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Chittagong Vikings overcame Andre Fletcher’s blistering 71 to defend 211 and beat Sylhet Sixers by 40 runs in their first home game

The Report by Mohammad Isam24-Nov-2017
Live Scorecard and ball-by-ball updatesStiaan van Zyl and Sikandar Raza shared a 73-run partnership•Raton Gomes/BCBChittagong Vikings picked themselves up from the bottom of the points table by beating Sylhet Sixers by 40 runs in their first game at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, the team’s home venue. Sikandar Raza’s superb hitting powered Chittagong to 211 for 5 – the highest total in this season of the BPL.Raza slammed six sixes and nine fours in his 45-ball 95. He shared partnerships of 73 for the fourth wicket with Stiaan van Zyl and 68 for the fifth wicket with Najibullah Zadran. All that after Luke Ronchi’s cameo at the top gave the hosts a flying start.Andre Fletcher threatened Chittagong for a large duration of the chase with a blistering 71, but Sylhet collapsed after his dismissal. They lost six wickets in less than four overs, slipping from 123 for 1 to 144 for 7 and eventually finishing on 171 for 8.Ronchi sets Chittagong upRonchi has been instrumental in giving Chittagong a quick start in almost every game, and today was no different. He started off with a six over square-leg in the first over, and went on to hit six fours as well in his 25-ball 41.But incoming batsmen Soumya Sarkar and Anamul Haque couldn’t quite match Ronchi as they fell for 1 and 3 respectively. By the time Ronchi was out in the eighth over, Chittagong were well-set for a big total.Raza and van Zyl consolidateBefore Raza started his 45-ball blitz of 85 to get on top of the Sylhet attack, Stiaan van Zyl struck Taijul Islam for a six over midwicket very early. Raza, who was dropped in the 10th over, got into the act when he and van Zyl struck Nasir for one six each in the next over.Raza then targeted Ghulam Mudassar and Abul Hasan for one six each – over extra cover and midwicket. Their 73-run partnership ended in the 14th over, but by then Chittagong were already on 138.Raza tees off with a six-barrageRaza and Najibullah kept the run-rate up in the last seven overs, but the sixes started to rain from the 18th over onwards when Raza slammed Hasan over cover and deep into the stands at midwicket. He then blasted Tim Bresnan over midwicket for his sixth six to move into the nineties, and his highest T20 score.With five balls remaining, Raza sliced Kamrul Islam Rabbi into the hands of deep point, falling five short of a deserved century.Fletcher keeps Sylhet in the huntDanushka Gunathilaka sounded out Sylhet’s intentions by hitting Sunzamul Islam for a straight six off the first ball of the chase. Fletcher took his cue and hammered Raza for two sixes in the next over – over extra cover and midwicket.Fletcher upped his game in the next over when he hammered four consecutive boundaries, three through the offside and one straight down the ground, off Subashis Roy. Gunathilaka’s dismissal in the fifth over hardly mattered as Fletcher and Babar Azam made a smooth transition in their hitting.Azam cracked Luis Reece for his first six over midwicket, before Fletcher hammered Tanbir Hayder straight for another six in the ninth over. He added another in the 14th over, a huge hit over midwicket off Taskin Ahmed.Sylhet slump in a heapTaskin, however, hit back when Raza took a great running catch from cover to remove the dangerous Fletcher for 71 in the 14th over. Van Zyl then took two wickets in the 15th. Soumya removed Hasan and Bresnan in the 16th over, and just like that, the required-run rate had hit astronomical heights. That proved too much for Sylhet to manage any sort of a recovery, and they finished well short of their target.

Manchester United target Benjamin Pavard has agreed terms at Old Trafford, with an update sharing the fee needed to sign the defender from Bayern Munich.

Are Man United signing Benjamin Pavard?

The Red Devils have been busy so far this summer, with three marquee signings made in Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund. However, there is still time to add to Erik ten Hag’s side even further, with additions at the back and in midfield seemingly on the agenda.

In midfield, Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester, whereas an approach for Everton’s Amadou Onana has reportedly been made recently. At the back a replacement for Harry Maguire was thought to be of interest, however, the Englishman’s proposed move to West Ham is now off.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Pavard has been linked with a move to Old Trafford and United have already had a bid rejected by Bayern, but it appears as if the club are still working on a potential transfer.

The Faithful MUFC relayed an update from German outlet Bild on Wednesday morning regarding the Red Devils and Pavard.

They claim that the player has reached an agreement over a move to Old Trafford, presumably on personal terms, and that Bayern Munich would be willing to sell if an offer of around €50m (£42.9m) was made.

Where does Benjamin Pavard play?

Pavard is currently on £116,000-a-week in Munich and is into the final year of his contract, so Man United may see a €50m fee as excessive, although they did pay £60m for Mount who was also in a similar contract situation.

However, the France international would offer plenty of versatility to Ten Hag’s side as he is capable of playing both as a centre-back and right-back, so could be viewed as a shrewd addition for the current campaign and beyond.

Pavard has personally claimed that he is better and more complete at right-back than Liverpool's Trent Alexander Arnold and Paris Saint-Germain’s Archaf Hakimi, but admitted his main position is central.

“My position is a central defender. It always has been, this is where I feel most comfortable, where I take the most pleasure. This is where I find myself the best. I think we see more of my qualities in this position.

“If the great coaches put me on the right side, it is because they have confidence in my abilities. With Deschamps I have always been a holder. If he trusts me it’s not for my beautiful eyes or my hair. He is aware of my qualities. After that I have to improve in certain areas: I have to take more risks, more initiatives, I am aware of it and I work on that on a daily basis.

“A defender must first defend well. On paper, Pavard may be less sexy than Hakimi, Arnold, but I find that defensively I am more complete.”

It will be interesting to see if United make another move closer to Bayern’s asking price over the coming weeks, but any move could depend on outgoings, so a deal could go down to the wire.

James Anderson will step up to act as Joe Root’s deputy in Australia for as long as Ben Stokes remains unavailable

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2017James Anderson has been named as England’s Test vice-captain. He will act as Joe Root’s deputy in Australia for as long as Ben Stokes remains unavailable.Anderson, 35, is the leader of the bowling attack and, although he does not have much experience of captaincy, one of the squad’s most senior players. With Stokes currently out of contention while police continue to investigate his part in a fight outside a Bristol nightclub, Anderson has been preferred as vice-captain to other candidates such as Alastair Cook, Root’s predecessor in charge of the Test side, and Stuart Broad.”It’s a really nice thing that Joe has asked me to do,” Anderson said. “I don’t think it changes my role in the team. As a senior player I’ve always felt that I’ve a responsibility to help out other guys. Myself, Stuart and Alastair who have been here before – and had success here before – have an important role on this trip. So I don’t see that role changing my role much.”England suffered the latest injury setback of their tour on Thursday, when Jake Ball sprained his ankle while bowling against a Cricket Australia XI. Ball was sent for a scan on Friday and could be a doubt for the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane, starting on November 23.The mood in the England camp was hardly improved by a second-innings batting collapse, but England’s remaining seamers rallied in Ball’s absence, reducing the CA XI to 25 for 7 before an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 45 carried the match into its final day.”It was outstanding, I thought,” Anderson said. “The three seamers bowled really well. We knew we had an important job to do, especially being a bowler down with Jake Ball injured.”Having seen the movement the Australians got earlier in the day, we were encouraged by that. We knew we could challenge them, and that’s what we did.”England’s success under the Adelaide floodlights augurs well for their prospects in the second Test which gets underway at the same venue in three week’s time.”We’ve seen the batsmen struggle a little bit round the twilight period,” Anderson said. “There’s not much more swing, potentially it seams a little bit more as the dew comes down. [But] there’s not a lot of difference … it’s just getting used to that light and the pink ball.”We just tried to stay patient … and we created pressure from both ends very well, and deserved those seven wickets.”It’s a first-class game, so we want to win it – you create a winning environment, [and] that’s important going into a huge series like theAshes.”With the current contest more or less over, England have one more four-day game at Townsville next week ahead of the first Test. Stuart Broad is expected to play in that game having sat this one out, with Anderson hinting that he is likely to make way for his new-ball partner.”Some batsmen have got some really good time out in the middle; there are some guys who haven’t,” he said. “The bowlers seem to be getting better every spell they bowl.”The batsmen’s form isn’t too much of an issue now, as long as they are scoring runs in that first Test at the Gabba. Personally, I feel like I’ve got enough bowling in my legs, and the ball is coming out well.

A packed crowd at the Gabba was treated to some sensational hitting as McCullum, Burns, Ross, Cutting and Stoinis took centerstage

The Report by Alex Malcolm at the Gabba20-Dec-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsNo Chris Lynn, no worries for Brisbane Heat.Last season’s semi-finalists threw down a marker in their opening match against Melbourne Stars with a win that was more comprehensive than the scoreline suggested. They destroyed the Stars’ well-balanced attack and dismembered the Star-studded top order to show that Lynn is a value add to the Heat rather than an irreplaceable member of the Bash Brothers two-man band.But the Stars have so much talent that they never gave in thanks to a remarkable innings from Marcus Stoinis, who made 99 off 51 balls to take the game to the last over.Stars’ captain John Hastings gave the Heat a leg up early, making the curious decision to bowl first on a superb pitch for batting. He would have felt good after two overs when the Heat were 1 for 10 with Jimmy Pierson back in the shed and Lynn absent as he continues to recover from his shoulder injury.But Hastings’ mood soon soured when Brendon McCullum lit up the Gabba. Scott Boland’s first over, the third of the innings, went for 24. McCullum found the rope three times and cleared it once. He raced to 40 off 22 balls before he was deceived by a Stoinis slower ball.Getty ImagesBut the Heat never lost momentum despite McCullum’s exit. Joe Burns (50 off 28 balls), Alex Ross (51 off 36 balls) and Ben Cutting (35 off 18 balls) climbed into the Stars’ seamers to keep the run-rate above 10 an over through to the end of the innings. Hastings and Boland gave up 96 runs from six combined overs, including 10 fours and six sixes.Strangely, James Faulkner opened the bowling and conceded just seven runs in the opening over but did not bowl again. By contrast, the spin of Michael Beer and Adam Zampa took 2 for 45 from seven overs. Beer did not concede a boundary and McCullum scored just nine runs off 10 balls against Beer in the Powerplay.The Heat’s plans for the Stars’ world-class top order worked a treat. Josh Lalor lured last year’s leading scorer Ben Dunk into a thick outside edge that was caught on the second bite by a perfectly placed Mitch Swepson at deep gully. The plans to remove Kevin Pietersen and Glenn Maxwell cheaply were cold, calculated and perfectly executed.Pietersen played the world’s most feared quicks extremely well in his prime but his lack of match practice against them recently may leave him exposed. He scored just four runs from 11 balls against the genuine pace of Mohammad Amir and Steven Finn in his only two T20 matches during the English summer, with Finn taking his wicket.McCullum instructed Lalor, Mark Steketee and Ben Doggett to bowl as quick and aggressively as possible at Pietersen. He hopped, ducked and weaved through his first seven balls to score just four runs before launching a length ball into the stands. But he holed out to mid-off next ball.The Heat had also scouted Maxwell. In four straight innings during Australia’s limited overs tour of India in October, Maxwell fell to the legspin of Yuzvendra Chahal. He also fell to Hobart Hurricanes legspinner Cameron Boyce in a BBL warm-up game after Boyce was introduced immediately upon Maxwell’s arrival.McCullum called on Pakistan legspinner Shadab Khan in the fifth over when pace had already removed Dunk and Pietersen. Maxwell hit the first long-hop for six but holed out to long-on two balls later. Shadab bowled Wright shortly after to seemingly kill off the game.But Stoinis produced an innings of the highest quality to once again confirm his credentials for further international honours. He struck six sixes and six fours, mixing power with touch and supreme fitness in warm conditions during a 137-run stand with Faulkner to take the Stars to the brink.Stoinis was run out trying to complete his hundred but he was a thoroughly deserving Man of the Match in a losing cause.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has identified a new priority signing as the transfer window reaches its final stages, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on Manchester United's progress regarding their pursuit of Kustosija forward Dino Klapija, stating: "Understand Manchester United and RB Leipzig are both negotiating to sign top talent Dino Klapija — also an option to close the deal now for January. Decision on player side expected soon as 2007 born striker will leave Croatian side Kustosija soon."

Football Insider also report that United have made an enquiry concerning the availability of Wolverhampton Wanderers right-back Nelson Semedo as Ten Hag aims to strengthen his backline before the window closes, especially in light of yet another defensive injury to Luke Shaw.

Contact has already taken place between both parties and Semedo is said to fit the bill in connection to the type of full-back Manchester United are looking to bring to Old Trafford this summer due to his offensive prowess and ability to overlap with regularity, although he of course prefers to play on the right.

Manchester United have also been hot on the tail of Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat in recent times and he was left out of Fiorentina's Europa Conference league play-off match against Rapid Vienna, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Manchester United icon Gary Neville has endorsed a move for Amrabat, stating: "They want to buy Sofyan Amrabat for a reason. He wants everybody in the team to be able to accept the football and receive it. Sofyan Amrabat coming in, he is a passer of the ball and can sit in there alongside Casemiro."

Amrabat is also capable of covering in central defence; however, he would finally be able to afford Manchester United some much-needed security in front of the back four.

Who else are Manchester United signing?

According to a report from FootballTransfers, Manchester United see Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo as the 'leading target' to strengthen their defense; however, player sales will be needed to facilitate the process of any prospective deal.

£21k-a-week ace Todibo would cost in the region of £35 million to bring to Old Trafford this summer and it is believed that personal terms would not be a problem in negotiations to acquire his services.

Coveted defender Todibo has featured 104 times for Ligue 1 outfit Nice in all competitions, registering two goals during his time on the field, as per Transfermarkt.

L'Equipe via Get Football News France indicate that Todibo is actually closing in on a move to Manchester United already and his arrival in the North West is thought to be 'in sight' – despite the Red Devils also showing interest in Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard.

Labelled "solid as a rock" by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig, Todibo could definitely add some solidity to Ten Hag's backline as Manchester United aim to challenge for honours on both domestic and European fronts.

An update recently emerged on Southampton and their plans to bolster Russell Martin's playing squad before the summer transfer window slams shut on Friday.

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to a recent Tweet from journalist Darren Witcoop, the Saints are eyeing a possible swoop for Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh.

The reporter has claimed that Martin has a move for the talented young defender in his sights, alongside an attempt to snap up Nathan Wood from Swansea City.

Southampton have brought in Ryan Fraser, Shea Charles, Joe Lumley, Ryan Manning, Flynn Downes, and Mason Holgate during the window so far and could make further additions, including Drameh, before the end of the week.

How good is Cody Drameh?

Martin could land a dream heir to Tino Livramento following the defender's move to Newcastle United earlier this summer by securing a deal to sign Drameh as he is a proven Championship performer who also has room to improve.

The Saints lost a talented prospect when they sold the former Chelsea starlet to the Magpies for a reported £32m and could replace him by signing the Leeds gem.

Livramento, who was restricted to two appearances last season due to injury, had caught the eye during the 2021/22 campaign with an average Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 28 Premier League games.

He showcased his defensive qualities with 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match and won 59% of his duels, whilst the exciting youngster also created 0.7 chances per game for his teammates from the right-back position, as per Sofascore.

Drameh could come in and possibly be an upgrade on Livramento based on his impressive form on loan to Luton Town during the second half of last season.

The 21-year-old battler averaged an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 16 Championship matches with the Hatters.

He made an outstanding 4.2 tackles and interceptions per clash and won 55% of his battles, whilst the ex-Fulham prodigy also produced 1.6 key passes per game to show off his ability on the ball.

These statistics show that the £4.4k-per-week hotshot is a player who can make an impact at both ends of the pitch, which is helped by his superb energy levels that once led to him being hailed as a "Duracell bunny" by former boss Steve Morison.

No Southampton player managed more than 3.7 tackles and interceptions and only James Ward-Prowse (1.9) produced more than one key pass per game in the Premier League last season.

This suggests that Drameh has the potential to be an outstanding performer for the Saints from a defensive and offensive perspective at right-back due to his excellent ability to consistently win possession back for his side whilst also being able to make things happen at the top end of the pitch to create opportunities for his teammates.

At the age of 21, the ex-Luton loanee also has plenty of time on his hands to improve and could develop under Martin's coaching, which is another reason why he is a dream heir to the 20-year-old Livramento, who could also have grown at St. Mary's.

Therefore, Drameh has the profile to be a fantastic replacement for the now-Newcastle ace and the club could pull off a shrewd swoop by securing his signature this week.

In less than three days, the physios were called upon seven times to treat batsmen hurt by deliveries that misbehaved on the Wanderers pitch

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2018South Africa, 1st innings
3.3
Bumrah to Elgar, no run, wow, hit on the hand. Like Pujara, even Elgar is wearing a few. This one jags back in from outside off, beats Elgar on the inside edge and whacks him on the elbow. That’s a very painful blow. He needs some treatment, and more importantly, time.29.2
Sharma to Amla, no run, strikes him under the ribs and he needs medical attention. Vicious delivery, which probably moves off a crack in the good length area of the pitch. Ishant nails it, with a wobbly seam, and it snarls in at Amla, who is worse off because of that exaggerated shuffle across off stump. His bat has no chance of getting across in time and he takes a pretty painful blow where there is no protection51.5
Sharma to Amla, 1 run, walks right across and is surprised by the bounce – where he expects it to hit the middle at knee-height and find runs through midwicket, it rears up, taking the glove and going to the left of the wicketkeeper. Parthiv does his utmost but even after a dive he is nowhere near close to the ball. Amla needs a little treatment for a painful blow on the fingers.56.6
Kumar to Philander, no run, Philander cops a blow on the glove! A good length ball on off stump explodes off the pitch and hurts Philander. It was more or less similar to the ball that he punched to the cover boundary earlier this over. But this one kicks up and surprises him63.5
Bumrah to Morkel, no run, bouncer on leg stump, Morkel tries to hook it away, past leg gully, but there is just too much bounce to middle these shots. Morkel gets hit on the left index finger and needs treatment.India 2nd innings
30.2
Rabada to Kohli, no run, back of a length and lifting up outside. Looks to defend on the front foot and takes this on the thumb. Calls for the physio straight away.34.1
Rabada to Vijay, no run, rapped on the left glove. Signals for the physio again. Lifts from a length and raps him as he looks to avoid it.

Tasmania were bundled out for 115 as Queensland finished the second day ahead by 335, with four wickets remaining in the second innings

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Feb-2018
Chris Hyde/Getty ImagesFast bowler Luke Feldman claimed career-best figures of 6 for 32 to help Queensland bundle Tasmania out for 115 on day two of their Sheffield Shield game in Brisbane. Charlie Hemphrey then struck a patient fifty to stretch Queensland’s lead to 335, with four wickets remaining in the second innings.Resuming the second day at 2 for 60, Tasmania lost eight wickets for 55 runs in the first 19 overs of the day. Michael Neser and Ben Doggett also claimed two wickets each as Queensland gained a first-innings lead of 140.Hemphrey’s half-century, along with contributions from Matt Renshaw (32), Marnus Labuschagne (26), Sam Heazlett (39) and Jimmy Peirson (24 not out) carried Queensland to 6 for 195 at stumps on day two. Fast bowler Gabe Bell took three wickets.

It no doubt proved a summer of notable change as far as Tottenham Hotspur are concerned, with new boss Ange Postecoglou having overseen something of a mass squad overhaul after completing nine summer signings, with a raft of first-team assets also heading out the door at N17.

The former Celtic boss appeared particularly intent on altering his centre-back ranks during the recent window after acquiring Dutch giant, Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg, while also sanctioning the exits of Japhet Tanganga, Joe Rodon and Davinson Sanchez – the latter of whom sealed a £12.8m move to Galatasaray earlier this week.

With Eric Dier having also been deemed somewhat surplus to requirements of late, it has left Postecoglou with arguably just Van de Ven and Cristian Romero to call upon in the heart of the backline, with such limited options likely to be of concern if injuries are to strike.

One potential solution to that concerning depth could have already emerged, however, in the form of teenage summer signing, Ashley Phillips, with the 18-year-old potentially set to represent a perfect understudy in the centre of defence this season.

How much did Tottenham pay for Ashley Phillips?

After having enjoyed something of a breakout season for former club Blackburn Rovers last term – as he made 14 appearances in all competitions – the England U19 international was snapped up in early August by the north London outfit, having initially joined the Championship side at the age of 12 back in 2017.

Acquired by Spurs for a minimal fee of just £2m, the expectation was that the promising youngster would not immediately be involved in the senior set-up, with the club having also been showing an interest in the likes of Edmond Tapsoba and Clement Lenglet.

With those latter moves failing to pan out, however, the onus may well be on Phillips to be fast-tracked in the first-team, with recent reports indicating that he is already training with Postecoglou's squad "week in, week out", as per football.london's Alasdair Gold, having been named on the bench for the win over Burnley last time out.

How good is Ashley Phillips?

Despite his relative inexperience at senior level, Phillips has already earned rave reviews due to his exciting potential in recent times, with former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray having previously said of his talents back in 2021:

"He’s an amazing footballer and he is going to be a mega footballer I’m pretty sure, but he’s a very young boy. He’s a 6’3, 6’4 magnificent cut of a guy, fast as lightning, composed with the ball, aggressive."

Those latter traits could well make the Salford-born gem a perfect backup to the aforementioned Van de Ven, with the Dutchman also a towering presence at 6 foot 4, while boasting the benefit – like Phillips – of his "extreme speed", as hailed by Wolfsburg director Marcel Shafer.

Such strengths have already been put to good use during the 22-year-old's time in England to date, having been hailed as "really impressive" by talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy after starting every game so far this term.

While Postecoglou will likely be hoping to rely upon the former Volendam ace on a regular basis, it will be necessary to have figures in reserve who can come into the side and take on a similar role when needed, hence why young Phillips could be a dream option in that regard.

Although it remains difficult to judge the qualities of the former Rovers gem as he is somewhat untested at first-team level, his physical capabilities and immense recovery speed appear to suggest that the Lilywhites have a perfect Van de Ven understudy on their hands.

Sometimes we all make silly decisions. It's human nature. No one's perfect. Of course, hindsight never helps. In football, we see mistakes all the time – just ask Tottenham Hotspur and Daniel Levy – it's just ultimately about how you bounce back. But what about when that bounce doesn't come and the drop just gets deeper and deeper?

In this edition of 'Where Are They Now?', it's a case of stubborn self-assurance and a poorly judged transfer that sparks a spiral. Join us for a trip that moves from the Premier League and Spurs to Sweden's second division, via the EFL and even non-league in between.

Who is Zeki Fryers?

The subheading above is still likely a common question for so many football fans outside of Manchester.

However, a cult group will recall that Zeki Fryers developed through Manchester United's notorious youth system in 2011 and slowly integrated into the first team set-up. He was a consistent defensive player and had been involved with England too, appearing for the U19 team as late as 2010.

Unfortunately for Fryers, that year he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out of action for most of the 2010/11 season. However, United kept faith in the youngster, and although on the fringes, made his debut for his hometown club on the 20th of September 2011.

When did Zeki Fryers join Spurs?

Although he was gaining more experience with ever playing minute, Fryers and United agreed that the left-back might be suited elsewhere. Grouped together as a want-away with the rebellious Ravel Morrison by Sky Sports, an eventual move to Belgian side Standard Liege materialised.

Admittedly, amidst Spurs interest, it wasn't the desired destination. Liege were simply a placeholder as Tottenham and a somewhat bereft Alex Ferguson couldn't negotiate through the commotion. Fryers only played seven league games before falling out of favour and then reporting homesickness to his agent. Cue Tottenham's reinvigorated interest…

Where before they didn't want to pay £6m, now they could get their man for half the price.

Now, although want-away, Fryers was still (like Ravel Morrison) considered a player of great potential. This was fuelled ever more by the media, as the left-back was branded a 'prodigy' by the Daily Mail when they reported his £3m transfer in 2012's January window.

What happened to Zeki Fryers at Spurs?

After Fryers moved south, and regardless if the defender wasn't particularly vital for Sir Alex's squad – the legendary Scot was incensed by what looked like shifty Tottenham transfer tactics. This too, could have inadvertently raised the defender's profile. It seems more logical that Ferguson's ego had been challenged. He fumed:

"I'm disappointed in Tottenham. I think it's a blatant manipulation of the situation. I think the league should look into it and I think they should stop his registration until they examine it." (Ferguson, 2012)

So, did Spurs get an Ashley Cole regen as he had previously been dubbed in some circles? Well, no. He was merely a back-up for Benoit Assou-Ekotto and found slim pickings of game time.

All together, Fryers ran out just 15 times in all competitions for the White Hart Lane side before eventually moving on again. It did appear, like the only highlight reel the defender would be involved with, would be the transfer news and that alone.

Where is Zeki Fryers now?

Crystal Palace were the next destination – a £3m deal – before the slippery slope pushed on for a harsher decline. While at Palace, there were two average loan spells at Rotherham and Ipswich, featuring just 13 times across both stints, before 2017 saw a move to Barnsley.

Following two years there, and like some wandering football nomad, he was gone after 27 league appearances in 2019. Swindon saw another two years before Fryers fell into a non-league domino effect.

Stockport were next. Then it was Welling and Macclesfield even lower. Game time and confidence are all well and good but if only Fryers knew where he'd end up – finding exiled safety in Sweden's second tier with AFC Eskilstuna.

In all of this, it's easy to think Sir Alex knew what he was dealing with – especially when looking over the player's self-assured nature at the time.

He once said: "I thought it was the right time for me to leave and get experience playing in a good league. You never know what will happen in football, but I made the right decision for me. Today I'm at Standard in the first year of my contract and I want it to be as good as possible. Maybe after that, I can go one step higher."

That one step higher did come at Spurs, but unfortunately, it never got any better after that.