Newcastle United are interested in signing fleet-footed Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams this summer, with the club hoping to bolster their chances of first-rate acquisitions by qualifying for the Champions League.

What's the latest on Nico Williams to Newcastle?

According to reports, Williams has been of interest to Eddie Howe and co since January, with The Athletic reporting that the 21-year-old was an alternative to Anthony Gordon, who ultimately signed from Everton for £45m.

And now, according to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are ramping up their interest in the Spanish winger after cooling their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby, with Williams still firmly 'in the mix' ahead of what is likely to be a busy summer market at St. James's Park.

In January, Aston Villa's £44m advance for the Basque-born talent was rebuffed by Williams himself, but Newcastle's allure of Champions League football, should they qualify, could be enough to entice the player to move overseas.

Who does Nico Williams compare to?

After such a remarkable season, it seems fitting that Newcastle should fortify the ranks with options boasting genuine world-class credentials.

And in Bilbao's Williams, a budding star of the highest calibre is creeping towards prominence with each passing match-week; having played 39 matches this term, the wily flanker has scored nine goals and supplied six assists, flourishing with stellar showings on both sides of the pitch.

It is his versatility that could serve the "daring" – as lauded by Marcelinho – star so well on Tyneside, providing support to talisman Alexander Isak and alternating between wide support and a more incisive, inside-cutting approach.

As per FBref, the £40k-per-week gem ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons, the top 10% for progressive passes received and the top 15% for blocks per 90, illustrating his effective direct flair and willingness to get stuck in from a defensive standpoint.

With a transfer, Howe could even unleash his own version of Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli, who has blossomed into one of the most destructive attacking forces in the division over the past several seasons, now an integral part of Mikel Arteta's plans in their enthralling title-chasing campaign.

The fourth most 'similar' player to the Bilbao star, as per FBref, plundering 15 goals and five assists from 35 top-flight matches this season, Martinelli has been a key component to his outfit's flying fortunes.

Given that the £90k-per-week gem ranks among the top 8% of positional peers for progressive passes and the top 19% for progressive carries per 90, Williams could indeed be moulded to emulate his Brazilan confrere.

Dubbed a "sensation" by journalist Shina Oludare, Williams is young enough to be nurtured to the forefront of European football to Howe's own creation, and if he can prise him away from the Basque country, a most enterprising front three could grow into one of the most formidable forces in world football.

Sri Lanka’s openers gone cheaply. A recovery led by Kusal Mendis. A Sri Lankan attack heavy on spin options. Australia’s batsmen struggling. A Sri Lankan victory

The Report by Brydon Coverdale24-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:58

By the Numbers: Aponso’s four-four sinks Australia

Sri Lanka’s openers gone cheaply. A recovery led by Kusal Mendis. A Sri Lankan attack heavy on spin options. Australia’s batsmen struggling to have any impact. A Sri Lankan victory. Steven Smith could be forgiven for feeling like this was a flashback to the Test series just ended. But the big difference was that Australia already have a win in this one-day series. At the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka merely levelled it 1-1 with three to play.It was a victory built on two big partnerships: a 125-run stand between Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal, and a 103-run effort from Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera. Chandimal was the only one of the quartet who did not reach fifty, falling instead on 48 and thus missing the chance to become the first Sri Lankan to score six consecutive ODI half-centuries. Besides those two stands, Sri Lanka’s wickets fell rapidly in three clumps.The last of those clumps featured a momentous event – James Faulkner became the sixth Australian to take a hat-trick in an ODI. But by that late stage in the innings the damage had been done. Sri Lanka had done enough to set Australia a target of 289. No team had ever won an ODI at this ground chasing such a hefty total and on a pitch offering plenty of turn Australia could not rewrite history, despite Matthew Wade’s career-best innings.One key difference from the Test series was that Sri Lanka opened with seamers from both ends – curious given that Nathan Lyon had taken the new ball for Australia earlier in the day – and the move brought immediate success. Thisara Perera’s first ball drew David Warner into a drive that was edged behind, and in his next over Perera had Aaron Finch dragging one on. Australia were 16 for 2, hardly the kind of start required for this chase.Sri Lanka had recovered from a similar position, but forcing the scoring rate against Sri Lanka’s spin attack was never going to be easy for Australia. Left-arm spinner Amila Aponso in particular proved difficult to get away, and the pressure that he applied brought him the wickets of Smith and George Bailey. On 30, Smith advanced and drove a catch to mid-on. Bailey was much less fluent, his 27 taking 46 balls, and he did not manage a single boundary before being bowled, deceived by Aponso’s dip.Bailey was not the only Australian to labour at the crease. Moises Henriques took 16 balls to make 4 and was out when he lunged forward and was beaten by legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna’s turn and Chandimal’s quick stumping – a similar dismissal to the first innings in the Colombo Test, when Henriques dragged his back foot out of his ground. Supposedly a good player of spin, Henriques must find another method, for drag is proving as costly to him as it does an Olympic swimmer.Wade and Travis Head did their best to claw Australia back into the match, but clawing rarely achieves much but to delay the inevitable. Sri Lanka’s spinners were too hard to dominate, and the required rate ballooned. Wade reached 76, his highest ODI score, but did so with only three boundaries, and by the timed he holed out to Thisara Perera, Australia needed more than 10 an over.Head top-edged a catch off Mathews for 31 from 48, Mitchell Starc popped a return catch back to Mathews, and then Aponso finished off the game with the wickets of Adam Zampa and Faulkner, to end up with the outstanding figures of 4 for 18 off 9.2 overs. Sri Lanka had won by 82 runs.Kusal Mendis revived Sri Lanka with a plucky half-century after they lost two early wickets•AFPFor the first few overs of the day it looked like Australia’s hopes of taking a 2-0 series lead were strong. After Mathews chose to bat, Sri Lanka stumbled to 12 for 2. Danushka Gunathilaka, brought in for this match at the expense of Milinda Siriwardana, was bowled by Starc for 2, and next ball Tillakarante Dilshan was bowled behind his legs by Lyon, operating around the wicket.But Mendis and Chandimal were up to the task of rebuilding, rotating the strike and putting away boundaries off bad balls. And they got a few of those. Smith’s decision to use the part-time offspin of Head inside the first 10 overs backfired spectacularly when Mendis plundered 20 runs off his first over. Head’s four overs cost 41 and combined with Henriques’ 0 for 40 off five, offset much of the good work of Zampa, Starc and Faulkner, who each took three wickets.Chandimal was the victim of a remarkable review off the bowling of Zampa. Chandimal advanced and tried to work Zampa to leg, missed, and the ball cannoned into the wicketkeeper Wade’s midriff. When Wade recovered, he appealed for lbw and convinced Smith to ask for a review. Replays confirmed the ball had struck Chandimal’s pad on the way through, in line, and would have hit the stumps.Zampa added the key wicket of Mendis to his tally in his next over. Mendis, who had scored all around the ground for his run-a-ball 69, was done by Zampa’s googly, trapped lbw, so plumb he did not seriously consider asking for a review. Zampa’s third came when Dhananjaya de Silva drove a catch to short cover, and he finished with 3 for 42 from his 10 overs.But then came the second of Sri Lanka’s crucial – or is that Kusal? – partnerships. Kusal Perera and Mathews came together with the score at 158 for 5 and both men combined attacking strokeplay with the ability to find the gaps for ones and twos. Mathews launched a pair of sixes off Lyon in the 40th over and his fifty came up off 55 balls; Perera struck five fours and one six, and brought up his half-century from 47 deliveries.However, they became the first two victims of Faulkner’s hat-trick: on 54 Perera was lbw trying a reverse sweep from the last ball of the 46th over, and first ball of the next over Mathews, on 57, drilled a catch down the ground. Completing the feat, Faulkner had Thisara Perera bowled. But by then, the damage had been done. Starc finished off the tail in the 49th over.Sri Lanka’s wickets had fallen in clusters – 2 for 12 at the top, 3 for 21 in the middle, 5 for 27 at the end. But those collapses were offset by two century stands, and those two partnerships were the difference in the match.

James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, has narrowed his focus on high performance failings as a reason for the national team’s dire recent displays in Asian Test matches, adding scrutiny to the roles of the team performance manager Pat Howard and the selection panel.In response to repeated questioning about Australia’s three-nil hiding at the hands of an unfancied Sri Lanka in their recent Test series – a result that cost Steven Smith’s side their No. 1 ranking in the longest format – Sutherland’s rhetoric has shifted from patience to a more urgent tone.His latest words, on the day CA announced an additional $500,000 in funding for the Growing Cricket for Girls fund, followed a raft of criticism from former players, including the ex-CA Board director Mathew Hayden and the recently retired captain Michael Clarke, about the decision to rest Smith from the latter limited overs portion of the Sri Lanka tour. While Sutherland defended that decision as a matter of necessity, he was more questioning of how Australia’s players did not appear to be adding the requisite adaptability to their games.”Are some of the fundamental things that we are doing to prepare our players to perform well and be highy competitive in subcontinental conditions passing the test?” Sutherland told “I think that’s where the review gets a little bit more meaty and challenging and more fundamental, going right down into questioning our high-performance systems as well.”To be a bonafide international cricketer in this day and age, you need to be able to adapt to conditions in Australia, conditions in England, conditions in the subcontinent … wherever you play,” he said. “And that adaptability is something that needs to be reviewed because some are adapting and some aren’t.”Speaking about the longer term, Sutherland stated that Australian cricket had to reach a point where “in 10 years’ time when we tour India there is a pool of hundreds of players that could be on that tour”. These words will not be lost on Howard, out of contract next year, or the selection chairman Rod Marsh, also with a deal due to expire in 2017. CA recently hired Graham Manou to manage the junior talent pathway.On the subject of Smith, Sutherland described the captain’s imposed rest as a product of the game’s increasingly cluttered schedule. “It’s obviously far more preferable for him to stay and see that through,” he said, “but the nature of international cricket today and the calendar is that at times we need to make decisions that are in the best interests of the individual and the team.”In coming weeks at the next round of ICC meetings, Sutherland will re-embark on a task he has championed for some time – that of changing cricket’s global structures to allow more room between matches, and greater context so each contest has an easily understandable reason for existing, and by extension greater value for fans and broadcasters.

Chelsea's squad is laden with quality, although with the money spent on it of late, that is to be expected. For one manager who can find the right system to fit them into, there is a veritable gold mine at Stamford Bridge, just waiting to be excavated and showcased to the world.

But, for now, they are far from that lucrative stage.

In fact, the Blues currently sit in 11th, on track to record one of their worst Premier League finishes in history. Frank Lampard could not right the wrongs of Graham Potter before him, and so it seems set to be Mauricio Pochettino who'll be the latest to try his hand at one of the hardest and most cutthroat jobs in world football.

The Argentine has earned this job predominantly off the back of his work in reigniting Tottenham Hotspur and turning them into a powerhouse of English football once again. When handed time and backing, everyone has already seen what he can do.

He, therefore, seems best placed to take over this dormant outfit, with the belief that his past successes can translate into this current predicament.

However, in order to unlock what already resides in west London, the 51-year-old will first command a few purchases of his own.

In signing mooted transfer target Romeo Lavia from the recently relegated Southampton, he could invoke the past success of Victor Wanyama, who he also snagged from the Saints to be his midfield rock in north London.

The youngster retains his £40m buy-back clause from Manchester City, and the Championship-bound outfit could demand a fee similar.

How has Romeo Lavia played this season?

Despite being just 19 years old, this midfield powerhouse has shone in the engine room of a side seriously lacking quality and experience. The 6.83 average rating of the Belgian does not do justice to just how imperious he has been, with his two tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game upheld by an 86% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

With little flash about his game, this workmanlike teenage sensation has all the hallmarks of a young Wanyama, who too acted as something of a destroyer under Pochettino.

In what was arguably his standout season in north London, during the 2015/16 campaign, the Kenyan showcased such defensive superiority that mirrors the path Lavia seems set to follow.

Alongside his 7.00 average rating, his 82% pass accuracy was buoyed by 3.1 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He truly was the "monster" that broadcaster and ex-professional Gabriel Zakuani branded him back in 2012, which is coincidentally the same label attached to Southampton's young superstar by journalist Benjy Nurick, who wrote back in January:

"Romeo Lavia was an absolute monster tonight. Quite possibly the best midfielder on the pitch."

Now playing in the MLS, it is easy to forget just how influential Wanyama was in the triumphs Pochettino earned with the Lilywhites.

Should he now kickstart his new regime with a similar signing, perhaps he can go one further and actually add the host of silverware he was missing from an otherwise successful tenure at Spurs.

Burnley romped their way to the Championship title in style in the 2022/23 campaign as they secured promotion to the Premier League with 101 points.

Vincent Kompany is now tasked with building a squad that will be capable of avoiding an instant relegation back down to the second tier next season.

He must, firstly, find a way of replacing some of his loan stars after they returned to their parent clubs. Taylor Harwood-Bellis, for example, spent the campaign on loan from Manchester City and it remains to be seen if they can snap him up on another deal, let alone permanently.

Newcastle and West Ham United are also in the running for his signature on a permanent basis and that could force the Lancashire promotion winners to look elsewhere.

Who could replace Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Burnley?

The Clarets are reportedly one of the clubs showing an interest in signing Galatasaray central defender Victor Nelsson, with fellow top-flight side Brighton also keen, and the ace could be the dream heir to the English battler.

He has a release clause of €25m (£22m) and the Turkish giants are looking to land a fee of more than €20m (£17m) before cashing in on the talented enforcer.

The Denmark international has enjoyed a strong campaign in the Super Lig. Nelsson has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95 across 31 appearances and completed 86% of his attempted passes.

Harwood-Bellis, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.21 and completed 85% of his passes in 32 outings in the Championship for Burnley; playing second-division football in comparison to the top-flight in Turkey.

These statistics show that both players are composed in possession, as they find a teammate far more often than not, and that there is not a major difference in their average performance level, particularly when you consider that the Danish ace has been playing at a higher level.

Nelsson, 24, also has experience of playing in European competitions.

The Galatasaray "monster" – as he was once dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.04 in eight Europa League matches in the 2021/22 campaign and won an impressive 66% of his individual duels.

Harwood-Bellis, 21, was a strong presence at the back for Burnley as he won 63% of his battles and Nelsson could provide a similar level of physical intimidation for the Clarets in the Premier League. He has won 66% of his aerial contests in the Super Lig this term and came out on top in 63% of his duels in the 2021/22 campaign.

This shows that both players are dominant defenders who do not allow the opposition forwards to beat them more often than not, in the ground or in the air.

Taking all of this into consideration, Kompany could land the dream heir to Harwood-Bellis' position in the team by swooping to sign Nelsson as the Galatasaray star could offer a similar level of quality in possession and in his physical duels in the heart of the defence.

An update has emerged on Burnley and their plans to bolster their squad ahead of a return to Premier League action in the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on James Trafford to Burnley?

According to Football Insider, manager Vincent Kompany is eyeing up a swoop to sign Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Belgian head coach believes that the youngster would be an excellent addition to his squad to bolster their depth following their promotion out of the Championship.

It is stated that the Clarets have been keeping tabs on his performances for Bolton Wanderers and went to watch him in play-off action against Barnsley last weekend.

How has James Trafford performed this season?

The 20-year-old colossus has enjoyed a terrific League One campaign between the sticks, consistently producing excellent displays in the third tier of English football.

His fantastic form means that Kompany could repeat the masterclass he played with the signing of Arijanet Muric, who arrived from Manchester City for £3m last summer.

The Kosovo international played 41 of Burnley's 46 Championship matches on their way to the title and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00, having kept 17 clean sheets and saved 75% of the shots against his goal.

Kompany was able to raid his former club to land the 24-year-old shot-stopper and the move turned out to be a blinder as the shot-stopper enjoyed a sublime year, as shown by the aforementioned statistics, and played a huge role in the club's success in the second tier.

Trafford's performances for Bolton this season suggest that he could follow in Muric's footsteps if the ace completes a permanent switch to Turf Moor from Manchester City this summer.

In League One, the City youngster, who reporter Marc Iles once described as "flying", has played 46 matches and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.18, having saved 79% of the shots against him and kept an eye-catching 22 clean sheets.

The 20-year-old gem also only made one error that led to a shot or goal for the opposition, whereas Muric made three in the Championship, and is not prone to making mistakes on a regular basis.

Trafford's ability on the ball would also suit the way that Kompany wants to play out from the back.

The 6 foot 6 giant has completed 93% of his attempted passes in his own half and managed to provide one assist in League One this season, which shows that the youngster is reliable in possession and able to go longer when needed.

These statistics indicate that the England U21 international has the potential to be an exceptional signing for Burnley, given that his form in League One is more impressive than the current Burnley star's displays in the second tier.

At the age of 20, Trafford could come in as a long-term investment with the view to him initially competing with Muric before taking over his position in the team if he can apply his performances for Bolton to the Premier League.

Arsenal might be set to add another touch of magic to their side with a swoop that could truly challenge Martin Odegaard for the mantle of Mikel Arteta's creative master…

What's the latest on James Maddison to Arsenal?

That's according to The Mirror, who offered an update on the Gunners' summer plans with regard to both incomings and outgoings.

Although the rumours surrounding Thomas Partey's future dominate the report, there is a reference to Leicester City midfield James Maddison, who is reportedly on the radar of the north London club.

Given the widespread interest long-held by Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, to snag this deal would be made even sweeter should it be from under the noses of their bitter rivals.

With a £50m touted fee, which could be set to decrease should the Foxes succumb to the drop, this potential coup could be a perfect start to what promises to be a transfer window of paramount importance.

How good is James Maddison?

Watching his remarkable exploits in a relegation-threatened team, the work of the England international is arguably made even more impressive given the lack of quality that surrounds him.

The 26-year-old has mustered ten goals and nine assists in the heart of midfield, yet boasts the versatility to play off either flank that Arteta will crave. As someone keen on his free-flowing philosophy, the Spaniard would welcome such a versatile star who could shift into numerous roles for the betterment of the system.

Having enjoyed a fine bout of early-season form, it led pundit Dean Saunders to suggest he was part of a "world-class" abundance of talent that England boasted in the run-up to the World Cup. Even before that, Statman Dave had branded the £110k-per-week ace a true "magician", with his showing against Southampton commanding such praise.

However, this campaign has been far from a fluke. The former Norwich City maestro has been a consistently impressive performer ever since his £20m move to the King Power, with his 30 goal contributions last year in all competitions only emphasising his superiority over the league, and ability to shine in good and bad moments.

Such creativity understandably draws comparisons with Odegaard, who too has enjoyed one of his most fruitful years since leaving Real Madrid permanently.

The Arsenal captain has scored 15 times and assisted a further eight, almost acting as a left-footed variant of Maddison.

He too seeks to use his technical superiority to dominate games, looking to shift the ball onto his stronger side after a series of neat movements often earns space.

Such similarities are only emphasised further when viewing their underlying statistics, as when compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, the Norway international ranks in the top 2% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 10% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref.

Conversely, Maddison too ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating and the top 12% for progressive passes when compared against the same group, but perhaps lacks that dynamism that the 24-year-old boasts in terms of carries.

Clearly, these two are creative leaders not just for their respective teams but for the whole Premier League; to pair them in the same side could make for a petrifying proposition for the rest of the division as they seek to topple Manchester City next season.

Seventeen wickets fell on the first day of first-class cricket in India with the pink ball, but it was largely because of poor shot-making rather than any demons that the pink ball bore

The Report by Arun Venugopal23-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSandeep Sharma profited from seam movement and took 4 for 62•AFP

India Red and India Green approached the country’s maiden first-class game with the pink ball with as much excitement as fear of the unknown – the fall of 17 wickets in the day might point to the latter – before coming out with the feeling that it wasn’t an entirely alien beast. It was by no means a jolt-free afternoon and night, though. India Red, having elected to bat, combusted to 161, before India Green hobbled their way to 116 for 7 when they weren’t busy fighting malfunctioning floodlights.The build-up to the game resembled a carnival rolling into town. Despite its usual thrills of stilted clowns and puppet shows, it is often the Ferris wheel that becomes the showstopper. When a sizeable crowd of flag-waving, chirpy fans made their way to the grass banks of the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, India’s latest domestic season had found its Ferris wheel, this one sheathed in pink.Bowlers surprised by pink ball durability

Pragyan Ojha and Kuldeep Yadav, who claimed three wickets apiece on the opening day, said they were surprised to see the pink ball retain its sheen even after a substantial period of play. A liberal coverage of grass on the pitch and a reasonably lush outfield may have contributed to that end.
“I think for the first time we never had a problem of maintaining the ball – you just have to rub, you don’t need anything to shine the ball,” Ojha said. “It was something we were experiencing for the first time. If we play with the red ball or the white ball there will be some changes to the ball, it deteriorates. I don’t think [it will be a problem for the spinners].”
Kuldeep, the left-arm wristspinner, admitted to finding it difficult to grip the ball initially. “I had to keep it rough. I think there is a lot of difference when compared to the red ball,” he told . “You get a lot more grip on the red ball, and a lot more turn. If you get used to the pink ball, you can get it to drift and turn. If the shine is maintained, it helps in getting drift and dip.”
He also said it was difficult to spot the shiny side of the ball while batting in the afternoon. “It becomes difficult for the batsmen to pick the ball when both sides of the ball retain their shine. There is no problem sighting the ball in the night,” he said.

The first session was instructive in tempering a few popular notions about the pink ball, like its exaggerated early swing, for instance. Exhibit A was provided by India Green’s Ashok Dinda and Sandeep Sharma, who got the new ball to seam a lot more than swing. Despite a grass coverage of 4mm on the pitch, there wasn’t any excessive lateral movement. That India Red slumped to 67 for 6 at the end of the first session was more a consequence of some poor shot-making, and good field-placements from India Green captain Suresh Raina, than any demons that lay hidden inside the pink ball.Dinda said during the tea break the ball stopped swinging and seaming once it had become relatively older, and thereby the bowlers were looking to target the stumps. He said there was no turn on offer, but there was enough evidence to the contrary with spinners accounting for six wickets. There was adequate assistance for both fingerspin and wristspin, with Pragyan Ojha and Jalaj Saxena of India Red, and Kuldeep and Akshay Wakhare of India Green getting fairly appreciable turn.On a day when wickets fell in a heap, Abhinav Mukund was the most successful batsman on either side. Mukund’s 77 was instrumental firstly in India Red reaching triple figures, and then his 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Anureet Singh, who swished his way to 32 off 21, helped the team cross 150.Mukund admitted to having trouble with sighting the ball at practice on Monday, but said there were no such issues during the match. “I was timing the ball well personally. I couldn’t sight it quite well in the nets yesterday, but today was better and it was a good experience,” he said after the first day’s play.”To be honest, I didn’t have much of a problem [sighting] today. I thought I was timing the ball and getting into good positions. The ball was holding on to the wicket sometimes, sometimes [it was] skidding on. It’s a new experience. We don’t play with the Kookaburra in domestic cricket; it’s a new experience for a lot of cricketers.”India Green had begun in similarly shaky fashion, with Nathu Singh accounting for all the three wickets that fell inside the first eight overs. Nathu, like Sandeep earlier in the evening, profited when he held the seam upright. Robin Uthappa was dismissed by a jaffa that cut back sharply to shave the top of off stump in the seventh ball of the innings, while Jalaj Saxena slashed one that didn’t bounce as much to be caught behind. Nathu’s swerving in-ducker in his next over caught Rajat Paliwal on the shuffle to leave India Green at 31 for 3. Raina and Parthiv Patel then restored calm with a 41-run stand. But after Kuldeep ran through the middle order, Saurabh Tiwary, the last recognised batsman, remained the key to India Green securing the first-innings advantage.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale is facing a busy few months of transfer business following the conclusion of his side's 2022/23 campaign on Saturday.

The Englishman failed to win a single trophy in his first season in charge of the club, although he did take over from Gio van Bronckhorst during the break for the 2022 World Cup, and could use the window to upgrade his squad.

Earlier this month, the Scottish Sun reported that the Light Blues will listen to offers for Croatian centre-forward Antonio Colak in the summer.

The report claimed that MLS and German sides attempted to sign the ace in the January window and that the striker would be interested in completing a move away from Ibrox if a Bundesliga team is able to agree a deal for his services.

Beale could now brutally ditch the ex-PAOK finisher by securing a deal to sign reported transfer target Jerry Yates from English side Blackpool ahead of next season.

Who is Jerry Yates?

He is a 26-year-old centre-forward who is valued at £4m by his current club, following their relegation from the Championship to League One.

The Englishman enjoyed a strong campaign in the second tier in spite of his side's struggles and eventual drop down to the third division and has shown promise as a goalscorer at that level.

Yates plundered 14 goals in 39 starts for the Tangerines and that was an impressive return when you consider that they only scored 48 times as a team in 46 matches, which means that the ace scored 29.17% of their goals.

Colak, meanwhile, found the back of the net 14 times in 25 outings in the Scottish Premiership. However, Rangers amassed 93 goals in the league and this means that the forward scored 15% of the club's goals in the division.

These statistics suggest that Yates, who was once dubbed "dangerous" by journalist Josh Bunting, could improve his goal tally by playing in a side that can dominate games and score more as a team, as 29.17% of their strikes would roughly work as 27 goals in a side that scores 93 times.

The Blackpool star also created nine 'big chances' for his teammates and displayed his creativity from a number nine position, whereas the Gers dynamo only created three. This indicates that the English gem could offer far more in build-up play by providing the other attackers with opportunities to score.

Therefore, Beale could ruthlessly ditch Colak this summer by signing Yates to take his place as the now-League One marksman could be an upgrade on the 29-year-old.

علق أيمن عبد العزيز، المدرب المساعد لـ روي فيتوريا، المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر، على رفض مهند لاشين لاعب الفراعنة، تسديد ركلة الترجيح أمام الكونغو الديمقراطية، في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

منتخب مصر ودع منافسات كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023، على يد الكونغو الديمقراطية بركلات الترجيح، والتي شهدت رفض مهند لاشين تسديد إحدى الكرات، وبادر محمد أبو جبل حارس المرمى بالتسديد بدلًا منه وأضاعها.

وقال أيمن عبد العزيز في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “تعليقك على عدم تسديد مهند لاشين لركلة الترجيح؟ (هل المفروض ننزل نضربه في الملعب؟”.

طالع أيضًا | أيمن عبد العزيز يكشف تفاصيل المشادة بين أبو جبل وكهربا.. ويصرح: كلوب خالف الاتفاق بشأن محمد صلاح

وتابع: “مهند لاشين شارك في المباراة قبل نهايتها بسبب أن ثنائي الوسط حمدي فتحي ومروان عطية حصلا على بطاقة صفراء، وبحكم مركزهما يلتحمان كثيرًا، فخشينا أن يتعرض أحدهما للطرد؛ لذلك تم الدفع بـ لاشين”.

وأضاف: “خلال ركلات الترجيح مهند لاشين رفض التقدم لتسديد الكرة، اللاعب كان يخشى من موقف حدث في الماضي وانتهى، لكن كان يجب أن يتحمل المسؤولية حتى لو كان خائفًا”.

وأردف: “ومع ذلك لو كان أبو جبل لم يُهدر الركلة كان رغمًا عن مهند لاشين سيتقدم للتسديد، وأنا لا أمتلك الوقت والرفاهية أن أجلس مع كل لاعب وأعالجه نفسيًا، هذا الكلام يحدث في المصحة”.

واختتم: “لن أسأل كل لاعب هل أنت مؤهل نفسيًا لكي تُسدد الكرة أم لا، ومع ذلك لماذا تحمل أبو جبل المسؤولية ودخل وسدد الكرة”.