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The ECB pulled Wood out of IPL 2024 to manage his workload ahead of the T20 World Cup and Tests against West Indies and Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2024

Shamar Joseph led West Indies to a historic Test win at the Gabba•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph has joined Lucknow Super Giants as replacement for England quick Mark Wood. He will join Super Giants for INR 3 crore, an IPL statement on Saturday said.ESPNcricinfo understands that the ECB pulled Wood, a centrally contracted player, out of IPL 2024 to manage his workload, with the T20 World Cup scheduled in June and England hosting West Indies and Sri Lanka for Tests in the home summer. Recently, the ECB had prevented Jofra Archer from being a part of the IPL 2024 auction as it manages his comeback from injury leading up to the T20 World Cup.Super Giants had signed Wood in the auction before the 2022 season for INR 7.50 crore. He, however, missed that season because of an elbow injury. In IPL 2023, Wood played four matches and picked up 11 wickets at an average of 11.82.Joseph made his West Indies debut in the drawn series against Australia, dismissing Steven Smith with his first ball in Test cricket, in a game West Indies lost in Adelaide. He then became a worldwide phenomenon when he took a seven-wicket haul in the final innings despite an injured foot to give West Indies a dramatic eight-run win at the Gabba in the second Test. It was West Indies’ first Test win in Australia since 1997.Joseph had been signed by Dubai Capitals for the ongoing ILT20 season before West Indies’ tour of Australia, but was subsequently ruled out because of the toe injury he suffered in the Brisbane Test when a Mitchell Starc yorker struck him. But his performance in Australia has since landed him a deal with Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL, which starts on February 17.While Joseph has just played two T20 games in his professional career, and doesn’t have a wicket to show yet, West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy has indicated that Joseph could find a berth in the T20 World Cup squad, saying the fast bowler has “created a good headache” for the selectors.Apart from Joseph, the Super Giants’ fast-bowling line-up has Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, David Willey, Shivam Mavi, Yash Thakur and Yudhvir Singh. They also have allrounders Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers and India’s Under-19 World Cupper Arshin Kulkarni, who can give them quite a few overs. Though just two seasons old in the IPL, Super Giants have been one of the best-performing teams, making the playoffs and finishing third both in 2022 and 2023.

Tom Abell has stepped down from the Somerset captaincy with immediate effect, after struggling for form during the 2023 season.Abell, 29, was handed the Somerset captaincy ahead of the 2017 season, and led the club to victory in the 2019 Royal London Cup, and a trio of runners-up spots in red-ball competitions – a second-place finish in the County Championship in 2018 and 2019, and the final of the Bob Willis Trophy in the Covid-affected summer of 2020.Somerset did collect silverware in 2023 with victory in the Vitality Blast – however, Lewis Gregory had taken over the reins from Abell following their run to the semi-finals in the previous season, and with a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Championship coinciding with a downturn in his own form, Abell has decided to relinquish his role.”I’m stepping down with a heavy heart,” Abell said. “As a Somerset boy it’s been a massive privilege to captain the club and the experience has been incredible. It’s not been an easy decision, but I’ve thought about it a lot and I believe that it is in the best interests of the team and the club. Sometimes change can be a good thing and I think that now is the right time. My decision is entirely based on what I feel is best for us moving forward.”During the last seven seasons there have been some great times and some tough times. I’m so grateful for the support that I’ve received, and Andy Hurry and Jason Kerr have been tremendous allies. I’ve had a tremendous support network behind me, especially my family, and I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of some great teams with some great players, who have helped to keep me in the job for so long!”Abell came close to securing international honours earlier this year, when he was named in England’s white-ball squad for their tour of Bangladesh in March, only to withdraw with a side injury.”I didn’t have a great season in 2023 and it can be tough to lead when you’re not necessarily content with your own performance,” he said. “This will give me the opportunity to get back to where I need to be, which is contributing to Somerset winning games of cricket.”Hurry, Somerset’s Director of Cricket, said that Abell had led the club with “distinction” during his seven seasons in charge.”Everyone connected with Somerset will agree that he has been an absolute credit to the club both on and off the field,” Hurry said. “His conduct, commitment, leadership and dedication have been exemplary during his time in the role, and he has written himself into the history of the club forever.”

The Black and Gold forward could return to France this summer, according to a new report

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• Lille reportedly targeting Giroud for summer transfer
• Frenchman's contract expires end of 2025
• Has struggled in MLS since joining in summer 2024
• Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ligue 1 side Lille are reportedly targeting LAFC striker Olivier Giroud for a summer transfer, according to Tom Bogert. French news outlet L'Equipe reported earlier Wednesday that Giroud was the subject of interest from Lille upon the end of his contract at the conclusion of the MLS season, but a summer deal could now be on the cards, ending the Frenchman's time in MLS after just one season.

  Giroud, 38, has only scored five goals across all competitions since signing for LAFC in the summer 2024. In their last 16 regular sason matches, he has only started five of them.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  If Giroud were to leave LAFC, it would open up a Designated Player slot, while like providing a solution that benefits both parties. The 38-year-old has not adapted to MLS well and has struggled to maintain a starting spot or find any scoring prowess in the league.

  LAFC were participants in the FIFA Club World Cup, but were eliminated in the Group Stage of the competition. Giroud started one match, and came off the bench in the other two as the lost to both Chelsea and Esperance de Tunis, and drew Flamengo.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Giroud is France's all-time leading scorer internationally with 57 goals.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GIROUD?

  LAFC next take the pitch on Sunday against Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps.

The YouTube sensation attended the opening Club World Cup game wearing Ronaldo’s face on a shirt during the Herons’ clash against Al Ahly

• Speed maintained his trademark Ronaldo loyalty despite attending Messi's match
• He asked Sergio Aguero to help him meet Messi, but he was rejected
• YouTuber also meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  YouTube sensation IShowSpeed attended an Inter Miami match during the FIFA Club World Cup while prominently wearing a Cristiano Ronaldo shirt despite Lionel Messi being the headlining star. During the game, Speed approached former Argentina and Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero, asking for assistance in meeting Messi. Rather than facilitating the meeting, Aguero playfully teased the YouTube star about his choice to wear his former teammate's rival's jersey, creating a lighthearted moment of rejection that quickly went viral.

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• WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTED

  IShowSpeed tried to get Messi's attention in the Hard Rock Stadium tunnel, but was ignored by the Argentine as he walked toward the pitch.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This encounter exemplifies how social media personalities are reshaping traditional sports fandom and access. Speed has built his online persona largely around exaggerated Ronaldo fandom, turning his sports preference into entertainment. The moment also reflects how the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry continues to resonate globally despite their star-power on the field slowly fading as they grow older.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Inter Miami drew 0-0 to Al Ahly in their opening game of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and will face FC Porto next on June 19 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

A change in PCB leadership could be imminent as the management committee led by Najam Sethi begins the last two weeks of its tenure, and the leading contender to replace him is his old rival and former board chairman Zaka Ashraf.On June 7, Sethi met Pakistan’s prime minister Shahbaz Sharif at his residence in Islamabad to brief him about the PCB’s progress over the last five months. A few kilometres away, Ashraf had a meeting with the federal minister for inter-provincial coordination (IPC), Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari, who acts as a conduit between the PCB and the government. With the IPC being the ministry that deals with sports in Pakistan, Mazari confirmed Zaka was being nominated to head the PCB.Sethi and Ashraf have history tussling for the PCB leadership; the two of them were involved in a protracted legal battle for the position in 2013 and 2014. That issue was settled when former prime minister Nawaz Sharif ousted Ashraf and brought in Sethi. Now, Sethi is backed by the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML – N) while Ashraf has the support of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and both parties are part of the coalition that has formed the country’s government.Related

• Regional elections: PCB plays down conflict-of-interest concerns

• Arthur announced as Pakistan team director in part-time role

• Ramiz Raja removed as PCB chairman

“When this government was formed, it was decided that parties [in the alliance] who have respective ministries will have a say in naming the man for the respective job,” Mazari said on Wednesday. “Hence, IPC is with PPP, so we will have our man [in the PCB]. Also, Sethi’s nomination [for the full term] is a conflict of interest as he is heading the management committee tasked to carry out elections but they are becoming a part of the process and getting them elected.”The management committee headed by Sethi has been running the PCB since Ramiz Raja was removed as chairman and the board’s 2019 constitution was scrapped in December last year. Sethi’s committee was initially given 120 days to bring back the 2014 version of the PCB constitution and reinstate the regional and services structure in domestic cricket. The committee was also given a mandate to form a board of governors and elect a chairman.Over the last four months, Sethi has been instrumental in hiring a predominantly overseas coaching staff for Pakistan, with Mickey Arthur as part time director of cricket.Sethi’s committee was then given a two-month extension to complete its tasks and that extension will end on June 22. Its biggest undertaking was to conduct elections across all of Pakistan’s provinces. It required the PCB to form a board of governors comprising ten members: four out of the 16 regional representatives, four representatives of services organisations, and two members directly nominated by the PCB patron, which is the prime minister. The term of each member of the BoG is three years – equivalent to one term of the chairman.The committee wasn’t far from completing the process but ran into legal trouble after several regional clubs lodged complaints that questioned the fairness of the election process. Three members of the management committee – Tanvir Ahmed, who has been elected president of Larkana region; Gul Zada, from Peshawar region; and Shakil Sheikh, who is in the running in Islamabad – working from the PCB headquarters are at the centre of the issue.Once the board is formed, the prime minister will use his discretion to nominate two names, of which one will become PCB chairman through an electoral process within the board.

Big picture: Beware of MI’s explosive middle order

When Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore first met in the opening week of IPL 2023 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis had a 148-run opening stand as RCB hunted down 172 with considerable ease. While du Plessis and Kohli continue to churn out runs for their side, the lack of sizeable contributions from outside the top three and the safety-first approach of the top order has come into sharp focus.There can be no room for conservative batting at the high-scoring Wankhede Stadium against a Mumbai Indians line-up that has Tim David, Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. They didn’t click on a slightly two-paced pitch in Chennai, but beware of Mumbai’s middle order at the Wankhede, especially if they chase. Mumbai have won four of their six matches while chasing this IPL.However, the pressure continues to mount on Rohit Sharma, who has managed only five runs in his last four IPL innings at an average of 1.3 and a strike rate of 26. He dropped himself down to No.3 against CSK on Saturday, but ended up bagging another duck. Overall, nobody has more ducks in the IPL than Rohit (16). Can he break out of the funk on Tuesday?Related

• Shastri on Rohit: 'You can go flat no matter who you are'

• Do Kohli and RCB need to rethink their batting approach?

Both Mumbai and RCB currently have ten points from as many games, and with the season approaching its pointy end, they will be desperate to rise above the mid-table jam.

The big question

Team news: Will Tilak be fit?

Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2023, with Chris Jordan named his replacement*. Tilak Varma had missed Mumbai’s fixture against CSK on Saturday with an injury, according to Rohit. It remains to be seen if he has recovered sufficiently to play on Tuesday.

Form guide

Mumbai Indians: LWWLL
Royal Challengers Bangalore: LWLWW

Impact Player strategy

Mumbai might hand a franchise debut to Jordan or recall Jason Behrendorff in place of Archer. They could bring in one of their spinners as an Impact Player in place of Suryakumar when they bowl, or vice versa.Mumbai probable XII: 1 Ishan Kishan (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Cameron Green, 4 , 5 Tilak Varma/Tristan Stubbs, 6 Nehal Wadhera, 7 Tim David, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 , 10 Jason Behrendorff/ Chris Jordan, 11 Akash Madhwal, 12 Arjun Tendulkar/Arshad KhanRCB are likely to start with Kedhar Jadhav if they bat first and replace him with Harshal Patel once he’s dismissed or at the innings break.RCB probable XII: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Mahipal Lomror, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Anuj Rawat/Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 , 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 , 10 Karn Sharma/Vyshak Vijaykumar, 11 Josh Hazlewood, 12 Mohammed Siraj

Stats and Trivia

• Legspinner Piyush Chawla has a good record against du Plessis in T20 cricket. Chawla has dismissed him twice in seven innings while conceding only 52 off 55 balls.
• Suryakumar has dominated Mohammed Siraj in T20 cricket, hitting him for 48 runs off 22 balls at a strike rate of 218.18 while being dismissed once.
• David hits a boundary every 3.3 balls at the Wankhede. He has smashed 21 sixes and nine fours in 98 balls at the venue in the IPL.

Pitch and conditions

Expect another easy-paced, bash-through-the-line pitch at the Wankhede. Teams chasing have won three of the four games so far at the venue this season. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the match.*GMT 7.05am: The preview was updated with information on Jofra Archer’s availability in the IPL

Alejandro Garnacho has hit out after Manchester United’s Europa League final loss as his brother slammed Ruben Amorim for dropping the Argentine.

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• Man Utd lose Europa League final to Spurs
• Garnacho hits out after being dropped by Amorim
• Star's brother also takes aim at Man Utd coach

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United’s horror season had been hinging on their ability to win the Europa League, as despite struggling domestically, Amorim’s side had made their way into the final against Tottenham Hotspur. However, it was yet another disaster for the Red Devils as they slump to a 1-0 loss to the Lilywhites after Brennan Johnson’s scruffy first-half goal.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  For the final at San Mames, Amorim made the decision to drop Garnacho to the bench with Mason Mount starting instead. The decision came as something of a shock as the Argentine had started all of United’s matches in the knockout stages of the Europa League, and the 20-year-old has now questioned the Portuguese coach's decision while also opening up about the Red Devils' 'sh*t' season.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT GARNACHO SAID

  According to TyC Sports, Garnacho said: "It's obviously tough for everyone after this season, which was really sh*t, both now and after losing the Community Shield. We didn't beat anyone. Up until the final, I played every round, I helped the team. Today, playing 20 minutes… I don't know.

  The Argentine also remained cryptic when asked abouthis future with United, as he said: "The game has an influence, but the season itself and the situation at the club… I'm going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Garnacho's brother, Roberto, also slammed Amorim for dropping Garnacho for the Europa League final against Spurs. On Instagram, Roberto wrote: "Working as no one else, helping every round, coming from two goals in the last two finals, just to be on the pitch for 19 mins and get thrown under the bus. Wowe, hahahahahaha."

  Instagram (@rrobber7)

Having recruited so well from the Championship in the past, Crystal Palace have now reportedly set their sights on two impressive second-tier stars ahead of the summer transfer window.

Crystal Palace transfer news

The Eagles are once again soaring after Oliver Glasner a year on from when he arrived and turned their season around. Following initial struggles to replicate that form, the Austrian has got his side firing on all cylinders once again and Jean-Philippe Mateta wheeling away in celebration more often than not in what has been another key change in fortune.

Now eyeing a potential top-half finish, those at Selhurst Park will be keen to build on current form when the summer transfer window arrives. After already welcoming Romain Esse on a permanent basis from Millwall and Ben Chilwell on loan from Chelsea in January, Palace could seek further improvements.

Once again, those improvements could come courtesy of the Championship too, as talents continue to follow in the footsteps of Eberechi Eze and now Esse towards South London.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now plotting a double swoop to sign Hayden Hackney and Rav van den Berg from Middlesbrough this summer.

Crystal Palace plotting double signing of two young international forwards

Crystal Palace are keen on signing two players from the same club in the summer transfer window.

ByBrett Worthington Feb 24, 2025

The duo have both impressed in the Championship this season and have deservedly earned the interest of Palace, who could win the race for their signatures. Hackney, in particular, will not come cheap though. Boro reportedly value their defensive midfielder at as much as £20m this summer, but as Palace look to replace Will Hughes, he could be worth every penny.

Dubbed “great” by manager Michael Carrick last season, Van den Berg is impressive in his own right. Amid recent rumours once again linking Marc Guehi with a move away this summer, the 20-year-old could emerge to instantly solve Glasner’s centre-back problem.

Hackney is good enough to replace Hughes

With contract talks yet to prove successful, Glasner is set to have a Hughes-shaped hole to fill when the summer transfer window arrives in what will be a frustrating blow. The former Derby County man has become an important figure at the heart of the Austrian’s midfield, but as he potentially departs, the future of Palace’s midfield could arrive in the form of Hackney.

Starts

30

18

Progressive Carries

2.71

1.02

Progressive Passes

10.6

4.26

Ball Recoveries

6.67

5.45

Without Hughes, there may be concern within Selhurst Park that Palace are about to lose their safest midfielder and often the man left to win possession back for his side. But not only is Hackney perfectly capable of replicating both of those traits, he’s performing those tasks more often than the Palace midfielder – albeit in the Championship.

What’s most impressive is that the Boro star progresses play extremely well. One criticism of Hughes – especially when looking at the numbers – is that his passing range is almost too safe and too limited at times. Hackney, by contrast, sets his sights forward more often than not.

So, if Palace are seeking a replacement for Hughes – an heir to his midfield throne – then Hackney should be the man in waiting.

As with all clubs, Tottenham Hotspur have made their fair share of ill-thought-out and expensive signings over the years.

The likes of Richarlison, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, while not necessarily bad players, are all examples of transfers that proved to be a massive waste of funds.

However, aside from the Brazilian, at least most of the club’s poor investments have been taken off the books in recent seasons.

That said, there is a player who joined the club in 2020 for a sizable fee and has since seen his valuation crater, so when he does eventually leave N17, it will be for an enormous loss.

Spurs' 2020 signings

While it would be fair to describe Tottenham’s signings in 2020 as mixed, that would imply there were at least a couple of successes in there, and the loaning in of Gareth Bale was certainly one of those.

The Welsh icon returned to North London for the 20/21 season, and while he wasn’t the same player who left, he was still a great addition to the squad.

For example, in 34 appearances, totalling just 1680 minutes, the Cardiff-born star racked up an impressive tally of 16 goals and three assists.

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.78 games or every 88.42 minutes.

A far less successful signing that summer was Matt Doherty, who joined the North Londoners from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £14.7m deal that August.

Unfortunately for the Irish international, he would make 71 appearances for the first team across the next two and a half seasons, only to have his contract terminated by mutual agreement in January 2023, after which he joined Atlético Madrid for an even more unsuccessful six-month stint.

However, while Doherty’s time with Spurs was ultimately a failure, at least the club was able to cut their losses early and move on, which cannot be said about another player signed that summer.

Market Movers

The Spurs signing worth millions less today

There were a few other signings that didn’t work out from the summer of 2020, such as Carlos Vinicius and Joe Rodon, but neither of those players ended up costing Spurs too much in the long run.

The same, however, cannot be said for Sergio Reguilón, who joined the North Londoners in September that year for a fee of around £28m.

Things started well enough for the Spaniard, as in his first campaign for the Lilywhites, he ended up making 36 appearances, in which he provided five assists, and then for much of his second year with the club, he remained the first-choice left-back, making 31 appearances, scoring two goals and providing three assists.

However, towards the end of that season, he picked up a groin injury and then, at the start of the following season, he was sent on loan to Atlético Madrid, where a combination of injuries and lacklustre form saw him make just 12 appearances across all competitions.

The following year saw him spend the first half of the campaign on loan with Manchester United, where he played just 12 games, and then the second half of the campaign on loan with Brentford, where he made 16 appearances, including one against West Ham United, where a particularly bad foul saw Gary Neville brand him “absolutely ridiculous.”

Spurs

72

2

8

Logroñés

43

7

1

Sevilla

38

3

5

Real Madrid

22

0

3

Brentford

16

0

4

Atletico

12

0

0

United

12

0

0

This season has seen the Madrid-born full-back remain in North London.

However, it’s crystal clear that Postecoglou does not rate him, as even though he’s been fit, the Australian has handed the Spaniard just 242 minutes of first-team football across five appearances, and that was only likely down to the club’s defensive injury crisis.

Unsurprisingly, two years of underwhelming loan moves and being completely frozen out of the first team this season has seen the 28-year-old’s valuation plummet, with Football Transfers now valuing him at up to €8.5M, which comes to about £7m, or a whopping £21m decrease on what he cost Spurs in 2020.

Ultimately, signings can and often do fail, but we can’t help but imagine Tottenham would have been much better off selling Reguilón for a small loss a few years ago, as with his £53k-per-week contract expiring in the summer, he now looks set to leave for nothing.

He's a "future £100m" ace: Ange struck gold with "outstanding" Spurs phenom

The incredible talent will be a star with Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 19, 2025

Arsenal’s goal to sign a new number nine before the 11pm deadline remains very much alive, with an update on their chances now emerging courtesy of Sky Sports this morning.

Arsenal target new striker for Mikel Arteta before the deadline

Throughout the last month, Mikel Arteta and co have been tipped to bring in a new centre-forward to ease the pressure off Kai Havertz.

Romano: Arsenal hold late exit talks over exit for £110k-p/w "top player"

The Gunners could be busy in the final hours of the transfer window.

ByBen Browning Feb 3, 2025

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon sensation Viktor Gyokeres, Botafogo’s Igor Jesus and others have been linked with moves to the Emirates throughout this transfer window, but time is now running out for interim sporting director Jason Ayto to get a prolific option through the door.

Arsenal also had a £60 million bid rejected for Ollie Watkins, with Aston Villa very unlikely to let him go now, considering just how close we are to the deadline. That being said, perhaps the Villans’ late deals for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio could ease their stance on selling the England international.

Another rumoured target for Arsenal, Bayern Munich starlet Mathys Tel, could still leave today. Tel is attracting serious interest from Arsenal, and his versatility could be a very attractive trait for Arteta, who is known to like players who can star in multiple positions.

Mathys Tel "top of the list" for Arsenal on deadline day

According to Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill, via their live blog [07:34], the 19-year-old remains firmly on the Gunners’ agenda.

It is believed that Tel is “top” of Arsenal’s deadline day transfer wishlist alongside Watkins, and despite the player’s hesitancy to quit the Bundesliga giants, Bayern are “happy” to do a deal – whether that be on loan or permanently.

“What buzz there was at this stadium on Sunday. Five goals and an incredible performance in beating Man City,” said Cotterill.

“The five goals came from all over the pitch, five different goal scorers, and that has tended to be the Arsenal way. The fans came away from the game buzzing and if anything, perhaps that has taken the pressure off the recruiters here at Arsenal a little bit to try and find that out-an-out 25 to 30 goal a season striker.

“But Mikel Arteta would still like one. He had a glint in his eye when he was asked after the match if there would be a signing. He said: “Anything can happen.”

“We know that those looking at the market are looking short-term, medium-term, long-term for anyone that can improve the squad.

“There have been all kinds of strikers linked this January. Top of the list as we go into Deadline Day are Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Mathys Tel.

“The difficulty with Watkins is Villa don’t want him to go, even though the player might be keen. With Tel, it’s different. The player himself doesn’t seem keen to leave Bayern Munich on a permanent deal or on a loan with an obligation, even though the club seem happy for him to leave.”

Tel, on a reported £80,000-per-week, would cost around £50 million to sign permanently – with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry also calling him an “extraordinary” player.