Despite Pakistan overcoming Zimbabwe to secure their place in the tri-series final, their captain Sarfraz Ahmed was vocal in the criticism of his bowling attack. “The bowling was not up to the mark,” he said shortly after guiding his side to a seven-wicket win. “They have to work hard.”Sarfraz had been a loud and, at times, stroppy presence behind the stumps during Zimbabwe’s innings. The very first ball of the day seemed to set the tone, as Sarfraz let rip with a fearful ear-bashing at Fakhar Zaman when he was slow off the mark from midwicket, allowing Zimbabwe opener Cephas Zhuwao to get off the mark. There wasn’t much let up thereafter.But Zaman shrugged off Sarfraz’s histrionics, suggesting that the team are comfortable under their captain and that, perhaps, a bit of sound and fury was what was needed to sharpen them up on a particularly cold winter’s day in Harare. “Yeah, he’s the kind of person who does that sometimes,” said Zaman. “But he’s very good at getting us up on the field. We’re used to it and he’s our captain. And well, it works for us and it worked today.”Sarfraz also had some fiery words for his bowlers, ticking Shadab Khan off during an over when Solomon Mire hit him for two big sixes. Mire took the attack to Pakistan’s bowlers, and Zaman admitted that Zimbabwe had scored 20 to 30 more runs than they thought was par on this pitch.”We were expecting 130 to 140 on this pitch, but Mire played a very good innings,” Zaman said. “We knew that we have a very deep batting lineup – we have Shadab at no. 9 – so we were confident we could chase it.”As it turned out, Pakistan’s lower order wasn’t needed as Zaman and Hussain Talat cracked forties before Sarfraz finished things off with an ice-cold, unbeaten 38. While his tongue-lashing geed them up, Sarfraz’s batting was the picture of limited-overs sangfroid and provided a different sort of a lesson to his team. Zaman said that spending time under Sarfraz had helped him improve his own game, particularly in T20 cricket.”In the start in T20 I was hitting every ball in my striking zone, and after playing eight to 10 games I sat with some senior players like Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed, and spoke about my gameplans with them,” Zaman said. “I realised that I could play proper cricket shots and be successful, and that’s what I’ve been doing recently.”Pakistan’s win means they are assured of a place in Sunday’s final, though they have a dead rubber against Australia tomorrow. Bucking their recent trend in short-format cricket, Australia have won two in two in this tournament and they were buoyed by an opening victory against Pakistan which included Billy Stanlake’s 4 for 8.”We’ll just keep it very simple [against Australia],” Zaman said. “[Stanlake] bowled really well in the last match but every day is a new day. We’ll play him well.”

Another century from Mayank Agarwal set up India A’s match-winning 309 for 6, as the Lions lost for the first time in the tri-series

Jon Culley at Grace Road26-Jun-2018
ScorecardEngland Lions were beaten for the first time in the tri-series after India A, whom they had beaten comfortably at Derby last week, emphatically turned the tables in the wilting heat at Grace Road.Chasing a total that they would have fancied themselves to reach on what was essentially a good batting surface, the Lions made a miserable start by losing their top three batsmen in the first eight overs and never recovered.It means that they must beat West Indies A at Northampton on Thursday if they are to be sure of their place in the final at The Oval on Monday, although they would still qualify even if beaten, having won both their opening two matches, if India beat West Indies on Friday.’Enjoying batting here’ – Agarwal

India’s century-maker Mayank Agarwal said he had been troubled by a muscle strain in his lower right side, for which he needed treatment on the field, but did not expect it to rule him out of playing should India qualify for next Monday’s final.
“I had a little issue but it is okay,” he said. “I will be assessed by the team doctor but I don’t expect it to be a problem. I was very pleased with my innings, it’s good to get back-to-back hundreds. That’s three here now – I’ve enjoyed batting here.
“England outplayed us last week but we have been playing good cricket since we have been here, in the warm-up games too, and it is good to be rewarded with back-to-back wins because everybody is putting in the effort, putting in the performances at crucial times.”

Given that this talented India side has been in impressive form these last two days at Leicester, you would expect that to happen. They saw off the West Indians with almost 12 overs to spare here on Monday and defeated England by a comfortable margin, even after leaving out Deepak Chahar, who had taken five wickets in that game.They did not, however, leave out Mayank Agarwal, their other key man on Monday, and how wise they were. Despite needing treatment for a back injury during the innings and subsequently being unable to field, the opener made his second century in consecutive days.It was as impressive a performance by India A as it was a disappointing one by the Lions, who had left the field relatively pleased with themselves at the end of their opponents’ innings.India A had been 100 without loss after 15 overs, and may actually have felt they ought to have built more handsomely on such a start.The precociously talented Shubman Gill contributed 72 in an opening stand of 165 with Agarwal but the Lions fought back well, with Worcestershire’s Ed Barnard impressing on his senior representative debut, Matt Fisher taking his first Lions wickets and the spinners, Liam Dawson and Matt Parkinson, playing a key role in frustrating the India batsmen in the middle phase of the innings, even if neither took a wicket.Parkinson, the 21-year-old Lancashire legspinner, had shown impressive character, taking a mauling in his opening three-over spell, which cost 28 runs after both openers went after him, but conceding only 35 more in seven overs after Steven Mullaney brought him back in the 32nd over and stuck with him.Barnard, who was added to the squad after the opening two matches in the tri-series following an injury to Craig Overton, was the best of the four seamers used, producing probably the delivery of the innings, finding extra bounce to have Gill caught at short third man having shaped to cut.But England’s innings was never able to gather any momentum after a fine opening spell by Shardul Thakur had accounted for both openers and Sam Hain, whose unbeaten 145 at Derby was the foundation of the Lions’ win over West Indies A, was unable to get past 1 before having two stumps uprooted by Chahar’s replacement, Prasidh Krishna.The biggest source of frustration in the England dressing room will be that most of their batsmen played themselves in but that Dawson’s 38 was their highest score, and that the top three apart they were mostly the architects of their own demise.It had been good watching, though, especially for the schoolchildren, mainly wearing India replica shirts, who had a special day out. Gill, aged 18 and the leading batsman in India’s victorious Under-19 World Cup team, is not long out of school himself yet is clearly a top-class player in the making, while Agarwal’s frustrating wait for international recognition at the top level must surely end soon.The 27-year-old ended the Indian domestic season with 2,141 runs, a record aggregate for an individual batsman across all formats. His first-class average was 105.45 and his 723 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was the most by any Indian player in a List A tournament, topping Sachin Tendulkar’s 673 at the 2003 World Cup.

Manchester United have encountered issue after issue so far this season, with the likes of Jadon Sancho falling out with Erik ten Hag in what is an ongoing saga, whilst the Red Devils continue to struggle on the pitch, suffering a 3-2 loss in their most recent outing against Galatasaray. The club have a number of players out injured, too, and those at Old Trafford will be desperately waiting for the full squad to return.

Any boost is a plus in the current circumstances, and, those in Manchester have finally been handed some good news to cling onto, with one particular player edging closer and closer to a return from an injury suffered in pre-season.

What's the latest Man Utd injury news?

When it comes to injuries, United have suffered the same luck that they've faced when attempting to get results on the pitch this season. At various stages of the campaign, Ten Hag has already been without Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Lisandro Martinez, who is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

The Red Devils have, however, received a recent injury boost, with youngster Kobbie Mainoo back in training, and edging closer to a return to action. And whilst United's next Premier League clash against Brentford could come too early for the youngster, he isn't far off from making a comeback, according to the club's official website.

We've seen in the past just how much of an impact young players can have at Old Trafford, with Marcus Rashford a prime example of that. Now, it could soon be Mainoo's turn to light a spark that has been slowly fading at the theatre of dreams this season. It will be interesting to see if Ten Hag turns to the midfielder, given the current form of his side, and, therefore, the ease with which several names could play themselves into the Dutchman's plans.

Who is Kobbie Mainoo?

Just 18 years of age, Mainoo has the world at his feet at Manchester United, and could soon get his chance to show just how good he is. With Casemiro suspended in the Champions League after his red card against Galatasaray, Mainoo may yet even be handed a chance to stake his claim on the biggest stage to showcase his talents. The pressure would be on, but if he impressed on his chance, then Ten Hag may just have himself another option in the middle of the park.

The teenager has already earned plenty of praise during his time at United, including from club legend Bryan Robson, who told The Telegraph:

"He’s calculated and he’s reading the game, doing things in his own time. He closes down really well, receives the ball and changes the pattern of the game, quickens it up when he wants to and he’s using his football brain. I’m quite impressed with him."

Everything seems to be pointing to the fact that United have a gem on their hands, and who knows, a player who could yet play a surprise part in turning their campaign around after such a disappointing start this season.

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.

USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie could return to the Premier League with negotiations on a new deal at Juventus reaching a stalemate.

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Midfielder exploring potential return to EnglandContract expires at the end of next year, no extension immediateHas tallied nine assists this season in all competitionsWHAT HAPPENED?

McKennie's contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, and there has been little movement on a new deal for the 25-year-old. The Italian club might be looking to cash in as a result, as they are willing to accept a €20 million (£17m/$22m) bid for their star midfielder, according to . The reports would seem to counter talk that the Bianconeri are prepared to offer McKennie an extension.

AdvertisementWHAT MCKENNIE SAID

In January, the midfielder asserted that his second spell at Juventus is an opportunity to return to his best: "When I left Leeds, I knew I had a bad showing. I knew I didn’t have the time that I thought I was going to have or that maybe I should have had. It put me in a mindset that when I came back here to Juventus, I was starting brand new. I’m going back to Juventus like it’s my first time. I have to prove myself all over again.”

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McKennie has seized a role in central midfield for the Bianconeri, starting 24 Serie A games this season and tallying seven league assists. Juventus are third in the Italian top flight, and seem well positioned to return to the Champions League ahead of the 2024-25 season.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MCKENNIE

The USMNT midfielder seems poised to be a part of the Juventus midfield going forward. He is set to feature on March 17, when his side take on Genoa.

Blessing Muzarabani, the two-metre tall, 21-year-old Zimbabwean quick, has made himself unavailable for international cricket to further his career in England. Muzarabani has played one Test, 18 ODIs and six T20Is for Zimbabwe, the latest against Pakistan in July.Muzarabani hasn’t specified any other reason for his hiatus from his home country, but the decision should sound a warning to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), which continues to negotiate a precarious administrative period.ZC is on financial life support from the ICC, with a drip-feed of funds forcing it to restructure its debt and downsize expenses. As a result, most ZC staff members will be without contracts from August 31, with only skeleton staff working for the domestic season that is slated for November.No other details of the tournament’s structure have been revealed, but ESPNcricinfo understands that fewer teams than last summer will feature. Rising Stars, the team formed from the Tatenda Taibu-run academy, of which Muzarabani was a part, are unlikely to take part. It was here that his raw pace and obvious promise was noticed, leading to his national call-up.Muzarabani went wicketless on Test debut – the four-day Boxing Day Test in South Africa – which Zimbabwe lost by an innings and 120 runs. He then played in an ODI tri-series including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in early 2018, in ODIs and T20s against Afghanistan in Sharjah, and in the World Cup Qualifiers.He also made himself available for the home triangular T20 tournament against Australia and Pakistan in June-July, despite not participating in the practice matches preceding those fixtures. At the time, he had featured for the second XIs for Derbyshire and Northamptonshire.”I wish my former team-mates and Zimbabwe Cricket all the very best for the future. I have been honoured to represent my country but feel this is an appropriate time for me to pursue other challenges both personally and professionally,” Muzarabani said in a statement.Muzarabani is the only player to make himself unavailable for the upcoming tours of South Africa and Bangladesh. This comes after five big-name internationals – Brendan Taylor, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza – refused to play in the home matches against Australia and Pakistan over non-payment of salaries.The ICC has since released a special payment to ZC to allow it to pay players and Taylor has confirmed he will make himself available again.

Rudi Second made a combative 94 again but South Africa A were bowled out with seven balls remaining on the final day

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu in Bengaluru07-Aug-20181:16

My job is to challenge the India A and U-19 teams – Dravid

South Africa A wicketkeeper-batsman Rudi Second wore down India A’s attack for the second time in the game and threatened to hold them off to a draw amid fading light at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. But Mohammed Siraj’s maiden first-class ten-wicket haul sewed up the hosts’ thrilling innings victory with 1.1 overs remaining on the final day.Yuzvendra Chahal, who was playing his first red-ball match since the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Jharkhand in 2016, bowled as many as nine front-foot no-balls in the game and struggled for rhythm, but he struck when it mattered, to nab Second and leave him six short of a hundred again.”Chahal has had a lot of success in white-ball cricket,” India A coach Rahul Dravid said after the win. “Even for us, I have been seeing from two-and-half years, when he first came to Australia, he wasn’t considered a red-ball player as such. But we wanted to give him opportunity to showcase how he does in red-ball cricket. It’s about what he can do in red-ball cricket and that’s really what A team is about. We are here to supplement and do what is best to make the national team stronger. We want to create good options for India team. Chahal, they [selectors] were very keen to know how he performs in red-ball cricket. The more he plays red-ball cricket, the more experience he gets.”When the last hour began, South Africa A were 286 for 7 in 115 overs, still facing a deficit of 52. Soon, Chahal trapped Second with a slider to break the game open for India A. Malusi Siboto, Beuran Hendricks and No. 11 Duanne Olivier ate up 93 balls collectively and ticked down the overs, defending resolutely. However, Siraj, who had set the game up for India, fittingly returned to provide the coup de grace.”Maturity is one thing [that stands out about Siraj],” Dravid said. The last three four-day games, in England and here has been terrific. To get 26 wickets in the last three games is terrific.”He is someone who has played very less first-class matches. He hasn’t been really part of the system as he hasn’t played much junior cricket. So he is learning all the time. So even in white-ball cricket I won’t be too harsh on him too quickly because he hasn’t played that much, maybe a little bit of IPL, he had one good season and then he was in and out. It’s been great to give him the chance to perform. He has been bowling in much better areas and he has grown better physically.”Such a tense finish did not appear as likely in the morning, when Vidarbha’s Rajneesh Gurbani had overnight batsman Zubayr Hamza jabbing a catch behind for 63. At that point, South Africa A were 121 for 5. The overnight rains in Bengaluru had juiced up a pitch that already provided seam movement and variable bounce to the bowlers. Siraj, Nitin Saini and Gurbani simply did their thing: throwing the bait outside off but the other South African batsmen showed greater restraint outside off.Second, who displayed the tightest defensive technique among the South African batsmen, however, held nothing back against the loose balls. He cracked a Chahal full-toss through midwicket and then eased him through the covers.While Chahal did turn some past the outside edge of Shaun von Berg, he could not find it. Whenever Chahal overpitched outside off, Second and von Berg leant into the drive and handsomely stroked the ball through the covers. Second also employed the flat, hard sweep effectively: the shot that brought him his fifty off 115 balls. Von Berg, who had conceded 107 in 20 overs with his legspin, had some joy with the bat and scored a fifty of his own.All told, the Indian bowlers could not find a way past Second and von Berg for 50.4 overs. They even resorted to the short-ball attack but the two batsmen evaded them or comfortably fended them off. Von Berg is a fairly competent batsman with five first-class hundreds to his name, and he reminded everyone of that when he slapped Siraj on the up through the covers.Gurbani then returned, after another spell of rain that had forced early tea, to have von Berg nicking off twice in two overs. While R Samarth dropped the first chance, a more difficult one diving to his left from slip, he pouched the second without any fuss at the same position. The reprieve cost India A nothing: von Berg’s innings ended on 50 off 175 balls, the sixth-wicket partnership on 119, the visitors’ only century stand in the match.Second continued to give South Africa A hope of pulling off a coup, when he stretched forward and drilled a drive between Siraj and wide mid-on for four in the 109th over. However, seven overs later, Chahal, who had frequently erred in lines and lengths in the first two sessions, finally found his groove and bowled an accurate flat dart to leave Second and his team heartbroken.

Wolverhampton Wanderers became a driving force in England behind signing and developing Portuguese talent under Nuno Espirito Santo, with an influx of players from his home nation welcomed to Molineux during his reign and beyond.

The influence of renowned agent Jorge Mendes made the Old Gold the ideal spot for both upcoming and certified talents from Liga Portugal, in the bid to make themselves known in the Premier League.

Some stars took the route with Nuno from the Championship to the top flight, with the likes of Ruben Neves making his name in the second tier before exerting his quality in the Premier League to eventually become captain and leave for £47m.

Neves’ success story was shared by a host of Portuguese talents at Molineux over the years, although not every talent from the nation had a similar outcome, with one name now playing back in the second tier in England.

Ruben Vinagre was one of the highly promising talents unearthed by Nuno from Portugal, and despite all the signs being there for the defender to thrive at Molineux, things didn’t quite go to plan for the full-back.

When did Wolves sign Ruben Vinagre?

Rewind to 2017 and Wolves had just announced the loan signing of 18-year-old Vinagre from Monaco’s academy, a versatile left-back who had joined the French outfit’s academy from Sporting CP in 2014.

It quickly became apparent how highly regarded the teenager’s talents were in Nuno’s side, as he recorded five consecutive appearances at the start of the Championship campaign playing at both left-back and left-midfield.

After the quick spell, the youngster’s game time became more sporadic as he continued to develop in both the youth and first team, however, he made his mark with his electric performances when called upon in the senior side.

On only his sixth appearance in the Championship, Vinagre registered his first goal for Wolves in fine fashion, highlighting just how dangerous of an element he could be to Nuno’s promotion-pushing squad.

By that summer, the Old Gold had secured promotion back to the big time and sealed the permanent signing of Vinagre from Monaco for a fee of just £2m, a worthy acquisition for a reliable young fringe player.

How did Ruben Vinagre perform at Wolves?

Despite the former Sporting CP starlet only making nine appearances in the second tier during his debut campaign, the manager’s faith in him was rewarded with 17 Premier League appearances in the 2018/19 season.

The versatile defender’s progression was highlighted the following year, as he became a more prominent member of the squad, as suggested by his 33 appearances in all competitions.

That term, the youngster was faced with a host of challenges to maintain his position in the pecking order at both left midfield and left back, finding himself in a duel with the likes of Jonny Otto throughout the campaign.

Speaking to the media during the season, Nuno was full of praise for the starlet, calling him a “massively important” member of the squad for his versatility, branding him as “special”.

As Wolves’ success began to grow, by reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League in the 2019/20 campaign, the need for added quality in the squad became a paramount target for Nuno in the transfer window.

The summer of 2020 proved to be pivotal for Vinagre’s future at Wolves, as the club welcomed two players deployable at left-back in Rayan Ait-Nouri and Marcal, automatically pushing the youngster further down the pecking order.

What happened to Ruben Vinagre?

In October 2020, Wolves sent the promising defender on loan to Olympiacos in a bid to continue his development away from Molineux, where the squad had been bolstered without his involvement in mind.

At the time, journalist Josh Bunting admitted he was sad to see the Portuguese leave England, explaining that he had shown “so much potential” during the time he spent discovering the boundaries of his game under Nuno.

Unfortunately for Vinagre, life in Greece did not go to plan, as he struggled for game time at Olympiacos, resulting in him returning to Wolves in December after just four appearances in all competitions.

The Old Gold sought the sanctuary of home comforts as the next destination for the defender to thrive, as he spent the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Portuguese side Famalicao.

The Wolves loanee was handed 20 Liga Portugal appearances during his time at the club, where he recorded three assists, which inspired his next journey in the summer of 2021 as he returned to his boyhood club of Sporting CP.

How much did Wolves sell Ruben Vinagre for?

In July 2022, the end of Vinagre’s critical time at Molineux came to a permanent end, as Sporting paid a fee of €10m (£8.5m) to welcome him back to Lisbon, where he remains as a player today.

Despite being a representative of the Lions, the full-back has played all of his football in England since his permanent transfer, however, the extent of his playing time is rather small.

Last summer, Vinagre returned to the Premier League to join Everton on a season-long loan, however after playing just 24 minutes of league football in the campaign, the Portuguese left Goodison wishing his time could’ve “been different”.

An achilles problem kept the 1999-born ace away from the action in what was a failed loan spell, resulting in him having to take a step backwards in order to push on again in the future.

Where is Ruben Vinagre now?

After returning to Portugal from Merseyside, the 24-year-old was shipped away once more to rediscover his form and fitness, returning to where it all began at senior level in England with the Championship.

Currently, the left-back is playing for Hull City on a season-long loan from Sporting, having made six appearances in the league so far for the Tigers in an encouraging start to the season.

With an average Sofascore rating of 6.53 in the Championship this term, it’s suggested that there is a long way to go for Vinagre to rediscover his level of performance on show at Wolves, but he is finally on the right path.

At times there was hope that Vinagre could be one of the best left-backs in England at Molineux, however, squad competition and failed loan spells have caused the 24-year-old to take a very different path back to the top.

Everyone at Wolves can only look back at the youngster’s time in the Midlands with fond memories, with the hope that he can fulfil the potential he showcased under Nuno’s guidance.

Thibaut Courtois has cast uncertainty over his future with the Belgium national team by publicly criticising manager Domenico Tedesco.

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• Tedesco and Courtois relationship strained
• Tedesco reveals he tried to mend relation
• Courtois calls coach a liar on X

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  When Courtois was not selected for the captaincy during Belgium's June 2018 matches against Austria and Estonia, the tension between him and Tedesco grew. Tedesco stated earlier today that his team will play without Courtois in the Euros despite his best efforts to patch things up with the goalkeeper. The Real Madrid shot-stopper responded with the 'liar' emoji to the Belgium boss' quotes on X.

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• WHAT TEDESCO SAID

  Talking to the media, Tedesco said [via Football Transfers]: “It's good that Courtois is fit again, but he communicated very clearly. We are focusing on the players who are here.

  “We plan our preparation based on his statements. I tried everything to take him to the European Championship this summer, but the last thing I heard was that he didn't feel ready to go. It was clear and honest on his part.”

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Courtois made his debut for the Red Devils back in 2011 at the age of just 19. He has since gone on to make 102 appearances for Belgium, making multiple appearances at World Cups and the Euros with the country's golden generation.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR COURTOIS?

  The Belgian is on the way back to action after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament earlier in the season, and could return to action for Carlo Ancelotti's side after the March international break.

Glasgow Rangers appointed just their 19th permanent manager in the club's history on the weekend as Philippe Clement joined the Ibrox side.

Following a woeful start to the current campaign under former manager Michael Beale, the Belgian faces a tough task in order to get a tune out of the current crop of players, where confidence appears to be low.

Hopefully, the new appointment will spark some inspiration across the squad, and with a clash against Hibernian to come this weekend, it represents an ideal chance for Clement to see where he stands with the first team.

Despite overhauling the playing squad in the summer, bringing in nine new faces to Ibrox, It's fair to say that Jack Butland has been a standout performer so far, saving 76% of the shots against him at Premiership level, out of Beale's business.

The likes of Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, and Sam Lammers have struggled to hit the ground running and perhaps found Scottish football harder than first anticipated.

It was not just his incomings that have been disappointing, as several players who became cult figures departed in the summer following the expiration of their contracts.

Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield, and Filip Helander all left following the end of last term and have since moved on to other clubs, yet it is the decision to release Alfredo Morelos that could come back to haunt the Gers, especially when you consider his current market value.

How much did Alfredo Morelos cost Rangers?

The Colombian striker was arguably the only positive aspect of the failed Pedro Caixinha reign. The Portuguese manager signed him from HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017 for a fee in the region of around £1m.

Spending that amount on a 20-year-old who had recently played in Finland seemed like a slight gamble, yet he had scored 46 goals in just 62 appearances for the Finish side and if there was something the Gers needed following the 2016/17 season, it was an out-and-out scorer.

Despite Caixinha being relieved of his duties just a few months later after the Light Blues suffered yet another poor start to the campaign, Morelos went on to become a shining light at the club, helping them return to the summit of Scottish football with some swashbuckling displays, not only in Scotland, but on the continent too.

What happened to Alfredo Morelos?

Early impressions were good, as he scored 18 goals during his first season, yet when Steven Gerrard took over ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, Morelos took to the next level.

The next two seasons saw him score 30 and 29 goals respectively across all competitions, and he began to make an impact across European ties for the Gers.

Across the 2019/20 Europa League season, he scored 14 goals in total and his efforts against Porto and Feyenoord were key in allowing the Ibrox side to secure some impressive results.

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Morelos even became the top European scorer in the club’s history the following season, scoring goal number 22 against Benfica, overtaking the record set by club icon Ally McCoist during the 1990s, and the very same season, he scored 11 Premiership goals to spearhead the club to their first title in a decade.

The world was at his feet, no doubt about it, yet the final two full seasons of his spell in Glasgow failed to really hit the notes of previous achievements.

18 goals followed under Giovanni van Bronckhorst during 2021/22, however a serious injury sustained in April 2022 while on international duty for Colombia ruled him out of the Scottish Cup and Europa League finals, which meant that he was forced to watch on as his team lost against Frankfurt in Seville.

The 5 foot 9 machine was hailed as being a “nightmare for defenders” by one former Premiership opponent who remained anonymous and, during his peak, he was a menace to opposition players in Scotland.

Morelos had everything in his locker, from a clinical nature in front of goal to showcasing his ability to play as a lone striker, holding up the ball well using his physical strength, and he left the club in the summer for nothing having scored just 12 goals all season.

How much is Alfredo Morelos worth now?

Since leaving Glasgow, Morelos initially struggled to secure a club for the new season, yet he found solace at Brazilian outfit Santos, who snapped up the former Gers hitman last month, yet offered a cryptic message to his fans via social media.

The striker said: "I will always be ready to be there for my friends in Royal Blue.

"This is not a final farewell but a see you later filled with hope. See you in the future Rangers."

Could we perhaps see the 27-year-old back at Ibrox in a playing capacity? Since his move to Brazil however, his market value now currently stands at €3.7m (£3.2m) according to Football Transfers, clearly indicating that it was a mistake letting him run down his contract and leave for nothing.

Indeed, this figure is lower than the €17.2m (£15m) he was valued at back in November 2021, yet it is perhaps unsurprising given his recent form in Scotland.

The Gers had opportunities to sell Morelos when he was at the peak of his powers, including rejecting a staggering £16.5m bid for him during the summer of 2020 from French side Lille.

The Colombian has made two appearances for his new club thus far, failing to get on the scoresheet in any of them, and it could take him a while to get up to speed having not completed a proper preseason.

Morelos was one of the Gers' finest strikers since the turn of the century, scoring 124 goals across 269 games for the Ibrox side, and it will be hard to replace his qualities. Clement will give fresh starts to the likes of Dessers and Danilo, yet early signs indicate that they have not demonstrated the vast potential that led Beale to bring them to Scotland.

Hopefully, Morelos can return to some sort of form during his spell in South America, and he may prove that Rangers had a shocker by letting his contract expire, given the lack of production from his successors and his current market value being more than £0 they let him leave for.