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There were raised eyebrows when Birmingham Phoenix used their first pick of the Hundred’s inaugural draft in October 2019 to sign Liam Livingstone, but with the tournament finally underway nearly two years on, it looks like a shrewd piece of business.The other seven men’s teams in the competition opted to use their first picks of the draft to sign overseas players, but with the pandemic and the international schedule prompting a swathe of last-minute withdrawals, only two of the first seven picks – Rashid Khan (Trent Rockets) and Sunil Narine (Oval Invincibles) – are still with the teams that initially signed them.Livingstone, meanwhile, comes into the tournament on the back of what he has labelled the best week of his career, following his breakthrough in international cricket via a record-breaking 42-ball hundred in England’s first T20I against Pakistan last Friday. The series served as vindication for those involved in planning for the draft.While it was impossible to foresee the raft of withdrawals caused by the pandemic and restrictions on international travel, the Phoenix decided that their prospects of winning future editions of the tournament would be better if they form a strong domestic core and filled gaps with overseas players, rather than relying on their stars – following the model of recruitment that has proved successful for the IPL’s most successful sides, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.”When we came out of the velvet bag last, that meant we knew that to an extent, the real cream of the overseas talent would have gone by the time we made our first pick,” Craig Flindall, the Phoenix’s general manager, explained. “We were very strong from the outset about trying to create longevity, and we thought that was based around strong domestic players, rather than the overseas players who might not be available and come in and out.”Related

• Livingstone nails audition to prove he's too good for England bench

• Liam Livingstone credits work with Paul Collingwood, Marcus Trescothick for record-breaking ton

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Having already signed Moeen Ali as a ‘local icon’ before the draft, the Phoenix set about finding another top-order batter who could provide a realistic bowling option, giving them more freedom and flexibility in how they picked both their squad and their final XI.”We were looking for a top-order batsman who bowled a little bit and thought he could complement Moeen Ali really well,” Daniel Vettori, the assistant coach at the time who will fill in for Andrew McDonald as interim head coach this season. “We also thought that if we went with an overseas player in that spot, would they be available?”To be fair to Andrew and Dan Weston [the Phoenix’s analyst], they saw Liam’s upside as well. All those factors combined allowed us to get to this position now where we’ve got one of the best English T20 – or 100-ball, hopefully – players in the comp. That gave us so much balance in our selections further down the line.”While Livingstone has – in all likelihood – played himself into England’s T20 World Cup squad thanks to his recent performances, the wealth of batting options available leave his place in the starting XI unclear. As a result, he knows that performances over the next four weeks could be crucial for his hopes.”It’s the last big tournament before World Cup selection so there’s a lot riding on it for a lot of people,” he said. “I think there’s no secret to the way that Morgs [Eoin Morgan] wants us to play our cricket.”He basically said go and take as many wickets and score as many runs as you can. The way we’ve played our cricket over the last couple of years will probably suit the way that the Hundred’s going to be played. There’s obviously a big tournament coming up [the World Cup] but for now we’ve got the Hundred to concentrate on.”Liam Livingstone smashed his maiden international hundred against Pakistan•Getty Images

Having joined up with the squad on Thursday afternoon, he does not yet know where he will bat for Phoenix. Finn Allen, the New Zealand batter, is certain to open, with Daniel Bell-Drummond and Moeen Ali other candidates to join him, and it may well be that after his success in a middle order role last week, Livingstone is best served in the long term by slotting in at No. 4.As for his own form, Livingstone admitted that it felt “strange” for things to have clicked so quickly for him after 10 days of self-isolation following the third Bristol ODI, and hoped that his career-best form could extend into the new competition.”It’s strange,” he said. “I’ve probably never had a better week in my career, for obvious reasons, but it’s only been three games of cricket. Before that, we had 10 days in isolation. It’s nice to come out of a period of 10 days away from cricket to come straight into it and play the way I did.”It’s always been something I’ve struggled with, going into tournaments or changing formats, starting too slowly and having to catch up. It’s obviously been a great week for me and I’m looking forward to taking that confidence forward into the Hundred.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and batting coach Younis Khan have mutually agreed to part ways only six months after he accepted a two-year contract. He won’t be travelling with the Pakistan team on their overseas tours of England and West Indies.Both parties did not make any further comment on the reasons for Khan’s departure. He was involved in the recently-concluded camp for the Test squad at the High Performance Centre only for a few days before he returned back to Karachi, ESPNcricinfo understands.Khan was appointed ahead of Pakistan’s tour of England last year to join head coach Misbah ul Haq, bowling coach Waqar Younis and spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed in the team management. That was also his first appointment with the PCB since his retirement in 2017.Khan originally started as a batting consultant last year on a short-term stint. The PCB later integrated him into the coaching system as the batting coach for two years with an option to extend his contract for another term, till the 50-over World Cup in 2023. In addition to his role with the national team, Khan was also appointed to run the Batsmen Development Program at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi.Related

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• Instability of PCB hampering efforts to attract former players

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Pakistan had mixed results since he took over as batting coach. In five overseas Tests in England and New Zealand, Pakistan drew two and lost three before beating South Africa across formats at home and in the white-ball formats away, followed by a successful tour to Zimbabwe, which included series wins in the T20Is and Tests.”It is sad to lose an expert of the stature and experience of Younis Khan,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said. “Following a series of discussions, we both have reluctantly but mutually and amicably agreed that it was time to move in different directions. I want to thank Younis Khan for his contributions during his short stint as the Pakistan men’s national cricket team’s batting coach and hope he will remain available to assist the PCB by sharing his vast knowledge with the emerging cricketers.”Younis had frayed relations with the PCB. Even his integration into the coaching set-up wasn’t smooth after his retirement in 2017. He had turned down the PCB on two previous occasions before eventually accepting the job last year. The board had previously tried to rope him in to work at the development level at the NCA, but those talks fizzled out. Then, in May last year, Khan was close to taking up a role as the Pakistan’s Under-19 coach but that plan, too, did not come to pass. One of the significant problems had to do with finances while the other was with the job profile. The PCB had initially proposed Khan’s role as a mentor and coach but he wanted a wider role, including a say in national selection.

Nottingham Forest could be about to see a player leave the City Ground despite the English transfer window shutting last week, according to a new report.

The Reds enjoyed a very busy summer transfer window, as manager Nuno Espirito Santo was keen to add to his team and avoid another relegation fight. The business they did has so far helped Nuno make a good start to the campaign, as they are unbeaten after three league games.

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Posts 1 ByBrett Worthington Sep 2, 2024 Nottingham Forest’s busy end to the transfer window

As stated, it was a very busy summer for the Premier League side, as they brought in 11 new players and let go a staggering 20 players. That is a high turnover of players from Forest, but it could have easily been more.

Nottingham Forest's summer signings

Elliot Anderson

Newcastle

Morato

Benfica

Nikola Milenkovic

Fiorentina

Ramon Sosa

CA Talleres

David Carmo

FC Porto

Jota Silva

Vit. Guimaraes

Marko Stamenic

Red Star

Calos Miguel

Corinthians

Eric da Silva Moreira

FC St. Pauli

James Ward-Prowse

West Ham

Alex Moreno

Aston Villa

The club brought in James Ward-Prowse on deadline day, but they also had their eye on a couple of other players. It has been reported that Forest were keen on signing Ernest Nuamah from French side Lyon. The Reds reportedly led a chasing pack of suitors involving Fulham and Everton, only for him to remain in France.

As well as looking at Nuamah, it has also been reported that Nottingham Forest were keen on signing Simon Banza and made a late approach to sign the striker on loan from Braga. The enquiry was labelled as being “extremely ambitious”, but he is someone that was obviously on the club’s radar and may be one they will return to down the line.

Marinakis eyes inter-club deal for £8 million midfielder

According to reports in Greece relayed by Nottingham Forest News, Evangelos Marinakis is close to taking Nicolas Dominguez from Nottingham Forest to Greek side Olympiacos. Forest only signed Dominguez in the summer of 2023 from Italian side Bologna, and last season he went on to play 26 times in the Premier League, scoring two goals.

The midfielder has played twice in the league this season, but according to this report, he could now be closing in on a move to Greece. The Premier League side are at their limit in terms of how many players they can have out on loan, so if Dominguez were to leave the City Ground, it would need to be on a permanent deal.

The Argentine signed a five-year contract when he joined the club last summer, with Forest paying around £8 million and sending Remo Freuler the other way. But given the fact that they have just added Ward-Prowse to their squad, Dominguez will likely be further down the pecking order, and therefore, a move away may be the best thing for all parties involved.

واصل فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك تحت القيادة الفنية للمدرب السريسري كريستيان جروس، تدريباته اليوم الثلاثاء استعدادًا لمواجهة بيراميدز المقبلة.

ويواجه الزمالك نظيره بيراميدز في إطار مواجهات الجولة الحادية عشر من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل” 2024-2025 يوم الجمعة المقبل.

وعقد السويسري كريستيان جروس، المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، جلسة فنية مع لاعبي الفريق قبل انطلاق المران.

وخلال الجلسة، شدد جروس على أهمية التركيز التام في الفترة المقبلة، مشيرًا إلى ضرورة تحقيق الفوز على بيراميدز للانفراد بصدارة جدول الترتيب.

فرج عامر: صفقات الأهلي والزمالك بأسعار خاصة.. والدوري أصعب هذا الموسم

كما أعرب عن سعادته بالمستوى المميز الذي قدمه اللاعبون خلال مباراة الجونة، والتي انتهت بفوز الأبيض (4-1)، مؤكدًا على أهمية مواصلة الانتصارات لتعزيز موقف الفريق في المنافسة على اللقب واستعادة الصدارة.

وفي ختام الاجتماع، شرح المدير الفني بعض الجوانب الفنية والخططية التي سيتم تطبيقها خلال التدريبات استعدادًا للمباراة المقبلة.

وخصص الجهاز الفني فقرة تأهيلية واستشفائية للاعبين الذين شاركوا بصورة أساسية في لقاء الجونة، وذلك لتجنب تعرضهم للإجهاد قبل مباراة بيراميدز.

وفضل الجهاز الفني عدم إشراك هذه المجموعة في باقي فقرات المران، حفاظًا على جاهزيتهم البدنية.

وشهد المران خضوع محمود حمدي “الونش” لفحص طبي تحت إشراف الدكتور محمد أسامة، رئيس الجهاز الطبي، للاطمئنان على حالته بعد الإصابة التي تعرض لها في الرأس خلال مباراة الجونة.

وأكد الجهاز الطبي جاهزية اللاعب للمشاركة في الدوري المصري، حيث شارك في التدريبات الاستشفائية مع زملائه الأساسيين.

وشهدت تدريبات الزمالك مشاركة ناصر ماهر لاعب وسط الفريق، بشكل تدريجي، عقب انتهاءه من البرنامج التأهيلي الذي كان يخضع له خلال الفترة الماضية بسبب الإصابة التي تعرض لها بمزق في العضلة الخلفية.

وشارك ناصر ماهر في الفقرة التأهيلية مع مجموعة اللاعبين البدلاء والمستبعدين من مواجهة الجونة بالأمس في مسابقة الدوري، بجانب المشاركة في جزء من تدريبات الكرة في إطار البرنامج التدريبي الموضوع له من قبل الجهاز الطبي لتجهيزه للمشاركة بشكل كامل في الوقت الأمثل استعداداً للفترة المُقبلة.

وشارك مصطفى الزناري مدافع الفريق في جزء من التدريبات الجماعية  عقب انتهاء اللاعب من البرنامج التأهيلي الذي كان يخضع له خلال الفترة الماضية تحت إشراف الجهاز الطبي بسبب الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها في العضلة الخلفية.

وخضع مصطفى الزناري للتدريبات التأهيلية والاستشفائية مع مجموعة اللاعبين البدلاء والمستبعدين من مواجهة الأمس أمام الجونة في مسابقة الدوري الممتاز، بجانب المشاركة في جزء من تدريبات الكرة.

ويقوم الجهاز الطبي للفريق بقيادة الدكتور محمد أسامة بالتنسيق مع الجهاز الفني بقيادة السويسري كريستيان جروس المدير، بمشاركة الزناري بشكل تدريجي في التدريبات لتجهيزه بالشكل الأمثل للفترة المُقبلة.

Criticism centers around the board saying he ‘doesn’t want to play Tests’

Mohammad Isam21-Mar-2021

Shakib Al Hasan has said that he was misrepresented by the BCB about his decision to skip the Test series against Sri Lanka.Shakib said that the two matches, which are part of the World Test Championship, aren’t of much value as Bangladesh are at the bottom of the competition’s points table. He said that playing in the IPL would rather help him prepare better for the T20 World Cup, to be held in India in October.”These two Tests are our last matches in the World Test Championship so it is not as if we are going to play the final,” Shakib told . “We are at the very bottom of the points table. I don’t think it makes much of a difference. The other major reason is that the World Cup T20 is in India later this year. It is a very important tournament where we have much to achieve. There isn’t much to achieve in these two Tests. I think it is a better option that I prepare myself for something bigger.”Related

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Shakib Al Hasan really, really wants to play Test cricket

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Shakib said that his letter to the BCB was focused on his plan to prepare for the T20 World Cup, but Akram Khan, the BCB’s cricket operations chairman, said that Shakib doesn’t want to play the two Tests against Sri Lanka, to be held from April 21 to May 3.”Those who keep saying that I don’t want to play Tests, I am sure they didn’t read my letter. I didn’t mention anywhere in my letter to the BCB that I don’t want to play Tests. I wrote that I want to play the IPL to prepare myself for the World Cup,” Shakib said.”Akram especially has repeatedly said that I don’t want to play Tests. I think he said it again in an interview yesterday. I guess he never read the letter. People should have a clear idea that I wanted to play the IPL even if ODIs were scheduled during this time.”I want to take advantage of playing in the same grounds and against the same players who I will face in the World Cup T20 four months later. I can share the same experience with my Bangladesh team-mates.”He said that the BCB president Nazmul Hassan’s decision to allow him to play in the IPL is laudable. “I want to thank (Nazmul Hassan) Papon bhai for taking the right decision. A player must have the freedom, and his confidence goes up when the board president backs him in this manner. The player becomes more responsible when playing for the national team,” he said.’I will let you in on a brutal truth. When overseas players come to Bangladesh, we call most of them ‘sir’ or ‘hujur’, but we do not see our experienced cricketers the same way’ – Shakib Al Hasan•Raton Gomes/BCB

Shakib criticised the BCB’s decision to hold the Test series during the IPL. They will also be playing an ODI series against Sri Lanka, possibly from May 20, which will also clash with Shakib’s IPL commitment. Shakib said that by doing so, BCB had again given less value to its own cricketers.”No other cricket board holds international matches during the IPL,” he said. “Only we are playing against Sri Lanka. Do you ever see any Afghanistan cricketer playing for their country during the IPL? Their board makes sure the players are free to play in the IPL. If we don’t value our own players, how can you expect us to perform well when playing for Bangladesh?”I will let you in on a brutal truth. When overseas players come to Bangladesh, we call most of them ‘sir’ or ”, but we do not see our experienced cricketers the same way. If the people, board and players do not respect you, you can’t expect them to respect you.”Shakib also criticised the BCB’s long-term planning, questioning the role of the High Performance unit, and suggested that some of the BCB directors who have played for Bangladesh in the past haven’t done much to progress the game.”Not having back-up players is really disappointing. I don’t know how many players have come from the High Performance squad. We have a number of people in the cricket board who have played for Bangladesh, but apart from (Khaled Mahmud) Sujon bhai, they are not too involved. Sujon and Papon must be credited for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup win.”But I can’t find any more people from the board to give credit. I don’t think they think much about cricket (laughs). We hardly talk about these things. Even our journalists are focused on small things. They don’t look at the big picture, like how many players we produced in the last five years.”

Marcus Trescothick has confirmed he is “ready to jump back” into touring life, but accepts he is still “building up” to the long trips usually undertaken by England players and support staff.Trescothick was named as the ECB’s elite batting coach on Monday. As a result, he is expected to spend time on tour with various England teams as well as working with players throughout the talent pathways during the English summer.But Trescothick, whose international career as a player was curtailed by issues with anxiety and depression that appeared to be exacerbated by periods away from home, admits adapting to the touring lifestyle is part of “an ongoing process”. As a result, he expects to spend no more than five weeks away from home on each individual trip.”It’s an ongoing process for me,” Trescothick said when asked about the issue. “I think I’ve learned to adapt and progress where I’ve gone. I’ve gradually built it from a couple of days in Spain, to then going to Spain for a week. Then I did two weeks in Abu Dhabi.”I’m gradually cutting my teeth on it just to get more confident. Every trip that I do, the more I realise how much I enjoyed the touring life. But that’s not to say I’m ready to jump back in and do six weeks or two months or three months away. That’s not what I’m ready for yet. And we’ve discussed that.”Trescothick’s role is not quite the same as previous batting coaches. While Mark Ramprakash, for example, was with the senior England teams nearly all the time – which could mean three months on tour in a single stretch – Trescothick is also is also expected, at times, to work with players at U19 and Lions level as well, and with those identified for attention in county cricket. The likes of Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood will remain regular faces on England tours, with Trescothick utilised for shorter spells as required.”Do I know how much touring I will do? Not exactly,” Trescothick continued. “We have discussed it and I’m ready to jump back on and do bits and pieces.”Do I want to do three months in a row? No, I don’t. I’m building up to that sort of point. The little journeys I’ve done for a couple of weeks here or a month there: that works really well.Related

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“I said I would do three, four, five weeks, I’m open to all that. It’s gradually getting easier for me. My kids are growing up and are less dependent on me and I’ve grown more and more confident to deal with it.”While Trescothick was due to arrive in India last week with the England limited-overs party, he was obliged to pull out due to a family bereavement. But he has dipped his toe in the water of his new role already. He was part of the support staff on the limited-overs tour to South Africa just before Christmas and found that, without the pressures that plagued him as a player, he was much better placed to enjoy the experience. But while the anxieties may be diminished, he says the thrill of representing his country – albeit it in an indirect way these days – remains undimmed.”I’ve loved it,” he said. “I know South Africa is a great place, but I really enjoyed my time doing those tours again. And it reminded me of the good bits that I did.”It felt different because of the stresses and strains of playing the game and the intensity that goes with it [had gone]. As a coach, you work hard but in a different way. And that’s what I’ve really enjoyed. It’s given me the opportunity to be there, enjoy it for the right reasons in comparison to what I did before.”I remember going to South Africa and walking out at the Wanderers with your [England] kit on. It feels so special. You dream of it. You look forward to it all your career. That’s not changed from being a player to being a coach.”I was given an England helmet the other week and I took it home and I was like, ‘Oh, wow’. Just small things like that. The appreciation of what a special environment you are involved in. It’s still no different for me.”

Arne Slot dismissed reports that Federico Chiesa could leave Liverpool on loan in January, even though he is struggling to stay fit.

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• Chiesa has played only three matches for the Reds
• There was talk about leaving the club in January
• Slot shared update on his injuries and future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian winger, who completed a £10 million move from Juventus in the summer, has faced persistent injury setbacks that have limited him to just 78 minutes across three Liverpool appearances. His integration into the squad was further hindered by a disrupted pre-season at Juventus, where he was reportedly restricted to low-intensity training sessions.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT SLOT SAID

  There has been intense speculation from Italy suggesting a temporary return to Serie A for Chiesa in the winter transfer window. However, those reports have been met with firm rejection by Slot, who is focused on restoring the player’s fitness for a more sustained impact at Anfield.

  When asked about Chiesa's future, Slot told reporters: "[Parting ways with Chiesa] hasn't gone through my mind at all. First and foremost is that he gets fit again and then we can see where he is. He missed pre-season [with Liverpool] and in pre-season [with Juventus] he was on low-intensity sessions as he had to train with three or four players separate from the group. Going from then to a high-intensity league, to a high-intensity playing style is difficult in general for every player, but especially if you had a pre-season like this."

• WHEN CAN CHIESA RETURN TO ACTION?

  The Liverpool boss described the careful approach the club has taken with Chiesa’s rehabilitation, aiming to balance physical preparation with a gradual return to full match fitness.

  "We knew this before and we knew we had to be really careful to adjust where we could to his individual needs," he said. "But it hasn't been perfect yet so we are trying to find the right way of building him up without overloading him. That has been difficult up until now. I have full confidence that will happen. Let's let him first be fit."

  When pressed for an expected return date, Slot refrained from offering a specific timeline, citing the unpredictable nature of Chiesa’s injuries.

  "That’s always difficult to say, because he goes a bit up and down," said Slot. "Sometimes he is there with us, train a few days and then he goes out for an injury again. I don’t want to put days or weeks on it because we just have to make sure he gets in the best possible shape, and I don’t put any pressure on him by coming out with dates."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Chiesa will remain unavailable as Liverpool play Brighton twice this week, first in the Carabao Cup at the AMEX Stadium and then in the Premier League on Saturday at Anfield.

The visitors will arrive in Dhaka on January 10 and are likely to do in-room quarantine for the first three days

Mohammad Isam15-Dec-2020West Indies will tour Bangladesh for three ODIs and two Tests in January, CWI confirmed on Tuesday after their inspection team reported back to the board of directors on what they saw during their short trip earlier this month. The tour will be a shortened one from what was originally scheduled, as there will be one less Test and no T20I series.The visitors will arrive in Dhaka on January 10, after which they are likely to do in-room quarantine for the first three days, followed by four days of training among themselves. They will play a warm-up one-day game at the BKSP in Savar, some 40km to the north of the capital Dhaka.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe ODIs will be played on January 20, 22 and 25, with the third game to be held at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, which will also host the first Test from February 3. Ahead of the Test series, West Indies will also play a four-day warm-up game at the MA Aziz Stadium (also in Chattogram), a ground just across the road from the team hotel.The second Test is in Dhaka from February 11, and West Indies are expected to leave the capital on February 16. This will be Bangladesh’s first international series since the pandemic put most of the world into lockdown. Bangladesh have already had bilateral series against Pakistan, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Sri Lanka postponed indefinitely, although the BCB has maintained that they are trying to rearrange all of these matches.

Everton are believed to be readying an approach for a "special" player in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Everton transfer news

The Blues continue to be linked with new signings ahead of next season, with Newcastle United youngster Yankuba Minteh a player who was being looked at, though he now seems set to join Lyon.

Iliman Ndiaye is a target who has been lined up as a replacement for the possible loss of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the Marseille ace described as a "ridiculously talented" footballer who could add quality and unpredictability in the final third.

Meanwhile, Wilfred Ndidi stood out as one of the leading midfielders in the Championship last season, playing an important role in Leicester City returning to the Premier League, and he is being looked at as an upgrade on the ageing Idrissa Gueye in the middle of the park at Goodison Park.

Midfield additions could also be important for Everton before the 2024/25 campaign gets underway, and Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove is also reportedly wanted by the Blues, being seen as a player who could link effectively with Jack Harrison.

Everton want "special" Championship winger

According to Football Insider, Everton are "readying an approach" for Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto this summer, with the Blues "turning their attention to a new move" for the Italian.

The Merseysiders came close to snapping up the £20,000-a-week attacker last summer and "have continued to closely monitor his progress at Leeds". It is also believed that he is "keen to move on after failing to secure promotion back to the Premier League with the Whites".

Gnonto could be just what Everton and Sean Dyche are looking for in terms of attacking reinforcements in the summer window, standing out as a young player with a huge amount of potential.

Admittedly, the youngster was outperformed by Crysencio Summerville for Leeds last season, but that's not to say that he didn't impress for the Whites, too, scoring eight goals in the Championship, which is more than any Blues player managed in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, former coach Michael Skubala has lauded him in the past, saying: "He’s a great lad, he’s a special player. He’s a credit to Leeds, he’s a credit to himself and he’s a really nice player to work with."

At just 20, Gnonto is still raw in aspects of his game, but his all-round end product should only improve with age, and Everton could end up enjoying the best years of his career.

Imagine him & Minteh: Everton one of the favourites to sign £20m star

The Toffees are at the front of the pack for this Premier League star.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2024

To be a 13-cap Italy international this quickly says a lot about his ability and long-term ceiling, and if the Blues can beat others to his signature this summer, it could end up being a wonderful piece of business as the years pass.

With a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly reportedly nearing completion, Newcastle United have reportedly shifted their focus to another defensive reinforcement in the summer transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies have seemingly taken full advantage of the expiration of Kelly's Bournemouth contract to wisely seal a free deal for the versatile defender. He will arrive to provide instant cover for Eddie Howe's backline, which is already without Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman for extended periods ahead of the beginning of next season.

With cover arguably needed for both Lascelles and Botman, however, Kelly is unlikely to be the last defender through the door at St James' Park this summer, with the likes of Dean Huijsen also linked with a move.

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The original plan seemed to be landing a free deal for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo at the end of his current contract in a replication of the Kelly deal, but Chelsea have since reportedly swooped in to turn the defender's head. Now, the Magpies have shifted their focus towards the Netherlands.

According to Dutch outlet AD, Newcastle are interested in a move to sign Lutsharel Geertruida from Feyenoord this summer. The right-back, who can also play as a centre-back and a defensive midfielder, has attracted the interest of Liverpool alongside the Magpies and could now have a decision to make in the coming months.

Newcastle will hope to counter Arne Slot's Feyenoord advantage at Liverpool with the fact that Geertruida is under the same agency as Harvey Barnes, who the Magpies signed just last summer. Still just 23 years old, the Feyenoord man could certainly solve Newcastle's defensive depth problem.

"Amazing" Geertruida can ease Botman blow

Whilst he could yet succeed Kieran Trippier at St James' Park, Geertruida's first task at Newcastle may well be to replace the injured Botman in Howe's side. Without the Dutchman, Newcastle run the risk of a slow start to the Premier League campaign, making their search for a short-term replacement, who can also serve a long-term purpose, crucial this summer.

League stats Per 90 23/24 (via FBref)

Lutsharel Geertruida

Sven Botman

Starts

34

17

Tackles Won

0.92

0.85

Interceptions

0.92

0.59

Ball Recoveries

5.38

4.58

It could even be argued that Geertruida would hand Howe quite the selection headache when Botman returns from injury. But that competition should only be seen as healthy as the Magpies look to make an instant return to European qualification next season.

Unsurprisingly, Geertruida has earned plenty of praise during his time at Feyenoord, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig describing the defender as "amazing" on X:

A title-winner at Feyenoord and a defender only likely to get even better, Newcastle could seal an underrated deal and solve any potential defensive crisis in one swift move this summer.