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The transfer window opened up earlier this month and Leeds United could be set for a busy few months as they prepare for life in the Championship after three years away from the second tier.

Victor Orta was relieved of his director of football duties in May and manager Sam Allardyce departed at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, which means that the Whites do not have a solid structure in place behind the scenes as they begin this transitional period.

The 49ers have, however, moved to appoint Nick Hammond as an interim advisor over the summer to help with the transfer window before they make a long-term decision on their next sporting director.

Reading's former director of football could secure a sensational deal for the club's next manager by sealing an ambitious swoop for Lens centre-forward Lois Openda, who is a reported transfer target for the now-Championship outfit.

How did Lois Openda perform last season?

The 23-year-old marksman, who would cost at least €30m (£26m), enjoyed a sensational season in Ligue 1 and would be a huge upgrade on current Leeds number nine Patrick Bamford.

Relegation from the Premier League may make a deal for the Belgian whiz unlikely, given that he is currently playing in a major European league, but if Hammond could pull it off then it would be a huge coup ahead of a promotion push next term, whether that is on a permanent deal or with a loan-to-buy strategy to mitigate for a failure to go straight back up.

Openda averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14 across 38 appearances in Ligue 1 and contributed with an impressive 21 goals. This means that the exciting attacker averaged a strike every 1.8 matches for the French side throughout the campaign.

The Belgium international also showcased his ability to create for others as he racked up 12 'big chances' created for his teammates, which shows that the young dynamo is a consistent goalscorer who can also be unselfish to provide his fellow attackers with quality openings in front of goal.

Bamford, on the other hand, is coming off the back of a bitterly disappointing season in the Premier League with Leeds. The former Chelsea prodigy averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.6 across 28 matches and scored four goals – once every seven outings for the club.

Creativity was also lacking from the English attacker as the 29-year-old dud made one 'big chance' and assisted two goals in that time. This meant that the left-footed liability let his team down as he was unable to provide goals or chance creation on a regular basis.

These statistics indicate that Openda, who was once hailed as "super-fast" by former AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement, would be a huge upgrade on Bamford in terms of both his goal output and his ability to create for others.

Whilst a deal for the Belgian finisher appears unlikely at this moment in time, Hammond could pull off a masterstroke by working out a way to get him to Elland Road ahead of next season.

Suranga Lakmal picked up four wickets in an innings for only the second time in a 32-Test career as South Africa ended the first day of their Test series against Sri Lanka at a vulnerable 267 for 6

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy26-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:26

‘Bold move to bat first on this wicket’ – Duminy

Suranga Lakmal picked up four wickets in an innings for only the second time in a 32-Test career as South Africa ended the first day of their Test series against Sri Lanka at a vulnerable 267 for 6. It was a strange, seesawing day in which it was hard to say if South Africa failed to make full use of good batting conditions or if Sri Lanka’s bowling attack was too reliant on Lakmal to fully exploit a greener-than-usual St George’s Park pitch. It may need South Africa to bowl on this surface for a complete picture to emerge.Faf du Plessis trusted history, which said this was among the slower surfaces in South Africa, over the appearance of the pitch, and conditions proved to be a mixed bag. South Africa’s openers added 104 and all of their top five got starts, but none of them carried on beyond 63. None of them were really at fault for their dismissals apart from JP Duminy, who top-scored and gave his wicket away in one of the hinge moments of the day.Perhaps Sri Lanka could have had South Africa in a worse position had Lakmal enjoyed better support from the two other frontline quicks. It was instructive that when Sri Lanka took the second new ball – as soon as it became available – it was Angelo Mathews who shared it with Lakmal rather than Nuwan Pradeep or Dushmantha Chameera. It was also instructive that Sri Lanka’s second-most successful bowler on the day wasn’t a seamer but the ageless Rangana Herath, whose dismissals of Duminy and Temba Bavuma, both against the run of play, changed the complexion of the day.When Duminy decided to sweep Herath in the 71st over of the day, South Africa were 213 for 3. Duminy was batting on 63 and was looking in the form of his life, driving like a dream through mid-off and extra-cover. The ball wasn’t the safest to sweep. It was pitching outside off stump, but not far enough outside off stump for the batsman to be able to use his front pad as a second line of defence if it turned past his bat. Duminy missed, Herath hit front pad, and DRS could not save the batsman when he reviewed the on-field decision.Four overs later, Herath hurried one on with the arm to beat Bavuma’s back-foot defensive. This time the on-field decision was not out, and the ball looked like it may have been sliding down leg. Herath didn’t look convinced himself, but with only 5.1 overs left for the reviews to be reset, Sri Lanka chanced their arm, and ball-tracking returned three reds and sent Bavuma back. South Africa had slipped from 213 for 3 to 225 for 5.Each of Suranga Lakmal’s four wickets was either caught behind or in the slips•AFPDu Plessis and Quinton de Kock saw off Lakmal’s first over with the second new ball, and when de Kock flicked and slashed him for two fours in the second over of his spell – his 20th of the day – it seemed that the day’s efforts might have been telling on the fast bowler. But he was still more than capable of bowling the wicket-taking ball: de Kock took a single to bring du Plessis on strike, and out came the perfect line to pin du Plessis to the crease, the perfect line to make him poke, and a bit of outswing to graze his edge through to first slip.The same ingredients had contributed to his first three wickets as well. All three came at the start of new sessions. South Africa went to lunch 92 for 0. Lakmal shaped one away from the right-handed Stephen Cook, then shaped another away from the left-handed Dean Elgar, and suddenly Dinesh Chandimal had two catches behind the wicket and South Africa were 105 for 2. Duminy and Hashim Amla then added 78, before Lakmal struck in the third over after tea, angling the ball into Amla and then moving it away to find his edge through to Chandimal once again.Amla fell for 20, and his average dipped below 50 for the first time since November 2012. It had been a strange innings, his strike rate 26.31, made stranger by Duminy’s fluency at the other end.The left-handed Duminy scorched the very first ball he faced to the cover boundary, while the right-handed Amla took 56 balls to hit his first four, stepping down the track to whip Rangana Herath wide of mid-on. Duminy flowed onto the front foot and got his head over the ball at every opportunity, while Amla was often crease-bound after making that big back-and-across trigger movement. Duminy found the gaps without even trying, while Amla timed drives and punches sweetly but straight to fielders.Still, it took a peach of a delivery to dismiss him. Lakmal always looked capable of delivering one. Less so Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera, who were wayward through the day, and released the pressure on South Africa’s openers with a steady stream of deliveries at their pads in an otherwise quiet first session.Aside from the odd flirt outside off stump, the shuffling, fidgety Cook showed an excellent understanding of his own game. He took full advantage of anything remotely near his pads, and scored the bulk of his runs – 41 out of 59 – through the leg side, primarily through flicks and glances as well as one sweep in front of square against Rangana Herath.Elgar showed excellent judgement outside off stump, leaving 39 of the 86 balls he faced from Sri Lanka’s three seamers, but was quick to pounce on anything overpitched, timing his drives sweetly through mid-off and extra-cover. Cook took the bulk of the strike during the opening partnership, facing 125 balls to Elgar’s 89.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking at signing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan as a possible alternative to Brentford's David Raya, according to reports.

Which goalkeepers could Spurs sign this summer?

Long-serving Spurs shot-stopper and France number one, Hugo Lloris, could be nearing a departure from north London after over a decade at the club.

The 36-year-old has gone on to make nearly 450 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham, captaining them for a significant period, but his recent interview with Nice-Matin indicates a Spurs exit is around the corner.

"We are coming to an important moment, whether for the club or for me. It's the end of an era," said Lloris.

"I have desires for other things, I will ask myself quietly to study what will be possible. But I don't forget that I still have a year of contract with Tottenham and that in football it is always difficult to predict what will happen."

Spurs have been targeting keepers step into Lloris' shoes, with the likes of Jordan Pickford (Everton) and Croatia nunber one Dominik Livakovic attracting interest from chairman Daniel Levy.

However, perhaps the most prevalent among these links is Brentford's Raya, with some reports even suggesting that terms have already been agreed with the Spaniard.

It appears the Bees star is a firm target for Tottenham, as also backed by The Athletic, but they also say that Milan's Maignan is a wanted man in N17.

The Frenchman, who helped his side to a Champions League semi-final last season and title win the campaign before, is apparently a target for Spurs as they hunt for new keepers.

While Raya is firmly on the agenda, according to this report, Spurs continue to weigh other options as a deal for the 27-year-old proves more complicated.

As a result, while Tottenham have set their sights on Raya, they are also "looking at other options" with Maignan being one of them.

However, he would cost "far more" than Brentford's shot-stopper, and it's clear to see why.

Who is Mike Maignan?

The 27-year-old is a mainstay for Milan and key player, starting every league game for them last season until his calf injury midway through 2022/2023.

Maignan has been revered by sections of the Italian press, like Carlo Garganese, who even called him the "world's best" goalkeeper back in April – after Milan knocked Serie A champions Napoli out of Europe.

France boss Didier Deschamps is also a huge fan, calling him a "great leader" and "great player" after a brilliant Euro 2024 qualifying performance against the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester United have Sofyan Amrabat on their wanted list this summer and are set to battle Barcelona to get a deal done, as reported by Calciomercato via Sport Witness.

Who is Sofyan Amrabat?

Amrabat has once more been a regular first-team player for current club Fiorentina this season, managing 29 league appearances for the club with one assist. He's now played more games for the Italian side in the league than any other club over the course of his career too, with 83 outings to his name to date. It shows just how important the midfielder has become to the side since his move from Club Brugge in Belgium.

In fact, the 26-year-old has now become one of the most impressive players in his position for passing in the Big Five leagues. His 67.12 passes per 90 means that he is in the 89th percentile for that figure (or the top 11%). Even more impressive is that despite attempting so many passes, he actually ranks in the top five percent in his position for pass completion rate and the top eight percent for progressive passes.

His vision and ability to control the player and get the ball forward with his excellent passing range has now caught the eye of two big European sides. According to a report from Calciomercato via Sport Witness, both Manchester United and Barcelona are keen to sign the player after he said "goodbye" to his current team following their Europa Conference League final defeat.

However, the report adds that United may have the upper hand though because of their financial power compared to the Catalan outfit. Fiorentina have slapped a 40 million Euro (or £34m) price tag on his head and the Red Devils are more able to pay that fee compared to Barcelona.

Should Amrabat join Man United?

The midfielder could certainly help bolster the Premier League side's ranks in the centre of the field if he was to join. Erik Ten Hag would be getting a player that is not only a good passer of the ball as previously shown but can also get the ball forward himself, with a knack for dribbling and driving the play forward himself. His rate of 1.62 progressive carries per 90 mark him out as better than average in his position (67th percentile) for example and his 70.6% successful take on rate show that he is able to not only get the ball forward but beat his man too.

In addition, football journalist Josh Bunting has previously hailed the player as "outstanding," admitting that during the Europa Conference League Final the midfielder "ran the game."

Amrabat then is certainly talented and his ability to dictate the play could come in useful at Old Trafford if they did sign him.

Chelsea's prospective new boss is eyeing a reunion with his former Tottenham Hotspur colleague Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at Stamford Bridge as he looks to beef up the Blues' midfield, though journalist Dean Jones believes 'it would be a strange' move.

What's the latest on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to Chelsea?

According to one outlet in Spain, Pochettino is said to have 'requested' that Chelsea try to sign Spurs anchorman Hojbjerg this summer, someone who the Argentine previously worked with during his spell in north London in charge of the Lilywhites.

The report states that Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly is willing to shell out for further squad additions in the forthcoming transfer window. Hojbjerg has been earmarked as someone with plenty of Premier League experience, battling qualities and is also technically adept, which could add some steel to the Blues' midfield moving forward.

In recent times, the 27-year-old has spoken about his side's struggles to find any real consistent footing in 2022/23, as per Sky Sports via The Evening Standard, stating: “When you have three coaches in a very short time, there is some instability. We know that this is a part of this world that in a game, in a season, there will be some instability. There will be insecurity, there will be a lack of energy when you are changing coaches. You kind of lose your way a bit, your values."

He has also come under fire for his own form this term from BBC pundit Charlie Adam, who criticised the enforcer on The Monday Night Club on 5 Live Sport, saying: “He does what he wants to do [Hojbjerg]. He just walks around.”

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones has his doubts over whether Hojbjerg would be an ideal signing for Chelsea under Pochettino, as he said: "It would be a strange one to go in and make straight away. It would look like he was signing almost a Tottenham reject at this point. Given the reputation he seems to have among some of the fan base from recent times, it might not look like great for PR. Only Pochettino knows the exact identity that he wants in that midfield now to come in."

Should Chelsea look to make a move for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer?

Hojbjerg has been a perfectly serviceable midfielder during his time in the Premier League and has distinguishable qualities; however, there are questions as to where he would fit into this Chelsea side.

The Blues have an overwhelming quantity of options in the middle of the park, while the futures of Mason Mount, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic and Conor Gallagher are still yet to be determined, which could be problematic when trying to bring midfield additions into the club this summer.

Boehly admitted that huge mistakes have been made since he took over at Chelsea, and this could be yet another one.

As per FBRef, the 27-year-old has struggled to impose himself in the tackle as much as he would've liked, with Hojbjerg hovering just above the bottom 20% of midfielders across Europe for number of players tackled across the last 365 days, managing just 1.62 per 90 minutes all in.

In the Premier League, the £100k-a-week ace has also only created five big chances across the entire campaign, showing that Pochettino can surely do better in terms of bringing in a midfielder to break between the lines.

Overall, Hojbjerg has made 44 appearances for Spurs in 2022/23 across all competitions, registering five goals and seven assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster criticised the Dane for his role in Spurs' 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend on his YouTube channel, stating: “There was a clip doing the rounds last night of Hojbjerg. A fan has just focused on him for about a 30-second period. Tottenham don’t have the ball, so he’s doing a bit of defensive work. It’s painful. It’s a painful watch. He just looks lost. He doesn’t really know when to press, he doesn’t really know when to sit back in. He’s just wandering around, a few arms getting flinged about."

This is further backed up by a video that surfaced online after Spurs' defeat to Aston Villa, with Hojbjerg looking lethargic and lazy with not a care in the world, which is something Pochettino cannot risk after the season Chelsea have just had.

Looking ahead, Pochettino will surely be looking for a better alternative to help solidify the midfield area as Chelsea aim to bounce back in 2023/24.

Arsenal could be set to take a monumental step towards bridging the gap with Manchester City, should they manage this reported coup…

What's the latest on Ilkay Gundogan's future?

This is in reference to the claims of David Ornstein, as he took to Twitter to issue an update on the Gunners' pursuit of Ilkay Gundogan, whose £140k-per-week deal at the Etihad is set to expire this summer.

In what has been a longstanding contract dispute, many European heavyweights have been alerted to the availability of the German international who has proven integral in Pep Guardiola's success this season.

Whilst the Spaniard has been vocal in his desire to tie the 32-year-old down, the journalist has instead tweeted: "Arsenal trying to sign Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan. Arteta wants 32yo if Xhaka goes. Fresh attempts will be made to keep him at MCFC + other options."

With Granit Xhaka nearing the Emirates exit door, the former Borussia Dortmund maestro would mark a huge upgrade on the Swiss general, should Mikel Arteta have his way.

How good is Ilkay Gundogan?

In Guardiola's unpredictable rotation cycle, few players' importance overrides a philosophy that has brought about unparalleled success.

However, with 30 league appearances from the 37 played, Gundogan has made the fifth-most starts of any within his squad, thriving as an all-around asset who excels in nearly every facet of the game.

From the engine room, he has scored eight goals, provided five assists, and won 2.8 duels per game all whilst maintaining a 7.15 average Sofascore rating as the captain of this historic team. It seems that as he has aged, his athleticism, experience and technical quality have all improved to make him one of the league's top-performing players.

Even though Xhaka has enjoyed a standout year in north London, which could well be his last, it pails in comparison to the mercurial maestro who Guardiola has dubbed "one of the best players I ever trained in my career."

With five goals, seven assists and a 7.01 average rating (via Sofascore), the 30-year-old Gunners ace will leave fans with a phenomenal lasting memory after a tumultuous start to his career there.

However, should they tempt Gundogan to take his place, it might be somewhat overshadowed.

After all, this tireless City star already has five league titles to his name amongst numerous other trophies, contributing massively to each one. In 2021, he was lauded as a "goalscoring hero" by journalist Adam Bate, and yet he once again finds himself as an offensive threat who has been key in pushing them over the line.

Somehow he finds ways to reach new heights, alongside a manager who continues to revolutionise the game.

Perhaps he might be interested in now reuniting with the former coach of his, to spearhead a new regime that could finally topple the Citizens' monopoly on English football.

Arsenal could 'test the resolve' of West Ham United by submitting a 'big bid' to try and secure the services of Declan Rice this summer, according to journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest transfer news involving Declan Rice?

As per Football Insider, Arsenal are said to be 'increasingly confident' regarding the prospect of being able to land Rice this summer and believe they will 'win the race' amid rival interest from Chelsea.

The report also states that West Ham will demand £100 million before agreeing to sanction any potential departure for the England international, who has already expressed his desire to leave the London Stadium in the upcoming off-season.

Furthermore, The Telegraph has revealed that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has Rice on a shortlist of potential midfield additions alongside Brighton & Hove Albion enforcer Moises Caicedo and Chelsea ace Mason Mount, with the Spaniard looking to recruit 'at least one high-class midfielder' ahead of next term.

Rice is seen as a 'top target' in north London; however, West Ham boss David Moyes has previously indicated that it could cost a British record transfer fee to part ways with his prize asset.

Capology understand that the 24-year-old earns £60,000 per week on his current contract at the Hammers, which is set to run until 2024.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Sheth believes that Arsenal will be 'seriously interested' in signing Rice in the summer transfer window.

Sheth told GMS: "We know that Arsenal want to bring in a central midfielder and we know that Declan Rice is someone that they are very, very seriously interested in.

"So you'd expect them to go back in and test the resolve of West Ham United with a big bid and see if they can bring someone like him to the football club.

"Would he have improved them previously? Yes, but I think it's by the by because I don't think it would have been a realistic option for them to sign him in either of the last two transfer windows.”

Would Declan Rice be a good signing for Arsenal?

Rice is seen as one of the most talented midfielders in the Premier League and could feasibly add another dimension to Arsenal's engine room if Arteta was to bring him to the Emirates this summer.

The 24-year-old has been a shining light in an underwhelming campaign for West Ham, earning an average rating of 7.03/10 for his exploits on the pitch, making him their most consistent performer in 2022/23, according to WhoScored.

FBRef also show that Rice has successfully performed 100 shot-creating actions in all competitions this term, illustrating his ingenuity in laying on chances for his teammates, which sometimes goes under the radar due to his other distinguishable qualities.

Unsurprisingly, interest will be high in Rice and he would be a statement signing for Arsenal as they prepare to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17 next term.

فاز منتخب مصر، على نظيره النرويج (28-23)، في إطار مباريات الفراعنة بالدوري الذهبي لكرة اليد، المقام بالدنمارك.

وشارك منتخب مصر لكرة اليد في بطولة ودية “الدوري الذهبي” إلى جانب كل من الدنمارك وهولندا والنرويج، استعدادًا لبطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية.

ومن المقرر أن تستضيف مصر بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، خلال الفترة من 17 وحتى 27 من شهر يناير الجاري، المؤهلة إلى أولمبياد باريس 2024.

طالع أيضًا | منتخب مصر لكرة اليد يخسر أمام الدنمارك في الدوري الذهبي

وتعود بعدها بعثة منتخب مصر إلى القاهرة، ثم يلعب المنتخب الوطني وديته الأخيرة مع الكونغو الديمقراطية يوم 12 يناير، ثم يشارك في منافسات بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا لكرة اليد.

يذكر، أن منتخب مصر يقع ضمن المجموعة الثانية في كأس أمم إفريقيا، والتي تضم كل من غينيا والكاميرون، والكونغو برازافيل.

وحدد الاتحاد الإفريقي موعد مباراة الافتتاح بين مصر وغينيا على الصالة الرئيسية باستاد القاهرة يوم الأربعاء 17 يناير 2024، الساعة 8 مساءً.

Aston Villa have little to play for in their final 11 games of the Premier League season.

Having struggled during the early portion of the campaign under Steven Gerrard, the fact that they were one of the first to sack their manager meant they essentially had first pick of the other top coaches available.

They took Unai Emery from Villarreal and moved on with minimal fuss.

Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard has steered them well away from the relegation battle, and they essentially act as a buffer between the eight teams in a fight for survival and the rest of the league.

Whilst fans would have taken that given how things started, it essentially gives them a free hit in these games, safe in the knowledge that the teams below them are of nowhere near the quality to catch up and drag them back into the mire.

As such, Emery could seek to experiment in preparation for his first full season in charge at Villa Park, namely with some of the youth talent. Such an opportunity could have arisen from this international break, as Matty Cash has now been struck down with an injury.

How long is Matty Cash out for?

Having been substituted just nine minutes into Poland's clash with the Czech Republic, it was revealed that his calf strain was far worse than first feared. The 25-year-old is expected to miss at least his club's next three fixtures, with the ex-Nottingham Forest flyer labelling it as "so so frustrating". It does now leave a vacancy on the right side of the defence.

Whilst it might seem the natural option to just slide in the experienced Calum Chambers to occupy such a role, perhaps given the lack of jeopardy remaining in this season, instead Emery could opt for someone like Kaine Kesler-Hayden from the academy.

The 20-year-old does already boast one senior appearance, but a string of games in the Premier League would certainly do wonders for his development without really compromising the team.

After all, the youngster has been starring of late back with the U21 side, having been recalled from his loan spell at Huddersfield Town in January.

That period in the Championship may have not been smooth sailing, but it showed glimpses of the offensive full-back he sought to be. His 0.7 key passes and 0.6 shots per 90 (via Sofascore) outlined him as a moderate offensive threat, but supplying the red-hot Ollie Watkins could see this tally actually built upon. The English forward has seven goal contributions in his last eight games.

It was only last year that journalist Stewart James claimed that: "Villa have got a real talent in Kaine Kesler-Hayden – confidence & ability", and this is sure to have only grown.

With Cash playing such an important role in the Villans' system, his attacking impetus being key, employing someone like Chambers in his place is sure to quell that avenue. In his limited time on the pitch this season he has managed a 6.43 average rating, where he would not manage a single key pass and accumulated just 0.1 shot per game (via Sofascore).

At 28 years old too, the youth should certainly be prioritised when a unique opportunity like this presents itself.

Everton are a club that has certainly seen an upturn in form since making their managerial switch, ditching Frank Lampard in favour of the tried-and-tested exploits of Sean Dyche.

In moving to Goodison Park, the ex-Burnley boss reunited with many of his former players including Michael Keane, James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil.

The latter two had only joined in the summer under the previous regime, capitalising on the Clarets' relegation to secure the defender for free and the wide man for just £20m.

However, it had been a tough start to life on Merseyside for the young trickster in particular, who had to acclimatise to new surroundings in what was until recently a ship that was sinking fast.

People expected far more output than what he had to offer, and thus he struggled to live up to immense expectations. Despite that, Dyche's return to his side seems to have done wonders in reigniting that confidence to finally show Evertonians his best.

How is Dwight McNeil playing for Everton?

Having been expected to post plenty of goals and assists due to his position, the assumption was far too lofty for a player who had never focused his game around that.

McNeil thrived when he was allowed to express himself down the right flank, but with the freedom to also press from the front as he has done so well since the arrival of his old boss.

When compared to other wingers in Europe, the 23-year-old ranks in the top 4% for tackles, the top 9% for interceptions and the top 4% for clearances per 90 (via FBref), supplementing this earlier statement.

However, it is once he is handed free rein that he can actually begin scoring and assisting; a strength which Lampard clearly was not playing to.

In four of his last five matches in the Premier League, the winger has recorded a 7.1 rating or higher, and across the whole season boasts one key pass per game (via Sofascore).

His three goals and two assists also have him on track to surpass some of his finest creative seasons too. Journalist Joe Prince-Wright even took to Twitter to laud his latest strike, which he branded a "beauty" to send Goodison Park "bonkers".

The £25k-per-week gem's increase in value only exacerbates how his importance has grown for the Toffees too with the club truly striking gold on their investment.

Indeed, Football Transfers now see the apex of his expected Transfer Value at a lofty €43.1m (£37.7m), marking an 88% increase over just a short period.

Should their good form continue, with McNeil at the heart of it, this is only set to soar further as he becomes accustomed to his all-important role at his new club.