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The tournament, which had signed up Eoin Morgan, Kumar Sangakkara and Shahid Afridi among its icon players, failed to sell franchises within the stipulated time

Umar Farooq15-Nov-2018The inaugural Emirates T20x League has been cancelled, following the tournament’s failure to sell franchises within the stipulated time. The tournament was scheduled to be staged next month with Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as the host venues.The league, a joint venture between the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and the OPi group, had gained ICC approval for the next 10 years subject to an annual appraisal. It was to feature five franchises – the organisers had not revealed their names, but it is believed they were meant to represent five Emirates of the UAE.”Following talks between the Emirates Cricket Board and event promoter OPi, it has been mutually agreed that the planned UAE T20x franchise cricket league will not take place in the UAE this coming December/January,” the ECB said in a statement. “The decision follows the conclusion of the Invitation to Tender process for tournament franchises.”Both the ECB and OPi had been hopeful of achieving the sale of five franchise teams for the first year of the tournament, and whilst negotiations had been completed on two franchise teams and a further three were well advanced, it was felt that there was no longer sufficient time to close the sales process and to successfully deliver and promote a December event.”During the ICC’s annual conference in Dublin in July, the chief executives committee (CEC) and the ICC Board had discussed – and reportedly come to a consensus on – limiting player participation to no more than three T20 leagues a year. According to the ECB’s statement, this too had impacted the league’s ability to attract commercial partnerships.”OPi, a privately-owned sports promoter, and the ECB had been working together since 2017 to develop the new franchise league, and had attracted interest and support from many of the world’s leading players and coaches,” the statement said. “The decision of the ICC in July to explore potential limitations on T20 cricket leagues and player participation in them, meant that investment into UAE T20x had to be curtailed throughout the summer in anticipation of a decision. This in turn impacted timings around commercial conversations with potential franchise buyers.”As such, the tournament was racing against time. It was supposed to begin on December 19, with a player draft scheduled for November 18. The organisers hadn’t signed a deal with a broadcaster either.Despite all this, the league had already announced five icon players – Eoin Morgan, David Miller, Andre Russell, Shahid Afridi and Kumar Sangakkara – with AB de Villiers also involved as a non-playing ambassador.The first season was supposed to feature 22 matches played over 24 days. Each of the five franchises was to comprise 16 players – six international and two emerging players from Full Member countries, three from Associate countries, two young players from the local domestic set-up and three UAE national cricketers.The venture was spearheaded by the former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf, who during his term with the Pakistan board had initiated the idea of launching a T20 league within Pakistan. However, the idea never materialised under Ashraf.The T20x league operations were the responsibility of Salman Sarwar Butt, another Pakistani who was one of the driving forces behind the Pakistan Super League in 2016. He later parted ways with the PSL after the PCB failed to renew his contract.

Peter George picked up three wickets as Tasmania slumped from 1 for 188 to 4 for 195 before ending the day at 5 for 257

The Report by Alex Malcolm16-Oct-2018Alex Doolan scored his tenth first-class hundred•Getty ImagesAustralia coach Justin Langer asked for more centuries in the Sheffield Shield this season and veteran Tasmania batsman Alex Doolan provided the first on a tightly contested opening day against Queensland at the Gabba.Doolan made his tenth first-class hundred on a day when scoring was not free-flowing. He struck 17 fours and two sixes in his 193-ball 115.He put together a 54-run opening partnership with Jordan Silk and a 134-run stand for the second wicket with Beau Webster, who made 43. But Queensland’s seamers stuck to their task and pulled things back late in the day.One-time Test bowler Peter George was the pick of the bowlers, removing both Silk and Doolan caught behind. He also bowled Jake Doran cheaply with a full-toss as Tasmania slumped from 1 for 188 to 4 for 195 in the space of 34 balls.Both George and Luke Feldman were miserly, conceding just 91 in a combined 46.4 overs, and Feldman removed Tasmania’s captain George Bailey late in the day.Bad light stopped play just before the scheduled close. Matthew Wade was batting on 37 and Simon Milenko on 9. They will hope to build again early on day two.

Zak Chappell will push for England recognition at Trent Bridge after leaving Leicestershire

George Dobell13-Sep-2018

Zak Chappell celebrates•PA Photos

Zak Chappell has agreed a three-year deal with Nottinghamshire.Chappell, the 22-year-old Leicestershire all-rounder, has been limited to 14 games in his first-class career but, such is his obvious promise, was the subject of interest from several of the richest county sides including Surrey, Warwickshire and Lancashire.Chappell becomes the second Leicestershire player to leave as an improved season under coach Paul Nixon nears its end: Ben Raine, a powerful allrounder, is also returning to his native north-east after agreeing terms with Durham.Capable of bowling fast and powerful batting, Chappell made 96 from No. 10 on first-class debut and has this season taken his Championship wickets at a cost of 15.93. While there are some concerns about his injury record, such is his high potential – he is an all-rounder somewhat in the Andrew Flintoff mould – many clubs were prepared to take a chance on him.”We are really disappointed to lose Zak as he was an important player across all formats for us,” Paul Nixon, the Leicestershire head coach said. “He has bowled some excellent spells of fast bowling and made some useful scores with the bat.”We really wanted him to continue his development with us, and we made him a very good offer to keep him with us. Sadly, Zak has opted to sign for Nottinghamshire to play Division One cricket, and the club wishes him well in the future.”Chappell’s departure will remind Leicestershire supporters of another transfer of a tall, fair-haired fast bowler that forever aggrieves them – that of Stuart Broad 11 years ago.His move sustains a strong recruitment drive from Nottinghamshire who have already added Ben Duckett and Ben Slater to their side in recent days. In the case of Chappell, it is understood he was impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of Peter Moores, the Notts head coach, to his development. It is understood the club also remain keen to attract 22-year-old Joe Clarke to Trent Bridge. It will not have gone unnoticed that all those players have developed at non-Test grounds.”The opportunity to test myself playing Division One cricket with Nottinghamshire is an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down,” Chappell said. “I want to play for England in the future, and I think the best chance to do that is by playing in Division One.

Leeds United have made an excellent start to the 2023/24 Championship campaign following on from their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last term.

The Whites finished in the bottom three of the top-flight and dropped back down to the second tier after three seasons at the top table of English football.

Daniel Farke's side are currently third in the division and fighting for promotion back at the first time of asking. Although, they are nine points off the automatic places, having played one more match than Ipswich Town, as the top two are starting to run away with the league.

The Yorkshire-based outfit most recently dropped points in a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Wednesday night in what was a frustrating evening for the club, with a missed Patrick Bamford penalty followed swiftly by an own goal from Pascal Struijk.

Summer signing Joel Piroe led the line and failed to produce the goods as he missed a 'big chance' and only managed one shot on target in 70 minutes on the pitch.

The Dutch marksman has now only scored once in his last five Championship matches for Leeds but that should not be a major concern as the quality is there for him to return to goalscoring form.

In fact, the young finisher could have the potential to be Farke's own, second tier version, of the prolific Manchester City ace Erling Haaland.

Why Haaland and Piroe are similar forwards

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Piroe namechecked the Norway international as a player he likes to watch and learn from as the former Swans star believes that there are similarities in the way they both play.

The impressive Dutchman mentioned that the runs Haaland makes for City to create chances for himself is something that he would like to do more of in his game in this new fluid role that Leeds are asking him to play.

Interestingly, he also named Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard as an inspiration for his play in possession when asked to collect the ball in deeper positions, due to the Norwegian magician's ability as a second striker who can control the midfield.

Piroe, who led the line for Swansea in recent seasons, has been deployed as a hybrid of a number ten and a striker alongside Georgino Rutter this season.

Farke came out in defence of his decision to play the 6 foot 1 ace in that role. The German tactician stated that he wants his forwards to be constantly pressing and causing problems for the opposition and that is not Piroe's strength.

However, the ex-Norwich boss lauded his finishing as "world-class" and that is why this role is perfect for him as Rutter can press and stretch the defence and leave space for the left-footed whiz to push forward into the final third to get on the end of passes and crosses to punish teams.

As Piroe alluded to in his interview, this is what works for Haaland and Julian Alvarez for Pep Guardiola as they complement each other perfectly and the Argentina international's movement creates the room his strike partner needs to be a constant goal threat.

The statistics that show Piroe is a big goal threat

Since arriving from Swansea during the summer transfer window, Piroe has scored five goals in ten Championship appearances for the Whites.

Crysencio Summerville (four) is the only other player at the club with more than two goals and this shows that the lethal forward has been Farke's outstanding goalscoring option so far this season.

The 24-year-old ace has only missed four 'big chances' in total for the Whites and has found the back of the net five times from 3.9 xG (Expected Goals), which shows that he has overperformed in front of goal in terms of the quality of chances that have been put away.

This comes after the superb marksman enjoyed a fantastic season with Swansea at Championship level last season. Piroe racked up 19 goals in 43 appearances, despite his teammates only creating 13.20 xG worth of chances for him.

He also outperformed his xG during his debut year in English football with the Swans throughout the 2021/22 campaign. The former PSV prospect produced an eye-catching 22 goals from 16.67 xG over the course of his 45 league outings.

In total, Piroe has scored 46 times from 33.77 xG at Championship level for Swansea and Leeds combined since the start of the 2021/22 season, which is an overperformance of 12.23 goals.

This backs up Farke's claim that the Whites centre-forward's finishing is 'world-class' as it shows that he has been incredibly clinical at the top end of the pitch by significantly outperforming his xG over the course of over two seasons.

Therefore, if Piroe can learn from Haaland's movement and implement that in matches for Leeds, coupled with his teammates being able to pick out his runs, then the manager could have his own version of the City star at Elland Road.

Haaland's Manchester City statistics

The 23-year-old phenomenon, who was born in Leeds, has scored nine goals in nine Premier League matches so far this season for the champions.

He has racked up that number from 6.19 xG and came into this term off the back of a record-breaking debut campaign in English football last term.

Haaland broke the record for the most goals in a single Premier League season with 36 goals in 35 top-flight appearances for the Cityzens, despite only having 25.23 xG.

Appearances

67

Goals

63

Assists

11

Trophies

Four

This means that Haaland has scored a stunning 45 goals from 31.42 xG for City since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, which is an overperformance of 13.58 goals.

These statistics show that there is already an argument to be made that Piroe is the Championship version of the Norwegian superstar as they are both similarly prolific in how they are able to outperform the quality of chances that come their way.

However, Haaland has only scored one fewer goal in English football despite playing only playing one-and-a-bit-seasons, which suggests that the Leeds star could improve the frequency of his scoring.

Learning from the City ace's movement and running off the ball to create opportunities could result in Piroe having higher-quality chances, which could help him to improve his goalscoring output and be Farke's own Haaland.

Christian Pulisic has responded to the questions of his character after being accused of being a “bad sport” in AC Milan’s 1-0 win over Lazio.

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American drew two dismissals in RomeAccused of unsporting behaviourAdamant that he did nothing wrongWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international was heavily involved in that contest, drawing two red cards from opponents that lost their composure in the heat of Serie A battle. The first of those, when Luca Pellegrini was dismissed, saw Pulisic brought down after Lazio thought the ball was being played out so that Taty Castellanos could receive treatment for an injury.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PULISIC SAID

Pulisic was blasted by those in the Italian capital for a supposed display of “unsporting behaviour”, with Lazio picking up two more dismissals deep into stoppage-time after seeing Noah Okafor snatch an 88th-minute winner – with Pulisic hauled down by Mateo Guendouzi prior to the former Arsenal midfielder being ushered down the tunnel.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Pulisic has told of the criticism that he has attracted: “For me, this was not a question of being a bad sport. I saw nothing behind me, I play to the whistle and I was brought down. I had no intention of doing anything like that, the whole situation got out of control. People who know me will know that, people outside can say whatever they want, but I didn’t mean anything against Lazio.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?

Milan had Pulisic to thank again in their latest outing – as he grabbed the winner in a 1-0 victory over Empoli – and the USMNT star admits that he is producing the best form of his career after posting personal bests in 2023-24, while still having the promise of more to come.

Less than 48 hours after MS Dhoni pulled his boys up for not executing plans properly in the field, they come up against the wily Sunrisers

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu12-May-20185:23

Manjrekar: Sunrisers have all their bases covered

Form guide (most recent match first)

Chennai Super Kings: lost to Rajasthan Royals by four wickets, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets

Sunrisers Hyderabad: beat Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by five runs, beat Delhi Daredevils by seven wickets

Big PictureRemember all those times you flunked a test and were sent to extra coaching before the crack of dawn? Well, Chennai Super Kings might experience some of that as they prepare to meet the already-qualified Sunrisers Hyderabad.MS Dhoni actually looked like the dad who just didn’t know what to do with his kid – shrugging and shaking his head in exasperation – on Friday. After protecting his rag-tag bunch from cat-calls of “you’re too old” and “you field like a hologram”, the man has had enough. Execution matters, he said. Planning alone won’t work, he said. The bowlers need to commit to the plans, he said.Now, there would almost always be a pesky friend in this scenario, one who scores 90s and 100s all the time, sniggering away in the background. That’s Kane Williamson and his boys. They’re through to the knockouts of the IPL and they passed that test despite a ton of out-of-syllabus questions set by Professor Pant.CSK’s bowling is only threatening on slower pitches. With the ball not coming onto the bat, their spinners suffocate oppositions. But the problem is Sunrisers have two of the very best in that very art – Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan. So perhaps they should hope for a batting pitch so they can outgun the table-toppers?In the newsThe shoulder injury that kept Wriddhiman Saha out of Sunrisers’ last match has not healed completely yet. Shreevats Goswami may get another game on Sunday.Super Kings have once again arranged a train to bring 1000 fans from Chennai to Pune to watch the match.Previous meetingCSK were going nowhere until Ambati Rayudu made the scoreboard move like errant children under the glare of the headmaster and set up a four-run win over Sunrisers.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Shardul Thakur, 11 Lungi NgidiSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Siddharth Kaul, 11 Sandeep SharmaStrategy puntOffspin has worked against Dhoni (strike rate 92) and Suresh Raina (strike rate 112). To do that Sunrisers may want to bring in Mohammad Nabi, but use him after Ambati Rayudu (strike rate 148) and Shane Watson (strike rate 157) are out of the picture because they’ve been wallopping offspinnersMaybe Rashid Khan could target Rayudu (strike rate of 127 v legspin) and Shakib Al Hasan can work on Watson, who has faced 11 balls from a left-arm spinner and lost his wicket twice. All figures mentioned are for this IPL season only.On the flip side, CSK can try Karn Sharma against Shakib. The head-to-head in all T20s reads: seven balls, zero runs and two wickets.Stats that matter Sunrisers have won six matches in a row so far, making it their longest winning streak in the IPL Watson needs 11 runs to get to 3000 in the IPL. And he has been in such form this season that he’s not been troubled by fast bowling (strike rate 154, average 39) or spin bowling (strike rate 151, average 30) Kane Williamson will be vital for Sunrisers to negotiate Super Kings because he’s been magic against slow bowling this IPL: 202 runs in 164 balls, only one dismissal Dwayne Bravo has probably been the only fast bowler CSK can trust and he’s got a good record against Sunrisers: 13 wickets in 29 overs at an economy rate of 7.6Fantasy pickTake Dhoni. He averages 61 and strikes at 158 against Sunrisers. He is also fairly prolific in Pune with 456 runs in 16 innings.Sandeep Sharma (six wickets in 14 overs) and Shakib (four wickets in 11 overs) also have an excellent record at the MCA stadium.

ScorecardNottinghamshire have moved 17 points clear at the top of the Division One table after a hard-fought victory over Hampshire at Trent Bridge.The margin may look comfortable but, such was Hashim Amla’s determination, the game was deep inside the final session before Hampshire’s hopes of escaping with a draw were denied. On a slow pitch on which dislodging batsman was difficult, Peter Moores, the Nottinghamshire head coach, rated it “as good a win as I’ve seen” in four-day cricket.It’s not hard to see his point. While some victories – such as last week’s against Worcestershire – are overwhelming, this one was built upon contributions from just about every man in the side. The batsmen scored quickly enough – almost four-and-a-half an over throughout the match – that the bowlers were given enough time to work their way through the opposition line-up. And while each of their four seamers deserves praise, it’s worth nothing that Hampshire’s spinner (Liam Dawson) went for 140 in 31 overs while Nottinghamshire’s (Samit Patel) went for just 48 from 38. He also claimed four wickets.It was Nottinghamshire’s third victory in four Championship matches this season. Their batting is not, perhaps, the strongest in the division (it will be a surprise if they do not make serious efforts to sign Ben Duckett and Joe Clarke in the next few months) but their seam bowling attack is daunting. And it is seam bowling attacks that tend to win Championships.No-one was more impressive than Stuart Broad. In this day and age, many experienced international bowlers use these games as little more than middle-practice for more high-profile encounters ahead of them. But Broad demonstrated both his rediscovered potency and his commitment to the club with a series of incisive spells that some regular watchers at this ground felt were his best for this team.His spells to fellow internationals James Vince and Rilee Rossouw were especially outstanding. With Vince trapped in front the previous night, Rossouw was, at one stage, beaten by four successive deliveries before he edged to first slip. “That was a top-flight international spell,” Moores said. It is, perhaps, the best part of three years since Broad has bowled with such pace and skill.It is worth reflecting on Moores’ input for a moment, too. It is almost exactly three years since he was sacked by England for the second time and, in some minds, his reputation will never recover from a dire 2015 World Cup campaign. But, a few months after leading his side to the limited-overs double, he has a chance of becoming the first head coach to lead three different county sides to the Championship title; something that has never previously been achieved. His incredible county record cannot be dismissed as chance or coincidence.It is surely fanciful to suggest he could be considered by England when they go in search of a replacement for Trevor Bayliss in just over a year. But that record and, just as importantly the dignified manner in which he has shrugged off his setbacks and got on with his life, are deeply impressive.Perhaps, had Steven Mullaney, at third slip, held on to a chance offered by Amla when he had just 13, this match may have ended sometime around lunch. But the catch went down and, as England learned to their cost in 2012, Amla tends to punish such errors.Hashim Amla was central to his side’s hopes•Getty Images

It was, for much of the day, as if Amla were batting on a different surfaces to his team-mates. While the ball seemed to bounce and nip sharply to the rest of the Hampshire batsmen – both Dawson and Lewis McManus may face spells on the sidelines after sustaining blows to the hand in this game and Kyle Abbott will also have some bruises – Amla had the time and skill to adjust. While Abbott and McManus and Rossouw each resisted for an hour and more, the next highest score on the day was 10. There was a chasm between him and the rest.If a criticism could be levelled, however, it might be over his inability to farm the strike. Over the course of his innings, he gave the strike to his partner 37 times. In return, they gave it to him just twice. And one of those came on day three, when James Vince pushed a single. By the time his 317 minutes of resistance came to an end – he was last man out, top-edging an attempted pull off Jake Ball – the situation was hopeless.Earlier Chris Wood was bowled by a beauty in the day’s first over – a delivery from Ball that pitched on middle and hit off – before Dawson was trapped by one that kept low and Abbott caught off the shoulder of the bat by one that reared. Batting was by no means impossible but, every so often, a ball would come along that demanded an almost perfect temperament and technique. For much of the day, Amla provided exactly that, but he lacked the support of his colleagues.

Ajinkya Rahane has taken a break following the South Africa tour, but Mumbai will be bolstered by the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer

Deivarayan Muthu19-Feb-2018Gautam Gambhir, who has recovered from an ankle injury, will return to Delhi’s team for the knockout phase of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shreyas Iyer, who was recently part of India’s first ODI series win in South Africa, has also been included in Mumbai’s squad. However, Ajinkya Rahane, back home after national duty, has taken a break after Mumbai chief selector Ajit Agarkar agreed to his request.Vijay Hazare quarter-finals schedule

1st quarter-final, February 21, Hyderabad v Karnataka, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

2nd quarter-final, February 21, Mumbai v Maharashtra, Palam A Ground, Delhi

3rd quarter-final, February 22, Baroda v Saurashtra, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

4th quarter-final, February 22, Andhra v Delhi, Palam A Ground, Delhi

Gambhir, who had been sidelined from the group stages of the tournament, will bolster an already in-form Delhi top order: despite suffering a freak blow on the jaw, Unmukt Chand has piled up 319 runs in six innings at 53.16, while Hiten Dalal has hit 283 runs at 47.16. Manjot Kalra, who had smashed an unbeaten 101 in India’s Under-19 World Cup title win, was put on stand-by.Karnataka, meanwhile, were dealt a major blow with their captain R Vinay Kumar being ruled out of their quarter-final against Hyderabad in Delhi, with an elbow injury. He had also missed Karnataka’s last group game against Railways in Alur on February 16. Karun Nair, who stood-in as captain, will be in charge of the team in the quarter-final too.Yusuf Pathan’s troubles continued, the latest being the axing from the Vijay Hazare Trophy. After missing a large chunk of the Ranji Trophy because of a back-dated ban for a doping violation, the allrounder was not considered for the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then received a last-minute call-up for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but has now been dropped following poor returns in six league matches. He managed only 79 runs at an average of 13.16 and one wicket in eight overs. Twenty-two year-old Akshay Brahmbhatt, who is uncapped in List A cricket, was named as Yusuf’s replacement.

Manchester United are still in the race for Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, and a new report has now revealed they are ready to make an offer…

Who is Benjamin Pavard signing for?

Pavard is at the centre of a transfer saga, with a number of Europe's top clubs vying for his signature, including Inter Milan, with it recently being reported he has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal with the Serie A side.

Inter have not yet agreed a fee with Bayern Munich, however, and Man United are willing to offer him more money to move to Old Trafford, which could potentially give them an advantage in the race for the centre-back.

Fabrizio Romano has recently taken to X to share quotes from Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta, who has given a new update on the Italian club's pursuit, saying: “Pavard? Deal on. We are still negotiating with Bayern”

“Player’s will is crucial and he wants to join Inter. Bayern need a replacement to let him leave, this is the issue. But talks are ongoing”.

Inter seem to be progressing in their pursuit of the Frenchman, but they are still negotiating, and the door may be open for some of the other interested clubs to hijack the move, including Arsenal and Man United.

According to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), United have informed Bayern they have €40m (£34m) "ready" to spend on the defender, but they will need to move Harry Maguire on before they are able to pursue a deal.

Maguire refusing to sign for West Ham United has thrown a spanner in the works for Erik ten Hag, but he retains an interest in the Bayern star, even though he would be happy to move to the San Siro.

The Red Devils are willing to outspend Inter in order to win the race for the former Lille man, which means Bayern are currently holding out for a bid of £34m from the Italian club, so there may still be time to hijack the move, if Maguire is sold.

Read The Latest Man United Transfer News HERE

How good is Benjamin Pavard?

As per WhoScored, the France international was the highest-rated centre-back in Europe's top five leagues last season, particularly impressing with his passing ability, averaging the third-highest number of passes per game in the Bundesliga.

On the other hand, Maguire is poor in possession of the ball, averaging a pass-completion rate of just 84.5% per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 47th percentile compared to his positional peers.

As such, Pavard could definitely be an improvement in that regard, while he has also averaged far more tackles per 90 during that timeframe, indicating he could be a real upgrade on Maguire defensively.

The former Stuttgart man is versatile, capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back, and he has plenty of experience competing for major honours, winning 13 trophies throughout his career, including the 2018 World Cup.

Pavard could be a fantastic replacement for Maguire, having been hailed as "excellent" by members of the media, but Man United will need to sell the 30-year-old quickly if they are to stand a chance of beating Inter Milan to the Frenchman's signature.

Southampton boss Russell Martin will be 'given funds' between now and the end of the window to strengthen his side's promotion bid and both Jack Stephens alongside Samuel Edozie will be crucial to making a return to the Premier League a reality, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

What's the latest transfer news at Southampton?

According to The Northern Echo, Southampton are keen on making a move for out-of-favour Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden; however, no 'formal offer' has been submitted to land the 28-year-old.

Hayden is training with Newcastle United's second string and has formed one part of a three-way unwanted quartet at St James' Park that also includes Ryan Fraser and Jeff Hendrick.

Football Insider report that Swansea City striker Joel Piroe is on the radar at St Mary's Stadium as a potential addition this summer, though Leeds United and Leicester City are also hot on the tail of the Dutchman.

The same outlet claim that Swansea City will demand between £15-20 million for their prize asset, who scored 20 times and delivered two assists in 45 appearances in 2022/23.

Southampton have recruited three players this window to help with their promotion bid in the form of Shea Charles, Joe Lumley and Ryan Manning, as per Transfermarkt.

Starting the 2023/24 campaign in mixed fashion, Southampton have four points from six available in the Sky Bet Championship following a victory against Sheffield Wednesday and draw against Norwich City; nevertheless, they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup last week by Gillingham, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT reporter Crook expects Martin to get backed in the final stretch of the window at St Mary's Stadium and praised Southampton's owners.

Crook stated: “They’ve got Jack Stephens back from Bournemouth, who I think will replace Mohammed Salisu. By all accounts, Stephens looked decent enough in pre-season, I think he’ll do a job at that level, I mean he did well for Bournemouth. They wanted to keep him permanently but didn’t want to pay £10m.

“They’ve got other young players like Samuel Edozie, who they signed for the future and who they think could flourish in the Championship. So, I think the squad still looks okay, but I think Russell Martin will be given funds to bring players in, no question about that.

“So, the owners are ambitious, you can question some of their recruitment, but you can’t question their ambitions.”

What else could happen at Southampton between now and the close of play?

Departures have formed a major part of Southampton's transfer window and will continue to impact their ability to squad plan between now and the end of the window.

Belgium international Romeo Lavia is keen to join Chelsea despite a £60 million deal being agreed between Southampton and Liverpool for the 19-year-old, as per Sky Sports.

The Sun report that Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy is being eyed by Everton to provide competition to Jordan Pickford and Joao Virginia, with a free transfer potentially in the pipeline to take the 33-year-old to Goodison Park.

Crystal Palace are believed to be weighing up a £10 million bid for Southampton striker Che Adams, who is keen to return to the Premier League after the Saints suffered relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, according to The Evening Standard.