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The brilliance of Newcastle United's exploits on the pitch has become synonymous with the diligence and precision of technical director Dan Ashworth on the transfer front.

Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento have all joined the first-team fold this summer after the Magpies secured an extraordinary fourth-place finish in the Premier League last term.

With Eddie Howe at the helm, the Toon will feel that they can continue the feat, and indeed started the season off with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Aston Villa.

Howe has recently claimed that he would "love" one more signing, and the central defence is likely to be bolstered.

Who do Newcastle United want to sign?

According to the Daily Mail's Craig Hope, the Tyneside club have compiled a list of possible defensive options this month, with Torino defender Perr Schuurs currently being considered.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

Crystal Palace and Liverpool have registered an interest of late, with the 23-year-old commanding a valuation of €40m (£34m).

How good is Perr Schuurs?

While Fabian Schar has been fantastic since Howe's arrival in 2021, said to have 'gone under the radar' by Harry Redknapp, the 31-year-old has entered the final year of his contract and the club might be looking to introduce a long-term option to partner the imperious Sven Botman in central defence.

Botman arrived last summer from French side Lille for £35m and has truly been exemplary, having been praised for having made a "huge difference" for the Magpies, who complemented their top-four finish with the league's joint-best defence last term, alongside Manchester City.

A no-nonsense, unflinching defender, the Dutchman recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.99 last season, keeping 11 clean sheets from 36 games, completing 87% of his passes, averaging 3.3 clearances per game and winning a remarkable 67% of his duels.

The 23-year-old has cemented an untouchable starring role at St. James' Park and it is unlikely that will change over the coming years, and he will need a partner; as such, Schuurs could fit the bill.

Schuurs, also 23, is an imposing defender – hailed as a "mountain" by journalist Josh Bunting – and boasts a similar profile to his Dutch compatriot Botman.

The Torino ace recorded an average rating of 6.88 last year in Serie A, completing 88% of his passes and averaging 3.2 clearances per game; very similar numbers to that of Botman.

He also ranks among the top 8% of centre-backs for assists and the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, indicating that he could contribute effectively to the ball-playing transitions on Tyneside, assuming Schar's role superlatively, with the Swiss titan ranking among the top 6% of positional peers for assists and the top 2% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Therefore, signing Schuurs could prove to enhance the cohesion on Tyneside and provide Botman with a defensive confrere to solidify a rock-solid partnership for years to come.

The compatriots' variegated skills would also increase the multi-dimensional feel of the Newcastle team, ensuring that the ascent to the very top of European football continues.

لا يزال هناك وقت طويل من أجل حسم المرشحين الأقرب للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية 2024 ولكن هناك أسماء محتملة بعد تألقها في الموسم الحالي.

ولكن هناك بطولات وألقاب قد تحدد الكثير خلال الأشهر القليلة المقبلة مثل دوري أبطال أوروبا وكأس أمم أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضًا | آس: فيفا ويويفا يهددان بإيقاف نشاط الكرة الإسبانية.. ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في خطر

وتحدث ليفاندوفسكي في حواره عبر صحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية عن مرشحيه لجائزة الكرة الذهبية 2024، وقال: “من الصعب تحديد اللاعبين الآن”.

وتابع: “لا يزال هناك مباريات حاسمة في دوري أبطال أوروبا ويورو 2024، لكن في الوقت الحالي أرى كيليان مبابي، جود بيلينجهام الأفضل بالنسبة لي”.

وعن خسارته الجائزة في عام 2021 أمام ليونيل ميسي: “دعونا نوضح الأمر، لقد سمعت شائعات أنهم سيمنحون جائزة عام 2020 بأثر رجعي نظرًا لإلغائها بسبب فيروس كورونا”.

وتابع: “لكن في النهاية فاز ميسي بالجائزة لعام 2021، ولو منحوني الكرة الذهبية لعام 2020 بعد 4 سنوات لن أشعر بأي إهانة، سيكون شرفًا عظيمًا وسأقبل بها”.

وكان ليفاندوفسكي في عام 2020 رائعًا على المستوى الفني مع بايرن ميونخ وساهم في فوزهم بسبعة ألقاب أبرزهم الدوري الألماني، دوري أبطال أوروبا وكأس العالم للأندية.

So far, it has been a slow window for Crystal Palace that has been consumed by rumoured outgoings rather than any exciting incomings.

The club is still in limbo regarding Wilfried Zaha’s future. The Ivorian is officially a free agent upon the expiration of his contract last month, but he is yet to sign for a new club. He has been offered a new £200k-per-week deal and there is growing hope within the club that the attacker will accept.

However, Zaha has attracted interest from Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, Lazio, Fenerbahce, and Al-Nassr.

The Saudi Arabian raid of Liverpool’s midfield, which sees Jordan Henderson and Fabinho on the verge of departure, has also had direct implications on Palace, as the Merseyside outfit have expressed a keenness to sign Cheick Doucoure. Meanwhile, Chelsea are reportedly eyeing up a sensational comeback for Marc Guehi after the confirmation of Wesley Fofana’s long-term injury.

Nevertheless, the south Londoners must juggle their priorities and avoid the same, unwanted fate as Leicester City by adding insufficient quality to the squad.

Last year, the Foxes lost club servant and captain Kasper Schmeichel, and their failure to replace him was arguably one of the catalysts for their surprise relegation.

Therefore, the Eagles have targeted David Soria as a possible new arrival, who could replace Vicente Guaita in goal.

What’s the latest on David Soria to Crystal Palace?

According to Marca (via Sport Witness), Palace have registered an interest in the Getafe goalkeeper as a possible replacement for Guaita, who is being eyed up by the La Liga outfit themselves should Soria move on.

Although it appears that a simple swap deal could be organised, the Eagles are being rivalled by Nottingham Forest for Soria’s signature as Steve Cooper’s side seeks a new No 1 after losing Keylor Navas and Dean Henderson.

Meanwhile, Guaita is in the final year of his deal at Selhurst Park after signing a new contract in January, so could be available on the cheap.

Would David Soria be a good signing for Crystal Palace?

The 30-year-old has a weird and wonderful career path that could eventually culminate in a Premier League switch. The Spaniard finished his youth career with Real Madrid, and following his release, he had unsuccessful stints at Leicester, Birmingham City, and Stoke City before returning to his homeland.

Soria was then second-choice at Sevilla before sealing a move to Getafe in 2018, where he has become one of the club’s most reliable and important performers. He has made 185 appearances in all competitions, keeping 68 clean sheets.

Last season in La Liga, he really excelled as he started every game and racked up 13 clean sheets, which was the third-highest figure in the division.

The £25k-per-week ace is arguably a far more reliable option than Guaita, as he outranks him in various metrics including goals against (1.18 vs 1.26), save percentage (75.3% vs 72.4%) and clean sheet percentage per 90 (50.0% vs 22.2%), as well as percentage of passes launched (75.1% vs 34.5%).

It therefore seems a logical option for Steve Parish to replace the 36-year-old with a more solid and technically astute option in Soria.

Manchester City are reportedly looking at a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich and could make an offer for the player in the coming days.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news?

The Sky Blues and Pep Guardiola have already added to their treble-winning squad this summer by bringing in Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea in a deal worth a total of £30m.

However, Ilkay Gundogan, who played a key role in City’s success last season with two goals in the FA Cup final, has decided to join Barcelona on a free transfer after his contract expired at the Etihad.

Therefore, it looks as if Kovacic will fill the void left by Gundogan ahead of the 2023/24 season, but more new faces could arrive before the window shuts on September 1.

Fellow Croatia international, Josko Gvardiol, has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano even claiming on Wednesday that the RB Leipzig man had even completed the first part of a City medical.

However, speculation has since cooled on the defender, but it looks as if another Bundesliga star is of interest in Kimmich.

The Faithful MUFC relayed news from Spain regarding Kimmich in the last 48 hours, where City were mentioned. It is believed that City, along with rivals Manchester United and Liverpool, all want to sign the Germany international this summer, with Kimmich keen on leaving the Allianz Arena.

All three English clubs are expected to make offers by sending proposals in the coming days, with the report saying on City:

“Manchester City have shown a clear interest in Kimmich after losing the opportunity to sign Declan Rice, who eventually joined Arsenal. The need to strengthen their midfield has led the 'Citizens' to set their sights on the versatile German player, who excels both defensively and offensively.”

Who is Joshua Kimmich?

Kimmich is 28 years of age and has been with Bayern since 2015, with his current contract running until 2025. Capable of playing as a right-back, holding midfielder or central midfielder, the £300,000-a-week man has already worked under Guardiola.

He made 36 appearances under the City boss during his time at Bayern, with Guardiola hailing the player seven years ago. Since then, Kimmich has gone from strength to strength, making close to 350 Bayern appearances and winning a total of 20 honours in Munich. Jose Mourinho previously praised Kimmich for his versatility, describing him as a “phenomenal” player.

"I see him as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No.6, No.8, No.10… he has the qualities to be anything!

"I think he’s phenomenal, an absolutely phenomenal player."

Therefore, should Kimmich move to the Etihad, he would provide options in a number of areas, something which Guardiola could love, especially as right-back Kyle Walker is being linked with a move to Bayern Munich, and it looks as if a deal is one to watch.

Leeds United defender Robin Koch is now wanted by Serie A champions Napoli this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Which players are leaving Leeds?

The Whites' relegation from the Premier League last month was a bitter pill to swallow for anyone associated with the club, following three years back in the top flight of English football.

It will create problem for so many reasons, not least the fact that Leeds are going to find it extremely difficult to keep hold of key players beyond the summer. Playing in the Championship will not appeal to many of their top young talents, especially if they have the opportunity to return straight to the top level at another club.

A host of current Whites heroes are being linked with summer moves away from Elland Road, with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Jack Harrison among those in the mix to depart.

Koch is another who has been tipped to move on, however, as he looks for a new challenge.

Is Koch potentially joining Napoli?

According to Sky Italia journalist Franceso Modugno (via Gianluca Di Marzio and Sport Witness), Napoli are eyeing up a summer move for the £38,000-a-week defender, as they look to bring in a tailor-made replacement for centre-back Kim Min-jae, who looks set to join Bayern Munich.

The report claims that the Serie A giants see Koch as a strong target because he "stands out for his physicality and ability in aerial play", with a bid now possibly in the offing.

In truth, these are the sort of departures that Leeds simply have to accept in the summer transfer window, with someone of Koch's standing no doubt intrigued by the idea of joining a Napoli side that excelled so much last season.

While it would be nice to see the 26-year-old stay put with the Whites and help them make a speedy return to the Premier League, it is difficult to be too critical of him moving on if a club of such stature comes in for him.

Granted, Koch hasn't always covered himself in glory for Leeds, starting 36 of his side's 38 league games en route to relegation in 2022/23, but he has been hailed as a "machine" by teammate Max Wober and he would be a loss, certainly boasting the physicality to thrive in the second tier.

The fact that the German's current Whites deal expires next year does make this a realistic time to sell him and receive good money, though, which is the one positive to take from his likely exit.

Western Australia extended their lead with a solid batting performance against Tasmania on day two of their Sheffield Shield game in Hobart

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Hilton Cartwright struck nine fours and four sixes in his 145-ball 94•Getty Images

A solid first-innings batting effort from Western Australia extended their advantage against Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield match in Hobart. Resuming on 1 for 149, Western Australia went on to post 410 on the back of fifties from Hilton Cartwright (94), Cameron Bancroft (84) and Josh Inglis (55).Bancroft and Cartwright added 98 for the second wicket, but Tasmania’s bowlers chipped away thereafter, reducing Western Australia to 8 for 369. Wicketkeeper Inglis, batting at No. 7, struck a counter-attacking half-century off just 48 balls to push Western Australia’s lead to 212. Cameron Stevenson picked up three wickets, while Simon Milenko and Cameron Boyce took two wickets each.Tasmania lost their openers within the first four overs of their second innings. In the eighth over, Alex Doolan was caught off fast bowler David Moody and Beau Webster was dismissed four overs later, as Tasmania slumped to 4 for 37. George Bailey and nightwatchman Stevenson took Tasmania to stumps, still trailing by 154.

استقبل محمود الخطيب، رئيس مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي، ظهر اليوم وفدًا من نادي الهلال السوداني، على رأسه هشام السوباط، رئيس النادي، لتقديم واجب العزاء في وفاة العامري فاروق نائب رئيس القلعة الحمراء.

وضم وفد الهلال السوداني كلًا من أعضاء مجلس الإدارة والقيادات التنفيذية والرياضية في النادي الشقيق.

وأبدى الخطيب عن خالص تقديره لزيارة رئيس الهلال والوفد المرافق له، مثمنًا هذه اللفتة الطيبة التي تعكس ‏عمق العلاقات التاريخية بين ‏الناديين الكبيرين، والتي تمتد عبر عقود عدة.

وأكد على أن الجميع في الأهلي يدعم نادي الهلال، وأن الأهلي جاهز لتلبية أي متطلبات خاصة بالأشقاء، راجيًا المولى ـ عز وجل ـ أن تتهيأ الظروف والأجواء لرد الزيارة إلى الهلال في القريب العاجل.

طالع | إبراهيم حسن: لاعب الأهلي لا يحتاج إلى تقييم.. والفوز على نيوزيلندا “تاريخي”

وقدم وفد الهلال السوداني الشقيق التعازي لمجلس إدارة الأهلي في فقيد ‏النادي العامري فاروق، مثمنًا ما قدمه الراحل من جهد وعطاء خلال مسيرته داخل الأهلي، ‏سائلين المولى عز وجل أن يتغمد الفقيد بواسع رحمته ويسكنه فسيح جناته.‏

ووجه السوباط الشكر للخطيب ومجلس الإدارة، على طيب الاستقبال، لافتا إلى أن هذا الأمر ليس بجديد على الأهلي، وأعرب رئيس الهلال عن سعادته بالتعاون مع الأحمر في كافة المجالات، وذلك في ضوء العلاقات الوطيدة التي تربط الناديين.

وفي ختام الزيارة، حرص الخطيب على إهداء درع وعلم وقميص النادي لرئيس نادي الهلال، كما قام السيد هشام السوباط بإهداء درع الهلال للخطيب قبل التقاط الصور التذكارية.

ويستعد الأهلي في الوقت الحالي، لمواجهة سيمبا التنزاني، يوم الجمعة المقبل الموافق 29 مارس، في إطار ذهاب دور ربع النهائي لدوري أبطال إفريقيا.

Blackburn Rovers have identified Brighton and Hove Albion prospect Andrew Moran as a target, with the Lancashire side engaged in talks to bring him to Ewood Park on loan this summer, according to TEAMtalk.

Blackburn Rovers transfer news – Andrew Moran identified

Unlike recent years, Rovers have been active early this summer, already bringing two new faces into the club as they look to build on Jon Dahl Tomasson's first season in charge.

Having missed out on the playoffs on the final day of the season through goal difference, the club have got to work early, signing Plymouth Argyle's forward Niall Ennis and Norwegian international Sondre Tronstad on free transfers.

The club has also signed former Tottenham Hotspur youngster Tom Bloxham following the midfielder's release from the North London club.

With Ben Brereton Diaz, Bradley Dack and Daniel Ayala just several names that have departed Ewood Park already, and with a couple of key first-team players like Lewis Travis linked to a move away, the side have plenty of holes to fill and Brighton's young gem is the next name they've identified as a target.

Moran was in blistering form for the Seagulls' U21 side last season and would be an upgrade on Sammie Szmodics, who has been a key player for Tomasson's team since his arrival last summer.

How does Andrew Moran compare to Sammie Szmodics?

While the 19-year-old prodigy didn't enjoy the brightest of starts to life at Rovers, Szmodics really came into his own towards the end of the season and became a vital member of Tomasson's side as they chased a playoff place.

With seven goals and three assists in all competitions, he played a key role in the club's campaign, but replacing him with Moran could actually improve the club's offensive output.

With 11 goals and six assists for Brighton's U21 side last year, including a goal against Blackburn's youth team when the two met in November, the teenager has already shown both a goal-scoring ability and a creative vision that will benefit the side massively.

One of Rovers' biggest issues last season was a lack of firepower up front, so adding Moran, who hit double figures in the Premier League 2, could go a long way to fixing that weakness.

While Szmodics worked best in the no.10 role, Moran has the versatility to play in a number of different positions, including either wing and as an attacking midfielder, so with a long Championship season ahead of them, having a player capable of performing in a variety of areas will benefit Rovers and is just another reason why the 19-year-old is an improvement on the former Peterborough man.

Having been labelled the "Irish Phil Foden" in the past by former Seagulls youth coach Mark Beard, big things are expected of the youngster – who his ex-manager Graham Potter once hailed as a "quality" talent with "huge potential" – going forward and bringing him in on loan would significantly strengthen Rovers' side and offer a big upgrade on the current personnel.

The impending rebuild at Liverpool is shaping up to be an extremely compelling and captivating process.

The Reds have already secured the signing of Alexis Mac Allister for a stunningly modest fee of around £35m and Jurgen Klopp is already planning his next method of attack.

The 2020 Premier League winners have endured a tricky season, that has seen them finish outside the top four for the first time since 2016.

One name that has been mentioned to get the club back to where it belongs is Federico Chiesa.

What’s the latest on Federico Chiesa to Liverpool?

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia), Liverpool and Newcastle are among the clubs interested in the 25-year-old.

The report details that the Italian “doesn’t feel at the centre of the project” in Turin and is considering a departure.

To fuel speculation, Gazzetta have revealed that the Bianconeri have already planned for his exit, meeting the agents of Nicolo Zaniolo and Wilfried Gnonto.

This outlet has also said that it will take offers of around €40m (£34m) for a potential transfer.

Who can Chiesa emulate at Liverpool?

Since signing for the Old Lady in 2020, the ex-Fiorentina man has been one of the club’s most influential and productive players.

Internationally, he also demonstrated his extraordinary talent as the winger appeared in every game of the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 campaign.

During this run, the attacker scored twice and showcased his formidable pace, trickery, and dynamism to the whole continent.

Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon heaped praise on his compatriot and his meteoric rise to prominence, saying: “When he arrived at Juve I didn’t think he was so good. I am honest. In the European Championship, he was unbelievable, in the final match with England, it was impossible to stop him.

“If you do those things at such a high level, then it means that you are really special.”

The 40-cap international has recorded 42 goal contributions in 94 Juventus games, and he can be Klopp’s answer to Raheem Sterling.

The Englishman left Anfield in the summer of 2015 for Manchester City, so his path never crossed in Liverpool with the trophy-addicted German.

However, before Klopp’s arrival in England, the frighteningly young forward was an integral part of the Merseyside outfit.

In 129 appearances, he notched 48 goal involvements, and his rapid, intricate, and direct profile is a style that Chiesa possesses in abundance, with the pair both typically operating off the flank.

The speed and innovation of their dribbling are why they are such devastating assets on the wing, with that shown by the fact that the Italian whiz has averaged 4.53 progressive carries and 2.26 successful take-ons per 90 across the last 365 days, while Sterling has enjoyed a relatively similar record after averaging 3.71 and 1.54 for those same two metrics, respectively.

For Liverpool to get back into the top four, the signing of Chiesa would be an excellent way to follow Mac Allister, while helping to bring a Sterling-esque talent back to Anfield.

Allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, representing Dhaka Dynamites, will be the highest paid local player in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League. He is among seven players in the A-plus category

Mohammad Isam28-Sep-2016Allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, representing Dhaka Dynamites, will be the highest paid local player in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League. He is among seven players in the A-plus category, which includes top Bangladesh cricketers.Shakib is set to receive at least Tk 55 lakh (approx. $68,750), the cap set for his payment. Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza and Mahmudullah will get at least Tk 50 lakh each from Barisal Bulls, Chittagong Vikings, Comilla Victorians and Khulna Titans respectively. Sabbir Rahman and Soumya Sarkar are also among the A-category players but will get Tk 40 lakh each from Rajshahi.According to the BPL governing council’s secretary Ismail Haider Mallick, these players had made an official request to the board to choose their teams and have their salary cap raised to match the BPL foreign players’ cap.”These senior players had a prayer to us, to match what foreign players will get in this tournament,” Mallick said. “In other franchise-based domestic tournaments, foreign players get the same amount as local players.”They also asked to choose their own team, which they said would enable to earn a little more money than the cap given by the BPL governing council. The board however won’t take responsibility of the extra payment that they get from the franchise. They will only be responsible for the amount that we have put as cap.”Mallick said that Shakib’s higher payment than the other six in the same category is because of his experience having played in various T20 leagues around the world. He added that the BPL governing council had to keep seven players in the same category to distribute them evenly between the teams.”The pricing is merit-based. Shakib is the only Bangladeshi player who plays in the franchise-based T20 leagues around the world. His pricing has to be higher than the others. We have decided after discussing with the selectors. Shakib and Soumya Sarkar won’t get the same rate. Shakib and the rest of the senior players have little difference between them in terms of the money,” Mallick said.The tournament is scheduled to begin on November 4.