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Four Sri Lankans made 50-plus scores on day one of their tour match in South Africa

Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Dec-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Kusal Perera’s return to No. 3 suggests the team management is keen for him to resume batting in the top order•AFP

Sri Lanka’s batsmen made a bright start to the tour of South Africa, as Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva hit half-centuries on the first day of the tour match in Potchefstroom. The visitors went to stumps at 328 for the loss of six wickets, against a South Africa Invitation XI consisting of well-heeled first-class players and recent graduates of the Under-19 system.Especially encouraging for the Sri Lankans was the 159-run unbroken opening stand between Karunaratne and Silva, each of whom has struggled at various points during the course of the year. Both men were retired out at the end of the 45th over, Karunaratne with 71 runs to his name and Silva with 80.Kusal Perera only hit 25, but his entry at No. 3 suggests the team management is keen for him to resume batting in the top order as he had done for much of the series against Australia. This would also allow Kusal Mendis to come in at second drop. Mendis, who was in good form during the back end of the ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe, hit 10 fours in his 64-ball 51.Captain Angelo Mathews and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal, both returning from injury, collected a five-ball duck and 23 respectively, before de Silva ensured the day ended briskly, with five fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 57 off 67.The Invitation XI’s batting appears its stronger suit, so it may be that a more thorough workout awaits the Sri Lankan bowlers than the batsmen, so far, have got. Left-arm spinner George Linde took 2 for 72 in the course of the day. Seamers Duanne Olivier and Jason Smith took one wicket each.

Celtic have already clinched the Scottish Premiership title for the 2022/23 campaign but this will not stop Ange Postecoglou from bolstering his squad this summer.

The Hoops have found success domestically and could now push on to compete in the latter stages of one of the three European competitions, after being knocked out in the group phase of the Champions League this season.

Earlier this month, the Daily Record reported that the Hoops are eyeing up a possible swoop for Albirex Niigata attacking midfielder Ryotaro Ito and he could come in with a view to improving their chances in Europe.

It was claimed that the club are keeping tabs on the 25-year-old, as Postecoglou is hoping to strengthen his midfield and attack in the upcoming transfer window, and the forward could come in to partner Kyogo Furuhashi in the final third.

How has Ryotaro Ito performed this season?

The playmaker, who is yet to be capped at senior level by Japan, has enjoyed a terrific start to life in the J1 League after catching the eye in the second division last term.

Ito has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.54 across 14 appearances. He has scored seven goals and created 3.3 opportunities per game for his teammates so far, which illustrates the huge impact he has made in 2023 after he plundered nine goals and 11 assists in 42 outings in the J2 League in 2022.

He is a number ten with the ability to deliver goals and create chances on a regular basis and according to one Japanese author, boasts characteristics that make him a "mix of Jota and Reo [Hatate]."

Journalist Bence Bocsak further hailed the Celtic target as "intelligent" and stated that he has been "pulling the strings" for his side in the top-flight this year, which is backed up by his impressive chance creation numbers.

Ito's 3.3 key passes per match are 1.2 more per game than any Celtic player has managed in the Premiership this term, with Matt O'Riley's 2.1 leading the way for the Hoops. This suggests that the Niigata maestro could come in and be the standout creative force in midfield for Postecoglou.

Kyogo has scored 25 goals from 15.28 xG in the Scottish top-flight this season, proving that the Japan international is a lethal finisher who can magnify the quality of chances he is provided with due to his impressive finishing.

The 28-year-old is a proven and reliable scorer who could thrive from the creativity that Ito can provide from a number ten position if his compatriot can adapt to life in Scotland.

Therefore, Postecoglou could form an exciting and lethal duo at the top end of the pitch by landing the Niigata wizard, who also carries a goal threat with seven goals in 14 matches this year, to partner Kyogo domestically and in Europe in 2023/24.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the sides who are said to be sniffing around the Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Laporte leaving City this summer?

According to reports, the Premier League champions are now opening to allowing the Spaniard to leave in the summer as he looks for more regular action.

And one of the sides said to be interested in the possibility of signing him are Spurs as they aim to keep the 28-year-old in the Premier League.

However, it is also said the French giants Paris Saint-Germain could make a push for the City defender in the summer as City open their doors for an exit.

Spurs have been linked with a number of centre-backs over recent months with Kim Min-jae and Alessandro Bastoni both believed to be targets on Tottenham's radar.

The Lilywhites are expected to make a push in the summer to address their defence with two new centre-backs believed to be on the agenda.

And speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed Laporte is a potential candidate to help solve their defensive issues from this season:

(32:25) "Laporte and his people have been going around Europe letting people know he's available and Tottenham are one of the ones who've had a sniff.

"To be fair, he's a very good Premier League centre-half, isn't he? Outside the top two or three, he would improve most teams, I think, or at least get a game.

"So yeah, I think there'll be a lot of interest in Laporte. It wouldn't surprise me to see him cross the Premier League."

Would Laporte improve the Spurs defence?

Tottenham's defence has been a major concern this season with the north London club only registering a +12 goal difference despite being the league's third-highest scorers.

Spurs have now conceded 41 goals this season and are joined as the eight-worst defence in the league alongside the relegation-battling Everton.

There has to be a caveat when looking at Laporte's stats from this season as his game time has been extremely limited with just 555 minutes of league action under his belt after the "warrior" underwent knee surgery last year (via Transfermarkt).

On top of that, the £120k-per-week ace is playing for one of the most dominant forces in Europe who have only conceded 26 goals in the Premier League this season.

Therefore, his return of 0.48 tackles per 90 minutes is significantly down on his return of more than double that (1.08) from last season where he made 33 league appearances (via FBref).

However, his ability on the ball has been sensational with the 28-year-old ranking inside the top third percentile for pass completion, progressive passes and carries.

And that is something which the Spurs defenders struggled with massively on Monday night as Eric Dier (16) and Clement Lenglet (11) were both victims of losing possession frequently (via SofaScore).

Laporte could also provide the Spurs backline with some much-needed experience and a winning mentality having won numerous trophies during his time at City.

But if the likes of PSG are going to fight for him over the summer, a move to north London could prove a challenging sell.

Newcastle United are one of the sides who admire Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Neves available to leave Wolves in the summer?

The future of the Portuguese midfielder is seemingly under speculation ahead of the summer with his contract at Molineux set to enter the final year over the summer.

And as a result, there have been reports claiming Liverpool have emerged as one of the clubs who would be looking to take Neves' career elsewhere in the Premier League.

As well as a possible move north to Anfield, there have also been some suggestions that Barcelona could be interested in making a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed the Magpies could also provide some competition in the summer for his signature:

"I think he's been absolutely fantastic. He's captaining his team now, I think whoever gets him, it'll be a massive coup because I think he's only going to get better. We know Newcastle like him, I think he'd be a great fit there alongside Bruno."

Would Neves be a good fit for Newcastle?

Coming out of the January transfer window, it was made pretty evident that Eddie Howe was not pleased with the options he had been left with in midfield.

Having gone into the window looking to bring in at least one new face in that department, no new midfield signings were made and Jonjo Shelvey was sold to Nottingham Forest.

So ahead of the summer transfer window, it is apparent Howe will have the midfield identified as an area for improvement over the coming months.

One name which has been linked with a potential move to St. James' Park is that of Manchester United's Scott McTominay.

Comparing the two midfielders, the Portuguese ace has provided Wolves with much more of an attacking threat than the Scotland international has at United.

Having returned five goals to McTominay's one, Neves has also offered Wolves with a higher number of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (via FBref).

As well as providing more passes per game, the Portuguese midfielder hasn't lacked in his defensive input with an almost identical return of tackles per 90 minutes as McTominay.

Given Newcastle are currently only three points off the Red Devils, there could well be a reluctance for Erik ten Hag's side to deal with Newcastle.

Therefore, a potential deal with Wolves could well prove easier to pull off in the summer, although the calibre of clubs also interested in Neves could prove a serious issue for the Toon.

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is set to make a second bid for Manchester United next week, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Meeting held

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers to take control at Old Trafford before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.

A formidable delegation was sent to Old Trafford by Jassim on Thursday and they held talks over a potential takeover for around 10 hours. Those discussions were thought to be positive, with Jassim now committed to taking control in Manchester.

There has now been a further update regarding Jassim, which came after Ratcliffe held his own talks with at Old Trafford and Carrington on Friday, where he even met with manager Erik ten Hag.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports provided ‘more developments’ regarding Jassim and United on Friday afternoon via Twitter, saying that he will make a second bid for the Red Devils next week.

‘More developments as far as the situation is regards to Manchester United and a takeover at the club. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani will make a second bid for Manchester United next week.’

They added that Jassim’s delegation held ‘constructed meetings’ and that he is prepared to ‘overpay’ for the club ‘because of its history and because it hardly ever comes on the market’.

A US source also said:

‘All the numbers people from the bidders will be working out the real value of the club over the next few days. They will be making second bids. The reality is that their first bids were just indicative, in this process the second bids next week are really the first serious bids.’

The Verdict: Heating up

Previous reports stated that both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids were set to be rejected anyway, so it is good to see that the former is already working on a new bid which looks set to be made in the coming days.

The Qatari group wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they can help Ten Hag in the transfer market ahead of the summer window, so they could be looking to overpay as mentioned in order to push through a takeover.

It is definitely heating up between the two parties after their trips to Manchester, and it’ll be interesting to see if Jassim’s next offer is close to the Glazers’ huge £6bn valuation. If it is, then perhaps we could see a deal really start to gather pace, which would be ideal for Jassim and co, although it may result in a bidding war with Ratcliffe and his team, meaning the coming week could be key.

In the match at Adelaide, Brian Lara took over as the leading runscorer in Test cricket, and faced Shane Warne, the leading wicket-taker. Has this ever happened before

Steven Lynch28-Nov-2005The regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket. We apologise for the lack of a column last week, which was caused by a family bereavement:

Leading run-scorer v leading wicket-taker, not happened since 1886-87. © Getty Images
In the match at Adelaide, Brian Lara took over as the leading runscorer in Test cricket, and faced Shane Warne, the leading wicket-taker. Has this ever happened before? asked Mathew Stephenson from Australia
It has happened … but not for a very long time. The last time the leading Test runscorer of the time faced the leading wicket-taker was back in 1886-87, in the first Test at Sydney, when Arthur Shrewsbury of England faced up to the Aussie “Demon”, Fred Spofforth. Going into that match Shrewsbury had 903 runs and Spofforth had 94 wickets. The last time the two record-holders were even in the same game was as long ago as 1903-04, at Melbourne, when Clem Hill and Hugh Trumble (in his last Test) both played for Australia against England.How many Test runs had Brian Lara scored when Sachin Tendulkar made his debut? asked Alvin Parish
That’s a nice easy one, because the answer is none – Tendulkar made his debut first, aged just 16, against Pakistan at Karachi in November 1989. Lara didn’t make his debut until 13 months later, also in Pakistan, in the third Test at Lahore in 1990-91. By then Tendulkar had scored 588 runs, in 11 Tests.What is the longest run of ODIs without losing? Did South Africa break the record recently? asked Johan van der Knaap from Kimberley
South Africa came very close: when they won the first match of the ongoing series against India at Hyderabad they had gone 20 ODIs without defeat. But they lost their next match, at Bangalore, to fall just short of the record of 21 – set by Australia in 2003, a run that included that year’s World Cup. For a longer list, click here.Which cricketer called his autobiography A Hell of a Way to Make a Living? asked Ben Forrest from Colchester
The man with the whimsical title was Ken Rutherford, the former New Zealand captain. His book was published by Hodder Moa Beckett in New Zealand in 1995. Actually New Zealand cricketers seem keen on zany titles for their books: Danny Morrison’s was called Mad As I Wanna Be, John Wright penned Christmas in Rarotonga, Ian Smith was Just a Drummer in the Band, while Gavin Larsen went for, er, Grand Larseny.I’ve often wondered, what are the top batting averages over a Test career, worldwide? I know that Don Bradman was 99-point-something. Is there anyone higher? asked Alf Lacis from Australia
You’ve proved a friend of mine wrong – he claimed that everyone in Australia knew Don Bradman`s exact batting average, which was 99.94! If he’d managed four runs in his final innings, rather than a duck, The Don would have averaged exactly 100. And, given a qualification of 20 innings, no-one comes close to him: next on the list is the South African Graeme Pollock, who averaged 60.97. The only others over 60 are the great West Indian George Headley (60.83) and the old England opener Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73). The highest current player is India’s Rahul Dravid, with 57.62, a whisker ahead of Sachin Tendulkar (57.25) and Jacques Kallis (57.07). For a full list of the highest Test averages, click here.I’ve been trying to find out about this but can’t: didn’t Shaun Pollock have some kind of dream debut with an English county side in the mid-1990s? I’m wondering, did I dream this up or is it true? asked Dilip D’Souza from India
No, you didn’t imagine it – Shaun Pollock made a sensational debut for Warwickshire in 1996. In his first match for them, against Leicestershire at Edgbaston, he took four wickets in four balls as Leicestershire crumpled to 9 for 5. He finished with 6 for 21 (and, not surprisingly, the Man of the Match award) as Warwickshire won by seven wickets.

The Gunners centre-back has taken her game to the next level over the past few months, and with others out injured, she should get her chance to start

There was plenty for Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall to be happy about following his side's emphatic 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of a Women's Super League-record Emirates Stadium crowd on Saturday. Following a shock defeat to West Ham, as well as an FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, the Swede has been under pressure recently, and the welcome win moved the Gunners back to within three points of leaders Chelsea with eight games to play.

Cloe Lacasse seriously impressed on a rare start, Beth Mead was unplayable at times and Lia Walti ran things in the middle of the park. But at full-time, Eidevall made sure to give his makeshift back four – disrupted by Leah Williamson and Amanda Ilestedt being absent – special credit for the victory, singling one player out in particular.

"We had to rejig and you could see Laia Codina, for example, she has been training really well so she was ready to play. But it is still a new back four to play together. But in that unit we have to acknowledge a player like Lotte Wubben-Moy. We have to acknowledge the level she is playing at this season and seeing how she develops," he said.

"A performance like she has today is incredible. I think it is something the whole club should be very proud of because she is Arsenal through and through. She is coming from our academy, our community and to see her excel the way she does at Emirates Stadium, it is fantastic. I am really, really happy for her and the club to see that."

Getty ImagesStepping up last season

Her manager's glowing appraisal after Saturday's huge result has been echoed by most onlookers throughout the current campaign. Almost every Arsenal fan would agree that Wubben-Moy is firmly in the conversation for the Gunners' Player of the Season award, while a spot in the WSL Team of the Year also seems likely if she continues on her current trajectory.

Wubben-Moy's emergence as a key player has not come out of the blue, though. Following Leah Williamson's devastating ACL injury last season, and with other starting centre-back Rafaelle missing a decent chunk of the 2022-23 campaign too, she stepped up when it mattered, playing near enough every minute of her side's congested run-in.

Forming an unorthodox partnership with Steph Catley at the heart of the defence, she chipped in with a string of vital contributions; none more so than in her side's Champions League semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg, where she provided the pinpoint cross for Jen Beattie's headed equaliser that sent the game to extra-time.

Heartbreakingly, it would be Wubben-Moy's tired error in that additional period that would eventually gift the German side their place in the final, but she did not let this setback affect her performances for the remainder of the season, scoring in Arsenal's victory over Everton a few weeks later, a result that went a long way to sealing their spot in the Champions League for the following campaign.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesReaching new heights

New heights have been reached since then, though, with few defenders enjoying better WSL seasons so far. And it was telling that when Williamson did return to the WSL starting line-up in February against West Ham, it was World Cup star Ilestedt that dropped to the bench, not Wubben-Moy, suggesting that the Englishwoman has risen to the very top of the defensive pecking order.

Delving into the statistics, it's not hard to see why. Earlier in her career, there were concerns that Wubben-Moy was not as effective in possession as some of her club and international colleagues. But this campaign, no outfield player has completed more long balls or racked up more progressive passing distance than her in the WSL.

She is also carrying the ball effectively; just five WSL players (Anna Patten, Maya Le Tissier, Laia Alexandri, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter) have racked up more progressive distance than Wubben-Moy's 1766 yards this season. And of those players, just Greenwood has registered fewer minutes than the Arsenal star.

Wubben-Moy has always excelled at bread-and-butter defending too, and this has continued recently. Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr and Rachel Daly are among the top-class centre-forwards that she has kept scoreless this season, and she is yet to make an error that's led to an opponent having a shot this term. Meanwhile, only Liverpool's towering forward Sophie Roman Haug has won more aerial duels.

Getty ImagesStruggling for international recognition

But amid this excellent run of form, Wubben-Moy has found international recognition under Sarina Wiegman hard to come by this season. She made her Lionesses debut back in 2021, coming on as a substitute during an emphatic friendly victory over Northern Ireland, eventually earning a maiden start in her side's infamous 20-0 thrashing of Latvia in November that same year.

Since then, she's been a near ever-present in England squads, only pulling out of a few camps due to injury. Despite this, her playing time has been frightfully limited. In fact, since that Latvia game, she's only managed a single start, a 45-minute outing in a friendly against Belgium in June 2022.

Thus, while she has a Euro 2022 winners' medal, and was a part of the Lionesses' impressive run to the 2023 World Cup final and Finalissima triumph, it all came as a spectator. That will surely change in the upcoming fixtures against Austria and Italy, though.

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Getty ImagesTiming is everything

In the past, it's been easier for Wiegman to ignore Wubben-Moy. During the Euros, Williamson and Millie Bright were always going to be impossible to displace at the heart of defence. And at the World Cup, Greenwood and Carter each emerged as deserved starters as the England boss flipped between a back-three and back-four.

But in this camp, Bright and Williamson are unavailable due to injury, and it's hard to argue that Carter and Esme Morgan – who has taken a lot of Wubben-Moy's potential minutes in recent times – are in anything like the same form as her at club level. The same can also be said of United pair Le Tissier and Millie Turner.

With all of that in mind, and with two low-stakes games for Wiegman to experiment in coming up, it is surely time for Wubben-Moy to seize her opportunity.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is personally keen to close a deal to sign a midfielder he has previously shown heavy admiration for, according to recent reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester City?

The Blues have favored quality over quantity this window in the transfer market, strengthening their squad with the additions of Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, as per Transfermarkt.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester City have also added another exciting young talent to their conglomerate The City Football Group, stating on X: "Excl: RB Salzburg talent Leon Lalić joins Man City/City Group, here we go. It’s first deal ever from RB Salzburg to City Group — historical for 2006 born midfielder. Lalić will initially join Lommel. David Fernandez’s team followed Lalić for more than 2 years."

City are also believed to be keen on Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze in the final stages of the transfer window; however, the Eagles are looking to hold out for a fee of £70 million for the 25-year-old, according to Football Insider.

Eze has become a target for Manchester City following their decision to withdraw from their pursuit of West Ham United playmaker Lucas Paqueta. His former club, Queens Park Rangers, would be entitled to 20% of any fee Crystal Palace recoup for the midfielder due to a sell-on clause present in his contract at Selhurst Park.

BILD via The Manchester Evening News share quotes from RB Leipzig chief Oliver Mintzlaff who had dispelled rumours linking Spain international Dani Olmo with a move to the Etihad Stadium, stating: "Dani Olmo will be part of the Leipzig squad, no matter who is interested."

Olmo also recently commented on links to Manchester City directly, stating: “There is nothing [in the rumours]. I’m fully focused on the task in Leipzig, the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the cup. Man City are a big club – one of the biggest in the world. Josko [Gvardiol] went there. But I’m happy here.”

Who else could Manchester City sign?

Transfer guru Romano has delivered a fresh update on Manchester City's pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes on X, revealing: "Manchester City will insist to close Matheus Nunes deal with Wolves in 24/48h after initial €50m proposal plus add-ons discussed yesterday. Pep, big fan of Nunes; player has already accepted City as destination. It's now up to Wolverhampton."

Cited by The Mirror, Manchester City boss Guardiola is no stranger to £85k-a-week earner Nunes and has previously offered up some really high praise when discussing the Portugal international, saying back in 2022: "I would say that Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today."

In his time at Molineux, Nunes has become a fan favourite due to his tenacious displays in the middle of the park and has featured 41 times for Wolves in all competitions, registering one goal and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Football Insider claim that Manchester City are confident of sealing a deal to land Nunes and are readying a bid close to £60 million to try and get a deal over the line, which would also help to provide cover for the injured Kevin De Bruyne.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag has made tracks to try and bring in some competition for Andre Onana between the sticks and bolster numbers in the goalkeeping department at Old Trafford, according to reports.

Who is the goalkeeper target?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United have already made an approach to Benfica about goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos as they look to secure a speedy replacement between the sticks amid news that Dean Henderson is in talks with Crystal Palace over a move to Selhurst Park.

Matej Kovar has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen and Nathan Bishop has moved on to Sunderland, creating a void to be filled in the goalkeeping department at the Premier League giants.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has issued a further update on the permutations surrounding Vlachodimos potentially heading to Manchester United, stating on X: "Manchester United are informed on the conditions of Odysseas Vlachodimos deal, as revealed yesterday. He wasn’t in Benfica squad last week as he’s expected to leave the club by the end of the window. Deal with Man Utd could only advance if Dean Henderson leaves the club."

Benfica youngster Samuel Soares has been given the nod ahead of Vlachodimos recently, and his boss, Roger Schmidt, has admitted that he is happy to introduce some 'new energy in the goalkeeper position' at the club.

Would Vlachodimos be a good signing for Manchester United?

Manchester United definitely need to get someone into the building at Old Trafford to help with available numbers in the goalkeeping position, which has been depleted further due to veteran Tom Heaton's calf injury, as per The Manchester Evening News.

Vlachodimos is an experienced stopper with a distinguished pedigree and would help provide some calm as an alternative to Onana at the club, and could actually be a better option to having behind the Cameroon star than Henderson.

In his time at Benfica, the 29-year-old has become a fan favourite as the last line of defence, keeping 94 clean sheets in 225 appearances across all competitions for the Primeira Liga holders, as per Transfermarkt, an impressive rate.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was quick to praise Vlachodimos in 2022 following the Reds' 3-1 victory in the Champions League over Benfica away from home at the quarter-final stage, as per BT Sport cited via Reuters, stating: "We should have scored much more. I think, mainly because of their goalkeeper, credit to him. Their goalkeeper was probably the game's best player. We played well, but he made a couple of really good saves."

Compared to his positional peers in Europe's next eight divisions below the top five leagues on the continent, Vlachodimos ranks highly with his clean sheet percentage, with 56.3% of his last 90 minutes across the previous 365 days resulting in a shut-out, as per FBRef, ranking him in the 99th percentile for that figure.

Now looking unfancied at Benfica, it looks like the chance has emerged for Manchester United to bring the Greece goalkeeper to Old Trafford before the end of the window, in what could be a shrewd if unspectacular move.

A potentially major update has surfaced for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp and co work fervently to rectify the issues in the transfer market and secure a first-class new holding midfielder.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

Chelsea have beat Liverpool to the signings of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia recently in a remarkable show of strength and incisiveness, and the Reds now need to move with their own swiftness to reaffirm their own guile.

The Anfield side have compiled a shortlist of options, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure believed to be the most coveted names.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The latter, Doucoure, is likely the primary target, with the Independent confirming on Wednesday afternoon that the Malian midfielder could be available for less than £60m, and that while the Eagles are wary of losing too many players this summer, Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to secure his signature.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

There is much to lament about Liverpool's transfer strategy this year, and it's unequivocally true that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could have handled the recent events with more conscientiousness.

Saudi Arabian sides swooped for defensive midfielder Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson to compound the departures of midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose contracts concluded in June.

This is not to say that such outgoings were not necessary, rather, an illustration of the smoother road that could have been taken; Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both penned deals with the club, but the squad currently feels thin.

Resting on their laurels is not an option, and the powers that be must now throw the kitchen sink to secure Doucoure's services, with the 23-year-old impressing for Crystal Palace since completing an initial £18m transfer to Selhurst Park from French side RC Lens one year ago.

The £60k-per-week machine is a first-class ball-winner, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions per 90, as per FBref – for comparison, Fabinho ranks only among the top 34% after his "awful" season, as was said by Jamie Carragher.

This strengthening of the formidability of the midfield would only improve the performances of those around, and Doucoure, who has been described as "the complete holding midfielder" by former boss Patrick Vieira, could play to £60m man Szoboszlai's qualities.

The Hungarian midfielder has been lauded as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his technicality and flair, and ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.

He also ranks among the top 5% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90, which could pay dividends for Doucoure's progress on Merseyside, with such a robust and industrious midfield partner easing his workload.

Liverpool have fallen by the wayside, but the new season signifies an apt opportunity for meaningful, impactful change, and now is the time to steal a swoop for Doucoure and enhance Liverpool's midfield.