All posts by h716a5.icu

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany could be a busy man over the next few months as the Belgian attempts to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.

The head coach led the club to glory in the Championship, winning the title with 101 points, and could look to the summer transfer window to improve his team.

Foot Mercato recently reported that the Clarets are seriously considering a swoop to sign Bristol City defensive midfielder Han-Noah Massengo, who has been on loan at Auxerre this season.

The 21-year-old is out of contract at Ashton Gate this summer after joining them from Monaco for €8m (£6.9m) in 2019 and is set to be available as a free agent, which could make him a bargain signing for Kompany.

How has Han-Noah Massengo performed this season?

He joined Ligue 1 side Auxerre on loan for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and enjoyed a strong five months of action in his home country.

The talented France U21 youngster, who was once dubbed a "roaming playmaker" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has showcased his defensive instincts in the middle of the park and his ability as a holding midfielder could make him the perfect heir to 33-year-old Burnley ace Jack Cork.

Massengo averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 13 appearances in Ligue 1, where he also made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, which shows that the French enforcer is able to win the ball back for his side on a regular basis.

Cork, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across his 39 outings, where he made 2.5 tackles and interceptions per league match for the Clarets.

The former Monaco man has also won 53% of his duels in comparison to the Englishman's 51% and this means that the youngster has made more defensive interventions per appearance whilst also being more efficient in his attempted challenges.

Both players have a pass completion rate between 86 and 87% and have the quality to be reliable in possession to go along with their excellent defending in front of the back line.

Massengo is also 12 years younger than Cork and this means that the ace has plenty of years left ahead of him to grow and develop and could do just that under Kompany's coaching at Turf Moor.

Therefore, the soon-to-be free agent could be the dream long-term heir to the veteran defensive midfielder and could lean on the Englishman's experience to help him improve before eventually taking over in that position in the team.

Wahab Riaz bounced back from figures of 0 for 110 at Trent Bridge with a Man-of-the-Match display at Old Trafford

Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford07-Sep-2016Wahab Riaz’s tour of England was in danger of ending on a forgettable note. When England racked up their world record 444 at Trent Bridge he finished with 0 for 110, the second-worst figures in ODI history, and was banished to the sidelines for the final two games of the series.But, brought back for the T20 at Old Trafford, he responded with a career-best performance of 3 for 18, including the key wicket of Jos Buttler, and did not concede a boundary in his four overs. Used exclusively in the second half of the innings – a piece of early planning from new captain Sarfraz Ahmed – England could not handle his extreme pace or drastic slower balls.”I had a plan within myself that if I have to bowl fast it has to be very fast and if I have to bowl slow it has to be very slow and you have to have a lot of varieties in this T20 game,” Wahab said. “When you are in rhythm, things go your way.”When he was being hammered around Nottingham by Alex Hales, Buttler and Eoin Morgan, Wahab did not help his cause by overstepping. The TV umpire, using the trial system of calling no-balls, was at his busiest when he had the ball. Most costly was the reprieve of Hales on 72 as he went on to score his England-record 171.Wahab said missing the last two ODIs had given him time to work on the problem and thanked the effort of bowling coach Azhar Mahmood.”I wasn’t in the habit of bowling no-balls before this tour, I don’t know what happened to me. The credit goes to the bowling coach, he really helped me, he was very strict with me about the no-balls. Because I was resting the last two games, he really worked hard with me and the credit goes to him.”Eoin Morgan acknowledged Pakistan’s attack had enjoyed a good day, but believed conditions had changed significantly when his bowlers tried to defend 136: by the end of the Powerplay, Pakistan were 73 for 0. He said the evening dew made strokeplay easier and, with hindsight, he would have bowled first.”Pakistan bowled well, and adapted to the circumstances – but given the pitch we bowled on, we probably would have needed 180-185. The ball seemed to slide on quite nicely.”I’m not one for excuses, but certainly the shots the Pakistan batsmen played out there are shots you can only play on a very, very good wicket.”We are not a timid batting team – we play quite aggressively. But none of us seemed to catch fire or get going.”

While all eyes are on the pitch for Durban’s first-ever Test match in August, peripheral vision will move to the outfield which has failed to recover completely since being relaid last month

Firdose Moonda18-Aug-2016While all eyes are on the pitch for Durban’s first-ever Test match in August, peripheral vision will move to the outfield which has failed to recover completely since being relaid last month.After a limited-overs series between both teams last year, members of both sides had complained about the condition of the outfields in Durban and Centurion. They found the ground uncomfortable because it was too hard and asked if something could be done to soften it ahead of this year’s Test series. CSA agreed to decompact the outfield at both venues, which essentially involves removing sand and grass and relaying it. However, the process took place too late in Durban and the outfield was too deeply dug up to be ready in time for the Test. As a result, the outfield is an eyesore: patchy with several areas of scant grass and significant sand.”The digging happened too deep and too late and that’s why it looks the way it does now,” an insider told ESPNcricinfo. “Overall, it may be softer, but it’s definitely not pristine.”Work was done at SuperSport Park as soon as the season ended in April, but could not get underway in Kingsmead at the same time because it is the end point of the Comrades Marathon, which was run on May 29. “There would have been no point doing it when you are just going to have 18,000 runners’ feet on the ground a few weeks later,” the source said.Instead, the process only began in mid-June and was completed by July 1, seven weeks before the Test. More than 40 tonnes of sand and grass were removed from the outfield and new grass was grown. “It was a bit of a gamble to start that late, but they thought with the warmer climate, the outfield would recover and it was on its way.”At the end of July, Durban was hit by severe floods, and the outfield “was like a lake.” Since then, intermittent drizzle and insufficient sunshine, partly caused by the shadow the grandstand casts over part of the outfield at this time of the year, did not allow the grass to grow as much as it should have.While this will have no impact as such on the pitch, which had a significant grass covering on it the day before the match, it could still play a part in the Test. On rougher ground, the ball will scuff up quicker which may assist in getting reverse-swing.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a disappointing season and will need to carry out an inquest into why they have come up short in the race for Champions League football.

Underwhelming recruitment, the famous exit of Antonio Conte and the uncertainty over the future of Harry Kane has led to a hostile atmosphere around the club at the minute, with the Lilywhites being in danger of missing out on continental football entirely as they sit eighth in the Premier League table heading into the final day.

In the summer, additions will be needed to help combat their demise as they try to move forward. However, the fact the north London outfit still don't have a new manager, although Feyenoord boss Arne Slot looks to be a serious contender for the role, has soured relations between the fans and the Spurs' hierarchy.

One reported target that could help to revive their fortunes on the pitch is Villarreal defender Pau Torres, who may "welcome a new proposal from Tottenham" following Spurs' bid of £42.6m last summer that was rejected by the La Liga side.

What's the latest news involving Pau Torres and how has he faired this term?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown thinks that Torres would be a step up in quality from some of their current defenders after the rumours emerged.

Brown told FFC: "I think he would be an upgrade. Whether he fits with the defenders who are already there, I have my slight doubts about. I'm not sure they're a good mix of profiles, he also has quite a high escape clause and I think Spurs probably need to do business in other areas ahead of that position. On paper, he is a better defender than some of the ones they've got."

Torres has a release clause worth €50 million (£43,548,551) and there is a feeling that Villarreal would accept an offer in this region due to their culture of selling their products to recoup handsome transfer fees.

Of course, there would be questions as to who he could compete with for a starting place and Cristian Romero naturally comes to mind straight away. Comparing the two in their respective leagues, as per WhoScored, Torres edges Romero in clearances completed this term, managing an average of 4.1 to Romero's 3.6 in 2022/23.

Regarding tackle success rate, FBRef shows that Torres also holds a slight advantage, scoring 64.3% compared to Romero's slightly inferior record of 63%.

The Villarreal defender has also carried out more long ball passes than Romero per fixture, making 5.4 per game pitted against Romero's three, though the clashing styles of play between Tottenham and Villarreal will have contributed to this differential.

Of course, this is not to say that Torres is necessarily a better defender than Romero; it is just to illustrate a point that is worth bearing in mind heading into next season, especially when Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is considering factoring in a more data-based approach to transfer activity to try and maximise the output of players in N17, as per The Daily Mail.

In total, €73,077 (£63,677) per week earner Torres has made 36 appearances for Villarreal in all competitions this term, notching one goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Last year, the 26-year-old earned the praise of BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves via quotes transcribed by United In Focus, who said: “He’s a fantastic player. I’m quite surprised he’s still at Villarreal. English teams were looking at him. I think everyone was talking about Man United and even Real Madrid, I think his potential is literally that high. He’s got a fabulous left foot, he’s great in possession. A fantastic player so I don’t think he’ll be at Villarreal very long.”

The fact Torres is left-footed may play into Spurs' hands quite nicely, offering some balance in the backline come 2023/24 as they look to get themselves back on the canvas.

Who knows, maybe Torres and Romero could form a solid partnership at the heart of the Lilywhites' defence next term. Stranger things have happened in football and it may turn into an eventuality if recent reports are to be believed.

Chelsea have spent big under their new ownership, seeking to kickstart their revolution with a host of fresh faces at Stamford Bridge.

However, as they sit 11th in the table, it has quickly become clear just how difficult a task managing so many high-quality players is. Graham Potter and now Frank Lampard have fallen victim to such a poisoned chalice.

Despite this, Mauricio Pochettino will be expected to come in and lead the project forward, which is expected to involve a few more key additions to truly turn them into challengers.

Given their respective seasons, it is not unwise to suggest that Arsenal's meteoric rise will be studied by the former Tottenham Hotspur boss as a potential blueprint for earning similar success in the coming years.

If he is to do that, he will want to mimic the key assets of their play: a rock-solid, ball-playing back four gives way to a workmanlike midfield, affording two tricky wide men the space to provide for their frontman, who lead the press.

Despite their surplus of players on their left wing, Pochettino's first item of business could be to send all of them packing in order to replicate Gabriel Martinelli's success with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is thought to be a key target for the club.

What's the latest on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Chelsea?

As per Italian outlet Il Mattino, the Blues are reportedly going 'wild' for some of Napoli's key assets, following their imperious run to claim the Serie A title.

The Georgian magician ranks highly on that list, with Boehly seemingly having already enquired for more information on the availability of the 22-year-old, who is also likely to be the focus of many other European heavyweights.

Despite being deemed untouchable by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis in the initial report, it is expected that a minimum fee of around €100m (£87m) could tempt the Italian outfit into selling.

How good is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?

Words do not do justice to just how good Kvaratskhelia has been this season, as one of two standout men in a title-winning team alongside leading talisman Victor Osimhen.

Coming from the left wing onto his favoured right foot, the mercurial forward has posted some incredible numbers in both the Serie A and Champions League. Having scored 14 goals and assisted 17 more across all competitions, via Transfermarkt, few in Europe have been as prolific and creative as him, with such returns generating one direct goal contribution every 96 minutes.

It is no surprise to see such a lofty price tag attached to the 6-foot dynamo's name and even less surprising to see Mail Sport journalist Mike Parrott suggest the youngster is a "world-class threat" for opposition defences.

However, for all his outstanding performances, Martinelli too has shone in a similar manner for a team that seems set to just fall short of their own league victory.

The Brazilian, at just one year Kvaratskhelia's junior, also enjoys gliding inside from the left flank. This has earned him huge success, as his 15 goals make him the club's joint-top scorer, with five assists to supplement this too.

Adding such a potent goal threat akin to the 21-year-old to Chelsea's wing could be the catalyst that Pochettino needs to spark the club back into life, driving them up the table should he translate his form into the English game.

What further aids in their comparison is that Martinelli also appears on FBref's similar players model for the Naples hero, only adding to the impact he could have should Boehly push this move through.

Given Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Noni Madueke and Hakim Ziyech have a combined goal tally of just eight in the league, a player of Kvaratskhelia's quality would immediately make these assets obsolete and challenge the Gunners' Brazilian dynamo for the mantle of the top left-winger in the capital.

Tinashe Panyangara, Zimbabwe’s pace spearhead, has been ruled out of the two-Test series against New Zealand after failing to recover from a back injury

Firdose Moonda21-Jul-2016Tinashe Panyangara, Zimbabwe’s pace spearhead, has been ruled out of the two-Test series against New Zealand after failing to recover from a back injury. Panyangara, who picked up the injury during a training camp ahead of Zimbabwe’s limited-overs series against India in June, is expected to resume bowling in August.That means Zimbabwe will likely look to the recent A series against South Africa at home for a replacement. Shingi Masakadza and Brian Vitori, who played one game each during the series, are the most high-profile bowlers competing for the slot.Masakadza, who took three wickets in the first innings of the first four-day fixture in Harare, also offers a batting option down the order while Vitori’s left-arm action will provide variation, although he is short of match practice.Vitori, who was out of action for six months after being suspended for an illegal action in February, made a comeback in the second match in Bulawayo, but was both expensive and ineffective. He conceded 106 in 21 wicketless overs, and sent down eight no-balls.A wild card would be Victor Nyauchi who opened the bowling with Masakadza in the Harare game and returned figures of 1 for 94 in the first innings and 2 for 26 in the second.The pace department is not Zimbabwe’s only concern, however. With Graeme Cremer likely to captain the Test side as well, after he was given the job for the ODIs and T20Is against India in June, they could find themselves limited to a legspinner, should they go into the Test with just one specialist slow bowler.John Nyumbu could be an alternative if they choose to field a second spinner. With conditions at Queens Sports Club expected to be slow and low, Zimbabwe will also have to call on the all-round ability of the likes of Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams to perform in both disciplines.Although Hamilton Masakadza was relieved of the captaincy duties after the World T20, he is expected to take up his position at No.3, leaving it up to Vusi Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo, who have Test experience, to battle it out with in-form Brian Chari and Prince Masvaure at the top of the order.Chari scored 98 in the first match against South Africa A while Masvaure made 146 in the second, which should give Zimbabwe some much-needed batting depth in Brendan Taylor’s absence.This will be Zimbabwe’s first Test series since November 2014, when they toured Bangladesh. Zimbabwe have not played Tests at home since a one-off fixture against South Africa in August that year.It will also be Makhaya Ntini’s first Test series in charge, after he took over the head coaching duties ahead of the India series. Ntini has not been confirmed as the permanent coach of the team but remains in charge until a decision is made. He will be joined by fellow South African Lance Klusener, who is the batting consultant.

Alastair Cook has said he wants to move on from the “sideshow” regarding the omission of James Anderson for the opening Test against Pakistan at Lord’s

Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford21-Jul-2016Alastair Cook has said he wants to move on from the “sideshow” regarding the omission of James Anderson for the opening Test against Pakistan at Lord’s.Medical advice regarding his shoulder injury overruled the desire of Cook and Trevor Bayliss to have Anderson in the side. Anderson then went to play two days of Lancashire’s Championship match against Durham at Southport, where he took 3 for 58 off 22 overs.However, Cook believes the fall-out, which has included a suggestion that Andrew Strauss wants to drastically alter the selection model England use, has been an overreaction because the Test was lost – something far more down to England’s poor batting than a failure of the bowling attack, which removed Pakistan for 339 and 215.”A lot has been blown out of proportion,” Cook said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t play the greatest game of cricket. So then people start jumping on things which were less important, but became more so because we lost.”If we’d played really good cricket, and won the game – and the 11 guys were certainly capable of that – then that story wouldn’t be blown up like it has been.”It’s happened. It was a slightly messy affair, no one intended it to be like that and we’ve got to move on, and play better cricket. It’s been a bit of a sideshow – an unimportant sideshow, really.”An England spokesman said on Wednesday that there were no plans to sack any selectors. However, Strauss has previously said that he would examine the selection process once he had got through various other issues that were in a rather full inbox when he took on the managing director role last year. So if any changes do occur in the future they could well have been on the cards regardless of the Anderson situation.Anderson and Ben Stokes, who also proved his fitness in the match at Southport following knee surgery, will return to England’s XI at Old Trafford as they aim to level the series, with Steven Finn and Jake Ball making way.”It’s great to have Jimmy back. He’s an outstanding bowler, it’s great to have him fully fit,” Cook said. “If he’d bowled 30 overs and really hurt his shoulder, and was out again, we’d all be sitting here and be disappointed with that decision.”In hindsight, he could have played that game – because obviously, he went and played for Lancashire and got through that. We probably erred on the side of caution, and have to hope we now have him for three games.”

Arsenal are targeting two midfielders in the summer window, and are preparing an opening bid for Declan Rice, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What has Romano said about Arsenal and Rice?

The Gunners made the West Ham captain their top target back in January, and are set to step up their interest when the season ends.

Mikel Arteta wants two new midfielders, with Granit Xhaka expected to join Bayer Leverkusen, and there have been links to Moises Caicedo of Brighton as a big-money arrival alongside Rice.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed that Arsenal desire a midfielder in addition to Rice, and revealed the extent of their current interest in the Englishman.

"Arsenal will go for new midfielders in the summer, it could be two, from what I understand, and Declan Rice remains the top target. He remains top of the list at Arsenal, since January he's a name that's been discussed internally," he stated.

"We can say now that Arsenal are now preparing and thinking of the first bid for Declan Rice, it is not submitted yet. But they are preparing that bid internally, it means that they are waiting to understand how much West Ham want in order to submit the first proposal, they will also respect West Ham as they are busy with European football, so right after the Conference League they will be able to negotiate with West Ham.

"The idea is in June to submit an official proposal for Declan Rice, so they are now discussing about the structure of the bid, it will probably include some add-ons, so Arsenal are discussing about that internally."

What could Arsenal's midfield look like?

With Xhaka potentially departing, Rice could either be the natural replacement, as a number eight alongside Martin Odegaard, or he could replace the defensive midfielder, with Jorginho or Thomas Partey dropping out of the side.

The other midfield target could determine where Rice is played if he joins Arsenal. Caicedo and Rice could interchange between their two midfield positions if deployed together, or Rice could play as the deeper option with a more creative player coming in.

There have been links with Mason Mount, whilst Emile Smith Rowe has been mooted as an option in midfield, with his future still unclear.

Arteta clearly wants quality in depth, with the Gunners returning to the Champions League for the first time in seven years, and two big signings in midfield could potentially help them compete for the title again next season.

Aston Villa have shot up the table since the appointment of Unai Emery in November, with European football still a possibility for the Villans.

The Spaniard has taken the club from relegation dwellers to solid Premier League competition in six months, and with three games to go, things could get even better for the Midlands outfit should results go their way.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, the 51-year-old will have the chance to build the squad to his liking, strengthening in areas to take Villa to the next level next season.

It’s not only moves in the first team that are drawing attention, but in the academy also as a host of players wait to find out their destiny with reference to their futures at the club.

One of which is 18-year-old Charlie Lutz, who has been stealing the headlines in the U18 Premier League this season.

Who is Charlie Lutz?

The English striker has enjoyed a high-scoring season for the U18s, finding the net eight times in nine appearances, as well as contributing two assists.

Playing predominantly as a wide forward, the youngster can also lead the line and has shown his goal-scoring prowess as being joint top-scorer alongside teammate Rory Wilson.

The teenager is one of a host of academy players who have their futures in question as to whether they will renew and continue their stay at Bodymoor Heath.

Lutz is certainly one for the future, described by his Father as being "razor-sharp focused" on what he wants out of his footballing career, and the youngster is hitting heights in Villa’s academy and could be one to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates.

Jack Grealish is the most famed star to come out of the academy set up at Bodymoor, the 27-year-old is a regular for Manchester City and England and has written the story that many youngsters in the academy wish to follow.

The most recent big move for an academy star was Carney Chukwuemeka’s move to Chelsea in the summer. The midfielder has made 11 Premier League appearances for the Blues at just 19 years of age.

Chukwuemeka’s dream became a reality, which could happen for Lutz too who, like the 19-year-old, has been impressing in the U18s Premier League.

The Austrian-born England international had a strong season in the same league before playing in the Premier League 2, then graduating to gain his first-team debut in the 2020/21 season, before signing for Chelsea last summer.

Having made nine appearances in the league this season, Lutz will turn 19 in October, which opens a new door to the Premier League 2, where so many have made a name for themselves in both England and Europe.

A journey such as Chukwuemeka’s are steps that any young player can make if they continue to perform; Lutz has been a consistent performer for the academy, and should Villa keep hold of him, he could be the club's next big prospect.

Ravi Shastri, who had served as team director for almost two years leading up to Anil Kumble’s appointment as coach, has said he was “very disappointed” not to get the job himself

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2016Ravi Shastri, the former India allrounder who had served as team director for almost two years leading up to Anil Kumble’s appointment as coach, has said he was “very disappointed” not to get the head coach’s job himself. He said Sourav Ganguly, one of the members of the cricket advisory committee which played a key role in choosing the coach, was not present when the rest of the committee interviewed him.”Well, actually he wasn’t there,” he told the , when asked about his interaction with Ganguly during his interview. Shastri was being interviewed via Skype – he was in Thailand while committee member VVS Laxman and chief coordinator Sanjay Jagdale were in Mumbai. Sachin Tendulkar, also a member of the committee, tuned into the interview via Skype from London. Ganguly, though, was away at a Cricket Association of Bengal meeting.His interactions with the rest of the committee went well, though, Shastri said. “Meeting was great. Some great questions from VVS, Sachin and Sanjay. I put my way forward for the team. They wanted to know how do I plan to do well in all formats, how we should look at fast bowlers, and things of that sort.”But former India legspinner Kumble was named coach earlier this week. Shastri said he was disappointed to miss out since the team had done so well under his guidance as team director. “I was very disappointed. Disappointment because the hard work the entire unit had put in in the last 18 months. To see where they were when the support staff and I took over and to where they reached in 18 months makes me feel proud.”They got up, threw punches and ended up where they were. No. 1 in Test cricket, No. 1 in T20, No. 2 in ODI [at various points during Shastri’s tenure]. You can’t ask for more. Even I didn’t’ expect such a transformation in 18 months with this young team. I feel really proud.”I was honest, worked hard along with the support staff, and the players were fantastic. During those months, with the BCCI being hammered in the court and media for various reasons, cricket was the shining light. People really took to watching the way the Indian team was playing.”Under Shastri, who had taken over as team director in August 2014, India made it to semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20, and also climbed to No. 1 on the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks until Australia took over in February 2016. In this period, India also won their first limited-overs bilateral series in Australia, whitewashing the hosts 3-0 in a T20 series. Shastri was assisted by Sanjay Bangar (batting coach), B Arun (bowling) and R Sridhar (fielding). All their contracts expired at the end of the 2016 World T20, prompting the search for a new coach. Bangar had coached the team in the interim, in Zimbabwe.Shastri told the that Kumble had already spoken with him, and he hoped the team moved forward under him. “He [Kumble] called up yesterday [Thursday]. He has a great team, he said that. I wish him all the luck.”The team is right up there in all formats. Now is the time to take one step forward, especially after the [upcoming] tour of the West Indies; there is a lot of cricket at home [after the West Indies tour], you have to cash in on the home advantage. It would be great if he can take it forward.”India tour the West Indies in July and August, before returning for a home season consisting of a record 13 Tests against New Zealand, England, Australia and Bangladesh.