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Inter Milan teenager Kevin Zefi has been seen as a potential summer signing by Newcastle United in the summer transfer window and a big update has now emerged.

How old is Kevin Zefi?

The Irishman is just 18 years old currently and moved to Inter from Shamrock Rovers two years ago, such was his ability as a young and emerging footballer.

While Zefi is yet to make a senior first-team appearances for the Serie A giants, he has shone in the youth teams, scoring six goals and registering seven assists for the Under-17 side, as well as an incredible 16 strikes in just 13 games for the Under-18 outfit.

The young winger signed his first professional deal last years and is contracted at Inter until the summer of 2024, but it could be that he moves on before the current transfer window closes at the end of this month.

Newcastle have emerged as strong potential suitors for Zefi and a fresh update further suggests that he could be plying his trade at St James' Park in the very near future.

Will Newcastle sign Kevin Zefi?

Eddie Howe revealed Lewis Hall would be the last first-team signing, but according to NUFC Blog, Newcastle are now expected to sign Zefi for the academy:

"Newcastle United look set to follow the signings of AC Milan youngster Cathal Heffernan and Chelsea’s Lewis Hall with the arrival of fellow 18-year-old Kevin Zefi.

"Zefi is being advised by former Toon defender Stephen Carr and is set to join our U21s after a breakthrough in talks. He also plays at international level alongside Toon duo Alex Murphy and Reece Byrne; two players Dan Ashworth has brought to the club’s academy over the past 12 months."

This is a very exciting update for Newcastle, as they continue to show that they are not only planning for the present, instead making sure they sign young players with big futures in the game.

In Zefi, they have someone who is considered something of a wonderkid, with former coach Shane Robinson explaining what makes him so special:

“Kevin is that type of player that catches the eye easily – he backs himself 100% in possession of the ball. He has lovely balance and uses his body very well to protect the ball.

"He has worked very hard on his overall game over the last number of years and deserves credit for that, he has gone up through the levels impressively from U15 to U19 with First Division appearances last season also."

While Zefi clearly wouldn't be arriving as an important member of the senior setup to begin with, given his lack of experience, he is someone who could continue to start at youth team level, gradually blossoming into a top-level footballer who can cut it on the biggest stage.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

It is always hard to gauge how a youngster will develop, with injuries and work ethic always potentially getting in the way, but the former Shamrock ace has all the tools to make it and could be a future hero on Tyneside.

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O Corinthians está pronto para mais um clássico nesta temporada. Na manhã deste sábado, no CT Joaquim Grava, o Timão encerrou a preparação para o duelo diante do São Paulo, que acontece neste domingo, às 11h, no Morumbi, pela sexta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A equipe deve ter novidade em relação àquela que enfrentou o Fortaleza na última quarta-feira.

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Nessa derradeira atividade antes do Majestoso, o técnico Tiago Nunes promoveu um treino tático para fazer os últimos ajustes na equipe para o Majestoso. Além disso, o comandante corintiano realizou uma atividade de bolas paradas. Vale lembrar que as informações são passadas pelo clube, já que a imprensa não tem acesso ao CT por conta dos protocolos de saúde.

Segundo o jornalista Flávio Ortega, da ESPN, Tiago Nunes mexeu na equipe e Ramiro deve voltar a ser titular no clássico. O meio-campista ocuparia a posição de Ruan Oliveira, novidade do treinador na quinta rodada. Sendo assim, Gabriel permanece no banco de reservas e Éderson continua no meio-campo ao lado de Cantillo, assim como Araos deve seguir como preferido em relação a Luan, e Léo Natel em relação a Mateus Vital, que deverá ser opção durante o jogo.

Um provável Corinthians nessa configuração é: Cássio; Fagner, Gil, Danilo Avelar e Sidcley; Cantillo e Éderson; Ramiro, Araos e Léo Natel; Jô.

Com um jogo a menos, o Alvinegro está na 12ª posição na tabela com cinco pontos e busca a segunda vitória na competição nacional. Será o primeiro clássico do Corinthians neste Brasileirão. O elenco permanece concentrado no CT Joaquim Grava até a saída para a partida deste domingo, no Morumbi.

It's been an interminable period of tumult for Everton, scraping for Premier League survival over the past several campaigns and often misfiring on the transfer front, going through a score of managers.

With Sean Dyche now at the helm, having escaped relegation danger last season with victory over Bournemouth on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign, there will be optimism that a brighter future is on the horizon despite a weary start to the current season, losing to Fulham and Aston Villa.

The side finished last year as the league's second-lowest scorers, but Dyche has attempted to rectify this by signing Arnaut Danjuma, Jack Harrison and Youssef Chermiti, though an established striker still feels a necessity.

What's the latest on Hugo Ekitike to Everton?

According to the Evening Standard, Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike, 21, has been on the Toffees' radar all summer, having already tabled a bid totalling £34m.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The competition is fierce, however, with West Ham United, AC Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt and Lyon all vying for his signature.

How good is Hugo Ekitike?

Only earlier this week, multiple sources – including The Telegraph – claimed that Everton were close to agreeing a £15m fee with Southampton for the sale of striker Che Adams – but the recent withdrawal of potentially lucrative investors MSP Sports Capital, who were poised to take a minority stake, is the likely reason the deal has stagnated.

The fact that links persist, with the likes of the reputed Fabrizio Romano recently confirming that Everton are eyeing a move for Udinese striker Beto and have seen a €25-26m (£21-22m) offer rebuffed, tantalises an incoming forward across the next several days.

While Adams would be the most cost-efficient acquisition, if the Merseyside outfit have the financial capacity, a deal for Ekitike must be prioritised, considering the burgeoning talent scored ten goals and served four assists from just 15 Ligue 1 starts in 2021/22 for Reims before completing a move to PSG.

For the Parisien outfit last season, Ekitike only posted four goals and assists apiece across all competitions, albeit starting on just 14 occasions, and a move away appears to be forthcoming, with the French champions happy to grant his departure.

Everton would land a prodigious talent and a "special" player – as hailed by former Reims manager Óscar García – with the £79k-per-week phenom ranking among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 5% for assists, the top 20% for tackles and the top 2% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

Illustrating an all-encompassing and dynamic set of skills, Ekitike would thrive in Dyche's system, threading the play together and offering a tenacious approach in defensive phases, evidenced through his impressive metrics despite playing in a PSG side that dominates the lion's share of its matches.

Adams, comparatively, simply isn't as talented a player.

This is no detriment to the Scotland international, who has scored 34 goals and supplied 15 assists from 149 matches for Saints and described as a "clever player" by pundit Ally McCoist, but rather, a testament to the potential of Ekitike.

He also ranks among the bottom 8% of forwards for goals per 90 and only the top 37% for assists per 90, and while the argument could be made that he has been playing in a dismal Saints outfit over the past year, Everton haven't exactly been thriving.

The 27-year-old simply doesn't boast the dynamism and natural flair of his French counterpart, who looks destined for an impressive career.

It would be a risk for Ekitike to join a Premier League outfit in Everton that is struggling to break free of the division's cold shackles at the pit, but he would find a role as a centrepiece, and a chance to exhibit the calibre of his ability by spearheading the resurgence.

Group A round-up: Hyderabad concede a massive first-innings lead to Delhi, and Assam’s winless season ends with seven-wicket defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017Mayank Agarwal racked up his fifth century of the season and went past 1000 first-class runs in November alone after Karnataka took the first-innings lead against Railways at the Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi. Railways’ overnight pair of Arindam Ghosh and Mahesh Rawat saw off the first hour or so, but they fell apart quickly after the 201-run fifth-wicket stand was broken by legspinner Shreyas Gopal. Ghosh, resuming on 86, went on to bring up a century, while Rawat fell nine short of a ton of his own. Railways lost their last five wickets for 49 runs and conceded a first-innings lead of 101.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shreyas, who hasn’t been able to nail down a permanent place in the XI this season, finished with 4 for 102, while offspinner K Gowtham took three.Karnataka established dominance from the get-go in their second innings, with Agarwal and R Samarth putting on 117 for the opening stand. Samarth put behind his first-innings duck with 56 before falling lbw to the medium pacer Amit Mishra. Agarwal batted on to bring up his century and was unbeaten on 104 when stumps were drawn. Giving him company was D Nischal, who was batting on 41, as Karnataka finished the penultimate day 309 runs ahead with nine wickets intact.Akshath Reddy’s century helped Hyderabad wipe out a 210-run first-innings deficit after they were made to follow-on by Delhi in Uppal. Reddy stitched together stands of 98 for the first wicket with Tanmay Agarwal and 115 for the second with Rohit Rayudu, who is playing just his second first-class match. Hyderabad ended the day on 233 for 2 – ahead by 23 runs, with Rayudu unbeaten on 61.Hyderabad began the day on 194 for 8 in their first innings and folded shortly thereafter, for 205. Kulwant Khejroliya and Vikas Mishra took the final two wickets to finish with four scalps each. Despite having already sealed their knockouts berth, Delhi pushed for an outright win and enforced the follow-on, but had to watch their bowlers toil away.Maharashtra ended an otherwise disappointing season with a thumping seven-wicket win over Assam in Pune for a mid-table finish. Assam, who had picked up a narrow first-innings lead of 26, resumed on 101 for 3, but unraveled quickly to be bowled out for 189. Naushad Shaikh led Maharashtra’s successful chase of 216 with his fourth first-class century. He was complemented well by Ankit Bawne, the captain, who was unbeaten on 52.Maharashtra’s medium-pacers triggered Assam’s second-innings implosion. Nikit Dhumal took 4 for 48 to finish with a match haul of nine wickets, while Pradeep Dadhe picked up maiden first-class five-wicket haul. Barring their top three, none of Assam’s batsmen was allowed to settle in. The seven-wicket defeat ended a winless season that relegated Assam to the bottom of the table.

تُواصل مصر سيطرتها على بطولة العالم للإسكواش، بعد تأهل ثلاثة لاعبين مصريين إلى المباراة النهائية في كل من فئتي الرجال والسيدات، المقررة إقامتها اليوم السبت على ملعب الإسكواش الزجاجي بمتحف الحضارة بالفسطاط. في فئة الرجال:

سيواجه اللاعب المصري مصطفى عسل، المصنف الثالث عالميًا، نظيره البيروفي دييجو إلياس، المصنف الرابع عالميًا، في صراع على لقب بطل العالم.

وتأهل عسل إلى النهائي بعد فوزه على النيوزيلندي بول كول، المصنف الثاني عالميًا، في مباراة مثيرة بنتيجة 3-2.

بينما حجز إلياس مكانه في النهائي بفوزه على المصري علي فرج، المصنف الخامس عالميًا، بنتيجة 3-1.

طالع أيضًا | أشرف صبحي يستقبل بعثة الإسكواش بعد تتويجها ببطولة العالم بـ نيوزيلندا في فئة السيدات:

وستلتقي نور الشربيني، بطلة العالم والمصنفة الأولى عالميًا، مع مواطنتها نوران جوهر، المصنفة الثانية عالميًا، في نزال قوي على لقب البطولة.

وتأهلت الشربيني إلى النهائي بعد تغلبها على الأمريكية أوليفيا ويفر بنتيجة 3-2.

بينما حسمت جوهر تأهلها بفوزها على المصرية هانيا الحمامي، المصنفة الثالثة عالميًا، بنتيجة 3-1.

وأقيمت بطولة CIB الدولية للإسكواش هذا العام، تحت رعاية البنك التجاري الدولي، وشركة بالم هيلز، بمشاركة 128 لاعب ولاعبة من 21 دولة.

وتخطت قيمتها 50 مليون جنيه، وهي أكبر جوائز مالية في تاريخ بطولة العالم للإسكواش.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após empatar com o Sport por 2 a 2, no Allianz Parque, pela 10ª rodada do Brasileirão, a delegação do Palmeiras já está na Bolívia, onde o Verdão fará o primeiro dos próximos três compromissos seguidos que terá pela frente como visitante.

Para diminuir o desgaste da equipe, o clube passará por três países diferentes em pouco mais de uma semana. Sem tempo para fazer a recuperação necessária, os atletas foram submetidos ao “recovery”, um trabalho de recondicionamento muscular ainda dentro do avião.

A primeira parada dessa ‘turnê’ será diante do Bolívar, nesta quarta-feira (16), em La Paz, no jogo que promete ser o mais complicado da tríade para o time de Vanderlei Luxemburgo, principalmente pelos 3.600 metros de altitude.

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Na sequência, o elenco do Palmeiras retorna ao Brasil, onde o clube encara o Grêmio, no domingo (20), em Porto Alegre, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

Da capital do Rio Grande do Sul, o Verdão já parte para Assunção, no Paraguai, local no qual, na quarta-feira (23), o time enfrenta o Guaraní-PAR, pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores 2020.

Se depender do retrospecto, o torcedor alviverde pode ficar animado para a maratona que o maior campeão do Brasil tem pela frente.

Segundo melhor visitante do Brasileirão 2020, o Verdão só tem duas derrotas no ano, ambas foram distantes de casa, mas o aproveitamento atuando fora do Allianz Parque é bom. Foram outras seis vitórias e cinco empates em 13 jogos.

Nesta atual edição da Libertadores, o Palmeiras tem um jogo e uma vitória atuando como visitante, que foi a partida diante do Tigre, na estreia do clube na competição.

Caso consiga uma vitória diante do Bolívar, Luxemburgo pode pensar em poupar alguns titulares no duelo contra o Guaraní-PAR, uma vez que o Alviverde Imponente estará com a classificação bem encaminhada, e quatro dias depois, já receberá o Flamengo, no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidade

Confira os próximos três jogos do Palmeiras:

• 16/09 – Bolívar x Palmeiras – La Paz – 21h30 – horário de Brasília
• 20/09 – Grêmio x Palmeiras – Arena do Grêmio – 16h – horário de Brasília
• 23/09 – Guaraní-PAR – Defensores Del Chaco – 21h30 – horário de Brasília

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Em entrevista concedida após o empate por 1 a 1 contra o Grêmio neste domingo (20), o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo comentou sobre o Palmeiras não conseguir segurar o resultado após estar à frente do placar:

– A estrategia nossa foi bem feita porque os jogadores entenderam a proposta de cada tempo. Sofrer gols acontece, não é falta de atenção. Faltou segurarmos a bola no ataque. Por não ter a necessidade de querer fazer o segundo gol, (poderíamos) tocar mais a bola, virar de um lado pro outro, ganhar um pouco mais de tempo. Aí o gol deles saiu numa bola parada, que o Ferreira antecipou no primeiro pau.

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Luxa destacou que, por perder uma vantagem, a impressão que fica é negativa. No entanto, ressaltou que, se fosse o contrário, a situação seria encarada de outra forma:

– Se estivéssemos atrás e empatássemos no finalzinho, seria normal. A gente se incomoda porque estamos largando a vantagem no final do jogo. Mas a equipe soube jogar, tornamos ela mais agressiva. Acontece que o futebol é dessa forma – completou Luxa.

Não é a primeira vez neste Brasileirão que os comandados de Luxemburgo cedem um empate após estarem vencendo. Esse cenário também ocorreu contra Fluminense, Goiás, Bahia e Sport. Ao todo, em dez partidas disputadas no campeonato nacional, o Verdão empatou seis vezes, tendo buscado a igualdade apenas em uma delas, contra o Internacional, no Allianz Parque.

كشفت تقارير مغربية، عن موعد جديد سيقام فيه بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025 بالمغرب، موضحةً أنه توقيت فريد من نوعه كونه سيكون أول مرة تلعب فيه بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية في تاريخها.

ومن المقرر أن تقام النسخة الـ 35 من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، في دولة المغرب، ولم يتحدد موعد بدايتها أو نهايتها حتى الآن من قبل الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” بسبب تضارب المواعيد مع بطولة كأس العالم للأندية بشكلها الجديد المقرر إقامتها في الفترة 15 يونيو حتى 13 يوليو بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

ووفقاً لصحيفة “المنتخب المغربية”، أوضحت أن كاف كان في طريقه لتبني المقترح المغربي بتنظيم النسخة القادمة من كأس أمم إفريقيا في صيف عام 2025.

وأشارت إلى أن هذا الاقتراح كان مثاليًا، لولا أن الفيفا باغت الجميع، بوضع النسخة الجديدة لـ كأس العالم للأندية (بمشاركة 32 فريقًا)، في تاريخ يمتد من 15 يونيو إلى 13 يوليو من سنة 2025، ليضيق الخناق بذلك على الكاف.

وتابعت: “برغم أن الجامعة الملكية المغربية لكرة القدم (الاتحاد المغربي)، أظهرت باستمرار تشبثها بإقامة كأس إفريقيا للأمم في الصيف، إلا أن احتلال كأس العالم للأندية الفترة المثالية من صيف عام 2025، قد يدفع بالمسابقة إلى شهر ديسمبر من العام ذاته”.

طالع | أحمد مجاهد: انفراجة في تعارض مونديال الأندية مع أمم إفريقيا.. وسأترشح في انتخابات اتحاد الكرة

وواصلت: “هذا التوقيت سيكون فريدا من نوعه، لكون كأس أمم إفريقيا لم تلعب عبر تاريخها الطويل في هذا الشهر، لأن الظروف المناخية التي تسود المغرب في هذا الشهر، ستؤثر بشكل كبير على المونديال الإفريقي، خاصة فيما يتعلق بالإقبال الجماهيري”.

واختتمت الصحيفة المغربية تقريرها بأن الكاف في الآونة الأخيرة، تحدث مع الإتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، بهدف إيجاد تاريخ مثالي لهذه النسخة من الكان، ويظهر أن ديسمبر 2025 هو واحد من الخيارات المطروحة، بسبب أن إقامة المونديال الإفريقي بالمغرب صيفا سيكون أمرا مستحيلا خلال عامي 2025 و2026 بسبب كأس العالم للأندية وكأس العالم للمنتخبات.

Though the amount is significant, it is just over half the US$25 million the organisation was forecast to lose if the event had gone ahead

Firdose Moonda21-Dec-2017

Cricket South Africa has recorded losses of approximately R180 million (US$14.16 million approx) over the posptoned T20 Global League (GLT20), ESPNcricinfo has learned. Though the amount is significant, it is just over half the US$25 million the organisation was forecast to lose if the event had gone ahead.A little less than half the losses (around R80 million, or US$6.3 million approx) will be spent in player payouts, which will take place in three installments to reimburse players 60% of their contract fees for the tournament. But CSA has reserves of over R500 million (US$39.34 million approx), which resulted in the body declaring itself in a “healthy financial position” at a Special Board of Directors Meeting on Wednesday, despite the heavy losses.The meeting was held at the conclusion of an internal investigation, which looked into the reasons the T20 Global League was financially unviable and found that while there were “pervasive governance lapses” around the tournament, “all monies were adequately accounted for” and there were “no irregularities or financial mismanagement”.CSA will now send the reports to external auditors, who have already started work and will take between eight and 12 months to complete their task, to determine a further course of action. Though no other internal investigation is planned, that could change depending on the outcome of the external audit.More immediately, CSA will decide by mid-February if or how it plans to host a revamped T20 Global League. Currently, several members of management have been assigned to look into T20 models around the world to present to the board options for how a twenty-over tournament can be successfully held. If the board approves a model, CSA aims to have a broadcaster and sponsorship deal in place by the end of the South African summer in order to ensure a smooth run to a tournament next November.That may mean an entirely new concept, which may not involve any of the stakeholders that were set to be part of the original T20 Global League. Sources have confirmed that none of the eight franchise owners put pen to paper to sign deals for the inaugural competition and though CSA believes some of them are keen to continue, there is no confirmation any of them will.CSA has also made no further progress in appointing a permanent CEO and discussions with the former boss, Haroon Lorgat, have yet to conclude. Lorgat’s tenure ended two years earlier than his contract stipulated after his position became untenable because of differences with members of the board over the hosting of the T20 Global League, and he is negotiating a payout.

One of the major priorities for Manchester United heading into the summer transfer window was the signing of a new top-class centre-forward, with the Red Devils having been left somewhat depleted in that department following the acrimonious exit of Cristiano Ronaldo back in November.

While January loan arrival Wout Weghorst plugged a gap for a brief period – albeit rather unsuccessfully with just two goals to show for his efforts – the towering Dutchman's subsequent exit left manager Erik ten Hag with Anthony Martial as his sole senior centre-forward option, a player who has become more familiar with the treatment table than bursting the net in recent times.

Following weeks of speculation at the start of the window, the Red Devils ultimately set their sights on Atalanta hotshot Rasmus Hojlund to fill that longstanding void in attack, with the 20-year-old Dane having been snapped up for an eye-watering fee of £72m, despite netting just nine Serie A goals last season.

A frustrating early injury setback has left the former Sturm Graz ace facing a wait to make his much-anticipated debut, however, albeit with supporters likely to be excited at the prospect of eventually witnessing a figure in action who has earned comparisons to fellow Scandinavian striker, Erling Haaland.

For all the undoubted promise that the youngster possesses, the jury is out on whether his raw talents can carry the goalscoring burden both this season and beyond, with questions likely to be asked as to why a certain Harry Kane didn't end up in Manchester instead.

Why didn't Man United sign Kane?

Reports as far back as March had indicated that the England captain had been identified as Ten Hag's leading centre-forward target heading into the summer window, with Spurs' record goalscorer having been touted for an exit with just a year left to run on his contract at the time.

As 90min reported in May, United's original plan appeared to be to bring in a proven option like Kane as well as a second, more youthful striker to support him, albeit with Hojlund proving to be the only attacking recruit of the window – even despite the club's hectic deadline day dealings.

Quite why the Red Devils did not do more to try and prise Kane from N17 is something to ponder, although the indications were that the club were wary of having to deal with stubborn Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, with the latter man seemingly intent on not selling his prize asset to a Premier League rival.

As it proved, rather than getting embroiled in a drawn-out saga – a decision to no doubt be admired – United turned their attentions away from Kane toward Hojlund, with the 30-year-old instead sealing a big-money move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, amid his long-awaited desire for silverware.

Although perhaps an astute move to walk away from their pursuit of Kane, the Old Trafford outfit are gambling on their youthful new addition to make an instant impact, particularly with Martial – who has started just once this season so far – still not to be relied upon.

To then help ease the burden on Hojlund, Ten Hag should well consider handing a permanent promotion to an exciting member of the club's academy ranks, in the form of 19-year-old starlet, Joe Hugill.

Who is Joe Hugill?

As The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell revealed on deadline day, the United hierarchy opted not to send the young Englishman out on loan in favour of keeping him under the watchful eye of Ten Hag at Carrington, with the teenager also said to be in line for a new contract extension, until the summer of 2026.

That bumper new deal for the £2.1k-per-week sensation is no doubt just reward for his fine form at youth level since having been signed from Sunderland back in 2020, with the Red Devils fending off rival interest from the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Leeds United at the time.

A rather prolific and "clinical" figure in attack – as hailed by journalist Josh Bunting – Hugill boasts a haul of 18 goals in just 24 games for the club's U18 side, having also gone on to score 25 goals in 49 outings while in the U21 set-up as a sign of his devastating finishing prowess.

Part of the side that claimed FA Youth Cup glory last year, alongside the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, the 6 foot 2 ace will no doubt be hoping to follow in the footsteps of their pair by truly forcing his into Ten Hag's senior ranks, having already had a taste of the first-team during pre-season.

The Durham-born ace notably netted late on during the opening friendly fixture of the summer against rivals Leeds, with that strike – and his all-round performance – earning praise from ex-United man and MUTV pundit Luke Chadwick at the time:

"He’s really old school. His movement is superb. I was really impressed. He’s such a brilliant runner, with a willingness to get behind the back four.”

Also previously described as a "real natural finisher" by Bunting, it is perhaps easy to see why the youngster has also earned comparisons to that man Kane, with the hope being that he can emulate the Bayern machine by transitioning from youth star to first-team hero in the years to come.

While Hugill has thus far not been part of a matchday squad for United this season – with a competitive senior bow still yet to come – he will no doubt have caught Ten Hag's attention with two goals in just four appearances so far this term, including netting against Stockport County in the recent EFL Trophy meeting.

Of course, it is a major step up trying to emulate such a promising goal return at first-team level, although the Durham-born gem has perhaps warranted the chance to try and establish himself as a possible understudy to Hojlund moving forward, particularly with Martial unable to remain injury free.

Such a group of centre-forward options, on the face of it, does not look like it will be enough to power United to silverware in the way that Kane potentially could have done, although Ten Hag could ease that transfer failure by finding his own version of the Englishman in Hugill.