Chelsea are set to face competition from Barcelona for the signature of Ivan Fresneda.

What’s the latest on Ivan Fresneda to Chelsea?

According to SPORT, the Blues' interest in the Real Valladolid prodigy may force Barcelona into an imminent decision.

Fresneda is looking to leave the Estadio Jose Zorrilla after relegation to the second tier and the club is working to find a quick resolution to the situation. The young right-back is looking to take the next step in his career and talks with Barcelona had been progressing well but have tailored off in recent weeks.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

The 18-year-old is valued at around €15m (£13m) but the LaLiga 2 side would be happy to accept an initial €10m (£9m) upfront with a further €5m (£4m) in additional payments.

Would Ivan Fresneda be a good signing for Chelsea?

Fresneda still emerged from the rubble of Valladolid’s relegation with a prestigious reputation and looks set to join a big European club this summer.

He has been described as a “complete” player by Matt Clark of the LaLiga Lowdown, who eulogised over the accomplished full-back:

“He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.

"He has that coveted combination of physicality and technical ability. Tall but agile, quick and athletic, he is also strong in the tackle and reads the game very well for someone so green when it comes to first-team football.”

The sentiment has been echoed by former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit, who added:

“He’s [Fresneda] powerful and has good technique. He gets forward well and has great energy.”

Fresneda’s defensive solidity has been especially apparent, as he ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for blocks and clearances per 90, as well as the top 20% for tackles per 90.

Last season, his supposed offensive talent wasn’t unlocked, as he failed to register any assists across 24 appearances.

However, this can largely be attributed to the ineptitude of his teammates, as his side managed just 33 goals in the league last term, the second-lowest figure in the division.

Nevertheless, his defensive qualities can still be championed and at such a raw age he has the potential to develop into a formidable talent.

From a Chelsea perspective, when you think of reliability, consistency, and defensive soundness – these three invaluable traits are synonymous with the recently-departed Cesar Azpilicueta.

The 33-year-old spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge, accumulating 508 appearances and winning nine trophies, including a Champions League and two Premier League titles.

The defender was labelled as a “warrior” and “loyal Chelsea legend” by the ownership. In a singular domestic campaign, he never made less than 25 appearances for the West Londoners and had been captain since 2019.

In the twilight days, his pace unsurprisingly wavered, but when he first arrived as a spritely 23-year-old he was renowned for his tenacity and energy, feverishly bounding down the touchline.

This was recognised by Juan Mata, who said:

“He is a strong running right-back who has pace as well, so I think he is already a complete player.”

Therefore, in the early stages of their respective careers, both Fresneda and Azpilicueta have been dubbed as ‘complete’, and although the youngster is still in the infancy of his career, he is on a frightening trajectory.

Chelsea are currently well-stocked at right-back, sporting the likes of Reece James and Malo Gusto. However, the Blues could benefit from Fresneda through its relationship with Strasbourg.

A loan at this early stage could be an intelligent move, allowing the player to develop within the multi-club project.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza conceded that while South Africa may have chased down the target of 279 regardless, his team should have picked up at least five to six wickets

Mohammad Isam15-Oct-2017

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was particularly disappointed with his bowlers after his side’s thumping 10-wicket defeat to South Africa in the first ODI, and called for an improved performance from them if Bangladesh are to do well in the rest of the series.South Africa took only 42.5 overs to mow down a 279-run target on a flat pitch at the Diamond Oval, as Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla destroyed Bangladesh’s bowlers. It is the highest successful chase in ODIs by a team without losing a wicket.”We have a chance to make a comeback in the next two games,” Mashrafe said. “It is only natural to have a lot of talk around us but the players have to fight. We will do everything possible. The result is not coming in our favour which makes it hard to keep the positive mentality.”I think they would have chased the total regardless, but we should have taken at least five or six wickets in the process. It may have put them under some pressure, but our bowling was just disappointing. It will be hard for us to do well if we keep bowling this way.”De Kock was particularly severe on debutant Mohammad Saifuddin, taking him for seven fours, while Rubel Hossain was hit for four fours. Amla, meanwhile, took a liking to Taskin Ahmed and collected four fours off him.Even Bangladesh’s best bowler, Shakib Al Hasan, could bowl only 15 dot balls to the South Africa openers, and conceded 48 runs from his eight overs.There were a couple of dropped catches towards the end, but it was more of the same from the Bangladesh bowlers who did so poorly in the preceding Test series.Mashrafe and Shakib weren’t part of the Test attack, but even their relatively fresher mentality didn’t help the cause. Mashrafe pointed out that the bowlers weren’t able to build enough pressure to make a breakthrough.”In ODIs, bowling in partnerships becomes more important. You can’t keep leaking runs from one side because the one who is bowling well then can be taken for ones and twos. What we missed today was pressure from both ends, especially in the middle overs. But we couldn’t do it from start till end.”Mashrafe brushed aside any extra pressure ahead of the game when Mustafizur Rahman became unavailable due to an ankle injury.”We were aware of their injuries from yesterday. Mustafizur is probably out of the series from the time he got hurt yesterday. We waited for Tamim till the last moment, but the physio didn’t want to take a risk. Our body language didn’t reflect anything untoward when we started the day. We batted almost as planned; Shakib and Mushfiqur took responsibility by performing their roles properly.”

Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has provided an update on Newcastle United's central defence pursuit.

The side are looking to add more options ahead of their first Champions League campaign in a decade.

What is the latest Newcastle United transfer news?

Manager Eddie Howe has made his stance clear on the situation, stating "You never quite know. You think you’ve got the perfect squad and you get five or six injuries. I’d love one more player, I’d love one personally. Then I think we’d have the ideal depth then. We may have to be creative. It depends on the deal. It’s difficult because it depends on injuries before the end of the window.”

Earlier on in the window, Football Insider reported that the Magpies were plotting a move for Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio. The Portuguese international was wanted by a host of top clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United, but Newcastle were trying to get the deal done for under his reported €60m (£51.5m) release clause. As it stands however, nothing has materialised on that front.

Football Insider has also reported that Newcastle are planning to hijack Tottenham Hotspur's move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba. The German side are demanding £50m to sell the defender, and it seems the Tyneside club are willing to match that according to the report. Spurs have been interested all summer long and are planning to step up their pursuit after signing Micky van de Ven.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Taylor stated that whilst Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen is the "kind of gem" that the Magpies should be looking to sign, the Tyneside outfit are unlikely to meet the Eagles £50m valuation:

He said: "I think that is where they should be looking. That kind of gem that’s not going to be signed by the top six clubs, but someone who could come in, and everyone would say, 'I don’t know why others didn’t go in for him'. Newcastle have done that a few times, like with Bruno Guimaraes.

Even some of the players that they’ve got now like Joelinton who is suddenly rated by everyone. I think that’s the kind of situation that Andersen could present that if he went to Newcastle, he would grow in stature. At the same, they obviously do have Sven Botman as well, and I think Fabian Schar is probably the one that needs to be replaced. But I don’t see Crystal Palace selling unless they receive about £50m.”

Is Joachim Andersen a good signing?

Andersen would be a fantastic pick-up this summer for the Magpies/

The Danish international was a regular at the heart of Palace's defence last campaign, making 32 appearances and recording an average rating of 6.96. The defender is one of the better build up phase centre-halves in the league, attempting 64 passes per 90 and completing 79% of them. The defender is also a fantastic deep defender, winning 2.81 aerial duels per 90 and sitting in the top 4% for clearances per 90 in the Premier League last season.

The defender, who has been labelled as "sensational" in the past, could form an incredibly strong partnership with Dutch defender Sven Botman, with the two sharing very similar statistical profiles according to FBref.

Jurgen Klopp has reportedly already turned his attention to another potential midfield arrival this summer, following the reportedly imminent signing of Stuttgart captain Wataru Endo.

Liverpool have so far officially welcomed just two fresh faces this summer, in the form of Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool?

The Reds' need for midfield reinforcements this summer is no secret, especially after they missed out on Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia. And, with that, Klopp is "already" personally pursuing Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, according to Manuel Bonke, via Sport Witness.

The original plan was for the Dutchman to stay put at the Bundesliga giants, but a tough time settling into things under Thomas Tuchel has once again led to questions over the midfielder's future, who Klopp is pursuing.

It remains to be seen whether the Reds will make an offer for Gravenberch in the coming weeks, but given his discontent at the Bavarians, they could be well-placed to land his signature for the right price.

If they welcomed the former Ajax man, alongside Endo, then Liverpool could have themselves a solution in the middle of the park, and the former Ajax starlet is reported to be open to the move.

Should Liverpool sign Ryan Gravenberch?

Struggling for options in midfield, signing Gravenberch wouldn't exactly be a bad option for Liverpool.

Whilst the Dutchman's career has somewhat stalled in Germany, making just 24 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, he showed enough potential at Ajax to warrant a move to Bayern in the first place – potential that could finally come to fruition at Liverpool.

If the Premier League giants can get him back to his best, Gravenberch would certainly be an upgrade on the options that Klopp had at his disposal in the previous campaign, too.

Last season, when compared to Jordan Henderson, via FBref, the Dutchman made more blocks, more interceptions, more progressive carries, and enjoyed a better pass completion rate. Every way you look at it, Gravenberch would be an upgrade at Anfield.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

He's earned plenty of deserved praise throughout his career, too, with former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael van de Vaart telling Zigo Sport, via The Liverpool Echo: “Whether you’re sitting at home or watching (Gravenberch) in the stadium, he dominates. He’s big, strong and calm on the ball. He spins away and then has a gear and then another gear. He has basically everything."

Meanwhile, Gravenberch's former youth coach, Brian Tevreden, told Goal: “Physically, I see Frank [Rijkaard] in him from back in the day, because he’s tall and very strong.

"But technically, I would say he’s a better version of Pogba in his best days at Juventus. In terms of his technique and his presence on the pitch.”

So, it seems as though the 20-year-old represents a solid option for Liverpool, should they push on and attempt to secure his signature this summer.

From Gravenberch's perspective, a move away could be exactly what he needs to kickstart his career after a difficult spell at Bayern Munich.

As the transfer window ticks by, it's certainly a potential deal to keep an eye on.

كشفت تقارير صحفية بريطانية، أن نادي ليفربول يستهدف التعاقد مع أحد لاعبي فريق نيوكاسل الإنجليزي، خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة لتدعيم صفوفه.

ليفربول يسعى لإبرام العديد من الصفقات، في حقبة ما بعد يورجن كلوب، الذي سيرحل رسميًا بنهاية الموسم، ويستعد لخوض آخر مباراتين له مع الريدز.

صحيفة “ديلي ستار” البريطانية، أكدت بأن ليفربول مهتم بالتعاقد مع جناح نيوكاسل، أنتوني جوردون، بعد المستوى الرائع الذي قدمه صاحب الـ23 عامًا في الموسم الماضي.

اللاعب الإنجليزي تمكن من لفت أنظار العديد من الأندية، وكذلك مدرب منتخب إنجلترا الذي سيضمه لقائمة الأسود الثلاثة في أمم أوروبا 2024، التي ستقام في ألمانيا، حسب ما أكدت الصحيفة.

طالع أيضًا.. ذا صن: ريال مدريد ينافس ليفربول على بديل محمد صلاح ويُحدد موعدًا لضمه

لاعب إيفرتون السابق، انضم إلى نيوكاسل في الصيف الماضي مقابل 45 مليون جنيه إسترليني، ولكن يبدو أنه ضمن اللاعبين المهددين بالرحيل عن الماكبايس، بسبب قواعد الربح والاستدامة.

ارتبط جوردون والسويدي ألكسندر إيزاك بالخروج من الفريق بالإضافة إلى برونو جيماريش، من أجل حصول نيوكاسل على مقابل مادي كبير يساعدهم في المشاكل المالية التي يعاني منها النادي.

جوردون هذا الموسم تمكن من المساهمة في 20 هدفًا ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي بتسجيل 10 أهداف وصناعة 10، ولكن النادي الإنجليزي لن يسمح له بالرحيل بأقل من 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

نيوكاسل ينتظر ما سيحدث حتى نهاية الموسم، مع بقاء مباراتين أمام مانشستر يونايتد ثم برينتفورد، لتحديد موقفهم من التأهل للمشاركة الأوروبية في الموسم المقبل.

Leeds United need to act quickly if they are to enjoy the summer of transfer revolution that will propel them back into the top flight. Having focused on the defence, they could now turn their attention to the other end of the field…

Is Emmanuel Dennis leaving Nottingham Forest?

Of the various offensive targets that have emerged throughout the window, few stand out like Emmanuel Dennis, who ticks many boxes with regard to quality, availability and price tag, all of which would have piqued manager Daniel Farke's interest.

The Nigerian marksman has been linked on many occasions now, with the latest report emerging just last month. It is noted within that his exit has already been sanctioned by Nottingham Forest, who surely have to cull their bloated squad further after last summer's recruitment drive.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

He is valued at €10.7m (£9m) by FootballTransfers, despite still having three years left on his £40k-per-week deal at the City Ground.

How good is Emmanuel Dennis?

By securing such a coup from the Tricky Trees, Farke would be gaining a versatile forward capable of leading the line on his own, playing within a striker partnership, or even operating from out wide.

Wherever he is put though, one thing is certain: he will bring goals.

The 25-year-old titan only moved to England in 2021 and took no time acclimatising to life with Watford despite the troubles that surrounded the club. Even as they fell to the drop, Dennis posted ten goals and a further six assists, with his move to Nottingham expected to continue this trend.

However, for whatever reason, Steve Cooper only afforded the finisher six starts in the league last term.

It is this lack of faith that has handed the Whites an opportunity to prey on his expected frustration, bringing him to Elland Road with the promise that he will surely be their main man.

With experience of starring at the level above the Championship, they will hope he can not only fire them back into the top-flight but help them remain there for longer than their most recent stint.

After all, journalist Josh Bunting did outline just how prolific Dennis had been during that aforementioned campaign:

"Emmanuel Dennis has been one of the most underrated players outside of Watford fans this season, he’s been a very good addition. 4 goals and 5 assists in 11 Premier League games should be being spoken about much more. Today he was absolutely electric from the start to finish."

In securing a deal from Forest, the west Yorkshire outfit actually could replicate a success of the past, given Alf-Inge Haaland took that same path when he joined in 1997.

The Norwegian would go on to feature 87 times for the club, starring in one of their finest periods in recent history, despite the financial issues that rumbled on in the background. He was a fine utility man for George Graham and David O'Leary, even starring in their historic run to the Champions League semi-final in 2001.

His subsequent sale would also recoup the club a fine £2.5m fee, but it was not enough to save them from their subsequent debilitating drop through the divisions.

Should Dennis help them enjoy a period of success even half as enjoyable as the one which Haaland frequented, then this would be another deal from Forest certainly worth making.

Arsenal are set to be forced back into the market, following the devastating news recently disseminated through the mainstream media…

Who could Arsenal sign to replace Jurrien Timber?

Having hobbled off in the Gunners’ opening-day victory over Nottingham Forest, fans had their worst fears realised on Monday as The Athletic released an article regarding Jurrien Timber’s fitness.

Within, it detailed how the Dutchman’s knee ailment was far more serious than first expected, with his absence expected to be lengthy.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

As such, Mikel Arteta will likely look to add to his summer spending in an effort to offset this hefty blow, with The Express suggesting some potential stand-ins.

One such name is Joao Cancelo, who despite having agreed personal terms with Barcelona, could have his head turned given should the north London outfit offer him a suitable package. After all, they do retain an interest in the Manchester City maverick, who is valued at just €40m (£34m).

What position does Joao Cancelo play?

Despite being a natural right-back by trade, the Portugal international rose to prominence a few years ago when he traded Juventus for the Etihad.

At the time, Pep Guardiola was struggling to nail down a true starter for his left-back spot, and to fill that vacancy he decided to try something new. Slotting the 29-year-old in an unorthodox role, the right-footed gem starred, inverting from defence into midfield and providing plenty contributing to attacks.

His standout campaign arguably came during the 2021/22 season, where he maintained a 7.33 average rating, buoyed by his seven assists, 85% pass accuracy, 1.1 key passes and 2.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

There was little he could do wrong, and everything he touched turned to gold as they strolled to Premier League title success.

His Spanish boss led the praise back in 2020: “He played exceptionally, with the ball and without the ball. He is a special talent. Defensively sometimes he needs to be consistent but when he is consistent, his focus is fantastic. He’s a fantastic guy and a football player.”

Former professional footballer Ahmed Elmohamady supported such a claim, outlining just how much the defender had evolved: “PEP has improved so many players over the years but Cancelo became a world-class player."

This kind of creativity, in the role that Arteta likely envisioned Timber fulfilling for the campaign, would have fans speedily forgetting the frustrating injury saga that is set to drag on.

Last term in the Eredivisie, the 22-year-old’s 7.03 average rating was underpinned by his four goal contributions, paired with a 92% pass accuracy and 1.4 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Considering he mainly operated as a centre-back, these were figures sure to improve in the more advanced role set out for him. Especially given, when compared to others in that role across Europe, he still sits in the top 1% for passes attempted, pass completion, progressive passes and progressive carries all per 90, via FBref.

If they are to be without the former Ajax star for the bulk of the season, it is certainly worth adding to their ever-growing list of big-money signings acquired this window.

After all, it would all be worth nothing if they allowed such a blow to derail what promises to potentially be the year where they finally overthrow the Citizens.

The offspinner helped skittle Nepal for 103, and Afghanistan will now face Pakistan in the final

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2017

Offspinner Mujeeb Zadran ripped through Nepal Under-19 with figures of 6 for 28 to haul Afghanistan Under-19 into their maiden final of the Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Nepal were skittled for 103 after being put in to bat, with nine of their batsmen dismissed for single-digit scores, before Afghanistan finished their chase within 21 overs with the help of Rahman Gul’s 71 off 65 balls.Nepal, who shot to glory after defeating defending champions India in the group stage, struggled early in their innings as they lost their openers within the first four overs. They found some respite in the form of Anil Sah – who brought up a half-century – while the rest of the batsmen’s scores added up to only 39. Mujeeb dismissed the top five batsmen and legspinner Qais Ahmed chipped in with two dismissals to dismantle Nepal in 28 overs.Afghanistan were off to a solid start in their chase, despite losing their opener Ibrahim Zadran early. Gul slammed nine fours and two sixes as Afghanistan inched closer to their target, but lost his wicket with just 12 runs required to win. No. 4 batsman Darwish Rasooli saw them through in the next eight balls. Afghanistan will be taking on Pakistan in the final at the same venue.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo perdeu por 3 a 0 para o Atlético-MG na noite desta quinta-feira, mas dominou o jogo nos primeiros 30 minutos, criou diversas oportunidades e ainda teve um gol anulado pelo VAR de forma polêmica. Para o técnico Fernando Diniz, estes podem ter sido os melhores momentos do Tricolor desde que ele foi contratado, há quase um ano.

– Estou contente com o desenvolvimento do time. A gente tem que conseguir replicar o que fizemos hoje nos 35 minutos iniciais, que talvez tenham sido os melhores que a gente fez desde que cheguei aqui – elogiou o treinador, que soma 39 partidas desde que chegou, incluindo duas em que esteve suspenso e não ficou no banco.

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– A gente teve dois tempos distintos. No primeiro, o nosso plano de jogo encaixou quase perfeitamente. Tivemos quatro ou cinco chances muito claras, mais o erro, pelo que vi na televisão, do VAR. O gol mudaria completamente a história do jogo, ainda mais pelo momento que a gente estava vivendo. A gente tomou um gol que estava mapeado. Até pela maneira que a gente está jogando, com as linhas mais altas, era um lance em que deveríamos saber nos proteger mais. E o segundo gol foi em uma bola longa do goleiro, perdemos a primeira, a segunda, e o Atlético acabou fazendo o gol – emendou.

Em meio aos elogios, Diniz fez algumas críticas ao time: os alvos foram o mau aproveitamento das oportunidades criadas, o desencaixe na marcação no primeiro gol do Galo e a saída de bola deficiente da equipe no segundo tempo. Embora tenha reconhecido mérito na marcação avançada do adversário, Diniz disse que seu time também cometeu erros, possivelmente gerados por fatores psicológicos.

– O São Paulo teve uma predominância, mas não fez o gol. Na primeira bola deles, eles fizeram. Na segunda também. Isso acabou determinando o desenvolvimento da partida. Muita a parte anímica, a confiança. Até tomar o gol, tivemos cada vez mais confiança, cada vez mais controle da partida. A partir do momento do gol, houve uma inversão.

O próximo jogo do São Paulo será às 16h de domingo, contra o Fluminense, no Morumbi. O time segue em segundo lugar, com três pontos a menos que o líder Internacional.

West Ham United have placed Paris Saint-Germain forward Hugo Ekitike on a “shortlist” of attacking targets, but they aren’t the only club pursuing him in the Premier League, according to fresh reports.

Is Hugo Ekitike leaving PSG?

France’s former youth international only made the permanent move to the Parc des Princes this summer following a successful loan spell from Stade Reims, as per Transfermarkt, and so far he’s made a total of 32 appearances, but there’s a chance that he could be on the move before the end of the ongoing window.

Despite still having another four years to run on his contract, Luis Enrique’s side are reportedly ready to cash in on the 21-year-old in order to generate funds to put towards new signings of their own, and should he depart, he won’t be short of a potential suitor in David Moyes.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

RMC Sport recently reported that the Irons and Nottingham Forest have both expressed their initial interest in the centre-forward, whilst Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Everton have since entered talks, but at this stage a deal hasn’t been agreed.

Are West Ham signing Hugo Ekitike?

Taking to Twitter X, French outlet Sport Zone revealed that West Ham have increased their interest in Ekitike following the departure of Gianluca Scamacca and have placed themselves in a strong stance when it comes to competing for his signature. They said:

"Everton drew a first verbal offer for Hugo Ekitike, €35M [£30m] and €5M [£4m] bonus. As revealed in May, Frankfurt are interested and Paris are trying to put him in the deal for Kolo Muani, but Frankfurt's dream is called Elye Wahi. West Ham positioned themselves. He is on the shortlist to replace Scamacca."

How many goals has Hugo Ekitike scored?

Since the start of his career, Ekitike has posted 35 goal contributions (24 goals and 11 assists) in 86 appearances, form which has previously seen him dubbed a “clinical” striker by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it would be a massive coup should a player of his calibre put pen to paper at the London Stadium.

The Reims native, who pockets £79k-per-week, last season recorded a total of 34 Ligue 1 shots over the course of the campaign which was the fourth-highest number throughout his squad, via FBRef, which is good going considering that he had to compete with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

Standing at 6 foot 2, the centre-forward additionally ranked in the 96th percentile for pass completion by forwards which shows how strong he is at linking up the play with his fellow teammates in and around the opposition’s penalty area, making him a real physical presence and handful to deal with up top.

West Ham have reportedly reached agreements to sign both Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire for £30m each this summer, and if chiefs decide to table an offer for Ekitike, he could soon be following them through the doors in E20.