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Sky Sports journalist and North East reporter Keith Downie has revealed that Newcastle United are definitely interested in signing RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko.

The Lowdown: Haaland comparisons

Sesko has been likened to former Salzburg now Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig for his combination of speed and power.

Indeed, he clocked an electrifying speed of 36.11 km/h at the end of the 2020/21 season, making him ‘one of the fastest players on the planet’.

Sesko has already started the season with two goals and one assist (Transfermarkt), so is bound to attract plenty of interest before the window closes.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘interest’

Speaking to Sky Sports, Downie has confirmed that the St. James’ Park outfit hold an ‘interest’ in signing Sesko:

“Another player they’ve got an interest in is Benjamin Sesko from RB Salzburg.”

The Verdict: Statement signing

Sesko would certainly be a statement signing for the new owners given the interest from the likes of Manchester United, and would send a stern message out to the Premier League and world football.

90min have reported that alongside the Red Devils, Wolves, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have also been watching the 19-year-old, who already has 13 senior caps and two goals for Slovenia (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with Nick Pope, Sven Botman and Matt Targett already signed, Eddie Howe’s team can now focus on attacking reinforcements, and they should be looking no further than Sesko to help bolster their options ahead of what could be an exciting campaign ahead.

Aston Villa have received a timely boost ahead of this weekend’s Premier League opener against AFC Bournemouth…

What’s the word?

As revealed by reliable Birmingham Mail reporter Ashley Preece, the Midlands outfit will be able to call upon winger Anwar El Ghazi and striker Keinan Davis on Saturday as both have made their return to training in recent days.

“Anwar El Ghazi back amongst the first-team at Bodymoor Heath this week after missing Australia & France trips due to partner’s pregnancy. Keinan Davis also back in training after his latest hamstring setback,” he tweeted.

Timely boost for Gerrard

Whilst neither are expected to start on Saturday afternoon down at Dean Court, having them available is certainly a boost as it bolsters Steven Gerrard’s bench options.

El Ghazi has been absent for much of pre-season but is perhaps one of the few players who can play on the left flank – 12 of his 14 appearances for both Villa and loan club Everton came on that side last term.

On his day, he is a solid enough candidate, too.

Only a season before, he bagged ten goals across 28 top-flight appearances under Dean Smith, including a pair of strikes against Chelsea, as per Transfermarkt.

“I’ve played with him and played against him. In training, he can be unstoppable,” once claimed former teammate Alan Hutton to Football Insider. “In games, I’m watching him thinking, do that, take them on, go forward. You’re urging him to do it because you know he can do it.”

If Gerrard can get the Dutchman back to that kind of form, then he’ll have a very astute alternative on his hands, so his availability this weekend is certainly a plus, particularly with top-flight teams now able to call upon five substitutes within a match.Meanwhile, Davis adds a new dimension to the attack and whilst he’s unlikely to usurp either of Danny Ings or Ollie Watkins anytime soon, he’s a presence that’s there in case of injury or late on if chasing a game.Still only 24, the striker bagged five goals in 15 league appearances for Nottingham Forest on their way to promotion last season.Once lauded as “absolutely unplayable” by former teammate Jack Grealish, the Bodymoor Heath graduate is another bonus to have in the squad heading into the weekend.It’s great news for Gerrard as he will be looking to kickstart the new campaign with three points against the Premier League newcomers.

AND in other news, Gerrard could unearth Villa’s next “absolute goal machine”, he can dethrone Danny Ings…

West Brom are among a number of clubs interested in signing Manchester United Hannibal Mejbri on loan, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: More summer incomings?

Steve Bruce is hoping to mastermind the Baggies’ promotion from the Championship this season following a bitterly disappointing 2021/22 campaign.

For that to happen, it could be that more signings are needed, with the likes of John Swift and Jed Wallace already brought in during the summer.

An intriguing update has emerged which suggests West Brom could acquire the services of an exciting young prospect from the Premier League.

The Latest: West Brom keen on Hannibal

According to Sky Sports News over the weekend [via Birmingham Mail], United are willing to send Mejbri out on loan for the 2022/23 season, with the Baggies one of the clubs keen on signing him.

Birmingham City, Millwall and Middlesbrough are also mentioned as potential suitors for the 19-year-old, who has made three first-team appearances for the Red Devils.

The Verdict: Good for squad depth

Mejbri is a huge talent who is highly regarded at United – he has even been hailed for his ‘world-class’ passing by Red Devils underage coach Paul McShane – so West Brom snapping him up would be exciting.

A tenacious midfielder with strong technical ability, the teenager could provide Bruce with extra options in the middle of the park, not to mention the fearlessness and unpredictability which often comes with young players.

He notably drew praise from Gary Neville on Sky Sports for a crunching tackle he put in on Naby Keita during a cameo appearance in United’s 4-0 drubbing by Liverpool in April.

Mejbri might not come in as a reliable starter for Albion given his age, but it could be a perfect opportunity for him to prove his quality and help the Baggies achieve promotion to the Premier League.

Ibrahim Sangare could thrive alongside Frenkie de Jong at Manchester United, according to journalist Jacque Talbot. 

The lowdown

Sky Sports reported earlier this month that the Red Devils are interested in signing Sangare from PSV Eindhoven. The 24-year-old has a release clause in his contract with the Eredivisie club, making him available for €35m (£29.9m).

Meanwhile, United are said to be closing in on a deal for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The latest

Talbot has said that the Red Devils admire Sangare and reckons that the Ivory Coast international could be a ‘perfect’ potential accomplice to De Jong in Erik ten Hag’s midfield.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “There’s clearly some interest there. I think he’s been linked to quite a few clubs, actually, this window, and you suspect a player like him alongside De Jong would be perfect for Manchester United going forward.”

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The verdict

There’s a case to be made that United need multiple midfield additions this summer, particularly as they have lost both Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic at the end of their contracts.

Sangare and De Jong are different enough in profile that they could ideally both slot into the same midfield.

As per WhoScored, the Dutchman’s main strengths are his dribbling and passing, but he averages only 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game. Sangare is an effective distributor in his own right too, but he would likely be tasked with doing the majority of the ball-winning, with 5.9 tackles and interceptions combined in last season’s Eredivisie.

Therefore, you can see why Talbot believes that, if both players end up at Old Trafford in the near future, their skill sets would complement each other nicely.

Despite the multitude of names that have been tipped to join Celtic this summer, the most pressing issue remains that of a player who has already adorned the famous green and white Hoops, with last season’s loanee, Jota, still yet to complete a much anticipated permanent switch to the Scottish champions.

However, according to the latest reports, the end to that long-running saga could now be in sight…

What’s the word?

As per journalist Mark Hendry, it looks as if the 23-year-old’s long-term future is set to be resolved sooner rather than later, with it now reportedly a “formality” that the Portuguese starlet will make the permanent move from Benfica: “All I know is it’s very close and has been for a wee while. Believe it’s just a formality at this point. When, not if.”

The Lisbon-born ace joined the Old Firm outfit on a season-long loan deal on deadline day last summer, with that move having included an option to buy worth a reported £6.5m.

The Glasgow giants have already wrapped one notable piece of business so far in the current window, bringing in fellow loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers in a £10m permanent swoop from Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange’s best piece of business

Title-winning manager Ange Postecoglou has already proven himself an astute operator in the transfer market in his Hoops tenure thus far, although managing to bring in the former Portugal U21 international would no doubt be his best piece of business yet and a real statement of intent heading into the new season.

Having been something of an unknown quantity upon his arrival at Parkhead just under a year ago, Jota quickly cemented himself as a real key figure for the Scottish Premiership side, proving instrumental in securing a tenth league triumph of the past 11 seasons.

In a stunning campaign both on a collective and individual basis, the £4.95m-rated gem chipped in with 13 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, proving himself a vital asset both as a goal-getter and a creator.

Dubbed a “terrific player” by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves for his form both domestically and in Europe, the £7.1k-per-week speedster has dazzled with both his trickery and bravery in possession, offering a relentless attacking threat down either flank.

With a return to the Champions League group stages to come for the first time since 2017, the Celtic Park outfit will be in desperate need of their star asset if they are to put up a real fight against Europe’s elite, while they are likely to once again face intense competition from bitter rivals Rangers on the domestic front.

In truth, the club simply need the fleet-footed winger in tow if they are to be able to kick on again next term, with it set to be Postecoglou’s best transfer deal yet if he can get it over the line.

In other news, Celtic can unearth a new Giakoumakis after submitting bid for “very strong” £2.5m gem

Transfer insider Alex Crook has revealed some exciting news that he has now ‘heard’ from Everton on Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Eriksen only signed a short-term contract at Brentford in the January transfer window over fears of his heart problems, leaving it to expire at the end of the month.

However, he has shown that he can still play consistently at the top level, scoring one goal and making a further four assists in 11 games in total in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

Thus, a number of clubs in the top flight are expected to swarm for his signature this summer, once he becomes a free agent again.

The Latest: Everton move?

Writing in talkSPORT’s latest transfer notebook, Crook has revealed that while Brentford have now ‘offered’ a deal to Eriksen to become their highest-paid player, Goodison Park is another ‘potential destination’ for the Denmark international, as well as his former club Tottenham Hotspur:

“Brentford have offered him a deal to become their highest paid player. 

“I know there’s interest from at least two Premier League clubs, we believe he wants to play in the Champions League.

“I was told that his family are quite settled in London, that would obviously link him to Tottenham, we’ve heard Everton as a potential destination.

“My hunch is that he will leave Brentford, although I know some journalists in Denmark have said that he will stay because he owe them a debt of gratitude.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

If Eriksen can carry on playing at a consistent level as he has shown, it is a no-brainer for the Merseyside club to sign him up on a free.

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The 30-year-old averaged more key passes, crosses and long balls per game in the top flight than any outfield Toffees player, highlighting how much of a creative influence he has on the team.

Nonetheless, his Premier League experience means that it should take little time for Eriksen to settle in, should he make the move to the Blues.

In other news, find out who EFC are now fighting Leeds United to sign here!

Manchester United failed to make any new signings in the January transfer window, and it could be something the board live to regret after it was revealed that a fierce rival signed one of Ralf Rangnick’s targets, who has been flourishing since he arrived in the Premier League.

Liverpool signed Luis Diaz from Porto for an initial fee of £37m on a five-and-a-half year deal on Deadline Day, and Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that the German interim coach was refused the opportunity to sign the winger.

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Romano tweeted: “Ralf Rangnick reveals he wanted a new striker at Man Utd in January: “But the answer from the board was: ‘No’. There were Luís Díaz, who is now at Liverpool; Julián Álvarez, who will be at Man City in the summer; and Vlahovic, who at the time was still with Fiorentina.”

Following the dismissal of Rangnick’s player wish-list back in January, the Man United board are surely rueing their decision not to sign the Columbian forward who has made a huge instant impact just a few miles down the road.

In the short time since joining Liverpool less than five months ago, the 21-goal star who is now believed to be worth £60m has established himself as a starter pushing Diogo Jota out of the starting line-up, tallying up five goals and three assists which is a better goal contribution than Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga in less than half a season.

Diaz has also created two big chances, making 1.5 key passes on average per game, as well as being successful in the majority of his dribbles (66%) and completing an average pass accuracy of 88%, proving that he is not afraid to impose himself on his opponents, links up play well and has become an absolute nightmare for anyone he comes up against in the Premier League.

A player just like the left winger is exactly what Manchester United have been crying out for all season, with Rashford failing to hit the ground running throughout the season, and with speculation mounting about the winger’s future, Diaz would have been the ideal replacement should the Mancunian forward leave this summer.

The United board and Erik ten Hag cannot afford to miss the chance to snap up a player of this calibre again and must identify players this summer that can make a similar level of impact that Diaz has made at Liverpool this season if they stand any chance of competing for trophies next season.

AND in other news: Forget McTominay: MUFC must brutally axe “pathetic” dud who won 0 duels v Brighton

No other batsman has scored as many 150-plus scores as Virat Kohli in the last seven years

Bharath Seervi15-Jan-2018Virat Kohli converted another Test century into a big hundred in the first innings in Centurion. He came in in the 10th over, and was last man out for 153. In the last two years, Kohli has scored ten hundreds and has converted eight eight of those into 150-plus scores, including six double-centuries. In the other two instances, he was unbeaten on 103 and 104 respectively. He thus averages nearly 230 in these 10 centuries. In 11 centuries before 2016, only once had he crossed 150 and averaged 132.80 in those innings. No other India batsmen has a higher average.While Kohli has made eight 150-plus scores since 2016, all other India batsmen combined have managed only eight such scores. Among all batsmen, Steven Smith has the next-most 150-plus scores with three. No other batsman has struck more 150-plus scores than Kohli in the last seven years.ESPNcricinfo LtdOne salient feature of Kohli’s innings was that he scored nearly half of the team runs – 153 out of 307, 49.83%. This is the most he has contributed in an all-out innings in his career so far. He had never contributed more than 45% in any completed innings before. The previous highest was 44.76% in the fourth-innings century in Adelaide in 2014-15, when he scored 141 out of 315.

Highest % of contribution by Virat Kohli in a completed Test innings (all-out)

Kohli’s score Team score Kohli’s contribution (%) Opposition Venue Season153 307 49.83 South Africa Centurion 2017-18141 315 44.76 Australia Adelaide 2014-1575 171 43.85 Australia Perth 2011-12116 272 42.64 Australia Adelaide 2011-12119 280 42.50 South Africa Johannesburg 2013-14Kohli was exceptional of good length deliveries in his innings. He brought up 107 runs off 129 good-length balls at a strike rate of 82.94. Among all batsmen who faced at least 10 good length balls, Kohli’s strike rate of those deliveries was the highest among all batsmen in the first two innings of the Test. The average strike rate of all other batsmen of good length balls was just 47.87 in the first two innings.

M Vijay missed the second Test but is back to full fitness after his injury replacement KL Rahul scored 158 in Jamaica. Will Vijay come back into the XI at the expense of Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara… or not at all?

Karthik Krishnaswamy in St Lucia09-Aug-20161:11

‘We can only choose two between the three’ – Kohli

On Sunday night, Cheteshwar Pujara posted a group selfie on Instagram. In it, sharing a dinner table, were himself, Shikhar Dhawan, M Vijay and KL Rahul.”When we r together,” Pujara captioned it, “we make the most out of our time.”On Tuesday morning, the four of them will not be together on the team sheet Virat Kohli hands to the match referee. Three will line up at the top of India’s batting order. The fourth will find a place near the bottom of the list, among the substitutes.

Kohli expects pitch to whet bowlers’ appetites

Virat Kohli, India’s captain, feels bowlers will have a chance to pick up wickets “on all five days” on a St Lucia pitch that promises to offer consistent pace and bounce.
“I had a look at the pitch yesterday,” Kohli said on Monday. “It looks pretty similar to Antigua, [with] even grass covering. The surface should harden up. I think they didn’t have too much time to water it and roll it because of the rain. But it should become pretty hard.
“We’ve known this wicket to have a lot of bounce and carry. That’s a good sign for the bowlers. All five days you have chance to pick up wickets. It doesn’t slow down too much, which is a very good sign and looks like a wicket where a result is very much possible.”

“Cricket is a very uncertain game at times,” Kohli said when he was asked the inevitable question on Monday. “Injuries are not in anyone’s hands. Even in the IPL, I remember a game where Mandeep Singh was fit and set to play. While I was at the toss he split his webbing. KL [Rahul] got a chance and he hasn’t looked back since. We conveyed to Mandeep that unfortunately it was an injury and nothing can be done about that.”We need to look at the balance of the side. Good thing is all three openers are playing well. Bad thing is that you can only choose two between three. That is a call we need to take as management. We’ll sit down today and do that. These things are not in your control, getting injured when playing well. That’s why they say injuries can really upset people and bring them down. The good thing is Vijay has been in a good headspace. He’s back to the nets and back to fielding. We’ll take a call on that. We still have to discuss that.”Vijay is the equivalent of Mandeep in this situation. He injured his thumb during the first Test, and missed the second. Rahul replaced him and scored 158.But that is where the comparison ends. Mandeep and Rahul were more or less equal contenders for a spot in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s line-up in that match against Gujarat Lions. Both were young and mostly unproven T20 talents hoping to establish themselves. One got injured, the other played in his stead, and made the most of his opportunity. It must not have been too difficult for Kohli to tell a fit-again Mandeep he would have to wait a little longer.Vijay’s case is entirely different. Since the start of India’s tour of England in 2014, he has the best average among all of India’s Test batsmen. He has made hundreds in England, Australia and Bangladesh, and an important second-innings 82 in Sri Lanka, where he missed two out of three Tests with injury. In the home series against South Africa in November-December 2015, India’s last Test assignment before this West Indies tour, Vijay was India’s second-highest run-getter on pitches that were square turners by and large.You can’t easily leave out a batsman of that quality, with those numbers behind him, because he got injured and his replacement made a hundred. Kohli, of course, hadn’t actually said Vijay would sit out the St Lucia Test. He said India would still need to take a call on the situation. Going by what he said, though, it seems one of the three openers – Vijay, Rahul and Dhawan – will miss out, while Pujara keeps his place at No. 3.On Monday, anyone looking for clues in India’s training session at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium will have gone back disappointed. Vijay and Pujara were the first two batsmen in the nets, and they each spent more than half an hour batting there. Dhawan and Rahul were the next two batsmen in – they had been having slip-catching practice while Vijay and Pujara batted. There was no way to tell which of the four would miss out.Pujara has had a strange series so far, looking in good defensive shape in both innings he has played. He has spent a lot of time in the middle – helping India win a couple of crucial sessions before falling against the run of play – without being able to convert his starts into substantial scores.Ordinarily, without the intense competition among the openers, Pujara’s place would probably not have come under question just yet. India may have simply viewed it as a case of a player being on the verge of a big score. If they do retain Pujara, this may well be one reason for doing so. The other, obvious reason would be that leaving him out would force one of the openers to bat at No. 3. While it’s only one step down the batting order, it’s still a different role.If Pujara keeps his place, he will be under pressure to show he can overcome his tendency to get out after making promising starts, which has afflicted him more or less since that 2014 England tour. Dhawan too will be under pressure. He has made one substantial score in this series – 84 in Antigua – and could therefore consider himself unlucky if he happens to be the batsman dropped. But in his last 10 Test innings, including that 84, he has only scored 289 runs at an average of 32.11.Before that stretch of iffy form, Dhawan had scored back-to-back hundreds against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He may not have had the opportunity to play those knocks had Rahul not been ruled out of the series with dengue.Just over a year later, virtually the same scenario has played out all over again, with the same cast and the roles swapped around.

He was stifled by slower balls, tucked up by short ones and undone by a straight one by which time Royal Challengers were well on their way to losing the game

Alagappan Muthu in Bangalore19-Apr-2015Chris Gayle was 6 off 18 balls at the end of the Powerplay chasing 210. He had been dropped once, would be dropped again, but when he ran and swung blindly outside the line of a relatively straight and flat delivery, he trudged back to the pavilion with 10 to his name. Off 24 balls. At a strike rate of 41.66.And yet it began in much the same template as any of his innings. The shadow practice in the middle of the pitch. A leave outside off, the bat whisked inside the line of the ball, which was then free to thud into the keeper’s gloves. Mitchell McClenaghan liked the carry, and that Gayle wasn’t keen on the shortish length. Full speed ahead.Two bouncers came on cue. One was not bothered with. The other beat Gayle for pace. Neither ball was legal according to the umpire, but it didn’t matter to Mumbai Indians. They knew it was a chink in Gayle’s armour. They knew it has been exploited before, especially by quick bowlers who can will the ball up to his ribs. Tucking him up so that he doesn’t have the room to unfurl his powerful hands through the ball. The eye of the Gayle storm, and Mumbai’s bowlers had found a way to make that their home.As ever Lasith Malinga was the lynchpin. He doesn’t have the pace he used to, and on occasion can be lined up. Gayle is a stand and deliver kind of batsman and his success depends on being able to read a bowler. That tends to get a smidge harder with a slingy action and terrifically disguised slower balls. The contest began with a maiden – five balls off pace, one of them beating Gayle’s lead-footed flailing cut, and one stinging leg-stump yorker. There were two more balls for the blockhole, both only barely handled, and finally the slower ball to finish. Gayle was able to take only two runs off Malinga.No pace to work with. Nothing to get underneath for leverage. No longer quick on the pull, not against balls on leg stump and rising above his stomach. He is too rigid as opposed to still and balanced when he times the ball. He doesn’t flow into the shot. Those big, burly shoulders can’t get moving. The best Gayle can do is nurdle and try to get off strike but midwicket and mid-on do not allow him the luxury. Nor does that notorious back.It has been eight overs and he has been unable to cope. His greatest weapon – power – has been negated by the lack of balls in his half of the pitch. Thirteen of his 24 balls were short or shortish. He wrangled three runs from them. As cool as Gayle seems, he was neck deep in hot water. Something had to give. And it would be the off stump. He was walking back for 10 runs. Off 24 balls.For context, AB de Villiers faced less than half as many and came away with 41 runs to his name – 11 deliveries, eight of them banished to the boundary. There was only one dot ball in the mix. Rohit Sharma faced 15 and sent seven of them to the ropes.Keeping batsmen quiet in T20 is no mean feat. Keeping a batsman like Gayle quiet in T20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is like walking on a tightrope across two skyscrapers with greasy feet. You are bound to slip. But Mumbai just did not. At least, not until de Villiers went on a rampage.Royal Challengers had gone into this game with one hand behind their back and the other pumped full of performance enhancers. All four overseas players were batsmen, leaving the bowling attack under the care of Varun Aaron, who has never played an T20 international, David Wiese, who is more a batting allrounder, two uncapped spinners and one uncapped medium pacer. And they had stuck this motley crew into the fire by opting to field. Virat Kohli was gambling here. But one thing he would never have seen coming was this Gayle innings.