All posts by h79snht.top

Chelsea may wait until they have recruited some midfielders before deciding whether or not to sell Conor Gallagher, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Conor Gallagher?

According to Football London, Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as contenders to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer as Ange Postecoglou eyes reinforcements in the middle of the park.

As per 90min, Brighton & Hove Albion have also initiated talks with the £50k-a-week ace and view him as a potential replacement for the departed Alexis Mac Allister.

West Ham United are also keen on Gallagher alongside Newcastle United as the race hots up for the Epsom-born midfielder in the transfer window.

Several Chelsea midfielders look to be on the way out of Stamford Bridge this off-season, including Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Fabrizio Romano has also detailed that veteran Chelsea enforcer N'Golo Kante looks set for a new challenge at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad and is close to a move, with the player currently involved in a medical.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has said that Chelsea may hold fire on selling too many more midfielders in light of their impending mini-exodus in the engine room.

Jacobs told FFC when speaking about clubs being interested in Gallagher: "They may have to be a little bit patient because I don't think that Chelsea will just want to keep selling midfielders even though it sounds like a good thing because they desperately need to reduce their squad size. The last thing that Chelsea will want to do is lose too many in one position, even though their overall numbers of squad would go down without bringing in somebody first. Don't be surprised. Therefore, if Chelsea put the brakes on a little bit on some of the outgoings in set positions until they get in a couple of midfielders or at least one midfielder in that position."

Should Chelsea sell Conor Gallagher this summer?

Despite featuring often for the Blues across 2022/23, Gallagher may well find himself as one of the players Chelsea look to move on this summer as Mauricio Pochettino looks to reshape his side ahead of next term.

In 2022/23, Gallagher amassed 45 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea in all competitions, registering three goals and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Gallagher has also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of touches taken in the opposition penalty area, taking around 3.32 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the third percentile for this metric.

WhoScored show that Gallagher was also a fairly reliable presence in possession during the season and achieved a pass success rate of 84.5%.

Chelsea look set for major change this summer and it will remain to be seen whether Gallagher is retained at Stamford Bridge moving forward.

Mohammad Amir ripped out Cricket Australia XI’s top order after Younis Khan’s half-century took Pakistanis to 208

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2016
ScorecardMohammad Amir struck thrice in his two overs under lights•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Mohammad Amir took three wickets with the pink ball, including two off his first two balls, in Pakistanis’ day-night tour game in Cairns, ahead of the day-night Test against Australia in Brisbane, starting December 15. Amir’s burst came after Pakistanis stumbled around Younis Khan’s half-century to 208 all-out.Amir’s new-ball partner Rahat Ali also picked up a wicket in his only over as Cricket Australia XI closed the day at 4 for 3 in three overs.Having opted to bat, Pakistanis were kept in check by regular strikes from Cricket Australia’s seamers. Mark Steketee and Cameron Valente did the bulk of the damage, claiming combined figures of 7 for 83.Younis, who managed all of 16 runs in four innings in New Zealand, hit form and briefly steadied Pakistanis’ innings with 54 off 138 balls, including four fours. Barring Younis, Sarfraz Ahmed was the only other batsman to pass 25.Captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who had missed the Hamilton Test, following the death of his father-in-law, returned with 20 off 44 balls, before Valente had him caught behind. The visitors were ultimately bowled out in 84.5 overs.Speaking after the day’s play, Younis Khan said, “Cricket Australia XI bowled really well. They hit the deck hard and didn’t give us any easy runs. The outfield was large as well. It was a good effort by them.”I’m happy that we got to come here early and have time for preparation, which we didn’t get in New Zealand. We had a nice net session before this and we have time to think about the Australia tour and the Australian team. It wasn’t a bad day at all for us, especially with the four wickets in the end. I feel bad for the [Cricket Australia XI] youngsters. It’s not easy to play under the lights, especially if you’re facing someone like Amir. Here in Australia the ball usually seams, but under lights, swing comes into play.”

أكد أيمن يونس لاعب الزمالك السابق، أن قرار عدم تواجد محمد صلاح المحترف في صفوف ليفربول الإنجليزي، مع منتخب مصر، خلال المعسكر المقبل، صائب، من جانب حسام حسن.

وكان حسام حسن المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر، أعلن قائمة الفراعنة لخوض بطولة الإمارات الودية التي تقام في الفترة من 22 حتى 26 مارس الجاري بمشاركة منتخبات تونس وكرواتيا ونيوزيلندا، شهدت استبعاد محمد صلاح بعدما طلب اللاعب ذلك.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي منتخب مصر مع نيوزيلندا يوم الجمعة 22 مارس في مباراة دور نصف النهائي للبطولة الودية، وإذا حقق الفوز سيلاقي الفائز من كرواتيا وتونس في المباراة النهائية يوم 26.

طالع | قائمة منتخب مصر لمعسكر مارس.. ضم مصطفى شوبير

وقال يونس خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “جمهور التالتة” المذاع على قناة “أون تايم سبورت 2”: “عملية عدم استدعاء محمد صلاح قد تكون من أنجح القرارات، لأنه يحتاج إلى فترة تأهيل بدني، هو ما زال يستعيد مستواه، لأن تجربة أمم إفريقيا كانت مُهلكة، وقرار موفق من حسام حسن”.

وأضاف: “لكني أضع علامة تعجب كبيرة على استبعاد أحمد سيد زيزو وأحمد فتوح ثنائي الزمالك، نريد أن نعرف سبب إصابة زيزو وما مدة غيابه”.

وواصل: “نحن نربط الاختيارات بالعناوين التي يختار على أساسها حسام حسن، الجميع يسأل عن لاعبين مؤثرين وأصحاب خبرات، هو قال في أحد عناوينه أنه يريد أن يضم اللاعبين الجاهزين والذين يُشاركون وعلى أساس ذلك استبعد محمد النني لاعب آرسنال، لكنه على الجانب الآخر ضم أكرم توفيق لاعب الأهلي وهو لا يُشارك”.

وأكمل: “ننتظر أن نشاهد حسام حسن، نريد أن نقف في ظهره وندعمه، وأطالبه بعدم الحديث كثيرًا، عملية انتقاء اللاعبين قد تكون الأجهز في هذه المرحلة الحالية نفسيًا وبدنيًا، وأنا لن أفعل شيئًا سوى دعمه”.

وأتم: “لا نستطيع أن نحكم على أسلوب لعب حسام حسن، لأننا لم نكتشف ذلك بعد، لكن واضح إن لديه فكر وأنه يبحث عن نماذج معينة”.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their attempts to bolster their attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Abdallah Sima to Rangers?

According to the Scottish edition of the Daily Mail, Michael Beale is closing in on a deal to sign winger Abdallah Sima on loan.

The report claims that the Scottish giants are currently leading the race to secure the Brighton youngster's services on a temporary basis for next season and that the switch could be wrapped up in the coming week.

It states that Feyenoord's Danilo and Beni Traore of Hacken are alternative options that the Gers could turn if a swoop falls through at the last hour.

Where would Abdallah Sima fit in at Rangers?

Sima, who was once described as a "complete" player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has spent the majority of his club career as a right winger, meaning that his arrival would spell bad news for Scott Wright at Ibrox, who could now be on his way out of the club.

Since making the move to Rangers from Aberdeen in 2021, the 25-year-old has failed to nail down a regular place in the team and has been unable to make a significant impact in the final third.

Wright played 23 Premiership matches, including five starts, in 22/23 and contributed with one assist and zero goals, whilst the dud also featured in four Champions League games without being directly involved in a single goal.

His dreadful form came after the Scottish winger scored four goals and provided one assist in 19 league outings for the Light Blues in the previous campaign, which shows that he has offered very little in the final third over the last two years in Glasgow.

Sima, on the other hand, is coming off the back of five goals and two assists in 19 Ligue 1 starts on loan at Angers in 22/23 and previously showcased his attacking quality with Slavia Prague before his move to Brighton.

The £8.5k-per-week earner plundered 16 goals and seven assists in 38 outings for the Czech side, which included four goals in ten Europa League clashes in 20/21.

These numbers suggest that Sima, who the aforementioned Kulig once hailed as a "fantastic prospect", has the potential to offer far more than Wright at the top end of the pitch.

The current Gers forward has been touted with an exit this summer and the arrival of the 22-year-old from Brighton could be the final nail in the coffin for the ex-Dons dynamo.

It has been a horrid two Tests for Sri Lanka, but Suranga Lakmal’s performances have provided some relief

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Jan-2017

Sri Lanka have lost the series inside nine days of cricket, been rolled for 110, failed to muster a single triple-figure partnership let alone an individual century, and have, in general, failed to compete in South Africa, but for one player at least, it has been something of a breakthrough tour.Suranga Lakmal came to the country with a reputation for bowling long and controlled, but ultimately wicketless, spells. His bowling average of 47.65 at the time of arrival was perhaps slightly uncharitable, given the support he has provided to bowlers at the other end. However, it was also difficult to suggest that it was completely undeserved – so flat have some of his performances been, albeit on tracks unsuited to his work.For the first time since his third Test – played in March 2011 – that average has now dipped below 45. He has 12 wickets at 24.08 in the series, having claimed 5 for 45 in the first innings at Port Elizabeth and 4 for 69 in the second innings at Newlands.”I think this is my most successful series,” Lakmal said. “I had a big challenge when I came here, because there was a little pressure from the selectors and the board. I’ve been in this team as the senior bowler for a while, and I don’t just want to live off that reputation. That’s not fair to the younger bowlers in Sri Lanka either. I thought that if I didn’t do well in this series, maybe I wouldn’t be in the Test team anymore.”Lakmal’s most-successful series before this had been in the UAE in 2013-14, where he took 12 wickets on pitches that were a little less kind to the quicks. He now has the opportunity to surpass not only that tally, but also the series record for any Sri Lanka seam bowler, which is currently held by Chaminda Vaas, who claimed 16 scalps in the 1995 two-Test series in New Zealand.”As a goal I’d set myself 15 wickets in the series before I came here. I told the coaches that as well, and thought I would have had a successful tour if I could achieve that. Now I’ve got 12 already, so I’ve raised my target to 18 or 20 wickets. Maybe it’s a bit of luck – but I’ve managed to do well so far.”Perhaps a little luck has helped – no catches have been spilt off his bowling this series, which is not something a Sri Lanka seamer can ever take for granted. However, the definitive area of improvement has been the generation of movement – both in the air and off the seam. Lakmal has bowled in friendly conditions in New Zealand and England before, but has never tested batsmen as consistently as he has on this trip.”There is more support from these surfaces than in Sri Lanka, but also, I’m in good rhythm these days, and I made a small change to my action,” he said. “I watched a few of my old videos with the coach and analysed it in Sri Lanka. I practiced the change at home and when I came here, I found I could swing the ball more. That’s the difference.”My arm had been coming round-arm a little earlier. I’ve worked on that and straightened it up now. The ball hits the seam more often now, and it can go either way from there.”If you compare with Sri Lanka we also have to pitch it up about a foot further, because of the bounce. Once you do that, you give it more of a chance to swing as well, and the wickets come a bit easier.”The bowlers in general, have also shown mild improvement with the bat, usually hanging around at the crease for longer than has been the case in previous away tours. Lakmal hit 19 not out in Port Elizabeth – an innings which featured three controlled boundaries off Vernon Philander in the space of six balls. He said there has been a renewed focus on tail-end batting within the team, over the past few months.”In Sri Lanka there’s a big challenge because in the media and everywhere, they say that in all the other countries, the last few batsmen score a few runs and it’s only in Sri Lanka that we don’t. Our coaches also had a challenge there, because that was a criticism of them as well. Before we came to South Africa, we did additional sessions with the batting coaches and the bowling machine for 90 minutes or two hours. I think the improvement in my batting is a result of that.””Hopefully that will improve over the years as well. We shouldn’t just be happy with 10 or 15 runs. If the last few batsmen can provide 100 or 150 runs together, the four of us can help the team out. Even if the top order is out cheaply, we can maybe still aim to get to 300.”

South Africa have six pace-bowling options in the Test squad, while Theunis de Bruyn and Heinrich Klaasen have been picked as cover in the absence of AB de Villiers

Firdose Moonda24-Feb-20170:45

Quick Facts – Morne Morkel’s Test career so far

Morne Morkel has been included in South Africa’s Test squad to tour New Zealand in March after recovering from a career-threatening back injury, which kept him out of the national team since June. Morkel forms part of a six-member-strong pace pack, which also includes Vernon Philander, who has recovered from an ankle impingement sustained after the Sri Lanka Tests, Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier, and allrounders Wayne Parnell and Chris Morris.In the absence of AB de Villiers, who opted out of Test cricket for most of 2017, South Africa are taking reserve batsman Theunis de Bruyn and uncapped Titans wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen, who finished seventh on the batting charts in the Sunfoil Series first-class competition.South Africa’s Test squad to NZ

Faf du Plessis (capt), Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier, Theunis de Bruyn, Heinrich Klaasen, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris
In Heinrich Klaasen, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris

Klaasen was preferred over Knights’ keeper Rudi Second, who was a spot a above him on the run-scorers’ list and was considered the favourite to deputise for Quinton de Kock now that Dane Vilas has signed a Kolpak deal. However, the selectors decided to give Klaasen a go, although they have assured Second he still remains in their plans. “Heinrich is a guy that struck us as someone who has the capability of coping at international level. He is a good striker of the ball and tight behind the stumps,” Linda Zondi, South Africa’s convener of selectors told ESPNcricinfo. “But it was touch and go between him and Rudi, and they are both on our radar.”South Africa’s batting line-up is unchanged from the seven specialists who did duty in Australia and against Sri Lanka with Dean Elgar and Stephen Cook at the top, followed by Hashim Amla, captain Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma and JP Duminy, but there will be a conundrum in the bowling department, where South Africa have given themselves plenty of choice. “We are still looking to see who will assist Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander,” Zondi said. “But our plan is to use our senior guys.”That suggests Morkel will edge ahead of the rest, despite a lengthy period of time out of the game and limited game-time in the lead-up to the series. Since being diagnosed with a bulging back disc after the CPL last year, Morkel has played one first-class game for the Titans, three warm-up matches during South Africa’s Test tour of Australia and one List A game for his franchise. At the time of writing, Morkel had been named in the Titans XI for a second one-day cup game before heading off at the weekend. Zondi admitted Morkel’s inaction is a concern but insisted his experience is a necessity. “Time away is always a concern but we need experience in the bowling so we’ll see how he goes,” Zondi said.Morkel is not the only one who has had a long lay-off recently. Morris spent three months recovering from a knee injury before making a comeback in the ODIs against Sri Lanka and he has since impressed enough to also earn a Test recall. Morris played two Tests in January 2016 against England, when South Africa had a glut of injuries, and was thought to have fallen down the pecking order but has now forced his way back in. “What has been so impressive is how he has understood his job. His primary role is to bowl and the batting is a bonus and that is exactly how he is tackling things,” Zondi said. “We have always wanted a seam-bowling allrounder and now we are finding we have a few.”Morris and Parnell are the two in the Test squad but both could end up confined to the bench with Duanne Olivier also competing for the third seamer’s spot. Olivier, who was the leading bowler in this season’s first-class competition and the only one to take more than 50 wickets, made his debut during the Wanderers Test against Sri Lanka and impressed with pace, bounce and aggression. He was selected alongside Parnell in all-pace attack in that match; although he took one wicket fewer than Parnell, Olivier was more economical. In the aftermath of Kyle Abbott’s exit, Olivier has emerged as a serious contender for the third seamer’s spot and, if given the opportunity, could stake a serious claim in New Zealand.The only bowling place not up for debate is that of the spinner because South Africa are traveling with only one. Keshav Maharaj has retained his place in an expanded 16-man squad. Given the distance and time difference to New Zealand, South Africa are opting for extra men to ensure they have all bases covered. The Test squad members who are not already in New Zealand will travel there this weekend.The three-Test series will begin from March 8 with the first match in Dunedin, followed by Tests in Wellington and Hamilton.

Newcastle United could look to continue building upon their impressive squad this summer and now a new update has emerged on a potential new transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Gleison Bremer?

According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are interested in signing Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer.

As per the report, the Magpies will be competing with Aston Villa for the defender's signature this summer, and it is claimed that the Serie A giants would prefer to keep Bremer but would be willing to accept an offer of around €50m (£43m).

It appears as though the Toon have taken a fancy to the Italian market this summer, with Sandro Tonali set to arrive from Juventus, amid rumours of interest in the likes of Inter Milan's Federico Chiesa and Federico Dimarco too.

Would Gleison Bremer be a good signing for Newcastle?

Eddie Howe already boasts an exciting and impressive squad at St James' Park who have all contributed to the huge strides forward that the club has made in the last 18 months.

However, with Champions League football on the horizon, it would be advantageous to not only add quality depth to key positions but also bring in some players who have a wealth of experience in the competition.

As a result, the signing of Bremer would be a major coup for Howe as he embarks on the next steps to bring trophies and success to Tyneside, and he could even sign his very own Virgil van Dijk with the acquirement of the Brazilian ace.

According to FBref, the Liverpool talisman is one of the most comparable players to Bremer over the last 12 months with the pair sharing many similarities in their output.

In comparison, the defensive duo came close in their pass completion rate (90.1% v 90.5%), passes blocked (10 v 9), ball recoveries (180 v 168) and interceptions (42 v 31).

The 26-year-old – who is a ball-playing defender just like Van Dijk – has earned high praise for his diverse qualities, with his former Torino teammate Mergim Vojvoda claiming:

"[Bremer] is very strong, an animal. He has made an incredible leap in quality in the last year. But he can still improve a lot because he is young. He has renewed, we hope he stays because he is really strong."

"Physically, he is strong. He works hard and as soon as I arrived, I was impressed by how much he trained. He is also fast, he is tall and has made a great leap in quality on a technical level, with the ball at his feet. Work pays off, you can see it with him."

Van Dijk's physicality is a key component of his game and Newcastle could no doubt add a similar specimen to their armoury. Not just bullish, the two are adept when in possession with the Dutchman registering a pass success rate of 89.9% to Bremer's 89.7%.

Not only that, Bremer can offer something that not many of Howe's players possess with his great experience on the European stage with three appearances in the Champions League and 13 in the Europa League over his career so far.

With that being said, if Newcastle could strike up a good deal for Bremer this summer it could be great opportunity for Howe to add a vast amount of quality ahead of next season.

تحدث الإسباني إيمريك لابورت لاعب النصر السعودي، عن قرار إبراهيم دياز بتمثيل منتخب المغرب بدلاً من إسبانيا، وعلّق على المباراة المرتقبة بين فريقه السابق مانشستر سيتي وريال مدريد في ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال لابورت في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية عن إبراهيم دياز: “نحن مثل الإخوة، لقد أتيحت لنا الفرصة للحديث عن هذا الأمر عدة مرات”.

وأضاف: “إنه لأمر مؤسف لأنني كنت أحب اللعب معه وقضاء المزيد من الوقت معه، وأن أكون معه مرة أخرى بعد أن كنت معه في السيتي”.

وأردف: “لكن عليك أن تقرر ما هو مناسب لك وأنا أدعمه في كل القرارات التي سيتخذها طوال حياته، أتمنى أن يكون ذلك للأفضل”.

اقرأ أيضًا | لابورت: قرار رحيلي إلى النصر كان صحيحًا.. وكريستيانو رونالدو فاجأني

وعن مواجهة ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي في دوري أبطال أوروبا بربع النهائي، أكد لابورت: “سأذهب أكثر مع السيتي لأنني أمضيت وقتًا أطول معهم وفي النهاية هو فريقي منذ ما يقرب من سبع سنوات”.

وتابع: “وحققت معه خمسة ألقاب في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والعديد من الألقاب والعديد من اللحظات الجميلة معًا، سأذهب مع السيتي، إذا فاز السيتي وسجل إبراهيم دياز هدفًا، فلا بأس”.

وبشأن الإقصاء على يد ريال مدريد قبل عامين، شدد لابورت: “كان هذا الشعور هو الأسوأ في مسيرتنا الرياضية، على الأقل بالنسبة لي، كان من الصعب استيعاب هذا الشعور الذي بقي معي لأسابيع، لقد آلمنا كثيرًا، كان لدينا الكثير من الأمل ولعبنا بشكل جيد للغاية”.

أكد إبراهيم حسن مدرب منتخب مصر على شعوره بالسعادة بسبب انطلاقة الفراعنة على ملعب استاد العاصمة الإدارية، والفوز بهدف دون رد على حساب نيوزيلندا في كأس عاصمة مصر.

وقال إبراهيم حسن في حديثه لقناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “كنا نتمنى أن نبدأ في صرح كبير مثل استاد مصر وأن نفوز، لكي يُحسب لنا تاريخيًا”.

وأكمل: “واجهنا فريقًا مُنظمًا، وحسام حسن عمل مع اللاعبين جيدًا، وشاهدنا الفريق وكيف يلعب، فريق ينقل الكرة بشكل جيد ويعتمد على الجناحين، عمل على إغلاق مفاتيح اللعب لديهم، وسنحت لنا أكثر من فرصة”.

وزاد: “كان يمكننا أن نُسجل أهدافًا أكثر، لكن الحمد لله على الفوز في أول مباراة على استاد مصر، وأحيي اللاعبين على روحهم الجميلة وأتمنى أن نستمر حتى أن نصل لأهدافنا والتأهل لكأس العالم وأمم إفريقيا”.

وواصل: “محمد هاني قام بالتغطية الدفاعية بشكل جيد طوال اللقاء كما كان له دور هجومي، كل اللاعبين نفذوا تعليمات حسام حسن بنسبة 85% ومع الوقت سيكون هناك شكل أفضل”.

وأضاف: “محمد هاني أدى مباراة جيدة وهو لا يحتاج إلى تقييم، هو لاعب في الأهلي وحصل على العديد من البطولات، أحاول نقل خبراتي للاعبين خاصة عندما أكون قد لعبت في مركزه في السابق، هذا واجبي، أنا وحسام والجهاز نستكمل عمل بعض”.

وأردف: “حسام حسن كان يريد أن يلعب بهدوء، هدفنا أن يحافظوا على طريقة اللعب لتتم تنفيذها بطريقة سلسة، الروح عند اللاعبين كانت عالية ومازلنا نطمح في الأفضل”.

وتستضيف مصر بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر، خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الحالي الخاص بشهر مارس، وذلك ضمن سلسلة مباريات الاتحاد الدولي فيفا.

طالع | الاتحاد الدولي يعلن إدراج بطولة العاصمة الإدارية في برنامج (سلسلة الفيفا)

وتقام البطولة بنظام مباراتين لنصف النهائي والفائزان يلتقيان في المباراة النهائية، حيث يلعب منتخب مصر أمام الفائز من تونس وكرواتيا في النهائي.

ويتواجه منتخب نيوزيلندا مع الخاسر من لقاء كرواتيا وتونس في مباراة تحديد المركز الثالث والرابع يوم 25 مارس.

تقام مواجهة تونس وكرواتيا في العاشرة مساء السبت الموافق 23 مارس على استاد القاهرة الدولي.

ويخوض منتخب مصر نهائي كأس العاصمة أمام الفائز من مباراة تونس وكرواتيا على ملعب العاصمة الإدارية الجديدة في العاشرة مساء 26 مارس.

ويحتضن استاد القاهرة الدولي مواجهة تحديد صاحب المركز الثالث، بين الخاسرين من مواجهتي الدور الأول، في العاشرة مساء 25 مارس.

Newcastle United are expected to officially complete the signing of Italy international Sandro Tonali this week as their second piece of incoming business this summer, following Yankuba Minteh through the door.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the Magpies have delayed their announcement and that it will arrive in the coming days, with the central midfielder poised to join from Serie A giants AC Milan.

However, Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth still have around two months left of the summer transfer window to bolster the squad with further additions as they prepare for Champions League football next season.

One player who has been linked with a switch to St. James’ Park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign is Rennes attacking midfielder Lovro Majer, who is said to be available for a fee in the region of €40m (£34m).

What is Lovro Majer’s style of play?

The Croatian is a silky left-footed number ten who could become Howe’s own version of Manchester City magician David Silva if he arrives on Tyneside this summer.

Majer's performances for Rennes in France last season earned him a comparison to the Spaniard, who currently plays for Real Sociedad in LaLiga at the age of 37.

As you can see in the above graphic, as provided by Opta, both players excel at receiving touches in the opposition's box and are able to create chances at an impressive rate among their positional peers.

Silva was an outstanding creative threat for City during his time in England as he registered 106 assists in 309 Premier League matches, which is an average of an assist every 2.91 starts. This shows that the mercurial talent was capable of providing his teammates with goalscoring opportunities on a regular basis.

Majer is a player who has the potential to offer a similar level of quality in possession, based on his form for Rennes since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Over the last two seasons, the Croatian maestro has racked up 13 assists along with 12 'big chances' created in 39 Ligue 1 starts, which works out as an assist every three starts on average.

The 25-year-old, who was once lauded as "phenomenal" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also managed nine assists in 31 league games for Dinamo Zagreb in the 2020/21 campaign before his move to France.

These figures show that the 21-cap international has been a consistent creative threat for his clubs over the last three years, which suggests that he has the potential to be an outstanding creator for Newcastle in the same way that Silva has been throughout his career.

No Magpies midfielder produced more than six Premier League assists last term and Majer, who has conjured eight or more assists in two of the last three league seasons, could come in to provide a boost in that department as a player with the ability to unlock a defence week-in-week-out.