After Pep Guardiola revealed the news that Kyle Walker will not be at the Club World Cup as he prepares to leave the club this summer, Manchester City have reportedly made one particular target their no.1 priority.
Kyle Walker set to leave Man City
Following a loan spell at Milan, Walker is set to leave Manchester City on a permanent basis this summer. The veteran defender looks set to bow out as one of the best defenders to play for the Citizens and will forever have his part cemented in their history books. After eight successful years, however, he’s set to bring his Manchester City career to an end.
Guardiola confirmed the news that the defender will not be at the Club World Cup, with Fabrizio Romano then revealing that he is on course to depart Manchester City in the coming months.
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Walker’s exit should come as little shock. For all of his impressive work in Manchester, the England international was beginning to fall away from his best form before his loan spell away at AC Milan. Often at the centre of moments to forget for Guardiola’s side, a departure always seemed inevitable.
By the time his exit is confirmed, however, fans around The Etihad won’t remember Walker for this season’s defensive blunders. Instead, they will remember a right-back who became a mainstay in one of, if not the most successful side in Premier League history.
Replacing such a player should be among City’s priorities this summer in a task that certainly won’t be easy. Without Walker, Guardiola has been forced to turn towards some surprising options at right-back, including the likes of Matheus Nunes and the impressive Nico O’Reilly.
If the Spaniard wants to take his side back to Premier League glory after a season away, he will know more than anyone how important it is that City welcome a right-back this summer.
Man City prioritising Livramento move
According to Romano, Manchester City are now prioritising a move to sign Tino Livramento from Newcastle United this summer and have made the right-back their No 1 target.
The former Chelsea youngster has impressed at St James’ Park ever since arriving, but nailed his place down in Eddie Howe’s side ahead of Kieran Trippier once and for all this season. Now, he could be on his way to The Etihad if City get their way.
At 22 years old, Livarmento’s best years are yet to come and may well come under Guardiola as has been the case for several stars over the years. As Walker prepares to leave, the Newcastle man, who Howe described as “excellent” in April, should be seen as the perfect heir to his Manchester City throne.
Clearing £75,000 a week from their wage bill whilst welcoming a player who could spearhead a new era at The Etihad would, in many ways, represent an ideal way for Manchester City to commence their summer spending.
Celtic have already completed their first signing of the summer transfer window, which opened for business on Sunday, by agreeing to bring Kieran Tierney back to Parkhead.
The Scotland international will officially return to the club at the end of this month, upon the expiry of his contract at Arsenal, to be Brendan Rodgers’ left-back for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.
Tierney, as you can see in the graphic above, won five Scottish Premiership titles during his first stint in Paradise after coming up through the academy system, before being sold to Arsenal for £25m in the summer of 2019.
Six years later and the Scottish full-back is returning to the club on a free transfer to bolster the Northern Irish head coach’s options at the back next term.
Tierney is not the only former Celtic full-back sold for big money who is on the move this summer, though, as Jeremie Frimpong has signed for Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £29.5m.
How Celtic hit the jackpot with Jeremie Frimpong
The Hoops hit the jackpot with the full-back when they snapped him up from Premier League giants Manchester City for a very modest fee of £300k in the summer of 2019, a few months after Rodgers left to join Leicester City.
Celtic were willing to take a gamble on a player who had not played a minute of senior football up to that point, as he had been playing
U23 and U18 football for City.
Former Celtic defender Jeremie Frimpong.
Because of his lack of senior experience, there was no way for the club to know how he would adapt to playing regular first-team football in Scotland, which is why it was a risk to bring him in as a right-back option.
However, he hit the ground running for the Hoops, winning the domestic treble in the 2019/20 campaign, with a fantastic debut season as a senior player.
Frimpong stayed at Celtic for another six months, playing 22 times in the 2020/21 Premiership season, before signing for Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £11.5m at the start of 2021.
This shows that the club hit the jackpot with the defender because they were willing to take a gamble on an inexperienced young full-back from England for a modest fee, and went on to make a huge profit on the defender.
Frimpong then went on to provide 30 goals and 44 assists in 194 appearances for Leverkusen in all competitions before his big-money move to Liverpool this summer.
The Scottish giants are now reportedly eyeing up a move for the full-back who could follow in the Netherlands international’s footsteps at Parkhead.
Celtic eyeing move for English full-back
According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign left-back Harley Mills from English League One side Peterborough United in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Posh are currently mulling over an approach from Premier League side Fulham, who have offered £1m for the teenage defender, which shows that there is competition for his signature.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that Celtic have joined the race for the League One full-back because Rodgers wants to bring in competition in the left-back position for Tierney, who is poised to return to Parkhead on a free transfer from Arsenal at the end of the month.
Greg Taylor is out of contract and currently due to move on from the Scottish giants this summer, whilst Jeffrey Schlupp’s loan deal has expired, which has left Tierney as the only left-back contracted to the Hoops heading into next season.
Mills has been identified as a player who could come in to provide back-up in that position initially, as a replacement for Taylor, and he could now come through the door this summer as Frimpong 2.0 if Rodgers signs him.
Why Celtic should sign Harley Mills
Firstly, it is worth reinforcing that the 19-year-old talent would only be a second-choice at left-back in the 2025/26 campaign to start with, because Tierney will be the go-to option given what he achieved in his first spell at Parkhead.
This means that there will not be a lot of pressure on Mills to perform straight away, as was the case when Frimpong arrived from Manchester City’s academy, and that is backed up by a potential fee of £1m, which is not a mind-blowing amount of money to spend on a squad option.
He would, therefore, be given time to adapt and adjust to senior football in Scotland, as the young left-back does not have a wealth of experience as a first-team player under his belt.
Mills, who was hailed as “outstanding” by youth coach Jamal Campbell-Ryce, has played 20 times for Peterborough, including 12 appearances in League One, but did catch the eye at Wembley in the final of the EFL Trophy.
The English star scored a phenomenal free-kick in a 2-0 win over Birmingham City for his side, and that capped off what was an excellent campaign for the Posh academy graduate in that competition.
Appearances
6
Sofascore rating
7.25
Goals
2
Key passes per game
1.2
Big chances created
1
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.2
Duel success rate
67%
As you can see in the table above, Mills showcased his quality in and out of possession across six appearances in the EFL Trophy, winning the majority of his duels with opposition attackers whilst also scoring two goals and creating one ‘big chance’ for his teammates.
He only started eight games in League One, averaging 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 62% of his duels, but his form in that cup competition shows the kind of potential he has as a left-back.
Mills has shown potential as a strong defender, who can win his duels at an efficient rate, and as an attacking force with his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals, which suggests that he is worth gambling on for a fee of £1m.
Like Frimpong, he could be a low-risk full-back signing from English football who could go on to be worth millions more in the future if things go well for him in Glasgow.
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While this season ended up being an undeniable failure, Arsenal fans shouldn’t forget how brilliant some of their players are.
For example, David Raya, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães helped to create the best defence in the Premier League.
Moreover, Declan Rice has gone from strength to strength, and now looks more than at home as the left eight.
And then, despite missing over three months of action, the club’s best player, Bukayo Saka, was able to rack up an incredible haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in just 37 games.
The Hale Ender is undoubtedly the team’s talisman and most dangerous attacker, so fans should be delighted about reports linking Arsenal to another international star who has won comparisons to the Englishman.
Arsenal's winger search
Given Arsenal’s significant reliance on Saka to produce from the right this season, it’s not been much of a surprise to seem linked with several talented left-wingers in recent weeks, such as Nico Williams and Leroy Sané.
Transfer Focus
The former has a well-known release clause worth around £50m in his current contract with Athletic Bilbao, and while that is a lot of money, he did perform reasonably well this season, chalking up a tally of 11 goals and seven assists in 45 games.
Sané, on the other hand, would be a free signing thanks to his contract with Bayern Munich running out this month, although even with his impressive haul of 19 goal involvements this term, the fact he’ll be 30 midway next season makes signing him a less appealing prospect.
Moreover, it’s difficult to imagine him matching Saka’s output from the left next year, which isn’t the case for Rodrygo.
Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic’s Real Madrid correspondent, Mario Cortegana, Arsenal are one of a few clubs intensely interested in the Brazilian international.
In fact, he claims that Arteta is “convinced he would have a big role” in the team, although on top of convincing the player, reports from earlier this month claim that the Gunners would have to stump up around £84m to get their man.
It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Rodrygo’s immense ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Saka.
How Rodrygo compares to Saka
So then, before we take a look at some of the other reasons why Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Rodrygo this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Saka and where it has come from.
Well, in this case, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Champions League this season and then created a list of the ten most comparable players.
By doing this, it concluded that the Real Madrid star was the tenth most similar attacking midfielder or winger and the third most similar midfielder to the Arsenal star in the competition this season.
Assists
0.21
0.24
Progressive Passes Received
10.3
10.2
Shots
2.57
2.61
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.10
0.12
Shot-Creating Actions
3.70
3.67
Successful Take-Ons
1.86
1.67
The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to assists, progressive passes received, shots, crosses into the penalty area, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.
However, while a comparison to someone incredibly talented as Saka is undoubtedly encouraging, there are other reasons Arteta and Co should sign Real’s “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by former teammate Luka Modrić.
The most important is that he’d be a reliable source of goals, as, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, the former Santos gem has managed to score 32 goals and provide 19 assists in 103 appearances, totalling 7,137 minutes – even though he has spent much of that time out on the right when he’d rather be off the left.
In other words, he’s maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.01 games, or every 139.94, for two years.
Ultimately, he will cost a lot of money, and it might be a difficult transfer to pull off, but due to his brilliant record and the fact he shares some key statistical similarities with Saka, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Rodrygo this summer.
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Ruben Amorim will face the biggest challenge of his professional management career next season, as he looks to take Manchester United back to their former glory.
The 40-year-old was appointed back in November last year, but was unable to transform their fortunes as they finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
However, he largely had to work with the players already at his disposal, with only Patrick Dorgu arriving as a senior first-team signing back in January.
This summer presents him with the opportunity to make the additions he wants to improve the current situation at Old Trafford, handing him the best possible chance of being a success in the role.
With the transfer window now in full swing, the hierarchy have wasted no time in backing Amorim in his quest, targeting numerous players in various areas of the pitch.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
Hayden Hackney has been one of the main midfield targets for United throughout the course of the summer window, with it being revealed that the club have been seen scouting him in recent weeks at the U21 Euros.
As for the attacking department, Hugo Ekitiké is a player who was of keen interest a couple of weeks ago, but a deal has gone quiet ever since his asking price of £84m was revealed.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
However, the backline looks set to be the next department to be added to, with the Red Devils making progress in a deal to sign Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo, according to a report in Spain via Football365.
It states that Amorim’s side have already made an offer for the Uruguayan defender, who’s currently valued at a bargain fee of just £38m by the LaLiga giants.
They also claim that Bayern Munich and Juventus are also looking to take advantage of the fee mentioned, with Hansi Flick looking to raise sales to sign Nico Williams this window.
Why United’s £38m target would be a more important addition than Mbeumo
Bryan Mbeumo has been a player firmly on United’s radar over the last couple of weeks, with multiple offers being made for the Brentford talisman.
Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo
The first offer of £55m was swiftly rejected, but the second bid of £60m is still being considered, with only minor details needing to be ironed out before he can negotiate with Amorim’s side.
It’s been reported that the 25-year-old appears set to have his medical at the Red Devils next week, potentially becoming the club’s second addition of the window after Matheus Cunha.
There’s no doubt that given his tally of 20 league goals this season would improve the options at the manager’s disposal in the final third, offering him the attacking threat he’s craved in the role.
However, a move for Araujo this window would arguably be a more important one for the club, landing a star that would massively bolster another area of the pitch.
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo against Inter Milan.
It was confirmed that Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof would be leaving the club at the end of their current contracts, leaving a lack of depth within the defensive unit.
Additions to the defence are certainly needed if the Red Devils are to make the jump, with injuries showing how light the club was even before the aforementioned duo departed.
When delving into the Uruguayan’s stats from this season, he’s demonstrated the qualities he possesses with and without the ball, handing Amorim an elite-level option in his pursuit of glory.
Araujo, who’s been labelled a “monster” by teammate Eric Garcia, completed 92% of the passes he attempted, with 3.1 per 90 being into the final third – stats that could offer the club an opportunity to play out from the back when needed.
Games played
12
Goals & assists
2
Pass accuracy
92%
Passes into final third
3.1
Tackle success rate
75%
Aerial won
3.9
Interceptions made
1.2
Without the ball, he’s been just as impressive, coming out on top of 75% of the tackles he’s entered, alongside 3.9 aerials won per 90, subsequently adding a quality option to the manager in such an area.
£38m for a 26-year-old entering the prime years of his career could prove to be an excellent signing for the Red Devils, bolstering their chances of success as a result.
Barcelona defenderRonald Araujo.
Given the interest from elsewhere this summer, they will have to work tirelessly to avoid missing out on his signature, with his addition potentially proving to be more important than Mbeumo’s.
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Four centuries were scored in the game, and it came down to the last ball, where Pooja Vastrakar sealed the deal and gave India the series win
Srinidhi Ramanujam19-Jun-2024Four centuries, a first in women’s ODIs. A total of 646 runs. The spectators in Bengaluru were treated to as entertaining a game of 50-over cricket as they could have imagined, and the result went their way too: India clinched a last-ball win over South Africa to secure the series 2-0 with a match in hand.It came down to Pooja Vastrakar’s final over where she had to defend 10 runs after India had posted 325 for 3. After conceding five off the first two balls, both full tosses, her next two deliveries fetched her two wickets with Laura Wolvaardt, one of four century-makers in the game, stranded at the non-striker’s end. The equation became five off the final delivery, and Wolvaardt, finally on strike, was beaten by Vastrakar’s back-of-the-hand slower delivery.Related
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Stats – Mandhana, Harmanpreet, Wolvaardt, Kapp combine to break ODI records
Earlier, after being asked to bat first, India scored their third-highest ODI total with Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur smashing 136 and 103 not out respectively. While it looked out of reach after South Africa were reduced to 67 for 3 in the chase, Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp’s 184-run partnership took the game deep.Not long ago, South Africa were at the receiving end of the highest successful ODI run-chase of 302 by Sri Lanka. On Wednesday, they came close to breaking that record but fell short of it.SA start brilliantly with the ballThe way South Africa started with the ball, one would have expected India to stop at around 230-240.The second ODI was played on a different strip to the series opener, with a patch of grass and visible cracks on it. The new-ball pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas extracted everything they could from it, exerting pressure on Shafali Verma and Mandhana with a lot of movement. A bit of variable bounce also meant runs were hard to get initially. Mandhana, in fact, got off the mark after 18 deliveries.As for Shafali, she showed glimpses of patience in her 38-ball innings but it was short-lived. After smashing a four straight down the ground off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, she tried to go across the line next ball and holed out to Klaas at mid-on.After 15 overs, India had huffed and puffed to 47 for 1, hitting just five fours. In this period, they had faced 72 dot balls.Harmanpreet Kaur celebrates after scoring a blistering century•BCCIThe game-changing partnershipAlong with D Hemalatha, the No. 3, Mandhana stitched a steady 62 runs off 68 balls. Hemalatha fell for a 41-ball 24, and it was only after Harmanpreet walked out that runs started flowing.The pitch had also eased out by then, and Harmanpreet and Mandhana put on a huge partnership – 171 runs off 136 balls. Their centuries not only helped India overcome their sedate start but also batted South Africa into a corner (though not out of the game, as it emerged).Mandhana oozed class and Harmanpreet showed what power and deft touch can do.Mandhana picked up pace, getting herself from 31 off the first 48 balls to her seventh ODI hundred in 103 balls, and went on to add 36 more. When the bowlers varied their lines, she moved around the crease and either slashed it to deep point or pulled to the square-leg area. Along the way, Mandhana also became the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in women’s ODIs.Harmanpreet didn’t have to start slow, unlike her deputy. After racing to a run-a-ball 24, she got quicker as her innings progressed. Unlike Mandhana, who scored on both sides of the wicket, Harmanpreet scored predominantly on the leg side. A total of 70 of her runs came on that side, with four of her nine fours and two out of three sixes hit in the midwicket region.Meike de Ridder, who played in place of South Africa’s first-choice wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta after she suffered a mild concussion on the eve of the match, missed a stumping chance when Harmanpreet was on 88, off the second delivery off the final over. It gave Harmanpreet a chance to complete her sixth ODI century, the first in almost two years, and she smoked 4, 6 and 4 to get to three figures.South Africa ran out of steam, with Wolvaardt even bringing on legspinning-allrounder Sune Luus – who was bowling in ODIs after a gap of two years – into the attack. However, they couldn’t contain India, who scored 118 runs in the last ten overs.At the other end, Richa Ghosh, batting at No. 5, plundered a 13-ball unbeaten 25, comprising three fours and a six, and was key in the unbroken 54-run stand with Harmanpreet.Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt almost won the game for South Africa•Getty ImagesKapp and Wolvaardt fight backKapp and Wolvaardt, the senior pros, were resolute and unwavering in their focus.This being South Africa’s second-last series in the 2022-25 Women’s Championship cycle, they need a couple of wins out of six to ensure automatic qualification for the World Cup next year in India. They had already lost the opening game, and needed points here. They play England next at home.South Africa didn’t get off to an ideal start, losing three wickets for 67 inside 15 overs. However, unlike on Sunday, the pitch was helping the batters during the chase with the Indian spinners not getting enough grip and turn under lights. That helped Wolvaardt and Kapp settle in and then go big in the last 15 or so overs.Initially, they kept the scoreboard ticking over, putting away the loose deliveries and taking singles off good ones. That clarity and patience saw both the set batters converting their starts and getting to half-centuries.Kapp, playing as a pure batter with her workload being managed following a back injury, thrived under pressure and hit 11 fours and three sixes in her 94-ball 114. Wolvaardt, who became the first South Africa batter to score 4000 runs in women’s ODIs on the night, took calculated risks and paced her innings well to stay till the end. Her knock had 12 fours and three sixes.With 148 runs needed from the last 15 overs, the pair accelerated. Even after Kapp was dismissed in the 43rd, courtesy a superb catch from Vastrakar at long-off, Wolvaardt kept going hard, striking the ball effortlessly.Nadine de Klerk’s cameo of 28 also helped South Africa get closer. Till, in the end, they fell just short.
Newcastle United have got better and better since Eddie Howe’s appointment three-and-a-half years ago, and though last season bred trophy-winning success and paved the way back into the Champions League, the best may still be to come.
Carefully, assiduously, Newcastle have developed a project which has been rooted firmly into the soil of top-level football, now sure to be regular contenders for a seat at Europe’s elite table; now regarded as a huge threat to the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’.
Despite finishing the 2024 summer transfer window with harboured frustrations over targets not landed, Howe led his squad to glory.
Suitors are inevitably swarming for St. James’ Park’s superstars, but, in the case of Alexander Isak, it would take an offer in the ballpark of £200m to convince PIF to sell.
Even so, the world-class striker needs a foil, and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro has been identified as the man for the job.
Newcastle advancing on Joao Pedro deal
Newcastle have had Pedro on their radar for a while, and after missing out on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo (it seems), the Brighton star has been identified as the perfect addition for Howe’s cause.
Chelsea, typically, also want the Brazil forward.
Pedro is versatile and dynamic, but also a blooming goalscorer, someone who provides output to a pleasing degree: across 70 matches for the Seagulls, he has scored 30 goals and has laid on ten assists.
However, JP has converted 16 penalties for his current club, which means he has only scored 14 times from open play across 70 outings. This in itself isn’t a negative – a penalty counts just the same, after all – but Isak isn’t likely to forgo his duties from the spot.
Newcastle would get stronger with Pedro in their squad, but they may be more powerful still by bringing over one of the Premier League’s deadliest strikers instead.
Newcastle make contact for Premier League forward
According to Liverpool reporter Matt Thielen, Newcastle are among a host of Premier League clubs to have approached Liverpool for Diogo Jota.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota
Tottenham Hotspur and Jota’s former club Wolverhampton Wanderers are also in the frame, as well as further outfits overseas, but Newcastle’s interest dates back to the spring, when they were informed it would take around £43m to convince the Reds to part with their veteran.
It doesn’t seem likely that United would add both Pedro and Jota to their ranks, but if the bid for the former falls through, the Portugal international represents the perfect alternative.
Why Newcastle should sign Diogo Jota
Jota might not have the cleanest fitness record of all time, but there’s no denying he’s an incredibly cool and composed finisher, having posted 65 goals and 26 assists across 185 matches for Liverpool.
Liverpool striker Diogo Jota
Last season, despite winning the Premier League, the Iberian marksman didn’t enjoy his finest season, only scoring six times and providing four in the league (albeit across only 14 starts) as he battled through injury and then struggled to find his usual sharpness.
However, at 28 years old, Jota has more in the tank and would arrive on Tyneside without the expectation of being number one at number nine, instead applying friendly pressure on Isak and perhaps filling in on the flanks too.
Portugal'sDiogoJotascores a goal
Pedro, 23, is five years his junior and would be a longer-term investment, but Newcastle need instant results next year to ensure they retain their position among Europe’s heavyweights.
And such results Jota would bring – and that’s without the usage of the penalty spot. Also, as per FBref, the Anfield star ranked among the top 15% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last season for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries, the top 8% for ball recoveries and the top 8% for tackles + interceptions per 90.
What does that tell us? Well, by examining his rate of recovery and by aggregating such data to form a clear picture of his work rate, we can see that the Portuguese ace is switched on and dialed in to help his team toward victory.
Brighton striker Joao Pedro
Energy and spirit are staples of Pedro’s faculties, to be sure, but in Jota, Newcastle would bag themselves a similarly industrious forward with a sharper sense in the final third.
It helps that he has a pedigree in the Champions League. Not one to be swallowed by a big occasion, Jota would prove a cool head in the final third under those glaring European lights to ease the burden on Isak’s shoulders and increase Newcastle’s overall fluency.
Of course, we would be remiss to turn a blind eye to the Liverpool forward’s shoddy injury record, but from purely a technical standpoint, he is one of the best in the business, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even going as far as to say that he’s “the best finisher” Liverpool have had in the Premier League.
Pedro might have a “magical” style when on the ball, as has been noted by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard, but Jota’s prowess is built on his mechanical skill set, efficient and almost economical in the way he approaches the game.
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota
Newcastle have a range of attacking options but certainly not an overload, and an experienced and trophy-proven option in Jota might just prove to be the difference-maker Howe needs as he leads his team back into the Champions League.
Clinical and intelligent, Jota’s movements and underrated link-up play are elements that Newcastle need. Furthermore, he’s a wide-ranging forward, proven across each prong of the offensive fork, bringing goals and assists from each position.
Centre-forward
91
29
15
Left winger
61
24
8
Right winger
22
9
2
Attacking midfield
3
3
1
This is a move Newcastle need to make this summer, adding depth and dynamism to a fluid outfit which has now established its title-winning credentials and just needs a touch more experience to reach the next level under Howe’s wing.
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Newcastle have yet to heave over some attacking additions in the summer transfer market.
Lauderhill is scheduled to host three Group A matches in three days, two of them pretty crucial for the hosts USA and Pakistan
Sidharth Monga14-Jun-2024Chances for cricket in Florida received a boost after a dry first half of Thursday, a day before Lauderhill hosts three T20 World Cup Group A matches in three days, two of them pretty crucial for the hosts USA and Pakistan. Not to forget Ireland and Canada, who haven’t yet been knocked out of the tournament. If the first match, between USA and Ireland, is washed out, though, USA will become the second team from Group A to go through to the Super Eight.After quite a few flights into Miami and Fort Lauderdale were cancelled on Wednesday, teams, production crews and commentators all made it into Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. While there were still delays in flights because of inclement weather en route, Fort Lauderdale itself had remained dry till late afternoon. The drizzle in the evening was expected to die down by night followed by forecast for some showers from 9am to 11am on Friday. Flash flood warnings for the larger area continued to remain in tact.However, the conditions at the ground were a cause for optimism. Mark Adair, the Ireland allrounder was impressed with what he saw. “I don’t think there was too many people who came to leave the hotel, but no, at the ground today, it was actually remarkably dry,” Adair said. “I think there’s still wet patches over the far side of the ground but you know considering what the place has been through 24 hours before I think the place is looking pretty good.”The USA opening batter Steven Taylor, who comes from Florida, also said the drainage at the ground is good. “Growing up here at the stadium, it has always had a nice drainage,” Taylor said. “So, we always hope that once the next day doesn’t rain, there’ll always be cricket. But we can’t stop the weather. So, whatever happens, we just have to work with it.”Saurabh Netravalkar, the USA left-arm fast bowler, said they were preparing as if the match was going on as scheduled. “Actually I haven’t thought about it [the weather] at all,” Netravalkar said hours before leaving from New York on Wednesday evening. “Now we are seeing and hearing that there’s rain, but from our perspective, what is controllable is to expect that we are going to have a full game and we have to try our best to get a victory ’cause even Ireland is a top side. They might have lost two games, but they’re a good team.”If USA beat Ireland or get one point from the match, they will qualify. After their defeat to USA and India earlier, Pakistan are left hoping no team goes past four points. For Pakistan to have a chance of going ahead, they need Ireland to beat USA and then beat Ireland on the Sunday. If Ireland win both their games against USA and Pakistan, they will give themselves a chance but their net run rate is not looking very healthy. Canada, who beat Ireland earlier, need USA to lose to Ireland for them to have a chance of progressing should they upset India on Saturday.
England’s No. 3 is still a teenager and has benefited from managing her schedule better
Valkerie Baynes12-Jul-2024The day Alice Capsey turned 18, she walked towards a pod of journalists, delighted that she no longer needed a chaperone during interviews.She’d been doing these – accompanied – for a while and her team, Oval Invincibles, had just pulled off the highest successful run chase in the Women’s Hundred to defeat Northern Superchargers at The Oval after the men’s teams had played the curtain raiser.As eager and comfortable as she was on that night almost two years ago, it’s easy to forget she is still a teenager now and to overlook how the sheer volume of cricket she has played since took a “toll” on her. Since July 2022, Capsey has played a staggering 93 top-level T20 matches. As a result, she hasn’t played regional cricket this season, opting to focus on playing for England and, when she’s not, taking a break from cricket.Related
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Speaking in Canterbury after her career-best 67 not out off 60 balls secured victory for England in a nervy third T20I against New Zealand, Capsey revealed that she felt in a much better place than she had over the past year and just how hard it had been to reach that point.”I’ve been kind of under the spotlight for the last three years and it’s taken its toll a little bit, especially over the last year,” Capsey said. “So I really have taken a step back this year and gone, ‘What’s going to be the best option for me to go onto the pitch and perform?’ Prioritising myself a little bit more… not listening to the outside noise as much and really focusing on what matters to me as a person and as a cricketer and what’s going to make me the best cricketer for this team.”Capsey enjoyed a breakout season during the inaugural Women’s Hundred and was part of the first England A squad to tour Australia during the Women’s Ashes at the start of 2022, earning her senior call-up for the Commonwealth Games later that year. Since then, she has become a fixture at No. 3 in T20Is and played in franchise tournaments around the world while floating round the middle order in 17 ODIs.But her half-century against the White Ferns to help England to a 3-0 lead in their five match T20 series on Thursday was her first fifty in the format since last August. Her highest score in the 11 innings she played in between was 31 – made against Pakistan in May – and sat alongside a string of scores either in the 20s, or in single figures. Her highest score in ODIs is 44, also reached during Pakistan’s recent visit. In her two other ODI innings this English summer, she was unbeaten on 39 and 35 against Pakistan and New Zealand respectively.All of these numbers serve as a reminder that Capsey is still a young player learning her craft, and suggest she is figuring out what works for her at the right time.”For someone of my age, I feel really experienced within T20 cricket and I feel really comfortable with my role at No. 3,” she said. “I know that it’s not going to come off every time and I know that there’s going to be critics about how I go about the game. But on nights like these, it is just about going big and really securing the win.Capsey has played a high volume of T20, including at the WPL•BCCI”I missed the regional cricket this year. I have played so much cricket and I thought the best way to actually perform for England and get myself in the best positive space to be able to perform was to have a little break. We’ve obviously got huge winter and playing for England and performing for England is my main priority. Playing the amount of games I have, I’ve been exposed to a lot of different situations, which is just going to help me as a batter but as an allrounder. Then, obviously on the flip side, it’s a hell of a lot of cricket.”Taking time off between international series appears to be paying dividends, with a T20 World Cup in October, followed by an away Ashes series, then a 50-over World Cup in India in 2025.”As much as I probably haven’t played the amount of cricket that I have in the past couple of years, I feel the most calm and controlled I’ve felt in a very long time,” Capsey said. “I feel really calm, I know what my options are and yeah, I just feel really confident and it’s amazing that if you’re in a good head space that you then take it onto the pitch and feel a lot better about yourself.”Jon Lewis, England’s head coach, said recently that he’d like Capsey “to be one of our best top-five batters” in ODIs, while recognising that her schedule is currently focused on the shorter format. He has also been keen to deploy her part-time offspin, albeit in a side spoilt with spin-bowling riches in the form of left-armer and world No.1 Sophie Ecclestone, legspinner Sarah Glenn and offspinner Charlie Dean.But, as shown in fielding an experimental line-up missing captain Heather Knight, opening batter Danni Wyatt and seamer Lauren Bell, England are all about exploring their options ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.”We’ve been spoken to by the coaching staff before the series, saying that there will be a bit of chaos thrown in front of us, a few different situations about how we adapt to it,” Capsey said. “The performances are showing we are getting the results, but I think as a group we’re really calm with the different changes and we all feel like, especially from my point of view, I feel like it doesn’t matter who’s in the team, we can all just go out in there and play with freedom and play to our strengths.”I’d love to bowl, but I stand no chance with those three,” Capsey added. “They perform day in, day out and when I do get the opportunity, don’t get me wrong, I’m going to make the most of it, but if I’m not having to bowl, then they’re doing their job and we’re probably winning more games than we’re not.”
After announcing the arrival of Jamie Gittens, Chelsea now reportedly want to hijack Newcastle United’s chase to sign a Serie A defender who’s worth over £50m.
Gittens realises Premier League "dream"
As ever, Chelsea haven’t been afraid to spend big in the summer transfer window. This time around, they’ve splashed out over £60m to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, £35m to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town and, most recently, £52m to welcome Gittens from Borussia Dortmund. But even then, the Blues are unlikely to be done there.
After putting pen to paper to confirm his big-money move, the winger told Chelsea’s official website: “I did watch Chelsea when I was younger. Not in the stadium but on the TV at home in Reading, during the time of the Eden Hazard era.
“Eden was the clear player for me at that time. I liked Willian as well, another attacker. He had that little shimmy he did, I liked that.
“It’s my dream to play in the Premier League. Obviously, watching it from Germany, it’s a really intense league. Every week is a battle, and I feel like I can enter that battle strongly. I’m excited to join this team that have a winning mentality – that’s the main thing.
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“I just want to keep improving, especially as a footballer and a human being. I want to be more consistent and keep learning. It’s a great feeling to join Chelsea, such a big club. I can’t wait to learn from everyone in the team and to push myself to the max here. It’s amazing.”
With Pedro, Delap and now Gittens at their disposal going forward, those in West London have seemingly turned their attention towards handing their backline a similar boost in the form of a Serie A star.
Chelsea eyeing Giorgio Scalvini hijack
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea now want to hijack Newcastle’s move to sign Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta and face competition from Manchester United to do so. The Magpies have set their sights on the defender, but now face competition from two rivals.
Like Gittens, however, the deal won’t come cheap for Chelsea with the Serie A club reportedly demanding as much as €60m (£52m) to sell their central defender this summer.
It’s clear to see why Chelsea are interested in Scalvini even as he returns from an ACL injury, and it’s not just because of his defensive talents. As analyst Ben Mattinson highlighted last year, the Atalanta man has the “front-footed aggressive style” to push into midfield if needed in the type of versatility that no side would turn down.
Whilst he may need time to get back to his best after a long-term injury, Scalvini remains one to watch this summer.
Mohammad Isam31-Aug-2024Bangladesh fast bowler Shoriful Islam has been ruled out of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi with a groin injury. He is now in a race against time to be fit for the two Tests in India next month.According to the Bangladesh team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan, Shoriful complained of discomfort in the groin area after the first Test last week, and subsequent tests confirmed the injury.”Shoriful underwent an MRI following the first Test and the results show a Grade 1 left adductor strain,” Bayjedul said. “Recovery usually takes around 10 days in such cases and he has started his rehab.”Shoriful had taken three wickets in Bangladesh’s ten-wicket win in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. He was also handy with the bat, hitting two sixes in a 14-ball 22. Taskin Ahmed replaced him in Bangladesh’s starting XI for the second Test.Shoriful has played 11 Tests but also missed 11 Tests for Bangladesh since his debut three years ago. Taskin, meanwhile, is returning to the format after more than a year.Bangladesh’s next assignment is a tour of India, with the first Test in Chennai from September 19. They play two Tests and three T20Is during the tour that run until October 12.Bangladesh have a busy schedule till the end of 2024: after the tour of India, they have two Tests at home against South Africa in October, and a full tour of West Indies in November and December.