chase’s final-day half-century kept Australia waiting•Getty ImagesChase’s offspinners were ineffective and he particularly struggled with 0 for 140 off 31 overs in Australia’s massive first innings of 598 for 4 declared. He released the pressure after coming into the attack before lunch on the first session of the match.After admitting he struggled with his action, Chase later in the match closely observed counterpart Nathan Lyon, who starred with eight wickets in the Test as he conjured bounce and occasional sharp spin from the green-tinged surface.”Once I saw what he [Lyon] did in [West Indies] first innings, I tried to emulate that and bowl quicker…put a little more revs on the ball,” Chase said. “As the wicket deteriorated he [Lyon] tried to use the rough to put doubt on the batters’ mind.”West Indies face several injury headaches heading into the day-night second Test in Adelaide starting Thursday. Their biggest concern is spearhead Kemar Roach, who was forced off on day four after injuring his left thigh.”Bit of tightness,” Chase said of Roach’s injury. “Hopefully he’ll be there in the second game.”Adding to their woes, top-order batter Nkrumah Bonner was on day three substituted out of the match with concussion after being hit in the back of the helmet from a Cameron Green short delivery.He will travel to Adelaide along with uncapped quick Marquino Mindley, who has been brought into the squad as injury cover.West Indies will be hoping for a sharper effort from fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who went wicketless in his debut Test in Australia but showed encouraging signs later in the match during a fiery spell against Labuschagne after being in distress on the opening day.”He wasn’t feeling well. He had a headache but still was trying to push through,” Chase said. “I admire that about him. It was exciting to see him bowl in the second innings.”

Arsenal are seriously weighing up a transfer alternative to Newcastle United star Alexander Isak who they are convinced will be much cheaper, with the attacker having also enjoyed an excellent 2024/2025 campaign thus far.

Arsenal want Alexander Isak but Newcastle unlikely to sell

The Gunners are reliably reported admirers of Isak, and manager Mikel Arteta in particular is believed to be a real fan.

Arsenal can sign striker with nearly 20 goals this season for £43m in July

The Gunners are still in the market for a centre-forward.

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Reports as far back as May last year claimed Isak is Arteta’s dream signing for Arsenal, and his admiration for the superstar Premier League striker doesn’t appear to have waned in the slightest.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein stated this month that Isak is top of Arteta’s transfer wishlist, but Eddie Howe won’t be in any hurry to green-light the sale of his key player, even if those around Arsenal believe he is perfect for the club’s system.

West Ham (home)

February 22nd

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26th

Man United (away)

March 9th

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

Fulham (home)

April 1st

“I’ve always said that Alexander Isak is perfect for Arsenal. He would be at the top of my list of new forwards if he were to become available,” said Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts in late 2024.

“He’s long been mentioned as a potential target, but I don’t believe there have ever been any talks or anything like that.

“The word coming out of Newcastle has always been that Isak has not been for sale and given the money it would take to change that stance, Arsenal have focused attention elsewhere, like on Benjamin Sesko for example. I would love to see Arsenal at least try and have a conversation about a potential move.

“The issue is, however, that Isak’s current deal does not run out until 2028, so Newcastle are still in a very strong position. It would still take huge money to prize him away from St James’ Park.”

The list of potential alternatives to Isak is interesting, with reports claiming Arsenal are still very much targeting RB Leipzig’s Sesko for the summer window after their hopes of a deal faded in January.

As well as the Slovenia international starlet, it is now believed that Eintracht Frankfurt newbie Hugo Ekitiké is on their list of targets.

Arsenal "majorly considering" Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are “majorly considering” Ekitike as a cheaper alternative to Isak, following the Frenchman’s brilliant 24/25 campaign where he’s managed 17 goals in all competitions thus far.

Ekitike was on the fringes of PSG’s first-team before making an initial loan move to Frankfurt in 2024, with the Bundesliga side then opting to make his transfer permanent last summer.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed a new lease of life in Germany, so much so that his form is now attracting serious interest from both Arsenal and London rivals Chelsea. However, as expected, Ekitike’s club are in no rush to sell him, and will demand a set fee of £60 million to let the forward go before next season.

Interestingly, West Ham were heavily linked with a summer deadline day move for Ekitike in 2023, so this isn’t the first time he’s garnered attention from English clubs.

“There is something very special about him,” said former Reims boss Oscar Garcia. “He’s young, and he has the quality to become a very good player. He’s a young man with a lot of quality but also a lot to improve on, but he works hard in training.”

Rangers have been told that Jose Mourinho would be a “box office” appointment, with Alan Hutton eager to see the ex-Chelsea and Man Utd boss at Ibrox.

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Outspoken Portuguese currently in TurkeyGers looking for a new permanent boss'Special One' opened door to Scottish giantsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Gers are in the market for a new permanent manager as former club captain Barry Ferguson continues to steer them towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign on an interim basis. Several big names have been linked with the Scottish Premiership heavyweights.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There has been talk of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard – who delivered title glory while cutting his coaching teeth in Glasgow – returning to familiar surroundings. Ex-Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose is said to be another leading candidate.

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Hutton, though, would like to see the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ brought to Scotland. Mourinho recently admitted that he may be tempted to take the reins at an Old Firm giant, with Rangers eager to ensure that they fend off arch-rivals Celtic in any battle there.

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GettyWHAT ALAN HUTTON SAID

Hutton – speaking in association with , who offer the latest Champions League odds – said: “Jose Mourinho at Rangers would be absolute box office, I'm sure of it. He was asked the question when Rangers played Fenerbahce and he didn't say no. It seemed like he would quite like and fancy something like that. So it would be interesting.

“I think for a guy of his experience and quality to come in, it's probably something that Rangers need at this moment in time because they're going to go through, I feel, a big rebuild, especially with the takeover that's happening and the changes behind the scenes.

“You need somebody with that experience that can deal with those sorts of pressures and maintain what they need to do against obviously Celtic and the rest of the league. So it would be brilliant to see. I'd love to see his press conferences from week to week, I'm sure it'd be fun.”

The transfer window is rapidly reaching its conclusion and, as most fans will attest, it feels as if Tottenham Hotspur haven’t done enough.

The only player to join the club so far this month has been 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonín Kinský, who completed his £12.5m move from Slavia Prague on January 5th, but since then, there has been a whole lot of rumours and nothing else.

What’s worse is that other teams in the Premier League are strengthening their squad, most notably Manchester City, who have been on quite a spending spree this month, with the £59m purchase of Eintracht Frankfurt goal machine Omar Marmoush the pick of the bunch.

However, there is still time for Daniel Levy and Co to make a splash in the market, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club might just be going after a Premier League star who could be their answer to City’s new Egyptian superstar.

Tottenham target Premier League sensation

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are now one of multiple clubs chasing Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest are all keen on the Brazilian ace, who has yet to sign a new contract at Molineux.

However, as well as getting ahead of some tough competition, Spurs will have to stump up a hefty fee to get their man, with the report claiming that it will take at least £70m to convince the Old Gold to sell.

It will be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given how well Cunha has played this season and Postecoglou’s need for signings, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to the brilliant Marmoush.

How Cunha compares to Marmoush and why Spurs should sign him

So, before we get into some of the other reasons Spurs should be looking to sign Cunha this month, let’s examine this comparison to City’s new signing and where it comes from.

In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that Marmoush is the ninth most similar forward to the Brazilian star.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, goals per shot and shot on target, passing accuracy, expected assists, through balls, crosses, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

Cunha & Marmoush
Statistics per 90	Cunha	Marmoush
Goals per Shot	0.15	0.17
Goals per Shot on Target	0.38	0.38
Passing Accuracy	71.6%	70.2%
Expected Assists	0.19	0.25
Through Balls	0.35	0.30
Crosses	4.48	4.58
Successful Take-On %	44.1%	44.7%
Carries	29.4	27.2
Carries into the Final Third	3.08	3.14
Aerial Duels Won	0.45	0.41
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

However, while sharing a considerable number of statistical similarities with the champions’ marquee signing is certainly encouraging, it’s not the sole reason the North Londoners should be going after the Wolves ace.

One of the other most significant reasons for breaking the bank on the João Pessoa-born this month is his sensational form in front of goal this season.

For example, in just 23 appearances for the relegation-threatened Old Gold, the “unbelievable” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Alex Richards, has found the back of the net on ten occasions and provided four assists, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games.

That is the sort of game-changing firepower that Postecoglou could really use to pull his side out of the slump they are currently in.

Therefore, while it will be an incredibly expensive transfer, Spurs should do all they can to sign Cunha, as he could be a season-defining addition and their answer to Marmoush.

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1

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Jan 28, 2025

Casemiro also starred as United took full advantage of a huge refereeing decision to record a 3-0 win in Bilbao

Athletic Club call their stadium the Cathedral and all of Manchester United's prayers were answered as they earned a dream 3-0 win in the semi-final first leg which means they are already making plans for the final.

Ruben Amorim's side weathered an early onslaught and Victor Lindelof had to clear a shot off the line but United grabbed the lead when Casemiro headed home after some surprising yet outstanding wing-play from Harry Maguire. The visitors went from being in a good place to being in dreamland when Dani Vivian pulled Rasmus Hojlund to the floor and after nothing was given by the referee VAR stepped in, giving United a penalty and the defender a red card.

Bruno Fernandes stuck the penalty away and then scored again before half-time, leaving Athletic completely stunned. United decided against going for the jugular in the second half but take a massive advantage back to Old Trafford, which surely even this chaotic side will not be able to let slip.

GOAL rates Man United's players from San Mames…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (6/10):

  Made a smart save from Alex Berenguer which was the only shot he had to save as Athletic fluffed their lines before going down to 10 men.

  Leny Yoro (7/10):

  Kept a cool head amid the early storm and stay composed throughout the second half too.

  Harry Maguire (8/10):

  He's not just a defender or a centre-forward, he's a tricky winger too. His nifty footwork sliced Athletic's defence open to set up the crucial first goal. Also defended well other than riding his luck when he brought down Maroan Sannadi for a potential red card and Amorim swiftly took him off to keep him out of further trouble but he had already done more than enough.

  Victor Lindelof (7/10):

  Made two superb blocks when United were under the cosh, including stopping Berenguer's shot on the line. His brave defending made up for some other silly decisions which saw him lose possession.

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Noussair Mazraoui (7/10):

  Did well to keep Nico Williams quiet and was effective going forward too, hitting the woodwork with a tremendous strike.

  Manuel Ugarte (6/10):

  Dispossessed early in the game and suffered amid Athletic's flying start but glanced Maguire's cross to Casemiro for the opener and then played with confidence.

  Casemiro (8/10):

  A stunning performance all over the pitch, from bailing out Lindelof early on in his own area to heading in the first goal and then commanding the midfield with all his experience and expertise.

  Patrick Dorgu (6/10):

  Still didn't look completely comfortable and was too committed up the pitch when he needed to defend deeper.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Alejandro Garnacho (7/10):

  Scored an offside goal and was United's most dangerous player in the early stages, limiting how much Athletic could attack. Didn't have a tangible impact on the result but his hard work and tenacity was still important.

  Rasmus Hojlund (7/10):

  Say what you like about him, he was responsible for the moment which turned the tie completely in United's favour, drawing the foul from Vivian which changed everything. Didn't have many opportunities but his off-tbe-ball work was positive.

  Bruno Fernandes (8/10):

  Took his Europa League tally to seven goals with his penalty and sweetly-struck second.

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• Subs & Manager

  Matthijs de Ligt (7/10):

  Made a welcome return after a month out and shepherded United through the second half

  Mason Mount (5/10):

  Should have had a bigger impact given the advantage and picked up a booking.

  Luke Shaw (6/10):

  Got 15 minutes and all he had to do was keep his side in control.

  Amad Diallo (N/A):

  Came on in the 84th minute, an extra piece of good news on a near-perfect night.

  Kobbie Mainoo (N/A):

  A late appearance off the bench.

  Ruben Amorim (7/10):

  His side managed the game perfectly and he made sure they didn't do anything silly once they had the advantage.

حقق فريق بيراميدز فوزًا كبيرًا على سيراميكا كليوباترا، في اللقاء الذي أقيم اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، بخماسية مقابل هدف.

والتقى بيراميدز، مع نظيره سيراميكا كليوباترا، على ملعب استاد السويس ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة والأخيرة من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وخسر بيراميدز، لقب الدوري المصري، بعد فوز الأهلي على فاركو في نفس التوقيت، حيث بات رصيد الأحمر 58 نقطة وبيراميدز 56 نقطة في المركز الثاني.

وسجل عبد الرحمن مجدي، هدف التقدم لفريق بيراميدز في الدقيقة الخامسة عشر من عمر اللقاء، عن طريق ركلة جزاء نفذها بنجاح.

ثم أحرز أحمد بلحاج هدف التعادل في الدقيقة 22 لصالح سيراميكا كليوباترا قبل أن يضيف مروان حمدي الهدف الثاني لبيراميدز في الدقيقة 25.

طالع.. عاجل | الأهلي بطلًا لـ الدوري المصري للمرة 45 في تاريخه

وجاء الهدف الثالث عن طريق عبد الرحمن مجدي في الدقيقة 61 من عمر المباراة، ليعزز الفارق مع سيراميكا ومسجلًا هدفه الثاني في اللقاء.

وأضاف يوسف إبراهيم أوباما الهدف الرابع لصالح السماوي في الدقيقة 83، قبل أن يحرز فيستون مايلي الهدف الخامس في الدقيقة 85.

وبتلك النتيجة تجمد رصيد سيراميكا كليوباترا عند 37 نقطة في المركز السادس من ترتيب المجموعة، ليفشل في خطف بطاقة التأهل إلى الكونفدرالية، بعد فوز المصري البورسعيدي ووصول رصيده إلى 42 نقطة في المركز الرابع.

Jos Buttler backed the decision to call Australia’s clash against England off without a ball being bowled, saying conditions weren’t “fit to play”, and that “every bowler who bowled” would have had concerns over the playing surface.”They [the umpires] had some big concerns and, I think, rightly so,” Buttler said, after a series of inspections had led to an abandonment at 8.49pm local time. “The outfield is very wet, there are some areas within the 30-yard circle which were not fit to play. As much as we all want to play cricket, it has to be safe and it certainly wasn’t that.”The abandonment followed heavy rains which have lashed Melbourne for much of the past two days. Even though the rain had eased by the time this contest was due to start, the outfield remained too wet, with both captains understood to be reluctant to risk their fast bowlers in damp conditions.It wasn’t until almost two hours later that the game was officially called off, after yet another flurry effectively made the decision for everyone involved. It also meant that a day that should have featured a double header instead had not a single ball bowled, with heavy afternoon showers ruling out any possibility of play between Ireland and Afghanistan earlier in the evening. Chris Brown, Joel Wilson and Aleem Dar inspect the outfield after heavy rain•Getty Images

“I think every bowler who bowled there would have had concerns,” Buttler said. “Player safety is really important and it wasn’t fit to play whether it’s our bowlers or Australia’s bowlers. I think that the right call was made.”For context. Melbourne is on track for the city’s wettest October since 1975. It has experienced more than double its long-term monthly average. It is also the first time in recorded history Victorian Premier cricket has experienced five straight washouts to start a season.This latest washout means England have just one win in three games, and, barring further weather interruptions, will likely need two wins out of two to guarantee themselves a semi-final spot. It’s not a position one of the tournament favourites might have been expecting to find themselves in at this stage, but a DLS defeat to Ireland and this washout means their margin for error has shrunk considerably. Even so, the England captain said he had no complaints about the corner the weather had backed his side into.”I don’t really have any frustrations. I am not a weather expert in Australia at this time of the year, but we all want to play full games of cricket. Of course we do. Naturally we play a sport which is in the open air and the elements are a huge part of our game. They affect the surfaces we play on, they affect conditions in an intriguing way, and that’s what makes our sport really unique.”But now, unfortunately, we’ve had two games affected by the weather. You don’t want to be involved in those games, but it’s going to happen wherever you play in the world. Certainly in some places you play, you’re generally going to be affected by some weather at some point and it’s a shame tonight, especially for everybody involved.Related

• England in must-win territory against New Zealand in replay of last year's semi-final

• Finch: 'Incredibly challenging' to remove double-headers at single venue due to logistics

• Buttler laments 'really disappointing day' for England: 'We should let it hurt'

• Aaron Finch acing verbal volleys but needs his bat to do the talking

• Afghanistan and Ireland split points after another MCG washout

“But there wasn’t any pressure from anyone [to play today]. Common sense prevailed. As disappointing as it is, as I’ve just mentioned, for everybody involved the conditions weren’t fit.”While the ICC will be relieved that last week’s thrilling India-Pakistan game evaded the wet conditions at the MCG, this was the other marquee game the tournament will have wished the rains had stayed away from. Even with intermittent rain throughout the day, 37,565 fans showed up for the evening game, with unofficial estimates suggesting crowds of up to 60,000 would have been possible if the weather had been conducive. They were instead left to huddle around the upper terraces searching for shelter for much of the evening in chilly conditions, watching multiple pitch inspections that never amounted to much.Buttler said he sympathised with the fans, insisting England would rather have played the game, whatever the outcome, rather than take a draw without a ball being bowled.”All the fans who came to watch this game live, and everyone wanting to watch on TV, it’s disappointing for them. For players especially: Australia against England at the MCG is a must-win World Cup match, as as big as it gets in your career. They’re the games you want to be involved in, no matter what the result is going to be. It’s something you want to experience as you don’t know how often those kinds of opportunities come around. There is a element of sadness that you don’t get to win, lose or draw.”But he was adamant that, as long as England controlled their own destiny, they wouldn’t concern themselves with other results.”Until something’s completely out of our control, we won’t worry about that,” he said. “We know we’ve got two games left to play. And we want to win those two games, and give ourselves the best chance to get through to the next round.”

With the summer transfer window approaching, Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony believes that Norwich City will attempt a move to sign one of his defensive stars.

Norwich transfer news

With just four points standing between themselves and the Championship top six, there’s still every chance that Norwich enjoy an exciting end to the season in the remaining 13 games. It would certainly be an excellent achievement if Johannes Hoff Thorup took his side to the play-offs at the first time of asking in England’s second tier, but a winless run of three games suggests there’s work to be done in pursuit of that goal.

Meanwhile, as that battle continues, those at Carrow Road could already be setting their sights on summer reinforcements who could bridge that gap on the top six and take Thorup’s side up a level or two.

The rumours are already getting underway and have already been fuelled by another EFL chief. Peterborough chairman MacAnthony even believes that Norwich will attempt to sign Emmanuel Fernandez this summer after failing to secure his signature at the end of the January transfer window for £2.5m.

Sharing his surprise at Fernandez’s stay, MacAnthony told The Hard Truth podcast, as relayed by the Peterborough Telegraph: “It blew my mind and the mind of my gaffer when Manny and his brothers turned the deal down.”

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He then went on to say: “Norwich became irritated and I don’t blame them. Manny’s had a lot of grief in his life in the last 18 months, but I believe Norwich will try again in the summer. At 23 he’s a magnificent prospect.

“He has all the attributes needed to have a great career. He wins everything in the air, 80% of his headers in fact which is way above average, and he can play out with the ball. With the right coaching and improvement he can be like Ethan Pinnock and James Tarkowski who made their way up the leagues to the top.”

Norwich should go again for Fernandez

A 6’6 central defender who is still just 23 years old, Norwich should return to secure Fernandez’s signature this summer, even despite their irritation over their January failure.

Compared to both Pinnock and Tarkowski – albeit by a chairman perhaps eyeing profit – Fernandez could unlock the next step for Thorup’s side at Carrow Road, which would see them step into the top six once again.

When the summer transfer window swings open, it will certainly be interesting to see whether MacAnthony is left in shock once again or if Norwich finally get the defender they’ve been chasing since the turn of the year.

Given how he’s been praised, the 23-year-old is undoubtedly one to watch – whether it’s at Peterborough or in the Championship with Norwich, as he looks to replicate Tarkowski and Pinnock’s Premier League success.

Anil Kumble, Faf du Plessis and Andy Flower are in favour of changing the rule

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-20223:30

Should teams be allowed to change XIs after the toss if it rains?

Teams should be allowed to make changes to their XI if rain curtails play after the toss but before a ball has been bowled, according to ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out experts Faf du Plessis, Anil Kumble and Andy Flower.Kumble and Flower, who have extensive coaching experience in T20 leagues, and Du Plessis, the former South Africa captain, said the tweak in the rules would allow teams to field their best XI for a rain-hit contest.The discussion happened while South Africa and Zimbabwe were made to wait after the toss for the start of their Super 12 match because of rain in Hobart. The game was eventually reduced to nine overs a side after Zimbabwe had chosen to bat.”That’s something I’m sure will get discussed in the next committee meeting, especially in this format,” Kumble said, when asked whether changes should be allowed to the playing XIs after the toss in such situations. “In a game like this, where the toss has happened, the teams have been announced, it could eventually be a five-over game, so yes.”Kumble said, however, that both teams knew there was rain around before the toss, so they would have taken that into account.Flower, who coached Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022, said the best combination for a five or six-over match would be different to a 20-over match.”What the fans want to see is the best contest between the best two elevens, and if the best two elevens need to be altered slightly given that the match changes to a five or a six-over game, then the fans would like to see the best elevens take each other on,” Flower said. “I don’t see why sticking with the status quo makes particular sense. I’d like someone to explain that to me if possible at some stage.”Du Plessis, who captains RCB in the IPL, said that the potential rule change will be good for the fans. “From a captaincy perspective, it’s quite a decision-making process when there’s rain around,” he said. “From a captain’s point of view, you try and push the umpires to say let’s wait for the toss, because you do want to pick the right team if it gets affected by the rain.”In terms of the rule change, I think it will be nice, especially for the fans, to see team changes and stuff after the toss.”