Sevilla's boss, Quique Sanchez Flores, has issued an update on Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejri's start to life on loan at the Spanish club.
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Wrexham sealed their first signing of the January transfer window, with goalkeeper Luke McNicholas penning a permanent deal.
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Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham are "leading the fight" for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, and he is "ready" to make a move this summer.
Who will Spurs sign?
Ange Postecoglou will be fairly happy with his side's moves in the transfer window, with Spurs having sealed deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon on a free transfer.
The trio join both Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro in putting pen to paper on permanent moves to north London after their previous loan deals, but reports suggest the Lilywhites could add more new faces.
Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, confirmed that his club are looking to sign a centre-back to shore up a leaky defence which conceded 63 league goals last season.
"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou when asked about new defenders.
"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible."
"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.
"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."
Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer have all been linked to joining for the defensive positions.
Meanwhile, it is also believed that Spurs want to sign a new midfielder to succeed Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who could well join Atletico Madrid.
Gallagher is a name attracting their serious interest, with London rivals West Ham and Spurs "leading the fight" for his services.
David Moyes' side have already seen a bid rejected for the 23-year-old, so a transfer won't be easy, but it is believed that Gallagher "ready" to leave Stamford Bridge.
Reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella wrote in The Evening Standard:
"Conor Gallagher is ready to leave Chelsea after being deemed surplus to requirements, with Tottenham and West Ham leading the fight for his signature.
"The 23-year-old, who scored in a 4-3 friendly win over Brighton in Philadelphia on Saturday and also in the 5-0 thrashing of Wrexham last week, is being offered to clubs."
How good is Conor Gallagher?
The midfielder struggled to gain consistent starting places for Chelsea last season, making half of his appearances from the bench (WhoScored).
However, Gallagher showcased his true quality on loan at Crystal Palace over 2021/2022, where the player ranked as their best-performing player per 90 whilst chipping in with eight goals and three assists (WhoScored).
Gallagher has also been praised by former Spurs star Jermaine Jenas, who told Match of The Day (via The Sun) that he is a "game-changer" and similar to Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.
“He reminds me a lot of Lampard," said Jenas.
"I think he is a game-changer aswell Conor Gallagher. He’s the type of player that you bring on and he has an impact on the game.
“He presses, gets himself in the box and creates chances. Also, he’s won a World Cup. He was part of the U17 World Cup-winning side so he understands tournament football and I’m pleased for Conor.”
CSA is hoping for Test status for the Boxing Day game against Zimbabwe, as the much-anticipated Test series against India has been reduced to three matches
Firdose Moonda20-Sep-20174:16
Four-day Tests on the cards
India’s tour to South Africa has been cut to three Tests from the original four, but will include an additional ODI, taking the total number of 50-over matches to six along with three T20s. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier in the week, India’s tour will begin with a late New Year’s Test which starts from January 5 at Newlands – three days later than the usual start for the festive fixture.Although South Africa have lost out on a Boxing Day Test against India, they host Zimbabwe for a four-day day-night match in Port Elizabeth, starting from December 26. Cricket South Africa is awaiting ICC approval before labelling the Zimbabwe fixture a Test.The confirmation of the India’s tour comes after months of speculation about when the tour would be finalised and whether South Africa would be able to host a 10-Test summer. That will only be possible if the Zimbabwe match is allowed to go ahead as a Test; CSA is confident the ICC will give them the green light at their October meeting in Auckland.For over a decade, the ICC has been hearing the case for four-day Tests and the discussion was taken up in earnest again this year. One of the key reasons for shortening Tests is to be able to save time on a tour and allow for more matches.An insider told ESPNcricinfo that CSA understands if four-day Tests are approved, they will only be played when decided by an MoU between member countries and they are more likely to be played between the so-called younger teams in Test cricket or when a top-tier team plays a lower-ranked opponent. South Africa hope to be pioneers in the format.After that match, they will turn their attention to India, who will arrive in South Africa on December 28, four days after their home series against Sri Lanka ends. India will have a two-day practice match in Paarl on December 30 and 31. India were understood to have wanted two warm-up matches, but there isn’t enough time.”The time constraints faced by India have forced us to reduce the Test matches to three, while increasing white-ball cricket to six ODIs and three T20I matches,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA CEO, said.Cape Town will host the first Test while venues are yet to be confirmed for the following two. Given the large Indian support base in Durban, Kingsmead is highly likely to host one of the matches which will leave the Wanderers in Johannesburg or SuperSport Park in Centurion to host the remaining Test. While the Wanderers is regarded as South Africa’s home of cricket, SuperSport Park may edge it out because it is the only one of the big five grounds that does not host Australia for a Test in March.
The transfer window officially opened for business last month and Tottenham Hotspur have been busy in their attempts to improve the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
They started the summer by bringing in Ange Postecoglou from Scottish giants Celtic as their new head coach and have made four first-team signings to date.
Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro have completed permanent moves to the club after their respective loan spells, and they have been joined by attacking midfielder James Maddison along with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Spurs could still be in the market for further additions, however, and another new forward could be on the agenda after Lucas Moura departed on a free transfer.
Postecoglou could land the dream replacement for the Brazilian attacker by securing a deal to sign reported £50m transfer target, Jadon Sancho.
How many Premier League goals does Jadon Sancho have?
The England international has struck nine times in 55 Premier League appearances for Manchester United since his move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021.
His tally of 12 goals and six assists across 79 outings in all competitions for the Red Devils means that he has averaged a goal contribution every 4.39 matches on average during his time at Old Trafford so far.
Whereas, Moura produced 39 goals and 27 assists in 221 competitive clashes for Spurs, which was one involvement every 3.35 games on average.
Like United's Sancho, the former Paris Saint-Germain ace is capable of being deployed on either flank or through the middle of the pitch, which made him a versatile option for Tottenham over the years.
Postecoglou could utilise the ex-Manchester City prospect on the left or right wing in north London and this makes him a valuable player to have in the squad, particularly after Moura's departure, as he is not restricted to a specific role or position.
Sancho also has the potential to offer far more in the final third than he has shown at United so far as the 23-year-old wizard's performances for Dortmund suggest that there is an exceptional talent there to be unearthed.
Scout Jacek Kulig lauded the exciting forward as a "phenomenon" during his time in Germany and it is easy to see why when you delve into his statistics.
The English magician racked up 38 goals to go along with 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, which works out as a direct involvement every 1.17 outings on average.
Sancho recorded 12 or more league assists in each of his last three seasons in black and yellow and could come in as a much-needed creative spark for Postecoglou if the Australian head coach can get him back to his best.
Ivan Perisic was Tottenham's top assister with eight in the Premier League last term and he was one of only three players with more than five assists, which suggests that the club did not have an outstanding creator to provide the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son with regular service.
The United winger, who has not been able to hit top form at Old Trafford, has the untapped potential to be that player for Spurs. Therefore, Sancho could be an exceptional signing for Postecoglou and the dream replacement for Moura this summer.
India’s lower order propelled them to 600 before their bowlers left Sri Lanka five down and 247 short of the follow-on mark at stumps on day two
The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy27-Jul-20171:38
Maharoof: Disappointed by Gunathilaka and Mendis dismissals
Swing, seam, pace and bounce. Dip, drift, turn and bounce. Ingredients that seemed largely absent when India piled on 600, their second-highest total in Sri Lanka, haunted the home side in their reply, as they ended the second day of the Galle Test five down with the follow-on mark still 247 runs away.Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami took the top order apart, even as Upul Tharanga hurtled along with a profusion of silken off-side boundaries. Then came R Ashwin, going around the wicket to left and right-handers alike, harnessing the sea breeze and testing both edges with drift, swinging arm balls, and the occasional instance of sharp turn. Over the course of an unbroken spell of 18 overs, he gradually discovered the ideal pace and angle of seam to extract the maximum possible help from the Galle pitch, and could have easily ended the day with more than one wicket.Umesh gave India their first breakthrough, in the second over of Sri Lanka’s innings. Swing did Dimuth Karunaratne in, a full ball curling back into the left-hander from over the wicket and forcing him to play around his front pad. He missed and reviewed Bruce Oxenford’s lbw decision, a wasted referral given there was no inside edge, and that the ball had pitched on middle stump and had straightened down that line.R Ashwin got drift and dip to be a constant threat•AFP
For a time, Danushka Gunathilaka, making his Test debut, matched Tharanga shot for shot, as the two left-handers drove repeatedly on the up during a second-wicket partnership of 61 at just under five an over. But he played one shot too many, feet rooted to the crease as he flashed at, and edged, a Shami delivery angled across him.Kusal Mendis, in at No. 4, had the misfortune of getting a Shami special when he was still to get off the mark. It hit the seam in the corridor, seamed away slightly with some extra bounce, and all he could do was nick it. Two times in five balls, Shikhar Dhawan was the catcher at first slip.The next two wickets fell during Ashwin’s long and endlessly tormenting spell. The first began with his drift and dip beating Tharanga in the air. Having jumped out of his crease and inside-edged into his pad, he turned and hurried back as the ball rolled towards Abhinav Mukund at silly point. Abhinav flicked the ball to the keeper, and when the bails came off, Tharanga’s bat, after a momentary grounding on the dive, had bounced up. A cruel end to an innings of 64 and a 57-run fourth-wicket stand with Mathews.Then came the wicket of another left-hander, Niroshan Dickwella, who pressed forward but found himself nowhere near the pitch of the ball, thanks to Ashwin’s dip. Extra bounce grabbed the shoulder of his jabbing defensive bat, and Mukund, diving right at silly point, took a superb, low one-hander.Mathews struggled initially against Ashwin, and on 32 survived an lbw decision reviewed by India when ball-tracking returned an umpire’s call verdict. He slowly grew in assurance, and ended the day batting on 54 with Dilruwan Perera for company. With Asela Gunaratne, who fractured his left thumb on the first day, unlikely to bat, Sri Lanka have quite a task ahead of them.An improved bowling display from Sri Lanka, led by Nuwan Pradeep, who finished with 6 for 132, threatened at various points to limit India’s total. But the lower order, led by Ashwin and the debutant Hardik Pandya, kept counter-punching.India lost both their overnight batsmen, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, inside 12 overs of the morning, both out to seam. Away-seam and extra bounce from Nuwan Pradeep found Pujara’s edge on 153, while Rahane, driving away from his body at a rare full ball from Lahiru Kumara, edged to slip.Despite the selection of Pandya, India stuck with Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha at Nos. 6 and 7, trusting their experience and proven firefighting abilities ahead of the debutant’s promise. Ashwin and Saha had put on three fifty partnerships and one double-century stand, and averaged 47.50 as a pair since the start of 2016. They combined once again to stall Sri Lanka’s momentum, adding 59 for the sixth wicket.Not for the first time in his career, Ashwin began finding the gaps almost as soon as he walked in, and took three fours from successive Herath overs, twice driving him through the off side and once stepping out to clip him between midwicket and mid-on. In all, he would hit seven fours in a 60-ball 47.Both fell in the space of six balls, with lunch imminent, and when Pradeep took his sixth wicket after the break, cleaning up Ravindra Jadeja with the bouncer-yorker double, Sri Lanka may have hoped for a quick end to the innings.As it turned out, India’s last two wickets added 83 in 71 balls in a burst of six-hitting. The quicks leaked runs in an effort to pepper the lower order with the short ball, and Herath kept get hitting back over his head, notably by Mohammed Shami who hit him for three sixes. Pandya hit three sixes too, all off Pradeep, two hooked over backward square leg and one whipped over midwicket.The dismissal of Shami, caught on the square-leg boundary off Kumara, ended a ninth-wicket stand of 62, but Sri Lanka’s ordeal wasn’t yet over. Umesh Yadav, India’s No. 11, also joined in the hitting spree, taking Kumara for a big six down the ground and Herath for the lofted four that brought up India’s 600.Pandya, who had brought up his half-century, off 48 balls, in the same Herath over, fell soon after, finding deep square leg while going after another short ball from Kumara.
The under-fire Gunners star was deployed in a surprising new position for his national team, but should he change roles at club level too?
The international break is not the most-popular concept among most Premier League fans. Many see it as an irritating interruption to the absorbing club season, but it can often provide some intriguing stories of its own.
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann provided one of the most eye-catching narratives of the most recent pause by shockingly deploying Kai Havertz at left-back for Die Mannschaft's games against Turkey and Austria.
Havertz has played in a string of positions during his career so far – midfield, second striker, out wide and centre-forward. Still, nobody expected his versatility to extend as far as being able to play in a defensive role. Quizzed on his decision before the Turkey game, Nagelsmann responded in forthright fashion: "I have a great idea, he's an exceptionally good footballer. This is a very good option."
With the Egyptian expected to move to Saudi Arabia next summer, rumours are rife that the Reds are already searching for a worthy successor
Liverpool's decision to reject all offers from Al-Ittihad for Mohamed Salah just before the close of the transfer window has been fully vindicated, with their Egyptian king one of the main reasons why they're back in the top four of the Premier League right now and dreaming of a surprise title challenge.
However, while the Reds' refusal to let the winger leave was utterly unsurprising, given his ongoing importance to Jurgen Klopp's team, the feeling was that they were merely postponing the inevitable. It's still difficult to see Salah moving during the January transfer window, no matter how much money is on the table, but next summer could be a very different story altogether.
After all, he will turn 32 next June and have just one year left on his contract, so it would make perfect sense for Liverpool to belatedly cash in on their talismanic attacker. Of course, finding a replacement will not be easy, even if there are some excellent options.
However, right now, one name is generating more transfer rumours than most – Leroy Sane. And while it's easy to understand why Liverpool might view the Bayern Munich man as their ideal Salah successor, a certain degree of scepticism among the supporters is also understandable.
Liverpool are in the market for reinforcements this summer as Jurgen Klopp looks to freshen up a side that looks set for major changes heading into next term.
Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have already left the club upon the expiration of their contracts, signifying that both midfield and striking positions will need to be replenished in the summer window.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is set to sign for the Reds, as he updated his Twitter following, stating: "Liverpool have just signed Alexis Mac Allister for… £35m. Reds have now triggered the clause to sign the midfielder after medical tests completed with Brighton’s permission. Documents are being signed. Here we go confirmed."
Another man that Liverpool have been linked with to bolster their midfield is Southampton man Romeo Lavia and they are said to have contacted the South Coast club over the prospect of being able to acquire the 19-year-old, as per Football Insider.
What's the latest transfer news involving Romeo Lavia?
The Football Insider report also states that Lavia's former club, Manchester City, have a buyback clause worth £40 million to purchase the Belgium international; however, this doesn't become active until the summer of 2024.
Speaking to Football FanCast, Redmen TV pundit Ste Hoare has endorsed Liverpool signing Lavia to boost their midfield options and thinks that the talent would be a good fit at Anfield.
Hoare told FFC: "Manchester City have this buyback clause, don't they, in 2024, so you want to get him, you might have to do it now because they might be the only chance you can do. I don't think he's going to stay in the Championship. I think he's too good. My guess is he'll be on the move. Of all the players who went down, I think he'd be the one I would most like Liverpool to sign, he fits into what we do."
Liverpool definitely have the opportunity to get one over their Premier League rivals by signing Lavia, who gained plenty of first-team experience in 2022/23 with Southampton, making 35 appearances in all competitions, registering one goal and one assist apiece, as per Transfermarkt.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola paid tribute to the midfielder in April in an interview and detailed why he was let go at the Etihad Stadium to join Southampton, stating: “I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing. We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton."
As per WhoScored, Lavia showed plenty of promise at St Mary's during this campaign and managed to record a pass success rate of 86.4%, illustrating his reliability in possession.
FBRef also take into account that the £25k-a-week earner excels in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions regarding successful blocks, having made 1.90 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting him in the fourth percentile for this metric.
According to the same outlet, Lavia, who has been hailed as a "monster", has also made 93 tackles and interceptions combined in 2022/23, demonstrating his capacity to get stuck in and turn over phases of play for his side.
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes talked up Lavia's abilities as a deep-lying midfielder last year, as per BT Sport via The Daily Mail, saying: ‘He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in-front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there.’
Liverpool need young talent to help phase out some of their ageing midfielders and Lavia could be someone that could become a key player in the coming seasons at Anfield.
Leeds United could appoint out-of-work manager Steven Gerrard as they look to bounce back from Premier League relegation next term, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
What's the latest news involving Leeds United and Steven Gerrard?
Leeds United confirmed on Friday morning that they have mutually parted ways with Sam Allardyce following the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.
The Sun previously claimed that some players at the club wanted Allardyce to stay at the Yorkshire outfit; however, former Liverpool icon Gerrard has been linked with taking the manager position and is seen as a 'possibility' if 49ers Enterprises complete a takeover of the Whites.
The report states that Brendan Rodgers could also be considered to lead Leeds United into the Sky Bet Championship, though it is unclear whether he would be willing to drop down a level to get back on the employment ladder.
According to The Daily Mail, West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan and Rayo Vallecano coach Andoni Iraola are also two names that could enter the running.
Leeds United also want to hire a sporting director to replace Victor Orta in what is set to be a period of major change as they build for 2023/24 in England's second tier.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs does think that Gerrard could be a contender to replace Allardyce at Elland Road.
Jacobs told FFC: "I think that Corberan is a candidate but there are complications around that. I think that Steven Gerrard has been looked at as well."
What changes could occur at Leeds United this summer?
Interestingly, Conor McGilligan has previously called Steven Gerrard a "mirror of Marsch" and suggested he would be more suited to managing a team in the Championship.
Plenty of alterations are set to be made at Leeds United in the next few months as they gear up for life in the Sky Bet Championship once again, with several players set to depart to make way for new arrivals.
Jack Harrison reportedly has a relegation release clause in his contract and could be set to return to the Premier League in the off-season, with West Ham United and Aston Villa believed to be interested in his signature, as per talkSPORT.
Calciomercato has also linked youngster Wilfried Gnonto with a high-profile move away from Elland Road and Manchester City alongside Arsenal have an attraction towards his services.
The Athletic also confirm that Brenden Aaronson has a release clause in his deal that has become active due to relegation and the Whites may be braced to lose another one of their prize assets during the transfer window.