Journalist Lee Ryder has praised Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes after his brilliant displays in the club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Bruno Guimaraes and Newcastle?

The Magpies did their hopes of finishing inside the top four and qualifying for the Champions League a world of good on Sunday afternoon.

Indeed, they blew away rivals Tottenham Hotspur inside the first 21 minutes of the Premier League game, racing to a shock 5-0 lead at St James' Park.

Joelinton's strike was sandwiched between a Jacob Murphy double before Alexander Isak also grabbed a brace before halftime. While in the second half, Callum Wilson and Harry Kane got on the scoresheet to see things end 6-1.

While it was the sort of game where a number of Eddie Howe's men seemed to put in near-perfect performances, the club's Brazilian midfielder really caught the eye.

Indeed, when writing his player ratings for ChronicleLive, Ryder handed Guimaraes and 9/10 and dished out some high praise.

The journalist wrote: "Was sparkling in the middle. United's pass master with 67."

How good was Guimaraes vs Spurs?

When you look at his stats (via SofaScore), it's not hard to see why Guimaraes has been dubbed as the club's "pass master." Indeed, he finished the game with a 90 per cent passing accuracy (the best on the pitch). He also made four key passes (only bettered by Keiran Trippier's five) and completed the highest amount of long balls with nine out of 11 attempted.

What's more, Guimaraes was also great at winning the ball back as he managed two tackles and won six ground duels, while also being fouled three times.

Ryder wasn't alone in his praise for the £120k-p/w midfielder either. Indeed, in the player ratings for Shields Gazette, Dominic Scurr handed him an 8/10 and wrote: "Anchored Newcastle’s midfield nicely despite taking a slight knock. His composure in possession made a big difference in the first half."

With all that in mind, it's safe to say the Magpies look almost certain to finish in the top four with their Brazilian midfielder leading the charge. When quizzed on this after the game, however, manager Howe refused to admit as much.

He told BBC Sport: "It's not for me to say. I saw a very good team playing today, two actually. But there's a lot of games to go and a lot of points to play for."

Liverpool are "very far in" with negotiations to bring Jorg Schmadtke to the club as sporting director, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Do Liverpool need a sporting director?

The job of sporting director has been an influential one at Anfield during Jurgen Klopp's time in charge of the Reds, with Michael Edwards bordering on a genius who worked wonders in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Julian Ward has continued to do an impressive job as his predecessor, but he is leaving his role at the end of the season.

Liverpool are working hard on finding a replacement and Schmadtke has emerged as a front-runner in recent weeks, with the 59-year-old previously at Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Now, a fresh update has emerged – one that suggests that he will indeed be Ward's imminenty replacement on Merseyside.

Will Schmadtke move to Anfield?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Falk claimed that talks are now at an advanced stage, with Klopp seemingly seeing his compatriot as the best possible appointment:

"The negotiations are very far in for Jorg Schmadtke, I heard. He thought about retiring after leaving Wolfsburg in January. He said his wife is now making the decision and if in the next three months she can’t stand him anymore he has to go out and work again.

"So, I think it’s not easy for him to be coming back into a full-time job in July, especially not in Germany. I heard the talks started with the idea of an external consultant position working just for transfers. This idea included just a few months, especially the summer transfer window. Now the talks are looking at something more, which is why they are taking longer than expected.

"At a minimum, it will be a consultant role. If Liverpool wants and gets more from Schmadtke – that remains to be seen."

There is no absolute confirmation that Liverpool want Schmadtke as sporting director, rather than a different position, but he could be an astute appointment in that job, given his vast experience down the years.

While some negative reports have emerged regarding his personality and ability to fall out with managers, Klopp is to be trusted with decisions such as these. If he wants to bring him in, there is a good reason for it, having helped Hannover 96 finish fourth in the Bundesliga in 2010/11, and reaching the Europa League quarter-finals the following season.

It is absolutely vital that Liverpool get this appointment right, though, ahead of one of the most important summer transfer windows in recent memory, with numerous new signings required to get the Reds back towards the top of English football.

Joe Root, having put his Test summer back on course on the opening day of the Old Trafford Test, extended his virtuoso performance past 200 on the second as England sought to pile up an impregnable first innings score against Pakistan

The Report by David Hopps23-Jul-2016Pakistan 57 for 4 (Masood 30*, Misbah 1*, Woakes 3-18) trail England 589 for 8 dec (Root 264, Cook 105) by 532 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsOld Trafford 2016 was the occasion on which Joe Root, England’s cheeky chappie, reacquainted himself with the more fulfilling qualities of Test cricket. Having put his Test summer back on course on the opening day of the second Investec Test, he completed the journey on the second to lead England to what is surely an impregnable first-innings score against Pakistan.For ten-and-a-quarter hours, Root not only conquered the Pakistan attack that had overcome England at Lord’s, but also explored something meaningful about himself. Impeccable on the first day and indefatigable on the second, the batsman who turned his place at No 4 into a crusade for batting freedom indicated that he can irrefutably lay claim to the mantle of greatness at No 3.Pakistan needed a solid response in the 24 overs before the close. Instead, wearied by 152.2 overs in the field, they had a nightmarish time courtesy of three wickets for Chris Woakes, who is making such an impact on the series that more flamboyant figures would by now be hailed as rising heroes and about to launch a range of clothing on the back of it; even he must find it all quite agreeable in an unassuming sort of way.For 12 overs, Pakistan proceeded calmly enough, but Woakes had Mohammad Hafeez loosely caught at second slip with his sixth delivery – and added a return catch in his fourth over when Azhar Ali’s lopsided push suggested he was suffering from subsidence.Pakistan’s unhappy day was complete when Younis Khan produced a characteristic leaping fend at a short, leg-side delivery from Ben Stokes to be caught at the wicket before the nightwatchman Rahat Ali proved ill-equipped for the task, giving Woakes a third wicket as an agitated response to a bouncer ended up at short leg. Shan Masood batted through for 30 not out, but even he had one or two hairy moments.Woakes now has a Test batting average markedly higher than his Test bowling average which is always a good look for an allrounder. There is no bombast about him, but England’s cricketing public is finally beginning to appreciate his talents.But the day again largely belonged to Root. His 254 was the third highest England Test score against Pakistan and the second highest by an England batsman at Old Trafford. On a pristine batting pitch, he emphasised perfection first, ingenuity second, as he secured a second Test double hundred.Only in the final slog did his reckoning desert him, Wahab Riaz deceiving him with a slower offcutter which he hauled high into the leg side for Mohammad Hafeez to take a fine running, diving catch from deep midwicketHe benefited from two moments of fortune before lunch – the sort of luck he had complained (with only partial justification) in the build-up to the Test that he had been lacking.On 143, he botched a pull against Mohammad Amir, the sort of stroke that caused his downfall at Lord’s, but the ball fell short of the fielder. Root and Amir – his most dangerous adversary – smiled as if sharing a private joke. Then on 159, an edge against the legspinner Yasir Shah died just in front of Younis at slip, somewhat assisted by Younis’ stiff-backed response.But the overriding impression was of a batsman of undoubted class and sure touch who had once again attuned himself to the rhythm and demands of Test cricket. Ironically, his 200 was brought up by his most creative moment, whipping a reverse sweep against Yasir to the third man boundary. Do not underplay the extent of his challenge: over the past three years, Root has been selected in multi-formats 25% more than any other England player with Moeen Ali next in line.Pakistan must be concerned about the workload being undertaken by a four-strong attack. Amir needed treatment on what seemed to be a jarred knee on a hard, unforgiving surface and, as for Yasir, a potentially decisive figure in this series, he clocked up figures of 54-6-213-1. Root’s decisive footwork against him was a large factor in that.Even before Pakistan’s collapse, there had been enough fleeting signs to suggest that this pitch will eventually turn towards the bowlers – occasional moments of uneven bounce, such as the ball that bowled Alastair Cook on the opening day, and one or two signs of turn for Yasir. But England’s progress was blissful as they added 219 in the first two sessions for the loss of Woakes, a 30-carat nightwatchman, in the morning and Stokes in the afternoon.It was four overs before the close of the first day when Woakes was given the chance of some nightwatchman duties. He was wise to leap at the opportunity on such a welcoming batting surface. While Woakes prospered, Stokes, the allrounder protected by the change of order, wandered around the balcony, checked his bat, chewed his fingernails. The nightwatchman who seems a convenience to a batsman late on one day can be a hindrance to personal ambition on the next.It was Woakes who signalled England’s intent on the second morning, outscoring Root by a considerable margin. He cut and drove Rahat Ali to pep up the opening overs, required treatment for a blow on the elbow, and found time to log his first six in Test cricket when he fashioned an uppercut over the slips off Amir. He fell for 58 from 104 balls, 13 minutes before lunch, when Yasir forced a return catch from around the wicket.Stokes made an irritated exit on 34 when he was given out caught down the leg side on review, the third umpire Joel Wilson concluding that the ball had feathered his glove as he pulled at Wahab Riaz. It was a borderline decision – Snicko offered more convincing evidence than Hotspot – but sometimes borderline decisions are what you are landed with and it is hyper-critical to condemn either the system or the umpires involved for an unavoidable state of affairs.Jonny Bairstow also gave England impetus as Root, partly through fatigue, partly through a desire to see things through to the declaration made only 41 in the middle session. Bairstow was reprieved on 9 by the wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and, if the initial edge off Yasir was tough, the ball happened to bounce up so invitingly for him that two further grab-and-goes before the ball hit the deck were hard to explain away.That left Root and Bairstow to rattle up a century stand, a post-tea slog bringing 56 in 6.2 overs. Root entered the Test having converted only one of his last 10 Test half-centuries into hundreds and he was in the mood to make someone pay. Misbah-ul-Haq, a Pakistan captain committed to playing the game in a fine spirit, must have got sick of congratulating him.

Jack Taylor, the Gloucestershire allrounder, has been passed to resume bowling his offspin by the ECB. Taylor was suspended in June after being found to have an illegal action for the second time in his career.Taylor underwent remedial work after his bowling action was found to exceed 15 degrees. He was re-tested on July 28 and the ban has now been lifted with immediate effect.Even without his bowling, Taylor has continued to feature in Gloucestershire’s middle order. The 24-year-old has scored 602 runs at 43.00 in the Championship this season – behind only Chris Dent – and made his highest T20 score of 44 not out last week to help Gloucestershire top the NatWest Blast South Group table.He was previously called in 2013, missing the rest of the season to remodel his action with the help of Gloucestershire and the ECB’s national academy in Loughborough, before being cleared to resume bowling in February 2014.

India have retained 15 of the 17 players who formed the Test squad for the tour of West Indies, for the upcoming three-Test series at home against New Zealand

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-20163:22

Agarkar: Rahul and Vijay should open

India have retained 15 of the 17 players who formed the Test squad for the tour of West Indies, for the upcoming three-Test series at home against New Zealand. The players to miss out were allrounder Stuart Binny and seamer Shardul Thakur.Binny and Thakur played only one game in the Caribbean – the tour match against the WICB President’s XI. Binny was later included in the T20I squad for the matches against West Indies in the USA, while Thakur joined the India A team on their tour of Australia.Rohit Sharma is part of the Mumbai squad for a tour match against the New Zealanders in Delhi from September 16. When asked if Rohit would play, a Mumbai team official said they were waiting for confirmation from the BCCI about his availability.”Rohit is a fabulous player, immense talent he has got, but he hasn’t got a longer run in Test cricket,” chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil said after the selection meeting in Mumbai. “What we have seen with Rohit Sharma is, he has been picked for one Test and then rested an entire season and again picked. So the selection committee, along with coach and captain, have decided that whoever is be picked will be given a fair amount of chances.”Perhaps the biggest question ahead of the selection of India’s XI for the first Test is about who will open. M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan opened in the first Test on the tour of West Indies, but Vijay was injured for the second Test and KL Rahul took his chance and made 158 in Jamaica. Vijay was then left out of the third Test while Rahul and Dhawan opened, but returned for the final match in Trinidad, where he was slotted to open with Rahul before rain ruined the game.Cheteshwar Pujara, who was replaced by Rohit in the third Test against West Indies because India were playing five bowlers, and then did not bat in the fourth Test, returned to form by scoring 166 and 256 at No. 3 in the ongoing Duleep Trophy in Greater Noida.The squad contains three spinners – R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra – and four seamers – Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar – giving India the option of several combinations should they choose to play five bowlers.The series against New Zealand is the beginning of a home season in which India will play 13 Tests until March next year. The first match against New Zealand will be played in Kanpur from September 22, while the second and third Tests will be held in Kolkata and Indore.India are currently ranked No. 2 on the ICC Test rankings, only a point behind Pakistan, while New Zealand are placed seventh. India had briefly occupied the No. 1 ranking during the Test series against West Indies, following Australia’s 3-0 defeat to Sri Lanka. They had a chance to consolidate their top spot with a win in the fourth Test in Port of Spain but the match was drawn because of rain and a wet outfield, and Pakistan climbed to No. 1 having drawn their series against England 2-2.Squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, M Vijay, Umesh Yadav

Amid the multitude of issues surrounding relegation strugglers Leeds United at present, one of the major causes for concern has been at right-back, with neither Jesse Marsch nor Javi Gracia having been able to settle on a consistent option in that.

Despite splashing out £10m on Rasmus Kristensen last summer, the former Red Bull Salzburg man has "failed to make the step up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League", according to writer Zach Lowy, having endured a difficult campaign at Elland Road.

The Denmark international has battled it out with experienced Englishman, Luke Ayling for a starting role of late, although the latter man has also been rather uninspiring, having been described as "absolutely woeful" by broadcaster Conor McGilligan.

As Leeds Live's Beren Cross only recently noted following the 2-1 defeat to Fulham, 'right-back has been the biggest of many positional problems in the team this season', with the Whites likely needing to find a longer-term solution next season.

There may well have been those keen to see Cody Drameh earn a promotion to the first team next term after spending the second half of the current campaign on loan at Luton Town, with the former Fulham ace having been "really good" during his time in the Championship, according to Hatters boss, Rob Edwards.

That being said, however, the 21-year-old is facing an uncertain future at his parent club amid reports that he could be set to leave at the end of the season, with Burnley – who only recently secured a return to the top flight – said to be keen on his signature.

As such, Leeds may have to look elsewhere for a potential long-term fit on the right side of the defence, with a standout candidate having perhaps presented himself in the form of "versatile" teenager, Morten Spencer, as hailed by BBC reporter, Adam Pope.

Who is Leeds's Morten Spencer?

While a midfielder by trade, young Spencer – who only recently extended his deal until 2024 – has popped up in a variety of positions in the youth ranks in season, including taking on the right-back role in each of the last three Premier League 2 games.

The Darlington-born sensation seemingly 'looked at ease' in that new role in the recent clash with West Bromwich Albion at U21 level, according to Leeds Live's William Jackson, having 'moved the ball forward well and delivered a number of dangerous set-pieces.'

A player who "loves a big slide tackle", according to journalist Joe Donnohue, the former Norway youth international has made a strong impression in the academy set-up of late, having initially been snapped up back in 2019, amid rival interest from Manchester City.

That swoop from Sunderland appeared a real "coup" at the time – as per respected insider The 4th Official – with the £140-p/w youngster perhaps deserving of a chance to finally impress at senior level.

Even though a full-back role may not be Spencer's natural position, with both Ayling and Kristensen currently struggling for form – and with Drameh seemingly set for an exit – an opportunity in the first-team could well come sooner rather than later.

Dhaka Dynamites took pole position in the BPL after their 42-run win over Rangpur Riders. Evin Lewis, in his first innings of the tournament, led the carnage with a 34-ball 75 that contained eight sixes

Mohammad Isam30-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShakib Al Hasan (left) was miserly in his four overs, taking 2 for 11•BCB

Dhaka Dynamites took pole position in the BPL after their 42-run win over Rangpur Riders. Evin Lewis, in his first innings of the tournament, led the carnage with a 34-ball 75 that contained eight sixes.His bashing began in the third over with a powerful pull over square leg off Sohag Gazi, before he slog swept Shahid Afridi over the same region in the next over. He struck four of the five sixes hit in the next two overs, mostly peppering the leg-side boundary. By this time he had reached fifty off 21 balls, before launching Liam Dawson and Soumya Sarkar for one six each. By the time the substitute Elias Sunny tumbled forward to complete the catch that got him in the 12th over, Lewis also struck three fours in his blazing innings.Before Lewis’ dismissal, Mehedi Maruf had fallen leg before to Soumya Sarkar after making 40 off 31 balls. He struck three sixes and as many fours, having added 103 runs for the opening wicket with Lewis in 9.5 overs.Dhaka had a slight hiccup after the two openers exited, as they also lost Seekkuge Prasanna and Andre Russell quickly. Shakib Al Hasan and Dwayne Bravo added 34 runs for the fifth wicket before Rubel Hossain removed both as well as Nasir Hossain.Rangpur’s spinners, till now their strength, gave away 104 runs in nine overs while all seven wickets went to their pace bowlers.Their batsmen hardly laid a dent on the 189-run target afterwards. Afridi’s first stint as an opener in T20s since January 2012 lasted just two balls before the rest of the top and middle order fell away. When Soumya Sarkar got out, they were 46 for 6 before Gazi and Ziaur Rahman provided some resistance and big hits.They ended up adding 87 runs for the seventh wicket with Ziaur Rahman reaching his first T20 fifty. Gazi contributed 36 off 26 balls with three fours and a six. Ziaur was bowled off the last ball of the match, having made 60 off 43 balls with six fours and three sixes. Abu Jayed and Shakib were the most effective of the bowlers.

Persistent rain and a wet outfield resulted in an early call-off without a ball bowled on the final day of India A’s tour to Australia as the second unofficial Test in Brisbane ended in a draw

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Hilton Cartwright was awarded the Man of the Match for his 117 in the first innings•BCCIPersistent rain and a wet outfield resulted in an early call-off without a ball bowled on the final day of India A’s tour of Australia as the second unofficial Test in Brisbane ended in a draw.India A had ended the third day at 4 for 158, still 108 behind Australia A’s first-innings score of 435. India A had responded strongly with a 82-run opening stand before they lost four wickets for 16 runs.Hilton Cartwright, who struck his second first-class century in the game, was awarded the Man of the Match for his 117.Australia A won the two-match series 1-0 having won the first unofficial Test by three wickets.

ScorecardOllie Rayner finished with nine wickets in the match•Getty Images

August 15 is late in summer for a first home victory. Yet not until Graham Onions chipped Ollie Rayner to midwicket had Middlesex been able to toast a triumph at Lord’s, their primary home, in the 2016 County Championship. Even allowing for a victory in their single home game away from HQ, it has been an exasperating wait.Five times Middlesex had played Championship matches at Lord’s; five times they had ended in draws. So they will be entitled to feel as if they have not merely defeated Durham, but also the pitch here. After a succession of slow pitches in previous home games, here Middlesex got a one with more pace, bounce and carry: a fine surface for Championship cricket.No one exploited it better than Rayner. If his limits – the absence of prodigious turn or anything resembling a doosra – are well-know, Rayner has made himself into an indispensable cricketer for Middlesex, and one of the finest spin bowlers in the county game.It has been a triumph for willpower, resolve and bloodymindedness. Rayner moved from Sussex, his home town club, in pursuit of more opportunities. He had to remodel his action after being called for throwing. He has honed his batting to make himself harder to drop, last year declaring: “When I see young kids around the grounds in county matches and their mums tell me that they bowl spin and do I have any tips for them, I say, yeah, learn to bat.” Never has Rayner shied from bowling when conditions are toughest.Last year, Jeetan Patel criticised English spinners for not spending enough time honing their art. “Without wishing to sound full of self-pity, it is not easy being an English spin bowler at this moment in time”, Rayner wrote for ESPNcricinfo in response. “I, like many other spinners around the country, bowl the majority of my overs on green pitches such as Lord’s where we are often being used in short bursts to pick up the over rate.”Those days are over. Rayner has moved from being a stock bowler to one entrusted to take wickets at crucial times. Indeed, when Durham’s openers had begun serenely on the first day, Rayner was tossed the ball at 12.12pm. He promptly took 4 for 17.Here, when Rayner punched the air in jubilation at the match-clinching wicket – he is never one to knowingly undercelebrate any wicket, prizing each as if it is his last – it was the latest proof of his growing importance to Middlesex. A few minutes later, Rayner doffed his caps to the MCC members, and had the honour of leading Middlesex off. How he had earned the right. Rayner had done what spinners are meant to, bowling Middlesex to victory in the second innings. Match figures of 9 for 102, and a haul of 35 Championship wickets at 22.51 this season, are a triumph for his thirst for self-improvement – and, perhaps, the ECB’s attempts to encourage spin bowling.”Ollie was still a good spinner last year but because his understanding of what he’s trying to do has improved, I think he’s really improved as a spin bowler,” James Franklin, Middlesex’s captain in this game, said. “The wickets have obviously helped: it helps when you see the ball grip as a spinner, so I think he’s taken huge confidence and encouragement from what he’s done this year.”Ollie is starting to understand his art, and the different paces that he needs to bowl on different wickets and to different batsmen and also the field’s he’s setting. He’s prepared to give the ball a bit of air this year, and long may that continue.”For Middlesex these three days could scarcely have gone better. Frolics from Toby Roland-Jones lifted their lead to 332 in the morning while, in between Rayner’s wickets in the afternoon, Harry Podmore showcased a strong repeatable action in a fine spell that included the scalp of Paul Collingwood, playing on to a ball that nipped back down the slope. It was the latest evidence of the depth of Middlesex’s squad; even the absence of Steve Finn, Eoin Morgan, Sam Robson and an overseas player for this game never looked like stymying them. “We don’t just back 12 or 13 players – we back the whole squad” Franklin said. “Guys like Stevie Eskinazi have come in and had an outstanding start to their careers. Harry Podmore’s another one.”But Durham could reflect with no pride on their performance in this game. Unbeaten until August, this was their second consecutive defeat inside three days. While at Taunton they had reason to grumble about the pitch, here they had no excuse: if the Lord’s track had bounce and turn on the third day, it only magnified Durham’s implosion on the first day, when 74 for 0 became 74 for 4 in 17 crushing deliveries.”It was a good toss to win but we didn’t take advantage of that,” Collingwood said. “We didn’t have the desire to get through hard periods and the desire to score good runs when we had the best of the conditions.” The weaknesses of his side’s batting are obvious, and will be exacerbated by the departure of Mark Stoneman to Surrey. A good thing, then, that Keaton Jennings has just signed on for another four years: when he thrashed Roland-Jones through the covers, Jennings became the first man this summer to 1000 Championship runs.Even his 45 could only briefly delay Middlesex’s waltz to victory. As Lord’s basked in blissful sunshine, and Middlesex’s players headed to the Lord’s Tavern for a well-earned post-match pint – they have the rare luxury of a 16-day wait until their next fixture in any competition – they could revel in having opened up a hearty gap at the summit of Division One. While onerous fixtures at Edgbaston, Trent Bridge and Old Trafford await, it would be remiss of Middlesex not to dream of lifting the County Championship crown when they next return to Lord’s, to play Yorkshire on September 20. “It would be immodest of me to say ‘no we’re not’,” Franklin smiled, a thoroughly contented stand-in skipper who will now hand the reins back to Adam Voges. “There’s an opportunity there.”

Any Manchester United move for Neymar this summer will depend on the outcome of their ownership situation, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's going on with Man United and Neymar?

Erik ten Hag's side have been linked with a sensational swoop for the 31-year-old, who looks set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

The Brazil superstar will come at a heavy price, with his £941k-per-week wages providing a stumbling block for any team interested, and it would be a significant investment for an injury-prone player.

Speaking on The House of Champions, Romano revealed that United would only be able to move for Neymar once their ownership situation is resolved, and the outcome of the battle will determine whether they indeed move for the forward or not.

"I can confirm and I can say that at the moment, nothing is concrete for Neymar's future, so nothing is happening now, this week or next week, it will take time, "he stated.

"With Manchester United, from what I understand, I saw the reports coming from France, but from what I'm told there is absolutely nothing at this stage with the current ownership.

"We have to wait and see who's going to be, if there is going to be a new owner of Manchester United and, in that moment, what kind of strategy they will have.

"If they want to sign that kind of player, or maybe follow what Erik ten Hag is doing, that may be going on different kinds of player with different kinds of projects. But at the moment between Neymar and Manchester United there is nothing."

Should Man United move for Neymar?

United's top priority this window is to reportedly sign a striker in the mould of a traditional number nine, with Harry Kane a top target.

Although Neymar has proven to be a top-quality goalscorer over his career, and has even chipped in with 18 goals this season, the "special talent" is not an out-and-out number nine that Ten Hag reportedly desires.

His injury problems over the years have held his progress back at PSG, and despite his obvious quality, he may not be worth the heavy financial cost it would incur to sign him.

Marcus Rashford has had a productive season with 30 goals across all competitions, often playing on the left wing, and whilst he could potentially play through the middle with Neymar out wide, United may be better off investing in younger players.

United have failed in the past when it comes to big-name signings, with the likes of Radamel Falcao, Bastian Schweinsteiger and more recently Cristiano Ronaldo encountering problems during their spells at Old Trafford, and Ten Hag may be keen to take the squad in a different direction to avoid previous errors.