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Injury expert Ben Dinnery has been reacting to injury news on Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Digne’s injury

The Frenchman added to Steven Gerrard’s Villa injury problems during the international break. L’Equipe claimed that the defender suffered a possible stress fracture to his right ankle following initial examinations and missed UEFA Nations League fixtures against Austria and Denmark as a result.

However, the same outlet have since added that the player could be back in mid-October with the problem not as bad as first feared.

The Latest: Dinnery’s comments

Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding Digne’s injury.

He said that if Digne has suffered a stress fracture, as was ‘reported’, he could be looking at a four-to-six-week absence and not a two-week timeframe.

“It was French outlet L’Equipe that reported it was a hairline fracture of the ankle.

“I am always a little bit wary of foreign outlets reporting injury news. There have been a lot of examples of timelines going a little bit awry.

“If that were the case, he would return to Villa for a full evaluation and assessment. If that was revealed to be the case, I can’t see the two-week timeline being realistic.

“If it is a fracture, I would be looking between four and six weeks at best, it could be mid to late October. At worst, it could be creeping up to November.

“But we need to know the precise nature of the injury. At the moment, we are just going by what’s reported.”

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

It looks as if Digne will almost certainly miss Sunday’s trip to Leeds United, but hopefully, he can return in good time prior to the World Cup.

The 29-year-old hasn’t missed a minute of Premier League action so far and has been a key member of the squad after joining from Everton earlier this year.

Villa have nine fixtures prior to the break, so having Digne available for some of those could prove crucial for Gerrard and the player himself, who will be looking to be on the plane to Qatar.

Summer signing Ludwig Augustinsson may have to fill for Digne over the coming weeks, though, and it’ll be interesting to see the timeframe Gerrard gives to the media.

West Ham United have made an offer to sign Club Brugge youngster Arne Engels, according to Football Transfers. 

The lowdown: Busy in the market

The Hammers are seemingly desperately attempting to strengthen their ranks prior to the September 1 transfer deadline and midfield would appear to be a top priority.

Despite making a strong start to their Europa League Conference campaign having qualified for the group stage with a resounding 6-1 aggregate victory over Viborg, the early Premier League form is of concern.

Already linked with Lucas Paqueta and Hans Vanaken, Rob Newman and David Moyes are now also eyeing up a move for Engels before the end of the window…

The latest: Offer rejected

As per Football Transfers, West Ham are understood to have made an ‘initial approach’ for the 18-year-old Belgium youth international.

That move was rejected, though it’s claimed that Brugge ‘could be willing’ to sell Engels due to the teen being in the last 12 months of a deal at the Jupiler Pro League outfit.

The youngster – who is described as a ‘big talent’ – would go into the Under 23 side to begin with.

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The verdict: Make it happen

Still part of Club NXT, Brugge’s reserve team playing in the Belgian second tier, Engels remains an unproven quantity at the elite level but the type of prospect that the London Stadium hierarchy should be looking to add to the ranks.

Overall, the nine-cap Belgium Under 19 starlet has scored five times and provided three assists in 31 outings across all domestic youth levels, highlighting an eye for impacting games in the final third from an advanced midfield position.

Holding an estimated market value of £315,000 and with a dwindling contract (Transfermarkt), this should prove a relatively inexpensive outlay for West Ham and would bolster the group of academy talent in situ in east London, perhaps in turn offering additional options to Moyes moving forwards.

Fulham are one of several Premier League clubs vying for a wantaway striker…

What’s the word?

According to French publication L’Equipe, Olympique de Marseille are preparing for the exit of Bamba Dieng.

As well as the Cottagers, Everton and Newcastle United are also said to be interested, and all ‘have spoken’ with the club and his entourage over a deal.

The French club are hoping for an offer of between €12m (£10.1m) and €15m (£12.6m) to take the 22-year-old.

Imagine him and Mitrovic

Having earned promotion last season, Marco Silva can certainly accredit a large portion of his success to the remarkable goalscoring feats of Aleksandar Mitrovic

His record-breaking 43 Championship goals in 44 games made for an astonishing return, as the 27-year-old led his side to the title with some ease.

Bringing in this Senegalese talent as well could perhaps offer some much-needed backup for the Serbian, or even someone to play alongside as their play styles could certainly complement one another.

Dieng’s eye for goal would instantly make him another threat, as he bagged seven in his first full season in Ligue 1. The goalscoring foundations are clearly in place for him to grow with each passing season, and learning from the man already at the club would prove an invaluable experience.

Mitrovic has started this season well too, with an opening day brace against Liverpool nearly handing them a shock win against last season’s second-placed side.

It is clear that he is primed for another big season, and some added competition for his place is certain to incentivise him to continue this form.

Where Dieng could definitely help his potential strike partner is his uncanny ability to win headers, as he ranked in the top 7% for aerials won per 90. This, combined with his shots total, of which he ranks in the top 2%, suggests that with a quality delivery he will constantly threaten no matter who he plays.

However, his flick-ons could also provide devastating, as he would hopefully isolate the current Fulham striker with just one centre-back. We all saw what he did to Virgil van Dijk when in a one-v-one situation, who is arguably the best defender in the world at the moment.

This “serious talent” in the words of journalist Graeme Bailey has all the ability to one day light up the Premier League, with his sheer physicality giving him all the basics needed to succeed in England.

Dieng has shades of Mitrovic in his play style, and perhaps Marco Silva could have found the perfect player to emulate him and spread the goalscoring burden from his shoulders.

Newcastle United are ready to bid for Premier League wingers Jack Harrison, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, according to The Northern Echo journalist Scott Wilson.

The Lowdown: Howe wants a new winger

Eddie Howe has set his sights on signing a winger before the transfer window closes later this summer as Newcastle look to bolster their squad options ahead of a push for European football.

Bayer Leverkusen attacker Moussa Diaby has been heavily linked with a move to St James’ Park, but the Bundesliga club’s £60m price tag has proven too much for the Tyneside outfit, forcing them to look elsewhere.

It is reported that the Magpies are hoping to strike a deal for a wide player with a fee around the £25m mark.

The Latest: Wilson’s transfer update

Wilson has shared the latest news on Newcastle’s pursuit of a fresh wide-man for Howe’s squad in a report for The Northern Echo, outlining one significant obstacle that PIF will need to overcome.

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article, the reliable journalist claimed: “TRANSFER LATEST: #NUFC ready to bid for three different Premier League targets – Jack Harrison, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes – but none currently fall within their price range and, at this stage, their respective clubs are in no mood to budge…”

The Verdict: Unlikely…

Whilst all three players would appear to be useful additions to the Magpies’ ranks, the proposed transfer fees could force Dan Ashworth to look elsewhere.

With Everton’s stance being that Gordon is not for sale and Leicester valuing Barnes at £50m, this would seem to make Leeds winger Harrison the most attainable target.

However, considering Jesse Marsch’s £35m valuation of the ex-Manchester City forward, this deal will also require lengthy negotiations to get over the line.

Therefore, whilst those could be good signings for Newcastle, a deal may prove to be too difficult to execute, so the Toon should have other targets in mind before it is too late to bring anyone else in.

Newcastle United have seen several new players make moves to St. James’ Park in the January transfer window and the early stages of the summer market.

One figure that joined Eddie Howe’s ranks back in January that didn’t take long to become a big hit at the Tyneside club is Kieran Trippier.

Signed from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £12m, the right-back scored two goals in his first four Premier League appearances for the Toon.

Unfortunately, the Englishman picked up an injury that kept him out of action until May, when he was then able to make two appearances before the end of the campaign.

In fact, with an overall performance rating of 7.38/10 from WhoScored, the England international ended the season as Newcastle’s highest-rated player.

With next season in mind, one player that the Toon could look to bring in this summer that would give Howe the chance to create a formidable duo on the right-hand side of the pitch is PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke.

Last month, it was reported that Newcastle are one of the clubs in the top division with an eye on signing the attacker.

After spending time in the youth ranks of both Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, the Englishman joined PSV back in the 2018 summer transfer window.

With 114 appearances for the Dutch club across their senior and youth sides, the 20-year-old has scored 36 goals and supplied 27 assists along the way.

In 34 appearances last season, Madueke found the net nine times and delivered six assists, all of which came whilst playing on the right-wing.

To further highlight what sort of player he is and what he’d be able to offer Howe on the pitch, former PSV midfielder Tommie van de Leegte had this to say about the youngster. “He’s fast and has the capability to trick his opponent. He brings creativity and is very explosive in his actions.”

This shows how a right-hand side duo of Trippier and the England youth international could be a deadly force for Newcastle.

Having already been linked with a £20m return to England last summer, Madueke would surely be a fine addition to Newcastle’s ranks.

AND in other news: Howe can land huge Almiron upgrade with Newcastle bid for “fearless” £18m-rated target

Reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has shared the latest update on Christian Eriksen’s potential return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The Lowdown: Eriksen’s Spurs career

The Denmark international departed Hotspur Way in January 2020, joining Serie A giants Inter Milan on a four-and-a-half-year deal.

The attacking midfielder made a stunning 305 appearances for the Lilywhites, in which time he contributed 69 goals and 90 assists, so it is no surprise he’s been dubbed a ‘superstar’ after his return to action this season.

With his contract at Brentford set to expire at the end of the month, Eriksen has received a lot of interest ahead of next season, including plenty from Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici.

The Latest: Gold’s update

Gold has now shared the latest update on Tottenham’s pursuit of Eriksen, amid rumours linking the Dane with a move to Manchester United or with an extended stay at the Bees.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed: “Here’s the latest update on the Christian Eriksen situation for you. Understand Spurs were last in contact with his camp two weeks ago but have not followed that up since. Full details below, including all the interested clubs.”

In the adjacent article, Gold reports that United, Everton, Newcastle, Leicester, West Ham and Brentford have made contact for a deal with the midfielder, as well as Ajax and one unnamed La Liga side.

With his family settled in London, there had been suggestions that the former Inter man was initially keen to remain in the capital, but that is no longer thought to be the case, with so many options on the table for the experienced Premier League midfielder.

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The Verdict: Do it!

Whilst Eriksen hasn’t played too much football in recent times, the Dane ranks in the 99th percentile for assists, expected assists and shot-creating actions when compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year (via FB Ref), showing he is still a dominant creative force.

With Tottenham’s qualification for the Champions League, Conte will be needing more reinforcements to keep his squad in good condition during a hectic playing schedule next season, made even worse by the winter World Cup.

The arrival of someone like Eriksen, with a wealth of experience at the top level, could allow the Italian to rotate a number of options in his attacking ranks, making this a good signing for the Lilywhites and one that injects a big dose of end product into the squad.

In other news: Michael Bridge drops Clement Lenglet transfer claim

Fabrizio Romano has dropped a claim on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Raphinha.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite Barcelona having already agreed personal terms with the Leeds United winger, the LaLiga side are yet to agree on a fee with the Whites in order for the 25-year-old’s proposed switch to the Camp Nou to go ahead.

The transfer insider goes on to state that all three of Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea have also made contact with Leeds regarding a move for the Brazil international in the summer transfer window, with the Whites expected to demand a figure in the region of £75m in order to part with the forward ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

In his tweet, Romano said: “Raphinha situation. Barcelona agreed personal terms with Raphinha, but no agreement on fee with Leeds. Arsenal are in direct negotiations with Leeds, interested since March. Both Chelsea & Tottenham have been in contact too. Fee could be around 65/75m.”

Supporters will be buzzing

While it is true that Fabio Paratici does not currently appear to be leading the race for Raphinha’s signature this summer, Romano’s claim that the Italian sporting director has been in contact with Leeds concerning a deal for the winger is nevertheless certain to have left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful buzzing.

Indeed, the £40.5m-rated talent has more than proven his ability at the highest level of the English game since his £17m move to Elland Road back in October 2020, scoring 17 goals and registering 12 assists over his 65 Premier League appearances for the Whites.

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Furthermore, according to FBref data, the £63k-per-week attacker also ranks in the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for progressive passes per 90, as well as the top 22% for shots, the top 34% for xA, the top 32% for shot-creating actions and the top 35% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

The Brazilian also works exceptionally hard in a defensive capacity, with FBref ranking Raphinha in the top 9% for blocks per 90, as well as the top 21% for interceptions, the top 24% for clearances, the top 33% for tackles and the top 40% for pressures over the past 12 months.

And, considering these returns came while playing for a team who only avoided relegation from the top flight of English football by three points last season, it is undeniable that, should the Brazilian link up with the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in the Tottenham attack next time out, his metrics would greatly improve.

As such, Romano’s suggestion that Spurs are pursuing a deal for the £75m forward this summer will undoubtedly be an incredibly exciting update for both supporters of the club and Antonio Conte alike.

AND in other news: Conte now given green light for “unbelievable” £40m Spurs deal, imagine him & Bissouma

Wolves have made Barcelona midfielder Nico Gonzalez one of their top targets this summer if they are to lose Ruben Neves during the upcoming transfer window.

What’s the story?

That’s according to reports from Sport (via Barca Universal), claiming that the 20-year-old could be used in a deal to lure Neves to the Nou Camp, with the Spanish giants interested in signing the Portugal international.

It has been suggested that the Blaugrana are favourites to sign the Wolves midfielder this summer, with the 25-year-old likely to be allowed seek pastures new after five years of service if the right fee was to be received.

However, they could benefit from allowing the Portuguese midfielder to join Barcelona by making one of their top targets in Gonzalez part of the deal, with Oscar Mingueza and Riqui Puig also mentioned to be potentially included in a deal with the La Liga giants.

Wolves must sign Nico Gonzalez

Despite being just 20 years old, Gonzalez has been a regular for Xavi’s side this term, making 36 senior appearances across all competitions. Although most of his appearances have come as a substitute, the Spaniard is well regarded in Catalonia, having come through the ranks at La Masia.

With characteristics of a box-to-box midfielder, the 20-year-old averaged a 90% passing accuracy in La Liga this term from 33.6 touches per game, with over half of his appearances coming from the bench.

Labelled “spectacular” by Cesc Fabregas, Gonzalez has shown promise defensively with 1.1 tackles, 0.4 clearances and 0.2 interceptions per match, whilst being excellent on the ball with 1.3 successful dribbles per game at a 79% completion rate.

Neves may not be the only midfielder leaving Molineux this summer, with 35-year-old Joao Moutinho yet to sign a contract extension at Wolves and his current deal set to expire at the end of June.

Even if the veteran does extend his stay in the Black Country, he is 36 in September and a long-term replacement will be required, with Gonzalez being an excellent candidate.

At just 20 years of age, the Spaniard has made 36 senior appearances, all of which coming this season in what has been an impressive breakthrough campaign.

With an excellent footballing education at La Masia, Gonzalez should only improve even further and could eventually become a mouth-watering option for Wolves in the not too distant future, if they can perhaps use him as a sweetener in the potential sale of Neves.

AND in other news: Wolves now closing in on “special” £23.4m-rated signing, it could be bye-bye Neves

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has just been handed a major boost in the hunt to sign Inter Milan star Stefan de Vrij this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes move…

The Italian, who is reportedly plotting a major overhaul at Spurs over the next transfer window, has allegedly targeted Inter’s central defensive ace as part of his summer plans for the Premier League side.

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De Vrij was a mainstay in Conte’s 2020/2021 Scudetto-winning side with reports claiming that the 52-year-old wants to bring his former star to north London.

Indeed, Tottenham are firmly in the mix for de Vrij as his San Siro contract continues to run down.

Currently set to expire in 2023, the Dutchman is entering his final year at Inter, prompting clubs to sit up and take note – including Spurs and transfer chief Fabio Paritici.

The Latest: Conte gifted boost…

According to Football Insider, an extremely promising update has now come to light, with Inter now willing to green-light his sale at well under half of his original price tag.

As per their ‘recruitment source’, the cash-strapped European heavyweights have told de Vrij he can leave for just £15 million.

That’s £25m less than what they were previously demanding at £40m, opening the door for Spurs and other interested clubs to snip the colossal defender at a bargain price.

The Verdict: Take advantage…

A centre-half is said to be one of Conte’s major priorities this summer and sealing de Vrij’s signing at such a meagre price would certainly go some way to appeasing the ex-Chelsea boss.

Lauded as a would-be ‘unbelievable signing’ by journalist Dean Jones, the 30-year-old proved his quality under Conte at Inter last season – making more clearances per 90 than any Inter player in Serie A (WhoScored).

He also completed a brilliant 93.8% of his passes out from the back, highlighting his composure and assurance as an elite, ball-playing defender who would seriously upgrade Tottenham’s backline.

While his age indicates he wouldn’t be too much of a long-term option, de Vrij could certainly plug gaps in the meantime, and for £15m Spurs have little to lose.

In other news: Source: Conte now green-lights exit for ‘perfect’ Spurs player who ‘100%’ wants to quit! Find out more here.

Bangladesh sprang a surprise with an unusual opening pair, who added a century stand, but Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav combined to throw them off their plans

Shashank Kishore in Dubai28-Sep-201820:26

Manjrekar: Jadhav has been a bonus for India in the Asia Cup

Rohit Sharma empowers his fast bowlers. He doesn’t chirp instructions by their side even if he’s inside the ring. He’s pretty laidback – often misconstrued for laziness – on the field, so when he gesticulated animatedly towards Yuzvendra Chahal in the fifth over, it was a sign that his mind was ticking much faster than the opponents have allowed it to all tournament.For the first time in the Asia Cup, a batsman had given Jasprit Bumrah the charge. Bhuvneshwar Kumar hadn’t looked threatening enough either. Bangladesh’s makeshift opening pair of Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan had put together 33 in five overs and it was time for Plan B for India.Rohit hasn’t been averse to introducing spin early, so when he brought in Chahal for the next over, it wasn’t exactly out-of-the-box. But Liton’s attempt to throw him off his plans may have been largely because a circumspect approach hadn’t paid off – he had four single-digit scores in his last five innings and an ODI average of 14.06 left his ODI spot hanging by a thread.Chahal had bowled in the Powerplays for the first time for India here in Dubai, but he’s used to bowling in this period for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the IPL. He tosses them up, expecting batsmen to go after him, a ploy that has worked for him. Here, however, Liton was a step ahead. In his second over, he cleverly got inside the line of the ball and used the skid off the pitch to muscle two sixes into the leg side.At the end of the 10th over, Liton and Mehidy had put on 65, thirteen more than the partnership aggregate of Bangladesh’s openers in their last five ODIs. Most of Liton’s plans were fuelled by Mehidy’s solidity. This was just his first innings as an opener in any form of cricket – first-class, List A or T20s – a move seemingly to lengthen Bangladesh’s batting line-up because they had went in with five genuine bowlers. But, Chahal wasn’t the only one who was attacked.Liton welcomed Ravindra Jadeja with a disdainful slap through cover point for a 33-ball half-century that had Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, punch his chest in delight in the dressing room. He would have been out two balls later had Chahal not dropped a catch back-pedalling from midwicket. India were feeling the pressure. The spinners, their enforcers here, didn’t have the cushion of a Powerplay stifle that their fast bowlers had given them before in the tournament.Associated PressBangladesh milked runs to the spread-out fields as an unlikely opening pair raised a century stand. Against Kuldeep Yadav, both Liton and Mehidy got right to the pitch of the ball while driving. Jadeja’s strengths can also be a weakness against set batsmen because when he offers pace on the ball, it becomes hittable on surfaces with not much bite. When Bangladesh were 116 for 0 in 20 overs, the three frontline spinners had combined figures of 12-0-70-0.When there’s turbulence, India have a back-up option in Kedar Jadhav, and he produced a wicket with his fifth delivery: another innocuous length ball. David Warner, Kane Williamson, Steven Smith, Babar Azam and Tamim Iqbal are among the more accomplished batsmen who have been teased into a trap by Jadhav.Jadhav saw Mehidy trying to pierce the off side, and pushed his first few deliveries slightly quicker. Then, as if he had expected Mehidy to cut, he shortened his length and bowled it slower, not allowing him to get onto the frontfoot. When Mehidy saw a rank long-hop at 58mph, he salivated at the prospect of finding the boundary when perhaps a more accomplished batsman would have bunted the ball to the vacant midwicket region. He lost his shape and ended up spooning a catch to cover.This was Rohit’s trigger to attack again, and he recalled Chahal, who went back to his traditional route – flight. He got one to spin back in to beat a feeble Imrul Kayes push to trap him lbw. Three overs later, Mushfiqur Rahim, who is adept at rotating the strike in the middle overs, pulled a long-hop to deep square leg to give Jadhav his second wicket. In trying to prove they were going to be positive all through, Bangladesh drilled themselves into a hole. When Mahmudullah slog swept Kuldeep to deep midwicket, Bangladesh had collapsed from 120 for 0 to 151 for 5.Liton, who saw wickets tumble around him, was tiring, and was forced to delay his slog. He was now like a ticking bomb ready to launch into the bowling, but dissuaded by his fears of playing a wrong shot after having finally found his feet as an ODI batsman. The authority in his batting paved way to doubts in shot selection. Within a few winks, 102 off 93 had become a run-a-ball 111. Then, he tried to hit out and was out six balls later after being deceived by Kuldeep’s flight.Liton had accounted for 64% of Bangladesh’s runs when he was dismissed, but India had wrested control. The insipid start by the spinners had turned into a telling spell. Jadhav, who had bowled only one nine-over spell in his ODI career before Friday, finished with 9-0-41-2, while Kuldeep ended with 10-0-45-3. This was yet another middle-overs mastery by the slower bowlers, who set it up for their powerful batting line-up.