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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly set their sights on an "exciting" new £52 million target, and he could leave his club "immediately".

Spurs transfer targets for January

Ange Postecoglou's sensational beginning to 2023/2024 has seen him make the best start ever by a new manager in the Premier League, with Spurs tasting victory in seven out of their last nine top-flight encounters. Unbeaten in that period, it's the club's best early-season run since they clinched a domestic double in 1961, but that hasn't stopped rumours of potential transfer activity in January.

The north Londoners have been linked with signing a new defender as an alternative to both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, who've proved pivotal at the heart of Postecoglou's backline. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly, Bayer Leverkusen ace Edmond Tapsoba, Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah and Club America stalwart Sebastien Caceres have all been mooted as Spurs transfer targets for the role.

Elsewhere in the team, Tottenham could sign a striker to replace Harry Kane next year, with the likes of Ivan Toney (Brentford) and Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord) mentioned most recently. One of Postecoglou's transfer priorities, though, is signing an alternative to left-winger Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede has been in rip-roaring form alongside the likes of Son Heung-min and James Maddison going forward, but Spurs must consider the lack of depth behind him.

As a result, it has been reported in recent weeks that Tottenham are considering both Al-Ittihad winger Jota and Athletic Club starlet Nico Williams. The wide position could be one to watch heading into the winter window, with a report from Italy now sharing some news on a new player Spurs could target.

Tottenham want Chiesa "very much"

According to information from Calciomercato.it this week, Postecoglou's side "very much" want Juventus star Federico Chiesa. The Italy international, who's scored four goals in eight Serie A appearances under Massimiliano Allegri so far this season, is really admired by Spurs amid doubts surrounding his future in Turin.

Both Chiesa and striker Dusan Vlahovic are candidates for the Juve exit door. The former in particular could "immediately say goodbye" as January approaches, with both Tottenham and Newcastle named as contenders to sign him. It is believed both sides have the "right budget at their disposal" to "snatch" Chiesa away from Juve.

Sporting director Cristiano Guintoli, if faced with a figure of £52 million, would apparently sell for that amount. The 26-year-old has been called an "exciting" player by journalist Dean Jones, who commented on his summer links to Arsenal.

Holding on to the ball

Passing

Through balls

Dribbling

Long shots

"I love Chiesa and I've always hoped he would one day land in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see how this summer window pans out for him," Jones told GiveMeSport.

"He's obviously had some injury problems in the not too distant past. He's such an exciting player. You can imagine he would be awesome in that Arsenal attack too. I'm not convinced it'll be that easy to sign him though, I'm really not."

Pep Guardiola says everybody "loves" Bernardo Silva and urged him to stay at Manchester City after his brace against Newcastle United in the FA Cup.

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Man City beat Newcastle 2-0Silva scores brace in FA Cup winGuardiola urges him to extend stayGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

FA Cup holders City advanced to the semi-finals of the competition following their 2-0 victory over Newcastle at the Etihad on Saturday. Two deflected goals from Silva secured their passage into the next round and with the 29-year-old likely to be linked with a summer transfer, manager Guardiola has called on the playmaker to stay put.

AdvertisementWHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

After the match, Guardiola said: "This team, this club, has something special, it's incredible. I know we play to win the finals, but to win it, you have to win the earlier rounds. We won four Carabao Cup finals in a row and now we're in six FA Cup semi-finals in a row. To run and play the way they did is incredible, congratulations to the team, no one has done that before. We played really well, we were so safe with the ball. Mateo (Kovacic), Rodri and Bernardo kept the ball so well. The game was really good. You see us when we come back every three days, three days, three days, three days."

On Silva, he added: "Everybody loves him and we want him. He's really important for him to stay with us."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Guardiola's City are aiming for back-to-back trebles after winning the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup last season – and they are in the running to secure that prestigious footballing triumvirate this term, too. If they want to continue to be successful, keeping Silva – whose City contract runs until 2026 – will be key. He has previously been linked with Paris Saint-Germain.

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WHAT NEXT?

Next up for third-placed City is a huge clash with top of the table Arsenal – who are just a point ahead of them – at the Etihad on March 31. They will face their FA Cup semi-final opponent on either April 20 or 21 at Wembley.

There was so much positivity regarding Manchester United heading into the new season.

Erik ten Hag’s feet were now firmly under the desk having guided the Red Devils back into the Champions League and won a trophy in his first season.

This was, therefore, meant to be a campaign that extended on those good vibes, but seven games in and United are staring down the barrel of their worst start to a season in 34 years.

Ten Hag is searching for an answer, yet that aforementioned desk is no longer very organised.

It’s covered in coffee stains, filled with scrunched-up bits of paper and torn-up post-it notes. His best-laid plans and blueprints are out the window and his side resembles a sinking ship.

The Dutchman may well have navigated back-to-back wins over Burnley and then Crystal Palace in the cup in midweek, but their troublesome form prior to those wins reared its ugly head on Saturday afternoon.

A consecutive game with Palace was on the menu, but it did not taste so sweet this time. Rather, Ten Hag and his side were left with a bitter taste in the mouth following Joachim Andersen’s scorching effort that ensured the Eagles left the north west with a 1-0 victory.

The finger of blame could be pointed at many things. Defensive injuries haven’t helped, neither have off-field issues.

Marcus Rashford can’t seem to find his form of last term and Rasmus Hojlund, as energetic and exciting as he has been, is still adjusting to English football.

The former is one man they should be able to count on more often, but the fact of the matter is that United are being let down by their senior players. Case in point; Casemiro.

How is Casemiro playing this season?

Last term it looked as though the Red Devils could not cope when the Brazilian was missing from the side.

Indeed, as of April 2023, Ten Hag’s squad had lost four of the eight games Casemiro was absent from.

When he played, they had only lost three of 19 fixtures. The issue, therefore, was trying to find someone to fill his boots.

A calming influence who could also pack a punch in the middle of the park, United need their £350k-per-week man to rediscover the form that saw him named as the best holding midfielder in the world, according to Fifpro.

The former Real Madrid star stood out against Roy Hodgson’s side only a few days ago, scoring and laying on an assist.

In fact, Casemiro has been a fantastic asset offensively throughout the embryonic stages of 2023/24.

He bagged twice against Bayern Munich in Europe and even found the net against Nottingham Forest. Clearly, there is little to scrutiny when analysing how well the 31-year-old is playing when he gets forward.

However, the abilities that saw him celebrated as one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet are missing.

Last term, Casemiro prevailed in a whopping 81.4% of his duels. His regression this season has been remarkable, winning just 28.1%.

That speaks volumes of a player who simply isn’t offering United enough in the areas they really need.

One United content producer, Casey Evans, perhaps put it best, saying on social media: “It’s hilarious how Casemiro is our only goal threat but he’s also a massive liability doing what should actually be his job on the pitch.”

How did Casemiro play against Palace?

After starring against the Londoners in midweek, he truly let his manager down on this occasion, squandering possession and failing to break up the play adequately.

He was given a horrendous 4/10 player rating by the MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst, who reserved some particularly damning words:

‘Booked early on in the game and seemed to play within himself against a team he was sent off against last season. Played some inexplicable passes.’

That inexplicable and wasteful nature was best summed up by Casemiro’s 18 concessions of the ball.

For a player of his quality and stardom that is a remarkable number. For context, on average this season he is losing the ball 13.3 times per game.

Compare that with his peers across the top-flight and it makes for grim reading. Declan Rice has lost the ball just 6.3 times per match, Rodri 7.7 occasions and Yves Bissouma slightly higher at 11.9.

They have done the dirt work fantastically well this season and it will come as no surprise to see their sides leading the way in the Premier League this season.

When it comes to ball recovery, both Bissouma (6.7 per game) and Rodri (7.5) better Casemiro too, who makes six per match on average.

In that area, he still evidently thrives but in the main, his defensive play this season has left plenty to be desired. He may have made four successful tackles and won seven ground duels at Old Trafford this weekend but he also gave away four fouls.

You may well suggest with such a desire to contest in physical battles, the law of averages dictates you’ll give away plenty of fouls. Yet, last season, he only gave away 1.7 per match. Clearly, something is going wrong for Casemiro this season.

It may well be the overall chaos at the football club right now, but either way, Ten Hag needs his defensive midfielder to do more of what he’s really been signed for. After all, when on song as he was in 2022/23, United are a great deal harder to beat.

The 36-year-old pulls the cord on his Big Bash League career, with his manager citing the tournament’s new extended format as the primary reason

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2018Mitchell Johnson will never again appear on an Australian ground as a player after calling time on his Big Bash League career. His manager revealed the extended nature of the upcoming BBL season’s schedule was the primary reason behind the decision.The tournament’s new format features 14 games in a home-and-away league system, which his manager Sam Halvorsen says “is just too much for someone who turns 37 at the end of the summer.” Johnson led the Perth Scorchers bowling attack for the past two seasons.There was, however, no statement on Johnson’s availability for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League although he had recently signed up for the T10 League in UAE, slated for December.Johnson played 19 games for the Scorchers, taking 20 wickets at an average of 22.75 and economy rate of 6.14. His last game for the Scorchers was their semi-final loss to Hobart Hurricanes earlier this year. In BBL 2016-17, Johnson’s three-wicket haul (4-2-3-3) in the semi-final against Melbourne Stars and figures of 1 for 13 in the final against the Sydney Sixers secured Scorchers’ third championship title. He had finished the season as Scorchers’ highest wicket-taker with 13 wickets from nine and an economy rate of 5.91.Earlier this year, Johnson had pulled out of his commitments with Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League. He retired from international and first-class cricket in November 2015, with a career haul of 590 international wickets and 465 first-class scalps.

RB Leipzig chief Oliver Mintzlaff has admitted that Timo Werner is "not an easy person" to manage, revealing that all of his previous coaches have struggled with the striker. However, he defended the forward's character amid his current exile under new manager Ole Werner, while the former Chelsea man reportedly eyes a move to MLS to join Inter Miami.

Mintzlaff offers blunt assessment

Werner finds himself completely frozen out of the first-team picture this season. The striker, who remains the club's all-time leading goalscorer, has failed to secure any significant minutes in the current campaign, leading to intense speculation regarding his future. Amidst this backdrop, Oliver Mintzlaff, the CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments at Red Bull, has offered a candid insight into the player's personality and his standing within the club.

Speaking to the , Mintzlaff addressed the awkward situation surrounding the 29-year-old. While expressing sympathy for Werner's lack of game time, the club chief conceded that the forward requires a specific type of management that can be taxing for the coaching staff. He admitted that even the managers who extracted the best football from Werner found him difficult to handle at times.

"I have a special, close, and good relationship with Timo Werner. Therefore, I'm probably not entirely objective," Mintzlaff stated. "I would have thought there might have been a way to give him a few minutes, especially since he had a decent preseason. But that's the coach's decision, that's what performance decides.

"Timo Werner is certainly not an easy person, undoubtedly not an easy character, but an extremely fine guy to whom we owe a great deal. Every coach has had his problems with Timo Werner, whether Ralf Rangnick or Julian Nagelsmann, but they've all played him."

AdvertisementAFPStruggles under Ole Werner

While Rangnick and Nagelsmann navigated the complexities of Timo Werner's character to unlock his prolific goal-scoring ability, current head coach Ole Werner has seemingly decided that the output no longer justifies the effort. Since taking charge in the summer, the new manager has been ruthless in his team selection, leaving the club legend watching from the sidelines.

The 2025-26 campaign has been particularly brutal for the former Chelsea forward. Despite being fit and available, he has played just one minute of competitive football this term, watching on as Leipzig compete in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The "decent preseason" alluded to by Mintzlaff has not translated into competitive opportunities, signalling a complete breakdown in trust between the player and the current technical staff. It is a far cry from his first spell at the club, where his electric pace and finishing made him one of the most feared attackers in European football.

Failed MLS move and the Messi dream

Werner's isolation has inevitably led to him seeking an exit route, a process that began in earnest during the summer transfer window. It has been reported that the striker is keen to leave European football behind for a fresh start in the United States. However, a potential move to Major League Soccer (MLS) collapsed in the summer, leaving him in limbo in Saxony.

According to recent reports, Werner turned down a concrete approach from the New York Red Bulls. The rejection was reportedly due to the salary on offer, with the German on a healthy package in Leipzig. Instead, the striker has set his sights on a glamorous switch to Inter Miami.

Werner is reportedly enamoured with the idea of partnering Lionel Messi in Florida. The prospect of linking up with the Argentine legend and fellow former Barcelona star Luis Suarez appeals to Werner as the ideal environment to rediscover his love for the game. However, facilitating such a move is complex given the MLS salary cap regulations and Inter Miami's star-studded roster.

AFPWhat next for the Leipzig legend?

For now, Werner remains an RB Leipzig player, albeit in name only on matchdays. His contract runs until the summer of 2026, presenting a financial headache for the Bundesliga club who are paying significant wages to a player who is not contributing on the pitch. Mintzlaff's comments highlight the respect the hierarchy still holds for Werner's past achievements, but they also underscore the reality that his time at the top level with Leipzig appears to be over.

With the January transfer window approaching, all parties will be eager to find a resolution. Whether Inter Miami can make the finances work, or if Werner will have to lower his sights to another MLS franchise or a different European club, remains to be seen. Until then, the "not easy character" must continue to train, waiting for an opportunity that Ole Werner seems unwilling to grant.

This could be a significant season for Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe’s side could be cup champions this time next month, into the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. They have also set up a last-16 tie with Brighton in the FA Cup, with Manchester’s two behemoths the only remaining teams from the Premier League’s recognised ‘big six.’

That term is increasingly outmoded, with Newcastle qualifying for the Champions League in 2022/23, Aston Villa following their trail last term and Nottingham Forest currently ensconced in third, 18 points above Man United.

Newcastle definitely have a team capable of hitting huge heights, no longer punching above their weight but recognised as a fear-inducing opponent.

And alongside the exploits of the first team, the Magpies youth fold is making exciting progress too.

Newcastle's new-found academy success

Homemade superstars were a rarity on Tyneside before Howe and PIF came along. Six years ago, under the tyrannical rule of Mike Ashley, Newcastle’s academy was observed to be in a ‘desperate state’, but that has now changed.

Sean Longstaff was established and Elliott Anderson was coming through when everything changed in 2021, but the shift at youth level has since gone from strength to strength,

The infrastructure has been revamped, with now-former sporting director Dan Ashworth appointing 13 new academy staff members to rewrite the narrative about the club’s production line.

Now, there’s much to be excited about as the system blossoms as a whole. Lewis Miley is a fiercely exciting talent, while Anderson was sold to Nottingham Forest last summer for £35m. Yankuba Minteh also joined Brighton in a £30m deal to placate PSR.

Newcastle’s U21s sit 14th in the Premier League 2, having finished 22nd last term and achieved promotion the year before that. This is incremental progress.

Not just promoting from the city, United are signing exciting up-and-comers to suffuse the formative ranks with a golden glow. Let’s have a look at a young forward who might just be the pick of the bunch.

Howe may have "one of the best prospects in the world"

St. James’ Park has appealed to some of the most exciting senior stars in England – Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes et al., but the same can be said for those at the bottom of the pack.

Vakhtang Salia is one of the most exciting Georgian players to emerge since Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and it’s a testament to Newcastle’s progress that he opted for Howe’s team last year despite interest from Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Aged 17, Salia has already posted seven goals and two assists across 39 senior appearances for Dinamo Tbilisi, with journalist Bence Bocsak duly describing him as an “elite talent.”

A mobile and threatening forward, the teenager has yet to find his best position but is routinely deployed on the left flank. He could provide relief across the frontline after joining United in August when he turns 18.

Left winger

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5

1

Centre-forward

12

2

1

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0

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1

0

0

Who knows, with such high stock, Salia could assert himself as one of the most talented youngsters in the Premier League next season, maybe even rivalling Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri.

A true prodigy, 17-year-old Nwaneri has made waves at Arsenal over the past several years, becoming the youngest player in Premier League history when introduced against Brentford in September 2022 (aged 15 years and 181 days), and properly breaking into Mikel Arteta’s plans this year.

A right-sided player, he’s scored seven times across 24 matches, instrumental in keeping the Gunners afloat with talisman Bukayo Saka sidelined for over a month and not expected to return any time soon.

Development isn’t linear but Salia is doing all that he can in his homeland, sharpening his tools to a keen edge before crossing over to Newcastle. With a natural-born goalscoring ability and dynamism that sees him place across different roles, Howe might just find that he can introduce a rival to Arsenal’s talk-of-the-town talent.

In The Pipeline

Journalist Graeme Bailey has hailed Salia as “one of the best teenage prospects in the world,” and when he alights in Newcastle later this year, there’s every chance that he could make a fast start and show Howe that he’s unearthed a rising star just as bright as Nwaneri.

Their own Mbeumo: Newcastle messed up by letting "dangerous" star leave

Newcastle United already had their own version of Bryan Mbeumo and fumbled him.

1 ByDan Emery Feb 20, 2025

Manchester City have endured a disastrous season in the Premier League to date and currently sit in sixth place in the division after 20 matches.

The Cityzens have won ten, drawn four, and lost six of their games in the top-flight so far, leaving them a staggering 12 points behind Liverpool in first.

Pep Guardiola is now looking to bolster his playing squad ahead of the second half of the season by dipping into the January transfer window to add more quality to his group.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are expected to complete a deal to sign Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt this week to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

The Egypt international has racked up 14 goals and seven assists in 16 appearances in the Bundesliga so far this term and will look to replicate that level of output in the final third in the Premier League in the months to come.

As you can see in the clips above, the 25-year-old is a dynamic forward who can make magical things happen by coming in off the left flank or playing through the middle.

He has also thrived across all competitions with a return of 19 goals and 12 assists in 25 matches for Frankfurt, including four goals and two assists in six outings in the Europa League.

Marmoush may not be the only high-profile addition of the window, though, as the Citizens are also reportedly interested in signing a star from Real Madrid after landing the Bundesliga marksman.

Manchester City eyeing up French star

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are interested in a potential deal to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, with Guardiola lining up a move for the versatile titan.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that City and Premier League rivals Liverpool are both eyeing up a swoop to bring the France international to England this year to bolster their respective midfield set-ups.

It states that the Manchester City board have made funds available to Guardiola to go and pursue the signing of Tchouameni, although there is no mention of how much it would take to secure the former Monaco star’s signature this month.

Football Insider adds, however, that a January transfer for the French star is unlikely because Carlo Ancelotti would prefer to keep his squad together until the end of the season, at least.

This means that City and Liverpool may have to wait until the summer transfer window to seriously pursue a deal to sign the towering midfielder, who joined the Spanish giants from Monaco in the summer of 2022 for a fee of £85.3m.

Guardiola could swoop to sign the Real Madrid star to be an upgrade on one of his current Manchester City central midfield options – Mateo Kovacic.

How Tchouameni compares to Man City midfielder Mateo Kovacic

The Croatia international has struggled with the absence of Rodri at the base of the midfield for the Citizens, as it has exposed his weaknesses out of possession.

Kovacic has been dribbled past a whopping 1.3 times per game on average by opposition players in the top flight, which shows that it has been too easy for opponents to get the better of him in transition.

The former Chelsea star, who won the Champions League with the Blues, has also only won 54% of his duels in the Premier League, barely more than half of his physical contests, and this shows that he has not been dominant in his battles.

Without Rodri, City do not have a defensive anchor in the middle of the park to hold the team together off the ball, with Kovacic’s struggles off the ball illustrating that perfectly.

24/25 Premier League	Kovacic per 90	Percentile rank vs CMs
Tackles	2.58	Top 42%
Interceptions	0.66	Bottom 25%
Blocks	1.11	Bottom 38%
Clearances	0.66	Bottom 18%
Aerial duels won	0.44	Bottom 27%
Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the Croatian dynamo ranks lowly in the majority of the key defensive performance indicators, which shows that he offers very little to the team out of possession.

Without a fit and firing Rodri available, City need a player with the quality to step up in that role and that is why Guardiola should push for the board to get a deal done for Tchouameni this month, or in the summer, as he could come in as an upgrade on Kovacic.

Firstly, the French star only turns 25 later this month and that means that the Cityzens would be signing a player who is heading into his prime years and would have plenty of time left to be a star for the club in the long-term.

Tchouameni is also a versatile player who can play as a centre-back, a defensive midfielder, or as a central midfielder, which means that Guardiola could utilise him in a plethora of ways.

The Real Madrid star is also a technically secure and defensively dominant star who could step up to offer far more than Kovacic in midfield for City, improving their defensive work without Rodri available.

Tchouameni has won 64% of his duels in LaLiga for Real this season and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, which shows that he wins the majority of his physical contests and consistently looks to break up opposition attacks with his ability to make defensive interventions.

24/25 season	Kovacic (PL)	Tchouameni (LaLiga)
Appearances	16	15
Pass accuracy	92%	93%
Big chances created	2	2
Dribbled past per game	1.3x	0.7x
Tackles + interceptions per game	2.8	3.3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old midfield machine has been incredibly more effective defensively in comparison to Kovacic this season, making more tackles and interceptions whilst also being dribbled past far less frequently.

Tchouameni, once described as “one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet” by analyst Raj Chohan, has the physical and technical attributes, having showcased them in a major European league for a gigantic club already, to thrive in English football.

A huge upgrade on De Bruyne: Man City chasing move for ex-Chelsea player

Manchester City have already been busy this window, but don’t appear to be slowing down.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 12, 2025

Therefore, Man City must ensure that they win the race with Liverpool to sign the impressive titan, this month or in the summer, to be a big upgrade on Kovacic in the middle of the park.

Plus: T20 winning streaks, and carrying the bat in T20Is

Steven Lynch08-Mar-2016Was UAE’s 81 against India the lowest score by a team facing its full quota of overs in a T20 international? asked Vikram from India

United Arab Emirates made 81 for 9 in their 20 overs during the Asia Cup match against India in Mirpur last week. That’s the fourth-lowest by a team that faced the full allocation of 20 overs, but the second-lowest by a team that didn’t lose all ten wickets. Bermuda were bowled out for 70 by Canada in Belfast in August 2008, while Nepal struggled to 72 against Hong Kong in Colombo in November 2014. And, on a difficult pitch in Port-of-Spain in February 2010, West Indies managed only 79 for 7 against Zimbabwe. The lowest total in all T20Is is Netherlands’ 39 all out (in 10.3 overs) against Sri Lanka in Chittagong in the World T20 in March 2014. For the full list, click here.India’s win in the Asia Cup final was their seventh in a row in T20 internationals. Is this a record? asked Harshit Goyal from the United States

India’s run of seven successive wins – which could well be improved once the World T20 gets under way – has been bettered only twice. And you’d do well to name the two teams involved if you were asked to do so in a quiz: England won eight in a row between May 2010 and January 2011 – a run that included winning the World T20 in the West Indies – while Ireland also won eight on the bounce in 2012, admittedly all against other Associate nations. Both England and Ireland’s runs were preceded by an abandoned game, so they went nine matches without tasting defeat. But that particular record is held by Australia, who went 12 matches without losing in 2009 and 2010, that run including a no-result and a tie. Zimbabwe endured 16 successive T20 defeats between May 2010 and March 2013.Is Dennis Amiss still the only England batsman to score a century in his first one-day international? asked Matthew Hayes from England

Dennis Amiss was the first man to score a century on his one-day international debut, with 103 against Australia in the inaugural ODI in England, at Old Trafford in 1972. Even more unusually, Amiss also scored one in his match, with 108 against Australia at The Oval in 1977. Only nine others have reached three figures in their very first one-day international – but one of them was another England player. Michael Lumb made 106 on his debut, against West Indies in North Sound early in 2014 – but played only two more matches before being jettisoned, seemingly for good.Chris Gayle: the only batsman to carry his bat in a completed innings in a T20I•Getty ImagesDoes Martin Crowe still hold the New Zealand records for most runs and centuries? asked David Lauder from New Zealand

The much-missed Martin Crowe scored 5444 Test runs, which was a New Zealand record when he retired in 1995-96, but has since been surpassed by Stephen Fleming (7172) and Brendon McCullum (6453). However, they played many more matches than Crowe’s 77; Fleming won 111 caps and McCullum 101. Crowe’s national record of 17 Test centuries is still intact – and should remain so for a while yet, although Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson are closing in, with 13 apiece so far. McCullum and John Wright both scored 12, while Nathan Astle made 11.Has anyone carried their bat in a T20 international? asked Keith Barrett from Australia

So far there has only been one instance of an opening batsman carrying his bat through a completed innings in a T20I. It happened in the semi-final of the World T20 in England in 2009, at The Oval, when Chris Gayle batted throughout West Indies’ disappointing total of 101, finishing with 63 not out when the innings ended in the 18th over. It was very much a solo effort – none of his team-mates made it into double figures, although there were 11 extras. There have been many other instances of an opener batting through the full 20 overs, but his side not being bowled out – for example, in that Oval semi-final Tillakaratne Dilshan finished with 96 not out in Sri Lanka’s 158 for 5.Further to the recent question about captains finishing their Test careers with a century, how many made a duck in their last Test? I can think of one, at The Oval in 1948… asked Neil Dutton from England

That famous zero by Australia’s Don Bradman at The Oval in 1948 was the fifth of 16 instances of a captain making a duck in the last Test of their career. The list includes some other famous names: Ray Illingworth (1973), Mike Brearley (1981), Imran Khan (1991-92), Waqar Younis (2002-03), Brian Lara (2006-07) and Michael Vaughan (2008). The last to do it was Mashrafe Mortaza, for Bangladesh against West Indies in Kingstown in 2009. AB de Villiers actually bagged a pair in his most recent Test (against England in Centurion in January) but presumably will, barring accidents, play another one soon.Send in your questions using our feedback form.

Manchester United have reportedly zeroed in on Andre Onana's successor, but will face competition from arch-rivals Manchester City.

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Man Utd searching for Onana's replacementHave set their sights on Porto's CostaCity are also looking for Ederson's successorFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , United have identified Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa as a potential replacement for Onana. United’s scouting network has already been deployed to monitor Costa’s performances. Representatives from the club were recently present at Estádio do Dragão to observe the 24-year-old in action during Porto’s match against Famalicão.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The chase for Costa's signature is not limited to the red half of Manchester, though, as City are also reportedly preparing a move for the Portuguese shot-stopper as they consider reinforcements to cover for Ederson, who has struggled with recurring injuries this season. Pep Guardiola’s side are expected to initiate formal talks soon, with a €58 million (£50m/$67m) offer reportedly in the works.

DID YOU KNOW?

Porto president André Villas-Boas is well aware of the growing demand for Costa and is reportedly prepared to sanction a move – but only on his own terms. Sources suggest that he would consider a transfer, provided that the fee offered comes close to the goalkeeper’s full release clause €75m (£58m/$86m).

WHAT NEXT FOR COSTA?

Any departure would only occur after the Club World Cup this summer. This strategy is seen as a way for Porto to fully capitalise on Costa’s market value, with the tournament set to provide a global stage for the goalkeeper. Villas-Boas hopes that standout performances in the USA could further drive up interest and potentially increase the financial reward from any sale. The Dragons are set to face Palmeiras on June 15, followed by matches against Inter Miami on June 19 and Al-Ahly on June 24.

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2015Amit Mishra kept things tight with his his loopy leg spin and drift, and bowled Dinesh Chandimal around his legs•AFPR Ashwin continued to trouble the batsmen with his variations and forced Lahiru Thirimanne to come forward, having him caught at silly point for 11. Sri Lanka were now 106 for 5•AFPIt was not just the spinners, Ishant Sharma chipped in too, with the wicket of Jehan Mubarak, who fell for a golden duck to expose the tail•AFPBut the day belonged to Ashwin, who dismissed Dhammika Prasad and Dimuth Karunaratne too, to register his 12th five-for in Tests and wrapped up a massive 278-run win for India•AFPIt was not the farewell Kumar Sangakkara would have asked for, but the series was level 1-1 and the Sri Lankan batsman bid goodbye to international cricket•Associated Press