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After seeing the transfer window shut on Tuesday night, Aston Villa boss Dean Smith will be quickly turning his attentions towards his side’s next Premier League game against Chelsea.

While they may not have got the midfield signing they seemed to want – Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse was of course one of their main transfer targets – they will be getting Morgan Sanson when he returns from injury.

But while the January signing will be hoping to finally make his mark on the first-team after seeing his first few months interrupted, Smith should instead look to unleash Carney Chukwuemeka.

The 17-year-old has already been pictured in Aston Villa’s first-team colours this season, appearing in both the Premier League and Carabao Cup.

Question remarks remain about whether he will be a permanent member of the starting line-up when Villa get all their players back from various issues, but Chukwuemeka certainly has the natural talent and ability to keep his place.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has already suggested “Chukwuemeka will have a big role” to play, while former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has previously urged Smith to throw Chukwuemeka into the deep end with the first-team.

He exclusively told FFC: “I kind of go off the fans’ views – I know he’s been scoring goals in the Under-18s. When someone is scoring goals, they’ve showed they’re a massive threat, it does attract football clubs and when you’re getting Manchester City and United hovering around the vicinity and are trying to take the young players away.

“This is where I feel if he’s that good we need to see him filtered through to the first team especially at this stage of the season. We’ve seen the likes of Louie Barry, who I felt would have had more of a chance this season, and I would put him in that category. I’d like to see more of him playing, because if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.”

The 6 foot 1 starlet is beginning to fill out in his physical frame, and that only bodes well for his chances of acclimatising to the rigours of the Premier League.

He’s already got a taster of football at the highest level. Now it’s time for Smith to unleash him, even despite the impending return of Sanson.

Meanwhile, Villa had a howler on transfer deadline day…

Andrew Strauss has been appointed as England’s captain for the entire tour of the West Indies, 24 hours after being unveiled as the new Test skipper. He will work alongside the current coaching set-up, headed by Andy Flower, although according to an ECB statement, his one-day captaincy will be reviewed at the end of the tour, leaving open the possibility that England could yet seek their fourth captain in 12 months should results not go to plan.”The selectors feel that it is important to have stability and continuity on the Caribbean tour given the events of the last few days,” said England’s national selector, Geoff Miller. “Andrew and I have also agreed that we will review the one-day captaincy at the end of the tour. Andrew is extremely comfortable with that.”Strauss was the stand-out choice to succeed Kevin Pietersen in the longer form of the game, but admitted that the situation regarding the one-day job remained “in a state of flux”. He has not been a part of England’s ODI set-up since being dropped during their ill-fated World Cup campaign in the Caribbean two years ago.In 78 ODIs to date, Strauss averages 31.98 with a strike-rate of 75.82 runs per hundred balls, which compares favourably to the record of his former captain, Michael Vaughan, who averaged 27.15 from 86 matches, with a strike-rate of 68.39.His efforts also compare favourably to the current ODI opener, Ian Bell, whose average (35.47) is higher, but whose strike rate (72.36) is lower. One of England’s current top-order will have to make way to accommodate the new captain, and that man could be Bell, whose form fell away badly on the recent tour of India. Strauss has two ODI centuries to his name, with a highest score of 152 against Bangladesh in 2005.”I am delighted to lead the team in the one-day Internationals and Twenty20. I know I haven’t played an ODI since the end of the World Cup in 2007 but I do feel that I have something to offer in that form of the game,” Strauss said. “Now this situation has been resolved we can now all unite and get about the business of winning cricket matches for England and winning them consistently.”Should the West Indies series, which comprises five ODIs and a Twenty20 international, not go to plan, the other alternative would be to revert to the split captaincy format, with Paul Collingwood the likeliest choice to resume the role he relinquished in favour of Pietersen back in August.Strauss will be supported in the Caribbean by Flower, England assistant coach, and Phil Neale, England team operations manager as well as England’s other specialist coaches and support staff. Although no official interim appointment has been made, Cricinfo understands that Flower will be the senior man in the coaching hierarchy, and has been named, along with Strauss, as one of the three selectors on tour.The ECB refused to comment on reports in The Guardian that Pietersen had wanted Flower removed from his post along with Peter Moores, though Cricinfo understands that Flower has since sought assurances from the ECB about his long-term future in the England set-up, and remains in the frame to take over the role on a full-time basis.Hugh Morris, England cricket’s managing director, said: “We have a backroom team with a proven track record. They will all work very closely with Andrew Strauss during this tour with the sole aim of securing success in the Test, ODI and T20 matches.”A successful tour will enhance Flower’s prospects of securing the full-time role, although competition could yet come from the Western Australia coach, Tom Moody, who did not rule out his candidature while speaking to reporters in Perth.”You’d look at anything,” said Moody. “This day and age, you’re not going to turn your back on any opportunity, [but] I’m very happy here in Perth, [the] family is settled, I’ve got a great job, enjoying what I’m doing. I’ve got no reason to be looking further afield.”Meanwhile Moores has spoken for the first time since losing his job. In a brief interview with Sky Sports News, Moores described the events of the past week as “interesting” and said that a full statement would be coming out shortly. On the subject of Pietersen, Moores buried any animosity saying: “Kevin’s got to go on, hopefully, and I want to see a successful England team.”

Tottenham boss Nuno Santo has dropped a frustrating injury update ahead of the club’s Premier League clash with Wolves today.

Joe Rodon is yet to feature for Spurs in a competitive match this season due to injury and Santo has now confirmed that he will be unavailable for selection against Bruno Lage’s team on Sunday.

The Portuguese head coach has admitted that it is a disappointing blow as the defender needs to get minutes under his belt.

He told Tottenham’s official website:

“Joe missed the game (at Pacos de Ferreira), and that was disappointing for us because he’s one of the players who needs to play, who needs to get real competition time. He’s better, but not well enough to join us on Sunday.”

As Santo says himself, Rodon is in need of regular game time and Spurs fans will surely be annoyed that he continues to watch on from the sidelines.

Instead of getting the vital experience that he needs, he continues to sit in the stands with an injury watching others get their chance.

The Welsh international has shown signs of having the potential to be a very good player at Premier League level, but his opportunities have been few and far between since arriving from Championship side Swansea.

Ex-Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink hailed Rodon as a ‘proper Spurs player’ after a performance against the Blues in the Premier League last season. He told Sky Sports, via Wales Online:

“He looks like a proper Spurs player, a centre-half, nothing fazes him, he put his head in when needed. You have to be comfortable on the ball because you want to control the game.

“I like that he gets up straight away and gets on with it because that tells me he is hard enough.”

He only made 12 appearances (eight starts) in the league for Spurs last season, averaging an impressive SofaScore rating of 6.97. The 23-year-old won 73% of his duels and was only dribbled past once in 12 games, whilst making 1.8 interceptions per match.

This shows that he has the potential to be a reliable performer at the top level, but that is of no use to Spurs if he is not getting out on the pitch because of injuries.

Fans will be hoping that his issues clear up in the weeks to come and that he is able to get himself into a position where he can challenge for the starting XI.

AND in other news, “Spend it on..” – Exclusive: Graham Roberts drops bold verdict on Tottenham’s striker search…

Manchester United are one of several Premier League clubs to have held talks with the representatives of Barcelona midfielder Ilaix Moriba, according to reports.

What’s the story?

90min claim a host of English sides have been in dialogue over a possible summer transfer, with all of the traditional ‘Big Six’ being offered the highly-rated 18-year-old’s services.

Moriba has entered the final 12 months of his current contract at Camp Nou and has so far been unable to agree terms on a fresh deal with his boyhood club.

As a result, the teenager has been banished to the reserves this year, leaving Barca searching for a potential buyer so he doesn’t leave for free next summer.

Solskjaer would love him

Moriba only made his senior debut for the Blaugrana in January 2021 but quickly established himself as one of La Liga’s most exciting, young talents following a string of impressive performances.

His talents had been well-known within the club for many years, though, and former Barcelona B manager Garcia Pimienta showered him and Konrad de la Fuente in praise last summer.

“Both Ilaix and Konrad have been decisive. Ilaix has a lot of merit because he is a first-year youth, but Konrad is third, and in such an important match they have shown that they have an incredible future,” said Pimienta.

“Today, they have given a brutal performance. They have made a very complete match. This shows that they are competitive, winners, with Barca DNA and with a future to be in this club. Hopefully, in the future, they will be first-team players.”

However, financial difficulties and off-field issues have seen De la Fuente leave the Catalan giants for Marseille already in the current window, and now the £22.5m-rated Moriba could be set to follow him out of the exit door.

During his time at United, Solskjaer has returned to the club’s traditional premise of placing faith in young stars rising through the ranks.

The likes of Mason Greenwood, Brandon Williams and Dean Henderson have been rewarded with extended runs in the first-team setup under the Norwegian tactician over the last two-and-a-half years, and he would surely love to have another talented prodigy on his hands.

Whether United can get this deal over the line remains to be seen, but the supporters and Solskjaer alike will surely be hoping that an agreement can be met between the appropriate parties.

Given his age and potential, he appears to be a perfect fit for the United boss’ apparent desire to fill his team with promising young talents.

And, in other news…Forget Bruno: £54m-rated monster who made 5 key passes was Man Utd’s unsung hero 

Delhi Giants beat Chandigarh Lions 2-0 in a bowl-out in a high-scoring ICL encounter in Panchkula where both teams scored 200

Cricinfo staff05-Nov-2008
Scorecard

Monish Mishra’s 44-ball 81 for Delhi earned him the Man-of-the-Match © ICL
Undoubtedly the best match of the tournament so far. It had all the makings – both teams scoring big, a last-ball tie and a nervy bowl-out. In the end, it was Delhi who emerged victorious, winning the bowl-out 2-0. It was a gutsy performance after Chandigarh looked to have the match wrapped up after posting 200, the second-highest score of the tournament.Delhi, however, miss out on semi-final spot, as they could climb as far up as fifth in the points table with the win in this, their last match. Chandigarh would be gutted after this performance but may still make the semis with a win against Ahmedabad and other results going their way.The Chandigarh openers justified captain Andrew Hall’s decision to bat first. Sarabjit Singh and TP Singh were in unforgiving mood as they launched into Shane Bond and TP Sudhindra early on. Sudhindra in particular came in for some punishment from TP, being hit for two and four boundaries in his second and third overs respectively.TP looked to be a man possessed as he raced to his fifty off 22 balls, while Sarabjit ably assisted him at the other end. Chandigarh were looking at a mammoth total at the half-way stage with the score on 95. But Benkenstein had TP caught by Mishra in the eleventh over.Newest recruit Graeme Hick walked in and it was in Benkenstein’s next over that he smashed four fours. Sarabjit brought up his fifty with a six off Abid Nabi as Chandigarh stepped on the accelerator with the score on 157 and four overs to go.But Bond, introduced back into the attack removed Hick and new man Lou Vincent in successive balls as Delhi looked to claw back. Murtaza’s twin strikes the next over pegged back Chandigarh further. Chetan Sharma became the first man in the tournament to be given out obstructing the field as Chandigarh finished on 200.Undaunted by the huge target, Monish Mishra gave Delhi the perfect start hitting Hall for three consecutive fours in the first over. Similar treatment was dished out for Ishan Malhotra in his first over. The bowler was then plundered for 24 in his next as Delhi raced to 68 in five overs. Mishra brought up his fifty with a four off Hall, while Avishka Gunawardene held up the other end well as Delhi reached 109 after 10 overs.But in the 11th over, Mishra was stumped off Rajesh Sharma for 81. His 44-ball innings comprised 10 fours and three sixes. Abhinav Bali and Gunawardene looked to reduce the runs required-balls remaining margin. However, a cameo from Abbas Ali edged Delhi closer after TP had accounted for Bali in the 17th over with the score on 167.But it was the last over from Hall which provided the heart-stopping moment. He bowled a fuller length, castling Gunawardene off the second ball, as the equation finally reduced to five off the last ball. Nixon turned it to fine leg to bring the scores level and set up a bowl-out.Chandigarh were disappointing in the bowl-out with Bipul Sharma, Chetan Sharma, Daryl Tuffey and Andrew Hall failing to hit the stumps. But hits from Ali Murtaza and Dhruv Mahajan were enough to hand Delhi victory.

Steve Howey doesn’t reckon that Arsenal would be a step down for James Maddison despite the difference in league positions between the Gunners and Leicester in recent seasons.

Maddison has become a key part of the Leicester side that have overtaken Arsenal in the top-six after two consecutive fifth-place finishes.

The two have won the last two FA Cups, but Mikel Arteta’s team came ninth last season, and failed to qualify for Europe for the first time for more than two decades.

In contrast, whilst Leicester squandered another chance to finish in the top-four, they at least secured Europa League football once again.

Despite the current gap between the two teams, the Guardian believe that the England midfielder would be open to moving to the Emirates this summer, with Arsenal themselves looking to bring in a creator after Martin Odegaard returned to Real Madrid.

Given the respective performances of the two clubs since Brendan Rodgers arrived, these links might come as a surprise, but Howey sees it otherwise.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Players obviously want to play in Europe, but let’s be honest, Arsenal are a huge club. Arsenal are looked upon as a prestigious club, the bright lights of London.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s a step down.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A Federação Bahiana de Futebol (FBF) confirmou na manhã desta segunda-feira a decisão de manter a proibição da entrada da torcida visitante no clássico Ba-Vi, nas finais do Campeonato Baiano.

De acordo com a Federação, os episódios de violência nas semifinais da Copa do Nordeste influenciaram diretamente na decisão do3º Promotor de Justiça do Consumidor, Olímpio Campinho Junior, de não liberar o retorno da torcida mista.

Neste último domingo, o Bahia superou o Vitória pelo placar de 2 a 0, na Arena Fonte Nova, e garantiu sua vaga na final da Copa do Nordeste. Ao término da partida, quando jogadores e comissão técnica caminhavam para os vestiários, um desentendimento gerou uma grande confusão, inclusive, com agressões verbais e físicas. Antes, no primeiro duelo, no Barradão, o clima também esquentou dentro de campo. Felizmente, não houve relatos de violência entre os torcedores.

Com parte dos portões fechados, os jogos da final do Baianão acontecerão nos próximos dias. Na quarta-feira, dia 3, o Bahia volta a receber o Vitória, às 21h45 (de Brasília), na Arena Fonte Nova. No domingo, o confronto acontece no Barradão, às 16h (de Brasília), com a presença apenas de torcedores do Vitória. Dono da melhor campanha da primeira fase, o Rubro-Negro tem a vantagem de jogar por dois empates ou resultados com mesmo saldo de gols.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalArgel explica confusão após término do clássico Ba-Vi na Fonte NovaFutebol Nacional30/04/2017PalmeirasCom Hernane lesionado, Bahia está de olho em Alecsandro, do PalmeirasPalmeiras01/05/2017Futebol NacionalBahia vence o Vitória e garante a vaga na final da Copa do NordesteFutebol Nacional30/04/2017

Ross Taylor is many things: gifted, certainly; confident of course. Predictable? Perhaps not. Yet on a day which saw four New Zealand wickets fall, his breathless 67 has given his side the edge when England had their tails up. When bad light forced an ear

The Bulletin by Will Luke23-May-2008
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Brendon McCullum is expertly held by Paul Collingwood at first slip © Getty Images
Ross Taylor is many things: gifted, certainly; confident of course. Predictable? Perhaps not. Yet on a day which saw four New Zealand wickets fall, his breathless 67 has given his side the edge when England had their tails up. When bad light forced an early close, New Zealand had reached a reasonably comfortable 202 for 4 with Taylor not-out.His 52-ball fifty, his fourth in Tests, staved off a resurgent afternoon bowling performance England who, led by the tireless Ryan Sidebottom, reduced New Zealand from a solid 80 without loss to a shaky 123 for 4. What made Taylor’s performance all the more impressive was its speed and range of strokes; as ever, he was in top gear from the off, and while his detractors must find it infuriating when a crunching drive finds extra cover’s gleeful hands, they can’t complain on days like today when the gaps were threaded with such precision and panache. Brendon McCullum had fallen for 11, and Jacob Oram batted like a blindman in a hurricane. New Zealand needed Taylor, and he duly responded.He was indebted to New Zealand’s openers, however. In the past four years, the team has tried 14 different pairs at the top of the order – never with any consistent success – but, at last, they might have found one. For now, at least. Jamie How and Aaron Redmond’s attacking partnership was New Zealand’s first of fifty or more since How and Craig Cumming in 2006, and their highest since Stephen Fleming and Mark Richardson put on 163 at Trent Bridge four years ago. Little evidence was seen of Redmond’s stickability at Lord’s, but there was plenty this morning. Indeed, perhaps the most telling aspect of the passage was the pair’s dismissive attitude of Monty Panesar, who took 18 cheap wickets in two Tests at the ground prior to today, who was introduced after just 37 unimpressive minutes of mediocre fast bowling. The Old Trafford pitch, famed for its pace, played like a pudding.Panesar was hurried into the attack, but in spite of his excellent record at the ground, not even he could stem the flow of runs – even with the grip he gained. This, though, was due in part to a clear policy of attack from both batsmen, Remond lifting him over the top for a brutal four before How swept him over midwicket, nearly for six. New Zealand weren’t just staving off England’s attack: they were dominating, and How brought up his third fifty from 75 balls with a calm tuck off his hip. Panesar was nullified and muted. So was a perplexed Michael Vaughan.Enter Sidebottom and, for the umpteenth time since his remarkable international renaissance last year, the game was suddenly changed. Replacing Stuart Broad 20 minutes before lunch, Sidebottom brought himself around the wicket and found several deliveries to move away from Redmond. But, in a brilliant set-up, he moved one back into the right-hander who fatally shouldered arms, the ball clipping his off bail. England weren’t done yet: in Sidebottom’s next over, again around the wicket, he straightened one from wide of the crease into Marshall’s pads, and England had their second wicket to levy the balance.Whatever England enjoyed for lunch clearly did the trick. Anderson – so insipid in the morning – bowled with genuine hostility and fire, removing How for 64 with a fine outswinger. McCullum threatened, as he always will, clattering Panesar over the top. However, Panesar out-thought him with a wonderfully flighted delivery that stopped on McCullum, his thick edge parrying off Tim Ambrose’s gloves to Paul Collingwood at first slip who held a skilful catch to his right. New Zealand’s promising start had been ripped apart from 80 without loss to a precarious 123 for 4.The real excitement came from Anderson, though. On a pitch greased up by persistent Manchester drizzle, he tore into Daniel Flynn and Taylor and although he leaked runs, no batsman looked comfortable against him. A vicious, straight bouncer hurried onto Flynn who couldn’t snap his head out of the way, the ball hammering into (and removing) his left front tooth. It was a ferocious, bloody blow and he was forced to retire. Most intriguingly of all, Oram – masterful at Lord’s last week – was similarly nervous and incompetent against Anderson’s continued barrage of short-pitched brutes. Time after time he fended bouncers off his gloves (one of which cannoned off his helmet) and, as tea approached, he looked remarkably hapless for a man fresh from a Test hundred at Lord’s.What a contrast it was, then, to see Taylor pound his way to fifty. A straight drive off Anderson oozed class; a firm cut off Panesar demonstrated his feet were moving nicely; his natural petulant aggression came through with a monstrous pull over midwicket before two memorable cuts, hit with astonishing power, took him to fifty. Broad, like Anderson, was guilty of overpitching and Taylor – unlike any of his team-mates – had found sublime timing upon which to capitalise. His and Oram’s fifth-wicket fifty came from 75 momentum-grasping balls.Manchester’s mizzle threatened for much of the afternoon and eventually bad light called off play shortly before tea. New Zealand go into the second day with their noses just about in front, keenly aware of the need for a big first innings.

استقر إيهاب جلال المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الأول، على استدعاء 7 لاعبين من فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي للمعسكر المقبل.

طالع | قائمة منتخب مصر النهائية لمباراتي غينيا وإثيوبيا.. سداسي زملكاوي وتأجيل الإعلان عن لاعبي الأهلي

ويخوض منتخب مصر معسكرًا يتخلله مباراتي غينيا وإثيوبيا في الجولتين الأولى والثانية من التصفيات المؤهلة إلى كأس أمم إفريقيا، بالإضافة إلى ودية أمام كوريا الجنوبية.

وقرر الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر استدعاء: محمد الشناوي، ياسر إبراهيم، أيمن أشرف، حمدي فتحي، عمرو السولية، محمد عبد المنعم، ومحمد مجدي أفشة.

كما قرر الجهاز الفني استدعاء كريم حافظ المحترف في يني ملطية سبور التركي .

وانطلق منتخب مصر الفراعنة في 30 من مايو الجاري، ويستمر حتى الرابع عشر من يونيو المقبل.

يذكر، أن الأهلي قد خسر نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام الوداد البيضاوي المغربي بثنائية مقابل هدف، في اللقاء الذي أقيم على ملعب مركب محمد الخامس مساء الأثنين.

An update has emerged regarding Aston Villa’s pursuit of Caleb Chukwuemeka…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, League Two side Northampton have turned down an offer from Aston Villa for Caleb Chukwuemeka.

The report claims Villa are keen on landing the brother of their current academy forward Carney Chukwuemeka, but the Cobblers have been unwilling to play ball thus far. He is out of contract at the end of the year and Villa could snap him up on a free transfer in the January window.

Smith would be excited

Johan Lange must ensure that he can secure a deal for Chukwuemeka. The young forward appears to be a talented young prospect and could be a good addition to the youth rank at the club, with a view to him becoming a first-team player in the future.

However, that does not mean that Lange must go all out to sign him immediately. With his contract expiring at the end of the year, Villa have the opportunity to be patient and bide their time with him. They could allow Northampton to keep him until the end of his deal and then sign him for a compensation fee in 2022, bypassing the need to negotiate directly with the League Two club now.

That is only if they are unable to find a workable solution to his issue this summer. It would be ideal for Villa to get him in as quickly as possible as they could then decide on the perfect next step for the forward, rather than needing to do it midway through next season. For example, if they bring him in before the end of the current window they could decide to either send him back to the Cobblers or find a better club for his development.

Northampton boss Keith Curle labeled him as unorthodox but said that he has an exciting element to his game and is able to express himself on the pitch.

Curle told the Northampton Chronicle:

“Caleb has got an unpredictability about him and he can be unorthodox at times.”What we’re trying to do is get the fundamentals in place in his play without taking away that excitement and that freedom in his play.”Part of his foundation within his play is that he’s allowed to express himself but he also needs to work on retaining possession and keeping the ball. But when you turn and you’re facing the goal, go and play.”Smith would be excited to work with the youngster to develop him further. The 5 foot 10 gem made 28 appearances in all competitions for Northampton last term. In that time, he scored twice and assisting one goal. This shows that, whilst the end product is not there yet, he is able to play consistently at senior level.Therefore, he could be a promising talent and one Smith would like to coach in the coming years, which is why he will be delighted if Lange can get him through the door.AND in other news, talkSPORT drop promising update on “phenomenal” Aston Villa star, fans surely buzzing…