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As The Friedkin Group look to send shockwaves throughout the Premier League in their first summer in charge at Everton, the Toffees have reportedly joined the race to sign a young English talent.

Everton transformed under David Moyes

As if those at Goodison Park have gone back in time to the days of Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar, Everton have been a side transformed under David Moyes, who is thriving in his second stint in charge. The experienced manager returned with the club battling relegation once again but, since his arrival, has turned Everton into a side performing at the level needed to qualify for European football if they continue into next term.

After arguably his most impressive victory back in charge of the Toffees yet – a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest – Moyes told reporters: “I have got to say it was a great goal but thoroughly deserved. It certainly merited a win and I thought we played very well, when you come to a team sitting third in the Premier League and the semi-final of the FA Cup. I think if anyone was going to score, it was us.

“I have had a lot of games and sometimes football can go that way for you. I am getting a brilliant response from the supporters and the players but I am also calm enough to know it could change. Today we have put on a good show and I am proud of how the players are performing. We are trying to make small steps every week.”

He won't start again: Everton's £40k-p/w star looks finished under Moyes

Everton are undergoing a series of changes with David Moyes back at the wheel.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 15, 2025

Those in Merseyside will be hoping that their recent run is only the sign of things to come before they potentially launch one of the most unexpected moves of the summer transfer window.

Everton join race to sign Jarell Quansah

According to Caught Offside, Everton have now emerged as shock contenders to sign Jarell Quansah from Merseyside rivals Liverpool this summer. The young defender has endured a tough season under Arne Slot having done plenty to impress Jurgen Klopp in the last campaign. Now, he could be heading for the exit door.

It’s not just Everton interested in his signature either. Joining the Toffees, Newcastle United’s interest has been well-documented and now Brentford, Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen have also reportedly joined the race. Amid such interest, Everton would be landing a major coup by signing the £30k-a-week defender, especialy considering the reputation of the German duo for transforming British talents abroad.

An England international, the 22-year-old earned plenty of praise from Klopp last season, who told reporters after handing the defender his debut: “I have to say he did really well. He was good.

“In possession as well he was calm. It was like we had just met in the car park before the game with the organisation in the first-half. But he played really well. In such a disorganised team like we were in the first half, he was the one who looked alright. It was a statement and he is really happy at the moment.”

Captain Rashid Khan said a World Cup victory over Australia was something they had missed in the last two years

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2024

Gulbadin Naib is carried on his shoulders by Afghanistan’s bowling coach Hamid Hassan•ICC/Getty Images

Gulbadin Naib, who orchestrated Afghanistan’s historic win against Australia, was a figure of relief when he collected his Player-of-the-Match award for his spell of 4 for 20. Drenched in sweat while sporting a beaming smile, he held the award while soaking in the feeling of “at last” beating Australia.”We were waiting [for this] for a long time. It’s a great moment not just for me but for my nation and my people,” Naib said at the presentation. “[It is a] big achievement for our cricket. I have no words to say but thanks to the fans for supporting our career and cricket journey. It’s a great teamwork, we worked hard for the last two months and the result is in front of you.”Thank god we at last beat Australia. It’s a great achievement for our cricket in Afghanistan. If you look at history of our cricket, it is not much. Last 10 years, we achieved a lot of goals. This is a big achievement.”Related

• Stats – Afghanistan's maiden win against Australia in any format

• How Naib's four-for took down Australia for historic win

• Naib orchestrates Afghanistan's historic win over Australia

Australia’s fourth-wicket pair of Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell were threatening to take the match away from Afghanistan in the 149 chase, when captain Rashid Khan turned to Naib for his eighth bowling option. Naib picked a wicket off his third delivery, removing Stoinis for 11. Bowling four overs straight, he then dismissed Tim David in this next over and then got the prized wicket of Maxwell, for 59, in the 14th to all but end Australia’s hopes.Naib thanked Rashid for trusting him in the crunch moments of the game and further said Afghanistan’s “journey starts now”.The win was sweeter for Afghanistan, who dealt with a heartbreak against the same opponents at the ODI World Cup last year. With Australia on 91 for 7, a one-legged Maxwell, battling severe cramps, took them to a stunning win with an unbeaten double-century.Naib expressed relief at the result in Kingstown that opened up Super Eight Group 1 standings.”We played very good cricket and in the first round we beat New Zealand,” he said. “Then [to beat] Australia is not easy. They are a world champion team and it is a big achievement for our cricket. We can carry this to the next level.”Our journey starts now. We are very lucky to have such a staff and management.”

Rashid Khan: ‘It’s something we missed in last two years’

After being asked to bat, Afghanistan were given a strong platform with an opening stand of 118 between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran before they lost 6 for 23 with Pat Cummins picking up yet another hat-trick. Afghanistan were only able to post 148 for 6.Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran put on another strong opening stand•AFP/Getty Images

Rashid said they were confident of defending anything over 130, adding the importance of having many allrounders in the team.”The thought was although we didn’t finish as well as we would have liked to, but this is how this wicket is,” Rashid said at the presentation. “The more important thing was that the opening partnership gave us the best start. That let us get to a total we had in mind. We all watched two games before, and on this wicket anything 130-plus we said we were capable of defending. We keep calm and have that belief.”The beauty of this team is having too many allrounders gives you options. As a captain, it makes it easy.”Beating Australia is a “great feeling” and will make Afghanistan fans “proud”, Rashid said.”It’s a massive win for us as a team and as a nation,” he said. “In the World Cup, beating champions is a great feeling. It’s something we missed in last two years – in 2023 World Cup and also in 2022 in Australia where we lacked some runs.”It is so much important for people at home and for everyone all over the world where Afghans are there. They were badly missing this win. I am sure they would be proud of this and would have enjoyed the game. It is just the beginning for us, big game next and we have all the chances of making the semis.”

Ollie Robinson and Shoaib Bashir will play the fourth Test against India as England roll the dice in this must-win game on a cracked Ranchi pitch. The pair, who will replace Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed, are the only changes from the 434-run defeat against India in Rajkot, which leaves England 2-1 down, desperate to keep this five-match series alive.Robinson will play his first Test in India, returning to the side for the first time since suffering a back spasm in the first innings of the third Ashes Test last July, which was also his last competitive match. He will line up alongside James Anderson, who pulled up well after bowling 38 overs in the third Test at Rajkot, with match figures of 1 for 139.Somerset offspinner Bashir has also been chosen ahead of Rehan, who is the team’s second-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets at 44 from three matches. The 19-year-old Rehan has bowled valiantly, but found himself targeted by India’s batters – primarily Yashasvi Jaiswal – in the second innings at Rajkot, returning 1 for 108 from 25 overs.The decision to opt for the high-actioned finger-spin of Bashir rather than stick with Rehan’s wrist-spin reflects England’s impression of what Stokes described as an “interesting” surface, which they believe will contribute to a fast-moving, spin-friendly game. Surrey’s Dan Lawrence was also considered for Bashir’s spot, offering part-time off-spin while reinforcing the batting.Instead, Bashir will join Tom Hartley and Joe Root as a slow-bowling trio. Bashir made his debut in the second Test at Visakhapatnam, taking 3 for 138 and 1 for 58 in the match, after visa issues forced him to miss the series opener in Hyderabad.”We do like to look at the pitch two days out and one day out, because that’s how we like to pick our XIs,” Stokes explained of Bashir’s selection. “You want to give yourself some idea or some indication about what XI you think is going to give you the best chance. Looking at that, I think there is going to be assistance for spin, but I think also it looks like someone like Bash, who releases the ball from such a high release point, the extra bounce that he gets we feel is going to bring us more into the game.”Ollie Robinson has been recalled as Rehan Ahmed sits out the fourth Test•Gareth Copley / Getty

This will be Robinson’s 20th cap, and his selection is a show of faith in the 30-year-old. Despite 76 dismissals at an average of 22.21, he has constantly faced questions about his fitness and ability to bowl multiple spells across the full duration of a Test match, at a consistently challenging pace. Having worked hard to improve his fitness over the last nine months, he has the chance to restate his worth as a Test bowler when England need him most.”I’m really excited for him to get his go,” Stokes said. “He’s been an incredible professional, the way in which he’s operated. Not playing the first three games is extremely disappointing, especially for someone who has played such a vital role over the past two years. The way he kept everything going, going and going through the obvious disappointment of not playing is a great way to operate. Now the chance is here. He has done everything he has needed to and I’m really looking forward to seeing him out on the park again.”He will play alongside the veteran Anderson, who had been considered as one of the likelier bowlers to make way, following his heavy workload in Rajkot and the short turnaround between matches. He currently has six wickets at 35.83 in his two appearances to date. But Stokes has backed the 41-year-old, who is currently sitting on 696 career dismissals, to lead the line once more.”If you’re a young fast bowler, Jimmy Anderson is the one person who you want as your role model. Not only the amount of wickets he’s got but the fact he can keep going at his age. Backing a very high-workload Test match in five days, being fit and raring to go, and feeling as fresh as a fiddle. Jimmy’s wickets, his longevity and his age, he’s an unbelievable role model to all young kids out there who want to be a fast bowler when they grow up.”The way in which over the last two years he’s introduced new ways of operating; you’ve seen him commit to bowling bouncers, bowling around the wicket to right-handers, use his skills when the conditions need that. Even saying he’s approaching 700 Test wickets as a fast bowler is incredible. I think he’ll know that, but I don’t think that will be at the top of his mind for this week, just because of where we’re at in the series.”England: 1⁠ Zak ⁠Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Tom Hartley, 9 Ollie Robinson, 10 James Anderson, 11 Shoaib Bashir

Andre Onana did not rule out leaving Manchester United when asked about his future this summer.

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Onana asked while on holiday if he will leave this summerAwkward interaction followed as goalkeeper repliedFuture at Man Utd remains uncertainFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

While on holiday, Cameroon international Andre Onana was stopped by reporter Stephane Bassalia Ouattara for a chat. In an awkward interaction which was uploaded on X, Ouattara asked Onana if he will leave Manchester United, to which he smiled sheepishly and didn't appear to know how to answer. But he did not rule out the possibility of departing Old Trafford this summer.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT ONANA SAID

Onana said: “Will I leave? I don’t know, we’ll see!”

The shot-stopper smiled and chuckled awkwardly as he answered a question which he has likely been asked multiple times in recent months, though he evidently doesn't yet know the answer as his future at Old Trafford remains undecided.

Getty WHAT NEXT FOR ONANA AND MAN UNITED?

Onana has come under criticism during his two seasons at United, and may have a decision to make about whether he stays to fight for his number one shirt or opts for a move away. The Red Devils have been linked with other goalkeepers such as Lille's Lucas Chevalier, meaning it is possible that Ruben Amorim doesn't see 29-year-old Onana as the long-term solution after an inconsistent time in Manchester.

Arsenal’s Hale End academy is quickly becoming recognised as one of the best youth systems in the country.

It’s an academy set-up to have produced Jack Wilshere, to have brought through Emile Smith Rowe and to have nurtured Bukayo Saka.

The stable of talent they have coming through isn’t slowing down either with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both becoming huge parts of Mikel Arteta’s first-team this season.

15-year-old Max Dowman is also making a huge impression for the U18s this term and has already become a household name among Arsenal supporters despite not making his senior debut yet.

Nwaneri – who made his bow at the same age – has understandably been collecting most of the hype this season. Only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen scored more goals for a Premier League club in all competitions before turning 18 than the talented Arsenal gem.

He’s not the only one to have replicated their feats this term.

Myles Lewis-Skelly's England debut in numbers

When Thomas Tuchel announced his first England squad a little over a week ago, there were some notable surprises.

Jordan Henderson, now of Ajax, was back in the squad. There was a place for Marcus Rashford too. Yet, Lewis-Skelly’s inclusion wasn’t that much of a shock.

After all, his performances since making his first-team debut last September have been nothing short of incredible.

A midfielder by trade, the 18-year-old has played as a left-back, inverting into central pockets of space and driving forward with the ball. He’s been here, there and everywhere, something symbolised by his only club goal to date, a gorgeous curling effort against Manchester City. We all remember the celebration.

Well, if he needed to make another statement to the doubters over his qualities, he did so on his England debut, a 2-0 win over Albania on Friday night.

Lewis-Skelly started at left-back and scored the first goal of the Tuchel era, racing in behind to get on the end of a quite delicious ball from Jude Bellingham, before nutmegging the goalkeeper. Only the aforementioned Owen and Rooney have been younger when scoring England goals.

His interview with clubmate Declan Rice after the game was lovely, with the Arsenal midfielder hailing him as a “fearless” talent.

The goal wasn’t the only impressive part of the teenager’s game, as the numbers below suggest.

It’s been quite the rise for the Arsenal teen this season. He’s featured on 26 occasions for the first team in 2024/25 and as Rice says, this is only the beginning.

Minutes played

89

Touches

87

Accurate passes

69/74 (93%)

Key passes

0

Duels won

3/3

Possession lost

7x

Fouled

2x

Successful dribbles

1/1

Arsenal will just hope his career doesn’t go in the same direction as another of Hale End’s best talents.

What happened to Arsenal's original Myles Lewis-Skelly

Through every academy there are thousands of players who never quite made the grade, eventually falling out of football.

For plenty, they stay in football but end up in the football league. Then, you have the elite, the players who do make the grade, graduating out of the academy and thriving at the top level.

For Ainsley Maitland-Niles, that story is certainly true. A midfielder by trade – like Lewis-Skelly – he made his debut for the senior side on 9th December 2014.

It was a Champions League tie with Galatasaray where Arsene Wenger introduced the teenager into the action as a substitute for Aaron Ramsey.

He was just 17 years and 102 days old, making him the second youngest player to have represented the club in the Champions League, behind Jack Wilshere. His future looked bright.

Right midfield

95

Right-back

79

Central midfield

52

Defensive midfield

30

Left-back

26

Left midfield

22

Centre-back

3

Attacking midfield

2

However, with a number of top midfielders in his way, the spritely academy graduate ended up playing more as a wing-back or full-back. You can see where we’re heading here with the Lewis-Skelly comparisons.

He even made his England debut at left-back, appearing in that position due to injuries elsewhere.

However, while Maitland-Niles looked like he had huge potential, he was never hugely keen on establishing himself as a full-back and wanted to play in midfield.

Indeed, upon heading on loan to West Brom in 2021, Sam Allardyce noted: “The problem with Ainsley is his position. His only position that he wants to play is centre midfield. The reason he came to West Brom – which he forced through – Edu and Arteta didn’t want him to come, was because I said he’d play in midfield.”

Well, with that in mind, his future was never going to be at Arsenal under the current manager. In the summer of 2023, his contract expired and he left on a free transfer. Lyon came calling where, coincidentally, he’s still playing as a full-back.

During his debut campaign in France, he made 29 appearances, catching the eye with two goals and four assists while this term, the 27-year-old has played 34 times, scoring one and supplying five assists.

His numbers and overall performances in Ligue 1 have actually seen calls for an England inclusion, with French football expert Matt Spiro commenting in December: “Ainsley Maitland-Niles should now be in the conversation [for England]. He’s playing the best football of his career with Lyon.”

So, while things didn’t pan out as he would have hoped at the Emirates, it’s nice to see Arsenal’s original Lewis-Skelly thriving elsewhere.

Arsenal starlet was ahead of Nwaneri & Lewis-Skelly, then he left for £1m

Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are two of the finest talents to emerge from the Arsenal academy.

ByMatt Dawson Mar 23, 2025

كشف روبن باراخا، المدير الفني السابق لنادي فالنسيا، حقيقة ما تردد في الساعات الماضية بشأن اقترابه من تدريب الأهلي، خلفًا لمواطنه خوسيه ريبيرو.

ويبحث الأهلي عن مدرب جديد يقود الفريق بعد الانفصال عن ريبيرو عقب 94 يومًا فقط بسبب سوء النتائج.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الفتح يكشف لـ”بطولات” موقفه من رحيل جوزيه جوميز بعد أنباء اهتمام الأهلي

باراخا علق في تصريحات خاصة عبر بطولات، قائلاً: “سيكون أمرًا مثيرًا للاهتمام إذا تحدث معي أحد من النادي الأهلي حول تدريب الفريق”.

وأضاف: “لكن حتى الآن لم يحدث أي تواصل سواء معي بشكل مباشر أو مع وكيلي، ولم يصلني أي عرض رسمي أو غير رسمي، دعنا نرى ماذا سيحدث”.

وكانت تقارير صحفية قد أشارت إلى أن اسم باراخا طُرح على طاولة الأهلي في الفترة الماضية من أجل خلافة ريبيرو من خلال أحد الوكلاء.

المدرب الإسباني يملك مسيرة لافتة مع فالنسيا، حيث قاد الفريق في الموسم الماضي، وسبق له العمل في عدة أندية داخل إسبانيا مثل ريال سرقسطة، تينيريفي، رايو فاييكانو، سبورتنج خيخون، إلتشي.

ويُنتظر أن يواصل الأهلي دراسة عدد من الملفات التدريبية الأخرى قبل حسم هوية المدير الفني الجديد للفريق خلال الأيام المقبلة للبدء بعد فترة التوقف الدولي.

In what would see them get one over on their top six rivals, Manchester United are now keen to sign an attacking star who’s currently Tottenham Hoptspur’s top target this summer.

Man Utd and Spurs battling on and off the pitch

So much of Manchester United’s season has mirrored Tottenham’s. Both find themselves languishing in the bottom half, both have been left to rely on the Europa League for any chance of turning their season around and both are now in desperate need of summer reinforcements. When the summer transfer window does arrive, it would also come as little surprise if the two ‘big six’ sides found themselves operating in close quarters, either.

After admitting that nothing could turn their season around, Ruben Amorim will at least be hoping that the lure of Old Trafford is still enough to see the Red Devils secure their targets ahead of the likes of Spurs even in Manchester United’s current state.

On that front, the rumours are already coming thick and fast. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United now want to sign Antoine Semenyo in a move that would see them beat Spurs to their top target this summer. The Lilywhites are even reportedly lining up a bid worth €40m (£34m) to sign the winger Bournemouth value at £50m ahead of the transfer window.

Sold by INEOS, now outscoring Zirkzee: Man Utd must rue losing £25m "hero"

Man Utd may wish they kept hold of this star

ByJoe Nuttall Mar 7, 2025

That doesn’t look set to discourage United, however, who caught a first-hand glimpse of Semenyo’s quality earlier this season when he scored in a stunning 3-0 victory for Bournemouth. Handing Noussair Mazraoui a torrid time, the versatile full-back ended the defeat with just five defensive actions and a 50% duel-success rate.

Semenyo, meanwhile, found himself wheeling away in celebration after scoring the final of his side’s three goals to stun Old Trafford just after the hour mark.

"Powerful" Semenyo has earned big move

Whilst there would be plenty of irony involved if Semenyo set his sights on a big move this summer and found himself at a club currently on a crash course hurtling towards a bottom half finish, Manchester United’s name still carries plenty of weight. As they look to rebuild under Amorim, picking apart sides like Bournemouth would be a good place to start.

Semenyo has certainly earned a chance to move onto a top six side too, scoring nine goals and assisting another five in all competitions for the Cherries so far this season. Receiving plenty of praise as a result, analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed the winger the “perfect instant-impact winger” who also possesses “powerful ambipedal ball striking”.

Semenyo certainly looks likely to have a decision to make this summer, but whether that results in a trip to Old Trafford remains to be seen.

The club remains winless through the first 13 games of the season

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• Galaxy sign Vanney to new deal
• Includes upgrades to sporting staff
• MLS Cup champions remain winless

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The LA Galaxy have signed head coach Greg Vanney to a multi-year contract extension, the club announced on Friday. Vanney, who led the Galaxy to last season's MLS Cup, was set to see his contract expire at the end of the season. According to GiveMeSport, both sides looked to get a deal done in the offseason, but negotiations were greatly impacted by the Galaxy's poor start to the season.

  Through the first 13 matches of the season, the Galaxy remain winless, having lost 10 of those 13. Notably, the Galaxy fell, 7-0 to the New York Red Bulls on May 10. The Galaxy, however, have extended Vanney as a show of faith while also bolstering the club's soccer staff, promoting Juninho, to Senior Advisor to the General Manager and Zack Murshedi to Director of Team Administration and Player Care while hiring Rava Ramineni to a new role, Director of Quantitative Analysis.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Vanney has been with the Galaxy since 2021, having previously coached at Toronto FC. Throughout his coaching career, he's won two MLS Cups and reached four MLS Cup finals, while amassing a 16-6-2 career playoff record, level for best in league history.

  However, the Galaxy have struggled mightily this season without star Riqui Puig, who suffered an ACL tear during last year's playoff run. Additionally, Joseph Paintsil missed significant time due to injury as well, while the departure of striker Dejan Jovelic due to salary cap reasons hasn't helped matters, either.

• Imagn
  

  WHAT VANNEY SAID

  “I’m honored to continue this journey with a club that has meant so much to me,” said Vanney. “We know we haven’t started this season the way we intended, but we believe in the group, in the process, and in what we’re building. I’m fully committed to our players, our fans, and this organization – and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

  “Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history, and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership,” added LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz. “While this season’s results haven’t reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory, and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg, and we have a clear path forward to returning to an MLS champion level. Greg’s commitment to development, culture, and high standards is unwavering.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR THE GALAXY?

  The Galaxy will look to earn their first win of the season this weekend when they face rivals LAFC in El Trafico.

Aston Villa hold a strong interest in a “smart” midfielder who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans came from a goal down to beat Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday night, and they had January signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio to thank. Rashford grabbed two assists as he set up Asensio twice to make sure all three points stayed in the Midlands.

Aston Villa handed Marcus Rashford update as Man Utd hatch transfer plan

The loanee has performed excellently since his arrival at Villa Park.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 22, 2025

Rashford is on loan from Manchester United, and it was reported over the weekend that Villa do have an option to buy the Englishman for £40 million, but the chances of him joining the club on a permanent basis are slim.

In further transfer news, Villa are interested in signing Samu Omorodion from FC Porto as a possible replacement for Jhon Duran, who left in January.

Omorodion has been an impressive force in Portugal, and the Villans are now interested in making a deal happen, with Porto looking to get around £41 million for his services. Signing a new centre-forward will be a key priority for Unai Emery in the summer, and they would be more willing to splash out such a figure on the 20 year-old due to his age and sell on potential.

Aston Villa hold strong interest in "smart" Angel Gomes

But it is not just strikers on Villa’s radar, as according to Give Me Sport, Aston Villa are monitoring Lille midfielder Angel Gomes and have a strong interest in doing a deal in the summer.

Gomes has been with the French side since August 2020, but his time at the club appears to be coming to an end, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. The 24-year-old is expected to become a free agent, and Villa are among the Premier League teams keeping an eye on his situation.

Tottenham, Bournemouth, Man United and West Ham are also interested in signing Gomes, but the report states that Villa could represent an appealing option to the player. That is because Villa may be able to offer European football in some capacity, which the others likely won’t. Furthermore, given how the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers have done under Emery at Villa, the England international may see the Midlands as somewhere he can really develop.

Apps

13

Starts

9

Goals

1

xG

1.71

Shots per game

0.7

Assists

1

xAG

1.55

Big chances created

4

Key passes

1.1

Passing accuracy per game

20.8 (82%)

Gomes, who has been described as a “smart passer” by analyst Ben Mattinson in the past, has been a key performer for Lille over a number of seasons now, and that has earned him recognition on the international stage. The midfielder may have his eye on a return to England and the Premier League to prove that he is more than capable of performing at this level, and it may improve his chances of success for England as well.

Saqlain Mushtaq and James Foster to also be part of the set-up as New Zealand plan to rotate their support staff over the next four months

Deivarayan Muthu22-Aug-2023

Stephen Fleming had previously worked with New Zealand in the lead-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup as well•BCCI

New Zealand have spruced up their support staff in the lead-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup, with Stephen Fleming and James Foster set to join the set-up. Ian Bell and Saqlain Mushtaq will also be among a rotating cast of New Zealand’s coaching staff over the next four months away from home.The appointments of Fleming and Foster are particularly significant as both bring with them IPL experience. Fleming comes on board with a decorated IPL CV – he has coached Chennai Super Kings to five titles in the league. Fleming had previously worked with New Zealand in the lead-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. He is currently coaching Southern Brave in the men’s Hundred and will then link up with the New Zealand team for the ODI series against England, which begins on September 8, three days after the end of the T20I series.”I think Flem will be great for players on that side of it and also good for the staff as well,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “He’s got [an] immense amount of knowledge in that part of the world [India] and has coached in the IPL right from the start of the competition [from 2009], so he’s coached in all those areas where we’re going to play in. So, it might just be the little one-two percenters you can get from that information that could tip the results on your side as well. If things go well you can pick up on some of those small things.”NZ coaching staff for away tours

England T20Is (Aug 30- 5 Sept) – Gary Stead, Luke Ronchi, Shane Jurgensen, Ian Bell
England ODIs (Sept 8-15) – Gary Stead, Shane Jurgensen, Ian Bell, James Foster/Stephen Fleming
Bangladesh ODIs (Sept 21-26) – Luke Ronchi, Shane Jurgensen, Ian Bell
ODI World Cup (Oct-Nov) – Gary Stead, Luke Ronchi, Shane Jurgensen, James Foster
Bangladesh Tests (Nov 28 – 10 Dec) – Luke Ronchi, Saqlain Mushtaq, bowling coach TBC

As for Foster, he has worked with Kolkata Knight Riders as a fielding coach and assistant coach in the IPL. He is also a well-traveled coach, having had stints in the PSL, CPL, BPL, BBL and ILT20. He had previously assisted New Zealand in the Emirates in 2018. Foster will be New Zealand’s assistant coach for the England ODI series and will also be part of their coaching staff for the ODI World Cup in India.”James spent a week with us in the UAE, think about four or five years ago when he was over there,” Stead said. “He might have even been playing at the time. But it’s great that he has come back. He will come to the World Cup; he’s got a lot of experience in the IPL with the KKR side and in an assistant coach role there he’s worked with video analysts, so will give us a lot of, I think, information and knowledge for us to consider when we approach all the different venues in the World Cup.”Ian Bell to fill in for Luke RonchiFormer England batter Bell has been appointed as New Zealand’s assistant coach for the upcoming T20I series against England. He will then fill in for Luke Ronchi as the batting coach for the following ODI series against England. Ronchi will then return to take charge of the side for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in September – New Zealand’s last ODI assignment before the World Cup – allowing Stead a short break. Bell will assist Ronchi and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen during the ODIs in Bangladesh. Bell is currently an assistant coach at Birmingham Phoenix in the men’s Hundred.”The well-being of our players and staff is of vital importance with the sheer amount of cricket being played these days,” New Zealand manager Simon Insley said.”Following the T20 team’s departure to the UAE (Aug 12), the team will be on the road right through until December 16 when the Test team returns, ahead of a busy home summer.”Saqlain to rejoin NZ support staffStead will also take a break for the Test leg of the Bangladesh tour, which begins on November 23, with a two-day practice game, just four days after the World Cup final on November 19. Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain will rejoin the side for that Test tour, having previously worked with the white-ball sides during the Pakistan tour in April. He has been appointed as spin coach. The Test tour of Bangladesh will likely be the first task for the new bowling coach, with Jurgensen taking up the role as head coach at Wellington after the World Cup. He is set to work with Wellington from November 22, 2023 to April 2027.”Saqi is a great human being,” Stead said. “He has had experience with our guys in Pakistan and knows about spin-bowling stocks and has certainly added to that area of the game. He’s just got great knowledge. As a player himself, he was superb; he was a Test player. And going to Bangladesh, he will certainly add some skills and add some expertise in the spin-bowling area, which isn’t always an area that we cover all the time.”