At the beginning of the transfer window, West Ham United’s task of replacing Declan Rice looked impossible.
How would any player replicate his consistency, reliability, loyalty, and relationship with the fans?
But, the Hammers' hierarchy have done a superb job of ushering in the new era of the club’s midfield.
Mohammed Kudus has been added to the offensive segment, James Ward-Prowse will adopt a box-to-box role, whilst Edson Alvarez will be tasked with the more conventional Rice duties, sitting rigidly in front of the defence.
However, the 2023 Europa Conference League winners are still looking to bolster his area…
What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?
Football Inside reported late last week that West Ham had joined Nottingham Forest in the race to sign PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangare, who has a £32m release clause in his contract.
Forest had been the leading contender for the midfielder’s signature, but they chose to not activate the release clause and instead offered to take the player on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy set at £21.3m.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
This has offered West Ham a chance to make a late move for Sangare, with PSV having reportedly lined up a replacement for him should he leave in this window.
However, the 25-year-old’s future is also dependent upon Champions League qualification, which will be settled on 30 August following the pulsating 2-2 draw with Rangers in the first leg at Ibrox.
What are Ibrahim Sangare's strengths?
The Ivorian has been at PSV since 2020 and has made 139 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 and assisting ten.
Sangare’s strength will be of particular interest to David Moyes due to his accomplished profile. Last term in the Eredivisie, the 6 foot 3 titan netted five times, averaged 1.3 shots per game, 2.3 tackles per game, completed 77% of his dribbles, and won 63% of his aerials duels, as per Sofascore.
To place these numbers in a wider perspective, and to underline his well-rounded style, Sangare ranks within the highest 14% outside of Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty xG per 90, progressive passes per 90, successful take-ons per 90, clearances per 90, and aerials won per 90.
ibrahim-sangare-psv
The 31-cap international seems to embody Ward-Prowse’s offensive threat and Alvarez’s defensive solidity. A possible West Ham line up could see the Englishman deployed as an advanced eight, with Sangare operating in a similar role and Alvarez sitting as a lone pivot.
Ranked among his positional peers outside of Europe’s top five leagues, the Mexican sits within the highest 8% for interceptions per 90, clearances per 90, and aerials won per 90.
In last weekend’s hard-fought victory over Brighton, Alvarez played for 84 minutes, winning four duels, and registering seven clearances and two tackles.
However, he only managed 53% pass completion indicating that if he was paired with a more technical influence that could also dig into the defensive effort, such as Sangare, then West Ham’s midfield could perform at even more impressive levels.
Described as “extraordinary” by former PSV and Ajax manager Aad de Mos, Sangare would be an excellent transfer for the Irons, as he could well take his potential new colleague to the next level.
Celtic appear to be close to bringing in a new midfielder before tomorrow evening’s deadline, with an update emerging from abroad.
What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?
Brendan Rodgers hasn’t begun his second stint in charge at Parkhead in perfect fashion, with the Hoops already being dumped out of the Scottish League Cup by Kilmarnock. Points have also been dropped in the Scottish Premiership, which has led to plenty of speculation over a late transfer window spree.
Reports last week claimed that Celtic could bring in five new players before the window closes, and since then, they have sealed a move for Honduras international Luis Palma in a deal worth £3.5m, with Rodgers delighted at the news, saying:
“We are really pleased to bring Luis to the club. He is a player who had a lot of options but, of course, we are delighted he has chosen to come to Celtic, an opportunity which really excites him.
“He is a very talented player who likes to play attacking football, so we hope he will be a very good fit for the team.”
After Palma, it appears as if Celtic are about to bring in a new defender following injuries to Maik Nawrocki and Cameron Carter-Vickers. Liverpool’s Nat Phillips looks likely to be the centre-back brought in on a season-long loan, whereas progress appears to have been made on a move for Paulo Bernardo following talks.
According to reports from Portugal, relayed by Football Scotland, Benfica have now given the green light for Bernardo to move to Glasgow on a season-long loan.
The midfielder is expected to arrive in Scotland at some point today to undergo a medical and is on course to become a Hoops player over the next 24 hours.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.
Who is Paulo Bernardo?
Bernardo is a product of Benfica’s academy and is now 21 years of age who actually has a €100m release clause in his current contract.
Primarily a central midfielder who can also turn out in an attacking midfield role if needed, Bernardo is already sponsored by Adidas and has played 16 times in total for Portugal at U21 level.
At club level, Bernardo has made 13 senior appearances during a loan spell with FC Pacos de Ferreira and has turned out on 26 occasions for Benfica, five of which have come in the Champions League.
The midfielder's mentor, Renato Paiva, recently said Bernardo is "intelligent" and was identified as an "elite midfielder".
“Paulo had a beautiful history with us. He was identified at Benfica as an elite midfielder, but I told him there was a difference between an elite midfielder and a high-quality midfielder, scoring goals.
“If he didn’t score goals, he would never become an elite midfielder. The truth is that Paulo, being the intelligent kid that he is, knew how to listen, be patient and work accordingly.”
He would offer a versatile option for Rodgers in midfield, should a move go through as expected, and by the looks of things, there could be more to come before the deadline if the previous claim of five potential late arrivals is accurate.
Neste dia 6 de outubro, mais precisamente esta terça-feira, a janela detransferências em Portugal será fechada. E toda a aflição do torcedor do Flamengo quanto ao interesse do Benfica em Gerson e Bruno Henrique, principalmente, pode cessar de forma definitiva. Contudo, Jorge Jesus falou algo que pode deixar a Nação ainda de cabelo em pé.
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Em recente entrevista coletiva, logo após a vitória dos Encarnados sobre o Farense por 3 a 2,pela 3ª rodada do Campeonato Português, o Mister revelou que as contratações de um zagueiro e um atacante serão fundamentais para o decorrer da temporada. E admitiu, na sequência, o interesse em Bruno Henrique, quando questionado sobre o camisa 27 do Flamengo
– São as duas posições importantes. Nós não temos as possibilidades para contratar os jogadores que eu gostaria, mas também se não forem esses, também não quero. Por isso, não vou avançar com nomes – disse Jorge Jesus, completando se preferiria a contratação deRúben Semedo (defensor) ou Bruno Henrique:
– Entre os dois? Gostaria de ter os dois.
Cabe destacar que a venda do zagueiro Ruben Días, para o Manchester City, faz a diretoria do Benfica voltar a sonhar com uma dupla de jogadores do Flamengo: Bruno Henrique e Gerson. De acordo com o jornal lusitano “A Bola”, o clube português estuda fazer nova investida pela dupla de destaques do Rubro-Negro. O defensor foi vendido por R$ 440 milhões nesta janela.
E o Flamengo, por sua vez, já havia externado que a dupla sondada não será negociada caso a multa rescisória não seja paga integralmente. Citado por Jesus, Bruno Henrique, por exemplo, tem contrato com o clube carioca até dezembro de 2023 e uma multa na casa dos 35 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 230,6 milhões).
Richard Halsall, Bangladesh’s assistant coach, will miss the Nidahas Trophy since he has been given extended leave by the BCB. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the board CEO, has said Halsall is likely to return to work for training camps later this year, ahead of series against West Indies and Afghanistan.The BCB’s decision on Halsall is part of a shake-up in Bangladesh’s coaching staff. After Courtney Walsh was made interim coach and Khaled Mahmud removed as technical director on Monday, the BCB also asked Simon Helmot, their high performance head coach, to continue as batting coach while the high performance bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake will do the job for the senior team now. All the appointments are only for the upcoming T20 tournament, which also features India and hosts Sri Lanka.”Richard Halsall is still our assistant coach,” Chowdhury said. “We have taken an internal decision that Simon Helmot, the HP head coach, will be the batting coach in the Nidahas Trophy. His experience at coaching T20 teams from around the world was taken into consideration. We have also appointed Champaka Ramanayake as the bowling coach for this tournament. We have limited our support staff for this short time.”Halsall will not be with the team for this tour. He is on holiday. He will join if we hold training camps for the West Indies and Afghanistan series.”Chowdhury, however, did not elaborate on why Halsall was given the extra days off when Bangladesh are playing an international tournament. Halsall was appointed in 2014 as the fielding coach before being promoted to the assistant coach’s position in 2016, under Chandika Hathurusingha.Chowdhury, meanwhile, also hoped Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s T20 captain, would be able to travel with the team to Colombo next week. Shakib, who is recovering from a finger injury, is currently in Thailand where he will take advice from two orthopedic surgeons.”Shakib has already left for Thailand, to get another opinion on his injury,” Chowdhury said. “He has appointments with two orthopedics today, and we are hoping he can travel with the team on March 4.”
Celtic appear to be close to bringing in a new midfielder before tomorrow evening’s deadline, with an update emerging from abroad.
What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?
Brendan Rodgers hasn’t begun his second stint in charge at Parkhead in perfect fashion, with the Hoops already being dumped out of the Scottish League Cup by Kilmarnock. Points have also been dropped in the Scottish Premiership, which has led to plenty of speculation over a late transfer window spree.
Reports last week claimed that Celtic could bring in five new players before the window closes, and since then, they have sealed a move for Honduras international Luis Palma in a deal worth £3.5m, with Rodgers delighted at the news, saying:
“We are really pleased to bring Luis to the club. He is a player who had a lot of options but, of course, we are delighted he has chosen to come to Celtic, an opportunity which really excites him.
“He is a very talented player who likes to play attacking football, so we hope he will be a very good fit for the team.”
After Palma, it appears as if Celtic are about to bring in a new defender following injuries to Maik Nawrocki and Cameron Carter-Vickers. Liverpool’s Nat Phillips looks likely to be the centre-back brought in on a season-long loan, whereas progress appears to have been made on a move for Paulo Bernardo following talks.
According to reports from Portugal, relayed by Football Scotland, Benfica have now given the green light for Bernardo to move to Glasgow on a season-long loan.
The midfielder is expected to arrive in Scotland at some point today to undergo a medical and is on course to become a Hoops player over the next 24 hours.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.
Who is Paulo Bernardo?
Bernardo is a product of Benfica’s academy and is now 21 years of age who actually has a €100m release clause in his current contract.
Primarily a central midfielder who can also turn out in an attacking midfield role if needed, Bernardo is already sponsored by Adidas and has played 16 times in total for Portugal at U21 level.
At club level, Bernardo has made 13 senior appearances during a loan spell with FC Pacos de Ferreira and has turned out on 26 occasions for Benfica, five of which have come in the Champions League.
The midfielder's mentor, Renato Paiva, recently said Bernardo is "intelligent" and was identified as an "elite midfielder".
“Paulo had a beautiful history with us. He was identified at Benfica as an elite midfielder, but I told him there was a difference between an elite midfielder and a high-quality midfielder, scoring goals.
“If he didn’t score goals, he would never become an elite midfielder. The truth is that Paulo, being the intelligent kid that he is, knew how to listen, be patient and work accordingly.”
He would offer a versatile option for Rodgers in midfield, should a move go through as expected, and by the looks of things, there could be more to come before the deadline if the previous claim of five potential late arrivals is accurate.
Newcastle United defender Jamaal Lascelles is “open” to leaving this summer, and a reliable journalist has named the club that are set to make an official move for him.
Is Jamaal Lascelles still captain?
Despite the centre-back having fallen significantly low down in the pecking order, Eddie Howe confirmed ahead of the start of the current season that he was indeed still the club captain, but there’s a strong possibility that he could be on the move in the final days of the window.
England’s former youth international was handed just four starts last term in the Premier League, showing how out of favour he is, and even though he admitted during a public interview that he wants to stay and fight for his place, it’s looking highly unlikely.
This is because the 29-year-old’s contract is also set to expire in less than a year meaning that now could be the perfect opportunity for PIF to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free, and chiefs have already been assessing the market for potential replacements.
The Magpies have so far been linked with the likes of Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen, Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio just to name a few, and they could be set to make a late move for one of those candidates with the veteran expected to depart.
Newcastle United defenderJamaal Lascelles.
Is Jamaal Lascelles leaving Newcastle?
Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth revealed that Lascelles is attracting significant interest from Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas, and admitted that whilst he's content at Newcastle, he will consider an exit if it means getting regular minutes under his belt. He wrote:
“Besiktas have strong interest in Newcastle United defender Jamaal Lascelles & expected to make formal approach. Lascelles happy at Newcastle but thought to be open as he wants more game time. He was unused sub in opening two Premier League games this season.”
How good is Jamaal Lascelles?
Newcastle will know that Lascelles won’t be happy with how much of a bit-part player he’s become since last season, but as a skipper who always “gives everything”, according to BBC pundit and St. James’ Park legend Alan Shearer, Howe should do everything he can to fend off interest and retain his services beyond September 1st.
Read The Latest Newcastle Transfer News HERE…
The Unique Sports Group client, who pockets £40k-per-week, was averaging 1.9 clearances per top-flight game during the previous campaign so can still be a real rock at the heart of the backline, not to mention that also offensively he’s posted 18 senior contributions (14 goals and four assists) since putting pen to paper in the northeast.
The Derby-born talent, who has the versatility to operate out wide at both left-back and right-back alongside his usual role at centre-back, has even been previously recognised for his individual efforts having been named the club’s Player of the Year in 2017/18, showing how valued and appreciated he is by supporters and his fellow teammates, but by the looks of things, he could be on the way out before the deadline.
Speculation has started to mount over Michael Beale's future as manager of Glasgow Rangers with a couple of names having cropped up as potential successors.
What's the latest Rangers manager news?
An Australian professional scout, known as 'AussieScout' on Twitter, recently claimed that Yokohama FM head coach Kevin Muscat is being considered as a possible replacement for the English boss.
They claimed that the Light Blues are eyeing up the English-born manager as a target to fill the dugout at Ibrox if they decide to part ways with Beale.
The Daily Mail has also claimed that Birmingham City manager John Eustace has emerged as one to watch if the job becomes available over the coming weeks.
Their report stated that the pressure is mounting on Beale after the Gers failed to qualify for the Champions League and lost their first Old Firm clash of the season against Celtic in successive matches.
How good is Kevin Muscat?
Rangers chairman John Bennett could hire a big upgrade on the current head coach by securing a deal for the former Australia international as he has enjoyed a strong coaching career in Japan and Australia in recent years and has shown promise as a boss who can win trophies.
Muscat has racked up three pieces of silverware to date, including two league titles, and won the Japanese top flight as recently as the 2022 campaign.
After 172 A-League matches, one title with Melbourne City, and a brief spell in Belgium with Sint-Truiden, the former Light Blues defender joined Yokohama in 2021 and has won the J League title in his only full season in charge of the team to date.
Football analyst Petar Petrov described the 50-year-old as an "evolving" manager who plays "good" football and claimed that he would be "perfect" to develop a talented squad at Rangers due to his proven coaching ability and attacking style of play.
Yokohama manager Kevin Muscat.
This suggests that Gers chief Bennett could bring in an up-and-coming boss who could go on a journey with the club whilst being able to excite supporters with his brand of football and give them the chance to win trophies.
Comparatively, RangersReview writer Derek Clark recently claimed that there is no clear style of play on display from Beale's side, which may be the reason behind the inconsistent performances and results.
From watching the team this season, there are no distinct patterns of play or a defined style that you could point to as the English tactician's preferred way of playing.
This has led to three losses and two draws in their opening nine matches in all competitions and supporters have no tangible evidence to suggest that the situation.
Beale has never won a trophy in his managerial career and the lack of a style on the pitch means that there is little for fans to get behind, as the head coach does not have a track record of winning and there is nothing on the field to suggest that silverware is likely any time soon.
Therefore, Bennett could hire a big upgrade on the former Queens Park Rangers boss by bringing in Muscat, who has an attacking style of play and has showcased his ability to win titles as a manager in multiple countries.
Aston Villa have been revived since the arrival of Unai Emery in October 2022, with the Spaniard handing the squad a new lease of life in terms of their progression and goals for the season ahead.
The former Arsenal manager took the side he inherited from Steven Gerrard from 16th to 7th last term, earning them a place in the Europa Conference League and marking Villa’s first involvement in Europe since 2010.
Strong signs of development on the pitch were reinforced by a successful transfer window, where the club recruited five new faces, as well as breaking their record fee to capture Moussa Diaby in a £51.9m deal.
As well as new arrivals, the Villans have seen a host of individuals develop under Emery’s guidance, with names such as John McGinn, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne thriving in the Spaniard’s system.
Another name has continued his development strongly thanks to the 51-year-old’s arrival, seeing his market value shoot up thanks to consistent game time and high performance levels.
How much did Jacob Ramsey cost Aston Villa?
Jacob Ramsey has been a consistent performer since the arrival of Emery, moving from strength to strength following his emergence into the first team under Dean Smith.
The versatile midfielder joined the club at the age of six, and has since advanced through the levels at Bodymoor Heath, where he today finds himself as a player of great importance to Emery’s side.
Jacob Ramsey
Back in 2020, the academy graduate was handed his Premier League debut by Smith, coming on as a substitute against Fulham to mark his first minutes in the top-flight.
His full debut came shortly after in a statement fixture, when he played 90 minutes against rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2020/21 campaign, a season in which he registered 22 total league appearances.
When Smith was dismissed and replaced by Gerrard, things continued to tick for the Birmingham-born whiz, as he became a favoured player under the manager, making 34 appearances in the Premier League in the 2021/22 season.
The Englishman’s game turned up a notch thanks to Gerrard’s trust in fielding the youngster ahead of other star names, with his selection being a testament to his charged level of performance.
A strong ball carrier among other notable attributes, Ramsey bolstered his in-game numbers between his breakthrough season and the campaign that followed, averaging 1.15 progressive carries per 90 in 2020/21, which doubled in 2021/22 where he averaged 3.32 per 90, via FBref.
Another element of his game that came on leaps and bounds was his goal contributions, as he scored six and registered one assist under Gerrard in the season before last, making his claim to the starting XI undoubtedly.
What is Jacob Ramsey’s market value now?
At the start of the former Liverpool captain’s reign as manager of Villa in November 2021, Football Transfers noted the midfielder's expected transfer value (xTV) at around £7.8m.
Jacob Ramsey for Aston Villa
Due to strong progression and consistent minutes in the first team, the England U21 star is now valued by CIES Football Observatory at €60m (£52m), showcasing just how much he has improved his game at his boyhood club.
Why is he worth that much?
Hailed as a “big talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, the midfielder continued to thrive during the transition between Gerrard and Emery as manager, maintaining his place in the squad.
Last season, the 22-year-old secured 35 appearances for Villa, scoring a further six goals and registering an improved seven assists, making him the club’s joint second-highest scorer, on par with Douglas Luiz and the since-departed Danny Ings.
Averaging 1.43 key passes per 90 last term, Ramsey seemed to unlock a further element to his game, acting as the provider, with his assist rate of 0.24 per 90 placing him in the top 5% of midfielders in the Premier League, via FBref.
Emery previously lauded the youngster as “very good” for being able to take on the demands asked of him in his role, adding that the “spirit that he adds” makes him a player of great importance in his side.
The stage was set for the midfielder to continue his encouraging career path this season, however a huge injury blow at the U21 European Championships has seen him miss the beginning of the campaign.
Jacob-ramsey-villa
In the quarter-finals of the international tournament, the Villa whiz was forced off due to what was later revealed as a broken metatarsal, forcing him to miss not only the start of the domestic season, but the end of the championships that England went on to win.
Being a boy from Birmingham with huge talent, it’s hoped that the Englishman can pick up where he left off once he is available for contention again, with his ability set to be of great importance to his club going forward.
It wouldn’t be the first time that the Villans have seen an academy graduate’s value soar, with Jack Grealish departing Villa Park as a £100m player after concluding the same journey that Ramsey is on.
What’s next for Jacob Ramsey?
While it would be magnificent for both club and player to see Ramsey hit the heights of Grealish, there is a difference between the pair's projected paths at Villa.
At the time of his exit to Manchester City, Villa had just finished 11th in the league, with a feel of the club just coasting around the mid-table area, making his move understandable as he searched for a new challenge.
Emery has injected a different aura to the Midlands, making the project in hand one of exciting promise and a perfect set-up for Ramsey to further his talents and grow into the squad as they continue on their latest journey.
Once he returns from his injury, it’s expected that the Englishman will resume his position in the squad, with added competition introduced this summer in the form of Youri Tielemans, whose presence will only induce an even higher level of performance to ensure game time.
Villa’s academy has once again produced a talent that has the world at his feet, with his market value catapulting from a figure expected of a promising talent, to that of a progressing Premier League star.
Despite leaving on a dim note, the Midlands club have Gerrard to thank for continuing to place his trust in Ramsey, who will no doubt generate the Villans some funds in the future.
The Sri Lanka fast bowler hurt his hamstring during the second T20I in Bangladesh
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-2018
Associated Press
Sri Lanka fast bowler Shehan Madushanka is in doubt for the forthcoming Nidahas Trophy, after sustaining a hamstring injury during Sunday night’s T20 win over Bangladesh. Madushanka is yet to undergo an MRI scan, after which the severity of the injury may be determined. As the Nidahas trophy – a T20I tri-series involving India and Bangladesh – begins on March 6, there is no guarantee he will be fit in time even if it turns out to be a minor strain.Madushanka has played only three limited-overs matches for Sri Lanka, but had impressed in these early showings, taking a hat-trick on ODI debut in the final of the tri-series tournament last month, before taking 2 for 23 in Sunday’s game. Picked primarily for his pace, Madushanka had barely begun to play domestic cricket before he was hand-picked by Sri Lanka’s new coach, Chandika Hathurusingha.If he is absent from the Nidahas Trophy, Dushmantha Chameera – another right-arm quick – may be considered more strongly for the XI. Other fast-bowling options include Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal.