Aston Villa have been linked with another newly relegated Premier League star after confirming an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans from Leicester City.

The Villans have had a host of talent on their radar early into the transfer window and with Monchi and Unai Emery at the wheel, it’s set to be a busy summer in the Midlands.

The latest speculation ties the club with another ace that’s Championship bound, should he not be released from his shackles.

What’s the latest on Rodrigo to Aston Villa?

As reported by journalist Ben Jacobs last weekend on the Leeds United Ultras Youtube channel, Aston Villa hold an interest in Leeds United forward Rodrigo.

Jacobs revealed (21.19) that the Midlands club are watching the 32-year-old “very closely”, with Paris Saint Germain and Brighton & Hove Albion also listed as interested clubs.

Signed for £26m in 2020, Leeds are expected to offload the £100k-per-week talent to transition to the financial difference between the top and second division.

What could Rodrigo offer to Aston Villa?

Hailed as an “absolute top talent” by Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear, the Spaniard has been an integral member of the club’s short journey in the Premier League.

The 32-year-old has contributed to 30 goals in 88 appearances in the top division, scoring 26 and assisting four across three seasons via Transfermarkt.

His highest goal tally came this term where he netted 13, however, his contributions were not enough to keep the Whites from relegation on the final day.

Villa could snatch themselves a versatile forward in the Rio de Janeiro-born star, in a talent that is capable of playing wide as well as through the middle as a traditional centre-forward.

When speaking to The Athletic in April, Emery revealed his desire to sign a second striker to add depth to his squad, in a role that could see the favoured individual partner Ollie Watkins or rotate with the Englishman.

With European competition due next season, it’s imperative that the Spaniard recruits to add depth to his squad which is what he could do by capturing Rodrigo.

The 32-year-old has significant experience playing in Europe, including a standout season in La Liga in the 2017/18 campaign in which he recorded 23 goals and assists to show his capabilities in the final third.

When comparing the Spaniard and the Villa star, the numbers suggest that they could become an influential pair at Villa Park whether playing together or in rotation.

As per FBref, over the past year the Leeds gem averaged 1.86 progressive carries to Watkins’ 1.44 per 90 as well as 0.56 non-penalty goals per 90 to the Englishman’s 0.40, showing his ability to match the Villa favourite if called upon in his absence.

While their similarities are declared through their numbers, their differences suggest that they could form a strong partnership together, with the 27-year-old falling short of the Spaniard in terms of progressive passes, registering 1.12 to his 2.05 per 90.

The Leeds star shows strengths in his ability to link play as highlighted through his numbers of progressive passes in comparison to Watkins, suggesting he could act as an encouraging option to feed the 15-goal Villa star.

Monchi could land his first signing at a low price in securing Rodrigo, who could be a strong introduction for Emery’s plans to add depth to his squad.

Remarkable control from the Australian bowlers resulted in massive pressure being built up which led to a steady supply of wickets as India folded for 189 on the first day

The Report by Alagappan Muthu04-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:15

‘Surprised by the Bengaluru pitch’

First there was control, then panic and eventually wickets. Most of them went to Nathan Lyon, whose 8 for 50 was the best ever haul by a visiting bowler in India. He personified Australia’s ability to adapt to unfavourable conditions – which included a lost toss – and by the end of the day they had ransacked 10 wickets for 189 runs, put up a score of 40 for 0 themselves and did their chances of retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy no harm whatsoever.Most teams coming to the subcontinent will be aware they have to invest heavily in maintaining tight lines and lengths for pressure is as good as any help they might receive off the pitch to pick up wickets. The batsman starts to feel trapped, doubts begin to fester, he searches for release and…India know this template well. Yet they lost Cheteshwar Pujara on the stroke of lunch. Virat Kohli gave his wicket away – and then a review as well – by padding up to a straight ball. Were it not for KL Rahul’s 90 on his home ground in Bengaluru, they would have been in far worse shape. And that is saying something considering they were bundled out for under 200 for the third time in as many innings.Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were in prime form with the new ball. Six of the first 12 overs on Saturday were maidens, the result of their getting just enough movement in the air and off the pitch. Lyon was precise with his line and smart with his length. He got the ball to turn and bounce sharply on some occasions and on others he made it drift and go straight on. His biggest strike, though, was simply down to a set up.Kohli was new to the crease and only a few seconds ago had a good length ball jumped past his inside edge and hit his thigh pad. Something told the Indian captain he could trust the bounce here, that if he was playing on the back foot, the ball was unlikely to threaten his stumps. That made picking length very, very important. Lyon flattened his trajectory, Kohli left the ball, suckered into believing it was short, it thudded into his pad in front of middle stump and umpire Nigel Llong put his finger up. While the error in judgment can be forgiven, the gamble with DRS was less so for it was driven not by logic but hope, and even a little bit of fear at losing the best batsman in the team giving Australia the kind of momentum they would love.Watching all this from the other end was Rahul. His innings spanned 205 balls – the next best was a mere 66 – was a battle all through. He was struck on the glove as Starc peppered him with bouncers. He was often unsure against Hazlewood’s two-way movement. He could have been caught on 30 but even Peter Handscomb, whose agility is already becoming legend, was unable to hold on to a rather difficult chance low to his left at silly mid-off.Nathan Lyon’s 8 for 50 was the best figures by a visiting bowler in India•Associated Press

Rahul had the mettle to work past his troubles, to not buckle to pressure and go looking for that boundary that makes him feel better for but an instant. He had had enough of that in Pune. Normally a free-flowing batsman – evidenced by his striking the first ball of the match to the point boundary – he understood the importance of a big score and buckled down to get it. With time at the crease, his defensive game grew tighter but most of all, he was able to absorb all the pressure Australia piled up on him.The same could not be said of his team-mates. Ajinkya Rahane hurtled down the pitch against Lyon only for the straighter ball to beat his outside edge. He was so far past the crease that Matthew Wade even had time to recover from a fumble and pull off the stumping. The 17 runs he made marked the ninth time out of 10 innings that he has fallen for a score under 30. Karun Nair, who was brought in to lengthen the batting line-up, playing for the first time since his 303 not out in December, committed the same mistake against O’Keefe and this time the ball turned sharply to leave him stumped too.Against the vagaries of the M Chinnaswamy strip – hosting a Test for the first time since large-scale renovations of the outfield – and the discipline of the Australian bowlers, it was difficult not to imagine India as those kids waiting for Mum and Dad to slack off so they can raid the sweets in the pantry. But by the end of the day, with no hope of their craving being satisfied, they could only fold their hands over their chest and go “this sucks”.By tea, Australia’s GOAT had gutted India’s middle order and sent back their big three. The first of his wickets was a major turning point. He had a set Pujara caught at short leg off what became the very last ball before lunch and a 61-run second wicket partnership was broken.Against a bowler in such rhythm, the lower order folded quickly. R Ashwin was undone by a spitting cobra. Wriddhiman Saha edged one that didn’t turn as much as he thought. Ravindra Jadeja inside edged a catch off the pad to slip – which was only confirmed when Smith made fine use of the review available to him. Even there, Australia were thumping India. And it all tied in to Lyon’s skill. A newfound skill.In the early part of his career, he couldn’t figure out how to bowl on turners. He would either be too slow and too full and get driven a lot, or too quick and too short leading to outcomes a lot worse. Here all of his wickets came off the 5 to 6m mark. For a batsman, that meant even if he came forward, he couldn’t reach the pitch of the ball. To then make connection, he has to push his hands out in front and that compromises his balance. Playing back is a risk too because Lyon’s overspin generates awkward bounce.Against that, the extra batsman was of little use. M Vijay, however, was not among of the XI having injured his left shoulder in the 333-run defeat in Pune and in his place came Tamil Nadu team-mate Abhinav Mukund. The 27-year old was representing India for the first time in over five years and his team was using their eighth opening pair in the last 12 months. He got an eight-ball duck, the partnership yielded only 11 runs, the position is clearly cursed, it time to call Scooby Doo yet?

West Bromwich Albion can finally gear up for the start of the new Championship campaign with news that head coach Carlos Corberan is no longer a target for Leeds United.

Former Leeds coach Corberan was considered the favourite to succeed Sam Allardyce at Elland Road at one point, but Football Insider reports that the Whites are working to bring in a manager with Premier League experience.

That can only be considered a huge boost for Albion some six weeks out from the opening weekend of the 2023-24 campaign, and it means full focus can now be on transfer activity.

Indeed, the Baggies could make it a double reason for celebration by bringing in one of Corberan's targets, with The Sun reporting last week that they are showing an interest in Blackpool striker Jerry Yates.

Who is Blackpool striker Jerry Yates?

Yates' 20 goals helped fire Blackpool to promotion to the Championship two years ago, and he has since scored 22 goals in the second tier.

As well as netting 14 goals last time out, which were not enough to keep Blackpool up, Yates also chipped in with four assists. It is that ability to both score and create that earned strong praise from his former boss Richie Wellens.

"He's good at everything," Wellens told Quest. "He's got decent pace and he can hold the ball up." Yates' ability as an all-rounder is further reflected when looking at the positions he was fielded last season, courtesy of WhoScored, ranging from a central midfielder to a striker, as well as operating on both flanks.

The 26-year-old can also help out in terms of the defensive side of the game, with FBref ranking him in the top 3% of his positional peers for interceptions and top 7% for blocks.

It is unsurprising, then, that a number of Championship teams are taking a close look at Yates – heavyweights Leicester City among them. The Sun reports that Premier League club Luton Town may also be tempted to make a move for a player valued at £4m by Blackpool.

Yates would undoubtedly be an upgrade on what Corberan currently has available, as his 18 combined goals and assists in the Championship last season are three more than West Brom's best performer John Swift managed.

In fact, Jed Wallace (14) was the only other Albion player to register double figures in that metric, which shows the importance of bringing another talented attacker to The Hawthorns.

Factor in the 1.63 aerial duels per 90 minutes Yates wins, which is more than Swift (0.84) and Wallace (0.48), and it may well be that the Englishman's combination with Corberan next term proves the difference between mid-table obscurity and a serious push at promotion.

The Uruguayan provided a crucial goal to cap a stellar display in a tricky home win as Bellingham failed to score for the first time this season.

Jude Bellingham can't run the show every game. It is good for Real Madrid, then, that they have a few other midfielders in their ranks. This week, it was Federico Valverde who ran things, with the Uruguayan scoring Madrid's equaliser and turning in his best showing of the season in a 2-1 comeback win over Real Sociedad.

But it wasn't a comfortable start at the Santiago Bernabeu. A former Madrid man got things going for La Real. Takefusa Kubo, who Los Blancos let go on a permanent deal last summer, played an incisive pass through the Madrid defence, which Ander Barrene bundled over the line — despite Kepa Arrizabalaga's best efforts. Kubo had the ball in the net again 10 minutes later, but saw his curled effort ruled out after it glanced the body of an offside Mikel Oyarzabal.

Joselu rattled the bar with the goal gaping shortly after, but Madrid created little for the remainder of the first half. They only needed 43 seconds after the break to change things, though. Valverde levelled the scoreline with a fine side-footed strike into the net from the edge of the box. The second came after an hour, as Joselu headed Fran Garcia's cross into the bottom corner.

There were further chances for Madrid. Toni Kroos curled a free-kick narrowly wide. Valverde saw a good opportunity for a second deflected past the post and Bellingham was denied late on. Still, although they were far from convincing in the first half, Madrid, led by Valverde, did enough to grab three big points and maintain their perfect start to the 2023-24 Liga season.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Kepa Arrizabalaga (7/10):

Almost made an excellent save to deny La Real's opener. Had little to do otherwise.

Dani Carvajal (7/10):

Involved in an exciting battle with Kieran Tierney — one he won most of the time. His attacking thrust was vital, especially given Carlo Ancelotti's injury woes.

Antonio Rudiger (6/10):

Completely lost his man on the opener. Redeemed himself after with an otherwise solid performance.

David Alaba (6/10):

Didn't offer much cover as Kubo ran rampant. Not his best showing.

Fran Garcia (6/10):

Had a rough go of things against Kubo, who ran rings round him. But he was excellent going forward, assisting Valverde and Joselu.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Won his tackles, pressed well. But he failed to cover some key spaces in the defensive third, and gave Kubo time to work magic.

Federico Valverde (8/10):

The usual off-ball work was there, and he offered an injection of pace from the midfield. Scored a wonderful goal to equalise — his first of the season. Bellingham was surprisingly quiet, and Valverde took it upon himself to handle the creative load from the midfield.

Toni Kroos (7/10):

Gave away some silly free-kicks. Madrid's lack of width in the first half limited his creative tendencies. Better in the second as his side grew into the game.

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

Didn't get a goal or assist, but was involved in pretty much everything else. If this is Bellingham at his worst, Madrid won't have much to complain about.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty ImagesAttack

Rodrygo (6/10):

Tried to make everything a one-man show — such is his lack of understanding with Joselu up front. Worked for short stints, but he really needs support in the final third.

Joselu (6/10):

Missed a sitter shortly after La Real's opener. Scored Madrid's second out of nowhere. He causes problems with his energy and industry but doesn't have the pace or technical quality to be anything other than a reliable backup.

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Subs & Manager

Luka Modric (6/10):

Not a bad option off the bench. Lacking rhythm having fallen behind Bellingham and Valverde in the pecking order.

Eduardo Camavinga (7/10):

Steadied things, and helped Madrid gain control when he came on.

Nacho (6/10):

Valuable legs for a tired Fran Garcia.

Lucas Vazquez (6/10):

Late defensive cover to shut it down.

Brahim Diaz (N/A):

Didn't have time to make an impact.

Carlo Ancelotti (7/10):

Went for arguably his strongest side given the injury situation. Madrid weren't woeful, but certainly short of their best, and need to find an attacking rhythm. Still, he will take the three points against a tricky opponent.

Celtic are edging closer to appointing former manager Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead and his prospective return to Parkhead 'might be able to work', according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Brendan Rodgers?

According to The Guardian, Celtic are close to appointing Rodgers as their new manager in what would be a headline-grabbing return to the scene of some of his finest former glories.

The report states that discussions between the 50-year-old boss and Celtic majority stakeholder Dermot Desmond have 'progressed positively' to the point where his appointment is all but confirmed.

The Daily Mail have detailed that Rodgers has pitched an exciting vision regarding how to make Celtic a 'competitive force' in Europe, with a focus on improving the playing squad and infrastructure surrounding the club.

Rodgers is already in the process of assembling a backroom team to take on the challenge of trying to maintain the Hoops' domestic dominance and it is said that attempts to keep hold of assistant manager John Kennedy, who is wanted by Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, are already underway.

Ex-Norwich City boss Daniel Farke, Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen and Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca were among the alternative names that were considered for the role, though it now looks like Rodgers is in pole position to take over at Celtic.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Rodgers returning to Celtic could work out for both parties after hearing the recent reports.

Jones told FFC: "There are definitely a few concerns about whether he'd want to go back to Celtic, but the fact that you hear that he is keen to talk is definitely interesting and it's perhaps the safest bet. If he could actually go back, if he was willing to get his head around that, it might be able to work."

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good appointment by Celtic?

Judging on his time previously at Celtic, there is no doubt that Rodgers, on paper at least, would be a sensible appointment by the Hoops as they look to continue to topple Rangers at the summit of the Scottish Premiership and make advances in European competition.

During his first spell in charge, Rodgers swept all before him domestically, winning seven trophies from seven available and laying down a marker of dominance in Scotland, as per Transfermarkt.

His acrimonious exit to take the reins at Leicester City in 2019 was received badly in the east end of Glasgow; however, at the Foxes, Rodgers in the main did a commendable job, recording two fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League, winning an FA Cup trophy alongside a FA Community Shield and taking the East Midlands outfit to a Europa Conference League semi-final.

Nevertheless, his credentials to return to Celtic more than stand up to scrutiny and he now looks to be odds-on favourite to be installed as their new boss, which is a turn of events that nobody would've been able to predict even just a couple of weeks ago.

Virat Kohli has said he won’t engage with Steven Smith’s suggestion that Australia are “one or two sessions” away from retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy

Melinda Farrell in Bengaluru03-Mar-20170:50

I know about Australia’s mind games – Kohli

Steven Smith turned the heat on India on the eve of the second Test in Bengaluru, declaring Australia are just “one or two sessions” away from retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy, while Virat Kohli dismissed Smith’s words as “mind games.”After starting the series as underdogs and given little chance of drawing, let alone winning a match, Australia would take an unassailable lead in the four-Test series if they win at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a ground where Australia has an encouraging record of two wins, two draws and just one loss.”I think they will feel under a little bit of pressure,” Smith said. “Obviously, going into this series, all I heard was 4-0 to them. So they’re one down and need to come back. We’re one win away from [retaining] the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Things can happen pretty quickly here.”So we might be one or two sessions away from getting that back. I’m sure they’ll feel under a bit of pressure.”But Kohli was quick to brush off the suggestion that India would be feeling under pressure when he learned of Smith’s comments.”Me? As a team? Does it look like [we’re under pressure]?” Kohli said, smilingly. “I’m pretty relaxed. I’m happy. I’m smiling. It’s fine, those are his views and [he can say] whatever he wants to say. I think it’s time we focus on our skills more than what Australia is saying or preparing like. I know these minds games in these press conferences are something they’re very good at.”We’re still going to play the cricket that we’ve played for the last two years and see where the series ends after the fourth game.”Kohli also refused to be drawn on the importance of stopping Smith, whose gritty knock at Pune defied the conditions and was his third century from his past seven Test innings, instead pointing to the fact that India gave Smith several lives during his second innings.”The whole team has to play well against Australia to win a Test match, that’s something we’ve identified,” said Kohli. “We’re not focusing on one player at all.”If we don’t hold onto our chances it doesn’t matter, at the end of the day, how many runs we score. We’re not focusing on one player only. The whole ten wickets have to be taken twice to win a Test match. The comments and headlines don’t matter. They never have, and we won’t base our cricket on it.”

ScorecardVirat Singh delivered East Zone the title with his unbeaten 58•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Virat Singh and Ishank Jaggi zoomed to half-centuries as East Zone chased down 150 in just 13.4 overs against West Zone to clinch an eight-wicket win and the 2016-17 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Inter Zonal title. East Zone ended their tournament with a spotless record, winning all four of their matches to finish with 16 points, four ahead of second-placed Central Zone.The duo’s efforts came after right-arm pacer Pritam Das snared 2 for 25 to restrict West Zone to 149 for 5 after they were asked to bat at the Wankhede Stadium.Jaggi walked out with East Zone having made a blistering start to the chase through an opening stand of 61 in just 5.2 overs. Shardul Thakur ended the burst when he had Karthik caught behind for a 14-ball 24. Virat and Jaggi then slammed 80 runs off just 44 balls to shut the doors on a West Zone fightback. Jaggi took over as the dominant partner, scoring 56 of them himself, off 30 balls and with the help of three fours and six sixes.Thakur returned to take out Jaggi in the 13th over, but East Zone were only nine short of the target. They required only six more balls to close out the game, with captain Manoj Tiwary hitting two quick boundaries, while Virat stayed not out on 58 off 34 balls, having struck five fours and three sixes.Thakur took two wickets, but was expensive, giving away 31 runs in three overs, as were all of West Zone’s six remaining bowlers, who ended wicketless.When West Zone batted, Sheldon Jackson tried to hold the innings together with a half-century, but West Zone lost frequent wickets and made slow progress. Deppak Hooda helped Jackson add 40 for the third wicket to lift them from 36 for 2, but their stand came at only a run a ball. When Jackson fell at the start of the 15th over, caught off the left-arm spin of Pragyan Ojha, West Zone only had 92 on the board. That they got to 149 was down to Rujul Bhatt, who struck an unbeaten 36 off 20 balls.East Zone’s bowlers shared the wickets around, with Pritam Das returning 2 for 25, while Suryakant Pradhan, Sayan Ghosh and Ojha took a wicket apiece.
ScorecardFile photo – Harpreet Singh’s 92 made the difference for Central Zone in a tense chase•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the second match of the day, Central Zone scraped through by two wickets in a high-scoring clash against South Zone.After being inserted, South Zone rode on solid contributions from their middle order to post 181 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Harpreet Singh led Central Zone’s reply with a career-best 92 off 51 balls that included 10 fours and four sixes.After Vishnu Vinod set the tone for South Zone’s innings with a 15-ball 31 at the top, the trio of Dinesh Karthik (35), captain Vijay Shankar (40) and Pavan Deshpande (33 not out) formed the bulwark of the innings. Their efforts ensured South Zone finished with a strong total in spite of late strikes.Ankit Rajpoot, Aniket Choudhary and Karn Sharma took two wickets each, although Rajpoot was the most economical, giving away just 28 in four overs.Central Zone lost Naman Ojha in the second ball of the chase, before Harpreet and Amandeep Khare steadied them with a 67-run second-wicket stand. Following Khare’s dismissal for 39, the onus fell on Harpreet as none of the other batsmen made an impression. Harpreet nearly saw the team through, and though he fell at the start of the final over, Amit Mishra and Rajpoot fought nerves to knock off the remaining four runs.South Zone used six bowlers, all of whom were among the wickets, but Rahil Shah and Swaroop Kumar impressed the most with returns of 2 for 20 and 1 for 20 respectively.

After Mohammad Irfan was provisionally suspended three days ago, Shahzaib Hasan got the same treatment from the PCB for allegedly breaching three anti-corruption clauses

Umar Farooq17-Mar-2017

Batsman Shahzaib Hasan has become the fifth Pakistan player to be provisionally suspended by the PCB as part of its investigation into alleged corruption in the Pakistan Super League.Shahzaib was suspended with immediate effect from all forms of cricket for allegedly failing to report a suspect approach in time and in full detail, and also for allegedly inducing players in corruption indirectly.He was charged with breaching three major clauses of the PCB’s anti-corruption code – 2.1.4, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 – and was given 14 days to respond, the board confirmed.Anti-corruption code clauses allegedly breached by Shahzaib

2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.

2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.

2.4.5 – Failing or refusing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant, including (without limitation) approaches or invitations that have been received by another Participant to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of this Anti-Corruption Code.

Shahzaib, along with fast bowler Mohammad Irfan, was summoned by the PCB in relation to the investigation into alleged corruption in the PSL. ESPNcricinfo understands that Shahzaib was questioned over two days about his relations with the already suspended Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif and was asked why he had delayed reporting an approach by three days. Irfan had also been suspended for allegedly failing to report a corrupt approach.It has been more than six years since Shahzaib last played for Pakistan and the highlight of his brief international career was the World T20 victory in 2009. His flamboyance was the defining feature of his batting but inconsistency in domestic cricket limited his career to three ODIs and 10 T20Is between 2009 and 2010. Two weeks before the PSL in UAE this year, Shahzaib scored 171 off 117 in the semi-final of the Regional One Day Cup but did not find that form with Karachi Kings, making 19 and 0 in two innings.The corruption scandal in the PSL broke when batsmen Sharjeel and Latif were charged in February, after which an independent tribunal was set up to conduct an inquiry because the players contested some of the charges. Former Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed was also suspended by the PCB and later arrested in the UK as part of the same investigation. He was then released on bail.

Gary Neville has boldly predicted that Manchester United will finish outside of the Premier League’s top five at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Article continues below

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Red Devils still searching for consistencyQuestions being asked of Dutch coachClub legend sees little cause for optimismWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils did secure a top-four finish last season, returning them to the Champions League, while a six-year wait for major silverware was brought to a close in the Carabao Cup. Big money was spent over the summer in an effort to build on those foundations, with the likes of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund snapped up.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United have stumbled out of the blocks, though, picking up 12 points from eight games to sit 10th in the table as things stand. Neville does not expect things to get much better, with the Red Devils legend telling his podcast for : “I don’t think Manchester United will finish in the top five this season. I think they are way off it. And I’m surprised because seven or eight weeks ago, I had them third, But honestly from what I see at the moment, I don’t think the goalkeeper is settled in, I think he should have saved the one yesterday so that is a problem. If you’re goalkeeper is not settled in and there is a bit of instability around that, it does create a big problem. I’ve had that at United. So United, not for me.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Chelsea are another heavyweight outfit to have struggled for consistency, despite spending £1 billion ($1.2bn) across the last three transfer windows, but Neville believes the future is brighter at Stamford Bridge than it is at Old Trafford. He added: “Chelsea, I think are probably nearer to it if they can go on a run because they have got some really good young talented players. Their age is a lot better than United’s squad.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

United did take maximum points from their last Premier League fixture, but needed a stoppage-time brace from Scott McTominay in order to edge out Brentford, and pressure is already building on Erik ten Hag during his second season at the helm – failure to qualify for the Champions League could lead to another change being made in the dugout.

Tottenham Hotspur have entered talks to sign Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and could hijack Inter Milan, according to journalist Michele Criscitiello.

Who will Spurs sign this summer?

The north Londoners, buoyed by the arrival of new manager Ange Postecoglou, are seeking to strengthen their ranks in many different areas before next season.

One of the major positions Spurs could reinforce is the goalkeeping position, especially after long-serving number one Hugo Lloris recently declared that he is seeking a new challenge.

The Frenchman, who has been at Tottenham for over a decade since signing from Lyon in 2012, told Nice-Matin that an exit is very much on the cards – a year before the expiry of his current contract.

“We have reached an important moment, whether it be for the club or me,” said Lloris.

“It’s the end of an era. I have a desire for something else. I will carefully study what is possible. However, I haven’t forgotten that I have a year left on my contract at Tottenham, and in football, it’s always hard to predict what will happen."

As a result, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has reportedly been targeting Brentford's David Raya, though despite agreeing personal terms, it is believed there is an impasse on his £40 million asking price.

Alternatives who have been in the frame include Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, but according to reports in the lasr 24 hours, Tottenham have set their sights on a new target for in-between the sticks.

Indeed, Empoli's Vicario is now of serious interest, with Italian reporter Criscitiello telling SICafè on Sport Italia that Spurs are in talks for the 26-year-old.

They could also hijack Inter Milan, who apparently had the 6 foot 4 Vicario "in their grip" but are "wasting time" – meaning Tottenham are swooping in.

"The Nerazzurri had Vicario in their grip," said Criscitiello.

"But now they are wasting time and as a result the goalkeeper has fallen heavily in these hours, with important money, at Corsi's house. Tottenham. Empoli are negotiating with the English, I don't know the figures."

Who is Guglielmo Vicario?

The Italian starred for Empoli last season under Paolo Zanetti, even standing out as their second-best performing player by average match rating according to WhoScored.

Off the back of his national team call-up last year, BBC journalist Moseph Ekine was also effusive in his praise for the shot-stopper, calling him one of Serie A's "very good" keepers who has been "superb" for Empoli.

If Spurs can get a deal done, they may well have an excellent Raya alternative.