Manchester United have received a huge offer for Bruno Fernandes from Al-Hilal but the Red Devils are unlikely to sell their captain this summer.
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Al-Hilal swoop for Fernandes
Man Utd skipper unlikely to be sold
United could part ways with Mainoo & Garnacho
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Per , reigning Saudi Arabian champions Al-Hilal have tabled a three-year contract for United captain Fernandes to join them this summer. Officials of the Saudi giants have initiated talks with Fernandes' lawyer Caetano Maria and agent Miguel Ruben and have informed them that the club are ready to accept all the financial demands of the Portuguese midfielder. If they manage to reach an agreement with the player's representatives, Al-Hilal will formally approach the Premier League side. The 28-year-old's current contract at Old Trafford runs until June 2027.
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While the Red Devils can expect to receive a lucrative offer from the Saudi Pro League club, it is unlikely that they will part company with Fernandes. The midfielder, along with Harry Maguire, Amad Diallo and Patrick Dorgu, has been clubbed in an exclusive group of players who won't be sold during the upcoming summer transfer window, according to the .
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Red Devils are planning to sell a number of other players at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, though, as they are looking to fund fresh transfers to bolster their squad, while complying with financial regulations. Alejandro Garnacho, who has attracted interest from Chelsea, could be sold this summer alongside players like Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Christian Eriksen, the Daily Star report added.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
After a frustrating loss at Brentford last weekend, Ruben Amorim's side will now hope to seal their place in the Europa League final as they face Athletic Club in the second leg of their last-four fixture. The Red Devils head into the clash at Old Trafford with a 3-0 lead.
Liverpool are now likely to pursue a summer move for an “unbelievable” player, at which point his £75m asking price is set to drop, according to a report.
Reds eyeing a centre-back
The Reds had a quiet January transfer window, with Arne Slot perhaps not wanting to rock the boat, given that his side are faring well in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Having been unable to bring in a new central midfielder last summer, it has been quiet on the transfer front for quite some time at Anfield, but they may be forced into action at the end of the season.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk still yet to sign new deals, Slot may be forced to rebuild his squad this summer, while he is also looking for a partner for his captain.
Liverpool managerArneSlot, Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk react after the match
Liverpool are gearing up for a marquee signing in the summer, and they have reportedly identified Nottingham Forest’s Murillo as a concrete target, although the centre-back will not come cheap, with the Tricky Trees looking to hold out for £80m.
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The Brazilian is not the only Premier League defender the Reds are keen on, however, with Football Insider reporting Liverpool are likely to join the race for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the summer.
The Eagles were holding out for a fee of £75m in the January transfer window, which was enough to dissuade potential suitors, but Guehi’s price tag is expected to drop at the end of the season, at which point he will have just one year left on his contract.
Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Everton (a)
February 12th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
February 16th
Manchester City (a)
February 23rd
Newcastle United (h)
February 26th
Southampton (h)
March 8th
Most of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ are set to fight it out for the Crystal Palace star in the summer, with Tottenham Hotspur seeing a £70m bid rejected in the latter stages of the winter window.
Guehi has been "unbelievable" for Crystal Palace
It is no wonder the England international is attracting so much attention from the country’s top clubs, given that he has been extremely impressive in a Palace shirt for quite some time.
The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam provides an overview of the 24-year-old’s key strengths, while also relaying a quote from former manager Patrick Vieira.
The only concern over signing the former Chelsea man is the fact he struggles somewhat aerially, given that he is just 6 foot, as pointed out by the BBC’s Alex Howell, but he makes up for that slight weakness with his positional awareness.
Liverpool’s priority should be to keep hold of Van Dijk, but if Slot decides a new centre-back is necessary, Guehi could be an excellent addition.
Rohit Sharma, the India captain, has been ruled out of the upcoming Dhaka Test as he continues to nurse a thumb injury that he picked up during the ODI series in Bangladesh. Rohit is currently recuperating in Mumbai. Fast bowler Navdeep Saini has also been ruled out* with an abdominal muscle strain.Rohit injured his thumb while fielding in the slips in the second ODI, and was immediately flown home with the aim of having him ready for at least the second Test. Scans in the aftermath of the incident revealed a dislocation that needed a few stitches.ESPNcricinfo understands Rohit’s injury is healing well, but is still deemed risky given the volume of cricket India are due to play over the next two months. He is likely to undergo a medical assessment next week.A BCCI statement sent out on Tuesday said Saini would report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru “for further management of his injury.”With Saini ruled out, India’s pace reserves in Bangladesh have taken another hit, with the first-choice new-ball pair of Jasprit Bumrah (back) and Mohammed Shami (shoulder) already missing the tour. Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav are set to remain India’s preferred quick-bowling options in Dhaka, but should they need a third seamer – or should there be another injury – they are left with only two options to choose from, in Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat.India play six ODIs and as many T20Is in January against Sri Lanka and New Zealand at home, the squad for which will be announced in due course. The white-ball leg will be followed by a four-Test series at home against Australia beginning February 9.It isn’t clear yet if the new selection panel will be in place before the squad is chosen for India’s home season. As on Monday, no interviews had taken place.With Rohit unavailable, KL Rahul will continue to lead India, with Cheteshwar Pujara as his deputy. Rohit’s absence also means Shubman Gill, who hit his maiden Test century in India’s 188-run win in Chattogram, is expected to continue opening the batting with Rahul. Abhimanyu Easwaran is the reserve opener in the squad.The Indian team arrived in Dhaka on Monday morning after wrapping up victory in Chattogram in the opening session of the final day on Sunday. They’re expected to hold two training sessions – on Tuesday and Wednesday – in the lead-up to the second Test at the Shere-Bangla Stadium.*December 20, GMT 0800 The story was updated with the news of Saini’s injury.
Cameron Green will also miss the Sydney Test against South Africa because of a broken finger
Alex Malcolm29-Dec-2022
Mitchell Starc will consult a specialist after suffering a finger injury•AFP/Getty Images
Mitchell Starc admits he could be touch and go for the early part of the four-Test tour of India starting in February, while Pat Cummins has declared injured allrounder Cameron Green as close to irreplaceable as Australia are hit with a rare injury crisis as they try to qualify for the World Test Championship final.Australia wrapped up their three-Test series win against South Africa 2-0 with a match to play thanks to a thumping innings victory at the MCG but it came at a major cost. Starc and Green have both been ruled out of the third Test in Sydney with finger injuries.Green flew home to Perth on Thursday while the game was still going to recover from a broken index finger and there has been no timeframe put on his recovery, although he is expected to be fit for the India tour. The same can’t be said for Starc who has a detached tendon in the top of his middle finger on his bowling hand, which occurred when he attempted to take a catch on the first day of the game.Related
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Starc was able to bat and bowl in the remainder of the game but admits he does not know what his recovery timeframe looks like as he needs to consult a specialist in Sydney.”I’m getting another scan in Sydney and seeing a finger specialist to work through all that,” Starc said after Australia wrapped up victory in Melbourne inside four days.”Obviously India is coming up, so we’ll see what the timeframes are after I’ve had those discussions next week. Hopefully [my return] fits in somewhere at the front end of the tour.”Apart from the finger being out of action, I can still train to some degree and bowl in creative ways to keep up my workloads up whilst the finger not being impacted. So that side of it is going to be fine. It’s just where the timeframe of the tendon comes into it for the India tour.”From the scans the other day the tendon’s basically gone from the top of the finger so I can’t straighten it.”Mitchell Starc bowled through the pain•Getty Images
Australia likely to name Sydney squad on Friday Australia’s first Test against India starts on February 9 in Nagpur. Starc has not missed a Test match since the 2019 Ashes and was a key part of Australia’s last two subcontinent tours when Australia played only two specialist quicks in four of the five Test matches in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with Green as the allrounder.India aside, Cummins’ immediate concern is replacing both Starc and Green for the third Test against South Africa in Sydney.”The first thing is to probably have a look at the wicket up there,” Cummins said post the MCG win. “From afar it looks a little bit dry this year. I’m sure we’ll add an extra spinner to the mix. Greeny is pretty close to being irreplaceable I think as a top order batter that gives you another bowling option. We’ll chat through all those combinations when we get a bit closer but we’re not settled on anything.”Cummins confirmed that he and Australia’s selectors would discuss the squad on Thursday night and announce it Friday. Australia coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on SEN on Wednesday morning that Australia would likely pick a spinner who complements Nathan Lyon rather than a second offspinner like Victoria’s Todd Murphy.Queensland legspinner Mitchell Swepson partnered Lyon in four Tests in Pakistan and Sri Lanka but appears to have fallen out of favour. Ashton Agar is looking like the possible second option with Australia keen to have a left-arm finger spinner in the side for India following the success of Steve O’Keefe in 2017, and the success of India’s duo, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, more broadly.Agar played his first two first-class games in 18 months just recently for the Prime Minister’s XI and Western Australia, returning figures of 3 for 212 from 78.4 overs while battling to readjust to red-ball bowling after so much limited-overs cricket.Australia’s other white-ball spinner Adam Zampa has also thrown his hand up to play Test cricket after playing his first first-class game in three years in November, taking 3 for 57 and 0 for 49 for New South Wales against Victoria, but seems an unlikely candidate for Sydney.Cameron Green is expected to be fit before Australia’s tour of India•Getty Images and Cricket Australia
Cummins admitted Australia could look to trial some players for India in the Sydney Test but acknowledged that they still need to win to shore up their place in the World Test Championship final.”I think it’s a mix,” Cummins said, “It’s probably going to be the wicket in Australia that closest resembles India, even if it doesn’t spin big. So it might give us a chance to have a look at one or two players that will be on that Indian tour ahead of that. But the first priority is of course to win the Test match.”Lance Morris could be Starc’s replacement There was no indication of who would replace Starc but McDonald had mentioned on SEN on Wednesday that West Australian quick Lance Morris could be Starc’s replacement given his raw pace and striking ability.”He may be looking like he’ll get an opportunity in Sydney depending on the balance of that attack,” McDonald said.Josh Hazlewood has declared he is fit after ruling himself out of the Boxing Day Test. But Australia won’t have any workload issues to worry about with either Cummins or Scott Boland after Starc braved the pain at the MCG to deliver 18 overs and take the wicket of Sarel Erwee.”Some painkillers helped,” Starc said. “I think it’s probably just taking a little bit of the pressure off my middle finger onto the ball, which I think actually helped my seam position. So I might see if they want to leave it detached for a bit longer because it’s helping the swing.”It was just to hopefully play a role and be able to not leave them a bowler down. I’m sure they would have been able to do it, but it would have been a big ask for just Scotty, Pat and Nath [Lyon] to bowl [on their own]. I think Pat came over three balls into that first over of the second innings and said this is going better than we thought and I certainly was of the same opinion. It was just nice to be able to play a role and contribute in that second innings.”
Raphinha appears set to sign a contract renewal at Barcelona, rejecting lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia in order to remain at the Camp Nou.
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New deal will keep Raphinha at Barca till 2029
Brazilian has 59 goal contributions this season
Ex-Leeds star has rejected huge Saudi offers
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Raphinha are close to finalising a contract extension following the Brazilian's incredible season. While certain details, such as his new release clause, are still under discussion, a verbal agreement is reportedly already in place. The new deal is expected to keep the winger at the club until 2029.
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Raphinha's current contract runs until 2027, but talks of an extension have been progressing smoothly since they began in March. Before Barca's 4-3 Clasico win over rivals Real Madrid on Sunday, the former Leeds star confirmed during a press conference that he would be staying at the club. Despite receiving lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, Raphinha turned them down, reaffirming his commitment to Barcelona's sporting project.
DID YOU KNOW?
Raphinha has been on fire this season, racking up 59 goal contributions in just 54 appearances, with 34 goals and 25 assists. He is currently the fourth-highest scorer in La Liga with 18 goals and sits second in the assist charts with nine. He is tied as the top scorer in the Champions League with 13 goals alongside Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy. While Inter’s Lautaro Martinez and PSG’s Ousmane Dembele will compete in the final, it’s unlikely either will catch up to Raphinha’s tally.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR RAPHINHA?
Raphinha is set to feature for Barcelona in their final three La Liga matches this month as they look to wrap up the La Liga title. The Catalans sit seven points clear of Real after Sunday's Clasico win and now need just three points to reclaim their crown from Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Chelsea lost to Brighton and Hove Albion once again, this time in the Premier League. After a 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup last weekend, Enzo Maresca was out for revenge against Fabian Hurzeler.
The game didn’t go to plan for the Blues, however, as a double from Yankuba Minteh alongside a well-taken goal from Kauro Mitoma saw the Seagulls prevail 3-0 at the AMEX.
Since the turn of the year, the Stamford Bridge side have only won two top-flight matches as they have slipped further down the league table.
Chelsea
Several players haven’t been performing to their full abilities of late. Cole Palmer has failed to score in his previous five matches. Considering Chelsea have won just two of those fixtures, his downturn in form is perhaps no coincidence.
Another player who hasn’t been at their best of late is Levi Colwill, especially against Brighton on Friday evening.
Levi Colwill struggled against Brighton
The defender played the full 90 minutes against the South Coast side during the 3-0 defeat, but he struggled to cope with the frantic nature of the home side.
He may have won eight of his nine total contested duels during the clash, along with completing 93% of his passes, but Colwill was poor in dealing with the threat Brighton posed, especially in his own penalty area.
Indeed, he was given a match rating of just 3/10 by the Standard and was heavily criticised by Blues content creator Vdyk for his display on Friday evening and unless he improves rapidly, he could find himself out of the starting XI, that’s for sure.
This performance was a culmination of a series of poor displays leading up to the match. Against Manchester City a few weeks ago, the Englishman made an error for one of City’s goals as the Blues suffered a 3-1 defeat.
Back in 2021, Chelsea sold a centre-back to fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the finest defenders in the top flight.
Crystal Palace's Jefferson Lerma, Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace's Trevoh Chalobah and Crystal Palace's AdamWharton
Right now, he is certainly better than Colwill, without a shadow of a doubt.
How much Chelsea sold Marc Guehi for
After making just two senior appearances for Chelsea after coming through the academy, Marc Guehi knew that a move elsewhere would be the only chance he would have of igniting his career.
He spent time on loan at Swansea City, but by the summer of 2021, Crystal Palace were keen on keeping him in London. A deal was struck which saw the youngster move to Selhurst Park for a fee in the region of £20m, which was an impressive profit secured by the Blues.
Although he hadn’t been tested in the Premier League, his success with the Welsh side in the Championship meant he was an interesting signing.
Over the next three and a half seasons, Guehi has gone from raw potential to gaining 22 caps for England while making over 100 appearances for Palace.
How Chelsea would love a player of his quality still at the club.
Marc Guehi’s Crystal Palace statistics
Across his first two seasons at Palace, Guehi missed just three Premier League matches, establishing himself as a regular at the club.
A knee injury restricted his appearances to 25 in the top flight last season, but during his time on the pitch, the 24-year-old was a dependable part of the defence.
Across the entire campaign, Guehi won 60% of his total duels contested in the Premier League, while also making 3.5 clearances, 1.1 tackles, and recovering 4.8 balls per game for Palace.
These statistics show just how impressive he was for the club as they retained their status in the top flight for yet another season and he was hailed by a former teammate at youth level, Josef Bursik, who said: “He’s an absolute tank.
“It’s like having a brick wall in front of you, he’s massive.”
His strength is undoubtedly one of his finest attributes, evidenced by the fact he won over half of his total duels last term.
Given Colwill’s recent poor form, Chelsea must now come to regret selling someone like Guehi, who has developed at a quicker rate than the current Chelsea centre-back, that’s for sure.
Marc Guehi is better than Levi Colwill
Comparing the two defenders with regard to their performances in the Premier League this season proves that there is one who is outshining the other.
Indeed, Guehi has registered more goal contributions (four vs one) in the top flight this term, along with registering more shots (0.43 vs 0.3), tackles (36 vs 29), percentage of dribblers tackled (67.9% vs 64.7%), progressive carries (ten vs nine) and aerial duel won (57 vs 53).
Comparing Guehi and Colwill in the PL this season
Metric (per 90)
Guehi
Colwill
Accurate passes
43.5
70
Tackles
1.6
1.3
Possession lost
10.4
9
Ball recoveries
4.6
2.9
Total duels won
5.3
4.4
Interceptions
0.6
1
The best thing is, Guehi hasn’t actually been performing at his very best, especially during the first few months of the season, yet he has still managed to outperform the current Chelsea centre-back.
This speaks to just how impressive of a talent the England international is and exactly why the club should regret selling him, as he could have been a great option for Maresca right now.
How much Marc Guehi is valued at now
Chelsea have shown some interest in bringing Guehi back to Stamford Bridge due to his rise at Palace.
Newcastle United did make several offers last summer for the Englishman, but they were rejected by the London club as they looked to build their team around him.
According to GIVEMESPORT, Chelsea are now the favourites to lure the defender back to his first club, although it would take an eye-watering amount to make it happen.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi
This summer could be the perfect chance to sign him, as he only has a year left on his current contract by the time the summer comes around.
Palace will still demand a fee of around £75m, however. Depending on the other areas of his team that Maresca needs to strengthen, might this prove to be a stumbling block?
Only time will tell, but by signing Guehi, the Blues will be improving their defensive options. That’s a certainty.
Fewer passes than Jorgensen: Chelsea's 4/10 flop let Maresca down
Chelsea suffered another defeat to Brighton on Friday night in the Premier League.
Afghanistan make as many as seven changes from last year’s T20 World Cup squad
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2023Rashid Khan will lead a new-look 18-member Afghanistan squad for the three-match T20I series against UAE with as many as seven changes from that of the T20 World Cup last year. Mohammad Nabi, who stepped down from captaincy after the tournament, has been left out.Zahir Khan along with Rahmat Shah – who has been a regular in the ODI side – have been included in the side with the possibility of debuting in T20Is. Afsar Zazai, Noor Ahmad, and Nijat Masood, each having played under five T20Is each, return as does Karim Janat, who last featured in the Asia Cup. Sharafuddin Ashraf, who was among the reserves for the T20 World Cup, has also been called up to the squad.Apart from Nabi, the omissions include T20 globetrotter Qais Ahmad, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Saleem, and Usman Ghani. Rashid, Qais, and Farooqi among others will return to international set-up after featuring in franchise leagues across the world.Mirwais Ashraf, the ACB chairman, said: “We don’t take any team lightly and have always tended to completely prepare the squad for any event,” he said. “The team has been in the UAE for around 10 days as it was getting ready for the series.”The three-T20I series, which is part of a five-year agreement between Emirates Cricket Board and Afghanistan Cricket Board, starts on Thursday and all the games will be played in Abu Dhabi. The agreement stated that the UAE board will provide logistical and infrastructure support, including hosting Afghanistan’s “home” matches.Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (Capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen-ul-Haq, Nijat Masood, Noor Ahmad, Rahmat Shah, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Zahir Khan
After taking one step into the Champions League quarter-finals, Aston Villa now reportedly want to get another one over on Europe’s top sides in the race to sign a defensive target.
Aston Villa transfer news
It wasn’t so long ago that goal-line technology was malfunctioning against Sheffield United on Aston Villa’s way to Premier League survival. Now, almost five years on, they’re no longer just surviving in England’s top flight, they’re thriving. Unai Emery has dragged the Midlands club away from the bottom half and into the Champions League, where they have taken Europe by storm.
Having defeated Club Brugge 3-1 to take a comfortable lead into the second leg of their last 16 tie, the Villans’ Champions League dream undoubtedly remains a reality with their sights now potentially set on the last eight.
Away from their European ventures, however, Emery’s squad still needs plenty of work in pursuit of a consistent place inside the Premier League’s top four. Currently sat 10th and five points adrift of the Champions League places, the Villans have already set their sights on one particular reinforcement.
According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Konstantinos Koulierakis ahead of both Liverpool and Real Madrid in a deal worth up to €50m (£42m).
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The young Wolfsburg centre-back has enjoyed an impressive campaign and could yet emerge to become Emery’s eventual replacement for 31-year-old Tyrone Mings.
With plenty of competition for his signature, European football could prove to be key – making Aston Villa’s current position all the more frustrating as the Premier League season enters its final stretch.
"Complete" Koulierakis is a rising star
At just 21 years old, Koulierakis is undoubtedly one to watch. Helping Wolfsburg into the top seven of the Bundesliga this season – just four points adrift of the top four – it’s no surprise that the defender has reportedly attracted the interest of several top sides.
Konstantinos Koulierakis warms up for Wolfsburg.
The only question that could remain this summer is just where Koulierakis will end up and whether it will be those in the Midlands welcoming a new star with open arms. Emery could certainly use with the depth and, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Wolfsburg star, a “complete” defender in Koulierakis.
Aston Villa’s squad depth could prove to be the main factor behind their top four failure this season, but arrivals such as Koulierakis would quickly put an end to those struggles for years to come.
Liverpool have now opened talks over a move to sign a “monster” £66m striker, who could be brought in to replace the unsettled Darwin Nunez this summer, according to a report.
Slot looking to strengthen as Nunez set to be sold
Arne Slot is interested in signing a new left-back this summer, with the manager recently making it clear he wants the club to sell Kostas Tsimikas and bring in AFC Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, but the Hungarian will not come cheap.
The Cherries are looking to receive a fee of £50m for the defender, given his impressive performances this season, while Italian giants AC Milan could also be set to provide competition for his signature.
There have been some calls for Slot to replace long-serving first-choice left-back Andy Robertson, with former Red Jermaine Pennant telling Football FanCast he believes Antonee Robinson or Rayan Ait-Nouri could be suitable heirs.
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A new midfielder may also be of interest, after missing out on Martin Zubimendi last summer, and there could be an opportunity to sign Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich for free upon the expiration of his contract.
However, alongside left-back, striker has been more of a problem position for Slot this season, and there is a feeling Darwin Nunez will be sold in the summer, which means a replacement will be necessary.
According to a report from The Boot Room, Liverpool have now opened talks to sign RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskoscores their first goal from the penalty spot
Manchester United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also battling to sign the forward, who has a release clause of £58m, although reports from elsewhere have stated it could rise to as much as £66m.
WIth Nunez said to be open to an Anfield exit in the summer, the Reds are being proactive in the transfer market and assessing new strikers, and Sesko is believed to be among Slot’s top targets.
"Monster" Sesko could easily eclipse Nunez
Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has dubbed the Slovenian striker a “monster”, while also claiming his ceiling is “high”, and he has started to fulfill his potential in the Bundesliga this season.
The Leipzig star has a solid record of 17 goals in 34 matches in all competitions, while also showcasing his ability to set up his teammates by weighing in with five assists.
Nunez, on the other hand, has had some good moments this season, bagging a brace to secure a late win against Brentford back in January, but top-level performances have been few and far between, with the Uruguayan scoring just four league goals.
As previously mentioned, the 25-year-old is open to a move this summer, and Liverpool shouldn’t stand in his way, considering Sesko is showing signs he could be a real upgrade, and cashing in on Nunez could be a huge help in funding the move.
Akash has played nine T20s so far, picking up seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.87
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Mar-2023
File photo – From playing against Chennai Super Kings in the past, Akash Singh could play for them this season•BCCI
Chennai Super Kings left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary has been sidelined from the entire IPL 2023 with a stress fracture of the back. Nagaland left-arm seamer Akash Singh, who has played for Rajasthan Royals in the past, has been signed as a like-for-like replacement.Choudhary’s injury is the latest blow to the Super Kings attack that is already without New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson, who has also been ruled out of the entire season with a back injury. Super Kings will also be without the Sri Lankan pair of Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana, who will link up with the franchise only after the end of Sri Lanka’s six-match white-ball series in New Zealand on April 8.Choudhary was one of the finds of the last IPL season, emerging as the team’s joint-highest wicket-taker, with 16 strikes in 13 games at an economy rate of 9.31. Eleven of those wickets came in the powerplay, the joint-most by any bowler during this phase in the tournament.Related
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Akash, who was unsold at the auction, will join Super Kings at his base price of INR 20 lakh. In all, he has played nine T20s so far, picking up seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.87. He made his T20 debut for Rajasthan in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2019 before helping India Under-19s to a runners-up finish in the 2020 World Cup in South Africa. He had moved from Rajasthan to Nagaland ahead of the 2022-23 domestic season.