I am honoured by the confidence reposed in my by the CAC, in asking me to continue as Head Coach. The credit for the achievements of the last one year goes to the captain, the entire team, coaching and support staff.Post this intimation, I was informed for the first time yesterday by the BCCI that the Captain had reservations with my ‘style’ and about my continuing as the Head Coach. I was surprised since I had always respected the role boundaries between Captain and Coach. Though the BCCI attempted to resolve the misunderstandings between the Captain and me, it was apparent that the partnership was untenable, and I therefore believe it is best for me to move on.Professionalism, discipline, commitment, honesty, complementary skills and diverse views are the key traits I bring to the table. These need to be valued for the partnership to be effective. I see the Coach’s role akin to ‘holding a mirror’ to drive self-improvement in the team’s interest.In light of these ‘reservations’, I believe it is best I hand over this responsibility to whomever the CAC and BCCI deem fit.Let me reiterate that it has been an absolutely privilege to have served as Head Coach for the last one year. I thank the CAC, BCCI, CoA and all concerned.I also wish to thank the innumerable followers and fans of Indian cricket for their continued support. I will remain a well-wisher of the great cricketing tradition of my country forever.- Anil Kumble

قدّم بيب جوارديولا مدرب مانشستر سيتي، تحديثات حول جاهزية لاعبيه إيرلينج هالاند وكيفين دي بروين، قبل مباراة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي أمام تشيلسي.

ويلتقي مانشستر سيتي وتشيلسي غدًا السبت في نصف نهائي بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي. 

هالاند ودي بروين طالبا جوارديولا باستبدالهما خلال المباراة أمام ريال مدريد في إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، والتي انتهت بتوديع مانشستر سيتي للمسابقة بركلات الترجيح.

وقال جوارديولا في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الجمعة: “كيفين دي بروين بحالة جيدة، وسنرى حالة هالاند”.

وأضاف: “لا أعلم لأنني لست طبيبًا، قال إنه يشعر ببعض الانزعاجات، وسنرى تطوره في الساعات القادمة”.

وأشار: “لقد كانت مباراة صعبة ضد ريال مدريد، 120 دقيقة من العمل، كثافة عالية لكلا الجانبين، شعر إيرلينج بشيء ما، مشكلة عضلية تعني أنه لا يستطيع الاستمرار”.

وأكمل جوارديولا: “كان كيفين منهكًا بعد خمسة أشهر من الإصابة، هذا أمر طبيعي، سنرى غدًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أوزيل: بيلينجهام لديه فرصة للتتويج بـ الكرة الذهبية.. وهالاند كان يهرب من روديجر

وواصل: “هذا طبيعي، عدد المباريات هذا الموسم والمواسم السابقة، ليس هناك الكثير من التعافي والوقت الإضافي والكثافة العالية للطريقة التي نلعب بها”.

وأستطرد: “لقد وضعنا الكثير من الضغط في لعبتنا، إنهم بشر، وليسوا آلات، وفي بعض الأحيان يكون هناك تعب”.

وعلّق جوارديولا على قرار إلغاء مباريات الإعادة في بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي: “أعتقد أنك تعرف أكثر مني سبب إنشاء المسابقة، إنها فرصة لأندية الدرجة الأدنى للحصول على أندية كبيرة والحصول على المال لهم، وبهذا المعنى، فهي مشكلة كبيرة”.

وأردف: “بالنسبة للأندية الكبيرة التي تشارك في المسابقات الأوروبية، الأمر أفضل بكثير، لدينا جدول زمني ضيق مع الكثير من المباريات، إيجاد التوازن في كرة القدم العالمية أمر صعب للغاية”.

وأكد: “أتفهم سبب شكوى الأندية في الدرجات الأدنى، لقد كان هذا تقليدًا لسنوات عديدة، لكن مع الجدول الزمني لدينا، واللعب في المسابقات الأوروبية ومع ذهاب العديد من اللاعبين إلى المنتخبات الوطنية، فإن الأمر أفضل بكثير”.

وأشاد جوارديولا بـ كول بالمر لاعب الفريق السابق وتشيلسي الحالي: “إنه لاعب استثنائي، وكنا نعرف ذلك منذ أن كان هنا، لقد قلت مرات عديدة أنني لم أعطي الدقائق التي ربما كان يستحقها والآن لديه ذلك في تشيلسي، أنا أفهم تمامًا”.

وأصر: “إنه رجل خجول ولديه الكثير من الإمكانات، هذا هو الحال، إنه يلعب بشكل رائع، لكنه كان يطلب الرحيل لمدة موسمين، قلت لا، ابقى لكنه ظل يقول لا، أريد الرحيل، ماذا يمكننا أن نفعل؟ قلت ابقى لأن رياض محرز رحل ولكن لمدة عامين أراد الرحيل”.

وعن التعافي من توديع دوري أبطال أوروبا، أتم: “ليس لدينا خيار، لا نريد أن نشعر بالأسف على أنفسنا، لقد قدمنا أفضل ما لدينا، لكنهم لم يتمكنوا من الفوز، ليس لدينا الوقت للتفكير، سنفعل ذلك في الصيف، في كرة القدم تتنافس من أجل الفوز، لكن في بعض الأحيان تخسر المباريات، وهذا ما حدث”.

Newcastle United are among the clubs eyeing a move for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix this summer, according to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness.

The Magpies are reportedly joined in the race for the former Chelsea loanee's signature by Aston Villa and Manchester United.

What's the news on Joao Felix and Newcastle United?

What ever happens this summer, one thing that looks like a certainty is the end of Felix's time at Atletico Madrid. The Portugal international hasn't exactly been welcomed back from his loan spell with open arms, even being stripped of his number seven shirt, which has been given to Antoine Griezmann.

Now, as per reports in Spain, the forward has asked his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find him a new club this summer, with a move to the Premier League proving to be a particularly attractive option.

Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Manchester United are all reportedly interested and have made contact with his camp. Newcastle, in particular, certainly have the funds to make a move happen, especially given the fact they've only made one signing so far this summer, with Sandro Tonali arriving.

Felix, of course, spent the second half of last season on loan at Chelsea, where he failed to impress enough to earn a permanent move. He wasn't helped, of course, by the chaos at the club as a whole, with three different managers at various points of a campaign to forget.

By the time that his loan spell ended, Felix had scored just four Premier League goals, with no assists to his name.

Should Newcastle United sign Joao Felix?

The question comes down to whether or not Newcastle really need Felix this summer. If you look at their attack, you'd begin to lean towards the answer of no.

Whilst the Magpies will need added depth to compete on all fronts next season after qualifying for the Champions League last season, Eddie Howe already has Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson to call on when looking for a player to lead the line.

Full of praise for the Atletico Madrid man, Football Talent Scout took to Twitter with the following statistic and comment during the 2021/22 season: "No La Liga player with more than 1000 minutes has been fouled more per 90 than João Félix (4.3) this season. An absolute nightmare for defenders."

He is a handful to play against then, but Eddie Howe may have to change his system to accommodate Felix, given his strength as a false nine rather than an out-and-out striker like Wilson, for example.

So why fix what's not broken? Howe's system worked wonders last season, as the Magpies returned to the highest heights. For that system to change, it would likely have to be for a player with a better track record than Felix's over the last few years, despite all his potential and talent.

There's still plenty of time for a few twists and turns this summer, and as of right now the forward's future remains in question. Whether Newcastle decide to push ahead for a deal ahead of the forthcoming campaign remains to be seen. For now, Howe may be happy with his attacking options.

Liverpool have recently been credited with an interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, likely a result of Fabinho's prospective transfer away from Anfield.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

When Liverpool concluded the 22/23 Premier League campaign, confined to a fifth-placed finish after seven successive years within the top four, it was clear that changes were needed.

James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all concluded their contracts, and Alexis Mac Allister and Dominick Szoboszlai have been brought in to replace the departees.

With captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho now both headed for the door, manager Jurgen Klopp appears set to pocket a ballpark £52m from the outgoings, and rumours that Verratti could be joining the Liverpool fold might just bear fruit.

According to Spanish outlet Marca, PSG are willing to part with the Italy international for a fee of €70m (£61m) amid interest from Liverpool, and while this might seem steep, the money recuperated through the forthcoming sales of Fabinho and Henderson seemingly pave the way for another lucrative signing.

How good is Marco Verratti?

For Liverpool fans who are familiar with Verratti's game, 'Thiago-esque, 'ball-playing', and 'maestro' might be words that spring to mind, but the actuality is that here is a distinguished and multi-faceted midfielder capable of melding his passing proficiency with a gritty approach to his defensive trade.

This is evidenced through his defensive metrics over the past year, with FBref ranking the Euro 2020 champion among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 9% for blocks per 90, underscoring his aptitude as an anchoring force.

The £240k-per-week star played 19 of his 38 matches from the defensive midfield role last season, with Parisian teammate Danilo Pereira waxing lyrical over the 30-year-old.

He said, “Marco is incredible! Incredible! The things he can do both with and without the ball. I've never seen a midfielder like him. He can do attacking and defensive things with such ease that anyone watching would think it was easy, but it's really not.”

Fabinho has been phenomenal for Liverpool since signing from Monaco for £44m in 2018, but has been criticised for his recent performances, with Jamie Carragher saying “Liverpool were awful, what is going on with Fabinho?" after one of the many subpar showings last season.

As per Sofascore, the Brazilian star made 1.8 tackles per game in the English top-flight, succeeding with just 48% of his ground duels and completing 89% of his passes. Verratti, comparatively, made 2.6 tackles per match and succeeded with 54% of his ground duels, also completing 93% of his passes. It's clear, therefore, just who would be the better option at this moment in time.

Once praised as a “genius” by Neymar, Verratti could indeed be a fine addition to the Anfield ranks, bolstering the defensive midfield and providing a passing prowess to combine.

And with the prodigious Romeo Lavia subject to intense speculation surrounding his future with relegated Southampton – with Liverpool at the forefront of the rumours there as well – he could serve as the perfect understudy to Verratti and assimilate the knowledge passed down, all the while growing into his skin and starring when called upon.

Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka captain, believes that Jason Roy is ready to bounce back from his disappointing showing in the ICC Champions Trophy

Andrew Miller20-Jun-2017

Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka captain, believes that Jason Roy is ready to bounce back from his disappointing showing in the ICC Champions Trophy, and predicts that his attitude and all-round attributes will make him a valuable asset to England’s one-day team for many years to come.Sangakkara, who is himself in a golden vein of form, batted alongside Roy as he put his recent England struggles behind him with 92 from 81 balls in Surrey’s Royal London Cup semi-final victory over Worcestershire at New Road last week.It was a performance full of the sort of power and confidence that Roy so often brings to the top of the order, and which made Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, so reluctant to leave him out of the team during the Champions Trophy, despite a tally of 52 runs in his previous eight innings.After being backed to come good throughout the group stage of the tournament, Roy was eventually omitted for England’s semi-final against Pakistan in Cardiff. Although his replacement, Jonny Bairstow, chipped in with 43 from 57 balls, England still slumped to a crushing eight-wicket defeat after being bowled out for 211.”I don’t think Jason was ever out of form,” Sangakkara told ESPNcricinfo during a Chance to Shine Street event in Camden. “I would have loved to have seen him play against Pakistan because I think he was one innings, or a bit of luck, away from doing that for England. He missed out, and whether that had an impact on the final result, I do not know.”But Jason’s energy, his fielding, his ability to change games at the top, he’s a fantastic asset. I think he just needed a little bit of focussing and advice about how to structure his innings in the Champions Trophy. [At New Road] he came back, took a deep breath, trusted what he knew and batted absolutely beautifully.”Jason has been an exciting find for England and he’ll be an exciting player for England for many years to come. I think in that position, he’s a complete package and a very valuable part of that side. For us [at Surrey] he’s been a champion.”It would have been understandable had Roy arrived back in the Surrey dressing-room feeling down on his luck following his England axing, but Sangakkara said that he saw no signs of self-pity from his team-mate.”Jason is the type of guy who can shrug his shoulders and continue to believe in the fact that he is a good player, continue to assess what he does as a batsman, and go out there and continue to score runs, which is exactly what he did for Surrey. It would have been easy to be consumed by disappointment and forget he was playing an important match for Surrey, but that’s not Jason. He settled in seamlessly, as he always does into our line-up, and played a matchwinning knock.”For the England team as a whole, the Champions Trophy was a disappointing experience, for all that they had played down their credentials as favourites going into the tournament. But for Sangakkara, who has watched them at close quarters over the years and got the better of them more often than not during the big global tournaments, the signs of progress in white-ball cricket are undeniable.Kumar Sangakkara has been in a golden vein of form for Surrey this season•Getty Images

“I think they’ve played excellent one-day cricket, they play a very attacking brand,” he said. “They’ve changed the expectations they had of themselves and their personnel, and they’ve imprinted on themselves that, if they want to progress, they have to be up to date with strategy, personnel, and style of play.”English cricket now has accepted the fact that you need players who break the mould, rather than conform, and they’ve gone about embracing the uniqueness of players rather than expecting them to fit into the framework of what a traditional cricketer should be.”A lot of the credit for that change of attitude, Sangakkara believes, should go to Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace, who came together as a coaching partnership when they took the helm for Sri Lanka in 2007, and both served as head coach during a successful era for the team between 2007 and 2014.”I’m a great admirer of Paul Farbrace and Trevor Bayliss as a combination and as individuals,” he said. “You hardly see them working. Sometimes coaches make the mistake of being seen to be coaching. You can do too much, which can be disastrous for a side. They are very good man-managers, they read players and people very well, and their greatest asset is that they work seemingly unnoticed.”Sangakkara added that the continued success of Asian teams at global events – three of the four semi-finalists at the Champions Trophy were from the subcontinent – was proof that England are on the right track in seeking to play their one-day cricket in a freer, more exuberant fashion.”I think it’s the way we play our cricket, we play in a manner that can look disastrous, you can have very bad days but, more often than not, it’s a celebration of sport. We play with a smile on our faces, with enthusiasm, and we play to win.”There’s been an Asian team in every World Cup final from 1992 to now, excluding the 2015 World Cup. And, if you take countries that have won all three ICC events, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka feature prominently.”I think England have found a very good captain in Eoin Morgan, they just need to keep playing that brand of cricket, no matter what they are faced with. Against Australia, they were three-down but the way [Ben] Stokes and Morgan played showed they are committed to that. Against Pakistan, they were outsmarted by a better side on the day, but it’s just a case of reassessing, recommitting and finding a way to enhance what they are already doing.”Kumar Sangakkara was attending a Chance to Shine Street cricket session as part of Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week. To find out more go to www.chancetoshine.org/Street.

Arsenal could use Gabriel Martinelli as a makeweight in negotiations to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, however there are doubts over whether they would be able to secure the move, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are still weighing up new attacking signings this summer, with Ajax's Mohammed Kudus recently re-emerging as an option, according to journalist Charles Watts, who claims the Ghanaian "ticks a lot of boxes" due to his age and versatility.

Watts has also reported that Nicolas Pepe is set to leave the Emirates Stadium soon, which could free up the wages for Mikel Arteta to bring in some new options, saying: “We’ll have to wait and see but I think Arsenal, from their point of view, they would love someone from Saudi Arabia becoming interested in Pepe.

“We shall wait and see what happens but one thing’s for sure: he’s got no long term future at Arsenal. He’ll certainly be gone soon. He’s one of the highest earners, probably in the top five.”

Given that Mbappe reportedly earns £1.2m-per-week at PSG, Arsenal will seemingly need to fork out a huge sum on wages if they are to win the race for his signature, and they have now hatched a plan to sign the forward.

That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states the Gunners may use Martinelli as a makeweight in negotiations to sign the Frenchman in 2024, amid his uncertain future with the French champions.

Real Madrid are among the favourites to sign the 24-year-old, while clubs from Saudi Arabia are also interested, and reports from France indicate a world-record breaking offer is set to be handed to PSG in the coming days.

As such, there are doubts over whether Arsenal would be able to win the race for the France international, but they have a package prepared, and it is no secret he admires the project on offer at the Emirates Stadium.

How many goals has Kylian Mbappe scored?

It is clear to see why a whole host of top clubs are circling for the attacker, as he has been extremely prolific in a PSG shirt for a number of years now, scoring a total of 212 goals in 260 appearances for the club, while also registering 98 assists.

Hailed as "unbelievable" by Fabrizio Romano, the former AS Monaco star has scored 40 goals in 70 caps for France, meaning he is already fifth on their list of all-time top scorers, at the age of just 24.

The PSG star ranks highly on almost all attacking metrics over the past year, particularly impressing with his dribbling ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries per 90, and in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, when compared to his positional peers.

There is no doubt that Mbappe would be an incredible signing for Arsenal, and even though Martinelli has been very impressive, scoring 15 Premier League goals last term, it would be worth using him in negotiations if it helped seal the deal.

Manchester City are close to reaching an agreement to sign teenage defender Harrison Parker from rivals Manchester United, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news?

Pep Guardiola has already added to his senior squad during the summer window following a fine treble-winning campaign, with midfielder Mateo Kovacic the first to arrive from Chelsea in a deal worth an initial £25m.

City lost captain Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona on a free transfer, with the midfielder deciding not to extend his Etihad contract, so Kovacic looks set to fill the void left by the German.

There could be more new signings to come ahead of the 2023/24 season, with another Croatia international, Josko Gvardiol, a firm target in Manchester. Talks have gone quiet recently, though, with RB Leipzig wanting around €100m plus bonuses for the centre-back, who is keen on a move to link up with Guardiola’s side.

Should Gvardiol join fellow countryman Kovacic at the Etihad, there could be room for one final big-money deal, and Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga could be that man. Manchester City have held agent talks over a move and City are one of a number of sides who think they can do a deal below the player’s €40m release clause, according to Romano.

The transfer expert has also taken to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share more news from the Etihad, with a new face on course to arrive at the academy.

Romano said that City are close to an agreement with rivals Manchester United for Parker, beating four “top clubs” to a transfer, even with United offering a record youth deal to keep the teenager at Carrington.

“Manchester City are close to reaching an agreement with Manchester United for top talented CB (16) Harrison Parker. City have beaten four top clubs to the signing — agreement is close despite Man Utd offering highest youth deal to keep Parker.”

Romano then added the teenager is set to sign a long-term deal at the Etihad.

“Harrison Parker, expected to sign long term deal at Manchester City — joining from Manchester United.”

Who is Harrison Parker?

Parker is just 16 years of age and made the move to Manchester United’s academy from Arsenal’s academy back in 2021. The right-footed defender was set to become an Old Trafford scholar this summer and has already turned out for the club’s U18 side last season on a number of occasions, showing how he could immediately turn out for City’s U18s in the 2023/24 season.

In time, we could see Parker progress into the first team plans at the Etihad, should he continue to develop, but it isn’t all good news for City and their academy plans.

That’s because Man United are set to sign Jack and Tyler Fletcher, twin sons of Darren, who are currently on the books with the Sky Blues and have shone in the club’s academy. Those at City feel that it is a “revenge” move by the Red Devils, but by the looks of things, City are set to secure Parker’s services over the coming weeks.

Journalist Conor McGilligan is not worried about Maximilian Wober's potential Leeds United exit and believes the club already have a capable replacement in Pascal Struijk.

Is Wober leaving Leeds?

Having been omitted from Leeds' squad to face Monaco in the club's 2-0 pre-season friendly defeat, new boss Daniel Farke admitted that Wober's absence was due to a potential departure.

The German coach stated after the match: "Max Wober (absence) is to do with the transfer situation and also the contract situation and we will wait and see what the outcome is over the next days."

Despite having only arrived from RB Salzburg in January last season, a move that set Leeds back approximately £11m, the Austrian may already be leaving Yorkshire having failed to help keep the Whites in the Premier League.

The centre-back has been linked with Farke's former club Borussia Monchengladbach, a move that may be too tempting for Wober to turn down given Leeds' Championship status.

However, despite the reaction of some supporters, journalist McGilligan is not "bothered" by Wober's exit and believes that current Leeds defender Struijk is a better long-term option anyway.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, McGilligan said: "Someone like Wober at Championship level, he's only been at Leeds six months, £10m – I think he will attract attention.

He added: "Am I bothered about Wober in the Championship? No. Am I bothered about losing him? No.

"What we need to understand is that now just because he's potentially leaving Leeds United, and this is off the back of Daniel Farke saying yesterday that he's involved in some transfer thing at the minute hence why he wasn't involved yesterday, which is evidently him paraphrasing him saying he's leaving the club, you know was he good enough before you found out, in your opinion, that he was potentially leaving yesterday?

"You know, was he good enough for the Championship? Of course he's good enough, but is it just this transfer now that suddenly now everyone's turning around and going he's not good enough? I've sort of stayed consistent constant with Wober, he's alright, he's a decent player. He's hyped up way too much."

McGilligan went on to voice his opinions when comparing Wober to Struijk, the latter currently looking set to stay with Leeds, and he believes that Struijk has a much higher "ceiling" than Wober.

"I've always said this one here, Pascal Stuijk, it's been such a shame with what's happened to him as a left-sided centre-back because the ceiling that he's had.

"Struijk's ceiling, if you can get him playing, if you can get Pascal Struijk with that mentality that he had under that period under Marcelo Bielsa for around about 12 to 18 months, if you can get him playing like that again, if you're able to beef up some of his attributes when it comes to his mentality, his physicality and his leadership skills as well if he's got some locked down there, he's a much better player in my opinion [than Wober]."

Wober managed 19 games for Leeds last season and made a positive impact in an albeit leaky defence, impressing supporters with his attitude and commitment to the cause. That commitment looks less significant now with the 25-year-old set to call time on his short stint at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Struijk has been at Leeds since 2018 and has risen from the U21s into the first team. He made 31 appearances in all competitions last term for the Whites and has been used as both a left-back and centre-back by the club, often failing to find consistent form.

Who is better – Wober or Struijk?

When comparing the two in the Premier League last season, it's obvious that Struijk has a lot more experience at the highest level despite being two years younger than Wober, although he did feature mainly at left-back last term. He played 29 matches to Wober's 16 – just under two times as many.

However, both defenders share similar numbers when it comes to blocks, interceptions and clearances, despite Wober playing far less. The Austrian also boasts a 1.4% better successful tackle percentage and looks the more developed player at present.

Struijk does pose a more attacking threat though, scoring twice and getting one assist, while Wober failed to register any goal contribution in the top flight. The 23-year-old also has a superior pass accuracy (79.2% to 70.6%), showcasing that he is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and progressing play.

Given his age and more modern defensive style, Struijk is perhaps the better long-term option for Leeds to invest in.

عزز فريق برشلونة تقدمه أمام ريال مدريد، بهدف ثانٍ خلال المباراة بين الفريقين ببطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ريال مدريد بملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” ضمن مباريات الجولة الثانية والثلاثين للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.

وجاء الهدف عن طريق فيرمين لوبيز في الدقيقة 69، وكان لامين يامال سدد عرضية وتصدى لها أندريا لونين.

وارتدت الكرة إلى فيرمين لوبيز ليسدد مباشرة في شباك لونين، ويتقدم برشلونة بهدف ثانٍ.

وكان أندرياس كريستينسن تقدم لبرشلونة بهدف أول في الدقيقة 6، ثم تعادل فينيسيوس جونيور لريال مدريد من ضربة جزاء في الدقيقة 18. هدف فيرمين لوبيز في مباراة ريال مدريد وبرشلونة

Leicester City are now just two-and-a-half weeks away from beginning a new chapter in the Championship, but there appears to still be plenty of transfer business for Enzo Maresca's side to conduct.

Amid strong suggestions that Harvey Barnes will be the next big name through the King Power Stadium exit, the Daily Mail reports that Leicester are showing an interest in signing Manchester United winger Amad Diallo on loan.

Which Leicester City players have left?

Since being relegated from the Premier League in May, just seven years after winning the title, Leicester have seen a number of first-team regulars depart for pastures new.

Caglar Soyuncu, Jonny Evans, Ryan Bertrand, Ayoze Perez, Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy and Youri Tielemans are among those to have departed as free agents, while James Maddison joined Tottenham Hotspur in a reported £40m move.

City used that Maddison money to sign Conor Coady and Harry Winks for a combined £17.5m, while goalkeeper Mads Hermansen has also arrived from Danish side Brondby.

Diallo could now be next on new manager Maresca's list of targets, and the United winger would make for a more-than-adequate replacement for Newcastle United-linked Barnes.

How many goals has Amad Diallo scored?

Since joining Man United from Atalanta in a reported £37m deal in January 2021, Diallo has played just three times for the Red Devils in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan in the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, before being sent to Sunderland for the whole of last season.

Diallo proved to be one of the best players in the Championship last time out, as he scored a team-high 14 goals and assisted three more in an entertaining Sunderland side that narrowly missed out on promotion via the play-offs.

The Ivory Coast star, who is on wages of £28,800 a week at Old Trafford, according to Capology, was described as a "wizard" by National World reporter James Copley for his display in Sunderland's win against Blackburn Rovers last season.

Diallo happened to be the eighth top-scoring player in England's second tier last season and averaged 0.45 goals per 90 minutes in the regular season, as per FBref. Barnes was Leicester's best-performing player in that regard with 0.43 goals per 90 in the Premier League.

While the quality of the two leagues must be factored in, the pair scored at an almost identical rate last season. Diallo averaged 0.10 assists per 90, meanwhile, compared to 0.03 for Barnes, suggesting the former is a more creative force.

The two players are also very alike in terms of their playing style. For example, Diallo recorded 3.73 progressive carries per 90 last season – an effective way to measure how attacking a player is – compared to 3.32 for Barnes.

Barnes did find the target from a higher percentage of his shots (47.2 v 39.1), but Diallo completed a higher percentage of his passes (84.7 v 69.8), while there was little between the two in terms of percentage of aerial duels won (33.7 for Barnes, 33.3 for Diallo).

Leicester supporters would rather keep hold of Barnes than lose him, of course, but should his asking price be met – in the region of £40m – then the Foxes can ensure the loss is not felt too much by bringing in Diallo.