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Newcastle United are among the clubs eyeing a move for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix this summer, according to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness.

The Magpies are reportedly joined in the race for the former Chelsea loanee's signature by Aston Villa and Manchester United.

What's the news on Joao Felix and Newcastle United?

What ever happens this summer, one thing that looks like a certainty is the end of Felix's time at Atletico Madrid. The Portugal international hasn't exactly been welcomed back from his loan spell with open arms, even being stripped of his number seven shirt, which has been given to Antoine Griezmann.

Now, as per reports in Spain, the forward has asked his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find him a new club this summer, with a move to the Premier League proving to be a particularly attractive option.

Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Manchester United are all reportedly interested and have made contact with his camp. Newcastle, in particular, certainly have the funds to make a move happen, especially given the fact they've only made one signing so far this summer, with Sandro Tonali arriving.

Felix, of course, spent the second half of last season on loan at Chelsea, where he failed to impress enough to earn a permanent move. He wasn't helped, of course, by the chaos at the club as a whole, with three different managers at various points of a campaign to forget.

By the time that his loan spell ended, Felix had scored just four Premier League goals, with no assists to his name.

Should Newcastle United sign Joao Felix?

The question comes down to whether or not Newcastle really need Felix this summer. If you look at their attack, you'd begin to lean towards the answer of no.

Whilst the Magpies will need added depth to compete on all fronts next season after qualifying for the Champions League last season, Eddie Howe already has Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson to call on when looking for a player to lead the line.

Full of praise for the Atletico Madrid man, Football Talent Scout took to Twitter with the following statistic and comment during the 2021/22 season: "No La Liga player with more than 1000 minutes has been fouled more per 90 than João Félix (4.3) this season. An absolute nightmare for defenders."

He is a handful to play against then, but Eddie Howe may have to change his system to accommodate Felix, given his strength as a false nine rather than an out-and-out striker like Wilson, for example.

So why fix what's not broken? Howe's system worked wonders last season, as the Magpies returned to the highest heights. For that system to change, it would likely have to be for a player with a better track record than Felix's over the last few years, despite all his potential and talent.

There's still plenty of time for a few twists and turns this summer, and as of right now the forward's future remains in question. Whether Newcastle decide to push ahead for a deal ahead of the forthcoming campaign remains to be seen. For now, Howe may be happy with his attacking options.

Birmingham are set to bid to be replacement hosts for the 2022 event – following Durban having the Games removed from them – and would look to include men’s cricket

George Dobell25-Apr-2017Men’s cricket could return to the Commonwealth Games as early as 2022 if Birmingham is chosen as host city.ESPNcricinfo understands that the city has been invited to bid for the Games by the UK government after Durban, which was originally scheduled to be the host city, was obliged to withdraw due to financial and political issues.Women’s cricket was already included in the Durban schedule but Neil Snowball, the Warwickshire chief executive and a member of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games bid company, has confirmed the intention to include men’s cricket, too, subject to the agreement of the ECB and ICC. The format would be T20.The games would be held at Edgbaston and at Worcestershire’s New Road home.Birmingham will not be the only city vying to step-in as hosts. Cities in Canada, Malaysia and Australia are all expected to apply, while Liverpool have also confirmed their interest. Liverpool are not thought likely to include cricket among the sporting events.Birmingham does have a couple of considerable advantages, though. As part of their bid to host the Games in 2026, they hired an independent company (Origin Sports) to put together a feasibility study that is understood to confirm their readiness for the event while, unlike some rival candidates, the city already has the vast majority of the venues – including the Alexander Stadium, Edgbaston, Villa Park, and the National Indoor Arena – required to host such an event in working order. The city does currently lack a 50m swimming pool, though one is scheduled to be opened in 2021.Applications for the bid have to be received by the UK government by April 28 with a decision made by the end of July.While the ECB has previously given their support for the idea of cricket returning to the Games, the support of the ICC cannot yet be guaranteed. India are scheduled to be the tourists to England in 2022, which might render their involvement more likely, but it is far from impossible that individual Commonwealth members could opt out of the Games even if the ICC grant their approval. England did not send a team on the only previous time cricket was included in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998. On that occasion South Africa defeated Australia in the final.Cricket is not currently one of the mandatory events incorporated into the Commonwealth Games but is on the list of optional sports that host cities have the power to add to their staging of the event as they see fit and with the support of the relevant sport’s governing body.The Commonwealth Games might also be considered a stepping-stone towards cricket returning to the Olympics. Rugby 7s followed a similar route, appearing in the 1998 Commonwealth Games and progressing to the Olympics in 2016.”It’s an obvious stepping-stone,” Snowball told ESPNcricinfo, “and, subject to ICC and ECB approval, we hope we can progress this four years earlier than we originally anticipated.”We feel we have a very strong bid. Usually cities have seven years to prepare to host such an event, but we are certain we can deliver an outstanding Games in 2022 that includes men’s and women’s cricket.”

India and Pakistan have a storied rivalry, but recent contests in global tournaments have been one-sided in India’s favour. Will the latest chapter in the tale be a gripping one?

The Preview by Sidharth Monga03-Jun-2017Match factsJune 4, 2017
Start time 10.30am local (0930 GMT)
3:11

Fleming: In-form Wahab Riaz inspires everyone

Big pictureSomewhere between what many see as a war and players say is just another game, somewhere between a classic and a dud, somewhere between a non-international becoming massive organically and the ICC planning draws to make sure this cash cow is flogged at every world event, lies the hard-to-define, often mundane but sometimes magical India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, which renews itself in the teams’ first game of the 2017 Champions Trophy.Aside from the heightened nationalism surrounding it, this match comes with less baggage than India-Pakistan fixtures of old. Largely because Pakistan have fallen behind, the last five “big” matches between these sides – 2012 World T20, 2013 Champions Trophy, 2014 World T20, 2015 World Cup 2015 and 2016 World T20 – have been quite one-sided. There were flashes of competition in their last ICC encounter, but few are expecting a high-quality thriller. There are no chances of an anti-climax, because the bar is set low.Once the – a collective term for Indian and Pakistani expats – enter Edgbaston, though, they will transform this match from being just another match. In 2009, when Pakistan and India played a World T20 at The Oval, the atmosphere there was more electric than the tournament final. Expect more.On the field, Pakistan will look to catch a team that has had other issues on the hop. The last time there was such unrest between an India coach and the senior players – as we are being told – was in the 2007 World Cup. There is bound to be insecurity in the camp, with people looking over their shoulders, but sometimes a high-profile cricket match forces players to put their energies in the same direction.Pakistan’s challenge is more cricketing. They have fallen behind Bangladesh in terms of being in touch with modern limited-overs cricket. Pakistan’s Test cricket has coped, but limited-overs cricket is where their isolation has hurt them the most. The PSL is the youngest of the T20 leagues, and their players don’t get too many contracts in other leagues. They are not part of the conversation. They are not always abreast with the latest tactics, which are ephemeral in modern limited-overs cricket. Once innovators, Pakistan have been left behind. They will need every bit of regeneration, and unrest in the other camp, to beat an opponent they have beaten only four times in their last 15 attempts.Form guideIndia LWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WWLLL
In the spotlightNot that there was any danger he would not get it, but now more than ever Virat Kohli will be in the spotlight. In 10 ODIs, he has scored two hundreds against Pakistan, averaging 41.44. In 14 ODIs in England, he has one century and an average of 38.54. Acceptable numbers, but not quite in the stratosphere that Kohli exists elsewhere and against other opponents. Add to it the attention he has attracted through his role in the appointment of India’s next coach.Higher the par score the smaller the chance Pakistan have of winning. Against the top-eight teams, they have won only once in the last 13 times their bowlers have conceded over 250. While a lot depends on conditions, the one force that can keep the par score down is Pakistan’s bowling. In Australia, their last series again a top-eight opponent, they lost all the high-scoring games, and won only when their bowlers bowled Australia out for 220. Even then they sweated in the chase. If Pakistan are to cause an upset, their bowlers will have to do it.Team newsIn a rare occurrence, India have four deserving fast bowlers to choose from to fill two or three spots. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav all have legitimate claims to make the XI. The last time India faced Pakistan in an ODI, Umesh and Shami did the job, but Bhuvneshwar has a great record against them and Bumrah is a special death bowler. There will be a temptation to play all four, and Hardik Pandya as the seam allrounder.India (possible) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9, 10 and 11 three out of R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh YadavAzhar Ali, who was removed as Pakistan captain recently, might struggle in the modern game, but the overcast weather forecast might call for an old-fashioned opener. Shadab Khan’s legspin will be tempting, but Pakistan might go for the extra batting of Faheem Ashraf.Pakistan (possible) 1 Azhar Ali, 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Wahab Riaz/Junaid Khan, 11 Hasan AliPitch and conditionsThe pitches at Edgbaston are true, as seen in the match between Australia and New Zealand, but the overhead conditions matter more. The initial forecast was for showers in the morning and afternoon, but that seems to have improved.Stats and trivia In five ODIs against Pakistan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar averages 21.55 and concedes runs at 4.21 an over, compared to career numbers of 39.62 and 4.95. Shoaib Malik fancies India. He averages close to 50 against them, as against a career average of 35.50. However, it has been four years since he played India, having missed the 2015 World Cup. India last lost to Pakistan in an ICC event in the 2009 Champions Trophy. Both these sides hold a negative record against top-eight sides since the last World Cup: India have won nine and lost 12, Pakistan have won six and lost 18. India, though, have better stats against top eight sides in this period. Their batting average is better (38.9 to 31.9), their batting strike rate is better (5.89 to 5.39), and their bowling average is better (37.55 to 44.36). Only their bowling economy is marginally worse: 5.97 to 5.96. Junaid Khan has bowled 22 balls to Kohli in ODIs for two runs and three wickets. All three dismissals came in the 2012-13 series in India.Quotes”If you perform in an India-Pakistan match, you become a hero.”
“Nothing different, to be honest. I know it sounds pretty boring, but this is exactly what we feel as cricketers. We’re not saying anything different to what we feel.”

Southampton are now just three weeks away from beginning their first season in the Championship since 2011-12, yet there are still question marks over a number of first-team players, including both Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento.

What players are Southampton selling?

With a host of Premier League clubs, it is tough to see how either Lavia or Livramento will still be at St Mary's come the end of the transfer window on September 1.

Perhaps a more pressing matter is that of the future of captain James Ward-Prowse, who continues to be linked with Premier League pair Fulham and West Ham United.

While players of Lavia and Livramento's quality come and go – a stark reality for a team outside of the elite – replacing Ward-Prowse could be even tougher.

That is down not only to the unique set-piece ability he brings to the side, but also his leadership qualities. After spending more than a decade as a regular, the past three of those years as captain, Ward-Prowse would leave a huge void to be filled.

However, it was recently suggested by talkSPORT that former Saints defender Jose Fonte could return to the club this summer, and that now looks an even stronger possibility after Lille president Olivier Letang confirmed the Portuguese is set to leave the Ligue 1 side.

Is Jose Fonte a good option for Southampton?

Fonte made close to 300 appearances for Southampton across a seven-year spell at St Mary's that came to an end in January 2017 when moving to West Ham.

The 50-cap Portugal international spent two-and-a-half years as captain of the Saints, meaning he is a natural ready-made replacement for Ward-Prowse in that regard should he return.

Indeed, he continued to prove a real figurehead when moving to West Ham, with goalkeeper Darren Randolph hailing him as a "leader". "He is loud and vocal and organises well," Randolph added.

Southampton have plenty of quality in their ranks for new manager Russell Martin to call upon, but they do not possess many capable of stepping up and leading in the way of Fonte, who Capology claims is on wages of £28,000 a week at Lille.

Being able to bark out instructions is one thing; having the quality to perform in the Championship at the age of 39 is another. However, Fonte started 30 games for Lille in Ligue 1 last season, suggesting he is more than capable of playing regularly despite his advancing years.

In fact, Fonte ranked in the top 12% of all centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues for passes attempted last season (68.72 per 90), as per FBref, and in the top 11% in terms of pass completion (90%).

That ability to pass the ball out from the back is a huge plus given that is exactly what Martin was after during his time as Swansea City head coach.

In terms of the more defensive metrics, Fonte won two aerial duels per game in Ligue 1 last season, as per WhoScored, which compares to 2.1 for Saints centre-back regular Jan Bednarek in the Premier League.

Fonte's team-high 3.5 clearances per game, meanwhile, was bettered by only three Southampton players who started 10 league matches or more.

While he may not be the colossus he was six years ago, Fonte showed last season he is still capable of doing a job at a high level. That, combined with his leadership qualities, make his arrival on a free transfer a no-brainer.

Arsenal continue to be linked with plenty of new potential summer additions, despite having already enjoyed a fruitful window of extravagant purchases. It seems Mikel Arteta will stop at nothing to ensure his side topple Manchester City in the coming season.

Is Axel Disasi joining Arsenal?

Their latest transfer conquest is denoted through a report by The Sun, who suggested over the weekend that despite Manchester United's desperation to sign Axel Disasi, the Gunners are one of two clubs ready to hijack such a move with a late bid.

With it also suggested that AS Monaco may be open to selling, this has likely put plenty of Europe's elite on high alert given the pedigree of the star centre-back.

The French outfit will look to command a £34m fee for his services, despite the 25-year-old only being valued at €20.1m (£17m) by Football Transfers.

How good is Axel Disasi?

Whilst it is easy to assume that the acquisition of a defender will help make a side more solid, in the modern-day climate it often has much farther-reaching repercussions that span across the whole team.

After all, centre-backs nowadays often pride themselves on their ability to stride out from the back with confidence, showcasing their newfound technical finesse to pass into midfield or out wide.

Attacks are forged from the back four, and within Arteta's system, such a claim is only emphasised.

Inverting his full-backs helps them to control the midfield, and thus the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes become the first line of creativity, who must find a key operator in space who can then do the damage further up the field.

Fortunately, in Disasi, the Spanish head coach would obtain the perfect forward-thinking stalwart to underpin his philosophy.

Especially considering, when compared against other centre-backs across Europe, the France international sits in the top 4% for progressive carries and progressive passes per 90 and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

That's not to suggest he abandons his defensive duties though, as last term in Ligue 1 he maintained 1.5 interceptions and a mammoth 2.9 clearances per game too, via Sofascore. It is, therefore, no surprise to see him branded as a "complete & dominant CB" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, given the latter figure would have ranked him third among Arsenal's squad last term.

With the 6 foot 3 ace striding into space, and boasting the requisite skillset to then find a man, someone of Declan Rice's quality, when dropping in to receive the ball, would surely benefit.

The England international has been evolving with each passing year at West Ham United, with last campaign seeing him bolster his creative figures. Six goal contributions and one key pass per game in the Premier League emphasise this (via Sofascore), which are figures only certain to improve under Arteta's tutelage.

With his new manager likely teaching him ways to operate between the lines he had never thought of, he could take his ball progression to new heights, especially with the quality of service Disasi would provide.

As someone who rarely accepts progressive passes, rather preferring to provide them himself, adding this facet to his game could see Rice become a truly world-class talent capable of propelling his new team to the title.

When compared against other midfielders across Europe, he ranks in the top 15% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 20% for progressive passes per 90. On the turn, the athletic 6 foot 1 star would be unstoppable, with the potential defensive signing in question set to kickstart the change that makes him a truly dominant and unplayable asset from the middle of the park.

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s (TNCA) executive committee has nominated N Srinivasan to be the state association’s representative at the BCCI’s special general meeting on Monday (June 26) in Mumbai

Arun Venugopal23-Jun-2017The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s (TNCA) executive committee has nominated N Srinivasan to be the state association’s representative at the BCCI’s special general meeting on Monday (June 26) in Mumbai. According to a TNCA official, he is also slated to attend the state associations’ meetings with the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Sunday.Srinivasan, the former BCCI and ICC chief, currently stands disqualified from the role of TNCA president, but is a member of the association’s executive committee.It is unclear if Srinivasan is eligible to attend the meetings given the precedent established in April when the Supreme Court blocked his unlikely return to the boardrooms of the ICC. While the BCCI was inclined to nominate him as its representative for the ICC meetings, the CoA made it clear that any such move needed the Supreme Court’s approval.The Supreme Court subsequently halted Srinivasan’s comeback by observing that there was a “cloud” hanging over his integrity.The Supreme Court and the COA had then warned that office-bearers disqualified under the Lodha Committee recommendations could not attend BCCI meetings. Srinivasan was disqualified after being found ineligible on two counts: he was over 70 years of age and had completed nine years as an office-bearer at both the TNCA and the BCCI, thereby violating the judgment of July 2016, which had approved the recommendations of the Lodha Committee.The CoA is yet to respond to ESPNcricinfo’s queries regarding Srinivasan’s eligibility to attend Monday’s SGM.Srinivasan’s most recent public appearance came on June 19, when he felicitated the Tamil Nadu team that had won the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Deodhar Trophy in the 2016-17 domestic season.

The ICC’s code of conduct has come under scathing criticism from former South Africa captain Graeme Smith after Kagiso Rabada’s swearing at Ben Stokes

Firdose Moonda at Lord's08-Jul-20171:07

Rabada aggression part of cricket – Bavuma

Kagiso Rabada, the South Africa fast bowler who will miss next week’s second Test at Trent Bridge, is said to be “heartbroken” to have let down his team, according to his team-mate Temba Bavuma, after he was served with an automatic suspension by the ICC for accumulating four demerit points.Rabada earned one demerit point for swearing at Ben Stokes after dismissing him for 56 in England’s first innings, on top of three he already had for a shove on Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella in an ODI in January.”KG is quite an emotional character,” said Bavuma. “The way he acted – he didn’t act like that on purpose. He was aware of the consequences. It was just in the heat of the moment. He is quite heartbroken as he feels he has let down the team.”On the thorny issue of sledging, Bavuma added: “It’s something I have had to endure from schoolboy cricket days. I see it as part and parcel of cricket.”There’s a fine balance that needs to be achieved. You don’t want it to be completely taken away but you still want the respect of the game to be there. A balance needs to be achieved.”The ICC’s code of conduct has come under scathing criticism from former South Africa captain Graeme Smith who disagreed strongly with the decision.Though Smith understood the sanction was based on collective, not isolated incidents, he did not think the expletive uttered by Rabada, which was picked up on the stump mic, should have been punished that harshly.”It’s ridiculous,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo. “No-one wrote about it, no-one spoke about it. It was only because it was on the stump mic that it’s become a thing.”The incident occurred on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s when Rabada dismissed Stokes and told him to “f*** off”, something Smith thought was not serious enough to earn Rabada another demerit point.”It could have been handled better. I don’t think it was aimed at Ben Stokes. I just think it was out of frustration. If it wasn’t picked up by the stump mics he wouldn’t have been done,” Smith said on .”There is obviously a line that the ICC have drawn and we need to stay on the right side of it,” said England’s James Anderson.”When I watch games, I like having the stump mic there. It’s the players’ duty to be aware that is there and they turn it up quite loud sometimes.”

Liverpool are firmly in contention to sign Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha with pivot Fabinho closing in on a £40m move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Itihadd.

Is Joao Palhinha leaving Fulham?

According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Reds are 'most keen' on the Portugal international as they seek fresh faces to reassemble their midfield.

Tavolieri claims that the Cottagers are seeking in excess of £52m for the ace, with certain sources claiming that a jaw-dropping £90m might even be the requirement to prise him away from Marco Silva's squad.

Reliable source ExWHUEmployee claims that the 28-year-old wants a move to the Hammers, though it's hard to imagine he would turn his head at a move to Anfield if Jurgen Klopp decides to advance negotiations.

Is Joao Palhinha a good player?

Having lost James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to contractual conclusions last month, Klopp might not have wanted to lose such a distinguished star as Fabinho despite the Brazilian's poor performances last season, especially when partnering with captain Jordan Henderson's forthcoming and highly-publicised move to Saudi side Al Ettifaq.

While The Athletic recently posted a report summarising Liverpool's top targets, Palhinha could prove to be the ace best-placed to unlock the full capacity of this talented Liverpool team, it just remains to be seen if a reasonable fee could be negotiated for a player with four years left on his current deal.

The metrics certainly don't do the £50k-per-week gem any harm, with FBref ranking the "machine" – as he has been called by teammate Harrison Reed – among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 12% for clearances and the top 8% for aerials won per 90.

Completing a £17m transfer to London last summer, Sky Sports reporter James Weir even went as far as to say that he had been "one of the signings of the season" after playing a starring role in Fulham's tenth-placed finish after achieving promotion that term.

It would be ludicrous for Liverpool to not attempt to sign the phenom, especially considering the Anfield side's past success in raiding teams of lesser stature in the Premier League under Klopp's wing.

Of recent years, the prime example is the £41m acquisition of dynamic attacker Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, with Palhinha's compatriot harvesting 58 direct contributions from 117 matches since his arrival, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

The 26-year-old has been hailed as a "pressing monster" by Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders and was instrumental in the side's vital late-season purple patch last term, scoring seven goals across the last eight league encounters.

With the Portuguese star making the successful leap to a side capable of challenging for major honours with regularity, perhaps Palhinha can join his countryman and make a marked improvement on the Merseyside club's central midfield.

Liverpool must now act in order to get the Anfield masses cheering again, and with Palhinha's signing, the perfect foundation for Klopp's new-look midfield might just be installed.

The summer transfer window is all about patience. Whether that be when waiting for a club to bring in reinforcements, or then waiting for those reinforcements to find their feet.

Things can't always instantly click, and that's when a sense of calm needs to be projected by those in charge at the club.

Of course, in an ideal world, the player who has just cost a club a likely absurd amount would make an instant impact. And this can sometimes be the case, too. Just look at Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool, who helped bring silverware to Anfield as a direct consequence of his arrival.

In cases such as Kai Havertz and Arsenal, however, patience may be needed. In a new side, which operates contrastingly differently to former club Chelsea, Havertz may need time to settle in but has already faced criticism in the media.

Mikel Arteta has been quick to keep calm about the forward, too, even commenting on his physicality.

What did Mikel Arteta say about Kai Havertz?

Speaking to the press recently, Arteta said (via Goal): "We have to find the right balance but a year ago Granit could never play as an attacking midfielder. It's the first time we played with four players inside and three of them had never played together, ever. So: tranquilo.

"Day by day, keep doing the right things and give people the opportunity to settle in and we will be fine. You use the word 'physical' but if I put Granit and Kai [together] who is more physical? Granit? Yeah? Havertz is 1.91 metres.

"It depends what physical is. Physical is to run, to run in behind, run forward, to tackle, to defend. He will fit in with the qualities we have for sure and the good thing is that we have options in midfield. When we want a game to become more physical we have the options to be very, very physical so we have the right options."

How many goals did Kai Havertz score in his Chelsea career?

To say that Havertz's Chelsea career didn't live up to the hype would be quite the understatement. Of course, the German will forever have his place in Blues history after scoring the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final to defeat fellow Premier League side Manchester City, but he never really progressed after that.

In total, during his time at Stamford Bridge, Havertz scored just 32 goals in 139 appearances. For a player used as a striker more often than not, that record simply wasn't good enough.

With that said, it came as a slight surprise when Arsenal so willingly splashed out a reported £65m for his signature this summer, but fans of the North London club will trust Arteta's plan – especially as he appears likely to be reimagined as a midfielder and not a striker.

The former Chelsea man has already shown glimpses of what he is capable of, scoring his first goal for the club in a recent 5-0 thrashing of MLS All-Stars.

Havertz will hope to have finally found the place to realise his potential in England's top flight, as Arsenal attempt to compete for the Premier League title, and more, next season.

The Gunners will certainly be an interesting watch.

Virat Kohli felt India ticked most boxes during the course of a dominating win in Galle

Sidharth Monga in Galle29-Jul-20171:43

Agarkar: The gulf between both sides stood exposed

Away Test wins rarely come any easier than the one for India in Galle. Ever since Shikhar Dhawan was dropped on the first morning – Asela Gunaratne injuring himself out of the series in trying to catch him – this Test for India was about as tough as an arrack joint in Sri Lanka. The toss was won, runs were scored and scored at a frenetic pace, the wickets were taken, more runs piled on, and then India’s biggest away win was sealed on the fourth evening.It was a near-perfect Test for India, but they would have wanted to finish it much earlier by not letting Sri Lanka’s lower-middle order score runs. In the first innings, Sri Lanka’s last four wickets added 148, in the second 129. Victorious captain Virat kohli identified that as an area of improvement to target.”There are still some areas that we want to look back and try to improve upon; especially when you get four-five wickets and not letting the lower order to get away with the few runs in the later half of the innings,” Kohli said. “It’s something that we can still identify and work on in the next two games as well.”But all in all, I think, playing Test cricket – February [the Australia series ended in March] is when we last played Test cricket – and from then, having played so much one-day cricket and not having the time to prepare so much in between… I think from that point of view it was good to get back into the groove and do things that are supposed to be done to win a Test match.”Amid this glut of one-day cricket, it was easy to forget what a poor series Kohli had the last time he played Tests, against Australia. It was a welcome return to red-ball runs for him as he scored a century while setting up the declaration, but Kohli said he wasn’t even conscious of that series against Australia.”I wasn’t looking at things from that point of view,” he said. “I think people on the outside start counting the number of innings when a batsman doesn’t score well, but for us as batsman or anyone playing in the XI, it’s all about what the team wants at that particular situation. And you end up scoring runs as well plus you end up helping team also.”I think the second innings required us to play more positively, and I am glad I was able to do that along with Abhinav [Mukund] to get us enough time to get the opposition out and enough runs on the board for us to feel comfortable. Yeah, I wasn’t certainly looking at things like how many innings I haven’t scored because when you are playing all formats, you don’t think which format you have not scored runs in how many innings. You can’t utilise so much energy in that.”Energy here was utilised in taking wickets because the pitch was really flat. “The last time when we played here the surface offered much more to the bowlers,” Kohli said. “It kept the bowlers in the game throughout, the quicks and the spinners more so. This time around the wicket was really good to bat on even till today. I mean if you applied yourself, you could easily score runs on that surface.”So, yeah, we had to work hard for getting all the wickets that we did. I think the bowlers came up with different plans, persisted with them long enough to get those breakthroughs and that’s something that always helps at the beginning of a series, to get a victory on a surface which is not offering much and that really gives the team the confidence of doing it once more if we get a surface like that.”More confidence is drawn from having found Hardik Pandya as the allrounder to give them the balance. “First innings, he didn’t get opportunity to bowl much but I think in the second innings, he bowled really nicely on a wicket that wasn’t offering much and he kept it in the right areas,” Kohli said of Pandya. “He used the bouncer well. He bowls around 135, when he bends his back he can go higher. So he is a great asset and I have mentioned this before as well.”And specially his batting. Otherwise we would have been 540-550 in the first innings. He got 50 quickly and that saves you time as well. That gives you another 15 overs to bowl at the opposition. And his fielding is also tremendous. I have a lot of faith in him as far as any format is concerned. Test cricket, he has got the technique. He is a really good batsman. You might not look at it precisely but we understand how much he can bring to the table, and I surely have a lot of faith in him that he will be able to perform on any surface on which he plays.”Kohli hoped Pandya will be able to contribute to India in a measure similar to Ben Stokes for England. “When you play away from home, one guy [allrounder] gives you a lot of balance, and I think Hardik can be that guy going ahead, specially playing so much cricket away from home,” Kohli said. “If he grows in confidence – you see someone like Ben Stokes, what he does for England. Brings in great balance as an allrounder. I see no reason why Hardik Pandya can’t become that for India.”