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The tour will also include three ODIs and two T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2020Bangladesh will host Zimbabwe for a one-off Test as well as three ODIs and two T20Is starting February 22. This will be the first time the two sides play a Test series that doesn’t have at least two Tests.The Test will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, less than two weeks after Bangladesh play the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi from February 7.The ODI series against Zimbabwe will run from March 1 to 6 in Chattogram, while the two T20Is – on March 9 and 11 – will be held in Mirpur. A week later, the same venue will host the World XI v Asia XI matches as part of the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation.Zimbabwe will also play a two-day practice match ahead of the Test, but the venue for that hasn’t been announced.The two sides last played a Test series in 2018, also in Bangladesh, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Cristiano Ronaldo has sent an inspirational message to his Al-Nassr team-mates after they opened their season with a draw against Al-Raed.

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• Nassr held on opening matchday of season
• Ronaldo scored in 1-1 draw
• Sends Instagram message

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Al-Nassr drew their opening game of the Saudi Pro League season, being held to a disappointing 1-1 stalemate with Al-Raed. Ronaldo scored Al-Nassr's only goal, sending a thumping header into the back of the net to open the scoring.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Al-Nassr are still seeking their first trophy during Ronaldo's time at the club, but have already been dealt two blows this season. While they drew their opening league game, they were thumped 4-1 by Al-Hilal in their Saudi Super Cup final.

• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  Ronaldo posted on Instagram: "We will never settle. We will never give up. Our determination knows no limits!"

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Al-Nassr play Al Feiha on Tuesday as they aim to record their first win of the season.

Aston Villa saw one of their chances at ending a near three-decade wait for a major trophy end in midweek as they crashed out of the FA Cup following a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.

Unai Emery now arguably has only the Europa Conference League to aim for if he wishes to win something this season, and considering West Ham United were victorious last term, it could pave the way for Villa to follow suit in May.

The Spaniard will now turn his attention to the Premier League clash against Manchester United tomorrow afternoon, as the Red Devils make their way to the Midlands.

Erik ten Hag’s side are on a decent run of form, winning four of their previous five matches and remaining undefeated in 2024.

The 52-year-old manager may make some changes to his team following the below-par performance against a struggling Blues side in midweek…

1

GK – Emiliano Martínez

The Argentine will not be displaced from the starting XI ahead of what could be a vital fixture for both teams tomorrow.

The former Arsenal goalkeeper conceded three times against United during the 3-2 defeat on Boxing Day last year, yet he has kept a clean sheet in two of his previous three league matches, and hopefully he will secure another one on Sunday.

2

RB – Matty Cash

The English-born Poland international will start his first league match since the 3-1 defeat against Newcastle United at the end of January and Emery will be looking for him to make an impact against United.

Cash did win four out of his five duels against Chelsea and succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts and made two key passes. Another display like this could help Villa massively.

3

CB – Diego Carlos

With Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa out injured, the Brazilian has come into the starting XI and performed solidly enough.

He completed 91% of his passes and won four out of six aerial duels against the Blues, but they still found the back of the net three times, and he will have to be wary against United, especially with the form they are in currently.

4

CB – Pau Torres

The towering "Rolls-Royce" – as described by journalist Graeme Bailey – was named on the bench for the defeat in midweek but could make his return form injury tomorrow, with the pairing of Diego Carlos and Clement Lenglet shipping three goals.

The £100k-per-week talent was reportedly a target for the Red Devils prior to the signing of Lisandro Martinez in 2022 and could prove a key figure in dowing Ten Hag's men at Villa Park.

5

LB – Alex Moreno

Lucas Digne is nearing a return to action, but the clash against Ten Hag’s men tomorrow could come too soon for the Frenchman.

This means Moreno will make his eighth start in a row and, since returning to the first team following an injury, he has scored three goals in just 15 matches, suggesting that he is a decent goal threat.

6

CM – Douglas Luiz

Arguably one of Villa’s most important players this season. Luiz has transformed his game and has emerged as a more attacking threat this season.

This is evidenced by the fact he has registered 14 goal contributions in all competitions – seven goals and seven assists, while his influence will be crucial against United tomorrow.

7

CM – Boubacar Kamara

The Frenchman has missed just four league matches during the 2023/24 campaign – all down to suspension – and when he is fit and available, he forms a solid partnership with Luiz in the middle of the pitch.

The Brazilian tends to push forward more often than Kamara, but the former Marseille gem provides a reliable defensive acumen which helps protect the back four.

8

RW – Leon Bailey

If Luiz is one of Villa’s most important players this term, then Bailey has every right to be considered as one of the most improved.

Last term, he managed only nine goal contributions – five goals and four assists – while this season, the Jamaican has already scored ten times and grabbed nine assists in all competitions, firmly establishing himself as the main attacking outlet on the right flank, and he will start against the Red Devils.

9

AM – Moussa Diaby

Although usually deployed on the wing for Bayer Leverkusen, Diaby has found himself operating in a number of positions this season and against the Red Devils, he could play in the number ten role, just behind Watkins.

He scored his sixth goal of the season against Chelsea in midweek after coming off the bench, and he will replace Youri Tielemans in the starting XI.

The Belgian completed just 60% of his passes and lost possession ten times during his time on the pitch, thus meaning he should drop to the bench.

10

LW – John McGinn

The captain is another name who finds himself as a key performer under Emery, with the Scot starting all but two matches this season, scoring eight goals in the process.

He found the back of the net during the last clash against the Old Trafford side and Emery will be hoping he can repeat the trick tomorrow, albeit with a different result at the end of the game.

Wayne Rooney says he is "angry" and "disappointed" after his Plymouth side were thumped 4-0 by Sheffield Wednesday in his first game in charge.

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• Plymouth thumped 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday
• Rooney lays into players in first game as manager
• Ex-Man Utd star was furious after match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Goals from Jamal Lowe, Josh Windass, Michael Smith and a Brendan Galloway own-goal secured Wednesday a well-earned victory on Sunday as Rooney's Plymouth tenure began with a whimper. The former Derby County manager said the Owls "deserved" the three points, that his team failed to do the basics and wants a reaction after the defeat.

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  WHAT WAYNE ROONEY SAID

  He told after the game: "I think the scoreline was deserved. The really disappointing thing was the basics of winning balls, second balls, stopping crosses; I think it was four goals from four crosses. The basics of the game weren't there so that's really disappointing for me. As a team we didn't play with the confidence we have shown the last few weeks [in pre-season], we didn't take the ball well enough, we didn't handle the crowd early on enough, and allowed Sheffield Wednesday to get a foothold in the game and they got the goal at a good time for them. Towards the end of the game, we conceded two more goals. Really disappointed, angry; because that's not a performance I want to see."

  Rooney added: "I think players have to earn the right to play on the pitch. Whether that's a new player, a player that has been here for a long time, you have to earn the right to play. Of course, you can lose football games but there's a way in which you want to see your players work, run, tackle. We've had a lot of fans travel here today, they've travelled a long way and the performance we have given wasn't good enough. It's very disappointing and we have to make sure that doesn't happen again."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rooney is under pressure to deliver as a manager after getting sacked at Birmingham earlier this year and failing to win more than 30 per cent of his games in charge of Derby and D.C. United. The ex-Everton man needs to improve the club's fortunes quickly, or else he could be looking for another job soon.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Rooney's Plymouth will look to bounce back from this drubbing when they take on League Two team Cheltenham Town on Wednesday night in round one of the Carabao Cup. Another loss there and the pressure will ramp up on the former Birmingham City boss.

Celtic dropped more points in the Scottish Premiership this season as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Aberdeen away from Parkhead on Saturday in the early kick-off.

The Hoops were, in fact, fortunate to even secure a point as they went 1-0 down early in the first half thanks to a stunning goal from Bojan Miovski.

Celtic had been linked with an interest in the North Macedonia international ahead of the January transfer window, and he gave them a timely reminder of why they were looking at him with a sublime finish into the far corner of Joe Hart's goal.

Nicolas Kuhn, thankfully, found a deflected equaliser for the Bhoys but a huge miss from Graeme Shinnie – and a great save from Joe Hart – stopped the hosts from coming away with all three points.

Brendan Rodgers' side are now only three points ahead of Rangers, having played one game more, and the Northern Irish head coach must work out a way to avoid more of these slip-ups to prevent the title race swinging the wrong way.

Getting the best out of Kyogo Furuhashi, who struggled for much of Saturday's game, could be pivotal as the Japan international is a prolific scorer at his best, and he could do that by unleashing Adam Idah from the start alongside him.

Kyogo's red-hot form last season

The 29-year-old marksman has not been able to hit the heights of last season under Ange Postecoglou as his form in front of goal has dipped drastically.

He was on fire for the Australian tactician throughout the 2022/23 campaign and earned the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award last summer for his terrific exploits on the pitch.

Kyogo plundered a staggering 27 goals in 31 Scottish Premiership starts for the Hoops and only missed 16 'big chances' in total, which speaks to his clinical finishing in the final third.

He scored 16 more goals than any other Celtic player – Jota with 11 was in second place – and played a vital role in their title success with his consistently reliable goalscoring as a centre-forward for Postecoglou.

The former Vissel Kobe star found the back of the net every 86 minutes on average throughout the season in the Premiership, which is better than one every full match, and that is a phenomenal return for any striker.

His stunning form led to The Sun reporting last summer that Tottenham and four other European clubs were ready to battle it out for the Japanese dynamo, who was valued at around £20m at the time.

However, Celtic were able to fight off interest in his services from elsewhere, including their former head coach, and may have expected more of the same this season from Kyogo after they managed to keep hold of him.

Instead, the experienced marksman has failed to replicate his form under Postecoglou and Rodgers may be scratching his head as to why that has been the case.

Kyogo's struggles this season

The Hoops striker's output in front of goal has fallen off a cliff in comparison to last season as he has only found the back of the net eight times in 24 outings.

Kyogo has not made the most of the opportunities that his teammates have provided for him with 12 'big chances' missed in those 24 matches, with more big chances missed than goals scored for the first time in a Premiership season for the club.

As you can see in the table below, the 29-year-old gem has not provided anywhere near as much of a threat to opposition defenders as he did last term.

The Bhoys dynamo has failed to hit the target as often per match, missed more 'big chances' per game on average, and scored significantly less frequently this term compared to last.

Interestingly, Kyogo has taken ten more shots from distance (16 to six) this season and this could come from frustration at a lack of chances around the box, which is where Idah could come into play.

Idah's potential partnership with Kyogo

The club swooped to secure the signing of the Ireland international on loan from Norwich City on deadline day and supporters could be forgiven for being underwhelmed.

On the face of it, Celtic brought in a back-up striker from a Championship side on loan instead of a proven Premiership scorer like Miovski, who had – as aforementioned – been linked with a move to Parkhead.

However, the 22-year-old is an exciting prospect who could fulfill his potential in Scotland with regular minutes that did not come at Carrow Road.

Idah came off the bench to help rescue a point for the Hoops against Aberdeen and his impressive cameo off the bench provided a glimpse at the possible combination between him and Kyogo.

As you can see in the table above, the Canaries loanee provided outstanding creativity in limited touches, with Sky Sports co-commentator Chris Sutton describing his centre-forward play as "sensational" during the game, in just over half an hour on the pitch on his debut.

His composed turn and well-weighted lay-off provided Kuhn with the opportunity to fire in the equaliser and he was unfortunate not to land another assist from Kyogo or Matt O'Riley, who both had efforts on goal from inside the box thanks to his passes.

Idah, who stands at 6 foot 3, has the physical presence to be the perfect foil for the Japan international to play off as part of a front two for Celtic.

The £23k-per-week whiz won both of his aerial duels against the Dons whilst Kyogo has won 0.2 aerial battles per game this term at a success rate of 18%.

Idah, who scored six goals from 5.83 Expected Goals in the Championship for Norwich this season, could be the focal point of Rodgers' attack and use his creativity and strong hold-up play, as he did against Aberdeen, to create chances for the Japanese marksman.

This could, therefore, ignite Kyogo by allowing him to play off the Irishman and focus on getting shots away in the box instead of competing with opposition defenders in physical battles and taking too many shots from distance, which is why the manager must unleash his new signing from the start.

India last played a 50-over game in August, but the biggest concern is the fickle weather

The Preview by Shashank Kishore14-Dec-20193:15

India’s bench strength under the scanner

Big Picture

It is common knowledge that Chennai gets a lot of rain in December. Yet, here we are trying to squeeze in an ODI, when two more T20Is would’ve brought in more context with the World Cup just around the corner. Ironical as it may be, we could well have a curtailed game veering towards the T20s if the weather, which forced India to call off their optional nets on Friday and West Indies on Saturday, continues to remain fickle.India have not played ODIs for a while. Their last 50-over series came in the Caribbean, well remembered for that audacious Virat Kohli shot, where he opened up the off-side and carved a short of length delivery on the up for six over extra cover while being off balance. It even had Sir Viv Richards admiring the shot in awe. If you don’t remember the scoreline of the series, though, or any other detail, well, you would be forgiven.West Indies have the benefit of having played a good amount of white-ball cricket on tour, even before the T20I series. They whitewashed Afghanistan 3-0 in the ODI series in Lucknow to begin Kieron Pollard’s captaincy era on a promising note. So far, West Indies have made all the right noises, both in terms of their squad selection as well as administrative intent to become a formidable force once again. This ODI series is another opportunity to build forward.

Form guide

India WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West IndiesWWWLL

In the spotlight

KL Rahul is in one day, out the next. He is opening one day, at No. 4 the next. There hasn’t been much clarity about his role in the white-ball set up. With Shikhar Dhawan injured, this is Rahul’s best chance to settle the debate by making big runs. It will be of massive help to him that he is coming into the series on the back of a Man-of-the-Match-winning performance in the third T20I.He has been mistaken to be the son of Courtney Walsh, but if he bowled anywhere like he did in the Caribbean Premier League – where he picked up 22 wickets in nine games – Hayden Walsh will likely carve an identity of his own. He cannot ask for better spin-friendly tracks than Chennai and Cuttack to make a splash. His three ODIs against Afghanistan didn’t bring him a rich haul, but there were shades of promise.BCCI

Team news

Mayank Agarwal may have to wait for his ODI debut, but Shivam Dube could earn his. There could be a toss-up between Kedar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja.India: 1 KL Rahul, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Mohammed ShamiEwin Lewis has a soft-tissue injury on his knee, so he’s likely to be assessed. With their net session on match eve called off, it’s unlikely they’ll want to risk him straightaway. For now, he’ll remain with the squad. Sunil Ambris or Brandon King could come in for Lewis at the top of the order.West Indies: 1 Sunil Ambris, 2 Shai Hope, 3 Roston Chase, 4 Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Romario Shephard, 8 Kharry Pierre, 9 Hayden Walsh, 10 Keemo Paul, 11 Alzarri Joseph

Pitch and conditions

Rains for two days in the build-up to the ODI have forced the groundstaff to cover the pitch right through. There hasn’t been much sunshine either. That said, the spinners won’t mind bowling on what is traditionally a good deck for them. India made 281 in the previous ODI here, in September 2017, with Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav picking five Australian wickets in a truncated chase to win the game.

Stats and Trivia

• Virat Kohli has more runs against West Indies in just half the number of games of his nearest competitor. For long, Javed Miandad led the runs rally with 1930 runs in 64 innings. Kohli has already racked up 2146 runs in just 35 innings. In his last nine innings alone, he’s made six hundreds and 870 runs at an average of 174.
• Shai Hope has had a phenomenal last two years as an ODI batsman, averaging 60.54 in 41 innings, with six centuries and 10 half-centuries. This is significantly higher than his overall average of 50.63. However, his strike-rate hovers around 76 in this period, which is far below the norm in ODIs these days. He may want to press on a lot earlier, to avoid putting too much pressure on the big hitters to follow.

Quotes

“The reason why we keep discussing [about] him [Rishabh Pant] is that he has got immense ability. Everybody believes he can be an X-factor. All of us believe he is a good player who can come good.”
“Yes, playing in the IPL augurs well financially and experience-wise, but it is not something which should be at the forefront of your minds in order to succeed.”

Recall at No.6 will help young player bed into Test cricket after baptism of fire in 2018

George Dobell in Mount Maunganui19-Nov-2019At the end of the English domestic season Ryan ten Doeschate made a revealing comment. Asked whether he intended to play for Essex for another season in the County Championship, he replied he wasn’t sure. “Batting at No. 6,” he said, “it’s where you blood someone to bat. And there are a couple of young guys who are close to being ready.”It was revealing for a couple of reasons. For a start, it underlined what a fine team man ten Doeschate is. While many players, approaching their 40th birthday, might have thought little beyond attempting to secure themselves another contract, ten Doeschate was thinking about what was best for the future of Essex as a club. His personal aspirations were clearly secondary to the team’s long-term benefits.More pertinently, his words underlined how a successful team – and Essex have won the County Championship twice in the last three years, remember – integrates new players. And they contrasted with England’s approach in recent times.Take the example of Ollie Pope. Having earned the attention of the selectors by batting at No. 6 for Surrey, the then 20-year-old was thrust into bat at No. 4 in Test cricket. That meant that, even though he had never batted inside the first 20 overs of a first-class innings at county level, he was then expected to come in before the 10th over in Test cricket. It’s hardly surprising he struggled.It was a similar story with Jason Roy. Having impressed as an opening batsman in white-ball cricket, where there is little lateral movement and the pitches tend to be good for batting, Roy was given the task of opening in Test cricket in England where the ball moves lavishly and the surfaces, in recent times, offer seamers plenty. Again, it was hardly surprising that he struggled.At least it appears England are learning. Pope may well move up the order in the months or years ahead but, for now, he will be given a chance to acclimatise to the higher standards of Test cricket by batting at No. 6 in New Zealand. Equally, England have opted for two specialist opening batsmen. Not only should they offer more expertise in negotiating new-ball spells, they should also provide some protection for the middle-order.While Joe Denly is still being asked to bat out of position at No. 3, the presence of Zak Crawley – another opening batsman – in reserve probably hints at the direction of travel. After a period of simply picking the most eye-catching players and asking them to adapt, the new team management are adopting a more sophisticated approach towards both young players and the embrace of specialists.ALSO READ: ‘I want to stop being vulnerable’ – Sam CurranThere is one exception to this. In handing the gloves back to Jos Buttler – with Pope as reserve keeper now that Jonny Bairstow has gone home – England are still taking a risk. Buttler performed well with the gloves in the warm-up games, but Ben Foakes remains, by a distance, the best keeper available to England.The issue of specialisation was acknowledged by Dom Sibley as he anticipates his Test debut. He knows he will be required to perform at a higher level than he has previously, but he also knows what the job entails.”If I do play I’ll try to do exactly the same as what I’ve done this season in county cricket,” he said. “I’ll try to get through the new ball, soak up as many balls as I can and score big hundreds. It’s been a strength of mine that once I’ve got in, I’ve really cashed in. Hopefully if I do play and get through the new ball, I can do the same.”There was a minor scare at training on Tuesday when Ben Stokes briefly left the nets for treatment after he was struck on the hand by a delivery from Archer. He returned shortly afterwards, however, and dismissed any suggestion of injury. You suspect it would take more than the loss of one hand to keep him out of this game.A first look at the Mount Maunganui pitch might have pleasantly surprised the bowlers. While most pre-match predictions have suggested this will prove to be the Bay of Plenty of runs, the surface was surprisingly green. It may well be, however, that the layer of grass is only there to prevent the pitch drying out in the strong winds. Both sides are expected to field specialist spinners for just such a reason. This will be only the 10th first-class game here – three of the first nine have been drawn – however, so there must be an element of the unknown about how the surface will play.

David Moyes has pulled off a real statement of intent by luring Kalvin Philipps to West Ham United on a loan deal until the end of the season, and his quality could shine through should he remain fit and healthy.

The Englishman will add some much-needed steel to the centre of their midfield, and it could prove to be an inspired signing as Moyes looks to secure another continental trophy with the club.

While this is a big coup, with just under a week left until deadline day, the Scot will be hoping to bring in at least another player or two, especially as he needs to bolster his attacking options.

West Ham’s search for new signings

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the Irons are currently showing interest in former Celtic sensation Jota as they look to improve their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

He said: “Former Celtic winger Jota is still hoping for a move to the Premier League this month.

Latest West Ham transfer news: £35m ace and La Liga superstar on radar

It’s a new era at the London Stadium – here’s what Julen Lopetegui could be up to in the transfer market…

By
Mark Marston

Jul 11, 2024

“West Ham have spoken about a possible deal, whilst Brighton, Everton and Newcastle have been linked. Spurs remain admirers too.”

He moved to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ittihad last summer for a fee of around £25m following an impressive spell in Scotland, yet his move to the Middle East has not played out as well as anticipated.

Could the Portuguese gem perhaps return to British shores in the coming days? There is no doubt he has the potential to shine in the Premier League, and with West Ham needing some freshness injected into the final third, he could be an ideal signing.

Moyes may need to move a player or two out the door, however, with winger Said Benrahma attracting interest from French side Marseille.

Indeed, the Hammers even rejected a loan bid from the Ligue 1 outfit last week for the Algerian, but a move for Jota could indicate that his time in London is approaching an end.

Said Benrahma could leave West Ham United

The winger is certainly a polarising figure. At times, he can be devastating and cause utter chaos to opposition defences, yet more often than not, he fails to leave his mark in matches and Moyes could do with an upgrade on the player going forward.

Since joining West Ham from Brentford at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign, the 28-year-old has scored 24 goals and registered 19 assists across 155 matches, a ratio of a goal contribution every 3.6 games, which is a solid, if unspectacular, return.

This season, however, the winger has grabbed only one assist in 22 matches and his performances have been underwhelming, to say the least.

Among the squad, Benrahma currently ranks 14th for goals and assists (one) in the Premier League, while also ranking sixth for shots on target per game (0.5) and 17th for overall Sofascore rating (6.73), indicating that this term has hardly been a productive one.

The former Brentford winger still has two and a half years left on his current contract and this could tempt Moyes into moving him on this month, especially as he could command a decent fee.

It is clear he is not having the same impact this term compared to previous seasons. Moyes has started him just 13 times in all competitions, which proves he does not place his trust in the 28-year-old that often.

Jota could be a big upgrade to the current West Ham player, and it would be interesting to see if he could pick up where he left off after starring at Celtic.

The stats that show why Jota could be an upgrade to Said Benrahma

Admittedly, the 5 foot 9 winger has not had a good season for Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League since making his big-money move there last summer.

This was surprising, especially due to how impressive he had been for Celtic during their treble-winning 2022/23 campaign and his performances were always going to catch the eye of potential suitors.

Last term, Jota not only ranked first among the squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.45) in the Premiership, but he also ranked second for goals and assists (22), shots per game (2.4), big chances created (13), and key passes per game (1.9), demonstrating how much of an influence he had in the team.

In comparison, Benrahma ranked eighth for Sofascore rating (6.86) among the West Ham squad, along with ranking third for goals and assists (nine), first for shots per game (2.1), second for big chances created (five) and for key passes per game (1.4), suggesting that he also had a decent season for the Hammers, yet Jota’s numbers across these key metrics are better.

Jota was even lauded by former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish, who dubbed him as a “revelation” under Ange Postecoglou as they swept to five of the six domestic honours in his two seasons under the current Tottenham Hotspur manager.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

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Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

As mentioned, the 24-year-old has struggled in Asia this season, making just 11 appearances and scoring only two goals, as clubs are limited to naming just eight foreign players in their domestic squads.

This has clearly limited his appearances, and it looks as though it is time for a fresh start and a return to Britain could bring out the best in him.

Benrahma has shown this term that he simply cannot be trusted to add goals or assists to this West Ham team on a regular basis and if he isn’t moved on this month, he will surely depart London in the summer.

This could give Moyes the licence to ditch the Algerian by making a concrete move for Jota as he looks to add some more depth to his attacking options.

There is no doubt the former Celtic star will be fresh having played so few matches, and this could be a huge bonus for West Ham, especially as they chase another continental title.

Jota has won five major titles during his previous two full seasons, and he certainly knows how to win trophies, which the Hammers will be hoping he showcases in the Europa League later this year if they win the race for his signature.

New Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor admits the team will "rely" on Millie Bright's leadership and experience in a post-Emma Hayes era.

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• Hayes leaves Chelsea for USA job
• Bompastor replaces Blues legend
• Says they will rely on Bright this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Lyon manager Bompastor has hailed the leadership qualities of England captain Bright ahead of the new Women's Super League season. The Frenchwoman has big shoes to fill following Hayes' exit, but having players like centre-back Bright will make her job a lot easier.

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  WHAT SONIA BOMPASTOR SAID

  She told Chelsea's website: "I think it’s really important to have leaders in the team. Millie has been one of those leaders and I think you can tell from those conversations I had with her on the phone that she’s such a great athlete, but also such a great person. She is for sure one of the players in the squad who I will rely on. She’s not the only one, but she is a leader in this squad."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea clinched their fifth-straight WSL title in Hayes' last season in charge of the club before taking the USWNT job. Bompastor could be an excellent successor for Hayes after winning a heap of trophies at Lyon but coming into a new team is never easy and she will need her new players to get behind her if they want to hold off challengers Manchester City and Arsenal.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Chelsea are just over a month away from the new WSL season but before then, Bompastor's side take on Gotham FC on August 19, followed by a clash with Arsenal six days later. They then round off their pre-season campaign against Feyenoord on September 7.

Aston Villa face Chelsea this evening in the FA Cup, but Unai Emery will still have an eye on bolstering his squad before the transfer window slams shut next week.

The Midlands side have yet to make an addition to their senior side ahead of what could be a busy few months ahead, but they have shown interest in a few players.

Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers is one name that has been routinely linked and Villa have even had two bids rejected for the youngster this month.

Emery could forget about him, however, and pursue a move for another gem who has been shining in the Championship this season.

Aston Villa’s search for new signings

While Rogers appears to be high on Emery’s wish list, Norwich City starlet Jonathan Rowe is a player who is still being monitored by Villa, that’s according to Telegraph journalist John Percy.

He posted: “AVFC are maintaining a strong interest in Norwich forward Jon Rowe: 3 Villa scouts watched him in the match at Leeds on Weds night. Villa are still hopeful of signing Morgan Rogers but Rowe, 20, is also on their radar. 12 goals and 2 assists so far this season.”

With deadline day fast approaching, Emery does not have much time to strengthen his squad, and if he hopes to lead his side to some sort of glory this term, a couple of reinforcements could help this goal.

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Jack Salveson Holmes

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With Moussa Diaby beginning to settle into life in the Midlands, could Rowe become another version of the Frenchman but on the opposite flank?

Jonathan Rowe is on fire in the Championship

Since Diaby’s record-breaking move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, he has managed to score five goals and register six assists in all competitions.

While it may not be an outstanding return in front of goal for the talented whiz, the 24-year-old ace is slowly adapting to English football, and could eventually add more consistency in the final third.

According to WhoScored, both Rowe and Diaby love to cut inside on a regular basis, and, considering the pair have a keen eye for goal, the Championship starlet could turn into another version of the former Leverkusen winger should he join Villa.

Indeed, this season alone, the 20-year-old wizard has managed to find the back of the net on 13 occasions along with chipping in with four assists, proving that he is a big threat in the opposition third.

This form has led to widespread praise and data analyst Ben Mattinson even claimed that he was “on fire this season” towards the end of 2023 and there is no doubt he could add something to Emery’s side.

The 5 foot 8 sensation even leads the way in terms of goals and assists (14) among the Norwich squad in the second tier, along with ranking first for successful dribbles per game (1.1) and second for shots per game (two), which clearly shows how impressive he has been for the club.

Villa may be keen on signing Rogers, yet Rowe is clearly still a player of interest to Emery and with just days to go before the window closes, the Spaniard may need to act swiftly if he wants to lure him to the Midlands.

If the Villans can strike a deal for the England U21 international's service then they could have Diaby 2.0 on their hands with another direct winger who can contribute with goals and assists.