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Aston Villa have taken the lead in the race to sign a young international goalkeeper, according to a recent report. The Villans’ run of three straight wins ended on Saturday night, as they were beaten 2-1 by Nottingham Forest. Unai Emery will be hoping this is just a bump in the road as his side prepare to face Manchester City at the weekend.

Aston Villa keen on signing 21 y/o Real Madrid gem seen as ideal for Emery

He’s come through the academy.

ByCharlie Smith Dec 15, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

The inconsistent form for Villa this season will have alerted Emery to areas in his team that need addressing. Indeed, the Premier League side have already been linked with plenty of new faces ahead of next month’s transfer window.

Villa have made contact with the representatives of defender Antonio Silva, so they can get an understanding of the costs of a possible transfer. The Benfica centre-back is admired a lot by the Midlands side but they are not alone, as other Premier League teams, as well as big European sides, are also keen on signing the talented defender. The president of Benfica is reportedly set to meet with Silva’s agents ahead of the January transfer window.

As well as looking at Silva, Villa are also in signing Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio, but again face competition from their Premier League rivals. The young man has impressed in his limited appearances for the Spanish giants, and Emery sees him as someone who could improve his side’s defence, given where he has been playing his football.

Aston Villa lead transfer race to sign youngster after impressing scouts

According to Birmingham Live, Aston Villa have taken the lead in the race to sign Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday. The 19-year-old came through the academy at Manchester City, but he left the Premier League side and joined the Owls in 2020.

Charles has worked his way through the club’s under-18s and under-21s, and he is now a part of the first team picture. The goalkeeper has yet to appear in the Championship, but he has been on the bench for every league game this season apart from two.

Despite him not being Wednesday’s regular keeper, Charles has been capped four times by his country, Northern Ireland. It is on the international stage where Charles has left scouts impressed, with them coming away from recent Nations League games giving the player “glowing reports”.

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6

Goals conceded

8

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1

The young man’s ability to play out from the back has meant top clubs from the Premier League have identified him as a top target, and that includes Villa. The Villans are willing to move second-choice keeper Robin Olsen on in favour of bringing in emerging talent should the opportunity arise. Villa can offer Charles a number two slot in their squad, and he may see this as his chance to move into the Premier League.

Reliable journalist Simon Phillips has shared BlueCo’s transfer “priority”, which they could fulfill as early as January, with Chelsea looking at signing a £75 million England international for Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea seal 4-3 comeback at Tottenham but Maresca plays down title talk

The west Londoners are looking more and more imperious as the weeks go by, with their 4-3 comeback at Tottenham bringing them to five straight wins in all competitions as Chelsea also maintain their unbeaten record since October.

Real Madrid now want to sign £130k-p/w Chelsea star instead of Reece James

He would likely be Chelsea’s record sale if he left.

1 ByBen Browning Dec 9, 2024

Two slips from Marc Cucurella, who promptly threw away his boots, handed Spurs a two-goal lead early in the first half – with Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski both pouncing on the Spaniard’s costly errors.

However, Ange Postecoglou’s joy was short-lived, as summer signing Jadon Sancho grabbed one back just minutes later to remind the home side that this wasn’t going to be an easy afternoon by any stretch of the imagination.

Brentford (home)

December 15

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December 22

Fulham (home)

December 26

Ipswich Town (away)

December 30

Crystal Palace (away)

January 4

Following the second-half restart, with Chelsea dominating play, they were rewarded for their efforts when Cole Palmer levelled the scores through a spot-kick just past the hour mark.

At 2-2, it didn’t take long for them to complete their comeback, with Enzo Fernandez’s striking a sweet half-volley beyond the outreached Fraser Forster – sparking jubilant celebrations in the Chelsea away end.

Palmer was then handed another penalty to all but seal an impressive three points for Chelsea – which he took in extremely confident fashion – dinking a cheeky panenka beyond Forster who stepped the wrong way.

Son Heung-min’s 96th minute strike was too little, too late for Spurs, with Chelsea sealing a 4-3 victory on enemy turf and bringing them to within four points of Premier League frontrunners Liverpool.

Maresca has been continuously asked about the club’s prospects of a potential title win this season, but the Italian has refuted all suggestions they could challenge, and did so once again after their win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“After the game, my message to the players is to be focused in the day‑by‑day, our sessions, the next game on Thursday and then Sunday,” said Maresca after Chelsea’s 4-3 win at Tottenham.

“The main focus has to be to enjoy the day off and when we come back train well, go for the game. The fans can dream because from the outside it is quite clear and inside the reality is we are not ready. The important thing is we improve day by day.”

Transfer "priority" shared as Chelsea look at signing Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite

Their near-perfect form, especially in the attacking third, prompts debate over how Chelsea can strengthen their squad without upsetting the applecart.

Phillips, writing via his Substack, says signing a centre-back is one of their “priority” transfer missions, and it could potentially be the “main priority”, despite Chelsea’s widely reported interest in a new striker.

It is believed BlueCo may even seriously consider one for as early as January, with uncertainty surrounding the likes of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, who Chelsea would’ve apparently sold in the summer.

Of the targets on their radar, England international and Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is shortlisted as a viable option.

The Toffees centre-back commands a price tag of around £75 million, so he’ll be no easy signing to pull off, but Phillips writes that Chelsea are looking at signing Branthwaite in their pursuit of a new central defender.

The towering 6-foot-4 22-year-old has played around seven Premier League games this season, missing out on some minutes, but did start 35 league games last term as a real mainstay under Sean Dyche.

Gloucestershire fight their way into lead but remain some distance from safety

David Hopps16-Apr-2022″I’m not a bad batsman, even though I averaged two. I’m not a bad keeper, even though I dropped a few balls.” Such was James Bracey’s reflection last December on one of the most traumatic starts to an England career of modern times.Called into England’s squad as top-order cover for the series against New Zealand last June, he found himself keeping wicket and batting at No. 7 after Ben Foakes slipped in the dressing room at the Kia Oval and tore a hamstring. The malaise remained when he retreated back to county cricket, but his form had steadied by the end of the season.All that now appears to be behind him. His orderly hundred against Yorkshire was his third first-class century in succession, following one for the Lions against Australia A in Brisbane shortly before Christmas (about the only good thing that happened to England on the entire Ashes misadventure) and 117 against Northants in the season’s opener at Wantage Road. Disciplined and correct, it was easy to see why England convinced themselves that he could offer the top-order stability they need. He still might: they are no nearer to finding it since.Bracey has responded to his England adversity by seeking a balanced outlook – trying to control his intensity, concentrating on scoring heavily for Gloucestershire and allowing life to take its course. “England is still an ambition, but I’ve learned not to over-focus on it and let it dominate my thoughts – it’s a new perspective I’ve got,” he said. He said it seriously so might still be persuading himself.Related

Rossington keeps cool in a crisis as Essex seal nail-biter at Somerset

Overton presses England claim with five-wicket haul in resounding Surrey win

His hundred has held up Yorkshire’s victory push, although it would take a much greater reversal of fortunes yet to turn the game in Gloucestershire’s favour. Trailing by 149 on first innings, they closed the third day on 253 for 6, a lead of 104, and would need to turn that into 240-plus, or a touch-and-go run chase, on a pitch that has flattened out under constant sunshine.Yorkshire, incidentally, can rest easy at suggestions that their new coach, Ottis Gibson, could be shortlisted for England’s white-ball role. Gibson, who said upon joining Yorkshire that he had tired of the international treadmill, has privately indicated that his ambitions remain at Yorkshire, where he has only been a matter of weeks. The relief in that in the Broad Acres will be substantial because he has a huge role to play in the county’s regeneration.Bracey’s shakiest moment came on 70 when he hooked at Haris Rauf and took a nasty blow on the helmet. He batted on, but he must have feared concussion when he heard the strains of “Wonderwall”, sung in his honour by a stag party dressed in cricket whites and conducted by a groom-to-be dressed as an Easter chick. Well, when you lose your England place, you must take your accolades wherever you can.”I was trying to work out for a session who they were and then I realised they were people I knew, from the Frocester club,” he said. “My brother used to play there. It was good to have a bit of support with my head ringing. It was a bit of a bang but I passed my concussion test so I was happy to bat on. I think I’ve learned to be careful pulling 90mph fast bowlers.”Gloucestershire have a glorious history when it comes to chickens. In their limited-overs heyday at the turn of the century, the ritual of the chicken dance took hold, in which Gloucestershire supporters celebrated every success by waving a salmonella-ridden chicken heavenwards while burring: “We’ve got the whole chicken in our hands.” This demonic tradition had a remarkable effect and stretched back to a match at Lord’s in 1997 when, the story had it, a supporter unpacked what he imagined was his pack-up only to discover he had taken a whole chicken out of the fridge by mistake. Clearly, dressing up as a chicken in Gloucestershire could be a perilous business. It is to be hoped that George, the prospective groom, has built a spot of exorcism into the service.Following his blow, Bracey was treated to a bouncer next ball from Rauf, which he ducked (but did not chicken), and he thick-edged a boundary later in the over, but he soon recovered his poise. He was particularly assertive against Matthew Fisher (who appears to be transmuting into Matty Fisher now England have come calling), but for the most part his innings was impressive more for its intelligent accumulation than any moments of flamboyance.With half the side out of 138, still 11 behind, Yorkshire must have fancied a three-day victory. Fisher made short shrift of Ben Charlesworth, bowled through the gate; the old fox, Steve Patterson, shaped one away from Marcus Harris from around the wicket for Harry Brook to hold the catch at first slip; and Rauf bowled Graeme van Buuren around his legs. The best ball of the lot came from Jordan Thompson, who bowled Tom Lace with one that left him off the pitch.But Bracey wore them down. He was 101 by the time he offered a chance, a tough one to his right off Dom Bess which Adam Lyth could not hold at slip. Yorkshire looked a little footsore in the final hour of a warm day, enough for Patterson to take the new ball late on, but that ball will have plenty of hardness left on the fourth morning and they will be anxious to push home their advantage.

Leroy Sane's future remains uncertain as contract talks with Bayern Munich continue, allowing Arsenal to pursue the star winger.

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Sane is out of contract this summerBayern will continue talks after the international breakArsenal have approached the 29-year-old's representativesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 29-year-old is willing to take a pay cut to stay in Bavaria, according to reporting by Sky Deutschland, but with his current deal ending in the summer, a window of opportunity has opened for suitors. It is believed that Arsenal have already made contact with Sane's representatives, with a view to completing a free transfer come season's end.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sane's deal is next on the docket for sporting director Max Eberl who has recently finalised extensions for key players like Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich. Both parties plan to sit down after the international break, but there's no guarantee of a deal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sane has fallen down the pecking order at Bayern following the signing of Michael Olise. The German winger has started just 12 matches in the Bundesliga, making nine appearances from the bench. He has scored six goals, and contributed four assists.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LEROY SANE?

Sane's attention turns to Saturday's fixture against away at Union Berlin, before he departs for international duty. He is part of a Germany squad that takes on Italy in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League.

Leicestershire’s Ed Barnes bags five as visitors lose their last six first-innings wickets for 27

ECB Reporters Network23-Apr-2022Derbyshire are within reach of a first victory of the LV= Insurance County Championship season after Leicestershire finished day three at the Uptonsteel County Ground six wickets down in their second innings and still 172 behind.Leicestershire seamer Ed Barnes took five wickets in an innings for the first time earlier in the day as Derbyshire lost their last six first-innings wickets for 27.But after a maiden century from Mattie McKiernan enhanced the value of Shan Masood’s superb double-hundred on Friday, Derbyshire still totalled 531 for a lead of 318.It left Leicestershire, who had to fight rearguard actions to emerge with a draw from both of their opening Division Two matches, faced with surviving two sessions just to take the contest into the final day. They succeeded in that but it will need an extraordinary effort from their tail to avoid defeat this time.The morning belonged to McKiernan and latterly to Barnes, the Leicestershire seam bowler, whose dismissal of McKiernan launched an extraordinary spell within a spell that brought him all of his five wickets in the space of 26 deliveries at a cost of just eight runs.McKiernan, a 27-year-old legspinner who spent more than 12 years at Lancashire without making a senior appearance, has played more white-ball cricket than red since joining Derbyshire in 2018 but that should soon be corrected on this evidence.After playing an important role as one of double-centurion Masood’s partners on Friday, sharing a stand of 129 for the fourth wicket, McKiernan cut Callum Parkinson’s left-arm spin for three fours before moving into the 90s by pulling Barnes for six. His century came off 189 balls and contained 11 fours as well as that six.Against a Leicestershire attack in which Will Davis could not participate because of injury, McKiernan and Leus Du Plooy took Derbyshire’s first-innings total beyond 500 for the second successive match – and in consecutive innings for only the second time in the county’s history – but when Barnes thudded one into McKiernan’s front pad to have him leg before, the narrative of the morning changed dramatically.Barnes, who was nought for 93 before umpire Neil Bainton granted him this success, dismissed Anuj Dal lbw and had Alex Thomson caught behind from consecutive balls, before Nick Potts chopped on and Sam Conners was bowled. His final analysis read 5 for 101 but his 10-over spell on the day was worth 5 for 28.After Parkinson wrapped up the innings on the stroke of lunch when Suranga Lakmal chipped him straight to short midwicket, Derbyshire made important inroads before tea as opener Hassan Azad and Leicestershire skipper Colin Ackermann both fell, along with George Rhodes.Thomson accounted for Azad, the off-spinner’s turning delivery finding a thin outside edge that turned into a looping catch to Wayne Madsen at slip, seemingly via the left glove of wicketkeeper Brooke Guest. He then bowled Rhodes before the introduction of Dal’s medium pace induced a miscued drive from Ackermann that went straight to short cover.A stubborn 33 from Sam Evans ended when he was leg before to Sam Conners and Wiaan Mulder’s rather more entertaining 25 was terminated by the same method by the 19-year-old Potts, then Thomson held a stunning low return catch to remove Harry Swindells, with Louis Kimber 33 not out at the close.

Manchester United succumbed to yet another home Premier League defeat, this time at the hands of Nottingham Forest 3-2.

It was a frustrating evening for new boss Ruben Amorim, who watched the same flaws in his side re-surface yet again. Defensive vulnerability with crosses into the box struggling to be dealt with and a lack of fluidity and creativity in attacking areas.

Despite getting on the scoresheet in the second half to get United back to 3-2, captain Bruno Fernandes was substituted in the 76th minute with the game still in the balance.

Often United’s talisman, it seemed boss Amorim was unhappy with his captain’s performance, who lost possession 19 times and had a passing accuracy of just 75%.

Bruno Fernandes' below-par season at Manchester United

Skipper Fernandes carried his Manchester United side at times last season, producing an exceptional 28-goal contributions across all competitions.

So far this campaign, those numbers do not look like reaching the heights of the 23/24 season with Fernandes contributing just five goals so far in 2023/24.

The Portuguese midfielder never shies away from the ball and is always looking to make something happen for his side but recently it seems he has been far more careless in possession.

In his last five appearances for Man United, Fernandes has a passing accuracy of just 76.42% with his lowest total coming against Everton with an accuracy of just 67.6%.

Furthermore, Fernandes has failed to chalk up a single goal-creating action in three out of his last five games and with Amorim hooking him off at a vital time against Forest, it seems that the United captain has food for thought on his own performances.

What they might do for a prime Angel Di Maria at the club. As it happens, their former £60m signing is now outperforming the Red Devils’ club captain.

Angel Di Maria vs Bruno Fernandes in 2024/25

In the words of former teammate and goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, Di Maria now “hates Man United” after leaving the club. That being said, he is flourishing at the ripe old age of 36.

The Argentine is now back at Benfica in Portugal, a club that Di Maria initially joined back in 2007 from his hometown club of Rosario Central for a fee of around £7m.

Following spells at Real Madrid, Man United, PSG and Juventus, Di Maria has returned to the Estadio Da Luz and is now playing his part in Benfica’s title charge, where they sit just two points off leaders Sporting Lisbon.

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It seems that Di Maria is showing no signs of letting up just yet in his illustrious career. In fact, the ex-United midfielder is still outperforming current United captain Fernandes in a number of key attacking metrics, perhaps the most significant being goals scored this season.

Di Maria has a higher number of progressive carries than Fernandes and has attempted more crosses into the box in order to create chances for his high-flying Benfica side.

The attacker has at times drifted deeper to collect the ball this term and his long pass completion percentage of 50.5% is over 2% more accurate than his United counterpart.

Whilst it is fair to say Di Maria’s Man United career never really took off, scoring just four times in 32 appearances across his solitary season, the Argentine veteran is still showing that he is capable of mixing it with Europe’s best and, who knows, may even help to fire his beloved Benfica to another Portuguese title this season.

He lost the ball 20x: Amorim got it wrong by giving Man Utd star 90 minutes

The Man Utd ace was poor against Nottingham Forest

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 8, 2024

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has voiced his desire to tie down Reds captain Virgil van Dijk to a new contract with his deal up this summer.

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Van Dijk's contract set to run out soonSlot wants Liverpool to tie captain downRemains cryptic over three stars' futuresFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool are sweating on the futures of their three biggest stars this season as Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk's deals are set to run out this summer.

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Van Dijk has been a major star for Liverpool ever since he joined the Merseyside club in 2018, while he was named the club captain in 2023 after Jordan Henderson left the Reds. The towering centre half has recently admitted he is unsure whether he will be at Liverpool next season, while he was pictured with PSG chiefs following Tuesday's loss to the French giants in the Champions League.

WHAT SLOT SAID

Speaking to the media about Van Dijk's future, Slot said: "I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face. I don’t know what’s happening next season as well, in terms of results. But that’s not what you mean.

"The only thing I know is that I want Virgil to be here next season. All the rest, talks about his contract, that’s not what I do over here."

Questioned on whether it affects his planning for next season, the Dutchman replied: "Interesting way of asking things! No, it doesn’t, not for me."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR VAN DIJK?

Van Dijk has the chance to lift another piece of silverware as Liverpool captain on Sunday when the Reds take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

Captain impressed by fight shown on tough pitch as West Indies shut door in emphatic style

Andrew Miller20-Mar-2022Joe Root praised both the fighting qualities of his England team, and the resilience shown by West Indies – in particular their indefatigable captain, Kraigg Brathwaite – as the second Test in Barbados finished in stalemate on the fifth and final evening.After a feisty declaration push in the morning session, led by another sparky cameo of 41 from 39 balls from Dan Lawrence, England briefly held out hopes of bowling West Indies out as they slipped to 65 for 3 at tea, in pursuit of a nominal target of 282.However, Brathwaite picked up where he had left off in his first-innings 160 with another unyielding innings of 56 not out from 184 balls. In so doing, he finished the match with a tally of 216 runs from 673 balls – eclipsing the 582 balls that Brian Lara faced in making 400 not out in 2004 as the longest any West Indian has ever spent at the crease in a single Test match.”It was annoying how good he was,” Root said. “He played brilliantly in both innings and didn’t give us many opportunities. He ground us down. He’s an ideal player for a pitch like that. He takes it deep time and time again. He had a clear game-plan and stuck to it very well. It’s frustrating but there’s a lot of respect for the way he went about it.”It did feel like a new-ball wicket, you needed to really make an impact while the ball was harder, but after three brilliant breakthroughs, we unfortunately couldn’t quite kick on,” Root added. “Credit to West Indies, they fought very hard in two brilliant Test matches, and it should be a brilliant final one of the series.”Brathwaite, the player of the match, admitted he had not been aware of the scale of his achievement until he returned to the West Indies dressing-room at the end of the match, having batted for a total of 15 hours and 45 minutes across his two innings, and been on the field of play for all but 21 overs.”I heard it when I went in, that’s amazing to hear,” he said. “Obviously I’ve put in a lot of work over the years, and to do it at home is a quite pleasant feeling, especially having family here, so I’m very happy and thankful.”However, when asked if West Indies might have taken a more proactive approach to their first innings, having kept England in the field for 187.5 overs, Brathwaite insisted that his team was focused on “learning on the job”, having not won a Test in ten attempts since February 2021, and that they would not necessarily look to up their tempo for next week’s series decider in Grenada.Kraigg Brathwaite extended his marathon contribution with the bat•AFP/Getty Images”It was good that, after England put up 500, we as a team could fight and put 400 back,” Brathwaite said. “That’s the attitude we want, and the fans want to see. Once you continuously have the right attitude, our Test [results] will go up.”In periods we could [be more attacking], but spending time at the crease and batting through three new balls is a great start for us. We need to just learn as quick as possible on the job, and improve at different periods of the game.”Much the same could be said for England, who have themselves won just one Test out of their last 16. However, Root believes that the team has laid down a series of markers in the last two matches, and singled out Lawrence – who starred with the bat in both innings, as well as with the ball and in the field – as a particular example of the strides the team has made.”I think he’s been wonderful,” Root said. “One of the most pleasing things is how selfless he’s been throughout this series. He’s always tried to put the team first – again this morning, really making sure we tried to get as many as we could as quickly as we could, to give ourselves the best chance taking 10 wickets this afternoon.”England have now made five centuries in the series, with Root making his second of the series in Barbados alongside Ben Stokes’ first for 18 months. Lawrence, however, might have added three figures of his own in this match, had he not had a rush of blood in the final over of the first day, when he holed out to cover for 91.”I don’t think it will be long if he keeps playing like that, that’s for sure,” Root said. “He’s obviously a very talented player. He seems to be growing in confidence all the time, and the more and more he puts himself in those positions, I’m sure it won’t be long.”It was just really pleasing to see us make a substantial first-innings total for the first time in a long time,” Root added, after England had declared on 507 for 9. “So long may that continue. The guys have gained a lot of confidence from it and hopefully we can replicate it again, and again, and again.”Root also had a word of praise for England’s two debutant seamers, Matt Fisher and Saqib Mahmood, who stuck to their tasks well across both innings. In the first, Fisher had the euphoria of a wicket with his second ball when John Campbell edged to the keeper, and though Mahmood missed out on his moment due to a costly no-ball, he atoned with four in the match, including two in the second innings to lift England’s victory hopes.Related

Brathwaite's hard yards cannot disguise futility of Barbados grind

Brathwaite thwarts England bid for victory

Branderson absence a chance to grow leadership options – Strauss

Oh, no-ball! Mahmood joins list of England's unfortunate debutants

England's rookies learn the lessons of a hard day in the dirt

“I think they were brilliant,” Root said. “The two wickets that we’ve played on have not been the most receptive for seam bowlers, but the two lads have shown great commitment, great dedication, great skill levels – and a different kind of skill level to what they are used to in England, to hold a game and create pressure. It was great to see the delight on their faces when they both picked those first wickets up.”The unresponsive nature of the surfaces could tempt England into a fourth debutant of the series, if the legspinner Matt Parkinson comes into the side in Grenada. Root, however, insisted that their incumbent spinner, Jack Leach, had done everything asked of him in ploughing through for the remarkable match figures of 94.5-40-154-5, the heaviest workload by an England bowler in 60 years.”We’ll have to see what kind of wicket we get, and weigh what we think is the best way to take 20 wickets,” Root said. “But it’s really pleasing to see Jack play the way he has. You can see how much he’s enjoying himself out there, bowling with great control, looking very threatening all the time. And it’s great to see him really start to find his feet and look very comfortable at this level.”After consecutive declarations, England have twice run out of overs in which to turn the screw on West Indies. And Root conceded he “could have been braver” about the equation he left in Barbados, of 282 runs in 65 overs.”It’s always a tricky one isn’t it?” he said. “You’re always trying to weigh that up, but I think with how small this ground is, and how strong the wind was, you don’t want to make it too close. It’s easy to look back in hindsight and say, you know, could we have pulled out 10 overs earlier, but in the end, would it have made much difference?”

Eight years after his last match in India whites, the wicketkeeper is back with a more mature and grounded outlook

Shashank Kishore in Bengaluru12-Jun-20182:07

Afghanistan’s rise is good for cricket – Karthik

Dinesh Karthik knows what it’s like to have had his hopes high, only for them to get dashed. In Chennai four years ago, Tamil Nadu had conceded a first-innings lead against Railways and were fighting to stay in contention for a Ranji Trophy knockouts berth when Karthik, then playing as a specialist batsman, was told of MS Dhoni’s sudden retirement from Test cricket.In Tamil Nadu’s next match, Karthik took the gloves, which meant that designated stumper U Sushil had to be left out. While the team management explained this decision as being down to “tactical calls” and “strategy”, the move is said to have caused a hint of friction in the Tamil Nadu camp. Some even termed it “opportunistic behaviour” from a senior player who was trying to earn a Test spot. As it turned out, Wriddhiman Saha would not only keep wicket in the following Test in Sydney, but make the spot his own for the next three years.There was another call-up in January this year when Karthik, preparing to play for Tamil Nadu in the domestic T20s, was summoned by the team management to South Africa as back-up for a back-up. Saha had pulled up injured after the first Test in Cape Town, and Parthiv Patel, the second wicketkeeper on tour, had a poor game with the gloves in Centurion.

I guess I did not perform well enough before. I wasn’t consistent enough. There was a highly competitive environment. MS Dhoni was breathing down my neck, causing a lot of stir in Test cricket at that point of time.Dinesh Karthik on his previous Test stint in 2010

The team management, however, persisted with Parthiv for the final game, leaving Karthik on the bench. He would then sit out of the subsequent ODI series and feature in one T20I before returning home. This was also around the time Karthik was discussed as a Kolkata Knight Riders’ captaincy candidate. Then over happened against Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final, and life hasn’t been the same since.Karthik was on his way back from London after playing the charity game for hurricane relief at Lord’s when news of his Test comeback trickled in. Karthik’s initial thought at the time was not surprise but relief, because he had done well in limited-overs cricket and was in the middle of a purple patch.When he was asked on Tuesday, ahead of the Afghanistan’s inaugural Test in Bengaluru, if this was a second wind in his career, Karthik laughed it off. After all, this was going to be his sixth comeback to the Test team, in an international career that is now set to enter its 15th year.”I’ve been asked this question a lot of times. It feels good, but it’s hard for me to put it into phrases like ‘second wind’ and ‘comeback of sorts’ and all that. But I’ll say it feels good to be back in the Indian team in whites,” he said. “To be part of the Test team is something I’ve always dreamed of. I’m just thankful to the people who have stood by me over the years.”The dynamics of Indian cricket have changed in the time since Karthik last played a Test, in 2010. The batting stalwarts who he played with in that game in Bangladesh have all called it a day. Dhoni, the man who replaced Karthik in the Test squad and became India’s first-choice for close to a decade, is now happily retired from the format. Karthik admitted to being frustrated when he lost his Test spot.Dinesh Karthik attempts a catch in the presence of KL Rahul and M Vijay•AFP”I guess I did not perform well enough before. I wasn’t consistent enough. There was a highly competitive environment. MS Dhoni was breathing down my neck, causing a lot of stir in Test cricket at that point of time,” he said. “He has gone on to become probably one of the greatest Test cricket captains India has ever produced. So, it’s not that I lost out my place to some normal cricketer. He has been a special cricketer over a period of time and I respect him for that.”Just the fact that I couldn’t at that stage produce enough performances to hold on to my place [frustrates me]. I think I need to be honest with myself. I think I wasn’t as good then. I have another opportunity now and I guess I will try to do my best.”The frustration resulted in a massive dip. That Ranji season, he would make just 200 runs in nine innings. It was then that he felt the need to make peace with the challenges and “respect domestic cricket” to return to run-scoring ways. The love for the game though, had remained intact.”I’ve always enjoyed playing the sport, so motivation has never been a problem,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed playing the Ranji Trophy. It’s a totally different challenge. There are not many out there who come and watch you play; you play because you enjoy the sport, which I’ve always done subconsciously. I’ve enjoyed being part of Team Tamil Nadu. Credit to them as well, for having put up with me through the tough years.”As a senior player, they expect you to perform well. Along the way if I could help out young guys, great. That was my mentality. End of the day, it’s always been great to represent a team like that, for them to have put up with me and backed me… Today I’m really happy where I’m sitting.”The years with Tamil Nadu helped Karthik keep the faith, and have also meant that of India’s current Test side only Cheteshwar Pujara has played more first-class matches than Karthik (157).Now, two days away from his 24th Test, Karthik knows he’s a certainty in the XI. There are no false alarms this time. At 33, he’s more mature and far from the fidgety player he once was. Experience, he says, has changed his outlook on cricket and, as cliched as it may sound, he is simply focusing on the “process” rather than looking long-term and worrying about what he must to do keep Saha out.”That [looking too far ahead] puts a little bit of extra pressure than what is already there,” he said. “I’m trying to be consistent there, where even if I don’t get the opportunity, even if I don’t end up playing at the highest level, I want to be content with the fact that I’ve given it everything.”If I now go and try to think about how I can keep my place and keep someone else out, it becomes very subjective. You end up thinking ‘I need to score here, I need to do this, I need to do that.’ I don’t want to keep it that way. I just want to make the best of the opportunities I get.”Karthik may well go on to be part of the Test squad for the tour of England, a country where he’s had success as an opener. But, for now, he’s happy to be part of a historic occasion. Words of encouragement is all he had for his opponents, even when it was posed to him that their captain had talked up his spin attack as being better than India’s.”At the end of the day experience has a lot of value,” he said. “We saw that with CSK in the IPL. Experience pays. I’m sure in time they will be even better bowlers than when they start off. But the point is, the kind of improvement they have shown in white-ball cricket has been phenomenal. There is no reason why they cannot do that in Test cricket, but I would definitely say our spinners have a lot of experience – and experience is not something that can be easily bought. I’m sure their players will also vouch for that. So I wouldn’t harp too much on that.”With that statement alone, Karthik showed why he’s in his best phase of his career, a player who had matured and left the fidgety self who last played a Test more than eight years ago well behind.

The fact that Jonny Evans has been a regular feature in Erik ten Hag's Manchester United squad this season probably paints the perfect picture of the disarray that the Red Devils have found themselves in, losing four of their first seven Premier League games. Though decimated by injuries at times, United have still not been up to standard, leaving the door open for January reinforcements.

It looks likely to arguably be one of the most important transfer windows of Ten Hag's United tenure, especially if his side remains in crisis mode. With that said, reports suggest that the Red Devils have already made their first move for one particular target, who they could push on for come the winter window.

What's the latest Man Utd transfer news?

There's no hiding for Manchester United this season – they spent big in the summer. Ten Hag secured the majority of his transfer targets. Whether that be Mason Mount or Rasmus Hojlund, the Dutchman got what he desired. So, just how things have gone so horribly wrong so far this season is anyone's guess. But, the transfer market could hold the solutions to United's problems.

They have particularly struggled defensively this season, and have had their depth exposed in central defence, with Evans, at 35 years old, forced into the side at times. That depth could be solved by the potential arrival of Goncalo Inacio, however.

Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke has provided an Inacio transfer update, reporting that Manchester United have seemingly made their first move by scouting the defender in recent weeks, who has a £52m release clause.

Amid interest from the Premier League, Sporting Club have reportedly become resigned to losing the 22-year-old, providing both United and Liverpool, who are also interested in the Portugal international, with a major boost. If the two rivals go head-to-head for Inacio's signature, it will certainly spice things up in the January transfer window, that's for sure.

How good is Goncalo Inacio?

Starting all seven games in the Premeira Liga with Sporting CP sitting in top spot by a point, Inacio's importance in Portugal has far from decreased this season. Statistically speaking, too, Inacio has outperformed both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, as well as Victor Lindelof, as per FBref.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Blocks

Interceptions

Goncalo Inacio

16

59

7

6

Raphael Varane

6

26

4

1

Lisandro Martinez

6

26

4

2

Victor Lindelof

4

12

4

1

It's the types of performances that he is putting in this season which has seen Inacio earn significant praise, including from analyst Raj Chohan, who labelled the player as a "dominator". With that said, Manchester United could be keen to get any deal wrapped up as smoothly as possible, especially with Liverpool potentially sniffing around, looking to add to their own defensive options. When the January window opens, Ten Hag will be well aware of just how important it is that United get things right.