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Azhar Ali, Pakistan’s Test opener, will make his first appearances in the County Championship later this summer after signing a seven-match deal with Somerset that will take him through to the end of the season.Azhar, who had been in Somerset’s sights since the end of Pakistan’s Test tour in May and June, has been signed as a replacement for the Australian Matt Renshaw, who made three centuries at 51.30 in the opening rounds of the Championship before breaking a finger against Surrey at Guildford last month.Renshaw had himself been signed as a replacement for his fellow Australian opener, Cameron Bancroft, who was withdrawn from availability in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town in March.”Finding the right fit at short notice can be challenging, however we are delighted to have secured a player of Azhar Ali’s character, pedigree and class for the remaining seven Specsavers County Championship matches,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said.”His experience at the top of the order will prove to be hugely valuable at the business end of the season. I have spoken to him several times over the last few weeks and he is very keen to share his knowledge of the game with our aspirational players, so the influence he can have within the changing room will also be vital for us as a club”.Azhar endured a lean time during Pakistan’s three Tests against Ireland and England earlier this season, making 73 runs in six innings with a solitary fifty during Pakistan’s memorable victory at Lord’s.However, he had been strongly encouraged to seek out a county deal by the Pakistan coach, Mickey Arthur, who recognised the need for his senior players to get enough game-time in the off-season, ahead of their home series against Australia and New Zealand in October and November.”The standard of first-class cricket in England is very high and I hope that I can make a contribution to Somerset winning matches,” Azhar said. “I have heard good things about Somerset and I was impressed by what I saw at Taunton in 2016. I am looking forward to joining my new team-mates and meeting the Somerset supporters soon.”

Sunday presents Scotland with an opportunity to show they are deserving of more fixtures against England, let alone other Full Members

Preview by Peter Della Penna09-Jun-2018Big PictureThis week begins the start of a historic event, something everyone pouring through the stadium gates only gets to witness once every four years, an occasion the host country’s players and fans pour their heart and soul into because it might be their lone shot at capturing greatness on the world stage for a very long time.No, no, not Russia welcoming the FIFA World Cup. It’s when Scotland hosts England in an ODI. Initially intended to be a biennial affair, with England alternating benevolent visits to Ireland every other year, the Bannockburn bilaterals on Saltire soil have only achieved a completed result twice since the first ODI between the two sides was played north of the wall in 2008.After a no result in the maiden encounter at the Grange, England claimed a seven-wicket win in 2010 defeating their former team-mate Gavin Hamilton who had gone back home to captain his country. After 2012’s scheduled match was called off weeks in advance due to flooding issues at the Grange, the 2014 affair was a rain-marred contest in Aberdeen, with Scotland falling well short in a 20-over chase.Nothing was scheduled in 2016 to follow up their only ever encounter at an ICC tournament when England prevailed once again behind a Moeen Ali century in Christchurch at the 2015 World Cup.For Scotland, Sunday presents an opportunity to show they are deserving of more fixtures against England, let alone other Full Members. They’re also keen to show everyone their form at the World Cup Qualifier was not a one-off. After opening the tournament with a shock win over Afghanistan, they tied with Zimbabwe before running Ireland and West Indies tight in a pair of matches infamous for the lbw decisions given by Paul Wilson that didn’t go their way.The Grange is the scene of Scotland’s famous maiden ODI win over a Full Member almost a year ago to the day when they knocked off Zimbabwe. Coach Grant Bradburn, a man of many mottos including “playing with teeth” and “Kaizen”, has told those around the team this week that they are “hunting history” in their pursuit of a maiden win over England.Scotland’s coaching staff has called on reinforcements for some inspiration to visualize that happening. Former Scotland rugby international Duncan Hodge, who famously denied England the 2000 Grand Slam by singlehandedly outscoring the opposition 19-13 for Scotland’s first victory over England in a decade, has been on hand this week to provide just a little bit more motivation. As Calum MacLeod said “all it takes is one person” to stick their hand up, “to be bold and take that opportunity if it presents itself.”Making that happen will be a tall order. Scotland had enough difficulty taking on the middling limited-overs sides put out by England in years past. The outfit ready to step onto the field in Edinburgh on Sunday arrives with a No. 1 ranking in tow, their brand of one-day cricket unrecognizable to what most fans grew up with.Even without the injured Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes plus the rested Jos Buttler, England boast more than their fair share of established names forming an explosive batting line-up. Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Moeen Ali all saw time during the IPL this spring though with mixed results and all four will be keen to find form heading into the start of the ODI series against Australia which begins midweek.The anticipation at the Grange has been immense. A quaint club ground hugging the River Leith has done its best Malahide impression, shapeshifting into a sold-out 4600 seat pop-up stadium. The city is hosting a Rolling Stones concert at Murrayfield Stadium on the eve of the cricket match and with Mick Jagger’s penchant for showing up at cricket in offbeat places – whether it be watching USA in the final of 2016 WCL Division Four at Los Angeles or the Ireland men’s maiden Test against Pakistan – locals are prepping for another cricket cameo from rock royalty to add a bit more prestige to the occasion.Form guideScotland LLWTW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WLWWLIn the spotlightCaptain Kyle Coetzer is the only player in the Scotland squad who has appeared in every previous ODI encounter against England. After a six-ball duck in 2008, he’s fared quite well, top-scoring with 51 in the loss at the Grange in 2010 and producing another leading effort at the 2015 World Cup in Christchurch – 71 at the top of the order. He’s been in sensational form throughout the last year, and piloted Scotland’s famous win on the same ground last year over Zimbabwe with a sparkling century.Sam Billings will hope to make the most of a rare chance in England’s side•Getty ImagesEngland’s shining star at the top of the order in white-ball cricket has been Jonny Bairstow. He demolished New Zealand in the series decider in Christchurch, in England’s most recent ODI tie-up in March, crunching 104 off 60 balls for his second century in a row to finish as England’s leading scorer with 302 runs.Team newsNo. 3 batsman Michael Jones was called up to Durham on Friday. Brad Wheal, who was sensational with the new ball in Zimbabwe at the World Cup Qualifiers, has been laid low with a back injury, leaving Chris Sole and Stuart Whittingham as options to join Safyaan Sharif in the seam attack. Dylan Budge, who played for Scotland in their Champions Trophy warm-up win over Sri Lanka last year, may get his full international debut ahead of George Munsey after entering the contest in sizzling domestic form.Scotland: (probable): 1 Kyle Coetzer (capt), 2 Matthew Cross (wk), 3 Calum MacLeod, 4 Richie Berrington, 5 Preston Mommsen, 6 Dylan Budge/George Munsey, 7 Michael Leask, 8 Safyaan Sharif, 9 Mark Watt, 10 Alasdair Evans, 11 Stuart WhittinghamChris Woakes was ruled out of this contest earlier in the week with Tom Curran called up as cover. Morgan revealed in the pre-match press conference that Alex Hales has been pencilled into the XI as Jos Buttler sits out ahead of the Australia series.England (probable): 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 Jason Roy, 3 Alex Hales, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Sam Billings (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 David Willey/Tom Curran, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Mark WoodPitch and conditionsThe Grange pitch is a belter, where 300-325 is par on a normal day. But with the boundaries brought in at the Pavilion End to make room for Sky Sports TV scaffolding and wiring, 350 or more would not be farfetched for Sunday.Saturday’s training session stayed dry until just after England departed; then, showers started to fall. However the ground is expected to remain mostly dry for game day; early morning rain is forecast but a clear afternoon with temperatures hovering around a mild 20C.Stats and trivia Despite being neighbours, eight Full Members played an ODI against Scotland – beginning with their maiden fixture against Australia at the 1999 World Cup – before England finally faced them for the first time in 2008. Only Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe took longer. England’s fifth ODI against Scotland on Sunday ties Australia for most number of ODIs played by a Full Member against Scotland. Coetzer, who will be playing his 50th ODI on Sunday, needs 89 runs to become the first Scotland player to reach 2000 runs in ODIs. Only Calum MacLeod, Richie Berrington and Majid Haq have played more ODIs for Scotland. Eoin Morgan needs 130 runs to pass Ian Bell as England’s all-time leading scorer in ODIs. Morgan currently has 5287 in 177 matches to Bell’s 5416 in 161.Quotes”Every occasion like tomorrow’s game is going to be a special occasion. It’s going to be one in which we always feel as if we have to put on a good show.”
“It should be a really good game. We watched them play in the qualifying tournament for the 50-over World Cup, which was an extremely competitive tournament. I don’t think there was a lot between the teams.”

Manchester United are tracking an exciting young striker in the Premier League, but a reliable journalist has revealed that he isn’t the only option being considered.

How have Man United started the season?

The Old Trafford outfit haven’t made the best start to the new top-flight campaign as they find themselves sitting 11th in the table having picked up just six points so far from a possible 12, securing two victories but also suffering the same number of defeats.

Despite capturing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta earlier in the summer, Erik ten Hag will still be looking to bolster his ranks at centre-forward with the future of Anthony Martial looking extremely uncertain, and the boss already seems to have set his sights on a potential candidate he’d like to recruit.

At Brighton and Hove Albion in April, Evan Ferguson signed a new contract which isn’t set to expire until 2028, but having firmly established himself as Roberto De Zerbi’s top-performing offensive player so far this term, he’s caught the eye of the manager in M16.

Back in May, Melissa Reddy credited the Red Devils and Tottenham Hotspur with an interest in the 18-year-old who she claimed had been earmarked as the perfect attacker to lead the line in the long-term future, and a new update has now emerged regarding the club’s pursuit of the Republic of Ireland international.

Are Man United signing Evan Ferguson?

According to The Daily Mail's Mike Keegan during a live Q&A, Man United do hold a concrete interest in Ferguson, but there are also other mystery stars who the hierarchy are looking at. He said:

“United have been watching Ferguson and monitoring his progress but the same could be said of dozens of players. They are already working two windows ahead, which is pretty commonplace across the rest of the Premier League. For each position they ideally have three or more players on a list which they scout and regularly update."

How many goals has Evan Ferguson scored?

For Brighton since getting promoted to their senior fold, Ferguson has posted 18 contributions (14 goals and four assists) in 33 appearances which shows how prolific he is, and the striker poses a constant threat in the final third.

The 6 foot 2 colossus, who pockets £20k-per-week, has recorded a total of 13 shots so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, but he also has strong link-up play with his peers in the opposition’s half, ranking in the 97th percentile for pass completion.

Furthermore, Ferguson, who has been dubbed the “complete package” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a versatile operator with his ability to play in five positions, including all across the frontline and even in attacking midfield, so this is another attractive attribute for Ten Hag and one that will be useful for him to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur in other roles where cover may need to be provided.

Khelaghar chased down 248 with five wickets in hand against Gazi Group, to put Jauhurul Islam’s century in vain

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2018Liton Das’ unbeaten 143 off 123 helped Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club beat Kalabagan Krira Chakra by eight wickets at the BKSP-4 Ground.Chasing 291, Liton struck 14 fours and three sixes during his fifth List A century and added 170 runs for the unbroken third-wicket stand with Marshall Ayub to lead them to victory with five overs to spare. Marshall scored 91 off 73 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes.Kalabagan earlier rode on centuries by Taibur Rahman and Mohammad Ashraful to reach 290 for 4 in 50 overs. Ashraful made 104 off 131 balls with 11 fours while Taibur struck nine fours and three sixes in his 109-ball 114, his maiden hundred in List A matches. Later, captain Muktar Ali blasted an unbeaten 16-ball 40 that featured two fours and three sixes.At the BKSP-3 Ground next door, Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity sprung a surprise when they beat defending champions Gazi Group Cricketers by five wickets.Batting first, Gazi Group posted 247 for 5 with captain Jahurul Islam scoring 102 off 142 with the help of five fours and a six. He added exactly 100 runs for the fifth wicket with Rajat Bhatia, who chipped in with 61* of 60 balls. No Khelaghar bowler took more than one wicket.In reply, Mahidul Islam and Ashok Menaria added 103 runs for the fourth wicket as Khelaghar crossed the target in 48.3 overs. Mahidul top-scored with 85 off 109 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes, while Menaria made 51off 50 balls.Saif Hassan’s century helped Abahani Limited crush Brothers Union by 136 runs at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium.Batting first, Abahani were bowled out for 266 in 50 overs with Saif making 108 off 132 balls, helped by six fours and five sixes. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Sunzamul Islam then took three wickets each as Brothers Union were bowled out for 130 runs in 35.4 overs. Yasir Ali top-scored for them with an unbeaten 35.

Newcastle United have made a poor start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, and a reliable journalist has delivered an update on the future of Eddie Howe.

What's happening at Newcastle right now?

St. James’ Park chiefs first appointed Howe back in November 2021 having taken a bit of time out of work following his departure from Bournemouth, as per Transfermarkt, and during his almost two years in the northeast, the positive impact that he’s made both on and off the pitch is clear to see.

The Magpies, however, have only won one and lost three of their opening four games of the new top-flight campaign, via Sky Sports, which sees them sitting 14th in the table on just three points, and these underwhelming results compared to last term could potentially raise questions surrounding the 45-year-old at the helm.

The Amersham-born manager will also be aware that the level of competition won’t be getting any easier having been drawn in a group with Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in the Champions League, so the boss will be aware that he’s got a big job on his hands to maintain the high standard that was set last season.

Are Newcastle sacking Eddie Howe?

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Fabrizio Romano shared what he’s heard on Howe’s future at Newcastle. He said:

“It’s not been the best start to the season for Newcastle United, who have lost three in a row since their opening day win over Aston Villa. Of course this is a disappointment after the superb achievements of last season, but I think fans can be calm.

"My understanding is that Eddie Howe is absolutely not under pressure, it’s all quiet. The Newcastle owners love the manager and there are no issues at the moment. Of course Howe will have time to play Champions League football as Newcastle coach, there are no messages in a different direction at this moment in time.”

What is Eddie Howe's record at Newcastle?

During his time at Newcastle, Howe has taken charge of 78 matches, winning 39, drawing 19 and losing 20, meaning that he’s picked up 136 points from a possible 234 whilst averaging 1.74 points per match, via Transfermarkt, which is an impressive record in the grand scheme of things.

The Wasserman client, who has a preferred formation of 4-3-3, has also been individually recognised for his impact from the dugout since putting pen to paper with the black and white stripes having twice won the Premier League Manager of the Month award, with his positive impact resulting in him receiving plenty of plaudits and accolades.

Despite Howe's struggles this season, PIF will be aware of the fantastic relationship that he's built with supporters, not only himself but the whole of the squad, and there's no doubt that it would be difficult to find a replacement that could come in and work the same magic as he has, so it's completely the right decision to stick with him and give him the opportunity to turn things back around.

An update has emerged on Celtic and one of their players who could be on their way out of Parkhead before the end of the transfer window…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Serie A side Torino are interested in signing Hoops attacking midfielder Rocco Vata.

He has revealed that a number of European clubs are eyeing up the Bhoys academy prospect as the teenage wizard only has one year left to run on his current contract with the club.

The reporter also added that the player has found new representatives in CAA Base, who could now be tasked with finding him a new club if he decides to move on from Paradise.

How good is Rocco Vata?

Brendan Rodgers must avoid the first howler of his second spell with the Hoops by convincing Vata to extend his stay in Scotland as the talented teenager has the potential to break into the first team.

Vata only turned 18 in April and is not a player who should be expecting to play week-in-week-out in the Scottish Premiership immediately. However, the head coach could tempt him into staying by offering him a few chances to showcase his ability at senior level.

Handing the mercurial midfielder a few appearances off the bench could be enough to show him that Rodgers is willing to provide youngsters with opportunities and that the Northern Irish tactician views the 18-year-old ace as part of his plans for the future.

Vata – who is reportedly on £280-per-week at present – is coming off the back of an impressive 2022/23 campaign with the B-team, in which the teenage starlet plundered an eye-catching 11 goals and one assist in 24 academy outings.

The Republic of Ireland U19 international also displayed his potential across four matches and 44 minutes of action in the Premiership as Ange Postecoglou provided him with a chance to showcase his ability. In that time, the Torino target created two 'big chances' for his teammates and completed 89% of his attempted passes.

This means that Vata has been able to show off his goalscoring prowess at youth level and his creative ability whilst with the first-team. If he can combine the two as he gains more experience and develops as a player then the Hoops prodigy could grow into a terrific player for Rodgers further down the line.

Youth coach Dara O'Dea previously hailed the magician's mentality and claimed that he "never stops" and this suggests that the Irish dynamo has the right mindset to establish himself with the senior group as he wants to get better and will not stop working to improve.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed that Vata has an "exciting" future ahead of him in the game and his statistics, for the B-team and first-team, back that up as he has shown immense potential in his short career to date.

Therefore, Rodgers would commit the first howler of his second Celtic stint by failing to convince the superb 6 foot talent to remain at Parkhead as the club would be losing a terrific prospect who could make a big impact at Parkhead in the future with his attacking quality.

Manchester United travel to face Tottenham Hotspur on this weekend in what’s always a big Premier League fixture. The Red Devils will turn to Bruno Fernandes to lead them in this one – so how does he typically do?

We’ve looked into the history to find out exactly what you can expect from Fernandes against Spurs.

What is Bruno Fernandes' goal record against Tottenham?

Fernandes has faced Tottenham six times in his career, all coming since his move to United back in January 2020. Things started off well, too, as the Portuguese playmaker scored on his first appearance in the fixture.

And he’s kept up a good record ever since, scoring three times in those six games for a record of 1 in 2. Notably, those goals all came in different games.

What is Bruno Fernandes' assist record against Tottenham?

Fernandes has managed two assists in his six meetings with Spurs. In fact, one came in their latest meeting, as the two teams drew 2-2 at Tottenham.

The other was the season before, again coming in the away fixture – though, this time United won 3-0. Much like his goals, then, Fernandes’s assists have come in different games.

How many goal contributions does Bruno Fernandes have against Tottenham?

Six games, three goals, two assists. So five goal contributions in six games – a fantastic record for any player.

The notable thing here, though, is that all of those contributions came in separate games. It means Fernandes has only actually failed to either score or assist against Spurs on one single occasion – during the 3-1 away win back in 2021.

You can otherwise count on the skipper to provide something in this fixture. It’s incredibly rare that he doesn’t.

What is Bruno Fernandes' head-to-head record against Tottenham?

While Fernandes almost always scores or assists in this fixture, he doesn’t always win. United have only won half of their meetings with Spurs when Fernandes has played.

What you can say, though, is that they don’t typically lose. Spurs have only beaten a team involving Fernandes once – with that win coming in the infamous 6-1 win at Old Trafford in late 2020. Though, it was Fernandes who scored United’s goal early on.

The overall record reads as: played six, won three, drawn two, lost one.

What is Bruno Fernandes' record at Tottenham?

Fernandes has played more away in this fixture than he has at Old Trafford. Of the six meetings, four have come in north London – and the player does well.

He’s never lost at Spurs, winning two and drawing the others. Fernandes usually provides something, too, with a goal (coming in his first appearance there) followed by assists in his two latest meetings.

It’s a productive fixture for the player and one where Spurs rarely get the better of him.

Who has Bruno Fernandes scored the most goals against?

One team stands above the rest for Fernandes – Aston Villa. He’s scored seven times against them in his career, coming in just eight games. Next is Leeds United, with six goals in six appearances.

A couple of teams from Fernandes’ time with Sporting CP are after that. Rio Ave and Feirense have each conceded five times to the player, while Everton, Brighton, Napoli and Portimonense each conceded four.

Who does Bruno Fernandes have the most goal contributions against?

You have to go back to Fernandes’s time at Sporting for the answer here. He’s managed an incredible 13 goal contributions against Portimonense, coming in only seven games.

This figure is boosted dramatically by his nine assists in the fixture. In fact, he managed seven assists in his last three appearances against the side before moving to United.

As for his spell in England, Aston Villa are once again the answer here. Not only does he have seven goals in eight games but a further two assists. Those nine contributions are the most Fernandes has managed against any side other than Portimonense.

How many goals does Bruno Fernandes have in August?

Fernandes has done very well in August throughout his career, scoring a quite fantastic 12 goals in the season’s opening month. Though, half of these did come for Sporting.

Six of the 12 were in Portuguese football, dating back to August 2017 – Fernandes managed to get three goals that month. He’d continue to perform well and has carried his August exploits over to United.

A further six goals have followed since. The first two came in unusual circumstances, however, as they were actually in the Europa League’s knockout stages. The 2019/20 competition had been postponed, so Fernandes’s goals were actually in the final month of the previous season, rather than the opening month.

But he’s since gone on to do well in August in the Premier League. A hat-trick against Leeds United in 2021 is undoubtedly the highlight, followed by a goal against Southampton last year.

In fact, one way of looking at this is that Fernandes has at least one August goal in every year since 2017. There’s almost certainly one coming.

What is Bruno Fernandes' overall Man United goal record?

Bruno Fernandes has now played 186 competitive games for United. In that time he’s managed 64 goals – with the vast majority, unsurprisingly, coming in the Premier League.

44 have come in England’s top flight, with the Europa League providing the next-most profitable competition with nine. There have been a further four Champions League goals, with five in the FA Cup and two in the EFL Cup.

The Premier League is now the highest-scoring competition of Fernandes’ career, having overtaken his Liga Portugal tally of 39 last season.

What is Bruno Fernandes' overall Man United assist record?

Fernandes isn’t just about the goals, of course – he’s managed plenty of assists in his United career, too. There have been 54 in total and, once again, the Premier League dominates the stats here.

32 of the 54 have been in the Premier League and nine in the Europa League. Eight have been in the Champions League, while the FA Cup has seen three and the EFL Cup two.

Everton's transfer window finally appears to be gaining steam, and manager Sean Dyche is now hoping to fortify his offensive ranks with a swoop for Juventus teenager Samuel Iling-Junior.

The Toffees have only signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan and Ashley Young on a free transfer, and while a £13m deal has been agreed for Sporting Lisbon striker Youssef Chermiti, more work will need to be done to avoid another perilous season battling against relegation from the Premier League.

What's the latest on Samuel Iling-Junior to Everton?

Italian outlet il BiancoNero revealed one week ago that Everton have displayed a concrete interest in Iling-Junior following El Bilal Toure's rejection of the Goodison Park side in favour of Atalanta.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

More recently, Tuttomercatoweb have claimed that Everton and Premier League rivals Aston Villa are in pursuit, though the OId Lady would only sanction a sale if their €25m (£21m) valuation is met, with the player penning a new long-term deal last December.

Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?

Everton's director of football Kevin Thelwell has his work cut out to ensure that the club finally construct a team capable of challenging for a place higher up the ladder in the English top-flight.

After years of issues, the maladies on Merseyside could be cured with the crafting of a team brimming with first-class talent; Chermiti, aged 19, certainly looks a future star, while Iling-Junior holds the tools to build a successful career.

A dynamic and explosive winger, Iling-Junior scored once and supplied two assists from 18 outings for Juventus last season, only starting on three occasions.

Once lauded for his "high energy and work volume as well as dreamy ball skills" by scout Antonio Mango, the 19-year-old already ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref – though it's important to note that this is based off little match action.

Nevertheless, it illustrates his natural striking instinct and skill as a bouncing, energetic force on the flanks, with journalist Michele Neri already heralding the starlet as an "assist machine".

When discussing Iling-Junior's style, Neri also said:

“In these qualities, you can absolutely see shades of Rafael Leão when the AC Milan superstar was a bit younger. Of course he is certainly less impactful today than Leão is and has a long way to go to reach the Portuguese’s level."

The AC Milan phenom is definitely not a bad choice to mould one's game off, with the Portuguese talent, who has been dubbed a "phenomenon" by Italian sporting director Fabio Cordella, scoring 16 goals and providing 15 assists across all competitions.

The £105k-per-week gem ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals, the top 11% for assists, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

Given Leão's progressive prowess and electric presence, Iling-Junior could flourish with Everton – boasting a similar profile, he could devastate on the Toffees' flank and grow into one of Europe's leading stars.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:37

‘Felt like I was in a dream’ – Bolton

An opening partnership of 171 between Nicole Bolton and Beth Mooney paved the way for Australia women to begin their title defence with an eight-wicket win against West Indies, the team they beat in the 2013 final. Mooney made 70, while Bolton remained unbeaten on 107 as Australia completed their chase of 205 in 38.1 overs.At no point were West Indies on top after they chose, after all manner of toss-related confusion, to bat first. Four of their top five got starts, but none of them got past fifty, as Australia’s bowlers, led by Ellyse Perry, kept striking regular blows to ensure that an innings struggling to get out of second gear never built significant momentum.Wickets through the middle overs cut short any partnership that threatened to blossom. Jess Jonassen, who dropped the opener Hayley Matthews on 27, made amends by bowling her with an arm ball just when she was looking dangerous, having added 19 off her last 18 balls. That ended a second-wicket stand of 52 between Matthews and Chedean Nation.Then came a cameo from Deandra Dottin, who put on 34 in 29 balls with her captain Stafanie Taylor for the fourth wicket. Dottin may have just begun to worry Australia’s think tank when Perry brought a swift end to her innings. Having just conceded two successive fours – a pull and a flick, both placed wide of midwicket – she came up with the perfect riposte, an inducker that bowled Dottin through the gate.West Indies, 157 for 4 at that point, simply couldn’t pick themselves up, with Taylor finding no support at the other end. The last seven wickets fell for 47 runs, Taylor eighth out for 45 off 57 balls.”It’s not the start we wanted,” Taylor said. “There were a couple of mistakes that we made but we just need to go back to the drawing board. We have more games coming up so we can use this as an example. We didn’t bat well, we had a platform but the middle order didn’t push on to get us to that total.”Australia were never going to sweat over a target of 205 unless they lost wickets up front. Bolton and Mooney ensured that wouldn’t happen, serenely seeing off West Indies’ new-ball bowlers. Shakera Selman found late swing into the stumps from over the wicket to the two left-handers, while the taller, quicker Shamilia Connell went round the wicket and extracted bounce from just short of a good length. The first five overs brought only 15 runs, but neither batsman looked anything but secure.Then Mooney, profiting from Connell dropping too short, picked up two fours in the sixth over before Bolton clipped Selman to the square-leg boundary in the seventh. Australia were away. Mooney and Bolton barely had to stretch themselves thereafter, as the spinners and medium-pacers kept offering up a boundary ball roughly every second over.Mooney led the scoring through two-thirds of the opening stand, bringing up her fifty 2.5 overs before her partner, before Bolton left her in her wake with a blaze of boundaries. Stepping out whenever she saw some flight and punishing the inevitable short balls that followed, Bolton raced from 45 off 69 balls to 92 off 96, her sprint to her third ODI hundred interrupted only by Mooney’s dismissal at the other end, bowled by Taylor’s offspin.Taylor picked up another wicket, Meg Lanning miscuing a big hit, but it was only a consolation, as Bolton and Perry steered Australia home with no further drama.”When we were out there that it felt like we were in a dream,” Bolton later said. “To share an opening partnership like that of 171 is special, we didn’t play the scoreboard but instead the way we normally play, tried not to put too ourselves under too much pressure.”It was a pretty damaging partnership, there was a period where it kicked into gear for me – I was mindful of getting the job done but the closer I got to a century the more the nerves kicked in.”It was a pretty special feeling, the result is exactly how we want to play as a team and the bowlers played a massive part in that.

Back to reality and back to Championship football. Leeds United has been here before and knows how to escape, but it is a completely different set-up to previous years.

The club was led by the popular and tactically generational Marcelo Bielsa in the scintillating title victory in the 2019/20 season.

Now, the club is attempting to heal from a highly dysfunctional season that oversaw three different managers, a clueless hierarchy, and a deserved relegation.

But, the confirmation of a new ownership will yield fresh ideas and a different vision. The 49ers have made an intelligent first step, appointing two-time Championship winner Daniel Farke to reverse Leeds’ tumultuous fortunes.

As the rebuild begins to source reliable performers to form a promotion push, Grady Diangana would be an astute start to the process.

What’s the latest on Grady Diangana to Leeds United?

According to The Express and Star, Leeds is said to be 'keeping tabs' on Diangana alongside fellow recently-relegated sides Leicester City and Southampton.

Carlos Corberan’s side is in need of balancing the books and the Whites have sensed an opportunity to bounce, and secure of one West Brom’s most valuable assets.

Last month, Nick Hammond was named as the club’s interim football advisor, and it’s assumed he will move away from Victor Orta’s investment in unproven and experimental signings, toward more well-known assets.

The exits of Robin Koch and Brenden Aaronson have already been confirmed to create space for a player that could massively improve the side for next season.

Who can Grady Diangana emulate at Leeds United?

The winger began his career in the West Ham youth system in 2010 and went on to make 21 appearances for the senior side. He then joined West Brom on loan in 2018 and recorded 15 goal involvements in the Championship.

The attacker was then sold on a permanent deal to the Midlands outfit to spark huge disappointment within the Hammers players and supporters. Then-captain Mark Noble poignantly remarked that he was “gutted, angry and sad” that the youngster had been allowed to so easily depart to underline how he was a force brimming with potential.

This season, Diangana has endured a less productive year, but he has still contributed a respectable seven goals and assists in 21 starts. Nevertheless, the £20k-per-week man has still averaged the second-most dribbles per game (1.1) and the third-highest key passes per game (1.3) in the Baggies squad.

Since Raphinha departed Elland Road for Barcelona last summer, Leeds has been craving a tricky and reliable wide presence. The Brazilian registered 29 goal involvements in 65 Premier League outings, as he established himself as one of the club’s most influential and important performers.

He has continued this magisterial form in Catalonia as the £212k-per-week star ranks within the best 15% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for shot-creating actions per 90, xAG (expected assisted goals) per 90, and total shots per 90, showcasing his devastating attacking threat.

As a fellow left-footer who also typically operates on the flanks, Diangana could then prove to be the man to emulate the former Whites star's heroics at Elland Road, having been lauded as a player capable of producing moments of "magic", in the words of journalist Graeme Brown.

Raphinha’s void is seemingly yet to be sufficiently filled – as Leeds' recent drop into the second tier can attest to – so the signing of the “magnificent” Diangana, as described by Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie, could be the man to do so.