Newcastle United are hoping to leapfrog Premier League rivals Manchester United in the race for Napoli centre-half Kim Min-jae, who has been impeccable in Serie A this season.

What's the latest on Kim Min-jae to Newcastle?

Erik ten Hag's Red Devils are believed to be leading the race for the South Korean defender and are willing to meet his £42m release clause this summer, according to one Italian transfer specialist, but the Magpies could yet throw a spanner in the works.

That's according to the Sun, who claim that Toon representatives recently held 'secret' talks with the player's entourage at St. James' Park ahead of a possible hijack, with Kim's release clause activating on July 1.

The 26-year-old has only plied his trade for I Partenopei for one year after signing from Fenerbahce for just €18m (£16m) but has already earned a place among the pantheon of modern defensive titans for the magnitude of his performances in Naples.

Should Newcastle sign Kim Min-jae?

Newcastle finished the 22/23 Premier League season boasting a fourth-placed finish and the division's joint-mightiest defensive record, alongside champions Manchester City.

Sven Botman was signed in the summer for roughly £35m to complement the signings of Keiran Trippier and Dan Burn the previous winter.

Fabian Schar, who has made 141 appearances for the Toon, has undergone a resurgence under the stewardship of Eddie Howe and played a central role in the resounding success of the past 18 months, but at 31-years-old and with just one year left on his contract, he is unlikely to be deemed indispensable.

And with a signing of Kim's calibre entering the fray, having recorded an average rating of 7.22 in the Italian top-flight this term, as per Sofascore, posting two goals and assists apiece, completing 91% of his passes, winning 62% of his duels and averaging 1.6 tackles and 3.5 clearances per outing, he certainly deserves the acclaim that has left the likes of teammate Kvicha Kvaratskhelia dubbing him an "iron barrel".

While the 75-cap Schar has been a distinctive presence at the back over the past year, ranking among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues for rate of assists and the top 2% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, he is not of the same ilk as Kim, who has been described as an all-encompassing defender with "no flaws" by journalist Ivan Zacharoni.

Indeed, he ranks among the top 14% of positional peers for shot-creating actions but also the top 3% for passes attempted, 10% for pass completion and 12% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, which could play very nicely into the hands of his ostensible partner, Botman.

The Dutchman is considered a no-nonsense, traditional centre-back, and his ruthless tenacity and Kim's ball-playing aptitude could craft a perfect state of confluence and keep the club's equilibrium balanced so perfectly.

The 23-year-old has already demonstrated that his skill set matches up with the more creative air that his Swiss partner exudes, and the South Korean would only be an upgrade in this regard.

With Botman already hailed for his "incredible impact" by Leon Osman, the thought of this newfound partnership on Tyneside is a devastating proposition for rivals, and with Manchester United circling on his signature, Howe and co must act swiftly to tie up a deal that could cement the burgeoning rise.

West Indies captain Jason Holder has praised Kraigg Brathwaite for showing the qualities “we have been asking for in the dressing room” during his 142 off 318 balls, an innings in which he carried his bat and gave his team a 56-run lead in Sharjah.Holder went on to take three wickets early in Pakistan’s second innings, and they were four down before they wiped out the deficit. He put that performance down to the motivation Brathwaite had given West Indies, and predicted that the opener would go on to play 100 Tests.”He showed great character, great composure, great faith,” Holder said of Brathwaite. “It was very inspirational for me and gave me the energy to go and do what we did in the end.”I have played a lot of cricket with Brathwaite – Under-13, 15, 17 and 19, and now senior cricket. He has scored a lot of runs in junior cricket. He has already played 30-odd Test matches and he has been the mainstay in terms of opening partnerships. I have no doubt in Braithwaite, who has shown the world what he can bring. If he can remain consistent, he will definitely play 100-plus Test matches.”After Brathwaite secured the lead, Holder consolidated the advantage by taking out Sami Aslam, Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan inside the first 20 overs, reducing Pakistan to 41 for 3. They were ahead by only 31 at stumps, with six wickets in hand.”We knew there’s just limited time in the last session, so we wanted to just give it our all,” Holder told . “Fortunately for me, I was able to get some balls to lift off a good length, which took the edge or the gloves. Fortunately, we had some luck in this session. I think we put ourselves in a good position because of this session.”When asked about offspinner Roston Chase bowling 13 of the first 39 overs in Pakistan’s second innings, while Devendra Bishoo bowled only two, Holder said the legspinner had a big job to do on the fourth day.”As the pitch wears out, Bishoo will come into the picture. He has a big job to do for us tomorrow,” Holder said. “The plan is to just keep rotating bowlers.”It was important to be disciplined and get wickets, and not allow them to get away from us with the runs. Roston was outstanding in the first innings. He has done a tremendous job for us since he has come into the team, so we’ve given him that responsibility.”Holder was concerned about the bounce in the pitch, but said that if it did not become variable, a target of around 200 was achievable.”It’s important to keep them under pressure in the first hour. We just have to continue to maintain the intensity. We all have to really toil for the wickets. We are very happy with the situation but we need to start well tomorrow.”

Presenter Ade Oladipo has claimed to be underwhelmed by the Liverpool transfer move for Alexis Mac Allister after initially being linked with Jude Bellingham.

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Not that long ago, the Reds seemed to be the most likely destination for the Borrusia Dortmund midfielder. Indeed, as recently as March, Thierry Henry claimed a move to Anfield was what the player is hoping for.

He told CBS Sports: “You know like Bellingham wants to play for Liverpool. Everyone knows that, right?”

However, amid talk that Dortmund want around £135m plus add-ons to sell, Jurgen Klopp's target appeared out of reach and now Bellingham looks like he could be set to join Real Madrid instead.

As a consequence, Liverpool have turned their attention elsewhere and seem close to finalising a deal for Mac Allister from Brighton.

While talking about this development on the TalkSport YouTube channel, Oladipo outlined his disappointment with it all, even asking why Declan Rice couldn’t have been targeted as an alternative.

He explained (1:46): "I mean, I've seen Arsenal are going [for] Declan Rice. Why aren’t we competing with Arsenal for Declan Rice?

"We were [trying to sign] Jude Bellingham for five months and now you're telling me Mac Allister.

"And I'm supposed to get excited about Mac Allister when we were [after] Jude Bellingham for five months."

Why do Liverpool want to sign Mac Allister?

Seeing as it will supposedly cost anyone around £120m to sign Rice this summer, if Liverpool can't afford Bellingham than they probably can't afford the West Ham captain either.

But with Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all set to leave, the Reds will have to spend decent money on a midfield rebuild this summer.

And Mac Allister looks to be a pretty exciting prospect. After all, he has enjoyed a brilliant season with Brighton – scoring 10 league goals and helping them secure Europa League football next term (just like Liverpool)

And while he might not quite have as big a reputation as Bellingham, he did manage to win the World Cup this summer with Argentina – which is something England couldn't manage in Qatar.

Mac Allister was key in that too. Indeed, he only missed out on one game in the whole tournament – which happened to be the only match his side lost and he also provided an assist in the final.

And so, while he might not be the high-profile Bellingham transfer many Liverpool fans wanted this summer, the 24-year-old isn't the worst option in the world – especially as a cheaper alternative.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that defender Davinson Sanchez will "struggle" with the style of football Ange Postecoglou wants to play at Tottenham Hotspur.

Will Davinson Sanchez ever play for Spurs again?

It was a pretty disappointing season for the centre-back as he made just eight starts for Spurs in the Premier League.

What's more, he didn't really impress in that limited game time. For instance, he was booed off the field after coming on off the bench only to be subbed just 23 minutes later in a home loss to Bournemouth.

The good news for Sanchez, however, is that a new era is about to begin with former Celtic boss Postecoglou now confirmed as Tottenham's next manager.

The only concern, though, is whether or not the £65k-p/w defender will be well suited to the Australian's tactics. While talking about all this on his YouTube channel, Gold certainly didn't seem to hold out much hope for Sanchez.

He explained: "Some of those players are going to struggle with the playing around from the back.

"You maybe imagine, unfortunately, Davinson Sanchez perhaps will struggle with that. The ability to very quickly and calmly play some of the passes that will be required."

What style of play will Postecoglou bring to Spurs?

Former Spurs goalkeeper – and current Celtic number one – Joe Hart has given some insight on what Tottenham fans and players might expect of their new manager.

Indeed, he told the press (via Keep Up) that Postecoglou will ask his player to stick to his tactic of playing out from the back no matter what.

Hart said: “We live and die by it. I love that opportunity. There’s been many coaches and managers I’m sure out there who say, ‘Look, this is how I want you to play and, if it doesn’t (work), it’s on me’. I have heard that many times.

“But I genuinely feel comfortable making risky passes, short passes, and if someone does miss a pass or a tackle and the ball goes in, I don’t think any of us would even flinch because that’s what we are being asked to do."

It seems, then, the Spurs defenders will need nerves of steel to stay calm under press and play out from the back.

Seeing as Sanchez has been accused of bringing "the panic in the stadium" by Jermaine Jenas on Match of the Day (via TeamTalk) before, he might not be an ideal fit for Postecoglou.

Only time will tell but it's not looking good for the Colombian.

أقيمت اليوم الإثنين، 4 مواجهات قوية في أولى لقاءات دور الـ 8 بـ دوري الكرة الطائرة الممتاز رجال للموسم المحلي 2023/2024، والذي يقام على صالة اتحاد الشرطة.

شهدت لقاءات اليوم فوز الأهلي على إيسترن كومباني بنتيجة 0/3، فيما فاز الزمالك على طلائع الجيش بنتيجة 1/3.

تصنيف فرق دوري رجال الطائرة قبل قرعة دور الثمانية

وحقق سبورتنج الفوز على الاتحاد السكندري بنتيجة 2/3، كما فاز بتروجت على سموحة بنتيجة 0/3.

ومن المقرر أن تقام المباراة الثانية، يوم 21 فبراير الجاري، وفي حالة التعادل سيتم اللجوء لمباراة فاصلة تقام يوم 22 من الشهر ذاته.

يذكر أن مباريات دور الـ8 في الدوري للسيدات والرجال، تقام بنظام البلاي أوف 3.

من ناحية أخرى، كان قد قرر مسئولو اتحاد الكرة الطائرة برئاسة ياسر قمر تعديل موعد منافسات سوبر السيدات ليقام يومي 24 و26 فبراير الجاري بدلا من 29 فبراير و1 مارس المقبل.

وخاطب مسئولو اتحاد الكرة الطائرة الجهات الأمنية من أجل حضور 2000 مشجع فى مباراة السوبر المحلي للرجال والسيدات، المحدد له الأسبوع المقبل، خاصة في النهائي، بواقع 1000 مشجع لكل فريق.

ويقام سوبر الرجال يومي 25 و27 فبراير الجاري، بمشاركة فرق الأهلي والزمالك وطلائع الجيش وبتروجت.

Manchester United are ready to step up their efforts to sign Mason Mount and will offer Chelsea £55m to get a deal done, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

Who is signing Mason Mount this summer?

The Blues playmaker has struggled to hit the same heights and the same numbers that he managed during the last Premier League campaign, with both he and his club faltering in the top flight. Whilst Chelsea have dropped to 12th in the standings ahead of their clash at Old Trafford on Thursday, Mount's tallies have also dropped, with the player managing only three goals and two assists in 24 games.

It's a far cry from last time around, when the England international had a career-best campaign. With 11 goals and ten assists in 32 appearances, the midfielder managed a superb average of 0.80 goals or assists per 90 minutes. It helped dragged the Blues to third and put the 24-year-old on the radar as one of the brightest talents in the division.

Even though he has struggled to achieve the same feats this season, it hasn't put off any other teams. With the player's deal set to expire next summer, teams are now queuing up to add him to their ranks – as long as the Blues are prepared to cash in on Mount for a fee rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer and fail to agree a new deal with him.

One of the interested parties is Man United, with a report from the Daily Mail stating that the Red Devils are prepared to initiate talks over a potential transfer for the midfielder. In terms of a fee, it adds that Erik ten Hag's side would be willing to offer Chelsea £55m, and whilst that falls short of what the club are thought to be demanding – they want around £30m more than that total – it is believed United could up their offer as they are keen to try and bring the England international to Old Trafford.

Are Man United signing Mason Mount?

If the Red Devils do manage to pull off a deal for Mount – who was hailed as "unbelievable" by Joe Cole last season, it could vastly improve their midfield options – and add to their creativity up front.

Even in a side that has faltered this campaign, the midfielder remains a player capable of using his expert vision to pick out a pass. For example, his rate of 1.3 key passes per game ranks him as the best among his teammates who have featured in 15 games or more.

Meanwhile, his tally of three goals is still the joint-third best in that area, and although that isn't a great amount, it shows he is at least contributing as one of the better players in the side during what has been a tumultuous campaign.

If Mount did end up at Old Trafford, it could potentially allow him to get back to his previous figures if he is at a side that are flourishing. It could therefore be worth splashing out the cash required to sign the player.

Everton are expected to miss out on a deal to bring Southampton striker Che Adams back to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Che Adams leaving Southampton?

Adams has made a total of 145 appearances since arriving on the south coast from Birmingham in 2019, but with his contract set to expire at the end of next season, Ruben Selles’ former side will be presented with their final big opportunity to cash in during the upcoming window.

The Scottish international established himself as the St. Mary’s outfit’s second best-performing offensive player last season, and having been relegated to the Championship, the centre-forward has been attracting interest from Goodison Park.

Back in May, it was reported that the Toffees and Leeds United were both interested in a swoop for the 26-year-old who was keen to return to the top-flight, but unfortunately for Sean Dyche, it sounds like his target might not actually be heading for Merseyside.

Are Everton signing Adams?

According to TEAMtalk, Burnley are now also “eyeing a move” for Adams, and despite the admiration from Everton, Leeds and even Nottingham Forest, a move to join Vincent Kompany’s newly-promoted side is the “most likely” outcome.

Southampton receiving an offer of £12m would be enough to “persuade” them to sanction his sale, and it’s stated that he would “jump at the chance” to complete a switch should the Clarets “firm up their interest and strike a deal”.

Would Adams not joining be a blow for Dyche?

Southampton’s former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl previously dubbed Adams a “phenomenon” during his time at the club, and considering the positive impact he made during last season, the striker not joining would definitely be a blow for Dyche.

The Unique Sports Group client posted eight goal contributions (five goals and three assists) in 28 Premier League appearances and made a total of 47 shots over the course of the campaign which was higher than any of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef.

The Leicester-born talent, who has the versatility to operate in five various positions across the pitch, would have also been an ideal target man despite only standing at 5 foot 9 having averaged 2.2 aerial wins per top-flight game, with this physical presence likely to be a desired quality to emulate that of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Whether Everton would have been able to afford Adams’ £12m price tag anyway remains to be seen, but the boss will now have to turn his attention to other targets on the market as he searches for suitable candidates to add to his attacking ranks ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Kane Williamson wants New Zealand to return to an attacking blueprint for the home Tests against Pakistan

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Christchurch16-Nov-20161:35

‘Pakistan have shown they can adapt anywhere’ – Williamson

The pitch is a vivid green, and the forecast is for rain, but bury caution, Kane Williamson said; “freedom” is his call to action with the bat.The reasoning is simple: it is what has worked for New Zealand at home, in the past. Thrashed in India, and beaten in South Africa, the hosts now seek to regain the dominance they had had at home, between 2013 and 2015. That attacking blueprint, Williamson said, is what New Zealand must return to.”It’s important when you come off the back of that Indian tour, that you come here and play with some freedom, and express our skills,” he said. “When we do that we play our best cricket. That’s our challenge going into this big home summer. There’s always pressure in international sport, but it’s important that we deal with that and play with freedom without trying too hard.”New Zealand’s most recent home Test had also been at Hagley Oval, and Williamson drew lessons from Brendon McCullum’s first innings from that game. Having come to the crease at 32 for 3 on the first morning, McCullum cut loose in memorable style, crashing 21 boundaries, walloping six sixes, hitting 145 from 79 balls, and breaking the record for fastest Test hundred in the process.”If you look at the last Test here, for example, when we lost the toss on a tough surface which did quite a bit, we saw an innings from Brendon McCullum which was in total contrast to my innings. I took the approach of trying to play late and attack when I thought there was a ball in my area. I got seven off almost 70 deliveries. Brendon was the complete opposite. It was an example of someone playing with complete freedom. I think that can come with the confidence of knowing your own conditions.”Kane Williamson on Tom Latham: ‘Tom has been around a long time in the New Zealand set up. For a while he has been considered a leader in this side’•BCCI

Among the batsmen Williamson expects to carry the flag is opener Tom Latham, who was among the better New Zealand batsmen in India, hitting a fifty in each Test. Though only 24, Latham is now the senior partner in the opening combination, following the axing of Martin Guptill. He has played 25 Tests and so far managed an average of 38.”Tom has been around a long time in the New Zealand set up. For a while he has been considered a leader in this side. He has been performing very well. He’s a strong leader within the group, and maybe he’ll take on that little bit of extra responsibility – not just with opening the batting, but also to play with that freedom.”Opening alongside him will be 28-year-old Auckland batsman Jeet Raval, who will make his debut in this Test. Raval had made a steady start to his domestic season when he was called into the Test side, and Williamson described him as a consummate builder of innings.”Jeet has been a consistent performer for a long time, and he knows how to score runs. I guess he’s a guy that can bat a long period of time. In some ways there are similarities between the two openers. Both are quite headstrong. Both will be challenged in this series by a very good seam-bowling attack.”Whenever you make your debut there’s some unknowns, not having experienced the step up in international cricket. Naturally, there are some nerves there. We’ve chatted. It’s a matter of not changing too much – he has been successful with what he has done. It’s a matter of applying a simple game plan – all those sorts of things that he has been doing well, and earned him his selection.”Though he expected his own team to make good use of home conditions, Williamson remained wary of Pakistan, and their good away record.”Home advantage is a good thing, I think, but it provides opportunities for both sides, and a side like Pakistan who have toured well for a while now will know that. They’ll expect their seamers to do well. It’s about making those adjustments of length, as you come away from the subcontinent and on to our surfaces.”

Blackburn Rovers are interested in signing Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes, according to recent reports.

What's the latest Blackburn Rovers transfer news?

With the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz, Bradley Dack and Daniel Ayala all leaving Ewood Park in the coming weeks, it's set to be a busy summer for Rovers as they look to replace them.

After missing out on the playoffs by goal difference, Jon Dahl Tomasson's side has moved quickly, signing Plymouth Argyle striker Niall Ennis last month.

A lack of depth up front has been a cause for concern for the Lancashire outfit all year, with the departing Brereton Diaz (16) the only player to score in double figures for the side this season.

Rovers aren't finished there, though, and according to the Daily Mail, they are among a number of teams interested in QPR striker, Dykes.

The Lancashire Telegraph reports that the club will need to sell players to generate any finances for a transfer, though, with full-back Tayo Edun being linked with a move away from Ewood, with both Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City interested.

Will Lyndon Dykes join Blackburn Rovers?

With eight league goals this season in a struggling QPR side, the 27-year-old would add some firepower to a Rovers team that's been severely lacking it this year.

No Rovers player outside of Brereton Diaz scored more league goals than the Scottish international during the Championship's latest campaign and adding him will help alleviate any pressure on Sam Gallagher's goal-scoring output.

The 27-year-old talisman, once hailed "dangerous" by former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard shortly before his team faced Dykes and Livingston in 2020, excels as a big target man, winning 4.8 aerial duels a game according to WhoScored, almost two more than Rovers' current number nine, Sam Gallagher who wins three per game.

While Tomasson has prioritised a possession-based style of football, playing out from the back, his side has also shown a tendency to pick out a long ball whenever they identify space behind the opposition back line, firing 66 long passes a game, and having a forward like Dykes on the receiving end would see the £8k-a-week man almost certainly reap the rewards.

Rovers certainly aren't the only team interested in the Scottish international, though, with fellow championship outfit Stoke City and newly-promoted Burnley both also targeting Dykes, so the club have got their work cut out for them if they're going to lure the QPR man to Ewood Park.

The Decision Review System will make a long-awaited debut in Zimbabwe during their second Test against Sri Lanka after some last-minute additions to the available technology have made its implementation possible.Having borne the brunt of a catalogue of poor umpiring decisions in their past three Tests, Zimbabwe are hopeful that the introduction of DRS will help level the playing field as they look to bounce back from a 225-run defeat in the first Test.The DRS will also be used in the triangular one-day series that follows.While Zimbabwe have never objected to the use of the DRS on principle, the cost of hiring the technology has previously made it prohibitive. However pressure from overseas broadcasters to improve television production of Zimbabwe’s matches led to Hawk-Eye being used during the broadcast of their Test series against New Zealand in August.With Hawk-Eye once again being utilised in the broadcast for the series against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) expressed their desire to use DRS in the two Tests, but were unable to make the necessary arrangements in time for the first game. The DRS requires a form of ball-tracking technology as well as slow-motion cameras and either HotSpot or Snicko. It also requires a specialist third umpire to be arranged with the ICC.Because ZC did not provide the ICC with adequate notice prior to the series, the world governing body were unable to arrange a third umpire before the first Test. Ahead of the second Test, slow-motion cameras have been flown in from South Africa and the ICC have provided a third umpire.The presence of Hawk-Eye in recent broadcasts has highlighted a number of incorrect decisions against Zimbabwe. Nine of the 10 bad decisions during the New Zealand series went against the hosts, while six of the seven in the first Test of this series benefitted Sri Lanka. While the Zimbabweans have been cautious about blaming their defeats on this decision-making – especially given that they dropped six catches in Sri Lanka’s first innings – there is a feeling that umpires have a tendency to give fewer decisions to lower-ranked teams.The worst decisions have often come on the final day of Tests when Zimbabwe were fighting to save the match. Zimbabwe had progressed to 68 for 1 in 29 overs in their second innings against Sri Lanka, giving them hope that they could bat out the final day, only to see Tino Mawoyo given out lbw to a delivery from Dilruwan Perera that Hawk-Eye believed was missing leg stump by some distance. They subsequently collapsed to 74 for five over the next four overs, and after a valiant effort by the lower order, came within 7.3 overs of earning a draw.”I think (the errors) have been well documented,” Zimbabwe coach Heath Streak said on Saturday. “I think the DRS is good and it’s fair for everyone because it can negate the element of human error. Obviously anyone can make a mistake, but the less of those that have an influence on the game, the better.”One other issue that came to the fore in the first Test was the manner in which Zimbabwe appealed to the umpires, particularly in comparison to Sri Lanka. While the hosts seemed to make little more than polite enquiries and failed to earn a single lbw in the match (Hawk-Eye showed that they should have had at least three), the Sri Lankans were vociferous with their appeals and had 10 Zimbabwean batsmen given out lbw.”It is something we’ve spoken about,” Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer said after the match. “We’re trying to get more verbal and louder. It can definitely change a game or change an umpire’s mind. We don’t want to crowd the umpire, but I think Sri Lanka have got it down. Those decisions seem to go against us.”