Manchester United ‘make contact’ with Tanguy Ndombele as they rival Manchester City for Lyon midfielder

• Manchester United make contact with Tanguy Ndombele over possible move
• The highly regarded Lyon midfielder has attracted interest from Manchester City
• Ndombele, 22, has also been linked with a move to Serie A leaders Juventus

By

Jeorge Bird For Mailonline

Published:
19:17 EST, 8 February 2019

|
Updated:
19:18 EST, 8 February 2019

Manchester United have reportedly made contact with Tanguy Ndombele’s representatives over a possible summer move for the Lyon midfielder.

Ndombele, one of the most sought after prospects in Europe, is the subject of interest from Manchester City.

However, as reported by Le 10 Sport, United are looking to pursue a move for the 22-year-old.

Manchester United have made contact with Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele over a possible move

City made an offer for Ndombele last summer, while Juventus are also monitoring the France international’s situation.

Ndombele has been a mainstay for Lyon this season and is capable of operating as a central midfielder or deeper in midfield.

Ndombele has also attracted interest from Manchester City and Juventus

Having commenced his senior career at Amiens, Ndombele impressed on loan at Lyon last season.

That earned him a permanent move to Bruno Genesio’s side, and his stock has continued to rise. 

Ndombele will have the opportunity to impress potential suitors further during Lyon’s upcoming Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona.

Advertisement

Jockeys are in limbo after equine flu outbreak… we’re not being paid!

• BHA have halted racing until Wednesday at earliest after equine flu outbreak
• But it is likely that the sport will remain suspended for longer than scheduled
• The outbreak has left self-employed jockeys facing financial uncertainty  

By

Nico De Boinville For The Daily Mail

Published:
17:30 EST, 8 February 2019

|
Updated:
19:31 EST, 8 February 2019

We are in a very difficult situation because nobody knows how long this is going to last.

Everyone is trying their very best to get racing back on and get these horses healthy again, but we don’t know whether it is going to be four days or four weeks. We are in limbo.

As a jockey it is frustrating because we are all self-employed and unless we are riding we don’t earn any money. It’s like a gentleman’s agreement. You go in and try to align yourself with the best yard you can, and with the best possible horses, and you work away in the morning to make sure you get the rides in the afternoon.

The equine influenza outbreak has left self-employed jockeys facing financial uncertainty

You get paid for what you sit on in the afternoon at the races, not what you do in the morning.

We don’t get any income if there’s no racing, there’s no insurance or compensation, there is nothing like that. A lot of the lads choose to go off on holiday, but we don’t know when racing is going to start again and it’s important we are in the yard and schooling the horses in case we can run next Saturday and get the ball rolling before Cheltenham.

We all have Cheltenham in mind and we want to get the horses there in the best possible frame of mind and fitness, and it’s very hard to get them there without a prep run.

Luckily Altior has had his run — it’s the horses like Angel’s Breath and Santini who haven’t run since Christmas.

We schooled 30 horses over obstacles on Friday morning at Seven Barrows (Nicky Henderson’s Lambourn yard), so it is business as usual at the moment. There is nothing outwardly that would suggest there are any problems.

Nico de Boinville is a Unibet Racing ambassador. Read his weekly blog at: www.unibet.co.uk/blog/nico-de-boinville.

Advertisement

Three more racehorses tested positive for equine influenza on Friday, prompting fears the sport could be in lockdown for another 10 days.

The British Horseracing Authority are aiming to re-start meetings from Wednesday, but sources have told Sportsmail that a week on Monday is a more realistic date.

The build-up to next month’s Cheltenham Festival could be severely affected, with the showpiece itself under threat at a cost of more than £200million to the industry.

It is feared British racing could be in lockdown for another 10 days due to equine influenza

On a dramatic day for British horseracing: 

• Three more horses trained by Cheshire-based Donald McCain tested positive for equine influenza, taking the total to six.

• A ‘suspicious’ case has been found in the County Durham stable of trainer Rebecca Menzies, who revealed three horses were causing concern and in an isolation yard. She had runners at Newcastle and Wolverhampton this week.

• Fifty-four more yards were put into isolation to help prevent the spread of the virus, making 174 in all.

• Thousands of racehorses were tested across the country, prompting some vets to run out of specialist swabs because of the vast number of horses involved.

Some may even need to be tested for a second time because the virus is most contagious 48 hours on from the horse coming into contact with another infected horse and that will cause further delays.

BHA chief executive Nick Rust said his organisation were employing a ‘war room of vets’ to tackle the outbreak. He said the action taken by the sport’s ruling body to call for an initial six-day shutdown would guard against a longer, more damaging shutdown.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Rust said: ‘If we play Russian roulette with the evidence we’ve got, we could have a problem for three to six months — and no one would thank us for that.

‘This is a serious form of flu which debilitates horses. The welfare of our horses is really paramount, above all economics. First and foremost, we have no sport without healthy horses.

‘We have a “war room” — we have 20 vets employed by the BHA forensic investigation, a lab in Newmarket that is processing hundreds of tests now. Once we know whether there has been a spread (of infection) or not, we will be in a much better position to know where racing is.’

One of the new positive tests, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail, was McCain’s Raise A Spark, who finished last of four in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Guide Handicap Chase at Ayr on Wednesday. While showing no symptoms of the virus on the day he raced, it is likely the condition was in the incubation period.  

Raise A Spark, pictured being ridden by Henry Brooke, has tested positive for the virus

Given the highly contagious nature of equine flu, all stables which had runners at Ayr that day will now be on red alert. That amounts to 64 horses from 28 stables. But potentially more significant was the ‘suspicious’ case reported from the County Durham stable of Menzies, a yard with no link to the McCain operation.

The tested horse has shown symptoms of flu without the illness being confirmed. In a statement, Menzies revealed there were three horses causing concern in her stable. She said: ‘We have today, with the BHA, taken the precaution to submit test swabs for analysis as a precaution following the sickness of three horses stabled in an isolation yard on our premises.

‘At this stage we have not received the results. Our horses in training all appear healthy and thriving and of course I fully support the actions of the BHA and I look forward to a swift conclusion for our industry so we can get back to providing enjoyment for so many.’

If the illness is confirmed, it could blow a hole in the BHA’s attempts to stop the crisis spiralling out of control. But BHA spokesman Robin Mounsey insisted that by Monday the organisation still expected to have ‘enough evidence to make a risk assessment and decision’.

The influenza outbreak emerged after checks on three horses in a stable of Donald McCain

A statement said: ‘This process will continue over the coming days in order that an informed and evidence-based decision can be made on Monday as to whether racing can return on Wednesday.

‘In the meantime, we ask that everyone involved in the sport continues to be vigilant, restrict where possible all movements of horses and people and maintains the highest standards of biosecurity. Testing of horses at the 120 yards which have been put on hold is continuing on an ongoing basis.

‘No further positive samples have been reported as yet. However, a separate suspicious case — which has not yet been confirmed as a positive sample — has been identified at another yard.

‘The BHA is working closely with the Animal Health Trust in order to manage the logistical challenge of providing sufficient swabs and handling the volume of tests being sent through the facility, considering that testing of a total of 174 yards is now taking place.

‘It will not be possible to test every horse from every yard before the end of the weekend, but we will work with trainers to identify any priority or risk horses and ensure that they are tested.

‘This will all form part of the picture that is built in order to assist the decisions that will be made on Monday.’

There are fears that this outbreak could cause as much disruption as foot-and-mouth in 2001

Meanwhile, racecourse officials have said continuing uncertainty about when the sport will recommence is making it impossible to plan replacement races.

Newbury, which had taken out insurance against the loss of Saturday’s meeting given a history of abandonments because of bad weather, should have staged a card which included the Game Spirit Chase and the Denman Chase, in which Gold Cup winner Native River took on King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux.

Both races are important Cheltenham Festival trials. Keith Otteson, Newbury’s clerk of the course, said: ‘We can’t do anything firm until we know what the next step is after the testing. It is difficult for us to plan. It is still an evolving situation.

‘The further we get from the scheduled race-day to a resumption, the more limited is the chance of those races going ahead.’ 

THE VIRUS THAT HAS BROUGHT RACING TO A HALT 

WHAT IS EQUINE INFLUENZA?

It is a highly contagious virus which can affect horses, donkeys and mules of any age, sex or breed.

The virus attacks the airways, prevents drainage of fluid from the lungs and can even lead to pneumonia.

Symptoms include a snotty nose, high temperature, muscle soreness and lack of appetite.

HOW SERIOUS IS IT?

The severity of the disease depends on the strain of the virus. It can be dangerous and occasionally fatal to horses that have not been vaccinated, young foals, mares in foal and horses that are already ill with other diseases.

Healthy adult horses are not normally at risk of death. Humans are also not at risk, but can transmit the virus.

HOW DOES IT SPREAD?

The virus is easily transmitted by nose-to-nose contact between horses, indirectly by airborne particles or through contaminated clothing and equipment.

The virus can be transmitted after nose-to-noise contact between horses during a race

HOW ARE SICK HORSES TREATED?

Infected horses should be isolated. There are no anti-viral drugs but anti-inflammatories can lower temperature and reduce muscle soreness.

In severe cases, intravenous fluids may be necessary and antibiotics can be administered if a secondary infection sets in.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER?

The illness lasts from two to 10 days but it takes up to two months for the respiratory tract to completely repair. Horses should be given a week to recover for every day they were sick.

HOW ARE HORSES PROTECTED?

Thoroughbred racehorses must be vaccinated.

They are given a primary course of three injections followed by an annual booster. Some trainers give boosters more regularly. Vaccinations for a racehorse are recorded in its passport. 

Failure to keep this up-to-date would result in disciplinary action against the trainer from the British Horseracing Authority and a fine.

HAS THERE BEEN AN OUTBREAK BEFORE?

The disease broke out in Australia in 2007 and took six months to be officially eradicated and for horse-related activities to resume.

The BHA confirmed that the situation in the UK is not the same because Australian thoroughbreds, unlike those in Britain, are not vaccinated against flu.

There is a hope the outbreak will not prove as disruptive as previous cases in history

Cheltenham countdown: Four to watch on Saturday, February 9 ahead of the Festival next month

•  Sportsmail’s Racing Correspondent Marcus Townend picks four to watch
•  City Island is only 16-1 for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival
•  Pravalaguna’s win at Limerick suggested she could be better over fences

By

Marcus Townend for the Daily Mail

Published:
17:30 EST, 8 February 2019

|
Updated:
19:34 EST, 8 February 2019

Looking for pointers for next month’s Cheltenham Festival?

Sportsmail’s Racing Correspondent Marcus Townend picks four to watch on Saturday… 

Sportsmail’s Racing Correspondent Marcus Townend picks four to watch on Saturday

CITY ISLAND (Naas, 12.40)

Must give weight away but has looked useful. He was stripped of a win at the Galway Festival after testing positive for a prohibited substance, then decisively beat a horse at Leopardstown which has won twice since. Only 16-1 for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, a race his owner sponsors.

PRAVALAGUNA (Naas, 2.10)

Entered in the Arkle (2m) and JLT (2m 4f) Novice Chases and at this stage an outsider, but her eight-length win at Limerick suggested she could be better over fences than she was over hurdles. A win on Saturday could book her Festival ticket, when her mares’ allowance would be handy.

KONITHO (Naas, 2.40)

Trainer Joseph O’Brien has a very strong hand in the Juvenile Hurdle division and this gelding, a stylish five-length course winner in his first race since arriving from France, is very interesting. He holds a clutch of Festival hurdle entries and has been bought by top owner JP McManus since that win.

FRONT VIEW (Naas, 4.10)

Derek O’Connor’s mount looked useful on his debut when sent off favourite at Gowran Park. He could lay down a Festival marker or, equally importantly, boost the form of the horse that beat him, Blue Sari, another Festival buzz horse who has been snapped up by McManus.

Pravalaguna’s win at Limerick suggested she could be better over fences than over hurdles

Advertisement

Brendan Rodgers believes our game should open its doors and embrace foreign referees – to ease the burden on the finite number of Scottish officials being asked to handle crunch matches.

The most compelling domestic season in a generation has been punctuated by a string of high-profile officiating errors.

Last month, at the behest of the SFA, referees and managers came together for a meeting in Perth to discuss the best way forward, with the introduction of VAR given across-the-board backing.

Brendan Rodgers believes our game should open its doors and embrace foreign referees

The Celtic manager is also an advocate of full-time officials, believing the number of correct decisions will inevitably increase if the funding could be found.

Believing there is simply too great a focus and responsibility on the handful of referees who are presently tasked with handling high-profile encounters, though, Rodgers also feels consideration should now be given to welcoming officials from other nations in order to take some of the heat off the existing pool.

‘Yes, and I’m not just saying for high-profile games,’ he replied when asked if he would welcome their introduction.

‘This is a fanatical football country, but there’s a really small pool of referees.

‘If something happens or they need help, there’s no way to do it. You can’t demote – as there’s no one there to do it.

‘There’s constant pressure on them. For me, it’s definitely something that has to be looked at. Open it up.

‘You want to attract more referees, so why close it to just here? Open it up and have the best referees who could come from England or Wales, or wherever.

‘Then you have a diverse group of referees. Okay, they might need help with expenses or whatever, if they are coming up from Swansea but it opens up the pool.

The Celtic manager believes the number of correct decisions will inevitably increase

‘That will also help the local refs. It’s about constant education but it doesn’t shine the torch on the same referees all of the time.’ Within weeks of taking the Celtic job, Rodgers raised concerns about the safety of players being endangered by wild tackles not being deemed serious enough to merit a red card.

Speaking after Emilio Izaguirre was fortunate to escape serious injury, following a desperate challenge by Hibernian substitute Darnell Johnson during the midweek league match, the Parkhead boss claimed those fears were as real as ever.

‘Does player safety remain a concern? Yes,’ he added. ‘I said in my first year here that some of the sanctions here surprise me – it’s bitty.

‘I don’t tend to go after the referees in these situations. The poor guys refereeing the games are amateurs, with all due respect.

‘The spotlight is on them severely from a professional side. They are going to make mistakes and then the aftermath seems a bit complicated. That will continue.

‘We all love the aggression and the physicality of the competition. That’s great.

‘But if your game is going to improve, there always has to be a line. Too often, it’s lawless or whatever word you want to use.

‘You don’t want to get to a stage where anything goes.’ Celtic entertain St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup fifth round tomorrow, with a place in the history books awaiting them if they can progress without the need for a replay.

A victory will mean Rodgers’ men have won 24 straight domestic cup matches, a run which would surpass that set by Walter Smith’s Rangers between 1992 and 1994.

‘We didn’t know about this possibility until last week but it’s a consequence of the work and consistency of the team,’ said Rodgers.

‘People talk about (Celtic) playing St Johnstone again and it’s only human nature that you could become blasé about winning.

‘What we’ve always tried to train the players is that their attitude in every game is so important.

Emilio Izaguirre was fortunate to escape serious injury, following a desperate challenge

‘Excellence is not easy. It’s difficult. People who have been in my position will respect and understand that, at the big clubs, it is about winning and that’s a constant.

‘It’s a huge tribute to the players who have been involved in all the games since I’ve been here.’ Starting with a 5-0 win over Motherwell in the Betfred Cup in August 2016, Rodgers has never fielded a shadow side in any cup tie – in sharp contrast with the attitude of many of the major clubs in England.

‘The job when you are at Celtic is to win games, of course, but also to try to give something that the supporters will enjoy seeing,’ added Rodgers.

‘I grew up with the notion of the cup games and memories around that. It’s the legacy we want to create. Celtic is a winning club.

‘We’re expected to win, of course, the league and compete in every competition we are in. That is something that is important for us. The fans are used to cup finals and I wouldn’t swap the two days we’ve had in this competition.’ Izaguirre is a doubt for tomorrow but, together with a string of absentees, has a chance of facing Valencia in the first leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday.

‘Olivier (Ntcham) and Odsonne (Edouard) are back training, and Kieran (Tierney) has returned to the group, which is good,’ revealed Rodgers.

‘Kieran looked good this morning but it’s about general fitness now. He has been out for quite a while, so it’s about time.

‘We will see about next week. I wouldn’t rule him in or out. Sunday might be a bit too close for him – but at least he’s out on the pitch.

The Parkhead boss claimed those fears were as real as ever as Izaguirre was stretchered off

‘James Forrest is back training as well, Dedryck (Boyata) came through (the midweek game) well and (Kristoffer) Ajer is available.

‘We are slowly getting them back.’ Vakoun Issouf Bayo (signed last month from Slovakian club Dunajská Streda) has been omitted from the squad for Europe but is likely to feature tomorrow, having had his debut from the bench against Hibs aborted due to the need to replace Izaguirre with Jonny Hayes.

‘He (Vakoun) was excited to get on but I could only cuddle him,’ said a smiling Rodgers.

‘It reminded me of a young lad, Gwion Edwards, who is now at Ipswich Town. In my last game at Swansea, we were playing Liverpool.

‘We were 1-0 up and he had done really well for the youths. I was trying to get him on for about five minutes but we were managing the game brilliantly and we were keeping the ball.

‘I was shouting at Leon Britton to kick the ball out but they were too programmed to keep it! Gwion was still standing there when the final whistle went!

‘I felt for him. Vakoun will get his time. He is training well but we had to put him through a mini pre-season because he hadn’t done much before he joined us.’