Leicester City have enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign as some of their new signings have helped them to win all three of their Championship fixtures so far.

Who have Leicester signed this summer?

Enzo Maresca has been able to bolster his playing squad with six additions since his appointment as head coach after a spell with Manchester City's coaching staff.

Stephy Mavididi, Harry Winks, Mads Hermansen, and Conor Coady have all come through the door on permanent deals, whilst Callum Doyle and Cesare Casadei have joined on loan.

That may not be the end of their business, though, as they were recently touted with an interest in Newell's Old Boys winger Brian Aguirre, who has reportedly been valued at $10m (£7.9m).

How good is Brian Aguirre?

The 20-year-old whiz is a talented young prospect who should not be brought in with the expectation of being able to make an immediate and significant impact on the pitch.

Instead, he should be viewed as a long-term project who could be the eventual heir to Mavididi's position on the left flank as he is five years younger than the summer signing from Montpellier.

Aguirre has only played 42 senior club career games and is yet to play outside of his home country, Argentina, which means that it could take him time to adapt to football and life in England.

Therefore, the exciting gem could be ideally suited to be a back-up to Mavididi initially as it would afford him time to adjust to his new surroundings without the pressure of being required to hit the ground running on the pitch.

The English forward has enjoyed a terrific start to life at the King Power and his performances suggest that there will be no immediate need for Aguirre to step up.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.47 across three Championship matches this season and produced one goal and one assist, to go along with 1.7 key passes per game for his teammates.

Only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (8.23) has averaged a higher Sofascore rating for Leicester so far and this shows that the former Arsenal prospect has been one of Maresca's outstanding performers.

This could also make him the dream mentor for Aguirre as Mavididi is proving himself to be a fantastic winger at this level who could impart his wisdom to the 20-year-old ace to help him develop his own skills over the coming years.

The Old Boys forward, who scout Antonio Mango described as "compelling viewing", showcased his potential during the U20 World Cup earlier this year as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13 and contributed with one goal and two 'big chances' created in three appearances for Argentina.

Aguirre, who has assisted five goals in 42 games for his club, seemingly has the capability to score and create chances from a left wing position but would need to translate that over to first-team football in England on a regular basis in order to be a huge success at the King Power.

Training alongside and learning from Mavididi could play a crucial role in his development, given how impressive the 25-year-old hotshot has been this season, and allow him to become the long-term heir to that position in the team if Maresca can secure his services.

Rajan Nayar pleads guilty to approaching Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer with intent to improperly influence the course of an international match

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-20185:25

Graeme Cremer describes how he was approached to match-fix

Rajan Nayar, a domestic cricket official in Zimbabwe, has been suspended from all cricketing activities for 20 years by the ICC for attempting to improperly influence an international match.The incident had taken place in October last year when Nayar approached Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer and offered USD 30,000 to engage in corrupt activity. Cremer “immediately” reported to the approach to the ICC, which began an investigation into the matter.Nayar, serving as treasurer and marketing director of Harare Metropolitan Cricket Association (HMCA) at the time, accepted all the charges against him. The suspension will be backdated to the start of his provisional suspension on 16 January, 2018.Alex Marshall, general manager with the ICC”s Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “I welcome the result of the investigation and the substantial sanction imposed upon Mr. Nayer. It is important that the seriousness of his offences was reflected in the length of the ban.”I would like to place on record my thanks to Graeme Cremer, who has acted with the utmost professionalism throughout this process. Immediately after he received the approach from Mr. Nayar he reported it to the ICC and we were able to get an investigation underway swiftly. Graeme has been involved and updated throughout the investigation and has played a critical role in ensuring that corruption has no place in our sport.”Cremer himself expressed surprise that a well-known official had acted in such a manner. “I was appalled to be approached by someone so closely connected to the game and there was no doubt in my mind that I had to report it as soon as I could. We receive education around this which you never expect to have to use, but it certainly helped when it came to knowing what to do.”

Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland received some great praise from actors Bryan Cranston and Bryce Dallas Howard for their impressive hairstyles.

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Hollywood stars rate footballers' stylesRonaldo given top billing ahead of GrealishHaaland's hair labelled "iconic"WHAT HAPPENED?

The Hollywood stars were told to pick their favourite hairstyles of five past and present Premier League heroes. While the pair were impressed by Haaland's flowing locks, Ronaldo was given top billing for his style, while ex-Tottenham and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale was put at the bottom.

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Dallas Howard was stunned by Haaland's hair, labelling it "iconic" and adding that she is "envious of that hair", while former Breaking Bad star Cranston said the Norwegian looked like Thor. Ronaldo went straight to number one as Dallas Howard hailed his hair as "beautiful", but she admitted she "couldn't stop smiling at the luscious locks of Manchester City star Jack Grealish.

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Ronaldo will hope his highly-rated hair will help inspire his Al-Nassr team to Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League success this season. Haaland, meanwhile, is looking to make it another successful campaign with City after winning the European and English treble in 2023-24.

ScorecardOn a Bank Holiday afternoon made for hammock-ease and somnolence Lancashire and Somerset concocted cricket worthy of everyone’s close attention at Emirates Old Trafford. That the game would end in a draw only became apparent in the evening session when Somerset’s eighth-wicket pair, Jack Leach and Tim Groenewald, extended their side’s lead beyond 175 with the overs slipping gently away.Leach was eventually bowled for a career-best 66 when he played inside the line to Matt Parkinson but apart from giving the legspinner his fifth wicket of the innings, that wicket was little more than the prelude to stalemate. The outcome became even more probable in retrospect, as it were, when it was discovered that Marcus Trescothick would have batted with a broken foot had he been required to do so.All the same, until Leach and Groenewald’s 69-run stand either side of tea the visitors’ regular loss of wickets and the possibility of a hectic run-chase kept the crowd involved in a match where all outcomes, including a Somerset victory, were possible. Lancashire’s main honours were taken by that cheery scamp of a legspinner Parkinson, who took 5 for 101 and often extracted plenty of turn and bounce from this fourth-day Old Trafford wicket. Already an England Lion, Parkinson ended the game with career-best match figures of 8 for 181. He should be grateful he was offered four warm days in Manchester and close to ideal conditions in which to wheel away for 56.2 overs.Watching Parkinson bowl to the bespectacled Leach, who looked as if he might have been more at home in Deansgate’s John Rylands Library, put one in mind of Staff matches at schools when optimistic fifth formers are put in their place by merciless masters. In fact, there are only five years or so between the pair and when Leach lifted Parkinson for a straight six the realities of professional cricket dispelled such airy notions.But for at least two sessions there was nothing at all fanciful about Lancashire’s chances of victory. Four wickets fell in the morning session and two more in the first three overs after lunch. When Tom Abell was leg before to Parkinson, his side were 145 for 6 and Lancashire were probably a few good balls from their first victory of the season. By contrast, the morning began poorly for Somerset and did not get better until Leach joined Craig Overton in a 52-run seventh-wicket stand early in the second session.Lancashire had made their first breakthrough with the eighth ball of the morning when two profoundly undistinguished pieces of cricket were followed by a brief moment of competence. Parkinson bowled a dirty great waist-high full-toss which Matt Renshaw tried to smear away towards Altrincham. Sadly for the honour of the Southern Cross, however, he merely skied the ball towards mid-on where Tom Bailey first made to run away from the thing before entering new co-ordinates in his CatchNav and taking a good two-handed pouch. A couple of overs later James Anderson took his only wicket of the game when he snared George Bartlett leg before on the back foot for 6, and when Steve Davies gave a bat and pad catch to Steven Croft off Parkinson, the bowler’s pumping fists reinforced the significance of the wicket.Next over the fists were clenched again when James Hildreth was leg before on the front dog and by early afternoon Lancashire supporters were wondering if they were about to celebrate a triumph. They did not do so because Jack Leach is made of tough stuff. In a county not short of love, he is a favoured son and the five points he helped Somerset gain this afternoon may yet count for something glorious in September.

Aston Villa have been a club on the up since the arrival of Unai Emery in November 2022, with the Spaniard rocketing the Villans to a European finish in his first spell in the Midlands.

The former Arsenal boss has transformed the outlook at Villa Park, even more so after the summer transfer window, in which he made some stellar signings, most prominently the record-breaking capture of Moussa Diaby.

As well as welcoming five new faces to the squad, Emery bid farewell to a host of talent through sales, with one academy star in Cameron Archer leaving after rumours of him eventually breaking through.

How much did Aston Villa sell Cameron Archer for?

Archer worked his way from the academy to eventually gain minutes with the first team and then thrive on loan.

However, despite penning a new deal in 2022, the Englishman departed to Sheffield United on a permanent basis.

In a deal worth £18m, the striker has already shown his worth with the Blades, scoring on his Premier League debut at Bramall Lane.

Who could replace Cameron Archer?

While the sale of the 21-year-old was a good move for the player due to the current pecking order in the position at Villa, his move leaves a door open for another up-and-coming talent to eye a sporadic role around the first team.

The club have a list of budding talent currently excelling at Bodymoor Heath, as well as those that are relishing loan spells, with one being Louie Barry, who has already had a contrasting journey in the early days of his playing career.

From the highs for departing for the infamous La Masia set up in Barcelona to struggling loan moves following his switch to Villa, Barry looks to be finding his feet again in League Two, with the hope that his future could still be in claret and blue.

How good is Louie Barry?

Lauded as “very intelligent” by former manager Ben Garner during his loan at Swindon Town, the versatile forward could have a part to play under Emery in the future.

The 20-year-old, who can play on either flank or as a striker, impressed back in the 2020/21 Premier League 2 season, in which he showcased his goal-scoring prowess by netting 13 goals in 17 appearances at academy level.

Such success prompted the loan move to Swindon, where he continued to impress in League Two, scoring six in 14 appearances as he rediscovered his form back in England after his quick spell in Barcelona.

Last term was a difficult one for the youngster, who endeavoured on two loans, firstly in League One with MK Dons in which he netted one goal, followed by a drop-down to League Two where he only scored twice for Salford City, via Transfermarkt.

It seems as though his current spell at Stockport County back in the fourth tier could decide his future with reference to his parent club.

With three goals in six appearances so far, things are going swimmingly for the winger, who could still make an impact at Villa Park should he be given a route to success, earned by his application while at Stockport.

Given Archer’s successful stint in the Championship prior to his move, the striker was a far more accomplished forward for the Villans to call upon if needed, with Barry’s claim to replace him still far from considerable at present.

A strong loan spell can make the difference, and at just 20 years old, the future is bright for the winger, who could find sanctuary under Emery, with other Premier League managers having already sung his praises.

Back in 2021, Jurgen Klopp dubbed Barry a “proper threat” after he scored against Liverpool in the FA Cup, telling of how high his potential is should he get the ball rolling once more.

The future of West Ham United defender Vladimir Coufal has taken a twist as an update emerges on a potential new deal in east London.

Latest West Ham news

David Moyes and his Irons side have enjoyed an absolutely terrific start to the new Premier League season, coming after they sold former superstar Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105 million in the summer transfer window.

The departure of Rice was seen as a major worry for West Ham, but so far, they have shown that the absence of their ex-powerhouse is proving little issue.

Summer signing Edson Alvarez has excelled in the 24-year-old's stead, impressing national media with some of his displays in claret and blue.

West Ham have also bolstered their coaching department with the appointments of John Heitinga, Mark Robson and Henry Newman, who will assist Moyes behind-the-scenes at Rush Green.

“I would like to welcome John to West Ham United and also welcome Mark and Henry into the first-team group," said Moyes to the club's official website.

“John is someone I have known for a long time. He has gained some very good experience since beginning his coaching career in the Ajax Academy and working his way up to their first-team. Mark and Henry are both already familiar to everyone here at the Club and have deserved the opportunity to step up within our structure.

“John, Mark and Henry will each bring experience in different areas and complement the strengths we already have in the coaching team alongside Billy, Kevin and Xavi. I look forward to working with them and building on the positive start we have made to the new season.”

It is also believed that the Hammers are eyeing up former star Jesse Lingard to further reinforce their ranks ahead of a tough and congested campaign of fixtures.

Their promising start to the 2023/2024 season has also seen some members of the West Ham squad thrive compared to last term, like striker Michail Antonio and Coufal.

Concerning the latter player, there has been a very interesting update on his future.

Will Vladimir Coufal leave West Ham?

Indeed, the Czech Republic international has seemingly re-established himself as Moyes' preferred right-back, coming after he was usurped in favour of Thilo Kehrer over 22/23.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, has now claimed that initial talks have been opened over extending Coufal's stay at the club.

The 31-year-old's current terms are set to expire at the end of this season, and while they have the option to extend by a further 12 months, it is believed West Ham are plotting to reward his exceptional performances thus far.

Coufal "could even land a new deal" following his "impressive" start, with the full-back having "turned his career around" under Moyes.

He is currently preferred over fellow right-back Ben Johnson, who is yet to play a single second in the top flight.

While Johnson's contract is also set to expire at the end of the current campaign, it appears Coufal is the one currently in line for fresh terms as things stand.

It will be very interesting to find out the conditions of this potential contract for Coufal, who was also a "key member" of the Conference League-winning squad.

Pep Guardiola responded with a sarcastic dig to Mauricio Pochettino's claims that Chelsea could have beaten Manchester City.

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City equalised late to earn a drawPochettino "proud" of Chelsea's displayGuardiola seemed to believe otherwise(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

City and Chelsea battled to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium, with Raheem Sterling and Rodri scoring for their respective teams in a tense Premier League encounter. After the match, Pochettino expressed his satisfaction with Chelsea's performance and commended his team's spirit and resilience against the reigning champions. He even suggested that City are the best team in the world before once again lavishing praise on his defenders who kept Erling Haaland & Co. in check.

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"I’m so pleased. I told the players I feel so proud," said Pochettino. "In the last three games we’ve started to create a very good spirit. That’s the way we want to build our team. Today was a very good opportunity to show we’re going where we want… In the second half they force you to go deep, but we created chances to score the second goal and things could have been different. It’s important that the players realise that football is really competitive and to reach the level we want, we need to suffer."

He added: "But I think we sustained the effort and we created chances that we should score and win the game. I am so happy."

HOW DID GUARDIOLA RESPOND

However, when Pochettino's comments were brought to Guardiola's attention, the City manager responded with a touch of sarcasm.

"Good, congratulations," Guardiola told . "If he believes that, that is good for his team."

Despite the dig, Guardiola acknowledged Chelsea's challenge but also praised his team's second-half performance.

"We knew it [Chelsea would be a challenge]," Guardiola added. "That was a good game. We played incredible in the second half. The first half was not our levels but to compete against them teams you have to play 90 minutes not just one half."

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After sharing the spoils with Chelsea, City cannot overtake Liverpool even with their game in hand against Brentford on Tuesday. The Reds emerged 4-1 triumphant against the Bees before City took the pitch and will head into Matchday 26 as the leaders of England.

The former India offspinner replaces Venkatesh Prasad, who has now taken up a coaching role with Kings XI Punjab in the ongoing IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2018Aashish Kapoor, the former India offspinner, has replaced Venkatesh Prasad as the chairman of India’s junior selection committee. Kapoor joins Gyanendra Pandey and Rakesh Parekh in the committee.Prasad quit the role in March and joined Kings XI Punjab for the ongoing IPL season. During his tenure, India reached the Under-19 World Cup final twice, and won the title earlier this year. Keeping both positions would have left Prasad on the wrong side of the conflict of interest rules as advocated by the Lodha panel.Kapoor played four Tests and 17 ODIs for India between 1994 and 2000. He was part of the World Cup squad in 1996 and the XI for the semi-final against Sri Lanka. Kapoor had a successful domestic career, taking 398 wickets in 128 first-class matches in addition to scoring 3449 runs.

After losing Declan Rice, David Moyes' main two goals would have been to strengthen his West Ham United side using the reported £105m gained from the sale to Arsenal, and avoid any other major exit. With the summer transfer window closed, the former Manchester United boss can comfortably place two bold ticks in both boxes.

The Hammers have welcomed some big names, like Mohammed Kudus, whilst keeping hold of players linked with a move away, such as Lucas Paqueta. When it comes to departures though, the desire of the player can be crucial, and Moyes got a first-hand glimpse at that in the summer, with reports emerging that a West Ham star had ample opportunity to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

The player in question opted to repay the manager's faith in him, however, and now a report may have revealed the two unnamed Premier League clubs reportedly chasing his signature.

What's the latest West Ham United transfer news?

Reports suggest that West Ham did well to lose only Rice in the summer transfer window, and have had their stubborn nature in the market repaid ever since, remaining unbeaten in four Premier League games.

One player they did particularly well to keep a hold of is Nayef Aguerd. According to Roshane Thomas of The Athletic, the defender received offers from Saudi Arabia and two unnamed mystery suitors, but rejected every offer, opting to repay the faith that Moyes showed in him during his debut season at the club.

It now seems as though the two unnamed European clubs could have been revealed. According to The Sun, via West Ham Zone, both Liverpool and Manchester City are monitoring the centre-back, as they look to improve their defensive options. With that said, it wouldn't be a shock if the two unnamed suitors who provided Aguerd with an offer over the summer turned out to be the two Premier League giants.

How has Nayef Aguerd performed so far this season?

After struggling to stay fit during his debut season at the club, missing a total of 22 games for West Ham, some may have been worried about the lack of impact that Aguerd was having at the London Stadium.

With four games gone this season, however, those doubters have been silenced. The Morrocon has featured in three of the Hammers' four Premier League games, and was on course for a perfect start until he received his marching orders in a victory over Chelsea after he initially scored the opening goal.

Back from suspension, Aguerd will face his toughest test yet this season, up against Manchester City, but, given the form he and his side have shown, a shock may well be on the cards.

It's a major credit to the work that Moyes has done that their game against City is a top of the table clash which could see the London club climb top of the Premier League table, if only temporarily. There's no doubt that Aguerd will be at the centre of that result should it take place after repaying Moyes' faith this season.

Chelsea legend Frank Leboeuf has defended Mauricio Pochettino by insisting that even Pep Guardiola couldn't have led the club to success this season.

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• Leboeuf claims Chelsea were in shambles
• Even Pep would have failed to guide them to success
• Chelsea take on Liverpool in Carabao Cup final

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Leboeuf, who spent five years at Stamford Bridge between 1996 and 2001, has expressed his beleif that the club was in a "shambles" when Mauricio Pochettino took charge of the team ahead of the 2023-24 season. The Frenchman went on to claim that not even a manager of Pep Guardiola's calibre could have led the Blues to success this season.

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• WHAT FRANK LEBOEUF SAID

  Speaking to , the former defender said: "When Mauricio Pochettino signed for Chelsea, there was not a ‘right man’ for the job – the club was a shambles. You could have put anybody in there, even Pep Guardiola, and I don’t think they would have done anything special with this Chelsea team because an instant solution was impossible to find.

  "Now we are starting to see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel after the games against Aston Villa and Manchester City, but it is all about consistency. We can see how Pochettino is working with the players and the confidence that he is building with them, but there is still a long way to go. I think Pochettino is the last person to blame for the situation at Chelsea. I’m not even sure that I would’ve taken the Chelsea job at the time he did, because although the money might be good it is hard to know where to even start with actually managing the team! He had the guts to take it on and he is doing well."

  He added: "Sometimes the criticism of Pochettino is fair but he has not been without problems and injuries and he has done his best. Everybody was saying that Chelsea didn’t know how to defend without Thiago Silva, but then we saw against Manchester City that they are more than capable. Axel Disasi showed last weekend, against a cyborg in Erling Haaland, that he can handle it.

  "When Pochettino puts his confidence in his players, they have shown that they can produce good performances like they have recently against Aston Villa and Manchester City. Hopefully, we are going to see the result of Pochettino’s hard work very soon."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Former Tottenham manager Pochettino did not have the best of starts to his journey with Chelsea as the club managed to register just eight Premier League wins out of 20 games in the first half of the season. They were plagued with multiple injuries, which certainly didn't help Pochettino, but he has still faced criticism for failing to bring the best out of a squad full of big-money signings. Chelsea have been performing more consistently since the start of the new year, though, and are on the verge of winning their first trophy this season as they gear up to take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  After facing the Reds on Sunday at Wembley, Pochettino's side will next take on Leeds United in an FA Cup fifth-round clash on February 28.