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The summer transfer window slams shut at the start of next month and it remains to be seen whether or not Anthony Martial will still be a Manchester United player when it does.

What's the latest Anthony Martial transfer news?

It was recently reported by The Mirror that the club plan to hold talks with the French attacker to make a decision on his future at Old Trafford.

The report claimed that Italian giants Inter, who reached the Champions League final last season, and fellow Premier League side West Ham United are both interested in a deal for the former AS Monaco sensation.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

United boss Erik ten Hag could finally decide to sanction an exit for the 27-year-old forward, who has been at the club since 2015, by securing a deal for another versatile attacker to take his place within the squad.

Who could replace Anthony Martial at Manchester United?

The Dutch head coach could ditch the France international by signing reported transfer target Ansu Fati from Spanish giants Barcelona, who have reportedly valued him at €70m (£60m).

Martial, who has been capped 30 times by his country, can play in several positions across the frontline and has spent the majority of his career as either a striker or a left winger.

The Spain international would be able to offer a similar level of versatility as he has been deployed in those two positions the most in his short career to date, whilst the young talent also has experience playing on the right.

Fati could also be an upgrade in terms of the quality that he is able to produce at the top end of the pitch. The 20-year-old ace scored seven goals and provided four assists in 12 LaLiga starts for Barcelona last season, which came after four goals in three league starts during the 2021/22 campaign.

Martial, meanwhile, produced six goals and two assists in 11 Premier League starts last term and one goal in two starts throughout the previous season.

Fati ranks within the top 1% of his positional peers among Europe's top five divisions for non-penalty expected goals (xG) per 90 (0.56) over the last 365 days, which essentially means that he excels at getting himself into high-quality scoring positions on a regular basis.

Whereas, the United striker ranks in the top 12% with 0.45 non-penalty xG per 90. This suggests that the Spaniard could provide a greater attacking threat with his ability to be in the right place at the right time to earn excellent chances in front of goal.

The £231k-per-week whiz would also come in with more long-term potential than Martial as he is seven years younger than the Red Devils outcast.

This means that Fati has plenty of years left ahead of him to hone his skills and develop his game to become an even better player, whilst already having the ability – given his form for Barcelona – to offer more than the current United dynamo this season.

Therefore, Ten Hag could safely sanction an exit for Martial this summer by signing the "generational" – as dubbed by his boss Xavi – magician from the Spanish side as he would have a sublime replacement, in the short and long-term, at the club.

A big update has emerged on Celtic and their attempts to bolster Brendan Rodgers' playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Football Insider, the Hoops are looking to add up to five new signings to the group before the deadline passes next Friday; including a winger, a goalkeeper, a left-back, striker, and a centre-back.

The report also claims that the Scottish giants are in talks with Greek outfit Aris FC over a deal to sign Honduras international Luis Palma to improve their options out wide.

It states that the Bhoys have already submitted a £3.5m offer to secure his services and it now remains to be seen whether or not that will be enough to land their man over the coming days.

How good is Luis Palma?

Rodgers could finally replace Jota, who joined Al-Ittihad earlier this summer, by securing a deal to sign the Aris star due to his ability to offer a regular goal threat from out wide.

The 23-year-old whiz enjoyed a terrific 2022/23 campaign in the Greek top-flight and proved himself to be a reliable scoring option with 11 strikes in 20 starts.

Palma, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 over the course of the season, only missed one 'big chance' in front of goal and this shows that he was clinical when provided with opportunities to score.

Jota, on the other hand, scored 11 goals in 26 Scottish Premiership starts and spurned four 'big chances' for Celtic last term, which suggests that the Aris magician was more efficient with his finishing in comparison to the Portuguese hotshot.

Only Kyogo Furuhashi (27) scored more league goals for the Hoops than Jota during the 2022/23 campaign and this suggests that Palma has the potential to be an outstanding goalscoring option for Rodgers alongside the Japan international if he is able to translate his form in Greece over to Scotland.

The Honduras international has also showcased his ability as a creator during the current season.

He produced one assist and four key passes during the first league game of the term earlier this month and racked up an eye-catching two goals and two assists in four Europa Conference League qualifiers.

This means that Palma has assisted three goals in five outings for Aris so far, which is one every 1.67 clashes on average.

Whereas, Jota provided 11 assists in 33 Premiership games during the 2022/23 campaign, which is an assist every three matches on average.

There is no guarantee that the 23-year-old ace will be able to maintain that level of creativity over the course of the year, however, as he only assisted four league goals last season but it does show that the potential is there for him to kick on and become a consistent creative threat to go along with his scoring ability.

Therefore, Palma, who was hailed for his “brilliant” goal contributions by agent Paulo Hernandez, could develop into being the perfect replacement for Jota as a winger who can score and assist goals at an impressive rate, which would make him a potential match-winner for Rodgers week-in-week-out.

Though the amount is significant, it is just over half the US$25 million the organisation was forecast to lose if the event had gone ahead

Firdose Moonda21-Dec-2017Cricket South Africa has recorded losses of approximately R180 million (US$14.16 million approx) over the posptoned T20 Global League (GLT20), ESPNcricinfo has learned. Though the amount is significant, it is just over half the US$25 million the organisation was forecast to lose if the event had gone ahead.A little less than half the losses (around R80 million, or US$6.3 million approx) will be spent in player payouts, which will take place in three installments to reimburse players 60% of their contract fees for the tournament. But CSA has reserves of over R500 million (US$39.34 million approx), which resulted in the body declaring itself in a “healthy financial position” at a Special Board of Directors Meeting on Wednesday, despite the heavy losses.The meeting was held at the conclusion of an internal investigation, which looked into the reasons the T20 Global League was financially unviable and found that while there were “pervasive governance lapses” around the tournament, “all monies were adequately accounted for” and there were “no irregularities or financial mismanagement”.CSA will now send the reports to external auditors, who have already started work and will take between eight and 12 months to complete their task, to determine a further course of action. Though no other internal investigation is planned, that could change depending on the outcome of the external audit.More immediately, CSA will decide by mid-February if or how it plans to host a revamped T20 Global League. Currently, several members of management have been assigned to look into T20 models around the world to present to the board options for how a twenty-over tournament can be successfully held. If the board approves a model, CSA aims to have a broadcaster and sponsorship deal in place by the end of the South African summer in order to ensure a smooth run to a tournament next November.That may mean an entirely new concept, which may not involve any of the stakeholders that were set to be part of the original T20 Global League. Sources have confirmed that none of the eight franchise owners put pen to paper to sign deals for the inaugural competition and though CSA believes some of them are keen to continue, there is no confirmation any of them will.CSA has also made no further progress in appointing a permanent CEO and discussions with the former boss, Haroon Lorgat, have yet to conclude. Lorgat’s tenure ended two years earlier than his contract stipulated after his position became untenable because of differences with members of the board over the hosting of the T20 Global League, and he is negotiating a payout.

Everton might have secured a new talisman in Portuguese striker Beto this week, but the Premier League side are poised for a busy finish to the summer transfer window, with late business expected.

Will Everton sign anyone on transfer deadline day?

According to the Daily Mail's Lewis Steele, West Ham United ace Maxwel Cornet is on Everton's 'list of targets' ahead of the imminent transfer deadline, and could offer some directness from the wide flanks to combat the club's substandard start to the term.

The Ivorian previously played under Sean Dyche's wing at Burnley and enjoyed a prolific stint in Lancashire, though was unable to save the Clarets from relegation.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Everton have completed a wealth of deals this summer already, but £21m-rated Cornet would undoubtedly offer a cutting edge away from the centre-forward position.

How good is Maxwel Cornet?

While Everton have bolstered the attacking channels considerably over the past few months, Demarai Gray and Alex Iwobi could both find themselves headed for the exit at Goodison Park this week, with both aces admired by suitors.

Indeed, Jack Harrison, Arnaut Danjuma, Youssef Chermiti and Beto have the potential to restore the fluidity of a frontline that has yet to break the net in the English top-flight this year, with the Toffees finishing the 2022/23 season 17th as the division's second-lowest scorers.

Cornet would offer something new, and while the £65k-per-week ace has struggled to make a mark in east London after completing a £17.5m transfer from Burnley last summer, injuries have been the inhibiter and his past exploits with relegation-battling Burnley prove his worth on English soil.

As per Sofascore, the 26-year-old plundered nine goals and one assist from just 21 starts for Dyche's Turf Moor side in 2021/22, taking 1.8 shots per game, praised for his "fantastic" finishing by the present Everton manager.

Everton's Gray, who has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia and is among the favourites to leave the club, was remarked to be "unbelievable" by pundit Rio Ferdinand last year, and indeed proved a dynamic and forward-thinking cog in the club's battle against relegation.

The Jamaica international scored four goals from 27 starting appearances, taking 1.8 shots per game – like Cornet the season prior.

Considering that Cornet proved to be twice as incisive under Dyche's stewardship at Burnley, doing so at an imperilled outfit falling haplessly into the second tier, the gritty manager clearly hopes to sign one of his most prolific former players in the Premier League, moulding the side to his own creation.

Dyche's admiration is corroborated by one Pep Guardiola, who remarked upon the player's "impressive" exploits upon the Clarets' relegation in 2022.

The 30-cap star has certainly not replicated his feats at the London Stadium, with the West Ham player only making 22 appearances for the side since the start of last term, yet to score himself but laying off five assists.

A series of calf injuries proved detrimental for David Moyes' fleet-footed winger, who only managed five substitute showings in the Premier League before March last season, severing any hopes of an auspicious season on an individual level.

But with Dyche orchestrating his match action once again, Cornet could craft a resurgence to align with Everton's, and considering that he has already proved his worth among a relegation-threatened, Dyche-led outfit, he might be an astute signing ahead of deadline day.

“They went into a negative position to save their wickets and defend the balls. The ball is turning from the rough. I think positive approach is the best way to play on this wicket,” Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella said

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong03-Feb-2018As soon as third umpire Joel Wilson confirmed to the on-field umpires that Mushfiqur Rahim was out, the balance of the first Test became a lot more skewed. Bangladesh will have to fight without their two most experienced batsmen on the fifth day against Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella later said that despite the batting-friendly Chittagong pitch, it is their game to win. He also said Sri Lanka were helped by Bangladesh’s defensive approach. Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur both got out trying to defend, while Imrul Kayes’ was caught at square leg off a soft lap sweep.”We have a pretty good chance to win the Test,” Dickwella said. “It is a pretty good wicket. It is all turning from the rough, and outside the stumps. We are hoping to start the day well. We are bowling in good areas, line and length.”They went into a negative position to save their wickets and defend the balls. I don’t think it is the way to bat on this wicket. The ball is turning from the rough. I think positive approach is the best way to play in this wicket.”Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam said their approach was to score off the bad balls, but their focus will remain on saving the Test. Taijul bowled 67.3 overs, the most in an innings for a Bangladesh bowler, and conceded 219 runs, the most for a Bangladesh bowler. His returns of 4 for 219 was the most expensive four-for in Tests.”There is a lot to think, and a lot not to think about. We have to save the game. If our batsmen can survive the fifth day, then we can get something out of it. Batsmen would like to score runs off the bad balls. It would have been better had we lost one wicket. Three wickets are too many,” he said.Bangladesh’s predicament in Chittagong was largely down to their spinners’ struggles against Sri Lanka’s batting. Starting the fourth day just nine runs short of Bangladesh’s first-innings total, Sri Lanka piled on the misery by keeping them on the field for 199.3 overs.Sunil Joshi, Bangladesh’s spin bowling coach, said that the spinners could have bowled with more consistency and shown more patience.”I think they could have been better. They could have had more consistency,” Joshi said. “If you don’t get wickets in the first session, you can always get them in the second and third session. You need to be patient. The young Bangladesh spinners need to understand the way they can perform in Test cricket.”It is important for a spinner to understand to bowl a dot ball, where you can bowl one. Consistency is key for Test cricket. These spinners will learn with due time,” he said.

Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke was slammed by one reporter for his performance against Rangers this afternoon, and the journalist also disagreed with the VAR decision to disallow Kemar Roofe's goal.

What was the Rangers vs Celtic score?

Celtic picked up a 1-0 victory away against their bitter rivals this afternoon, with Kyogo Furuhashi's goal on the stroke of half-time proving to be the difference between the two sides, but Rangers may feel a little hard done by to not have picked up at least a point.

In the 30th minute, Roofe thought he had opened the scoring for the hosts at Ibrox, but after a VAR check the goal was ruled out, with Cyriel Dessers being adjudged to have fouled Lagerbielke in the build-up, which will have been a huge relief for the defender.

Taking to X, Josh Bunting expressed his shock with the decision to overturn the goal, while also taking aim at the centre-back for his actions in the build-up to the goal. The journalist said:

"The technique on the Kyogo goal is so good, to hit that first time and place it like that is outstanding. Rangers disallowed goal is a horrendous decision it’s just dreadful defending from Gustaf Lagerbielke, how has the referee looked at that and decided it was a foul?

Bunting was not the only member of the media to disagree with the contentious decision, with Scottish SunSport columnist Jim Delahunt saying:

"For the record, dozy Lagerbielke dodged a bullet. Also, welcome to VAR for everyone who couldn't have given a toss about Aberdeen's two-footed penalty at St Mirren and countless others."

Regardless of the decision, however, Rangers still had plenty of time to get back into the game, but failed to do so, with the Hoops' opener in the first half proving to be decisive.

Should Kemar Roofe's goal have counted?

It was a very dubious decision to rule out the goal, but Brendan Rodgers' side will not care one bit, having now returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership table, after sealing a victory in one of the biggest games of the season.

However, the manager may be a little concerned by Lagerbielke's performance, considering he got caught out in possession far too easily for the goal, which could have stood on a different day, meaning the complexion of the game would have changed completely.

Aside from his role in the disallowed goal, the 23-year-old's performance was not too bad, winning all three of his ground duels, and achieving a SofaScore match rating of 7.2, although he did lose possession on 14 occasions.

Having gotten away with his error today, Lagerbielke may need to put in a much-improved performance in Celtic's next match, with the Hoops set to face Dundee FC at home after the upcoming international break.

Fawad Alam’s 149 ensured Karachi Whites chased down 348 to beat Islamabad to the Regional Cup title

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2018Fawad Alam puts power into one•PCBThe Regional Cup final was a high-scoring thriller, with Karachi Whites chasing down a mammoth 348 in the final over to pip Islamabad to the title. Pakistan’s forgotten man Fawad Alam was the hero again, masterminding the chase with a superb 149. By the time he was dismissed, his side needed just seven runs to win, and they had one hand on the title.Islamabad looked to have established a position of dominance in the first innings, Shan Masood setting the tempo with a brisk half century. Babar Azam rose to the occasion with his second century in three days, a 95-ball 105 the backbone of the Islamabad innings. Shahid Yousuf contributed an explosive innings, smashing an unbeaten 96 in 74 balls, and was unlucky to miss out on three figures himself.The match threatened to become a no-contest when Karachi lost their openers within the first eight overs with the score on 38. Akbar-ur-Rehman stabilised the innings the company of Fawad, but his 41 off 67 balls took time that such a huge chase simply couldn’t afford. It was a stunning fifth-wicket partnership of 192 between Fawad and Danish Aziz, who blasted six sixes on his way to an unbeaten 65-ball 86, that carried the side to the brink, against all odds.By the time Fawad fell, his side needed seven off the last over, and Anwar Ali ensured there would be no last-minute drama, smashing a six off his first ball to seal the title for Karachi.

Kent’s victory over the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Super50 on Tuesday has been marred by accusations of unsportsmanlike behaviour from their opponents

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-20181:32

WATCH: Controversial finish denies batsman his century

Kent’s victory over the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Super50 on Tuesday has been marred by accusations of unsportsmanlike behaviour from their opponents, after Zak Crawley, the 20-year-old opening batsman, was denied his maiden List A century in what appeared to be a series of calculated incidents.Going into the 45th over of their innings, Kent had got the match all but sewn up. They needed four runs to win with Crawley on 98 not out, having added 99 for the second wicket with Sean Dickson.However, that requirement was reduced to two runs by consecutive wides outside off stump from the Leewards Island seamer, Sheeno Berridge, and Berridge might have bowled three in a row had Crawley not chosen to chase his third delivery, which earned him a single into the covers to take him to 99 not out.Visibly keen for his partner to reach three figures, Dickson then chose to block Berridge’s next ball back down the pitch, before turning the fourth, a leg-side delivery, out through midwicket.Crawley started to jog down the pitch for the winning run, but Dickson waved back him back. However, the Leewards Islands’ fielders chose not to intercept the ball, which rolled over the boundary for the winning run.The incident attracted criticism on social media, not least from the former Kent captain, Rob Key, who felt that the Leeward Islands’ batsman Marlon Samuels – no stranger to controversy where English teams are concerned – was the instigator.”99 not out for Zak crawley and then nice bloke marlon samuels got his bowlers to bowl wides so he couldn’t get 100,” Key wrote in a tweet that was subsequently deleted.The incident was reminiscent of a similar controversy in last year’s Caribbean Premier League, when Evin Lewis, West Indies’ T20 opener, was denied a chance to reach a hundred for St Kitts and Nevis against Barbados, when Kieron Pollard bowled a no-ball with the scores level.Pollard subsequently denied that that incident had been deliberate, saying that he had overstepped in straining for extra effort.

Liverpool's unique culture as a city known for its football, politics and production of world-famous musicians such as The Beatles would always drive famous names to Anfield. As one of the biggest clubs in the world, they've managed to attract some of the biggest A-listers, too, from Avengers stars to Hip Hop royalty and members of the Homeland cast as well; it seems like everyone who's anyone is a Red.

In general, the trend seems to be that where there is a celebrity, there is a secret Liverpool fan. And, with that said, we at Football FanCast delved deeper into the ten most famous Liverpool supporters, courtesy of the Liverpool Echo.

10 Adam Woodyatt

Known for his role as Ian Beale in BBC soap Eastenders, Adam Woodyatt has been a massive Liverpool fan since childhood. He told the Liverpool Echo that his love for the side began after he watched Bob Paisley's side beat Stoke 5-3 in 1976.

The soap icon got to show off his own football skills in 2007 when a team of Eastenders stars faced off against a TV all-stars team at MK Dons' stadium, although we don't think he'll be getting a call from Jurgen Klopp anytime soon.

9 John Bishop

One of the country's most prominent comedians and arguably the biggest Liverpool fan on this list, stand-up John Bishop, is often seen watching the game at Anfield. Bishop has been a lifelong fan of the club as he was born in the city.

He even hosted a show on LFC TV called John Bishop Meets… in which he would interview players at the club.

The 56-year-old was a vocal critic of the club's former owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, taking part in both a protest against their ownership and a celebrity-filled video criticising their running of the club.

There might be some more famous faces on this list, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a more passionate fan.

8 Millie Bobby Brown

Rising to stardom in recent years, Millie Bobby Brown – best known for her role as 'Eleven' in the Netflix show Stranger Things – is not unfamiliar to the famous red of Liverpool.

In fact, in an interview a couple of years ago, she asked people to stop associating her with the number eleven and that if they wanted to, they should instead go with the number eight as that was Gerrard's number, who she described as her "favourite soccer team player."

She told the club's website (via the Liverpool Echo) that it was her family and Gerrard that first caused her to fall in love with the team:

"My family have been big supporters and fans since I was very young.

"So I started to love them gradually and watching the games to kind of understand what everyone was doing, and my brother was a big part of that. He started telling me about Steven Gerrard when he was playing and I started falling in love. So it was a big moment in my life."

7 Mel C

Of all the Spice Girls, it feels fitting that it's Sporty Spice who supports one of the most successful clubs in English football history. Sporty Spice, or Melanie Chisholm, otherwise known as Mel C, found fame through being a member of the world-famous Spice Girls.

The group were a global sensation in the late 1990s and early 2000s, selling millions of records and attracting millions more fans.

Mel C has never hidden her love for the Reds, and she has been seen wearing the team's shirt several times while performing, most recently after the side won their sixth Champions League in 2019.

6 Damien Lewis

Another who makes his admiration for Liverpool no secret, Damien Lewis, watched on as the Reds lost the Champions League final in Kyiv in 2018 before watching them win the competition a year later in Madrid.

Lewis has had an incredibly successful acting career, first shooting to fame for his portrayal of US Army Major Richard Winters in the HBO smash hit Band of Brothers before continuing his record of starring in critically acclaimed television dramas with Homeland, for which he won a Golden Globe.

He also played Steve McQueen in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

5 Dr Dre

Now, we weren't kidding when we said Hip Hop royalty, as it doesn't get much bigger than Dr Dre. The founder of Aftermath Records and a member of NWA, Dre is responsible for some of the biggest acts in the genre's history. He found and promoted stars like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, 50 Cent, and so many more.

Including NWA, the 58-year-old has sold around 24 million albums in his career, which is a crazy achievement on its own, but if we were to include all the albums he has produced as well, that number would be so much higher.

Dre became a Liverpool fan whilst on tour in 1988. He revealed to the club's Magazine in 2011, as per SportsMole, that he had been supporting the Reds for 20 years.

4 LeBron James

As one of the greatest basketball players of all time – arguably the greatest – LeBron James is one of the most famous people on the planet, and he just so happens to be a pretty big fan of Liverpool. Oh, and he even owns a stake in the club as well.

James has had an unbelievable career in the NBA, making his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 season and going on to win four Championship titles: two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cavs and one with his current side, the LA Lakers.

He has been named the league MVP on four occasions in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. What's even more impressive is that each year he won the championship, he was also named the MVP for those finals, demonstrating what a big game player he is.

Lebron bought a 2% stake in Liverpool back in 2011 for just £4m, reportedly reducing it to just 1% two years ago, which, with the club's current value, would still be worth an eye-watering £66m.

The 38-year-old has been seen wearing the club's merchandise on several occasions and visited Anfield in 2011, when he told the press that he was a big fan of the club.

We're sure the millions of pounds will probably help with that.

3 Daniel Craig

Known for his role as 007 for several years, the effortlessly cool Daniel Craig may play a character who works for the Secret Service, but his love for Liverpool certainly isn't tight-lipped.

The 55-year-old has had a brilliant career, starring in films such as Knives Out one and two, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Defiance. Still, he will always be best remembered for his iconic and era-defining portrayal of Britain's suavest spy.

Craig's love of the Reds stems from his childhood growing up in the Wirral – after spending short spells living in both Chester and the city of Liverpool. He has been spotted attending games over the years and even met the team and legendary captain Steven Gerrard.

There can't be many cooler celebrities than James Bond, surely.

2 Brad Pitt

It only makes sense that one of the biggest football teams on the planet should have one of the biggest movie stars among their ranks, and that's exactly what they have with Brad Pitt.

The American superstar has starred in so many of Hollywood's greatest hits over the last three decades including, Fight Club, Seven, Troy, Inglorious Basterds, Once upon a Time in Hollywood and so many more.

The 59-year-old has been nominated for 78 awards in his career, winning 53 of them which is a shockingly high success rate, just showing his universal popularity.

His love for Liverpool was first revealed in an interview he gave for his 2011 film Moneyball in which he was asked if he had a favourite football team, to which he replied:

"I have some friends who are very close to Liverpool, so if I went another way I might be disowned."

1 Samuel L Jackson

Famous for his roles in the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, as well as saying certain words that need bleeping a few too many times – usually in Quentin Tarantino films – Samuel L. Jackson fell in love with Liverpool whilst filming The 51st State.

He's also clearly happy to let the world know who he supports, as he's been seen wearing Liverpool shirts and hats multiple times in the past, and when the club clinched the title three years ago, he made sure to let the world know about his excitement through his Twitter account.

While some might argue that Brad Pitt is the more famous of these two American actors, we think it's much harder to claim that he's cooler.

And there we have it.

We did say that they had some A-listers. Liverpool’s set of famous fans could likely rival any football club on the planet!