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There is now a "serious possibility" that Chelsea could sign Flamengo's exciting young midfielder Matheus Franca this summer, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has told GIVEMESPORT.

Chelsea transfer news – what's the latest on Matheus Franca?

It's been another busy summer of frantic transfer business in West London, but more due to outgoings than incomings for once, with the club selling a raft of first-team players to the burgeoning Saudi league, European leagues and even rivals in the Premier League.

The shipping off of so many players has now allowed the club to start looking towards incomings, with the young striker Nicolas Jackson already coming through the doors at Stamford Bridge from La Liga outfit Villarreal.

The club are also making a conscious effort to sign young, exciting players that are full of potential, with one of those targets being Flamengo's much sought-after Franca.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed on his YouTube channel last week that the Blues were preparing to make an opening offer for the youngster in the region of £17m, with additional add-ons driving the fee up further.

Things appear to have progressed yet further over the course of the week, with a deal now looking increasingly likely, according to the Italian.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Chelsea and Matheus Franca?

Romano was clear in confirming Chelsea's interest in the exciting youngster as well as revealing the club's overall strategy when it comes to South America in the future.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Matheus Franca is a serious possibility. They are already invested in Angelo Gabriel. Franca is another super talent.

"So, it seems very clear the idea is to invest in a big way in South American talents and hope to see them in a Chelsea shirt in the future."

How good is Matheus Franca?

It isn't easy to get a full picture of just how good Franca really is as he is still relatively new to senior football, having played just 28 times for Flamengo in Brazil's Serie A.

However, he has managed to impress in his short time as a professional footballer finding the back of the net five times in those 28 appearances and considering he has managed that feat while playing in five different positions, the hype might well be justified.

Football scout Jacek Kulig would likely agrees as he was full of praise for the player when he first flagged him to fans outside of Brazil almost two years ago, saying:

"Great midfielder, great striker, he can play almost everywhere. One of the most exciting teenagers in Brazil at the moment."

Even with his limited experience, some elements of his game jump off the page when you look at his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position in what they define as the world's next best eight competitions, Franca sits in the top 2% for non-penalty goals, the top 3% for non-penalty expected goals and total shots, the top 4% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, and the top 11% for successful take-ons, all per 90.

If Chelsea can secure his signature for just £17m, it could prove to be a brilliant bit of business in a few years time.

Warwickshire arrested an abject start to the season as 99 from skipper Ian Bell helped them find the steel they needed to defy Surrey

George Dobell at Edgbaston24-Apr-2017
ScorecardIan Bell will feel that Warwickshire are on their knees no longer•Getty ImagesThey ended the game with fewer points than their rivals, but it may well have been Warwickshire who left Edgbaston on Monday night the happier side.To have recovered from a perilous position – Surrey were, at one point, only 65 runs behind with eight first-innings wickets intact – to have seen several batsmen return to form and to have registered 400 for the first time this season were all significant signs of progress by a side beaten by an innings in both previous matches.Most of all, though, they showed what their captain and coach described afterwards as “character.” A less united dressing room might well have capitulated at times during this game, so it bodes well for the rest of the campaign that hope and fight remains. They have made life desperately tough for themselves, but they will take some confidence from aspects of this performance and, whether you’ve played one game or one hundred, that is a priceless commodity.”It was a much-improved performance,” Jim Troughton, the head coach said afterwards. “We have come off the back of two quite damaging defeats and times like that are a true test of the individuals and also as a team.”We have had a much better four days, still not perfect by any means, but after a 100-run deficit in the first innings I thought we showed a lot of skill and character in the third innings.”Surrey, meanwhile, may feel they missed an opportunity. Both in their first innings, when they would have had hopes of building a lead of 200 at one stage, and at stages in Warwickshire’s second innings, especially on the final morning when their seamers were oddly off-colour, they were unable to produce the consistent cricket required to kill off Warwickshire. They are a fine side but the length of the tail – Tom Curran looks a bit high at No. 8 – and a bit of a lack of ruthlessness are potential causes for concern.While their coach, Michael Di Venuto, quite rightly praised the excellence of Warwickshire’s batting on the third evening, in particular, as a key factor, he also admitted his side played “some very average stuff.””It was a really mixed performance,” he said. “The good stuff was excellent but there was some very average stuff with both bat and ball.”We were slow to start the game and took two sessions to get it together and then took seven for 69 to finish it off which was a brilliant comeback. Then with the bat we got ourselves into a great position but it was disappointing the way we finished off there.”Di Venuto also confirmed that both Currans had been given a “slap on the wrist” by the ECB’s Cricket Liaison Officer, Tony Pigott after the game. It will be a surprise if more formal censure does not follow. Neither incident – dissent from Sam; a send-off from Tom – was serious, but they were unnecessary. Two such terrific young cricketers don’t need such characteristics to enjoy the success their skills deserve.When the final day started, Surrey still had a decent chance of forcing victory. Warwickshire’s lead was only 57 and a new ball was due before lunch. But Ian Bell and Tim Ambrose both played nicely, putting away a glut of short and over-pitched deliveries, and Warwickshire were gradually able to relax.Bell described himself as “gutted” to miss out on a long-awaited century. But he could take consolation from the knowledge that his runs had saved his team and take confidence from the way he timed the ball. It was some surprise when he reached for one from Gareth Batty, easily the pick of the Surrey bowlers, that didn’t turn and gave a thin edge to the keeper.Ambrose, who timed the ball even more sweetly than Bell for a while, was unable to take advantage of being dropped on 74 – Kumar Sangakkara made amends a few minutes later – but Keith Barker, with his third half-century of the campaign, made sure of the draw in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 91 with Chris Wright.Mark Footitt was also able to bowl a handful of overs for Surrey despite being forced off the pitch with a sore leg on day three. But he wasn’t at his best and, while the odd ball misbehaved, the pitch never deteriorated enough for Surrey’s seamers to take advantage.There was a case for Warwickshire declaring and trying to put Surrey under a bit of pressure. But they didn’t want to work this hard for a draw to give Surrey any chance of victory and, by the chance they felt safe, the amount of overs left rendered it irrelevant.Their next game – against Somerset – is looking vital. Both teams have endured a disappointing start to the season and both will be looking for a boost. The loser – and the pitch at Taunton these days suggests there may well be one if the weather allows – will be in trouble.Warwickshire have been boosted by the news that Jeetan Patel will be available for that game. While New Zealand are planning on holding a training camp at the time, they have given Patel permission to remain with Warwickshire which, given the expected surface at Taunton, could be highly significant.There was a bit more good news for them. Olly Stone, who suffered a serious injury before signing for the club, was able to have a gentle bowl before play boosting hopes that he might be able to return by late July, while Boyd Rankin is also hoping to return to bowling shortly and could have an outside chance of playing in that Somerset match.

Everton play host to Marco Silva's Fulham in the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.

The Toffees will be hoping for a slightly more relaxing season in the coming campaign after surviving relegation on the final day last season and the penultimate game the season before that.

The Cottagers, on the other hand, will be hoping for more of the same, as before Aleksandar Mitrovic's eight-game ban for shoving a lineman at Old Trafford, the team was on battling it out for the European places.

Here is Football FanCast's official preview for the game…

When is the match, and is it on TV in the UK?

The match is set to be played on Saturday, August 12th at 3pm BST, alongside three other fixtures in the league.

Unfortunately, the match will not be televised in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule first put into place in 1987.

The last meeting between the sides saw Fulham claim their first victory in two months, whilst the defeat left the men in blue hanging perilously above the drop zone thanks to their goal difference.

Every Openind Day Premier League Fixture in full

Who is Everton's key player?

You might have been hard-pressed for much of last year to pick out a 'star' player in the Everton squad due to their consistently poor performances.

However, the man who was probably most responsible for the team's top-flight survival last year was England international Jordan Pickford.

The keeper won the club's Player of the Season award for the second year running for his excellent work between the sticks, and you can bet that should Sean Dyche keep the team up again, he'll have the former Sunderland man to thank.

Who is Fulham's key player?

It's quite the opposite situation for the West London team. Their excellent year back in the Premier League makes it difficult to pick out a key player for all the right reasons.

It could be Bernd Leno for his brilliant shot-stopping last year or Joao Palhinha for his immense tackling in the middle of the pitch, but it's probably the man up top, Mitrovic.

The Serbian striker was potentially on course to break 20 goals before his suspension against Manchester United, eventually finishing on a respectable 14.

Should he avoid any disciplinary problems, he could well beat that tally next year and open his account away at Goodison Park.

How will Everton line up?

It could be a summer of upheaval at Goodison Park, with a few players looking like they might be on the way out, notably Neil Maupay and Yerry Mina and loanees Conor Coady and Ruben Vinagre.

There have also been murmurings of a move to Manchester United for Pickford, as Erik ten Hag is said to be a fan, but so far, no official bids have been made.

There have been no significant incomings at this point, but the club are linked to Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, per O Jogo (via Goodison News) who would certainly bolster their faltering attack.

At this stage, the line up could be:

Jordan Pickford; Vitalii Mykolenko, Ben Godfrey, James Tarkowski, Nathan Patterson; Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Alex Iwobi, Dwight McNeil, Demarai Gray, Dominic Calvert-Lewin

How will Fulham line up?

Fulham could be the victims of their own success in the summer, with their star midfielder, Palhinha, being linked to a host of clubs, notably West Ham United, who will be looking to replace Declan Rice.

However, the West London club are interested in bringing in some reinforcements of their own.

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, the Cottagers are ready to "open talks with Fiorentina" for defender Igor Julio, and the links to United's Fred haven't gone away either.

The club will also likely want to make the loan of Manor Solomon a permanent deal after he has impressed during the campaign.

That said, here is what Fulham's line up could look like:

Bernd Leno; Kenny Tete, Issa Diop, Igor Julio, Antonee Robinson; Harrison Reed, Fred. Andreas Pereira; Willian, Harry Wilson, Aleksandr Mitrovic

What were the last five Premier League meetings between Everton and Fulham?

Everton 1 – 3 Fulham Fulham 0 – 0 Everton Everton 0 – 2 Fulham Fulham 2 – 3 Everton Fulham 2 – 0 Everton

Looking at their last five Premier League meeting paints a picture of dominance from the Cottagers.

Only once in the previous five meetings have Everton been able to claim all three points against Fulham, and that was away from home, which is not a promising sign going into the game at Goodison Park.

Will Dyche be able to work his magic and turn things around?

Who is going to win?

Despite the Toffees ending their season on an extreme high with their relegation-beating win at home to AFC Bournemouth and Fulham losing their final game away to United, the Cottagers should have the quality to claim all three points.

Everton will likely be better next season, but based on their performances over the last two years and the seriously impressive performances Silva has been able to get out of his players, you'd have to back the men in white.

Things look even worse for the blue half of Merseyside when you remember that Mitrovic will be back and raring to go come August 12th.

FFC predicts: Fulham will win

ESPNcricinfo’s wrap of the third day of the Sheffield Shield final between Victoria and South Australia in Alice Springs

Brydon Coverdale28-Mar-2017
ScorecardJon Holland picked up 7 for 82, including the wicket of Travis Head•Getty ImagesA career-best seven-wicket haul from Jon Holland ensured Victoria remained in control of the Sheffield Shield final on the third day against South Australia in Alice Springs. It was the second consecutive season that Holland has delivered a big bag of wickets in the decider – last year he claimed five in the second innings and eight for the match in Victoria’s win over the Redbacks in Adelaide.After dismissing South Australia for 287 and thus earning a lead of exactly 200, the Bushrangers not surprisingly decided againt enforcing the follow-on, hoping instead to build their advantage to unbeatable proportions. A couple of late wickets gave South Australia a faint sniff, but with Victoria at 2 for 38, with Travis Dean on 12 and nightwatchman Chris Tremain on 3, the lead was still a hefty 238.The day had started with South Australia on 1 for 19 and although Callum Ferguson and Jake Weatherald rebuilt with a 76-run second-wicket stand, they were unable to turn it into a match-changing partnership. Ferguson edged to slip for 26 to give Holland his first wicket and in his next over Holland turned one sharply from outside off to have Travis Head lbw for an 11-ball duck.Jake Lehmann was well snapped at short leg by Rob Quiney, whose fine reflexes gave Holland a third wicket, and James Pattinson then chipped in by bowling Tom Cooper for 6. Weatherald, who had compiled a fighting half-century, fell for 60 when he played back and was bowled trying to cut Holland, and at 6 for 121 South Australia were threatening to collapse completely.However, there remained some fight in the lower order. Joe Mennie and wicketkeeper Alex Carey produced a 68-run partnership that ended when Mennie’s attempted sweep on 36 was top-edged to the wicketkeeper to provide a five-for for Holland. Carey brought up his half-century before he was caught at midwicket sweeping Holland on 57 to end a fine counter-attacking effort.It continued an outstanding season for Carey, who during the innings passed the 500-run mark this Shield summer to add to his 58 wicketkeeping dismissals so far. He became just the fourth player to complete the double of 500 runs and 50 dismissals in a Shield campaign: the recently-retired Chris Hartley did so three times, and Matthew Wade and Adam Gilchrist once each.Adam Zampa fell to Daniel Christian for 31 and Holland wrapped up the innings with Daniel Worrall caught at slip for 17 to leave Chadd Sayers unbeaten on 23 as the Redbacks were dismissed for 287. Holland’s 7 for 82 took his season tally to 49 Shield wickets, second only to Sayers in the competition and the highest season tally by a spinner since Stuart MacGill claimed 54 wickets in 2004-05.Sayers added one more to his tally by having first-innings centurion Marcus Harris caught for 21 late in the day and Daniel Worrall followed up with the wicket of Quiney, but South Australia will need to instigate a significant collapse upon Victoria on the fourth day and then bat flawlessly to pull off the victory they need to end their two-decade drought without a Shield title.

Kusal Mendis has been omitted from Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh; Kusal Perera’s inclusion subject to fitness

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Apr-20171:03

Fernando: Selectors seem to want Kusal to focus on ODIs, Tests

Kusal Mendis has been omitted from Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh, while spin-bowling allrounder Shehan Jayasuriya has been called up. Also in the squad is Thisara Perera – who had not been in Sri Lanka’s recent T20I squad to Australia – and opener Danushka Gunathilaka, who returns to the T20 XI after recovering from injury.Kusal Perera has also been named, but his participation is subject to recovery from a thigh strain that ruled him out of the ODIs. If he fails the fitness test, Sandun Weerakkody – the batsman who made his debut in South Africa – will take his place. Upul Tharanga leads the side in Angelo Mathews’ continued absence.T20s have been Mendis’ least successful format – he averages 9.25 with a strike rate of 123 in eight T20 international innings. Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya said he may not be picked in T20s in the near future, so that he can concentrate on the longer formats, in which he has begun to excel. Mendis was the player of the series in the recently-concluded ODI series against Bangladesh. He was also the player of the tournament during the tri-series in Zimbabwe last year, and has played at least two match-winning Test innings over the past year.”Kusal Mendis has got a long career ahead of him and we do not want to burden him with too many things,” Jayasuriya said. “He had a very good Test and ODI series against Bangladesh and at this stage we don’t want him to alter too many things in his game.”Thisara’s reinclusion is thanks largely to his good performances with the bat in the recent ODIs, in which he struck two half-centuries in three matches. Jayasuriya meanwhile, has been playing for Sri Lanka’s Emerging Team in the ACC competition currently being played in Bangladesh.The first of two T20s – both to be played at R Premadasa Stadium – is scheduled for April 4.Sri Lanka squad: Upul Tharanga (capt.), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera (subject to fitness), Lasith Malinga, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dasun Shanaka, Vikum Sanjaya, Milinda Siriwardana, Asela Gunaratne, Seekkuge Prasanna, Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Shehan Jayasuriya.On standby: Sandun Weerakkody

Glasgow Rangers have wasted little time in attempting to bolster their playing squad throughout the summer transfer window after the failures of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Light Blues ended last season without a single trophy to show for their efforts as the Ibrox outfit finished second in the Scottish Premiership and were knocked out of every cup competition.

Michael Beale has reacted to that by snapping up a host of fresh recruits with the aim of improving the team. Kieran Dowell, Abdallah Sima, Sam Lammers, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland have all come through the door, while Cyriel Dessers is also set to complete a £4.5m switch from Cremonese this month.

The club's business may not be done there, though, as further ins and outs could transpire before the deadline passes later this summer.

Is Ianis Hagi leaving Rangers?

One player who could be on their way out of Ibrox is attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi. Football Insider have reported that Italian side Lecce are working on a deal to land the Romania international, who the Gers are said to be open to cashing in on.

The outlet claimed that the ex-Genk star is a 'concrete' target for Lecce and that the Scottish giants are willing to sell the 24-year-old wizard in order to fund further additions.

Who could replace Ianis Hagi at Rangers?

Beale could ruthlessly bin the talented winger by reigniting the club's interest in Spanish magician Pablo Torre, who was a £4m transfer target for the Gers in 2021 before the gem's move to Barcelona for the same fee.

It was subsequently reported earlier this summer that the Light Blues could go back in for the 20-year-old, something that the Gers manager must now capitalise on.

Hagi missed 69 competitive matches through injury between 2022 and 2023 due to a knee problem. Upon his return he then struggled, as to be expected after such a long lay-off, with one goal and zero assists in 11 matches across all competitions last season.

Torre, on the other hand, only made 13 senior appearances for Barcelona as a squad option for Xavi last term. However, his form for Racing Santander during the previous campaign suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent signing.

The Spanish maestro scored ten goals and provided 11 assists in 34 outings as he showcased his ability to make a significant impact in the final third on a regular basis from a number ten position.

Torre, who was once described as "amazing" and a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, registered nine league assists during the 2021/22 season, one more than any Rangers midfielder managed in the Scottish Premiership last term.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for the Barcelona prospect to be an excellent addition to Beale's squad as his form for Racing shows that he could provide quality as a scorer and creator of goals.

His arrival would then allow the English tactician to green-light a move to Lecce for Hagi as it would provide him with cover in the attacking midfield position heading into next season.

They contributed nearly half of the visitors’ total on a Pune pitch where the ball spinning sharply was the norm rather than the exception

The Report by Alagappan Muthu23-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:42

Ugra: Australia will take great satisfaction from their recovery

On a pitch so dry it resembled the surface of Mars to Shane Warne, which looked unlike any Ravi Shastri said he had seen in India, it was a fast bowler who came away with the richest haul. Umesh Yadav’s combination of pace and reverse swing fetched him four wickets as Australia managed 256 for 9 in Pune.A sizeable chunk of that total came off the blade of Matt Renshaw. The 20-year-old playing his first Test away from home made 68 off 156 balls either side of retiring ill with a stomach bug in the first session. Not many of his team-mates can match his composure or his patience. Both those attributes served him well in conditions where sharp spin and startling bounce were the norm instead of the exception.Umesh’s top figures

4/32 Umesh Yadav’s figures at end of the first day are his second-best in Tests. His only other 4-for in India was 4 for 80 against West Indies in Kolkata in 2011-12.

0 Australia players younger than Matt Renshaw (20 years, 332 days) to have scored 50-plus in India. The previous youngest was Rick Darling (22 years, 154 days) in Kanpur in 1979-80.

3 Number of fifties for Mitchell Starc in his last five Test innings, all at No.8. He averages 53.80 in seven innings against India with three fifties.

5 Number of times Umesh has dismissed David Warner in Tests, in 10 innings – the joint most any batsman has been dismissed by the bowler. Umesh has also dismissed Shaun Marsh on five occasions.

If such was the case on the first day, imagine having to bat last, which India have to if the match goes that long. So putting up a big total in the first innings was vital after Australia won the toss and chose to bat. They might want to get closer to 300, but what they have already is nothing to scoff at, assuming the bowling does well.Mitchell Starc is a clear and present threat, especially with the expectation of variable bounce. He smashed 57 not out off 58 balls himself to make sure when he gets the ball in hand, he has enough of a cushion to go all out. Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe, too, might fancy their chances of exploiting a surface where footmarks were popping up by the 10th over of the opening day.Australia had done excellent work in the morning. Despite the alien conditions, they realised that on a strip prone to turn, the best way to survive is to not chase the ball. Protect middle stump, ensure you are behind the one that holds its line, play late and use soft hands, and when the ball deviates, it will only leave you beaten and red-faced, not red-faced and back in the hut.These virtues helped David Warner and Renshaw last 27.2 overs together. The 82 runs they made were the result of their ability to both tip and run, and thwack and stand back. Case in point was in the 25th over: R Ashwin harassed the outside edge and was smashed to the square leg boundary all in the space of minutes.Often India had to turn to their quickest bowler and Umesh was happy to oblige. His pace has worked against him in the past, making good balls stray down wrong lines and result in boundaries. Now, though, he has improved on his accuracy and by bowling wicket-to-wicket he makes sure the reverse swing he gets is always a threat.Umesh Yadav was menacing with his reverse swing•AFPUmesh bowled Warner off the inside edge with his second ball of the match for 38 – after the batsman had been bowled off a no-ball on 20. Even as Australia tried to regroup Renshaw raced off the field, retiring ill for 36. Umesh was on a hat-trick in the final session having O’Keefe caught behind, with Wriddhiman Saha leaping several feet in the air, diving full-length to his right and snagging a one-hander for the ages, and then Lyon lbw next ball.Starc’s belligerence, however, reset the balance of the match. The slog sweep was his most profitable shot and he also took care to farm the strike. So effectively was he that Josh Hazlewood made only one run of the 51 that was put on by the tenth wicket.As well as looking for big hits, Australia were diligent in picking up singles whenever they were available and for a long time they were able to dilute the threat of India’s spinners. But, maintaining that level of performance over after over after over is the challenge of playing Test cricket in India. Making it tougher still were Ashwin and Jadeja with their remarkable accuracy. And eventually home advantage began to tell.Two wickets in two overs before tea – Jadeja pinning Peter Handscomb lbw with an arm ball and Ashwin trapping Smith at mid-on – brought India back into the contest. It was the result of a session’s worth of tight bowling enabled by clever captaincy.Virat Kohli had a midwicket and a mid-on for the offspinners against Smith and it seemed every time the batsman came down the track to hit with the turn, he found those men. With runs coming at a premium – 69 in 30 overs after lunch – Smith chose to take those fielders on and chipped the ball in the air. He couldn’t time it properly and found Kohli himself at mid-on. It was a transparent trap and the Australian captain, despite 94 balls of determined and purposeful batting, played right into it. Earlier, Kohli placing himself at leg slip proved equally profitable, as Jayant Yadav tempted Shaun Marsh to sweep at a flatter delivery, a risky ploy considering the extra bounce on offer, and was caught off the back of the bat.Not giving in to dot-ball pressure is hard work in the subcontinent. Renshaw, though, fitness issues notwithstanding, was up to the challenge. When set, he even felt confident enough to charge at Jadeja and loft him for six over long-on. That’s not an easy job considering the left-arm spinner is the ideal man, because of his ability to bowl quick through the air, to exploit a pitch affording rich turn.Minor miracles have followed Australia in the past 24 hours. They managed to be in two places almost at once. They batted remarkably well early on in conditions they historically struggle to deal with. A lower-order rally was probably par for the course.

Manchester United are considering entering the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, according to reports.

Could Man United sign Mbappe this summer?

The Red Devils appear to be on the hunt for a new marquee striker this summer ahead of Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge.

The club have a shortage of centre-forward options and could even move on Anthony Martial over the coming months, with the Frenchman one of 13 players up for sale.

Mbappe has been a player that has been mentioned, with potential new owner Sheikh Jassim reportedly planning a sensational move for the PSG forward.

Jassim feels like Mbappe “belongs” at Old Trafford, however, the Qatar group are still awaiting to see if their takeover bid will be accepted by the Glazers. However, there has been a further update on Mbappe regardless of who is in charge of United, with the forward entering the final 12 months of his PSG contract.

The Sun provided an update on Mbappe’s future, claiming any club who want to sign him over the coming months will need to pay £250m-plus – a figure which would smash the current transfer record at Old Trafford.

Manchester United are named alongside Liverpool and Real Madrid, with the report stating that the Red Devils are considering entering a transfer bidding war, although they add that the ongoing ownership questions at Old Trafford could hamper their ability to do business at that level.

Has Kyllian Mbappe ever scored against Man United?

Mbappe, dubbed "electric" by journalist Matt Lawton, is a name known around the world and has contributed to an incredible 310 goals in 260 games for PSG. Still just 24 years of age, the France international also has 40 goals in 70 games for his country, including a hat-trick in the World Cup final last year.

Therefore, you can see why the forward would command such a huge fee and why Jassim would want to bring him to Manchester, possibly winning over supporters straight away, should a takeover go through.

Mbappe has played against United on four occasions in the Champions League, winning twice and losing the other two. He scored his first goal against the Red Devils back in the 2018/19 season at Old Trafford, and who knows, he could be looking to find the back of the net in Manchester on a regular basis if a transfer gathers pace.

Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta have made a "very strange" signing in Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, says talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Who have Arsenal signed this summer?

The Gunners have many plates spinning in north London with some reports even suggesting they could spend in and around £200 million in total on new additions.

West Ham star Declan Rice, who is reliably believed to be of interest, has already been at the centre of two rejected bids from Arsenal with one of them being a club record.

Meanwhile, it is believed that Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and Southampton's Romeo Lavia are on the list, with talks being held over both players (Football Insider).

Before all of them, though, Arsenal and sporting director Edu have sealed the signing of Chelsea's Havertz in a £65 million move from Chelsea – with the German set to undergo medical tests ahead of a formal announcement (The Evening Standard).

Fabrizio Romano also backs that Arsenal have signed the forward, though former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor thinks the Gunners are making a mistake.

Indeed, the talkSPORT regular seems to believe that Havertz actually doesn't suit Arteta's system, and they should be looking for an out-and-out goalscorer instead.

"I don't understand that transfer its very strange,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider.

“It would be a wrong deal for the Gunners, and I am sure that their fans would agree.”

How has Kai Havertz played?

Scoring just seven goals and grabbing one assist last season, you wouldn't describe Havertz as a serious goal-getter, but his versatility will be a big draw for Arteta.

He can play anywhere across the forward line, out wide and in central attacking midfield, with the 24-year-old also averaging more attempts at goal per 90 than any Chelsea player last season bar Joao Felix (WhoScored).

Havertz, for £65 million, could be viewed as a promising transfer and it will be interesting to see how Arteta utilises him.

As the Big Bash League wallows in praise after another successful year, the financial challenge facing English professional cricket remains as stark as ever as it seeks to increase the capacities of its stadia with an eye to the crowd potential of Twenty2

David Hopps28-Jan-2017As the Big Bash League wallows in praise after another successful year, the financial challenge facing English professional cricket remains as stark as ever as it seeks to increase the capacities of its stadia with an eye to the crowd potential of Twenty20 cricket.That challenge is illustrated by Warwickshire’s financial results for 2015-16, which have just been announced.Edgbaston has become the accepted home of Twenty20 Finals Day and a once unimpressive ground has been transformed into an appealing 24,000-capacity stadium but it has not been without financial pain.Warwickshire have reported turnover of £14.3m and an operating profit of £785,761 for 2015-16. That county cricket has the potential to prosper – admittedly thanks to a hefty central contribution from international revenue – is therefore apparent.But once the paying off of debts, interest, tax and depreciation is taken into account – most of them arising from the £32 million redevelopment of Edgbaston, which was completed in 2011 – the situation is more challenging.Factor in a payment of £1.1 million to Birmingham City Council to service a loan and the situation worsens. Add depreciation charges of £1.4 million, tax and other costs and the bottom line loss is £2.26m. Quite a difference.Warwickshire’s story is far from unique. Durham needed an ECB bail-out. Yorkshire are desperate to fund the replacement of a dilapidated main stand at Headingley and already have debts of £23m.The 18 English counties are indebted to a total of £150m-plus and the ECB is sitting on offshore reserves which rose as high as £73m before falling last summer because Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan did not attract particularly lucrative TV deals.Those reserves are jealously guarded. The former ECB chief executive, David Collier, justified the stockpiling as a contingency should the death of the Queen, and a resulting 12 days of mourning, cause heavy financial losses.Even more disturbing for English cricket would be a shift of the balance between international and club cricket. Should that occur, the English counties would have to become more self-sufficient and only a lucrative T20 tournament can deliver that.Warwickshire had a relatively successful year in 2016 season. They won the Royal London Cup and attracted more than 80,000 spectators across five days of England’s Test victory over Pakistan.The club also achieved ticket and hospitality sell-outs for its one-day international – England versus Sri Lanka – and NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day.Off the field, Edgbaston increased its share of the West Midlands’ conference and events market by developing year-on-year sales from £2.2 million to a record £2.5 million. Revenue from commercial advertising also increased.Twenty20 cricket, however, has yet to set Birmingham alight – attendances at Birmingham Bears’ home matches in the NatWest Blast are growing but not spectacularly.That makes it no surprise that the club is strongly in favour of a move to a more marketable new T20 competition based upon the biggest grounds in the country. A 25,000-seater stadium needs to be filled not just for international cricket but for T20, too.Craig Flindall, Warwickshire’s chief operating officer, said: “The 2015-16 financial year was always forecast to be the most challenging in our 2016-2019 financial cycle, and the results are in line with our budgets set at the start of the year.”The quality and volume of our major match days remains the primary driver of revenue and profit and a significant fall in both was expected in 2016 because of the comparative demand for the Investec Test match against Pakistan.”However, the transformation in the business since 2010, when England last hosted Pakistan in a Test at Edgbaston, is reflected in the comparison in the results, with turnover and EBITDA [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation] in 2016 being £6.5m and £2.4m higher than 2010 respectively.”English cricket is pinning hopes over the next few years on a major financial inflow from the Champions Trophy in 2017 and from the 2019 World Cup. If 50-over cricket is conceding ground to T20, the process is slower at international level where T20 international fixtures are deliberately underplayed. The ECB are desperate that this trend persists for a few years yet.Flindall captured that mood. “We expect to see EBITDA and bottom line revenues grow significantly over the next three years as Edgbaston hosts up to 28 days of major match cricket,” he said. “We have an 11-day programme in 2017, which includes five matches in the ICC Champions Trophy, England’s first day/night Investec Test match and NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day.”Beyond the coming season, Edgbaston’s major match allocation includes a Test against India, a T20I and T20 Blast Finals Day in 2018, and an Ashes Test match and five matches in the World Cup in 2019.Financial pressures at Sky TV, however, where Premier League football viewing figures have dropped markedly, will leave the ECB nervous as they conduct negotiations for the next TV rights deal.Measured against the value of those rights is the recognition that cricket’s popularity has waned in the UK as it has disappeared from State schools and free-to-air TV and there has been a shrinking of the amateur game.Filling Edgbaston for a domestic NatWest Blast fixture will remain a challenge unless there is a major jolt to the system.At a time of flux in the broadcasting market, there are new markets to be explored, but until that flux settles, and a new TV rights deal is delivered that can sustain the future of English cricket, disquiet will remain.Warwickshire are an example of that. Most of the 18 first-class counties know the feeling.