The Reds have decisions to make on a host of young players this summer, with several hoping to catch Jurgen Klopp's eye in pre-season

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool’s future has already begun. And while most anticipate a hefty, and perhaps overdue, spending spree this summer, it will also be interesting to see how the club handles its crop of extremely gifted youngsters.

The Reds have been boosted this season by the emergence of Stefan Bajcetic, the 18-year-old midfielder who made such a positive impact during the difficult days of winter. And with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Curtis Jones, Fabio Caralho and Harvey Elliott in the first-team, all of them 24 or under, Klopp is right to be enthused by what is to come at Anfield.

Behind those players, though, a new wave of young prospects are gathering at the door. Can any of them do what Bajcetic has done, and force their way through it next season?

GOAL takes a look…

GettyTyler Morton

For Bajcetic this season, read Morton last; a young midfielder coming into Liverpool’s team and playing with calmness and authority beyond his years, earning rave reviews from his manager.

Morton played nine times for the Reds’ last term before being sent out on loan to Championship side Blackburn Rovers in a bid to gain experience and develop further.

It’s gone pretty well, too. The 20-year-old has made 46 appearances in all competitions, and though his campaign was unfortunately ended by injury recently, he can reflect on an extremely positive season at Ewood Park, the place where Harvey Elliott flourished before returning to make his mark at Liverpool.

It will be difficult for Morton to do what Elliott has done, but he should get a chance to show what he’s learned in pre-season, and we know that Klopp is already a fan.

AdvertisementGettyConor Bradley

Another player to have enjoyed a fine first loan spell. Bradley has been superb for Bolton Wanderers, and swept the board at the League One side’s end-of-season awards, winning the Players’ Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year gongs.

Already a full international with Northern Ireland, the 19-year-old now has more than 50 club games under his belt, and Klopp said recently that the plan was for him to be a part of Liverpool’s first-team squad next season. 

And given Alexander-Arnold’s positional re-jig, there could be space for a young, attack-minded right-back too. Bradley has already played for Liverpool at senior level, and has done his future prospects no harm at all this season.

GettyCalvin Ramsay

Speaking of attack-minded right-backs, what a frustrating campaign it has been for Ramsay, who was bought from Aberdeen to be Alexander-Arnold’s understudy, but who has been plagued by injuries ever since.

First it was a back issue, then he suffered knee ligament damage in training. Due to that, he has been limited to only two first-team appearances, totalling around 93 minutes.

At 19, though, the Scot has plenty of time on his side, and the signs at Aberdeen, and even in his brief outings at Liverpool, were of a full-back with a good all-round game. Staying fit will be the key for him. A good pre-season would do him the world of good.

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Getty ImagesBen Doak

Another Scot desperate for an opportunity at Anfield is Doak, a precocious 17-year-old winger who has already made five substitute appearances this season.

Signed from Celtic last summer, Doak is an old-fashioned right-winger, who loves to run at full-backs and beat them on the outside. He has been comfortably the most exciting player in Liverpool’s Under-21 and U19 sides this season, and certainly lacks nothing in terms of confidence and determination, as he displayed when making his Premier League debut off the bench against Aston Villa on Boxing Day. Ask Lucas Digne whether the kid can play.

The Brazilian winger showed glimpses of his electric best as Los Blancos came from 2-0 down to secure victory in Pasadena

Much of the talk this summer around Real Madrid is focused on a wide forward that they don't own, but perhaps they don't need Kylian Mbappe immediately. Perhaps they have a more impactful winger already. Vinicius Jr. suggested as such with a stellar 45 minutes against AC Milan on Sunday, with the Brazilian scoring the decisive goal in a 3-2 win.

But this wasn't a simple one for Madrid. Milan broke the deadlock, with Fikayo Tomori nodding home a free header from a Christian Pulisic corner — an assist that was met with delight from the American crowd. The Rossoneri added a second shortly before half-time, as teenage substitute Luka Romero found the top corner with a lovely curler from the edge of the box.

Madrid enjoyed a lot of promising moments in between, with Jude Bellingham functioning as the apex of a restructured midfield. But despite all of his powerful strides and deft flicks, Los Blancos were held scoreless at the break.

The introduction of Vinicius changed things, though. The Brazilian started the move for Madrid's first, linking play as they sprung on the counter — a sequence Federico Valverde ended after a blunder from Marco Sportiello in the Milan goal. Valverde added a second three minutes later, with a well-placed shot from the top of the box.

And Vinicius eventually provided the winner, darting in behind the Milan defence before rolling the ball into the bottom corner with less than 10 minutes remaining.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at the Rose Bowl…

• The Brazilian magician returns

  Madrid would, of course, like to have hung on to both Vinicius and Karim Benzema. The dynamic duo have been vital to this side's success for the last three years, the two combining regularly to make Los Blancos one of the best attacking sides in Europe.

  But Vinicius proved that he has a lot to offer alone here. Operating as more of an inside forward than a touchline winger, the Brazilian was deadly when Madrid sprung on the break. He ran in behind with regularity; he came short and scampered at defenders; and his tricks and flicks earned him an obligatory couple of kicks from frustrated defenders. This was Vinicius showing mere glimpses of his best, in 45 very promising minutes.

  There is no replacing Benzema — although Madrid will certainly spend a lot of money trying. But Vinicius might just have been the more crucial player for this team. It could be a scary season for opposing right-backs yet again.

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• A new formation for Madrid

  Manager Carlo Ancelotti promised Madrid would play around with a new set-up, and it was on full display here. Los Blancos started the contest in 4-4-2 diamond, with Bellingham as a No.10, and a trio of others rotating behind him.

  And it wasn't always the most effective of systems. Although Madrid were composed as ever in the middle of the park, things weren't quite as smooth in the final third. Joselu and Brahim Diaz made for an odd attacking pairing in the first half. Rodrygo and Vinicius weren't firing for the first few minutes of the second, either.

  The goals inevitably came, with Valverde and Vinicius leading the charge. But the new system, if this is to be the one, will take some getting used to for Ancelotti's men.

• Bellingham bosses it

  Ancelotti is tinkering a bit with this Madrid side, and it will take time to sort everything. But Bellingham was the clear focal point from minute one, occupying the space between the midfield and defensive lines.

  And it looked like a dream role for the big-money signing. He had plenty of time to dribble and create, forcing the Milan defence to drop deep into their own box. There were some chances created for others here, too. He set up Eder Militao with a neat flick while he linked up with Diaz inside the box.

  Bellingham will not be expected to score goals — although a few would certainly be nice. Instead, he will be a creative presence, the one to make things happen as Madrid glide forward. All he lacked on Sunday night were the finishing touches from those he passed to.

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  Pulisic enjoys the spotlight

  Pulisic never really managed to piece together an extended run of form at Chelsea. His best spell came at the end of the 2019-20 season, when the winger helped carry the struggling Blues to the Champions League during the strange Covid-altered period, and he hasn't hit those heights since. Sometimes distrusted by managerial chages, other times simply injured, Chelsea fans never really got to see what the American is capable of.

  But now, he's been given a chance by Milan. Pulisic was impressive here, running at the leggy Lucas Vazquez, and causing problems down the left. He had a proper impact, too, assisting Tomori's opener with a fine delivery.

  This wasn't a complete showing — Pulisic's influence waned at the end of the first half and into the second. Still, it was a promising sign that a change of scenery might have been exactly what the United States star needed.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to pounce on the uncertainty of a Premier League rival, finding the perfect man to fill their managerial vacancy.

What’s the latest on Julen Lopetegui to Tottenham Hotspur?

That’s according to 90min, who noted late on Wednesday that Daniel Levy’s interest in Ange Postecoglou reportedly had Celtic worried. However, deeper in the report they outline another option that the club could take.

Upon a shortlist containing many high-profile names, it is thought that, with Julen Lopetegui’s future at Wolverhampton Wanderers in doubt, the Lilywhites could pounce. They have been alerted to his possible availability after a fine debut campaign in England.

Having moved to Molineux with the promise of hefty financial backing, the club have since reneged, leaving the Spaniard reportedly unsure if he can continue with the club ahead of what will likely be a barren summer.

How good is Julen Lopetegui?

Whilst Unai Emery might steal the headlines for his work elsewhere in the Midlands, propelling Aston Villa into European football, what the former Real Madrid boss did for the Old Gold has been similarly impressive.

With a far worse squad that sat rock bottom of the Premier League table, the 56-year-old would record ten wins from 27 matches to guide them to comfortable safety in the end. Having got a tune out of some lacklustre starters, it is no surprise he is keen to transform a squad that could have easily fallen to the drop last term.

His appointment rightly drew excitement, with journalist Nick Emms even writing:

“Excited to watch Wolves today, the Lopetegui era should be amazing to watch. A truly world-class coach, who should get them back to where they deserve to be”.

These accolades are gained through years of experience, having overseen periods with Sevilla and the Spanish national team alongside Los Blancos, winning a Europa League with the former.

However, given Spurs’ last venture in appointing a former Wolves boss, it would be no surprise if Levy was somewhat hesitant, let alone the fanbase, who campaigned against appointing Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Portuguese boss was a name that few supporters in north London expected to do well, and after a 17-game spell where he would win just five league games, his time in the dugout was cut short.

His boring, turgid football was uninspiring and frustrating, despite having previously been seen as a hero at his old club for earning them promotion from the Championship.

Whilst Lopetegui has achieved similar status for retaining their place in the top flight, his pedigree should ensure that a similar fate does not befall him should he choose to tread that same path.

His possession-dominant 4-3-3 system favours attacking football anyway, so at the very least there would be a break from monotonous viewing in this part of north London should they swoop for him.

A Chelsea fan has serenaded American owner Todd Boehly having been left excited by the recent managerial appointment of Mauricio Pochettino.

What’s the latest on Todd Boehly and Chelsea?

Back in May 2021, the 49-year-old billionaire led a consortium which completed a £4.25bn takeover of the Blues, ending Roman Abramovich’s 19-year ownership of the club.

While some may have expected a period of calmness to follow under the new ownership as they adapted to life owning a Premier League club, quite the opposite has happened.

Indeed, from that moment up until the end of the most recent January transfer window, Chelsea have spent a reported £556m on transfer under Boehly and more will no doubt be spent in the coming weeks and months.

What’s more, Thomas Tuchel was fired, as was his replacement Graham Potter, while Frank Lampard was questionably reappointed in a disastrous spell as interim boss – and now Pochettino has been handed the reins.

The Argentinian has a big job on his hands as he looks to steady the ship that sunk all the way down to 12th in the Premier League last season.

At least, though, it seems some supporters are more than excited for the new era and have high hopes for what Pochettino can achieve at Stamford Bridge.

In footage circulated on Twitter, a fan in Riyadh – the capital of Saudi Arabia – sang to Boehly and then told the American that Chelsea will win the league with their new head coach.

What is the Benoit Badiashile song at Chelsea?

Despite all the chaos and disappointment that has swept over Stamford Bridge since the 49-year-old arrived, this fan was delighted to meet the club’s owner.

He even sang a terrace song: “Todd Boehly went to France in a Lamborghini, brought us back a centre-back, Benoit Badiashile!”

The supporter then said: “I promise you Todd, that we’re going to get the league with Mauricio Pochettino,” to which Boehly replied: “Yes, Pochettino is going to be great.”

All in all, it seems as though there certainly are high expectations for Pochettino to bring back the glory days to Chelsea. Only time will tell whether the Argentinian will deliver, or end up suffering the same fate as Tuchel and Potter.

MSK Prasad, India’s chairman of selectors, said that MS Dhoni’s decision to step down as India’s limited-overs captain came at the right time and showed Dhoni had the best interests of the team in his mind.”Had Mahi [Dhoni] taken the decision one year or even six months earlier, I would have been a bit worried,” Prasad told . “But I salute him for his sense of perfect timing. He knew that Virat [Kohli] is now a proven customer who has done exceptionally well as a leader in Tests.”So it is a correct decision by Dhoni. It showed that he had the best interest of Indian cricket in his mind.”Prasad, a former India wicketkeeper-turned-selector, said that Dhoni still had more international matches under his belt. “I still feel he has a couple of years of cricket left in him and as a wicketkeeper-batsman, he can still make an invaluable contribution to the team’s cause,” he said. “Dhoni’s presence will help Kohli as he now captains across three formats. Had he quit, Virat would have missed out on his immense experience.”Prasad said Dhoni, India’s most successful captain, had nothing left to prove as a leader, and praised his foresight in the role. “What else was left for him to achieve as a captain? He has achieved everything under the sun in his tenure as India captain. He has won World T20, 50-over World Cup, Champions Trophy, all three global trophies,” Prasad said. “Apart from that he has won IPL, Champions League T20. He has nothing to prove to anybody. He has been a great leader.”I believe his match reading was brilliant. That’s why he was quick on his feet and could assess any situation with a lot of clarity. For a captain, foresight is an important aspect and he had that in abundance.”Although he found a clear distinction in the personalities of Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who appears set to take over as captain in ODIs and T20Is, Prasad said the urge to win for India was the same for both cricketers. “Dhoni never gave away anything in terms of body language while Kohli has always been aggressive,” Prasad said. “What I have loved about Dhoni is that he will never give away anything as to what is going on in his mind. That’s his personality. He can keep things submerged in him.”But deep down, both Dhoni and Kohli’s urge to win matches for India is equal. There is no letdown in intensity.”

England trio James, Hemp and Maya Le Tissier headline the six selections for PFA Women's Young Footballer of the Year

The PFA Awards have been a highlight of the footballing calendar for 50 years, and the organisation have now revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Women's Young Player of the Year, with six brilliant players fighting it out for the award.

The 2021/22 winner, Lauren Hemp, looks to retain her title for the second-year running while three new nominees enter the fray along with two returnees in Chelsea star Lauren James and Manchester United ace Maya Le Tissier. Newcomers Katie Robinson from Brighton, Liverpool's Missy Bo Kearns and Aston Villa's Laura Blindkilde round out the top six.

Find out more about the six-woman shortlist below…

• Getty Images
  

  Lauren James | Club: Chelsea | Nationality: England

  The Chelsea star was nominated for the award for the second year running after her 2022/23 campaign. Across 38 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, she scored eight goals and added five assists en route to a WSL title and an FA Cup final win.

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  Lauren Hemp | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: England

  Hemp, a four-time winner of the award, comes back as a nominee once again as she looks to retain her title. Her campaign for Manchester City this season saw her net 10 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.

• Maya Le Tissier | Club: Manchester United | Nationality: England

  Le Tissier's 2022/23 campaign saw Manchester United fall just short of both a WSL title and an FA Cup as the Red Devils lost out to Chelsea in the league and the final. A key presence in the Red Devils' backline following her move from Brighton, Le Tissier helped the club to their best-ever finish in the league, ensuring they'll be playing Champions League football for the first time this season.

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• Missy Bo Kearns | Club: Liverpool | Nationality: England

  Kearns scored five goals and added two assists across 28 appearances for the Reds last season, helping them to a seventh place finish in the WSL. Kearns netted four goals in the WSL and one in the League Cup.

Sri Lanka unravelled again, losing 10 for 103 and the series in the third ODI in Johannesburg

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAnother day on tour, another collapse – Sri Lanka sank from 60 for no loss to 163 all out at the Wanderers, mis-hitting short balls, hanging their bats out to give catches behind the wicket, and in general committing the same batting mistakes that will have become familiar to their fans during the past six weeks. Of their diminutive target, South Africa made short work. AB de Villiers produced a clinical 60 not out to bring his team home in 32 overs, seven wickets in hand.The hosts were far from their best in their pink gear, dropping catches and attempting needless runs, but they did not need to be at their best. They have won the series now. The two remaining games are dead rubbers.De Villiers’ hot streak at the Wanderers

100.85 Average of AB De Villiers at the Wanderers . He has three hundreds and three fifties from 10 innings.

108 Balls remaining in South Africa’s innings. This is their fifth-quickest win against Sri Lanka. Two of these wins have come at the Wanderers.

3 Number of lower scores than 163 for Sri Lanka against South Africa while batting first. Incidentally in 2002 they were dismissed for 128 at the Wanderers.

7 Consecutive series wins for South Africa at home since 2013. They have won 20 out of the 25 matches played during this period.

The hosts’ bowlers were disciplined – Imran Tahir miserly and menacing in equal measure, as usual – but there was little in the surface to warrant Sri Lanka’s loss of 10 wickets for 103 runs. A little extra bounce – hardly a surprise at the Wanderers – was responsible for the wickets of Upul Tharanga, Niroshan Dickwella, Asela Gunaratne and Suranga Lakmal. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva were caught behind. Sachith Pathirana left a stock legbreak which turned to hit his off stump. Such was the quality of their batting.If it wasn’t for a 65-minute delay due to the arrival of a swarm of bees, Sri Lanka’s innings would have been even shorter. Plenty noted that the bees had spent more time in the middle than most batsmen. Only Dickwella resisted for any notable length of time, his 74 studded with spunky square-of-the-wicket shots – usually timed impeccably. Of his teammates only three others made more than five, and only Tharanga breached 20.It was Dwaine Pretorius, playing in his fourth ODI after replacing Wayne Parnell in the XI, who took the game’s best figures of 3 for 19. He was tight with the new ball, and although not especially quick, was accurate with his variations. Tahir claimed 2 for 21 in 9.2 overs, and Kagiso Rabada got two scalps as well. South Africa’s fielding was not as effective as usual, but in his 100th ODI, Faf du Plessis nevertheless managed to complete his third spectacular one-handed grab of the series, when he sprang horizontally from second slip to intercept an edge from debutant Lahiru Madushanka.Though the scorecard will suggest Sri Lanka squandered a good foundation – the openers having made 60 together – in truth, their start was inauspicious. The first boundary came off a Dickwella top edge, and Tharanga was dropped on 11 soon after – the one-handed grab at second slip too tough for du Plessis, for once.At the end of the first Powerplay, however, Sri Lanka were well-placed at 54 for no loss, both batsmen having found some fluency. Pretorius bowled tightly from the beginning, but Rabada, who would have been seen as the primary wicket-taking threat in the innings, had even been a little expensive in those early overs.But when the openers both sent catches into the air off their top edges in the 12th over, things began to unravel quickly. The first of those chances – off Dickwella on 25 – was spilled by JP Duminy, who had backtracked from backward point. The second was secured by Pretorius, and the rapid fall of wickets had begun.Dwaine Pretorius, replacing Wayne Parnell, took the game’s best figures of 3 for 19•AFP

Andile Phehlukwayo removed Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal in the space of three overs with two unremarkable deliveries. Chandimal, especially, will be unhappy with this dismissal on what has been a poor tour. Seeing a full, wide delivery, he went down on one knee and nailed it in the air straight to the deep cover sweeper.When de Silva fell, and following the delay, Gunaratne also went, Sri Lanka had slid to 125 for 5. Dickwella attacked for a little while, perhaps knowing there was not much batting to come, and fell by his sword when he gloved a Pretorius bouncer to the keeper. The tail barely resisted. It was all done inside 40 overs.Lahiru Kumara bowled with characteristic spirit on ODI debut, and claimed the wicket of Quinton de Kock in the fourth over with a 142kph short ball. But though he continued to threaten through the remainder of his overs, was wayward between the good balls, and conceded more than six an over.Kumara’s opening partner Suranga Lakmal was unlucky, as he has been through the tour, gleaning an edge off Hashim Amla on 12 only for wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal to grass the diving chance. But with so much batting in South Africa’s line-up, perhaps it wouldn’t have made a major difference to the final score. Amla ran himself out for 34 anyway, though by that stage de Villiers had already begun to take the chase by the collar.Early in his innings, de Villiers dominated Lakshan Sandakan, who had dismissed him in the previous ODI, and after about 20 balls at the crease, there was no bowler that de Villiers didn’t seem capable of dictating to. He was especially active on the legside – each of his five boundaries coming there – but that was more a reflection of the lines Sri Lanka bowled to him. He took clutches of singles out to deep cover as well, and generally made a small chase seem even smaller.Sri Lanka may take heart in the bowling of Madushanka, who swung the ball away, albeit at gentle pace, and seemed a player worth a few more games at least. Apart from him and Dickwella’s innings, there was precious little to salvage from this match.

Sri Lanka’s loss of five wickets in what is now an unlikely run chase was sparked by a run out involving two players fropm the same club who would normally trust their understanding

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Dec-2016From early on in the innings the intent was clear: Sri Lanka were chasing 488 for victory, rather than drawing shutters and playing for the draw. But as play ended on 240 for 5 on day four, at least four batsmen were left rueing dismissals that might have been avoided.Dimuth Karunaratne, perhaps was chief among them, having been run out for 43, after seeming comfortable at the crease. He and Kaushal Silva had also put on 87 for the first wicket – Sri Lanka’s best opening stand in the country – before Silva called Karunaratne through for a quick single to cover. Karunaratne would have made his ground had he not initially hesitated, but was eventually found to be a few centimetres short at the striker’s end, despite having dived.”It was all my mistake I think,” Karunaratne said of his run out. “Kaushal and I both play for the SSC, so we bat together and there’s no misunderstanding. But I tweaked a muscle playing a reverse sweep earlier, and that was playing on my mind a bit. I stopped and tried to start again, and that’s why I was run out.”Karunaratne has been short of runs in 2016, averaging 29.29 for the year, and only 16.77 if his 280 runs against Zimbabwe are removed. His failure to progress to a big score at Port Elizabeth has stung.”I did the hardest part in the earlier overs. I was beginning to see the ball well and then got run out and things were getting easier. The worst thing to do in a Test match is getting run out in a situation like that. I will have to start again in the next matches and survive the early overs again. But it’s part and parcel of the game and there’s nothing you can do.”Three other batsmen were out playing expansive strokes, and from those, Dinesh Chandimal’s dismissal shortly before the second new ball was due perhaps hurt Sri Lanka the most. Chandimal had been fenced in by South Africa’s tight fields and Keshav Maharaj’s tight lines – kept scoreless for a Maharaj over before he attempted a lofted on drive and sent the ball into the hands of mid on. He was out for 8 off 38 deliveries.”Chandimal will be disappointed but he will learn,” Karunaratne said. “These are mistakes and we need to play better cricket. The wicket is good. We don’t have to play risky shots. We have to spend enough time in the middle and see how it goes.”Sri Lanka’s last recognised batting pair of Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva were at the crease at stumps, a highly improbable victory still 248 runs away. Karunaratne said Sri Lanka stood a chance if those batsmen could remain unbeaten in the first session of day five.”If we can get through the morning session, who knows – we could win this match,” Karunaratne said. “For me, Kyle Abbott was the toughest bowler. He is quick and he moves the ball both ways. Vernon Philander also moves the ball both ways, but because he’s a bit slower, he can be managed. But Abbott and Kagiso Rabada will be tough. If the batsmen can play them well, we have a chance.”

Arsenal are set to make a bid for Declan Rice after West Ham United's Europa Conference League final, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Who will Declan Rice sign for?

The Gunners have been making solid progress in their pursuit of Rice, with it recently being reported they have agreed personal terms with the West Ham United captain, meaning agreeing a suitable transfer fee is the last remaining obstacle.Although the Englishman's preference is to move to north London, there could still be competition for his signature, with Manchester United registering their interest, currently "waiting in the wings" to potentially hijack the deal.Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move for the 24-year-old, however talkSPORT's Simon Jordan has claimed the player's preference is to try and win the Premier League with one of the big clubs in England.Arsenal pushed Manchester City all the way last season, before coming up just short, however Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his squad to give them the best possible chance of competing for the title again next season.The West Ham midfielder is a key target, and Romano has now claimed that a bid will be made after the Europa Conference League final, which is set to take place on Wednesday night.Bayern are also name checked as potential suitors, however the transfer expert is keen to stress that "nothing is done or close yet."

Will Rice sign for Arsenal?

As previously highlighted, the England international's preference is to move to north London this summer, while personal terms have allegedly been agreed, meaning the Gunners should be well-placed to win the race for his signature.The central midfielder is deemed unlikely to move to Chelsea, but he wants to remain in London and play in the Champions League, so a move to the Emirates Stadium would make perfect sense.

Hailed as "sensational" by members of the media, the £60k-per-week maestro registered 79 tackles in the Premier League last season, the ninth-highest figure in the top flight, and WhoScored ranked him as West Ham's best-performing player.An average of 1.7 interceptions per game was the most of any Hammers player, and the midfielder also displayed his attacking prowess by averaging one key pass and 0.9 dribbles.The Gunners are in a very strong position to sign Rice, and his range of qualities would make him a fantastic addition to Arteta's squad.

A round-up of the action from day 4 of Ranji Trophy’s Group A matches

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2016Railways won their first match of the season by seven wickets, as they reached the 113-run target set by Baroda early on the final day in Nagpur.Railways started the day on 90 for 2 and added the required 23 runs in just 20 balls, with the loss of a wicket. Opener Shivakant Shukla was unbeaten on 56, his 16th first-class fifty, as Railways collected six points and leapfrogged out of last place, where Baroda replaced them.Debutant Aditya Dhumal picked up five wickets as Mumbai beat Uttar Pradesh by 121 runs in Mysore to remain on top of Group A.UP started the day on 43 for 1, needing 232 more to win. Overnight batsmen Shivam Chaudhary (50) and Samarth Singh (42) added a further 42 to their second-wicket partnership, taking it to 81, before Dhumal dismissed both of them with his left-arm spin, to reduce UP from 87 for 1 to 105 for 3. Dhumal then combined with Vishal Dabholkar (4-43), Mumbai’s other left-arm spinner, and the pair struck regularly as they shared the last nine wickets between them to bowl UP out for 173. Dhumal’s 5 for 53 gave seven wickets on his first-class debut.Suryakumar Yadav was declared Player of the Match for his knocks of 99 and 90 in the match.K Vignesh was named Man of the Match for Tamil Nadu as they took three points from their draw against Bengal in Rajkot.Vignesh followed up his 4 for 70 in the first innings with an unbeaten 34 at No.10, that led the 44-run stand for the last wicket with T Natarajan (12) which had taken TN past Bengal’s 337. The stand ended early on the final day, as Natarajan fell to medium-pacer Sayan Ghosh (5-123), who completed his first five-wicket haul.Shreevats Goswami (61) and Aamir Gani (45) put on 87 for the sixth wicket, after TN entertained the hopes of an outright victory when they reduced Bengal to 66 for 5 in the 31st over. The partnership played out a valuable 23.3 overs before Gani was dimissed, and Goswami’s seventh-wicket stand with Ashok Dinda (28) frustrated TN for a further 13.4 overs, as Bengal managed to hold on and force a draw.Harpreet Singh’s second century of the season helped Madhya Pradesh survive an early scare in their chase, and draw their game against Gujarat in Nagathone. Gujarat picked up three points from the game.Hapreet Singh came in at 36 for 4 in the 17th over, after MP were set 375 to chase in 57 overs. Rush Kalaria was the wrecker-in-chief, adding three wickets to go with his four-for in the first innings. But Harpreet joined hands with Naman Ojha (52) and was the dominant one in their partnership of 113, that could only be broken in the 52nd over. Ojha’s 52 took 135 deliveries, in contrast to Harpreet’s unbeaten 103 that came off 129 and featured 17 fours and a six. MP lost no further wickets and play ended when they were on 176 for 5.Earlier, Gujarat added 96 runs in 22 overs to their overnight score of 228 for 2, as they pushed for a declaration. Both overnight batsmen brought up centuries, although Samit Gohel (104) fell in the third over of the day, while Parthiv Patel (139*) remained unbeaten.