Aston Villa have been revived since the arrival of Unai Emery in October 2022, with the Spaniard handing the squad a new lease of life in terms of their progression and goals for the season ahead.

The former Arsenal manager took the side he inherited from Steven Gerrard from 16th to 7th last term, earning them a place in the Europa Conference League and marking Villa’s first involvement in Europe since 2010.

Strong signs of development on the pitch were reinforced by a successful transfer window, where the club recruited five new faces, as well as breaking their record fee to capture Moussa Diaby in a £51.9m deal.

As well as new arrivals, the Villans have seen a host of individuals develop under Emery’s guidance, with names such as John McGinn, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne thriving in the Spaniard’s system.

Another name has continued his development strongly thanks to the 51-year-old’s arrival, seeing his market value shoot up thanks to consistent game time and high performance levels.

How much did Jacob Ramsey cost Aston Villa?

Jacob Ramsey has been a consistent performer since the arrival of Emery, moving from strength to strength following his emergence into the first team under Dean Smith.

The versatile midfielder joined the club at the age of six, and has since advanced through the levels at Bodymoor Heath, where he today finds himself as a player of great importance to Emery’s side.

Back in 2020, the academy graduate was handed his Premier League debut by Smith, coming on as a substitute against Fulham to mark his first minutes in the top-flight.

His full debut came shortly after in a statement fixture, when he played 90 minutes against rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2020/21 campaign, a season in which he registered 22 total league appearances.

When Smith was dismissed and replaced by Gerrard, things continued to tick for the Birmingham-born whiz, as he became a favoured player under the manager, making 34 appearances in the Premier League in the 2021/22 season.

The Englishman’s game turned up a notch thanks to Gerrard’s trust in fielding the youngster ahead of other star names, with his selection being a testament to his charged level of performance.

A strong ball carrier among other notable attributes, Ramsey bolstered his in-game numbers between his breakthrough season and the campaign that followed, averaging 1.15 progressive carries per 90 in 2020/21, which doubled in 2021/22 where he averaged 3.32 per 90, via FBref.

Another element of his game that came on leaps and bounds was his goal contributions, as he scored six and registered one assist under Gerrard in the season before last, making his claim to the starting XI undoubtedly.

What is Jacob Ramsey’s market value now?

At the start of the former Liverpool captain’s reign as manager of Villa in November 2021, Football Transfers noted the midfielder's expected transfer value (xTV) at around £7.8m.

Due to strong progression and consistent minutes in the first team, the England U21 star is now valued by CIES Football Observatory at €60m (£52m), showcasing just how much he has improved his game at his boyhood club.

Why is he worth that much?

Hailed as a “big talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, the midfielder continued to thrive during the transition between Gerrard and Emery as manager, maintaining his place in the squad.

Last season, the 22-year-old secured 35 appearances for Villa, scoring a further six goals and registering an improved seven assists, making him the club’s joint second-highest scorer, on par with Douglas Luiz and the since-departed Danny Ings.

Averaging 1.43 key passes per 90 last term, Ramsey seemed to unlock a further element to his game, acting as the provider, with his assist rate of 0.24 per 90 placing him in the top 5% of midfielders in the Premier League, via FBref.

Emery previously lauded the youngster as “very good” for being able to take on the demands asked of him in his role, adding that the “spirit that he adds” makes him a player of great importance in his side.

The stage was set for the midfielder to continue his encouraging career path this season, however a huge injury blow at the U21 European Championships has seen him miss the beginning of the campaign.

In the quarter-finals of the international tournament, the Villa whiz was forced off due to what was later revealed as a broken metatarsal, forcing him to miss not only the start of the domestic season, but the end of the championships that England went on to win.

Being a boy from Birmingham with huge talent, it’s hoped that the Englishman can pick up where he left off once he is available for contention again, with his ability set to be of great importance to his club going forward.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the Villans have seen an academy graduate’s value soar, with Jack Grealish departing Villa Park as a £100m player after concluding the same journey that Ramsey is on.

What’s next for Jacob Ramsey?

While it would be magnificent for both club and player to see Ramsey hit the heights of Grealish, there is a difference between the pair's projected paths at Villa.

At the time of his exit to Manchester City, Villa had just finished 11th in the league, with a feel of the club just coasting around the mid-table area, making his move understandable as he searched for a new challenge.

Emery has injected a different aura to the Midlands, making the project in hand one of exciting promise and a perfect set-up for Ramsey to further his talents and grow into the squad as they continue on their latest journey.

Once he returns from his injury, it’s expected that the Englishman will resume his position in the squad, with added competition introduced this summer in the form of Youri Tielemans, whose presence will only induce an even higher level of performance to ensure game time.

Villa’s academy has once again produced a talent that has the world at his feet, with his market value catapulting from a figure expected of a promising talent, to that of a progressing Premier League star.

Despite leaving on a dim note, the Midlands club have Gerrard to thank for continuing to place his trust in Ramsey, who will no doubt generate the Villans some funds in the future.

MatériaMais Notícias

O tão apertado calendário finalmente deu um fôlego. E, provavelmente, não havia data melhor para isto: o Botafogo passa por uma sequência de sete dias sem compromissos oficiais antes do confronto contra o Cuiabá, pelo jogo de ida das oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, na próxima terça-feira, no Estádio Nilton Santos.

O último duelo da equipe comandada por Bruno Lazaroni foi na segunda-feira da última semana: um empate sem gols com o Goiás. Os jogadores folgaram no dia seguinte em relação ao duelo, mas, depois disso, têm treinado todos os dias. E o treinador, consequentemente, ganha espaço para… treinar.

A mesma sequência não bateu para a equipe mato-grossense. O Cuiabá entra em campo neste sábado contra o Sampaio Corrêa, no Maranhão, pela Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. Do Nordeste, a delegação da equipe verde e amarela vem direto para o Rio de Janeiro.

– Ter uma semana de trabalho é muito bom. Tem tempo para se preparar. O Bruno (Lazaroni) não tem como se preparar em uma semana que a gente joga quarta e domingo. A gente está treinando a parte tática e técnica. É sempre bem-vindo em um calendário tão pesado como esse – comemorou Pedro Raul.

Bruno Lazaroni tem mais tempo para treinar a pressão na saída de bola do adversário e nas alternativas para explorar as investidas dos meio-campistas em direção à área. Além disto, a parte física, sem partidas durante uma semana, faz diferença. A questão é saber colocar o tempo de treinamentos dentro das quatro linhas.

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علق سمير عثمان، الحكم السابق، على الحالات التحكيمية في مباراة الزمالك والمصري، التي أقيمت اليوم الإثنين، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وشهدت مباراة الزمالك والمصري التي قادها تحكيميًا الحكم أحمد الغندور، عددا من الحالات الجدلية خلال اللقاء، خاصة لصالح الزمالك، يعد أبرزها عدم احتساب هدف لـ زيزو من ركلة الجزاء التي ارتطمت في العارضة.

وقال عثمان خلال تصريحات على قناة “أون تايم سبورت”: “طاقم التحكيم تهاونوا في حق نفسهم بداية من أحمد الغندور، يجب أن يتحدث معهم أحد من لجنة الحكام، أسوأ شيء شخصية الحكم، وتستخدم الشخصية في كثير من الأحيان، شخصية الحكم خط أحمر لأي حكم في العالم”.

وأوضح: “مطالبة زيزو بركلة جزاء؟، “لا توجد ضربة جزاء، قرار فني ممتاز من أحمد الغندور، قرار ممتاز للتحايل بإشهار كارت أصفر للاعب”.

طالع | جوميز يهاجم حكم مباراة الزمالك والمصري: هل هذه الكرة التي تريدونها في مصر؟

وتابع: “لا يمكن عبد الله السعيد يدخل برأسه مع الغندور، والحكم يصمت، أنت حكم دولي، متي يكون العقاب للاعب، كان يجب على لاعب الزمالك أن يحصل على إنذار”.

وأكمل: “ضربة جزاء الزمالك؟، “الكرة أتت في يد لاعب المصري وضربة جزاء صحيحة”.

وواصل: “قبل تسديد أحمد سيد زيزو ركلة الجزاء، يوجد تأثير من مدافع المصري ودخل منطقة الجزاء، كان يجب إعادة ضربة الجزاء”.

وأستطرد: هل الكرة تخطت المرمى أم لا في ركلة جزاء زيزو؟، “لو يوجد جزء بسيط من الكرة لم يتخط خط المرمى فالكرة ليست هدفًا، الكرة لم تتجاوز خط المرمى بكامل محطيها، القرار صحيح بعدم احتساب هدف”.

واستكمل: “يوجد تهاون من الحكم الرابع، في أي دوري ذلك يحدث، مدرب الزمالك يدفع الحكم الرابع في صدره، هذا اعتداء على الحكم الرابع، مباراة تحكيمية للنسيان”.

وأتم: “كان يجب على الحكم الرابع أن يقوم باستدعاء أحمد الغندور، ما شاهدناه اليوم كان سيئًا جدًا جدًا”.

Ireland have named a 14-man squad for the one-off Test against Pakistan that begins next Friday

Danyal Rasool04-May-2018An experienced squad led by long-time captain William Porterfield will face Pakistan at Malahide Cricket Club when the two sides meet next week in what will be Ireland’s first Test match.Cricket Ireland’s 14-man squad includes many stalwarts of the Irish game, including the O’Brien brothers, Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling. Left-arm spinner George Dockrell, who has struggled for form and had a disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign in Zimbabwe, was left out.Ireland’s best chance of troubling Pakistan in home conditions lies in the quality and strength of their seam bowling, and unsurprisingly, players with that skill set feature heavily in the squad. Boyd Rankin, Tim Murtagh, Stuart Thompson, Tyrone Kane, and Kevin O’Brien are all handy options in their own conditions. Less than a week ago, Pakistan were bowled out for 168 against second division Kent, their troubles to handle seam bowling particularly evident.Despite this being their first Test match, Ireland probably won’t go into it with eleven debutants. Veteran fast bowler Boyd Rankin has played one Test – for England – over four years ago. That came against Australia in Sydney, the fifth match of a series England lost 5-0.Ireland will become the 11th side to play Test cricket, after the ICC last year approved them, along with Afghanistan as ICC Full Members. They have been a consistently impressive side around the fringes of the top ten for the past decade or so, and Pakistan, of all nations, need no reminding of their potential to cause an upset. In the 2007 World Cup, Ireland stunned Pakistan in the group stage by three wickets, knocking them out of the competition on St Patrick’s Day. They claimed a Full Member scalp in each of the following World Cups, beating England by chasing down 329 in 2011, and trouncing West Indies in the sides’ opening game in 2015.Squad: William Porterfield (capt), Andy Balbirnie, Ed Joyce, Tyrone Kane, Andy McBrine, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien (wk), Boyd Rankin, Nathan Smith, Paul Stirling, James Shannon, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson

Leeds United are on a roll as they aim to put together a tilt at promotion from the Sky Bet Championship and their good mood is spreading throughout the squad, as latest developments now indicate at Elland Road.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United?

The Whites have gone on a six-match unbeaten streak in the Sky Bet Championship and sit sixth in the league standings, representing a solid start to proceedings for Daniel Farke since taking charge at Elland Road.

As per Sky Sports via Leeds Live, pundit Don Goodman has claimed that Leeds United trio Joel Piroe, Wilfried Gnonto and Georginio Rutter are too good for the Sky Bet Championship.

Goodman stated: "In those forward areas, we’re starting to see genuine Championship quality. Quality that’s probably too good for the Championship in Joel Piroe. I’m glad that Georginio Rutter has found his feet and found his confidence, throw into the mix (Wilfried) Gnonto and more behind that as well, their options are brilliant. Look, it was a really, really unsettled pre-season with all the comings and goings, contract clauses, and who was going to be there when the transfer window shut."

Piroe in particular has impressed for the Whites since joining from divisional rivals Swansea City in the summer transfer window, racking up six goals in his opening nine appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Meanwhile, journalist Phil Hay has indicated that the 49ers could look to pay up the remainder of out-of-favour star Helder Costa's contract at Elland Road after a move to new surroundings failed to materialise for the Angola international during the summer transfer window.

Next up for Leeds United is a trip to St Mary's Stadium to face an out-of-sorts Southampton, with Russell Martin's men coming off the back of four straight defeats in the English second-tier.

What have Ethan Ampadu and Luke Ayling said?

Taking to Instagram, Leeds United forward Georginio Rutter posted a compilation of his best moments from their 3-0 win over Watford last weekend, in which he claimed a stunning late assist to set up Jaidon Anthony for the Whites' crowning third goal.

In reply, Leeds United right-back Luke Ayling replied with a comment which read: "Love that happy face of yours!!" Further down, Wales international Ethan Ampadu also chimed in with a simple one-word response that said "Wow" in reference to the France Under-21 gem's exploits in the victory.

Looking like a man full of confidence all of a sudden, Rutter has managed to appear eight times in all competitions for Leeds United, registering two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt. Acting as a foil for Piroe in attack against Watford, Rutter managed to complete seven of his nine dribbles attempted during the clash and also laid on three key passes against the Hornets, according to Sofascore.

Leeds United boss Farke said that the 21-year-old was "top-class" across proceedings last weekend and he now slowly looks to be paying back the club-record £35 million fee shelled out for his services in January, as per talkSPORT.

Ayling and Ampadu have clearly caught a buzz off of his recent performances and everyone connected with the club will hope he can play a key part in their push for promotion over the coming months.

Arsenal under Arsene Wenger were a formidable side, blessed with some of the finest footballers in England which led them to the numerous honours earned under his leadership.

He oversaw good times and struggled through bad times, but in the end, he is a man who will be remembered not just by fans of the club, but also by the rest of the Premier League, as one of the quintessential legendary managers of the modern-day era.

His ability to sign the best, tempting them to Highbury and later the Emirates was one that never seemed to wane, stretching from his 1999 acquisition of Thierry Henry to the Deadline Day signing of Mesut Ozil just seven years before his retirement.

It was this pull which helped assemble the great Invincibles side in 2004, comprised of some of the division's greatest-ever players.

And yet, despite all the talent tempted to north London, there are still countless names that the French ex-manager has listed as players he failed to sign during his time working.

This is a wide-ranging list spanning nearly two decades, with some likely stinging more than others.

However, in the end Wenger can have little regrets when he had the pleasure of overseeing the development of stars such as Henry, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires.

How good was Robert Pires?

Although it could be argued that the latter of those names was the least influential, that should not devalue the player that the French trickster was during his glistening career.

After all, having signed from French side Marseille, he would amass 284 appearances across six stellar years, helping his side to two Premier League titles and three FA Cups

Whilst his tally of 85 goals and 61 assists across that period was admirable too, he offered far more with regard to just how exceptional the 49-year-old was on the ball, as a perfect player for Wenger's system.

In fact, in 2003 his manager would even outline his resilience, a trait seldom associated with the silky wide man: "Pires was out for six months and he is hungry for goals,” said Wenger. “But he worked very hard when he was injured and I think he is back to his best. He took both goals very well."

Then, in 2014 he would look back on the slight tactical tweak that truly unlocked Pires, noting: "Robert Pires is a good example. He has unbelievable preferential vision, so on the right, he is a normal player but on the left he became a world-class player. On the left wing he saw everything, but on the right wing he saw nothing."

The number of goals he scored as a midfielder was astounding, and moving to north London as a World Cup winner he had plenty to prove. However, it is a testament to how well he did that the former Aston Villa man is now regarded as one of Arsenal's greatest-ever players, as a technical marvel who was adept with both feet and far from just a luxury player.

Patrick Vieira

398

Theo Walcott

307

Thierry Henry

379

Dennis Bergkamp

372

Jean-Luc Ettori

330

Robert Pires

284

Arsenal's own website even lists the 79-cap ex-France international as sixth in their best-ever player rankings, with the elegant 6 foot 1 maestro vocal in his passion for the club: "I love Arsenal and I love Arsene Wenger so I think it's great news for him," he noted after the 73-year-old had signed a new contract at the club.

However, there came an opportunity around the time when Pires left to sign someone who arguably surpassed his legacy, as the winger departed for Villarreal.

Despite playing a key role in numerous trophy successes, even winning the PFA Footballer of the Year in 2002, his career pails in comparison to Gareth Bale's.

Did Arsenal nearly sign Gareth Bale?

As just one of the many names whom Wenger claims to have nearly signed, this one likely sparks more regret given just how attainable the Welshman was during the 2006 period when he later would sign for their rivals in a mere £5m deal.

Speaking in 2013, the former AS Monaco manager would tell The Sun (via The Mirror) how they snubbed that opportunity, with his narrow-minded positional views actually hampering him: "We didn’t take him [Gareth Bale] as we had Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy and didn’t want another left-back.

“I must confess it was a huge mistake as he can play in midfield. He struggled at the start at Tottenham, then they moved him to midfield and he has done exceptionally well. The career of a player sometimes depends on playing in the right position."

His summation of events perhaps underplays just how successful Bale became, given he posted 26 goals and 14 assists across all competitions in his final year with the Lilywhites, rightfully earning his own PFA Player of the Year award before departing for Real Madrid in a world-record switch.

The 34-year-old had propelled Spurs up the table with his dynamism and insane attacking threat from right wing, and upon moving to Spain, helped usher in a stint of utter dominance for Los Blancos, winning three La Liga titles, five Champions Leagues and numerous more honours.

In total, the former Southampton star would amass 258 appearances for the Santiago Bernabeu outfit, recording 173 goal contributions and leaving a legend, although their fanbase might not like to admit it.

Even if they will not, journalist Zach Lowy certainly thinks so, outlining his major achievements back in 2022: "Gareth Bale took Wales to the Euros semifinals, took Real Madrid from zero Champions Leagues in 11 years to five Champions Leagues in 8 years, and has just taken Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years. Legend of the game."

For all his quality, Pires cannot come close to the impact Bale enjoyed, the respective legacy they left on the game, and the trophy cabinets they both boast. After all, even the Frenchman's 274 career goal contributions are a far cry from the 322 his counterpart managed.

With the list of near misses consistently expanding as Wenger reveals more information as he sees fit, the progress of the 111-cap Bale likely haunts him more than most purely due to the lack of foresight shown.

Had he recognised the talent but not been able to acquire him, that would have been a matter outside of his control. But, it turns out he simply got it all wrong with the Welshman, who would even go on to surpass the career of one of his finest stars in Pires.

Tottenham Hotspur may be flying of late under Ange Postecoglou, but it has been a long and arduous road to finally recapture that feelgood factor that had been absent for so long.

With the seven acquisitions funded by the sale of Gareth Bale arguably kickstarting the chain of events that has transformed the club's trajectory, Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment helped to turn a period of ridicule into relative success.

Although no silverware was claimed, the Argentine led them back into the Champions League, even reaching the final, whilst also coming close to the Premier League title on occasion too.

Despite that, Daniel Levy clearly still craves a trophy to end his 15-year hoodoo, yet cycling through Nuno Santo, Jose Mourinho and most recently Antonio Conte failed to bring what he desired.

Now, it is the Australian tasked with not only striving for that elusive silverware but also forging a play style that can get fans falling back in love with football again.

However, the squad he has inherited still needs work, with the Lilywhites still reeling from various financial missteps by regimes of the past, notably after selling a certain Gareth Bale.

Who did Spurs buy with the Gareth Bale money?

After years of thriving in north London, announcing himself as one of the top players in the entire country, when Real Madrid came calling it was a proposal impossible to deny.

The £85m gained from Bale's sale marked an astronomical fee at the time, shattering the previous world record transfer including Cristiano Ronaldo, and the thought process was clearly to reinvest this across the entire playing squad rather than on a sole successor to the Welshman.

As such, a host of players were brought in across the 2013 summer, which has since been rather questionably dubbed ‘the Magnificent Seven’.

The likes of Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Vlad Chiriches, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue all largely failed to make an impression, whilst Christian Eriksen was the obvious standout who grew into a key figure at White Hart Lane.

However, one of the more polarising additions of the bunch was Erik Lamela, who too stood the test of time, but despite flashes of brilliance was far too inconsistent to merit widespread praise.

The Argentinian would make 256 appearances for the club, scoring just 37 and assisting a further 45. Given the money expended to bring him in, this was far from a desirable return.

Andre Villas-Boas’ time in north London is now largely remembered for his failure to reinvest those funds wisely, with the 31-year-old having since departed with little fanfare.

Pundit Alex McLeish sought to sum up Lamela’s time at Spurs as his exit neared, noting: “Everybody knows the guy’s got heaps of talent. When you say about his injuries and his inconsistency, he never quite made it to the level of the player we expected.

“He was one of the players that replaced Gareth Bale. There were four or five players, weren’t there, that came in when Bale left. It was to try and fill these gaps.

“I’m not saying he was that player but he certainly had the ability to do things out of the ordinary. That’s the frustrating thing for managers, when you think you’ve got a diamond and the diamond only shines now and again.”

Lamela’s tenure arguably personifies such a tumultuous period in the club’s history, which could have fast-tracked the progression they would eventually enjoy once Pochettino was brought in.

How much did Spurs pay for Erik Lamela?

As the last to join during that busy 2013 summer, Villas-Boas was forced to unload £25.8m to bring the current Sevilla man from AS Roma to England.

It was a fee that turned heads, but given he had scored 15 and assisted five in the Serie A alone the season prior, there was a method to the madness.

Richarlison (Everton)

£60m

Erik Lamela, including wages (AS Roma)

£59.2m

Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur)

£54m

Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest)

£47m

Cristian Romero (Atalanta)

£45m

All fees via Football Transfers

He would seldom enjoy a Premier League campaign even close to that level across his eight years at the club before a swap deal with Sevilla was engineered to bring Bryan Gil in as his replacement.

How much has Erik Lamela earned in his career so far?

Earning various lucrative contracts across the three top clubs he inhabited in Europe, it is no surprise that the trickster has amassed a pretty ridiculous figure from football.

With the biggest deal coming courtesy of Spurs, an £80k-per-week contract, and the lowest during his earlier days in AS Roma, at just £31k-per-week, it is a wonder how he managed to accumulate such continued interest throughout a career that never really hit the heights many thought it would.

Despite that, Lamela will likely not be too bothered, given his total career earnings from wages alone sits at €51.83m (£44.5m), via Capology. It is worth noting that €38.93m (£33.4m) of that came solely from the north London club.

Did Erik Lamela deserve to earn £80k-per-week?

Although his spell with the Lilywhites was filled with some standout moments, on the whole it would be hard to argue that Lamela was good value for what he ended up costing the club. After all, when adding his total wage expenditure to his transfer fee, in total his period there saw £59.2m lost.

Despite this, fans will remember his two rabona goals with fondness, the second of which won them the north London Derby and him the 2022 Puskas Award.

But for £80k-per-week and that aforementioned fee, to score just 37 goals, meant that for every time he found the back of the net during his eight years in England he cost them £1.6m.

How much did other Spurs players earn?

What made his tenure even more ridiculous is the calibre of player that he actually earned more than, with his wage matching that of Hugo Lloris' in 2013, who would go on to become a Spurs captain and legend.

Other players whom he looked down upon on the wage bill table were Eriksen, Kyle Walker, Mousa Dembele and a 19-year-old Harry Kane, with the latter being understandable as he was yet to make his big breakthrough.

Even the man he was signed to replace, who had just left for a world record fee as one of the game's most revered talents, was on a mere £20k-per-week more the year before he left.

Lamela's lucrative contract served as an insult to the players who performed consistently, with this deal going under the radar as one of the worst in the club's recent history.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is heading to Hampshire for the Blast – and, at 17, he will make England’s legspin novice Mason Crane look an old man by comparison

ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-2018

Mujeeb Ur Rahman appeals for a wicket•BCCI

Hampshire have signed the tyro Afghanistan spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman for this year’s Vitality T20 Blast competition, pinning their faith in a 17-year-old legspinner who has already stood up impressively to the pressures of interntional cricket and IPL.Mujeeb, who first shot to priminence by becoming the first international cricketer born in the 21st century, and became the youngest IPL debutant at 17 years 11 days when he turned out for Kings XI Punjab, will be avalable for the entire tournament.Mujeeb’s signing is bound to overshadow the capture of the explosive New Zealand batsman Colin Munro, whose arrival at the Ageas Bowl this summer has also been confirmed. Munro will remain until his Caribbean Premier League commitments in August.Hampshire are banking on a continuation of Mujeeb’s extraordinary entrance into the professional game. He has burst onto the scene in the last 12 months with his ability to bowl ripping off-breaks, leg-breaks and googlies.The 17-year-old first impressed as part of an Afghanistan U19 side that claimed a historic victory in the Under-19 Asia Cup in 2017, and his performances as leading wicket-taker there earned him a full international debut at the age of just 16.Composed beyond his years, he was also a key factor in Afghanistan’s success in the 2019 Cricket World Cup qualifying tournament earlier this year, helping secure their place at next year’s full tournament hosted in England and Wales.Those achievements and his ability to bowl match-winning spells saw him selected by Kings XI Punjab for more than 600,000 USD in this year’s IPL, taking 14 wickets to date.He could team up with Hampshire’s legspinner, Mason Crane, who became England’s youngest specialist spinner to make a Test debut for 90 years against Australia in Sydney in January and whose performance brought more praise than his return of 1 for 193 might suggest.Crane suffered a stress fracture playing for England Lions in the West Indies in February, but he is back in full training and could make a return in the Royal London Cup this weekend.Described supportively by the Lions coach, Andy Flower as “still a work in progress”, Crane, 21, might benefit from observing the confidence and maturity of Rahman, who is nearly four years younger and who brings a whole new meaning to the term “inexperienced”.Munro, 31, offers less delicate skills but his record suggests he can also have a sizeable impact. He boasts an average of 33.51 and a strike-rate of 163.59 in 45 T20Is for New Zealand, and is second in the ICC’s World T20I batting rankings.The 31-year-old is the only player to score three T20I centuries in the history of the game and has been involved in the best T20 competitions across the world, including the Big Bash and Indian Premier League, where he’s currently featuring for Delhi Daredevils.

Over the course of David Moyes' tenure, West Ham United have become notorious for doing the ugly side of the game well, showcasing their aggression and physicality, defending in a low block and hitting teams on the counter-attack.

While remnants of that game plan still remain, the Hammers are now enjoying more possession of the ball and that is down to the signing of master technician, James Ward-Prowse. Since joining from Southampton, the 28-year-old has scored or assisted in every game he's played, with his technical quality shining through.

Ward-Prowse isn't the only astute signing to have left his mark at the London stadium. Mohammed Kudus, who completed a £38m switch from Ajax this summer, is slowly unleashing his star-like qualities that saw him become one of the hottest commodities in Europe, having scored against Backa Tapola in midweek.

West Ham's astute and accurate transfer dealings have helped stimulate their exceptional start to the season, but it isn't the only time when Moyes has shown ambition in the transfer window.

In January 2022, West Ham launched an ambitious move to prize Raphinha away from Leeds, but their attempts to sign the Brazilian winger – who could have been an upgrade on fellow forward Said Benhrama – were knocked back.

Why didn't West Ham sign Raphinha?

West Ham were determined to strengthen their squad during the 2022 winter window to boost their Champions League qualification hopes. They set their sights on raiding Leeds' two prized possessions, Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, but ultimately failed in their pursuit.

The signing of the latter man, at the time, would have helped provide further support to lone forward Michail Antonio from the right flank while also being able to play in a number of positions.

Although they were prepared to fork out club-record fees upwards of £50m for the pair, as reported by the Guardian, Marcelo Bielsa was adamant that they would be staying put at Elland Road.

During that period, Leeds were fighting for their lives against relegation and selling their best players would have been detrimental to their season, likely resulting in relegation to the Championship.

While the Whites survived by the skin of their teeth on the final day, West Ham dropped out of Champions League contention, finishing in seventh place. The outcome of their season, however, could have been a lot different if they managed to sign Raphinha.

How good is Raphinha?

Praised by former teammate Dan James as a "magician", Raphinha is a fleet-footed winger who catches the eye with his wand of a left foot, using it to devastating effect during his time at Leeds.

He made the £17m move to West Yorkshire on deadline day in 2020 and quickly became a fan favourite at Elland Road, displaying his ability to not only create opportunities for his teammates but also weigh in with several important goals.

The 18-cap Brazil international showcased his vision, skill and mouth-watering technique to drag Leeds through matches on numerous occasions, becoming their match-winner and the one player they could rely on for a piece of individual brilliance, often providing that in abundance.

Raphinha made a sharp rise to stardom following his world-class performances, chalking up 29 goal contributions in 67 appearances, alerting several of Europe's big hitters.

Although many were interested in luring him away, Barcelona would win the race to land the 26-year-old for £55m last year, and he has since become one of the best wingers on the planet.

The £210k per-week wizard, who was described by pundit Graeme Souness as "extremely talented", has demonstrated that talent on the domestic and European stage for Barca.

Last season, Raphinha plundered 10 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, only behind Robert Lewandowski in that regard, which is a testament to how he's seamlessly stepped up to the plate and delivered a glowing indication of his talents.

That is in stark contrast to what Benrahma achieved last term, with the former Brentford man scoring 12 times, yet providing just five assists in all competitions, having been branded something of an "enigma" by journalist Paul Brown.

The Algerian playmaker has also flattered to deceive so far this season with just one assist from his six appearances thus far, while Raphinha, meanwhile, has recorded three goal contributions in just four games for the La Liga giants.

As per FBref, the ex-Leeds ace ranks among the top 10% of wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, non-penalty xG, passes into the penalty area, crosses and shots on target per 90, further illustrating the full array of his devastating brilliance.

Throughout the past few years, the £32m (€37m) valued Raphinha, as per Football Transfers, has taken the responsibility of being a star man – like at Leeds – in his stride, but since moving to Catalonia, has shown he can shine among several world-class stars, emphasizing why Moyes was so desperate to bring him to West Ham previously.

Steve Denison has been handed one of the biggest personal fines in the history of accountancy regulation

George Dobell13-Jun-2018Steve Denison, the chairman of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, is facing a lengthy exclusion from audit work after being handed one of the biggest personal fines in the history of accountancy regulation.Sky News have revealed that Denison, a former partner at accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), is to be fined GBP500,000 and banned (ESPNcricinfo understands he actually voluntarily agreed to sign an undertaking not to audit and withdraw his name from the register of statutory auditors) for 15 years by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) for his part in the audit of BHS ahead of its controversial sale by Philip Green in 2014. Denison was lead partner on the BHS audit.The deal, which included a GBP215million write-off of debt, saw the lossmaking business with a large pension deficit sold to Dominic Chappell, a three-time former bankrupt with no retail experience, for GBP1. BHS subsequently went into administration and, after no buyer was found, was wound down. 11,000 jobs were lost and the pension deficit was assessed to be GBP571million. Green eventually agreed to pay GBP363million into the pension scheme after the Pensions Regulator initiated legal action against him.It is understood that Denison left PwC voluntarily last week. Sky News have reported that the fine will be reduced to GBP325,000 after Denison agreed to settle. He will be in his late 60s by the time the exclusion expires so it effectively ends his career. He is also understood to have agreed to remove himself from the register of statutory auditors, though he remains a chartered accountant.Denison had previously been obliged to appear before a House of Commons Select Committee who wanted to know why PwC had been prepared to sign off the company’s accounts as a going concern when insolvency seemed imminent.While there is yet to be any official word on Denison’s position at Yorkshire it seems inevitable he will stand down. The ECB’s ‘Fit and Proper Person’ test states that an individual cannot be on a board or general committee if they are “subject to any form of suspension, disqualification or striking-off by a professional body including, without limitation, the Law Society, the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority, the Bar Council or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales or any equivalent body in any jurisdiction outside England and Wales, whether such suspension,disqualification or striking-off is direct or indirect.””The Directors of The Yorkshire County Cricket Club await the full report of the FRC relating to the conduct of its Chairman Mr Steve Denison in his capacity as an Audit Partner of PWC,” a statement from Yorkshire sent to ESPNcricinfo read. “Once all the information has been gleaned, the Board will decide an appropriate course of action.”No further comment on this matter will be made by the Club, or individuals, until the process has been completed.”