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Manchester United continued their mixed start to the new Premier League season with a frustrating 3-1 defeat away to rivals Arsenal at the weekend, with Erik ten Hag's men having now picked up just two wins from their opening four games to leave them languishing in mid-table heading into the international break.

Amid the disappointment of slipping up late on against the Gunners, a major cause for concern for United was the makeshift defensive partnership that ended the game at the Emirates, with Ten Hag forced to deploy former skipper Harry Maguire alongside fellow substitute, Jonny Evans for the closing stages.

While that scenario was largely a result of misfortune, it is hardly ideal to have to turn to those experienced, yet perhaps flawed figures, particularly with Evans – who re-joined the club earlier this summer – something of a veteran asset and with Maguire having appeared in line for an exit from Old Trafford last month, after being stripped of the captaincy.

The hope will be that this much-needed halt to proceedings will ensure that the Red Devils' usual starting options are fit to return when play resumes, with that Evans-Maguire axis unlikely to inspire too much confidence if they are to line up together again any time soon.

Who is currently injured for Man United?

Those late substitutions had been forced upon Ten Hag following the loss of Lisandro Martinez late on due to a foot injury, with the World Cup winner having only recently missed the latter stages of the previous campaign due to a fractured metatarsal.

Encouragingly, the 25-year-old has since travelled to link up with his Argentina teammates on international duty, albeit with it not totally certain at present as to whether he will be fit to feature for his country, with the full nature of the injury to be assessed.

With Raphael Varane already sidelined for at least the next few weeks, it was then also a real setback to see his replacement Victor Lindelof withdrawn against Mikel Arteta's side, with the Sweden star believed to have been struggling with illness during that frustrating loss.

To make matters even worse, Ten Hag is also not able to call upon Luke Shaw as a makeshift centre-back option as the Englishman looks set for an extended period on the sidelines, while Tyrell Malacia – who has featured in that role on occasion for his country as part of a back three – is currently on the treatment table.

That raft of issues could well force Ten Hag's hand over the coming weeks and months, with it perhaps wise for the Dutchman to consider turning to the academy ranks to find a possible solution, such as FA Youth Cup-winning captain, Rhys Bennett.

Who is Rhys Bennett?

The 19-year-old is still waiting to make his senior bow for the Red Devils after rising up through the academy ranks, although the teenager has certainly been part of Ten Hag's thinking in recent times, notably featuring in the pre-season friendly win over Leeds United.

While the centre-back did sustain an injury of his own during that 2-0 triumph – after also being sidelined during the second half of last season – that complaint was believed to be "minor", hence ensuring that he should be in line for selection if Ten Hag is to look his way.

That was not the youngster's first involvement in the first team, however, as he also played his part in the mid-season clash with Real Betis during the World Cup break back in December, with experienced teammate Tom Heaton noting that his young compatriot was "excellent" against the La Liga side.

Hailed as a "natural leader" and a "good character" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Bennett held the trophy aloft after scoring in the FA Youth Cup showpiece victory over Nottingham Forest back in May 2022, as United tasted glory in the competition for the first time since 2011.

Having led the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho amid that glorious success, the £730-per-week titan will no doubt be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his former youth colleagues by establishing himself in the first-team sooner rather than later.

What does the future hold for Rhys Bennett?

As stated above, a competitive senior bow has yet to emerge for the Manchester native, although it looks likely that the defender will have an important role to play at the club in the years to come, having only recently signed a new contract, alongside midfielder Dan Gore.

That show of faith would indicate that Bennett is certainly a player who is held in high regard by those at Old Trafford, with it perhaps time that his chance does finally come to impress at the elite level.

While there was perhaps just cause for bringing in a former title winner like Evans to help bolster the squad and offer his experience around the dressing room, it should not be the case that Ten Hag favours an ageing, 35-year-old ahead of what could well be a promising individual such as Bennett.

The Northern Ireland international hardly enjoyed the best of outings in that recent clash in north London after failing to prevent Declan Rice's effort which helped to fire the hosts into the lead, with Luckhurst writing for Manchester Evening News that the former Leicester City man was 'all over the place' for the goal.

It was, of course, a case of needs must as far as Ten Hag was concerned on the day, yet with Bennett seemingly edging his way back from his own injury setback earlier in the summer – having carried out individual training of late – it could be the younger man who establishes himself as the standout reserve option behind the likes of Martinez and Lindelof.

It would likely be a gamble for the former Ajax boss to turn to a figure who is yet to enjoy a taste of life at senior level, although United have a rich history with regard to promoting from within and giving chances to academy assets.

While Evans is a player at the tail-end of an undoubtedly impressive career, it could be the start of an exciting journey for Bennett at the Theatre of Dreams.

Sheffield Wednesday are considering a swoop for a new free agent, and a reliable journalist has confirmed that he’s already in the building at Hillsborough.

What's the latest transfer news at Sheffield Wednesday?

Over the summer, Xisco Munoz was extremely busy in the market bringing in 12 fresh faces, where Djeidi Gassama and Pol Valentin both joined permanently for transfer fees and the likes of Jeff Hendrick and Ashley Fletcher put pen to paper on loans, as per Transfermarkt, but there were also plenty of outgoings.

In terms of departures, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Dennis Adeniran, Jack Hunt, Jaden Brown, David Stockdale and Ben Heneghan all completed exits which has created space in the squad for future signings, and the boss has already set his sights on one star in particular.

At Nottingham Forest, Lyle Taylor left Steve Cooper’s side at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract, meaning that he is now a free agent on the market and waiting to be snapped up by a new club, and he could be on his way to the Championship.

On Tuesday evening, Montserrat’s international was spotted at the stadium for the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough, and if the following update is to be believed, the centre-forward is currently at work behind the scenes in a bid to earn a move to South Yorkshire.

Are Sheffield Wednesday signing Lyle Taylor?

Taking to X, Darren Witcoop revealed that Sheffield Wednesday have offered a trial to Taylor, who has been training with the first-team in the hope of securing himself a permanent deal with Munoz's side in the near future.

“Free agent striker Lyle Taylor is training with Sheffield Wednesday in a bid to win a contract. Taylor, who left Nottingham Forest in the summer, has turned down contract offers from a host of League One clubs as he wants to play in the Championship.”

How many goals has Lyle Taylor scored?

Since the start of his career, Taylor has racked up an impressive 211 contributions (156 goals and 55 assists) in 463 appearances, form which has seen him described as a “natural finisher” by journalist Josh Bunting, so he could certainly be a fantastic addition for Sheffield Wednesday.

The Greenwich-born talent is also a versatile operator alongside the prolific attacker that he is in the final third having been deployed in four various positions over the attack since the start of his career, including three roles across the frontline and even in attacking midfield.

The Owls target even shares the same agent, SMI Sports Management, as both Barry Bannan and John Buckley, so the fact that his representative already has an existing connection to the club should give chiefs a strong chance at getting a deal over the line should he impress on trial.

The Hillsborough outfit will be aware that Taylor is now 33 years of age so it would make sense for them to only offer him a short-term deal, but nevertheless, he’s definitely a player who could be worth adding to the books for the remainder of the season.

Rashid Khan is eligible to play his second Under-19 World Cup but isn’t part of Afghanistan’s squad for the 2018 edition of the tournament. Rashid, the second-highest ODI wicket-taker in 2017 (43 wickets), was one of the names on the selectors’ shortlist, but they decided not to pick him, given how far he has progressed at the senior level, and given the wealth of other spin options in their squad.Players born on or after September 1, 1998, are eligible to play the 2018 edition of the tournament, which begins on Saturday in New Zealand; Rashid was born on September 20, 1998.Rashid was Afghanistan’s top wicket-taker in the 2016 edition of the tournament, with 10 wickets at an average of 17.10. The legspinner made his ODI and T20I debuts a few months before that tournament, and has since gone on to become the senior Afghanistan side’s leading strike bowler. He is also among the most sought-after wristspinners in franchise T20 leagues. Delivering stump-to-stump legbreaks and a well-disguised googly at a brisk pace, Rashid has flummoxed a number of batsmen around the world.Afghanistan, who earned Full Membership of the ICC last June, enter the Under-19 World Cup as contenders based on their recent form: the Under-19s won their maiden Youth Asia Cup late 2017. Afghanistan’s strength remains their bowling attack, which is dominated by spinners including the mystery offbreak bowler Mujeeb Zadran, the third-highest wicket-taker in Under-19 ODIs since the 2016 World Cup.Immediately after the Under-19 team’s Asia Cup triumph, coach Andy Moles requested the selection panel, led by the former Afghanistan captain Nawroz Mangal, to consider including Rashid in the squad. Yet, despite the temptation of playing him, the Afghanistan selectors felt bringing Rashid back into the Under-19 fold would only distract him.”We have three very good spinners in the squad and the selectors felt that Rashid has moved on with his career and these young spinners need to develop their game for the good and future of Afghanistan cricket,” Moles told ESPNcricinfo. “I am very happy with the selection policy as it ensures and encourages growth in our outstanding talent for the future.”If Rashid had been picked, he would have been the fifth member of the Afghanistan squad to feature in consecutive Under-19 World Cups, the others being Naveen-ul-Haq, Tariq Stanikzai, Zahir Khan and Ikram Ali Khil.Those four could be the last Afghanistan players to feature in two Under-19 World Cups. Chief executive officer Shafiqullah Stanikzai has said the ACB has put in place a policy that, going forward, no player can play more than one edition of the tournament.”We have passed a new resolution about our junior cricket that a player will participate in only one Under-19 World Cup [from the next edition],” Stanikzai said. “That way every two years we will have a new pool of players and help our development programmes in junior cricket.”Stanikzai also said the ACB backed the selectors’ decision on Rashid. “The core idea is for the player to go from strength to strength. Rashid has represented Afghanistan senior side, he is playing all the leagues, so we have to push him up, not bring him down. Instead of giving Rashid, we (the selectors) preferred giving a chance to Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan and Mujeeb Zadran. We are quite strong in the spin department and we are keen to see how these bowler cope in New Zealand.”

West Ham United have deployed chiefs to assess Peterborough defender Ronnie Edwards, but a fresh report has revealed that there are also two other clubs looking to bring him to the Premier League.

Who is Ronnie Edwards?

Edwards is naturally a centre-back who has plied his trade at the Weston Homes Stadium since 2020 having joined from Barnet’s academy setup, and during his three years at the club, he’s become an integral member and regular feature of Darren Ferguson’s squad having started 42 out of 46 League One games last season.

Even though the 20-year-old still has another two years remaining on his contract in the third tier, The Posh’s boss has admitted that his prized asset is likely to depart before the end of the window, recently stating during a public interview: “We fully expect Ronnie Edwards to go, so we’ll have to replace him”.

Football Scotland previously reported that the Irons have expressed an interest in the England youth international alongside Scottish Premiership giants Glasgow Rangers, so with competition for his signature fierce, David Moyes has already made chiefs take their admiration one step further.

Are West Ham signing Ronnie Edwards?

According to The Daily Mail's Transfer Confidential, West Ham scouts "checked on" Edwards during Peterborough's 3-1 victory over Barnsley last week. Fellow Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have also "watched him closely", whilst Rangers are once again name-checked in the report.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has additionally delivered an update on the future of his star, as quoted by the same outlet:

"It’s an absolute joke Ronnie is still here. We are all amazed, and it’s not because we are being greedy or silly. I know three Premier League clubs will make bids for Ronnie before the transfer deadline. But they will sign other players first as they don’t want their first signing to be a 20-year-old from League One."

How tall is Ronnie Edwards?

Standing at 5 foot 10, Edwards is relatively small for a centre-back, but that hasn’t stopped him from being an absolute rock at the heart of Ferguson’s backline since joining Peterborough, so should he sign on the dotted line, he could be a fantastic recruit for both the immediate and long-term future of West Ham.

The CMG Sports client, who pockets £2.7k-per-week, currently averages 4.8 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per league game, alongside recording a 93.1% pass success rate, via WhoScored, highlighting his excellent calmness and composure on the ball.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

The Harlow-born talent, who has also provided two assists since the start of his career, is even beginning to make a name for himself on the international stage having represented the Three Lions at the Euro’s U19s tournament, so he is truly a star in the making.

The Posh’s “one man defensive wall”, as dubbed by reporter Ben Jones, is clearly a man in demand, so the hierarchy may have to act quickly should they want to beat their fellow competitors in the race for his services, and it could be well worth cashing out considering the positive impact he could have at the London Stadium.

Liverpool still remain "at the window" for Torino centre-back Perr Schuurs, but he will not come cheap, with a new report from Italy revealing exactly how much the player will cost the Reds.

Who are Liverpool signing this summer?

The Reds' main priority this summer appears to be strengthening their midfield, with their pursuit of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia still ongoing, having recently submitted a new bid after seeing their £46m proposal knocked back.

Jurgen Klopp is keen on signing Fluminese midfielder Andre, with it recently being reported the 22-year-old could become their "plan A" target in midfield, while Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga and Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have also been named as potential options.

A whole host of targets have been identified in midfield, but Liverpool's pursuit of a new centre-back has gone a little quiet, having had their opening bid for Schuurs immediately knocked back by Torino last month.

Read The Latest Liverpool Transfer News HERE

According to a report from CalcioMercato, however, the Reds still "remain at the window" for the Torino defender, with the Serie A club currently demanding €40m (£34m) in order to sanction his departure.

The Merseyside club are not the only Premier League club interested in signing the Dutchman, with Crystal Palace having already submitted a bid of €30m (£26m), which was turned down, ending their pursuit for the time being.

Fabrizio Romano has reported the 23-year-old is being "discussed internally" by Tottenham, while also detailing the player himself is "keen" on a move to the Premier League.

Torino president Urbano Cairo is said to be "inflexible" in his valuation of the centre-back, meaning it is likely all the potential suitors will have to match the £34m asking price if they are to get a deal over the line this summer.

How good is Perr Schuurs?

Lauded as a "mountain" by journalist Josh Bunting, the 6 foot 3 defender has some impressive defensive attributes, ranking in the 80th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

The £29k-per-week defender, who has been hailed as "phenomenal" by Torino boss Ivan Juric, is also a very competent passer of the ball, recording an average pass success rate of 91.8% in the 2020-21 campaign, amongst the best in Europe.

It could definitely be worth Liverpool bringing in a new defender, considering Joel Matip has gone off the boil in recent times, with pundit Natasha Dowie claiming he "had to do better" in the build-up to Bayern Munich's second goal in the 4-3 loss earlier this month.

The Cameroonian defender is now 32-years-old, and with his contract set to expire next summer, Klopp needs to think about a long-term replacement, and Schuurs definitely fits the bill.

The Torino ace is by no means the finished article, with Juric recently claiming he is "still growing", but he has been exhibiting very promising signs since moving to Italy, establishing himself as a key first-team player last season, and Liverpool should undoubtedly test the waters with a new bid.

Manchester United have managed to sign Andre Onana and Mason Mount this summer as Erik ten Hag appears to be going about his transfer business rather methodically.

Rasmus Hojlund could be the next arrival, as the Danish striker has completed a medical at the club ahead of his proposed move, and it appears as though the Dutchman is ready to sign a couple more players before the window shuts…

Are Manchester United signing Jean-Clair Todibo?

According to reports in Spain (via TEAMtalk), the Old Trafford side are moving closer to signing OGC Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo during the transfer window.

The move looks like it will cost United only €30m (£26m) and it appears they have also fended off competition from Barcelona for the signature of the Frenchman.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

With all areas of his squad needing to be bolstered, it finally appears as though Ten Hag has secured his first defensive signing of the summer.

Does Harry Maguire have a future at Manchester United?

The arrival of Todibo will surely mean Maguire’s time is finally up at United, especially with a handful of clubs showing interest in him.

Everton are looking to sign the Englishman this summer as Sean Dyche looks to improve his backline, whilst West Ham United were also eyeing up a move for the defender.

Last season was a torrid one for the former Leicester City centre-back, as he started just 16 games across all competitions, including only eight Premier League starts, and it’s clear Ten Hag favoured a defensive duo of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

Even during his outings, Maguire only ranked tenth across the squad for accurate passes per game in the league, while ranking 18th for tackles and eighth for interceptions per game, suggesting he failed to have a positive influence on the team.

Onana even criticised him after a mistake during a pre-season friendly against Borussia Dortmund, and it feels unlikely that he will still be at the club once the window shuts.

Todibo could also be a major upgrade on Maguire across a wide range of metrics which will only benefit Ten Hag during the upcoming season.

Not only did the Nice defender register a higher pass completion percentage than the United centre-back (88.1% to 85.1%) but he also had more aerial duel success (57.4% to 53.2%) and completed a higher percentage of successful take-ons (71.4% to 66.7%) during the 2022/23 domestic season.

Todibo also ranked in the top 12% for progressive passes per 90 (4.8) compared to positional peers and top 8% for tackles per 90 (2.38) across the previous 365 days, suggesting that he isn’t only competent at transitioning the ball well from defence to attack, he is also able to win it back often due to his tenacious ability.

In contrast, Maguire averaged just 3.09 progressive passes per 90 and 1.03 tackles per 90, failing to rank in the top 50% when compared to positional peers, proving that there is a major difference between the two defenders.

In January, talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed the Nice defender “could be a big bargain for some smart club in the summer” and it looks as though United have won that particular race and secured themselves a wonderful investment.

The MCC committee has rejected plans for a residential development at Lord’s

George Dobell24-Jul-2017The MCC committee has rejected plans for a residential development at Lord’s. Having consulted with MCC members over recent weeks, the committee has instead recommended the redevelopment of Lord’s in line with the club’s original, though updated, Masterplan.The club’s 18,000 members will be asked to approve a resolution consenting to the plans at a Special General Meeting on September 27. If the vote is passed and planning permission gained, work on replacing the Compton and Edrich Stands would begin in late 2019 after the ground has staged the World Cup final and an Ashes Test in the preceding summer. It is scheduled to be completed by June 2021.Subsequent developments will include a new building at the East Gate which will, among other things, house the ECB offices, a shop, a car park and contain hospitality facilities. It is scheduled to be completed by 2025.The recommendation means there is an end in sight to an acrimonious chapter in MCC history that has rumbled on for several years, costs hundreds of thousands of pounds and seen former Prime Minister John Major resign from the committee in 2012.It also means a rejection of the Morley Plan. The controversial proposal was based upon the building of two ten-storey apartments (containing 97 residential plots) either side of a new Nursey Pavilion which would have been leased to the MCC. The plans would not only have funded the redevelopment of the Compton and Edrich Stands, but left the club with more than £100 million in the bank. The developers had also offered a sweetener of £15m to members to cover two years of their subscriptions to the club in acknowledgement of the disruption the building operation would cause.The developers behind the Morley Plan were the Rifkind Levy Partnership (RLP). Charles Rifkind, an investor and cousin of former Conservative minister Malcolm Rifkind, outbid MCC in 1999 to buy, for £2.35 million, a long-term lease on a 38-metre strip of land running the length of Lord’s at the Nursery End. It means that, while MCC owns the lease for the top 18 inches of land, Rifkind owns the disused train tunnels that lie under the surface. Rifkind and co had hoped the MCC would relinquish its lease to allow building work to progress.The MCC committee’s decision follows a two-year process which involved one of the biggest pieces of analysis ever conducted by the club and a consultation exercise with members. Five consultation meetings were held at Lord’s and around the country in June and members were also asked to complete a survey which accompanied a summary of both proposals. The review and consultation process is understood to have cost £500,000.There were 4710 responses to the survey and, among the 2000 members who chose to add their own views at the end of the form, those in favour of the MCC’s Masterplan outnumbered those in favour of the Morley Plan by a margin of more than ten to one.”Today’s decision by the MCC committee provides clarity on the extremely important and often controversial subject of ground development,” MCC’s chairman, Gerald Corbett, wrote in an address to members. “Put simply, the club can afford to develop the ground using its own resources and it will do so in the coming years without the need for enabling residential development.”The Morley scheme, with flats at its heart, was considered by the committee to detract from the ambience and special feel of Lord’s, as well containing a number of operational, security, execution and planning risks. Moreover the club’s advisers were unable to recommend the proposed commercial terms.”Although the Morley scheme offers a potential cash windfall, and the opportunity to acquire the leasehold land, the committee considered the flats and the effect on the grounds character too big a price to pay and risk to take. The committee also considered the advice of its five principal subcommittees, who all recommended to implement the club’s Updated Masterplan and to reject flats and the Morley scheme.”Being new to the committee – and this issue – two years ago, I have had the opportunity to ask questions, to get into the detail and to listen to the full range of opinion as to what is best for the future of Lord’s. The consultation events and survey responses are unequivocal – members do not want flats at Lord’s and they want MCC to continue ground development through its own finances.”The programme for the next stage will be voted on by members in September and then the club can put this issue to bed by ensuring that developments at Lord’s are based on retaining the unique character of the ground, are cricket-led and operationally feasible and provide the best possible experience for players and spectators.”All members have been consulted. Many have spoken. The committee has decided. The club will now vote and we will then move on.”

كشف مصدر خاص بنادي الزمالك النقاب عن رد مسؤولي القلعة البيضاء على عقوبات رابطة الأندية المصرية.

وكانت رابطة الأندية قد أصدرت قرارتها بشأن عقوبات مباراة الزمالك والأهلي، ضمن مؤجلات الجولة العاشرة من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقررت رابطة الأندية تغريم الزمالك مبلغ 50 ألف جنيه بسبب إخفاء الكرات خلال المباراة، مع إيقاف المدير الإداري عمرو أبو العز وعامل غرف خلع الملابس مصطفى حسين “ميلا”.

رابطة الأندية تفرض 3 عقوبات على الزمالك بسبب واقعة “الكرات” أمام الأهلي

وأكد المصدر لـ “بطولات: أن الزمالك قرر التقدم بتظلم ضد قرارات رابطة الأندية الخاصة بعقوبات مباراة الأهلي.

وأوضح المصدر أن الطعن سيأتي من أجل ايقاف عمرو أبو العز المدير الإداري على وجه الخصوص الذي تعرض للإيقاف بالرغم من عدم تواجده في موقف حاملي الكرات والذي يرفضه النادي من الأساس.

وكان الزمالك قد نجح في تحقيق الفوز على الأهلي بهدفين مقابل هدف على، سجلهما سيف الدين الجزيري، فيما سجل هدف الأهلي، أحمد عبد القادر.