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Arsenal are reportedly interested in Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Martin Baturina as Mikel Arteta considers his options in attack ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Spaniard and sporting director Edu Gaspar have made an impressive start to the transfer window, securing the signings of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, in the bid to push on from the highs of last season’s second-place finish.

The Gunners’ business may not be over yet, with Croatian starlet Baturina reported to be of interest.

Could Arsenal sign Martin Baturina?

As reported by the Express this week, Arsenal have ‘tracked’ Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Baturina, with the Gunners seeking added cover in the middle of the park.

The report adds that the representatives of the north London outfit have scouted the 20-year-old on a number of occasions, with speculation rising over a potential summer move.

Valued around the €20m (£18m) mark by FootballTransfers, Arteta could capture a rising talent at an efficient price this window.

How good is Martin Baturina?

Rising through the ranks at Dinamo Zagreb, the midfielder made a breakthrough last season at the club, making a mammoth 48 appearances in all competitions, including five in the Champions League.

Seen as a key player for the Croatian side, the 20-year-old gem registered an average match rating of 7.13 in the Hrvatska Nogometna Liga (HNL), ranking within the top ten individual performers for the club, via Sofascore.

Having previously been hailed as “technically outrageous” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the promising talent could be a huge coup for Arsenal in years to come, showing signs of living up to the potential of captain and creative genius Martin Odegaard.

In 34 league appearances last term, the Croatian registered 18 goal contributions, scoring six and assisting 12, similar to the Norwegians' 22 contributions through 15 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.

While the Gunners captain is just 24-years-old himself, moving for Baturina could be a positive addition for the future, in a talent that could one day surpass his talent and importance at the Emirates.

Described as having strengths in his ‘vision and high football IQ’ by The Scouting App, the midfielder could be the perfect addition to one day take the throne from Odegaard, as well as adding significant depth to Arteta’s squad.

His scouting report, also via The Scouting App, also highlights Baturina’s main threat as his passing, saying that he possesses ‘huge vision, creativity and accuracy’ in his passing strengths, as supported by his numbers accumulated last season.

As per Sofascore, the 20-year-old averaged 1.6 key passes per game, as well as maintaining a phenomenal passing accuracy rate of 89%, alongside creating 10 big chances.

For Arsenal, adding quality in numbers is essential this summer, as they aim to make further progress in the Premier League, as well as in their return to the Champions League, where they have not featured since the 2016/17 campaign.

Equipping his side with a budding young talent that excels in the final third could be a perfect match for Arteta, who has shown since his arrival the success he can gain in placing high levels of trust in the youth of north London.

Having penned a new deal at Zagreb in April, it may take a significant pull to secure the Croatian, who is contracted to the club until 2028.

أعلن المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، عن قائمة اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون مباراة برشلونة في الجولة الثانية والثلاثين من الدوري الإسباني.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد وبرشلونة غدًا الأحد، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” بقيادة الحكم، سيزار سوتو جرادو.

وشهدت قائمة ريال مدريد استمرار غياب الحارس، تيبو كورتوا، رغم مشاركته في التدريبات الجماعية، مع وجود فيرلاند ميندي الذي هناك شكوك حول جاهزيته.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشافي: علينا تحويل إحباطنا إلى طاقة أمام ريال مدريد.. ويعلق على أزمة أراوخو وجوندوجان

📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
🆚 @FCBarcelona_es#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/0vrhrHuFci — Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 20, 2024

قائمة ريال مدريد في الكلاسيكو أمام برشلونة

حراسة المرمى: أندريه لونين، كيبا أريزابالاجا، ماريو دي لويس.

الدفاع: داني كارفاخال، إيدير ميليتاو، ناتشو، لوكاس فاسكيز، فران جارسيا، أنطونيو روديجر، فيرلاند ميندي.

الوسط: جود بيلينجهام، توني كروس، لوكا مودريتش، إدواردو كامافينجا، أوريلين تشواميني، فيدي فالفيردي، داني سيبايوس، أردا جولر.

الهجوم: فينيسيوس جونيور، رودريجو جوس، خوسيلو، إبراهيم دياز.

Manchester United have agreed on personal terms with Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, according to reports.

Are Man United signing Rasmus Hojlund?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag have already splashed the cash this summer by bringing in midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea in a deal worth £60m.

The England international has signed a deal through to 2028 and will wear the famous number 7 shirt at Old Trafford, with Mount potentially the first of many through the door at Old Trafford over the coming weeks.

A new goalkeeper is required after it was confirmed by David de Gea that his 12-year association with the club has come to an end after his contract expired at the end of June.

Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is seemingly the top target in goal, and it looks as if a move is gathering pace, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that a deal will be sealed by the end of next week.

Personal terms have been agreed with the Cameroon international, and by the look of things, an Old Trafford deal has also been struck with Hojlund.

The forward has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester this summer and the club were thought to be readying a £50m bid for the Denmark international.

According to Football Insider in the last 48 hours, there has been a ‘huge new development’ in United’s attempts to sign Hojlund.

The report states that Man United and Hojlund have agreed personal terms and are making progress over a move. The addition of a prolific number nine is the club’s top priority before the window shuts, and it looks as if Hojlund could be the man to arrive.

Is Rasmus Hojlund good?

Hojlund is just 20 years of age, but he appears to be making good progress and is seemingly a potential star in the making. He signed for Atalanta just last year and saw his Transfermarkt valuation rocket to a career-high €45m after contributing to 14 goals in 34 games last season.

His former boss Christian Ilzer described him as a player with "incredible maturity" and believed he is "similar to [Erling] Haaland", while Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini also praised Hojlund.

“Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also technical quality that is just remarkable.

"He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity and can move his legs very fast. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day.”

Meanwhile, football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed Hojlund as an "absolute monster in the making", so the left-footed striker could be a shrewd addition for Ten Hag.

That’s because Anthony Martial is reportedly up for sale, and should he depart, United would be left with no senior centre-forward options, with Marcus Rashford primarily a winger. Therefore, signing someone like Hojlund would allow Rashford to turn out in his favoured role, and the Red Devils are getting close to a deal.

Virat Kohli has said the team is preparing for the second Test the way they usually do for a match, and hinted towards a “few surprises” with respect to the XI that will play on Saturday

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Bengaluru03-Mar-20174:00

No more hesitation from our side – Kohli

Virat Kohli has said India are looking at being 1-0 down against Australia not as a setback but as an opportunity to improve ahead of the second Test in Bengaluru. India’s 333-run defeat in Pune snapped a winning streak that lasted 19 Tests, and Kohli said it was inevitable for teams to lose focus on their weaknesses during extended runs of good results.”I think it’s an opportunity to understand what other things we still need to work on,” Kohli said, on the eve of the second Test. “We are all professional cricketers. But sometimes when you are winning a lot of games, you don’t tend to focus on points that need to be improved as such. Because someone or the other is stepping up.”When the whole team does not execute the things that you want to, you understand the things that you need to work on as a team. That’s always a good sign. We got to know a lot more things that we need to still keep working on to be the top side in the world. As I said last time, you can’t take anything for granted at any stage of a Test match. It’s something that you look [at] as an opportunity to learn rather than a setback. I think these things are also important for your cricket journey.”Kohli said India had not deviated from their usual training routines before the Bengaluru Test, and stressed on the importance of playing without inhibitions or fear of things going wrong.”We don’t necessarily push people to practice in different ways because every individual has his own way of preparing for the game,” he said. “But in terms of mindset we have made a conscious push to go out there and express ourselves without thinking about ‘what if’. Individuals want to play their natural game and they should; they want to bowl a certain way and they should, not thinking about the outcome necessarily.”There won’t be any hesitation from here on till the end of the series from our side. That’s something we’ve addressed. Practice has always been similar, win or lose. That’s how you become consistent as a team, when you repeat the same things day in and day out. We have a set pattern of practise we always execute before every Test match and this time is no different. When you lose because of lack of intent, those things need to be addressed and we’ve done that.”Kohli didn’t divulge the combination India would play in Bengaluru, but hinted that there might be surprises, while answering a question about whether they were thinking of leaving out Jayant Yadav, who was the least penetrative of India’s three spinners on a square turner in Pune.”We have our ideas; we will go in with the best combination possible,” Kohli said. “Jayant has been outstanding. You can’t put too much pressure on a guy who’s played just one series. He’s been brilliant so far; the way he’s grabbed his spot has been outstanding. He’s a very intelligent cricketer.”All of us go through the grind. We have good games, bad games, off days as well. Pune wasn’t his best game. I won’t sit here and judge him because he’s played only a few games but he knows how to turn things around and get back into that mindset he started his first series with. I’m sure he’ll get back into that zone. As far as the combinations are concerned, we are studying a lot of options. Eventually we’ll come to a conclusion this evening, on what is the XI we want to go with. But yes, all kinds of possibilities tomorrow. Might be a few surprises.”

Liverpool will not pursue a summer deal to sign Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

Is Benjamin Pavard leaving Bayern Munich?

The France international will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that this transfer window will provide Thomas Tuchel with his final big opportunity to cash in, should he not want to risk losing him for free in 12 months time, and being his second top-performing defensive player, he won’t be short of suitors.

Whilst FSG and Jurgen Klopp are known to be prioritising the midfield area having already confirmed the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister, the backline is believed to be another position that they are looking to strengthen and the 27-year-old had been mentioned as a target.

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, SportBILD journalist Christian Falk revealed that the right-back has “informed” the Bundesliga outfit that he wants to leave and name-checked the Reds as a “hot candidate” after his agent held talks with the hierarchy, but an update has now emerged contrary to those reports.

Are Liverpool signing Pavard?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are “not in the running” to sign Pavard this summer despite multiple outlets stating otherwise. The Premier League side have been the “most strongly linked” with a swoop for the defender, but it’s stated that there is “no truth” to the rumours that they are set to make an approach in the weeks ahead.

The Merseyside outfit are maintaining their “focus” on additions in the midfield, with Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Gabri Veiga and Romeo Lavia all on the boss’ shortlist, where he will then turn his attention to increasing numbers in the backline.

Are FSG right not to chase Pavard?

During Liverpool’s final few games of last season, Trent Alexander-Arnold was deployed in the midfield and appeared to flourish in his new role, so Klopp could do with another right-back to take his place should his regular starter be set to change positions, and Pavard could have been the perfect candidate.

The 2022 World Cup runner-up, who pockets £82k-per-week, averaged 2.5 clearances, 2.3 tackles and 2.1 aerial wins per game in the Bundesliga during the previous term, via WhoScored, so was a real rock out wide, but he also got more than involved at the opposite end of the field.

Bayern’s “wonderful character”, as described by one of their club chiefs Uli Hoeness, ranked in the 99th percentile for three different statistics, including progressive passes, and this attacking mindset resulted in him clocking up eight goal contributions (seven goals and one assist) across all competitions. The Reds could be making a big mistake by deciding not to chase Pavard.

Sergio Aguero and Iker Casillas faced off in a one-v-one five-second penalty shootout in the Kings League, and the Spanish goalkeeper came out on top brilliantly.

What is the Kings League?

The Kings League is a seven-a-side competition co-founded by recently retired Barcelona legend Gerard Pique.

He formed it with friend and Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos and it has already picked up an estimated 1.3 million online views of matches at the start of 2023.

It’s a mixture of sport and pure entertainment with amateurs, professionals and former star footballers all taking part.

Recently, former Real Madrid star Casillas went face-to-face with ex-Barcelona and Man City striker Aguero in a penalty shootout to help decide a game.

Except, things work a little differently in the Kings League as penalty-takers run from the halfway line and have a total of five seconds to score – once the buzzer sounds, if the ball isn’t in the net, it’s a miss.

As this footage from the official Twitter account shows, Casillas completely got the better of Aguero as he stayed on his line, held his nerve, and then guessed correctly as the Argentine shot towards the bottom corner.

Sadly, both players no longer play football and heart issues forced them each out of the beautiful game a little sooner than perhaps either would have hoped.

Indeed, Casillas won two league titles with Porto after leaving Madrid but then had a heart attack and did not play for them again before hanging up his boots in 2020.

While Aguero suffered chest pains and dizziness at Barcelona. He was initially ruled out for three months after having cardiac tests but opted to retire in December 2021.

Thankfully, they are both healthy enough to partake in this sort of friendly football fun and it seems fans online enjoyed seeing the two face off.

Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter…

Saqlain Mushtaq has called on the ECB to appoint a full-time spin bowling coach to work with the England team and said he would “love to” fill the role

George Dobell25-Nov-2016Saqlain Mushtaq has called on the ECB to appoint a full-time spin bowling coach to work with the England team and said he would “love to” fill the role.While Saqlain, the former Pakistan offspinner, is hardly impartial in such matters – he is currently fulfilling such a job on a brief consultancy basis – he makes a strong case both with his words and his record.Having joined up with the squad after the two Tests in Bangladesh, he has presided over a sharp improvement in the performance of Adil Rashid, in particular, and argues that the importance of spin bowling is undervalued compared to other disciplines.”It is very important to have a full-time spin coach,” Saqlain, who leaves the tour after the third Test in Mohali, said. “If you look at the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and the highest wicket-taker in one-day cricket, they are spinners.”And it is not just in the subcontinent, but when you go abroad on the fourth and fifth day of the Test match the spinners are the main bowlers. The whole team relies on them so spin is a main thing and you have to have a full-time coach for the spin … not just for the main team but on the county circuit as well. I believe that.”It is not just to look after the spinners; it is to help the batsmen as well as to how the spinners think about the batsmen.”While the ECB does already employ various bowling coaches – former England offspinner Peter Such is the lead spin bowling coach – it has become common practice for the England team to be accompanied only by a fast-bowling coach when on tour. Mushtaq Ahmed, the former Pakistan legspinner, was also engaged on a part-time consultancy basis in the past but, recently, it has been an oddly overlooked area in an England set-up which boasts experts across many other fields.”It’s not just me saying this,” Saqlain said, evoking recent comments by Graeme Swann. “But I think a few weeks age Swanny mentioned it. Lots of experts mention it.”It seems the ECB is listening. Andrew Strauss suggested last week that the ECB is open to the idea of engaging a spin-bowling coach on a more permanent basis – though perhaps not full-time – and that Saqlain was effectively in something of a trial period.He can only have impressed. Despite having had little time to work with the England spinners – “Before the series you can’t really open the technical side of things,” he said – he has clearly built a strong rapport with them and inspired confidence. Rashid is the highest wicket-taker in the series with 13 – Shane Warne never took more than 14 in India – while Moeen Ali currently has a better strike rate (67) than R Ashwin (70.5).”To know the players is the most important thing for me,” Saqlain said. “The first couple of days I started to build relationships. It is based on trust, truth, honesty and respect. This is my philosophy on working. The boys are passionate about cricket and they are very hard working guys, especially Moeen, Rash and Zafar Ansari. They are very keen to learn and are hard-working chaps.”There wasn’t too much technical stuff to begin with but we did work on tactical things and a lot of mental things. The preparation that goes into knowing the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses and to know what is our strength. These are the basics.”I’m enjoying it. Every session, every conversation during the breaks. I’m loving the support staff and everyone. It is like a family. It is a relaxed atmosphere, but a professional one. I would love to keep going and be involved in the future.”I believe that things are going well and we’re on the same page. I’m trying to bring them, myself and the captain on the same page. Things are going nicely.”It seems the admiration is mutual. He describes Rashid as a legspinner “with everything” who “can achieve the highest level” within the game and Moeen as a bowler on the way to being one of the “top three offspinners in the world”.”Adil is a very skilful guy and he’s got a lot of variations,” Saqlain said. “We’re trying to make things simple and then it is easier to deliver and easier to control. We’re making it simple from a thinking and technical point of view. I’m saying to him to concentrate on his strengths whatever his strengths are. And he’s working on that.”Moeen is a proper offspinner. The way he bowls, the energy, the shape of the ball, the control, everything. We shouldn’t be thinking that he is not a proper offspinner. He is an allrounder and I would say he is equally good at batting and bowling.”He is young and he hasn’t bowled as much and had the mileage before. He’s improving and the more he works hard and the more he plays the longer version, the more mileage he will get. You can rate him in the top three offspinners in the world.”

Manchester United are the subject of a fifth bid from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani. United fans have long since been opposed to the Glazer family running the club, but the owners have yet to accept any of the bids they've received for the OId Trafford outfit.

What's the latest Manchester United takeover updates?

According to Sky Sports, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani has improved his offer to to buy Manchester United but has issued an ultimatum. Reported as "a little bit of a caveat" live by Sky Sports News, his bid team will now not "engage with the process after Friday".

It's his second ultimatum during this process after previously declaring that his third and "final offer" in April would not be followed up with another. However, the Raine Group, a New York investment bank, received a fourth offer in the region of £5bn in May.

Sheikh Jassim's offer is for 100% ownership of Manchester United. United have been informed this will be the final bid, but with the Glazers seeking a £6bn offer, it may not matter even if Jassim is said to believe "is a very competitive one".

If accepted, it would clear £1bn of United's debt as well as bring a separate fund to redevelop Old Trafford and the Carrington training facility while also investing in the squad.

How does the takeover saga affect Man United transfers?

Despite the ongoing negotiations between Sheikh Jassim and Manchester United, Erik ten Hag will still be able to invest into his side this summer, but there may still be limitations.

An update from May stated that Jassim is keen on signing Neymar if he is successful in buying the club but with no clear timeline on the sale, signing the Brazil icon remains an improbable purchase. Of course, that's before you consider his injury record.

Harry Kane is another doubtful target for the Red Devils if this uncertainty continues. Fabrizio Romano stated that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will "make life very difficult for Manchester United to sign Kane", so it's hard to believe they can complete a deal without the backing of a new owner.

One interesting target for ten Hag to improve his midfield options is Brighton's Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian is said to be valued at £70m. Journalist Sam Dean says Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all shown interest while Liverpool could still enter the race as well.

United finished third in the Premier League and will be hoping their summer recruitment can continue their progression under ten Hag.

ScorecardNick Compton put this sort of England agony behind him•Getty Images

The hearty cheers that reverberated around Lord’s told their own tale. Nick Compton had not merely reached a century at HQ, but had helped Middlesex into a position of dominance and, in the process, strengthened his team’s hold on the summit of Division One. So as he punched the air in delight at his century, removing his helmet to acknowledge the crowd’s applause, Compton had much reason to be proud.That recent months have been among the most trying of Compton’s professional life hardly needs restating. Indeed, when he brought up his 50, it was his first half-century of the year, and first since his crucial 85 underpinned England’s victory in the Durban Test at the end of 2015.Given these circumstances, and the huge importance of this match to his team, few of Compton’s 25 first-class centuries can have been the cause of so much satisfaction. On this evidence, plenty more will be forthcoming in the County Championship. Compton has only just turned 33, retains one of the most resolute defensive techniques in the land and has a ravenous appetite for runs that few can rival in the county game.There seems no reason why, if he has the inclination, he cannot continue to feast in the shires for many years, a little like Marcus Trescothick and Mark Ramprakash, two other players who, for contrasting reasons, enjoyed international careers shorter than they had envisaged.Adhesive defence has been Compton’s hallmark, and this innings was no different: he had to summon all of his fortitude to resist Rushwoth’s swing and the bounce of Mark Wood. And yet Compton revealed plenty more of his game: relentlessly efficient clips through the legside, some imperious hooks, and a succession of meticulously-placed late cuts, including the steer off Scott Borthwick that brought up his century a little before three o’clock. While the early stages of his innings had been a little jittery, Compton unobtrusively gained in fluency, using his feet nimbly to spin and outpacing Nick Gubbins during their fertile alliance.Together with Gubbins, Compton added 247 runs in 79.1 overs, and how they fed of each other was highlighted not just by their harrying between the wickets but how Gubbins left his crease so early to laud Compton for his century that Durham might have run him out.This was a match-defining partnership, and a record-breaking one: Middlesex’s highest stand for the second wicket against Durham and only one shy of equalling the record for any wicket. Gubbins’ dismissal also left him one short of being the first batsman to reach 1,000 runs in the County Championship in 2016. Still, he might reflect that 999 runs at 66.60 apiece is not too shabby.Although this was only his third first-class century – Gubbins fell three times in the 90s before reaching his first – it brimmed with not merely assurance and class, but, for those who have witnessed him this season, a certain feeling of inevitability. Given that England are hardly overburdened with proven opening partners for Alastair Cook, it would be a surprise if Gubbins was not rewarded by a England Lions berth.Cricket has always fetishised the grace of the left-hander, and, in his clips through the legside, driving through point and dexterous use of his feet against spin, Gubbins has an elegance in keeping with this tradition. All these shots were in evidence against Durham; more importantly, so was Gubbins’ grit.How he needed it to withstand Wood. Wood’s frustration has been palpable all day, and, with Gubbins on 99, he expressed it in an over of short bowling, harassing Gubbins with a short leg and fly slip. Gubbins withstood, and reached his century against Borthwick in the next over, but still Wood returned, a brutal rising delivery from him smashing into Gubbins’ grill. When Wood eventually found late movement to induce Gubbins to edge to slip and end the second wicket stand, he looked to the sky – less in relief at the wicket, but in exasperation at waiting so long for it.When the second wicket stand was nascent, the previous evening, Gubbins had been spilled behind, off Onions; Compton had also survived two chances to the slips off Chris Rushworth before he has reached 20, one on the first evening and one on the second morning.By the time it finally ended, the alliance between Compton and Gubbins was worth more than the entirety of Durham’s first innings and, buttressed by a forceful cameo from Paul Stirling, had secured Middlesex a lead of over 200: a position from which they will expect to win convincingly, in the process extend their lead at the top of Division One.And, as loud as the cheers that greeted Compton’s century were, Middlesex can dream of even more boisterous acclaim should they clinch the Championship crown here against Yorkshire in the final game of the season.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is keen to continue his rebuild at the club by making a few summer signings ahead of next season, with their strength in depth causing their levels to dip towards the end of the current campaign.

According to RMC Sport (via the Daily Mail), United have offered a contract to Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, as his deal with the Serie A giants expires in a few weeks – and he would certainly be a solid addition to Ten Hag’s squad.

However, if no deal can be agreed between the two parties, it appears the Dutchman has a contingency plan in place which will see the Red Devils launch a move for Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Kouadio Kone instead.

It could cost United a minimum of €40m (£35m) to secure a deal for the player, which is well within Ten Hag’s budget.

Could Man United sign Kouadio Kone this summer?

With his contract not expiring until 2025, Gladbach will be aiming to sell for as high a price as possible.

This shouldn’t deter United, however, as his potential suggests he could be worth whatever fee they pay for him.

With Gladbach currently occupying 11th spot in the Bundesliga having won just ten league matches all season, it could suggest several stars may want away this summer – of which Kone would likely be one.

Across his 29 league matches this term, Kone ranks fourth in the squad for accurate passes (39.4) and interceptions (one), fifth for key passes (0.7) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.9) underlining how important he is to the current squad, despite their disappointing season.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on the midfielder, labelling him as “fantastic” and a “one-man army” following an impressive performance against Bayern Munich in February, and if he can perform like that against one of the best clubs in Europe, he could slot right in at the Premier League club with ease.

His ability to take on defenders while driving forward is one of his key strengths. Across the previous 365 days, Kone ranks in the top 4% throughout Europe’s big five leagues for take-ons attempted and successful take-ons per 90, while he also ranks in the top 2% for drawing fouls with 2.59 per 90, suggesting that Ten Hag would be signing a midfielder who looks to push towards the opposition goal as often as possible.

Six years younger than Rabiot, Kone could perhaps be a better long-term option than the Frenchman, and the next few weeks will be crucial regarding any potential move.