All posts by h716a5.icu

Reduces the National Sports Council’s influence in draft constitution as per court’s instructions

Mohammad Isam02-Oct-2017The Bangladesh Cricket Board councilors have unanimously agreed with the draft of the new constitution at their Extraordinary General Meeting that took place soon after their Annual General Body meeting on Sunday. The meeting happened in the presence of 135 out of 170 councilors from all the Dhaka clubs and divisional and district associations.The draft will need approval from the National Sports Council (NSC), which by court’s ruling cannot amend the BCB’s constitution, only after which can the BCB hold elections.The BCB has heeded the court’s directive by reducing the NSC’s influence on the board in the changes they’ve made to the draft of the constitution, last amended in 2012. Among the changes are reducing the number of NSC-quota directors from three to two.Previously, Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president, Ismail Haider Mallick and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam became directors through the NSC quota. The board has also included one former national cricketer as a councilor.Hassan said the BCB abided by the court order, despite the ICC sending its own guidelines to hold elections. He was, however, not sure of how the board would run after the current term ends on October 13.”Our constitution doesn’t have a guideline telling us whether our committee should continue or form an ad-hoc committee,” Hassan said. “The NSC can form a new ad-hoc committee or give us an extension. While we won’t take major decisions during the interim period, we will run the day-to-day affairs and help the election commission. We have to discuss it in the board meeting, talk to the NSC and take legal advice. We will do what the rules tell us.”Hassan also said starting regional cricket associations, which have only been promised in the past, would be their first order of business if they win the election. Currently, the BCB is exclusively run from their headquarters in Dhaka with the country’s seven divisions and 64 districts only ensuring participation in various tournaments throughout the year.”We have said that our first priority is to make regional cricket associations,” he said. “It will make our work more focused. It will improve our cricket. We have kept it the same so that nobody can find any gaps with the 2012 constitution. I am guaranteeing that if we win in the election, we will do this first.”Meanwhile, the Dhaka high court last week issued a ruling seeking explanation from the BCB as to why the functions of the current board of directors should not be declared illegal after a petition was filed by former BCB director Mobassher Hossain.The court however allowed the BCB to hold its AGM and EGM as per its original schedule on October 2. The BCB has said that once it receives the court papers, it will proceed with its explanation which it must submit within four weeks.

Newcastle United remain interested in signing Galatasary midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, but it is a saga that could go on until the final day of the transfer window.

Do Newcastle want to sign Nicolo Zaniolo?

It has been a positive window at St James' Park so far this summer, at a time when it is vital that the Magpies kick on after last season's brilliance. The likes of Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes have come in from AC Milan and Leicester City respectively, and the hope is that more business will be completed before the end the month.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

One player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle is Zaniolo, who only joined Galatasaray in February, but may already be looking for a move away. Not only that, but the Turkish giants could be forced to sell him, in order to ease their financial issues.

The 24-year-old has had some serious injury problems down the years, including cruciate ligament damage, but he is fit again now and could end up joining a top European club, following the emergence of a fresh update regarding his future.

Will Newcastle sign Nicolo Zaniolo?

According to Milliyet [via Sport Witness], Zaniolo's future may not be decided until the very end of the transfer window, with various teams in the race to sign him. Newcastle are still one of them, while Juventus, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain all mentioned in the report, too.

The Italian has a €35m (£30m) release clause in his current deal, so the Magpies know exactly how much he will be worth, but it remains to be seen if he would choose them over others. An update from Sabah also reveals Galatasaray's financial woes could be the deciding factor in forcing them to cash in as the deadline ticks closer.

Zaniolo could be a real statement signing by Eddie Howe's men this summer, even though his injury history does make it something of a risk, in terms of another serious setback emerging. The fact that so many elite clubs are in for him does suggest that there isn't too much concern about that happening, though, and the positives clearly outweigh the negatives when it comes to signing him.

A 13-cap Italy international who was once lauded as "incredible" by Daniel De Rossi during their time together at Roma, the Galatasaray man could be a great attacking midfield option, coming in as a strong alternative to James Maddison, who eventually joined Tottenham over Newcastle earlier this summer.

Zaniolo could provide something different in the middle of the park, proving to be a link man between Bruno Guimaraes and the attack, with a tally of 42 goal contributions (24 goals and 18 assists) in 128 appearances for Roma outlining the end product he possesses.

At 24, he is still a young footballer, even though he has seemingly been around for a long time, so Newcastle would also be bringing in someone who could be a mainstay of the team for a long time to come, as Howe continues to plan well into the future.

West Ham United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Harry Maguire and thus, need to think about making alternative plans.

Who could West Ham sign instead of Harry Maguire?

According to the Guardian, Bayer Leverkusen titan Odilon Kossounou has emerged as an option for the Hammers due to a delay in Harry Maguire’s proposed move to east London.

West Ham have become increasingly concerned about the delay in the Englishman’s transfer and the club has begun drawing up different targets.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

David Moyes has pushed for Maguire all summer and the Hammers agreed a £30m deal for the 30-year-old last week.

However, the move is to have ‘collapsed’ as West Ham have grown ‘tired’ of waiting for the defender to agree to his Old Trafford exit.

Maguire had settled personal terms but was unable to finalise his pay-off from United, which is thought to be around £7m, as he received a considerable salary increase due to the club’s qualification for the Champions League.

Moreover, there also is a ‘feeling’ within the Irons’ recruitment department that the club would benefit from a quicker centre-back, which has prompted an approach for Kossounou.

What is Odilon Kossounou's play style?

The 22-year-old has been at Bayer Leverkusen since 2021 and has 69 appearances in all competitions.

In the most recent campaign, Kossounou played 35 games, including 17 starts in the Bundesliga.

Throughout this time, the £27k-per-week gem’s most impressive attribute was his ball-playing ability and composure, as he ranks within the best 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, as well as the top 16% for progressive passes and successful take-ons per 90.

Alongside this vision and technical supremacy, £29m-rated Kossounou also won 64% of his aerial duels in the Bundesliga last term, and due to his age and potential, has emerged as one of the club’s most attractive assets.

Furthermore, the centre-back has also deputised at right back 16 times for the Germans, as his adaptability is another one of the most eye-catching elements of his game.

This was noted by his former coach Gerardo Seoane, who said: “Odilon naturally interprets the right-back position differently than Jeremie [Frimpong] due to his own qualities. The switch from a CB position to that of a roving fullback is actually a fairly large one, but he can adapt quickly.

"Thanks to him we can play a three, four, or five-man back-line. It's hard to get past him, but he's also fast and very valuable on set pieces."

From this evidence, Kossounou is a technically astute, pacey, dynamic, and versatile defender – traits that cannot be associated with Maguire.

Since his record-breaking Premier League move to Man United back in 2019, the former Leicester City man has struggled with the spotlight and the weight of the captaincy, which has led to a severe decline in his form.

Last season, Maguire started just eight Premier League games, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez considered to be the cemented first-choice partnership by Erik ten Hag.

This term, in the opening game week victory over Wolves, Martinez was hooked at half-time after being carded, with ten Hag opting for Lindelof as a replacement.

It was a damning indictment for Maguire, who has been stripped as captain and now ranks as the club’s fourth-choice centre-back.

Although he has stalled his move to West Ham, the feeling of the hierarchy that alluded to his lack of pace could indicate that they could make a more intelligent signing.

This has opened the door for Kossounou, whose signing would signal the perfect alternative for the Hammers.

Arsenal have had a busy summer in the transfer window and now new rumours have identified another potential target for Mikel Arteta and Edu to chase.

The duo have already obtained the talents of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and David Raya, with their presence in the market not thought to have been forgotten about just yet.

The Gunners got their Premier League season off to an expected start, claiming three points at the Emirates against Nottingham Forest, though the opening day result was overcast by the horrifying outcome of the injury that forced Timber to exit play just after the start of the second half.

Since his withdrawal from action, the club have confirmed that the Dutchman will be sidelined for the foreseeable future as he prepares to have surgery on a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, increasing speculation that Arteta may delve back into the market.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The north Londoners have been linked with a host of defenders who could be considered for back-up options in Timber’s absence, however, other news has speculated that the Gunners could yet further their depth in midfield.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

As reported by FootballTransfers, Arsenal are interested in Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, with the report stating that the club ‘received indications’ that the 26-year-old would be open to moving.

Earlier in the window, the Italian was linked to the Premier League, with Newcastle United offering a fee of £50m to try and pry the midfielder away from Milan.

What is Nicolo Barella’s style of play?

Once hailed as “the best Italian midfielder” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Barella is equipped for Inter in central midfield, adorning the role of a versatile box-to-box player.

Identified by scouting site Breaking The Lines as a ‘fine technician’, the 26-year-old is praised for his ‘strength and stamina’, as well as his ability to orchestrate play in the middle of the park.

For Arsenal, a player like Barella could be the perfect acquisition to occupy the role that recently departed Granit Xhaka bossed in north London, showcasing his defensive and play making strengths acting as a metronome between the front and back line.

The quality of the Italian is unquestionable, with him being likened statistically by FBref to five-time Champions League winner and 2018 Ballon d’Or occupant Luka Modric.

Nicolo Barella and Denzel Dumfries

Lauded as a “monster” by Real Madrid icon Raul Albiol, the Croatian is identifiable as one of the greatest midfielders of the generation, making comparisons to him a strong indication of just how efficient Barella can be in midfield.

As per FBref, the 26-year-old averaged 6.66 progressive passes and 2.82 progressive carries per 90 over the past year, as well as recording an average of 1.89 key passes per 90 in the 2022/23 Serie A competition.

To put into comparison, Modric averaged 8.51 prog passes and 2.27 prog carries per 90 for Real Madrid over the past year, suggesting how close they are in quality despite the seasoned professional being 11 years his senior.

Arteta could acquire one of the best midfield talents in Italy should links to the Inter maestro be believed, in a move that could take his squad’s options in the middle of the park to the next level.

Matt Prior, the former England wicketkeeper, has stepped up his war of words with Australia’s Nathan Lyon

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2017Matt Prior, the former England wicketkeeper, has stepped up his war of words with Australia’s Nathan Lyon, warning the offspinner that it could be his own career that is ended if England repeat their Ashes triumph of 2010-11.Prior, an integral part of the side that won the Ashes Down Under in 2010-11, was one of the most prominent England failures on their return trip three years later, making 107 runs in six innings before being dropped for the fourth Test of the series.

I sincerely hope you’re not part of a losing @CricketAus team on home soil @NathLyon421. I still remember being sat on the outfield at the SCG after winning 3-1 while your press&fans were tearing into the Oz players. You want to end careers? Just make sure its not yours that ends

— Matt Prior (@MattPrior13) November 21, 2017

Last time someone spouted a whole load of BS about me I stayed quiet not this time.To be clear I may have been playing badly fair enough but there was no way I was getting on a plane home. You’ve embarrassed yourself @NathLyon421 & this game has a funny way of biting back.

— Matt Prior (@MattPrior13) November 21, 2017

However, having already hit back at Lyon’s claim that he had been “scared” of the extreme pace generated by Mitchell Johnson in that series, Prior went one step further in a pair of Twitter posts, as he addressed Lyon’s desire to “end some more careers” when the 2017-18 series gets underway on Thursday.”I sincerely hope you’re not part of a losing @CricketAus team on home soil @NathLyon421,” Prior wrote. “I still remember being sat on the outfield at the SCG after winning 3-1 while your press&fans were tearing into the Oz players. You want to end careers? Just make sure its not yours that ends.”Prior is no stranger to wars of words, having been the subject of a vitriolic attack from his former team-mate, Kevin Pietersen, who labelled him the “big cheese” in his autobiography in 2014.By and large, Prior kept his counsel on that occasion, but he has been less willing to take Lyon’s comments lying down.”Last time someone spouted a whole load of BS about me I stayed quiet not this time,” he wrote. “To be clear I may have been playing badly fair enough but there was no way I was getting on a plane home. You’ve embarrassed yourself @NathLyon421 & this game has a funny way of biting back.”

New Zealand’s stranglehold on the Hamilton Test grew tighter as they piled on the runs to set West Indies 444 to chase, and claimed two wickets before stumps to begin the victory push

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Dec-20171:32

‘Hasn’t sunk in yet’ – Taylor

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details New Zealand’s stranglehold on the Hamilton Test grew tighter on day three, as they piled on the runs to set West Indies 444 to chase, and claimed two wickets before stumps to begin the victory push.Ross Taylor’s 107 not out was instrumental to strengthening New Zealand’s position – the hundred taking him equal with Kane Williamson and Martin Crowe, who hold the New Zealand record, with 17 Test centuries. Williamson himself struck a lively fifty to steady the innings after West Indies had struck early blows, and Trent Boult was impressive again with the ball, taking wickets off successive deliveries in the morning, before making the first incision of the fourth innings as the day waned.Getty ImagesIt was not as if West Indies were substantially outperformed on the day – just that they had ceded so much ground already that they required a near-miraculous effort to reimpose themselves on the match. Their quicks were good in patches – Miguel Cummins and Shannon Gabriel running hot at various points through the day. In one especially hostile spell, Cummins bowled Williamson with a searing yorker from outside the off stump, had Henry Nicholls nicking off to a well-directed short ball, and would also have had the wicket of Mitchell Santner had wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich managed to hold a difficult overhead chance off Santner’s top edge.Gabriel, meanwhile, prospered with fast length balls aimed at the stumps. He claimed two wickets, one of which was an lbw of Colin de Grandhomme – a decision that was overturned in New Zealand’s favour only after a confused third-umpire’s review.Taylor’s, meanwhile, was an innings of moderation. Sixty balls he took to hit his first boundary, having kept out some excellent deliveries from Cummins and Gabriel in that time. At no stage during his knock was he hurried; he was content usually to push the ball into gaps, keeping that brutal cut and those bludgeoned drives in check. Of his first fifty runs, 38 came from singles and twos. The only bowler who troubled him consistently was Gabriel, who beat him for pace repeatedly, and had even drawn and outside edge when Taylor was on 35, only for the gully fielder to grass the low chance.After tea, Taylor’s pace quickened – the singles coming more frequently than before, and Cummins even suffering two disdainful pulls for four in front of square. Having got out on 93 at the Basin Reserve, Taylor didn’t dally long in the nineties, taking only nine deliveries to move to triple figures. In addition to having equaled the New Zealand record, this is a special ton for Taylor: his longtime friend and mentor Martin Crowe had said Taylor would reach and surpass his own tally of 17 centuries.Earlier, West Indies had had a brief opportunity to spark a New Zealand collapse, when they dismissed the openers with 42 on the board, but Williamson’s energetic innings sucked the worst of the venom out of their bowling. Having arrived at 11 for 1, Williamson began to leave the ball judiciously, and defend with assurance. He batted out 26 balls before the expansive strokes began to appear. His two first boundaries were made possible by fielding errors at point and deep square leg, but then the 33 balls he faced before lunch yielded 42 runs. His fifty was brought up via a leg glance to the fine leg boundary immediately after he had socked Shannon Gabriel past mid-off. It was an important score for Williamson, for he had gone five international innings without a fifty – a significant stretch for such a consistent batsman.Elsewhere in the New Zealand innings, batsmen got starts and were undone when more substantial scores beckoned. Tom Latham, Mitchell Santner and Colin de Grandhomme all made it past 20 before being dismissed, generally by very good West Indies bowling. None of the dismissals seemed to dent New Zealand much, so secure were they already in the game. When Williamson declared, New Zealand had made 291 for 8 in the second dig.As had been the case at the Basin Reserve, West Indies’ first-innings indiscretions meant that they began the second innings with only a miniscule chance of avoiding defeat. That chance would become worse before stumps. Kieran Powell was out for his second duck of the match – squared up by a short delivery from Boult that took his edge and flew low to third slip. Shimron Hetmyer sparkled briefly again, playing a dismissive pull and a searing on-drive for four, but he was out cheaply again, just lofting a full Tim Southee delivery into the hands of mid-off.West Indies must take heart from their successful pursuit of 322 at Headingley earlier this year. The target in front of them now, however, will take even more grit and resilience – the likes of which they are yet to show for an extended period, on this tour.

Liverpool have confirmed that a youth player was racially abused in an Under-16 game against Juventus, leading the team to walk off the pitch.

Why did the Liverpool U16 team walk off the pitch?

Playing in the Next Generation Trophy last Friday – a tournament held in Austria – the Reds were up against their Italian counterparts when the incident took place.

As per The Athletic, the Liverpool teenager involved went to the touchline to report the abuse to the coaching staff, who informed the players to follow protocol and leave the field.

The Juventus youngster involved was then suspended by his club for the rest of the tournament while staff offered the English side a full apology.

A Liverpool spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a member of our under-16s team was racially abused by an opponent while playing in the Next Generation youth tournament in Austria.

“The individual responsible was identified immediately and removed from the competition as a result of the swift intervention of our own players and staff, tournament organisers and opposition management, who have also taken additional disciplinary measures inclusive of education.

“We would like to place on record our appreciation for the prompt actions taken by all involved. This applies most of all to the player subjected to the attack, who showed remarkable maturity in following established protocols, including leaving the pitch, in order to report the matter as soon as it occurred. He is receiving the full support of the club.

“We would also reiterate that our condemnation of all forms of racist abuse remains unequivocal and absolute.”

What has been the reaction to the racist incident in the Liverpool U16 game vs Juventus?

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, before the statement had been officially given by Liverpool's spokesperson, former player Djibril Cisse took to social media to express his dismay and anger about what had happened.

The ex-French footballer has a son, Prince, who currently plays in the Reds' academy and was involved in the game.

Writing to his two million Instagram followers, Cisse said (via TalkSport): “Now it’s too much.

“During the game @LiverpoolFC vs @Juventus under 16s (my son Prince Cisse was playing) a kid from Juventus called a @LiverpoolFC a n****.

“The @LiverpoolFC staff had to stop the game. @Juventus what are you gonna do now? It’s a f****** shame. 15 years old kid @Juventus, you better act strongly now and shame.”

As per The Athletic, direct action has already been taken. Indeed, they report that staff members from Juventus’ academy and tournament organisers Red Bull Salzburg have since contacted Liverpool academy director Alex Inglethorpe to express their regret about the incident and check on the youngster’s well-being.

While it's also mentioned that the Juventus youth player is now undergoing a course to educate him that racism and all forms of discrimination are unacceptable. It is understood that senior Liverpool figures are happy with how Juventus have handled the matter.

All in all, it's a shameful incident and thoroughly disappointing to learn of such attitudes and behaviour existing within the academy of Europe's biggest football clubs.

In response to the incident, however, in a show of solidarity ahead of their following game at the Next Generation Trophy, Liverpool and their Argentinian opposition Independiente took the knee before kick-off.

Karnataka marched to a 78-run victory, while Delhi chased down 101 in under 12 overs against Jammu & Kashmir

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2018Karun Nair’s 52-ball 111 helped Karnataka flatten Tamil Nadu by 78 runs in Vizianagaram to hand them their first loss in the South Zone group. Nair’s maiden T20 hundred came a day after his 42-ball 77 powered Karnataka to a controversial two-run win over Hyderabad.After Tamil Nadu elected to bowl, Karnataka lost opener Mayank Agarwal and No. 3 K Gowtham with only 14 runs on the board. But, Nair raised 83 runs in 47 balls in the company of R Samarth (19) and revved up the innings. Nair was the one-man hit machine for Karnataka, with only two of his team-mates reaching double figures. Seamer Athisayaraj Davidson ran through the lower order to finish with 5 for 30 even as Karnataka finished with 179 for 9.Tamil Nadu’s innings never took off as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Only Washington Sundar, opening the batting, made a handy contribution with a 26-ball 34 that included three fours and a six. Legspinner Praveen Dubey finished with an economical 4 for 19 from 3.3 overs.An all-round bowling effort helped Delhi restrict Jammu & Kashmir to 100 for 9 and complete an eight-wicket win with 8.3 overs to spare at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Opting to bowl, Delhi’s seamers removed openers Ahmed Bandy and Jatin Wadhwan with the score on 0. While captain Parvez Rasool struck a 26-ball 37 and tried to stem the rot, his dismissal in the 15th over led to slide for J&K. Delhi captain Pradeep Sangwan (2 for 16) and Navdeep Saini (2 for 14) chipped away at the top order, before left-arm spinner Pawan Negi picked up three wickets in the middle order.There was hardly any hiccup in Delhi’s chase as openers Rishabh Pant and Sarthak Ranjan raised a 77-run stand in only 8.3 overs. While Pant smashed a 33-ball 51 with seven fours and two sixes, Ranjan, a controversial selection, struck 31 off 20 balls.

Tottenham Hotspur may be pushing for an alternative deal, but there is one other star that they could seek to rekindle their interest in to truly transform their side…

Who could Tottenham Hotspur sign this summer?

Ange Postecoglou's business this summer has been sharp and largely stunning, strengthening his backline with the acquisition of Micky Van de Ven, filling the creative void left by Harry Kane with James Maddison, and adding depth with further signings such as Manor Solomon and Alejo Veliz.

However, it is now seemingly Brennan Johnson who they have turned their attention to, as they push for one last big addition before the window slams shut on Friday.

Despite this, perhaps it is another Midlands club that they should seek to swoop from as well, with their interest in Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz well-documented and longstanding.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

With the potential to add key goals from midfield, as well as another steely stalwart to keep things ticking over, his €36.8m (£32m) FootballTransfers valuation should definitely be tempting the Lilywhites to reignite their interest.

How good is Douglas Luiz?

Should Postecoglou swoop for the Brazilian enforcer, he would immediately draw comparison with the host of midfield signings made by many of the top clubs this summer.

Moises Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion to Chelsea)

£115m

Declan Rice (West Ham United to Arsenal)

£105m

Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig to Manchester City)

£77m

Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta to Manchester United)

£72m

Kai Havertz (Chelsea to Arsenal)

£65m

All fees via talkSPORT.

Declan Rice's £105m switch to Arsenal promised to be the biggest of the bunch, following big-money deals for Dominik Szoboszlai, and Mason Mount.

However, these were all blown out of the water when Chelsea unloaded a British transfer record to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, following a stunning season from the youngster.

Whilst he does mark a fine acquisition, for the price paid and the output they are set to receive, Spurs could actually end up with their own answer to the Ecuadorian, should they sign Luiz before Friday night's deadline.

After all, the 25-year-old boasts far more experience at their level and adds a keen offensive impetus that the Ecuador international is severely lacking.

Such form was best showcased last term, as the former Manchester City star notched 12 goal contributions in the league from the engine room, as a key figure in Unai Emery's remarkable turnaround at Villa Park. He led them from a relegation battle to a European finish, with Luiz's fine form an imperative factor in that run.

This culminated in his 7.10 average rating, which made him Villa's highest-rated player.

However, it was not just his attacking work that helped to uphold this figure, as he also maintained 1.2 key passes, 1.1 interceptions and two tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It is therefore no surprise to see he has been lauded as a "warrior" by writer Jack Grimse in the past.

Although Caicedo might boast slightly improved defensive numbers, such difference is negligible and completely outranked by the difference in their efforts going forward.

Whilst the 21-year-old would uphold a 7.08 average rating of his own, with 1.2 key passes and 2.7 tackles per game, having recorded just one goal and one assist, his influence on games is not nearly as big as his counterpart, via Sofascore.

Not to mention that, given his youth, he only has 47 appearances in the Premier League under his belt compared to Luiz's 143.

The latter would offer an instant improvement for Spurs' side, bringing a more well-rounded skillset to affect the entire team.

Whilst Caicedo will likely shine in the future under Mauricio Pochettino, as of this current transfer window, and especially given the vast difference in price tag, it is the Villa man who would mark the best coup.

Nottingham Forest landed an "outstanding" coup on deadline day, according to talkSPORT pundit Andy Townsend.

The Tricky Trees secured no fewer than five new additions on September 1st, with Callum Hudson-Odoi, Nicolas Dominguez, Odysseas Vlachodimos and Nuno Tavares joining club-record signing Ibrahim Sangare at the City Ground.

After watching him play for PSV, the former Chelsea and Aston Villa midfielder believes the Reds' £30m arrival could be one of the signings of the season.

What did Andy Townsend say about Ibrahim Sangaré?

Following Forest’s 1-0 away win over Chelsea, Townsend was full of adoration for the side that currently sits ninth in the Premier League and their new signing.

Speaking on talkSPORT he said:

“Me and Ally were talking about Forest. It was a great win against Chelsea and they played really well.

“I tell you what as well, they’ve signed one lad, Ibrahim Sangare. He’s a really good player, he’s outstanding.

“Me and Ally have watched him a bit with PSV playing Rangers recently and he’s been really good to watch.”

Is Sangaré a good signing for Forest?

It appears that Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper may have completed a massive coup by signing the Ivorian, who had been wanted by some of the Premier League's biggest clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea.

Before signing a five-year contract with Nottingham Forest Sangaré made 140 appearances for PSV (who he signed for in 2020), scoring 15 goals and registering 10 assists in all competitions.

In 2022, former PSV and Ajax manager Aad De Moss spoke extremely highly of the 25-year-old, via Voetbal 4U.

He said:

“Ibrahim Sangaré is better on one leg than Leicester’s midfield.

“He is extraordinary; this season, he has been the king of PSV. You only miss Sangeré when he’s not playing.

“He can easily play at Tottenham and certainly at Arsenal.

"Sangaré is a great player. I think €35m is a good price.

“[It’s] a bargain. I think he is a good player who would be first on the board at all those teams.

“You need someone like that, who picks up a ball and is always in between things with the point of his shoe. And lately, he’s also been getting dangerous towards the opponent’s goal.”

The midfielder backs up the Dutch legend's praise through his outstanding performances on the pitch, last season he was ranked as PSV’s fifth-best performer by Sofascore, with an average rating of 7.24.

Furthermore, per FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of European midfielders for ball recoveries as well as the top 24% of midfielders for tackles, both per 90 mins.

He also ranks in the top 5% for through balls completed and the top 35% for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes.

This shows that he is one of the most versatile midfielders in Europe, as he is able to not only help his side when attacking but also have an incredibly high work rate to help out defensively.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis hasn’t been shy to bring in new faces since being promoted to the Premier League and has brought in 13 players alone in the most recent window, seven of which were completed on deadline day. But it looks like Sangaré could be the pick of the bunch.