The allrounder batted for more than three hours to make 75 off 159 balls in the tour game against India A, who responded in kind with Shreyas Iyer smacking an unbeaten 85 off 93 balls

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2017
ScorecardMitchell Marsh followed in his brother Shaun’s footsteps, with a fifty-plus score in the tour game against India A to perhaps bolster his chances of a Test recall. He spent over three hours at the crease in Mumbai, making 75 off 159 balls with 11 fours and a six to help the Australians declare on 469 for 7 on the second day.Australia have been struggling for an allrounder to make the No. 6 spot their own and Marsh had himself enjoyed a considerably long run before he was dropped after the home series loss to South Africa late last year. He averages only 23.18 from 19 Tests so far and bowls seam up, which may go against him considering the conditions in India and the fact Australia already have Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in their squad to swing the new ball and reverse the old.However, with his 17th first-class half-century, Marsh has done his bit to stay in contention. His nearest competitor appears to be Glenn Maxwell, who has his own issues with regards to playing up to potential in Test cricket. He is not established as a batsman, but on his day can still be explosive and can also chip in with a few overs of part-time offspin.”I’ve certainly batted more than ever over the past few weeks, just trying to get better and trying to learn as much as I can,” Marsh said of the opportunity presented by the need to rest his bowling shoulder. “You never want to get injured but it was nice to get a couple of weeks off, I’m feeling really strong at the moment so hopefully the body can hold up.”Probably the biggest thing for me has just been softening my hands, in my defence and also in my attack as well. The later you hit the ball, the easier it is to hit gaps especially in the subcontinent when it’s turning. If you have a solid defence, you can attack the balls that are there to attack and really back your defence.”That’s something I’ve learnt, playing in the subcontinent a couple of times now through my own experiences. I think I’ve just faced a lot more spin over the time, and I’ve learned that rotating the strike is really important, especially in the subcontinent for getting off strike.”India A’s batsmen too profited on a Brabourne stadium pitch that was quite true. Shreyas Iyer smashed 85 off 93 balls with five sixes and seven fours at No. 3. He was unbeaten at stumps, alongside Rishabh Pant, who was batting on 3.For the Australians, Jackson Bird was highly economical with a spell of 11-7-15-2 while Nathan Lyon provided the first wicket of the innings, dismissing Akhil Herwadkar and later accounted for Priyank Panchal, the top-scorer in India’s premier domestic first-class tournament, the Ranji Trophy, in 2016-17.

Everton have been strongly linked with a move for Wilfried Gnonto this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Wilfried Gnonto?

According to Italian news outlet Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Everton have made a concrete move for the Leeds United winger.

As per the report, the Toffees are the first to make a serious move for the player alongside Freiburg and the club have already made contact with the recently-relegated West Yorkshire outfit to confirm their interest in Gnonto.

It is claimed that Leeds will demand up to €20m (£17m) to part ways with their young forward this summer as they are attempting to keep together as much of their Premier League squad as possible.

Will Everton sign Wilfried Gnonto this summer?

Improving the quality of the attacking threat at Goodison Park will be the top priority for Sean Dyche this summer as he aims to stabilise Everton's situation in the Premier League after the club suffered two consecutive relegation scraps.

Whilst the midfield and defensive personnel have been refreshed with quality as the likes of James Tarkowski, Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana have become key players for the Merseysiders, the presence in the final third has been significantly weakened over the last 12 months.

Anthony Gordon followed Richarlison out of the door in January, leaving the wide attacking options limited to Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray for the remainder of the campaign and whilst the Toffees were saved with two points to spare at the end of the 38-game campaign it came a little too close for comfort.

Now Dyche could significantly improve the forward line with opportunities presented to him in the summer transfer window and by signing Gnonto could provide McNeil with a partner on the opposite flank who can work alongside him to offer more creativity and goal-scoring opportunities next season.

Only McNeil offered more goal contributions (10) than the Italian sensation (8) in all competitions last season, which is a testament to just how poor the threat was in front of goal last season for the Toffees and how valuable the signing of Gnonto could be for Dyche.

As per FBref, the teenage sensation – hailed "special" by Michael Skubala – already ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for blocks, tackles and progressive carries, proving that not only does he have an eye for goal but is also a consistent ball-winner who can comfortably progress into dangerous positions. The thought of two lively wingers, therefore, is a mouthwatering one for those at Goodison.

With that being said, the signing of Gnonto would be a major coup for Everton as his Premier League experience and potential to develop into a really valuable threat in front of goal could set up the future of their forward line for many years to come.

Seamers Jhulan Goswami and Sukanya Parida have been ruled out of the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers to be played in Colombo from February 7 to 21

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2017

Seamers Jhulan Goswami and Sukanya Parida have been ruled out of the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers to be played in Colombo from February 7 to 21. Soni Yadav and Mansi Joshi will replace the injured pair in India’s squad.The loss of Goswami (10 Tests, 151 ODIs and 60 T20Is) in particular will leave India needing to make up a vast experience gap in the bowling department. Both Joshi and Yadav are yet to make their ODI debuts. Joshi has played one T20I, returning figures of 1 for 8 against Bangladesh during the Women’s Asia Cup T20 in November, while Yadav is uncapped in all formats.India have already had to make one change to their squad, with the allrounder Mona Meshram replacing the injured Smriti Mandhana.Updated India squad: Mithali Raj (capt), Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Thirush Kamini, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mona Meshram, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Sushma Verma (wk), Soni Yadav, Mansi Joshi.

ScorecardFile Photo – Amy Satterthwaite equalled Kumar Sangakkara’s record of four consecutive ODI centuries•IDI/Getty Images

Amy Satterthwaite’s unbeaten knock of 102 helped New Zealand women achieve their target of 276 with five balls to spare against Australia women in Auckland to go 1-0 up in the three-ODI series. Tight bowling from Lea Tahuhu, Holly Huddleston and Suzie Bates bowled Australia out in 48.4 overs after a flying start from opener Beth Mooney (100), and fifties from Rachael Haynes and Elyse Villani, had led them to 237 for 3. Satterthwaite, whose past three ODI scores were 137*, 115* and 123, compiled a record fourth consecutive ODI ton and sixth century overall.Satterthwaite came to the middle after the dismissal of opener Rachel Priest, who had added a solid partnership of 58 with Bates. Satterthwaite and Bates then added 41 runs for the second wicket before Bates fell for 55 in the 21st over, after completing her 22nd ODI half-century. The left-handed Satterthwaite then partnered Katey Martin (43) and Katie Perkins (29) in stands of 74 for the third wicket and 77 for the fifth wicket respectively to take New Zealand past the finishing line off the first ball of the final over. Satterthwaite, who reached her hundred with a four in the 49th over, was declared Player of the Match.File photo – Lea Tahuhu’s four wickets ensured Australia could not build on Beth Mooney’s century•Getty Images

Late wickets from New Zealand’s bowlers meant the last six Australia batsmen tallied only 28 runs among them. Mooney struck her maiden ODI century, while identical scores of 50 from Haynes and Villani – the latter’s first ODI half-century – gave Australia a platform to aim for a large total. But it wasn’t to be as Tahuhu finished with figures of 4 for 59, while Huddleston took three wickets.Satterthwaite said she was pleased beating a “classy” Australian side but remained wary of the opposition, to whom they lost the series last year after taking a similar one-nil lead.”Australia are a classy unit and they don’t roll over easily,” Satterthwaite said. “We were in this position [1-0 up] last year and Australia came back and ended up winning the series so we have a lot of hard work to do. We need to step up a notch because Australia will be coming back hard.”The win was New Zealand’s third straight limited-overs victory over Australia, after they clinched the three-match T20I series 2-1 in Australia last week.

Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League after a terrible campaign, and while a late-season purple patch instiled optimism back into Anfield, it was too little, too late.

Despite failing to finish in the top four for the first time in seven seasons, there will be optimism that the 23/24 term can bring brighter fortunes for Jurgen Klopp's outfit, especially considering the onus is on patching up the midfield this summer – the crux of the club's problems this year.

While few, if any, supporters of the Merseyside outfit will welcome Europa League football next season, it presents an opportunity for Klopp to complete the whole gamut of silverware during his tenure while simultaneously opening the door for the younger, more peripheral players of the squad to impress on the European stage, especially in the maiden phase of the competition.

One such starlet who could find opportunities easier to come by is Layton Stewart, who has been a talismanic force for Liverpool's U21 team over the past few years and might finally be able to complete the ascent to first-team prominence.

Who is Layton Stewart?

While Liverpool's senior side have been floundering for much of the 22/23 campaign, posting 11 goals and two assists from just 12 starts in the Premier League 2 and adding another in the EFL Trophy, scoring against Salford.

It's all the more impressive when considering the detrimental ACL injury that the 20-year-old sustained in March 2021, effectively halting the progress he had made by 18 after scoring 15 times from ten appearances in the U18 Premier League in 20/21, dubbed "prolific" by journalist Glenn Price.

According to the Liverpool Echo, he has even been likened to former Reds phenom Fernando Torres, who signed for the club in 2007 for a – then – club-record £20m, and went on to plunder 81 goals and 20 assists from 141 displays, once praised as a "world-class talent" by former captain and teammate Steven Gerrard.

How could Layton Stewart perform next season?

Speaking to Football FanCast, The RedMen TV's Ste Hoare explained how Liverpool's forthcoming Europa League campaign could actually be a blessing in disguise for some of those frequenting the bench with regularity, and Stewart, who is awaiting his breakthrough to Klopp's first-team, could benefit.

Hoare said: "Maybe Europa League; that's an option for young players. In the ideal world, you'd go through the Europa League group as quick as you can and give some young players experience. Jurgen [Klopp's] done that.

"Even the Champions League, we played a dead-rubber in Milan and he picked a very inexperienced team there. So that's one option."

It certainly looks to be the perfect platform from which a precocious talent such as Stewart can use as a foundation for a prospectively 'prolific' career under Klopp's wing, and he could use the opportunity to form a deadly partnership with prodigious midfielder Stefan Bajcetic.

The 18-year-old Spaniard made 19 appearances this term and scored one goal, a surging effort against Aston Villa, and brought intensity and youthful exuberance into the squad at a time they had plummeted from prominence, with Ben Bocsak stating he looks "so mature and composed for his age".

Bajcetic would see his "exceptional" – as Klopp described – breakout season cruelly ended in March after an abductor injury ruled him out of contention until the summer, and while the Merseyside outfit are bolstering the midfield ranks ahead of the 23/24 campaign, the midfield machine will surely still play a part after his blistering maiden success.

Stewart's talismanic aura could complement Bajcetic's all-encompassing central game, and with the duo only set to continue their ascent over the next few years, the Europa League could be the perfect starting point for what could be a starring duo on the major stage for Liverpool's ambitious manager.

Leeds United will be well aware of the looming Championship season that draws ever closer, making their reluctance to appoint a new manager somewhat concerning.

With Daniel Farke the frontrunner, it seems that the confirmation of the 49ers' takeover is stalling the official announcement that would allow the German to actually get to work not only with the current squad but in adding to it too.

Despite that, there have already been numerous transfer targets that have seemingly been drawn up by the club. One such example is Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, who continues to be linked with an Elland Road switch despite Premier League and other top-flight clubs from across Europe having shown an interest.

The Swedish marksman has already shown his ability to dominate the English second tier, so it would take an almighty task for the Whites to convince him to stay for one more season.

However, should they earn a promotion at the first time of asking, this 25-year-old marksman could star up front for them for the next decade. This would make his reported £25m price tag more than justified.

Should Leeds United sell Brenden Aaronson?

Should this hulking, pacey front-man decide on a move to Yorkshire, he could not only revolutionise their attack in an instant but have a transformative effect on those around him too.

At last the wingers would have a true focal point with which to play off, and the midfielders can now seek to push on knowing the chaos this 6 foot 2 finisher will bring.

However, should such a move accelerate, it is perhaps Brenden Aaronson that would be most excited to welcome this classic number nine into the side.

The American only joined last summer for a mouth-watering £24.7m fee, but struggled under the weight of his price tag and the physicality of the Premier League.

What did not aid matters was that Patrick Bamford, Leeds' usually-reliable striker, endured one of his worst seasons in recent memory. Rodrigo had to pick up the pieces, and whilst his 13 league goals marked an outstanding year, he plays without those physical assets that make Gyokeres so frightening and tricky to defend.

Should he join up with the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, perhaps the two could strike up a fine partnership that revitalises the former RB Salzburg maestro at last.

After all, in his final year in Austria, he did record 16 goal contributions across all competitions.

Not only would Aaronson be able to feed off the carnage his new teammate would provide, but the space he would be afforded would multiply massively as Gyokeres wrecks his way through defenders.

His tally of 21 goals and ten assists in the Championship last term somehow dwarfed the 17 he scored the year before even that, with it being no surprise to see former teammate Maxime Biamou brand him "unplayable".

It could be argued that this level is now beneath him, and therefore a move to Yorkshire makes little sense. However, should he look to the long-term, and was to be the man to spearhead their promotion the Sweden international would remain a hero at this famous club for many years to come.

Reigniting Aaronson though, who could only muster one league goal all last campaign, would still remain his most impressive feat though should he manage both.

The injured fast bowler has said India’s attempts to sledge Australia were a ‘defensive mechanism’ in response to the fear that they might lose the series

Daniel Brettig22-Mar-20170:25

Steven Smith upbeat after Ranchi draw

Australia’s injured spearhead Mitchell Starc has said India’s verbal confrontations with the tourists were the result of fear over losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after their unexpected defeat in the opening Test of the series in Pune.Starc, who flew home with a foot stress fracture after the second Test in Bengaluru but hopes to be fit in time for the ICC Champions Trophy later in June, stated that a young Australian side had not gone to India looking for fights but found themselves in several stoushes after the dramatic result in Pune.”It’s probably come a lot more from their side than ours,” Starc told . “There’s been a lot made of it before the series, there was so much hype before the series, and I think we’ve gone about the cricket as we have done for a long time now. As a young group, we’re probably still finding our way. We’re still learning about each other’s games and how we’re going as a team probably since the Hobart Test match [last year].”It’s probably showed in how the guys have been playing their cricket, especially the way they batted [in Ranchi]. A couple of young guys performed outstandingly well, [like] Peter Handscomb. It shows who we are as a group and things have come hard, and it’s almost a defensive mechanism for them that we won the first Test match, we’re here for the challenge.”They were scared of us, beating them in India the way they’ve been playing as well. So it was almost a defensive mechanism for them and obviously they come out in the second Test match, performed really well and got back into it.”‘I think we can win. I think we’ve showed throughout the series that we’re definitely up for the challenge’ – Mitchell Starc•Associated PressAustralia’s attitude on the tour has been one of learning and humility, as demonstrated by the way Handscomb and Shaun Marsh played out the final afternoon of the Ranchi Test to secure a draw under concerted Indian pressure. Starc pointed to the eagerness of 20-year old Matt Renshaw to learn about the game – so much that he has tried the patience of some team-mates – as an example.”The more time he spends out in the middle the less time we have to listen to him,” Starc said, laughing. “He’s different but he’s a lovely kid. Loves his cricket, just loves batting – so I think that’s obviously shown in how he’s gone about his cricket in India.”His first trip there, he’s learning – he’s probably not eating the right things, being sick all the time – but he’s performing quite well. He says some strange things, he comes up with some strange theories. He talks a load about [Don] Bradman and whether he scored those runs. He keeps talking about bats these days. He talks like he’s 35.”Starc said his foot fracture was not as serious as the one that kept him out of much of the 2015-16 season. “The foot is okay. It’s not snapped in half like the one 18 months go,” he said. “It’s the same foot, so I did the third metatarsal the last time, this is the fourth. Nice fracture. It’s not displaced though.”I don’t need a boot fortunately. I’m still in the gym getting myself ready for when I do come back whenever that might be. I see the specialist on Thursday and hopefully get a clearer picture then. But the Champions Trophy is clearly not out of the picture.”Looking ahead to the final Test in Dharamsala, Starc said the Australians had demonstrated their ability to defend and attack at the right times. “I think we can win. I think we’ve showed throughout the series that we’re definitely up for the challenge,” he said. “We’re in the fight – we have been for three Test matches. We can knuckle down when we need to but we can attack when we want to and we can.”

West Ham are thought to be leading the race to sign Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Are West Ham linked with Guendouzi?

The Frenchman is known to Premier League supporters as a former Arsenal player, having burst onto the scene as a youngster at the Emirates. He has since returned to his homeland, however, becoming a key man for Marseille over the past few seasons.

Last term, the £42,000-a-week-earning Guendouzi featured in 33 of his side's 38 Ligue 1 matches, starting 25 of them, and he enjoyed an 87.9% pass completion rate in that time. He also averaged a tally of 1.2 tackles per game in the competition, not to mention making one appearance for France at the 2022 World Cup.

It could be that the 24-year-old leaves Marseille ahead of the new season, however, and a return to the Premier League could possibly be the most likely outcome. West Ham are one of the clubs who have been linked with a move for him, as David Moyes looks to bring in a number of new signings – not least someone who can help fill the upcoming void about to be left by Declan Rice, who is on the verge of joining Arsenal.

What's the latest news on Guendouzi to West Ham?

According to La Provence [via Hammers News], West Ham are now the favourites to acquire Guendouzi's signature during the summer transfer window, potentially pipping rivals such as Aston Villa to his services in the process. It is they and the Villans who have the "hottest leads" in the race to snap up the midfielder.

Admittedly, the France international's time at Arsenal ended badly, hence his return to his homeland, but he could be a really strong signing by the Hammers.

He was a more immature player during his Gunners days, almost bordering on petulant at times, but he has come on leaps and bounds in his overall impact as a footballer, and remains a relatively young player who could be a long-term acquisition for Moyes' men.

One of the biggest positives is that Guendouzi already has plenty of experience in the Premier League, making 57 appearances in the competition, so there wouldn't the risk of him coming in and being overawed by the speed and power of the division, as can be the case with some new signings.

He has also been hailed as "fantastic" by Gary Neville in the past, and while not necessarily on Rice's level – few in Europe arguably are in his position currently – he could be someone who fits in nicely at the London Stadium, combining tackling ability with intelligent use of the ball.

The fact that Guendouzi's current Marseille deal expires in the summer of 2025 could also mean that the Ligue 1 side see this as a good chance to sell him for the biggest amount of money possible, before his value threatens to diminish the closer his contract comes to running out.

A selection camp featuring 50 players has been scheduled for March 16 to 19 to pick a 14-man squad for the WCL Division Three in Uganda

Peter Della Penna14-Mar-2017

Former Hyderabad wicketkeeper Ibrahim Khaleel is one of three former first-class players to be invited to a USA selection camp from March 16 to 19 in Houston, Texas. The purpose of the camp is to pick a 14-man squad to tour Uganda in May for WCL Division Three matches.Khaleel, 34, last represented Hyderabad in January 2015, having played 57 first-class matches in the Ranji Trophy since his debut in 2002. He has been playing league cricket in Chicago for the past several summers and was identified by selectors at an ICC Regional Combine held in Chicago last May.It was understood that Khaleel has not yet met the eligibility threshold – a non-citizen can represent his resident country provided he has spent a minimum of 183 days per year over four consecutive years prior to a tournament – but would be immediately eligible if he were to secure a US passport. According to a source, Khaleel currently has US permanent residency status and was in the latter stages of obtaining US citizenship.Roy Silva, the Sri Lankan batsman who played 87 first-class matches, and Camilus Alexander, the former Windward Islands legspinner, were also called up to the selection camp.Silva, 36, played his last first-class match for Colombo CC in March 2013 and has been a heavy scorer in the Georgia and Florida leagues since moving to the USA. Alexander, 35, was the leading wicket-taker at the USACA T20 National Championship in 2014 while playing for the South East Region. Both would be eligible to play for USA under the ICC’s four-year deemed national rule.The 19 players from the camp are expected to link up with a training squad of 31, which had been assembled prior to USA’s title-winning run at WCL Division Four.The other talking point was the potential returns of offspinner Abhimanyu Rajp, batsman Charan Singh and left-arm spinning allrounder Mrunal Patel. Rajp and Charan last played for USA during the Auty Cup tours to Canada in 2013 and 2011 respectively while Mrunal had been part of the team that went to Ireland in 2015 for the World T20 qualifier.Four recent USA Under-19 representatives will be part of the camp as well. New York batsman Randall Wilson is a strong contender for a batting spot after solid performances at the ICC’s Regional Combine in New York last June and a half-century against a touring MCC side in September. Batsmen Gauranshu Sharma, Sagar Patel and Tohidul Islam were the other former U-19 players up for selection.Danial Ahmed (left) was unavailable while Timroy Allen (right) has issues over taking time off work•Peter Della Penna

“When considering players to add to the trial, the [selection] panel wanted to predominantly focus on youth players, young guys who stood out at Combines last year or in previous USA U-19 teams,” selection chairman Ricardo Powell said in a press release. “It will be good to give them some additional exposure in this environment. Those young players are accompanied by a couple more experienced players who have been consistent performers in the US and abroad.”The large number of invitees was partly because seven of the most recent USA squad members were unavailable, including four who were a part of either the Division Four squad or the one for their previous assignment, the Auty Cup. Fast bowlers Hammad Shahid and David Pieters, and allrounder Srini Santhanam have been ruled out due to injury while seamer Aman Lobana and left-arm spinner Danial Ahmed were unavailable.Shahid’s absence was the biggest blow. He had taken three wickets in two matches, with an exemplary economy rate of 3.55 in the Auty Cup last October. He had a strong chance of being among the final 14 to play in Uganda but sustained a torn posterior cruciate knee ligament (PCL) during a recent training session and was expected to be out for up to three months.Santhanam had surgery on his right shoulder in December and cannot play cricket at least until the second half of 2017. Pieters, who has yet to debut for USA, tore a meniscus at a trial match in Florida last August ahead of Division Four. Subsequent tests revealed cartilage damage in his right knee. After going under the knife for a second time last week, he has been ruled out of action indefinitely.There were doubts over batsman Alex Amsterdam and allrounder Timroy Allen attending the camp as well. Both spent a month in Barbados with the ICC Americas squad at the WICB Regional Super50 in January and February, making it difficult for them to take more time off work again, especially considering the team would be away from home for up to three weeks for the Division Three tour. Allen, one of USA’s most valuable assets, was recently retained by Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL draft.A six-day pre-tour to South Africa has been organised for USA before they land in Uganda for the start of the matches on May 23. In addition to the hosts, USA will be competing against Canada, Malaysia, Oman and Singapore in the next phase of the qualification process for the 2019 World Cup. The top two finishers at Division Three advance to Division Two, expected to be held in late 2017 or early 2018. It is the last step prior to the 2018 World Cup Qualifier, currently slated for Bangladesh in April 2018.

Nottingham Forest have made contact to enquire about a loan deal for Everton defender Mason Holgate, according to reports.

Who is Mason Holgate?

Holgate is a centre-back who currently plies his trade at Goodison Park having moved there from Barnsley all the way back in 2015, making him the club’s second longest-serving player after Seamus Coleman, but he’s recently been out of favour on Merseyside.

The Toffees veteran, who is eligible to play internationally for Jamaica, only made five starts last season in the Premier League so is significantly low down in Sean Dyche’s pecking order and his potential availability has alerted Steve Cooper, but not for the first time.

Back in January, Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett revealed that the Reds were “considering” a swoop for the 26-year-old to strengthen their defensive ranks but they ended up completing a deal for Atletico Madrid’s Felipe, though the Forest boss is looking to be successful on his second attempt.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Holgate?

According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have "registered their interest" in a loan deal for Holgate alongside Sheffield United this summer. Everton have "agreed" to sanction the defender's temporary exit ahead of the new campaign, with Dyche having "told" him that he is free to leave to get more minutes under his belt.

Cooper is "looking for new additions" to bolster his ranks further to ensure that his side don't find themselves in another relegation battle this time next year.

What could Holgate bring to the Midlands?

Nottingham Forest are clearly serious about signing Holgate to be targeting him once again and it’s no surprise considering that Liverpool ECHO's former reporter Sam Carroll previously labelled him “Mr Dependable”, so whilst the centre-back has been out of favour, he still has plenty to offer and that could be showcased with the regular game time he'd receive at The City Ground.

The New Era Global Sports client, who pockets £70k-per-week, averaged 3.3 clearances and 1.4 tackles per top-flight game last season, via WhoScored, showing the positive instant impact he made at the heart of the backline when given the opportunity to play.

Holgate, who has posted ten senior goal contributions during his time at Everton, would also provide Cooper with plenty of versatility with his ability to operate anywhere across the defence and even two roles in the midfield, so he would definitely give Cooper another solid option should he put pen to paper in the weeks ahead.