CSA is hoping for Test status for the Boxing Day game against Zimbabwe, as the much-anticipated Test series against India has been reduced to three matches

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-20174:16

Four-day Tests on the cards

India’s tour to South Africa has been cut to three Tests from the original four, but will include an additional ODI, taking the total number of 50-over matches to six along with three T20s. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier in the week, India’s tour will begin with a late New Year’s Test which starts from January 5 at Newlands – three days later than the usual start for the festive fixture.Although South Africa have lost out on a Boxing Day Test against India, they host Zimbabwe for a four-day day-night match in Port Elizabeth, starting from December 26. Cricket South Africa is awaiting ICC approval before labelling the Zimbabwe fixture a Test.The confirmation of the India’s tour comes after months of speculation about when the tour would be finalised and whether South Africa would be able to host a 10-Test summer. That will only be possible if the Zimbabwe match is allowed to go ahead as a Test; CSA is confident the ICC will give them the green light at their October meeting in Auckland.For over a decade, the ICC has been hearing the case for four-day Tests and the discussion was taken up in earnest again this year. One of the key reasons for shortening Tests is to be able to save time on a tour and allow for more matches.An insider told ESPNcricinfo that CSA understands if four-day Tests are approved, they will only be played when decided by an MoU between member countries and they are more likely to be played between the so-called younger teams in Test cricket or when a top-tier team plays a lower-ranked opponent. South Africa hope to be pioneers in the format.After that match, they will turn their attention to India, who will arrive in South Africa on December 28, four days after their home series against Sri Lanka ends. India will have a two-day practice match in Paarl on December 30 and 31. India were understood to have wanted two warm-up matches, but there isn’t enough time.”The time constraints faced by India have forced us to reduce the Test matches to three, while increasing white-ball cricket to six ODIs and three T20I matches,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA CEO, said.Cape Town will host the first Test while venues are yet to be confirmed for the following two. Given the large Indian support base in Durban, Kingsmead is highly likely to host one of the matches which will leave the Wanderers in Johannesburg or SuperSport Park in Centurion to host the remaining Test. While the Wanderers is regarded as South Africa’s home of cricket, SuperSport Park may edge it out because it is the only one of the big five grounds that does not host Australia for a Test in March.

Chelsea are "tempted" to bring in another number nine this summer and have discussed the possibility of making a move for Dusan Vlahovic, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Vlahovic joining Chelsea?

Since Todd Boehly's arrival as Chelsea's new owner, the Blues' approach to the transfer market has been fairly disastrous.

Having spent enormously on a mass of players, Chelsea have been preoccupied this summer with trimming their ridiculously large squad, and it is still impossible to predict what new boss Mauricio Pochettino's line-up will look like on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Chelsea's scattergun approach to signing talented young players on huge contracts has backfired significantly and Pochettino is the man tasked with picking up the pieces.

Despite having spent a vast fortune on players in recent windows, Chelsea still mysteriously ended up without an orthodox striker last season, one of the reasons they slumped to a 12th-placed league finish.

However, Pochettino is hoping to remedy that situation in the market and, despite having already signed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson this summer, journalist Jones believes that the Blues could target Juventus' Vlahovic to ease their goalscoring woes.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: "I know some people are ruling out of Vlahovic and they say that nothing is happening there. But Vlahovic has definitely been explored by Chelsea and conversations have definitely happened in terms of that.

"The fact that they are even contemplating that, tells you they're tempted to go and sign another striker by the end of this transfer window."

Nkunku can play as a striker but is not a typical number nine, despite his prowess in front of goal. Meanwhile, Jackson is just 22-years-old and may need significant time to adjust to life in a new league at such a young age.

Therefore, Vlahovic, who has been called a "big-name striker", could be an astute piece of business and is a player with a wealth of experience despite being just 23-years-old.

The Serbian international has managed 72 goals in 171 matches for Juventus and Fiorentina in Italy but has struggled to fully settle at the Allianz Stadium in Turin since arriving halfway through the 2021/22 season.

A fee of around €80m would potentially be enough to sign Vlahovic, a figure which is unlikely to put off free-spending Chelsea. The striker would offer Pochettino a more traditional number nine than what the Blues currently have at their disposal and the forward's physicality and clinical edge would make him a great fit in the Premier League.

How good is Vlahovic?

Based on his performances last season in a Juventus side that struggled on and off the pitch, there isn't an enormous amount to get excited about with Vlahovic.

He scored just 14 goals and provided four assists in 42 matches, also suffering from injuries at times throughout the campaign, and only managed the same amount of Serie A strikes as wantaway Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku.

However, looking at his statistics during the 2020/21 season – his last full campaign with Fiorentina – it is clear to see that Vlahovic is a top-quality centre-forward.

Compared to other strikers that season in Serie A per 90 minutes, he ranked in the top eight percent for goals (netting 21 in 37 games) and top 12% for aerials won, highlighting his physical presence up top and eye for goal.

Signing Vlahovic could be a risk given his lack of consistency in the black and white of Juventus, but if the forward can recreate the form he has exhibited in the past with Fiorentina and Serbia, then Pochettino would be foolish not to consider the young striker.

All four matches of the round, which ended on October 9, were affected by rain

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2017

Tier-1Khulna Division and Rangpur Division played out a tame draw in a rain-affected match in Rajshahi.Batting first, Khulna were bowled out for 218 runs with Anamul Haque and Nahidul Islam hitting half-centuries. Ariful Haque and Suhrawadi Shuvo took four wickets each.Jahid Javed’s century then became the foundation of Rangpur’s 317 for 9 in 80.4 overs. He struck 14 fours and two sixes in his 115 off 217 balls. Dhiman Ghosh chipped in with 69 off 68 balls.Trailing by 99 runs, Khulna batted out 33 overs on the final day to finish on 141 for 1 before the umpires called off play at 1.50pm due to rain. Mahedi Hasan was unbeaten on 88 with 15 fours.Rain interruptions on the third and fourth days also limited the match between Barisal Division and Dhaka Division to a draw in Khulna.Dhaka were bowled out for 250 in the first innings. Rony Talukdar (68) and Mohammad Sharif (58) struck fifties while Salman Hossain took four wickets.Barisal took a 49-run lead in the first innings with Nuruzzaman (68), Sohag Gazi (73) and Shamsul Islam (56 not out) hitting half-centuries in their total of 299 runs in 102 overs. Shuvagata Hom took four wickets.When play was called off at 1.30pm due to rain, Dhaka were 110 for 3 in their second innings.Tier-2Rain wiped out the first day’s play in the match between Rajshahi Division and Sylhet Division, after which only 212.3 overs were possible in the rest of the drawn match.Pace bowler Delwar Hossain took 4 for 72 as Sylhet were bowled out for 221 runs in the first innings. Abul Hasan made 60 off 96 balls with eight fours and a six.Mizanur Rahman’s 143 anchored Rajshahi as they made 370 for 7 in reply. Mizanur hit 24 fours and a six in his innings that spanned little over four hours. Junaid Siddique contributed 89 runs, while Sylhet pace bowler Abu Jayed took four wickets.Imtiaz Hossain then struck 108 off 160 balls including 14 fours and four sixes as Sylhet finished their second innings on 151for 2The match between Chittagong Division and Dhaka Metropolis was also drawn but of the four games, it lasted the longest on the final day in Chittagong.Dhaka Metro declared their first innings on 369 for 9, with Mehrab Hossain jnr missing out on a century by six runs. His 94 included seven fours and a six. Mohammad Ashraful (66) and Asif Ahmed (64 not out) also made fifties while offspinner Iftekhar Sajjad took 5 for 91.Chittagong were bowled out for 261 runs in 131.1 overs. Sazzadul Haque and No 10 Wahidul Alam hit fifties as a late order rally helped Chittagong recover from 144 for 6. Ashraful took three wickets for 65 runs.Shamsur Rahman then blazed five sixes and eight fours in his 67-ball 102 that put Dhaka Metro in further control as they declared on 165 for 3 in 21 overs, setting Chittagong 274. However, with the day’s start pushed to 2.10pm neither side had a realistic shot at a win.Still, Dhaka Metro took six wickets in the 49 overs as Chittagong scored 97 runs. Nihaduzzaman and Shykat Ali took two wickets each.

West Ham United are preparing an official offer to sign Southampton central midfielder James Ward-Prowse this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is James Ward-Prowse leaving Southampton?

The St. Mary’s academy graduate has been a hugely integral member of his squad over the course of his 409 senior appearances on the south coast, being made captain and named Russell Martin’s overall best-performing player last season with an average WhoScored match rating of 6.95.

With the Saints having suffered relegation from the Premier League, it’s likely that they will have to cash in on some of their prized assets to help rebuild their team, and the 28-year-old, you would expect, is the player to be at the top of the list of those being let go, and Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has backed this up.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, he said: “I think this is [a] typical deal for [the] final weeks of the transfer window or maybe for late July because, of course, he is a very good player and so there is some clubs who [will] decide to go for him.”

Earlier this month, Football Insider reported that the Irons saw a verbal proposal rejected by the England international, though it’s believed that this hasn’t put them off taking a second bite of the cherry by this time around tabling a serious financial offer.

Are West Ham signing James Ward-Prowse?

According to Football Insider once again, West Ham are set to “formalise their interest” in Ward-Prowse by submitting an “official bid” in the weeks ahead.

Southampton have placed a £40-50m price tag on their skipper’s head which is seen as a “sticking point” for David Moyes’ side, and whilst that fee is one that the club are “unwilling to pay”, it’s stated that chiefs “hope to get things moving” in the right direction with their incoming offer.

Whilst Ward-Prowse is naturally a central midfielder, West Ham will know that he is much stronger in the attacking aspect of his game having been dubbed "world-class" by his former manager Nathan Jones, so whilst £40m is a big sum, it's one that would well be worth paying in order to secure his services this summer.

The Portsmouth-born talent clocked up 13 goal contributions (nine goals and four assists) in 38 Premier League matches last season so was not only prolific in the final third, but also more than helped to produce chances for his fellow teammates in the red and white stripes.

As per FBRef, Moyes' target recorded a total of 241 crosses and 127 shot-creating actions over the course of the previous campaign which was more than any other member of his squad, showing his desire to get involved with the action at the top end of the pitch.

Finally, Ward-Prowse shares the same agent, CAA Stellar, as Gianluca Scamacca so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could potentially hand them a small extra advantage when trying to get a deal across the line in the coming weeks.

Joe Root feared the worst when he spilled Chris Gayle at slip in the opening over of the first ODI at Old Trafford, so was grateful for the chance to redeem himself in spectacular style to prevent the West Indies opener from doing too much damage.In the end, England won the opening match of the series at a canter but the early exchanges went West Indies’ way with Gayle launching three sixes after his early let-off, which Root admitted left him with a sinking feeling and determined not to let the second opportunity evade him when Gayle skied Chris Woakes over cover.”I saw it the whole way, thought it was a pretty straightforward catch – maybe it got a bit big on me,” he said of the slip catch. “I thought it could be quite costly, and when the second one went up I thought ‘I have to get there’. There was a huge amount relief when I managed to cling on to it.”England’s indifferent slip catching was a feature of the Test series against West Indies and led to coach Trevor Bayliss calling it “terrible”, warning it could cost them the Ashes. Root is usually a very safe catcher in the cordon and said that when one goes down it can be difficult not to watch the reprieved player’s score notch up.”You almost feel guilty with each run they score,” he said. “It’s just nice to be the one who made amends for it. I think he banged a six shortly after that, so that hurt a lot but it’s part of the game. You have to try and stay composed, not let it affect anyone else, make sure your body language is good.”It has been a demanding season for Root, his first as Test captain in which both series went to deciding Tests, and the Ashes series is drawing ever nearer with all its associated pressures. But he insists there is no fatigue and has his sights set on finishing England’s longest summer in the remainder of the ODIs, the last of which is on September 29, with the team due to depart for Australia a month later.While Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, two other all-format players, were rested from the T20I against West Indies, Root took his place in the line-up then began the one-day series with 54 off 53 balls in England’s serene chase. The only internationals he has missed this season were in the T20 series against South Africa after the Champions Trophy, but he featured in the pink-ball round of County Championship matches during the time away from England duty.”We had a chat before the series and said do I feel I like I can play,” Root said. “Every time I feel fit and that I can deliver at my best I’ll go out and play for England. I love the opportunity we get every time we put on the shirt, it’s such a proud feeling and I’ve never lost that from the start. I’m desperate to take every opportunity to play for England. If I’m not able to give my absolute best I’m probably doing the team a disservice, but at the moment I’m fit and ready go.”If England are able to close out the one-day series with matches to spare – and there was a significant gulf between the teams at Old Trafford once West Indies’ opening stand was broken – it could create the opportunity to withdraw a few players early. Not being captain in this format means those decisions around other players do not involve Root, but he believes each knows what is best for them.”In terms of this series those are individual conversations. As players, you know yourself better than anyone else and in the best interests of this and the Test team you need to be really honest,” he said. “Only you really know if you are struggling or tired. Everyone wants to play as much as they can. You are only around for so long, at the peak of your game and fitness, and you want to take every opportunity. Those guys have got a lot of cricket ahead of them this winter, but we have a period off before we go to recuperate and relax.”

Burnley announced their ninth signing of the summer on Thursday with the addition of Jacob Bruun Larsen, but Vincent Kompany still has time to make it double figures in terms of arrivals in time for the start of the Premier League season.

Who have Burnley signed?

Danish winger Larsen joined from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on a season-long loan, meaning a reunion with Kompany after spending time together at Anderlecht in 2020-21.

Larsen follows in the steps of Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Dara O'Shea, Luca Koleosho, Nathan Redmond and young goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux in joining Burnley this summer, while Jordan Beyer and Michael Obafemi have been signed on permanent deals after starring on loan last season.

The Clarets' move for Larsen comes amid ongoing speculation that they are looking to sign fellow attacking midfielder Jack Clarke from Championship side Sunderland.

According to The Northern Echo, Burnley's latest bid of £10m plus various add-ons has been rejected by Sunderland, but the Black Cats would be willing to sell if offered £15m.

What position does Jack Clarke play?

Sunderland snapped up Clarke from Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent deal 12 months ago after he impressed during a spell on loan in League One.

The 22-year-old was one of the best players in the Championship last season, as he scored nine goals and set up a further 12 goals in 47 appearances for the Black Cats.

Those 12 assists were a joint-high among players in the Championship, level with former Coventry City star Viktor Gyokeres, who has earned a big move away this summer to Sporting CP.

Clarke's 0.48 goals or assists per 90 minutes in the regular season, as per FBref, was better than that of Burnley regulars Johann Berg Gudmundsson (0.46) and Josh Brownhill (0.38) last season, while Anass Zaroury (0.50) only fared marginally better.

That goes some way to showing that Clarke has the quality to be part of Burnley's squad, and his arrival could be particularly good news for Burnley's centre-forwards.

The former England U20 international played mainly on the left-hand side last season, which is likely where he would fit in at Burnley should he indeed sign, on the opposite flank to Manuel Benson.

Benson scored and assisted a combined 14 goals last season – only Brownhill (15) could better than among Clarets players still at the club – as he played an integral part in the Lancashire side's dominant title win.

Having Benson on one flank and Clarke on the other would give many Premier League defenders a torrid time next season, especially when you factor in that the Sunderland ace was level with creative force Brownhill last season for shot-creating actions (147).

That metric takes factors such as passes and take-ons directly leading to a shot into account and gives a strong indication of the danger Clarke can cause in the final third.

Labelled an "unreal" player by football reporter Josh Bunting, Clarke – as is the case with many Burnley players – showed last season that he is ready to make the leap from the Championship to the Premier League.

If that is not with Kompany's Burnley, then it is surely just a matter of time before another club pounces.

The summer is looking up for Somerset’s young captain Tom Abell as his side hint at a September revival

Jon Culley at Edgbaston08-Sep-20171:35

Highlights from the final day of the Specsavers Championship

Somerset 282 (Abell 82; Singh 5-72) and 265 for 4 dec (Trescothick 119*, Hildreth 68, Abell 51) beat Warwickshire 146 (Barker 52; Leach 5-50, Overton 4-33) and 232 (Trott 74, Groenewald 5-58) by 169 runs. In the end, after a morning of frustration followed by a good many anxious skywards glances as a convoy of dark clouds loomed one after another over the roof of the pavilion, Somerset needed 85 uninterrupted minutes to finish the job and claim the win that had looked theirs for the taking ever since they won the toss, at once keeping their own survival prospects intact and killing off Warwickshire’s, in realistic terms if not mathematically.Dom Bess, whose penultimate over on Thursday evening had claimed the wickets of Jonathan Trott and Keith Barker to push Warwickshire to the brink, wrapped up what is only a second win of the season for last year’s runners-up by bowling the rookie spinner Sunny Singh just as the ground staff were preparing to power up the hover cover. In the celebrations that followed, the relief was palpable.”In the context of the season it is a huge win for us and we’re absolutely delighted,” their young captain, Tom Abell, said. “We asked for the effort and the character to come to the fore and we certainly saw that.”From the great start we were given by Tres (Marcus Trescothick) and Eddie Byrom on the first morning we performed well in all disciplines throughout the game. As a batting unit we established those partnerships we have been striving for all season and with the ball we were very patient. There was a bit in the wicket for all concerned and when we created chances we took them.”It still might not be enough, of course, to keep Somerset out of Division Two themselves next year. They remain second bottom, 30 points clear of their beaten opponents here but with still work to do if they are to catch Yorkshire or Middlesex and only three matches remaining. In their favour, though, two of them are at home, where Bess and Jack Leach, the most successful spin combination in Division One this year, can expect every bit of assistance possible from the wicket.”Yes, we still have a lot of work to do,” Abell added. “It is a boost to our confidence to get this win and play so well but we are still down there at the foot of the table and we have a massive three games ahead of us. We will be trying to win all three and if we could get two wins, that would be great. It is a very strong division with strong teams but we think we have enough in our dressing room to do it.”It has been the collective failure of the batsmen that has been Somerset’s downfall this year, putting them in a predicament few could have foreseen when they went so close to winning the Championship 12 months ago. No one has felt the weight of responsibility more than Abell himself, who had been so out of touch with the bat recently he had no sensible option other than to give up his own place in the side – winning it back, with some irony, only after the controversial move to Warwickshire of Adam Hose created a vacancy.Is the season turning for Somerset skipper Tom Abell?•Getty ImagesAbell paid generous compliments to Trescothick, his second-innings centurion, James Hildreth, with whom the veteran opener shared the key partnership of the match to take the game out of Warwickshire’s reach, and to the 20-year-old opener Byrom, who played nicely in both innings. Yet his own contributions – a half-century in each innings on a difficult, turning track – were equally significant.”It has been difficult,” he said. “I went through a patch where I didn’t know where my next run was coming from and that spell in the Seconds trying to find some form did me the world of good.”Now I’m starting to find some enjoyment batting again and the confidence in my game that I had lost.”The key to winning here was that every passage of play saw one Somerset player or another produce a performance at a key moment, ensuring that Warwickshire were never on top, even briefly. After the combination of Leach’s left-arm spin and Craig Overton’s pace had bowled out Somerset for 146 in the first innings, it was the off-spinner Bess and the big-hearted Tim Groenewald who landed the blows second time around.Once the final exchanges began after a two-hour delay, Overton claimed his fifth victim of the match as Tim Ambrose was leg before and then Groenewald, with new ball in hand, bowled Chris Wright and saw Jeetan Patel brilliant caught by Bess at point to complete a deserved five-wicket haul, his first of the season.There seems no escape now for Warwickshire, whose relegation may well be confirmed next week, on live television, when the Sky cameras turn up in the hope of seeing Essex, the champions-elect, strut their stuff.It was a long time after the finish before anyone emerged from the home dressing room, where one can only assume that the atmosphere match the colour of the sky. The bowling coach, Alan Richardson, was ultimately designated to offer words of explanation for a performance that lacked conviction at the moment it was most needed.”It was highly disappointing,” Richardson said. “We had four massive games, starting with one against the team immediately above us, and to not really show up is hugely disappointing.”

Gareth Southgate revealed that some wise words from Jose Mourinho have rung true as he discussed his future as England manager.

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• Southgate to lead England at Euro 2024
• Might not continue with the Three Lions after
• Discussed life after England with Mourinho

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Having led England for seven years with an impressive track record, including reaching the Euro 2020 final and achieving notable finishes in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the manager might step down from his position after Euro 2024. Southgate is already looking ahead and is preparing himself for a transition to club football. He revealed that Mourinho told him that after the England stint, he would be ready for any assignment and emphasised that no job in world football would intimidate him more than his current role with the Three Lions.

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• WHAT SOUTHGATE SAID

  Speaking to Southgate said: "I remember talking to Jose (Mourinho) when he was at Man United and he said: 'You know, when you've done the role you're in now, you'll be able to do anything.' Really? I thought that was probably right, but seven years into it, it's definitely right."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although Southgate expressed his desire to lead a Premier League club, his previous stint with Middlesbrough did not end on a sweet note as the club was relegated in 2009. Nonetheless, he remains defiant that the England role has equipped him in every way to lead to a top club in the future.

  "Everybody would talk about Middlesbrough. 'Oh, he got Middlesbrough relegated'. Well, yeah, in the third year, we got relegated. But I had three years of Premier League management," he said.

  "There isn't a job in world football that would intimidate or daunt you, having lived this one (England), frankly. You're not going to have any higher profile, you're not going to have any greater pressure, you're not going to have any more complex issues."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  With managerial positions at top Premier League clubs potentially opening up in the summer of 2024, Southgate's desire to move to the competitive landscape of club football might be fulfilled soon. However, before that, he would like to end his reign with the Three Lions by lifting the Euro 2024 trophy in Germany.

Everton have been tracking Oumar Solet, and they could be set to make a move for the RB Salzburg defender this summer, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

Everton boss Sean Dyche has recently admitted he has found it difficult to bring in some of his key targets this summer:

"It's a tough market," he said. "There is only so much that we can do, so we are working very hard – I can assure everyone of that – to construct deals that can work.

"There is no exact moment until it's over the line. There have been situations where we have been into where we thought we were going to get it over the line and we don't – that's the way it goes.

A new defender remains of interest to Dyche, with it recently being reported that Mason Holgate is expected to move on this summer, however the manager is set to miss out on Facundo Gonzalez, who he became keen on during the U20 World Cup.

As such, the Toffees could now turn their attention to another young defender, with The Daily Mail reporting they have been tracking Solet, who they could make a move for at some point.

Newcastle United are also interested in signing the Frenchman, and the Premier League duo may hold an advantage over the likes of Torino and Inter Milan in the race for his signature, as he has admitted he is keen on a move to England, saying:

‘I have a lot of ambitions, to be honest. I’m just on my way – for sure the Premier League excites me a lot,’

‘I feel it’s a league that I can perform in really well and it can bring me to the top. It’s probably the best league in the would. I feel if I have the chance it’s going to help make me become the top player I want to be."

What position does Oumar Solet play?

The Red Bull Salzburg star has most commonly been utilised at centre-back throughout his career so far, however he has also slotted in at defensive midfield on occasion, indicating he could be a versatile option for Dyche.

Speaking about his key strengths, the 23-year-old has said: "I’m a quick player and feel like I’m strong. I think I’m a player who is ready for the 1v1 situations – I like to compete with strikers. This is my mindset.

"For any team I feel I can bring something with my quality and intelligence."

The £5.8k-per-week defender has also been hailed as "superb" by journalist Zach Lowy, for the way in which he tracks opposing forwards' movements, and drives forward with the ball.

Solet already has experience playing in the Champions League with RB Salzburg, and with Newcastle also in the race for his signature, it may be difficult for the Toffees to tempt him into a move.

However, if Dyche is able to bring the 6 foot 3 titan to Goodison Park, there is every indication he would be a solid addition to the squad.

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

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

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  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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  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.