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Liverpool will look to freshen up the squad across multiple departments this summer after falling by the wayside this season, and West Ham United's Nayef Aguerd has been touted for a shock swoop.

What's the latest on Nayef Aguerd to Liverpool?

According to Goal's Neil Jones, Liverpool's newly-appointed technical director Jorg Schmadtke could burst into action soon, with the Hammers' Moroccan centre-back 'well-liked' at Anfield.

Aguerd only joined West Ham last summer, signing for £30m from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes, and didn't make his debut until the end of October following a pre-season injury, but has impressed with his performances regardless.

Goal first brought Liverpool's intrigue in the 27-year-old in March, and while his time in east London has been fugacious thus far, the allure of Jurgen Klopp's outfit could persuade the ace to jump ship.

Should Liverpool sign Nayef Aguerd?

Liverpool's transfer business over the course of Klopp's tenure on Merseyside has been awe-inspiring for the Reds, and bitterly grudging for competitors, who have been left behind – barring Manchester City – as the German stormed the club into an illustrious period.

It is ironic, then, that the despondency pervading from this lacklustre season is a product of misfiring in the market, with Liverpool's central midfield issues laid bare and the panic loan signing of Arthur Melo, who failed to grace the Premier League pitch after an injury-stricken year, encapsulating the issues that have resulted in a failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Liverpool must now get it right and eradicate the doubts over the squad's calibre, and while the emphasis will be on the centre, bolstering the defence will also be a priority for Klopp and co, and Aguerd would be the perfect addition.

Having forged 29 appearances this term, scoring two goals, the 6 foot 3 titan has instrumentally aided his team in staving off the threat of relegation and leading them to the Europa Conference League final, where they play Fiorentina next week.

He is a dynamic threat for a centre-back, with the £50k-per-week phenom ranking among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of goals, as per FBref.

And he is also a master at sweeping danger aside, averaging 4.3 clearances per match and exhibiting his tenacity by winning 64% of his total duels, metrics courtesy of Sofascore.

Praised as "exceptional" by Gary Lineker, he would add a dimension to Liverpool's defence and perhaps alleviate the burden placed upon Virgil van Dijk's shoulders, with the 31-year-old Dutchman likely benefitting from receiving cover from a natural left-footed positional peer.

Aguerd indeed prefers to occupy the left side of the back-line, and while he doesn't boast the aerial dominance of the £75m titan – who ranks among the top 8% of centre-backs for aerials won per 90 and won 74% of his aerials duels in the Premier League this term – his efficacy in rebuffing advances and his ease at adopting his exact position leaves him in good stead to make a marked impact on Liverpool's system, if Klopp indeed decides to provide him with a chance to impress on Merseyside.

Manchester United return to Premier League action at home to in-form outfit Aston Villa this afternoon, with Erik ten Hag and his charges likely to still be reeling following Thursday's second-half collapse away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Having largely been in control of proceedings heading in at the break, the momentum shifted after the interval as the north Londoners produced a spirited display despite their recent woes, with Heung-min Son sealing a point late on for new caretaker boss, Ryan Mason.

The United manager may well be regretting his substitutions in that chaotic second period as those alterations saw the visitors "relinquish control", as per club legend Rio Ferdinand, with another former Red Devils man – Owen Hargreaves – subsequently suggesting that Ten Hag will need to "address" the squad "depth" this summer, such were the woes of those who entered the fray in N17.

It was not only the substitutes who somewhat underwhelmed in midweek, however, with summer signing Antony having done 'little' in the second half, in particular, according to Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst, after 'fading into the fringes of the game' – as per 90min's Sean Walsh.

That limited impact from the Brazilian – as well as the quick turnaround in this hectic fixture schedule – could spark a need to freshen up the forward line against the Villans, albeit with teen sensation Alejandro Garnacho still not yet ready to return.

With Anthony Martial also undeserving of a starting berth after looking 'off the pace' in the capital, according to Luckhurst, it could be a chance for young Facundo Pellistri to make what would be just his second start for the club.

Will Pellistri play against Villa?

It would be something of a gamble to throw the Uruguayan in against a side who have won five of their last six Premier League games, although the 5 foot 9 gem is clearly a "special talent" – as per journalist Fabrizio Romano – having showcased that quality in flashes this season.

While there have been reports that the wide man could be moved out on loan next term, in the meantime the 21-year-old could still have a part to play over the coming weeks, having previously been described as a player who can "create danger" by experienced teammate, Raphael Varane.

Although he has just one assist to his name in nine first-team outings to date, Pellistri has made his mark in his brief cameo appearances of late, having memorably produced a "scintillating" run – as per journalist Alex Turk – in the build-up to United's fourth goal at home to Real Betis in the Europa League last-16 last month.

The £9m youngster was subsequently handed a first start in the second-leg meeting with the La Liga side and 'took it with both hands' – according to 90min's Jamie Spencer – having been so 'exciting to watch on the ball'.

The Montevideo native is still waiting for a consistent run in the side having thus far made just three league appearances, although today's meeting at Old Trafford could be an opportunity for Ten Hag to put his faith in the promising talent.

Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on signing Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka and are set to make him a contract offer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

Will Tottenham sign a defender this summer?

It appears likely that Tottenham will be in the market for a new defender in the summer, and it has been reported they are in talks with Barcelona about making Clement Lenglet's stay permanent, having recently advanced in negotiations.

Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi has also emerged as a potential target, although they are only willing to pay £45m for the defender, which is £20m below his valuation, while they are said to have lodged enquiries about Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres.

Back in February, it was reported that Spurs are set to prioritise the signing of a left-sided defender this summer, and they now look to have identified a key target to strengthen in that area, as they are set to make a move for Ndicka.

According to a report from Football Insider, the 23-year-old is set to leave Frankfurt upon the expiration of his £12k-per-week contract this summer, potentially opening the door for a move to north London.

The Lilywhites are not the only Premier League club interested in signing the Frenchman, however, with Liverpool joining Spurs as the two sides who set to make a contract proposals at the end of the campaign.

The centre-back is said to fit the ideal profile for both Tottenham and Liverpool, particularly if the north London club are unable to agree terms with Barcelona for Lenglet.

Should Tottenham sign Evan Ndicka?

There are some indications the 6 foot 3 colossus would be a real improvement on Lenglet, given that he has averaged far more blocks, interceptions and aerials won per 90 than his compatriot over the course of the past year.

Not only that, but the Paris-born defender is also available on a free transfer, while the Barcelona loanee could set Spurs back around €14m (£12.5m) in the summer.

Ndicka is more competent defensively than Lenglet, and he is also solid in possession of the ball, having been hailed as "technically gifted" by former Frankfurt sporting director Fredi Bovic.

Spurs' defensive shortcomings have let them down on multiple occasions this season, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last six Premier League games, conceding three goals against both Southampton and Bournemouth.

As such, a new defender will undoubtedly be needed in the summer, and Ndicka would be a real upgrade on Lenglet.

Eoin Morgan’s moderate run has left some Middlesex supporters uneasy but he came good with a judicious half-century at Chelmsford that with the help of a partial floodlight failure proved good enough to stave off Essex’s run chase

ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2016
ScorecardEoin Morgan recovered some form for Middlesex•Getty Images

England’s T20 captain Eoin Morgan anchored Middlesex’s second T20 NatWest Blast victory of the season with a calm reassertion of his ability which was enough to tame an out-of-sorts Essex who had to manufacture a chase with one floodlight pylon out of action.Morgan, coming in at No 4, finished unbeaten on 59, topped up by a last-over thrash in which he hit Graham Napier for what turned out to be 22 priceless runs. Morgan clubbed Napier for two big sixes in that over to add to five fours in a knock that encompassed 41 balls.New Zealand pace bowler Mitchell McClenaghan starred in his first appearance for Middlesex, taking 4 for 33.Middlesex, winning the toss and batting, went off at a fair lick and were 71 for one off seven overs. But they became becalmed mid-innings by the occasional spin bowling of Dan Lawrence and Tom Westley and lost wickets with almost wanton abandon. Even Morgan’s rescue job did not remove suspicions that they had an underpar total.However, their 173 for 8 looked better the longer Essex’s response went on. Only when Ashar Zaidi came to the wicket and cracked three sixes in a quickfire 27 did the home side look remotely in the chase.But the target grew larger and larger in the gloom of a Chelmsford evening with one floodlight pylon out of action – making it difficult for the batsmen, and the occasional fielder, to spot the ball. Ryan ten Doeschate’s unbeaten 58 could only take them within 17 runs.It had started well for Essex. Matt Quinn beat Dawid Malan for pace twice in successful balls and then had him dropped in the covers by Westley. Brendon McCullum went after him with a one-bounce four over long-on and a six over long-off before he was caught on the midwicket boundary by Callum Taylor for 16 off Napier.Quinn’s second over also went for 16 with Paul Stirling scooping a six into the balcony of the executive suite, before Malan greeted Wahab Riaz with a six over square and two fours in an over that cost 18. Riaz stopped Stirling’s 14-ball rampage the ball after he was hooked for six by knocking over his off-stump.Lawrence’s leg spin applied the brake. In his third over, he accounted for Malan and James Fuller in three balls and ended with remarkable figures of 2 for 22. Malan was caught on the long-on boundary by Jesse Ryder, and Fuller went two balls later, snapped up by Napier.Ryan Higgins was run out to an incredible piece of fielding on the cover boundary where Quinn scooping the ball into Taylor’s hands for a throw into James Foster’s gloves that caught the batsman stranded halfway down the wicket.And John Simpson didn’t last long either, caught at wide mid-on by Ravi Bopara off Quinn, before James Franklin and McClenaghan were bowled within two balls by Napier.In Essex’s reply, Lawrence had a let-off on two when he clubbed Tom Helm to wide mid-on where Fuller put down a relatively simple catch. But Jesse Ryder was not so fortunate when Ryan Higgins raced round to claim his scalp at deep midwicket off Tom Helm.Westley underclubbed McClenaghan to McCullum at midwicket before Ravi Bopara was run out as Franklin followed up a tip-and-run from Lawrence and kicked the ball into the stumps. Lawrence, on 29, tried to reverse-sweep Nathan Souter over John Simpson’s head only for the wicketkeeper to turn and dive to claim it.That brought in Zaidi, who thumped Souter’s first ball over midwicket for six, and was then dropped next ball by Stirling. Zaidi made the most of his escape with two massive heaves over wide midwicket for sixes off Stirling. But after the second maximum he advanced down the wicket to Stirling and was stumped by Simpson for a 13-ball 27. Essex then required 68 off six overs.Callum Taylor hammered Helm to cow corner for six and ten Doeschate did the same next ball by pulling McClenaghan over square for another six. But Taylor was then caught and bowled by the New Zealander, two balls later Foster lobbed into Stirling’s hands. McClenaghan claimed his fourth wicket when Napier hit to Fuller without scoring.Ten Doeschate reached his fifty off 39 balls, including four fours and a six, later sending a second six into the River Can. But it was no more than consolation for the home crowd.

Insider Dean Jones has revealed that Brighton and Hove Albion star Solly March was very unhappy not to be picked in the latest England squad.

What's the latest on Solly March and Brighton?

The Englishman has been in brilliant form of late, and before Premier League football was put on hold for the current international break, he'd been delivering some top displays.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has seven goals and two assists in his last 11 league outings – which has helped fire Brighton to seventh in the league and pushing for a spot in the top four.

Seeing as he netted in back-to-back games before the league's hiatus, you can see why he felt he might have been worthy of a call-up to the Three Lions squad.

However, Gareth Southgate omitted March and it supposedly has not gone down too well with the now-furious individual.

While speaking on the latest Chasing Green Arrows podcast, journalist Jones said: "I was speaking to someone the other day about this. Solly March is not particularly happy about having the week off because he feels, I'm told, that he probably deserved a call-up.

"I think he's thinking, 'If I didn't call up now, am I ever going to get a call-up, particularly while I'm playing for Brighton?' – I'm not saying wants to leave Brighton.

"But like, what more could the man do? Especially as there were a few dropouts."

Has Solly March ever played for England?

As Jones alludes to, both Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden pulled out of the England squad due to injury but even this didn't mean March was able to get a late call-up.

Interestingly enough, the 28-year-old – who currently earns £50,000 a week with the Seagulls – has actually played for Southgate before in an England shirt.

Indeed, the Brighton man played for the England U21 side on three occasions, scoring one, while the current senior boss was in charge of the youth team.

However, March has been unable to prove himself good enough to warrant a first cap for the Three Lions since then. Until recently, this might not have come as a great surprise, but his recent form has certainly elevated his status within the Premier League.

With 11 direct goal contributions, only seven Englishmen have created more in the top flight this term. Evidently, though, Southgate is yet to see enough from the winger to change his mind.

Everton have picked up a much-needed victory at Goodison Park this afternoon in their Premier League clash with Brentford and Sean Dyche will be thrilled with the resilience his team showed throughout the performance.

The Toffees are now 15th in the league table after climbing out of the relegation zone following their 1-0 victory over the Bees, however, they are only two points clear of the bottom three and must continue to fight for more crucial points to secure safety over their remaining 11 fixtures.

Despite having far less possession of the ball (33%), Everton had more shots on target (6 v 4), more tackles won (25 v 10) and more clearances completed (26 v 11) – a testament to the outstanding defensive display that was perfectly executed to seal their sixth victory of the season.

It was a strike from Dwight McNeil in the opening minute of the clash that ultimately won the Merseysiders their first game in four, a player who has seen his game-time increase since the arrival of his former Burnley boss in January.

It has been a common theme throughout the team with another one of Dyche’s former players reprising their role as Michael Keane was once again deployed this afternoon in the back-line alongside James Tarkowski instead of Conor Coady.

However, not all the players at Goodison have been lucky enough to become one of the first names on the team sheet with Demarai Gray seemingly snubbed by the Everton boss upon his appointment.

How did Demarai Gray perform against Brentford?

Gray had been benched for two and made three appearances of under half an hour in each of the first five outings under Dyche but has finally been given the opportunity to prove himself in the latest two fixtures and has now rightfully earned his spot in front of goal.

The 26-year-old winger has been deployed in the most advanced position of Dyche’s 4-5-1 formation that saw the side draw with Nottingham Forest last week and win against Brentford today, proving his ability to adapt to a more central role in the final third.

Over his 86-minute performance, Gray – once hailed as ‘electric’ by BBC journalist Garth Crooks – won a whopping nine duels, created one big chance, made two key passes, and completed 100% of his dribble attempts, as well as winning three tackles, offering two shots on target and having a goal disallowed in the 43rd minute.

The wizard was a constant threat at the top end of the pitch and caused plenty of problems for the Bees defence to deal with, which allowed Everton’s defenders a breather whilst he was causing chaos in the opposition half.

It is clear the Everton star is shining in his new role, offering both a huge presence and lots of creativity to the attacking threat and could now be Dyche’s secret weapon in securing survival after failing to select Gray over the majority of his short tenure so far.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer to continue to deploy Gray, and gives the Everton manager a real dilemma as to how Dominic Calvert-Lewin will fit into the team when he returns from injury, especially if the team continue to thrive.

Manchester United are about to offload a first-team player to help clear their wage bill, and Erik ten Hag has given him permission to depart Old Trafford, according to reports.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manchester United?

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are keen to bring in a midfielder and a defender before the close of play in the market, but they need to shift players out of the door in order to sanction prospective incomings.

Previously, the Red Devils hoped that selling Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire would provide the 'requisite funds' to complete their business in the window; nevertheless, both moves broke down and have left Ten Hag in a tricky position and unable to facilitate arrivals.

Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat has been earmarked as a key target by Manchester United and has been given a deadline of this Friday to determine his next steps amid interest from the Red Devils, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, according to Corriere dello Sport via Football Italia.

Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is also garnering attention from Manchester United and Liverpool, with the Netherlands international reportedly having a £22 million price tag on his head this summer, as per The Mirror.

Despite this, it remains to be seen whether Manchester United can afford moves for either target in light of their current situation. Dutch coach Ten Hag is looking to finalise a permanent exit for fringe player Donny van de Beek and any funds raised will be put towards further incomings, ESPN understand.

Now, in a report from Football Insider, Manchester United defender Brandon Williams has agreed a move to Sky Bet Championship side Ipswich Town after being left out of the squad for his employers' 2-0 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

The outlet indicate that the £65k-a-week ace is set to swap Old Trafford for Portman Road on an initial loan agreement, which will likely include an option-to-buy to take him to Suffolk on a permanent basis.

Should Manchester United let go of Brandon Williams?

Despite showing promise in the infancy of his Manchester United career, it is clear that Williams' time is now up at Old Trafford and he is well down the pecking order at the club behind the likes of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

Williams has made 51 appearances for the Red Devils since making his senior breakthrough, notching one goal and three assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Last campaign, the 22-year-old spent the majority of time out with various injury concerns and made just one appearance for Manchester United's senior side in a five-minute cameo against Burnley in the EFL Cup.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano had detailed that negotiations are 'advancing' over Williams' impending loan switch to Ipswich Town and has claimed that a buyout clause will be present in any agreement, which more or less confirms that his time at Manchester United is on the verge of coming to a permanent end.

Finding an environment where he can play regular football looking ahead will be important for Williams and the chance to work with former Manchester United first-team coach Kieran McKenna may be the ideal scenario to get his career back on track.

Shivnarine and Tagenarine on playing professional cricket together in the Caribbean

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Feb-2018

Imagine you were a professional cricketer. Now imagine you had to share your dressing room with… your father. And, on top of that, your dad is a legend of your sport. A lot to handle? Doesn’t quite seem to be the case with Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who shares the Guyana dressing room with his father Shivnarine. Chanderpaul junior, 21, jokes that Shiv, 43, “knows how I am, so he’s kind of free up with that”.Tagenarine says he knows enough to make good use of the vast experience of his father – the most capped player for West Indies in Test cricket – but does not let his record put unreasonable pressure on himself. “I just try and be myself. I can’t be him, you know,” Tagenarine said, according to the . “[But] most of the training, I use him to get some help. He gives me a few pointers.”Shivnarine, not unexpectedly, had plenty of advice for his son: “He’s been around [the domestic circuit] for a while. He had a good season in the [first-class] Regional Four-Day tournament. It’s the first time he had a full season, but that’s just the beginning.”He needs to keep going. He’s young and he needs to learn as quickly as possible and take it a distance because, whenever you get an opportunity, you have to grab it sometimes.”That said, the equation was not all work and no play between father and son. “We still have our fun and have our jokes,” Shivnarine said. “In any team sport, you need to have fun. That’s the only way to keep going.”When I went into the Windies team, we had people who used to give us a lot of jokes – guys like Kenneth Benjamin, Amby [Curtly Ambrose]. Those are the guys who keep you going on tour. I know how important that is. You need people like them around to keep you going. So yeah, there’s a time when you make your jokes and a time to get serious and down to business.”Guyana are currently in Antigua, to play the semi-final of the Regional Super50 List A tournament. They take on Windward Islands at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Thursday afternoon.

FATA‘s decision to bowl turned out to be a nightmare after Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt and Aamer Yamin struck brisk half-centuries each to set up a 41-run victory for Lahore Whites. FATA tried hard to chase down the daunting total of 213 – the highest total in the tournament so far – but were dismissed for 172 after opener Mukhtar Ahmed (30 off 15) and captain Hammad Azam (50 off 28) were the only batsmen who got going in the innings. Regular wickets from Wahab Riaz (3 for 15), Umaid Asif (2 for 27) and Bilal Asif (2 for 15) made it tough for FATA.Lahore started with a blazing opening partnership of 94 runs between Kamran (63 off 29) and Butt (74* off 50) in 7.5 overs. FATA slowed them down with a few wickets but Yamin and Butt joined hands to hammer another hefty 75 runs in under seven overs to take Lahore past the 200 mark. FATA were scoring at over 10 runs per over with the help of Mukhtar and Hammad, but once the latter fell at the score of 151 in the 15th over, FATA could add only 21 more runs before being bowled out.Asad Shafiq’s 72 off 49 and Anwar Ali’s 4 for 30 set up a 14-run win for Karachi Whites over Rawalpindi. Karachi were led to 178 by Shafiq and a cameo from Sarfraz Ahmed’s unbeaten 30 off 20 balls. In reply, Rawalpindi were off to a steady start but no batsman was able to capitalise on a start as none of them scored more than 30.Opting to bowl, Rawalpindi struck early with the wicket of Khurram Manzoor in the second over, but Shafiq led the charge by batting until 19th over. Shahid Yousuf’s 21 off 20 and Sarfaraz’s unbeaten innings helped Karachi to a competitive total. Rawalpindi did manage to keep the game afloat for some time but were not able to keep the asking rate in check as Ruman Raees (2 for 25) and Azam Hussain (2 for 33) shared four wickets along with Anwar’s four-for. Rawalpindi needed 65 from the last five overs with only three wickets in hand and ended on 164 for 9.

With speculation still swirling regarding Harry Kane's future at Tottenham Hotspur, chairman Daniel Levy could be eyeing a dream successor to the England skipper in the form of Paris Saint-Germain contract rebel, Kylian Mbappe.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

As per various reports, Levy may be forced to cash in on Kane this summer rather than run the risk of letting the 29-year-old leave for nothing in a year's time, with Mbappe seemingly facing a similar situation at the Parc des Princes, as the Ligue 1 giants will also not entertain a free transfer exit for the Frenchman next summer, if he does not commit his future to the club.

According to French outlet, L'Equipe, Spurs could look to pounce on the uncertainty surrounding the 24-year-old's current situation, with the north Londoners said to be among the clubs who have 'taken information' from PSG chief, Nasser al-Khelaïfi in recent days.

The belief is that the likes of Tottenham – as well as their rival suitors – see a 'possibility' of taking the former Monaco man on loan for the upcoming campaign, with Ange Postecoglou's ready to lodge an 'important' bid in order convince his current side to agree to that temporary exit.

This comes amid claims that Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal have lodged a mammoth £260m bid for the forward, despite the 70-cap superstar being valued at closer to €126m (£108m), according to Football Transfers.

Could Mbappe replace Kane at Tottenham?

For many, attempting to replace Kane either this summer or the next appears something of an impossible task, with the Premier League side set to be forced to fill the void of a player who is their all-time record scorer, having also netted 30 league goals last season to finish second in the scoring charts behind Erling Haaland (36).

If there was a man to plug the gap, however, it would seemingly be Mbappe, with the "crazy" talent – as described by Arsenal icon, Thierry Henry – having arguably been more clinical than the Englishman in recent times.

While the latter man has 280 goals in 453 games in all competitions for Spurs to date with a goal-to-game ratio of 0.61, his PSG counterpart has bagged 212 goals in just 260 games for his current side, resulting in a superior goal-to-game ratio of 0.81.

Equally, despite Kane's heroics last season – as he netted 32 goals and provided five assists in 49 games in all competitions – the Walthamstow native which still edged by Mbappe, with the World Cup-winning hotshot contributing 41 goals and ten assists in just 43 appearances across all fronts.

In the Champions League, for instance, Mbappe netted seven goals in only eight outings despite seeing his side crash out at the last 16 stage, while the Englishman only bagged one goal in eight appearances as his side were also dumped out in the first knockout round.

While it remains to be seen if the younger man could emulate his goalscoring feats in the Premier League, on the evidence of his career so far, the 5 foot 10 machine has certainly proven himself to be particularly lethal in front of goal, performing at a level that even Kane seemingly can't get close to.

Regard as arguably "the best" in the world at present – according to pundit Rio Ferdinand – Mbappe's arrival at N17 could provide Postecoglou with a new, devastating attacking figurehead.