Manchester United could pursue a summer move for an “outstanding” striker this summer, who may be targeted instead of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, according to a report.

Osimhen transfer race hotting up

Last month, it was revealed Osimhen has a release clause of around £62m in his Napoli contract, which is set to become active in the summer, and the race for the Nigerian’s signature is now hotting up.

The Red Devils clearly hold an interest in the Galatasaray loanee, having submitted a verbal contract offer, but it appears they could be lagging behind in the transfer race, given that Premier League rivals Arsenal are said to have overtaken them.

In fact, it seems like the Gunners are making good progress in their pursuit of the 26-year-old, with a report claiming they have now agreed a £62m deal ahead of the summer, having informed Napoli they are willing to stump up the release clause.

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As such, United may have to turn their attention to alternative targets, and a report from GiveMeSport has revealed they could instead pursue a move for FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa, who may be more attainable.

Ruben Amorim is determined to sign a striker this summer, and the manager is scouring the market for potential targets, but a deal for the Porto star could prove to be very expensive.

Aghehowa has a release clause of £84m in his Porto contract, which could make it difficult for United to get a deal done, should the Portuguese side insist on receiving the full amount.

Osimhen remains Amorim’s dream target, but a move for the 20-year-old could be one to watch, should Porto be willing to accept a lower fee.

"Outstanding" Aghehowa "has everything" to become a top striker

The Spaniard is still very young, but he could be capable of going on to establish himself as a top striker, if the high praise he has received from journalist Josh Bunting is anything to go by.

The starlet has been prolific in Portugal this season, scoring 14 league goals, while also bagging six goals in nine Europa League games, which could indicate he is ready for a big move to the Premier League.

That said, it may be very difficult for United to get a deal done this summer, should Porto insist on the release clause being paid in full, considering their financial problems, which were recently outlined by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Perhaps if United manage to offload some high-earning players this summer, they may be able to dip into the transfer market, but given the severity of their financial issues, it is difficult to see them shelling out £84m on Aghehowa.

Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson are among those needing to win key duels if the Gunners are to secure a first European triumph since 2007

It's fair to say that Arsenal will be up against it this weekend as they prepare to take on Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final. The Catalans have won the last two editions of this competition, firmly asserting themselves as the very best team in Europe – if not the world – along the way. After an 8-2 aggregate demolition of Chelsea in the semi-finals, the defending champions will be favourites to triumph again in Lisbon.

But Arsenal haven't got to this occasion by chance. The Gunners battered Lyon, the eight-time winners, in a 4-1 victory in France in the last round to get to the showpiece event, with that clear evidence that they have the ability to beat the best. Impressive wins over Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, who beat Barca in Catalunya just recently, have been other stand-out results in their run to a first Champions League final since their historic triumph in 2007.

Barcelona, however, are on another level. On Saturday, they will play their sixth Champions League final in seven seasons, having won on three of the previous five occasions. They will dominate, they will prevent Arsenal from playing their normal game and they will be expected to win. So, how do the Gunners overcome such a challenge? GOAL picks out six key battles they'll need to come out on top in, in order to stand a chance…

• Getty Images
  

  Kim Little vs Aitana Bonmati

  Kim Little certainly doesn't get the praise she deserves. Described by former United States goalkeeper Hope Solo as the best player she has ever played with, the Scotland midfielder has the ability to be a classy dictator of play and a defensive asset in midfield, blending her responsibilities seamlessly to bring plenty to the table.

  On Saturday, it's likely those off-ball qualities that she'll need to really showcase as she prepares to come up against Aitana Bonmati, winner of the last two Ballons d'Or. Bonmati's goals and assists this season might not be right up there with some of her team-mates, but to only judge her on that is to ignore the way she can grab hold of a game and run it, as was evident in the semi-finals against Chelsea. Little's job has to be to stop her from doing that.

  Arsenal simply won't win the midfield battle here, as Barca have the best trio in the world in that area. But they can disrupt the Catalans' conductors to break up play and give themselves chances in transition. Little will be key there, too, as her vision and ability to execute a defence-splitting pass is world-class.

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• AFP
  

  Katie McCabe vs Caroline Graham Hansen

  Perhaps the most enthralling individual duel at the Estadio Jose Alvalade will be down Arsenal's left, where Caroline Graham Hansen will be running relentlessly at Katie McCabe. The Norway international has been one of the best wingers in the world for several years now, with many believing she should have claimed last year's Ballon d'Or. Bonmati even said in her winner's speech: "If Caro had won, I'd have been very happy, as she deserved it too."

  Graham Hansen has continued that fine form this season and will be one of the most dangerous weapons at Barca's disposal in this final, with McCabe the player who will be tasked with limiting her ability to impact the game. The Ireland captain has had herself a wonderful campaign, though it is her attacking exploits that shone brightest. On this occasion, she will have to lean into those defensive duties much more.

  That's not to say she doesn't honour these usually, but Arsenal have set-up under Renee Slegers to maximise McCabe's impact going forward. Steph Catley, the Gunners' left-sided centre-back, covers the space brilliantly behind her team-mate, allowing her free reign in the final third. It will be interesting to see how the coach adjusts the defence to factor in not only McCabe's need to thwart Graham Hansen, but the fact that the left-back won't be able to play like the winger she often does in this match-up.

• Getty Images
  

  Leah Williamson & Steph Catley vs Ewa Pajor

  Ewa Pajor has scored an eye-watering number of goals in her first season with Barcelona. The Poland star established herself as one of the deadliest strikers in the world during her nine-year stay with Wolfsburg, developing into as much after signing as an exciting 18-year-old, and she is benefiting from the incredible rate at which chances are created in Catalunya, putting no fewer than 42 of them away in the famous blue and red of Barca so far.

  It sounds basic enough to say that Catley and Leah Williamson, Arsenal's centre-back pair, just cannot allow Pajor to get free on Saturday, then, but one only had to watch Chelsea's sturdy defence fall apart in the semi-finals to see it's not as easy as it sounds. Millie Bright has been one of the best defenders in Europe all season, and even she carelessly lost focus for a split second to allow Pajor too much space to net at Stamford Bridge.

  Williamson and Catley will need to be switched on for every single moment of this final to avoid gifting the Barca star opportunities that she just will not miss, with constant communication between the two also imperative if they are to stop the 28-year-old from making her mark.

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  Mariona Caldentey vs Patri Guijarro

  Mariona Caldentey has been playing centrally in recent weeks for Arsenal, but as she prepares to face former side Barcelona this weekend, it'll be interesting to see if that changes. The Spaniard started the season as a left winger but has also played in a deeper midfield role and as a No.10. Given that Barca will dominate in central areas in Lisbon, it wouldn't be a surprise if Slegers opts to take Caldentey out of there and put her in a wider position where she might get more space to get on the ball.

  However, when deployed on the left, Caldentey still loves to drift inside and create in those central positions, as that is where she is most dangerous. That is likely to continue in Lisbon, meaning it is the watch of Patri Guijarro she is probably going to have to escape.

  Guijarro is widely regarded as one of the best holding midfielders in the world – if not best – and she will know all about Caldentey, having played with her for nine years in Catalunya. But Caldentey will know all about Guijarro's tendencies when she is defending, too, and will hope to use that to her advantage in order to carve out opportunities for her team-mates.

MatériaMais Notícias

Juliano Belletti viajou junto ao Barcelona para os Estados Unidos para acompanhar a pré-temporada da equipe, enquanto se prepara para assumir o posto de Alex de Souza na equipe sub-20 do São Paulo.

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>ATUAÇÕES: Luciano mostra protagonismo, e Patrick “joga de terno” em classificação do São Paulo

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> Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Neste período junto a equipe espanhola, irá acompanhar o trabalho do treinador Xavi e de toda a comissão técnica Blaugrana. O ex-jogador, revelado pelo Cruzeiro, sempre esteve presente em eventos do Tricolor, onde também teve passagem como atleta.

Belletti teve um estágio no clube, ao lado de Cuca e Vagner Mancini, após concluir seu cursode treinador pela CBF.

Logo após, recebeu o convite para ir para o Cruzeiro, onde foi auxiliar técnico do time em 2021, ao lado de Vanderlei Luxemburgo. Conforme apurações realizadas pelo LANCE!, o campeão do penta pela Seleção Brasileira já é certeza para assumir o cargo de Alex.

Match details

Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, Ahmedabad: 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT)

Big picture

Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, two teams that have specialised in proving haters – and experts – wrong, kick off the new IPL season in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd in Ahmedabad. MS Dhoni in the bright yellow corner; Hardik Pandya, who has seemingly taken the Dhoni route to captaincy and his batting, in the navy blue one.You never know with Dhoni, but this could well be his farewell IPL season, while for Hardik, a successful title defence could potentially lead to his coronation as India’s future full-time white-ball captain. An intra-squad practice session that was thrown open to the public just an hour before the start at Chepauk is a portent of things to come at home, but Super Kings will have to deal with playing five of their first eight games away from home. They had the second-worst economy rate at the death last season with 11.29, but they didn’t quite remedy that at the auction.As for Titans, their major issue last season was the absence of a reliable anchor – they had trialled Vijay Shankar and B Sai Sudharsan in that role – but now they have brought in Kane Williamson, whose elbow is in much better shape than it was last year. Williamson’s presence could allow Hardik to float down the order as opposed to float up, something he did often last IPL. Titans’ bowling attack too ticks most boxes, with the arrivals of Shivam Mavi and Josh Little – the first Ireland player to be picked in the IPL – strengthening them even further.Related

• 'Home-and-away is what makes the IPL what it is'

• Will Chepauk return help CSK spin it to win it?

• Gujarat Titans look stronger for their title defence

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• How much impact will the Impact Player rule have?

Team news

The Sri Lanka pair of Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana will not be available for Super Kings’ first three games since they are currently participating in a six-match white-ball series in New Zealand. NZC, though, has released both Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner, who is likely to start for Super Kings not only in the absence of Theekshana, but also for the rest of the IPL. Left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary has been sidelined from the entire season with a back injury and replaced by Akash Singh.There were reports on Thursday that Dhoni could miss the IPL opener with an injury, but their CEO told ESPNcricinfo that Dhoni was fit.4:00

How crucial is Miller’s form for Gujarat Titans?

Fast bowler Sisanda Magala will also be unavailable for the early exchanges as he will be in action for South Africa against Netherlands. Similarly, Titans will miss their finisher David Miller, who will only link up with the franchise after the Netherlands ODIs end on April 2.

Toss and Impact Player strategy

Gujarat Titans
Possible bat-first XI: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Matthew Wade, 5 Hardik Pandya, (capt) 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Shivam Mavi, 9 Jayant Yadav/R Sai Kishore 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Mohammed ShamiA resoruce-maximising option for Titans is to bring in another batter, Abhinav Manohar, for instance, in place of one of the dismissed batters who is not athletic in the field. In this scenario, they can have seven bowling options, including Hardik and Tewatia, for their defence.Possible bowl-first XI: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Matthew Wade, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Shivam Mavi, 9 Jayant Yadav/R Sai Kishore 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Mohammed ShamiThis XI is no different to the bat-first XI, but in this case, Titans could use the Impact Player rule to bring in either Sai Sudharsan, if they need to stabilise the innings, or Manohar for a finishing kick, in place of Mohammed Shami.Chennai Super Kings
Possible bat-first XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Ben Stokes, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Ambati Rayudu, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Simarjeet Singh/Tushar DeshpandeIf Santner starts for Super Kings, they will have batting depth all the way down to No. 10, as well as six bowling options, discounting Ben Stokes. Ajinkya Rahane could be a failsafe at Chepauk, but it’s hard to see him slot in as an impact player away from Chennai. Plus, the other reserve batters Shaik Rasheed and Subhranshu Senapati are yet to make their IPL debuts. Don’t be surprised if Dhoni uses no Impact Player.Simarjeet Singh is a swing bowler, whereas Rajvardhan Hangargekar can dig the ball into the pitch•BCCI

Possible bowl-first XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Ben Stokes, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Rajvardhan Hangargekar, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Simarjeet Singh/Tushar DeshpandeSuper Kings opted against rushing seam-bowling allrounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar into action last season. But following a good domestic season for Maharashtra, he could break into the starting XI if they need some hit-the-deck hustle. The 20-year-old can dig the ball into the pitch and offer something different to Super Kings’ seam attack, as both Deepak Chahar and Simarjeet Singh are both swing bowlers. When they bat, Super Kings could yank Ambati Rayudu out of the bench and use him in the middle order to counter Rashid Khan. He could potentially come in for Simarjeet as an Impact Player.

Stats that matter

• Rayudu has had the wood over Rashid, scoring 79 runs off 65 balls off him being dismissed in the IPL.
• Despite having missed the entire IPL 2022, Chahar remains the top wicket-taker in the powerplay in the past five seasons, with 42 strikes in 58 innings at an economy rate of 7.61.
• In the past year, Alzarri Joseph has conceded only 7.51 runs an over at the death in T20s. It is the second-best economy rate among right-arm seamers who have bowled at least 100 balls in that phase. Only Anrich Nortje has fared better than Joseph on this front with an economy rate of 7.39, but Nortje’s 16 wickets are two fewer than Joseph’s.

Pitch and conditions

The Motera has six red-soil pitches and five black-soil pitches. The ones used for the last IPL final and the recent T20I against New Zealand aided seamers, with dew not being much of a factor later in the evening. It rained on the eve of the IPL opener, disrupting the practice sessions of both teams, but the weather is expected to be clear for the duration of the game.

Chelsea have now made contact over the signing of a defender, having stepped up their interest in recent weeks, but there may be competition for his signature from one of their London rivals, according to a report.

Blues keen to strengthen in defence

The Blues have set their sights on multiple defenders ahead of the summer transfer window, with Flamengo right-back Wesley Franca now emerging as a target, having held talks over a deal for the Brazilian in recent days.

On the opposite side of the backline, Enzo Maresca’s side could look to bring in Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin, having started to work on a deal, though there is set to be stiff competition for his signature from a number of Premier League clubs.

Maresca is clearly keen to bolster his options at full-back, and the manager is also driving a move for Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who could be brought in as a replacement for Robert Sanchez.

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Signing a new goalkeeper may be an important task this summer given the catalogue of errors Sanchez has made this season, but there is also a desire to strengthen in the centre-back department.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have now made contact over the signing of Feyenoord’s David Hancko, having stepped up their interest in the centre-back over the past few weeks.

However, there may be competition for Hancko’s signature, with Tottenham ramping up their interest of late, while Atlético Madrid and Juventus are also named as potential suitors – and he is said to be enticed by the idea of joining the Italian club.

Feyenoord would be willing to sanction the defender’s departure for £42m this summer, making him a relatively affordable option should the Blues choose to formalise their interest in the summer.

"Freak technician" Hancko could be a solid signing

The Feyenoord star has received high praise from freelance scout Ben Mattinson, who has lauded him for his ability to drive the ball forward from defence.

The former Sparta Prague man’s attacking ability is underlined by his impressive goal and assist record in the league over the past five seasons.

Season

League appearances

Goals

Assists

2020-21

24

5

2

2021-22

30

7

5

2022-23

34

2

4

2023-24

34

5

2

2024-25

23

3

2

Journalist Diederik de Groot has also described the Slovakia international as the “best defender” he’s ever seen at Feyenoord, and he has been in impressive form this season, emerging as one of the most consistent performers in the squad.

Hancko has certainly earned the chance to prove himself in the Premier League, and a £42m fee seems reasonable, so Chelsea should continue to monitor his performances before potentially launching a bid in the summer.

Chelsea are beginning to change their minds about signing a prolific striker, after previously deciding not to in 2024, with the addition of a new centre-forward standing out among the club’s top transfer priorities this summer.

Chelsea make summer striker plan after inactive January

Enzo Maresca’s side elected not to acquire a number nine in January, a decision which has been met with fierce criticism ever since, especially following long-term injuries to Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson.

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Guiu and Jackson’s absences means that Christopher Nkunku is Maresca’s only real striking option right now, dealing Chelsea a real obstacle to overcome in their chase for Champions League qualification.

While Nkunku has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, the Frenchman is arguably not suited to being a natural striker, and a fresh vocal point has long been tipped as a real missing piece for Chelsea.

Aston Villa (away)

February 22nd

Southampton (home)

February 25th

Leicester City (home)

March 9th

Arsenal (away)

March 16th

Tottenham (home)

April 2nd

Victor Osimhen was the subject of serious late summer interest from Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea were involved in a high-profile race alongside Al-Ahli for the Nigerian’s signature, before neither side could manage a deal for the eventual-Galatasaray marksman.

Attention now turns to the next summer transfer window, as Chelsea shortlist striker targets ahead of the 2025/2026 campaign.

Ipswich Town sensation Liam Delap and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are both thought to be on their agenda, as per reliable Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips and other media sources, while Sporting Lisbon superstar Viktor Gyokeres has also been linked.

The Sweden international has bagged a pretty incredible 34 goals across 36 appearances in all competitions this season, following up his equally electric 23/24 season in the Primeira Liga, and it is surely only a matter of time before elite clubs become tempted to take him off Sporting’s hands.

Chelsea performing U-turn over signing Viktor Gyokeres

As per reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, writing for GiveMeSport, Chelsea decided not to pursue a move for the 26-year-old in January 2024.

However, Chelsea are now giving fresh consideration over signing Gyokeres, with the Blues seemingly performing a U-turn over their previous stance. This is also fuelled by the notion that Sporting could now sell for around £58 million, which is a £25 million drop from his actual £83 million release clause.

Given the former Coventry City star’s exceptional record in front of goal, this could prove to be a bargain, but agents fees and wages could still make it a fairly costly operation.

“He joined Coventry on loan and then signed for them permanently. All the lads have said when he came back in the summer after signing permanently, he was a different animal,” said former teammate Jake Bidwell.

“With the way he plays as well, with his aggression, the two (qualities) go hand in hand with how well he has done. He all of a sudden realised how quick and strong he was and had the confidence to use it and mixed with the aggression, it’s made him pretty unstoppable.”

Lancashire fast bowler “chuffed” with return ahead of England’s upcoming Bangladesh tour

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2023Saqib Mahmood marked his competitive comeback with three cheap wickets in England Lions’ four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka A in Colombo.Mahmood has not played a professional game in ten months after a back stress fracture but is part of England’s ODI squad for next month’s tour to Bangladesh, and took 3 for 27 in 7.1 overs in the first of three List A fixtures on the Lions tour.His three victims – Avishka Fernando, Nuwanidu Fernando and Chamika Karunaratne – have all played international cricket, and he struck twice early as Sri Lanka A stumbled to 9 for 3 after four overs.

Saq is

#RedRoseTogether | @SaqMahmood25 pic.twitter.com/SFBTNfIOWb

— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) February 15, 2023