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Liverpool are much-improved across all departments after Jurgen Klopp restored the engine room this summer with multiple exciting additions, replacing the bulk of last season's sapped midfield.

Last year, Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League, with the squad's stark decline from former fluidity and intensity – hallmarks of Klopp's illustrious reign – exposed, but Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and co have settled the equilibrium and success is on the cards once again.

There is further work to be done on the transfer front, however, and the Reds appear to have an assortment of targets lined up ahead of what could be a busy winter transfer market at Anfield.

Liverpool transfer targets for January

According to Italian publication Calciomercato, a 'great frost has fallen' in Naples, with star striker Victor Osimhen disconcerted at Serie A champions Napoli and starting to fix his gaze on an exit.

Liverpool are among the contenders should the Nigerian sharpshooter become available next year, though the finances involved in a deal would be astronomical.

Elsewhere, TEAMtalk report that Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen is set to leave Stamford Bridge as owner Todd Boehly looks to continue the staggering spending spree since taking ownership of the club in 2022.

Maatsen, aged 21, is considered one of the most exciting young prospects at the outfit but manager Mauricio Pochettino has yet to start him in the Premier League and several sales will be required to facilitate the upcoming activity.

Burnley enjoyed the Dutchman's services on loan last season as Vincent Kompany's side blitzed the Championship, and while efforts were taken to secure his signature on a permanent basis in the summer, with a £31.5m offer accepted, he remained in west London after rejecting the Clarets' advances.

Liverpool and Manchester City are poised to compete for the left-back, the report states, with Klopp earmarking Maatsen as a possible option should the Merseyside outfit choose to bolster the left side of the backline in January.

The stats that show why Liverpool should sign Ian Maatsen

When Maatsen signed for Burnley on a short-term deal in January 2022, Kompany praised his qualities, saying: "We’re pleased to add Ian to our team, he’s a talented, energetic and pacy player, who can defend and get forward well. Ian will be a great addition to our team on and off the pitch."

Some effusive remarks for an exciting new addition, but Maatsen surpassed all expectations with his blistering performances, racking up four goals and six assists across 39 Championship appearances last term.

The electric full-back complemented his direct return with sustained and impressive displays across the year, creating 11 big chances, averaging 1.0 key passes, 1.9 tackles, and 1.4 interceptions per game, also completing 83% of his total passes, as per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the talented whiz made an impact at both ends of the pitch. He was able to contribute with attacking quality whilst still being able to win possession back for his team on a regular basis to cut out opposition attacks.

While he is inexperienced at the highest level – Maatsen has played six times in the Premier League for the Blues this season but has started from the bench on every occasion – there is plenty to work with and his high-octane, offensive approach fits perfectly with the way that Klopp sets his teams up to play.

And given the "dangerous" approach to his game, as was once said by manager Peter van der Veen, he could be the perfect heir to Andy Robertson's position in the Liverpool squad, with the 29-year-old Scotland captain currently out injured and not expected to return until after Christmas.

Robertson has been a reliable option for Klopp's side since signing from Hull City for a bargain £10m in 2017, making 275 appearances in total and winning the whole gamut of silverware under the German's tutelage, but his presence will not last forever and an heir must soon be established.

Kostas Tsimikas has served as his understudy for the past three years since arriving from Olympiakos for around £12m, but the Greek ace has never managed to usurp Robertson's starting position and has only made 66 displays for the Reds, assisting 12 times.

While Tsimikas is deputising in the Scotsman's absence right now, it certainly does not look like he is the long-term solution at left-back, and while Maatsen is a raw talent, he does boast quality in abundance and could be shaped to Klopp's own creation.

Metric (per 90)

Maatsen

Tsimikas

Goals

0.12

0.00

Assists

0.08

0.12

Shot-creating actions

2.05

2.90

Passes attempted

74.92

74.20

Pass completion

81.2%

77.6%

Progressive passes

6.77

4.95

Progressive carries

3.32

2.90

Tackles

2.05

1.57

Interceptions

1.43

1.45

Clearances

1.47

2.77

While the statistics show that Tsimikas is more creative with his ball-playing, Maatsen is clearly more energetic and marauding in his play, with an innate eye for goal that the Greece international, who has never scored for Liverpool, lacks.

Given Maatsen's youthful age and the fact that he is largely an untested commodity on the major stage, there would be a slight risk in taking on the left-back.

However, there is so much potential there and some discernible core qualities that would be well worth the venture, especially considering Robertson is set to retain his starting spot in the Anfield side for several years yet.

Maatsen would be a long-term project, and the dynamic Dutchman could take inspiration from his compatriot Ryan Gravenberch in making the move to Merseyside.

Gravenberch had languished on the fringe with Bayern Munich before Klopp pushed for his signature in the late days of the summer transfer window, signing the 11-cap Netherlands star in a £34m deal.

And he is already proving to be quite the acquisition, with Gravenberch, also aged 21, already posting two goals and assists apiece and earning praise from his manager for his "incredible" talent.

Maatsen too is a top-tier prospect, and indeed evidenced his glittering qualities during an immense loan spell with the Clarets last term, albeit at Championship level, and he still has plenty of time left to develop and improve at his young age.

Given that Chelsea were all too willing to ship him on in the summer, Liverpool would likely be able to prise him away from Stamford Bridge in 2024, with Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella both contesting for the starting spot in Pochettino's team.

Therefore, the transfer rumours surrounding Klopp's interest might hold some weight, and Maatsen would be the perfect protégée to serve underneath Robertson, transcending the role that Tsimikas plays for the Reds at present.

Phil Hay has shared a worrying update on the fitness of one Leeds United star who Daniel Farke has recently hailed.

Leeds United injury news

The Whites have suffered a number of injury concerns this season, with the likes of Stuart Dallas and Junior Firpo yet to feature under the new manager. Summer signing Djed Spence is also sidelined, whereas Wilfried Gnonto has recently returned from ankle surgery.

On the pitch, Farke’s side have been in solid form, although Wednesday evening’s 1-0 defeat to Stoke City put an end to three successive victories in the Championship. One player who has starred under the German is Crysencio Summerville, who also has missed parts of the current campaign through injury.

The winger was the hero on the weekend, scoring twice in a dramatic 3-2 win at Farke’s former side Norwich City, however, he was left out of the starting XI at Stoke and only came on as a substitute for the final 20 minutes Taking to X after the game, Hay provided an injury update on Summerville, relaying information from Farke that the attacker is still struggling with a pre-season injury which is requiring painkillers and is preventing him from playing three games in a week.

“Farke says Summerville isn't physically able to play three games a week at the moment, owing to a pre-season injury. Needs painkillers. Also felt he needed to give Kamara a rest after international duty with Finland.”

It represents a concerning update for Farke, who recently praised Summerville, saying after his display against Norwich:

"Crysencio is a baller, it's a joy to watch him. When you see a guy touching the ball like he does, it's heart warming. We always speak with him about wanting him to improve his effectiveness, we need goals, assists, end product. This is the final step for him to find his next step in his career. If he delivers like this, he's on a really good path with goals and assists but he has to keep going. Today he deserves all the praise.”

Leeds United fixtures

The games come thick and fast for the Whites in the second tier, with 12 Championship games scheduled between now and the New Year, so Summerville may have to be used carefully as the club continue to monitor the issue.

Leeds United's upcoming fixtures

Huddersfield Town (H)

28th October

Leicester City (A)

3rd November

Plymouth Argyle (H)

11th November

Rotherham United (A)

24th November

Swansea City (H)

29th November

Middlesbrough (H)

2nd December

Blackburn Rovers (A)

9th December

Sunderland (A)

12th December

Coventry City (H)

16th December

Ipswich Town (H)

23rd December

Preston North End (A)

26th December

West Brom (A)

29th December

At this moment in time, Leeds are sitting in third place in the league, nine points behind Ipswich Town and 14 behind leaders Leicester City. The Whites and Farke will be hoping to be in and around the automatic spots come January, and Summerville may have a big part to play if e can remain fit.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico da equipe sub-17 do Fluminense, Guilherme Torres, valorizou a vitória da equipe no Fla-Flu deste sábado. Na saída do gramado das Laranjeiras, o comandante destacou a relevância da vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Flamengo, que fez a equipe assumir a ponta do Grupo B do Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17.

-Mais uma vitória importante para essa geração. Seguimos evoluindo jogo a jogo, pensando sempre em dar o máximo de estimulo possível a essa garotada paraque consigam se desenvolver cada vez mais e chegarem mais prontos à próxima categoria e ao futebol profissional – disse.

O Tricolor das Laranjeiras foi aos mesmos 15 pontos do São Paulo (que perdeu por 2 a 0 para o Athletico-PR), mas está na frente dos paulistas devido aos critérios de desempate. Os gols tricolores foram marcados por Arthur, Kayky e Joilson.

RelacionadasFluminenseFlu goleia o Fla no Brasileiro Sub-17 e assume a ponta do Grupo BFluminense31/10/2020

MatériaMais Notícias

As trocas de treinador nos clubes sempre trazer algum efeito imediato nos clubes, seja na equipe, seja em alguns jogadores. Para Xavier, a mudança no comando do Corinthians foi essencial para que ele voltasse a receber chances no time titular. No entanto, o jovem volante não entrou em polêmica para falar de seu “sumiço” com Dyego Coelho e aproveitou para valorizar Vagner Mancini.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVídeoXavier conta as mudanças depois de estrear no profissional do CorinthiansVídeo23/10/2020VídeoXavier se declara ao Corinthians: ‘Sempre foi tudo na minha vida’Vídeo23/10/2020CorinthiansCorinthians se reapresenta e treina em dois períodos de olho no AméricaCorinthians23/10/2020

Xavier foi integrado ao elenco principal corintiano após a paralisação por conta da pandemia de coronavírus, mas estreou somente no Brasileirão, na segunda partida comandada por Coelho, quando o Timão venceu o Bahia por 3 a 2, na Neo Química Arena. Sua atuação teve destaque, tanto na mídia quanto entre os torcedores. No duelo seguinte, com o Sport, na Ilha do Retiro, ele voltou a ser titular, porém o Alvinegro foi derrotado por 1 a 0 e o volante voltou ao banco.

Mesmo sem ter sido o culpado pelo réves, Xavier acabou perdendo espaço com Dyego Coelho a partir daquele momento. Torcedores e analistas não entenderam a saída, e alguns até cobravam o retorno do jovem meio-campista. Segundo o próprio jogador, não houve uma explicação do treinador, mas ainda assim encarou a opção como natural e seguiu trabalhando forte para voltar.

-Ali não foi explicado porque o jogador tem que entender a opção do treinador sempre. Não foi explicado quando me colocou e não explicou quando tirou. Opção dele. Tem que ser respeitado e entendido. Procurar evoluir e melhorar para ajudar o Corinthians independentemente da opção do técnico – analisou.

Após quatro partidas no banco de reservas e sem ir para campo, Xavier só foi retornar diante do Athletico-PR, justamente na estreia de Vagner Mancini como técnico do Corinthians. Foi do volante o passe para o gol de Everaldo, no último minuto, que decretou a vitória alvinegra encerrando jejum de cinco jogos. De lá para cá, o jovem não saiu mais e atuou como titular contra Flamengo e Vasco.

Essa mudança de treinador acabou sendo ótima para Xavier, que teve um desempenho bastante elogiado em São Januário, na última quarta-feira. A vitória por 1 a 0 deu um alívio para o Timão e aumentou a confiança do grupo. De acordo com o meio-campista, mérito do trabalho de Mancini, que foi bastante elogiado em entrevista coletiva na última sexta-feira.

-A relação com Vagner é muito boa. É um cara parceiro, trabalhador, quer realmente ajudar todos que estão aqui. Principalmente o Corinthians. Ele traz o jogador para o lado dele, dá abertura para conversar, chama o jogador para si, dá confiança e tira dúvidas. Parceria com todos os jogadores. Estou gostando muito do trabalho dele – comentou Xavier.

Xavier deve seguir como titular do Corinthians no próximo compromisso do time, que será nesta quarta-feira, diante do América-MG, na Neo Química Arena, às 21h30, pelo jogo de ida das oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil. Enquanto isso, o elenco treina em dois períodos, neste sábado.

continua após a publicidade

Usman Khan’s final-delivery no-ball set up the Super Over, following which Sunil Narine held his nerve with the ball

The Report by Arun Venugopal11-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a nutshellIn a wildly oscillating game that frequently blurred the lines between victory and defeat, Lahore Qalandars prevailed over Karachi Kings in the Super Over. After Lahore had made 11 in the Super Over, Karachi were halted in their tracks by Sunil Narine, who unleashed his full complement of tricks. Conceding only two runs off the first five balls, which included the wicket of Colin Ingram, Narine all but ensured Karachi didn’t provide one last twist in an encounter that wouldn’t pause for a moment of calm.Earlier in the night, Lahore experienced the full spectrum of emotions – they came within shouting distance of wrapping up the game, but then thought they stuffed it only to eventually tie the game. Needing 16 to win off the last over, Sohail Akhtar turned up and dialled up the adrenaline with a sequence of 2, 4 and 6 off Usman Khan.With four runs needed off three deliveries, Mitchell McClenaghan ran himself out in pursuit of a bye. With the equation eventually narrowing down to three off one, Akhtar hit one straight down the throat of long on.However, even as Karachi were celebrating, it emerged that Usman had overstepped. More drama ensued as the two batsmen – Akhtar and Gulraiz Sadaf – hadn’t completed the run. Despite the ball being ruled dead with Ravi Bopara, the fielder, having completed the catch before the run was completed, the umpires Aleem Dar and Tim Robinson ruled that Sadaf would be on strike for the last ball. With two needed off the final delivery, Usman nailed his yorker and Sadaf could manage only one as the game went into the Super Over. Just over a week ago, Lahore found themselves on the wrong side of a Super Over. This time they would prove to be second-time lucky.Having put into bat earlier in the night, Karachi found a steady tempo for the major part of the innings. Despite losing opener Joe Denly early on, Karachi prospered from a 72-run stand between Babar Azam and Lendl Simmons. Simmons began with three boundaries driven through the covers off Anton Devcich’s bowling, and settled in with an equal measure of nifty cuts and expansive slogs. By the time he was dismissed in the 12th over, Simmons had made 55 off 39 deliveries. Azam, meanwhile, had a fortuitous moment when he lofted Yasir Shah to mid on where Shaheen Afridi fluffed a sitter. Reprieved on zero, he went on to score his second fifty in three games, a 49-ball 61.Lahore’s chase was moulded on the same template as Karachi’s, as they accumulated runs at a good clip without much extravagance. Agha Salman (50 off 45 balls) played a mature hand with Fakhar Zaman (28) and Devcich (24) rallying around him. Even as it looked like Lahore had this chase covered, Karachi’s bowlers, led by captain Imad Wasim and Bopara, took the pace off and slowed things down. Like Lahore, who had scored only 24 runs from overs 10 to 15, Karachi, too, faltered in this phase to manage only 32 runs.In a bid to up the scoring rate, Salman attempted to clear the deep midwicket fence but was undone by a terrific tag-team effort from the Azam-Simmons duo. Azam took the catch, and realising he was falling over the ropes, scooped the ball back to Simmons. Soon after, with 23 needed off 11 balls, Wasim backpedalled to pluck a fine catch to dismiss Sohail Khan and bumped his head into the turf in the process. Stretchered off the field, he had scans overnight and was kept under observation, which revealed a mild concussion. However, “his vitals are fine”, the PSL tweeted on the afternoon after the game.*Where the match was wonIn a game where there were too many false dawns, the decisive blow was struck by the understated Narine in the Super Over. Despite not having a huge score to defend, Narine wrested the match in Lahore’s favour in the first three deliveries. Starting with a straighter one on the stumps which Simmons couldn’t score off, he got away with a full toss next ball as the batsman could only manage a single off it. The third delivery, to Ingram, was a loopy offbreak that produced a top-edged slog brilliantly held by a diving Mitchell McClenaghan at fine leg. Narine pinned down Simmons once again with a 116 kph delivery and effectively put the lid on the match there and then.The men who won itWhile it is hard to look beyond Narine, it is important to acknowledge Salman’s composure at the top and McCullum’s cool under pressure. After Salman had marshalled the innings, McCullum, coming into bat at No.5, struggled to get his timing right, but managed the impactful strikes, like the ramp six off Usman. In the Super Over, too, his boundary off the penultimate ball from Mohammad Amir gave Lahore some extra cushion after they had lost Zaman early on.Where they standA win for Karachi could have seen them dislodge table-toppers Quetta Gladiators. Instead, they remain on third position with nine points. Lahore Qalandars, meanwhile, are officially out of the tournament, but have managed to salvage some pride with their second successive win in as many days.*

Liverpool are considering a late swoop for West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen, but only should one outcome occur before September 1st, according to reports.

Where is Jarrod Bowen from?

Bowen was originally born in Leominster, Herefordshire, but completed his big move to the Premier League and indeed the London Stadium from Hull City back in 2020 where he’s since gone on to become an integral member and regular feature of David Moyes’ first team, clocking up 161 appearances to date.

The England international still has another two years remaining on his contract, but having emerged as the Irons’ joint-top goalscorer last season alongside Said Benrahma, he’s caught the eye of FSG and Jurgen Klopp, but not for the first time.

Last summer, TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook revealed that the Reds boss is an “admirer” of the right-winger, whilst transfer insider Dean Jones confirmed that the Merseyside outfit were “keeping an eye” on the 26-year-old’s situation, and despite a deal having failed to come to fruition at the time, they are now considering taking a second bite of the cherry.

Are Liverpool signing Jarrod Bowen?

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool have "listed" Bowen as a potential transfer target should Mohamed Salah leave before Friday's deadline.

Klopp reportedly views the attacker as an "ideal replacement" for his veteran, who is being targeted by Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, and it's stated that they are prepared to table a €150m (£128m) package to prise him away.

Anfield chiefs are "adamant" that they don't want to sell their prized asset and have made their stance clear, but it doesn't sound like that's going to stop his potential suitor from trying their luck.

Liverpool's Summer Signings

Fee

Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)

€42m (£36m)

Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig)

€70m (£60m)

Wataru Endo (Stuttgart)

€20m (£17m)

How many goals has Jarrod Bowen scored for West Ham?

Since joining the Hammers, Bowen has racked up 74 contributions (42 goals and 32 assists) in 161 appearances, form which has seen him hailed “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, and whilst nobody could ever really replace Salah, Moyes’ star will be one of the closest to him.

Sponsored by Adidas, the attacker also last season recorded a total of 159 crosses and 73 shots over the course of the campaign, with both statistics being the highest throughout his squad, via FBRef, highlighting his desire to create chances and hit the back of the net.

Read The Latest Liverpool Transfer News HERE…

The Europa Conference League winner, who pockets £60k-per-week, is also a versatile operator with his ability to play in seven different positions over the grass, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, which is yet another attribute that the boss will no doubt have been attracted to.

Furthermore, Bowen shares the same agent, PLG, as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Nathaniel Phillips, so this existing connection that his representative has to the club could give chiefs a small advantage should they decide to pursue a deal in the final days of the window, and it may be one to keep an eye on.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their plans to bolster their defensive options before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Villans are exploring a deal to sign left-back Nuno Tavares from fellow Premier League side Arsenal, as Unai Emery eyes a move for the defender.

The reporter has claimed that Nottingham Forest's swoop for his services has now collapsed, which has opened the door for another team to snap him up.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Romano also added that personal terms are yet to be agreed between Villa and the Portuguese full-back as it is up to the clubs to agree on a fee first.

It was recently reported that the Gunners would demand a fee within the region of a staggering £22m to sell him on a permanent basis this summer, amid interest from West Ham and Galatasaray.

How good is Nuno Tavares?

The 23-year-old dud's performances in recent years suggest that he would not be a very good option for Emery this season and that means that the club could land Lucas Digne 2.0 by signing him.

Villa signed the France international from Everton for £25m in January of last year and he struggled badly throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

The 30-year-old flop averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.67 across 28 Premier League appearances, which placed him 16th within the squad. This shows that he was far from being one of the club's top performers despite his big-money switch from Goodison Park.

He failed to provide a threat in possession from left-back as the season ended with one goal and zero assists for the former FC Barcelona defender, whilst his 0.6 key passes per outing was the seventh-best in the team.

Emery could now sign Digne 2.0 in a move for Tavares as his poor form for Marseille is a huge cause for concern, particularly if it would cost £22m to secure his signature this summer.

The Portugal U21 international spent last season on loan in France and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.67 across 31 Ligue 1 appearances, which shows that he was as disappointing as the French dud was for the Villans.

Tavares was beaten far too easily by attackers as he was dribbled past 0.9 times per game and Alex Moreno (1.2) was the only Villa defender who was dribbled past more per match in the Premier League last term.

The ex-Benfica prospect also lost 58% of his duels and failed with 58% of his attempted dribbles, which shows that the opposition found it too easy to outmuscle him in physical contests and were able to stop him moving forward the majority of the time.

This also came after he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.63 over 22 Premier League clashes for Arsenal during the 2021/22 campaign.

Tavares, who was described as "catastrophic" by Casa Sports director of development Cherif Sadio during his time at Marseille, also failed to register a single assist in Ligue 1, although he did rack up six goals from left-back.

Therefore, Emery must now avoid a deal to sign the Arsenal dud as his performances over the last two years suggest that it would be another expensive flop at left-back for the club.

Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to make a move for Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, with Ange Postecoglou viewing the midfielder as an ideal addition to his squad, according to a recent report from The Daily Star.

Who are Tottenham signing this summer?

Tottenham are set to have a very busy August, with Football Insider reporting they expect to complete at least six more signings before the transfer window slams shut, amid the uncertain futures surrounding both Pierre-Emille Hojbjerg and Harry Kane.

If the duo leave before deadline day, Postecoglou is expected to bring in immediate replacements, and the Spurs boss is still looking at strengthening other areas of his squad, with another new centre-back in line to join, alongside Micky van de Ven and Ashley Phillips.

The Lilywhites are in the advanced stages of talks to sign Rosario Central forward Alejo Veliz, while they are also set to target a new midfielder, as they will not sanction Hobjerg's departure until a replacement is brought in.

Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE

According to a report from The Daily Star, one of the midfield targets that Tottenham have in mind is Ward-Prowse, and they are now ready to make their move for the Southampton midfielder, who is valued at around the £40m mark by his current employers.

West Ham United have already made an offer in excess of £25m for the Englishman, but Spurs could be poised to hijack the deal, as they would be willing to table a bid far closer to the Saints' asking price if the deal is wrapped up quickly.

With Tanguy Ndombele on the cusp of a move to Galatasaray and Giovani Lo Celso's future also in doubt, Postecoglou is keen to strengthen his midfield, and he believes the Southampton captain would be an ideal addition to his squad.

Having spent his entire career on the south coast, the 28-year-old will not push for a move, but the Saints are pragmatic about sanctioning his departure, following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

How many free-kick goals has James Ward-Prowse scored?

The England international has developed a reputation for being a set-piece specialist, having scored 17 free-kick goals in the Premier League throughout his career so far, just one short of David Beckham's record of 18.

Not only is the Southampton star impressive from set-pieces, but he also poses a considerable attacking threat, scoring nine goals in the top-flight last term, following up a 2021-22 campaign in which he scored ten league goals for the first time ever.

The Portsmouth-born midfielder is clearly a very well-rounded player, ranking in the 84th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating he could take on some of Hobjerg's responsibilities, with the Dane placing in the same percentile.

Lauded as "sensational" by members of the media, Ward-Prowse has proven that he is more than capable of making the step-up to a "big six" club, and Tottenham should undoubtedly look to hijack West Ham's deal in the coming days.

The game, which was scheduled for February 28, has been shifted to Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2017

Inclement weather in Auckland, where the new surface is being grown, postponed the re-turfing process in McLean Park•AFP

The Napier ODI in McLean Park between England and New Zealand has been moved due to a delay in re-turfing the ground. The game, which was scheduled for February 28, has been shifted to Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.This is the third straight ODI that has been moved out of McLean Park after a match against Australia in February was abandoned due to poor drainage. A subsequent game against South Africa in March was moved to Hamilton. The completion of the $2 million overhaul of the McLean Park outfield, which began in October, was then delayed, forcing New Zealand Cricket to also move out the January 2018 ODI against Pakistan.Inclement weather in Auckland, where the new surface is being grown, has postponed the re-turfing process. “We’ve been advised by our sportsground turf specialist up in Auckland that the volatile weather conditions have obstructed the opportunity to get this specialised grass grown and we haven’t been able to access the 7600 tonnes of special grade sand we need to lay the carpet in time,” Napier City Council CEO Wayne Jack said.”Sadly, despite huge effort on all sides, these are factors outside of our control. We’re now revising all our time frames.”

Newcastle United's deal to sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes is now "edging closer", and it could even be done this week, according to journalist Tom Collomosse.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Allan Saint-Maximin is looking like he will be on the move this summer, as the PIF are now orchestrating a deal with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, as reported by journalist Ryan Taylor:

"Allan Saint-Maximin poised to become first high-profile transfer negotiated by two clubs under majority ownership of PIF. Understand talks started between Newcastle & Al-Ahli last week. Deal has since advanced as Eddie Howe confirms. Numbers involved currently undisclosed."

As such, Eddie Howe will need to find a replacement for the winger, and Barnes has emerged as a key target, with it recently emerging that the Leicester winger would be open to a move to St. James' Park this summer.

There has been interest in other wide options, with the Magpies lodging a surprise bid for Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskheila, however the Serie A club have no pressing need to sell the Georgian, given that he is contracted until 2027.

Following Leicester's relegation from the Premier League, Barnes is expected to leave this summer, and there has now been an update on Newcastle's pursuit of the Englishman.

Taking to Twitter, Collomosse has now dropped an exciting update which hints the move is not far off being completed, saying: "Harvey Barnes edging closer to sealing move to Newcastle. Not there yet but if all proceeds smoothly from here, deal could be sorted this week. Fee expected to be £35-40m."

How good is Harvey Barnes?

Journalist Ryan Taylor is skeptical about whether the 25-year-old would be a real improvement on Saint-Maximin, who is close to leaving the club, saying: "Would find it strange if he is simply replaced by Harvey Barnes. Barnes more effective but not a game-changing upgrade, although Newcastle may view it differently.

The Leicester star has certainly had a better eye for goal in recent times, having found the back of the net 13 times in the Premier League last season, while Saint-Maximin has never scored more than five league goals across a season in the top flight.

Newcastle's current winger is perhaps more exciting to watch, given his fantastic dribbling ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, and he is better at setting up chances for his teammates.

The 26-year-old has averaged 0.40 assists per 90 in the past year, while Barnes has averaged just 0.03, but he has previously demonstrated he is capable of being a playmaker, recording ten assists in the top flight during the 2021-22 campaign.

It is not evident that the England international would be a major upgrade on Saint-Maximin, but it is clear that he is a very good player, with a range of qualities, having also been hailed as "superb" by journalist Matt Law.

A fee of around £35m would be reasonable for Barnes, and Howe will be hoping the deal will be done by the end of this week.