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Manchester United's latest "priority" target "wants to go" to Old Trafford this summer, and with the club happy with his £82,000-a-week wages, the possibility of a deal is "very concrete", per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United transfer news – what is the latest?

It's been an excellent summer for the United faithful so far this year.

The club have spent big yet again in a bid to back manager Erik ten Hag in his second year in charge of the team, and in doing so, they have seriously improved the squad.

First through the door was Chelsea star and former fan favourite Mason Mount, who joined the club in a deal worth £55m after a protracted transfer saga.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

Following the England international was Inter Milan's highly-rated Cameroon international Andre Onana. The keeper joined from the Champions League runners-up in a deal worth £47m, coming straight in as the club's new number one after the departure of David de Gea.

The latest big signing to make their way to the Theatre of Dreams was Danish wonderkid Rasmus Hojlund, who left Serie A side Atalanta for the Premier League in a deal worth £72m.

While that is already a pretty good summer's worth of incomings, it looks like the Red Devils want more, specifically in defence, as it seems increasingly likely that former captain Harry Maguire is on his way to West Ham United this summer.

The defender most heavily touted for a move to United recently has been Bayern Munich star and World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard.

And according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, the player is incredibly keen to make the move before the window shuts and has already informed the Bavarians of his intentions.

He explained the situation live on The United Stand's YouTube channel, saying:

"The Pavard deal is something very concrete in terms of the player's side at the moment because I am hearing that the player is really keen on joining Manchester United. He wants to get this opportunity to go to the Premier League to try new a chance; he knows also that Erik ten Hag is a big fan of his ability to play in different positions because Pavard can help as a full-back and not just as a centre-back and this is important for United to have a defensive full-back like Pavard into the squad, it could help in some crucial moments in the season.

"So the feedback between Pavard and United is excellent. The player wants to go, and also, Man United feel the conditions of the salary are correct. So, the agreement on personal terms is not a problem at all; it's about Bayern now.

"Man United approached Bayern Friday last week, and from Bayern, they were not really keen on the transfer of Benjamin Pavard because they still want to keep him. He's an important player for Tuchel. But, from what I am hearing during the weekend and even today [Monday], and I think this will continue, Pavard has been really clear with Bayern, with the board, with the manager he wants to go. He's not going to sign a new contract, his contract expires in summer 2024 and is not extending, and so he believes for both sides, player and for the club [this] is the best way to find a solution and to go to Man United.

"So Pavard is pushing for the move, let's see what happens between United and bayern. But for sure, this is the priority at the moment for Man United."

How old is Benjamin Pavard?

Born March 28th 1996, in Maubeuge, France, Pavard is 27 years old and has spent the last four and half seasons playing for Bayern and, unsurprisingly, winning the league every single year, as well as picking up the Champions League trophy in the summer of 2020.

He has been a brilliant player for the Bavarians over those four-and-a-half years, and it's easy to see why ten Hag is so keen to bring him to Old Trafford this summer.

In his 27 starts for the Bavarians last season, he found the back of the net on four occasions, provided one assist, took 1.1 shots per game, maintained a passing accuracy of 89.8%, won 2.1 aerials duals a game and picked up two Man-of-the-Match awards along the way, all while averaging a match rating of 7.17, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are also seriously impressive and suggest that the step-up to the Premier League shouldn't have too significant an impact on his output.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the £82,000-a-week man sits in the top 1% for attempted passes and progressive passes, the top 2% for total shots, expected assists and progressive passes received, the top 3% for non-penalty goals and shot-creating actions, and the top 4% for touches in the oppositions penalty area and non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

Described as a "top team player" by manager Thomas Tuchel, if United can get this deal over the line, it would significantly improve the team both at full-back and centre-back and would represent brilliant business.

Liverpool recently completed the surprise signing of Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo for a fee of £16.2m from Stuttgart as Jurgen Klopp continued his midfield rebuild.

Having missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both joined Chelsea, the German will need to move swiftly to land another one or two players before the end of the transfer window.

Endo may not be a marquee name, yet his experience could be vital – and Klopp also appears to be edging closer to signing another target…

Who could Liverpool sign next?

With Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all departing Anfield, the Reds find themselves a bit short in the middle of the pitch.

According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace star Cheick Doucoure is still on Klopp’s list despite the arrival of Endo earlier this week.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Eagles are set to ask for a fee believed to be around £70m for one of their prized assets, and should Liverpool submit an offer in this region, it’s highly likely they will secure his signature.

The £60k-per-week Palace gem has just one season of Premier League football behind him, yet Klopp clearly sees enough to launch a move to lure him to the north-west.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

Although a mass midfield exodus was perhaps expected with a few players out of contract, to see Henderson depart after 12 years with the club was a major surprise.

The Englishman played a key role during their success between 2018 and 2022, captaining the side to a Premier League title, Champions League crown and a handful of other trophies as the Reds emerged out of the shadows that had plagued them for years.

The 33-year-old made nearly 500 appearances for the Anfield outfit, and although he started just 23 league matches last season, Klopp could still have counted on his experience for the 2023/24 campaign.

A move for Doucoure could certainly alleviate the blow of losing the 77-cap England international, especially with his wonderful debut season in England.

The 23-year-old even won the Player of the Year Award for his 2022/23 performances and there is no doubt he could be an ideal heir to Henderson.

Read more on Cheick Doucoure HERE…

The Mali international not only made more tackles per game than Henderson (2.3 v 0.9) last term, but also made more interceptions (1.6 v 0.6) and won possession more often (0.7 v 0.4) per game than the former Liverpool star in the league.

This suggests he could be much better at winning the ball back in the heart of the midfield, while his defensive abilities would allow others to thrive in a more advanced role.

Indeed, he ranked in the top 6% when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues for interceptions per 90 (1.73), while he even showcased his ability to take on defenders by ranking in the top 5% for his take-ons per 90 success rate (71.4%, as per FBref).

Lauded by former boss Patrick Vieira for being “the complete holding midfielder”, it’s evident that Doucoure belongs at a more esteemed club, and Klopp should be tying up a deal as quickly as possible.

England gave themselves a chance of pulling off an unlikely victory with Joe Root anchoring their pursuit of 354 after James Anderson led the way with the ball

The Report by Brydon Coverdale05-Dec-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMomentum is a curious, intangible beast, impossible to measure but easy to see. There are players who claim that it doesn’t exist, yet what else but momentum can explain the fact that England are even remotely back in this Test match? England, who were thrashed by 10 wickets in Brisbane. England, who here sent Australia in, saw them bat into six sessions and declare at 8 for 442. England, who batted so poorly that they gave Australia the chance to enforce the follow-on.And therein lies the crux of this momentum shift. Steven Smith did not make England bat again, preferring to give his bowlers a rest. In doing so, he made his own men bat under lights on the third evening, when England’s bowlers hooped the ball around and gained confidence. On the fourth day, Australia were knocked over for 138, and James Anderson claimed the first five-wicket haul he had ever managed in 15 Tests in Australia. The previously anosmic England had the trace of a sniff.By stumps, England had doggedly worked their way to 4 for 176, with their captain Joe Root the key man, unbeaten on 67, alongside Chris Woakes on 5. The momentum had threatened to swing back to Australia late in the evening when Pat Cummins rattled the top of Dawid Malan’s off stump, and might have done so had Woakes not jammed down on a sizzling Cummins yorker from the penultimate ball of the day.In the end, England went to stumps needing a further 178 runs with six wickets in hand. Yet if Australia’s position was much the stronger, England might have felt that they won the day, for they ended it with more chance of victory than when they had started. In the final session it was the Australians who looked nervy, Smith losing both of his side’s reviews in the space of three balls as he sought a fourth wicket.Objectively, this made little sense. To win, England would need to rewrite history. Never before have England chased down a target as high as the 354 they were set here. For nearly 90 years, their record chase has been 332, achieved by a team that boasted Jack Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe and Wally Hammond in their top four. To triumph at Adelaide Oval would not only break England’s record, it would be one of the top 10 chases in all of Test history.Joe Root battled hard to keep the chase alive•Getty ImagesAustralia’s mood was not helped by an incident in the fourth over, when Josh Hazlewood rapped Alastair Cook on the pads from around the wicket. The lbw appeal was turned down by umpire Chris Gaffaney, presumably feeling the ball was sliding down leg. Neither Hazlewood nor wicketkeeper Tim Paine seemed desperate to convince Smith to review, and Australia left it alone. Ball-tracking would have given them the wicket, the ball smashing into leg stump.Perhaps that played a role in Smith’s eagerness to review later, first when Pat Cummins thought he had Root caught behind and then when Hazlewood struck Malan on the flap of the pad in the next over. No Snicko, no Hot Spot, no “umpire’s call”, just lost reviews that would not be refreshed. At least in the meantime, Smith had made one good review, when Nathan Lyon straightened one to trap Cook lbw for 16.Cook and Mark Stoneman had given England just the solid start they required, but on 53 their partnership was broken by Cook’s departure, and Stoneman fell with only one more run added to the score. Having scored at a run a ball for his first 28, he had been stifled for some time when on 36 he tried to glide Mitchell Starc away to the off side and succeeded only in sending a catch to Usman Khawaja at gully.James Vince did little for his Test reputation by driving breezily at Starc and edging to first slip for 15, which left England wobbling at 3 for 91. But Root and Malan worked hard through the tricky evening period for a 78-run stand. Root in particular was excellent, seeking not just to survive but to score – though he had a nervous moment when given out lbw playing no shot to Lyon, a decision that was overturned on review. If Smith’s hundred was the defining innings at the Gabba, Root could yet make the difference here.The day had started with Australia on 4 for 53, leading by 268 runs with six wickets in hand. It was a powerful position by any standards, yet England had gained confidence on the third evening and they did not let Australia slip away too much on the fourth day.Anderson finished with 5 for 43 and a torn pair of trousers sustained while diving in vain for a return catch. He began by removing the nightwatchman Lyon, who chipped a catch to mid-off for 14, and followed by having Peter Handscomb caught at third slip for 12. Handscomb is the only Australian who might be considered in danger of losing his place any time soon, and did little in this innings to show his form as anything but scratchy.Paine made 11 before he was brilliantly caught by Craig Overton, running in from fine leg and diving to collect the top-edged hook off Woakes, who then grabbed his fourth wicket by bowling Shaun Marsh for 19. Starc made 20, the equal top score in the innings (along with Khawaja) before he skied a catch off Anderson to give the fast bowler his fifth wicket.The innings was wrapped up when Hazlewood sent a catch to gully off Overton, leaving Cummins not out on 11. It meant that Australia’s 138 was the highest total in Test history in which no batsman had scored more than 20. That was one record broken. Now England hope that another will follow.

A fresh report from Spain has shed light on Tottenham Hotspur and their chances of re-signing defender Clement Lenglet for the new campaign.

Who will Spurs sign?

Ange Postecoglou, during his most recent press conference ahead of Spurs' crunch Premier League clash with Man United this afternoon, continued to insist that the club may to trimp the squad down before bringing in new players – but did hint that new signings are a real possibility.

"The reality of it is we can't just keep acquiring players," said Postecoglou.

"We've got too big a squad as it is. It affects the training, the players themselves because they all want to play and be involved.

"It's not so much one has to happen for the other but our focus at the moment is trimming the squad down and seeing where that takes us in terms of reinforcements. We're assessing that on a daily basis. There's still two weeks to go in the window and I'm sure you'll see some movement."

Postecoglou has also previously expressed his desire to bring in another defender after they signed Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg, especially to play aggressively and on the front foot.

Tottenham have been linked with a few names to shore up that area of the squad, most recently the likes of Torino defender Perr Schurrs and Lenglet – who spent the 2022/2023 season on loan at Spurs.

There have been reports that Spurs were in advanced talks for the Frenchman, with a new claim from Spain sharing the latest on their pursuit of Lenglet.

Indeed, newspaper La Vanguardia, as also translated by Sport Witness, claim that the 28-year-old is actually waiting to join the north London club and has prioritised a move there above all else.

Lenglet has offers from Saudi Arabia, but isn't keen on a move to the Middle East, having seemingly set his sights on a permanent move back to England with Spurs.

However, there's a problem, as it is believed the operation to sign Lenglet from Barca has now "cooled down a lot" – dealing a blow to Lenglet who hopes to leave Barca but continue in Europe.

The report hasn't explained whether the move is totally off, but it appears the Catalans and Tottenham still have plenty of work to do before an agreement is reached.

How good is Clement Lenglet?

The former Sevilla star made 26 league appearances for the Lilywhites last term, averaging a cool 87.5% passing accuracy out from the back, and could prove useful for Postecoglou in that respect (WhoScored).

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also heaped praise on the 28-year-old, calling him "very strong" and a "high level" player.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

"He's a modern defender," said Lloris.

"Comfortable to be able to play from the back. He has a great left foot and can be very strong in one v one and he's strong in the air.

"Even if it's never easy when you arrive in the Premier League and he will have to adapt to the intensity of the games but he is a high level player, with experience."

Australia will also play a three-match ODI series as part of the ICC Women’s Championship in March next year

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Dec-2017Itinerary

ODI series
March 12, India v Australia , Baroda
March 15, India v Australia, Baroda
March 18, India v Australia, Baroda
T20 series
March 22, India v Australia, Mumbai
March 24, Australia v England, Mumbai
March 26, India v England, Mumbai
March 28, India v Australia, Mumbai
March 30, Australia v England, Mumbai
April 1, India v England, Mumbai
April 3, Final, Mumbai

Australia women will tour India in March next year for a three-match ODI series as part of the ICC Women’s Championship, followed by a T20 tri-series involving the hosts and England.Australia begin the tour with two 50-over warm-up matches against India A in Mumbai before moving to Baroda for three ODIs against India.They will then return to Mumbai for the tri-series, starting on March 22. Each side will play four matches before the final on April 3.Australia are currently placed third on the Women’s Championship table with four points from three games, followed by England, who have two points from three games. Australia had recently won the multi-format Ashes, including a 2-1 series victory in the ODI series.India, meanwhile, haven’t played ODI cricket since their stellar run to the World Cup final in July, when they narrowly lost to England.

Colin de Grandhomme returns to Edgbaston with a mounting reputation after several big-hitting feats

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2018Birmingham Bears have announced the return of explosive New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme as the dedicated T20 overseas player for 2018.De Grandhomme, who scored the second fastest Test century by a New Zealander in December off just 71 balls, will be available for all games in next year’s T20 Blast campaign after helping the Bears to the final at Edgbaston in 2017.Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s sport director, said: “I spoke about Colin being a moneyball player when we announced his signing last year. He was still establishing himself in the international game, but had made plenty of game-changing performances for Auckland. We also recognised that he is an outstanding character who would be a good addition to the dressing room.”He went on to play a huge role on our path to the final last year and we saw him change the outlook of several games very quickly, particularly his innings against Derbyshire Falcons at home, and Northants Steelbacks and Surrey away.”De Grandhomme played in Birmingham Bears’ 16 NatWest T20 Blast games in 2017, scoring 322 runs at a prodigious strike rate of 170.32 and taking five wickets.”We came very close to winning the T20 Blast on Finals Day,” Grandhomme said. “We’ve got a young squad with plenty of firepower, and I believe that we have every chance of going one step further in 2018.”

Everton are considering a few more signings to enhance the squad's chances of success, having started the 2023/24 Premier League season in dismal fashion.

A multitude of attacking acquisitions have been made, with Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison joining on loan, young striker Youssef Chermiti arriving from Sporting Lisbon and Udinese talisman Beto arriving to bring goals to the blue half of Merseyside.

Director of Football Kevin Thelwell has work to do on the defensive front, however, and according to recent revelations, Sean Dyche appears to have identified his man.

Who are Everton interested in signing?

According to transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, Everton are currently in negotiations with Borussia Monchengladbach for defender Nico Elvedi, who has also attracted attention from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With a reported price tag of just £8m, securing the Switzerland star's signature could prove to be a coup for Dyche and co, and action must now be taken to ensure he joins the fold at Goodison Park.

How good is Nico Elvedi?

Having once been described as “incredible” by former Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl, Elvedi would undoubtedly improve the Everton backline as they look to navigate away from danger this season.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Indeed, the Toffees have been mired in obscurity for some time, having escaped relegation peril with an upturn in form across the past two Premier League seasons.

Whilst the crux of the club's issues last year was the absence of attacking verve, finishing the term as the second-lowest scorers in the top-flight, Everton are unquestionably in need of fresh life in the defensive third.

Yerry Mina, Conor Coady and Mason Holgate have all left the club this summer, and while the talented Jarred Branthwaite has returned from a successful loan spell with PSV Eindhoven, a star of Elvedi's ilk would bolster the backline and then some.

Having chalked up 270 displays for his Bundesliga outfit, the 26-year-old has made an average of at least four clearances per game across three of the past four league campaigns, as per WhoScored, which could prove invaluable for the Toffees given the recent struggles, having lost all three matches to start the 2023/24 campaign.

The 47-cap Swiss actually ranks among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances per 90, while also ranking among the top 6% for pass completion and the top 17% for goals per 90, as per FBref.

It is this crisp passing ability and natural inclination to find the back of the net himself that has prompted Bundesliga.com to liken his skill set akin to Manchester City's star centre-back John Stones, citing his elegance on the ball and flexibility across a three and four-man defence.

Stones has risen to the fore with Manchester City after joining the club from the Toffees for £47.5m back in 2016, having won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League, heralded as "sensational" by pundit Jamie Carragher for his incredible rise under Pep Guardiola – it is a fair bet to label the 29-year-old as world-class.

The 67-cap England international ranks among the top 7% of positional peers for goals and assists, the top 5% for pass completion and the top 11% for progressive passes per 90, and if Elvedi can bring his own similar qualities to the Premier League then Everton could have their next version of the Citizen gem to solidify Dyche's defence.

Highlighted by former manager Adi Hutter for an "amazing" shackling performance against Robert Lewandowski, Elvedi boasts both the technicality and tenacity to thrive as a ball-playing star and as a no-nonsense central defender, and he could be just the man to unlock a flagging backline at Goodison Park.

Manchester United have struggled in front of goal this season, scoring just five times across four matches while securing only two wins from these Premier League ties, and it’s evident that Erik ten Hag has to change things up if he wants his team to contend for the title.

Marcus Rashford led the way last season, scoring 30 goals across all competitions, yet he has yet to catch fire this term, netting only once in four league outings, indicating that perhaps he needs more time to get back into his stride.

Bruno Fernandes also proved to be a key attacking outlet for the Red Devils last season, netting 14 times, but like Rashford, he has failed to really get going thus far and Ten Hag will require others to step up and begin contributing.

The Dutchman went all out to sign Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund in the summer transfer window, spending £72m to secure one of the most highly-rated talents on the continent.

Having missed the start of the season due to injury, the youngster will need to hit the ground running and prove to the United faithful why this sort of money was splashed out on him.

How good is Rasmus Hojlund?

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Dane scored 16 goals in all competitions, which included nine for Serie A side Atalanta, having made the move to Italy from Sturm Graz last summer.

He only started 20 league matches for the club, yet ranked third for goals and assists (11), second for shots per game (1.7) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (0.9), indicating that he settled into life well in Serie A, despite his tender years.

Despite these encouraging statistics, when compared to positional peers, Hojlund only ranks in the top 30% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.42), while also ranking in the top 33% for total shots per 90 (2.81), demonstrating that he isn’t quite the finished article yet and there is still some developing to do.

The striker has only scored 27 senior club career goals and Ten Hag is perhaps expecting too much with regard to the youngster leading the line for the Old Trafford side, thus putting a heap of pressure on his shoulders already.

Given their struggles in the final third, what the former Ajax boss would give to have a former United sensation as his main striker right now. The likes of Andy Cole is one such player. He had everything to thrive under the Dutchman, certainly proving to be a bigger talent than Hojlund is currently.

How much did Manchester United sign Andy Cole for?

Sir Alex Ferguson was the master at signing players who were either just about to hit their peak years or had proven that they could thrive in the Premier League.

Andy Cole fits into both of these categories, having spent the previous two and half seasons scoring for fun at Newcastle United.

The Englishman netted 12 goals in the old First Division as the Magpies gained promotion to the Premier League and during the 1993/94 campaign, he exploded into life, making the top flight his stage.

Cole scored a staggering 34 goals across 40 matches as Newcastle finished the season in a wonderful third spot under Kevin Keegan and the good times finally looked to be coming back to St James’ Park.

Ferguson needed another goalscorer and earmarked Cole as the player who could spearhead the United attack for the foreseeable future.

The wily Scot eventually secured his signature for a fee of £7m in January 1995 and although his signing couldn’t help United win a third consecutive league crown, the future was bright.

How many goals did Andy Cole score for Manchester United?

His first two full seasons saw Cole hit just 11 and six league goals respectively as he struggled to live up to the vast hype, numbers indicative of Hojlund's embryonic years in football. Yet, the former finally hit the ground running during the 1997/98 campaign, scoring 25 goals across all competitions.

Having lost the league to Arsenal, Ferguson made sure there wouldn’t be a repeat of this by luring striker Dwight Yorke to the club, and it proved to be a stroke of genius, with him and Cole forming a deadly partnership when deployed up front together.

Their stunning link-up play against Barcelona in the Champions League during their first season together was a joy to behold, and the duo received praise from a variety of figures, including Ferguson himself.

He said: “Andy Cole had a great time with us. He and Dwight Yorke had that fantastic season in 1999 that year they were the best partnership in Europe.”

Commentator Clive Tyldesley even lauded the pair, saying “They are out of this world,” as they led United to a stunning treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during the 1998/99 season.

Cole would remain at Old Trafford for the next two and half years before making the move to Blackburn Rovers in 2002, where he won the League Cup just a few weeks after his arrival.

Overall, the 15-cap Englishman made 275 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 121 times in the process while winning five league titles and the coveted Champions League in what was a golden era for the club.

Can you imagine a player like this in the current United team? With creative talents such as Fernandes and Mason Mount producing chance after chance for the striker, and Rashford linking up well from a wide position, it would be a match made in heaven.

Hojlund is still young and relatively experienced at senior level, playing just 88 matches over the previous three seasons but will need to start scoring before the pressure hits unbearable levels. He could well use Cole's example as inspiration.

The latter had everything to be a top-level centre-forward. He was pacy, and could outmanoeuvre even the best of defenders while having a ruthless streak which enabled him to be the main man at Old Trafford for over half a decade.

Hojlund is a wonderful talent and has already shown glimpses of his ability in Italy, but the pressure is greater in Manchester and in order to build on his solid start to life in senior football, he could certainly learn a thing from the success Cole enjoyed at the club.

Plenty of strikers have already tried to crawl out of Cole's shadow and failed; it's now time for the Norwegian to show he won't have the same difficulties. Over to you, Rasmus.

The hosts have added Henry Nicholls to their squad as cover for their captain who is nursing a back niggle

The Preview by Alan Gardner12-Feb-2018Big PictureTwo teams, no points. The Trans-Tasman T20 moves across the water with New Zealand and England looking to get on the board. Australia and the Australians were hard on both, as David Warner led a resurgent short-form side packed with BBL talent to three wins from three, guaranteeing them a place in the final. The identity of their opponent for the decider will be determined over the next seven days, across games in Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton.New Zealand have faced scrutiny from within about their T20 set-up – in particular the role of captain Kane Williamson – and subsequently called a couple of new faces into the squad for the home leg of the series. Mark Chapman is the most intriguing, already an international with Hong Kong but now focused on the alternative path provided by his Kiwi father. Like Chapman, wicketkeeper Tim Seifert enjoyed a strong Super Smash and is set to take over wicketkeeping duties from Tom Blundell.England’s back-to-back to defeats to Australia have exposed problems with their T20 approach, too – notably a misfiring batting order, albeit one missing a few key cogs. One of the absentees was pencilled in for a return in this game, but a court appearance in Bristol shortly after the Wellington T20 concludes will prevent Ben Stokes from making his international comeback just yet.Both teams are on a run of three consecutive defeats in T20I – New Zealand losing twice at home to Pakistan in January; England beaten by West Indies at the end of their summer – and both have injury concerns over their captains. But, barring an intervention by the weather, their fortunes are about to diverge.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LLLWW
England LLLWL
In the spotlightShould he be passed fit after suffering a back niggle, Kane Williamson is likely to be the focus of attention. Since dropping to No. 3 to accommodate Colin Munro at the top of the order, his returns have dipped sharply, with scores of 28, 12, 8, 17*, 19, 0, 9 and 8. He averages only 21.66 at first drop, compared to high 30s as an opener, while his strike-rate (111.11) remains pedestrian by modern standards. Williamson is determined to play all formats and Joe Root and Virat Kohli have shown that classical virtues have a place in T20.Jason Roy is, by contrast, the epitome of an aggressive, ball-striking T20 batsman. His role for England is to attack from the outset at the top of the order in white-ball cricket, which inevitably leads to something of a feast-or-famine output. However, since making an England ODI record 180 against Australia last month at the MCG, he has four single-figure scores from six innings, only once passing 20. His T20 form, albeit spread over eight months, is particularly barren: 8, 0, 9 and 8 since a half-century against South Africa at Taunton in June.Team newsNew Zealand have added Henry Nicholls to their squad as cover for Williamson – although the captain said he was “100%-ish”. New Zealand have to decide whether to push Williamson back up to the opening slot, where he has a good record alongside Martin Guptill, and utilise Munro’s aggression at No. 3, or stick with their recent tactics. Chapman and Seifert are in line for a debuts, after Tom Bruce and Blundell were dropped from the 13-man squad. Anaru Kitchen and Ben Wheeler are the other options.New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Kane Williamson (capt), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Mark Chapman, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Tim Seifert (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish SodhiEngland look set to be without Eoin Morgan again. He did not bat in the nets on Monday after missing the MCG T20 with a groin strain, with James Vince likely to get another chance at No. 4 and Jos Buttler deputising as captain. Liam Dawson’s spin took punishment in Melbourne and, with the small boundaries at the Westpac Stadium, England may revert to four seamers alongside Adil Rashid. Liam Plunkett could be in contention after a hamstring injury ruled him out of the start of the series.England: (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 James Vince, 5 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 6 Sam Billings, 7 David Willey, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Liam Plunkett/Tom Curran, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Mark WoodPitch and conditionsThe Westpac can offer something for swing and seam bowlers – as England discovered when they were rolled for 123 by New Zealand during a 2015 World Cup hammering – and the dimensions mean both teams will likely want to chase. There has been some rain around in Wellington, which may affect the consistency of the drop-in surface, but the forecast is for a warm, clear evening without interruptions.Stats and trivia Tim Southee needs one wicket to pass Nathan McCullum as New Zealand’s most prolific bowler in T20 internationals. England’s highest T20 opening partnership came in Wellington in 2013, when Michael Lumb and Alex Hales put 143 in a ten-wicket win.Quotes”We certainly want to get on the board in this tri-series and it becomes very important we play our best cricket tomorrow night.”
“We’ve under-performed as a team and because of that we’ve got a bee in our bonnet. We want to make sure the next game is a strong performance.”

Ryan Fraser has regularly been one of the shortest players in the Premier League but now that he has parted ways with his long-term manager Eddie Howe, his throne has been vacated.

Last year, Dexter Lembikisa of Wolverhampton Wanderers actually came in at three centimetres smaller than the diminutive Scotsman but the Jamaican teenager has since enjoyed a growth spurt.

Fraser is now plying his trade in the Championship with Russell Martin’s Southampton and so it is time for an update. We at Football FanCast have gathered information on who is the smallest player currently in the Premier League.

9 Raheem Sterling (1.7m)

Next to someone who is not only one of the shortest players in the Premier League but also one of the most talented and accomplished in the form of Raheem Sterling.

He burst onto the scene with Liverpool, won four league titles with Manchester City and is now trying to turn it around for himself at Chelsea off the back of a rough season.

Sterling has always been one of the shorter players in England’s top flight at 5ft 7in and that has helped in many ways, that low centre of gravity aiding his bobbing and weaving style of dribbling.

Sterling may be small but one of his current Blues’ teammates is even smaller so stay tuned to find out who that is.

8 Manuel Benson (1.69m)

Dropping down a single centimeter to where we find Burnley's Manuel Benson.

Benson arrived at Turf Moor last summer from Royal Antwerp and went on to contribute 11 goals and three assists to the Claret's cause from 33 appearances. 19 of his runouts did come from the bench and saw he amassed a total of 1,489 minutes, averaging out at a goal contribution every 106 minutes which is a very respectable return indeed.

The majority of the wingers on the Burnley books operate best off of the left and so club stalwart Johann Berg Gudmundsson is the main man who competes with Benson for minutes.

7 Manor Solomon (1.69m)

Fulham would have featured on this list twice if it was produced a few months ago but following Manor Solomon’s summer transfer that saw him move across London, they are out.

In their place are Tottenham Hotspur who sold Harvey White to Stevenage and in the same window, brought in Solomon, formerly of the Cottagers, two players who were amongst the smallest in the division.

Solomon is an Israeli international who was on loan in West London last year from Shakhtar Donetsk. He appeared in 19 league games that totalled 561 minutes, in which he managed 4 goals as well as a goal in one of his FA Cup outings.

His contract with the Ukrainian club expired and whilst Fulham may have looked at making his stay with them permanent, it was Spurs who beat them to it and added Manor Solomon to their forward line.

6 Bobby Decordova-Reid (1.69m)

Talking of Fulham and whilst Solomon is a thing of the past for their fans, Bobby Decordova-Reid is certainly a member of the current crop.

He made his name in English football in the city he was born in as he went from academy graduate to club legend at Bristol City.

For a while it seemed that he was a very good Championship player but that was it, yet here he is with 21 Premier League goal contributions from over 6,500 minutes (at the time of writing).

The Jamaican international is another player whose stature is an advantage of his as despite being someone who can easily hold his own physically, it allows him to be more deceptive in his moment on and off of the ball.

5 Michael Obafemi (1.69m)

Moving back to the newly promoted Burnley and one of their many strikers, Michael Obafemi.

After youth spells with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, it was clear that he was a very highly-rated talent and it was Southampton where he first got a big break.

21 Premier League appearances for the Saints was his best return for the top-flight and now after departing St. Mary's, he is back in the division with Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.

It is unsure how much Obafemi will play and he has been dealing with injury recently but at 1.69m, he is the starting point for this list.

4 Rico Lewis (1.69cm)

Moving on to the club where Raheem Sterling enjoyed huge success both individually and collectively, Manchester City.

Bernardo Silva would probably be most people's guess for the shortest man in Pep Guardiola’s ranks but young fullback Rico Lewis takes that honour instead of the Portuguese international.

Lewis is just 18 and yet he has been regularly trusted by Guardiola to play a lot of minutes which is always a sign of excellence, the same having been seen with Phil Foden and Cole Palmer for example.

The defender is 1cm shorter than Sterling and so edges his way into joint eighth spot but given his age, a growth spurt or two could be around the corner to take him off of this list altogether.

3 Tyrell Malacia (1.69cm)

Remaining in Manchester but switching over to the red half where we have Tyrell Malacia as the first man to appear on the podium.

Malacia, who is also a wide defender, is pretty much the same height as Rico Lewis but he was born actually born five years prior, in 1999.

Manchester United are faced with their fair share of difficulties at the moment both on and off of the field and the same games for Malacia really as he remains a back-up to Luke Shaw on that left flank.

He arrived at Old Trafford from Feyenoord as someone from Rotterdam himself in the summer of 2022 and was greeted by a mixed reception from the Man United fanbase. The jury is still out.

2 Ian Maatsen (1.67m)

Claiming a silver medal is another man who has been moving about in the last year or two, Ian Maatsen.

Maatsen excelled on loan in the Championship last season with Burnley under the stewardship of Vincent Kompany and following their title win and promotion, they attempted to retain his services.

It wasn’t to be for the young Dutchman who has instead remained at Chelsea where he is of course playing alongside another man on this list, Raheem Sterling.

Maatsen comes in at 5ft 5in so he is a couple of inches shorter than his Blues’ teammate and he will be looking to establish himself as a regular at Stamford Bridge, potentially being able to benefit from the injury issues that the club have faced in the fullback positions.

1 Tariq Lamptey (1.63m)

Finally then to top spot and it is someone who has been back and forth with Ryan Fraser in terms of being the smallest player since he made his mark in the Premier League.

Brighton is the destination once again and Tariq Lamptey is the man in question.

The 22-year-old spent over a decade in the Cobham academy at Chelsea and then was given the chance to make his first-team debut in the league against Arsenal in 2019.

Frank Lampard was the manager to give Lamptey that chance but the Ghanaian never featured again for the Blues and so made the decision to search for regular football elsewhere.

The Amex was the landing spot for Lamptey and he has certainly made an impact at the club, particularly during the times of covid, behind-closed-doors football. That being said, injuries have hampered his development and so we have only seen him make eight Premier League appearances in 2023, and the only start was in a 1-0 win over AFC Bournemouth.

Lamptey, at 1.63m or 5ft 4in, is the smallest player in the league.