Ireland have slid considerably over the last year or so, while Bangladesh have just one win from their last five ODIs, leaving both teams desperate for a win

The Preview by Akshay Gopalakrishnan18-May-2017Match factsMay 19, 2017
Start time 10.45am local (0945 GMT)Tamim Iqbal’s good recent form will leave the onus of building the innings with him•AFPBig pictureA win percentage of 31.5 in completed ODIs since the start of last year pretty much encapsulates how far Ireland have slid in recent times. In two series preceding the ongoing tri-nation tournament, they lost 2-3 to Afghanistan in Greater Noida, before being swept 2-0 by England in England.Conditions played a part in their toils against Afghanistan as Ireland couldn’t quite cope with the slow surfaces in Greater Noida and succumbed to a team that clearly had superior spin stocks. The familiarity of the cold, harsh climes of Malahide, however, hasn’t bred success for them either: they came up short against a weakened New Zealand team, led by Tom Latham.An ageing team has also played a part – the average age of their XI against New Zealand was 29. Veterans like William Porterfield, Niall O’Brien, Kevin O’Brien and Gary Wilson – all of whom played significant roles in Ireland becoming the top Associate nation – are well into their 30s now.Bangladesh’s graph has moved in the opposite direction. Since making the 2015 World Cup quarterfinal, series wins over Pakistan, India and South Africa have made them a force to be reckoned with in home conditions. They came into the tri-series fresh off levelling Test, ODI and T20I series on the tour of Sri Lanka. However, their recent record outside the subcontinent hasn’t been too encouraging. They returned from their tour of New Zealand without a single win in eight international games across formats and have also had mixed results in Ireland overall, with four wins from eight international matches.Form guideIreland LLLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLWLLIn the spotlightPeter Chase, the 23-year old right-arm pacer, has had a mixed start to his ODI career. Chase has 23 wickets from 16 matches, but also averages 38.95 and has an economy rate of 6.83. His performances in this series have typified that. In the opener, he rocked Bangladesh with early strikes before rain intervened, and finished with 3 for 33 in six overs. In his next match, he was slapped for 74 runs in ten overs by New Zealand. Chase can generate pace and bounce and, in conditions amiable for pace-bowling, this series is an opportunity to bring some consistency in his game and step up in the absence of senior bowler Boyd Rankin.Tamim Iqbal has one fifty and a century from his last five outings with the bat. His good form augurs well given Bangladesh’s tendency to lose wickets in a cluster, often from good positions. Tamim’s experience is also welcome in what are likely to be tough batting conditions.Team newsIreland gave Simi Singh an ODI debut in place of Stuart Thompson against New Zealand, and Simi had a forgettable match scoring 9 off 14 balls in a chase of 290. Thompson himself had replaced Ed Joyce in the series opener against Bangladesh. If Joyce has recovered from his back injury, it is fairly certain neither Simi nor Thompson will find a place in the XI.Ireland (probable) 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Niall O’Brien (wk), 4 Andy Balbirnie, 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Stuart Thompson/Ed Joyce, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Tim Murtagh, 11 Peter ChaseIn Bangladesh’s previous match, against New Zealand, Taskin Ahmed made way for the returning Mashrafe Mortaza, who had missed the first match due to an over-rate suspension. Bangladesh failed to defend 257, but with Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain both taking wickets, Taskin will likely miss out again.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mehedi Hasan, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsThe Malahide pitch is known for being green and pace-friendly but it also turned out to be a good batting track in the previous match between New Zealand and Ireland. Spinners from both sides also did well, with Mitchell Santner claiming a five-for. While it is expected to be partly sunny around start time, rain is forecast at noon and there is cloud cover expected right through the afternoon.Stats and trivia Mahmudullah needs 28 more to complete 3000 runs in ODI cricket. The average scoring rate in the first innings in Malahide is 5.7, which translates into an average first-innings score of 285.

People around Hotspur Way have been impressed with new manager Ange Postecoglou's coaching staff, referring to them as "brilliant", according to Alasdair Gold.

Who is on Ange Postecoglou's coaching team?

The Australian joined Tottenham Hotspur this summer from Celtic on a four-year deal after spending the previous two campaigns with the Scottish side, winning back-to-back league titles.

Postecoglou did not bring across any of his coaching staff from Scotland, with coaches such as Harry Kewell, John Kennedy, Stephen McManus, Gordon Strachan and Stevie Woods not following the 57-year-old over to north London.

This was a choice made by the coach, as he said when asked about the subject: "I’m really pleased with the group I’ve got together, it's well chronicled that I don’t have a travelling band (of coaches), I like to work with new people, that excites me and challenges me as a person. I’ve a really good mix, bright, young guys… it’s been mentioned to me that, apparently, I’m getting a bit old, so I’m surrounding myself with younger guys! But, more importantly, really bright, talented and ambitious guys."

Instead, the former Australian national team manager has rebuilt the senior coaching setup at the club, bringing in five new coaches.

Former Swansea City, Liverpool, Celtic, and Leicester assistant manager Chris Davies will join the setup as the senior assistant manager after deciding not to follow long-time work partner Brendan Rodgers back to Scotland.

Matt Wells will also step up into an assistant manager role on a permanent basis after taking up the role under interim manager Ryan Mason.

Speaking of Mason, the former Spurs midfielder will also take up a position on Postecoglou's coaching staff. He is a highly respected figure within the club and is ready to work under his fourth different manager in his coaching career.

Rob Burch is making a return to the north London side as the new manager's goalkeeping coach after having spells with Fulham, Bournemouth and the FA.

The most surprising appointment is undoubtedly former Crystal Palace and Aston Villa midfielder Mile Jedinak. Jedinak previously worked with Postecoglou with the Australian national team, where the midfielder was the captain. Jedinak has limited coaching experience, having only worked at Villa as a Youth Development coach.

Despite some inexperience and having never worked together as a unit before, the coaching staff have made a very positive impression on players and staff around Hotspur Way according to journalist Gold, who stated on his YouTube channel that the team of coaches had been described as "brilliant".

"Postecoglou's coaching staff have been very impressive so far as well. People have spoken about them… "Brilliant" – a few people have used that word about how good this coaching staff is that he's put together.

"From what I understand, all the coaches are loving what they're doing with Postecoglou so far."

What is so impressive about the coaching under Ange Postecoglou?

According to football.london, Postecoglou and his staff have already made a positive impression on the Spurs squad with their first few sessions, with drills being described as "upbeat" and "bright".

The Australian has not taken a very hands-on approach to the training, instead opting to let his coaching staff run the sessions after he briefs them on what he wants to achieve.

That's not to say he doesn't have input, as he will speak to the players as a group and occasionally interject during a drill. However, he more often than not tends to stick to the side, noting down things he's observed with his trusty notepad to change and adjust for the next session.

This news is undoubtedly positive news for Spurs fans, who should be excited at the positivity and togetherness Postecoglou is already producing at the club.

Celtic kick off their Scottish Premiership campaign in just under two weeks as they host Ross County at Parkhead on the opening day.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

Hoops supporters could see a number of new faces on the pitch as Brendan Rodgers has been able to bring in four signings so far during the summer transfer window.

Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Hyun-jun Yang have all arrived in Scotland on permanent deals. However, none of them have experience at this level and it remains to be seen if they will be upgrades on what the Northern Irish head coach already had in the building.

One way in which the ex-Liverpool boss could almost be guaranteed to improve his team would be to land former left-back Kieran Tierney on loan from Arsenal.

The Scottish Sun reported that the £120k-per-week defender would be willing to consider a return to Parkhead this summer as he is weighing up whether or not to leave the Gunners on a temporary basis.

How long was Kieran Tierney at Celtic?

Tierney made first-team appearances across five seasons for the club after coming through the academy set-up and would, therefore, arrive as a player with a proven track record with five league titles under his belt.

The Scotland international could come in as an upgrade on current left-back Greg Taylor due to the attacking quality he could provide in the Premiership and his defensive ability in European competitions.

Firstly, the now-Arsenal ace caught the eye with 4.7 tackles and interceptions combined per game across six Champions League matches during the 2017/18 campaign for Celtic, which shows that the talented battler was able to constantly disrupt the opposition's flow to win the ball back for his team.

Whereas, Taylor managed 3.5 per match for the Hoops in that tournament last term and Matt O'Riley (4.8) was the only player in any position to manage more than the former Bhoys star did during his last season with the club at that level.

This suggests that Tierney has the defensive awareness and strength to potentially be Rodgers' outstanding option at the back when it comes to playing the big matches in Europe, particularly when you consider that he was the manager in charge of the left-back at that point.

The 26-year-old dynamo could also provide more creativity to produce chances for his teammates than Taylor from that position as the bombarding talent caught the eye with his attacking play under the current Celtic boss during their time together.

Tierney, who teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko hailed as "amazing", assisted 25 goals across 97 Premiership outings and 37 in 170 appearances across all competitions for the club, which means that he set up a goal every 3.88 league matches on average throughout his spell in Scotland.

On the other hand, Taylor has racked up 20 assists in 181 Premiership games over the course of his career and 20 in 127 clashes for Celtic across all competitions – an average of one assist every 6.35 outings for the Bhoys.

Therefore, Rodgers could instantly improve his team by bringing the Arsenal defender back to Paradise this summer as his play in and out of possession, as a proven performer for the Hoops, could make him a big upgrade on the current first-choice.

Liverpool have made an initial approach for Fluminense midfielder Andre as Jurgen Klopp continues to reassemble his team, according to recent reports…

Is Andre signing for Liverpool?

That's according to Football Transfers, who have confirmed that Brazilian outfit Fluminense will listen to offers for the 22-year-old – who is also wanted by Fulham – though not until the Brazilian Serie A campaign concludes in December.

It's stated that Premier League sides, including the Reds have tested the waters in order to ascertain what it might take to finalise a move.

While this might not seem ideal for the Anfield side, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Reds have made a formal approach to Southampton for prodigious midfielder Romeo Lavia – who is valued at £50m – and could re-craft his defensive midfield with two astute purchases spread over the 23/24 campaign.

Andre's outfit will demand €25m (£22m) for his services, which only furthers the argument for the Merseyside club to make their move, securing an exciting and industrious talent to enrich the ranks.

Who is Fluminense midfielder Andre?

Brazil boasts an illustrious history of talent and Andre could prove to be the latest who make the well-trodden path from the South American country to the Premier League.

The one-cap international has made 143 appearances for Tricolor Flu Fluzão since rising through the youth ranks, and now one of the club's eminent names, could take the next step in his development and put pen to paper with Klopp's side.

As per Sofascore, the "leader" – as Andre has been called by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has recorded an average rating of 7.08 in the Brazilian top-flight across 13 appearances this term, completing 92% of his passes, succeeding with 70% of his dribbles and 62% of his ground duels.

Andre's prowess as a touch-tackling midfield gem is further highlighted by FBref, who rank him among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next 8 divisions – the leagues below the established European top five – for pass completion, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Newly-signed Paris Saint-Germain star Manuel Ugarte is listed as Andre's most comparable player, via FBref, which could work in Liverpool's favour considering the Merseyside outfit were actively pursuing the Portuguese pro earlier this year.

Ugarte has been hailed as a "machine" by Kulig and looks likely to cement his stature as one of Europe's foremost holding midfielders over the next year with the French giants, and Andre could provide Liverpool with their own version this winter if the club do decide to forge ahead with a deal.

Ugarte also ranks among the top 1% for pass completion, while ranking among the top 9% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 12% for blocks per 90.

Andre would arrive at Anfield at the season's midpoint and could make a marked improvement on the side's season, offering cover to the holding midfielder and working his way into a prominent position at a Reds team targetting a renaissance to strike fear into the hearts of opposition across Europe.

ScorecardChris Rushworth ensured Durham’s hard graft earlier in the day brought reward•Getty Images

Glamorgan opener Nick Selman followed his match-winning century against Durham at Swansea last month with another hundred in the Specsavers County Championship match at Chester-le-Street.But Durham’s Chris Rushworth hit back with the second new ball, grabbing three wickets to finish with 5 for 40 as the visitors slipped from 182 for 3 to close the first day on 221 for 7.Having elected to bat in baking heat, Glamorgan ground along all day. losing only one wicket in each of the first two sessions in reaching 147 from 66 overs.Selman spent 249 balls over his hundred, getting there by inside-edging Rushworth for his 13th four. Three balls later he was lbw for 103.Offspinner Ryan Pringle conceded only 23 runs in 19 overs as Durham maintained their accuracy, with the other two wickets going to academy seamer Matty Potts in his second appearance.Despite a minute’s silence for the London fire victims at 11am, and a drinks break at noon, Durham got through 33 overs in an attritional first session.Jacques Rudolph fell in the seventh over when Rushworth was rewarded for an excellent spell by clipping the left-hander’s off bail.Andrew Salter, promoted to three in the absence of Will Bragg, cut and pulled Barry McCarthy for two fours but was otherwise restrained.He departed for 25 when he pushed forward and edged Rushworth to wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter to end a stand of 66 in 34 overs.Colin Ingram also made a cautious start but began to flourish when he drove Pringle through the covers then cut him for another four. He fell for 33 when Potts moved one away to have him caught behind.When Rushworth took the new ball his fourth delivery swung in to take out Aneurin Donald’s off stump. Then balls which nipped back had Selman and David Lloyd lbw, although neither seemed happy with the decision.Potts took the final wicket of the day when wicketkeeper Tom Cullen, handed his debut after Chris Cooke took a blow on the head in practice, was well caught at second slip by Pringle.

Manchester United have made just one summer signing so far during this transfer window, with Mason Mount arriving from Chelsea and with the Premier League campaign just a few weeks away, Erik ten Hag will need to act swiftly to improve his squad.

With reinforcements required across all areas of the first team, bolstering his attacking options seems to be at the forefront of the Dutchman’s mind and United have offered Atalanta a players-plus-cash deal for striker Rasmus Hojlund, however, the Serie A outfit are demanding a cash-only bid in a saga which threatens to rumble on for the next few weeks.

Could the Old Trafford side perhaps look at alternative options should a move for the Dane fail to materialise?

Man Utd transfer news – Goncalo Ramos back on the radar

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, the Red Devils could go back in for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos – speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“Manchester United are looking for a new striker, at the moment there are two names on the shortlist, and one is Goncalo Ramos.

"After a few weeks of silence, the English club is ready to reopen talks with Benfica again. At the moment the position of the Portuguese team is quite adamant: the player has a release clause of €120 million (£102 million) and this value represents his price.

"However, Manchester United will try to figure out the room for negotiation to lower the price, even if at the moment there is not much confidence.”

Will Man Utd sign Goncalo Ramos?

The urgent requirement for a striker ahead of the 2023/24 campaign certainly suggests that a move could go through this summer, especially considering they scored only 58 Premier League goals last term.

Hojlund appears to be the main target, but Ramos could sparkle at Old Trafford if given the opportunity to shine under Ten Hag, and he could form a dream partnership with Marcus Rashford.

The Englishman was in the form of his life last season, having registered 41 goal contributions – 30 goals and 11 assists – across all competitions, and he ranks in the top 8% across Europe’s big five leagues for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (6.92), suggesting that he does get into scoring positions often.

The 25-year-old machine also ranked third across the United squad for league assists (five) and sixth for big chances created (five), indicating that Ramos would benefit from his ability to generate opportunities from the left wing.

Across the next big eight competitions on the continent, Ramos ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.75) and in the top 7% for total shots per 90 (3.87). In contrast, his 27 goals last season demonstrate that he is certainly proficient in front of goal and Ten Hag needs an out-and-out striker with this sort of ability.

Rashford was either deployed on the left wing or as a centre-forward last term, yet it is clear his best position is out wide, having scored 16 of his goals from there during 2022/23.

With Ramos leading the line, it would take the pressure from the United gem that was clearly abundant during Ten Hag’s maiden campaign.

Journalist Josh Bunting once lauded the young forward as “powerful” and as a “top prospect” last year and there is no doubt he is ready to make the step up to performing for a club such as United.

The next few weeks will be interesting regarding who Ten Hag manages to lure to Old Trafford, and Ramos may not only be an ideal alternative to Hojlund but a perfect partner for Rashford heading into the new campaign.

Glasgow Rangers have undergone a major summer rebuild as Michael Beale has cleared out some high earners such as Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, who departed the club following the expiration of their contracts while luring some wonderful talents such as Jack Butland and Kieran Dowell to the Ibrox side.

The 2023/24 campaign promises to be an exciting one, with Rangers showing glimpses of their capabilities towards the end of last term, including an impressive 3-0 victory over Celtic, albeit they had already secured the Premiership title.

With plenty of time left to go before the transfer window shuts, Beale will surely be looking at bringing another couple of players to the Light Blues, along with shipping some deadwood out in order to generate funds for future purchases.

Although the Gers have mainly signed midfielders and forwards so far this summer, there is a clear need for some more defensive recruitments.

With this in mind, the Ibrox side were linked with a move for Southampton youngster Thierry Small according to Football Insider at the end of May, with a fee of just £1.2m being touted as enough to prise the 18-year-old away from England.

Could Rangers sign Thierry Small?

Rangers already have two excellent left-backs in the shape of Ridvan Yilmaz and Borna Barisic and while the former only arrived last summer and still has time on his side to learn and adapt to Scottish football, Barisic has just one year left on his contract and although talks have begun with the club over a new deal, he won’t be around forever.

There was nothing wrong with his attacking ability last term, averaging 2.3 key passes per game and creating 12 big chances, yet defensively, he ranked fifth out of the squad for tackles per game and seventh for clearances per game (1.1) and he lost possession a staggering 18.8 times per game, suggesting that he may be going backwards defensively.

Small became the youngest-ever player to appear for Everton during an FA Cup tie in 2021 aged just 16 years and 176 days, and he was even hailed as “quality” by Carlo Ancelotti. He failed to build on that promise despite joining Southampton that summer on a three-year professional deal, being dubbed “highly-rated” by journalist Simon Peach.

The teen starlet secured a loan move to St Mirren during the second half of last season and despite starting only seven matches for the club, he still averaged one key pass per game while completing 0.6 dribbles per game, showing that he showed glimpses of his attacking potential.

Defensively, he made 1.3 tackles and one clearance per game, which wasn’t far off Barisic’s figures of 1.8 tackles and 1.1 clearances made per game respectively, showing that he is already near the numbers of Barisic defensively, despite playing fewer matches and being a lot less experienced.

For just £1.2m, it would surely be a risk worth taking on the youngster, especially following the success Calvin Bassey enjoyed during his spell at Rangers after arriving from England three years ago.

With the Croatian left-back only having a few years left at the top, Small could be an ideal heir for the 30-year-old.

Kumar Sangakkara became the first county batsman to pass 1,000 first-class runs as his prolific season continued at Headingley

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2017
ScorecardKumar Sangakkara became the first batsman to reach 1,000 runs in the Specsavers County Championship this season as his sixth hundred propelled Surrey to 516 for seven declared during a heavily rain affected day two at Headingley.Retiring Sangakkara advanced from 82 overnight to his ton in double quick time as the visitors advanced from 374 for six.He ended with a stunning 180 not out off 183 balls before Yorkshire replied with 27 for one from 10.5 overs.Play did not start until 5pm due to rain and there was no further play beyond 7.10pm. Only 30 overs were possible.When Surrey declared midway through the session, Sangakkara had hit 21 fours and four sixes.The Sri Lanka legend reached his sixth century in only his eleventh innings off 136 balls with 12 fours and a six and his 150 off another 28.He now averages 108.6 this season with 1,086 runs from only eleven innings.The ball after reaching his century, Sangakkara lofted Ben Coad over long-off into the Football Stand for his second six.He later hit big leg-side sixes off the spin of Adil Rashid and Joe Root, who was unbeaten on 12 off 13 balls at close.Sangakkara was helped along by Tom Curran, who made 44, with the pair sharing a record 158 for the seventh wicket.It was Surrey’s best in matches against Yorkshire, while their total was also their best in away first-class matches against the White Rose.Remarkably, Sangakkara scored 91 of 122 runs to come in the first hour of play as Surrey moved to 496 for six. In all, they scored 142 in 19.1 overs from the start of play.Kumar Sangakkara passed another landmark at Headingley•Getty Images

This was the 39-year-old’s second century of the month at Headingley after he scored 121 in a Royal London one-day Cup play-off win here a fortnight ago.The declaration came immediately after Curran had uppercut Tim Bresnan to third-man at the start of the 116th over.Surrey claimed the maximum five batting points, while Yorkshire only finished with two for bowling.Bresnan, Coad and Steve Patterson all finished the innings with two wickets apiece. Jack Brooks and Rashid conceded 109 and 107 from 18 and 16 overs respectively.The Curran brothers, Tom and Sam, kept things tight at the start of Yorkshire’s reply, with the latter getting the breakthrough when he had Adam Lyth lbw for eight in the eighth over, leaving the score at eleven for one.England Test captain Root punched Tom through the covers off the back foot for his only boundary and is unbeaten on 12.Play was abandoned at 8.15pm.Yorkshire teenager Harry Brook will replace Lions bound captain Gary Ballance in the Yorkshire side for the rest of the game.

Faf du Plessis is expected to return to the UK in time to captain South Africa in the first Test against England at Lord’s after going home for the birth of his first child

Firdose Moonda29-Jun-2017Faf du Plessis is expected to return to the UK in time to captain South Africa in the first Test against England at Lord’s after going home for the birth of his first child. Du Plessis’ wife Imari gave birth on Thursday, a week before the series opener, which should give du Plessis, who has never played a Test series in England before, enough time to travel back the squad.Du Plessis confirmed the arrival of his baby in a tweet: “Our biggest blessing yet came in a small package. So very grateful,” he posted.In du Plessis’ absence, Dean Elgar is leading the South Africans in their warm-up match against England Lions in Worcester. Theunis de Bruyn was included in the XI as a back-up batsman but South Africa also have Aiden Markram in the squad, who was initially said to be cover for du Plessis. With the skipper set to take his spot at No. 4, it is likely the only debutant at Lord’s will be opener Heino Kuhn, who replaced Stephen Cook in the squad.South Africa are still sweating over the fitness of Vernon Philander, who was unable to take part in the tour match as he recovers from an ankle injury. Though they are hopeful Philander will be fully fit in a week’s time, Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo are in the squad as back-up.The touring party will be back to full strength with coach Russell Domingo, who had to rush home after his mother was involved in an accident, also expected to return later this week. This series is likely Domingo’s last in charge with CSA searching for a new coach. Domingo is understood not to have reapplied and interviews for his replacement have already been conducted. CSA has appointed a five-man panel, which includes Gary Kirsten and Eric Simons, to recommend a suitable candidate by July 21.

Nottingham Forest are closing in on the signing of Manchester United youngster Anthony Elanga, according to a key update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

How much does Anthony Elanga earn?

The 21-year-old has been at United since 2014, arriving as a child in the youth team and working his way into the senior setup, making 55 appearances to date, not to mention scoring and assisting four times apiece along the way.

Elanga has found it difficult to see earn regular football under Erik ten Hag, however, with other attacking players generally preferred to him, from Marcus Rashford to Antony.

Last season, only five starts came his way in the Premier League, as well as just one in the Europa League, and it looks increasingly as though he isn't seen as part of the manager's future plans at Old Trafford.

It has become clear that a move away this summer looks highly likely and Forest have now emerged as the frontrunners to snap him up before the new season gets underway. Now, a new update has emerged regarding his future that further suggests the £5,000-a-week attacker could be heading to the City Ground in the very near future.

Will Nottingham Forest sign Anthony Elanga?

Taking to Twitter, Romano provided a big update on Forest's pursuit of Elanga this summer, saying that the move is now nearing completion:

"Negotiations advancing for Anthony Elanga to Nottingham Forest – it’d be permanent deal."

Elanga could be a really shrewd signing by Forest this summer, coming in as someone who has proven himself at a high level. Granted, things ultimately haven't panned out the way he would have hoped at United in terms of being a regular, but he has still picked up some invaluable experience and played his part in some of the club's success.

The 12-cap Sweden international is someone who could flourish as one of the main men at a club rather than simply being a cog in the machine, and there is every chance that he becomes one of the first names on the teamsheet at Forest.

At just 21, Elanga still has a vast chunk of his career ahead of him, and while he would arrive as an important figure from the off, he could mature into an even more formidable prospect over time. The fact that he has impressed Roy Keane recently speaks volumes, with the legendary former midfielder saying:

"I like the fact he likes to run in behind. I love that desire. You stretch teams, it’s very simple and very effective, you have to do it at the right times. When they are sprinting behind, you cause all sorts of problems, especially if you mix your game up, which he does well."

To receive praise from someone like Keane says a lot about Elanga's potential – the ex-Forest man isn't exactly one to dish out compliments left, right and centre – and further highlights why he could be such a good signing for the Reds, coming in and immediately bolstering their wide attacking options in the process.