All posts by h716a5.icu

Brazilian winger Tete hardly featured as Leicester City were relegated last year. He may get a second chance at Premier League football as Everton are interested in acquiring his services, according to what Rudy Galetti told GIVEMESPORT.

Will Tete secure Premier League move?

Tete managed just 13 top-flight appearances for Leicester as they went out of the division with something of a whimper. It is hardly surprising that the Foxes won’t be renewing their interest in his services, but he may be offered a lifeline when it comes to Premier League action.

Journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu has reported that Tete’s current deal with Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk is set to expire, removing the chance of needing to pay a fee if anyone does come knocking.

One team who could come knocking are Everton who themselves came close to facing the drop last season. There isn’t a whole lot of money available to the Toffees at the moment, meaning that a free transfer coup would work a treat.

Youssef Chermiti is on the verge of joining Everton if reports are to be believed and so Tete may not be the only new face on Merseyside. Arnaut Danjuma meanwhile was announced by the club a couple of weeks ago as having joined from La Liga outfit Villarreal, following on from an underwhelming loan spell with Tottenham Hotspur last campaign.

What has Rudy Galetti said?

Italian journalist Rudy Galetti has told GIVEMESPORT what the future holds for Tete after his departure from the King Power Stadium back to Ukraine.

“Tete from Shakhtar Donetsk is another name under discussion. His entourage is offering him around Europe and Everton are evaluating the moves to make. Youssef Chermiti from Sporting is a leading into finalisation and is a shot for the future. Over the weekend, he should do his medical visits at the club.”

Where would Tete fit in at Goodison Park?

There has been a lot of turnover in the wide areas of Everton’s squad, most likely the departure of Anthony Gordon. After a very short stint in the first-team, Gordon forced a move through to high-flying Newcastle United and rubbed the fans up the wrong way in the process.

Demarai Gray has filled the Gordon void well but he also could soon be shown the door, making these approaches for the likes of Tete and Wilfried Gnonto all the more understandable.

Injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the sale of Richarlison has really stifled the Everton forward line, not to mention that manager Sean Dyche is hardly known for an attacking or expressive style of play.

Two other names being banded about, as per Goodison News, are relegated duo Che Adams and Patson Daka. Neither exactly excelled for Southampton and Leicester City respectively on their way to the Championship but Adams did score the winner in the first game of the season. It was a finely poised game at 1-1 against Sheffield Wednesday with just a few minutes remaining and then the former Sheffield United man, who entered the game off of the bench, had the decisive touch.

South Africa’s new-look bowling attack have had a slightly gentle easing-in against Bangladesh and as their leader Kagiso Rabada is aware of both the potential they have and the challenges they will face in the future

Firdose Moonda in Bloemfontein07-Oct-2017Given the complete lack of a contest in this clash between South Africa and Bangladesh, there is very little that can be read into the result. It tells us only what we already know, that South Africa are a stronger team than Bangladesh, but maybe, it also tells us something more.This South African side has just about a full-strength batting line-up (AB de Villiers is the only notable absentee) but an almost entirely new-look attack. Kagiso Rabada, with 22 caps, is the most experienced member of the pack in the current XI and is now properly establishing himself as its leader. Wayne Parnell is making his umpteenth comeback, having never become a regular. Duanne Olivier and Andile Phehlukwayo are trying to make cases for more permanent places.Bavuma has a knack of never giving up – Rabada

Temba Bavuma was the only batsman in South Africa’s top five who did not cash in on a good surface against a toothless attack but he made up for it in a milli-second in the field.
Bavuma was at gully when Mushfiqur Rahim prodded at a back-of-a-length delivery from Duanne Olivier that flew off the face and forced Bavuma into immediate action. He dived one-handed to his right and pouched the ball when it was nearly past him to dismiss the Bangladesh captain and create another moment of fielding magic, which his team-mates more than appreciated.
“It wasn’t a nice situation for Temba – you get out at times. He is the only one who didn’t score a hundred. It happens to the best. But every time when he doesn’t score with the bat, he does something in the field,” Rabada said. “He’s got that knack of never giving up. He always contributes to the team. They depend on Mushfiqur so it was an important moment in the game

Without disrespecting Bangladesh, Rabada indicated that all of them have been given a gentle easing-in, and South Africa have been allowed a glimpse into what lies ahead without much to block their view. “We were sitting down and I was speaking to Quinny saying that all the guys we played with and against at school are all in the team now and are coming up. South Africa is in good hands in the future,” Rabada, who become Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker in 2017, said. “It gets much tougher than Bangladesh, of course. You can play them in their conditions and it’s a different story. It gets harder from here. This is not it.”That South African cricket is in safe hands is a bold statement to make, not least because there are many arguments against it. The most obvious is the domestic system, which has been ravaged by Kolpaks and has not thrown up any stand-out names to compete with the current crop.Aiden Markram was the most recent one and though he has made the step-up seamlessly, there are not too many candidates who look like they will be able to do the same. In seasons to come that may change, but for now, the pressure is on the incumbents to do the job, none more so than Rabada.When South Africans think of their next “it” cricketer, they think of him. Though he went through a quiet period in England, the signs from him this summer suggest he is in good rhythm. He didn’t go as far as to confirm that, but hinted he is maturing enough to have learnt to work through setbacks.”There is expectation and there will be pressure. No-one is a Rambo, we are all human beings. You have to find ways to cope with it,” Rabada said. “The best players and the guys who have been in the longest have found ways to cope with it. Sometimes it can get bigger and you have to find a new way to deal with it. You grow as a person when things are not going your way.”Having a new coach will help. Not because the previous one – Russell Domingo, who Rabada was a supporter of – did anything wrong but because his replacement, Ottis Gibson brings fresh ideas. “He is a very stern character but at the same time he is lenient. He doesn’t beat around the bush. He cracks jokes with the guys,” the also-stern Rabada said. “He brings in his own dynamic, something as South Africans we are not particularly used to, but the guys are enjoying what he brings to the table. When we do the warm-ups, we do things in a different style and the guys enjoy it.”Like the team, Gibson’s performance also cannot be properly assessed on this series but the early signs are good. Gibson has managed to impress on his men that this assignment should be taken seriously and apart from some dropped catches in Potchefstroom, South Africa have been clinical.They’ve even been hard on themselves when it hasn’t quite gone according to plan, like when Liton Das enjoyed a period of run-scoring in the afternoon. Rabada would not like to see that repeated.”Liton Das came in at a time where the ball got a bit soft and it wasn’t doing much. He is a good player and I thought he was nice and patient and aggressive. I thought we missed our mark with him at times, giving him freebies so that’s something we have to talk about and execute tomorrow so it doesn’t happen again,” he said.Ultimately, South Africa know that if “we just stuck to our plans and at the end of the day the batsmen got themselves out”. Bangladesh’s capitulation means interest in this series will sink even lower and discussions around the standard of Test cricket between top-tier and lower-tier countries may be sparked again.For Rabada, it’s not about the gap but how South Africa have filled it. “I don’t think you can compare a first-class game to an international game, but it feels like one because there isn’t a crowd. It’s very peaceful. We didn’t take them lightly. We prepared very well and we executed our plans well. They’ve got some good players so we made sure we didn’t give them any space.”

Ricky Ponting believes the Steven Smith can reach record peaks in his career but did caution that things could get tougher for the Australia captain

Brydon Coverdale26-Nov-20171:27

Smith explains emotional century celebration

Ricky Ponting believes Australia’s captain Steven Smith has the potential to finish his career as the greatest batsman of the modern era. Smith’s century on the third day at the Gabba was the 21st of his Test career, in his 57th Test, and left him with a career batting average of 61.23.Smith began as a legspinning allrounder but notably made a significant change to his game while batting in Perth during the 2013-14 Ashes, when he spontaneously added a preliminary movement to his technique. Since then, he has averaged 72.09 and scored 20 centuries. Ponting said his record put him on track to become the best batsman of the modern era.”Twenty-one hundreds in 57 games, he’s well and truly on track to do that,” Ponting said on ABC radio on the fourth morning in Brisbane. “When you look at the way he went about it yesterday, he was just completely unflappable. He didn’t get out of his bubble at all, through the course of that innings, which says a lot about him.”I’ve watched him pretty closely, you can just tell he’s hungry to lead his team well and he wants to be the best player that there has ever been. He’s got a game now that is standing up to the best attacks in all conditions, all around the world. If he keeps trending the way he is, then absolutely.””Think about the greats – the Tendulkars and the Kallises and these guys that have scored 15,000 and 13,000 runs, but they played in 150-plus Tests, Tendulkar 200 Tests, to achieve what they achieved. He’s nearly halfway there in just over 50 Test matches.”Ponting added the caveat that things would not necessarily get any easier for Smith, noting that once a player gets near the 100-Test mark, it is difficult to keeping improving. Ponting was Australia’s captain when Smith made his Test debut against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010, and he said that while nobody had expected him to become such a great batsman, it was always obvious that he had talent.”I don’t think any of us did, really,” Ponting said. “He’s clearly the number one ranked batsman in the world right now. We all knew he had talent, because he used to do things a bit differently. He would go to the nets and [you] throw him a pull shot, and he’d hit it straight back at you almost like a tennis shot. It’s all different and unorthodox, but there’s a certain amount of talent that goes with that.”Coming in the first Test of a home Ashes, Smith’s Gabba century was not unlike Ponting’s own Brisbane hundred in 2006-07, an innings that set the tone for Australia’s whitewash of England. Ponting said Smith’s effort this time around would have had a significant effect on some of the younger or recalled members of Australia’s side.”We saw the emotion that came out of him afterwards, banging his chest and his heart and his crest,” he said. “But if I was sitting in that dressing room as a young bloke — as a Bancroft or a Shaun Marsh coming back in, or Tim Paine — I wouldn’t have needed to see that at all.”I would have been inspired by what I had seen in 520 minutes at the crease, and going up and down through the gears, and playing a role that was so specific to what the game needed. It was a leader’s innings, and he’s put his mark down on the series at the first possible opportunity.”However, Ponting said there was one thing about Smith’s approach that he would like to see change.”I still wish he’d bowl a few more leggies every now and then as well,” Ponting said, “because he can bowl those and bowl those well.”

Everton are closing in on the signing of Jack Harrison this summer, despite reports suggesting Aston Villa were looking to hijack a move.

Is Jack Harrison leaving Leeds?

Harrison has been an impressive performer for Leeds United for an extended period of time, helping them get back into the Premier League in 2020. Having initially joined on loan from Manchester City, he eventually sealed a permanent move at Elland Road, and he has scored 34 goals and registered 32 assists in 206 appearances overall.

With the Whites suffering relegation to the Championship back in May, the 26-year-old could be the next to leave Elland Road this summer, potentially making a speedy return to the Premier League in the process.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Everton are badly in need of attacking signings between now and the end of the summer transfer window, with fellow Leeds man Wilfried Gnonto continuing to look like a primary target.

It appeared as if Harrison is on course to make the move to Goodison Park, with reliable Leeds reporter Phil Hay stating that Harrison was undergoing a medical at Everton ahead of a season-long loan.

Will Everton sign Jack Harrison?

Hay has now stated that a medical has been completed and a deal has been agreed upon despite late interest from rivals Aston Villa.

"Everton agree deal to sign Jack Harrison on season-long loan from Leeds United. Medical complete. Aston Villa been keen on him too but Everton on the verge of finalising move."

Harrison could be a brilliant addition to Everton this summer, with the player someone who has now proven himself in the Premier League over an extended period of time.

While not necessarily the most flashy wide player, he possesses a strong work ethic, a steady flow of end product and the ability to play on either flank or in a central attacking role. Last season, he registered 12 goal contributions (five goals and seven assists) in the league, which was a good return for someone playing in a struggling team.

The former City man has been hailed as "fantastic" by YouTuber Conor McGilligan in the past, while Neil Redfearn also praised him recently, saying:

"He’s really evolved since he’s been at the club. He’s a proper goal threat now."

Everton could do with players who can come straight in and make an immediate impression, keeping them out of a third relegation battle in a row, and Harrison could tick that box, rather than a player who hasn't tasted English football before, potentially struggling with the pace and power of the top flight.

Sean Dyche may feel that he could get the best out of him, both in terms of his defence contribution and his attacking output, and with the player now on course to head to Merseyside, the Toffees may turn their focus back on a move for Gnonto in what could be a busy final few weeks of the window when it comes to additions in the final third.

Elsewhere, Haryana were reduced to 119 for 7 on their home ground by Jammu & Kashmir while a Jadeja helped Saurashtra claim the upper hand against Kerala

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-20173:05

Priyank Panchal: Gujarat’s batting mainstay

Gujarat seamer Chintan Gaja’s 8 for 40 destroyed Rajasthan as they crumbled to 153 all out after opting to bat in Surat. The defending champions then went to stumps on 90 for 1, after they lost Samit Gohel (46) in what turned out to be the last delivery of the day.In the morning, Rajasthan never really recovered after Gaja cleaned up opener Amitkumar Gautam off the third ball of the day. Thereon, the visitors went from 32 for 3 to 62 for 6, with the dismissal of Siddharth Dobal giving Gaja his second five-wicket haul. The 23-year old was playing his ninth first-class game.Rajasthan’s only partnership of substance was between Rajesh Bishnoi (43*) and Tajinder Singh (45) – 70 runs for the seventh wicket. But, things unraveled quickly once Tajinder was dismissed by Gaja.Seven wickets between seamers Mohammed Mudhasir (4 for 34) and Ram Dayal (3 for 35) helped Jammu & Kashmir reduce Haryana to 119 for 7 in Lahli.On a day when only 45 overs were possible before bad light stopped play, Haryana were put in and lost their top three within 11 overs, Mudhasir taking all of them out to leave the score at 23 for 3. Then they slumped to 88 for 7 until an unbroken 31-run stand between captain Amit Mishra and Harshal Patel helped them see off the day without any further casualty.Left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja’s 6 for 112, his eighth first-class five-for, was instrumental in Saurashtra bowling Kerala out for 225 in Thiruvananthapuram after the latter opted to bat first. Sanju Samson (68) was the only Kerala batsman to pass fifty before he was removed by left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who finished with two wickets.Kerala lost openers Mohammed Azharuddeen and Jalaj Saxena early on before Samson and Rohan Prem carried out the repair job with an 82-run stand. But Jadeja had Prem lbw and Samson followed 10 overs later. Their dismissals triggered a collapse as Kerala lost their last seven wickets for 77 runs. Offspinner Vandit Jivrajani finished with two wickets as well. In reply, Saurashtra’s openers Snell Patel and Robin Uthappa began solidly to finish the day on 37 for 0.

Liverpool are still working hard on making new signings in the summer transfer window, with a new update suggesting that midfield is not the only area they want to strengthen.

Will Liverpool sign a centre-back?

The Reds started their 2023/24 season with a 1-1 draw away to Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, as their Premier League campaign got off to a solid, if slightlky flawed, opening.

There were positives and negatives to take from the performance overall, with some of Liverpool's attacking play devastating at times, not least for Luis Diaz's goal, but the defending leaving a lot to be desired.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It once again highlighted the need for midfield reinforcements to come in before deadline day arrives later this month, but that isn't the only area that needs strengthening.

Andy Robertson is still finding it hard to adjust to his tweaked role, with the Scot having to play more centrally at times in order to accommodate Trent Alexander-Arnold going into midfield, and an altnernative to him is required moving forward.

Goncalo Inacio has arguably emerged as the front-runner to come in and provide competition for places, with the Sporting CP star someone who is capable of playing at both centre-back and left-back. A new update has now emerged regarding Liverpool's pursuit of a new defender – one that should be met with positivity by supporters.

What's the latest on Liverpool's defender pursuit?

According to Football Insider, the Reds are still actively working to bring in a new defender between now and the end of the month, but the actual name remains a mystery:

"Liverpool have not abandoned plans to sign a defender before the transfer window shuts despite prioritising the capture of a midfield anchorman, sources have told Football Insider.

"This comes while Jurgen Klopp and the club’s recruitment team are working overtime to sign the specialist defensive midfielder that Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea showed once again the club so badly need. Nevertheless, it is believed the Reds are keen to press on with a move for a new centre-back."

This is exactly what Liverpool fans will want to hear, with so many expecting a fair amount of business to be completed before the end of August. Their £110m bid for Moises Caicedo is proof that FSG have allowed plenty of money to be spent this summer, and those funds now need to go towards signing at least one defensive midfielder and a left-sided centre-back.

On the face of it, Inacio looks like the perfect option in the latter role, with the 21-year-old already one of Sporting's most important and exciting players, despite his tender years. He played 33 times in the Primeira Liga last season, completing 90% of his passes.

He has also only has a reported €45m (£38.8m) release clause, so he would come in as a relatively cheap option in the current climate, and there would still be plenty of money left over to spend on the midfield.

The summer transfer window officially slams shut next week and Tottenham Hotspur could be busy as they attempt to find a new number nine to bolster their squad.

Who could Tottenham sign before the deadline?

Journalist Ben Jacobs recently named a number of strikers who could be in the running to arrive in north London over the next seven days; including Lautaro Martinez, Jonathan David, and Gift Orban.

However, the reporter has stated that the club are not in any rush to make a decision on who they want to sign as Ange Postecoglou has brought a sense of calmness to the operation.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

The reporter claimed that David has been a concrete target for Spurs in the past under Fabio Paratici, but also stated that Lille's valuation of €65m (£56m) has put a number of teams off his trail.

How good is Jonathan David?

Postecoglou could land a big upgrade on current centre-forward Richarlison by opting to pursue a deal for the Canada international before next week's deadline.

David, who has scored one goal in two Ligue 1 games this season, has proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer in a major European league in recent years for Lille.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the prolific marksman averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.15, which would have placed him third with the Spurs squad, as he plundered 24 goals and created nine 'big chances' for his teammates in 37 league appearances.

That came after the 23-year-old marksman scored 15 goals and provided his fellow attackers with four 'big chances' across 38 Ligue 1 outings throughout the previous season, which shows that the gem has improved with more experience under his belt over the last two years.

Richarlison, on the other hand, has failed to score or create a 'big chance' in either of his Premier League appearances this term after a disappointing debut campaign with Spurs.

The Brazil international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.73 across 27 top-flight outings for the club last season as the ex-Everton forward produced one goal and zero 'big chances' provided.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old flop has struggled with Tottenham as he has not been able to muster up quality as a scorer or creator on a regular basis from a number nine or wide position since his move from Goodison Park.

Richarlison's return of ten goals and five assists in 30 league clashes for the Toffees during the 2021/22 campaign, which earned him a move to Spurs, is also less impressive than David's last two seasons with Lille in France.

This suggests that the Ligue 1 star has the potential to be a significant upgrade on the Brazilian dud due to his superior ability to find the back of the net on a consistent basis whilst also being able to create more 'big chances' for his teammates to score.

David, who was described as "a phenom" by broadcaster Tony Marinaro, has the potential to be a terrific scorer for Spurs if he can translate his performances over to English football as no current Tottenham player managed more than ten Premier League goals last season.

Therefore, Postecoglou could land a much-needed goal threat whilst also bringing in a big upgrade on Richarlison by securing a deal for the £56m-rated talent.

Jofra Archer pronounced himself a star in the making and D’Arcy Short became the first player in BBL to hit consecutive 90s, setting up Hobart Hurricanes’ seven-run win

The Report by Alex Malcolm04-Jan-2018
Jofra Archer and D’Arcy Short combined again to help Hobart Hurricanes secure a vital second win in this year’s BBL over the red-hot Adelaide Strikers in Hobart.Short set the game up with a sublime 96 from just 58 deliveries, becoming the first player in BBL history to make consecutive 90s. It helped the Hurricanes to a formidable score of 5 for 183.Attention, though, soon switched to Archer as the BBL’s Twitter feed dubbed him the tournament’s “new cult hero”. His nerveless final over ensured a painful night for Jason Gillespie, Adelaide Strikers’ coach, who is about to join forces with Archer at Sussex next season. And that pain might intensify for Gillespie should Archer’s fast-rising reputation win an IPL deal and ensure he misses the start of the English Championship season.On a placid surface, with one short boundary to target, the Strikers took the game to the last over. Having lost two early wickets, Colin Ingram and Travis Head set the game alight with a rollicking 102-run stand in just 64 balls. Archer and Short teamed up for a brilliant catch on the midwicket boundary to remove Ingram, and then with 13 runs to defend in the final over, Archer executed nearly every ball to perfection to hand the Strikers their first loss of the season.Bucking the trendThe chasing side has won the last five matches at the Blundstone Arena, so there were some sideways glances after George Bailey won the toss and elected to bat. But he wanted to put the Strikers in an uncomfortable position. The Strikers have preferred to bat first and defend. It has yielded three wins this season. Hobart won their last match while defending a target. The opening pair set a solid platform.In six matches together, including two practice matches, Short and Doolan have put together five 50-plus opening stands. On Thursday, they were aggressive from the first ball. Head tried to sneak an over of offspin upfront and the pair took 13 from it. It allowed them to absorb two good overs from the Strikers’ main weapons in Rashid Khan and Billy Stanlake, before launching into Michael Neser and Ben Laughlin to end the Powerplay at 51 without loss.Short’s developmentThe talent has always been there for Short. His ball-striking has been as pure as any player in Australia since he first played domestic cricket in 2011. But for many years, he lacked the craft of controlled hitting and picking his moments. He walloped four fours and a six in the Powerplay against the Strikers, but then did not score a boundary till the 11th over.He struck his second six in the 11th over from Neser but it came sandwiched between two well-placed twos. He seemed destined for a hundred, but his first real mis-hit on 96 was held at backward point.An unlikely strike duoClive Rose opened the bowling with Archer and they proved a lethal combination. The raw pace and steep bounce of Archer accounted for Strikers’ leading scorer Alex Carey. The deceptive drop of Rose’s left-arm orthodox saw Jake Weatherald get too far underneath a lofted on-drive. The game appeared over at 2 for 24 after five overs. Cameron Boyce entered the attack and squeezed further to leave the Strikers requiring 132 runs from the final 11 overs.Ingram’s fireIngram was one of the Strikers key recruits after the departure of experienced duo Ben Dunk and Brad Hodge. Ingram has hit 24 fifties in 156 T20s and strikes at 135. But he had gone nine innings across the Ram Slam and the BBL without passing 50, and had struggled in his first three outings for the Strikers. He turned to a trusted four-year-old bat for some confidence and he launched back-to-back sixes in the 10th over off Simon Milenko. He also showed his touch with a scoop and a reverse sweep for consecutive boundaries off Rose.Ingram and Head clubbed four fours and five sixes in four overs before Bailey turned to Archer again. He forced a leading edge from Head with a high full toss, and conceded just six runs to lift the required rate back above 11. Ingram held the key and it was Archer again, this time in the field. Ingram struck a pull shot to deep midwicket off Tymal Mills. Archer caught the ball and threw it to Short before he stepped over the rope to complete an outstanding catch.Archer nailed two yorkers to start the last over, one hit Jake Lehmann flush on the toe in front of leg stump, the other zipped through to Wade who produced a direct hit as Wells tried to pinch a bye. Archer conceded just six runs in the over when he had 12 to play with and finished with staggering figures of 3 for 15 from his four overs.

Aston Villa are still extremely active in the last week of the transfer window as they look to bolster their squad ahead of their Europa Conference League campaign, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential target.

Will Aston Villa sign anyone on transfer deadline day?

According to Spanish news outlet SPORT, Aston Villa are one of the clubs who are keen on signing Barcelona forward Abde Ezzalzouli, better known as Ez Abde, before the window closes.

As per the report, the La Liga giants are open to offers for their youth prospect to bolster their transfer funds and free up their wage bill, and would command a fee of around €20m (£17m) to part ways with Ezzalzouli.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

The Villains will compete with Bayer Leverkusen for his signature, however, both clubs are not keen on paying the price tag that Barcelona are demanding at present.

Who is Abde Ezzalzouli?

The Morocco U23 star has been going from strength to strength in his development since joining Barcelona in the summer of 2021, and could now become Unai Emery's next prodigy.

Due to the huge competition for a starting spot in Xavi Hernandez's forward line at Camp Nou, Ezzalzouli spent last season on loan in the Spanish top-flight with Osasuna, where he further displayed his talents with regular first-team football.

Over 28 La Liga appearances, the 21-year-old scored four goals, registered two assists and successfully completed 58% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.4 shots on goal and winning 4.5 duels per game, offering a glimpse of the attacking threat he can impose on the left flank, as per SofaScore.

Not only that, Ezzalzouli ranked in the top 10% of his positional peers in La Liga for progressive carries and successful take-ons, proving that he was one of the most lively players in the division.

The Moroccan talent has been the recipient of high praise over his short career so far, with Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate waxing lyrical about Ezzalzouli during his time at the club last season:

"He is a special player. For us it is a luxury to have him on loan, because we cannot have these footballers in any other way."

"We cannot limit that talent or tell him “you have to do this, this and that”, no, because he has so much talent and such a repertoire that our job is to create the best ecosystem for him so that he receives in areas with little traffic and can play 1v1."

Emery could well use his keen eye for youthful talent to land his next Bukayo Saka by bringing the Barcelona youngster to Villa Park this summer.

Indeed, the former Arsenal boss gave the England superstar his debut in the Premier League which has led to the winger becoming a household name and one of the highest-rated forwards in Europe.

Like the Barca gem, Saka is blessed with innate abilities in 1 v 1 scenarios, ranking within the best 8% of forwards in Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries with 5.29 per 90 minutes, as per FBref.

Ezzalzouli could now follow in Saka's footsteps under the guidance of the Villa boss by polishing his skills, developing his talents and earning first-team football on the elite stage of the English top-flight.

With that being said, the signing of Ezzalzouli could be a great piece of business for Aston Villa as they work to build their squad for the future and aim to compete in and for European football over this season and beyond. Should they unearth a talent anywhere near as capable as Saka, Emery will have truly struck gold.

D’Arcy Short made the highest score in BBL history and took 1 for 20 from four overs, yet it was only just enough for Hobart Hurricanes to squeeze past the Brisbane Heat by three runs

The Report by Alex Malcolm10-Jan-2018
D’Arcy Short made the highest score in BBL history and took 1 for 20 from four overs, yet it was only just enough for Hobart Hurricanes to squeeze past the Brisbane Heat by three runs.Short was magnificent. His 122 not out from just 69 balls featured eight sixes and eight fours. It accounted for 68% of the Hurricanes’ total, with no other player reaching 20.Sam Heazlett and Brendon McCullum lit up the Powerplay in the run chase before Short and Cameron Boyce changed the game with eight overs of quality wristspin. Alex Ross began to dig his team out but was given out obstructing the field in bizarre circumstances trying to avoid being run-out.It left Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee and Brendon Doggett to get 48 from 18 balls and they nearly did it. Doggett needed four off the last ball but Daniel Christian held his nerve to finish a well-executed final over.The Hurricanes won their four game in a row to match the Heat on four wins overall.Spin works, pace doesn’tFor as well as Short has played during the tournament, opposition teams know they can contain him with spin, particularly in the Powerplay. The Heat did that in three of the six overs. Joe Burns and Yasir Shah delivered 18 balls for just 17 runs and conceded only one boundary. The problem came in the other three. Short struck four fours and two sixes from the 13 balls he faced from Steketee and Doggett to get the Hurricanes off to a flyer at 1 for 56 after six.Getty ImagesOne man showShort’s still head is the key to his pure ball-striking. This was his third 90-plus score but this time he had no help from the other end. Alex Doolan, Matthew Wade, Ben McDermott and George Bailey scored just 48 runs from 51 balls between them. Short did give one chance on 60. A towering top edge to midwicket burst through the hands of Joe Burns. The Heat paid a mighty price. Short hit Doggett into the stands to bring up his maiden T20 century in the 19th over. In the 20th, he hit Steketee for three consecutive sixes to set a new record in the BBL, surpassing Luke Wright’s 117 in the first edition of BBL.Mills’ nightmareTymal Mills has been one of the most expensive bowlers in the tournament to date and his opening two overs in the Powerplay did nothing to help those figures. Heazlett and McCullum had already made a rapid start, after Bailey gambled again with Simon Milenko in the opening over at a cost of 16.Mills’ nightmare began without ball in hand. He dropped McCullum at short fine leg off the last ball of the third over. He was immediately introduced to the bowling crease, and McCullum thumped him twice to the boundary. He gave up two more boundaries in the last over of the Powerplay. Heazlett’s striking was audacious in the absence of Chris Lynn. He and McCullum took 62 from the first six overs to get ahead of the required rate.Spin twinsBoyce and Short changed the game. They took 3 for 34 in six straight overs of wristspin. Boyce induced a false stroke from McCullum in the seventh over, with Bailey holding a similar chance to the one Burns put down. Short dropped an easy caught and bowled chance off Burns. But he did not concede a boundary in his first two overs and Burns holed out to Boyce as a result. Short was rewarded with the wicket of Heazlett, who also became frustrated by a lack of boundaries.When Short completed his fourth over, the Heat needed 74 from 36 balls. Ben Cutting and Alex Ross were still at the crease. Jofra Archer then took the air out of the stadium with a stunning one-handed return catch. A slower ball reached the middle of Cutting’s bat at 120kph, and rocketed back at Archer quicker than that. Archer calmly stuck his right hand up above his head and, like a magic trick, the ball disappeared in the blink of an eye.Obstructing the fieldThe moment of magic gave way to a moment of madness. Ross kept pushing. He struck two boundaries off Mills to get the equation to 49 from 19 balls. Then he hit a ball to deep midwicket and pushed for two. The fielder fired wide of the stumps at the strikers end and hit Ross as he was sliding to make his ground. The ball actually ricocheted off Ross onto the stumps. The Hurricanes appealed thinking he might have been short. He made it, but replays showed he had veered off his line. If anything, he appeared to veer away from the ball to avoid being hit rather than intentionally into the line of the ball to block the throw.The third umpire adjudicated differently and Ross was given out. Post-match, the two captains held a long and terse discussion regarding the dismissal. Bailey said he simply asked the question and the umpires made the call. The Heat still needed 48 off 18. Steketee and Peirson gave it an almighty shake. Three sixes and three fours in 12 balls meant the Heat needed 13 from the last over. Christian had not batted or bowled in the match but was called upon to ice the game. Despite a wide first ball, he achieved the task with a mix of quicker and slower ball yorkers that neither Peirson or Doggett could middle.