Australia coach Darren Lehmann was found to have had no knowledge of the ball-tampering plan, and will remain in his position

Daniel Brettig27-Mar-2018Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft will leave South Africa on Wednesday in the wake of their pre-meditated plan to tamper with the ball on the third day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa. They will be told of their “significant” Cricket Australia code of behaviour sanctions within 24 hours.However the investigation of the CA head of integrity, Iain Roy, found that the coach Darren Lehmann had no prior knowledge of the ball-tampering plan. This is despite the fact he was captured on television footage sending a message to Bancroft via the 12th man Peter Handscomb, leading to Bancroft attempting to hide the adhesive tape he had been using to rough up the ball. James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, said Lehmann would remain under contract and had not resigned his post.Australia named Matt Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell and Joe Burns as replacements for the fourth Test in Johannesburg starting on Friday. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who led the team on the fourth day of the Newlands Test after Smith and Warner were stood down as captain and vice-captain, becomes the Test team’s 46th leader but his further tenure will depend on the sanctions handed to Smith and Warner. The team, still reeling from events of the past few days and the Australian public’s furious response, will not train at the Wanderers on Wednesday despite the Test beginning on Friday.”I think it’s an issue of great proportion because of the standing of cricket in the eyes of the Australian public and, not only that, the Australian cricket team and I think that response is not terribly surprising,” Sutherland said. “It’s a reminder of how important the game of cricket is to the Australian cricket fans, and it’s also a reminder to us how important it is to rebuild that confidence and trust and pride in the Australian cricket team going forward.”The decision to send Smith, Warner and Bancroft home was taken by the CA Board and announced by Sutherland following tremendous pressure from back home, including from the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and the universal outrage of sponsors and followers of the game in Australia. Sutherland also apologised for the Australian team’s conduct at Newlands.”From the Prime Minister down there have been views and opinions expressed, and that’s a measure and indication of the standing of the game of cricket and the Australian cricket team in the eyes of the Australian public and everyone is entitled to those opinions,” Sutherland said. “On balance, we need to make a judgement that’s in the best interests of the game and that will be based on a whole lot of things. The Prime Minister’s comments are one of only hundreds and thousands and millions of Australian views and opinions, and we need to make decisions that are in the best interests of the game.”Sutherland said the CA investigation had found that only Smith, Warner and Bancroft had been in on the plot to tamper with the ball, and would be sanctioned accordingly. Should the players challenge their charges of conduct contrary to the laws and spirit of the game, hearings will be held with an independent commissioner, in which they will be entitled to legal representation.The Australian Cricketers Association chief executive Alistair Nicholson confirmed that the players’ union would be providing that legal assistance . “The players are remorseful for the mistakes they have made,” he said, “and they regret how their actions have represented themselves, team mates, cricket and their country. The ACA is providing legal and welfare support to all players. Welfare of all players is a highly relevant consideration.”In making this finding, Roy confirmed the strong contentions of the bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon that they had no knowledge of the plan, and also contradicted the apparent version of events delivered by Warner, which suggested far wider knowledge within the dressing room. Sutherland said he was “not aware” of differences in the team about what had happened and was “unsure of the relevance” of it.”In view of the broader reputational and integrity issues involved, the sanctions that will be contemplated are significant,” Sutherland said. “The process must therefore be thorough to ensure that all relevant issues have been examined. I understand the appetite for urgency given the reputation of Australia as a sporting nation has been damaged in the eyes of many.”However, urgency must be balanced with due process given the serious implications for all involved. In addition to sanctions for individuals, Cricket Australia will initiate an independent review into the conduct and culture of our Australian men’s teams. We will have more to say about this review in the coming days, but it will be conducted by an expert panel who will report to the Cricket Australia Board.”Sutherland said CA would use this as an opportunity to “review the culture and conduct of our international teams”. “If this has damaged ability of kids to play the game, love the game and idolise their heroes, it is a sorry state and we need to do everything we can to address it,” he said. But he would not address whether or not Lehmann was the man to mentor the team in making this change, having become synonymous with the caustic way in which they have played the game over the past five years.The ball-tampering incident took place during the afternoon session on day three of the Cape Town Test and was picked up on by TV cameras. A small, yellow object was seen in Bancroft’s hands after he had worked on the ball, which he later revealed was adhesive tape with soil particles on it. He was also captured taking the tape from his pocket and placing it down his trousers.The footage showed Bancroft rubbing the rough side of the ball, the opposite side to which he would usually be trying to shine on his trousers. He put the object down his pants after being spoken to by Handscomb, who had come on to the field after speaking to Lehmann over a walkie talkie. Lehmann seemed to speak to Handscomb after footage of Bancroft working on the ball was shown on the TV screens at the ground.The umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth were then seen speaking with Bancroft, though they did not choose to change the ball or penalise the Australians five runs – the statutory on-field penalty for illegally changing the condition of the ball. When Bancroft spoke to the umpires, he was shown holding a bigger, black cloth rather than the small yellow object he had earlier seemed to place down his trousers.Smith and Bancroft owned up to the offence at the press conference after play on the third day, sparking off the chain of events that culminated in the three Australians being sent home ahead of the final Test against South Africa. The CA chairman, David Peever, said the saga was about far more than the technical details of the ball tampering itself.”We understand and share the anger of fans and the broader Australian community about the events that unfolded in Cape Town on Saturday,” he said. “This issue goes beyond the technical nature of the offences and various codes of conduct. It is about the integrity and reputation of Australian cricket and Australian sport. Ultimately, it is about whether Australians can feel proud of their national sporting teams. That depends as much on the way the players conduct themselves, as it does about winning or losing.”

Tottenham Hotspur, although they have shown a detachment towards silverware in recent years, are a club that has a proud history boasting some of the finest talent in the Premier League and beyond.

The likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric have both gone on to excel elsewhere, with north London providing the platform for such legendary careers, whilst more recently Harry Kane has departed in order to add those elusive trophies to a cabinet adorned with personal accolades, but no major honours.

It has been over a decade since the Lilywhites last lifted a cup, and it likely does have an effect on whether players want to join their club should they have offers elsewhere from sides with a more successful track record in that area.

However, that could all be set to change under Ange Postecoglou, who has seemingly fused the feelgood factor that Mauricio Pochettino's free-flowing football offered with the results-driven style that Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte's appointments promised, but ultimately failed to deliver.

Remaining unbeaten after five Premier League games, once again this outfit is a pleasure to watch, but have seemingly removed that weak mentality that their opposition has taken advantage of in the past. Should they maintain their form, starting with the hotly-anticipated north London derby this weekend, who knows how high they can go under the affable Australian.

However, that's not to suggest that they should completely expunge the past, as there are plenty of successes to take points from to take into this new regime. One such example comes back in 1995, as a strike partnership of Teddy Sheringham and Jurgen Klinsmann was formed that took English football by storm for one blistering year.

How good were Teddy Sheringham & Jurgen Klinsmann?

Sheringham had spent three years at Spurs when his then manager, Ossie Ardiles, came to speak to his hulking English forward, who would recount the story: "I got on really well with Ossie, and I think I was the captain at the time, and Ossie came to me one day and said 'I want your opinion, I'm thinking about signing someone'. And I was like 'go on' and he was like 'Diego Maradona', and I went 'Ossie, Ossie, really!? Are you? Do it, just do it'. He said 'I'm in talks with him at the moment' and I was like 'my God, do it, it would be brilliant to play with him'".

It would be a short-lived excitement though as he noted: "He came to me about three days later and was like 'I've decided not to sign Diego, he's got too much baggage around him'." However, their alternative would be no slouch either, with the club opting for Jurgen Klinsmann instead.

The German, who had just recently won the World Cup with his country, would take little time to acclimatise to English football, forming one of the finest pairings the division has ever seen.

It worked so well due to their varied skillsets and physical profiles, as Sheringham stood at 6 foot 1 and knew exactly how to use his strength. Meanwhile, the former Inter Milan ace was more tricky and technical, able to feed off the chances his new teammate could forge.

Although they would only spend one season together before Klinsmann moved to Bayern Munich, it was a truly groundbreaking year that saw them score 52 goals and assist 27 between them across all competitions, with a combined goal contribution tally of 58 in the league alone.

Sheringham's 18 league strikes and nine assists upheld this, whilst Klinsmann was the real star, scoring 20 and assisting 11.

The two have remained incredibly complimentary when speaking about one another despite their partnership only lasting a season, with the former USA national team manager suggesting the three-time Premier League winner was "the most intelligent striker I ever worked with", before claiming: "The partnership with Teddy was one of the most enjoyable experiences I had in my career."

Meanwhile, the ex-Manchester United marksman noted on the 59-year-old: "You give him half a chance from anywhere, and more often than not he would hit the target, and he would score. He was just ridiculously good."

Teddy Sheringham (94/95 all comps)

Jurgen Klinsmann (94/95 all comps)

Games Played

50

50

Goals

23

29

Assists

13

14

Everyone knew the talents these two possessed, to so see their relationship cut short so soon would have marked a hammer blow for the Spurs faithful. Although, a seventh-placed finish with those aforementioned figures marked a vast underperformance, and thus vindicated Klinsmann's decision to return to his homeland.

It could be argued that the club has seldom seen a partnership like theirs, with Kane and Heung-min Son's the only one that could really match up.

However, there could be something brewing in the academy that holds promise. The two young stars in question are Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett, both of whom have been shipped off on loan this season to further their development.

Who are Troy Parrott & Dane Scarlett?

They had each dominated the youth scene with ease, as the former scored 17 in just 15 U18s Premier League games, whilst the latter had 23 goals in as many matches at the same level.

Clearly a couple of prolific forwards, what further draws comparisons is their physical profiles, which actually happen to match that of Sheringham and Klinsmann.

After all, the 21-year-old, who already boasts 20 caps for the Republic of Ireland, stands at 6 foot 1, whilst Scarlett boasts a 5 foot 11 frame. The two are the exact same height as the aforementioned duo.

As if this similarity is not startling enough, the Ipswich Town loanee has also been lauded for his lethal scoring touch, with journalist Charlie Eccleshare noting: "Excited to see how 17 yo Dane Scarlett performs tonight on his first senior THFC start. He was my pick for Spurs' breakthrough star of this season. Lots of excitement around the clinical striker at the club."

With Parrott having earned vital senior experience across the last few years, with stints with Millwall, Preston North End and MK Dons, the hope will be that he can hone his technical attributes in the Eredivisie with Excelsior and return ready to star.

Meanwhile, his teenage counterpart is enjoying just his second taste of consistent game time at the senior level, having scored an admirable six times whilst on loan with Portsmouth last year.

As a steadily improving duo who mirror the exact physical profiles of Sheringham and Klinsmann, seeking to emerge into the first-team soon, Postecoglou could soon be blessed with a sensational strike partnership of his own ready to dominate the Premier League in the same way those ageing superstars once did.

Of course, expectations must be tempered and a degree of realism considered, but the future certainly looks bright for two of Spurs' most promising young forwards.

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard is a major doubt for his nation's upcoming international fixtures, and his manager has delivered an update on his fitness.

How much did Sunderland pay for Dan Ballard?

Last summer, Ballard made the move to the northeast from Arsenal for a reported £2m where he’s since gone on to make a total of 27 appearances to date, but despite Tony Mowbray not mentioning any problem regarding the player, there’s some slight worry.

During Saturday’s 5-0 Championship victory over Southampton, the centre-back is claimed to have sustained an undisclosed knock even though he wasn’t removed from the pitch and in fact ended up seeing out the entirety of the game, hence why nobody was concerned that he was carrying an injury.

With the international break now underway and countries getting ready to compete in their Euro 2024 qualifiers, the 23-year-old was initially named in Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland squad, but if the following update is anything to go by, he might not be featuring in any of the imminent fixtures due to the mystery problem picked up at the Stadium of Light.

What's the latest injury news on Dan Ballard?

Speaking following Northern Ireland's arrival in Ljubljana for their training camp and matches, O'Neill was asked for an update on his team's fitness, to which he mentioned that Ballard had suffered a setback and therefore may not be available for selection.

As quoted by The Northern Echo, he said:

"We have an injury concern over Daniel, however everyone else came through the weekend unscathed. The mood in the camp is good and the players are looking forward to the games against Slovenia and Kazakhstan."

How good is Dan Ballard?

Even though Ballard has only been at Sunderland for one full season, he’s made a fantastic impression on the side and has been hailed an “excellent” player by journalist Josh Bunting, so the fact that he could be out of club action upon his return is a huge blow.

The Stevenage-born talent, who pockets £12k-per-week, is averaging four clearances, 1.8 aerial wins and 1.2 tackles per second-tier game this season, via WhoScored, highlighting how much of a rock he is at the heart of the backline, but there's additionally so many more attributes that he possesses which make him an integral member of the team.

The former Arsenal talent, who has also recorded one assist since putting pen to paper with the red and white stripes, has the ability to operate slightly higher up in defensive midfield alongside his usual role, so he provides the boss with welcome versatility which is useful given the relentless amount of fixtures.

Following Danny Batth's recent move to Norwich City, Mowbray has Jenson Seelt, Aji Alese and Nectarios Triantis as his three natural options at centre-back so he has reinforcements to cover should Ballard not be available for selection next weekend against QPR, but in an ideal world, the boss will hopefully have the latter back in the XI as soon as possible.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em uma das partidas que serão responsáveis por encerrar a 17ª Rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Bragantino joga diante do Sport no domingo (18) tentando transformar os bons desempenhos técnicos em resultados.

No 19º lugar com 13 pontos conquistados, o time do interior paulista teve suas partidas elogiadas nas últimas vezes em que foi comandado por Mauricio Barbieri como, por exemplo, o empate em 1 a 1 diante do Flamengo no Maracanã. Todavia, o “lastro” de resultados ruins deixam o time no Z4 e cada vez mais necessitado dos três pontos para não deixar sua missão de fugir do rebaixamento algo cada vez mais complexo.

A realidade em questão já não é mais parte da rotina do Leão da Ilha desde que Jair Ventura assumiu o comando técnico da equipe, emendando uma sequência de vitórias suficiente para fazer o Rubro-Negro pensar até mesmo em aproximação do G4. Porém, nas últimas três rodadas, o Sport perdeu todos os jogos e decaiu para a 10ª colocação com 20 unidades.

As ausências na delegação do clube da Praça da Bandeira que vem a São Paulo seguem sendo dos laterais Raul Prata e Sander, dos meio-campistas Alê Santos e Betinho além do atacante Maxwell.

Já para o Bragantino, Lucas Evangelista e Alerrandro estão descartados, mas o atacante Artur deve voltar a equipe depois de não atuar contra Atlético-GO e Flamengo.

FICHA TÉCNICA
BRAGANTINO x SPORT

Local: Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, Bragança Paulista (SP)
Data e hora: 18/10/2020 – 20h30
​Árbitros: Ricardo Marques Ribeiro
Assistentes: Celso Luiz da Silva e Ricardo Junio de Souza
VAR: Igor Junior Benevenuto de Oliveira

BRAGANTINO: Cleiton; Aderlan, Léo Ortiz, Ligger e Weverson; Ricardo Ryller, Raul, Bruno Tubarão e Artur; Ytalo e Claudinho.Técnico: Mauricio Barbieri.

SPORT:Luan Polli; Patric, Iago Maidana, Adryelson e Luciano Juba; Marcão Silva, Ricardinho, Lucas Mugni e Thiago Neves; Marquinhos e Hernane. Técnico: Jair Ventura

RelacionadasFlamengoFlamengo fica no empate com o Bragantino e perde a chance de ser líder isolado do BrasileiroFlamengo15/10/2020BrasileirãoEm confronto eletrizante, Atlético-GO bate o Red Bull Bragantino no fim e se afasta do Z4Brasileirão11/10/2020SportVolta antecipada, estreia e 13 minutos para balançar as redes: o retorno de Mikael ao SportSport16/10/2020

Leeds United have a make-or-break summer transfer window ahead of them, with numerous key additions needed if they are to beat the drop in the Premier League.

Daniel Farke has conducted an excellent job in leading the side back to England’s top flight, but the real challenge starts now as he needs to keep the side in the division for more than one season.

No side in each of the last two years who achieved promotion have managed to maintain their top-flight status, but the Whites have already demonstrated they’re keen to break buck such a trend.

Jaka Bijol looks set to move to Elland Road after travelling to England for his medical, potentially joining Lukas Nmecha in arriving in Yorkshire ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, their business has shown no signs of showing down this summer, with Farke needing key investment from the hierarchy in his quest to achieve his goal.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new additions this summer

A striker has been one of Leeds’ main priorities for the off-season, that’s despite Joel Piroe ending last campaign as the Championship’s top scorer with 19 goals.

Beto, Evann Guessand and Fabio Silva have all been mentioned as potential options for the German, but it appears as though work is currently being conducted elsewhere.

Over the last couple of days, the hierarchy have been keeping an eye on a move to sign Dynamo Kyiv talisman Vladyslav Vanat, that’s according to LeedsUnited.News’ latest report.

They claim that the club’s scouts have been monitoring him at the U21 Euros this summer, with the forward scoring once in his three group games with Ukraine.

It also states that he also has a £17m release clause within his current contract, a deal which could prove to be a potential bargain after his record of 21 goals in 45 club appearances this season.

Why Leeds’ £17m target would be a better signing than Muniz

Alongside a deal for Vanat this summer, Leeds have been closely monitoring a move for Fulham star Rodrigo Muniz as Farke looks to further add depth to his frontline.

The Brazilian scored eight times in the Premier League last campaign, doing so in 31 outings, but only eight of which came from a starting position – showcasing his impressive nature in front of goal.

Such form has seen the Whites make a £32m bid including add-ons, but the offer was swiftly rejected, with Fulham seeing the 24-year-old as a key part of their first-team plans.

There’s no denying that the hierarchy are showing the ambition needed if the club are to stay up next season, but ultimately, Muniz isn’t worth the price tag touted – leading to other options being considered as a result.

After the rejection, it appears as though Vanat is now one of their main targets for the striker position, with the Ukrainian providing a better and cheaper option than the Brazilian.

The 23-year-old, who’s been labelled “clinical” by talent scout Antonio Mango, has massively outscored the Cottagers talisman, backing up the comment made about his ability in the final third.

He’s also achieved a better conversion rate in front of goal, taking chances that fall his way with both hands, something that will be pivotal if they are to beat the drop.

Combined goals & assists from Leeds attackers in the Championship (2024/25)

Player

Tally

Joel Piroe

26

Manor Solomon

22

Dan James

21

Wilfried Gnonto

15

Junior Firpo

14

Brenden Aaronson

11

Jayden Bogle

10

Stats via FotMob

Vanat’s all-round play is just as impressive, registering more assists and completing more dribbles per 90, handing Farke an extremely impressive talent should they land his signature.

It remains to be seen if the player himself is keen on a move to Elland Road this window, but given the levels he’s produced, the club must take a risk and trigger his current clause.

Muniz has shown he can deliver in England’s top flight, but his subsequent price tag is nothing short of absurd, which could see Leeds land themselves a hugely promising star in the form of Vanat.

Related He could be Raphinha 2.0: Leeds eyeing "one of the best CMs in the world"

Leeds United are interested in a deal to land a world-class midfielder.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Jun 19, 2025

The South Africa wicketkeeper batsman joined Royals as a replacement for Steven Smith, who was banned from playing IPL 2018 in the wake of a ball-tampering scandal

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-20180:42

Quickinfo: Heinrich Klaasen

Heinrich Klaasen, the South Africa wicketkeeper batsman, has joined Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for Steven Smith, who was banned from playing IPL 2018 because of his role in the ball-tampering scandal in the Cape Town Test.Klaasen, 26, made his international debut against India in February and was successful in the limited-overs series. He struck 43 off 27 balls to win the pink-day ODI, the biggest limited-overs fixture in the South African calendar. In T20s, he has a strike-rate of 146 after 44 innings, and was regarded as one of the few South African players able to cope with the wristspin of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. In Centurion, he made 69 off only 30 balls to complete a chase of 189.Royals bought him at his base price of INR 50 lakh (approx USD 77000) – Klaasen was unsold at the player auction in January – to fill the void left by Smith, who was barred from playing all international cricket, and domestic matches in Australia, for 12 months by Cricket Australia.Royals will also be wary of the situation around Ben Stokes, who is due to be in court to challenge a charge of affray. The IPL will allow the franchise a replacement player for the England allrounder only if he is ruled out of the tournament before it begins as a result of the legal proceedings.Royals squad: Ajinkya Rahane (capt), D’Arcy Short, Rahul Tripathi, Aryaman Birla, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Prashant Chopra, Heinrich Klaasen, Ben Stokes, Stuart Binny, Jofra Archer, K Gowtham, Jatin Saxena, Mahipal Lomror, Zahir Khan, Shreyas Gopal, Midhun S, Ankit Sharma, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dushmantha Chameera, Ben Laughlin

Sunderland are on the lookout for their fourth win in succession in the Championship as they host Cardiff City at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.

The Black Cats are unbeaten in their last five league fixtures and have scored at least three goals in each of their last three outings – against Southampton, Queens Park Rangers, and Blackburn Rovers.

Who scored for Sunderland against Blackburn?

Tony Mowbray's side beat his former club 3-1 on Wednesday night and the goals came from Jack Clarke (two) and Dan Neil to secure all three points at Ewood Park.

The former Tottenham Hotspur winger dispatched his first goal from the penalty spot, after winning the foul himself, before jinking past two players and the goalkeeper to tap the ball into an empty net for his third.

Neil scored the second goal of the game for Sunderland, which put them 2-1 up at the time, as his strike from the edge of the area found the bottom corner.

It was a difficult evening for one attacker, though, as Mason Burstow struggled and Mowbray must now ruthlessly ditch the Chelsea loanee in order to finally unleash Luis Hemir Semedo.

How has Burstow performed this season?

The 20-year-old centre-forward was brought in on loan from the Blues towards the end of the summer transfer window and has sturggled in his first two Championship starts.

He has averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.55 and failed to provide a goal or a 'big chance' created for his teammates in 126 minutes on the pitch.

His lack of physicality has also been on full display as the young marksman has lost a staggering 87% of his duels in the division for Sunderland so far.

Should Semedo start against Cardiff?

Semedo has only started one Championship match so far this term but his form for Benfica at youth level prior to his move to the Stadium of Light suggests that the potential is there for him to be an asset for the club.

The 6 foot 4 titan, who has won 30% of his ground duels in the league this season, was hailed as a "real threat" in the air by journalist Josh Bunting and could offer more than Burstow in that regard, who has lost 87% of his aerial battles.

During his time with Benfica, the 20-year-old finisher produced 21 goals in 44 games for their U23 team and ten goals in 14 Youth League outings for the Portuguese side, which is an average of one goal every 1.87 clashes across the two sides combined.

Whereas, Burstow scored 11 goals in 30 games for Chelsea at U21 level and that works out as an average of one strike every 2.72 matches.

Therefore, Semedo, who scored two goals in three pre-season matches for Sunderland, has the potential to offer more to the team as a goalscorer if he can hit his stride and translate his academy form over to first-team level for the Black Cats.

This is why, in reaction to Burstow's recent struggles, Mowbray must finally unleash the Portuguese striker against Cardiff for the first time since the opening day of the season against Ipswich.

Aston Villa have a bright star on their hands who is being touted as a potential superstar in his homeland following his excellent start to 2023/24, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Aston Villa?

The Villans got over the disappointment of their 3-2 defeat to Legia Warsaw in Europa League action last week by achieving a commendable 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with Ollie Watkins proving to be the difference between the sides.

As per BBC Sport, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery took delight in his side being able to keep Chelsea out in SW6, stating in the aftermath of the encounter: "The clean sheet was very important because we conceded a lot of goals away. It was important to win through a clean sheet. We needed to find a way where we were stronger than we were against Newcastle and Liverpool. Today was tough but we competed very well."

Villa's official account on social media platform X have shown that new signing Nicolo Zaniolo is taking to life at Villa like a duck to water meanwhile, as their post accompanied by a video regarding the Italy international read: "Nicolo Zaniolo recorded more successful dribbles (4) than any other player during Chelsea vs Villa."

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are considering recalling youngster Louie Barry from his loan at Stockport County in January to secure him a move to play at a higher level. 20-year-old Barry has made a magnificent start to life on loan at Stockport County, registering six goals and two assists from his opening 11 appearances for the Sky Bet League Two outfit in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Next up for Aston Villa is a home clash against Everton in the Carabao Cup third round as Unai Emery looks to bring some silverware to Villa Park this season.

How has Jhon Duran fared this campaign?

As per reports in Colombia via Sport Witness, there is 'overflowing enthusiasm' in Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran's homeland that he can form an exciting partnership with Liverpool winger Luis Diaz with the Colombian national side.

Emery views Duran as someone with plenty of room for development that he can take on further at Villa Park and there is a feeling in Colombia that he can come on 'leaps and bounds' under the Spaniard's tutelage.

The 19-year-old has started the new campaign in a promising fashion, registering four goals from eight outings for Aston Villa encompassing all competitions, as per Transfermarkt. Coming of age in the English top-flight, Duran has been in a consistent vein of form and managed to rack up an average match rating so far across the Premier League season of 6.96/10, according to Sofascore.

Journalist Dean Jones has complemented Duran's start to proceedings in a recent conversation with GIVEMESPORT, stating: "I mean, it's great that he's now coming through with some goals and at £18 million, it really could end up as a bargain."

Looking ahead, Aston Villa fans will hope that Duran can continue to be a nuisance for defenders over the next few years at Villa Park and will be keen to see the striker develop further alongside Ollie Watkins.

West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has shared some big injury news ahead of their crunch Premier League clash with Man City this Saturday.

West Ham vs Man City

David Moyes' side have started the new campaign with real gusto and plenty of promise, even after they sold former superstar Declan Rice to Arsenal for around £105 million.

The loss of Rice was seen as a real worry for West Ham at the time, but so far, the east Londoners have really enjoyed life without their ex-captain.

West Ham are currently unbeaten in the top flight; winning three out of their opening four league games with impressive victories over an in-form Brighton side, big-spending Chelsea and newcomers Luton Town.

The likes of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, after signing in the summer transfer window, have dazzled with their displays so far; doing wonders to replace Rice in Moyes' new-look midfield.

"Fresh from their best start in 24 years, the Hammers can eye impending fixtures at home to Manchester City and away to Liverpool with confidence and much less trepidation," wrote BBC journalist Jon Bradshaw recently.

"Arguably, both are free hits and why shouldn’t they feel capable of getting something from the games, particularly after neutralising Roberto de Zerbi’s freewheeling Albion side at Amex Stadium two weeks ago. Last season it took until 9 October for them to hit 10 points.

"This time, sitting pretty in fourth, West Ham have sent their international players off around the world without any of the frenzy and anxiety of scrabbling for results at the bottom of the table."

Man City, who clinched an historic treble win last season, have begun in equally good fashion; clinching all three points in every single one of their matches so far.

In that time, Pep Guardiola's men have scored the joint-most goals in the league while conceding the fewest – making this West Ham's toughest game of the season to date.

West Ham vs Man City team news

In a boost for Moyes, City legend Kevin De Bruyne will miss the London Stadium bout with a long-term injury; while the likes of Jack Grealish, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are doubts (Evening Standard).

For West Ham, they could hand a debut to summer singing Konstantinos Mavropanos after the Greek's recovery from a back problem.

Both Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek will apparently be assessed ahead of the game, with club insider ExWHUemployee now sharing a big injury update on Ward-Prowse.

Reports last week indicated he picked up a knock in training, but luckily for West Ham, Ex says that the Englishman is fit and ready to play.

“We can confirm that James Ward Prowse was back in training today and took part fully,” said Ex on The West Ham Way Patreon.

“This will put to bed any fear that he could miss the Manchester City game, assuming no other injuries are picked up between then.”

The former Southampton star has been a mainstay for Moyes since making a switch from the south coast, and he was arguably unlucky to miss out on Gareth Southgate's England squad for this international break.

Aston Villa are reportedly already planning a big next transfer move following a productive summer window.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Villa Park owners NSWE promised to back Unai Emery with a ‘huge’ transfer budget ahead of the Spaniard’s first full season in charge and lived up to their word.

In total, the club brought in five new players, two of which commanded huge fees. Defender Pau Torres arrived from Villarreal at a cost of £33m, whereas winger Moussa Diaby set the club back a record £51.9m.

The Frenchman has already shown why Villa were willing to spend big on his services, contributing to three goals in the first four Premier League games.

Emery clearly has big plans at Villa as well, with the manager recently saying the dream is to qualify for the Champions League.

"Defensively, we were very strong last year. We need to keep doing the same and then improve things with the ball. I think we can do it. We achieved seventh position in the Premier League. We are going to fight for that as a minimum."

"The present and the future for me is to try to play Champions League with Aston Villa. That is my dream. And then try to have options for a trophy is another challenge. My challenge here is to win a minimum of one trophy."

Despite a fairly big outlay in recent months, it looks as if plans are being put in place for 2024, with a new target emerging on the radar in the Midlands.

According to reports from Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are interested in signing Atletico Madrid defender Nahuel Molina.

Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester City are also keen on the player's services, but it is Villa and NSWE who are thought to be ‘ready to make a very high offer’ for him.

Who is Nahuel Molina?

Molina is a right-back who can also play further forward if needed and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €35m Transfermarkt valuation, a figure which has almost doubled over the past 12 months.

The 25-year-old, hailed for an "incredible" World Cup campaign in Qatar last year by journalist Josh Bunting, spent the early stages of his career in his native Argentina before moving to Italy to sign for Udinese in 2020.

The World Cup winner went on to make 68 appearances for the Serie A side, contributing to 20 goals which led to a move to Atletico Madrid. He has gone on to feature on 44 occasions for his current employers, scoring on his first La Liga appearance of the 2023/24 season.

At this moment in time, Villa and Emery have Matty Cash and Calum Chambers as senior right-back options, whereas youngster Kaine Kesler-Hayden is currently on loan with Championship side Plymouth Argyle, so it will be interesting to see if Molina is viewed as an upgrade on Cash or Chambers, making this one to keep an eye on over the coming months.