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Liverpool are "actively pursuing" the signing of an "exceptional" new defender in the summer transfer window, according to an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are being linked with lots of players in preparation for Arne Slot's first season in charge at Anfield, with Bayer Leverkusen ace Jeremie Frimpong one of the many rumoured targets. He shone as a right-back for Xabi Alonso's side in 2023/24, helping them win the Bundesliga title, and he could be an excellent foil for Mohamed Salah down the right flank.

It appears as though right-back could be an area of focus for Slot this summer, suggesting that Trent Alexander-Arnold may be used in midfield moving forward, with VfB Suttgart's Waldemar Anton also linked with a switch to Liverpool. They have made an enquiry about his availability.

One of the most eye-catching names to have emerged as a possible option of late is Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo, who could potentially want a move away in the summer, should Kylian Mbappe's arrival limit his minutes in attack. A move to the Reds does feel unlikely, given the likely price tag involved, but that could change if Salah suddenly left.

Links surrounding Benfica and Portugal midfield ace Joao Neves are also refusing to go away, ahead of Euro 2024, where he will look to shine for his country. Liverpool are believed to be preparing an offer for the 19-year-old.

Liverpool "actively pursuing" exciting deal

According to Ornstein on X, Liverpool are "actively pursuing" Lille centre-back Leny Yoro alongside Manchester United this summer, but Real Madrid are still the front-runners to sign him:

"Liverpool + Man Utd actively pursuing deal to sign Leny Yoro from Lille. #LFC & #MUFC see Real Madrid as favourites but pushing hard for 18yo centre-back – viewed as unique market opportunity separate to other targets. #PSG keen too."

Yoro is seen as a generational defensive talent, so the idea of Liverpool snapping him up over the likes of United and Madrid is hugely exciting.

Still only 18 years of age, the £5,800-a-week defender made 30 starts for Lille in the Ligue this season, showing that he is already capable of being a key man in one of Europe's big five leagues. Cesar Arzo has called him "exceptional", while former manager Paulo Fonseca has heaped praise on him.

"I believe Leny in the next year will be at one of the best clubs in Europe. He started here at 16 with us. He is very ambitious, but very disciplined.

"He grew a lot but he is a kid with a big maturity, with big quality. He's very focused, very concentrated, he wants to learn every day and I have no doubt in modern football he will be one of the best central defenders in the world."

Slot must sell Liverpool star earning more than Diaz & Jones combined

This £19m-rated stalwart might have played his last match in Anfield red.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 14, 2024

Admittedly, it is easy to see Yoro choosing Madrid, especially with compatriots such as Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Mbappe there, but if Liverpool get their man, he could be seen as the leader of their defence for the next decade and beyond.

The Knight Riders spinner can continue bowling, but another report would lead to suspension

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2020Sunil Narine’s bowling action has been reported again, this time at the end of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ thrilling two-run win over the Kings XI Punjab in their IPL 2020 match in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Narine played a key role in the game, bowling the 18th and 20th overs in the Kings XI chase on his way to returns of 2 for 28.”The report was made by the on-field umpires [Ulhas Gandhe and Chris Gaffaney] according to the IPL’s Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy,” an IPL statement said, adding that Narine would be placed “on the warning list” but would be permitted to bowl unless there was another report against him. If that were to happen, Narine would be “suspended from bowling” in the tournament until cleared by the BCCI’s committee that deals with suspect bowling actions.Narine has been in trouble with the authorities for his bowling action in the past too, most notably in November 2015, when he was reported after West Indies’ third ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. That was the first time Narine’s action had come under the scanner in an international game, though he had been reported twice during the now-defunct Champions League T20 in 2014, and as a result, he was forced to miss the Knight Riders’ final encounter against the Chennai Super Kings.He returned with a remodelled action not long after but chose to skip the 2015 50-over World Cup saying that the comeback would be “a little too much too soon”. Narine was subsequently reported during the 2015 IPL, when he was cleared to bowl, then reported and sent for a re-test, then banned from bowling his offspinners, and finally cleared again with a “final warning”.Narine’s action was reported again during the 2018 edition of the Pakistan Super League, but he was cleared soon after.Narine has been a part of the Knight Riders set-up since joining the team in 2012, when his 24 wickets at an economy rate of 5.47 went a long way in helping the team win the IPL for the first time. He had a good year in 2013 too, picking up 22 wickets with an economy rate of 5.46, though the Knight Riders had a rough time of it. His 21 wickets (economy 6.35) were again crucial in 2014 when they won the title for the second and last time till date.More recently, Narine has added top-order pinch-hitting to his repertoire and contributed significantly to the Knight Riders’ campaigns in 2017 (224 runs, strike rate 172.3), 2018 (357 runs, strike rate 189.89) and 2019 (143 runs, strike rate 166.27) with the bat, but he had been off the boil this season and has been pushed down the order. With the ball, he has taken five wickets from six games so far, at a strike rate of 26.4 and an economy of 8.09.

Manchester United forward Amad Diallo is set to return to England after withdrawing from the Ivory Coast squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers.

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Amad set to return to CarringtonHe is ill and will undergo further testsFourth United player to withdraw from international shiftFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 22-year-old had been expected to play a crucial role in Ivory Coast's double-header against Sierra Leone, with the first match scheduled for Friday, October 11, and the return leg just a few days later on Tuesday in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. However, Amad is set to fly back to Carrington after he complained of illness in the national team camp.

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Amad's withdrawal adds to United's growing list of players who have pulled out of international duty as the winger became the fourth United player to pull out. He joins Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho, and Kobbie Mainoo, who have all dealt with various fitness concerns. Garnacho and Mainoo have been nursing long-standing injuries, while summer signing Mazraoui had to exit United's goalless draw against Aston Villa at half-time last weekend. Harry Maguire is also facing time on the sidelines after picking up an injury during the same match against Villa.

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Amad made notable contributions in recent victories against Zambia and Chad during the September international window and his absence will be a difficult void to fill for manager, Emerse Fae. However, they lead Group F of the qualifiers with six points from the two matches.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR AMAD?

In six Premier League appearances, Amad has contributed with a goal and an assist, providing United with some much-needed creativity. With a Premier League clash against Brentford on the horizon it remains to be seen if Amad can work his way back to fitness before October 19.

Jamie Leweling marked his Germany debut with a vital goal as they beat Netherlands 1-0 in the Nations League on Monday.

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Leweling scores on Germany debutBeat Netherlands 1-0 in MunichStill unbeaten and top of the groupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

The 23-year-old was a surprise presence in the starting XI having only been called up due to an injury to Jamal Musiala. He then got the nod after Deniz Undav was also ruled out with an injury. Nevertheless, it took just two minutes for Leweling to make an impact as he smashed into Netherlands' net, but it was disallowed following a lengthy VAR review.

Germany's early dominance diminished as the first half wore on, but the Dutch were barely able to get the ball beyond the halfway line and managed to stay level thanks to some desperate defending and Verbruggen.

The visitors held onto the ball for almost three full minutes in a hopeful start to the second half but they were toothless against Germany's defence and didn't manage a shot until Denzel Dumfries' wayward header in the 56th minute.

Unsurprisingly, it was Germany who broke the deadlock when a failed clearance rolled in Leweling's path and he lashed into the top corner.

Netherlands finally showed some spark in the last 15 minutes when Xavi Simons found space outside the box and unleashed a shot that struck the bar. In the 90th minute, Donyell Malen's shot from outside the box forced an excellent save from Oliver Baumann, making his debut at 34 years of age, as the hosts held out for the win.

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Stuttgart forward Leweling got the nod from Julian Nagelsmann due to injuries in the Germany squad but showed he was worthy of his place in the starting XI, seeing an early goal ruled out for a marginal offside before he broke the deadlock in a dull match.

AFPTHE BIG LOSER

Dutch defender Micky van de Ven looked reckless at centre-back and put his fellow defenders under pressure throughout the game. His attempt to block Leweling for the goal was terrible.

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The Netherlands failed to attempt a single shot in a first half of a game for the first time since June 2019 (against Portugal) and recorded just one touch in the opposition box before half-time for the first time since August 2017 (against France).

Former England fast bowler honoured for services to cricket and charity

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2020Darren Gough, the former England fast bowler, has been awarded an MBE for services to cricket and charity in the Queen’s birthday honours list.Gough, 50, took 229 wickets in 58 Tests for England between 1994 and 2003, as well as playing 159 ODIs and two T20Is. He represented Yorkshire and Essex in county cricket, before retiring in 2008 and moving into a career in broadcasting. He currently hosts a radio show on talkSPORT.A Level 3 qualified coach, Gough was used as a bowling consultant by England on their tour of New Zealand last year, and was credited with helping the likes of Chris Woakes make better use of the Kookaburra ball.He has also dedicated much of his time to raising money for charity, in particular wildlife and conservation efforts. Earlier this year, he donated memorabilia to an auction for the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.The Queen’s birthday honours are usually announced in June, but this year were held back in order to recognise the efforts of those helping to deal with the coronavirus.

Crystal Palace feel like they are on the precipice of something great with Oliver Glasner at the helm.

The Austrian has extracted so much more from his squad over the last few months, and with the right additions this summer, the club could take a real leap forward in the Premier League next season.

However, the incredible football the South Londoners played in the last few weeks of the season has only increased the number of outside parties looking to sign their best players, including Michale Olise, who has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea recently.

It's an unfortunate side effect of playing great football, and while it would obviously be a setback to lose the Frenchman, it looks like Steve Parish and Co have already identified the perfect replacement.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to a report from The Palace Way earlier this month, Crystal Palace are interested in bringing Norwegian wonderkid Antonio Nusa to England this summer.

The report revealed that the Eagles can expect to pay a fee similar to the one Brentford agreed for the youngster in January before their deal collapsed, around £32m.

It might be an expensive transfer for someone so young, but based on his performances in Belgium this season and the way he is spoken about by people in the know, Nusa looks like a player worth spending big on.

Why Nusa would be a good Olise replacement

Now, before getting into why the Club Brugge gem would be a great signing to replace Olise, there are a couple of things to mention.

The first is that while Nusa has primarily played on the left this season, he has started ten club games on the right in the last couple of years and in Glasners 3-4-2-1 system, he'd likely be asked to play one of the hybrid attacking midfield roles anyway, like the former Reading ace.

The second is that while he's an incredibly exciting prospect and a player who could turn into a real world-beater in time, he can't be expected to immediately perform in the same vein as the Frenchman.

However, comparing his underlying numbers to those of the 22-year-old when he was 19 shows just how good he already is.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.50

0.32

Progressive Carries

6.70

3.36

Progressive Passes

3.75

5.89

Progressive Passes Received

12.7

4.83

Shots

3.03

1.91

Shots on Target

1.16

0.64

Passing Accuracy

72.9%

74.0%

Shot-Creating Actions

5.26

4.60

Goal Creating Actions

0.89

0.50

Successful Take-Ons

4.38

1.58

For example, while the "electric" dynamo, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, produces fewer progressive passes and has a lower passing accuracy than the Palace ace had at the same age, he produces a far higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, takes more shots and shots on target, receives more progressive passes, produces more shot and goal-creating actions, produces more progressive carries and completes far more successful take-ons, all per 90.

Moreover, the 4.38 successful take-ons the Langhus-born prospect completed per 90 this season is actually substantially higher than the 2.82 the Palace gem managed, lending credence to Mattinson's description of him as a "1v1 specialist."

Ultimately, while Nusa isn't the finished article today, he's shown more than enough in Belgium to suggest that he could thrive in Glasner's exciting and progressive set-up.

Therefore, if Palace do lose Olise to Chelsea in the coming weeks, they should go all out for the youngster that talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed "the future of Norwegian football."

Crystal Palace are about to do something that may make Wharton even better

The Eagles look set to sign a “dangerous” star who’d help the Englishman get better and better.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 11, 2024

After last season saw Tottenham Hotspur rely heavily on Son Heung-min for goals, the club have now made contact to bring in a highly-rated attacker this summer.

Ange wants attacking signings this summer

Whilst the arrival of Ange Postecoglou looks to have brought fresh life to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it is clear that the club need to bring in new signings this summer to support his style of play.

Imagine him & Eze: Spurs handed chance to sign £50m England star

This touted midfielder’s club is preparing to sell him.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 1, 2024

Most important to this will be the arrival of more attacking players to reduce Spurs' reliance on their star men. Throughout last season's Premier League campaign only two of the Lilywhites' squad scored more than ten goals with the aforementioned Son's 17 joined by Richarlion's 11.

In an attempt to rectify this issue Spurs have entered the market for a number of fresh faces. Recent reports are suggesting that Spurs are in the front row to sign Icelandic talisman Albert Gudmundsson. The Genoa striker has long been linked with a move to N17 with a fee in the region of £30 million cited.

Whilst one eye at Spurs looks for a striker, the club are also entering the market for a new wide player as they take initial steps to sign a Champions League winner.

Spurs make move for Real Madrid man

As first reported by Sport Witness, the Spanish press are claiming that Spurs have made an initial approach to sign Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz.

The 24-year-old is set to face fierce competition in the Los Blancos attack with the impending arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick likely to force Diaz out of Carlo Ancelotti's side. With this in mind, it appears that Madrid outfit are looking to let the Morocco international leave during the summer window.

Sport Witness goes on to state that both Spurs and Roma have made offers for Diaz but they’ve been turned down by the Spanish champions. The report claims that the deal could be for a temporary loan with Ancelotti reportedly not eager to lose the player premanently this summer.

Diaz's current deal at the Bernebau runs until the summer of 2027 with the winger pocketing a reported £119,000 weekly wage as per capology. With the attacker tied down in Madrid for the foreseeable future, it is unlikely that he will be desperate for a permanent move away during this window.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a succesful season during his most recent campaign with Madrid, contributing 12 goals and 9 assists as Los Blancos sweeped up both domestic and continental trophies.

Diaz caught the eye of the wider footballing world during this season's Champions League. Whilst Real Madird went on to win the competition, the Morroccan's personal highlight came in the round of sixteen when the winger scored the only in his side's first leg win over RB Leipzig.

Speaking on Diaz's goal, Owen Hargreaves sang Diaz's praises, with the two-time Champions League winner telling TNT Sports: "It was Messi-esque. Because of the way he can dribble and his low centre of gravity, it was just breathtaking. One of the best goals you’ll see all season. The quality of this goal is really astonishing.”

With Postecoglou's love for attacking football well known there would be few better additions to his side than Diaz, even if it is only for a season.

Donovan Miller and Graeme Welch also in the running following departure of Jim Troughton

George Dobell26-Nov-2020Mark Ramprakash has emerged as a strong contender for the role of Warwickshire head coach.ESPNcricinfo understands that Ramprakash, the former England batsman, has been shortlisted for interview. Other shortlisted candidates include – but are not limited to – Donovan Miller and Graeme Welch.After a couple of years as batting coach at Middlesex, Ramprakash enjoyed several years as England’s batting coach. Having turned down an approach from Sri Lanka, he is currently coaching at Harrow School.Miller has an outstanding record as a coach in T20 franchise cricket. As a head or assistant coach, he has overseen victories in the CPL, PSL GT20 (Canada) and Mzansi Super League (South Africa), while he was also part of the England coaching team when they won the World Cup in 2019 and at Essex when they won the County Championship in 2017.Welch, a former Warwickshire player, has earned an excellent reputation as a bowling coach – a role he currently holds at the club – and has had several stints as a consultant with the England squad. He has previously had a short spell as head coach at Derbyshire, whom he also captained in his playing days.David Saker, the former England bowling coach, was an early frontrunner for the job having been sounded out over his interest by Warwickshire’s director of cricket, Paul Farbrace, several months ago. Saker has now told ESPNcricinfo that he “has a job with Sri Lanka [he is bowling coach] so is not really interested” in the Warwickshire role.Ottis Gibson, currently the bowling coach with Bangladesh, also denied to ESPNcricinfo he had been offered an interview though he is thought to remain a strong candidate.Second interviews are scheduled to take place in the week starting December 14 with an appointment expected before Christmas.Warwickshire are seeking a replacement for Jim Troughton who was sacked at the end of a disappointing season. It is understood Warwickshire were obliged to pay Troughton, who has been connected with the club as a player or coach for the best part of 30 years, a six-figure sum in compensation.

Manchester United are reportedly back in the hunt to sign Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong and the Red Devils are pondering a move in January.

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Man Utd want Frenkie De Jong in JanuaryMidfielder struggling for minutes under FlickRecently returned from long injury absenceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

United have had a poor start to the season under Erik ten Hag with the Dutchman having been heavily linked with an early season sack. However, INEOS and the Red Devils' top brass have reportedly backed Ten Hag to stay on as the manager. United have mainly struggled in the middle of the field this season with Casemiro and new signing Manuel Ugarte struggling.

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As per , Ten Hag has demanded the signing of Barcelona's De Jong, who formerly played under him at Ajax. United have already shown interest in the Dutch midfielder's services over the last two years as Ten Hag is said to be a big fan of the 27-year-old. The Red Devils are now looking to make a move for him yet again in January as De Jong's place in Hansi Flick's side remains a major question mark.

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De Jong recently returned to action after a protracted injury absence but has not received a lot of playing time with Marc Casado, Pedri and Eric Garcia getting the nod ahead of him in Flick's double pivot. With Gavi, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez returning to action soon, it is possible that the Dutchman may ride further down the pecking order and as such a potential move away could be an enticing option for both club and player.

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WHAT NEXT FOR DE JONG?

The Dutchman is expected to be in Barcelona's squad for their clash against Sevilla on Sunday, October 20. However, whether the midfielder will be given his first start of the season remains to be seen.

Batsman gets go-ahead from NCA, likely to be available for last two Tests in Australia

Nagraj Gollapudi and Varun Shetty11-Dec-2020Rohit Sharma will fly to Australia over the weekend after the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru cleared him following a final assessment, which included tests of both his skills and his fitness. ESPNcricinfo understands that Sharma will take a charter flight from Mumbai to Dubai, from where he will fly to Sydney on December 13 and be available for selection for the last two Tests of the four-match series.Upon reaching Sydney, Sharma has to undergo a mandatory hard quarantine of 14 days in a facility separate from the bio-secure bubble in which the Indian Test squad is currently in. That, as reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier, will prevent him from being in the mix for the first two Tests (December 17 to 21 in Adelaide and December 26 to 30 in Melbourne). Sharma is expected to integrate with the Indian squad after Christmas in Melbourne, subject to the travel restrictions between Sydney and Melbourne, and should then be in contention for the final two Tests, in Sydney from January 7 and in Brisbane from January 15.It is understood that the NCA, helmed by former India captain Rahul Dravid, sent Sharma’s final assessment report to the BCCI in the last two days.There had been confusion around Sharma’s status – and availability for the Australia Tests – over the past few weeks, with even captain Virat Kohli saying that he had been kept in the dark on the subject. Sharma had initially been left out of India’s tour because of the hamstring injury he picked up during the IPL, with the BCCI saying he would be “monitored”. Sharma sat out four matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL after picking up the injury, but returned – after being left out of the squads for the Australia tour – to lead his team to the title. He was subsequently named in the squad for the last two Tests, subject to how his rehabilitation at NCA went. Sharma had travelled to the NCA mid-November to carry out his rehabilitation, and left for Mumbai on Thursday.He is fit to travel now, but it is unclear what the protocols for Sharma’s integration into India’s bio-secure bubble in Australia are. While there is the question on whether he will come out match ready after a 14-day quarantine, the eight-day gap between the second and third Tests – which begins on January 7 – is understood to have encouraged the management to have the senior batsman in the mix.Rohit Sharma and his Mumbai Indians claimed the big prize•BCCIAt the NCA, in addition to the medical staff, Sharma was monitored by both Dravid and Sunil Joshi, the chief selector. Dravid and Joshi focussed on Sharma’s skillsets. The BCCI wanted Sharma to go to NCA to get proper training and treatment on his hamstring before he could be considered fit for Test cricket; Sharma made the cut with both his batting and his fielding.For Sharma, the hamstring injury was the second major one he picked up this year after tearing his calf earlier on in New Zealand, which had ruled him out of the Test leg of the tour. Then, on October 18, while taking a tight single in an IPL 2020 league match against the Kings XI Punjab, Sharma tore his left hamstring.On November 9, in an update on Sharma, the BCCI said the selectors had decided to “rest” the batsman in order for him to complete his rehabilitation and be in contention for the Test leg in Australia. Sharma then travelled back to India immediately after the IPL to attend to his ailing father, who is well now.It is understood that both the BCCI and the selectors wanted to be fully convinced about Sharma’s fitness considering the expected workload in Test match cricket, when compared to the IPL, and didn’t want to send him Australia with the rest of the squad from the UAE. Also, if he had gone directly to Australia, he might not have received the attention he did at the NCA, considering India were playing white-ball cricket.Sharma is expected to continue with his fitness sessions during quarantine in Sydney.Sharma’s addition to the Test squad is a big boost for India, especially because Kohli will return to India after the first Test to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.