Category Uncategorized

Former England opener Sam Robson has finally found form, but it’s too little too late to join the list of potential Test openers in Sri Lanka

ECB Reporters Network20-Sep-20181:38

Worcestershire relegated after Essex hammering

ScorecardMatt Critchley became Derbyshire’s youngest ever centurion at Lord’s – but his side will face an arduous challenge to overcome Middlesex on the final day of their County Championship clash.The 22-year-old all-rounder top-scored for the visitors with 105 before picking up four wickets as Middlesex ended day three with a healthy advantage of 327 runs.Critchley’s ton made him the youngest Derbyshire player to achieve three figures at Lord’s – Stan Worthington was eight months his senior when he scored 101 on the ground 90 years earlier.Despite Critchley’s efforts with both bat and ball, Middlesex hold the upper hand after Sam Robson’s knock of 73 enabled them to reach 199 for 7 in their second innings.After a morning downpour had delayed the start by an hour and a half, Critchley immediately set about knocking off the 52 runs still required for Derbyshire to avoid the follow-on.Resuming on 87, he drove James Fuller for successive leg-side boundaries and then cut another four past gully to bring up his century.But James Harris (4 for 83) regained the initiative for Middlesex, persuading Critchley to attempt a hook shot that somehow sailed into the hands of second slip, and then removing Anuj Dal and Tony Palladino in quick succession.However, Hardus Viljoen, with an unbeaten 31 from 25 deliveries, and Lockie Ferguson threw the bat as they put together a crucial last-wicket partnership of 43.Ferguson smote Tim Murtagh back over his head for six to save the follow-on before the Middlesex bowler took revenge, uprooting his off stump as Derbyshire were dismissed for 295.Boosted by his first innings century, Robson looked in good nick again as Middlesex began the task of extending their lead of 128 as swiftly as possible.Robson went for his shots on both sides of the wicket, displaying sound timing and dominating an opening stand of 58 with Nick Gubbins, ended in bizarre fashion when the left-hander dislodged his bails while attempting to leg-glance Ferguson.Critchley then regained centre stage with his leg-spin, bamboozling Stevie Eskinazi for a leg-side stumping and having Dawid Malan caught after his sweep struck close-range fielder Gary Wilson and ballooned up to backward square.And Critchley also accounted for Robson on the stroke of the tea interval, running the opener out from mid-off after he had been sent back by Max Holden to end his hopes of completing a second ton in the match.Holden was one of two further victims to fall to the leg-spinner in a truncated final session, but Martin Andersson accumulated an undefeated 23 from as many balls, increasing Middlesex’s lead beyond 300 before bad light brought play to a premature close.

TNT Sports pundit and Man United legend Rio Ferdinand has suggested that he's completely changed his mind on one transformed Arsenal player.

Latest Arsenal news

It was a night to forget for the Gunners on Tuesday with Ligue 1 side RC Lens overcoming them Mikel Arteta's side on matchday two of the Champions League group stage. Goals from Adrien Thomassson and last summer's in-demand striker Elye Wahi cancelled out an early opener from Gabriel Jesus; bringing the north Londoners right back down to Earth after their 4-0 thrashing of Bournemouth last weekend.

The Premier League title hopefuls arguably failed to seize proper control of the match and allowed Lens to fight their way back into the contest, with Arteta praising the home side but also criticising Arsenal's poor finishing on a night to take lessons from.

"They are a really good side, exceptional opponent," said Arteta.

"We took the lead and then in one action they managed to score. We had a big chance straight after the break. In many occasions we attacked the space – but it was [decided] in the boxes. We missed some big chances and didn't defend well enough for their goals. Mistakes happen in football and they will continue to be there somehow but the difference was made in both boxes. You have to put the ball in the back of the net and defend well. It was a big night for us. We weren't able to take the result we wanted but we were able to learn."

It's now back to the drawing board for Arsenal and Arteta, who must bounce back quickly this weekend as they gear up for a highly-anticipated clash against title rivals Man City on Sunday.

Arsenal's star players

While Tuesday evening was one to forget for supporters, they're still in good stead domestically – remaining unbeaten over their opening seven top flight matches despite, at times, not playing at their imperious attacking best. Arsenal's latest league win over Bournemouth, though, showcased some of the club's undoubted attacking flair as goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, summer signing Kai Havertz and Ben White capped off a 4-0 hammering.

There is clearly potential for Arsenal to go and challenge yet again for the domestic crown this season after spending north of £200 million on fresh faces in the summer transfer window. TNT Sport's Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel this week, reserved special praise for one man who has seemingly transformed thus far.

Odegaard, who has scored three goals and bagged an assist over seven league matches, has "got bigger" in an Arsenal jersey after being handed the captain's armband, according to Ferdinand.

“I love him. I like the way he plays. He’s an artist the way he plays off the left foot as well. Left footers always just look a bit different,” he explained.

“There’s pressure in that as well, being the captain. That’s why I questioned Odegaard. Has he got the personality? Will he be able to deal with all of the pressure that comes with being the captain of a big club like Arsenal? So young as well. But you have to say, since the armband went on him, I think he’s got bigger.”

A career best 73 for Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman set Pakistan up for a convincing win over Australia in Harare

The Report by Daniel Brettig05-Jul-2018
Pakistan gained a mental advantage over Australia by dominating Aaron Finch’s team in a match that served as a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s Twenty20 triangular tournament final at the Harare Sports Club.Having beaten Pakistan comfortably in their first meeting, the Australians put in an unfocused performance, dropping far too short with the new ball after Finch sent Sarfraz Ahmed’s side in to bat to allow Fakhar Zaman to fire off a succession of pull shots on his way to the highest score of the match. They then lost a series of early wickets to the late moving ball in the hands of Faheem Ashraf and the 18-year-old left-armer Shaheen Afridi.Having slid as low as 75 for 5, Australia never looked likely to get close to their target, though the wicketkeeper and vice-captain Alex Carey played another intelligent innings down the order. Pakistan’s victory also served the purpose of preventing Australia from taking their place at the top of the ICC’s T20 international rankings.Both sides had already qualified for Sunday’s tournament final, making this game chiefly a chance to gain information and psychological high ground. Australia kept the same side that delivered comfortable wins over Pakistan and Zimbabwe to be the first team to reach the decider. Pakistan included the youthful Afridi for his second T20I in place of Hasan Ali, while Usman Khan came in for Mohammad Nawaz.4:18

‘Steven Smith is the toughest batsman to bowl to’

On a cold morning in Harare, Billy Stanlake failed to induce the sort of early collapse he had been responsible for in Monday’s match. While Jhye Richardson enjoyed the good fortune of having Haris Sohail clip his first delivery straight to square leg to depart for a golden duck, the Pakistan top order were able to feast on a generous helping of short stuff.Fakhar was the major beneficiary, flashing nine boundaries and a trio of sixes on the way to the highest score of his T20I career thus far – he is Pakistan’s leading run-maker in this tournament by a distance, and will require far more careful planning by Australia’s pacemen and coaches ahead of the decider.They reached 80 inside nine overs before Hussain Talat was cramped for room by Glenn Maxwell’s off-breaks and bowled, and from there a series of nifty partnerships ensured that Finch’s side was unable to restrict the run rate. A particularly heavy toll was taken from the bowling of Ashton Agar, while 18 runs from the final over rather disfigured Aaron Tye’s previously excellent figures.Needing a rapid start given the task they were facing, Finch and D’Arcy Short were instead confounded by Pakistan’s fast men pitching the ball much further up to the bat and finding movement both in the air and off the seam. Finch was cornered by an Afridi delivery bending back at him and was caught behind off the inside edge, then Travis Head’s minimal footwork was exposed when Faheem Ashraf seamed one back to pluck out middle stump.Maxwell managed a pair of boundaries before he played around a late inswinger from Afridi that pinned him in front of middle stump, and the innings of Nic Maddinson – who made the squad despite being cut from the New South Wales contract list – lasted only eight balls before he misread a well-pitched wrong’un from Shadab Khan and was comfortably stumped.Short had persevered without timing the ball with anything like the power of which he is capable, but was well and truly beaten by the yorker Afridi served up on his return to the bowling crease. From there it was largely a matter of damage limitation for the Australians, as Carey knocked the ball around with the sort of resourcefulness that is quickly becoming his trademark without ever looking likely to threaten a distant target.Pakistan will now go into the final with plenty of confidence, while the Australians must face Zimbabwe before reconsidering their approach to Fakhar, Afridi and the rest of Sarfraz’s team.

After winning three MVP awards in the past four seasons, the fact that Shohei Ohtani is a tough hitter to face on the mound is not a shocker.

But hearing from one of the players stuck going up against him, the challenge of taking on Ohtani becomes a whole lot clearer, and much more fascinating.

San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King spoke with Rob Friedman (known as @PitchingNinja across baseball social media) and broke down in detail how hard it is to get an out from Ohtani.

“You have to be able to command all four quadrants. You can’t sit on a certain area, even if you’re throwing multiple pitches in that area, he’s going to get you,” King said. “The scouting report that I had on him was that we had to get in on him. I threw a first pitch four-seamer, up and in, dotted up and in, and he ripped it 110 MPH down the right field line.”

King also praised Ohtani’s ability to make adjustments mid-game, citing a battle between him and Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. After Skenes got the better of Ohtani in their first matchup, Ohtani made him pay.

While taking on Ohtani is one of the toughest assignments King gets as a pitcher, it’s one he faces with pride.

“It’s a good challenge. I’d much rather face the best of the best and hopefully dominate the best of the best,” King said. “It’s a blessing and a curse to be able to face guys like that, because they’re definitely going to get you, and they definitely got me last year. But it’s a really fun kind of cat and mouse game, and it’s my favorite part of pitching.”

Everton are believed to be interested in making a move for a footballer who "plays as if he’s dancing", according to a new transfer update regarding his future.

Everton transfer news

The Blues continued their highly impressive Premier League form on Saturday evening, easing their way to a 2-0 victory away to Burnley at Turf Moor. It means Sean Dyche's side have now won four games in a row without conceding a goal, as they carry on rising up the league table.

It has been a stunning turnaround from Everton, who have reacted so admirably to being deducted ten points – a punishment that threatened to be so damaging in the relegation battle – and things only appear to be heading in the right direction.

While Dyche is now getting so much out of the players at his disposal in his squad, he could like the idea of bringing in a few new faces during the January transfer window. Salternitana striker Boulaye Dia has been linked with a move to the Blues, while a move for Manchester City and England ace Kalvin Phillips has also been mooted in recent months, even though it remains to be seen where he will go.

Now, a fresh update has emerged that suggests Everton are eyeing another talented player with English football experience, as they look to strike some key January business for a talent they wanted this summer.

Everton weighing up move for Iliman Ndiaye

According to Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Everton are keen on signing Marseille attacking midfielder Iliman Ndiaye, having shown an interest in him during the summer transfer window but ultimately losing out on his signature to the French side.

The report states that the Blues were "already there in the summer" and remain interested, although they "aren't the only ones" who are in the mix. The main negative is that Ndiaye has "no intention of leaving" Marseille currently and is "determined to impose himself" at the Ligue 1 giants, though.

Should Ndiaye's mindset change, he could be such an exciting signing by Everton in January, having shone so much for Sheffield United, prior to joining Marseille earlier this year. Ndiaye registered 24 goal contributions (14 goals and 10 assists) in the Championship for the Blades last season, while Jack Lester has lauded him in the recent past, saying:

"He does things you can’t coach. He’s so natural, the way he deals with the ball. Beautifully balanced and poised. Iliman told me his Dad played music as they practised his skills as a kid and you can see it come through in his game. His shoulders rock, almost as if he’s dancing. He goes past defenders, puts them down with his upper-body movements."

Iliman Ndiaye's Championship stats last season	Total
Appearances	46
Starts	43
Goals	14
Assists	10
Dribbles per game	2.4

At 23, Ndiaye still has so much more improving to do as a player, but while his mercurial talent and unpredictability on the ball are exciting, his end product has fallen off a cliff this term, recording 0.27 expected goals per 90 minutes but only actually scoring 0.08, as per FBRef.

It looks as though patience may be needed, then, considering the Senegalese sensation's struggling form this season.

da blaze casino： Wolverhampton Wanderers have been inconsistent this season under head coach Gary O'Neil, proven by a massive 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur before the international break, followed by two consecutive defeats to Fulham and Arsenal.

da bet7： Scoring goals is not necessarily an issue for the Midlands club. Hwang Hee-chan is the joint-fifth top scorer in the Premier League this term and Wolves as a team have found the net more than any other side in the bottom nine.

The issue comes primarily at the back for O'Neil's men. Only five teams in the top-flight have conceded more goals than Wolves but the manager has one glaringly obvious solution to their defensive woes.

Craig Dawson's stats this season

Craig Dawson joined Wolves back in January for a mere £3.3m, having been an integral part of West Ham United's defence for several seasons under David Moyes.

The centre-back brought experience and Premier League know-how, something that was lacking in the team last term as Wolves sat rock bottom of the division heading into the winter World Cup.

Nevertheless, nearing his mid-30s, the veteran was always going to be a stop-gap signing amidst plenty of turnover, including the departures of Conor Coady and Nathan Collins.

Having played primarily in a back three this season, the 33-year-old has struggled to keep up statistically with his defensive partners Toti and Max Kilman.

Per 90 Metrics

Craig Dawson

Toti Gomes

Max Kilman

Progressive Passes

2.42

2.71

3.21

Progressive Carries

0.08

0.82

0.86

Passes To Final 1/3

2.42

2.47

3.36

Passes To Penalty Area

0.16

0.24

0.50

Pass Completion %

86.8

81

82.1

Tackles

1.56

1.88

1.29

Tackles Won

0.94

1.41

0.64

Blocks

1.88

0.71

1.79

Interceptions

0.55

0.94

1.14

Errors

0.08

0

0.07

Aerial Duels Won %

75.6

73.3

74.5

Stats via FBref

Dawson is still performing better than the pair next to him in metrics such as aerial duels and blocks which are his bread and butter.

However, the centre-back offers very little in possession and could be replaced by the end of the campaign by one man currently in the squad.

Craig Dawson's potential replacement at Wolves

Santiago Bueno moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer transfer window for £10m with high hopes after an excellent spell in Spain with Girona.

Sporting Director Matt Hobbs called the centre-back a "perfect fit" for the team and labelled him as a "front-footed" player.

Related Wolves could sign a "monster" £25m Dawson upgrade

This £25m “monster” could be the perfect replacement for Craig Dawson at Wolves.

Posts ByAdam Scully Dec 3, 2023

However, the Uruguayan has made merely one Premier League start for the Old Gold since his arrival which came in a 3-2 defeat away at Fulham last Monday.

Nevertheless, the 25-year-old put a decent shift in, although he certainly wasn't helped by his right wingback Nelson Semedo who dropped a 5.9 Sofascore rating, which was the lowest of any player on the pitch, and gave possession away 19 times while also conceding a penalty.

Stats vs Fulham

Santiago Bueno

Minutes

90

Passing Accuracy %

84

Touches

72

Passes To Final 1/3

2

Dispossessed

0

Tackles Won %

50

Clearances

7

Defensive Actions

12

Ball Recoveries

5

Ground Duels Won %

60

Stats via FotMob

Kilman primarily plays on the right of Wolves' back three when Dawson is in the starting lineup as the latter isn't quick enough to cover the wide spaces. However, Bueno started on the right in his absence, with skipper Kilman pushing into the centre.

While Bueno has played just 276 minutes of football since arriving in England, the £30k-per-week defender's stats last season compared to Dawson this time around show that he can be a more valuable member of the backline under O'Neil.

Per 90 Metrics

Santiago Bueno – 2022/23

Craig Dawson – 2023/24

Progressive Passes

4.43

2.42

Progressive Carries

0.90

0.08

Passes To Final 1/3

4.43

2.42

Passes To Penalty Area

0.15

0.16

Pass Completion %

86.5

86.6

Tackles

1.89

1.56

Tackles Won

1.14

0.94

Blocks

1.02

1.88

Interceptions

0.93

0.55

Aerial Duels Won %

64.3

75.6

Stats via FBref

Dawson comes out on top in aerial duels and blocks but this would be less of an issue with the latter featuring on the right side of the defence. Bueno is a superb defender, as shown by his stats last season and should be given a run of games in the team to shine.

Alastair Cook’s autobiography offers little that’s new or interesting

Freddie Auld12-Oct-2008
It would be far too easy to compare Alastair Cook’s new autobiography with his batting: determined and dependable, with the odd thrill. But sadly, it isn’t even that. For determined, read drab; for dependable, “dreary”; and as for the odd thrill, er, Cook had a game of darts with Freddie and Harmy on the eve of his Test debut. And that’s about as good as it gets.Most Cooky fans, of whom I am one myself, will be disappointed with his first, shamefully premature effort. The blurb promises a “fascinating insight” into one of the most “exciting and brightest players to burst on to the cricketing scene in recent years”. So I was hoping for juicy anecdotes about the Essex dressing room, the latter years of Duncan Fletcher’s reign, the disastrous Ashes campaign, the jelly bean files, and Michael Vaughan’s retirement. But no.Once you get past Cook’s early years – where he attended St Paul’s Cathedral School as a promising chorister – the book is mostly a combination of condensed match reports of Tests and ODIs mixed with Cook’s run-of-the-mill views on walking, sledging, captaincy, and the advent of Twenty20.Cook points to the influence of Graham Gooch and Andy Flower in his early years at Essex, and how a season of club cricket in Perth helped him develop. After deciding not to go to university, against the advice of the Essex authorities, he looks back with pride on his 214 against the touring Australians at Chelmsford, which, as he says, “made my name”. Then comes his unexpected call up to the full squad in India from the A tour in the Caribbean, a journey he shared with Jimmy Anderson, who he is now best mates with. Before Cook knew it, he was walking out to open the batting in Nagpur, and in his own words, “Strauss said ‘good luck’ in his posh accent, and away we went.”His champagne moment, following his 60 in the first innings with a remarkable debut hundred, was an ecstasy he says he has not experienced before or since. When he was sweating on 99, Kevin Pietersen had a sweepstake on how many balls Cook would take the reach his landmark, but disappointingly Cook can’t remember how many it actually took, or who won the cash.In the endless match reports that follow, he speaks of his surprising friendship with the northerners in the England team: Anderson, Paul Collingwood and Steve Harmison. He also reveals his superstition about odd numbers: hence why he has an even number on his shirt, and why he only has the volume of his radio on 8 or 10. The chapter on the Ashes is disappointingly bland, with the usual stuff of how the Aussies rip you to bits on the pitch but are great value off it. And the jelly-bean mystery remains unresolved, as Cook strongly denies any part in the bizarre saga that left Zaheer Khan hot under the helmet.Cook does reveal that the ECB asked him to have a chinwag with Mike Brearley, which suggests that he may have inherited the FEC (future England captain) tag from Pietersen, but again he doesn’t elaborate on what was said. After Vaughan stood down, Cook admitted the England captaincy was too early for him. It is certainly too early to start writing books about yourself.Perhaps I expected too much, but there wasn’t much in this I didn’t already know, and what I did discover wasn’t particularly interesting. However, even though Cook’s isn’t exactly riveting, here’s hoping that Cook waits until his story is complete before his next effort.Starting Out: My Story So Far
by Alastair Cook
Hodder and Stoughton £19.99

أسدل قبل قليل الستار على مباريات الدور الـ8 لبطولة كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين، ليحسم أربعة فرق صعودهم إلى نصف نهائي البطولة.

افتتحت مواجهات المرحلة بفوز الرائد على الجبلين بركلات الترجيح بنتيجة 4-3، بعد انتهاء اللقاء بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل فريق.

وفي ثاني المباريات تأهل الشباب على حساب الفيحاء بفوز بهدفين مقابل هدف، ثم فاز القادسية على التعاون بثلاثية دون رد.

واختتمت المواجهات بمباراة ماراثونية بين الهلال (حامل لقب البطولة) والاتحاد التي حسمها الأخير بركلات الترجيح بعد انتهاء الوقت الأصلي والإضافي بنتيجة 2-2.

تشكيل مباراة الهلال والاتحاد في ربع نهائي كأس خادم الحرمين

وكان فريقا النصر والأهلي قد ودعا البطولة، إذ خسر العالمي على يد التعاون في دور الـ16 بهدف دون رد، لاحقًا بالفريق الجداوي الذي خسر أمام الجندل في دور الـ32.

ومن المقرر أن تقام مباراتا الدور نصف النهائي لبطولة كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين يومي 1 و2 أبريل المقبل، على أن تقام قرعة المواجهات خلال الساعات المقبلة. المتأهلون إلى نصف نهائي كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين

الرائد

الشباب

القادسية

الاتحاد

Chelsea will be disappointed as to how their season is unfolding again, staring at a mid-table spot in the Premier League on Christmas Day to the dismay of everyone connected with the Blues.

An inconsistent December to date has seen wins usually followed up by losses, unable to string together a positive sequence of results in order to propel them up the division and compete with the likes of fellow London clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the top-end of the table.

Chelsea have given a number of their young talents a go this campaign in one positive, out with the old and in with the new very much the overriding mantra at Stamford Bridge now with the likes of Malo Gusto and Cole Palmer benefitting from this change of approach.

Chelsea could look to sign a promising young left-back to further delve into the market of promising gems if rumours are correct, the player in question a major upgrade on an ageing Ben Chilwell.

Chelsea transfers latest – Chilwell upgrade

Past rumours have suggested that Chelsea are keen on signing Barcelona hot-shot Alejandro Balde this January, with a report in one Spanish publication last month stating that the Blues and Manchester United are both actively pursuing the 19-year-old talent to persuade him to come to England.

This has further been backed up by FootballTransfers, who state that the rich west London outfit could play on Barcelona's current financial instability to land the Spanish prospect next month.

It's a position Chelsea do need to strengthen in soon, lacking numbers in the left-back spot with both Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella sidelined with injury.

Even if both options were available, Balde would walk into the side on his arrival to west London as a fresh and exciting defender more in-keeping with the forward-thinking Blues side still being constructed.

Alejandro Balde's style of play

Balde is the definition of a modern-day full-back, adept at venturing forward with blistering pace to burn and weaving runs as much as he is competent in tracking back and showing defensive grit.

The statistics are overwhelmingly in his favour on FBRef, which showcases his prowess in attack, receiving a staggering 9.56 progressive passes per 90 minutes over the last year at the Camp Nou.

In stark contrast, when Chilwell has been fit and selected by Chelsea over the same time period, the 27-year-old falls short of Balde's ridiculous total with 7.41.

In other comparisons, Balde continues to blow the ex-Leicester City man out of the water.

The teenage Barca sensation has averaged 4.69 progressive carries to Chilwell's inferior 2.74, further adding insult to injury by trumping him again with 2.09 successful take-ons to his Chelsea counterpart's weak 0.70.

Balde's exuberant performances this year have seen his current La Liga club slap an extortionate £865m (€1bn) release clause above his head, in an attempt to detract a suitor coming in and stealing a player that could be a future icon at the club.

Referred to as a "gem" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – who has further showered the 19-year-old with outlandish labels such as Balde being "one of the best left backs in Europe" in the past – Chelsea should go all in on signing the hot property in January.

Not quite the finished article by any means – falling short of Chilwell in tackles just with 1.43 compared to 1.46 – Balde will hope he can learn and grow at Stamford Bridge alongside his rough around-the-edges team to then go on and achieve greatness together.

Newcastle United are reportedly battling two Premier League rivals for the signing of a "very interesting" player who has been dubbed a "great" in his position.

Newcastle suffer Nick Pope injury blow

The Magpies look like a team on their last legs at the moment, with so many tired performances on show, especially in Sunday's 4-1 defeat away to Tottenham. Eddie Howe has been dealt some terrible luck in the injury department since August, with so many key players unavailable throughout the campaign, making it hard to rotate and keep everyone fresh across various competitions.

Perhaps the most damaging injury setback of the season to date has been the one suffered by Nick Pope, with a serious shoulder issue expected to keep him out of action for many months. The Englishman has been a huge influence since arriving from Burnley, proving to be such a reliable figure between the sticks, and Martin Dubravka's uninspiring performance against Spurs arguably highlighted the need to bring in a new 'keeper during the January transfer window.

Former Manchester United stopper David De Gea has been linked as a target for Newcastle, with the Spaniard currently a free agent, while Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone is also considered an option for the Magpies. Now, another name has been thrown into the mix, with an exciting young 'keeper believed to be on Howe's radar ahead of the January transfer window.

Newcastle want Giorgi Mamardashvili

According to a fresh transfer update from Spain, Newcastle are interested in completing the signing of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The Magpies are not the only Premier League club who are keen on snapping up the 23-year-old, though, with Manchester United and Tottenham also believed to be admirers of his. Mamardashvili could be precisely what Newcastle are looking for to make up for the costly absence of Pope, with the Georgian a highly-rated player with most of his career still ahead of him at 23 years of age.

This season, the Magpies transfer target has started 16 matches in La Liga, winning one Man of the Match award from WhoScored in the process, and he is also a 14-time capped Georgia international, showing that he is an important player at international level, too. Legendary former Spain and Valencia 'keeper Santiago Canizares has heaped praise on him in the past, saying:

"He’s a great goalkeeper, he’s a very high-level player. And then in addition to that he’s very young. Goalkeepers improve year on year, so I couldn’t tell you what level he could reach. If he keeps improving at the current rate, it’s impossible to say how good he could get. He could be a very interesting target for any European club. And then the position that his club are in mean that it’s natural that he’d be on the transfer market."

3/10 Newcastle man was worse than Alex Isak against Spurs

This Newcastle man wasn’t at the races.

ByAdam Scully Dec 10, 2023

The lure of the Premier League could be great for Mamardashvili, and Newcastle could appeal the most, considering he would be almost certain to go straight into the side without Pope around, with Dubravka a step down in quality.