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Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Everton over the signing of left-back Lucas Digne, according to a report by The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Digne fallout with Benitez

The France international’s future has come under scrutiny this season following Everton’s poor run of form, which currently sees them sitting down in 15th position in the Premier League table.

Last month, it was reported that the full-back has publicly fallen out with Rafael Benitez, with the manager confirming that Digne has asked to leave the club. As a result, the Frenchman has not played a single minute of football since the Merseyside derby defeat on December 1.

The Latest: Villa in talks with Everton

According to a report by The Athletic, Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Everton over the signing of Digne.

Steven Gerrard had identified the former Barcelona man as his top target, with Villa keen on bolstering their options at full-back.  It is reported that the 28-year-old is seeking a move to a club already playing European football, or one with a serious chance of doing so next season.

Due to the recent arrival of former Premier League superstar Philippe Coutinho, Villa are confident that their exciting new project has convinced Digne to proceed with the move.

Previous interest from relegation-threatened Newcastle United was rejected by the left-back, with Chelsea also considering a swoop for the player following Ben Chilwell’s season-ending injury. However, Thomas Tuchel’s side only wanted a loan move, whereas Everton are more keen for a permanent deal to be done.

The Verdict: Big blow for Everton

The Frenchman has established himself as one of the best left-backs in the Premier League since his arrival at Everton, with his strong crossing ability often paying dividends for the Toffees, as demonstrated by his haul of 18 league assists on Merseyside.

Having slipped down the international pecking order, Digne will likely be glad to seal his exit from Goodison Park, as he will be desperate for regular first team football ahead of the 2022 World Cup in a bid to regain his left-back spot in the France side from Theo Hernandez.

His impending departure will be a sad sight for Everton fans, as the left-back solidified himself as a fan favourite during his time at the club. Also, former Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti once described the 28-year-old as ‘one of the best in Europe’, so don’t be surprise if you see Blues supporters in dismay if Digne secures a move to Aston Villa.

In other news: Everton now prioritising ‘exceptional’ £9m-rated beast as third January signing

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos principais nomes do elenco do Vasco, Nenê viveu um ano intenso no clube: começou bem, foi parar no banco, depois pediu para sair, ficou afastado e terminou como titular com Zé Ricardo, sendo importante para conquista da vaga na Libertadores. Por tudo isso, a diretoria cruz-maltina pretende ter conversas com o meia e o seu representante para definir o seu futuro no clube. Eurico Brandão, vice-presidente de futebol, disse que quer saber os objetivos do jogador e tomar uma decisão nas próximas duas semanas.

– A questão do Nenê… A gente ainda precisa conversar muito com ele, com o empresário dele. Entender realmente o que se passa na cabeça dele, o que ele pretende, quais são os objetivos para o ano que vem. Esse ano realmente foi muito conturbado para ele, a relação dele com a diretoria, com o clube e com os treinadores. Vamos desenvolver nas próximas duas semanas para traçar uma decisão final – disse Euriquinho ao site do ‘Globo Esporte’

Em 2017, Nenê não se deu bem com o técnico Milton Mendes, que o colocou no banco de reservas no início do Brasileirão. Além disso, outras atitudes do meia desagradaram a diretoria. Segundo Euriquinho, o jogador pediu para deixar o clube nas últimas três janelas. Por isso, o clube espera que ele garanta comprometimento para a próxima temporada, já que é uma referência e tem alto custo para o Cruz-Maltino.

– Ele é um jogador que é referência para o torcedor, mas precisamos entender realmente o que se passa, se ele realmente quer encarar esse desafio, ou se tem interesse em sair. Nas últimas três janelas ele se mostrou interessado em sair do clube, então com ele a gente sempre vive essa expectativa de querer entender realmente. Ele tem um custo alto para o clube e precisa estar realmente correspondendo a esse custo – comentou o dirigente.

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Nenê diz que se reapresenta ao Vasco em 2018

Enquanto a diretoria do Vasco não garante a continuidade de Nenê e quer conversar com o jogador, ele diz que pretende ficar no clube. Passando férias em Paris, o jogador foi assistir ao jogo do PSG contra o Lille, neste sábado, pelo Campeonato Francês. Antes do jogo, o jogador disse ao ‘SporTV” que se reapresenta ao Cruz-Maltino em 2018.

Apesar dos altos e baixos na temporada, Nenê foi o principal jogador do Cruz-Maltino na temporada. Ele foi o artilheiro do time na temporada, com 12 gols marcados, e também o líder em assistências, com 10.

Além disso, ele foi importante na arrancada para o time conseguir a vaga na próxima Libertadores. Ele decidiu o clássico contra o Botafogo e também fez de falta o gol que deu o triunfo contra o Santos, na Vila Belmiro.

An exciting update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Sevilla defender Diego Carlos…

What’s the talk?

According to The Telegraph, the centre-back is keen on a move to St. James’ Park and talks are ongoing between the two clubs over a deal for the Brazilian.

The report claims that the Magpies are hoping to wrap up negotiations for the £40.5m-rated titan by the end of this week as they attempt to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad.

Delight

The ex-Bournemouth boss will surely be elated with this news as it is an exciting update on the club’s efforts to land Carlos. Their belief that they can have the deal done within the next seven days indicates that talks are going well and they are confident that he will be a Newcastle player sooner rather than later.

Carlos could be an exceptional addition to the squad and Howe will be buzzing with the prospect of being able to select him in his starting XI for the rest of the Premier League season. This latest update suggests that the head coach will be able to work with him on Tyneside this term, but what sort of player could he be getting?

Spanish football analyst Domagoj Kostanjšak previously outlined the defender’s key attributes and hailed his quality in La Liga, saying:

“He’s a really physical player – he’s built like a tank and they don’t call him ‘The Beast’ for no reason. He’s really good in the air and he’s decent on the ball as well – you have to be under Julen Lopetegui.

“He’s been in my top three or four centre-backs in Spain this season, along with Raphael Varane and Inigo Martinez – he’s been a bit of a revelation. He’s playing the best football of his career and he immediately settled in. I would say there is a shade of Kalidou Koulibaly about him – not the same quality, of course, but I would compare him to him.”

In the Spanish top-flight this season, Carlos has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 – winning 64% of his duels overall. Meanwhile, Federico Fernandez’s score of 6.77 is the highest of any Newcastle centre-back this term, suggesting that the Sevilla man would come in and be a major upgrade in that position.

Therefore, Howe will be delighted with the news that the Magpies are hopeful of securing a deal for the Brazilian by the end of this week as he could provide an extra level of quality to his Premier League side.

AND in other news, “They’d like to sign..”: Reporter delivers big NUFC transfer claim, it’ll excite Howe…

Wolverhampton Wanderers were incredibly close to securing a loan deal for Renato Sanches in the summer, and continue to be connected with the Lille midfielder going into the January transfer window.

The Ligue 1 side and Wolves could not come to an agreement to sign the player on a temporary basis with the two clubs ending talks on deadline day, but Bruno Lage is reportedly keen to reignite interest to bring the Portuguese player to the Premier League.

The 24-year-old has been turning heads with a number of clubs taking an interest in the Portuguese midfielder, including Liverpool and Arsenal, which could cause hiccups for Wolves and Lage’s chances of securing a deal, especially if the two clubs were to pursue rumoured interest.

According to Birmingham Live, Wolves have been given the green light to go back in for the Portugal international, along with the other clubs who have been linked.

The £27m-rated gem was hailed by Monaco manager, Niko Kovac, when he coached Sanches at Bayern Munich, earning quite the review:

“Renato has an exceptionally good technique, very good speed and a great body,” he said.

Lage revealed his plans for the winter last week and by securing a deal for the Lille dynamo, the Wolves boss could live up to his promise.

He commented: “I just want top players and when I say top players, it’s not about how much they cost, it’s about the mentality they have.”

And in Sanches, he’d certainly find a player with an elite mentality, somebody capable of taking this Wolves team to the next level.

The box to box midfielder was integral to Lille’s league title win last season, beating Paris Saint Germain to the top spot for the first time in a decade. He is well established and proven in his role with the ability to play under pressure and adapt, after playing for two of the biggest European clubs, Bayern Munich and Benfica, winning multiple trophies, and completing 32 appearances for the Portugal international side too.

Lage could definitely use a player of Sanches’ varied experience and youth in a midfield, especially with Moutinho now 35 years old, he would be the perfect addition to add depth and quality to the centre of the pitch for Wolves.

Whether the Molineux outfit can strike a deal with Lille remains to be seen, and with other Premier League clubs now taking a shine to the midfielder, they will need to make him an offer he cannot refuse, which will likely include consistent first-team football. Either way, he’s certainly a player that can help Lage fulfil his promise in the winter market.

In other news: Lage could save millions by unleashing Silva

West Indies refused to let Australia run away with the first Test, but the hosts have the stronger position after a bright opening to the contest

The Bulletin by Peter English at the Gabba25-Nov-2009Australia 5 for 322 (Katich 92, Hussey 66, Ponting 55) v West Indies
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outSimon Katich built a solid platform for Australia with 92•Getty Images

West Indies refused to let Australia run away with the first Test, but the hosts have the stronger position after a bright opening to the contest. The local batsmen, the ones whose first-innings lapses cost the side in England, failed to convert a series of promising starts, with four of them departing between 41 and 92 as they went to stumps at 5 for 322.Those lapses may not prove costly but the pattern exposed the Test rust of a group that has been heavily focussed on limited-overs engagements recently. Simon Katich, who was able to warm up with a couple of games in the Sheffield Shield, was the most composed as he almost reached three figures, but Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey fell when set and Michael Clarke’s international comeback from a lengthy back injury ended in a one-day style slash that was snapped up by a lunging Chris Gayle at first slip.While West Indies appeared to be out of touch on a couple of occasions, they kept fighting back with energetic bowling and some local generosity on an excellent surface at the Gabba. Dwayne Bravo removed Clarke (41) and also picked up Katich in his 2 for 66 while Jerome Taylor, who gained a sore hip, and Kemar Roach were also tricky at times. The tourists must remember this ground has staged many first days like this, where the hosts seem in range before racing away on the second morning.Marcus North and Brad Haddin (9) have the task of driving their side forward after surviving through the afternoon shadows. Like Katich, North has spent a lot of time with his first-class side already this season and he did not allow any openings as he finished with 42.Katich and Ponting made sure the loss of Shane Watson – he starred with the one-day team in India – before the team had scored was forgotten quickly during a settling stand of 126. Everything was happening so easily that the field was spreading and the shoulders of the tourists were beginning to sag. The exits of Ponting and Katich in the middle session kept the mind of Chris Gayle, the jet-lagged captain, busy as he plotted against the Australians.As the pitch offered the bowlers some help in the first half of the day, Katich was able to switch between defence and attack as easily as the wind changes and the increase in tempo was always a shock. He started cautiously before breaking free with a hook and a handful of firm cuts and then wound down again. The next time he changed pace he launched into action against the debutant Ravi Rampaul, driving through cover for four and pulling him for six in consecutive balls. Another lull followed.He was accelerating again, hitting strongly through cover, shortly before his dismissal and had a reprieve on 81 when Sulieman Benn missed a take above his head. Bravo was the unlucky bowler but didn’t have to wait for long for his reward, with Katich frustrated to glance to Denesh Ramdin just before tea. There were 13 fours and a six in Katich’s 92 and he left the field with his side in reasonable shape at 3 for 200.Ponting was troubled a couple of times by deliveries coming back into him but was able to ease to a half-century, which came with a hooked six over fine-leg in the over before lunch. After the break Ponting was again worried by a ball darting in and Roach was unlucky to miss out on a leg-before decision. Two runs later Ponting tried to defend and edged behind for 55.Hussey entered and was immediately uncomfortable, playing, missing and squirting thick edges between the slips and gully for a couple of boundaries. His mood changed when Gayle stirred and came on for an over to allow boundaries to point and cover. Hussey joined the list of those to falter when in control and gave Benn a wicket with a caught-and-bowled on 66. Another strong start had been given up.The persistence of the visitors was admirable as they moulded the experience of Taylor and Bravo with the youth of Roach and Rampaul. Taylor and Roach caused batches of trouble while Rampaul was off the pace as he gave up more than five an over during a nervy entry.West Indies’ day started badly when Ramnaresh Sarwan, the No. 3, was ruled out with a back injury, but they were lifted in the third over as Watson was lbw not offering a shot to Taylor. By stumps their position was bearable and their future in the game depends on how their fast men back up in the morning.

Four Pakistan players have been cleared for Indian visas by the Indian ministry of external affairs, possibly paving the way for their return to the IPL next season

Osman Samiuddin10-Dec-2009Four Pakistan players have been cleared for visas by the Indian ministry of external affairs, possibly paving the way for their return to the IPL in 2010. The final call on whether or not they actually participate, it appears, will now be taken by the league, which had earlier ruled out the participation of Pakistan’s players as they had not obtained their visa clearances by December 7, the extended deadline.Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Misbah-ul-Haq and Sohail Tanvir all applied for visas – the first three in Wellington, where they are involved in a Test series, and Tanvir in Islamabad – and Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, confirmed that clearance had been granted. “Yes the visa clearance has been granted for four of them, three in New Zealand and one in Islamabad,” Butt told Cricinfo.The board will now contact Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, and hope “that he considers this latest development,” Butt said. The league had already granted two deadline extensions to the PCB to have its players cleared to take part, though no word has so far come on whether another might be granted now.Butt has fought hard to get his players back into the IPL after they were prevented by their own government from playing in the second season, a fallout of a deterioration in political ties between India and Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks of 2008. He met Modi in October to begin finding a way back for the players.There is no clarity, however, on the situation of Abdul Razzaq, who is currently in Dhaka; he is believed to have signed up with Kolkata Knight Riders but is the only one of the group who hasn’t played in the IPL. Akmal and Tanvir, with Rajasthan Royals, Gul with Kolkata and Misbah with Bangalore Royal Challengers, all have contracts already in place, which stood “suspended” over the last year.

Leeds United’s season has hardly gone to plan with the Yorkshire giants occupying a perilous place in 15th, just three points above the drop zone after 11 matches, but there has been one shining light for Marcelo Bielsa and co.

That being versatile defender Pascal Struijk, who impressed yet again at the weekend as the Whites drew to Leicester City in the Premier League.

Primarily a central option, standing at 6 foot 3 inches, the Belgium-born Dutchman was deployed as a left-back against the Foxes, with both Junior Firpo and Jamie Shackleton absent through injury.

As per SofaScore, he won 100% of his ground duels, coming up against the threat of Ricardo Pereira and Ademola Lookman down that left flank, whilst he also notched two interceptions, one tackle and one clearance despite playing in unfamiliar territory.

Struijk has also played in defensive midfielder whenever Bielsa’s usual lynchpin Kalvin Phillips has been out through injury or suspension, so he’s certainly proven to be a very valuable asset to Leeds since their promotion to the Premier League nearly 18 months ago.

The Argentine head coach waxed lyrical about his defender to reporters after the game, he said (via LeedsLive):

“He’s a very hard-working man. In the mental and the physical assimilation of a new position. Throughout the week he was looking for solutions in a new position.”

But it is in the heart of defence where his future will seemingly lie and it’s not just Bielsa who spoke glowingly in recent days.

LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross has touted him for big things in Yorkshire, claiming that the colossus is rather quite underrated.

“He’s [Bielsa] worked with so many players in world football, and for him to say the things he’s saying about Pascal, it’s very, very exciting.

“Defenders don’t always get a very exciting press. It’s all about Raphinha, it’s all about Joe Gelhardt. But Pascal is the future. 

“And the longer he stays under the radar, the better, because he’s got the lot, to be honest. And at some point, there will be a changing of the guard and he’s going to become a supreme centre-back.”

Leeds poached Struijk from Ajax’s grasp on a free transfer in 2018 and ever since, he’s slowly earned the trust of Bielsa, which is a hard task no doubt.

The 22-year-old is now valued at €20m (£18m), according to CIES Football Observatory, which only goes to show just how his career is on an upward trajectory in Yorkshire.

Ex-United star Dominic Matteo is also a huge fan of the Deurne-born centre-back too.

“He reads the game a lot better than he’s credited for. He’ll get even better too. Struijk is one to look out for,” he claimed earlier this year.

“There’s plenty of work to be done but, with the size of him, his physicality, his passing, he’s got it all and can step into midfield. He looks very calm on the ball, players who are a bit erratic are not for me but he looks comfortable in possession.”

Also dubbed a “beast” by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Joe Urquhart, Leeds have certainly struck gold over Struijk. In fact, this is surely like a dream for Bielsa as he has a young player who is very capable of playing a multitude of positions and one that will still only get better.

To make matters even better, he didn’t cost them a penny, meaning one day if he does move on, the club will receive a sizeable return on their investment.

Everyone associated with the club should feel lucky to have the Dutchman in their ranks, even more so this season.

AND in other news, Local journalist drops promising claim on £34m-rated Leeds “nightmare”, fans will be buzzing…

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur believes England may rue their decision to keep fast bowler Steve Harmison out of the touring party to South Africa this winter

Cricinfo staff24-Oct-2009South Africa coach Mickey Arthur believes England may rue their decision to keep fast bowler Steve Harmison out of the touring party to South Africa this winter. Harmison, 31, who plays for Durham in the county circuit, was overlooked for the Test series beginning at Centurion on December 16, despite playing in the final two Tests of the successful Ashes campaign.Arthur said Harmison’s high action and steepling bounce would have been perfectly suited to the quicker wickets in South Africa. “He was the one England bowler who could rough us up,” Arthur told the . “If they’re trying to build a team for the next Ashes and Harmison isn’t going to be there, I can see why they’ve done it. But a few of our batters will have seen that tour party and been pretty happy he’s not on the plane – especially with our wickets, which will have plenty of pace and bounce. He would have been a very awkward proposition.”South Africa lost their most recent Test series at home, 2-1 to Australia in February, when they failed to handle left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson. Johnson may have struggled to impose himself on the slower wickets of England during the Ashes, but he was Australia’s highest wicket-taker in South Africa, picking up 16 at an average of 25.00.”We saw how dangerous Mitchell Johnson was against us on both Australian and South African wickets, because his stock ball – back of a length – was getting rib high on bouncy tracks and hitting batsmen under the heart,” Arthur said. “In England, he wasn’t helped by the slow pitches, but Harmison could have done the same thing as Johnson out here.”England’s tour of South Africa comprises two Twenty20 internationals, five ODIs and four Tests, with a handful of warm-up games. The tour gets underway on November 6 with England XI taking on the South African Board President’s XI.

A big twist has emerged on Rangers’ search for a new manager, regarding former Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman

What’s the talk?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Dutchman is ‘one step’ away from taking over at Ibrox to replace Steven Gerrard in the dugout.

The report claims that he is the favourite for the position, following Sky Sports’ claim that Gio van Bronckhorst has held positive talks with the club.

This marks a remarkable twist in the saga with a new coach suddenly leapfrogging previous candidates to become the favourite.

Elation

Rangers fans will surely be over the moon with this update as it suggests that Koeman could be Gerrard’s replacement at Ibrox. The experienced Dutch coach recently left Barcelona and is available as a free agent, with this report now claiming that he is on the verge of accepting the job to compete for the Premiership title this season.

Supporters would surely love to see him in the dugout as he has an impressive C.V spanning a number of years, whereas van Bronckhorst is still in the early stages of his own coaching career.

The 46-year-old won an Eredivisie title with Feyenoord and averaged 2.03 points per game across 136 league matches for the Dutch club in four seasons, whilst he also spent a short spell in China.

Koeman, meanwhile, has managed 342 Eredivisie games and averaged 2.06 points per match. This included time with Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV and Vitesse and he won three league titles in that time. He has won nine trophies in his career as a head coach, showing that he knows what it takes to win silverware – with more experience in the game than van Bronckhorst.

The ex-Barca man has also experienced coaching in Britain. He finished seventh, sixth and seventh in three full seasons with Southampton and Everton earlier in his career which shows that the 58-year-old has proven himself in multiple countries with several clubs. Van Bronckhorst’s C.V, however, is based on his four years at Feyenoord in his home country.

Therefore, fans will surely be over the moon with the prospect of Koeman becoming the club’s new manager. With all due respect to van Bronckhorst, Koeman has a better background, as shown by his managerial statistics, and could be a terrific appointment for the club as he has a track record of success over a prolonged period of time. It is now down to Ross Wilson to ensure that he can get a deal over the line that would surely elate supporters.

AND in other news, Time’s up: GVB could become an instant hit at Rangers by axing £1.8m-rated dud…

Cricket Kenya is looking for a national team coach after deciding not to offer Andy Kirsten a new contract

Cricinfo staff17-Jun-2009Cricket Kenya is looking for a national team coach after deciding not to offer Andy Kirsten a new contract.Kirsten, who only took up the post in March 2008, will remain in charge until the end of July and will accompany the side when they visit Ireland for a short tour starting at the end of the month. A board official told Cricinfo that it had decided to start afresh and to seek a new coach to work with a new captain in the build-up to the 2011 World Cup.Although Kenya qualified for that tournament at the recent ICC World Cup Qualifiers, results have not been consistent and they failed to reach the ICC World Twenty20.A source close to the process denied reports that it was a two-horse race between Balwinder Sandhu and Alan Butcher, saying there had been a number of good-quality applicants.Meanwhile, five players have been shortlisted in the search for someone to replace Steve Tikolo as captain. Collins Obuyo, Hiren Varaiya, Thomas Odoyo, Maurice Ouma and Jimmy Kamande will all be interviewed by the national selectors and an appointment is expected within a week.