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Manchester United will host Wolves on Monday 14th August as the two teams kick off their respective Premier League seasons. It's the first Monday Night Football of the season – and is a game rich with history.

This fixture should certainly be an interesting one, too. United will go into it hoping to improve on their third-placed finish last season and with an improved team. Wolves, who secured a mid-table finish, will want to make strides in their first full season under Julen Lopetegui.

So how have things gone in the past? Football FanCast takes a trip down memory lane to find everything you need to know about this fixture.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the better head-to-head record?

These two teams first clashed in 1892, so there's a lot of history here. 111 games of it, in fact, across four different competitions. They've met at the top two tiers of the English pyramid, as well as the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

It's United who boast the best overall record, though, with 54 wins in those 11 games. Wolves aren't too far behind, having triumphed on 37 occasions. That leaves 20 times that the spoils have been split.

Man United vs Wolves: What's the top-flight record?

As we say, there's about 130 years of top-flight history here – or at least, that's when the two clubs first met. It means that of their 111 meetings, 92 of them came in England's top flight.

The respective records in this fixture are a little closer than some may have thought. Wolves, after all, have had periods where they were the outright best team in England – and that's shown here.

United still come out on top – being an elite club for 30 years will do that – winning 43 of the 92 games. Wolves sit ten behind on 33, with 16 draws.

Man United vs Wolves: What's their Premier League record?

There's a tendency these days to boil things down to just the Premier League era, such is the dramatic change in football over the last 30 years. When we look at this fixture in those terms, you see just how far things have swung in that time.

United and Wolves have met 18 times in the Premier League since the Old Gold's first appearance in 2003/04, with the former winning 11 and the latter just four. Only three of those games ended in a draw. This has been a very happy fixture for the Red Devils, then.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the better cup record?

These two teams first met in a cup competition back in 1948, with Wolves winning an FA Cup semi-final replay against United. The Manchester side have fought back to boast the superior cup record since, however.

In total, there have been 13 meetings across the FA Cup and EFL Cup. United have won seven of those, with the majority coming away from home, interestingly enough. Wolves have won a further three, while another three went to FA Cup replays.

Man United vs Wolves: Who has the record at Old Trafford?

This upcoming fixture will be at Old Trafford, of course, so perhaps that record counts for a little more historically.

54 of the 111 games have been in Manchester, and United, as you could have guessed, dominate the results. They've won 35 of the 54, losing just ten. That leaves nine as draws, for those keeping count.

But what about just in the top flight? Well, that's seen 46 fixtures at Old Trafford and United won 29 of them – a far superior record to their away results against Wolves.

Man United vs Wolves: What team has the most goals in this fixture?

Both teams have historically scored well in this fixture. Remember, there have been 111 meetings in their histories so Wolves' tally of 151 is quite fantastic. United do have that beat, though, with 184. That also translates to the league record, unsurprisingly, as United have 154 to Wolves' 127.

As for Old Trafford, United look good there. They have 101 goals to Wolves' 52 when playing at home, which becomes 87 to 46 in the league.

What is Marcus Rashford's record against Wolves?

Who might get the goals this time around, then? Marcus Rashford seems like the most likely player, given he scored 30 in all competitions last season. United rewarded him with a five-year contract – he's their star man going forward.

And his record against Wolves is pretty decent. The forward has come up against them seven times, which is a fairly small number given only four of those meetings have been league clashes.

Indeed, Rashford has missed three Premier League fixtures with Wolves because of injuries, while he missed both encounters in the 2018/19 season.

Rashford has three goals across his seven games against Wolves, with two of them coming in the Premier League. The other was an FA Cup strike in 2019.

What is Man United's record win vs Wolves?

United's record win wasn't technically by Manchester United. It came in the very first meeting between the two teams, back in 1892.

They were Newton Heath back then, and demolished Wolves 10-1 at home (to Wolves' credit, they did manage to win the reverse fixture 2-0). This actually remains United's biggest-ever win in the league.

As for a more recent result, their record Premier League win came in 2011/12 as United won 5-0 at Wolves. The best they've ever managed at home was a 4-1 win that same season.

What is Wolves' record win vs Man United?

Wolves thrashed United 7-0 in 1932 for what remains their biggest-ever win against the Red Devils. It came with both sides competing in the second tier of English football.

In the Premier League, their record home win against United is 2-1 and their record win at Old Trafford is 1-0 – that came in early 2022. So if Wolves do manage to win this one, don't expect a thrilling scoreline.

Man United vs Wolves: What are the recent results?

United took the spoils in both games last season, winning 1-0 at Wolves before seeing them off 2-0 at Old Trafford. It was a much more stable season for the club and the scores reflect that. We can't say the same for the season prior.

Both games finished 1-0 to the away sides in 2021/22. That was Wolves' first win against United since 2019 and their first at Old Trafford since 1980. A historic win, then.

That brought to an end a period of dominance from United, who had avoided defeat to Wolves in seven attempts. They'd won both games in 2020/21, after all, with 1-0 and 2-1 results.

The 2019/20 season saw the teams face off four times, with them not only playing in the FA Cup for the second consecutive season, but the fixture also going to a replay. United did win that replay 1-0, but the other three fixtures finished in draws.

And the 2018/19 season, which saw Wolves return to the Premier League for the first time in six years, was a good one for the Midlands club. They drew their first fixture with United before beating them at home in both the league and the FA Cup.

Man United vs Wolves: Classic meetings

2nd April 2019: Wolves 2-1 Man United (Premier League) – The two clubs made something of a habit of playing against each other during this time, with the Old Gold getting the better of United just weeks prior in the FA Cup.

The Red Devils' following trip to Molineux was just as fruitless despite an absorbing tie that saw them take the lead through Scott McTominay, before a dogged Wolves comeback saw Nuno Espirito Santo's side battle back for victory.

5th February 2011: Wolves 2-1 Man United (Premier League) – Another comeback in the Black Country saw bottom-placed Wolves overcome Sir Alex Ferguson's unbeaten United side, who were top of the table heading into the clash.

And it looked as though they'd extend their lead at the top when Nani gave the visitors the lead after just three minutes, before goals from George Elokobi and Kevin Doyle turned the match – and the table – on its head as Wolves charged towards safety.

When is Man United vs Wolves?

Man United will host Wolves on Monday, August 14th at 8pm UK time. It'll be the first Monday Night Football of the Premier League season – and a big one for both sides.

United hope to build on their improvements last season and have made several important moves in the transfer market. David de Gea is out in goal, with André Onana joining from Inter. Mason Mount will feature in midfield, too, having arrived from Chelsea.

Wolves have made moves, too, but the most notable may be their outgoings. Ruben Neves, for so long the lynchpin of their midfield, has left for Saudi Arabia, while Raul Jimenez – albeit perhaps past his best – is now a Fulham player.

The main arrivals at Molineux have been loans officially turning permanent, including Boubacar Traore and Matheus Cunha – they'll hope the Brazilian can fix their goalscoring issues after really struggling last time out.

Both teams are looking forward, then – especially with this being Wolves' first full season under Lopetegui. A win could generate serious early momentum for either side in what's sure to be an exciting Premier League season.

The ECB has shelved plans for a women’s domestic 50-over competition to mirror the T20 Kia Super League

Melinda Farrell27-Jul-2017The ECB has shelved plans for a women’s domestic 50-over competition to mirror the T20 Kia Super League.The second edition of the KSL, which commences in August, was originally supposed to pave the way for an additional 50-over version involving the same teams, starting this summer. But the ECB will instead expand the KSL next year, doubling the group games for each of the six teams from five to ten, and consider other ways to improve the domestic structure of 50-over cricket.A major reason for the decision not to create a new competition is the perceived lack of a sufficient window in which to run anther domestic tournament alongside the expanded KSL.Despite England’s success in the recent Women’s World Cup, there has long been concern at the lack of a strong pyramid structure in the women’s domestic game. The unwieldy county set up has led to a dilution of talent in comparison to Australia, where the 50-over domestic WNCL, made up of seven state and territory teams, has been running successfully for more than 20 years. Instead, England have developed most of their players through the high performance academy at Loughborough.Players who are contracted to WNCL teams are paid on at least a semi-professional basis and the New South Wales Breakers became the first fully professional domestic women’s team last year when sponsor Lend Lease guaranteed them a minimum wage of $35,000.Such a scenario is unworkable in the current women’s 50-over county structure in England, which consists of 36 teams spread over three divisions.While the ECB recognises it must find ways to strengthen the talent pathway through counties and regions, no changes will be made to the 50-over competition until 2019 at the earliest.The next World Cup will be held in New Zealand in 2021.

Pre-season friendlies are always an enjoyable watch as we get familiar faces up against each other, and new players coming through the ranks to impress out of nowhere.

It’s not a time when results should play too much of a part in future predictions, however, with teams simply getting up to speed before doing their best work when it really matters.

That’s not to say that certain players don’t have the chance to embarrass opponents, of course. And that’s exactly what happened to Cristiano Ronaldo up against former Real Madrid teammate Angel Di Maria, as Al-Nassr took on Benfica this week.

Angel Di Maria’s skill leaves Cristiano Ronaldo Bemused

Di Maria is one of the most elegant players of his generation, with the ability to pluck the ball from impossible angles, controlling it expertly. Even at 35, the Argentine winger has still got plenty to offer, too, as he looks to star once more after swapping Paris Saint-Germain for Benfica this summer.

The World Cup winner wasted no time in showing off that elegance against Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side, either, with his former teammate left bewildered by his clever flick.

As you can see in the footage above, with two quick movements, Di Maria expertly controls the ball, before flicking it over the head of the incoming Ronaldo to remind us all why the Al-Nassr man was never a defender, before CR7 then hauled his former teammate to the ground in a flash of frustration.

The moment summed up a day to forget for Ronaldo, who could do nothing as his side were defeated 4-1 by Benfica, with Di Maria even scoring on his debut for the club.

So far, it’s been a pre-season to forget as a whole for Ronaldo’s side, who were also defeated by Celta Vigo 5-0, to make an aggregate score of 9-1 up against European sides.

It is perhaps ironic that Al Nassr have been smashed by two European sides after Ronaldo recently said: “I won’t return to European football, the door is completely closed.

“I’m 38 years old, also European football has lost lot of quality… only valid one is Premier League, they’re way ahead of all the other leagues.”

How much is Cristiano Ronaldo paid per week?

Setting the trend of making the move to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo earns a reported £3.6m per week at Al-Nassr, in what is an eye-watering amount.

If the wage was to be calculated per minute, then the star forward earns £357 every 60 seconds, meaning that by the time his side have had the chance to ship five goals against a mid-table La Liga side, Ronaldo would have earned a whopping £32,130.

It remains to be seen whether or not Al-Nassr will be among those competing for the title in the Saudi Pro League. After all, others around them have strengthened a significant amount, particularly current champions Al-Ittihad.

Indeed, last season’s title winners have so far welcomed N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, and Jota, as they look to defend their crown.

Fans have been quick to react to Al-Nassr’s pre-season, and particularly Di Maria’s fantastic piece of skill that left Ronaldo frustrated and bewildered up against Benfica.

You can see some of the reactions below:

Gazi Group Cricketers kept pace with Abahani Limited by levelling with them on 22 points, courtesy a five-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club in Fatullah

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2017Gazi Group Cricketers kept pace with Abahani Limited by levelling with them on 22 points, courtesy a five-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club in Fatullah. Abahani stay on top by virtue of a marginally superior net run-rate, but the race is getting tighter with two rounds of matches still remaining in the competition.This Super League encounter had been shifted to Wednesday due to rain at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, the scheduled match day. In a 43-overs-per-side game, Prime Bank made a good start, but collapsed to 173 all out in 39.1 overs.Shanaj Ahmed (54) and Zakir Hasan (47) had given the side a solid platform by adding 90 for the second wicket, but Prime Bank lost their last seven wickets for 43 runs in 11.3 overs. Abu Hider and Gurkeerat Singh took three wickets each for Gazi Group.Anamul Haque and Mominul Haque then set up the chase by putting on 61 for the second wicket. From 87 for 1, Gazi Group fell to 119 for 5, but captain Nasir Hossain’s unbeaten 61 took them home in 38.4 overs. He struck nine fours in his 64-ball knock.The final two rounds of matches will be held on June 2 and 5.

The summer transfer window brings forth some crazy conspiracies regarding players’ futures. But, occasionally, those bizarre theories come true, and leave us all wondering just where fans learned their incredible detective abilities.The latest set of supporters to get out their long coats and magnifying glasses are Liverpool fans, who have spotted a potential transfer clue, regarding Romeo Lavia and Kephren Thuram.So far, Jurgen Klopp has welcomed both Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, in what is already an impressive midfield rebuild.Not wasting any time waving goodbye to Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, who could both reportedly leave the club this summer, the Reds have turned their attention straight to potential replacements.Now, in classic transfer season fashion, fans have spotted a major transfer clue.

Liverpool fans spot potential transfer clue

Taking to Twitter with the findings, @Omzlfc posted the path of a flight from Nice – where Thuram’s current club is based. The Twitter user explained: “Flight was meant to go from Nice to Liverpool has instead gone to Blackpool.

“It’s then going to Southampton and off to our training base in Stuttgart.”

As crazy a find as it is, Klopp and co are currently set up in Stuttgart, Germany, where they will kick off their pre-season plans against Karlsruher SC, before facing Greuther Furth.

It is interesting to note that the flight from Nice goes through Southampton, too, where Lavia is currently based.

With both the Saints midfielder and Nice man linked with a move to Anfield this summer, it’s no surprise that a flight going to both of their locations in one swoop has caught the attention of fans.

It’s the kind of detective work you might see more often in an Agatha Christie novel, which just about sums up the antics involved in a summer transfer window.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

All seemed to be going to plan for Liverpool this summer, before Saudi Arabia came in for both Fabinho and Henderson.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Reds are discussing key details of a deal with Al Ittihad which will see Fabinho leave the club this summer.

The Brazilian has reportedly agreed personal terms and spoken to Al Ittihad manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The midfielder has also not travelled with Liverpool to Germany for pre-season plans.

Meanwhile, it looks more likely that Henderson could stay put this summer. The club captain has travelled with the squad for pre-season preparations but has reportedly agreed personal terms with Al Ettifaq, with the deal relying on Liverpool and the Saudi Arabian club reaching an agreement over a transfer fee.

Given that the Reds will be left short in midfield if the aforementioned duo depart this summer, the Premier League giants have Lavia on their list of targets, according to Romano, and have previously been in contact with Thuram.

With pre-season getting underway, Liverpool will be keen to solve any midfield issues once and for all in the coming weeks, whether that be with or without Henderson and Fabinho.

It’s certainly been a busy summer so far for the Reds.

Chelsea allowed one of their longest-serving players to depart earlier this month as the club sanctioned the sale of central midfielder Mason Mount.

The England international came up through the academy set-up and made 195 first-team appearances for the Blues between 2019 and 2023.

He seemingly decided that this summer was the right time for him to move on from Stamford Bridge as a £55m switch to Manchester United was recently completed.

What has happened to Mason Mount?

The 24-year-old suffered from a dip in form as his performances during the 2022/23 campaign did not live up to the standards of his previous season in Chelsea colours.

Mount averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 across 24 Premier League outings last term, which placed him outside of the club's top five performers. He only contributed with three goals along with two assists.

That was a far cry from his performance throughout 2021/22, where in 32 matches, he plundered 11 goals and ten assists from midfield.

These statistics show that the mercurial midfielder was an outstanding performer in the Premier League, with his ability to score and create goals on a regular basis, prior to his recent struggles.

Mauricio Pochettino could now land a dream replacement for the 2021/22 version of Mount by securing the signing of reported €40m (£34m) transfer target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

How good is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic?

The Lazio star's Serie A displays in recent years suggest that he is an exceptional midfielder with the quality to provide the goals and assists that the now-Red Devils ace used to for Chelsea.

Milinkovic-Savic racked up nine goals along with eight assists in 34 league starts last term, which came after an impressive return of 11 of each in 36 starts during the prior campaign.

These statistics show that the 28-year-old machine, who was once described as a "different beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani, has the quality to deliver Mount-esque numbers from a number eight or ten role.

In fact, the Serbia international ranks among the top 1% of players in his position across the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.30).

He is also within the top 9% of central midfielders for expected assisted goals per 90 (0.20) during that period, which means that the Spanish-born dynamo is capable of creating top-quality chances for his teammates on a regular basis from a midfield position.

Therefore, the "underrated" – as he was dubbed by Fabrizio Romano – magician is one of the best midfielders at the top level when it comes to making an impact at the top end of the pitch, by scoring and creating goals.

Milinkovic-Savic has the ability to replicate the form that Mount displayed during the 2021/22 campaign and could be Pochettino's star attacking threat from the middle of the park if he can translate his form over to the Premier League next season.

Considering the Blues only scored a goal a game in the league throughout the last year, sourcing a replacement for Mount is crucial.

Gareth Berg might just have played one of the finest all-round hands in Hampshire’s recent history

Vithushan Ehantharajah at the Ageas Bowl22-Apr-2017
ScorecardHeard the one about the Italian allrounder with a Batman tattoo? He might just have played one of the finest all-round hands in Hampshire’s recent history. No jokes, here: Gareth Berg, having made hay against a weary Yorkshire attack to pilfer 99 unbeaten runs, turned the tie with a new-ball spell of 3 for 11 in his first six overs.Giving himself every chance with lengths that tempted and lines that probed, Berg removed both Yorkshire openers and then had the prized scalp of Joe Root in his first innings for Yorkshire since becoming England Test captain. Berg would late return later to take a fourth – Tim Bresnan adjudged caught behind. Jonny Bairstow, also batting for the first time this season after the ECB’s contentiously imposed rest, was trapped on the crease by Brad Wheal for 7.Berg’s knock and demolition job overlapped in the most pulsating hour of play in two days that have, largely, tested the patience of anyone without Hampshire allegiances. This type of pitch that is far worse than any minefield that leads to an ECB reprimand. Which makes Berg’s new ball performance all the more impressive. His story so far is a heck of a tale.He left South Africa to pro on the club cricket scene, eventually getting some 2nd XI games for Northamptonshire in 2004. While that came to nothing, a switch to Radlett Cricket Club got him an in with Middlesex that eventually turned into his first full-time contract in 2007, aged 26.It was for Middlesex that he scored his last first-class hundred: 130 not out in the first innings of a match against Leicestershire in 2011 that secured the county’s promotion to Division One. In the second innings, with 124 needed for victory, Berg smashed six, four, then six to seal victory.The moment is immortalised in a tattoo of three dice on his left forearm showing six, four, six. It supplemented a Batman tattoo on the same arm. A year later, he was representing Italy in the 2012 World T20 qualifiers through the Italian passport that helped bring him to the UK.His departure from Middlesex was a sad one for all parties: a popular member of the dressing room and lower-order firefighter restricted to just one game in his final year because of a shoulder injury. Overcoming it was no certainty, so the fact that Berg is playing in his 31st first-class match for Hampshire since his first season at the Ageas Bowl in 2015 speaks volumes of his work ethic.Here, a third Championship century looked nailed on. Yorkshire had the best of the morning session, taking four wickets and conceding just 68, leaving Hampshire 349 for 8 at lunch. But just as hopes of a sizeable first innings were diminishing, Berg resurrected them. He drove powerfully from a still base but perhaps did his best work when moving forward to Adil Rashid: 46 runs came from their seven overs against each other, with Berg depositing Rashid for two huge sixes, too. Rashid came close to his wicket, drawing a flashy edge that Lyth put down at first slip.But, on 99, Berg watched on as No. 11 Wheal guided a tame delivery from Root into the hands of Lyth at slip. Berg did well to hide his anger, turning almost immediately to the dressing room and walking off (Wheal a long way behind). It was the second time that Berg had finished on 99 for Hampshire – his highest score for the county – after a match against Sussex in 2015 in which he was run out having a dart for that single to take him to three figures. There’s no doubt the frustration fuelled what was to come.While the first two dismissals of Alex Lees lbw and Lyth bowled were all his own work, Kyle Abbott deserves an assist for the wicket of Root. Bowling with good pace from the Pavilion End, Abbott tested Root’s resilience outside off stump, beating both edges of the bat. Aside from a leg stump delivery that Root worked away for four through square leg, almost everything Abbott sent down had Root second-guessing his footwork. Abbott’s former international team-mates should take notes. A tempter from Berg that got big was enough to tempt Root into a poke behind. Yorkshire were left reeling on 18 for 3.Abbott was eventually rewarded with the scalp of Peter Handscomb, though the Australia did look to have been struck outside the line while playing forward. Yorkshire’s hopes of rescuing this game lie with their captain Gary Ballance. At times passive in the field, he set his stall out early: one run from his opening 25 deliveries, then the 49 runs for his half-century coming in the next 64.He remained unmoved with Rashid, willed on by a dressing room disgruntled by a handful of key decisions that did not go their way. As recent history shows, this Ageas Bowl pitch will not deteriorate much and this game is still very salvageable.

Travis Head, the Australia limited-overs batsman, will return to Headingley this summer as Yorkshire’s overseas player for the NatWest T20 Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2017Travis Head, the Australia limited-overs batsman, will return to Headingley this summer as Yorkshire’s overseas player for the NatWest T20 Blast.Head, 23, played four times for the club in last season’s competition, scoring 113 runs at a strike rate of 134.52 before being called up for Australia’s ODI series in Sri Lanka.He has played 29 matches for Australia in white-ball cricket since January 2016, and has earned a reputation with Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League as one of the most explosive batsmen in T20 cricket.”I am looking forward to returning to Headingley to play for the Yorkshire Vikings in 2017,” said Head. “I really enjoyed my time in Yorkshire last year and I can’t wait to meet up with the lads again.”As an overseas player, I would like to help the team go further than last year and hopefully win the NatWest T20 Blast.”Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, confirmed the signing during the club’s Annual General Meeting at Headingley.”When Travis came over last year, although his stay was relatively brief, he showed his capabilities in that short period. He has gone from strength to strength since then, so it an easy decision to bring him back.”Travis is now an established international cricketer and we are really looking forward to having him on board. Together with Peter Handscomb, I believe that we have two outstanding overseas players.”We have all bases covered now, so it is something to look forward to.”Andrew Gale, the first XI coach, added: “It was a no-brainer to bring Travis back. If we had the opportunity to bring him back, we were always going to. He has gone from strength-to-strength since he left us last summer, getting into the Australia team and being a consistent performer for them.”We have been looking at someone to make a big impact and Travis did that for us last year. He is a fantastic player around the dressing room and a fantastic one on the pitch.”That middle order batting position has been key for us in T20 over the last few years, getting someone who is explosive and can win you a game. Travis did that for us last year and given his availability, we were always going to try and sign him again.”

Everton target Joel Piroe is "interested" in joining the club this summer thanks to the successful "groundwork" done by the Toffees to convince the Swansea City man, journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT.

Everton transfer news – What's the latest on Joel Piroe?

It was another near-cataclysmic season for the blue half of Merseyside last year, with Sean Dyche's men only staving off Premier League relegation thanks to an incredibly nervy 1-0 win at home to Bournemouth on the last day of the season.

It's perhaps no surprise then that the summer has already seen the start of a massive overhaul of the playing squad, with players like Conor Coady, Yerry Mina, and Tom Davies all leaving Goodison Park.

One of those touted for an exit is academy product Ellis Simms, with the Mailonline reporting that Championship side Swansea have proposed a swap deal with Everton that would see their striker Piroe don the blue and white of the Toffees.

With forward being a position of the team Dyche needs to improve, the offer could prove too good to turn down, especially as the Daily Mail report that the Swans value him at £12m, meaning a swap deal could significantly reduce that fee, if not erase it entirely.

What has Paul Brown said about Joel Piroe to Everton?

Brown revealed that Everton have already been speaking to the player and his team regarding a move to Merseyside, with those efforts appearing to pay off.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Piroe is certainly an interesting one, and it seems that Everton have done their groundwork there, because his camp are saying that Everton are one of the clubs that he'd be interested in joining.

"He's only got a year left on his contract, as far as I'm aware, which means there wouldn't be a huge fee involved."

Would Joel Piroe be good enough for Everton?

It was an excellent season for the 23-year-old in the Championship last season as he scored 19 goals and assisted another two in 43 appearances, giving him a goal contribution every two games.

In stark contrast, Everton's top scorer in the league last season was Dwight McNeil, who managed just seven, or 0.24 goals per 90, a huge difference in productivity.

According to WhoScored, the Dutchman also averaged a very impressive rating of 6.93 across those 43 league games, maintaining a pass success rate of 82.8% and having 3.3 shots per game.

Swans manager Russell Martin was full of praise for the dynamic forward upon reaching 40 goals for the team last season, saying:

“Joel has been amazing since we have been here, he is just a great young man, first and foremost. As a footballer, he is adaptable and intelligent. He is technically really gifted with both feet and good movement.

"His willingness and capacity to learn is incredible, and his understanding of what we are trying to do is amazing."

Whilst Piroe certainly looks like the real deal, it is worth remembering that he is entirely unproven in the Premier League, and so there is an element of risk in signing him, but if the club can get him for a cut price fee with Sims going the other way it seems well worth the gamble.

Newcastle United are hopeful of trying to land Federico Chiesa this summer and are planning to hold new discussions over a potential move for the player, according to a report from Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

The winger once dazzled with his displays for former club Fiorentina, hitting ten league goals and six assists as a 21-year-old in Serie A. It eventually earned him a move to current club Juventus, where he continued to produce the goods until injury got in the way.

Prior to being sidelined, the Italian had managed eight goals and eight assists in 30 league outings back in 2020/21. However, after suffering knocks and sitting out of action, both his gametime and his output has recently tailed off.

In the 2022/23 season for example, the 25-year-old had to make do with mostly substitute appearances. He started only six Serie A games for Juve but played on 21 occasions, managing just 9.5 lots of 90 minutes. That is his lowest total ever for a league season – and shows just how much of a struggle it has been to get regular minutes after falling down the pecking order. However, he still managed to score two goals and bag five assists over the year – and that actually led to an impressive goal contribution rate of 0.74 per 90.

Are Newcastle United signing Federico Chiesa?

With his future potentially lying away from the Turin outfit now, with the Old Lady also needing to sell thanks to falling out of Europe amid FFP trouble, there is interest in Chiesa's services.

It's mainly been Premier League sides Liverpool and Newcastle who have been linked with a transfer for the winger, with the Reds preparing to speak to his agents over a potential move.

However, according to a report from Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the Toon are also stepping up their pursuit of the Italy international. They are set to undergo new talks over a potential switch for the 25-year-old and want to speak to both the player and Juventus over a deal.

They are hopeful – and want to make a move for Chiesa happen – as it also states that they have an "excellent" relationship with the player's agent that they will use to their advantage. Newcastle then are ready to go all out and try to swoop in for the forward from under the noses of Liverpool this summer.

It could be a steal for the club too. It shows how talented Chiesa can be that when he suffered an ACL injury last year, football journalist Josh Bunting was quick to admit his sadness at the player being ruled out. He added that the winger is a real "difference maker" and is also "one of the most exciting" players that you can see.

On his game then, and fully fit, the Italian looks to be the real deal and someone who can really stand out at a club. If Newcastle can pull off a deal, it could be a huge help to them in both the league and Europe.