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Mauricio Pochettino is now seemingly the favourite to take over as Chelsea's new manager after both Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann were ruled out of a move to Stamford Bridge recently.

What's the latest on Chelsea's manager search?

According to The Guardian, the former PSG boss is now the front-runner to take over in west London after holding positive talks with the club in recent weeks.

Competitors Nagelsmann and Enrique are both said to be out of the running, although no official approach has been made for the 51-year-old, with Chelsea seemingly happy to take their time as Frank Lampard continues as interim manager.

Chelsea may face competition from Pochettino's former club, Tottenham Hotspur, who are also on the lookout for a new boss after sacking Antonio Conte, but it seems as if the Argentine has been on Todd Boehly's radar for some time, as he was considered as the replacement for Thomas Tuchel before Graham Potter took over.

It would not be a surprise if the former Southampton boss is the man in the dugout for Chelsea next term, and he could be the man to finally get the best out of £88.5m signing Mykhailo Mudryk, who has struggled immensely since his January switch from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Could Pochettino unleash Mudryk?

While some Chelsea fans may have already written off Mudryk after a disappointing start to life in England, he is still only 22 and had fewer than 100 senior appearances to his name in Ukraine before moving to Stamford Bridge.

There is clearly a talented player there, as he had contributed an incredible ten goals and eight assists in just 18 appearances in the first half of the season for Shakhtar, including three goals and two assists in six Champions League outings, which saw him labelled as "frightening" by journalist Josh Bunting.

Nearly every player at Chelsea has been guilty of underperforming this season, with Lampard clearly also unable to get the best out of his squad, and under Pochettino next season, every player would surely be afforded a fresh chance to prove themselves.

The Argentinian manager certainly has history with some of the top wingers in Europe, having worked with Heung-min Son at Spurs and Kylian Mbappe at PSG, with those two players trailing only Harry Kane in terms of goals scored under Pochettino.

Son would join Spurs in the summer of 2015 under the Argentine but, like Mudryk, struggled immensely in his first season at the club, managing just four goals and one assist in 28 Premier League appearances. Since then, he has gone on to establish himself as one of the best in the league over the past seven years.

Mudryk is at Chelsea for the long term, having signed a contract until 2031, and if he is given regular game time under a world-class coach, then perhaps he could go on to become one of the best in the league, as we saw from Son in his time working with Pochettino at Spurs.

Rangers now expect to lose Scott Wright in the summer transfer window, amid interest in the winger from English Championship sides, according to a report from Football Insider.

Which Rangers players could leave this summer?

Michael Beale may have a bit of a rebuilding job on his hands this summer, as some long-serving players are being linked with moves away from the club, most notably Alfredo Morelos, with the Colombian's contract set to expire at the end of the season.

The chances of the striker leaving are ever-increasing, as he is still yet to enter talks with the club about a new deal, with Beale set to wait until the end of the campaign before making his mind up.

41-year-old goalkeeper Allan McGregor could also call time on his Rangers career in the summer, when his current deal expires, but he will make a definite decision at the end of the campaign, depending on whether he feels he can still perform at a good level.

Another Light Blues player that may be on the move at the end of the campaign is Wright, with Football Insider reporting English Championship sides are circling, as well as teams from the Scottish top flight.

The winger is now expected to leave the club, despite having two years left on his contract, with Beale already starting his plans for the off-season, as he vies to close the gap on rivals Celtic.

The Rangers boss was unwilling to part with the 25-year-old in January, but his future will be re-assessed in the summer, at which point he is likely to sanction his departure.

Should Rangers let Scott Wright leave?

The £5.6k-per-week earner has stepped up to the plate in some big moments for the Light Blues, most notably scoring the second in the 2-0 win against Hearts in the Scottish Cup final last season.

However, the former Aberdeen man is clearly unfavoured by Beale, regularly being limited to cameo appearances off the bench, meaning he has amassed just one assist in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Despite being hailed as having "so much talent" by journalist Josh Bunting, the Scot has been unable to display his quality often enough in a Rangers shirt, and it is probably the right decision to allow him to move on in the summer.

Given his contract situation, the Gers may be able to receive a decent fee for Wright, which they can then reinvest into other areas of the squad.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s last few months in charge of Glasgow Rangers were anything but enjoyable for the Ibrox faithful.

Having secured the Scottish Cup and reached the Europa League final in 2021/22, there were high hopes amongst the Light Blues’ supporters that the club could win back the Premiership crown and qualify for the Champions League.

Despite reaching the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition, the Light Blues lost all six matches, posting the tournament’s worst-ever group stage record in the process. They have also slipped nine points behind their Glasgow arch-rivals in the chase for the title, with a 4-0 defeat at Parkhead earlier this season a low point of Van Bronckhorst’s tenure.

The Dutchman had a somewhat low-key transfer window last summer, and following some laughable defensive displays such as the 7-1 Ibrox drubbing by Liverpool, he should have perhaps kept Croatian defender Nikola Katic at the club for at least another year.

What is Nikola Katic doing now?

The centre-back wasn’t perfect, but he possessed a “warrior”-like attitude according to former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard. The 26-year-old played 59 times for the club and scored six goals, with his headed winner against Celtic in 2019 his most notable contribution.

An injury which ruled him out of the entire title-winning campaign in 2020/21 set him back in terms of first-team action, and he spent a season on loan at Hajduk Split last year before Van Bronckhorst decided to sell him to FC Zurich last summer.

His form this season, coupled with the Gers’ defensive lapses, would suggest that the Glasgow club might have pulled the trigger a little too soon when it came to selling the Croatian. Across 12 league appearances for Zurich, Katic has an average Sofascore rating of 7.01/10, ranking him as the club’s fifth-best performer this term.

He also ranks first for accurate passes (38.5) and clearances (four) per game, while ranking third for interceptions (1.6 per game) and sixth for tackles (1.5) with the Swiss club, proving his worth in Europe and becoming a crucial member of their first-team.

His figures for clearances and interceptions would actually rank him first among the Rangers squad for both metrics, with Connor Goldson top with three clearances per game and John Lundstram leading the way in terms of interceptions with 1.1 per game. That all suggests that Katic could well have made a difference had he remained at Ibrox.

Of course, this is just conjecture, as he may not have been given much game-time under Van Bronckhorst had they both stayed. However, with John Souttar missing every match since making his debut in July and Goldson also ruled out for a period of time earlier in the campaign, Katic may have played a bigger part this term than what might have been anticipated at the time that he was sold.

The club had a shocker last summer in jettisoning the Croatian, and hopefully Michael Beale is slightly savvier than his predecessor when it comes to selling players in the future.

Journalist Paul Brown has shared some detail behind a "serious" last-gasp deadline day Fulham bid to sign Tottenham star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Fulham deadline day signings

Despite the links to a plethora of stars very late in the window, Fulham did little business yesterday but did manage to seal a dramatic late loan move for AC Milan defender Fode Ballo-Toure.

The Senegal international, who plays as a left-back, joins Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez, Calvin Bassey, Steven Benda, Alex Iwobi and former Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne as Marco Silva's main summer signings.

Fulham were also boosted by star midfielder Joao Palhinha remaining at the club, as his proposed move to Bayern Munich collapsed in the eleventh hour.

The Portugal international had even travelled for a medical with Bayern, but the Whites ultimately didn't give the green light to the move, possibly because they couldn't source a late replacement.

Hojbjerg, who was a mainstay for Spurs under Antonio Conte last season, has found game time difficult to come by in Ange Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham system.

The Dane, as a result, was being chased by Fulham during the latter stages of the summer window – with journalist Brown sharing what he's heard on the matter to GiveMeSport.

Indeed, it is believed Fulham were the "last club" to make a "serious" last-ditch offer to sign Hojbjerg, but the move didn't come to fruition.

The former Southampton star is now left in "limbo" as a result of this, as explained by Brown to GMS:

“Hojbjerg is also one who isn't going to be allowed to leave. I think Fulham were the last club to make a serious offer, but they no longer need to decide what to do about how they replace Joao Palhinha, and I'm not sure he was their first choice there.

“So, he's currently in limbo. It is interesting that Ange Postecoglou also said today that he's not going to be freezing anyone out. If any of the fringe players they're trying to sell end up staying beyond the deadline, they will be reintegrated.

“He's not quite as strict on squad numbers as other managers and he is willing to work with a slightly bigger squad, while he says that right now it's not a problem in terms of numbers in training or anything like that.

How good is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

While Palhinha staying reduces the need for Hojbjerg, in a hypothetical universe, he may well have been a capable deputy for the ex-Sporting CP ace.

The Denmark international ranked as one of Spurs' best-performing players per 90 last term, according to WhoScored, with Hojbjerg also registering the highest pass accuracy (88.6%) of any Tottenham player with over 10 starts.

He chipped in with nine goal contributions in the league, four goals and five assists specifically, and former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson praised Hojbjerg for his performances at the back end of last year.

"I’ve been surprised by how much he has stepped up this year," said Robinson to Football Insider.

“I thought he was the one who would make way for Yves Bissouma. The club spent a lot of money on Bissouma. I think Hojbjerg recognised that and stepped up.

“He is playing to a level that we have never seen before. He is playing his best football in a Spurs shirt."

Chris Lynn looks set to be ruled out of the Pakistan Super League, and will return to Brisbane for further assessment, after suffering a dislocated right shoulder while diving in the field during Australia’s T20 Tri-Series final victory over New Zealand.It was another cruel stroke of injury misfortune for Lynn, who left the field midway through the ninth over of New Zealand’s innings after attempting to intercept a clip through midwicket from Ross Taylor. Sprinting to his left, he reached for the ball with his right arm, in an apparent attempt to protect his troublesome left shoulder, on which he has undergone three bouts of surgery in recent seasons.However, he appeared to jar his right arm on the turf, and it was later confirmed that he had popped the shoulder out of its socket. Although the team medical staff were able to put the joint back into place, he took no further part in the match after being sent for a scan.”Chris dislocated his right shoulder after landing awkwardly on it when fielding the ball,” said Australia’s physio, Alex Kountouris. “His shoulder was able to be put back into place at the ground and he was consequently sent for X-Rays which revealed no major bone injury.”At this stage Chris will not travel to the Pakistan Super League in Dubai. He will return to Brisbane to undergo further scans and assessment and from there we will have a better understanding of the ongoing management, along with the return-to-play timeframes.”Lynn had previously said he would avoid diving in the field in a bid to prevent any further shoulder problems.”It’s something that’s played on my mind for about four years,” he said. “Let’s go one step at a time – I want to dive, there’s no doubt about that, I want to do well and contribute. But at the moment, I don’t want to have another setback because I feel like I’m making good ground.”Lynn had been due to travel to Dubai imminently to take part in Lahore Qalandars’ first match of the Pakistan Super League, on Friday, against Multan Sultans. The Qalandars will be hoping Lynn’s injury is not serious, considering the explosive Australian was their first pick at the PSL draft.Another franchise that will be anxiously hoping for a swift recovery for Lynn is Kolkata Knight Riders. Lynn was the Knight Riders’ most expensive buy at the IPL auction last month, fetching $1.5m. The team is yet to announce its captain and Lynn was one of the names on the shortlist.

Arsenal have already completed a host of lucrative deals this summer, but could be set to sneak in one more in order to bolster their first team and comply with their youth-focused transfer style…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

With Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber having joined as part of Mikel Arteta's mini-revolution this window, all of whom are 24 or younger, it is clear the direction that he seeks to take the north London outfit just months after narrowly missing out on the title.

Therefore, the recent report from Italian outlet Calciomercato likely has some credence, as it details their efforts to sign young defender Josip Sutalo from Dinamo Zagreb.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Although the outlet actually seeks to outline Ajax's progression towards a completed deal, with a fee of around €21m (£19m) touted, it is noted that there could be a late movement to snag the 23-year-old before his switch is finalised.

Football Transfers value the Croatia international at just €8m (£7m).

How good is Josip Sutalo?

Despite having only really featured in his homeland, aside from a brief stint in Italy, Sutalo still boasts a fine reputation across Europe as a stellar ball-playing asset capable of dominating and creating from the back.

It is, therefore, no surprise to see him linked with an Emirates switch, given the way Arteta's philosophy is built off the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes' exploits.

Should they decide to swoop in, it could provide ample cover for these two dominant defenders, who could be fearing for their starting spots in no time at all.

Especially given, when ranked against other centre-backs across Europe, Sutalo sits in the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, the top 19% for tackles per 90 and the top 3% for blocks per 90, via FBref.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig praised his composure too, branding him a: "complete & elegant CB".

Such defensive excellence combined with an ability to stride out with confidence unsurprisingly draws comparisons with Laurent Koscielny, which Premier League News Now outlined by writing:

'Šutalo is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, be that when he is picking people out with passes or going on adventures driving up with the ball. He’s a good passer, both short and long but not spectacular as his passes come off slightly under-hit at moments. He’s composed and draws parallels to Laurent Koscielny'.

The Frenchman spent nine impressive years in north London, enjoying arguably his finest season at the club during the 2015/16 term. Maintaining a 7.31 average match rating, this was a figure buoyed by his insane ball progression alongside his solidity.

He would record an 87% pass accuracy, a 91% dribble success rate, 15 clean sheets as well as 3.8 interceptions and 5.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore, during that standout season.

These are statistics eerily similar to that of his potential successors during the 2022/23 campaign in the Croatian top-flight, as he maintained a 93% pass accuracy as well as two interceptions and 1.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Widely recognised as one of Arsenal's finest defensive stars in recent memory – as Arsene Wenger sought to laud his compatriot back in 2011 after dubbing him a "special player" – should Sutalo bring half as much quality as Koscielny did, he would already be recognised as a success.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso, as Steve Cooper eyes star quality for his side ahead of the upcoming season.

Adding sufficient reinforcements this summer is integral to ensure that the Reds move away from the relegation zone, after leaving it to the penultimate game of the campaign to confirm safety.

Could Nottingham Forest sign Andrea Cambiaso?

As reported in Italy, both Forest and Tottenham are interested in Juventus left-back Cambiaso.

The report claims that the two Premier League sides have approached the Italian giants over the availability of the 23-year-old.

It’s added that Juve would expect a fee of at least €20m (£17m) for the youngster to allow him to depart.

How good is Andrea Cambiaso?

A product of Genoa’s academy, the defender was snatched by Juventus last summer after a series of loan spells around Italy.

Making a permanent exit to Turin didn’t halt the movements of the 23-year-old, who departed on loan last season to Bologna to gain added experience under the watch of the Bianconeri.

With his future at his new club unknown, fellow suitors have come knocking, which may see the Italian re-locate once more in his budding career.

The full-back made 32 appearances for Bologna last term, making the loan move a positive one in terms of his journey in Serie A.

For Forest, the signing of Cambiaso could be an encouraging coup, with the left-back showcasing the potential to be the dynamic defender that is required to spice things up at the City Ground.

Lauded as being “on fire” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Juve youngster could be the perfect acquisition for Cooper to chase in the absence of Renan Lodi, who shone on the left side for the Reds last term.

The 25-year-old spent the year on loan in the Premier League from Atletico Madrid, before returning to Spain and being swiped up by Marseille shortly after his return.

The Brazilian added a host of quality to the squad, however, Cooper may have the opportunity to swoop for a player of similar potential in Cambiaso.

While the two are competent defenders as highlighted by their averages in their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, with the Italian averaging 2.36 tackles per 90 to Lodi’s 2.11, the 23-year-old showcased a more progressive side to his game.

As per FBref, the Forest target made an average of 74.24 touches per 90 for Bologna in comparison to their former left-back's mere 46.46, highlighting his desire to be involved in the game.

Influential in his progressive game, Cambiaso averaged 2.65 progressive carries and 3.44 progressive passes per 90 in Serie A, while maintaining a pass completion rate of 84.0%.

Despite being adored at the City Ground, Lodi’s numbers in the Premier League last term were incomparable to those of the Juve man, averaging a pass completion rate of 66.5% and making 1.26 progressive passes.

A prominent area of the Italian’s game is his eye for playmaking, evidenced through his average of 1.16 key passes per 90, presenting Cooper with the option to recruit added quality and a fresh outlet in defence.

With Spurs also watching the 23-year-old, the Welshman must act fast if he is to obtain the young talent.

Barcelona have decided to enter the race to sign Brazilian wonderkid Estevao 'Messinho' Willian despite interest from Premier League heavyweights.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Barca will enter race to sign Messinho
• Brazilian wonderkid likened to Lionel Messi
• Youngster 'dreams of Barca move'

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Estevao, who has been a major fan of the Catalan giants for years, admitted earlier this season that joining them is his dream. Luckily for him, the emotion is reciprocated, and Barcelona are willing to put up a strong fight to sign him despite intense interest and their own financial difficulties. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona would have pursued Estevao sooner if they hadn't been in financial difficulties, which has compelled them to temporarily put other matters first.

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• Doc. LOC WCU17/RKY
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At the moment, 'Messinho' cannot be the Blaugrana's first priority, especially when the team is in dire need of a new midfielder. The fact that Estevao is eager to move to Camp Nou despite interest from other elite teams around Europe is a saving grace for Barcelona, though. Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea are some of the names interested in signing the 17-year-old.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  According to reports, Estevao's representatives travelled to Barcelona to meet with club executives. As for Palmeiras, they have assured the player that they would honour his desires, so it will be intriguing to watch what happens in the upcoming months.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  The club will be prioritising the purchase of a midfielder this summer as Xavi and Deco feel the club are light in the centre of the field after the long-term injury to Gavi and Pedri's constant injury issues. They will reportedly try to sign Girona's Arnau Martinez and the signing of 'Messinho' will take the back seat at least for the winter.

Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe "will certainly" leave the Emirates Stadium "soon" as the Gunners have shown to be "ruthless", says reporter Charles Watts.

Who will leave Arsenal?

The Gunners have been very busy this transfer window, having spent north of £200 million already and further additions haven't been ruled out.

Germany international winger Kai Havertz put pen to paper on a £65 million move from Chelsea, while Arsenal eventually confirmed the club-record signing of midfielder Declan Rice in a £105 million deal.

Former Ajax defender and Netherlands international Jurrien Timber is now an Arsenal player as well, strengthening Mikel Arteta's ranks significantly ahead of the 2023/2024 Premier League season.

However, to balance the books, certain stars need to be ejected from the squad. Thomas Partey, who has attracted interest from Saudi sides in the Middle East, is being repeatedly linked with an Arsenal exit while their USA international Folarin Balogun can also leave for around £50 million.

Pepe, who was once Arsenal's club-record acquisition after his £72m move from Nice in 2019, is certainly on the chopping block as journalist Watts explains to TEAMtalk.

“He’s got one year left on his contract and he’s not part of Arsenal’s plans. It’s very, very clear," said Watts.

“He’s on such high wages; they’ve ended up cancelling contracts with a lot of those big name players from that era at the club. Pepe is probably the last of them who they haven’t managed to deal with.

“[Sead] Kolasinac, [Shkodran] Mustafi, as well as [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil. They’ve shown they can be ruthless.

“Edu’s talked about it before. He’d much rather cancel a contract than have someone on big wages just sitting around for a season because he says that does a squad no good at all. He’s gone on record as saying that.

"We shall wait and see what happens but one thing’s for sure: he’s got no long term future at Arsenal. He’ll certainly be gone soon. He’s one of the highest earners, probably in the top five.”

How good is Nicolas Pepe?

Despite some injury problems on loan at Nice last season, Pepe displayed moments of real quality – chipping in with six goals over his temporary spell (WhoScored).

Statistically, he was actually one of the Ligue 1 side's most potent threats in the final third – completing more successful take-ons per 90 than any other player in their squad (WhoScored).

The 28-year-old also ranked in Nice's top two for both attempts at goal and key passes completed on average – making him a credible candidate for any side who wish to add firepower.

After-all, there's a reason Arteta's side once smashed their transfer record to bring him to north London.

However, his salary could be an issue for any interested side, so the player himself may need to take a considerable pay cut on his reported £140,000-per-week wages.

Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati are set to make their T20 international debuts in a packed 2017-18 home season, the BCCI has announced. Between September and December, India will play 23 internationals – three Tests, 11 ODIs and nine T20Is – against Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka during the crammed home season.

India’s 2017-18 home season

• Australia: 5 ODIs in Chennai, Bengaluru, Nagpur, Indore and Kolkata; 3 T20Is in Hyderabad, Ranchi and Guwahati.

• New Zealand: 3 ODIs in Pune, Mumbai and Kanpur; 3 T20Is in Delhi, Cuttack and Rajkot.

• Sri Lanka: 3 Tests in Kolkata, Nagpur and Delhi; 3 ODIs in Dharamsala, Mohali and Vizag; 3 T20Is in Thiruvananthapuram, Indore and Mumbai.

Australia will be the first to arrive and are scheduled to play five ODIs and three T20Is in September-October, following which India will take on New Zealand in three ODIs and three T20Is. India’s home swing will then wind down with a full series against Sri Lanka, comprising three Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is. This is the second season in a row that India will host more than 20 international games after a record 2016-17 season that saw 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20Is being played.BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said the dates for the three tours had not been finalised yet. “The dates of the matches have deliberately not been frozen today because the logistics must factor in local factors such as festivals because as you know Durga Puja being what it is in the whole of eastern India and not only in West Bengal and other public holidays and logistics of distance,” he told reporters in Kolkata at the end of a meeting of the board’s Tours and Fixtures Committee.With the final T20I against Sri Lanka is likely to take place in the third week of December, India are likely to have a short turnaround before their full tour of South Africa. While this would mean that the chances of a Boxing Day Test in South Africa – a fixture Cricket South Africa has been pressing for – are remote, Choudhary said the possibility couldn’t be ruled out. As ESPNcricinfo had earlier reported, Sri Lanka will bring forward their tour to India from February as they now host India and one other team in the tri-nation Independence Cup during the period.”Where the question of Sri Lanka’s arrival was concerned, that tweaking has had to happen because Sri Lanka is organising an Independence Cup in Sri Lanka,” Choudhary said. “And, that will be shortly after India’s return from South Africa. Now, Sri Lanka has always co-operated with India and therefore India will actually be making a reciprocal short-version tour only to play the Independence Cup.”There is another reason for the tweaking to take place. That’s because there were six proposed exchange of tours between India and Pakistan which did not happen. So those spaces had to be adjusted with other activities.”While Choudhary said either Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram will host a T20 international against Sri Lanka, Kerala Cricket Association secretary, Jayesh George, confirmed that the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram will stage the match on December 20. The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, which has been a first-class venue, will play host to a T20 international against Australia.”Since we have the FIFA Under-17 World Cup matches and the ISL (Indian Super League) [football tournament] in Kochi, this game will take place in Thiruvananthapuram,” George told ESPNcricinfo. “After more than 25 years, an international match is coming to the city. We have to fine-tune a few things because it is a new venue and there will be some hindrances. But, we can sort it out. We have time as well and we will be conducting a Ranji Trophy match before it.”While the stadium has been inspected and given the approval by the BCCI, the ICC is expected to conduct an inspection soon. “The BCCI’s committee visited the stadium about two months ago and they were satisfied with it,” George said. “The ICC inspection should be just a formality because all the [eligibility] criteria have been fulfilled.