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Newcastle United have now received an update on their interest in Antonio Silva, with a report revealing how much they will have to fork out on the Benfica defender…

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Speaking on a recent episode of the Pod On The Tyne The Athletic's Chris Waugh has confirmed that Newcastle have been keen to bring in a new centre-back this summer, due to concerns over Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles:

“One of the thoughts going into the summer was that a right-sided centre-back would be a position Newcastle would like to add greater depth to,”

“And just more of a ball-playing centre-back than Jamaal Lascelles who would be the direct backup."

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed the Magpies are keen on a new defender, naming Edmond Tapsoba and Silva as two of the centre-backs "they love", although they are deemed to be "way too expensive".

As a result of Financial Fair Play concerns, it may be tricky for Eddie Howe to bring in a top defender this summer, especially considering reports from Portugal have now confirmed that Benfica are unwilling to let Silva leave for below his release clause.

According to a report from O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are "unlikely" to be able to sign the 19-year-old before the transfer deadline, as Benfica would demand his €100m (£85m) release clause to be paid in full.

The Portuguese club are unwilling to negotiate at all, as he is viewed as one of the biggest gems in their squad, meaning the Magpies will need to get in line for a potential transfer in 2024 if they really want to sign him.

Read The Latest Newcastle Transfer News HERE

How good is Antonio Silva?

Although he is still a teenager, the Viseu-born defender has already established himself in the starting XI at Benfica, making 30 league appearances in the 2022-23 campaign, during which time he averaged a Sofascore match rating of 7.17.

The youngster is currently plying his trade in a weaker division, but Kieran Trippier is the only Newcastle defender to have averaged an average higher rating in the Premier League last season, showcasing just how well he performed in the Liga Portugal.

Lauded as "amazing" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 6 foot 2 starlet ranks in the 93rd percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, and the 98th percentile for his pass-completion rate, indicating he is composed in possession.

Having already picked up four caps for Portugal, Silva could now be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, but his performances do not yet justify an £85m outlay, and the Magpies will have to wait until next year to sign him, given their FFP obligations.

Dhananjaya de Silva and the debutant Roshen Silva were Sri Lanka’s fifth-day heroes as they fought their way to a drawn third Test

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Dec-20170:57

Quickinfo – India’s Test dominance

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIf their two most experienced batsmen led Sri Lanka’s first-innings fight, their fifth-day heroes were two newer faces. Dhananjaya de Silva scored his third hundred in only his 11th Test, and Roshen Silva made an unbeaten 74 on debut, their efforts leading Sri Lanka to a fighting draw at the Feroz Shah Kotla.It was a heartening result, given that Sri Lanka came here right after suffering their worst-ever defeat in the second Test in Nagpur. Neither Dhananjaya nor Roshen played that game, and their displays here may have made fans back home wonder why the former isn’t yet a settled member of Sri Lanka’s top order and why it took 103 first-class games for the latter to convince the selectors of his ability.India took only two wickets on the fifth day, of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, their two first-innings centurions. They never once picked up two wickets back-to-back: Chandimal and Dhananjaya added 112, Dhananjaya and Roshen 58 before the former retired hurt, and Roshen and Niroshan Dickwella an unbroken 94.It was a reflection of how well Sri Lanka batted, but also of how little help there was for either seam or spin on one of the most benign fifth-day tracks seen in India in recent times.With five overs left for tea, India were given a small opening when Dhananjaya walked off the field, having struggled through most of the second session with a thigh injury that inhibited his footwork and running between the wickets. They took the second new ball in the last over before tea, and began the final session hoping it would give them some much-craved-for bite and bounce.But Roshen, whose nimble feet and unhurried manner were reminiscent of Sri Lanka’s current batting coach Thilan Samaraweera, was just as assured against India’s quicks as he had against their spinners. A Mohammed Shami lifter hit him on the gloves and he inside edged Ishant Sharma into his box, but otherwise he wasn’t troubled, as he ignored anything wide of off stump and ducked or swayed to avoid the short ones. India brought back spin, and Roshen immediately brought up his fifty, stepping out and driving Ravindra Jadeja to the cover boundary.India had a greater chance of dismissing the impulsive Niroshan Dickwella at the other end, and the wicketkeeper-batsman, playing all his shots despite the match situation, gave them one clear-cut chance with the final hour looming. Stepping out of his crease to Jadeja, he missed one that hit the rough outside his off stump but refused to turn. The ball beat Wriddhiman Saha too, and thudded into his chest rather than settle in his gloves.Dickwella kept playing his shots, which led to a couple of hairy moments – a missed sweep out of the rough off Jadeja, a top-edged sweep off R Ashwin – but nothing resulting in a chance, and the players eventually shook hands with 35 minutes left of the last hour.Upright and wristy, Dhananjaya looked assured against spin, his game built around the extremes of sitting on the back foot – which was well suited to the slowness of the surface – or dancing down the pitch, and he only rarely took the middle path of stretching forward in defence. Despite the fact that saving the game was Sri Lanka’s only realistic aim, he wasn’t reluctant to play his shots.He hit 16 boundaries in all. Some were both safe and eye-catching – such as successive pulls off Ishant Sharma in the first session, or a back-foot punch off Ashwin that moved him to 96 – and others risky but well-controlled – such as his sweeps, both square and fine, off the stumps. But even if he did occasionally get himself in trouble – Ashwin put down a stinging return catch when he was on 110 – the bowlers seldom hurried or wrong-footed him.There weren’t too many balls from the spinners that turned and bounced with any real venom. There were perhaps only two in the morning session, both bowled by Jadeja on his 29th birthday, and on both occasions he overstepped the crease. One transgression went unnoticed, and Mathews departed in the sixth over of the day. Joel Wilson referred the other to the third umpire, who judged what seemed an extremely tight call in the batting team’s favour, and reprieved Chandimal in the fourth over before lunch.Jadeja set Mathews up beautifully. His four previous balls were flat, quick ones on a perfect length, alternating between a roughly middle-and-leg line and an off-stump line. Mathews defended all four off the front foot. The next one was dangled a little slower and wider. Not reading the change in pace, Mathews went too early into his defensive stride, and ended up reaching for the ball, away from his body, and edged to slip.Chandimal’s lucky escape came off a ripper that spun from leg stump, beat his outside edge, and hit middle stump, having drifted in and opened him up completely. That ball apart, Chandimal looked quietly fluent, just as in the first innings, his control percentage of 90 indicative of both his own rhythm and the lack of devil in the pitch.Eventually, he was dismissed when a spinner beat him in the air. It was a lovely bit of flight from Ashwin in the eighth over after lunch, the ball dipping on Chandimal as he stepped out, stranding him a long way from the pitch of the ball. He reached for it, attempted a desperate leg-side whip, but only succeeded in leaving a big gap for the ball to turn through and peg back off stump.India were right on top, with five wickets down and more than half of the day still left to play, but if there wasn’t too much experience left in Sri Lanka’s line-up, there definitely was plenty of quality.

India head coach joins captain Virat Kohli in publicly endorsing MS Dhoni’s spot in the T20 team

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-20176:03

Runorder: Is Kohli’s defence of Dhoni convincing?

MS Dhoni has received more public support from the Indian team’s management with regard to his future in T20Is. Following Virat Kohli’s statement that it was unfair to target Dhoni, India’s head coach Ravi Shastri has backed the former captain, saying “great players” decide their own future.Dhoni’s place was the subject of debate after his 37-ball 49 in India’s defeat in the second T20I against New Zealand. His innings was in stark contrast to Kohli’s free-flowing aggression at the other end and prompted former players and TV experts to question his strike rate and inability to hit big shots.While Kohli said he did not understand why Dhoni was the only player being targeted, Shastri’s defence was more assertive.”Looks like there are a lot of jealous people around, who just want Dhoni to have a couple of bad days,” Shastri said to . “There are a few people who are waiting to see the end of MS Dhoni. But great players like him decide their own future.”It [criticism] doesn’t make a difference to me. In our mind we know where Dhoni stands within the team. He is an ultimate team man. He was a great leader and now an ultimate team man.”The sentiment was echoed by Kohli, who had said that Dhoni was playing a specific role and was appreciated in the dressing room.”As team management and players, we understand the situations in which he goes out to bat. We don’t get emotional and excited by the opinions of people who are looking at things from a different point of view,” Kohli said. “If you are playing, you know how the wicket is and what the situation is like. So I think he is doing absolutely fine. He understands his game, he understands his role, but it doesn’t come off every time.”Shastri went on to suggest that the nature of television might have prompted some experts to offer the views they did.”Not so long ago I used to do television and people used to ask me questions. You need to answer questions to make a show happen,” he said. “Dhoni is a superstar. He is one of our greatest cricketers. When you have a career as glorious as that, you become a topic on television.”

A potentially major update has surfaced for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp and co work fervently to rectify the issues in the transfer market and secure a first-class new holding midfielder.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

Chelsea have beat Liverpool to the signings of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia recently in a remarkable show of strength and incisiveness, and the Reds now need to move with their own swiftness to reaffirm their own guile.

The Anfield side have compiled a shortlist of options, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure believed to be the most coveted names.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The latter, Doucoure, is likely the primary target, with the Independent confirming on Wednesday afternoon that the Malian midfielder could be available for less than £60m, and that while the Eagles are wary of losing too many players this summer, Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to secure his signature.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

There is much to lament about Liverpool's transfer strategy this year, and it's unequivocally true that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could have handled the recent events with more conscientiousness.

Saudi Arabian sides swooped for defensive midfielder Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson to compound the departures of midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose contracts concluded in June.

This is not to say that such outgoings were not necessary, rather, an illustration of the smoother road that could have been taken; Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both penned deals with the club, but the squad currently feels thin.

Resting on their laurels is not an option, and the powers that be must now throw the kitchen sink to secure Doucoure's services, with the 23-year-old impressing for Crystal Palace since completing an initial £18m transfer to Selhurst Park from French side RC Lens one year ago.

The £60k-per-week machine is a first-class ball-winner, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions per 90, as per FBref – for comparison, Fabinho ranks only among the top 34% after his "awful" season, as was said by Jamie Carragher.

This strengthening of the formidability of the midfield would only improve the performances of those around, and Doucoure, who has been described as "the complete holding midfielder" by former boss Patrick Vieira, could play to £60m man Szoboszlai's qualities.

The Hungarian midfielder has been lauded as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his technicality and flair, and ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.

He also ranks among the top 5% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90, which could pay dividends for Doucoure's progress on Merseyside, with such a robust and industrious midfield partner easing his workload.

Liverpool have fallen by the wayside, but the new season signifies an apt opportunity for meaningful, impactful change, and now is the time to steal a swoop for Doucoure and enhance Liverpool's midfield.

Manchester United should consider reviving previous interest this summer in one of the most dynamic forwards in Europe, as Erik ten Hag weighs up his options for the remainder of the transfer window.

The Dutchman’s side got off to winning ways, however the narrative of the game was far from the three points, with club in crisis Wolves outplaying the Red Devils for the majority of the fixture.

With other clubs around United continuing to be active in the market, Ten Hag could take his side to the next level by exploring rumoured targets of the past that are still available to chase.

Who could Manchester United sign this summer?

After acquiring the talents of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Jonny Evans, United could seek further firepower by dipping back in the pool of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Reported in Spain earlier in the summer, the Red Devils had interest in the 23-year-old, who has become an outsider in Madrid due to a frail relationship with Diego Simeone.

After a half-season loan in the Premier League at Chelsea, Felix returned to La Liga however, the transfer window has been full of speculation regarding his future, with his price tag said to be set around £80m.

How many goals has Joao Felix scored?

At just 23, the dynamic and versatile striker has netted 72 domestic goals, as well as scoring on five occasions for his country.

Described as “exquisite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Portuguese sensation was snatched by Atletico at just 19-years-old, with the Spaniards paying a blockbuster fee of £113m to obtain his talent.

The season prior to his arrival in Spain, the teenager contributed to 24 goals in 26 Primeira Liga appearances for Benfica, showcasing to the world just how prolific he can be with the ball at his feet.

Now, Felix finds himself searching for a new challenge, with his future far from Madrid despite him being under contract with the club until 2027.

In capturing the 23-year-old dynamo, Ten Hag could significantly improve the attack on show at Old Trafford, with the striker’s versatility making him such an interesting acquisition for many.

Deployable on either flank, leading the line or most prominently as a second striker with a partner, the former Chelsea loanee could be the perfect capture for the Dutchman to play alongside new signing Hojlund.

Arriving from Atalanta for a bumper fee of £72m, the 20-year-old has a weight of expectation on his shoulders, with the move questioned due to him scoring just nine goals in Serie A last term.

In signing Felix, Ten Hag could not only gift the Denmark international an intricate striker partner, but a player that could ease the pressure from the youngster, in a partnership that could blossom at Old Trafford.

A keen creator, the Portuguese talent is accustomed to playing alongside a main striker, doing so expertly with Atletico behind the likes of Alvaro Morata, who dubbed the youngster as “special”.

It’s an extensive job to be expected to lead the line for a club such as Manchester United, even more so in the Premier League, and even more so as a 20-year-old with a £72m price tag on your head.

Felix could encourage the raw talents of Hojlund to perform with the help of his experience in playing the league already, paired with his knowledge in forming relationships with lead strikers throughout his impressive career so far.

Amelia Kerr took 3 for 35 to topple Pakistan over for just 147, a score they chased down with 26 overs and seven wickets in hand

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2017
ScorecardGetty ImagesNew Zealand’s spinners, led by legspinner Amelia Kerr’s 3 for 35, helped topple Pakistan over for 147 in the second ODI in Sharjah. The batsmen then had little trouble in hunting down the target with seven wickets in hand and 26 overs to spare. Sophie Devine continued her fine form from the first ODI, hitting a 48-ball 62 with eight fours.Pakistan elected to bat first, but struggled from the outset, losing Ayesha Zafar in the seventh over for 2. Opener Nahida Khan and captain Bismah Maroof brought Pakistan back into the game with a 46-run, third-wicket partnership of 75 balls, the second-highest stand of the match.The middle order, though, capitulated against Kerr and offspinner Leigh Kasperek, losing 5 for 39 to slump to 113 for 7. Sana Mir hit 31 off 46 balls, but Pakistan lost their last three wickets without a run.In reply, captain Suzie Bates and Devine struck an 80-run opening stand in just 12.5 overs. Amy Satterthwaite struck 25 off 34 balls. Offspinner Javeria Khan took 2 for 6 in her three overs.

West Ham United are still very active in the transfer market as they attempt to strengthen their squad before the window closes and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

Who is Anthony Martial signing for?

According to talkSPORT's transfer expert Alex Crook, West Ham are now interested in signing Manchester United striker Anthony Martial.

As per a report written for the broadcaster, Crook claimed that after submitting offers for both Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire, the Hammers are now looking to steal away a third Red Devils mainstay with Martial named as a target.

Crook notes that talks are in the early stages and Erik ten Hag may not be particularly keen on parting ways with the goal-scorer, due to a shortage of out-and-out number nines at Old Trafford.

United fear they are unlikely to get a big fee for the forward, as West Ham monitor the French forward's situation in the northwest.

How many goals has Anthony Martial scored?

There is no doubt that David Moyes and the West Ham hierarchy desperately need to step up their pursuit of their transfer targets with only a few weeks remaining to secure much-needed new additions in key positions.

Indeed, Declan Rice's £105m move to Arsenal is the most high-profile departure for the Irons, but they have also lost Manuel Lanzini and Gianluca Scamacca, whilst Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio's futures hang in the balance with both players keen for a move away.

As a result, the signing of Martial could be a great piece of business for Moyes as he looks to improve and bolster the attacking threat for the east Londoners, with the Man United striker a worthy heir to Antonio should he leave this summer.

The Frenchman has been a regular for the Red Devils over his long-standing tenure, scoring 88 goals and registering 53 assists over 298 appearances with a goal contribution delivered every 135 minutes played – an output that would be a major asset for West Ham this season.

When comparing Martial's output with Antonio's last season, the 27-year-old comfortably outperformed the West Ham all-time top-scorer in a number of key attributes including shots on target rate (46.2% v 33.3%), pass completion (80.2% v 53.4%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.58 v 1.92), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.46 v 0.44) and successful take-ons (53.8% v 40%), as per FBref.

The £250k-per-week ace has been the recipient of high praise over his career so far, with Man United legend Paul Scholes hailing Martial for his talent last term:

"Every United fan knows he has real talent. But we just need to see it more often.

"The lad’s got real ability. He’s been quiet for 18 months, we’re not sure what happened to him, injuries, confidence, but the lad has got ability, we need to see more of it. He can score a lot of goals."

Now that young goal machine Rasmus Hojlund has joined the Manchester giants, it could mean that Martial will struggle for game-time this season under Ten Hag, so a move to West Ham presents an attractive opportunity to earn first-team football consistently.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for West Ham to secure a deal for Martial this summer, as he could certainly ease the blow of losing Scamacca and offer Moyes a potential replacement for Antonio.

Following months of speculation, it looks as if Manchester United finally have their man after having agreed a deal for Danish sensation, Rasmus Hojlund, with the 20-year-old set to sign from Atalanta for a fee of around £72m after spending just a solitary season in Italy.

The former Sturm Graz ace has been identified by Erik ten Hag as the man to ease United's centre-forward woes, with long-serving asset Anthony Martial having proven himself wholly unreliable due to his repeated injury setbacks in recent years.

With the Red Devils having already moved on Anthony Elanga to Nottingham Forest – and with fellow youngster Facundo Pellistri in line for a loan exit – the addition of Hojlund may not be the end of the attacking additions at Old Trafford this summer, with Manchester Evening News recently reporting that the former Ajax boss is keen on bringing in another asset who can feature all across the frontline.

Who will Man United sign after Hojlund?

One perhaps left-field name that has been mentioned as a potential attacking recruit in recent months is AZ Alkmaar winger, Jesper Karlsson, with The Sun reporting back in January that the 25-year-old was among a raft of Eredivisie-based talents that Ten Hag was keen to keep an eye on.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

More recently, reports in Italy back in June suggested that the Premier League giants were providing 'stiff competition' in the battle to land the Sweden international, with the former IF Elfsborg man – who has also been linked with a move to Lazio – currently valued at a bargain price of just €20m (£17m).

While typically deployed in a wide left-berth, the 5 foot 10 ace's versatility to feature on the right flank or through the middle could ensure that he is the type of figure that Ten Hag is chasing, with those at the Theatre of Dreams needing to considering stepping up their interest in the near future.

Who is Jesper Karlsson?

It remains to be seen just how United's forward line will shape up next season, with the future of Ivorian wizard, Amad Diallo, still up in the air following the 21-year-old's return from his stellar stint on loan at Sunderland – in which he scored 13 goals and provided three assists in the Championship.

Despite being included in the club's recent pre-season tour, the former Atalanta starlet has seen his involvement hampered by injury, with the wait for the youngster to truly make his mark at the club still ongoing, after scoring once in just nine first-team appearances to date.

With Amad still yet to truly prove himself at the top level, the addition of Karlsson could well represent something of an upgrade on the flanks, with the 11-cap international having been hailed as "unpredictable" and "inventive" by transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Falkenberg-born star is coming off the back of a fine 2022/23 campaign in which he scored 13 goals and registered eight assists in 33 games in all competitions, with that taking his tally for AZ to 79 goal involvements in 123 appearances in total.

Also lauded as a "very tricky winger" by journalist Josh Bunting, Karlsson's superior creative threat is shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 17% among his European peers for progressive passes, while Amad ranks in just the top 27% in that regard.

That ability to provide quality service from his wide berth is also shown by the fact that the Swede created ten big chances and averaged 1.8 key passes per game in the Eredivisie last term, while Amad created just four big chances and averaged just 1.1 key passes, while competing in England's second tier.

That would suggest that if Ten Hag is looking to find a suitable fit to rival the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony next season, then Karlsson could represent a more impressive, proven option than that of Amad.

UAE’s spinners combined for figures of 8 for 62 to send Namibia packing for 89, before winning the bottom-of-the-table clash by six wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2017UAE’s spinners combined for figures of 8 for 62 to send Namibia packing for 89, after asking them to bat in their WCL Championship game in Windhoek. Defending a meagre total, Namibia managed to snuff out four UAE batsmen with 53 on the board, but that was about it as they slipped to a six-wicket loss and the bottom of the table.Louis van der Westhuizen (41) and Craig Williams (22) put on 46 for the third wicket to take Namibia to 68 for 2, after Mohammad Naveed (2 for 13) had struck twice with the new ball. But offspinner Rohan Mustafa (2 for 17) dismissed Westhuizen in the 17th over, and legspinner Imran Haider (3 for 27) dismissed Williams in the 18th, to trigger the beginning of the end for Namibia. Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza complemented his fellow spinners with 3 for 18 as Namibia lost eight wickets for 21 in under 12 overs.UAE took their time in running down the target, losing four wickets inside 20 overs. Of the top four, only Chirag Suri (26) went past 20. Left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz picked up two wickets in an economical spell, including that of Suri in the 20th over. But the fifth-wicket pair of Adnan Mufti (21*) and Rameez Shahzad (20*) saw them home, putting on an unbroken 39 off 34 balls.

Kraigg Brathwaite has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the first Test against England at Edgbaston

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2017Kraigg Brathwaite has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the first Test against England at Edgbaston.Brathwaite, the opening batsman who bowls part-time offspin, sent down six overs for six runs in England’s innings. He will now be required to undergo testing within 14 days but is allowed to continue to bowl in international cricket until the results are known.He has 12 wickets in Test cricket including a haul of 6 for 29 against Sri Lanka in Colombo although he is far more important to West Indies for his adhesiveness with the bat – he is the only member of the current squad with more than 2000 Test runs. He made a duck in the first innings at Edgbaston but scored 40 in the second before being trapped lbw by Moeen Ali.