All posts by h716a5.icu

Sunderland supporters may feel the closer it gets to the transfer window closing, the more chance there is of retaining key man Jack Clarke.

However, manager Tony Mowbray is surely a lot more realistic about Clarke's future at the Stadium of Light, with interest in the 22-year-old only growing by the week.

Is Jack Clarke staying at Sunderland?

The Daily Mail reported on Sunday that Burnley have made a third bid for Clarke in the region of £9m, which must surely be tempting for Sunderland, while Brentford have joined the Clarets and Crystal Palace in the race to sign the England youth international.

Clarke still has three more years to run on his contract, meaning that Sunderland could get another year out of him and sell for a similar fee a year down the line – or indeed more should his performances go up a notch.

It has previously been reported by The Northern Echo that it will take an offer closer to the £16m mark for Sunderland to cash in, with that the amount Brentford paid Hull City for Keane Lewis-Potter last year in similar circumstances.

What is the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Black Cats have been quick off the mark in the summer transfer window, having already brought in Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham, Luis 'Hemir' Semedo and Jenson Seelt.

Mowbray's men are said to be keen to add at least a couple more new faces, including Heerenveen midfielder Thomas Haye. At 28 years old, he does not exactly fit the category of player the Black Cats have looked to sign this window, but his experience of playing in Eredivisie could come in handy.

When asked at the weekend about reports linking him with the likes of Sunderland and Ligue 1 side Toulouse, Haye is quoted by ESPN as saying: "I look at it calmly. I have the ambition to take the step, but only if it is a good step and everything falls into place."

While not the same type of player as Clarke, getting a deal finalised for Haye would certainly bring something a little different to Sunderland. The former Netherlands U21 international plays predominantly as a holding midfielder, while also having the ability to shift into defence or move into a slightly more advanced area if required.

As per FBref's player comparison model, Haye shares many similar qualities with former Manchester City and now Athletico Paranaense midfielder Fernandinho, giving a good indication of exactly what his game is all about.

Indeed, with 1.79 tackles won per 90 minutes in Eredivisie last season, he ranks higher than any Sunderland regular across their impressive Championship campaign last time out – Edouard Michut being their best midfield performer with a figure of 1.75.

Haye also completed 50.7 passes per 90 minutes last season, which only defender Luke O'Nien (52.4) could better among Sunderland players, while showing he can also help out in an attacking sense with 0.17 goals and assists per 90 last season and 0.37 the year before.

For context, midfielder Dan Neil averaged 0.15 for Sunderland in 2022-23 – and that was arguably at a lower level in terms of quality.

Haye, previously described as "impressive" by Voetbal International reporter Reon Boeringa, is into the final year of his Heerenveen contract and reportedly earns just £3k a week, making him a realistic target for the Black Cats.

A replacement for Clarke he is not, but Haye would undoubtedly enhance Sunderland's squad and soften the blow if they can win the race for his signature.

Kusal Mendis’s unbeaten 166 helped Sri Lanka to post a comfortable 321 for 4 on the first day in Galle

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle07-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:35

Fernando: No-ball scare gave Mendis focus

How sweet homecomings can be. Having failed to score 300 in any of their six Test innings in South Africa, Sri Lanka rode Kusal Mendis’ suave 166 not out to a score of 321 for 4 on the first day in Galle. Along the way, Mendis signed up Asela Gunaratne for a sidekick, forging with him a dominant 196-run fourth-wicket stand, of which Gunaratne’s share was 85.This Galle pitch deserves a first-innings total of at least 400, so although Sri Lanka’s position is strong for now, it is certainly not an unassailable one. Bangladesh, though, will rue their falling away towards the end of the day. Their first three hours had been disciplined and energetic, the quicks squeezing a little movement from a reluctant surface in the early overs, before the spinners dealt almost exclusively in tight lines and lengths at their initial introduction. Their initial reward for this stretch of good bowling was a scoreline of 92 for 3, but then their pep waivered. The last dismissal came after several hours, not long before the close of play.Mendis-Gunaratne’s record

2 Centuries for Kusal Mendis at home from nine innings. Mendis scored 176 against Australia last year and is currently unbeaten on 166. This is also his third first-class century.

166 Runs scored by Sri Lanka from 35 overs in the third session of play. Mendis scored 86 of those runs.

196 Runs added by Gunaratne and Mendis – the highest fourth-wicket partnership for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh

That late scalp was well-deserved by Taskin Ahmed, though – he was Bangladesh’s most consistent operator through the day, and it was appropriate that he have at least one scalp to show for his toil.Mendis’ innings was not without its flaws, but the mistakes came in the early going. He was assured through the middle of the day, and by the end: sublime. The worst shot had been his first. Mendis flashed at a short ball outside off stump from Subhashis Roy, to send an under-edge to the keeper. Bangladesh were celebrating and he was trudging off when the umpires sought to run a no-ball check, with replays showing the bowler had overstepped. Though visibly relieved, the experience was enough to scare Mendis into early reticence – only 22 came from his first 60 balls.There had been a little juice in the pitch in the early overs, too – a modicum of sideways movement, and just a hint of zip off the pitch. When this disappeared in the day’s relentless heat, Mendis began to prosper. First he parsed the mild spin of Shakib Al Hasan and the moderate turn of Mehedi Hasan. He then withstood Taskin’s intense second and third spells. Eventually Subashis tried to unsettle him with a short-ball assault, but though the occasional bouncer beat his hook shot, and another ball took the splice of his bat, he retained his wicket, and soon enough, began to score off the rib-high balls as well. As always with a good Mendis innings, there was that flicked on-drive, but on this occasion it was the swat-pull that defined his progress through the middle of the day. His first fifty took 101 deliveries but, in the company of Gunaratne – who was also scoring smoothly – Mendis hit his second off 64 balls.As the day grew long, and Bangladesh began to visibly wilt, Mendis only grew more dominant. He slinked down the crease to hit Shakib over long-on in the 76th over, then slog-swept Mehedi over deep midwicket soon after. He sailed past 150 in the final overs of the day. This innings was not nearly as impressive as his maiden ton – 176 against Australia last year – but he has, nevertheless, already displayed a thirst for big hundreds.Gunaratne, his partner for 43 overs, rarely appeared troubled at the crease, and was quick to punish anything short. Against the spinners he deployed his favoured sweep and reverse sweep. He glided to a half-century in 85 balls, and rarely failed to find gaps to release the pressure when a few dot balls had built up. This was his third fifty-plus score in five Test innings.Before Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal had produced a long, fruitless stay at the crease. It was not tortured exactly – the ball rarely beating his bat or causing him strife – but it was unambitious in the extreme. Why he embraced this ultra-conservative approach is unclear, particularly as he had just clattered 190 off 253 against the same attack in the tour match last week. Whatever the case, he only succeeded in taking time out of the game. Midway through the afternoon, a sudden burst of energy overtook him: he attempted to flay Mustafizur Rahman through the covers, then tried to slash him a little squarer next ball. The first shot was mistimed, and yielded no run. The second attempt sent a thick outside edge directly to gully, who gobbled up the catch. Chandimal ended with 5 runs to show for 54 balls and 71 minutes at the crease.The first session had been Bangladesh’s best, as Subhashis, Taskin and Mustafizur delivered impeccable spells to corner Sri Lanka into conservatism. Subhashis had made the first incision, darting a ball back off the seam to rattle Upul Tharanga’s stumps. Mehedi had Dimuth Karunaratne cutting too close to his body to make the second breakthrough. Sri Lanka were 61 for 2 at lunch, and there seemed a chance, at that stage, that their unusual decision to field only six batsmen for this Test would immediately hurt them.Mendis ensured that would not be the case.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in a move for Fulham defender, Tosin Adarabioyo, as manager Ange Postecoglou seeks to strengthen his centre-back ranks this summer.

What's the latest on Adarabioyo to Tottenham?

According to respected insider Alasdair Gold, writing on Twitter, the north Londoners are seemingly keeping tabs on the 25-year-old amid their search for a new central defender: "Understand Tosin Adarabioyo remains high on Spurs' list of potential central defender moves this summer after some extensive scouting last season."

In his attached piece for football.london, Gold went on to add that the Lilywhites are 'weighing up' a move for the 6 foot 5 sensation after monitoring his progress over an extended period of time, albeit with a raft of clubs across Europe also interested in the one-time Manchester City asset.

The piece adds that the former England youth international is being considered alongside the likes of Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven in the quest to bolster the backline, although Adarabioyo is likely to prove a cheaper option as he has just 12 months remaining on his current deal.

Should Tottenham sign Adarabioyo?

As Gold's report noted, it is Bayer Leverkusen star, Tapsoba who is Ange Postecoglou's 'main central defensive target' at present, although the signing of Adarabioyo – who made 25 Premier League appearances last season – could represent a dream alternative having already proven himself in English football.

The towering asset has seemingly been tipped for big things ever since emerging through the youth ranks at the Etihad, with City boss Pep Guardiola having said of his talents back in 2016: "He is fast, strong in the air, and has the quality to look forward behind the line for the next pass."

Also dubbed "immense" by former boss Tony Mowbray during his loan spell at Blackburn Rovers in the 2019/20 campaign Adarabioyo was particularly impressive for the Cottagers last season amid their return to the top-flight, with his 6.89 average match rating the sixth-highest among his teammates.

The Manchester native offers a real dominant presence in the heart of the defence having won 69% of his aerial duels in 2022/23, with that a far better record than what Tapsoba achieved during his 33 Bundesliga outings (56%).

While the latter man is particularly adept at playing out from the back – as he ranks in the top 5% among his European peers for progressive passes at an average of 5.76 per 90 – Adarabioyo is no slouch in that regard, having averaged only slightly lower at 4.10 per 90 across the last 365 days.

With the Fulham man clearly comfortable on the ball as well as being an imposing asset defensively, he could offer an all-round package to Postecoglou and co, hence why the £40k-per-week menace could represent a possible bargain alternative to Tapsoba this summer.

Leeds United could be set to make their first signing of the summer, even before securing a new manager…

What's the latest on Viktor Johansson to Leeds United?

With the 49ers seeking to solve the many issues that Andrea Radrizzani left them with when he offloaded the club, atop their list is likely filling their head coach vacancy.

However, they cannot pass up the opportunity of a transfer coup should it appear, which according to Football League World, it has done.

They note that the Whites are keeping tabs on Rotherham United goalkeeper Viktor Johansson as a potential replacement for Illan Meslier, with a focus on domestic transfers expected to be the priority this summer.

Fans will likely be glad to see the back of their French shot-stopper, given how his exploits at the back end of last term cost them dearly.

After all, it was reported back in April that he already had one eye on an exit even before their relegation.

Who is Viktor Johansson?

To swap out this culpable French dud for such a capable gem would mark an instant upgrade, and hopefully kickstart a much-needed defensive revolution at Elland Road.

Last campaign the Whites shipped 78 goals as they finished 19th in the Premier League, and the 23-year-old goalkeeper saw much of the blame placed upon his shoulders. The stopper was therefore understandably dropped for their final four games of the season.

His 6.65 average rating in the league that year was supportive of Sam Allardyce's decision, as he would concede on average two goals per game, and kept just five clean sheets throughout the whole term, via Sofascore.

Journalist David Kent even outlined how the £30k-per-week dud had let his side down, writing on Twitter in April: "Meslier a massive liability at this stage for Leeds."

Meanwhile, Johansson has been an ever-present stalwart for The Millers, cementing the number-one spot with a string of fine performances.

Across his 43 Championship matches in the recently-concluded campaign, he was averaging 3.7 saves per game at a success rate of 74%. This fed into the 13 clean sheets he had earned, and the 7.11 average rating bestowed upon the 24-year-old, via Sofascore.

Despite his side finishing 19th, he commanded a staunch backline that held firm on many occasions despite all their struggles.

The 6 foot 1 titan had offered a glimpse into his goalkeeping strengths back in 2020 and has only served to prove his claims correct in the following years.

He initially claimed: "I’d say I’m an explosive goalkeeper, quick off my line, good at shot stopping and good with my kicking."

Replacing unreliability with solidity will be a huge step forward for the Yorkshire outfit, as the 49ers seek to hand whoever their new manager is the perfect platform for instant success.

Australia will look to close out a successful home season with another victory over Pakistan in the fifth ODI at the Adelaide Oval

The preview by Brydon Coverdale25-Jan-2017Match factsJanuary 26, 2017
Start time 1350 local (0320 GMT)Big PictureThe series is decided, and this Adelaide Oval one-day international thus becomes a low-pressure celebration for Steven Smith’s men on the national holiday – Australia Day. Bigger tasks lie ahead in the coming weeks, for eight members of this ODI squad are part of the group heading to India for a four-Test tour that starts in late February. But for now they will hope to finish off the home summer with another win, to take the series against Pakistan 4-1 after also sweeping them in the Test series. True, it is not Australia’s last home match of the summer – three T20s against Sri Lanka will be held in mid-February – but it is the last featuring anything like a full-strength XI. Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc are just a few of the men who would normally be certain starters in the T20 side, but who will instead be in India ahead of the Tests.Pakistan, meanwhile, have little to play for except pride. Having lost the Tests 0-3, and now the one-day series – albeit they won the second match in Melbourne – they will want to head home with a consolation victory to make the series score look a little closer. But to do so they will need not only bigger scores from their batsmen, but a vastly improved fielding effort. Their catalogue of fumbles, dropped catches and overthrows in the fourth match in Sydney would have been comedic had it not cost them the series. It means plenty of work for the fielding coach Steve Rixon ahead of Pakistan’s next international series, in March-April against West Indies.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)

Australia: WWLWW
Pakistan: LLWLW
Pakistan’s fielding in the fourth ODI would have been comedic had it not cost them the series•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesIn the spotlightUsman Khawaja is the one member of Australia’s top order who has failed to manage a half-century in this series, and he will be keen for a big score in Adelaide to secure his position at the top of the one-day order. Khawaja is heading to Dubai early for Australia’s training camp ahead of the Test tour of India, and he is not therefore part of the Chappell-Hadlee squad heading to New Zealand for next week’s series. That means Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh will have the chance to make their cases for a permanent place at the top of the ODI order in Khawaja’s absence.Sharjeel Khan’s scores have been building throughout this series: 18, 29, 50, 74. And he scores at such a rate that if he maintains his momentum through a long innings, it could be enough to set Pakistan on the path to victory. In Sydney, he smashed his 74 off 47 deliveries, but could not maintain it sufficiently to turn it into a big hundred as David Warner had for Australia earlier in the day. And while Sharjeel’s batting can turn a match, his fielding had an unfortunately high impact at the SCG, where he dropped two important catches.Team newsBilly Stanlake has not travelled to Adelaide and instead will fly to New Zealand with Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh a day ahead of the rest of the Chappell-Hadlee squad. That means Australia are choosing from a squad of 13, and an unchanged XI from their win in Sydney is feasible.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Peter Handscomb, 5 Travis Head, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.Having lost the series, Pakistan might take the opportunity to make changes. Rahat Ali has not yet appeared in this series, while Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Nawaz have sat out since playing the first match. Or they might choose the same XI. Junaid Khan took 0 for 82 in the previous game, but would be unlucky to be axed on the basis of those figures, given two catches were dropped off his bowling.Pakistan (probable) 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8 Imad Wasim/Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Junaid Khan/Wahab Riaz/Rahat Ali.Pitch and conditionsThe Adelaide Oval pitch is always good for batting. The forecast for Thursday is for a sunny day with a top temperature of 30 degrees Celsius.Stats and trivia Australia have not played an ODI at Adelaide Oval since the 2015 World Cup match that featured a memorably feisty Wahab Riaz spell against Shane Watson Adelaide Oval is comfortably Australia’s worst home ODI venue in recent times: in the past six years, they have played seven ODIs there and won only three Glenn Maxwell needs 76 runs to reach 2000 in ODIs. No batsman currently above the 2000-run mark has a strike-rate as high as Maxwell’s 125.91

The Preview by Sidharth Monga18-Jan-2017Match factsThursday, January 19, 2017
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)Big pictureWith so much cricket happening these days, you don’t get to savour incredible performances for long. Two days later, you are again staring at the prospect of a gruelling ODI. They are gruelling on the players because so much is packed into those 100 overs. Teams are mentally stronger than they used to be, and hardly carry negative momentum from defeats, but England have got to wonder after Pune what more they need to do. They scored 350, had India at 63 for 4, and didn’t really bowl awfully, but still lost with 11 balls to spare.India will enjoy that England might be worried now. Remember Virat Kohli’s statement after Pune? He said he told Kedar Jadhav that England would panic if India reached 150 for 4. Part of England will be doubting themselves, but another part will be telling them that the kind of chase India put up is not as repeatable as England’s performance in the first innings. England had almost everybody performing for them; India relied on individual brilliance, that too batsmen stretching themselves. Kohli had to play a game he doesn’t like: take risks early by stepping out and premeditating. England will tell themselves they at least made India play low-percentage cricket.Both sides will have identified areas of improvement. India will want more from the other batsmen. England wanted to start their final surge around 36th over, but Hardik Pandya bowled a good spell, taking the wicket of Jos Buttler, and India conceded just 40 in the next seven overs. Both batting units will be looking to iron out these kinks, and bowlers will have to find new ways to stay in the game.Form guideIndia WWLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England LWLWLIn the spotlightSince last February, in the 14 limited-overs matches that he has played, R Ashwin has not been called upon to complete his allotment on eight occasions, including in Pune where he went for 63 runs in eight overs, his economy rate of 7.88 his worst when he has bowled five overs or more. Ashwin had decided to bowl defensively, and never veered off that plan. These are important matches: at a time when finger spinners are generally struggling to stay relevant in limited-overs cricket, Ashwin has to figure out what he wants to do to buck the trend. India need wickets in the middle order, and Ashwin took the place of a man who took five wickets in the last ODI India played. Of course the pitch was different when Amit Mishra took five, but generally wrist spinners are more effective in current limited-overs cricket. It will be interesting to see how Ashwin approaches the rest of the series. Does he still look to just contain or go for wickets proactively?This might be the era of wrist spinners in limited-overs cricket, but India’s turnaround began when they took 26 runs off Adil Rashid’s first three overs. It was just the time England needed magic from their legspinner, their highest wicket-taker by some distance in 2016, and also second-highest overall. Rashid had a bad night, which can raise self-doubt after a disappointing Test series. How well Rashid bounces back could determine if England come back into the series.After conceding 0 for 63 in Pune, will R Ashwin still look to just contain or go for wickets proactively?•Associated PressTeam newsIndia generally aren’t fickle with their batsmen. All four who failed should retain their spots. It’s with the ball that India will debate whether Amit Mishra should replace Ashwin.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli (capt.), 4 MS Dhoni (wk), 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin/ Amit Mishra, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Jasprit BumrahDid England play one spinner too many considering the flat pitch and the psychological hold the India batsmen have on them after the Test series? Should they go for the tall Liam Plunkett instead of Rashid? The answer will be in whether Rashid feels confident of bouncing back. England (probable): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Jos Buttler (wk), 5 Eoin Morgan (capt.), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 David Willey, 10 Adil Rashid/Liam Plunkett, 11 Jake BallPitch and conditionsAnother high-scoring match will not be a surprise, considering the small boundaries at the Barabati Stadium. There was a thin layer of grass on the pitch on the eve of the match; there are chances it could be trimmed further. Dew could be a factor too, and the toss could play a decisive role.Stats and trivia India have achieved three of the seven successful chases of 350 or more. Kohli has scored centuries in six of India’s nine successful chases of 300 or more since his debut. Ben Stokes’ 33-ball fifty in Pune was the fastest by an England batsman against India. In the last match in Cuttack, the venue for the next ODI, India scored 363 against Sri Lanka.Quotes”As a batsman I wouldn’t complain if both teams are getting runs. We try to put a great show for the crowd.”
“He’s probably one of the first revolutionary players for England and that probably shows in the group, in the way the people look to him, the way he’s taking his career forward and the way he champions guys to play.”

West Ham United have "asked" about a deal to bring Juventus star Denis Zakaria back to the Premier League, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Denis Zakaria?

Zakaria is a defensive midfielder who first arrived at the Allianz Stadium back in January 2022 from Borussia Monchengladbach, but having made just 15 senior appearances, he was sent out on a season-long loan to Chelsea.

The Switzerland international’s spell didn’t go as well as hoped however, having made just five top-flight starts, and there were numerous occasions that he was either an unused substitute or wasn’t named in the matchday squad altogether.

The Irons will know that they are likely to lose captain Declan Rice this summer with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United all chasing him, so David Moyes could enter the market for replacements, and despite his unsuccessful period in England, the 26-year-old has been highlighted as a potential successor.

Are West Ham signing Zakaria?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that West Ham have enquired about Zakaria to discover his availability as they weigh up whether to make an official offer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. He wrote:

"Understand West Ham are among clubs interested in signing Denis Zakaria. He’s back to Juventus after Chelsea loan. #WHUFC West Ham asked for informations on conditions of the deal — but there are many clubs in the race. Zakaria is not in Juventus plan for next season."

Could Zakaria be a good addition for Moyes?

West Ham will not only know that Zakaria didn’t receive enough game time to prove himself at Chelsea but also that he’s much stronger in the defensive aspect of his play having scored just one goal in SW6, and whilst he’s not someone supporters will see romping forward and providing goals, he could be a risk worth taking.

Standing at 6 foot 3, the £52k-per-week colossus last season ranked in the 95th percentile for pass completion, which has seen him hailed “sharp” by journalist Josh Bunting, and the 89th percentile for most clearances, so his precision in possession and ability to get rid of the danger is hugely impressive.

Zakaria, who represented his nation at the 2022 World Cup, is a versatile operator having been deployed in four various positions since the start of his career, including at centre-back and slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his number six role, so he is an individual who could flourish more than you’d imagine under the leadership of Moyes.

West Ham United could be set to raid the Championship for their first big signing of the summer, with Record, via Sport Witness, reporting that the Hammers will go head-to-head with Sporting to sign Viktor Gyokeres.

How good is Viktor Gyokeres?

The 25-year-old has really come into his own since securing a permanent switch to Coventry in the second tier, and helped the Sky Blues to get to the play-off final in the 2022/23 campaign with his incredible end product. Featuring in all 46 games – 44 of which were starts – the forward managed to score 21 times and set up ten more to take his overall goal contribution rate to 31 in 46. It was far and away the best total of his career to date.

Prior to that, his first full campaign with the club brought 17 more goals in 41 starts. Given regular minutes in the Championship then, the striker has thrived and continually hits double-digit tallies.

In fact, his rates have been so impressive that he measures up nicely to others in his position amongst the Men's 'Next 8' competitions in Europe too (the leagues below the big five). Whilst his non-penalty goal rate of 0.40 is well above average (63rd percentile), it is his work in producing chances that really stands out. With a rate of 0.22 assists per 90, it puts him in the top nine percent versus other forwards. It shows he is a clinical finisher but is also excellent at picking out his teammates.

Now, his showings in the Championship may have landed him a move elsewhere this summer. That's because according to a report from Record, via Sport Witness, the player is wanted by both Sporting and West Ham this summer, and the latter of the two sides is ready to step up their pursuit of Gyokeres.

It states that they could not only outmuscle the Portuguese side financially and have really kicked things up a gear, taking steps to get the ball rolling because they know they can outbid Sporting with the cash from Declan Rice's sale.

What is Gyokeres' fee?

The striker won't be cheap and would certainly command more than what Coventry paid for him if they get their way. The Sky Blues are believed to want around 20 million Euros to get a deal done (or £17m) and that is obviously much more favourable for the Premier League side than Sporting.

It could be worth it for the striker too, with Tony Pulis once even likening the player to Erling Haaland. He stated that Gyokeres is "a yard faster and stronger" than those he came up against in the second tier and added that he is "really talented". If West Ham can get a deal done then, they could have themselves a real powerhouse upfront for the next campaign.

On a day of contrasting openers and innings at the SCG, David Warner blasted his way to the first century before lunch in Tests in Australia, then 20-year-old Matt Renshaw dug in to become Australia’s seventh-youngest centurion

The Report by Daniel Brettig02-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:42

Chappell: ‘Misbah played into Warner’s hands’

David Warner enshrined himself among the greats of the game’s past before Matt Renshaw secured his Australian future. On a day of contrasting openers and innings at the SCG, Warner blasted his way to the first century before lunch in Tests in Australia, then 20-year-old Renshaw dug in to become Australia’s seventh-youngest centurion.If Warner’s innings was the favourite of a festive New Year’s crowd, Renshaw will have delighted Australia’s selectors, coaches and players with a display of the sort of calm assurance so vital to Test match success. Renshaw styled much of his game on England’s Alastair Cook: working the ball repeatedly off his hip then driving and cutting occasionally he played very much the spit of an innings the older man made against Australia on this ground six years ago.Having played a major role in Australia’s win in Melbourne by scoring a rapid century, Warner doubled down with another intimidatory batting effort against Pakistani bowling that mixed the presentable with the ordinary on a blameless SCG pitch. Warner joined Victor Trumper, Charles Macartney, Sir Donald Bradman and Majid Khan as the only other men to score a century in the very first session of a Test. Majid was the most recent batsman to get there, making his century against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77.While Warner was unable to go on for long after the interval, Renshaw wedged himself into the wicket, and was composed through the departures of Usman Khawaja and the captain Steven Smith before Pete Handscomb, another bright young thing, settled in. With the debutant Hilton Cartwright and an out of touch Matthew Wade below them, this pair played with some care to reach stumps.After Smith won the toss and announced two changes to the Melbourne team, Steve O’Keefe and Cartwright, Warner rocketed away with a volley of boundaries in the first two overs of the match, the second of which was bowled by one of Pakistan’s inclusions, Imran Khan. From there it seemed only a matter of Warner keeping his wicket intact and getting enough strike, two tasks he performed without much trouble as barely a ball beat the bat.There were runs either side of the pitch for Warner; a lack of straight-driven boundaries reflecting both the pugilism of his method and also the shortish lengths favoured by Pakistan’s bowlers. Pull shots and punches through the covers were most prevalent, all played with a level of hustling intent that suggested Warner always knew the hundred before lunch was on.David Warner celebrated his 18th Test century off only 78 balls•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesIn the end Warner was able to go from 95 to 100 with a two and a three from the bowling of Wahab Riaz, the first a pull shot and the second a punch behind square on the off side that should only have been worth two but became the pivotal third via a misfield. Warner’s celebration was typically ebullient; he had already made history in a match just two hours old.It was to be Wahab who sent Warner back to the dressing room, via an SCG standing ovation, when he coaxed an indeterminate edge when trying to run the ball down through the gully region. Khawaja’s edge arrived a few overs later from a more aggressive attempt to score, and it was Renshaw who got the balance right.Smith, having been so dominant in Melbourne, surprised in edging an attempted cut at Yasir Shah and falling to an excellent catch by Sarfraz Ahmed, the prelude to a nervy period in the 90s for Renshaw after tea. On 91 his visor wore the brunt of a Mohammad Amir bouncer, and a check-up from the team doctor Peter Brukner was required before Renshaw continued.In the end a hurried single was enough to take him to the milestone, triggering an outpouring of joy that reminded all present of the difficult spells he has already negotiated whether against Vernon Philander in Adelaide, Amir at the Gabba or a fiery Wahab here. Handscomb was meanwhile reprieved when Sarfraz failed to go with a Yasir legbreak that could have resulted in a stumping.More runs flowed from Renshaw’s bat, his stroke range expanding in direct correlation to the amount of time he spent in the middle. There is plenty of power in his tall frame, but the aversion he shows in the formative stages of his innings will serve him well in what now seem likely to be many years of Test batting to come.

Rob Andrew, the former England rugby union fly-half and long-term professional rugby director at the RFU, has been unveiled as the new chief executive of Sussex

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2016Rob Andrew, the former England rugby union fly-half and long-term professional rugby director at the RFU, has been unveiled as the new chief executive of Sussex.Andrew, 53, played first-class cricket for Cambridge University between 1982 and 1985, and also turned out for Yorkshire’s 2nd XI as a batsman and offspinner.His rugby career included 71 caps for England and five for the British and Irish Lions. He played in three World Cups between 1987 and 1995, before spending ten years at the RFU, eventually leaving at the end of last season.He succeeds Zac Toumazi as Sussex’s chief executive at a tricky period in the club’s long history. The club was relegated at the end of 2015, bringing to an end a period of unprecedented success including three County Championships between 2003 and 2007, and with the ECB turning its attention towards the new city-based league scheduled to be launched in 2020, Andrew’s high-profile appointment is intriguingly timed.He will take over at Sussex in January 2017, with a brief to build on Toumazi’s work in overseeing the integration of the professional club with the recreational board and its 245 affiliated league clubs.Commenting on the appointment, Jim May, chairman of Sussex said: “I am extremely pleased about the appointment of Rob Andrew. He has exceptional experience, both playing and administering sport which will be of great help to our cricket management delivering success.””I am thrilled and really excited to be joining Sussex,” Andrew said. “The structures that have been put in place under the Sussex Cricket Limited umbrella have laid a very strong foundation for the future.”I am looking forward to working with everyone connected with Sussex to help create success in professional cricket, recreational cricket and community programmes and ensuring that Hove remains a very special cricket ground.”I will be focusing on driving forward the strategy over the next few years and helping write the next chapter in the rich history of cricket in Sussex. These are exciting times for Sussex Cricket and cricket in general and I can’t wait to get started.”