Captain Upul Tharanga said the choice of their openers in the first T20I will depend on the opposition’s plans and involve trying to neutralise the Bangladesh spinners

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo03-Apr-2017

After years of failing to find a partner for Tillakaratne Dilshan at the top of the order, Sri Lanka are currently faced with a logjam over the opening slots. While Niroshan Dickwella is unavailable for the T20I series against Bangladesh, the hosts have in their squad four men – each of them having trodden a different path – who can open the batting in the shortest format.Upul Tharanga – the oldest of the four – has usually been thought of for the longer formats, but has recently unveiled a more explosive avatar to his batting. By contrast, 26-year-old Kusal Perera, the only batsman who has tasted some consistent success as a T20 opener, has not been in the best touch of late. Though he was part of the victorious World T20 campaign in Bangladesh, his form in the recent past has been somewhat shaky.Dilshan Munaweera had an abortive first stint in the team, but has since found his way back into Sri Lankan colours via the global T20 circuit. As for the newest of their opening options, Danushka Gunathilaka has a reputation of being a live wire in the field, and can also double up as a useful part-time bowler. However, at the moment, he is trading more on potential than tangible results.Under normal circumstances, there would be little pressure for Sri Lanka to lock down their best opening combination immediately – considering there is no world T20 tournament on the horizon. However, with both the ODI and Test series having been drawn 1-1, there is little more at stake in this series than usual.Taking into account how the odds stack up against both teams ahead of the T20 series, Captain Tharanga said the issue of choosing the opening combination deserved a little mulling over.”We really haven’t decided on the openers, and we have to take the opposition’s plans into account,” Tharanga said. “They have the offspinner Mehedi Hasan, and he often opens the bowling – as we saw in the ODIs. So, that can affect the combination. And, we might also want a right-hand left-hand combination.”This suggests Munaweera is likely to open the innings, as he is the only right-handed batsman among the quartet, and as such, is best-equipped to neutralise Mehedi.According to Tharanga, the opening combination is not the only area where Sri Lanka have options. Thanks to their recent successes – albeit against depleted opposition – Sri Lanka may head into the T20I series with a little more confidence.”In the last two series, we beat South Africa in South Africa and Australia in Australia, which is never easy to do,” Tharanga said. “They were top teams at the moment in the T20 format. We are in good shape in the T20s, and we have a lot more experience, especially with players like Lasith Malinga coming back, and Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera being there as well.”We have explosive batsmen up the top of the order, but some firepower lower down as well in Seekkuge Prasanna and Chamara Kapugedara.”Though Tharanga revealed on Saturday that he had asked for an offspinner – Dilruwan Perera – to be added to Sri Lanka’s ODI squad after the selectors had initially failed to name one, he did express support for the selectors’ policy of stacking T20I sides with allrounders.”In T20Is, a lot changes with the situation. Sometimes, if you have players that can play a few big shots and contribute with a couple of overs at the right time, it can be an advantage.”As specialist bowlers, we’ve got Malinga and Kulasekara; Lakshan Sandakan as a spinner, and Seekkuge as well, who bowled all four overs in Australia. We’re just looking for one or two overs from the allrounders,” Tharanga said.

The mood in the Kolkata Knight Riders camp was sombre during the mid-innings break after they had posted only 131 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The team, however, was in no mood to give up without a fight. Captain Gautam Gambhir wanted intensity from his men, and the fast bowlers set the tone for it. They picked up all the 10 wickets of the opposition inside as many overs, with Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Woakes and Colin de Grandhomme accounting for nine of those.After Royal Challengers Bangalore were sent crashing to 49 all out at the Eden Gardens, Woakes called it an “unbelievable” win not least because Knight Riders knew they had a below-par total. “The heads were down in the dressing room at half-time,” Woakes told . “But, we came out and we had a chat and we said it was time to show some pride and fight. The captain wanted some intensity and the two opening bowlers did that. The rest of us backed it up from there on. I suppose until you go out there and don’t pick wickets, you don’t believe you can do it. Once we started getting wickets, all of a sudden you had belief.”It was Coulter-Nile who had triggered the collapse by dismissing Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in his first two overs before claiming Kedar Jadhav’s wicket in his third. Woakes said he could tell Coulter-Nile was in good rhythm from the way he was bowling. “It was a great opening spell of T20 bowling. He was hitting the pitch pretty hard and moving the ball well,” Coulter-Nile said. “Getting Virat Kohli first ball showed you his confidence. From then on, I suppose you just try and put the ball in your right areas and hope for the wickets to come.”Coulter-Nile, though, was more subdued in his assessment of his performance. “I would have taken any three wickets as long as I was taking wickets,” he said. “All the boys did that throughout the game and it doesn’t really matter who it is. I don’t have numbers or names in my head, but yes, pretty good players to have in the bag.” Woakes himself snared a big wicket in the form of Chris Gayle with a bit of help from Coulter-Nile, who held on to a skier. Woakes joked that while he was sure that Coulter-Nile would complete the catch, the latter’s heart would have been pounding.”When I saw Nathan under the ball, I knew he would take it. He has a safe pair of hands and I knew 99% he was going to take it,” Woakes said. “It was obviously a big wicket. But I felt AB de Villiers’s wicket was a huge one too because he came and struck a couple of boundaries early on. Getting the big three was huge, but we had to get all ten to win the game. All ten were just as important.”While Woakes felt the pitch was seamer-friendly with good pace and carry on offer, Coulter-Nile said the margin for error for bowlers was very less. “It was a tough wicket to bowl actually,” Coulter-Nile said. “If you went a little bit off, you got punished. I went for 41 the last time against Gujarat Lions. You just got to be right on the money. Sometimes you go for runs and sometimes you got the wickets. It was fun to play there.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad have slumped at the business end of the tournament. They need to win against the rampaging Mumbai Indians for a start, and hope Kings XI’s results go in their favour

The Preview by Sreshth Shah07-May-2017Match factsSunrisers Hyderabad v Mumbai Indians
Hyderabad, May 8, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)Head-to-headOverall: The two teams have faced off nine times and Mumbai Indians lead the battle 5-4.This season: Nitish Rana and Krunal Pandya shepherded Mumbai chase in a four-wicket win at the Wankhede.Form guide

Sunrisers Hyderabad (fourth): lost to Rising Pune Supergiant by 12 runs, lost to Delhi Daredevils by six wickets, defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 48 runs
Mumbai Indians (first): defeated Daredevils by 146 runs, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by five wickets, defeated Gujarat Lions in the Super Over

In the newsSunrisers, who have lost their previous two games, will go back to being without Ashish Nehra. Team mentor VVS Laxman, confirmed on Saturday that the bowler – who left the field after bowling 1.1 overs on Saturday – is injured. Laxman said the hamstring pull Nehra suffered was not on the same leg he had had operated last year. It will be assessed on Monday. Mohammed Siraj will likely be Nehra’s replacement.For Mumbai Indians, Jos Buttler is set to leave for national duty. Lendl Simmons has made himself the obvious choice in his place. Mumbai will miss Krunal Pandya once more. The allrounder hasn’t recovered and is not travelling with the team. Karn Sharma is expected to keep his place.Qualification scenarioWith Kings XI’s loss on Sunday, the most they can get to is 16 points. Sunrisers, currently on 13 points, can push past them and into the playoffs if they win both their remaining matches.Mumbai Indians are through to the playoffs. For a guaranteed top-two finish, Mumbai need to win two of their last three games. If Mumbai win one, their net run rate may still be good enough to get them two goes at the final. If they lose on Monday, Delhi Daredevils will be out of the IPL. But if they win, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiant will be through.The likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Moises Henriques, 6 Naman Ojha (wk), 7 Bipul Sharma, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mohammed Siraj, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Siddarth Kaul
Mumbai Indians 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Rohit Sharma (capt), 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Karn Sharma, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Strategy puntExpect Mumbai Indians to give the new ball to Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh. Harbhajan has gone at less than six in the Powerplay this, and he has dismissed Warner thrice in the IPL. Malinga has removed Dhawan four times.Stats that matterMumbai’s win-loss ratio of 4.5 is their best in any IPL season. Harbhajan Singh has taken only eight wickets in nine games but has an economy of 5.82 this season. He has not gone at an economy of more than 6.75 in any match this season. Harbhajan’s economy in the Powerplay (5.12) is the best among all bowlers (minimum four overs). Shikhar Dhawan has picked up pace and form as the tournament has progressed. In his first five games, Dhawan scored 135 runs at a strike-rate of 112.50. Over the last six games, Dhawan has hit 253 runs at a strike-rate of 136.02. In their last five games, Sunrisers’ opening pair of Warner and Dhawan average 75.80 runs for the first wicket. The duo have scored four 50+ partnerships. Two of them have been partnerships of more than a hundred. Parthiv Patel has been dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar five times. Yuvraj Singh struggles against Harbhajan; he has scored 45 runs off 58 balls against him.

أكد أحمد بلال مهاجم الأهلي الأسبق، وجود عيب كبير لدى محمد عبد المنعم مدافع القلعة الحمراء، موضحًا رأيه في أداء محمود كهربا في مركز المهاجم.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة سيمبا التنزاني مساء يوم الجمعة المقبل، على أرضية ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي في إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وقال أحمد بلال في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة اون تايم سبورتس: “يجب تدريس كرة جيلنا والأجيال السابقة في التوقيت الحالي لهذا الجيل، الكرة عادت للخلف، كنا نتحرك بشكل نموذجي”.

طالع | أحمد حسن يحدد شرطًا لإقامة مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في السعودية ويعلق على أزمة محمد صلاح وحسام حسن

وأكمل: “لا أرى أحد أفضل مني من حيث الإمكانيات، ولكن من حيث الإنجازات عماد متعب وحسام حسن تخطياني، أرى إمكانياتي من أفضل الإمكانيات التي أتت في مصر”.

وأتم: “محمد عبد المنعم لديه عيب وهو الثقة الزائدة جدًا، وأيضاً محمود كهربا ليس أفضل مهاجم في مصر، لا أرى رأس حربة في الدوري المصري”.

Arsenal have been linked with Porto striker Mehdi Taremi; however, he is not 'on the radar' for the time being at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How good is Mehdi Taremi and who has been linked with signing him?

Taremi is a player with a knack of finding the back of the net and enjoyed a masterful campaign for Porto last season, registering 31 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Taremi was extremely consistent for the Portuguese giants in 2022/23, recording an average match rating of 7.47/10 in Liga Portugal alongside taking on 2.9 shots per game.

His clinical form in front of goal has attracted interest from the Premier League and O Jogo via TEAMtalk have reported that Arsenal and Manchester United among others are keen to secure the £29k-a-week ace's services in the off-season.

The Sun have picked up on a potential hint from Taremi's agent Borna Khoramdel, who is the CEO of Arvand Sport, that he could be on his way to join Manchester United following a post on Instagram that showed a picture of his representative at Old Trafford.

Sky Sport cite that AC Milan are big admirers of Taremi and claim that Porto have lowered their asking price for the Iran international to €20 million (£17.09 million) plus bonuses. Roma and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal are said to be monitoring his situation.

Football Insider mooted back in April that Mikel Arteta could look to bring another striker to north London this window that possesses a different profile to current options Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, targeting a physical presence in the frontline.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Arteta will move to bring in an alternative forward to add to his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Yeah, I mean, Mehdi Taremi is suddenly being linked with a lot of clubs. Whenever that happens, I'm always a little bit cautious about whether he's just being touted around and what the meaning is behind it.

"I haven't heard too much on this one in terms of Arsenal's genuine interest. As far as I've been told, a forward of this sort of mould isn't really on the radar at this sort of time."

What else is going on at Arsenal this transfer window?

The Gunners have already already secured their first signing in the summer in the form of Kai Havertz, who has moved across London from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £65 million, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber have both underwent medicals at the club and will be officially announced this week, according to The Evening Standard.

Speaking to The Residency quoted by 90min, Arsenal midfielder Jorginho admitted that he has 'no idea' when both deals will be announced.

Southampton star Romeo Lavia is another midfielder that is under consideration from Arteta as he aims to bulk up his midfield, as per The Guardian, signifying that some exciting times may be in store at the Emirates in the next few weeks.

A third consecutive season of European football beckons for West Ham United, who must begin shaping their squad for yet another gruelling campaign.

Last summer, the Irons splashed a whopping £179m, and they are likely to replicate a similar level of spending this summer as they're set to land a monstrous £105m from Arsenal for Declan Rice.

Jonathan Tah is a player constantly linked with West Ham and could make the switch from Germany during this transfer window.

What’s the latest Jonathan Tah to West Ham?

According to the Rheinische Post (via Sport Witness), Tah’s desire to play in the Premier League has 'long been documented' and West Ham are keenly tracking his services.

This outlet also revealed that the 27-year-old has a €18m (£15m) release clause valid until 10 July and the Hammers are described as a 'hot candidate' in the race for his signature.

It is understood that even if this isn’t triggered, it is still 'conceivable' for the German to change clubs before the window shuts, allowing David Moyes the opportunity to pounce.

Negotiations could be made easier as West Ham has recently appointed former Bayer Leverkusen sports coordinator Tim Steidten as their new technical director.

Is Jonathan Tah a good signing for West Ham?

Last season, the centre-back notched 47 appearances in all competitions and formed a magnificent defensive triumvirate with Edmond Tapsoba and Piero Hincapie.

Standing at a colossal 6 foot 5, Tah is a pillar of calmness and composure. This is supported by his rank within the best 10% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for pass completion per 90.

Clearly highly competent with the ball at his feet, the £48k-per-week man is also extremely collected in defensive situations, having made no errors leading to a shot or a goal in the Bundesliga in the 2022/23 campaign from his 33 league outings, whilst also failing to concede a penalty.

Upon his arrival to Leverkusen, then-sporting director Rudi Voller described Tah as “quick, technically gifted but still robust.” Meanwhile, Christoph Kramer has labelled him as a “real battleship.”

If Tah can secure a move to the London Stadium he could form a solid defensive partnership with Nayef Aguerd, who when fit and available, has largely looked like a reliable asset, having been "playing well" in his short time at the club to date, according to teammate Kurt Zouma.

He was perhaps at his most impressive during Morocco’s history-making World Cup campaign, in which they became the first-ever African side to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.

In the four games he featured in, the 6 foot 3 centre-back was part of two clean sheets, averaging three clearances, one interception and one tackle per game, whilst winning 69% of his total duels and not being dribbled past across the campaign.

From a wider perspective, Aguerd has also performed admirably for West Ham as he ranks within the best 25% for clearances and blocks per 90 across the last 365 days. After a season to acclimatise and adapt to English football, he looks ready for a campaign of consistent football if he can stay clear of injury.

Moreover, a partnership with Tah makes sense as Aguerd is left-footed whilst the Leverkusen star is right-footed. With Angelo Ogbonna no spring chicken at the age of 35 and with the worrying injury record of Zouma, there is a high chance there could be a new-look defence for Moyes next term.

Celtic would find it 'tough' to finance a deal to sign Leicester City midfielder Wilfried Ndidi this window, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Will Celtic sign Wilfried Ndidi this summer?

Last month, The Daily Mail reported that Celtic were interested in making a move to sign Ndidi this summer following Leicester City's relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

In 2022/23, Ndidi made 30 appearances for the Foxes in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt; however, he couldn't help to prevent Leicester City's slide into the English second tier despite his best efforts.

According to WhoScored, the 26-year-old still got through plenty of work in the engine room, making around 2.3 tackles per match in the Premier League.

Brendan Rodgers left Leicester City by mutual consent back in April and has since taken over at Celtic, bringing in Marco Tilio and Odin Thiago Holm as his first two additions of the window.

The Scottish Sun understand that the Irishman has a transfer kitty of around £30 million to play with between now and the close of play in the market, signifying that some high-profile signings could be likely to walk through the door at Parkhead.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones thinks that Celtic would struggle to finance a deal for Ndidi to bolster their midfield despite his obvious links to Hoops boss Rodgers.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: "Tough deal to do, in the best of times. I think financially and just through the links to Rodgers and Leicester being too obvious for me. I haven't heard anything that actually properly stands the story up. So again, it's one I'm holding with caution right now."

Who could Brendan Rodgers look to recruit at Celtic?

Given that Ndidi earns around £75,000 per week at Leicester City and would likely cost a significant transfer fee, Celtic will probably shift their focus to alternative targets as Rodgers looks to keep the Hoops at the top of Scottish football.

Names linked have been few and far between as the 50-year-old coach examines his squad in a pre-season training camp in Portugal; however, Celtic will surely spring to life in the next few weeks and start adding quality in key positions.

According to Ukrainian outlet Sport Novyny via 67 Hail Hail, Celtic are among the leading candidates to land Shakhtar Donetsk winger Tete, who spent last season on loan at Leicester City, as he intends to leave the club due to fears over his safety in the region.

Young Boys midfielder Fabian Reider has also been tentatively linked with a move to Celtic this summer; nevertheless, it is unclear how much these rumours have been substantiated as excitement over potential new arrivals reaches fever pitch in the Scottish media.

Football Scotland understand that Celtic have agreed a fee with Gangwon for talented winger Yang Hyun-jun, though they are keen to hold on to him for now due to being embroiled in a relegation battle and want to retain his services until later this year.

Working under the radar, it wouldn't be surprising to see Celtic announce some big arrivals in the not-too-distant future as they prepare to defend their Scottish Premiership crown in 2023/24.

The future of Chelsea defender Levi Colwill will become clearer by the "end of next week" following conversations with manager Mauricio Pochettino, according to Sky Sports' Paul Gilmour.

Is Colwill still a Chelsea player?

Despite spending last season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion, making 22 appearances in all competitions, Colwill potentially still has a big future at Chelsea.

With a contract running until 2025 at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are in no hurry to sell the 20-year-old phenom, nor do they want to in the slightest.

Brighton have already seen a £30m bid rejected by Chelsea, who have frequently reiterated that they have no desire to lose yet another high-potential academy talent.

After a thoroughly impressive U21 European Championship with England in which he helped the Three Lions to the trophy without conceding a single goal in six matches, Colwill's price tag has understandably had a few million added to it as Chelsea fend off interest.

Speaking after England's final victory over Spain, which enjoyed a chaotic end that Colwill was at the heart of, he said (via Liverpool Echo):

"I’ll speak to my family, speak to everyone I need to and make a decision. I’ve got to play at the end of the day to hopefully get there [England senior team] and go to the next camp."

Pochettino has already scheduled talks with the youngster to convince him to stay at Stamford Bridge but potential suitors will be eagerly awaiting any fallout from possible discussions over playing time.

Gilmour told Sky Sports: "His future is still uncertain but it should become clear by the end of next week. We know Brighton where he spent last season on loan are still firmly interested in him. They had a £30m bid rejected earlier this summer by Chelsea who see the England U21 defender as part of their long-term plans.

"Mauricio Pochettino could be key in all of this. He is expecting Colwill to be on tour when Chelsea depart for America next week and he expects to hold talks with him. Colwill also keen to hold talks and both parties keen to get an understanding of, certainly from a Colwill perspective, where fits into the team this season.

He added: "From a Pochettino perspective, I guess it is a selling of the project and what's ahead and convincing him that he is firmly part of these plans. So, those talks expected to happen next week when Colwill returns."

As Colwill has said himself he is desperate to play regular football next season, something that may not always be possible at Chelsea as he has to fend off competition from Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva.

A move to Brighton or Liverpool, the latter showing interest, in Colwill in recent days, may result in more regular minutes with both clubs having extra European football next term.

A team with Chelsea's unwillingness to sell may make it a hard deal to pull off even for the expert recruitment teams of Brighton and Liverpool.

How good is Colwill?

One of Colwill's great strengths is his versatility. A left-footed centre-back who is very comfortable in possession and stepping into midfield, he can also be shifted to left-back as well as playing in a standard back two.

Despite only playing 17 times in the Premier League last term, Colwill made a phenomenal impact for the Seagulls.

He ranked in the top nine percent of league centre-backs per 90 last season for passes completed (75.76), progressive passing distance (551.43 yards), key passes (0.52), passes into the final third (5.75) and pass completion for long passes (70.8%). All of this highlights his wonderful technically ability and forward-thinking attitude, making him a perfect modern centre-back.

Nicknamed the 'new John Terry' and appearing in GOAL's top 50 NXGN wonderkids in 2022, Colwill has continually shone throughout his development at Chelsea and on loan.

The crowning achievement of his short career so far was lifting the U21 Euros with England, performing wonderfully in the final itself, and he earned himself a 7.4 average Sofascore rating throughout the tournament.

With the start of the new season now less than a month away, the major talking point at Tottenham Hotspur remains the future of record goalscorer, Harry Kane, with the England skipper attracting interest after entering the final year of his contract at N17.

Two years on from having angled for a move to Manchester City, the 29-year-old is now being coveted by Bundesliga giants, Bayern Munich, with the German outfit only recently lodging a bid of around £70m for the in-demand ace.

With it yet to be seen if Kane will still be on the books in north London beyond the September deadline, Ange Postecoglou and co are seemingly eyeing potential replacements for their free-scoring talisman, with Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani among those being considered.

Will Tottenham sign Kolo Muani?

A report from French outlet Foot Mercato last week suggested that the Lilywhites may 'position' themselves to make a move for the Frenchman if Kane is to depart, with the 24-year-old having enjoyed a stunning first season in Germany after joining from Nantes last summer.

This follows a previous report from the Independent which also named Spurs among the list of possible suitors for the 6 foot 2 speedster, with the one-time Boulogne loanee set to command a fee of around £80m.

How good is Randal Kolo Muani?

There is no denying that it would be an almost impossible task for Spurs to try and replace Kane next season, with the long-serving sensation having notably bagged 30 league goals last season in what was a stunning individual campaign.

While Kolo Muani may not be of that ilk just yet, the "future superstar" – as hailed by German legend Lothar Matthaus – still posted "obscene" numbers last season, according to Transfermarkt's Stefan Bienkowski, after racking up 40 goal involvements in just 46 games in all competitions in 2023.

The nine-cap international has also begun to impress for his country of late, with national team boss Didier Deschamps having hailed the threat that he is able to pose in attack, stating: "He has a presence about him, runs in behind from deep and is a good finisher."

That ability to stretch a defence is likely to appeal to Postecoglou, with the Greek-Aussie having notably reaped the rewards of utilising Kyogo Furuhashi through the middle during his time at former club Celtic, with the Japanese international having scored 54 goals in just 83 games under his watch.

The 28-year-old hitman – who had been tipped for a reunion with his former boss in north London earlier this summer – was notably hailed for his "outstanding" movement by Postecoglou back in March, having led the line superbly for the Old Firm outfit over the past two years.

Much like Kolo Muani – who has been described as "ice-cold in front of goal" by Matthaus – Kyogo is also able to provide that cutting edge when it matters most, having been branded "clinical" by ex-Hoops boss, Neil Lennon.

With the former Vissel Kobe menace having only recently signed a new long-term deal in Glasgow it does not appear as if he will be following Postecoglou to England any time soon, although by snapping up Kolo Muani, the experienced coach could land his next ruthless figurehead.

Liverpool are waiting on discussions over the future of Levi Colwill, with The Evening Standard reporting that the defender won't let emotion get in the way of his decision over a new Chelsea deal in what is a boost for the Reds.

How many games did Levi Colwill play last season?

The 20-year-old has struggled to get regular minutes with his parent club so far over the course of his career, mainly having to make do with loan spells for frequent gametime. In fact, he's actually yet to make his debut for the Blues in the Premier League and instead made his top flight bow for Brighton in 2022/23 during his stint with the Seagulls.

He originally made his league debut with Huddersfield as an 18-year-old in the second tier, featuring 29 times as the Terriers broke into the play-off spots in that league. Yet again, it showcased his ability to compete at the highest level despite his age, playing for one of the better teams in the league despite his youth.

With the Amex Stadium outfit, he thrived and became a key part of their squad as they surged into the European places. He featured on 17 occasions in the league – with 13 starts – and managed two assists as they finished in 6th place. Prior to that campaign, Colwill had never stepped foot in the Premier League before – only the Championship. However, it took little to no time for the defender to adapt to the pace and rigors of the top division in English football.

Are Liverpool signing Levi Colwill?

His showings have now led to plenty of interest in his services this summer. Liverpool are one of the clubs linked with a swoop for the centre-back, with the Reds having already contacted representatives of the player to speak about a potential move.

Now, according to a report from The Evening Standard, the young talent is set to hold talks with his current manager Mauricio Pochettino over his future and whether to agree a new deal at Chelsea. If he opts not to do so, that could then lead to a move this summer.

It also states that the Englishman will not be swayed by his academy connections in west London and will not let an emotional involvement cloud whether he stays at Stamford Bridge or decides to move to a new club, which is obviously good news for suitors such as Liverpool.

Whoever does land Colwill – or if Chelsea keep him – they'll have themselves someone who is seen as a key part of the future of the English game. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that the defender is a "top talent" and highlighted how impressive he had been for Brighton despite his age.

It seems he is already performing to a high standard – thriving at the U21 European Championships as we speak – and yet there is plenty of potential still to come from the player – and that is why a Liverpool deal for the Englishman would be a real coup if they could pull it off this summer window.