All posts by h716a5.icu

Misbah-ul-Haq has called on his batsmen to rise to ‘their biggest challenge’ of competing in English conditions, to give a powerful bowling attack enough runs to put England under pressure

Andrew Miller07-Jul-2016Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain, has called on his batsmen to rise to “their biggest challenge” of competing in English conditions, to give a powerful bowling attack – that looks set to be led by the returning Mohammad Amir – enough runs to put England under pressure.Misbah, who led Pakistan to a 2-0 series win in the UAE in their last campaign against England, praised the manner in which his team has gelled in the six years since the controversies of their 2010 tour.However, he emphasised that a series win in England was the “point they had to prove” to draw a line under the spot-fixing scandal that tarnished their image on their last visit to Lord’s.”This is the biggest challenge for us in a long time,” Misbah said during the Investec Test series launch at Lord’s. “This is the best chance for us, and me as a captain, to perform here especially in these conditions. That’s the point we have to prove.”To perform in England, Australia, even South Africa, these are the tours where you really develop your team. The 2010 tour, I think, was a tough tour, but guys like Azhar Ali did well in tough conditions and situations, and that makes you a better player.”Pakistan’s exhaustive preparations for this series have included training camps in Lahore and at the Ageas Bowl in Hampshire, prior to a satisfactory first outing of the tour against Somerset this week, in which Younis Khan and Azhar both made hundreds, and Asad Shafiq chipped in with a brace of half-centuries.Either side of those performances, Amir impressed with three top-order wickets while legspinner Yasir Shah – who is also making a comeback after serving a three-month suspension for a doping violation – showcased his form with two wickets.”That’s a fact that, whoever comes from Asia in these conditions, the batting really has to stand up,” Misbah said. “If you can put good scores on the board, the Pakistan seam attack is good, and we’ve got the best spinner at the moment who’s really bowling well. We really have to stand up as a batting unit and give them good scores, and we are capable of doing well against them.”Throughout their preparations for the series, Pakistan have treated the England tour as the culmination of a long campaign to restore their image, and Misbah praised the extent to which his players had bought into that vision. With Mickey Arthur installed alongside him to add extra discipline as a coach, the signs are promising in the lead-up to the Lord’s Test.’This is the best chance for us, and me as a captain, to perform here especially in these conditions. That’s the point we have to prove’ – Misbah-ul-Haq•Getty Images”I think we’ve done really well in the last six years and all credit to the players,” Misbah said. “We’ve understood what was going on with the Pakistan team at that time, and they responded really well in terms of performances, roles and especially, their off-field behaviours. It’s about restoring that image for Pakistan and, as a whole, it’s quite satisfying.”The focus will doubtless be on Amir come the first morning at Lord’s, and though Misbah conceded he had not initially been in favour of his recall following his five-year ban, he insisted he was now fully supportive of his reintegration, not least because it was what Pakistan’s fans wanted for their star bowler.”Obviously those are decisions not in your control,” Misbah said. “More importantly it is the fans and how they reacted, they wanted to see him back playing and so they [the PCB] made the decision with the support of the ICC. So we are there to support him, everyone wants to see him playing again.”Plenty has been said and written about the reception that Amir, and Pakistan as a whole, will receive when they take the field next Thursday, but already Misbah was blocking his ears to the off-field noise.”Honestly speaking, I don’t care about these things,” he said. “Personally I focus on what’s going on in the middle, and how [Amir] performs when he bowls, that’s what we are looking for.”He’s got the best chance to prove himself out in the middle, and he doesn’t need to worry about what’s happening with thousands of spectators saying something. He just has to focus on what’s going on in the middle.”I think he’s bowling really well even on flat tracks in T20 cricket, one-day cricket, four-day cricket,” he added. “His pace is there, he’s swinging the ball, he’s got all the tricks to get batsmen under pressure. But one more thing is that he’s more mature. He wasn’t that mature at that time [in 2010], but that maturity can help him now.”On the subject of maturity, Misbah himself conceded his slight concern that, at the age of 42, this campaign may yet prove to be a bridge too far for, arguably, Pakistan’s most influential captain since Imran Khan – and scores of 0 and 19 in the tour match at Taunton were inconclusive. Nevertheless, he insisted he was eager for the challenge, and that in itself would help to get him through.”That’s what you always really fear,” he said. “But when there is no hunger, there’s no need to play.”

Manchester United are in the market for a new striker this summer following Cristiano Ronaldo's premature departure and now a new potential transfer target has been identified.

What's the latest on Goncalo Ramos to Man United?

According to The Mirror, Manchester United are plotting a record bid for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos.

As per the report, the Red Devils are set to initiate contact with the Portuguese club in an attempt to secure the services of their goal-scorer this summer and a deal of up to £100m including add-ons is set to be tabled to tempt Benfica into selling.

Would Goncalo Ramos be a good signing for Man United?

There is no doubt that the highest priority for Erik ten Hag during the transfer window will be bringing in a prolific finisher and consistent goalscorer after struggling to find the perfect focal point in the centre-forward position since Ronaldo's exit.

Indeed, Wout Weghorst was brought in to help boost the goal contributions back in January, however, the 30-year-old has largely been ineffective in his role with only two goals scored so far, whilst mainstay Anthony Martial has been less than inspiring with seven scored.

As a result, the signing of Ramos could be the perfect opportunity to bring in a young talent who is hungry for goals and is already an understudy of Manchester United's former superstar.

During the World Cup in Qatar, Ramos was given the opportunity to step into the striker role to replace Ronaldo for Portugal against Switzerland in the round of 16 and put on an emphatic performance, scoring three goals in the 6-1 victory to lead his team to the quarter-finals of the competition, becoming the youngest man to score a World Cup hat-trick since 1962.

Over 27 Liga Portugal appearances, the 21-year-old – hailed "remarkable" by Gary Lineker – has scored 17 goals, registered two assists and created four big chances, as well as averaging 1.3 shots on target per game, proving that he is a consistent performer in front of goal beyond his World Cup achievements.

Ramos has deservedly been the recipient of high praise for his incredible goal-scoring form, with former Portugal international Rui Aguas claiming the young player is stronger than Ronaldo:

"(Ramos has made) a huge leap. (He has) clear potential. Physical, technical, a guy who plays in the air like you don’t normally see nowadays. He’s very complete and he participates defensively. He is the player I most identify with since I stopped playing.

"Goncalo is stronger (than Ronaldo), because he fills much more space. He is a player with incredible mobility."

With that being said, if Man United can secure the signing of Ramos this summer, it could significantly boost their goal contributions, putting them in a great position to compete for trophies and dominance in the Premier League.

Chelsea would "100,000,000%" love to sign Harry Kane in the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Kane on the move this summer?

The 29-year-old has enjoyed a legendary playing career to date, admittedly not winning any trophies but breaking so many individual records. On Saturday, he scored the only goal in Tottenham's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, meaning he is now second in the all-time Premier League scoring charts, having recently been called "world-class" by Graeme Souness.

Kane's current Spurs deal runs out at the end of next season and it could be that he wants a new challenge this summer, with the north Londoners continuing to struggle. Chelsea have been linked with a move for the Englishman, but Manchester United are also thought to be strong contenders to snap him up.

The Blues are badly in need of a signing an elite striker before the start of next season, with Kai Havertz leading the way with only seven league goals in 2022/202 to date.

Could Chelsea make audacious swoop for Kane?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth was in no doubt that Chelsea would jump at the opportunity to acquire Kane's signature in the summer:

"Would he want him? 100,000,000%, Mauricio Pochettino would want Harry Kane. But we’ve got to look at this from the Tottenham and Harry Kane side. Tottenham do not want to sell Harry Kane."

There is no doubt that Chelsea would surely be ecstatic to sign Kane, but in truth, it is tough to see him choosing them, especially given the rivalry that exists between the Blues and Spurs. Not only that, but the west Londoners can't promise him Champions League football, whereas United look highly likely to be able to.

For that reason, the thought of Kane in a Chelsea shirt has to be considered little more than a pipe dream, as things stand, with United surely the red-hot favourites to snap him. That is assuming he wants to leave Spurs, of course, and Daniel Levy is unlikely to make it easy for his most prized asset to leave the club.

Whoever does potentially sign the £200,000-a-week striker will be getting arguably one of the best attacking players of his generation, with 276 goals in 432 Spurs appearances a stunning return, as well as a record 55 strikes in 82 caps for England. If the Blues suddenly won the race, it could be an absolute game-changer for them moving forward.

Glamorgan ran through Surrey for 93 at the Kia Oval to set up an eight-wicket victory in the NatWest Blast

David Hopps26-May-2016
ScorecardTimm van der Gugten celebrates one of his four wickets on the night at the Oval•Getty ImagesSurrey are the gold standard for English professional cricket as far as Twenty20 is concerned: crowds that fill the Kia Oval are the norm, they are the richest county in the country, the embodiment of off-field success. But the story on the field is not so pretty. They will point to two Finals Days in three years but as they crashed to defeat in their first NatWest Blast home match of the 2016 season, they were abysmal.Championship cricket has dominated the past six weeks and this match pitted Surrey, bottom of Division One, against Glamorgan, similarly bereft in Division Two – six matches each and not a victory between them. The Blast was an opportunity for release and it was Glamorgan, unfashionable Glamorgan, who gained it by dismissing Surrey for 93 before they waltzed to a predictable eight-wicket victory with 7.4 overs to spare.The Oval crowd took its punishment quietly. Perhaps we will know that T20 cricket in England matters when they boo on nights like this. Glamorgan, meanwhile, have travelled to south London in T20 four times and won every one, including a county record 240 for 3 a year ago.Gareth Batty, Surrey’s captain, told : “We have not covered ourselves in glory. In T20, a bad day can be really bad. So scratch it off and move forward. I don’t think it is a time for getting too carried away.”Fortune also turned against Surrey. Ben Foakes was injured in the pre-match warm-up – struck on the elbow by a stray ball from Stuart Meaker. Then Azhar Mahmood’s involvement ended prematurely when the Blast’s elder statesman, at 41, propped forward to his second delivery and damaged a calf badly enough to play no further part, unable even to bat with a runner which is still allowed in English domestic cricket. A long lay-off looks likely.Glamorgan achieved their win by just doing the basics. The surface was a little grabby, and their decision to throttle Surrey with old-fashioned virtues of back-of-a-length consistency worked a treat. Timm van der Gugten, a Netherlands pace bowler via a birthplace in Sydney, emerged with 4 for 14, his dismissal of Steven Davies and Kumar Sangakkara in the space of three balls setting the tone. He found it a bit of inswing, but when he said: “I thought we bowled well as a collective,” he summed it up.Stardom? Not on a night like this. Jason Roy was back at the Kia Oval in T20 colours for the first time since England reached the final of World Twenty20. No longer was he an exciting south London upstart beginning to forge an international career. Now he had recognised quality and debates were taking hold about whether he could even develop into a Test cricketer – and if so why on earth is he batting so low in the order for Surrey in Championship cricket?But Roy 2016 vintage looked unsettled. Shots were mistimed, the pitch not suiting him, and his early forays were unconvincing. He was only 15 when he tried to manufacture a big shot over the off side against Michael Hogan, skewed it off the bottom of the bat to extra cover and Colin Ingram, back in Glamorgan’s side after injury for the first time this season, held a difficult catch pedalling backwards.Consolidation is not in Roy’s nature. Neither is it the T20 way espoused by England which is further encouragement for him to keep playing his shots. But, in the World T20, England had Liam Plunkett or Adil Rashid at No. 11; Surrey, once Foakes had withdrawn, had Mahmood at seven. Perpetual attack needs sound surfaces or batting depth, or preferably both, and Roy did not have the advantage of neither. He will undoubtedly take out his frustration on somebody soon.Roy’s dismissal was all the more damaging because it was the third Surrey wicket to fall in eight balls. Van der Gugten, had taken two wickets in the previous over, having Davies caught off an attempted leg-side flip by a craftily-positioned deep square leg, and then defeating Kumar Sangakkara’s advance to drive courtesy of a fast catch above his head by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke.It was not the sort of night, as delightful as it was to see it, for Zafar Ansari to make a return from a second thumb injury that has disrupted his career: he made a second-ball nought, edging Craig Meschede’s overpitched ball to the wicketkeeper. Many in the 15,500 crowd were just coming in; Surrey statisticians must have been toying with walking out, 37 for 4 after the six-over Powerplay already leaving their victory chances strikingly low.And it got worse. Sam Curran showed pizazz for a while, but on 21 pulled Meschede to midwicket where David Lloyd took a skilful low catch and, although Curran delayed – politely enough – in the hope of a TV umpire adjudication which would have improved his chances of survival, the umpires chose to believe the evidence of their own eyes. Van der Gugten later found a little inswing to complete his foursome, bowling Gary Wilson as he shuffled across his stumps and having James Burke, Foakes’ replacement, lbw third ball.Glamorgan’s chase was a non-event. Surrey did not go for broke with attacking fields, and an opening stand of 58 settled the game as Jacques Rudolph stroked it around with quality and Lloyd struck powerfully over the leg side. Ingram announced his return from injury by battering Mathew Pillans’ first ball over long-on for six. It was very much Glamorgan’s night.

Celtic can wrap up a second successive Scottish Premiership title with victory over Hearts later today at Tynecastle, with the Old Firm outfit currently 13 points clear at the summit with just five games left of the season to play.

In truth, it has been a case of when and not if the Parkhead giants would wrap up their league crown in recent weeks, with the recent derby victory over Rangers having all-but confirmed their status as champions.

Having again got the better of the Ibrox outfit in the Scottish Cup semi-final last weekend, the Hoops are now well-placed to secure what would be a historic eighth domestic treble, with Inverness Caledonian Thistle standing in their way in the showpiece next month.

A major concern for the Hoops ahead of that final, however – as well as for todays' trip to Edinburgh – is the news that defensive colossus, Cameron Carter-Vickers is set to be out for the remainder of the season, with the United States international set to undergo surgery after playing through the pain barrier in recent times.

As journalist John McGinley stated following the recent win at Hampden Park, the 25-year-old is simply a "warrior" and a "winner", hence the frustration that Postecoglou and co will have to make do without a player who is arguably the "best defender in the league" – as per his manager.

While perhaps putting a brave face on things, the Celtic boss himself does not appear too concerned about the loss of the former Tottenham Hotspur man, having suggested earlier this week that his side will "be all alright", with it set to be an "opportunity" for Yuki Kobayashi to enjoy a consistent run in the side.

Will Kobayashi start against Hearts?

With German defender Moritz Jenz having cut short his loan deal in January, it is set to be a straight fight between Stephen Welsh and Kobayashi to nail down a starting berth alongside Carl Starfelt, albeit with it looking as if the 6 foot 1, Japanese international is the favourite for the role, having "done really well" when he has featured of late, as per Postecoglou.

Despite having been restricted to just four appearances for the Glasgow side since signing from Vissel Kobe in January, the £1.2m-rated ace has still made a strong impression in that time, having notably been lauded by writer Stuart Hodge for his "magnificent" passing in the recent win over Kilmarnock.

As his manager stated following that impressive performance, the 22-year-old has "hardly put a foot wrong" since he has been in Scotland, having also been hailed as a 'comfortable and elegant' defender by Celtic Way's, Tony Haggerty.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has even gone as far as to suggest that Kobayashi is a "better option" than Starfelt to play on the left side of the defence alongside Carter-Vickers, albeit with the absence of the latter man ensuring that a new partnership will have to be formed involving the winter arrival and the experienced Swede.

It will undoubtedly be a test for that duo over the coming weeks, although Postecoglou will need the centre-back pairing to step up against Steven Naismith's side this afternoon.

Anurag Thakur is set to become the youngest BCCI president on Sunday afternoon at the board’s special general meeting

Nagraj Gollapudi21-May-2016Anurag Thakur, 41, is set to become one of the youngest BCCI presidents on Sunday afternoon. Thakur, currently the BCCI secretary, will officially take up the most high-profile position in Indian cricket administration at the board’s special general meeting in Mumbai and his tenure will extend until September 2017.The president’s post had been vacated when Shashank Manohar had stepped down a week ago. Thakur, as a result of the support he has gained since he was appointed joint secretary in September 2011, appeared to be the automatic choice to replace Manohar, who has since been elected the ICC’s first independent chairman.As per the BCCI constitution, its president is elected by a rotational system where each of the five zones is given the chance to put a candidate forward at the special general meeting.It was the East zone’s turn this time and if there had been more than one nomination, an election would have been held. However, at the deadline to file nominations on Saturday, there was only one name doing the rounds. Thakur was formally endorsed by all six units of the East zone – Cricket Association of Bengal, National Cricket Club, Odisha Cricket Association, Tripura Cricket Association, Assam Cricket Association and Jharkhand Cricket Association.ESPNcricinfo understands Ajay Shirke, president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, is likely to become the BCCI’s new secretary.

Newcastle United have been transformative under new ownership and new management since the Saudi-led takeover of the club in 2021, casting aside the universally deplored proprietary of Mike Ashley, who had run the club into the ground during his lengthy ruling of one of the Premier League's most prominent outfits.

With the opulence of the owners capable of rivalling even the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, widely considered the two financial powerhouses in European football, many expected lofty fees to follow the completion of the deal, but the work completed on and off the pitch has been nothing short of astute.

Manager Eddie Howe has crafted a team seeking a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2003, and having clinched 65 points from 33 matches, in third place and nine points above Liverpool in fifth, a swift return to the forefront of the scene looks soon to be confirmed.

The cobwebs of the past are all but cleared at St. James's Park, but one particular deal, the 2018 sale of Mikel Merino, remains a reminder of the previous failings that left the club fluctuating between divisions and scarcely seeing success for many years.

When did Newcastle sell Merino?

Having signed Spanish midfielder Merino from German giants Borussia Dortmund in October 2017, mere months after landing the ace on an initial loan deal, he was sold to Sociedad the following summer after his £10m buyout clause was met.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Merino's brief, 25-match stint on Tyneside preceded the birth of his true skill set at Sociedad, but his natural ability was never in question and granting his departure less than one year after his permanent acquisition seems somewhat premature.

He has now forged 191 appearances for Erreala, scoring 18 goals and serving 25 assists, with journalist Josh Bunting waxing lyrical over the 26-year-old, stating he "oozes confidence".

His rounded scope has expanded during his time in LaLiga, with his seasonal exploits notably demonstrating the improved creativity of his game – Merino has provided one goal and nine assists from 27 league appearances this term.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the 6 foot 2 ace holds a €65m (£57m) release clause in his current contract, a fee the likes of Aston Villa have been willing to meet as recent speculation over the player's future mounts, which only serves as a poignant reminder to what could have been for the Magpies.

The aforementioned fee is actually an incredible 470% increase in value, something which could feasibly increase over the coming years, Merino still only 26 years old.

As per FBref, the £66k-per-week star ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for rate of assists, the top 1% for aerials won, the top 12% for tackles and the top 15% for clearances, highlighting the impressive ubiquity of his trade.

While Newcastle are on track for a sustained period of milk and honey, the 13-cap Spaniard's inclusion could've provided the extra slant in the midfield engine this term, perhaps proving the difference in the 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United, or issuing control in divisional clashes that could have pushed the club closer to the forefront of the Premier League table and into title contention.

Their wealth, fortunately, buffers the blow, but it certainly illustrates the ineptitude of the previous chapter and the strides taken in such a short time. Indeed, this is one transfer tale to file in the mistakes column.

When reflecting on those who failed to live up to the hype at Manchester United, the obvious answer is that of Ravel Morrison, with the gifted, yet troubled playmaker regularly brought up as the wonderkid who fell by the wayside.

The star attraction in the FA Youth Cup-winning team of 2011 – alongside the likes of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard – the exciting talent looked a certainty to go on to flourish in the first team at Old Trafford.

That was certainly the assessment of many at the club at the time, with former Red Devils star Quinton Fortune only recently telling The Athletic of just what a talent the then-youngster was:

"Not even a question. It was effortless. It was a once-in-a-lifetime talent. It was like watching Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar, all those guys put together. We were mesmerised by him."

That glowing praise was also corroborated by former scout Phil Brogan who noted that young Morrison appeared "destined to be the best", while even the great Sir Alex Ferguson is said to have referred to him as "the most talented player he’s ever worked with", according to Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Redknapp.

As it proved, however, the midfield's off-field antics – which saw him "skip training" on occasion, in his own words – ultimately lead to those at the Theatre of Dreams losing patience, with the Wythenshawe native leaving for West Ham United in January 2012 having featured just three times for United's first-team.

That lack of impact in a red jersey has ensured that the Jamaica international has almost become something of a mythical, fabled figure among the club's supporters, with few having ever got to witness the once-promising talent in the flesh.

As such, there will likely have been little attachment to the current DC United man for the Old Trafford faithful, with Morrison's chance having come and gone all too rapidly under Ferguson.

By contrast, however, Red Devils supporters were likely to have been far more enamoured with another former academy star who failed to live up to their early potential, with Adnan Januzaj's first-team displays having left many daring to dream that he could be the "future" of the club, as hailed by former boss David Moyes.

What happened to Adnan Januzaj?

While Morrison's impact at senior level was all too brief, in the case of Januzaj the Belgian endured a far lengthier and more consistent run in the side, having broken into the team during Moyes' solitary season in charge during the 2013/14 campaign.

It was the winger's performance in that breakthrough season that may ensure his subsequent decline is of more frustration than that of Morrison, with the Brussels-born ace having shown – unlike his fellow youth ace – that he could flourish in a United shirt in the senior set-up.

Having been thrust into the side by Moyes as a mere teenager as the Scotsman looked for a solution to his Old Trafford woes, Januzaj – who had been an unused substitute in Ferguson's last game in charge against West Bromwich Albion the year prior – was handed his debut in the Community Shield triumph over Wigan Athletic.

It was on the wide man's first start for the club, however, that he truly announced himself to the wider world, having bagged a brace in a 2-1, comeback win over Sunderland in the Premier League in October 2013.

The manner in which the 18-year-old struck his second of the match on the volley was simply glorious, with the teen ace quickly endearing himself to the United support.

The fleet-footed menace would end that breakout campaign with a respectable haul of four goals and four assists to his name in 27 league games, with then-teammate Darren Fletcher describing him as "up there with some of the best I have seen" in terms of talent.

Having subsequently taken on Ryan Giggs' famed number 11 shirt for the following season, Januzaj would ultimately fail to replicate his early heroics, seemingly suffering from the departure of Moyes.

That 2014/15 season under Louis van Gaal saw the elegant left-footer fail to register a single-goal involvement at first-team level, having notably been restricted to just seven league starts – later reflecting on how "difficult" life was under the Dutchman.

Despite being likened to a young Wayne Rooney by Moyes, such was his talent, Januzaj failed to earn the faith of Van Gaal and was shipped off on loan to Borussia Dortmund in 2015, albeit while making only 12 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

After linking up with Moyes again the year after having joined Sunderland on a temporary basis – where he provided no goals and just three assists in the top-flight for the Black Cats – the once-promising gem was allowed to join Real Sociedad on a permanent deal in 2017, with Jose Mourinho sanctioning the player's £9m sale.

Where is Adnan Januzaj now?

That move to Spain ultimately brought some much-needed stability to Januzaj's career as the 15-cap starlet went on to rack up 168 appearances for the La Liga side in all competitions, contributing 23 goals and 21 assists in that time.

The dynamic ace also came back onto the radar of those in England after scoring against the Three Lions for Belgium at the World Cup in 2018, with that fine finish another fleeting example of what might have been for the forward at the Theatre of Dreams.

The one-time Anderlecht youth product also notably reunited with the Red Devils after taking on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in the Europa League in 2021, with club legend Paul Scholes hailing him as "brilliant" in the first-leg meeting.

That encounter had even brought to attention the fact that United could have exercised a buy-back clause that was included as part of the deal that saw Januzaj move to Spain, albeit with Solskjaer and co taking the decision not to engineer a romantic return, with the player going on to leave La Real last summer.

After departing the Basque side at the end of his five-year spell in San Sebastian, the 28-year-old was snapped up by Sevilla on a free transfer last August, only to then be sent on loan to Turkish outfit, Istanbul Basaksehir in February.

At a time when he could have been entering his peak years as a leading figure for the Red Devils, the experienced forward is now lining up outside of Europe's top five leagues, having netted three goals in nine outings for the Super Lig side this season.

That fall from grace has ensured that Januzaj is now said to be worth as little as £5m, as per Football Transfers, having never lived up to the initial, justified buzz that had surrounded him.

For United, while with Morrison the midfielder had never really made an impact on the first-team set-up, Januzaj had shown glimpses that he could be the next star of the side, hence the intense frustration for all parties that such a scenario did not pan out.

In truth, the Belgian has still enjoyed a respectable career at the elite level, but one can't help but think what might have been for the man who dazzled at the Stadium Of Light almost nine years ago…

Chelsea's main problem this season has been putting the ball in the back of the net but for a long time at Stamford Bridge, the two main options in goal have also struggled to keep the ball out.

Both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga have been considered the out-and-out number one choice for the Blues in recent seasons but neither would be considered among the best in the division, let alone the best in the world, on current form.

Kepa has had one of his best seasons in a Chelsea shirt with a 6.85 rating from WhoScored so far this campaign, which ranks him as the seventh-best performer at Stamford Bridge, yet it would be fair to suggest that he hasn't lived up to his £71.6m price tag, which saw him become the most expensive goalkeeper in football history.

Indeed, you only need to look at his limp showing against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening to realise why improvements are needed, with Chris Sutton having bluntly suggested he "should have done better" with the second goal.

Coincidentally, the Spaniard arrived in the summer of 2018 as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois, and after the Belgian helped Los Blancos to a 2-0 win over Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals this week, the Blues will surely be wishing they hadn't let him go so cheaply five years ago.

Will Chelsea regret selling Courtois?

Chelsea signed the Belgium international from Genk in 2011 for a fee of just £7.9m and he would spend the next three seasons on loan with Atletico Madrid in Spain, keeping 76 clean sheets in 154 appearances for the La Liga outfit.

He then returned to Stamford Bridge in order to dispel Petr Cech as the number one in between the sticks.

He would go on to make 154 appearances for Chelsea and established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, so it was no surprise when Real Madrid came calling in 2018, with the west London outfit perhaps forced into a sale due to the shot-stopper's contract situation.

Courtois had just one year left on his deal at Stamford Bridge and had been vocal about returning to Spain to be closer to his children, but Chelsea were able to get just £35m for a player who was considered one of Europe's best in his position.

He has gone on to make 217 times for the Spanish giants, and 'dropped the greatest goalkeeping performance in Champions League final history' – as per GOAL – to win the tournament for the first time in his career last summer.

Praise has been forthcoming for a number of years now with former manager Zinedine Zidane full of adulation for the 6 foot 6 stopper in 2020, saying:

"Courtois has shown from the beginning that he is a great goalkeeper, he has always been among the best in the world."

Unsurprisingly, Courtois' performances across his time at the Santiago Bernabeu have seen his transfer value shoot up, with Football Transfers now suggesting that he could be worth as much as up to €73.2m (£64m), which represents a big increase on the £35m Madrid paid in 2018.

At just 30, the Belgian could easily remain Madrid's first choice for the significant future and considering Chelsea's own goalkeeper struggles in recent seasons, they will surely be wishing that Courtois had committed his future to Stamford Bridge back in 2018.

Manchester United are eyeing up a swoop for World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister this summer as Erik ten Hag continues his rebuild.

What’s the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Manchester United?

According to Argentinian reporter Cesar Luis Merlo, United are fighting it out with Liverpool and Arsenal in order to lure the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window.

Merlo claims that two of the clubs are ‘already negotiating’ with the player, although he doesn’t state which teams that is.

The south coast side were looking at £50m in order for any team to prise Mac Allister away from the club during the January window and come the end of the season, this figure may have increased.

Could Manchester United sign Alexis Mac Allister?

Ten Hag is still a few signings short of completing a team which can compete for the Premier League title and Mac Allister would certainly improve the team that’s for sure.

With the Dutchman also looking to ship out some deadwood and underperformers during the summer, the Argentinian could be a big upgrade on Scott McTominay.

Indeed, this season, the 24-year-old has registered more goals (eight to none), shots per game (2.35 to 0.78), tackles won (30 to 18) and has a higher pass success rate than the Scot (86.7% to 81.9%), proving he has been much more effective across all areas of the pitch.

Ten Hag would love to add another midfielder who can pose a significant goal threat and Mac Allister ranks in the top 5% across Europe’s big five leagues for goals, total shots and penalty kicks made, meaning United would be signing one of the finest goalscoring midfielders in the continent if they lured him to the club.

His experience at the highest level is also a big plus for the Dutchman. Reporter Roy Nemer lauded the midfielder as being “unplayable” during the 2022 World Cup final that Argentina won, and he was incredible throughout the duration of the competition.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05/10 across six matches, scoring once, creating two big chances and making 1.3 key passes per match along with taking 1.2 shots per game, displaying his attacking qualities on the grandest stage of all.

McTominay has started just nine Premier League matches for United this season, making 20 appearances overall, and it looks as though his career at the Red Devils could be coming to an end.

In Mac Allister they will have a player who is a big upgrade on the 26-year-old and one who can further strengthen United’s midfield.