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The Pakistan fast bowler said the Ten10 format was a high-pressure one, and success here could add to a bowler’s ability to respond to pressure in T20s

Paul Radley17-Dec-2017Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir insists the new 10-over format being piloted in Sharjah will have a positive effect on his bowling skills.Amir was the first player picked in the draft for Ten10 League in November, signed up Maratha Arabians. He has bowled six overs across the three matches for his franchise so far in the four-day competition at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In that time, he has picked up just one wicket, but his economy-rate of 8.83 is relatively favourable. His two overs, which were worth 1 for 14 as Maratha Arabians defended 130 against Punjabi Legends on Saturday, were crucial to earning a semi-final place for the side.Amir reckons bowling 12 balls per game in T10 matches will make the other formats seem easy by comparison.”Definitely it will,” Amir said. “It is all about dot balls in this format. The more dot balls you bowl, the better your confidence gets. If you are not leaking runs in T10 cricket, then T20 cricket will seem like a very long format.”This is a high-pressure format, and if you do well here, you will feel less pressure in T20 cricket. In one way it is a very testing format for the bowlers.”It is very important to test your skills, because you have to think of every ball. So it is very important to bowl your yorkers and slower balls very well, because the batsmen are hitting the length balls very well.”A fast bowler has to use his pace very well and I am doing just that. I am also trying to bring in every possible variation in my bowling.”The fact Amir was the first player selected for the tournament was driven largely by Wasim Akram, who is the franchise’s mentor and coach. Ahead of the competition, Amir said he was looking forward to working with and learning from the former Pakistan left-arm quick, who is his idol.Wasim, too, backed Amir to be a match-winner in T10, and also said he expected Amir’s extended fallow spell in Test cricket to be only temporary.”As long as he has got the pace, and he is still only 25, I reckon he can get back into gear with one spell, a couple of quick wickets,” Wasim said last month. “I am not worried about him at all.”Amir, too, is optimistic about the future: “Test cricket is a totally different format. You have to bowl longer spells. Then you have the red ball to consider. Swinging conditions have to be considered. You cannot compare T20 cricket and Test cricket.”But as a professional you have to adapt to every possible condition. For Test cricket you have to have a different frame of mind, and you have to think differently in T20 cricket. Right now I am doing well thanks to Almighty Allah. My performance is getting better day by day. In cricket you have both good and bad days, but you have to keep the learning process going.”Maratha Arabians will will play their semi-final fixture against a Kerala Kings side that includes Eoin Morgan, Kieron Pollard and Shakib Al Hasan at 5.30pm on Sunday.In the other semi-final, starting at 7.45pm, Shahid Afridi’s Pakhtoons, the only undefeated team in the competition so far, will take on Punjabi Legends. The final is scheduled to start at 9.30pm. National.

Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing their fifth summer signing, as Unai Emery looks to prepare to finalise his squad before the closing of the transfer window.

The Spaniard has found success in the market so far, with record-breaking acquisition Moussa Diaby netting in on his Premier League debut after making the £51.9m move to the Midlands from Bayer Leverkusen.

Despite getting their first three points on the board in match week two, news surrounding the club has been the potential incomings, with latest news suggesting that further new faces could arrive at Villa Park.

Who could Aston Villa sign this summer?

After most recently welcoming Nicolo Zaniolo on loan from Galatasaray, Villa have been linked to a host of defensive options, including their ongoing pursuit of World Cup winner Marcos Acuna.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

The Argentine looked set to be on the way to the Midlands, however, a report via journalist Rudy Galetti has revealed that Sevilla are having second thoughts over sanctioning a move for the 31-year-old.

Elsewhere, fellow renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Villans are “exploring conditions” over Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares, who could be a very viable alternative to Acuna.

Having fallen out of favour in north London, Emery’s former club’s trash could be Villa’s dazzling treasure.

What is Nuno Tavares’ playing style?

Signed by Mikel Arteta in 2021, the Portuguese talent could opt for pastures new this summer, after succeeding away from the capital during a loan spell with Marseille.

In Ligue 1, the 23-year-old showed his worth as an attacking left-back, netting six goals for the French outfit in 31 league appearances, via Transfermarkt.

The youngster’s attacking prowess could make him a particularly attractive acquisition for Emery, in a move that could bolster his side both defensively and going forward, with the Lisbon-born gem bringing flair to the left flank.

Once lauded as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his days at Benfica, Tavares could significantly strengthen Villa’s left side, with his presence having the potential to make John McGinn even better.

The Scotsman has thrived under Emery, and with him deployed on the left side of midfield to occupy the wide channels, the 28-year-old could be handed added resources for creativity and support through the arrival of the Arsenal outsider.

Having already opened his scoring tally for the 2023/24 campaign, the Villa captain could be given far more chances, with the 23-year-old being one of the most effective attacking full-backs in Europe.

As per FBref, Tavares averaged 2.09 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, ranking him in the top 3% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues in this area to solidify his claims to being a handful on the flank.

The introduction of the former Benfica dynamo could give McGinn more license to roam, whilst also providing a strong target for the former Ligue 1 whiz to partner on that side of the pitch.

Defensively, the £29k-per-week Portuguese shone too, averaging 2.15 tackles per 90 for Marseille in Ligue 1, showcasing just how promising a signing he could be if integrated into Emery’s set-up at Villa Park.

A very wholesome video of the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise squad being told they’re playing Liverpool in the Europa League has emerged online, while Alexis Mac Allister received a message from his brother.

Who are Liverpool playing in the Europa League?

The Reds will not be playing in the Champions League this season and instead will have to settle for a place in the European competition one tier below after finishing fifth in the Premier League last term.

As a result, however, this has afforded them the opportunity to come up against some teams they wouldn't usually play.

And as footballing fate would have it, the draw threw out a rather interesting match-up when the groups were revealed this week.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Indeed, having only just arrived at Liverpool in the summer – signing from Brighton for an initial £35m – Mac Allister will be coming up against his brother Kevin when the two teams meet later this year.

Indeed, Kevin is one year older, plays for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, and has already sent a message to his sibling in footage shared on the Belgian club's official Twitter account.

As you can see, it's a lovely moment as all the players celebrate with glee upon hearing the news, before the camera pans to the older Mac Allister who says to his brother: "See you soon bro!"

🤩 pic.twitter.com/rE33oESNhH— Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (@UnionStGilloise) September 1, 2023

TNT Sports also shared LASK reacting to the draw, proving that Royale Union Saint-Gilloise weren't the only one to be excited about the prospect of a trip to Anfield.

The full draw will see LASK, Union SG and Toulouse meet Liverpool in Group E of the 2023-24 Europa League.

How old is Alexis Mac Allister?

Liverpool's Mac Allister is 24 years years of age, born 24 December 1998, while his older sibling, Kevin, is 25 and born almost a year earlier on 7 November 1997.

Incidentally, their father, Carlos Mac Allister, was also a professional footballer and played for Boca Juniors in the late '80s and early '90s – even sharing the pitch with Diego Maradona at one time.

In an interview with The Athletic, the Argentine revealed his family roots, saying: “According to our family, we came from Ireland, rather than Scotland.

“We came to Argentina, to a place called Pergamino, but that was three or four generations ago, and later my father and mother married and moved to a different place — Santa Rosa in the Province of La Pampa, which is where Alexis was born.

“Now, when we get together, they always say that our ancestors came from Ireland. I don’t know whether the ones before them were from Scotland, and went to Ireland from Scotland, and then our ancestors came here. But we say that we came from Ireland.”

After completing a move to Liverpool in the summer, Mac Allister has made an okay start to life at his new club, playing in all three Premier League games so far but his red card (ultimately overturned) and lowly 6.54 WhoScored average match rating (the 11th lowest in the squad), suggests there is room for improvement.

It will certainly be fascinating to see how he and his brother get on when the Reds play Royale Union Saint-Gilloise home and away in Europe later this year.

The likelihood of sanctions against the Wanderers for the pitch it produced for the third Test against India will not deter South Africa from continuing to ask curators to prepare surfaces to favour their pace attack

Firdose Moonda28-Jan-2018South Africa will continue to ask home curators to prepare surfaces to favour their pace pack even though they did not get the pitches they wanted for two-thirds of the series against India. Only Newlands provided the pace, bounce and movement South Africa wanted while SuperSport Park was slow and took enough turn to be called “subcontinental” by the hosts and the Wanderers had so much variable bounce and exaggerated movement that the umpires took players off the field on the third afternoon and the venue could face a sanction.Captain Faf du Plessis has expressed his disappointment at both Highveld venues but instead of backing off, emphasised the importance of groundspersons working with team management to prepare pitches that can help South Africa.”You must try and get – whether it’s one percent or five percent or ten percent – whatever you can you must try and get an advantage against opposition that’s quality. When we go to India, we certainly don’t play on flat, green tracks. And I assume that there would be a similar conversation happening there,” Faf du Plessis said. “For me it’s just making sure that there’s a conversation happening with the management of our team and also the groundsman about the conditions that would be ideal for a Test series. This Test series we didn’t get that, and I can’t give you the reason for that.”BCCIOne theory is that the constant talk of pitches – du Plessis has been more vocal about it than any other South African captain – has placed extra pressure on curators to produce bowler-friendly pitches and they are veering to the extreme. And there is some evidence to support that theory.After SuperSport Park’s Bryan Bloy, who had prepared his first Test pitch, came under severe criticism from the team, the Wanderers’ Bethuel Buthelezi, who has worked at the ground for three decades and been head groundsman since 2016, produced a pitch that Kepler Wessels described as “dangerous” and on which batsmen from both sides got hit.Asked whether the reaction to SuperSport Park could have put pressure on the Wanderers to go completely the other way, du Plessis conceded that it may have had that effect but still put the responsibility on the groundsman to do a better job. “That might be. But I’m in an environment where I have to score runs and perform, so it’s the same,” he said. “If there is an option to get a pitch in the way that we want to, you would hope that the experience would be there to get the pitches right.”Again, du Plessis insisted South Africa did not ask for anything “excessive,” and only wanted the curators to stick to what the country is known for. “We never asked for something excessive. We never asked for extra grass. All we asked for was a typical South African wicket that has pace and bounce,” he said. “Although this wicket had pace and bounce, it was obviously a lot more, so we pretty disappointed with that. It’s disappointing to see that once again we’re not getting it right. I don’t know how to answer it or how to change it, but it obviously needs to improve.”Du Plessis has already suggested that the CSA appoint someone to oversee curators around the country and that a national strategy that will avoid producing pitches like those at SuperSport Park and the Wanderers and even the ones South Africa played Bangladesh on earlier in the summer. In September-October 2017, South Africa played Bangladesh in Potchefstroom and Bloemfontein on flat pitches whose placidness surprised even the visitors. There has been no word from CSA on if they are considering du Plessis’ request.More immediately, they will concern themselves with whether the Wanderers will be punished for its pitch. Team manager Mohammed Moosajee said he is expecting “repercussions”, and du Plessis hopes they won’t be too serious. “Look, I think because we finished the game, I don’t think that will happen,” du Plessis said. “I understand the demerit points if the game was called off, or if it was an absolute stinker that lasted two days, then your demerit points would get a bit more. So I assume that even if this pitch was rated poorly, you’d still be able to come back here for Test cricket.”South Africa are scheduled to play Australia in the last of four Tests in Johannesburg from March 30 to April 3. Before that, the venue will also host an ODI and a T20I against India, which are likely to go ahead even if the most severe sanction – a ruling of “unfit” and a 12-month ban – are imposed, because of timing.While the match referee may submit his report immediately, the home board will receive the ICC’s ruling within 14 days of the Test finishing, which will take the process to February 10 at the latest. The CSA will then have a further 14 days to appeal, which means the matches against India, which are both sold out, should go ahead. A ban could affect the Australia Test and any demerit points will hang over the venue’s head for the next five years.

With the recent transfer window having come and gone, Tottenham Hotspur can reflect on what was a rather mixed summer of business, in truth, with the Lilywhites suffering the blow of losing club record goalscorer, Harry Kane, albeit while making a raft of astute dealings.

The £40m addition of James Maddison – who already has four goals and assists from just four Premier League outings this season – already looks to be something of a bargain, while towering Dutchman Micky van de Ven has also been "really impressive" thus far, as per talkSPORT's Danny Murphy, as a sign of the smart acquisitions that have been made.

That's not to suggest that new boss Ange Postecoglou was able to totally revamp his first-team squad, however, with the former Celtic tactician having notably been unable to wrap up a deal for Chelsea's midfield machine, Conor Gallagher.

Why didn't Tottenham sign Conor Gallagher?

Reports had indicated last month that the England international was among the list of targets that Spurs were considering to potentially replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the centre of the park, with the latter man having been heavily linked with a move to La Liga giants, Atletico Madrid.

Speculation was particularly rampant amid a frantic end to deadline day – with claims made that the north Londoners were readying a move for the 23-year-old – although transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that no bid was ever sent by Daniel Levy and co, as the club proved unable to shift Hojbjerg.

That has left Postecoglou's midfield options looking rather limited, in truth, with a hefty reliance likely to be placed on the current starting trio of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Maddison over the coming months – particularly with Rodrigo Bentancur still sidelined.

Missing out on a player like Gallagher could then appear to be a significant setback for those at N17, although the club may well already have their own version of the former Crystal Palace loanee in the form of 20-year-old sensation, Nile John.

Who is Nile John?

It had appeared that the promising Englishman was set to be among a raft of youth assets who were heading for the exit door at the end of last season amid his expiring contract, although the playmaker ultimately committed his future to the club back in July, after signing a new extension until the summer of 2025.

A player with just two senior appearances to his name to date – having made his debut in the Europa League against Wolfsberger back in February 2021 – the £1.9k-per-week maestro has yet to truly show his worth at first-team level, despite sparkling in the youth ranks.

The versatile gem – who can feature in central midfield, attacking midfield or on the flanks – notably boasts a promising record of 11 goals and four assists in 56 games for Tottenham's U21 side, showcasing that he can mirror the attacking threat that Gallagher memorably illustrated at Palace, after netting eight goals and providing three assists in the league during the 2021/22 season.

In his three EFL Trophy appearances last term, John also demonstrated that he can help to chip in defensively when required after averaging a solid 1.7 tackles per game while winning back possession once per game on average, with that not too far away from what his Blues counterpart has achieved so far this term, after averaging three tackles per game and winning possession 1.3 times per game in the Premier League.

While far less experienced than his compatriot, John is also said to be a player who can show "real quality", as hailed by journalist Alasdair Gold, ensuring that the youngster could well help to supplement the likes of Sarr and Bentancur, both this season and beyond.

With £40m having been mooted as a possible asking price for Gallagher, Postecoglou could well have saved the club millions if he is to unleash the academy starlet instead in the near future.

A 15-member squad named on Tuesday featured many players who had played key roles in beating South Africa 2-1 away from home

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2018Sukanya Parida, the 24-year old seam-bowling allrounder who last played for India in November 2016, has found her way back into the ODI side to face Australia from March 12. However, India will miss fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, who suffered a heel injury soon after becoming the first to take 200 wickets in women’s ODIs. She is expected to be out for six weeks* and is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.India squad

Mithali Raj (capt), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-capt), Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mona Meshram, Sushma Verma (wk), Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey, Sukanya Parida, Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma
In: Sukanya Parida
Out: Jhulan Goswami

A 15-member squad named on Tuesday featured many players who had played key roles in beating South Africa 2-1 away from home. Jemimah Rodrigues retained her place in the ODI squad though she remains uncapped in the format. However, the 17-year old Mumbai batsman had played a starring role in the T20Is, as India capped off their visit of South Africa with a 54-run victory on Satuday. Out of the 16 selected for that tour, only wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia lost her place.Parida has only played one game for India, when she opened the bowling against West Indies in Vijayawada and helped them successfully defend a total of 199 with figures of 5-1-14-0.The three ODIs against Australia are part of the ICC Women’s Championship and will take place in Vadodara on March 12, 15 and 18. India are placed second on the points table, with two wins in three games, the same as Australia, who are fourth based on net run-rate.*

Newcastle United could do with more depth in their midfield moving forward – and they are reportedly in a battle with Premier League and European rivals for one of their current targets.

Will Newcastle sign another midfielder?

The Magpies have slowly built arguably their most impressive squad of the Premier League era in recent times, with top-quality options littered all over the pitch. It helped them finish fourth in the table last season, ensuring that they returned to the Champions League after 20 years away.

While Eddie Howe's side again look ready for another tilt at the top four despite what has been a tough start to the campaign to date, there is also no doubt that more squad depth is required moving forward, allowing the manager to shuffle his pack across four different competitions.

In midfield, Newcastle are arguably a little light on options, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali leaving a gaping void if they are out of the team. There are good players in there, of course, from Joelinton to Sean Longstaff, but bringing in another face could make the Magpies that little bit more formidable.

Now, it looks as if that could potentially happen – though it may not be easy for them to get their man.

Which midfielder have Newcastle been linked with?

According to IG Esporte [via TEAMtalk], Newcastle are interested in signing Corinthians midfielder Gabriel Moscardo, and they have reportedly "made an approach" for him.

Chelsea have also been in the conversation to sign the 17-year-old, but it is believed that they are "backing off from the auction" having been "initially scared" by the €30m (£26.1m) valuation of him by Corinthians. Manchester United and Barcelona are also believed to be in the mix, with the latter seeing him as a midfield "jewel".

Moscardo could be a hugely exciting signing by Newcastle if they manage to pip other clubs for his signature, with the calibre of those showing an interest in him highlighting what a special prospect he is.

Granted, the Brazilian wouldn't be coming in as an immediate starter given his age and lack of experience in English football, but Howe could develop him over time and eventually turn him into a key man at St James' Park.

Moscardo has already won one cap for Brazil's Under-23s at just 17 years of age, while 14 appearances for Corinthians are also testament to the progress he is making as a player.

The lure of Barca is always a potential worry for an English club battling to sign players with them, given how many great South American players have represented the club – the likes of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo all stand out in that respect – so it is clearly going to be difficult for Newcastle to snap him up ahead of them – and others, for that matter.

The fact that they are in the conversation to sign such a big talent speaks volumes about how much progress has been made at the club, however, and Moscardo is someone who could continue to build them into the future, acting as a long-term signing with an extremely high ceiling.

The track at the Shere Bangla National Stadium was rated below-average after the Sri Lanka Test in February, fetching it one demerit point, and the BCB had appealed that decision

Mohammad Isam16-Mar-2018The ICC has upheld its decision to impose one demerit point on the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka for a below-average pitch produced for the second Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in February.ICC’s general manager (cricket) Geoff Allardice and cricket committee chairman Anil Kumble concluded that match referee David Boon’s rating was correct, after the BCB had appealed the sanctions.The BCB’s appeal was reportedly centered on the argument that the pitch wasn’t a departure from the usual surfaces in Dhaka, given the weather and conditions at that time of the year.Boon had reported that the “pitch had uneven bounce throughout the match and inconsistent turn”. The Test was over an hour after lunch on the third day, with Sri Lanka winning by 215 runs. Thirty of the 40 wickets to fall in the match went to spinners; Bangladesh lasted all of 75.1 overs.According to the ICC’s revised pitch and outfield monitoring process, introduced on January 4 this year, demerit points will remain active for a rolling five-year period. When a venue accumulates five demerit points (or crosses that threshold), it will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months. A venue will be suspended from staging any international cricket for 24 months when it reaches the threshold of 10 demerit points.Last September, the ICC had rated the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s outfield “poor” after the first Bangladesh-Australia Test.The good news for the BCB is that the Mirpur outfield has become far better since then, while the pitches have played well during the ongoing Dhaka Premier League List-A competition.

Mark Footitt has been loaned to Derbyshire after failing to break into Nottinghamshire’s all-England attack in the early rounds of the Championship

David Hopps02-May-2018Nottinghamshire’s left-arm fast bowler Mark Footitt has joined Derbyshire on an initial 28-day loan deal where he will be available to play Specsavers County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup cricket.The 32-year-old, who spent six seasons with Derbyshire between 2010 and 2015, is earmarked for two four-day matches and five 50-over games, starting against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Thursday.”Mark’s pre-season has been affected by injury and we feel it’s a good opportunity for him to get out there and get some cricket under his belt,” said Nottinghamshire’d director of cricket Mick Newell.”Our pace attack has started the season in fine form and Mark has found himself short of game time so far. Hopefully he can get some overs under his belt and come back ready to go when the season ramps up from June onwards.”The move suits Derbyshire who have fielded a high-class pace attack this season in three bowlers with international experience – Duanne Olivier, Ravi Rampaul and Hardus Viljoen – but who have limited stocks in reserve and fear the danger of overbowling their prize assets as a conequence.Derbyshire’s cricket advisor, Kim Barnett, said: “We’re grateful to Nottinghamshire and Peter Moores for allowing Mark to join us for this busy period, and I’m sure this arrangement will be good for all parties.”This move for Footitt is not as angst-ridden as the last, involving just a few miles up the A52. He admitted that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders when Surrey gave him permission to return to Nottinghamshire in the middle of last season on a two-and-a-half year deal. The strain of hotel living, away from his fiancé and daughter in London had become too much.Footitt has travelled this way before. He first joined Derbyshire in 2009 after Nottinghamshire released him from his contract as injuries bedevilled his early career. He became a firm favourite at Derbyshire, taking 82 County Championship wickets in 2014. He moved south to Surrey, fired by England ambitions, and came close to a Test debut when he was chosen for the South Africa tour of 2015/16 but never played.

Manchester City are now preparing a big offer for an attacker who has a “left foot made of gold”, with Pep Guardiola believed to be a big fan, according to a report.

Pep planning summer rebuild

Man City have started to show some more promising signs in the Premier League over the past couple of months, defeating Newcastle United 4-0 at the weekend, but they are still far from their best.

Guardiola’s side trail league leaders Liverpool by 16 points, and the 5-1 defeat against Arsenal at the beginning of the month is symbolic of their significant drop-off this season, which has been exacerbated by Rodri’s season-ending ACL injury.

As such, despite a window of heavy spending in January, Guardiola is now planning even more signings for the summer, setting his sights on a number of players who could replace some of the old guard.

With Kevin De Bruyne’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, Paulo Dybala has been identified as a potential target, while City are also eyeing Juventus left-back Andrea Cambiaso, with Pep keen to strengthen in the full-back areas.

Man City now have serious interest in signing another "great" midfield star

He’s rediscovered his best form this season…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 15, 2025

According to reports from Spain, the Sky Blues also have a new target on their shortlist, with Guardiola said to be ‘in love with’ Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz, who has been very impressive in the Serie A this season.

Paz’s vision and eye for goal has caught the eye of the reigning Premier League champions, who are now considering a move in the summer transfer window, with a big offer being prepared.

Guardiola views the Como star as a player with enormous potential, so he could personally ask the City board to make a huge offer in the summer.

Paz starring in the Serie A

The former Real Madrid man has been enjoying a fantastic debut campaign in the Serie A, with six goals and four assists to his name in 24 appearances, having predominantly featured in attacking midfield, although he started at centre-forward last time out.

While the Argentina international’s attacking quality has caught City’s eye, there are signs he is a well-rounded midfielder, as he ranks highly across a number of key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

1.72 (83rd percentile)

Interceptions

0.94 (97th percentile)

Blocks

1.72 (98th percentile)

Aerials won

1.15 (88th percentile)

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded the £15k-p/w attacker as having a “left foot made of gold”, and his performances this season indicate he could now be ready to take the next step in his career by moving to one of Europe’s top clubs.

It is clear to see why Guardiola is such a big fan of the 20-year-old, and with the City manager keen to drive down the average age of his squad at the end of the season, Paz could be an ideal signing.