Liverpool are reportedly ready to offer Scottish winger Ben Doak as a makeweight to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace this summer. The Reds are planning to sign a central defender after Jarell Quansah decided to join Bayer Leverkusen. The English champions will face competition from Newcastle United and Manchester United in the race to sign Guehi.
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Liverpool ready to let winger depart
Want to sign Guehi from Palace
Palace keen on signing Doak
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WHAT HAPPENED?
According to , Palace are keen on signing Doak this summer after his impressive performance in the Championship last season, while on loan with Middlesbrough. He scored three goals and provided seven assists as Boro finished 10th in the second division.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite the FA Cup winners' interest in Doak, Liverpool might find it difficult to include the winger in any deal for Guehi, who is rated by his club at £50 million ($68m). The England international is entering the final 12 months of his existing deal and will be willing to run down his contract if he is not sold this summer.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite winning the English top-flight title for a record-equalling 20th time last season, Liverpool have been extremely active in the summer window as they have already completed the signings of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Freddie Woodman.
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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
Arne Slot's men will reconvene in the first week of July before playing their first pre-season friendly against Preston on July 13. They will then head to Hong Kong and Japan for a couple of friendly matches before returning to the UK.
Looking towards the summer transfer window with their Premier League safety all but sealed, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly set their sights on signing a La Liga star ahead of interest from Manchester City.
Wolves set sights on La Liga midfielder
With Premier League action set to return next week, Wolves must finish what they started and secure their place in England’s top flight for another season. As things stand, Vitor Pereira’s side sit as many as nine points clear of the relegation zone and have the chance to extend that number with games against both Ipswich Town and Leicester City fast approaching.
Once their Premier League place is confirmed, those in the Midlands will have the chance to turn their focus towards what could be a tumultuous summer transfer window, which looks destined to feature a Matheus Cunha exit.
The Brazilian put pen to paper on a new deal at Molineux in January, but ensured that his new contract included a release clause worth £63m. Now, amid interest from the likes of Arsenal, the talented forward seems destined to depart for a hefty fee.
What that departure will do, however, is hand Pereira some much-needed funds in pursuit of one particular La Liga talent. According to Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sports Witness, Wolves are now eyeing a move to sign Sergi Altimira from Celta Vigo ahead of Manchester City this summer.
The midfielder reportedly has a release clause worth around €50m (£42m), so certainly won’t come cheap. It is a fee that will become far easier for Wolves to match if Cunha heads for the exit door though.
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As for Altimira, amid interest from both Manchester City and Wolves, he may be forced to make a crucial decision when the summer arrives. Whilst joining up with Pep Guardiola may seem the more prestigious path, those in the Midlands could offer the crucial guarantee of game time.
"Fantastic" Altimira could partner Gomes
In a move that would replace Mario Lemina, who swapped Wolves for Galatasaray in January, Wolves could form an impressive partnership between Joao Gomes and Betis star Altimira. Dubbed “fantastic” by Spanish reporter Mateo Gonzalez earlier this season, the 23-year-old may yet become the first signing of Pereira’s first full season in charge.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Sergi Altimira
Joao Gomes
Starts
17
27
Progressive Carries
18
43
Progressive Passes
79
130
Ball Recoveries
94
137
Whilst Gomes’ numbers highlight the standards that he’s reached at Wolves and how far Altimira has to come, the Spaniard would undoubtedly learn from the Brazilian if he completed a move to the Midlands this summer.
There’s every reason why Manchester City have their sights set on the young midfielder and securing his signature would be an impressive coup for Wolves this summer.
Luring him away from City’s clutches should prove to be far easier once their Premier League place is confirmed too. Once safety is theirs, Wolves would be wise to make their move to sign the Betis star as soon as possible.
Australia’s passive response to Bazball draws mixed response in papers and on air
Andrew Miller17-Jun-2023
Ben Stokes shares a joke on declaration of England’s innings•ECB/Getty Images
What would the late, great Shane Warne have made of it all? A deep point in position for Australia’s first delivery of the series? A first-day declaration with Joe Root in full flow? Two batters stumped on the opening day of the Ashes – the first time that’s happened since Lord’s in 1890?Everywhere you looked at a raucous Edgbaston, there was discombobulation to be found, as England laid out their summer’s manifesto with a performance every bit as unfettered – and borderline unhinged – as the Bazball revolution had promised it would be.And in response, the Australians went … well, a bit “un-Australian” in the words of the former England captain Alastair Cook on Test Match Special – and had that exact same sentiment been uttered by Warne himself, it would probably have counted as the most excoriating verdict ever to have been uttered in an Ashes contest.As it was, Australia’s commentators for the most part kept their counsel on a day that arguably ended with their side in fractional command in terms of the scoreboard, if not so much of the narrative of the contest.”They’ve gone defensive straightaway,” Ricky Ponting said in hushed tones on Sky Sports, adding that he was “not a huge fan” of Cummins’ deep backward point to Zak Crawley, which soon became four boundary riders when the cut-savvy Ben Duckett came onto strike during his brief stay.”Yes the bad ball might get cut, or square driven through backward point. But you’ve got to be able to protect yourself, protect your good ball and keep the batsman on strike,” Ponting added. “If the scoreboard continually ticks over, batsmen never feel under pressure at all.”Writing in The Times, Gideon Haigh remarked that Australia’s field placings were “so negative they were almost inert”, while pointing out that the same bowling attack in Australia had dismissed England for fewer than 200 on six occasions out of ten.Related
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“Cummins did not so much revert to defence as embark from it,” Haigh added. “Within a few overs, more fielders were patrolling the perimeter than lurking in the cordon — an umbrella field of a different kind, complete with sou’ wester and oilskin coat, as a precaution against a deluge of boundaries.”Kevin Pietersen on Sky Sports didn’t mince his words either. “Australia have got it wrong, but from an England perspective it is fantastic to see Australia so defensive,” he said. “I think that they went straight to plan-B.”Geoff Lemon in The Guardian, however, had no such issue with the tactics, and preferred to focus solely on the day’s outcome. “When the action finally got under way at Edgbaston, Australia coped just fine,” he wrote. “Dynamism and controlling the flow of the match are well and good. On this pitch though, however it came about, keeping England to 393 would have the Australians well pleased.”In the end, the surprise declaration was the only truly Bazball moment that Stokes could inject into the day,” Lemon added. “It could be characterised as brave or as reckless, and probably that assessment would change depending whether it worked. In this case it didn’t.”Writing in Australia’s , Robert Craddock wrote of the message the declaration sent.”On paper, Ben Stokes’ declaration failed because Australia was 0-14 at stumps and licking its lips at the prospect of batting on a docile deck. England could pay for being so bold. But don’t underestimate the force of a message that says ‘we are coming at you hard … from head-on and occasionally left field’.”Over in the , Daniel Brettig compared the early exchanges to the Rumble in the Jungle.”Famously, Ali absorbed a flurry of Foreman’s punches on the ropes in Kinshasa before breaking through to land a knockout blow in the eighth round,” he wrote. “Australia’s cricketers, having finally been confronted with the fearless tactics and mindset of England, now have a firsthand idea of what their own path to Ashes victory will have to comprise.”Nevertheless, we’re only one day into a five-match series, and for Simon Wilde in The Times, this summer’s psychological battle is only just getting started.”Australian teams love to dictate terms and would have hated being dragged around like this tactically,” he wrote, “being made to do things they do not normally do, seemingly at the whim of an England team who when they last met could not have been more pliable, more supine, and barely landed a punch all series.”While Australia will naturally consider themselves very much in the game, this sense of being buffeted by a storm they are still trying to comprehend will disturb them. Might they sleep on the thought that England left some runs out there, that they themselves might be able to go well past 400 and set themselves up for later in the game … and in the process just get ahead of themselves?”It was a theme that Tim Wigmore also explored in The Telegraph. “It is always disingenuous when teams proclaim to have no interest in how their opponents play,” he wrote. “The question that lurked behind Australia’s opening-day display was whether prudent planning had become something else: Focusing on the opposition’s strengths at the expense of their own.”
Pakistan recovered from 88 for 7, but just fell short after Tom Latham’s 64 carried the visitors to 163
Danyal Rasool17-Apr-2023
Iftikhar Ahmed reached fifty from only 20 balls•AP
A game that should have been a blowout ended as a humdinger. In extinguishing Pakistan at the last, New Zealand keep themselves alive in this series by the barest of margins, edging Pakistan out by four runs. In a game that was alive until Haris Rauf’s slog was snaffled at cow corner and a jubilant New Zealand celebrated with an impromptu lap of honour across the ground, Iftikhar Ahmed looked to have sealed it with a breathtaking onslaught of hitting.His 60 off 24 balls came when Pakistan were staring down the barrel of near-certain defeat, bringing Pakistan to the brink of a heist for the ages. But Jimmy Neesham held his nerve as Iftikhar holed out with three balls to go, and a victory that should have been New Zealand’s an hour earlier was finally made official.New Zealand had posted 163 – their highest score of the series – thanks to a half-century from their captain Tom Latham, and cameos lower down the order, as they escaped the clutches of Pakistan’s bowling in the final nine overs and ensured their bowlers would have something to defend. The bowlers, for their part, rose up to the challenge gloriously on a day Pakistan’s touch and timing was consistently missing.The hosts’ top order misfired and the middle order was blown away by a tidy, disciplined New Zealand, who were especially clutch with their catching and looked like they would be rewarded handsomely for it. Iftikhar and Faheem Ashraf, who smacked a handy 27 from 14 balls, ensured that gratification would be delayed, but Neesham ensured it would not be denied altogether.Latham digs inFor much of the first half of the first innings, there was little to suggest that Latham’s innings would be anything but a match-losing one. By the end of the powerplay, he had scratched his way to 19 off 21 deliveries. Later, he wasn’t faring much better against the spin of Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan either; by the end of the 11th, he managed only 34 off 32, with his side hovering just above six an over.But Latham would finally crank through the gears, and Imad and Shadab felt the full force of it. A club down the ground off Imad in the 12th over for four set the tone, and suddenly, the shackles came off. Lovely footwork saw him deposit one into the stands before the over was out, while worse was to follow for Shadab.Tom Latham’s 64 led a turnaround for New Zealand•PCB
Daryll Mitchell plundered him for 16 in the next over before Latham ramped Shaheen Afridi for six to start the 16th over, and slapped Rauf away for another boundary next over. New Zealand were suddenly flying, and though Latham fell to Rauf off the next legal delivery, the innings of 64 from 49 balls won him a Player of the Match award that did not seem likely for the New Zealand captain at the halfway mark.Milne’s mixed bag, Henry’s heroicsAdam Milne has had rotten luck with injuries throughout his career. A packed schedule and his extreme pace do not necessarily go together, and so while he was among New Zealand’s most effective bowlers in the first T20I on Friday, prudence demanded he be rested the following day.Thus, Milne, well-rested over the weekend, showed the kind of menace and ability he has to pose a threat to any opposition. After a first over where pace and swing were produced in equal measure, Babar Azam hung his bat out at a slightly wider one, the sideways movement drawing the outer edge that produced a wicket.With Matt Henry at the other end equally effective at stifling the batters, another wicket followed, as reckless running and sharp fielding saw Mohammad Rizwan’s demise. By the end of the powerplay, Pakistan had scored just 35, and were two down.New Zealand’s two frontline bowlers would continue to have an outsized influence on Pakistan’s chase. Milne returned to prise Shadab out off his first ball back into the attack to start the 15th over, leaving Pakistan reeling at 88 for 7. But the two wouldn’t have it all their own way, because even with another 76 required for victory from only 35 balls and three wickets remaining, Pakistan were about to turn this game on its head.Iftikhar, Faheem hit backPakistan had sunk into the abyss, but almost as if a passing ship had thrown them life jacket, Iftikhar and Faheem began to raise them back up once more. It all started when Pakistan needed 72 from the last five overs, and Neesham was brought back for his third over. Those were the first signs of life from an Iftikhar who was beginning to find his place in the side under scrutiny: a bludgeoned six over wide long-on – his trademark shot – had been preceded by a four, and followed up with another by Faheem.Faheem Ashraf’s 27 from 14 balls delayed New Zealand’s victory•AP
A generally-subdued Gaddafi crowd continued to cling to hope, and the exit gates, heaving just moments earlier, began to see traffic reverse back in. But with another 46 required off the last 18 deliveries, it was Milne’s final over that truly threatened to snatch the game away from the visitors. A combination of missed lengths and a batting pair who found themselves in the zone saw 23 runs scored, including three massive sixes.Death-overs frenzyBut Henry, by far New Zealand’s standout bowler on the day, had his say once more. Unfazed by Faheem slapping away over midwicket for six more to get the equation down to 15 from ten balls, Henry attempted a yorker, as Faheem struggled to get underneath it, and holed out to Mitchell at long-on. Suddenly, with eight wickets down, Iftikhar needed to farm the strike, which he got only after No. 10 Naseem Shah saw off three dots in a row to end the 19th over, during which Iftikhar got to his fifty from only 20 deliveries.It looked as if the hapless Neesham would face the brunt of Iftikhar’s brutality once more, especially when a six and a four reduced the target to five off three deliveries. But Neesham has faced pressure before; this, after all is the man who New Zealand sent out to face the Super Over in a World Cup final. He went full once more, and when Iftikhar miscued his shot slightly, Mitchell was there at long-on to cling on again.It was down to five to win from two balls, with last man Rauf on strike. Rauf was first deceived with a short delivery, and then, with nothing to lose, he tried to heave the final ball over cow corner. It was immediately clear from Mitchell’s reaction that it wasn’t big enough. He began to celebrate while Chad Bowes, at deep midwicket, completed the catch, thus capping off a remarkable evening and ensuring New Zealand’s mathematical interest in this series continued.
Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistan prime minister and board patron has nominated a 14-member committee led by Najam Sethi
Umar Farooq21-Dec-2022Ramiz Raja is no longer chairman of the PCB. His removal from the post and the current board was formally initiated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who is also patron of the cricket board.A 14-member management committee, headed by former board head and prominent media analyst Najam Sethi, and including former Pakistan captains Shahid Afridi and Sana Mir will take interim charge of affairs. The committee will have 120 days in which they are expected to change the PCB’s constitution, bringing back the 2014 version to replace the current one (put in place in 2019).”The cricket regime headed by Ramiz Raja is no more,” Sethi tweeted late on Wednesday. “The 2014 PCB constitution stands restored. The Management Committee will work tirelessly to revive first class cricket. Thousands of cricketers will be employed again. The famine in cricket will come to an end.”
Congratulations again and again! pic.twitter.com/hO7tYsuFfr
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) December 21, 2022
The more formal notification of events had been issued earlier from the Prime Minister’s office and a summary from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) which confirmed speculation that had built over the last couple of days, prompted by Pakistan’s defeat in Karachi to England. That loss completed an unprecedented 0-3 home whitewash.”Constitution of a management committee to manage the affairs of PCB with full executive powers with the aim of effecting the restoration of Departmental Cricket Structure and other allied matters, including the nomination of a Board of Governors and election of chairman, as stipulated in the 2014 constitution, within a timeframe of 120 days,” the notification said. “The management committee of PCB shall comprise of the Chairman/Chief Executive & required members.”Related
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The notification has to be sent to the Law and Justice division to be legally vetted, before being put in front of the cabinet for approval. That is expected to be a mere formality. It is not clear at the moment what implications – if any – this has on the senior executive in the board, though ESPNcricinfo believes there will be a cull. The 2014 constitution did not have scope for a CEO, for instance, with the chairman doubling up in that role. At the moment, the CEO is Faisal Hasnain and the COO – for whom there is a role – Salman Naseer.On Wednesday, Pakistan also announced a squad for the Test series against New Zealand which begins from December 26 in Karachi. New Zealand’s squad are due to arrive on Wednesday evening for their first series of any kind in Pakistan since 2003 – to a board in flux. Both the Pakistan captain Babar Azam and coach Saqlain Mushtaq have come under scrutiny after the loss to England but it is unlikely either of those positions change so soon – in any case Saqlain’s tenure ends in February 2023.Though Ramiz’s expected departure will be the headline consequence, the main order of business for the new committee is the repeal of the current board constitution to reinstate the 2014 version. In fact, the summary sent by the IPC to the prime minister’s office is not specifically about a board change. Its main concern is the constitutional revamp whereby department teams can return to domestic cricket. It is in this roundabout way that the current administration led by Ramiz is being removed – because the 2019 constitution does not recognise departmental cricket, the old constitution that does is being brought back and an interim management committee will be tasked to carry that out.A 14-member management committee, headed by Najam Sethi, is expected to take interim charge of affairs•Associated PressGetting rid of departments was insisted upon by Imran Khan, when he was Prime Minister, who had for long wanted Pakistan’s domestic scene to replicate that of Australia’s – a provincial model, with six teams made up of Pakistan’s provinces playing in all tournaments. But with Imran’s exit in April 2022, a group of former board members has begun urging the government to go back to the previous domestic structure in which departmental teams such as WAPDA, SNGPL and PIA were part of the first-class circuit – a number of those members, unsurprisingly, make up the proposed interim management committee. Imran’s orders to abolish departmental cricket, the notification read, had been revoked by Sharif, who succeeded him as premier.The PCB had been criticised for abolishing departmental cricket, as it rendered hundreds of cricketers jobless at a stroke. It is worth noting that a number of department sides had shut down their sporting operations even before Imran’s change and, in the current economic climate, there might not be much appetite for such organisations to hire a squad of cricketers.Sethi was head of the PCB in one capacity or another from 2013 until 2018, though the stint was initially embroiled in legal battles with his predecessor Zaka Ashraf; he resigned once Imran became Prime Minister in August 2018. As the first chairman of the league, he oversaw the birth of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and was in charge when the very first visits by international sides were made to Pakistan, ending a period of isolation that began after the 2009 terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore.For Ramiz, whose position has been under constant speculation since Imran’s ouster as Prime Minister, the change will bring to an end a short but eventful tenure. It was Imran who had brought in Ramiz in September 2021 on the premise that a former cricketer was best placed to handle cricket matters in the country. But time had been running out for him since the day Imran and his government was ousted in April in divisive circumstances after a vote of no-confidence in the country’s parliament. The impact of that change is still playing itself out across the political spectrum of the country but, unusually at the time, the impact on the PCB was negligible. Usually, with a change of government, a change of the chairmanship and board administration is inevitable and immediate. But as the new government, with a vast coalition of several political parties, worked its way through the most pressing priorities in the country – not least a spiralling economic crisis – Ramiz stayed under the radar and continued in the position.However, momentum against him built after Pakistan’s 0-3 loss to England at home – a run that now includes the Test side losing four Tests in a row at home for the first time in the country’s history and not having won any of the six home Tests played in 2022. Over the last few days, Sethi as well as other senior members in the proposed management committee had begun making a play among political circles in Islamabad.Ramiz has taken on a more hands-on role with cricketing matters during his stint but as a result has been associated more closely with the team’s results than, for example, his predecessor Ehsan Mani. He will no doubt point to achievements in overseeing the completion of two of the highest-profile visits to Pakistan in over a decade – by Australia and England – and being in charge when Pakistan made the semi-final and final of consecutive men’s T20 World Cups and the final of the Asia Cup.December 22, GMT 0645 The story and headline were amended after Ramiz was formally removed as chairman.
Nearly 20 years on from his first promotion success at the Hawthorns, Tony Mowbray will be desperate to make it two on his West Bromwich Albion CV come the end of the long and gruelling campaign.
It will be a tough and intense battle to remain in the Championship playoff spots, but the cool head did guide Sunderland into the top six picture during the 2022/23 season, away from winning the league at the Baggies way back in 2008.
If a return to the top flight isn’t sealed, a number of key personnel could up and leave in major moves when the transfer window swings back open, with a whole host of transfer values in the West Midlands soaring.
Potential high profile West Brom sales
Although West Brom have had to deal with some upheaval this season in Carlos Corberan departing the club, it hasn’t really negatively impacted the performances of some of their top individuals.
Of course, Mowbray’s arrival onto the scene did come around the same time Josh Maja was confirmed to be out for the foreseeable, having fired home 12 electric Championship goals when completely free of his injury demons.
This would end up being one of Maja’s final goals in league action before an untimely spell on the treatment room, with the ex-Sunderland man even touted to be on the move at one stage during the winter window for a fee around the £15m mark.
There will be a temptation to cash in if promotion isn’t reached, especially if rumoured parties such as Chelsea come back in, with Premier League interest also heating up for the services of Tom Fellows down the right wing.
Tom Fellows celebrates for West Brom.
The homegrown prodigy has a stunning 11 assists in the league so far this season, with rumours circulating that Everton were keen during the most recent window as a £20m price tag is also now planted above his head.
Whilst both of these amounts wouldn’t be sniffed at by the promotion hopefuls, there is a certain ex-loanee worth even more than both the named £15m and £20m price tags, who is a scintillating watch at the peak of his powers in the top-flight.
The "special" loanee now worth more than Maja & Fellows
West Brom has been a great environment for loan stars to grow in recent years, with immediate names coming to mind including Romelu Lukaku, Conor Gallagher and Tosin Adarabioyo at the early stages of their development.
But, it could be slightly forgotten about now that Harvey Barnes called the Hawthorns his home temporarily during the 2018/19 campaign, which would result in Barnes finally getting more action at then parent side Leicester City.
Twisting and turning Championship defences for fun, as can be seen watching his gleaming highlights reel above, the Burnley-born winger would round off his time in the West Midlands with a sizeable nine goals and eight assists next to his name.
From that point on, the one-time England senior international would begin to make waves at Leicester, with his terrific form over a number of seasons at the King Power Stadium seeing him win a major £38m switch to Newcastle United.
Season
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
24/25
27
5
1
23/24
23
5
3
22/23
40
13
3
21/22
48
11
13
20/21
35
13
4
19/20
42
7
9
Looking at the table above, there’s plenty on show to validate why the Magpies splashed out £38m, with football statistician Statman Dave even once heralding Barnes as “special” for his consistent excellence campaign by campaign.
He has had to battle with injury issues at St James’ Park limiting his game-time, but his transfer value still stands at the £28m mark, as per Transfermarkt.
Harvey Barnes
Therefore, whilst Maja and Fellows could win Mowbray big bucks, Barnes is worth far more than the duo, as West Brom aim to face off against their former loan star next season if promotion becomes a reality.
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Chelsea are showing strong interest in an “outrageous” forward who is wanted by some of Europe’s top clubs, and they are now readying a move, according to a report.
Blues eyeing a winger amid Mudryk uncertainty
With Mykhailo Mudryk in an uncertain situation after being suspended due to a positive drugs test, the Blues are assessing wingers for the summer transfer window, and they have a number of options in mind.
Enzo Maresca’s side are eyeing a number of players from the Premier League, with a £42m bid being prepared for AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, having been impressed by the versatile forward’s performances this season.
In the past few days, there have been widespread reports the west Londoners are also considering an audacious move for Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, while they have held an interest in Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho since the January transfer window.
The majority of winger targets will be well-known to Chelsea fans, however there are now reports they are considering an option that is a little more obscure.
According to a report from The Boot Room, the Blues are now showing the strongest interest in Roony Bardghji, with the FC Copenhagen winger attracting the attention of almost every top European club.
The 19-year-old is one of the most sought-after talents in Europe, having earned the nickname the “Swedish Messi”, and a move to the Premier League is considered a real possibility.
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Bardghji, who is out of contract in December, has not played since sustaining a knee ligament injury in the summer, but he is now back in training.
Bardghji showing great potential
The major injury may have hampered the young Swedish forward’s development over the past few months, but he has put in some top performances in the past, which indicate he could be capable of making the step up to a top Premier League club.
The Kuwait-born winger bagged seven goals in 19 Superliga games during the 2023-24 season, and he has also impressed in the Champions League, most notably scoring the winner in a 4-3 victory against Manchester United.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig also seems to believe the Copenhagen man could go on to achieve great things, having previously lauded him as an “outrageous talent”.
The only concern over signing Bardghji will be the fact he hasn’t played in such a long time due to the knee injury he picked up in the summer, but the fact he is now back in training is a good sign.
It may be difficult to win the race for the starlet, given that so many top clubs are keen, particularly if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League, but it is promising news that a move is now being readied, making this one to watch.
Coach Gary Stead says they have “to learn how we can compete and put that killer punch in at times”
Vishal Dikshit12-Sep-2022
Trent Boult was New Zealand’s standout performer, especially with the new ball•Getty Images
New Zealand are “disappointed and frustrated” after being swept 3-0 by Australia in the ODI series in Cairns, especially after “having opportunities in all three matches and not getting over the line,” according to their coach Gary Stead. New Zealand had the hosts under pressure with early wickets in all three games but lost two of those by slim margins: the first by two wickets and the third by 25 runs.New Zealand began their 268 chase with an opening stand of 49 in nine overs in the third ODI on Sunday. They were well placed at 106 for 3 in the 25th over before Kane Williamson was run out and James Neesham and Glenn Phillips holed out against the Australian quicks to slip to 224 for 7 and eventually fall short.”I can assure you it was a pretty frustrated dressing room last night,” Stead said on a Zoom press conference on Monday. “The guys are disappointed and frustrated after having opportunities in all three matches and not getting over the line. I think it’s easy when you lose that you can go soul searching a little bit, but we try not to do that. We try to be clear in our processes and what we’re trying to do and try to get better each day. Unfortunately Australia put enough pressure on us and we couldn’t quite get over the line last night again.”Stead conceded that they were on the receiving end of Australia’s counter-attacking strategy through the series. While defending 232 in the series opener, a fiery first spell from Trent Boult reduced the hosts to 44 for 5 before Alex Carey and Cameron Green helped them seal a thrilling victory. Batting first in the second ODI, Australia were 54 for 5 but Steven Smith and the tail managed to put on 195 which they defended by bowling out New Zealand for just 82. In the third game, on a pitch much better for scoring, Smith’s century led Australia to the highest score of the series and New Zealand’s middle order fought back but couldn’t take them over the line.When asked if New Zealand had a mental block of never winning a series in Australia in the past, Stead said: “I don’t know, a lot of teams come to Australia and they struggle to beat them, and we’re no different. They’re a very, very good side, they compete the whole time, it’s something we talk about within the group, how we keep throwing punches back at them and they seem to keep having answers for them at the moment. But we’re also a good side and we’ve to learn how we can compete and put that killer punch in at times as well to make sure we can get on top of them.”Boult was New Zealand’s standout performer in the series with his new-ball exploits that fetched him 10 wickets overall with an economy rate of just 3.43 – his most frugal ODI series – and eight maidens, the second-most he has bowled in a bilateral series. But having given away his New Zealand contract recently, it is clear that he won’t be available for them as often in the future.Finn Allen gave New Zealand a strong start in the final ODI•Getty Images
“Trent’s made his decision around that and we respect that as well,” Stead said. “He’s been a fine bowler and still is a fine bowler for New Zealand and that showed through this series as well. If Trent is there then we look like a stronger team, but we have to make some decisions around what that looks like for us going forward as well because we do have to keep developing our depth underneath as well.”The pitches at the Cazaly’s Stadium in the series were fairly slow which made batters struggle for quick runs, especially in the first 30 overs of the innings. It was only in the final game that Smith scored the only century of the series – the slowest of his ODI career, the middle and lower order scored quick runs in the end, and New Zealand got off to a quick start with Finn Allen, who came in for Martin Guptill, scoring 35 off 38.Stead praised Allen’s innings but said New Zealand’s bowling needed some work in the end overs and that these pitches were good preparation for them looking ahead to the ODI World Cup next year in India.”I thought last night the pitch was slightly better than the first two that we played on,” Stead said. “We started very very well with the ball, I thought the opening bowling was very good; we’ve done that well all series. I guess the areas that we can keep looking at to improve will be more of the latter end of the bowling innings and we also improved the top of the [batting] innings as well. Devon [Conway] and Finn got away to a nice start and they applied pressure back on Australia but we kept losing wickets and when it felt like we were getting on top, those wickets kept hurting us and put us in a position that ultimately made it too tough.”I thought Finn looked really good. He was disappointed again, he’d gotten a start, the opening partnership was important for us, given right throughout the whole six innings – generally the five before that – the teams really struggled to get away. But I thought he looked composed out there, he didn’t overawed at all, I guess that is perhaps one of the advantages of going to the IPL for a couple of years as you get to learn and live alongside some of these players as well. Certainly didn’t look out of place.”First thing to note is the pitches we played on weren’t typical Australian pitches either, they were definitely on the slower side. Playing on these pitches was good exposure for us because you go to a World Cup in India, you play on some very different wickets. Having the experience and needing to adapt are things that are important. There’s certainly no excuses around the pitch at all, we have to adapt to what’s in front of us.”
Newcastle United could sign a “fascinating” forward for £30m this month, with his club now willing to sanction his departure, according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey.
Howe keen to bolster his attacking options
Eddie Howe is keen to bring in a new winger before the January transfer window shuts, and Manchester City’s Jack Grealish is now on the list of targets, although there will be competition from the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa.
Not only is a new winger on the agenda for Newcastle, but they are also looking at signing a playmaker to provide support to Alexander Isak, and it was recently revealed they have made a £50m+ bid to activate Villarreal’s Alex Baena’s release clause.
Botafogo’s Luiz Henrique is another option for the Magpies, with the Brazilian being tipped to replace Jacob Murphy at St. James’ Park, however he is now closing in on a move to Zenit.
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As such, Howe may have to look elsewhere for a new winger, and transfer expert Graeme Bailey has now revealed that while Lyon’s Ernest Nuamah is on the radar, the 21-year-old is not at the top of the list of targets.
Bailey suggests that Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz could be a more viable option for Newcastle this month, saying: “Yilmaz is different. He’s a fascinating player. I think he ticks a lot of boxes for Newcastle. He can play anywhere across the front three and is a very clever footballer. He’s a good age.
Galatasaray'sBarisAlperYilmazand Ismail Jakobs celebrate after Victor Osimhen scores their third goal
“The belief is that you could get him for £30million or less this month. Galatasaray are willing to do a deal. He’s an interesting one to keep an eye on. Nottingham Forest have looked and there are others in the Premier League too. He’s a name that I think will come up in the final days of the window. But I think he is a consideration for Newcastle.”
Yilmaz in fine form in Turkey
The 24-year-old has most commonly been deployed on the wing in the Turkish Super Lig this season, but he has been prolific in front of goal, scoring 10 goals in 19 appearances.
The forward’s keen eye for goal was also on display in the 2023-24 campaign, winning a Goal of the Week award for a fine strike on the volley.
The winger’s work rate has also been praised, with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admitting he had a tough time coming up against the Turkey international at Euro 2024, saying: “Baris Alper Yilmaz was running constantly. He was running elusive. It was difficult for every defender.
“He made it very hard for us. He couldn’t score a goal though. If we were to describe him in any way, he is a really important player.”
Yilmaz’s performances for club and country indicate he is ready to take the next step in his career by signing for a big Premier League club, so Newcastle should look to get a deal done before the deadline.
Kylian Mbappe dismissed any suggestion that there is tension between himself and Vinicius Junior, saying he joined Real Madrid to “play with him”.
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French forward moved to Spain in 2024Has become another 'Galactico'Working with fellow forward, not against himFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
France international Mbappe became another 'Galactico' at Santiago Bernabeu during the summer of 2024. He joined a star-studded squad in the Spanish capital that boasts plenty of talent, but also a few big egos.
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Brazilian forward Vinicius has been a talismanic presence for Los Blancos in recent years, helping them to two Champions League titles, but is now having to share the spotlight with the likes of Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
WHAT KYLIAN MBAPPE SAID
There have been reports of divides in the Real camp, but Mbappe insists there is no substance to those rumours. He told when discussing his relationship with Vinicius: “The relationship is very good, it’s normal for people to talk about us, about two famous players who make a difference, but I came with the idea of playing with Vinicius.
“I can’t imagine a Real Madrid without Vini. We play well, we can be better. People expect more from us and that’s normal. We’re good together and it’s the most important part of the season. We’re going to try to help Madrid win as much as we can.”
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Mbappe has also discussed why he linked up with Real when reaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain and becoming a free agent. He added: “There are things more important than money. I wanted to play for Real Madrid, here at the Bernabeu. For me, the most important thing is to be happy.
“I was absolutely certain (that I would end up at Madrid). I had great confidence in my abilities, and it was what I had wanted with all my heart since I was a child. I always had in my head the idea of playing for Real Madrid.”