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Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Romeo Lavia this summer and now a new update from a reliable source could be present a huge opportunity for the club to advance on their target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Romeo Lavia?

According to The Athletic's football correspondent David Ornstein, the Southampton midfielder is one of the players under consideration as Liverpool are expecting a bid for Fabinho from Al Ittihad.

As per a report written for the publication, Ornstein reveals that the Reds are preparing for a £40m bid for their long-standing defensive midfielder and Lavia is named as a potential replacement.

A further analysis from Andy Jones in the same article reveals that whilst the Merseyside club retain an interest in Lavia, they are not keen on his £50m valuation set by the recently relegated club.

What position does Lavia play?

Reports of approaches for both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho from the Saudi Pro League in the last few days will leave Jurgen Klopp with huge decisions to make during his preparations for next season.

Whilst the German coach is all too familiar with FSG's 'sell to buy' transfer policy that ultimately creates hurdles for him to acquire the services of further new additions this summer, he will need to consider if he has enough experience in the centre of the pitch to sanction moves away for two of his most experienced assets.

However, an opportunity to add a younger talent into the midfield rebuild will be hard to ignore for the club and Lavia could be a great prospect for the next generation of success at Anfield, should Liverpool sanction the sale of Fabinho.

When comparing Lavia's output to his Liverpool positional peer, the Saints star outperformed Fabinho in a number of key defensive attributes per 90 minutes played including tackles won (2.43 v 2.13), interceptions (1.34 v 1.25), blocks (1.90 v 1.23) and successful take-ons (1.13 v 0.25), proving that he was a more prolific and confident ball-winner over the last 12 months.

The 19-year-old sensation – who was once hailed a "real diamond" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – was one of the most talked about talents in the Premier League over last season and despite Southampton's relegation to the Championship, has been lauded for his strong presence in the heart of his team.

Paul Scholes is one of many former professionals who have been in awe of Lavia's development and skill set, with the Manchester United legend analysing the youngster's strengths:

"He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there."

Indeed, there is a huge risk that comes with offloading a number of experienced players all at once, especially when they have a sound understanding of the manager's system and the club culture, which ultimately helps with bedding in newcomers who will learn from those leaders and mainstays that represent the team.

Fabinho has been a key component to Liverpool's success over the last half a decade and with three years remaining on his contract, continues to play a vital and trusted role in the team, something that will be hard to replace next season if he does exit for Saudi Arabia.

With that being said, the developments at Anfield over the coming days and weeks will definitely be one to watch, and it will be interesting to see whether Klopp is ready to dive straight into a complete transition of his midfield presence or retains his more experienced players for the campaign ahead.

Arsenal are interested in Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, but the imminent signing of Jurrien Timber could stop a move from materialising, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Jeremie Frimpong?

Frimpong began his career in the youth setup at Manchester City, where he spent nine years before moving to the Scottish Premiership with Celtic. In his short spell in Scotland, the 22-year-old made 51 appearances and scored three goals, winning the only league title of his career so far. The right-back received lots of interest whilst at Parkhead and in January 2021 sealed a move to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Frimpong enjoyed his career breakthrough at Leverkusen, where he has made 95 appearances and scored 11 goals whilst providing 20 assists, becoming one of the most highly coveted young defenders on the planet.

Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester United have been reported as having an interest in the defender, though the Red Devils' next steps in their pursuit are dependent on their ownership situation.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that whilst Arsenal do hold an interest in the former Celtic man, the recent signing of Timber by the Gunners may stop them pushing on with a move.

"We had some rumours about [Frimpong] that Arsenal are not in an official negotiation with Bayer Leverkusen for Frimpong.

"From what I understand, Bayer Leverkusen want at least around £35m for Frimpong, so at the moment, Arsenal are very happy with Timber who can help in different positions.

"Then, we will see if they attack the Frimpong situation or not. But at the moment, just some preliminary talks a few days ago and weeks ago, but not something advanced for Frimpong."

Would Frimpong be the right signing for Arsenal?

The signing of Frimpong would bring a different aspect to the Gunners' current full-back situation.

As it stands, the club's most natural right-back is Cedric, who is third-choice behind natural central defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Whilst the duo have performed admirably in the position across the past couple of seasons, they do have a couple of issues.

The Japan international has struggled with injuries since arriving at the Emirates, missing 24 games through injury, whilst White, although defensively sound, leaves something to be desired from an attacking end.

That is where the Dutchman from Leverkusen comes in. He is statistically one of the best attacking full-backs on the planet, sitting in the top 5% in categories such as progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches in the attacking penalty area and non-penalty goals per 90 (as per FBref). His 0.21 assists per 90 ranks him in the top 10%, which makes it clear to see the dynamic he could offer Mikel Arteta and why the north London side are so interested.

The attacking threat that the wing-back carries could also be beneficial to Bukayo Saka. Opposition teams often try to man-mark Saka out of the game or commit two to three players on him alone, sometimes even resorting to kicking and fouling him. However, the threat that Frimpong poses means that defenders cannot simply leave him unmarked to focus on the Englishman, which in turn creates more space and more threatening possibilities for the current England Player of the Year.

Should Arsenal decide to push on in their pursuit of Frimpong, the different dynamic he offers could be the deciding factor in the success they achieve this season.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a "boost" over keeping star striker Harry Kane this summer as Real Madrid cool their interest, according to journalist Dan Kilpatrick in The Evening Standard.

Who could leave Spurs this summer?

It's new dawn at Hotspur Way with former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou officially set to begin preparations for next season on July 1, with chairman Daniel Levy thrilled by his appointment.

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play," said Levy last week.

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

However, with his imminent arrival, Spurs must also get to work on backing the Australian with transfer targets. The 57-year-old has reportedly green-lit the signing of a central defender, while Leicester City star James Maddison and a new goalkeeper to replace Hugo Lloris are on the agenda too.

To make room for these additions, Tottenham must undergo a major overhaul, with many players tipped to leave this window. As well as Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Lenglet, Eric Dier and Ben Davies could be axed (The Telegraph).

Tottenham could also be planning to offload Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks with Tanguy Ndombele's future coming as uncertain (The Telegraph).

Kane, who is attracting interest from top sides this summer, has been a worry for Levy with just over 12 months remaining on his deal. Man United and Real Madrid have been credited with a serious interest, but according to Kilpatrick, the latter side have just dropped out of the race.

Coming as a "boost" for Spurs, the Galacticos are apparently set to turn their attention towards Paris-Saint Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe. It's added that this pursuit, in further good news for Postecoglou, could effectively "end" their attempts for Kane.

Who is Harry Kane?

The 29-year-old starred for Spurs last season, scoring 30 goals in 38 full starts whilst standing out as their best-performing player per 90 on average (WhoScored).

Karim Benzema's departure from the Bernabeu meant Madrid were considering a bid for Kane, which would have been concerning for Tottenham given the pull of such a huge club.

Alas, news of their cooled interest from a reliable source will come as a much-needed bit of positive news, yet his dwindling contract remains an issue. Kane, as things stand, can leave for free next summer.

Mohammad Amir has picked up a side strain that will limit his role in the ongoing third and final Test in Sydney to batting

Osman Samiuddin at the SCG06-Jan-2017Mohammad Amir has picked up a side strain that will limit his role in the ongoing third and final Test in Sydney to batting.Amir pulled an intercostal muscle on his right side during pre-match training on the fourth day of the Test and was taken for a scan. He did not appear on the field at all, putting more strain on an already thin bowling attack that was then reduced to just three specialist bowlers.That left Pakistan to open Australia’s second innings with Imran Khan and Yasir Shah, David Warner taking full toll in an explosive start. Yasir himself has been suffering from a slight hamstring strain in his left leg.Pakistan’s management believe Amir will recover in time to take part in the ODI series against Australia, which begins on January 13, but concerns about the workload on him and others such as Yasir will grow.For much of the last year, Pakistan have operated outside of the UAE with a four-man bowling attack, increasing the load on Yasir and Amir in particular. Since his return to Test cricket on July 14 last year no fast bowler has bowled as many overs in international cricket as Amir, a list otherwise dominated by spinners. The leading bowler in that time, by overs bowled, is Yasir, in Tests alone as well as across all formats.Amir injured his knee in the first Test in Brisbane earlier in the series and though it looked serious at the time, he was back on the field and bowling within an hour. In the same Test his thigh was heavily bruised after he was hit by a Mitchell Starc delivery.Earlier in the Test, coach Mickey Arthur acknowledged the workload his bowlers had to take on. “The guys are pretty tired, they really are,” Arthur said. “Amir… he keeps going you know.”Over the last six months or so we have played massive amount of cricket and he just keeps going and keeps going even though he has taken a lot of niggles, and he hasn’t shirked his responsibilities and he keeps running for us. They are not in good shape but they have kept going.”

قال محمد صلاح لاعب ومدرب الزمالك السابق، إن زيارة مسؤولي النادي الأهلي لنظائرهم في القلعة البيضاء تأخرت منذ عام 1984.

وكان مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي قد أعلن قبل ساعات تلبية دعوة نادي الزمالك وزيارة مقر القلعة البيضاء، اليوم الإثنين.

وأضاف صلاح في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “etc” عبر برنامج “بوكس تو بوكس”: “الزيارة تأخرت منذ أن كنا نتبادل الزيارات في نهائيات إفريقيا قبل 30 عامًا، الكرة أخلاق، أتمنى أن تعود الأخلاق”.

عبد العزيز عبد الشافي: منتخب مصر تحدِ كبير لـ حسام وإبراهيم حسن.. وتمنيت ألا يتحدث أحد عن أزمة محمد صلاح

وأردف: “أتمنى ألا يُزايد الناديان في أسعار اللاعبين لعدم استنزاف الخزينة، وأن تحدث الزيارات بين جميع الأندية، وعدم الدخول في الصفقات لرفع أسعارها”.

وتابع: “لا يوجد كرة قدم في مصر، لذلك يجب أن تتوافر الأخلاق، وهذا يتمثل في مجالس الإدارات وتقديم يد العون”.

وواصل متحدثًا عن مباراة الزمالك والإسماعيلي: “أنا سعيد لأننا سنشاهد مباراة جماهيرية بحضور 20 ألف متفرجًا، نحن نحب الإسماعيلي وهم يحبوننا”.

واستكمل: “بالنسبة للزمالك، فالكرة بين أقدام اللاعبين، عليكم إثبات أنفسكم في المباراة، نتمنى أن يُقدم الزمالك عرضًا جيدًا”.

واستمر: “قد لا يدفع الزمالك بكل الصفقات الجديدة، ويجب الحذر أمام الإسماعيلي لأن لديهم حماس ومجهودهم سيكون مُضاعفًا”.

واستأنف: “لا يجب أن يشعر لاعبو الزمالك بالتراخي، وأن يكونوا فعل وليس رد فعل، والجمهور سيدعمهم”.

وأتم: “نتمنى من جوميز أن يكون قد درس الإسماعيلي جيدًا في الفترة الأخيرة، والمكسب يأتي بمكسب”.

Riding on Kristen Beams’ four-wicket haul and half-centuries from Nicole Bolton and Alex Blackwell, Australia Women thrashed Sri Lanka Women by 78 runs in Dambulla

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2016
Kristen Beams took 4 for 15 to derail Sri Lanka Women’s chase•IDI/Getty ImagesRiding on Kristen Beams’ four-wicket haul and half-centuries from Nicole Bolton and Alex Blackwell, Australia Women thrashed Sri Lanka Women by 78 runs in Dambulla to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match ODI series. The win made Australia Women the first team to secure direct entry for the 2017 Women’s World Cup.Sri Lanka’s chase of 255 got off to a terrible start as they were reduced to 35 for 5 in the 18th over, with Beams taking three of the first five wickets. The hosts ultimately managed to cobble together 176 for 9, helped considerably by the 41 runs in wides offered up by Australia’s bowlers. That still left Sri Lanka with a big defeat, as only Chamari Polgampola playing an innings of substance.After Australia opted to bat, the top three laid a very solid platform, courtesy scores of 64, 45 and 29 from Nicole Bolton, Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning. Bolton put on 81 off 17.5 overs with Villani for the opening stand, before adding 67 off 11.4 overs with Lanning for the second wicket.Australia had moved to 148 for 1 before Bolton’s dismissal, in the 30th over, opened a passage of play in which they lost 5 for 38 in 12.1 overs. Chamari Atapattu took three of those wickets and ended with figures of 3 for 31 in her 10 overs. Blackwell’s unbeaten 56 off 64 helped them to recover to post 254, with Erin Osborne and Megan Schutt chipping in to keep Blackwell company.Holly Ferling and Beams then wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka’s top order, sharing the first five wickets between them to leave the home team tottering by the 18th over. Eshani Lokusuriyage resisted for a while with 20 off 28, before she became Beams’ fourth wicket. Beams’ finished with figures of 4 for 15 off 10 overs having broken the back of Sri Lanka’s batting with her legspin.Sri Lanka slumped further to 100 for 8 in 35 overs, before showing some fight to bat out their 50 overs. Polgampola, who had come in at No. 3, finished unbeaten on 68 off 136, but the second highest contributor to Sri Lanka’s total was ‘Extras’ which accounted for exactly 50 runs. Of those, 41 came from wides alone. Remarkably, Australia’s bowlers delivered a total of 26 wide balls; each bowler bowled at least one, with Ferling bowling as many as 10.However, even that blemish could not prevent Australia from romping to a big win and collecting two points in the Women’s Championship.

Newcastle United are interested in Khephren Thuram "above all" other clubs, and they want to get a deal done quickly, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Which midfield signings could Newcastle make?

Newcastle have a number of targets at central midfield, including West Ham United captain Declan Rice, however, given the level of interest in his signature, they will consider signing Scott McTominay if they miss out on the England international.

The PIF are also eyeing an ambitious move for Juventus' Adrien Rabiot, amid the Frenchman's uncertain future with the Serie A club, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, and no new deal on the horizon at the moment.

The Magpies have been looking at Thuram for quite some time now, with The Athletic reporting he was an option for Eddie Howe at the back end of March, and their interest in the Nice star now appears to be growing.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Galetti claimed that the Frenchman is a target for a number of top clubs, but Newcastle are emerging as the most interested party.

The journalist said: "Khéphren Thuram is a midfielder who has enjoyed very good performances with Nice this season and is attracting the attention of many clubs, including Chelsea, PSG, and at the moment above all Newcastle.

"To beat the fierce competition the Magpies want to speed things up, especially relating to the high possibility of qualification for the next Champions League where they want to arrive with a very competitive squad.”

What are Thuram's stats looking like ahead of possible Newcastle move?

With the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea both vying for the signature of the midfielder, it shows just how far Newcastle have come and just how ambitious PIF are as Champions League qualification edges closer.

The Italy-born maestro ranks highly among a number of key metrics for midfielders, most notably for his dribbling ability, ranking in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons, and in the 95th for progressive carries per 90 over the course of the past year.

Although he has often been utilised as a defensive midfielder this season, the 6 foot 4 colossus has proven his worth going forward, weighing in with four assists, the joint-highest amount in the Nice squad, while he has also been praised for his "excellent technique" by football scout Jacek Kulig.

There are some indications McTominay could be a better signing, defensively speaking, considering the Scot has averaged more tackles, blocks and clearances than the £14k-per-week Nice star in the last year.

However, Thuram's threat on the front foot makes him a more well-rounded player than the Manchester United ace, and he would be a solid addition to Howe's squad this summer.

Middlesbrough face Coventry City at the Riverside Stadium this evening, where the winners will earn a trip to Wembley to face Luton Town in the Championship playoff final.

A 0-0 draw in the away leg last week has left Michael Carrick's side as favourites to progress but their poor end to the season will need to be addressed against Mark Robins' side if they are going to secure victory on Wednesday night.

Last week's stalemate means that Boro have won just two of their last nine games in the second tier, a run which included a 1-1 draw with the Sky Blues on the final day of the normal season.

Although Carrick's side would dominate possession in the away leg and had the best chance of the game when Chuba Akpom's effort was deflected onto the crossbar, they struggled to create many clear-cut opportunities, so changes could be on the cards ahead of this evening.

How should Middlesbrough line up against Coventry tonight?

There could be three changes from the side that started in the first leg last week.

Zak Steffen has been the main man between the sticks for the vast majority of the season and he looks unlikely to lose his spot after a rare clean sheet last time out.

In a similar vein, Carrick would perhaps be foolish to alter a defence that limited Coventry's attack, and perhaps most importantly Viktor Gyokeres, to very little in the 0-0 draw.

Therefore, Tommy Smith and Ryan Giles keep their place at right-back and left-back respectively, with Darragh Lenihan and Paddy McNair continuing their partnership in the heart of the defence.

There is one change from Carrick in the centre of midfield, as Matt Crooks could provide more physicality and more of a goal threat than Alex Mowatt, so he starts alongside Hayden Hackney in the middle of the park.

Equally, last week's game saw Marcus Forss make his return from injury and after hitting ten goals and five assists in the Championship this season, he comes in for Isaiah Jones on the right-hand side, with Riley McGree on the opposite flank.

The final change sees Chuba Akpom pushed into the central striker role in place of the "fantastic" Cameron Archer – as previously dubbed by Ryan Lowe – in order to accommodate the return of fellow Aston Villa loanee Aaron Ramsey, who could make his return from injury at the Riverside tonight.

Predicted Middlesbrough XI (4-2-3-1): Steffen, Smith, McNair, Lenihan, Giles, Crooks, Hackney, Forss, Ramsey, McGree, Akpom

There are few Liverpool players who can confidently hold their heads high after such a dismal and inexplicably discordant campaign.

Goalkeeper Alisson has been manager Jurgen Klopp's shining light, exuding authority and demonstrating his world-class credentials as his backline has so often flattered to deceive, shirking away from their defensive duties and failing to offer any scrap of organisation. In fact, the Reds boss was full of praise for his No 1 ahead of yesterday's clash with Brentford.

The late-season upswing in form has certainly boosted optimism around Anfield, but even though their impressive form in the Premier League might not be enough to salvage a top-four place, with a score of contracts set for expiry in a matter of months, new signings are undoubtedly imminent.

Despite this, Klopp must delve into his youth ranks and look to blend any acquisitions with options already on the books; the eccentric German need only look at the success of Stefan Bajcetic this season as a reminder of the fortunes that can be reaped by doing so.

Forward Ben Doak is arguably the highlight name at Kirkby, but midfielder Bobby Clark offers just as much potential and could well find himself a prominent figure in the top flight over the coming years.

Who is Bobby Clark?

In 2021, Liverpool signed Clark from boyhood club Newcastle United for their development side; the Chronicle's lead Newcastle United journalist Lee Ryder – speaking to Liverpool Echo via the Blood Red Club Podcast – remarked upon the pathos surrounding the agreement to let the precocious talent leave Tyneside.

He said: "Bobby was Newcastle's most promising youngster.

"He is a really exciting player with bags of skill and talent. He could have lit up the stage at St James' Park but now he has gone to Liverpool and that is a real kick in the teeth."

As the 2022/23 campaign draws to a close, Clark has played copious amounts of football – featuring 32 times for the U21s, scoring two goals and providing four assists – and set himself in stellar stead for further shots at the first team next term, having featured from the bench against Bournemouth in the Premier League and from the start against Derby County in the Carabao Cup.

Hailed as "confident" by Goal's Neil Jones, the former Toon talent was prolific as they come at U18 level, clinching 13 goals and five assists from 27 matches in midfield, and with such innate prowess and a staggeringly high ceiling, he could well be the Reds' next Trent Alexander-Arnold.

While the 24-year-old is technically a right-back, he is one of the most devastating creative forces in football, scoring 15 goals and serving up 71 assists from 269 appearances for Klopp's side, and is valued at £61m by CIES Football Observatory.

If Klopp can harness the skills of yet another prospect with a glinting cutting edge, he could well find that Liverpool's next big thing in midfield already resides within the ranks.

With such confidence in this young man's skill set, Clark truly could emulate the success of Alexander-Arnold and become Liverpool's next big talent to stem from the youth ranks.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has been dealt a blow as former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann has reportedly turned them down.

What's the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

Reports in recent weeks have claimed that the 35-year-old is a target for Spurs and Levy but Premier League rivals Chelsea are also interested.

Sky Sports journalist Melissa Reddy, writing earlier this month, claimed that both London sides have already made contact with 'formal talks to follow' as the Lilywhites eye a manager they tried to appoint in 2021.

This came after Nagelsmann's shock departure from Bayern last month, which arguably took the whole of Europe by surprise considering he just led them to a Champions League quarter-final whilst fighting on all fronts at the same time.

Bayern's loss, however, could've been Spurs' gain with reliable sources sharing that Nagelsmann has been Tottenham's 'favoured choice' to replace Antonio Conte.

For Spurs supporters who wish to see the former RB Leipzig boss step through the doors at N17, they may about to be disappointed, as news from Germany emerged this week.

According to Bild, Levy and co have been halted for now in their attempts to appoint Nagelsmann, with the outlet claiming that he has 'turned them down'. The tactician would apparently prefer to wait until this summer before making any decision on his future, with Chelsea also lurking.

Nagelsmann and Enrique are apparently 'considered favourites' for the Stamford Bridge job, but as per this report, it appears Spurs have been dealt a roadblock.

Should Spurs go back in for Nagelsmann?

The German stands out as one of Europe's most exciting young managers, already boasting a league title on his CV at such a tender age.

Nagelsmann's brand of intense, high-pressing football will seriously appeal to Spurs supporters who are in favour of attacking football returning to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This report doesn't go into too much detail as to why the coach rejected an offer to join – it could perhaps have something to do with Nagelsmann wishing to take his time until the summer.

Called the 'perfect fit' for Spurs by journalists like Archie Rhind-Tutt, maybe Tottenham could go back in for him later this year, though one real point of contention is whether Levy will be that patient.

The chairman will be eager to avoid an embarrassing repeat of 2021's 72-day search for Jose Mourinho's replacement and there are other candidates out there.