Out-of-favour Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek could leave the club at the end of the season, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Is Van de Beek having a good season?
The Dutchman joined United from Ajax back in 2020, with potentially big things expected of him after he shone for the Eredivisie giants, helping them reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19. It has been a hugely disappointing spell for him at Old Trafford, however, with so little impact made over the past three years.
Incredibly, Van de Beek has only made 60 appearances in total for the Red Devils, so often being consigned to the substitutes' bench, at best. This season, the 25-year-old has continued to feature sporadically, starting only two Premier League matches and not registering a goal or an assist in any competition.
It looks increasingly as though the midfielder's future lies away from United, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2025, they could even look to cash in on him at the end of the current campaign. That certainly increasingly looks set to be the case, following a new claim.
Soccer Football – Europa League – Group E – Manchester United v Sheriff Tiraspol – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – October 27, 2022 Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek reacts after missing a chance to score REUTERS/Craig Brough
Is midfielder off this summer?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, O'Rourke talked up the idea of Van de Beek moving on to pastures new this summer:
"Van de Beek, it's been two real difficult seasons for him. It's not what he's used to following his success for Ajax as well; it could be a big summer ahead of him, especially if United do add to that midfield, could push him even further down the pecking order, then he will really seriously have to consider his future at Old Trafford."
In truth, it makes complete sense for United to sell Van de Beek when this season reaches its conclusion, with the 19-cap Netherlands international someone who clearly isn't a key part of the club's plans moving forward. He is a talented player, hence earning to move to Old Trafford in the first place, but he simply hasn't got to grips with the Premier League and fitness problems haven't helped along the way.
Granted, Frank Lampard described him as a "top level player" during his time on loan at Everton, but United simply have better options than him now, from Christian Eriksen to Bruno Fernandes, and they should only strengthen further when the summer transfer window arrives.
It is a move that just hasn't worked out, as can be the case sometimes, so United should try and get as big a fee as possible in the approaching months.
Fabrizio Romano has made a transfer claim on reported Aston Villa target Alberto Moleiro.
The Lowdown: Villa speculation
Unai Emery is thought to be eyeing a move for Moleiro in the summer, with Gregg Evans revealing last month that the 19-year-old is on the manager’s wishlist.
Primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play on either wing, Moleiro has registered eight assists for Las Palmas in 29 La Liga 2 games this season, with recent reports suggesting that Villa and Liverpool are currently leading the way in the race for the player’s services.
The Latest: Romano’s comments
Football Espana relayed comments from Romano’s daily CaughtOffside column regarding Moleiro on Wednesday. The transfer expert has been ‘told’ that an exit isn’t advanced at this stage, labelling the Las Palmas man as a ‘very, very talented player’.
“Very, very talented player. I’m told nothing is serious at this stage but we have rumours because La Liga, Premier League and Serie A clubs have sent their scouts to follow Moleiro recently. But it’s too early to update on his future.”
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The Verdict: Future star?
Romano appears to be a fan of Moleiro, who has also been hailed as a “magic” player who has a “very high ceiling” by Las Palmas coach Garcia Pimienta.
Still just a teenager, he could prove to be a star in the making and has already made 69 first-team appearances for his current employers.
Moleiro would provide Emery with a versatile attacking option, potentially for years to come where he could continue his development in the Midlands, so it could be one to keep an eye on despite Romano’s recent claim.
Liverpool’s remarkable 7-0 decimation of heated rivals Manchester United was a breath of crisply fresh air for all affiliated with the Merseyside outfit, who have drastically fallen below expectations this season.
Manager Jurgen Klopp will be positively delighted with the outcome, eclipsing his wildest dreams of how the affair might have swung.
The Reds still sit outside the top four – three points behind Tottenham Hotspur – and have already fallen to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup, but a resounding run of form has followed in the Premier League, with four wins and one draw from the past five matches, keeping clean sheets in every fixture.
With alarming concerns over the efficacy of the midfield and the evaporation of the former intensity and guile, leaving the defence stranded and failing to provide the energy needed for Klopp’s high-octane system to fire on all cylinders, the result will have provided the most emphatic of respite, with every department bearing a semblance to the formerly imperious Liverpool team.
And with the likes of Harvey Elliott playing an absolute blinder, there is newfound optimism over the future of the Merseyside outfit.
What does the future hold for Harvey Elliott?
Signing from Fulham for a record compensation fee of £4m in 2019 as a 16-year-old, Elliott has enjoyed his most impressive season for Liverpool, despite the collective woes, and now 19, is starting to offer the promise that was tantalised from an early age.
Valued at £53m by CIES Football Observatory, Elliott has played 38 matches across all competitions this term, scoring five goals and supplying two assists, and was dubbed “superb” by Liverpool writer Matt Addison for his performance against the Red Devils.
As per Sofascore, the teenage maestro recorded a match rating of 7.8, and it was the all-encompassing nature of his work that will have left Klopp gleaming.
The £40k-per-week Elliott provided a fine looping assist for the first of Darwin Nunez’s brace of headed strikes, made 72 total touches and completed 45 of his 55 attempted passes (82%); with three total shots, a 100% dribble success rate and winning five of his seven ground duels, also making four tackles, Elliott proved his worth in a manner that belies his teenage years.
It was an enticing glimpse of things to come, and given Liverpool’s heated interest in Borussia Dortmund phenom Jude Bellingham, Reds mouthes might be left watering in considering the dynamic duo that could be formed in the pair, if the outfit prove successful in their bid.
Bellingham has been superlative for the Yellow Wall since his £25m transfer from boyhood club Birmingham City in 2020, and this season has scored ten goals and served six assists from 31 matches, even captaining the side on multiple occasions.
As per FBref, the fellow 19-year-old ranks among the top 9% in Europe’s top five leagues for goals, the top 12% for assists, the top 1% for successful take-ons, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 3% for bocks per 90. With such a wide scope of skills, it is clear to see his prowess extends to every facet of a midfielder’s game.
With Elliott listed as a comparable player to the England wonderkid, the pair could indeed craft a deadly link, and with a sturdy anchor situated at the foot of the midfield triad, Liverpool’s machine could whir at a capacity that can match any engine in world football.
Amid the strife, there have been several positives from Liverpool’s campaign; the prodigious Stefan Bajcetic’s emergence perhaps the most salient.
Indeed, like his teenage teammate, the Spaniard has shown qualities that are hard to fathom considering the embryonic stage of his career, with Mohamed Salah suggesting just a matter of weeks ago that “since he started playing for us, he has been our best player.”
That is fine praise but Elliott, given the amount of senior football he has played to date, is still very much the golden boy when it comes to the club’s younger players.
That said, with Bellingham potentially in tow too, Klopp could have one of the most precocious central departments in history on his hands.
تمكن ليفربول من تحقيق الفوز على خصمه ساوثهامبتون بنتيجة 2/1، في إطار منافسات كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية “كاراباو”.
وواجه ليفربول نظيره ساوثهامبتون، ضمن منافسات الدور ربع النهائي من كأس كاراباو، على ملعب “سانت ميري”.
وشهد تشكيل ليفربول بقيادة مدربه آرني سلوت، استبعاد الدولي المصري محمد صلاح، وقائد الريدز فيرجيل فان دايك للراحة.
اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | هاتريك جيسوس يقود آرسنال لنصف نهائي كأس كاراباو أمام كريستال بالاس
في الشوط الأول وعند الدقيقة 19، أتيجت فرصة لـ ديبلينج مهاجم ساوثهامبتون، لكن تسديدته كانت ضعيفة على مرمى الريدز.
وبحلول الدقيقة 23 أحرز داروين نونيز هدف ليفربول الأول، بعدما تلقى تمريرة حاسمة من أرنولد من وسط الملعب، وحاول مدافع الخصم تشتيت الكرة لكنها انتهت بإنفراد للمهاجم الأوروجوياني الذي سدد الكرة في الشباك معلناً تقدم ليفربول.
وبتمريرة حاسمة من كودي جاكبو، وقع هارفي إليوت على ثاني أهداف ليفربول بتسديدة يمينية في شباك أصحاب الأرض عند الدقيقة 31.
وكاد ليفربول قريباً من تعزيز تقدمه بهدف ثالث عن طريق أليكسيس ماك أليستر لولا تألق مكارثي حارس ساوثهامبتون.
في الشوط الثاني وعند الدقيقة 58، أحرز كاميرون اتشر هدف ساوثهامبتون بتسديدة قوية في مرمى كيليهر، ليقلص نتيجة المباراة.
وكاد اتشر قريباً من التوقيع على ثنائيته الخاصة والهدف الثاني لأصحاب الأرض لولا إنقاذ كيليهر.
وأهدر فيدريكو كييزا فرصة هدف مؤكدة لـ ليفربول، بعدما نجح هاروود مدافع ساوثهامبتون في إبعادها من على خط المرمى.
وبهذا الفوز تأهل ليفربول إلى منافسات دور نصف النهائي من مسابقة كأس كاراباو في انتظار القرعة.
وقدم بطولات تغطية مباشرة لأحداث مباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون في كأس كاراباو من خلال هذا الرابط. اهداف مباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون 2 1 كأس الرابطة الانجليزية
Arsenal enjoyed a fine summer of spending in the recent window, overseeing the purchases of Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, alongside the shrewd loan acquisition of David Raya.
Instantly Mikel Arteta had bolstered his squad all over the pitch, and it seemed like the Gunners were ready to once again challenge for the title as they did so relentlessly last year, stumbling late on to allow Manchester City to emerge victorious.
However, such a hefty outlay was not to be without the major sales too, with the need to balance the books integral in ensuring an intelligent business model remains the focus for sustainable growth.
After all, their steady rise back to the top of English football has likely boosted their coffers massively, but they will still want to avoid potentially falling into the same pitfalls that led their title rivals to be accused of making over 100 FFP breaches.
As such, Granit Xhaka was one outstanding casualty, who despite starring the season prior was pushed towards the exit door as he no longer complied with their youth-focused philosophy. His 14 goal contributions from the engine room in the league proved imperative, but the hope is that Havertz can provide similar firepower once he finds his feet.
All the pieces are seemingly in place for another successful campaign at the Emirates, with their fine results in the opening four Premier League fixtures perhaps papering over the cracks of poorer performances.
It might even lead Arteta to wish he had a young, hungry and dynamic striker to lean on, the likes of which he also sold in the summer; Folarin Balogun.
Why did Folarin Balogun leave Arsenal?
Having enjoyed a true breakout year during his loan spell in Ligue 1, it was unlikely that Balogun was going to go willingly back to a place on the bench. After all, scoring 21 goals in a top European league unsurprisingly drew attention, the likes of which he likely entertained given the competition faced back at the Emirates.
For all his injury woes, Gabriel Jesus remains a remarkable striker who perfectly spearheads the Gunners' play style, with his pace, trickery and intelligent pressing all vital. However, having undergone knee surgery last term, and missed the opening few fixtures of this campaign, a worrying pattern is starting to form for the Brazilian.
England's Folarin Balogun celebrates scoring their first goal.
Therefore, many assumed that upon the conclusion of his loan deal, Balogun might return from Stade Reims to challenge for a starting role.
However, they were swiftly proven wrong. In June the 22-year-old issued the ultimatum that Arteta would either have to play him or sell him, with the Spaniard opting for the latter as his revolution rumbled on.
The £25.7m fee amassed marked huge money for an academy product, whose only real success at senior level had come during that loan spell. Especially considering the aforementioned signings they had made, the sum of which took their spending to over £200m.
Balogun would speak following his permanent move back to France, revealing his thoughts in his first interview following the switch: "For me, I don’t have any regrets. Football is a competitive sport, and of course, the manager sometimes makes choices: sometimes there are opportunities for some players, and sometimes it’s a bit difficult. I wanted to play, I wanted to prove to people that I can compete at this level."
"I think the decision was natural, but I wouldn’t say there is any regret. As a young player, I want to play."
With a return to the division that he terrorised last term, it is expected that the young forward will continue his upward trajectory following his departure. And now for Arsenal, attention must move towards developing the next young star who could be the heir to such an academy success story. Step forward Omari Benjamin.
Who is Omari Benjamin?
When delving into the world-renowned Hale End, there are a number of young prospects just raring to take their opportunity when it comes their way. After all, such consistently stunning performances at academy level are sure to earn a call-up eventually.
To highlight arguably the most in-form youngster tearing up the youth football scene, fans need to look no further than the 17-year-old marksman Benjamin.
Describing his own talents, the teenage wonderkid simply claimed: "I’m a forward, my playing style is attacking, but I do like to entertain the audience by beating players with skill. I love scoring goals – it’s an art that I’ve had since I was young and that has never left me."
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool)
£32.6m
Nicolas Anelka (Real Madrid)
£30m
Alexis Sanchez* (Manchester United)
£29.1m
Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona)
£29.1m
Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
£26.3m
Alex Iwobi (Everton)
£26.1m
Such a notion has certainly been proven correct with his recent form, as he has been starring at a level far above his current age. Last season saw him make great strides, having scored 11 and assisted a further two in just 16 U18s Premier League fixtures.
To move into the U23s marked the next natural step up, especially given the four goal contributions he had produced in their FA Youth Cup run to the final (where he would score their only goal in a 5-1 loss), his explosive displays earned him his first five Premier League 2 appearances too.
Comparing this kind of form with Balogun at youth level, it is clear that they share similar goalscoring prowess that could easily see Benjamin emulate his success. The current AS Monaco ace would score 38 times in just 42 U18s appearances, and notch a further 37 in 62 games for the U21s, via Transfermarkt.
Were the young Welshman to continue his form, these are figures certainly attainable. Especially with his cutting-edge having already been lauded, with Arsenal academy expert Jeorge Bird writing: "Omari Benjamin looks like a good prospect. Can play up front or out wide. Has been prolific for the U16s this season. Wales youth international."
omari-benjamin
Despite the unfortunate sale of a promising youngster, the proficiency of Hale End means that fans will never be far away from the next big academy star.
The hope will be that Benjamin can emerge in the coming years with added emphasis, in an effort to force the issue and usurp Jesus as Arteta's perfect striker.
Malang Sarr's friends have admitted they are worried about the defender as he is enduring a very difficult time at Chelsea.
Sarr not in first-team picture at Chelsea
Saw January move fall through
Friends are worried about him
WHAT HAPPENED?
Sarr signed for Chelsea in 2020 but has not played a competitive game for the Blues in almost a year, becoming a forgotten man at Stamford Bridge. The 25-year-old saw a January transfer to Le Havre collapse on deadline day and he currently trains with the Under-21s after being excluded from the first-team squad. Sarr's friends have spoken about their concerns for the defender due to his difficult situation in west London.
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WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT SARR
A source close to Sarr told The Athletic: “I have never seen him as low as this. This is the first time I have seen him like this. He tries to change his mental state, but it is hard when you are not playing. He is not in the first-team dressing room anymore, he is with the kids in the other building. He feels outside the group. He tries to hide his feelings, but I know him, what he is really feeling.
“He wants to play football and works hard for that. He is completely fit. But at the moment, he does not know where he is going to play. Friends and family go stay with him occasionally. It is important for him to have people around him.
“He loved playing under Tuchel. But some of the closest friends he made, like N’Golo Kante andMason Mount, have left. He goes to train because it is his job but I know he finds it very hard because any footballer who knows they are not going to play matches will find it difficult.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Sarr had looked set to seal a move to Le Havre in January only for the deal to collapse. There are differing accounts as to why the move did not go through, but Le Havre director Mathieu Bodmer has blamed Chelsea and claimed the Blues ended up blocking the deal.
He told French newspaper Paris Normandie: “What Chelsea did to Malang Sarr was disgraceful. With just a few details still to be worked out, they did a U-turn. They gave the youngster the go-ahead to travel, and a financial agreement had been reached for the 18 months of his remaining contract at Chelsea.
“However, on several occasions, they went back on their agreement, and then gave it again. And once the player had agreed to make a big effort, to come to us on a tiny salary, just to play football, they blocked him.
“Everything was OK, the contract had even been submitted to the league (LFP), but we never received Chelsea’s cancellation. In the end, they just told him he wouldn’t be leaving and they didn’t even answer the phone anymore.”
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WHAT NEXT FOR MALANG SARR?
Sarr will see out the season training with Chelsea's youngsters and could move in the summer transfer window if he can find a club and reach an agreement with the Blues. He still has a year remaining on his existing deal but sadly looks to have no chance of playing first-team football at Stamford Bridge as things stand.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may get their ‘Last Dance’ after all, with Julian Gressel saying Inter Miami would “love a rematch” with Al-Nassr.
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CR7 sat out friendly game due to injuryArgentine icon introduced as late substituteRematch could take place at some stageWHAT HAPPENED?
The Herons suffered a humbling 6-0 defeat when lining up against the Saudi Pro League outfit as part of their pre-season programme in 2024. Tata Martino’s side are still getting themselves up to speed and looked well off the pace against a team that are in the middle of their domestic campaign.
AdvertisementGetty WHAT GRESSEL SAID
Messi was only given seven minutes off the bench during Inter Miami’s final game in the Middle East, while Ronaldo did not figure at all due to injury. They could, however, cross paths again at some point, with Gressel saying when asked if the shock result proves MLS is behind the Pro League at present: “I don’t think you can compare. We are very early on in the process, only in our third week together as a team after a long couple months off. So, you can’t really compare. I think we would love to have a rematch at some point. That’s the competitor in me, maybe in an official competition like a Club World Cup.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Inter Miami have suffered three defeats through four friendly games so far, and are yet to pick up a win, but Gressel is not reading too much into form at this stage. The USMNT star added: “Ultimately, when the time comes, when it counts for us, that’s when we want to be at our best and these games are valuable, even though they sting quite a bit. I think it’s actually good to have games like this to prepare for the season. These aren’t your regular preseason games I’ve played in the past where you play in your training gear at times against other MLS teams. These are real games and that that will bode well for us.”
He went on to say: “Obviously not the result we wanted, but obviously, a lot of lessons to take. There’s a lot for us to learn from, for us to grow. There’s a ton of stuff we can look at on film, but it starts with us having a good start to the game. You can’t be down 3-0 in 12 minutes into the game. Those are lessons you learn in pre-season.”
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & INTER MIAMI?
Inter Miami have now travelled to the Middle East for meetings with a Hong Kong Select XI and Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe. They are due to get their 2024 MLS campaign up and running against Real Salt Lake on February 21.
ScorecardWahab Riaz sees the lighter side after a misfield•AFP
A pair of wickets late in the day that broke an ominous fifth wicket partnership for Sui Northern Gas Piplelines Limited (SNGPL) meant the first day of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy final ended with honours just about even. Iftikhar Ahmed made an unbeaten 71 that he carries into day two, and the extent to which he can add to his overnight total may well go a long way to determining the destination of this year’s trophy.On Water and Power Development Authority’s (WAPDA) part, the day was defined by a mesmeric opening spell by Mohammad Asif, who swung and seamed the ball at will, bringing back memories of his heydays in a Pakistan shirt towards the end of the last decade. He was particularly miserly, too, going at less than one per over in his first spell. He accounted for Asad Shafiq, but deserved more considering he ended the day with figures of 20-8-35-1.WAPDA were well on top in the first two sessions, reducing a powerful SNGPL side to 94 for 4, with international stars Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali and Shafiq all sent back cheaply. But Iftikar and Mohammad Rizwan, both of whom have played only a handful of international games, stuck together to put on a crucial 89-run partnership and steer their side past choppy waters.Just as SNGPL seemed dominant, Wahab Riaz, who bowled with both accuracy and pace even towards the end of the day, broke through. With the old ball offering little help, he resorted to bouncers, an especially quick one rushing Rizwan into a pull shot he top edged. Khushdil Shah took a simple catch on the boundary and WAPDA were back in business. When the sixth wicket fell soon after, it looked like they might polish off the tail. But Yasir Shah hung around to provide capable support to Iftikhar, and when the day was called off six overs early for bad light, SNGPL had reached 215 for 6.
Sunderland are reportedly in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a permanent move for full-back Colin Dagba.
What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?
The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray have been fairly busy in the transfer market this summer ahead of their Championship opener on Sunday at home to Ipswich Town, looking to go one better following a top-six finish last time out.
The club have brought in a number of players in recent weeks, with fees paid for Jenson Seelt, Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham and Eliezer Mayenda from PSV Eindhoven, Central Coast Mariners, Birmingham City and FC Sochaux respectively.
Meanwhile, teenager Luis Semedo and former Blackburn Rovers man Bradley Dack have both made the move to The Stadium of Light on free transfers. In total, Sunderland have spent just under €5m on transfers, but it looks as if that could soon go up with a possible move for Dagba.
According to French outlet Foot Mercato in the last 48 hours, Sunderland and Paris Saint-Germain are in discussions over the transfer of Dagba.
It is believed that the two sides are in talks over a permanent deal, with Dagba’s future at the Parc des Princes ‘blocked’.
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray.
Who is Colin Dagba?
Dagba made the move to PSG’s academy as a teenager back in 2016 from Boulogne and progressed into the first team setup two years later.
Now 24 years of age, the Frenchman is primarily a right-back who can also turn out at left-back or as a right-midfielder and was once valued at €18m by Transfermarkt. That figure has dropped to €4.5m, with Dagba’s £22,000-a-week contract having two years left to run.
Sponsored by Nike, Dagba has made 77 senior appearances across all competitions for PSG over the years, scoring one goal and providing six assists.
He has won three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups, one French League Cup and three French Super Cups during his time with PSG but spent last season on loan with RC Strasbourg, turning out on 21 occasions in the French top flight.
Dagba was once hailed by centre-back Presnel Kimpembe for his display in the Champions League against Bayern Munich, saying:
"I want to say, I am proud. Even though we lost, it remains very positive. For me, it means a lot to be able to have PSG youth products on the pitch, it shows that there is soul in this club.
"Colin showed what he was capable of, I am very proud of him. Collectively we did the job, but I would like to congratulate him because he was hyper-focused."
At Sunderland, Mowbray currently has Trai Hume and Niall Huggins as right-back options, so Dagba could come in and rival the pair while also offering an alternative option at left-back to Dennis Cirkin.
He was even labelled as a wonderkid who managers should look to sign on Football Manager back in 2020, and by the looks of things, a move to The Stadium of Light may well be on the cards for Dagba, making this one to watch over the coming days.
The fast bowler has tweaked a problematic action with inputs from coach Ottis Gibson and is ‘champing’ to work his way back
Firdose Moonda08-Nov-2017Chris Morris’ search for speed caused the back injury that has sidelined him for the last four months. As a result, he has had to modify his action.Morris suffered a lower-back problem in England in August, which ruled him out of the fourth Test in Manchester and all action since. He expects to make a return midway through the Ram Slam, for the Titans, and when he does, it will not be at the expense of pace but with a smoother, better approach which the new coach Ottis Gibson has helped him with.”I’ve had a few tweaks in my action that Ottis has changed. I had to iron it out because it wasn’t good enough – simple as that,” Morris said at the Ram Slam launch in Johannesburg. “I think in striving for a bit of extra pace, there was some twisting in my action. I’ve got quite a bad kick-out with my left foot before I land. I was getting lazy and doing quite a lot of twisting, which caused a lot of pressure on my lower back and inevitably caused the injury.”A hallmark of Morris’ performances in England was his pace, particularly when Faf du Plessis gave him freedom to “be aggressive and bowl fast.” The directive paid off in the short term as Morris dismissed Joe Root and Alastair Cook in an impressive spell at Trent Bridge but caused a long-term concern.Though Morris did not break or tear anything, he suffered inflammation and strain in the muscles of the lower back. If left untreated, it could have caused a stress fracture. Part of the treatment was making the changes to his action that should keep Morris symptom-free, though he knows he may respond adversely at any time.”If I didn’t get injured I still would have had to change my action. In bowling, you like to work in straight lines, and I was working along the wrong lines. That’s where the injury came along,” he explained. “We can’t re-scan the same injury because we’d see the same thing the whole time. So we work on symptoms – if there is pain you stop, otherwise you play. I’ve got to trust the gym and rehab, all the things I’ve been doing behind the scenes since my injury happened.”Like Morris, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Wayne Parnell have also been doing undergoing intensive rehabilitation. Philander also had a lower back problem and returned to action in the first-class competition, with good results – he took five wickets and scored 80 for the Cobras. Steyn, Morkel and Parnell will all be back at some stage of the Ram Slam, which means that when the time comes for choosing a Test squad – first to face Zimbabwe in the inaugural four-day Test on Boxing Day and then to play India – there will be competition.Gibson has already flung the door open for Steyn, saying as long as the premier pacer thinks he can make it through a match, he will play. Morris cannot expect the same hospitality, given his relative inexperience especially at Test level. But he was encouraged by Gibson’s approach and is confident he can work his way back.”It’s always good to know that the coach is backing the guys who aren’t playing, especially with injuries because that’s part of the game,” Morris said. “If a youngster is better than me he must play, it’s as simple as that, but I’m always going to be fighting for my spot because playing for South Africa is what I want to do. If I never play for South Africa again it’s cool, but I’m going to give it my best shot. I’m obviously champing at the bit. It hurt me quite a lot to see the guys running around this morning and playing soccer, so I’ve got quite a lot of motivation.”Morris is particularly looking forward to working more with Gibson, whose experience with England he is hoping to draw on.”I’ve only had a week and a half with him and he’s been excellent. In England, he had the fortune of working with the best new-ball attack in the world in my opinion. If they’ve rubbed off on him, as a South African bowling attack we’re going to be richer for it,” Morris said. “He’s been doing this for a long time and has a lot of experience. It’s quite clear what our plans are going forward as a team. We’re in a happy space, and it’s quite exciting.”