Sunderland may not be done with their transfer business this summer, as they look to build a squad capable of reaching the Championship play-offs for a second consecutive campaign.

So far this summer, Tony Mowbray has welcomed a number of players, including Jobe Bellingham. Now, he has revealed his club's transfer method for the rest of the window.

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

It's been a fairly busy summer at the Stadium of Light so far. In total, Sunderland have welcomed seven new arrivals, with the aforementioned Bellingham being the pick of the bunch, in terms of reputation.

Alongside the former Birmingham City youngster, however, the Black Cats have also welcomed the experienced Bradley Dack on a free transfer in what remains a smart piece of business.

As for departures, the biggest name that Mowbray lost came at the end of last season when Amad Diallo's loan spell came to an end, and he left for Manchester United once more. Sunderland now face the task of replacing his quality, having seen him score 14 goals.

They may not be done in the transfer window, either, with Mowbray admitting in his pre-Rotherham press conference that he is still after attacking reinforcements, even revealing that he will be looking towards the loan market as the window nears its end.

He said, via The Sunderland Echo: "There’s time, and we have to get it right and not just get any old footballer. We’re working hard, and hopefully we’ll have the right.”

The manager then spoke about potential midfield signings, saying: “The midfield area is quite light if you think that there’s Dan Neil, Pierre Ekwah, and then Jobe – after that you are into Chris Rigg, who is a 16-year-old boy,”

“It’s an area that maybe we should be looking at. I think the reality is that we have to get the front end of the pitch sorted out first but we are mindful that we are a bit light in there.”

He added: “It’s an area that potentially we might look for a more experienced footballer to help the area out. Dan (Neil) is 21, Pierre (Ekwah) is 21 – it’s not as if they are 26 or 27 and have 300 appearances under their belts.”

With that said, it could be an interesting end to the window for Sunderland, who will be keen to get the best squad together possible. Reporter Phil Smith shared more of Mowbray's insight, revealing the club could save money by going strictly for late loan deals:

"(Mowbray) says club are looking at loan market – deals that tend to happen towards the end of the window."

Do Sunderland need to strengthen?

As Championship games come thick and fast, Sunderland may believe that they will have more than enough in the tank to challenge for the play-offs once more.

New signings such as Bellingham and Dack should help that, too, and if they can avoid any major departures, then they may just find themselves in the running come the end of the season.

It will be difficult to compete against relegated sides Southampton, Leicester City, and Leeds United, and a tough start of two defeats in two games has far from helped, but gaining some momentum could be key.

Next up, the Black Cats square off against Rotherham United, desperate for three points.

‘Fifties won’t take us anywhere, we will need hundreds on this pitch, says Sri Lanka batsman

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Kolkata18-Nov-2017Angelo Mathews has reason to be pleased with his comeback innings after an injury layoff that forced him to miss Sri Lanka’s historic series win over Pakistan in the UAE last month. He also has reason to be slightly miffed with himself. Having ground his way to 52 on a green, seaming Eden Gardens pitch to help his side move within sight of India’s first-innings total of 172, he chased a full, wide ball from Umesh Yadav and spooned a catch to cover.At the end of the day’s play, Mathews said he had been trying to keep the scoreboard moving during that passage of play, but could have avoided playing that shot.”I don’t think there was lapse of concentration. I was looking to score runs,” he said. “It’s just that it stopped a little bit, but no excuse. I should have left it alone, maybe.”I was looking to score runs. You can’t hang in there forever. On this wicket you will get a good ball and you tend to get out. All in all it’s about runs. You have got to score runs. It won’t be pretty. You can’t be fluent on this wicket. You have got to grind and try and score runs.”Mathews added 99 for the third wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne to move Sri Lanka to 133 for 2, but both fell soon after getting to their half-centuries to bring India back into the contest. They faced some difficult spells from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, and Mathews called all three of them “world class”.”They keep coming at you,” he said. “You can’t relax. If you see, the loose balls were very few. As I said, they are top-class bowlers. Credit to Thirimanne for the way he played. But 50s won’t take us anywhere. We need to try and score hundreds on this wicket.”Injuries have dogged Mathews right through the last year or so, and he felt this was a sign that the non-stop cricket he had played in the three previous years had caught up with him.”It has been a quite a frustrating year for me with injuries, going in and out of the side,” he said. “It’s not easy, you know, when you don’t have the same rhythm. I had a good three years of cricket from 2013 onwards; I guess it’s taking a toll on my body.”I have to manage my workload. It comes with experience as well. I have played a few more games than the rest of the boys. You have got to prepare mentally but you know it is not going to be easy here. India is a fantastic team and you have to be on the top of the game to compete against them.”Mathews has also given up captaincy and – for now, given all his fitness issues – bowling. Having endured a lean run with the bat in recent times, Mathews said he would need to raise his game to keep pulling his weight as a specialist batsman.”I can’t be thinking of me being the premier batsman and former captain,” he said. “All are equal. We have to go out there and take responsibility and try and score as many runs as possible. Fifties are not going to do any good to anyone. Not for me and not for my team.”If we get a start we need to go on to get a big one. It was a challenging wicket. All three fast bowlers bowled well. It comes with experience as well. I have played 70-odd Test matches and with experience you get to know how to get about things.”

A South African club cricketer has broken the record for the highest individual score in a minor limited-overs match when he smashed an astonishing 490 runs from 151 balls. Opening batsman Shane Dadswell, who plays for NWU Pukke Cricket Club, beat the previous record, held by Indian batsman S Sankruth Sriram, who made 486 for JSS International School in the 2014-15 season.Dadswell, who also celebrated his 20th birthday on the day of his record-breaking feat last Saturday, described it as “the best day of my life,” and admitted to having an “attacking nature,” after also scoring 126 off 38 balls the previous weekend. His 490 included 57 sixes and 27 fours.”Honestly, it’s not even something you dream about. You dream about a double hundred, so to get 400-odd is a really special moment on a special day. It’s phenomenal, the best day of my life,” Dadswell said. “It’s been an amazing two weeks. There’s certainly an attacking nature inside me.”Dadswell was the major contributor in his team’s total of 677 for 3 in 50 overs, also a record in minor cricket. The previous highest was 629 for 5 and belonged to University of Warwick 2nd XI, against Newman College in 2007. NWU Pukke had another centurion in their ranks, Ruan Haasbroek, who scored 104 not out. Potch Dorp’s bowlers were all severely punished, with Dawis Crowther conceding 131 runs in his 10 overs, although he did have a wicket as consolation.As if his batting effort was not enough, Dadswell also took 2 for 32 in seven overs, as Potch Dorp finished on 290 for 9 and lost by 387 runsA former pupil of King Edward VII School, the alma mater of Graeme Smith and Quinton de Kock, among others, Dadswell has played in all the Cricket South Africa age-group weeks and is currently in his second year as a Business Psychology student. He has yet to decide if he will pursue cricket professionally, but has been in talks with provincial side North West, one of two teams that feed into the Johannesburg-based Lions’ franchise.”It would be amazing to play cricket for a living. I guess the first steps have already been taken because it was in the pipeline for me to start training with the North West Dragons from this week,” he said. “So, that’s the direction I’m looking in for now. I have been part of a few things with them this season. I’ve played a warm-up game and stuff like that. I don’t really think I would have had an opportunity up until next year, but hopefully this innings will change that.”

واصل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي مرانه على ملعب مختار التتش، استعدادًا لمباراة الترجي التونسي في إياب نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع الترجي في المباراة المقرر لها مساء السبت المقبل على استاد القاهرة الدولي، في إياب نهائي المسابقة القارية.

طالع | قائمة الأهلي لمباراة الترجي في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. عودة الثنائي المصاب

وبدأ المران بفقرات بدنية تحت قيادة أندرياس إندويا مخطط الأحمال، قبل تنفيذ العديد من الفقرات الخططية المتنوعة التي أشرف عليها مارسيل كولر المدير الفني، والطاقم المعاون.

وتعادل الأهلي مع الترجي سلبيًّا في لقاء الذهاب الذي أقيم السبت الماضي على استاد حمادي العقربي في رادس.

ويحتاج الأهلي للفوز بأي نتيجة من أجل التتويج باللقب للمرة الـ12 في تاريخه، بينما يتوج الترجي بالبطولة حال فوزه أو تعادل إيجابياً بأي نتيجة، على أن يتم التوجه لضربات الجزاء حال انتهاء اللقاء بالتعادل السلبي.

وسبق أن تواجه الأهلي والترجي في 25 مباراة ببطولات الأندية الإفريقية، منها 23 مرة في بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، ومباراتان في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.

Celtic are reportedly showing an interest in Wolves winger Daniel Podence, and a new update has shared how much the player could cost.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have so far brought in six new players at a total cost of £12m this summer, but it looks as if further additions will be made at Parkhead before the deadline. A pending arrival is believed to be Elfsborg defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, with the player flying into Glasgow after a fee was agreed between the two clubs.

After securing the services of Lagerbielke, Celtic and Brendan Rodgers could well turn their attention to targets further forward, with Manchester City midfielder James McAtee just one player who has recently been linked with a move north.

However, it appears as if the Hoops have their eyes on Podence from Wolves, with the player missing from the opening game of the season against Manchester United on Monday evening.

Sky Sports reporter Antony Joseph took to X on Tuesday evening to share an update on Podence, claiming the Hoops are keen on his services. He added that Wolves value the player at £12m, although Celtic seemingly feel that figure can be lowered through talks.

“Celtic are keen on Wolves winger Daniel Podence. He has one year left on his contract & wasn’t included in the squad last night.

“Wolves want around £12m, but it’s understood Celtic see room for negotiation, if they make an approach.”

Celtic’s current transfer record is under £10m for Odsonne Edouard, so even if Celtic manage to reduce a potential fee, it could still be the club’s most expensive signing of all time.

Who is Daniel Podence?

Podence is 27 years of age and is primarily a left-winger who can also turn out as a second striker or right-winger. A Portugal international, the attacker progressed through the academy at Sporting Lisbon and made 40 senior appearances for the club before joining Olympiacos in 2018.

He then turned out on 68 occasions for the Greek side, contributing to 27 goals, which resulted in a move to Wolves in 2020 in a deal worth €19.60m. In England, Podence, on £52,000-a-week, has made more than 100 appearances in the Midlands and as Joseph claims, is into the final 12 months of his deal.

Podence was hailed by former Wolves winger Michael Kightly back in 2020, who said:

“I thought he was really, really good. I was surprised that he never came on in the Sheffield United game. Fair play to Nuno [Espirito Santo], he probably realised that he made a mistake and he’s stuck him in against Everton.

“[There was] no better way for Podence to show Nuno what he’s been missing, if you like. I thought his performance was really good. He looked sharp, he looked strong. Every time we got the ball, he looked like he was going to make something of it. He’s exactly what Wolves need.”

It could well be a transfer to keep an eye on, and it will be interesting to see if Celtic firm up their interest in the player with an approach or a formal opening offer.

Leeds United could finally be set to restart their summer spending, with a star acquisition reportedly nearing completion…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

Having already welcomed Ethan Ampadu, Sam Byram and Karl Darlow to the club, with the loan capture of Joe Rodon also bolstering their ranks further, it must come as a surprise to manager Daniel Farke that his side is actually weaker now than when he first came in.

The mass exodus of Elland Road has seen numerous first-team stars jump ship, unwilling to try and steer the Whites from the mess they put them in.

Whilst frustrating, if they don’t want to be there, the German head coach likely does not want them.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Instead, he will look elsewhere for players who do, with a report from Last Word On Football now suggesting a potential deal for someone who would certainly improve them.

They note that the west Yorkshire outfit are actually set to sign Glen Kamara from Rangers, having been linked with a switch throughout the window.

His club are holding out for a fee of around £5.5m to sanction his exit, with that report also suggesting personal terms have already been agreed.

How good is Glen Kamara?

Despite their troublesome start to the campaign, there has been a sole area on the pitch that has impressed amidst all the turmoil.

Three Championship fixtures have failed to bring a victory, but at the very least a solid foundation for success has been seemingly built with a rock-solid engine room.

The Wales international has struck up an immense relationship with 17-year-old prodigy Archie Gray, boasting youth and energy in spades, with the former in particular offering vast experience despite being just 22 years old.

However, it is likely unrealistic to assume that the Thorp Arch graduate can hold down his spot for the entire term.

That is where Kamara can come in, to help fulfil that role and allow the teenager to take over in a few years, if not allow his attributes to thrive further forward as an attacking maestro.

After all, the Finland international is entering his prime years at 27 years old and would offer an added injection of pace, power, tireless energy and economical passing.

To justify these claims, his performances throughout the 2021/22 Scottish Premiership season are worth viewing, as his 7.01 average rating was buoyed by a host of outstanding other figures.

With three goals, three assists and a 91% pass accuracy, alongside 1.3 key passes and one tackle per game, there is little that Kamara did not excel at, via Sofascore.

The perfect all-rounder, his presence alone could help elevate the whole team.

It was therefore no surprise to see him lauded by former boss Steven Gerrard, who noted:

“He’s a terrific footballer in possession, always playing with his head up and looking to connect defence and attack.

“But what pleased me most is what I spoke about when we signed him in terms of how he’ll be out of possession. Will he hunt the ball back, be aggressive, work hard for the team and be a monster in the middle of the park?

“He showed signs of that against Kilmarnock and potentially he can become a top midfielder.” This was supplemented by a further quote, where the Liverpool legend branded him a "class act".

Then, comparing his figures with Gray’s opening three games of the Championship term, it becomes clear that whilst promising he remains raw.

Kamara could help hone his 81% pass accuracy and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore, into a more refined and confident midfield presence, moulding the youngster in his image whilst allowing him to retain his youthful exuberance that has instantly endeared him to fans.

It would likely take no time at all for Gray to become a hero at Elland Road, but should he manage to copy the performances of his potential new teammate, this would be a venture surely fast-tracked.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola could be about to get his hands on a replacement for Riyad Mahrez by signing one of Europe's most promising young wingers, according to reports.

Who is the Mahrez replacement going to be?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has given a crucial update in Manchester City's pursuit of Rennes winger Jeremy Doku, stating on X: "Man City, advancing on Jeremy Doku deal as new verbal proposal close to €55/60m package is being discussed with Rennes.

There’s competition but City hope to reach an agreement with Rennes this week — after green light on player side since beginning of August."

Sky Sports also confirm that Manchester City are in talks with Rennes over Doku as they look to bring in another offensive player at the Etihad Stadium following the departure of Riyad Mahrez to Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli for £30 million.

It is believed that the Belgium international has emerged as a 'leading contender' to succeed Mahrez at Manchester City. West Ham United have emerged as rival suitors for the £25k-a-week ace and had a bid rejected to try and bring him to the London Stadium earlier this month, though they are unlikely to win a race against the treble winners.

Football Insider claim that personal terms have already been agreed between Manchester City and Doku while a personal 'intervention' from Guardiola has brought the proposed deal 'very close' to full completion.

Doku found himself on the Rennes substitutes bench last week amid speculation surrounding his impending move to the Premier League champions, which looks like it is now edging closer to becoming a reality.

How good actually is Jeremy Doku?

Doku possesses plenty of flair and exciting attributes and is as highly recommended as they come, having previously been hailed as "incredibly quick" by none other than Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe in the past, cited by Get French Football News.

Bringing in an exciting young talent following a period of excellent service from Algeria international Mahrez will be one of Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain's biggest priorities in the remainder of the window and it now looks as if they are close to getting one of their main targets on board.

In his time at Ligue 1 side Rennes, Doku has made 92 appearances across all competitions, registering 12 goals and ten assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Of course, elite clubs pay a premium for potential in the modern day and it is easy to see what qualities the 21-year-old can bring to the table.

According to WhoScored, Doku evaded his opposition marker with regularity last term, completing 3.3 dribbles per fixture in the French top flight. He also gained an average match rating of 7.08/10 in Ligue 1, showing commendable consistency in his displays.

FBRef illustrate that the Borgerhout-born attacker has excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions concerning the art of progressive carries, managing 6.94 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting him in the 99th percentile for this metric.

Under the tutelage of Guardiola and his coaching staff, Doku could go on to become a Premier League star with the correct guidance if he is to move to Manchester City.

In 2012, when Richard Pybus was head coach of Bangladesh, he quit the job after only five months citing “interference by the board”. Now, in 2017, he is one of three prospective candidates to take charge of the team. The BCB has, nevertheless, asked him for an explanation for the comments he made five years ago.Board president Nazmul Hassan did not disclose Pybus’ reply, but said that his presentation focused on what he wanted to do for the future of Bangladesh cricket.Pybus was the senior team’s coach from June to October in 2012, and left after disagreements with the BCB. He had questioned the board directors’ knowledge of the game and alleged that details of his contract were released to the public as well.”Of course we had [his resignation from Bangladesh] in mind,” Hassan said. “We asked him plenty of questions about it. But it is better we don’t talk about the previous board. He is saying the same things [about the board]. I asked him, then why do you want to come now? He had his answer, but I don’t think we need to talk about it.”Hassan said that the BCB is looking to interview two more candidates after Pybus, one of whom is former West Indies international Phil Simmons, who is supposed to arrive on December 9. A decision on the head coach could be taken during a board meeting scheduled for the following day.”It is hard to say whether we are going to appoint a coach before the Sri Lanka series [in January 2018] but we are trying to get someone soon,” Hassan said. “Simmons will arrive on December 9 while another coach is also supposed to arrive within this time. We won’t reveal his name. We want to take a decision on our December 10 meeting.”

Liverpool have had quite the summer of transfer sagas when it comes to midfielders, from facing rejection from Moises Caicedo to suffering the same fate from Romeo Lavia, as the duo opted for moves to Chelsea over an Anfield switch.

That left the Reds crying out for a defensive midfielder, so in came surprise choice Wataru Endo from Stuttgart to at least hand Jurgen Klopp an option in that role.

The German could yet welcome another midfielder this summer, however, and could reportedly turn to a fellow Premier League side when it comes to finally solving his midfield issue once and for all.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

All seemed to be going well for Liverpool in the transfer window at the start of the summer. They instantly welcomed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported £35m before swooping in to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai for a reported £60m. Things went downhill from there.

After the arrival of midfield reinforcements, Liverpool took a step back with the exits of both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who they are still struggling to replace. In what is a glaring problem, though, Klopp could yet turn to Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara to solve his crisis in the middle of the park.

According to reports in Spain, via Caught Offside, Liverpool are keeping tabs on Kamara, who they are keen on.

Villa, of course, are under little pressure to sanction a deal, given that they only signed the midfielder last summer on a free deal, tying him down to a contract until 2027.

As Liverpool's desperation grows, however, it remains to be seen if they'll push on and attempt negotiations with those at Villa Park in the remainder of the transfer window.

Should Liverpool sign Boubacar Kamara?

After missing out on both Caicedo and Lavia this summer, welcoming Kamara would be an ideal piece of business for those at Anfield. It would be a difficult deal to pull off, that much is true, but the statistics suggest that he would solve their biggest problem in midfield.

According to FBref, when compared to Fabinho last season, who left the club this summer, Kamara made more progressive carries, attempted more tackles and made more blocks than the Brazilian. At just 23-years-old, too, the Frenchman would arguably be an upgrade on Fabinho at Anfield this summer.

At his best, he has earned deserved praise, too, including from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, who said, after listing Kamara's stats for Marseille a couple of years ago: "21 years of age. Marseille's biggest jewel."

The stats that Kulig revealed were incredibly impressive, too. Kamara made one assist, five key passes, one successful dribble, won two tackles, two aerial duels, and made four interceptions, alongside a pass accuracy of 89% with 74 passes in a match against Montpellier.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It was the type of performance that earned the Frenchman a move to Aston Villa in the first place, and he has not looked back since.

Now, as the summer transfer window comes to a close, Liverpool could yet make their own move for the Frenchman.

Kane Williamson and Tim Southee won’t be playing in Christchurch but West Indies are still in for a fight to level the series

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Dec-2017Big PictureIf West Indies have become nervous that this could turn out to be a difficult series, it is because New Zealand tend to overpower visiting ODI sides. Ask Australia, who have lost the two most recent iterations of the Chappell-Hadlee series. Ask Bangladesh, who were whitewashed roughly a year ago. Or Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who have been thumped twice each over the last four summers. South Africa were the only exception – winning 3-2 earlier this year thanks to the sharp work of Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir.New Zealand have won eight of their last nine bilateral series at home, with a wide cast of performers. On Wednesday it was Doug Bracewell and Todd Astle who propelled the team to victory. At other times, Matt Henry, or Tom Latham, or Martin Guptill have played match-winning hands, while the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Trent Boult provide the consistent, engine-room performances. There is no real formula – just finely crafted plans and familiarity with home conditions. New Zealand may lose the occasional match, but they never look rattled.West Indies’ plight is further complicated by their inexperience. Of the XI from Whangarei, only Jason Holder and Chris Gayle have played more than 30 ODIs. And Gayle – the man most likely to blow New Zealand away – has been unwell and is in danger of missing this match. If there is some hope for West Indies, it is that the hosts will also have to do without two of their senior players – Williamson and Tim Southee have been rested for the remainder of this series.Form guideNew Zealand WLLWL(completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LLLLLIn the spotlightIt has been a long apprenticeship, but there is evidence in the second half of 2017, that Tom Latham is beginning to prosper as an ODI batsman. In his last seven trips to the crease, he has hit two hundreds – both match-winning efforts – and three fifties. Latham’s challenge now is to maintain that form as he takes over as captain in Williamson’s stead. Since he also keeps wicket in the ODI team, the next few days shape as a test of his maturity.At times in the Test series, Shannon Gabriel was West Indies’ most penetrative bowler, finding success with his straight balls on a good length that trapped batsmen in front of the stumps. The attack leader for the ODIs as well now, he was underwhelming in Whangarei, going wicketless and giving away 57 runs. With Martin Guptill (injured) and Williamson both absent, West Indies have an opportunity to expose a weakened top order. If he can find rhythm, Gabriel is their likeliest bet to make those telling early breakthroughs.Team newsMatt Henry is likely to replace Tim Southee in the XI, while Neil Broom may step in for Williamson.New Zealand (probable): 1 George Worker, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Neil Broom, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Todd Astle, 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Trent BoultA call on Gayle’s availability will be made on the morning of the match. If he cannot play, it is possible that Kyle Hope – brother of Shai – enters the XI. Also to be assessed ahead of the game is seamer Kesrick Williams, who has sustained a hamstring complaint. If he can’t play, left-armer Sheldon Cottrell is the likely replacement.West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Jason Mohammed, 6 Jason Holder (capt.), 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Ronsford Beaton, 10 Kesrick Williams/ Sheldon Cottrell , 11 Shannon Gabriel.Pitch and conditionsHagley Oval tends to favour seam bowling – the new ball often moving off the surface, which tends to be green-tinged. The weather in Christchurch is forecast to be partly cloudy, but dry.Stats and trivia New Zealand have won each of the six ODIs they have played at Hagley Oval. Jason Holder needs 29 runs to complete 1000 in ODIs. Although the team has prospered, Tom Latham has been modest with the bat in home ODIs, averaging only 21.78 across 25 innings. His average outside New Zealand is close to 45.