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ScorecardSteve O’Keefe followed his five-for with a measured half-century•AFP

Australia were given a long-but-light workout against spin on the second day, as all their batsmen hit at least 25, though only Steven Smith and Steve O’Keefe passed fifty. The second-day pitch at the P Sara Oval had begun to take some turn, but Australia can expect significantly drier conditions and substantially higher-quality slow bowling in the Tests. Nevertheless, a team total of 431 for 9 represented a strong outing for the visitors. The Sri Lanka selectors, watching on, would know the Australians have emerged from their first spin trial of the tour in ominous form.The Sri Lankan XI attack, which did not feature the island’s top spin prospects to begin with, operated under a kind of self-prohibition. Perhaps out of a strategic decision not to accustom the Australian batsmen to left-arm spin, captain Milinda Siriwardana did not bowl himself at all in the day. The other left-arm spinner, Chaturanga de Silva, was given only short spells at the top order; only when the tail-enders arrived at the crease was he more liberally used.Sri Lanka will hope this tactic sees Rangana Herath’s threat maximised when the Tests begin on July 26 in Pallekele. Siriwardana may also fairly expect to be named in the Sri Lanka squad, and if the selectors are of a similar view, Siriwardana will have kept his own powder dry.The day’s foremost workhorse was Shehan Jayasuriya, whose offspin may be classified his secondary skill. He delivered 29 overs, took five for 109, and sparked several close shouts while the seamers were rotated at the other end. Vimukthi Perera was the most impressive of the quick men, bringing a ball in to Joe Burns to bowl him for 72 in the morning, but Nisala Tharaka was also sharp in patches.O’Keefe’s unbeaten 62 may be the most consequential of the day’s performances for the Australians, as it raised his chances of entering the Test XI. Having taken a five-wicket haul on day one, O’Keefe was a measured foil to Mitchell Starc’s adventure, as the pair put on 59 runs from 13 overs late in the day. O’Keefe was largely content to nurdle the singles, often using his feet to spin. Starc, meanwhile, deployed a devastating slog sweep several times in his 48-ball 45. The pair did benefit from unimpressive ground fielding, however.Earlier in the day, Adam Voges and Smith had made 88 in each other’s company, largely finding runs on the leg side, as Voges in particular shelved the more aggressive shots. The pair’s frill-free accumulation took the Australians past the Sri Lankan XI’s 229, and formed the foundation of their team’s advance on day two. Smith came down the track to hit the offspin of Jayasuriya over the infield on occasion, but largely reserved his more expansive strokes for the seamers.It was spin that brought both batsmen’s stay to a close. Smith was trapped in front by de Silva, before Jayasuriya turned one in from the developing rough to beat Voges’ sweep shot and rattle his off stump. Mitchell Marsh struck a quick 25 thereafter, but was also out to Jayasuriya – caught behind down the leg side, though he did jokingly ask for a review of the umpire’s decision to suggest he did not hit the ball. Jayasuriya caught a high top-edge off Starc’s bat, and sent one through Lyon’s defences to complete his five-wicket haul.

Fans online have torn Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to shreds after he failed to make any sort of impact on his return to the Emirates Stadium last night with Chelsea.

What’s the latest on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?

Having once been much-loved and very highly-rated as a Premier League captain with Arsenal not so long ago, the striker’s career has stalled in recent times.

Indeed, now with London rivals Chelsea, Aubameyang has struggled to impress this season – much like nearly everyone else involved with the club.

On Tuesday night, however, he had the chance to get revenge on his former side as he returned to the Emirates for the first time since leaving in 2022 amid speculation of a falling out with Mikel Arteta.

Ironically, the £160k-per-week striker’s last Premier League start also came against the Gunners. On that occasion, he struggled as the Blues lost 1-0 at home and he managed just eight touches before being hauled off after 64 minutes.

Well, this week, things were even worse as two goals from Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus saw Arsenal race to a 3-0 lead before halftime.

In this period, Aubameyang had essentially zero impact, as he managed just nine touches (with four of those coming directly from kick-offs), had zero shots at goal, lost the ball once, made one foul, and lose two out of two attempted duels, via Sofascore.

Frank Lampard evidently had had enough by that stage and hooked him during the break, but the damage was already done as Chelsea were comfortably beaten 3-1 after the full 90 minutes.

With that in mind, it’s safe to say he failed to impress. And it’s not as though fans on Twitter had much sympathy for him either. Indeed, the 33-year-old was torn to shreds online.

Here are some of the best reactions…

Arsenal fans certainly enjoyed his display…

Some even suggested his time in the Premier League should probably be coming to an end.

Chelsea could be set to offer Levi Colwill a new deal over the summer to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge following his spell out on loan.

Do Chelsea need more defenders?

This season will not be remembered fondly by many in west London with the Blues failing to get their hands on a trophy and finding themselves fighting to finish inside the top four.

And this has come on the back of some serious financial backing from their new owners which has seen a lot of money spent on their defence.

Indeed, over the last two transfer windows the Blues have spent around £220m on defenders alone yet find themselves potentially looking to strengthen with the return of Colwill.

The England U21 international has spent the campaign away on loan with Brighton & Hove Albion where he has made eight starts in the Premier League this season (via Transfermarkt).

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has suggested when the £5k-per-week star returns in the summer, he is likely to be offered a new deal at the Bridge:

(12:30) "Just quickly on Levi Colwill, the centre-back who's doing very well at Brighton. Chelsea consider him an important player for next season.

"So Chelsea want Levi Colwill to be part of the squad next season and to offer him a new contract. It's also important to say that the player wants to feel important. He wants to play football so how much game time he will have is going to be crucial for the future of Levi Colwill."

Can Colwill make an impact on the Chelsea side?

Despite the issues experienced in west London this season, their defence has not been one of them with only three other sides having conceded fewer than their 33 goals.

The Blues, as aforementioned, now have a huge number of options in defence with some serious talent in the centre of their defence.

Having previously spent some time out on loan in the Championship, Colwill has been hailed as a star to watch with Lewis O'Brien suggesting he will have a "fantastic career".

And it is apparent he is catching the eye of other Premier League clubs with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur believed to hold an interest in the youngster.

This does beg the question of whether there is a clear pathway for the Englishman into the starting XI at Chelsea given the owners' willingness to splash the cash.

Looking ahead to next season, Colwill could well have Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Kalidou Koulibaly all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Although the youngster will likely back himself to do his best to earn a spot in the manager's thinking, there is some serious talent ahead of him.

Whether that could possibly spell out another loan deal may come into his thinking, but it will be intriguing to see if he feels Staford Bridge is somewhere that he has a long-term future in the starting XI.

Manchester United are plotting a summer move to bring Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes to Old Trafford, according to reports.

What's the latest on Nunes' future?

The Premier League outfit are expected to bolster their central ranks at the end of the season with both Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer’s futures uncertain, and the 24-year-old has been identified as a new target by Erik Ten Hag.

The Portugal international first arrived at Molineux back in August 2022 with his contract having an initial £44m release clause included, but The Mirror have since reported that the Old Gold have removed this in a bid to increase their price tag should potential suitors come calling.

Football Insider claim that the Midlands outfit are open to offers for their star, who has made 32 appearances during his debut season in the top-flight, with a fee of £50m likely to be accepted given the club’s dangerous league position.

Now, according to Football Insider once again, Man United have Nunes on their “radar” and he is one of the names on the “shortlist” of midfielders that Ten Hag is keeping a close eye on. The Red Devils boss is “exploring a deal” for the Wolves talisman who already holds an existing connection to Bruno Fernandes, being international teammates for Portugal, and the vice-captain even previously told his friend to join before signing for Wanderers.

Would Nunes be a good signing for Man United?

Nunes has only scored one goal and provided the same number of assists since joining Wolves so hasn't quite shown the prolific edge needed to contribute in the top-flight, but having received two man-of-the-match awards during that time, he’s got bags of potential to offer and therefore would be an exciting signing for the future of United.

The Rio de Janeiro native ranks in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons, showing he loves to dribble past his marker and push his team up the pitch, and has recorded 24 shots and 48 shot-creating actions this season, ranking him the fourth-highest for both statistics throughout the whole of the squad at Wolves (FBRef).

Nunes, who has been hailed a “big talent” by journalist Jack Lang, would also bring excellent versatility to Old Trafford having operated in four various midfield positions this season alone, which will be an attractive attribute to Ten Hag, so should Wolves be relegated this deal could be there for the taking.

Glasgow Rangers’ transfer business over the previous few years has been sketchy to say the least, especially under former manager Pedro Caixinha, who somehow thought Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera would be players to take the Ibrox side to the next level.

Colossal sums of money have been wasted which could have been invested into other areas, and it wasn’t until Steven Gerrard took over in 2018 that things started to get better.

Indeed, one of his first signings was that of Connor Goldson, a centre-back who joined from Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee in the region of £3m ahead of the 2018/19 campaign and given his previous experience in the Championship with the south coast side, it was looked upon as a solid investment.

Now into his fifth season at the Light Blues, Goldson’s value has risen since joining in 2018.

How much is Connor Goldson worth now?

Rangers didn’t win a trophy during Gerrard’s first two seasons in charge, however, there was a clear plan as to what he wanted to achieve and by signing the likes of Goldson, Ryan Kent, and Joe Aribo, it wouldn’t be long before success was achieved.

Following 54 and 52 appearances in his first two seasons, Goldson would shine during the 2020/21 campaign as the Gers won their first Premiership title in a decade.

He played in all 38 league matches (56 in total) and received a Sofascore rating of 7.39/10, ranking him as the club’s third-best performer in a truly wonderful campaign. Indeed, it’s no wonder he was described as a “rock” by Sky Sports producer Andrew Dickson.

Goldson managed to chip in with four goals while keeping a staggering 26 clean sheets during those 38 matches. He also won 71% of his total duels, made three clearances per game and 1.3 tackles each match as Rangers conceded just 13 league goals, a British record.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2021/2022 season, many of the Ibrox faithful felt he would leave on a free at the end of the campaign, however, he committed for another four years and this was arguably as big as any new signing.

Having joined for just £3m, Goldson is now worth €7m (£6m) and it's evident that the Gers have hit the jackpot with the £37k-per-week titan.

Having just turned 30 at the end of last year, there is still plenty of life left in Goldson, and he could remain a key part of the defence for the foreseeable future.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed on his YouTube channel that Newcastle United are keen on Portuguese ace Diogo Jota.

The Lowdown: PIF looking to make the next step

With Newcastle slowly losing their grip on the top four and Champions League football for next season, PIF will likely be analysing the transfer market and working with Eddie Howe to ensure there isn’t a similar story next year.

Therefore, bolstering what is a relatively thin squad in terms of quality outside of the starting XI is going to be crucial this summer if Newcastle are to kick on.

However, one link that has seemingly come out of nowhere is Newcastle’s interest in Liverpool star Jota, who’s recently recovered from a long-term injury and only just signed a new deal with the Reds last summer.

The Latest: Jota could cost around £60m

Given Newcastle’s struggles in front of goal this calendar year, recruiting Jota, who has 49 goal involvements in 99 games for Liverpool, would be stunning business – and Talbot believes PIF are indeed looking at the winger.

He said: “Diogo Jota, Newcastle quite like him which I was [quite] surprised about. He’d had a long-term injury, he signed a deal over the summer.

“That would be quite interesting. I don’t think much will happen on that front, I just think it’s quite interesting. It doesn’t mean Newcastle are going to get him.

“I did hear something like £60m or something like that.”

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The Verdict: Would be a major coup for Newcastle

Since getting his big-money move to Liverpool, Jota has gone on to prove himself to be a versatile and reliable goalscorer for the Reds, however, the more recent arrivals of players such as Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez may see his game time reduced significantly, despite Jurgen Klopp praising him publicly, labelling him ‘exceptional’ in recent weeks.

The Portugal international has proved he’s good enough to be a starting winger for any top-six side, and if Newcastle can guarantee him the minutes and sell him their project, we think it would make a lot of sense for both parties.

However, given he does still have a contract that runs until the summer of 2027, if Liverpool were willing to sell him for £60m, it would perhaps be quite a shock, but still something that the Magpies should indeed be sniffing around as he’d be a big upgrade on players such as Jacob Murphy, Ryan Fraser and Miguel Almiron, none of whom have reached the levels of the ex-Wolves man in the Premier League.

Arsenal are reportedly battling Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to sign Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio on a free transfer this summer.

The Lowdown: Talks scheduled

It was reported earlier this month that Asensio’s agents were flying to London to feel out interest in the Premier League, with Madrid not wanting to talk about a new deal until March or April.

His contract expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

The Latest: Competition…

As per Football Insider, Tottenham and United are also battling with Arsenal to sign Asensio, providing that he does not sign a contract extension.

They have now been ‘in contact’ over a potential deal which would see him join for free come the summer.

The Verdict: No-brainer

To sign a player of Asensio’s quality and experience for free is a no-brainer for the Gunners.

Hailed as ‘spectacular’ by his former agent Horacio Gaggioli, Asensio has had a great career at the age of 27, winning no fewer than three UEFA Champions League titles with Madrid, along with a host of other major accolades.

The winger has also been capped 35 times by Spain, and at 27, is a player only just about to enter his prime.

Nonetheless, Asensio would still have a sizeable sell-on value as well, if for some reason it did not work out at the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea are apparently fighting to sign Fiorentina star Sofyan Amrabat amid their links to Enzo Fernandez of Benfica, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Chelsea in Fernandez talks…

The Blues are apparently battling to get a deal over the line for Fernandez with reports suggesting they’re ready to pay big for his signature.

However, as the Premier League giants look to shore up their midfield, there have also been suggestions they have fall-back options like Ibrahima Bamba.

Now, as per El Chiringuito TV reporter Edu Aguirre, it appears Chelsea may have another name on their midfield shortlist.

The Latest: Chelsea in Amrabat transfer ‘fight’…

Speaking to the broadcaster, via Twitter, the journalist claims Chelsea are in a late ‘fight’ for Morocco star Amrabat alongside Man United and Barcelona.

However, Fiorentina are ‘reluctant’ to let him go out this month.

The Verdict: Right alternative?

As Chelsea allegedly chase a deal for Fernandez, perhaps Amrabat would come as a very good alternative, but they’re running out of time to make either signing.

It will be interesting to see who ultimately comes through the door before 11pm, but if it’s Amrabat, he would come with credentials.

The African midfielder, much like Fernandez, shone at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – playing a major role on their run to the competition’s semi-finals.

Amrabat was also called ‘sensational’ by professional footballer Jamie Smith for his performances in the Middle East, and that verdict is certainly backed by the numbers.

The 26-year-old was crucial for his national team, playing more World Cup minutes than anyone in their squad whilst proving a colossal presence for Morocco.

Indeed, he could be a brilliant accompaniment or alternative to Fernandez at Stamford Bridge.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke says that Everton are ‘plotting’ a move for West Ham United defender Ben Johnson.

The Lowdown: Gordon money to spend…

Everton now have money to spend after selling Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United for a reported £40m, potentially rising to £45m.

However, the Toffees have reportedly offered the same amount to Chelsea to try and sign midfielder Conor Gallagher, so it will be interesting to see how much money they have left in the bank to potentially spend on other signings.

The Latest: Johnson move plotted

Taking to Twitter, O’Rourke says that Everton are also ‘plotting’ a move for Johnson before the transfer window closes tomorrow night.

He tweeted: “Understand Everton are plotting a move to sign West Ham defender Ben Johnson before the close of the transfer window.”

Expanding in his corresponding article for Football Insider, O’Rourke adds that new Toffees manager Sean Dyche has already ‘sanctioned’ the move and is a ‘big admirer’ of Johnson’s versatility and Premier League calibre.

The Verdict: Smart target

Everton need to strengthen in a number of key areas before the transfer deadline, including in attack after the departure of Gordon, but full-back is another area which needs cover.

Johnson is equally as comfortable playing at right-back as at left-back, and Ruben Vinagre is only on loan from Sporting Lisbon, so the Toffees will need long-term competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left flank.

At right-back, Seamus Coleman is not getting any younger at 34, while Nathan Patterson has struggled with injuries ever since making his move from Rangers.

Nonetheless, considering Johnson’s Premier League experience, this would be a smart move for the Toffees, should they be able to get him signed before the deadline.

Arsenal are set to confirm the signing of centre-back Jakub Kiwior in the next 24 hours.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Simon Collings, with the journalist revealing in his latest article for the Evening Standard that, after Edu reached an agreement with Serie A side Spezia Calcio regarding a £21m deal for the 22-year-old, the defender is now expected to complete his move from Italy to England within the next day – upon completion of a medical with the Gunners.

The reporter went on to state that the signing of a left-footed centre-back has been a priority for Mikel Arteta in order to provide Gabriel Magalhaes with both backup and competition for his starting role in the heart of the Arsenal defence, with the Poland international who Collings dubbed ‘tall, strong and good on the ball’ appearing to suit the Spanish manager’s needs perfectly.

A “surprise” package

Considering just how impressive Kiwior has been in Italy so far this season, it is not difficult to understand why Arteta is interested in a deal to add the 6 foot 2 talent to his current centre-back options at The Emirates this winter.

Indeed, over his 17 Serie A appearances in the current campaign, the £18.5m-rated talent has been a rock in Spezia’s backline, making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 4.0 clearances and winning 3.2 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per game.

The £22k-per-week youngster also impresses in possession of the ball, having created one big chance for his teammates, in addition to enjoying an average of 57.7 touches, playing 3.3 long balls and completing 37.4 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per match.

These returns have seen the 22-year-old – who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig claimed has been a “surprise” package in Italy and journalist Fabrizo Romano dubbed “untouchable” – average an extremely impressive Sofascore statistical rating of 6.83, currently ranking the Pole as Spezia’s joint sixth-best performer in the top flight of Italian football.

Rather unsurprisingly, these performances have seen the centre-back come in for a considerable amount of praise, with Robert Lewandowski labelling Kiwior an “extraordinary” talent, while Poland manager Czesław Michniewicz also stated of the youngster last year (via TEAMtalk):

“His calmness is striking, he receives the ball, he has good technique, good passing. He is taught how to play defence in Italy. Kiwior came as an unknown player, and with his attitude against the Netherlands, he showed today that he can be the one we have been looking for for years. He has a left foot, a lot of calm in the game, smart positioning and great technique.”

As such, much like Michniewicz for Poland, considering just how well-suited Kiwior very much looks to be for Arteta’s particular set-up in north London, the 22-year-old could very easily also be the one Arsenal have ‘been looking for for years’ – something that would undoubtedly come as a very pleasant surprise to the 40-year-old coach and his side.