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Sunderland could be set to lose another of their academy players alongside Tom Watson, who has been linked with an exit recently, as a fresh report has revealed a possible approach from outside the Championship.

How are Sunderland doing this season?

The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray have had a mixed start to the campaign having secured three wins, one draw and suffered two defeats from their opening six games, and after taking ten points from a possible 18, they find themselves seventh in the table just outside the play-off places, via Sky Sports.

The Academy of Light have already seen Watson recently linked with an exit, with the forward once again attracting significant interest from Nottingham Forest in the Premier League having failed to land him over the summer, but he’s not the only up-and-coming prospect that could be heading for the exit door in the northeast.

Black Cats centre-back Zak Johnson has only ever made two senior appearances at the club throughout his career, but he recently put pen to paper on a new three-year deal which will see him remain at the club until at least 2026.

Speaking about his achievement, the 19-year-old said: “I am delighted to extend my stay here at Sunderland. This is my home, and it has been for over 10 years now. I would like to thank all my team-mates and all the coaches that have helped me develop into the player I am today. There is still a long way to go, but I know this is the right place for me to continue my development.”

Is Zak Johnson leaving Sunderland?

According to The Hartlepool Mail, Hartlepool are “considering an approach” for Johnson in the near future. John Askey’s side are contemplating a loan swoop for the defender as a result of several injuries meaning that they have a lack of options.

Sunderland’s teenage talent was included in Tony Mowbray’s pre-season tour squad of the USA but they “may look to consider” a temporary exit to further his development.

Clubs in the National League North are also interested in the youngster, but it’s believed that the former would be the favourites to secure his services should they make a move.

How good is Zak Johnson?

As per journalist Josh Bunting, Johnson is an “exciting” player and one that will no doubt go on to become an integral member of Sunderland’s senior squad in the future, but sending him out on loan would be completely the right decision to make considering the potential he has to offer.

The England youth international, who pockets £400-per-week, managed three aerial wins and the same number of clearances during his only first-team appearance in the Carabao Cup this season, highlighting the rock he can be at the heart of the backline.

Johnson, who has also scored one goal since the start of his career, also has the versatility to operate out wide at right-back alongside his usual role in the centre, so his flexibility and ability to adapt is another attribute that makes him a great option for a club to have at their disposal.

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.

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.

تقدم فريق بلدية المحلة، بالهدف الأول أمام الأهلي، في المباراة الجارية بينهما، اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتواجه الأهلي مع بلدية المحلة، في إطار الجولة الـ 22 من عمر بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز على ملعب المحلة.

وسجل هدف بلدية المحلة الأول أمام الأهلي، ماجد هاني بتسديدة قوية من خارج منطقة الجزاء في الدقيقة 57، بعد متابعة لكرة مرتدة من القائم الأيسر لمصطفى شوبير. هدف بلدية المحلة أمام الأهلي في الدوري المصري

ويخوض فريق الأهلي المباراة، محتلاً المركز الثامن في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 30 نقطة من 14 مباراة.

طالع | موكوينا عن رفضه فرصة تدريب الأهلي: لم أشعر بأي ندم

بينما بلدية المحلة يتواجد في المركز الخامس عشر بـ 19 نقطة من 20 مباراة.

Following a shoulder injury in 2014, the West Indies fast bowler thought he would never play cricket again, but on Friday, he was holding the ball aloft at Lord’s having taken a five-for

George Dobell at Lord's 09-Sep-20171:32

Kemar Roach proud to join greats on Lord’s honours board

West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach feared he would not return to international cricket after sustaining a serious shoulder injury.Roach, who on Friday became the sixth West Indies player to earn a place on the Lord’s honours board for overseas bowlers, was obliged to undergo surgery after breaking a bone in his right shoulder during the tour to India in 2014. For a while it seemed he would never recover the pace or consistency that had once rendered him such an exciting prospect and, before this tour, he had not played a Test since the start of January 2016.But he bowled impressively – albeit without gaining the wickets he deserved – throughout this series and has now joined a distinguished list of Caribbean cricketers to have claimed five-wicket hauls at ‘the home of cricket’. They are Sonny Ramadhin (who claimed 6 for 86 and and 5 for 66 in 1950), Charlie Griffith (who claimed 5-91 in 1963), Andy Roberts (who claimed 5-60 and 5-63 in 1976), Michael Holding (who claimed 6-67 in 1980), Malcolm Marshall (who claimed 6-85 in 1984 and 6-32 in 1988), Courtney Walsh (who claimed 6-74 in 2000) and Fidel Edwards (who claimed 6 for 92 in 2009).Roach, who has given West Indies a decent chance of securing their first series win in England since 1988, was overwhelmed to join such a distinguished list.”I had some doubts [whether I would return],” Roach said. “It was a pretty tough time. Breaking your shoulder is not easy but a lot of hard rehab and hours of training got me back here. I’m proud of myself to be able to come back and perform for the West Indies.”It means a lot to earn a place on that honours board. There are a lot of players went before me, the likes of Courtney Walsh and Malcolm Marshall. And a lot of players who have come here and never got it done. So to be part of that board is history.”Roach paid credit to, among others, Corey Collymore for his help in him achieving such a feat. Collymore, a fellow Barbadian, played several seasons of county cricket in England (he represented Warwickshire, Sussex and, most memorably, Middlesex) alongside his international career and was therefore well-placed to offer his advice to Roach.”I’ve been talking to past players,” Roach said. “The likes of Corey Collymore; guys who have played in England for a couple of years. So coming here I was prepared and knew how to bowl on certain pitches. Kudos to those guys for helping me out. I’ve learnt my art a little bit more. I’m more experienced.”While Roach felt his West Indies side – so dismissed before the series – had already proved a point after their memorable victory at Headingley, he warned England they were not finished yet.”A young side have come to England and put up a hell of a fight,” he said. “And we’re going to keep fighting. We had a tough time at Edgbaston but to come back so strong in Leeds was an amazing feeling. We have come here to win and the guys are very confident.”

Celtic and Brendan Rodgers are thought to be interested in signing defender Jonny Evans on a free transfer.

Are Celtic signing Jonny Evans?

The Hoops have been busy so far this summer, bringing in midfielder Odin Thiago Holm from Valerenga and winger Marco Tilio from Melbourne City, with Rodgers reportedly being given a £30m transfer kitty following his return to Glasgow.

Jota has moved on to sign for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m, however, Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun is on course to come in, with a fee of just over £2m now agreed between the two clubs.

Busan I-Park midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu, who has been on Celtic’s radar for some time now, could also be on the way to Parkhead, but it looks as if Rodgers would like to sign a player he knows well in Evans.

The Liverpool Echo shared a story regarding Evans' future in the last 48 hours, claiming that Everton are not in for the player despite reports. However, Celtic are thought to be keen.

"It is understood that Brendan Rodgers is keen to bring Evans to Celtic this summer. Rodgers, who worked with the 35-year-old at the King Power, returned to the Scottish giants last month, replacing Ange Postecoglou, who joined Tottenham Hotspur after delivering a treble last season."

Is Jonny Evans a free agent?

Evans, who actually doesn’t have a weak foot, as per Transfermarkt, is currently training with former side Manchester United. That’s because the 35-year-old’s deal with Leicester City expired at the end of June, making him a free agent.

A Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup winner, Evans is primarily a centre-back but can also turn out as a left-back if needed. Evans has made close to 500 senior appearances in England, 129 of which came under Rodgers at Leicester. The pair enjoyed a good relationship at the King Power, with the defender praising the Celtic boss following an incident with the Foxes back in 2021.

"The way the manager dealt with it was fantastic. He’s very decisive and he let all the other players know where he stood, he was very open with his dialogue, his communication. As players, you can only have respect for that."

Meanwhile, Rodgers has also hailed Evans in the past, describing him as a “top player” who is “super intelligent.

"I had always admired Jonny from afar, watching him at United. To play the games he did there at a young age tells you everything about him. I would not say anything has surprised me from working with him. I knew he was a top player.

"I see someone of great maturity. He knows the game at the highest level. He is a deep thinker about the game, a super intelligent guy. You can see that he watches football."

By the looks of things, a move to Glasgow for the Northern Irishman could well be one to keep an eye on over the coming days and weeks, and should he arrive, Evans would bring plenty of knowledge and versatility to the club’s backline.

أكد ناصر الخليفي، رئيس نادي باريس سان جيرمان، أنه كان يثق في قدرتهم على عبور برشلونة ومن ثم التأهل إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وفاز باريس سان جيرمان في مباراة مثيرة على برشلونة، على ملعب “مونتجويك” بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف في إياب ربع نهائي البطولة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تير شتيجن بعد توديع دوري أبطال أوروبا: نحتاج لإعادة شحن بطارياتنا

وخسر باريس سان جيرمان في الذهاب على ملعبه بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين، ولكنه نجح في عبور برشلونة من معقله.

وقال الخليفي في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للبطولة: “إنها لحظة رائعة بالنسبة للنادي، ليس من السهل الفوز هنا، لكنني كنت واثقًا”.

وأضاف: “كنت واثقًا قبل المباراة الأولى وبعدها، وقبل مباراة الليلة، وبعدما استقبلنا الهدف الأول، كنت واثقًا حقًا”.

وواصل: “لقد رأيت شيئًا لم أره منذ 13 عامًا، وهو أن الجميع يقاتلون معًا من أجل بعضهم البعض، الأجواء، كل شيء”.

واستمر: “هدفنا؟ نريد الاستمرار بنفس الطريقة، علينا البقاء هادئين، دوري أبطال أوروبا صعب للغاية، كل التفاصيل مهمة”.

واستأنف: “لويس إنريكي؟ تحدثت معه قبل المباراة، أخبرته أنني أريد التأهل، لدي ثقة به، كما أشكر المشجعين، شعرنا وكأننا في بيتنا”.

واختتم: “نصف نهائي دوري الأبطال، إنه أمر صعب، نريد الاستعداد جيدًا، كما أن المدرب يعرف دورتموند جيدًا”.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to reject a second bid from Bayern Munich for Harry Kane as they attempt to keep hold of their talisman, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Kane leaving Spurs?

Another summer transfer window means another Kane transfer saga with Bayern Munich this time the main protagonists. It has been Manchester City, it has been Manchester United, but now it is the Bavarians' turn to attempt to woo the striker.

Wooing Kane is expected to be the easy part with the Spurs forward quietly keen to leave north London in search of silverware, but convincing Daniel Levy to part ways with his prized asset is a different problem altogether.

Bayern have already seen a first bid rejected for the 29-year-old but have since submitted a second offer of approximately £68m plus add-ons.

However, Levy is apparently "unlikely" to accept a bid he considers significantly lower than Kane's asking price, according to Romano, and the Lilywhites have no plans to sell their forward this summer despite Bayern's growing interest.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano stated: "Bayern have made a new proposal for Harry Kane after the opening bid, €70m [£60m] plus add-ons rejected by Tottenham days ago.

"Now, Bayern as expected, I told you here many times Bayern will try again, they have no intention to give up, and they submitted a new proposal €80m [£68m] plus add-ons. From those close to Tottenham the message is very clear. After rejecting €70m plus add-ons, they absolutely see as unrealistic and unlikely for Daniel Levy to accept €80m plus add-ons."

He added: "So, at the moment it seems really difficult. Let's wait for Tottenham position on this story, but the feeling of those close to the board and close to Daniel Levy is very clear: it's more than difficult to see this happening for €80m plus add-ons.

"From Bayern, they remain convinced that Harry Kane is prepared to make this move to Bayern, but again it really depends as I always mentioned on Daniel Levy and at the moment there is no green light on this one."

Romano also claims that Tottenham are desperate not to let Kane leave this summer but as each bid improves it may become more and more difficult to keep the attacker in London, especially given his contract expires next summer and Spurs could lose him for free.

Ange Postecoglou will be as eager as anybody to keep Kane at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as he prepares to embark on his first season with the Lilywhites.

The Australian already has his work cut out to improve this Tottenham team over just one summer, but losing Kane would make that challenge even greater.

The England captain scored 30 Premier League goals last season despite Spurs' poor performances and eighth-placed finish and losing him would leave Postecoglou needing to fill an enormous hole in his new team.

Who else might leave Tottenham?

There is an expectation that there may be an exodus of players at Tottenham this summer as Postecoglou looks to transform this Spurs squad and sift out any deadwood.

Club captain Hugo Lloris is expected to leave in search of a new challenge amid growing criticisms of his performances. Spurs have already brought in his replacement in Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli.

Centre-backs Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and Joe Rodon could all be sold this summer, while the future of full-backs Sergio Reguilon and Ivan Perisic remain up in the air. Postecoglou will be keen to make his backline more impenetrable next season following a campaign in which Spurs conceded three or more goals on nine separate occasions.

What Postecoglou plans to do with returning loanees Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Bryan Gil and Djed Spence remains to be seen but he will likely need to make a quick assessment during pre-season.

Spurs have already been busy in the market in terms of incomings and that is likely to be the case for outgoings as well as the window goes on.

Liverpool could potentially seal the signing of Khephren Thuram in swift fashion this summer, according to a key update from Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Do Liverpool still want Thuram this summer?

The £82,000-a-week Nice midfielder has arguably emerged as the Reds' primary midfield target after the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister, as they look to do some major surgery in that area of the pitch.

Rumours of Thuram heading to Liverpool are simply not going away, and with personal terms potentially agreed with him, it is just a case of two clubs reaching an agreement over a transfer fee.

The 22-year-old enjoyed an impressive season for Nice, proving to be an influential presence in the middle of the park by combining technical quality and energy, completing 86.9% of his passes and averaging a 1.5 tackles per match in Ligue 1.

Could Liverpool snap up Thuram quickly?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth claimed that Liverpool could end up getting a deal over the line for Thuram quickly behind the scenes, as has been the case with some past signings, such as Fabinho and Cody Gakpo:

"Khephren Thuram is another player that they have been interested in, Vega as well. It’ll be one of those that Liverpool will just do behind the scenes, and it will be one of those where, you know, you’ll start getting noises quite late on and once those noises start, the deal will be done pretty quickly. So, I think they know who their targets are."

This isn't the only transfer Liverpool are potentially working on as the Reds are now reported to be pushing ahead with a deal for Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

This is another positive update regarding Thuram's potential move to Liverpool, with supporters' concerns likely to be eased over the signing happening.

Things have gone quiet in the transfer market for the Reds since Mac Allister came in last month, leading to worries about FSG not stumping up the cash for further arrivals, but past transfer business is proof that signings can suddenly be announced from nowhere at Anfield.

As mentioned, that happened with both Fabinho and Cody Gakpo, both of whom's moves were done and dusted in no time after few rumours had emerged, so the hope is that exactly the same happens with Thuram.

If Liverpool failed to snap up the young midfielder at this point it would be a big blow, considering how likely it looks, and it is simply imperative that the right midfield acquisitions come in and boost what was a troubling area for the Reds throughout last season.

Opener Israrullah’s unbeaten 153 off 148 balls overpowered Karachi Blues and led Peshwar to the final of the Regional One-day Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Israrullah hit his third List A hundred•PCB

Opener Israrullah’s unbeaten 153 off 148 balls helped Peshawar to a narrow win over Karachi Blues and put his team in the final of the Regional One-day Cup against Karachi Whites.Israrullah struck 12 fours and five sixes and contributed just over half of Peshawar’s runs. The next best score from was wicketkeeper-batsman Gauhar Ali’s 45 off 51 balls, but a series of cameos from the middle order pushed the total to 303 for 5.Karachi Blues made a steady start to the chase with Khurram Manzoor, who last played for Pakistan in the Asia Cup T20 in March 2016, and captain Khalid Latif adding 59 for the first wicket. The stand ended in the 17th over when Latif was lbw to left-arm spinner Khalid Usman. Manzoor, though, went on to bring up his 28th List A fifty off 73 balls.He then became part of a middle-order slump as the chase spiraled out of control. From 155 for 2, Karachi Blues were reduced to 211 for 7. Jaahid Ali, coming in at No.7, counterattacked his way to 53 off 44 balls, but ran out of partners in the end. Karachi Blues were dismissed for 280 in 47.4 overs, left-arm seamer Taj Wali taking care of the tail and finishing with 3 for 32.