Real Betis have confirmed Isco's contract renewal with a rather bizarre video.
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Rangers have been given a fresh update over Auston Trusty's future, with the youngster stating via the Daily Record that he is only focused on the present and his current pre-season tour with Arsenal.
Who is Auston Trusty?
The 24-year-old currently plays for Arsenal, having been poached by the Gunners only last year. Despite the Premier League side snapping him up, he has yet to make his top flight debut for the side and has instead been shipped out on loan in order to get minutes. That meant spending the 2022/23 season on loan with Birmingham in the Championship.
The youngster ended up being an integral part of the Blues' first-team squad and missed only two second tier outings all campaign. He featured on 44 occasions in total and fired in four goals with two assists along the way, despite his position on the field.
Prior to joining Birmingham though, Trusty had no experience of English or Scottish football. His entire playing time came in his native USA, having been given his league debut by Bethlehem in the USL at the age of 17. He then joined up with Philadelphia in the MLS, before switching to Colorado Rapids, which resulted in his most outstanding time as a player to date.
He managed 57 league appearances during his time there, with two goal contributions, and also helped drag them up to second in the standings in one campaign.
Are Rangers signing Auston Trusty?
It was these showings that led to Trusty heading to England for Arsenal. Now, it looks as though he could be cast aside by the club this summer, with talks of a permanent switch away on the cards. Rangers are one of the sides mentioned in terms of the interest in the American, with a price tag of £2m mentioned as potentially enough to seal a deal to send him to the Scottish Premiership outfit.
However, they do face competition from England, with Ipswich also linked with the player – his experience in the second tier could prove invaluable to the newly-promoted Tractor Boys.
Now, according to the 24-year-old himself via the Daily Record, he has spoken out about his current situation and future. He hasn't spoken of any interest in his signature and has instead insisted he is only thinking about things on a "day-to-day" basis. He has, of course, been taken on Arsenal's pre-season tour in his homeland. That means he is currently "focused" on that – so any potential deal for the ace may have to wait until he is home and able to think about a potential deal.
"My mindset has been here since the beginning. So I'm not focused on anything else. I'm focused on day by day. You can ask anybody how I approach things. my mindset has always been focused on day by day. You never can control the future but I'm focusing on myself."
Rangers then could have to play the waiting game over Trusty. The central defender will likely showcase his stuff for the Gunners over the summer, and then his future could be decided upon his return to England.
If the Gers did manage to sign the 24-year-old though, it could be a shrewd move. He's proven to be a reliable option at a decent level in the Championship and was a regular in the MLS to boot. His age and his current skillset means he has all the capabilities of being a very solid part of the Scottish side's backline if they sign him this transfer window.
GOAL looks back at a wild campaign that was headlined by Inter Miami's mega move for the World Cup winner
We've finally reached the final match of the MLS season: LAFC at the Columbus Crew in a huge MLS Cup battle to determine a league champion. The winner will reign supreme after perhaps the most important year in league history, one in which all of U.S. soccer was turned on its head by one big signing.
Yes, this has to start with Lionel Messi, the player who singlehandedly changed the trajectory of the league. By the time the MLS Cup kicks off, it'll have been over a month since we've seen him in Inter Miami pink but, even so, he looms over everything that goes on in the league these days.
Both the Crew and LAFC can count themselves among the big winners this season, having battled their way all the way to the final. For LAFC, Saturday is a chance to go back-to-back. For the Crew, it's an opportunity to claim another title under a different coach, showing that the brand in Ohio is as strong as ever just a few short years after the club was so close to being taken away.
Aside from those two, though, who are the league's biggest winners and losers? GOAL looks back at the season that was in MLS ahead of this weekend's big game…
Bottom-of-the-table Warwickshire turned the Royal London Cup North Group table on its head with a five-wicket win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston
ECB Reporters Network14-May-2017
ScorecardIan Bell’s scoring touch has returned•Getty Images
Bottom-of-the-table Warwickshire turned the Royal London Cup North Group table on its head with a five-wicket win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston.The Bears’ defence of the trophy was already over after six successive defeats while The White Rose went into the match top of the group. Yorkshire will still qualify but have ceded top spot in the group to Worcestershire, who defeated Durham at New Road.They built a meaty total thanks to Joe Root’s stylish 83 and a muscular sixth-wicket stand of 116 in 15.1 overs by Tim Bresnan and Matthew Waite, who struck a a List A-best 71 from 58 balls.Warwickshire’s reply was robustly launched by Jonathan Trott and Sam Hain. And after a wobble induced by spinner Azeem Rafiq, they were steered to victory by a cleanly-hit alliance of 111 in 106 balls between Ian Bell, who made 98 from 85 balls, and Rikki Clarke.Warwickshire spinner Jeetan Patel said: “We have come off a run of a few really bad losses and some that were quite tight but credit to the guys for the way they came out today. Grant Thornton bowled really well which is where we need to get to. We are an ageing teams with a lot of experience but we need to be able to trust the younger guys.”After choosing to bat, Yorkshire lost Adam Lyth to the first ball of the match, from Keith Barker, which he edged to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose.Jonny Bairstow soon miscued Rikki Clarke to mid-on and Peter Handscomb drove expansively and nicked behind off Barker, who bowled his full stint straight off and was unlucky not to harvest better figures than 10-1-39-2.Root and Gary Ballance added 64 in 14 overs before the latter lifted Grant Thornton to long-leg. Root, looking utterly assured, appeared set for his 11th List A century when he feathered an attempted cut at Clarke to the keeper.That left Yorkshire 149 for 5 but Bresnan and Waite joined forces to exploit a short Hollies Stand-side boundary in a century stand. Considering the shortness of that boundary, for Patel (10-0-32-1) to deliver ten overs without conceding a four or six was a remarkable effort.Still, Bresnan’s ninth one-day half-century and Waite’s first had given Warwickshire a stuff target.Trott and Hain gave the Bears’ reply an excellent base but after Trott sent up a skier off Waite, Rafiq struck three times in quick succession. He bowled Hain and Ambrose in the space of three balls and had Ateeq Javid caught at short fine-leg.But Bell and Clarke halted the clatter and then gradually accelerated, Bell ending the group stage in fine form with scores of 93, 104 and 98.
Everton narrowly avoided relegation down to the Championship on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign as they beat Bournemouth 1-0 in the Premier League last month.
The Toffees finished 17th in the table and two points above the relegation zone and Sean Dyche should be aiming for a more successful campaign next term.
This summer's transfer window could be key in being able to achieve that as it provides the head coach with an opportunity to add more options and quality to his squad.
One player who has been linked with a possible switch to Goodison Park is Manchester United defensive midfielder Scott McTominany, who could be available for a fee of at least £20m.
Would Scott McTominay be a good signing for Everton?
The Scotland international could be an excellent addition to Dyche's roster as the 26-year-old could be the dream heir to Idrissa Gana Gueye's position in the XI.
Everton snapped the Senegal international up from Paris Saint-Germain last summer and the number six enjoyed a solid season in the Premier League. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 across 33 appearances and won 61% of his individual duels in the division.
However, the experienced battler turns 34 in September and is, therefore, not a long-term option for Dyche moving forward, and this means that the manager will need to start thinking about what life will look like after the Senegal veteran is unable to perform to a high level consistently.
This is where McTominay could come in and be the player to take over in that position in the mid-to-long term.
The Red Devils ace, who was once hailed as a "physical monster" by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is a defensive-minded midfielder who has proven himself to be a solid option at Premier League level.
He only started ten games in the division in 2022/23 but was a regular starter the season prior, and showcased his ability to be a dependable enforcer in the middle of the park.
McTominay averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91 across 28 starts in the league and won 55% of his duels to go along with 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match, which shows that the towering brute is capable of winning the ball back for his side on a regular basis whilst being strong in his physical battles.
Gueye made 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game in 2022/23 for Everton but they had 43% of the ball on average, compared to United's 53.8% and this suggests that the Senegalese powerhouse had more opportunities to cut out opposition attacks than the Red Devils gem.
Both players, however, have proven themselves capable of delivering consistently solid performances in the Premier League as defensive midfielders, and the 26-year-old dynamo, who is seven years younger than Gueye, could well be the dream long-term heir to that role in Dyche's team.
Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag is keen on signing Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund this summer and has video called the youngster to detail his plans for his prospective arrival, according to journalist Dean Jones.
What's the latest transfer news involving Rasmus Hojlund?
As per GOAL, Manchester United have been linked with a move for Hojlund this summer and it is believed that Atalanta are seeking to recoup £40 million for the teenage sensation.
Speaking to Tipsbladet with quotes transcribed via the outlet, Hojlund commented on recent developments, including his choice to sign up to a new agency and he also addressed rumours surrounding his future, stating: “It’s a trial period and that’s all I can say [agency]." He then added: “It is a huge club, so I must have done something right if it’s rumoured they want me. We have to see what happens. As you see and hear, I imagine a lot could happen to quite a few strikers this summer, as many clubs are looking for a No.9. Something will definitely happen there, and then we’ll have to wait and see if I am included in it. I am very happy to be with Atalanta and we have qualified for Europe. I have found myself in a really good place here, so now we have to wait and see.”
talkSPORT understand that Hojlund is subject to serious interest from the Red Devils, which is set to be taken up a notch in the off-season, with boss Ten Hag targeting two forwards to strengthen his forward line.
Sky Sports report that Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is also a target for Manchester United; however, it is said that the England international may be unattainable, making Hojlund a more likely target at Old Trafford.
Interestingly, it has been reported that Ten Hag has already had a video call with the striker.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones has shared his thoughts on the rumours that Ten Hag has made contact via a video call to try and sell Hojlund a vision of what life could be like at Manchester United.
Jones told FFC: "That personal touch can be so key in landing targets, we've seen Arteta use it to his benefit at Arsenal and I think it's a road that Ten Hag should be going down too. Making video calls is probably a good way of being able to get an early message across to a player, to show them your passion and show them the sincerity to which there is a pursuit of a player."
Does Rasmus Hojlund have the potential to succeed at Manchester United?
Hojlund absolutely has the potential to succeed at Manchester United and it is no surprise that the Premier League giants are trying to land the 20-year-old in an early stage of his career development.
In 2022/23, combined between his stint at Sturm Graz and factoring in his exploits at Atalanta, the Denmark international was in fine form, registering 16 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.
WhoScored also note that Hojlund has a keen eye for goal and took on an average of 1.7 shots per match in Serie A during the campaign.
As per FBRef, Hojlund has also demonstrated excellent positional awareness and has soared in comparison to his positional peers in Europe's top five divisions concerning progressive passes received, taking in around 11 per match across the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.
Moving forward, Hojlund may well be a long-term solution in the final third for Manchester United that could grow into an elite striker with the correct man management.
R Ashwin talks about how MS Dhoni’s experience will still be crucial after Virat Kohli takes over the ODI captaincy in the forthcoming series
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-20172:00
Virat likes picking wickets at the cost of some runs – Ashwin
R Ashwin has said he will need to come to grips with new captain Virat Kohli’s aggressive brand of captaincy and different style of communication in the upcoming limited-overs series against England.Since his international debut in 2010, Ashwin has played most of his short-format cricket under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, but has over the last two years become Kohli’s go-to bowler in Test cricket.”It will be different in terms of interactions you’ll have,” Ashwin said in Pune, where India meet England in the first ODI on January 15. “Before, when I used to play alongside Mahi – which won’t happen this game onwards – it’s almost about communication through from top of the mark to the keeper.”Obviously, Virat will be around at short midwicket or short cover, but it is going to be different in that terms. We have to try and get used to those communications.”For the most part of his captaincy, Dhoni banked on his spinners to establish control in the middle overs by drying up the runs. Kohli, according to Ashwin, doesn’t mind going for wickets at the cost of runs. “I’ve never played under Virat even at RCB or something. I just played one whole ODI series with him against Sri Lanka,” Ashwin said.”Virat, on occasions, can be a little aggressive and that’s the one thing that I need to try and adjust to. He likes attacking, he likes picking wickets through the middle overs. Even at the cost of some runs. And obviously, giving those extra runs to try and get a wicket is not such a bad thing.”Ashwin, however, felt Dhoni would continue to play a crucial role from a communication and leadership perspective. “I feel Mahi is going to hold the key because he’s the keeper and he’s going to bring that invaluable experience with him,” he said. “It’s going to be very, very important that we try and take as much as valuable inputs from him and try and take the team forward.”When Ashwin takes the field in Pune, it would be exactly a year to the day he last played an ODI after he was rested for the Zimbabwe series in June and the home series against New Zealand. With the limited-overs series being sandwiched in the middle of a long Test season, he felt it was a question of making a mental adjustment.”We played T20s in America in between, that was a bit of a good switch. I thought I switched up pretty well,” he said. “I am sure it is going to be a challenge. We are going to get into the practice. Next three-four days is going to be very important. I tried to tick as many boxes as possible when I practised in Chennai. But nothing like game-time.”I think we’re playing a full-strength Indian team after a long time – I don’t know when we [last] played a full-strength side. We also have Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) back in the side. So that’s also going to add to your experience. I think this England side has played some cracker of one-day tournaments in the last year or so. They’ve made some mammoth scores in England as well. So they are a side which will look to be positive.”
Liverpool have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Lazio phenom Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after his value has been slashed with just one year left on his current contract.
What's the latest on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Liverpool?
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Serbian gem could be available for just €26m (£22m) this summer, amid mounting interest from Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.
James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all played their final game for Liverpool and will depart Anfield, along with forward Roberto Firmino, at the conclusion of their contracts in a few weeks, and the 28-year-old Lazio star could be an astute addition to replenish the ranks.
Lazio will listen to offers and would rather sell him than allow him to depart for nothing in one year, especially given the Eagles have returned to the Champions League and are one match away from securing second place in Serie A.
Should Liverpool sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?
Milinkovic-Savic has enjoyed a blistering campaign and ostensibly been the centrepiece of Lazio's seasonal success in returning to the Champions League after a two-year absence – on course for their highest finish since winning the Scudetto in 1999/00.
Indeed, as per Sofascore, the machine has scored nine goals and supplied eight assists from 35 Serie A matches this term, averaging 1.7 shots and 1.2 key passes per match and making 1.6 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game, earning an average rating of 7.16.
He has donned the captain's armband on 14 occasions this season too, and could bring both leadership and attacking quality to Liverpool's centre as Klopp seeks a resurgence to lift his outfit back to the forefront after the summer.
As such, he could be Klopp's own version of Manchester City phenom Ilkay Gundogan, with the first-rate German midfielder among the creme de la creme on a global scale and imperative to the illustrious success of his team, having notably gleaned five Premier League titles and the FA Cup – also in the final of the latter competition again and the Champions League this season.
The 32-year-old actually used to play for Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, where they won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB Pokal together, which bodes well for Milinkovic-Savic, with the Reds' German boss perhaps best fit to unlock the full scope of his skill set on Merseyside.
The £99k-per-week Serb, hailed as a "different beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani, ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 8% for rate of assists, the top 12% for touches in the attacking box and the top 2% for aerials won, illustrating his devastating box-crashing prowess as a progressive central force.
Gundogan, comparatively, ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 20% for rate of assists and the top 3% for touches in the attacking box, and it's clear to see that both aces are superlative forward-thinking midfielders.
Klopp could unlock a "magic" new dimension – as he was dubbed by teammate Ciro Immobile – with the acquisition of Milinkovic-Savic, and must seek to emulate Pep Guardiola's success with the Citizens by providing his team with a new midfield general to orchestrate a resurgence.
Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladesh left-arm paceman, is facing shoulder surgery early next month which could sideline him for six months
Mohammad Isam30-Jul-2016Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladesh left-arm paceman, is facing shoulder surgery early next month which could sideline him for six months. The BCB are currently mulling whether to have the operation in England or Australia, and BCB media committee chairman Jalal Yunus said that a decision on a surgeon will be made by Monday, but that Mustafizur was mentally prepared for the operation.Mustafizur is currently in England having linked up with Sussex after extended delays but his stint came to end last week after two matches when he suffered the shoulder injury. He has seen a specialist in the UK, who recommended that the SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior) tear – which involves the ring of cartilage that surrounds the socket of the shoulder joint – could be treated through a surgery, which may rule him out for up to six months. Such a lay-off would rule him out of England’s visit in October and the tour to New Zealand at the end of the year.”In the last few days we have sent his reports to a number of places,” Yunus said. “We want him to be operated under the best surgeons. We have found two specialists in the UK and one in Australia. By Monday we can decide who will operate on Mustafizur’s shoulder. He is mentally prepared for the operation.”This sort of injury usually is treated conservatively but we are not going that way with Mustafizur because the doctors have said that it might recur in the future.”Yunus said that Mustafizur has been BCB’s priority and has always been withdrawn from the game at the onset of any injury. The first such occurance was during the Zimbabwe series in January this year when he was down with an injured shoulder. He also missed much of the Asia Cup and World T20 through a side strain while hamstring and ankle injuries delayed his Sussex stint.”We are taking the best care of Mustafizur. We have always withdrawn him from matches whenever he has complained of any physical problem,” Yunus said. “We haven’t seen him in Test matches that much. He has focused mostly in the shorter versions.”We didn’t send him to the PSL because he had injury. He had offers from the CPL. So that he is not overstressed, we are not letting him play when he has a problem.”
Billy Bowden may have stood in his last international match, after being dropped from New Zealand Cricket’s international panel of umpires.Bowden was demoted to NZC’s national panel, along with Derek Walker and Phil Jones, in a shake-up of New Zealand’s umpiring ranks that resulted in former first-class players Shaun Haig and Chris Brown being promoted to the international panel. Wayne Knights was the third man added to the international panel.Bowden stood in 84 Tests, 200 one-day internationals and 24 T20 internationals, his most recent appearance having been during the Chappell-Hadlee Series in Wellington in February.He made his international debut in an ODI in 1995 and his Test debut in 2000, and for many years was one of the most recognisable figures on the ICC’s elite panel due to his unusual mannerisms.However, Bowden was cut from the elite panel in 2013. He was reinstated in 2014 after the retirement of his countryman Tony Hill, but was axed once again in 2015.Since then, Bowden was on New Zealand’s international panel, meaning he was still able to stand in international matches. As a member of the national panel, he will now only be able to officiate in domestic games and women’s internationals.NZC international panel Chris Brown, Wayne Knights, Shaun Haig.
NZC national panel Billy Bowden, Chris Brown, Tony Gillies, Shaun Haig, Phil Jones, Wayne Knights, Ash Mehrotra, Tim Parlane, Derek Walker.