All posts by h716a5.icu

Ange Postecoglou has brought some much-needed ruthlessness to Tottenham Hotspur, both on and off the pitch, resulting in an excellent and unbeaten start to the Premier League season.

The Lillywhites look better than they have done for a long time, despite selling club-record goalscorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich this summer. Others have stepped up to fill the England captain's golden boots, however, and now Spurs are flying.

It is a new era which does not accommodate for sentiment, as proven by Hugo Lloris' lack of involvement, with reports suggesting that Spurs could even terminate his contract at the club.

Meanwhile, even though the North London club are unable to buy any more reinforcements now that the transfer window is shut in England, they have reportedly agreed a deal to sell an out-of-favour defender.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

Welcoming the likes of James Maddison, who has scored twice and assisted twice in four impressive Premier League games at his new club, Spurs had a successful summer when it came to incomings.

Now, Daniel Levy and co have reportedly turned their attention towards bidding farewell to players who are not in the plans of Postecoglou in the current campaign.

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, one of those players will likely be centre-back Davinson Sanchez, with a deal close to being agreed with Galatasaray to sell the defender. As per Galetti, the final details of a transfer fee are being discussed, and a full agreement is expected soon.

"Davinson Sanchez from Tottenham to Galatasaray is almost a DONE DEAL. Just last details of the transfer fee are under discussion: the full agreement is expected soon."

It comes as little surprise that the defender is closing in on an exit away from North London this season, given that he has featured just once for Spurs in four Premier League games in the current campaign so far.

Should Spurs sell Davinson Sanchez?

Whilst Sanchez is no longer the preferred option at Spurs, without him, Postecoglou will just have just three senior centre-backs to call on until at least January, with those being Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, and Micky van de Ven. And, even though Ben Davies can slot into that position using his versatility, the left-back may not be thrust into the role on a consistent basis.

Given that the defender is currently 27 years of age, however, if Spurs receive a good enough fee, and go on to replace him in January, then Sanchez's exit could be seen as a suitable one for all parties.

The hope will be that the Lillywhites avoid injuries within their backline, helped by the fact that they'll have fewer fixtures to worry about after failing to qualify for Europe last season.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Sanchez is someone who has struggled to maintain form, too, and even came under fire by former Colombia manager Jorge Luis Pinto, who told ESPN F90, via The Sun:

"Four years ago, I told my son, who loves football, that Davinson is not a centre-back for the Colombia national team.

"The time of play, the handling of game intent, the handling of backs, the defensive breakdowns, the shock impact that sometimes you can’t be so aggressive."

An all-round effort from the bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to a below-par score in Sharjah, following which Nabi’s 27-ball blitz ensured Afghanistan chased the target down with more than five overs to spare

The Report by Sreshth Shah05-Feb-2018Mohammad Nabi hits over the top•AFPMohammad Nabi’s 27-ball 40 made quick work of the 121 target set by Zimbabwe, helping Afghanistan take a 1-0 lead in the two-match T20I series in Sharjah. Five Afghanistan bowlers were among the wickets, with legspinner Rashid Khan collecting three as Zimbabwe fell away after a rollicking start in the Powerplay to end their 20 overs with a below-par total. Despite the humid conditions, Afghanistan’s batsmen were not made to break a sweat – the chase was completed with 32 balls to spare.Rashid leads from the back
At first, Afghanistan’s decision to field looked like it would come back to bite them. Solomon Mire and Hamilton Masakadza were batting like they’d help Zimbabwe to a big total as 16-year-old Mujeeb Zadran and pacer Sharafuddin Ashraf took some early blows. Yet the captain Asghar Stanikzai held his trump card back.As Zimbabwe’s middle order crumbled in the space of seven balls – falling from 65 for 1 after 8.5 overs to 68 for 4 at the end of the 10th – Stanikzai introduced Rashid in the 12th over. With the lower-middle order exposed, Rashid’s rippers and wrong ‘uns proved too much for Ryan Burl, and then Kyle Jarvis and Tendai Chatara; he eventually finished with 3 for 19.With the other bowlers collecting five wickets among them, Afghanistan’s bowling, after a long time, wasn’t just a one- or two-man show.Mire, Waller save face
If one removes Mire’s 21-ball 34 and Malcolm Waller’s unbeaten 27, then Zimbabwe’s batting paints a sorry picture. From 52 for 0 in 5.4 overs, they finished at 120 for 9 after 20, adding only 68 runs in the final 86 balls.That they even made 120 was courtesy’s Mire’s blitz at the top, which included a 23-run fourth over – that is, three sixes and a four off right-arm pacer Sharafuddin Ashraf. But Mire fell just before the Powerplay ended, and with that Zimbabwe’s flow of runs screeched to a halt.Six wickets and 53 balls later, Waller came to the crease with Zimbabwe reeling at 81 for 7 after 15 overs. He saw the first few balls off by nudging them around for ones and twos, doing enough to ensure the team’s total went past 100. With six balls of Zimbabwe’s innings left, Waller took strike and extracted 17 off the final over – including two fours, and a six muscled over point – to set Afghanistan a target of 121.Afghanistan stumble, but do not crumble
Hard-hitting wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad, who returned after serving a ban for a doping code violation, gave Afghanistan’s chase a flying start after his partner Karim Sadiq perished for five.Shahzad top edged a four and smacked two big sixes in his 11-ball stay of 20 before bottom edging one to the keeper. Stanikzai and Sharafuddin then fell victim to Chatara and Burl respectively as Afghanistan went into the 12th over at 85 for 5, but an unbeaten 36-run sixth-wicket partnership between Mohammad Nabi (40*) and Shafiqullah (14*) ensured Afghanistan chased the target down with more than five overs to spare.Nabi hit four fours and three sixes in his 27-ball innings while Shafiqullah hit one apiece as Afghanistan took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Liverpool are looking to acquire the services of another Bundesliga star – this time one who knows the Premier League well – according to a new claim on deadline day.

What's happening with Mo Salah?

The Reds have had a busy summer transfer window, both in terms of new signings and players leaving, with the squad looking very different now. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have all arrived at Anfield since the end of last season, while Ryan Gravenberch is also expected to join from Bayern Munich at the eleventh hour.

Meanwhile, the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have departed Liverpool, among with a number of others, and there are even concerns that star man Mohamed Salah could leave for Saudi Arabia before their transfer window slams shut next week.

On Friday, it was reported by reliable journalist David Ornstein that the Reds have turned down a mammoth £100m +add-ons offer for the 31-year-old from Al Ittihad, not wanting to lose him at this point in his career. It looks as though a potential contingency plan is in place, however, with a new target being eyed up as a possible replacement.

Who are Liverpool linked with?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are interested in making a late push to sign Bayern and Germany star Leroy Sane, seeing him as an ideal successor to Salah:

"Liverpool are exploring a sensational deadline-day move for Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane, sources have told Football Insider. The Merseysiders have identified the wide attacker, 27, as a top-tier potential replacement for Mohamed Salah.

"The future of the Liverpool icon is up in the air going into the final hours of the summer window despite Jurgen Klopp insisting earlier on deadline day he is not for sale."

There is no doubting Sane's quality as a footballer, with Germany manager Hansi Flick saying: "When he brings his speed, he is simply one of the best there is in this position." He has scored 11 goals in 53 caps for Germany, also previously impressing for Manchester City before he joined Bayern.

The idea of Liverpool losing Salah at this point in his career doesn't bear thinking about, however, with the Egyptian still at the peak of his powers, and someone who is irreplaceable at this point. Next summer could make sense to sell him because he will have one more year remaining on his current deal, but the season would be thrown into chaos if he left now.

Sane certainly possesses similar attributes to the Reds' legendary No.11, in terms of being a left-footed wide player who can be devastating on the right-hand side, but he is nowhere near as prolific as Salah – he has scored 25 times in 90 Premier League appearances – and has suffered from more injuries down the years.

The 27-year-old could be a great addition to Liverpool's squad on top of Salah and the rest of the attackers – his current Bayern contract expires in the summer of 2025 – but there would be doubts over whether he could replicate the Egyptian King's world-class levels of consistency and match-winning brilliance.

Chelsea have joined the race to sign NK Kustosija teenager Dino Klapija this summer, but a fresh report has revealed they aren't the only club looking to bring him to the Premier League.

Who is Dino Klapija?

Klapija is naturally a striker who began his career with New York City’s academy before joining Dinamo Zagreb’s U17s, to now being a regular feature of NK Kustosija’s youth side, as per Transfermarkt, but there’s a chance that he could be on the move before the end of the window.

Croatia’s youth international still has another three years remaining on his contract with Petra Mandic’s side, but after training with the senior first team on several occasions, he’s already caught the eye of Manchester United, where Fabrizio Romano recently delivered an update on the 16-year-old’s future. Taking to X, he wrote:

“Understand Manchester United and RB Leipzig are both negotiating to sign top talent Dino Klapija — also an option to close the deal now for January. Decision on player side expected soon as 2007 born striker will leave Croatian side Kustosija soon.”

Are Chelsea signing Dino Klapija?

According to Sportske Novosti (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are also "showing an interest" in Klapija and are set to battle it out with Manchester United having entered the running to secure his services. The Premier League pair are "in the hunt" for the centre-forward who is viewed as a "top quality talent" and a "jewel" by his current club.

NK Kustosija sources have revealed that "numerous scouts" have been in attendance at some of their recent games and have "made their presence" known, with Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan and RB Leipzig also firm contenders.

The European clubs have already "expressed their desire" that they would be willing to offer more than €5m (£4m) for their target, though it's unknown as to whether the top-flight clubs would be willing to do to the same.

How good is Dino Klapija?

Chelsea are reportedly looking to bolster their attacking ranks with young up-and-coming talents who will be able to develop and push to compete for a first team place in years to come, and whilst he’s not a household name, Klapija is set to have an extremely bright future ahead of him.

The USA born gem made his debut for Croatia’s U17s during their 2-0 victory over Montenegro back in December 2022, and has since gone on to pick up a second cap, with his nation clearly seeing the potential he has to offer and rewarding him for his efforts.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

With the exciting prospect still only being a teenager, it would make complete sense for him to be immediately sent out on loan should he put pen to paper in order to give him the necessary game time, experience and exposure so that he'd be ready to return and challenge for a spot in the senior fold.

Mauricio Pochettino is clearly open to handing opportunities to the younger players who deserve it with the likes of Levi Colwill and Carney Chukwuemeka having been regular features at the start of this season, and Klapija could follow in their footsteps in the near future.

The Ashes are gone and the prospect of another whitewash looms for England. There will be a huge number of visiting supporters in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test, so what do they need to do to bring some festive cheer?

George Dobell21-Dec-2017Stick or twistOne of the most obvious differences between the sides has been the quality of the spin attacks. While Nathan Lyon has offered both control (he has an economy rate of 2.49 runs per over) and bite (he has 14 wickets at 26.07), Moeen Ali has been both innocuous (three wickets at 105.33) and relatively expensive (3.29 runs per over). As a result, England’s seamers have had to work even harder and the variation in England’s attack – which was minimal any way – has been reduced even further. And while, in the past, Moeen’s batting has compensated for his limitations as a bowler, in this series he is averaging 19.33 and struggling against both pace and spin.There are mitigating factors. He suffering an injury – a cut to his spinning finger – in his opening spell of the first Test which clearly hampered his performance. But if he’s not fit to bowl, or not fit to bowl to the level required, it seems legitimate to ask questions about his place in the side.England’s only other spin-bowling option on the tour is Mason Crane. The team management have insisted on several occasions that they would have no qualms about drafting the 20-year-old legspinner into the side but, as a modest batsman – though a brave one – his inclusion would further imbalance the side and lengthen the tail. His performance in the warm-up game in Perth – he was thrashed for 69 in nine overs during the second innings – might not have done him many favours, either. The example of Simon Kerrigan, whose career might be defined by his experience on Test debut, probably don’t help Crane’s case, either.All of which begs the question: if Crane isn’t considered now, why was he brought on the tour? If it was just to gain experience, shouldn’t the selectors have also brought along a spinner who might have been deemed a viable alternative to Moeen? Had Samit Patel, with his batting ability, been included he would surely have had a great chance of playing in Melbourne.Ultimately it remains likely that England will retain patience with Moeen. He has been a major part of the side for a few years now and, with his finger now healed, he should be capable of more than he has so far delivered. He needs a good finish to the series, though. Ashes campaigns tend to bookend careers and his is looking more vulnerable than most right now.Find an edgeThere has been a wearying familiarity to England’s recent overseas performances. They have now spent an average of 158 overs in the field in the opposition’s first innings of their last eight away Tests. That not only means that the opposition are amassing vast, match-defining totals – England have lost seven of those Tests – but it may also serve to tire and dispirit the batsmen before they respond. Could it even be a factor in Alastair Cook’s decline?To that end, they need to find a way to give their attack more wicket-taking edge. One option might be to draft Mark Wood into the side in Melbourne. While Wood’s most recent Test performances did little to suggest he had any more pace than Woakes, he does seem to be inching back to his best and produced a couple of sharp spells in the warm-up match in Richardson Park. Whether he is fit enough to get through a Test remains to be seen, but he will train with the squad on Friday and could well come into consideration if, as expected Craig Overton, is ruled out with a cracked rib. There are other options. Tom Curran could also come into the side – in place of Overton or Stuart Broad – and, while he is not blessed with a huge amount of pace, he has a variety of other skills that render him a valuable bowler. Mason Crane might, at a push, also be considered ahead of Moeen (see above).The simplest change might be to give the new ball to Woakes ahead of Broad. With Broad failing to gain much lateral movement, it might make sense to allow Woakes, with his extra pace and ability to gain some swing, the chance to use the Kookaburra ball at its most helpful.Whatever they do, it is worth trying something a bit different. While they appear reluctant to stray from their ‘bowl dry and wait for mistakes’ policy, the evidence of the last year or so is that it isn’t working. And if they keep trying the same old tactic, they’ll probably end up with the same old result.Mark Wood struck twice in the morning•Getty ImagesSee Cook find formUnder normal circumstances, a batsman who had failed to reach 40 in their most recent 10 Test innings – and only once reached 25 – would be under severe pressure for their place. But Alastair Cook has not had a normal career and England are not about to give up on him. They are in desperate need of him finding some form, though. Only once in the series have he and Stoneman posted an opening partnership as high as 30 (they put on 53 together in Adelaide) and, as one of the two most experienced batsmen in the top six, it was always likely that, if England were to succeed on this trip, Cook would have to score heavily. It was probably always an optimistic plan, though. Now in his seventh Ashes series, Cook has averaged 40 in just one (he averaged 127.66 in 2010-11) and in five other attempts, including this one, he has failed to average 30. In light of such figures – plus the relative inexperience of Stoneman and the possibility of injuries – it seems baffling that the selectors didn’t include a reserve opening batsman in the squad.There are few realistic alternatives, with Ben Foakes and Gary Ballance the other batsmen in the squad who could come into the side. While Liam Livingstone and Joe Clarke, from the Lions squad, have remained in Australia on holiday, the Lions opening batsmen have returned to the UK. Sam Robson, the Middlesex opener, is in Sydney though and could be called upon if deemed necessary.Realistically, though, Cook has earned the right to a prolonged spell of patience and has shown previously that he can claw his way back from grim runs of form. This feels different, though, and you wonder if his form in the final two Tests of the series might define the next phase of his career. Aged 33 on Christmas Day, he is young enough to come again.Push onA look at the batting averages of the two sides tells the story. While Australia have six men averaging over 40 (and three over 70), England have just two. And while an Australian batsman has scored a century in each Test, England have only scored centuries in Perth. As Mark Stoneman put it: “In the first two games, we made 50s and they made 100s. And in Perth we made hundreds and they made double-hundreds.”The mantra from the England team in recent days has been ‘if we can make 50, we can make 150 by repeating the behaviours that got us 50.’ There may be some truth in that, too, with Stoneman, Joe Root and James Vince all twice making half-centuries without going on to register a match-shaping innings. But such is the relentless nature of the Australia attack there have rarely been periods when England’s batsmen could feel they had weathered the storm. It just keeps coming at them.One thing they have learned from the first three Tests, however, is the need to be ruthless when they do get themselves in. So whereas Steve Smith refused to be tempted into chasing wide or short balls during his marathon effort in Brisbane, Dawid Malan has twice been guilty of failing to fully capitalise on strong platforms. Malan has been England’s best player on the trip but, if they want to turn opportunities into victories, such foundations will have to be ruthlessly capitalised upon.Joe Root and Stuart Broad were in a spot of bother before lunch•Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesWork out if Broad is fitWhile the England management have played down the extent of Stuart Broad’s left knee issue, he did have a scan ahead of the Perth Test and his performances are a concern. He has, at present, taken just five wickets at an average of 61.80 in the series while he looks as if he is batting too high at No. 10. While he hasn’t bowled badly, a drop in pace and absence of much lateral movement have rendered him without obvious weapons. His figures in Perth – none for 142 – were the worst of his career.So, is he hampered by injury or is this part of a general decline that has seen him fail to take a five-wicket haul since January 2016 or even a four-wicket haul this year? His Test bowling average in 2017 is 39.48. In the same period Anderson, bowling against the same batsmen on the same surfaces, is averaging 16.86.If Broad is carrying any sort of injury, it might be best to rest him for the Melbourne Test at least and allow him to recover. He is only 31, after all. He should have a couple of good years left in him. But if there is no injury and this is the new normal, he faces a huge fight to regain the pace and movement that made him such a destructive bowler.

Leeds United will have to act quickly if they are to get their miserable start to the season back on track, with several transfer targets that Daniel Farke must soon pull the trigger on…

Has Tyler Adams left Leeds United?

With a number of departures having left them threadbare and lacking quality, with three Championship games having now been played, the latest to jump ship was Tyler Adams, who seemingly was desperate to leave Elland Road.

Having seen his switch to Chelsea fall through, it took just days to engineer a new exit, instead opting for AFC Bournemouth in a £23m move.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

This is just the latest vacancy made in Yorkshire which will need filling, but fortunately, a like-for-like replacement has emerged.

With the report in question having surfaced just last week, perhaps now marks the perfect time for Farke to reunite with an old face and bring Kenny McLean from Norwich City.

That is despite the 31-year-old machine still having two years left on his £25k-per-week deal.

How good is Kenny McLean?

An experienced veteran at this level, the Scotsman would more than make up for the energy they have lost in the engine room, whilst adding a wealth of knowledge when it comes to navigating the Championship.

After all, he does boast 180 appearances for the Canaries, having spent the bulk of his career in his homeland before joining.

A tireless defensively-minded gem, although far from as busy as Adams was last term, the presence of someone like McLean would help boost the entire squad after what has been a tough start to the new term – especially given how selfless he is with both his play style and personality, having recorded 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game last season in the second tier, via Sofascore.

This unsurprisingly led to an admirable 6.91 average rating, the sixth-highest among the Norwich squad.

Farke has even praised his exploits in the past, as a mainstay in both of his previous promotion successes earned at Carrow Road.

He noted back in 2018:

"Kenny is a player who is really flexible. He can play nearly each and every position in midfield – as a number ten, a number eight, a number six or as a winger who comes inside.

"He gives us various options, and is full of technical ability. He had a high passing quality and is able to score and assist."

Although Adams might have enjoyed a far more successful personal season, posting 3.7 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and one key pass per game in the Premier League last campaign, he certainly remains replaceable despite the pain his exit will undoubtedly cause.

Especially given that, in his prime, McLean posted figures that arguably surpassed these.

During the 2018/19 season, when Farke's aforementioned quote was uttered, he maintained a 7.29 average rating in the Championship, buoyed by nine goal contributions, an 82% pass accuracy, 1.1 key passes and 1.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He was the quintessential all-around box-to-box midfielder, and should he recapture such form under his old boss once again, it would take no time at all for fans to move on from the departure of the USA international.

Also, the follow-on mark will come down from 200 to 150 as per the playing conditions for four-day games

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2017Each day of the upcoming inaugural four-day Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe in Port Elizabeth will need to have a minimum of 98 overs per day, as per the ICC’s playing conditions. That is, eight overs more must be bowled every day than what is required in five-day cricket. Also, a lead of 150 will be enough to enforce the follow-on; in five-day cricket the mark stands at 200 runs.Timings for the first four-day Test

First session: 1.30pm-3.45pm

Tea interval: 3.45pm-4.05pm

Second session: 4.05pm-6.20pm

Dinner break: 6.20pm-7pm

Third session: 7pm-9pm

To accommodate the extra overs, the ICC’s playing conditions state that play will run for six and a half hours in all each day, instead of the usual six hours for five-day Tests. The home board shall determine the hours of play and duration of the sessions, with each session lasting a minimum of two hours and a maximum of two and a half hours. In Port Elizabeth, the normal hours of play are set to run from 1.30pm local time to 9pm, with the first and second sessions being two hours and 15 minutes each, and the final session running for two hours. An extra 30 minutes will be available to the fielding team to complete the minimum required overs each day.Beyond the half hour of overtime, any remaining overs cannot be carried over to the following day unless there has been a stoppage for “any reason other than normal intervals” – rain breaks, for example.Also, the last hour of play on the final day will officially commence only when 83 overs – it’s 75 overs in five-day Tests – have been bowled on the day. In cases where 83 overs are bowled ahead of schedule, then the calculations for the last hour will be dictated by the clock, as is the case in five-day cricket.The reduced follow-on mark is in keeping with the existing laws of the game, as already applied in domestic and other four-day first-class cricket.The Port Elizabeth Test will also be played as a day-night game, with the pink ball under lights. That means the first break – for tea – will be the shorter of the two at 20 minutes, with a 40-minute break for dinner following later.The match was handed Test status by the ICC in October, as a “trial”. Then ICC chief executive David Richardson had said that the trial of four-day Test cricket would run until the 2019 World Cup, although participation in it is not mandatory. He expected the shortened version to be especially beneficiary to the lower-ranked Test teams.”Whoever wants to play it can play it,” Richardson had said. “The real value is [for] teams like Ireland and Afghanistan, even Zimbabwe who have not been at their best. Teams visiting, for example, South Africa, might be more likely to [take a detour to] play Zimbabwe in a four-day Test than they would in a five-day Test. So I think it has a number of advantages.”

Fulham are still looking at signing Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne this summer, but they are now facing growing competition from some of Europe's top clubs, according to a new report.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

As we enter the final two weeks of the summer transfer window, the Cottagers seem to be more concerned about potential outgoings, rather than making more additions to their squad, having already signed Calvin Bassey, Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore.

There are no guarantees that Willian will remain at Craven Cottage beyond the deadline at the beginning of next month, with club chiefs "worried" the winger will complete a move to Saudi Arabia, despite only putting pen to paper on a new one-year contract last month.

Aleksandar Mitrovic could also end up in the Saudi Pro League, with a £46m bid recently being tabled, but Fulham are now "determined" to keep hold of him, and they believe they will be able to do so, with the Serbian making a 32-minute cameo against Everton at the weekend.

With Joao Palhinha now emerging as a transfer target for Liverpool, Marco Silva has a real battle on his hands trying to keep hold of some of his best players this summer, but he is also still keen to strengthen in other areas.

According to a report from The Express, Fulham are looking at signing Leicester defender Castagne, who is yet to feature for the Foxes in the Championship this season, perhaps indicating he may be allowed to leave.

It has previously been made clear that the Belgian wants to leave the Championship club this summer, but the Cottagers now face growing competition in the race for his signature, with Juventus also keen.

As a result of Jurrien Timber's recent injury, Arsenal are also weighing up a move for the 27-year-old, so Silva's side will have to fend off interest from some of the continent's top clubs if they are to get a deal over the line.

How good is Timothy Castagne?

The Leicester ace has been lauded as "brilliant" by members of the media, and he ranks very highly across a number of key defensive metrics, placing in the 80th percentile for tackles per 90, the 84th for aerials won and the 94th for clearances, when compared to his positional peers.

With 91 Premier League appearances to his name, the Arlon-born defender has a great deal of top-flight experience, and he also starred for Atalanta in the Serie A, showcasing his attacking threat by recording six goal contributions in the 2018-19 campaign.

However, the former Atalanta man struggled last season, en-route to the Foxes' relegation from the top flight, with his average Sofascore rating placing him just 13th in the Leicester squad, and there are doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing.

The £65k-per-week defender could cost around €15m (£13m), yet Kenny Tete has averaged more tackles, interceptions and blocks per 90 in the past year, while also offering more in an attacking sense, recording a higher amount of shot-creating actions and assists.

Cricket Australia’s CEO James Sutherland said that alarm bells were ringing for Test cricket around the world, with the slide in the commercial value of the format creating headaches for the game’s future

Daniel Brettig16-Nov-2017Some days of international cricket are more equal than others. Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland has revealed how three hours of a single Twenty20 international are worth as much to India television broadcasters as five days of a Test match, a market reality that underlines the parlous state of the game’s longest form without context.Speaking to podcast, Sutherland said that “alarm bells” were ringing for Test cricket all round the world, in spite of the sold out crowds and strong television ratings expected for this summer’s Ashes series between Australia and England. The ICC recently, and at long last, approved plans for a World Test Championship to begin in 2019, but Sutherland said the slide of the five-day game’s value was creating major headaches around cricket’s future.”In many ways there’s so much doubt about Test cricket and its future I think and in some parts of the world it really is in a desperate state. That’s partly because it’s just not commercially viable,” he said, when asked how he saw Test cricket looking in 15 years’ time. “There are some really significant warning signals in some parts of the world.”As a starting point if you go to India, the country where there is supposedly the most lucrative commercial market, the current valuations on a Test match, five days of Test cricket, is exactly the same as the valuation on a three-hour Twenty20 international match. That’s a perspective on what the market in the biggest country in the cricketing world sees as the value of Test cricket, and that has a significant flow-on impact to other countries.”So the alarm bells are ringing for Test cricket and that’s one of the reasons why I think this context around Test cricket is so important with this league championship. In 15 years’ time I sincerely hope that this league will create extra relevance and drive and importance for Test cricket, ideally the championship has significant incentives for countries and players to stay involved in Test cricket, and the rewards and recognition from that will also be seen and reflected in fans coming and continuing to stay connected to the game.”Apart from the creation of the Test Championship to foster “third party” relevance and context to matches for fans not supporting either of the competing teams, Sutherland has also been an advocate for day-night Test matches to have more of their span played at a time when greater audience sizes are available both at the ground and on television.A third area in which he said the game could be enhanced is by the preparation of more bowler-friendly pitches in Tests, so that the balance between bat and ball is more even than that often seen in the ODI and T20 formats dominated largely by batsmen. “Money is basically a function of fan interest and support and there’s a lot of romantic connection to Test cricket and rightly so,” he said. “But Test cricket has to remain relevant and contemporary for the modern-day fan and I think it’s challenged by the fact there are two other forms of the game that are alternatives.”So context and relevance is particularly important. I’m not saying there’s any silver bullet solution so I’m not suggesting it’s that, but it’s another reason why we’ve been very strong in trying to introduce day-night Test cricket to time shift it into more available hours for fans to engage with cricket, and I think there are other things that need to be looked at, including pitches to ensure there is a better balance between bat and ball.”What I’m talking about there is actually giving more advantage to the bowler in Test cricket to make the game more interesting, because the one-day game and T20 game in terms of pitches and conditions heavily favour the batsmen. I think to even that up a little bit for the bowler would make for more compelling Test cricket.”Having just witnessed the women’s Ashes Test at North Sydney Oval, Sutherland said there was little prospect of more long-form women’s matches being scheduled. “World cricket — ICC and its member countries — have decided that the best format by which to promote the women’s game is the T20 format,” he said.”That’s the primary format and we continue to hold on the men’s side Test cricket as the primary format and the game that we want to preserve and make the ultimate form. We won’t see a lot more women’s Test cricket in the future but hopefully it will continue to be part of the Ashes at least.”

Newcastle United are yet to make a true landmark signing in this new era of the club. That could change though as the powers that be would be willing to pull rank over Eddie Howe and signing the generational talent that is Neymar, as revealed by Dean Jones to GIVEMESPORT.

Is Neymar a genuine Newcastle target?

The footballing landscape really must have shifted over the last year or two if Newcastle United and Neymar are being mentioned in the same breath.

Newcastle have spent big on a number of players already since their new ownership took charge, most notably Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak, but this is on a whole different level.

The Geordies can now offer Champions League football for the first time in over two decades and the Brazilian has previously spoken of his love for the Premier League, making this transfer not as impossible as it may seem on the surface.

As per SportBible, he highlighted the English teams who stand out to him above the rest. “Someday, I would like to play [in] it, yes. I admire Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool —these are the teams that are always there fighting."

It isn’t the biggest snub ever that Newcastle aren’t included on this list but financially, they are able to compete with the giants of the Premier League now.

This conversation has arisen due to Neymar sounding out his desire to move on from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. Lionel Messi is now tearing it up with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer whilst Kylian Mbappe is also keen to move on to pastures new, meaning that the end is nigh for this iconic trio of superstars in the city of love.

What is Dean Jones' take on the matter?

“Newcastle were heavily linked previously and with the PIF ownership it is one of those marquee ideas they would love to come to light.

“Does Eddie Howe want him? I’m not so sure he would see it as the perfect time to be bringing a personality like that into the dressing room and potentially rocking the team balance but at the end of the day this is one of the best players in the world so he’s not really going to be able to say he doesn’t want him if PIF find a way to make it happen.

“Of course the chances here are still slim, but there are very few clubs that could even entertain the idea.”

Who else can afford Neymar?

The issue that arises when a player of this stature begins to angle for a move is the money behind it all. Very few clubs in the world can afford a Neymar or Mbappe, particularly in this post-covid world, meaning that their options are limited.

Another cash-rich Premier League team is Chelsea though and they have been heavily linked with the Champions League winner and Olympic gold medallist.

The 31-year-old has 43 goals and 36 assists to his name from 81 UCL outings and so even with all of the abuse he receives from fans worldwide, the talent is there for all to see.

This competition form isn’t necessarily relevant for the Blues though- their woeful 12th place finish in the Premier League last term meaning they don’t have any European football to offer Neymar.