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Erik ten Hag has set his sights on adding another one or two players to his Manchester United squad before the summer window slams shut in a couple of weeks.

Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount have already joined the Old Trafford side and although there is the need for another defender, especially if Harry Maguire departs in the next few days, Ten Hag could also be tempted to sign a midfielder.

A Premier League star has been linked, and it appears as though the Red Devils are ready to make the next step to securing his signature.

Who do Man United want to sign this summer?

According to The Guardian, United look set to make an approach to Everton with regard to a potential deal for Amadou Onana.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

The Belgian only joined the Toffees from French side Lille last year, with the Merseyside club reluctant to sell this summer.

Sean Dyche would only entertain bids of over £50m as per the report and Everton are under no pressure to sell one of their prized assets so soon after arriving in the Premier League.

Who has played for both Man United and Everton?

United have endured mixed success by signing players from Everton throughout the previous 20 years.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini didn’t quite live up to expectations during their spell in Manchester, yet Wayne Rooney was arguably Sir Alex Ferguson’s finest signing.

Rooney joined the Red Devils aged just 18 having shone at the 2004 European Championships for England, yet it was his breakthrough at Everton which convinced Ferguson to make the move ahead of the 2004/05 season.

A debut hat trick set the tone for what would turn into a glory laden 13 years at Old Trafford, netting 253 goals in total. As it happens, Ten Hag could repeat United's Rooney masterclass by managing to convince Onana that a move along the M62 would be the best for his development.

The 21-year-old showcased his impressive defensive abilities from the heart of the Everton midfield as he was arguably one of their few bright sparks in an utterly woeful campaign that nearly culminated in their relegation.

He ranked third across the squad for tackles per game (2.2) and also finished in the top five for interceptions (1.1) and lost possession just 7.7 times per game, one of the lowest totals in the team.

Hailed as a “tenacious tackler” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Belgian certainly could add that extra bit of bite into the United midfield and make them more formidable.

Winning a total of 4.2 ground duels – at a success rate of 59% – undoubtedly backs up this praise from Kulig and although potentially costing in excess of £50m, it would be a wise investment for not only the upcoming season, but for the next five to ten years.

Rooney arrived at Old Trafford under undue pressure to succeed and he more than repaid the club’s investment.

Onana may offer totally different qualities to that of the former forward, but he can still have a similar sort of impact by arriving in Manchester.

It appeared Jake Ball’s chances of playing the first Test had disappeared when he rolled his ankle in Adelaide, but he could still pip Craig Overton to the final bowling slot

George Dobell in Townsville17-Nov-2017

Jake Ball is giving himself “a great chance to play” in the first Ashes Test, according to England’s assistant coach, Paul Farbrace.Ball looked as if he had slipped out of contention after he sustained a sprained ankle while bowling in the first innings of England’s warm-up match in Adelaide last week. He subsequently left the ground on crutches and was seen wearing a ‘moon boot’ in the last couple of days.Now Farbrace has revealed that the “aggressive” manner in which England’s medical team treated Ball’s injury – which was diagnosed as strained ligaments in his right ankle – might have made it appear worse than it actually is and that he retains realistic hopes of playing in the first Test at the Gabba that starts next Thursday.To that end, he appeared as a substitute fielder in Townsville on Friday and, between further stints as a substitute, will bowl 15 overs in the nets on Saturday in an attempt to prove his fitness.”We wanted Ball to get some time in the field,” Farbrace said. “If he’s going to be available to play next week, he has to spend some time on the field. So we told the umpires Alastair Cook has an upset stomach – and he does have a slightly upset stomach – so Ball can get on the field.”He bowled in the nets today and he will bowl 15 overs in the nets tomorrow. He therefore gives himself a great chance to play next week. He is absolutely, definitely in the mix for the first Test.”England were clearly impressed by Ball in the opening days of the tour. He was, James Anderson apart, the most impressive of the bowlers in Perth where he generated decent pace – Jonny Bairstow, the keeper, said he was the quickest of the England bowlers – and hit a perfect length. It does appear that, if he can prove his fitness, he may be England’s first choice option for the fourth seamer spot.James Anderson also bowled in the nets on Friday and is expected to bowl 15 overs in the nets on Saturday. “We’ve no doubts about him,” Farbrace said.Ball’s re-emergence as an option would appear to spell bad news for Craig Overton. Overton has bowled increasingly well on the tour so far, mixing decent control with a sharp bouncer. England experimented with him bowling round the wicket with a leg gully, short leg and two men out for the hook towards the close on Friday evening and, although it proved an expensive spell, he generated sharp pace from a docile surface.He has had something of a nightmare with the bat, though, thereby losing one of his potential advantages over Ball. Overton was dismissed first ball on Friday, meaning he has been out for a duck in each of his three innings on this tour.”It was a pretty awful dismissal,” Farbrace said. “It was a short ball he should have hit over the trees. But he’s turned it into short leg’s box. Not ideal. You can’t say he’s out of form as he’s only faced 13 balls in three innings.”But he’s here for his bowling – which has been outstanding – and any runs he contributes is a bonus.”Farbrace was not especially impressed by England’s cricket on Friday. While Dawid Malan completed his first century in an England shirt and the side passed 500, Farbrace was disappointed by a series of “soft” dismissals that saw them lost five wickets for 38 runs at one stage.”It was a bit of a mixed day,” he said. “We’ve had two really good days but today we’ve slipped a fraction from the standards we would have expected. We got ourselves in a good position in the game but in terms of going into next week we have not quite been as good as we could have been.”There were one or two soft dismissals. The lads have worked hard – they’re not machines; they make mistakes – so perhaps it’s a good timely reminder that we have to be on our game all the time. It’s quite a good reminder with the Test starting next week that we’ve got to be fully focused every day and every session.”

Over two weeks of heavy rain in the city meant that the deciding T20I between the two teams was abandoned without even a toss

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2017The deciding T20I between Australia and India in Hyderabad was abandoned as a result of a wet outfield. Over two weeks of heavy rain leading up to the match meant the ground had taken in a lot of water. And even though there was at least two hours of clear weather before the first ball was due, the groundstaff were unable to make good enough progress for the game to begin.In fact, when the umpires went out for their inspection they found that some patches of turf were so soggy that large divots were created when they dug their heels in. It was reported that the pitch, the square and even the bowler’s run-ups were relatively fine but certain areas beyond the 30-yard circle were unsafe. As a result, play was called off at approximately 8.30 pm and the series ended with a 1-1 scoreline.”We are all very upset,” a member of the groundstaff said. “It has been raining for 21 days in a row now. There is no way we can fight against nature or God.” According to sources, pedestal fans had been used on the eve of the match to dry the outfield.While the official did not want to comment on the drainage facilities in the ground, there are murmurs about the fact that there are only enough covers to protect the square and that the majority of the ground ends up unguarded in the event of rain.

Billy Sharp has explained why he ended up angering Wrexham fans and butting heads with Phil Parkinson at the end of a fiery FA Cup clash.

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Blades pushed all the way by Red DragonsReplay required at Bramall LaneTempers threatened to boil overWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Sheffield United striker lined up against the Red Dragons in the fourth round of the 2022-23 FA Cup. The Blades survived a serious scare at SToK Racecourse and snatched a dramatic last-gasp winner in an action-packed replay at Bramall Lane. Sharp was the man to net the decisive goal and made headlines for his antics afterwards – as he gestured towards the away support and became involved in a heated argument with Wrexham boss Parkinson.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT SHARP SAID ABOUT WREXHAM

Explaining how all of that happened, Sharp has told : “People know what I’m like with fans – I take a lot, I give a lot. It’s part of the game. Without fans, football is nothing. Wrexham fans were in full noise that day and they were brilliant. They were loud, got right behind their team and it was a proper FA Cup tie over the two legs. I’m the Sheffield United captain, the FA Cup means a lot to me personally. I wanted to win. I could see how much Wrexham players, fans, everything wanted to win. I didn’t want that happening on our patch when I was responsible for my team that day. A few things happened. First leg, one of our lads got sent off, got provoked. We scored in the last minute when they thought they’d won it. There were other things in the press. The documentary, everyone wanted Wrexham to go on this run. I wanted to get to the semi-final of the FA Cup, as we eventually did, to play at Wembley, which I had never done before."

Sharp went on to say of how he came into confrontation with Parkinson, and how Wrexham’s star striker was happy to shrug off the entire incident: “I went over to my mum, my dad, wife, kids, my friends, as I normally do. I blow my kids a kiss, getting coins, having a bit of banter. I do a little crying gesture to the Wrexham fans – which I could have done a lot worse. Parky comes running over – ‘What are you saying!’ He is giving it loads because I’m having a bit of banter and his team has just got knocked out, I’m happy we’ve gone through and spoiled the underdog story. I’ve had a bit of beef with Parky before. No grudge. There was no need for him to get involved after the game. He was trying to look out for his fans. Then Paul Mullin came across, that was fine and had a bit of banter with him. [Ben] Tozer was giving it all game. Not just me, most of the players.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Sharp’s antics ended up earning him a cameo in the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney offering their take on proceedings, while the 37-year-old frontman has been linked with a shock move to North Wales after leaving MLS side the LA Galaxy as a free agent.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SHARP?

It remains to be seen where Sharp will next be playing his football, but a sensational switch to Wrexham is a possibility after his departure from MLS. It would be interesting to see what kind of reception he would receive in North Wales after his FA Cup antics.

Mauricio Pochettino expects Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia to be available for Chelsea in the near future.

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• Blues still waiting on pair to make debuts
• Forward and midfielder struggling with injuries
• Will not be available for match against Man Utd

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite positive updates prior to the most recent international break, Nkunku and Lavia are yet to make their debuts for the Blues since joining from RB Leipzig and Southampton, respectively, in the summer. Nkunku sustained an injury during a pre-season friendly, while Lavia has been struggling with an ankle injury since his move to Stamford Bridge.

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  WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

  Pochettino said Nkunku would not be available for Wednesday's match against Manchester United, adding: "Hope soon. He is not involved tomorrow… I think it is like we always tell you, it's about assessing day by day. Sometimes we become excited when we see on the pitch and we want to have the player as soon as possible but I think we need to be careful and of course when he is ready he is going to be really strong."

  Asked about Lavia's prospects of being named in the matchday squad, Pochettino said: "Romeo is doing well also but like Christopher is not going to be involved."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea are eagerly awaiting both players' first competitive appearances in west London after their big-money moves. Lavia was snapped up for an initial £53 million ($68m) from Southampton after he snubbed interest from Liverpool, while forward Nkunku was bought for the same price from German side Leipzig.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NKUNKU AND LAVIA?

  The pair will miss out on Chelsea's midweek trip to face United at Old Trafford and it is not yet known if they will be available when the Blues make the trip to Merseyside to take on Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.

Chelsea have already waved goodbye to a number of first-team regulars this summer, with more set to follow in the coming days as part of a mass squad overhaul.

While the likes of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Manchester United-bound Mason Mount will be missed, others have either had less of an impact at Stamford Bridge (Kalidou Koulibaly) or simply have not played as much of late (N'Golo Kante).

One player who very much will be missed should he move on this window is long-serving captain Cesar Azpilicueta, who has once again been linked with the exit after an 11-year stay at the club, during which time he has won every trophy on offer.

Amid claims personal terms have already been agreed between Azpilicueta and Inter on a two-year deal, The Sun reports new Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino is willing to let the defender leave for a nominal fee – or indeed, for free.

That is because Pochettino is already happy with the options he has available at right-back, with Reece James hopeful his injury issues are behind him, while Malo Gusto is now part of the squad after signing from Lyon in a £26m deal in January.

James will start the new Premier League season as Pochettino's first choice down the right, but Gusto showed last season at Lyon – whom he re-joined in January on loan for the remainder of the 2022/23 season – that he may well have a big part to play this season for the Blues.

Who is Chelsea full-back Malo Gusto?

Gusto spent two seasons as a first-team regular for Lyon, racking up 51 Ligue 1 appearances since the start of 2021/22 and catching the eye with his attacking play down the flank.

As pointed out by Football.london writer Bobby Vincent, the 20-year-old "is very dangerous going forward" and also "has an eye for a cross". That is very much reflected in the stats, with his 6.55 crosses per 90 minutes last season very similar to the number recorded by James at Chelsea (6.59), as per FBref.

There are other similarities between the pair, too, as they also completed a similar number of passes per 90 minutes last season (64.6 for James, 66.2 for Gusto) and also won a near-identical number of tackles (1.45 v 1.47), suggesting the France U21 international will be a good fit for Chelsea.

Using FBref's player comparison tool, there is a full-back even more alike Gusto in terms of their statistical profiles: Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies.

The pair won a similar number of tackles per 90 last season (48.8% for Gusto, compared to 46.2% for Davies), hit the target from a similar number of shots (42.9% v 42.1%) and registered blocks at a similar rate (1.24 v 1.23).

They also had the majority of their touches in the middle third of the field (43.6 v 40.2) – highlighting where they spend most of their time – and played 4.80 and 4.85 passes into the final third per 90 respectively.

Whether it is the next Davies that Chelsea have signed or a younger version of James, it is clear that Gusto is a talented player who is capable of challenging for a first-team place once Azpilicueta's exit is finally sanctioned.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said that on a pitch that did not provide a lot of assistance the side needed a bowler who could create opportunities, something Neil Wagner had done consistently

Firdose Moonda in Dunedin08-Mar-2017New Zealand’s brains trust may have spent Tuesday night sleepless as they mulled over which bowler to bench, in order to accommodate two spinners in their XI at the University Oval. In the end, they left out vice-captain Tim Southee, who has not been dropped in five years since India 2012, in a move that blind-sided everyone including the opposition.”I was surprised because he is their trump card. He and Boult have been phenomenal for New Zealand, in Test and one-day cricket so I was surprised to see him not playing,” Dean Elgar, South Africa’s centurion, said. “I know to play two spinners you have to sacrifice someone. But I was surprised because he bowls with a lot of control and brings the right-arm aspect to the bowling department.”Mike Hesson explained that once New Zealand had decided on their spin duo, they had to choose two of their “three very good seamers” to make up the rest of the attack. With Trent Boult the mainstay, the choice was between Southee and homeboy Neil Wagner, and Wagner won out.”We didn’t think there was a lot in the wicket and we needed one of the two seamers to be able to create things when there’s not a lot on offer, and Neil has done that consistently over the last few years. So that was relatively straightforward,” Hesson said. “It’s certainly something Kane, myself and senior players spent some time tossing over and I think no matter which way we went it would have been a difficult decision. Whoever missed out would have felt a bit miffed.”A sullen Southee was spotted throughout the first day but he wasn’t the only one who would have felt hard done by. Colin de Grandhomme, who has impressed in this home summer, made way for Jimmy Neesham, who is regarded as a better batsman, for tactical reasons. “If we thought the wicket was going to seam then we would have played Colin de Grandhomme. It hasn’t seamed this year and it didn’t seam today,” Hesson said.Hesson conceded that the real test of whether there is any movement on offer will come when South Africa take the field and Vernon Philander has the ball in hand.Elgar is confident that even if there isn’t much for Philander to exploit, South Africa’s attack is good enough to make inroads despite having picked only one specialist spinner in Keshav Maharaj.”I’m going to say our bowlers will perform brilliantly,” Elgar said. “We are fortunate to have similar wickets, like at St George’s Park, where we play good cricket and the wicket is very similar with regards to the pace. Our bowlers seem to have a lot of success there.”Even though Elgar found his most free-scoring period when the New Zealand quicks were using the older ball post-lunch, he believes the South Africa’s speedsters could pose real problems for New Zealand, especially with the new ball. “Having a little bit of extra pace on the ball seems to be key, which is why I find it a bit odd that Neesham didn’t bowl a bit more because he does bowl a quicker, heavier ball. We’ve got Morne and KG who can crank it up to 145-plus, which could work in our favour in this kind of wicket,” Elgar said.Before South Africa get to that, they will want to ensure they give their bowlers enough to work with. After losing four wickets on a slow first day and with two batsmen well set, they could already be rethinking their estimation of what they would like to end up with. “We were looking at about 250-280 at about tea time but now being in a good position after not losing a wicket in the last session we can readjust,” Elgar said. “I think 350 is maybe a 450 on that wicket just because of the slowness of the wicket.”The pace of the match is a concern for other reasons too. The scoring rate on day one eked over 2.5 to the over, and with rain around on the weekend, there is already suggestion there may not be enough time for anything other than a draw. Hesson, however, thinks it’s too early to look further than the next day or two. “Any time you play against South Africa, it’s always a result pitch,” Hesson said. “Dunedin has put on a cracking day today and I wouldn’t expect it to be much different the next couple of days. As for the weekend, when you live on the coast, predicting the weather two days out can be a bit of a guessing game.”

Arsenal are still "also pushing very hard" to sign Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan despite the advanced reports involving Barcelona, according to an update out of Spain.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

Mikel Arteta's side have many plates spinning as they attempt to bolster their ranks for the 2022/2023 Premier League season, with midfield additions and forward reinforcements in the pipeline.

West Ham star Declan Rice is a player of serious interest with Arsenal already having multiple bids rejected for the England international, though they remain determined to complete a deal and talks are ongoing (Dharmesh Sheth).

Meanwhile, the Gunners are believed to be nearing the capture of Chelsea star Kai Havertz, with reliable journalist David Ornstein confirming as much just today.

Lavia of Southampton is also apparently "most likely" to join Arsenal despite interest from Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Gundogan, who is out of contract at the end of this month, has been heavily linked with a move to north London too.

The Germany international commented on his future recently amid links to Borussia Dortmund, saying there are talks happening behind-the-scenes.

"Of course I have a strong connection to Dortmund. I wasn’t surprised those rumours came up," said Gundogan.

"But the probability wasn’t too high for me. It wasn’t a big issue for me to return to the Bundesliga.

"Basically, there is no decision yet. Talks are going on in the background."

Both Arsenal and Barcelona are major suitors for the 32-year-old, who played a real role in helping City achieve monumental treble-win.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Gunners are "also pushing very hard" for his signing alongside Barca, despite Gundogan sending "positive messages" to the La Liga champions.

They say those at Camp Nou are still awaiting a definitive decision from him, meaning Arteta's side are still firm contenders to steal him away despite reports this week suggesting he is on the verge of a deal with Barca.

How many goals has Gundogan scored for Man City?

Over his 300+ plus appearances in sky blue, Gundogan has racked up an impressive 60 goals and 40 assists, highlighting his real threat in the final third.

However, his real strength is making a mark on the big occasion, having most recently bagged a brace in the FA Cup final to seal an all-important victory over rivals Man United – a win which helped them clinch their treble.

He scored many crucial goals on City's way to retaining their Premier League title as well, leaving little wonder journalists have described Gundogan as "one of the most underrated big game players ever".

Ricky Ponting will join Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie in Australia’s interim coaching group for the home T20s against Sri Lanka in February

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2017Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been named an assistant coach for the team’s T20 series against Sri Lanka in February in an interim capacity, and will work alongside Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie. The trio have been brought in with the core of Australia’s support staff set to be in India for the four-Test series. Gillespie was appointed to the staff last week.Ponting had said in November that he was open to a role with the national team, and had expressed interest in a coaching or selection job. He reiterated it after his appointment.”I always said when I retired that I wanted to get back involved and what better way to do it than alongside a couple of my best mates in cricket, Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie,” Ponting was quoted as saying by a press release from Cricket Australia. “We have some incredible Twenty20 talent in this country and I can’t wait to work with JL, Dizzy and those selected to have a real crack at doing special for Australia’s Twenty20 International ambitions.”Since his retirement from international cricket in 2012, Ponting has taken up a range of cricket and media roles. He played his last T20 in the 2013 edition of the Caribbean Premier League, and had a two-year stint, between 2015 and 2016, as coach of Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Mumbai won the 2015 IPL and finished fifth in the 2016 edition. Ponting has been commentating for Channel Ten in this season of the Big Bash League. Langer and Gillespie, meanwhile, are coaching the Perth Scorchers and the Adelaide Strikers respectivelyPat Howard, Australia’s performance manager, said Ponting’s appointment would provide an extensive T20 knowledge base for the players to tap into.”By getting him on board during the series, it will allow Justin, Jason and the players to tap into his extensive Twenty20 knowledge, gained through his time playing and coaching in domestic tournaments in England, the Caribbean, India and Australia, as well as through his time watching the KFC BBL for Network Ten,” Howard said.”The fact Ricky, Justin and Jason all know each other so well through their many years together in the Australia team means they will gel quickly and their significant collective experience of the format should ensure the squad that is selected gets all the guidance it needs off the field,” he added.Ponting scored more than 27,000 runs in an international career that spanned nearly two decades. He was a part of three World Cup-winning squads, captaining them in 2003 and 2007.Australia’s three T20 matches against Sri Lanka will be played at the MCG on February 17, Kardinia Park in Geelong on February 19 and Adelaide Oval on February 22. The Adelaide match takes place the day before the first Test begins in India.

Newcastle United have been transformative under new ownership and new management since the Saudi-led takeover of the club in 2021, casting aside the universally deplored proprietary of Mike Ashley, who had run the club into the ground during his lengthy ruling of one of the Premier League's most prominent outfits.

With the opulence of the owners capable of rivalling even the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, widely considered the two financial powerhouses in European football, many expected lofty fees to follow the completion of the deal, but the work completed on and off the pitch has been nothing short of astute.

Manager Eddie Howe has crafted a team seeking a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2003, and having clinched 65 points from 33 matches, in third place and nine points above Liverpool in fifth, a swift return to the forefront of the scene looks soon to be confirmed.

The cobwebs of the past are all but cleared at St. James's Park, but one particular deal, the 2018 sale of Mikel Merino, remains a reminder of the previous failings that left the club fluctuating between divisions and scarcely seeing success for many years.

When did Newcastle sell Merino?

Having signed Spanish midfielder Merino from German giants Borussia Dortmund in October 2017, mere months after landing the ace on an initial loan deal, he was sold to Sociedad the following summer after his £10m buyout clause was met.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Merino's brief, 25-match stint on Tyneside preceded the birth of his true skill set at Sociedad, but his natural ability was never in question and granting his departure less than one year after his permanent acquisition seems somewhat premature.

He has now forged 191 appearances for Erreala, scoring 18 goals and serving 25 assists, with journalist Josh Bunting waxing lyrical over the 26-year-old, stating he "oozes confidence".

His rounded scope has expanded during his time in LaLiga, with his seasonal exploits notably demonstrating the improved creativity of his game – Merino has provided one goal and nine assists from 27 league appearances this term.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the 6 foot 2 ace holds a €65m (£57m) release clause in his current contract, a fee the likes of Aston Villa have been willing to meet as recent speculation over the player's future mounts, which only serves as a poignant reminder to what could have been for the Magpies.

The aforementioned fee is actually an incredible 470% increase in value, something which could feasibly increase over the coming years, Merino still only 26 years old.

As per FBref, the £66k-per-week star ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for rate of assists, the top 1% for aerials won, the top 12% for tackles and the top 15% for clearances, highlighting the impressive ubiquity of his trade.

While Newcastle are on track for a sustained period of milk and honey, the 13-cap Spaniard's inclusion could've provided the extra slant in the midfield engine this term, perhaps proving the difference in the 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United, or issuing control in divisional clashes that could have pushed the club closer to the forefront of the Premier League table and into title contention.

Their wealth, fortunately, buffers the blow, but it certainly illustrates the ineptitude of the previous chapter and the strides taken in such a short time. Indeed, this is one transfer tale to file in the mistakes column.