According to The Daily Express, Everton are set to face competition from fellow Premier League side Leicester for midfielder Baptiste Santamaria.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent months had suggested Carlo Ancelotti’s side were looking at a potential move for Santamaria in the January transfer window, but a move failed to materialise.

Now, The Daily Express have revealed that whilst the Toffees have continued to watch the Angers ace, they are now set to face a battle for his signature from Leicester.

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The report claims that the Foxes are keeping tabs on Santamaria, and that they have been “keeping a careful eye on him in the last few months”, with La Liga sides Sevilla and Villareal also taking a keen interest in him.

Priority

Given how Morgan Schneiderlin has struggled massively at Goodison Park and arguably needs to be sold this summer, Everton desperately need to tie up a move for Santamaria.

The 25-year-old has been an ever-present for Angers this season, failing to complete the full 90 minutes in just one of the French side’s 28 Ligue 1 games.

He has been one of the best defensive-minded players in France, with his impressive average of 3.3 tackles per game putting him in joint-fourth amongst all players in the division.

Having someone like him to screen the Everton back-line could ensure Ancelotti’s side don’t suffer dismal defeats like the one against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Having an anchor man to just sit and protect would allow the Toffees’ more flair players the chance to shine further forward. It’s no surprise that only five teams have let in more than their abysmal total of 46 goals in the top-flight.

It’s exactly why they need to be very wary of sides both in the Premier League and abroad jumping ahead of them in the race to sign the £8.1m-rated Santamaria.

Meanwhile, Everton fans have reacted to this Richarlison tweet.

Yuvraj Singh has received the Arjuna Award, an Indian government honour to recognise outstanding achievement in sport, from Indian president Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi. Yuvraj is currently preparing to make a comeback to international cricket after recovering from a rare germ-cell cancer.”It’s a special award for me,” Yuvraj said. “I had been nominated few times but finally I got it this time. It’s a proud moment for me and my family. The award will give me a lot of confidence to make a comeback and perform well.”Yuvraj hasn’t played any top-flight cricket since last November but has been picked for the Twenty20s against New Zealand next month and the World Twenty20 as well. He brushed aside doubts over whether he is fit enough for the rigours of top-flight cricket.”Experts are not watching me. They don’t know about my fitness. It’s me who knows what’s going on. It’s me who is feeling it from inside,” Yuvraj said. “I know myself better and I am confident enough to do well in the World Cup in Sri Lanka.”Following chemotherapy in February and March, Yuvraj began training in June. “I am practising hard at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore,” he said. “The experts over there are watching my fitness level. I know what I am doing and I just want to concentrate on my return and playing cricket.”If you look at the last three months, I am really training hard and peaking well. I am looking forward to play my first game after a year.”Yuvraj also insisted that he had enough practice to be ready for the World Twenty20. “I had played three practice games at NCA. I will get some serious match practice in the two matches against New Zealand scheduled September 8 and 11. Then, I would be playing two more practice matches. So, you see, I will be having seven games before the World Cup. I will be having enough match practice.”

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting to reports linking them with a move for a forward they know all too well.

According to LaRoma24, Spurs are prepared to negotiate with Serie A outfit Roma for the transfer of Patrik Schick, who has been impressing out on loan with RB Leipzig this campaign.

Should the German side fail to take up their €29m option-to-buy, then Daniel Levy could be free to swoop in for the 24-year-old.

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Schick was part of the squad that beat Spurs in the Champions League Round of 16 back in March, starting both legs, although he failed to get his name on the scoresheet.

He has, however, found the net seven times from 19 appearances in all competitions this season, which includes strikes against Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

The 6 foot 1 centre-forward has also picked up 22 caps with his national side, the Czech Republic.

Several members of the Spurs faithful would like to see Schick make the switch to the Premier League whilst others had their doubts given Levy’s infamous transfer history.

Here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to Christian Eriksen comments…

Match facts

October 16, 2012
Start time 1330 local (1130 GMT)First step for Yorkshire: stopping Shane Watson•Associated Press

Big Picture

Sydney Sixers underlined why they are among the bookies favourites to win the Champions League T20 during their opening victory over the most consistent IPL side, Chennai Super Kings. Their fast bowling is the best in the tournament, and can rival most international teams – it was their fifth-best quick bowler Moises Henriques who carved out the heart of Chennai’s middle order to turn the game decisively in Sixers’ favour.The batting is their weaker arm. They need early wins to ensure they aren’t sweating at the end of the league phase, when their most destructive batsman Shane Watson won’t be available, having been ordered back home to prepare for the upcoming home summer.The batting is the problem for their opponents, Yorkshire, as well. Against the fearsome Sixers line-up, Yorkshire will need plenty from the experienced pair of Phil Jaques and Andrew Gale, especially in the absence of Jonny Bairstow. The county side’s batsmen kept their cool in the chase in both qualifying games to earn a place in the main tournament, but the quality of the opposition they faced in the qualifiers aren’t in the same class as the Sixers.

Watch out for…

Gary Ballance has already shown what he is capable of in this tournament, demolishing Trinidad & Tobago’s chances by targetting their weaker bowlers. Can he pull off similar big hits against the pace of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins?Steve Smith may not be the most popular cricketer in Australia, but he has been solid in T20 league performances this year. He led the Sixers to the BBL title at the start of 2012, then become one of the few bright lights of a dismal Pune Warriors IPL campaign. His bowling isn’t used very often, but even in the match against Chennai he showed two aspects through which he contributes: the composed catch of Suresh Raina in the deep was a game-changing moment, and he also provided some late fireworks with the bat to push Sixers to a big score.

Quotes

“Before this some of these guys hadn’t seen the Newlands in their lives; they just saw it on TV. Now they’re practising there and sitting in the change room there. All these little things are so exciting for them.”

“I’m hoping that I’ve learnt enough over the last few years for this to be happening more often.”

Chelsea youngster Conor Gallagher is the kind of player Crystal Palace have got to be looking at this summer, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern.

While West Brom, where Gallagher spent last season out on loan, had a difficult 2020/21 campaign, it was still a campaign the 21-year-old can draw positives from.

After loan spells with Swansea City and Charlton Athletic in the Championship, it was his first taste of Premier League football, which he got plenty of.

In total, Gallagher made 30 appearances and scored two goals as he continued his development in the men’s game.

Palace are now thought to be keen on bringing the midfielder in and reuniting him with Marc Guehi, with The Athletic reporting on the club’s interest, and Palmer believes it would be the right decision.

“He did really well at West Brom,” the ex-Baggies player said. “He’s proved he can play at that level, so with funds going to be limited at Crystal Palace, you’ve got to be looking at a player like that to come [in on loan] and be part of your squad.

“He’s got lots of ability and I’m sure with Patrick Vieira taking over at the helm of the club that these players want to play for him.”

Bringing Gallagher in may not be straightforward, with Newcastle United also said to be interested in the England U21 international.

According to a recent report from The Express and Star, West Brom are eyeing up a late January move for winger Jacob Murphy. The Englishman currently plays his football at Premier League outfit Newcastle United and has done so since leaving Norwich City back in the summer of 2017, although struggles for regular game time under Magpies manager Rafa Benitez this season has plunged his future at St James’ Park into doubt.

And a recent report from The Express and Star suggests that Darren Moore’s Baggies are one side seeking to take the winger on loan for the rest of the season, although the report does state that Murphy will only be allowed to leave if Newcastle strengthen their attacking options.

And with reports recently (as per the BBC) suggesting that the Magpies are closing in on a deal to sign Miguel Almiron, the door could well be ajar for Moore to finally lure the £6.3 million-rated Baggies target (as per Transfermarkt) to the Hawthorns.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Midlanders have seen fellow wingers Harvey Barnes and Bakary Sako leave the club this month to leave Moore somewhat short of options in that area of the field, with Barnes’ return to Leicester City particularly painful given just how brilliant he was in the first half of the season.

The England Under-21 international scored a mightily impressive nine goals and laid on seven assists in only 26 Championship appearances for West Brom in the first half of the campaign to help them into promotion contention, with the young winger alongside Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez very much terrorising opposition defences throughout the campaign.

However, with the Englishman recalled by Claude Puel’s Foxes, alongside Sako’s move back to Premier League outfit Crystal Palace, a move for Newcastle’s Murphy makes complete sense, especially given how impressive he was for Norwich in the second tier a few years ago.

While the 23-year-old hasn’t quite been able to prove his worth to the North East giants since his move there back in 2017, there is no forgetting the level he produced during his time at Carrow Road in the 2016/17 season, which ultimately earned him the move to Newcastle.

The winger, capped six times at Under-21 level by England, bagged eight goals and laid on eight assists in 37 Championship appearances for the Canaries as they scored goals for fun to eventually finish eighth under Alex Neil – only Cameron Jerome (16) and Nelson Oliviera (11) scored more than Murphy for the Norfolk-based outfit.

Clearly then, the 23-year-old has great pedigree at second tier level just waiting to be unleashed once again, and with Newcastle reportedly (as per the BBC) closing in on a move for the highly-rated Almiron, that is only likely to push Murphy even further down Benitez’s pecking order.

And with reports recently (as per The Express and Star) suggesting that the winger would be allowed to leave were improvements brought in to that area of the field, the door is very much ajar for Moore to finally lure the Baggies target to West Brom.

West Brom fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Southampton supporters knew they were welcoming a manager with a prestigious background when Ralph Hasenhuttl entered the club, and he has thoroughly justified the reputation which preceded him so far. 

Finally, at long last, it seems that the Saints have turned a corner. The meek, confidence-sapping and frankly tepid performances which have consistently plagued their development have rapidly become a thing of the past; Hasenhuttl’s impact is almost entirely responsible for the change in fortune.

Last time out against Everton, Southampton were everything the supporters could ask for: relentlessly hard-working, decisive, exciting in possession and, ultimately, the winning side.

Players have been galvanised and a long lost feel-good factor has returned to St Mary’s, but how did the club’s hierarchy suddenly make such a wise appointment after a series of short-sighted and misguided appointments?

Well, German football expert Raphael Honigstein has a theory on why German managers do so well in English football.

Before the vultures swoop in to gobble me up, I appreciate that Hasenhuttl is Austrian, but the fact his entire managerial career took place in Germany before he moved to Southampton makes the point applicable.

While speaking on BBC Radio 5 live on Monday, Honigstein delivered his verdict on Huddersfield’s decision to appoint Jan Siewert (via BBC).

“What German coaches on the whole bring is two things that are very appealing to Huddersfield and other English clubs.”

“They are very used to working in a structure where they are not going to come in and say ‘I need six or seven players, I need three transfer windows to make this my team’.

“They are used to coaching, they want to have an input when it comes to the squad but their main job is getting the most out of the players that they have.”

Tangible effects concerning Honigstein’s analysis have already manifested themselves on the south coast: Nathan Redmond is playing with the confidence his ability merits, James Ward-Prowse is playing far closer to his true potential and Jan Bednarek has emerged from obscurity to become a centre-piece of Southampton’s defensive unit.

Hasenhuttl’s incredible ability to implement his philosophy both rapidly and effectively, sparking an improvement in collective and individual performances, is exactly the reason why they brought him to the club mid-season.

He will presumably get an opportunity to submit a shortlist in the summer window consisting of players he would like to add to the squad, but the manner in which he has maximised Southampton’s current resources suggests his work on the training ground will effectively produce new signings in the shape of substantial individual improvements.

After a career working in Germany, which is lacking the financial investment of the Premier League, Hasenhuttl has mastered the skill of getting the most out of his crop of players, and Honigstein’s quotes suggest that Southampton may well have made their latest appointment with that knowledge firmly in mind.

Southampton fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

أعلن سيد عبدالحفيظ، مدير الكرة بالفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، جاهزية لاعب جديد قبل مواجهة مصر للمقاصة في الدوري المصري الممتاز.

الأهلي يلاقي نظيره المقاصة يوم السبت المقبل في إطار منافسات الجولة الثامنة والعشرين من المسابقة الأكبر محليًا.

قال عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات للموقع الرسمي إن حسين الشحات لاعب الفريق أصبح جاهزًا للتواجد تحت تصرف الجهاز الفني بعد إنهاء برنامجه التأهيلي للتعافي من آثار جراحة الفتاق التي أجراها مؤخراً.

وأضاف أن اللاعب شارك في مران اليوم، الخميس، بشكل طبيعي في التدريبات الجماعية وبات جاهزا للمرحلة المقبلة.

ويدخل الأهلي معسكرا مغلقا غدا الجمعة استعدادا لمواجهة مصر المقاصة المقبلة.

جدير بالذكر أن الأهلي يتصدر جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 72 نقطة.

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Pablo Hernandez has been struggling to discover his magic touch in recent weeks and it’s no coincidence that his dip in form has coincided with Leeds United’s biggest blip of the season.

What’s the word?

Things haven’t quite been clicking for Hernandez with the same fluidity that they were before the turn of the year. His confidence has taken a small hit as a consequence, but his performance against Swansea City will have given him a huge mental boost as the club move towards the business end of the season.

There were plenty of positive performances from the home side, with the likes of Pontus Jansson and Kalvin Phillips coming in for esteemed praise.

However, Phil Hay was also eager to laud Hernandez for his performance, with the Yorkshire Evening Post reporter awarding him an 8/10 in his player ratings column and hinting that he was close to returning to his brilliant best.

‘Orchestrated so much again, with lovely deliveries and clever passes. Tough to play against when he’s in this mood. 8/10’.

Hernandez’s return to form arrives at a perfect time

A return to top form for the Spaniard is always good news for everybody associated with the Whites, but it could be particularly vital when you place Leeds’ run of fixtures into context.

On paper, Leeds are strong favourites to win their next two games. First, they welcome a Bolton Wanderers side to Elland Road who have only won twice on the road all season, and then they travel to QPR to go head-to-head with a side who have been leaking goals of late.

Of course, there are no easy games in the Championship, but both of the two upcoming fixtures should offer Leeds’ attacking players the chance to strut their stuff and continue to build momentum ahead of the huge clashes which follow thereafter against fellow promotion contenders West Bromich Albion and Bristol City.

If the 33-year-old can continue to build on his glowing performance against Swansea with excellent displays against Bolton and QPR, Leeds’ chief playmaker should be full of confidence and ready to offer a decisive creative threat in the defining moments of the season.

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Nigel Clough has backed Luton Town to win promotion from League One this season, per the Derby Telegraph.

Luton are five points clear of Barnsley at the top of the table, and the Burton Albion boss believes they are perfectly positioned to make the jump to the Championship.

What’s the word?

Clough’s Burton are currently 11th in the third-tier standings and lost 2-0 to the Hatters in December.

The Brewers boss was quizzed on who he believes will be promoted this season and insists that the two teams currently at the top of the tree will head into the Championship ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Sunderland are third, four points behind Barnsley, while Portsmouth are a point further back, though they have not won any of their last seven fixtures.

Clough said, per the Derby Telegraph: “I think Portsmouth have hit a little bit of a wall, just at the moment.

“It’s better to do it now. In the last 13 games they are more than capable.

“They got a break with a penalty being missed against them (on Tuesday night).

“Sunderland are more than capable of going on a charge and scoring goals, but I think the best two are probably at the top at the moment, everybody else is trying to catch them.”

Luton’s to lose

Luton have gone 19 games unbeaten in League One and have taken six wins from their last six outings.

Indeed, their last defeat came in October, as they fell 3-2 to Barnsley. In total, they have lost four games all season.

Clough, then, is correct in his assertion that the best team are currently top of the league, and it will take something truly special for them to be knocked out of the automatic promotion places between now and May.

Barnsley are on a 13-game unbeaten run and could well become champions if they take advantage of any Luton slip but Sunderland, who have lost just two games this season, have drawn 14 times – dropping a total of 28 points.

They have to ensure that that habit is cut out if they are to head back to the Championship automatically at the first time of asking.

And that looks a tough task, with Luton and Barnsley seemingly safely ensconced in their current positions.