Tag Futebol

Constantly under scrutiny and perceived as a weak link in South Africa’s batting line up, Alviro Petersen made his fourth Test century proving his is a steady face among a fashionable order

Firdose Moonda at Headingley02-Aug-2012How different it would have been if Alviro Petersen’s edge off the third ball of the morning had gone to either third slip or gully and not the space in between them. He would have been out for second successive duck in the series and the gorgeous cover drive he played five overs later would never have made its appearance.How different it would have been if there had been a third slip when Petersen next edged in the 11th over. A catchable chance went to the boundary instead of to hand.And how different it would have been had Alastair Cook held on at second slip two balls later, or had Graeme Swann not been dropped and could have taken his usual position. Then Petersen would have been out for 29 and would likely have been criticised for attacking too early instead of being watchful.But none of those things happened.Instead, Petersen went on to record his fourth Test century in 15 matches and proved, once again, that pressure is his best trigger. That he was under pressure at all can only be gleaned from perception, not fact.Having not announced himself on the tour of England, Petersen was written up as being the weak link. He totalled 42 runs in four innings since the squad’s arrival on July 6, less than any of the other batsmen including Jacques Rudolph and JP Duminy, who did not get the opportunity to bat in the first Test. His duck in that Test throbbed in its neon obviousness that he had failed to cash in against conditions and an attack that others had feasted on.The reality is that Petersen had scored a hundred in the Test before the tour of England and was in no danger of losing his place. He was also not facing the chop when he scored his 156 in Wellington in March, having registered a century three matches before against Sri Lanka in Cape Town in January.Why Petersen always comes under scrutiny could have more to do with the people he bats with than who he is on his own. Four of South Africa’s top five are ranked in top ten Test batsmen by the ICC. Guess who is not?Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers have all scored runs in enough places for their positions not to come into question. They are the spine of South Africa’s line-up and it is easy to forget that for that spine to function properly, it needs all its vertebrae.Over the last few years, many different batsmen have been asked to slot in alongside the bigger names. Neil McKenzie did to acclaim for a while, Boeta Dippenaar never really fused with Smith the way he should have and although Ashwell Prince could do it, he simply did not want to play in that position. Unlike Matthew Hayden, Smith has never found his Justin Langer. The closest he came to that was Herschelle Gibbs and since the maverick opener’s retirement, no-one has really been able to call themselves his replacement.

Petersen has showed that the ocean floor is a lot lower than England thought and South Africa’s depth is multi-layered.

Batting with the ghost of opening batsmen of the past may have placed a subconscious burden on Petersen, especially when he was dropped after nine Tests having not done much wrong. Jacques Rudolph’s prolific form at Yorkshire and then the Titans forced his way back into the international game and the only way to include him in the starting XI at the time was to do away with Petersen. Ironic then, that Petersen has taken a big step to cementing his own position at the same ground which revitalised Rudolph’s career.What Petersen also showed is that the ocean floor is a lot lower than England may have thought and South Africa’s depth is multi-layered. He outbatted Graeme Smith to reach his first fifty in 78 balls. Despite the chances he gave and the number of times he played and missed, Petersen’s confidence did not appear to dip. He dug in and no matter how many times the ball beat his bat, he did not shy away.When England bowled the wrong line on his legs, he took advantage on his favoured on-side. When the short ball came, he pulled, twice to bring up his fifty and again to raise the hundred. In between that, he ground it out, particularly after lunch when England found an extra gear. Run scoring became almost as rare as England wickets, especially as Petersen eked over the 80s and into the 90s but his temperament remained solid.”He paced his innings so well,” AB de Villiers, who was with him when the century came up, said. “I found it really difficult out there for my 40-odd and he supported me. The way he played was inspiring.”If De Villiers found it difficult to face 107 balls, Petersen’s struggle can only have been magnified. He spent 266 balls at the crease in an all-day effort that was about batting ugly to usher the team through, not batting beautifully for personal glory. Convincing shots were not in abundance as he contended with old-fashioned line and length but hard fought ones were. Even right at the end of the day, Petersen did not look entirely control but until the last two wickets fell, he made sure South Africa were.

Cricinfo got a ticket to find out what sort of buzz the IPL generated

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan19-Apr-2008

Anticipatory buzz: The Anil Kumble circle outside the ground was the beehive of most of the buzz. It became tough to navigate through the area at noon and by 5pm, Queens Road was partly blocked. It was obvious the numbers would match any one-dayer though it
was also evident that there wasn’t going to be too much of a partisan element to the cheering.Twelve years ago few Bangaloreans would have even imagined a day which could rival the excitement that surrounded the India-Pakistan World Cup clash but the response here was threatening to approach it. Not many had their faces painted, fewer carried the tri-colour. Signs
showing fours and sixes, though, were generously distributed.Entry time: It’s usually not too much of a hassle entering the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The queues are well set out and very few security men rough you up. Mobile phones aren’t a problem and the frisking is usually nothing more than a quick run-through. What all this means is
that the smart ones can sneak their cigarettes in.Exit time: A no-contest meant people gradually trickled out of the stadium, reducing traffic hassles. Less than half the crowd was left at the end of the match and it meant a far smoother flow of people. There was parking available right next to the stadium at Cubbon Park and the road connecting the two was turned in to a pedestrian one for the night. A few corporates had arranged buses for their employees but there was no arrangement by the organisers as such (something they could probably think of with 11pm finishes.)What the fans got: Vijay Mallya might have been gutted with the show his side put up but the alcohol sales would have brought a big smile. The sale of liquor – mostly around the corporate boxes – was something regular cricket fans were not used to and the scenes there appeared out of an American sports movie.It was difficult to get water but the beer flowed at a McCullum-esque rate in the more expensive stands. The security personnel around these stands had it good and were often seen stationed right next to the liquor booths with glasses in hand. Priced reasonably, it was set out in stalls, along with wine and vodka, behind the stands, though it required some to walk some distance before they could get back to their seats. The best part was the clear signboards at every corner. A hot day ensured plenty of sales and also had the spectators heading to the restrooms. Though they seemed to have been set up in haste, the restrooms were occasionally inadequate but largely useable. The women’s sections were relatively cleaner and had large mirrors placed in them as well. A scuffle broke out in one of the stands and more of those could see the alcohol sales being more closely monitored.The higher-priced tickets had food included in their charge and spectators were able to enjoy a good quality buffet-style dinner. The caterers started serving food – which included three types of rice, roti, vegetable and chicken curries and kebabs – during the first innings, which somewhat lessened the rush at the break, and most spectators returned to their seats to cheer for their side while shovelling into their stomachs.Atmosphere: Bangaloreans used to the slew of rock concerts
would have hoped for a better sound system but the intensity levels
matched the big nights at Palace Grounds, where the bands play.
Bollywood numbers blared out frequently but the crowd really got going
with a few Kannada songs that played later in the day (interestingly
coinciding with the home team’s dismal show). The quality of fireworks
– dazzling the audience for more than five minutes – matched the ones
that light up the Sydney skyline on New Year’s day and the lighting
sat well with the grand scale of the event.Crowd support: European football teams talk of the distinct
edge they get in home games (with the crowd acting as the extra
player) but it will take a while for these teams to develop such a
following. Only once, when Sunil Joshi came on to bowl, did the crowd
actually egg him along fervently on a night when the home side weren’t
really distinguishable from the visitors.

McCullum’s sixes were applauded (much more than they would have been
if New Zealand were playing India) and Sourav Ganguly received big
cheers after his wickets. So cosmopolitan is Bangalore’s crowd that
visiting teams are bound to find pockets of support every time and
nothing symbolised it more than a group of fans who took their shirts
off and swirled it above their heads the moment Ganguly was on strike.No dull moment: Unlike in a Test match, though, the spectators
had plenty of chance to get involved. Every good move by the Bangalore
side was followed by the Redskin girls twirling their hips (and
pom-poms). It took a while for them to realise when to cheer (the
spontaneity came only towards the end) and it was hilarious to see
them jiving to Kannada numbers. The crowd, though, swung with them all
night. The girls cheering the Kolkata side had much more work on the
night (McCullum ensured that with 13 sixes and 10 fours) and
some even got the fans to synchronise with their movements.Score? What score? Somebody needs to ferret out the digital
scoreboard that’s usually installed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The
manual scoreboard was hardly visible and the giant screen stopped
working mid-way through the second innings. This was hardly a match
when the scores needed to be closely monitored but come a nail-biter
and the crowd may just be a bit confused.

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan on why India’s premier cricketer needs to fire both as player and captain

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan26-Jul-2007

You normally don’t associate words like “confused” and “unsure” with Rahul Dravid but there are times during this early stage of the England tour when they have seemed apt. Amid all the excitement over the bowlers and the angst over the batting heavyweights, Dravid’s situation should not be ignored. It is one that prompts more empathy than criticism.He endured two failures with the bat at Lord’s and, excluding Bangladesh, he has now gone four Tests without a contribution (in South Africa last year, he didn’t once go past 50). He’s leading a side that includes a few rookies and has to do without the services of a coach. It comes as no surprise that he has stuttered through press conferences – before the game he said Harbhajan when he meant Kumble; after the game he said, “England’s confidence will surely be 0-0.”Most of India’s important victories in the last five years, at venues as diverse as Adelaide, Rawalpindi and Kingston, have been Dravid-inspired. Under normal circumstances you wouldn’t want your best batsman to be straddled with the captaincy, but Dravid remains the best available option and there’s no point debating the issue. He needs to lead, he needs to score, he needs to win matches. It may be too much to ask but he also needs to win tosses.If the bowlers need to iron out a few creases, they have Venkatesh Prasad to approach. There’s Robin Singh to talk to if anyone has an issue with fielding. But who does Dravid turn to?He is someone who thinks a lot about his batting, visualises his shots the previous day, and ponders hard over the construction of an innings. “I do my best to be in a relaxed state of mind because that’s when I play at my best,” he told in December 2003, when he was still a long way away from the captaincy. “I try to slow things down a couple of days before the game. I have long lunches, do things in an unhurried way. The morning of the match I always get up a couple of hours before we have to get to the ground, so that I have plenty of time to get ready. I take my time to have a bath, wear my clothes, eat breakfast. I never rush things, and that sort of sets up my mood for the rest of day.”

It’s tough to imagine the Dravid of today having enough time to go through all these routines in a relaxed manner. He needs to think of team composition, plan net sessions, sort out his team-mates’ struggles, and do his best to keep morale high. Captaincy can be hard work in such circumstances. Ravi Shastri, who led in only one Test but made a name for himself as a shrewd tactician, thought Dravid was over-attacking on the first morning by setting a 7-2 field for the England openers. India’s bowlers were taking time to come to terms with the Lord’s slope, as well as the occasion, but Dravid refused to relent. It was no doubt the bowlers’ fault for being off line, but England raced away with the momentum too easily. Again Dravid was probably guilty of letting the game drift on the fourth afternoon, but stopping Kevin Pietersen when he’s in that mood isn’t easy.India have relied so much on Dravid over the last five years that a minor blip in his form causes a rise in the mercury levels. England experienced the downside of appointing a talisman like Andrew Flintoff as captain; are India entering similar territory?The last time he left England, Dravid had successfully made the step up from a good batsman to a great one. If he can get back his groove and help India win this series, he might transform himself from being an uncertain leader to an assured one.

Mason Greenwood’s team-mates at Manchester United are reportedly prepared to welcome him back to Old Trafford following a productive loan in Spain.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Last played for Red Devils in January 2022
• Currently spending time in Spain
• Permanent transfer has been speculated on

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 22-year-old forward has not played for the Red Devils since January 2022, following his arrest on suspicion of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour. Those charges were dropped in February 2023.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Greenwood was loaned out to Getafe a few months later, and the one-cap England international has impressed in La Liga. He is said to have attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, with a big-money transfer in the summer of 2024 being touted.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United, though, have Greenwood tied to a contract through to 2025 and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, following his acquisition of a 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford, has not ruled out a return to Manchester. It is now being suggested that first-team players would be willing to work with Greenwood again.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT THE SUN SAID ABOUT GREENWOOD

  claims to have been told by a source that: “His team-mates would not be against him returning to Old Trafford. They know all about the background and understand how controversial it would be to have him back. Their decision is a footballing one, pure and simple. United have struggled to score goals this season and they need a player like Mason. They’re watching him score and create goals for Getafe every week.”

Virat Kohli’s team will face an incredibly tough path to the playoffs if they drop points against CSK

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu04-May-2018Form guide (most recent match first)

CSK: lost to KKR by six wickets, beat Daredevils by 13 runs, lost to Mumbai by 8 wickets
RCB: beat Mumbai by 14 runs, lost to KKR by six wickets, lost to CSK by five wickets

Big PictureRoyal Challengers Bangalore could probably afford one more loss. But only if they get very lucky with other results going their way.They came away from the IPL auction like a tourist with a detailed itinerary: allrounders, check; big-hitters, check; KKR’s bowling attack that knocked them over for 49, double check. But one month in, all they have is a bag full of knock-off merchandise. Five defeats in eight matches with a squad that Virat Kohli thought was the most balanced is, essentially, like being stuck with t-shirts that say Wrong instead of , right?But some innocent bystanders have given them a helpful tip, at least with respect to their next adventure. It is hard to compete with Chennai Super Kings’ batting line-up. So make fools of their bowlers.Target scores well above par if batting first. Forget about the run-rate and safeguard wickets for the death if chasing. Basically, RCB have to figure out a way to beat a monstrous batting team with virtually the tournament on the line.It seems karma wants them to learn how everyone that faces RCB feels.In the newsAB de Villiers has been declared fit after viral fever ruled him out of RCB’s previous two games. Quinton de Kock, however, has flown back to South Africa for a wedding.Previous meetingA high-scoring affair when RCB posted 205 and CSK chased it down in a blaze of sixes in Bengaluru. De Villiers made a rip-roaring 68.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Ambati Rayudu, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Imran Tahir, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 KM AsifDe Kock’s absence may see Parthiv Patel getting his first game of the season.Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Manan Vohra/Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Brendon McCullum 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Mandeep Singh, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Mohammed SirajStrategy puntImran Tahir has taken 15 wickets in Pune, the most among anyone in the CSK squad, and he has taken out AB de Villiers two times in three IPL innings. This head-to-head can be quite compelling for the viewer as well because the batsman also strikes at 185.7 against the legspinner.Stats that matter RCB have four wins in five games in Pune, and de Villiers was Man of the Match in three of those games. He has made 211 runs at a strike-rate of 177. Viral fever, begone. CSK have rarely had a phenomenal bowling line-up. But they mask that problem with their spinners and Dhoni’s ability to use them. In each of their eight years, their economy rate had always hovered around 7 and strike rate around 25. In 2018, those numbers have risen to 8.49 and 34.50. Before Tim Southee was brought in to the XI, RCB were conceding a six every six deliveries in the death. Now, that figure is a far more respectable 18.3. Dhoni has scored 329 runs at a strike-rate of 169.6. That’s his best tally after nine matches in any season of IPL.Fantasy pickAmbati Rayudu. He’s the highest scorer of the IPL this season with six scores of 30-plus in nine innings. He’s also been hitting at a strike-rate of 153 with 56 hits to and over the boundary.Quotes”The last four days have been a blur I have been suffering from severe viral flu, one of the most debilitating illnesses I have ever experienced. Aside from one visit to the hospital, I have barely left my hotel room. Sleep has been almost impossible, and the migraine headaches have been extreme.”

Al-Nassr hero Cristiano Ronaldo was in a "grateful" mood as he celebrated his 39th birthday with partner Georgina Rodriguez and his children.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo celebrating 39th birthday
• Star celebrated with family on Tuesday
• Attacker shared his gratitude online

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Portugal icon turned 39 on Monday and, after celebrating with his team-mates on the day, he marked the occasion with his family on Tuesday. As well as three birthday cakes, the attacker showed off the large bouquet of flowers as he was given.

Advertisement

• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  Ronaldo posed alongside his family and wrote to his followers on Instagram: "Grateful to spend my 39th birthday the best way possible: with my family and back on the training pitch. Thank you all for the warm messages!"

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite his age, Ronaldo is still going strong and showing no signs that he is considering ending his playing career. He has scored a whopping 20 goals in 18 matches in the Saudi Pro League as well as three in the AFC Champions League, helping his team reach the knockout rounds.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  The ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid star has been out with an injury in recent weeks but is back in training with his Al-Nassr co-stars. He will hope to be involved when they take on Al-Feiha in the AFC Champions League later this month.

Leicestershire have made a double Pakistan pace bowler signing for the 2018 season, with Paul Nixon beginning his tenure as head coach by bringing in Mohammad Abbas and Sohail Khan to share overseas player duties.Abbas, 27, has made a good impression since his Test debut last year, taking 23 wickets at 21.34 in five matches. He will be available for Leicestershire’s first Championship match, starting on April 20, and then again from mid-June – given his likely involvement with Pakistan’s tour of England and Ireland during the first half of the season.Sohail, an experienced seamer who has played all three formats for Pakistan and claimed Test five-fors at Edgbaston and The Oval in 2016, will deputise while Abbas is away. He could feature in four Championship games, as well as Leicestershire’s Royal London Cup campaign.”We have been looking for a quality fast bowler as our overseas professional and Mohammad Abbas ticks all of the boxes,” Nixon said. “His Test match record is different class, he is the new kid on the block, and I am delighted to secure his signature.”But we expect to be without Mohammad for the first part of the season and it was vital that we secured high-class cover. Sohail Khan has a superb record both in red- and white-ball cricket, he has good experience on English conditions, and really stood out on the last tour when Pakistan played here. Sohail’s bowling will be ideally suited to early season conditions here.”Leicestershire finished bottom of the Championship in 2017, for the fourth time in five seasons, and replaced coach Pierre de Bruyn after less than a year in charge. Clint McKay, who had spent three seasons as Leicestershire’s overseas player, was also not asked to return.Nixon, the former England international and long-serving former player at Leicestershire, was appointed to try and build on the work started by chief executive Wasim Khan. In 2015, Leicestershire won their first Championship fixture in almost three years, while the following season they improved enough to finish seventh in Division Two – although they have still faced criticism for their recruitment policies.Abbas follows in the footsteps of recent Pakistan internationals to sign for Leicestershire, such as Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq. His first-class record is impressive, with 304 wickets at 21.05, and he is also expected to play in the T20 Blast, filling one of the two overseas slots.”I am really pleased to be joining Leicestershire County Cricket Club for the 2018 season,” he said. “It has been a dream of mine to play in county cricket and I am looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and working with head coach Paul Nixon and the staff.”

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has some rather negative news for Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, as the summer window gets even tougher.

Could anyone move to Wolverhampton Wanderers?

According to TEAMtalk, Wolves are looking to bring West Ham United striker Michail Antonio to Molinuex this summer, who has less than a year left on his current £85k-a-week contract at the London Stadium.

Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq had shown an interest in Antonio earlier in the window; however, Steven Gerrard looks to have calmed down his admiration toward the Jamaica international after bringing in former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele on a free transfer.

Nevertheless, Wolves will have to fend off competition from Scottish champions Celtic and Sky Bet Championship side Leeds United for Antonio's signature, according to FootballTransfers.

The report details that a 'small fee' will be required to prize Antonio away from east London and maintains that there may still be some eyes on the 33-year-old from Saudi Arabia.

Antonio has been a productive presence in West Ham's front line in his time at the London Stadium, netting 75 goals and laying on 43 assists in 276 appearances for the club, as per Transfermarkt.

Wolves have been dogged by issues with Financial Fair Play this window that caused now-ex-manager Julen Lopetegui to walk out on the Old Gold close to the start of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and the Spaniard has subsequently been replaced by former Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Sheth has indicated that Wolves' financial concerns may make the process of doing a deal to bring Antonio to the West Midlands difficult unless West Ham decide to let him leave on a free transfer.

Sheth stated: "I spoke to someone at Wolves yesterday, and they were pouring a little bit of cold water on it. They were saying unless it would be some kind of free transfer, then it's unlikely Wolves would be able to sanction any kind of deal that would require a transfer fee to be involved simply because of all the financial issues that Wolves have got."

What else is happening at Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Wolves face a difficult first assignment under the stewardship of boss O'Neil in their Premier League opener as they prepare to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday amid a backdrop of uncertainty at the club, as per Sky Sports.

In terms of potential arrivals, Manchester City youngster James McAtee is a target for the Old Gold; however, Brighton & Hove Albion, Celtic, Real Sociedad, Southampton, AZ Alkmaar and Sheffield United are all keen on the Englishman, as per The Daily Mail.

Football Insider claim that Wolves are 'expected' to wrap up a deal to sign veteran West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell in the final stretch of the transfer window.

Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos is on the radar of both Wolves and West Ham and could arrive back in the Premier League following a spell at Arsenal earlier in his career, as per The Sun.

Stockport County – rivals of Wrexham – have signed MLS defender Ethan Bristow on loan from Minnesota United on Thursday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Stockport sign MLS defenderEthan Bristow joins on loan from MNUFCWrexham trail rivals by four-points in tableWHAT HAPPENED?

The League Two side and the Loons announced a six-month loan for the 22-year-old full-back, who will return to England following a summer transfer to Philadelphia from Tranmere Rovers. The move comes following a season-ending injury to Stockport full-back Ryan Rydel and the imminent loss of Ibou Touray to the Africa Cup of Nations, while it opens up an international roster spot for the Loons.

AdvertisementWHAT BOSS DAVE CHALLINOR SAID

Stockport manager Dave Challinor said: “We’re delighted to be able to secure bringing Ethan to the club; there are so many positives to the move from our perspective. We were obviously in a situation where we needed to immediately replace Ibby for the period he will miss due to the African Cup of Nations and it’s a position where we had no real depth with Ryan Rydel being out for the season with his ACL injury.

“Ethan not only fits the profile of what we want for that position, but he can also begin training with us now in order to get him integrated and up to speed as soon as possible. He’s not played for a little while so that will be important, and we’ve got nearly three weeks to do that.

“The other huge positive is that we bring in a player with recent League Two experience from his time last season at Tranmere. He was a real hit there and had a big impact on their team with his performances down that left hand side. We’ve had nothing but positive reports from the people I know there about his character and ambition to improve. We are already enjoying working with him and looking forward to his performances in a County shirt.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Stockport hold a four-point lead over second place Wrexham as we near the end of the calendar year. With the addition of Bristow, who played 12 matches in MLS in 2023, they bolster their defence in their attempt to secure promotion at the end of the campaign. Wrexham, meanwhile, have yet to make a splash in the January transfer market.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR BRISTOW AND STOCKPORT

The League Two side are back in action Saturday against 10th place Bradford. Bristow won't be available for selection until his international certificate arrives, but once it does, expect him to make a push for a place in the starting XI.

Leeds United could be set to finally push out an older figure, ushering in a new age of youth, energy and structure underpinned by Daniel Farke.

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

Journalist Sander de Vries took to Twitter to offer an update on SC Heerenveen player Milan van Ewijk.

He would write: "SC Heerenveen refused an offer from Coventry City last week. This club has wanted to capture Van Ewijk for some time. Leeds United are now also interested in the 22-year-old right back."

Football Transfers value the relatively unknown commodity at just €5.1m (£4m), but should he take to English football with ease and translate his current form across to the Championship, that is a figure certain to skyrocket.

Who is Milan van Ewijk?

The acquisition of the Dutch defender could spell bad news for Luke Ayling, whose powers have been noticeably waning in recent years as his age has increased.

Now 31 years old, he often plays without the experience that someone of his stature should bring, and naturally, his physical assets have somewhat deserted him too.

Back during their initial stint in the Championship, the Englishman actually starred as part of Marcelo Bielsa's all-action philosophy. Their promotion campaign saw him maintain a 7.26 average rating, as he recorded eight goal contributions, 17 clean sheets, an 80% dribble success and 1.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

However, since taking that step up to the Premier League, things have taken a turn for the worse.

In the 2021/22 season, as the Whites narrowly escaped relegation, Ayling was branded an "idiot" by Jamie Carragher for his wild lunge that saw him sent off in a crunch clash with Arsenal. This would compound a term where he averaged a 6.61 Sofascore rating in the league.

Then, in the campaign following, this figure would drop to 6.60, as he was dribbled past 1.5 times per game, kept just two clean sheets, and saw his successful dribbles drop to 43%, via Sofascore. He was the fourth-worst performer of those who started five or more league games.

There is little chance of him recapturing his form of old, even with the step-down their relegation poses. Plus, Farke will likely seek to build his new system on youth and a brighter future, rather than rely upon an ageing dud who has done little to merit a starting spot.

Instead, he would be better served putting his faith in Van Ewijk, as to allow him to acclimatise into English football in preparation for what will hopefully be a swift promotion.

After all, just last term in the Eredivisie saw him maintain a 7.01 average rating, bolstered by his six goals, ten clean sheets, 1.8 tackles and 2.3 clearances per game, via Sofascore. That rating would have made the 22-year-old Leeds' best-performing player last term, with his goal tally even surpassing Patrick Bamford's in the league.

The flyer clearly is in possession of the key assets to thrive as a modern-day full-back, with his presence set to make Ayling obsolete at last. He truly does seem like the "complete full-back" that Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig branded him.

Should he grow into his role, Van Ewijk could quickly become a star at Elland Road, with dynamism and athleticism sure to get the fans excited again. Meanwhile, his ageing predecessor would still likely remain as a fine backup asset to have around, given he is one of few who remain at the club from their 2020 promotion.