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Manchester United have "discussed" signing Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, however the move is nowhere near as advanced as reports have suggested, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Sofyan Amrabat joining Man United?

There have been reports that Amrabat has packed his bags ahead of a move to Old Trafford, as he believes Man United and Fiorentina are close to reaching an agreement, after an offer of £21.5m was made for his services last week.

That bid was just shy of the Italian club's asking price, which is believed to be £26m, however the midfielder is confident a deal will be struck in the coming days, so he has started to prepare for a move to Manchester.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that "conversations" have been held with the Moroccan's camp, with the player himself "open" to a move to Old Trafford, but he does not believe it is close to being a done deal.

That viewpoint is shared by Jacobs, who recently told GiveMeSport that while United have expressed an interest in the 26-year-old, the move is nowhere near as close as has been suggested by the media.

The journalist said: “So, it is true that a defensive midfielder is a possibility in terms of the position that Manchester United may look to strengthen next, should they get Rasmus Hojlund over the line and Sofyan Amrabat is on the list.

“But I’m still not aware, despite the reports, of any bid or anything imminent on the Amrabat front. So, it’s fair to say that the player is there and has been discussed by Manchester United, but I don’t actually think that it’s as far along or as focused as perhaps being reported by others.”

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

The Red Devils were keen on signing the Morocco international during the January transfer window, having been impressed by his performances for the Atlas Lions at the World Cup, however they instead opted to sign Marcel Sabitzer.

Journalist Charlie Parker-Turner was also wowed by the central midfielder's performances out in Qatar, saying: "Sofyan Amrabat is in the conversation for Player of the Tournament. Unbelievable warrior of a midfielder."

Not only has the maestro impressed at international level, he has also put in some top-quality performances for Fiorentina, averaging a pass success rate of 89.2% in the Serie A last season, the second-highest of any midfielder to play over 1500 minutes.

However, there may be some justified concerns about the lack of attacking threat posed by the Fiorentina ace, who has failed to score a non-penalty goal in the past year, while his defensive attributes can also be called into question.

The World Cup star ranks in just the 32nd percentile for tackles, and the 42nd percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, indicating he may not be as solid a defensive midfielder as Man United fans were hoping for.

Of course, Amrabat has proven he is capable of performing at the top level, with journalist Greg Lea describing him as the "heartbeat" of the Morocco side that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, but there are question marks over whether he is good enough for the Red Devils.

Piyush Chawla’s experience will be handy for a young side looking to build on recent Ranji success, says Gujarat captain Parthiv Patel

Shashank Kishore17-Aug-2017″The need for new challenges” has led legspinner Piyush Chawla to move from Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat for the upcoming Indian domestic season. Chawla and RP Singh, the former UP pacer who signed with the reigning Ranji Trophy champions last season, will be the two professional players for the side in 2017-18.Chawla’s paperwork has been completed, allowing him to join the Gujarat squad ahead of their pre-season camp next month, after his stint with Chemplast in Chennai’s first-division league. Chawla was earlier in talks with Vidarbha, who eventually signed legspinner Karn Sharma.”Up north, you either get flat wickets or seaming tracks. We’ve struggled to find a middle path, so as a spinner, opportunities to make inroads are very less. I wanted to play in an environment where the surfaces are little more responsive and allow you to make an impact,” Chawla told ESPNcricinfo. “It was a hard decision to move from a state where you’ve played right from the start, but pure cricketing reasons merited a move.”Chawla brushed aside murmurs of competition for places with Kuldeep Yadav being the reason for his move. “Most teams field two spinners anyway, so that isn’t the reason,” he said. “We play together at the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders. I’ve been around for 12 years now, so there’s no insecurity. I’ve read these things in the papers, but I can’t explain the reason to everyone. He’s come along very well, but for me, personally, at this stage of my career, I wanted a new perspective and I thought playing for a side that has come up tremendously would give me an opportunity to contribute in many ways.”Parthiv Patel, the Gujarat captain, felt Chawla’s experience would be invaluable. “With India playing lot of limited-overs cricket at home, there’s a possibility we may not have the services of Axar Patel throughout. We wanted to strengthen our spin department, and we’re happy to have someone of Piyush’s calibre,” he said. “We will be playing our home games in Surat and Valsad, where it turns. Having a wristspinner, we thought, would add a lot of value.”He’s also very handy lower down the order as a batsman. That skill of his is underrated. So overall, he brings a lot to the table. We had a chat last year. He indicated his willingness to come over, which we thought about ahead of the season. When we assessed our balance as a squad, considering we will defend our title, we felt we were lacking in the spin department. With Piyush coming over, we feel we have most boxes ticked.”Chawla, a Ranji Trophy winner with UP in 2005-06, the same season in which he debuted for India, led the side in 11 first-class games across three seasons. He featured in just two first-class matches in a disappointing campaign in 2016-17, when UP finished seventh in the nine-team pool, with one win, four losses and three draws.Chawla has picked up 386 wickets over 117 first-class games, 80 of which have been for UP. An IPL regular with Kolkata Knight Riders, Chawla last played for India in 2012.Other domestic transfersRobin Uthappa from Karnataka to Saurashtra
KB Arun Karthik from Assam to Kerala
Karn Sharma from Railways to Vidarbha
Ambati Rayudu from Vidarbha to Hyderabad
Pragyan Ojha from Bengal to Hyderabad
Chadrakant Pandit, the former Mumbai coach, will head Vidarbha

Manchester United could well be set to continue their summer spending spree after striking a deal for Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund, with the towering Dane potentially set to be followed to Old Trafford by fellow Serie A star, Sofyan Amrabat.

What's the latest on Amrabat to Man United?

According to reports in Italy, the Red Devils are believed to have already lodged a bid for the Fiorentina maestro, with the 26-year-old potentially set to be up for grabs with just a year left to run on his current deal.

As per prior speculation, the former Club Brugge ace – who previously worked under Erik ten Hag at FC Utrecht – may have already reached an agreement with regard to personal terms with the Premier League side, with a transfer fee of roughly £30m having also been mooted.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

Despite United having already splashed out £55m in order to sign their new number seven, Mason Mount from rivals Chelsea, the club are seemingly set to further bolster their midfield ranks with the pursuit of the Moroccan international.

Who could Amrabat replace at Man United?

Various reports have indicated that Ten Hag and co are set to move for the 6 foot 1 ace once the likes of Fred and Donny van de Beek have been shipped off to pastures new, with the former Ajax boss needing to make space in his midfield department.

Those two outgoing figures may not be the only first-team assets to suffer as a result of Amrabat's arrival, however, with the Netherlands-born gem's role as something of a deep-lying playmaker potentially set to spell bad news for Christian Eriksen at the Theatre of Dreams.

The experienced Dane enjoyed a promising debut campaign in Manchester after signing on a free transfer last summer, racking up ten assists in 44 appearances in all competitions, having slotted in nicely alongside Casemiro at the base of the midfield.

Despite that strong impact, the 31-year-old did appear somewhat off the pace after returning from injury in April, with Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst notably writing that the former Tottenham Hotspur man 'could barely keep up' when faced with Manchester City's midfield in the FA Cup final.

Those shortcomings have seemingly continued in pre-season with Luckhurst again writing that Eriksen 'did not have the sharpest of games' in the recent defeat to Real Madrid, with younger, fresher legs, like Amrabat, potentially needed.

Lauded as a "monster" by journalist Carlo Garganese amid his form at last year's World Cup, the latter man is able to provide a greater defensive presence than that of the current United ace, having averaged two tackles and interceptions per game in 29 Serie A outings last term, while Eriksen averaged just 1.2 in that regard from 28 Premier League appearances.

Amrabat's quality and composure on the ball can also be seen by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% among his European peers for pass completion and in the top 8% for progressive passes, indicating that he regularly looks to set up his attack-minded teammates.

While Eriksen is only just behind in that latter metric as he ranks in the top 9% for progressive passes, the one-time Brentford maestro only ranks in the bottom 41% for pass completion, having proven more of a liability on the ball.

That should indicate that if Ten Hag is to bring in another familiar face in the form of Amrabat, then Eriksen could well find himself quickly shunted down the pecking order.

Wolverhampton Wanderers bringing Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to Molineux this summer would be an 'underrated' piece of business, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Caoimhin Kelleher moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers?

According to The Daily Mail, Wolves are keen to land Kelleher this summer, though any deal to sign the Republic of Ireland international would cost in the region of £20 million.

First-team openings have been hard to come by for the 24-year-old behind Alisson and it is now believed that he is ready to strike out on his own and leave Liverpool to try and gain senior involvement as a number-one goalkeeper elsewhere.

Nottingham Forest have turned their attention towards Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa and have identified the Portuguese stopper and Manchester United backup goalkeeper Dean Henderson as targets to strengthen their last line of defence, as per Telegraph Sport.

The £10k-a-week ace has also attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford this window as speculation continues to swirl over his future, according to The Athletic.

Last term, Kelleher appeared just four times for Liverpool across all competitions, keeping two clean sheets in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Kelleher's international manager, Stephen Kenny, has tipped the Cork-born man to leave Liverpool to seek more regular opportunities in the off-season, as per BBC Sport, stating: ""It looks like he will be on the move this summer, and it can only benefit him because he needs to play games. He has been starved of games this year and that has been a problem for him."

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones thinks that Kelleher would be a 'brilliant' addition to wherever he ends up if he chooses to leave Liverpool.

Jones told FFC: "Whoever gets Kelleher is going to be getting an underrated signing. He's a really good goalkeeper and more than that, he's got such determination to make it to the top level and become a number one that I think he'll be brilliant. I'm a really, really big admirer of him and I love the way that he's been able to step in for Liverpool in some big moments and just show complete confidence."

Who else is on Wolverhampton Wanderers' radar this summer?

According to The Athletic, Wolves are currently in discussions with West Ham United over a potential deal for veteran defender Aaron Cresswell, who could join for a fee in the region of £5 million.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has also revealed that Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo is someone who is garnering attention from eyes inside Molineux.

Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott is reportedly edging closer to a move to Wolves as the Old Gold prepare to submit a third bid for the 19-year-old, who is valued at £25 million by his current employers, as per Football Insider.

Old Gold boss Lopetegui is a big admirer of Scott and made inroads to try and bring him to the West Midlands-based outfit in January before his advances were eventually blocked by Bristol City.

Wolves are set for a busy few weeks of action in the market and it will be intriguing to see who enters the fold at Molineux ahead of the new season getting underway.

The spoils were shared in Cardiff where the match was abandoned after 17.2 overs of Glamorgan’s innings

ECB Reporters Network15-Jul-2017
ScorecardJacques Rudolph was leading Glamorgan to a hefty total•Getty ImagesThe spoils were shared in Cardiff where the match was abandoned after 17.2 overs of Glamorgan’s innings which was set to leave a demanding target with Jacques Rudolph unbeaten on 65 off 37 balls.Despite a 35-minute delay because of rain before the start there was no reduction in overs and, after winning the toss, Somerset, who had lost their previous nine games in the competition, elected to bowl first.They quickly gained success when Lewis Gregory, with the second ball of his first over, had David Lloyd caught behind. Aneurin Donald, however, was soon into his stride, pulling Craig Overton for four, before sweeping him over the wicketkeeper for six.Colin Ingram, who scored a 46-ball century against Sussex last week, then struck Tim Groenewald for fourteen runs in an over, which included a huge six fourteen rows back into the members enclosure.Somerset took their second wicket when Donald skied Gregory to mid-on after scoring 24 from 13 balls, but Ingram kept attacking, hitting Allenby for another six, before he was caught on the midwicket boundary for 39 from 21 balls.Glamorgan were 92 for 3 at the halfway stage, but then lost their fourth wicket when Andrew Salter was well held by Max Waller off his own bowling.Rudolph and Chris Cooke maintained the momentum with a rapid partnership of 52 in 4.2 overs, which ended when Cooke struck a full toss from Groenewald to mid-off.Rudolph then reached his fifty from only 28 balls, which included four fours and two sixes, with Glamorgan reaching 158 for 5 after 16 overs but after eight deliveries the rain returned.

AB de Villiers has described the Kolpak exodus that afflicted South Africa cricket as “something of the past” and talked up the importance of CSA’s new T20 competition

Firdose Moonda23-May-2017The first thing South Africa were confronted with at the start of a three-month tour of England was the past. Stiaan van Zyl and Rory Kleinveldt were members of the opposition South Africa faced in their warm-up matches against Sussex and Northamptonshire respectively in the lead-up to the three-match ODI series which starts on Wednesday.Neither did much damage, and some in the South Africa camp were quite pleased to see their former team-mates – JP Duminy, who captained in those matches, shared a photo of himself and Kleinveldt and called it “a career highlight” to meet as opposing skippers – but the context was significant.Over the last few months, seven recently capped internationals including van Zyl signed Kolpak deals to play county cricket, citing the threat of Brexit closing the door on such earning opportunities in the UK and the lack of the same at home as reasons for turning their backs on the country of their birth. South African cricket was thought to be teetering towards a crisis but the predicted drought did not come. Talented youngsters stepped up, often in key roles, and South Africa have reason to be optimistic about their future.”We are not harping on too much on what we lost, rather focusing on what we have gained over the last few months,” AB de Villiers, South Africa’s ODI captain, said. “Yes, here are quite a few talented guys we have lost, which is not good for our depth at home. There’s nothing we can do about that. It’s part and parcel of what we are confronted with in recent times. We can’t stop guys from going where they want to go and playing cricket where they want to play cricket. I feel it’s something of the past.”De Villiers could be right on that front. Not only might it become more difficult, or perhaps even impossible, for South African cricketers to get work permits in the UK but they may not actually want them. This year CSA will launch a new T20 competition, which de Villiers is convinced will create incentives for players to stay in the country. “The T20 tournament will make a big difference in keeping guys over there. I truly believe the systems have been put in place to make sure it’s important for the guys stay at home,” he said.Initial details of the tournament will be announced by the end of the month and the team owners are expected to be revealed at a high-profile ceremony in London shortly after the Champions Trophy final on June 18.South Africa will hope they are part of proceedings that day as, for now, the ICC event and not their own local league is at the forefront of their minds. “It’s really important for us to focus on what we are dealing with now: a big series coming up,” de Villiers said. “We have no reason not to be confident with our recent performances, beating Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. We are pretty confident.”As the No. 1-ranked ODI side, fresh off a record-equalling string of 12 victories and with some of the best players in the world at their disposal, South Africa can feel upbeat. Moreover, they have ideal preparation time over the next week. “It doesn’t get any better than playing in England before a big tournament against the hosts,” de Villiers said.He remains wary of England’s strengths, despite South Africa beating them the last time they met in early 2016, but sees them as a good measure for his own side. “They are one of the favourites,” he said. “They have an all-round balance with quite a few options for the captain in the bowling department and they bat deep. And then most of them are athletes, they move around well in the field. Like us, the balance is their strength.”Conditions should also suit South Africa, with de Villiers describing cricket in England as “beautiful to watch”. But de Villiers will do more than just watch, declaring himself available for all South Africa’s matches after he sat out of the warm-ups with a respiratory tract infection. “I am probably 95% getting over that flu,” he said. That’s one thing South Africa hope is truly in the past.

Leeds United could be set to truly kickstart a summer of spending, having already welcomed one new face as part of Daniel Farke's revolution.

Is Karl Darlow leaving Newcastle United?

Leeds' new manager is well underway in the transfer market, with reports suggesting they are now closing in on their second senior signing of the window.

That's according to iNews, who claim that the new boss is finally being shown the 'significant support' he was promised.

Further down the report, it is noted that the Whites are in talks with Newcastle United over a move for their backup goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who shone last season on loan for Hull City.

Perhaps a return to that level could help both club and player earn a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The 32-year-old still has two years left on his £30k-per-week deal at St James' Park.

Would Darlow be a good signing for Leeds?

Should they welcome this impressive shot-stopper to Elland Road, he could pair perfectly with their other new recruit, Ethan Ampadu.

Having joined Chelsea back in 2017, the Wales international saw opportunities sparse at Stamford Bridge, resulting in his four separate loan spells after making just 12 appearances for his parent club.

Impressing across the continent though, it was revealed on Wednesday that he had finally left west London on a permanent move, opting to join Farke in his mission to earn this instant promotion.

His signing, alongside the potential addition of Darlow, would go a long way towards fixing the defensive deficiencies that led to their torrid Premier League campaign last year. After all, the 78 goals they shipped were easily the worst in the division.

Across his most recent loan spell with Spezia, the 22-year-old maintained a 6.91 average rating as he showcased his supreme solidity. Averaging 1.2 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and three clearances per game, the latter of these figures would have made him the joint-third-best in that metric within the Leeds squad for last season, via Sofascore.

That's also without mentioning that his average rating would have also seen him as the third-highest performer of those who started five or more games.

Immediately this experienced youngster will bolster their defensive ranks tenfold, with Darlow only certain to aid in that pursuit.

Despite only spending half a season with the Tigers, this keeper would immediately announce himself as one of their top performers, with his 7.08 average rating actually making him their second-best star.

He was imperious in between the sticks, showcasing exactly what he can do when handed a show of faith. A fine 2.9 saves per game helped earn him five clean sheets despite only playing 12 Championship games, whilst his 100% success rate when coming out for the ball outlines his progress into a modern-day goalkeeper too.

With chances having been limited at his current club, boasting only 100 appearances across his nine years in black and white, he proved to many that he could be relied upon with this loan stint as a first-choice option.

Pundit Carlton Palmer even noted: "He spent the second half the season on loan at Hull where he was outstanding," when commenting on the widespread interest in his services.

Should Farke be the one to secure this move though alongside his other new addition, he would have already made huge strides towards rectifying what was arguably his club's biggest issue from recent seasons.

Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo is 'available' for a transfer this summer following his return from a spell on loan at Bayern Munich, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Joao Cancelo?

Following concerns over his playing time last season, Cancelo was shipped out to Bayern Munich on loan and the German giants had the option to make the deal permanent for over £61 million, as per Sky Sports.

In his time at the Allianz Arena, Cancelo helped Bayern Munich to narrowly seal Bundesliga glory, registering one goal and six assists in 21 appearances, as shown on Transfermarkt.

German outlet Kicker report that Arsenal are keen on Cancelo amid uncertainty over his future at the Etihad, with RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs and Galatasaray's Sacha Boey also being monitored by the north Londoners this window.

Manchester City would demand a significant fee for Cancelo, who still has four years remaining on his contract at the club. Bayern Munich passed on the chance to sign the Portugal international, which may pave the way for the Gunners to firm up their interest in the coming weeks.

One outlet in Spain claim that Barcelona are also keeping an eye on Cancelo's situation and could initiate a loan bid to try and secure his signature.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has indicated that Manchester City would be open to letting Cancelo move on this off-season.

Jones stated: "Cancelo is available. There has been no obvious change in that and he can leave. We can see Kyle Walker has been talked about leaving too. They're kind of open to even that happening, so Cancelo definitely could leave."

Who could replace Joao Cancelo at Manchester City?

Manchester City have been linked with potential targets to replace Cancelo this summer in the event he completes a transfer elsewhere in the duration of the window.

As per Football Insider, the Citizens hold a 'strong interest' in Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi and he 'features highly' on a list of targets that Guardiola could target to bolster the ranks in defence.

In all likelihood, Manchester City will need to fork out a large sum of money to hold any hope of capturing Hakimi, though the outlet claim that they are 'ready to pay' for the Morocco international.

Veteran defender Kyle Walker could also make way for fresh blood amid interest from Bayern Munich; nevertheless, Manchester City are prepared to offer the 33-year-old a two-year contract extension to tie him down in the North West, according to Telegraph Sport.

The former Tottenham Hotspur full-back has a big decision to make surrounding his future, which previously looked to be doubtful earlier this year.

Of course, Manchester City could promote from within to replace Cancelo and there would be no better candidate on the books at the club already to step into his shoes than youngster Rico Lewis, who made 23 senior appearances for his boyhood club last season, scoring once, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite his supreme level of talent, Cancelo looks like he has run his race at Manchester City and is likely to depart for a new challenge should appropriate opportunities arise for him.

Meanwhile, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan would be quietly confident that they can retire from Test cricket with the honour spearheading Pakistan to their first series win in the Caribbean

The Report by Danyal Rasool13-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:09

From Textiles to Test cricket

On the first three days in Roseau, a total of 15 wickets fell. On the fourth, batsmen succumbed as the deciding Test between West Indies and Pakistan burst into life. With the hosts needing 304 to win, all three results are just about possible, in the game, and by extension, the series.The start of the evening saw West Indies strike the perfect notes, Alzarri Joseph getting rid of the last two recognised batsmen, Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq. With Pakistan 90 for 7, the lead just over 200 but well below what would make Misbah-ul-Haq feel comfortable, Jason Holder’s men might have sniffed the possibility of a sensational win.But that was before Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah put together a gutsy 61-run stand that steered Pakistan out of troubled waters and could well have batted West Indies out of the contest. Yasir continued haunting his opposition as he picked up a wicket off what became the last ball of the day.Misbah and Younis Khan would be quietly confident that they can retire from Test cricket with the honour spearheading Pakistan to their first series win in the Caribbean. Finishing their careers with scores of 2 and 35 respectively in exchange for that seems like a pretty good trade off. Both men were welcomed back to the pavilion one last time by a set of grateful team-mates lined up in a guard of honour.All that emotion had to be kept aside, however, during the last hour and a half of play. Pakistan did so and as a result enjoyed complete domination. Yasir, who was caught off a no-ball, and Amir, who was drawn into a few verbal arguments, swung merrily during the final five overs of the innings to ransack 47 runs. Then came the declaration.The West Indies openers were left with the unenviable task of batting out the day’s last 25 minutes against the new ball. They hung in bravely right till the final over, but Yasir had one final blow to land and Shan Masood helped out by staying low at silly point and diving to his right to pull off a remarkable catch to dismiss Kieron Powell.Younis Khan signs off in style•AFPThe day began with Pakistan skittling West Indies’ last five wickets out within the first hour. Mohammad Abbas was chiefly responsible for the damage, taking his first five-wicket haul to give Pakistan a seemingly impregnable lead of 129. There was still time for Pakistan to bat seven overs before lunch would be taken but they were rather tentative during that period, scoring just eight runs, while losing two wickets.Azhar Ali slashed a short, wide delivery to point and Babar Azam followed him off the last ball of the session, edging to short leg. The third umpire was called in to check if the ball had carried to the close-in fielder and though there were visuals that seemed to indicate the ball had kissed the ground before going into Shimron Hetmyer’s hands, Richard Kettleborough went with the on-field official’s soft signal of out.The second session brought Misbah and Younis – the most prolific batting partnership in Pakistan’s Test history – together at the crease for one final time. It wasn’t the fairytale ending – 8 runs off 28 balls – and the team was back in trouble again but nothing could divert attention away from Misbah as he walked off the field one last time with bat in hand.Younis appeared in good form, moving his feet adeptly, rotating the strike without any trouble even on a slow pitch. Aside from that, he ushered his protégé Shan Masood through some tough times early in the innings but after struggling to cope with his weakness outside the off stump, Masood was trapped lbw by Shannon Gabriel for 21 off 68 balls.That brought Misbah to the crease and there was hope that the pair could combine for one last hurrah, a flourish to remember them by, one for the road, whatever you wished to call it. However, while imaginations took off, the run-rate did not.Misbah probably felt it too, and tried to rectify it the way he knew best. Devendra Bishoo flighted one up to him, and he couldn’t resist one final slog sweep over long-on. It was poorly miscued, flying straight up in the air, and Shane Dowrich took a comfortable catch. Pakistan’s longest-serving captain’s innings was played. Younis fell off the last ball before tea, top-edging a full toss to Kieron Powell at short fine leg, who ran to his left and secured a tumbling, one-handed catch. And so ended a grand era.

Aston Villa are believed to be interested in signing Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Was Weston McKennie a flop at Leeds?

The £49,000-a-week American is currently a Juventus player, with his deal there expiring in the summer of 2025, but it looks as though he is likely to move on in the current window.

Back in January, McKennie joined Leeds United on loan, coming in as what looked like an exciting signing for the Whites, and one that could help them pull clear from the Premier League relegation zone after a poor first half of the season. Instead, there is no question that he was a disappointment at Elland Road overall, ultimately failing to help his team remain in the top flight.

The 24-year-old made 19 appearances in the league for Leeds, not managing to score once and only registering one assist in that time, and his time there went "badly, very badly indeed". Unsurprisingly, there was little talk of McKennie joining permanently at the end of last season, given the Whites' relegation to the Championship, and the midfielder's future remains up in the air.

With Villa continuing to look at summer transfer business of their own, however, it looks as though the Juve man could be a target for them, according to a new update.

Are Aston Villa signing Weston McKennie this summer?

According to Italian publication Calciomercato [via The Boot Room], the Villans are keen on the idea of signing McKennie this summer, with the USA international wanting to prove himself again in the Premier League. They are far from alone in being the only club interested, however, with Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray also mentioned in the report.

While Juve are believed to have wanted £34.2m for his services at one point, there are now willing to sell him for "drastically" less than that, accepting that his stock has fallen a little in recent months.

There is no doubt that some Villa fans would have reservations about the club bringing in McKennie, due to the level of his performances for Leeds, but they are in a better position than the Whites were, and he could thrive alongside superior players, also feeling more at home if the move is a permanent one.

It shouldn't be forgotten that the midfielder enjoyed a good 2022 World Cup campaign with the USA, making four starts in impressive fashion, and he has also been hailed as "excellent" by journalist Adam Pope during one performance for Leeds, so seemingly can turn it on in the right setting.

At 24, McKennie has lots of improving to do still, and could reap the rewards of playing under Unai Emery, so if the Villa boss sees him as a strong option, his superb performance as manager to date suggests that he and new transfer guru Monchi be trusted in their decision-making.

The Juve ace could come in and provide good competition for place in the middle of the park, while Villa's UEFA Europa Conference League commitments in 2023/24 also heighten the need for the squad to be rotated sensibly, and he could add the desired squad depth to aid that.