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INEOS have submitted an opening offer worth £83.5 million to sign a “dynamic” attacker for Manchester United, according to a recent report. Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first United training session this week after waiting for his visa to come through. Then, by the end of the week, the 39-year-old will be taking charge of his first match in charge of the Red Devils, as they face Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Man Utd now open preliminary talks to sign "brilliant" Luke Shaw upgrade

He’s been in fine form this season.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 17, 2024 Man Utd want to sign a left-back

The January transfer window has always been a hard month for clubs to sign players, as it is midway through the campaign and teams don’t want to sell players they can’t replace. However, that isn’t stopping United, as they are prioritising signing a left-back in the New Year given their recent issues in that area of the pitch.

Last week it emerged that the Red Devils are exploring a deal to bring Alvaro Carreras back to Old Trafford. The defender only left the club in the summer to join Benfica, but the fact that Luke Shaw has still yet to play this season means United are looking for a left-back, and Carreras is under consideration.

Another player who is on United’s radar is AFC Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, and they are ready “to act fast” to sign the left-back. In the latest update, United have opened preliminary talks to sign Kerkez, but face competition from rivals Liverpool. But left-back doesn’t seem to be the only position INEOS are looking at ahead of January, as they have submitted an offer to sign an attacking winger, according to the latest reports.

INEOS submit £83.5m offer to sign Ademola Lookman for Man Utd

According to a report from Spain, relayed by The Peoples Person, Manchester United have submitted an offer worth up to €100 million (£83.5 million) to sign Ademola Lookman from Atalanta as their first bit of business straight away in January. The 27-year-old has been with the Italian side since August 2022, when he joined from RB Leipzig, and he played a massive role in their Europa League success last season.

Lookman, who has been dubbed “dynamic” by football presenter Dougie Critchley, scored five goals in 11 Europa games last season, as the Serie A side beat Bayer Leverkusen in the final. As well as performing well in Europe, Lookman also bagged 11 goals and recorded eight assists in 31 league appearances.

The winger has continued that form this season, scoring six goals in nine league games, and that form has put him on the radar of United and Paris Saint Germain. This report states that both teams have submitted pre-January offers to sign the former Everton player, as his ability to score goals as well as create them and his versatility going forward have led to these teams taking “notice of him”.

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It goes on to add that Lookman’s ability to play in different positions would see him fit into Amorim’s team, and even though he is important for Atalanta, they would sanction a sale, as receiving a huge fee would do wonders for their own finances.

After a dreadful period before the international break that saw them slip down the Premier League table, Arsenal look back to their brilliant best.

Mikel Arteta’s side have scored 13 goals in their last three games while conceding just three, and there have been standout performers all over the pitch, from Bukayo Saka in attack to Gabriel Magalhaes in defence.

However, for all the excellent displays from players in the starting lineup to those on the bench, a few players remain on the periphery of the squad.

West Ham United (A)

5-2 (W)

Sporting CP (A)

5-1 (W)

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-0 (W)

Chelsea (A)

1-1 (D)

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1-0 (L)

Fortunately, if recent reports are to be believed, one of those players could be set to make the club a hefty profit next month, a player the manager once thought would become an important member of the team.

Arsenal's standout performers

Okay, before we get to the player who should be moved on next month, let’s examine a few of the stars who’ve reignited Arsenal’s title charge over the last week or so, starting with club poster boy Saka.

The Hale End icon was one of the few players in impressive form prior to the international break, racking up four goals and seven assists in 15 appearances, but has reached another level over the last three games, scoring three goals and providing four assists.

In all, the fan favourite “monster”, as dubbed by journalist Mark White, has established himself well and truly as the Gunners’ most important player this season.

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Still, it cannot be forgotten that his best form often comes when playing alongside another of the team’s best players, Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian returned to the team just before the international break, but it was against Forest that he looked back to his best, and since then, it’s become crystal clear that when he starts, the North Londoners are twice the team they are without him.

For example, the Drammen-born dynamo picked up an assist against the Tricky Trees and Sporting before scoring a penalty against the Irons on Saturday evening.

The former Real Madrid wonderkid’s haul for the season so far stands at four goal involvements in eight games, and now he’s fit again, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that number balloon in the coming weeks.

However, while the Gunners’ number seven is reaching new heights and their captain is getting back to his scintillating best, there are a few squad players who look even further from first-team action than before, including one who left Arteta excited when he first joined, but now must be sold for a hefty profit.

The Arsenal player who must be sold

In January 2023, Arsenal were in the midst of an entirely unexpected title race with Manchester City, and were actually leading Pep Guardiola’s league-winning juggernaut at that time, so the club opted to bring in some reinforcements.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s incredibly talented winger Leandro Trossard was signed for £27m, Italian international Jorginho made the increasingly uncontroversial move from Chelsea to the Emirates, and while both of those players have become incredibly useful members of the squad since, the same cannot really be said of the third signing made that month, Jakub Kiwior.

The Polish defender joined the team from Serie A side Spezia for around £20m.

While he was a surprise addition to most fans, Arteta was delighted about his arrival and seemed to see a bright future for him at the club, describing him as “a young versatile defender who has shown huge potential and qualities with Spezia in Serie A.”

Unfortunately for the Tychy-born ace, he was limited to just eight appearances in his first six months at the Emirates. Yet, in September of the following season, the manager once again reaffirmed his belief in him, claiming that the 24-year-old had the potential “to be great.”

Last season did see the versatile defender get more game time, as across the full campaign he made 30 first-team appearances, with the majority coming at left-back, but following a poor display against Bayern Munich in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final, he once again became more of a bench option.

This season has seen the 31-capped international make just ten appearances, totalling 374 minutes, as summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and even Myles Leiws-Skelly seem to be ahead of him in the pecking order, which makes a recent report touting him for an exit particularly interesting.

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According to Caught Offside, there are ten clubs that are now interested in signing the former Spezia star, with Italian giants AC Milan and Napoli, as well as Sevilla already making contact over a potential deal.

The report claims that while the latter two have inquired over a loan move, the Gunners would prefer a permanent sale and would be tempted by offers in the region of €40m to €50m, which converts to about £33m to £41m.

In other words, if the club are able to sell the £58k-per-week ace for the higher sum, that would represent a profit of at least £21m, and for all the talent and potential he has, that seems like too good a deal to turn down, especially when Arteta already has a plethora of left-backs to choose from.

Ultimately, it would be fair to say that Kiwior’s move to Arsenal last January has not really worked out on the pitch, but should he move on for such a significant price in January, or even next summer, then his original transfer would have to be considered a success, at least from a financial perspective.

He's outscoring Saka in PL: Arsenal want "super" Havertz rival in £40m star

The incredible talent would make Arsenal’s squad so much better.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 29, 2024

She is serving pre-tournament quarantine because of her delayed arrival after the birth of her first child

Annesha Ghosh02-Mar-2022South Africa opener Lizelle Lee has been ruled out of the team’s opening match of the ODI World Cup against Bangladesh on March 5 in Dunedin.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Lee, the 2021 ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year and South Africa’s most explosive batter, is currently serving a mandatory pre-tournament quarantine at the New Zealand government’s Managed Quarantine and Isolation (MIQ) facility after a pre-arranged delayed arrival in the country following the birth of her first child. She will link up with the South African squad this weekend and will hence miss the fixture against Bangladesh on Saturday.Lee is understood to have arrived in New Zealand last weekend, more than two weeks after other members of the South African touring party landed and entered quarantine at MIQ. The delay in Lee’s arrival in New Zealand is down to an arrangement facilitated by the ICC, Cricket South Africa (CSA), the South Africa Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) following a months-long liaison among them and Lee, who had requested CSA for a delayed departure so she could spend time with her wife, Tanja Cronje, who gave birth to their son on February 22.”Look, it’s a tough one,” Lee told ESPNcricinfo in an interview in January when asked what juggling cricket and the impending birth of her child might look like for her leading into the World Cup. “Our baby is due no later than February 25. I’m trying everything in my power to try get a later flight to New Zealand for the World Cup because I really want to be there at the birth and not only being at the birth, but just being there the few weeks before trying to help Tanja with everything that’s going on. I mean it’s not going to be easy for her doing anything alone.”I know, things are bit hard at the moment because of Covid and I know they want everybody to try and fly in on the same time, but it’s just different circumstances; it’s not like I’m trying to stay home just to stay home. It’s literally the birth of our first child. Hopefully, the ICC and New Zealand can accommodate that and I know CSA is backing me as well, they’re already trying from their side.”It’s a tough decision deciding where I’m going to either stay, maybe skip the World Cup, or I don’t know. My family is extremely important to me and, like I said, it’s our first child and I don’t want to miss out and I want to give my best for South Africa at the World Cup as well.”Lee, placed sixth on the ICC rankings for ODI batters following her recent dominance at No. 1, had missed South Africa’s home series against West Indies, too, in January-February having been grounded by Covid-19.South Africa, semi-finalists in the 2017 ODI World Cup, play their second match on March 11 against Pakistan, in Mount Maunganui. They lost both their warm-ups: against India by two runs and England by six wickets in a rain-curtailed fixture.

Former Barcelona coach Xavi has confirmed he plans to return to management in the summer after taking a sabbatical.

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Xavi ready to manage againHas taken sabbatical after Barcelona exitEager to win more trophiesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Xavi left Barcelona last May after two and a half seasons in charge during which time he won La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana. The former Barcelona midfielder, who enjoyed a stellar career as a player, has since taken time away from the game but is now eager to return to management and wants to add more silverware to his extensive trophy cabinet.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT XAVI SAID

He told : "I don’t have anything established in my future, I have an open mind. Why not manage another La Liga side? I’m open to listening to offers. I’m looking for an exciting project and I have the ambition to win titles. That’s my goal. I like to see teams which play nice football and treat the ball well. Managers such as Pep Guardiola, Arne Slot at Liverpool, [Vincent] Kompany at Bayern… but I also like watching championships such as the Qatari, Saudi Arabian or Portuguese leagues. I want my players to have fun, perform an attractive football style for their fans and finally to win trophies. I want to win the Champions League, the Euros, the World Cup."

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Xavi has previously been linked with Manchester United and Juventus and his standing in the game means he may not lack for offers this summer. The 45-year-old spent two years in charge of Al-Sadd, before his time back at Barcelona, and built an exciting team that won seven trophies.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR XAVI

Fans will have to wait and see where Xavi does move to next but, in the meantime, he's likely to be cheering on his beloved Barcelona. The Catalans are currently top of La Liga and in good shape to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League after enjoying a 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of their last 16 tie.

Only fully vaccinated spectators will be permitted to enter the stadiums

PTI02-Mar-2022The Maharashtra government has approved full-vaccinated spectators at 25% of stadium capacity for IPL 2022, which is set to be held in Mumbai and Pune from March 26.In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the state government said considering that the Covid-19 cases have been on the decline, the crowd limit has been capped at 25% and only fully vaccinated spectators will be permitted to enter the stadiums.This, after the Maharashtra government conducted a meeting with BCCI and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for the smooth conduct of the IPL, which is now a ten-team tournament.Ministers of the state government – Aaditya Thackeray and Eknath Shinde – along with MCA chief Vijay Patil and apex council members Ajinkya Naik and Abhay Hadap, treasurer Jagdish Achrekar, were present at the meeting.Post the meeting, in a series of tweets, Aaditya Thackeray said, “To ensure the smooth flow of the @IPL, Minister @mieknathshinde ji and I conducted a joint meeting of IPL, @BCCI with officers of Police and Municipal Corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai.” He also said that the state’s deputy Chief Minister would soon conduct a similar meeting for Pune, the other venue for IPL.”For Pune, the meeting will be held soon, proposed to be chaired by DCM sir to ensure that the tournament is successfully carried out in all our city venues,” said Aaditya, who is the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.It is understood that the MCA ground in suburban Bandra Kurla Complex, MCA ground in Thane, the Dr DY Patil University ground and a football pitch along with the CCI (Cricket Club of India) and the Reliance Corporate Park ground in Ghansoli have been identified by the authorities as practice venues for the tournament.Players are likely to start coming into the city from March 8. It is also understood that all the participants will have to undergo RT-PCR tests 48 hours prior to their arrival in Mumbai.Players will also have to undergo three-five days of quarantine before entering their respective bubbles.In isolation, the participants will undergo in-room RT-PCR testing three times – first on day one, second on day three and the final one on day five.In case of a three-day quarantine, the participants will get tested every day and if all the three results are negative, they will be permitted to exit quarantine and commence team activities.It is also understood that all the participants/personnel associated with the conduct of IPL (bubble/non-bubble) will undergo RT-PCR testing every three to five days during the entire length of the tournament.While ten hotels have been identified in Mumbai, two hotels have been zeroed in for Pune. It is also learnt that the teams would be reaching the venues for practice or the match venues through a special “green corridor” and will be allowed to use the Eastern Freeway to go to Navi Mumbai or Thane from south Mumbai.

Leeds United are interested in signing an international midfielder in January, according to a recent report. The winter transfer window is not too far away from opening, and the Championship side are already putting plans in place for what could be a busy month in terms of incomings and outgoings.

Leeds can hit gold with "dynamite" star who's a £30m player in the making

Leeds United have a terrific prospect with the potential to be a valuable asset in the future.

ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2024 Leeds transfer news

Two exciting players have emerged on Leeds’ radar ahead of the New Year, and one of those is Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller. The youngster is highly rated in football after bursting onto the scene in Scotland. The 18-year-old has become a key player for Motherwell this season, and that has alerted the attention of several teams from England, with Leeds the latest to join the race to sign the £5 million star.

As well as Miller, the Yorkshire side have also made an approach to sign Dor Turgeman from Maccabi Tel Aviv. The forward is someone Leeds have been watching this season and they feel he is better than what they already have at the club. The Israel international could cost them £4.1 million in January, but they face a possible hurdle, as Maccabi Tel Aviv don’t want to sell until the end of the season.

Turgeman is not the only Israel international that Leeds have their eye on, as a midfielder is also being watched closely.

Leeds January midfield target named

According to Sport5, Leeds United are interested in signing midfielder Mahmoud Jaber from Maccabi Haifa in January. The 25-year-old came through the academy at the Israeli side and has spent all his career there, apart from a two-year loan spell at H. Nof HaGalil between 2019 and 2021.

Jaber, who has won 10 caps for his national side, Israel, is a midfielder by trade and can operate as a defensive player as well as an attacking one if needed. So far this season, Jaber has played 12 games in all competitions for Maccabi Haifa, 11 of which he has started, and he has also started three of Israel’s six Nations League games.

This report states that Leeds are following Jaber closely, but as of yet they have made no official contact with him or his club. The midfielder is under contract until the summer of 2027, and Maccabi Haifa does have the option to extend that deal by another 12 months.

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Jaber is currently valued at 1.5 million euros by Transfermarkt, which is roughly £1.24 million, but Maccabi Haifa could want a bit more than that. Midfield has been a concern for Leeds all season given injury problems to Ethan Ampadu and Iliav Gruev, so Jaber’s arrival could help ease the struggles for Farke when it comes to his midfield selection. His experience on the international stage could also be a big factor, as Leeds may need to rely on experience as the season gets to the business end.

Kylian Mbappe “wants a legacy like LeBron James”, with the Real Madrid star’s “eagerness to be loved” earning him a Cristiano Ronaldo comparison.

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Became a 'Galactico' in 2024Following in illustrious footstepsEager to earn standing among greatsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The World Cup-winning forward became another ‘Galactico’ at Santiago Bernabeu during the summer of 2024. He was handed the No.9 jersey worn by Portuguese superstar Ronaldo when he first arrived in Spain, with it clear from the start that Mbappe was never going to be able to avoid CR7’s shadow.

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A slow start to life in Madrid saw questions asked of the Frenchman’s value to the Blancos cause, but a spark has been found en route to reaching 29 goals across all competitions. The plan now is to win the very biggest of prizes, including the Champions League and Ballon d’Or.

Getty/GOALWHAT CADENA SER SAID

If Mbappe were to hit those targets, then he would secure a standing alongside the likes of NBA icon LeBron and five-time Golden Ball winner Ronaldo. A report from says of Mbappe: “At the club, they say that Kylian is a special star who stands out for his intelligence and his ability to measure every comment he makes off the field.

“And it is precisely off the field that they say that he has an interest in being loved. A goal that he does not hide. In this eagerness to be loved and his humble status of a superstar, he fell on his feet in the locker room. He does not always say what he thinks, as others do, so as not to create misunderstandings. Nor did he want to impose playing anywhere on the field, as Carlo Ancelotti explained.

“He is very demanding of himself. He wants a legacy in history like LeBron James, who is his idol. He is very similar to Cristiano because he is more of a leader than a captain.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR KYLIAN MBAPPE?

Mbappe knows how to lead, having taken on captaincy duties with France, but does not have to deal with that pressure in Madrid. He is able to focus on being the best possible version of himself, with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo on hand to provide welcome support.

Following their confidence-sapping draw away to Fulham over the weekend, Arsenal had the tough task of hosting AS Monaco at the Emirates in the Champions League.

The French giants, who are third in Ligue 1, were level on points with Mikel Arteta’s side going into the encounter, but it would be inaccurate to describe the game as even.

It wasn’t a vintage performance from the Gunners, but they were clearly the better side, and there were a handful of impressive displays from across the starting lineup.

However, while it was a good night overall, there were a few worrying performances, especially from one player who must be dropped for the next game.

Arsenal's best players

Before we get to the negative side of last night, it’s worth examining the positive and those who put in stellar displays for Arsenal, starting with the man of the moment, Bukayo Saka.

The 23-year-old was somewhat quiet in the first 20 minutes or so but found himself in the perfect position to score the hosts’ opener and then did the same late into the second 45 before turning provider for Kai Havertz just a few minutes later.

He wasn’t at his scintillating best, but he was devastatingly effective all the same, which is the hallmark of a genuinely great player – some might even say world-class.

Another Hale Ender who stood out was 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was making his full Champions League debut, but you wouldn’t have guessed from how he played.

The stand-in left-back looked right at home on the European stage, locking off opponents and playing sublime passes into dangerous areas, just as he did for the first goal.

Other notable performers include Jakub Kiwior, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, who were unspectacular but effective and hardly put a foot wrong throughout.

However, while there were plenty of reasons to be happy with how the game went for Arteta and Co, there was one player who was seriously disappointing and should be nowhere near the starting lineup on Saturday.

The Arsenal star who must be dropped

So, the player in question is, unfortunately, the incredibly talented Gabriel Martinelli, who put in another performance to forget for Arsenal.

Now, the important thing to say is that we know the Brazilian international has it within him to be a world-beater.

His tally of 15 goals and six assists in 46 appearances in the 22/23 season is evidence of that, but since then, the former Ituano gem has looked a shadow of his former self.

For example, last season saw the 23-year-old rack up a rather meagre haul of just 13 goal involvements in 44 games, and this year has only been marginally better as he’s scored four goals and provided three assists in 21 appearances.

However, it’s not just his output or lack thereof, that is beginning to worry fans; it’s his lack of impact on games.

For example, the only impact he had during his cameo on Sunday was straying offside for what should have been the winner and then lobbing a ball at the back of Kenny Tete while the team were frantically looking for a winner.

Unfortunately, the Guarulhos-born ace was just as ineffective last night, as he consistently failed to beat his man, missed a golden opportunity, and, if we’re being honest, was incredibly lucky not to be sent off in the first half.

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As content creator Jack Devonport said, it was a complete “horror show” from the winger, and the Standard’s Malik Ouzia was just as unimpressed, awarding him a 5/10 match rating at full-time.

While this all might sound rather harsh, it’s backed up by his statistics, perhaps the most alarming of which is that his 32 touches were fewer than David Raya’s 50, underlining his lack of impact.

In his 64 minutes of action, the 5 foot 10 attacker produced a combined expected goal plus assists figure of just 0.13, failed to take a single shot on target, failed in 66% of his dribbles, made just 16 passes, misplaced 50% of his long balls, missed one big chance, lost six of nine ground duels, lost the ball seven times, committed three fouls and was offside once.

Simply put, it was a really poor showing from Martinelli, and while he could still come good later in the season, he must be dropped for the game against Everton.

Havertz upgrade: Arsenal chasing move for one of Europe's 'best young CFs'

The exceptional talent could help Arsenal become even more of an attacking threat.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 11, 2024

Four quick wickets allow Northants to capitalise on ninth-wicket stand of 105 between Luke Procter and Gareth Berg

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2022Ben Sanderson blasted a gaping hole in the fragile Essex batting with four quick-fire wickets to capitalise on Luke Procter’s marathon century and put Northamptonshire in total command at Chelmsford.The pace bowler took his season’s tally to 15 in five LV= Insurance County Championship innings as he found the edges of a succession of bats – including the plainly out-of-form Sir Alastair Cook – that reduced Essex to 55 for 5, then 75 for 7 and finally 95 for 8 at the close in reply to Northamptonshire’s 390.Essex had no bowlers of similar ilk as Northamptonshire were able to eke out a further 157 runs to their overnight score in 45 overs, courtesy of a tortoise-and-hare ninth-wicket partnership of 105 between Procter and Gareth Berg.Procter took exactly six hours to carefully compile his 113, only the fifth century of his 12-year first-class career. In contrast, Berg included three sixes in a swashbuckling 75 that lasted just 132 balls.Luke Procter is congratulated by Gareth Berg on reaching his century•Getty ImagesNorthamptonshire now stand on the threshold of instant revenge after their humiliating innings defeat inside four sessions on the same ground only seven months ago.The rot set in for the home side as early as the fifth over of their response when Nick Browne went cheaply, nicking Sanderson to second slip. Tom Westley followed on the stroke of tea when playing down the wrong line to hand Will Young a second catch, this time off Tom Taylor’s bowling.At least Westley’s 25 came from 50 balls. Cook, by contrast, looked completely out of nick as he scrabbled around for an hour and a half for six before falling caught behind to the 48th ball he faced.Young completed a hat-trick of catches, swooping after Emilio Gay at third slip had parried Matt Critchley’s edge in his direction. And Gay picked up a catch of his own to send back Paul Walter for 2 that had taken 39 balls and given Sanderson wicket No. 4.Adam Wheater adopted a brief aggressive cameo with three fours in an over from Matt Kelly. But the Australian seamer made amends, knocking back middle-stump when Wheater ushered the ball through having erroneously decided not to play a shot.Simon Harmer caught the bug and also shouldered arms to Kelly and was lbw for nought. Feroze Khushi took 36 balls to score his first run and had reached 9 16 balls later when he was caught behind to make Procter’s day complete.On a bitterly cold and overcast day, the green wicket continued to play slow and low – at least until the point where Essex went in to bat when it revealed hitherto unheralded terrors.The early dismissal of Kelly did not preface the swift end to the Northamptonshire innings for which Essex had budgeted. Rather it teamed Berg with Procter.Kelly had tried to inject some aggression into his innings, but only succeeded in pulling to short midwicket to give Shane Snater a third wicket in eventual figures of 3 for 56.Berg refused to be tied down and clobbered Critchley over midwicket for six that ran counter to Northamptonshire’s otherwise softly-softly approach. He later twice threatened the scorers’ box when lofting the same bowler straight for further maximums.Procter, who lunched on 99 after adding just 39 to his total in the morning session, duly passed three-figures post-break when he turned Mark Steketee backward of square for two. He had faced 256 balls to that point.However, in an uncharacteristic moment of madness, the left-hander attempted to hit Critchley out of the park for what would have been just the 11th boundary of his innings, only to pick out the imposing presence of Paul Walter at short midwicket.Berg finally went after a mini-flurry of hitting when he found Westley on the long-on boundary to give Critchley figures of 3 for 81.

USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino admits it is his "dream" to return to Tottenham at some stage, but is unsure when this will happen.

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Worked in England with Southampton, Chelsea & SpursNow leading the United States toward home World CupHopes to work in the Premier League again at some pointFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Argentine tactician Pochettino severed ties with Spurs in November 2019 a matter of months after leading them to their first-ever Champions League final, with 293 games being overseen during a five-and-a-half-year tenure. He has since worked with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at club level.

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An international offer was accepted in September 2024, with Pochettino agreeing to lead the United States towards a home World Cup in 2026. He is just six games into that reign, but has revealed that another stint in the Premier League forms part of his long-term plans.

WHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID

Pochettino told of taking in a second spell at Tottenham: "To be honest, the day that I left the club always I was thinking one day to come back. It's not that I was thinking before the offer from the USA national team, I was thinking to come back.

"The day that I left I was thinking I would love to one day come back to Tottenham because like I told in the past, I said for me, I felt empty in the moment that I left. It was like an unfinished job and that is why. It's a feeling, it's a feeling, it's a dream.

"I don't know how you can take or I can explain or describe but I think for sure it's a club that is always going to be special for me. And I would like to one day to have the possibility again to try to arrive in a situation that we are back to finish in a different way."

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

While Pochettino is happy to discuss professional ties to Spurs, he is reluctant to reveal how close he came to landing the Manchester United job – having been linked with the Red Devils on a regular basis. Pretending not to hear the question, the 53-year-old said: "I don't… I cannot hear!"