Tag Futebol

With West Bromwich Albion set to kick off their Championship campaign this weekend with a trip to QPR, the Baggies are in the market for a new midfielder to replace an outgoing star.

West Brom suffer a number of big name exits

Whilst outgoings were always expected at the Hawthorns this summer, the last seven days have seen a number of senior players call time on their West Brom careers. Okay Yokuslu was one of the first to depart with the Turkish midfielder returning to his home country in a move to Trabzonspor.

West Brom submit fresh new bid for 20 y/o gem rated highly by Frank Lampard

The Baggies are returning for one of their top targets.

ByTom Coates Jul 31, 2024

The 30-year-old was a pivotal part of Carlos Corberan's side last season, featuring 48 times in all competitions as West Brom lost out to eventual winners Southampton in the playoff semi-finals. The loss of Yokuslu will leave a massive hole at the base of the Baggies' midfield.

Joining his Turkish teammate in departing the Hawthorns was attacking talent Brandon Thomas-Asante. The Ghanaian forward had been West Brom's top scorer for the last two seasons but decided to move away from the club as he entered the final 12 months of his deal at the club.

Whilst Hull City long looked to be Thomas-Asante's chosen destination, Coventry City swooped in at the last minute to hijack the deal and keep the player in the Midlands. The 25-year-old has penned a four-year deal with his new club as he looks set to line up against the Baggies next season.

Despite things looking somewhat bleak going into the start of the season, there is some good news for the Hawthorns' faithful as West Brom appear linked to a number of new players. The most recent rumours have seen the club table a bid to sign Callum Styles from Barnsley.

With the higher ups at the Hawthorns facing a mammoth task to get West Brom's side ready to compete for the playoffs again, it appears that the Baggies are making moves to sign a new midfielder.

Baggies make offer for North Macedonian midfielder

As reported in the Swedish press and relayed by Sport Witness, West Brom are showing an interest in Djurgårdens IF midfielder Besard Sabovic. The outlet claims that the Baggies have even tabled an offer for the 26-year-old who is set to enter the final six months of his deal with the Allsvenskan side.

In spite of Djurgårdens' apparant reluctance to sell Sabovic this summer, it would be the club's last chance to fetch a fee for the player before he walks for free at the end of his contract. As the Swedish season kicked off back in April, Sabovic has already made 21 appearances for his side during this campaign, scoring five goals in the process, and his club are desperately trying to extend his deal.

With the departure of Yokuslu leaving a massive void in the Baggies' midfield, West Brom could take advantage of Sabovic's contract situation and bring in a replacement for the Turkish talent at what could be a bargain price if he does not pen an extended contract.

Finch heads to the beach to freshen up for the tour of New Zealand after a nightmare season with Melbourne Renegades

Alex Malcolm27-Jan-2021Australia’s T20 captain Aaron Finch believes players will need to be rested from tours moving forward as he thinks months on end in Covid-19 bubbles are unsustainable following a nightmare BBL season.Finch will lead Australia’s T20 tour of New Zealand which departs Australia on February 7, one day after the BBL final.The 18-man squad was announced on Wednesday, just a day after the final round of BBL season where his Melbourne Renegades claimed a morale-boosting consolation win over Hobart Hurricanes despite finishing last on the table for the second-straight year.Finch scored just 179 runs at 13.76 from 13 innings and although he took full responsibility for his own form, he did concede the endless cycle of Covid hubs for touring Australian players had taken its toll on him.”I had an absolute shocker with the bat,” Finch said. “The harder I trained the worse I got, which is the opposite to what everyone tells you to do.”My wife worked it out the other day that I’ve had 20 or 21 days since April that I haven’t been in lockdown or in a bubble. I’m going down to the beach for a few days to relax. My kit bag won’t be coming out of my car, I can tell you. It will be locked away.Related

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“We’ve got 14-days of quarantine and training once we get to New Zealand. That plenty of time. For me personally, it will be maybe four or five hits once I’m there and that should be good enough. I know what I need to do to get ready. Just a clear mind. That’s the most important thing.”Trevor Hohns, the national selector, was confident Finch would be able to emerge from his slump on the New Zealand tour. “He’s been a bit out of nick or out of runs, whatever they like to say these days, and he’ll be concerned about his form but let’s face it on the international stage he’s very well credentialed and one of the best players in the world.Australia will send two separate squads overseas to New Zealand and South Africa at the same time. The selectors have picked a first-choice Test squad for the tour of South Africa while Finch has a T20I squad without the experience of David Warner, Steven Smith, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood among others, but featuring some exciting prospects who had starred in the BBL.But in the new post-Covid world where biosecure hubs are the new norm, Finch conceded that Cricket Australia may need to adopt England’s model of forcing multi-format players to rest from certain sections of certain tours, as England have done with the upcoming tour of India, in order to keep players fresh and at their best to avoid the type of form slump Finch has experienced.”I think if you’re playing a few formats of the game, there’s going to need to be a chop-out from selectors and from Cricket Australia,” Finch said. “You notice what England is doing with their squads at the moment, there are guys that aren’t travelling for the first two Tests [against India], and then coming in.”If the Covid bubble and hubs continue for a long time, that will be something that would be looked into, no doubt. The welfare of players is paramount and being locked up for months is pretty unsustainable I think, when you’re away from your families and your families can’t travel.Aaron Finch will be back in Australia colours at the end of February•Getty Images”That will be individual as well. Some guys who are married with kids will find it tougher than a young single guy, for example. I think you just have to monitor everything in that regard.”Australia allrounder and Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques, who was selected in the Test squad to tour South Africa has endured an unusual summer by comparison to Finch. He has been in hubs since October but has hardly played while being a squad member for the entirety of Australia’s four-Test series against India.”To be honest, I don’t feel like I haven’t played much,” Henriques said. “When you’re away in that set up, when you’re away with the Australian team there’s a lot of external noise that you take in mentally. You’re constantly preparing to play each day and then you train. You don’t really have too many days off.”I think a couple of days off here and there always helps the mind and the body. The other thing you’ve got to remember as well is for the last 10 years I’ve almost played cricket for 11 months of the year anyway. I think it’s almost a matter of a mindset personally. If I can reframe how I see things and how I want to look at things, it really determines whether or not I feel fresh or not.”But Henriques was keen to stress that the players were well looked after in the various hubs and they did have the chance to opt-out at any stage.”They’re all decisions that at the end of the day are mine,” he said. “If I am feeling fatigued or tired or whatever I don’t have to go on those tours if I really don’t want to. We’re not forced to go anywhere. It’s always the player’s decision. If I’m feeling exactly how I’m feeling now I’ll be welcoming any opportunity that comes my way.”

أعلن نادي مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي بشكل رسمي، تمديد تعاقده مع لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، اليوم الخميس.

ويحتل مانشستر يونايتد المركز الثالث عشر برصيد 23 نقطة في سلم ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

اقرأ أيضاَ.. ريال مدريد يستهدف التوقيع مع هدف مانشستر يونايتد في الصيف

وكشف نادي مانشستر يونايتد في بيان رسمي عن توقيع مهاجم الفريق الأول، أماد ديالو، على عقد جديد مع النادي الإنجليزي حتى موسم 2030، مساءً اليوم.

✍️ @AmadDiallo_19 is here to stay! ❤️#MUFC — Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 9, 2025

ومن جانبه، قال أماد ديالو: “أنا فخور حقًا بتوقيع هذا العقد الجديد، لقد مررت ببعض اللحظات الرائعة مع هذا النادي بالفعل ولكن هناك الكثير في المستقبل، لدي طموحات ضخمة في اللعبة وأريد تحقيق التاريخ في مانشستر يونايتد”.

وأضاف: “تعلمت الكثير منذ وصولي إلى هنا قبل أربع سنوات؛ وأنا ممتن للغاية للمدربين والموظفين الذين ساعدوني على التطور، وللجماهير التي دفعتني إلى الأمام كل يوم”.

وأشار: “لقد كان موسم صعب على الجميع، لكنني أعتقد تمامًا أننا على الطريق الصحيح والمستقبل سيكون مميزًا حقًا، مستعد لتقديم كل ما لدي لمساعدة الفريق وجعل أنصارنا فخورين مرة أخرى”.

وخاض الدولي الإيفواري البالغ من العمر 22 عامًا 50 مباراة وسجل 9 أهداف منذ انضمامه إلى النادي في عام 2021، حتى الآن وهذا الموسم، سجل ستة أهداف وساهم بسبع تمريرات حاسمة وفاز بجائزة لاعب الشهر في النادي مرتين.

Liverpool need to strengthen this summer. Arne Slot has allayed fears that FSG are going to hold off on bolstering the Anfield first team by confirming during his first interview as head coach that he is in constant communication with sporting director Richard Hughes.

Jurgen Klopp has left Liverpool in a strong position, with a talented and expansive squad buoyed by winning the Carabao Cup and returning to the Champions League with a third-place Premier League finish last season.

But there's little question that reinforcements are required across a range of positions. Chiefly, central defence could do with some work, for Virgil van Dijk stands alongside only the up-and-down Ibrahima Konate and young and talented Jarell Quansah after Joel Matip's contract expired this month.

Leny Yoro is FSG's No. 1 target but there is an acceptance that the Lille prodigy will wind up at Real Madrid. There are, however, some interesting alternatives emerging.

Liverpool eyeing new centre-back

According to Football Insider – as reported earlier this week – Liverpool are in the mix to sign Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, with the Brazilian valued at £40m.

Liverpool will look to exploit the Tricky Trees' need for compliance with PSR, and given Murillo's left-footedness and modern-tailored skill set, he could be an impactful addition.

Chelsea are also known admirers and have recently made checks on completing a deal, as per The Telegraph. Liverpool will need to ramp up their intrigue if they do wish to sign the 21-year-old this summer.

Why Liverpool should sign Murillo

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp claimed that Murillo "turns into prime Roberto Carlos" in the Forest rearguard, with his sparkling skills and technique placing him in a distinct category.

With a wand of a left foot and a robust approach to his play, he ranks among the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 3% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.

While Murillo only completed 78% of his passes in the Premier League last term, he also averaged 1.6 tackles, 4.6 ball recoveries and 5.8 clearances per game, as per Sofascore, impressing on many occasions, including when Liverpool won at the City Ground in March, with Darwin Nunez's last-gasp header breaking the deadlock.

Minutes played

90'

Touches

51

Accurate passes

30/40 (75%)

Long balls

3/11

Dribble attempts

1/1

Duels won

3/4

Tackles

2

Clearances

4

Blocked shots

2

Sliding in on the left of Liverpool's central defence, Murillo could prove to be a perfect fit for Slot's Liverpool, with his progressive, "bullish" style – as noted by scout Antonio Mango – even making him the perfect alternative to Konate, who is highly talented but prone to bouts of inconsistency, with his nosedive in form at the end of the 2023/24 campaign evidence of this.

Moreover, Konate made two errors for Liverpool last term, whereas Murillo avoided a single direct error across his 32 Premier League appearances, which is a testament to his character and composure in difficult conditions at the City Ground at times.

By signing Murillo, who has barely scratched the surface of his exciting Premier League career, Liverpool would secure a unique talent and a player who could see Van Dijk shift onto his favoured right side.

FSG must ensure that he is welcomed this summer, providing the depth and dynamism to ensure success.

Liverpool in contention for "monster" signing who's better than Fabinho

An elite mix of clubs are all considering a move for this high-profile star.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2024

After coming agonisingly close to a Premier League title for the second successive season, it appears that Edu Gaspar is prepared to give Arsenal the backing they need to finally get the better of Man City.

Arsenal want to sign a midfield partner for Rice

It is well known that the top of Mikel Arteta's wishlist going into the transfer window is a new central midfielder. Since Declan Rice arrived in a club-record £105million deal last summer, the Gunners have struggled to find a suitable partner for the Englishman in the middle of the park.

Arsenal now make £45m+ transfer offer to sign "intelligent" star for Arteta

Could he be what the Gunners need to finally win the Premier League?

ByJosh Barker Jun 2, 2024

Thomas Partey was once the favoured personnel in this position however, the 30-year-old was limited to just nine starts in the league last season. The Ghana international now looks set for a move away from North London with talks ongoing over the midfielder's exit.

In the absence of Partey, Arteta has opted to deploy Jorginho in a more prominent role than first imagined. The Italian arrived at the Emirates with the view of being a backup however, the lack of other options saw the 31-year-old make 24 league appearances for the Gunners last season.

In regard to the transfer market, Edu has had his eye on a number of targets. Leeds United's Archie Gray is among those on the wishlist, but the Gunners' priority for some time has been Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz. Whilst Arsenal have courted the Brazilian for a number of seasons, the club have now been dealt a significant blow in their pursuit.

Villa want Arsenal to pay premium to secure Luiz deal

Reports out of Italy via Sports Witness have suggested that Arsenal will now face competition from across Europe for Luiz's signature. According to the outlet, the Gunners are joined by the Premier League's Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as Italian giants Juventus in the race to sign the midfielder.

Villa appear to value the 26-year-old at £60million with the Midlands outfit reluctant to let the Brazilian leave for any less than this figure. It is also suggested that the Villans' preference is for Luiz to move to the continent, and to ensure this they could even demand up to a £17million premium on any Premier League club wishing to get a deal done.

Even if Arsenal are forced to pay extra to secure his services, Luiz would still be a major coup for the Gunners. Branded as an "underrated", player by Arsenal legend Paul Merson, the Brazilian was even dubbed as "better than Rice", by former winger Jermaine Pennant after the Villans' 1-0 win over Arsenal last season.

Goals

7

9

Assists

8

5

Passes completed

2041

1800

Tackles

83

58

Progressive carries

75

60

From the stats shown above, it is evident that Luiz can offer a good balance with Rice, providing more goals but also with plenty of defensive contribution too. With Arteta expecting all of his players to be comfortable on the ball and able to contribute on the attacking front, there is no doubt that the Brazilian would slot into Arsenal's starting eleven with ease.

Even if they have to pay a little extra to get a deal over the line, it is clear that bringing Luiz to the Emirates would be a major step towards Arsenal finally lifting the Premier League title.

A year ago today, it seemed that Casemiro would become an integral part of Manchester United’s near future.

However, fast forward to the present, and the Brazilian looks increasingly likely to leave Old Trafford, with a move to Saudi Arabia on the cards.

His performances as of late simply haven’t been good enough, with football creator Liam Canning even calling him a “joke.”

With that in mind, it’s quite clear that Sir Jim Ratcliffe must look for an upgrade on the former Real Madrid ace, and he may have just found the perfect player for the job.

Man Utd searching for Casemiro upgrade

According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Man Utd are keen on signing Morten Hjulmand this summer.

It’s reported that the Dane is a “priority target” for the Red Devils as they look to bolster their midfield.

Having only signed for Sporting last season, Hjulmand’s contract doesn’t expire until 2028, meaning that the club sees him as part of their future.

However, “a big fee” will be required if United do wish to go ahead with a move for the player who’s been on their radar for a while.

Why Hjulmand could be incredible alongside Mainoo

Kobbie Mainoo was simply unbelievable last season in each of his 35 appearances during his breakthrough campaign.

Canning described the youngster as a “generational talent,” and it’s difficult to disagree, based on the influence he’s had on Erik ten Hag’s side. He's even earned himself a call-up for England's provisional squad for the Euros. Not bad work for a player who's only been playing senior football a matter of months.

The 19-year-old is the future of the Red Devils, the type of profile that Ratcliffe will look to build around, and Hjulmand could just be the perfect partner for the Englishman.

Just like Mainoo, the 24-year-old has been a key player for his side despite only coming into the fold last summer, making 49 appearances across all competitions.

Hjulmand vs Casemiro vs Mainoo 23/24 League Stats

Stats (per game)

Hjulmand

Casemiro

Mainoo

Touches

56.4

72.9

49

Passes completed

40.3

46.5

31.1

Pass accuracy

87%

83%

87%

Possession lost

8.1

12

8.1

Tackles

2

3.3

2

Balls recovered

5.1

5.3

4

Duels won

3.9

5.8

5

Dribbled past

0.6

2.2

1

Via Sofascore

As you can see, Hjulmand is much closer to Casemiro than Mainoo in terms of his profile, sitting slightly deeper and protecting the backline.

This is where his first strength comes into the equation, as in the eyes of journalist Zach Lowy, he is a "monster" defensively, notably in regards to his ability to recover possession.

Casemiro also thrives during similar tasks, but the difference between the two is that Hjulmand is far less reckless, and “he's not too aggressive to the point that makes him rash or pulls him out of position,” as per analyst Ben Mattinson.

Unfortunately, this is one of Casemiro’s biggest downfalls, and he no longer has the athleticism to track back with ease, as shown in the fact that he's dribbled past 2.2 times per game.

The United number 18’s defensive statistics are superior to Hjulmand’s, but that’s to be expected when the latter plays in a side with much more possession, as well as his more disciplined approach.

The security of Hjulmand and Mainoo would help United’s defence be far more secure, while the introduction of the former Lecce player would also bring the best out of the English ace because of his technical ability.

Unlike the 32-year-old, Sporting’s maestro is far less wasteful with the ball, which would enable the Red Devils to have more control of the ball, in turn allowing Mainoo to work his magic more frequently.

Overall, the signing of Hjulmand has the potential to transform United’s midfield, and if Ratcliffe can sell Casemiro as well, he'd be making an incredibly smart decision.

Related Man Utd submit bid for “special” star who’s like Scholes & Keane

The Man United target has a £102m release clause.

Posts ByTom Lever Jun 4, 2024

The entire squad at Chelsea is absolutely packed with talent, but the midfield department is particularly special.

Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, and Moises Caicedo are surely the future of the Blues midfield, given their age and quality.

Enzo Maresca must be incredibly excited to install his philosophy into the aforementioned trio, who all suit his play style perfectly.

Gallagher and Caicedo are particularly valuable to Chelsea, yet with that in mind, let’s take a look at a Chelsea star who’s now worth even more than the two midfielders.

What Chelsea paid for Cole Palmer

Having progressed through the ranks at Manchester City, Cole Palmer finally earned his breakthrough in the 2021/22 campaign, making four appearances.

In the following season, he’d go on to feature more frequently, playing 14 Premier League games but only starting twice, picking up just one assist.

Nevertheless, last summer, Chelsea saw the potential in the number 20 and took the risk of paying £40m to acquire the forward on Deadline Day.

Todd Boehly believed that he would play a huge role in the rebuilding of the club, and Palmer signed a seven-year contract, which has the option to extend for a further 12 months.

But absolutely nobody would have expected the extent of what was to come from the England international.

Cole Palmer’s value in 2024

It took the left-footed ace three games to truly get into the swing of things at his new club, but after scoring and assisting in a 4-1 victory over Burnley, there was no looking back.

The 22-year-old simply kept scoring while also proving that he can serve as a creative outlet, even single-handedly dragging Chelsea over the line in some games.

Throughout the campaign, Palmer started 29 Premier League matches, scoring an incredible 22 goals and registering 11 assists, which truly does make him “world-class,” as dubbed by teammate Carney Chukwuemeka.

To top off a perfect individual season, the former Citizen won the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award, but what is Palmer worth right now?

Cole Palmer

£85m

Florian Wirtz

£85m

Jamal Musiala

£85m

Arda Guler

£51m

Bruno Fernandes

£43m

Well, according to CIES’ Football Observatory, Palmer is estimated to be worth £85m, the joint-highest figure alongside Fernandez.

This also means that the versatile attacker is worth more than Gallagher and Caicedo, £51m and £68m, which is incredible considering the latter arrived for a record-breaking fee of £115.

For further context on just how valuable he is, Palmer is currently also the joint-highest-valued attacking midfielder in the world, alongside German duo Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.

The fact that Palmer registered the most goal contributions in the entire Premier League last season is just one reason why his value has skyrocketed.

However, what will please Boehly is that if Palmer has an impact at the European Championships with England this summer, his estimated worth will only increase even further.

Overall, the signing of Palmer was without doubt the bargain of the 2023/24 season, and it’s fair to say that Chelsea truly hit the jackpot on their £40m superstar.

Chelsea must sell £50m star who earns more than Sesko & Olise combined

The Chelsea player started nine Premier League games last season.

ByTom Lever Jun 7, 2024

It’s expected that protocols for the tournament in the UAE will be finalised at the meeting on August 2

Vishal Dikshit and Shashank Kishore30-Jul-20207:35

Bal: Hosting IPL a far bigger challenge compared to a bilateral series

The dates and venue for IPL 2020 are out – in the UAE from September 19-November 8 (or 10) – but the context of the Covid-19 pandemic raises a lot of logistical questions, especially among the franchises. It’s expected that the upcoming IPL Governing Council meeting on August 2 will finalise many of these details, which will be part of the tournament’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). ESPNcricinfo spoke to a few franchises and came up with the most pressing questions they will be seeking answers to.Quarantine, testing positive and isolation protocols
One of the key concerns of the franchises ESPNcricinfo spoke to is the rules surrounding quarantine for squads, and the protocol to be followed if one of the squad members tests positive. Given that the onus of keeping squads safe and in their biosecure bubbles is likely to rest with the respective franchises, they want clarity on the steps to follow if someone tests positive during the tournament – will the entire squad have to be tested immediately, will the squad be isolated in the same hotel if other teams are staying there too, will the next match of the said team be cancelled or put on hold till everyone is tested? What if someone tests positive on the day of the match? In short, the impact of a positive test on the player, team and tournament at large.Franchises would also want to know the protocol if someone breaches the squad bubble, like Jofra Archer did after the first Test against West Indies. Archer’s act did not lead to anything more calamitous but the IPL will not be able to afford such breaches.Maintaining the bubbles and arranging Covid-19 tests
The Governing Council is likely to finalise how often squad members will have to undergo Covid-19 testing in the UAE, but will the testing be supervised by the BCCI or will it be the sole responsibility of the franchises?Another big concern for the franchises is around the biosecure bubbles. It’s expected that there will be different bubbles for each squad, match officials, broadcasters, the local authorities and so on. For that, franchises want to know if there will be a cap on their contingent size because some of them are keen to have players’ families travelling with the squads. Whether the Governing Council allows it remains to be seen. Teams are also going to travel between three cities – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – so will the entire bubbles be moved around through the tournament is another question.One franchise is also concerned about the possibility of tourists and travellers staying in the same hotel as the teams. The duration of the teams’ stay in the UAE is likely to stretch to 80 days if they land there by end of August for pre-IPL camps, and maintaining social distancing of their squads for such a long time will be a key responsibility of the franchises.Getting to the UAE and arranging hotels
The first step for the franchises is getting to the UAE. Some franchises have informed the Governing Council that they wish to land there by August 20 or 21 to give players at least three weeks to train for the tournament, having not played, or even trained properly, for months.The responsibility of getting the Indian players together before flying out and then combining them with the overseas players in the UAE will also rest with the franchises, and one of them has already asked its Indian players to self-quarantine at home starting now. The franchises will await further details around this, along with confirmation on whether each team will stay in one city and hotel throughout the IPL, which could be Dubai in many cases given its hotel options, training facilities at the ICC Academy grounds and its geographical location between Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.It is understood that a few franchises have already shortlisted their hotel options – keeping their squad sizes and travelling families in mind – and are awaiting a reply from the Governing Council to make further arrangements. With no in-stadia hotels available like the ones that hosted the recent Tests in England, franchises will finalise their hotel arrangements as soon as the IPL authorities give the go-ahead.Arranging replacement players
Another big concern surrounds the South Africa players potentially pulling out of the IPL, like they did for the CPL. What will be the rules regarding replacement players, whether it be overseas players pulling out or getting injured during the tournament? In the case of the former, picking replacements from the auction pool could lead to a potential clash among the franchises. For example, Royal Challengers Bangalore have the smallest squad (21) with three South Africans – AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Chris Morris – and the franchise will be desperate to strengthen their squad if these three big names pull out.ALSO READ: Five South Africans to miss CPL after failing to confirm travel arrangementsEach squad has a limit of eight overseas players. In the case of injuries to these players, will they be allowed to fly in replacements from outside? If yes, what kind of testing and quarantine measures will those players have to undergo to enter already existing bubbles? Or will the squad size and overseas players’ limit be increased before the tournament so that franchises can travel with more options?What if England, Australia players have national duty?
Another possible issue for franchises to deal with is that the England-Australia ODIs could end up being in the second week of September. If, as believed, the IPL insists on all squads assembling at the same time, and with the IPL opener set for September 19, it could rule the England and Australia players out of the first few matches – like David Warner said this week – or worse.Arranging for nets and net bowlers
Each franchise always has extra net bowlers at their home grounds in India while the IPL is on. With biosecure bubbles and many other restrictions this time, how will these be arranged for, for such a long tournament in the UAE, for all eight teams? West Indies and England had extra squad players in their bubbles for the recent Test series; will the franchises be allowed to do the same? If yes, do they need to pick net bowlers from a particular pool or can they pick anyone and include them in their bubble after having them tested?Secondly, with only three venues for eight teams, franchises would want clear and detailed plans on their training schedules as teams won’t be allowed to train simultaneously at the same venue because of social distancing. Since franchises are expected to arrange for their own travel and buses, they will have to chalk out such plans early so that players’ preparation is not compromised with.Interaction with people from outside the bubble
IPL players will be expected to board buses nearly every day for training and matches, and be in proximity to numerous hotel staff, caterers, security officials etc. What will be done to maximise the squads’ safety, keeping in mind the possibility of players’ families also travelling, the large size of the squads, and the long duration of the tournament? Will the bus drivers and hotel employees also be part of some bubble or does the Governing Council have a workaround for this?

Tournament was most-watched edition ever, with a cumulative global average audience of 1.6 billion viewers

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-2020Last summer’s World Cup generated almost £350 million (US$448 million) for the UK economy, according to the findings of an economic impact and benefits analysis commissioned by the ICC.The 2019 tournament, which culminated in an extraordinary tied final between England, the eventual champions, and New Zealand, was the most-watched edition of the tournament ever, with a cumulative global average audience of 1.6 billion viewers.As previously reported, a combined total of 8 million viewers in the UK watched the final on Sky’s platforms and Channel 4, making it the most-watched cricket event in the country since the 2005 Ashes. Global digital video content netted over 4.6 billion views for the seven-week event.But according to figures released by the Sports Consultancy, the economic impact of the tournament was every bit as telling as the TV figures. The study took into account the additional money spent in the UK by event organisers and visitors, as well as business-to-business and broader consumer spending.

ICC announce a £350m+ boost to the UK economy as a result of #CWC19 – a figure worthy of putting on the side of a bus, don't you think? pic.twitter.com/C2Pu6oaEQQ

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 3, 2020

London attracted the most direct economic impact of almost £65 million (US$83 million), with the semi-final venues, Manchester and Birmingham, attracting a direct economic impact of £36.3 million (US$46.5 million) and £29.7 million (US$38 million) respectively.”The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 was an outstanding success across all measures, which is further underlined by this report and the significant contribution of GBP 350 million it has brought to the UK economy,” ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said. “This makes it one of the biggest sporting events in the UK in recent history.”ICC events provide a wonderful platform to connect more deeply with a diverse audience of hundreds of millions of fans and to aggregate audiences like never before even in our increasingly fragmented world.”The rise of cricket tourism is clearly demonstrated with almost 20% of attendees coming from overseas and a total of 85% of ticket buyers coming from out of town, with cricket fans increasingly prepared to travel to support their team. We expect this trend to continue to rise as the Asian subcontinent continues rapid economic growth.”The ICC has recently opened up a tendering process for the 2023-2031 cycle of global events, and Sawhney emphasised the “social, cultural and economic” benefits of hosting such tournaments.”We are currently in the process of getting expressions of interest from our Members to host future events post 2023 as part of our ambitions to grow the game globally. This report clearly demonstrates staging ICC events not only provides our host countries with the opportunity to showcase the very best they have to offer to an enormous global audience they are also a major global driver for social, cultural and economic impact.”

Newcastle United are reportedly ready to push to complete the signing of an "incredible" player this summer, with a free transfer on the cards.

Newcastle injury crisis deepens

The Magpies have underperformed badly this season, both in the Premier League and the Champions League, but their injury problems are a fair excuse to make for their shortcomings. Eddie Howe has had to deal with a constant stream of fitness issues throughout the campaign, with important players missing all over the park, holding back his team greatly.

Nick Pope has been a long-term absentee in goal, while defenders Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Dan Burn have all missed significant chunks of action. In midfield, the likes of Joelinton and Joe Willock have been out for lengthy periods, too, while Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have found it hard to stay fit leading the line.

Newcastle's misery in the injury department has been summed up by two serious new problems for Botman and Lascelles, both of whom are going to miss many months of action after suffering ACL damage. Neither will feature again this season, and they could even struggle to play until 2025, summing up the severity of their issues.

It has heightened the need to make a number of key signings in the summer transfer window, with one defender reportedly being lined up by the Magpies.

Newcastle eyeing "incredible" free transfer

According to a new report from HITC, Newcastle are "set to step up their interest" in Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly ahead of the summer transfer window. The 25-year-old is out of contract with the Cherries at the end of the campaign, at which point he will be available on a free transfer.

Kelly appears to have been a long-time target for Newcastle, being linked with a move to St James' Park a number of times in the past, and he would be an astute signing this summer. While not necessarily a game-changer of a signing who is going to get Magpies supporters off their seats, he could be a really solid defensive addition – one who can thrive as both a centre-back and a left-back.

Last year, former Bournemouth manager Gary O'Neil waxed lyrical over him after his performance up against Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah, saying: "I thought Lloyd was incredible.

"I think he had a 12-week ankle injury followed by a six-week calf injury. Didn't have much time in between, and then came back today having not trained much, to play left back against one of the best wingers in the world. I thought he showed everything, the potential he has to be a top defender. I thought it was a very, very impressive performance against a top attacker."

Appearances

15

24

Starts

12

23

Goal contributions

1

4

Tackles per game

1.3

2.0

Clearances per game

2.2

3.4

Interceptions per game

0.5

1.2

Pass completion rate

76.7%

79.9%

At 25, Kelly is both experienced and still young enough to develop further as a player, while his aforementioned versatility means he would provide so much squad depth for Howe, alleviating potential further injury woes in the process.