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The paceman has been diagnosed with the early stages of a stress fracture but Australia are confident he will be fit for the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2019White ball performances for Australia have again usurped those with a red or pink ball in the choosing of the Test team, as Jhye Richardson bowled himself into the breach left by an injury to Josh Hazlewood ahead of the seemingly clear back-up choice of Chris Tremain.As Tremain was sending down 18 overs for the more-than-respectable figures of 1 for 32 in the Sri Lankans’ tour match against a Cricket Australia XI in Hobart on Friday, West Australian Richardson’s 1 for 27 from 10 ODI overs at the MCG – dismissing Virat Kohli and not conceding a boundary in the process – wowed the selectors sufficiently to choose him ahead of the Victorian.”Jhye has had an impressive first half in his Sheffield Shield season and no-one could deny he has now continued that form in ODI matches for Australia,” national selector Trevor Hohns said. “We consider Jhye to be an ideal replacement in the squad for Josh.”Though Richardson had performed strongly in the first half of the Sheffield Shield season and then followed up by claiming figures of 4 for 26 then 1 for 59 in the first two India one day games, Tremain has reason to wonder how he has managed to slip from being a member of the Test squad against India to surplus against Sri Lanka, despite taking more Shield wickets than Richardson in the same period.Equally, the role required for Richardson is not entirely clear, for he has previously toured with the Test team, to South Africa last year, as a speedy back-up for Mitchell Starc rather than the taller and steadier Hazlewood. Peter Siddle, already part of the Test squad for the Brisbane and Canberra Tests, seems more likely to substitute for Hazlewood as the bowler of long spells. Tremain will go back to occupying a spot on the reserves bench for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.The stress fracture in Hazlewood’s back emerged in the week after the conclusion of the Test series against India, in which he bowled more deliveries than any other member of the Australian pace attack. In that sense, it is another win for India’s obdurate No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, who absorbed spell after spell from Hazlewood, Starc and Pat Cummins.A back injury also kept Hazlewood out of the Test series against Pakistan in the UAE last year, and while Australia’s medical staff is confident he will be fit in time for the World Cup, his participation in any of the build-up ODIs in India or the UAE is now unlikely. The injury will also leave Australia without either of their Test vice-captains for the Sri Lanka series with Mitchell Marsh having been dropped – a new deputy for Tim Paine will be chosen and announced ahead of the Gabba Test.”Josh has reported some back soreness over the last few days and scans have revealed a very early stage stress fracture in the same lower back area as his previous injury from last summer,” the team physiotherapist David Beakley said. “He will now begin a rehabilitation program and we are confident he will be available for selection ahead of the World Cup in the UK later this year.”Richardson’s call-up followed six wickets in the three ODIs against India which included a match-winning haul of 4 for 26 in Sydney. He twice removed Kohli in the three matches. In the first half of the Sheffield Shield season for Western Australia, he took 27 wickets at 19.03 in five matches.He was part of the Test squad for the tour of South Africa last year but this is his first inclusion since then, having been overlooked for the UAE tour. Although Tremain has been involved in the pink-ball tour match for the Cricket Australia XI against the Sri Lankans in Hobart, Hohns made it clear that Richardson’s one-day performances have helped sway the decision.Similar logic was used to include Aaron Finch in Australia’s Test team following the bans on Steven Smith and David Warner. The experiment began soundly enough in the UAE against Pakistan, before Finch’s limitations were cruelly exposed by the likes of Jasprit Bumrah for India, leaving him still looking addled as captain of the ODI team.Hazlewood’s injury adds to complications for the Australian set-up, after the banned duo of Smith and Warner both suffered from elbow problems in the Bangladesh Premier League, requiring surgery. “I am sure that will change things a bit with their injury. Steve has had surgery, David is having surgery so we will have to wait to see how their recovery goes,” Australia’s coach Justin Langer said.”We haven’t come to any conclusions with that yet. There is a lot to be talked about. We have to weigh up between competitive games of cricket, probably in the IPL, and whether it’s worth them being there for the last few games [of the Pakistan ODI series].”

Manchester United have made contact to express their interest in a move to sign a central talisman in January, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

The Red Devils have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won nine and lost seven of their opening 16 games in thePremier League, although they are still firmly in contention to secure a place in the top four should they start picking up results on a more consistent basis.

Ahead of the upcoming window opening, Erik ten Hag will know that he needs to strengthen his squad should he want to try and qualify for the Champions League, and with Sofyan Amrabat having been nothing short of underwhelming following his summer arrival on loan, defensive midfield is a position that needs addressing.

Fulham’s Joao Palhinha has been identified as a potential candidate by the manager, with the 28-year-old having firmly established himself as Marco Silva’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.18 (Fulham statistics).

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The Portugal international came extremely close to joining Bayern Munich over the summer, but with a deal collapsing on deadline day despite him travelling for a medical, he ended up remaining at Craven Cottage, and his impressive performances have brought him onto the radar of other clubs in the top-flight.

Man United hoping to land Palhinha

According to Football Transfers, Man United are interested in Palhinha and have made Fulham aware that they would be keen to secure his services in January.

“Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all expressed their desire to sign Palhinha in recent weeks, with FootballTransfers exclusively reporting that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are set to turn their attention to the Fulham man after learning Aston Villa’s asking price for Douglas Luiz. Sources have informed us that Palhinha may cost €58 million (£50m) in 2024, with a January move on the cards if a suitable bid is tabled.”

Palhinha could be a "monster" for Ten Hag

As it stands, Palhinha ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles so he loves to get stuck into challenges to try and win back possession for his team, but he’s also more than capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch (FBRef – Palhinha statistics).

Standing at 6 foot 2, Lisbon’s native has already posted three contributions (two goals and one assist), in 14 Premier League appearances this season, so considering how effective he can be both defensively and offensively, he’s such a well-rounded player.

Sponsored by Adidas, Ten Hag’s target even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level because he has secured five pieces of silverware since the start of his career, so he will possess the winning mentality required to achieve what is expected of him at Old Trafford.

As dubbed by Video and Data Analyst Marcus Bring, Palhinha is a “defensive monster”, and when you look at all of the positive qualities that he could bring to the side, Man United have a no-brainer of a decision to make should the opportunity present itself in the coming weeks.

Premier League legend Sergio Aguero has claimed that Chelsea wanted to sign him before he joined Manchester City.

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Chelsea wanted to sign Aguero in 2009Scored double against Blues for Atletico MadridLampard wanted Argentine at Stamford BridgeWHAT HAPPENED?

The former City star revealed that back in 2009 – while he was still at Atletico Madrid – Chelsea had expressed their desire to sign him. The striker, however, continued at the Spanish club for two more years before joining the Manchester-based club.

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The Blues became interested in the player after their clash against Atletico in the Champions League in November 2009, when a young Aguero netted a brace in a 2-2 draw. The Argentine at that point, did not consider the offer as he still had three years left in his existing deal.

WHAT SERGIO AGUERO SAID

Speaking to YouTube channel, the ex-Argentina international said, "After that game, maybe two months after, my agent said to me: 'Chelsea are interested'. I had just three years at Atletico Madrid. I mean, I loved the Premier League, to play there, but Chelsea were never interested after. At first, yes, but then my agent said: 'Okay, maybe not'."

He further revealed what Stamford Bridge legend Frank Lampard told him after the English midfielder joined City in 2014 on a short-term deal.

He added, "I spoke about that with Frank Lampard because Frank Lampard played at Manchester City. He said when I played against him, he told the staff at Chelsea to sign Aguero."

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The 35-year-old is all set to return to action in June after confirming he'll be playing at The Soccer Tournament, potentially facing up against teams such as Borussia Dortmund and Wrexham.

Tamim Iqbal hammered a run-a-ball century but Bangladesh collapsed around him and New Zealand’s openers were in control at stumps

Mohammad Isam in Hamilton27-Feb-2019Neil Wagner upset Bangladesh’s rhythm with a trademark short ball barrage as they were bowled out for 234, after being 121 for 1 shortly before lunch on the opening day in Hamilton, undoing the good work of a blazing century from Tamim Iqbal.Wagner finished with 5 for 47, his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests, before New Zealand consolidated their position with by reaching 86 without loss at the close. Jeet Raval, still searching for a maiden Test hundred, was unbeaten on 51 alongside Tom Latham who should have fallen in the second over as a maiden wicket for paceman Ebadot Hossain only for Soumya Sarker to drop a simple chance at second slip. Bangladesh finished the day in lethargic fashion with a number of misfields.Tamim Iqbal attacks the bowling•Getty ImagesIt had all looked so much brighter for them after being put into bat on a well-grassed surface as Tamim flayed the new ball around Seddon Park during his ninth Test hundred. He hammered 15 fours in the morning session – for a while it appeared possible he would reach a century before lunch – and brought up his hundred off 100 deliveries early in the afternoon.However, it quickly became a lone hand as Wagner and Tim Southee shared eight wickets. Wagner’s haul began with the wicket of Mominul Haque who tickled a short ball down the leg side to wicketkeeper BJ Watling just before lunch. Soon after the break, Mohammad Mithun and Mahmudullah top edged Wagner although both shots looked avoidable in the circumstances.Mehidy gave short leg a simple catch, also off Wagner, while Soumya Sarkar also fell to the shorter length, when he was unable to move his gloves away from a Southee delivery.Watch NZ v Ban Live

Followers in the United States can watch New Zealand v Bangladesh live on ESPN+

Wagner’s five-for was completed when Abu Jayed tried to ramp him and had Liton Das caught at fine leg. His short-ball approach is one of the most telegraphed in the world yet still so many teams have struggled to combat it.Southee finished with three wickets while Trent Boult had given New Zealand their first wicket, that of Shadman Islam, who impressed against the new ball before playing across a full delivery, after he and Tamim had provided Bangladesh a fine start with a 57-run opening stand.Tamim was the enforcer and the guiding force. He struck plenty of drives down the ground and also through the covers, while remaining steadfast against the short ball. He struck 21 fours and a six in his 126 off 128 balls, lasting just over three hours in which Bangladesh looked in better control.Unlike some of his team-mates, for the majority of his innings he wasn’t reckless. Knowing full well that being adventurous may cost his side heavily, he curbed his strokeplay to get to lunch first before branching out again either side of his century which included taking 14 off Southee in the space of four deliveries.New Zealand tried to pray on his attacking instincts, pitching the ball well outside off, and the plan worked when Tamin cut a short, wide delivery from Colin de Grandhomme – who he had previously been keen to mow down the ground – straight to Kane Williamson at gully. Tamim threw his head back in disgust, knowing that his team needed even more from him.With their talisman gone there wasn’t much else offered by Bangladesh although stand-in captain Mahmudullah could have provided more than the top edge to long leg having played himself in with some compact drives.In New Zealand’s reply, Raval did most of the early scoring with his three boundaries in Ebadot’s fifth over, to dent the promising start from the debutant, before he took on the part-timer Soumya and Bangladesh’s lone spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Latham, who enjoyed a prolific series against Sri Lanka earlier this season, then found his stride and pull Mehidy for six as the shadows lengthened. By the close, it already looked a tough situation for Bangladesh to recover from.

Early promise does not always translate into sustained excellence but in the case of George Bartlett, you suspect it will

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge12-Apr-2019Somerset 403 (Bartlett 133, Abell 101, Broad 5-73) lead Nottinghamshire 263 (Nash 58, Wood 52; Gregory 6-68) and 25 for 2 by 115 runs
Early promise does not always translate into sustained excellence but in the case of George Bartlett, who made his second century in only his 13th first-class match for Somerset here to illuminate an overcast second day, you suspect it will.The young batsman turned 21 only last month but plays with the maturity of a much older player, with an ability to appear calm and unruffled under pressure and a sound judgment of when and when not to attack. His 133 was an innings of high quality, with rarely a mistake you could recall until the very obvious one that brought it to an end.He and Tom Abell shared a partnership of 223 that gave Somerset control of the game and a first-innings lead of 140 as they seek a seventh consecutive win over Nottinghamshire, who closed in some peril on 25 for 2 after Jack Brooks removed both Ben Duckett and Chris Nash in his opening three overs.Bartlett’s score bettered the 110 he made against Lancashire at Old Trafford last year as his personal best. That one came against an attack led by Jimmy Anderson, this against one spearheaded by Stuart Broad, which is not a bad addendum to the stats. As a distinguished former Under-19 international, he is on the England pathway, as they now like to call it. A Lions call-up may not be far away.This innings followed the half-century he made against Kent last week, which was so important in helping the West Country side open with a win.He was not in the original 13 selected then, but Somerset had an 11th-hour change of heart and decided to leave out spinner Jack Leach in favour of an extra batsmen. Leach is back in the side here but after Bartlett calmly anchored two vital lower-order stands to give his side a defendable second-innings lead, he could hardly be dropped. Eddie Byrom was the one to miss out.Bartlett took his opportunity superbly. Somerset, remember, were 36 for 3 when he made his way to the middle last night, Broad having blown away both openers and looking hungry to make an impact, as he invariably does when wearing a Nottinghamshire shirt.There seemed to be something in the pitch when the bowler put the ball in the right place, as Lewis Gregory had demonstrated so impressively earlier. For Bartlett and Abell to have steered a safe route to the close felt like it warranted some applause. The first session of day two, they anticipated, might be crucial.In the event, it belonged to them. By lunch they had added exactly 100 runs to the overnight score, with no losses, confidence growing that there were no more surprises in the pitch. Samit Patel, absent in the morning for the perfectly reasonable excuse that his partner had given birth to their second child in the early hours, came into the attack immediately after lunch to provide the variation of spin for the first time in the match, but without producing the results he might have hoped for.Indeed, Bartlett went down the pitch to him disdainfully to add to his boundary count and his partnership with Abell soon passed 200. His century came up with a strong drive to the short offside boundary off Luke Wood, the left-armer, bringing him a 15th four, prompting a hug from his captain and an ovation from the Somerset balcony. The pair were embracing again soon afterwards as Abell completed his own hundred.They were parted finally in the 75th over, Abell edging Wood to be caught behind for 101. Bartlett continued, knocked off his feet by Broad with the new ball but picking himself up and seeing it through to tea.He was not able to add a lot more, dismissed in the end by an error of judgment, made out of weariness, perhaps, bowled by Luke Fletcher shouldering arms for 133.There were still Somerset runs to come, 50 of them from Lewis Gregory to go with his six first-innings wickets, ensuring maximum batting points. But then Broad hit back for the home side, enthusiasm undimmed even after the toils he had endured earlier.Bowling with pace at the tail, he dismissed the last three batsmen in the space of seven deliveries to give his side the full complement of bowling points and complete his first five-wicket haul for his county since his 7 for 84 against Yorkshire in Leeds in June 2015.

Aston Villa are currently riding high in the Premier League following some excellent wins in the previous few weeks, but they will take a break from the top flight this weekend.

The Midlands outfit face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup third round this evening and Unai Emery will see the competition as an ideal chance to end Villa’s 28-year major trophy drought.

While the Spaniard will likely make a few changes, it may be limited to just three or four as he will be looking for the club to continue building momentum.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news: Unai eyes £40m deal; Saudi club want star

It’s a huge summer for Aston Villa and Unai Emery as they prepare for the Champions League.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2024 Aston Villa team news vs Middlesbrough

The manager confirmed that Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, Bertrand Traore, Youri Tielemans and Robin Olsen are all unavailable against Boro this evening while speaking to the media.

Having lost at this stage of the cup to Stevenage last season in what was one of the shocks of the third round, Emery will be looking to avoid a similar scenario in the north-east tonight.

Despite missing a few players, Villa welcome back Boubacar Kamara following his three-game suspension, and he should be going straight back into the starting XI against the Championship outfit after not being available against Burnley.

Boubacar Kamara’s statistics this season

The Frenchman has been an integral cog in Emery’s Villa machine this season and despite missing six matches across all competitions – four of those coming due to suspension – Kamara has started 22 of the 23 matches he has played in this term.

He has been particularly impressive in the Premier League and among the squad, he currently ranks fifth for accurate passes per game (46) along with ranking sixth for key passes per game (1.2), first for both tackles per game (2.3), and interceptions per game (1.1), which proves how important he is in midfield, especially from a defensive viewpoint.

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His 90% pass success rate ensures he can dictate the game from deep, and with players such as John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, and Leon Bailey often playing alongside him in the midfield, he doesn’t need to push forward often.

Indeed, football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously lavished the 24-year-old during his previous spell at Marseille, labelling him a “high-quality midfield controller” and his performances this season have certainly justified such high praise.

The £150k-per-week gem also ranks in the top 10% for pass completion rate per 90 (88.3%) when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues and this indicates that he not only is among the best at his current club, but correspondingly on the continent too.

Having not played since being sent off against Brentford midway through December, Kamara will undoubtedly be slightly rusty, yet the clash against second tier opposition represents an ideal chance for him to build up match fitness ahead of a league match against Everton next week.

His inclusion will give Villa the edge in what could turn into a nervy encounter, especially if they do not score in the first half.

With the chance to secure progression in a tournament that the club have not won since 1957, Emery will be doing everything he can to ensure the Midlands side make it through to the fourth round tonight.

After scoring a brace en-route to a victory over Cagliari Saturday, AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli raved about how good Christian Pulisic has been.

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Pulisic scores brace in 5-1 battering of CagliariHas 12 Serie A goals in debut seasonPioli reveals admiration for USMNT starWHAT HAPPENED?

The American bagged a sensational brace for Milan against Cagliari on Saturday, leading them to a 5-1 victory. Goals in the 59th and 86th minute saw him extend his Serie A scoring total in 2023-24 to 12 goals – while also sporting seven assists.

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Pulisic has 26 goal-contributions across all competitions for Milan this season. He's had his best-ever season as a professional in his debut Serie A campaign, and still has two matches to go before the season wraps. He's become the first Milan midfielder since Ricardo Kaka in 2006 to bag 10 or more serie A goals, excluding penalties, for the Rossoneri.

WHAT PIOLI SAID

Speaking to , the Italian said: “In my opinion, Pulisic is a phenomenal player because he has quality in his choices, an intensity throughout the match which is exceptional. When I met him this summer on Zoom… I had very positive perceptions, but then working together was even better than I thought, both for the quality of the player, for the quality of the person and for the professional that he is. He did really well as did [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek who is another excellent player and [Tijani] Reijnders , all the new signings will certainly give positive results in the future for Milan."

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The Rossoneri take on Torino next weekend before ending the campaign against Salernitana. They've nearly secured second place in the league, and are guaranteed to play in the Champions League next season.

The BCCI has made this decision to avoid matches spilling over past midnight, which has happened frequently this season thanks to slow over rates

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Apr-2019All four IPL play-off matches will begin half an hour early to avoid the matches spilling over past midnight. Traditionally, evening matches in the IPL begin at 8 pm IST, but the BCCI has decided to advance the start of the playoff matches this season to 7.30 pm, with the toss at 7 pm.It is understood that the four Women’s T20 Challenge matches, to be played in Jaipur next month, are also likely to start at 7.30 pm, and will be broadcast live.The decision was taken on Saturday in Delhi. at a meeting of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), the supervisory authority until the BCCI conducts fresh elections.Evening matches stretching well beyond the regulation window of 200 minutes as per the IPL’s playing conditions has been a concern for a while now. Last season too, the CoA had deliberated over the issue, after the tournament broadcaster reportedly flagged it to the BCCI.Slow over rates, constant delays in play caused by players calling for drinks or change of equipment, or captains taking too long to adjust fields, have been major factors behind matches going on past midnight.As per the IPL’s playing conditions, each innings is to last 90 minutes – which includes the two strategic timeouts – with a 20-minute break between innings.Slow over rates attract monetary fines. This season, four captains – Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin – have copped fines of INR 12 lakh each. Whether fines have been enough of a deterrent has been a talking point, with a number of former players and coaches weighing in. Some have even suggested new approaches to tackling slow over rates; Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody, for instance, reckons that the IPL needs to emulate the Caribbean Premier League (NRR) and bring in a net-run-rate penalty.

Ahead of the 2024 off-season, Aston Villa are exploring potential free agent opportunities. Lazio's Felipe Anderson, formerly of West Ham, has attracted their interest ahead of the expiry of his deal in the summer, while Unai Emery has also been offered the chance to sign Roma's Leonardo Spinazzola, a possibility that is being considered. The beauty of these players, of course, is that they wouldn't cost a single penny in transfer fees.

The hope for Villa will be to strengthen their squad with a Bosman deal or two, saving the full extent of their transfer budget for some marquee deals ahead of what could be their first Champions League campaign since the 1980s.

Monchi may finally get his man

Another soon-to-be free agent has now been linked, with reports in Spain claiming that Villa are set to sign Mario Hermoso from Atletico Madrid this summer. Sporting director Monchi twice thought about signing Hermoso during his time with Sevilla and now, with Emery's approval, he's hoping to bring him to England.

Atletico have been unable to reach an agreement with Hermoso on a new contract because the defender has decided that "a change of scenery" would be best for his career. Diego Simeone's side have subsequently tried to "pressure" him to leave this month, so they can bank some money, but the defender has "no intention" of making a winter exit as he instead eyes up a summer move to Villa Park.

Villa want the deal effectively sealed as soon as possible to ensure that no external "temptations" come into play, and they've already offered Hermoso the chance to "more than double" his Atletico salary as part of a four-year deal. As such, it would take an "extraordinary" proposal from elsewhere in England or Spain to stop the move materialising.

Hermoso faces big battle at Villa

Hermoso came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid, and after a two-year stint at Espyanol, he left to join cross-city rivals Atletico in 2019. He's made 153 appearances for Los Rojiblancos and was part of the side that beat both Real and Barcelona to the Spanish title in 2020/21.

He's started 17 of his side's 19 league games this season, and it's a surprise to see a player with that kind of standing leave, but clearly the chance to move to the Premier League on a much larger contract is too tempting.

Hermoso will, however, have his work cut out to tie down a place in the team at Villa. The club have spent a combined £55m on Diego Carlos and Pau Torres in the past couple of years, and while Clement Lenglet is set to return to Barcelona at the end of his loan spell (with no option to buy), Tyrone Mings will return from injury next season, and Ezri Konsa may shift back into a central role if Emery can sign a new specialist right-back. That's a whole lot of competition, but a player of Hermoso's pedigree will still back himself to prevail.

David Beckham says he does not see himself as Lionel Messi's "boss", despite being the co-owner of MLS outfit Inter Miami.

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Messi in awesome form for Inter MiamiBeckham refuses to call himself star man's bossLegend can't believe he signed himWHAT HAPPENED?

Beckham helped lure the Argentine icon to the United States after he left Paris Saint-Germain in June last year. The ex-Barcelona star has been a sensation in MLS and former Manchester United star Beckham admits that it still feels "surreal" having the attacker in the team.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGettyWHAT BECKHAM SAID

Asked what it's like to be Messi's boss, Beckham told the podcast: "I can’t look at it like that, I can’t! I just can’t."

He added: “It felt unbelievable [bringing Messi to Miami]. And I still can’t believe it. Every time someone turns around to me and says: ‘You have Messi on your team, you realize that, don’t you?,’ it really is surreal to say that we have probably the greatest player to have ever played the game, the most successful player to have ever played the game, and he’s playing in Miami in the MLS."

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Messi has been awesome for Inter Miami this season. The 36-year-old has scored 10 goals in MLS and assisted a further nine to help lift the Herons to the top of the Eastern Conference. He also struck twice and set up two in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, though they were knocked out at the quarter-final stage.

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USA Today ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Beckham and his fellow Inter Miami directors will hope to see Messi lead Tata Martino's team to victory again when they travel to Canada to face Vancouver Whitecaps in their next MLS match at the weekend.