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An update has emerged on Newcastle’s pursuit of Lyon beast Lucas Paqueta ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Le10 Sport, the Magpies have placed a £34m (€40m) bid for the Brazilian gem and are willing to go higher if needed.

The report claims that the midfielder has turned down the chance to sign for them as it stands, but does not rule out an attempt from the Premier League side to change his mind.

He only signed for the French club around 18 months ago in a deal worth £19m.

New era

Newcastle could start their new era under PIF’s ownership with a bang by tempting him to make a U-turn on his decision next month.

The 24-year-old midfielder has been in sensational form for Lyon in France and his arrival could provide a major lift to the squad, both in terms of his ability and what he could bring on the pitch and the PR his move would provide the club.

He is a player who is currently excelling in Ligue 1 and convincing him to join a relegation battle could be a signal of intent that convinces others to make a similar switch.

He has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.17 for this season, producing six goals and three assists in 16 league matches whilst also making 2.1 tackles per game. This comes after he averaged the same score last term, bagging nine goals and providing five assists in 30 appearances in Ligue 1.

The manager of Brazil – Tite – previously compared him to two other players from his country, saying: “Lucas thinks about football in the same way as Neymar and Coutinho.

“When we played against El Salvador he had a series of exchanges with Neymar, practically without having seen him before and without playing together. They linked up with their eyes closed.”

Milan and Brazil icon Kaka has also been full of praise for Paqueta in the past. He said:

“He’s a player who has a bright future ahead of him. He’s already been called up to the Brazilian national team, but it’s better for him that we don’t make comparisons. I’ve seen so many of them in recent days, with me, with [Alexandre] Pato, with Ronaldinho, Cafu, Rivaldo… with all the Brazilians who have been part of Milan’s history.”

Meanwhile, talent scout Jacek Kulig went as far as to describe him as a “pure joy to watch” earlier this year.

This highlights the pedigree he would arrive with, whilst his statistics for Lyon show that he is putting in the performances to warrant the hype.

Therefore, his arrival could kickstart the PIF era with a bang as he would surely have a huge impact on the pitch with his consistently excellent displays in midfield and he could be the trailblazer in terms of high-profile names making their way to the Toon.

AND in other news, Move over Ashworth: NUFC must consider “irate” DoF whose “behaviour’s been a disgrace”…

Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich is expected to leave the Whites at the end of the season, according to journalist David Anderson.

The Lowdown: Klich a good servant

The Poland international has been a Leeds player since joining from FC Twente in 2017, making 158 appearances for the club in total.

Klich has made 10 Premier League starts so far this season, scoring one goal and setting up another, but he arguably wouldn’t be a regular with everyone fit.

A telling update has now emerged regarding his future at the club, even though his current deal doesn’t expire until 2024.

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The Latest: Journalist makes Klich exit claim

According to The Mirror’s Anderson, Klich ‘is on his way out of Elland Road’ in the summer, bringing an end to his time at the club.

It is stated that Marcelo Bielsa doesn’t want to lose him in the January transfer window, but an exit once the campaign reaches its conclusion looks to be on the cards.

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The Verdict: Does it make sense?

With Klich turning 32 in the summer, it makes sense for Leeds to sell him at a time when they could still receive a fee for him. If it happens, it would further highlight the need to keep hold of Kalvin Phillips, with Bielsa not wanting to make wholesale changes to his midfield.

Selling Klich at a time when he is arguably past his best but still young enough to receive interest is the correct stance to take, despite him being hailed as ‘wonderful’ by David Prutton.

In other news, Leeds are eyeing up the signing of an attacker. Find out who it is here.

Jacques Kallis’s 45-ball 53 set up South Africa’s total of 136 for 7, and Ryan McLaren was gifted a five-wicket haul as West Indies sank to a 13-run defeat in the first Twenty20

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill19-May-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Kieron Pollard’s dismissal for 27 was the end of West Indies’ hopes in the first Twenty20•AFPJacques Kallis’s 45-ball 53 set up South Africa’s total of 136 for 7, and Ryan McLaren was gifted a five-wicket haul as West Indies sank to a 13-run defeat in the first Twenty20 at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium at North Sound. Coming in after the early dismissal of Loots Bosman, Kallis struck three sixes in his innings to take South Africa to 136 for 7 in trying batting conditions. West Indies’ chase never really got going, and they were always behind the asking rate after Chris Gayle fell early, losing wickets at regular intervals thereafter.Indeed, there was a certain staleness to proceedings with the match coming so soon after the World Twenty20 in the West Indies, and it showed in the low-intensity, sloppy performance from both sides. Add to that the abject quality of the umpiring, and the low attendance at the ground, and one was left with a distinct sense of disappointment at an international engagement that, at times, bordered on the embarrassing.Bosman’s departure set an early tone for proceedings, as he gave himself out caught down the leg side in the third over, to what the umpire had decided was a wide. For those who see walking as something to be celebrated, it was a pleasing sight, but it set a farcical tone which never really picked up.On a tacky pitch Graeme Smith never quite found his range, unable to time his leg-side swats off the wily Sulieman Benn and eventually he too fell in peculiar circumstances – wrongly giving himself out stumped. The shot itself wasn’t great, with Smith attempting a reverse-sweep off Nikita Miller’s first ball, overbalancing and allowing the impressive Andre Fletcher to whip off the bails.Smith picked himself up and strode off, only to find his dressing room urging him to turn back. Replays showed the bails had been removed with Smith’s heel still grounded but, having reached the boundary edge, there was little Smith could do but smile and trudge off. It was odd to see such a fierce competitor grinning at his self-inflicted downfall, but seemed apt given the low-profile feel to the game.Kallis continued to swish sixes and mis-time singles, reaching what, in the circumstances, was an excellent 50 off 41 balls and looked set to take the game away from West Indies when an uppish pull hit a strong headwind and left him caught on the square-leg boundary.In between time the ball would occasionally pitch and fly from just back of a length, but the pitch had settled out somewhat by the time West Indies began their chase. South Africa opted to open the bowling with Roelof van der Merwe but Gayle was immediately into an attacking stride, stroking two powerful shots down the ground on either side of the bowler in the first over.Fletcher continued his batting struggles at international level, however, pushing leaden-footed at a length delivery outside off stump from McLaren, only to send an edge through to AB de Villiers, who took a smart catch tumbling to his right. Despite the early wicket, when Dwayne Bravo thumped a brace of confident leg-side boundaries it looked as though West Indies would make a fist of their chase in trying conditions, but when Gayle spooned a McLaren cutter to Smith at deep mid-on, the home side began to struggle.Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan aimed for the gaps and ran hard, but boundaries were hard to come by and the asking rate quickly began to climb. Feeling the pressure, Bravo tried to break the shackles with a heave down the ground but could only get as far as Hashim Amla, the substitute fielder, at long on. His dismissal sparked something of a collapse, as Narsingh Deonarine was stumped off a leg-side wide and, five balls later, Sarwan chipped an easy catch to Alviro Petersen at cover off a leading edge.Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard briefly re-grouped before starting to play their shots, and when Pollard took two fours from a Charl Langeveldt over and then crunched McLaren straight back over his head for six it seemed West Indies might have enough left in the tank for a late charge. But McLaren got his revenge immediately afterwards, as Pollard played all round a full, swinging delivery that made a mess of his stumps.The match came to a bizarre end as, in the penultimate over, Dale Steyn sent down four wides and a no-ball, Jerome Taylor was run out as he attempted to sneak a bye and both batsmen ended up at the same end, and Benn was given not out after he had sent a clear, thick edge through to de Villiers. McLaren dismissed Benn to wrap up the innings with a ball to spare to claim his fifth wicket, but one can only hope for a better performance from everyone concerned in tomorrow’s game.

Zander de Bruyn produced a magnificent 95 not out to guide Somerset to asix-wicket win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire in the Friends Provident t20match at Taunton

18-Jun-2010
ScorecardZander de Bruyn produced a magnificent 95 not out to guide Somerset to asix-wicket win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire in the Friends Provident t20match at Taunton.The Gladiators won the toss and set an imposing total of 199 for 8, withSteve Snell scoring 50 and Hamish Marshall 45. There were three wickets each forBen Phillips and Alfonso Thomas.Somerset looked in trouble until Kieron Pollard (54) joined de Bruyn in acentury stand for the fourth wicket in only seven overs. The West Indian hitfive towering sixes to help turn the match. But no one hit harder than de Bruyn, who faced just 49 balls and smashed five sixes and eight fours to lead his team to victory with seven balls to spare.It was a superb innings by a player more noted for textbook shots thanmurderous hitting and the partnership with Pollard will be long remembered forclean striking of the ball.Vikram Banerjee suffered more than most. The left-arm spinner went for 54 offhis four overs, while Anthony Ireland conceded the same figure off one ballfewer.Earlier, Gloucestershire had batted positively and well from the start of theirinnings and reached 61 for 2 by the end of their six overs of Powerplay.There was a moment of controversy when Thomas dived to claim a caught andbowled offered by Will Porterfield on 18. The opener refused to walk and wasgiven not out, adding six more to his score before being caught behind off MarkTurner.Chris Taylor played well for his 29 and Marshall hit five fours and a six infacing 26 balls. However, the best innings came from Snell, who smacked four sixes and threefours in reaching his half-century off just 25 deliveries. Kadeer Ali added 17 off just seven balls at the end of the innings and Somerset’s bowlers could reflect on an off-night.Their one moment of brilliance in the field came in the last over when PeterTrego dived full length to his left to hold a stunning catch at short third manto dismiss Snell. By then the Gladiators had posted a very challenging total.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of a new centre-back signing for Eddie Howe’s squad…

What’s the talk?

According to French outlet L’Equipe, the Magpies have prepared a bid to sign West Ham defender Issa Diop this month.

The report claims that the offer is set to be as high as €12m (£10m) and that the Hammers could allow him to leave if he refuses to sign a contract extension.

Howe will be buzzing

Howe will surely be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons. Firstly, he will be pleased with the club being proactive and looking to make serious moves early in the window instead of considering their options for weeks and then trying to do business closer to deadline day.

The later they leave it, the higher chance there is of other clubs snapping them up before they get a chance, or of the selling team raising their price. If Newcastle try to sign a top target late in the month, they may then have to pay a premium, as the selling club would have less time to source a replacement of their own, potentially prompting them to increase their asking price.

This is why Howe will be delighted with how quickly the club appear to be working. He will also be buzzing with the prospect of Diop arriving at St James’ Park this month, as he is a proven Premier League performer who could come in and improve the team.

Newcastle have the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League and have only kept one clean sheet in 19 matches, suggesting that their backline is in dire need of attention. In the West Ham centre-back, Howe could find a player who is immediately able to strengthen the Magpies’ defence.

In the Europa League this season, Diop has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.26, with West Ham keeping four clean sheets in his five starts. Last term in the Premier League, the Frenchman averaged a score of 6.92 as he won 57% of his duels overall.

This shows that he is capable of performing consistently at the top level and Howe could love to work with him on Tyneside to get him playing at his best. That is why the ex-Bournemouth coach will be buzzing with this news and praying that Nick Hammond is able to clinch a deal as soon as possible.

AND in other news, “I’m told”: Craig Hope issues key Newcastle transfer claim which will get fans excited…

Cricket Kenya is in talks with Indian domestic teams Gujarat and Baroda to tour the country for a triangular tournament against the national side

Cricinfo staff06-Jul-2010Cricket Kenya is in talks with Indian domestic teams Gujarat and Baroda to tour the country for a triangular tournament against the national side. The board chairman Samir Inamdar said on Sunday that negotiations with the two teams for a tour in July were almost complete.Gujarat and Baroda participated in the Elite division of the Ranji Trophy in India, finishing the tournament with one win out of seven games, and two wins out of six respectively.Inamdar also said that he was negotiating with Pakistan and South Africa to arrange for A tours to Kenya in September.

Newcastle United have made a “fresh bid” to sign Sevilla defender Diego Carlos according to The Telegraph’s Jason Burt…

What’s the story?

The Magpies have been very active in this January transfer window, clinching deals for the likes of Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood and being linked with a number of other players too.

And now, Burt has claimed that Eddie Howe’s side have gone back in for Carlos and are now “waiting” for his club to respond to their latest offer.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Newcastle Utd have made a fresh bid for Diego Carlos and are waiting for Sevilla’s response.”

Perfect for Eddie Howe

Amid suggestions Newcastle have been trying desperately to sign Sven Botman from Lille, a move for Carlos could actually see the Magpies with the more proven and established defender for the here and now.

At six years his older, the Brazilian has had far more extensive experience playing at the highest level, including beating Inter Milan in the 2019/2020 season to lift the Europa League.

The 28-year-old was also a part of the Brazil side that won the gold medal at last summer’s Olympics, while he has been a regular for a Sevilla side this season that currently find themselves in second in La Liga, just five points behind table-toppers Real Madrid and with a game in hand too.

In fact, Carlos has played a big part in ensuring that Sevilla have the best defence in the Spanish top-flight this campaign, having conceded just 13 goals in their 20 league games – the big centre-back has played the full 90 minutes in all but one of his side’s games, and even that was down to a suspension.

Given his proven credentials and the fact Newcastle are in dire need of someone who can come in and hit the ground running to help rescue them from relegation, Carlos appears to actually be the better fit for the Magpies than Botman right now.

It’s exactly why Howe will be buzzing that the club have renewed their attempts to sign the strong Brazilian.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could save their season with this signing…

Andrew Strauss played the hare and Ian Bell the tortoise, as England returned to winning ways by making light work of a decent but ultimately unchallenging target of 251 in the first ODI against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge

The Bulletin by Andrew Miller at Trent Bridge08-Jul-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndrew Strauss got England’s chase off to brisk start with a 37-ball fifty•PA PhotosAndrew Strauss played the hare and Ian Bell the tortoise, as England returned to winning ways by making light work of a decent but ultimately unchallenging target of 251 in the first ODI against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge. Under the floodlights, and in front of a sparse 8,500 crowd, Strauss gave his side a flying start with 50 from 37 balls, before Bell ambled across the finish line with 29 balls to spare, having marked his first 50-over appearance since November 2008 with 84 not out from 101.The final result was in keeping with recent contests between these two teams. Bangladesh did not disgrace themselves – far from it – but neither were England required to reach top gear to maintain their 100% record. In Raqibul Hasan, last seen flouncing into “retirement” ahead of the Chittagong Test in March, Bangladesh showcased another young batsman with the technique and talent to add value to their often brittle middle-order, while Junaid Siddique showed sound judgment in his 70-ball 51. But England’s dominance was epitomised by James Anderson, who was smacked for 74 in ten overs, but was nevertheless able to weigh in with three wickets.With Mashrafe Mortaza returning to the captaincy that he relinquished through injury 12 months ago, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to play to their strengths by batting first. Sure enough, Tamim Iqbal picked up where he had left off in June by smacking consecutive fours from the first balls of both Anderson and Tim Bresnan’s new-ball spells, and at 40 for 0 after six overs, the stage was set for another of his whirlwind fifties.Stuart Broad, however, ended all such notions by pinning Tamim lbw for 28 as he attempted a glide to third man, and when Bangladesh were limited to seven runs from their next four overs, their hopes of racing to an impregnable total were dashed. When Imrul Kayes lobbed Anderson to Eoin Morgan at extra cover for 14, Bangladesh were 70 for 2 in the 14th over, but this time, the departure of the openers did not lead to the sort of surrender that had been witnessed during last month’s Test series.That was largely thanks to the earthy efforts of Siddique, who produced a handful of shots of real authority before being nailed lbw by Michael Yardy, and Raqibul, who would not have been playing had it not been for Jahurul Islam’s withdrawal through illness on the eve of the game. This was his first international since that Chittagong protest, but the headstrong naivety he had shown on that occasion was shelved for this performance.An arrow-straight drive off Paul Collingwood brought Raqibul an excellent fifty from 61 balls, and he might have expected more had it not been for a painful blow to the foot that brought about a somewhat farcical downfall. On 76, he was struck on the boot by an Anderson yorker, went down for lengthy treatment, and called for a runner. Before he had even faced another delivery, a three-man mix-up led to him being run out by the length of the pitch. It brought an unedifying end to his tour, after scans showed he’d sustained a broken toe, putting him out of action for two weeks.A late collapse of four wickets for 15 runs ensured a flaccid finish to Bangladesh’s innings, and that lack of oomph was put in context as soon as Strauss got into his stride in the run-chase. He cracked seven fours in first Powerplay to leave his team perfectly placed on 66 for 0 after 10 overs, but then, having brought up his half-century by dabbing Abdur Razzak through backward point for three, he answered Craig Kieswetter’s call for a sharp single in the same over, and was caught short of his crease by a pinpoint throw from Mahmudullah in the covers.Kieswetter at this stage had been trailing in his skipper’s wake on 19, much as he had done in each of the three innings of his debut series in Bangladesh back in March, when Alastair Cook had been the unlikely man to outscore him. He responded to the setback by flogging Razzak imperiously over long-off for an inside-out six, but before he could really hit his top gear, he sized up a slog-sweep against Shakib, and picked out Faisal Hossain on the midwicket boundary.At 93 for 2 in the 15th over, Collingwood came out to join Bell who was playing in his first ODI since November 2008, and the pair proceeded with utmost caution, picking off a solitary boundary between them in 13 overs. On 20, Bell was beaten by a beauty from Shakib that spat and turned, and flew away past batsman and keeper alike for four byes, but that was the full extent of England’s alarms.Of greater concern, however, was an incident at the end of the 26th over, when Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper, Mushfiqur Rahim, was struck on the cheekbone by a nasty lifting delivery from Faisal. His face swelled up almost immediately, and after a delay of several minutes, he was stretchered off the field and taken to hospital. He will now miss the final two matches against England but could return for Bangladesh’s fixtures against Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands at the end of the tour.His replacement behind the stumps, Junaid Siddique, was soon called upon, as Collingwood brought a dour partnership to an end by top-edging a mow across the line to give Shakib his second wicket, and Eoin Morgan made 23 from 26 balls before hoisting Razzak to deep midwicket. But for all the criticisms that have been levelled at Bell over the years, turning down a chance for easy runs is not one of them. He sealed the contest with a cut into the covers for his 84th run. It hardly amounted to a like-for-like replacement for Kevin Pietersen, but in the circumstances, it fitted England’s requirements precisely.

Tomas Soucek and Kurt Zouma are both in contention for West Ham’s clash against Manchester United on Saturday, according to a report by football.london.

The Lowdown: Soucek and Zouma were big losses

Czech Republic captain Soucek was absent for the Hammers’ last two fixtures, in which they beat Norwich City 2-0 and lost 3-2 to Leeds United. The midfielder was unavailable after testing positive for Covid-19, which dealt David Moyes a huge blow.

So far this season, Soucek has ranked second out of the entire West Ham squad for numerous statistics occurring in the Premier League; these include tackles, interceptions, and even fouls – a debatably necessary trait for a defensive midfielder.

Zouma was another player who missed games out due to a positive test. Following his six-week absence after sustaining a hamstring injury, the Frenchman was only just back in training before that setback, rendering him unavailable for the Irons’ upcoming matches.

Before suffering his injury, Zouma was a crucial element of Moyes’ back-line, having led the team in clearances made per game, maintaining a level of stability for the East-London side.

The Latest: Soucek and Zouma in contention for Man United fixture

According to a report by football.london, Moyes has confirmed that Soucek’s isolation period is set to end this week and that he will return to training, ahead of the Irons’ clash against Manchester United. When questioned about Soucek, Moyes responded:

“He could be in contention but everybody coming back from Covid you are not sure of their ability, how they are feeling what their symptoms are. So those things make it very difficult to make a judgement.”

Furthermore, after an extra week of training following his positive test, Moyes confirmed that Zouma will be nearing a return.

The Verdict: Moyes relieved by their return

With Zouma once being labelled the ‘ultimate defender’, it is easy to see why Moyes will be relieved that the centre-back will soon be available for selection. The Hammers have suffered with a lack of depth this season, with Moyes keen on bringing in an extra centre-half in Angelo Ogbonna’s and Zouma’s absences.

Manuel Lanzini was tasked to stand-in for Soucek for the two games the Czech was unavailable: a tough task, given the praise hailing the midfielder as ‘incredible’ in his position.

The Argentine performed admirably in the Iron’s victory over Norwich but he struggled against Leeds, clearly suffocated by their ferocious press. As a result, fans will be glad to see Soucek’s return, as it will allow Lanzini to be utilised in his preferred position.

Kamran Akmal has paid the price for his poor performance in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge, and has been dropped from Pakistan’s team for the second game at Edgbaston

Nagraj Gollapudi in Birmingham05-Aug-2010Kamran Akmal has paid the price for his poor performance in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge, and has been dropped from Pakistan’s team for the second game at Edgbaston, which gets underway on Friday.Akmal’s position came under fire following the Trent Bridge Test, in which he batted five balls for no runs in his two innings, while squandering a host of chances behind the stumps – most notably Eoin Morgan on 5, as he failed to gather a low edge from England’s first-innings centurion, and Paul Collingwood, whom he reprieved in both innings, firstly a missed stumping on 48, and then a first-ball drop in front of first slip, only moments after his one bright moment, a sharp leg-side take off Kevin Pietersen.”I would say he has been rested,” Pakistan’s captain, Salman Butt, told Cricinfo. “He is having a run where he is not able to do what he is able to usually. But he now has ten days to just take his mind off the pressures that accompany when you are not doing well at international level. I’m sure he is a champion player and he will work hard to make a comeback.”Team sources confirmed that Zulqarnain Haider, the 24-year-old reserve wicketkeeper from Lahore, will come in as Akmal’s replacement, and will therefore be making his Test debut, three years after a solitary Twenty20 appearance.”I am very happy that I have been picked and I’m grateful to everyone who selected me,” Zulqarnain told Cricinfo. “I did expect that probably I would’ve played one Test, more towards the end of the series. But I never really expected that I would play in the second Test itself.”With six centuries from 51 Tests, Akmal’s experience has tended to outweigh his propensity for poor performances behind the stumps, most notably at Sydney in January earlier this year, when he managed to reprieve Michael Hussey three times off Danish Kaneria, as Australia overcame a first-innings deficit of 207 to win a thrilling contest that, sadly but inevitably, attracted the interest of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit.All told, Akmal has dropped 34 chances in his last 28 Tests, and he averages less than 17 in Tests in Australia, South Africa and England. The first evidence that a change behind the stumps was afoot came when Zulqarnain lined up alongside the full slip cordon for today’s final practice session, with Akmal left to warm up alone on the other side of the field.Zulqarnain was a member of Pakistan team that beat West Indies in the final of the Under-19 World Cup in Dhaka in 2004, and was named in his first Test squad later that year. He has been made to wait a long time for his opportunity.Meanwhile, Mohammad Yousuf, who arrived in the country less than 24 hours before the start of the match, has also ruled himself out of contention, citing tiredness.”I have just arrived after a long flight. I will not be training. I will wait for the management to tell me what their plan is,” Yousuf had told Cricinfo immediately after arriving in Birmingham.Later in the evening he had a short and informal meeting over a cup of tea with the tour selection committee comprising Butt, Waqar Younis (coach) and Yawar Saeed (team manager) at the team hotel. “Considering the heavy monsoon across Pakistan Yousuf told us that he could not practice outdoors for the last 10-15 days,” Butt told Cricinfo. “So obviously we felt that was not enough match preparation.”Butt added that Yousuf can now set his sights on the third Test at The Oval beginning on August 18. “He can relax for now and steadily get back into the groove in the next week and also during the two-day practice game against Worcester,” Butt said. Asked if he was a certainty for the final two Tests, Butt said a player with Yousuf’s pedigree would walk into any team if he was fit.