All posts by h716a5.icu

West Ham United's priority at this stage of the transfer window may well be on bringing in a midfield replacement for Declan Rice, but David Moyes could desperately do with some upgrades in other positions.

Who are West Ham looking to sign?

Beyond their midfield targets, which are said to consist of Conor Gallagher, Scott McTominay, Amadou Onana and Youssouf Fofana, West Ham have also been linked with centre-back Luiz Felipe, plus strikers Folarin Balogun and Habib Diallo.

Spezia's Emil Holm has also been touted as a target at right-back, while it could also be all change on the opposite flank as Aaron Cresswell is in talks over a move to fellow Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, according to the Daily Mail.

That suggests Moyes already has a player lined up to come in at left-back, and The Athletic claims United are one of a handful of clubs interested in signing Ian Maatsen from Chelsea.

Maatsen starred on loan for promoted Burnley in the Championship last season, but it is reported that the Clarets have declined to meet Chelsea's £20m asking price to sign the defender permanently, opening the door for West Ham to pounce should they wish.

Is Ian Maatsen a good option for West Ham?

Maatsen was named in the EFL Championship Team of the Season after impressing for Burnley last time out, while also picking up the Player of the Month gong along the way in January.

The Netherlands U21 international was crowned Man of the Match on four occasions by WhoScored, which was the joint-most of any Burnley player, along with Nathan Tella and Manuel Benson.

An attacking full-back, Maatsen scored four goals and assisted six more in 39 appearances. Indeed, he is ranked in the top 13% of all full-backs across the eight leagues most similar to the Championship in terms of quality, as per FBref, and the top 16% for assists.

Maatsen averaged 0.27 goals or assists every 90 minutes last season, which compares to 0.04 for Cresswell across his 28 matches for West Ham, though the latter did of course play in a division higher.

Still, that is a huge difference and suggests Moyes is looking for a more attack-minded alternative at left-back. Even if taking the defensive metrics into consideration, it could still be argued that Maatsen is a big upgrade on what West Ham already have.

The Dutchman outperformed Cresswell last season in terms of tackles won per 90 minutes (1.42 v 0.44), blocks per 90 (1.01 v 0.85) and interceptions per 90 (1.45 v 1.09).

Maatsen also came out on top in metrics such as pass-completion percentage (80.6 v 77.8) and touches of the ball per 90 (86.1 v 64.8), though Cresswell is stronger in terms of aerial duels won (50.9% v 32.3%).

Described as a "superb" player by Manchester Evening News reporter Alex James, it appears as though Maatsen is destined to play in the Premier League one way or another this coming season – and indeed for many years beyond.

West Ham supporters will surely hope that is with them, rather than across London at Chelsea.

Niroshan Dickwella has been fined 30% of his match fee, and handed two demerit points, for a stumping attempt that was deemed to be “contrary to the spirit of the game” by match officials

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jul-2017Niroshan Dickwella has been fined 30% of his match fee, and handed two demerit points, for a stumping attempt in the first ODI against Zimbabwe that was deemed to be “contrary to the spirit of the game” by match officials.The incident had occurred in the seventh over of Zimbabwe’s innings on Friday. Dickwella gathered the ball, and waited many seconds for Solomon Mire to leave the crease, before finally breaking the stumps, long after Mire had completed the shot.When Dickwella made the appeal, the decision was sent to third umpire Nigel Llong, who found the batsman to be in his crease at the time the bails were dislodged in any case. Keepers have often waited for batsmen to overbalance before whipping off the bails, but, on this occasion, the umpires who laid the charge had likely taken exception to the length of time that elapsed between the stroke’s completion and the stumping attempt.”Dickwella admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing,” an ICC release said.This was Dickwella’s third fine of the year. In February, he had had an on-field run-in with Kagiso Rabada, and later in the month showed dissent to an umpire’s decision. He was suspended for two limited-overs games as a result, and now, having accrued seven demerit points, will suffer a similar suspension again if he is hit with any further demerit points over the next two years.

Leeds United will look for several signings spread across 'several positions' as Daniel Farke aims to ready his squad for Sky Bet Championship action, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

How has Leeds United's transfer window panned out so far?

Ethan Ampadu has become Leeds United's first signing of the transfer window, joining from Chelsea in a deal worth £7 million plus add-ons and providing some flexibility as he can operate in defence or holding midfield, as per BBC Sport.

The Wales international featured just 12 times for the Blues and was farmed out on loan to Sheffield United, RB Leipzig, Spezia and Venezia during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Clipped on Leeds United's official Twitter account, Ampadu made his reasoning clear for joining the Yorkshire outfit in his first interview since arriving at Elland Road, stating: "As a club, the history of it doesn't have to be sold, everyone knows how big Leeds is."

One strange feature of Leeds United's transfer window so far has been the unusual event of several players leaving on loan deals following their relegation from the Premier League, with Robin Koch, Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca departing Elland Road on temporary deals, as per Transfermarkt.

Rodrigo Moreno has left the building to join Qatari side Al-Rayyan while experienced goalkeeper Joel Robles has linked up with Saudi Arabian second-division club Al Qasdiah, as per The Yorkshire Evening Post.

Welsh striker Tyler Roberts has moved to Birmingham City on a permanent basis. At the same time, out-of-contract midfielder Adam Forshaw faces an uncertain future at Leeds United despite being offered a new deal by Farke, as he has interest from European clubs and Saudi Pro League side Al Akhdoud, according to The Daily Mail.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer expert Romano has detailed that Leeds United will be identifying targets to pursue in multiple positions this summer.

Romano stated: “Leeds will look for players in different positions. So, I think they will be really busy in the next week.

“At the moment, Leeds are not happy with their proposal. Gnonto will be a crucial part of the transfer window for Leeds this summer.”

Who do Leeds United want to sign then?

Leeds United are hard at work this window and transfer expert Romano has laid out some further information indicating that the Elland Road outfit are keen on Paris Saint-Germain youngster Edouard Michut, stating on Twitter: "Excl: Leeds United are among several clubs interested in Edouard Michut from Paris Saint-Germain. Deal will depend on conditions decided by PSG in the coming days."

Strengthening the goalkeeper position will also be a priority for Farke, who is reportedly eyeing a swoop for Newcastle United stopper Karl Darlow, according to iNews.

As per Sport Mediaset relayed via Sport Witness, Leeds United have been linked with a sensational move for AC Milan striker Divock Origi, who is also attracting interest from Crystal Palace.

Nottingham Forest will allow striker Emmanuel Dennis to leave the club this summer and have green-lit his departure, which has put Leeds United on red alert as Farke aims to bolster his attacking options, as per Football Insider.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav have been picked for India’s limited-overs tour of West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-20174:12

Dravid: Pant is good enough to play as a specialist batsman

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav have been picked for India’s limited-overs tour of West Indies, which comprises five ODIs and a T20 international soon after the Champions Trophy ends in England. Opener Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are the only members from the Champions Trophy squad who won’t be making the trip to the Caribbean.It is understood that Anil Kumble will remain India’s coach for the West Indies tour. Kumble’s one-year contract ends with the Champions Trophy but he has accepted the BCCI’s offer to stay on until the board decides on the next coach. Kumble is one of the candidates in contention, after the BCCI invited applications for the job amid reports that Virat Kohli and some senior players were unhappy with Kumble’s methods.When India announced the squad for the Champions Trophy, the selectors had said they had discussed both Pant and Kuldeep, but went with experience for the big tournament. The two were part of the five players kept on standby should there be need for an injury replacement. The chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, had called them players for the future.Pant has had the cricket community excited with his aggressive batting, which included a 326-ball 308 in the Ranji Trophy last season. Kuldeep made his Test debut in the same season, and took crucial wickets on day one of the Dharamsala Test and helped India win the series against Australia.The BCCI did not state why Rohit and Bumrah had been left out of the squad. Rohit had only returned to the India squad for the Champions Trophy, after missing the majority of the 2016-17 home season because of injury. ESPNcricinfo learned there are plans to introduce Bumrah to Test cricket on the tour of Sri Lanka in July-August and so wanted to rest him for a bit.Squad Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav and Dinesh Karthik

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers has unfortunately confirmed that new signing Marco Tilio is poised to miss the start of the 2023/24 campaign through injury.

Supporters will now need to wait patiently before they are able to watch the Australia international, who arrived from Melbourne City on a permanent deal earlier this summer, in action for the first time.

Norwegian maestro Odin Thiago Holm is the club's only other fresh addition ahead of next season so far but the Hoops have until the start of September to bolster their options.

One player who has been linked with a switch to Parkhead is Manchester United central midfielder Scott McTominay, who could be a "mind-blowing" signing for the Scottish giants, as per journalist Dean Jones.

How good is Scott McTominay?

The 26-year-old titan is a superb defensive midfield player who has played over 200 times for the Red Devils to go along with 39 caps for Scotland.

Rodgers could unearth his next Nir Bitton by securing a deal to sign the Premier League colossus. Standing at 6 foot 4, the £60k-per-week ace has the height to provide a similar level of physical dominance to the former Hoops star, who stands at 6 foot 5, in the middle of the park.

The Israeli international, who played 67 matches under the Northern Irishman, was a versatile gem for Celtic as he was able to be deployed in the number six role or as a central defender.

McTominay's primary position is as a defensive midfielder but he has also been utilised as a centre-back for Scotland and described playing in that area of the pitch as "second nature".

The Red Devils academy graduate only started ten Premier League matches last term and that came after he showcased his quality across 28 starts throughout the previous campaign.

During the 2021/22 Premier League season, McTominay averaged 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match to go along with an aerial duel success rate of 67%, which shows that the towering midfielder was able to dominate opposition players in the air.

No Celtic player managed more than 2.8 tackles and interceptions combined per league appearance last term, whilst no central midfielder produced more than 2.2.

These statistics suggest that the United enforcer has the potential to replicate the defensive quality that Bitton provided during his time at Paradise. In the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership campaign, the now-31-year-old warrior made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per outing to go along with a 65% success rate in aerial battles across 12 league starts.

Therefore, McTominay, who was once described as a "monster" by ex-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, could be the manager's next version of the terrific eight-time title winner.

Like Bitton, the strong maestro has the ability to win possession back for his team on a regular basis by disrupting the opposition's attacks, potentially more frequently than any of Rodgers' current options in those positions were able to do last term, whilst also offering versatility and a significant aerial presence.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops will be able to get a deal over the line to sign the Scotland international before the deadline, or how serious their interest in his services is.

Newcastle United could complete the signing of Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes in the next week or so, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Harvey Barnes joining Newcastle?

The £40,000-a-week winger looks almost certain to enjoy a fresh challenge during the summer transfer window, following a disappointing season for the Foxes. They suffered relegation from the Premier League after failing to turn their fortunes around, which is now expected to lead to an exodus of key players before the new season gets underway.

In fairness to Barnes, he was a clear positive for Leicester much of the time, scoring an impressive 13 goals in just 32 league starts, made all the more commendable because of his team's all-round struggles. The 25-year-old is far too good to be playing in the Championship moving forward, especially as he will be eyeing up a place in England's squad at Euro 2024 next summer, having won one cap for the Three Lions to date.

Newcastle have arguably emerged as the favourites to acquire Barnes' signature in the coming days and weeks, seeing him as a strong option to come in and bolster the options at Eddie Howe's disposal, likely as a replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin. Now, another update has emerged that further suggests he will be at St James' Park sooner rather than later.

What's the latest on Harvey Barnes to Newcastle?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano claimed that Barnes could join the Magpies in a matter of days, in what could be an important piece of transfer business:

"Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes is now close to Newcastle, I think this deal could be closed within the next seven to ten days if all goes to plan. It’s also possible for Allan Saint-Maximin to leave Newcastle. It’s not guaranteed yet, but it’s a possibility and is being discussed on club side."

Barnes has the potential to be a superb signing for Newcastle this summer, possibly coming in as a straight replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin, who flattered to deceive last season and only scored one league goal in 25 appearances. The Leicester man's goal tally was far superior in a weaker team, and his direct running and ability and get in behind could make him a potent weapon for Howe.

At 25, the Foxes ace would also be arriving at an absolute sweet spot in his career, with his best years likely to be from now until around the age of 30, meaning the Magpies could see the very best of him for an extended period of time, seeing him mature even further and become more polished as a winger.

An overall tally of 45 goals and 32 assists in the Premier League further outlines the quality ion Barnes' locker – he has been described as "unbelievable" by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, too, which is big praise from such a renowned figure in the modern game – and he is someone who can further help Newcastle grow into even more of a force, as they build a squad that is capable of flourishing across four different competitions next season, including the Champions League.

Durham fast bowler Mark Wood has been included in England’s squads for the Champions Trophy and the two ODIs against Ireland which precede the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2017Durham fast bowler Mark Wood has been included in England’s squads for the Champions Trophy, the three-match series against South Africa and the two ODIs against Ireland early next month.Wood has returned to action this season, first in the North v South one-day matches in the UAE then for Durham, following further surgery, after being diagnosed with a broken bone in his ankle at the end of the 2016 summer, which kept him out of the England side over the last six months.He is viewed as a crucial element of England’s white-ball plans to provide a cutting edge to the pace attack. Injury has restricted him to 11 ODIs since his debut in 2015 but he bowled with eye-catching pace against Pakistan last year before requiring another layoff.England one-day squads

England squad for Champions Trophy and South Africa series Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Squad for Ireland ODIs Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Ben Duckett, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Mark Wood

Steven Finn misses out on the Champions Trophy with Nottinghamshire’s Jake Ball preferred, while left-armer David Willey returns having missed the West Indies tour in March due to injury.Ball has taken 12 wickets in five ODIs, which included 5 for 51 on debut against Bangladesh in Dhaka, and squeezes out Finn who took four wickets in the three matches against West Indies in what were his first ODIs in 18 months.Finn is, though, included in a 14-man squad for the two matches against Ireland as is Ben Duckett, who made his England debut in Bangladesh last year. Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler are unavailable for those games having been allowed to remain at the IPL. Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Sam Billings will return from India for the matches.”We have made encouraging progress over the past 18 months in white-ball cricket and the squads selected reflect consistency and give options across all disciplines,” James Whitaker, the national selector, said. “It is pleasing that Mark Wood and David Willey have returned to full fitness. They add variety and quality to our bowling strengths and David’s ability as an attacking batsman is also an important element for us.”The settled nature of England’s one-day side means there is no room for a number of promising players around the county scene. There had been much talk about Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone, who impressed for the Lions over the winter and made 168 in the recent round of County Championship matches, but he will have to wait his turn. The same applies to Tom Curran, who was added to England’s squad in the West Indies.The squad for the Champions Trophy will also play the one-day series against South Africa at the end of May.

Manchester United have made the signing of a new striker one of their top priorities this summer and now a new update has emerged on a strongly linked transfer target.

Will Man United sign Rasmus Hojlund?

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are holding talks to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund this summer.

As per the report, the acquirement of a new centre-forward is something that Erik ten Hag wants to be resolved before pre-season training commences and the club's hierarchy are continuing to hold discussions for their main targets for the position with Hojlund named alongside Randal Kolo Muani.

How many goals has Rasmus Hojlund scored?

It is no secret that Ten Hag has been a long-term admirer of Harry Kane and reportedly has had the Tottenham Hotspur striker as his top transfer target since he arrived at Old Trafford last summer.

Indeed, the Red Devils have been continuously linked with the England captain, however, it is looking extremely unlikely that Spurs will be willing to part ways with their superstar before his contract expires at the end of next season.

As a result, Ten Hag must turn his attention to targets that are more of a realistic prospect and Hojlund would definitely be a worthy alternative to Kane.

The Danish youngster burst on the scene of Italian football with Atalanta and has already made his mark on the Denmark national team with six goals scored in just five appearances.

Over 42 appearances in all competitions last season, the 20-year-old star – who has a reported price tag of €60m (£52m) – scored 16 goals and registered seven assists, which is a fantastic output with only Marcus Rashford scoring more (30) in the Man United team.

To compete with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United next season for a spot inside the top four and to potentially become a title contender, it will be absolutely essential for Man United to acquire the services of a striker who can make an instant impact in the Premier League.

One player who has had a record-breaking start to life in the Premier League is Erling Haaland, a striker who has often been named as a similar profile of goal-scorer to Hojlund, with Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini boasting about the similarities between the pair in an interview:

"Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also the technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too.

"He has very similar characteristics to Haaland. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day."

With all considered, there is no doubt that Hojlund would be an exciting prospect for Man United to sign this summer and if he can adapt to the English top flight to a similar standard that Haaland has set, his impact on the team and the future of the club's success would be priceless.

A round-up of the final league matches of the Momentum Cup played on March 23, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2017Dillon du Preez returned figures of 4 for 31 as the Knights beat Dolphins by one wicket in the final over to seal a qualifier spot in the Momentum One-Day Cup. After Dolphins chose to bat in a virtual eliminator, they were put under pressure from the start, slipping to 54 for 4. The early damage meant even a 50-run fifth-wicket partnership between Sarel Erwee and Andile Phehlukwayo, and useful contributions lower down the order, could only take the Dolphins to 204.In response, Knights got off to a steady start, openers Rudi Second and Tumelo Bodibe putting on 61 in 13 overs. However, in the collapse that ensued five wickets fell inside 12 runs. Imran Tahir inflicted most of the damage, removing David Miller for a first-ball duck. Pite van Biljon (44) and Aubrey Swanepoel (42) steadied Knights with a 56-run partnership for the sixth wicket, but after Phehlukwayo bowled du Preez with Knights requiring 25 to win, it needed Marchant de Lange and Sammy Mofokeng to take their side through. They combined for an unbeaten 27 runs for the tenth wicket to lead Knights to a four-ball win.Table toppers Titans sealed a home final with a demolition of Cape Cobras at SuperSport Park. Opening bowlers Chris Morris and Lungi Ngidi put the Cobras on the back foot right away as the pair shared three wickets for 41 runs in their combined 16 overs. The 184 Cobras were bowled out for, after languishing at 30 for 4, was courtesy a half-century from Aviwe Mgijima (52).The Titans chase was led by a 75-run stand between openers Jonathan Vandiar (72) and Aiden Markram in 11 overs. Even two wickets in three balls with the score on 100 – the second being AB de Villiers for a duck – didn’t bother Titans as they won by six wickets.In Port Elizabeth, Lions’ campaign ended with a whimper, as they lost by 36 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method to Warriors, who will play the qualifier against Knights. Warriors’ top wicket-taker this tournament JJ Smuts was the star performer again, taking 4 for 25 in ten overs to skittle the Lions – who lost their last eight wickets for 59 runs – for 154. No batsman outside the Lions top five managed to make double-digit scores.The Warriors were well on course to victory with a 93-run opening partnership between Smuts (51) and Gihahn Cloete (41), and were on top of the D/L equation – despite a flurry of four wickets – to complete a 36-run win when the rain arrived.

Carlos Brathwaite has struggled since the World T20, but West Indies’ chairman of selectors Courtney Browne said the allrounder was an ‘investment’ that will eventually reap rewards

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-20170:57

‘I will never ever hit four sixes in four balls again’ – Brathwaite

Courtney Browne, the West Indies chairman of selectors, has said that allrounder Carlos Brathwaite cannot be expected to produce the heroics of the World Twenty20 final each time he plays. Browne was commenting on Brathwaite’s lean form with the bat in the recently-concluded Regional Super50 domestic one-day tournament, won by Barbados Pride, Brathwaite’s team.Since the beginning of 2016, Brathwaite has scored just 304 runs in 27 List A games at an average of 14.47, with a highest score of 46. With the ball, he has taken 46 wickets at an average of 30.66. Brathwaite, who was recently made West Indies’ T20 captain, hasn’t enjoyed too much success in the shortest format either. In 26 T20s since 2016, Brathwaite has managed just 212 runs at 12.47 and 33 wickets at an average of 30.66.”What you must understand is this is still a young man,” Browne told a Caribbean radio station. “If we expect Carlos to repeat what he did in the World Cup every single time, we’re going to fool ourselves. Carlos needs to develop like any other cricketer. We’ve dug ourselves in a massive hole over the years, there’s no quick fix to our problem. It is about hard work. It’s not about ‘you’ve had five games, you have not performed’ so just throw the player away.”Browne pointed out that Brathwaite has earned a lot of respect from coaches and captains over the years with his attitude and hardwork. In January, Brathwaite opted to leave early from the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League where he was signed as a replacement for fellow West Indies allrounder Andre Russell.Incidentally, he was one of the three players – along with Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels – to decline a WICB contract late last year. Although he is an attractive buy for teams across domestic Twenty20 leagues, Brathwaite has said he wants to focus on doing well for West Indies.Brathwaite, Browne said, was an “investment” that would come good eventually. “He’s a young player who is a very exciting player on his day, who hasn’t played a lot of international cricket either,” Browne said. “He’s an investment and we all know if we get him right what he can produce for us. Carlos’s strike rate would be more than the other bowlers because of the time of the games when he bowls.”Carlos and a lot of the other players, we have players now who actually want to play, we have players who are committed, they are self-starters, they work hard. When you see players who are doing that, you know that you will be able to create that environment that is conducive to producing cricketers that can perform consistently.”Browne said West Indies’ selection panel are likely to give players an extended run in the playing XI to help them develop, as opposed to the approach of selection in the past.”We are number eight in the world because we put ourselves there by playing bad cricket over the years by making bad decisions. When you look at our players, there are some who have been given a little extension because you want them to develop,” Browne said.”We don’t want to have a case where you have a whole bunch of players, like what used to happen in the past, where we had so many players, all of them had games under their belts but none ever got a good extension or fair run to help them to develop. We need to develop cricketers.”