adidas are reportedly set to make a signature boot for Jude Bellingham, with the midfielder's trademark celebration a template for the logo.
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West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan entertaining the notion of selling one of their prize assets this summer is 'hard to understand' for Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.
What's the latest transfer news involving West Bromwich Albion?
The Baggies have been quiet in the transfer window so far and have only confirmed two additions in the form of Josh Maja on a free transfer and Jeremy Sarmiento on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, as per Transfermarkt.
Last week, West Brom manager Corberan hinted that he could be set to enact some late activity in the market, cited by Birmingham Live, as he stated: "We are still having the conversations with the club to see what things can happen with things we can approach, how we can approach the market, so still for me it's work to do with our communication and co-ordination with the club, but it all depends about our financial possibilities."
Departures have taken precedence at the Hawthorns this summer as West Brom look to alleviate financial problems that have influenced their ability to secure new arrivals and the likes of Dara O'Shea, Tom Rogic, Jake Livermore, David Button and Kean Bryan have all left the club permanently.
West Brom winger Grady Diangana could be next to depart at the Hawthorns this window and is attracting interest from Leeds United, Leicester City, Burnley and clubs in Saudi Arabia, according to The Express & Star.
Diangana is valued at around £7 million by West Brom and is yet to feature this campaign. Last term, the Lubumbashi-born winger made 35 appearances in all competitions, registering four goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express journalist Taylor has heard that there are murmurings that West Brom don't want Diangana, which he finds 'hard to understand' due to his talents.
Asked about Leeds United being keen on Diangana, Taylor stated: “I see that as being a good signing.
“I've seen suggestions he's not wanted at West Brom, which I find hard to understand, but obviously, I'm not at the club, so I'm guessing there's more to it than that.
“But a couple of years ago, he was deemed a top talent at West Ham, and they were disappointed to see him sold.”
What now for West Bromwich Albion?
Last weekend, West Brom claimed their first victory of the Sky Bet Championship campaign after holding off a late fightback from Swansea City to run out 3-2 winners at the Hawthorns, as per BBC Sport.
Before their win at the weekend, the Baggies suffered 2-1 losses to Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City in the English top-flight and Carabao Cup, respectively; however, Corberan now has some positivity to build on following a tumultuous few months off the field, as per Sky Sports.
According to The Express & Star, West Brom were in the hunt to bring in FC Midtjylland striker Sory Kaba to strengthen their forward line this window.
Nevertheless, Mike McGrath, who is a journalist for The Telegraph, has taken to Twitter X to reveal that Birmingham City are now in pole position to land the 28-year-old, stating: "Birmingham City have agreed a fee for Sory Kaba at Midtjylland according to sources in Denmark. Watford FC were leading race for Guinea forward whose goals helped keep Cardiff up last season. BCFC entered race which included several Championship clubs."
Tottenham Hotspur have scheduled talks tonight to re-sign defender Clement Lenglet, and Barcelona see it as a "magnificent opportunity" to finally sell.
Who are Spurs signing next?
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, playmaker James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon and striker Alejo Veliz have all officially put pen to paper on moves to Spurs this summer.
They follow on from permanent deals for right-back Pedro Porro and Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski, with Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz being the latest confirmed arrival at N17.
Lilywhites head coach Ange Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, also confirmed that there should be more activity to come – as Spurs hunt for another defender and look to offload fringe squad members.
“It's not done yet," said Postecoglou.
"We need bolstering in that central defensive area. We need defenders who can work in an aggressive formation, defend well & behind them. We'll be looking to bring in a couple in that area in the coming days."
On potential exits, the Spurs boss has said that certain players will be looking for new opportunities – drawing attention to Tottenham's "bloated" squad.
It's fair to say our squad is too big at the moment," explained Postecoglou.
"There are guys who will want to explore opportunities elsewhere. I'm not involved in that. I think we'll see some movement out in the coming weeks.”
Lenglet, who spent last campaign on loan at Spurs from Barca, has been repeatedly linked in the past week and some reports even suggest he is prioritising a second stint in north London.
The 28-year-old coming back to N17 is, potentially, a very realistic possibility as a report by Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness) share an update on the matter.
Both Tottenham and Barca chiefs, during tonight's friendly match at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys in Catalonia, have scheduled a summit and fresh round of talks over Lenglet's transfer.
The La Liga champions, for their part, see this as a "magnificent opportunity" to finally finalise the defender's sale and rid themselves of his hefty wages.
There is a price named as well, as Sport claim the potential move could amount to a small €5 million (£4.3m), a fee which may rise to €15m (£12.9m) if add-ons are met.
After tonight's meeting, further developments are expected.
What's been said about Clement Lenglet?
Spurs pundit John Wenham, speaking to Football Insider last season, heaped praise on the former Sevilla star after a solid north London derby outing against Arsenal.
Wenham said Lenglet appeared in the mould of a "very reliable" player who could be called upon to do a solid job as part of Tottenham's defence.
“I just wanted to give credit because I think his performance went a little bit under the radar. I have been impressed with him so far," said Wenham on Lenglet.
“The fact he has instantly come in for Ben Davies and we don’t look any weaker, that is a huge credit to him really.
“He’s a new signing to the Premier League, I know he has a lot of experience from Barcelona and with France but he already seems very reliable, like we could drop him in for any fixture.“
Glasgow Rangers have agreed on a fee with Feyenoord for striker and long-term target Danilo, Sky Sports report.
Are Rangers signing Danilo?
A number of new players have been signed by Michael Beale ahead of his first full season in charge of the club, and it looks as if Danilo could be the next through the door.
Jack Butland, Leon Balogun, Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling have all made the move to Glasgow on free transfers.
Meanwhile, money has been spent on attackers Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers, whereas Brighton forward Abdallah Sima has arrived on a season-long loan.
Despite three new additions in the final third the club have lost three attackers from last season in Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Antonio Colak, with Rangers receiving money for the latter after he signed for Parma.
Danilo has been a key target in Glasgow, with Beale personally thought to be an admirer of the forward. An opening offer was turned down by the Eredivisie side, who have been wanting more than £5m for the striker, and it looks as if they will get their wish after a new bid was submitted, with all parties involved on course to get what they want.
Sky Sports shared an update out of Ibrox regarding their pursuit of Danilo on Tuesday. They stated that there has been a breakthrough, with an agreement reached between the two clubs which could be worth a total of £6m.
“Some breaking news from Rangers. They’ve had a deal worth £6m accepted by Feyenoord for striker Danilo. The 24-year-old scored 12 times last season and has been the subject of several offers.
“The initial fee being £5.2m before potential add-ons. Personal terms not expected to be a problem, the Brazilian is keen on a move to Ibrox.”
Further reports have claimed that the forward is poised to travel to Scotland early next week to finalise a transfer by undergoing a medical and signing the relative paperwork, with a five-year deal on the cards.
Who is Danilo?
Danilo actually the same agency as Rangers players Connor Goldson, Fashion Sakala, John Lundstram and Rabbi Matondo, so now a fee has been agreed, you’d like to think a move will go smoothly.
The 24-year-old appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €6.5m Transfermarkt valuation and joined Feyenoord on a free transfer last year. Since then, the forward has found the back of the net on 14 occasions in 48 appearances, helping the club to the Dutch top-flight title in the process.
Prior to his stint with his current employers, Danilo was on the books with Ajax and enjoyed a productive loan spell with FC Twente, scoring 17 Eredivisie goals in 33 appearances during the 2020/21 season.
In total, Danilo has scored 87 goals in 175 appearances at youth and senior level, but with a first taste of senior football outside the Netherlands on the cards, it will be interesting to see if he can find the back of the net regularly in Scotland.
Marcos Alonso ready to leave Barcelona but not before next summer amid interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.
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Alonso could leave Barcelona next summerSaw his game time reduced at BarcelonaAttracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubsWHAT HAPPENED?
Alonso, who has appeared in just seven matches for Barcelona across all competitions this season, could part ways with the club in the future but not before his contract expires in the summer, according to .
The Spaniard reportedly has offers from several Saudi Pro League clubs and it was expected that he would leave once the transfer window opens in January but the player has no intention of moving out until the end of his current deal.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
There is a clause on Alonso's contract that allows Barcelona to extend his stay by one more year provided he plays half of the club's matches this season. With only 299 minutes on the pitch, it is unlikely that the former Chelsea star would regularly feature in Xavi's lineup for the remainder of the season.
The 32-year-old was linked with a move to Manchester United during the summer but they later decided to sign Sergio Reguilon on loan. But the Red Devils could rekindle their interest in the player in January again as Erik ten Hag wants to bolster his backline.
DID YOU KNOW?
Out of the four La Liga appearances Alonso has made this season, he has featured in Xavi's starting lineup only twice which came against Villarreal and Celta Vigo. In the Champions League, the full-back started in the home and away fixtures against Shakhtar Donetsk.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?
After edging out Atletico Madrid last weekend, the Catalan club will now hope to get three points against second-placed Girona and close in on the gap with league leaders Real Madrid who sit at the summit with 39 points from 16 matches.
Hampshire continued their winning start to this season’s Natwest T20 Blast campaign thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Michael Carberry
ECB Reporters Network14-Jul-2017
ScorecardMichael Carberry summoned some of the old magic [file picture]•Getty ImagesMiddlesex were still closed away in the dressing room, refusing requests for interviews, more than a hour after a spectacular collapse against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl consigned them to a 29-run defeat in the NatWest Blast.Even that was something of a release for Middlesex, who found themselves 74 for 7 in the 13th over before Tim Southee hammered five sixes in his 64 off 32 balls to narrow the margin.Hampshire were still comfortable winners, with young leg-spinner Mason Crane taking 3 for 15 off four overs and Reece Topley, Gareth Berg and Kyle Abbott all grabbing a wicket a piece.Crane said: “”Three good performances so far and everyone has contributed in all of them. It hasn’t been the same players in every game and that shows we have a strong team. The crowd were amazing. I’ve never seen it that full for a Hampshire game.”Hampshire continued their winning start thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Michael Carberry, who smashed 77 off 45 balls and followed it up with two catches.The former England opener showed he is still capable of some devastating power hitting at the age of 36, while captain James Vince played some classy shots in his brief 34 to get his side on the front foot from the off.Vince won the toss and opted to bat first in his side’s first home game of the season, backing up his decision with six classy fours and a six in his quickfire 34 off 15, before skying one from Toby Roland-Jones high into the air only to be caught by Southee at square leg.Rilee Roussow and Carberry put on a measured 48-run partnership, ensuring the scoreboard ticked over, but the South African soon followed his captain back to the dressing room after clubbing a flat catch to James Franklin at long-on off the bowling of Nathan Sowter.Carberry followed up his 41 not out against Sussex on Wednesday night with a magnificent batting display in front of the Ageas Bowl crowd, placing a delicate shot through gully to reach his 50 off 32 balls. And the 36-year-old wasted no time in following that up with two sixes straight back down the ground and into jubilant crowd.A tough evening for the Middlesex bowlers showed no sign of easing up, as Aussie George Bailey smacked 28 off 19 balls, with a six and three fours, but Roland-Jones cut his innings short as it began to reach full flow having him caught at long-on by Dawid Malan.Shahid Afridi’s batting struggles continued, the 37-year-old failing to add anything to a tally of five runs in this year’s Blast competition when he was caught in the deep by Malan trying to power Roland-Jones for six.After looking as if they would set Middlesex a score of over 200 to win, the steady fall of wickets, including that of Carberry in the final over, bowled by Franklin, Hampshire managed 189 for 8.Roland-Jones, released by England from the Test squad, ended the pick of Middlesex’s bowlers after taking 4 for 39 off his four overs, while Franklin took three wickets in the last over of the innings to end with 3 for 19 off two overs.Hampshire continued as they started, Abbott sending Paul Stirling packing for just six runs and Topley following up with the wicket of dangerman Brendon McCullum, thanks to a stunning acrobatic catch from Rossouw at midwicket. England captain Eoin Morgan put up some resistance, making 23 off 22, before wicketkeeper John Simpson and New Zealander Southee came together in an eighth-wicket stand of 86 to try and salvage the game.Southee reached a half-century off 28 balls, while Simpson made 37 off 34 as Middlesex fell 29 runs short.
India women’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sushma Verma, who hardly got batting opportunities in the past, cashed in on the chance against Pakistan with a 35-ball 33
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2017Sushma Verma has established herself as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper since making her debut in 2014. However, her contribution as a batsman has been minimal, largely because she has hardly had opportunities to prove herself. Prior to Sunday, she had batted just eight times in 22 ODIs, facing a grand sum of 56 deliveries, off which she scored 13 runs, a strike rate of 23.21.She batted at No. 8 or lower in seven of those eight innings. The last time she batted before Sunday, she was sent in at No. 10, even below Ekta Bisht, no more than a tailender. Until the Pakistan game, India’s third at the World Cup, this hardly mattered thanks to robust contributions from the top order. But on a sticky wicket with the top order having a rare off day, the team needed Verma to overcome her battles, and she did.Promoted to No. 7 ahead of the more-accomplished Jhulan Goswami, who has a reputation of being a big hitter, Verma exhibited tremendous composure and match awareness to make a 35-ball 33 to help India recover from 111 for 6 to 169 for 9. Her 34-run stand with Goswami for the seventh wicket, significant in the context of the game, earned plaudits from her captain Mithali Raj.”At that point in time, when we were losing wickets, it was important to slow down a little,” Raj explained of Verma’s promotion. “On a few occasions in domestic cricket, when our Central Zone side was in similar situation, she bailed us out. We expected her to play that role and she did until the 48th over. Those boundaries were also very crucial.”Her partnership [with Jhulan] got us to 170. We were looking for 170 when we lost the top four. When you play such matches, it’s important to continue the momentum but not every day will the same batters will score runs, so I’m happy someone has stood up to get those runs. It’s important we got this opportunity to reflect on our batting order.”Opportunities have been rare for Verma in domestic cricket too as she started her career with Himachal Pradesh and moved to Railways for better cricketing prospects. But moving to a more-established outfit also brought about a fresh set of challenges. Playing in a team that has a star-studded batting line-up that boasts of Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Punam Raut has largely meant that a berth in the top order, which she may have been guaranteed at Himachal, has been non-existent.In the entire 2016-17 season, she had four opportunities to impress, twice each in the one-dayers and T20 competition. She managed 21 in those four knocks. It’s a role she has taken awhile getting used to, but one she has grown to accept, Verma said. “The team management has been working a lot on the lower-order batting. We have been getting equal attention as the top and middle order. I was waiting for this opportunity.”I’ve understood I will have minimum balls to face, I need to make maximum impact. Today, there was such an opportunity. It’s not that I’m confident only because of wicketkeeping. For me, the main concern and focus is to score as many runs as possible in as little balls as possible.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers are not willing to match the £25m price-tag set by Bristol City for young midfield star Alex Scott, according to Dean Jones.
Scott has been linked with a move this summer after impressing for the Robins in the Championship last season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer news – Alex Scott
Several Premier League clubs have entered the chase to sign Scott this summer, according to TalkSPORT, with Wolves among those.
The Midlands club reportedly face competition from West Ham United and Bournemouth for the teenager's signature this summer.
Meanwhile, Liverpool previously sent scouts to watch the midfielder, before cooling their interest.
As the summer goes on, it looks like Scott will have a big decision to make regarding his future.
What has Dean Jones said about Alex Scott and Wolverhampton Wanderers?
Speaking to Football FanCast, when asked about Scott and Wolves, Jones said: "Scott’s an interesting one. Bristol City value him at around £25m at the moment.
"That’s been quite off-putting for a lot of teams, it’s not just Wolves that aren’t willing to get to that make, so I think as the window goes further in, we might find that price-tag comes down a little."
How did Alex Scott perform in the Championship last season?Reports over a potential Premier League move for Scott come as no surprise after the Bristol City youngster picked up the Championship's Young Player of the Year award.
Many were quick to praise the 19-year-old throughout the season, with Robins manager Nigel Pearson saying, via Bristol World: "He’s just a very unique talent and he’s got a very impressive temperament.
“I think he’s destined for the very top, but football dictates to you what’s going to happen because you can’t always be in control of your own destiny.
"Alex Scott will, I think, continue to progress and he’ll be a top player. But he also knows that he’s got to do it for us while he’s here, he just enjoys playing football so it's good to have young hungry players at the club as well as senior players who want to continue to perform and get better.”
In total, the man in demand was involved in seven goals from midfield in the Championship last season, as well as particularly impressing through his progressive dribbling ability, making 2.34 progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
Wherever he ends up this summer, there is no doubt that Scott has all the tools to become a top talent.
Aston Villa have been linked with a Bundesliga ace, in a signing that could start Monchi’s tenure as president of football operations with a bang.
Unai Emery will be joined by his fellow Spaniard in the bid to replicate the duo’s success in the transfer windows they endeavoured in together at Sevilla.
The latest link suggests that the pair could enjoy a lavish summer in the Midlands, in a signing that could bolster the squad.
What’s the latest on Manu Kone to Aston Villa?
As reported by the Daily Mail earlier this week, Aston Villa are interested in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone.
The report claims that the Villans have joined ‘the race’ for the 22-year-old, following Liverpool and Wolves in their pursuit of the youngster.
Valued at £35m, the Frenchman is contracted to Gladbach until 2025 with the club holding the option to extend for an additional year.
What could Manu Kone offer to Aston Villa?
Emery has unveiled the best out of midfield dynamos Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara, who when interchanged with the likes of John McGinn have proved their worth in the Premier League.
The Spaniard could now add additional power to the middle of the park by signing the Bundesliga talent, who could prove to be the perfect partner for Kamara who joined the club last summer.
The former Marseille gem had a stop-start opening campaign at Villa, missing periods due to injury with the club treading carefully in integrating him into the midfield to avoid prolonged absence.
Lauded as a “phenomenon” by former teammate Rolando, Kamara is destined for stardom in Emery’s midfield and could be taken to the next level in being paired with Kone.
The attributes that the duo share suggest that they could be a strong pairing in the set-up at Villa Park.
When comparing both players via FBref based upon their averages over this season in their respective league’s there is sufficient evidence to imply the success the French core could impose in the Midlands.
Hailed as a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kone averaged an impressive 2.55 tackles per 90 which was slightly bettered by Kamara in the Premier League who ended the campaign making an average of 2.94 per 90.
It’s not just the defensive areas of midfield that the pair excel at, as they both portray an impressive rate of passing both in general play and progressively.
As per FBref, the Bundesliga gem averaged a pass completion rate of 86.2% followed closely by the Villa ace’s 84.8%, with both players ranking highly in terms of progressive passes with the summer target averaging 5.73 to Kamara’s 4.25 per 90.
Having two players equipped with strong abilities in both defensive and offensive attributes is essential in creating the perfect pivot in the engine room.
Emery could take his squad a step further in purchasing Kone, who could prove to be a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.
Chelsea's Sam Kerr looks to retain her title, but team-mate Guro Reiten and four other top players stand in her path
The PFA Awards have been a highlight of the footballing calendar for 50 years, and the organisation have now revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Women's Players' Player of the Year, with six brilliant players fighting it out for the gong.
Chelsea's Sam Kerr returns in an attempt to retain her title, while the Blues' Norwegian star Guro Reiten also finds herself as a nominee. The west London club have had a player win the award four out of the last five years.
Former Manchester United star Ona Batlle, who just reached the World Cup final with Spain, is also nominated along with Manchester City and Jamaican sensation Bunny Shaw, while Aston Villa's Rachel Daly and Arsenal's Frida Maanum close out the nominees.
Find out more about the six-woman shortlist below…