Aston Villa's top stars are on international duty and several of their players have jetted out to all corners of the world to represent their respective nations; however, one Villans man struggled to make an impact in his last appearance.

What's the latest news involving Aston Villa?

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery allowed attacking trio Cameron Archer, Keinan Davis and Jaden Philogene to leave Villa Park this summer to help with their Financial Fair Play obligations. All three players are homegrown and represent pure profit for the Premier League outfit while also catering for extra squad space through their respective departures.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has spoken to GIVEMESPORT about the future of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who is contracted to the club until the summer of 2025 and has indicated that they will sit down with the England international to determine where his head is at, as he stated: “This is a key time for Watkins in determining how his career progresses. I think Villa is a great club for him right now, and there will be conversations coming about his contract because Villa can’t let that get into the final 18 months, as that’s when offers start to land, and players can get itchy feet."

Watkins has registered three goals and two assists in six appearances across all competitions in 2023/24; however, he has yet to notch a single goal in the Premier League, as per Transfermarkt.

Aston Villa defender Alex Moreno is stepping up his recovery from injury and is 'fighting' to be back in contention after undergoing a surgical procedure in the summer, as per Birmingham World.

How has Matty Cash fared this season?

Despite being born in Slough, Cash represents Poland at international level and was benched for the Eagles' 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands on September 8th, as per ESPN.

Cash then featured for the entirety of Poland's 2-0 defeat to Albania in EURO 2024 qualifying and featured on the right flank under Fernando Santos, but he may not return particularly happy with his display.

Polish newspaper Przeglad Sportowy were less than impressed by his exploits on the field, rating his performance at just 4/10 and stating: "He returned to the squad after a long international break. Many people wondered why Santos did not designate him to play on Thursday. He must have gathered all his strength for Tirana. He deserved an award. Cash played a decent match, the right side was very active, but what’s the point if it didn’t bring any result."

As seen on Sofascore, Cash was uncomfortable on the ball and lost possession on 22 separate occasions over the course of the tie at the Air Albania Stadium.

The 26-year-old has started 2023/24 on fire for his current employers Aston Villa, registering three goals in six appearances encompassing all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

On the international circuit, it seems like Cash still has some room for improvement, though he could have a fresh slate under a new manager as Poland boss Santos looks set to be relieved of his duties as manager, as per TVP Sport.

The squad also sees the return of Morne Morkel and Chris Morris, who missed out on the Bangladesh series with a side strain and back issue respectively

Firdose Moonda25-Jan-20182:50

‘Zondo brings maturity and leadership’ – Cullinan

Lungi Ngidi and Khaya Zondo have been named in South Africa’s ODI squad for the first three matches against India starting on February 1. The pair are uncapped in the format, though Zondo was part of the limited-overs squad that traveled to India in late 2015. Ngidi has played three T20s but no ODIs, after a rib injury resulted in him missing out on the ODI series against Sri Lanka last January and he could not be considered for the Champions Trophy squad because of a back problem.The squad also sees the return of Morne Morkel and Chris Morris, who missed out on the Bangladesh series with a side strain and back issue respectively, as well as a return for Tabraiz Shamsi as the second spinner, behind Imran Tahir.The major surprise was the exclusion of Farhaan Behardien, who has been a regular member of the side and currently sits sixth in the one-day cup run charts, where he is averaging over 50, with a strike-rate of over 92. In contrast, Zondo is in 16th place with an average of 43.83 and a strike rate just over 65 but was preferred over Behardien as part of South Africa’s “vision 2019″ – their grand plan to fine-tune their World Cup squad.”It’s important for us to be clear in terms of where we are in our plans. We are starting our vision 2019, which are the players we are looking for,” Linda Zondi, South Africa’s convener of selectors said. “It is important for us to increase the pool and give opportunity so that we know by the time it comes to late this year, we don’t have to be clouded. This is a holistic approach in terms of giving opportunity. This is going to happen for the whole year. There will be guys, key guys, that we are going to rest and rotate.”The rotation policy will apply for the six-match India series and South Africa’s July-August tour of Sri Lanka, after which Zondi hopes to be “more or less close” to a World Cup pool.Zondo is a particularly interesting selection because of his backstory. He did not play a game on the India tour in 2015, even when JP Duminy was injured in the series. Instead, Dean Elgar was flown to India and played, prompting a furore from black African players in the country. They penned a letter to CSA, bemoaning the fortunes of black players and asking for fair opportunities. The following year, CSA made public a transformation target that requires the national side to play a minimum average of six players of colour of which at least two must be black African over the course of the season.South Africa have stuck to that target and Zondo is unlikely to go uncapped again. Zondi explained Zondo is being looked at as having a future in the middle order. “We feel he can play a role in terms of rotating the strike and he does have the strength in terms of clearing the boundary. He has shown potential and his skills in South Africa A,” Zondi said.But Behardien was assured his World Cup dreams were not over. He will come into consideration after the first half of the India series, when South Africa will reassess their squad. “He knows, every single player knows that after the third game, we are going to sit and decide. We will definitely be resting, rotating and giving opportunity otherwise we will be sitting with the same names as we prepare for 2019,” Zondi said.BCCI

Other positions that South Africa woud want to look at are of the spinner and the wicketkeeper, with Tahir and Quinton de Kock well established and a lack of serious candidates to challenge either of them. Shamsi has been around the squad but last played an ODI in February last year against New Zealand. He is the leading wicket-taker in the one-day cup, with 26 scalps, nine more than his nearest contender, at an average of 14.84, but faces some competition from Test tweaker Keshav Maharaj.”At the moment, I think Tahir is still our No.1 spinner. Shamsi will come into the picture,” Zondi explained. “There are a couple of spinners we need to look at. Maharaj is part and parcel. He bowls and he bats, he is a good fielder. Let’s see what Shamsi can bring to the table and we also need to see how we can bring Maharaj.”In the keeping department, South Africa have not named a reserve for de Kock but may do later in the series. “What happens if Quinton gets injured? Is AB going to take the gloves? Maybe not, but we have a plan in terms of a keeper,” Zondi said. “With the keeping situation, we’ve got [Heinrich] Klaasen, [Mangaliso] Mosehle and [Rudi] Second.”The only person who may have to wait his turn is Dale Steyn, who is recovering from a heel injury and is only expected to return to the international stage for the Australia Tests. Steyn has not played an ODI since October 2016 and has not played even domestic 50-over cricket since his shoulder injury 13 months ago. Though Steyn, like so many of South Africa’s seniors, has his heart set on the World Cup, it appears as though his place is not guaranteed.”For now, the main focus is to see how Dale Steyn does in the Tests. He needs to go back to the franchise and see where he is with white ball,” Zondi said. “I am quite comfortable with the manner that he performed when he came back. Now he has a different injury but I am very optimistic. He is part of this vision.”ODI squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khaya Zondo

Sri Lanka’s high performance manager Simon Willis has handed in his resignation to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), less than two years into a three-year contract. ESPNcricinfo understands that Willis’ decision was down to personal reasons and that plans to bring in a suitable replacement is now underway.”Simon has given us six months notice and as such will remain with Sri Lanka Cricket until June 30,” a SLC official said. “We will therefore be advertising for the position.”Willis, whose recruitment was spearheaded by Aravinda De Silva – in his then capacity as SLC cricket committee chairman – had been recruited especially for the newly created role of high performance manager in May 2016 to oversee Sri Lanka’s cricket academy, as well play a key role in identifying and developing young talent.SLC hopes to bring in Willis’ replacement at least two months prior to the end of his term, so as to ensure a smooth transition.

West Ham United will be buoyed by their excellent start to the 2023/24 Premier League season and David Moyes will be hoping it sets his side up for another push towards success this term.

Seven points from nine and seven goals scored while conceding only three is a big improvement on their start to last season, where they lost their first three matches without scoring.

Moyes looks to have a tighter squad this time around and the key will be to balance a hectic schedule up to Christmas which will include both domestic and European matches.

Will this see the Scot delve back into the transfer market in order to add some more strength in depth before the window closes at the end of this week?

Who could West Ham United sign?

The Irons are looking to make another swoop for Conor Gallagher according to Football Insider while Moyes is also aiming to bolster his attacking options by potentially making a move for AFC Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

The club sent scouts to watch the player in action for the Cherries on Saturday as per the same publication as they continue to keep tabs on him ahead of making a potential move before Friday's' deadline.

FI have also stated that West Ham submitted a bid in the region of £35m-£40m last week, and it now appears as though it is a waiting game as they strive to replace Gianluca Scamacca.

How much did West Ham sell Scamacca for?

Moyes sold the Italian frontman this summer following just one year at the London Stadium, recording a loss in the process.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Scamacca joined the Irons for a fee believed to be around £35.5m but then ended up being sold to Atalanta in a £27m deal, a move that has left the club short of attacking options.

The forward scored just eight goals across 27 matches for the Premier League side and never fully settled in London, failing to demonstrate his true talents following his big-money move.

How good is Dominic Solanke?

Solanke could be an ideal replacement, however, especially with his prior experience in the top two divisions.

He has registered 84 goal contributions – 62 goals and 22 assists – in the Premier League and the Championship while winning the former competition during his spell at Anfield.

Having failed to really get a proper chance to showcase his skills on Merseyside, Solanke has developed into a decent striker who certainly knows where the goal is while also creating chances for others.

Last season, the 25-year-old ranked first across the squad for goals and assists (13), shots on target per game (0.9) and big chances created (six), displaying his all-round qualities.

These figures would have ranked him first, first and second across the West Ham squad in the league for the same attacking metrics, and it clearly suggests he’d be an ideal signing for Moyes.

Gary O’Neil, who was his manager at Bournemouth for the majority of last season, praised the player not long after taking charge of the club.

"He's a dream as a centre-forward,” he said. "I think sometimes his work can go unnoticed, because it's difficult to score goals at this level.

"But I'm so pleased he gets his goal, because you ask him to press, he presses, you ask him to do stuff in possession, he does it. He literally does everything he can.

"He's probably the hardest-working centre-forward I've ever seen, and I'm delighted he's put a goal on the end of it.”

High praise indeed for the £50k-per-week gem and with Moyes aiming to add to his squad, Solanke could certainly offer something different to what he already has available at his disposal.

تحدث محمد الشناوي حارس مرمى منتخب مصر، عقب الفوز على بوركينا فاسو بهدفين مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي أقيمت مساء أمس الخميس في تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم.

والتقى منتخب مصر مع بوركينا فاسو، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثالثة، للتصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لمونديال 2026.

وقال محمد الشناوي في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “كانت مباراة مهمة بالنسبة لنا وصعبة، ثلاثة مباريات ب9 نقاط، مع جهاز فني جديد أشكرهم اليوم أنهم منحوني الثقة بالمشاركة، وأشكر اللاعبين على تنفيذ التعليمات، واجهنا فريقا محترما وجيد جدًا، نريد التأهل لكأس العالم مبكرًا”.

طالع أيضاً.. إبراهيم حسن يوضح تفاصيل إصابة إمام عاشور.. ويصرح: نحاول تأجيل السفر إلى يوم السبت

وتابع: “نتواجد في المعسكر منذ 8 أيام، وكنا نبدأ لعب الكرة في مباراة اليوم من الخلف، لكي لا يضغط منتخب بوركينا فاسو”.

وأكمل: “أهم شيء بالنسبة لنا هو اسعاد الجماهير، نريد أن يكونوا متواجدين باستمرار في الملعب”.

وأوضح: “منذ أكثر من 4 أشهر وأنا غائب عن المباريات بسبب الإصابات، وبالنسبة لي أن أكون متواجدا في الملعب شيء جيد جدًا وكنت جاهز لذلك، والجهاز الفني وثق بي بشكل جيد جدًا وكنت جدير بهذه الثقة”.

وأفاد: “أشعر بالضيق لأنني لا يوجد أحد قال لي الحمد لله على السلامة الناس تتحدث من الذي يشارك والذي لا يشارك، فاللاعبين الكبار والصغار عندما يكونوا في إصابة ويعودوا للتدريبات مع أنديتهم أو المنتخب يقال لهم الحمد لله على السلامة، لكن لا أحد قال لي شئ، وهذا الكلام أرميه خلف ظهري ولا أنشغل به”.

وأردف: “أي لاعب يكون متواجدا في الملعب نحن نلعب باسم منتخب مصر منتخب كبير، نحن 120 مليون، عندما نسعد 120 مليون شيء كبير جدًا ويجب احترام الجماهير”.

واستطرد: “اللاعب عندما يكون مصابا يحتاج إلى مساندة من الجمع، أشكر الجهاز الطبي للأهلي ومنتخب مصر، وكل شخص وقف بجانبي لكي أعود لهذا المستوى وأعود من الإصابة سريعًا”.

وأتم: “نفرح اليوم وبداية من غد سنستعد لمواجهة غينيا بيساو وإن شاء الله نعود بنتيجة إيجابية”.

‘Every over they might pick up two wickets, that is the kind of belief they have in their abilities. The team has a belief in them, the team is backing them’

Sidharth Monga in Cape Town08-Feb-20182:26

‘Will not let our guard down for remaining games’ – Kohli

Twenty-one wickets between them at an average of 9.05. A combined economy rate of 3.63. A wicket every 15 balls. India’s spinners have Virat Kohli eating out of their wrists. And the captain is amazed and thankful that they are both winning him matches, so much that he won’t deny they could soon push for places in the Test side, whose incumbents not long ago were the two top-ranked bowlers in the world.”Those are things that are quite a bit away from now,” Kohli said when asked of the Test chances of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, especially away from home. “Look they are obviously making a very strong case for themselves, bowling in these conditions and making breakthroughs like we haven’t seen before. It’s outstanding to see two guys just totally spinning a web around the opposition. There doesn’t seem to be a way out at all. It’s unbelievable. Taking eight wickets today. Outstanding.”I don’t have words to explain this. Credit to them. Both have been working hard on their game. Both are very brave in terms of how they bowl and the kind of fields they want as well. They are very brave tossing the ball and asking the batsman to come out and play a risky shot. Hats off to them but the other debate is a bit away from now. You never know what happens in the future but I am really happy at the moment.”India were obviously hopeful the spinners would do well for them but to this extent? “We knew they will pick up wickets,” Kohli said. “Because wristspinners, these guys have bowled in flatter batting tracks at home. Some might think they have bowled in T20 cricket when the conditions are very very difficult and they have picked up wickets on a regular basis, you know.”Here they felt even better because they were getting bounce. On some pitches like today, it got really slow at the end so they were getting turn as well. They feel at the top of their game when they have the pitches supporting them even a little bit. But they are very brave and even on flatter pitches, wristspinners will also come into play and they have made that difference in the game. They might go for six an over, we knew that, but they will pick up three-four wickets between them. They have done outstandingly well in the last two games picking up a majority of the wickets in both games and being the difference between both sides.”BCCIBoth the spinners have spoken highly of the confidence the captain and the team management have given them. They know they can afford to have an off day and concede 70 in 10 overs as long as the captain knows they are bowling to take wickets. “The thing is very simple,” Kohli said. “They are told to go for wickets at all times. When you are going for wickets you are bowling in areas that are uncomfortable for the batsmen and more often than not they end up defending. When you bowl wide and try to save runs then you give an opportunity to take singles also.”So I think all the credit has to go to them because they’ve executed those lines and lengths perfectly. They’ve always, every over they’ve asked two-three questions of the batsmen, that is something outstanding. I haven’t seen that before. Every over they might pick up two wickets, that is the kind of belief they have in their abilities. The team has a belief in them, the team is backing them.”They might get hit for 70-odd in the next game. But there is no problem in that because you know that if they bowl attacking lines then they will end up picking two-three wickets every game. In these conditions now and we are going to play the World Cup away from home, that I think is going to be the massive X-factor for us.”The biggest acknowledgement is usually the opposition’s. JP Duminy was pretty graceful in admitting the India spinners had South Africa’s batsmen in all sorts of trouble. That they were not picking their wrong’uns, that the India spinners bowled the optimum pace, and that their lengths kept denying them the single down the ground, that batsmen are forced to take risks against them, and then they lose wickets. As Kohli said, this kind of spin dominance in tandem has perhaps never been seen in South Africa before.

Dale Steyn believes the demerit points hanging over Kagiso Rabada has handicapped South Africa’s ability to be as noisy in the field as Australia. In an interview with South African radio station , Steyn said it was like “taking a knife to a gunfight”, and has been a “little bit unfair” on South Africa.Rabada has five demerit points to his name and has already been banned for a Test – the second Test against England last July – and if he collects three more he will be suspended for a minimum of two Tests, something neither he nor South Africa would want to risk. He has not had much verbal presence on the field, especially not compared to Australia, who have talked so much they even tried to get the stump mics turned off by mentioning rival sponsors’ names. Australia’s aggression did not even stop on the field. On the fourth day, David Warner had to be physically restrained by team-mates in the stairwell leading up to the changeroom and CCTV footage showed him shouting at Quinton de Kock.South Africa have had no real riposte and Steyn is thought to be the one player who might show similar anger. When Steyn was asked about his own persona on the field, and if South Africa have anyone else who can do that, he immediately mentioned Rabada, but admitted the young quick has not been as intimidating as he could be.”One other guy that actually gets involved is KG (Rabada) – he really does get stuck in,” Steyn said. “But I think after some of his last few incidents where he got into trouble – he got a ban and a fine and everything like that – he kind of has the handcuffs around him right now, which is a little unfair because if you look at the way some of the Aussies are going about it- and I’m not standing here and complaining, and I hope I don’t get a fine for saying that – but you kind of feel that you are taking out our best competitor, especially with that kind of presence, if you take him out of the game, it’s like taking a knife to a gunfight really. It’s a little bit unfair.”Rabada has only had two moments where it appeared he might become involved in some verbals. After dismissing Warner in the second innings, Rabada gave him a small send-off, but passed his arm over his face to make it difficult to hear or see what he was saying. Rabada also came out of the dressing room alongside Faf du Plessis when Warner was having a go at de Kock but did not say anything. Instead he just loomed large, perhaps with the aim to step in if needed.Meanwhile, Steyn remains on track to make a comeback for the third Test. He has not played any competitive cricket since the first Test against India in January, where he injured his heel on comeback from 13 months recovering from a shoulder injury. Steyn confirmed he is back to bowling but he has to play some first-class cricket before he can make an international return. He hoped he will be “on a cricket field by the end of next week.” He is likely to play for the Titans in a round of franchise matches which coincides with the second Test in a bid to make a return at Newlands, and take the three more wickets he needs to become South Africa’s leading Test bowler.

Liam Livingstone and Joe Root were the only England batsmen to really shine against the pink ball and batting coach Graham Thorpe said it was a reminder of the performances needed

Andrew McGlashan at Seddon Park15-Mar-2018

England had gone into their four days of practice in Hamilton treating it as a Test match. Halfway through, after finishing the two days with the pink ball, they will be hoping things go better at Eden Park next week.In truth, it was always going to be difficult to replicate any sense of intensity in this mish-mash of a fixture, which is essentially glorified middle practice where teams just bat all day. Regardless of how England fare in the two Tests, the game as a whole really needs to address the lack of quality warm-up fixtures for touring sides.Still, and with those caveats in mind, it has not been an impressive two days for England. With the bat the New Zealand XI recovered from 30 for 5, then with the ball managed to take 14 England wickets on the second day, dismissing the likely Test top three of Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman and James Vince twice.Liam Livingstone, who impressed with 88 on his first appearance in whites for the senior side, and captain Joe Root were the only two players to reach fifty (Root’s in his second knock of the day). Alastair Cook, though, looked in reasonably good order and Vince settled second time around.Livingstone, the Lancashire captain, remains unlikely to feature in the Test series and batting coach Graham Thorpe said the fact he was the standout performer was a reminder to the established top order that they don’t have much time to get into shape.”The first two sessions were indifferent for us but it was about getting the guys up to speed and making them aware they’ve got a Test next week,” Thorpe told . “A few of them will be disappointed they didn’t spend longer at the crease.”But Liam Livingstone played very well. He’s been given an opportunity here and has fitted in very well. He’s not in the potential starting XI but he’s shown the head coach what he’s capable of and that’s what you want. For a few of the guys it’s a reminder, a bit of a kick up the backside, that you’ve got to get up to speed pretty quickly.”Before the tour Livingstone, who played two T20Is against South Africa last year, told ESPNcricinfo he was more comfortable as a first-class player. He admitted the day hadn’t gone as planned for England, but was satisfied with his own performance in his first knock since rolling his ankle playing football on the Lions tour of the Caribbean.”It was a bit of a tough day really,” he said. “But a few of us have got what we wanted out of the day. Obviously a few boys have still got another two days to go – so I hope they can get what they need from those.”I was obviously pretty nervous coming on a first England Test tour but I settled in very quickly and felt really good going out to bat today. I felt really relaxed, which is a good thing. It’s been down to the lads who made it really easy for me to settle quickly.”It would probably take an injury for him to come into contention for either Test, so he is keen just to soak up as much experience as he can over the next few weeks.”It’s my job to come out and score as many runs as I can when I get the chance,” he said. “I’m just here with open ears and open eyes to learn off the best players in the world, which we have in our dressing room. It’s a great experience for me whether I play or not. It’s everyone’s dream to play Test cricket and it may not happen this trip, but it’s been great fun getting in and around the lads in this environment.”This match has also been a chance for players in the New Zealand XI to add to their credentials. On the opening day it was Tom Blundell and Kyle Jamieson, then, with the ball, the pace bowlers all impressed with 19-year-old Nathan Smith claiming the handy trio of Livingstone, Cook and Jonny Bairstow. Seth Rance, who has played two ODIs and four T20s for New Zealand, also took three, striking with the new ball at either end of the day.”You watch those guys on TV, then you go out and are bowling and batting against them, so it’s pretty special,” Rance said. “You have to pinch yourself and take time to enjoy the moment, but at the same you want to do well and push your case for higher honours.”The players involved in these first two days who are in the New Zealand Test squad – Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Henry Nicholls and Colin de Grandhomme – now head to Mount Maunganui for a two-day training camp. Their replacements, and those that remain such as Rance, now have two days with the red ball to try and make life difficult for England again.

Newcastle United might be on the up under the tutelage of Eddie Howe, but littered across St. James' Park are the remnants of a less prosperous past.

True, it's still early into the new dynasty at the Premier League club, with the affluent PIF takeover transforming the hopes and dreams of a proud and prestigious outfit, but already the difference from the pitch to the boardroom is clear.

Newcastle has been restored, with the footballing marriage of technical director Dan Ashworth and manager Howe paying off to a tee, having navigated away from relegation peril in the ex-Bournemouth manager's first season on Tyneside before eclipsing expectations with a sensational top-four finish last term, resulting in Champions League qualification.

The early results of the present season have not gone in Newcastle's favour, with a 5-1 victory over Aston Villa on the opening day followed up with three successive league defeats, but it's inevitable that this talented squad will click soon and start to climb the table in search of European qualification once again.

As stated, there are, however, certain utility members of the squad who could do with discarding and upgrading, with the likes of Javier Manquillo among those on the periphery under Howe's stewardship, something that doesn't look likely to change any time soon.

How much did Newcastle sign Javier Manquillo for?

Having previously featured on loan with Liverpool and for Newcastle's bitter rivals Sunderland, Manquillo made the £4.5m move to St. James' Park in 2017, penning a permanent transfer from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

His acquisition was made with the view that he would aid the club in cementing a position in the English top-flight, having achieved an instantaneous return to the big time with a first-place finish in the Championship, relegated the year prior for the second time in eight years.

That maiden year on Tyneside, he did earn 20 league starts, however, with just four coming during the second half of the campaign, when Newcastle's form picked up; in fact, seven of United's 12 Premier League victories came with Manquillo as an unused substitute, hardly evoking high levels of confidence.

He has now made 110 displays for the Magpies across all competitions since first penning a contract, though given how fleeting his action has been over the past few years, he is effectively just steadily draining the club's cash, earning a wage to sit on the fringe.

What is Javier Manquillo's salary at Newcastle?

Given that Manquillo is not a regular name on the teamsheet, it's somewhat surprising that he is on a salary of £35k-per-week, putting him on a similar wage to first-teamer Fabian Schar (£40k-per-week) and the same deal at Jacob Murphy (also £35k-per-week), who has been described as "so important" by his manager.

Indeed, despite not holding a particularly alarming injury record under Howe, he has only made 19 appearances since the 45-year-old's appointment in October 2021, playing just 33 minutes of league action last term – sidelined as an unused substitute on 24 occasions.

When combining the transfer fee paid with the dripping outlay of Manquillo's salary, it's gathered that Newcastle have consigned £16m to oblivion for an ace to have barely made a mark.

While such does not appear a particularly large amount in the modern game, it's a reminder that he has cost over £10m in wages across his six years at St. James' Park.

And indeed, even when he does earn time under the lights, his performances have left the likes of pundit Jamie Carragher criticising his "Championship" level defending, also branding him "really poor".

How good is Javier Manquillo?

While Manquillo was once deemed a prospect exciting enough to earn a loan move to Liverpool, even though they were at their nadir in the term preceding Klopp's arrival, he failed to impact a struggling Reds team and only chalked up 19 appearances, seeing his two-year loan spell cut short after not featuring in the Premier League beyond December.

Playing just 22 times for the Black Cats the year before his move to Newcastle, Manquillo did score on his final outing against Chelsea, albeit in a chastening 5-1 defeat.

The versatile defender was allegedly "told he's allowed to leave" this summer, according to one report, but no move materialised and it now looks likely that he will sit the 2023/24 season on the periphery before departing on a free transfer when his contract expires in June.

The report continued to claim that Newcastle had even offered a gentleman's proposal to allow him to depart on a free transfer, cutting his stay short by one year amid interest from LaLiga outfit's Girona and Getafe, with Manquillo said to be pushing himself for a return to his homeland.

For whatever reason, it didn't happen, and with journalist Luke Edwards rebuking him for his “awful” defending just months after Howe's arrival, it's evident that he lost his manager's backing right from the get-go.

Having yet to feature in any capacity within the matchday squad thus far this campaign, the prospects of pitch time for the 29-year-old Spaniard grow slimmer by the week.

This summer, Howe bolstered his full-back ranks with exciting young talents Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, both previous Player of the Year holders with Chelsea's academy, and given that the likes of club captain Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Matt Targett and even Paul Dummett still reside on Tyneside, Manquillo might be moored in the shadows for a while longer.

Perhaps Manquillo might feel that his decision to reside on Tyneside is justified following the club's qualification to the Champions League, which is now but a stone's throw away.

However, the dynamo can only watch from the sidelines having not been included in Howe's final continental squad, set to miss out on the most exciting phase of the club's new direction; surplus to requirements.

It would be a prudent move for the full-back to depart the club as soon as he can, salvaging his career and forging a new chapter that might warrant some more time on the pitch.

At Newcastle, under Howe, he has barely made a mark, and the chances of a Toon resurgence for his ill-fortuned full-back are indeed infinitesimal.

Manchester United's summer transfer business was heavily focused on the present, with the likes of Andre Onana and Mason Mount arriving to bolster Erik ten Hag's options right in their primes.

Things haven't quite gone to plan for the Premier League giants so far this season, however, with three losses in their opening five games representing a disastrous start.

Those at Old Trafford could be set for a positive boost yet, though, with the Red Devils keeping a keen eye on future talent, perhaps in an attempt to avoid any significant collapses such as the one they are currently experiencing.

With that said, according to reports, Manchester United recently sent scouts to watch one particular star for the future, amid their interest in securing his signature.

What's the latest Manchester United transfer news?

Even when the transfer window is shut, a club of Manchester United's calibre does not stop seeking reinforcements, particularly when in poor form. During the summer, they spent a reported €207m (£178m) on welcoming a total of seven fresh faces, hoping to mount a potential title challenge.

Their 3-1 loss against Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford shows that they are anything but ready to join the title race, with injuries, off-field issues and poor form bundling the pressure on Ten Hag to turn things around.

The Red Devils could at least give their fans some good news in January, however, with reports suggesting that they're interested in Red Bull Salzburg youngster Oscar Gloukh.

According to The Sun, via Football365, United sent scouts to watch Gloukh's performance for Israel against Romania, in a game that saw the teenager score a crucial goal for his country aiming for Euro 2024 qualification.

Any deal for the Salzburg man may prove to be difficult, given that he only made the move from Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Austrian club in January. The Premier League giants are also not the only club interested in Goukh, with Liverpool and Arsenal also interested in the 19-year-old.

Who is Oscar Gloukh?

A midfielder by trade, Gloukh has impressed for Red Bull Salzburg since making the January switch, with eight goal involvements in just 25 appearances. He'll only get better at the Austrian club, too, who have developed talents such as Erling Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai in recent years. If Gloukh reaches anything near the level of those two, then United, should they pursue a move, could have themselves a game-changer.

Praising the youngster, Football Talent Scout wrote: "As for his role, Oscar is a pure playmaker that’s distinguished with qualities to operate either an “8”, a “10” or a winger.

"At 170cm tall, he has a low center of gravity, which contributes to his balance and changes of direction, is technically gifted, and is quite agile. In contrast to the rest of the Israeli talents, he has an extremely unique and complete profile, which seems to fit top-flight football."

With that said, whilst they'll face a fight for his signature, if United can secure the signature of Gloukh in January or next summer then it could go down as one of their best deals in recent years.