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He has conquered the Twenty20 format, he has surprised some with his effectiveness in Tests, and now David Warner has finally sorted out the confusion about why he had not played that big ODI innings

Sidharth Monga at the Gabba 04-Mar-2012Until tonight, David Warner’s ODI career was an anomaly. He had scored two superlative Test centuries despite limited first-class experience (only 17 games, including six Tests), he had set the Twenty20 world alight, but the one-day international game remained unconquered. He had played 18 games before today for just 405 runs.Warner nearly did not play the first final. On statistics alone, he would have been the choice to make way for the returning captain Michael Clarke. Cricket does not work on statistics alone, though. Australia stuck with Warner. They knew he could win a match off his bat alone. They knew he could play above the game around him. They were right. Warner responded with the eighth-highest maiden century in the history of ODIs. Six of the seven above him came against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or Associates, with the other against New Zealand.Warner has always challenged logic. He was a Twenty20 showman who watched balls sail into the stands with his hand on his helmet, and hardly played first-class cricket. Then came the Tests, and all you wanted to ask was: where the bloody hell were ya? It remained confounding, though – a bit like it was with Virender Sehwag a few years ago – that this man had the two extremes figured out and was struggling with the middle path.”It is cricket, isn’t it? The way I play I am going to come off sometimes, and sometimes not,” Warner said of the phenomenon. Perhaps his reputation hurt him. Perhaps he wanted to dominate a bit too early. Like with Sehwag, you knew it would not be too long before Warner would say hello to this format too.After he scored that whirlwind Test hundred at the WACA, Warner said that he had been worried because the runs had not been coming for him in recent times. He did not feel any such nerves today, despite a slow start to his ODI career. “At the end of the day, I didn’t feel any pressure at all,” Warner said after Australia’s victory at the Gabba. “I backed myself, my instincts and how I play. I went out there with the same attitude, to get the team off to a good start, and I did. Me and Matt [Matthew Wade] put on a 100-run partnership, which was fantastic. At the end of the day it is cricket, and I am thoroughly enjoying it still.”Australian conditions, which offer movement for longer than has become the norm in ODI cricket, perhaps require a more circumspect approach at the top, especially with two new balls. Warner built a solid foundation today, not going out of his way to hit boundaries. It was also the time when the pitch was at its freshest. The ball jagged around, but it helped that Matthew Wade ran away at the top.”Obviously the first 50 runs were a bit scratchy,” Warner said. “I felt that I didn’t really hit one ball off the middle, but by then I knew I had to keep going, with Matthew. I had to be there at the end. I knew in the middle period if I kept going and got a big hundred, we would get 300.”Warner did make a change to his mindset in that he wanted to bat through the 50 overs. “We have always said that one of the top four batters has to bat through because then we’ll get 300,” Warner said. “Today I had a job to do. That was my role, and I was the set batsman. With the Powerplays I had to bat my normal way, and I did that, and when Michael [Clarke] came in he said to me, ‘You try to be there till the 46-47th over, and I did that.’ It was a conscious effort from me to stay there through the 50 overs, and it put us in a great position.”Once Warner got in, he sizzled. The middle overs and spread fields did not seem to matter. The bowlers were not safe, nor were the umpires, and the crowd too had to be alert. The two shots that often stand out for Warner are his pulls and cuts in front of square, which become important when the pitch is slow, as it was tonight. Warner kept hitting those shots once he had reached the middle part of the innings.The persistence with a potential matchwinner has paid off for Australia, but Warner strained his groin too, while turning back for a second in the 45th over, and it is “very very” sore at the moment.Warner’s performance should have set up a one-sided win for Australia. That they did not win it so convincingly is a different matter, but Warner brought back memories of numerous ODIs that Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden took away from the opposition, something Australia have missed since their retirements.Edited by Dustin Silgardo

Some may point to the nature of the pitch but it was nowhere near as inert as some of Bangalore’s big-name players were

Cricinfo staff19-May-2008
Ferveez Maharoof’s allround show settled the deal for Delhi © Getty Images
It was a dismissal that summed up Bangalore’s shambolic displays in thiscompetition. Misbah-ul-Haq, who finally revealed why so many consider hima maestro of the Twenty20 format, smacked one hard to long-off and set off. Foran instant, it looked as though it might be four, but Shoaib Malik, on asa substitute for Gautam Gambhir, made good ground to stop the ball withhis forearm.It was the last ball of the 16th over and given that the scoreboard washardly moving, Cameron White had hared across for the first and turnedquickly for the second. Misbah, perhaps used to more leisurely rhythms, didn’t respond, and Malik’s throw to the bowler was passed on to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. White, who now has a paltry 57 runs in the IPL, was yards out.Unlike in Test cricket, where you can have a poor session, or a one-daygame, where you can be whacked in the Powerplays before staging acomeback, Twenty20 is an unforgiving format. A couple of bad overs and the gameslides out of reach. Given the rain in the air and the cool conditions,Rahul Dravid would have been justified in expecting something special fromhis quick bowlers when they emerged to defend 154. Instead, Dale Steynapart, they dished up the sort of rubbish that Geoffrey Boycott would havefancied his mum to hit.For Delhi, Glenn McGrath and Farveez Maharoof had been almost immaculate,conceding 28 from eight overs and taking four wickets along the way. Thecontrast with Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar couldn’t have been more stark.Bangalore’s duo, both internationals, went for a whopping 70 fromfive overs, with Bharat Chipli’s brilliant catch at point gifting Praveena wicket.Bowling half-volleys and long hops to Sehwag isn’t clever at the best oftimes. To do so when your team had half a chance thanks to Misbah’s lateflails was beyond the pale. Sehwag tried to defend his mates, saying: “Thewicket was flat, good to bat on, and Gautam and I played really reallywell”, but in reality, the pitch was nowhere near as inert as some ofBangalore’s big-name players were.Dravid was diplomatic as always, though he admitted that conceding 91 fromthe first seven overs wasn’t the best way to defend a modest target.”Given the conditions, I thought it was a good, fighting total,” he said.”Their top two are the guys in form and if we could have cracked one, oreven both of them, open, we might have had a chance. But yes, we couldhave bowled a little better.”The consolation prize, and that’s all that Bangalore will win this season,came in the shape of a tidy spell from Anil Kumble and a superb allrounddisplay from Sreevats Goswami. With just one wicket in his previous sixoutings, the $500,000 investment on Kumble was looking rather generous,but on Monday night the old tricks and temperament scripted a niceturnaround.Tillakaratne Dilshan was smartly stumped by Goswami off a big legbreak andDinesh Karthik then miscued one to cover for White to take a fine catch.Had a contentious caught-and-bowled appeal against Shikhar Dhawan beenupheld, Kumble’s figures would have been 4-0-18-3. As it was, the spellsfrom him and Steyn weren’t quite enough to camouflage the inadequacies ofothers.Goswami, who has spent the last few weeks training alongside Mark Boucher,was as relaxed behind the stumps as he was in front of it. Bangalore’sbatting displays in this competition have been dire to put it mildly, andit was no surprise that his 39-ball half-century elicited huge cheers froma sizeable crowd. He ran the singles and twos with purpose and also pulledthe ball with immense power for a little man.”He got an opportunity after quite a long wait,” said Dravid. “He’s gotsomething about him. He showed some pluck and some fight out there.”Cautious against the accurate Maharoof, he chose his moments well, pickingoff Pradeep Sangwan, his Under-19 team-mate and Rajat Bhatia with aplomb.Ultimately though, even Goswami had to cede centrestage to the realheroes, Delhi’s dynamic bowling duo. “Both of them [McGrath and Maharoof]hardly gave anything,” said a smug Sehwag later. “They know where to bowland how to bowl.”For the moment, few batsmen have any answers. Bring on Ganguly, Tendulkarand Jayasuriya.

James McClean admitted he was "p*ssed" off with himself after picking up a suspension as Wrexham were held to a goalless draw with Harrogate Town.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Wrexham held to 0-0 draw with Harrogate
• Winger McClean to miss next two matches
• Frustrated over his actions

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons missed the chance to go joint top with League Two leaders Mansfield after failing to break down a resolute Harrogate at the Racecourse on Tuesday night. To make matters worse, former Republic of Ireland international McClean will miss the Welsh side's next two games due to picking up his 10th booking of the season – something he was "frustrated" about.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT JAMES MCCLEAN SAID

  The 34-year-old wrote in an Instagram story: "A night of frustration, a point gained tho[ugh], p*ssed with myself picking up a suspension now but we drive her on."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While many Wrexham fans may feel like this result was two points dropped rather than one point gained, they are now up to second in the table with nine games remaining. However, third-placed Stockport have two games in hand and are just a point behind, and Crewe are just three points back in fourth. Although it is very close, Wrexham are in the automatic promotion spots ahead of the final stretch of the season.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Phil Parkinson's Wrexham, who have the best home record in the division, have a chance to strengthen their hold on the automatic promotion spots when they host Tranmere at the weekend at the Racecourse.

Taylor has created herself a portfolio of superb leg-side stumpings including two this season

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2018Adam Gilchrist rates England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor the best in the world across all formats of the game.Responding to a question in a interview during the ODI in Durham, Gilchrist highlighted Taylor’s work up to the stumps which has regularly been world-class.Taylor has created herself a portfolio of superb leg-side stumpings, alongside other examples of outstanding glovework, including two this season one of which was a breath-taking effort to remove Dane van Niekerk when she gathered a half volley from pace bowler Katherine Brunt.”I tweeted, no longer than a week ago, that she is the best wicketkeeper in the world at the moment – male or female,” Gilchrist said. “She’s done some work over the years in the Big Bash in Australia and with social media now you can see these little snippets.
“It’s a pretty bold statement, because there are a lot of fine wicketkeepers around – Alyssa Healy is another from the women’s game, just so skilful with soft hands effecting these leg-side stumpings.”[They] spend so much time up to the stumps with a little less pace on the ball in the women’s game [and are] so skilful, I’ve seen a lot and a couple in the internationals over the last week or two have been brilliant pieces of work.”

"How many injuries have we got?" barked Kieran Trippier to a disgruntled fan following Newcastle United's 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday evening in what was a very unhappy return to the Vitality Stadium for manager Eddie Howe.

The Magpies are currently missing 13 players through injuries and suspensions and are down to the bare bones at the moment, having picked up just two wins from their last six games in all competitions.

The defence has been plagued with problems this season too. Both Dan Burn and Sven Botman will be missing in action for quite some time, while Matt Targett and Javi Manquillo are also unavailable. As a result, the Newcastle boss has already begun looking for defensive reinforcements.

Newcastle transfer latest

Back in January, the Geordie club dipped into Premier League rivals Everton's pool of players to strengthen the squad ahead of a tense top-four race. Eventually, the two clubs agreed on a £45m fee for Anthony Gordon and the winger was on his way to St. James' Park.

Amid an injury crisis at the club, FootballTransfers are reporting that Newcastle have their eyes on another gem from Goodison Park and will look to make a move for defender Jarrard Branthwaite when the winter window opens up in a few weeks' time.

The outlet are claiming that Howe is a massive fan of the former PSV Eindhoven loanee and believes the centre-back can be the perfect successor for Fabian Schar in the heart of the defence.

It was reported during the summer that Manchester United were keeping tabs on the 21-year-old, with Everton slapping a price tag of £25m on his back, although Branthwaite has now become a regular starter under Sean Dyche so this fee may have risen since.

Jarrard Branthwaite's stats this season

Having joined the Toffees from Carlisle United in 2020 for £1m, Branthwaite has made 25 appearances in all competitions for Everton, with 12 coming this season alone.

Following an impressive performance and a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Bournemouth back in October, journalist Elliot Bretland called the England U21s international an "unbelievable" talent as his stock at the highest level continues to rise.

In comparison with the rest of the centre-backs in the Premier League and Europe's top five leagues over the course of the last 365 days, Branthwaite impressively holds his own.

The defender is in the top 20% for tackles per 90, the top 8% for shots blocked per 90, the top 5% for passes blocked per 90 and the top 12% for ball recoveries per 90. Additionally, Branthwaite is also in the top 12% for goal-creating actions which proves he's also a threat from set-pieces and in the final third, not just a wonderful defender.

Branthwaite was Everton's Man of the Match during a 1-0 win away at West Ham at the end of the previous month. Premier League icon and pundit Alan Shearer described his display as "magnificent".

The Everton star is statistically better defensively than Schar this season and is winning 62.8% of his aerial duels while also making 1.7 interceptions per 90. In comparison, Newcastle's Swiss sergeant has won just 51.2% of his aerial duels this term and is making only 0.92 interceptions per 90.

Branthwaite has a higher ceiling than Schar and with the latter turning 32 in December, the Newcastle head coach would be wise to find a younger, long-term replacement.

The Everton defender fits the mould perfectly and could follow in the impressive footsteps of Gordon this winter. It's a transfer strategy that has already worked wonders with the young winger having registered six goal contributions this term. If Brathwaite could replicate performances like that, Howe and Co will have struck gold again.

Arsenal are expected by one journalist to seal the signing of one "unique" marquee star for manager Mikel Arteta, and he looks set to leave his club.

Who will Arsenal sign in January?

There are some holes to fix in Arteta's squad next year, despite their rip-roaring start to the new Premier League campaign. While Arsenal are unbeaten over their first nine top-flight matches, winning six of them, arguments remain over the lack of depth in certain areas. Going by some reports in the media, they've made no secret of their desire to sign another midfield player, leading to links with Royal Antwerp sensation Arthur Vermeeren and Wolves left-winger Pedro Neto.

Amid uncertainty surrounding the future of Thomas Partey, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Arteta shore up that area of the squad, with Partey apparently growing frustrated over his playing time despite the player's mounting injuries (90min). Meanwhile, Arsenal are said to want an alternative to Bukayo Saka out wide, leading to their reported interest in Neto (Football Transfers).

However, the most heavily linked star comes in the form of Brentford ace Ivan Toney. Arteta is lacking world-class strength in depth in the centre-forward area with just Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to choose from, while summer signing Kai Havertz hasn't exactly pulled up many trees as the makeshift number nine option. As reported by reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the "big name" Toney is "ready" to leave Brentford, which could hand Arsenal an opportunity.

"He’s another big name to watch for January," wrote Romano on his Daily Briefing last week.

"Arsenal and Chelsea are informed on Toney’s situation, they know his situation very well and that he’s ready to make a top club move in January. It will depend on how much these clubs want to spend.

"In any case, Toney is absolutely ready to leave Brentford."

Ivan Toney transfer update

The Englishman, who scored 20 league goals last season, is currently serving a ban for alleged gambling breaches but will return to the field in mid-January. Reporter Tom Roddy of The Times, speaking on The Game Football Podcast, fully expects Toney to join Arsenal – and adds to Romano's point that he looks set to leave his current club.

“Oh yeah, almost certainly, I think January," said Roddy when about Toney's possible exit.

"I think it will happen in January. I would be surprised if he played for Brentford again. My expectation is Arsenal. They have looked at him, there are multiple clubs that have looked at him, he’s on a list at Chelsea of interest, but you watch Arsenal and they create a lot of chances and they just don’t take them, that’s what they lack, a goalscoring striker."

The 27-year-old could cost as much as £80 million (ESPN), but alongside his excellent goal record in recent seasons, he's been praised as "unique" player by his manager Thomas Frank.

“Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects,” Frank said earlier this year.

“The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing. He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team. He’s remarkable. I can only talk about the Ivan that I see every day around the place and he’s a fantastic person around the group. He’s got that unique emotional intelligence to be aware of all the players, and every staff member."

أعلن المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي نانت، أنطوان كومباري، عن تشكيل اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون مباراة بريست في إطار منافسات كأس فرنسا.

ويلاقي نانت نظيره بريست على ملعب “فرانسيس لو بلي”، في إطار منافسات دور الـ32 من كأس فرنسا، في تمام الساعة السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

اقرأ ايضاً.. تقارير سعودية توضح عرض الهلال “الخرافي” لضم محمد صلاح

وتأهل نانت إلى منافسات دور الـ32 من كأس فرنسا وذلك عقب فوزه على درانسي برباعية نظيفة.

بينما تأهل بريست إلى الدور ذاته وذلك بعدما نجح في الفوز على نادي لو روتش بهدف مقابل لا شيء.

تشكيل نانت الفرنسي شهد تواجد الدولي المصري مصطفى محمد، على مقاعد البدلاء بمواجهة اليوم. تشكيل نانت أمام بريست في كأس فرنسا

حراسة المرمى: كالجرين.

خط الدفاع: أميان، دوفيرين، بالويس، كوزا.

وسط الملعب: تشيريفيلا، دوجلاس أوجستو، ليبنانت.

خط الهجوم: سيمون، ماتيس أبلين، توماس. بدلاء نانت اليوم أمام بريست في كأس فرنسا

باربيت، اكابندي، كوكو، جبامين، ليروا، موليت، تابيبو، مصطفى محمد، جيراسي.

﹅ Le XI de départ face à Brest.

✘ @coupedefrance #OnEstNantes pic.twitter.com/iO6FSfkeLV — FC Nantes (@FCNantes) January 15, 2025

Liverpool’s diligence and careful planning over the past several years has allowed Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to ride the crest of a wave of intent in the summer transfer market.

While the Reds’ defensive line was hampered by the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of last season, Anfield’s vice-captain now coloured in Real Madrid white, FSG acted incisively to wrap up deals for new full-back pairing Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, joining from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.

The latter was the first to arrive, and boasts an electric kind of skill set which lends itself to a more attacking berth too. In this way, he can contest with Conor Bradley for a starring role while covering for Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

Frimpong certainly has offensive quality, once hailed as a “monster in the final third” by The United Stand’s Beth Tucker. Excitingly, he’s not even Liverpool’s best Leverkusen addition this summer, with Florian Wirtz welcomed to the fold for a British-record £116m fee.

The attacking midfielder has the lot, and will likely upgrade on the club’s existing attacking midfield options while concurrently replacing Alexander-Arnold’s limitless creativity.

Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz

Slot opened with an interesting gambit this summer, reorienting Liverpool’s creative focal point. Trent has long been regarded among the crème de la crème of playmaking in the Premier League, but he’s gone, and the champions were right in signing world-class talent more aligned with tactical conventions.

Wirtz, 22, has been an utter menace for Bayer Leverkusen over the past several years, bursting from the youth scene with gusto, flooring seasoned professionals with his bounding strides. In 2023/24, he earned the honour of Bundesliga Player of the Year, vital in toppling Bayern Munich after an invincible domestic campaign.

He’s the real deal and will add more flair and flavour to a title-rich Liverpool team. Wirtz has something most every attacking midfielder yearns for: he brings completeness defined by its artful and industrious mix.

For example, Dominik Szoboszlai is a fantastic player, crucial for Liverpool, but he lacks the potency and speciality that Wirtz brings to the table.

Matches (starts)

31 (25)

36 (29)

Goals

10

6

Assists

12

6

Touches*

73.4

46.1

Shots (on target)*

2.5 (1.3)

1.9 (0.6)

Pass completion

82%

86%

Big chances created

17

12

Key passes*

1.8

1.6

Dribble success

2.6

0.6

Ball recoveries*

3.6

3.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.3

1.4

Duels won*

5.2

2.8

Harvey Elliott’s feet wear a similar magic, but he lacks the clear definition of his German counterpart. Elliott, 22, has been touted with a move away from Merseyside this summer, Brighton and Borussia Dortmund among the frontrunners.

Should the Young Lion leave, Slot will want a replacement, and while Liverpool have one of the very best in Wirtz, they appear keen on signing yet another attacking midfielder who could bloom into one of Europe’s finest.

Liverpool prepare bid for La Liga sensation

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are interested in signing Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez this summer. Fermin, 22, has enjoyed a fast rise from La Masia and is valued at €80m (roughly £69m).

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Hansi Flick’s focus on bringing attacking additions to Camp Nou has cast doubt over the Andalusian midfielder’s future, and Liverpool are ready to take advantage.

In fact, Anfield’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, is believed to be preparing a bid for the versatile star.

Liverpool might have signed Wirtz, but there’s room for such a profile to work on improving and blooming into a player of the highest class.

Why Liverpool want Fermin Lopez

Fermin is still young but he’s already established himself in a Barcelona side currently celebrating their La Liga and Copa del Rey double last year. The Spaniard also played a part in winning UEFA EURO 2024.

In total, he’s played 88 matches for the La Blaugrana senior side. With 19 goals scored and 11 assists laid on for his teammates, Fermin has a developing sharpness that has been utilised both centrally and out on the left flank.

In this manner, he’s not too dissimilar to Wirtz, especially when considering he ranked, per 90, among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goal contributions, the top 12% for pass completion, the top 9% for passes into the final third and the top 20% ball recoveries, as per FBref.

His positional fluidity and ball-playing focus link Fermin together with Liverpool’s new record man. However, there’s more. Digging deeper into the comparison, Fermin has been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being “simple and genius at the same time”.

There are exciting similarities in regard to the playmaking and pass-focused sides of the respective midfielders’ games, but don’t expect Fermin to bring as flashy and electric a game to Merseyside. He’s not that type of player.

However, Fermin’s alternate variation would give Liverpool the added dimension they need to continue to go from strength to strength under Slot’s wing.

Across 28 La Liga fixtures in 2024/25, as per Sofascore, he scored six goals and supplied five assists, so he might be a somewhat more pragmatic player but he’s certainly not without his offensive uses.

Without overextending with his creativity, Fermin manages to play that Wirtz-esque passing game in an industrious and controlled manner. He will collect the ball so many times across the 90, parcelling it out this way and that.

Liverpool enjoyed a stunning 2024/25 campaign, but they were felled at points – in particular in crash-out losses against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United – with both fixtures underscoring the need for more control and technical proficiency in the engine room.

Not that the Reds are lacking in that regard, just that they could do with that extra injection to win the lot next season. Wirtz and Fermin in tandem would likely help in that regard, for sure.

Slot's answer to Gyokeres: Hughes lines up Liverpool move for "crazy" CF

Liverpool have been named among the interested parties for this prolific forward.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

Crystal Palace have submitted a bid worth £8.5 million to sign a 21-year-old rising star who wants to move to Selhurst Park, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace chasing two new midfielders for Glasner

While the Eagles continue to wait for clarification on whether they will be playing in the Europa League or not next season, people behind the scenes are working hard on potential transfers, as Oliver Glasner and co. plan to improve many areas of the team regardless of how many fronts they are asked to compete on.

Crystal Palace make approach to bring in £20m midfielder along with Diomande

Crystal Palace already have their eyes on their next transfer target amid talks with Diomande.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 23, 2025

Midfield appears to be the priority for the South Londoners at this moment in time, as they work on not just one but two new midfield signings. Last week, it was reported by Alan Nixon, via TBR Football, that Palace had made an approach to RC Lens over signing Andy Diouf.

Despite potentially having European football, Palace are aware they could lose Adam Wharton in this transfer window and therefore want to have a replacement ready. It would cost the Premier League side just £20 million to get a deal wrapped up.

As Palace weigh where to go next with a deal for Diouf, reports also claim the Eagles have made contact with Brighton & Hove Albion player Igor Julio over a potential move to Selhurst Park. The South Londoners are not the only Premier League team chasing a deal, as Wolverhampton Wanderers are also interested in signing the midfielder, but he is said to be prioritising a move out of England at this moment in time.

Crystal Palace submit £8.5m striker bid

Despite the excellent form of Jean-Philippe Mateta last season, the Eagles are in the market for a new striker as well as new midfielders. According to Africa Foot, Crystal Palace have made a 10 million euros (£8.5m) bid to sign Oumar Diakité from Stade de Reims.

The report states that given Stade de Reims’ relegation to Ligue 2, Diakite is among the players attracting interest across Europe. But Palace are the ones who have made a concrete move to sign the young striker, and the Eagles are in a good position to complete a transfer, as Diakite is keen on the move to Selhurst Park.

As well as making a bid, Palace have also offered the player a five-year contract and are ready to pay him 3.5 million euros a year, which is roughly £2.9 million. The concern Palace do face is that Stade de Reims are not rushing to sell the player and are waiting for more ‘miraculous’ offers to arrive.

Apps

33

Goals

4

Assists

1

Palace’s interest in the 21-year-old is not new, as back in November it was reported that the Premier League side had identified Diakite as a long-term replacement for Mateta. The Ivory Coast international has shown in the last couple of seasons he knows where the back of the net is, but the hope will be for him to learn under the French star, not replace him.

Newcastle United have been a cut above the previous standard since Eddie Howe's arrival two years ago, having turned consistent relegation battles into a fight for European football and success on the continental scene.

The PIF takeover has, of course, been a crucial ingredient to their transformation, as the riches presented to the Englishman have allowed him to splash the cash in the transfer window.

While the likes of Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak were brought in as a result of this influx of investment – and have formed the backbone of their success – much credit has to go to Howe for his transformation of several fringe players, who were at the club prior to his arrival.

One of those is energetic midfielder Sean Longstaff.

Sean Longstaff's career so far

A product of Newcastle's youth academy – after joining at the age of nine – Longstaff has been plying his trade in black and white for 17 years but it's only recently where his attributes have been allowed to flourish.

The 26-year-old's journey towards first-team stardom has been a tricky one, as the early years of his development were blighted by injuries and this curtailed his chances of becoming a regular fixture in the senior setup.

From being loaned out to Kilmarnock and Blackpool between 2017 and 2018 to suffering multiple serious injuries that saw him miss 120 days of the 2018/19 campaign, Longstaff never managed to nail a place in the starting XI, but that all changed when Howe arrived at the club.

Now a crucial cog in Newcastle's side due to his boundless amounts of energy, who brings the best out of midfield partners Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes, Longstaff is an "unsung hero" as dubbed by pundit Paul Merson – who has popped up with some incredible moments for the Toon in recent times.

After scoring a brace in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Southampton last term to notching in the Champions League against PSG, it is clear to see why the term unsung hero is coined for the Englishman.

However, it's more than just his goals that have impressed the masses this term.

Sean Longstaff's current transfer value

Longstaff has appeared in all but one match for Newcastle this season, scoring three times and assisting once.

In addition to popping up with match-winning moments from midfield, the 26-year-old has demonstrated his ability to drive the attacking phases of play.

He is particularly adept at providing dangerous progressive passes forward and this is a crucial attribute to have as a midfielder.

Dubbed as "outstanding" previously by journalist Henry Winter, Longstaff averages 5.32 progressive passes per game, 2.22 touches in the attacking penalty box and 3.55 progressive passes received, as per FBref.

Clearly able to dictate the tempo of a match with his exquisite passing range and composure, his main strength is covering ground and winning possession back for his team, having averaged 3.8 balls recovered, 1.3 tackles and 3.2 duels won this term.

As a result of his impressive displays that have caught the eye, Longstaff is now worth £26m (€30m), as per Football Observatory, which is a testament to how much he's improved in recent years.