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Manchester United have asked for information regarding Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez after his performance against Barcelona in the week.

The Lowdown: Goal and an assist

Martinez, who ex-Red Devils striker Romelu Lukaku has called a ‘beast’ previously, starred in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The 25-year-old helped Inter to draw 3-3 against Barcelona, scoring a fine goal and providing an assist. The Argentina international took his senior goal tally to 126 for club and country, and it looks as if his performance caught the eye of Old Trafford officials.

The Latest: Martinez transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an update from Gazzetta dello Sport regarding Martinez on Saturday. They claimed that United and PSG are at the front of the queue for the Argentine, with the Red Devils asking for ‘first-hand information’ on the forward.

The report adds that the Premier League giants have an ‘open channel’ to the player, with information possibly useful as Erik ten Hag continues to overhaul his forward line.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

The Red Devils may well be on the hunt for a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club as rumoured.

Therefore, Martinez – who has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country – could be a shrewd target.

He is primarily a centre-forward who can play in a deeper role if needed and appears to be approaching the prime years of his career at the age of 25.

United may well be keeping tabs on the player at the World Cup after their recent approach, so this could be one to watch heading into 2023.

Liverpool have been backed to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong as he could ‘make them a better team’, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Midfield injury crisis

The Reds are the subject of an ongoing injury crisis, with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, alongside loan summer signing Arthur Melo, all missing the majority of the season so far.

Spanish outlet Sport recently claimed that the Anfield outfit may look at bringing the 25-year-old De Jong to the Premier League as early as January if none of the sidelined players return fit and firing before then, though could face competition from Manchester United.

Keita returned to training this week, but it appears as though that hasn’t dampened the links to De Jong.

The Latest: Hutton’s praise for De Jong

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League defender Hutton insisted that Liverpool should do everything to sign De Jong:

“He is a fantastic player. There is no getting away from that fact, we all know it. Of course it is going to come down to transfer fees and wages and things like that.

“Does he come in to the Liverpool midfield and make it better? Of course he does. He is a top class football player.

“I have always said I think it is an area where I think Jurgen Klopp will want to strengthen, whether it be January or next summer.

“He will know he needs players in if he is going to continue the progress of Liverpool. That is no slight on the players that are already there but I think De Jong would make them a better team.“

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The Verdict: Perfect for Klopp

De Jong still has four years remaining on his contract at Camp Nou so it won’t be easy to prise him away, but the Merseysiders should complete this deal if the opportunity does arise.

A midfield ‘monster’, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Dutch starlet has provided 18 assists and scored 14 goals in La Liga (Transfermarkt) and currently averages an excellent 91.6% pass success rate, showing he can not only dictate matches but also provide end product from the centre of the park.

He holds that crucial creative spark along with an all-action nature that Klopp would surely love, and would be a fantastic addition to the midfield should he put pen to paper next year.

Tottenham Hotspur saw their late ecstasy replaced by infuriating agony on Wednesday evening, with Antonio Conte’s side having seen victory snatched from their grasp following a highly controversial VAR decision.

In need of a win over Portuguese side Sporting CP to confirm their place in the Champions League last-16 with a game to spare, the north Londoners made the worst possible start to proceedings at N17, conceding midway through the first half as former youth product, Marcus Edwards, lashed in from distance.

A much-improved display after the break would result in a belated equaliser from January arrival Rodrigo Bentancur with just ten minutes left to play, before talisman Harry Kane looked to have won it at the death in dramatic fashion.

The England skipper would, however, see his stoppage-time effort subsequently ruled out for offside to curtail the celebrations, with the Lilywhites now still requiring a result against Marseille next week to secure a knockout stage berth.

For all Conte’s fury directed towards the officials in the aftermath of that stalemate, as the dust settles the former Chelsea boss may well be concerned at the performance of some of his key men, including defender Eric Dier.

The England international has been a regular fixture for the club this season – starting all 17 games thus far – although endured a night to forget against his former employers, having proven something of a liability at both ends of the pitch.

The 28-year-old – as well as teammates Pierre-Emile Hojberg and Cristian Romero – was “made to look very stupid” in the build-up to Edwards’ opener, according to Jay Jaffa, after failing to adequately stop the youngster in his tracks, with that setting the tone for the frustrating evening that the centre-back was to endure.

The 47-cap menace distinctly underwhelmed in the heart of the backline having lost 82% of his total duels, while also winning just a solitary tackle and failing to make a single interception or clearance.

That limp showing also saw the £25.2m-rated man lose possession ten times from his 82 touches, having also squandered two big chances amid the home side’s late onslaught.

Having earlier seen a volleyed effort well saved by opposition ‘keeper Antonio Adan, Dier then inexplicably failed to convert a handful of headed openings late on with the goal at his mercy, with football.london’s Rob Guest noting that he ‘really should have won the game for Spurs’.

An ineffective presence in both boxes, the £85k-per-week dud unsurprisingly recorded a measly match rating of just 6.5, as per SofaScore, with that the joint-lowest of any of his starting teammates, alongside the returning Lucas Moura.

Having been a largely reliable figure under Conte over the past year or so, it has proven something of a grim week for the former Everton loanee, having also played his part in the recent Premier League defeats to both Newcastle United and Manchester United.

With a World Cup looming, Dier may well need to try and recapture his form if he is to find himself on the plane to Qatar.

Allen, Chapman and Tickner retained; Neesham and Ajaz excluded from current list

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2023

New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne has been offered an NZC central contract for the first time in five years, as the board announced 20 names as part of the list for the 2023-24 period. The 31-year-old quick returned to the national side’s set-up last October after almost a year out, although he had represented New Zealand in the T20 World Cup in 2021, and was a part of the squad for the 2022 edition.Milne also played his first ODI in more than five years in November, with his last game in the format having come during the Champions Trophy in 2017.”Adam’s worked exceptionally hard, and has shown good resilience over the past few years to be in a position to earn this contract offer,” coach Gary Stead said. “He’s always been a top-class bowler, and we were impressed by his consistent contributions in the recent home summer and the tour of Pakistan.”Among other highlights of the contract offers made by NZC, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman and Blair Tickner have been retained after joining the list last year, having initially taken the place of Colin de Grandhomme, who retired from international cricket last August, and Trent Boult and Martin Guptill, who had declined national contracts last year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

There was also no place for allrounder James Neesham, who too had turned down an NZC offer nearly a year back, while committing himself to T20 leagues around the world.Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who was included in the last set of contracted players, has been omitted this time since he played just two Tests during the current period.Under the terms of the Master Agreement, all New Zealand players have until June 12 to accept or decline the contract offers made by NZC.Players offered NZC contracts for 2023-24: Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson and Will Young

Everton have enjoyed a much more comfortable start to their 2022/23 Premier League campaign after making eight new signings in the summer, and now transfer targets are starting to emerge ahead of the winter market opening in 2023.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, Everton are plotting a swoop for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Daniel Podence in January.

As per the report, it is claimed that the winger’s agent Jorge Mendes is on the hunt for a new club for his client despite Podence becoming a regular first-team starter at the Molineux – with Farhad Moshiri and Everton believed to be strongly interested.

He’s exactly what Everton need

There is no doubt that there have been improvements in the performances on the pitch compared to last season – when the side endured a difficult relegation scrap at the bottom of the table.

Everton are now 12th in the Premier League standings and, currently sitting four points clear of the bottom three, which will undoubtedly delight Frank Lampard. However, there is still some room to improve in one particular area of the pitch.

Defensively, the Toffees look extremely assued, with Conor Coady and James Tarkowski forming a formidable centre-back partnership. However, compared to teams above them in the table, going forwards, the Blues have scored the joint-least amount of goals (11) this season so far.

Indeed, Everton did lose the services of Richarlison in the summer, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also been out with a number of injury issues over the last 12 months, so it comes as no surprise that the side are struggling for goals, although this is an issue that should’ve been addressed in the summer transfer window.

As a result, the signing of Podence could be just what Everton needs due to his versatile attacking capabilities and Premier League experience, meaning he could be a ready-made solution to the side’s goal-shy approach to their games.

The 27-year-old dynamo – who was hailed “clever” by former manager Bruno Lage – has scored two goals and created two big chances, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes and taking 1.7 shots per game over 12 league appearances in 2022/23.

One of the Portuguese winger’s most notable attributes that would be hugely beneficial to Lampard is his versatility in positioning, with Podence more than capable of playing across the front three and even in a deeper advanced midfield role.

With that being said, if the powers at Goodison Park can secure a good deal for Podence in January, it would certainly appear to be a worthwhile investment when looking for ways to improve their attacking threat over the second half of the season.

Sky Sports match reporter Kris Boyd was left fuming with Aston Villa’s medical staff following an injury to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez against Newcastle United. 

The Lowdown: Martinez injury

Martinez kept up his record of starting every fixture so far this season, with Aaron Danks naming an unchanged side from the team who beat Brentford last weekend.

However, the 30-year-old collided with centre-back Tyrone Mings following a shot from Joelinton and was eventually replaced by Robin Olsen in the first half.

The Argentina international was examined by Villa’s medical staff initially before going down for a second time shortly after, something which has left Boyd unhappy.

The Latest: Boyd’s comments

Boyd was covering the game for Sky Sports and wasn’t happy with Villa’s medical staff, labelling the incident as an ‘absolute disgrace’.

“I’m no medical expert but I can see from here that it was serious. It was in the side of the head, a knee full force from Tyrone Mings, you could tell Martinez was struggling. Why the medical staff don’t put their foot down and take him off this field is an absolute disgrace.” 

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The Verdict: Doesn’t look good

Head injuries are always a concern, and with concussion substitutes now available, you can see why Boyd was left unhappy with the situation.

Martinez never looked 100 per cent following the collision with his teammate, so in hindsight, Villa staff may feel they have made an error in allowing the goalkeeper to play on.

He must have passed their concussion protocols to carry on for a short period of time, but it feels like this will be a hot topic of conversation over the coming days.

Scottish champions Celtic have been dealt a setback ahead of tonight’s clash with Motherwell, following an injury to midfielder James McCarthy.

What’s the word?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of the trip to Fir Park, manager Ange Postecoglou revealed that the Republic of Ireland international is set for an extended spell on the sidelines as a result of a hamstring issue.

Asked about any potential absentees for the upcoming meeting with Steven Hammell’s side, the 57-year-old stated:

“James McCarthy, unfortunately, picked up a hamstring injury in training. He will miss out – it’s quite a significant one. Obviously with the break coming, he will be back training by the group.”

The 31-year-old has endured a stop-start spell at Parkhead thus far since his free transfer arrival last summer, with the 42-cap playmaker having been restricted to just five appearances in all competitions this season.

Frustration for Postecoglou

While the former Everton man would have been unlikely to start this evening’s encounter having largely been a peripheral figure during his time in Glasgow to date, the £14k-per-week gem’s absence will still be a source of frustration for Postecoglou, with the former Yokohama boss already somewhat under strength in the centre of the park.

The Old Firm outfit have been forced to make do without influential skipper Callum McGregor in recent times, with the Scotland international having been absent with a knee injury since the defeat away to RB Leipzig in the Champions League last month.

The 29-year-old’s spell out of the side has reduced the club’s options at the base of the midfield, with losing another defensive-minded asset such as McCarthy no doubt set to be a further setback, even with just two games left to play until the World Cup break.

There will also seemingly be frustration for both Postecoglou and the player himself that his move to Parkhead is still yet to work out, with the one-time Wigan Athletic ace having made just 27 appearances over the past year or so, including just six starts in that time.

The decision to hand the struggling asset a four-year deal at the time of his arrival has no doubt backfired as far as the Bhoys are concerned, with McCarthy having yet to justify such a strong show of faith from the club.

The Glasgow-born figure will seemingly be further frustrated at his inability to stay injury-free, having notably endured a miserable stint at Goodison Park in the past that was plagued by spells on the treatment table.

As for Celtic, amid what has been a hectic run of fixtures both domestically and in Europe, it is far from an ideal scenario to have one less option to choose from.

West Ham United have been backed to secure a transfer deal for Blackburn Rovers attacker Ben Brereton Diaz. 

The Lowdown: West Ham’s interest in Brereton Diaz

The east London club were linked with a move for the Blackburn star during the previous summer transfer window.

Recent reports have then claimed that the Hammers are plotting a move to sign the Chile international during the upcoming January window.

With that in mind, it now appears that David Moyes’ side have been touted to bring Brereton Diaz to the London Stadium once the winter transfer window opens for business.

The Latest: West Ham touted to sign Brereton Diaz

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League player Alan Hutton, who now contributes for the BBC as a pundit, had this to say on the matter. He said:

“I think every manager will tell you they want as many strikers as possible. Especially ones that can score goals so it does not surprise me. There has been interest before. I think he is probably ready now to take that next step.

“I think the likes of West Ham would be a good club for him. [Gianluca] Scamacca has come in and done well, [Michail] Antonio has had to be on the bench recently.

“I think you always want options especially in the Premier League. I think it would be a good buy if they can get him for the right money.

“He has proved himself in the Championship so it is time to go and have a crack at the big league and I am sure he is more than capable.”

The Verdict: Could save Moyes’ job

Hailed as an “elite” player by Gary Brazil, Brereton Diaz has scored 52 goals in 209 club appearances at senior and youth levels prior to Rovers’ clash against Burnley on Sunday lunchtime.

West Ham got a good idea of the goal threat that the 23-year-old carries as he scored the late equaliser in the recent 2-2 draw between the Hammers and Blackburn in the EFL Cup.

With pressure reportedly mounting on Moyes, adding a figure like Brereton Diaz, who has racked up more attempts at goal (61) in the Championship this season than any other player in the division and scored nine goals in doing so, could be just what the Scotsman needs to get his side firing and take away the pressure on him.

Moving forward, with January in mind, it could be a wise move for West Ham to do all they can to sign the Blackburn star and bring him to the London Stadium.

Former BBC pundit Noel Whelan claims that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had a ‘horrendous’ time with injuries after he was ruled out for Everton this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Another setback

The 25-year-old came off in the 2-0 league defeat at home to Leicester City last weekend with a hamstring problem, which subsequently kept him out of the squad in the 4-1 loss at Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Frank Lampard confirmed in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match against the Cherries in the Premier League this afternoon that Calvert-Lewin ‘won’t be involved’, as he not only has a problem with his hamstring but also his shoulder and knee.

His knee injury had kept him out of the start of the season, and after making a comeback in October (Transfermarkt), he appears to have suffered another injury setback.

The Latest: ‘Horrendous’ injury problems

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has claimed that Calvert-Lewin has had a ‘horrendous’ time with injuries, describing his latest setback as ‘awful’, and he even suggested that Everton need to bring in another striker as cover in the January transfer window given the England international’s record.

The 47-year-old stated: “He’s had a horrendous time with injuries. There’ll be no one more frustrated than Calvert-Lewin. It’s awful when you’re coming back just to get another injury and another setback.

“But I think Frank and the board have now got to get a quality striker through the door. They’ve brought Maupay in, who can do a job – but he’s not an out-and-out goalscorer.

“Everton need someone who can lead the line, bring others into play – but more importantly, put the ball in the net. Calvert-Lewin can do that when he is fit, but it’s just not happening for him.

“There comes a time, after 15 months of problems, where you need to think about bringing in better cover. It’d be money worth spending, that’s for sure.”

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The Verdict: Yet another setback

This is not the first time that Calvert-Lewin has suffered an injury setback, as he missed a four points in the end.

This term, the Toffees have only managed 11 goals in 14 games in the league, the third fewest in the top flight, which sees them lingering in 16th place in the table (Sky Sports).

Calvert-Lewin is a reliable source for goals in the top tier when fit, as evident by his double-digit hauls in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, but he seems to be really struggling to get a consistent run of games together.

Having already been beaten well by Bournemouth in midweek, Everton have extra psychological pressure to get a result today, which will be harder to achieve in Calvert-Lewin’s absence.

Nonetheless, given his injury record, they should take Whelan’s advice and consider signing another striker in January, with Blackburn Rovers’ Ben Brereton Diaz one such player to be linked with a Goodison Park move.

Tottenham Hotspur are seriously considering a move to sign Villarreal ‘star man’ and World Cup-bound defender Pau Torres, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites transfer planning?

The Lilywhites have been linked with a succession of defenders as manager Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici plan to upgrade the Premier League club’s squad.

For instance, Inter Milan centre-half Milan Skriniar has been on Spurs’ radar as the north Londoners chase the riches of Champions League qualification for a second successive campaign.

Torres, for whom Paratici made an approach in the summer of 2021, could now be back on the agenda amid earning a call-up to Spain’s squad for this month’s World Cup in Qatar.

The Latest: Spurs ‘very much considering move’ for Torres…

Indeed, the 25-year-old Villarreal mainstay could leave his club mid-season, with the La Liga side ‘braced to lose’ their ‘star’ defender in January.

This information comes courtesy of 90min and journalist Graeme Bailey, who claim that Paratici and Conte are firmly back in the frame to sign Torres.

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The Spaniard’s contract is set to expire in 2024, but while Villarreal know that they could be resigned to his exit in January, they will demand a club-record fee for his services, which is believed to be upwards of £40m.

As a result of his potential availability, Tottenham are ‘very much considering’ a move to sign Torres.

The Verdict: Do it…

A fee in excess of £40m could be a worthwhile investment for someone of Torres’ calibre.

As per WhoScored, only goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and midfielder Daniel Parejo have played more league minutes at Villarreal than the centre-back this season, with Torres also making more blocks per 90 than any of his teammates.

These numbers highlight the 6 foot 3 colossus as a solid and dependable asset at the back, which is arguably what Tottenham need given they have conceded 11 goals in their last five league matches.