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Voting has begun for Australia’s best commentator and to help you judge here are the leading tributes to the men and their microphones

27-Mar-2007

Voting has begun for Australia’s best commentator and to help you judge here are the leading tributes. Channel 9 and ABC members polled highly in the nomination stage and there are 26 mouthpieces to consider. You only get one vote, so make it count. To choose go here and more reader praise is here.Ian Healy
Ian is an intelligent cricketer who demystifies the game for his audience. Cricket commentary is changing from the more descriptive to an insightful style. In doing this, Heals exposes the best of any situation, bringing to life the challenges and psychology the players face during battle. As a recent retiree of the game, he knows it and has played with and against many of the current players. Heals is competitive and passionate and his love for the game resonates with me. Cricket is much richer for his commentary. Jason Limnios
Mark Taylor
Ever since the introduction of new blood and youthful verve into what was becoming a stale team at Nine, Mark Taylor has shown to have a fine combination of flair for the dramatic and real-life knowledge of the intricacies of the game. I can still hear his voice as Cyclone Gilchrist peppered the Barmy Army during that fabulous knock in the third Test in Perth. “That sounds magnificent … and it IS magnificent!!!” as the camera shows Andrew Flintoff’s eyes upwards and backwards. And as much as they tried to manufacture Bill Lawry’s presence during that moment when Shane Warne reached the 700 mark, time ran out and we were not let down as Taylor captured the moment with all the drama it deserved. “He’s got it, he’s got 700.” It makes the hairs stand up. Andrew McGlynn
Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell has the best mix of knowledge of the modern game combined with a real presence with the microphone. He is controversial and opinionated, and his aggressive nature as a captain shines through in his commentating. Jake Robertston
Richie Benaud
I was introduced to the game through marriage to a cricket tragic. I’ve become a complete and utter tragic myself! My appreciation and thanks go to Richie Benaud. His careful analytical commentary of cricket has educated me to the nuances of the game. Richie has found the balance. He doesn’t need to speak every moment the game is in play, he is measured, careful, unbiased and a pleasure to listen to. He refrains from talking about his own experience (ad nauseum) and this sets him apart. Thank you Richie, you are a legend. Lilli Parsons
Tony Greig
Tony Greig is ahead of the rest by miles. Tony manages to capture the excitement out in the centre at a level that makes you want to watch cricket on TV. Dominic Goonawardena
Bill Lawry
Yes he’s got him! The crowd, the atmosphere, the excitement! It’s all happening! And now coming to the crease is a fantastic young Victorian, Cameron White. He’s young, athletic, fantastic in the field, a big hitter and quick between the wickets. He’ll do all of Victoria proud if he can win it from here for Australia. Should be more Victorians in the side but it’s hard to get in front of Symonds, Gilchrist, Clarke, Hussey, all wonderful cricketers. The crowd are on the edge of their seats, it’s 30 off 30, four wickets in hand. It has to be Bill. Matt Renwick
Mark Nicholas
Nicholas has it all. He’s as intelligent and as insightful as Benaud, but has the ability to get you fired up in the big moments in the same way Ray Warren can during the NRL or the swimming. Nicholas’ short monologue to finish the day-five covering of the miracle that was Adelaide left me counting the minutes to Perth. Evocative, intelligent, articulate, and obviously a cricket-tragic in the Michael Hussey mould, he’s been an absolute pleasure to listen to over the summer. I hope he returns next year. James Williamson
Michael Slater
Michael Slater is a breath of fresh air in the commentary box. His enthusiasm for the game makes his commentating entertaining, easy listening and he is a great “commentary coach” for us armchair players at home. In Slats Channel Nine has found the perfect balance between a recent player and a player who has been out of the game too long. He has played in the modern era, yet has been out enough not to be too closely connected to the players – he has bias but not too much! Joshua Habel

Jim Maxwell
Blues legend B.B. King once said “it ain’t the notes, it’s the space in-between”. When Jim Maxwell levitates over the sound of the bubbling crowd and announces the bowler running in, he times his sweet timbre with the delicate panache of Don Bradman. Never too forceful or too bland, the audience feels the love of the game in his voice. “Caught,” we’ll suddenly hear, or “down to the boundary for four”. Then just the sound of the crowd, Jim lowers his voice, signalling to his commentary partner, it is his turn. Seamlessly, Jim listens to their expertise and never have I heard him answer without respect and intelligence. Rather, like an old blues master, he simply moves with the rhythm. Stephen Kanaris
Kerry O’Keeffe
He is insightful, warm, engaging and to put it simply he adds real flavour to the game. He is a far better commentator than he ever was a player. There has always been humour in sport and Kerry never takes either the action or himself too seriously. What really sets him apart from everyone is that he offers opinion before the event rather than after the fact. His eye, much like Ian Chappell’s, is always looking to inform, challenge and offer something different for the punter. He is a rare talent indeed. An afternoon listening to Kerry is as pure a joy as there is. Brett Kajar
Peter Roebuck
Peter Roebuck is unparalleled in his incisive, evocative and knowledgeable commentary of cricket, both on radio and in the press. Even the faster one-day form of the game cannot survive mere description of the on-field action. From a field including some very pedestrian pundits, Peter shines in his wisdom, his wit and his palpable love of cricket. He is able to give commentary a sense of occasion, to highlight the ebb and flow of the game, and to do so without resorting to unnecessary hyperbole or bias. Roebuck is a commentator for those who live and breathe cricket. Paul Carrington
Glenn Mitchell
Glenn Mitchell can make a dull game sound like a million dollars and what he doesn’t know doesn’t matter anyway. Peter Hart
Keith Stackpole
He has an easy-on-the-ears voice, uses precise and compact sentences and has second-to-none cricket knowledge. Stackpole is modest but has a complete understanding of his role as a cricket commentator. He realises that the viewers/listeners want to know what is happening at any given time. He is the sort of cricket commentator you would like to have a cup of tea with during a Test match. Billy Ibadulla
Mark Waugh
He is not in the Channel Nine camp, which reduces his exposure to listeners. However, he always commentates in an impartial and professional manner. He is not afraid to say what he thinks, but does so in an unemotional and forthright manner. His comments on batting techniques are always enlightening. The fact that he has played both forms of the game until quite recently means he can provide constructive opinions on up-and-coming players, which is refreshing. The commentator of the future. Bill Chesterman

Stats highlights from the third day of the India-Pakistan Test in Kolkata

Cricinfo staff02-Dec-2007

Manchester United have struggled in front of goal this season, scoring just five times across four matches while securing only two wins from these Premier League ties, and it’s evident that Erik ten Hag has to change things up if he wants his team to contend for the title.

Marcus Rashford led the way last season, scoring 30 goals across all competitions, yet he has yet to catch fire this term, netting only once in four league outings, indicating that perhaps he needs more time to get back into his stride.

Bruno Fernandes also proved to be a key attacking outlet for the Red Devils last season, netting 14 times, but like Rashford, he has failed to really get going thus far and Ten Hag will require others to step up and begin contributing.

The Dutchman went all out to sign Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund in the summer transfer window, spending £72m to secure one of the most highly-rated talents on the continent.

Having missed the start of the season due to injury, the youngster will need to hit the ground running and prove to the United faithful why this sort of money was splashed out on him.

How good is Rasmus Hojlund?

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Dane scored 16 goals in all competitions, which included nine for Serie A side Atalanta, having made the move to Italy from Sturm Graz last summer.

He only started 20 league matches for the club, yet ranked third for goals and assists (11), second for shots per game (1.7) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (0.9), indicating that he settled into life well in Serie A, despite his tender years.

Despite these encouraging statistics, when compared to positional peers, Hojlund only ranks in the top 30% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.42), while also ranking in the top 33% for total shots per 90 (2.81), demonstrating that he isn’t quite the finished article yet and there is still some developing to do.

The striker has only scored 27 senior club career goals and Ten Hag is perhaps expecting too much with regard to the youngster leading the line for the Old Trafford side, thus putting a heap of pressure on his shoulders already.

Given their struggles in the final third, what the former Ajax boss would give to have a former United sensation as his main striker right now. The likes of Andy Cole is one such player. He had everything to thrive under the Dutchman, certainly proving to be a bigger talent than Hojlund is currently.

How much did Manchester United sign Andy Cole for?

Sir Alex Ferguson was the master at signing players who were either just about to hit their peak years or had proven that they could thrive in the Premier League.

Andy Cole fits into both of these categories, having spent the previous two and half seasons scoring for fun at Newcastle United.

The Englishman netted 12 goals in the old First Division as the Magpies gained promotion to the Premier League and during the 1993/94 campaign, he exploded into life, making the top flight his stage.

Cole scored a staggering 34 goals across 40 matches as Newcastle finished the season in a wonderful third spot under Kevin Keegan and the good times finally looked to be coming back to St James’ Park.

Ferguson needed another goalscorer and earmarked Cole as the player who could spearhead the United attack for the foreseeable future.

The wily Scot eventually secured his signature for a fee of £7m in January 1995 and although his signing couldn’t help United win a third consecutive league crown, the future was bright.

How many goals did Andy Cole score for Manchester United?

His first two full seasons saw Cole hit just 11 and six league goals respectively as he struggled to live up to the vast hype, numbers indicative of Hojlund's embryonic years in football. Yet, the former finally hit the ground running during the 1997/98 campaign, scoring 25 goals across all competitions.

Having lost the league to Arsenal, Ferguson made sure there wouldn’t be a repeat of this by luring striker Dwight Yorke to the club, and it proved to be a stroke of genius, with him and Cole forming a deadly partnership when deployed up front together.

Their stunning link-up play against Barcelona in the Champions League during their first season together was a joy to behold, and the duo received praise from a variety of figures, including Ferguson himself.

He said: “Andy Cole had a great time with us. He and Dwight Yorke had that fantastic season in 1999 that year they were the best partnership in Europe.”

Commentator Clive Tyldesley even lauded the pair, saying “They are out of this world,” as they led United to a stunning treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during the 1998/99 season.

Cole would remain at Old Trafford for the next two and half years before making the move to Blackburn Rovers in 2002, where he won the League Cup just a few weeks after his arrival.

Overall, the 15-cap Englishman made 275 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 121 times in the process while winning five league titles and the coveted Champions League in what was a golden era for the club.

Can you imagine a player like this in the current United team? With creative talents such as Fernandes and Mason Mount producing chance after chance for the striker, and Rashford linking up well from a wide position, it would be a match made in heaven.

Hojlund is still young and relatively experienced at senior level, playing just 88 matches over the previous three seasons but will need to start scoring before the pressure hits unbearable levels. He could well use Cole's example as inspiration.

The latter had everything to be a top-level centre-forward. He was pacy, and could outmanoeuvre even the best of defenders while having a ruthless streak which enabled him to be the main man at Old Trafford for over half a decade.

Hojlund is a wonderful talent and has already shown glimpses of his ability in Italy, but the pressure is greater in Manchester and in order to build on his solid start to life in senior football, he could certainly learn a thing from the success Cole enjoyed at the club.

Plenty of strikers have already tried to crawl out of Cole's shadow and failed; it's now time for the Norwegian to show he won't have the same difficulties. Over to you, Rasmus.

Jude Bellingham has equalled David Beckham's Real Madrid goalscoring tally of 20 goals – and in 126 fewer games.

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Bellingham helps Madrid thrash GironaBags 19th and 20th goals of seasonMatches Beckham's Madrid goal haulGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Los Blancos struck a big blow to Girona's La Liga title hopes with a thumping 4-0 win over Michel's side on Saturday at Santiago Bernabeu. A Bellingham double, either side of goals from Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, saw Madrid go five points clear at the top of the table. The England international's goalscoring feats in 29 matches mean he is primed to surpass Beckham's goalscoring haul of 20 goals in 155 appearances – and in just over six months.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 20-year-old swapped Borussia Dortmund for Madrid last summer for £89million ($113m) but if anything he has been somewhat of a bargain so far. Last year the midfielder won the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy award and the youngster is playing a huge role in Madrid's success this term. Bellingham is also now 93rd in Real's all-time scorers list, which puts him ahead of legends like Clarence Seedorf and Arjen Robben.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

During Madrid's drubbing of Girona, Bellingham went off with an ankle injury at a time where the Spanish giants have a number of key players out on the sidelines. It remains to be seen when he will return for Carlo Ancelotti's men.

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WHAT NEXT?

Madrid are back in Champions League action on Tuesday away to RB Leipzig in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, before returning to La Liga on February 18 at Rayo Vallecano. League games against Sevilla and Valencia follow on February 25 and March 2 respectively and Bellingham will hope to back fit as soon as possible.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Julian Draxler has been a renowned player across Europe for some time now and Crystal Palace could be set to make a move for him, with a new update dropping news on talks between the clubs.

How old is Julian Draxler?

The German has enjoyed an excellent career for club and country, even though injuries have ultimately played a part in him not quite reaching his vast potential. That being said, he has still won 58 caps for Germany, scoring seven goals at international level, not to mention winning the 2014 World Cup.

Now 29 years of age, Draxler has been plying his trade at PSG since arriving from VfL Wolfsburg in 2017, making a total of 198 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants. Last season, he was sent out on loan to Benfica, however, and he was restricted to just ten games in the Primeira Liga.

The midfielder is out of contract at his current club next summer, meaning they could be keen to cash in on him before deadline day arrives next Friday night. If not, it means they will likely lose him on a free transfer in 2024, with an extension not expected to come his way, hence his loan move in 2023/24.

With Palace eyeing up some late business in the current transfer window, a potential move for Draxler looks to be on the cards, following an intriguing update.

Will Crystal Palace sign Julian Draxler?

Taking to Twitter, RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins claimed that Draxler is a summer target for Palace, as they eye up an audacious piece of business:

"Crystal Palace is interested in Julian Draxler. First contacts have taken place between Paris and the English club. The German, who has one year left on his contract, is enthusiastic about the idea of ​​​​going to London."

Granted, Draxler's career has gone the way he would have hoped, in terms of the injury layoffs and not becoming a genuine world-beater, but he could still be a really exciting signing by Palace this summer.

His talent is undeniable, having registered 41 assists and scored 26 goals for PSG, not to mention being called "world-class" by Jens Keller, and he could raise the level of everyone around him at Selhurst Park.

Draxler's contract situation means that Palace could also be able to snap him up for a cut-price amount, with PSG not in a particularly strong bargaining position, so it wouldn't necessarily be a financial risk, even given his injury record.

The fact that the player himself is keen on a move to the Eagles certainly bodes well, as he looks for a fresh challenge away from being a fringe player at PSG, and he could add that sprinkling of magic in attacking midfield, possessing the ability to open up defences and also chip in with goals of his own.

Draxler has scored 66 goals and got 80 assists in his professional career to date – that figure would be higher if he had been available more often – and that level of end product could make Palace a greater attacker force, at a time when goals can come at a premium.

Leeds United are “one of the clubs” in the race to sign Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer this summer, and a reliable journalist has revealed when to expect developments on a potential move.

Where was Cameron Archer born?

Archer was originally born in Walsall and has been at Villa Park since his childhood days having graduated from the club’s academy to get promoted to the first team back in 2021, but having only ever made 13 senior appearances, he’s spent most of his career out on the road.

The England youth international has carried out three development loans since bursting onto the scene, the first at Solihull Moors, the second at Preston North End and the third and most recent being last season at Middlesbrough, and it sounds like he could now be heading for a permanent exit despite still having four years remaining on his contract.

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE…

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has reported that the Midlands outfit are “open” to selling the 21-year-old as a result of strong interest from the likes of Sheffield United and Michael Carrick’s side once again, but if the following update is to be believed, Daniel Farke has entered the race with the aim of bringing him to Elland Road.

Are Leeds signing Cameron Archer?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs delivered an update on Archer’s future at Aston Villa and name-checked Leeds as a team firmly in the running to secure his signature. He said:

“With Archer, what's interesting is that he's been made for sale now. So there is an opportunity to do that deal. He's had a couple of good loan spells in the Championship including with Middlesbrough and now, Aston Villa are willing to let him go. I think that he put himself in the shop window with I believe, a couple of goals and an assist at the under 21 Euros for England.

"He also scored plenty of goals, he got into double figures for Middlesbrough last season and I think that was only in about 20-odd appearances and he added several assists on top of that. So that can be one to watch because Aston Villa are now prepared to sell him. Leeds are one of the clubs no doubt Middlesbrough are another. So I would expect movement on Archer between now and the end of the window."

How many goals has Cameron Archer scored?

At Middlesbrough last season, Archer posted a remarkable 17 goal contributions (11 goals and six assists) in 23 appearances, with this form having seen him hailed “incredibly prolific” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should he put pen to paper, it would be a massive coup for Leeds.

Villa’s £20k-per-week earner also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline so he would be a great option for Farke to have in the building, not only in terms of being able to cover for injuries in other roles but additionally if the boss ever wanted to switch up his team selection to have multiple top players out on the pitch together.

Furthermore, the centre-forward shares the same agent, Unique Sports Group, as Karl Darlow, so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could give them a small advantage should they try to get a deal over the line.

The Whites have also been heavily linked with a swoop for Everton striker Tom Cannon, but with the need for attacking reinforcements strong, Archer could be following in the formerly mentioned player’s footsteps to walk through the doors as a pair before September 1st.

Mark Stoneman and James Vince added a century stand for the second wicket as England doused some of Australia’s fire in the opening Ashes exchanges

The Report by Andrew Miller22-Nov-2017England 196 for 4 (Vince 83, Stoneman 53) v Australia
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWhen England’s Ashes tourists were dubbed the “Un-name-ables”, it was the likes of James Vince and Mark Stoneman whom the detractors would have had in mind – if only they could have picked them out of the crowd. Two first-time visitors to Australia, with a solitary half-century from ten previous Tests between them, their reputations were so lowly that they could only get better, or so the selectors’ logic would have you believe.But lo and behold, by the close of another frenetic, absorbing first day at the Gabba, Vince had replaced that blanked-out question mark on his profile page with a perfect array of no-filter cover-drives, while Stoneman – in reaching his fifth consecutive half-century of the tour – had announced himself as the sort of imperturbable left-handed nugget upon whom English Ashes victories Down Under have recently been founded.But before anyone starts to equate Vince’s elegance with Michael Vaughan’s tour de force in 2002-03, or Stoneman’s insouciance with Chris Broad’s and Alastair Cook’s efforts in 1986-87 and 2010-11 respectively, it’s worth taking a second look at a scorecard that confirms how hard England were forced to battle for even a share of the spoils.Despite enjoying periods of rare dominance in the midst of a second-wicket stand of 125 that, remarkably, outshone any England partnership at any stage of their dismal last visit in 2013-14, England started and finished the day in a rare old scrap – first with Mitchell Starc exploiting once again Cook’s weakness against quality left-arm seam to bag him for 2 in the third over, and then in the twilight, as Nathan Lyon in particular backed up his extreme pre-match lippiness with one of the finest wicketless spells of first-day offspin ever witnessed in an Ashes contest.Lyon did, however, produce the single most significant moment of Australia’s day – a pinpoint pick-up-and-shy from the covers to run out Vince for a career-best 83. It was the opening that his side desperately needed, and while it may not have been fully exploited before the close, the loss of Joe Root, lbw to the persevering Pat Cummins for 15, did leave Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan clinging on to the close. They did so in a gutsy 33-run stand, but when play was controversially suspended moments after a tight lbw appeal from Starc against Malan, the day’s honours had been left more or less even at 196 for 4, even if Australia’s second new ball was a mere three deliveries old.How much of a difference would it have made to the balance of power had Vince made it through to the close? It’s not the sort of rhetorical question that had been predicted when he was recalled – amid scenes of barely surpressed mockery – to be England’s nailed-on Ashes No. 3. After all, his Test career had appeared dead in the water when he was dropped after the 2016 home summer, with 212 runs at 19.27 to his name.But the selectors evidently saw something in the quality of his shot-making that deserved a second chance, and in powering past his previous Test best of 42, he returned that faith in spades.Under overcast skies and with palpable humidity in the air, there must have been a temptation for England’s captain, Root, to bowl first after winning the toss – not that such a course of action is remotely acceptable in Ashes contests these days, given what happened when Nasser Hussain went down that route in 2002-03.Mark Stoneman and James Vince take a run•Getty ImagesInstead, Root trusted in his untested top order to deliver the goods, and from the moment the shine went off the new ball and the sluggish nature of Kevin Mitchell Jnr’s final Test wicket was fully revealed, any lingering doubts about his wisdom had been vanquished. Not that he really wanted Vince to be involved in the action as early as the third over – but, having avoided temptation in Mitchell Starc’s first over, Cook had no riposte to a perfect off-stump outswinger that kissed the edge through to Peter Handscomb at first slip.But right from the outset, Vince had his game brain in full working order. With Australia’s three seamers favouring a full-length approach, there was ample opportunity for Vince to unfurl his favourite cover drive, and one stroke in particular – off Josh Hazlewood in the 11th over – was pure Vaughan in poise and execution. He had one significant let-off on 68, when Tim Paine, of all people, shelled a snick behind the stumps off Lyon to leave the wicketkeeper’s card marked seven years after his last Test. Fortunately, Lyon himself made sure that the damage wasn’t irreparable.At the other end, Stoneman showed that Cook’s influence persists even when his form isn’t quite as it might be. His judgement outside off was impeccable, particularly against the probing Starc, as the pair’s partnership was stretched across 52 overs plus a lengthy rain delay that pushed the tea interval back by an hour and 20 minutes, and effectively forced them to make two separate starts to their innings.At the culmination of a month of ceaseless Ashes hype, crowned with a week of the purest trash-talk in Brisbane, the manner in which they drew the sting of the most feared Australian venue of them all was inspiring, and at times distantly reminiscent of England’s famous second innings on this ground in 2010-11.But, having nudged coolly along to a Test-best second half-century, it took the ball of the day from the energetic Cummins, a reverse-swinging howitzer that trimmed the top of his bails, to send Stoneman on his way in the closing moments of the afternoon session.It was a telling breakthrough, with Australia just beginning to make the old ball talk, and though that ball did have to be changed after landing in a puddle by the boundary’s edge, Cummins soon found the length and the skill with the replacement to thud a big inswinger into Root’s pad to pin him lbw for 15.At 163 for 4, England were a couple of quick blows from squandering their hard-fought position, and with Lyon settling into a edge-threatening rhythm against the left-handed pairing of Moeen and Malan, the prospect of the Gabba making a Kraken-like awakening could not be remotely ruled out.Both men lived dangerously, beaten time and again outside off, as the floodlights blinked into action to add a further layer of threat to England’s position. But it was Starc’s trio of deliveries with the second new ball that offered the starkest reminder of the threat that persists in Australia’s ranks. Despite being made to toil, they stayed very emphatically in the hunt.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has stated that it may take "weeks" for Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro to return to action.

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• Casemiro and Martinez not ready to return
• Have started training with the team
• Hojlund will return against Wigan Athletic

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Casemiro has missed the previous two months due to a hamstring issue, while Martinez has not played since September due to a recurrence of a foot ailment that was first sustained in April. Though Ten Hag stated they are not yet prepared to return to action, both have now resumed their training and were seen last week at Carrington. Rasmus Hojlund, on the other hand, will be eligible for the Red Devils' matchup with Wigan Athletic, according to the Dutchman.

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• WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Talking at a pre-match press conference, Ten Hag said [via ESPN]: "They [Casemiro and Martinez] are a long time already back on the grass and now they return back into team training but not fully, so partial. Now they have to make the next steps and that may take some days, I think even weeks.

  "He [Hojlund] will return. He dropped out shortly before the game [against Forest] and so he was a little bit unwell before the game. The day before we expected him to play and then he dropped out shortly before the game but he is back in training."

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hojlund has struggled so far in the league as the Dane has only managed to score once in 15 appearances so far, which came in his last game for the Red Devils. Casemiro and Martinez have missed the majority of the season, which has come at the cost of the Red Devils' exit from the Champions League and a rather underwhelming season in the league.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  United will be in action later today when they take on Championship side Wigan Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup. Hojlund may start the game as he will look to hit the ground running and build up some steam against a considerably weaker opposition.

Chelsea will send an "improved" bid to Brighton & Hove Albion for their star midfielder Moises Caicedo this week after their initial offers were deemed too low, claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Moises Caicedo joining Chelsea?

It doesn't matter how Chelsea have fared the season beforehand; they could be European Champions or languishing in the bottom half of the table; you can always guarantee that when the transfer window opens, west London will become a hive of activity and that is precisely what's happened yet again.

The last few weeks have seen a slew of faces leave Stamford Bridge as the Blues have sold practically a full first eleven of first-team quality players, either to Premier League rivals in the case of Kai Haverz or to the unimaginable riches of the Saudi Pro League like in N'Golo Kante's case.

It's not been all about departures, though, as the Pensioners have now started to welcome new faces into the club, notably the youngsters Nicolas Jackson, Angelo Gabriel and Diego Moreira.

However, it wouldn't truly be silly season in West London unless there was also a costly and protracted transfer saga throughout the summer, and that is exactly what's happening with Brighton's Ecuadorian superstar, Caciedo.

The dynamic midfielder has become Chelsea's number one target over the last few weeks, a few weeks that has seen the club involved in extended conversations with the Southcoast side over their midfield maestro.

According to the Evening Standard, the Blues had their previous offer of £60m rejected outright by the club, as they value him closer to £100m, a benchmark set by Arsenal's purchase of the positionally similar Declan Rice.

However, the negotiations have been more conversational and not held in the traditional sense of one team making an offer and either being rejected or accepted, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"I am told that this week that Chelsea are prepared to improve their proposal for Moises Caicedo.

"It's a verbal conversation, as I am always telling you so it's not an official bid and official answer. It's a direct communication between Chelsea and Brighton but if the initial discussion was around £70m plus add-ons and it was not enough for Brighton, now Chelsea are prepared to go for a bid that will be more than £70m guaranteed plus add-ons to convince Brighton."

Who else is linked to Chelsea in the transfer market?

With the club welcoming young striker Jackson to the side, there is an expectation that they could also be signing another, more experienced striker to properly lead the line next season, especially after the departure of Havertz and the likely departure of Romelu Lukaku.

The striker most frequently linked to Mauricio Pochettino's side so far has been Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian striker has had a tough 18 months in Turin following his £66m move from fellow Serie A side Fiorentina, but with his impressive body of work in Florence, teams seem willing to take a risk on him.

According to the Daily Mail, the Old Lady are demanding around £77m for their "extraodinary" frontman, which might prove to be a step too far for Chelsea. However, Italian publication Corriere dello Sport have reported that the price could fall to as little as £21m should Lukaku be included in the deal, an opportunity that might be too good to pass up for Todd Boehly and Co.

If Chelsea can secure the services of both Vlahovic and Caicedo, they could be a genuine threat to the top sides once again next season, and the likes of Manchester City might just have to look over their shoulder once or twice.

To call this Women’s World Cup a revolution for the game would not be an overstatement. It has been watched by over 50 million people with the TV audience up 80% on 2013. On Sunday, at Lord’s, there will be more than 26,000 people in the ground.”It has exceeded all expectations,” Steve Elworthy, the Women’s World Cup tournament director told ESPNcricinfo. It certainly has.When Elworthy and his team, the same people who worked on the Champions Trophy, began the planning for the Women’s World Cup they had one major aim: to sell out Lord’s for the final. “We thought that would be a massive statement,” he said.Not only have they achieved that but four weeks before the showpiece finish, Derby was sold out for the opener when the two finalists met. Then it was sold out again for the match between India and Pakistan. Long before they got to Lord’s, the tournament was gaining plenty of interest.Elworthy put the increased awareness down to three major things: the intent by the organisers to stage this tournament in the same way as they have done men’s major events, the facilities used and, ultimately, the cricket.”We wanted to make sure the women’s game was delivered on-par with the men’s game. So the transport, the logistics, business-class flights, the same per-diems as the men. It’s all on parity in terms of operational delivery,” he said. “And then using first-class county grounds put it at a different level because they deliver first-class facilities all throughout the year. But the quality of the cricket is what’s changed people’s minds. We’ve just made sure that the wraparound is good.”An upset on the first day, where India beat England followed by a nerve-jangling win for South Africa against Pakistan ensured the opening weekend generated interest so that even when more one-sided contests played out, fans were following a narrative. That meant even though this World Cup was being played at the same time as a Test series, a T20 competition and Wimbledon, it has continued to engage.”It’s punching above its weight,” Elworthy said. “There’s the British Open this weekend, there was Wimbledon, there’s a T20 Blast. We are still getting interest. If you think of it as a standalone product, it’s doing incredibly well.”Interestingly, it is doing as well among male supporters as it is among female with a 50-50 split in the tickets sales. “When you think of a Women’s World Cup, you might think you will just target women and young girls but the number of dads we have seen with their daughters and families coming through has been great,” Elworthy said.Perhaps more noteworthy is that almost a third of the fans attending matches are under-16s and that is the demographic the tournament organisers most wanted to catch. In order to grow the game across genders, they believe they need to reach out to as many young people as possible and so have distributed 10,000 bats and balls, of which 4,500 will be given away at Lord’s during the final, to give people a feel of playing cricket.”One of the key elements of getting young kids to play is the correlation of them picking up a bat and ball and then converting them into using it. It tells me maybe we’ve got 10,000 new people who are going to play cricket. The conversation rate is incredibly high – it’s well over 80% if the people actually experience playing that they will continue.”So whatever happens between England and India on the field, this Women’s World Cup can be declared a massive success off it. It may also be a pioneer because it could set the standard which future events have to match up to. If it were up to Elworthy the next event, which is due to be held in New Zealand in 2021, would only require minor tweaks to ensure it fits into its proposed window.”This was going to be initially 24-game tournament with two groups of four and then a knockout stage but then it was changed to one group of eight. So the next step is to make sure that if it’s the same format, there is enough time to play a full round-robin set of games and not have four matches on one day,” he said.Given the massive upsurge in television viewership, he would also like all matches televised globally by the major broadcaster and not streamed, as was the case this time. Initially, the ICC were only going to have cameras at 10 matches but then decided to shoot at all of them and offer a streaming service for the other 21, with reduced numbers of cameras. Elworthy hopes that was only the beginning. “Ideally you want all 31 games broadcast. If this is the pinnacle of the women’s game, that has to be the next level of thinking.”