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The fast bowler became the first bowler in nearly 40 years – and only the second Australian ever – to claim two hat-tricks in the same first-class match

The Report by Daniel Brettig07-Nov-2017
ScorecardMitchell Starc became the first bowler in nearly 40 years – and the first in Australia – to claim two hat-tricks in the same first-class match when he blasted out Western Australia’s last three batsmen to claim outright points for New South Wales against Western Australia at Hurstville Oval.Having gone wicketless in the second innings up to that point, Starc had Jason Behrendorff caught behind and then bowled David Moody with the last two balls of his 15th over, then returned to have Jon Wells caught at slip by the captain Steven Smith with the first ball of his 16th. This hat-trick followed another on day three of the Sheffield Shield match, when he had dismissed Behrendorff, Moody and Simon Mackin.Starc’s feat was the first instance since Amin Lakhani managed to do the same for a Combined XI against the Indian tourists in a match at Multan in 1978. Overall only seven other bowlers have taken two hat-tricks in the same match, and only one Australian T.J. Matthews doing so against South Africa at Manchester in 1912. Matthews’ feat is also the only time two hat-tricks have been taken by a bowler in the same Test match.Smith said that Starc’s old-ball angle from around the wicket and reversing the ball away was fiendishly difficult to deal with for any batsman. He also complimented Hazlewood for his excellent rhythm throughout his first match back from injury.”They’ve found it pretty hard for a long period of time, the shape that he gets, the angle that he creates when going so wide,” Smith said. “It’s difficult for batters, let alone tail-enders. To take two hat-tricks in a game … most people are lucky to take one in their career. They’re not easy to come by.Getty Images

“I thought [Hazlewood] bowled like an absolute genius, he’s a superstar. Starcy, I think, has probably taken a little more time to get going and get some rhythm. But the back end of today showed why he’s world-class. Patty Cummins has had a couple of good games as well. They’re up and going and bowling really well.”Starc and Cummins will rest from the final round of Shield matches before the first Ashes Test while Hazlewood will play against Queensland in Brisbane.The sheer destructive power of Starc to obliterate an opposing tail, which had also been on show in the Blues’ opening defeat of South Australia under lights at Adelaide Oval last week, meant that NSW always fancied their chances of winning on the final afternoon of the Shield match, despite a sparkling opening stand of 179 between Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft, who carried his bat for 76 in the first innings then followed up with 86 on the final day.Both Marsh and Bancroft are contenders for Test spots in Australia’s Ashes middle order, and their exits were followed by less fruitful results for Hilton Cartwright, who had played as an allrounder in the most recent Test played by Australia, against Bangladesh in Chittagong. Dismissal by Pat Cummins gave Cartwright a pair for the match in what was a case of horrid timing as selectors deliberate over their options for the Gabba Test.Mitchell Marsh, the WA captain, also fell cheaply to Josh Hazlewood for the second time in the game, and from there it was a question of whether the Warriors could survive long enough to stave off defeat. Nathan Lyon gained a couple of vital – and contentious breakthroughs – winning an lbw verdict against Ashton Turner then having D’Arcy Short caught in close off what the umpire adjudged to be an inside-edge onto the pad.Wells and Behrendorff took WA into the final hour of the match, before Starc arrived to seal the visitors’ fate and his own lofty place in hat-trick history. England have been warned.

Manchester United have reportedly identified a left-field option to help strengthen their centre-back ranks this summer, amid reports that Erik ten Hag is showing an interest in Everton youngster, Jarrad Branthwaite.

How much would Jarrad Branthwaite cost?

According to journalist Simon Jones – writing in his Transfer Confidential for the Daily Mail – the 21-year-old is a 'surprise name' that has been mentioned by those at Old Trafford, with the England youth international having 'impressed scouts' during his spell on loan at PSV Eindhoven last season.

That stint in the Netherlands saw the Carlisle native – who has two years left to run on his existing deal with the Toffees – link up with United legend, Ruud van Nistelrooy, albeit with the 6 foot 5 starlet having since made his return to Goodison Park.

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If the Red Devils are to prise him from the Merseyside outfit then it has previously been suggested that a fee of around £20m could be required, albeit with alternative reports indicating that the one-time Blackburn Rovers loanee could fetch as little as £5m-£6m.

How good is Jarrad Branthwaite?

The Toffees sensation has clearly been on the radar of Ten Hag and co in recent times with reports last year indicating that the Premier League giants were targeting a move for the then-teenager, ahead of their first window with the Dutchman at the helm.

That interest is likely to have only been heightened by the towering rock's form while at PSV last season, with the Eredivisie clearly a league that Ten Hag continues to keep a close eye on, with the former Ajax boss having recruited the likes of Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia from his homeland during his United tenure to date.

The hope will be that Branthwaite can emerge as a dream heir to that man Martinez as a natural fit in a left-sided centre-back berth, with the Carabao Cup winners having been forced to deploy Luke Shaw in that role at times last season due to the lack of adequate cover.

While physically somewhat different to the 5 foot 9 Argentine, the Everton ace does appear to share the 25-year-old's quality on the ball, with former Carlisle boss Steven Pressley having previously stated:

"The truth is, I think he has got everything. He can pass the ball almost equally as good with both feet. He’s a terrific footballer."

Also dubbed "complete" by Van Nistelrooy, Branthwaite's ability to play out from the back is shown by the fact that he has averaged 3.61 progressive passes per 90 across the last 365 days, with that a similar record to what Martinez has achieved in that time (3.96 per 90).

That is significant as the latter man has been lauded for his ball-playing prowess during his time at the Theatre of Dreams, having been described as "so clean and composed" by ex-United man, Patrice Evra.

Defensively, Martinez has also been an "absolute monster" – according to teammate Luke Shaw – having averaged an impressive 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League in 2022/23, with young Branthwaite only just behind after averaging 2.3 in that regard in Holland.

With the World Cup winner having arguably been a "huge miss" after he was ruled out of the final stretch of the season through injury, as per Paul Scholes, it would make sense to bring in a suitable understudy, like Branthwaite, who can help to plug the gap, while also proving a dream successor in the long run at the heart of the defence.

Everton are in the market to improve their attacking threat this summer, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Brian Brobbey?

According to Football Insider, Everton have made an approach with interest in signing Ajax forward Brian Brobbey.

As per the report, the Toffees have made the Eredivisie club aware that they are interested in signing Brobbey this summer and are currently weighing up their options before pushing forward with a concrete move for the striker.

It is noted that Sean Dyche is on the hunt for another No 9 to help Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the centre-forward role next season due to the Everton striker's injury struggles.

How good is Brian Brobbey?

There is no doubt that reinforcements are needed in the final third at Goodison Park, with Everton finishing last season as the second-lowest goalscorers in the Premier League.

The departures of Richarlison and Anthony Gordon over the last 12 months have significantly weakened the Toffees' attacking threat, and has left the Everton boss with limited options to work with, let alone any prolific and consistent performers in front of goal.

Indeed, the Merseysiders did acquire the services of Neal Maupay last summer, however, like many of Farhad Moshiri's transfer moves, he has been a complete disappointment, with the forgettable Frenchman only finding the back of the net once across all competitions.

As a result, the signing of Brobbey – once hailed "dangerous" by former Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk – would be a great piece of business for Everton and would provide Dyche with a player who can compete for Calvert-Lewin's spot as well as be a huge upgrade on Maupay.

The £14m-rated Netherlands native is an incredible attacking presence, as he ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers across the competitions at a similar level for non-penalty goals, touches and progressive passes received, whilst he featured in the top 15% for shots on goal and pass completion, as per FBref.

When comparing the Ajax gem's output to Maupay's last season, Brobbey comfortably outperformed his Everton counterpart in a number of key attributes, including goal contributions (16 v 1), rate of shots on target (47% v 40.6%), shots on goal per 90 (3.50 v 2.58), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.29 v 1.45) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.22 v 0.08).

It was reported by Football Insider last month that Maupay was attracting interest from Italy and France, which led to Everton opening talks with a number of Serie A and Ligue 1 clubs over a potential exit.

The sale of the former Brighton & Hove Albion striker would be massively advantageous to the Toffees in their pursuit to boost funds amidst Financial Fair Play concerns, which would, in turn, help them to provide an attractive financial package to secure the signing of Brobbey.

With that being said, a move for Brobbey is definitely one to watch for Everton, as he would boost goal contributions and make significant improvements in the final third to help the team compete more comfortably in the Premier League next season should he replicate his Eredivisie form in the English top flight.

Reece James' injury nightmare continues as the Chelsea star is expected to be out of action until at least February after a fresh hamstring blow.

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• James limped off with issue against Everton
• Scan results not encouraging
• Might be sidelined until February

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The full-back was handed a start against Everton last Sunday for the first time since November 25, but could only last 26 minutes after picking up a fresh hamstring injury. According to , James might not be back on the pitch until March, with a February return date the most optimistic outlook for the 24-year-old. Given his recurrent hamstring problems, there is a realisation that the recovery process might be complex.

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  James has made just eight Premier League appearances so far this season as he had to sit out a chunk of games with another hamstring issue. He also missed England's run to the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar due to damage to his knee ligaments. James has struggled to build up any rhythm due to various injuries, with his last stretch of five consecutive full games in the Premier League occurring between the end of the 2021-22 campaign and the start of the following season.

• WHAT CHELSEA SAID

  The London club put out a statement confirming the new injury, which read: "Captain Reece James has undergone medical assessment following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton. The defender was withdrawn during the first half at Goodison Park, and scan results have confirmed a hamstring injury. Reece will now begin his rehabilitation programme at Cobham."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  James has missed 35 matches due to hamstring injuries since the 2021-22 campaign. Additionally, he has missed 28 matches due to muscle issues, illness, and two knee injuries, with the latter sidelining him for 18 matches in the 2022-23 season.

An independent committee has found Gautam Gambhir guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour”, and handed out a four-match suspended ban

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2017Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir was handed a four-match suspended ban from first-class cricket for his altercation with coach KP Bhaskar in March this year. A three-member independent inquiry committee, set up by Justice Vikramjit Sen, comprising Madan Lal, Rajendra Rathore and Soni Singh, found Gambhir guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour”.The committee, however, suspended the punishment for a two-year period, ending on March 19, 2019, contingent on Gambhir accepting the ruling.During this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gambhir had criticised Bhaskar of creating an insecure environment for youngsters. Subsequently, the DDCA set up a committee to investigate the argument.”The Committee Members agree that considering the above facts and circumstances that have come to light, Mr Gambhir’s actions towards Mr Pillai with premeditated intent to humiliate the coach were highly inappropriate and of serious nature,” Sen said in a statement.”The position of a coach among the team members is of high respect and dignity. It is a serious disgrace to a coach to be humiliated in front of team members by one of the team members even though if it is a senior player.”The actions of Mr Gambhir, however well intended, cannot be said to be in the interest of the team, or its performance or the game as it was done on the very last day of the season and therefore could not have been any corrective effect,” the statement said.Among other decisions, the committee also recommended the creation of a grievance-redressal system for players and framing of disciplinary-action rules that would inform them of the consequences of a transgression.”It is also recommended that disciplinary action rules and mechanism of imposing penalty are required to be formulated to inculcate discipline in the team members and for predictability and deterrence, where players know that an act of indiscipline would have serious repercussions and are therefore deterred from committing them,” Sen said.

Steven Smith, like his namesake Hannibal Smith, loves it when a plan comes together. And Australia’s plans for this tour of India – a campaign of which Smith is immensely proud regardless of what happens in the final Test in Dharamsala – have been coming together since they were humiliated with a 0-3 defeat in Sri Lanka last year.For Smith, that tour was a wake-up call. Prior to that series Australia had only ever lost a single Test to Sri Lanka; now they lost three in a month. Their run of consecutive Test defeats in Asia had stretched to nine. And so Smith and coach Darren Lehmann needed a new approach, a new resolve, when a four-Test tour of India was on the horizon.A two-week training camp was scheduled in Dubai prior to Australia’s arrival in India, so they could control the types of surface on which they trained, and formulate plans for difficult conditions. Still, it is hard to imagine that even the Australians themselves believed they would dominate the first Test in Pune in quite the way they did, and would remain alive in the series with one Test to play.”I learned a lot out of Sri Lanka when we lost there, just about playing in the subcontinent and leading in the subcontinent,” Smith said in Dharamsala ahead of the fourth Test against India. “I had a reasonable idea before I went to Sri Lanka of how I wanted to do things, how I wanted to do thing a lot differently and didn’t want to over-attack and things like that.”I think you can see it in the way that you have to play here. You can’t attack non-stop. You have to have defensive fields at times and people are going to be critical at that but they’re not the ones out in the middle that have to do the job. I know that if you get a bit defensive on occasions and build a bit of pressure.”Back home when you’re talking about building pressure you talk about maiden overs but here it’s more if you go for two an over it’s pretty good over. It’s very hard to contain the scoreboard. If you’re limiting the boundaries, keeping the runs down and building the pressure that you need it makes a big difference.”As unsexy as such talk of defence and containment can be, Smith’s plans have put him within touching distance of becoming the first Australian captain since Adam Gilchrist in 2004 to lead a series victory in India. That would not have been the case but for some impressive fight from Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh on the final day in Ranchi, where they toughed out a draw that felt like a win.”If you look at past sides that have come here recently that day five result we had the other day where we were able to play out the draw, that’s just ended pretty quickly for us on a few occasions where we’ve just rolled over,” Smith said. “Having the fight and willingness to work hard to get the results we’re after, it’s been great from the boys.”I thought the way we fought out that draw was magnificent. I’m sure they [India] would be disappointed that they couldn’t get the result they were after. In that regard I’d rather be in our boat than theirs.”Steven Smith on Matt Renshaw: “For a guy that’s only played a handful of Tests, to go out there and just play his game and back what he’s worked on over the last few weeks has been amazing.”•Associated Press

In particular, Smith has been thrilled with the work of the young opening batsman Matt Renshaw in this series, in what is his first exposure to cricket in the subcontinent. Renshaw will turn 21 during the Dharamsala Test but has outperformed most other batsmen in the series – only Smith and Cheteshwar Pujara from either side have faced more deliveries this series than Renshaw.”I’ve been really impressed with Renshaw,” Smith said. “For a guy who’s never been here before it’s almost a different game when you get out to the middle and you see guys around the bat and crusty wicket, things like that, and that can get to players, players who have played for a long period of time.”For a guy that’s only played a handful of Tests, to go out there and just play his game and back what he’s worked on over the last few weeks has been amazing. I think a lot of the guys, the more senior players, have taken a bit out of the way he’s done things having only been a youngster and not been here before. That’s been really good.”The teams enter the final Test with the series locked at 1-1, meaning the winner in Dharamsala’s inaugural Test will claim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – and in the unlikely event of a draw, Australia will retain it as the current holders. Smith said that although much hard work remained over the next few days, he was proud of his men regardless of the final outcome of the series.”We all know that this is one of the toughest places to come to play as an Australian team,” he said. “Regardless of what happens in this last Test match I think the way we’ve played has been a credit to each and every individual here. We’ve played some very good cricket. We probably did a couple of things wrong in Bangalore where we could have wrapped up there series or had a two-nil lead. The cricket we’ve played has been really good.”Right now we’re in a good position. We’ve got to play well this week and hopefully win the series here but we’ll do that by doing the things that we’ve done well in this series so far and just doing it for just a little bit longer. I’m not worried about the result as such … It’s obviously a relatively young side and this team could be together for a very long time.”

Lionel Messi is “an ET” and the Inter Miami superstar “seems to get better and better every year”, says Brazil international Ganso.

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Argentine icon sits among the all-time greatsThrilling audiences for almost 20 yearsShowing no sign of slowing down at 36WHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine superstar is now 36 years of age, but he has lost none of his ability to amaze and inspire. He has been thrilling audiences around the world for almost 20 years, with a record-breaking collection of honours picked up along the way.

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Messi is in contention for an eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023 – having inspired his country to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022 – and has made an immediate impact in the United States since leaving European football at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain to go chasing the American dream at Inter Miami.

WHAT THEY SAID

Ganso is among those that consider Messi to be superhuman, with the Brazil international midfielder having come up against the South American icon at the Club World Cup several years ago.

Quizzed by FIFA’s on whether the Barca side that Santos faced that day is better than the Manchester City one that won a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble last season, Ganso said: “Barcelona. This City side is outstanding, but Barcelona had a fantastic XI and an ET, the genius of world football. He’s simply a genius. You can’t help but admire him. That was in 2011. You look at him now, how he has evolved, and it’s difficult to believe. He seems to get better and better every year. It was a privilege to see Messi play up close. Like I said, Messi is an ET.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Messi helped Inter Miami to a historic Leagues Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival in the United States, while also earning them a shot at U.S. Open Cup glory – before having to sit out the final of that competition through injury. He is now hoping to see them into the MLS play-offs, with more silverware still in his sights.

India captain Virat Kohli has said that while the bowling attack can change depending on conditions,constantly changing the batting line-up affects the confidence of the players

Mohammad Isam in Hyderabad08-Feb-20172:26

‘Rahane deserves to walk back into the team’ – Kohli

Virat Kohli has said that India are unlikely to make too many changes, particularly in their batting line-up, as the think-tank looks to back players and give them confidence. The India captain has also said that youngsters who have performed will be groomed further as the team looks to build on its bench strength.If India opt to not play six batsmen in this game, Karun Nair could miss out despite his triple-hundred in India’s previous Test. Kohli said that Nair has done well to stay in the squad but if it comes down to picking between the two players, the more established Ajinkya Rahane will get the call. Nair, who made his debut in the third Test against England in Mohali, got two more opportunities after Rahane was forced out due to a finger injury. India coach Anil Kumble had also said the side had not forgotten Rahane’s performances over the last two years.Kohli said that while certain conditions may dictate the selection of an extra pace bowler or spinner, the batting line-up is likely to be kept consistently similar”You need to back players for a long time for them to become match-winners and have long careers. I think bowlers can be switched according to conditions. You might want to play seamers or three spinners, some guys might have more pace or reverse swing, you can change those.”I think from a batting point of view you need big runs in Test cricket, and to chop and change continuously doesn’t let them gain confidence. People who have been regular in the XI need to be given a chance. If form or that kind of thing happens you are subject to that change, otherwise it’s important to back your top XI. At the same time, you need to keep those youngsters within the squad and groom them. I think communication is a big thing on that front and we do that very well with the management, conveying to the players what they want.”Kohli said that India’s bench is filled with cricketers who can step up to replace the incumbents when needed. “Bench strength gives you options when people are injured. That’s where it comes. An injury should not deplete a team; that’s something that bench strength contributes from. We are lucky to have guys who are up and ready for Test cricket. Jayant [Yadav] walked in beautifully. In T20s and one-dayers you saw [Yuzvendra] Chahal and Kedar [Jadhav] stepping up. We do have a pool of players who are coming up nicely. Credit obviously goes to the selectors for identifying them, and to the players as well who practise their disciplines regularly, that’s how you come up into that pool.”I think it’s a back-and-forth sort of thing where you identify players but they have to put in the effort, which they have. So we’ve been lucky. We have good bench strength going forward. God forbid if there is any injury, we have two-three guys to fill up positions,” he said.Kohli said that the India bowling attack’s patience during partnerships had helped them win seven of the eight home Tests this season, against New Zealand and England.”I think is what we have done well over the last four Test matches not before, I would say, is be patient when there’s been a partnership. I think there was one instance in West Indies in Jamaica when we kept going positive and we didn’t hold back and we couldn’t take 20 wickets and the bowlers got tired,” he said. “I think we have done the patience bit very well in the series against New Zealand and England, bogging down the batsman and earning the wickets in difficult situations in the game.”That’s something we want to do and to improve on as a team. When everyone is young, everyone is excited in the team. Sometimes people tend to get carried away and you don’t understand the importance of being patient.”But I think the guys have worked hard on their fitness, they don’t mind bowling dot balls without attacking the batsman throughout the day. They have the fitness to bowl all day in one channel and when the door opens, just sneak in. That’s the biggest learning we have had in the past season and we’d like to take that forward.”

Tim Bresnan, whose valiant batting narrowly failed to bring Yorkshire a third Championship title, has undergone a third elbow operation to try to restore some of the nip that made him an England allrounder

David Hopps22-Oct-2016Tim Bresnan, whose valiant batting narrowly failed to bring Yorkshire a hat-trick of County Championship titles, has undergone a third elbow operation to try to restore some of the nip that made him an England allrounder.After several seasons of managing the elbow injury that has afflicted him since 2011, Bresnan had a further operation on Monday to clean out the joint, bringing him hope that he can “get some of the old firepower back.”Bresnan set greater store by his batting in 2016 as his bowling standards slipped a little, his efforts culminating in his unbeaten 142 against the eventual champions Middlesex at Lord’s which kept Yorkshire’s challenge alive until deep into the final day.Bresnan averaged more than 48 in the Championship, more than any other regular Yorkshire batsman – outdone only by irregular contributors Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and the short-term overseas signing Jake Lehmann.”The surgery went really well and the post-op signs have been very positive,” Bresnan told Yorkshire’s website. “The surgeon has said that it wasn’t as bad as they thought it might be. They just removed a few spurs and bumps.”It should give me a better range and reduce the pain that I have had, which hopefully will help me to get some of my old firepower back. It’s feeling pretty good already and it’s just a case of easing back into my gym work over the coming weeks. I wouldn’t normally be bowling at this stage of the year so it’s worked alright.”Yorkshire’s physio Kunwar Bansil said: “Tim has had problems with his right elbow dating back to 2011. We have managed these problems over the past few seasons but there is now a window of opportunity following the end of the 2016 season to improve the symptoms. He has had key-hole surgery to clean out the joint and smooth off any rough edges.”It should result in an increased elbow extension range making him feel more comfortable when bowling. We are now five days post-op and the initial signs are really good. We envisage that he will be fully fit in a couple of months but there are no real time constraints due to the time of the year.”Bresnan first had an elbow operation late in 2011 to remove a bone fragment. He regained his England place, but his bowling returns supported the notion that his effectiveness with the ball had been somewhat diminished.Another operation followed before the 2013 season to remove extra bone and scar tissue, causing him to miss England’s tour of New Zealand, and though he returned to play in the back-to-back Ashes his Test career ended in Australia later that year.Flashback to Tim Bresnan’s Lord’s heroics•Getty Images

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, with his agents currently in the process of trying to seal a move away from the Serie A club, according to reports from Italy.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners have now joined the race for Lens striker Lois Openda, who has impressed in Ligue 1 this season, weighing in with 17 goals in 32 appearances, while Folarin Balogun could be allowed to leave, according to The Daily Mail.

The same report details that Mikel Arteta could sanction the departure of Granit Xhaka this summer, amid interest in West Ham United captain Declan Rice, and the manager is also willing to listen to offers for Kieran Tierney.

Tierney has failed to hold down a regular place in the starting XI since the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Manchester City could look at signing the left-back, while Paris Saint-Germain are readying an offer for Bukayo Saka.

As such, there could be a great deal of change at the Emirates Stadium this summer, and one area that Arteta is particularly keen to strengthen is at striker, according to recent reports from Italy. (via Sport Witness)

The agents of Vlahovic are well aware the Gunners are chasing a new forward, and they have offered them the chance to sign the Juventus marksman, as he is not considering staying with the Serie A club long-term.

Bayern Munich have also been given the opportunity to sign the Serbian, though a major obstacle both clubs face is that Juve would only consider a sale if they receive at least €70m (£62m).

Would Vlahovic be a good signing for Arsenal?

If Arsenal had been offered the chance to sign the 23-year-old a year ago, fans would have had good reason to be very excited, given that he scored a remarkable 24 league Serie A goals last term, the second-highest amount in the division.

However, despite being dubbed "world-class" earlier in the campaign, the Serbia international has struggled considerably this season, and he is now without a goal in his last 10 Serie A games.

With his current club set to demand £62m to sanction his departure, we think the former Fiorentina man would be a very risky signing for Arsenal, especially considering they are already well-stocked in forward areas.

Gabriel Jesus has scored four goals in his last five Premier League games, and it makes no real sense to allow Balogun to leave in the summer, considering he has enjoyed a phenomenal season on loan at Reims.