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The 32-year-old joins to boost promotion push following relegation to Division Two

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2025Australia batter Marcus Harris has joined Lancashire for the 2025 season.The left-handed opener will be available for the club’s County Championship and Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaigns through to September. He is due to arrive in the UK ahead of Lancashire’s opening Championship fixture against Middlesex at Lord’s, which begins on April 4.Acquiring someone of Harris’ standing brings vital experience to Emirates Old Trafford, which head coach Dale Benkenstein cited as vital for an immediate return to Division One after the county were relegated in 2024. Lancashire were keen to bring back New Zealand star Daryl Mitchell, who impressed with bat and ball during a stint in 2023, only for the allrounder to secure a lucrative Platinum deal with PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars.Harris has 12 Test caps for Australia, three of which came in the 2019 Ashes when the tourists secured the urn in Manchester. He came close to a recall for the home Test series against Australia, only for selectors to opt for Nathan McSweeney and then Sam Konstas.The 32-year-old has been a consistent performer domestically, and currently boasts 445 runs at an average of 49.44 for Victoria in this season’s Sheffield Shield. He is also well-versed in county cricket following spells at Leicestershire (2021 and 2024) and Gloucestershire (2022 and 2023), averaging 48.39 from 29 first-class appearances across both teams, with nine centuries.”I am really excited by the opportunity to join Lancashire for the English summer and will give my all to help this great Club win promotion back to Division One of the County Championship,” Harris said, via a statement from Lancashire on Thursday.”Emirates Old Trafford holds some special memories for me after we retained the Ashes there back in 2019 and I know that Nathan Lyon and Chris Green have both spoken so highly about their time at the club.”I have really enjoyed my time playing county cricket in England over the last few years and to start a new challenge with Lancashire is something which I am really looking forward to getting stuck into.”Director of Cricket Performance Mark Chilton said: “Marcus is an experienced operator with international pedigree and has a proven track record of scoring runs at the top of the order in domestic cricket in Australia and England.”He has a strong record in England, following a number of games with both Leicestershire and Gloucestershire in recent years. We are looking forward to working with Marcus and believe that he will play a key role as we look to earn promotion back into Division One at the first time of asking.”It was important to us that we got somebody on board who was going to be available for the majority of the County Championship this summer with the appropriate pedigree, and Marcus ticks that box, while he will also add valuable experience to our side in the One-Day Cup during August.”Harris will play alongside James Anderson, who earlier this month signed on for the upcoming season with Lancashire having not played since last July, when he bowed out of Test cricket against West Indies at Lord’s.West Indies quick Anderson Phillip is the club’s other overseas signing, and is available through to July for the first 11 Championship matches.

The ICC’s broadcast partners ask the global body if it believes it delivered an event that justified the huge investment made in securing media rights

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2024Overshooting its own budget is not the only fallout for the ICC from its recently concluded men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. ESPNcricinfo understands that Disney-Star*, the ICC’s broadcast partners, have raised concerns about the event, asking whether the ICC believes it delivered a product that justified the investment made in the rights, and whether better value overall can be derived from the rights deal.Among the concerns raised was the schedulling of matches, in particular the timing of those games which ended up being broadcast in the early morning hours in the subcontinent, thereby affecting viewership significantly. These include most of West Indies’ games, the co-hosts and two-time champions, as well as the first semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan.It is also believed that the broadcaster had communicated its worries about the drop-in pitches that were ultimately used for the Nassau County stadium for the New York leg of the tournament. The venue saw a succession of bowling-friendly surfaces on which two sides were bowled out for less than 100 and the highest completed score was 137.Related

T20 World Cup 2024: New York, Tarouba pitches rated 'unsatisfactory'

ICC Board seeks answers after costs spiral for US leg of T20 World Cup

No rain, but still no play: Lauderhill washouts prompt questions

The first two surfaces were eventually rated as “unsatisfactory” by the ICC, only one rung above “unfit”. The venue also hosted the marquee India-Pakistan match, for which the pitch was rated “satisfactory” but where Pakistan failed to chase down a target of 120.Later in the tournament, the Trinidad surface for the semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan, where the latter was routed for 56 on a brutish pitch with excessive seam and uneven bounce, was also rated “unsatisfactory”.Through its various iterations, Disney-Star has held the the rights to every single ICC event since the 2011 men’s ODI World Cup. Last year, Disney-Star acquired the rights to broadcast ICC events in the India market in a four-year deal worth just above USD 3 billion. Dissatisfaction from such a long-term broadcast partner is likely to be taken seriously, given the implications it has for all ICC members, who receive annual revenue derived from the rights deal. Most members, other than India, Australia and England, rely heavily on these revenues.ESPNcricinfo understands that there were discussions within the ICC to swap the USA-West Indies event with either India in 2026 or England in 2028 in order to give the venues more time to get ready, but those discussions did not go far.Apart from New York, Florida came in for criticism as a venue as well, where matches could not be held even though the majority of the rain there fell in the preceding week. The ground’s drainage was not up to date, and it didn’t have enough covers to protect the whole playing area, which led to frustrating scenes where the pitch was ready but there were wet patches on the outfield despite strong sunlight. Three of the four matches in Florida were abandoned, one of them an India game.ESPNcricinfo understands that the disgruntlement is limited to this event, the handling of which is already undergoing an audit after it emerged that the original budget for the US leg ballooned over by up to USD 20 million. The event has prompted one idea to be floated to convert the 2025 ODI Champions Trophy to T20Is. There has not been any development on this since the grievance was first raised a month ago. This issue was not discussed in the ICC meetings this Tuesday.

Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham has slammed Marcus Rashford for disrespecting the club, claiming the forward doesn't "deserve" to join Barcelona this summer. Rashford fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim last year and was shipped off to Aston Villa on loan.

• Rashford slammed by Sheringham
• Told he doesn't 'deserve' Barca move
• Rashford training alone at United

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sheringham felt that Rashford speaking about leaving his boyhood club publicly last season was disrespectful to the institution, and he is now hoping that the 27-year-old's proposed move to Barcelona this summer does not materialise.

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• WHAT SHERINGHAM SAID

  Speaking to , the Red Devils icon said: "If you assess where Marcus Rashford is at as a professional footballer, you strive as a youngster to get to the very top and play for clubs like Manchester United, and when you’re there, you appreciate it. You don’t throw it away and say you want to leave. I find the whole episode very soul-destroying, compared to the way I was back in the day and how I strove to get the privilege to play for such a huge football club.

  "To hear someone talking the way he is talking, saying he wants out – I didn’t like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doing that at Arsenal, I thought it was soul-destroying, and I hope Rashford doesn’t get the move that he’s hankering for. From my perspective, if you go from Manchester United to Barcelona, that’s a step up that he hasn’t deserved."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford, along with Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, are all being tipped to leave Old Trafford this summer. The five out-of-favour stars have been asked by the club to train alone after 5 pm, when the rest of the squad, along with manager Ruben Amorim, have exited the Carrington premises.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Manchester United will face Leeds United in their first pre-season friendly on July 19 in Stockholm, after which they will jet off to the U.S., where they are scheduled to face West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton.

Gonzalo Garcia is living his dream at Real Madrid, with four goals at the Club World Cup sparking comparisons to club legend Raul. The 21-year-old Castilla product says he's honoured by the praise and is determined to keep scoring as Los Blancos eye silverware under Xabi Alonso in the United States. The striker has now opened up on the comparisons with Raul.

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• Gonzalo Garcia nets four goals in five CWC matches
• Draws comparisons to Real Madrid legend Raul
• Eyes Club World Cup glory against PSG next

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Garcia has lit up the Club World Cup with four goals in five appearances for Real Madrid, including a key strike against Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final. The 21-year-old forward helped Los Blancos book a semi-final date with Paris Saint-Germain in New Jersey on Wednesday. Garcia has been likened to legendary striker Raul, who previously held Real Madrid's top scorer spot, and the youngster has revealed that he feels 'pride' over the fans' comparison.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT GARCIA SAID

  Speaking to the media, Garcia said: "They [fans] are comparing me with Raul, a legend. If I can do half of what he did in this shirt, then it will be more than a dream.

  "I have been working, waiting for a chance, but not in my dreams would I have thought of this. I don't feel a lot of pressure. I have been working and waiting for this moment.

  "The coach, the players, the staff all give me a lot of confidence. Kylian [Mbappe] is… almost… let's say the best player in the world. I feel so lucky to share a pitch and training with him, to learn from him."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Madrid have long searched for a homegrown scorer to follow in Raul’s footsteps, and Gonzalo’s emergence has thrilled fans as he could be their answer to a lack of a traditional striker. He’s currently tied for the Club World Cup Golden Boot alongside Al-Hilal's Marcos Leonardo, Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy and Benfica's former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR GARCIA?

  Real Madrid are set to take on Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain up next in the Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, July 9. Garcia will be a certain striker in the clash and he will know that even a single goal could be enough to clinch him the Golden Boot with Di Maria, Guirassy and Leonardo already out of the tournament.

da aposte e ganhe： Leeds United secured the Championship title with a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle on the final day of the season earlier this month, and now have a season in the Premier League to look forward to.

da heads bet： The Whites racked up 100 points on their way to being champions of the second tier, but that does not mean that they are going to find the transition to the top-flight easy.

There are already doubts over some of the stars who led Leeds to the title, as Football Insider reported earlier this month that the club are not planning to build their attack around Joel Piroe.

The outlet claimed that there are doubts behind the scenes about whether or not the Dutch centre-forward can make the step up to the Premier League as Daniel Farke’s main number nine next season.

That is despite the fact that the left-footed striker won the Golden Boot in the Championship, narrowly beating Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz from Norwich to the trophy.

Why Leeds may have doubts about Joel Piroe

Leeds may have doubts about Piroe, though, because of the gulf in athleticism required between the two divisions, as the Premier League is an incredibly intense league.

The Whites need their centre-forward to be mobile and, or, strong to either run off the back of opposition centre-backs or to hold them off in order to retain possession for the team, because Farke’s side will not be able to be as dominant next term given that they are likely to be in a relegation battle, rather than a title race.

It is fair to say that Piroe is not the quickest centre-forward around, or that he uses his pace to leave defenders for dead. His game is more centered around positioning and finishing, being in the right place at the right time to use his lethal left foot.

However, Leeds need more than that in the Premier League because of the nature of the season that they are likely to face, with a lot of deep defending likely to leave them in need of a number nine who can either stretch a defence or hold the ball up.

24/25 Championship

Joel Piroe

Appearances

46

xG

17.17

Goals

19

Dribble success rate

32%

Ground duel success rate

33%

Aerial duel success rate

21%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Piroe is not likely to hold the ball up effectively in the Premier League because defenders in the Championship found it far too easy to tackle him in dribbles and beat him in duels on the ground and in the air.

This explains why there are doubts behind the scenes about his suitability to a relegation scrap in the top-flight, because he does not appear to have the physical attributes required.

Leeds, with that in mind, are now reportedly eyeing up a deal for a striker who has already proven that they can compete in the Premier League.

Leeds leading race to sign Premier League striker

According to talkSPORT, Leeds United are leading the race to sign Newcastle United centre-forward Callum Wilson in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Whites are the ‘frontrunners’ to land the former England international, although there are no other teams named as being in contention to sign the marksman.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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TalkSPORT adds that Newcastle have an option to extend the English forward’s contract by another year, as it is due to expire this summer, but they would be willing to allow him to leave on a free transfer if he can find a club to go and play regular football for.

This means that Leeds, and any other interested club, could land a bargain deal for the experienced cenre-forward by signing him on a free transfer ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Why Leeds should sign Callum Wilson

Farke must snap the Magpies marksman up on a free transfer if the opportunity presents itself in the coming weeks because he could come in as a big upgrade on Piroe.

Whilst there are doubts over the Dutchman’s suitability for the Premier League ahead of next season, Wilson has already proven, over many years, that he can be an excellent option at that level.

As you can see in the clips above, the Newcastle star racked up an extraordinary haul of 18 goals in the Premier League in the 2022/23 campaign, only one goal fewer than Piroe managed in the Championship.

He has found himself behind Alexander Isak in the pecking order this season, which is no shame given that the Swedish marksman has scored 23 Premier League goals, but he has an excellent goal-to-start ratio throughout his career in the top-flight.

Callum Wilson’s Premier League career

Season

Starts

Goals

24/25

1

0

23/24

9

9

22/23

21

18

21/22

16

8

20/21

23

12

19/20

32

8

18/19

29

14

17/18

23

8

16/17

16

6

15/16

9

5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the experienced forward tends to score goals in the top-flight when his manager gives him starts, as has been proven throughout his time at Bournemouth and Newcastle.

This means that Wilson, once dubbed “outstanding” by Eddie Howe, would come in as a proven Premier League goalscorer who could offer a reliable presence at the top end of the pitch that Piroe may not be able to provide.

The clip above, albeit from many years ago, also perfectly illustrates the pace, quality, and strength that the Englishman would bring to the Leeds team, as these attributes have allowed him to flourish at the top table for many years.

Therefore, Farke must push the board to seal a deal for the Newcastle forward on a free transfer because he has the record and the physical attributes to come in as a big upgrade on Piroe to bolster the club’s hopes of avoiding an instant relegation back to the Championship.

Related Huge Byram upgrade: Leeds make contact to sign £15m-rated star for free

Leeds United could land an upgrade on Sam Byram by signing this Premier League defender.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery May 15, 2025

Since the turn of the century, Chelsea rank first across Europe for transfer expenditure, spending a rather grotesque figure of €3.86bn (£3.2bn).

Having sold players to recoup around €1.96bn (£1.65bn) during the same period, the Blues have a total net spend of €-1,899.67m since 2000.

While the club may have won two Champions League titles and five Premier League crowns during that period, plus winning a plethora of other domestic and European trophies, spending has gone to a new level since Todd Boehly took control.

The Stamford Bridge side did make plenty of exciting signings during the first 12 years of the century. Players such as Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele and Ricardo Carvalho all played key roles under José Mourinho as the Blues emerged as a major force.

Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Oscar saw Chelsea enjoy a successful second act between 2012 and 2017, winning another two Premier League titles and a Europa League crown.

One signing was perhaps lauded more than the rest, especially given how much potential he had upon moving to Stamford Bridge.

Juan Mata looked ready to explode into life in the Premier League upon moving to England. Unfortunately, his time in London was short-lived, but his cult status hasn’t left him.

Juan Mata’s Chelsea statistics

Mata had enjoyed an excellent start to his career. After making his debut for Valencia, the Spaniard accrued over 150 competitive appearances for the La Liga side, scoring 46 goals and grabbing 52 assists in just four seasons.

This form saw him secure a place in the 2010 World Cup squad. He may have only played 20 minutes for Spain during the tournament, but he got his hands on the trophy.

Chelsea made their move a year later, signing the playmaker for a fee in the region of £23.5m, which was certainly a bargain.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2013/14

17

1

3

2012/13

64

20

30

2011/12

54

12

20

During his first season with the club, he played 54 games and registered 32 goal contributions, helping the Blues win the FA Cup and Champions League.

Remarkably, 60 goal involvements were recorded in the season after as Mata emerged as a key attacking threat for the London side. They didn’t win anything, but with Mourinho announced as the new manager in the summer of 2013, hopes were high of further glory.

It was clear he wasn’t going to fit into his tactical system, resulting in Mata making just 11 Premier League starts for the Blues during the first half of the season.

In January, Manchester United paid £37.1m to bring him to the North East, but he left Chelsea as a cult icon for his impressive displays.

With the transfer window set to open in just a few weeks, could Chelsea be about to raid Valencia once again for a talented young player with the world at his feet?

Indeed, a move for Cristhian Mosquera this summer could see him become Mata 2.0.

Chelsea make their move for La Liga sensation

While the club are in urgent need of a new striker or two heading into the transfer market, Enzo Maresca is also on the lookout for a new defender.

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are keen to step up their interest in Mosquera, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season for the Spanish side.

As per the report, the Blues could be set to initiate talks with the centre-back soon in a bid to secure his signature. Due to the fact that his contract expires next summer, Valencia are only demanding a fee of around €25m (£21m), which is certainly feasible for Maresca.

They face stiff competition from Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig. While Atletico Madrid are also keen. Three of these clubs will take part in the Champions League next term, meaning Chelsea must secure their place in the competition to stand a chance of landing the youngster.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Although Maresca has plenty of centre-backs at his disposal, Mosquera could soon become a first-choice option for the Italian.

Why Chelsea must sign Cristhian Mosquera

The 20-year-old has started all but one of Valencia’s league matches this season, although the club have underperformed as a whole, looking like they might finish in the bottom half of the table.

Throughout the campaign, the Spaniard exuded the qualities of someone ten years older. Indeed, he has won an impressive 69% of his total ground duels per game in the top flight, along with making 3.4 clearances, 1.4 tackles and losing possession only 0.3 times per match.

These solid displays at the heart of Valencia’s backline have bolstered his reputation, being praised heavily in the process.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that Mosquera is a “magnificent CB in the making” earlier this year. He also stated that the youngster was “one of the most talented U-21 CBs in Europe” following an excellent performance against Real Madrid in April.

When compared to his positional peers in La Liga this season, Mosquera currently ranks in the top 4% for ball recoveries (5.16) per 90, along with ranking in the top 14% for pass completion percentage (90.8%) and in the top 18% for percentage of dribbles tackled (76.3%) for Valencia.

He is certainly still raw and has plenty of development to do over the next few years, but these statistics prove he can mix it with the very best in Spain, no doubt about that.

For a fee of just £21m, Maresca won’t find better value out there all summer. Mosquera has proven throughout the 2024/25 campaign that he is a reliable centre-back,k and his signing fits into the club’s policy of bringing younger talent to London.

Mata enjoyed a wonderful two-and-a-half-year spell with Chelsea after sealing a move from Valencia. Given his growing reputation and talent, Mosquera could certainly go on to enjoy a similar sort of impact at Stamford Bridge should he make the move this summer.

Maresca must act swiftly to secure his signature, especially with plenty of other suitors swirling around the player.

Chelsea really looking at signing £25m "new name" who agreed to join Arsenal

He’s shook hands on personal terms with the Gunners last year.

ByEmilio Galantini May 23, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da supremo： O Palmeiras encara o Cerro Porteño nesta noite em Assunção, no Paraguai, em jogo válido pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores 2023.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasCom Luan e Gómez, zaga do Palmeiras ficou a poucos minutos de entrar para a história antes mesmo de Abel Ferreira chegarPalmeiras24/05/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras vai ao Paraguai em busca de mais uma marca histórica como visitante na LibertadoresPalmeiras24/05/2023PalmeirasLuan exalta defesa do Palmeiras, elogia Naves e projeta duelo com o Cerro: ‘Teremos de ser inteligentes’Palmeiras23/05/2023

da esoccer bet： + Veja tabela e classificação da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

Empilhando recordes nas últimas participações que fez pela competição continental, o Verdão de Abel Ferreira pode conquistar mais algumas marcas importantes hoje em ‘La Nueva Olla’.

Confira o que estará em jogo hoje no duelo entre Gustavo Gómez e Diego Churín:

Vitória de número 50 como visitante em Libertadores:

Se bater o Ciclón hoje, o Palmeiras completará 50 vitórias como visitante na história da Libertadores (sem considerar os triunfos em campo neutro, como nas finais de 2020 e 2021). O retrospecto atual é de 112 jogos, 49 vitórias, 22 empates, 41 derrotas, 176 gols marcados e 141 gols sofridos.

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Invencibilidade diante do Cerro Porteño como visitante:

Time que mais vezes enfrentou o Verdão na Libertadores, o Cerro Porteño jamais venceu o atual campeão Brasileiro no Paraguai. Em seis jogos, foram três vitórias para o Palmeiras e três empates.

Maior invencibilidade da Série A

Independente da competição ou mando de campo, o Palmeiras é o time da Série A do Brasileirão que carrega a maior invencibilidade no ano. Já são treze jogos sem saber o que é derrota para uma equipe que perdeu apenas duas vezes em 2023. Em segundo vem o rival São Paulo, que está há 10 jogos sem perder.

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Abel Ferreira Scolari

Caso vença o Cerro Porteño, Abel Ferreira vai igualar Luiz Felipe Scolari como técnico com o maior número de vitórias na história da Libertadores comandando o Palmeiras: 23 triunfos para cada!

A bola rola para Cerro Porteño x Palmeiras a partir das 19h (horário de Brasília) e o jogo terá transmissão dos Canais ESPN e Star +.

Adam Lyth’s career-best bowling display in vain as Yorkshire fall two wickets short of first win of the season

ECB Reporters Network27-May-2024

Ricardo Vasconcelos celebrates his match-saving century for Northants•Getty Images

Ricardo Vasconcelos hit a valiant 129 not out as he attempted to power Northamptonshire to an unlikely victory over Yorkshire in this Vitality County Championship match which ended in high drama on a see-saw final evening at Wantage Road.Yorkshire had set up a tantalising run chase of challenging 326 to win in a little over two sessions, and when Vasconcelos warmed up for the T20 Blast game with 17 boundaries all around the ground, a home win looked a possibility.But a dramatic clatter of wickets as Yorkshire’s attack staged a late fightback set nerves jangling in the home dressing room, Vasconcelos had to switch gears to ensure his side held out for the draw, eight wickets down, in an innings full of character and maturity.At 165 for 2 in the 33rd over, with Vasconcelos sharing a quickfire stand of 63 in 55 balls with Karun Nair (36), Northamptonshire were set for an enthralling white ball style finish. But a persistent Yorkshire bowling attack fought back hard taking three wickets for 13, and the last six for 54, as first innings centurion Adam Lyth concluded a memorable 200th Championship match with career-best bowling figures of 4 for 56.In an innings full of character and maturity Vasconcelos held his nerve as Northamptonshire saw out the draw.Earlier Yorkshire captain Shan Masood (131 not out) declared his side’s innings on 264 for 6 just before lunch, dangling the carrot of a chase which would have been the tenth highest to beat Yorkshire by any team in its history.Ultimately, though, the loss of 17 overs during two stoppages for rain took too much time out of the game, and the captains shook hands shortly after 6.20pm. The draw leaves both sides winless after seven games, Yorkshire taking 14 points and Northamptonshire 13.

Manchester United are now increasingly keen on signing a “special” forward this summer, and his price tag may have dropped by £65m, according to a report.

Man Utd lacking creativity

Man United’s goalscoring issues this season have been well-documented, with Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund failing to hit the heights expected of them, but another major problem has been a lack of service for the strikers.

The Red Devils have created just 54 big chances in the Premier League this season, the 13th-highest total in the top flight, which indicates they may need to bring in a new winger or attacking midfielder this summer, alongside a centre-forward.

Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo is well-liked, with United planning to make the winger their first summer signing, and there is a feeling a deal could be possible for a fee of around £50m.

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There are some other options from within the Premier League, however, with Southampton’s Tyler Dibling also of interest, although the reported £100m price tag may have been off-putting for potential suitors.

However, according to a new report from Caught Offside, Dibling’s price tag may have now dropped considerably, with it being revealed a deal could be possible for a fee of around €40m (£35m), which would be a £65m price reduction.

Man United and Ruben Amorim are becoming increasingly keen on signing the Southampton winger, who is now high up their list of targets, with the manager eager to bring in a top young attacker.

A whole host of clubs could be set to battle it out for the 19-year-old, however, with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, RB Leipzig and West Ham United also expressing an interest, so there may be fierce competition for his signature.

"Special" Dibling could launch career at Old Trafford

The young forward has been a breakout star for Southampton this season, making 27 league appearances, but it was always going to be a tall order to stand out in a very poor side, who could go down as one of the worst teams in Premier League history.

That said, the Englishman caught the eye with his performance at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign, receiving praise from Fabrizio Romano.

Having also been lauded as a “special talent” by journalist Josh Bunting, it is clear the starlet has a lot of potential, so it is promising news that Man United are in the race for his signature.

The recent news that a deal could amount to just £35m is also a welcome update, given that a £100m price tag would have been very hard to justify, with Dibling yet to prove himself at the top level over a sustained period.

The Tata Group has extended its title sponsorship of the IPL for another five years, from 2024 to 2028, for INR 2500 crore (US$301 million approx.), making it the “highest-ever sponsorship amount in the history of the league,” a BCCI statement said. The group were the IPL title sponsors in 2022 and 2023, and are also the title sponsors of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).”The collaboration with TATA Group for the title sponsorship of IPL 2024-28 is a significant milestone in IPL’s journey,” IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal said. “The record-breaking sum of INR 2500 crore by TATA Group is a testament to the immense value and appeal that the IPL holds in the world of sports.”This unprecedented amount not only sets a new benchmark in the history of the league but also reaffirms the IPL’s position as a premier sporting event with global impact. TATA Group’s commitment to cricket and sports is truly commendable, and we look forward to scaling new heights together and providing fans with unparalleled cricketing entertainment.”The Tata Group had replaced Vivo as IPL title sponsors for the last two seasons. The BCCI had temporarily severed ties with Vivo, a Chinese mobile and technology company, following political tensions between India and China in June 2020. Vivo had originally bagged the title sponsorship for 2018 to 2022 for INR 2199 crores (US $341 million approx. at the time), but for the 2020 season, it was replaced by Dream 11, before Vivo returned for the 2021 season.Tata’s bid for the next five years is a 13.7% jump over what Vivo had paid for 2018-22.”This collaboration embodies the spirit of growth, innovation, and a mutual dedication to excellence,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said. “The unprecedented financial commitment reflects the immense scale and global impact of the IPL on the international sports stage.”The 2024 IPL will be played from March 22 and run till the end of May, just before the men’s T20 World Cup kicks off on June 1.