All posts by h716a5.icu

Dale Steyn believes that the departure of Makhaya Ntini from South Africa’s Test team has been the making of his new new-ball partner, Morne Morkel

Andrew Miller12-Jan-2010Dale Steyn believes that the departure of Makhaya Ntini from South Africa’s Test team has been the making of his new new-ball partner, Morne Morkel, who has been one of the outstanding players of the series so far, claiming 12 wickets at 25.83 with his unsettling pace and bounce from a good length.Though he’s been a fixture of South Africa’s Test side for two years, Morkel has only recently allied a disciplined line and length to his natural fast bowler’s attributes of height and speed, and he has been notably successful against England’s captain, Andrew Strauss, whom he has dismissed in each of the three Tests to date.”He’s been around for a long time, but Morne has taken that shift up since Makhaya has left the side,” said Steyn. “He’s had to step up to the plate and he did that in Cape Town, taking five in the first innings, then bowling together in partnership with me in the second.”That’s a great step-up for Morne, and it will do massively for his confidence because he’s always had that ability, but he needed that push and with somebody like Makhaya being away, his career is really going to kick-start going forward. In the past he was able to relax and rely on guys like Jacques Kallis and myself to do the main work, now he has to lead the attack with myself being the two senior guys.”However, Steyn does not believe that South Africa has seen the last of Ntini, whose appearance at Durban was the 101st Test of his 12-year career. “Makhaya still is fantastic,” he said. “He probably lost a little bit of edge going into the series, but everyone loses a bit of edge at times in their career.”But that’s not to say it is the end of his career,” Steyn added. “He took five wickets for the Warriors against the Eagles last week, and I’m sure he will be back. He needs to make sure his head is in a good space, because I’m sure the selectors won’t be leaving him out for the India tour coming up, and the Twenty20 World Cup going forward.”Makhaya has been a great bowler for South Africa for many years,” Steyn added. “I have learnt so much from him, and words can’t explain what he brings to the side.”For the time being, however, there will be a new face in the South Africa line-up at Johannesburg. Following Friedel de Wet’s withdrawal with a back injury, the 20-year-old left-arm seamer, Wayne Parnell, is set to make his debut, and Steyn for one is looking forward to seeing how he takes to Test cricket.”Wayne is a good prospect, everyone loves a left-arm quick because they offer something different,” he said. “He’s skiddy and quick, almost a mirror image of myself coming from the other end, and he swings the ball nicely as he’s shown in the one-day games.”He’s a fantastic find for South African cricket because we haven’t had a lot of left-arm quicks around of late. He has a bright future ahead of him, and if he can bring his one-day form into the longer version he could be in the side for a long time.”

Memphis Depay was a player who promised so much but delivered so little following his arrival at Manchester United in 2015, but more than three years on since the transfer blunder it appears Ed Woodward is plotting a move for another rising star from PSV Eindhoven. 

The Dutch Eredivisie is notorious for its unpredictability: players who thrive in Holland seldom emulate their form after moving to the Premier League – although there are notable exceptions to the rule in the shape of Luis Suarez, Robin Van Persie and Dirk Kuyt.

After finishing the 2014/15 campaign with an exceptional return of 22 goals and five assists from 30 Eredivisie appearances, United parted with £25 million to secure Memphis Depay’s signature in 2015.

His electric form in Holland convinced the vast majority of United supporters and football pundits to tip him for a glowing career at Old Trafford, but reality fell hopelessly short of the expectation which preceded his debut campaign.

But, despite Depay’s slump at United, which eventually resulted in a £21.7 million switch to Lyon just 18 months after he signed for the club, Woodward is interested in signing the next big thing to emerge at PSV, according to a recent report from De Telegraaf.

The report claims that United had scouts in attendance on Sunday afternoon to watch Steven Bergwijn in action against FC Emmen – a game in which the 21-year-old provided the assist for Angelino to put PSV 2-0 up with little under 20 minutes remaining.

Bergwijn’s assist took his assist tally to eight for the season from 17 fixtures, and combined with the nine league goals he’s scored this season it’s easy to understand why United are expressing an interest.

But, despite Bergwijn’s statistical credentials, Woodward must use the mistakes from his often shambolic transfer history to shape United’s policy moving forward.

With that said, a potential bid for Bergwijn should be abandoned until he has proven himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, as Depay’s inability to transfer his electric form in the Eredivisie to the Premier League proves how difficult it can be to make the gargantuan step up to a club of United’s international standing.

United’s disjointed and frankly incompetent approach to the transfer market in recent years suggests something has to change if they want to join Manchester City and Liverpool in the title race next season, but signing Bergwijn would merely represent a continuation of the flawed recruitment system which has seen United regress since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

Manchester United fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Cricinfo previews the Super Eights match between England and New Zealand in St Lucia

The Preview by Andrew Miller09-May-2010Match FactsMonday, May 10, St Lucia
Start time 1330 (1730 GMT)Kevin Pietersen’s absence is a boost for New Zealand, as they seek a victory to secure their semi-final place•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureThe team who perpetually punch above their weight in global competitions versus the most notable under-achievers of the lot. This is a contest that – barring disasters – should count for little for one of the protagonists, England, but for the other, New Zealand, it will make or break their progression to the semi-finals.The Kiwis know all about the last four – it’s their spiritual home in ICC events, having reached those heights in five World Cups, three Champions Trophies and the inaugural World Twenty20 to boot. And, having recovered from a sound thrashing at the hands of South Africa to squeak past Pakistan in a one-run thriller on Saturday, they will hope they have enough momentum to notch up a second victory, and keep their noses in front of both South Africa and Pakistan, whose earlier clash will have spelt out their exact run-rate requirements before the toss.It promises, however, to be a tall order against a team that (astonishingly by their usual standards) are shaping up as the wild cards of the competition. After their soggy start in Guyana, England have put together two seriously impressive victories in the Super Eights, not least Saturday’s 39-run trouncing of the much-fancied South Africans.With a wide array of attacking batsman, a battery of seamers who use the short ball well, and two canny spinners in Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy, they have men for all occasions, and the confidence that comes with success. If England are ever to break their duck in ICC events, they will surely never have a better balanced unit than the one they currently boast. But for this particular fixture, they’ll be missing Kevin Pietersen due to the birth of his child, and whether they admit it or not, the near-certainty of their progression is likely to dent their competitive edge just a touch. New Zealand know they couldn’t hope for more favourable circumstances as they take on the group leaders.Form guide (most recent first)New Zealand WLWWT
England WWNLLWatch out for…Craig Kieswetter has been a busy second fiddle in the tournament to date. In a measure of the effectiveness of England’s new-look batting line-up, his figures of 105 runs in 100 balls have come at the second-slowest strike-rate of anyone in the top six, but he’s done his job admirably nonetheless, biding his time when both Michael Lumb in Guyana and Pietersen in Bridgetown were batting at full throttle. He’s got his eye in now, however, and as he showed in his debut ODI series in Bangladesh, when he’s gauged the conditions, he can be unstoppable.England know all about Jesse Ryder. Until he put his arm through a toilet window on their tour of New Zealand in 2008, he was the talk of the series, as he and Brendon McCullum linked up in an irresistible partnership at the top of the ODI order. He’s been his country’s top-scorer in the Caribbean as well, although that’s not saying much – his tally of 84 runs at 21 barely sneaks him into the tournament’s top 20. But if his muscle memory serves him well, he’ll recognise and enjoy the offerings of Sidebottom, Broad et al.Team newsIan Butler’s inclusion against Pakistan proved a masterstroke, as he kept his nerve in a fraught final over to deliver victory with final figures of 3 for 19 in four overs. His pace and height proved naturally suited to the lively Barbados surface, so it will be instructive to see how the St Lucia conditions compare. But he’s done more than enough to justify another appearance.New Zealand (possible) 1 Brendon McCullum, 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Gareth Hopkins (wk), 7 Daniel Vettori (capt), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Ian Butler, 11 Shane Bond.England have been unchanged throughout the tournament, but that now has to change, with their star batsman, Pietersen, returning to the UK for the birth of his son. Ravi Bopara is the natural stand-in at No. 3, while Ryan Sidebottom has cemented his place ahead of James Anderson following his three-wicket haul against South Africa.England (probable) 1 Michael Lumb, 2 Craig Kieswetter, 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Luke Wright, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Graeme Swann, 9 Michael Yardy, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Ryan Sidebottom.Pitch and conditionsBeausejour proved to be a high-scoring surface during the Group stages, with India tonking South Africa for 186 and Australia taking 191 off Pakistan’s bowlers. Sunny conditions are forecast, albeit with the occasion threat of showers, but it looks like being another venue for winning the toss and batting.Stats and trivia These two teams have previous in Beausejour, for this was the venue of their opening fixture in the 2007 World Cup. New Zealand won the contest by six wickets, but England stole the headlines, thanks to the post-match pedalo exploits of a certain Andrew Flintoff … England have enjoyed the better of their meetings with New Zealand in Twenty20 cricket … but not in the matches that matter. Despite winning three of their four encounters to date, they lost by five runs in Durban in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa, a result that lifted New Zealand towards the semi-finals, and sent England towards an early exit.Quotes”It’s not all hot air and bluster. I genuinely think, for the first time looking at a team, we can actually win this.”
Graeme Swann is rarely short on confidence, but he’s liked what he’s seen from England so far

“We knew we were a little under par but we back ourselves as a bowling and fielding unit, that has always been our strength in any form of the game.”
Daniel Vettori reflects on the gritty display that earned New Zealand a vital one-run win over Pakistan.

Ruben Neves has established himself as an important player for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and his consistency in the team has attracted the attention of other Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, and now the midfielder has spoken out on the rumours.

What’s the word?

The 24 year old Portuguese player did an interview with Record addressing his future with Wolves and his thoughts on the transfer rumours circulating about him.

According to Portuguese newspaper, Record (via Sport Witness);

“It’s normal in football. Whenever there’s a transfer market there’s a lot of talk, but my goal and focus are on Wolverhampton and I’m not going to change that, things have been going really well for me.”

He added: “I still have a lot to learn, I have a lot to give here. The future will be seen soon, I like to live in the present and I’m happy, I feel great at Wolverhampton and I’ll focus here, because if I do things right I’m sure the future will be bright. My goal will always be to give my best and give even more for the club.”

Neves has had eighteen appearances this season for Wolves in all competitions, with one goal and one assist to his name so far in their current Premier League campaign.

Fans will be buzzing

Ruben Neves has offered up 191 appearances so far for the club with 21 goals and 11 assists from his defensive midfielder role, staying loyal to the club after joining them in the Championship back in July 2017.

Fans would see a move away from the club as a huge loss with some taking to Twitter after the Manchester United transfer rumours began. One supporter reacted to the rumours,  tweeting: “The thought of Neves leaving Wolves is so so so sad man.”

Lage could make his first big mistake by allowing a bid for the £36m-rated gem, to distract from the path Wolves have worked so hard to get on, from the Championship to the top half of the Premier League table which the 24 year old midfielder has been a part of, every step of the way.

The transfer window opens in just a few days now and the Wolves manager will need to determine not only the players he wants to add into the team in January, but also make a clear decision on which players he would be happy to let go of, without the consequence of failing to continue their impressive run of form in the league in the second half of the season.

In other news: Luke Hatfield drops claim on Rayan Ait-Nouri

Julian Gressel has explained why the Lionel Messi-led ex-Barcelona clique at Inter Miami is not a problem, with there no divides in the camp.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Argentine icon moved to America in 2023Joined by a number of familiar facesMartino working with happy camp in FloridaWHAT HAPPENED?

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi completed a stunning move to the United States in the summer of 2023. He has been joined at Chase Stadium by former Camp Nou colleagues Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. That quartet are understandably close, but they have not broken away from the rest of Tata Martino’s squad.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT GRESSEL SAID

USMNT star Gressel has said, per , of the iconic foursome that continues to capture the imagination in Florida: “Of course they are good friends. We all know that. That's why it's completely normal that they are a little more connected. They have achieved a lot together and the families get along well too. That's why naturally they work a lot in a group of four. But they are very integrated, they take the whole team with them and make a lot of jokes. We had barbecues together. This is a completely normal team structure, like in any other team of which I was a member.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While considering Messi to be one of the guys in Miami, Gressel admits that working alongside the all-time great does take some getting used to. He added on that process: “Of course at first it seems a little surreal. You don't even know what to expect. And it's hard to realize all this right now. And that's how it still is, if I'm honest. It's hard to put into words what you feel. But so far everything is going well, he is a very nice guy. It is easy to talk to him, and even joke. And of course the quality of the place is incredible. Being there so close is really great and a great experience for me.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Gressel went on to say of the aura that surrounds Messi: “The first time I saw him he was in the locker room. I came in, said good morning and introduced myself, I said I was Julian. And he said, 'I'm Leo', in such a way that everything fits together. He's a normal boy, a shy boy who doesn't talk much now. But it's crazy, generally crazy to play with him. Of course he is an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and, in my opinion, the best player who has ever played. That's why he is special and he also has a special status, which is also completely normal. But as a team-mate and as captain is really good and approachable in a normal way. He's a really nice guy and a normal family man.”

Roundup of Under-19 World Cup warm-up games

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2012Seamer Gurinder Sandhu and batsman Jimmy Peirson starred in Australia’s 71-run win over Scotland in Brisbane. Australia put up 315 runs after Peirson smashed his way to a 123-ball 128. Scotland stayed in contention during the chase, courtesy Mathew Cross’ 104, but Sandhu’s five-wicket haul, which included a hat-trick, finished the contest.Sandhu’s effort overshadowed Scotland left-arm seamer Aman Bailwal’s 5 for 52; he ran through the Scotland’s middle and lower-order as the last six wickets fell for four runs to eliminate Scotland’s chances of an upset.In a last-over thriller, captain and opening batsman Chad Bowes’ 104 not out carried South Africa to a four-wicket win against Bangladesh. When the sixth wicket fell in the last ball of the 49th over, South Africa still needed 10 runs to win. But a nerveless No. 8 Prenelan Subrayen, who smashed a six in the last over, helped them reach home with a ball to spare. For Bangladesh, Al-Amin shone with both bat and ball; he scored a 73-ball 60 and later picked up a couple of crucial wickets.Naresh Budayair’s 114 wasn’t enough to help Nepal beat the target of 268 against New Zealand, as the team fell short by 19 runs. In a spirited chase, Nepal was well on course after opener Subash Khakurel, who scored 59, and Budayair added 129 for the second wicket. But only one other batsman made a double-figure score as New Zealand came back into the match by picking wickets regularly. With Budayair’s wicket in the 48th over with 37 runs to win, Nepal lost their chance to inflict an upset.New Zealand’s innings revolved around captain Will Young, who scored 97, and middle-order batsmen Henry Walsh, who scored a half-century, and wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher. Seamer Saurav Khanal took three wickets.Left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh’s five for 32 helped India dismiss Afghanistan for 219 to allow India to record a 52-run victory. India’s innings was based on three half-centuries by the top three batsmen – Prashant Chopra, captain Unmukt Chand and Baba Aparajith. Their innings faltered later with the last five wickets falling for 38 runs, as they ended up with 271 for 7.Afghanistan got off to a positive start with an opening stand of 42 runs, and half-centuries by captain Javed Ahmadi and Shabir Noori seemed to be guiding them towards victory. But a flurry of wickets, similar to the Indian collapse, with seven wickets falling for 56 runs as Harmeet ran through the middle and lower-order, put paid to their hopes.Zimbabwe collapsed for 89 against England to lose by 131 runs, with only three of their batsmen registering double-digit scores. They were in deep trouble at 31 for five before Campbell Light and Nyasha Mayawo briefly led a recovery with a 29-run stand, but the contest was over by then, with a target of 221 well out of reach. Seamer Brett Hutton took three for 28 in his nine overs; Shozair Ali, captain Adam Ball and Tom Knight were the other wicket-takers.Hutton also shone with the bat, with 55 off 66 balls, to rescue his side after they were eight down for 167 in the 42nd over.In a low-scoring match, a six-wicket haul by offspinner Tharindu Kaushal ripped apart Ireland’s middle-order, allowing Sri Lanka to win by 50 runs. A 55 by Ireland opener Ryan Hunter, which was the highest any batsman had scored in the match, was the only contribution of note. Wickets fell regularly throughout the match but unlike Sri lanka, Ireland couldn’t string small partnerships together. Apart from a 65-run stand for the second wicket there was little the Ireland batsmen could offer.The highest scorer in Sri Lanka’s innings was 29 by opener Pabasara Waduge, but with four batsmen scoring in the 20s, and 32 extras, they reached 188.West Indies crushed Namibia under a weight of a commanding total of 328, limiting them to 182 to win by 146 runs, thanks to a century by Sunil Ambris, half-centuries by captain John Campbell and Anthony Alleyne, and contributions from fast bowlers Ronsford Beaton and Marquino Mindley.For Namibia, No. 3 Jano Coetzee put up a resistance with 89, but four wickets by Beaton and three by Mindley put paid to Namibia’s hopes. Beaton destroyed the top-order, reducing Namibia to 41 for 3, and Mindley took the final few wickets to complete the win.Pakistan opener Sami Aslam scored a 99-ball 132 to guide them to an eight-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea. Aslam’s century contained 22 fours and three sixes as Pakistan reached the target of 195 in the 33rd over. For Papua New Guinea, opener Lega Siaka, who scored a century in their previous warm-up game against Nepal, top-scored with 46, as middle-order batsmen Dogodo Bau and Nigel Boge struck a 91-run partnership to help them reach 194. Legspinner Usman Qadir took three wickets.

It’s difficult to envisage Celtic shelling out £10million to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers permanently, journalist Stephen McGowan says. 

The lowdown

Centre-back Carter-Vickers is currently on a season-long loan from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

He’s started 10 of Celtic’s 15 SPFL matches to date and all five of their Europa League fixtures.

According to WhoScored, he’s been the Hoops’ fifth-best performer in the league so far.

But Record Sport claim they will have to shell out an eight-figure sum to make the loan permanent.

That would break Celtic’s transfer record, which currently stands at the £9.27million they paid for Odsonne Edouard back in 2018/19.

The latest

McGowan, The Scottish Daily Mail’s chief football writer, says Carter-Vickers would be a ‘quality’ long-term addition, but he doesn’t expect Celtic to meet Spurs’ demands.

“I maybe just wonder if a Carter-Vickers and a Jota, just those couple of pieces of quality they should prioritise rather than in gambling on the Ismaila Soro-type settings,” he said on Clyde One Superscoreboard, via Celts Are Here.

“But £10m? Again, I repeat, I don’t know if that figure’s accurate or not. I really don’t.

“I think that’s a bit rich, and I couldn’t really see Celtic paying that anyway.”

The verdict

Carter-Vickers is ‘doing really well’ at Parkhead and has established himself as a ‘key player’, Paddy Kenny says.

But will Celtic be willing to break records to keep him? They did turn a near-£14million profit transfer-wise in the summer, and they’ve paid big money for defenders before: Christopher Jullien cost them £7.2million in 2019.

And there’s also a possibility that Spurs struggle to offload Carter-Vickers for the stated price tag and agree to compromise. Indeed, Danny Mills has told the Hoops to make an effort to ‘renegotiate’.

Perhaps there is a deal to be done.

In other news, is this a statement of intent from Celtic?

Manchester United have made their worst defensive start to a season in 60 years after conceding three goals against Galatasaray on Wednesday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

United lost lead to draw 3-3 with GalatasarayHave now conceded 33 goals in 20 matchesTheir worst record since 1962-63WHAT HAPPENED?

United surrendered a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 with the Turkish side, putting their Champions League campaign in danger with one game left of the group stage. The Red Devils have now conceded 33 goals in all competitions this season – their worst record after 20 matches since they let in 43 in the 1962-63 season, according to .

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Conceding three goals in such a crucial game puts more pressure on goalkeeper Andre Onana and coach Erik ten Hag. The Cameroon international did not cover himself in glory with the goals, particularly Hakim Ziyech's second free-kick. Onana got a hand to the ball but failed to keep it out, making it 3-2 and allowing Galatasaray to go on and seal a vital point later on.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ten Hag's team have taken just four points from their five Champions League matches and need to beat Bayern Munich in their last game and hope that Galatasaray fail to beat Copenhagen in the group's other match. United have endured a tough start to the Premier League campaign, too, as they sit sixth in the table, conceding 16 goals in 13 games.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

The Red Devils hope to bounce back and secure a third consecutive Premier League victory on Saturday when they visit Newcastle at St James' Park. Newcastle, who beat Chelsea 4-1 last week, are seventh in the table and a point behind United.

Everything you need to know about Napoli's Nigeria talisman Victor Osimhen.

Victor Osimhen is a Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Napoli and the Nigerian national team. Born on December 29, 1998, in Lagos, Nigeria, Osimhen started his football career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy before moving to Europe to play for various clubs.

Osimhen's breakthrough moment came in 2015 when he led the Nigerian U-17 team to victory in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he was awarded the Golden Boot and the Silver Ball. This performance caught the attention of various European clubs, and he eventually signed for Wolfsburg in Germany in 2017.

Despite struggling at Wolfsburg, he found his footing during a loan spell at Charleroi in Belgium, scoring 20 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions. His exploits took him to Lille in 2019 before eventually being snapped up by Napoli in 2020 for €70 million.

Osimhen has also represented the Nigerian national team at various levels, making his debut for the senior team in 2017. He has since established himself as a key player for the Super Eagles, scoring several crucial goals in their qualification campaigns for major tournaments

Osimhen is known for his physical strength, pace, and clinical finishing, which makes him a nightmare for opposition defenders. He is also proficient in the air and possesses excellent dribbling and ball control skills, making him a complete striker.

Here are 13 interesting facts about Osimhen that you absolutely need to know?

Getty ImagesYoungest of six siblings

Born in Lagos on 29th December 1998, Victor was the last of the six children. His parents have their family origin from Southern Nigeria, precisely Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State in Nigeria.

He grew up alongside his brother Andrew and 4 other siblings in Olusosun, asmall community around Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

AdvertisementGod is good

Osimhen has an interesting story behind the meaning of his last name.

In the native Ishan language, his family surname "Osimhen" means "God is good."

From African nursery team to big European club

When he broke out with the youth team, Wolfsburg registered their interest in the striker. Osimhen was transferred from Ultimate Striker Academy, a local club in Lagos, to German club VfL Wolfsburg for $3,970,225 on January 1, 2017. 

He was one of the most expensive players to be signed directly from an African nursery team to a big European club, thanks to the transfer fee.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Breakout star at the U17 World Cup in 2015

Osimhen was an integral part of the Nigerian side that won the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile. His 10 goals in seven games at the tournament and his incredible goalscoring record coming into the tournament made heads turn all across the globe.

He finished the tournament as the highest goalscorer, winning the Golden Boot along with the Silver Ball for his standout performances.

Which African All-Stars could be part of the Red Devils’ reconstruction under their incoming Dutch coach?

Getty ImagesTen Hag signs on

Erik ten Hag has finally been confirmed as the new Manchester United manager, ending months of speculation as to who will be the next man in the Old Trafford dugout.

The scale of the rebuilding job on his hands is massive given how far United have fallen behind their rivals and, just on Tuesday, interim manager Ralf Rangnick said the club could need up to 10 new players to get to where they need and want to be.

As Ten Hag plots his transfer targets, GOAL's Joel Omotto looks at six African players who could help his rebuilding job.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesEdmond Tapsoba

Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones cost United a combined fee of nearly £200 million yet the club badly needs a defender.

United’s leaky backline has conceded 48 goals in the Premier League this season, the highest among the top 10, a damning indictment on their recruitment.

They can start getting it right by bringing in Burkina Faso defender Tapsoba, who has been in impressive form for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Tapsoba is a ball-playing defender who is good in one-versus-one situations while also athletic, features none of the current United centre-backs possess.

Unlike Varane, Bailly and Jones, who cannot keep injuries at bay, Tapsoba has no such troubles as he has already featured in 60 Bundesliga games since joining Leverkusen in 2020, giving United continuity and stability.

ProshotsNoussair Mazraoui

Another area that needs a makeover is right-back, where Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot have failed to impress over the last three years.

The two offer little going forward and are not defensively sound, making Morocco’s Mazraoui an upgrade for this position if Ten Hag opts to raid his former team.

Going for a former player would make adaptation easy for Mazraoui since he understands the Dutchman’s philosophy.

Mazraoui is good at keeping the ball and has no problem bombing down the wing while providing pin-point crosses, something United have lacked for years.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesYves Bissouma

The Mali central midfielder, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion, possesses everything that United do not have in the engine room.

The six-foot-tall defensive midfielder is a towering presence who is good at reading the game and adept at progressing the ball through long and short passes which will allow United to play through the lines in Ten Hag’s favoured possession-based 4-3-3 system.

He will not come cheap though since Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be interested, but United could finally find a replacement for Michael Carrick if they managed to get Bissouma.