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Tottenham Hotspur have now been linked with a summer move for Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Evan Ndicka…

What’s the latest on Spurs’ interest in Evan Ndicka?

That’s according to 90min, who claim that Spurs are lining up a move for the French titan as his contract at the Bundesliga outfit is set to end at the end of the season.

It’s thought that the north Londoners are keen to add a central defender to their ranks during the summer transfer window, with Ndicka a very appealing option as he’s both left-footed and available for free.

The Lilywhites had scouts in attendance for Frankfurt’s recent Champions League defeat to Napoli, where they were also keeping an eye on attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada.

How good is Spurs target Evan Ndicka?

It should come as little surprise to see Antonio Conte’s side target some much-needed defensive reinforcements ahead of next season as Clement Lenglet is currently set to return to parent club FC Barcelona, whilst the Italian’s other options have been inconsistent, to say the least.

Spurs have conceded the most goals of any team that sit tenth or above in the standings, meaning even Fulham and Brentford have shut out the opposition more often. That’s hardly what you’d expect from a side led by Conte, who has won the Premier League and FA Cup through defensive resilience in the past.

Ndicka could begin to be that solution on the left-hand side, with Lenglet out of the picture and Ben Davies a natural full-back.

In the 23-year-old gem, sporting director Fabio Paratici could well find Tottenham their very own Raphael Varane, with the world-class Manchester United colossus among the most comparable players to Ndicka, per FBref’s statistical model.

This is largely because of his ability on the ball, as well as the impact he can make in both boxes. Indeed, when compared to fellow centre-backs across Europe’s elite divisions, the Frankfurt man ranks inside the top 9% for assists, the top 13% for blocks and the top 16% for clearances per 90.

Such exploits have seen the 6 foot 4 brute trusted by Oliver Glasner to feature in more minutes than any other player across the Bundesliga and Champions League, so he must be doing something right, considering his contractual status too.

Once aptly dubbed as “towering” by journalist Jacque Talbot, WhoScored list one of Ndicka’s biggest strengths to be aerial duels, with another being concentration, which are the two same mentioned for the four-time UCL winner too, so the comparisons may well ring true.

Also hailed as a “leader” by Sport1 journalist Christopher Michel to ChronicleLive in the past, it’s evident that the former France U21 international would be one hell of a free transfer and one that could seriously bolster Conte’s struggling backline.

As such, Paratici could well sign Spurs’ very own Varane with a bargain move for Ndicka this summer.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing 6 ft 4 “monster” in Spurs summer swoop, he’s a bargain Son successor…

India’s IPL stars have been exposed at the World Twenty20 again. Apart from technical shortcomings, it suggests a shocking lack of respect for the international game and its challenges

Sidharth Monga12-May-2010It was almost farcical. A group of nervous West Indies players was actually hoping an underprepared, lethargic Indian side would keep them alive in the tournament by beating Sri Lanka. As India went about conceding 33 runs in the last two overs – admittedly they didn’t have any interest left in the tournament – the IPL final came to mind.Kieron Pollard seemed like he was pulling off a heist against Chennai Super Kings when MS Dhoni came up with the move of a genius. He placed a mid-off almost behind the umpire, and a long-off almost behind him. The bowler was asked to bowl full and straight, and err, if he had to, on the fuller side. Lo, Pollard was out, caught at the very straight mid-off. Later Dhoni explained how he had not pulled a rabbit out of the hat, and how it had been a rehearsed move, which had worked against such big hitters as Matthew Hayden in the . Yes, Indian cricketers have time to prepare and play warm-up games for the IPL, but not for major international events like the World Twenty20.How impotent India’s batsmen must feel. They knew exactly where they would be hit, they had enough time – about a year – to prepare for it, yet they reacted to balls headed for the ribcage and upwards almost as if it was a hitherto unknown underhand tactic. And there was no devil in the Kensington Oval track either: it just offered pace and true bounce. No sideways movement, no unplayable swing.Unlike Dhoni with his genius move in the IPL final, not many in the batting line-up can be said to have worked endlessly in the nets, at camps, during warm-up matches, to try and eliminate the weakness that was pointed out to them a year ago, by the likes of Luke Wright among others. Between the really important cricket, a number of needless ODI series and tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, (both outside their FTP commitments and both involving the BCCI’s unconditional allies in cricket politics), the IPL (demanding schedule, travel, inane media work, mandatory late-night parties), and the false confidence that the flat pitches and hyperbole during the IPL tend to create, who has the time to think about bouncers? If they had had the time, at least some improvement would have shown. They actually seemed more clueless this time around.For two editions of the World Twenty20 running, India haven’t won a Super Eights game. But it is the manner of the defeats, almost identical to the ones produced any time this line-up bats on a bouncy track, that will hurt them more. To be fair to them, there is hardly any time in Twenty20s to duck under a few bouncers and try to wear the bowlers down. There is a reason, though, why such tactics are not tried against the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Shane Watson, Kevin Pietersen, et al. The bowlers know those men can hook them for sixes; the Indians’ only scoring shot to well-directed bouncers has been the top edge over the keeper’s head. Their team-mate Virender Sehwag is a perfect man to learn from; bowlers have tried bowling short at him but don’t quite like being upper-cut for six or getting whipped away for four.Suresh Raina has reiterated that if he’s not allowed to plonk the front foot down, all those heaved sixes and slog-sweeps become top edges that go nowhere: against Australia he nearly played on with an edge that could have hit a low-flying aircraft. On a slow and low St Lucia pitch against Sri Lanka, he was back in form, crackling away to a good-looking 63. M Vijay, who had come across as a more solid batsman, doesn’t attack the short ball. Although Gautam Gambhir did most things right, his wrists didn’t drop in time, something he will now have to contend with in the longest version of the game too. Yuvraj Singh managed to keep the pull shots down, but his head kept falling away. After a couple of short ones – not nasty ones mind you – Rohit Sharma stopped moving his feet completely and kept edging slower deliveries floated outside off.India’s fielding standards were below average, and of the quality on display during the IPL•AFPNeither does Yusuf Pathan enjoy the captain’s confidence to bat before the game is almost over, nor has he shown the aptitude to translate his daredevilry from the IPL (“greatest innings” and all that) to the international level. Dhoni felt he needed to pick an extra batsman in back-to-back Twenty20 internationals, going with just three bowlers, much like he invariably did in the IPL, where he picked one of Manpreet Gony, Joginder Sharma, L Balaji or Sudeep Tyagi as a specialist bowler.The bouncers actually did the team a favour. They hid that the captain seemed to have no confidence in the specialist bowlers picked by the selectors (R Vinay Kumar was finally played after Praveen Kumar had returned home, Umesh Yadav was found to have travelled with the wrong visa, and Zaheer Khan had a niggle). That the captain was not only defensive, he was stubborn too. That Gambhir ran between the wickets in a manner that Ravi Shastri called pathetic – and it takes a lot to get Shastri to utter a negative word on air. (Nor does Gambhir usually convert threes into twos.) It hid that India’s fielding continued to match IPL standards – minus the crazy catches pulled off by the likes of David Hussey.It turns out there is a far wider gap between the quality of cricket in IPL and internationals than the Indian team lets on. Their coach is slightly old-fashioned and saner. For last year’s embarrassment, Gary Kirsten blamed IPL fatigue and the sudden shift from that substandard cricket to top-quality international stuff, without sugar-coating his words. He also spoke about how his team had handed Australia their worst Test-series defeat in recent times, and that it followed a gruelling camp was not a coincidence. Only a board as deafened by the sound of money as India’s could have not listened to the man. This time he may as well ask for subtitles.The IPL tragics often cite India’s No. 1 ranking in Tests to make themselves believe the cricket can’t be so bad. Therein lies the major flaw: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman are too established and too good to let a hit-and-giggle league effect their techniques or work ethic. And it’s because of them, not the IPL stars, that India are No. 1 in Tests.Dhoni admits his side is tired. He says that’s the reality of being an India cricketer. He admits most of his line-up can’t attack the well-directed bouncer. He says his spinners bowled flat and his seamers kept bowling the same pace. He says his side didn’t play to its potential, but he finds nothing wrong in either the IPL or the scheduling. Yet clearer signs of either a tired or unprepared side could not have been cited.While defending the IPL and the scheduling, Dhoni said, “Players need to be smart because IPL is not only about cricket. You have to respect your body, and if you don’t do that, the IPL is draining.” The team and the board will do well to add international cricket to the to-respect list.

Greg Chappell, acknowledged thinker though he may be, has little to show for as coach

Commentary by Rahul Bhattacharya26-Sep-2005

Look where we’re stuck now. Sourav Ganguly, cornered, fighting, armed with supporting evidence and affidavits, will respond point by point to the contents of the most read email in the history of cricket. The review committee which meets tomorrow (why must Jagmohan Dalmiya be on it?) will have before it sets of claims and counter claims to negotiate, and no power save that of an advisory body. It will emerge that both parties have told some truths or what they believe to be the truth and both parties will have told some half-lies. Inevitably the issue will be politicised.Eventually one man must have to make way. That man ought to be Ganguly; yet the irony is that, thanks to a calculated leak by the board, in being accused he now has his greatest chance of redemption.A few points. It needs mentioning here that Greg Chappell, acknowledged thinker though he may be, has little to show for as coach. He took over South Australia in 1998-99, much like he did India, a messiah, in charge of a team that had tailed off after a high. The expectation in the state then was that he would do a Malcolm Blight, the Aussie Rules Hall of Famer who had just coached a mediocre Adelaide Crows outfit to a pair of premierships in his first two years. Quite to the contrary, Chappell’s five years saw SA finishing fourth (out of six), fourth, last, fourth and fourth.One SA journalist says that Chappell `helped develop several poor performers into handy ones but found it difficult to communicate well with the lesser players. His major battles came with the state’s administrators and the conservative culture of SA. The relationship ended with both parties thinking they could have got more out of each other.’ Another SA observer thought Chappell overly theoretical, unable perhaps to connect with the team, and half-jokingly described his tenure as `reign of terror’. Whatever, that South Australia won a championship under Chappell, as was mentioned in a few news reports in India either shows the sheer sloppiness of journalists or else indicates how enamoured they were of him.And the press Chappell got in India was so fabulous that it immediately made one wary. Chappell does like the press, and he does talk a good game. He sought out the Indian media and wooed them with a presentation of his vision for Indian cricket on the last tour to Australia; barely a day has gone by in his tenure so far that an exclusive interview is not granted. Far more worrying is the number of journalists who routinely receive detail and opinion, plenty of it in writing, that really ought to remain inside, unless the idea in the first place is to spread the word.Is it unreasonable to harbour mild scepticism of Chappell? Leave aside Ganguly, the noises emerging from a significant section of the team indicate that he has not been able to hit home with them. By introducing the coloured hats of Mr de Bono he can come across to players as much a bullshit artist as enlightened guru; by expressing displeasure over players whistling or singing, as some have claimed, he risks being seen as an unbearable bore rather than a hard taskmaster. There is no telling yet if the Chappell way will work simply because there is no evidence of it.Chappell’s first objective of making India look beyond Ganguly is not just fair but necessary; yet reading his own account of trying to destabilise the captain before the Test match makes you wonder. He saw a moment which he tried to exploit, to finish off Ganguly. But what were the percentages here? What odds that Ganguly would indeed stand down on the eve of a Test match against Zimbabwe when he’s trying to save his career?Has Chappell been able to foster an atmosphere of positivity? Looking back at his early days, when he was presented with an England team that had scraped bottom, Duncan Fletcher said, “The first thing I say is that you win as many games in the changing room as you do out in the field.” It is worth analysing – and it is the more profitable area for the review committee to concentrate on for it is the younger members and not Ganguly who are important now to India – how much of this has been the wailing of slackers and how much of it is down simply to ineffective coaching. If the dissidents, and several of them have been pulled up for attitude before, are using this standoff as an opportunity to pave an easy path then they are not worth a moment of indulgence.The big worry for Indian cricket has become that a player rebellion against Chappell will take its final form in the reappointment of Ganguly. That Ganguly must be replaced as captain ought to be non-negotiable, email or no email. It is a decision that would have ideally been taken four months ago. The details remain open to dispute, but not much in Chappell’s email has surprised the majority of journalists.And there is a point in that. Much of the Chappell `vision’ is something any half-astute observer could tell you. Chappell’s job is that of execution. Has he the ability to? Crucially, is the system prepared to allow him to? These are questions which will only be answered over time but they must be raised.Despite the scepticism offered here, my personal opinion is that Chappell must be given the latitude and the duration to work things his way, to toughen up the side as is his brief. Ganguly, due respect and all, has nothing really to offer the future of Indian cricket. With Chappell we will not know unless we let him have his shot. Unpleasant as it may be, Indian cricket must brace itself and make the leap. We could come to owe him. It may help if Chappell, committed to holding up an unforgiving mirror to the team, can also hold it up to himself and consider his management of men. Perhaps he could start by dropping the MBE.

Journalist Barry Anderson has shared some "fascinating" detail on West Ham United and their move for Austria Klagenfurt midfielder Andy Irving in the last 48 hours.

Who have West Ham signed this summer?

David Moyes had to wait a fair bit for his first signing of the summer transfer window, with Mexico international ace Edson Alvarez coming through the door in early August.

The midfielder, who has started life in the Premier League very brightly, was later joined by England international James Ward-Prowse, former Arsenal defender Konstaninos Mavropanos and Ghana star Mohammed Kudus.

The latter player's signing comes as a particularly major coup for West Ham and Moyes, with Kudus excelling for both Ajax and his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last year.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Mohammed to West Ham United,” said the Irons manager after Kudus' arrival.

“He’s a terrific young talent, who has already shone at the very highest level for Ajax in the Champions League and made well over 150 senior appearances at the age of 23 – so it was no surprise to see so many top clubs chasing his signature this summer.

“The fact we’ve been able to attract a player of his undoubted quality to London Stadium shows the pull West Ham have now – the Board and Tim deserve huge credit for getting this one over the line.”

West Ham also attempted a late move to replace striker Gianluca Scamacca, who joined Atalanta earlier in the window, but ultimately failed with a deadline day push to sign Paris-Saint Germain's Hugo Ekitike.

One transfer that has fell quite under-the-radar, though, is their capture of former Hearts midfielder Irving – who has apparently joined from Austria Klagenfurt.

Club insider ExWHUemployee backs this news, and he said on deadline day that the Scotsman has indeed signed but will return to Klagenfurt as part of an "affiliate arrangement agreed" with Hammers transfer chief Tim Steidten.

National World football writer and journalist Anderson, commenting on the move and sharing further background, says that Irving joins in a "big-money" deal and calls it "fascinating".

"Andy Irving's transfer to West Ham from Austria Klagenfurt is fascinating," said Anderson on X.

"He will become an #EPL player in a big-money deal two years after leaving Hearts thanks to a German data analyst. Good move for a player who worked hard to establish himself abroad."

How good is Andy Irving?

Following a 2-0 win over Morton in late 2020, former Hearts boss Robbie Neilson heaped praise on the midfielder's technical ability.

Irving, according to Neilson, can demonstrate exceptional passing ability in the final third.

“He’s got great passing ability, as you seen with the pass for the goal," said Neilson.

"It’s great to have him in. He’s still learning the game. I was really pleased with him. Obviously coming down here, we knew what the pitch was going to be like, we knew the physicality was going to be like, I thought Andy handled it very well.”

In time, perhaps Irving can showcase enough quality to get Moyes seriously thinking.

Chelsea star Lauren James has been named the Women's Super League's Player of the Month for January after scoring five goals in just two games.

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Chelsea star James named Player of the MonthScored five goals in two WSL games in JanuaryBeats Fox, Shaw and more to awardWHAT HAPPENED?

There wasn't much league action in January as cup competitions came to the fore but James made the most of her two WSL outings, scoring a hat-trick against former club Manchester United before following it up with a brace in victory over Brighton. Those performances saw her beat out tough competition for this accolade, winning it ahead of Arsenal's Emily Fox, the Manchester City duo of Bunny Shaw and Laia Aleixandri, Leicester's Janice Cayman and West Ham forward Viviane Asseyi.

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James' goals haven't just resulted in individual glory either, with this her second Player of the Month award of the season after she also picked it up in November. The England star's performances have also helped Chelsea maintain their position at the top of the WSL table, with the reigning champions now three points clear of Man City and six ahead of Arsenal with just nine games to go. The Blues are chasing a fifth successive league triumph.

DID YOU KNOW?

There could be another significant individual award coming James' way this season as she is one of the front-runners in the race for the WSL's Golden Boot. The 22-year-old has 12 goals in 12 appearances this season, just one fewer than Man City striker Shaw.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR JAMES AND CHELSEA?

The FA Cup is the focus for James and Chelsea this weekend, as they take on second-tier Crystal Palace in the fifth round of the competition on Sunday. The Blues, the dominant side in English women's football, are looking to lift the trophy for a fourth successive season.

Liverpool are now keen on signing Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, but a new report has now revealed they are trailing another Premier League club in the race for his signature…

Is Tyler Adams leaving Leeds?

Adams has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs following Leeds' relegation to the Championship last season, with Chelsea coming close to signing him earlier in the window, before talks broke down at a late stage.

The USMNT international, who has a £20m release clause included in his contract, was set to have a medical ahead of completing a move to Stamford Bridge, but he ultimately returned to Leeds, where he has four years remaining on his deal.

Even though the 24-year-old is tied down to a long-term contract, the Whites are powerless to stop him leaving if the £20m release clause is stumped up, and AFC Bournemouth are now willing to match it.

Read The Latest Liverpool Transfer News HERE

That is according to a report from 90min, which states the Cherries have agreed to meet the Leeds star's release clause, and talks are now taking place in the hope of striking an agreement with the player's camp.

However, Bournemouth may face competition for the central midfielder's signature, as Liverpool are also among the sides keen on signing him, having recently lost out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.

Jurgen Klopp is in dire need of new midfield options, owing to the fact that Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all departed, and they now have their sights set on the American.

That said, the Reds' interest only appears to be tentative at this stage, as they are yet to launch an official offer, and with Bournemouth recently agreeing to match the release clause, Klopp may have to move swiftly if he is to win the transfer race, although Adams is currently out injured with a hamstring issue.

What is Tyler Adams' salary?

The former RB Leipzig man is currently tied down to a £55k-per-week contract with Leeds, having joined the now-Championship side after impressing in the Bundesliga, and he was lauded as a "beast" by members of the media soon after his arrival.

Although the USMNT captain was unable to prevent the Whites from being relegated to the Championship, he still caught the eye with some very solid performances during his first year in England, particularly from a defensive point of view.

Over the past year, the defensive midfielder ranks in the 98th percentile for tackles, and the 97th percentile for blocks per 90, when compared to his positional peers, as per FBref, indicating he could be a fantastic alternative option to Lavia and Caicedo.

Last season, the no-nonsense midfield enforcer made 89 tackles in the Premier League, the joint-fourth highest figure in the division, far more than Lavia and only 11 fewer than Caicedo.

At just £20m, Adams could be a bargain signing this summer, so it could be wise for Liverpool to match his release clause in the next few days, as a move to Anfield would surely be his preferred destination ahead of Bournemouth.

Mahedi Hasan and Rashid Khan returned combined figures of 4 for 34 in eight overs as Comilla defended 153 and rose to second on the table

The Report by Mohammad Isam18-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRaton Gomes/BCB

Comilla Victorians’ spin duo of Mahedi Hasan and Rashid Khan returned combined figures of 4 for 34 in eight overs to fire their team to a fourth successive win in the 2017-18 BPL and rise to second spot on the table. In a match whose value shot up simply by the presence of the number of marquee names, Comilla defended a total of 153 for 6 to beat Rangpur Riders by 14 runs in font of a packed Shere Bangla National Stadium.Rangpur were severely bolstered by the arrivals of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum. But their explosive power at the top could not come to their aid in a chase of 154. Rashid, the 19-year old legspinner, struck with his second ball, trapping Gayle lbw and opening the gates, as Rangpur never quite recovered.Comilla’s innings was built around Imrul Kayes’ 32-ball 47 at the top, followed by a more sedate 41 off 34 balls from Marlon Samuels. Mashrafe Mortaza led his attack brilliantly, snaring 2 for 22 in four overs, while Thisara Perera’s 2 for 26 saw him become the Sri Lankan, after Lasith Malinga, to take 200 wickets in T20 cricket.Mashrafe calls the early shotsComilla boast a top four that can pack quite a punch, but for all their hitting prowess, Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das and Jos Buttler combined for a total of 33 runs and fell well inside the first half of their innings. Rubel Hossain struck first when he got rid of Tamim Iqbal after getting spanked for a brace of fours earlier in the over. Mashrafe then struck twice in three balls. First, Liton Das desperately charged down and swung clumsily to lose his middle stump. Then, with the second ball of his next over, Mashrafe had Buttler trapped in front of middle and off after the batsman looked to play across the line. Comilla were reduced to 55 for 3 in the ninth over.Kayes keeps Comilla tickingFrom 55 for 3, Kayes and Samuels steered them to 100, adding 45 runs for the fourth wicket. Kayes’ knock wasn’t the most convincing one, but it served its purpose and set Comilla up nicely for the slog overs. He went on to become Thisara Perera’s 200th scalp, when somelate reverse swing took out his leg stump.Samuels continued to find the boundary at timely intervals, before he too fell to Perera, reaching out to a wide yorker and nicking off to the keeper. Samuels struck four fours and a six in his knock. Mohammad Saifuddin launched the final over of the innings with a six and a four against Rubel as Comilla pinched 14 runs off it and crossed the 150 mark.Gayle and McCullum’s rocky startPerhaps the biggest talking point heading into this game was Gayle and McCullum joining forces at the top of the order for Rangpur. While the duo would make for a potent partnership on most days, Comilla chose to counter them by opening the bowling with the off-spin of Mahedi. The young offspinner pinged Gayle’s pad with the first ball he bowled to the left-hander. Though it looked dead plumb to the naked eye, umpire Ranmore Martinsez refused to budge despite Comilla desperately pleading with him. Replays later showed that the ball was heading towards Gayle’s legstump.Mahedi’s first over had cost just 1, but Brendon McCullum reversed the pressure on Comilla by crunching a six and a four in the next over, off Al-Amin Hossain. Mahedi was then denied a wicket for a second time when McCullum got down to sweep him and the ball just about shaved his legstump. Two deliveries after that, Hasan Ali had Gayle dropped off his bowling when Liton Das failed to latch on to a catch after running back. With Gayle punishing Hasan for three fours in the over, it seemed as though Comilla would be left to pay a heavy price for the lapses.Rashid, Mahedi rip through RangpurRashid Khan’s introduction immediately added a sense of eagerness to the game. The potential of a contest between two of the heaviest hitters and the opposition’s most wily bowler was exciting. Two balls were all it took for Rashid to come out on top of that one as he got one to skid into Gayle’s pads. Gayle, however, wasn’t second-time lucky as the umpire gave him out despite the ball having pitched outside leg. Two balls later, he had Kusal Perera sweeping at a googly and top-edge to backward square leg.Mahedi followed it up with a double-strike of his own in the next over. McCullum charged down to a length ball and got nowhere to the pitch of the delivery to be stumped. Shahriar Nafees had his off-stump flattened with one that gripped and turned, and Rangpur had lost four wickets in eight balls.Laboured consolidationRavi Bopara survived on 1 when Kayes couldn’t hold on to a spectacular effort at first slip. Thereafter, he and Mohammad Mithun got down to rebuilding Rangpur’s innings, although Comilla’s bowlers greatly slowed things down. By the time the partnership was broken, when Mithun drove Al-Amin Hossain straight to Tamim at extra cover, they had added 67. But in the face of a mounting required rate, the partnership did not have its desired impact, as Rangpur were left requiring 55 runs off the remaining 28 balls.

Real Betis have confirmed Isco's contract renewal with a rather bizarre video.

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• Isco extends Betis deal until 2027
• Club announce news with Ali G video
• Former Madrid star impressing in Seville

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On Thursday, Real Betis confirmed that Spanish midfielder Isco has signed a new contract with the club. The former Real Madrid man penned a deal until 2027, but Betis chose a rather unconventional way of announcing the news. Transfer and new contract announcement videos are all the rage these days, but not many feature Sacha Baron Cohen's famous character, Ali G.

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  Isco joined Betis from cross-town rivals Sevilla in the summer on a one-year deal, and has since become a mainstay in Manuel Pellegrini's side. The Ali G video was in keeping with the club's light-hearted approach to social media; earlier on Thursday, they celebrated Spain's equivalent of April Fool's Day by teasing a return of retired club legend Joaquin.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ISCO AND BETIS?

  With Betis currently seventh in the table, Isco will look to help push them into European contention when they take on Celta Vigo on January 3.

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…

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  WINNER: Inter Miami

  In 2023, there may not have been a bigger winner in global soccer than Inter Miami.

  Lionel Messi, to many the greatest soccer player to ever live, arrived in South Florida. It's still a sentence and an idea that remains hard to fathom. After so many years terrorizing the rest of the world, Messi decided his next step was to come to MLS and, more specifically, David Beckham's project on South Beach.

  That decision paid immediate dividends on the field. The club went on to lift the Leagues Cup while embarking on a run more exciting than any this league has ever seen. That stretch alone justified the hype that came with Messi's arrival and, even if they did fall just short of a spot in the MLS Playoffs, that hype will carry into 2024.

  Messi has arrived and isn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Now, Inter Miami is positioned to build itself into a superpower unlike any American soccer has ever seen. As for the rest of us, we'll just have to see what comes next.

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  LOSER: Phil Neville

  He has another big job now, so don't feel too bad for Neville. He'll be getting the chance to prove his doubters wrong by leading the Portland Timbers into 2024.

  Still, for a while there, he must have been looking at what was going on in Miami with some degree of envy. Neville must have realized how close he was to hitting the jackpot.

  Dismissed just weeks before Messi's arrival, Neville paid the price for the slow start that ultimately cost Miami a playoff spot. At the time, Miami were the worst team in MLS, and that descent happened under Neville's watch.

  Still, one has to wonder what Neville could have done if it were he, not Tata Martino, in charge of a Messi-led Miami. Comparing the group he had to the side Martino inherited is really apples and oranges, simply because the former didn't have Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

  It's safe to say Neville's time in Miami didn't go as planned, as, hampered by league punishments and roster restrictions, the Herons never really took off. Now, Neville will get a chance to prove himself in Portland, and it may just be his last chance at a high-profile job if things go south like they did on South Beach.

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  WINNER: FC Cincinnati

  It ended prematurely, but you have to give FC Cincinnati credit for what that club has built.

  From the Wooden Spoon to the Supporters' Shield, FC Cincinnati has legitimately gone from worst to first, all while turning their home stadium into a fantastic venue for soccer. That support was always there but, this year, those seated in the Bailey really had a team worth cheering, one that was as entertaining as any in the league.

  Led by MVP winner Luciano Acosta and USMNT hopeful Brandon Vazquez, FC Cincinnati had one of the best attacks in the league, even after selling star striker Brenner for a hefty transfer fee. Defensively, MLS Defender of the Year Matt Miazga was fantastic, when he wasn't stirring up trouble in the postseason.

  If the club can keep this group together, and that's a big if, Pat Noonan seems like he can build something great. There's a foundation there, one that won't let it sink back to the depths of yesteryear. Keeping Vazquez will be difficult, but Cincy is an ambitious club that can find a way to replace him.

  Overall, it was a fantastic run, even if it ended painfully in a defeat to Crew. Cincy is on the right path, and the odds are that they'll be back competing next year.

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  LOSER: Wayne Rooney & D.C. United

  When Wayne Rooney made his return to D.C. United, it felt like the club was ready to get back to its heyday. No, not the heyday of Rooney's time with the club as a player… the real heyday. For years, D.C. were a force and, with Rooney at the helm, it felt like all involved had the ambition to make that real once again.

  Now, at the end of the season, we know that didn't happen. There was no return to glory, and now there's no Rooney. He's gone, leaving D.C. at yet another crossroads.

  The team did get better this season, improving on a dismal 2022. Still, an incident of alleged racism involving their best player, Taxi Fountas, robbed Rooney of his biggest weapon, and it all went downhill from there.

  Rooney's best effort wasn't enough to make the playoffs, and it wasn't enough to convince all involved to keep the partnership going. He jolted back to England to take charge of Birmingham City while D.C. prepares for the latest rebuild.