A series win will see the ninth-ranked West Indies swap places with the eighth-ranked Bangladesh
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2018Shimron Hetmyer has recovered from the illness that kept him out of West Indies’ last Test against Sri Lanka to return to the squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh.Left-handed batsman Hetmyer was not picked in the XI for the first two Tests of the series against Sri Lanka, before being taken ill ahead of the third Test. Keemo Paul, the right-arm fast bowler who had replaced Hetmyer in the squad, keeps his place in the squad.There was only one change, with the uncapped reserve wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton left out.West Indies Squad
Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith
West Indies drew the series against Sri Lanka 1-1. They won the first Test by 226 runs, while a somewhat rain-affected second Test was drawn, but Sri Lanka came back well in the final match for a four-wicket win.While commending the team for the performance against Sri Lanka, the West Indies selection panel said they wanted more runs from the top-order. The selection panel “expects to see a greater effort from the top 5 batters and see them return to the focus and discipline we know they are capable of in the upcoming series against Bangladesh… We congratulate the team on a drawn series [against Sri Lanka] but recognise that victory was within our reach. The selection panel also acknowledge and commend the strong performances of captain Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel and man of the series Shane Dowrich.”This series is also an opportunity for West Indies to go past Bangladesh in the Test rankings. Bangladesh are currently in eighth position with 75 points, with West Indies ninth on 72 points. A win for the home side will see them overtake Bangladesh, while a drawn series will maintain the status quo. Bangladesh will remain in the eighth spot even if they win 2-0, though they will narrow the gap with seventh-ranked Pakistan.
Radlett basked contentedly in the May sunshine, but Paul Stirling ensured that there was mayhem on the field
ECB Reporters Network20-May-2018
Paul Stirling was in domineering mood•Getty Images
ScorecardPaul Stirling equalled his highest score in the Royal London One-day Cup to set up a Middlesex victory as they overcame Kent by 70 runs at Radlett.The Ireland international hit a dazzling 125 from 115 deliveries, laying the foundations for his side to post 313 for 9 – and that proved beyond Kent’s reach.Steven Finn, Middlesex’c captain, reacted: “”Stirlo was excellent – the pace at which the ball was coming off his bat was ridiculous at times. We know he’s a world-class player in this format, he’s proved that on the world stage and we’ve seen him do that for us.”Despite a spirited knock of 90 from Heino Kuhn, Kent, who have begun the competition with successive defeats, were bowled out for 243 in the 44th over.For the second match running, Steven Finn won the toss, opted to take first knock and watched as his opening batsmen put together a 50-plus partnership.Stirling slammed Mitch Claydon for a string of boundaries, while Nick Gubbins looked particularly strong on the off side as he reached 23 before edging Matt Henry behind.With Darren Stevens bowling a nagging line, the scoring rate dipped and it took a full 11 overs for Stevie Eskinazi to find the boundary.However, he and Stirling applied themselves and shared a stand of 102 before Joe Denly brought himself on and immediately persuaded Eskinazi to drive to mid-on.But Eoin Morgan launched two towering sixes off Denly into the car park and kept Stirling company while he progressed to his ton from 99 balls.Stirling tore into Henry with a burst of 14 from three balls and then smashed a six off Stevens before punching his next delivery straight to mid-off.That triggered a middle-order wobble, with a further five wickets falling for just 37 runs, three of them to Calum Haggett, who put an untidy opening spell firmly behind him to finish with 3 for 59.But sensible batting by James Franklin ensured that the home side completed their 50 overs and he dispatched Henry’s last three balls for boundaries to lift the total to 313 for 9.Daniel Bell-Drummond and Zak Crawley made a blistering start to the Kent reply, capitalising on some wayward bowling to accumulate 39 in their first four overs.Radlett on a glorious May day•Getty Images
But Nathan Sowter’s brilliant diving catch at third man off Helm (4-49) removed Crawley and Denly followed for a duck, caught behind off the same bowler.Bell-Drummond’s immaculate timing and appetite to punish the loose ball took him to 44 from 45 deliveries before Franklin had him caught down the leg side.Kent lost two more quick wickets, but the watchful Kuhn continued to defy Middlesex and built solid partnerships with Adam Rouse and then Haggett.Haggett clobbered Hilton Cartwright for six, but Cartwright gained his revenge, throwing from mid-on to run him out on an overthrow with 84 still required.Kent’s lingering hopes rested on Kuhn, but the South African chopped on to give Helm his fourth wicket and Sowter finished Kent off soon afterwards with two wickets in three balls.
The country’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the ball-tampering incident in Cape Town a “shocking disappointment”
Daniel Brettig25-Mar-2018Hours after Cricket Australia said it would investigate the actions of the Australian team’s leadership in relation to the ball-tampering confession in the Cape Town Test, the Australian government has asked the board to remove Steven Smith as captain.The country’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also called the incident a “shocking disappointment”. “We all woke up this morning shocked and bitterly disappointed by the news from South Africa,” Turnbull said. “It seemed completely beyond belief that the Australian cricket team had been involved in cheating.”I’ve spoken with David Peever, the Chairman of Cricket Australia, a few moments ago and I’ve expressed to him very clearly and unequivocally my disappointment and my concern about the events in South Africa.”It’s their responsibility to deal with it, but I have to say that (to) the whole nation, who holds those who wear the Baggy Green up on a pedestal, about as high as you can get in Australia … this is a shocking disappointment. It’s wrong, and I look forward to Cricket Australia taking decisive action soon.”The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Chair John Wylie, the ASC Board, and CEO Kate Palmer – essentially speaking for the Australian government – called for severe action against the team. “The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport,” it said in a statement. “The ASC expects and requires that Australian teams and athletes demonstrate unimpeachable integrity in representing our country.”Given the admission by Australian captain Steve Smith, the ASC calls for him to be stood down immediately by Cricket Australia, along with any other members of the team leadership group or coaching staff who had prior awareness of, or involvement in, the plan to tamper with the ball. This can occur while Cricket Australia completes a full investigation.”The government’s point of view emerged shortly after CA chief executive James Sutherland had said the board would investigate the ball tampering affair and take further action against the national team beyond the ICC charge accepted by Cameron Bancroft.With the CA chairman David Peever in transit home from South Africa, Sutherland chose not to travel to see the team himself, instead delegating the matter to the head of integrity, Iain Roy, and the team performance manager Pat Howard. The initiation of this “process” left Sutherland unable to offer anything beyond the conditional endorsement of Steven Smith as “current” captain of the national team.Sutherland and Howard were central to the sacking of Mickey Arthur, predecessor to the current coach Darren Lehmann, ahead of the 2013 Ashes series.”This morning [Australian cricket fans] have every reason to wake up and not be proud of the Australian team. It’s a sad day for Australian cricket,” Sutherland said in Melbourne. “Activities on the field yesterday in Cape Town are neither within the Laws of the game or within the spirit of the game. For us at Cricket Australia that’s extremely disappointing but more importantly it’s extremely disappointing for Australian cricket fans.”That isn’t the end of it and can’t be the end of it. We have a responsibility to take this further and to understand more about the issue. We will over the next couple of days get a deep understanding of what happened and why and to that end I’ve asked our head of integrity Iain Roy to travel to South Africa today, Pat Howard will also go with him. Iain’s brief will be to gather the relevant information we need to understand the matter better.”I understand that isn’t the fullness of response that everyone is looking for right now but you will appreciate there is an element of process that needs to be undertaken. It is being dealt with as a matter of urgency and seriousness. It will be dealt with promptly.”Sutherland, who has been chief executive since 2001, revealed he was yet to speak to Smith about events at Newlands, where the Australians admitted to knowingly cheating by way of a ball tampering attempt in South Africa’s second innings.”I haven’t spoken to Steve Smith… but he will know. In recent times I’ve had the need to speak to Steve about the behaviour of the team,” Sutherland said in reference to the first Test of the current series in Durban. “I have very strong views on the responsibility of the Australian team and no one will be under any illusions to what I think about this.”We are extremely disappointed and shocked to what we woke up to this morning and we are dealing with this issue with the utmost urgency and seriousness. Steve Smith is currently the captain of the Australian team. We are working through a process and once we have a clearer picture of the facts then we’ll be able to make further comment.”Our responsibility right now is to understand the facts and respond accordingly. I want to reiterate that we are dealing with this matter with appropriate urgency. I said right from the outset that I am shocked and extremely disappointed. This is a very sad day. I’m not happy about this at all.”Despite the ICC match referee Andy Pycroft already informing the Australians of a ball tampering charge against Bancroft, Sutherland said Roy’s investigation would home in on the team issues at hand.”We need someone to go over there and talk to the relevant people and understand the detail and then we’ll make appropriate decisions on the next steps,” Sutherland said. “We are in the middle of a game and that game needs to conclude but in course of next couple of days we’ll get to the bottom of this.”I’m not going to speculate on who is involved. We have to understand from the action of the umpires and the press conference. But we need to have those discussions.”
Arsenal are a club that has played host to some of the greatest talents ever to grace the Premier League, with Arsene Wenger's Invincibles side enjoying the pleasure of most of them.
Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell and, of course, Thierry Henry are all names written into English football history due to their finesse, power, pace, technical prowess and winning mentality. They are north London heroes, with Mikel Arteta hoping to use them as inspiration to create a new generation of legends.
However, his appointment came about under odd circumstances, given he had never actually managed as the head coach of a club before, only as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City. With Unai Emery having failed to live up to the standards Wenger set after retirement, the former Gunners midfielder was instead employed and backed wholeheartedly.
The French boss would likely have never sought to leave his post though had he not seen a dramatic downturn in form during the latter years of his reign though, with some sections of the fanbase ruthlessly calling for his head.
cesc-fabregas-arsenal-arsene-wenger
However, it could have been all different had they signed one man who they tried for around the time they took Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona.
After all, Wenger clearly saw something special in a tiny unknown forward named Lionel Messi.
Did Arsenal nearly sign Lionel Messi?
It is well-documented that the 73-year-old former manager sought to pluck some of La Masia's brightest starlets around 2003, when the legendary Argentine in question was just 16 years old.
He would reveal just shortly after taking charge of his final game how he tried for numerous youngsters who would all choose different paths, Fabregas aside, and his regret on the failed moves:
"I met Cesc [Fàbregas’] parents and at the time we were interested in Messi and [Gerard] Piqué as well. We tried for the three but of course it didn’t work out … because of the agents. With Messi, Barcelona didn’t want to lose him of course and they made [the offer] that was needed to keep the player at the club.”
To make this touted saga even more dramatic, The Daily Mail wrote back in 2014: "Incredibly Messi was interested in moving to north London, but the deal was fraught with problems because of issues over the Argentina forward’s work permit."
Unsurprisingly, this was a deal that would not come to fruition, and he spent the bulk of the rest of his career with the Catalan giants; a decision that proved profitable for him and the club, as he went on to become one of, if not the greatest player of all time.
Guardiola, who managed the 36-year-old for four years in Spain, certainly thinks it is the latter: "Everyone has [an] opinion, but nobody can doubt that he’s there with the greatest of all time. For me, I’ve said many times, he’s the best."
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Featuring 778 times for Barcelona, the 5 foot 8 trickster would score an astronomical 672 whilst also assisting a further 303. In maintaining such unimaginable numbers, he unsurprisingly holds numerous records. Just a few of the outstanding ones read: most Ballon d'Or wins (7), most La Liga assists (192), most La Liga goals in a single season (50), most La Liga goals (474) and most goals in a calendar year (91).
In a heated talkSPORT debate, Jason Cundy outlined Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the benchmark for the world's elite footballers, noting: "I think that there's really only two world-class players in the last five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, years. No one's on the same planet, or the same level as Messi or Ronaldo for me."
To imagine just how good he might have been for Arsenal will send shivers down the spines of every Gunners fan, who have witnessed some truly exceptional stars grace Highbury and the Emirates, but none like him.
Leo Messi scores on his Inter Miami debut
It is a testament to his longevity, insane quality and ability to show up in the big moments that he boasts nine goals against the north London outfit, a further seven against Manchester City, and four against Manchester United.
He is indisputably one of the finest talents that the world has ever seen, so to think that Wenger came so close to signing him, and that he reportedly wanted to join is crazy. It outlines one of the great 'what could have been' stories, which went down a completely different but vastly successful alternate route with a certain Henry.
How good was Thierry Henry?
Had they plucked Messi from Barcelona as a teenager, it could have changed more than just their squad, although the speed with which Fabregas earned a regular spot in the starting side would likely have seen him soon break through.
Hypothetically, the aforementioned Henry, who was affectionately dubbed 'The King' during his tenure at Highbury, might not have played quite as influential a role had the 176-cap star signed, given he would almost definitely have taken a back seat to the silky left-footed superstar who could score goals from anywhere.
To compare their careers, whilst the French forward is widely recognised as the greatest to have ever played in the Premier League, he does not really come close to the current Inter Miami sensation.
Featuring a whopping 377 times for the north London side, he would score 228 and assist a further 103, marking an outstanding return. As such, he earned huge praise from Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher: "No, number one is not Alan Shearer – number one is Thierry Henry.
"Thierry Henry is the best player to have ever played in the Premier League so when I see this debate, that is not even a debate. Thierry Henry is the best striker to ever play in the Premier League and it is not even a debate."
Despite that, across his long and successful career, he actually scored and assisted less than Messi did across his spell at Barcelona alone. Not to mention that the Argentina international boasts a far more impressive trophy cabinet too, having won four Champions Leagues and 12 league titles in Europe, compared to the one time Henry won the elite European competition, and four league titles he won in Spain and England.
Had Wenger succeeded on his 2003 trip to Spain, bringing back this legendary forward to partner Henry, they would have surely dominated on a far greater scale than Sir Alex Ferguson's Red Devils did. Few could do what the 46-year-old former AS Monaco finisher managed during an exceptional career, and yet he still pails in comparison to Messi. Admittedly, so does everyone else.
The Vidarbha fast bowler is cover for the injured Ishan Porel and is set to fly to New Zealand on Wednesday
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2018
Debutant Aditya Thakare took a wicket in the final’s first over•PTI
Aditya Thakare has been called up to India’s Under-19 World Cup squad as cover for the injured Ishan Porel. The Vidarbha fast bowler, one of five stand-bys for the squad, is set to fly to New Zealand on Wednesday.Porel injured his left ankle in India’s tournament opener against Australia, in which he could bowl just 4.1 overs. He spent the rest of the innings off the field and did not train ahead of India’s second game, against Papua New Guinea, either.”It’s hard to predict how long he’ll take to recover, but we’re looking at giving him every opportunity to be a part of the campaign again, because this is what he’s worked for,” a member of India’s support staff told ESPNcricinfo. “We’re looking to possibly having him fit in time for the quarter-finals. It could take five days, sometimes seven days. At the moment, he won’t play the game against Zimbabwe either.”Thakare made his first-class debut in the Ranji Trophy final in December 2017, when Vidarbha beat Delhi. While he managed to pick up just two wickets, he impressed with his late swing and accuracy with both the new and old ball. After the game, Vidarbha coach Chandrakant Pandit admitted to having been apprehensive of exposing Thakare in a pressure game, but expressed surprise at his ability after Vidarbha’s maiden title triumph.On Monday, the Vidarbha Cricket Association was asked to provide a report on Thakare’s fitness by the BCCI, following which he was asked not to be considered for any ongoing matches. The call-up means he will miss the Cooch Behar Trophy semi-finals against Karnataka in Nagpur starting Friday.With an Under-19 Trophy in sight, the Vidarbha Cricket Association chose to field him in the junior tournament instead of playing him in the zonal leg of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the domestic T20 competition. He was part of India’s Under-19 squad for the Asia Cup in Malaysia last year, but didn’t feature in the playing XI.Thakare is only the second player from Vidarbha to be picked in India’s Under-19 World Cup squad. Faiz Fazal, the Vidarbha captain, was part of the 2004 edition, but had to return after fracturing his thumb in a warm-up game. Fazal was replaced by Shikhar Dhawan, who went on to become the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
West Ham United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Harry Maguire and thus, need to think about making alternative plans.
Who could West Ham sign instead of Harry Maguire?
According to the Guardian, Bayer Leverkusen titan Odilon Kossounou has emerged as an option for the Hammers due to a delay in Harry Maguire’s proposed move to east London.
West Ham have become increasingly concerned about the delay in the Englishman’s transfer and the club has begun drawing up different targets.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
David Moyes has pushed for Maguire all summer and the Hammers agreed a £30m deal for the 30-year-old last week.
However, the move is to have ‘collapsed’ as West Ham have grown ‘tired’ of waiting for the defender to agree to his Old Trafford exit.
Maguire had settled personal terms but was unable to finalise his pay-off from United, which is thought to be around £7m, as he received a considerable salary increase due to the club’s qualification for the Champions League.
Moreover, there also is a ‘feeling’ within the Irons’ recruitment department that the club would benefit from a quicker centre-back, which has prompted an approach for Kossounou.
What is Odilon Kossounou's play style?
The 22-year-old has been at Bayer Leverkusen since 2021 and has 69 appearances in all competitions.
In the most recent campaign, Kossounou played 35 games, including 17 starts in the Bundesliga.
Throughout this time, the £27k-per-week gem’s most impressive attribute was his ball-playing ability and composure, as he ranks within the best 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, as well as the top 16% for progressive passes and successful take-ons per 90.
Alongside this vision and technical supremacy, £29m-rated Kossounou also won 64% of his aerial duels in the Bundesliga last term, and due to his age and potential, has emerged as one of the club’s most attractive assets.
Furthermore, the centre-back has also deputised at right back 16 times for the Germans, as his adaptability is another one of the most eye-catching elements of his game.
This was noted by his former coach Gerardo Seoane, who said: “Odilon naturally interprets the right-back position differently than Jeremie [Frimpong] due to his own qualities. The switch from a CB position to that of a roving fullback is actually a fairly large one, but he can adapt quickly.
"Thanks to him we can play a three, four, or five-man back-line. It's hard to get past him, but he's also fast and very valuable on set pieces."
From this evidence, Kossounou is a technically astute, pacey, dynamic, and versatile defender – traits that cannot be associated with Maguire.
Since his record-breaking Premier League move to Man United back in 2019, the former Leicester City man has struggled with the spotlight and the weight of the captaincy, which has led to a severe decline in his form.
Harry Maguire
Last season, Maguire started just eight Premier League games, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez considered to be the cemented first-choice partnership by Erik ten Hag.
This term, in the opening game week victory over Wolves, Martinez was hooked at half-time after being carded, with ten Hag opting for Lindelof as a replacement.
It was a damning indictment for Maguire, who has been stripped as captain and now ranks as the club’s fourth-choice centre-back.
Although he has stalled his move to West Ham, the feeling of the hierarchy that alluded to his lack of pace could indicate that they could make a more intelligent signing.
This has opened the door for Kossounou, whose signing would signal the perfect alternative for the Hammers.
Southampton boss Russell Martin will be 'given funds' between now and the end of the window to strengthen his side's promotion bid and both Jack Stephens alongside Samuel Edozie will be crucial to making a return to the Premier League a reality, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.
What's the latest transfer news at Southampton?
According to The Northern Echo, Southampton are keen on making a move for out-of-favour Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden; however, no 'formal offer' has been submitted to land the 28-year-old.
Hayden is training with Newcastle United's second string and has formed one part of a three-way unwanted quartet at St James' Park that also includes Ryan Fraser and Jeff Hendrick.
Football Insider report that Swansea City striker Joel Piroe is on the radar at St Mary's Stadium as a potential addition this summer, though Leeds United and Leicester City are also hot on the tail of the Dutchman.
The same outlet claim that Swansea City will demand between £15-20 million for their prize asset, who scored 20 times and delivered two assists in 45 appearances in 2022/23.
Southampton have recruited three players this window to help with their promotion bid in the form of Shea Charles, Joe Lumley and Ryan Manning, as per Transfermarkt.
Starting the 2023/24 campaign in mixed fashion, Southampton have four points from six available in the Sky Bet Championship following a victory against Sheffield Wednesday and draw against Norwich City; nevertheless, they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup last week by Gillingham, as per Sky Sports.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT reporter Crook expects Martin to get backed in the final stretch of the window at St Mary's Stadium and praised Southampton's owners.
Crook stated: “They’ve got Jack Stephens back from Bournemouth, who I think will replace Mohammed Salisu. By all accounts, Stephens looked decent enough in pre-season, I think he’ll do a job at that level, I mean he did well for Bournemouth. They wanted to keep him permanently but didn’t want to pay £10m.
“They’ve got other young players like Samuel Edozie, who they signed for the future and who they think could flourish in the Championship. So, I think the squad still looks okay, but I think Russell Martin will be given funds to bring players in, no question about that.
“So, the owners are ambitious, you can question some of their recruitment, but you can’t question their ambitions.”
What else could happen at Southampton between now and the close of play?
Departures have formed a major part of Southampton's transfer window and will continue to impact their ability to squad plan between now and the end of the window.
Belgium international Romeo Lavia is keen to join Chelsea despite a £60 million deal being agreed between Southampton and Liverpool for the 19-year-old, as per Sky Sports.
The Sun report that Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy is being eyed by Everton to provide competition to Jordan Pickford and Joao Virginia, with a free transfer potentially in the pipeline to take the 33-year-old to Goodison Park.
Crystal Palace are believed to be weighing up a £10 million bid for Southampton striker Che Adams, who is keen to return to the Premier League after the Saints suffered relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, according to The Evening Standard.
يستعد نادي ليفربول لإجراء محادثات مع النجم المصري محمد صلاح، حسبما أفادت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية اليوم الإثنين.
ولفت محمد صلاح الأنظار إليه بعد الموقف المثير الذي وقع بينه وبين المدرب يورجن كلوب، خلال مباراة ليفربول ووست هام يوم السبت الماضي.
وتلاقى الفريقان في الجولة الخامسة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.
وقرر يورجن كلوب الدفع لـ محمد صلاح في الدقيقة 81، مما أثار غضب المصري الذي انفعل بقوة تجاه الألماني، على خط التماس.
ومن المعروف أن العقد الحالي لـ محمد صلاح مع ليفربول سينتهي في صيف 2025، أي نهاية الموسم المقبل.
وارتبط محمد صلاح بخطوة الرحيل عن ليفربول الصيف الماضي بعدما تقدم نادي اتحاد جدة بعرض خرافي، ولكن النادي الإنجليزي رفض تلك الفكرة.
وتجددت التكهنات حول مستقبل محمد صلاح بعد أزمته مع كلوب، حيث تشير تقارير إلى إمكانية رحيله هذا الصيف، في حين أفادت تقارير أخرى بأنه سيظل جزءًا من ليفربول الموسم القادم.
وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “تليجراف” الإنجليزية، فإنه من المقرر أن يجري ليفربول ومحمد صلاح مناقشات في نهاية الموسم، والتي ستحدد مستقبله على المدى القصير والبعيد.
وأوضحت أن المدير الرياضي الجديد لنادي ليفربول، ريتشارد هيوز، ورئيس مجموعة فينواي الرياضية مايكل إدواردز يستهدفان إلى إيقاف أي محادثات حتى الصيف.
اقرأ أيضًا.. لاعب آرسنال السابق يطالب ليفربول بالموافقة على رحيل محمد صلاح ويحدد الوجهة الأنسب له
وينطبق الأمر كذلك على القائد فيرجيل فان دايك ونائب القائد ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، اللذين يتطابق وضع عقدهما مع الفريق.
وأفادت أن الأولوية لدى ليفربول كانت تتمثل في إيجاد البديل المناسب لـ يورجن كلوب، وتم الانتهاء من هذا الأمر بعد التوصل إلى اتفاق مع آرني سلوت المدير الفني لفريق فينورد.
وسيكون لدى ليفربول ومحمد صلاح الكثير للتفكير فيه، بالنسبة للنادي، يجب أن يكون هناك اعتبار فيما إذا كان اللاعب الذي سيبلغ 32 عامًا في يونيو المقبل، يجب أن يُعرض عليه عقد ممتد بنفس الشروط المربحة.
وحتى لو لم يكن هناك اتفاق قبل الموسم المقبل، فهذا لا يعني أن محمد صلاح سيرحل حتمًا هذا الصيف.
ويمتلك ليفربول تاريخًا في السماح للاعبين النجوم بالبقاء حتى نهاية عقودهم، حيث حدث ذلك في حالة جورجينيو فينالدوم وآدم لالانا وآخرين، وعلى وشك أن يتكرر مع تياجو ألكانتارا.
وعلى الرغم من المشاهد غير المرضية على خط التماس في مباراة ليفربول ووست هام، فإن احترافية صلاح خلال السنوات السبع التي قضاها في “أنفيلد” كانت مثالية.
وترى الصحيفة أن رد فعله تجاه المدرب نموذجيًا للاعب من الطراز العالمي تأذى كبرياءه بعد استبعاده من مباراة مهمة، وكانت مشاعره عالية، حيث لم يقدم أقل من 100 % في التدريبات وفي المباريات.
واختتمت الصحيفة تقريرها قائلة :”لكن من المفترض أن نتخيل كيف سيكون رد فعل ليفربول هذا الصيف على عرض يزيد عن 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني، إذا قدمه الجانب السعودي، وكذلك موقف اللاعب نفسه”.
Newcastle United are preparing to extend upon their impressive progression seen at St James' Park over the last 12 months and Eddie Howe will be working hard to develop the best approach to their European challenge.
After finishing fourth in the Premier League last season, the Magpies have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in over two decades and the former Bournemouth boss will be hoping he can not only maintain their high standards set domestically, but compete comfortably on the European stage too.
Newcastle have already completed the signing of former AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali and ex-Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes, but Financial Fair Play restrictions mean they have had to part ways with Allan Saint-Maximin to bolster transfer funds to continue their pursuit to bolster key areas of the squad.
What's the latest on Tino Livramento?
The Tynesiders have been in a back-and-forth with Southampton to sign their young full-back Valentino Livramento this summer, however, they had their second bid rejected less than a week ago.
Saints value their player at £50m this summer, as they battle with Premier League sides to keep hold of their prized assets after being relegated to the Championship at the end of last season.
talkSPORT reported last week that Newcastle had offered £30m in their second attempt to secure Livramento's signature, but have failed to meet the demands set with Southampton unwilling to budge on their valuation.
As a result, Newcastle could now look to another target to fulfil their desire to snap up the services of another full-back this summer, with Galatasaray's Sacha Boey named as a potential alternative, according to Turkish news outlet Aksam.
It is further claimed that despite not wanting to sell their young talent, the Super Lig champions would part ways with their player for €25m (£22m) – less than half of the price tag Southampton have tied to Livramento.
Who is Sacha Boey?
The 22-year-old – hailed "tireless" by Turkish writer Çetin Cem Yılmaz – rose through the ranks of the Stade Rennais academy before making a permanent move to Galatasaray in 2021 and has also been a consistent feature in the France U21s so far.
Since making his move to the Turkish top-flight, Boey has been linked to Premier League clubs with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all previously credited with interest in the full-back over the last six months due to his outstanding performances.
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Over 31 Super Lig appearances last season, the Galatasaray dynamo scored one goal, registered four assists and created eight big chances, as well as averaging 1.1 successful dribbles to outline his attacking attributes.
In making 2.1 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and winning a whopping 6.9 duels per game, it proves that he is also defensively solid.
Not only that, Boey was the fifth-highest ranking player in his squad last season with a SofaScore rating of 7.14, which only further demonstrates his impact and the revelation he has become over his short time in Turkey.
Whilst Livramento is a homegrown prospect, his recent return from a long-term ACL injury is cause for concern ahead of next season, with no clarity on whether he will be fit enough to play even in rotation, let alone first-team football, whereas Boey has a relatively clean recent injury history with just two games missed since December 2021.
With that being said, Boey could be a great alternative for Livramento if the club cannot meet Southampton's valuation this summer and would provide Howe with an all-action full-back who would be a worthy successor to Kieran Trippier in the future.
Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui will eye 'something a little bit different' in the forward positions as he looks to recruit some quality ahead of this term commencing, according to journalist Dean Jones.
Which forward players have Wolverhampton Wanderers been linked with this window?
Wolves have been linked with a plethora of players this window as Lopetegui kicks his transfer proactivity into gear at Molineux with the start of the new Premier League campaign now on the horizon.
Last month, Marca reported that former Chelsea forward Joao Felix wouldn't close the door on a move to Premier League side outwith the elite clubs in the division. Wolves were cited as a potential destination alongside the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
Football Insider claim that the Old Gold are 'closing in' on bringing Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott to Molineux and will submit a third bid for the Guerney-born man following two initial offers being rejected for his services, with the second offer believed to be in the region of £20 million.
The report states that Bournemouth are also keen on the 19-year-old, though Wolves have the 'upper hand' over the Cherries as they try to secure the services of the England Under-20 cap.
Lopetegui has already started to get to work on new additions this window and has completed the signings of experienced goalkeeper Tom King and Matt Doherty.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Lopetegui will aim to sign someone who can offer something 'different' in the final third.
Jones told FFC: "I reckon that Wolves might look to do something smart in terms of a forward signing and I think they might go dig into a league that offers better value. It might even be Portugal, to be honest, but somebody that's going to offer them something a little bit different and that could be another gem."
Who should Wolverhampton Wanderers look to recruit in the forward areas?
Even though it would be an extremely difficult deal to pull off, bringing someone like Atletico Madrid forward Felix to the club and utilising all available connections to make that happen would definitely offer Wolves some much-needed variety in the final third.
His time at Chelsea was short and uninspiring for sure; however, the 23-year-old has notched 56 goals and 24 assists in 184 club career matches and would be a statement signing at Molineux, as per FBRef.
Even in his disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge, Felix carried a clear goal threat and willingness to bypass his marker with regularity, recording 2.9 shots and 1.4 completed dribbles per match in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.
Nevertheless, it could be a more likely scenario for Felix to join Catalan giants Barcelona this summer, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who stated on his YouTube channel quoted via METRO: "Now it’s really important to mention that Joao Felix, in a direct conversation I just had a few minutes ago, told me: ‘I want to go to Barcelona’. Joao Felix told me this very clear statement, he added that Barcelona is the biggest dream of his life since he was a kid and it’s his first choice on the market. These are the words from Joao Felix, he added at the end of the conversation that if this happens it would be a dream come true."
In the next few weeks, we will get a clearer picture of where Wolves' transfer priorities lie as Lopetegui streamlines his squad between now and the close of play in the market.