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Peter Handscomb, Australia’s top-order batsman, is Yorkshire’s choice for 2017 as an overseas professional in all formats

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2016

Yorkshire have named Australia’s top-order batsman Peter Handscomb as their major overseas signing in 2017.Handscomb made his Test debut for Australia at the end of November and made a maiden Test century in only his second Test when he scored 105 against Pakistan in Brisbane.The Victoria and Melbourne Stars batsman will be available to play in all three formats for Yorkshire over the summer, although it is in the longer format where his reputation is most established.Yorkshire have yet to secure a second overseas signing for the NatWest Blast which in 2017 will run in a more condensed window in midsummer.Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket said: “We are delighted to secure Peter’s signature for the 2017 season. Peter is a player that we have been aware of for a couple of years now and he has made an excellent start to his Test career. We look forward to welcoming him to Headingley and hope that he enjoys playing his cricket for Yorkshire next year.”Andrew Gale had emphasised upon his appointment as 1st XI coach that he wanted to shake-up Yorkshire’s approach at all all age-group levels to developing Twenty20 cricketers, but the first overseas signing since his appointment does seem to have the Championship formly in mind as Yorkshire prioritise the top-order stability they lacked last season.With Handscomb likely to slot in at No. 3 and Gary Ballance, a new captain who could struggle to regain his England Test place next season (such is the thinking anyway) at No. 4, the line-up behind the openers Adam Lyth and Alex Lees has a more solid look about it.Gale said: “Peter is someone that we have had our eye on for a while. We looked at him as an option for last season, but the schedules didn’t quite work out. Since then he has gone from strength-to-strength, breaking into the Australian team and scoring his first Test hundred last week.”We are getting a guy who is on the up. He is young and wants to prove himself on the biggest stage. That will be good for us in county cricket. Number three is where he might slot into in county cricket, but that is yet to be decided. He gives us another option with the gloves as well as he keeps wicket in the shorter forms for Victoria.”The good thing is that he is a good player in all formats which suits us well given that he will be available for most of the season.”

Manchester City are close to signing Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, with a verbal agreement reached, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news involving Kovacic?

Pep Guardiola’s side completed a historic treble, sealing the achievement with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final last weekend. There have been plenty of celebrations between everyone involved at the club and the supporters, however, it looks as if those at the Etihad are already working on summer signings.

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester is Kovacic, who has been on the books at Stamford Bridge since 2018. The Croatia international, hailed as an "unbelievable footballer" in the media, will soon be entering the final 12 months of his Chelsea deal and a move north looks to be on the cards.

Plettenberg took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to provide an update on the transfer talk between City and Kovacic. He said that a move is close, with a verbal agreement reached.

“Everything is going in the right direction. Kovacic is close to join MCFC & Pep. Verbal agreement is done confirmed. Negotiations between Man City and CFC should follow this week.”

How much does Mateo Kovacic earn?

Kovacic, sponsored by Nike, can play in a defensive, central or attacking midfield role, so should provide Guardiola with a versatile midfield option next season. He also has a history of winning plenty of honours, for example, he has won the Champions League on four separate occasions and the Europa League once.

A player like Kovacic could be needed over the coming month, especially if captain Ilkay Gundogan decides against renewing his Etihad contract over the coming weeks, as has been speculated.

Kovacic also has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, turning out on 142 occasions in the top flight. And ranks in the 98th percentile for passes into the final third, so could prove to be a shrewd addition in midfield.

He currently picks up £150,000-a-week in London, the biggest wage of his career to date, so it’ll be interesting to see the terms he has seemingly agreed with City. A transfer fee still needs to be agreed between the two clubs, though, but at this moment in time, it appears as if Kovacic could be the first through the door this summer to link up with the treble winners.

Chelsea are considering submitting a bid to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer, according to reports.

Is Romeo Lavia leaving Southampton?

Lavia only arrived on the south coast last summer from Premier League rivals Manchester City, but having impressed during 34 appearances in his debut season, where he established himself as Ruben Selles’ second best-performing defensive player, he’s bound to attract interest now that they have been relegated to the Championship.

The Belgium U21 international still has another four years remaining on his contract at St. Mary’s, though the Sky Blues reportedly have a £40m buy-back clause available to them which they could trigger should they want him to return or to sell him on for a higher fee.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the Blues and Mauricio Pochettino do “really appreciate” the 19-year-old but made it clear that nothing was “advanced or imminent”, though it sounds like they are now thinking about testing the waters in an attempt to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

Are Chelsea signing Lavia?

According to Football.London, Chelsea have Lavia firmly on their "radar" and are "considering making a move" as a cheaper alternative to Moises Caicedo. Todd Boehly and his recruitment team have conducted "extensive scouting sessions" on the midfielder and clearly must have been impressed with what they have seen in order to be weighing up an offer. Southampton are "likely" to demand a fee of £50m to ponder parting ways with their prized asset in the weeks and months ahead.

Should Boehly cash out on Lavia?

Chelsea are reportedly targeting other defensive midfield candidates in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Caicedo, but should they not be successful in their attempts to land Roberto De Zerbi’s star, Lavia would be an excellent alternative having been dubbed a “monster” at the base of midfield by journalist Benjy Nurick.

The Elite Project Group Ltd client ranks in the 96th percentile for blocks and won 35 out of his 60 tackles made throughout the course of the previous term, which was the second-highest success rate out of all of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef, highlighting how strong he is at protecting the backline.

The Adidas-sponsored gem, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his natural role in front of the defence, can also get involved at the opposite end of the pitch having scored one goal and provided the same number of assists in his opening campaign at Southampton, and he would only excel further under the guidance of Pochettino.

أكد سيد عبد الحفيظ مدير الكرة السابق بالنادي الأهلي، أنه لا يتمنى العمل كمدير فني، معلقاً على ما يتردد بشأن لاعب الزمالك احمد سيد زيزو بأنه لاعب محلي.

وقال سيد عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “عبد الله السعيد لعب في النادي الأهلي فترة حصل معنا على بطولات، وانضم لبيراميدز لفترة وحاليًا متواجد في نادي الزمالك، وأتمنى له التوفيق، إذا عاد بي الزمن مليار مرة سأقول نفس الكلام مع كل المواقف التي أخذتها في صفقة عبد الله، ومقتنع بكل كلمة قلتها في وقتها”.

وتابع: “مطمئن على الأهلي والمسؤولين في النادي دائمًا يعملون لصالحه، كما أنني لا أتمنى العمل كمدير فني”.

طالع أيضاً.. إمام عاشور: مستعدون لمباراة شباب بلوزداد ونتمنى إسعاد جماهير الأهلي

وبسؤاله عن أكثر لاعب عانيت منه في مشوارك؟، أجاب :”صالح جمعه كان يقدم مستويات جيدة مع الفريق، وكنا نلعب في برج العرب أمام سموحة أو المصري، أخذ كوع في عينه، وكان في هذا الوقت وصل لمستوى جيد فكنت أريد أن أحافظ عليه وقلت له أحصل على راحة لمدة يومين وستكون بحالة جيدة”.

وأكمل: “ثاني يوم تلقيت شيء غير ظريف بشأن صالح جمعه، قلت له لن أخصم لك ولا مليم ولكن قل لي الشيطان دخل عليك من أي باب لكي تخرج من منزلك”.

وتابع: “كهربا لديه جزئية مهمة جدًا أنه يحترم ويقدر الآخرين، أول عام له في الأهلي كان بعيدا بعض الشيء ولكن حاليًا تغير”.

واختتم: “أحمد سيد زيزو إذا لم يلعب في نادي الزمالك لن يكون زيزو، وأنا لست مع الكلام الذي يقال عليه أنه لاعب محلي”.

A five-wicket win for Surrey in a rain-affected game against Middlesex at Lord’s completed the quarter-final line-up of the Royal London Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Aug-2016A five-wicket win for Surrey in a rain-affected game against Middlesex at Lord’s completed the quarter-final line-up of the Royal London Cup. Surrey, last year’s beaten finalists, sneaked above their London rivals into fourth place in the South Group, securing a last-eight trip to face North Group winners Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Royal London Cup QFs

Somerset v Worcestershire, Taunton, August 17, 11am

Warwickshire v Essex, Edgbaston, August 17, 11am

Kent v Yorkshire, Canterbury, August 18, 2pm

Northamptonshire v Surrey, Wantage Road, August 18, 1.30pm

Confirmation that Somerset would top the South Group, setting up a quarter-final with Worcestershire at Taunton, came with the abandonment of Essex’s game at Gloucestershire earlier in the day.Essex were then left waiting on results elsewhere to see if they would go through; Kent’s victory at Sussex moved them up to second but Hampshire narrowly failed to beat Somerset, sending Essex to play Warwickshire in the last eight and turning the match at Lord’s into a straight knockout.Kent will host Yorkshire in their quarter-final. Yorkshire had gone into the final round of North Group games on Monday hoping to secure a home fixture but a heavy defeat to Warwickshire at Headingley saw them slip to third.The first two quarter-finals, at Taunton and Edgbaston, will be day games played on August 17; the games at Wantage Road and Canterbury will start in the afternoon on August 18. The semi-final draw sees the winner of Warwickshire v Essex playing either Somerset or Worcestershire, while Kent or Yorkshire will go on to face one of Northants or Surrey, with the ties taking place on August 28-29.

Arsenal have made a "proposal" to Barcelona starlet Ilias Akhomach who looks set to leave as a free agent in June, according to reports out of Spain.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Premier League title-chasers could still make history, having waited nearly 20 years for another league crown, but as things stand, Man City are firmly in the driving seat.

Boasting a game in hand and one-point advantage, the race is in Pep Guardiola's hands, and Arsenal have to be perfect to stand any chance of pipping them to top spot.

Mikel Arteta's side have it all to do, but even if they miss out, you can make the strong argument that this has been a simply brilliant season with Champions League football guaranteed.

In the background, sporting director Edu will be working on summer transfer targets ahead of next campaign, with midfield reinforcement thought to be a top priority.

West Ham star Declan Rice, alongside Brighton's Moises Caicedo, have been heavily linked with a move to north London – meanwhile Arteta is also said to want additions further forward.

According to a report by Sport, Barca prodigy and exciting young attacker Akhomach is a player of real interest, with the 19-year-old apparently receiving a "proposal" to join Arsenal.

There isn't any further detail on this alleged offer, but he could well be on the move this summer, as his renewal is proving complicated.

Arsenal have also been boosted by Leeds' collapsed move for Akhomach, but they aren't the only elite side who have made an approach.

Both Sevilla and AC Milan are also in the running, making proposals of their own, with this update hinting the teenager's future could be far away from Catelonia.

What could Akhomach bring to Arsenal?

Despite not exactly having the season of his life over 2022/2023, scoring just one goal in 23 league appearances for Barca's youth side, Akhomach still arguably possesses plenty of promise.

Xavi has even handed the Spaniard his first team debut already, in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey, with former Barcelona B manager Francisco Javier García Pimienta tipping Akhomach to be a big success back in 2020.

Pimienta explained (via Sport):

“He’s a cheeky, brave player with a lot of quality, but he’s only 16. We have very young players and we can’t load them with too much responsibility.

“What’s clear is that the academy is bringing through a lot of players and he’s one that we will have in mind this season, for sure.”

Perhaps Akhomach can re-discover his best form in England and working under a manager like Arteta, especially since Barca youth boss Rafa Marquez apparently views the player as expendable.

Leeds United are currently scrapping for their lives at the foot of the Premier League table, with the Yorkshire side now just a point above the drop zone following the 1-1 draw with fellow relegation strugglers, Leicester City in midweek.

While there will no doubt have been frustration among those at Elland Road at having conceded late on against the Foxes, the major cause of concern following that stalemate was the injury to summer signing Luis Sinisterra, with the Colombian international having been forced off just minutes after giving the home side the lead on the night.

The Whites' worst fears have since been realised with the former Feyenoord man having been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with an ankle injury, ensuring he now joins midfield maestro Tyler Adams on the treatment table.

In the case of Sinisterra, this recent blow comes amid what has been an injury-hit debut campaign in Yorkshire for the £21m addition, albeit with the winger having shown flashes of his quality when he has been fit and firing, with seven goals in just 22 games in all competitions this season.

The seven-cap menace had appeared to be a player who could well help to drag Javi Gracia's side to safety having scored three goals in his last five top-flight games, although the survival hopefuls may now need to find another source of attacking inspiration.

Who can replace Sinisterra for Leeds?

The obvious candidate to replace the stricken 23-year-old in the side would be Italian dynamo, Wilfried Gnonto, with the diminutive ace also having impressed during his first season at the club, registering five goal involvements in 19 league games in all competitions this term.

The Italy international may not be the only young prospect who could also provide Gracia and co with further firepower, however, with teenager Sonny Perkins among the academy options who are likely to be pushing for a more prominent role at first-team level.

The exciting 19-year-old – who signed from West Ham United back in July – has thus far been restricted to just three senior outings for his current side since making that summer switch from the London Stadium, albeit while netting late on the FA Cup clash with Cardiff City earlier this year.

That ability to make an impact in the final third was an example of why the versatile forward – who can feature on the flanks or in a centre-forward berth – has been hailed as a "goal machine" by U21's boss, Michael Skubala.

Such glowing praise has undoubtedly been warranted with the London-born ace having bagged 11 goals in just 20 appearances for the club's U21 side this season, after previously providing 12 goals in 23 games at the same age group for the Hammers.

The England U19 youth international will likely have caught the attention of Gracia even further having been on fire in recent weeks, having provided seven goal involvements in his last five Premier League 2 games.

That stellar record is a clear illustration of the undoubted diamond that Leeds have on their hands, with young Perkins potentially set to be the man to help lift the mood at the club, amid this current run of four league games without a win.

Even if the £1.6k-per-week ace is not thrust in from the start over the coming games, he could well help to fill the attacking void left behind by Sinisterra by offering a game-changing option from the bench.

Manchester United will no doubt be looking to strengthen their centre-forward ranks this summer, with Erik ten Hag's side having been lacking a reliable number nine throughout the entire campaign.

Former talisman Cristiano Ronaldo scored just three times in all competitions prior to seeing his contract ripped up by mutual consent in November, while January arrival Wout Weghorst – who joined on loan from Burnley – has scored just twice for the Red Devils to date.

Those woes have been exacerbated by the injury setbacks of long-serving marksman, Anthony Martial, with the 27-year-old having been restricted to just 19 appearances across all fronts this term, scoring seven times.

That inability to get the Frenchman fit and firing has likely been a source of frustration for the United boss, with recent reports suggesting that the 53-year-old could be open to letting the striker depart this summer – with just over a year to run on the player's contract.

With at least one new forward set to be needed in the event of the former Monaco man's exit, there have been reports in Spain that the Old Trafford outfit are interested in signing Aston Villa hotshot, Ollie Watkins.

Should Man United sign Watkins?

On current form, it would seemingly be a real coup if United were able to prise the Englishman from Villa Park, with Watkins having been in deadly form in recent months, in particular.

The former Brentford ace is currently "sitting alongside [Erling] Haaland" with regard to his form following the World Cup break, as per Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand, having notably bagged 11 goals in his last 12 Premier League games.

That remarkable hot streak has ensured that the 27-year-old now boasts a standout tally of 15 goals and six assists in the top flight so far this term, having now reached double figures for league goals in each of the past three seasons for the Villans.

Such a respectable haul is undoubtedly in stark contrast to that of Martial, with the 30-cap enigma having scored just nine Premier League goals since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, notably scoring just once in the first half of last season prior to joining Sevilla on loan.

A notable benefit of bringing Watkins into the fold would also be the £75k-per-week man's impressive work ethic as he notably ranks in the top 20% among his European peers for interceptions made, while the current United man ranks in just the bottom 32% in that regard.

The all-round quality of the 5 foot 11, Villa man – as well as his proven record in England's top tier – could well make him an ideal replacement for Martial through the middle, with it having proved near on impossible to rely on the latter man of late.

Journalist Daniel Wales has claimed Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock is good enough to get in the England squad amid Jude Bellingham comparisons.

What's the latest on Joe Willock and Newcastle United?

With the Premier League taking a break while intentional teams play fixtures across the globe, the Magpies regular will get to rest his legs too.

Indeed, aged 23 years old, Willock remains uncapped at senior level for his country – though has played for multiple youth teams, right up to the U21s.

However, it seems as though there are those who think he deserves a reward for his good form at the club, having played in all but one of the club's league games this term as Newcastle push for a Champions League spot.

While speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast, Wales claimed Willock – who earns £80,000 per week – should be in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

He said: "I saw a stat yesterday, it showed players that are similar to Jude Bellingham and I think it was Gavi and Pedri were the top two.

"And then Joe Willock was third after those, if I remember rightly, showing that he is certainly capable of, perhaps not exactly emulating the ability of Jude Bellingham – we know how good he is for his age as well – but certainly producing performances good enough to get him in the England squad with that sort of ability that Joe Willock is showing week-in, week-out."

Does Joe Willock deserve an England call-up?

The information Wales is referring to comes from an article by The Athletic. In the story, it notes that across Europe from players aged 23 and under who have played 900+ minutes this season, only Barcelona duo Gavi and Pedri are more "stylistically similar" than Bellingham.

With that in mind, if Gareth Southgate was to see Bellingham pick up an injury, Willock is theoretically the best player to come in and replace him.

However, until he gets handed an international call-up, it will be impossible for the Newcastle man to prove his worth. In the meantime, then, he'll have to just keep on impressing with the Magpies.

To be fair to Willock, in the last two games before the break, he delivered impressive 7.8 and 7.7 Sofascore ratings in wins over Wolves and Nottingham Forest respectively, so he may wonder what more he was to do to play for his country.

Everton’s recent struggles haven’t all been on the pitch, despite their narrow escape from relegation last term and the fact they are languishing in the drop zone this season, but their wastefulness in the transfer window resulted in massive amounts of money being squandered.

Between 2018 and 2022, the Toffees splurged out £27.2m on Yerry Mina, £22m on Andre Gomes and £29m for Moise Kean, and the trio hardly impressed on Merseyside.

It was perhaps Sam Allardyce’s move for Arsenal forward Theo Walcott in January 2018 which drained the club the most, with his £20m switch promising so much, yet failing to deliver on the pitch despite the large outlay.

How much did Theo Walcott cost Everton?

Walcott’s time at Arsenal saw him score 108 goals in 397 appearances for the Gunners and when Allardyce brought him to the club, there were high hopes that he could enjoy a new lease of life away from north London.

His best campaign to date had been the 2012/2013 season, where the Englishman scored 14 Premier League goals and registered 12 assists, although prior to his January move to the Toffees, he had featured for just a grand total of 63 minutes in the league, which was perhaps the first hint that he may not live up to the expectations of a £20m player.

Former Gunners legend Lee Dixon had previously lavished praise on Walcott, suggesting he was “unplayable” back in 2016, yet his stint in the North West didn’t exactly go to plan with the winger instead proving to be “awful” – as eluded to by Phil McNulty.

In just over two and a half years, he managed to score only 11 goals and register nine assists in 85 appearances for the club, while also costing them a pretty penny in wages too – £110k-per-week to be precise.

Indeed, during his 141-week spell at Everton, the forward managed to rinse the club for a total of £43.4m (his £20m transfer fee combined with the £23.4m he earned in wages) and it’s no wonder the club are now finally paying for big money mistakes like this now.

Hopefully, Sean Dyche has a better understanding of what players would suit Everton and avoid paying inflated fees for underwhelming performers during his reign.