Ever since Sandro Tonali joined Newcastle United, the running joke has been his constant lack of smile, with many quick to joke that the Italian would much rather still be at AC Milan, rather than the Magpies.His debut display showed anything but an uncommitted player, however, with the Italian putting in an impressive first shift as a Newcastle player. We may not have got that big smile yet, but Eddie Howe certainly has reason to remain positive about his new arrival.With Champions League football to think about in the coming campaign, every player in Howe’s squad will have a job to do. And, given Tonali’s price tag of £55m, he, more so than others, will have the pressure on him to perform.Just 23, the midfielder has the chance to become a constant feature in a potential era to remember at St James’ Park.

Sandro Tonali impresses on Newcastle debut

And while not every new signing is having a great pre-season – check out Kai Havertz at Arsenal for instance – it appears the new NUFC man is settling in smoothly on the pitch.

As you can see from the video, Tonali’s performance, whilst not exactly flashy, was incredibly neat and tidy. Meanwhile, something to note was how physical the Italian was, which should see him settle into the intensity of Premier League football rather quickly.

He also played a part in the build-up to the first goal of the game, playing a fine first-touch pass to grab himself a pre-assist.

Newcastle ran out 2-1 winners at Ibrox against Rangers in what was Alan McGregor’s testimonial match. The Magpies initially took the lead through Miguel Almiron, before Sam Lammers equalised for the hosts after the break.

Securing the victory late on, Harrison Ashby found the back of the net in the 87th minute to hand Newcastle a solid second game of pre-season against the Scottish Premiership side.

Howe’s side started their pre-season against Gateshead, of course, winning 3-2 in a back-and-forth affair as they came back from two goals down.

The Newcastle manager commented on his side’s most recent display, saying: “Bits of the first half was outstanding, some really good football.

“Second half wasn’t as pretty and clean but there were a lot of changes, we managed to find a way to win again and that’s a great thing.”

What kind of player is Sandro Tonali?

Tonali is not a player that will necessarily leave you in awe. But he is a player that you’ll look back on as an important cog in a well-oiled machine, sitting at the base of a midfield three.

To get a better understanding of his talents, Football FanCast have done an in-depth profile on the player which you can read here.

The Italian’s arrival is particularly positive for Bruno Guimaraes, who will have a greater license to advance into a more offensive role next season, such is the discipline of Tonali.

Last season, the Brazilian was involved in 10 goals in all competitions, scoring five and assisting a further five. Suddenly, however, those numbers could increase even more if he is allowed to advance more often.

Tonali certainly has plenty of time to improve, too, given the fact that he’s just 23. And, with that, giving him time to settle wouldn’t exactly be a bad thing. After all, he’s not coming into a Newcastle side in desperate need of reinforcements.

After his debut performance, though, it’s clear that the Magpies have got themselves a player who is more than capable of stepping into England’s top flight, perhaps helping his new side to even greater heights than last season.

Here are some Twitter reactions after his eye-catching display.

A fourth-wicket stand of 246 gave West Indies control at Headingley, Shai Hope making an unbeaten 147 – his maiden Test hundred – on a memorable day for the visitors alongside Kraigg Brathwaite’s sixth Test century

The Report by Andrew McGlashan26-Aug-2017
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAt Edgbaston, two completed innings from West Indies mustered 305 runs and neither lasted even 50 overs. On the second day at Headingley, one West Indies partnership added 246 runs in 68 overs as Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope turned a promising revival with the ball into a full-blown resurgence.Brathwaite’s 134 was his sixth Test century, brought up from 189 balls with a six off Tom Westley in the final over before tea, while for Shai Hope – who took 159 deliveries – it was his first. After a lean start to his Test career, Hope’s century came three matches after his previous best of 90 and offered, dare we say, hope that the investment in him will bring long-term returns. The pair had come together inside the first hour of the day with West Indies 35 for 3 and the memories still fresh of the 19-wicket day last week.By the time England broke through, deep in the final session, when Broad burst through Brathwaite’s defence with the second new ball, West Indies were in the lead – the first time they had been ahead on first innings in England since Old Trafford in 2004 – and the partnership was West Indies’ biggest in England for more than 30 years, since Gordon Greenidge and Larry Gomes famously made David Gower regret his declaration at Lord’s in 1984.At the close, the lead stood at 71 with five wickets in hand. Ben Stokes had removed Roston Chase, edging a short delivery to first slip and there was the prospect of the fantastic work being undone. However, Jermaine Blackwood – whose idea of playing for the close was to continue to attack – ensured the day ended on a strong note. Hope’s unbeaten 147 was West Indies’ highest individual innings in England since Brian Lara’s 179 at The Oval in 1995.Until the new ball defeated him, Brathwaite’s 249-ball stay was a chanceless affair although he was twice grateful for DRS. On 34 he was given lbw to Broad but there had been an inside edge, while on 46 he was given the same way against Moeen Ali but was outside the line – one ball later he deposited Moeen into the stands for his fifty, the shot he would repeat a couple of hours later for the century.The team performance at Edgbaston brought much ridicule, but West Indies’ previous away Test had been a victory over Pakistan in Sharjah in which Brathwaite carried his bat for 142 in the first innings before marshalling the chase with an unbeaten 60 in the second.As the only member of the current squad with over 2000 Test runs, Brathwaite had already established his credentials at this level. The same could not said of Shai Hope who started this innings with an average under 20. However, he has been highly rated in the Caribbean since before his debut against England in 2015 and here that promise shone through.His fifty came from 72 balls with a strong straight drive against Chris Woakes and he came through Stokes’ attempts to unsettle him which included a hefty blow on the back of the helmet from a slippery bouncer. Ten minutes before tea, on 72, he flicked a delivery from Moeen to short leg but Mark Stoneman couldn’t cling on – it would have been an unfortunate way to go and West Indies’ effort deserved a few things to go their way.Whereas Brathwaite generally fed off short-of-a-length deliveries – of which England’s quicks offered up too many – Hope was eye-catching off the front foot (although his one-legged pull off Stokes to reach 99 was a reverse image of Lara). But for both the century-makers it was the early work in the morning session, when there was cloud cover and a new ball zipping around, that was most important to back up West Indies’ talk between matches that they had the batsmen to stand up to England in their conditions.England were off-colour with the ball; Broad struggled to consistently hit a full length (the sort that eventually dismissed Brathwaite) and after a promising first seven-over spell where he was unlucky not to pick up a wicket, Woakes looked more like a man making his way back into Test cricket after a lengthy lay-off.James Anderson was the pick of England’s bowlers and another bounty looked on the cards in the early forays of the day. He removed nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo in the fifth over of the day and then gave Kyle Hope another tough examination early in his Test career. A series of outswingers was followed by the inswinger, which brought the outside edge and Joe Root took a sharp catch at second slip. But for the rest of the day, Anderson remained stalled on 495 Test wickets, as did England’s hopes of forging a position from which they could take control of the match. That control, at least overnight, belonged to West Indies.

Manchester United have been fairly quiet during the transfer market, with Mason Mount and Andre Onana their only signings so far. Erik ten Hag will be eyeing more arrivals over the next couple of weeks, especially with the start of the Premier League season beginning shortly.

The Dutchman will surely be aiming to strengthen his attacking options ahead of next season and with this in mind, he has held talks with Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani, according to The Athletic.

How much will Randal Kolo Muani cost Manchester United?

Despite Hojlund being the priority target, it is evident that Ten Hag needs more than just one new striker should he wish to challenge both domestically and on the European stage next season.

The Frenchman could cost United a fee of around £80m should he make the move to the Premier League this summer and this could mean the Red Devils need to offload a few players in order to free up some funds.

How many goals has Randal Kolo Muani scored?

Although primarily a centre-forward, the 24-year-old can play across the front three, which will give Ten Hag some added options, yet it is clear that should he join United, his goalscoring abilities will ensure he is deployed through the middle.

Across his senior club career, Kolo Muani has scored 49 goals and registered 38 assists from 147 matches, and it appears he is getting better with each passing year.

During the 2021/22 campaign for Nantes, he notched 20 goal contributions – 13 goals and seven assists, yet since joining Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, he began to deliver on his talent.

Having played 46 matches in all competitions, he managed to score 23 goals and grabbed 17 assists, doubling his goal contributions from the previous year, and it isn’t hard to see why teams such as United are after him.

He is also statistically similar to Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez and although the Uruguayan didn’t quite live up to his £85m transfer fee, he still scored 15 times across all competitions and given time to settle, he could be another excellent purchase by the Anfield side.

According to FBref, Nunez is the sixth-most comparable player to Kolo Muani and they both pose a significant threat in the final third.

The Frenchman ranks in the top 7% across Europe’s big five leagues for progressive carries (3.09) and the top 13% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (6.24), suggesting he is among the elite at carrying the ball forward often while making sure he is a regular fixture in the box.

Nunez also scores highly for both of these attacking metrics, ranking in the top 6% across the big five European leagues for progressive carries (3.18) and the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (8.12) and the similarities don’t end there.

WhoScored state that both Nunez and Kolo Muani list key passes and finishing as their main strengths, while the duo also like cutting inside as often as possible and Ten Hag could certainly have a formidable forward option at his disposal should he succeed with a move for the nine-cap French international.

German icon Lothar Matthaus even lauded him as a “future superstar”, yet judging by his recent numbers, it appears as though he is already showcasing his talents to the world.

West Brom have thrown their hat into the ring over a potential deal for Ao Tanaka, with reports suggesting that interest is mounting in the midfielder this summer.

Who is Ao Tanaka?

The 24-year-old currently plays for Dusseldorf in the second tier of German football, the 2.Bundesliga. Last season, he featured 22 times for the club as they finished fourth in the league, with the midfielder also managing one goal and one assist along the way in that division for his side. He originally joined them in the 2021/22 campaign and actually featured for them more in the league that year, with his game time dropping off slightly last time out.

Tanaka, who shares the same agency as Matt Phillips and Nathaniel Chalobah, began his career in his native Japan with Kawasaki Frontale, having been given his J1 League debut as a 19-year-old. He played only four times in that initial campaign but got his first taste of success as the club stormed to the league title.

He would go on to build on that trophy haul too, featuring much more prominently over the next four seasons as Frontale won a further two division titles. He eventually managed to rack up 79 league outings for them in total during his time there and produced eight goals and eight assists despite his position on the field.

These showings also led to Tanaka being called up to his national team of Japan. Having worked his way up through the youth ranks and played for their Under-16 and Under-23 sides, he was handed his debut back in 2019. The 24-year-old has since gone on to gather 19 caps on the international stage and has bagged three goals. The central player then, is both experienced with performing at the highest level with a club having won trophies in Japan and is experienced on the big stage in terms of playing for his country too.

Are West Brom signing Ao Tanaka?

Now, according to a report from Rheinische Post via West Brom News, there is interest in taking Tanaka to England this summer. West Brom are named as one of the clubs that are keeping a close eye on the midfielder, with Leicester another side that are weighing up a move to take him to the Championship.

No official bid has been made by any of these sides yet, but this report states that he could leave this transfer window as, whilst there is no move in the pipeline, things can change quickly. It does also add that interest is mounting, suggesting that perhaps there could be bids in the future.

If the Baggies were able to land Tanaka, then it could turn out to be a very good move. Carlos Corberan is trying to build a squad that is capable of pushing on and mounting at least a play-off push this season and Tanaka has the know-how of competing and winning titles.

Whilst he is obviously unproven in England having never played there previously, his level of experience in playing with his country and winning trophies could prove to be invaluable as West Brom aim to try and gain promotion from the Championship in 2023/24.

اتخذ لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، ريان جرافنبيرخ، قرارًا مهمًا بشأن مستقبله مع الريدز بعد نهاية الموسم الحالي.

وينتهي عقد جرافنبيرخ مع ليفربول في 30 يونيو 2028 ولكن أداء الهولندي الدولي لم يكن وفقًا للتوقعات في الموسم الحالي.

وسجل جرافنبيرخ 4 أهداف وصنع هدفين مع ليفربول هذا الموسم في 35 مباراة، وتلك الأرقام فتحت الباب أمام الكثير من التكهنات حول مستقبله داخل “أنفيلد”.

اقرأ أيضًا | كلوب يعترف: كنت على وشك الغناء أمام إيفرتون.. وما حدث أمر مروع

وبحسب شبكة “سكاي سبورتس”، هناك اهتمام من جانب الدوري التركي لضم جرافنبيرخ، لكن اللاعب ليس لديه أي نية للرحيل عن ليفربول هذا الصيف.

لم يفكر اللاعب الهولندي في الانتقال إلى تركيا، فهو سعيد مع ليفربول ويريد إثبات نفسه مع مدربه الجديد الذي من المتوقع أن يكون مواطنه، آرني سلوت.

وتوصل ليفربول بحسب متخصص سوق الانتقالات، فابرزيو رومانو، لاتفاق بالفعل مع سلوت لقيادة الفريق بداية من الموسم المقبل بعد رحيل، يورجن كلوب.

This will be the India offspinner’s first stint in county cricket, and he could be available as early as Worcestershire’s match against Gloucestershire starting on August 28

Sidharth Monga14-Aug-20172:08

Dasgupta: India will want Ashwin primed for overseas tours

India offspinner R Ashwin, who had been left out of the limited-overs leg of the tour of Sri Lanka, will play county cricket this season. He could be available as early as Worcestershire’s match against Gloucestershire starting on August 28. ESPNcricinfo had earlier reported that Worcestershire had shown interest in availing Ashwin’s services towards the end of their season.Ashwin’s India team-mate left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja is also in talks with the counties, but it as yet unclear whom he will play for.Worcestershire are currently placed second in division two of the county championships. Ashwin could come up against another India team-mate, Cheteshwar Pujara, in his second match as Worcestershire take on the table-leaders Nottinghamshire starting on September 5. Pujara is all set to continue playing for Nottinghamshire, whom he signed up for at the start of the season, following the conclusion of the Tests against Sri Lanka. Pujara scored 223 runs for them in five innings over four matches, including a match-winning hundred against Gloucestershire.This will be Ashwin’s first stint in county cricket. The last time India toured England for a Test series, he was played in only two of the five Tests, losing out to Jadeja in the first three. India have another five-Test series coming up in England next year.India’s next assignment after the Sri Lanka tour is the five ODIs against Australia starting on September 17. If Ashwin is selected for those matches, he might play only two matches in England. If he is not, he could go on till the end of the season as Worcestershire make a push for promotion.

It's been a summer of change in the Premier League, especially at Chelsea, as those in charge attempt to clear up the mess of last season's chaos, by welcoming Mauricio Pochettino.

Since the Argentine's arrival, the Blues have waved goodbye to a staggering 14 players in total, with some big names leaving, such as Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, and Mason Mount, all to Premier League rivals.

They have still splashed the cash too, most notably welcoming Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, whilst also completing a deal to sign AS Monaco's Axel Disasi, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Pochettino, among the chaos of the summer transfer window, must still find a new captain at Stamford Bridge, though, following the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta.

Reece James may have dropped a pretty major hint as to who that new captain will be, however.

Will Reece James be the next Chelsea captain?

Taking to TikTok, James posted a compilation of his time at Chelsea, from the academy to the first-team, with the video seemingly centred around the captain's armband, and times that the defender has taken up the role for the London club. While he also added the caption "We only getting started".

Given the fact that he's been given the armband throughout pre-season, even lifting the Premier League Summer Series alongside Thiago Silva, it would come as little surprise if it was, indeed, James who was named the new Chelsea captain.

It would be a proud moment for all involved, with the right-back coming all the way through the academy and into the first team, before becoming one of the best players in his position in the world.

In such a young squad, Pochettino will be keen to identify some clear leaders ahead of what will be an important first season in charge of the club. If James is to receive the armband, then his new manager will hope to see the England international hit the ground running.

How have Chelsea performed in pre-season?

Becoming the first-ever team to win the Premier League Summer Series, against Brentford, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Fulham, it's fair to say that Chelsea's pre-season has been a success so far.

In the three games that they played during the series, Chelsea defeated Brighton 4-3, drew against Newcastle 1-1, and defeated Fulham 2-0. New arrivals Jackson and Nkunku netted two goals apiece in an impressive start to life in a Chelsea shirt.

To finish an impressive pre-season, the Blues will square off against Borussia Dortmund on 3 August, before getting their Premier League campaign underway with a tough test against Liverpool on 13 August.

If Pochettino's side can get off to a perfect start against the Reds, then they will set themselves up to enjoy a solid start to life under their new manager. It will certainly be a difficult opening game, but Chelsea's pre-season form has been more than encouraging enough to warrant hope.

The London club may well be one of the most interesting sides to watch in the coming campaign, with few knowing quite what to predict from a new, and much younger, Chelsea side in the coming months.

Chelsea making a late transfer approach for Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca this summer is “not ruled out”, according to reliable journalist Ryan Taylor.

Is Matheus Franca leaving Flamengo?

Since graduating from his club’s academy to get promoted to the senior fold back in January 2022, Franca has clocked up a total of 54 first-team appearances at the Maracana Stadium, and Jorge Sampaoli’s side are in a very good position to retain his services.

The Brazil U20 international’s contract doesn’t expire for another four years meaning, that the Serie A outfit have every right to demand a hefty fee in order to sanction his sale – but this doesn’t seem to have stopped Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino from showing an interest.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano previously claimed that the Blues have “really appreciated” and “been following” the 19-year-old for a “long time”, but have never actually taken their admiration one step further, though that has seemingly now changed.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Are Chelsea signing Matheus Franca?

Taking to Twitter, Taylor revealed that Chelsea are still open and considering making an official move for Franca, but it’s Premier League rivals Crystal Palace who are currently ahead in the race for his signature.

He wrote: “Crystal Palace set to up offer for Flamengo attacker Matheus Franca. Chelsea approach not ruled out but interest has gone quiet since club-to-club meetings earlier this month.”

Expanding in his column for the Daily Express, the reporter claimed that the SW6 side “held formal discussions” regarding a swoop for their target in recent weeks, but Roy Hodgson’s team are, at this stage, “showing more intent” for the £21m-valued star.

How many goals has Matheus Franca scored?

Since the start of his career and indeed his time at Flamengo, Franca has posted 14 goal contributions (11 goals and three assists) in 59 matches, which is a promising return for an up-and-coming teenager, so should the attacking midfielder put pen to paper, he could be an exciting acquisition for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Rio de Janeiro native currently ranks in the 99th percentile for most successful take-ons and is averaging 1.9 shots per league game compared to those playing at a similar level, showing that he loves to dribble past his marker and take aim at the net, making him a dangerous threat for the opposition’s defence to deal with.

Flamengo’s “big talent”, as hailed by football scout Jacek Kulig, would also provide Pochettino with wonderful versatility having played in six various positions on the pitch since first bursting onto the scene, including across the frontline and two roles in the midfield, making him a great option to have available.

Franca has also already had a small taste of success having secured two pieces of silverware with his boyhood club, and if he was to join a team with a history of trophies like the Blues, his desire to win more would surely only increase, with this potential fire and fighting spirit making him an ideal recruit.

Everton and Atalanta continue to battle it out over the signing of Almeria forward El Bilal Toure during the summer transfer window, according to a key update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Are Everton signing El Bilal Toure?

The Blues have been linked with various players since the end of last season, as they look to avoid yet another disappointing Premier League campaign in 2023/24, following back-to-back relegation battles.

In seems clear that Everton simply must bring in more quality in attack, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin hard to depend upon because of fitness issues these days, and the likes of Neal Maupay doing nowhere enough to justify being a regular starter moving forward.

Toure is the player who appears to have become the Blues' primary transfer target in the final third, with numerous recent reports claiming that a move to Goodison Park is on the cards this summer.

Now, another report has emerged that further suggests that Everton are pushing hard to sign the Almeria ace, but they are not alone in expressing an interest.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Everton?

Writing on Twitter, Romano provided an update on the latest situation regarding Toure's future, saying that negotiations will continue with Everton this week:

"Understand Everton are still pushing to sign El Bilal Toure while Atalanta are on it too. Both clubs are in the race, fighting to sign Almeria striker. Negotiations will continue next week to get it done."

This is another positive update when it comes to Everton trying to acquire Toure's signature, and it ultimately looks like a straight choice between themselves and Atalanta, who have become a force in Serie A in recent years and will, therefore, provide stiff competition.

The lure of the Premier League is always great for any player, however, and if Sean Dyche can sell the Blues to Toure as a club, promising him a key role leading the line, it could sway his thinking.

While more than one attacking signing is probably needed at Goodison Park this summer, in terms of Dyche having enough squad depth at his disposal, the Almeria man could be a perfect place to start, coming in as a long-term signing who should only improve year upon year, considering he is still only 21 years of age.

A tally of seven goals in 22 appearances for his current club is a good start there, considering he is playing in one of Europe's top leagues, while five in 15 caps for Mali also shows that he is already making his mark on the international stage.

Toure has been compared to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, in terms of his extremely physical style up front, which should certainly excite Everton supporters and Dyche – if he has anywhere close to the impact the Ivorian did in England, then the Blues could have an absolute gem on their hands.

It looks almost nailed-on that the Malian with leave Almeria before the new season gets underway, and it looks all set to come down to either Everton or Atalanta, with the two clubs looking to outdo one another and show why Toure should choose them.

Benny Howell, a limited-overs specialist, has not played any championship cricket this season. Opening the innings for Gloucestershire is just as rare, although he fulfilled the role in 2012 when he joined the county from Hampshire.But when play ended early the 29-year-old all-rounder was only four runs away from a second Championship century, the first made against Leicestershire two years ago. Gloucestershire will resume on 161 for 1, still trailing by 281, with Howell on 96 and James Bracey on 45.Howell said: “It was very pleasing to hit the ball well after a frustrating season where I have been out of the side because of various niggles and injuries. I began my career as an opener, and after today hopefully I can push on and refresh my career in that position. I still want to play in all forms of cricket, especially the one- day format, and I could possibly move up the order and bat higher.”Howell adapted well to his new role, and with Chris Dent in fluent form, the opening pair put on 53 in 15 overs, before Dent sparred at one from Ruaidhri Smith to give wicketkeeper Chris Cooke a straightforward catch.Howell was then joined by 20-year-old James Bracey, a local product from the Bristol area, and after playing himself in, the wicketkeeper batsman played some elegant shots through the offside.The second wicket pair have added 108 for the second wicket, and with the slow pitch not offering anything to pace or spin, and with further rain likely to cause interruptions over the final two days, a draw is the likely outcome to this end of season encounter.Earlier Kiran Carlson was dismissed nine runs short of becoming Glamorgan’s youngest double centurion, when he chipped Jack Taylor to mid-on. The 19-year-old from Cardiff scored 191, an innings that lasted 7 hours 23 minutes.After losing two wickets in the final 15 minutes at the end of the first day, Smith helped Carlson add 97 runs for the eighth wicket, before Jack Taylor took two wickets in three balls, Smith edged Taylor’s arm ball to slip and Marchant De Lange was trapped leg before without scoring.