Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez reportedly wants to quit the club this summer, according to Football Insider.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Martinez?

Martinez has once again been a regular in the Midlands this season, making 35 appearances in all competitions, taking his total Villa tally to 110.

However, the 30-year-old appears to have a frosty relationship with Unai Emery, with the pair thought to have had a "fall-out" during their time at Arsenal.

The Argentine, who helped his country win the World Cup last year, is under contract until 2027, but it appears as if a move away could be on the cards over the coming months.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared an update he’s heard out of Villa Park regarding Martinez on Tuesday morning. He stated that the goalkeeper is looking to fulfil his ambitions of playing at a higher level and wants to leave the club this summer.

Chelsea and Manchester United have been named as possible destinations, however, the report adds that it is likely to take a huge bid to persuade Villa to sell the goalkeeper over the coming months.

Villa hold the cards…

As mentioned, Martinez still has a number of years left to run on his deal after penning an extension last year, so Villa are under no pressure to sell at a cut-price fee despite the player’s stance. His Transfermarkt valuation currently stands at a healthy €28m, a figure which rose slightly from €25m late last year.

Martinez showed his quality on the biggest stage in Qatar by helping Argentina to two penalty shootouts at the World Cup, one of which came in the final against France. As a result, he has been branded as "the best penalty-kick keeper in the world" by teammate John McGinn, who went on to call him a "unique character" when speaking on Sky Sports Premier League (7:25 pm, January 13, 2023).

Therefore, you could argue that Villa are right to demand a huge fee for his services over the summer, and if they do decide to part ways, a replacement would be needed. One player who has been linked with a move to the Midlands in recent months is Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili, so he could be a name to monitor if Martinez gets his wish.

Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka with an injury to his lower back

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2016

Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka with an injury to his lower back. Australia have named a 13-man squad for the two T20s that round out the tour, with wicketkeeper Peter Nevill retaining his place and allrounder Glenn Maxwell and batsman Chris Lynn set to join the group.But Coulter-Nile, who played in all four of Australia’s matches at the World T20 in India earlier this year, will not be part of the series and will instead fly home to have his injury assessed. Coulter-Nile has been in Sri Lanka since the start of the tour as part of the Test and ODI squads but has not played a match.”Nathan had been experiencing a gradual increase in lower back pain which is now preventing him from bowling at match intensity,” Australia’s physiotherapist David Beakley said. “He will now return to Perth for further investigation which will determine the extent of the injury and possible return to play timelines.”Coulter-Nile will not officially be replaced in the ODI squad for the remaining three matches, with the selectors comfortable that enough cover is already present. Scott Boland and John Hastings, who are in the T20 squad, have arrived in Sri Lanka early and are travelling with the ODI team and could be called on if fast-bowling cover is needed.Maxwell, who was dropped from the ODI squad due to disappointing batting form, will get a chance to impress in the two T20s alongside Lynn, who has played five T20s for his country.”Both Chris and Glenn are dynamic players who are both capable of winning a game from their own bat and they also bring that x-factor in the field,” national selector Rod Marsh said.Matthew Wade had been Australia’s preferred gloveman in the T20 format until the selectors sprung a surprise by installing Test wicketkeeper Nevill for the World T20 in India earlier this year. Wade remains the incumbent ODI keeper, and scored a career-best 76 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday, but Nevill remains the choice for T20s.”Peter is the incumbent wicket-keeper in the T20 side and had a very good World T20 for Australia, the panel wanted to keep that consistency heading into these two matches,” Marsh said.Australia play Sri Lanka in two T20s in Pallekele and Colombo on September 6 and 9. David Warner will captain the side in the absence of Steven Smith, who is flying home to rest ahead of the upcoming tour of South Africa and a busy home summer.Squad David Warner (capt), Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Peter Nevill (wk), James Faulkner, John Hastings, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Scott Boland.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has personally requested to bring Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Nicolo Barella?

The Italian international completed a permanent move to the San Siro Stadium in 2020 following a successful loan spell the season before, as per Transfermarkt, and he’s since gone on to make a total of 182 appearances for Simone Inzaghi’s side.

Despite his contract still having another three years remaining, the 26-year-old has been the Serie A outfit’s overall third-best-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.94, and this impressive form has seemingly caught the eye of those at Anfield.

Calciomercato have reported that the Merseysiders have a stand-out interest in the highly-rated talent and are, as it stands, the only club name-checked to be following him, with Klopp claimed to be in love with his target.

Are Liverpool signing Barella?

Now, according to InterLive.it (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are “keeping an eye” on Barella as a result of Klopp “constantly” talking about him behind the scenes, and it’s stated that the boss has personally asked FSG “for an effort” to get a deal over the line during the upcoming window.

The Reds submitting an official offer worth €80m (£69m) for the midfielder is a “possibility”, and whilst Milan hope to “do their best” to retain his services, they know it would be “hard to resist” a sizable bid from this calibre of club.

Liverpool have confirmed that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all be leaving as free agents at the end of the season, so several central reinforcements will be needed, and having been hailed “unbelievable” by one podcaster from Anfield Talk, Barella could be the perfect candidate to put pen to paper.

The Champions League participant has 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) to his name in 32 Serie A appearances this season, with this impressive run of form having seen him receive four Player of the Match awards.

As per FBRef, Inter’s talisman has also recorded 116 shot-creating actions since the start of the term which is the second-highest throughout the whole of his squad, showing that he’s always looking to produce chances for his fellow teammates even if he isn’t on the scoresheet himself.

Finally, Barella knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having got his hands on six trophies since bursting onto the professional scene, so he would match the winning mentality and fighting spirit of the current squad that are already in the northwest.

أعرب الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش، المدير الفني الجديد لـ بيراميدز، عن سعادته بتوليه مسؤولية تدريب السماوي، بسبب طموح الإدارة وسمعة النادي في مصر وإفريقيا.

وأعلن نادي بيراميدز، اليوم الأربعاء، عن التعاقد مع الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش، خلفًا للبرتغالي جايمي باتشيكو، بعد توجيه الشكر للأخير بسبب سوء نتائج الفريق خلال الفترة الماضية.

وأكد يورتشيتش في تصريحات نقلها المركز الإعلامي لنادي بيراميدز، أنه بمجرد أن عُرض عليه تدريب الفريق وافق على الفور، لمعرفته بالسمعة الطيبة التي يتمتع بها النادي في مصر وإفريقيا، وإدارته المحترفة.

طالع أيضًا | اتحاد الكرة: ما طلبه رينارد لتدريب منتخب مصر لا يصح.. وحازم إمام رحب بالتوأم

وأشار إلى أن بيراميدز يمتلك إمكانيات كبيرة، وكذلك مجموعة لاعبين يمتازون بالجودة العالية، ويثق بأنه سيحقق النجاح في هذا المكان المثالي الذي يمتلك كل المقومات.

وشدد على أنه اطمأن على مستقبل النادي، خاصة بعد أن شاهد الخطط الطموحة التي يمتلكها، عقب جلسته مع ممدوح عيد رئيس النادي، وعمرو بسيوني مدير التعاقدات ومساعد المدير الرياضي، وكان سعيدًا للغاية ووافق على الفور وجاهز للمنافسة على جميع البطولات.

وأوضح أنه تابع الكثير من مباريات بيراميدز خلال الفترة الماضية، ويعلم جيدًا مدى الجودة التي يمتاز بها هذا النادي، وتحدث مع لاعبيه في أول جلسة على أنه يثق كثيرًا في المجموعة وبالتعاون واللعب بروح واحدة سيكون النجاح هو المستقبل لهذا النادي.

واختتم حديثه بأنه سيعمل على تحقيق طموحات الإدارة خلال الفترة المُقبلة، ويأمل أن يكون وجوده على رأس الجهاز الفني إضافة للنادي.

Manchester United are believed to be keen on reviving their interest in Ajax star, Jurrien Timber, having missed out on the Netherlands international last summer.

What's the latest on Timber to Man United?

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, manager Erik ten Hag is said to be a huge admirer of his compatriot and is keeping a close eye on the centre-back's situation in Amsterdam, having previously been in talks to sign the 21-year-old prior to the start of this season.

Speaking to The United Stand, the transfer guru stated: "On Timber, Manchester United are always informed of the situation. Erik ten Hag is the biggest fan of Timber in football, he is a fantastic centre-back. It depends on Ajax, how much they would ask for Timber.”

According to Sky Germany reporter, Florian Plettenberg, the promising defender – who signed a contract extension with the Eredivisie outfit back in August – could command a fee of around €50m (£44m) if he is to move on this summer.

Should Man United sign Timber?

A new central defender does appear to be something of a priority for Ten Hag and co amid reports that club captain Harry Maguire is set to be shown the door, with recent speculation suggesting that Napoli's Kim Min-jae could be on his way to Old Trafford.

In Timber, however, the Red Devils could seemingly find an ideal alternative to the South Korean star, with the young Dutchman offering the benefit of having worked under the 53-year-old previously, scoring four goals and registering two assists in 74 games under his compatriot's tutelage.

As has been evident with the signing of ex-teammate Lisandro Martinez – who has been a "monster" at Old Trafford, according to Luke Shaw – Ten Hag has benefitted from bringing in a familiar face, hence the ability to repeat that trick with Timber.

Not only would the 5 foot 10 rock – who can also feature at right-back – offer a more youthful alternative to 26-year-old, Kim, but he also appears to possess a greater ability in possession, with his "ball skills" described as "exceptional" by talent scout, Jacek Kulig.

That superior quality on the ball is showcased by the fact that Timber has averaged 8.80 progressive passes and 2.42 progressive carries per 90 over the last 365 days, as per FBref, while the Napoli rock has averaged just 4.84 and 1.22 for the same two metrics, respectively.

The younger man also has a similar defensive record to that of Kim having averaged 1.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in the league this season, with the Korean only just ahead having averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions so far this term.

As such, with Timber able to combine his ball-playing prowess with a solid defensive approach, he would seemingly be an attractive option for Ten Hag, with his "tactical intelligence and general football IQ" also said to be at a "crazy high level", according to Kulig.

For all the interest in Serie A winner, Kim, the Ajax man could offer a dream alternative for the Red Devils this summer.

West Bromwich Albion ended the 2022/23 campaign just shy of the play-offs in the Championship as Carlos Corberan's side finished three points off the top six.

The Baggies missed out on a play-off place to Sunderland and the club should use the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their side with a view to making a better fist of a promotion push in 2023/24.

One area in which they could improve is centre-forward as their top scorers – Brandon Thomas-Asante and Daryl Dike – ended the season with just seven goals in the division.

West Brom were recently linked with a possible £4m swoop to sign Blackpool striker Jerry Yates and the Englishman could come in as a big upgrade on current forward Thomas-Asante.

How did Jerry Yates perform this season?

The 26-year-old forward enjoyed a strong campaign with the Tangerines in spite of their relegation down to League One and he could be the club's missing link at the top end of the pitch.

Indeed, Yates plundered 14 goals and missed eight 'big chances' in 41 appearances for Blackpool in the Championship proving himself to be a serious threat in the final third.

The attacker, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.87, also scored eight goals in 23 starts in the league in 2021/22, indicating that he is a reliable scorer at that level.

As such, he could well be an upgrade on Thomas-Asante who averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.66 across 33 appearances in the division. He only scored seven goals and missed a whopping 12 'big chances', demonstrating that the 24-year-old was poor in front of goal, failing to make the most of the opportunities provided to him.

The misfiring marksman also failed to offer much in the way of creativity as he averaged 0.5 key passes per game and created three 'big chances' for his teammates in the Championship. Whereas, Yates produced nine 'big chances' in total and 0.8 key passes per game for Blackpool.

These statistics indicate that the 26-year-old would come in and provide more quality in the build-up than Thomas-Asante as the ex-Rotherham man has the ability to set up opportunities for others as well as being able to finish off his own.

As a result, the "immense" Yates – as dubbed by reporter Sean McGinlay – could be a big upgrade on the current West Brom number nine as his form for Blackpool proves that he could offer more in the way of goals, chance creation, and general standard of performance.

Corberan must now swoop for the Englishman and take advantage of his team's relegation from the Championship to find the Bagges' new prolific marksman for next season.

ScorecardStuart Meaker runs through to celebrate Kumar Sangakkara’s catch•PA Photos

Stuart Meaker can be a thrilling sight. His run-up oozes effort and intent, a bowler hurling everything of himself at his opponent. His action is powerful and muscular, and what comes next is very, very quick: at Loughbrough, Meaker was once famously clocked at 96mph.Add in a penchant for reverse swing, an incisive yorker and an awkward bouncer, and it is little wonder that England’s selectors have been interested in Meaker for many years. Rumours of his pace, which sometimes gained a few mph in the telling, were swirling from his 20th birthday.But, as of now, aged 27, he has made just two ODI and to T20I appearances and has spent much of the last four years a frustrated man. He lost a little of his zip and, perhaps, a little more of his self-belief. Last season a sad ritual would be the sight of Meaker, unselected, bowling on the outfield striving to relocate rhythm. By the summer’s end, all he had to show for his efforts were five Division Two wickets at 56.20 apiece.Then, just to cap it, after an injury-free pre-season, came a freak groin injury at the end of March, sustained when Meaker refrained from wearing a box in the nets.This unfortunate injury delayed Meaker’s comeback, but it did not deprive him of his vim. After missing Surrey’s opening five matches, Meaker announced his return with 4 for 78 at Old Trafford in May, even as Surrey succumbed to an innings defeat. He has not missed a Championship match since; his oomph has returned, and been rewarded by a new two-year contract.On a resplendent summer’s day at The Oval, Meaker provided a distillation of the essence of his bowling. If there were regular four-balls – there invariably are – there was also unerring menace. By the innings’ end Meaker had taken 3 for 83 – giving him a day’s average of 27.67, set against a season’s average of 27.51 – and an economy rate of just over four an over, compared to one of just under four this season.If these seem relatively unremarkable figures, they do not convey Meaker’s skill in extracting pace and bounce. As Haseeb Hameed, Lancashire’s impenetrable wall, was harried out by a surprise quicker ball, and with an older ball Jordan Clark and Arron Lilley edged when well-set, perturbed by Meaker’s extra pace, it was easy to see why England’s selectors have found Meaker’s gifts alluring and why they may yet again.”It’s a great role to have, when the captain says bowl 90mph – happy days. I don’t mind the odd boundary. It does ease the pressure at the top of the mark, thinking boundaries don’t matter,” Meaker said.He is empowered to “try to knock peoples’ heads off,” though he does not reckon he is yet quite back to his best. “Pace-wise it’s as good as ever. Before my injuries my skills were a lot more honed and a lot better than what they have been so far this year: I’d be able to swing it away form right-handers, and then reverse it round and be able to swing it back into them.”But as intoxicating as Meaker’s bowling was, his role in the dismissal of Clark seemed incidental: the wicket belonged to Meaker, but really it was all Kumar Sangakkara’s, who dived to his right at first slip, snaring the ball at full stretch, and celebrated with a nonchalance that belief the moment of brilliance.”That was out and out the best slip catch I’ve ever had taken off me,” Meaker gushed. “It was a full length dive – I don’t think he could even have got a fingertip further than that. It was just amazing.”How Surrey needed it, too: Clark had counter-attacked pugnaciously to lift Lancashire from the debris of 99 for 5. Pyrotechnics from Lilley, who smeared Meaker and Sam Curran over long-on for sixes, and twice scythed Meaker over third man too, then a last-wicket stand of 48 lifted Lancashire to 287, though it felt considerably short of par.That impression was confirmed by the ease with which Surrey batted in the evening session, at least until Rory Burns was spilled off Clark at second slip on 33, from the penultimate ball of the day.A thoroughly contented Surrey had cause to laud the variety of their attack. “It’s probably one of the most balanced bowling attacks we’ve had,” Meaker said. “We’ve got so much depth that it allows people to have a bit of a break between their spells. When it’s started to turn we’ve had the spin twins; on a pitch like this, where there’s not much turn but a bit of inconsistent bounce, the seamers have knuckled down and done the work.”For all the brilliance of Sangakkara’s catch, another Surrey wicketkeeper could also toast a fine day. Ben Foakes took five smart catches, even though these were interspersed with the occasional moment of shoddy glovework. He is already a taker of great catches; but he is not yet a great wicketkeeper.

Liverpool look to be in a period of transition as Jurgen Klopp eyes a squad rebuild following a topsy-turvy campaign that has left them fifth in the Premier League table heading into the final day.

The Reds have confirmed through their official channels that Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave Anfield upon the expiration of their contracts this summer, paving the way for some much-needed freshening of the guard heading into 2023/24.

In their search for midfield reinforcements, Borussia Dortmund Jude Bellingham had been heavily linked with a switch to Merseyside. Nevertheless, ESPN report that Liverpool pulled out of the race to sign the England international as 'the move would prevent the club from strengthening elsewhere ahead of next season', leading Klopp and company to pursue alternative targets.

Football Insider broke earlier this month that Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella has emerged as someone who Liverpool have serious interest in and they have become 'frontrunners' to secure his signature, with a fee of £61 million potential being enough to tempt the Serie A giants into selling the €178,077 (£154,450) earner.

What's the latest news involving Nicolo Barella and how has he faired in 2022/23?

The Football Insider report also claims that Inter Milan would be 'open' to letting Barella explore a new challenge this summer and detailed that he has been scouted by Reds chiefs.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones has stated his belief that Barella could become Liverpool's version of Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan at the heart of Klopp's midfield.

Jones told FFC: "They could definitely have their own version of Gundogan, possibly even for right now, a better version, given that he is emerging as a player, whereas Gundogan is the fully developed, experienced end product; I think that Barella might still have a desire inside him to keep pushing on and possibly even slightly remould himself into whatever it is that Jurgen Klopp would want."

Barella, like Gundogan, has a keen eye for goal and has managed to record eight goals and nine assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for his side this term, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef also takes into account that the Cagliari-born 26-year-old star has provided a glut of chances for his teammates this campaign, successfully completing 140 shot-creating actions in total.

In Serie A, the Italy international has also illustrated his capacity to perform a number of functional roles in the middle of the park, having racked up an average of 1.6 key passes and 1.4 tackles per game in 2022/23, according to WhoScored.

Intriguingly, Liverpool boss Klopp has previously praised Barella's all-round ability in an interview in February 2022, as cited by OneFootball, saying: "He's a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That's a top-class player."

Seeing that Klopp is a fan of Barella may add weight to prospective rumours linking the playmaker with a move to Anfield and his versatility would likely compensate for their failed long-running pursuit of Bellingham.

Multiple midfield additions are said to be on the horizon at Liverpool and Barella could well be their very own midfield general to drive the Reds forward for the coming years.

The Liverpool Echo claim that financial concerns at Inter Milan may make the process of a sale smoother for Liverpool, who simply cannot pass up opportunities to bring a player who is of the calibre of Barella to Anfield in the summer.

Glasgow Rangers will be aiming for nine points from their last three matches of the Scottish Premiership season in order to end the campaign on a high note.

Michael Beale’s side showed exactly what they can do if every member of the squad is pulling in the same direction during their Old Firm triumph at Ibrox last weekend, and an away trip to Easter Road to take on Hibernian this afternoon could allow the manager to experiment with the line-up slightly.

Beale will have to make a few decisions on his starting XI, and one of them should be unleashing Ianis Hagi from the first whistle, and having scored twice and grabbed an assist against Hibs in eight previous matches, he could cause havoc again.

Could Ianis Hagi start for Rangers against Hibs?

The £21k-per-week gem has not long returned to the squad following a year-long layoff due to an injury suffered in the Scottish Cup last year, and Beale has slowly reinstated him into the first team.

If Hagi can return to the form he displayed during the 2020/21 campaign, Beale will have a real star on his hands. Across 45 matches during that title-winning season, the Romanian scored eight goals and registered 15 assists – with 15 of these contributions coming in the league as the Gers strolled to success.

The Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie was full of praise for Hagi, lauding him as “impressive” while praising his ability to “split” teams open with his wide range of passing and creative talents.

Although perhaps not yet at his best since returning to the first-team fold, the 24-year-old has managed to succeed with 83% of his attempted dribbles and win 71% of his total duels across his six league appearances this term, and as his fitness improves, he will continue to get better and hopefully return to the form he showed pre-injury.

Should the manager be looking to take someone out of the firing line then the man Hagi replaced in the win over Celtic, Rabbi Matondo, could be a good bet.

He has shown flashes of brilliance this term, albeit in limited spells, and was dragged off with 20 minutes remaining of that Old Firm tie having made just five passes in the entire game, a damning indictment of his qualities.

Beale must unleash him today in order to allow him to showcase his talents, and he could well run Hibs' defence ragged.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Emerson Royal has claimed that Harry Kane wants to “stay” amid speculation about his potential exit.

What did Emerson Royal say about Harry Kane?

Will Kane leave Spurs this summer? It’s arguably the most-discussed transfer rumour in England over the past few months.

From TV pundits to strangers at the pub, you’ve probably heard nearly everyone who follows football offer their opinion on the matter at some point.

Even Kane has had to address the situation recently. Indeed, after scoring twice against Leeds United on the final day of the season, he told BT Sport (via Manchester Evening News): “It is part and parcel of being a footballer [speculation about leaving] especially when you are at the top of your game.

“I have focused on this season and helping the team as much as possible. I am just looking forward to a nice break and some games with England.”

Well, his Tottenham teammate Emerson has now potentially provided a little bit of insider information when speaking to the press.

He said (via Football Daily) “Top [player], for me, he’s number one in this position. I’m so happy for him.

“He wants to stay with us. I want to play with him for a long time.”

Why would Kane stay at Spurs?

Kane is currently on £200k-p/w at Tottenham and his current deal expires in 2024. It’s been reported that he may not sign a new deal and simply leave for free in 12 months’ time.

However, he could also push for a move this summer with Manchester United heavily linked. 90min claims he is the club’s “top transfer target”.

Of course, this might be tempting as he’s not getting any younger (turning 30 this July) and is still yet to win a major trophy in his career.

Some with connections to Sputs even think he should leave. Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp said (via Manchester Evening News): “It feels at the moment that Tottenham is a shambles.

“They can’t seem to get a manager. If you were Harry Kane with one year to go, this is the time to leave.

“He has to push now because Man United might get somebody else. He missed out on Man City a few years ago when he wasn’t allowed to leave, right now it feels like he needs to push.”

However, if Emerson does indeed have some inside information, perhaps Kane isn’t looking to go just yet.

This could make sense too because if he sticks around for one more year he can then leave for free next summer.