Ashton Agar has said Australia have “no choice” other than to believe they can defeat England in the final ODI at Old Trafford

Melinda Farrell23-Jun-20181:44

No choice but to believe we can win – Agar

Ashton Agar has said Australia have “no choice” other than to believe they can defeat England in the final ODI at Old Trafford. If England continue their domination of Australia it will be their first whitewash over the old enemy in any format.But Agar insisted the Australia players weren’t feeling pressure to avoid the whitewash and instead were focusing on improving all facets of their game.”It’s going to be tough,” Agar said. “But I absolutely believe we can beat them: we have no choice [but] to believe that we can beat them.”But we need to play our very best cricket against a side that’s played really well four games in a row now. We have to bring our absolute best. We have plenty to gain out of tomorrow, plenty to gain, to just put things into practice and just let it all out there.”Agar scored 40 and 46 in the first two ODIs and, while the bowling figures of some of his team-mates have suffered dreadfully at the hands of England’s brutal batting, Agar has been the pick of Australia’s attack during this series. He took 2 for 48 at Chester-le-Street and conceded 7 runs per over during England’s record innings of 481 at Trent Bridge. He believes that, while it has been a difficult series for AJ Tye and Jhye Richardson in particular, the experience could be positive in the long term.”I guess Trent Bridge is one that would highlight that for some young bowlers, and we have a quite young bowling attack,” said Agar. “To feel what that’s like — JL [Justin Langer] referred to it as the ‘jungle’, that’s international cricket, playing against good players on good wickets and sometimes small grounds.”That was pretty difficult. It’s good to experience that now and not in a World Cup, learn from that now and then know what to do when you face that situation again.””They definitely would have been hurt after Trent Bridge. Everyone was. That was pretty incredible, it was a world record and unfortunately we were on the receiving end of that. But we have to keep learning from those experiences and it’s good to experience that now and not in a World Cup. Learn now, improve now. We can move forward instantly.”Ashton Agar played a solid innings•Getty ImagesLanger, Australia’s coach, may decide to tinker with his line-up once more in an effort to find the best balance but, with England unlikely to change what is a red-hot top and middle order, Agar doesn’t expect any easing of pressure.”England are a very good side, an experienced side and they gel really well,” Agar said. “They’ve got beautiful balance in their team and I think we are working towards that.”Their confidence, their self-belief: they ooze it out there, no doubt. They are playing like a team where everyone knows their role and they back themselves and each other to just go and do it. They’ve set the benchmark.”We are not where they are yet but I think tomorrow is just another opportunity to try to win and try and do really well. It’s the last game [of the series], you go 100% every game but I think it means more to us now to go as hard as we can and just leave nothing out there.”

يفتقد منتخب البرازيل خدمات النجم فينيسيوس جونيور، في ربع نهائي بطولة كوبا أمريكا 2024، التي تستضيفها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية في الوقت الحالي.

وتأهل منتخب البرازيل إلى منافسات ربع نهائي البطولة القارية، عقب تعادله مع منتخب كولومبيا منذ قليل بهدف لمثله (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وضربت البرازيل بذلك موعدًا ناريًا مع منتخب أوروجواي، في إطار منافسات ربع نهائي البطولة.

ولن يستطيع منتخب البرازيل الاعتماد على خدمات فينيسيوس جونيور في مباراته ضد أوروجواي فجر الأحد المقبل، بسبب الإيقاف.

جاء إيقاف فينيسيوس جونيور بعدما تحصل على بطاقة صفراء في مباراة البرازيل وكولومبيا، اليوم، في الدقيقة الثامنة من الشوط الأول بعدما تدخل ضد خاميس رودريجيز.

ويعانى نجم ريال مدريد بذلك من الإيقاف حيث سبق له الحصول على بطاقة صفراء، في دور المجموعات، خلال مباراة باراجواي في الجولة الثانية من تلك المرحلة.

الجدير بالذكر أن فينيسيوس سجل هدفين في النسخة الحالية من كوبا أمريكا، جاءا ضد باراجواي.

The 17-year-old has emerged as a top-tier talent and one of a few bright spots in a miserable year for the Blaugrana

Rarely are footballers good enough to be fast-tracked into the Barcelona first team. Most rise through the ranks steadily, awaiting opportunities before emerging into the side in their early-20s. Barca, in fact, haven't had a top-tier centre-back emerge from La Masia in years.

That might just have changed with the arrival of Pau Cubarsi. The lanky centre-back has benefitted from the Blaugrana's injury crisis, and emerged as a potential world-class central defender, keeping himself in the XI with a series of impressive performances.

Indeed, this is a refined central defender with the '' and smarts who seems set to last at the top level for a long time. But who is Cubarsi, where is he from, and why could he be in line for a Spain call-up so soon after his 17th birthday? GOAL takes a look at La Masia's latest jewel…

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

Like many in La Masia, Cubarsi has roots in Catalonia. Born in Girona, in 2007, 100 kilometres from Barcelona, the centre-back joined his local academy as a youngster.

At four years old, he was snapped up by Girona, then a struggling Segunda Division side. It didn't take long for a bigger move to come, when Barcelona scouts brought him to La Masia at seven.

AdvertisementThe big break

His talent was clear from a young age, but with more eye-catching prospects emerging through the Blaugrana academy – and a strong centre-back corps – Cubarsi wasn't considered elite. Still, he captained youth sides at multiple levels, wearing the armband for Under-13, U-15 and U-17 teams.

Cubarsi's first big moment came in the UEFA Youth League in 2022. He became the third-youngest Barca player to make an appearance when he saw the pitch against Viktoria Plzen in 2022.

Six months later, Xavi started to take notice. Cubarsi began training with the Barca first team in 2023, looking to impress on the same pitches as fellow La Masia star Lamine Yamal.

Getty ImagesHow it's going

Cubarsi's Barca debut felt like a matter of time. The Blaugrana back-line has had issues this season, with a series of first-team central options either injured or out of form. Cubarsi's chance eventually came in the Copa del Rey against Unionistas, when he played the entire second half, and helped shore up a rearguard that had conceded a sloppy goal.

Since then, he has stayed in the senior squad, appearing in nine straight games, and starting six in a row. He has impressed throughout, looking a natural in the heart of the defence, and forming a steady partnership with Ronald Araujo.

Xavi summed his performances up after his debut: "He's very well prepared. He doesn't seem 16 when you speak with him. He is a focused and responsible kid. I don't think he lost a single ball, either.

"He's going to leave his mark on an era, the same as Lamine. We are continuing to build a team with young footballers. These are players who we must build the club's future with."

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Biggest strengths

There's a lot to like about Cubarsi's game. At 6'1'' – and still growing – he already has the kind of frame required to function as a top level defender. He might not ever be an imposing physical presence. But if he grows and adds muscle, he will certainly be an excellent all-round defender.

His best, attribute, though, is his passing ability. Some of his disposition from deep is simply ridiculous. The teenager s the ideal modern ball-playing centre-back, who always looks for the forward pass. He can play the ball short or long, and is in the 88th percentile among all centre-backs in pass completion percentage, according to. His 4.49 passes into the final third per 90 minutes put him in the 81st percentile.

It's something that Cubarsi's U-13 manager Albert Puig noticed.

“Pau’s build-up is extremely clean. He can drive the ball up, thread passes to midfielders in the inside pockets but also send long balls to the opposite winger to provide the team with width and shake their opponents around," Puig told .

Rangers continue to look at potential options to come in as their new manager, and it looks as though an up and coming British boss is on their shortlist.

Who is in the frame to be Rangers' next manager?

The Gers made the big decision to sack Michael Beale on Sunday night, with results and performances simply not good enough so far this season. The Englishman only lasted 10 months in role, and while there were hopes that he would be an exciting young appointment at the time, it ultimately didn't work out.

The challenge now is for Rangers to bring in a manager who can turn the club's fortunes around from the off, narrowing the seven-point deficit on Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race, and playing good football along the way.

A plethora of names have been thrown into the hat as Beale's potential successor at Ibrox, from Graham Potter to Kevin Muscat, and now a lesser known but exciting individual has cropped up.

What's the latest Rangers manager news?

According to a new report from The Daily Record, Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe is seen as a surprise contender to come in and replace Beale:

"Preston manager Ryan Lowe has emerged as a shock contender for the Rangers job. The recruitment process to find Michael Beale's replacement is well underway with the Lilywhites supremo being identified as the perfect fit for the Ibrox hotseat.

"Record Sport understands Light Blues chief executive James Bisgrove has made tentative enquiries over the financial outlay required to lure the 45-year-old Scouser from Deepdale. North End are riding high in third spot of the English Championship after their best start to a league season since 1928/29 with six wins from nine league games this season.

"Lowe has moulded a no-nonsense reputation for delivering an attractive, attacking brand of football while revamping underachieving squads in a ruthless fashion with that identikit now part of the desired job description at Ibrox. The former Bury striker guided Plymouth Argyle to promotion from League Two before taking the reins at Preston just under two years ago and is a close friend of former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard from the pair's time as youth players at Liverpool."

Lowe may be seen as a surprise candidate to become Rangers' next manager, but he should also be looked at as an exciting option, considering what he is achieving in his career so far.

The 45-year-old is working wonders at Preston, guiding them to third place in the Championship currently, when few saw them as one of the promotion powerhouses at the beginning of the season.

As mentioned in the report, Lowe plays an exciting brand of attacking football that would surely appeal to Rangers supporters, and he is a young manager with fresh ideas, once revealing that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of his forward-thinking mindset and tactics.

Lowe may not a proven option, perhaps making him a little bit of a risk like Beale was when he joined, but what he is doing in the Championship is testament to his ability and long-term potential, and he looks like a top-quality manager.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has identified an exciting potential addition in January as he looks to bolster his squad, according to reports.

Newcastle United updates: Tonali investigation, Wesley Gassova links

As per Sky Sports News, Newcastle United summer signing Sandro Tonali has been involved in an investigation by the Turin Public Prosecutor's Office regarding a betting probe. Tonali was questioned by the organisation alongside international teammate Nicolo Zaniolo before both players were allowed to return home, and it is now confirmed that neither will participate in Italy's double-header against Malta and England.

Bolavip Brazil, via Sport Witness, have also delivered an intriguing Newcastle United transfer update involving Corinthians attacker Wesley Gassova, who is reportedly someone who has been earmarked as a target in the North East.

The report states that Gassova has a €100m release clause inserted into his contract at Corinthians; however, the Magpies have no intention of paying such a fee and wouldn't need to in any given scenario.

GOAL Brazil meanwhile have claimed that Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes now has the third-highest salary in the Premier League after Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah following his decision to commit his future to the Magpies for another five years.

Conflicting reports have suggested otherwise; nevertheless, Guimaraes has emerged as a huge fan favourite at St James' Park and is understood to have a release clause in the region of £100 million in his latest contract agreement.

Newcastle United will use the international break for some respite and to put in some hard yards on the training pitches before the Magpies return to action against Crystal Palace at home on October 21st.

Newcastle United summer signings

Player

Fee

Previous club

Yankuba Minteh

Undisclosed

Odense Boldklub

Sandro Tonali

£55 million

AC Milan

Tino Livramento

£32 million

Southampton

Harvey Barnes

£39 million

Leicester City

Lewis Hall

Loan

Chelsea

All fees courtesy of Sky Sports News

Newcastle United transfer news – Emile Smith Rowe

According to a Newcastle United transfer update on Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe from Northern Echo reporter Scott Wilson, PIF Investments are set to meet to discuss potential targets ahead of January and the England international has emerged as someone who the Magpies could look to pursue in the New Year.

Newcastle United boss Howe will be present in discussions and his input, alongside others chairing the conversation, will help to provide a definitive answer to the sort of transfer budget the 45-year-old will have to alter his squad mid-season.

Smith Rowe, who has been labelled "special" by pundit Jamie Carragher, has featured 102 times for boyhood club Arsenal across his senior career, registering 11 goals and 18 assists in the process (Smith Rowe statistics – Transfermarkt).

Injuries have prevented his opportunities to make more of an impact at the Emirates Stadium despite his obvious talent; however, he is now back fit and firing following a long-standing issue with his groin, as per Sky Sports.

With his openings now limited even more at Arsenal due to the arrival of Kai Havertz in the summer, resurrecting his career in the North East could be an appealing thought for the 23-year-old.

تفاجأ نجم منتخب مصر لتنس الطاولة عمر عصر، بعدم إرسال اسمه للمشاركة في بطولة بانكوك بتايلاند، في ظل استعدادات اللاعب لـ أولمبياد باريس.

ويستعد عمر عصر خلال الفترة الحالية للمشاركة في أولمبياد باريس 2024، حيث يتطلع اللاعب لتحقيق انجاز جديد له في الأولمبياد بعد ما حققه في طوكيو 2020.

طالع | عمر عصر يُحقق أفضل تصنيف في تاريخ مصر والعرب بـ تنس الطاولة.. ويستهدف رقمًا هامًا 

وأكد مصدر مقرب من اللاعب في تصريحات خاصة لبطولات أن عمر عصر قام بحجز تذاكر الطيران، وحجز فندق الاقامة من أجل المشاركة في بطولة تايلند الدولية لتنس الطاولة.

وأوضح أن اللاعب تفاجأ من منظمي البطولة حينما أخبروه أن اسمه لم يرسل من قبل مسؤولي الاتحاد المصري لتنس الطاولة للمشاركة في البطولة، وهو الخطأ الإداري الذي حدث من قبل أيضًا في بطولة أخرى.

الجدير بالذكر أن عمر عصر قد حقق المركز الخامس في أولمبياد طوكيو 2020، كأول لاعب في تاريخ مصر والعرب يحقق هذا الإنجاز.

MatériaMais Notícias

A 21ª rodada do Brasileirão chegou e o fantasy game Cartola FC segue em conjunto. Para ajudar com informações valiosas, a página Guia do Cartola dará dicas de escalação ao vivo no Instagram do LANCE! (@diariolance). A transmissão visando a rodada 21 será nesta sexta-feira, às 20h (de Brasília).

Ricardo Ramalho, do Guia do Cartola, e Vinícius Perazzini, editor do LANCE!, vão responder perguntas e falar sobre os prováveis times titulares. Não perca!

RelacionadasListasSó os feras! Confira cinco opções por posição para a 21ª rodada no CartolaListas12/11/2020

Tottenham Hotspur are a club that have made some true howlers in their desperate state of late, with Daniel Levy the man often spearheading such an operation.

The businessman, who began his relationship with the Lilywhites in 2001, has overseen one of the club's most barren periods in its illustrious history, having failed to taste silverware since their 2008 League Cup triumph, nearly 25 years ago now.

For an establishment of this stature, such a record is truly abysmal, and it does explain some of the clueless knee-jerk decisions that the 61-year-old made.

Sacking Mauricio Pochettino for Jose Mourinho, and later Antonio Conte, marked the true peak of his foolishness, which finally seems to have settled with the appointment of Ange Postecoglou.

However, the Australian will forever have to contend with these errors of the past, dodging financial obstacles and shifting dead weight in the coming years.

And yet, despite all that stands in his way, his team sit atop the Premier League table regardless, having yet to be defeated. It marks an impressive feat, and one which fans all over the country remain keen on following to see just how long such positivity can last.

Who is Spurs' worst-ever signing?

When delving back across that torrid period, in which managerial missteps were arguably the biggest blunders of them all, there were also a whole host of transfer duds to name too in that desperate pursuit of a return to the top.

All of the aforementioned managers were sufficiently backed, including Nuno Espirito Santo, with Andre Villas-Boas even being handed a huge transfer war chest following the world-record sale of Gareth Bale.

Unsurprisingly, given their failure to reach the levels expected, each of these regimes are littered with gaffes in the market.

Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela marked two torrid options from the earliest of these tenures, whilst the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Bryan Gil and Richarlison have all disappointed despite the large fees attached to their acquisition.

However, whilst Pochettino may have been a master tactician, his transfer dealings left plenty to be desired. Unloading £63m on Tanguy Ndombele remains one of their worst-ever purchases, whilst there were also a host of other acquisitions that have piled up to accumulate a group of awful signings.

One such name from that group would be Serge Aurier, who ended up costing Spurs millions despite never really managing to succeed in north London.

In fact, whilst the Ivorian full-back would make a whopping 110 appearances for the club, his tenure is one remembered more for his high-profile errors and inability to defend, rather than the few bursts forward that merited a total of 25 goal contributions.

After all, even as recently as March saw journalist Buchi Laba write: "This Serge Aurier is a useless right back."

This certainly supports a notion outlined during his Tottenham days, with pundit Rio Ferdinand boldly claiming: "As a defender I have never really rated Aurier. He’s rash and he’s let his team down far too often."

As such, in his final year before leaving a year early following the mutual termination of his contract, Aurier would only manage 19 Premier League starts, yet still made three errors directly leading to shots, and gave away a penalty too.

Seldom reliable and surprisingly blunt in attack, there were few redeeming moments of the 30-year-old's four years in north London, which remains a heavy blemish on their record.

How much did Spurs pay for Serge Aurier?

Whilst his output may have been hugely disappointing, the total financial cost of that terrible period only exacerbates what was a true Pochettino disasterclass, as he desperately sought to secure a successor to Kieran Trippier.

The Englishman had shone as a key component of his side at right-back, with incredible passing ability and the unique talent to deliver a cross with pinpoint perfection.

It seemed like the Lilywhites had therefore secured his heir when tempting Aurier from Paris Saint-Germain, rescuing the talented outcast from France to the tune of £23m.

However, perhaps they could have heeded the warning issued by Laurent Blanc, who said the following after the young full-back had mocked him and questioned the club on social media: "How did I react? Very badly. Very badly. Because we think whatever we like – this is a democracy and we are free to think about things, have our opinions – but that boy … Two years ago, I committed myself to bring him to Paris, so to see what I saw yesterday … that’s the thanks I get? It’s pitiful."

What did Serge Aurier earn?

Such a fee would only scratch the surface of what Aurier would end up costing Spurs, with an equally high wage for someone so young marking an immense show of faith for someone who was far from a surefire success.

How much did Serge Aurier cost…

Per Appearance

£340k

Per Goal

£4.75m

Per Assist

£2.23m

Per Yellow Card

£3.4m

Stats via Transfermarkt

As it would so happen, he turned out to be a failure, thus making his initial £80k-per-week salary, and even the £70k-per-week deal it was reduced to after the first year, a tragedy.

To then add his transfer fee with the four years of wages he amassed, and in total the current Nottingham Forest dud would drain the club of £38m – notably equating to £3.4m per yellow card he received in that time (11).

Did Serge Aurier deserve to earn £70k-per-week?

Given all that has been mentioned previously, it is pretty clear that Aurier was far from good value for his wages.

After all, former Liverpool great Jamie Carragher would sum it up neatly, launching a scathing rant on the 5 foot 9 flop back in 2021: "Aurier is maybe one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football and is a player who would possibly put you off management with the amount of crazy decision he makes.

"We know what happened with the goal, he ends up running off the pitch allowing Sterling – the worst thing you can do – on that right foot almost get the goal."

To make matters worse, during Aurier's first year in England, he was actually their fifth-highest-paid player, with only superstars like Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Hugo Lloris and Jan Vertonghen earning more, via Capology.

That meant that players like Dele Alli, Mousa Dembele, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen were all earning less than a liability who could not even get in the team, whilst they all marked integral figures.

His on-pitch involvement was constantly underwhelming, but the financial drain his presence placed on Levy is the true outstanding failure of this venture.

Having endured a patchy start to the new Premier League season, despite remaining unbeaten, it finally seems like Arsenal are clicking into gear and recapturing the rhythm that saw them come so close to immortality last year.

With standout victories over Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven, Mikel Arteta's men have laid a fine foundation for success across the board, with the Spaniard likely boasting grand ambitions of challenging on all fronts.

However, much of the media interest surrounding the current campaign, Kai Havertz's questionable performances aside, has been aimed at the goalkeeping position.

With Aaron Ramsdale having started the term as no.1, given the England international's impressive and ever-improving form since joining, the loan acquisition of David Raya drew questions.

The Spaniard is a fine shot-stopper who boasts exemplary ball-playing skills, but many wondered what the need to replace their current keeper was when the 25-year-old had largely impressed.

However, when the opportunity arose the Brentford loanee certainly took it, with it now widely recognised that he will maintain his starting spot.

Despite all the interest and debate such a saga has whipped up, it could be argued that back in 2020, Arteta actually sold a man who outperforms both of them.

Who has Mikel Arteta sold whilst at Arsenal?

Upon being appointed following the troublesome tenure of Unai Emery, there was plenty of work for the young inexperienced coach to undergo before he could take the Gunners back to the top.

After all, he had inherited a hugely bloated wage bill consisting of ageing luxury stars, many of whom were unlikely to stick around and star for the long-term project that was being crafted.

As such, the 41-year-old was cut-throat, with stars such as Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette all falling foul of the new regime. The former two even saw their contracts terminated in an effort to speed up their exit and free up significant wages to spend on a brighter future.

However, some departures did get lost in the mass exodus, with Pep Guardiola's ex-assistant perhaps a little too eager to completely revamp the squad.

Stars such as Matteo Guendouzi and Bernd Leno have gone on to enjoy fine stints since departing the Emirates, but few have enjoyed a rise to prominence like Emiliano Martinez, who joined Aston Villa in 2020.

After deputising well for the injured German goalkeeper, it became clear that despite his blistering form, the Argentine would not be handed a long-term show of faith. So, in a deal that has since become legendary for the international repercussions it held, the 31-year-old would seek greener pastures.

Having since made 119 appearances for the Midlands outfit, as an ever-present stalwart who has helped them in good times and bad, he is now reaping the rewards of having a fine outfit in front of him, who even charged to a European spot last season.

However, the true outstanding contribution of the shot-stopper's career thus far has come with his national team, more specifically during the 2022 World Cup.

Selected as Argentina's undisputed number one by Lionel Scaloni, the 6 foot 5 titan would play every minute of every game as they charged through the tournament. Brushing aside a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, they would ease past Poland and Mexico before crushing Australian dreams with a narrow round of 16 victory.

Next came the Netherlands, who they defeated on penalties as Martinez starred, before an emphatic 3-0 win over Croatia cemented their spot in the final.

Whilst Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe stole the show offensively, the 32-cap superstar would make the decisive intervention, producing a phenomenal late save to deny Randal Kolo Muani in extra time before making two penalty saves to win his country the ultimate prize.

Journalist Thierry Nyann would seek to highlight his contribution, which saw him win the Golden Glove award and later the award for Best Goalkeeper in the World: "Big shouts to Emiliano Martinez — Argentina wouldn’t have won the World Cup without him. A World Class Goalkeeper".

To think, Arteta was willing to sanction his exit for what now seems like a nominal fee.

How much did Aston Villa sign Emi Martinez for?

Whilst few could possibly have foreseen the glistening future Martinez would enjoy, there were signs that Arsenal had a truly special keeper on their hands.

After all, his work during that spell in the first team was exceptional, managing a 7.21 average rating as he recorded 3.8 saves per game, via Sofascore.

Therefore, the £17m spent marked a relatively risk-free signing for the Villans, who had secured a fine first-choice goalkeeper for the foreseeable future.

How much was Emi Martinez worth at Arsenal?

Having spent eight years at the north London club, his was a stint largely spent in the shadows, patiently awaiting a moment to shine.

As such, he would record just 38 appearances, the bulk of which came in cup competitions, and in that period before his exit.

€40.7m (£35.1m)

2023

Aston Villa

€21.4m (£18.5m)

2022

Aston Villa

€6.9m (£5.9m)

2021

Aston Villa

€0.7m (£0.6m)

2020

Arsenal

€0.5m (£0.4m)

2019

Arsenal

FootballTransfers, recognising his diminutive status, would therefore only value Villa's number one at €3.8m (£3.2m), which marked the pinnacle during that period at the Emirates. Unsurprisingly, this was a figure that would skyrocket in the following years.

How much was Emi Martinez worth at Aston Villa?

Although his value has since decreased slightly now, with the hype surrounding those World Cup performances understandably inflating such a number, it still remains at a level where Arteta will hold much regret regarding the departure.

After all, as recently as February was the Argentine worth a lofty €40.7m (£35.1m), with that having now dropped to a still admirable €30.9m (£26.7m).

When taking the former figure, since leaving the Gunners Martinez has actually seen a 105% increase when comparing that valuation with the fee first paid.

Why is Emi Martinez worth that much?

That value is not a figure solely upheld by his international displays though, as despite Villa's patchy start to the Premier League season, Martinez has starred.

The former Reading star is averaging an admirable 7.28 average rating this league term, making him the seventh-best-performing goalkeeper in the division, buoyed by his 3.4 saves per game and 84% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

For comparison, Raya and Ramsdale have only managed 7.15 and 6.63 average ratings respectively, thus emphasising the earlier point. Arteta may have been vindicated in the sales of Ozil and Aubameyang, but he got it all wrong with Martinez.

Sri Lanka have strongly denied any wrongdoing after being charged with altering the condition of the ball during the St Lucia Test against West Indies. Their players protested the charge – and the subsequent penalty of a ball change and the award of five extra runs to the opposition – by refusing to take the field at the start of the third day’s play. The match eventually resumed after a two-hour delay, but Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have said the players are effectively continuing with the game “under protest”.ESPNcricinfo understands that umpires laid the charge after reviewing footage of the second day’s play, and finding evidence pointing to the application of a substance to the ball. Officials privy to the case say the incident was similar to the one involving South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who was found guilty of altering the condition of the ball during the 2016-17 Test series in Australia.

ICC laws on changing the ball

41.3.4 If the umpires consider that the condition of the ball has been unfairly changed by a member or members of either side, they shall ask the captain of the opposing side if he/she would like the ball to be replaced. If necessary, in the case of the batting side, the batsmen at the wicket may deputise for their captain.
41.3.4.1 If a replacement ball is requested, the umpires shall select and bring into use immediately, a ball which shall have wear comparable to that of the previous ball immediately prior to the contravention.
41.3.4.2 Regardless of whether a replacement ball has been chosen to be used, the bowler’s end umpire shall
– award 5 Penalty runs to the opposing side.
– if appropriate, inform the batsmen at the wicket and the captain of the fielding side that the ball has been changed and the reason for their action.
– inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has occurred.
The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.

“The ICC can confirm the match officials in the second Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka changed the ball and awarded 5 penalty runs to West Indies,” the ICC later tweeted. “If there are any, Code of Conduct charges will follow as per usual at close of play.”The Sri Lankan board sent out a statement defending its players: “SLC advised the team to take the field to ensure the continuity of the match and wish to commend the decision taken by the team to continue with the game ‘under protest’ to ensure the upholding of the spirit of the game.””The team management has informed us that Sri Lankan players have not engaged in any wrongdoing,” a board release said. “SLC shall take all necessary steps to defend any player, in the event any unwarranted allegation is brought against a member of the team.”At close of play on day two, West Indies were 118 for 2 in reply to the opposition’s first-innings score of 253. Day three was due to start at 9.30am local time, half-an-hour early to make up for time lost to rain delays on day two.But even as the umpires made their way out to the middle, none of the Sri Lanka players joined them. Broadcaster visuals of their dressing room showed coach Chandika Hathurusingha, captain Dinesh Chandimal and team manager Asanka Gurusinha in discussion with match referee Javagal Srinath.When the players eventually came onto the field at 10.50am, West Indies were officially given five extra runs and umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar oversaw the changing of the ball. The two batsmen at the crease – Devon Smith and Shai Hope – were given the right to choose the replacement, which is the protocol under ICC Law 41.3 (see sidebar).Before the first ball could be bowled, though, the Sri Lanka players left the middle of the ground and made their way to its periphery, which became the site of further discussions among players, team management, and match officials. It took another 40 minutes for play to finally begin.Loads of people were interested in the state of the ball•AFP

An official present at the ground said one of the main reasons Sri Lanka did not take the field was because “the umpires informed them about the ball change just 10 minutes before the start today without evidence of any footage.”It is understood that the umpires were concerned about the condition of the ball at the end of the second day’s play. “We did see the umpires looking at the ball a few times yesterday, but there was no statement made at the end of the day,” the official said. “It all happened this morning.”The controversy comes at a time when SLC is under inexperienced and temporary leadership. Although CEO Ashley de Silva is still in his job, the board has no office bearers at the moment because the previous administration’s term had expired on May 31, before fresh elections could be held. A “Competent Authority” effectively appointed by the government presently runs the SLC, and sports minister Faiszer Mustapha – who was in the crisis meeting which advised the team – has himself only done his job for a matter of months.The SLC release did not confirm whether the team will officially contest the ball-tampering charge when an inquiry is held into the incident, after play on Saturday. But based on this official denial, it seems likely that the charge will be contested. Sri Lanka’s team management refused to comment when approached directly.This is the second time in two years that Sri Lanka have found themselves part of a controversy over the condition of the ball. Allrounder Dasun Shanaka was charged for a similar offence by the ICC in November 2017 and in that case the team accepted the sanction.A previous instance of a side refusing to take the field after a ball change came at The Oval in 2006, when Pakistan chose not to come out after tea on day four, after umpire Darrell Hair changed the ball and awarded five penalty runs to England. Pakistan eventually forfeited the Test.