West Ham United supporters have been handed a ‘hopeful’ update on their club’s pursuit of former star and long-time target Jesse Lingard.
The Lowdown: Hammers get moving…
Sealing deals for both Nayef Aguerd and Alphonse Areola, manager David Moyes has now set his sights on a reunion with Lingard as he attempts to bring him back to London.
The 29-year-old dazzled on loan over a second-half-of-season temporary spell back in 2020/2021, racking up nine goals and four assists over 16 Premier League starts.
Given his soon-to-be free agent status, with Lingard’s deal at Man United expiring tomorrow, the east Londoners have apparently made him an offer to join West Ham.
The Latest: Evening Standard share Lingard news…
As per The Evening Standard, a ‘formal offer’ has indeed been put forward to the Englishman as West Ham seek to bring him back.
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They add that the Hammers and Moyes are ‘hopeful’ they can agreeing a move for Lingard after Moyes personally attempted his permanent signing on several occasions.
The Verdict: No brainer?
As West Ham look to upgrade their attacking areas, we believe Lingard on a Bosman deal would be incredibly shrewd.
Dependent on salary demands and other factors, the forward’s phenomenal 21/22 loan spell backs how he could be a real asset under Moyes.
After previous attempts to sign Lingard, former England international Paul Robinson branded him a would-be ‘huge’ signing for West Ham and we believe this point still stands despite his lack of game time.
If anything, it is even more relevant now that they could sign him for free.
Leeds United are interested in signing Sassuolo attacking midfielder Hamed Junior Traore, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness).
The lowdown: Family affair
The brother of Manchester United wonder-kid Amad Diallo, Traore has been lighting up Serie A over the last three seasons and earned a £14.4million move from Empoli last summer (Transfermarkt).
Having continued to make great strides following the switch to Sassuolo, the 22-year-old Ivory Coast international could now be set to follow in his brother’s footsteps and head to the Premier League.
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Previously linked with a €30million (£25million) move to AC Milan, one reputable Italian source has now brought the Whites into the equation…
The latest: Leeds cited
As per Gazzetta dello Sport, transcribed by SW, Leeds are described as ‘the most determined at the moment’ to make a deal happen having established contacts.
It’s claimed that both the Elland Road club and Milan remain attentive to the three-cap ace and will have to ‘bring offers of €25million (£21million) upward’ in order to prompt Sassuolo into selling their attacker.
The report also states that ‘no one apart from Leeds has pushed the deal forward’ for the youngster praised for a ‘magnificent’ 2021/22 campaign by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
The verdict: Pay up
At the mooted asking price, adding Traore to Jesse Marsch’s squad would be an exceptional piece of business, particularly when you consider the Ivorian’s age and apparent sky-high ceiling.
Generally playing as an inverted left winger onto a favoured right foot, the dynamic forward scored eight times and provided four assists in 31 appearances across all competitions last season and would be the ideal candidate to supplement the options already at Marsch’s disposal, especially with the future of Jack Harrison remaining in the balance amidst links with Newcastle and Tottenham.
Overall last season, Traore earned a 6.90 Sofascore rating whilst successfully completing 2.0 dribbles on average per Serie A outing – that’s more than renowned close control expert Raphinha, who only managed to succeed with 1.8 attempts per league game.
All told, given the levels of interest and the suggested price tag, Victor Orta and indeed Andrea Radrizzani should be pushing hard to make this deal a reality.
An update has emerged on Tottenham and their interest in signing Lisandro Martinez in the summer transfer window…
What’s the talk?
90min reporter Sean Walsh has claimed that Spurs are in the race to land the defender alongside a host of Premier League outfits.
He Tweeted: “Arsenal are leading the chase for Lisandro Martinez, but they face significant competition from likes of Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle. Erik ten Hag and Man Utd also admirers but further down their shortlist.”
Fabio Paratici is plotting a swoop for the Argentine gem and will reportedly need to shell out £25m to tempt Ajax into selling him.
Big Ben Davies upgrade
By securing a deal to sign Martinez, the Spurs chief can land Antonio Conte a big upgrade on Ben Davies at left centre-back.
The Wales international enjoyed a solid campaign with Tottenham as he started 28 times in the Premier League and helped them to secure Champions League football.
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He averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.88 and won 54% of his duels as he established himself alongside Eric Dier and Christian Romero on the left-hand side of the back three.
In Martinez, however, Spurs can find themselves a superior player to improve their XI heading into the 2022/23 campaign.
Journalist Casey Evans previously claimed that the defender has a “bulldog-like” approach, much like Carlos Tevez, and his statistics suggest that it is an accurate comment.
In 2021/22, the brute won a whopping 69% of his individual duels and made 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game in the Eredivisie – showing that he is an aggressive defender who wins the majority of his 50/50’s.
These stats show that he is a physically dominant player, despite standing at 5 foot 9, who can outmuscle opposition players in battles at a much higher success rate than Davies.
Martinez has also shown that he has potential to deliver a higher standard of performance on a regular basis than the former Swansea man. Last season, the Argentina international averaged a phenomenal SofaScore rating of 7.61 from centre-back as he produced quality displays week-in-week-out in the Netherlands.
At the age of 24, he also has the potential to improve and is a player Conte can work with on the training pitch to help him develop in the years to come. This means that he can be a big upgrade on Davies in the short-term, if he can adapt to the Premier League, whilst also being an investment for the future.
AND in other news, Conte can axe £80k-p/w “nightmare” as Spurs plot bid for £50m gem who “rarely misses”…
Celtic have signed a lot of players from abroad over recent years either on loan or permanent deals.
However, the Hoops have also taken players away from their fellow Scottish clubs such as Greg Taylor and Scott Bain among others.
Another fairly recent recruit that didn’t travel too far to get to Parkhead is David Turnbull.
Signed from Motherwell back in August 2020 in a deal worth £3.25m, 14 months after a previous move for the player collapsed, the midfielder has since made 77 appearances for the club across all competitions.
The 22-year-old has shown in those appearances why the Bhoys were so keen to add him to their ranks as he has found the net 19 times and delivered 16 assists.
This shows just how successful and beneficial it can be for the club to sign some of Scotland’s young talents and embed them into their side.
Now that the latest season has ended with Ange Postecoglou guiding his side to the SPFL title, it seems as though the Hoops have the chance to secure what could be their next version of Turnbull as a young starlet making a name for himself in the top division.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Celtic have been watching Aberdeen youngster Connor Barron throughout the season at club and international level.
As a product of Aberdeen’s youth system, the 19-year-old has made 15 senior appearances for the club, eight of which came during the final weeks of the season.
In those appearances, the teenager managed to make 15 interceptions, 15 successful tackles and 15 shots at goal in addition to delivering 59 crosses, highlighting how much of a capable midfield figure he is on and off the ball.
Back in February, Barry Robson said that Barron “has a heart the size of a lion’s,” as well as describing him as an “aggressive” player on the pitch who “reads the game well” and “will go into any challenge.”
Thus, if Celtic are looking to continue their track record of signing talented young players from their fellow top-flight compatriots this summer, then securing a deal for the Aberdeen prodigy should be at the top of their to-do list before the season kicks off again.
In other news: Celtic can replicate Starfelt masterclass as Ange eyes “versatile” £900k-rated brute
Tottenham Hotspur have also held ‘negotiations’ to sign a ‘perfect player’ for manager Antonio Conte, according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas.
The Lowdown: Spurs busy…
The Lilywhites have certainly been one of the busier Premier League teams of this transfer window so far, having already confirmed both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on Bosman deals.
They’re also rumoured to be closing in on a third as reports surround Brighton and Hove Albion star Yves Bissouma, perhaps setting up this summer window as Tottenham’s busiest and most exciting in years.
Sharing an update, Thomas of Sky now says there have been ‘negotiations’ to sign another player Conte.
According to the journalist, the club and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, have held talks over signing Middlesbrough starlet Djed Spence.
However, Thomas also states that no deal has been agreed ‘yet’.
When asked for the latest update on Spence, he explained:
“There have been negotiations. Deal not agreed yet.”
The Verdict: Start moving…
Securing the 21-year-old would balance out Tottenham’s troubling homegrown quota issue and provide Conte with an exciting wing-back option.
Described as the ‘perfect player for Conte’ by talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, other members of the media have said he ‘massively fits the bill’ for Spurs’ head coach after an ‘incredible’ season on loan at Nottingham Forest over 2021/2022 (Alan Hutton).
Spence’s mooted £20 million asking price could be a reasonable valuation given the amount of benefits he would provide Spurs and this is a move which should certainly be prioritised.
In other news: Conte enters pole position to sign ‘excellent’ international defender for Spurs! Find out more here.
Wolves may have only finished 10th in the Premier League this season, but they managed to do so with a respectable defensive record.
Over 38 games, Bruno Lage’s side conceded 43 goals in total, which is fewer than the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, West Ham United and Leicester City, all of whom finished above them in the table.
One man who played a big part in Wolves’ impressive defence this season is Max Kilman.
Over 30 league matches, the Englishman won 33 tackles and made 52 blocks, 64 interceptions and 118 clearances.
To further highlight the defender’s talent and impact on the team, in the final six league games of the season that he missed through injury, Wolves did not keep one clean sheet, conceding 15 goals in the process.
Now that the season has ended and the summer transfer window is about to open, one man who has been linked with a move to Molineux and who could give Lage the chance to form a scary defensive duo alongside Kilman is Calvin Bassey.
Since joining Rangers two years ago, the defender has gone on to make 65 appearances for the Glasgow club across all competitions, chipping in with one goal and six assists.
In terms of his defensive capabilities, the 22-year-old made 20 interceptions and won 28 tackles in 29 Scottish Premiership games this season. Also, his performance in the Europa League final which saw Rangers lose on penalties against Eintracht Frankfurt was described as “astonishing” by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves.
This shows just how capable the defender is of playing on the big stage and stepping up for his team when it matters most.
Regarding a potential move to Wolves this summer, the fact that the defender has been deployed as a centre-back and as a left-back through the 2021/22 season could make him a useful squad option for Lage.
Taking into account Kilman’s clear significance to the team, as was unfortunately highlighted during the final weeks of the campaign, having him at the back alongside Bassey could be a scary prospect for opposing teams next season.
With a reported price tag of £25m, luring the Rangers star away from Ibrox and to the Premier League is definitely something that Lage and the Wolves hierarchy should consider as the summer transfer window approaches.
In other news: Lage can seal Moutinho 2.0 as Wolves eye £18m-rated wizard who turned down Man City
Injury expert Ben Dinnery has been reacting to Manchester United’s move for head of athletic development Matt Walker, as per Football Insider.
The Lowdown: Walker joining Man United
United may not have made any first-team signings for Erik ten Hag as of yet, but the club have agreed a deal to bring in Walker, formerly of Cambridge United.
He has joined the club as head of athletic development and will work closely with United’s youth teams ranging from the under-17s to under-23s.
He was hailed as doing an ‘exceptional job’ with Cambridge as head of performance, and Dinnery believes that a move for Walker is an ‘important’ one for the Red Devils.
The Latest: Dinnery reacts to Walker appointment
Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding United’s move to bring in Walker.
The injury expert described it as ‘absolutely massive’ and a ‘fantastic role’, going into detail on Walker’s role with the crop of academy stars:
“Walker is working at an age group where kids are developing into adults.
“You have that transitional phase. You’re moving from functional training to a very serious, goal-driven style of training. You need to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and the wider picture behind it.
“You need to look at the development and long-term impact of playing in competitive sports. To move on to the next level, these guys in the coaching department are pivotal.
“Without that foundational model and those building blocks, the players are going to be ill-prepared. It’s massive, absolutely massive. It’s important to get that right, and it’s a fantastic role to work with those young people.”
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The Verdict: Good to see
United lifted the FA Youth Cup for the 11th time last month and their first since 2011, defeating Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford in front of more than 67,000 supporters.
It’s clear to see that an exciting crop of future stars are coming through at Carrington, so bringing in someone like Walker to help with the physical transition seems to be a wise move.
The step up to the first team nowadays is huge, so having a head of athletic development in the academy could prove to be a smart decision which goes under the radar in an Old Trafford rebuild under Ten Hag.
In other news: Sky Sports relay big Man Utd news as Ten Hag plots move for English star
Newcastle United are reportedly now ‘keen’ on signing Darwin Nunez in the summer.
The Lowdown: Standout season
Nunez has had a standout season at Benfica, scoring no fewer than 34 goals and making a further four assists in just 41 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).
He was described as an ‘absolute beast‘ by Liverpool podcaster Hari Sethi after an impressive performance in the UEFA Champions League against the finalists, showing that he is more than capable of making the step up to the Premier League.
The Latest: Newcastle ‘keen’
Taking to Twitter, journalist Jacque Talbot, who regularly breaks transfer news and updates, has revealed that the St. James’ Park outfit are just one of a number of clubs in the top flight who are ‘keen’ on signing Nunez.
“Darwin Nunez will be going to the Premier League, with Eugenio Lopez as his agent, the rep who brokered the deal of Di Maria and Man United. Newcastle keen. Liverpool and Spurs among it.”
The Verdict: Get it done
If the Magpies can put the right offer on the table, then there may not come a better opportunity than to sign a player who promises to be one of the best strikers in Europe over the next few years – Jorge Jesus says he will become ‘world class’.
Indeed, Nunez is only 22 years of age, and so has the potential to reach the very top.
The Magpies looks set to face some stiff competition from teams that can offer him Champions League football, and so the Toon must act as soon as possible if they are going to get this deal done.
In other news, find out who PIF are now ‘ready’ to sign this summer here!
Manchester City have shown over the years that they are not shy when it comes to signing players from their fellow Premier League clubs.
While the Citizens have a number of players currently in their squad that have been brought in from other top flight sides such as Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling among others, they’ve also done the same throughout previous stages of their history.
One player, in particular, that fits that bill is Gareth Barry, who the Manchester club signed from Aston Villa back in 2009 in a deal worth £12m.
During his time at the Etihad Stadium, the midfielder made 175 appearances in total across all competitions, scoring eight goals, providing 18 assists and winning an FA Cup and Premier League title in the process.
After leaving the club in 2014, it seems as though now, eight years later, City could find themselves getting a new version of the midfielder this summer.
Earlier this month, the Citizens were linked with a move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who reportedly has a price tag of £60m.
Having worked his way through Leeds’ youth ranks, as Barry did at Villa, Phillips has made 234 appearances for the Yorkshire club across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and delivering 13 assists along the way.
In terms of Phillips being City’s and Pep Guardiola’s modern version of Barry, the former City title winner was described in The Guardian as “a technically gifted player with an eye for a pass and an ability to anticipate danger”.
That is along the same lines of the praise that Andrea Pirlo gave the Leeds star by saying that he was a “rock” in midfield for England during their Euro 2020 campaign, whilst also showing his technical passing ability by setting up Sterling’s winning goal against Croatia.
Having made a total of 139 tackles across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Premier League seasons for Leeds, this highlights how much of a tough midfield opponent he can be and backs up what the former Juventus player and manager said about him.
The 26-year-old also found himself on the receiving end of praise for his international performances by former England manager Fabio Capello who called him a “phenomenal” player.
This shows that the England international has experience of playing with the likes of Sterling, Grealish, Phil Foden, John Stones and Kyle Walker, which may make it easier for him to settle in at City if he does join them this summer.
In other news: Imagine him & Grealish: Pep can form deadly MCFC duo by signing “refreshing” £30m star
Sri Lanka’s first goal, however, will be to be more competitive than they were in Durban
Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Dec-20244:28
Will Sri Lanka go in without a spinner in Gqeberha?
Big picture: Can Sri Lanka avoid another collapse?
The headline is that both teams are in with a shot at making the World Test Championship final, but neither have secured a place. Unhelpfully for South Africa, the WTC points system doesn’t reward hefty winning margins, so although they crushed Sri Lanka by 233 runs in Durban, it still only goes down as a simple win.Still, they have arrived in Gqeberha full of confidence. Another win here, and their path to that final clears up significantly. A win for Sri Lanka, meanwhile, would mean they have a chance of qualifying for the final without having to depend on other results. (They would also need to win the matches against Australia 2-0.)Their first goal, however, is to be more competitive than they were in Durban. Their batters, specifically, cannot allow another collapse to occur. Various members of the batting group have spoken about the challenge of facing South Africa’s tall quicks, on tracks that offer more bounce than they are used to at home. These coastal venues are not as bouncy as they tend to be in the Highveld, for instance, but have clearly presented more of a challenge than Sri Lanka expected. They’ll also hope that given the wind and sunshine forecast for Gqeberha for the next few days, the surface will dry out and bring spinners more meaningfully into the game.Related
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South Africa’s own batters were dismissed for 191 in the first innings in Kingsmead, but they have Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs coming into this Test in serious form, while Aiden Markram also got a decent innings under his belt at Kingsmead.South Africa’s concerns ahead of the Test centre around the make-up of their attack, with Wiaan Mulder and Gerald Coetzee both ruled out. They still have their spearheads in Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, however, who shared 14 wickets in the previous Test, Jansen getting 11 on his own.
Form guide
South Africa: WWWWD (last five Tests, most recent first) Sri Lanka: LWWWLSouth Africa will be without Wiaan Mulder and Gerald Coetzee in Gqeberha•Gallo Images/Getty Images
In the spotlight: Tristan Stubbs and Lahiru Kumara
Test cricket must seem pretty straightforward so far to 24-year-old Tristan Stubbs. Eleven innings in, he’s got two centuries and a fifty, with an average of 43.90. While Bavuma was tentative in the approach to triple figures in Kingsmead, Stubbs raced through the 90s. He had had some luck in that innings, having been dropped on 33, but remained positive through his stay at the crease, pressing South Africa’s advantage alongside Bavuma. He will relish the opportunity to back that 122 up with a solid performance in his first Test in his home town.Lahiru Kumara is not always the most disciplined of Sri Lanka’s quicks, but he is their fastest bowler, and at Kingsmead, the most penetrative. He is on the verge of joining a fairly exclusive club. Sri Lanka have only ever had four seam bowlers get to 100 wickets – Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, and Dilhara Fernando. Kumara needs only one more dismissal to get up to triple figures. If Sri Lanka are to level the series, they will likely need Kumara to blow well past that milestone.
Team news
South Africa named their XI on match eve, with Ryan Rickelton and Dane Paterson coming in in place of Mulder and Coetzee. That means an extra batter, three seamers and a spinner.*South Africa: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Temba Bavuma (capt), 5 David Bedingham, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Ryan Rickelton, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Dane PatersonSri Lanka also have major decisions to make around their attack. Will they do what they did in Lord’s this year, and strap four fast bowlers to the plough? It’s a definite possibility, given Milan Rathnayake can also bat a bit. They also desperately want to find a place for Oshada Fernando, as Oshada had recently made 122 and 80 for Sri Lanka A in South Africa, and had also hit 75 not out at this venue in 2019. But who would make way for his inclusion?Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dimuth Karuanaratne, 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Prabath Jayasuriuya/ Milan Rathnayake, 9 Vishwa Fernando, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Lahiru KumaraLahiru Kumara is on the verge of 100 Test wickets•AFP/Getty Images
Pitch and conditions
The day before the match, the playing surface was covered with a hessian to prevent too much moisture loss as the drying wind was expected to pick up in the afternoon. There remained significant grass on the surface for the same reason. The groundsman has yet to decide how much will be cut on the morning of the match. The westerly wind is forecast for most of the match, which suggests batting first and taking advantage of deteriorating conditions later on. No rain is forecast for the five days, for now.
Stats and trivia
If Kumara takes three wickets in Gqeberha, his wicket-tally will go past those of Dilhara Fernando (100) and Lasith Malinga (101), and he will become the third-highest wicket-taker in Sri Lanka’s seam-bowling history.
Sri Lanka lost their first match in Gqeberha in 2016, going down by 206 runs. But they won their most recent game at the venue, by eight wickets in 2019.
Stubbs has been excellent at getting starts so far in his career, having got to 20 in nine of his 11 innings.
Quotes
“The way that we stacked up our line-up is that, we believe that with the runs on the board, that gives you enough time to get 20 wickets. It might take us a bit longer. It may not play like Durban. There is a bit more grass on the wicket. I think there will be something in there for our seamers. But if it doesn’t favour our seamers, we do have the spin of Kesh[av Maharaj] to be effective. So we believe that whether it’s the seam, whether it’s the spin, we can still be successful in these conditions.” “If we compare this cycle with the previous one, we are doing far better. I’m happy with the boys and how they’ve performed. If we don’t get to the final in this cycle, we should be prepared to de even better in the next one.” *