There has been an update in Manchester United's pursuit of Napoli sensation, Kim Min-jae…

What's the latest on Kim Min-jae to Man United?

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, the Red Devils are seemingly close to reaching an agreement with the 26-year-old regarding personal terms.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Man Utd made important progress for Kim (Napoli). Talks with the [Korean] player are at the good stage, not far from reaching a long-term agreement.

"On the club's side, MUFC are thinking to pay the release clause to anticipate the competition that is becoming fierce".

As per 90min, that release clause is believed to be in the region of €45m (£39m) and is set to be active in the first two weeks of the summer transfer window, although a €60m (£53m) offer outside of that period could also be accepted by the Serie A champions.

Would Kim Min-jae be a good signing for Man United?

With club captain Harry Maguire seemingly on his way out and with Raphael Varane having been hampered by injury at times over the last two years, it is no doubt wise for manager Erik Ten Hag to be contemplating making a marquee, centre-back addition this summer.

In Kim, the Dutchman could well be acquiring a figure who "truly is the best centre back in the world" – according to manager Luciano Spalletti – with the South Korean star having played a vital role in Napoli's Scudetto success in 2022/23.

The former Fenerbahce man notably kept 14 clean sheets in 35 league games for Spalletti's side, while also showcasing his defensive prowess after averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in that time.

The "dominant" asset – as hailed by writer Neal Gardner – is a truly menacing asset in the air as he ranks in the top 14% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won, with the 47-cap ace no doubt aided by his towering, 6 foot 3 frame.

The addition of the £54k-per-week rock would certainly help to add further steel to Ten Hag's current spine, with the former Ajax boss having already reaped the rewards of bringing in the menacing presence of Casemiro last summer.

Like Kim, the £70m man is a true master at winning possession back for his side as he finished joint-fourth in the Premier League with regard to tackles made (89), while also ranking in the top 3% among his European peers for aerial duels won.

An additional element that has also been an added bonus for United is the Brazilian's quality in possession, with the 31-year-old having created seven big chances so far this term in the top flight, as well as averaging one key pass per game.

That quality on the ball is also shared by Kim, with the one-time Beijing Guoan man ranking in the top 12% for both progressive passes and progressive carries, illustrating his ability to play out from the back with ease.

As such, it would certainly be a mouthwatering prospect to have both the Napoli titan and Casemiro lining up in tandem at the Theatre of Dreams next season, such is the pair's destructive and ball-playing brilliance.

حقق فريق إنبي فوزًا هامًا أمام المقاولون العرب بهدف دون رد، مساء اليوم في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وأقيمت مباراة إنبي والمقاولون العرب على ملعب الأخير في الجبل الأخضر ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ12 من الدوري المصري.

وسجل أحمد خليل كالوشا هدف فوز إنبي أمام المقاولون العرب في الدقيقة 50، بعد تلقيه عرضية عن طريق محمد حمدي حولها رأسية داخل المرمى. هدف فوز إنبي أمام المقاولون العرب في الدوري المصري 

وبهذه النتيجة يتصدر إنبي جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 22 نقطة، جمعها من الفوز في 7 لقاءات والتعادل في مواجهة وحيدة وتلقى 4 هزائم.

بينما تجمد رصيد المقاولون العرب عند 7 نقاط حصدها من الفوز في لقاء وحيد والتعادل في 4 مواجهات وتلقى 6 هزائم.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Moises Caicedo has been promised he can leave this summer with Arsenal still keen on a transfer.

What are the latest Arsenal transfer rumours?

With the Premier League season now all wrapped up, the 2022/23 campaign is completely finished for the Gunners and minds can now focus on preparations for the future.

Key midfielder Granit Xhaka is expected to be one of the first departures at the Emirates this summer and so a new midfielder or two will likely come in, with Declan Rice a key target.

As well as the West Ham captain, it's known that Arsenal had their eye on Brighton star Caicedo in the winter but failed with a £70m bid.

Since then, the midfielder has signed a new four-year contract reportedly worth £60k-p/w which could mean he's off the market.

However, while speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Roberto de Zerbi will let Caicedo go even though there is no release clause in his deal.

He explained (2:42): "For Caicedo, there is no release clause but Roberto De Zerbi promised him that when in January Arsenal approached Brighton with £60m and then a £70m second bid (add-ons included), he told the player: 'Stay here with us until the end of the season, and we will sell you in the summer'.

"This was the plan, this was promised to the player and so very respectful from Roberto De Zerbi."

Is there a release clause in Caicedo's contract?

It seems De Zerbi will be a man of his word as he all but accepted Caicedo and teammate Alexis Mac Allister will go this summer.

After Birghton's last game, he told BBC Sport: "I think that can be the last game of Alexis and Moises, I'm really sorry. They are two great people and two great players."

"The policy of Brighton is like this," added De Zerbi. "I think it's right they can leave, can change teams and play in a level higher.

"We are ready. We have to find others big players to play without Alexis and Moises."

However, the situation is more complicated with Caicedo, as Mac Allister has some detail in his contract which will allow him to go – though the details are unclear as to how exactly works as it's not a standard release clause.

But as Caicedo doesn't have that, it will be completely up to Brighton if they keep him this summer but after De Zerbi's promise, it sounds as though the door is open for Arsenal to make their move.

Leeds United may still be completely unsure of the division they'll find themselves in next season but that hasn't stopped reports linking them with big-money new signings ahead of the summer window.

One man who has been linked with a move to Elland Road recently is Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli, and the 21-year-old could prove to be a dream successor to Wilfried Gnonto, should he move on to bigger things.

Could Leeds sign Abde Ezzalzouli this summer?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Leeds would be willing to pay €40m (£35m) to sign the Morocco international this summer as Barcelona look to cash in on some of their young talents in order to balance the financial books.

The Yorkshire outfit have been linked with him in the past, with reports claiming that Leeds held talks with his agent in April, which suggests that he is certainly on their shortlist of potential signings ahead of the summer.

The prospect of spending so much with an impending relegation seems unlikely but if Leeds were able to retain their Premier League status this season, perhaps they could invest some money in Ezzalzouli, in the hope that he could reach his potential at Elland Road.

Should he arrive at Leeds, he could prove to be a replacement for Gnonto, who looks increasingly likely to depart after catching the eye in his debut campaign in England, with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea all linked with his signing.

Would Ezzalzouli be a good replacement for Gnonto?

While Gnonto has endured an up-and-down season with Leeds that started so promisingly before he was inexplicably benched by Javi Gracia, he does boast two goals and four assists in just 22 appearances so far this term.

An exciting dribbler who likes to cut inside, the Italy international has consistently gotten Leeds fans off their seats in another disappointing campaign, and it would be frustrating for fans to lose him after just one season in Yorkshire.

However, Ezzalzouli – also known as Ez Abde – could be a similarly exciting prospect for the Elland Road outfit given that he has already made 12 appearances for Barcelona's first team, and has contributed six goals and two assists in a loan spell with Osasuna this term, with Barca boss Xavi singing his praises last season.

"Extraordinary Abde, Gavi and Nico. They are supporting the team in difficult moments. The effort is extraordinary. Young people make a difference and that is difficult to digest. It is positive and negative because they will not always perform excellently because they are young," he said.

"Abde’s game is spectacular, and also Nico and Gavi’s. Abde is a differential player. He can make a difference, it is not because of the goal. He is a dagger. A marvel."

Like Gnonto, the Moroccan's most dangerous attribute is arguably his dribbling as WhoScored suggests that he is very strong at it, so the youngster could be a dream replacement in this Leeds side, should they fail to keep hold of their Italian teenage wonderkid this summer.

Ravi Shastri, the former India captain who served as the team director between 2014 and 2016, has said that the Lodha Committee should continue having a “dialogue” with the BCCI, rather than pushing it into a corner

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Sep-20164:25

‘Some Lodha recommendations could take Indian cricket backwards’

Ravi Shastri, the former India captain who served as the team director between 2014 and 2016, has said that the Lodha Committee should continue having a “dialogue” with the BCCI. Shastri also suggested that the committee should not “push” the board into a corner over the implementation of reforms as that could prove to be “detrimental” to Indian cricket in the long run.”If you try and push it immediately it might just be detrimental at this moment of time,” Shastri told his former India team-mate and co-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar during an interaction that was part of India’s 500th Test celebrations. “There are certain areas where I thought you can still have a dialogue with the Lodha Committee because those are things, if applied, it could take the game back. It could be detrimental.”Since the release of the Lodha Committee’s report in January this year, the BCCI has been stoutly defending its position that some of the recommendations would damage Indian cricket on the field as well as financially. However, the Supreme Court on July 18 upheld the committee’s report, making it mandatory for the BCCI to implement most of the recommendations. The committee has set two deadlines for BCCI and state associations – September 30 and December 30 – to implement the recommendations, failing which the board and its state units could be held in contempt of court.Shastri said that he did not agree with the recommendations of a three-year cooling-off period for administrators, an age cap of 70 years for officials, and trimming of the national selection panel from five to three members. Incidentally, the BCCI had also declared its reservations on the cooling-off period and age-cap recommendations.Shastri termed the three-year cooling-off period harsh and believed it could dissuade players who wanted to move into cricket administration. Instead, he suggested, administrators could be allowed an initial term of six years.”Why would I want to join the BCCI? Why would any player want to join the BCCI? If I have an idea that is something constructive that I can do, contribute [and] in three years you are telling me to go. What can anyone achieve in three years? How do I know the guy after [me will be] competent enough? If I have done a competent job, I should be respected for my competency. Six years is no harm. After that, if you have to sit out for three years [and] come back for another six, fair enough.”Shastri opposed the age cap for administrators saying there was “no substitute” for experience. “We have got a couple of guys in the board [who are] 70-plus but then, forget a youngster, they’ll give anyone from any field a run for their money. I am not targeting anyone or anything,” he said. “I have seen them working, people know who I am talking about. They are outstanding.”Shastri also supported the BCCI’s decision to stick to a five-member national selection panel, instead of the three-member panel suggested by the Lodha Committee. At its annual general meeting earlier this week, the BCCI appointed a new five-member selection panel chaired by former India wicketkeeper MSK Prasad. Shastri stated that applying a model practised by countries like Australia was not suitable for a more densely populated country like India.”When I played the game, I thought three selectors was enough. But today the way the game has evolved, with the three formats of the game, the interest that exists in the country, the combined number of people that play the game in India is more than the population of all the countries that play cricket together,” he said. “So if Australia has three selectors that is fine – they have 17-20 million people. Here you are asking the poor guy too much. He will get serious travel miles. He will go from one end to other end of the country and still not be able to do the job. I think five is still in order.”Shastri said there was no need for a “boxing bout” between the committee and the BCCI. “It shouldn’t be like a boxing bout. A genuine effort should be made ideally from both parties to have a dialogue on certain things. Most of the recommendations are anyway accepted and the board is trying to do something.”Shastri feared that if the Lodha Committee remained adamant, Indian cricket could be set back by “five years”.”If things were that bad, you wouldn’t have achieved what you have achieved. We are celebrating the 500th Test match,” he said. “You won two World Cups. You were the No.1 team in the world. So all cannot be wrong. Yes, there might have been areas where you need a whack on the backside to be corrected.”We want Indian cricket to carry on. We don’t want it to go back by five years. We don’t want this team to suffer after five years. There will be total chaos. Other teams will get the upper hand. And then again you will have to try and climb up the ladder.”

Manchester United are seemingly set to rekindle their interest in Juventus midfielder, Adrien Rabiot, having missed out on a move for the contract rebel last summer.

What's the latest on Rabiot to Man United?

According to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, United boss Erik ten Hag is said to be an admirer of the 28-year-old ahead of the summer transfer window, with the former Paris Saint-Germain maestro set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season amid his expiring contract in Turin.

Writing on Twitter, the respected insider revealed: "Manchester United are still interested in Adrien Rabiot after talks collapsed last summer, appreciated by ten Hag. Nothing advanced yet as there are many clubs in the race [Bayern like him] and timing depends on club sale. Juve offered him new deal but still unlikely."

As Romano noted, the Red Devils saw a move for the 6 foot 3 ace collapse back in August due to the player's hefty wage demands, despite having agreed a deal for a reported fee of just £15m with the Serie A giants.

Should Man United sign Rabiot?

Talk is rife at present regarding the prospect of potential high-profile midfield additions at Old Trafford, with the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel revealing on Wednesday that the Carabao Cup winners are set to "launch" a £55m bid for Chelsea's, Mason Mount.

As The Athletic's David Ornstein also revealed, the England international is said to be "leaning" towards a move to the Theatre of Dreams if the Blues are to sanction a sale, with the 24-year-old facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge with just 12 months to run on his existing deal.

It would certainly be a bold move if Ten Hag was to swoop for both Mount and Rabiot ahead of next season, with the pair able to provide real quality depth to United's current options in the centre of the park.

In the case of Mount, the Three Lions star has enjoyed a disappointing campaign in west London with just three goals and six assists across all fronts, although the Portsmouth-born ace previously shone under Thomas Tuchel last term, reaching double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League.

An attacking midfielder by trade, the 36-cap ace could well provide competition and cover for Bruno Fernandes in that playmaking berth, although the versatile talent also has the ability to feature in a number eight role or on the flanks if required.

Despite his relative youth, the one-time Derby County loanee has already racked up almost 300 club appearances at first-team level to date, having also helped his current side to Champions League glory back in 2021, registering a crucial assist for Kai Havertz in the showpiece.

That winning experience is also shared by Rabiot, with the £152k-per-week sensation having claimed seven league titles during his time in France and Italy – among other honours – while also playing a part in France's Nations League success in 2021.

As for the current campaign, the 37-cap menace has proven why he is an "extraordinary" player, according to Juve legend, David Trezeguet, having bagged 11 goals and provided six assists in all competitions, proving – much like Mount – that he can make an impact in the final third.

While there may be a scenario in which the Englishman and Rabiot could both be competing for a midfield berth alongside Fernandes and Casemiro, Ten Hag will likely be licking his lips at that potential wealth of options.

England will play their first day-night Test match at home next year, the ECB has confirmed

Alan Gardner06-Oct-20161:39

Edgbaston to host day-night Test match

England will play their first day-night Test match at home next year, the ECB has confirmed. The first Test of West Indies’ tour, at Edgbaston on August 17-21, will be contested under lights with a pink ball in a move designed to try and increase attendances and drive interest in the oldest form of the game.Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, said it was worth experimenting in order to try and “make cricket more accessible to new audiences”. So far, the only Test played under lights with a pink ball was between Australia and New Zealand at Adelaide last November, although a second, between Pakistan and West Indies in the UAE, will take place this month. Another two are scheduled for the forthcoming Australian summer.”It’s a great opportunity to build on a lot of the thinking and the strategy that has been going on for the last 12 months,” Harrison said. “It’s been all about new audiences and doing all we could to make the game more accessible at every level, and this gives us an opportunity to find out if Test cricket played at a different time of day, under certain conditions, in a city centre at a time of year where people possibly don’t get to go to the all day game – we’ll see if that has a dramatic impact on attendance.”It’s also outside London, so there’s more opportunity to see an impact of day-night cricket. England historically love playing at Edgbaston, it’s a great venue. We are taking an open and hopeful view and are expectant that it will have an impact on our market as we look to make cricket more accessible to new audiences.”Harrison added it was important to “embrace opportunities when they come”. Warwickshire held a trial in a 2nd XI game in August, which was deemed a success despite some issues with the deterioration of the pink ball (both Dukes and Kookaburra varieties). The club were unable to hold further tests in a first-class match but, with tickets due to go on sale next week, they have agreed to take the plunge for next summer.”Bringing day-night Test cricket to England is an innovative and very exciting development for the game, and we’re thrilled that Edgbaston will be the first venue to host a match played in this format,” Neil Snowball, Warwickshire’s chief executive, said.”Edgbaston staged the UK’s first day-night domestic match in 1997 and has a great history of hosting and selling out some of the biggest fixtures in the game. In turn, the Edgbaston atmosphere and match-day experience has become iconic, with England having a fantastic record of victories here.”Playing hours for the Test have been provisionally scheduled from 2pm until 9pm, with the final session set to take place under floodlights as the sun goes down. Dukes will continue to supply the ball; those used in the 2nd XI match at Edgbaston, in contrast to the Kookaburra version, featured a dark seam.”I’m sure it will drive some new thinking in the way that tickets are sold and I’m sure it will have an impact on the ability of families to come and watch cricket,” Harrison said. “It’s a sincere drive and strategy to make cricket as accessible as possible, particularly for young people. To create a Test cricket audience among young people.”Cricket Australia has been the board most enthusiastic about day-night Tests and it is likely that the 2017-18 Ashes could feature a pink-ball game – although the current captains, Alastair Cook and Steven Smith, have expressed reservations. “It’s useful to have one before we go to Australia,” Harrison said. “Giving guys the chance to play with a pink ball under lights, before an Ashes Test in similar conditions. It’s a good opportunity to stick a stake in the ground to say we are keen to innovate.”Player concerns about the conditions required to keep the pink ball from deteriorating were a feature of the Adelaide Test, where an unusually grassy surface was prepared and the match was over inside three days. Harrison said the ECB was “comfortable with the development of the ball”, which has been tested extensively by the MCC – who first proposed the idea – notably in the Champion County match at the start of the English season.He added that the England and West Indies players had been assured they will be given opportunities to prepare for playing under lights. West Indies’ third three-day tour match, which takes place in Derby the week before the first Test, will be played as a day-night match.”Players have taken some time to get around this,” Harrison said. “It’s not a new concept in terms of global international cricket and many boards are looking at ways to introduce this and as they have gone down this journey they have looked at all the things that need to come together, like lux levels at grounds, local council approval, public transport. They are all different in the day-night scenario. There is a bit more work to do, but we can start to get excited.”I’m sure we will convert those who are less than convinced about it. We will work hard to make sure we are not treading on traditions here. In London we put a Test match on and it sells out. Outside London it’s not as simple as that. Maybe this helps bring in some of those new communities that haven’t been to Edgbaston before. There will be a lot of marketing about, in a very busy summer for us across all formats.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Ravindra Jadeja wheeled away for 34 overs, extracting sharp turn and bounce on a tiring Greater Noida surface•AFP

Ravindra Jadeja’s five-wicket haul led a persistently probing bowling effort from India Blue on a day when they were made to work harder than they would have expected to plough their way through India Red’s batting line-up. That was partly down to the pitch – which offered sluggish turn, rather than the spitting variety – and partly down to sparkling fifties from Gurkeerat Singh, Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra and Kuldeep Yadav. India Red’s spirited lower-order resistance frustrated India Blue and delighted a sizeable Monday crowd, but had little impact on the broader outcome of the match as they subsided to 356, conceding a first-innings lead of 337.Jadeja consistently attacked the stumps and turned the ball past desperately groping bats. His speed through the air – averaging over 90kph – was considerably faster than that of any other spinner, denying the batsmen time to adjust to the turn. Bowling 34 overs in the day, he made good use of a sticky surface and dented India Red’s fightback with the key wickets of Gurkeerat and Binny.India Blue could have removed the lower order more swiftly if Jadeja’s fellow spinners, Parvez Rasool and Karn Sharma had been more effective. Legspinner Karn was inconsistent with his line and length, alternating patches of incisiveness with periods that were less convincing. Offspinner Rasool had a good start to the day, troubling Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh with offbreaks and straighter ones. Against the right-handers who followed, however, he was not as threatening as he might have liked.The most impressive spinners after Jadeja were the ones wielding bats. Mishra came in at 194 for 6, and was immediately kept company by nine close-in fielders. He, however, responded by lofting Jadeja back over his head for four. Mishra combined with Kuldeep for an 86-run partnership for the eighth wicket that temporarily brought the third session to life and restored some respectability to India Red’s innings.The reason respectability needed restoring was the limp showing of the India Red top order. Dhawan and Yuvraj managed some lovely drives in the first session, but those were far outnumbered by tentative pokes and speculative swishes. While they struggled most against Rasool, they ultimately perished to over-ambitious strokes against Abhimanyu Mithun and Jadeja.Dhawan, in particular, might rue his untimely indiscretion. His patchy 29 in his penultimate – possibly his last – innings before India’s first Test against New Zealand from September 22, puts him in a tight spot as India’s selectors mull which of three possible openers – M Vijay and KL Rahul are the others – to select in the playing XI.Jadeja, meanwhile, worked his way into fine rhythm in the second session, ending a 63-run stand for the fifth wicket between Gurkeerat and Binny when he dismissed Gurkeerat for 57 with a beauty that drifted into middle before turning away to hit off stump. Binny then put on 64 with Ankush Bains, before Jadeja ended that partnership too when he had Bains caught at second slip. The most decisive breakthrough, though, came minutes before the dinner break when Jadeja pitched one on leg stump and spun it away to hit Binny’s back pad in front of middle. That ended a knock that had been gaining in momentum and poise, and left Binny an agonising two runs short of a century.Mishra and Kuldeep counterattacked in the third session of the day, but Karn eventually dismissed both to end the innings. Riding on a huge lead, Gautam Gambhir and Mayank Agarwal played out the remaining two overs and headed to stumps with their side firmly in control.

The season may not yet be over, although Tottenham Hotpur's protracted search for a new permanent manager will likely already be beginning to grate on the club's support, with the Lilywhites having already seen a host of potential candidates fall out of the running.

Despite having sacked former boss Antonio Conte at the end of March, the north London outfit still appear to be no closer to naming a long-term successor to the experienced Italian, with leading target, Arne Slot, having only recently outlined his desire to remain with Eredivisie champions, Feyenoord.

Prior to that, Spurs were also dealt something of a blow after learning that Julian Nagelsmann is also not set to be on his way to N17, while Xabi Alonso also stated his intention to stay put at Bayer Leverkusen.

With chairman, Daniel Levy left to continue his quest to find a new head coach, Football Transfers only recently reported that out-of-work boss Graham Potter is among those being considered by the businessman, having left his post at rivals Chelsea earlier this year.

The 48-year-old – who was hailed as a "genius" by broadcaster Joe Thomlinson amid his spell at Brighton and Hove Albion – had only taken charge of the Blues back in September, although was ultimately relieved of his duties by Todd Boehly and co last month, after winning just 12 of his 31 games in charge.

It now looks as if Tottenham could turn to the one-time Swansea City man as their successor to Conte, with Levy potentially set to snap up another managerial figure to have only recently departed Stamford Bridge, having done so previously with Andre Villas-Boas.

How did Villas-Boas do at Spurs?

Much like Potter, the Portuguese coach arrived at White Hart Lane following a short-lived spell in west London, having been sacked after just nine months with the Blues after initially arriving in England from Porto ahead of the 2011/12 season.

Having previously won the treble in Portugal prior to joining Chelsea, Villas-Boas was still seemingly a well-regarded coach at the time of his move to Spurs, with Levy lauding him as a figure with an "outstanding reputation" back in 2012.

The one-time Academica boss would ultimately lead his Gareth Bale-inspired side to a fifth-placed finish during what proved to be his only full season in charge, with the Welsh wizard scoring 21 league goals prior to sealing an £85.3m move to Real Madrid.

Having lost his talisman, Villas-Boas was unable to kick on the following season as the north Londoners endured a dismal start to the campaign, with the up-and-coming coach ultimately being shown the door in December 2013, after suffering hefty defeats to the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

Much like his time at Chelsea, the Porto-born tactician's spell under Levy also proved rather brief in truth, with it having ultimately not proven a wise move to pounce for the available coach after his underwhelming stint at Stamford Bridge.

The fear will be that history could repeat itself if a deal is struck with Potter in the near future, with the Englishman having already struggled to make his mark at one of the Premier League's elite clubs.

Manchester United will be hoping to put their disappointing FA Cup final defeat in the rearview mirror as they head into the summer break following a solid debut campaign under Erik ten Hag.

Not only did the Dutchman win the Old Trafford side their first trophy since 2017, but has also guided them into the Champions League group stages, and with his first season behind him, he will be aiming to take the Red Devils to the next level during 2023/24.

To do this, however, he will have to add a few more fresh faces to the squad, while shipping out some deadwood. Given that he lured players such as Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro to United last summer, there will be a similar hope that signings of this stature could be made again.

They may well raid Real Madrid once more, as United have been linked with midfielder Federico Valverde according to reports in Spain, although president Florentino Perez has claimed that it will take an offer of around €80m (£69m) in order for negotiations to begin.

Could Federico Valverde improve Manchester United?

The 24-year-old Uruguayan is entering the prime years of his career and has enjoyed a wonderful period of success at Madrid, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League crown – ensuring that if he joined United, they would benefit from his winning mentality in the heart of the midfield.

Another reason why the midfielder could improve the Red Devils is his similarities to Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan, who according to FBref, is the most comparable player to Valverde. Given the German's incredible career, in which he has won 13 major honours and become the beating heart of Pep Guardiola’s City juggernaut, it certainly isn’t a bad comparison to have.

Indeed, over the past year, Gundogan ranks in the top 10% across Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals, touches in the attacking penalty area and total shots per 90, while the Uruguayan ranks in the top 10% also for non-penalty goals and total shots, while dropping to the top 21% for touches in the opposition box per game, suggesting that the pair offer an excellent goal threat from the centre of midfield overall.

This is something United could benefit from as none of their central midfielders scored more than seven goals across all of last season. Valverde showcased his importance to Madrid by ranking as their third-best player in La Liga, fifth for goals and assists and sixth for key passes per game, with Gundogan offering a similar influence at City, ranking similarly highly for the same metrics, suggesting that Ten Hag could have a world-class operator as the fulcrum of his side should he sign him this summer.

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole hailed Valverde as “unbelievable” late last year, and having showcased his abilities at the Bernabeu, a move to Old Trafford surely wouldn’t faze the 24-year-old.