Ish Sodhi, the New Zealand legspinner, is set to don a new role for Rajasthan Royals. After being released earlier this year following a two-year stint, the 27-year old will rejoin as spin consultant and operations executive.

"Ish was very keen with the managerial side of things, and was particularly interested in how things work behind the scenes, so we thought while we bring him on board in an operational capacity, he can also double-up on the coaching front by assisting our spin coach Sairaj Bahutule," a Royals official told ESPNcricinfo.

As such, an active cricketer seeking to broaden his horizons into the business operations of a franchise is unique, and Sodhi could be a pathbreaker of sorts. But such an association isn't entirely new for the Royals, who earlier had Pravin Tambe in their roster.

The Mumbai legspinner was once a a venue manager at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. He also served as liaison officer for Deccan Chargers at the same venue in 2010. In 2013, he was part of the Royals squad despite not having played a single game of top-flight cricket.

In 2020, at 48, he will be the oldest player in the competition following a bid at his base price (INR 20 lakhs) from Kolkata Knight Riders, while Sodhi, nearly two decades younger, works in the backroom. According to the Royals, Sodhi's rapport with their young spinners - Shreyas Gopal, Riyan Parag - played a hand in him being signed in a dual capacity. This season, he'll also get to work with 20-year old legspinner Mayank Markande, who has been traded in after two years with Mumbai Indians.

"It is a fascinating opportunity for me to involved with the coaching staff at such a young age, while also supporting and learning about the operations of the business," Sodhi said in a statement. "I am looking forward to developing my coaching skills alongside Sairaj and learning from Jake Lush McCrum (chief operating officer) on business operations."

Sodhi picked up nine wickets in eight matches for the Royals at an economy of 6.69. While he isn't part of New Zealand's Test plans at the moment, he's still on their radar for limited-overs selection. In all, Sodhi has an impressive 161 wickets in 143 T20 matches, with a best of 6 for 11 for Adelaide Strikers against Sydney Thunder in BBL 2017-18.

"We are very happy to welcome back Ish to the Royals family in his new role," Royals' head of cricket Zubin Barucha said. "The induction of Ish in this dual role demonstrates the Royals' commitment to recognise and reward young talent to develop into masters in their field of work."

It seemed that with every 3-pointer, steal or block Terence Davis made during his first Vegas Summer League game in July, his agent got a text message from another interested team.

At halftime the contract offers began rolling in. Within hours after the game, during which he scored 22 points with five 3-pointers, he had a guaranteed contract with the Toronto Raptors, who had been there to watch him.

"I had to make sure nobody was looking over my shoulder reading my texts," agent Adam Pensack said. "Several of the teams I was texting with were sitting near me and I didn't want them to see the conversations I was having about TD. It was a very unique situation."

Davis went undrafted in June, a common plight for summer league players. But not many players create a battle for their services after one game.

He has proved a boon to the injury-plagued Raptors as a 3-and-D player, hitting 41 percent from 3-point range and ranking among the league's best defenders at shooting guard, according to ESPN's real plus-minus.

Thursday, the Raptors visit the Miami Heat in a potential playoff preview featuring the Eastern Conference's two most surprising teams. While many teams hunt the summer leagues and G League for prospects, the Raptors and Heat are making a cottage industry of finding overlooked talent. Undrafted players underscore the surprising nature of each team's success.

Fred VanVleet's story is well known. The Raptors targeted the undrafted point guard after four years of college at Wichita State, gave him a shot in summer league and immediately signed him to a multiyear contract in July 2016. VanVleet was a core piece last spring of the first NBA championship team that didn't include a player drafted in the lottery.

In addition to VanVleet and Davis, the Raptors have Chris Boucher, an undrafted big man from Montreal who has played a big role for the Raptors as they've dealt with injuries to Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam. Boucher, previously on a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors, has great athleticism and plays with defensive energy, earning minutes from coach Nick Nurse.

Nurse also has used rookie undrafted players Matt Thomas, a 3-point specialist, and Oshae Brissett, a defensive-minded forward, to fill holes. All these players fit the Raptors' mold as versatile defenders, contributing to Toronto's 23-11 record and top-three defense.

"You're seeing more undrafted guys contribute, and I think a possible reason is the difference between the 25th player in the draft and the 95th player is getting thinner," said Nurse, who won a championship as a G League head coach and has always believed in the potential of players in the minors. "It makes player development and using your G League team important factors."

The Raptors firmly believe the Raptors 905's 2017 G League title, with VanVleet and Siakam playing large roles, was a stepping-stone to winning the big one last year.

Two members of the Heat's 2012 title team -- Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony -- were undrafted, part of the Heat's history of finding and cultivating undrafted talent. In recent years they discovered guards Tyler Johnson and Rodney McGruder, bringing them up through their G League team in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

This season, coach Erik Spoelstra is using a remarkable four players in his rotation who weren't drafted: Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Derrick Jones Jr. and Chris Silva.

Nunn, a shooting guard, and Robinson, a forward, are starters and big parts of the Heat's 3-point shooting machine that ranks second in the NBA in percentage.

Nunn was tracked by Heat assistant general manager Adam Simon in the G League last season after he showed promise with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Simon pestered general manager Andy Elisburg and president Pat Riley incessantly to sign Nunn before another team did. With a series of roster moves, Miami cleared a spot and signed Nunn on the final day of the season.

Robinson played at Michigan but was lightly pursued by NBA teams until he was spotted in a Los Angeles workout in 2018 by longtime Heat scout Chet Kammerer, who has a history of finding diamonds in the rough for Riley. The Heat got Robinson on their summer league team, and now he's third in the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage (.462).

"He's one of the best shooters on this planet," Spoelstra said. "He's hungry, he's driven and he's ambitious."

Jones, a long-armed wing, and Silva, a big man, are role players and more dunkers than 3-point shooters. But both have excellent athleticism and can fly around on defense, earning steady minutes from Spoelstra. Jones, known for his highlight dunks, has made an impact with his perimeter defense and has become a force when the Heat play zone.

Nunn, Robinson, Jones and Silva will make around $5 million combined this season. Those bargains are vital for the Heat, who are paying noncontributing veterans Dion Waiters and James Johnson $27 million and not missing them one bit so far.

"What the Heat have been able to do with those guys is a good story," Nurse said. "The talent pool is getting deeper."

Hopefully everyone's holidays went well. In the MLB offseason, stuff happened while we were distracted by all the festivities. You might have caught some or all of these tidbits in the peripheral of your attention span. Or you might have been completely focused on other things, non-baseball things. That's fine. It happens. But it's time to make up for that.

Let's run through some recent moves you might have missed, or barely paid attention to. None of these are earth-rattlers but they all matter, at least a little bit.

Nick Kyrgios will donate 200 Australian dollars (£106) for each ace he hits in the Australian summer swing to those affected by the country's bushfires.

The Australian, 24, earlier called on Tennis Australia to host a fund-raising exhibition, with chief executive Craig Tiley confirming plans are being made.

Fellow Australians Alex de Minaur and John Millman pledged their own support, donating money for every ace they hit.

Meanwhile Australia's cricketers are planning tributes and fund-raising.

They and opponents New Zealand will wear black armbands in tribute to those affected by widespread bushfires in Australia when the teams meet in Friday's third Test in Sydney.

There will also be a minute's applause to honour the country's firefighters.

"We pray conditions improve, the fires ease and the rains come," said Australia coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine in a joint letter.

"And, above all else, we hope all Australians pull together and help each other through this incredibly difficult time."

The pair also said the firefighters were the "true heroes of every summer".

At least 18 people have died in blazes across the country.

Cricket Australia also announced there will be a fund-raising drive for the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund during one-day matches between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney in March, while the team's shirts from the Boxing Day Test win over the Black Caps are being auctioned off.

Australia head into the final match of the three-Test series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.

The match may be hampered by the smoke from fires that have spread to the outskirts of Sydney and umpires have the option to suspend play if smoke affects air quality or visibility.

"Like rain, the rules are in place to add time, to suspend play. But what we're finding is smoke comes in quick but also goes quick," Cricket Australia's head of operations Peter Roach said.

"We might see some challenges across that day, but we'll play it like rain or adverse weather. Time can be added on."

A Big Bash match was abandoned in Canberra in December because of poor air quality, while players at golf's Australian Open in Sydney complained of stinging eyes and trouble breathing.

Tennis stars to join fund-raising drive

Kyrgios, Australia's number two tennis player, suggested on social media on Wednesday that Tennis Australia should use the presence of the world's best players in the country in the build-up to the Australian Open to raise funds.

Tiley, the governing body's chief, responded on Thursday, announcing that fund-raisers would be held at the inaugural ATP Cup, which begins on Friday, the Australian Open, which starts on 20 January, and warm-up events held between the two.

"For weeks we've been watching the devastation caused by bushfires across Australia and the people affected are constantly in our thoughts," said Tiley.

"We want to help these communities in a meaningful way and will announce a number of fund-raising and support initiatives that will be rolled out across the coming weeks."

Kyrgios' decision to donate an amount based on his ace count over the Australian summer was followed by De Minaur and Millman pledging $250 and $100 per ace themselves.

Kyrgios is one of the leading servers on the ATP Tour, averaging 16.6 aces per match in 2019.

Tim Henman who is captaining the British team at the ATP Cup in Sydney said he was confident that the air quality will not be a problem at the tournament.

"I think in the context of what this country is going through with the bushfires and for us having to deal with perhaps slightly poor air quality, I think there is the perspective," he said.

"I don't envisage it being a problem at all."

STOCKTON, Calif. – A track record 137 racers started their seasons at the Stockton Dirt Track on New Year’s Day.

Five divisions ran a draw/redraw format with a mid-afternoon starting time.

Unsanctioned but running IMCA rules, 41 modifieds and 32 sport mods drew the largest fields. Pro stocks, bombers, and four cylinders all had full fields to create an overflowing pit area.

The modified field ran six heats with the top-three moving directly to the  main while the top-two were part of the redraw. Sport mods had four heats, moving the top-three to the redraw with both divisions using B mains to complete the field.

A 25-lap modified main offered $1500 to win.  Front row starter Troy Foulger was untouchable the entire distance. Finishing well back of Foulger were Dylan Thorton and Ryan McDaniel, the New Year’s Day winner last year.

The 25-lap sport mod main was a good one with an early leader coming back to regain the lead.

Andrew Peckham used an outside front row start to lead eight laps but then fell to third.  Using the top line down the backstretch on lap 17, Peckham passed Guy Ahlwardt to take back the lead and earned the win.

Eighteen pro stocks were on hand, racing for $1,000 to win in a 20-lap main. It took seventh starting Jesse Gonzalez 13 laps to take the lead and he was in charge from that point on.

All 28 bombers were placed in their 20-lap main. Starting 10th, Clarence Holbrook used a contact-filled pass to take the lead and pick up the win.

The 18-car turnout of four-cylinder small cars had a competitive main with fifth starting Bob Davis posting the win following some side by side action.

New year, new decade, new you. The same can apply to NHL teams, as you'll see in this week's ESPN Power Rankings. As the calendar flips to 2020, we assigned some classic New Year's resolutions to every team -- because no matter where you are in life, you always have a chance for self-improvement.

How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1-31, and those results are tabulated to the list featured here. Teams are rated through Tuesday night's games, taking into account overall record, recent success and other factors such as injuries. The previous ranking for each team is its spot in our final edition of 2019.

1. Washington Capitals

Previous ranking: 1

Be good to old friends. Nicklas Backstrom is up for a new contract (and negotiating for himself). Meanwhile, longtime goaltender Braden Holtby needs a new deal, and the team has the chance to move on to a younger option in 22-year-old Ilya Samsonov. Whatever happens, the Caps should treat their veteran players with respect -- even if they're on the way out -- for positive vibes in 2020.

2. St. Louis Blues

Previous ranking: 4

Don't be complacent with success. Hey, there's no reason not to believe in the Blues, considering how well they've performed post-Stanley Cup, especially with the injuries they've been through. The goal now is to maintain that mindset.

3. Boston Bruins

Previous ranking: 2

Stick to your budget. The Bruins have been banged up all season, dealing with various injuries to key players. That makes it tempting to pony up on a big trade-deadline acquisition to supplement this group. But when healthy, the Bruins are one of the most dangerous Stanley Cup contenders. They should exercise patience and keep the checkbook away. Save it for when you need to extend Torey Krug.

4. New York Islanders

Previous ranking: 5

Know that it's OK to ask for help. The Islanders have looked terrific this season, not missing a beat from 2018-19 and gutting it out through a recent rough patch to finish the calendar year strong. But sometimes, it's OK to admit that you need some help. The Islanders would be better off with reinforcements, such as a third-line center.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins

Previous ranking: 7

Good health. It's becoming almost as comical as the Flyers' rotating cast of goaltenders last season. Every time a Penguin becomes healthy, a new one goes down. Now it's Jake Guentzel (previously on career scoring paces) who is out four to six months after shoulder surgery. Somehow the team keeps picking up wins, but here's to a healthier 2020.

6. Colorado Avalanche

Previous ranking: 3

Act like you've been there before. Nathan MacKinnon said that in his seven seasons with the Avs, this is the first time that he thinks his team has a chance at the Cup. The rest of the league views Colorado as a contender, too, which means the Avs face some big expectations externally as well. They must continue to play with swagger.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 6

Learn from your elders. The Canes have looked pretty dynamic thus far, despite lingering questions such as a rotating sixth defenseman spot and Erik Haula's health. The inevitable midseason return of 38-year-old Justin Williams, the former captain, could be the missing piece that makes this team into a true contender. Just listen to Willy.

8. Vegas Golden Knights

Previous ranking: 11

Ride the Battle Wagon to the rink more often. I mean, look how much fun Alex Tuch and William Karlsson are having here. The Golden Knights are back on top of the Pacific Division and are playing excellent hockey. They can afford to do more stuff like this.

William Karlsson and Alex Tuch have a New Year's resolution to behave...

...starting tomorrow ? pic.twitter.com/rlK10Mpixz

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 31, 2019

9. Toronto Maple Leafs

Previous ranking: 17

Rid yourself of the bad juju. The Leafs are in a better position now with Sheldon Keefe in charge: They're tied for first in points percentage since Keefe took over on Nov. 21 and are the only team to average more than four goals per game in that span. Keep enjoying the highs, and don't look back -- even if you end up drawing the Bruins in the playoffs yet again.

10. Dallas Stars

Previous ranking: 10

Seek stability. It's hard to form an identity when you regularly have a new voice telling you what to do. The Stars are cycling through too many coaches lately, which has prevented them from sustained success.

11. Philadelphia Flyers

Previous ranking: 12

Stay disciplined in your regimen. This definitely applies to the defense, which has been restructured and looks totally improved under assistant coach Mike Yeo. Additions such as Matt Niskanen have helped, too. The Flyers are top-10 in the league in goals allowed after finishing the previous season ranked 29th. Stick to the plan -- it's working.

12. Arizona Coyotes

Previous ranking: 8

Find balance in your life. The Coyotes have thrived this season because of their goaltending. Darcy Kuemper, in particular, has been outstanding. But that needs to be complemented by decent offense for this team to get anywhere. It would be nice if Taylor Hall or Phil Kessel would go on a second-half tear.

13. Winnipeg Jets

Previous ranking: 9

Mend relationships with old friends. How the Jets have been able to stay relevant in the playoff race with this hodge-podge defensive group is quite remarkable. Still, the team would gladly welcome back Dustin Byfuglien at any point. Hopefully the two sides can air grievances, talk it out and make up for a 2020 reunion.

14. Vancouver Canucks

Previous ranking: 21

Lend a helping hand to a friend in need. One of the biggest reasons the Canucks are in playoff position right now is their spectacular goaltending from Jacob Markstrom. He's facing way too many high-danger chances, though. The defense could clean things up in front of him.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning

Previous ranking: 18

Stop questioning the plan. Questions about Jon Cooper's job security are getting old. GM Julien BriseBois held court last week to quash rumors, but the Lightning need to stop comparing their season to 2018-19, embrace the process and ride out whatever 2020 path the hockey gods call for with this group.

16. Florida Panthers

Previous ranking: 14

Practice self-love. For years, Aleksander Barkov was the most underrated player in the league, but now that might be his teammate, Jonathan Huberdeau, who is on pace for 111 points this season (!). Panthers fans should do themselves a favor and be kind and appreciate what they have in front of them. Because it is special.

17. Calgary Flames

Previous ranking: 15

Practice self-care, and don't be afraid to take some rest. Goaltender David Rittich has been a beast for the Flames in his first full season as a starter. He's trailing only Frederik Andersen in minutes played this season. Rittich, however, has a history of trailing off in the second half of the season, so Calgary should be generous in giving him a few nights off here and there.

18. Edmonton Oilers

Previous ranking: 13

Indulge a little. Ken Holland came in as GM and promised Connor McDavid that he would right the ship by retooling through the draft. Holland should stick to his word, but he should also recognize how frustrated McDavid and Leon Draisatil can get carrying the load. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to trade one or two draft picks for some scoring help.

19. Montreal Canadiens

Previous ranking: 19

Be prudent with your wealth. The Canadiens are positioned well for the future. They have some super talented prospects, such as goal-scoring machine Cole Caufield, and 19 draft picks over the next two years. The Habs are hovering around the wild-card race but probably aren't true contenders in 2020. Don't give away those picks on a player who makes the team only marginally better now. It's not worth it.

20. Nashville Predators

Previous ranking: 20

Find consistency. The end of 2019 featured so many ups and downs for this veteran and talented team. The goaltenders and star players seem to take too many nights off. Now the Predators are playing catch-up in the standings. It's time for them to find a 2020 groove.

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous ranking: 25

Practice positive thinking. Sometimes it can seem like it's Columbus versus the world. Just last week, the Blue Jackets were victims of a clock snafu (which made John Tortorella irate) and lost Joonas Korpisalo for four to six weeks (which is a shame because he has been a delight in net). Bigger picture, things could be a lot worse for the Blue Jackets post-all-in-2019. Just remember that.

22. New York Rangers

Previous ranking: 23

Decide whom you want to keep in your core crew. For New York, 2020 is about paring down the social circle to those who make sense and add value. The Rangers really need to make a decision on Chris Kreider: extend the versatile forward or trade him to any of the several contenders thirsty for his services.

23. Buffalo Sabres

Previous ranking: 16

Do everything you can to lift up your tough-luck friend. It's time to get Jack Eichel into the playoffs. The captain has been playing out of this world this season (on pace for 50 goals, 108 points), but he deserves better talent around him. Unload one of those extra defensemen already, and get him some scoring help.

24. Minnesota Wild

Previous ranking: 22

Embrace being a homebody. The Wild have had a topsy-turvy season but are still on the playoff bubble. They have a chance to start 2020 strong, with 14 of their next 17 games played in St. Paul. Xcel Energy Center wasn't exactly home-ice advantage for the Wild last season -- they finished 2018-19 at a 16-18-7 clip at home and 21-18-2 on the road -- but they have played better at home this season, going 10-4-3.

25. Chicago Blackhawks

Previous ranking: 27

Keep kids around so you can stay hip. We're all focusing on the veterans not available for the Blackhawks right now (led by Brent Seabrook). But reframe this season as the one in which Kirby Dach, Adam Boqvist and a handful of other youngsters got true NHL exposure, allowing this team to evolve with NHL trends.

26. Los Angeles Kings

Previous ranking: 28

Don't dwell on bad mistakes. Ilya Kovalchuk and the Los Angeles Kings are the friends you knew shouldn't get married. You didn't say anything at the time, and they did it anyway. Less than two years later, they predictably got a divorce, and it's expensive. You have to be there to support your friend, but remind them to look forward. There's nothing you can do now to erase it.

27. San Jose Sharks

Previous ranking: 24

Don't be so hard on yourself. Yeah, 2019 ended up being pretty crappy. You're not matching expectations, you feel a lot of pressure from your bosses, and you're not where you want to be. Negative energy is not what the Sharks need right now. Maybe 2020 is a perfect time for a mental reset.

28. Ottawa Senators

Previous ranking: 29

Build a support group. Shrinking attendance is a growing problem in Ottawa (averaging 11,652 fans per home game, which would be the lowest league total since Florida in 2014-15). Sure, there is distaste with ownership, but D.J. Smith's group has proven to be a hard-working bunch outperforming expectations, and they deserve better.

29. Anaheim Ducks

Previous ranking: 26

Look for silver linings. OK, it's probably another lost season for the Ducks, who need to retool. But there are some things to be hopeful about. For instance, check out this sick assist from Ducks prospect Trevor Zegras in the World Junior Championships. The Team USA star will be on the Ducks' roster soon.

TREVOR ZEGRAS ASSIST GOD pic.twitter.com/8mEUyCXzMN

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) December 30, 2019

30. New Jersey Devils

Previous ranking: 30

Look inward. The Devils need to look in the mirror, figure out exactly who they are and act accordingly. That might include some brutally harsh assessments such as: We're in another rebuild.

31. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 31

Exercise patience. This isn't an easy season for the Detroit Red Wings, who are unequivocally the worst team in the NHL (even Tyler Bertuzzi feels a bit guilty about being named an All-Star). But they have to take a few steps back before they can go forward, so trust that GM Steve Yzerman is building for the long play.

The European transfer window is open, and you can find the dates for when the window for your favourite league opens/shuts here. Here we are grading the most notable signings from the top teams during January -- and you can see the summer window's grades here.

The most recent grades and write-ups are at the top; each day is in order of highest price.

If you don't see a grade for a deal that has been completed, check back later. All fees are reported unless confirmed with *.

Jan. 1

ERLING HAALAND, £17.1m (€20m, $23.5m)
FC Salzburg grade: C
Dortmund grade: A

Arguably the most exciting teenage striker in Europe, Haaland's move to Dortmund caught everyone off guard as the German club sneaked in to snap him up for a meagre fee.

It has been reported that Haaland had a €20m release clause in his contract and Dortmund were the first to take advantage as Man United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester City and Chelsea could only watch as he sealed a transfer to the Bundesliga a few days before the window opened. Sources told ESPN that United were close to a deal but the club refused to agree to adding a buyout clause and slice of future fee in his contract.

Salzburg will be frustrated that their key man (who netted 28 goals in just 22 games this season) has moved on, but there was nothing they could do. If only they had hindsight, they would have made the release clause a lot higher, as €80m was being talked about for the 19-year-old.

TAKUMI MINAMINO, £7.25m (€8.4m, $9.3m)
FC Salzburg grade: C
Liverpool grade: B

Technically Salzburg got what they wanted for the Japan international, but his release clause seems awfully low. Sources told ESPN how Liverpool beat rivals Manchester United to the forward's signature following their Champions League victory against Salzburg, and the club did very well to move so quickly to tie up a deal.

A real team player, Minamino has time to develop, and as long he doesn't crave immediate first-team action, he should be fine. His signing will also boost Liverpool's fan base in Asia, where he will become a superstar after the move.

WAYNE ROONEY, free
DC United grade: B
Derby grade: A-

If Rooney works out half as well as Frank Lampard's time at Derby, the club will be very happy. The 34-year-old former Manchester United striker signed an initial 18-month deal at the Championship side and will also take on a coaching role under Phillip Cocu in order to gain experience for his own journey into becoming a manager.

England's most prolific scorer probably won't be banging in the goals as regularly as he has in the past, but Rooney's experience should help the club in their bid to gain promotion to the Premier League.

D.C. United were powerless to stop Rooney leaving, but the MLS club's standing was changed completely by his arrival in June 2018. How they build on the momentum of having him will shape their future.

It's go time as the winter window opened on Jan. 1 in England, Germany, France and China. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.

TOP STORY: Juve ready to pounce if Pogba becomes available

With Paul Pogba yet again out in the cold at Manchester United, some of Europe's biggest clubs are reportedly ready to jump at the opportunity to sign the World Cup winning midfielder.

According to Calciomercato, one of those clubs is his former side Juventus, who are strongly pushing for a dramatic return to Turin. With Pogba set for surgery that will sideline him a further three to four weeks, many suspect that the Frenchman's days in the Premier League are numbered.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hinted after Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Arsenal that the recent rash of injuries could force the club could pursue reinforcement options during the January transfer window.

"If [signings are] available and it's possible, we'll do something, definitely. We're looking at one or two," Solskjaer said.

LIVE BLOG

12.31 GMT: Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is reportedly the subject of interest from Real Madrid, says Le10sport.

Mane, 27, has a contract which will expire in 2023 and seemingly no desire to leave Anfield yet. But, all the same, Real have reached out to his representatives.

The Senegal star is seen as the perfect replacement for Gareth Bale in Madrid, but he would cost around €150m if a deal is to be done.

12.08 GMT: Chelsea can sign players now and Lyon striker Moussa Dembele is reportedly a target.

In fact, Foot Mercato says that the club have made a €40m bid for Dembele which has already been rejected. However, the Blues plan to return with an increased offer which will also include wantaway striker Olivier Giroud in exchange, something that Lyon might be very keen on.

11.36 GMT: Sport claims that Barcelona full-back Nelson Semedo could be on the radar of Manchester United.

Semedo, 26, wouldn't be coming in as a right-back though, given the club signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka for £50m in the summer, but would make a transformation into a winger while also covering at left-back.

The fact Semedo's agent is Jorge Mendes might have something to do with the speculation, so this could be a non-starter, especially as he's playing first-team football at Camp Nou.

11.11 GMT: Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen can sign a pre-contract agreement with any club this month, but who will he pick?

ESPN round up the options here, while there's news that Inter Milan are top of the queue and have made contact over a move, while PSG are reportedly now interested too.

10.48 GMT: Roma's Javier Pastore has told La Voz (via RMC Sport) that he doesn't want to leave the club.

"In Italy, my words were misinterpreted. It was said that I wanted to return to France with Lyon. That is simply untrue," he said. "I am very happy in Rome -- I feel important and no, I am not thinking about leaving."

10.24 GMT: Spain international Paco Alcacer could leave Borussia Dortmund in January, following the €20m signing of Erling Haaland.

Alcacer, 26, has reportedly been unhappy with his situation at the Westfalenstadion over the past couple of months and both Sport Bild and kicker claim that Dortmund are willing to listen to offers now that his chances of first-team football have decreased.

Atletico Madrid are keen but might be put off by the striker's €40m pricetag.

10.00 GMT: Emre Can and Sean Longstaff are among the options being considered by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United deal with a midfield injury crisis, sources have told ESPN.

Longstaff was an option in the summer but Newcastle's valuation of £50m proved too big a stumbling block; Can is out of favour at Juventus and keen to leave but United face competition from Borussia Dortmund.

James Maddison remains Solskjaer's top midfield target but there is acceptance Leicester will not want to do business midway through a season during which they are challenging for a place in the top four.

09.30 GMT: Juventus are set to sign Atalanta's 19-year-old winger Dejan Kulusevski for €35m. The player is having a medical right now.

09.25 GMT: Tottenham could be set to move on veteran defender Jan Vertonghen and the Daily Telegraph reports that Napoli and Ajax are keen.

Vertonghen, 32, will be available on a free transfer in the summer and Spurs are ready to cut their losses and sell him this month.

09.10 GMT: Hertha Berlin have signed Argentina international Santiago Ascacibar from second-tier Stuttgart for a reported fee of €11m, the Bundesliga club announced on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old defensive midfielder is the first transfer for the capital club, coached by Jurgen Klinsman, in what is expected to be a busy transfer window and could see the Germans sign the likes of Arsenal's Granit Xhaka or Dortmund's Mario Gotze.

08.39 GMT: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hinted that the recent rash of injuries could force the club could pursue reinforcement options during the transfer window.

Paul Pogba has been advised to undergo an operation related to an ongoing foot injury that could keep him out an additional three to four weeks, while fellow midfielder Scott McTominay has been ruled out for more than a month with knee ligament damage.

"Of course, it's playing on our decision-making when you've got two players out -- Paul out for a month and Scott for two," Solskjaer said after Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal. "That will give us less options and we've got loads of games and important games. Still, it's got to be right and that's the point here.

"If [signings are] available and it's possible, we'll do something, definitely. We're looking at one or two."

08.00 GMT: Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has said Granit Xhaka will stay at the club after the Swiss midfielder produced a gritty performance to help his side to a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday.

Xhaka was in the firing line earlier in the season after he reacted furiously to fans booing him when he was substituted in a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace in October. The incident led to him being stripped of the captaincy and also saw him left out of the side by Arteta's predecessor Unai Emery for a month.

Xhaka has started six of Arsenal's last eight league games but his agent said last week that the 27-year-old is targeting a move to Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. Arteta, however, said the midfielder has told him he wants to remain in north London, also praising him for his performance against United, which was Arsenal's first win in five matches and took them up to 10th in the standings.

"I think he's going to stay. I really like him. If we get him on board he can be a tremendous player for the football club," the Spanish coach told a news conference. "I love the way he is, the way he lives his profession. He is a great football player. Today he was excellent at cutting out passes and he made a lot of great passes. I like how focused he is, he's willing to learn."

PAPER TALK (by Tom Fenton)

Henrichs snubs Bayern interest in favour of RB Leipzig

Germany international Benjamin Henrichs is set to spectacularly reject Bayern Munich by instead agreeing a deal with table-topping RB Leipzig.

The full-back, who plays for AS Monaco, has been regularly linked with a move back to his country of birth. However, the assumption was that a return to Germany would see him end up at the Allianz Arena -- to play for Bundesliga champions Bayern.

But to the surprise of many, Bild and SportBild both claim that Henrichs has turned down the Bavarian giants, and will instead attempt to agree a deal with Julian Nagelsmann's RB Leipzig, who sit atop the Bundesliga during the winter break.

Milan keen on Matic deal in January

With his Manchester United contract set to expire this summer, AC Milan could be set to swoop for Nemanja Matic in January, according to Calciomercato. The United man is also being monitored by Inter, who the Italian publication claim may compete for his signature if an opportunity presents itself.

Matic has previously worked with Inter boss Antonio Conte during his time at Chelsea, potentially paving the way for a smoother transition. However, Calciomercato also states that the 31-year-old isn't the Nerrazzurri's first choice -- as Barcelona's Arturo Vidal remains their preferred option.

If Matic is to leave Man United, Milan would appear to be the most likely destination, so long as the fee involved is acceptable for both sides, with Milan reportedly harbouring concerns over the player's potential wage demands.

Tap ins

-- After sealing the transfer of Takumi Minamino last month, Liverpool are set to complete their January business by sanctioning a loan deal for young striker Rhian Brewster, the Daily Star reports.

The 19-year-old has struggled for game time on Merseyside this season, featuring on just two occasions for the senior side in the EFL Cup. The Star claims that one of the interested parties is Swansea City, who have recently lost forward Sam Surridge after his parent club Bournemouth recalled him early from a successful loan spell in South Wales.

-- Wolves star Adama Traore hasn't ruled out the possibility of moving to Real Madrid, Marca reports. The 23-year-old, who has impressed with a string of stand-out performances this season, started his footballing career with Real's great rival, Barcelona, before making the move to English football. But his playing history doesn't appear to have put Traore off a move to the Bernabeu, with the Wolves star saying: "If I have to go to Real Madrid, I will go to Real Madrid."

The Premier League has entered a new decade following a memorable slate of games on New Year's Day, 2020. We get you caught up on the action.

JUMP TO: Does Mourinho have anything left? | What was Emery doing? | How big a problem is De Gea? | Time for Bournemouth to do the unthinkable? | The redemption of Jahanbakhsh | "No BS" working at Watford | The system works again for Leicester | VAR has already changed the game | Luckiest moment

Does Jose Mourinho have anything left, other than the odd good line?

It was a good line, delivered with the panache that you still expect from Jose Mourinho, a man who has looked more comfortable on TV in the last year than he has in the dugout. "The yellow card was fair," he said when asked about the booking issued to him by referee and fellow spotlight enthusiast Mike Dean. "I was rude. But I was rude to an idiot."

The problem is that good lines are becoming the only thing that's left of the old Jose Mourinho. A case in point is Tottenham's defence: he has been in charge of Spurs for 11 games now, and they've already conceded more goals in those games than Chelsea did in their entire first season under him. They've only kept one clean sheet, which was against Burnley.

Tottenham were desperate against Southampton, losing 1-0 and it was difficult to identify any of their players that had a good game. It was a third winless game in the last four, and injuries to Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane, arguably their two most important players, put a tin hat on things. The good lines used to distract from abject performances, but not these days.

We were told that Mourinho had changed in his 11 months away from football. That he had rethought how to approach the game. That he was a kinder, gentler, more thoughtful Mourinho. Look at the way he was nice to that Tottenham ballboy!

But of course, he hasn't changed. Or at least not for the better: all of the unpleasant aspects of Mourinho are still there, but the stuff that made you put up with the unpleasantness is diminishing, possibly disappeared for good. Will it ever return? If so, Spurs could do with it returning pretty quickly.

What was Unai Emery doing for all that time?

It was tricky to figure out who Arsenal's 2-0 win over Manchester United reflected worse on: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Unai Emery.

This was a performance as terrific and dynamic from Arsenal as it was clumsy and ponderous by United, Mikel Arteta sending his team out to press and dominate from the off, ignoring the quandary over which of his four senior attackers he should pick by selecting all of Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil.

The four were superb, which left a sense of 'what might have been' that was only backed up by the postmatch interviews given by David Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Both defenders repeated that the Arsenal players "are not ready" to compete at the pace and intensity Arteta requires for 90 minutes, which does lead you to wonder what Emery had been doing with these players before this.

If you were to read their words without context, and without knowing when they were said, you'd probably guess that it was at the tail end of preseason, when fitness levels weren't what they could be and work still needed to be done. Note they didn't say the players were 'tired' which, halfway through a season when Arsenal have already played 31 games including four in the last 10 days, would be excusable: they very specifically said "not ready." Perhaps they were speaking figuratively, that they viewed the Arteta era as a new beginning in which everyone had to start from scratch, but it still didn't look good for Emery, to say the least.

Of course Arsenal have been burned by hope before, so they would be advised not to get too excited and assume Arteta will save them. But this could have been the most promising game Arsenal have played in some time, certainly since Arsene Wenger left. That promise might not go anywhere, but hope isn't always a bad thing.

How big of a problem is De Gea?

It's been clear for a while that he isn't the goalkeeper he was, but how long before David De Gea slips into 'liability' territory for Manchester United? It might be harsh to blame him for either of Arsenal's goals, and there are areas of the United team that require more urgent attention, but it's still troubling that they are no longer able to rely on their keeper.

Aside from the goals, he was lucky not to give away another with a careless kick out and these days he gives the air of an overly passive keeper, rather than the proactive one that was probably the best in the world for a little while. Solskjaer has plenty of problems, and his goalkeeper is increasingly becoming one of them.

Is it time to think the unthinkable at Bournemouth?

There will be a statue of Eddie Howe at Bournemouth one day. If and when their stadium is rebuilt, something will be named after him. He would have been a hero for his time there as a player, never mind being the manager behind the greatest period in the club's history.

But it's surely time to at least start thinking the unthinkable. Is Howe the man to dig Bournemouth out of the mess they're currently in? And it is quite a mess: they're in the bottom three after another defeat, this one arguably the most calamitous at all, against a West Ham side riding the new manager wave but still one that had lost nine of their previous 12 games. The 4-0 victory was West Ham's biggest league win since April 2012, when they were in the Championship -- the last time they won a Premier League game by four or more goals was when they beat the historically abysmal Derby team 5-0 in 2007-08.

Bournemouth might not be Derby bad yet, but they're sinking, and we must at least entertain the possibility that while there are many factors governing their results, Howe might have come to the end of the road at the club he has essentially built.

The redemption of Jahanbakhsh

The only place Alireza Jahanbakhsh's name was being mentioned regularly a week ago was in the transfer gossip columns. After a goalless 18 months since his club-record move from AZ in 2018, the Iran forward looked likely to leave on loan this month, but perhaps there will be a rethink now he has scored twice in a week.

He didn't burst into tears after his superb overhead kick in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, as he did when breaking his duck against Bournemouth, but he did sink to his knees, perhaps contemplating the brilliance of his strike, perhaps thinking that these last few days could represent a turning point in his Brighton career.

Afterwards Graham Potter spoke thoughtfully about how he is managing Jahanbakhsh, about maintaining his confidence after such a poor first season-and-a-half, and by the looks of things it's working.

"No BS" working at Watford

In five games, Nigel Pearson's Watford have gained as many points as they did in the previous 21 under Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores. This is back-to-basics management, nothing especially complicated, but who cares as long as it's working? And boy oh boy, is it working.

Troy Deeney attributed the turnaround to a "no BS culture" by Pearson, which isn't the sort of thing that works everywhere, but after a couple of managers whose methods seemingly featured plenty of BS, it's working brilliantly here.

The system works again for Leicester

A reasonable sign that the system is working perfectly and is the main thing behind a team's success, is that it hardly matters who is actually in the team. Brendan Rodgers made 19 changes to his Leicester team in the last two games, and was without Jamie Vardy in both of them, but came away with two away wins. They won't win the league title because Liverpool are too good, but another Champions League jaunt is looking increasingly certain.

VAR has already changed the game

After Aston Villa's first 'goal' was disallowed for what is surely the closest VAR-spotted offside yet, Dean Smith's side scored two more legitimate goals. Neither were celebrated properly, because players and fans were waiting to discover some other small infraction that they had no idea was there. A similar thing happened after Cesar Azpilicueta's goal for Chelsea.

It might feel relatively minor in the wider scheme of things, but the experience of watching football, particularly in the stadium, has been unanswerably altered by VAR. If you except that's the trade-off for flawless decision-making (which doesn't exist, but let's just humour the idea for the moment), then fair enough. But for plenty it simply isn't a price worth paying.

Luckiest moment

It was a good win for Manchester City, but this was another game that reinforced the importance of Ederson to them, if that importance wasn't pretty clear anyway. You would instinctively ask 'what was Claudio Bravo thinking?' when he did a Cruyff turn in his own box then promptly gave the ball away, donating a goal to Everton, but we all already know: that's what he always does, and he was just fortunate that moment of calamity didn't cost his team a result.

The ICC is exploring the idea of regular four-day Test cricket, to the point of possibly making it part of the 2023 Test championship. The argument for the move is that it could free up a calendar that is currently clogged with too many fixtures. But there is also a worry that without the fifth day, chances of a definitive result might reduce. Here's what the players think.

Joe Root, England captain: I think here's a place for it in the game.

"I do," he told Sky Sports. "Whether that's across the board or can it be flexible - we've obviously played one against Ireland. I'm sure that pitch would've been fit for a three-day game. I think it's worth trialing. I do think it's worth trialing and it might not always make sense for England to play especially if its against Australia or some of the bigger sides but it might draw a bit more interest with some of the countries who struggle to get people in the ground."

ALSO READ: ECB gives 'cautious' backing to four-day proposal

Former England captain Nasser Hussain prompted Root about the possibility about spin going out of the game if there isn't enough time for a pitch to deteriorate, especially outside Asia. "If you don't try it you don't know," Root replied. "You should be open minded enough to at least try it and see how it goes. I think the most important thing is not making a definitive decision. I love playing five days of cricket personally. I think it's the best format. The extra day, like you say, it really does make [sure], majority of the time, 99% of the time, the best team's won the game.

Nathan Lyon, Australia offspinner: I hope ICC aren't even considering it

"Ridiculous. I'm not a fan of four-day Test matches," he told The Unplayable Podcast "I believe you'll get so many more draws and day five is crucial.

"One, there's the weather element. But the wickets these days are probably a lot flatter than they have been in the past, so it allows teams to bat longer and to put pressure on sides. You need time for the pitch to deteriorate and bring spinners in more on day five as well.

ALSO READ: One day too many? Early finishes point to new possibilities for Test cricket

"It's a challenge You're challenging yourself in different ways - physically and mentally. It's not just a walk in the park. Five-day Test matches, they are hard work especially if the conditions aren't in your favour. You want to challenge yourself. I'm all against four-day Test matches."

David White, New Zealand Cricket Chief executive: It demands serious attention

"Given the congested schedule, four-day Tests demand serious consideration in order for us to accommodate an increasingly packed calendar - ICC world events, bilateral arrangements, and domestic leagues," he told the Telegraph.

Glenn McGrath, former Australia fast bowler: Hate to see it get shorter

"I'm very much a traditionalist I like the game the way it is. To me five days is very special and I'd hate to see it get any shorter. The introduction of pink Tests, day-night Tests is a great way to continue keeping our game fresh and moving forward. In respects to changing how many days its played, I'm actually against it. I like the way it is."

Jos Buttler, England wicketkeeper: In this day and age, we have to consider it

"Test cricket is the pinnacle but you have to be open to change," Buttler said. "I think the game has changed and if four-day Test cricket could preserve and potentially improve Test cricket I think it has to be looked at. I think we all love a five-day finish with all three results possible on the last day but can four-day cricket be a success? I think if it's done properly it can be. In this day and age we have to consider all the opportunities to see how we can do what's best for Test cricket."

Vernon Philander, South Africa fast bowler: I am a purist

"I hope five-day Test cricket doesn't come to an end," he said. "There is only one format and that's Test cricket. T20 cricketers come and go and the names come and go, Test cricket is the ultimate. Hopefully we can still see five-day Test matches. I know there has been a lot of talk about having four-day Test matches but I am a purist when it comes to cricket and I would like to see Test matches survive for five days."

Tim Paine, Australia captain: Merit in trying it out for the odd Test

"I think it should be taken into consideration," he said. "I dare say going back six or seven years if you let the players decide on pink ball that probably wouldn't have happened. There is always going to be some give and take. I think there is some merit on it being in the odd Test like we did with England and Ireland. But I think the big marquee Test series, the Test championship stuff has to stay five days."

Rassie van der Dussen, South Africa batsman: Pitches will change to force results

"I've never played a five-day match in my life," he said. "It's difficult to say. In terms of over rate, we were a bit slow [in Centurion], England were also a bit slow, so there is definitely scope to fit in more overs in the day. We were coming off at 5.30 and there was bright sunshine on most days and you can definitely squeeze in half an over there and make up another eight overs. In the calendar these days, it's definitely something that you have to consider. The pitch does deteriorate enough in four days to get a result and I think that will also make groundsmen prepare pitches that will force results in four days, like we had at Centurion. We'll also probably have it at Wanderers where the cracks open up. It's something to consider."

Keshav Maharaj, South Africa left-arm spinner: I just want to play

"I just want to play Test cricket, whether its five days, four days, two days," he said. "I just want to bowl and hopefully get some runs when I bat. I've got no issues with the duration of the Test match, I just want to play Test cricket."