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Manchester United spent almost the entirety of the recent window chasing Barcelona midfielder, Frenkie de Jong, with the Dutchman having emerged as a top target following Erik ten Hag’s appointment at Old Trafford at the end of last season.

The former Ajax boss had appeared keen on a reunion with a player who had starred under his watch during their time together in Amsterdam, notably lauding the playmaker as the “conductor” in his side back in 2019.

As it proved, however, despite the Red Devils’ continued pursuit of the 25-year-old – which included striking an agreement with the La Liga outfit for a fee of around €85m (£72m) – no such move came to fruition, with the player having seemingly been reluctant to make the switch to Old Trafford.

Having been left somewhat humiliated by that lengthy failed approach, United ultimately turned to serial-winning Real Madrid star Casemiro to help bolster their midfield ranks, with the Brazilian icon joining in a £70m deal.

The 30-year-old offers a different profile of player to that of De Jong, however, due to his strengths as a defensive-minded colossus in front of the back four, while the Netherlands international is a more creative and dynamic presence who can “make the difference”, in the words of Ten Hag.

The new United boss had suggested over the summer that he would mould a current player at the Theatre of Dreams into a De Jong-esque asset if the club were unable to sign the 5 foot 11 gem, with summer signing Christian Eriksen having somewhat taken on that role in recent weeks.

There is another who could do the job on a more long-term basis, however, with academy prospect Zidane Iqbal a potential solution, with the 19-year-old said to have been studying the Camp Nou star’s game even prior to Ten Hag’s arrival.

The highly-rated teenager – who has been dubbed a “special talent” by Hesham Bilal-Hafiz – was handed his senior bow last term by interim boss Ralf Rangnick, entering the fray alongside friend and fellow debutant Charlie Savage in the Champions League dead-rubber against Young Boys back in December.

While something of a forgotten affair due to the nature of the game, Iqbal’s entrance caught the headlines as it saw him become the first South Asian footballer to have played for the club, with the youngster now something of a “trailblazer”, according to Bilal-Hafiz.

Although that remains his only first-team outing to date, the Iraq international did catch the eye during the Red Devils’ pre-season tour, notably impressing in the victory over rivals Liverpool in Bangkok.

That second-half cameo saw the Manchester-born starlet produce one moment of quality, in particular, as he brilliantly turned away from opposition powerhouse Fabinho in the centre of the park, showcasing impressive confidence despite his tender years.

Reports have even suggested that Ten Hag was left surprised that the two-cap gem had not been utilised more in recent seasons after seeing his talent first-hand in training, with that a possible indication that he could be handed a more prominent role moving forward.

Not only is it always a joy to see an academy gem thrive, but it could also save the Premier League outfit millions if Iqbal can end the need for De Jong’s arrival.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has shared that Newcastle United ‘really like’ Marseille striker Bamba Dieng and are contemplating whether to make a move for him.

The Lowdown: Tested the waters

As per Foot Mercato, the St James’ Park outfit, Everton and Fulham have all ‘tested the waters’ for Dieng, but none of those three Premier League clubs have been able to match Marseille’s asking price of €15m (£12.6m) so far.

Hailed as a ‘big talent’ and the ‘new Sadio Mane’ by 90min journalist and transfer expert Graeme Bailey, the 22-year-old seems to have a very bright future ahead of him.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘really like’ Dieng

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones has stated that Dieng is a player who Newcastle ‘really like’, although both Everton and Fulham are ‘further ahead’ in terms of securing his signature.

The transfer insider said, in relation to the Magpies: “Dieng is one they really like as well.

“I think after looking further into it, they’ve discovered that Fulham and Everton are actually further ahead than they are in terms of scoping out what the deal is and whether they can get him to the Premier League.

“And I think there’ll be other clubs keeping an eye on the situation.”

The Verdict: Great option

Dieng would offer Eddie Howe another great option in Newcastle’s attack, given his ability to play anywhere across the frontline.

Last season, he managed a handy eight goals and three assists in 36 games in total over all competitions (second in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain.

Nonetheless, £12.6m should be an affordable price should the Magpies meet Dieng’s valuation, and given that he is just 22 years of age, it could turn out to be a real bargain in the future.

Reputable journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed Arsenal have made an ‘enquiry’ for West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Unsurprisingly following a sensational rise to prominence in the Premier League having made the move from Hull City, Bowen has appeared on the radar of numerous big hitters in the top flight.

FA Cup winners Liverpool have been credited with a strong interest in the 25-year-old, whilst Chelsea, Manchester United and indeed Arsenal, have also shown admiration for the recently recognised England international.

Despite the elite list of clubs ready to strike for Bowen, the dynamic attacker remains in situ in east London, a situation one well-informed onlooker suggests may not change anytime soon…

The latest: ‘A club like Arsenal’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs – a reporter for CBS Sports – claimed that the Gunners are certainly attentive to the possibility of signing the four-cap star, albeit a forlorn effort at present.

He said: “With Bowen, West Ham’s stance remains that they really don’t want to sell, so there’s a lot of clubs circling over Bowen, but the challenge, much like Declan Rice, is persuading West Ham to sell during this window and West Ham remain pretty intent not to let him go.

“So, there’s lots of excitement about Bowen moving potentially to a club like Arsenal, but it’s all hypothetical at the moment, because West Ham don’t want to sell.

“But Arsenal have definitely made an enquiry around Bowen to see what the situation is, but that’s what they’ve been told.“

The verdict: Time yet

Still with over a month remaining in the summer window, there is no immediate rush to make a deal for the man dubbed ‘special’ by Gabby Agbonlahor happen immediately.

Having missed out on Raphinha to Barcelona, despite links to the likes of Cody Gakpo, the Gunners are yet to bolster their wide positions necessarily as Gabriel Jesus is expected to operate primarily through the middle and Marquinhos remains one for the future.

As such, Edu and Mikel Arteta could well be inclined to make an ambitious attempt to bring Bowen to the Emirates Stadium, a move that would likely be welcomed with open arms by all associated with the north Londoners.

Last season, the £37.8million valued ace – who earns a reported £96,154 per week (Spotrac) – scored 17 times and provided 13 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions in what was a sensational campaign for West Ham, notching up three direct goal contributions in what was a memorable run to the Europa League semi-finals in the process.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Milan Skriniar to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite Simone Inzaghi’s desire to keep the centre-back at Inter Milan next season, the Serie A side would nevertheless be willing to part with the 27-year-old for a figure in the region of €65m (£55m) in the summer transfer window.

The report goes on to state that Paris Saint-Germain and Spurs are two of the most interested parties in the Slovakia international, while Tottenham’s sporting director, Fabio Paratici, is known to have been in Italy this week in order to discuss potential deals for both incoming and outgoing transfers.

“Unreal”

Considering just how impressive Skriniar has been for Inter in recent seasons, in addition to the fact that Antonio Conte already shares a relationship with the defender, the argument that the 27-year-old would represent a fantastic addition to the 52-year-old’s current options at the back is an easy one to make.

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Indeed, over his 32 Serie A appearances under the Italian’s management back in 2020/21, the £58.5m-rated defender was in imperious form for the Nerazzurri, helping his side keep 12 clean sheets and bagging three goals, in addition to making an average of 0.9 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 2.7 clearances and winning 3.5 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

These returns saw the centre-back who journalist David Amoyal dubbed a “beast” and Andy Castell labelled “unreal” average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Inter’s seventh-best player in the club’s title-winning campaign that season.

As such, while it is true that Paratici has already secured the arrival of Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan this summer, it would nevertheless appear an extremely wise move for the Spurs sporting director to also make a £55m move for Skriniar ahead of 2022/23 – as the 54-cap international undoubtedly possesses the ability to become the rock upon which Conte builds his Tottenham defence for many a year to come.

AND in other news: Conte could land “unreal” £42.5m signing as Spurs plot fresh bid for “one of the best”

Everton are among the clubs interested in signing Clermont Foot striker Mohamed Bayo, according to a report from French outlet Foot Mercato. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

A product of the youth system at Clermont, Bayo has flourished in France and has amassed 48 direct goal involvements in 79 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit.

The 24-year-old Guinea international had previously been a reported target for West Ham but any move failed to materialise and now several clubs have taken notice of the powerful frontman.

As Blues boss Frank Lampard looks to replace Richarlison following the Brazilian’s switch to Tottenham last week, Bayo could be among the candidates to fill the void at Goodison Park…

The latest: Everton interested

As per Foot Mercato, Everton, Valencia, Hertha Berlin and Tottenham themselves all ‘follow’ the 11-cap Guinea international.

It’s claimed that Eintracht Frankfurt and Marseille also hold an interest in Bayo – who was lauded for his ‘clinical finishing’ by football writer Antonio Mango in April 2021 having fired Clermont to promotion to the French top flight.

The report also cites admiration from Lille and states that it would take offers of around €10-11million (£8.5-9million) in order to prize the star away this summer.

The verdict: Make it happen

Albeit still relatively inexperienced at the highest level, Bayo has already shown a ruthless streak in front of goal in his short career to date that would be of huge benefit to Lampard’s ranks, particularly following the exit of Richarlison which leaves just Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Salomon Rondon as the only two remaining senior centre-forward options.

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Last season, the France-born Guinean sensation scored 14 times and provided five assists whilst earning an impressive 6.94 Sofascore rating comprising of 2.1 shots, one key pass and 2.8 successful duels on average per game in Ligue 1.

Sharing similar stylistic traits with familiar names such as Tammy Abraham, Che Adams and Arkadiusz Milik (Fbref), signing Bayo for the mooted asking price would be a worthwhile venture for the Toffees and Director of Football Kevin Thelwell.

Southampton have a track record when it comes to signing young players from fellow Premier League clubs during previous transfer windows, either on permanent or loan deals.

Some recent names who fit into this category include Gavin Bazunu, Valentino Livramento and Kyle Walker-Peters, among others.

One other youngster who started to make a name for himself at St Mary’s after arriving from another top-flight club is Armando Broja.

Signed from Chelsea on a season-long loan deal last summer, the striker went on to score nine goals in 38 appearances across all competitions.

To further highlight his attacking prowess, only James Ward-Prowse (51) and Che Adams (49) racked up more shots at goal in the league than the Chelsea youngster (48).

Should the Albanian not make a return to the south coast next season, one other player with whom the Saints have been linked and who could be seen as their next version of Broja is Manchester City striker Liam Delap.

In 2019, the 19-year-old joined City’s under-18 squad from Derby County’s youth ranks. Since then, the Englishman has made 60 appearances for the Manchester club across their senior and youth teams, scoring 46 goals and providing 16 assists along the way.

Labelled an “exceptional striker” by Pep Guardiola, Delap certainly knows how to find the net, something which often can’t be said of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side given how they only scored 43 goals in the Premier League last season.

Bearing in mind how the Citizens will have Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez in their ranks as their new centre-forward options for next season, this could make the teenager’s chances of getting regular game-time rather slim should their new additions hit the ground running.

Therefore, a move to St Mary’s, where he’d presumably get regular game-time in the Premier League, could be a rather tempting prospect for the player and his development.

With that in mind, if the Broja ship has sailed, Southampton should definitely make an approach to the champions to see if they would be willing to let their young centre-forward leave this summer, either on loan or permanently.

AND in other news – Imagine him and Armstrong: Saints closing in on £18m-rated ace who Ralph will love

West Ham United manager David Moyes has personally set his sights on one of his former stars as reports out of Spain share an update involving Real Sociedad forward Adnan Januzaj.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye attacking additions…

The Hammers are reportedly after fresh additions in the attacking areas with names like Raphinha of Leeds United and Keane Lewis-Potter of Hull City linked most recently (90min).

West Ham are aiming to keep their place among the Premier League’s elite having enjoyed a quite simply sensational rise up the table over these last two seasons.

Moyes’ men only just missed out on a Europa League-qualifying spot on the final day of 2021/2022, instead having to settle for a place in the Conference League, and the east Londoners are seemingly determined to avoid a repeat.

The Latest: Januzaj ‘proposal’ made…

According to Diario de Sevilla, via Sport Witness, West Ham are one of a few teams who have ‘put forward proposals’ to Januzaj as the Belgian eyes an exit from Real Sociedad.

The Irons have allegedly made a personal offer to Moyes’ former player at Man United who could depart the Reale Arena later this month on a Bosman deal.

His contract looks set to run out and Moyes is said to be personally backing a West Ham move.

The Verdict: Right option?

Once called ‘amazing’ by former top flight manager Harry Redknapp, whilst it didn’t quite work out for him at Old Trafford, Januzaj has since earned praise for his Sociedad performances.

Ex-United star Paul Scholes even hailed an ‘excellent’ and ‘brilliant’ outing from the 27-year-old during the 2020/2021 Europa League campaign (via talkSPORT), and on a free deal, this could well be a fairly low-risk move by Moyes and West Ham.

In other news: West Ham enter pole position to sign ‘game-changer’ as GSB eye ‘frightening’ forward, find out more here.

Aston Villa are reportedly still in the mix to sign Uruguayan icon Luis Suarez this summer, according to journalist Gregg Evans.

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter, the respected Villa correspondent wrote just three simple words that are likely to get pulses racing – “Suarez waiting game” – with the Midlands outfit seemingly still bidding to sign the 35-year-old.

In his attached piece for The Athletic, Evans revealed that the Atletico Madrid man – who is set to depart the Spanish capital upon the expiry of his contract this summer – is ‘still under consideration’ by the Villa Park outfit, ahead of a potential free transfer deal.

The report goes on to suggest that manager Steven Gerrard has been ‘in regular contact’ with his former Liverpool teammate regarding a possible return to the Premier League, although the veteran marksman is also likely to have options to move elsewhere.

Villa are believed to be eyeing a new left-sided defender, a midfielder and a striker prior to the start of next term, as per the report, despite having already made three statement signings thus far.

Supporters buzzing

Although the 132-cap international remains a controversial figure, particularly in England, it is his undeniable quality on the pitch that would make him such a coup for NSWE, with the club’s supporters already likely to have been impressed by the eye-catching early business.

The arrival of Suarez, however, would no doubt be the cherry on top of the icing, with the Villans arguably in need of a striker of such pedigree to help fire them into contention for a European berth.

Concerns about his age would be understandable, although this is a man who two years ago fired Diego Simeone’s side to the La Liga title with 21 league goals, having also added a further 11 league goals in the most recent campaign.

The £9m-rated man’s former club Barcelona have already made the mistake of thinking he was over the hill, with Gerrard likely to overlook his advancing years to bring in a player who he has seen cause carnage in English football first-hand.

Plucked from Ajax on deadline day in January 2011 – alongside the more high profile capture of Andy Carroll – the dynamic forward arrived at Anfield as something of an unknown quantity, although quickly cemented himself as the Reds’ talisman, scoring 69 goals and registering 23 assists in just 110 league games for the club.

With 31 goals in the 2013/14 campaign, the £263k-per-week machine almost singlehandedly dragged the Merseysiders to the league title, before a late collapse in the closing weeks of the season proved costly for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Since then, the one-time Groningen man has won a plethora of major honours and netted with remarkable consistency, notably bagging a simply sensational 194 goals and registering 113 assists in just 284 games in all competitions during his time at the Nou Camp, before adding a further 40 goal contributions in 84 games in Madrid.

His powers may be somewhat on the wane – with last season’s league tally his lowest in a decade – although it is hard to deny just what a force of nature he is in and around the penalty area.

It may not be a long-term approach, but signing the “phenomenal” gem – as he has been dubbed by Gerrard – will no doubt ramp up both the excitement and expectancy among Villa supporters.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Manchester United are “one of the best placed clubs” to secure the services of Benfica’s 22-year-old sensation Darwin Nunez.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Portuguese outlet Record, via Sport Witness, who highlighted United in the competitive chase for the Uruguayan’s signature.

The report states that the Old Trafford club are not only “attentive” but are actually “one of the best placed clubs” to land the striker over the next few months.

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There is uncertainty in the United front-line going into next season, with the likes of Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford touted as forwards who could depart in the upcoming transfer window.

As such, it is reported that Nunezis “one of the targets” for the Red Devils.

Imagine Nunez and CR7

The signing of a young striker who has registered four assists in 40 appearances for Benfica this season would be one of the biggest statements of intent that Erik Ten Hag and Ralf Rangnick can make.

Nunez on his own would bolster the United attack, but with Cristiano Ronaldo looking as though he will honour his contract at the club, the partnership between the two could be terrifying for the rest of the Premier League.

Whilst Ten Hag mainly deploys a 4-3-3 formation for Ajax, Nunez could make the centre-forward role his own. The likes of Ronaldo could play off the left-wing as an inside-forward, with Rangnick feeling that the role of centre-forward is not his best position despite the Portuguese icon being United’s top scorer this season with 18 goals in the Premier League and 24 in all competitions.

What makes Nunez so well-suited to United at this current moment is his clinical nature in putting the ball in the net.

The 22-year-old, who has been described as a “diamond”, has averaged just 2.35 shots per 90 this season, almost 1.5 fewer than Ronaldo in the Premier League.

The 37-year-old’s creativity often goes unnoticed due to his success rate in front of goal, but with a match average of 2.99 shot-creating actions per 90, the Portugal veteran offers a burst of expression from which Nunez, a goal-poaching centre-forward, can thrive.

Whether United acquire their €100m-valued (£83m) target ahead of next season remains to be seen, but the potential partnership between Nunez and Ronaldo is surely enough to whet the appetite of the Old Trafford faithful.

In other news: Ten Hag plotting £29.8m bid for “unbelievable” 26-year-old; he’s better than Wan-Bissaka 

ESPNcricinfo looks at the biggest talking points as India gear up to host a historic Test match with one eye on England

Shashank Kishore in Bengaluru11-Jun-2018As India prepare for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, their first long-form assignment since the tour of South Africa in January, they have a number of questions to ponder over. With Virat Kohli unavailable, there is a middle-order spot up for grabs, Wriddhiman Saha’s injury opens the wicketkeeping doors for Dinesh Karthik after eight years, and the resting of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar could mean a return for Umesh Yadav. ESPNcricinfo examines a number of talking points in the build-up to the Bengaluru Test starting June 14:The opening riddleFor long, M Vijay has been the first-choice Test opener, with Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul playing musical chairs. During India’s last Test assignment in South Africa, Rahul managed all of 30 runs in four innings, after replacing Dhawan following the loss in the first Test in Cape Town. But he has enjoyed a phenomenal white-ball season since. He was third on the IPL run-getters’ list with 659 runs in 14 innings for Kings XI Punjab. Even if Tests are a completely different format, it could still be hard to leave him out on current form.The first day of India’s training at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium gave little away, with all three openers spending considerable time at the nets. They were also among the first to have extended sessions with batting coach Sanjay Bangar.In the recent past, the selection headache over the three openers has often been resolved by one of them being injured or unavailable for other reasons. Now, with all three fit and available, what does the team management do? If Rahul is a shoo-in, it could mean leaving out one of Dhawan or Vijay.Vijay’s lack of match time and the Kohli puzzleVijay has had little match time since the Tests in South Africa ended in January. He featured in just one IPL game for Chennai Super Kings. If he starts, he will be heading into the Test on the back of just training sessions. But he’s been the first-choice opener, capable of gutsing it out against the new ball, grinding the bowlers down and occupying the crease: characteristics India will need in England.Even though the team for that series hasn’t been announced yet, chief selector MSK Prasad has already said Vijay will prepare for the Tests by playing for India A, a clear sign that he’s still the frontrunner. Where does this leave Dhawan, who has played enough competitive cricket in the lead-up to the Test? Will India play both?If they do, the other option, possibly the most likely one too, would be to slot Rahul in at No. 4, in place of Kohli, given Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are certainties at Nos. 3 and 5. This could then mean his Karnataka team-mate and comeback man Karun Nair, preferred over Rohit Sharma, may have to bide his time before a Test comeback 17 months after he converted his maiden Test ton into a match-winning triple century.The surfaceThe previous Test in Bengaluru was played on a dry turner that produced a series-levelling thriller for India, after Australia had bundled them out in three days in Pune. Spin accounted for 27 of the 40 wickets. Nathan Lyon picked up an eight-for, while R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja finished with six-fors in the first and second innings respectively. However, that Test was played at the onset of the summer, towards the end of the 2016-17 season.Bengaluru has witnessed intermittent rain for the past fortnight, the sunshine not as strong as elsewhere in the country, which means the surface has not really had the chance to bake. This has hampered pitch preparation to an extent. Three days from the Test, there was a green tinge on it, even if the extent of greenness on match day is unlikely to be anywhere near what they could encounter a month from now in England. While this isn’t to suggest a green-top will be prepared, it may not be a bad option on two counts:One: it will not only give India’s batsmen a challenge in preparing for five Tests in England, while also setting of Test cricket’s latest entrants the difficult task of adapting quickly having played and trained on spin-friendly surfaces in Dehradun until a week ago, against Bangladesh.Two: this could offset Afghanistan’s spin threat, given they have four frontline spinners in their squad. This includes two wristspinners in Rashid Khan and Zahir Khan and the mystery element of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is fast gaining a reputation for his ability to accurately deliver sliders and carom balls with the new ball.The fast-bowlers debateUmesh kept breathing fire on the Chinnaswamy deck at the IPL. His pace, consistency and rhythm for Royal Challengers Bangalore may have helped his chances of returning to the Test XI after he spent the entire tour of South Africa on the bench. Ishant Sharma has just returned from a rigorous county stint in England, where he was devastating in seaming conditions against Warwickshire. There’s Shardul Thakur, who has been on the fringes of the Test team for a while, and Navdeep Saini, replacing the unfit Mohammed Shami.Now, if the team management plays Hardik Pandya as the allrounder, and prefers Ashwin and Jadeja to bowl in tandem, it could mean four fast bowlers fighting for two slots. Do they go in with Umesh based on his IPL show and someone who has toiled hard overseas to build himself into rhythm and gain match-time after being unsold at the IPL auction? Or do they pick one of the two rookies?What of Kuldeep Yadav?The flavour on the opening day of India’s training session was wristspin. Kuldeep Yadav aside, two other wristspinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Shivil Kaushik, were called up to bowl for the three-hour session and they kept going non-stop. Incidentally, Kuldeep debuted in March 2017 under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy. On the eve of that game, the team management had contemplated playing four bowlers and replacing the injured Kohli with a sixth batsman, only for Rahane and the then head coach Anil Kumble to insist on a fifth bowler. India have reaped the benefits of operating with wristspinners in limited-overs cricket. Will they be tempted to play Kuldeep and test the depth of their spin resources before heading to England? The next two days could provide answers.