Manchester United have already made some high-profile additions in this summer window. As September 1st edges closer, Fabrizio Romano has filled GIVEMESPORT in on the latest regarding their pursuit of Bayern Munich and France defender Benjamin Pavard.

Will the Frenchman arrive in Manchester?

Manchester United didn’t look at their best on Monday Night Football but were still able to get the job done and start the new season with three points. A Wolverhampton Wanderers side in limbo visited Old Trafford and left empty-handed after Raphael Varane headed home the only goal of the game.

Talking of Varane and it was a social media post of his after the game, which Benjamin Pavard commented on, that really added fuel to this fire.

Erik ten Hag has made three major signings thus far and Pavard could well become the fourth. Andre Onana was acquired from Champions League finalists Inter, Rasmus Hojlund also arrived from Serie A and of course Mason Mount made an eyebrow-raising switch over from his boyhood club Chelsea.

Pavard has enjoyed the finer things in Munich, winning four league titles and the 2019/20 Champions League as well as a littering of domestic cups. On top of that, he has played a part in France getting to the last two World Cup finals, one of which saw them beat Croatia whilst the more recent one saw Lionel Messi and Argentina lift the iconic Jules Rimet trophy.

The defender, who has been hailed as "outstanding", seems keen to force his way out of the Bavarian region after four seasons there, having joined from fellow Bundesliga side Stuttgart.

What is Fabrizio Romano's update on Pavard?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano tells GIVEMESPORT all about the future of Benjamin Pavard and where his head is at.

“Currently, Bayern are not keen on this move, but my feeling is that there is a chance for Pavard to join Man Utd because the player wants to go.

“Over the weekend and the last few days, Pavard has spoken to Bayern and told them he won’t extend his contract and wants to join Manchester United to try this opportunity. So, let's see now what happens between the clubs.”

Other developments at Old Trafford…

As previously mentioned, United have added a goalkeeper, a midfielder and a forward. Defence is now the position with the most going on in terms of both incomings and outgoings.

Former captain Harry Maguire may well fit into the latter category come the end of the window although his proposed transfer to West Ham United seems to be dead in the water.

Alex Crook is now reporting that Ten Hag wants to retain the services of the Englishman and that the centre-back is likely to stay and fight for his place alongside the likes of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof.

Meanwhile, there could be a second new signing in the attacking third to accompany the young Hojlund.

Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix is the man in question following rumours that the relationship between him and manager Diego Simeone is on the ropes. The Portuguese international was on loan with Chelsea last year and despite their clear struggles on the field, he showed moments of brilliance.

Gianluca Scamacca’s time at West Ham United was a disaster.

There are still many question marks shrouding the signing.

Firstly, the transfer strategy of the hierarchy to pinpoint the Italian as the preferred target, when his style dramatically contrasts what David Moyes was trying to achieve.

Secondly, the striker's own obvious lack of motivation or willingness to adapt, eventually lead to his career in east London petering out into irrelevancy.

This summer, the Irons have massively strengthened the midfield with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse and added Konstantinos Mavropanos to the defence.

The final piece of their window is the striker and a new name has emerged as a possible target…

What’s the latest West Ham United transfer news?

According to the Guardian, West Ham are looking to add some attacking reinforcements, with Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus and free agent Jesse Lingard tipped to join the London Stadium.

But, as per the Daily Mail, a lesser-known figure by the name of Georges Mikautadze, is also under consideration for the Irons.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

The forward could possibly be available for around £8.5m this summer and a move to the Premier League could be his chance to formally announce himself to European football.

Currently, Moyes’ striking options consist of the veteran Michail Antonio, the influential Danny Ings, and the young Divin Mubama, so there is definitely an opportunity for Mikautadze to shine.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

The 5 foot 9 phenom signed his first professional contract with Metz in 2019 and joined Belgian First Division side Seraing on loan – across two seasons and 57 appearances, he registered 40 goal contributions and in the summer of 2022, he returned to France looking to prove a point.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the former Lyon academy graduate recorded 31 goal involvements in Ligue 2, which meant he was named the League’s best player and top-scorer as his side secured promotion.

In the first two games of the current Ligue 1 season, Mikautadze has scored once and crafted an assist, with his manager Laszlo Bolini showering the youngster with praise, calling him a “deadly striker.”

After looking at the manner in which the 16-cap international has excelled at his previous clubs, it would be worth West Ham opting to take a punt on his potential.

It would be difficult for Mikautadze to perform worse than Scamacca in east London.

Over the past 365, ranked against his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the Italian sits within the lowest 15% for non-penalty xG per 90, touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, and assists per 90, as well as the bottom 49% for shot-creating actions per 90 and progressive passes per 90.

This is a damning indictment of his inability to contribute towards offensive sequences or get on the end of chances.

Antonio alluded to the fact that Scamacca wasn’t a good fit for West Ham and said:

"The problem is, he can’t play the way the gaffer plays. He needs a different type of manager to play his type of football, [one who can] have other players play off him and stuff like that.”

Therefore, the £14k-per-week gem deserves a chance and he could continue his excellent form in the Claret and Blue of the London Stadium.

Inter Miami stars took “bets” that Lionel Messi would score on debut after entering the field as a substitute against Cruz Azul, says Kamal Miller.

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Argentine moved to the States in 2023Made an immediate impactReady to chase down more major honoursWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine superstar made an immediate impact in Florida following his stunning move to the United States in 2023.

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His bow came in a Leagues Cup clash with Cruz Azul and despite not starting that contest, he still had the final say when curling home a match-winning free-kick in stoppage-time.

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Those heroics came as no surprise to his new team-mates, with former Inter Miami defender Miller telling of what it was like to witness Messi magic up close: “Euphoric, honestly. You can't really write it or dream it any other way, especially his entrance, the way he came in and scored that free kick. It was crazy. I was on the bench when he scored, I got subbed out that game and we're just taking bets on the bench like, ‘You think he’ll score?’ And then boom, right over the wall. We were like, this is not real.”

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Messi went on to inspire Inter Miami to Leagues Cup glory – the club’s first trophy – and has made a history-making contribution for the Herons on and off the field. Miller, who has moved on to the Portland Timbers, added: “He came at a time when we were struggling in the league and as a group, we got together before he came and we're like, ‘Leagues Cup is a perfect opportunity for us to start with a clean slate. Everyone starts on zero points and we can kind of rewrite the season. Even before he got there, we committed as a team that we were going to give everything to win Leagues Cup. With the additions, obviously, it helped a lot, but overall it was a good ride.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Messi currently forms part of the Inter Miami squad that is taking in a historic international tour ahead of the 2024 MLS campaign. Tata Martino’s side have arrived in Hong Kong, following outings in El Salvador and Saudi Arabia, with the intention being to challenge for honours on multiple fronts this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have registered their interest over a potential move for Folarin Balogun from rivals Arsenal, however, a report has shared the other Premier League clubs who are also in the race for the forward.

Are Spurs signing a striker?

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy appear to be on the search for a new forward before the September 1 deadline after cashing in on Harry Kane earlier this month.

Those in north London sold the England international to Bayern Munich in a deal worth around €100 million (£86m) plus an extra €20 million (£17.2m) in possible add-ons.

Postecoglou has Richarlison as the only senior striker available to him, with teenager Alejo Veliz joining earlier in the summer.

A number of attackers have been linked with moves to Spurs, including KAA Gent’s Gift Orban and Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson. Another player who has been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is Balogun, and an update has emerged.

According to The Daily Mail, Balogun has been deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal and is valued at £50m by the Gunners. The report claims that Tottenham are a side who have made an enquiry for the attacker, alongside both Chelsea and West Ham.

Balogun has spent time training away from Arsenal’s senior side this summer as the Gunners look to raise some funds late in the window, with Monaco, AC Milan and Inter Milan also keen on the striker’s services.

Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun

Who is Folarin Balogun?

Balogun is primarily a centre-forward who can also turn out on either wing if required. The 22-year-old, who has represented the USA at senior international level, appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €30m Transfermarkt valuation, a figure which has rocketed over the past 12 months.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

In total, Balogun, sponsored by Adidas, has made just 10 senior appearances for the Gunners in all competitions and has caught the eye out on loan. The forward spent last season in France with Stade Reims and contributed to an impressive 25 goals in 39 appearances.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has also praised Balogun in the past as a "special" striker and believes he's "really brave".

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave," said Arteta.

“We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

It could be a deal to keep an eye on, however, with Arsenal likely to inflate the price of the player to a direct rival, Spurs may well find it difficult to strike a deal for Balogun, meaning they may end up moving on to other targets such as Orban or Johnson.

England Lions 171 for 3 (Hain 54*, Davies 48) beat West Indies A 166 (Chase 67, Parkinson 4-26)
ScorecardEngland Lions achieved a consolation seven-wicket win at the end of their disappointing tour of the Caribbean, thanks to an unbeaten 50 from Sam Hain against West Indies A in Antigua.Once again, the Lions had to overcome a batting slump, as they lost three wickets for four runs, but Hain and Sam Northeast came together to put on 80, to take their side home at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.Matt Parkinson, the Lancashire legspinner, was the pick of the Lions bowlers, taking four wickets, while Richard Gleeson and Sam Curran took two apiece with the new ball.Roston Chase’s 67 had helped the hosts set 166, but once Alex Davies and Nick Gubbins put on 87 for the first wicket, the match was firmly in the Lions’ grasp.After West Indies won the toss and chose to bat, they were quickly reduced to 28 for 3, with Kieran Powell hooking Gleeson to fine leg before Jermaine Blackwood holed out to third man.Curran then bowled Devon Thomas for 5 to keep up the pressure, and though Chase found support in a fifty-run stand with Jahmar Hamilton, Parkinson returned to mop up the tail.The Lions started their response positively, with Gubbins and Davies both latching on to any loose deliveries from the Windies bowlers.Gubbins eventually pulled a Cornwall half-tracker straight to Blackwood on the boundary before Davies miscued an attempted ramp off Reifer, and when Jennings was trapped lbw by Cornwall for a duck, the pressure was beginning to build.However, Hain and Northeast carried the Lions over the line to record their first win in any of the unofficial internationals on this tour, following a clean sweep for West Indies A in the Test series.

Cricket South Africa has issued an apology to Cricket Australia after two CSA officials were photographed posing with fans, who were wearing Sonny Bill Williams masks at St George’s Park

Firdose Moonda10-Mar-20180:49

Start of Warner-de Kock clash revealed

Cricket South Africa has issued an apology to Cricket Australia after two CSA officials were photographed posing with fans, who were wearing Sonny Bill Williams masks at St George’s Park.Clive Eksteen, a former left-arm spinner and CSA’s head of commercial, and Altaaf Kazi, CSA’s head of media and communication, posed for a picture with three fans wearing masks on the first day of the Test. The photo was shared on social media and then picked up by the , who wrote that the Australian team were “outraged.” CSA said it would follow its “normal internal processes,” with regards to Eksteen and Kazi, which will likely begin with an internal investigation. They have been asked to return to Johannesburg, where CSA’s head office is located.”On behalf of CSA I extend my sincere apologies to the Board of Cricket Australia, its officials, team management, players and their families,” CSA president, Chris Nenzani said.”Cricket Australia spoke to Cricket South Africa officials yesterday to express disappointment with this matter and events that unfolded off-field Friday at St George’s Park,” a CA spokesman said. “CA appreciates the swift response, including the sincere apology from CSA, and the seriousness with which the matter is being treated.”The Williams’ masks were brought into the ground as an attempt to ridicule David Warner, who was involved in a stairwell spat with Quinton de Kock during the first Test in Durban. Warner was fined 75% of his match fee and earned three demerit points for the incident, later claiming de Kock had made a “vile and disgusting comment,” about his wife Candice. De Kock admitted to saying something in a hearing that took place on Wednesday and was fined 25% of his match fee with one demerit point added to his record.Candice had an encounter with Williams 11 years ago, before she had met Warner and South African fans hoped to use that to antagonise the opening batsman. The day before the Port Elizabeth Test, social media posts, including one by a reporter (who is not working on this game) with the host broadcaster shared photographs of fans making Williams’ masks and of a songbook with lyrics containing vulgar and derogatory language. While the songs were not heard at St George’s Park, the masks were seen but only after CSA officials had to intervene to allow mask-wearing fans into the stadium.Initially, stadium security had refused to allow them in because of what Kazi called a “misunderstanding,” though it is not clear on whose instructions the security were initially acting. Kazi and Eksteen were then contacted by the fans and met them at the gates, where it was decided that they would be allowed in. According to Kazi, the group of fans then asked for a photo with him and Eksteen and the pair obliged.”We found out because (the spectators) contacted us and we then went to security and got them in. They said ‘let’s take a photo with you guys,” Kazi told .Speaking to ESPNcricinfo shortly after the story broke last night, Kazi admitted it was “one of the worst judgment calls I have made,” and expressed regret over his actions.Meanwhile, CSA had reiterated that freedom of expression will be respected, within the limits of their own guidelines for spectator behaviour, which does not tolerate any racism, sexism or derogatory comments. A statement read: “While CSA respects the rights of its fans to represent their own points of view, CSA does not associate itself with these actions and urges all Protea supporters from refraining from being involved in distasteful or unwelcome actions that may impact the image of the sport and its supporters.”

Liverpool are considering a late swoop for West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen, but only should one outcome occur before September 1st, according to reports.

Where is Jarrod Bowen from?

Bowen was originally born in Leominster, Herefordshire, but completed his big move to the Premier League and indeed the London Stadium from Hull City back in 2020 where he’s since gone on to become an integral member and regular feature of David Moyes’ first team, clocking up 161 appearances to date.

The England international still has another two years remaining on his contract, but having emerged as the Irons’ joint-top goalscorer last season alongside Said Benrahma, he’s caught the eye of FSG and Jurgen Klopp, but not for the first time.

Last summer, TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook revealed that the Reds boss is an “admirer” of the right-winger, whilst transfer insider Dean Jones confirmed that the Merseyside outfit were “keeping an eye” on the 26-year-old’s situation, and despite a deal having failed to come to fruition at the time, they are now considering taking a second bite of the cherry.

Are Liverpool signing Jarrod Bowen?

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool have "listed" Bowen as a potential transfer target should Mohamed Salah leave before Friday's deadline.

Klopp reportedly views the attacker as an "ideal replacement" for his veteran, who is being targeted by Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, and it's stated that they are prepared to table a €150m (£128m) package to prise him away.

Anfield chiefs are "adamant" that they don't want to sell their prized asset and have made their stance clear, but it doesn't sound like that's going to stop his potential suitor from trying their luck.

€42m (£36m)

€70m (£60m)

€20m (£17m)

How many goals has Jarrod Bowen scored for West Ham?

Since joining the Hammers, Bowen has racked up 74 contributions (42 goals and 32 assists) in 161 appearances, form which has seen him hailed “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, and whilst nobody could ever really replace Salah, Moyes’ star will be one of the closest to him.

Sponsored by Adidas, the attacker also last season recorded a total of 159 crosses and 73 shots over the course of the campaign, with both statistics being the highest throughout his squad, via FBRef, highlighting his desire to create chances and hit the back of the net.

Read The Latest Liverpool Transfer News HERE…

The Europa Conference League winner, who pockets £60k-per-week, is also a versatile operator with his ability to play in seven different positions over the grass, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, which is yet another attribute that the boss will no doubt have been attracted to.

Furthermore, Bowen shares the same agent, PLG, as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Nathaniel Phillips, so this existing connection that his representative has to the club could give chiefs a small advantage should they decide to pursue a deal in the final days of the window, and it may be one to keep an eye on.

Liverpool star Curtis Jones has delivered his verdict on Arsenal’s controversial celebrations after the Gunners' 3-1 win last weekend.

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• Arsenal celebrate wildly after Liverpool win
• Arteta does Klopp's fist-pumps at Emirates
• Curtis Jones accuses Arsenal of 'stealing'

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following their victory against Liverpool last weekend, Arsenal celebrated in style, and much has been said about it. Arsenal celebrated in front of their supporters after the game, thanking them for their support. Following Leandro Trossard's goal, Mikel Arteta ran around his technical area and carried on with his celebrations after the game. To the delight of the Gunners supporters, he even performed his own rendition of Jurgen Klopp's fist-pump celebration. But Jones doesn't seem to be too happy, and he has charged the Londoners with "copying" and "stealing" Liverpool.

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• WHAT JONES SAID

  Speaking to the BBC, Jones said: "The gaffer, the way he fist pumps the crowd, that’s kind of our thing. If they want to be stealing our stuff, it shows we’re on the right path if they’re copying us. They can have their moment and stuff, but there’s a long way to go."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Gunners produced a tremendous performance against the Reds as goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Trossard sealed a fantastic win for them. Not a lot has been said about the Gunners’ fantastic performance as they absolutely dominated the Merseyside club and knocked them back within striking distance for themselves and Manchester City.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal and Liverpool will not play one other again this season, thus in order to win the title battle, both teams must concentrate on their upcoming matches. Liverpool will take on Burnley on Saturday, February 10 and Arsenal will play on Sunday, February 11 against West Ham.

It can be assumed that Rahul Dravid doesn’t take anything for granted since he has twice declined doctorates that were being conferred on him by two different universities in Karnataka. Dravid believed in earning the honour.No surprise then that Dravid recently asked the BCCI to halve the monetary reward he was being allotted for helping India win the Under-19 World Cup. To celebrate the victory, the BCCI, at the behest of the Committee of Administrators (COA), decided to give Dravid, the Under-19 coach, INR 50 lakhs while granting the players INR 30 lakhs each, and the support staff members INR 20 lakhs each.Once the garlands and bouquets were binned and the celebratory noise died, Dravid quietly contacted the BCCI chief executive officer Rahul Johri and informed him that as a matter of principle, he would not want any more than the players or the support staff members, who had played an equal role in India winning the title.In fact, Dravid expressed his disagreement over the BCCI’s decision on the day India beat Australia in the final to win the Under-19 World Cup. ESPNcricinfo understands Dravid informed Ratnakar Shetty, incharge of women’s and Under-19 cricket at the BCCI, of his displeasure, saying the board could not hold him over the rest of the coaching staff.The CoA chief Vinod Rai confirmed that Dravid’s request was accepted at a meeting in Mumbai this week. Although the BCCI is yet to communicate the decision officially to the Under-19 support staff, they are set to receive the same amount as Dravid: INR 25 lakhs each. “He felt that all the support staff should be adequately compensated, too. So he gave a viewpoint,” Rai told ESPNcricinfo. “He (Dravid) said you can reduce my [reward] but pay the players and other people, too.”In the past, whenever India have won global tournaments, the BCCI has paid the players more than the coach. This was the first time the coach was getting nearly double that of the players. According to Rai, the decision to pay Dravid more was because of his seniority. “Our logic was since he is a senior official and he has been involved with the team [for a long time], so we can’t equate him with the junior players. But he talked about principle and so we have acceded to his request and accepted his proposal.”According to Rai, Dravid had submitted a “list” of coaching staff who were assisting him in the lead-up to the World Cup and ought to have been compensated in addition to the coaching bench that assisted him during the tournament. Along with Dravid, the support staff that was involved in the Under-19 campaign comprised Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), Abhay Sharma (fielding coach), Yogesh Parmar (physiotherapist), Anand Date (trainer), Mangesh Gaikwad (masseur) and Devraj Raut (video analyst).During his meeting with Johri upon returning from New Zealand, Dravid said the preparations for the World Cup had started early last year, including the tour of England.According to the , Dravid had listed the following people saying that they should also be rewarded for their contributions: former Indian opener WV Raman, who was the head coach of the Indian Under-19 team on the tour of England last summer, Amogh Pandit (trainer), Rajesh Savant (another trainer who died on Under-19 duty last year), Manuj Sharma and Sumeet Malahapurkar (logistics managers). It is not clear yet what amount Raman and others, who were not in New Zealand, would get. Dravid had asked the BCCI to work it out themselves without giving any set figure.

Neal Maupay and James Maddison almost came to blows after the Brentford star mocked the Tottenham player's celebration on Wednesday.

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Maupay scored for Brentford against SpursCopied Maddison's goal celebrationAngry England star confronted opponentWHAT HAPPENED?

Maupay opened the scoring in the Premier League clash against Tottenham and copied Maddison's celebration of miming a darts throw. The England international came up to Maupay and gave him a few pats on the head and the Brentford star reacted with a few slaps back, sparking a tense moment.

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Maddison has been doing the darts-throw celebration ever since his time at Leicester. The 27-year-old, playing his first Premier League game since November, did not appreciate Maupay copying his antics in his own stadium and had a go at him. As a renowned troll, Maupay appeared to get the reaction he wanted out of the English playmaker.

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After the home match against Brentford, Tottenham will hope to boost their hopes of a top-four finish by beating Everton on February 3. Two days later, Brentford will face a huge test as they take on reigning champions Manchester City.