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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.

With the Three Lions breaking hearts every two years since 1966, England players don’t often get rewarded. But since 2003, players have been able to take the consolation prize of being voted the nation’s Player of the Year.

The likes of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney had dominated the accolade in its formative years, while these days, it’s the likes of Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham who are often in the running.

But who are the previous winners of the award? We’ve listed them here, with a detailed look at the most recent recipients.

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1 ByBarney Lane Oct 11, 2024 11 Steven Gerrard – 2012

The first name on our list is one of England’s greatest-ever midfielders and a bonafide Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard. He finished ahead of the Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck in second and Ashley Cole in third, who was still plying his trade at Chelsea.

It was the second and final time the then 32-year-old would be given the award, and to say he deserved it would be an understatement. By that point, the Liverpool icon had won 100 caps, scored 19 goals and won 64 international games. Oh, and there was the small factor that he was England’s captain at the time.

He may have ultimately ended his time without a major trophy to his name, but he will go down as one of the country’s greatest-ever midfielders.

10 Wayne Rooney – 2014

An undisputed United and England icon, Wayne Rooney falls into the same category as Gerrard in that he will always be remembered as one of the country’s finest footballers, even though he failed to win a major honour with the national side.

Wazza was given the award in January 2015 for his exceptional performances for the Three Lions over the previous year, a year that saw him play in all 13 internationals and score an impressive eight goals along the way.

The then 29-year-old was also given the captain’s armband by Roy Hodgson following Gerrard’s international retirement and would earn his 100th cap in a game against Slovenia in November.

Once again, Welbeck claimed second spot, with Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling coming in third.

9 Wayne Rooney – 2015

Our first repeat on this list, Rooney was once again awarded England’s Player of the Year award in January 2016 for his fantastic international performances in the year prior. It would be the last time he would win the award, but his fourth overall, making him the outright leader for most England Player of the Year awards.

It was a record-breaking year for the legendary forward as he played eight times, scored five goals and finally surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal tally to become England’s all-time leading goalscorer. It was an outstanding year for the Liverpool-born star, so it was only fitting that he was celebrated for it.

Welbeck finally loosened his grip on second place as a young striker named Kane took his place, while Joe Hart finished in third.

8 Adam Lallana – 2016

Now, this is the first big surprise on the list, not because Adam Lallana is a bad player – far from it – but he’s hardly a headline grabber, and so it’s surprising to look back and see that he was awarded England’s Player of the Year back in January 2017.

That said, his performances for the Three Lions in the prior year meant he deserved the award. The former Liverpool midfielder was a regular starter in 2016 and scored crucial goals against Slovakia, Spain and Scotland.

He took home a commanding 39% of the vote, with Jamie Vardy coming in second on 12% and Rooney third on just 8%.

7 Harry Kane – 2017

It was really only a matter of time before current England captain Harry Kane found himself on this list as a winner, and that moment came in January 2018.

The then 24-year-old won the award thanks to his brilliant form for the Three Lions in 2017, which saw him score seven crucial goals against the likes of Lithuania, Slovenia and Scotland to help England secure their place at the World Cup in 2018.

6 Harry Kane – 2018

Kane would follow up his win in 2018 with another just a year later, genuinely cementing his place as England’s leading man in the post-Rooney era.

The former Tottenham Hotspur star fully deserved the accolade for the second year running as he won the Golden Boot for the 2018 World Cup – in which he scored six goals as England reached the semi-finals for the first time since Italia 90.

The then 25-year-old also scored the decisive goal against Croatia in the inaugural UEFA Nations League group stage to send the Three Lions to the finals the following summer.

5 Jordan Henderson – 2019

Another player on this list that might come as a bit of a surprise to some is former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, not because of his ability but because of the role he played for England. Henderson was never a flashy player for the Three Lions or Liverpool, for that matter, but his tireless running and winning mentality were enough to convince people that he should be given the award.

His performances in 2019 warranted it as well, as he played a vital role in the side’s qualification for Euro 2020 and the team’s third-place finish in the Nations League.

He finished just ahead of Sterling and Kane in second and third, respectively.

4 Kalvin Phillips – 2020-21

This one feels like a blast from the past, yet it was only a couple of years ago. Former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips won England’s Player of the Year award in September 2021 for his invaluable contributions to the team over the previous year.

Now, while he might be way out of the picture at the moment, when he won the award, it would’ve been hard to argue against it as he had been a permanent fixture in Southgate’s side that was a penalty kick away from winning the European Championships that summer.

In total, he won 15 caps over the year and finished ahead of Mason Mount in second place and Sterling in third place.

3 Bukayo Saka – 2021-22

The first appearance of an Arsenal player on this list, Saka’s win in September last year was the first time an active Arsenal player had won the award since its inception in 2003. The then 21 year old was given the award off the back of winning Player of the Year for the Gunners for a second year running.

For as young as he was, the recognition was fully warranted as the explosive winger had been exceptional for Southgate’s side across the 2021/22 season, fully cementing himself as the country’s go-to winger on the right-hand side.

At the time of winning the accolade, Saka had earned 18 senior caps, scored four goals, provided four assists, and played a vital role in helping England reach the final of Euro 2020.

He finished ahead of Declan Rice and Kane in second and third place.

2 Bukayo Saka – 2022-23

Saka has followed in the footsteps of Rooney and Kane on this list to be just the third player to win the award twice in the last decade, and it’s hard to argue that he isn’t deserving of this accolade. The Arsenal star enjoyed another stellar season for both club and country, finishing ahead of Jude Bellingham and Kane.

In his ten international appearances over the last year, the Hale End graduate scored seven goals – including three at the Qatar World Cup – provided three assists and generally wowed fans whenever he has pulled on the Three Lions.

The dynamic winger was an essential part of England’s World Cup campaign last year, and while they ultimately fell to the then reigning world champions France, Saka was exceptional in that match. His most recent outing with the national side also saw him bag a hat-trick against North Macedonia in qualifiers for the European Championships next summer.

Alongside his outstanding performances on the pitch, Saka often comes across as a genuinely lovely guy, and being named England’s Player of the Year for the second year running on your 22nd birthday seemed a fitting reward for his hard work.

Malahide is set to lose its status as Ireland’s premier cricket venue, after the board of Cricket Ireland performed a U-turn and voted instead for the development of a new permanent stadium in Dublin.The venue, which will be built on a green-field site at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus, has been commissioned in order to meet both the heightened expectations of Ireland’s Test status, as well as their anticipated upsurge in fixtures when the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) is unveiled by the ICC later this year.The board, which has also approved its largest annual operational budget of 9m euro, had initially planned to redevelop Malahide to make it their main national stadium. However, a report instead recommended the campus in Abbotstown, where Cricket Ireland’s new administrative office is under construction and other world-class facilities are already available.

Afghanistan fixtures

• August 20 – 1st T20I, Bready CC

• August 22 – 2nd T20I, Bready CC

• August 24 – 3rd T20I, Bready CC

• August 27 – 1st ODI, Stormont

• August 29 – 2nd ODI, Stormont

• August 31 – 3rd ODI, Stormont

“It has been no secret that our initial thinking was based around a redevelopment and expansion of Malahide Cricket Club,” Cricket Ireland CEO, Warren Deutrom, said.”However, the report informed the Board’s deliberations around a number of important issues around venue access and future-proofing.”When we selected Malahide as the location for our main stadium in Dublin a decade ago, Irish cricket was in a very different position with a much smaller fixture list. By achieving Test status and joining the FTP, we’ve had to ask ourselves the tough question of whether that decision is still fit-for-purpose.”Fundamentally, if we are to request substantial sums from government, we need to be sure we can deliver on our programme of cricket matches at permanently-constructed venues which are commensurate with our new status.”Under the provisions of the new FTP, Ireland anticipate 60 home fixtures for Ireland’s men over the course of the coming five-year period, with additional commitments for women, regional and age-group fixtures. They have already announced an additional six limited-overs matches against Afghanistan in 2018.”What has become abundantly clear to the Board is that this dramatic increase in our home schedule means that we will need to share the load beyond our four existing international-standard grounds around Ireland (Malahide, Clontarf, Stormont and Bready),” Deutrom added.Malahide, which will host Ireland’s maiden Test match, against Pakistan in May, has been a full international venue since September 2013, when England were the visitors.Despite being well placed for transport links, the board decided that its sensitive location – within the grounds of Malahide Castle and in close proximity to residential housing – meant that future expansion of the venue would be too restricted.Cricket Ireland also attracted criticism last summer when their scheduled ODI against West Indies at Belfast, was washed out without a ball being bowled. A bespoke cricket venue, with international-standard drainage, would guard against such situations in the future.

Leah Williamson has been lauded for her return from an ACL injury as Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall hailed the "incredibly hard" work behind the scenes.

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• Williamson back in domestic action
• Appeared as a substitute against Reading
• Eidevall impressed with commitment behind the scenes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England skipper returned to the Arsenal squad for their Women's League Cup clash against Reading on Wednesday after remaining sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament injury since April 2023. She showed little rust upon her return and even registered an assist, setting up Beth Mead for the fifth goal as the Gunners thrashed Reading 6-0.

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• WHAT EIDEVALL SAID

  Eidevall lavished praise on Williamson for her intense perseverance and dedication during the recovery period and said: "She works incredibly hard. I don't think anyone who hasn't had an ACL injury can understand all the work that goes behind that to be able to return, so I’m really happy for her as an individual and really happy for the team to get such a great player back. It was great to see both her and Kim Little able to return to play today."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although the focus remained firmly on Williamson's return to action, Stina Blackstenius made the most of a rare opportunity with an incredible hattrick that inspired Arsenal to the quarter-finals.

  Eidevall was fascinated with her performance and added: "I mean, every player wants to start games and every player wants to play most of the games, but the best way to get your way into the starting 11 is the actions you do when you're playing and Stina was one of the players today that that did really really well and that was very pleasing to see."

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Eidevall would be keen to hand Williamson a start when Arsenal take on Liverpool on Sunday in the WSL. She looked sharp enough upon her return to competitive action and the Gunners would hope that the 26-year-old gets back to her usual form in the decisive second phase of the season.

Leeds United are in talks to sign experienced full-back Sam Byram this summer, according to reports, with the defender currently without a club.

Recently appointed Leeds manager Daniel Farke has previously worked with Byram at Norwich City, and has allowed his former player to train with the Yorkshire club.

What's the latest on Sam Byram to Leeds United?

The experienced defender is currently training with Leeds, as he is without a club. And, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post, the Championship club are considering turning his stay into a permanent one this summer.

Byram has featured in three of Leeds' pre-season fixtures this summer, and has reportedly impressed those in charge at the club, making a deal possible before the deadline.

The full-back has also been without any injury issues after featuring in those pre-season games, in what could be the defining point in whether Leeds decide to go ahead with a permanent deal. Byram previously struggled to stay fit, ending his time at Norwich.

If they are to sign Byram, then they must do it by today if they want him to feature against Cardiff City on the opening day of their Championship season, which takes place on Saturday.

It's certainly a potential deal to keep an eye on, whether it happens as soon as today, or before the transfer deadline.

Should Leeds United sign Sam Byram?

After impressing during pre-season without any injury problems, a deal for Byram feels like a no-brainer for Leeds this summer, who need all the experience they can get on their quest for instant promotion back to the Premier League in the coming season.

Byram, 29, has 151 Championship appearances to his name, and has plenty of Premier League experience on top of that, too. The added bonus, of course, is the fact that he has previously played under Farke, so would waste no time in becoming adjusted to his system at Elland Road.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

When speaking about the defender, and whether Leeds will offer him a deal this summer, Farke said, via The Yorkshire Post: “It's too early to judge.

"Sam is obviously a top, top player once he's fit and a top class character, a Leeds academy product, he's had a really good spell here and he's homegrown which is also important for the Championship.

“He's an experienced player, that's what we need in a few positions. We could definitely also need some signings. But the most important topic for Sam is that his body is fit and ready to go.

“I was quite pleased with him in the final 30 minutes today, he came in in a difficult spell, we were a bit under pressure from Monaco and I think he had a solid start to life here in pre-season.

"The most important topic is that he stays fit and all the other topics are decisions that will be made in a few weeks but we are all happy that we have him because he's good for the dressing room at the moment.”

So, as things stand, it remains to be seen whether Byram will be lining up for Leeds United in the Championship in the coming season, but everything seems to be pointing in the positive direction for the defender.

ScorecardJoe Burns plays a shot•Getty Images

Test opener Matt Renshaw spent some valuable time in the middle and Joe Burns provided a reminder of his ability as Queensland wrapped up a seven-wicket Sheffield Shield victory over Tasmania inside three days at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.Set 156 to win, the Bulls were well-served by their opening batsmen, who were not parted until the 36th over of the innings when the visitors were more than halfway to their target. Renshaw, who will be expected to soak up plenty of deliveries against England’s new-ball bowlers to smooth a path for stroke-makers at the other end, lasted 109 deliveries for his 19.Burns played the most recent of his Test matches on the same ground a year ago, and was the more expansive of the pair in striking eight boundaries and a six to ensure the captain Usman Khawaja and Sam Truloff were able to complete the win without much trouble after the loss of Marnus Labuschagne.

Rangers and Nottingham Forest are still working on a deal for Jonathan Panzo, but the proposed switch has not advanced much further in the past week, according to a recent report from Football Scotland.

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

Transfer insider Dean Jones suspects that Rangers may still have some work to do in the transfer market, despite already bringing in a number of players, recently telling GiveMeSport:

"I think it's seven they've got through the door already, at least a couple more to follow. The Cifuentes one is being held up a bit, but even with that, I don't think Rangers are finished yet. I'm expecting another forward player and another defender as well to be signed."

One defender the Gers are still considering a move for is Auston Trusty, who could be leaving Arsenal this summer, however, they now face a transfer battle, with English Championship side Ipswich Town also joining the race for his signature.

Panzo has been a target for the Light Blues for quite some time, with talks being held over a deal for the Nottingham Forest defender well over a month ago, and there has now been an update on their pursuit.

According to a report from Football Scotland, the deal is still being worked on by both clubs, but there has been very little progress in the past week, with Rangers aware it is likely they will need to pay £2.5m to secure his signature. Michael Beale is keen to add the 22-year-old to his squad, despite the recent arrival of Leon Balogun on a free transfer.

The player's salary has been put to the Light Blues, but there has been no recent movement while they are out in Germany for their pre-season training camp, and the deal does not appear to be edging any closer to completion.

Who is Jonathan Panzo?

Hailed as an "exciting young player" by Forest boss Steve Cooper, the centre-back started his career at Chelsea, making a handful of appearances at youth level, before going on to test himself in Ligue 1 with AS Monaco and Dijon, and in the Jupiler Pro League with Cercle Brugge.

Despite his age, the Englishman already has a considerable amount of first-team experience, emerging as an important player for Coventry during their push for the Premier League last season, making a total of 32 appearances in all competitions.

Forest U21s coach Dave Rogers has also praised the 6 foot 1 defender, who is represented by the same agent as Ben Davies, saying:

"He is a great professional. He's enthusiastic and has got good experience and energy too. He brings a great vibe to the dressing room too."

Over the past year, the former Monaco man ranks highly across a number of key metrics for defenders, when compared to players at a similar level, ranking in the 95th percentile for interceptions per 90, and in the 85th percentile for tackles. Therefore, Panzo could be a fantastic addition for Rangers, and Beale may well be hoping that more progress can be made in the coming days and weeks.

Afghanistan are closing in on playing their maiden Test, and are in talks with Zimbabwe for a full series later this year. The series is likely to be hosted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Afghanistan were conferred Test status by the ICC in June earlier this year.ESPNcricinfo understands the series is likely to comprise one Test, five ODIs and between two to three T20Is. With Afghanistan not in a position to host cricket at home, the ACB is looking at hosting the series either in India or the UAE.It is understood that Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) sent an e-mail to the ACB last week giving an in-principle nod. Both boards will take a final decision once ZC finalises the dates of the scheduled tri-series in Bangladesh, which, as per the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP), is to be played between January-February next year. Ideally, ZC wants to play Afghanistan in the UAE and then travel to Bangladesh.If the plans materialize, it will give Afghanistan a significant boost, after they have hopped into the top echelons of international cricket since gaining ODI status in 2009.During this period, Afghanistan registered memorable results, including three consecutive limited-overs series victories against Zimbabwe before recently drawing the ODI series in West Indies in June.

Manchester City were dealt a huge blow at the end of last month as midfielder Ilkay Gundogan departed upon the expiry of his contract with the club.

The German has signed for Spanish giants Barcelona on a free transfer after captaining the Citizens to the treble last season.

This has left Pep Guardiola without one of his trusted midfield options heading into the 2023/24 campaign, which could tempt him into the transfer market in the coming weeks.

Mateo Kovacic has joined on a permanent deal from Chelsea but his six goals in 221 competitive matches for the Blues does not suggest that he has the goalscoring ability to adequately replace the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace.

Gundogan found the back of the net 11 times in all competitions for City last term, scoring crucial goals in vital games – including two in the FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Who could replace Ilkay Gundogan at Manchester City?

Guardiola could forget all about the now-Barcelona dynamo by securing the signing of Celta Vigo prodigy Gabri Veiga, who is a reported transfer target for the club.

He has a €40m (£34m) release clause in his contract with the Spanish side and City are said to be willing to match it, although they face competition from a host of European clubs – including Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Chelsea from the Premier League.

Like Gundogan, the 21-year-old magician, who was once hailed as "dangerous" by journalist Euan McTear, is a central midfielder with an eye for goal and his exploits in the final third could make him the dream replacement for City.

The Spain U21 international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.96 across 36 LaLiga outings last term and contributed with 11 goals to go along with four assists from the middle of the park, which came after he managed nine goals in 31 outings for Celta B in the 2021/22 season.

Veiga, who predominantly plays as a number eight or ten, is not a seasoned campaigner who would come in with a guarantee of success but his impressive goal return from his position at the age of 21 suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent addition for Guardiola.

Gundogan averaged a goal every 5.06 matches on average throughout his City career (60 in 304) and the Celta Vigo starlet has averaged a strike every 3.35 league games on average for the first-team and reserve sides combined over the last two years (20 in 67).

Only Erling Haaland (36) scored more league goals for the Citizens than Veiga's tally of 11 in LaLiga, indicating that the Spanish maestro could provide the manager with an excellent goalscoring option from midfield, as the Germany international did during his time at The Etihad.

Lionel Messi has taken the United States by storm at Inter Miami, but that boom is bad news for shirt sellers that have seen business “destroyed”.

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Argentine icon now chasing American dreamMade a stunning impact in the StatesHistory being made on and off the fieldWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine icon, who is poised to land the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career, has made a stunning impact on and off the field in America. He helped Inter Miami to a historic League Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival, while ‘Messi 10’ jerseys became the biggest-selling shirt in history at the official MLS Store just 45 minutes after going on sale.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Dave Zighelboim runs Miami-based Soccer Locker and has been selling soccer apparel for 42 years. He has never seen anything like the interest in Messi, but that is not doing his business any favours as punters have stopped buying jerseys of more established Premier League and La Liga clubs. Zighelboim has told the : “They’re not buying Barcelona, Manchester United and Man City right now; they’re coming from Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Brazil, Colombia to buy Inter Miami jerseys. That’s been the biggest shocker. A person from El Salvador who couldn’t care less about Inter Miami four months ago, now with Messi, they all want the Messi jersey.

"Subsequently, that has destroyed my business of all the other jerseys. I’m not selling Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool. I’m not selling anything but Inter Miami and maybe Real Madrid. I had tons of product because the team [Inter Miami] was losing and their stuff wasn’t selling much. Then they signed Messi, and all hell broke loose."

WHAT THEY SAID

Brian Berklich – the chief marketing officer of soccer.com, a soccer specific retailer in the United States – is another to have witnessed the Messi effect first hand, with the South American superstar even eclipsing the furore sparked by his new boss in Florida – Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham. Berklich said: “Before that time, Inter Miami would not have been in our top 20, the top sellers were jerseys from the typical global powerhouses like Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG; so, for a U.S. club to land in that spot was groundbreaking. That top spot has never been held by a player actively playing for a U.S.-based club. When David Beckham came to MLS (2007) there was a lot of interest and excitement domestically, but what we’re seeing now with Messi … there’s no parallel in recent history.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

While Messi was able to inspire Inter Miami to a first piece of major silverware shortly after his arrival, an untimely injury contributed to his side failing to reach the MLS play-offs. He will now rest and recuperate – taking in friendly outings and 2026 World Cup qualifiers – before his 2024 domestic campaign gets underway in the spring.