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Newcastle United are coming off the back of a 4-0 loss to Manchester City, where the Magpies managed just three shots in the entire game, generating 0.48 xG and holding 38% possession.

As good as Alexander Isak has been this season, this game highlighted Newcastle’s lack of threat when he is effectively kept quiet throughout the game, with Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy then struggling to have their impact.

Eddie Howe’s side could have used something different in attack, especially to threaten City more on the break from both flanks, but they may have got rid of the perfect man for that in the summer.

Yankuba Minteh's season in numbers

Newcastle sold Yankuba Minteh to Brighton and Hive Albion in the summer in order to comply with PSR regulations, with the Gambian starlet never actually making an appearance for the Tynesiders.

The 20-year-old – who joined Brighton for a fee of around £30m – has made 23 appearances for the Seagulls this season, scoring five goals, providing three assists and totalling 1,169 minutes played.

With his rapid pace, ability to hurt teams in transition and also his knack for arriving in dangerous areas, whether that’s off the dribble or by running in behind, Minteh is a constant threat, and one that Newcastle could use on their right side.

But Newcastle may have already made an even bigger mistake, selling another star who could’ve helped their attacking issues when Isak is struggling, who is now one of the Premier League’s top scorers.

Newcastle's bigger mistake than Minteh

Chris Wood left Newcastle in the 2023/24 season, initially joining Nottingham Forest on a loan deal, with an obligation to buy depending on certain conditions, which cost in the region of £15m.

Where Are They Now

Wood – who had only scored five goals in 39 games for the Magpies – has since made 69 appearances after joining Forest, scoring 34 goals, providing three assists and totalling 4,639 minutes.

The 31-year-old is the third-highest scorer in the Premier League this season with his 18 goals scored, firing Forest into third place after 25 games played.

It’s this level of clinical finisher that could help Newcastle when Isak isn’t firing, and could even be used alongside him to give Howe another option.

Player

Goals

Assists

Chris Wood

18

2

Yankuba Minteh

5

3

Elliot Anderson

1

5

Allan Saint-Maximin

3

4

Ayoze Perez

13

2

Joselu

10

2

Aleksandar Mitrovic

20

3

Mikel Merino

4

1

Ivan Toney

15

4

Newcastle have sold a number of players who could have contributed over the past five or six seasons, with different striker profiles to contrast with Isak, more direct and pacey wingers in comparison to Jacob Murphy and creative attacking midfielders such as Elliot Anderson, who could have added some key carrying quality to the side.

Wood has been described as a “throwback” striker by former Tottenham and West Ham boss, Harry Redknapp, converting his chances at a brilliant rate, tussling with defenders in the penalty box and getting his job done for the team.

Whilst it’s easy to look back now and say selling Wood was a huge mistake, the numbers speak for themselves, and having both Isak and Wood in the same squad could have been enough to fire the Magpies into another top-four finish, regaining Champions League football.

As bad as Trippier: Newcastle could drop 3/10 star who looked "petrified"

Newcastle were thrashed at the Etihad in a third PL loss in four matches.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 15, 2025

da pinup bet： Arsenal have asked Bayern Munich about signing a “ridiculously talented finisher” in Vincent Kompany’s squad, with manager Mikel Arteta also said to be a real fan of his, as the Spaniard seeks fresh forward options.

Arsenal target striker as January window clock ticks down

da premier bet： Just days remain of this year’s January transfer window, and interim Gunners sporting director Jason Ayto is running out of time to hand Arteta a much-needed new striker before the deadline on February 3rd.

Related Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal have made recent contact over signing £85m striker

The Gunners are still chasing a forward.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 29, 2025

A host of high-profile centre-forwards have been linked in the past few days, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano even reporting that Arsenal made recent contact with Aston Villa over Jhon Duran, despite the Colombian’s reported £85 million asking price.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Man City (home)

February 2nd

Leicester City (away)

February 15th

West Ham (home)

February 22nd

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26th

Man United (away)

March 9th

As well as Duran, the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, Igor Jesus and Matheus Cunha are all rumoured Arsenal striker targets from the last month, but as the January clock ticks down, the chances of landing a quality, prolific new name grow slimmer and slimmer.

Arsenal will be without Gabriel Jesus for the remainder of 2024/2025, after the Brazilian ruptured his ACL in an FA Cup third round defeat to Man United, while star winger Bukayo Saka isn’t expected to return until March.

This has left the north Londoners very short in the final third, with new transfer targets appearing on a consistent basis as we fast approach deadline day.

Now, according to a report by TEAMtalk, Arsenal have emerged as contenders to sign Bayern Munich starlet Mathys Tel.

The Frenchman has decided to leave Bavaria this month, handing a boost to his potential suitors, with Arsenal now joining the frantic late race for his services.

The versatile striker is well and truly up for grabs, with TEAMtalk expanding on their interest.

Arsenal make contact with Bayern Munich over signing Mathys Tel

They report that Arsenal have asked Bayern about the conditions of a deal for Tel, who’s struggled to battle his way into Kompany’s starting elevens consistently, despite possessing an abundance of quality and a glowing reputation abroad.

Arteta is also a fan of the 19-year-old, and Arsenal are in a “good position” when it comes to potential negotiations, due to their status as a Champions League club and contenders atop the Premier League table.

People close to Tel are also convinced that he could seize the Arsenal striker’s spot long-term, and this is echoed by Football Analyst Ben Mattinson.

“Ridiculously talented finisher (better than what we have) and if you convince him to stay long term, he could replace Gabriel Jesus/Trossard,” wrote Mattinson on X, regarding his suitability to Arsenal. “Huge fan of Tel, huge opportunity if available, even if it’s just on a straight loan for 6 months.”

Arsenal, according to other reports, would have to pay around £40 million to strike a permanent deal for the teenager.

Sheffield United are now stepping up their pursuit of a “superb” midfielder, with an official offer set to be made soon, according to a report.

Blades looking to strengthen in attacking areas

Chris Wilder clearly feels some new attacking reinforcements are needed if his side are to go all the way and seal promotion from the Championship this season, and the Blades are now well-placed to win the race for two strikers.

A £13m fee has now been agreed with Leicester City for the signing of Tom Cannon, meaning only personal terms need to be agreed to get a deal over the line.

Should Wilder want to bring in more than one new striker this month, he is also in a good position to win the race for Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz, as the Chile international would only consider a return to United, despite interest from elsehwere.

Sheffield United now eyeing move to sign £300,000-a-year international

They would get one over on their city rivals in the process.

ByBen Browning Jan 16, 2025

Not only do Sheffield United want to bring in a new striker, but they are also keen in bringing a new attacking midfielder this month, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Besiktas’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

According to reports from the Turkish media (via Sport Witness), the Blades have now stepped up their interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain, with Besiktas trying to offload him this month, having deemed him surplus to requirements.

The Championship promotion hopefuls are set to make an official offer for the attacking midfielder soon, aiming to take him on loan until the end of the season, although it is unclear whether they plan to make it a permanent deal in the summer.

There may be competition for the 31-year-old’s signature, however, with French side Nantes also said to be interested.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is proven at the top level

Although his Liverpool career was marred by injuries, the midfielder scored a memorable goal for the Reds against Manchester City in the Champions League back in 2018, one of nine in Europe’s top competition.

The Portsmouth-born maestro is a well-rounded midfielder, having also received praise from football writer Leanne Prescott for his defensive aptitude during his time on Merseyside.

The only concern over signing Oxlade-Chamberlain is the fact his best days are likely to be behind him, having failed to make an impact at Besiktas this season, appearing for a total of just 113 minutes in the Turkish Super Lig.

That said, the former Champions League winner with Liverpool may still be able to do a job at Championship level, and signing him on loan, rather than permanently, would make it a relatively low-risk move for the Blades.

Manchester City have dedicated a 'shrine' to academy graduate Phil Foden, who has won 15 trophies with the club.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Man City dedicate 'shrine' to Phil Foden
• Academy gym features images of academy graduate
• Foden has won 15 trophies with club

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Foden came through the club's academy and into the first team and images of him are all over the current academy gym, highlighting to young players what they are trying to emulate, according to Mail Sport.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Foden is arguably the greatest academy graduate of the club's modern era, winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League, and multiple other trophies. He was named the Premier League player of the year for 2023/24 and now inspires the next generation at the club.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Foden is now being followed into the first team by several other promising youngsters, including Rico Lewis, James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly. Cole Palmer also broke through before being sold to Chelsea and reaching stardom of his own in West London.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR FODEN?

  Foden has not been quite as impressive this term, though he has still scored 10 goals and assisted six in 39 appearances in all competitions. He is aiming to win his next piece of silverware in the FA Cup, in which City will play Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals.

Moeen Ali’s unbeaten 155 was the sort of innings to make hearts beat faster, as well as a reminder that statistics only tell half a tale

George Dobell at Chester-le-Street28-May-2016Do you remember the moment you fell in love with cricket?Everyone will have a different experience but, for those of us of a certain age, the sight of David Gower playing a cover driver was the gateway drug to a lifelong affair that has endured long after other loves have dulled or departed.Gower didn’t really drive the ball. He didn’t even persuade it. With the most gentle forward movement, he more suggested the ball might like to speed to the boundary and, as enamoured with him as everyone else, it seemed only too happy to oblige. If you judged Gower by stats you missed the point; you judged him more by the purrs of pleasure he generated. Was he great or very good? Who cares: he was beautiful.But there is a danger, in the business of analysing a day’s cricket, that we forget such fundamental pleasures. There is a danger that, with our caveats and our context, we crush the joy out of the moment and lose sight of the bigger picture: cricket is entertainment; it’s meant to be fun.Moeen Ali reminds us of this. It is perfectly reasonable that critics look at his statistics – a bowling average approaching 40 and a batting average that was, before this match, under 30 – and presume he is, by the lofty standards of Test cricket, a relatively mediocre player.But then he plays like this. He drives and cuts and pulls with such sweet timing, he brings up his century with a gloriously uncomplicated lofted drive for four over mid-off, he brings up his 150 with a flicked six over midwicket. And he tells you afterwards with a bashful grin that “it was nice”.His first fifty, coming with England in danger of being dismissed for somewhere between 300 and 350, took 109 balls. His second took 43 and his third just 41. Despite eight men on the boundary, despite turning down singles, he played with such overwhelming dominance, timed the ball so crisply and demonstrated such an array of strokes that it seemed preposterous that he has scored so few Test runs.

“I am quite loose but I don’t really care”Moeen Ali

Yes, he was dropped twice. Yes, on this docile pitch he was hardly tested by the short ball that has caused him discomfort in the past. And yes, there are probably quite a few batsmen in county cricket who, given 25 Tests, might score a couple of centuries.But not many of them would have taken 65 wickets with their offspin. And not many of them would have lit up a dispiritingly uncompetitive day’s cricket – Moeen rated Sri Lanka’s tactics as both “strange” and “perfect” for England – in a dispiritingly uncompetitive series with such a glorious display of strokeplay. On an increasingly sluggish pitch on which nobody else can time the ball, Moeen evoked memories of Gower. There isn’t much higher praise.And, just as you don’t want to be person at a wedding who mutters “40% of these things end in divorce, you know; the rest of them end in death,” so you don’t want to be person who applies reason to rainbows and sunsets and Moeen’s batting. Modern sport hasn’t become so results oriented that all the joy has been driven out.His fragility is part of the charm of Moeen. Oh, yes. It will infuriate at times. But, what’s that line about never feeling more alive than when you’re on the brink of death? Well, there’s an element of that to Moeen’s batting. He will probably always have a weakness outside off stump in the way that George Best always had a weakness for a night out. The slip cordon will always be in business; the bowler will always feel he has a chance. As he put it: “I am quite loose but I decided today, I don’t really care.”Can you imagine Alastair Cook saying that? But while Cook is all about the bottom line and practicalities, Moeen is all about feel and touch. He is the DeLorean to Cook’s Volvo. His batting offers charm more than security; joy more than insurance. In a pragmatic world, he bats like an artist.He doesn’t mean to, of course. When he made a century in his second Test, he impressed with his discipline outside off stump. Steeped in the skills of a top-order batsman from the moment he was old enough to pick up a bat, he batted like the No. 3 he is for Worcestershire.But, somewhere along the way, he has learned some bad habits. Knowing he will often be left with the tail, knowing he has limited time to make runs, he has lost the rhythm that defines so many good batsmen and instead started searching for the ball. Often he has not given himself time – or circumstance has not given him time – to build an innings. So instead of the elegant drives or effortless pulls, he has fallen to some ugly heaves and unworthy hacks.He believes the mentality of batting at No. 8 has been responsible for his decline. That and the decision to demote him in the limited-overs side after he had scored two centuries as opener. Confidence undercut by batting with men who grew-up as bowlers, he has increasingly batted like a tailender. Just as Ben Stokes was backed for the No. 6 position in the belief that he would react positively to the extra responsibility, so Moeen has reacted negatively to the lack of responsibility. The promotion to No. 7 for this match “definitely” helped him, he said. “It’s just not the same.”A lot may be made of his average at No. 7 – an eye-watering 276.00 – compared to his average at No. 8 of 29.33 from 18 innings. But he has batted just three times and been dismissed only once at No. 7. It is too small a sample size to draw conclusions. Besides, he averages just 21.00 in 11 innings at No. 6.Moeen Ali’s second Test hundred left England in complete control•Getty ImagesThere is little scope for promoting him at present. Jonny Bairstow looks a more complete batsman and Ben Stokes is a special cricketer who can win games with bat or ball. His average may never show it but then Stokes is a far from average cricketer.Realistically, Moeen has to get used to batting at No. 8. While it might not help England get the best out of him, it is a team game and individuals have to compromise for the general good. Perhaps, in Asia later this year, he may move up the order again to make space for another spinner. But, generally, this isn’t such a terrible dilemma for England. They have wrestled with far more troubling problems in recent years than a surfeit of good middle-order batsmen.It may pain Sri Lanka supporters to know that Moeen credits watching Kumar Sangakkara for his improved form. Struck by Sangakkara’s high back lift and “rhythm” of his trigger movements earlier this season, Moeen went home that night and practised in front of the mirror using the same technique. “I watched two balls and just tried to copy him, really,” he said.”I feel like I’m getting it back,” he said. “I owed the team a score. But, coming in at No. 7, you can put your batting mind on and contribute with a big score.”He is quietly putting together a decent career. During the day, he became the fifth-fastest England player to reach the milestone of 1000 runs and 50 wickets in Test cricket. All four of those who did it quicker – Ian Botham, Tony Greig, Trevor Bailey and Ben Stokes – are widely respected allrounders. He’s in pretty good company.Cricket isn’t just about winning. And it’s not just about stats. It’s about joy and feeling and pleasure every bit as much. And, one day way in the future, long after they have forgotten the scores, the drops or even the result, those fortunate enough to have been at Chester-le-Street on Saturday will look back and be glad that they saw Moeen Ali bat.

Asad Shafiq is a vital cog at No. 6 for Pakistan but he isn’t interested in the limelight. He just wants to keep getting better

Melinda Farrell27-Jul-2016

The Pakistan travelling show is a billboard bursting with shiny headline acts: a chorus line of sexy quicks belting out their best swing numbers, a legspinner with more razzle dazzle than Catherine Zeta-Jones; Misbah-ul-Haq, the noble leading man with a stirring solo; Sarfraz Ahmed grabbing centre stage for a dashing cameo; and, of course, Younis Khan – mesmerising the audience with footwork that would have flabbergasted Bob Fosse himself.Among the noisy and entertaining flamboyance it’s easy to miss Asad Shafiq: Pakistan’s Mr Cellophane, quietly accumulating runs in the wings with a purer technique than any of his flashier team-mates. Shafiq plays an unselfish role; coming in at No. 6, he often provides stability when Pakistan’s batting crumbles and guides the tail with the authority of a batsman who, in many other teams, would be at three or four. If not for the longevity of Misbah and Younis, he almost certainly would fill one of those roles for Pakistan.Shafiq is currently the 13th ranked Test batsman in the world. He is almost certainly the least famous in the top 20, despite playing 43 Tests over a period of nearly six years. He lives with his wife and two young daughters, and looks after his widowed mother, in Karachi. While others at his level have been endlessly profiled, their backstories told and retold, their personal lives treated as public property, he has remained refreshingly enigmatic.”I’m not that person that I want to really go out and express myself as a celebrity,” Shafiq tells ESPNcricinfo. “I just want to do things very simply and very quietly.”It was on the suburban back streets of Karachi that Shafiq simply and quietly began his cricketing journey. His mother was kept busy looking after ten children while his father worked at a cement factory. Shafiq, the youngest and smallest, would often be found with his friends and neighbours, pretending to be Sachin Tendulkar as he faced a taped-up tennis ball on the street outside his front door. He would bowl a few deliveries, too, the lightweight ball allowing him to bowl faster than his small frame would normally allow.But it was while batting that he made people sit up and take notice. Enough to stand out as a 12-year-old and be invited to play against much older boys at the local cricket ground. Enough to be singled out to join Karachi’s Jalaluddin academy.”I started playing with the big boys in the ground,” Shafiq says, “and then I found the love of cricket inside me. The love took me to my first trial of hard-ball cricket at the Under-19 regional academy in Karachi. That’s how I found the love for the game and the start of my career.”Once cricket became a serious career path, Shafiq looked closer to home for inspiration, settling on the elegant and prolific Mohammad Yousuf as a role model.”I watched Mohammad Yousuf when he scored 1000 runs and broke the world record for number of centuries in a calendar year,” Shafiq says. “The way he was playing, especially in that year, it was amazing and I just can’t forget his drives and his cuts. I really liked him after that.”Yousuf is now one of Shafiq’s batting mentors, a group that also includes Javed Miandad and Rashid Latif. While his technique may be widely praised, Shafiq is on a never-ending perfectionist’s quest to hone his already considerable skills.”I’m always thinking about my batting and my front foot and my back foot and I always like to talk about it with Grant Flower, our batting coach,” Shafiq says. “I discuss with him what I should do to get it better every time. What to do and what not to do. I want to sit with him and talk about my batting, about my stance, about my grip, about my head position.”

“That was the team requirement [batting at No. 6] so I think whatever the team wants me to do, whatever role they want me to play, I really take it as a responsibility”

Shafiq’s promotion to the national side in 2010 came with a demotion from his usual top-order batting position. He had never batted at No. 6 until his first Test but he has made more of his role there than most; his tally of eight Test centuries is the joint highest by a number six, a record he shares with Garry Sobers.The best of those innings came during his first tour of South Africa, in 2013. On a hard and bouncy Newlands wicket, facing a fearsome pace attack boasting Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, Shafiq and Younis combined for a 219-run partnership. It wasn’t enough to win the match but it did give Shafiq the confidence that he has the skills to survive and score in any conditions, although he has yet to categorically prove that against England in this series.There are certainly fewer opportunities to rack up big scores when primarily batting with the tail. But rather than being frustrated at the limitations it places on his batting, Shafiq relishes the responsibility of shepherding his team-mates in the lower order.”That was the team requirement, so whatever the team wants me to do, whatever role they want me to play, I really take it as a responsibility,” Shafiq says. “I want to do more with my batting at No. 6. It was difficult in the beginning because I’d never batted with the tail. It’s very difficult, you have to give confidence to the tail, to the bowler who cannot bat like a batsman. You have to give them the belief that they can bat, that they can contribute because these contributions are the most hurtful to the opposition. They think they’ve got all the batsmen out and after that, if the partnership builds between me and a tailender, that’s the most frustrating thing for the opposition.”With Misbah and Younis in the latter phase of their careers, when one – or both – of them eventually retires it will be a natural progression for Shafiq to move up the order. But while he has ambitions to bat higher, he is as patient for a promotion as he is at the crease.His attitude is born of a deep respect for Misbah, which is hardly surprising. Shafiq made his debut in late 2010, the end of an that left Pakistan cricket’s reputation in tatters. Shafiq was a key member of Generation Restoration.”It was a difficult time but I would like to give credit to Misbah for that,” he says. “He really took on the responsibility and showed the correct way and put his belief in every player. Whatever had gone on had gone. We had to move forward, we had to forget all the things we left behind. We needed to look forward every time and show the world that we were good cricketers who could play in any conditions and beat any team in the world. So that’s the belief we carried from there and each and every day it got better and better. After that we rebuilt our reputation. Every player was good after that.”When you go on any tour with the star on your chest, then it is your responsibility to take all of the things that belong to your country and that’s my belief: I shouldn’t do anything that would hurt my people back home, that would reflect anything negative on my country. That’s a personal thing.”Shafiq’s approach to batting is generally a conservative one; to be patient in spending time at the crease, to leave confidently and defend neatly while summing up the conditions. He was impressive in Pakistan’s win at Lord’s, with diligent scores of 73 and 49, but his dismissals at Old Trafford were frustrating: tempted into a loose drive to the man at backward point in the first innings he was then the last recognised batsman to fall as Pakistan tried to dig in defensively second time around, missing a straight delivery from James Anderson to be given out lbw on review.Perhaps one answer for Shafiq and his team-mates can be found in push-ups; not the ones performed in celebration on the Lord’s outfield but in the 300-400 they ground out of their boot camp in Abbottabad. Such resilience and stamina were missing from their batting in Manchester.With the series levelled after a bruising defeat, Pakistan must now regroup and rebuild before Edgbaston. For a team whose top order is proving brittle, a record-breaking century from their No. 6 – a command performance from Mr Cellophane – would be most timely.

تحدث أشرف صبحي، وزير الشباب والرياضة، في المؤتمر الصحفي؛ لتقديم المدرب الإسباني خافيير باسكوال مديرًا فنيًا لـ منتخب مصر الأول لكرة اليد للرجال، بحضور كمال درويش رئيس اللجنة العلمية وخالد فتحي رئيس الاتحاد.

خافيير باسكوال أحد أبرز المدربين في تاريخ كرة اليد الأوروبية، وسبق له تحقيق بطولات كبرى مع أندية ومنتخبات عريقة، ما يجعله إضافة قوية لمسيرة كرة اليد المصرية.

طالع| موعد مباراة مصر القادمة في كأس العالم لكرة اليد للشباب بعد الخسارة أمام ألمانيا

وأكد أشرف صبحي في كلمته خلال المؤتمر، أن التعاقد مع خافيير باسكوال يأتي ضمن رؤية الدولة لتطوير المنظومة الرياضية، لا سيما في الألعاب الجماعية التي حققت نجاحات كبرى في السنوات الأخيرة، مشيرًا إلى أن كرة اليد المصرية باتت من القوى الكبرى عالميًا، وتستحق جهازًا فنيًا على أعلى مستوى.

وقال صبحي: “نتطلع من خلال التعاقد مع مدير فني كبير بحجم باسكوال إلى تحقيق طموحات الجماهير المصرية، وبلوغ منصات التتويج العالمية، خاصة في بطولة العالم المقبلة وأولمبياد لوس أنجلوس 2028.”

وأعرب المدرب الإسباني خافيير باسكوال عن سعادته الكبيرة بتولي مسؤولية تدريب منتخب مصر، مشيدًا بالإمكانات الكبيرة التي يتمتع بها المنتخب الوطني، وبالروح القتالية للاعبين، مؤكدا عزمه على تقديم كل ما لديه من أجل قيادة “الفراعنة” لتحقيق طموحات الشعب المصري.

A £25 million ace prefers a move to Manchester United over Arsenal and wants a three-year deal at Old Trafford, according to a new report.

The January transfer window is around five weeks away from opening, and the Red Devils are being linked with plenty of potential targets, as it will be the first window with Ruben Amorim in charge.

Man Utd going all in to sign Chelsea "monster" for Amorim in £50m transfer

INEOS look determined to land a player for Ruben Amorim in January.

ByBrett Worthington Nov 24, 2024 Man Utd transfer news

There have been a host of names linked with a move to Old Trafford since Amorim’s appointment was announced, and it has continued to be the same as January gets ever closer as the weeks go on.

United are interested in signing Atalanta midfielder Ederson and have held internal talks about a potential move for him. The Red Devils are looking for reinforcements in midfield as early as January, according to this latest report, and Ederson is one the club has discussed. The Brazilian has been a key performer for the Italian side, and his performances have put him on the radar of a few Premier League clubs.

As well as Ederson, Man Utd are also interested in a move for Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga. The Premier League side have reportedly made an approach for the French international, and he is said to be “flattered” by it, as he is still yet to nail down a regular starting spot in Spain. The talk of signing a midfielder doesn’t stop there for United, as they have now received a transfer boost from a player they know well.

Angel Gomes prefers Man Utd move over Arsenal

According to Caught Offside, Angel Gomes would prefer a return to Manchester United over a move to Arsenal and other interested sides in what is a boost for Amorim. The English international is expected to leave Lille at the end of the season when his contract ends after spending four years with the French side.

Gomes, who is rated at £25 million, has been a key player for Lille since joining, and his performances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League have now earned him four caps for England. The 24-year-old came through the academy at Old Trafford, and he now could be set for a return.

It was reported a few days ago that Amorim had given the green light for United to go after Gomes. Now this new report states Gomes, who has interest from the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Atletico Madrid and Napoli, would prefer a move back to United at the end of the season.

Apps

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As well as preferring a move back to United, Gomes would also like a three-year deal at Old Trafford with the option of another year. The attacking midfielder played 10 times in United’s first team before leaving, but his arrival in 2025 could see him become a key player in Amorim’s team, as Gomes is able to operate in central midfield, as well as a number 10 and even out wide if needs be. That may make him a perfect player for the Portuguese, as he looks to have versatility in his side.

Everton have several players representing their countries during the international break. Not only is the UEFA Nations League reaching its climax, but qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations is ongoing and the South American World Cup qualifiers are over halfway completed..

Sean Dyche will be hoping a few of his players can return to Merseyside free from any injuries as they look to move away from the Premier League relegation zone.

He will be buoyed by a few of the performances that have been delivered by his players, however.

The Everton players who have shone on international duty

Jordan Pickford kept another clean sheet for England during their 3-0 victory over Greece. The goalkeeper made five saves and won 100% of his total duels during the game.

Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye both started for Senegal in their AFCON qualifier against Burkina Faso, which ended in a narrow 1-0 win for Senegal.

Gueye was in superb form, finishing the game with a 96% pass success rate, making four key passes, winning six of his eight ground duels and making four tackles as he ran the show from the heart of the midfield.

Ndiaye was deployed in a more advanced role, just behind Nicolas Jackson, and he was fairly solid too. He made two key passes, registered two shots and attempted four dribbles, succeeding with two.

Dyche will be hoping the trio can maintain these levels of performance for Everton’s next match in the league. There was one player who gave an underwhelming display on international duty, however, as Beto failed to shine for his nation.

Beto's stats vs Guinea-Bissau

The striker has scored two goals for Everton this term, including one in the Premier League, but he was poor for Guinea-Bissau as they drew 1-1 with Eswantini in the AFCON qualifiers on Friday night.

He was tasked with leading the line, yet Beto managed to take just 20 touches during his time on the pitch, while losing the ball nine times and losing ten of his 11 contested duels as he struggled to get a foothold in the game.

Goals

0

Total shots

1

Touches

20

Completed passes

5/7

Pass accuracy

71%

Possession lost

9x

Ground duels won

1/9

Fouls made

5

Aerial duels won

0/2

Big chances created

1

Key passes

2

Beto also committed five fouls during the match and completed only five passes. Yes, he may have had a hand in the equalising goal – with his cross eventually finding its way in courtesy of Carlos Mane – but overall, it was a dismal showing from the Everton player.

Given Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s dropoff in form in recent weeks, Dyche would have been hoping for a more promising showing by Beto.

On the evidence on yesterday’s showing, however, It looks like he could find himself on the bench again when Everton take on Brentford following the conclusion of the international break next week.

His sole Premier League goal has come from the bench, which suggests he is perhaps better off being utilised midway through a game.

This was his chance to impress Dyche, however, but the 26-year-old failed to showcase his true talents, that’s for sure.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 16, 2024

Rory Burns leads Surrey’s response after record-breaking sixth-wicket stand

David Hopps12-Jul-2022They know their history in Yorkshire. When Adam Lyth and Jonny Tattersall broke Yorkshire’s sixth-wicket batting record, prolonged applause burst across North Marine Road the moment that Lyth flicked the ball off his hip. Such momentous achievements have always been met by an outbreak of White Rose pride but these days there is a touch of defiance, too – a statement that the much-chastised County Championship is deep-rooted and forever worthy of protection.Fortunately, by the time Lyth and Tattersall broke the record, the spectator vainly trying to come to terms with his new yellow-plastic rain-protector had decided that the risk of a shower had receded and removed it. He had become so entangled in it, failing to find the arm holes in several futile attempts, pulling it backwards and forwards over his head at various angles, that he would have found it impossible to clap.As far as the main stage was concerned, it was less about contortions than skill and concentration. Lyth and Tattersall had logged 239 runs on the first day and they had extended that to 305 in 77 overs when Lyth pulled Conor McKerr to deep square leg to fall for 183, an innings that spanned nearly eight hours and his highest score in his home county. Tattersall, on his Championship return, was left with an unbeaten, career-best 180 as Tom Lawes took three quick wickets after lunch and Yorkshire were dismissed for 521.Related

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But they are not yet on solid ground and Surrey, the Championship leaders, 191 for 1 at the close, will imagine that they have the batting prowess to put Yorkshire under pressure on the final day. Dom Bess can anticipate a heavy workload and the offspinner took the only wicket to fall when he drew Ryan Patel down the pitch with one that dipped and turned a shade and Tattersall completed a straightforward stumping.There had still been life in the surface on a cloudy morning, for Dan Worrall in particular as he came down the hill, but Yorkshire’s attack rarely threatened. Rory Burns was calmness personified as he closed the second day on 93 not out. He was assured square of the wicket on both sides and his commitment to the long game was illustrated when he made only 10 runs in the last 12 overs of the day, from which he faced 33 balls. He had one moment of fortune, caught at first slip on 72 only to be reprieved because Shannon Gabriel, the West Indian quick who has joined Yorkshire on a short-term contract, had overstepped.Considering the overpowering nature of Yorkshire’s cricket history, it is instructional to reflect that five of the highest batting partnerships for each wicket have been made this century. Holmes and Sutcliffe are famously there for their 555 for the first wicket at Leyton in 1932 – the world record that wasn’t thanks to a faulty scoreboard – and Geoffrey Boycott makes an appearance for his 10th wicket stand of 149 with Graham Stevenson at Edgbaston in 1982 when he memorably remarked, with a lopsided grin, that was down to “his brawn and my brains”. But there are many names of modern vintage – Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan, Bairstow again with Joe Root. Lyth broke his own sixth-wicket record, too, a stand of 296 in league with Adil Rashid in the Old Trafford Roses match eight years ago. Flatter pitches for sure – markedly so – but Lyth, too, and the rest will enter Yorkshire folklore.Major renovations are in progress at North Marine Road•Matthew AllenFor Scarborough to protect its place in history, however beloved it is, the ground must remain solvent. Crowds here have been a little above 3,000 on the first two days which are reasonable, but well down on pre-Covid days and not entirely in keeping with the esteem in which the ground is held. A recent 10-year staging agreement with Yorkshire helps in an age when outgrounds are permanently under pressure but it is also ambitious to become an established centre for women’s cricket. It would have to address primitive broadcasting facilities to achieve that. But anyway, changes are afoot and that can only be positive.The very thought will have been enough to leave Yorkshire traditionalists on red alert because they routinely insist North Marine Road is perfect and want no messing with their memories. The last time it was suggested the place needed a revamp, a Yorkshire supporter on the wooden-benched banking took umbrage on and countered: “You don’t need a sofa to sit on”.Rest assured there are no unwelcome fripperies in a £500,000 upgrade. The first two phases – improved toilet facilities, better communications and new practice net facilities – are largely completed. The final phase, subject to planning approval, is a refurbishment of the incongruous West Stand, which will have new seating and a new ground-floor frontage which will also house a heritage museum and improved catering facilities – or, as they are known these days “innovative places to linger”.Scarborough is also an unusual place to linger for Clean Slate Filmz, Yorkshire’s main sponsor, which is making a biopic of Jhulan Goswami, the great champion of India women’s cricket, in September.Also attracting interest was Yorkshire’s 2nd XI match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield where Gary Ballance is continuing a low-key return to action after missing the bulk of the season with mental health issues. Ballance has made back-to-back hundreds so it appears from afar that he is feeling his way back successfully. He is one of seven people charged – and the only current player – by the ECB after their investigation into Azeem Rafiq’s racism allegations. There is no regulation that stops Yorkshire selecting him, but there is no suggestion that any 1st XI return is imminent and that seems to be the most sensible approach.Yorkshire’s fast-bowler injuries are also relenting. Ben Coad is also involved the 2nd XI fixture, although he is following a programme of limited workload and has yet to bowl, and Matthew Fisher has not given up hope of a match or two at the back end of the Championship season. He has been undertaking fielding drills during the lunch interval on the last two days as he recovers from a stress fracture.