Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are closing in on the first signing of the INEOS era, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Man Utd’s summer transfer window so far
The Red Devils are yet to make a marque addition ahead of the 2024/25 season, with Ratcliffe and INEOS’ only major decision in recent weeks being keeping manager Erik ten Hag. In fact, the Dutchman has now signed a new Old Trafford deal through until 2026 and said:
"I am very pleased to have reached agreement with the club to continue working together. Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined.
"However, we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead to reach the levels expected of Manchester United, which means challenging for English and European titles. In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision for reaching those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together."
The club have since added Rene Hake and former Red Devils striker Ruud van Nistelrooy as assistant managers, with the only player signings so far coming at academy level.
Man Utd in pole position to sign £25m "menace" who starred at Euro 2024
The Red Devils have set their sights on another defender…
ByTom Cunningham Jul 12, 2024
Teenagers Silva Mexes, the son of former Cardiff and West Brom striker Rob Earnshaw, Australian James Overy, Reading’s Camron Mpofu and Crystal Palace gem Samuel Lusale have all either arrived or are close to arriving at Carrington, and it looks as if the Red Devils are now set to make their first major first-team signing under INEOS and Ratcliffe.
Man Utd agree Joshua Zirkzee deal
The main attacking target at Old Trafford in recent weeks has been Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee. The Netherlands international has been at Euro 2024 in recent weeks amid rumours over a move to Manchester, but it looks as if a deal is now set to go through.
According to transfer expert Romano in the last 24 hours, Man Utd will not pay Zirkzee’s €40m release clause, but instead, Ratcliffe and INEOS will pay a fee slightly more than that over three years.
Zirkzee has already agreed a five-year deal at Old Trafford, and Romano provided more details on Friday morning, including a meeting with Ten Hag, a €42.5m (£35.7m) fee and a medical being underway.
“Joshua Zirkzee day has started with medical tests for new Manchester United player. Face to face meeting with Erik ten Hag will follow then he's gonna sign contract until June 2029 with option for further season. €42,5m fee to be paid in three years to Bologna.”
Zirkzee now looks set to rival or play alongside Rasmus Hojlund, filling the void left by Anthony Martial, who departed as a free agent last month.
Ipswich Town have shown with their early transfer window business that they won't be content with just making up the numbers in the Premier League, already breaking their transfer record to make a major statement.
Omari Hutchinson entering through the door for a bumper £22m would have rightly excited Tractor Boys supporters, whilst the more shrewd free transfer capture of Ben Johnson from West Ham United to shore up the defence in Suffolk would have been equally greeted with applause.
Kieran McKenna and Co could opt to move back to flashy purchases, as opposed to operating frugally, with this next potential addition, who could take the Premier League by storm if he joins.
Ipswich in talks with in-demand Hull City star
According to football journalist Nick Mashiter, via BBC Sport, Ipswich are edging closer to signing entertaining Hull City winger Jaden Philogene-Bidace this window, as McKenna looks to make an already entertaining attack at Portman even stronger for the challenge of the top-flight.
The report states that Ipswich and Hull are in 'advanced talks' over a move getting over the line, with Philogene wanting to test himself in the Premier League, despite interest coming from the likes of Barcelona from La Liga.
Even with more established Premier League outfits in the form of Everton and West Ham United also being noted as interested parties, Philogene believes Ipswich to be his best onward destination away from the MKM Stadium as per BBC Sport, with McKenna over the moon at landing another statement signing if all goes to plan.
Hutchinson & £20m+ star join: Ipswich's dream XI after the transfer window
Kieran McKenna would love to have this Ipswich Town starting eleven next season.
ByKelan Sarson Jun 30, 2024 What Philogene can offer Ipswich
The unpredictable Hull number 23, who was previously on the books at Aston Villa before making a name for himself on Humberside, will want to take Nathan Broadhead's concrete first-team spot off him if he does relocate to Suffolk, keeping the ex-Everton man very much on his toes.
Ipswich succeeded in the Championship in the manner they did by playing gung-ho football, which saw them net a division-best of 92 goals last season, and that approach doesn't look like it'll be completely abandoned even in such a daunting league.
Philogene loved an audacious strike last campaign for the Tigers, as can be seen with his outrageous solo strike against Rotherham United above, with 12 goals tallied up from 32 league games in total, on top of six assists also being registered by the stand-out 22-year-old.
Games played
32
38
Goals scored
12
13
Assists
6
3
Shots*
3.6
2.0
Touches*
56.6
29.5
Big chances missed
6
9
Big chances created
7
9
Comparing both Philogene and Broadhead side-by-side, when looking at their comparative Championship numbers, this could be a real closely fought battle for that starting left wing spot.
This will be a healthy conundrum for McKenna to have on his plate, having so much quality at his disposal making the step-up, to try and make survival happen.
Philogene's daring nature when striding forward, seen in his 3.6 shots per game bettering Broadhead's 2.0 last campaign, even saw former Hull manager Liam Rosenior describe the slick 5 foot 11 attacker as "ridiculous", with his trademark mazey runs bamboozling many a second-tier defender.
Hull winger Jaden Philogene.
The in-demand forward would fit in well at Portman Road, therefore, with the likes of Conor Chaplin and George Hirst no doubt excited about the prospect of linking up with such an enigmatic attacker, as Ipswich look to be a feared attacking team even in the Premier League.
He more than deserves a crack at the top flight now, having been discarded by Villa without ever being given a fair shot in the West Midlands in the top league, with Ipswich looking likely to be the club to give him the platform to do so.
Ipswich could drop Morsy by signing "monstrous" £15m gem
Kieran McKenna could shake up his Ipswich Town starting line-up with this summer buy.
Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players to follow Rafael Nadal's example and play through the pain barrier amid their injury crisis.
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Champions struggling with injuriesCurrently without several key playersGuardiola holds up Nadal as an exampleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Manchester City are currently without several first-team stars due to injury including Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku and Kyle Walker. Guardiola also has doubts about the fitness of Savinho, Manuel Akanji and Josko Gvardiol ahead of his team's next Premier League match against Bournemouth on Saturday. Guardiola has already admitted his team "are in trouble" on the injury front but has now urged his side to use Nadal as an example and play through the pain barrier.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
He told reporters: "There are moments when injuries are [harmful] injuries and be careful but sometimes if you have problems you have to play. Rafa Nadal played all of his career with pain. He played. And won I don’t know how many Grand Slams. You have to deal with it in modern football or you can’t sustain games every three days at a top club. Kevin is getting better. The last two, three days the doctor said to me that he made a step forward in terms of pain.
"It depends on the players. There are players who say, “OK, I’m ready” and there are players who have more tendency to get niggles with their history. There are the others who just go, go go – that it doesn’t matter what happens. It’s not because they are more or less [focused]. It’s that they can adapt to sustain incredible amounts of efforts every day more than the other ones."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Manchester City remain top of the table , despite the team's injury issues, and there will be little sympathy for Guardiola from Premier League rivals who have watched the Cityzens put together an expensive squad at the Etihad Stadium. Yet teams may also feel this is a good time to play City due to the absence of key players. Guardiola's side crashed out of the Carabao Cup in midweek to Tottenham and face a busy week with games against Bournemouth, Sporting CP and Brighton to come.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY
Manchester City may appear vulnerable ahead of their trip to Bournemouth but do possess an excellent record against the Cherries. City are unbeaten in all 21 of their matches against Bournemouth and have won the last 15.
The New Zealand quick has shattered several records in his first year, but refuses to be drawn into stats
Deivarayan Muthu06-Jan-2021At the start of New Zealand’s home summer, Kyle Jamieson was just feeling his way into the side. The 6ft 8in quick towered over everyone else by the end of it, bagging 27 wickets in four Tests at an astonishing average of 12.25. Eleven of those wickets came in the final Test against Pakistan in Christchurch, where he had started his first-class career for Canterbury in 2014. Only Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori have better Test-match figures for New Zealand than Jamieson.”It’s kind of weird when you say it! Those two guys are legends of New Zealand cricket and I’ve just played my sixth Test,” Jamieson said at the post-match media conference. “I guess It’s nice to be in and around those names but I’m just happy to be part of this group and to help in some small way in us winning games. We set out the summer with the goal of winning four Tests and just happy to do that.”Related
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In the absence of the injured Neil Wagner, Jamieson became New Zealand’s enforcer at the Hagley Oval, harrying Pakistan with pace, bounce, swing and seam. While his bouncing out of Fawad Alam in the first innings was pure theatre, it was his dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan in the second that showed he could be just as threatening by dropping the ball on a length and moving it. Having seen that Rizwan’s game is largely about hard-handed pushes that occasionally forces his bat to travel too far in front of his body, Jamieson disguised his inswinger as a ball potentially up there for the drive, only once it pitched it turned into something entirely different, storming through the Pakistan captain’s defences.”It’s not often you have six months where you can dedicate yourself to the game and there’s some strength and conditioning stuff which was really helpful,” Jamieson said. “The inswinger was kind of a product in the winter as well. That has come in handy a couple of times. I guess it’s a general thing. When you get such a big block of time to be able to work on your batting, bowling and strength and conditioning, it sort of comes out in ways like this.”Jamieson has shattered several records in his first year in Test cricket, but he refused to be drawn into stats, saying he still has a lot of work to do. He’s yet to test out his skills overseas and at home, he has had to deal with the fifth day of a Test match only once.”I still think there’s quite a bit [of improvement that can be done]. I still feel like I’m a long way off the cricketer I want to be,” Jamieson said. “I’m 12 months into my international career and it’s a long process. Hopefully, I’ve got another nine-ten years in this group and if that happens there could be a wee bit more to come.Kyle Jamieson’s 36 wickets have come at a miserly average of 13.3 apiece•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”There’s always things you’re trying to work on. It’s nice to be able to move the ball both ways and in different conditions that won’t necessarily always be helpful. In terms of different deliveries and different formats you got white-ball cricket and different variations there. There’s nothing specific but you’re always trying to improve your game and those things kind of pop up from time to time.”With Lockie Ferguson working his way back from injury, Matt Henry returning to the Test team and Jacob Duffy becoming the first New Zealander to take a four-wicket haul on his T20I debut this summer, New Zealand’s pace stocks have probably never been stronger. Jamieson credited their excellent High Performance system for his rapid progress as well as the overall health of the national team.”I went to the Under-19 programme, pretty much out of high school, so had about a year-and-a-half there. And winter training squads and those sort of stuff for about four-five years,” he said. “The time and effort they’ve put into my game has certainly helped me where I am now.”Without that, I’m definitely not sitting here, having experienced the things that I’ve, and I think our High Performance structure is probably one of the better in the world with not the same sort of money and resources that other countries have. So, that’s a huge credit to them and the powers that be there to put those plans and structures in place. “
Neymar has been ruled out for up to six weeks after tearing his hamstring in his second Al-Hilal game back after an ACL injury.
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Neymar missed a year of actionNow faces a further layoffSubbed late on against EsteghlalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Hilal have confirmed that Neymar has sustained a hamstring tear, doing so in his second game back after a yearlong absence due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The Brazil superstar moved to the club in 2023 but has played just seven games for the Saudi Arabian side, and was substituted in the 86th minute of Hilal's 3-0 win over Iran's Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League earlier this week.
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Hilal have confirmed that he faces missing between four to six weeks and will follow a specialist rehabilitation routine. Hilal are currently top of the Saudi Pro League and remain unbeaten, even without the ex-Barcelona star's influence. His injury record means that he will reportedly be left out of Hilal's squad for the second half of the season, opening the door to a potential January transfer.
WHAT NEYMAR SAID
Neymar had played down the severity of the injury immediately after the game, but appears to have been proven wrong.
He said at the time: "It felt like a cramp, only very strong. I'm going to have some tests and I hope it's nothing too serious. It's normal for this to happen after a year. The doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes."
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
Hilal play Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq on Friday as they bid to continue their unbeaten start to the season. Neymar will have to watch on from afar.
Liverpool are roughly a month away from kicking off their Premier League campaign for the 2024/25 season with a clash with Ipswich Town away at Portman Road.
The club opted to bring in Dutch head coach Arne Slot from Feyenoord this summer to replace Jurgen Klopp, who spent almost nine years on Merseyside, in the dugout at Anfield.
He is now tasked with getting his team ready to compete at the top end of the Premier League next season whilst also competing for trophies domestically and in Europe.
The summer transfer window officially opened for business last month but Liverpool are yet to dip into the market to bolster the manager's options across the pitch.
Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool
Meanwhile, Slot may be in danger of losing one of his key players ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as Trent Alexander-Arnold has been linked with an exit from Anfield.
Sport BILD journalist Christian Falk recently claimed that Real Madrid are interested in a swoop to sign the England international and that the defender is open to a move, as his contract is due to expire next summer.
Losing the 25-year-old ace would be a big blow for the new Liverpool manager due to the right-back's terrific performances in the Premier League.
Why losing Trent Alexander-Arnold would be a big blow
Back in February, Alexander-Arnold broke the Premier League record for assists from a defender with his 58th assist in the division, overtaking teammate Andy Robertson.
The English sensation has produced 15 goals and 58 assists in 226 appearances in the top-flight in his career to date and could run out well ahead of the competition in that particular record if he remains at Liverpool for many more years to come.
Liverpool-Trent-Alexander-Arnold
He has registered double figures for assists in three separate Premier League seasons to date, which speaks to how consistently brilliant the full-back has been at creating chances for his teammates.
Alexander-Arnold, who was a finalist with England at the 2024 European Championship in Germany, was let down by his teammates in the final third during the 2023/24 campaign, as they did not make the most of the high-quality opportunities that were created for them.
Appearances
37
28
Goals
2
3
Assists
9
4
Big chances created
25
17
Key passes per game
1.9
2.3
As you can see in the table above, the English whiz has also been rewarded with 13 assists from a staggering 42 'big chances' created in the last two Premier League seasons.
What these statistics also show is that Alexander-Arnold is absolutely pivotal to Liverpool's team because he is a huge source of creativity from a right-back position, with his outstanding passing and crossing to split open opposition defences on a regular basis.
This means that Slot would need to bring in a full-back with exceptional attacking talent in order to brilliantly replace the Reds academy graduate, should he end up departing for Real Madrid this summer, or next year.
Liverpool's interest in attacking full-back
German paper Sport BILD, as relayed by PaisleyGates, recently reported that Liverpool are interested in a swoop to sign Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong.
The outlet claimed that the Premier League giants are in talks with the Bundesliga club in an attempt to secure a deal to snap up the former Manchester City prospect.
It stated that the Netherlands international, who was behind Denzel Dumfries in the pecking order at the Euros, has a release clause worth £34m in his current contract with Leverkusen.
Manchester United transfer target Jeremie Frimpong in action for Bayer Leverkusen.
However, Liverpool may be in talks with them in order to negotiate the payment structure of that release clause, rather than paying all £35m up front.
The report also revealed that the ex-Celtic star would be interested in a move to Anfield to compete in the Premier League under his fellow countryman Slot, whilst it added that he would only consider moves to top clubs in Europe if he were to move on from Leverkusen.
Liverpool must ensure that they can get a deal over the line to sign the right wing-back before the end of the summer transfer window as he would come in as a brilliant replacement for Alexander-Arnold, should the English star move on from Anfield.
Why Jeremie Frimpong could brilliantly replace Trent Alexander-Arnold
As aforementioned, any player coming in to replace the current Reds star would need to provide outstanding quality at the top end of the pitch.
Frimpong's performances for Leverkusen last season suggest that he has the ability to do exactly that with his contributions as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the German side.
Jeremie Frimpong for Bayer Leverkusen
Over the last 365 days, he ranks within the top 6% of full-backs in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.24) and the top 1% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.37).
This shows that the Dutch star, who also ranks within the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.39), has the quality on the ball to make things happen at the top end of the pitch at an exceptional rate in comparison to other full-backs in Europe.
Frimpong's underlying data is sublime and his statistics in the Bundesliga and the Europa League last term further illustrate his attacking quality.
Appearances
31
10
Goals
9
3
Assists
7
0
Big chances created
9
2
Key passes per game
1.5
1.1
As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old whiz, who was described as a "cheat code" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, hit double figures for goals scored and 'big chances' created across those two competitions.
This shows that the young wing-back has the ability to consistently make an impact in the final third from an advanced position down the right flank, which is what Alexander-Arnold has been doing for many years.
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Frimpong has not played as an orthodox right-back for Leverkusen but Slot could look to adapt his system to accommodate him or coach the Dutchman to play in a slightly more reserved role whilst retaining the bulk of his attacking quality, making him a brilliant Alexander-Arnold replacement.
South Africa lost their eighth successive Test in the subcontinent
Danyal Rasool29-Jan-2021It took about three hours of near-perfect cricket, but Pakistan eased the pressure on themselves and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, cruising to a seven-wicket win to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The win, Pakistan’s only fifth in Test cricket over South Africa, looked a very distant prospect when the visitors sat pretty at 175 for 1 on Thursday evening, but a spectacular collapse supercharged by a five-wicket haul for debutant Nauman Ali saw the game ripped from their grasp.After a flurry of wickets last evening, South Africa failed to arrest the slide as Yasir Shah and Nauman made hay. The visitors managed just 58 on top of overnight’s score, and aside from a brief wobble after lunch that saw Anrich Nortje remove both openers in an over, the 88 Pakistan were set was achieved at a canter.Hasan Ali began proceedings by getting rid of nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj off the day’s first ball, one that kept slightly low to breach Maharaj’s defence. Captain Quinton de Kock, who looked unlike himself during his scratchy little stay at the crease, became yet another victim to Abid Ali at short leg off Shah.South Africa will likely be left to rue two batting collapses this Test, but the manner in which Temba Bavuma, who has had his struggles of late, dug in, there is encouragement to be found. On a raging turner, he found a balance that allowed him to score while neutralising the threat. Alongside George Linde, he struck up another handy little partnership to go with their 42-run stand in the first innings. The sweep shot was used cleverly, pushing back the close-in fielders, and it was to Bavuma’s credit that Shaheen Shah Afridi looked somewhat flat with the new ball for a change. Slowly the lead pushed past 75, and South Africa sniffed hope once more.It was, though, extinguished by another rush of breakthroughs as the second collapse of the innings was initiated when Linde’s inside edge was plucked superbly by Imran Butt at leg slip. The batsmen that followed put up little resistance. Nauman spun one through the gate when Kagiso Rabada tried an extravagant cover drive, and completed his five-for – the seventh-oldest debutant to do so – when he trapped Bavuma in front, the sweep for once failing him.It was never going to be enough, even if Pakistan have produced some legendary fourth-innings collapses in the recent past. For that reason, when Nortje knocked back Abid’s stumps first ball after lunch, and had Butt nick off in the same over, a ripple of anxiety must have trickled through the Pakistan dressing room. It didn’t help that variable bounce had come into the game again, and Babar Azam had his defence seriously tested by Nortje.Once a couple of boundaries had been struck and the runs required came swiftly down, the fight began to sap out of South Africa. Azam shook off a failure in the first innings, demonstrating his touch with some luscious drives through the offside, while a handy cameo from Azhar Ali sat nicely alongside his half-century in the first innings. The last 46 runs came in 47 balls as Pakistan ended proceedings in a hurry, even if Maharaj claimed a moral victory when he snared Azam lbw for the second time in the game with two runs required. In the wider picture, though, South Africa were decisively condemned to their eighth successive defeat in the subcontinent.
Pep Guardiola was filmed furiously ranting in the Manchester City dressing room in a teaser for the club's upcoming documentary.
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Guardiola screamed at Man City playersCity to release documentary on PL successChampions have lost their last four matchesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
City are soon to release a documentary on the club which will focus on last season, in which they became the first team in English football's history to win four top-flight titles in a row. The teaser released by the club on X (formerly Twitter), shows Guardiola angrily screaming at his players after a game.
AdvertisementWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID TO MAN CITY PLAYERS
In the short clip, Guardiola can be seen ranting as he said, "That's why no one did four Premier Leagues in a row! That's the reason why! Because it's so difficult! You have to take the responsibility my friends!"
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While City managed to create history last season, their form has taken a major dip in the 2024-25 campaign. The reigning English champions are on a four-game losing streak which includes back-to-back league defeats against Bournemouth and Brighton. They also crashed out of the Carabao Cup after losing against Tottenham while Ruben Amorim's Sporting CP handed them a humiliating 4-1 defeat in the Champions League.
Earlier, Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka helped the visitors put up a competitive total
Madushka Balasuriya06-Mar-2021Sri Lanka’s spinners manufactured a convincing 43-run victory over the West Indies in Antigua to keep the three-match series alive and bring an end to an eight-match losing streak in T20Is.On a sluggish surface, Akila Dananjaya, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Lakshan Sandakan proved a handful – picking up seven wickets between them, the latter two picking up three wickets apiece – as Sri Lanka defended their total of 160 with ease. Such was the control Sri Lanka’s spinners exerted, even part-time offspinner Danushka Gunathilaka got in on the act, picking up the wicket of Jason Holder.In fact, 68 of the 117 runs the hosts eventually accumulated came off Sri Lanka’s two fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Thisara Perera; 41 of those were taken from Perera’s two overs alone.But while the final margin of victory suggested total dominance on the part of the visitors, at the half-way point they would have felt 15-20 runs short considering the start they had.Gunathilaka, in particular, was in great nick, continuing the form that had seen him top the run charts at the Lanka Premier League a few months back. His 56 runs came off 42 deliveries and included four fours and two sixes, but it was the control he exerted throughout that was most impressive, rarely needing to take risks to accumulate his runs.Alongside him Pathum Nissanka – one of the few bright sparks for the visitors from the first T20I – kept the scoreboard ticking along as the pair put on 56 inside the powerplay and 94 in the first ten overs. But the middle order once more failed to produce anything of substance as the next ten overs produced only 66 runs. Indeed it was only a late 11-ball 19 not out from the Player of the Match Hasaranga that saw Sri Lanka even manage the score they did – one which eventually proved enough.Brilliant Bravo Dwayne Bravo continued to trouble the Sri Lanka batsmen for a second game running as his mix of slower balls proved increasingly difficult to get away with. His four overs produced figures of 2 for 25, though it was his opening over which brought his side back into the game just as the Sri Lankans would have been to tee-off.Coming into the attack in the 11th over, with Gunathilaka and Nissanka looking well set, Bravo came up with a bit of magic in the field to break the partnership. Scuttling to his left in his follow-through, Bravo picked up the ball, swivelled and in one move threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Nissanka, who had been running well with Gunathilaka up until that point, was well short of his crease. Three balls later, Gunathilaka could only scythe a Bravo slower ball to the man at wide mid-off.And just like that Sri Lanka, who would have been eyeing a total in the region of 180-200, had two new batsmen at the crease.Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka gave Sri Lanka a start of 95 in 10.2 overs•Getty ImagesSri Lanka’s middle-order woes While the Sri Lanka openers had worked within a clear plan to counteract the West Indies bowlers’ utilisation of slower deliveries, their middle-order batsmen had clearly not received the memo. Of particular concern will be the failure of their stand-in captain Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal to score off quickly.The pair scored 16 runs between them off 22 deliveries, and at no point looked like they would hurt the West Indies bowlers. It was not until Ashen Bandara and Hasaranga were at the crease that any sort of impetus returned to the innings.While this soft underbelly didn’t hurt them in this game, it’s a gradual point of concern that Mickey Arthur and Co will need to address sooner rather than later.Spinners come to the fore If there was one takeaway from the first T20I, it was that most West Indies batsmen struggled against spin. So it was no surprise when Sri Lanka opted to go with an extra spinner in the second game, bringing in Sandakan for Nuwan Pradeep.The plan could hardly have worked better, with Sri Lanka’s spinners picking up eight wickets between them. While Hasaranga was the pick of the lot, picking up the wickets of Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons in his very first over, Dananjaya and Sandakan were equally effective.Dananjaya was exemplary in the powerplay, his three overs bring figures of 1 for 7; he would end with figures of 1 for 13. A fine return on most days, but even more impressive considering he was hit for six sixes in an over by Kieron Pollard just a couple of days ago.Sandakan, meanwhile, took the prized scalp of Pollard before cleaning up the tail with the wickets of Kevin Sinclair and Obed McCoy, the latter threatening briefly of an unlikely fightback with a seven-ball 23.Sri Lanka execute their plans, West Indies fail in theirs There is a reason the West Indian strategy of dealing primarily in boundaries is considered high-risk, high-reward. When it works, you get results like that on Wednesday night, or any number of heists they’ve pulled off in their T20I history. But when it doesn’t, even chasing a fairly gettable 161 becomes a trudge through the mud.For Sri Lanka, they knew what the West Indies batsmen were going to throw at them, and so gambled on bowling out their best bowlers early; by the end of the 16th over, all three of Hasaranga, Dananjaya, and Chameera – who had 8 wickets between them – had completed their quotas. This meant that either Perera or the part-timer Gunathilaka would have to bowl two of the last four overs, but with the asking rate soaring beyond 20 by that point, the game was as good as done.
As the new campaign approaches, Leeds United have reportedly joined the race to sign a Championship star in an attempt to beat a number of Premier League sides to his signature.
Leeds transfer news
The Whites have so far endured a difficult transfer window, losing both Archie Gray and Glen Kamara in two major blows to Daniel Farke's side following the heartbreak of play-off failure at the end of last season. But things could yet look up for those at Elland Road, who have reportedly tabled an offer to sign FC Koln midfielder Dejan Ljubicic, who could replace Kamara.
What's more, Leeds have also been linked with Blackburn Rovers forward Sammie Szmodics following his standout campaign in England's second tier last time out. If the Yorkshire club were missing any firepower, he would certainly add that in abundance, having won the Championship's Golden Boot last season. Before they potentially move for Szmodics, however, Leeds and the 49ers Enterprises may well turn their attention towards another midfield reinforcement for Farke.
Sammie Szmodics
According to Corriere dello Sport via MOT Leeds News, Leeds have joined the race to sign Gabriel Sara from Norwich City this summer alongside the likes of Leicester City, Crystal Palace and Galatasaray. As the Canaries earned a play-off place, before suffering a defeat against Leeds last season, Sara was a standout in David Wagner's side. Earning plenty of interest as a result, the midfielder may now have a decision to make.
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Those at Elland Road may hope that, if Sara does decide to leave Carrow Road this summer, then he chooses a move to Yorkshire and the chance to compete for a promotion to the Premier League, but Norwich could be reluctant to let their star man leave.
"Outstanding" Sara can replace Gray
Whilst Gray filled in at right-back for the majority of the last campaign, his natural role remains in midfield to create an absence that Sara could yet emerge to fill at Elland Road in the coming season. Earning a reported £19k-a-week at Norwich, the 25-year-old is not someone who would disrupt the wage bill at Leeds and certainly proved last season that he can replace Gray and unleash Georginio Rutter even further in the process.
Goals
13
0
Assists
12
2
Key Passes
119
17
Ball Recoveries
226
196
After a staggering 25 goal involvements across the campaign, it's no surprise that former Norwich boss Wagner was full of praise for Sara, saying via The Pink Un last season: "He works hard. He can easily run between 12 and 13 kilometres and has great vision. He is an outstanding player and a top professional.
"He always has 'team first' in his head, and it is something very special to have a player who is producing these numbers but has this in their head. It's a pleasure to have him in the team. You have seen how hungry and greedy he is to make something special out of this season."