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Despite the defeat to Sri Lanka in the tri-series final, Graeme Cremer was positive about Zimbabwe’s overall performance through the series

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo27-Nov-2016There was a kind of symmetry to this tri-series, which started and ended with a capitulation by Zimbabwe’s batsmen. The difference, for captain Graeme Cremer, was that this time around his team made Sri Lanka work much harder for their win. Defending 160, Zimbabwe took a wicket with the first legitimate delivery bowled and Sri Lanka toiled for 38 overs for their six-wicket victory.”When we went out there, we said even if they get our score one wicket down, we’ll make it as hard as we can for them,” Cremer said. “We weren’t going to go searching for the wickets, but we wanted to put them under pressure and make it the hardest 160 they’ve scored. That was our goal.”Cremer had Kusal Mendis caught in the deep for 57, while left-arm quick Brian Vitori – who was not originally part of Zimbabwe’s squad for this series – nipped out three wickets at the top of the order. Vitori’s was one of three surprising changes Zimbabwe made to their XI for this match. Malcolm Waller was brought back, without making much impact, but Tarisai Musakanda, the 21-year-old Mid-West Rhinos batsman, sprinted to an eye-catching 36 on debut.”We hadn’t really put on a big total [previously], so we felt that maybe just changing it up a little bit, and putting up something different to all the innings that Sri Lanka have had might work,” coach Heath Streak explained. “Musakanda is someone we’ve been holding back, but we just felt it was the right time. They didn’t know much about him, and he showed exactly what he’s got.”I think he’s got a bright future. I’m very happy with him. And then Vitori, we picked him for exactly what he showed today. We felt we needed him. (Dhananjaya) De Silva and (Kusal) Perera have been really damaging up front, and we got them both early, so that paid off.”Vitori had played for the Zimbabwe A side against Pakistan last month, before heading to Cape Town to fulfill a club contract. Because of this, he was not originally included in Zimbabwe’s tri-series squad, but had been training with the group since his return from South Africa. “He had a contract in Cape Town, and we’d wanted him to stay but he had to go down and fulfill that,” Streak explained. “But he managed to get back here, despite missing out on the Test series. And he’s been practising and bowling with us here in the nets with the boys, and giving all our batters a hard time, so we felt that maybe he could do that to the opposition.”Cremer admitted to have made a mistake by choosing to bat first•AFPCremer conceded that, in hindsight, bowling first might have been Zimbabwe’s best choice upon winning the toss. The weather forecast for the match hinted at rain, with the afternoon looking particularly iffy. As it turned out, Zimbabwe batted through gloomy low cloud and rain, while Sri Lanka’s batsmen had the benefit of bright sunshine that dried the pitch and eased batting conditions.”In hindsight, we probably could have bowled first,” Cremer said. “But the way it looked this morning, we thought it would only get worse or stay how it was. The wicket was a bit sticky this morning, so it took a lot of turn. But it looked really good to bat out there this afternoon. It’s just one of those things. We couldn’t predict that.”Unpredictable weather aside, Streak suggested that 240 would have been a defendable total on this pitch. “It was a wicket that over 600 runs had been scored on recently,” Streak said. “It was still quite dry, although obviously with a bit of rain, it got a little bit tacky. Despite that, no-one really got out, other than Masakadza, to an unplayable delivery.”It wasn’t a 300 wicket by any stretch of the imagination. We could have got to 240 or 250 if we’d batted a bit more sensibly, and if we’d done that it could have been a different story today. We’ve got to move on and take the good part of the series with us, and learn from the things that we didn’t do so well, and make sure we don’t repeat them in the future.”Despite Sunday’s defeat, Cremer was positive about Zimbabwe’s overall performance through this series. The hosts were able to knock West Indies out of the competition, while batsmen Sikandar Raza and Craig Ervine have found some form, averaging 54.33 and 36.75, respectively, across five innings.”We’re still trying to find the right combinations,” Cremer said. “Streaky has just come in [as coach]. I haven’t been captain for that long. So we’re trying to find the right XI for the conditions we play in, whether we go away or we play here. A lot of positives. We’ve got a lot of young guys coming through. Carl Mumba is a bright prospect. Musakanda of course. PJ Moor is still really young in international cricket, and we know he can play at this level. Raza played really well in a few innings. It’s good to see him back in a bit of form. Sean Williams showed signs today that he’s starting to get back into it. So we’re quite excited for the couple of months ahead.”Zimbabwe will – hopefully – be starting their domestic season at the beginning of December. Their next scheduled assignment is away, to Sri Lanka, in June, but coach Heath Streak insisted that other fixtures would be added to the calendar in the new year.”We’ve got some tours that we’re working on, between now and [Sri Lanka],” Streak said. “We’ll definitely have some cricket between now and the time we got to Sri Lanka next year. Guys have got provincial cricket, and we’ll get together as a national squad where opportunity arises. There is a lot of specific stuff that we want to work on and keep improving. I’ve spoken about fielding, but there are all sorts of things that we need to put in place. There will be a lot of cricket early next year.”

Dean Elgar averages under 40 and he wants to change that. He wants to be more consistent as he continues to establish himself as South Africa’s senior opener

Firdose Moonda at Newlands02-Jan-20172:47

‘Every Test hundred is up there’ – Elgar

“It was bloody really just pissing me off a little bit.”In between mouthfuls of one of the media’s post-play pies (which he nicked), Dean Elgar told us what he thought about reaching a sixth Test century, one match after squandering two good starts in the Port Elizabeth Test.The thing about Elgar is that he is hard on himself. In his 31st Test, he averages under 40 and he wants to change that. He wants to be more consistent as he continues to establish himself as South Africa’s senior opener and he has been consulting widely on how to do that.”I’ve tended to get a hundred early in the series and then I don’t get on – I get these stupid 20s and 30s and 40s, which are highly frustrating. I know that’s not my character,” Elgar said. “I had some chats with the Titans coach and some input from guys who aren’t in our squad.”Since returning home from Australia, where Elgar scored a century in Perth and then tapered off, he has chatted to Mark Boucher, who had the same bulldog in him as Elgar does, about how to do more than get one hundred a series. Boucher’s answer lay in simplifying his gameplan.”In the past I was going too hard at the ball. Hence I was sitting watching the game and not playing the game. It was part of that mental switch I had to go through. It was frustrating in previous series and games, which was bloody really just pissing me off a little bit.”So Elgar has gone back to being patient and letting the bowlers be his guide for when he can cash in. He is willing to see out the difficult periods, knowing that this attack have a tendency to try too hard early on and tire later.”We knew that if we get through the first hour, once that new ball becomes a little bit older, it’s going to give us a few more run-scoring opportunities. We feel that their bowlers maybe go searching more, especially in the early overs, and that gives you a few free hits and boundaries.”Although Elgar’s innings seemed to gain fluency as it went on, his second fifty actually took more balls (99) than his first (87). It was Quinton de Kock, not Elgar, who pushed the accelerator on South Africa’s effort late in the day but that’s one thing that does not bloody really just piss Elgar off.”Quinny is one of those freaks of world cricket. His nature of play is not going to change very much. He puts bowlers under a lot of pressure. They tend to think they’re on top of him but next thing you wipe your eyes and he’s got a fifty,” Elgar said.”I can’t compete with Quinny. He’s a world-beater. The minute I start trying to compete with him is when I’m going to fail, more times than not. He’s one of those guys who can really kill the opposition when he gets going.”

Football supporters have flocked to social media to express their sympathy for Luka Modric after he failed to win silverware with Croatia once again.

How many trophies has Luka Modric won in his career?

At club level, the midfield maestro has won essentially every major honour available to a European footballer. Indeed, with Real Madrid he has lifted the Champion League five times, La Liga three times, the Copa del Rey twice, the Spanish Super Cup four times, and the Club World Cup five times.

On top of that, he won the Croatian national league three times with GNK Dinamo Zagreb, as well as two domestic cups in his native country too.

While he has also won numerous individual accolades – such as Croatia’s Player of the Year five times – and most notably the 2018 Ballon d’Or.

Sadly, however, Modric has yet to win a trophy with his country and this unfortunate run continued over the weekend as Spain beat Croatia on penalties in the UEFA Nations League final.

After the game, the 37-year-old was seen looking dejected as he wandered around the pitch – even though his own fans showed him plenty of love.

Despite having been part of an excellent national side that keeps performing far above expectations, Modric doesn’t quite have a trophy to show for all his efforts.

After all, in the 2018 World Cup they picked up a silver medal after losing to France in the final. While at Qatar 2022, they came away with bronze.

And now, this time in the Nations League, the veteran Real Madrid star has fallen just short once again, with another silver medal to add to his international collection.

With all this in mind, fans took to social media to outline just how gutted they were for Modric. Here are some of the best reactions…

There was still plenty of love for Modric and his achievements though.

A deadline has been set for the completion of Mason Mount's transfer to Manchester United from Chelsea.

Will Mount join Manchester United?

The Red Devils have already seen two bids rejected by Chelsea for Mount, the latter of which was worth somewhere between £50m-£55m when add-ons are taken into account. However, the Blues have stood firm and, while initially wanting £75m for the midfielder, would now accept a figure around the £60-65m mark.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, however, time could be running out for a move, with a short deadline set for the finalisation of the deal.

"The conversation between Man United and Chelsea for Mason Mount continues," stated the journalist. "Man United will bid again, as I told you. Mason Mount has an agreement with Man United, wants to go to Man United, but timing will be crucial."

"Sources believe that this deal has to be completed by the end of next week. So this is why for Chelsea this is another crucial point."

If Romano's sources are correct then a deal for Mount would need to be done by July 2nd, putting a potentially difficult deadline on an already tricky deal.

As Romano states, United are expected to bid again for the 24-year-old, who only managed 24 appearances in the Premier League last season for a chaotic Chelsea side who had three separate managers during the campaign.

New Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was reportedly eager to hold contract talks with Mason Mount as his current deal expires in the summer of 2024. However, his time at Chelsea seems all but over now, with the club not wanting to lose him for free.

For United, signing Mount from a rival would be an astute piece of business. The attacking midfielder managed a combined 70 goals and assists in 195 appearances for the Blues and has thoroughly impressed every manager he has played under.

Who else will Man United sign?

Naturally, Man United are not only interested in signing Mount and are expected to bring in several players during the transfer window. However, even Erik ten Hag himself has admitted to being unsure over available funds given the club's current ownership situation.

It appears United are interested in signing a central striker this summer, with Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen and Rasmus Hojlund all having been linked. It would take a whopping transfer fee to lure any of them to Old Trafford this summer and United have already pulled out of a potential deal for Kane as a result.

The Red Devils were strongly linked with Napoli sensation Kim Min-jae as a centre-back option considering his €50m release clause, but it seems Bayern Munich have jumped ahead of the English club in the queue.

Ten Hag may have to wait for clarification on the takeover process before being able to make significant moves into the transfer market this summer.

The Perth Scorchers claimed top spot in the BBL table with a 27-run win against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba

The Report by Geoff Lemon11-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBrisbane Heat’s asking rate had climbed very high by the time Andrew Tye’s hat-trick came•Getty ImagesBrisbane Heat became the first victims of Cricket Australia’s selection policy, choking on a run chase of 157 against Perth Scorchers that their big-hitting opener Chris Lynn would normally have devoured for breakfast.Instead, having created the sensation of this tournament by forming the opening pair known as the Bash Brothers with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, Lynn was a spectator after being picked for Australia’s ODI series against Pakistan.It was a stark reminder of how uncomfortably these two forms of limited-overs cricket currently coexist in the Australian summer schedule. The unstoppable side of recent weeks was bowled out for 129 in the last over, finished off by an Andrew Tye hat-trick as the pace-change specialist finished with 4 for 22.In Lynn’s absence, the Heat could not create a sense of threat at the top of the order. His opening replacement, wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson, lasted all of three deliveries before left-arm menace Mitchell Johnson slanted a ball across him that took the edge to a well-placed Ashton Turner at slip.Johnson’s next over had Sam Heazlett miscuing a straight hit to Ashton Agar at mid-off, and from this unaccustomed position of disadvantage, McCullum skied a straight hit to mid-on one ball after pulling Jhye Richardson into the square-leg stands.From there the mounting run rate kept the pressure high, and wickets fell regularly. Test opener Joe Burns and former Adelaide Striker Alex Ross put on 43, but when Burns tried to force the pace, Agar grabbed a brilliant catch running back towards long-on.Michael Klinger held another running catch to get rid of Nathan Reardon, giving the microphone-wearing Scorchers captain the chance to chat breathlessly to Australian coach and selector Darren Lehmann as the latter moonlighted in the television commentary box, curious given Klinger is vying for national T20 selection.While Ross attempted to bat through the innings with a 40-ball 39, he got very lucky in the 12th over when his reverse sweep against Agar rolled back solidly into the stumps. Like a home-series umpire, the heavy Zing bail was unmoved.Nonetheless, Agar’s four overs for 18 runs were instrumental in slowing Heat’s chase, which looked over long before Tye could snuff it out.Earlier, Klinger had played to perfection the role Ross was attempting, batting through most of the innings for 81 in a knock that combined consolidation and counterattack.Conditions were trying: opening partner Shaun Marsh slashed a catch to third man, then Sam Whiteman hooked another, two overs after being struck a vicious blow to the head by English speedster Tymal Mills. Under a rare use of the concussion substitute rule, Cameron Bancroft entered the fray to keep wicket when Heat batted.Young legspinner Mitchell Swepson bowled his four overs unchanged for 22 runs, picking up the normally silky Ian Bell at long-on and the destructive Ashton Turner off a top edge.Around that damage, Klinger muscled sixes and fours down the ground and over midwicket, including one that Burns caught but carried over the rope. Klinger was finally out with seven balls left in the innings, and recent Test selection Hilton Cartwright could not ice the innings with 13 from 17.The Scorchers total shouldn’t have been enough, but the Lynn-less Heat were not able to keep up, loosening their hold on top spot with Sydney Sixers level on eight points, and Melbourne Stars on six with a game in hand.Perhaps as significant as the loss, though, was news that McCullum now faces suspension for a slow over rate, a punishment that Heat has indicated an intention to protest. They had better. To lose one Bash Brother may be regarded as misfortune. To lose two begins to look like carelessness.

RCB will now go into the player auction in Bangalore with two slots for overseas players – they previously had only one – and an additional INR 5 crore in their purse

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-20171:28

‘Starc’s absence means more demand for Tymal Mills’

Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mitchell Starc have parted ways ahead of the 2017 IPL season; the Australia fast bowler will not be part of the IPL player auction on February 20 either.Cricket Australia said Starc’s workload was too heavy for him to play in the IPL and that he would “undertake a period of rehabilitation and strength” ahead of the Champions Trophy in England in June.Starc said: “At this point in time after a long summer and with a big tour of India still ahead I think it is in my best interests, both physically and mentally, for me to have a break, spend time with my family and take the opportunity to work on getting back to full fitness.”RCB will now go into the player auction in Bangalore with two slots for overseas players – they previously had only one – and an additional INR 5 crore (US$ 746,000 approx.) in their purse, which was Starc’s price. RCB now have INR 17.825 crore (US$ 2,660,447 approx.) to spend at the auction.Starc was part of the RCB franchise since 2014 but played only two tournaments for them. He missed the entire 2016 season because he was recovering from a foot fracture. In 2014, he took 14 at 28.71 apiece, with an economy of 7.49, and in 2015 he claimed 20 wickets at 14.55 apiece with an economy of 6.76.RCB squad Virat Kohli (capt), Chris Gayle, 3 KL Rahul (wk), AB De Villiers, Shane Watson, Kedhar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Yuzvendra Chahal, Iqbal Abdulla, S Aravind, Harshal Patel, Mandeep Singh, Adam Milne, Sarfaraz Khan, Samuel Badree, Travis Head, Sachin Baby, Avesh Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi

Manchester United will give Jadon Sancho "another season" of Premier League football to prove his worth after "ridiculous" suggestions of a £45m sale, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest on Jadon Sancho?

After over a year of back and forth with Borussia Dortmund, in the summer of 2021, United finally secured their long-term target Sancho in a monster move that cost the Red Devils an estimated £73m.

Since his arrival in the Premier League and putting pen to paper on his bumper £350,000-a-week contract, it's fair to say that things haven't gone entirely to plan for the dynamic winger.

Having made 79 appearances in all competitions for United, Sancho has scored just 12 goals and created even less, with only six assists to his name.

These poor performances have led to speculation that Erik ten Hag may be about to cut his losses with the player in an attempt to recuperate some of that initial £73m spent on him.

According to the Daily Mail, the price United would sell at is just £45m.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Sancho leaving Manchester United?

Jones was quick to label any notion of selling the 23-year-old for just £45m as an absurd idea, and from his information, he expects the winger to have one more chance under ten Hag.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Sancho at £45 million stands out to me to be ridiculous. You can't go basically half-price on Sancho and give up at this stage, and I'd find that very surprising if they were to do that."

However, he does go on to say: "My personal information is that Sancho will get another season at United, so I would expect that to be the case."

How good was Jadon Sancho in his final year at Borussia Dortmund?

While Sancho has undeniably struggled during his time in Manchester, he was simply electric during his time with the famous Black and Yellow, and so it seems only fair to judge him based on the ceiling he could once again reach should he get another chance.

According to WhoScored, he averaged a seriously impressive rating of 7.54 across his 26 Bundesliga matches in the 2020/21 season, scoring eight and assisting a further 11.

Even more impressive is that during his three full Bundesliga campaigns, the Camberwell-born gem never achieved a season rating of lower than 7.52, which is frankly ridiculous.

It's perhaps not surprising that only a few months into his first full season with the German giants, he was hailed as the "perfect player" by legendary German skipper Lothar Matthaus in his column for the Sun.

If Sancho can get back to even half his best, then ten Hag and United as a whole will be handsomely rewarded for their patience with the player.

The 25-year old Australia was down on form and at the centre of controversy as well. But on the final day in Ranchi, he turned it all around with a match-saving innings

Melinda Farrell in Dharamsala22-Mar-2017It’s been an eventful tour for Peter Handscomb.Setting aside his batting, which brought only modest returns in the first two Tests, Handscomb has been swept up in the whirl of controversy – both real and imagined – that has marked the series.He was there in the middle with Steven Smith in Bengaluru, suggesting his captain look to the dressing room for advice on whether toreview a decision; he was then derided by sceptics who doubted his explanation that he didn’t fully understand the DRS protocols; and it was his hand on Smith’s shoulder in the image that was used by the official broadcaster to suggest Smith was mocking Virat Kohli’s shoulder injury. The Hand(scomb) of God, if you will.But it was his hands on the bat, soft and deft, that played such a major role in saving Australia in Ranchi. It was his unbeaten 72, much of which came in the vital 124-run partnership with Shaun Marsh on the final day, that helped steer Australia to safety.”Yeah it was pretty awesome,” said Handscomb. “To get into that position that we were in wasn’t great to start with, but I think we always had belief in ourselves that we could definitely hold on for the draw. I think we’ve all been batting well this series, so if it wasn’t myself or SOS [Marsh] to stand up in this Test it would have been someone else after us to come in do their job because we have been backing ourselves and we are all feeling really good.”Since he came into the Australian side amid the post-Hobart shake up during the home series against South Africa, Handscomb has been remarkably consistent. In his seven Tests, he has made two centuries, three half-centuries and has been not out on four occasions.And while the first two Tests brought limited returns with the bat, his Ranchi resistance could be a defining moment in his young Test career: a backs-to-the-wall innings, fending off the weariness of spending 210 overs in the field and absorbing a mountain of pressure. Hansdcomb also did his best to keep the strike at the end where Marsh might have been more vulnerable. There were a lot of footmarks outside the left-hander’s off stump, which Jadeja repeatedly bowled into to get most of his wickets.”That’s definitely up there with the toughest conditions I’ve played in,” said Handscomb. “A Test wicket on day five in India against the two best spinners in the world is obviously going to be tough, and it’s great that myself and Shaun could find a way.”Especially Shaun. He had to deal with the rough outside off stump to [Ravindra] Jadeja for most of the day which is an unbelievable effort from him to survive as long as he did, which was great for the team.”In terms of plans or anything out there, we didn’t really have much to say to each other. We kept coming to the middle of the wicket and saying ‘yeah, you good?’ and it was like ‘yeah, I’m good’, and into the next over. We both had our own plans and that’s what we were going to go with.”Handscomb admitted he was hoping Kohli would shake hands and call the draw earlier, but believed the sustained pressure of the last day in Ranchi would stand him in good stead in Dharamsala.”I’ve said before that I have been feeling good over here so far and just been finding ways to get out so it was nice to get that feeling of batting time, facing a lot of balls out in the middle. That helps coming into the next Test having that self-belief, knowing that now I can do it and making sure I can do it next Test as well.”The deciding Test has a fittingly dramatic backdrop; the snow-capped Himalayas will witness the presentation of the Border-Gavaskar trophy to one captain or the other. The Australian camp has been trying to balance their appreciation of the opportunity open to them – the chance to win a series in India for the first time since 2004 – with the need to remain true to the tactics that have put them in a position few would have predicted before the tour.”Yeah, we’re definitely aware of it. We know how hard it is to come over here and win the series, but I guess all we are really focusing on is the Test itself and not being too overawed by the significance of it. If we can go out and just go with those same plans that we’ve had in the previous three Tests then hopefully it looks after itself and potentially create ourown little bit of history.”It’s obviously an exciting Test to come into… with scores level and the series still wide open is awesome. Already we can walk away from this series with our heads held high, and if we keep performing the way we are in this final Test we can definitely come away with a win.”

Celtic former player Mohamed Elyounoussi would 'love a return' to Parkhead this summer and will be on Brendan Rodgers' 'radar' as he looks to strengthen his squad, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mohamed Elyounoussi?

As per BBC Sport, Elyounoussi left Southampton alongside Theo Walcott when their contracts expired at the end of June following the Saints' relegation from the Premier League.

Now a free agent, the 28-year-old refused to rule out a return to former club Celtic last month in an interview with Viaplay Sports via The Daily Record before Norway took on Scotland in EURO 2024 qualifying, stating when he was asked if he would consider moving back to Celtic: "We'll see. I enjoyed my time there. I didn't get much time to play with the fans; it was mostly without fans. I enjoyed my time there and you never know."

According to one report in Spain, La Liga side Celta Vigo are keen on landing Elyounoussi this summer as Rafael Benitez looks to add to his new side; however, the Norway international is also believed to have interest in his services from clubs in the United Kingdom.

Last term, Elyounoussi struggled to make an impact on the South Coast, registering just one goal and two assists in 38 appearances for Southampton, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show that Elyounoussi still carried a notable goal threat in 2022/23, averaging around 1.1 shots per match in the Premier League.

Celtic are on the lookout for a new winger after Portuguese wide man Jota completed a £25 million move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad earlier this week; nevertheless, Elyounoussi pocketed around £60k-a-week on the books of Southampton, which likely means any approach to try and convince the former Celt to return to the club would involve significant wage expenditure on their part.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Joseph suggested that free agent Elyounoussi would 'love' to return to Celtic this summer.

Joseph said: "He'll be on Celtic's radar. I'm sure he'd love a return to Celtic as well. They could do worse than signing Elyounoussi again.

"He's probably more of a Brendan Rodgers-type player than a Ange Postecoglou player. He's got great technical ability and is quite a tricky player. But he's one of those wingers that likes to cut in and create rather than being a direct winger."

Should Celtic look to bring Mohamed Elyounoussi back to Parkhead?

Celtic fans will likely have mixed emotions over the notion of Elyounoussi returning to the scene of some of his former glories. On the one hand, the 28-year-old enjoyed some successful times during his two-year spell in Glasgow, helping his former club to win the Scottish Premiership title coupled with Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup trophies.

However, he didn't have the greatest of seasons at Southampton, with him even being called a "problem".

And, bringing ex-players back into the fold doesn't always work as well the second time around. Taking into account his entire time spent at Celtic, Elyounoussi made 67 appearances for the Hoops, notching 24 goals and 14 assists over the course, as per Transfermarkt.

In 2021, Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy gave some high praise to Elyounoussi when he was in caretaker charge at Parkhead, as per The Scottish Sun, stating: “Moi’s character and his levels, in terms of training, he’s first class in everything he does. He’s one of the best professionals I’ve worked with."

Of course, Celtic could do much worse than turning to someone with a proven track record of racking up impressive numbers to bolster their squad under Rodgers, though it remains to be seen if a deal is indeed on the cards at Parkhead.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs, as Mikel Arteta and Edu set their sights on bolstering the squad this summer.

The Gunners have already penned a deal with Kai Havertz, and with Declan Rice set to be announced imminently, the clubs’ two former players could be planning something special at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side battled well last campaign, surpassing expectations by taking the title race to the wire, however, a lack of squad depth signalled a time for refurbishment this summer.

Signing Henrichs could be a leap in the right direction in terms of boosting the depth of the squad, in a player that shows shades of a fellow Premier League gem.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed earlier this week that ‘talks’ between the German’s management and the north Londoners had taken place.

Plettenberg added that Arsenal are ‘considering’ the versatile full-back as a ‘backup target’ this summer.

Valued by Football Transfers at €9.2m (£8m), the 26-year-old could be a solid option for the Gunners to consider.

Where could Benjamin Henrichs play at Arsenal?

Hailed as a “talented” player by former Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev, the 26-year-old has played at the top level for the majority of his career, working his way through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen.

The versatile defender departed his boyhood club for Monaco in 2018, before returning to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, where he has cemented himself as a valued member of the squad.

In signing Henrichs, Arsenal could get their hands on a widely versatile defence-minded player, with capabilities of playing both on the right side of defence and in central midfield.

The German international has contributed to 66 career goal contributions over 327 appearances, having an eye for a pass as well as being a sturdy figure at the back.

Averaging three tackles and 1.44 interceptions per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, Henrichs has excelled defensively, as well as showing his abilities on the ball, averaging 4.48 progressive passes per 90 at right-back, via FBref.

Having a versatile full-back is something that the Premier League has become accustomed to, with Arteta reaping the benefits of having both Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko capable of contributing to offensive play.

Despite arriving as a side to watch last term, Arsenal still saw a gap between themselves and champions Manchester City, however, the Gunners could provide an answer to one of City’s sensations by signing Henrichs.

Lauded as a “versatile and tactical genius” by members of the media, John Stones has been a revelation under Pep Guardiola, emerging last season as having the talent to be deployed as a deep midfielder.

Averaging 1.12 tackles and 4.92 progressive passes per 90, via FBref, the Englishman showcased just how far the depth of his versatility goes, acting as the complete player for City.

Like Stones, Henrichs has the ability to venture into midfield, described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being a player that ‘dictates tempo’ in central areas.

Averaging 3.78 passes per 90 into the final third, the 26-year-old has room to grow and flourish around the field, displaying strengths in his distribution and reading of the game.

Arteta could take another page from Guardiola’s book by signing a defensively equipped versatile player, replicating past notes that have seen the revolution of how the Spaniard orchestrates his back line.