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Peter Handscomb scored the first double-century of his first-class career as Victoria continued to dominate on the second day against New South Wales

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2016
ScorecardPeter Handscomb scored the first double-century of his first-class career•Getty ImagesVictoria batsman Peter Handscomb made his case for inclusion in Australia’s Test squad almost irresistible by raising 215 against New South Wales at the SCG. In front of selector Mark Waugh, and against Test captain Steven Smith and vice-captain David Warner, Handscomb scored the first double-century of his first-class career to deliver Victoria into a powerful position as they declared on 6 for 510.By the close of play, New South Wales had already lost both Warner and Smith in reply. On 11, Warner was caught at first slip off Scott Boland when he tried to glide the ball fine, and on 8 Smith flashed outside off stump and was caught at slip off Chris Tremain. Both men are certain starters for the Adelaide Test, but the manner of their dismissals was hardly ideal given Australia’s batting failures against South Africa.At stumps, New South Wales were 2 for 95, with opener Daniel Hughes on 42 and Kurtis Patterson on 28. Patterson is another potential contender for a Test call-up, but Handscomb has set the bar high for batsmen trying to impress the selectors. He resumed on 110 alongside Travis Dean on 134, and although Dean was bowled by Doug Bollinger without adding a run, Handscomb was set for a long stay.Handscomb batted for 356 balls and nearly eight hours in compiling his 215, and became the first man since Brad Hodge in 2008-09 to score a Sheffield Shield double-century for Victoria. Since the start of last summer, Handscomb has scored 1147 Shield runs at 52.13 – more than any other player in the competition. He now appears a likely replacement for Adam Voges in the Adelaide Test squad.Eventually, Handscomb was dismissed when he advanced to the part-time legspin of Smith, missed, and was stumped by Peter Nevill. His team-mates Matthew Wade (6) and Glenn Maxwell (10) failed to enhance their Test hopes, but the in-form veteran Cameron White continued his prolific season by adding an unbeaten 75 batting at No.7, before the declaration came.

Leeds United are still without a manager after suffering relegation from Premier League almost a month ago, but progress is starting to be made at Elland Road.

The 49ers have confirmed their full takeover of the club, buying Andrea Radrizzani out of his majority stake and taking full control in the last few days, which has been further boosted by the arrival of interim football advisor Nick Hammond.

Hammond was the sporting director at Reading, director of football operations at Celtic and most recently worked on a consultancy for Newcastle United, so has plenty of experience to provide Leeds with a much-needed expert to support in the summer transfer window during a difficult chapter for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Indeed, the main priorities for Leeds at present are the acquirement of a quality manager who can quickly reinstate their Premier League status and figuring out which players in the current squad will make an exit and who will stay to compete in the Championship next season.

However, with many Leeds players already speculated with a move away from the club this summer, identifying key targets who can replace and revive the team next season will be absolutely essential for a successful season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road this summer is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, who has just spent a year on loan in the Serie A with Sampdoria.

Would Harry Winks be a good fit for Leeds?

It is no secret that Leeds will struggle to keep a number of their talents ahead of their Championship campaign and finding the best way to approach that will be essential for Hammond during his time at the club.

In midfield, the Whites have already lost Weston McKennie as he returns to Juventus after his loan spell, whilst Tyler Adams has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs following relegation to the second tier, so there is definitely an opportunity to bolster the centre of the pitch this summer.

As a result, the signing of Winks – who had a £22m buyout clause as part of his temporary deal – would be a major coup for Leeds if they could convince him to make a move and would definitely soften the blow of losing some of the key players in midfield.

Over 20 Serie A appearances this season, the 27-year-old Englishman – hailed "amazing" by Mauricio Pochettino in the past – has tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and successfully completed 78% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and 3.2 duels won per game, displaying strong ball-winning capabilities and ability to look after the ball in possession.

One of Leeds' biggest issues in the top flight last season was their defensive consistency with no other team in the Premier League conceding more goals over the 38-game campaign (78), so bringing in players who can improve the defensive presence and being more efficient in possession would be advantageous.

With that being said, if Hammond could secure the services of Winks it could massively improve the performances in midfield next season and help Leeds to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

South Africa wanted a pitch to nullify the threat of Rangana Herath, and that is what they got in Port Elizabeth

Firdose Moonda30-Dec-2016As much as South Africa succeeded in scoring the runs and taking the wickets they needed to beat Sri Lanka, they also managed to make use of home advantage by blunting the opposition’s biggest threat. Unusually, the most spinner-friendly surface in the country offered little turn and barely deteriorated despite a severe dry spell in the lead-up to the match but that was all part of the South African plan to take Rangana Herath out of the game.”The groundsman got it spot on,” Faf du Plessis said. “We asked him for a wicket that didn’t spin right through the innings – that moved around on the first innings and didn’t spin on day four and five. So it’s great wicket that he prepared.”Adrian Carter, the St George’s Park groundsman, left a much thicker grass covering on than he normally does, in the hope the pitch would hold together for five days. As a result, the teams got what du Plessis called a “new-ball wicket,” where there was a little bit of movement on the first day, as Suranga Lakmal proved, but that became better for batting as the match went on. By the fourth and fifth day, it was still flat and South Africa’s attack had toil in the absence of any reverse swing.But that was the devil they knew and chose, opting to make their lives more difficult with ball in hand because they did not want to take the chance of it becoming impossible when batting. “You can either choose a green wicket or one that’s good for batting and then it will spin later but against a team like this it’s important that you nullify their strengths, which is spin bowling,” du Plessis said. “As a batting unit, we are not scared of batting on a green top, so we will choose going on something that looked a bit greener than something that look a bit more brown.”That there were no bare patches to help scuff up the ball also meant du Plessis did not have to resort to any outlandish ball-shining strategies and he was seen to pass the duties on to the likes of Hashim Amla, Dean Elgar, Stephen Cook and Temba Bavuma. Du Plessis admitted he enjoyed keeping his hands out of the sweet jar, for now.”I didn’t shine the ball with a sweet in my mouth this Test match,” he said. “It’s still something that’s fine. I spoke to the umpires before the Test to get some clarity on it and they said its fine, they are not going to stop the game, but it’s about making sure it’s not obvious. But I also did take a step back and make sure the other guys also had the responsibility of shining the balls. It gave me an opportunity to make sure my head is really in the game.”Having his focus trained on the field was important for South Africa because they needed to combine patience with proper planning if they wanted to make things happen in the Sri Lanka second innings. Du Plessis set attacking fields, asked his bowlers to put in long spells and remain accurate while also knowing the target was chaseable so they could not let it slip. The role of left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was important as it allowed Kyle Abbott, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rababa to rotate.”They had a few soft wickets and if they didn’t do that and batters had put their hands up, they could have chased this score down,” du Plessis said. “But Vernon, Kyle and KG are doing an amazing job. For Kyle to step into Dale’s shoes and do as well as Dale has done for this team is amazing. Every time he plays a game he is incredibly consistent. Even though KG wasn’t as quick as he would like – you are not going to always be on song – Vernon put his hand up as he always does on a green top.”Du Plessis played down concerns over Rabada being down on pace – he only occasionally got over the 140kph-mark – as a result of fatigue and brushed off suggestions he needed a rest. “Mentally and physically, he is fine,” du Plessis said. “If he played all the domestic T20 games I would have maybe had a different answer but I think he has had his rest and he is ready to go.”Instead, he laid the challenge on the batsmen to continue the search of consistency. “I spoke about it before the Test. I feel we are batting really well as a unit but it comes in individual greatness and I feel we can do a little bit more as a unit. It’s about lifting that bar a little higher and not being happy with getting to 300 and winning the game but actually pushing it to 400. In the first innings, we had fifty runs as a batting unit, left in the tank. It’s about not settling.”

The Scorchers avoided a repeat of last year’s semi-final to chase down a modest 124 and storm into the final

Will Macpherson at the WACA24-Jan-2017
Scorecard
2:10

Macpherson: Tight bowling set the base for a Scorchers’ win

Perth Scorchers romped to a comprehensive victory – by nine wickets and with 4.2 overs to spare – over Brisbane Heat to book their place in the final of the second edition of the Women’s Big Bash League.Twelve months ago, Scorchers limited Sydney Thunder – the eventual champions – to an under-par score in a semi-final at Adelaide Oval, only for their vaunted batting lineup to be bowled out for 110. That was the only occasion in the first two seasons of the competition that Scorchers have failed to chase 125.This time, they once again limited their opponents to a light-looking score but had no problems in the chase. Nicole Bolton and Elyse Villani put on 67 in 9.2 overs to set things up, then Suzie Bates joined the latter to finish the job. It had been close to the complete performance, full of tight bowling and expressive batting.Kirby sells Heat ShortOn a flat pitch with a rapid outfield, Kirby Short and Beth Mooney were quick out of the blocks with some beautiful cover drives. But when Mooney picked out the lone fielder in the leg side out at deep midwicket off Piepa Cleary – whose fine form continued – captain Short slowed up. By the time she fell to the last ball of the 16th over, 25 of the 49 balls she had faced were dots, and Jess Jonassen and Lauren Winfield had both been caught in the deep trying to push the score along. Scorchers, particularly spinner Emma King, who smartly caught Short off her own bowling, had bowled well, but not well.Perhaps worst of all, the slow-scoring and lack of strike rotation kept Deandra Dottin from the middle, which was neatly summed up by Scorchers’ fielder Elyse Villani, mic’d up and chatting on-air. “We don’t mind Short being out there compared to Dottin,” she said. “Personally I don’t mind if she [Dottin] sits there all day.”The late pushFortunately for the Heat, Dottin did not sit there all day. After Short fell, she and Delissa Kimmince put on 34 from the final four overs. Dottin walloped her first ball down the ground for four and ran hard between the wickets, but Kimmince – who took 20 off her 10 balls from Anya Shrubsole – was the aggressor-in-chief. Heat had something to defend. Not much – they were at least 20 short of par, thanks to the 50 dot balls they played – but something.Emma King bowled a tight spell during the Scorchers’ convincing win and was Player Of The Match•Getty ImagesThe chilled chaseIn the absence of the injured Holly Ferling, Heat’s bowling lacks bite and Bolton and Villani barely broke sweat under the searing Perth sun. Bolton looked in particularly fine touch, with flowing fours on the pull and on the drive, before being run out by a piece of smart work at backward-point by Jess Jonassen. Bates struggled initially, but played herself into form – another boon for the finalists – with some wristy flicks through midwicket. The winning runs, a hard sweep off Jonassen, brought up a fifty for Villani full of clever improvisation and bunts to midwicket.What next for Scorchers?Well, there are two things at play. Who will they face in their first WBBL final? That depends on who wins the game between Sydney Sixers – who finished top of the table – and Hobart Hurricanes in Brisbane on Wednesday. Hurricanes have never beaten Sixers in five attempts.Next, where will that final be played? If Scorchers’ male counterparts beat Melbourne Stars, Saturday’s final will be at the WACA. If Stars win, the final will take place at the home of the winner of tomorrow’s men’s semi-final, which is between Heat and Sixers.Whoever they play, and wherever it is, Scorchers will be tough to beat.

Fulham are now "serious contenders" to sign Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, and it is believed he is keen to make the move to Craven Cottage.

Who will join Fulham this summer?

Marco Silva is keen to make sufficient squad upgrades after a very successful first full campaign back in the Premier League.

Fulham secured an impressive mid-table finish and were never in any real danger of the drop. The Whites also contended for a European spot over much of the season, but were ultimately beaten to it by Brentford, Aston Villa and Liverpool.

As a result, star players of theirs like midfielder Joao Palhinha are attracting serious interest from the likes of West Ham, Liverpool and Man United – but Fulham won't be bullied and are set to demand around £90 million for his services.

When it comes to who Fulham could actually sign this summer, rumours have been circulating the past week involving United midfielder Fred, Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres and Norwich full-back Max Aarons.

Silva and club chiefs appear to be chasing options defensively, further forward and in the centre of midfield – with a new target in Ward-Prowse now coming to light.

According to the Belfast Telegraph and PA news agency, Fulham are "serious contenders" to sign the Englishman this window and could be in pole position above the likes of West Ham.

This is because Ward-Prowse actually favours a move to west London over the Hammers, who would come in as a replacement for Palhinha if he were to depart.

The Saints skipper is interested in making the move to Fulham, mainly because he sees Silva'a brand of football as the best fit for him as he seeks a route back into the top flight.

Who is James Ward-Prowse?

Ward-Prowse, as proven by his 22/23 performances at St. Mary's, is Southampton's star player.

As per WhoScored, the 28-year-old racked up 13 goal contributions and stood out as their best-performing player by average match rating.

Former Southampton manager Nathan Jones, speaking to the press, also called him "vital" last season.

"He’s vital, I like to get to know my captains and have a real relationship with them, a real personal relationship so they understand decisions we make," said Jones.

“Sometimes we’ll make tough decisions, out there tactical decisions, but he is one that takes everything on board and understands. You see how the group is."

Tottenham Hotspur have instigated "conversations" with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen over the services of the centre-half Edmond Tapsoba, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – What's the latest on Edmond Tapsoba?

It's been a busy start to the transfer window for the Lilywhites, with the club confirming the signing of Italian international keeper Guglielmo Vicario from Serie A side Empoli earlier this week for a fee of £17m.

Not to be outdone by their free-spending neighbours, Tottenham went big themselves and announced the marque signing of England international James Maddison from the relegated Leicester City this week for a fee of £40m.

For as good as those signings are, the area of the team in desperate need of attention is defence.

With the side shipping a disastrous 63 goals in the Premier League last season and the departure of Clement Lenglet, who has returned to Barcelona, it's an area of the team that could cost them next season if not addressed as soon as possible.

However, Daniel Levy and Co. seem to be well aware of this and have identified 24-year-old Burkina Faso international Tapsoba as one of a few potential targets for the heart of the defence, per football.london.

A deal to sign the Leverkusen star could also be cheaper than one might first expect, with the Express reporting that Ange Postecoglou could land his man for as little as £25m this summer.

There have been two other defensive names linked to Spurs this window, the first being Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, and the other Fulham's want-away Tosin Adarabioyo.

What has Dean Jones said about Tapsoba?

Jones revealed that whilst there have been links to van de Ven and Adarabioyo, Tapsoba was still the most likely of the three players to join the Lilywhites' defence this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Tapsoba is the one I've heard the most about in terms of the three of those."

The respected journalist also revealed that conversations between the sides have commenced, adding: "Conversations are open now, so it'll be interesting to see how those progress and whether Tottenham become convinced that he is the player that they want to go ahead and sign."

Would Tapsoba be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

The 24-year-old has excelled during his time in Germany, playing 137 times for the Die Schwarzroten since joining just three years ago.

Last season was another great year for the 6 foot 4 "monster" – as once described by journalist Antonio Mango. According to WhoScored, across his 33 Bundesliga games, he averaged a good match rating of 6.64.

It was even better in European competitions, as in his eight games in the Europa League, he averaged a seriously impressive match rating of 7.28.

His underlying numbers are equally brilliant.

According to FBref, who comp[are players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, Tapsoba sits in the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 6% for successful take-ons, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 10% attempted passes, and the top 15% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Those numbers highlight that alongside his defensive nouse, the defensive gem could also thrive in a more attacking set-up, something that would pair perfectly with Ange Postecoglou's footballing philosophy, one rooted in entertaining football.

If Spurs can get this deal over the line, it could prove excellent business for years to come.

Adam Zampa’s dismantling of Sri Lanka arrived too late to salvage the series for Australia, and also too late for his skiddy, accurate wrist spin to be considered for the Test team to face India in Pune from Thursday

The Report by Daniel Brettig22-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAdam Zampa’s variations hassled Sri Lanka’s middle order•AFPAdam Zampa’s dismantling of Sri Lanka arrived too late to salvage the series for Australia, and also too late for his skiddy, accurate wristspin to be considered for the Test team to face India in Pune from Thursday.The frequent omission of Zampa from Australia’s ODI and Twenty20 sides – despite an excellent record in both formats – has been a mystery for quite some time, and there appeared to be thinly veiled frustration on the part of the bowler as he accounted for the series’ pivotal player Asela Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedara and Dasun Shanaka in quick succession to push a target of 188 beyond the reach of the visitors.His wickets came not from any extravagant turn but instead useful changes of pace and unrelenting attack on the stumps, winning a pair of back foot lbw verdicts from the umpire Paul Wilson either side of another slider that bowled Kapugedara between bat and pad. Australia’s selectors had admitted to choosing an “attacking” spinner in Mitchell Swepson over what the panel’s chairman Trevor Hohns called a more “defensive” operator in Zampa.Sri Lanka made a rapid start to their chase but a sturdy Australian effort with the bat meant that they did not have much room to lose momentum. The captain Aaron Finch and his opening partner Michael Klinger both contributed half centuries, before Ben Dunk and Travis Head provided aggressive support through the middle overs.At 0 for 41 in the fourth over, the visitors appeared well in control of proceedings, largely due to the early pyrotechnics of Dilshan Munaweera – including 20 runs off Jhye Richardson’s opening over. However, James Fulkner, Richardson and Head each coaxed outfield catches from Sri Lanka’s top-order batsmen, before Zampa arrived to attack the stumps with quite compelling effect.Those wickets meant that Gunaratne was not around to perform his third Houdini act in succession, and left Faulkner to lead the mop-up operation and the Australians to enjoy the consolation of a win in the final home international of the summer. Australia will next be glimpsed in coloured clothing at the ODI Champions Trophy in May and June.The hosts had recalled Zampa in place of Andrew Tye for the dead rubber, banking on his spin bowling at the ground where he also plays for South Australia. Sri Lanka called in Shanaka in place of the suspended Niroshan Dickwella, leaving Kusal Mendis to take over the wicketkeeper’s gloves and Munaweera to open.Finch had a hearty slice of good fortune in the first over of the evening when he tugged Lasith Malinga to midwicket and was dropped by Munaweera. He made up for it with a series of meaty blows inside the powerplay, while Klinger took some more time to get himself moving.The openers were parted at a healthy 79 in the ninth over, before Ben Dunk and then Travis Head offered further acceleration. At one point a tally beyond 200 looked more than plausible, but Head’s exit and the run out of a steadily building Klinger left the innings to peter out somewhat in the final overs. On a good pitch it appeared an open chase, before Zampa closed the door with some panache.

Matthew Wade has said the cracks in the pitch can play a huge role in the Australian spinners and fast bowlers picking up ten wickets on the second day of the Test

Melinda Farrell in Dharamsala25-Mar-2017Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has said Australia will look to exploit the same conditions that helped India take ten wickets when play resumes on the second day of the deciding Test in Dharamsala.While six of Australia’s batsmen fell to spin, four to Kuldeep Yadav on debut, the pace and bounce offered by the pitch will encourage Australia’s pace attack, as evidenced by the solitary over delivered by Josh Hazlewood before stumps, in which he had the ball zipping through nicely. Wade said the pitch offered the “best carry” in the series thus far.”That was quite enjoyable to have the ball coming in around shoulder height from behind the stumps,” Wade said. “That was something you get a little bit excited about.”Hopefully that can continue with the new ball tomorrow and Patty [Cummins] and Josh can pick up a couple of early wickets. But it’s definitely the best carry we’ve seen throughout the whole series for sure.”The cracks are playing a huge role, with the spinners as well as the quicks. So, we will be looking to get a bit out of the cracks in the wicket tomorrow. Hopefully, we can create ten opportunities.”On a day where Steven Smith yet again appeared to be batting on a different level to his team-mates, there were also timely half-centuries by David Warner – who was dropped on the first ball of the match – and Wade, in what was the first instance of either player passing 50 during the series.Smith and Warner took Australia to 144 for the loss of just one wicket, but Kuldeep’s post-lunch spell turned the favour of the opening day, and Wade admitted Australia had squandered their positive start.”I suppose a little bit yeah,” Wade said. “1 for 140 after lunch, you’d hope to push on. But it was credit to the Indians, they bowled really well through the middle session and we had to find a way to grind out 300. I thought to get there in the end was a good effort.”Smith has now made seven centuries in his past eight Tests against India and, while his batting might provide a blueprint for his team-mates, it’s questionable whether any of them could perform at the same level as their captain in his current form.”It looks that easy for him,” Wade said. “It’s obviously not that easy for him when he’s out there. But from sitting off the ground, it’s like he’s playing a different game for sure. He’s the best player in the world at the moment but he’s on track to be one of the greatest players Australia has ever seen.”

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has forgiven Spurs star Son Heung-min for Asian Cup final moment.

What moment is Ange Postecoglou referencing?

The Australian manager is referring back to the Asian Cup final in 2015, when as manager of the Australian National Team, he faced off against the Son-led South Korea.

The game was a classic, and in the 92nd minute, with Australia leading 1-0 and on the brink of securing the trophy, the then Bayer Leverkusen player was played in and fired South Korea level.

The game went into extra time, and a lone goal from Australian James Troisi won the match for Postecoglou and his side, whilst Son is still yet to win the tournament, but he will have the chance to do so this season with the tournament taking place from January-Feburary 2024.

Eight years on from that memorable final, The Australian manager is set to coach the South Korean goalscorer and has jokingly revealed that he had forgiven him for that late equaliser in a fan Q&A on the Tottenham Hotspur official YouTube channel.

The new manager was asked a question by the Spurs official South Korean supporters club about his personal relationship with the late great Ferenc Puskas, and before answering the question he said:

"First thing is I also have a relationship with Sonny, because he scored against me for Korea in the Asian Cup final. We were one minute away from winning it and Sonny scored the equaliser. Then we got him in extra time, so I've already said to him, he's forgiven for that."

Where will Son Heung-min play under Postecoglou?

Postecoglou is expected to bring the biggest overhaul to Tottenham tactically since the arrival of Jose Mourinho back in 2019.

Spurs have mainly deployed a back three in recent seasons, however, the Australian could be set to play his preferred set-up of 4-3-3 that he showcased at Celtic.

Not only does this change directly impact the defenders, but the forwards at Spurs could also benefit from this change in setup, with the addition of a third midfielder opening up a wider range of possibilities in the attacking phase of play.

At the moment, it looks like Son will play in his preferred role, the left-hand side of a front three, with Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski the most likely to join him in completing that front three.

Postecoglou has shown at Celtic that he has the ability to unlock the potential in wingers, with Al Ittihad's newest signing Jota being the finest example of this. Last season the Portuguese winger enjoyed the finest season of his young career, scoring 11 and assisting 11 in 33 appearances, earning himself a WhoScored average rating of 7.48 which was the highest in the entire Bhoys squad.

Son had a disappointing campaign last time out by his usual high standards, scoring only 10 goals in 36 games which was his second-lowest goal return in his Spurs career. In previous years under Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho when employed as an inside forward, the South Korean produced his two best seasons, with 23 goals and 17 goals respectively.

Should Son manage to return to his previous high standards, Postecoglou could help further unlock the quality of the 30-year-old in the clubs quest to return to the top four.

Newcastle United may finally find out what their chances are of landing Kieran Tierney this week, with Football Insider reporting that the defender will decide on his future in talks with Mikel Arteta.

What is the latest Newcastle United transfer news?

There has been plenty in the pipeline for the Toon this summer, with the Premier League outfit clearly realising the need to improve their squad for a campaign spent in both the top flight and European competition. The Magpies will be eager to ensure they can compete on all fronts, and that has led to interest in numerous players already this transfer window.

One of the deals that appears to be advancing is for Harvey Barnes, with Newcastle now in contact with Leicester over a potential deal for the winger. Having impressed for the Foxes during his time in the top tier, he could now find an escape route back to the Premier League with Eddie Howe's side.

There is no official bid on the table for the Englishman yet, and another forward option they are looking at is Federico Chiesa at Juventus, with the Toon set to open fresh discussions with the Italian outfit and the winger's representatives over a potential transfer deal.

Is Kieran Tierney joining Newcastle United?

However, one name that has seemingly been linked with a switch to St James' Park since the beginning of the summer is that of Kieran Tierney at Arsenal. The defender has been on Newcastle's wanted list since the end of the 2022/23 season, and it seems as though the St James' Park outfit are still in pole position to land him, despite competition from Celtic.

Now, according to a report from Football Insider, the 26-year-old is set to hold talks with current boss Arteta and his future "will be decided this week".

The left-back could still decide to stay on at the Emirates – and if he did, Newcastle will have to move on to alternative targets quite quickly, but the report reaffirms that the Magpies are still the front runners to get a deal done.

Tierney has been praised highly in the past by boss Mikel Arteta too, so perhaps the Spaniard won't want him to leave unless he doesn't see a place in the squad for him. He stated that the left-back was "fantastic" during a performance against Crystal Palace and despite affording him limited game time last season, the Scot did impress when given the chance.

Indeed, going by FBRef's metrics, comparing the 26 year-old with others in his position across the top five European leagues, Tierney ranks highly for non penalty goals, assists, progressive passes and progressive carries, suggesting he could bring a lot more attacking impetus to the left flank on Tyneside than Dan Burn, who is of course naturally a centre-back.

That is why there are teams seemingly so keen to snap up the player this summer – and if Newcastle do manage to land the 26-year-old, it could really bolster their backline ahead of a daunting season in four competitions.