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Newcastle United have identified Everton midfielder Amadou Onana for transfer this summer and could ramp up their interest in short time as Eddie Howe looks to bolster his thriving squad.

That's according to iNews, who claim that the Magpies are 'monitoring' the Belgian midfielder ahead of a possible swoop, with Onana impressing for Everton during his side's relegation-threatened campaign.

Despite only signing the combative ace one year ago for £33m from Lille, the Toffees are in need of funds to fuel a summer rebuild and have been reported to consider the sale of one of their most coveted assets due to his skyrocketing value, with £60m enough to prise him away from Goodison Park.

Newcastle have been imperious across the board this term but there is a sense that several well-placed acquisitions would be enough to consolidate the club's newfound strength, and Onana could integrate into the fold on Tyneside with seamless ease.

Should Newcastle sign Amadou Onana?

In the perfect world of Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, the £60m demand for Onana would be met, but with conflicting reports that the Blues would sanction a sale for £50m, Toon technical director Dan Ashworth might be able to whittle down the price considering Onana's outfit are desperate to grow their purse.

Once hailed by former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez as "one of the most talented young players in Europe", Onana finished his first Premier League campaign with an average Sofascore rating of 6.92, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions and clearances per match, also winning 59% of his ground duels.

The £100k-per-week ace is a tenacious tackler and an imposing aerial presence, with Richard Buxton describing him as "superb" for his seasonal endeavours, and he would only burgeon as a prospect among the established likes of Joe Willock, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes, with the latter in particular possibly the perfect partner for Onana to blossom into a world-class engine.

Guimaraes was one of the first to sign for Newcastle following the PIF takeover in October 2021 and has since made 57 appearances, scoring ten goals and supplying six assists more following his £40m transfer from Lyon in January 2022.

Hailed as "world-class" by teammate Dan Burn, the 25-year-old's success lies in his aptitude to conduct the play and keep the system whirring at full throttle, with the £120k-per-week phenom ranking among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, progressive passes and successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

On top of this, he has averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions in the Premier League this season, and with such a robust option as Onana alongside him, Newcastle's midfield might be awash with dynamism and an iron-clad resolve to leave the opposition quaking.

Onana, dubbed a "leader" by Martinez, would utilise his crisp passing and ball-winning prowess to enhance Guimaraes' own dynamic output, also confirming his imposing flair by ranking among the top 7% of positional peers for aerials won per 90.

He must be signed, Newcastle's midfield is already thriving but the addition of Onana would only enrich the outstanding Magpies centre as Champions League football awaits.

Iyer, Lad miss opening game
Mumbai, 41-time champions, will begin their title defence against Tamil Nadu in Lahli without the services of the injured duo of Shreyas Iyer and Siddhesh Lad. While Iyer hasn’t yet recovered from a quadricep injury he picked up during India A’s tour of Australia last month, Lad is suffering from back spasms. Mumbai’s chairman of selectors Milind Rege said Lad had had a recurrence of an old injury. “We will wait on his progress in the next five to seven days, but we hope that Iyer will be fit for the next game [against Baroda in Delhi from October 13],” he said.Iyer was the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy 2015-16 with 1321 from 11 games at an average of 73.38. Lad has established himself in the middle order in recent times, and scored a crucial 88 in the final against Saurashtra last year. Injury to two key players could translate into a debut for Armaan Jaffer, who has been a heavy run-scorer for Mumbai at the Under-19 level. He was more-recently part of India’s Under-19 World Cup squad.Shifting of venues
The Rajasthan-Saurashtra game in the opening round has been shifted to Vizianagaram from Chennai because of the hosting of the senior women’s one-day league. The second match in Chennai between Karnataka and Jharkhand from October 13 to 16 has also been moved to Greater Noida in the wake of the tense situation in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka following the Cauvery verdict.Tamil Nadu’s camp in Dehradun
Tamil Nadu has had a week-long preparatory camp in Dehradun to get accustomed to the conditions they will be facing during the first half of their campaign in the northern states. Tamil Nadu play their first three matches in Lahli, Bilaspur and Dharamsala.Tamil Nadu captain Abhinav Mukund said his team wanted to practice on black soil-based pitches. “Our main intention was to practice in mostly similar weather and also similar pitch conditions,” Abhinav said. “The Abhimanyu Cricket Academy in Dehradun, where we trained, is one of the best facilities I have been in across India. Whatever we asked for – be it the pitches, the gym, the food – we got it.”We tried all sort of pitches here – there were a couple of those where the ball kept low, some of those had good carry. We did match scenarios and had center-wicket practice every day. So, from a preparation point of view, things were very good.”Unmukt to lead Delhi
Unmukt Chand will lead Delhi in their opening game against Assam in Vadodara in the absence of Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, both on national duty. Unmukt had led India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2012 in Australia. He has also captained Delhi on a few occasions in the past. However, Unmukt’s returns in Ranji Trophy 2015-16 were middling, as he managed only 439 runs from 14 innings.‘Focus on uniformity in pitch preparation’
Daljeet Singh, the chairman of the BCCI’s ground & pitches committee, said the emphasis was on making good cricket pitches for the Ranji Trophy. The pitches will be prepared by curators of the host state associations, while the board’s curators will travel to different venues at various points to monitor the pitches.”We had a two-day workshop in Mumbai where curators of all associations were present, and the only thing that was discussed was about making good pitches for a four-day match,” Daljeet told ESPNcricinfo. “A good four-day match starts with a little grass and then flattens out to become a good batting track later before having wear and tear in the end.”When asked about the instructions given to curators a few years ago to retain 4mm grass on the pitch, Daljeet said there were never any standing guidelines. “The 4mm grass was the interpretation of a few people. If you have 4mm grass in Lahli, the match will be over in one-and-a-half days,” he said. “It is only about uniformity in pitch-preparation, and we have only given general guidelines about good cricketing pitches.”

Referee Andre Marriner and his VAR team may have made a big mistake in the recent Newcastle United draw as he failed to send off Bruno Guimaraes.

What’s the latest on Newcastle and VAR?

Eddie Howe’s side were able to secure a spot in the top four and this qualify for the Champions League despite being held to a draw against Leicester City.

The Magpies dominated with 78 per cent possession, 12 concerns to one, and 23 shots to one, but still couldn’t score as the game ended 0-0 (via BBC Sport).

Even so, Newcastle will be delighted to get that one point that means they cannot be caught by Liverpool who are fifth in the Premier League with only one game to play.

However, they can potentially count themselves lucky to have completed the game with 11 men on the pitch as Guimaraes landed a brutal challenge on Boubakary Soumare.

In the end, the referee only opted to dish out a yellow card but as you can see by the still image shared on the TalkSport Twitter feed, it was bad foul potentially deserving of a red card.

You can also see the footage here.

Did Bruno Guimaraes deserve a red card?

In the end, Guimaraes wasn’t sent off with VAR opting not to upgrade the yellow card to a red but as you can see with how high his studs are raised, he’s a lucky boy.

Had that been a dismissal, Newcastle may well have lost the game and not secured Champions League football on the night as they would have had to play from the eighth minute onwards with just ten men.

In the ChronicleLive player ratings, journalist Lee Ryder noted the midfielder was “lucky to stay on with a wild challenge.”

He wasn’t the only one to comment on the bad tackle either, with football writer Craig Hope also adding: “That looked like a red card to me?”

After the game, Foxes manager Dean Smith wasn’t happy about the tackle. He told the press: “I do feel that Bruno could have been sent off. It was a dangerous lunge that endangered the opponent.”

Sunderland's season ended last week as they were knocked out of the play-offs in the semi-finals against Luton Town and as a result, they could now spend this summer trying to keep hold of their best players.

Crystal Palace and Brentford are both reportedly keeping tabs on forward Jack Clarke after the Englishman's impressive campaign in the Championship.

The 22-year-old scored nine goals and provided 11 assists in 45 games from out wide in the second tier of English football and the club could be looking for his heir in the transfer market if a move to the Premier League arises.

Who could replace Jack Clarke at Sunderland?

It was recently reported that the Black Cats are one of the clubs interested in a deal to sign CD Universidad Catolica winger Alexander Aravena this summer and he could be the dream heir to Clarke next season.

AZ Alkmaar and Granada are said to be providing competition in the race for his signature as Tony Mowbray eyes up a possible swoop.

Whilst it is difficult to predict how a player will adapt after coming over from Chile, his former teammate Marcelino Nunez made the switch to the Championship last summer and enjoyed a strong season with Norwich.

The 23-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 – a score that would have placed him ninth in Sunderland's squad – and chipped in with three goals and two assists from central midfield.

This suggests that it is possible for a player to instantly adapt to English football after moving from South America – and CD Universidad Catolica in particular. Therefore, Aravena could make an instant impact at the Stadium of Light.

The 20-year-old whiz, who can play on the right or the left flank, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 in the Primera Division in 2023, scoring seven goals and creating 13 chances in 13 appearances.

Having also completed 1.2 dribbles per game, it outlines the youngster as an exciting prospect who can make meaningful contributions to matches on a regular basis in spite of his young age.

This comes after he plundered 11 goals and three assists in 24 starts in the league for Catolica in the 2022 campaign, which shows that his current form is not a flash in the pan.

Aravena, whose intelligence was once hailed as "magnificent" by press officer Salvatore Gandhi, is two years younger than Clarke but is already displaying similar qualities by delivering goals and assists at first-team level.

The Sunderland forward, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 in the Championship in 2022/23, could be on his way out of Wearside this summer but Mowbray signing the Chilean prospect as his heir could be a shrewd piece of business for the club.

His form for Catolica over the last 18 months shows that he has the quality to be a difference-maker in the final third, like the Englishman, and Nunez's seamless adaption to life at Norwich indicates that it is possible for Aravena to hit the ground running.

Chelsea are set for a bidding war with Premier League rivals Liverpool over AS Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana, according to a recent report from The Daily Star.

Which midfielders could Chelsea sign this summer?

Chelsea are one of a number of Premier League clubs in the race to sign Fulham's Joao Palhinha this summer, with Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur also said to be interested in the central midfielder.

The need to bring in some new options in the engine room has been increased amid the uncertainty around Mason Mount's future, and the Blues could also look at signing Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte, who are they in a good position to win the race for.

Manager-elect Mauricio Pochettino has set his sights on signing Barcelona starlet Gavi, although the youngster does not want to leave the La Liga club, which means it will not be easy for Todd Boehly to orchestrate a deal.

According to a report from The Daily Star, Chelsea are now set to battle Liverpool for the signature of Fofana, and he could be available for a bargain fee, with the report detailing Monaco would be willing to sanction his departure for £25m.

Both clubs see the Monaco star as a low-cost alternative to Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, who could cost around £100m in the summer, although his price could be driven up if a bidding war breaks out.

The Blues are also searching for a long-term replacement for N'Golo Kante, as they have grown concerned about the amount of injuries the Frenchman picks up, and want to bring in a similar type of midfielder.

Should Chelsea sign Fofana?

Given that Rice has expressed his desire to play in the Champions League, Chelsea are unlikely to win the race for the West Ham captain, and Fofana could be a quality alternative.

Hailed as "magnificent" by football scout Jacek Kulig, the 24-year-old has been absolutely vital for Monaco this season, making a total of 32 appearances in Ligue 1.

During that time, the Paris-born midfielder has averaged 2.2 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, the third-highest combined figure in the squad.

Although Fofana is not on the same level as Rice, ranking lower than the Englishman on a number of key defensive metrics per 90 over the past year, he is also a fraction of the price, and could be an excellent addition to the Chelsea midfield.

Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice is just 'waiting' for the Gunners to make an offer for him, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest on Rice to Arsenal?

The West Ham United star is a player of real interest to Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu, according to recent reports, with claims suggesting they're the current favourites.

Rice is also thought to be on his way out of east London this summer and is set to leave David Moyes – previously making no secret of his desire to play at the top level.

"Growing up as a kid I’ve seen all these top players win the trophies, win the Premier League, the Champions League," said Rice in an interview last year.

“Me as a football fan and a player I want to win the best stuff, I want to win the Premier League, I want to lift that trophy, I want to win the Champions League, I want to win the FA Cups, League Cups, even with England, I want to win it all."

As such, Arsenal are looking to take advantage of his situation in an attempt to shore up their midfield – with the 24-year-old standing out as one of their primary transfer targets.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Jones has claimed that the England international is simply 'waiting' for Arsenal to come in for him when asked about Newcastle's chances of signing the player.

He explained:

"If they make the top four, obviously, it becomes more possible and they can join the conversation, but it still depends on the level of funding on such a deal.

"It will involve how the player himself views the project. It's obviously an intriguing one, but from Declan Rice's point of view, at the moment, all the focus is waiting for Arsenal to make an offer. That's his preference."

Should Arsenal sign Rice?

The homegrown ace is West Ham's star player and general in centre-midfield – averaging their highest rate of interceptions per 90 whilst also standing out as their best-performer overall (WhoScored).

He's also been called 'underrated' by members of the media for what he does, and what's more, reliable journalist David Ornstein of The Athletic has indicated he could leave West Ham for around £75 million this summer.

Rice's stance on a move to north London will only strengthen the case for Arsenal to make a move and we believe he could strengthen Arteta's ranks to no end.

أصدرت اللجنة المشكلة لإدارة الاتحاد المصري للفروسية، بياناً اليوم الأحد برئاسة إسماعيل شاكر بشأن إنهاء كافة إجراءات التسليم والتسلم من المجلس السابق.

وكانت وزارة الرياضة قد أعلنت عن إيقاف مجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصرى للفروسية والمدير التنفيذي والمدير المالي للاتحاد، لحين انتهاء التحقيقات التي تجريها النيابة العامة.

وأوضحت الوزارة في تلك البيان أنه فى ضوء القرار الخاص بتشكيل لجنة لإدارة شئون الاتحاد المصرى للفروسية، فقد تم اليوم الأحد الموافق 31 ديسمبر الانتهاء من كافة الإجراءات الخاصة بأعمال التسليم والتسلم من المجلس السابق للاتحاد.

طالع أيضاً.. مستند | اتحاد الفروسية يرفض قرار وزارة الرياضة بإيقاف مجلس الإدارة

كما تم تغيير كافة الأختام الخاصة بالاتحاد وأيضاً التوقيعات البنكية وكافة متطلبات عملية الاستلام الكامل لشون الاتحاد المصرى للفروسية.

وقد اجتمعت اللجنة الخاصة بإدارة شئون الاتحاد عقب انتهاء كافة الإجراءات وتم الاتفاق على البدء في مناقشة خطة العمل الفترة المقبلة.

وفي نفس السياق تم البدء في تيسير الإجراءات والضوابط الإدارية والفنية لبدء خطة التطوير الشامل للاتحاد وتيسير شئونه خاصة في ضوء الارتباطات المحلية والدولية .

وتؤكد اللجنة أنه لن يؤخذ بأية مراسلات أو أخبار أو بيانات تتعلق بالاتحاد سوى ما يصدر فقط من خلال اللجنة المشكلة لإدارة شئون الاتحاد المصرى للفروسية.

Tottenham Hotspur teenager Romaine Mundle has been promoted to the first-team squad, according to club expert John Wenham.

What’s the latest on Spurs and Mundle?

Mundle has been progressing through Spurs’ academy in recent years and has even made the first team matchday squad on two occasions during the current campaign. The 19-year-old was on the bench against Portsmouth in the FA Cup at the beginning of the year and more recently against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

The right-winger failed to make his debut in either fixture, but it looks as if he has been catching the eye at the club’s Hotspur Way Training Ground and in the U21s with nine goal contributions in 29 appearances.

Spurs expert Wenham took to Twitter, via his Lilywhites Rose account, in the last 48 hours to share what he’s heard on Mundle. He said that the teenager has ‘been fully promoted’ to a first team player, with the club delighted by his development for the U21s. Wenham also addressed the youngster’s contract situation, with talks held over new terms.

‘Understand Romaine Mundle has been fully promoted to a first team player. Club delighted with his development this season with a string of standout performances for the U21’s. Contract set to expire on 30 June but talks have taken place regarding a new deal.’

Could we see Mundle make his Tottenham debut soon?

Mundle has been mooted as a possible future Heung-min Son with some increased playing time in north London, so this update is an exciting one. Alasdair Gold has previously described the attacker as "bright", whereas fellow journalist Josh Holland has also praised him for causing a young Foxes side "many problems" at the beginning of the season.

He is clearly highly thought of by Spurs officials following this claim, and with Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason taking temporary charge of the side until the end of the season, there could be a chance for Mundle to make his senior debut.

Spurs are in a fierce battle to finish in the top four heading into the run-in, but should he continue to impress, the winger could find himself in the matchday squad on a regular basis and possibly end up making a cameo display, so Mundle appears to be a name to keep an eye on.

Manchester United really want to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: 23 goals…

Osimhen, labelled as a ‘beast’ by members of the media, has been in fine goalscoring form this season. The Nigeria international, as of Sunday morning, had scored 23 times in 28 games, four of which have come in this season’s Champions League.

United have been heavily linked with a move for the player who reportedly heads their striker shortlist, with Didi Hamman waxing lyrical over the ‘complete striker’.

“He has everything a good striker needs.

“He heads the goals, is lightning fast, has a great finish, is clever, has good dribbling – he’s the complete striker. Currently the best striker in Europe.”

Hamman isn’t the only one to be impressed by Osimhen, with legendary striker David Trezeguet also describing the forward as ‘unique’.

“He’s a unique player, a prototype of the new player, fast, and he moves a lot. I think he has become a striker with an important profile. He knows how to move and manage himself in the match.”

The Latest: Plettenberg’s comments

Plettenberg was talking about Osimhen to Sky Sports Germany in a story shared in the last 48 hours. He said that the forward ‘wants to take the next step’ in his career, with United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain all linked.

The reporter believes a transfer for the striker would be a ‘huge package’ and said on United that they rate him higher than Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani.

‘Manchester United really want him. We’re hearing that he’s also ranked higher than Kolo Muani internally.’

The Verdict: Get it done

Erik ten Hag has made a new forward one of his transfer priorities this summer, so Osimhen could be the missing piece in the Old Trafford jigsaw.

The Red Devils could sell Anthony Martial this summer, while loanee Wout Weghorst will return to his parent club, which may leave Ten Hag with no senior strikers on the books.

Therefore, bringing in Osimhen, who appears to be at the peak of his powers, could help take United to the next level and back to challenging for league titles.

The club may need to pay big for his services, however, they could well be under new ownership by the summer, so those who may take over from the Glazers could look to win the fans over immediately by securing a marquee transfer for Osimhen.

Glasgow Rangers face a tricky away tie in the Premiership this afternoon as Michael Beale looks to maintain his unbeaten record in charge of the Ibrox side.

Their visit to Almondvale is their last fixture before the Viaplay Cup final in just eight days’ time, and with that presenting a chance for his first piece of managerial silverware, the Englishman may tinker slightly with his starting XI for today.

Indeed, with John Lundstram “touch and go” ahead of this afternoon’s clash at Livingston, and Nicolas Raskin and Ryan Jack both being assessed, it could give Glen Kamara the opportunity to come back into the starting line-up in Premiership action, having been brought on as a substitute for Rangers’ last top-flight match against Ross County.

Will Glen Kamara start against Livingston?

Considering the uncertainty surrounding three of his central midfielders, unleashing Kamara makes absolutely perfect sense for Beale, especially given some of the 27-year-old’s performances under him recently.

Against St Johnstone at the end of January, the Finland international put in arguably his finest display of the season so far.

His Sofascore rating of 7.8/10 ranked him second behind James Tavernier out of the Light Blues’ starting XI that day as he scored once, made three key passes, created a big chance, took 98 touches and made two tackles, looking revigorated under the 42-year-old following his struggles earlier in the season.

Just four days later against Hearts, the 27-year-old “monster” – as dubbed by Steven Gerrard upon Kamara’s arrival at Rangers in 2019 – put in yet another wonderful display.

Against the Jam Tarts, the Finnish colossus once again made two key passes and had a 92% pass success rate, which was crucial for the Gers to generate scoring chances, and he worked well alongside Lundstram in the Light Blues’ midfield engine room.

Despite his slender frame, the midfielder made four tackles and won 80% of his duels at Tynecastle, making good use of his physical presence. With Rangers likely to see plenty of the ball against Livingston, starting Kamara would make perfect sense.

The £21k-per-week gem was described as “perfect” by former Ibrox hero Neil McCann, and he could come in the starting XI with ease as Beale looks to rotate his squad. There is no doubt that the Finland dynamo could dominate Livingston and control the tempo of the game to suit Beale’s style of play.