Manchester United are expected to bid for Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat very soon, as Erik ten Hag looks to complete his summer spending ahead of the opening day of the Premier League season.

Amrabat would be the Red Devils' fourth signing of the summer.

What's the latest on Sofyan Amrabat to Manchester United?

Fiorentina expect Manchester United to place a €25m (£22m) bid plus bonuses in the coming days, according to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness. They also report that, once a bid is place, the deal should be an easy one to complete because the player is so keen on the move and La Viola have left him out of their pre-season plans.

The report states that the midfielder has already agreed personal terms with the Premier League giants – something which has been previously reported elsewhere too – ahead of a potential move in the coming weeks.

The Red Devils will have their full focus on securing Amrabat's signature after recently completing a deal to sign Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund. The Morrocon stayed behind as Fiorentina went away in pre-season amid links with a move to England's top flight this summer.

With the Premier League season fast-approaching, this is certainly a deal to keep an eye on.

Should Manchester United sign Sofyan Amrabat?

Signing Amrabat this summer would represent smart business by those at Old Trafford, with the midfielder adding needed depth to United's midfield.

Ten Hag has already, of course, reinforced his midfield with the signing of Mason Mount from Chelsea, but Amrabat would come in as crucial cover for defensive midfielder Casemiro.

The Brazilian missed a staggering eight games through suspension last season, with United's record significantly worse when without the former Real Madrid man.

In his absence, Ten Hag's side failed to win three of the eight games in a run which included a draw with Leeds United and defeat against Newcastle United.

The man they were forced to turn to without Casemiro was often Scott McTominay, who does not possess the same experience and quality as serial winner Casemiro. According to FBref, the Scotland international made fewer progressive passes, fewer blocks and fewer tackles than Casemiro.

Amrabat could solve that dip in quality, however – the Fiorentina man actually made more progressive passes per 90 than Casemiro last season, according to FBref.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

He earned plenty of praise for his performances last season, too, including at the World Cup, in which Morocco shocked the world to reach the semi-final stage, where they were defeated by France. Alan Shearer praised Amrabat in Qatar, saying on BBC, via the Liverpool Echo:

"He’s been absolutely magnificent. I said it at the top of the show, they’re really difficult to beat and very good without the ball, and one of the reasons for that is this guy. He gives them so much protection, you can see how many tackles he’s made and he’s a huge part of their success up to now.

"He’ll do exactly what he’s been doing up to now (against France), and this job there, you’ll see him just in front of the back four, maybe a back five tonight, he’ll still be in there, patrolling, trying to read the game, trying to stop any balls into the front players, and that’s what he’s done the entire tournament."

Everton may have been closing on one striker target, but fresh news has suggested they could be set to reinforce that problem area with ample cover at last…

Which club is interested in Patson Daka?

Whilst the last week has been dominated by their pursuit of Youssef Chermiti, Alan Myers has since taken to Twitter to offer a new name that has come of interest to manager Sean Dyche.

The well-respected journalist wrote:

"Everton are interested in signing Leicester City forward Patson Daka, the 24-year-old former Red Bull Salzburg man has scored 9 goals in 53 appearances for the midlands club."

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Having signed for the Foxes back in 2021, his £23m move had many excited at the prospect of the rapid striker in the Premier League.

However, following their relegation, the Toffees could be set to profit by snagging the forward, who still has three years left on his £75k-per-week deal at the King Power Stadium.

How good is Patson Daka?

Despite struggling since making that switch, the 24-year-old frontman still boasts all the physical assets to thrive in England, with pace, power and clinical finishing in abundance.

Although, the latter characteristic has been somewhat missing after leaving RB Salzburg.

In his final year in Austria, the Zambia star scored 34 times across all competitions, assisting a further 12. His speed left defenders in his wake, yet he had that touch of class to take his time, often always selecting the right decision with regard to finishing or creating.

Journalist Ryan Taylor lauded Leicester's business too after the deal was rumoured, noting:

"Leicester have pulled yet another blinder with Patson Daka: 51 goals in past two seasons in Austrian Bundesliga (59 matches). Jamie Vardy won’t be around forever & not many better long-term replacements out there. Electric pace, ruthless finisher."

To place these physical assets just ahead of Dwight McNeil makes for a frightening prospect for the rest of the division, given the creativity and pinpoint accuracy the former Burnley winger's left foot offers when given space.

Last season saw him score seven and assist a further three in the Premier League alone, coming through one of the club's toughest seasons in recent memory to actually aid their narrow escape from the drop.

The 23-year-old's 7.06 average rating in the league even marked the third-highest of those at the club who featured five or more times, bolstered by his 1.4 key passes and 1.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It is not difficult to imagine the partnership he and Daka could strike up, with the tricky winger sure to benefit from the consistent presence of a true focal point up top.

Not only this, but his speed combined with McNeil's clear desire to defend from the front, could even see more chances forged via their combined relentless press.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin arguably remains the perfect build for a typical Dyche no.9 – boasting height, physicality and fierce pace in behind. There is no doubt that McNeil would thrive with his presence, although his recent injury troubles are suggestive that this is unlikely.

Daka would mark a fine alternative, who could combine to great effect to ensure this campaign is one where safety is achieved far sooner than the final day of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur and Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba is "definitely" one to watch this summer and he looks like their top defensive target, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Who will Tottenham sign?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou are thought to be targeting multiple senior centre-backs ahead of the 2023/2024 Premier League season.

The new campaign, and Postecoglou's debut one at that, kicks off in around a fortnight but the north Londoners are still yet to confirm the arguably crucial addition of a capable new defender.

Spurs held one of the worst defensive records of any elite side in the top flight last season, conceding a pretty woeful 63 league goals, with no side above 15th in the table leaking more.

It is a glaring issue that Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy must address quickly, especially if they are to mix it with some of the division's top sides.

The Lilywhites head coach, speaking to media recently, has also admitted that his side are actively looking at signing a new defender or two this summer.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Tapsoba, who has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham in recent weeks, is believed to be one of the centre-back candidates – joined by Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Juventus star Gleison Bremer and Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven – who have all been mentioned at points by the media.

Renowned transfer journalist Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside this week, shared an update on Tottenham's pursuit of Tapsoba in particular.

He says that it is "definitely" one to watch and the Burkina Faso international could well be Spurs' top transfer target in the centre-back position.

"Tottenham are still working on this one, he remains a top target for Spurs in defence," said Romano.

"Still, it’s not an easy deal to get done because Bayer Leverkusen are asking for a big fee but Spurs are still trying to find a way.

"Also with Tapsoba, let’s see if other clubs could join the race for him too – it’ll be one to watch, definitely.”

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

The 24-year-old played more Bundesliga minutes than any other Leverkusen outfielder last campaign, highlighting his real importance for manager Xabi Alonso.

Tapsoba ranked just behind teammate Jonathan Tah for clearances made per 90 also, making him an enticing option for Spurs and Postecoglou (WhoScored).

Indeed, the Bundesliga website even likened him to former Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng for his composure in possession and pint-point long range passing.

أوضح عامر حسين عضو اتحاد الكرة المصري والمشرف على لجنة المسابقات، أن جدول بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز هذا الموسم منتظم، باستثناء الأهلي والزمالك.

وقال حسين خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “رقم 10” المذاع على القناة “الأولى”: “جدول الدوري المصري منتظم، لكن التأجيلات حدثت بسبب استمرار الأندية في المنافسات الإفريقية حتى النهاية”.

وأضاف: “تأجيلات مباريات الأهلي والزمالك بسبب دوري أبطال إفريقيا والكونفدرالية أمر طبيعي ومتوقع، الأمر معروف للجميع من بداية الموسم، وهو تأجيل مباريات للأندية التي تصل للأدوار النهائية”.

طالع | ميدو يشن هجومًا عنيفًا على عامر حسين: “بيقولنا إخبطوا دماغكم في الحيطة”

وتابع: “منذ البداية كنا نعلم أن الأهلي لديه ارتباط في السوبر الإفريقي، كأس العالم للأندية، السوبر المصري بالإمارات، بالإضافة إلى بطولة كأس الأمم التي استمرت 45 يومًا، ثم دوري السوبر الإفريقي”.

وعن تحديد موعد نهاية الدوري هذا الموسم، قال: “نهاية الموسم الحالي ستتحدد بعد إجراء قرعة كأس مصر يوم الخميس المُقبل، لن نتمكن من إعلان جدول نهاية المباريات سوى بعد الوقوف على مواعيد الكأس، وأتمنى انتهاء الدوري منتصف أغسطس القادم”.

وواصل: “نتائج الدور الأول ستحسم اختيارات الأندية المشاركة في البطولات الإفريقية الموسم المُقبل؛ وذلك وفقًا للائحة”.

وأتم: “أزمة تحديد بطل دوري 2003 بين (الأهلي وإنبي)، لدى الشؤون القانونية حاليًا، سيتخذون القرار النهائي فيها”.

Somerset 282 (Abell 82; Singh 5-72) and 265 for 4 dec (Trescothick 119*, Hildreth 68, Abell 51) beat Warwickshire 146 (Barker 52; Leach 5-50, Overton 4-33) and 232 (Trott 74, Groenewald 5-58) by 169 runs. In the end, after a morning of frustration followed by a good many anxious skywards glances as a convoy of dark clouds loomed one after another over the roof of the pavilion, Somerset needed 85 uninterrupted minutes to finish the job and claim the win that had looked theirs for the taking ever since they won the toss, at once keeping their own survival prospects intact and killing off Warwickshire’s, in realistic terms if not mathematically.Dom Bess, whose penultimate over on Thursday evening had claimed the wickets of Jonathan Trott and Keith Barker to push Warwickshire to the brink, wrapped up what is only a second win of the season for last year’s runners-up by bowling the rookie spinner Sunny Singh just as the ground staff were preparing to power up the hover cover. In the celebrations that followed, the relief was palpable.”In the context of the season it is a huge win for us and we’re absolutely delighted,” their young captain, Tom Abell, said. “We asked for the effort and the character to come to the fore and we certainly saw that.”From the great start we were given by Tres (Marcus Trescothick) and Eddie Byrom on the first morning we performed well in all disciplines throughout the game. As a batting unit we established those partnerships we have been striving for all season and with the ball we were very patient. There was a bit in the wicket for all concerned and when we created chances we took them.”It still might not be enough, of course, to keep Somerset out of Division Two themselves next year. They remain second bottom, 30 points clear of their beaten opponents here but with still work to do if they are to catch Yorkshire or Middlesex and only three matches remaining. In their favour, though, two of them are at home, where Bess and Jack Leach, the most successful spin combination in Division One this year, can expect every bit of assistance possible from the wicket.”Yes, we still have a lot of work to do,” Abell added. “It is a boost to our confidence to get this win and play so well but we are still down there at the foot of the table and we have a massive three games ahead of us. We will be trying to win all three and if we could get two wins, that would be great. It is a very strong division with strong teams but we think we have enough in our dressing room to do it.”It has been the collective failure of the batsmen that has been Somerset’s downfall this year, putting them in a predicament few could have foreseen when they went so close to winning the Championship 12 months ago. No one has felt the weight of responsibility more than Abell himself, who had been so out of touch with the bat recently he had no sensible option other than to give up his own place in the side – winning it back, with some irony, only after the controversial move to Warwickshire of Adam Hose created a vacancy.Is the season turning for Somerset skipper Tom Abell?•Getty Images

Abell paid generous compliments to Trescothick, his second-innings centurion, James Hildreth, with whom the veteran opener shared the key partnership of the match to take the game out of Warwickshire’s reach, and to the 20-year-old opener Byrom, who played nicely in both innings. Yet his own contributions – a half-century in each innings on a difficult, turning track – were equally significant.”It has been difficult,” he said. “I went through a patch where I didn’t know where my next run was coming from and that spell in the Seconds trying to find some form did me the world of good.”Now I’m starting to find some enjoyment batting again and the confidence in my game that I had lost.”The key to winning here was that every passage of play saw one Somerset player or another produce a performance at a key moment, ensuring that Warwickshire were never on top, even briefly. After the combination of Leach’s left-arm spin and Craig Overton’s pace had bowled out Somerset for 146 in the first innings, it was the off-spinner Bess and the big-hearted Tim Groenewald who landed the blows second time around.Once the final exchanges began after a two-hour delay, Overton claimed his fifth victim of the match as Tim Ambrose was leg before and then Groenewald, with new ball in hand, bowled Chris Wright and saw Jeetan Patel brilliant caught by Bess at point to complete a deserved five-wicket haul, his first of the season.There seems no escape now for Warwickshire, whose relegation may well be confirmed next week, on live television, when the Sky cameras turn up in the hope of seeing Essex, the champions-elect, strut their stuff.It was a long time after the finish before anyone emerged from the home dressing room, where one can only assume that the atmosphere match the colour of the sky. The bowling coach, Alan Richardson, was ultimately designated to offer words of explanation for a performance that lacked conviction at the moment it was most needed.”It was highly disappointing,” Richardson said. “We had four massive games, starting with one against the team immediately above us, and to not really show up is hugely disappointing.”

Ed Barnard starred with four wickets on an excitable but brief day of action at Trent Bridge

David Hopps at Trent Bridge05-Sep-20171:37

County Championship Round-up: Barnard gives Worcs the edge

Nottinghamshire 188 for 9 (Barnard 4-66) v Worcestershire
ScorecardTwo limited-overs trophies safely gathered in, it was time for Nottinghamshire to return to the gentler rhythms of the County Championship. Ah yes, the dutiful seeing-off of the new ball, the careful perusal of each bowler until every variation had been logged, the chance for spectators to chew upon the clue for seven across and contemplate the latest news from North Korea.Except Championship cricket at Trent Bridge is rarely like that. At one point Notts were for 127 for 6 in the 28th over, the ball as excitable as a week-old puppy, the top six batsmen all suffering the batting equivalent of wee up the trouser leg. Last week, Notts traded runs for wickets with Northants, who were third until they were well beaten. This week it is the turn of Worcestershire, who lie second. There has barely been time to read the news at all. No bad thing.No English ground looks more beautiful in the rain, with the floodlights blazing, than Trent Bridge, but by the time the weather worsened for the final time at 5pm, with Notts 188 for 9, it was time to accept the inevitable with honours about even. To steal 47.5 overs from a day like this was a fair effort.Such is county life on a bedraggled day like this that Ed Barnard, an archetypal English seamer, making strides at 21, had four wickets – removing Jake Libby, Cheteshwar Pujara, Samit Patel and Riki Wessels in the space of 25 balls – while Ravi Ashwin, the Indian spinner brought over to England with considerable fanfare, did not even get a bowl.Ashwin took 8 for 162 to guide Worcestershire to victory against Gloucestershire on his debut last week, but his most valuable experience here, ahead of India’s tour next summer, might well be to bat twice on a seaming deck.Barnard maintained an attacking length and was rewarded for it. His first four overs disappeared for 24, Notts well placed at 79 for 1 in the 19th over, but then the wickets came thick and fast. Jake Libby fell to a combo catch – wicketkeeper Ben Cox knocking the ball on to second slip – Cox held on to dismiss Pujara then took a beauty, low to his right, to silence Samit Patel. Riki Wessels made nought, sitting back to one that kept a little low. Barnard also threw out Brett Hutton late in the day, Hutton had got off the mark the previous ball – his 26th – as he was almost solely responsible for slowing the rate to four an over.The first session was so high-risk, so full of threat and counter-threat that the story should properly have been told in front of a TV camera by Ri Chun-hee, the patriotic North Korean newsreader. She began her career, incidentally, back in 1971 when Mike Smedley and Brian Bolus were mastering the art of the scurried leg-bye at Trent Bridge and North Korea was actually talking about unification with the South. More sober, safer times.Nottinghamshire are marking the retirement of their own supreme leader here, an altogether more popular figure. This is their last home Championship match of the season, the last time that Chris Read will be seen at Trent Bridge. For 20 years, he has graced the game as one of the most quicksilver glovemen around, including 15 Tests – a figure that would have been far higher if the batting qualities that ultimately brought him more than 16,000 first-class runs at 37.18 had been apparent a little earlier.Read’s elan has brought joy to so many Trent Bridge days. He has been nimble behind the stumps and a counter-attacker with the bat around No 7 in the great wicketkeeping tradition. As was observed by Michael Henderson, from , who was on hand to pen a leisurely valediction, while Read has played for Nottinghamshire, the entire ground, bar the chimney-potted old pavilion, has changed around him. The pavilion is also due for a revamp, although Read will not be around to see it. The game has changed too.Read surpassed Thomas Oates for most victims by a Notts wicketkeeper last month. After the last of his Tests, against Australia in Sydney 10 years ago, England preferred to treat him like Captain Lawrence Oates, presuming that he may be gone some time. In England terms, so he has been, but quite properly he walked out to a standing ovation. England should have made better use of him, but in the pubs of Worksop and Newark people will talk fondly of his skills well into their dotage.

Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips is in "advanced talks" with Leeds United over the move to the club this summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Nat Phillips still at Liverpool?

The 26-year-old has become a popular cult figure at Anfield in recent years, rarely actually forcing is way into Jurgen Klopp's plans, but producing one admirable spell of form during the injury crisis of the 2020/21 season, helping the Reds finish third in the Premier League in the process.

It is clear that Phillips doesn't have a long-term future at Liverpool, however, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate the go-to centre-back pairing, and Joel Matip and Joe Gomez still representing stronger options than him, too. Last season, he only played 66 minutes of league action, for example, and there is no reason why that would change this time around.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Englishman is out of contract at Anfield in the summer of 2025, but it looks highly likely that he will secure a permanent move elsewhere before the end of the current transfer window. Leeds have been seen as front-runners to snap him up, and it now looks as though they will get their man.

Will Leeds sign Nat Phillips?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti provided a significant update on Phillips' Liverpool future, claiming that he is on the verge of sealing an eight-figure move to Elland Road:

"Advanced talks between Leeds United and Liverpool for Nat Phillips. The parties are discussing some details about the proposal set at £10,000,000 add-ons included. The English CB has been targeted by Leeds as one of the ideal profiles to replace Wober, now on loan at Gladbach."

This would be a perfect summer move for Phillips, allowing him to be an undoubted starter at a new club, and potentially even standing out as one of the best centre-backs in the Championship.

While the Liverpool man has occasionally looked limited in a Reds shirt, in terms of his ability on the ball, he could be such a key man for Leeds, given the drop down in quality from the Premier League to the second tier.

That's not to say that Phillips isn't a good player, though – Klopp has even hailed him as "absolutely insane" in the past – and his dominance in a defensive sense is outlined by an average of 5.6 aerial duel wins per game in the league during that aforementioned good run in the team back in 2020/21.

At 26, it is time for the Reds centre-back to fully settle at a new club, rather than not playing at all on Merseyside or being loaned out elsewhere, and Leeds would be getting a player full of heart and underrated quality – one who could prove to be a massive player for them as the look to return to the top flight at the first time of asking.

It also means Liverpool will receive a healthy amount of money for player who clearly has no future at the club, and the hope is that those funds can go towards more signings this summer, at a time when further midfield reinforcement are needed, as well as another central defender.

Manchester City have made a “fresh” approach for Lyon forward Bradley Barcola, and a reliable journalist has shared the club’s stance on a deal taking place.

Who is Bradley Barcola?

Barcola, primarily a right-winger, is an academy graduate at the Groupama Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to Laurent Blanc’s first team back in January 2022, and since that time he’s gone on to make a total of 44 senior appearances to date.

The France youth international still has another three years to run on his contract in his homeland, but having established himself as the Ligue 1 outfit’s third best-performing offensive player last season, he’s grabbed the attention of Pep Guardiola and chiefs at the Etihad.

According to 90min, the Sky Blues regularly scouted the 20-year-old during the previous campaign, and after being hugely impressed by the talent they saw on offer, have reportedly identified him as an ideal replacement for Riyad Mahrez who left last month to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in a £30m move.

Are Man City signing Bradley Barcola?

Taking to Twitter X, Gianluigi Longari revealed that Man City have taken their initial interest in Barcola one step further by holding preliminary discussions with Lyon to discover what it would take to bring him to the Premier League before the end of the transfer window. He wrote:

“Fresh contact between Manchester City #MCFC and Olympique Lyon #OL for Bradley #Barcola. He’s one of the City’s target.”

How good is Bradley Barcola?

Man City have reportedly seen an opening £70m offer for West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta turned down, but with outlets claiming that a second bid is being prepared, Barcola could be following in the formerly mentioned player’s footsteps to put pen to paper with the reigning champions should negotiations continue in a positive manner, and what an exciting double move it would be.

Lyon’s £6k-per-week earner has posted 19 goal contributions (12 assists and seven goals) in 44 senior outings at his club, not to mention that last season he ranked in the 94th percentile for attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area, highlighting his desire to create chances for himself and his fellow teammates in the final third, and this form saw him receive three man-of-the-match awards from WhoScored.

The Villeurbanne native, who has been dubbed an “elite” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline and even on the left side of the midfield, so he would give the manager great flexibility when it comes to choosing his formation and team selection should he want to include several different players altogether.

Finally, Barcola shares the same agent, Gestifute, as Ederson, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, as per Transfermarkt, so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could them a potential small advantage should they decide to continue pursuing a deal for the attacker in the closing stages of the summer market.

The fast bowlers praised West Indies’ spirit and recognised the need to alter their lengths on the slower, drier pitches in Zimbabwe

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2017Nobody – not even West Indies’ former players – gave the side a chance after they careened to an innings-and-209-run loss against England in three days in the first Test in Birmingham. In the next Test, West Indies staged one of the greatest fightbacks to chase down 322 to square the series in Leeds. Fast bowlers Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel, who claimed four wickets each in the first innings to set the tone for that famous win, want the side produce a similar performance or better it, in the two-Test series against Zimbabwe, starting October 21.”It was [always] going to be a tough tour of England,” Roach said. “And I think the guys in the second Test came out and showed we can play cricket. So, once we go with the same mentality we had in the second Test against England, I think we will do a very good job on this tour here.””We proved a lot of people wrong [in England]. We have a young group of guys who believe in themselves,” Gabriel said.Roach, who marked his return to Test cricket with 11 wickets at 29.81, including a five-wicket haul at Lord’s, recognised the need to alter the lines and lengths on the slower, drier pitches in Zimbabwe.”Tough conditions in Zimbabwe – it’s my first time here,” Roach said. “So I’m trying to adapt as fast as possible and looking to win the series against Zimbabwe as well. They [The pitches] are pretty slow, quite a big difference from England. Obviously, it’s the drier part of the world, so you’ve got to adapt and get the lines and lengths right. I think [bowling] fuller is better here. Have to get the ball to do some stuff off the seam and be patient.”Gabriel echoed his new-ball partner’s comments and reckoned there might be more assistance for the spinners. “I don’t think they are going to give us a pitch with bounce of anything,” he said. “I think it is going to be a bit more slower, and a bit more turn and assistance for the spinners. So we need to adjust and come together as a team. Judging from the pitch we practised here, there is tennis-ball bounce.”Roach no longer has that searing pace, but he showed skills and smarts in England. That combined with Gabriel’s firepower has lent a fresh edge to the West Indies attack. Captain Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Miguel Cummins, and Devendra Bishoo make up the rest of the bowling group. Roach was pleased with the core bowling group and credited bowling coach Roddy Estwick for his inputs.”The guys [bowlers] have been doing a good job,” Roach said. “I had been watching from home [when I wasn’t playing]. Our bowling is our strength. We have to keep working hard on that and get better. With more experience, these guys will become better cricketers and better bowlers as well. I think the core of bowlers we have in our Test team is a very good one and hope these guys stick as long as possible.”I have been working at finding my rhythm and bowling coach Roddy Estwick has been doing a fantastic job. I have had a lot of interactions, and he has given me some good advice. So, I’m confident, going forward into this series against Zimbabwe.”Zimbabwe have had a good build-up to the series, too, having trumped Sri Lanka 3-2 for their first ODI series win away from home since 2009, and then forcing them to dig deep into their reserves in the one-off Test in Colombo. The last time Zimbabwe faced West Indies, Graeme Cremer’s men prevailed by five runs via D/L method to progress to the tri-series final against Sri Lanka last year.Gabriel, who was part of the West Indies squad in that tri-series, warned his side against complacency. The hosts are also likely to be strengthened by the return of Brendan Taylor – who was released by Nottinghamshire and recontracted by Zimbabwe Cricket – and Kyle Jarvis, who has also opted out of his Kolpak deal.”We are looking forward to these two games, and Zimbabwe have been playing some good cricket,” Gabriel said. “They had some success against Sri Lanka in the one-day series and almost pulled off a victory in the Test match. Even when we played them in Zimbabwe in a one-day series, we fell short in one of the games. We don’t want to take them too lightly. We just want to go out there and perform to the best of our ability, and not be complacent.”

West Ham United have had their move for Carlos Borges hijacked by Ajax this summer, and now a fresh update has emerged on an alternative move that the club could make to soften the blow.

What's the latest on West Ham's interest in Demarai Gray?

According to The Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, Everton winger Demarai Gray is one to "keep an eye on" for the Hammers.

The reporter revealed on Twitter:

"Turning into a nightmare window for West Ham following @FabrizioRomano story that Carlos Borges is now set to join Ajax. Deal looked as good as done. Keep an eye on Demarai Gray. Name that has been internally discussed, nothing finalised just yet between Everton & Fulham. #WHUFC"

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

How good is Demarai Gray?

David Moyes and his squad will head to the south coast in their Premier League opener against Bournemouth next weekend, however, there is still plenty of work to be done to get the team up to scratch for the season ahead.

West Ham will be looking to improve upon their troubling campaign in the top-flight last season falling into the relegation zone on a number of occasions, but ultimately finished 14th and made history when they won the Europa Conference League, earning them instant qualification into the Europa League.

Not only do the Hammers have the financial power to recruit well this summer due to the £105m sale of ex-club captain Declan Rice, but are an attractive prospect for players due to the opportunity to play European football at the London Stadium.

As a result, the signing of Gray presents an opportunity for Moyes to move on from the failed Borges deal by snapping up the services of a Premier League-proven winger, who could make an instant impact on the attacking threat next season.

Since the arrival of Sean Dyche at Goodison Park, Gray has found his game-time somewhat limited with the former Burnley boss preferring to deploy Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi on the wider flanks and at times, played the former Leicester prodigy in the centre-forward role due to injury issues.

However, there is no doubt that the versatile forward – who has a reported €14m (£12m) price tag – plays his best football when deployed on the left wing with 21 goals and 17 assists delivered in the position over his career so far.

Over 33 Premier League appearances last season, the 27-year-old – once hailed "absolutely electric" by 90min journalist Scott Saunders – scored four goals, delivered one assist and created five big chances, as well as averaging one successful dribble, 1.1 key passes and 1.8 shots on goal per game, as per SofaScore.

Time is running out for West Ham to get their business done, with the transfer window set to close in less than a month's time, so adding depth into key areas of the pitch will be essential over the coming days and weeks remaining to ensure they don't fall back into another relegation scrap in the bottom half of the table.

With that being said, if the Irons could seal a deal for Gray this summer it would offer Moyes an experienced and quality forward who could bolster the options available to unleash in the forward line next season.