Category Uncategorized

ScorecardSam Curran showed his skills with bat and ball•Getty Images

As the evening shadows lengthened at Lord’s, so ended a riveting day’s cricket. It had contained eleven wickets, and dramatic collapses from both sides, yet was ultimately defined by a partnership that occupied almost half the day.Sam Curran and Ben Foakes are two young players whose futures are brimming with possibility. Yet while they have been noticed more for their other skills – Foakes by his adroit keeping, Curran by his alluring left-arm pace bowling – their batting aptitude is palpable too.They had to summon all their skill after Surrey had stumbled from 47 without to 108 for 6 – at one point losing 4 for 0 – albeit still with a lead of 230, against high-quality bowling. Curran and Foakes recognised the dangers of the situation, and responded assiduously: their first 49 runs took 22.3 overs, and were marked by impeccable defence.But as Surrey’s lead begun to approach, and then cleared, 300, the stand gained impetuous. Foakes pulled a six off Ollie Rayner’s offspin, and added some efficient flicks of his hips; Curran unfurled some sumptuous late cuts and then a reverse sweep. If their batting strengths differ a little – Foakes favours the on-side, Curran the off – the two were united by their sagacious judgement of sharp runs, and haring between the wickets.By the time they walked off, their alliance still unbroken, the two had added 126 in 274 balls, and reshaped the match to Surrey’s will. That Foakes now has a first-class average of just over 40, and Curran one just under, gives notice of the resolve in Surrey’s lower-middle order.How Surrey needed it. After lunch the game seemed to be drifting inexorably away from Middlesex: Surrey’s lead had moved to 169, with all their second innings wickets intact. In such positions prospective champions must show their worth, and Toby Roland-Jones had the look of one here.Bounding in down the slope from the Pavilion End, he forced Rory Burns to play on, attempting to cut. Four balls later Zafar Ansari was caught leaden-footed and snared lbw. In James Harris’ next over, Dominic Sibley’s rather inert innings, 7 from 51 balls, was ended by flashing the ball behind; and then, from the very next delivery, Roland-Jones removed Aaron Finch, playing across the line, lbw. And so in 13 deliveries Middlesex had claimed four Surrey wickets for no run, and Roland-Jones had claimed three of them, enhancing his reputation as a man who can bring chaos out of order.Jason Roy is not the sort to be perturbed by such a situation. He promptly thrashed his first delivery, from Harris, through the covers for four, and then did the same from his third and fourth balls: a distillation of the virtues of a counter-attacking No. 5. But Roy’s dismissal, bowled round his legs attempting to sweep Rayner, just after Steven Davies had chipped the offspinner to cover, showed the risks of such an approach, too.When the day was eventually done – it had been elongated by a sedate over rate, one downside of Roland-Jones bowling with such vim – Surrey could reflect on how, with stealth and skill, they had manoeuvred themselves into a dominant position. In Foakes’ judgement, the wicket is keeping low and showing signs of variable bounce and turn. While his partnership with Curran showed that the pitch to be far from devilish, it is one on which Surrey, with their high-quality pair of spinners, will expect themselves to take ten wickets in a day.A declaration within half an hour in the morning, with a lead of 400, seems probable. How far away such a position looked when, at 108 for 6, Surrey had a lead of 230, and Middlesex had designs of chasing well under 300 to extend their lead at the top of the County Championship.But as grateful as Gareth Batty was to Curran with the bat, he had equal cause to marvel at his dexterity with the second new ball, which earned Surrey a 122-run first innings lead. Curran not only swung the ball considerably from over the wicket, but did so viciously late. The upshot was 4 for 20 from 5.3 overs, and, ably assisted by his brother Tom, a spell that changed the complexion of the match.As Sam ended the day with his highest first-class score, still scampering twos that suggested that his vigour will be undiminished when it comes to bowling at Middlesex again, it seemed remarkable to reflect that he only turned 18 two months ago. Never mind potential; what a cricketer he already is.

Aston Villa have Giovani Lo Celso "on the list" ahead of the summer window, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano via GiveMeSport.

Who are Aston Villa signing this summer?

The Villains have made some dramatic strides this season under boss Unai Emery, with the club currently sitting in eighth in the Premier League table. With two games left, the club could also still finish within the top six – which would be a fantastic achievement for the Midlands outfit.

Regardless of where the club finish this campaign, their boss will want to continue to build on what he has already achieved at Villa Park. Having toiled under previous boss Steven Gerrard, who managed only a 32.5% win rate during his time there, they were taken over by the former Arsenal manager back in November 2022. He's thrived so far, with a much better 56% win rate and an average of 1.80 points-per-match. With the side on the brink of a European spot now, improvement will be key for Emery.

The manager seemingly already has an idea of who he likes and might sign too, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano. He told GiveMeSport that one name already "on the list" for Aston Villa this summer is that of Giovani Lo Celso, who currently plays for Villareal on loan from Tottenham.

The journalist added that Emery – who worked with the midfielder in Spain – is "really appreciated" by the manager. It seems then that a potential reunion could be in the offing during the upcoming transfer window.

Speaking about it, Romano said: "Aston Villa, there will be big investments. They want to do something important in the market and Lo Celso's a player really, really appreciated by Unai Emery, so he's on the list, for sure. But It depends also on Tottenham's new coach."

Would Lo Celso be a good signing for Aston Villa?

The midfielder has once more impressed in Spain on his short-term deal to Villareal, managing a 6.81 rating on WhoScored so far this campaign. That includes two Man of the Match awards, with the player also showcasing his excellent vision with his three assists this year too. It's an even better tally for the La Liga outfit than he managed during his loan stint with them last season.

Even former professionals have heaped the praise on Lo Celso, with Paul Robinson admitting that he is a "brilliant" player for a team to have and adding that he could play a "big role" when he was involved in the Tottenham team.

Indeed, it comes as no surprise that Emery is looking to bring the attacking midfielder to Villa Park as he's already seen him perform regularly in the flesh over in Spain, and by the sound of things he liked what he saw.

It seems as if a return to England could be on the cards then once his loan spell is up – it just might not be to White Hart Lane.

ذكرت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، عن موقف المدير الفني لريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، بشأن الحارس الأساسي للفريق الملكي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ويحتل ريال مدريد المركز الثاني في سلم الترتيب العام للدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم لاليجا، برصيد 51 نقطة بشكل مؤقت.

اقرأ ايضاً.. ذا أثليتيك توضح موقف ريال مدريد من تجديد عقد لونين

وأفادت صحيفة ريليفو الإسبانية، أن مدرب ريال مدريد كارلو أنشيلوتي يفكر في إبقاء أندريه لونين حارسا أساسياً لريال مدريد حتى نهاية الموسم الحالي.

وتابعت الصحيفة الإسبانية، أن مجلس إدارة ريال مدريد يرغب بأن يكون أندري لونين الحارس الأساسي للفريق، ويميل أنشيلوتي أيضاً إلى إبقائه أساسياً وإنهاء النقاش حول مركز حراسة المرمى.

ويحظى لونين بدعم كبير من قبل إدارة ريال مدريد، والعديد من مشجعي النادي، بعد أدائه المتميز خلال الفترة الماضية. ومن المتوقع أن يقوم ريال مدريد بتمديد عقد حارسه قريباً.

جدير بالذكر أنه سينتهي عقد حارس مرمى ريال مدريد أندريا لونين مع النادي الإسباني في عام 2025.

Crystal Palace has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence under Roy Hodgson since he replaced Patrick Vieira as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

In the 13 Premier League games prior to the 75-year-old’s appointment, the Eagles were winless and were floundering just three points above the relegation zone.

But since his arrival, the south London outfit has won four of six games and netted 13 goals in the process.

Eberechi Eze is one player who has enormously excelled with both managers and emerged as one of the club’s most valuable assets.

The 24-year-old, who cost £20m in 2020, has registered 11 goal contributions in 34 top-flight appearances this term and has seen his value rise exponentially since his stirring breakout season at Queens Park Rangers.

How much is Eberechi Eze worth now?

In the 2019/20 season, the playmaker featured in every single Championship game and recorded 22 goal contributions with an incredible average rating of 7.36, as per WhoScored.

This prompted Palace to invest in the prodigy, and it has transpired as an exhilarating piece of business. According to Transfermarkt, his value at the end of this campaign was £8m, but a vein of rich form saw his price tag skyrocket to £26m earlier this term – a mammoth increase of over 225%.

His undeniable quality was marvellously showcased in his side’s recent enthralling 4-3 victory over West Ham. As per Sofascore, the midfielder made four key passes, two accurate crosses, managed 77 touches with a 93% pass completion rate and classily tucked away Palace’s fourth goal of the match with an impudent penalty.

In this wonderfully productive campaign, Eze has shouldered the creative burden placed upon Wilfried Zaha in recent years.

He is an effortlessly unstoppable and elegant dribbler, ranking in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for successful take-ons, as well as the top 14% for progressive carries.

The £30k-per-week star has previously been labelled as a “different class” by Vieira and his innovative presence was sorely missed last season after an achilles injury restricted the player to under 600 minutes of top-flight football.

The attacker was about to be named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for Euro 2020 before this cruel twist dashed his chances.

However, the forward has revived his career, and if he continues on his frightening trajectory is surely lined up for a national team call-up in the near future.

It has been a pleasure to observe his comeback from injury and as he approaches the prime of his career, there is no limit to Eze and his ridiculous talent. Palace truly struck gold when bringing him to Selhurst Park.

It is no real secret that Liverpool will be in need of midfield reinforcements this summer, particularly with the likes of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all coming toward the end of their respective deals.

One man that has seemingly been identified by the Anfield hierarchy as a possible target to strengthen in the centre of the park is Chelsea playmaker, Mason Mount, with the England international facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge with just over a year left to run on his existing deal.

As per The Athletic, the Merseysiders are said to be among the frontrunners within the Premier League for the 24-year-old's signature, with the report suggesting that 'significant conversations' have already taken place regarding a potential swoop.

The piece adds that the Blues would look to sell this summer if there looks to be no chance of the player agreeing to an extension, albeit with the west Londoners still set to demand around £70m for the 36-cap dynamo, despite that expiring contract.

Would Mount be a good signing for Liverpool?

Although Mount has endured a frustrating campaign amid the ongoing turbulence at his current side – having provided just three goals and six assists in all competitions this season – the one-time Derby County loanee remains arguably a "generational" talent, as per journalist Benjamin Lynch, with it set to be a notable coup if the Reds can pull off a deal this summer.

Dubbed a "huge player for Chelsea" by interim boss Frank Lampard, the versatile playmaker – who can feature in a central midfield berth or on the flanks – would certainly represent something of a loss to the Blues were he to depart at the end of the season, having racked up 70 goal involvements in 195 games for the club to date, including a vital assist in the Champions League final triumph over Manchester City in 2021.

There would likely be real glee among those at Anfield to be able to pluck such a key figure from their top-flight rivals, having previously seen their own star men be tempted by moves to the capital.

As the club legend has himself admitted, Steven Gerrard was believed to be considering a switch to Stamford Bridge during Jose Mourinho's first spell in charge, while perhaps more notably, the Merseysiders saw striking sensation Fernando Torres snapped up by the west Londoners on a £50m deal in January 2011.

The loss of a player who had scored 81 goals in just 142 games for the club undoubtedly stung as far as Liverpool supporters were concerned, particularly when having to see the Spaniard line up for a top-flight foe.

While Torres' subsequent woes following that switch may have eased the frustration surrounding his departure – as the former Atletico Madrid ace scored just 45 goals in 172 games in his new home – it will have still irked the Anfield crowd to see one of their leading men seek out pastures new at a Premier League rival.

As such, current boss Jurgen Klopp could well avenge that previous sale by snapping up Mount from Todd Boehly's grasp in the near future, helping to give Chelsea a taste of their own medicine for a change.

Deep within the Emirates Stadium, the powers that be at Arsenal are churning away in the transfer room, devising plans and strategies to ensure that the seasonal purple patch is cemented for years to come, and Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund could be the man to spearhead the new era.

According to Tutto Atalanta (via Sport Witness), Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has highlighted the young Dane as his prime target for summer, with the north London outfit looking to provide competition for £45m talisman Gabriel Jesus.

It is believed that Newcastle United are also mulling over a swoop, with the 20-year-old sharpshooter considered at €50m (£44m) by his suitors, who are reportedly 'willing to shell out' such a fee.

Arsenal had previously been heavily linked with a move for Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, who has been touted with a move away from Turin amid the club's financial troubles, but these fresh revelations allude to a turn in track for the Premier League table-toppers.

How good is Hojlund?

Arsenal's seamlessly sensational season is the product of years of hard graft, with Arteta ignoring early criticisms and calls for his head as the club's wait for Champions League football drew on.

This year, a return to Europe's premier competition is all but confirmed, with the Gunners currently 22 points ahead of fifth-place Newcastle, and in order to sustain the success for years to come, a move for a talisman of Hojlund's ilk is indeed necessary.

Candidly, Arsenal do not need to part with a lucrative sum for the likes of Vlahovic, who signed for the Old Lady for £67m and would be unlikely to leave for less than £75m.

With this in mind, the youthful exuberance of Hojlund fits the agenda, and a swoop could be the perfect move ahead of the new campaign.

Hojlund has scored eight goals and provided two assists from just 25 appearances, including 14 from the starting line-up, and would be the perfect understudy to Jesus, providing a more clinical edge to the team, with the Brazilian flourishing as a more dynamic forward.

As per FBref, the prodigious hotshot also ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's big five leagues for progressive passes received, indicating that he could even forge a deadly partnership with Jesus, who ranks among the top 6% of strikers for assists and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90.

With Hojlund preferring to bypass the opposing goalkeeper with his lethal left foot, Arteta could even unearth the Emirates' next Robin Van Persie, with the legendary Premier League striker scoring 144 goals and supplying 53 assists from 280 outings for the Gunners and Manchester United, whom he signed for acrimoniously in 2012 for £24m.

The retired Dutch striker also favoured his left foot, being hailed as "world-class" and "outstanding by Sir Alex Ferguson upon the completion of the transfer to the Red Devils; the boots to fill are big indeed for Hojlund, but if he arrives in north London at the maiden phase of his career to cement his stature and emulate someone of Van Persie's ilk, he could indeed reach the heights tantalised.

Hailed as a "scary quick" talent by journalist Sacha Pisani, Hojlund would indeed be an excellent choice from Arsenal's technical director Edu Gaspar to bolster the ranks, and given that he draws comparisons to Van Persie, it would be a crime not to attempt to secure his signature.

Journalist Liam Kennedy has claimed that the situation of Loris Karius at Newcastle United is a confusing one, but that he would like to see the goalkeeper remain at the club.

What’s the latest on Karius at Newcastle?

The German joined the club on a free transfer as emergency cover, and ended up starting Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final defeat as Nick Pope was suspended and Martin Dubravka was cup-tied.

As a third-choice goalkeeper, he does not regularly appear in the matchday squad for the club, and his appearance in the cup final was his first in any competition for over two years.

Speaking on NUFC Matters, Kennedy questioned his situation as a third-choice goalkeeper, but claimed that he would like him to stay on Tyneside.

He said: “I just find the whole situation really odd. A player who trains all week and then doesn’t travel at all with the team, isn’t around on matchdays? It must be the arrangement that they have with him, but it is all very, very strange.

“I actually think he’s a really capable goalkeeper. I think for a lad who had so much pressure and so much focus on him in the week up to it, the mistakes that he made in his career previously, the lack of games that he’d had in his career and the arguments and fallouts he’d had with Klopp – he went from being the first-choice goalkeeper at Liverpool to fifth -choice in the space of a few weeks.

“Still, for a relatively young lad, I think he dealt with it really well and commanded himself quite well in that game.

“Could he have maybe got something more on the deflected Rashford goal? Possibly. But I think he made some fantastic saves beyond that.

“I think the evaluation of his performance was really good, and would I like to see him stay at the football club? Judging on that performance, yes, but I just don’t really understand what the situation is behind the scenes.”

Should Karius stay at Newcastle?

It looks unlikely that Karius would ever become first-choice at Newcastle should he choose to stay at the club given Nick Pope’s excellent performances, and he is still a third-choice option.

Karius has suffered a turbulent few seasons after a disaster for Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final, but gave a good account of himself at Wembley with eight saves.

His cup final performance showed that he is still capable of performing on the big stage, and a move to a club where he could be offered more game time could be more beneficial for the 29-year-old as he looks to get his career back on track.

He has also shown that he can perform as an emergency backup with little notice, and Newcastle may want to keep Karius beyond the end of the season rather than having to find another player who can fulfil the role, but if he does want a chance at more minutes, he may be better off moving elsewhere.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has said that Pedro Martins is ‘another name’ in the mix for Leeds United amid their search for a new manager.

The Lowdown: Approach already made

The Whites have found it tough going as they look to replace Jesse Marsch, with Raul, Carlos Corberan, Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot and Marcelo Gallardo all seemingly turning down moves to Elland Road.

Martins’ name has appeared in recent days, with reports suggesting an approach has already been made and talks are set to continue in the coming days.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport regarding Leeds’ hunt for a new boss, Jacobs touched on rumours to Martins. He said that the Al-Gharafa manager is ‘another name creeping into the mix’, but still thinks that Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is a ‘great option’.

“Another name creeping into the mix is Pedro Martins, but I think that Ange Postecoglou would be another great option. Whether he leaves Celtic remains to be seen, he’s doing very well there. He was asked about the vacancy and replied, as you would expect, saying simply that he’s got one focus and it is on Celtic Football Club.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-copy-2/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates (Copy)” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: One to watch?

It looks as if Leeds won’t rush into an appointment after confirming that Michael Skubala will continue in caretaker charge, but if the Whites fall to defeat against Everton on Saturday, they may have a change in thought.

Martins could well be a coach who they may look to appoint following a recent update, and it appears as if Jacobs has heard the speculation as well.

The 52-year-old likes to play a 4-2-3-1 system but has never managed in a top European league, so there’s no guarantee he would be an immediate success in Yorkshire.

Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt has been backed for success during his loan move at Sunderland by journalist Joe Donnohue.

The Lowdown: Gelhardt exits on loan

Leeds allowed Gelhardt to join Sunderland on a loan deal in January, after only being utilised as a bit-part player by Jesse Marsch in the Premier League this season, featuring for just 201 minutes across a total of 15 appearances.

It is likely that the 20-year-old would have received even less game time in the second half of the season, with the Whites bringing in striker Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim in a club-record deal, so the move will allow him to get increased minutes.

The Latest: Donnohue reacts

Donnohue took to Twitter to state that the season-ending injury suffered by Sunderland striker Ross Stewart means that the youngster is likely to feature regularly for the Black Cats, as they have no other recognised centre-forward.

The journalist went on to say that the move ‘could be the making of him’, while he also added that he will not be isolated, as the Black Cats have several ‘supporting forwards.’

The Verdict: Great loan move

Gelhardt has, at times, impressed for Jesse Marsch’s side in the Premier League, managing to get two assists as a substitute this season, however he is not going to take significant strides unless he is given a consistent run in the first team.

The ‘tremendous’ starlet has shown that he is ready for the step up to men’s football, scoring twice and receiving an 8.4 match rating for Leeds U21s in a 5-3 win at Tranmere Rovers in the EFL Trophy earlier this season, with his output in that match indicating that the Championship could be his current level.

It will be no easy feat for the Liverpool-born forward to take on the responsibility of being the main man at the Stadium of Light, but he has now got a real opportunity to prove himself, and it is one that he must take with both hands if he is to have a long-term future at Elland Road.

Arsenal transfer target Moises Caicedo has officially changed agents as he possibly looks to push through a move away from Brighton, Fabrizio Romano reports.

The Lowdown: Arsenal keen on Caicedo

The Gunners are having a superb season, topping the Premier League table by five points and thriving in midfield, with the combination of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka’s control and bite sitting perfectly behind the elegance of Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal have emerged as a contender in the Caicedo stakes, alongside Chelsea and Liverpool, as Mikel Arteta looks to keep improving his squad and create a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Now, the Brighton man has made a big decision, one which potentially hints at sealing a high-profile move to one of the biggest clubs in the country.

The Latest: Romano gives update

According to Romano on his Caught Offside Substack [via Caught Offside on Twitter], Caicedo has switched agents in a bid to force through a transfer, with the Gunners name-checked in the update:

“Moises Caicedo has officially changed agents, @FabrizioRomano confirms. Chelsea remain in the race, but he’s not their only option. Arsenal & Liverpool also being kept informed on Caicedo.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Caicedo would be exactly what Arsenal are looking for in midfield, providing extra legs and dynamism that could further guide them to Premier League glory, becoming a rotation option to allow the likes of Partey and Xhaka the occasional rest.

[freshpress-quiz id=“419074″]

The 21-year-old has averaged 2.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the league this season – in comparison, Partey has 2.3 and 1.2, respectively –  while he enjoyed an 89% pass completion rate in the 3-0 win over Liverpool earlier this month, showing his class and quality in a big game.

Jamie Redknapp has described Caicedo as ‘magnificent’ and he has played a key part in Brighton’s success, so a January move to Arsenal could help make a potentially legendary season even more likely.