Manchester United are eyeing a summer swoop for Dutch star Xavi Simons, with Ruben Amorim reportedly a big admirer of the RB Leipzig playmaker.

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United in touch with SimonsBayern, City, and Liverpool are also keeping an eyeRed Devils have also prepared a list of alternativesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the Simons has emerged as one of United's prime targets ahead of the upcoming transfer window, though his signing may depend heavily on the club securing a lucrative Champions League spot. Moreover, acquiring the Netherlands international would come at a steep price, particularly given the growing competition from European heavyweights such as Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Liverpool.

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After joining Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain permanently in January for a fee believed to be around £48 million ($64m) plus performance-related bonuses, Simons could be on the move again this summer. Despite his relatively short stay in Germany, Leipzig are reportedly open to selling him if they receive an offer that delivers a swift profit. United have kept open lines of communication regarding Simons, but the club are also weighing several other options.

DID YOU KNOW?

Among the names on United’s shortlist, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap stands out. The young forward, who has caught attention for his performances in the Premier League, is valued at £30 million ($40m). He is seen as a cost-effective option, but alternatives such as Matheus Cunha from Wolves, Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo are also under consideration. However, each of those players is expected to command a transfer fee north of £60 million ($80m) – figures that may prove unrealistic unless United bolster their budget with Champions League funds.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Winning this season’s Europa League has taken on massive significance for United, as lifting the trophy would secure automatic qualification for the 2025-26 Champions League. Such a result could inject around £100 million ($133m) into the club’s coffers, enabling them to go toe-to-toe with Europe’s elite in the transfer market. Aside from prize money, United are also looking to generate revenue through player departures, with Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Jadon Sancho all to be put up for sale.

Before Amorim and United can get serious about their summer strategy, the immediate focus remains Thursday night’s Europa League quarter-final clash against Lyon at Old Trafford. The tie is finely poised after a 2-2 draw in the first leg in France, and the outcome will significantly shape what comes next.

Kings captain Sam Curran found their batting depth as an important reason behind their victory

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-20231:15

Moody: Arshdeep a threat in the powerplay and at the death

Arshdeep Singh is among the death bowling elite in short-form cricket. Since 2022, only four men have delivered at least 60 overs in the last four of a T20 game and taken a minimum of 30 wickets. He’s one of them and he has the best average and the best economy rate of the lot. But some of that good work was spoiled by his tendency to overstep. He’s bowled 18 front-foot no-balls in this time.On Saturday, Mumbai needed 34 to win from 17 balls, with Suryakumar Yadav at his destructive best, and Tim David having just swung a six. The next five balls saw Arshdeep bowl a yorker and three low full tosses, thus executing with perfection what he was tasked to do. That included dismissing Suryakumar for 57 off 25 balls. So how does he do it?”The rhythm felt good before the IPL,” Arshdeep told the broadcasters after Punjab Kings beat Mumbai in a tight win, and he finished with 4 for 29. “I changed my run-up a bit, and it helped with my no-ball problem,”And what of the pressure, asked Danny Morrison. “I guess Danny you should come next to me and feel the heart beat; it’s not even 120.”Arshdeep’s captain Sam Curran, also chosen as the Player of the Match for a match-turning 55 off 29 balls, credited his bowlers – including Nathan Ellis, who came back well after being hit for a six in the 19th over – for defending a total of 214 in what was a very tight finish.”I don’t think personally I should be getting the Man of the Match [award], [after] the way the boys closed out the game,” Curran said. “Arshdeep and Nathan were incredible. The spinners bowled really well.”Curran said that despite the absence of regular captain Shikhar Dhawan, the depth that Kings have in their line-up – with Jitesh Sharma and Shahrukh Khan slotted at Nos. 7 and 8 respectively against Mumbai – allowed him to bat freely and help his side recover from being 83 for 4 in the tenth over. Curran and Harpreet Bhatia added 92 in eight overs, after which Jitesh cracked 25 from only seven balls – including four sixes.”The time when I went in to bat, I knew I had to give myself a bit of a chance,” Curran said. “Maybe [in] the previous games I have batted, I looked to go [big] a little earlier [than required]. I kind of reflected on that. We’ve got a really long batting line-up. Jitesh just came and went bang, bang, bang! We know we’ve got that in the sheds. Also without having Shikhar… we just have to take that responsibility.”Curran’s counterpart Rohit Sharma was disappointed at how his bowlers let slip the situation, but wasn’t looking too far ahead yet. He said the fact that they still had eight games to go provided them with enough time to bounce back.”We’ve played six games now; we’ve won three and lost three. So even stevens at the moment,” he said. “[There is] still a lot of time left in the tournament; we cannot really look down and start worrying too much about things. It’s about staying in the game and the competition, and keep doing the right things.”Got to give credit to Arshdeep, how he bowled in the last couple of overs. It was not really our day, but we gave it a good fight.”

The Guyana pacer’s action had been found to be illegal for the third time in his career

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2023West Indies fast bowler Ronsford Beaton has been cleared to resume bowling after his action was found to be legal following an assessment in England.Beaton was suspended from bowling by Cricket West Indies in March this year after his action was deemed illegal by an independent assessor at Loughborough University, an ICC-accredited testing centre for suspect bowling actions.The pacer was reported during Guyana Harpy Eagles’ West Indies Championship first-class match against Jamaica Scorpions at the Guyana National Stadium, where he picked up five wickets. Beaton then underwent remedial work to remodel his action, and video footage was sent to Loughborough University for analysis earlier this month.This is the third time Beaton has faced suspension and subsequently cleared over a suspect action. After only his second ODI appearance against New Zealand in December 2017, he was reported and later suspended after failing an independent assessment of his action. But he successfully remodelled his action in the subsequent months, and was cleared to bowl again in late August 2018 before being suspended again in November 2019.Beaton has played two ODIs for West Indies, both in December 2017.

A three-wicket burst from Thakur proved crucial after the three openers scored tons in an Indore run-fest

Sidharth Monga24-Jan-2023New Zealand India to 385 after an opening stand of 212 at over eight an over, but India’s bowlers kept picking up regular wickets to scuttle a chase that was alive until the 37th over, which was the first time they let the asking rate go past nine an over. This was only the fifth time in ODIs that three openers scored hundreds in the same match, each a stunning innings scored with enough time available to convert them into doubles.With the 3-0 series win, India moved to No.1 in the ICC ODI rankings to go with the top spot in T20Is. India will be satisfied they did it while defending with two of their best bowlers in this series, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami, rested. Hardik Pandya provided the opening blow in their absence and Kuldeep Yadav remained a wicket-taking threat in the middle overs, but it was Shardul Thakur’s triple-strike in the 26th and 28th overs that broke the back of the chase.

Watch the full replay of the third India vs New Zealand ODI on ESPN Player in the UK, and on ESPN+ in the USA in both English and Hindi.

This was always going to be a tough day for the bowlers: Indore has a flat pitch, small boundaries and a quick outfield. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Devon Conway made the most of the conditions, scoring 351 runs between them in just 263 balls. India hit 19 sixes and New Zealand 13 as bowlers were forced to figure out ways to survive.It was Rohit’s first century in three years, and Gill’s third in four innings. Rohit went past Sanath Jayasuriya’s 270 sixes to reach No. 3 on the all-time list, Gill equalled the record for most runs while playing three or fewer matches in an ODI series: 360. While Rohit and Gill batted, India looked set to have a shot at the first 500 in ODIs. Two double-centuries in an innings didn’t look out of reach either as both of them reached their hundreds in the 26th over.The bowlers’ task became apparent in the third over when Rohit clipped Jacob Duffy past midwicket at no great pace, but the ball kept getting away from the chasing fielder. In Duffy’s next over, the pitch presented itself in all its beauty. Gill hooked a short ball over long leg for a big six without going hard at it, and Rohit drove a short-of-a-length ball down the ground for a six that was higher than it was long.Lockie Ferguson, who had bowled a maiden and conceded only six runs in his first three overs, was then taken for 22 runs in his fourth. Apart from one full-toss, he didn’t bowl a single bad ball. Gill just trusted the pitch and used the quick outfield.It was now almost a competition. Rohit responded by taking 17 off the tenth over, both hooking and charging at Duffy. As Gill hit fours with a leg glance and an extra-cover drive to bring up his fifty, Rohit matched it with two sixes off Mitchell Santner to bring up his own.Pushes went away for fours, mis-hits sailed for sixes, and the batters flicked from outside off and hit sixes without reaching the pitch of the ball. Most of the shots, though, were just sweetly timed. One ball that properly summed it up for bowlers was when Daryl Mitchell got excited when Rohit hit one high in the air, but was left frustrated when it cleared long-on.Mitchell was bowling possibly because New Zealand didn’t want to feed offspinner Michael Bracewell to the two set right-hand batters. When Bracewell finally came on, Gill welcomed him with a chipped four over extra cover and a massive slog-swept six to join Rohit in the 90s.Related

Stats – Rohit equals Ponting, Gill equals Babar

Rohit got the century in 83 balls, Gill in 72. Once there, they tried to go even quicker. Rohit tried to put Bracewell in the stands but missed a full, straight delivery. Gill kept going after the bowling, pulling Blair Tickner for a six before getting out to the slower bouncer.What perhaps helped New Zealand’s comeback was that India’s incoming batters tried to bat in a manner that would do justice to the start, thus taking risks that the older, softer ball perhaps didn’t merit. For Rohit and Gill blazed away effortlessly in the first 26. They had hit 22 fours and 10 sixes by then. When they batted, the pitch looked too flat, the ground too small and the outfield too quick.With wickets falling as slower balls gripped in the surface, Pandya had to delay the final charge. When it arrived, it was spectacular as Pandya and Thakur took 57 in overs 46 to 49.Devon Conway kept New Zealand’s chase alive with a 100-ball 138•Associated PressStill New Zealand had taken 9 for 173 in the last 24 overs. Even though they were chasing a total bigger than has ever been chased in India, it didn’t look like an intimidating task on the evidence of how easy batting had become in the back half of the first ODI.Even though Pandya sent back Finn Allen in the first over, Conway performed the dual role of taking New Zealand into the back half with wickets in hand and keeping the asking rate under control. Conway had to take more risks than Gill and Rohit, but they came off at an alarming rate for India. Pulls, slog-sweeps and reverse-sweeps all flew away for runs. When he missed, he missed entirely. When he wasn’t close to the ball, he made sure he went hard because there was every chance he would clear the small ground.Even when he was cramping, Conway kept slog-sweeping with abandon. At the halfway mark, Conway was 108 off 78, and New Zealand had eight wickets in hand to score 8.08 an over. Enter the profligate Thakur. He is the least economical bowler with at least 50 ODI wickets, but he also has a strike-rate of nearly two wickets every 10 overs. That is because he has the license to attack with his lengths. He did just that, getting Daryl Mitchell with a bouncer, Tom Latham with a knuckle ball first up, and Glenn Phillips with another short ball.Now it was about Conway’s wicket, which came through a pull drilled straight into the midriff of Rohit at midwicket. However, India knew from experience that it is not over until you get Michael Bracewell. Kuldeep did that with a deliberate wide down the leg side with Ishan Kishan making up for a missed stumping earlier. Now it was really over.

The two division 1 franchises in Utah in both men's and women's soccer are reportedly in talks of being sold after just three years of ownership

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• David Blitzer in talks to sell RSL, Utah Royals franchises
• Ex-Utah Jazz owners reportedly buyers
• Blitzer bought RSL in 2022, revived Royals in 2023

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals owner David Blizter is reportedly in talks to sell his controlling stakes in the city's two Division 1 soccer teams in the NWSL and MLS.
  Blitzer is nearing a deal where he would give up control to the Miller family – former owners of the NBA's Utah Jazz.

  Blitzer bought RSL in 2022, and revived the Royals in 2023 .

  Sportico was the first to report the initial talks.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report added that Blitzer is expected to remain an investor, while RSL is valued at $525 million per Sportico's evaluations – a number that includes the $70 million-valued Royals.

  When Blitzer purchased RSL from former owner Dell Loy Hansen, it was an MLS-brokered deal that valued the Western Conference franchise at $400M, with minority partners including current Jazz owner Ryan Smith and Arctos Partners; a private equity firm. The purchase included local USL franchise Real Monarchs, Rio Tinto Stadium (now named America First Field), and a training complex. The deal also included a clause to add an NWSL franchise at a reduced fee.

  When the Royals were originally relocated to Kansas City in early 2021, the NWSL gave them the option to revive the team at a later date at a valuation of a reported $500,000 – though, through revisions, it was moved up to $2 million during Blitzer's transaction of the club.

  The Miller family owned the Jazz from 1986-2020.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Blitzer was the first person to invest in all five major U.S. leagues. He is a co-owner of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, NHL's New Jersey Devils, the NFL's Washington Commanders, and the MLB's Cleveland Guardians.

  He also has a stake in Premier League side Crystal Palace, and investments in more than six other European clubs through Bolt Ventures, a family office focused on sports.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Real Salt Lake take on Minnesota United Saturday evening on Matchday 6 of the season as they look to bounce-back from a Matchday 5 defeat to FC Dallas.

  The Royals, meanwhile, take on the KC Current Saturday evening in NWSL action.

da stake casino： Everton have now made a move to sign a “commanding” £12 million player this month, according to a reliable journalist.

Everton transfer news

da luck： Given that the Friedkin Group have completed their takeover of the Toffees, there is hope among the supporters that January could be a busy month for them. Everton remain near the bottom end of the table, and Sean Dyche will hope funds becoming available will allow him to bring players in, and that will help them climb the Premier League table.

Related Everton keen on signing £7m+ defender to replace both Coleman and Young

This could be a much-needed upgrade.

Posts 1 ByHenry Jackson Jan 3, 2025

The Merseysiders have been linked with a move for Yunus Akgun recently, and he would be an exciting addition for Everton, as he’s scored five goals in six Europa League appearances this season. The Toffees are expected to “knock on Galatasaray’s door” this month and make an official offer. This is because one of the two positions that Everton are looking to strengthen is the wide area.

The Premier League side are also looking to bring in a new right-back, and they are keen on signing Elias Jelert, who also plays for Galatasaray. The Toffees are keen to bolster this area of the team, as both Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman are not getting any younger, and they are keen to bring in a player for the future. The Turkish giants are willing to sell the player for around £7.4 million, so a move this month could happen if an offer arrives.

Everton make approach to sign "commanding" £12m player

As well as looking to sign a new right-back and winger, the Merseysiders are also looking to further strengthen their centre-back options, as according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon via Goodison News, Everton have made an approach to sign Juma Bah from Real Valladolid this month.

The 18-year-old joined the La Liga side on loan during the summer transfer window from AIK Freetong. Bah has impressed during his time at Valladolid, and he has now emerged on the radar of Everton, but a transfer doesn’t look as possible as the Toffees would have hoped for.

Nixon states that while Everton have made an approach to sign Bah, they would need to sell one of their defenders first before signing the 18-year-old. As well as Everton, Manchester City are also keen on landing the young defender, but Bah is against the idea of him being loaned out twice.

Therefore, given Everton and City’s situation, Inter Milan look set to complete the signing of Bah for around £12 million. If Everton are to beat Inter in the race to sign Bah, they will be hoping they can shift one of their current centre-backs on as quickly as possible.

Juma Bah’s Real Valladolid stats

Apps

10

Starts

8

Minutes per game

74

Clean sheets

1

Interceptions per game

1.0

Tackles per game

1.0

Balls recovered per 90

2.9

Clearances per 90

5.3

Bah has been rather impressive since joining Valladolid, and after he played for the club’s B team earlier this season, football analyst Chencho Alonso labelled Bah “commanding”. He said: “He was commanding and pushing forward, showcasing solid defensive concepts in movement and marking adjustments. He is very calm on the ball and plays simply.

“The next day, I said he would be called up in September for the first team, and on Saturday he was a starter.”

Manchester United brought Anfield back down to earth on Sunday, well worth their point in the Premier League and almost stealing a crushing victory against high-flying Liverpool, save for Harry Maguire’s last-gasp miss.

Liverpool have a game in hand on second-placed Arsenal and boast a six-point advantage, but Ruben Amorim was the happier of the gaffers as he capered back down the M62 with a new sense of optimism.

Arne Slot’s side have been immense this season, recording a dynamic variation of victories across multiple competitions. For the most part, they’re playing like champions-elects. They have that swagger, that style. But they are not champions-elects—not yet.

So much of football is about how you respond. Liverpool have responded emphatically to any setbacks this term and must do so again over the coming weeks, with Tottenham awaiting in the Carabao Cup and top-flight away fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Brentford forthcoming.

Slot is regarded as a “tactical genius” by Liverpool fans, but he didn’t get it quite right against the Red Devils. Of course, he was let down and then some by that man, Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Trent's performance vs Man Utd

After Liverpool drew 2-2 against their biggest rivals, Slot insisted that Alexander-Arnold was not distracted by Real Madrid’s interest in his prized signature.

Out of contract at the end of the season and courted by the Spanish superpower, it’s difficult to shake the thought that his woeful display on Sunday was not in some way inflicted by the circumstances.

He wasn’t at his best, not by half. Loose marking and a failure to show the grit and guts that a title-chasing outfit – his boyhood outfit – requires, especially after rivals dropped points on Saturday, especially given that it was Manchester United up against them.

But then, surely this scales back to display the bigger picture. Alexander-Arnold is an exceptional footballer and has showcased his unique and devastating quality on so many occasions in Slot’s set-up. Is it really surprising that now, with the spotlight beading into his watery eyes, he should falter?

Real Madrid are there, lurking like a shadowed figure in a trench coat, waiting to emerge and take what they deem to be theirs.

Regardless of how this will pan out, Alexander-Arnold is bound to have felt the Los Blancos presence lurking in some recess of his mind. He second-guessed himself, looked languid.

United targetted Liverpool’s right-hand side and fair play to them. It was a game plan well executed, to be sure. Alexander-Arnold failed to win any of his five attempted ground duels and only created one key pass (his season average is 2.2 per game) despite losing the ball 27 times.

Many will call for Conor Bradley to start in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday after his “lively cameo,” but not all of Slot’s bench made the desired impact.

Darwin Nunez left plenty to be desired in spite of his fleeting appearance, and the noise is rising around his future too.

Liverpool open to mega-money Nunez sale

Liverpool know that their non-committal contract trio could all be plying their elite art elsewhere later this year, but they aren’t the only ones touted for a potential Merseyside exit.

As per Football Insider, Nunez has been made available for transfer by Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, with FSG willing to accept £60m for his sale.

Whether anyone would pay this hefty sum remains to be seen, but Newcastle are reported to have an interest and AC Milan have had a sniff in recent weeks.

Why Liverpool should sell Darwin Nunez

Nunez’s first two campaigns at Liverpool were overshadowed by wastefulness in front of goal. Albeit, the Uruguay international made headway last season, winning the Carabao Cup and posting 18 goals and 13 assists across all competitions.

Jurgen Klopp’s style of football was more chaotic than that of his successor, so maybe Nunez’s own frenetic qualities aligned neatly, insofar as Nunez’s style could be described as neat.

Since Klopp signed Benfica’s Nunez in a deal rising to a club-record £85m fee, he has scored 37 goals and supplied 20 assists over 120 appearances.

Under Slot, he’s found his significance reduced and potency pared back, with just four goals and three assists to show for the campaign thus far. It’s quite clear, Federico Chiesa notwithstanding, that he is at the bottom of Liverpool’s talented forward pile.

Mohamed Salah

27 (25)

21

17

Cody Gakpo

28 (17)

12

4

Luis Diaz

25 (18)

12

3

Diogo Jota

16 (9)

6

2

Darwin Nunez

24 (13)

4

3

Federico Chiesa

4 (1)

0

1

The fluency of Liverpool’s attacking point under Slot’s wing has led to slick interchangeability between Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo in recent months, with Diaz operating as a fluid number nine and his Dutch partner wreaking havoc on the left flank, cutting inward to strike.

Upon doing so, Diaz drifts outward, keeping the skeletal structure intact and dragging defenders out, keeping them guessing.

With no disrespect, Nunez simply doesn’t show the required tactical understanding to play this role to the same level. Diogo Jota, when introduced from the bench, is arguably Liverpool’s deadliest finisher, ranking among the top 7% of forwards across the whole of Europe over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

Nunez is an energetic player, but is that really enough when his peers bring bouncing qualities of their own, and many more besides?

In Slot’s system, the 26-year-old is not so much wasteful as unable to strike with the same regularity. As per Sofascore, he’s averaging 1.4 shots per game in the Premier League this term, regressing from his totals across his first two campaigns on English shores, 3.0 and 2.9 respectively.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Brought onto the field for the final 30 minutes against Man United, Nunez had a grand total of three touches, not even attempting to make a pass and picking up a yellow after barging into Matthjis De Ligt – some might say that the offence was worthy of a different colour.

Alexander-Arnold was the costliest Redman at the weekend, of that there is no doubt, but Nunez nearly cost Liverpool once more on the day with his erratic nature an inability to showcase the kind of control and link-up play that Slot will demand of him.

He’s a lovely guy and capable of roof-raising moments, but is this really worth it, Liverpool fans? Does Nunez elevate this exciting project, should he remain on the books over the coming years?

Just imagine if Newcastle’s Alexander Isak plied his trade at the club. Liverpool have reportedly been linked in recent weeks. Why not break the bank?

Hey, if FSG recoup somewhere even on the far fringes of the £60m ballpark for Nunez’s signature, there’s no reason – or excuse – not to dive headfirst for a brand-new number nine to turn this exciting season into a long dynasty.

As bad as Alexander-Arnold: Slot must axe 5/10 Liverpool dud after Man Utd

Arne Slot’s Liverpool dropped points against Manchester United, with numerous players failing to impress.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 5, 2025

A perplexing defeat at Galle has left India with some important questions to answer before the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo

Sharda Ugra in Colombo19-Aug-20152:12

‘Binny gives us more balance in the squad’ – Kohli

India are playing a brand of cricket that attempts to go against the grain and rewrite the rules. Five bowlers, twenty wickets, responsibility on the batsmen to hack it and score enough.The first attempt at this experiment led to a wildfire victory at Lord’s in 2014. That victory was built on the back of an insane Ravindra Jadeja half-century, followed by the Indian bowlers pounding the ball into the pitch, hypnotising the England batsmen into helpfully landing everything into the hands of leg-side fielders at the boundary.Since that win, it’s been slim pickings – six defeats in the nine Tests that have followed.If ‘five bowlers’ was a marketing strategy, like selling soap, its blueprint by now would have been torn up, its managers sacked and, maybe, the product would have been pulled off the shelves. But this is cricket, which can tip-toe around the ‘process’ and ‘restructuring’ until things get tight. On Thursday, as India step out for the second Test against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval, consider the screws tightened.India’s fighting talk makes for impressive soundbites but the fact remains that they trail 0-1 in a series in which they were well within a 1-0 lead. The second Test will put India’s bouncebackability under stringent examination. It is the most useful quality a young team can own, particularly when, as time goes by, their inexperience morphs from a valid reason into a cover-up of structural weakness. If Galle left India perplexed, there are a set of questions they will have to provide clear answers for in Colombo.Has the five-bowler plan gone off the boil?Perish the thought that any such admission will be made. The most Ravi Shastri acceded to was “four-and-a-half” (bowlers) and Stuart Binny’s call-up was explained as a desire to provide balance. He has been called in on the eve of a Test on the most seamer-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka, as well as its most result-oriented venue. Do the math. While Kohli did not flatly confirm that Binny would be inducted into the eleven, he spoke about the possibilities of what Binny could do in great detail – that he could be a new-ball swing bowler with the ability to strike as well as a middle-overs man with control.”Everywhere around the world you look, they have a spinning allrounder or a fast-bowler allrounder, so Stuart is the best in that particular category of seaming allrounder. We need to give him more chances, more confidence, improve him, so we can use him at any stage to provide balance to the team,” Kohli said. “As a batsman, I think he has become more confident. As a bowler, I think he will certainly improve with more games that he plays and the more he is given those spells. I think it is all about making him grow as an allrounder and I see him giving great balance to the Indian team.”The P Sara Oval pitch, which offers carry and movement, happens to be the home of a wondrous Indian victory in 2010, one crafted by an India No. 6. Except this was no seaming all arounder, but VVS Laxman, perhaps the most magical No. 6 in cricket after Garry Sobers. It’s really not fair on Stuart Binny.India have been hurt by Rohit Sharma’s failure to move beyond neutral gear in the series so far•Associated PressCan India get over the line and begin to seize the day?India’s inability to climb on top of oppositions has now become endemic and is usually planted firmly in the lap of the bowlers. Like in Eden Park in 2014, where India were trying to draw a two-Test series after defeat in Wellington. They had a first-innings lead of 246 runs against New Zealand and had them at 94 for 5 before a Brendon McCullum triple century saved the day for the hosts. In Adelaide later that year, it was put down to the inexperience of the batsmen. Then came Galle, where they dominated three-quarters of the game. Kohli responded to the question with earnestness. It was, he seemed to believe, losing track of the trees for the woods.”As a team we obviously want to win… If a couple of things don’t go your way, you suddenly lose focus on what needs to be done,” he said. “We forget what made that particular incident happen and we forget how we made it happen.”Winning was, he said, being able to do repeatedly what had been done to earn an advantage. Of having the “mental strength” in difficult situations. “The guys need to be brave. It is very easy to go into a negative space very quickly,” he said. “Teams or individuals that stay in a positive space turn the game around. I think those are the match-winners.”He cited the examples of Dale Steyn, Mitchell Johnson and Ben Stokes in the Ashes. Two bowlers and an allrounder, and examples of individual brilliance at the same time. He said he could talk the talk, “put it out there but I cannot bowl for a particular guy and a particular person cannot bat for me.” A team’s fortunes can be turned around by individual pieces of flair and magic – like Dinesh Chandimal for Sri Lanka in Galle. So team talks and plans and unity aside, India must find a singular piece of brilliance to take total control of a situation and transfer the spark along the line.What is to be done with Rohit Sharma?Kohli and India’s team director Ravi Shastri are met with Rohit Sharma questions at every media briefing like a formality meant to warm up proceedings. The India No. 3’s poor track record in Sri Lanka is well known. Talk of his dazzling A-game showing up at the crunch moment usually forms part of some black-humour set. Rohit fits the “the Australian way” of an attacking No. 3 bat, but he has been unable to go beyond neutral gear in this series. In many ways, the No. 3 spot is seen as a direct contest between Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara, who is a very composed batsman, a fine player of spin and a sponge when it comes to soaking pressure. India are loathe to ‘chop and change’ after a single defeat – however catastrophic it may be – and the only way they can fit Rohit in, is to have him bat lower in the order and possibly bring Ajinkya Rahane at No.3.Will Kohli crack captaincy or captaincy crack him?This captaincy lark sure looks over-rated. Yes it has status, you look mighty smart in a blazer going to a toss, and the commercial branding benefits make players’ managers sing. The rest of it – what a hassle. Without extra benefits, Virat Kohli has a perfectly fine career going as middle-order bat, a suitable successor at No. 4 for India in Tests, gourmand runs in ODIs, a World Cup and a Champions Trophy to his name. He is an ambitious captain and energetic, but defeats and the inability to lead a team to a win is a dead-sure recipe for burn-out. Galle left him “personally very disappointed”. He now has four centuries in his four Tests but with two defeats and two draws. He said he kept his captaincy and his batting apart: “I don’t connect the two. I don’t like to mix the two together.” The four centuries he said were “irrelevant” to the captaincy situation, because his hunger for runs was a constant, and his ambition for his team still burnt strong.What he had learnt from Galle, and the pressure situations in which his batsmen had caved in, was for batting partners to “communicate”. He said under-pressure batsmen “tend to go into their shell and don’t communicate well enough.” It was up to their more comfortable partner to step in.”Batting in partnerships doesn’t necessarily mean scoring runs together but it also involves motivating your partner, understanding his game and giving him options to tackle situations,” he said. “People need to speak. Unless you speak, you will not get a solution.”An awareness of individual frailties that the game can produce could help Kohli, the captain, take another step ahead as man-manager. But to carry that through, he must start winning.There’s a phrase that cricketers sometimes use when referring to the moment when it comes down to all or nothing, like it is at the P Sara.They call it sh** or bust.

Newcastle United are now interested in signing a “clinical finisher” who could be available in the January transfer window, according to a report.

Newcastle transfer news

Although Eddie Howe may feel he needs to make some additions in January, in light of his side’s disappointing campaign up to this point, the manager’s transfer policy continues to be limited by the Premier League’s financial rules.

When asked about an alleged £65m bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, the manager said: “Firstly, I don’t think any bid (for Guehi) reached that level (£65m). That is far in excess of what the reality was. Secondly, with PSR, there is no pot of money that we have sitting there waiting to be spent.”

As such, Newcastle fans may be best advised not to have their expectations too high this January, despite the club’s continual links to some top players in the Premier League and beyond. The Magpies will be all too aware of Bryan Mbeumo’s abilities after his goal in the 4-2 defeat against Brentford last week, and there have been reports that a huge offer could be on the way, with Howe prioritising the signing of a right-winger.

As the uncertainty surrounding Alexander Isak’s future continues to mount, the manager may also be tasked with bringing in a new striker, and there have now been reports linking Corinthians’ Yuri Alberto with a move to St. James’ Park.

According to The Boot Room, Alberto is on Newcastle’s radar, but they may face competition for his signature from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Everton and Nottingham Forest also named as potential suitors.

The forward has admitted he has a “dream” of playing in the Premier League, while also saying there is a 50/50 chance he leaves Corinthians in January, meaning he could be available sooner rather than later.

Should the Brazilian club sanction his departure this winter, they would be looking to receive a fee of around £17m, having turned down a £14m bid from West Ham United over a year ago.

Newcastle leading the race to sign £16.5m gem with a "magical" left foot

The Magpies are in pole position.

1

By
Henry Jackson

Dec 9, 2024

Alberto impressing in front of goal

The Brazilian has been capped for his national side on one occasion, and he poses a very impressive goal and assist record throughout his career so far.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also been very complimentary of the 23-year-old in the past, saying he’s a “complete forward” and praising his finishing in particular.

Of course, Newcastle’s main priority should be to keep hold of Isak amid interest from a number of top clubs, but Alberto could be a brilliant acquisition this January, particularly considering he may be available for the relatively low price of just £17m.

أعرب عمرو ناصر، مهاجم فريق الزمالك المنضم حديثاً وفاركو سابقاً، عن سعادته بالانتقال إلى صفوف القلعة البيضاء خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

الزمالك أعلن عن ضم عمرو ناصر، لمدة 5 مواسم قادمة، وذلك في إطار التحرك للحصول على تدعيمات جديدة لفريق الكرة قبل انطلاق الموسم الجديد.

وقال ناصر في تصريحات للمركز الإعلامي لنادي الزمالك: “جون إدوارد المدير الرياضي لديه ثقة كبيرة في إمكانياتي، وأتمنى أن أكون عند حسن ظنه، هو يختار اللاعبين على قدر ثقته بهم ولأنهم جديرون باللعب لنادي الزمالك، ويتم اختيارهم بناءً على أسس ومعايير، وإمكانيات شخصية تكون بحجم النادي وجماهيره”.

طالع أيضاً.. عاجل | الزمالك يٌعلن ضم صفقته الثالثة رسميًا

وأوضح: “أتمنى أن أكون على قدر المسؤولية، لأن نادي الزمالك يستحق الكثير، كما أن جماهير الأبيض عظيمة وجميلة، أنا أمتلك شغفًا كبيرًا لتجربة اللعب وسط دعم وتشجيع هذه الجماهير، وأتمنى أن أساعد الفريق في تحقيق البطولات خلال الفترة المقبلة”.

وواصل: “الزمالك منظومة كبيرة، وأي لاعب يفكر في الوصول إلى مرتبة كبيرة في الكرة المصرية وداخل قارة إفريقيا عليه أن يختار اللعب له وهو ما دفعني للانتقال إلى القلعة البيضاء”.

وأضاف: “أحلم بتحقيق لقبي الدوري وكأس الكونفدرالية في الموسم المقبل مع الزمالك، خاصة أن الفوز بـ الدوري المصري سيعيد الفريق للمشاركة في بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، وسيُعيد الشخصية التي يُعرف بها نادي الزمالك”.

وأكمل: “الزمالك يضم مجموعة من اللاعبين على أعلى مستوى”، مضيفا أن المنافسة مع زملائه المهاجمين تخلق حالة من التحدي والتركيز، وتكون من أجل مصلحة الفريق، وتدفع اللاعب لبذل قصارى جهده للمساهمة في تحقيق الأهداف والبطولات.

وأردف “قبل أن يعلم الجمهور بالتعاقد معي، كنت أتوقع أن أجد ترحيبًا من الجماهير، ولكن ليس بالشكل الذي وجدته فور علمهم باقترابي إلى الفريق، وفوجئت بردود أفعال الجماهير وترحيبهم بي، مما زاد من حماسي  للظهور بأفضل صورة في الفترة المقبلة من أجل جماهير الزمالك العظيمة، التي فاجأتني بحبها وشغفها وثقتها في قدراتي”.

واختتم: “أعد جماهير الزمالك أن أكون على قدر ثقتهم بي، وأنني لن أخيب ظنهم”.