Zak Crawley reaches maiden Test fifty before mini collapse has tourists four down at the close

The Report by Valkerie Baynes24-Jan-2020

Zak Crawley plays one off his legs•Getty Images

England’s inexperienced openers brought an air of calm after a chaotic start to the fourth and final Test, but a batting collapse after tea ensured the day continued on a dramatic path.It was an eventful opening day before, during and potentially after play.As if there wasn’t already enough riding on this match, with England closing in on a series triumph and South Africa desperate to salvage something from a tumultuous week that started with an innings defeat at Port Elizabeth, included a confused changing of the guard in the one-day side and ended – if Faf du Plessis had his way – with the captain pleading tunnel vision when it came to answering any more questions about his uncertain Test future.Rain wiped out the first session and, when word finally came through that a 1.20pm start time was in sight, the players began warming up in the outfield. That’s when England’s turmoil began.Jofra Archer, expected to make his return from the elbow injury that ruled him out of the previous two matches after sending down thunderbolts in the nets this week, bowled a few balls and then made a bee-line for the team doctor clutching his arm. He was promptly ruled out of contention, Joe Root claiming upon winning the toss and electing to bat first that the team couldn’t be confident their star quick could make it through the match.Chris Woakes was called into the side and Mark Wood was called upon to play back-to-back Tests for the first time since 2017 as England, understandably, opted for an all-out seam attack at the Wanderers, leaving Dom Bess out despite his five-wicket haul in Port Elizabeth. Horses for courses.So it was that new opening pair Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley set about compiling England’s first century opening stand since December 2016.Playing just his fourth Test, Crawley continued his steady progress since making his debut in New Zealand in November. After scores of 1, 4, 25 and 44, Crawley – who turns 22 early next month – settled in nicely. A flourish through the covers, a thump through midwicket and a commanding straight drive brought him 12 runs off a poor Dwaine Pretorius over and took him to 45 not out, before he brought up his maiden Test fifty with a thick outside edge through point from the first ball of Pretorius’ next over.His knock wasn’t completely smooth, however. Crawley was struck flush on the helmet, right next to the badge, by a ripping 149kph / 93mph delivery from Anrich Nortje not long after bringing up his half-century. He was assessed for concussion and deemed fit to continue as he and Sibley took England to tea on 100 without loss.Earlier, Sibley had survived being caught sharply by Temba Bavuma at gully for 12 when umpire Joel Wilson correctly called a no-ball on the retiring bowler Vernon Philander, who had overstepped. England were 41 without loss at the time.South Africa had been lacklustre throughout the extended session to tea but when they returned after the break, they made things happen.Debutant quick Beuran Hendricks, in the side for Kagiso Rabada who was suspended for an overly robust wicket celebration in Port Elizabeth, made the breakthrough when he had Sibley out, strangled down the leg side for 44.Crawley followed a short time later when he, like Sibley, offered an non-committal shot and was caught by Rassie van der Dussen at slip, delivering Philander his first wicket of his farewell Test.That had England at 116 for 2 but their wobble didn’t stop there, the tourists ultimately losing 4 for 50 when Joe Denly edged a Dane Paterson outswinger to van der Dussen and Ben Stokes fell in similar fashion, lured into an attempted drive by Nortje and edging to van der Dussen, again at slip.The theatre continued as Stokes became involved in an angry verbal exchange with a spectator as he walked off and he could yet be called to answer questions from the match referee. After bad light ended play early, Stokes could be seen chatting to members of the crowd and signing autographs on the boundary.The fact that the day ended with honours pretty much even had appeared so unlikely on the basis of South Africa’s performance earlier in the day. That they found some fight was encouraging for their fans after du Plessis suggested this could be his final Test on home soil amid speculation over his playing future.The intrigue deepended for them when Quinton de Kock was named captain of the ODI side for the upcoming series with England and du Plessis was omitted altogether with uncertainty over whether it was a permanent change. Graeme Smith, South Africa’s director of cricket, later confirmed it was the first step in their succession plan and du Plessis would not be reinstated as leader, should he return to the side.So, with plenty going on off the field – for both sides – the stage is set for more twists and turns on it.

Tottenham are looking into signing a £45 million star this summer, with his club now potentially forced into selling him amid their financial woes.

Spurs drawing summer transfer shortlist

Ange Postecoglou recently admitted that the Spurs squad needs a lot of work done over the next few transfer windows to reach their required level, but it's safe to say the recruitment team have done an excellent job during his reign thus far.

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The signings of Micky van de Ven and James Maddison last summer have been key to Tottenham's position in the table and fight for a Champions League place, while Timo Werner's addition on loan has also proved successful – so much so that they could opt to sign him permanently from RB Leipzig.

Technical director Johan Lange and the wider recruitment team have cherry-picked players from across the continent who are seemingly tailor-made for Postecoglou's system, with the biggest example being van de Ven, whose searing pace allows Spurs to play their aggressive high line defensively.

Son Heung-min

7.40

James Maddison

7.33

Pedro Porro

7.12

Cristian Romero

7.08

Manor Solomon

7.05

The aim for Tottenham is to continue building upon their transfer success under Postecoglou and to avoid mishaps like the club-record signing of flop Tanguy Ndombele.

One of their key goals for the next summer window is bringing in a midfielder, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg looking pretty likely to leave Spurs as things stand.

They've been repeatedly linked with a move for Conor Gallagher as an option, as the England international's contract expires next summer and there is still no sign of a renewal.

A deal could be difficult to pull off, though, given the rivalry between both Chelsea and Spurs. Atalanta's Ederson is rumoured to be a Tottenham alternative to Gallagher heading into ther summer, but it appears another could well be Leicester City star Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Tottenham looking at signing Dewsbury-Hall

According to talkSPORT this week, Tottenham are looking into signing Dewsbury-Hall as Leicester may be forced into a painful sale.

The midfielder has bagged a sensational 11 goals and 13 assists in 38 Championship appearances this term, standing out as one of their star players, but the Foxes need to balance their books after posting £90 million losses for the last financial year.

Leicester's loss could be Tottenham's gain, as Postecoglou's side join the host of teams keeping tabs on the £45 million-rated Dewsbury-Hall heading into this summer.

"He is a wonderful demonstration of someone who works very hard and he has proved that if you work hard the opportunities come your way," said former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.

"It is a real joy as a coach and a manager to see a young player come through the system here over many years and then score his first goal at his home stadium in front of his home supporters that he has dreamt of doing all his life.

"What’s very important for him is to keep proving his point and he needs to find consistency. He has certainly done that since he has come into the team and he’s been a revelation for us.

"He is a young man that is very determined. He has great human qualities as well. His humbleness, his vision of where he wants to go is very clear and he knows that is just about work. It is staying calm, staying focused and improving yourself every game."

Tottenham could look to their Premier League rivals to bolster their frontline this summer, it has been reported.

Spurs set for Europa League?

A disappointing defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Arsenal in their most recent outing has left Champions League football out of Tottenham's hands heading into the final month of the season.

Ange Postecoglou's side currently sit fifth in the Premier League, seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, though they do have two games in hand on Unai Emery's side.

However, they are still relying on the Villans to slip up in their final three games of the season, with Villa needing to drop points on at least one occasion for Spurs to have any chance of Champions League football.

Meanwhile, their own fixtures are not easy; they head to London rivals Chelsea and fallen title challengers Liverpool in the coming days, while they also face reigning champions Manchester City in their final five games, alongside matches against already-relegated Sheffield United and relegation battlers Burnley.

The battle for Champions League football

Game

Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur

34

N/A

Chelsea (A)

35

N/A

Liverpool (A)

36

Brighton (A)

Burnley (H)

37

Liverpool (H)

Manchester City (H)

38

Crystal Palace (A)

Sheffield United (A)

Regardless of where they finish this season, summer business seems certain, with the attack an area that the club are keen to strengthen. Timo Werner has enjoyed a strong loan spell but there is no indication as to whether the deal will be made permanent.

Now, Spurs have been linked with an audacious move for a Premier League star that could be an alternative to the German.

Could Marcus Rashford really be a target?

The latest links come courtesy of reports in Spain, which name Spurs as one of three clubs keen on Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

The Manchester United academy graduate has struggled this season after a fine campaign in 2022/23, and recent reports have suggested that the Red Devils are open to parting ways with him this summer with Rashford among those thought to be transfer listed by the Red Devils hierarchy.

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That is in part for financial reasons, with Rashford's £315,000-per-week salary among the highest at Old Trafford, while his homegrown status means that any sale will be recorded as pure profit in a boost for Financial Fair Play compliance.

As per a report in Spain, PSG and Bayern Munich are among the clubs keeping tabs on the Englishman, but so too are Tottenham, who don't want 'to be left behind in the race to acquire the services of the versatile attacker'.

They add that Rashford is an attractive option due to 'his ability to perform both as a winger on both wings and in the number 9 position', in a way similar to Son Heung-min, who has played across the frontline for Postecoglou this season.

He would certainly be an exciting addition in north London and add some serious firepower, with Xavi pointing out just how dangerous he can be before United's clash with Barcelona last season.

"In the transition he is very, very dangerous so, yes, we need to take care of all of them, but especially Rashford," he claimed.

"He's one of the most dangerous players now in Europe, yeah. He's very fast, he has a very good at dribbling in one-versus-one."

However, the reported £70m asking price combined with wages is almost double that of second-highest earner James Maddison, making a move wholly unlikely barring a major shift in circumstances or demands.

The injury suffered by Naseem Shah on March 5 during the PSL game between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi will see him miss the next week of games as doctors have advised him to rest for seven days. In the game, he walked off the ground after bowling two overs, and didn’t take the field again. It was later learnt that he had sprained his left ankle.The Quetta management informed the Pakistan Cricket Board about Shah’s situation and put him on rehabilitation with physiotherapist Nisar Khan. The management confirmed that his sprain is minor and not serious enough to ask for an immediate replacement. However, they named legspinner Zahid Mahmood as cover for Shah while he recuperates.ESPNcricinfo understands that the Pakistan national team’s management has raised concerns about Shah’s workload of playing back-to-back games in the PSL. Shah is an integral part of Pakistan’s plans for the World Test Championship, and the management had earlier urged the PCB, among other suggestions, to even monetarily compensate the teenager for the PSL games he was going to miss, to preserve him ahead of the national assignments. Late last year, Shah was pulled out of Pakistan’s Under-19 World Cup squad for the same reason.”We haven’t decided about any replacement yet because we are hopeful that he will recover before our game against Multan Sultans in Lahore [on March 11],” Azam Khan, Quetta manager told ESPNcricinfo.The bowling workloads of Shah, who turned 17 last month, have been the subject of scrutiny given how young he is – he has only played seven first-class matches outside of the four Tests. Over the last three months, he has made major strides in international cricket, holding records for the youngest to have taken a Test hat-trick and the youngest fast bowler to have taken a five-wicket haul.With all the success, injuries have continued to follow him too. After debuting in the first Test of the series in Australia last year, he missed the second Test, as a precaution after he complained of a knee niggle in the nets. Before he broke through, in 2018 he was sidelined for a large part of the season with a back injury, even forcing him to miss the PSL that year.After his spell against Bangladesh that brought him a hat-trick, he soon felt pain in his right rib cage and was taken to hospital for an MRI scan. There, however, he was cleared from any serious injury and was asked to rest ahead of the PSL. He went on to play five T20s for Quetta, taking only three wickets. If he does not play any further part in the tournament, his next major assignment will be the second Test against Bangladesh next month in Karachi.

Tottenham have made an early move to land one of their transfer targets this summer, according to reports.

Werner's Spurs future in doubt

Tottenham are keen to add some more firepower to their attack this summer, and one easy way to achieve that would be to sign Timo Werner to a permanent deal.

Tottenham's options in attack

Player

Contract until

Manor Solomon

2028

Timo Werner

2024

Richarlison

2027

Brennan Johnson

2028

Dejan Kulusevski

2028

Bryan Gil

2026

Heung-Min Son

2025

The German is on loan at the north London club from RB Leipzig, and is proving something of a success on the left-hand side for Ange Postecoglou's side. In his 13 Premier League appearances since arriving in January, the 28-year-old has found the net twice and grabbed three assists.

And it would be an easy deal to make permanent too, with there being a pre-existing option to buy the player in the loan deal.

The option, believed to be in the region of £17m, has to be activated before EURO 2024 kicks off in Germany, giving Tottenham just six weeks to decide whether or not to retain the former Chelsea man and hand him a long-term deal in north London.

"In terms of his future, like most players, the decisions will be made at the appropriate time," Ange Postecoglou explained when quizzed on the situation earlier in the season. "I think he's been a great signing. He's been a really important part of our structure and I think he can also improve."

But at 28-years-old, there may be concerns about handing him a long term deal, especially in the wider context of Tottenham's new-look transfer policy that largely targets players with their prime years firmly ahead of them. With that in mind, an alternative option is seemingly being worked on.

England youngster looks North London bound

Now, reports in Italy have revealed some insight into Tottenham's transfer plans. That comes courtesy of Tutto Juve [Via Sport Witness], who report that Tottenham have "come forward" for Juventus talent Samuel Iling-Junior as Daniel Levy and Johan Lange kick-start their first move of the summer for Ange.

Spurs have been linked with a move for the 20-year-old previously, and with just 12 months left on his contract in Turin a departure this summer looks likely.

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A regular scorer across England's youth teams, the winger has started just two Serie A games under Max Allegri this season and is seemingly surplus to requirements.

Now, he is being linked with a move back to the Premier League, with Spurs and Brighton both hot on his trail. Though a winger by trade, Iling-Junior has also operated at wing-back and could well provide an excellent alternative to Destiny Udogie, who did similar during his final season with Udinese.

He is valued at just 15m euros (£12.9m) by Juventus, which would make him a cheaper and younger alternative than Werner, who could potentially provide a much greater upside and versatility in the future than the German.

Now reportedly "closer to farewell" than ever with the Old Lady, could he be the perfect summer addition for Tottenham?

“We deemed the risks (in India) to be very low,” says Dr Shuaib Manjra

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2020

Quinton de Kock gets his temperature checked in Kolkata•AFP via Getty Images

How did CSA look at the situation before travelling to India?
Prior to the India tour, Cricket South Africa had engaged in a risk assessment to determine whether it was safe for us to travel to India. At that point in time, India had about 30 cases isolated. None of the cities that we were going to play in [Dharamsala, Lucknow and Kolkata] had any cases recorded of the novel coronavirus. And, at that point, the world was a very different place. We deemed the risks to be very low, and therefore we proceeded with the tour while taking the necessary precautions.How did things change while the team was in India?
While on tour in India, the world had clearly become a different place and we had to take cognizance of the fact that there was a change in global environment. Largely, the pandemic had moved from the east to the west, where Europe had become the new epicentre of the disease, the United States was affected, the World Health Organization had called it a global pandemic and countries were closing their borders.But since we were in India, we had to look at a number of scenarios: the local conditions in India, which was still considered as a low-risk country; we had to look at what was happening in South Africa, which was at low to medium risk, and then we had to look at the global environment, as to what was happening in the world in places like Europe, including France, Spain and Italy, and also in the United States, where we saw a rapid escalation of the disease.Looking at all three conditions, we had to predict where this disease was going to go and what the potential risks were for the tour. Some of the risks were that a few countries would close their borders and we would remain stuck in one country or the other. South Africa itself may have closed its borders, with the entire team stopped from leaving India or entering South Africa; or alternatively, we would have been quarantined or isolated in South Africa. So those were some of the scenarios that we thought of, but importantly and ultimately, it was the players’ frame of mind that was the determining factor.In fact, Joe Root, England’s captain, had said the same thing about their tour to Sri Lanka [which was also cancelled] though Sri Lanka had fewer cases than England did. But the players were in a different frame of mind – they were thinking about what was happening back home to their families, the risks about being stuck in Sri Lanka, the medical services in Sri Lanka, and therefore, they decided to go back home. So the players’ frame of mind had an important role to play in terms of the decision made by the BCCI in consultation with Cricket South Africa.ALSO READ: Sourav Ganguly indicates IPL 2020 likely to be ‘truncated’Was everyone comfortable while in India? What safety measures were taken?Absolutely [comfortable]. We ensured that the players were isolated in their hotels and every place that they were being transferred to – the hotel, the grounds, the team bus or the aircraft – was appropriately sanitised. They were not allowed to leave or go out and we ensured we had sufficient security around us to ensure that we didn’t get close to the public. We took sufficient means to ensure that the players were protected. Some even decided to wear masks while they were travelling.So, from the chain of movement that we had, we ensured that whether it was the change-room attendant or anyone else and even in the restaurants that we went to, they were all wearing masks. So, from their point of view, we were pretty isolated and largely immunised from the outside world, which also reduced the risk of infection significantly. And so we did take appropriate measures; we even travelled from city to city by a chartered flight and were whisked through airports and security. Even after we landed, we were similarly whisked through the security into the team bus and the hotel. So in a sense, we were in a quarantined state.What is the scenario for the next couple of weeks?
We relied on expert evidence and guidance such as the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, the Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control in the United States and the World Health Organization. We looked at the recommendations that they have made for different countries, which they have divided into high-risk, medium-risk and low-risk countries. Even with medium- and low-risk countries, they have made specific recommendations. Some of our own measures have been educating the players about the disease – what it is, what it means, what the symptoms are, recognising the symptoms, monitoring themselves in terms of temperature and any other symptom that could come with respect to COVID-19. So we are comfortable that they know what the symptoms of the disease are.What has been your recommendation to the team?
We have continued to make our experts available to them, so should they have any concerns about the symptoms even post the tour, they would contact us or the medical staff closest to them from the cricket fraternity, who would assist them. We have recommended that all players either self-isolate or social distance them for a minimum of 14 days. That would be the proper way to protect people around them, the community, their families and, in particular, the vulnerable people in their families. In this period, should anyone develop such symptoms or any other factor that is a cause for concern, we will ensure that they are investigated appropriately and managed as per the protocols that are currently existing.

Arsenal could be set to lose one of their young talents after it emerged that he wants to leave the club this summer, with the Gunners potentially set to receive nothing for him.

Arsenal set for big summer

Though they are currently leading the Premier League, Arsenal still have clear areas to strengthen under Mikel Arteta. Am out and out striker is desperately needed, but so too is a midfielder with Kai Havertz looking more comfortable higher up the pitch and the Gunners yet to truly replace Granit Xhaka after he departed last summer.

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Meanwhile, Thomas Partey has struggled for fitness this season, making just his sixth Premier League start against Spurs. Elsewhere, Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny are both out of contract, while decisions will have to be made on Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira, neither of whom have kicked on this campaign.

Arsenal's midfield options

Player

Contract until

Jorginho

2024

Mo Elneny

2024

Thomas Partey

2025

Declan Rice

2028

Martin Odegaard

2028

Emile Smith Rowe

2026

Fabio Vieira

2027

It is certain that once more, the club will spend big in central midfield this summer, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes among those that they are considering. But they won't have it all their own way.

Midfielder could leave for free

That comes as it seems that they are set to lose a talent for nothing in the shape of academy man Charlie Patino. The midfielder has spent successive seasons out on loan in the Championship, but after a strong start to his time at Swansea he has fallen down the pecking order, and hasn't started a game since New Year's Day.

With the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly now having moved ahead of him in the Gunners pecking order at academy level, and it seems a departure is likely. In fact, Patino is desperate to make one happen, with Italian media claiming that he has "no intention of staying at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta".

He has drawn admiring glances from both AC Milan and Roma, while the idea of the Serie A is said to "fascinate him". But there is yet no winner of the race, largely because the pair are also battling it out for scout Michele Fratini, who is perhaps the biggest proponent of Patino's talents in world football.

"He’s one of the greatest midfielders around. Left-footed, has innate class and is complete, as he’s adept at recovering balls as well", he told the media last year.

“Plays long balls well and has an excellent long range shot. I put five stars on him. He’s a diamond. I saw him two years ago, but now he’s consecrating himself by taking over Arsenal, one of the biggest teams in England. For him, if I were a chairman, I’d do crazy things.”

Therefore, whoever wins that battle is also likely to win the services of Patino, who will be available on a free transfer this summer with his contract up in north London. Despite his clear talent, it will not be a loss that Arsenal feel too keenly at this moment in time.

After breezing past Ajax with ease in the previous round, Aston Villa welcomed Ligue 1 side Lille to Villa Park on Thursday night.

Unai Emery’s side set out with one mission in mind: to go to France with a lead, and they certainly achieved that, defeating the visitors 2-1.

The Villans could not have gotten off to a better start, opening the scoring in the 13th minute, and just before the hour mark, they had a two-goal advantage.

It looked set to be the perfect night, however, a late Lille goal did spoil the party slightly, making it all to play for in the second leg.

But in truth, the outcome could have been much worse if it weren’t for one star who was even better than John McGinn and Ollie Watkins.

McGinn and Watkins’ performances vs Lille

As usual, Villa lined up in the Spaniard’s 4-4-1-1 formation, with the attack being led by none other than Watkins, with the support of McGinn just behind him.

Both players combined brilliantly for the first goal of the game, with the England attacker meeting the Scot’s inch-perfect corner kick to power the ball home via his head, scoring his 25th goal of the campaign.

After the break, Villa’s second goal once again heavily involved McGinn, as the provider turned goal-scorer, placing the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box with a controlled first-time finish.

To add further context to just how influential the dangerous duo were on the night, the number 11 was handed an 8/10 match rating by Birmingham World, while the 29-year-old was given an impressive 9/10, but they still weren’t the most important on the field.

Emi Martinez statistics against Lille

The Villa faithful may already believe that Emiliano Martinez is the best goalkeeper in the world, hence their common chant, but he truly showed his quality yesterday.

The Argentine is an extremely important player to Emery’s side, not just because of his ability to keep the ball out of the back of the net but also because of his elite mentality, which will prove to be vital throughout the rest of the tournament.

In Birmingham World’s player ratings article, Martinez was handed a joint-highest 9/10 rating, stating, “absolutely outstanding to get his team out of trouble so often,” and although he was eventually unable to keep a clean sheet, the World Cup winner pulled off similar heroics to the ones he displayed in Qatar against France, coming out on top in crucial moments.

Throughout the tie, Martinez looked confident, comfortable, and relaxed, as shown by his pass accuracy of 90% and his 40 touches in the table below, which enabled Villa to not give possession away cheaply.

Saves

6

Saves inside the box

6

Goals prevented

1.67

High claims

2

Pass accuracy

90%

Touches

40

However, it's clear that it was his shot-stopping ability that deservedly got him the plaudits, as he made six saves in the tie, all of them from attempts inside the penalty area.

Most impressively, the 31-year-old had a goal prevented of 1.67, which is a brilliant indicator of just how good the chances were that he was denying, and shows that Villa could have drawn or lost the game without his heroics.

Overall, without Martinez in between the sticks, there’s no way that Villa would be going to Lille with the advantage, and although the goal-scorers tend to take the headlines, the Villa fanbase will certainly know who their real hero was with his colossal display in goal.

أكد محمد الشناوي، حارس مرمى وقائد فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، على استعداد اللاعبين لخوض أولى مواجهات دور المجموعات لـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام استاد أبيدجان. موعد مباراة الأهلي وستاد أبيدجان في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

يلتقي الأهلي مع ستاد أبيدجان الإيفواري، في المباراة القادمة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، غدًا الثلاثاء الموافق 26 نوفمبر في تمام السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسابعة بتوقيت السعودية.

وقال الشناوي في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “نحن سعداء بأول مباراة في دور المجموعات، ونستعد بشكل جيد، ونتمنى أن يكون التوفيق معنا”.

طالع أيضًا | محمد بركات: الأهلي يُعاني من نفس ظروف مانشستر سيتي.. وخسارة الزمالك ليست مفاجأة

وتابع: “وصلنا للنهائي الخامس، ونُفكر في السادس، وأي بطولة نحصدها نعود في اليوم الثاني للتدريبات ونُركز في البطولة التالية، واعتدنا على خوض بطولات كثيرة في وقت واحد، ونمتلك دائمًا الدوافع، وإن شاء الله نحصد الـ 13”.

وأضاف: “اللاعبون يعرفون نظام النادي الأهلي، هدفنا دائمًا أن نُسعد جماهيرنا، عندما نحصل على بطولة كل الأندية الإفريقية يكون هدفها الفوز على المارد الأحمر”.

واختتم: “نحن كلاعبين نتحدث مع بعض في هذا الأمر، وعقلية لاعبي الأهلي مؤهلة حاليًا للمنافسة على البطولات، والبطولة الحالية ستكون صعبة، لأن الفرق كلها تريد حصد اللقب من الأهلي، لأننا فزنا بالبطولة أخر نسختين وتأهلنا لكأس العالم للأندية، والجميع يريد أن يكون في مكاننا”.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe preparing for his first summer at Manchester United, the rumours have already started circling regarding potential incomings, which could include a bargain deal in the coming months.

Man United transfer news

It's been another season to forget for Manchester United, with any progress made by Erik ten Hag last season coming to a crashing halt. Now, reports suggest that the Dutchman's job is at risk thanks to the arrival of Ratcliffe and talk of his desire to appoint the likes of Gareth Southgate or Graham Potter this summer.

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Apr 13, 2024

In what could be a summer of change at Old Trafford, there could be some fresh faces in the form of players, too. Players such as Adrien Rabiot and Serhou Guirassy have stolen the headlines as of late, with both linked to a move to the Red Devils ahead of the summer window. In deals that would improve United's midfield and frontline, Ratcliffe could kickstart his tenure with a bang.

But it's not just these areas that could be handed a fresh coat of paint this summer, as reports are suggesting that those at Old Trafford are in line to potentially land a bargain deal.

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United have made an approach to sign Tosin Adarabioyo in a free deal this summer, alongside Tottenham Hotspur. The Fulham centre-back is set to be a free agent upon the expiry of his current deal at the end of the season, handing United a chance to land a solid bargain in the coming months.

The central defender could replace Raphael Varane at Old Trafford, with the Frenchman's future still in doubt and his contract set to run out in the summer of 2025 to hand the Red Devils little chance to cash in on the World Cup winner.

"Great" Tosin can become bargain Varane replacement

Whilst replacing a World Cup winner is never going to be an easy task, Varane's injury history and struggle for consistency certainly makes things far simpler for Ten Hag this summer. If United can secure a bargain, allowing them to focus their funds elsewhere, it would be the perfect start to the summer window. And that's where Adarabioyo should come in.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)	Tosin Adarabioyo	Raphael Varane
Progressive carries	10	16
Progressive passes	60	58
Tackles won	11	11
Blocks	15	22
Interceptions	23	15

Fulham boss Marco Silva will undoubtedly be among those frustrated to see Adarabioyo leave on a free deal this summer, having sung his praises earlier this season.

Silva told beIN Sports: “We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation. The way he can defend the box but also on the ball he is a special player for me, the way I want to play, the way he can build (from the back).

"For three months we missed him but he has just played the last four or five games and he is getting better and better. A great performance from him against Everton and to be able to take the last decision to be deciding the game he deserves all the credit.”