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Counties producing two ‘below average’ pitches in a 12-month period could be penalised under new regulations brought in by the ECB for the 2017 County Championship season

George Dobell29-Mar-2017Counties producing two ‘below average’ pitches in a 12-month period could be penalised under new regulations brought in by the ECB for the 2017 County Championship season.In a further attempt to encourage counties to produce better quality pitches, the ECB have widened the criteria under which they can take action. Whereas, in the past, pitches had to be rated ‘poor’ or even ‘unfit’ to incur a penalty, the new regulations state that “Two or more Below Average pitches in a 12-month period, rated so because of sub-standard performance relating to spin, seam or unevenness, if allied to intent would liable to penalty.”Ahead of the 2016 season, the ECB announced several other measures designed to encourage better pitches. In particular, they announced that visiting captains would be able to choose to bowl first in the Championship without the need to utilise a toss of the coin and they declared that away sides would be awarded 16 or 20 points (depending on the number of bonus points already won) if the home side prepared an “unfit” pitch. The home side would get no points from the match irrespective of any bonus points already won. Those regulations remain in place for the 2017 season.The final rating of pitches will be made by one of the Cricket Liaison Officers. With the ECB having increased the number of CLOs to 10, there should be one at every day of Championship cricket. They will consult with the umpires, players and ground staff before coming to a conclusion. The addition of the clause “if allied to intent” would suggest they are not seeking to take a punitive view to counties hit by poor weather or excessive use of their squares, but rather encourage a better balance between bat and ball..Other changes to the playing conditions allow for time lost during a Championship match to be made up (to a maximum of 30 minutes) over the first three days – rather than just on the day concerned – while the ECB have confirmed that the hours of the day-night games will be 2pm until 10pm. The intervals will still be referred to as ‘lunch’ and ‘tea’ despite being scheduled for 4pm and 6.40pm. Play cannot extend beyond 10pm to make up for lost time.Meanwhile, in limited-overs cricket, the ECB have banned the use of the heavy roller after the start of games in the Royal London Cup, meaning only a light roller can be used between innings. There was a concern that, with the tournament scheduled for April and May, bowling first might provide too much of an advantage. The heavy roller can also not be used in the NatWest Blast.The new Laws relating to the size of cricket bats, outlined previously by MCC, are due to come into effect on October 1 and are not being adopted for the English domestic season. But other Law changes will be adopted: a batsman can now be caught off a fielder’s helmet and a batsman will not be run out if their bat bounces up having previously been grounded once he has completed his run. In the unlikely event that a bowler’s cap falls off and breaks the wicket during his delivery, the umpire will call no-ball.Other regulations used in 2016 – notably the change to the toss regulations- will remain in place for the 2017 season.

Fulham are said to hold an "interest" in Manchester United midfielder Fred this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Fred leaving Manchester United?

Having struggled to earn the trust of several Man United managers, Fred's time at Old Trafford is running out.

The 30-year-old has failed to consistently hold down a staring berth since his arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 and has ultimately underwhelmed given the size of his £52m transfer fee.

Fred has made 213 appearances over his five years in Manchester, averaging just under 43 a season, but is yet to make the impact necessary to flourish in a Man United midfield. With his contract expiring next summer, the Red Devils will not want to lose him for free.

As a result, Erik ten Hag will aim to recoup as much of that £52m as he possibly can – money that can then be spent on improving the rest of his squad ahead of a busy campaign.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fulham are one of the clubs that hold an interest in acquiring the services of the midfielder in the transfer window.

Speaking on his YouTube channel about Fred's possible United exit, Romano said:

"United are considering the possibility to sell Fred in this transfer window. It's true that there is interest from Fulham, but also other clubs are really keen on Fred.

"So, keep an eye on the Brazilian midfielder because he could be one more on the exit door for Manchester United."

Fulham have enjoyed recent success with their Brazilian recruitment as Andreas Pereira and Willian both made vital contributions for the Cottagers after arriving last summer, with the former joining from United.

Fred will perhaps be eyeing up the opportunity to follow in their footsteps, joining a solid midfield that was the heartbeat of Fulham's success last season. Both Joao Palhinha and Harrison Reed performed brilliantly in Marco Silva's crunching midfield and the Portuguese coach will be eager to add even more bite to the centre of the park.

Fulham finished 10th last season – only nine points off a European place – and will be desperate to avoid the dreaded second season syndrome, with reinforcements in the transfer market likely to help solidify their status as a Premier League club.

What is Fred worth?

According to recent reports, United have slapped a £20m price tag on Fred despite the fact that his contract is up in a year and he will be 31-years-old next March.

Whether a team will be willing to pay such a sum for a midfielder approaching the wrong end of his career is questionable, but given United's willingness to sell it is possible that some negotiating could bring that fee down.

A £20m transfer would make Fred Fulham's fourth-most expensive signing of all-time, behind Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Jean Michael Seri.

Considering Palhinha, who is now valued so highly amid the summer transfer window, only set the Cottagers back £20m himself, Silva may feel there is better value to be extracted from looking at foreign leagues rather than England's top-flight.

Fred only averaged just over 35 minutes per Premier League appearance last season, despite the fact he was used 35 times by Ten Hag, and perhaps hasn't shown the quality necessary to thrive at Craven Cottage.

It has been a summer of turbulence for Celtic so far as they have lost key members of their team on and off the pitch since the start of last month.

Manager Ange Postecoglou departed to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and midfielder Aaron Mooy officially retired, while Jota has completed a permanent transfer to Al-Ittihad.

Brendan Rodgers, who replaced the Australian tactician at the helm, has also been able to snap up two new signings; Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio.

The Hoops boss has also been linked with a swoop for Young Boys midfielder Fabian Rieder, who could come in as his dream heir to Matt O'Riley's place in the squad.

Premier League teams have been touted with interest in the Denmark international this year and Celtic are said to be expecting offers to come in for him ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

How did Fabian Rieder perform last season?

Rieder enjoyed a terrific campaign for his side in the Super League and his performances suggest that the potential is there for him to be an excellent replacement for O'Riley, should the ex-Fulham man depart Parkhead over the months to come.

The Switzerland international, who is valued at €10.5m (£9m) by FootballTransfers, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.17 across 33 league outings as he showcased his ability in and out of possession.

On the ball, the 21-year-old created 1.8 chances and completed 0.8 dribbles per game to go along with his seven goals from the middle of the park, as per Sofascore. Had he registered those numbers in a Celtic shirt, he would have ranked second and joint-first respectively among central midfielders within the Hoops' squad last term.

O'Riley, meanwhile, produced just 0.6 dribbles but a mighty 2.1 key passes per match for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, which does not suggest that there is a huge difference between them in that regard.

Defensively, Rieder made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game while also coming out on top in 48% of his individual duels for Young Boys. No Celtic midfielder managed more than O'Riley's 2.2 tackles and interceptions combined per clash, suggesting that the Swiss ace could provide Rodgers with more bite in the middle of the park.

These statistics outline that the talented magician, whose "exemplary determination" was hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has proven himself to be a midfield player with the ability to make a significant impact at both ends of the pitch.

Rieder has the potential to be an exceptional heir to O'Riley due to his defensive and offensive quality, to create chances while also being able to win possession back on a regular basis, which is why this signing could alleviate any concerns about the Danish gem's possible departure.

The last time Australia successfully batted out the final day of a Test to secure a draw was in 2011, and Steven Smith and Darren Lehmann were hopeful the wait would end in Ranchi

Daniel Brettig19-Mar-2017Australia haven’t played in a drawn Test since a rain-blighted meeting with West Indies in January 2016. But to find the last time they managed to successfully bat themselves out of trouble on the final day, it is necessary to go further into the past. All the way to the 2011 Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.Michael Clarke, on his maiden Test tour as captain, made a hundred back then to keep out Rangana Herath and make the series safe. The loss of David Warner and Nathan Lyon in the eight overs before stumps in Ranchi meant that his successor Steven Smith needed a similar performance to prevent Australia from falling behind in the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Head coach Darren Lehmann said the team’s Dubai preparations had included discussion and training for exactly the scenario they found themselves in. “Obviously we’ve got to save the game. Tough to lose those two wickets tonight, there were some good balls from them. Good challenge for the group to put it into practice tomorrow and we’ve got to do that and deliver on the big stage. Once the ball gets a little bit softer it plays pretty well so there’s no real demons in the track. It’s obviously a case of applying ourselves.Lehmann also emphasised the importance of combating Ravindra Jadeja as a key part of emerging with the 1-1 series ledger intact. The left-arm spinner was responsible for taking both wickets to fall so far, and was able to make balls explode off the pitch.”Going to have to come up with a plan to combat Jadeja but we’ve worked on that and you’ll probably see it tomorrow, I would think,” Lehmann said. “They’ve got to believe in what they’re doing as a group and a couple of good balls like tonight, that can happen in a game of cricket. For us it’s a great challenge. The challenge for our group is to put on a couple of partnerships and really get ahead of the game.”You’ve got to prepare for all scenarios here in India. As you’ve seen the wickets start to wear on day four, day five, [but] this has been a really traditional Indian wicket, a good wicket. It’s quite a challenge. Preparing in Dubai, that’s what we did and now it’s putting it into practice.”A possibly tired Australian team – Steve O’Keefe bowled 77 overs and Steven Smith had to deal with 210 overs of setting the field – was up against a seriously difficult task to save the Ranchi Test•Associated PressBefore this series, Smith had said one of the qualities he wanted to see in his team was the ability to scrounge a draw from a difficult situation. “Obviously you want to win first and foremost, but a draw’s a much better result than a loss. If the game’s dead and buried and we can’t win, you want to see the fight and the willingness to put your natural game away and do everything you can to stay out there and get a draw.”That’s something we haven’t done overly well in the past. When we’re a long way behind the game and chasing 500 or something in the last innings, guys have still just gone out and played, rather than do what Faf [du Plessis] did in Adelaide a few years ago and just block it until the game’s gone, and give yourself a chance to survive.”Some observers, including Clarke, have wondered whether the allrounder Glenn Maxwell could have bowled more overs, but Lehmann defended Smith’s judgment in relying heavily on the frontliners Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon. O’Keefe equalled the 18th longest spell in all of Test cricket, bowling 77 overs for three wickets, and at times the Australians appeared somewhat limited in their plans and tactics.”I think [it’s the] captain’s call obviously,” Lehmann said. “We did speak about it, chopping and changing a little bit. The game was always on a knife’s edge so you always want your best spinners going. And we chopped and changed a little bit, probably could have bowled a few more overs [of part-timers] but I thought the spinners toiled really hard as well so that’s a call the captain makes out there and really happy with that.”The physical toll on the pacemen Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also had Lehmann pondering whether it would be possible to pick them for the final Test in Dharamsala next week. “When you bowl 210 overs, I don’t think that’s happened too often, and India do that well, they bat long periods of time here in India.”If anything it heightens our first innings where we needed to bat a little bit longer. But the bowlers worked really hard and I thought they were fantastic. Chopped and changed as best as they could in the conditions. We’ll see how they pull up and make a decision. But we’ll worry about tomorrow first.”

With India needing eight off the last two balls, stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur struck Marcia Letsoalo over midwicket for a six and then took two off the last ball to secure the title for her team

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe Indian women players pose after edging South Africa•International Cricket CouncilWith India needing eight off the last two balls, stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur struck Marcia Letsoalo over midwicket for a six and then took two off the last ball to secure the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier title for her team at the P Sara Oval, in Colombo.India’s chase of 245 boiled down to nine needed off the last over. Harmanpreet dragged the first ball, a slower one, to deep midwicket and aimed for a double, but Poonam Yadav was run out at the non-striker’s end for 7 off 15 balls. Letsoalo then sent down three successive dots to tip the game in South Africa’s favour. Harmanpreet, though, snatched victory to ensure India finished the tournament unbeaten.Rajeshwari Gayakwad, the No.11, who hung on with Harmanpreet, was earlier impressive with the ball. Her left-arm spin complemented Shikha Pandey’s pace; their combined returns of 5 for 92 helped India dismiss South Africa for 244.Having elected to bat, all of South Africa’s top eight moved into double-figures, with the top score being Mignon du Preez’s 40 off 72 balls. Opener Lizelle Lee and captain Dane van Niekerk made 37 each before Suné Luus’ 29-ball 35 took the total close to 250.Deepti Sharma, who bowled an economical spell of 1 for 46 in the first innings, laid the platform for India’s chase with a second-wicket partnership of 124 in 25 overs with opener Mona Meshram (59). Sharma was dropped twice – on 46 and 70 – by van Niekerk, before she pressed onto score 71 off 89 balls, including eight fours.South Africa’s underwhelming fielding further strengthened India’s chances, as Luus handed a life to Veda Krishnamurthy in the 36th over. Pandey chipped in with a crucial 12, after Marizanne Kapp ended the fourth-wicket stand of 38 between Kaur and Krishnamurthy, who hit a 27-ball 31. India’s lower-middle order then caved in, losing four wickets for 14 runs. An unbeaten run-a-ball 41 from Kaur, however, ensured India sealed their highest successful chase in ODIs.”To be honest, I was waiting for that ball because that is my strong area,” Harmanpreet said after the win. “I know like we needed nine runs in the final over and I was going to hit the ball. If we run then we will go for two runs. My partner also did a great job and ran two runs. It was a totally team effort from our side.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is a keen admirer of Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella and will undoubtedly hope to sign the Italy international this summer if an apt opportunity arises.

What's the latest on Nicolo Barella?

According to The Times' Paul Joyce, Barella is indeed a player Klopp 'admires' and Liverpool will continue to monitor his situation attentively following claims of interest from Calciomercato earlier this month.

However, the 26-year-old is not believed to be desperate for a departure from Milano at present, and valued at a reported £69m and with three years remaining on his current deal, it won't be an easy deal to ease over the line.

But with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departing Anfield this month, there are few maestros on the major stage more suited to a career under Klopp's wing than Barella.

What would Nicolo Barella bring to Liverpool?

The Athletic's ever-reliable David Ornstein recently confirmed that the Reds are "exploring a transfer deal" for Red Bull Leipzig playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai, though a move is complicated by the Hungarian's €70m (£61m) release clause, which ostensibly expires this week.

As Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League last season for the first time in seven seasons with a fifth-placed Premier League finish, with much criticism on the efficacy and robustness of the midfield, it seems that technical director Jorg Schmadtke is making the right moves to take the club back towards prominence.

And if an incredible, albeit unlikely midfield partnership in Szoboszlai and Barella could be crafted this summer, the Anfield side's verve and vigour would be back with an almighty bang.

Barella has been hailed as a "genius" by sport editor Mike Pielluci for his remarkable feats in the centre of the park, having scored nine goals and provided ten assists from 52 matches as I Nerazzurri clinched the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana this season, also falling to treble winner Manchester City in a close Champions League final.

As per FBref, the midfield general ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 11% for progressive carries per 90.

That would meld well with Leipzig's creative force's skill set, with the £153k-per-week Barella complementing a dynamic No. 10 with his driving approach.

Comparatively, Szoboszlai ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted, the top 3% for progressive passes, the top 11% for blocks and the top 13% for clearances per 90.

With Barella's prowess in weaving through the thirds both as a ball-carrying vessel and a ball-playing master, Liverpool would unearth a diamond capable of catalysing the intensity and confidence of Klopp's team.

But with an all-encompassing force in Szoboszlai proving his worth as a creative gem while not negating his defensive duties – evidenced by his FBref metrics – it could be a devastating partnership rivalling any in world football.

Arsenal are expected to make a "very important" bid to sign Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella "in the next few days", according to reports out of Italy.

Who will join Arsenal this summer?

The north Londoners are aiming to challenge for another Premier League title after falling just short in their attempts to thwart treble-winners Man City last season.

Mikel Arteta and co have reportedly been very busy behind-the-scenes, with some reports even claiming they could be set to spend around £200 million on new arrivals this summer.

West Ham United star Declan Rice has already been subject to two rejected bids from Arsenal, with rumours of a third now circulating, but he certainly isn't their only transfer target.

Southampton's Romeo Lavia is a player wanted in north London as talks progress and personal terms edge closer to completion, while Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is being targeted as well.

Kai Havertz is reliably believed to be coming through the door after Arsenal agreed a £65 million deal with Chelsea for his signing.

The aforementioned quartet have all been heavily linked these past few weeks, though according to a report from Europe, it appears the north Londoners have also set their sights on Barella.

The Italy international will be seen in next season's Champions League and recently helped Inter to their first final of the competition since 2010.

According to FC Inter News.it, Arsenal and Man United are now expected to lodge "very important offers" for Barella and this could happen "in the next few days".

Arteta's side have apparently made contact with Inter and Barella's agent, Alessandro Beltrami, to make their intentions known in this regard.

However, to stand a chance of reaching an agreement, this report states that Arsenal may need to go "much further" than Newcastle United's recent £60 million offer for the 26-year-old.

Who is Nicolo Barella?

Barella was a crucial player and mainstay under Simone Inzaghi domestically last season, playing more Serie A minutes than any other player in the Nerazzurri squad (WhoScored).

During that time, he registered 12 goal contributions (six goals, six assists), with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp previously expressing his admiration for the midfielder.

Speaking before a European tie against Inter last year, the German called Barella a "top-class" player.

"That Barella is not able to play is not bad for us," said Klopp.

“He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That's a top-class player.”

The two teams are set to play five ODIs in Harare starting from February 16

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2017Zimbabwe have successfully negotiated a five-match ODI series with Afghanistan to plug the gap in their cricket calendar. They last played internationals in November – a 50-over tri-series with West Indies and Sri Lanka – but were looking at a six-month hiatus before their next assignment – a tour of Sri Lanka. This has now changed with Afghanistan scheduled to reach Harare on February 13 before the first game on February 16.Afghanistan in Zimbabwe 2017

Feb 16 – 1st ODI, Harare

Feb 19 – 2nd ODI, Harare
Feb 21 – 3rd ODI, Harare

Feb 24 – 4th ODI, Harare

Feb 26 – 5th ODI, Harare

Both teams have done well in their most recent matches, although Zimbabwe’s were three months ago, when they beat West Indies to make the tri-series final but lost to Sri Lanka. Afghanistan, too, have not played ODI cricket since October but they have been active in the shortest format, winning the inaugural Desert T20 Challenge, which also featured Ireland, Scotland, Oman, Hong Kong, Namibia, Netherlands and UAE.Additionally the head-to-head record between the two countries favours Afghanistan, who have never lost a series to Zimbabwe since beating them in 2015 to register their first series win over a Full Member.Zimbabwe and Afghanistan’s A teams will also play a five-match one-day series in Harare between January 27 and February 5.

A round-up of the third day’s play from the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Dec-2016
ScorecardAbhishek Nayar rattled Hyderabad’s top order•PTI For large parts of the day, there wasn’t much to choose between Mumbai and Hyderabad, although the defending champions enjoyed the first-innings honours on a topsy-turvy day in Raipur. Towards the end, though, they steered clear of choppy waters courtesy an unbroken 50-run fourth-wicket stand between Praful Waghela and Aditya Tare, the captain, to end with a lead of 116.Hyderabad, who resumed on 167 for 3, needing another 127 to wipe out the deficit, came within 15 runs of the lead. A lower order collapse resulted in them slipping from 255 for 5 to 280 all out. K Sumanth, the wicketkeeper, battled through to make 44; he was the last man to be dismissed. Vijay Gohil, the left-arm spinner, picked up three of the five wickets to fall. Abhishek Nayar, who made 59 in the first innings, took 4 for 60.Mumbai were rattled early as they slipped to 52 for 3, with Mohammad Siraj dismissing Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav. They had Waghela and Tare to thank as they steered them to safety.
ScorecardSamit Gohel’s third first-class ton put Gujarat in a commanding position•ESPNcricinfoGujarat continued to gain a foothold after their strong comeback from 71 for 6 on the first day, as they finished day three with a lead of 310 runs in the second innings with seven wickets still in hand.Odisha’s first innings ended early on the third day, with Jasprit Bumrah adding one wicket to his overnight burst through the middle order to complete his second five-wicket haul of the season. He finished with 5 for 41, as Odisha were shot out for 199 in response to Gujarat’s 263.Gujarat capitalized on their 64-run lead through an opening stand of 149. Priyank Panchal, the season’s top-scorer, got 81 of those before he was dismissed by left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh. His opening partner, Samit Gohel, built stands of 49 for the second wicket with Bhargav Merai, 40 for the third with Rujul Bhatt, and batted through to stumps with Manpreet Juneja with a career-best unbeaten 110 off 291 balls. Gujarat finished the day on 246 for 3.
ScorecardIshank Jaggi (in pic) and Virat Singh helped build Jharkhand’s lead•K SivaramanVirat Singh’s second first-class century steered Jharkhand to a comfortable first-innings lead before they were bowled out for 345. In reply, the Haryana top order wiped out the deficit and ended the third day with a lead of 59 runs for the loss of two wickets.Ishank Jaggi, the other overnight batsman apart from Virat, could not score on the third day when he was bowled for 77 by Harshal Patel, and Ishan Kishan and Kaushal Singh fell for ducks. However, Virat batted with the tail to nearly take them to 300 in the company of Shahbaz Nadeem (34) and Rahul Shukla (28). Once Virat fell for 107, Jharkhand added another 45 to the total.Haryana openers Nitin Saini (41) and Shubham Rohilla (43) put on a strong stand of 79 but Samar Quadri dismissed both before Shivam Chauhan (22) and Chaitanya Bishnoi ended the day unbeaten on 22 and 33 respectively.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in a La Liga ace, if reports regarding their transfer activities are to be believed.

With the transfer window officially opening yesterday, Julen Lopetegui faces the challenge of making adequate reinforcements to his side white adhering to financial constraints following Wolves’ Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.

Putting financial woes aside, Molineux could see a new face this summer, with the latest link posing as a significant upgrade to Lopetegui’s current midfield.

What’s the latest on Geoffrey Kondogbia to Wolves?

As reported earlier this week by Turkish outlet Taktik Mania (via journalist Berk Bekgoz), Wolves are expected to ‘meet with’ Atletico Madrid ace Geoffrey Kondogbia.

The news was relayed by Express and Star Wolves correspondent Liam Keen, who stated that the club are ‘considering’ making a move for the 30-year-old.

Links between the club and the player have been ongoing since January, as revealed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who claimed the Midlands club approached Kondogbia during the winter window.

What could Geoffrey Kondogbia offer to Wolves?

Ranking in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe in terms of interceptions made per 90 (2.41), the Central African Republic international has maintained his status as one of the stand-out defensive midfielders.

Despite only making 10 starts for Atletico this season in LaLiga, the 30-year-old powerhouse has kept his form intact, as shown by his high average of 62% of total duels won in the competition with an average of 3.8 per game, via Sofascore.

With 397 professional appearances under his belt, via Transfermarkt, the midfielder’s vast experience could be vital for Lopetegui’s midfield that will be forced into transitioning to cover the vacancy left behind by departing stalwart Joao Moutinho.

The Portuguese veteran has played his final season at Molineux following the expiration of his contract, after spending five years at the club.

Having been hailed as a ‘midfield maestro’ by his club, the 36-year-old will be sorely missed in the Midlands, however, his on-field efforts could be taken over by the capable hands of Kondogbia.

The £107k-per-week machine, who was once lauded as “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has operated at a more impressive level than the departing star as told when comparing their statistics over the past year.

As per FBref, the Atletico brute averages 3.51 tackles per 90 with Moutinho falling short of the Molineux target in this area with an average of 2.58 per 90.

A similar pattern is highlighted in their passing attributes, with the Nemours-born star maintaining an audacious pass completion rate of 88.7% with an average of 61.71 passes attempted per 90, via FBref.

To put into perspective the calibre of player Wolves could replace the Portuguese legend with, Moutinho averages only 53.44 attempted passes per 90, with a completion rate of 80.4%.

Lopetegui may not have the capacity to spend big this summer, given the club's FFP issues, but Fosun and co must aim to make improvements after a disappointing campaign that steered towards relegation at times.

The Spanish head coach could, therefore, replenish his midfield following Moutinho’s departure with the experience and quality of Kondogbia.