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Manchester United could be without one of their major players when they face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

What’s the latest Manchester United injury news?

The Red Devils are sweating over the fitness of one of their key players according to the Daily Mail, who reported late on Saturday that Raphael Varane will undergo a fitness test ahead of today’s clash.

It’s understood that the French defender has been complaining of leg pain following the Carabao Cup final and will duly be assessed on Sunday.

As a result, both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof – who started against West Ham United – are now on standby should they be needed alongside Lisandro Martinez.

How good has Varane been for Manchester United?

If Varane cannot take to the field in Merseyside today it will undoubtedly come as a big blow to their chances of sealing all three points.

Indeed, the former Real Madrid man has been a colossus at the heart of the United defence this term, establishing one of the finest partnerships in the league alongside Martinez.

Remarkably, the ‘Golden Triangle’ – as dubbed by Alex Turk – that consists of Varane, Martinez and Casemiro, have only started together on eight occasions this term.

However, when that happens, Erik ten Hag’s men often win.

During those matches, they have not lost a single game and haven’t conceded more than once in a match.

In fact, while they are on the pitch together, they haven’t conceded from open player either, with penalties from Jorginho, Robert Lewandowski and a free-kick from Michael Olise being the only strikes to have breached their imposing spine.

Furthermore, Varane’s 3.9 clearances per game are higher than anyone else in Ten Hag’s squad while he ranks in the top five for accurate passes (87%).

That indicates the 29-year-old isn’t just a no-nonsense old-school centre half, but he is also capable of picking out a teammate and bringing the ball forward from defence; very much a modern trait.

Liverpool have more than had their problems this term, but United will need to be at their best defensively if they are to stop the threatening duo of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez this afternoon.

The effervescent pairing have scored a combined 32 times this term and without Varane in tow, it could be a tricky afternoon for United.

Thus, will all of the above in mind, it will no doubt be incredibly worrying news for Ten Hag and indeed supporters that they may well be without their influential £34m man.

Leicester City may have strengthened well this summer as they gear up for a charge towards promotion, but their most impressive investment was improving the infrastructure of their academy.

In 2020, the Foxes unveiled their stunning £100m training complex, boasting 21 training areas, 14 full-size training pitches and a 499-seater pitch for youth team matches.

The purpose of this investment is to discover the biggest young talents and unearth the next Ben Chilwell, Harvey Barnes and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who are the most successful graduates from the academy in recent years, with the former two earning big money moves to Chelsea and Newcastle while Dewsbury-Hall is currently a vital cog in Enzo Maresca's winning machine.

Kasey McAteer was the latest academy star to burst onto the scene this season, becoming a revelation down the right wing for the Foxes, scoring three goals in four Championship appearances.

While McAteer is now one of the most exciting young prospects in the second tier, there is another who is looking to follow in his footsteps and that is forward Amani Richards.

Who is Amani Richards?

Richards may be just 18-years-old, but he is already making a name for himself in the Midlands for his impressive attacking displays in the youth sides.

The highly-rated youngster was poached from Arsenal's youth academy in January 2022 and the Gunners could live to rue the decision to let him go.

Operating down the right flank or as a striker, Richards became one of the most tantalising young prospects in the U18s setup, chalking up an eye-watering 24 goal contributions in 36 appearances and has since translated that form into the U2's after making the step-up this season.

He even came back to haunt his old club in their U18 meeting with Arsenal in March, scoring both goals for the Foxes in a 2-1 win as scouts from Newcastle and Brentford gazed their eyes on the sensational teen, and would have been in awe of his talents.

The teenage prodigy is garnering attention from a whole host of clubs and that attention is only going to be heightened after beginning his U21 campaign with one goal and three assists in his first four appearances.

With Leicester keen to extend his contract which currently expires in 2024, he's a player they can ill afford to let go given the high ceiling he possesses.

Who could Richards replace at Leicester?

Leicester's attacking output has largely come from wide areas this season with wingers McAteer and Stephy Mavididi scoring five goals between them, shouldering the responsibility in place of the misfiring Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.

While Vardy opened the scoring against Southampton inside 21 seconds, that was his first Championship goal of the season and with the Englishman seeing his output decline rapidly in recent years, Maresca will need someone to replace him in the near future.

The 36-year-old only mustered up three goals in the top flight last term, which is a barometer for how quickly he's dropped from the peak of his powers, having reached double digits for goals in eight of the last nine seasons prior, winning the Golden Boot in the 2019/20 season.

With Vardy reaching the tail end of his career, someone has to deliver consistent returns in his place and as evidenced by the performances of Iheanacho this season, he isn't likely to produce the goals that Leicester need.

Instead, Maresca could turn to his academy and unearth the exciting and skilful Richards, providing his side with the baptism of fire they need in a similar vein to McAteer.

NWSL expansion side Bay FC smashed the world-record transfer fee to sign Madrid CFF superstar Racheal Kundananji on Tuesday.

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Bay FC sign Kundananji for world-record feeMadrid CFF superstar joins NWSL expansion sideLook ahead at 2024 campaignWHAT HAPPENED?

The Zambian superstar has signed from Madrid CFF in the biggest transfer in women's soccer history, for a staggering fee worth €735,000 ($788,000/£625,000). The 23-year-old striker will travel to the United States to now be one of the highest-paid players in the league, with a deal that will pay over $2m across her contract through 2026, according to

AdvertisementWHAT BAY FC

“We are delighted to add Racheal to our group,” said Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton. “She is a tremendous talent with dynamic attacking qualities and an incredible physical profile who has produced for both club and country. Racheal has a composure in-front of goal and a natural ability to score with different types of finishes and from various locations. We believe she will continue to grow and develop at our club, showcasing her skillset and adding to the array of exciting attacking talent we have here.”

GettyWHAT KUNDANANJI SAID

“Every place that I’ve been to, I always take something from there; I learn something from there,” Kundananji told . “Good or bad, to me it’s a good experience because you have to experience something to know something. I’m looking [forward] to having a great time in the U.S., have a great time with the team. Now, Bay FC is my new family.”

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kundananji, who has eight goals and two assists this campaign in Liga F, is one of the top prospects in all of women's soccer. After signing in Spain in 2022, she ended her debut season with 25 goals across all competitions for Madrid CFF. Now, she's taking her talents to the West Coast to be the first-ever superstar signing for Bay FC ahead of their inaugural season.

There were a few catches put down during the record-breaking T20 at Eden Park, but one very valuable one was taken

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2018There were a few catches put down during the record-breaking T20 at Eden Park, but one very valuable one was taken.Mitchell Grimstone, a 20-year-old student, earned himself NZD50,000 courtesy of a local drinks sponsor when he leaned over the railing at deep midwicket to pluck Ross Taylor’s penultimate-ball six out of the air with his left hand.His reaction was priceless (or, well, worth 50K) as he was mobbed by those next to him in the stands.”I’m not left-handed,” he said. “But somehow I put it there and it stuck, and then everyone was jumping over me.”After the match, Taylor also presented him with his gloves and the match ball while offering congratulations.Having had a major boost to his bank balance, it’s probably a good thing Grimstone is studying accounting at university.

Congratulations Mitch on a great catch and 50k Enjoy my gloves and the match ball #tuicatchamillion #blackcaps #nzvaus

A post shared by Ross Taylor (@rossltaylor3) on Feb 16, 2018 at 2:25am PST

In the short term, failure and bad decisions are often magnified to a much higher extent, whereas success is often only truly appreciated in the long run and with the benefit of hindsight.

For a newly-promoted Premier League side like Burnley, you are not afforded the benefit of hindsight and there is no room for error.

The squad has to become curated to the best of your abilities and incomings need to be logical, purposeful, and impactful.

The Clarets are certainly a team in this boat and their summer business has signalled their desire to retain their top-flight status.

Vincent Kompany's men have already spent £78m and their recent £12m coup of Sander Berge from promotion rivals Sheffield United is indicative of their intent.

This signing looks to have defused the flame of the Albert Sambi-Lokonga rumours, which could be the best eventuality for both parties…

Are Burnley signing a new midfielder?

At the end of July, as per the Evening Standard, Burnley had been leading the race to sign Albert-Sambi Lokonga either on loan or as a permanent deal.

Kompany was said to be driving the interest in the young Belgian, who he worked with whilst he was in charge of Anderlecht.

However, it was recently reported by Sacha Tavolieri that Burnley didn’t meet the player’s expectations regarding personal terms and the deal has become ‘complicated.’

As a result, Monaco has also expressed an interest in the midfielder but ‘nothing concrete’ has materialised.

How good is Albert Sambi-Lokonga?

Lokonga joined Arsenal in the summer of 2021 for £17.2m, but in two years he has managed just 14 Premier League starts, and last season he only accumulated nine domestic appearances before joining Crystal Palace on loan in January 2023.

This was supposedly meant to signal a fresh start for the £50k-per-week man, but Palace failed to win any of the six Premier League games that he started.

Palace’s abysmal form meant that Roy Hodgson was reinstated as the manager, but the veteran coach was reluctant to deploy Lokonga in the club’s battle to distance itself from relegation as he was an unused substitute in eight of the final ten outings.

Statistically, it is clear to see Lokonga’s failed impact as he ranks within the lowest 33% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for shot-creating actions, progressive carries, and successful take-ons per 90, as well as the bottom 14% for tackles and blocks per 90.

His inability to stamp any meaningful authority at either end of the pitch is a worry for a club like Burnley, which require players to immediately acclimatise to avoid the drop zone.

Roy Keane has previously described his form as a “big concern” and with his Arsenal career seemingly written off, Burnley could make far more astute steps in the market.

They may have already done so with Berge, who has two seasons of consecutive, gruelling Championship football under his belt – the second of which saw Sheffield United secure promotion back to the top flight. Lokonga, however, does not have that in his locker and it would be a mistake to think he could make a desirable impact at this level.

Indeed, for the Belgian, the next step of his career may need to come outside English football as a relegation scrap at Burnley doesn’t seem the ideal environment where he can thrive.

West Ham are the only Premier League side yet to make a signing in the transfer window.

David Moyes, fresh from a Conference League triumph and preparing for a third consecutive year of European football, needs to act swiftly and add some much-needed quality to the squad.

A phenomenal way to kickstart this would be the acquisition of Hakan Calhanoglu.

Is Hakan Calhanoglu signing for West Ham?

According to Spazio Inter, West Ham are seriously targeting the Inter Milan technician this summer.

The Nerazzurri have endured a damaging summer – the club has already lost Andre Onana, Samir Handanovic, and Marcelo Brozovic, while Romelu Lukaku could be on his way to Juventus.

Therefore, Calhanoglu is thought to be at the centre of Simone Inzaghi’s project, and it would take an outlandish offer for consideration of his sale.

Nevertheless, the Hammers are looking to strengthen their midfield options after the talismanic Declan Rice departed for Arsenal.

The report details that an offer of around €50 (£43m) would force Inter into a decision.

How good is Hakan Calhanoglu?

Last season, the Turk, described as “exceptional” by Stefan Pioli, made 49 appearances across all competitions, including nine starts on Inter’s journey to the Champions League final.

During this period, he has been an integral cog within Inter’s efficient set up, averaging the second-highest rating (7.07) in Serie A.

The former AC Milan orchestrator is a player that excels in defensive and offensive areas. He averaged the third-most tackles last campaign (1.5) in the squad but was the midfielder with the best total.

Most impressively, the 78-cap international recorded the joint-most domestic assists (6) alongside Lautaro Martinez, Nicolo Barella, and Lukaku, but what separates him from the rest is his supreme creativity that wasn’t rewarded.

Calhanoglu registered 64 chance creations last year at a rate of 1.94 per 90, as Barella in second managed just 49, to emphasize how the 5 foot 10 sensation is the chief inventor within the side, whilst also protecting the backline.

Interestingly, as per OPTA’s player comparison tool, Calhanoglu’s style of play has been likened to Joshua Kimmich, with a similarity score of 76.5%.

This model reveals that these players rank within the highest 14% among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues who have played at least 1350 minutes for possession won, the best 18% for touches, and the top 4% for chances created.

The duality of both players to be able to operate in a deep-lying playmaker role, whilst also regularly retrieving possession has moulded them into formidable assets.

Throughout his career, Kimmich has always been known to be a defensive midfielder, renowned for his tough-tackling and technical ability. Meanwhile, Calhanoglu’s positional history has taken a far more unconventional pathway.

Between 2014-2017, the £183k-per-week man was at Bayer Leverkusen, playing 59 of his 115 games for the Germans as either an attacking midfielder or second striker. Since signing for Inter, he has appeared almost exclusively in the 'Kimmich role' as a central or defensive midfield, fielded in a more offensive role just twice.

But to his, and his manager’s credit, it has worked wonders. Calhanoglu’s seamless transition to a deeper role demonstrates his intelligence and adaptability. Moreover, his similar ranking to Kimmich indicates that he is one of Europe’s most accomplished within this framework.

Calhanoglu’s profile speaks for itself and a signing of this calibre would dramatically help arrest West Ham from their summer slumber.

Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board have backed Brendan Rodgers in the summer transfer window so far.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Hoops chiefs have splashed the cash to bring in five new signings for the Northern Irish tactician, who returned to the club last month to replace Ange Postecoglou after the Australian manager's move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Australia international Marco Tilio and Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm were his first two additions and they have since been joined by South Korean duo Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Hyun-jun Yang, alongside Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki.

Whilst there is still just over a month to go until the deadline passes, Rodgers could potentially avoid the need to dip into the market for further reinforcements by utilising the academy set-up.

One player who has caught the eye with his performances for the B-team of later is versatile attacker Bruno Davidson, who could be a dream heir to Daizen Maeda at Parkhead.

How many goals did Bruno Davidson score last season?

The 19-year-old talent scored a respectable six goals in 26 Lowland League matches for the Hoops academy side during the 2022/23 campaign.

He racked up six goals and six assists in 29 domestic outings and has scored once in two league games so far this season for the B-team.

This means that the exciting wizard has recorded a direct goal contribution once every 2.38 domestic clashes on average since the start of last term.

His form caught the eye in Canada last year as journalist Joshua Kloke claimed he was "causing some buzz" due to his dual eligibility to play for the North American side. Despite this, he has only been called up by Scotland at U17 level so far.

The teenage maestro is also yet to be handed his first-team bow by the Bhoys to date and has not been given an opportunity to showcase his talent on the professional stage.

Maeda, who can play anywhere across the front three, produced 11 goals and seven assists in 49 competitive games for Celtic last season, which included eight strikes and five assists in 31 Scottish Premiership outings.

The Japan international was directly involved in a goal every 2.72 appearances on average for the Hoops. He is not a prolific scorer or consistent creator but is able to chip in at the top end of the pitch on a semi-regular basis.

Davidson, who has been deployed on both flanks and through the middle as a number ten, has showcased similar qualities as a versatile winger for the B-team, as shown by his aforementioned statistics.

Of course, there is no guarantee that he will be able to translate his form over to a first-team setting but the potential is there for him to take the next step if Rodgers offers an opportunity.

Davidson's emergence as a senior option would alleviate the need for the club to go into the market to splash out millions on a new attacker, which is why using the academy to unearth talent can be a cost-effective and pleasing way of adding to the squad for supporters who want to see homegrown players flourish.

Sunderland are reportedly eyeing up a move for former Chelsea youngster Silko Thomas and have seemingly taken him on trial, with the player spotted in action over the weekend.

What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray have been fairly busy in the transfer market this summer, looking to build on an impressive first season back in the Championship after finishing in the playoffs during the previous campaign.

The club have brought in a number of young players already, all of which are aged 20 or under. Defenders Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis have arrived from PSV Eindhoven and Central Coast Mariners respectively, whereas midfielder Jobe Bellingham has made the move from Birmingham.

In attack, Luis Semedo has swapped Benfica for Sunderland, and by the looks of things, more additions could be on the cards.

Sochaux teenager Eliezer Mayenda looked like he could be the next through the door at The Stadium of Light, however, a move is reportedly being held up, whereas a move for free agent centre-back Axel Tuanzebe could be one to keep an eye on before the summer transfer window ends.

Djurgardens IF youngster Gideon Granstrom is on trial with Sunderland, and it looks as if he has now been joined on trial by another youngster in Thomas.

According to The Sunderland Echo, the club have appeared to have taken Tomas on trial, with the teenager spotted playing for the club’s under-21 side against non-league King's Lynn Town over the weekend.

The report adds that Thomas was previously on trial with newly-promoted Premier League side Sheffield United earlier in the summer but he has now moved on to a stint with the Black Cats, looking to earn a deal.

Who is Silko Thomas?

Thomas is 19 years of age and is currently a free agent after being let go by Chelsea earlier this month. An England U18 international, Thomas is represented by CAA Base Ltd, actually the same agency as Sunderland players Anthony Patterson and Patrick Roberts.

The left-footed attacker made around 60 appearances in Chelsea’s youth sides, contributing to 15 goals but is yet to get a real taste of senior football, something he could get at Sunderland in the future.

The Sunderland Echo’s recent report says that he has been described as an attacking player who is comfortable on either wing as well as through the middle and is exciting to watch whilst possessing an eye for goal, showing how he could be a versatile and direct attacking option for Mowbray in the long run.

It looks as if a move will be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, and who knows, should he impress, Thomas could be the latest youngster to pen terms with the club. If Sunderland like what they see and offer him a contract, they could decide to put Thomas initially in their academy ranks, potentially looking to catch the eye around the U21s with a view to breaking into the first-team picture further down the line.

Matt Walker, the Kent coach, is to join the England management team for the T20 tri-series involving Australia and New Zealand in February

George Dobell18-Aug-2017

Matt Walker, the Kent coach, is to join the England management team for the T20 tri-series involving Australia and New Zealand in February.An England team spokesman confirmed a report in the stating that Walker made a good impression on the England management team when he was invited to join a couple of training sessions earlier in the summer.His Kent team are currently placed fifth in Division Two of the County Championship and go into the final round of NatWest Blast games with a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.Walker, now aged 43 and a veteran of almost two decades as a batsman in the county game, will replace England assistant coach Paul Farbrace for that section of England’s winter schedule. But while Farbrace will be allowed a month to rest, the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, is currently planning on taking charge of the entire five-month tour.

A "devastated" Thiago Silva apologised to Chelsea fans in an emotional message after an awful error gifted Newcastle a goal in a 4-1 defeat.

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Silva issues apology after silly errorChelsea convincingly beaten by NewcastleBlues drop to 10th spotWHAT HAPPENED?

The defender was at fault after a critical error led to Joelinton's goal that helped the Magpies to further extend their lead. Silva's sloppy pass was cut off by his compatriot and Joelinton made no mistake to score past a helpless Robert Sanchez between the sticks.

AdvertisementWHAT THIAGO SILVA SAID

Silva posted an emotional message after the defeat which read: "I'm devastated. It wasn't a good day for us. I would like to apologise to everyone for the defeat, especially to my teammates who believe in me and support me every day. I take full responsibility. Let's gather strength and come back stronger."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After coming out second-best to an injury-ravaged Newcastle, Mauricio Pochettino was naturally left "upset". Alexander Isak scored the opener but Raheem Sterlingensured that they were back on level terms soon after scoring a brilliant free kick. However, after the break, the Magpies upped the ante and Jamaal Lascelles made the most of the inspired start and put his team back in the lead. After Silva's howler, things went further south for Chelsea as Reece James was handed his marching orders. Ten minutes later, Anthony Gordon scored the fourth of the match for Newcastle to seal a memorable evening for the fans at St. James' Park.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR THIAGO SILVA?

Silva is one of the leaders in the dressing room and became the oldest player to ever feature for the Blues at 39 years and 64 days when he was named in the starting XI against Newcastle. The centre-back will look to put this disappointment on the back burner and move ahead as Chelsea are set to host Brighton next on December 3.