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Given the presence of four Full Members and the high-stakes nature of the tournament, good viewership figures can be expected, but bringing it to that audience might not yet be a cost-effective undertaking

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Mar-20181:41

All you need to know about the World Cup Qualifiers

For the first time ever, the ICC is set to broadcast matches from its World Cup qualifier event. Ten of the 34 games have been earmarked, including all of the Super Six stage and the final. Still, the ICC will be asked why it is not telecasting the rest of the matches.The interest in this qualifier is far greater than for previous editions, partly because of the participation of four Full Members – two old ones in West Indies and Zimbabwe and two new ones in Afghanistan and Ireland – in a pool of 10 teams. Only two will advance to join the eight Full Members already booked for the 2019 World Cup. With the additional presence of established Associates like Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and the UAE, wider interest is a given.And given that cricket is still attempting – with however much conviction – to enter the Olympics fold, it would seem to make good sense to showcase its popularity and reach by streaming the qualifiers over a digital platform.Obviously, right? Not so much. This will be the third qualifier of its kind the ICC has hosted, but the previous two – in 2009 and 2014 – were not broadcast. The ICC had actually streamed four matches, including the final, during the 2014 Qualifier in New Zealand.* But the viewership, it is understood, was not so strong. However, four years later, with the likes of Afghanistan climbing into to the upper echelons of international cricket and the smaller Associates aspiring to take bigger steps, the appetite to consume is bigger. So by actually committing to broadcasting ten matches from this event, the ICC Board (which is made up of the various member boards, remember) feels it has already taken a forward-looking step and, based on its success, the next qualifier in 2022 could have even more matches available for the world to see.Though the ICC owns the production rights for its global tournaments, the digital rights are with Star Sports, which has rights till the 2023 World Cup. The ICC could stream in partnership with Star and is also aware of the advantages of streaming matches live over a digital platform.ICCAccording to one official from a prominent member board, the way the ICC’s digital live streaming rights are split geographically is unique. In most territories the digital rights are owned by Hotstar, according to the official, but there are pockets where Star will not stream and where the ICC can do if it so wishes.The ICC is capable of streaming matches and has the resources. Even during last year’s women’s World Cup, ten matches were broadcast live on TV. The remaining 21 were streamed live and the ICC produced content good enough for it to distribute it to different countries. Yet tournaments like the women’s World Cup, the Under-19 World Cup and the World Cup qualifiers are not, ultimately, profit-making tournaments.To stream matches for a tournament like a qualifier – with limited commercial appeal for now – is not cost-effective, especially when as many as four matches per day are scheduled during the group stages, played at four venues – two in Bulawayo and two in Harare. It is not just the cost of having the technology in place, but also the cameras, crews, commentators and graphics team.Ultimately, all these add up to costs that the members do not want to contribute to because it cuts into the percentage of profits the ICC distributes to them from global events. The budget for organising a global event comes from the subscription money member boards pay. So if the qualifier does not generate any revenue, and the broadcaster does not want to stream the matches, the ICC has to bear the costs, which consequently will affect member revenues.But, keeping in mind the sizeable and growing interest in smaller countries like Afghanistan and Nepal, the ICC has hired crews who will shoot 90-second clips of the matches that are not being broadcast but will be shared globally with fans.

The two fast bowlers recovered from injuries, but wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella was omitted in favour of Dhananjaya de Silva

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Feb-2018Fast bowlers Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal have returned to the Sri Lanka T20 squad after recovering from injuries, but wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been omitted in favour of Dhananjaya de Silva for the upcoming tri-series at home.Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who was with the T20 team in Bangladesh, was also left out, with Sri Lanka naming just two specialist spinners – Akila Dananjaya and Amila Aponso – in addition to Jeevan Mendis, the legspinning allrounder.Apart from Dickwella’s omission, Sri Lanka retained the bulk of their batsmen from the Bangladesh series, which they had won 2-0. Kusal Mendis is likely to open the batting again. Now that Kusal Perera is back, however, there is competition for the top spots, with Upul Tharanga and Danushka Gunathilaka also vying for places in the top three.The senior fast bowlers’ return to fitness meant that Sri Lanka also have a strong attack. Where in Bangladesh the quicks were inexperienced, Lakmal and Pradeep will be expected to provide control and reliability, while Dushmantha Chameera – if he plays – is a faster, more attacking option. Left-armer Isuru Udana was also in the squad.De Silva’s selection was something of a surprise, given his mixed performances in past T20 internationals. He was in good touch in the Tests against Bangladesh, however, and hit 55, 0 and 42 in Sri Lanka’s club-based T20 tournament over the past few days.Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne and Shehan Madushanka were all unavailable through injury.The Nidahas Trophy begins on March 6 and will be played exclusively in Colombo.T20 squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Dananjaya de Silva

Former Manchester United star David de Gea wished his old team-mate Marouane Fellaini a happy retirement after the Belgian called time on his career.

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Fellaini retires from football at 36Belgian sums up 'incredible journey'Ex-team-mate De Gea sends messageGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The 36-year-old announced his retirement from football on Saturday after 18 years as a professional. After summing up his "incredible journey" in an Instagram post, some of his team-mates over the years wished the former Everton and United man all the best in the future – including keeper De Gea.

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Former Red Devils keeper De Gea, who played alongside Fellaini at Old Trafford between 2013-19, wrote on his Instagram post: "Enjoy life brother."

Fellow ex-United player Ander Herrera also commented: "Congratulations amigo and all the best for your next chapter."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Fellaini called it quits after getting the most out of his career, De Gea is still looking for a new club following his release from United last summer. However, it appears the 33-year-old is waiting for the right offer after rejecting an approach from Nottingham Forest last month.

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WHAT NEXT?

The Spanish international, who spent 12 years at United and played more than 500 times for the Red Devils, is still on the hunt for a new team. The free agent has been linked with Saudi Pro League interest but that has yet to come to fruition.

Transfer expert Dean Jones is rather excited after hearing of a "blinding" signing Everton have been linked with making.

How old is Everton target Hugo Ekitike?

The Frenchman, who is still only 21 years of age, spent last season on loan at PSG before joining permanently, and he did well on the whole, despite having to play a supporting role behind the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar in the attacking pecking order.

Ekitike still managed to chip in with seven goal contributions (three goals and four assists) in Ligue 1 in 2023/24, having netted 10 times in the league for Reims the previous season.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Everton have been linked with a move for the young striker a number of times in recent weeks, and while a recent update suggested he isn't interested in heading to Goodison Park, the Blues won't give up without a fight.

Will Everton sign Hugo Ekitike?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones discussed what an exciting signing Ekitike would be for Everton this summer, should be manage to snap him up:

"Ekitike could be a blinding deal and from a player perspective, the hunger and motivation to play and score goals will be huge. It will have been difficult to resist the lure of PSG but imagine what he’s learned from playing back-up to Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar!

"This is a player with unbelievable scouting reports from his early years in the game and when Newcastle United were looking at him, they really considered that he could be one of the best strikers around within a few years.

"If there is one team right now that should be willing to take a chance on anyone who has such potential, it has to be Everton. The sales pitch to get him to join is going to have to be absolutely spot on, because he has other offers out there too.

"But beyond Calvert-Lewin I still don’t see the source of many goals in this team, and this could change that."

In truth, it is hard to see Ekitike trading PSG for Everton at this point, especially as more playing time could come his way without Messi around now, but it is still encouraging that the Blues haven't given up hope.

If they could entice him to the club, he could be a wonderful addition to their attack, coming straight in as a key figure and providing stiff competition for Dominic Calvert Lewin. He could even be a stronger option than him in no time at all, should the Englishman continue to struggle with fitness issues moving forward.

At just 21, there is still so much more to come from Ekitike moving forward – football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a "revelation" of a player – and he could bring the firepower that is so desperately needed at Goodison this season and beyond. Granted, he isn't yet the finished article, but to already be scoring and assisting for a club of PSG's stature says a lot about his ability.

It has been a difficult couple of years for Everton fans, as they’ve seen their side reach the top of the league in 2020 with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, to now battling to avoid relegation year after year.

The Toffees haven’t finished in the top half of the Premier League since the 2018/19 season under Marco Silva, and in the last three years, they’ve finished 16th, 17th and 18th.

Last season Everton came their closest to relegation as they only secured their survival on the last day, following a massive 1-0 over Bournemouth.

One of the reasons for Everton’s fall from grace is their poor recruitment under owner Farhad Moshiri – luckily, though, it appears there's a new era on the horizon with 777 Partners signing an agreement to buy the British-Iranian's full 94.1% stake in the Toffees.

Since becoming an initial 49.9% shareholder in 2016, Moshiri has spent £530m on 31 players and by 2022, £130m worth of players have been sold for free.

One of these huge flops was Oumar Niasse, who left Everton for free in July 2020 after signing in 2016.

How much did Everton pay for Oumar Niasse?

Prior to the striker's arrival in January 2016, Everton and manager Roberto Martínez had endured a difficult start to the Premier League season, only winning six games out of 23.

Following the poor opening games Everton spent £19m in the January transfer window, with £13.5m being used on the Senegalese forward, making him Everton’s third-most expensive signing at the time, behind Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini.

After moving to the Merseyside outfit, the 33-year-old was ecstatic to sign for the Toffees.

He said:

"It's a great day for me, a big dream to play in the Premier League and a big dream to play for Everton.

"Everton is one of the best teams in the Premier League and the Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world.

"I know Everton is one of the big clubs here in England with history, the fans and the great players, so I'm very excited and happy to be here.

"I started to watch Everton more since the beginning of October because I had heard about their interest. I was interested to see how they play and how they have good young players.

Why did Everton buy Oumar Niasse?

Before signing for Everton, Niasse enjoyed an impressive spell playing for Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia, where he made 40 appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing 14 assists, meaning he averaged a goal contribution every 0.82 games.

The Senegal international also proved himself in the Europa League by scoring four goals and registering three assists in only six games, this earned him an average rating on Sofascore of 7.22, the highest in the squad.

His attacking prowess was also backed up by his stats as in Europe for the Russian side, per game he had the most shots (3.5), the most successful dribbles (1.5), the second most key passes (1.3) and the second most shots on target (1.3).

What happened to Oumar Niasse after joining Everton?

Niasse suffered a pretty torrid time throughout his four years with Everton as his most successful games in the famous blue shirt came when he played for the U23s, as during his time with them, he played 10 games and scored 12 goals.

However, while playing for the first team he was incredibly disappointing, in his 42 appearances he only managed nine goals and four assists in all competitions, meaning he scored more for the youth teams.

Furthermore, during his first season at Everton Niasse had the 26th-worst Sofascore rating in the Everton squad with 6.54.

While playing under Dutch manager Ronald Koeman, after Martinez's sacking, the striker revealed that he was exiled from the squad and his locker was removed.

While speaking to the Guardian he said:

“It’s sad, it’s really sad.

“And, to be honest, I think I don’t deserve this but what I can do is just keep my head and fight to change things. I’m not going to make a drama over this. I just deal with it.

“I know it’s just one period.

“Koeman said: ‘You have to leave.’

“I couldn’t understand how that decision could have been made after 45 minutes but I just said: ‘OK.’

“I’m in the dressing room with the under-23s but I don’t have a locker.

“The other players have where they put their stuff but I don’t.

“I come with my bag and I just have a place I know. I put my bag down, I train and after, I put everything in my car and go home.

“He took my shirt number, and he told me I wasn’t allowed to be in the dressing room for the first team; that I wasn’t going to train with them. I had to go with the second team.”

Although his career in England did get a little better during the 2017/18 season after Koeman’s exit, as under new manager Sam Allardyce the striker’s Sofascore rating improved to 6.85, the 12th-best in the squad.

This prompted the English manager to confirm in 2018 that Niasse's position had never been stronger.

He said:

“I think Oumar’s position at Everton has never really been as good as it is at the moment.

“He’s put himself in a position to shine and score goals. He’s got goals and assists to his name and he’s starting games on a regular basis.

“Oumar’s grasped that position at the moment, making assists, scoring goals, holding it up well, so it’s made it difficult for me to replace him.”

However, the eight goals he would score for Allardyce that season would be his last for the club as at the end of the 2019/20 season he would be released and since then his career has gone even further downhill.

In February 2022, after a disappointing move to Huddersfield where he didn't play, Niasse joined League One side Burton Albion where he would make just 12 appearances and score three goals before being released just five months later.

It would take the nine-cap international eight months before he found a new club, this time he would join fellow League One side Morecambe for another disappointing spell, where he made just 10 appearances and scored one goal before being released in July this year.

Oumar Niasse's career, via Transfermarkt

Club

Appearances

Goals

SK Brann

4

0

Akhisarspor

40

15

Lokomotiv Moscow

40

19

Everton

42

9

Hull

19

5

Cardiff

13

0

Huddersfield

0

0

Burton Albion

12

3

Morecambe

10

1

Since leaving the English third division side the centre forward is still yet to find a new club, proving what a waste of money he was for Everton.

Virgil van Dijk has issued a warning to Chelsea, suggesting them to not underestimate an injury-hit Liverpool side ahead of the Carabao Cup final.

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Liverpool could miss 10 players But Van Dijk insists Liverpool ready for Chelsea challenge Could lift first trophy as Liverpool captain GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds could be without 10 players for the final showdown against Chelsea. Despite the challenging circumstances, Van Dijk emphasized that there is an abundance of resilience and determination within the team to prove themselves in the Cup final.

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“I think the players coming in have to step up and show they’re wrong,” the Liverpool captain told reporters. “I think that’s the only way to do it. If they [Chelsea] take us lightly, then that’s their problem. I think we have enough quality to read the opponents. Players who come in have to show that. That fear factor, we don’t have influence on that. Everyone has to step up, the ones that play have to deliver to get results.”

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Van Dijk praised the contributions of young talents like Connor Bradley and Jarell Quansah, who have risen to the occasion when called upon. He emphasized the collective responsibility of every player, stressing the need for confidence and self-belief among the squad ahead of a title decider.

“Younger players as well, everyone has to take responsibility,” he said.

“They also have to enjoy that. “I think everyone wants to get the opportunity and show themselves, and they have to be confident. I’m not worried about that. They just have to go out there and show their qualities. I think if you play for Liverpool, you’re quite a good player already, so go out there and make everyone proud.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT VAN DIJK SAID ABOUT KLOPP

Jurgen Klopp has already announced that he is in the final lap of his Liverpool stint and will leave Anfield in the summer. However, Van Dijk emphasized that securing victory in the final takes precedence over lifting the in honour of their departing manager.

“I think nothing has changed,” he said. “We all want to achieve this. Obviously, he’s going at the end of the season, that’s a decision that’s been made, but we all want to win trophies regardless.

“It wouldn’t change if he wasn’t leaving. We just have to go for it and let’s see what that brings. “I’m thinking about the big challenge ahead of us. Hopefully, we can make it an amazing afternoon on Sunday.

“Every game we have ahead of us is the most important game. Obviously going to Wembley will be an amazing experience again with these guys. And it’s a big opportunity to get silverware and hopefully, it gives us an extra boost for the last part of the season.”

Chelsea appear to be well and truly setting their sights on a Michael Olise alternative as an update emerges on Lyon star Bradley Barcola.

Who have Chelsea signed?

Mauricio Pochettino's side, despite spending over £250 million already this transfer window, could move to strengthen further following their failed pursuit of Olise – with the Frenchman instead signing a new deal at Crystal Palace.

Midfield duo Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia are the first team stars to most recently come through the door at Stamford Bridge, with the former costing a British-record £115 million to prise away from Brighton.

"Moises has proved himself as a standout player in European football over the past 18 months, and we are thrilled to add him to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad," said Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

"Moises possesses a rare midfield skill set and is a player we've been targeting for some time. We believe he will make a significant impact at Stamford Bridge this season – and in the years ahead."

Meanwhile, Pochettino has expressed his delight at the signing of Lavia from Southampton, with Chelsea's head coach revering the Belgian's quality after they announced a deal.

"We all know Romeo and his quality, his profile," said the Argentine.

"I think he’s a perfect player for this project. We are excited and we are so happy to add him in the squad.

"The club worked really hard on these signings. We have to congratulate the owners and the sporting directors Laurence [Stewart] and Paul [Winstanley], because the job was amazing."

Lavia and Caicedo join the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Angelo and young Brazilian ace Deivid Washington in penning deals at the Bridge.

Lyon star Barcola, following Chelsea's summer spending spree, could be another player to make his way to west London as journalist Fabrice Hawkins shares an update for RMC Sport.

Indeed, it is believed Pochettino's side are "fully" chasing the 20-year-old forward and talks have "intensified" very recently following Chelsea's collapsed deal for Olise.

Lyon have already rejected a bid from PSG for the player, and Man City's interest in Barcola has cooled down as they pursue a move for Rennes winger Jeremy Doku.

This could open the door for Chelsea, but during talks, Lyon have apparently quoted a fee of around £43 million to let Barcola leave.

Who is Bradley Barcola?

Barcola played just 1438 minutes for Lyon over the 2022/2023 campaign, but in that time, he registered an impressive five goals and eight assists.

The Frenchman stands out as an incredibly direct winger, having averaged a brilliant 2.5 dribbles per 90 in Ligue 1 according to WhoScored, with Lyon boss Laurent Blanc heaping praise on the player this year.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE..

"He surprises me on a physical level. He doesn't second-guess himself… he scores goals, even though he is not necessarily an out-and-out striker," said Blanc.

"He can easily eliminate his opponents with his technical finesse and speed.

"When he wasn't a starter, I told him to be attentive and serious because he was certainly going to be able to occupy an important position in the team. He must have thought I was crazy not to play him. But I already had a few ideas."

Cricinfo sums up the gains and losses incurred during abizarre six-day war.

Andrew Miller05-Jun-2005There really is nothing more that can be said about the series just passed. Ian Bell, with a century before lunch to his name on Saturday, summed the situation up last night, when he admitted that the bowlers he had just spanked around the park were less of a challenge than your average county attack.What, though, of the challenge ahead? Australia have arrived and the summer is about to begin in earnest, but after a warm-up of this one-sidedness, are England remotely prepared for what is about to hit them? Here, Cricinfo sums up the gains and losses incurred during a bizarre six-day war.

Steve Harmison: important wickets, but should he now be rested? © Getty Images
Steve Harmison’s confidence. A tally of 10 wickets in two Tests is no great shakes, although it is one more than he managed on thattraumatic tour of South Africa last winter. His first-day performance at the Riverside was as explosive as anyone could have wished, and the 90mph yorker that dismissed Habibul Bashar would have troubled even the best of Australia’s batting line-up.Harmison says he has an extra gear to unleash on the Aussies, althoughthere must be a strong temptation to wrap him in cotton wool until thestart of the Ashes. If he is truly England’s trump card, then why play him in seven largely irrelevant one-day games? The Aussies, naturally, would claim he was running scared, but bear in mind, they never had any qualms about hiding Shane Warne during the 1993 Texaco Trophy. And look how that little ruse turned out.Andrew Flintoff’s fitness. Compare and contrast Freddie’s recovery (or lack of) after his hernia operation in 2002-03, to the Lazarus impersonation he has pulled off in 2005. He flew home from South Africa at the end of January to have a spur on his left ankle removed, and the initial prognosis was that he would take no part in the Bangladesh series whatsoever, or at least play only as a batsman.In the event, the exact opposite has occurred. Flintoff bowled 21 fieryovers in the second Test, having eased his way back with five wickets in an exploratory performance at Lord’s, and though he was inked in at No. 6, he was not required to bat even once, thanks to the unfailing success of the England top five. That scenario, as Vaughan admitted, was not ideal, but there will be plenty opportunities in the one-dayers for Freddie to put bat to ball.

Ian Bell: effortless arrival into England’s Test team © Getty Images
Ian Bell’s arrival. Three into two didn’t go in South Africa this winter, so Bell was the unlucky man to miss out when the tour party was unveiled. But Mark Butcher and Robert Key were unable to stake an unassailable claim to the middle-order rights, leaving the way clear for England’s most assured newcomer since, well, Andrew Strauss.The beauty of Bell’s batting is its anonymity. Because he plays every ball precisely on its merits, he has never yet looked in a hurry at the crease, not even while milking 105 runs in a session on Saturday morning. He is unlikely ever to approach that sort of run-rate again, but there is every reason to believe he can survive against Australia, and ultimately flourish.Geraint Jones’s keeping. Never mind the little controversy surrounding that catch. A more savvy cricketer than Nafees Iqbal would have stood his ground, and the moment would have passed after a brief consultation. Nafees, and Bangladesh as a whole, will be older and wiser for the experience, and that, after all, is what this tour is all about.For Jones, the feeling of ball on glove is the more important aspect. South Africa was a tough tour, made tougher by his unfortunate habit of diving blindly in front of first slip and so unsettling his slip cordon as well as himself. Here, his footwork was first-rate, thanks in no small part to his one-on-one sessions with Jack Russell, and a tally of nine catches in the match took his career haul past 50 dismissals – an important milestone for one so doubted.

Matthew Hoggard: Man of the Match, but not at his best © Getty Images
Matthew Hoggard’s no-ball problem. When asked who he thought would be the England’s biggest threat to the Australians, Habibul Bashar immediately plumped for Hoggard – a curious choice that said more about Bangladesh’s unfamiliarity with swing bowling, rather than any genuine form on Hoggard’s part. For in truth, though he finished with a flourish with his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests and the Man-of-the-Match award at Chester-le-Street, Hoggard did not enjoy an impressive series.Michael Vaughan certainly wasn’t fooled by his performance. At Lord’s, he and Harmison were profligate with the new ball; at the Riverside, Hoggard was withdrawn after three ineffectual overs. What is more, he served up 23 no-balls in the two games, and resorted to running in with his eyes closed in a bid to rediscover his rhythm. It was an apt metaphor for a series in which England were not exactly challenged, but a worrying sign nonetheless. Fortunately, with no one-day duties to distract him this month, he’ll have plenty time to groove his action in county cricket before Lord’s.England’s spin options Two years ago, the question on everyone’s lips was “what is the point of Ashley Giles?” It was a cruel jibe, but at the time a valid one, for Gilo’s role in the side had not been properly defined. It took a renaissance series against New Zealand this time last year to finally put an end to the bickering, but with his fitness in doubt because of a dodgy hip, the issue of his replacement has resurfaced. So, let it now be asked, what is the point of Gareth Batty?Until his 15 overs at the death of the series, Batty’s only notable contribution had been a miraculous catch at square leg. Duncan Fletcher loves his utility players, but in Batty’s case, his versatility has usually outweighed his impact with the ball. And it has ever been thus – in Sri Lanka two winters ago, his improbable batting success against Muttiah Muralitharan meant that England’s best attacking spinner, Robert Croft, was omitted from the decisive Test of the series. The result? England lost by an innings and 215 runs. Australia will have taken note.Bangladesh’s development. Not strictly relevant to England’s Ashes prospects, but valid nonetheless to the English summer. The pleasure of watching England ease to their tenth consecutive home Test victory has been severely tempered by the quality of resistance on display, and with the most pointless triangular tournament in history to follow, it can only be hoped that Bangladesh can take heart from their second-innings performance come the one-dayers.I wouldn’t bet on it. As Vaughan noted, the Bangladeshis like to go for their shots, but for every occasion in which Aftab Ahmed’s strokeplay pays off, there are likely to be ten occasions in which he holes out to cover for a 14-ball 20. Bangladesh’s record in one-day internationals is pitiful – this form of the game is supposedly a lottery, and yet they have won just twice against senior opposition in 20 years of trying. They have been in disarray so far on this most testing of tours. For everyone’s sake, we must hope they have now overcome the worst of the culture shock.

Lionel Messi appears to have “fully recovered” from the injury that has disrupted his pre-season, just in time for the start of the 2024 MLS campaign.

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Argentine has been nursing a knockGame time limited as a resultRaring to go ahead of 2024 seasonGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner saw his fitness generate plenty of headlines during a historic international tour for Inter Miami that took them from El Salvador to Japan via Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. His absence from one friendly fixture in the Far East sparked a sporting and political storm that continues to rage.

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Messi was, however, able to play an hour of the Herons’ final warm-up game against Newell’s Old Boys – his boyhood club – and is raring to go ahead of the new domestic season in the United States. Tata Martino told reporters when asked for an update on the Argentine icon: “Our plan was for Leo to play 45 to 60 minutes and he played almost 60 and felt good. The way he was playing, the way he accelerated, it looked like he is fully recovered. The idea is for him to be ready for the 21st.”

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While Messi has worked his way up to full speed, Inter Miami are still waiting on Luis Suarez to find a spark in the final third. Martino added on the veteran Uruguayan striker, who is having to manage long-standing knee problems: “Physically he looked good, but what impeded his preseason is not enough time working with the group. Leo, (Sergio) Busquets and (Jordi) Alba know him from before but the other players don’t know his tendencies, especially players who will be in the attack with him, like (Julian) Gressel and (Diego) Gomez. They need more time together.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

Inter Miami will open their MLS campaign at home to Real Salt Lake on February 21. Martino admits that there may be more movement on the transfer front prior to that game – in and out of DRV PNK Stadium – with a deal said to be close for Argentine midfielder Federico Redondo.

Manchester United are keen on a deal for Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, but a fresh report has revealed that they aren’t the club in pole position to secure his services this summer.

What position is Ryan Gravenberch?

Gravenberch is primarily a central midfielder who only put pen to paper at the Allianz Arena last summer from Ajax, but his debut season didn’t go anywhere near as well as he would have hoped having been handed just three starts in the Bundesliga for Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Due to his severe lack of game time and how low down in his manager’s pecking order he is, the 21-year-old has reportedly told chiefs that he wants to leave and complete a move to the Premier League before the end of the window, and there are two potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that whilst the Bavarian club don’t want to sell, the Red Devils and Liverpool have both “called” to remain informed on the conditions of a deal should his side have a late change of heart over sanctioning his sale.

TEAMtalk claim that Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat still very much remains Erik ten Hag’s top target in the centre of the park, but should he fail to land his first choice ahead of September 1st, Netherlands’ youth international has been identified as an alternative having worked under the boss during his time at Ajax in the Eredivisie.

Are Man United signing Ryan Gravenberch?

According to 90min, Man United are “interested in striking a deal” for Gravenberch this summer, hijacking a possible Liverpool transfer, with those at Anfield in talks with Bayern that are, as it stands, at a “more advanced stage”.

Munich’s star is “keen to leave” to give himself the best chance of representing his country at the EURO 2024 tournament, and it’s stated that Tuchel’s men are “softening” their stance and have placed a price tag of around £20m on his head in a new development.

How tall is Ryan Gravenberch?

Standing at 6 foot 2, Gravenberch would add a completely different dimension to the midfield with his height and be a real physical presence in the centre, especially with him potentially being available for a fee of £20m, Man United could table an offer to test the water and see if they can hijack Liverpool’s move.

Since the start of his career, Amsterdam’s native has posted 69 goal contributions (36 goals and 33 assists) in 221 appearances whilst ranking in the 94th percentile for most shot-creating actions, highlighting that he’s much better at impacting the game at the top end of the pitch rather than defensively.

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Sponsored by Adidas, the talisman also recorded an 89.3% pass success rate last season which would make him the second-best achiever in Ten Hag’s squad, with only Victor Lindelof out of the regular starters able to top that (93.2%), displaying his excellent calmness and composure on the ball in possession.

Bayern’s “indispensable” player, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured seven senior trophies since first bursting onto the scene, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the current group who are already at Old Trafford.