An agent is "determined" for his £52 million client to make a move to Chelsea over Barcelona, and the Blues seem set to seal a deal over Xavi's side.

Chelsea identify young talent as Boehly works on transfer plans

The west Londoners, over BlueCo and Todd Boehly's first two years running Chelsea, have put pen to paper on deals for 27 players who were under or aged 23-years-old at the time of signing.

Chelsea tell Lukaku he may be used in swap deal for £213,000-per-week star

The Blues have directly informed him of this possibility.

ByEmilio Galantini May 10, 2024

Chelsea have a signed a long list of wonderkids over these past two years, with Boehly and co aiming to secure some of world football's brightest young talents. They spent a huge £427 million alone on Moises Caicedo, Mykhalo Mudryk, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer, with Chelsea's pursuit of rising stars showing no sign of slowing down.

Indeed, in the last fortnight alone, Chelsea have reportedly displayed interest in signing Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras as they look to Brazil for talent, with his teammate Estevao Willian also being heavily pursued.

Moises Caicedo

£115 million

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million

Mykhailo Mudryk

£88 million

Wesley Fofana

£72 million

Romeo Lavia

£58 million

The 17-year-old, who's been likened to Lionel Messi by his agent, has apparently reached an agreement on terms with Chelsea.

“He’s a real phenomenon. He’s the next Ballon d’Or [winner]. His name is Estevão," said Andre Crury in an interview with AS.

"He’s very similar to Leo. He has power from set pieces, he is also left-footed. Not physically, because he’s taller, he’s black, but there are things that remind Messi.”

Indeed, Fabrizio Romano broke news this week that Estevao has verbally green-lit his Chelsea contract, so it's now up to both Palmeiras and Mauricio Pochettino's side to reach a full agreement.

Now, Radio Bandeirantes journalist Eliá Junior has shared an interesting update of his own.

Crury desperate for Estevao to join Chelsea over Barcelona

The teenager's agent, Crury, is eager to stop him from potentially choosing the Camp Nou. Players can verbally agree terms with multiple clubs, so Barcelona aren't necessarily out of the race until contracts are officially signed.

However, Estevao's representative is "determined" for Estevao to join Chelsea over Barca, and it would appear that Pochettino's men are on the verge of closing a deal for the forward who has a £52 million release clause in his contract.

“The player likes the idea of living in London, his agent is very close to Chelsea, he didn’t like Vitor Roque’s situation [at Barcelona], it’s the same agent and he’s already determined that he won’t go there," said Elia (via Sport Witness).

"He hasn’t signed a contract yet, I repeat, but from what I’ve heard from London, I don’t see any other alternative than a closed deal, and quickly, in the next few days.”

Officials ‘heartened’ by UK Government guidance allowing for return to competition from June 1

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2020The ECB has welcomed the UK Government’s go-ahead for the return of professional sport behind closed doors as it presses ahead with plans to host international cricket this summer, and stage a domestic season.In a further easing of lockdown restrictions imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden announced government health and safety guidance on Saturday for elite athletes and professional sportspeople to return to competition in the absence of spectators from June 1. He added that it was up to individual sports to confirm they could meet the safety protocols and therefore when to resume.The ECB, who are hoping to host a condensed international schedule at so-called ‘bio-secure’ venues, starting with a three-Test series against West Indies in July, issued a statement on Sunday saying they were “heartened” by the news. The ECB will study the guidelines to determine how they will help the sport emerge from lockdown, but it clearly saw hope for the resumption of domestic and recreational cricket.ALSO READ: ECB backs Covid-19 substitutes as plans for return ramp up”We are extremely heartened by Saturday’s announcement from the Secretary of State, which will support the return of professional, domestic cricket behind closed doors, and provides a meaningful next step for recreational players to begin playing at their clubs again,” the ECB statement said.”Over the coming week, we will seek to understand the specific guidance from Government’s medical teams so that we can provide support for cricket clubs who will be eager to see their communities safely playing in small groups. We extend our thanks to all those in Government who have worked hard to support the return of sport and we look forward to seeing players from across the game start returning to the field.”The ECB has been working on plans to hold televised international matches at two grounds – understood to be Emirates Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl – with another base to allow a third team to train – likely to be Edgbaston. Each of the venues will be configured to encourage social distancing, along with the use of different zones to separate groups such as players and match officials from those not staying on site.England last week named a 55-man training group to prepare for the series against West Indies as well as planned visits from Pakistan, Australia and Ireland.Cricket West Indies has agreed to the scheduled tour of England in principle and is awaiting approvals from the various national governments in the Caribbean for player and staff movement on charterd planes. The Test series, part of the World Test Championship, was originally supposed to start on June 4 but was postponed when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.The ECB last week announced that no professional domestic cricket would be played in England or Wales until at least August 1, while recreational cricket would remain suspended until further notice, with the exception of using outdoor cricket nets and pitches for exercise under the government’s social distancing guidelines. It is investigating options for playing a domestic season possibly starting in August, including a County Championship split into regions and a T20 Blast competition.

كشفت صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية عن كواليس الاجتماع الهام الذي تم بين فلورنتينو بيريز رئيس ريال مدريد ومدرب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، كارلو أنشيلوتي.

وكان هناك اجتماع بين الطرفين عقب الخسارة أمام ليفربول في الجولة الخامسة ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا يوم الأربعاء الماضي في ملعب “أنفيلد”.

وبحسب الصحفية الشهيرة أن الاجتماع جاء إيجابيًا من طرف بيريز الذي أبلغ أنشيلوتي بأن الثقة في قدراته لا تزال عالية حيث يرى الفريق في أيدي أمينة مع الإيطالي.

يأتي ذلك على الرغم من خسارة ريال مدريد في 3 مباريات ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا ضد ليل، ميلان وليفربول ولا ننسى الهزيمة أمام برشلونة في الكلاسيكو برباعية نظيفة في “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فينيسيوس يثير أزمة كارثية بين ريال مدريد ورابطة الدوري الإسباني

الهزائم التي تعرض لها ريال مدريد كانت قد فتحت بابًا للشائعات حول مستقبل أنشيلوتي مع وجود أنباء عن إنهاء الاتفاق مع، تشابي ألونسو، لتدريب الفريق في الموسم المقبل.

بل وزادت الشائعات أكثر بأن أنشيلوتي سيرحل وسيتم تعيين سانتياجو سولاري مرة أخرى كمدرب للفريق حتى نهاية الموسم، ولكن كل هذا كان غير صحيح وهو ما وضح خلال الاجتماع مع بيريز.

الاجتماع كان روتينيًا ويحدث بعد أي نتيجة سيئة يتعرض لها الفريق، لكنه كان مفيدًا لتجنب الكثير من الشكوك حول مستقبل أنشيلوتي مع ريال مدريد وكيف يفكر النادي.

ولكن أكثر ما يقلق داخل ريال مدريد هي كيفية استكمال الموسم مع كل تلك الإصابات التي يتعرض لها اللاعبون والتي قد تؤثر على مسيرة الفريق، خاصة وأنها لفترات طويلة مثلما حدث مع داني كارفاخال وإيدير ميليتاو.

وهذا عكس ما حدث في الموسم الماضي الذي شهد رد فعل قوية للغاية من جانب الفريق رغم الإصابات الكثيرة التي تعرض لها الفريق ولكن في النهاية، فاز ريال مدريد ببطولتي الدوري الإسباني ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد صدمة الكرة الذهبية.. آس تكشف موقف ريال مدريد من جوائز ذا بيست لأفضل لاعب في العالم

ولهذا وضع ريال مدريد أولوية في التعاقد مع ظهير أيمن في الميركاتو الشتوي رغم أن الأولوية لمدافع ليفربول، ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، بعد نهاية الموسم الحالي عقب انتهاء عقده مع الريدز.

كان هناك اجتماع بين الطرفين على خلفية مباراة دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث كان يرغب ليفربول معرفة موقف ريال مدريد بشأن الصفقة للتخطيط للموسم المقبل.

ولكن هناك رغبة في ضم ظهير أيمن في يناير، خاصة وأن الفريق يخسر جهود لاعب مثل فيدي فالفيردي في هذا المركز مع غياب لوكاس فاسكيز للإصابة.

إذا لم تحدث صفقة أرنولد في نهاية الموسم ستكون هناك بدائل معروفة مثل جيرمي فريمبونج (باير ليفركوزن) وبيدرو بورو (توتنهام).

Northamptonshire have cancelled the contracts of Faheem Ashraf and Kieron Pollard by mutual agreement.Ashraf was due to play for the club in the first half of the 2020 season, while Pollard was set to join for the T20 Blast. But with all professional cricket in England and Wales suspended until July 1 at the earliest, a two-week quarantine period for travellers coming to the UK from overseas, and prospects of a county season increasingly limited, Northants have cancelled their deals.The majority of counties have now cancelled deals for at least some of their overseas players, with restrictions on international travel and a desire to cut costs at a time when revenue has completely dried up the main factors in decision-making.ALSO READ: England bowlers due to resume training“It’s obviously really disappointing as they’re superb players and there was a real buzz around them joining the squad,” David Ripley, the club’s head coach, said. “I’d really like to thank the players and their management for their understanding and cooperation.”Ray Payne, the club’s chief executive, left open the possibility of the pair representing the club in the future. Ashraf played 11 Blast games for the club last season, while Pollard was the marquee signing for this season’s tournament.”There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes,” Payne said. “We don’t have any schedule yet for next season so those players don’t know where they’re going to be. But once we’ve got a schedule, we’ll definitely be talking to them about coming back.”The club confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Paul Stirling, who had signed as an overseas player for a handful of Blast games, remains under contract for the time being.Stirling, who lives in Belfast, would not have to self-isolate after flying across the Irish Sea under current government advice, increasing the possibility that he could be available for a postponed Blast.

Manchester United jumped back into sixth place in the Premier League after a much-improved 4-2 victory over Sheffield United last night.

Erik ten Hag’s side simply had to impress after the shocking 3-3 draw against Coventry City in the FA Cup on Sunday, but it wasn’t exactly plain sailing against the bottom-of-the-table side.

An Andre Onana mistake gifted the visitors the lead just after the half-hour mark, yet the Red Devils had equalised before the break thanks to Harry Maguire.

After the interval, the Blades took the lead once again, but when Bruno Fernandes equalised from the spot 11 minutes later, there was only going to be one winner.

Despite conceding twice, United dominated, having 72% possession, 25 shots, and an xG of 2.94 compared to the visitors 0.82.

There were a few standout performances on the night, with Fernandes, Maguire, and Alejandro Garnacho all having a goal involvement, but one player could have just saved his United career after last night.

Casemiro’s 23/24 campaign so far

Off the back of a relatively impressive first campaign at Old Trafford last season, where he helped the Red Devils lift the EFL Cup, Casemiro hasn’t quite been as influential this time around.

The Brazilian has made 20 Premier League appearances this campaign, typically playing alongside Kobbie Mainoo in a 4-2-3-1 midfield duo.

Real Madrid’s former midfielder has received plenty of criticism over the campaign, especially for his questionable decision-making both on and off the ball, as shown by his 83% pass accuracy in the league on average, with football creator Liam Canning highlighting his “reckless” approach.

Furthermore, Casemiro has really declined physically since his 17-game injury absence from October to January, with Canning alluding to his lack of athleticism and energy as an issue, stating that his “legs are fully gone.”

However, an enforced tactical tweak from Ten Hag could just save Casemiro’s career at United.

Casemiro’s performance against Sheffield United

For the second time in a week, Casemiro was fielded as a partner for Maguire at the heart of the United backline due to injuries to all other natural centre-backs.

Playing in the backline rather than in his usual midfield role helped the 32-year-old cover up his flaws and lack of ground-covering ability, in turn making him far less exposed.

The Manchester Evening News handed Casemiro a 7/10 rating for his performance, while the boss also praised Casemiro, stating:

“I think he's a very good centre-back, together with Harry [Maguire]. Very stable in and out of possession.”

xG

0.35

Shots

2

Touches

141

Passes completed

109

Passes into final third

12

Interceptions

2

Ball recoveries

5

Duels won

8

As you can see by the table, the number 18’s statistics further support that his future at the highest level could be as a defender, as he impressed yet again.

Firstly, from an in-possession perspective, Casemiro proved that he’s extremely confident on the ball, taking 141 touches, making 109 passes, and most importantly, progressing the play, as highlighted by his 12 passes into the final third.

From a defensive point of view, he was aggressive and proactive, helping United maintain their control, with his five recoveries, two interceptions, and eight duels won underlining that. The fact that he was only dribbled past once, compared to his usual 2.2 times per game, further suggests that the new role is better suited to his game.

On top of that, Casemiro was a huge threat from set pieces, having two shots from corners and racking up an xG of 0.35, and having a defender that can chip in with the odd goal is huge.

Overall, the only way that Casemiro can evade the transfer list that he’s currently on is by switching to a centre-half role on a permanent basis, which is where he will likely play this weekend against Burnley.

Man Utd must immediately drop 4/10 ace who lost the ball every 4 minutes

He lost the ball 13 times against Sheffield United

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 25, 2024

The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed Netherlands’ international home summer with all sports banned in the country until September 1

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-2020

Pakistan fans hold up posters supporting their team•PA Photos/Getty Images

Pakistan’s tour to the Netherlands has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was taken in light of the Dutch government’s decision to ban all sports and cultural events in the country till September 1, with KNCB confirming the country will host no international cricket this summer.Pakistan were due to visit Netherlands for a three-match ODI series before a full tour of England, with the games slated to be played in Amstelveen on 4,7 and 9 July. Netherlands were also due to host New Zealand for a one-off T20I on 15 June, but that has also been pushed back indefinitely. A quadrangular series with Namibia, Oman and the USA has also fallen victim to the pandemic.,”It is sad that we have to postpone our July tour to the Netherlands, but in the prevailing circumstances, this is absolutely the right thing to do as human lives are far more precious and valuable than a cricket match or an event,” Wasim Khan, the PCB Chief Executive, said. “Netherlands has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and we offer our heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost their lives. Like any other country, the PCB stands firmly with the KNCB and hope they will be able to overcome this crisis. The Pakistan national cricket teams have always enjoyed touring the Netherlands and as soon as things return to normal, the PCB will engage with the KNCB to reschedule the tour so that we can fulfil our obligation.”KNCB chair Betty Timmer echoed Khan’s sentiments. “It is extremely disappointing that we won’t be able to host any international cricket in the Netherlands this summer,” she said. “However, the health and safety of the players, staff and fans is our main priority, and in that light the ban on events by the Dutch government is understandable. We truly hope that by next season the situation is under control again, so we can host the Super League series against England, Ireland and the West Indies as planned. We would love to welcome back all cricket fans on our grounds in the summer of 2021.”The coronavirus pandemic has shut down all cricket across the world, along with nearly all sporting activities. England’s three-Test tour of Sri Lanka was among the first to be cancelled, with a slew of other series being called off as the virus began to take hold throughout the world. An ODI series between India and South Africa was pushed back indefinitely, and New Zealand’s ODI series in Australia was postponed part-way. While there has been guarded support from some players about the possibility of playing cricket behind closed doors when the time comes, it appears there is still plenty of time before even that becomes a realistic possibility.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo realizou mais um treinamento na manhã desta sexta-feira (16), no CT da Barra Funda, visando o confronto contra o Fortaleza, às 17h, no sábado (17), no Morumbi, pela 13ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

São Paulo comemorou 16 anos do tri da Libertadores: veja onde estão os principais jogadores daquela conquista

O técnico Hernán Crespo sabe que não vai poder contar com a dupla Miranda e Rigoni, que continuaram o tratamento de lesões com a fisioterapia e correm contra o tempo para estarem à disposição contra o Racing, pelo jogo de volta das oitavas de final da Libertadores.O São Paulo busca a vitória ou um empate com mais de dois gols para avançar às quartas, após ficar no 1 a 1 no Morumbi.

VEJA A TABELA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO!

RelacionadasSão PauloCasares presta homenagem a Hernanes, que está de saída do São PauloSão Paulo16/07/2021São PauloSão Paulo não recebe resposta sobre Calleri e se distancia da contrataçãoSão Paulo16/07/2021São PauloWelington recebe cada vez mais chances no São Paulo e disputa titularidade com ReinaldoSão Paulo15/07/2021

Como a partida contra os argentinos já é na terça-feira (20), a comissão técnica do Tricolor deve poupar alguns titulares e escalar uma equipe mista para a partida contra o Leão. Orejuela e Galeano disputam a vaga na ala direita, enquanto o ataque deve ser formado por Rojas e Pablo.

Uma possível escalação tem:Volpi, Bruno Alves, Arboleda e Léo; Orejuela (Galeano), Luan, Rodrigo Nestor (Talles), Igor Gomes e Reinaldo; Rojas e Pablo. Seguem no departamento médico além de Miranda e Rigoni, os atacantes Eder e Pablo e o volante William.

🆙 Mais um dia de recuperação no campo.#VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪

📸 Erico Leonan / saopaulofc pic.twitter.com/TKefFf3Sow

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) July 16, 2021

O São Paulo chega embalado após duas vitórias consecutivas no Brasileirão. O Tricolor ocupa a 14ª posição na tabela, com 11 pontos. O Fortaleza, 4º colocado, tem 21 pontos conquistados.

Newcastle United invested heavily in the playing squad last summer, looking to build on the club's success of qualifying for the Champions League during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Magpies finished fourth in the Premier League, receiving automatic qualification to the group stages for the current season, with the club splashing over £125m on new players to improve the squad and add depth to Eddie Howe's side.

Players such as Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali both arrived at St James' Park, with the latter failing to make any impact on the side after receiving a ten-month ban for breaking gambling rules during his time at AC Milan.

However, during the same window, the club – backed by the Saudi PIF – also forked out a hefty fee on another player, with the expectation he would be able to complete Howe's attack alongside Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak.

Nearly a year on from his arrival on Tyneside, the forward has struggled to maintain his fitness, with his market value taking a hit as a result.

Harvey Barnes' stats in 2023/24

After joining the club for a reported £38m from relegated side Leicester City, winger Harvey Barnes had a lot of potential to be Howe's missing piece in his attacking puzzle, but so far, he's yet to demonstrate it on a consistent basis.

The 26-year-old has only managed four goals and three assists in 19 matches across all competitions this campaign, in a year that has been plagued with injury setbacks.

Barnes has missed 31 games across all competitions since his move to Tyneside, preventing the attacker from making a huge stamp on his first 12 months at the club – with the former Leicester man unable to put any sort of consistent run together under Howe.

Barnes' injuries in 2023/24
Injury	Days missed	Games missed
Hamstring	28	4
Foot	130	27
Stats via Transfermarkt

This season alone, the longest run he's gone in the team without injury is six matches, a disappointing return considering the hefty fee the club paid for his signature last summer.

He's shown glimpses of his quality in certain matches, including in the stunning 4-3 comeback victory against West Ham United at the end of March, scoring twice off the substitutes bench.

However, unfortunately for the Magpies supporters, they've failed to see his talent on a regular basis, with the attacker's market value dropping significantly as a result of his frequent absences with injuries.

Harvey Barnes' market value in 2024

Less than a year after joining the Magpies, Barnes now only has a market value of £12.8m, as per Football Observatory, a figure that is £13m less than teammate and academy graduate, Sean Longstaff, who's currently valued at £25m – after costing the club nothing.

Whilst the winger's value may seem harsh given his injury issues, the club have been shortchanged by the deal with the Foxes, with the attacker yet to demonstrate exactly why the club decided to fork out such a huge fee for him.

He's undoubtedly a talented player, who has the ability to be a real nuisance in the attacking third of the pitch – having registered 77 goals and assists in 187 games for his prior employers. However, he needs to be more reliable with his fitness if he is to be a success at St James' Park.

With the 2023/24 season coming to a close, the club needs to make sure they can rely on Barnes for next season, to prevent the club from investing more money on another forward – something they may find tricky given their recent FFP worries.

Newcastle being rinsed by Bruce signing who's started 5 PL games in 23/24

He’s failed to replicate his brilliant form from a few years ago…

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 29, 2024

Opener drops 12kg after observing fitness standards of England team-mates in Sri Lanka

George Dobell06-Jul-2020Dom Sibley has admitted he became “self-conscious” about his weight and fitness after seeing more experienced members of the England squad training.Sibley, the England opening batsman, has emerged from lockdown having shed around 12kg – more than 26lbs – through improved diet and fitness regimes. And, although he conceded he had long been told to consider losing some weight, he revealed there was a moment on the curtailed tour of Sri Lanka in March which provided the “wake-up call” required to make him turn words into action.Exhausted after a training session on a hot and humid day, he watched in awe as a group of senior players – Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler – embarked on another fitness session. It brought home to Sibley the need to improve his fitness.ALSO READ: ‘No doors closed,’ says Smith after Bairstow, Ali omissions”In Sri Lanka, for the first time in my career, I felt a little bit self-conscious about my physique and my weight,” Sibley said. “I just remember sitting on the plane and thinking ‘I need to do something’.”You look at the guys who have been in the system a long time. Just seeing how fit some of the senior guys are and how impressive they are in training… I remember being in Sri Lanka, especially with that heat, and seeing a few of the lads running after a big session and that was an eye opener for me. Ben Stokes is a bit of a freak when it comes to his training.”Actually it was seeing him, Root and Buttler running after a session in Colombo. I remember being absolutely spent so that was a real eye opener. Seeing these guys and the graft they put in to stay at this level for the amount of time they have done, is something that I want to do.”It was an opportunity for me to improve that side of my game and I’m glad to have been able to stick to it. I needed to do it. It’s great to have all the support from the backroom staff, the support’s been great and the information I’ve been given and all that has been really helpful.”While Sibley has long been, by the standards of modern international cricket, a little thicker set than most, there was no evidence that it was holding him back in South Africa earlier this year. After registering a maiden Test century in Cape Town – an unbeaten effort that lasted well over eight hours – he finished with an average of 54.00 and having faced more balls (784) than any other batsman on either side.”I’ve never felt tired batting,” Sibley said. “My fitness has never affected my batting. It’s not necessarily going to improve my batting. But it might help my agility in the field. And carrying less weight might keep me on the park for longer with fewer niggles.Dom Sibley struggled for fluency in England’s warm-up match•Stu Forster/Getty Images

“I’ve always been someone who hasn’t necessarily been the fittest in the squad. I’ve always, whether at Surrey or Warwickshire, been coasting in that aspect.”I have always prided myself in training really hard on my batting but maybe that side has not been something I have done to the best of my ability. I’ve had taps on the shoulder before and haven’t really done anything about it.”I think it was overdue having that wake-up call and a good lesson for me, regardless of whether it leads to runs. If I’d done nothing during lockdown I think I’d have got to here and thought ‘I haven’t quite ticked every box’. But I feel I’ve trained hard and I’m ready for the series. Success or failure, I feel like I’ve left no stone unturned.”It was noticeable in last week’s warm-up match that England’s quick bowlers – Jofra Archer and Mark Wood – appeared to target Sibley’s ribcage with a leg slip and short leg in place. He survived one tough chance off such a delivery in the first innings, but was caught down leg off a similar delivery a little while later as he attempted a clip off the hip; a shot that has proved hugely productive for him in county cricket. He fully expects West Indies to deliver a similar line of attack.”It was interesting in the practice match that they went with that as well so it was a good experience,” Sibley said. “In the second innings I dealt with it a bit better.”South Africa put a fielder round there [leg slip] for me. It’s somewhere I’ve scored a lot of runs in county cricket but that’s the great thing about Test cricket: you’ve always got new challenges and suddenly my strength is being turned into a way to get me out.”I’ve played the pull shot since a young age. But in South Africa, with the bouncy wickets, I didn’t feel in control of it so I chose to get out of the way of the ball. But it’s a case of managing risk and knowing when to play and not play. You’ve got to find ways to deal with it.”

Manchester City are battling one of their Premier League rivals for the signing of an "unbelievable" player this summer, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola's side are on the verge of a fourth straight league title – a sixth in seven years – with victory at home to West Ham on Sunday enough to get them over the line ahead of Arsenal.

Regardless of whether title glory is achieved, City will again be on the lookout for top-quality signings as they aim to continue their dominance and get their hands on the Champions League once again.

In fact, Guardiola could come up against one of his future players this weekend, with West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta continually linked with a move to the Etihad. A switch failed to come to fruition last summer, but he is expected to leave the Hammers this time around.

Bayer Leverkusen have romped to Bundesliga glory under Xabi Alonso, with right wing-back Jeremie Frimpong one of their standout performers. The 23-year-old is another player reportedly wanted by City as they look for a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker.

Man City want "unbelievable" star

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic, Ornstein claimed that Manchester City are rivalling Liverpool for the signing of Anthony Gordon this summer. However, the Newcastle United ace is expected to remain at St James' Park:

"Liverpool (as with Manchester City and many other clubs) really like Gordon. But they are not expected to pursue the winger because Newcastle have no intention of letting him go.

"Even if that stance became changeable, the potential level of fee it would take to do business would be astronomical. I’m certain Gordon is staying at Newcastle this summer."

Gordon's stock has risen greatly this season following an impressive first year in a Newcastle shirt – one that has seen him score 11 goals and register 10 assists in the Premier League, highlighting his end product.

The £60,000-a-week attacker should not only be a shoo-in to make England's Euro 2024 squad, but also be a strong contender to start for them at the tournament, especially as both Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford have had underwhelming campaigns in their left-sided roles.

Gordon has certainly left an impression on Bruno Guimaraes since joining the Magpies from Everton, with the Brazilian saying earlier this season: "He has been unbelievable, always scoring and giving some assists. He is a lovely guy as well, I am very happy for him and hope he can get some minutes for England. For me to play against him will be massive for both of us and the club as well."

Appearances

35

Starts

34

Goals

11

Assists

10

Shots per game

2.3

Key passes per game

1.6

Dribbles per game

1.5

Sadly for City, it looks as though Newcastle will hold firm when it comes to keeping Gordon, but he could have been viewed as a younger upgrade on Grealish, who turns 29 later this year, while also providing competition for Jeremy Doku on the left side.