All posts by h716a5.icu

The next crop of exciting Chelsea youngsters is being assembled.

The club has recently completed the signings of Andrey Santos and Kendry Paez, as the new ownership and Mauricio Pochettino begins the quest to bring the biggest global talents to Stamford Bridge.

Another exciting teen that has been tipped to move to the English capital is Adama Bojang.

What’s the latest on Adama Bojang to Chelsea?

According to the Guardian, the Blues are in a hotly contested race for the 19-year-old alongside Manchester United, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Wolves.

He is attracting such vast interest due to his generational potential and his availability for an extremely low sum of €3m (£2.6m) from Steve Biko FC in his native Gambia.

However, the report details that his club has received an offer from an unnamed German side this week, with RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt also keenly tracking the West African superstar.

It is understood that Bojang would prefer a move to the Bundesliga, but if a Premier League side tables a suitable offer this may change his mind.

Who is Adama Bojang?

The forward has risen to international prominence thanks to his performances for his country at the U20 AFCON, as in six games, he scored four times from 1.79 xG, and notched one assist, equating to a contribution every 90 minutes.

His strikes included a hat-trick against South Sudan in the quarter-final and the winner in the next round against Nigeria. These results enabled Gambia to qualify for the 2023 U20 World Cup, and he was named in the CAF Best XI Team of the Tournament.

Described as “complete” by scout Jacek Kulig, 6-foot Bojang has been hailed for his pace, athleticism, movement, and technique as this set of imperious qualities has seen him compared to former Chelsea ace Tammy Abraham.

For the West London outfit, the 6 foot 3 star was a dependable and threatening asset, finding the net on 30 occasions in 82 appearances.

Rather unluckily, Thomas Tuchel opted to sanction Abraham’s exit to Roma to provide room for Romelu Lukaku, which has since unravelled into a disaster.

The former Swansea has retained his goal-scoring touch in Italy, with 48 goal involvements in 107 appearances.

Once lauded as “incredible” by Frank Lampard, Abraham, and Bojang share an abundance of similar traits as their exceptional speed and ability to operate as a dominant focal point are two required characteristics of a modern number nine.

The Blues should accelerate their attempts to complete this deal as for such a low price it is relatively risk-free and could evolve into something sensational.

Western Australia extended their lead with a solid batting performance against Tasmania on day two of their Sheffield Shield game in Hobart

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Hilton Cartwright struck nine fours and four sixes in his 145-ball 94•Getty ImagesA solid first-innings batting effort from Western Australia extended their advantage against Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield match in Hobart. Resuming on 1 for 149, Western Australia went on to post 410 on the back of fifties from Hilton Cartwright (94), Cameron Bancroft (84) and Josh Inglis (55).Bancroft and Cartwright added 98 for the second wicket, but Tasmania’s bowlers chipped away thereafter, reducing Western Australia to 8 for 369. Wicketkeeper Inglis, batting at No. 7, struck a counter-attacking half-century off just 48 balls to push Western Australia’s lead to 212. Cameron Stevenson picked up three wickets, while Simon Milenko and Cameron Boyce took two wickets each.Tasmania lost their openers within the first four overs of their second innings. In the eighth over, Alex Doolan was caught off fast bowler David Moody and Beau Webster was dismissed four overs later, as Tasmania slumped to 4 for 37. George Bailey and nightwatchman Stevenson took Tasmania to stumps, still trailing by 154.

Newcastle United may have moved their attention to defence in regards to their next transfer business, with Spazio Napoli, via Sport Witness, reporting that the Toon are now keeping close tabs on Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

How many games has Giovanni Di Lorenzo played for Napoli?

The right-back has spent the last four seasons with current club Napoli, and has long been an important player for the side. Even when he first linked up with the Serie A outfit from former club Empoli, he was thrown straight in and given 33 appearances in that very first campaign.

He has since managed to rack up 139 league outings for the now champions of Italy during his time there, and with ten goals and seventeen assists along the way, he has proven to be an asset going forward for the club too.

Having spent the entirety of his career in Italy though, it appears a potential change may be on the cards. That's because according to a report from Spazio Napoli, via Sport Witness, the right-back is now on the radar of Newcastle United.

The Premier League side are keeping a close eye on the player now, with the 29-year-old seemingly now on their transfer wishlist. It adds that this interest in Di Lorenzo has only materialised over the "last few hours".

It means that no bid has yet been made and no official approach has come forth but Napoli are "worried" by the interest due to the financial might the Magpies now possess.

How much is Giovanni Di Lorenzo worth?

It's unclear how much a potential deal for Di Lorenzo may cost Newcastle. However, Transfermarkt suggest that his value is around the 25 million Euros mark (or £21.5m). It means that a deal wouldn't break the bank for the Toon if it was that amount, especially considering their new ownership, but it would still represent a profit on the player for Napoli.

He could be worth that amount too when you consider how well he has played for Napoli. Football journalist Josh Bunting has previously stated that a goal from Napoli was helped by a "perfect" ball from Di Lorenzo and has also called the player "excellent" too.

The Napoli man has warranted these superlatives then and it means that his signing could represent good business for Newcastle. They already have Kieran Trippier on that right flank but he would provide a good battle for that spot and sufficient depth as they embark into four competitions next term.

The opening batsman was picked in the squad for the three ODIs against England on the back of a prolific run in West Indies’ domestic List A competition, the Regional Super50 tournament, where he scored more than 500 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2017Opening batsman Kieran Powell, who last played an international game in June 2014, has been recalled to the West Indies side for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, which starts from March 3. Powell’s inclusion follows the batsman’s prolific run in West Indies’ domestic List A competition, the Regional Super50, where he emerged as the highest run-getter, scoring three centuries and two fifties.West Indies squads

ODI squad: Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis,Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell
WICB Board President’s XI Jahmar Hamilton (capt), Sunil Ambris, Ronsford Beaton, Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Kyle Hope, Damion Jacobs, Reynard Leveridge, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach

The squad does not feature left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, wicketkeeper-batsman Johnson Charles and offspinner Sunil Narine, who were part of the team in West Indies’ previous ODI assignment, the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe.Alzarri Joseph, who was first picked and later withdrawn from the tri-series, has also found a place in the squad.If he takes the field on March 3, Kieran Powell will play his first match in the format after nearly three years, having played England in his previous ODI appearance in March 2014. Powell played only one more international match – a Test against New Zealand in June that year – before he was dropped from the squad.The batsman took a self-imposed break from the game, and in January 2015, issued a statement saying that mixed signals from West Indies cricket authorities had left him “deflated and confused” as he attempted to return to international cricket. This resulted in his decision to step away from the game for some time and in January 2016, he tried his hand at baseball, without much success.He finally made a return to first-class cricket in March 2016, featuring for Leeward Islands in the Regional 4-day tournament. Between his exclusion from West Indies sides and his return for Leeward Islands, Powell played four first-class matches – for Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in Sri Lanka’s first-class Premier League Tournament in February-March 2015.While he played only two matches in last season’s Regional 4-day, he has had a longer run with the team in the 2016-17 domestic season, and has enjoyed better returns. Until December – when the first half of the first-class tournament concluded – Powell had scored 264 runs with two fifties in five matches. In the Regional Super50 competition that followed, his tally of 513 runs from nine matches at an average of 64.12 propelled Leeward into the semi-finals, where they lost to Barbados. At one stage, Powell had five successive fifty-plus scores, raking up 105, 135, 52, 106 and 80.The squad also does not feature allrounder Marlon Samuels, who was cleared to bowl in international cricket by the ICC last week. Samuels last played an ODI in October last year before being dropped from the squad for the tri-series in Zimbabwe.The 15-man squad will have a training camp in Antigua this week, with the team’s new coach Stuart Law. The board also announced the WICB President’s XI team,which will play a practice match against England on February 27 in St Kitts.The first two ODIs will be played in Antigua on March 3 and 5, followed by the final match in Barbados on March 9.

An update has emerged on Celtic and the possibility of Wilfred Ndidi arriving at Parkhead in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Wilfred Ndidi to Celtic?

According to Football Scotland, the Nigerian international is not a ‘serious’ target for the Scottish Premiership side ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the club are not actively pursuing a deal to sign the Leicester City enforcer, who worked with Brendan Rodgers during their time together in England, despite having been linked with an interest in acquiring his services.

It states, however, that the Glasgow giants are in the market to bring a defensive midfielder to Paradise before the deadline, as they had been working on targets prior to Ange Postecoglou’s departure.

The Daily Record recently reported that the club have been scouting Gwangju stopper Ho-yeon Jeong and the youngster could be an alternative to the now-Championship star.

Would Ho-yeon Jeong be a good signing for Celtic?

Rodgers could forget all about Ndidi by securing a swoop for the 22-year-old enforcer as his form in 2022 indicates that the talent is there for him to be an excellent signing.

Gwangju earned promotion from K League 2 last year and Jeong played a significant role in their success with his impressive displays across the middle of the park.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 across 36 appearances and offered quality on both sides of the game.

The 22-year-old showcased his defensive attributes with 4.9 duels won per game with a success rate of 54%.

Ndidi, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.75 in 27 Premier League matches for Leicester last season, and came out on top in 4.1 battles per outing with a success rate of 55%.

These statistics suggest that the "elite player" – as described by journalist John Bennett – and the South Korean battler could offer a similar level of defensive protection, along with efficiency, in front of the back four if he can translate his form over to Scotland.

However, the £75k-per-week Foxes powerhouse is not as adept in possession. Ndidi created 0.1 chances per game and completed 84% of his attempted passes for his club last term.

Meanwhile, Jeong averaged 0.8 key passes per outing and registered a pass completion rate of 88% in 2022, which suggests that the Gwangju tank would be able to provide his teammates with more opportunities in front of goal while also being more reliable with the ball at his feet.

It is difficult to compare their statistics to any of the current Celtic squad as Postecoglou's 4-3-3 system did not employ a defensive midfielder, while Rodgers' preferred 4-2-3-1 set-up could have a specialist number six in one of the two deep-lying positions in the middle of the park.

The Hoops are in the market for a holding player in midfield to fill that role and Jeong could be an exceptional alternative to Ndidi based on his performances for Gwangju last season.

Barbados thumped Leeward Islands by 110 runs to enter their second successive final of the WICB Regional Super50 competition

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2017
ScorecardShai Hope’s second List A century set the tone for Barbados’ 110-run win over Leeward Islands in the second semi-final of the 2016-17 WICB Regional Super50 tournament in Antigua. Barbados will now play Jamaica in the decider on February 18, their second successive appearance in the final of the tournament.With Barbados having opted to bat first, Hope came to the crease in the 10th over with the score on 42 and anchored the side until the 46th over, taking them past 270. Along the way, he shared in half-century stands with Kraigg Brathwaite (77 for the second wicket), Roston Chase (83 for the fourth) and Jason Holder (68 for the sixth). His 125 came off 108 balls and included eight fours and five sixes. Hope’s partnership with Holder came off only 32 deliveries, and Carlos Brathwaite utilised that momentum in an 11-ball 27 that lifted the score past 300. Holder contributed an unbeaten 42 off 26 balls with two fours and three sixes, while Kraigg Brathwaite struck 54 off 84 balls.Hope’s good form on the field extended to his keeping, too, as he effected seven dismissals behind the stumps in Leeward’s chase. Leeward fell away rapidly, stumbling to 43 for 4 by the 15th over and, at one stage, their innings looked in danger of folding for less than 200. Opener Montcin Hodge batted until the 39th over, scoring 63 in the process, but had little support from the rest of the line-up. Seamer Jeremiah Louis struck an unbeaten 32-ball 41 before Leeward’s innings folded for 204 in the 48th over.Offspinner Ashley Nurse and Carlos Brathwaite took three wickets each, with Nurse conceding only 37 runs in his 10 overs.

Tamim Iqbal’s 82 set up Bangladesh’s maiden Test victory against Sri Lanka, by four wickets in Colombo, in their 100th Test

The Report by Mohammad Isam19-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:27

Isam: Perfect game for Bangladesh

A win on foreign soil against a strong home side was Bangladesh’s dream for a long time. They achieved it in their 100th Test by beating Sri Lanka with four wickets to spare at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.There were plenty of nervy moments though, especially after Shakib Al Hasan was dismissed with 29 still required in the 191-run chase. Then, umpire S Ravi adjudged Mushfiqur Rahim lbw, only to be overturned on review. In the next over, Rangana Herath could not hold on to a rather tough return catch offered by Mosaddek Hossain.Mosaddek continued to attack, hitting the next ball over cover for four. Two more boundaries took Bangladesh within six runs of their target. But the debutant fell before the win could be achieved. Eventually it was a Mehedi Hasan sweep that took the team over the line, sparking wild celebrations.It was Bangladesh’s first win over Sri Lanka in Test cricket. They came into this game on the back of a timid performance in Galle. Then they had to deal with the messy axing of Mahmudullah and a late injury to wicketkeeper Liton Das. It must have been difficult to summon the focus needed to level the series.A target of 191 in the fourth innings of an away Test is still tough terrain for Bangladesh. Herath and offspinner Dilruwan Perera were able to extract sharp enough turn that Tamim Iqbal could do little more than survive. He struck his first boundary after 41 balls at the crease and shepherded Sabbir Rahman through a 109-run third wicket partnership. That Bangladesh were once 22 for 2 was long forgotten.Tamim Iqbal’s 82 set up Bangladesh’s series-levelling win•AFPTamim and Sabbir became comfortable with time at the crease. Out came the inside-out drives and cheeky reverse sweeps and up came Herath and Dilrunwan’s hands to scratch their heads. The spinners were totally hit off their lines after lunch.Tamim reached his fifty off 87 balls, and then launched Herath through extra cover for four and a six over long-on that landed on the second floor. But on 82, he skied Dilruwan towards mid-on and Dinesh Chandimal ran back to complete a sharp catch. Sabbir was lbw for 41 with DRS coming to Sri Lanka’s aid.Herath would have hoped for things to happen differently on his 39th birthday. He had after all gave his team a good chance by picking up two wickets in two balls in the morning. Soumya Sarkar was caught at long-off playing an unnecessarily aggressive shot and Imrul Kayes followed him to the pavilion by nicking off to slip. The home side was on top at that point, having extended their overnight score of 268 for 8, to 319 in the first hour. Dilruwan and Suranga Lakmal added 80 runs for the ninth wicket. Both fell within five balls of each other; Lakmal made 42 off 48 balls while Dilruwan made 50 off 174.

Southampton are set to seal a deal to bring in Shea Charles from Man City this summer, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Shea Charles?

The 19-year-old is somewhat of an unknown quantity currently at club level, with the defensive midfielder having struggled to get many league games under his belt. In fact, he has only ever appeared in the Premier League for current club Man City once – and that was in the last campaign and lasted for just 28 minutes.

Instead, the wonderkid has had to make do with action for their reserve sides but has impressed for them with 49 appearances and two goal contributions from his deep lying role.

Despite never featuring in the top flight, it hasn't stopped him from breaking onto the international stage already for his country Northern Ireland. Having initially broken into their Under-16 team, he then worked his way up to the Under-19 and Under-21 outfits. His performances for those sides eventually led to a first ever cap for their first-team just last year. Having shone on the big stage, he has gone on to bag a further five caps.

Are Southampton signing Shea Charles?

Now, according to a report from reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Championship side Southampton have clearly liked what they have seen from the youngster and want to tie up a deal for the player.

The Saints are now closing in on a £9m deal for the 19-year-old – a large fee for a teenager, especially to an EFL side – and he will have a medical this weekend ahead of a switch to the Championship outfit.

City clearly see a lot of potential in the midfielder though, as they have also included a clause that allows them to bring him back to the Etihad should they opt to, and a sell-on clause too. Romano said: "Excl: Southampton are closing in on deal to sign Man City 2003 born midfielder Shea Charles. Manchester City will receive £9m fee — it will also include buy back clause and sell on clause for MCFC. Charles will travel this weekend for medical if all goes to plan."

Charles also adds some versatility to the Southampton side. Whilst he predominantly plays in the centre of the field as a number six, he can also play across the backline. The wonderkid has featured in both centre-back positions but has also been shifted out onto the right-flank in the past. It means that, should the Saints ever be short in their defensive ranks, they can rely on Charles to slot in if needed over the course of the campaign.

Despite his age, Charles has already been praised for his impressive performances at international level. Football journalist Josh Bunting stated that the youngster has been "impressive" for Northern Ireland, and it shows his ability already despite his limited club involvement.

It means that Southampton are getting a player who is not only gaining a little bit of experience already at a high level, but has the potential to get even better.

Essex have followed Middlesex in announcing that they will not be supporting the ECB’s proposed change to its constitution

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2017Essex have followed Middlesex in announcing that they will not be supporting the ECB’s proposed change to its constitution. The amendment to the Articles of Association is required to allow the board to bring in a new, eight-team T20 tournament from 2020.Essex’s chairman, John Faragher, described the new competition as likely to “exclude large area of the country from involvement” and therefore going against the ECB’s stated objective of growing the game.”We do not support the changes to the Articles of Association and consequently the proposed new T20 competition,” Faragher said. “It is essential that the County Championship, domestic 50-over and T20 competitions are encouraged to grow, and they must be protected.”We recognise and support the ‘Cricket Unleashed’ strategy and indeed Essex County Cricket Club has an enviable record in producing England players and captains. We are focused on expanding cricket in Essex, East Anglia and Metropolitan London, ensuring there are opportunities for all age and ability groups, male and female to be actively involved in the game.”We believe that as a result of the proposed changes, these opportunities will be reduced, that our income overall will suffer and the first-class game will be diminished, in contradiction to the ECB’s objective, which is to grow the game in this country – an objective that is unlikely to be advanced by a competition which would exclude large areas of the country from any involvement in it.”The statement follows consultation between the Essex board and club members. Essex were among the 16 counties (and MCC) who voted to explore the ECB’s city-based T20 option last September, although they have been vocal in saying that did not constitute unequivocal backing, as well as arguing Chelmsford should be considered to host a team.The ECB needs 31 of its 41 constituent members to vote through the change, which would remove the requirement that all 18 counties must be involved in any new competition. Middlesex were the first to come out in opposition last week but several other counties have already given their assent to the proposals, which would see them awarded payments of £1.3m a year by way of compensation for the use of players and facilities.

Chelsea forgotten man Romelu Lukaku is attracting interest from Inter Milan; however, the current offer the Italian giants have on the table to land him is not 'enough' to tempt the Blues to sell the Belgian international, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Do Inter Milan want to re-sign Romelu Lukaku?

According to Sky Sport Italia, Inter Milan are set to submit a new bid for Lukaku worth between €30-35 million following news that their offer to Chelsea of €25 million was turned down by the Stamford Bridge club.

Chelsea are holding out for €40 million; however, Lukaku is believed to be desperate to rejoin Inter Milan this summer and return to the San Siro despite alternative interest from Saudi Arabia.

The Daily Mail have reported that Chelsea have agreed to push back Lukaku's proposed return to training at Cobham until next Monday as the £178k-a-week ace looks to seal a permanent move away from the club.

Christian Pulisic, Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng and Hakim Ziyech are also set to be granted an extended leave as the Blues try to offload the unwanted trio, with Mauricio Pochettino keen to trim his squad before flying out with his side to the United States on a pre-season tour.

Interest in Lukaku from Saudi Arabia is said to be from Al-Hilal, while Inter Milan's Serie A rivals Juventus are looking to steal a march on their rivals to sign the experienced forward, as per The Guardian.

Former Everton striker Lukaku is now warming to potentially moving to join the football revolution in the Middle East, having previously been averse to the idea.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Sheth thinks that Inter Milan will need to up their bid if they want to land Lukaku this window.

Sheth stated: “Now, the latest information we’ve got at Sky Sports News is that they think that Inter Milan are trying to put a deal together that’s worth around €35m. I don’t think that’s going to be enough for Chelsea to sell Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan and in the background, you’ve got interest from Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and also Juventus have held initial talks with Romelu Lukaku.

“That could just be a moot point because of the desire of the player to go to one particular club that might work against Chelsea, because if he only wants to go to Inter Milan and nowhere else, sometimes that can bring the valuation of a player down.”

Should Chelsea let Romelu Lukaku leave Stamford Bridge?

Despite Lukaku evidently having quality, the time is right for both parties to shake hands and go their separate ways owing to a disappointing second spell for the Belgian at Chelsea after joining for £97.5 million in 2021, as per Sky Sports.

His goal return for the Blues in his second spell is best described as okay but unremarkable. Lukaku has notched 15 goals and two assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Returning to Inter Milan on loan last term, he registered 14 goals and seven assists in 37 outings for the Italian giants. It seems a reunion between the two permanently would make sense for everyone.

Chelsea fans won't be disappointed if the club can recoup a good fee for Lukaku and will be looking forward to seeing how new attackers Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson can fit into Pochettino's tactical framework this season.