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Former captain says preparation has to be intense at the start of a Test series overseas, then it can taper off

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2018Did India learn anything from the defeat in South Africa earlier this year? Did they not learn that match practice is the key to winning Test series, especially abroad? Was playing just a three-day tour match against Essex enough before a big clash with England? These are the questions raised by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who said the team management had erred by focusing on “simulated” training rather than playing actual cricket matches to prepare for an important five-match series.India lost the first of those games by 31 runs two days ago, with all of their specialist batsmen, barring Virat Kohli, showing weak technique and even weaker temperament. This led Gavaskar to question why the players were given five days off before the start of the England Tests, and took issue with India reducing the proposed four-day match against Essex into three days. He held that while Kohli might have the skills needed to adjust to Test cricket even after time off, the Indian captain and management needed to realise that the others could have benefited from more match practice.The white-ball portion of India’s tour ended with the third ODI on July 17, but there was only one practice game – against Essex – scheduled in the 14-day gap until the start of the first Test on August 1. India lost that Test, despite Kohli scoring 149 and 51.”See Virat Kohli is such an exceptional talent, he can take 15 days off and then score a hundred the next day,” Gavaskar told . “If he takes time off, no quarrel at all. But he has to understand, and the team management have to understand, that others need practice.”I understand the need to switch off, but it can’t be five days. The preparation should have been much more intense at the start of the series. You can taper off later, but not at the start. The last ODI was on July 17, and the Test series started on August 1. There were 14 days in between. And you play only a three-day match in that period? Why have you gone to England – to play cricket or something else? I agree, they have practised for long hours in those days, but like I said, you cannot get by with just practice. You have to play matches too.”Gavaskar also didn’t agree with the notion that arriving in England a month before the Tests began had been helpful, largely because India had spent that time playing one-day cricket.”They deluded themselves, and everybody, by saying they have been in England for a month. But in that time they were playing against the white ball. And the white ball doesn’t move as much as the red one, and the Duke ball particularly moves even more,” he pointed out. “They didn’t learn anything from the South Africa experience. [India lost 2-1 away to South Africa at the start of the year] They didn’t have much time there, but they did have a two-day practice match which they also cancelled. In South Africa, India played well in the third Test, only after playing in two Tests. We’re talking of five Tests here, if you start winning after two Tests, the series can be gone by then.”You can have as many match simulations, as many throw-downs, but it is never the same as a match situations. While taking throw-downs, you can get out, but you know you’ll still be batting the next ball. If a bowler bowls a no-ball in a match, he won’t get a wicket. In the match, if you get out, you’ll be sitting in the dressing room and watching someone else score the runs you should have.”Another error India had made, according to Gavaskar, was going in without an extra batsman. “If it was up to me, in the first Test of an overseas series, I would always go with six batsmen,” he said. “Then with a wicketkeeper and an allrounder like Ashwin, your batting depth increases. If after that, your top four hit form, you can go with five bowlers in the subsequent Tests. The need of the hour now is to strengthen the batting.”Analysing India’s batsmen in the first Test, Gavaskar said only Kohli made the mental adjustment needed. “Virat adjusted temperamentally. The bat-speed in one-day cricket is higher, because you’re looking to play shots. It’s not like that in Test cricket,” Gavaskar said. “The more you leave balls in Tests, the better for you, because the bowler tires. And if you keep leaving balls outside off, you will force the bowler to change his line. Virat made that adjustment, the others didn’t. See Shikhar Dhawan’s dismissals in both innings, Rahul in the first innings, Ajinkya Rahane in both innings – they all went at the ball with hard hands. The secret to batting in England is not to reach for the ball, but let it come on to the bat. If they can make that adjustment, the others can make runs in the next Test onwards.”

Even though Nazmul Hassan, the board chief, didn’t explain why exactly the players felt so, he said it was linked to the worldwide trend of declining interest in Test cricket shown by other boards, broadcasters and players

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-2018

Shakib Al Hasan had a productive third morning•AFP

Bangladesh’s senior players, including Shakib Al Hasan, have become reluctant to play Test cricket, according to BCB president Nazmul Hassan. Even though the board chief didn’t explain why exactly the players felt so, he said that it was linked to the worldwide trend of declining interest in Test cricket shown by other boards, broadcasters and players.In his now regular post-series briefing, Hassan said that the future of the Bangladesh Test team depended on blooding in new faces to fill the gap that will be created when the senior players near retirement. But he also mentioned the task will not be easy as all of the established players have been performing for a number of years.Hassan also named Mustafizur Rahman among those reluctant to play Tests, although he stated that the fast bowler never told him so.”Even in the ICC, I don’t see any other country other than England and Australia showing interest to play Tests,” Hassan said. “As a board, they are not interested in Tests. The broadcasters are also not interested. They say they don’t have any interest where there is no audience.”We are seeing in our country that some of our senior players don’t want to play Test cricket. Shakib doesn’t want to play Tests. Mustafiz also doesn’t want to play, but he hasn’t mentioned it. He wants it to a point. Maybe since he is injury-prone, he feels he will get injured playing Tests? Maybe they feel Test is quite tough, say for someone like Rubel [Hossain]. Bringing in younger players is our only option.”The BCB had granted Shakib’s request for a break during the Test series in South Africa last year. Shakib has been the only Bangladesh player to have put in such a request.Hassan declared that Mustafizur, who missed the Afghanistan T20s and the West Indies Tests due to an injury he picked up while playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, will not be given any NOCs to play foreign leagues. “The saddest part is that he gets hurt playing franchise leagues, and then can’t serve the country. It is not acceptable. I have already told him that he can’t play outside for the next two years,” Hassan said.He said that the BCB was focused on finding more specialist Test and T20 players, but admitted it was hard for practical reasons to drop their core senior players. “We have to form a new set-up for Tests. I have been saying it for the last four years. We must have three or four players in common; all the international teams are doing this. Everyone has specialist T20 and Test players. We only have Mominul [Haque] for Tests. We need to develop five or six of them.”We have Tamim [Iqbal] and another opener, plus three pace bowlers and a spinner. You can’t change Shakib, Mushfiqur [Rahim] and [Mahmudullah] Riyad. Mominul plays at three. You can’t drop him for doing poorly in one series. So, for this No. 7 position we have Mosaddek [Hossain], Sabbir [Rahman], [Mehidy Hasan] Miraz, etc.”There will be a lot of talk if we leave out any of the seniors. We need to find new players for a time when Tamim, Shakib, Mushfiqur and Riyad won’t be around. We need to prepare the new players.”

BBC pundit Stewart Downing has suggested that an "amazing" player should join Arsenal for one key reason.

Who will Arsenal sign in January?

After sealing summer deals for club-record signing Declan Rice, defender Jurrien Timber, forward Kai Havertz and goalkeeper David Raya, who all cost north of £200 million in total, it is believed that the Gunners could be busy yet again in January. Indeed, reports in the media have suggested that a new striker could well be in the offing, with the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez all linked in the last month.

Arsenal have just Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to turn to as natural striking options, with Havertz brought in as a sort-of makeshift option from Chelsea in the summer. However, the German has scored just one league goal for Arteta so far. Injuries to both Nketiah or Jesus would arguably spel trouble for Arsenal, prompting some calls for them to sign a centre-forward.

Club legend Emmanuel Petit, speaking before deadline day, even urged them to sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak as an alternative to Jesus and Nketiah.

"Alexander Isak is tall, aggressive and has great technique," Petit said (via The Mirror). "He wants to score every time he gets the ball but he needs to be more precise in his game. Physically and technically, he has a huge presence on the pitch.

"If one day someone can tell me that he plays like Thierry Henry, maybe I will believe them, but for the moment it’s really too soon to say that. He's a good striker and he's someone that Arsenal would be very happy to have because he brings different qualities.

"Jesus and Nketiah play in a similar way, they are different in terms of movement, but physically, technically and in their finishing they are not far apart."

As well as a new striker, Arsenal have been tipped to move for Wolves winger Pedro Neto in 2024.

Arsenal – Ivan Toney update

Speaking on the future of Toney, who has been centre to claims he's likely to depart Brentford in the new year, BBC pundit Downing has suggested to the broadcaster that he should join Arsenal to get the England international preference over Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.

“When I was at Middlesbrough with Capello and doing alright, he was a fan of how I played,” said Downing to Five Live, as transcribed by HITC.

“He actually made a straight point to me, ‘you need to leave and play for a team that is further up the league. Europa League or Champions League’. I actually laughed at him and thought ‘that’s easier said than done. I am trying. How am I going to get them clubs?’ I know it does play a big part. If Ivan Toney does come back and say he goes to Arsenal, starts playing Champions League, winning the Premier League or threatening every season.

“Then Gareth (Southgate) will be under pressure to start him ahead of Ollie (Watkins). 100% – I am sure Ollie knows that as well. If he continues to score goals and gets Villa into them Champions League or Europa League spots, then he gives himself a hell of a chance.”

Aerial duels

Direct free-kicks

Through balls

Finishing

The future battle between Toney and Watkins will be an interesting one, especially considering Toney should be in top form when he returns from his ban. Called "amazing" by Thomas Frank, the striker netted 20 league goals last season.

After echoing the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland in apologising to fans of the game, Australia’s captain for now, Tim Paine, believes his team must forge a new and better identity out of the wreckage of Newlands

Daniel Brettig in Cape Town25-Mar-2018Australia’s captain for now, Tim Paine, believes his team must forge a new and better identity out of the wreckage of Newlands, where the infamy of the ball-tampering fiasco was rounded off by the humiliation of an abject 322-run defeat.Smith offence worse than mine – du Plessis

South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis believes Australia’s ball tampering at Newlands was a more serious offence than his “ball shining” offence in 2016, but admitted feeling some sympathy for his opposite number Steve Smith after he and David Warner were compelled to step down by Cricket Australia pending an internal investigation into the affair.
“For me, yes,” du Plessis responded when asked whether the Australians’ offence was more serious. “Ball shining versus ball tampering is two different situations, and one is more serious than the other.
“It’s difficult for me to give an answer which I think is right. It’s so difficult to say which is right and which is wrong. Obviously he is trying to take responsibility, so there is right in that. There is also right in holding other people responsible for their own actions. I can understand it’s a really tough time for him to be in now. The situation I was in was really difficult for me because people were attacking me, my personality and my character and I felt it was wrong, it wasn’t fair. I don’t know how he feels but I imagine it is a really tough time.
“He’s a very good batsman and somehow we’ve managed to keep him quiet. Its almost like losing two players in one because he’s such a strong batter. I also feel his leadership is good for the team so he’ll be a big loss for them.”

After echoing the Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland in apologising to fans of the game, Paine admitted the team had not been prepared for the sheer scale of the reaction that has flowed from across the Indian Ocean over the past 24 hours. He also said that Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were all struggling personally after their respective parts in the affair.But Paine said it was no excuse for a fourth-innings combustion from 57 for 0 to 107 all out, which left the touring team needing to win in Johannesburg to preserve a share of the series, and maintain an unbeaten record in South Africa over the past 24 years. Looking ahead, he showed the first acknowledgement that the Australian team’s wider culture and image needed to change, starting with the way they behaved and performed at the Wanderers from Friday.”There’s ammunition enough but it’s a difficult situation that some guys are going to get an opportunity from, so it’s trying to grab hold of the one positive that may come of it is guys are going to get an opportunity to play for their country,” Paine said. “The whole opportunity for us going forward now is something we can learn from.”Something we can try to control is how we are seen going forward by our Australian public and become the team that we want to become and they want us to be seen as. So that’s an opportunity going forward. I don’t think we all would have expected this to be as big as it has been and particularly the fallout that we have seen from back home, I think the reality and enormity of it has sunk in.”Through the extraordinary circumstances of this tour, Paine found himself elevated to the captaincy a matter of months after he was a surprise choice as Australia’s Ashes wicketkeeper when not even Tasmania’s first-choice behind the stumps. There is no small irony here, for as far back as 2010, he was touted as a leader of the future. This is not the way anyone imagines it happening.4:29

Voges: We will see changes to Australia’s hierarchy

“Strange, not the circumstances that anyone would like to be sitting here, really bizarre, strange, horrible 24 hours,” Paine said. “We had a quick chat as we do as a team every morning and Steve and Dave both announced that they were stepping down and then I was told by the chairman of selectors that I would be captain for the day.”It was extremely difficult, that’s no excuse for what you saw in the last 45 minutes, we are still the Australian cricket team and we are expected to put up a better effort than what we did today. It was in some trying circumstances and probably circumstances we brought on ourselves. No one likes losing and no one likes losing in the circumstances that we have today.”Asked about the state of Smith, Warner and Bancroft, Paine said the trio were coming to terms with the gravity of their situation, with the Cricket Australia integrity officer Iain Roy en route to South Africa to conduct an internal investigation. “They’re not great, it’s been a horrible 24 hours,” Paine said. “They’re struggling, but probably the reality and the enormity of what’s happened is starting to sink in.”All we spoke about today as a team was when we crossed the line to go out and do our jobs and to compete and for the first half of the day I thought we did that reasonably well with the ball then started ok with the bat. Unfortunately, [we] fell apart in a really ordinary manner which only rubbed salt into the wounds of what’s been a horrible 24 hours for us.”Unsurprisingly, Paine had no definitive answers to questions about the captaincy tenure of Smith and the coaching role of Darren Lehmann, and nor did he feel ready to discuss his own captaincy prospects. For Paine and the rest of the squad, this is very much a journey into the unknown.”That’s I think something that might come up this week,” he said of whether Smith and Lehmann could continue, “but there’s an internal review that’s going to take place in the next few days and until that’s happened no one will be making any comment on anything like that.” As for his own leadership future: “I’m not sure what’s going to happen, I don’t think anyone is, so it’s an impossible question to answer.”Apart from knowing that things must change around the Australian team, Paine and the rest are bracing for what happens next. Based on trend set by the events of the past 24 hours, it could be absolutely anything.

خاض منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم، تدريبًا صباحيًا، اليوم السبت، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، استعدادًا لمواجهة غينيا بيساو.

وكان منتخب مصر قد حقق فوزًا غاليًا على حساب بوركينا فاسو، يوم الخميس الماضي، في الجولة الثالثة من عمر تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

ويستكمل منتخب مصر مشوار تصفيات إفريقيا لكأس العالم بمواجهة غينيا بيساو في الجولة الرابعة.

موعد مباراة مصر وغينيا بيساو في تصفيات كأس العالم

ومن المقرر أن يحل منتخب مصر ضيفًا على غينيا بيساو، يوم الإثنين المقبل، العاشر من يونيو الجاري، وذلك في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

وتغادر بعثة منتخب مصر في الرابعة عصر اليوم السبت، على متن طائرة خاصة إلى غينيا بيساو، استعدادًا للمواجهة المرتقبة.

طالع أيضًا | خالد الدرندلي يوضح سبب تأجيل سفر منتخب مصر إلى غينيا بيساو.. ويوجه رسالة إلى الجماهير

ويتواجد منتخب مصر على رأس المجموعة الأولى التي تضم إلى جواره منتخبات بوركينا فاسو وغينيا بيساو وسيراليون وإثيوبيا وجيبوتي. ترتيب مجموعة مصر في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

1- منتخب مصر – المركز الأول – 9 نقاط – لعب 3 مباريات.

2- غينيا بيساو – المركز الثاني – 5 نقاط – لعب 3 مباريات.

3- بوركينا فاسو – المركز الثالث – 4 نقاط – لعب 3 مباريات.

4- سيراليون – المركز الرابع – 4 نقاط – لعب 3 مباريات.

5- إثيوبيا – المركز الخامس – نقطتين – لعب 3 مباريات.

6- جيبوتي – المركز السادس – بدون نقاط – لعب 3 مباريات.

It's perhaps a testament to Newcastle United's meteoric rise under the management of Eddie Howe that there is disgruntlement after a slow start to the season, with an incisive 5-1 win over Aston Villa followed by a trio of defeats.

Last season, the Magpies blitzed into form and ascended to heights unseen for decades, clinching Champions League qualification with a top-four finish and wiping away the struggles that had plagued the club for so many years before the PIF takeover in 2021.

While the results haven't favoured the Tyneside club in the early phase of the 2023/24 term, Howe will maintain every confidence that his side can forge a successful path for themselves once again.

How have Newcastle performed this season?

Last season, Newcastle were built on fluidity, cohesion and resilience, which very much formed the foundation of a tremendous year – United completed the Premier League campaign with the joint-best defence (alongside champions Manchester City).

And while the opening dismantlement of Unai Emery's Villa tantalised a continuation of the resounding success, away defeats to Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion and a home loss to Liverpool have left the side bogged down in the bottom half of the table.

Falling to Liverpool was particularly bitter, having taken the lead through Anthony Gordon's strike – who capitalised on Trent Alexander-Arnold's mistake – shortly before Virgil van Dijk took Alexander Isak out as he pushed through on goal; Darwin Nunez's late off-the-bench brace quickly turned delight to despair.

It might now be time for Howe to tinker away after making minimal changes across the opening phase of the season…

How good is Sean Longstaff?

Sandro Tonali kicked off the summer spending when completing a £55m move to St. James' Park in July, but so far it does not look like the Italy international and Bruno Guimaraes are working well together in the centre of the park.

Because of this, it might be wise to place Sean Longstaff back into the starting line-up, with the 25-year-old midfielder playing 41 times last year, scoring three goals and providing four assists.

Rated at £18m by Football Transfers, the £50k-per-week ace impressed with his bouncing presence and worked well as a counterweight to Guimaraes' technical, orchestrating presence beside him.

Guimaraes is not quite the specialist six that Newcastle might crave to hold the midfield together, but that does not mean that he is not a "world-class" option – as he has been called by teammate Dan Burn – who will serve as the fulcrum of much of the club's success over the coming years.

He has performed admirably since his £40m transfer to St. James' Park from French side Lyon in January 2022, so much so that the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona have come sniffing, and has been duly rewarded with a looming new lucrative contract.

Part of the reason his role in the deep-lying position worked so well last term was due to Longstaff's energy and industriousness, hailed for his "vital role" as United's "unsung hero" by pundit Jamie Rednapp, who provided an analysis after the Brighton defeat and highlighted the upswing in results when Longstaff receives a starting berth.

This is evidenced through his metrics, with FBref ranking the homegrown talent among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 12% for progressive passes received per 90 – perhaps why he has been dubbed an "absolute machine" by some in the media.

In time, perhaps the midfield axis of Guimaraes and Tonali will gel and form the heart of a truly terrifying partnership, but right now, with the emphasis surely on returning to winning ways, it might be prudent to return to the tried-and-tested formula.

Despite paying the big bucks to secure the services of Tonali, who is undoubtedly a first-rate playmaker, the balance of this Newcastle team has been knocked, and with a tough test awaiting against Brentford, reinstating Longstaff to the starting fold might be the apt solution to get the club back on the rise.

أعلن سيرجي ريبروف، المدير الفني لمنتخب أوكرانيا الأول لكرة القدم عن قائمة اللاعبين، للمشاركة في بطولة يورو 2024 التي ستقام في ألمانيا.

وتنطلق البطولة في ألمانيا خلال الفترة من 14 يونيو المقبل حتى 14 يوليو، ويتواجد المنتخب الأوكراني ضمن المجموعة الخامسة، بجانب بلجيكا وسلوفاكيا ورومانيا.

المنتخب الأوكراني يواجه ألمانيا وبولندا ومولدوفا، قبل انطلاق البطولة استعدادًا لمنافسات اليورو، في أيام 3 و 7 و 11 يونيو.

القائمة التي أعلنها المدرب ريبروف، تواجد بها 6 أسماء إضافية لـ26، قبل ان يتم إعلان القائمة النهائية في 7 يونيو.

وضمت القائمة، ميخايلو مودريك، لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي تشيلسي، بالإضافة لـ زينتشينكو لاعب آرسنال، وميكلولينكو مدافع إيفرتون، وفي مقدمة هؤلاء، أندري لونين حارس ريال مدريد بعد تألقه في الفترة الأخيرة.

طالع أيضً | قائمة سويسرا لبطولة يورو 2024.. انضمام شاكيري وتشاكا قائمة أوكرانيا لبطولة يورو 2024

حراسة المرمى: أندري لونين “ريال مدريد الإسباني”، جيورجي بوتشان “ديناكو كييف الأوكراني”، أنتولي توربين “بنفيكا البرتغالي”.

خط الدفاع: مايكولا ماتفينكو، يواخيم كونوبليا، فاليري بوندر “شاختار الأوكراني”، أولكسندر تيمشيك “دينامو كييف الأوكراني”، فيتالي مايكولينكو “إيفرتون الإنجليزي”، إيليا زابارني “بورنموث الإنجليزي”، أولكسندر سفاتوف “دينبرو الأوكراني”، ماكسيم تالوفيروف “لاسك النمساوي”، بوجدان مايخايليتشينو “بوليسيا زايتومير الأوكراني”.

وسط الملعب: أولكسندر زينتشينكو “آرسنال الإنجليزي”، أندري يارمولينكو، مايكولا شابارينكو، فولوديمير برازهكو “دينامو كييف الأوكراني”، تاراس ستيبانينكو، أولكسندر زوبكوف “شاختار الأوكراني”، فيكتور تسيجانكوف “جيرونا الإسباني”، ميخايلو مودريك “تشيلسي الإنجليزي، روسلان مالينوفسكي “جنوى الإيطالي”، سيرجي سيدروتشوك “ويستريلو البلجيكي”.

خط الهجوم: أرتيم دوفبيك “جيرونا الإسباني”، رومان يارموتشوك “فالنسيا الإسباني”، فلاديسلاف فانات “دينامو كييف الأوكراني”.

 

I see witnesses have come forward to defend Ben Stokes. That’s great. So he can play in the Ashes then?Well hold on a minute. Somerset and Avon Police are still investigating the incident and the ECB has suspended him indefinitely as it awaits developments.The guy’s a hero. If Stokes had saved me from a beating, I’d have been down the nick in no time. What took these guys so long?Cricket’s not their thing apparently and they had no idea who he was until a policeman knocked on the door. But according to the they regard Stokes as “a real gentleman”.That’s good. So now Stokes has an alibi, why not just get the first taxi to Heathrow?It’s not an alibi. The footage still shows someone who looks very much like him throwing punches. As far as that goes, nothing has changed.It was self-defence, we all know that.An argument of self-defence would certainly help his case. But a court might still be asked to decide whether the level of force used was reasonable based on the circumstances as Stokes genuinely believed them.So if he is going to be charged, get on with it and find him not guilty. The first Test in Brisbane is less than a month away…“Slow but sure moves the might of the Gods,” as Euripides had it.Eh?The wheels of justice turn slowly.How slowly?Government figures suggest it takes an average of 24 weeks between the offence and the case being concludedBut that’s the end of the Ashes. And some.The middle of March. And the same figures indicate Bristol Crown Court can take twice as longSurely sometimes famous people deserve special treatment? This affects the enjoyment of millions of people.All right, you’ve convinced me. Get him on the plane.

A Premier League club are interested in signing Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones in the summer transfer window, according to a surprising new update.

How old is Curtis Jones?

The Englishman, who is still just 22 years of age, has made his way through as one of the best graduates of the youth system at Anfield to become a genuinely important squad player.

It hasn't all been plain sailing for Jones, whose form has suffered at times, not to mention injuries holding him back, but there were signs towards the end of last season that he had really found his groove. The youngster benefited from enjoying a run in the first-team and he shone in a Gini Wijnaldum-esque role as a No.8, scoring three times in the Premier League in total.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

While Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have come in and increased competition for places in Liverpool's midfield – Moises Caicedo could also be set to join in a £110m move – the boyhood Reds supporter should still have a key role to play moving forward, with this season hopefully one that sees him go up a further gear.

That being said, a surprise exit rumour has now emerged regarding Jones, with Crystal Palace seemingly keen on snapping him up in the coming weeks.

Will Curtis Jones leave Liverpool?

According to Caught Offside, the Eagles are eyeing a summer move for Jones, seeing him a strong option to come in and improve their midfield:

"While there is still a lot of focus on securing at least one more high-profile incoming with Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and now Brighton and Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo among the Reds’ shortlisted options, as per CaughtOffside sources, one player who is attracting interest of his own is Curtis Jones."

It would make absolutely no sense for Liverpool to sell Jones at this point in his career, having impressed so much in the spring, and still having so many years ahead of him to improve further.

The fact that Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all moved on only makes it more important to keep hold of him, so it would be an enormous shock to suddenly see him head to Palace.

Whether Jones can be a regular member of the starting lineup in 2023/24 remains to be seen, with Mac Allister and Szoboszlai primed to take up the No.8 berths, but Jurgen Klopp won't hesitate in playing him if he believes he merits it.

The Liverpool manager called him "fantastic" recently, following a star turn for England's Under-21s at the European Championships – a tournament that the Three Lions won – and he looks at a good moment in his career, in terms of being ready to take that next step and become a really top-class option for the Reds.

A year or so, ago a move away arguably made a little more sense, at which point there were more doubts about his long-term worth, but he has shown what he is capable of when fit and firing, so the idea of him making the step down to join Palace make no sense at all.

West Ham United are "talking" to AC Milan over the possibility of signing forward Divock Origi this summer, according to reports.

Who will West Ham sign?

The Irons and manager David Moyes are aiming to bolster their ranks after clinching a first ever European trophy last season. West Ham's triumph in the Europa Conference League final last season represents a significant milestone for the club, but that wasn't enough to keep former star Declan Rice.

The 24-year-old completed his British record switch to Arsenal last week, with Rice moving for £105 million and becoming the most expensive English player in history.

One silver lining for Moyes' side is the huge financial windfall off his sale, money that will be put to use in this summer transfer market as West Ham source potential replacements.

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, Switzerland international Denis Zakaria, Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka and Man United's Scott McTominay are some of the midfielders tipped as targets recently.

Meanwhile, it is also believed that West Ham want to sign new forward options, with both Michail Antonio and Danny Ings linked to leaving the club.

Chelsea forward Armando Broja, who has found game time difficult to come by lately, is one player who could make the move to east London while Milan striker Origi is another.

According to reports out of Italy, the Belgian is attracting serious interest from West Ham, coming one year after he left Liverpool on a free transfer.

La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claim the Irons are "talking" to Milan over signing Origi, but they're joined by Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasary in the race for him.

The Rossoneri are actively trying to find a new club for the 28-year-old, but his excessive wages are believed to be off-putting to both Galatasary and Moyes' side.

Origi, meanwhile, has little intention of leaving the San Siro despite being left out of their US pre-season tour by manager Stefano Pioli.

While there are a few obstacles for West Ham to overcome here, they're apparently still in discussions with the Serie A giants over a move for the attacker.

How good is Divock Origi?

Scoring 41 goals and assisting 18 others in 175 Liverpool appearances, Origi has also featured at international tournaments for Belgium and is arguably proven in the Premier League.

If Milan are eager to offload him, it may also suggest that Moyes and West Ham could land him for a fair enough price, so it's a move they should well consider.

He could come as a solid rotational option if either Antonio or Ings do end up departing, with Jurgen Klopp previously expressing his huge admiration for Origi.

Klopp has called the player a "monster" in past seasons and a "positive" person in general, perhaps indicating Origi would bring character to the dressing room too.

“He’s a positive person. He is talented, he shoots left and right, he is really quick, in the air – he is a monster. He is an interesting package,” Klopp said.

“His skillset is a special thing – he can come in and play brilliantly. The biggest game in our history against Barcelona in 2019, he started and he was incredible.

"In specific moments, Divock is absolutely outstanding and everybody was really happy on Saturday. It’s a nice story.”