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Mohammad Nabi made more history on Friday when he became the first Afghanistan player to be picked in the 2017 CPL draft. The former captain was picked up by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for USD 90,000 in the fourth round of the draft and was closely followed by team-mate Rashid Khan, who was taken in the sixth round for USD 60,000 by Guyana Amazon Warriors.This follows an excellent couple of months for Afghanistan cricket in general. The same pair of Nabi and Rashid had been snapped up at the IPL auction in February by Sunrisers Hyderabad and beginning in December the team has been on a 10-match winning streak in T20Is – a world record. Mere hours before he was picked up, Rashid produced a spellbinding display against Ireland, picking up five wickets in nine balls to turn the game around in an eventual 17-run win.

CPL squads

BARBADOS TRIDENTS: Kieron Pollard, Kane Williamson*, Shoaib Malik, Dwayne Smith, Nicholas Pooran, Wayne Parnell, Ravi Rampaul, Wahab Riaz, Raymon Reifer, Christopher Barnwell, Imran Khan, Damion Jacobs, Akeal Hosein, Ryan Wiggins, Tino Best, Shamar Springer, Akeem Dodson
GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS: Sohail Tanvir, Martin Guptill*, Chadwick Walton, Chris Lynn, Rayad Emrit, Rashid Khan, Jason Mohammed, Steven Taylor, Veerasammy Permaul, Roshan Primus, Gajanand Singh, Assad Fudadin, Keon Joseph, Steven Jacobs, Steven Katwaroo, Shimron Hetmyer, Ali Khan
JAMAICA TALLAWAHS: Lendl Simmons, Kumar Sangakkara*, Shakib Al Hasan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Sami, Rovman Powell, Gidron Pope, Kesrick Williams, Garey Mathurin, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Krishmar Santokie, Jonathan Foo, Kennar Lewis, Andre McCarthy, Odean Smith, O’Shane Thomas, Timroy Allen
ST. KITTS & NEVIS PATRIOTS: Chris Gayle, Chris Morris*, Ben Cutting, Mohammad Nabi, Evin Lewis, Samuel Badree, Jonathan Carter, Tabraiz Shamsi, Brandon King, Devon Thomas, Sheldon Cotterell, Kieran Powell, Fabian Allen, Shamarh Brooks, Jeremiah Louis, Alzarri Joseph, Nikhil Dutta, Carlos Brathwaite
ST. LUCIA STARS: David Miller, Lasith Malinga*, Shane Watson, Darren Sammy, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jerome Taylor, Marlon Samuels, Kamran Akmal, Rakheem Cornwall, Kyle Mayers, Shane Shillingford, Eddie Leie, Keddy Lesporis, Sunil Ambris, Obed McCoy, Timil Patel
TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS: Dwayne Bravo, Brendon McCullum*, Sunil Narine, Hashim Amla, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, Khary Pierre, Ronsford Beaton, Javon Searles, Nikita Miller, William Perkins, Kevon Cooper, Brad Hogg, Anderson Phillip, Hamza Tariq
* denotes marquee players

The top pick at the draft was Lendl Simmons, the second-highest run-getter in the tournament’s three-year history with a tally of 1238 from 39 matches. Also a two-time World T20 winner, he went to Jamaica Tallawahs for USD 160,000 having represented Patriots in 2016. Tallawahs, the defending champions, needed the muscle at the top of the order after they traded their captain Chris Gayle and top-scorer in all of CPL to the team that finished bottom last season, the Patriots. West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite might also turn out for the Patriots provided he does not have any WICB commitments at the time.Among the biggest gainers from the draft were West Indies wicketkeeper batsman Chadwick Walton. His USD 30,000 contract last year became a thing of the distant past after he was bought for over three times the price – USD 110,000 – by Amazon Warriors. Australia allrounder Ben Cutting also went for the same amount and is all set to play in his first CPL, for Patriots, who had also enlisted the services of South Africa’s Chris Morris for USD 130,000 the day before the draft.There were several notable players who went unsold as well. To name a few, Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah, their Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who struck six successive sixes in the Hong Kong T20 Blitz on Thursday, England T20 specialist Tymal Mills, Corey Anderson, who at one time held the record for the fastest century in ODIs and Shaun Marsh, who plays for Perth Scorchers, three-time BBL champions.Tallawahs invested in, among others, Mohammad Sami, who defended four runs off the last over in the recently concluded PSL to put Islamabad United into the play-offs, and Krishmar Santokie, the former West Indies left-arm quick known for his slingy action and accurate yorkers. They were the most active team in the draft, alongside the newly renamed St Lucia Stars, picking up seven players each.Marlon Samuels may have dismantled Lasith Malinga in the 2012 World T20 final, but they will be playing together under the leadership of Darren Sammy for the Stars this CPL. They also purchased Pakistan wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal, who was the only centurion in the 2017 PSL, and the big-hitting offspinning allrounder Rahkeem Cornwall, who had previously represented the defunct Antigua Hawksbills.The six franchises had chosen their marquee picks a day before the draft. Kane Williamson joined team-mates Martin Guptill (Amazon Warriors) and Brendon McCullum (Trinbago Knight Riders) as the only New Zealand players in the tournament. Williamson was recruited by Barbados Tridents, who also bulked up their fast bowling reserves by picking up Wahab Riaz, Wayne Parnell and Tino Best. Knight Riders, like their namesake in the IPL, showed a fondness for unusual spinners and bought the 46-year old Brad Hogg and the 18-year old Shadab Khan, whose googlies were rarely picked by the batsmen in the PSL.A total of nine Associate players have been placed with teams in the CPL along with Rashid and Nabi. From the USA team, allrounder Timroy Allen was retained by Tallawahs after appearing in six matches during their 2016 title campaign. Fast bowler Ali Khan was retained by Amazon Warriors while batsman Steven Taylor was snapped up for USD 30,000 by Amazon Warriors after spending the last two seasons with Barbados Tridents. Legspinner Timil Patel was picked for the first time, by Stars, and wicketkeeper Akeem Dodson was taken by Tridents. Canada’s Nikhil Dutta and Hamza Tariq were retained by Patriots and Knight Riders respectively.

Arsenal have made an "official offer" of £12 million for defender Sacha Boey after meeting with Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur in London, according to reports out of Turkey.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

Despite missing out on a first league title in nearly 20 years to Man City, last season was one of real promise for Arsenal, who challenged for much of the 2022/2023 campaign.

Injuries to the likes of William Saliba, a key player in the run-in, arguably scuppered Mikel Arteta's hopes of ending Arsenal's long wait for a domestic crown – but the looming summer transfer window hands them a real opportunity.

Sporting director Edu, speaking back in April, already confirmed that plans are well underway to strengthen Arsenal's ranks in an attempt to keep pace with England's elite.

"Our planning has already been done," said the Brazilian to ESPN (via 90min)"It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

As well as central midfield signings, with the Gunners targeting West Ham's Declan Rice, Arteta also apparently wants new full-backs in his squad.

Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda and Boey have been linked to joining Arsenal, and a report by Hurriyet (via Sport Witness) has some news on the latter man.

According to their information, Arsenal and Galatasary vice-president Timur held a meeting in London recently where they discussed Boey's potential move.

After these talks, it is believed the north Londoners made an "official offer", which amounts to around £12 million. However, £17 million is their asking price, and Arsenal are expected to increase their bid for Boey as a result.

As of yet, it is unclear what Arteta's side could be willing to pay for him, but they could apparently offer out more cash.

Who is Sacha Boey?

The 22-year-old has been a key player for Galatasary and ranked as one of their best-performing players per 90 last season in the Turkish top flight.

Boey, who averaged Galatasary's joint-highest rate of tackles and second-most interceptions per 90 over 22/23, has also been seriously endorced by former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna.

“Galatasaray’s Sacha Boey is a player I really like," said Sagna.“I think he will fit perfectly into Arsenal. As a right-back too, I have to say I think he’s great. I’m sure many clubs have Sacha Boey in mind.“There is a contract to sign.”

Zimbabwe have conducted interviews to fill the position of head coach, left vacant by the sacking of Dav Whatmore in June. Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut and South Africans Peter Kirsten and Justin Summons were interviewed by five ZC board members on Wednesday. An appointment is expected to be made before the Sri Lanka Tests later this month and is likely to be a two-year contract with the mandate to ensure Zimbabwe qualifies for the 2019 World Cup.Of the candidates, Streak is considered the favourite while Summons is the dark horse. Based in Johannesburg, Summons worked with both Prosper Utseya and Brian Vitori to correct illegal bowling actions. Both bowlers have subsequently been cleared to play.Summons will have tough competition from Streak, who was Zimbabwe’s bowling coach under Alan Butcher between 2010 and 2013 and has had stints with Bangladesh and at the IPL since. Streak will likely be able to continue in his role with IPL team Gujarat Lions, which occupies him for only two months a year, even if he gets the Zimbabwe job.Blignaut does not have the same experience as Streak but does share local knowledge. He has been coaching at Peterhouse, one of Zimbabwe’s most prestigious sporting schools, and was being considered for a role with Zimbabwe’s under-19 side earlier this year.Kirsten is also currently involved at a school, Redhill in Johannesburg, while also working as a commentator on SABC Radio. His most recent coaching experiences are all in Africa; he was involved with Uganda, Kenya and Sierra Leone. Kirsten also coached Western Province in the past.Zimbabwe’s South African connection is strong. Their most recent acting head coach was Makhaya Ntini, who took over for ODIs against India and two Tests against New Zealand. With only one victory in eight games, Ntini, who does not have any coaching qualifications apart from the Level II that all former Test players automatically hold, came under pressure and Zimbabwe were forced to seek out another head coach. Ntini is still in Zimbabwe and players have been training under him and batting consultant Lance Klusener in the lead-up to matches against Pakistan A. Ntini and Klusener, who have signed contracts with ZC, are expected to be retained in the roles of bowling coach and batting consultant respectively.Zimbabwe are scheduled to play two Tests against Sri Lanka in Harare starting on October 29, after which they will play an ODI triangular series also involving West Indies.

Calum MacLeod’s third ODI ton propelled Scotland’s chase of 229 to see the hosts to a seven-wicket win over UAE at the Grange, thereby closing Netherlands’ lead at the top of the table to one point

Peter Della Penna in Edinburgh16-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:06

‘Offseason technical work gave me confidence’ – MacLeod

Calum MacLeod’s third ODI ton propelled Scotland’s chase of 229 to see the hosts to a seven-wicket win over UAE at the Grange, completing a series sweep in the pair of WCL Championship fixtures, thereby closing Netherlands’ lead at the top of the table to one point. It was MacLeod’s first century since making 116 not out in a win over Ireland in September 2014.Scotland’s chase began in slightly shaky fashion with Craig Wallace slashing Mohammad Naveed to third man for 6 and Kyle Coetzer top-edging a pull to mid-on off Mohammad Shahzad for 25. At 43 for 2 in the ninth over, MacLeod and captain Preston Mommsen came together to add 165, a third-wicket record for Scotland and their third-highest ODI partnership.MacLeod punished a short-pitched barrage from UAE’s pacers, cutting them through point for four of his six fours and clubbed three sixes over long-on during his classy knock. He brought up his fifty in 69 balls and took a further fifty balls to bring up his century. His innings, and the partnership with Mommsen, was ended by a yorker from Naveed when on 103. By that stage, Scotland needed just 21 more to win off 33 balls.Mommsen remained unbeaten on 80 as Richie Berrington hit the winning boundary to finish 15 not out in his 50th ODI for Scotland. Following his unbeaten 111 on Sunday, Mommsen is yet to be dismissed in three ODIs against UAE. His other knock is an unbeaten 139 in the final of the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand, giving him a total of 330 runs in ODIs against UAE. In six total List A games Mommsen has played against the UAE – four WCL Championship matches and two games at the 2014 World Cup Qualifier – he has scored 383 runs at an average of 383 with his only dismissal coming via a runout.The win was set up after a UAE batting collapse saw them throw away a great foundation at 187 for 4 in the 34th over. They lost their last six wickets for 41 to be dismissed for 228 in 45.4 overs. Shaiman Anwar top-scored with 63 off 75 balls for UAE, but his wicket sparked the slide when an uncontrolled cut off debutant Chris Sole sailed to the point sweeper where Safyaan Sharif took a superb sliding catch on the run.It was one of several outstanding catches on the day for Scotland, who continued to show up UAE in the fielding department. After taking a brilliant diving catch at point on Sunday, Berrington pulled off another stunner at short extra cover to send Amjad Javed back for a first-ball duck off the bowling of left-arm spinner Con De Lange. Javed’s false drive came two balls after Anwar fell, expediting UAE’s downward spiral.Sharif had made the earlier inroads into the UAE top order, getting L Sreekumar for 16 driving to Michael Leask at cover and inducing Shahzad’s edge off a full delivery for 21. In between, Sole took his maiden wicket, sparking Scotland’s short-ball plan early in the day when he had Rohan Mustafa gloving a pull down the leg side for 19. Sole later bounced out Naveed.Alasdair Evans also used the short ball to claim his two wickets. Evans broke a crucial 76-run fourth-wicket stand between Anwar and Muhammad Usman when the latter laced a pull straight to MacLeod at short midwicket for 43 in the 30th over, and wrapped up the innings when Ahmed Raza’s awkward hook was taken at long leg by Coetzer.Sharif was the undisputed star with the ball though, finishing with 3 for 25 in eight overs while Sole ended up with 3 for 51 on debut. Scotland’s final two ODIs of the summer are against Hong Kong in Edinburgh, beginning on September 8.

Since the departure of record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, Newcastle United have seemingly been longing for a quality centre-forward to lead the line, with it looking as if summer signing Alexander Isak – who now has eight goals in just 13 Premier League games – could be an ideal candidate to fill that long-running void.

Prior to the Swede's arrival, there had likely been continued frustration among supporters with regard to the strikers that former owner Mike Ashley had allowed to depart, with current Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic one such talent who has gone on to shine elsewhere.

The Serbia international – who arrived on Tyneside from Anderlecht back in 2015 – scored just 17 goals in 71 games for the Magpies in all competitions during his three-year spell at the club, before ultimately joining the west London outfit on a £22m deal.

Since then, the 28-year-old has proven remarkably prolific for the Cottagers after scoring 108 times in just 202 games across all fronts, leaving the northeast side to potentially rue their decision to move him on just under five years ago.

That being said, however, the formidable marksman hardly pulled up any trees during his time at St James' Park – as his underwhelming goal record points to – while Ashley and co were at least able to recoup a sizeable fee with the 6 foot 2 man's sale.

The same can not be said, however, with the exit of another former Newcastle man, Ivan Toney, with the Englishman having hardly been handed a chance to impress at the club, before being moved on to Peterborough for just £650k in 2018 – potentially representing a far bigger error for the club than that of Mitrovic's departure.

Why did Newcastle sell Toney?

The Magpies had initially snapped up the young striker from Northampton Town for a fee of just £500k back in 2015, albeit with the 6 foot 1 ace going on to spend much of the next three years out on loan, after making just four first-team appearances at the club.

That lack of action ultimately led to a move to Posh, where the dynamic marksman scored 49 goals in just 94 games to earn a £5m switch to current side Brentford in 2020, quickly establishing himself as a leading man for the Bees.

A player with the "mindset of a lion", according to manager Thomas Frank, Toney netted a standout haul of 33 goals during the 2020/21 campaign in the second tier, having since gone on to net 30 goals and provide nine assists in the Premier League over the past two seasons.

The current campaign, in particular, has proven rather remarkable as the 27-year-old has 18 league goals to his name to date – more than that of Mitrovic (11) – having even been linked with a return to Tyneside last summer.

Such has been the £20k-per-week man's rise of late he was even said to be valued at around £50m amid that interest prior to the start of the season, with it undoubtedly set to sting that Ashley sold him on the cheap – more so than with regard to Mitrovic.

Chelsea return to Premier League action this evening following the recent international break as Aston Villa travel to Stamford Bridge.

Graham Potter has undergone a mini resurgence at the club in recent weeks, winning three out of four matches during March, including an impressive 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last 16, and he will be hoping the confidence carries into tonight’s match.

Several players have upped their game recently, with Kai Havertz and Joao Felix getting in among the goals against Everton in their last match before the break and this will give Potter a major boost heading into the final few weeks of the campaign.

The 47-year-old could well make some changes, especially with a league clash against Liverpool taking place just 72 hours after the Villa game and this could present an opportunity to a few players who have a point to prove, with Conor Gallagher itching for another chance.

Will Conor Gallagher start for Chelsea vs Aston Villa?

The 23-year-old has played 24 times in the top flight this term, although he has started just ten matches and will be hoping Potter unleashes him from the first whistle tonight.

Gallagher enjoyed an extremely productive spell at Crystal Palace last season, firmly establishing himself as someone who could have a bright future. He registered 11 goal contributions – eight goals and three assists – made 1.1 key passes and created five big chances, certainly showcasing his attacking attributes.

Returning to Chelsea was inevitable, yet he maybe hasn’t hit the heights he expected of himself following his successful loan spell, despite averaging a solid 6.8/10 Sofascore rating.

Against Leicester City recently, Gallagher had one of his finest performances of the season so far, and he only played the second half. His Sofascore rating of 8/10 was the best out of any player on the pitch, and he managed 41 touches, made one key pass, and succeeded with 100% of his dribbles, giving Potter something different going forward.

The £50k-per-week gem was previously praised by journalist and analytics expert Patrick Rowe, who stated that his best traits were his “relentless work rate” and “threat in the final third” and there is no doubt he can terrorise Villa’s defence.

Unai Emery’s men have conceded 39 goals this term and if Gallagher starts and performs like how he did against Leicester a few weeks ago, then the Englishman will give the Stamford Bridge outfit a massive boost and another three points will take them closer to the European spots.

Arne Slot remains an option to replace Antonio Conte in the vacant Tottenham Hotspur dugout…

Spurs manager latest – could Arne Slot be appointed?

According to the Daily Star, the Feyenoord boss is on a shortlist of candidates as chairman Daniel Levy continues to search for a successor to the departed Italian, who left the club during the international break.

It's thought that the 44-year-old is a 'strong contender' as his side are closing in on the Eredivisie title ahead of Ajax, with ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino set to reject a sensational return to Hotspur Way and Julian Nagelsmann taking time out before his next role, having been sacked by Bayern Munich recently.

The Lilywhites are in crisis off the pitch – Conte is gone and sporting director Fabio Paratici is on a leave of absence as he appeals his worldwide FIFA suspension.

Slot's Spurs would be exciting

If supporters wanted the complete opposite of what they've been bestowed with under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte in recent seasons, then Slot is just that.

His De Stadionclub outfit have been one of the most exciting teams in Europe since his took the helm in 2021/22, leading them to the Europa Conference League final in his first campaign, only being beaten by the Special One's AS Roma side.

Boasting a 63.3% win rate in charge of the Feyenoord, Slot has been described as an attack-minded "maniac" by Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan.

“The best thing about Arne Slot is that he is probably the best attacking coach I have seen in the last 35-40 years at Feyenoord," he told talkSPORT before later adding: "He is very similar to Pep Guardiola, his ideas are very similar, he is a massive fan of Pep and he plays the same time.

"He goes ultra-attacking, he is almost like a maniac. Not on the touchline but it is fantastic to see how he has turned an average side into a wonderful attacking machine."

In essence, Levy could well find Tottenham their very own version of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, given this rave review and the numbers do back it up.

As per FBref, only Ajax have outranked Slot's side for total progressive passes, total passes into the penalty area and total touches of the ball, suggesting that they not only dominate possession but are also constantly trying to attack the opposition.

A stark contrast to Spurs under Conte, who rank seventh in the Premier League for total progressive passes and total passes into the penalty area, as well as fifth for total touches of the ball, so whilst a tad more dominant than some teams, they clearly weren't making the most of their possession.

What makes the 44-year-old an even more intriguing prospect is the fact that he still sets up his team to be "difficult to beat" – as described in his own words last season – and that is something that we rarely saw under the plethora of dogmatic, defensive-heavy managers that have come and gone since the sacking of Pochettino.

Therefore, the Spurs hierarchy – whoever is making the decisions right now – must look to seal this "exciting" manager – as also hailed by van der Kraan – because it's clear that the club needs a fresh, more progressive outlook on the pitch and few options are better than Slot.

Journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan has dubbed Erik ten Hag “embarrassing” after he danced with Lisandro Martinez and Antony following Manchester United’s win in the Carabao Cup final.

What’s the latest on the Man Utd cup win?

The Red Devils lifted their first trophy in six years thanks to goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford (that may go down in history as an own goal from Sven Botman).

Indeed, they claimed a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium and celebrations at full-time were understandably jubilant.

However, it seems as though not everyone was entirely happy with how some Man Utd men expressed their delight with Morgan taking to Twitter to condemn the club manager as he danced with Martinez and Antony.

Indeed, the broadcaster wrote: “Can’t believe I’m watching a Man Utd manager & players dancing with joy after winning the Carabao Cup … so embarrassing.”

What does cup final dancing mean to Ten Hag and Man Utd?

While it’s fair to say this isn’t exactly the sort of thing you might have seen Sir Alex Ferguson doing, Ten Hag has every right to celebrate his hard-earned silverware in any manner he deems fit.

What’s more, this was a moment shared between three people who all spent time working together at Ajax before moving to the Premier League club this summer.

In fact, it turns out this is a bit of a tradition for the trio relating to their years with the Dutch giants. Ten Hag explained as much after the game, telling the Daily Mail: “We have a history, Licha (Martinez) and Antony, in Amsterdam and we did some dancing. I hope we can do even more in the future but therefore we have to invest and sacrifice every day to win trophies.

‘You have to celebrate. It is not business as usual, it is not a common day. We won a trophy and this trophy means something.”

All in all, it seems little more than sour grapes from Morgan who seems desperate to become this week’s chief of celebration police.

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، عن دخول قائد منتخب مصر وفريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، ضمن قائمة اللاعبين المطلوبين للانضمام إلى برشلونة في فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة.

وسينتهي عقد محمد صلاح مع ليفربول بنهاية الموسم الحالي، صيف 2025. ولا يزال مستقبل الدولي المصري مغموراً مع فريقه الإنجليزي على الرغم من إعلان رغبته بالبقاء داخل جدران أنفيلد.

ويحتل محمد صلاح، صدارة ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 15 هدفاً، متفوقاً على المهاجم النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند، صاحب الـ13 هدفاُ. 

اقرأ أيضاً.. سبورت: برشلونة يقترب من حسم أولى صفقات الموسم المقبل

ووفقاً لما جاء في صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”، فإن نادي برشلونة قد وضع 6 لاعبين من القارة الأوروبية بهدف التعاقد معهم في الصيف المقبل، مع إقتراب نهاية عقدهم مع فرقهم.

وضمت قائمة اللاعبين المطلوبين في برشلونة كلًا من مهاجم ليفربول، محمد صلاح، والغاني توماس بارتي لاعب آرسنال بالإضافة إلى المهاجم الكندي جوناثان ديفيد مهاجم ليل الفرنسي.

وشهدت القائمة أيضاً تواجد ثنائي بايرن ميونخ، جوشوا كيميتش وألفونسو ديفيز، بالإضافة إلى جوناثان تاه مدافع باير ليفركوزن الألماني.

وبحسب ما جاء في الصحف الإسبانية فإن إدارة برشلونة تعمل على التعاقد مع اللاعبين الذين تنتهي عقودهم بنهاية الصيف المقبل، نظراً للظروف الإقتصادية التي يمر بها النادي الكتالوني.

ومع اقتراب نهاية عقد هؤلاء اللاعبين، يحق لهم التوقيع لأي نادي بداية من شهر يناير المقبل، ومن المقرر أن تشهد الفترة المقبلة تطورات جديدة حول إمكانية تعاقد برشلونة معهم.

The 17-year-old defender has been a rare bright spot in his side's grim 2023-24 campaign, leading to reports linking him with the Gunners

The most-recent January transfer window was certainly not one to remember. But, amid the tumbleweeds, some reports did surface that raised hopes that we could at least be in for a more exciting summer.

One such rumour was Arsenal being linked with a move for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. In an ideal world, Mikel Arteta would have likely brought the 17-year-old to the Premier League last month. However, hamstrung by the club's expensive summer, the Gunners simply wouldn't have been able to make the move work.

It seems likely that Arsenal will reignite their interest in the summer, but what it is that has got Arteta so excited about the young defender? GOAL took a deep dive into Hato's recent development to find out…

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

On March 7 2006, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea were 15 points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, a Liverpool side containing Steve Finnan and Jermaine Pennant had just knocked a young Lionel Messi and Barcelona out of the Champions League and, most crucially for this profie, Jorrel Hato was born in Rotterdam.

Despite his talent, Hato somehow slipped through Feyenoord's net and instead ended up signing with the city's secondary club, Sparta Rotterdam. He did not stay there long though, switching to Ajax's youth academy in 2018.

The move required some consideration from the youngster, with the defender later reflecting: "At the time, I had to think about it for a while because I was comfortable at Sparta. [At Ajax], fortunately, I was well taken care of and could immediately be myself."

In 2022, after impressing through the age groups, he was handed his maiden professional contract – a life-changing event that kept him awake with excitement the previous night. "I knew I was going to sign my contract. My sleep was not optimal as a result, but I am super happy," he beamed.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

Hato got his first-team break towards the back end of the 2022-23 season. After enjoying a few cameos off the bench earlier in the campaign, he would end up starting Ajax's final six Eredivisie games. With nothing left to play for – Feyenoord had the league title sewn up by that point – blooding the youngster made sense, but his position in the first team was far from guaranteed for the following season.

However, a hectic summer in Amsterdam changed that; chaos is a ladder after all. Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez were sold to West Ham for sizeable sums, with 12 players arriving in the other direction. The key piece of business from Hato's perspective, though, was Jurrien Timber joining Arsenal.

This freed up a starting spot in the backline, and Hato made sure he did everything he could during pre-season to secure it. When his side's Eredivisie opener against Heracles rolled around, there he was at the heart of defence. Any doubts over whether he was ready to become such a key piece for Ajax were addressed that afternoon, with Hato seriously impressing. He even chipped in with an assist – albeit only a five-yard sideways pass before Jakov Medic thumped one in from long range.

Getty ImagesHow it's going

Since then, Hato has become indispensable for Ajax in what has been a hugely testing campaign for the Dutch giants. Amid a backdrop of boardroom chaos and controversy over the signings of sporting director Sven Mislintat – who replaced the disgraced Marc Overmars – their horrendous start to the season saw them drop into the relegation zone in October.

Unsurprisingly, manager Maurice Steijn paid with his job, with John van 't Schip taking over in an interim capacity in October, following a brief caretaker stint from Hedwiges Maduro. Michael Valkanis also had two games in charge when Van 't Schip was away in Australia attending his son's wedding.

Throughout all of this turmoil at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, there's been one constant – Hato. Amazingly, the defender has not missed a single second of his side's season in all competitions, even being handed the captain's armband during an Eredivisie victory over Almere City in November. He then started a Europa League clash against Brighton as skipper the following month.

Speaking after the latter game, Van 't Schip was full of praise for Ajax's youngest-ever captain: "[He's] special in the sense that he has been able to stand his ground for so long and that he continues to reach such a high level. Of course, he is still a young player, the youngest one, who still has a lot to learn, but if you look at what he brings, the way he defends, the way he can play football forward, he has a great future ahead of him."

He also praised Hato's conduct, adding: "We don't have to do a lot because he is an exemplary professional. Of course, he has fun with the boys and that's something that needs to happen because that makes sure you train happily. But he is also a very serious guy in the sense that he trains well, he takes care of himself. Many should see him as an example, especially the players in the youth academy."

In recognition of his prodigious club form, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman handed him a maiden senior cap against Gibraltar in November. "I was able to assess him better in the training sessions. There he had to defend Wout Weghorst and other attackers. I really liked that. He adapted very easily and plays with bravado. It’s nice that you can let those kinds of boys make their debut," Koeman said after the win.

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Despite their recent fall from grace, Hato's emergence from the youth academy proves that when it comes to forging the next generation of global stars, few clubs do it better than De Godenzonen. The teenager is very much of the Ajax mould.

Technically sublime and possessing a football IQ that defies his tender years, Hato is the archetypal modern defender. He has no issue breaking the lines with his passes and relishes pushing into midfield to help his side's build-up. This is reflected in the 94 percent passing accuracy he has registered in the Eredivisie this season, while he is also averaging over five progressive passes per 90 minutes.

Hato's ability to carry the ball is even more impressive. His quick feet and coolness under pressure means just one player, Feyenoord's David Hancko, has racked up a higher progressive carrying distance in the Eredivisie this season. Hato's ability to drive his team forward from the back has been pivotal to Ajax's resurgence under Van 't Schipp, with the Amsterdam outfit not losing a league game since he took the reins.

Defensively, there is a lot to like about Hato's game too. He does not go out looking for tackles, preferring to choose his moments to dispossess attackers. The fact he has been booked just three times in the league all season while committing only five fouls – despite playing every minute – speaks well of his discipline, particularly at such an early stage of his career.