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Chelsea are monitoring Real Madrid Castilla starlet Rafa Marin ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Rafa Marin?

Marin is a centre-back who currently plies his trade at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium having graduated from his club’s academy to get promoted to Real Madrid Castilla – Real's B side – back in 2021, where he’s been a regular feature ever since.

The Spain youth international played 3,510 minutes of football last season which was about 400 more than any other member of Raul’s squad, as per Transfermarkt, and his consistent performances, playing 90 minutes in every single match, appear to have caught the eye of Mauricio Pochettino.

The Blues will be in the market for defensive reinforcements having lost Kalidou Koulibaly to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal, and the 21-year-old could be available for a cut-price with his contract expiring next summer, something which has alerted chiefs at Stamford Bridge.

Are Chelsea signing Marin?

According to Spanish outlet AS (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are “keeping close tabs” on Marin as they weigh up whether to make an official approach this summer. With Real Madrid Castilla recently having failed to achieve promotion to the third tier, the defender has made it his “aim to leave” this window, and should that be the case, he won’t “lack proposals”.

The Blues and RB Leipzig are the two clubs “paying the most attention” to their target, so this could be one to watch closely in the weeks ahead.

Chelsea and Pochettino will understandably be assessing the centre-back options that are out there, but Marin isn’t yet ready to make the required step up so Todd Boehly should avoid signing him unless it's for an absolutely minimal fee.

The youngster has made zero senior appearances for Real Madrid so whilst he’s been impressing in the youth setup, Carlo Ancelotti and the rest of his management team clearly don’t feel he’s at the stage of his career to take on the first-team challenge.

The 6 foot 2 colossus also wouldn’t provide any real versatility having only operated at left-back on six occasions throughout his career outside of his natural role so it would be extremely difficult for him to receive regular minutes when competition for places is so high.

Therefore, Chelsea should turn their attention towards defensive targets who have a lot more experience under their belt and have proven themselves at the highest level, so that they can meet the standard of quality that is likely to be expected of them under the new manager next season.

Centuries from B Indrajith and captain Abhinav Mukund led Tamil Nadu’s frenetic push for runs on day four, before they declared 255 ahead

The Report by Arun Venugopal in Rajkot04-Jan-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Abhinav Mukund scored his 26th first-class ton•PTI

Centuries from B Indrajith and captain Abhinav Mukund led Tamil Nadu’s frenetic push for runs, before they declared their innings late on the fourth evening 255 ahead; they were pushing for an outright win, having conceded the first-innings lead on the third day. Facing five tricky overs before stumps, Mumbai’s openers, Praful Waghela and 17-year-old debutant Prithvi Shaw, defended stoutly to end an absorbing day on 5 for 0.Mumbai’s first-innings total was revised to 411 when they were awarded five penalty runs due to Tamil Nadu’s batsmen running on the pitch in the 74th over. That meant their target became 251 from the 256 Tamil Nadu had set.Having entered the fourth day with a 101-run deficit, Tamil Nadu had to make the play and they didn’t falter. Their top order ensured there was no let up in momentum at any stage, and by the time the innings was declared close, their run-rate was 4.56. Mumbai’s fielding, on the other hand, was patchy after it was put under pressure once too often.Tamil Nadu bristled with intent right from the outset, with openers Abhinav and debutant Ganga Sridhar Raju alternating between running tight singles and scoring fluent boundaries. Raju played a few cuts and a cute-looking tuck off his pad, while Abhinav unfurled the upper cut, one of his favourite strokes, for a four.They showed restraint wherever necessary, though. When Abhishek Nayar tried to tempt Raju outside off, the batsman left well and played out a maiden. However, in the 13th over, when Raju was tempted the second time, he slashed at Nayar but the ball went over a wide second slip. Meanwhile, Abhinav, unlike in the first innings, stood well outside the crease to neutralise the swing, and drove powerfully whenever the ball was in his range.While the run rate hovered around three in the first half of the morning session – Tamil Nadu were on 60 for no loss in 20 overs – Indrajith’s arrival, after Raju was trapped in front by Balwinder Sandhu, amped up the innings. Indrajith, promoted ahead of Kaushik Gandhi, threw Mumbai’s spin duo – offspinner Akshay Girap and left-armer Vijay Gohil – off gear. While he didn’t predetermine the charge, he often stepped out to drive the ball, and in the process played with the bowlers’ lengths and minds. When they adjusted by landing the ball short, he went back and whipped it powerfully off his hips.Strangely, Mumbai didn’t persist with their seamers enough in the first session – although Sandhu bowled 10 overs, Nayar and Shardul Thakur, their most successful bowlers in the first innings, bowled only four and five overs respectively. Mumbai coach Chandrakant Pandit later reasoned that they had to be discontinued as they weren’t able to check the flow of runs. Abhinav and Indrajith, meanwhile, wiped out the deficit and took Tamil Nadu to 124 for 1, with Indrajith scoring 41 at nearly a run-a-ball by lunch.Mumbai spread out the field in the second session – at one stage, they only had four fielders not in deep positions – and introduced part-time spinners like Siddhesh Lad. They also bowled wide of off stump and the left-arm spinner Gohil tried to land his deliveries on the rough outside leg stump in an attempt to choke the scoring. While they strung together a few quiet overs, Tamil Nadu invariably managed to find release through a few boundaries. Mumbai were also hurt by their fielding lapses, as Abhinav was let off twice in successive deliveries in the 42nd over. First, Tare missed a stumping off Gohil, who then fluffed a return chance off the next delivery.Abhinav completed his fourth hundred of the season, and, by the time he slashed a catch to slip in the pursuit of quick runs, he and Indrajith had put on 185 runs. Dinesh Karthik walked in at No. 4, and his fidgety, street-smart presence accelerated the pace of scoring. An over after he was warned for running on the pitch, Karthik carted Sandhu for three slog-swept boundaries. Karthik also forced the fielding side to make mistakes by attempting a few impossible runs; on one occasion, he had backed up too far and had given up, but the throw from backward point missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end.Indrajith, meanwhile, completed his fourth first-class hundred, and an over after Karthik’s dismissal – his uppish cut off Sandhu was caught at point – had a reprieve as his miscued hoick was dropped by Lad. Vijay Shankar came in next and tonked the bowling, too, but, during a tense passage of play that was marked by frequent conversations involving players from both sides and the umpires, he was penalised for having run on the danger area. That, however, didn’t seem to affect Shankar and Indrajith, who scored the bulk of the 39 runs that Tamil Nadu made in the last four overs they faced before the declaration.

Fans online have been left stunned after Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku accidentally blocked an effort at goal off the line in the Champions League final.

What’s the latest on Man City?

Playing in Istanbul, Manchester City were hoping to complete a treble, having already won both the Premier League and the FA Cup this season.

Their opponents, however, were seeking a double with Simone Inzaghi’s men already lifting the Coppa Italia earlier on in their campaign.

Pep Guardiola and co came into the game favourites but Inter probably had the better first half, with the most notable incident being an injury that forced Kevin de Bruyne off early.

However, the game burst into life when Rodri struck an opener in the 68th minute of the game to put City into a 1-0 lead – which was ultimately enough to win the game.

Less than two minutes after that goal, though, Inter came forward with an attack and Federico Dimarco’s header looped over Ederson and bounced off the bar and back into the six-yard box.

The Italian then had another attempt at goal, and it looked as though his header was destined for the back of the net, only for Lukaku to inadvertently block it on the line.

You can see the footage on the BT Sport Football Twitter account below.

After witnessing the crazy incident, fans online couldn’t believe what had happened. They quickly flocked to social media to make their feelings known.

Here are the best reactions…

He’s even got previous of doing this before…

To make things worse, Lukaku then missed a sitter with just moments to play.

Arsenal are set to accelerate talks for West Ham United star Declan Rice and will push to sign him for £30 million less than his price, according to reports.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners and transfer chief Edu are tasked with improving manager Mikel Arteta's options ahead of what will be a very interesting 2023/2024 Premier League campaign.

Arsenal missed out on their first title in nearly 20 years last season, having been pipped by reigning champions Man City, and strengthening in key areas will be vital for the north Londoners.

Edu confirmed as far back as April that preparations have already been made.

"Our planning has already been done," said the Brazilian sporting director to ESPN (via 90min)."It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

Central midfield is believed to be a major priority for Arsenal this summer, leading to links with Rice and Brighton star Moises Caicedo. Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan is rumoured to be a target also, though Arsenal face stiff competition from La Liga champions Barcelona, who are also very interested in the Germany international.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are on the hunt for a traditional right-back – with Real Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresenda and Galatasary star Sacha Boey also being targeted for Arteta.

Going back to potential additions in the middle of the park, journalist Simon Collings of The Evening Standard has shared an update on the club's interest in Rice.

The Hammers captain is reliably believed to be a major target for Arsenal and The Standard claim they will "accelerate talks" after West Ham's Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina tonight.

As well as this, Arteta's side "will push to strike a deal" at around £90 million, which is £30m less than West Ham's valuation of their star – thought to be around £120m.

Who is Declan Rice?

The England international, who has been called "world class" by members of the press, certainly lived up to that tag over the course of 2022/23.

As per WhoScored, he stood out as West Ham's best-performing league player by average match rating – making more interceptions per 90 than any of his teammates in the top flight.

It's hardly surprising Rice is set to command a major fee this summer and it will be interesting to see if the Irons soften their stance on his £120m asking price.

Leeds United were once a club renowned for giving their academy stars regular opportunities in the first-team, with the Yorkshire outfit reaping the financial benefits of Kalvin Phillips, Jack Clarke and Lewis Cook in recent years.

However, their Premier League struggles in the last two campaigns, which could culminate in relegation this season, have meant that those at Thorp Arch have struggled for regular game time in the top flight.

The club opted to loan out defenders Charlie Cresswell and Cody Drameh to the Championship, with both catching the eye with their performances for Millwall and Luton Town respectively, in a time when the Whites' defence has been leaking goals left right and centre.

Cresswell averaged a superb 7.08 rating from WhoScored as Millwall narrowly missed out on the playoffs, while Drameh has been a mainstay in Rob Edwards' side as they reached the playoff final on Tuesday night, earning an impressive 7.20 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Unsurprisingly, the 21-year-old's lack of opportunities at Elland Road, combined with his superb displays in the second tier, has meant that he is now reportedly likely to leave this summer, with the Yorkshire Evening Post suggesting that he will depart despite his contract not set to expire until 2024.

A promising young player leaving on the back of a potential relegation to the Championship may well remind Leeds fans of James Milner, who departed for Newcastle back in 2004 after the Yorkshire outfit failed to retain their Premier League status.

Could Drameh be Leeds' next James Milner?

Although Milner was a more established member of Leeds' first team than Drameh, having featured 53 times, it is far less common these days to see teenagers become regular starters in the Premier League, and the right-back does have eight senior appearances under his belt for the Whites.

He also has 40 Championship appearances to his name across spells with Cardiff City and now Luton, and is one game away from reaching the promised land of the Premier League with the Hatters, where he could ironically swap places with his parent club.

It is something of a surprise that the Thorp Arch sensation has been given so few opportunities at Leeds given that both Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen have struggled in the right-back position this season.

Indeed, they have averaged simply woeful 6.59 and 6.64 ratings from WhoScored respectively, with both also recording far fewer tackles, dribbles and key passes per game than the academy graduate has done at Luton.

His "phenomenal" displays at Cardiff, in the words of former manager Steve Morison, should have seen him earn more Premier League minutes but Leeds failed to put their faith in him and look set to lose another talented youngster as a result.

If he goes on to have even half the career that Milner has done since leaving Elland Road, with the 37-year-old winning every English trophy and the Champions League in his time with Manchester City and Liverpool, then losing Drameh could be another disastrous blow for Leeds.

Leeds United will be looking to bring in a young manager over the summer with Sam Allardyce expected to depart regardless of their fate.

Will Allardyce be made permanent at Leeds?

Andrea Radrizzani has experienced yet another difficult season at the top of Leeds with back-to-back relegation-battling seasons under his belt.

The Whites are now locked into the bottom three of the table on the back of the results over the weekend with Everton pulling two points clear of the drop.

Three games remain in their campaign but there are still some mightily tough games ahead of them as Leicester City narrowly sits above Leeds on goal difference.

Javi Gracia's time at Elland Road was short-lived with Sam Allardyce coming through the doors to replace him with just four games to go.

The 68-year-old's spell at Leeds could not have gotten off to a trickier start as they travelled to the reigning champions, however, they did put up a good fight.

However, speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has claimed Leeds will be looking to move on from Allardyce for a young manager over the summer:

(22:00) "We have to wait until the end of the season. At the end of the season, they will qualify, for example, Leeds I know for sure they're looking for different manager, a young manager for the future. They had some names in mind, but these managers are not coming now in April or May.

"So I don't see Sam Allardyce staying but I think they will do something different in any case."

Could Allardyce be the right man for Leeds?

There are three huge games lying ahead of the former England manager at Leeds and they are three games which will seriously test the Yorkshire club.

Everton's win on Monday has seriously piled the pressure on but Leeds will have been well aware that the trip to Manchester City was not a game they will have been expecting to take any points.

But now it is a serious uphill task for Leeds, if Allardyce is able to secure their top-flight status, then the mood around the 68-year-old will be incredibly positive.

However, he has been brought in as a short-term fix. And we think the likes of Radrizzani should remember that.

Keeping Leeds afloat now would be a huge achievement, but the vision of the club surely has to be aspiring for more than what they've been handed over the last two seasons.

Looking at Leeds' struggles over the last two years, it feels like they need a long-term manager who can come in and provide the players with a project.

Marcelo Bielsa was able to provide a long-term vision, however, perhaps a young promising manager who could provide similar attributes is the path Leeds should be looking at.

The likes of Vincent Kompany have gone into Burnley and changed the club's philosophy and they have certainly reaped the rewards for doing so.

If Leeds do go down, it will be interesting to see who would be keen to take the reins at Elland Road.

A record stand has powered England to an overwhelming victory in the second ODI of the Royal London series against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston

George Dobell at Edgbaston24-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJason Roy celebrates as he completes his century•Getty ImagesA record opening stand has powered England to an overwhelming victory in the second ODI of the Royal London series against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston.Alex Hales and Jason Roy both thrashed centuries as England completed a ten-wicket win with 95 balls remaining. It is just the sixth such victory England have achieved in their ODI history and the highest score against which any side has achieved it. It is the fifth time Sri Lanka have been defeated by ten wickets in an ODI.Their stand was not only a record for England’s opening pair – overhauling Vikram Solanki and Marcus Tresocthick’s 200 partnership against South Africa in 2003 – but the highest for any wicket in ODIs by England batsmen. Previously, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott – who put on 250 together against Bangladesh here in 2010 – held the record.England have suffered often at Sri Lankan hands in ODI cricket. Apart from the 2006 ODI series which Sri Lanka won 5-0 – including overhauling England’s apparently impressive 321 at Leeds with 12-and-a-half overs to spare – there have been memorable, and critical, defeats in the last two World Cups.But, at the ground where England’s ODI revolution started just over a year ago, they demonstrated that the balance of power may have shifted with a devastatingly one-sided victory. This Sri Lanka side, missing the world-class stars with which they had become familiar, lacked the batting firepower to make first use of an excellent surface and the bowling potency to prevent England’s batsmen from galloping to victory.Not for a moment did it appear that Sri Lanka had set a competitive target. And while Hales and Roy played themselves in relatively calmly – both men took 55 deliveries over their first half-century – the manner with which they pulverised the Sri Lankan bowling once set was reminiscent of the punishment that used to be handed out to English bowlers by Sanath Jayasuiriya on a regular basis.At one stage they struck four sixes in succession – Hales punishing Seekkuga Prasanna for three sixes and two fours in five successive balls – as they made use of an impressively hard, true wicket to skip down the pitch and hit over the top. Both men registered their highest ODI scores, with Roy making his first half-century in eight ODI innings and Hales making his sixth fifty-plus score (and second century) in seven successive ODIs. It is England’s first victory in five ODIs, following three defeats in a row in South Africa and Tuesday’s tie at Trent Bridge.Hales, using his reach to drive four of his sixes and slog-sweep two more, took just 36 balls over his second 50, while Roy, with four straight sixes, demonstrating both bat-speed and power, took 37. Sri Lanka’s frontline spinners took much of the flak, conceding 140 runs – including eight sixes – in 16.1 overs. It made it entirely understandable that one of the umpires, Bruce Oxenford, utilised an arm guard on his left arm to protect him should a ball be thrashed in his direction.Hales gave one clear chance, Danushka Gunathilaka at point missing a simple chance when the batsman had 126, but by then the game was all but decided.It was Roy who claimed the man-of-the-match award. As well as his century, he played a significant role in two run-outs, first swooping at backward point, picking up the ball in his left-handed, transferring it to his right and throwing down the stumps with a direct hit to dismiss the dangerous Kusal Perera, before managing another good pick-up and throw to punish Dinesh Chandimal’s attempt to set off for an optimistic single.It was part of an improved performance in the field from England. Although Hales, at second slip, was unable to cling on to a tough chance offered by Gunathilaka off Chris Woakes on 5, Adil Rashid delivered another well-controlled 10 overs of leg-spin (he has now conceded just 70 runs in 20 overs this series), Jonny Bairstow impressed the sell-out crowd with his outrageous pace and powerful throw as a boundary sweeper and David Willey held a brilliant catch at mid-on. He originally appeared to have misjudged the catch with some confusion as to whether to leave it to Hales, at mid-off, but, at the last moment, he launched himself full length and clung on to the ball.It all meant that Sri Lanka limped – both literally and metaphorically – to a total that always looked well under par.While Angelo Mathews passed a fitness test before the toss, he looked someway below his best and, when Chandimal also required on-field treatment having appeared to suffer a hamstring strain, it left the pair limited in both mobility and in terms of their speed between the wickets. Mathews was later unable to bowl, while Chandimal was unable to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Perera.The pair added 82 in 16 overs for the fourth wicket – easily the highest stand of the Sri Lanka innings – but, bearing in mind that England scored 408 in the last ODI on this ground (against New Zealand in June 2015), it always looked too sedate to prove match-winning. At one stage, they had to be content with 25 runs in succession picked up in singles.It could have been worse. At 191 for 7 in the 41st over, it seemed Sri Lanka might struggle to bat out their 50 overs. But a late rally from Upul Tharanga, becoming accustomed to his new role in the middle-order, and Suraj Randiv, who came into the side in place of seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka, at least gave Sri Lanka a chance.The pair thrashed 44 from the last four overs of the innings with Tharanga reaching a 46-ball half-century (with five fours and a six) and Randiv paddling, squirting and sprinting his way to 26 from 27 balls.Victory means that England have also taken an unassailable 13-3 lead in the Super Series. With three ODIs and one T20I to play, there are a maximum of eight points to play for in the rest of the series.

Mauricio Pochettino looks set to be confirmed as the new Chelsea manager in the coming days and the Argentine will perhaps already be thinking about how to solve the Blues' problems in front of goal.

Why do Chelsea need a new striker under Pochettino?

Chelsea have mustered just 30 goals in the Premier League so far this season, with only relegation-threatened Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton scoring fewer, so it is obvious what Pochettino has to improve upon if he is going to transform his new side back into top-four contenders.

Unfortunately, while he is certainly not lacking in terms of attacking options at the club, few seem to be of the necessary quality to fire the Blues back up the table, with experienced summer signings Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both struggling to replicate their previous Premier League displays, with just five goals and two assists between them in the top flight.

The 51-year-old manager has been blessed with some world-class strikers in his last two jobs at PSG and Tottenham Hotspur, with Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane crashing in 236 goals between them under his management, with both strikers cultivating their reputations as two of the best in the world during Pochettino's time at the club.

Kane, in particular, was thrust into the role of star man under Pochettino having graduated from Spurs' academy and has gone on to become a legend with the north London club, breaking Jimmy Greaves' long-standing goalscoring record earlier this year.

The former Southampton boss may well turn to Chelsea's academy as he searches for his next Kane with the Stamford Bridge outfit, and he could find him in 19-year-old star, Mason Burstow.

Who is Mason Burstow?

Chelsea would sign Burstow from Charlton Athletic in February 2022, as he became the final signing of the Roman Abramovich era ahead of Todd Boehly's takeover at Stamford Bridge.

The teenage forward had been catching the eye in League One with the Addicks, contributing an impressive six goals and three assists in 23 appearances for the club, having returned on loan for the remainder of the 2021/22 season after moving to Chelsea on a permanent deal.

Former manager Johnnie Jackson was full of praise for the youngster after he made his first league appearance for the club in 2021.

He said: “He is a great kid. He is so confident I had no qualms [about bringing him on against Plymouth]. It was a big game to come on, a big crowd – there was quite a lot of weight on his shoulders. I was happy to fling him in because I think he can handle that.

“I’ve got confidence in him and he’s got confidence in himself. He is a good player.

“I’m absolutely delighted for him. It is great for the young lads to get their debuts and he deserves it. He has been there training with us every day. He holds his own and doesn’t look out of place. He warrants his place and he’ll be travelling with us.”

Unsurprisingly, Burstow's experience in senior football has meant that Premier League 2 football this season has been comfortable for him, as he boasts ten goals and four assists in 24 appearances at that level.

He also scored an unbelievable 40-yard strike in the EFL Trophy win against Oxford United, with his technique when striking the ball certainly reminiscent of a top striker such as Kane.

He is yet to make his senior debut at Chelsea but given there is essentially nothing to play for in the Blues' final seven Premier League games, perhaps we could see him given a chance by either Frank Lampard or Pochettino, depending on how soon the Argentine actually takes over at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's record of bringing through talented academy players has certainly improved in recent years, with the likes of Reece James, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher all first-team regulars this season, and while Burstow didn't start life at Cobham, his impressive displays there this season must not go unnoticed when Pochettino takes over as manager.

Finding a consistent goalscorer is surely key for the 51-year-old manager if he is to be a success with the Blues and if Boehly isn't keen to spend millions on another big name, Burstow could be the man to step up for Chelsea.

If the youngster is able to develop in the same way that Kane did under Pochettino at Spurs, then the Blues could soon have their own version of the England captain at Stamford Bridge. Wouldn't that be a treat?

كشف جيمي كاراجر أسطورة ليفربول، عن بدلاء محمد صلاح في ليفربول عندما يرحل النجم المصري إلى أمم إفريقيا، للمشاركة مع الفراعنة في البطولة.

محمد صلاح ودع ليفربول بعدما سجل أمس وصنع في فوز الريدز على نيوكاسل، ضمن الجولة 20 من الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب أنفيلد.

طالع أيضًا.. جاري نيفيل: ليفربول مدين لـ محمد صلاح هذا الموسم

وعزز ليفربول صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي بالفوز على نيوكاسل، برصيد 45 نقطة، بفارق 3 نقاط عن أقرب منافسيه أستون فيلا.

وقال كاراجر في تصريحات لشبكة “سكاي” البريطانية: “ليفربول يمتلك ديوجو جوتا وهو هداف عظيم، لكنك رأيت لويس دياز لعب أفضل مباراة له منذ وقت طويل، وكذلك داروين نونيز، حتى لو لم يكونوا بنفس حالة محمد صلاح أمام المرمى”.

وأضاف: “الأمر لن يكون سهلًا على كلوب، وسيكون من المثير للاهتمام حقًا معرفة من سيضعه في هذا المركز. الكثير من مهاجمي ليفربول يلعبون بالقدم اليمنى، على عكس محمد صلاح، ولا يوجد لاعب لديه التوازن الصحيح مثل مو”.

وأكمل: “هارفي إليوت يلعب بقدمه اليسرى، ويمكنه تعويض محمد صلاح لكنه أقرب للاعب خط الوسط، ولا أعتقد أن يورجن كلوب سيستغنى عنه في وسط الملعب”.

واختتم: “كل هذه الأمور ستكون أمام يورجن كلوب لاختيار الأفضل لتعويض محمد صلاح، لكن لا يمكنك استبدال أهداف محمد صلاح، هذا الأمر مهم للغاية”.

Manchester United are enjoying one of their finest seasons in a long time under Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman still has a legitimate chance of winning four trophies in his debut campaign and although that is unlikely, the fact that United are merely competing on all fronts is a testament to how much he has turned the club around.

His summer signings have been mostly excellent, taking the Red Devils to the next level, while some players who were already at the club have improved vastly under the former Ajax manager, Marcus Rashford being the key protagonist.

The Englishman has been in wonderful form this term, maturing into one of United’s finest players and indeed, one of the most clinical players in the Premier League.

He has scored 27 goals in all competitions so far, mainly operating on the left wing although occasionally being deployed in a more central role and the 25-year-old is in the form of his life.

Having vaulted into prominence back in 2016 from the academy, Rashford has netted 120 goals for the club and with his exploits over the previous few years, Ten Hag must be scouring the youth system for another like him and Shola Shoretire could well be the next attacking star to come through the system at Carrington.

Who is Shola Shoretire?

The 19-year-old gem already has five first team appearances under his belt, however, Ten Hag has yet to give him a chance this term.

He was given his debut by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in 2021, and he then made history by becoming the club's youngest-ever player to feature in European competition when has featured against Real Sociedad.

Across 85 appearances at U18s and U21s level, along with featuring for the U19s side in the UEFA Youth League, Shoretire has scored 26 goals and registered 19 assists and this ability to score often from the flank certainly puts him in a similar mould to Rashford.

Indeed, the teenage gem mainly operates on the right wing, but can also be effective on the left or even as an attacking midfielder and this versality could be a huge plus for Ten Hag and having seen Rashford’s impact on the left wing, especially this season, Shoretire could offer something similar on the opposite side of the pitch.

The “wonderful talent” – as dubbed by journalist Daniel Brown – was given the chance to gain some important senior experience during the second half of the season as he was loaned to Bolton Wanderers.

12 appearances in League One have seen the forward create three big chances, make one key pass per game, succeed with 57% of his dribbles and chip in with one tackle, demonstrating his attacking ability to solid effect and even though he has yet to score, if he continues to probe, the goals will come.

Ten Hag will be keeping an eye on his teen dynamo throughout the rest of the season and having seen Rashford take his game to new heights, Shoretire will be hoping to impress during pre-season as he aims to emulate his success in 2023/24.