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Manchester United will have to act quickly if they are to poach a transfer target from a rival, even if it is to copy one of their star assets.

Is Mohammed Kudus joining Manchester United?

Although The Athletic has reported that Chelsea are the latest to move to sign Ajax's Mohammed Kudus, their interest is long prefaced by the Red Devils' fascination with the Ghanaian trickster for whom the list of suitors only seems to grow.

Whilst links have been sparse since that March report, they could seek to reignite that desire to sign Erik ten Hag's former star in order to prevent their rivals from improving.

Funnily enough, the acquisition of the 22-year-old could actually provide the Old Trafford outfit with their own version of the Blues' new star man, replicating Christopher Nkunku.

However, the reported £40m price tag could prove a stumbling block for a side that has already spent big this summer, and likely have a new striker higher on their priority list.

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

Last season marked a true breakout year for the versatile young ace, whose performances at the World Cup made many stand up and take note of just how influential he had been for his side. He maintained a 7.70 average rating despite their group-stage exit, scoring twice in just three games, via Sofascore.

Even during the 2021/22 campaign Kudus had impressed, but his seven goal contributions paled in comparison to the 18 goals and seven assists posted across all competitions most recently.

It is likely why the clientele has shifted from Everton last summer to some of England's European-chasing sides now.

The ability of the magical maestro to float into various roles, showing up on either flank or just behind the striker, is what would draw natural comparisons to Nkunku.

After all, the Frenchman too has enjoyed a standout year with RB Leipzig, operating as a shadow striker just off the number nine. Such a role has helped him enjoy one of his best goalscoring and creative terms, with 23 goals and nine assists across all competitions imperious but still a far cry from the 55 goal contributions he recorded the year earlier.

Should Ten Hag seek a reunion with Kudus, he too could operate in a similar role and star, with the hope he might reach such lofty figures.

After all, he has been lauded on occasion for his consistency, which paired with his classy play style and tireless work ethic, make him an outstanding option to join the Premier League.

Legendary Dutch striker Marco van Basten sought to outline these traits, but could not resist leaving a cutting remark about last summer's marquee signing Antony:

"I find Mohammed Kudus a much better football player than Antony. Antony has his skills, but he is confused with the things he is trying to do!

"Kudus has much better technique and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team. In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He’s more fun to watch play."

His unpredictability makes him unique, but that is exactly what has given Nkunku such success early on in his career. He even noted himself: "I play where the coach decides. I don’t want to be a problem but a solution. But I can be up front, in support behind or on the wings. I have this ability to adapt – I like to be free."

Perhaps Ten Hag could once again unleash Kudus with the potential deal in question, taking a leaf out of their rivals' book with regard to a new role for him to fulfil.

An update has emerged on Liverpool's search for new midfielders to bolster their playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to FootballTransfers, the Reds are considering a swoop to sign Bayern Munich titan Leon Goretzka ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the German international is one of the 'prime' candidates to fill out Jurgen Klopp's squad as speculation swirls over Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Thiago Alcantara's respective futures at the club.

It states that the Bundesliga giants want to overhaul their squad over the coming weeks and, for that reason, they are open to cashing in on the central midfielder for a fee in the region of €40m (£35m).

He would be the third new addition of the summer for Liverpool after they snapped up Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to improve their options in midfield.

How old is Leon Goretzka?

The Bayern machine is in what should be the prime years of his career at the age of 28 and would, therefore, arrive at Anfield as a player who is ready to make an instant impact.

He is not a young player with plenty of development still to come or an experienced veteran whose powers are waning, which could allow him to hit the ground running.

Goretzka has proven himself to be a combative midfielder who can also provide a significant goal threat and that could make him perfect for Szoboszlai next season.

The Hungary international, who recently signed from RB Leipzig, could provide the towering German with the opportunities he needs to find the back of the net as his time in the Bundesliga suggests that he is a creative magician.

Szoboszlai registered 2.3 key passes per match for his former club last season, which resulted in 14 'big chances' being created for his teammates. Meanwhile, no Liverpool player managed more than Trent Alexander-Arnold's 1.9 key passes per Premier League game.

This suggests that the 22-year-old wizard could be Klopp's outstanding creative presence in midfield next season, due to his impressive ability to unlock opposition defences on a regular basis.

Goretzka, who has scored 34 goals in 179 matches for Bayern, ranks within the top 1% of his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions over the last 365 days for non-penalty expected goals (xG) accumulated per 90.

This essentially means that the 28-year-old talent excels at finding himself in high-quality positions to find the back of the net, which indicates that he would be perfect for Szoboszlai.

The German international, who teammate Manuel Neuer hailed as "cold as ice", is a goalscoring midfielder who could benefit from his potentially new teammate's superb creativity to provide a significant goal threat from midfield.

His physicality in that position could also allow Szoboszlai to go about his business without worrying about that side of the game. The 6 foot 2 monster won 58% of his Bundesliga duels, including 67% of his aerial battles, last season, whilst the Hungarian star lost 72% of his contests in the air.

Therefore, Goretzka would perfectly complement the former Leipzig maestro in and out of possession as the £35m-rated colossus has the quality to provide the exciting youngster with a target to find within the box in attack whilst also being able to cover for him defensively with immense aerial ability.

The proposal could end a revenue sharing model between the board and the players that has stood for 19 years

Daniel Brettig21-Mar-2017

Australia’s cricketers are considering the formal payment MOU offer announced by Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday, as the board pushes on with its attempt to break up the fixed percentage of revenue share agreement that has existed since 1998.While CA have agreed with the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) to include women in a single MOU for the first time, the remainder of the offer stays broadly in line with the initial pay submission presented to the players late last year. Talks have so far been the most fractious since the ACA was formed 20 years ago. The offer was formally submitted to the ACA this afternoon.The proposed changes

Total pay increases to A$419 million for 2017-22, from the current A$311 million

Average women’s pay increases by more than 125%, to A$179,000 a year from A$79,000 for international cricketers; it is A$52,000 from A$22,000 for domestic cricketers

Average international men’s central contract to rise to A$816,000 by 2021-22, with match fees up to an average of A$1.45 million from A$1.16 million in 2016-17

Average domestic men’s payments to rise to A$235,000 by 2021-22, up from A$199,000 in 2016-17

Minimum and average hourly pay will be the same for men and women domestic cricketers

Identical match fees for Women’s National Cricket League and Matador Cup

James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, heralded measures such as equal hourly rates of pay for male and female domestic players, an increase for women of 125% next to their current deals. He also outlined the overall increase in player remuneration from A$311 million over the current MOU period (2012-17) to A$419 million over the next MOU (2017-2022).”We are pleased that the Australian Cricketers Association agrees with us that women, for the first time, should be part of the MOU, and we have proposed a financial model that has gender equity at its heart,” Sutherland said.”Under the proposal, women will receive an immediate average pay increase of more than 125%. As a result, our international women cricketers will see their average pay increase from A$79,000 to A$179,000, as of July 1 this year. By 2021, we expect to see our international women cricketers earning an average of A$210,000.”And our state female cricketers, playing both WNCL [Women’s National Cricket League] and WBBL [Women’s Big Bash League], will see their average remuneration more than double from A$22,000 to A$52,000 this year. Under this offer, we will achieve gender equity by ensuring that the minimum and average hourly pay will be the same for state men and women in 2017/18. In addition, match fees for the WNCL and the Matador Cup will be exactly the same: a one-day game for a state cricketer is worth the same to both men and women.”We are also introducing, for the first time, prize money for the WNCL of A$258,000 and the WBBL of A$309,000 this coming summer.”The Australia’s women cricketers’ fees – those who play international cricket – have increased by 125% to A$ 179,000•Getty Images

One of the most hotly-contested aspects of the initial CA submission was that only the top male players deserved a fixed share of the game’s revenue because they helped provide most of windfall from international matches. Sutherland indicated that CA wanted to offer guaranteed minimums to the players while keeping any blue sky amounts over and above projections for funding other aspects of the game.CA’s figures come with the asterisk that the next round of television rights deals, both for Australian and overseas markets, are resolved over the next 15 months. Sutherland indicated that even if the revenue raised by these deals turned out to be comfortably above current projections, only international players would be entitled to a share in the upside.”We have placed the emphasis on increasing the guaranteed amount that the men will receive, rather than rely on any projected increase in revenue,” Sutherland said. “We understand that the ACA prefers the status quo, but CA believes that the model devised in the 1990s, which is based on a fixed percentage of revenue, has served its intended purpose – to make Australia’s cricketers some of the best paid sportspeople in the country.”It was a means to an end, not something that has to hold us back from providing players with financial certainty, a fair deal for all players including women, and the flexibility to invest in the grassroots of the game.”This is a landmark agreement. We are now looking forward to sitting down with the ACA to work through the details and we are confident we will be able to announce a completed agreement before June 30.”Another pillar of past MOU agreements was CA’s provision of an annual grant to fund the ACA, something the board openly questioned in their initial submission. Sutherland declined to indicate whether this was being maintained in the new offer.”That’s something that is in the detail of the proposal, I don’t want to go into that right now,” he said. “It’s something we can talk about later on. In the first instance we see that as a matter for the members and the ACA to consider and we can talk through that detail in the future.”Both Sutherland and the ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson have spent time with the Test team in India in recent days. The players have so far been united in their rejection of any attempts to break up the revenue sharing model, and have also rebuffed CA’s efforts to negotiate directly with the players rather than the ACA.The national captains Steven Smith and Meg Lanning co-signed a letter to Sutherland to this effect in December after talks broke down. While they have resumed in the new year, the two parties remain a long way apart. Nicholson said that the ACA was positive about some elements of the pay offer, but also stated that much of its detail still needed to be digested before the players respond.”There is a lot of fine print to examine and a lot more forecast information still needed by the players,” he said. “Like all such proposals the devil is always in the details. For the moment, what can be said is that this proposal shows a number of promising signs that indicate that CA has been taking the ACA’s lead on various key points from our MOU submission.”However, with a lack of detail in the terms and conditions that underpin this proposal, the ACA will continue to seek clarification from CA and advise the players on this accordingly. The ACA will respond more fully in the coming weeks.”Australia’s looming series decider with India in Dharamsala should ensure that there will be little further jousting until the Test match concludes.

Burnley are thought to be interested in a move for Barcelona goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

What’s the latest Burnley transfer news?

The Clarets have already splashed the cash ahead of their Premier League return, with Vincent Kompany signing centre-back Jordan Beyer from Borussia Monchengladbach and full-back Dara O’Shea from West Brom at a combined cost of €22m.

That looks to be the start of what could be a busy summer at Turf Moor, with plenty more rumours in the media. Fabrizio Romano has recently claimed that Burnley have made an offer to sign Anderlecht defender Noah Sadiki.

Meanwhile, the club are also preparing a new offer to sign Millwall star Zian Flemming, and another new target appears to be Tenas.

According to one Spanish outlet, Burnley are interested in signing Tenas and are very aware of his situation. Barcelona had the option to extend the 22-year-old’s contract, however, that has now passed, so the goalkeeper can leave as a free agent, should a new deal fail to materialise.

Tenas reportedly meets the needs required by Kompany in goal due to his ‘good footwork’, something which is ‘very attractive for a team that tries to take care of the ball and apply a style of play similar to that of Barcelona’. If a fresh Camp Nou contract doesn’t come to light, then Burnley are very likely to make a proposal for the Spaniard.

Who is Arnau Tenas?

Tenas has progressed through Barcelona’s academy and is the current captain of the B team. The Spain U21 international, valued at a career-high €2m by Transfermarkt, has made 58 appearances for the B team, keeping 22 clean sheets but is still awaiting a senior debut.

Former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique called Tenas the next Victor Valdes back in 2021, whereas a Barcelona fan page once hailed the shot-stopper as an “amazing young goalkeeper” who has plenty of potential.

Kompany currently has Arijanet Muric and Bailey Peacock-Farrell as senior options to choose from ahead of the 2023/24 season, so it’ll be interesting to see if a move is made for Tenas, making this one to watch.

Tottenham Hotspur seem to be engaged in a fierce battle for their top target this summer, with the latest update outlining the competition…

What's the latest on James Maddison to Tottenham?

Taking to his Twitter, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano offered the latest verdict on the future of Leicester City gem James Maddison.

With the midfielder having starred in a relegated team, many are vying to rescue him from a level far below his station.

Ange Postecoglou obviously shares the hierarchy's interest in the 26-year-old, but Newcastle United stand in their way.

The Italian journalist wrote on Twitter: "Newcastle will insist on James Maddison deal this week as they don’t want a long saga — he’s top target but decision has to be made soon. Tottenham are also working on player side, still pushing and into the race; no bid was submitted last week despite reports."

It is expected that the Foxes will command a fee in excess of £50m, likely buoyed by this saga set to develop.

Could James Maddison help the Tottenham squad?

In acquiring this creative England international, Postecoglou could instantly reinvigorate an attacking force that somewhat faltered last campaign. Were it not for the goalscoring exploits of Harry Kane, it could have proved a truly abysmal year for the Lilywhites, even worse than it already was.

The 29-year-old notched 30 league goals, and was hardly helped out by the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son.

The latter's underperformance in particular was frustrating given how consistent a threat he had proven to be since joining in 2015. He has hit double figures in the league in every season but his first, yet saw his numbers drop from 23 goals in the 2021/22 term, and 17 the year prior, to just ten league strikes in his most recent campaign.

To reignite the 30-year-old back to his previous levels, this midfield magician would surely offer the supplementary talents needed to place him in more profitable situations.

After all, for a weak Foxes side, he still managed 19 goal contributions and maintained an impressive 2.3 key passes per game.

His scything passing range could cut through defences to find the electric Son in behind, with the former Norwich City maestro's early-season form even leading pundit Dean Saunders to suggest he was "world-class".

Perhaps when surrounded by such an abundance of truly quality attacking talent, placed in the free-flowing system that Postecoglou will seek to employ, Spurs and indeed Son could finally get back on track with Maddison the catalyst for such a return to the top.

The Queens Sports Club has witnessed a tie, and a one-run defeat, but still no cigar for West Indies. For the second time in two matches, they went into the final over of a chase with a chance to win. But yet again, they fell just short. Captain Jason Holder put their shortcoming against Sri Lanka on Wednesday down to the relative greenness of this squad.”I think it’s inexperience,” Holder said. “There’s obviously situations that we’re not accustomed to being in. We’re still a relatively young side. Everybody’s trying to make their mark. And I think it boils down to inexperience, and having that know-how at the end to get us across the line. We had set up the game nicely, and Evin Lewis played an exceptional knock to put us in the situation that we were in.”Lewis, playing in just his fourth ODI, brought up a maiden fifty in the 12th over, and then reached a 91-ball century, with 12 fours and a six, to leave West Indies well placed at 177 for 3. This was the first time he had opened on the tour, and it seemed to have paid off.”He’s one of those guys that likes the ball coming on, so we just felt that with 330 on the board we needed to get off well in the Powerplay and make use of that first up,” Holder explained. “Him and Johnson Charles did a great job there and put the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure, capitalising on every bad ball that was bowled.”He wasn’t done there, opening up to smite three more sixes as wickets fell around him, and he reached 148 (second only to Chris Gayle’s 153 not out for the highest ODI score by a West Indian in Zimbabwe), battling cramps in the latter stages of his innings. “He was there out in the field for 50 overs fielding, and then came back to bat through most of the overs,” Holder said. “It was a bit of cramp, and I don’t think it was anything too serious.”Lewis was eventually run-out after a horrible mix-up with his captain. It was the third run-out of the innings, and left West Indies needing 69 off 57. In the company of Carlos Brathwaite, Holder took the game into the last three overs with his side still within touching distance of the asking rate. With 10 needed from the final over, Holder could only manage a single off the first ball to put No. 10 Sulieman Benn on strike. Holder would not see the strike again until the final ball, when three were needed but a pinpoint, 144kph yorker from Nuwan Pradeep secured Sri Lanka’s win.”I was just trying to get on strike, but credit must also be given to the Sri Lankan bowlers,” Holder said. “I thought they hit their yorkers really well, and the ball was also tailing in to the right-hander. Benn did a tremendous job to hit the six that he did, to bring the game back closer, but unfortunately he got out afterwards. The last ball was a very good ball.”The defeat means West Indies face a must-win game against Zimbabwe on Friday if they are to reach the final. They may have to play that game without their opening bowler, after discomfort in his hamstring meant Shannon Gabriel could only bowl five overs today.”We’re managing some niggles, and Shannon wasn’t able to finish his overs today, so we’re waiting to see if he’s good to go for the next game,” Holder said. “We’ll see in the next few days.”

Arsenal's pursuit of a new defender has just taken a fresh turn, with a new update outlined by a true transfer specialist.

What's the latest on Sacha Boey on Arsenal?

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are still in the race to sign Galatasaray's Sacha Boey despite reports coming earlier in the week suggesting they had seen a bid rejected.

He wrote on Twitter: "Arsenal are one of the two English clubs informed on Sacha Boey deal conditions — but told NO meeting took place with #AFC at this stage. Galatasaray board asked for at least €25m (£22m) fee during meetings in London."

With Cedric Soares' £75k-per-week deal set to expire next year too, such persistence to acquire the Frenchman could spell bad news for the Portuguese defender, who reportedly plans to stay and fight for his place in Mikel Arteta's side, but might not get such an option.

Is Sacha Boey better than Arsenal's Cedric?

To compare their respective campaigns to decide who might back up Ben White for the coming season would surely mark a no-brainer, given how Boey has shone in his debut year in Turkish football.

Featuring 29 times in the Super Lig, the 22-year-old has maintained a 7.11 average match rating throughout a title-winning year, upheld through one key pass, 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and two clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Such form has almost confirmed the suspicions journalist Zach Lowy noted even before his move, outlining him as an "intriguing prospect" back in 2021.

Then, when looking at Cedric, he instead has only managed a total of 12 games across all competitions which has included a loan spell at Fulham. Even when looking back to last campaign, when the 31-year-old at least managed 16 league starts, his average match rating of 6.86 was still nowhere near that of Boey's.

Ironically enough, when trawling back through the Portuguese defender's average Sofascore ratings for each Premier League campaign, the apex came all the way back in 2016, and even that 7.07 rating is below that of his potential successor.

What Arteta has laid out in front of him is a choice between acquiring another talent to align with his youth-first transfer policy, or an ageing stalwart who has contributed plenty during his three years in north London but is clearly declining.

However, his experience is hardly a necessity now, especially in full-back positions when White and Oleksandr Zinchenko have been the first-choice options this term.

Cedric has fulfilled his purpose in north London and can now leave on a high with a fine reputation and an even finer replacement seemingly lined up.

Liverpool will be desperate to revive their dominance in the Premier League and Europe next season with a fresh start following a disappointing campaign so far.

The Reds have failed to add any new trophies to their illustrious collection this season and could even miss out on qualifying for Champions League football after falling behind in the top flight with just two games remaining to secure their outside chance in the prestigious European competition.

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp has already vocalised his keen intention to bring in new additions who can improve and add quality to key areas of the pitch this summer, with the midfield personnel the most pressing concern.

The Anfield faithful will wave goodbye to James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as they see out their final two fixtures before their contracts expire this summer, but it's not just the departing midfielders that the Liverpool boss needs to replace.

Both Thiago Alcantara and club captain Jordan Henderson are well into the latter stages of their careers, with the former Bayern Munich star, in particular, struggling from numerous injury problems this season which has hindered Klopp's opportunities to deploy one of his most talented and experienced players on many occasions.

The Merseyside giants have been linked with numerous midfielders already, from Mason Mount to Jude Bellingham, but beyond the up-and-coming young English talent, there is a player in the Serie A who has been long-term touted for a move to Anfield.

Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella has been consistently named as a transfer target for the Reds and with Trent Alexander-Arnold adapting his right-back role successfully over the last few weeks, the Italian could be the perfect profile of player to partner him.

Would Nicolo Barella be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool have gone on an unbeaten run in their last nine league games, taking 24 points in the process, which has been monumental in keeping their Champions League dreams alive up to this point.

The majority of the campaign has been a disaster for the Reds, however, a huge turning point came when Alexander-Arnold transformed his right-back role back in April and has since been utterly phenomenal on the pitch, playing as an inverted full-back, which has helped him to dictate play and become a force of nature in the attacking threat.

Now, Klopp could help his 24-year-old star thrive even more in his new role with the signing of Barella, as the Champions League finalist could help Alexander-Arnold cause even more chaos for opponents on the right flank.

The Inter Milan ace is a "creative" outlet – as dubbed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard – and is most active on the right side of midfield with five goals, six assists and four big chances created in the Serie A this season, proving that he is an incredible offensive threat from the centre of the pitch.

Barella is also renowned for his work rate and ability to offer an all-round performance with his strong capability of winning possession higher up the pitch and carrying the ball into dangerous areas.

Over 32 league appearances, the 26-year-old – who has a reported price tag of €80m (£69m) – has completed 70% of his dribbles, won the majority of his duels (56%) and tallied up an 85% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.7 key passes per game.

Combining Barella and Alexander-Arnold's hard-working attitude and attacking minds would provide Klopp with an incredible partnership that could bring Liverpool back to life next season and would bring in the high-quality midfield presence that they have been sorely lacking.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to secure the signature of Barella this summer and there is no reason why the club can't complete a deal if they qualify for the Champions League.

Sam Hain became the latest batsmen to take plunder from a benign Edgbaston pitch as Warwickshire added draw points to their Championship challenge

Jon Culley at Edgbaston13-Jul-2016
ScorecardSam Hain was one of several batsmen to flourish•Getty ImagesA slow, flat pitch and a full day lost to rain were heavy factors against this match producing a positive result, much to the frustration of both sides for differing reasons, Warwickshire needing one to keep up with Middlesex and Lancashire in a breakaway group at the top of Division One, Hampshire to jump ahead of Surrey and Nottinghamshire at the other end.Yet it was a worthwhile exercise for Warwickshire in particular, who were able to watch the precociously talented Sam Hain emerge from a long run of frustratingly low scores in Championship cricket with his first century in almost a year, which he turned into his second highest score for the county.Ultimately holing out for 135 as Warwickshire tried – in vain, as it turned out – to claim a fifth batting point, Hain hit 16 fours and one six, the maximum – a pull backward of square off Gareth Berg – being the shot that took him to three figures.Hain’s first full season playing white-ball cricket has brought significant scores in both T20 and the 50-over game but as an illustration of the extent to which runs have eluded him until now in the four-day game, he accumulated more in this one innings than in his previous 11 this season.Afterwards, he described his struggle to rediscover his form as a new experience but one he had learned from.”I’ve never been in this situation before so to come out and get a few runs today is nice,” he said. “I couldn’t really get my head round what was happening but I talked to some of the older boys to try to get a bit of help because it is quite tough when you are young and I’ve learned a lot from it.”When you are in a run of low scores you start to turn up wondering whether you will play or not. I thought I might have missed out this game, so I’m grateful to Ian Bell and Dougie Brown for keeping faith in me.”I don’t think I have been as nervous before in red ball cricket and I still feel it a work in progress. There are a few technical things I need to work on but for me it has been more a mental thing and so I’ve tried to get back to working on my processes rather than looking at the outcomes.”Given that he has seven Championship hundreds to his name already – including a double – it is easy to lose sight of how young he is. He is not 21 until this Saturday.Warwickshire believe they have in Hain a future England player with a considerable career ahead him and director of cricket Brown reaffirmed his faith in him while admitting he was not far from being left out.”We discussed how long you persevere with a young player with such exceptional talent and we were probably getting close to that point,” he said.”But everyone goes through it. Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott in our dressing room, Alastair Cook, Jacques Kallis – very fine players who have all gone through periods where they are short of form and confidence”There was no doubt Sam was going to come good at some stage, the question was when and thankfully we have seen him play exceptionally well in this game. Conditions were in his favour and it might be more testing, say, at Headingley in a couple of weeks’ time.”We strongly believe he has a bright future in the game and we wanted to give him that extended run. Now that he has got a really good hundred hopefully he kicks on from there.”The other plus point from Warwickshire’s view point was a century from Tim Ambrose, his first of the season after three consecutive fifties, which reinforced Brown’s optimism about his side’s title challenge.”Yorkshire got away from everyone last year but no one has this time and we are in a good position,” he said. “The side that wins will be the one that produces the strong finish to the season and we have a lot of guys in pretty good touch and as a team we know we are playing well.”Hampshire’s wicketkeeper, Lewis McManus, standing up to Gareth Berg, executed a smart stumping to remove Trott and the young legspinner, Mason Crane, made a good impression in conditions that did not particularly help him. He was rewarded when Ambrose and Hain holed out within the space of four balls during Warwickshire’s chase for batting points.Having been 312-4 after 100 overs, Warwickshire added 86 in the final 10 yet Crane kept his discipline well. Rikki Clarke lofted a six off Liam Dawson from the penultimate delivery before handshakes were exchanged after the 110th over was completed.

كشفت تقارير صحفية أن المدرب البرتغالي، جوزيه مورينيو، دخل في محادثات مع أحد الأندية السعودية بعد أيام قليلة من إقالته من قِبل روما.

كان روما قد أعلن الإطاحة بـ جوزيه مورينيو من منصبه، يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، في ظل سوء نتائج الفريق تحت قيادته هذا الموسم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير سعودية: حارس الشباب على رادار الأهلي والوحدة

وحسبما ذكرت شبكة “إسبن” العالمية، فإن الدوري السعودي للمحترفين قد يكون الوجهة المقبلة لـ مورينيو بعد رحيله عن روما الإيطالي.

وأوضحت أن هناك محادثات بالفعل بين مورينيو ومسؤولي نادي الشباب لبحث إمكانية توليه مسؤولية تدريب الفريق السعودي.

وأفادت أن مورينيو أجرى مناقشات مع المدير الرياضي لنادي الشباب، دومينيكو تيتي، كما أن وكيل أعماله خورخي مينديز يتفاوض مع الفريق بشأن صفقة محتملة.

وقد يضطر مورينيو إلى مواجهة ناديه السابق، روما، حال موافقته على تدريب الشباب حيث يلتقي الفريقان في مباراة ودية يوم الأربعاء المقبل.

 ويحتل الشباب حاليًا المركز 11 في الدوري السعودي بعد خمسة انتصارات من 19 مباراة.