Sunderland are gearing up for what they hope will be another shot at promotion from the Championship, but question marks remain over the future of star attacker Jack Clarke.
The 22-year-old played a direct part in 21 goals in the second tier last season as Sunderland made it to the play-offs, where they were defeated by Luton Town in the semi-finals.
A number of Premier League clubs – Burnley and Everton among them – are supposedly weighing up a move for Clarke, who could attract bids in the region of £15m.
Should that be the case, the Black Cats will have a serious decision to make regarding a player who still has three years to run on his Stadium of Light contract.
If they opt to cash in, that money will surely be reinvested on not only a direct replacement but also on players in other positions.
Versatile Fenerbahce wide man Bright Osayi-Samuel is one of those on Tony Mowbray's radar, though Turkish outlet Fanatik reports that they face competition from Premier League pair Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa to complete what could be a transfer as pricey as £8m.
Is Bright Osayi-Samuel a good option for Sunderland?
Osayi-Samuel has spent the past three seasons in Super Lig with Fenerbahce, having previously caught the eye across seven seasons in the English Football League with Blackpool and then Queens Park Rangers.
The 25-year-old's best season in the Championship came in 2019-20 when scoring five goals and assisting nine for QPR, with his ability to get past an opponent a key attribute. With a top speed of 17.99mph, as per Speedsdb, it is clear to see why.
Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts.
Osayi-Samuel is comfortable playing on the right of midfield, but he has become more accustomed to playing as a right-back or right wing-back in recent times, which should get Sunderland fans even more excited.
It opens up the possibility of the Nigerian linking up with Patrick Roberts down the wing at the Stadium of Light next season, while at the same time spelling bad news for current right-back Trai Hume.
Roberts had an impressive haul of 12 direct goal involvements last season, which will only likely improve with a player of Osayi-Samuel's quality providing support.
Osayi-Samuel may be an attacking player by his very nature, but as pointed out by football reporter Oma Akatugba, he is also a "very tidy" footballer, one who is comfortable defending and with the ball at his feet.
Indeed, as highlighted by WhoScored, Osayi-Samuel likes to play short passes – with dribbling his highest-ranked strength – while his 0.31 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes in his final season with QPR shows what he is capable of in terms of creativity. For comparison, as per FBref, Hume had a figure of 0.12 in that same metric last season.
Osayi-Samuel certainly will not come cheap, but if funds are indeed made available for Mowbray this summer, he could be a very good fit down the right for Sunderland next season.
Aston Villa have turned their attention to the transfer window, as Unai Emery bids to improve his side this summer.
The Villans have already confirmed the agreement to sign Youri Tielemans and are looking to add more power to their midfield, should latest reports be believed.
What’s the latest on Cesare Casadei to Aston Villa?
As reported by Italian outlet CalcioMercato, Aston Villa are interested in Chelsea youngster Cesare Casadei.
The 20-year-old, who spent half the season on loan at Reading, is due to return to west London this summer.
The report speculates that it’s ‘likely’ that the Italian ace will be sent out on another loan deal, with a Premier League stay preferred for his parent club to allow him to gain valuable experience.
The report suggests that Villa, along with Brighton & Hove Albion are ‘possibilities’ for the young talent.
What could Cesare Casadei offer to Aston Villa?
Hailed as a “powerful” box-to-box midfielder by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 20-year-old has shone at the U20’s World Cup so far.
In six games played at the tournament, the youngster has maintained an average Sofascore match rating of 7.90 contributing to eight goals in scoring seven himself and assisting one.
Despite playing as a deep midfielder, the £15k-per-week Italian has flexed his attacking abilities on the big stage, making him an exciting prospect for Emery’s plans at Villa Park.
While the Spaniard has a solid set up in the engine room in Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara, he will require an option for rotation especially when considering the added games in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Casadei could be a strong competitor in the talented midfield, and could particularly shine in a partnership alongside Luiz.
Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz celebrates scoring against Spurs.
In 15 Championship appearances for Reading after signing for the club in January, the midfielder averaged 2.19 tackles, 1.87 blocks and 1.95 aerials won per 90 via FBref, showing that he is robust in his exploits in the defensive areas of midfield.
His numbers are similar to those recorded this season by Villa’s Brazilian machine, who averaged 2.24 tackles and 1.11 blocks per 90 via FBref, acting as the club’s commander in the engine room.
Add the attacking potential of Casadei to the mix, someone who is "like Pogba" – as per Roberto Mancini – and Emery could have a devilish duo in midfield, with two players capable of protecting the back line as well as being offensively able.
Luiz averages a higher rate of progressive passes to the 20-year-old, registering an average of 4.55 per 90 to his 2.76 in the Championship.
However, in the early stages of his career, the Ravenna-born star has flexed exactly what he can do for his country going forward, showing that the potential is there to become an established box-to-box whiz.
While it is uncertain the role that Mauricio Pochettino will want for the young Italian, there is little to doubt the impact he could have on Villa if given a chance to shine in the Premier League.
New South Wales cricketers will be the first Australian female domestic athletes to go fully professional, via a landmark deal that will push the wages of some players beyond six figures
Daniel Brettig06-Oct-2016New South Wales cricketers will be the first Australian female domestic athletes to go fully professional, via a landmark deal that will push the wages of some players beyond six figures.Cricket NSW unveiled a two-season deal with the sponsor LendLease that will ensure all members of the Breakers squad earn at least a minimum wage of A$35,000 a year. Combined with WBBL and Southern Stars payments, this will mean the likes of Ellyse Perry will now draw in a cricket salary in excess of $100,000.The announcement arrived ahead of negotiations for a new MOU between Australia’s cricketers and Cricket Australia, with women’s pay and conditions set to be a key battleground. NSW officials hope the LendLease underwrite will be a trendsetter for players around the nation.”This truly is a landmark moment,” NSW chief executive Andrew Jones said. “Cricket NSW has always been a leader in women’s sport and today we are proud to announce another first. Every member of the Lendlease Breakers squad now has the opportunity to pursue a professional sporting career.”I am confident that every state in Australia will now follow the lead of Cricket NSW by giving their female cricketers the opportunity to earn a living wage.”Cricket NSW is committed to growing and professionalising women’s cricket by attracting and retaining the best athletes, providing world-class facilities, coaching and support staff, and offering all of our athletes a professional pathway.”While the deal has been in the works for quite some time, it has grown in pertinence through recent advances in playing and payment opportunities for women in other sports such as AFL and netball. The new deal will again place cricket in the vanguard of women’s sport.As the young Breakers batsman Ashleigh Gardner put it: “Cricket has always been my passion. However, I never really thought that I would be able to play professionally. In the back of my mind I was always having to consider how I needed to juggle school work, studies, one day having a job and a family, with my training and matches.”To know now that I don’t need to worry about juggling all of this at once, and can really commit to my training and play professionally is incredible.”
An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to improve their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window…
What's the latest on Karlan Grant to Rangers?
Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop has revealed that the Light Blues are keen on West Bromwich Albion attacker, who is set to be available in the coming weeks.
He tweeted:
"West Brom will listen to offers for striker Karlan Grant this summer. Grant has Championship admirers while Scottish side Rangers have registered an interest. Grant signed a six year deal when he joined the Baggies for £15m in 2020 but he can now leave Albion."
However, it remains to be seen how much the Championship side are set to demand for his services as the attacker still has three years left to run on his contract.
Who could replace Antonio Colak at Rangers?
The Sun recently reported that the Gers are willing to listen to offers for Antonio Colak this summer and Michael Beale could ruthlessly ditch the Croatian international by signing Grant as his replacement.
Rangers forward Antonio Colak.
Three goals in his last 15 Scottish Premiership appearances have left the forward out of favour under the Light Blues head coach and his struggles since Beale's arrival make a parting of the ways seem like the right decision.
Colak has only scored three of his 17 goals this season since Giovanni van Bronckhorst was relieved of his duties during the break for the World Cup and bringing the West Brom attacker in would open the door for the ex-PAOK man to move on.
Grant has struggled for goals this season in the Championship, with three strikes in 18 starts, but has showcased his ability at that level in previous campaigns.
The centre-forward racked up 18 goals and 12 'big chances' created in 41 starts for the Baggies in the second tier of English football last term and managed 19 goals and six 'big chances' provided in 42 starts for Huddersfield in the division in 2020/21.
These statistics suggest that his woes this term are a flash in the pan and do not reflect the 25-year-old's true quality, which could result in Rangers getting a bargain deal for a talented player if West Brom value him based on his present form.
The £20k-per-week gem, who journalist Ben McKenna once hailed as "lethal", could rediscover his best form in Scotland in the same way that Todd Cantwell, who made a similar move from Norwich in January, has.
Since arriving from Carrow Road, the 25-year-old has scored three goals and provided four assists in 12 Premiership matches after failing to register a goal or assist in 18 Championship outings in the first half of the campaign.
This shows that Beale can get the best out of underperforming players coming from that level of football and the head coach could now ditch Colak by doing the same with Grant next season.
Sri Lanka seamer Shaminda Eranga has been admitted to hospital in Dublin to undergo tests on an elevated heartbeat. He is understood to be in a stable condition but will remain in Ireland until Monday while the rest of the team returns to the UK.Eranga experienced discomfort during Sri Lanka’s 136-run win over Ireland at Malahide on Saturday. He came out to bat and faced the final ball of the innings but did not bowl and instead went to hospital.”Eranga had an elevated heartbeat prior to the innings commencing and was taken to hospital for tests,” Sri Lanka team manager Charith Senanayake told ESPNcricinfo. “He’s doing good but in hospital till Monday to complete all tests.”Sri Lanka are due to return to England, ahead of the first ODI in Nottingham, on Sunday evening. Eranga’s involvement in the ODI series against England had been in some doubt after he was reported for a suspect action during the Test series. The ICC announced on Sunday that his action had been found to be illegal and he will be suspended from bowling in international competition with immediate effect.His absence continues a tour dogged by bad luck for Sri Lanka’s pace attack. Dhammika Prasad was ruled out of the Tests with a shoulder injury after playing in one warm-up game and Dushmantha Chameera was then forced to return home after suffering a stress fracture to his back.
Newcastle United have made contact regarding a summer deal to sign Tottenham Hotspur forward Lucas Moura, according to reports.
What's the latest on Moura to Newcastle?
The Premier League veteran has made 219 appearances since arriving in N17 back in 2018, but he's fallen significantly down the pecking order this season having made zero starts in the top-flight and is therefore fully expected to be on the move during the upcoming window.
The Brazilian's contract with Ryan Mason's side is set to expire at the end of the season and The Athletic have reported that they have decided not to offer him a new deal, meaning that he will depart upon the conclusion of the current campaign and become a free agent.
In September 2022, Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Magpies "approached" the Lilywhites regarding a deal for the 30-year-old on deadline day, but at the time they didn't want to let him go, but the fact that he is now set to become available for nothing will be music to the ears of PIF and Eddie Howe who appear to be wasting no time in revisiting a move for their target.
According to Torcedores (via Sport Witness), Newcastle, alongside top-flight rivals Aston Villa, have both "recently contacted" Moura and his representatives to express their desire to take him on board ahead of the 2023/24 term. The St. James' Park outfit remain "interested" in completing a deal for their long-term target, and Tottenham have left him "free" to assess any offers that he receives. Flamengo are also keen, but he is currently wanting to remain in Europe which gives the English duo the "advantage".
Tottenham Hotspur forward Lucas Moura.
Would Moura be a good signing for Newcastle?
Moura will likely need time to work his way up to full match fitness during pre-season having only played 295 minutes of football across all competitions this season, but the fact that he’d cost nothing to recruit means that Newcastle should be all over him as they look to build squad depth without infringing on Financial Fair Play regulations.
The Spurs winger has already proven himself in the Premier League having clocked up 65 goal contributions (38 goals and 27 assists) in 219 senior appearances in the capital, form which has seen him lauded “ridiculous” for his energy and pressing by journalist Josh Bunting.
The Sao Paulo native, who is a versatile operator with the ability to play anywhere across the frontline and in three positions in the midfield, also has a track record when facing the northeast outfit having netted one goal and provided the same number of assists in nine meetings, though he could soon be the one putting them away for the black and white stripes.
Leeds United could only muster a 1-1 draw in their crucial relegation six-pointer with Leicester City on Tuesday night, to put Javi Gracia’s side in even more trouble at the bottom.
The Yorkshire outfit were perhaps fortunate to even earn a point as both Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans had goals ruled out for offside, although Patrick Bamford should have secured the win for the hosts when he inexplicably fired wide in the final moments.
Although Leeds were able to arrest their losing streak on Tuesday night, it was still a disappointing performance from Gracia’s side and with five tough fixtures to come, fans will recognise how difficult it will be to stay up now.
However, there was one silver lining from the game at Elland Road, and it was the strong performance of Jack Harrison, who has been a man possessed since Gracia took over as Leeds manager.
How did Jack Harrison play for Leeds against Leicester?
As per Sofascore, the former Manchester City man would earn a superb 7.7/10 rating for his performance, which ranked him as the second-best player on the pitch from both sides, with only James Maddison (8/10) rated higher.
It was the Englishman’s superb cross which led to Leeds’ only goal of the night, as Luis Sinisterra headed in at the back post, and he was a constant threat to Leicester’s backline throughout the game.
Although he would lose possession on 22 occasions on Tuesday night, the £90k-per-week winger was always looking to create something and contributed an impressive four key passes as a result, which is far better than his season average of 1.6 key passes per game in the Premier League.
Leeds wingerJack Harrison
He also created two big chances, completed four crosses and was fouled four times, which suggests that he really raised his game against Leicester, and the Foxes’ left-back Victor Kristiansen simply couldn’t deal with him, earning a shocking 5.8/10 rating for his display.
While Harrison was clearly Leeds’ most creative outlet, he also showed an extraordinary willingness to get back and help his team in defence, contributing two clearances, two interceptions and three tackles, again a big increase on his average of 0.5 clearances, 0.7 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per game in the top flight.
If Leeds are to stay up this season, then the “outstanding” Harrison – as per Gracia – will certainly have been a big factor, as the 26-year-old now boasts three goals and three assists in 11 Premier League appearances since the Spaniard took over.
Liverpool are among the outfits interested in pursuing a move for dynamic Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio this summer, with the Spaniard's contract set to expire at the end of the campaign.
That's according to Football Transfers' Jacques Talbot, who claims that the 27-year-old is on the Reds' radar ahead of a possible swoop in the coming months.
Asensio has been with Los Blancos since 2014, when he signed for just €4m (£3.5m) from Mallorca, but has been informed that he will not be guaranteed regular minutes, although reluctant to grant his lucrative wage demands.
The report continues to state that Jurgen Klopp's assistant Pep Lijnders is a huge admirer of the attacker, and with Liverpool stalwart Roberto Firmino confirmed to be departing from Anfield when his own contract concludes in June, Asensio could be a tailor-made replacement, slotting into a new-look frontline, following seasonal signings Cody Gakpo and Darwin Núñez.
Should Liverpool sign Asensio?
Having plied the majority of his career at the Santiago Bernabeu, Asensio is no stranger to success; across his Real career, the £166k-per-week ace has forged 268 appearances, scoring 56 goals and supplying 29 assists, playing his part in clinching a wealth of major honours that notably includes three La Liga triumphs and three Champions League trophies.
The 35-cap international was hailed as "magical" by former team-mate Casemiro, and would certainly bring a new, dazzling dimension to Liverpool's attack, utilising his precision and dynamic capabilities to resounding effect.
Liverpool target Marco Asensio.
As per FBref, Asensio ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders in Europe for rate of goals and the top 18% for rate of assists per 90 over the past year, also among the top 8% for pass completion, illustrating a slick, ball-playing prowess which would suit Klopp's system to a tee.
With a successful swoop, Liverpool would indeed wield the perfect replacement for the departing Firmino, who has been integral under Klopp's wing, having signed for the Merseyside outfit for £29m in 2015.
Making 356 appearances, the distinguished Brazilian has scored 108 goals and served 79 assists, paramount to the successful endeavours of the club over the past several years.
Firmino has been hailed as a "leader" by Henry Winter for his feats with the Premier League giants, and despite not featuring from the start on every occasion this term, still ranks among the top 8% of forwards for goals and the top 5% for assists per 90, boasting a similarity with Asensio that affirms the clinical reliability of the pair.
With Liverpool out of sorts this season, and Firmino indeed leaving, Klopp must act swiftly to replace the phenom and ensure the Reds wield a reformed attack capable of surging back toward prominence.
Liverpool completing a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves is not ‘imminent’, even if he is on their ‘list’, reports Fabrizio Romano.
The Lowdown: Pole position?
The Premier League captain’s contract at Molineux isn’t set to expire until next summer but it’s looking highly likely that he’ll be leaving before then after reports claimed that he’s ready to quit at the end of the season.
The Reds, Tottenham and Newcastle have all asked to be kept informed of the 26-year-old’s situation whilst Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are also believed to be interested in a move.
Football Insider have since stated that Jurgen Klopp’s side and Manchester United are currently leading the race, but it sounds like his next destination is far from being decided.
The Latest: Romano’s update
According to Romano (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool, alongside the Blaugrana, are keen on Neves but there is nothing, as it stands, set to take place on the horizon. He said:
“Liverpool have many midfielders on the list for the summer, but for example, nothing is imminent for Wolves’ Ruben Neves.
“Manchester United wanting Ruben Neves is not something that is concrete at this stage. We have to remember it’s still March, and Manchester United still don’t know their exact budget for the summer and their priority will be a striker.
“Barcelona really like Wolves’ Ruben Neves but the club doesn’t know how much they can invest due to Financial Fair Play rules.”
The Verdict: Henderson heir?
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson isn’t getting any younger (32) so could soon need replacing, and Neves would be the perfect man for the job with his similar leadership qualities as Wolves captain.
The Nike-sponsored star currently ranks in the 98th percentile for most clearances per game by midfielders whilst averaging 2.4 tackles per outing in the top flight, showing that he’s not afraid to get stuck in, win back possession and control the game from the centre of the park.
The Portuguese is also strong in the offensive aspect of his game having registered five assists this season, and he’s recording two shots per league match, making his desire to contribute to his team’s efforts in the final third clear.
The Mozelos native would additionally bring versatility to Anfield with his ability to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his natural defensive position in front of the backline.
Neves has been dubbed a ‘beast’ by former professional Jimmy Conrad, and we believe he is the perfect candidate to put pen to paper on Merseyside.