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Leeds United seem set to add a new shot-stopper to their ranks, with a number of names touted to fill such a role…

What's the latest on Karl Darlow to Leeds United?

According to sources at Football League World, it is not just Rotherham United star Viktor Johansson who the 49ers have their eye on. With Illan Meslier seemingly heading for the exit door, finding their new No 1 has become a matter of priority – perhaps even more so than the head coach vacancy.

Fortunately for fans, this report details numerous options being considered, with Newcastle United's Karl Darlow someone who has been discussed by the hierarchy.

Given the immense success Nick Pope has enjoyed on Tyneside of late, the hope will be that his understudy can have a similarly revolutionary effect on the Whites' team, which has shipped goals for fun in recent years.

How good is Karl Darlow?

Just last term saw the West Yorkshire outfit concede 78 goals in the league, more than any other team. The season prior, 79 goals would soar into their net. Defensively inept does not even begin to describe the state of affairs at Elland Road, with a huge shift in mentality needed as much as the quality needs improving.

Meanwhile, Pope has been at the heart of a Magpies defence that recently conceded just 33 times, making them the joint-best defence in the division alongside champions Manchester City.

The English goalkeeper has overseen a meteoric rise from relegation with Burnley to Champions League qualification under Eddie Howe, and it is clear that the 49ers will be hoping that some of his quality will have rubbed off on his compatriot, Darlow.

After all, the 32-year-old did spend half a season with the hulking ace, before leaving on loan for the Championship. Across just 12 games at Hull City, he would remind everyone that he should not be forgotten, despite having had his spot stolen by Pope; he maintained a 7.08 average rating, buoyed by his 2.9 saves per game and five clean sheets, via Sofascore.

A 76% pass accuracy suggests he is capable with his feet, but similar to the 31-year-old, the priority remains mainly on goalkeeping rather than ball-playing. For the Toon Army, he too maintained 2.5 saves per game, yet his pass accuracy fell to 59%, via Sofascore.

The experience Darlow has earned in the top flight could be imperative in Leeds' speedy return there, too, as he has enjoyed three impressive stints during his time in Newcastle. Steve Bruce even sought to laud him for one such campaign, noting: "We've had to call on him a bit too much at times but there's no denying he's been terrific all season."

Should the 49ers neglect bolstering their defence, they could at least be safe in the knowledge that this £30k-per-week shot-stopper has a history of playing for the underdog and could thrive in a backline that is historically fragile.

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is "determined to leave" Spurs this summer and his time at the club is "definitely over", according to reports.

Will Kane leave Spurs?

Rewind two years ago, the last time Kane was heavily linked with a move away, and it was Premier League champions Man City who were seriously chasing the Englishman's signature.

However, despite a rumoured "gentleman's agreement" with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, a move did not come to fruition and City instead ended up signing superstar Erling Haaland one year later.

At the time, Tottenham had a lot of leverage in regards to keeping Kane with many years left on his contract, but right now, the 29-year-old is fast entering the final 12 months of his deal.

The Three Lions star could depart north London as a free agent next year, putting a host of clubs on alert, including Bayern Munich, PSG, Man United and Chelsea.

There is a decision to be made by Spurs if Kane doesn't agree fresh terms, and that is whether to sell for a handsome profit this window or keep him for another season and let him depart for nothing in 2024.

However, as per reports out of Spain, there has been a worrying development on that front as it appears Kane is "determined to leave Tottenham this summer".

That information comes courtesy of Sport, who also believe "everything indicates" his time at the club is "definitely over".

Bayern and PSG are apparently the two sides in pole position to sign Kane, with the former especially pushing given Thomas Tuchel's desire to sign a star striker.

The Bavarians have already seen a verbal offer of around £60 million rejected, and despite Kane's contract situation, it appears Levy is set to dig his heels in.

What's been said about Kane?

The former Leyton Orient loanee is, without question, Spurs' superstar player and losing him would be an almighty blow – no matter the marquee transfer fee.

Kane scored a sensational 30 goals in 38 league appearances last season, and if it wasn't for the ridiculous form of Haaland, he would've clinched another Golden Boot.

Spurs legend Jurgen Klinsmann has also heaped praise on the player for his character and leadership.

"For Tottenham he is very important, he can energise the team, keep the spirit up in the changing rooms," said Klinsmann.

"Always. He has character and dedication to his club."

Umar Akmal, the Pakistan batsman, believes he can revive his Test career despite not having played the format for nearly six years

Umar Farooq in Dubai13-Feb-2017Umar Akmal, the Pakistan batsman, believes he can revive his Test career despite not having played the format for nearly six years.Akmal, 26, had made his Test debut at the age of 19 in 2009. He scored a century in his first innings but did not make another one in his next 15 Tests and was not picked again in the format after September 2011. He had scored 1003 runs in 30 innings, with six half-centuries, and averaged 35.82.Akmal was of the opinion that his batting style was suited to the way Test cricket is played presently. “I still wonder what I did wrong and where I went wrong to be dropped from Test side,” Akmal said in Dubai, where he is playing for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL. “They only dropped me saying that I am not suitable for Test cricket because I don’t hold back, which is required in Tests.”But the approach to playing Test cricket has changed over the years. Now teams score 350 or so in one day and matches hardly go into fifth day. I was playing the very same brand of cricket, which was actually evolving at that time, but I was dropped because I play fast and not the conventional way. Was that my mistake? If so, then the whole world has now adapted this modern form of cricket in Tests as well.”Around 2010 and 2011, Akmal’s form dipped and subsequently he began to make headlines for discipline problems. His limited-overs form began to suffer as well and he has only two centuries in 105 ODI innings and eight half-centuries in 77 T20I innings. His flashy shot selection was a point of much debate. Akmal’s duck against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday was his 24th in the format – the most in T20 cricket.Akmal, however, said that his position in the batting order adversely impacted his ability to play long innings and score big. He preferred to bat up the order but was kept in the lower middle, often having to play the low-percentage role of aggressor towards the end of an innings.The recent 1-4 defeat in Australia was Akmal’s first ODI series since the 2015 World Cup. He made 131 runs with a high score of 46, having batted one innings at no. 5 and four at no. 6.”I am not careless, just playing my natural game,” Akmal said. “If I am asked to score ten per over then what you expect from me? Should I play for myself, score at five, and let the run rate mount on my team? No, I rather go out, play big, and try to achieve my team’s requirement. And we all know where I play [in the batting order], at which number. People often compare me with other batsmen but why don’t people realise that the number I bat at is critical and there is the burden of extra responsibility.”I still try to help my team out of pressure situations by pushing back the opponent, but sometimes I am not able to do so. But my intentions are clear that I want to play for my team according to the requirement and will play my shots.”Another issue is Akmal not satisfying the PCB’s standards of fitness, on which there has been greater emphasis over the last three years. At his previous assessment, Akmal was weighed at 91kg and his fat-level reading was 115.6 – anything over 100 is considered high. Akmal, however, defended his fitness levels.”If you talk with different players around the world, some are slightly bulky and some are smart in physique, but that doesn’t mean weight defines their actual fitness,” Akmal said. “I don’t remember going off the field in a game, or conceding a second run. I am energetic in the field and my running between the wickets is fine as well.”So what exactly do you expect from me? To be smart and thin, why? I can quote you many examples in which those players are theoretically fit but cannot even clear the circle. I have a natural body and if I try to reduce it I may lose my strength for power hitting.”

Cape Cobras posted a strong total of 319 for 6 after opting to bat and earned four points after bowling Warriors out for 262 in 44.2 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Feb-2017Cape Cobras earned their first points of this season’s Momentum Cup when half-centuries from Richard Levi and Omphile Ramela and four wickets from right-arm quick Jason Smith led them to a comprehensive 57-run win against Warriors in East London. Cobras marched to 319 for 6, with middle order contributions too, after opting to bat and dismissed Warriors for 262 with Yaseen Vallie unbeaten on a valiant 93.Cobras were given a strong platform with an opening stand of 118 in under 20 overs even though Ramela scored slowly – 58 from 96 balls. But Levi hammered 11 fours and a six in his 73 off 55 before he handed a return catch to Sisanda Magala. Ramela was run out just over 10 overs later even as Stiaan van Zyl chipped in with 44 and the middle and lower order saw useful contributions from Dane Vilas (46 off 35) , Smith (29 off 26), Aviwe Mgijima (21* off 15) and Vernon Philander (16* off 8).Cobras broke Warriors’ opening stand in the seventh over when Rory Kleinveldt removed JJ Smuts. Warriors struggled to stitch substantial partnerships after that until Vallie accompanied opener Gihahn Cloete in a 58-run fourth-wicket stand. Once Dane Piedt dismissed Cloete, Vallie held up one end but wickets kept falling around him. His unbeaten 93 off 96 balls was not enough, as all Cobras bowlers were among the wickets, led by Smith’s 4 for 38, and Warriors were bowled out in 44.2 overs.

Celtic officially confirmed the arrival of Brendan Rodgers for his second spell at Parkhead last month and the new head coach has two months to build his squad before the deadline.

Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio have already come through the door to bolster the Northern Irishman tactician's midfield and attacking options but there could also be additions in the defensive third of the pitch.

The Scottish Sun recently claimed that Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney would consider a return to Paradise on loan next season as the defender is currently weighing up whether or not to depart the Emirates on a temporary basis.

However, the report stated that the Hoops would need to reach a compromise with the Premier League side over the Scotland international's £120k-per-week wages, along with the club paying a significant loan fee for his services.

Where would Kieran Tierney fit in at Celtic?

The 26-year-old enforcer, who left the Glasgow giants to sign for Arsenal in 2019, would arrive as Rodgers' third senior left-back option alongside Greg Taylor and Alexandro Bernabei.

There may not be any need for three first-team players in that position, and that could open the door for the manager to ruthlessly ditch Bernabei, a year on from his £3.75m move to the club.

The Argentinian full-back endured a difficult debut year in Scotland as his performances left too much to be desired. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.55 across 15 Scottish Premiership outings, which placed him 28th (out of 30 players) in the squad, while the dud also lost 60% of his duels.

Tierney only started six of his 27 Premier League appearances last season, but his form as a regular starter in the 2021/22 campaign indicates that the quality is there for him to be a huge upgrade on Bernabei.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 22 starts along with a duel success rate of 52%. This suggests that the ex-Hoops academy graduate has the quality to perform to a higher standard week-in-week-out while also being stronger in his physical contests in comparison to the current Celtic flop.

The 38-cap dynamo is also a proven performer in Scotland, having won 11 domestic trophies during his spell at the club, and has already worked with Rodgers at Parkhead.

Tierney, who was once hailed as a "leader" and a "warrior" by former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole, could hit the ground running to make an instant impact on loan next season as a ready-made left-back for the manager.

The signing of the Gunners ace would then allow Rodgers to ruthlessly ditch Bernabei, whether that be by reducing his game time to almost nothing or by allowing the dud to move on in the coming months.

A 160-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma led South Africa’s dominant recovery from 94 for 6 to end the second day with a lead of 81 in Wellington

The Report by Andrew McGlashan17-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:33

‘Bavuma, de Kock saved SA from precarious position’

South Africa were taken from the potential of a significant deficit to a substantial lead by a rollicking seventh-wicket stand of 160 between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock on the second day in Wellington. They transformed a pre-lunch position of 94 for 6 with the most dominant batting of the series to date and, although both fell short of hundreds, South Africa closed with a lead of 81 after the last-wicket pair added further frustration for New Zealand.While the South African pair batted superbly, New Zealand will ponder how things raced away at such a rate after they had managed to rumble the top order during the morning session. Colin de Grandhomme, who finished with 3 for 52, claimed the key duo of Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis while Neil Wagner continued JP Duminy’s frustrating tour. From the lowest ebb of South Africa’s innings the last four wickets managed to amass 255 runs from 65 overs.Both first innings followed similar patters: New Zealand had recovered from 101 for 5 through a stand of 116 between Henry Nicholls and BJ Watling on the opening day. As the ball grew older, the bowlers struggled to keep control, knocked back by the aggression shown by de Kock who won his little duel with Jeetan Patel for first time on the tour. Crucially, Patel could not strike or provide control for Kane Williamson while South Africa recovered as he conceded five-an-over in his first 10 overs.The gamesmanship card had been played when de Kock arrived in the middle shortly before lunch as Patel was given the last over of the session to target the man he had removed in the previous four innings. This time, despite the occasional hairy moment as de Kock refused to be dominated, he came through either side of lunch and then started to cut loose against the quicks.He upper cut Tim Southee over the slips for six and hooked Wagner onto the grass banks. At one stage, as he negotiated Patel, de Kock had 17 off 33 balls but then skipped to his half-century from 55 deliveries as the mood of the day swung back to South Africa. The short-pitched approach did not fluster him – it was arguably over-done – and Kane Williamson was soon on the retreat – a packed slip cordon replaced by scouts on the boundary.Colin de Grandhomme removed Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis in the morning session•Getty ImagesWhen Patel returned for a second spell before tea, de Kock skipped down the pitch and deposited him straight down the ground. No doubt about the winner this time. He was nine away from a fourth Test hundred when he pushed out at a delivery from James Neesham, who produced a wholehearted burst shortly before the new ball, at a time when New Zealand were looking a little short of ideas.Bavuma took a backseat once de Kock found his stride after coming through an early trial from the short ball. He had one fortunate moment when he spliced a pull which lobbed over mid-on as de Grandhomme lost his footing. As the afternoon progressed, having batting in de Kock’s slipstream, he became far more assured and moved to his fifty from 88 balls.His off-side driving, off front and back foot, was especially eye-catching and a significant moment – a first overseas century – was on the horizon when he got underneath a pull and found deep square leg. But having come into the tour under a modicum of scrutiny, after a lean series against Sri Lanka, it has been a resounding response from Bavuma following his half-century in Dunedin. However, New Zealand could not wrap things up swiftly as Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel added an unbroken 47 for the last wicket, which included a concerning moment when Morkel took a blow on the helmet from Southee but he managed to finish nine short of his best Test score.How South Africa needed the recovery act. They had resumed on 24 for 2 with both openers already dismissed and Kagiso Rabada, the nightwatchman, soon joined them when Southee swung one through him in his first over. It did not take Wagner long to strengthen New Zealand’s position when, with his seventh ball of the day, and first to JP Duminy, he claimed him for the third time in the series courtesy of a loose flick which picked out midwicket.De Grandhomme then followed Southee after an eight-over spell with success coming almost immediately when Amla, still struggling to find his best form, could barely believe he had picked out midwicket against a delivery on his pads he would normally ease away for runs. Henry Nicholls, the star of the opening day for New Zealand, could not take the catch at the first attempt but was able to grab the rebound: when things run your way, make the most of them.Faf du Plessis appeared keen to try and wrestle back the situation with aggression – top-edging Wagner for six when he was not in control of the pull – and shortly before lunch inside-edged a drive against de Grandhomme with BJ Watling taking a low catch. At that stage even parity was a long way off, but in a series that has produced six days of counterpunches, South Africa threw the latest of them. It could be a decisive one.

Arsenal will "look to speed up negotiations" over signing Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia after Thomas Partey's request to leave, according to reports.

Who else will join Arsenal this summer?

The Gunners and manager Mikel Arteta are believed to closing in on the signing of West Ham United star Declan Rice this summer.

Both Arsenal and West Ham have finally agreed a fee for the 24-year-old, reported to be around £105 million (£100m + £5m in add-ons), with treble-winners Man City pulling out of the race to sign him.

If a deal is announced, it would make Rice the most expensive British transfer in history, above the likes of Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham. The England international would also come in after Arsenal previously sealed a deal for Kai Havertz from Chelsea.

Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is another who could follow, as reports suggest that the north Londoners are in advanced talks to sign the Netherlands international who has pushed to join them.

Arsenal, if all goes to plan, could spend north of £200 million with the addition of Lavia, who starred for Southampton during their relegation campaign, being targeted as well.

Arteta's side have been heavily linked with a swoop for the 19-year-old, but they aren't the only ones, as both Liverpool and Chelsea are also hot on Lavia's trail.

According to Football Transfers journalist Steve Kay, Arsenal will "look to speed up negotiations" for Lavia after a behind-the-scenes transfer request from star midfielder Partey.

The Ghanaian has apparently asked Arteta if he can leave this window, with the Spaniard reluctantly allowing him to depart before 2023/24.

There have been initial talks with Saudi sides and Juventus, but that is yet to formalize into bids. Whatever the result of Partey's departure, Arsenal are set to make a push for Lavia, and it is believed they have brilliant rapport with the teenager's representatives.

What's been said about Romeo Lavia?

The Saints couldn't avoid a drop to England's second tier last season, but according to members of the press, the "sensational" Lavia was a shining light.

Journalist Sam Tighe, after watching the Belgium international all through last season, claimed he is a very exciting prospect for Arsenal supporters.

"I watched every game Roméo Lavia played last season and he was absolutely incredible," said Tighe.

"A shining star despite playing in terrible circumstances most of the time. Arsenal reportedly advancing on a deal…one to be very excited about."

The pay dispute between Cricket Australia and its players is set to continue after the Australian Cricketers’ Association rejected CA’s latest pay proposal

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-2017The pay dispute between Cricket Australia and its players is set to continue after the Australian Cricketers’ Association rejected CA’s latest pay proposal. At the core of the ACA’s opposition is CA’s desire to scrap the revenue-sharing model that for nearly 20 years has linked player payments to the amount of income generated by the game.This, in the words of the ACA, would end a partnership “that allows players to share in the ups and downs of the games and its revenue, and allows for fluctuations in media rights cycles”. CA has argued that the revenue-sharing system has served its original purpose of making cricketers some of the highest-paid sportspeople in the country.Under CA’s proposal, only international players would have the chance to share in any surplus revenue: CA has proposed a $20 million pool to be split with $16m for international men and $4m for international women. Other players – domestic male and female players – would have to settle for fixed amounts that would not fluctuate according to the game’s income.However, the ACA on Friday argued that the proposal “disrespects the value of domestic cricketers and the role they play in Australian cricket”, and that it would create inequity within playing groups. The ACA also said that while CA’s response for gender equity had largely been positive, this plan “denies female cricketers the opportunity to share in the game’s revenue.””I’ve gone round every state player group, male and female, national and domestic, and they’re absolutely committed behind the revenue-sharing model because that’s something that they believe works, and it’s important that that continues on for the next MoU and the generations going forward,” Alistair Nicholson, the ACA chief executive, said.”In the proposal that we reviewed, and then in our discussions with key players on the board, we weren’t able to see where the model that has worked well, why it is being called out-of-date or unviable. They’re proposing a change in the model, we’re saying, the players are saying, we don’t want to change the model but we’re happy to talk about what sits underneath that, to get the best agreement for the game.”The ACA has offered its own proposal for what it calls a “modernised” revenue-sharing model, with a 55% share for CA, a 22.5% share for grassroots cricket, and a 22.5% share for male and female players. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said he was disappointed with the ACA’s decision to reject the tabled offer, but he remained confident of achieving a resolution by the end of June deadline.”They appear to have spent nearly six weeks talking with everyone but the organisation that can provide them with the right information, and with whom they need to conclude an agreement on behalf of their members,” Sutherland said. “They will find, when they sit down with us and understand the detail, that this really is a ground-breaking offer and a fair deal for all players.”In particular, it offers higher guaranteed payments at a time of uncertainty, while continuing to provide a share of cricket’s financial surpluses to players at the pinnacle of the game. It also allows CA to address the disparity between pay for men and women and the urgent need to invest more in the grassroots of the game, particularly junior cricket. We make no apology for investing in priorities that will secure cricket’s sustainable future.”I must make it clear that the analysis presented by the ACA today contains many errors. We have offered to provide them with realistic financial scenarios, an opportunity they have not taken up. I also reject any suggestion that we would hide money from the players. They receive full audited accounts, and we have always been fair and honest with our players.”We understand their commitment to the existing model, but the fact is that the world has changed, and it needs to be updated to take that into account. It has to include women, it has to support our juniors and community cricket clubs, and it has to provide greater financial certainty for all players, at every level.”CA said its proposal would lead to increased pay for all players, with female players receiving an immediate average pay increase of more than 125%, and the average wage for international women’s players increasing from $79,000 to $179,000. According to CA’s figures, domestic male cricketers would earn an average of $235,000 by 2021-22, up from $199,000 last summer.”We have placed the emphasis on increasing the guaranteed amount that the men will receive, rather than rely on any projected increase in revenue,” Sutherland said. “We understand that the ACA prefers the status quo, but CA believes that the model devised in the 1990s, which is based on a fixed percentage of revenue, has served its intended purpose – to make Australia’s cricketers some of the best paid sportspeople in the country.”

West Ham United appear to be belatedly ready to begin their summer transfer spending frenzy with the addition of two new signings this week.

Who have West Ham signed so far?

United have waved goodbye to Manuel Lanzini since the end of last season, while Declan Rice's £105m switch to Arsenal is on the brink of going through, but no new players have been brought in.

After kicking off their pre-season campaign with a 4-1 win over Boreham Wood at the weekend, it looks likely that West Ham are now in a position to start getting deals over the line.

Denis Zakaria and Luiz Felipe are reportedly close to arriving from Juventus and Real Betis respectively, while Daily Mail reporter Jack Gaughan suggests the Hammers are also showing an "interest" in Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

It is claimed that London rivals Fulham are also interested in the England U21 international, who is valued at £15m by City as he enters the final year of his existing contract.

Is Taylor Harwood-Bellis a good player?

The 21-year-old's stock is particularly high at this moment in time as he has just skippered England U21s to their first European title in 39 years, fresh on the back of winning the Championship with Burnley last season.

Harwood-Bellis was stood out in the heart of the second tier's best defence last season, leading the way as he did among Burnley players for interceptions (1.8 per game), blocks (0.7 per game) and aerial duels won (2.8 per game), as per WhoScored.

The defender has also impressed on loan at Anderlecht, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers, with the then-manager of the latter, Tony Mowbray, hailing his "warrior" like attitude in wanting to win every ball.

Burnley do not appear to be in the running to sign Harwood-Bellis permanently, but the Englishman is clearly now ready to make the step up to the Premier League, rather than spending another year learning his trade elsewhere.

If those aforementioned statistics were not enough to tempt West Ham, the Irons have a good success rate when it comes to signing players from City down the years, including fellow defender Pablo Zabaleta in 2017.

Zabaleta was at a completely different stage of his career than Harwood-Bellis, having arrived at West Ham as a 32-year-old with 12 seasons of top-flight football under his belt, but the omens are certainly positive.

The former Argentina international would go on to play 80 times for West Ham over three seasons, before announcing his retirement in an emotional open letter on the club's official website in 2020.

Harwood-Bellis, who has been on City's books since 2008, will hope to have an even bigger impact than Zabaleta should he join West Ham. Like Zabaleta, the Stockport native will arrive with a point to prove, having been effectively deemed not good enough for City.

As a player who ranks in the top 1% of all centre-backs over the past year for passes attempted in the eight leagues most comparable to the Championship (85.09 per 90), as per FBref, and in the top 11% for interceptions (1.92 per 90), there is no reason why Harwood-Bellis cannot now make a name for himself in the Premier League for a number of years to come – much like Zabaleta did across his spells with City and West Ham.

When welcoming a player, leagues or clubs usually put together well-produced announcements, accompanied by classy graphics made by some of the best social media teams around.An announcement, at the very least, should tick two vital boxes, however. Get the player’s name right, and make sure that the picture on your graphic is actually the correct player, and not a former Real Madrid right-back.So, when MLS took to Twitter to welcome Inter Miami signing Sergio Busquets with a picture of Alvaro Arbeloa, you can imagine the awkwardness. The post has since been amended, with the admin of the account even poking fun at themselves, admitting their hilarious mistake.

MLS hilariously get Sergio Busquets announcement wrong

As you can see, the original post features the correct amount of Champions League wins, the correct number of La Liga titles, and, in general, the right number of everything. There’s even a player wearing the Spanish kit, kissing the World Cup trophy. The issue is, that player is not Busquets.

Instead, it is Arbeloa, who is, by contrast, long retired and incredibly unlikely to be stepping foot in MLS any time soon.

After amending the mistake, MLS posted a picture of the two players for Spain, showing their similarities, whilst taking a chance to mock themselves, saying: “Why do arbeloa and busquets look so similar in these. Admin needs new glasses…”

And, they might just have a point. Busquets and Arbeloa, at a first glance, looked incredibly similar at the 2010 World Cup.

How many trophies has Sergio Busquets won in his career?

It’s fair to say that Inter Miami are getting themselves a serial winner in Busquets. The Barcelona legend has won it all for Barcelona and Spain, with a total of 34 trophies to his name for club and country.

The standout silverware has to be the World Cup, however, winning the famous trophy with Spain back in 2010, courtesy of an Andreas Iniesta winner against the Netherlands.

The defensive midfielder’s final trophy at Barcelona may carry significant sentiment, too, however, as Xavi’s side lifted the La Liga title after a fairly dominant campaign.

Now at Inter Miami, Busquets, joined by Lionel Messi, has the task of dragging them from the bottom of MLS right to the very top. Miami have welcomed winners, and will be desperate to reap the rewards.

So, whilst MLS has often been a destination for players at the end of their careers – as is the case with Messi and Busquets – the duo have given themselves quite the final challenge.

If they can transform this Inter Miami side into title winners, then it will only prove once more their ability to win no matter what.

Fans tuning into the league next season will certainly be entertained, that’s for sure, as Tiki Taka takes Miami, in what could be a transformative period for David Beckham’s side. The Manchester United legend has certainly made a statement this summer by welcoming two of the best players of their generation.

However, after this social media blunder from MLS and the recent footage of Messi nearly getting in a car crash in his new home city, it’s not exactly been the smoothest of starts to life in the US for the former Barcelona duo.