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The South Africa batsman, who hit a century in the second ODI against Sri Lanka, said that being dropped from the side after a run of poor form helped him turn his game around

Firdose Moonda02-Feb-20173:08

‘More belief factor in my game now’ – Miller

In his last three ODI innings, David Miller has won South Africa two matches, doubled his century count and lifted his strike rate to 103.6. It may be too early to be properly excited about this but Miller could finally be turning into the finisher South Africa envisioned when they first picked him almost seven years ago: a Herschelle Gibbs who comes in mid-innings, a Lance Klusener without the bowling, a bringer of X-factor to major tournaments.”He is not just a power hitter, he is a smart batter as well now,” Faf du Plessis, who shared in a 117-run fifth-wicket stand with Miller in the second ODI against Sri Lanka, said. “He has become a real world-class batter now. He knows that 30s and 40s are not what’s going to make him a great and he is beginning to believe he can do more now and that is obviously going to win us games of cricket, which is fantastic and it’s going to make him into a world-class batter.”Miller’s maturity is the most obvious development in his career, which he began as a boy specialising in belligerent cameos and has now evolved into a man who understands his role in the team. Most importantly, he knows that the role will change depending on the fortunes of the talent-laden top six.Given who bats before him – Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy – there will be times when Miller will not get the opportunity for much more than a blitz to bring the innings to a close. But there will also be times when South Africa are in trouble and then, instead of contributing to the collapse, Miller will have to shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding.When Miller’s form suggested that he would not be able to do that job – he went 16 innings and eight months without a half-century in 2015 – he was left out of the side to play England and a triangular series in the Caribbean. That was the wake-up call he needed.”It was getting dropped and then the penny dropped as well,” he said. “I worked on a few technical things – playing the ball a little bit later makes a huge difference. Early in my career I was really pushing at the ball and I do still at times. But it’s coming into my game more to get myself in and trust that, if I’m going at that 60 or 70 strike rate, it’s okay. I can catch up at the end.”In Miller’s most recent hundreds, he has been circumspect at the start. He was 5 off 15 balls against Australia last October before he took 15 runs off an Adam Zampa over to get the ball rolling. He was 39 off 52 balls against Sri Lanka on Wednesday night, and then struck successive sixes straight down the ground to bring up his half-century.”It was unexpected, because Faf and I spoke the ball before and said let’s just keep knocking them around and trying to build the partnership – play low-risk cricket. And I just smacked two sixes over his head and Faf said, ‘What was the whole chat about?’,” Miller said. “I said it was quite full and I needed to go. I thought my positions were getting a lot better at that stage and I was backing myself to clear the ropes.”Clean hitting has always been a strength of Miller’s, so much so that he puts some of team-mates to shame – “I feel like I hit baby sixes compared to what he does,” du Plessis said – but he has now learnt to be more selective about the deliveries he punishes and he puts more effort into strike-rotation. “He can shift gears and adapt his game plan to the situation,” du Plessis explained.On a pitch du Plessis said slowed down after the first ten overs, keeping the scoreboard ticking was important. Miller ran 51 singles and nine twos, to accumulate most of his runs with hard work and saving the big hits for the end.South Africa scored 78 runs in the last seven overs, Miller hit two of his three fours and three of his six sixes in that time and shared in a 60-run stand with Chris Morris. Having lower-order allrounders to bat with has been “comforting” to Miller because he knows they can help at the death and he hopes to help them develop into the kind of finisher he is becoming.”I knew it would be of more benefit if we batted until the last 10 overs and then we could clear the ropes. But we had to build a foundation and bat some time, which was nice to do. It was about trying to bat as long as I could and give them the opportunity, at the end, if it came,” Miller said. “I’ve learnt a lot in my career so far, and I believe everything’s a journey. I’m going in the right direction. It’s all about putting in the hard work and then believing it as well. That belief factor is coming into my game a lot more.”

West Ham United's initial trepidation over losing captain Declan Rice this summer has slowly turned to cautious optimism as the Hammers continue to be linked with some big names.

David Moyes will be eager to use some of the cash Rice's sale brings to strengthen other positions, but a new central midfielder is surely top of his wishlist this summer.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Chelsea are all reported to be in the running for Rice, who could attract a fee in excess of £100m, though The Sun claims the latter are the preferred choice for the Hammers.

That is because there is a possibility that Conor Gallagher – who himself is valued at £50m by Chelsea, according to the Daily Mail – could be used in part-exchange for Rice, leaving plenty of money left over to bring in a defender and a striker.

What can Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher bring to West Ham United?

After impressing on loan with another London side in Crystal Palace two seasons ago, Gallagher was given a chance – of sorts – by Chelsea last time out in what was a poor campaign for the Blues, who lurched from one manager to another.

While almost half of Gallagher's 35 Premier League appearances last season came as a substitute, the six-cap England international was still able to showcase his talents.

Gallagher scored three goals and assisted another, while the nine yellow cards he received – the most of any Chelsea player – also highlights the tenacious side of his game.

As pointed out by sports writer PGR Analytics, Gallagher has a "relentless work rate" and is a "threat in the final third" – qualities that Hammers fans would surely love to see.

While not a like-for-like replacement for Rice in a direct sense, there are some similarities between the two men. Gallagher is a more attacking player, as reflected in his 0.22 goals and assists per 90 last season, compared to 0.14 for Rice.

As per FBref, Rice has a slightly better pass percentage than Gallagher per 90 minutes (86.5 v 81.1), while they average 68 and 63 touches per 90 – not a huge deal of difference.

Gallagher's arrival at West Ham would certainly excite fans, even if the £50m price tag seems a little excessive. However, in the same week Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid for a fee rising to £115m, Gallagher boasts many similar attributes to his international colleague.

Indeed, FBref's comparison tool ranks Bellingham as the player most like Gallagher across Europe's top five leagues in terms of their statistical profiles.

For example, they find the target from a similar number of shots (39.3% for Gallagher at Chelsea, compared to 34.8% for Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund), have a near identical pass-completion percentage (81.1 v 81.7) and tackle at a similar rate (2.56 per game v 2.54), all per 90 via FBref.

This is not to say Gallagher is on the same level as Bellingham right now, but as a replacement for Rice, and with a huge sum of cash left over for one or two other players, it is a deal that could make lots of sense for West Ham as they look to move on from their long-serving skipper.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their efforts to improve their defensive options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Jonathan Panzo to Rangers?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Light Blues have asked about a potential deal to sign Jonathan Panzo from Premier League side Nottingham Forest ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The reporter revealed:

"Rangers are set to complete deal to sign Sam Lammers this week — medicals are scheduled on Wednesday. #Rangers Understand Rangers have also asked for Jonathan Panzo again as new centre-back, talks are ongoing — but there are also German and English clubs keen on signing him."

This comes after Football Insider reported that a fee in the region of £2m could be enough to secure the 22-year-old's signature.

How would Jonathan Panzo fit in at Rangers?

The English centre-back, who was once hailed as "exciting" by Forest boss Steve Cooper, is a left-footed battler who could line up on his favoured foot next to the experienced Connor Goldson.

Having the natural balance of a left-footed and right-footed central defensive pairing can be crucial to the build-up play as they would be able to open up onto their favourite side to pass the ball out from the back, whether that is to the flanks or by breaking lines into midfield.

This means that Panzo and Goldson are a viable partnership and the Gers could, therefore, form a monster pairing for Michael Beale as they are both dominant titans who are able to bully opposition forwards.

The 22-year-old brute spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Coventry City in the Championship and enjoyed a solid year.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.99 across 29 appearances and won 58% of his individual duels, which came after he won the same percentage of his battles in 22 outings in Ligue 1 for Dijon during the 2021/22 season.

These statistics show that the English talent is able to win the majority of his physical contests at the back and does not allow himself to be ousted by opposing attackers too often.

Goldson, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.29 in 25 Scottish Premiership matches for Rangers and won an impressive 67% of his duels, which came after he came out on top in 68% of his fights in the league in the previous campaign.

The experienced 30-year-old enforcer has proven himself to be a dominant centre-back in Scotland and Panzo, who is eight years younger than him, could improve his own game in that regard by learning from the former Brighton & Hove Albion titan.

Therefore, they could be a monstrous pairing at the back for Beale as they are both physically intimidating players who have the potential to strike fear into opposition teams.

John Gleeson, the former Australia spinner, has died at the age of 78 in Tamworth, New South Wales.Gleeson was Australia’s 242nd Test cricketer and played 29 matches between 1967 and 1972. He took 93 wickets at an average of 36 with three five-wicket hauls. Gleeson also claimed 430 first-class wickets in a 116-match career between 1966 and 1975, predominantly for New South Wales.”He’s sadly passed away in the Tamworth hospital, aged 78,” the former Australia captain Ian Chappell relayed to viewers during Channel Nine’s coverage of a Matador Cup game.Gleeson was one of the early unorthodox spinners, delivering with an unusual action like Australia’s Jack Iverson before him and Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis decades later. “The folded finger-spinner they called him,” Chappell said. “He came from Tamworth, started out his cricket life as a wicketkeeper and he fiddled around flicking these balls … I think he started with a table tennis ball, and developed into a very fine finger spinner.”I spoke to him the other day, he’d come to grips with his situation and his last words were to me, ‘Don’t fret, mate, I’m in good shape’.”A late starter to first-class cricket at 27, Gleeson had honed his method for years prior, experimenting with various grips in backyard cricket ater being partly inspired by fellow “mystery” spinner Iverson. “The first time I saw it was a photograph in a 1951 Sporting Life magazine,” he said of Iverson’s grip in a 2008 interview. “I would bowl with the same grip with a tennis ball in backyard cricket, with a jacaranda tree as the wicket. It was quite natural for me to bowl a legspinner even if it looked like an offspinner – it was basically a reverse wrong’un: looks like an offspinner but is a legspinner.”Gleeson worked his way into the New South Wales state side and ultimately the Australian Test team after impressing Richie Benaud in a net session in the summer of 1966-67. He always remained somewhat miffed by the hype that surrounded his bowling style, which was a forerunner to other more lateral methods of spinning the ball that would follow in later years around the cricket world. His path to the Test side was to be smoothed by another net session, in Adelaide where he bowled to the then selection chairman Sir Donald Bradman.”He stood there, in his suit, at the batting crease, without a bat. I ran up and bowled. To get the ball to turn a fair bit I had to bowl a lot slower than I normally did,” Gleeson said. “I bowled him that ball [an off break] and he tried to let it hit the net, but it went the other way, flew up, and hit him on the hip. His eyes lit up and he just picked the ball up and threw it back to me. Next ball, I bowled him the wrong’un and then he wasn’t quite sure which way to go as he wasn’t reading from the hand.”James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said: “John captured the imagination of cricket fans everywhere as he bamboozled batsmen with his odd bowling grip, borrowed from another mystery Australian spinner, Jack Iverson.””We were deeply saddened to hear of John’s passing and are truly appreciative of his contribution to the game, which, beyond his distinguished playing career, included time as an administrator with World Series Cricket. As a cricketer, he will be remembered as someone who played for his country at the highest level and, with his unique skills, had the ability to regularly dumbfound the best batsmen in any team.”

Test cricket in winter could become a reality in South African cricket after the experiment to host New Zealand out-of-season was declared a success by players and administrators alike

Firdose Moonda01-Sep-2016Test cricket in winter could become a reality in South Africa after the experiment to host New Zealand out-of-season in August was declared a success by players and administrators alike. The Durban debacle aside, SuperSport Park in Centurion produced a good pitch and pristine outfield, and drew sizable crowds on all four days.”We want to play Test matches at home as much as possible so if that means we have to do it in the winter, we are all for it. Especially in Centurion,” Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s stand-in captain, said. “Everything about the field was really good. The weather was really good, the pitch played well and the outfield was beautiful.”The possibility of dead pitches was one of the reasons why cricket in winter hadn’t been mooted by Cricket South Africa previously. Dry winters everywhere except the Cape – where rain makes it difficult to play – leave surfaces barren. But at Centurion, a significant grass covering ensured assistance for seamers throughout.”This was a great Test wicket – you had all the different combinations and all the factors come into play,” du Plessis said. “Day one, your seamers must play a big role, the wicket must move around and you must be tight as a batting unit. Day two and three must be good batting conditions and then day four and five must bring its different challenges. Maybe the only thing we didn’t see in this match was spin on day four and five, and also, we didn’t see reverse swing. It didn’t happen because the outfield was beautiful, nice and lush, so those are the only things we didn’t see.”Kane Williamson, who regarded South Africa’s first innings total as being ” hugely influential” in the outcome, was a little more measured in his praise of the pitch, which thought may have deteriorated a little too quickly. Batting became progressively difficult as uneven bounce became a factor from the second day.What both captains agreed on was that the outfield was as pleasant to play on as it was to look at. The playing area was re-laid with winter grass for this Test after both South Africa and New Zealand complained of the outfield being too hard, during an ODI series in July-August 2015.The de-seeding process, which involved planting different grass to the usual summer carpet, took place in April. It was far different to the work done at Kingsmead in Durban, where the outfield was decompacted in June, making it hard to recover in time for the first Test.That doesn’t mean Durban is completely unsuitable for winter cricket. Had flash floods in July and unseasonal downpours on the second day of the first Test not taken place, more play may have been possible. Durban’s warm days could be factored in while drawing the winter schedule. However, it is likely that concentration of out-of-season activity is likely to be on the Highveld where clear skies and mild sunshine are a guarantee.One venue that is particularly keen to continue hosting winter cricket is the SuperSport Park. “It’s like asking a kid if they want ice-cream,” Jacques Faul, Titans CEO said. “We would definitely do it again. We considered it a huge success.”While the stadium did not see a sell-out crowd, the local association was happy with the numbers they got. Faul put down the response to proliferation of sporting activities at this time of year, which includes rugby. Attendance swelled to 9000 on days one and two – a Saturday and Sunday – and dropped to around 3500 on day three and 2000 on day four.”That’s what we budgeted for,” Faul said. “We would have liked to start on Friday but that was impossible because of the regulations about the number of days teams needs between Tests. Ideally, we would like to have it Friday to Tuesday.”

ScorecardAneurin Donald made runs during a dreary final day•Getty Images

Callum Jackson, who was released by Sussex last year because of financial cutbacks, answered Kent’s emergency call for a wicketkeeper in Cardiff. He travelled from Kent on Tuesday night to deputise for Adam Rouse who has a broken finger which needs an operation.There was little prospect of a result to the game once 104.1 overs had been lost during the first two days, with both teams content with bonus points, although Glamorgan, despite their 12 points, remain at the bottom of Division 2.Had the weather not intervened, there could have been an interesting final day, with Kent chasing a target on a pitch that favoured the seamers.Callum Jackson•ECB

Glamorgan resumed on 22 for 0 on the final morning, but added only seven runs before Jacques Rudolph again failed, pulling a short delivery from Mitchell Claydon to the fielder stationed on the long leg boundary. Mark Wallace, another senior batsman in need of runs, mixed caution with aggression to add 52 with Will Bragg- before Bragg was bowled by Matt Coles for 22. Wallace went on to score 52 with seven fours, until he touched one to Jackson.Callum Jackson•ECB

Chris Cooke quickly followed, leg before playing across a delivery from Claydon, who then dismissed David Lloyd three balls later with the combined efforts of three fielders; the batsman edged the ball to fourth slip who diverted to third slip and eventually to Tom Latham at second slip who held on to spare his colleagues’ blushes.Aneurin Donald and Graham Wagg then averted a total collapse by adding 80 for the sixth wicket, with Donald, scoring an attractive 67- his third championship fifty of the season- from 68 balls with nine boundaries. Wagg went on to score his second fifty of the game, exceed 500 runs for the third successive season, being particularly severe on James Tredwell’s off spin whom he struck for 22 in one over.He was undefeated on 64, and now needs only 42 more runs to become Glamorgan’s leading run scorer in the championship this season .Both teams shook hands at 4.55pm when Glamorgan declared at 279 for 6- a lead of 348.Rudolph was pleased by his team’s overall performance- especially the two seamers Michael Hogan and Timm Van Der Gugten- and felt that” had we not lost so much time because of the weather, we could have won the game. But we are on an upward curve, and we are not far away from that championship win.”Kent captain Sam Northeast said that “after two weeks of white ball cricket, we found it tough to adjust, and we were not clinical enough after reducing them to 137 for 6 in the first innings but I was happy as they progressed from then on”.

Manchester United are believed to be in the race for Brighton and Hove Albion playmaker, Alexis Mac Allister, with the World Cup winner seemingly in line for a high-profile move away from the Amex this summer.

What's the latest on Mac Allister to Man United?

According to The Athletic, the Red Devils – as well as bitter rivals Liverpool – are said to be among the clubs who are 'interested' in signing the 24-year-old, with the Argentine gem said to be craving Champions League football next season.

While Jurgen Klopp's men are looking rather rampant at present, United currently hold the advantage in that regard with a top-four finish still in their own hands, ensuring that Erik ten Hag and co could nudge ahead in the battle for the midfielder's signature.

As per the report, the 16-cap ace's current deal – which expires in 2025 – contains a 'mechanism' that could 'help to facilitate a move', albeit with the Seagulls seemingly set to have control over negotiations – with a £70m price tag having been mooted.

This piece comes following the admission from Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi that both Mac Allister and teammate Moises Caicedo could be set to leave the south coast side at the end of the current campaign.

How would Mac Allister fit in at Man United?

As something of an "all-round player" – as hailed by United legend Paul Ince – Mac Allister could well provide real quality to the Old Trafford outfit for the 2023/24 campaign, with the former Argentinos Juniors man a particularly attractive target due to his impressive versatility.

That flexibility has been evident in recent weeks as the highly-coveted talent was deployed in a deep-lying role in the recent win over Ten Hag's men, putting in a 'masterful display' and looking 'ice cool' in possession, according to 90min's Jude Summerfield.

Having been the man to seal the win on the day after converting a last-gasp spot-kick, the £50k-per-week dynamo was again impressive after taking on a more advanced starting berth in the 3-0 thrashing of Arsenal on Sunday, with Sussex Live's Richard Mills writing that he had 'covered an awful lot of ground'.

Those two recent outings have showcased that Mac Allister is a real asset both in and out of possession, having thus far chipped in with ten goals and one assist in the Premier League this season, as well as averaging 2.2 tackles per game as a marker of his ball-winning prowess.

The 5 foot 9 ace's ability to seamlessly change position could well see him dovetail nicely with United's own midfield maestro, Bruno Fernandes, with the Portugal international typically operating in a playmaking role, although has also taken up a more central role on occasion.

The former Sporting CP notably took on that latter berth in the win over Everton last month, with Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst writing that the 28-year-old had 'exploited' the Toffees 'time and again'.

Much like Mac Allister, the creative ace is able to make an impact both in the final third as well as off the ball if required, having registered six goals and eight assists in the top flight this season, while also averaging 1.9 tackles per game.

Of course, the Brighton ace – who has created just three big chances this season – may not be able to mirror Fernandes' relentless attacking threat as the latter man has created 31 big chances, although he could potentially offer a more calming influence having achieved an average pass accuracy rate of 87% this season, a far better record than that of the current United ace (78%).

Those similarities and differences between the pair could well make them an exciting combination at the Theatre of Dreams next term.

Arsenal's reported summer target Declan Rice made no secrets about his post-match discussion with the Gunners manager Mikel Arteta.

Does Declan Rice want to join Arsenal?

The north London side have enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign under their Spanish coach where they have put together a solid push for the Premier League title.

However, over the last two weeks, there have been indications that this title charge could be on the verge of collapsing with two-goal leads thrown away against Liverpool and West Ham United.

But it seems as if they are already looking ahead to the summer transfer window as their project under Arteta may need further reinforcements to solidify them as regular title competitors.

One name who has been linked with a serious interest from the north London club is West Ham's midfield general, Rice, who put in a solid shift on Sunday.

And after the game at the London Stadium, the £60k-per-week Rice was captured sharing an embrace with the Spaniard amid the transfer speculation.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones has commented on the England midfielder not being concerned about the perception on his discussion with Arteta ahead of the summer window:

"What I think is interesting is that he (Rice) didn't care about being so public about those moments. He knows the stories are out there.

"But in his mind, he's given West Ham absolutely everything. And he's got nothing to hide in this situation. End of the day, he's making a career for himself."

Should Arsenal go all out for Rice?

Perhaps one of the surprise packages in this season's Premier League campaign has been Granit Xhaka in the middle of the Arsenal side.

The Swiss midfielder has even been booed off the pitch by his own fans in the past but he has received a lot of praise over recent months for his turnaround in north London.

However, he operates the midfield alongside Thomas Partey who has established himself in the side since his arrival from Atletico Madrid.

So it will provide Arteta with an interesting headache if Rice is to join over the summer given the Gunners already have such a strong midfield.

Rice has been hailed as a "superstar" by Bianca Westwood and it's clear to see why when he ranks inside the top ninth percentile for both clearances and interceptions (via FBref).

This is a player who could seriously improve the Arsenal midfield with their strength in depth taking a huge boost if Xhaka was willing to play a rotational role.

Rice (2.27) has more than doubled the number of tackles per 90 minutes that Xhaka (1.06) has returned this season with a much higher tackles-won percentage too (via FBref).

But it will leave an interesting dynamic in the camp and it would be intriguing to see whether – at 30 years old – Xhaka would be willing to take up a lesser role in the squad.

For the third successive knockout round, Manchester United are set to face off against Spanish opposition in tonight's Europa League, quarter-final first-leg clash at home to Sevilla, having already seen off both Barcelona and Real Betis in the play-off round and last 16, respectively.

Unlike that latter duo, the upcoming opponents are currently enduring a disappointing season in La Liga which has already seen both Julen Lopetegui and Jorge Sampaoli dismissed from the dugout, although the Andalusian outfit boast an incredible record in the competition, having won it six times.

The Europa League specialists notably knocked United out of the competition at the semi-final stage back in 2020, while also progressing at the Red Devils' expense in the last 16 of the Champions League during the 2017/18 season.

With Erik ten Hag's men out for revenge this time around, the Dutchman will, however, have to make do without the likes of Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay who have both suffered recent injury blows, while Luke Shaw and Alejandro Garnacho are also not yet ready to return.

That being said, however, this evening's encounter will see former Real Madrid man Casemiro available for selection once again, with the Brazilian having sat out the last four games in league and cup after serving a domestic suspension.

With that in mind, here's how Football FanCast predicts that the Old Trafford outfit could line up this evening, following the weekend win over Everton.

What will Man United's starting lineup be vs Sevilla?

4-3-3 – (GK) De Gea; (RB) Dalot, (CB) Varane, (CB) Martinez, (LB) Malacia; (CDM) Casemiro, (CM) Sabitzer, (CM) Fernandes; (RW) Antony, (LW) Sancho, (ST) Martial

We predict that there will be four alterations from the side that ran out 2-0 winners against the Toffees, with one notable change set to see club captain Harry Maguire drop out of the side, while Ten Hag could also look to continue the competition at right-back by handing the starting berth back to Diogo Dalot.

As for the midfield ranks, the aforementioned Casemiro is undoubtedly chomping at the bit to make his return to action, with the £300k-per-week "monster" – as hailed by writer Muhammad Butt – having notably scored more times against Sevilla (three) than against any other team in his glittering playing career.

While there will be those angling for Christian Eriksen to return to the starting lineup after making his injury comeback against Sean Dyche's men off the bench, there is no real need to rush the Danish playmaker back into the fold, particularly with Marcel Sabitzer having 'thrived' on Saturday – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

With Bruno Fernandes also in line to make his 48th appearance of the campaign, the only other change should lie in a forward line that seemingly picks itself, with Anthony Martial taking the place of the stricken Rashford, alongside Antony and Jadon Sancho.

Manchester United are willing to allow Brandon Williams to leave Old Trafford on loan this summer, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: United career

Williams is a product of the Red Devils academy and enjoyed a breakthrough campaign during the 2019/20 season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The former United boss described the left-back as ‘exceptional’ following a Europa League meeting with Partizan Belgrade, making a total of 36 appearances during that season.

However, since then, first-team opportunities have been limited, with the 22-year-old spending last season on loan with Norwich City in the Premier League.

Pundit Tony Cascarino stated last year that Williams and former Chelsea youngster Billy Gilmour had ‘gone backwards’ during their temporary stays at Carrow Road.

“We talk all the time about young lads going elsewhere and improving. [Brandon] Williams as well from United, but they have gone backwards this year. Two players have gone there from big clubs have gone backwards at Norwich.”

It looks as if another loan exit is on the cards over the coming months, potentially to a side in the second tier.

The Latest: Transfer news

Football Insider shared a story regarding Williams in the last 48 hours, claiming there is ‘a growing stampede for his signature going into the main window’ from sides in the Championship.

The report states that ‘United are willing to loan out the defender next season in an attempt to reignite his faltering career’, with Williams missing large parts of the season through injury.

The Verdict: Good decision

It looks set to be an extremely busy summer at Old Trafford in the transfer window, potentially under new owners. Williams may not be the only defender to depart, though, with the club open to moving on Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof after receiving the green light from manager Erik ten Hag.

Another loan move for Williams seems to be the best for all involved, with the player struggling to feature with Ten Hag having Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia to choose from.

He has featured in just five minutes of EFL Cup action under Ten Hag, so allowing him to play regular first-team football elsewhere next season seems to be what is needed.

Should a loan move to the Championship materialise, Williams may need to star in the 2023/24 campaign, with his contract at Old Trafford set to expire in 2024. There is an option for a further 12 months, though, so it could be a crucial 18 months in regards to the player’s long-term future in Manchester.