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The speedy victory boosted Oman’s net run rate and their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Abu Dhabi16-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:36

‘Our attitude made the difference’ – Mendis

A day after their bid for a victory was thwarted by Netherlands’ Roelof van der Merwe, Oman thumped Hong Kong in emphatic style, bowling them out for 87 and chasing the target down in 11 overs. Having put Hong Kong in to bat, Oman had them four-down inside the Powerplay and eventually bowled them out in 18.3 overs. A win over Scotland in their final Group B match will virtually guarantee Oman a place in the semi-finals thanks to a dramatic boost to their net run rate during today’s speedy victory.Left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed struck off the third ball of Hong Kong’s defence but Oman were untroubled thereon as Zeeshan Maqsood and Aqib Ilyas reached 41 for 2 after six overs. Forced to stay aggressive with their field settings in a desperate bid to bowl Oman out, Hong Kong left the boundary exposed with only one man at deep square leg guarding the rope. Hong Kong could only prise out one more wicket though as Aqib peppered the rope, finishing with ten fours and a six in his unbeaten 56 off 30 balls.Bilal’s burst
One day after a double-strike in his opening over against Netherlands, left-arm fast bowler Bilal Khan continued his impressive showing with the new ball. Bilal benefited in the first over as Nizakat Khan exposed his stumps and was bowled around his legs. Babar Hayat, however, was set up brilliantly by the bowler. After offering some width that Hayat seized on for a boundary, Bilal bowled a full inswinger next ball that the batsman was late on for an easy lbw decision.Bilal found late movement to nab Anshuman Rath in the fifth over, with a delivery that jagged away as Rath attempted to run the ball to third man, only to give an edge behind. When Aizaz Khan became the fourth Hong Kong wicket in the Powerplay, Oman gained a stranglehold that they never relinquished.Comeback kid
Seamer Kaleemullah took some punishment in the second over from Aizaz, being hit for three boundaries through cover, midwicket and down the track. In the bowler’s next over, Rath made it a fourth, with a drive over mid-off as Kaleemullah was punished for bowling too full. Brought back in the 12th over, with Hong Kong six-down, he found a better length by dragging it back slightly. Ehsan Khan was pinned in front with the second ball of his new spell and, after a cracker first up, Ehsan Nawaz, found the edge on a delivery teasing the fourth-stump line in the double-wicket maiden over. The wickets effectively wiped out Hong Kong’s chances of mounting a fightback.Aqib’s off-side show
Coming in to bat after the fall of Arun Poulose in the first over, Aqib showed a liking for spin-bowling as he carted Nadeem for two fours and six over long-on in the fifth over. He provided even better entertainment through the off side, however, in the 11th over against offspinner Ehsan Khan.A small target and a packed infield gave Aqib a license to thrill. With 17 left to win at the start of the second half of the innings, he lofted Ehsan over mid-off and then backed it up with a pair of sumptuous drives through point and cover for a trifecta of fours. He was back on strike for the final ball of the over and sealed victory with another delightful drive through wide mid-off. Batting has been Oman’s main weakness, as they have struggled to find someone to provide consistent support to Maqsood. They may have found the solution in Aqib.

Rohit Sharma has credited MS Dhoni for ‘changing his career’ by asking him to open ahead of the Champions Trophy in England, a move that made him more secure as a batsman

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2017India batsman Rohit Sharma has said MS Dhoni improved his ODI career by asking him to open the batting in the format before the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. In his first match after the move, Rohit struck 83 off 93 balls against England in a successful chase of 258.”I believe the decision to open in ODIs changed my career and it was a decision taken by MS Dhoni. I became a better batsman after that. In fact it helped me understand my game better, react better according to situations,” Rohit told .”He (Dhoni) just came up to me and said ‘I want you to open the innings as I am confident that you will do well. Since you can play both cut and pull shot well, you have the qualities to succeed as an opener’,” Rohit said. “He told me that I shouldn’t be scared of failures or get upset by criticism. He was looking at the bigger picture as the Champions Trophy was scheduled in England that year.”With no disrespect to other great Indian captains, I was blessed to play under MS all these years. His calmness in pressure situations helped us. He always led from the front. There won’t be one like him.”In India’s successful campaign in the Champions Trophy, Rohit scored 177 runs and two fifties in five matches at an average of 35.40, including 65 off 81 balls in the tournament opener against South Africa. Later that year, he also scored 209 while opening against Australia in Bangalore and set a world record a year later against Sri Lanka by amassing 264 runs on his own.”The Champions Trophy in England made me confident that I can open and ready to face challenges of playing the white ball in English conditions in the morning,” Rohit said. “I got 65 against South Africa, who had Morne Morkel, Ryan McLaren, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Rory Kleinveldt. Morne and McLaren were hitting a three-quarter length and Tsotsobe was swinging it. The skipper was confident that I could handle the situation and I did.”Rohit, currently recovering from a thigh surgery, a result of a muscle injury he suffered during the ODIs against New Zealand, said he required an additional “six to eight weeks” to regain full fitness.”You can’t do anything about it and I have been in situations like this before,” Rohit said. “What disappointed me was the fact that the injury happened just when I was in rhythm scoring three successive fifties against New Zealand in Test matches.”I have started running and from next week I will start with my batting drills. First the basic drills, followed by batting against bowling machine followed by proper net session.”

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Federico Chiesa to Newcastle?

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed that the Magpies are tracking Juventus winger Federico Chiesa ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The reporter has stated, however, that they are not in official talks with the Serie A club over a deal for the Italy international at this moment in time.

It is also claimed, in Di Marzio's attached article, that fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are interested in the attacker, although the player is said to be uninterested in a move to Unai Emery's team.

This comes as Newcastle prepare to complete the signing of Chiesa's international teammate, Sandro Tonali, from AC Milan for €70m (£60m) on a six-year deal.

How did Federico Chiesa perform last season?

The 25-year-old attacker, who is still fully working his way back from the ACL injury he suffered at the start of 2022, showed signs of promise in his limited Serie A game time for Juventus.

He only started six league matches for the Old Lady and was able to contribute with an impressive two goals and five assists from out wide, whilst also being involved in two goals in three Europa League starts.

However, if Eddie Howe can get Chiesa back to the form he displayed in 2020/21, the £153k-per-week ace could represent a big upgrade on current left-winger Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Italian dynamo, who former teammate Gianluigi Buffon once hailed as "impossible to stop", averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.19 across 33 Serie A outings and chipped in with nine goals and nine assists, to go along with 18 'big chances' created in 2020/21.

His ability to score, as well as create goals and quality opportunities on a regular basis made him a constant threat on the left wing in a major European league for Juventus – and Saint-Maximin has never been able to hit those heights on Tyneside.

Since arriving at St James' Park in 2019, the Frenchman has never created more than eight 'big chances' in a single season, while his best return in front of goal came when he scored five and assisted five in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

The 26-year-old forward has never proven himself capable of delivering goals and assists on a regular basis for the Magpies during his time in England, so the club could now land an upgrade on him by signing Chiesa.

Whilst the Juventus magician has had a difficult couple of years due to injury, his form prior to suffering a devastating ACL injury suggests that this is a gamble worth taking for Howe and Newcastle, as they could end up with a terrific successor to Saint-Maximin.

A stubborn hand by Chris Hartley and a more fluent one by Joe Burns allowed Queensland to comfortably evade defeat to New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG

The Report by Daniel Brettig13-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile photo – William Somerville finished with first-innings figures of 58.5-16-136-8•Getty ImagesA stubborn hand by Chris Hartley and a more fluent one by Joe Burns allowed Queensland to comfortably evade defeat to New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.The Blues began the final day needing 12 Bulls wickets to secure an outright win, but Hartley and the No. 10 batsman Mark Steketee succeeded in frustrating the hosts while adding 103 and soaking up more than 46 overs.Steketee was eventually out when he was caught by Sean Abbott at leg gully after the ball rebounded off the helmet of the short leg fielder Nick Larkin. Catches off helmets were allowed under CA playing conditions ahead of the 2016-17 season, while the MCC are presently debating the adaptation of that change for all cricket.Hartley finished unbeaten on 86, while the NSW offspinner William Somerville claimed 8 for 136 from no fewer than 58.5 overs. The NSW captain Moises Henriques enforced the follow-on, but Burns, Peter Forrest and Marnus Labuschagne did more than enough to ensure there would be no wobbles by the Bulls and the match was called off early with no chance of a result.Points from the draw move NSW into second spot on the table, narrowly ahead of South Australia.

Moises Caicedo will "not be the last signing for Chelsea in terms of midfielders" this summer, according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea transfer news – What's the latest on midfield targets?

With the departures of N'Golo Kante and Matteo Kovacic already confirmed and the deal to sell Ruben Loftus-Cheelk to Italian giants AC Milan for £18.5m agreed as well, it is perhaps no surprise that the Blues would be on the lookout for more than just one new body in the centre of the park.

Add to that the completed deal to sell German international Kai Havertz to cross-city rivals Arsenal, and the Pensioners start to look very thin in an area of the squad that looked overcrowded just a month ago.

That said, Romano stressed that Brighton & Hove Albion's Ecuadorian machine is still the club's primary target this summer, and despite his information that the West London club will be looking for more players, he couldn't specify who exactly they were interested in.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "The discussions are going to take place for Caicedo, we wait for the next steps and, let me say, that from what I heard, this could be not the last singing for Chelsea in terms of midfielders.

"They could also consider one more midfielder in the next weeks, so lets wait and see, this will depend also on the pre-season, but Chelsea are going to be busy with midfielders."

However, one of the names that have been linked to the team is Southampton's exciting prospect Romeo Lavia, per FootballTransfers, a player Chelsea might have to rival Arsenal for should the interest be genuine.

Would Romeo Lavia be a good signing for Chelsea?

If the two-time European Champions can secure the signature of Caicedo, then 19-year-old Lavia could be the perfect understudy or even midfield partner for the Ecuadorian.

According to WhoScored, the Belgian teenager achieved a solid average rating of 6.56 across his 29 Premier League games last season, which looks quite promising in the context of his incredibly dysfunctional Southampton side.

He is also a bit of a defensive powerhouse, averaging 1.9 blocks per 90, putting him in the top 4% of players across Europe's top five leagues for that metric, per FBref.

Before he made the move to the south coast, he was a part of Manchester City's youth set-up, and his ability clearly left an impression on former boss Pep Guardiola, as the Spaniard heaped praise upon the player, saying:

"I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing. We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton."

In seasons past, the idea of a young player going to Chelsea to develop might've seemed farcical, but under new boss Mauricio Pochettino – a manager famed for his ability to develop youngsters – Stamford Bridge could just be one of the best places a burgeoning talent could go.

If Chelsea can beat their rivals to the signature of Lavia, it could turn out to be a signing that pays dividends further down the line.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to improve the quality of their wide options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Reiss Nelson to Newcastle United?

According to Football Transfers, the Magpies are eyeing a swoop to sign out-of-contract forward Reiss Nelson ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the club have made contact with the player's representatives to gauge any potential interest from the winger in a move to St. James' Park.

His contract with Arsenal expired on Monday and the Premier League giants are said to have made an offer to stay at The Emirates, although Eddie Howe is now looking to tempt him into making the switch to Tyneside on a free transfer.

Would Reiss Nelson be a good signing for Newcastle?

The 23-year-old could be an excellent bargain addition for the club this summer as he has the potential to be the dream heir to Allan Saint-Maximin on the left wing.

It was recently reported that Serie A side Atalanta have enquired about a potential deal to sign the French wizard from the Magpies, which could open the door for Howe to ditch the former Nice forward before replacing him with Nelson.

The 26-year-old attacker averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 across 25 Premier League appearances last season and contributed with one goal to go along with five assists, which works out as an involvement every 4.17 matches on average.

Nelson averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.07 across 11 league outings for Arsenal, which would have placed him fifth on Newcastle's roster, while making an impact in the final third with three goals and two assists, a contribution every 2.2 games on average.

These statistics suggest that the English dynamo has the potential to provide more quality than Saint-Maximin at the top end of the pitch, while also being three years younger and having more time ahead of himself to improve under Howe's coaching.

Along with his goal contributions, Nelson, who was reportedly on £38k-per-week with the Gunners, could also be a reliable option in the build-up phase.

His Premier League pass success rate of 91% last term would place him top of the Newcastle team, while the current Toon winger only completed 75% of his attempted passes – ranking 21st in the squad in that respect.

Therefore, Howe could land the dream heir to Saint-Maximin on Tyneside by signing the "explosive" – as he was dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – Gunners ace on a free transfer, as his statistics indicate that he has the potential to be an upgrade on the French maestro.

With a spell of 4-2-12-2, the fast bowler kept West Indies down to a below-par total of 124 which his team-mates ran down with six balls to spare

The Report by Alagappan Muthu02-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHasan Ali bowled back-to-back maidens and picked up two wickets to wreck West Indies•AFPIn a nutshellA no-contest between Pakistan’s bowling attack and the West Indies battling line-up. There were 66 dot balls in the innings – that’s 11 overs out of 20 – and eight of those dots were wickets. Hasan Ali bowled back-to-back maidens and finished with match-winning figures of 4-2-12-2.Chadwick Walton, with 40, and Carlos Brathwaite, who made 37, his new career best, bettering the score he had made at the World T20 final, dragged West Indies to 124 for 8. It was nowhere near enough. Although the pitch at Queens Park Oval was being used for its third straight match, there weren’t enough signs of the ball slowing up. And Pakistan’s top order capitalised. Ahmed Shehzad struck 53 off 45 balls to ensure a seven-wicket victory.Where the game was wonThe middle overs. Yes they exist in T20. For further proof, Hasan did most of his damage through inswingers, which for him, come out best with an old ball. Three out of his four overs came after the first 10 when West Indies fell from a respectable 59 for 2 to a silly 87 for 6. A slide like that might have been justified if there had been a spree of magic deliveries or an invasion of pitch demons. But all Hasan did was bowl full and straight. He understood that was enough by watching the West Indian batsmen set up on leg stump, and wait on the back foot, preferring to have room to free the arms and flat bat sixes.The men who who won itHasan had been hit for a six off the third delivery he bowled. The punishment was dealt to a good length ball – the same kind with which he profited later in the innings. That he still stuck to his strengths against a team known for its big hitting was a sign of the 23-year old’s self-belief. It helped, though, that when he came on for his second spell – 2-2-0-2 – West Indies were stuck in a rut. They were falling behind in the innings and tried to hit their way out of trouble. Not a sensible thing to do against a bowler harnessing a little bit of reverse swing.The instigator of the choke, though, was legspinner Shadab Khan. He also dismissed the opposition’s best batsman on the day – Walton – by teasing him into big shot that only went as far as long-on. The reason for that was the dip the 18-year old generated. In much the same way, he deceived Jason Holder in the 16th over and though he didn’t get Kieron Pollard, he was beating his outside edge repeatedly.Moment of the matchMarlon Samuels had just struck back-to-back sixes. He has turned low totals into match-winning ones before and has had phenomenal success in finals both actual and virtual. There were no such heroics on Sunday because, on the heels of being involved in a bizarre run-out, his middle stump took a beating. Hasan’s wicket-to-wicket line was poorly negotiated by Samuels, who stayed leg side of the ball and attempted a lame glide to third man. His knees buckled and as he sank to the floor, there was almost a look of begrudging approval of a delivery that had been too good for him.Where they standPakistan clinched the four-match T20I series 3-1. The two teams resume their limited-overs battle in the three-match ODI series starting in Guyana on April 7.

Having lost their last two matches in the IPL, both teams are in need of a fresh start

The Preview by Sreshth Shah16-Apr-2017Match factsSunrisers Hyderabad v Kings XI Punjab
Hyderabad, April 17, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:44

Hogg: Morgan should be given another opportunity

Form guide

Sunrisers Hyderabad (fourth): lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 17 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by 4 wickets, beat Gujarat Lions by 9 wickets

Kings XI Punjab (fifth): lost to Delhi Daredevils by 51 runs, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 8 wickets, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 8 wickets

Head to headOverall: Sunrisers Hyderabad go into the tie leading 6-2 and are chasing their fifth consecutive win against Kings XI Punjab. At home, Sunrisers lead the head-to-head 3-1.Last season: Sunrisers won both games, including a final-over finish in Chandigarh, where Kings XI lost despite a supreme 96 from Hashim Amla.In the newsKings XI captain Glenn Maxwell made it clear after their 51-run loss to Delhi Daredevils that “everything was a weakness” and that it was getting to the point where he would have to pick “uncapped players”, perhaps indicating the seniors weren’t performing up to potential. David Miller and Eoin Morgan might not feel too comfortable with their places in the XI too if Martin Guptill and Shaun Marsh have recovered from injuries.Mustafizur Rahman was left out of the Sunrisers XI last match, but it would be surprising to not see him return considering his success in Hyderabad – seven wickets at 25.85 and an economy rate of 6.96 in the IPL. Last year, he also picked up 2 for 9 in four overs against Kings XI. It could all mean Ben Cutting, who has been good but not extraordinary, getting the axe.The likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 David Warner (capt), 3 Moises Henriques, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Naman Ojha (wk), 7 Ben Cutting/Mustafizur Rahman, 8 Bipul Sharma, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Rashid Khan, 11 Ashish NehraKings XI Punjab 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Manan Vohra, 3 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Glenn Maxwell (capt), 6 David Miller, 7 Axar Patel, 8 KC Cariappa, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Varun Aaron, 11 Sandeep SharmaStrategy punt Sunrisers’ spin threat Rashid Khan, who usually bowls early in the innings, could be saved to bowl to Maxwell and Miller later on since they have never faced him before. Sandeep Sharma, who has dismissed Warner twice in the Powerplays before, may get an extended spell in the first six overs.Stats that matter Sunrisers have a 10-1 record while chasing at home. Overall, chasing teams have lost only two of the last ten games played there. David Warner’s form against Kings XI is superlative. He has scored half-centuries – 52, 59, 81, 58 – in each of his last four matches. In IPL 2017, spin has dominated the first innings of matches in Hyderabad. Pacers conceded 266 runs off 162 balls (economy of 9.85) in the first innings while spinner conceded only 76 runs off 78 balls (5.84). Hashim Amla’s fondness for Ashish Nehra’s bowling is displayed by his exemplary numbers against the fast bowler: in ODIs, he has 77 runs in 48 balls and in IPL, he has scored 25 runs off 11 deliveries. Rashid Khan has bowled inside the Powerplay in every IPL game this season. He has also taken a wicket off his first over every time. Sunrisers wicketkeeper Naman Ojha has been in an extended rut in the IPL. He averaged 13.60 and 13.70 in the last two seasons with a highest score of only 37.

Dan Burn’s journey to become a regular starter for Newcastle has been a fantastic spectacle.

The 6 foot 6 giant, born in Blyth, is a boyhood Magpies fan and appeared in every Premier League game in a sensational season as they finished in the top four. Newcastle did this with the joint-best defensive record in the division and sealed Champions League football for the first time in 20 years

As a result of his commendable consistency, Newcastle have reportedly opened up talks with the 31-year-old regarding a contract extension.

Off the pitch, he is also considered a hugely influential figure, as he’s part of a ‘leadership group’ including Jamal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier, and Callum Wilson.

Although his importance cannot be understated, and it is a logical decision to keep Burn in the squad, there is no escaping his age, and it remains to be seen how he copes with the demands of domestic and European football.

This has not escaped the thought process of the hierarchy, who are keen on the idea of bringing Hugo Bueno to Saint James Park.

What’s the latest on Hugo Bueno to Newcastle United?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle has added Bueno to their shortlist of possible left-back options.

The Wolves gem, Southampton’s Tino Livramento, and Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney are viewed as the main candidates. However, the latter is thought to be leading the race and has been named the “top target”, with the Scotsman set to hold talks with Mikel Arteta to ascertain his role in the squad for the upcoming season.

However, as the Tyneside Giants await the outcome of this conversation, they have earmarked Bueno as another possible option.

The Football Insider previously revealed that a new left-back is one of the positions that Newcastle’s board is prioritising this window.

How good is Hugo Bueno?

The Spaniard has been in the Wolves youth set-up since 2019 and is extremely highly rated.

He has made 49 appearances for the club’s U21 side, scoring ten times and providing four assists.

The £9m-rated gem then made his senior debut in October 2022, before bagging his first start against Crystal Palace the following month. In this clash at Selhurst Park, the youngster set up Adama Traore for the opening game, whilst recording three blocks, three interceptions, and a 91.7% pass accuracy, as per Sofascore.

Then-caretaker manager Steve Davis described the defender as “excellent” and he has made 21 Premier League appearances for Wolves so far.

Former teammate James Collins has echoed this sentiment and said:

“You talk about hard work, and that boy works harder than anyone I know. Some people think that’s luck or talent, but that’s not talent, that’s him working extremely hard at his craft to become more threatening in the attacking thirds.”

This mentality is also a trait that Burn possesses in abundance, which has been highlighted by Howe, who said:

“Dan Burn’s an incredible player, in my opinion, and an incredible person, I think what he gives you, you can’t measure.

“We really value Dan very highly in whatever position he plays, and his versatility is important for us as well. I cannot credit Dan enough.”

It looks like Newcastle will be extremely well-stocked at left-back come August…

Arsenal’s business is not rumoured to be finished yet in the transfer window, with the Gunners linked to midfielder Gabri Veiga throughout the summer.

Mikel Arteta stated during the club’s pre-season tour that there is “still time to do things”, hinting that he could spend additional amounts to the £210m already spent by the north Londoners so far.

Could Arsenal sign Gabri Veiga?

Celta Vigo starlet Veiga has been mentioned alongside the Gunners since February, however, speculation has grown throughout the summer following the conclusion of the 2022/23 calendar.

As reported by French outlet L’Equipe last week, the 21-year-old is not of interest to Paris Saint-Germain, with Arsenal named as one of the clubs ‘fighting’ for his signature.

The report claims that there’s an all-London tussle ongoing for the midfielder, with Tottenham and Chelsea also eyeing the talent, who has a €40m (£34m) release clause in place in Spain.

How good is Gabri Veiga?

Lauded as a “sensation” by members of the media, the midfielder has cemented himself as one of La Liga’s most promising stars for his contribution to Celta Vigo’s side.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the Porrino-born gem contributed to 15 goals in La Liga, scoring 11 and assisting four in a dominant individual term from central midfield.

Highlighted as a ‘box-to-box’ midfielder by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old bears some similarities to former Arsenal hero Jack Wilshere, who the club could imitate by signing the Spaniard.

Opting to retire from the game at just 30-years-old, the Englishman had a sensational start to his career that was ultimately plagued by injury which forced him to call it quits so early to take on a coaching role.

Now acting as head coach to Arsenal’s U18s, the Stevenage-born ace remains an integral part of things in north London, however, his playing days are missed in the sense of his understanding of the club’s culture and his combative yet classy nature.

Wilshere recorded his highest match total of 31 appearances in the Premier League back in the 2010/11 season for the Gunners, in which he displayed his innate talent in central midfield.

That term, the former England international showcased his complete skill set in the engine room, averaging 1.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, as well as contributing offensively with 1.7 key passes per match, having a hand in four goals, via WhoScored.

Similar numbers have been hit by Veiga last season in La Liga, who averaged 1.10 key passes and 1.69 tackles per 90 for his club, suggesting that he could emulate Wilshere's spark when in his youth at the Emirates.

The Englishman was a strong carrier of the ball, which is a strength possessed by the La Liga gem, who averaged 2.67 progressive carries per 90 in the league last campaign, reinforcing the likeness between the two.

Hailed as “highly talented” by Kulig, the 21-year-old could be a player that could encapsulate the traits lauded by the north Londoners in relation to Wilshere’s hopeful career.

A player influential in the final third, Arteta could land another goal-scoring threat to his midfield, which has been significantly bolstered already this summer with the £105m capture of Declan Rice from West Ham.