Newcastle United are looking to craft a lasting foundation for their newfound Premier League success and are now closing on a deal for prodigious Gambian talent Yankuba Minteh.

What's the latest on Yankuba Minteh to Newcastle?

As confirmed by BBC Sport, Minteh is closing on a departure from Danish side Odense to pen a long-term deal with Eddie Howe's Magpies.

The fee for the 18-year-old gem is believed to be around €7m (£6m), and with Brighton, Everton, Club Brugge, Ajax, Feyenoord and Marseille all hoping for his signature, it could be that sporting director Dan Ashworth has pulled off a major coup.

Minteh is expected to be granted a season-long loan move away from St. James's Park by Eddie Howe as he is carefully nurtured towards a prominent role within one of the game's most burgeoning outfits.

Who is Yankuba Minteh?

Newcastle have qualified for next season's Champions League and are poised for a lasting spot among Europe's elite after the affluent PIF takeover in 2021.

And while the emphasis will be on bolstering the first team with signings of high calibre, creating a first-rate underbelly is the optimum way to ensure this newfound success remains unwavering.

Having made 17 appearances for Odense this term, Minteh has scored four goals and supplied a further six assists, earning praise as a "special" talent by one Danish football scout, who noted his "fantastic" season, whilst he also believes the winger "has a future in the Premier League".

As per Sofascore, the rising attacker has recorded an impressive average rating in the Danish Superliga of 6.96, complementing his direct contributions with 1.6 shots and 0.9 key passes per game and a notable average of 2.6 tackles per match, which illustrates his natural dynamism and tenacity.

Also praised as a "top talent for the future" by Fabrizio Romano, Minteh has drawn comparisons to Bayer Leverkusen phenom Moussa Diaby – who has been linked with a £69m move to Tyneside this term – from talent scout Jacek Kulig, who produced a meticulous report detailing the teenager's profile and highlighting his immense strength in pace, dribbling, dynamism and ball control.

This certainly matches up with Diaby's skill set, with the 23-year-old, who has scored 14 goals and supplied 11 assists this term – and been praised for his "supernatural, divine gift" by president of Esperance Paris 19e Morade Djeddi, Diaby's maiden outfit.

Indeed, as per FBref, the £32k-per-week sensation ranks among the top 19% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries per 90, illustrating his prowess in blistering transition and aptitude as a first-rate vehicle on the pitch.

It's this progressive skill that has left United enamoured and looking to swoop, but by targetting Minteh, who, granted, will not feature with a prominent role for a couple of years at least, the Toon could unearth a superlative flanker capable of eclipsing the skill set of Diaby, flourishing at St. James' Park for years to come.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a Premier League defender as the transfer window approaches, however, Mikel Arteta must avoid past mistakes in dodging the potential signing.

The Spaniard will be keen to make amendments to his side this summer after narrowly missing out on the league title, with depth needed in all areas to tussle with defending champions Manchester City once again.

A host of talent has been linked with a move to the Emirates already, however, the latest link should be one for the club to swipe past.

What’s the latest on Timothy Castagne to Arsenal?

As reported by Belgian outlet Het Belang van Limburg (as relayed by Sport Witness), Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne is a wanted man at Arsenal.

The news was supported by journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who claimed the right-back is seen by the Gunners as a second choice to Real Valladolid gem Ivan Fresneda.

Tavolieri added that Arsenal have ‘started the talks’ with the Foxes over the Belgian with things having the potential to ‘develop quickly’.

Is Timothy Castagne the best option for Arsenal?

Having once been described as being an “absolute liability” by members of the media, the 27-year-old made 37 appearances this season in a campaign that saw Leicester relegated to the Championship.

The right-back has some qualities that established him as a Premier League player, however, Arsenal must avoid past mistakes in the transfer window in order to fully progress after a title-challenging term.

The Gunners secured the signing of Cedric Soares from Southampton in 2020, but the Portuguese defender has failed to make an impact in north London.

While the market can be misleading when stating ‘you get what you pay for’, Arsenal could indeed seek better options than an individual that played a key role in the defence of a side that was relegated.

In 2022 when speaking on talkSPORT, former Premier League forward Darren Bent claimed that Cedric was “not good enough” for the Gunners, something that was correct, with the 31-year-old going on loan to Fulham in January 2023 where he made just six appearances.

Depth is what Arsenal need, however, it's the quality in the numbers that is critical to the north Londoners to close the gap on Pep Guardiola’s treble winners, as seen by the gulf in class following William Saliba’s injury in March and Rob Holding’s inadequate cameo.

Signing a relegated individual shouldn’t be the route that Edu follows in order to add to the squad this summer, with statistics showing that Castagne ranks far lower than the Gunners’ current options.

Ben White, who is considered Arsenal’s first-choice right-back, was dribbled past on average 0.7 times per game this season, with the Leicester defender being overcome 1.2 times per game, via Sofascore.

Although he would expectedly act as a backup to the Englishman, Arteta wouldn’t be making a significant upgrade on Cedric in signing Castagne.

When comparing the seasons of the Portuguese in 2021/22 to the Belgian this year via FBref, the numbers suggest that Cedric is actually better suited to the Spaniard’s style of play, averaging 5.09 progressive passes per 90 to the £67k-per-week defender’s 2.93.

Having progressive playing full-backs is integral to Arsenal’s playing style, and with the reported target not hitting near the heights of the Emirates’ out-of-favour player, the deal makes little sense in the club’s pursuit of another title challenge.

And as such, Arteta must avoid repeating a Cedric-esque mistake this off-season.

JP Duminy was considering retiring from Test cricket in January, when he was dropped for the New Year’s Test against England, before he was talked out of it by Ashwell Prince

Firdose Moonda05-Nov-2016

South Africa batsman JP Duminy was considering retiring from Test cricket in January, when he was dropped for the New Year’s Test against England, before he was talked out of it by Ashwell Prince, who was a selector at the time. Duminy ended a run of patchy form by scoring 141 in the second innings to give South Africa a 300-plus lead over Australia in the ongoing Perth Test.”When he was dropped in January, he was considering retiring from Test cricket,” Prince told ESPNcricinfo in Perth. “He had the conversation with me because the convener of selectors was not at the Cape Town Test, so I had to go and take him the news that he won’t be playing.”At that time, he was at a real low point and he was being honest and giving his feelings. As a selector, and with him being an important player to South African cricket, you try and convince him to think about it. I’m sure when he thinks back about that conversation this afternoon or this evening, he will know how he was feeling then and with the feeling he is having now, he will be happy that he carried on.”Duminy admitted that at that time he lacked direction, especially in Tests. “There was indifferent feelings. I wasn’t sure where I was going in terms of my career but I am very grateful to get another opportunity.”He had gone 12 innings without a hundred when he was dropped, and in that time he had only passed fifty once. Like his team-mates, he struggled in India and with South African cricket itself on the wane, had several reasons to walk away. “It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was but he was out of form,” Prince said. “With the type of calendar that they have these days, he has got a young baby, a young family, all that might have played a role.”That was when Prince reminded Duminy, who had replaced him in the 2008 Perth Test and made a half-century in a famous victory, of the prestige of the longest format. “I was talking to him as a friend, rather than a selector. I was making him understand how important Test cricket is for a player. You can play hundreds of ODIs and T20 and make millions but when you are done playing, you always think about what you did in the Test-match arena,” Prince said. “You can play fifty ODIs quickly and not remember anything. These type of performances, that’s what the game is all about.”During the conversation, Prince said Duminy told him that he needed “a bit of a break,” and was going to take the New Year’s week off but then he decided to play in a franchise first-class match. He scored a career-best 260. “I don’t know what changed from him wanting a break and then playing in that match but he got 250 straight away and I think the next Test he was back in.”Faf du Plessis was dropped for the next game and Duminy returned but not with much success. He scored 19 and 29 against England at SuperSport Park and it was only when he struck 88 against New Zealand seven months later that it seemed he had found form again. Then, Duminy was able to realign his goals with his performances.”The change came for me just before the West Indies tour,” Duminy said. “I sat down and reassessed my goals. Test cricket has always been a big part of my goal setting and I knew I was at a crossroads in my Test career. I wanted to leave my Test career knowing that I’ve given it my all, and I committed to myself that I was going to give myself the best chance, so that was the difference. It was a personal thing. I didn’t necessarily speak to anyone about it. I just sat down, wrote a few things down, where I want to go, what I still want to achieve.”In that match, played without the injured AB de Villiers, Duminy was moved to No. 4, which is where he has batted in this Perth Test, and the change of position might have led to a change in fortune.”If you are at No. 6, 90% of the time, you are batting with the bowlers so you will always have to try and think how am I going to marshall my way through this innings,” Prince said. “Do I trust them? Are they looking good on the day or are they looking like it’s going to be a matter of time? You are taking everything into consideration, whether it’s spinning, whether they are getting in line behind the ball. Maybe upfront he is a lot more relaxed, he has a lot more time to bat, he doesn’t have to think should I attack more, should I defend more, or how the tail is lining up. He just has to bat.”For Duminy, the move to No. 4 refreshed his approach. “I was pleased with the opportunity. It is something I have always enjoyed in the first-class arena. To be given the nod to go ahead, especially with it being such a crucial position in the South African team, was a big positive for me and I knew I had to step up and fill some big boots. You had Kallis and AB de Villiers batting there before. Today [in Perth] was a step in the right direction.”But more than the change of position, Prince believed it was a mental shift that did the trick for Duminy. “I think its 100% mindset. I think maybe he has thought about and committed to wanting to do more in his Test career,” Prince said. “In the first innings [in Perth] he came out looking to play more positively and maybe once or twice was a little loose, in the second innings he came out positive again but a lot more selective. His shot selection and his stroke play has been sublime.”

Arsenal may be the favourites for his signature but Declan Rice's future is still wide open, Fabrizo Romano has claimed.

What's the latest on Arsenal and Declan Rice?

The midfielder is Arsenal's top target, and recent reports have indicated that the Gunners are the favourites to land the West Ham captain this summer.

Rice is seemingly keen on a move to Arsenal, but Romano has urged caution, claiming that his situation is still open, amidst interest from Bayern Munich.

Speaking on the Here We Go Podcast, Romano claimed that Arsenal are currently ahead in what could be a record-breaking deal, but the deal is far from secure for Mikel Arteta.

"The priority of Arsenal is Declan Rice. They are speaking to the player's side, they are speaking to West Ham," he stated.

"They will make a bid after the Conference League final, they want to respect West Ham of course, but right after, Arsenal are prepared to make a bid.

"It's true that there is also Bayern interest, but at the moment that is not that advanced. So Arsenal still feel they are the favourites to sign Declan Rice. But this is not something guaranteed yet. From what I understand, we heard some reports in England in the last two or three days that Declan Rice already made it clear that he wants to join Arsenal.

"I'm told this is not clear yet. I was speaking to some sources, and they told me be careful, because Declan Rice is keeping all of the options open.

"Of course, Arsenal is a concrete option, but this is not 100% guaranteed yet. So I think this is still an open race."

Should Rice join Arsenal?

Given that there are a number of top clubs interested in the 24-year-old, the decision he has to make this summer is a huge one.

Although West Ham may prefer to sell Rice abroad rather than within the Premier League, his desire may be to stay in England, or even in London, and Arsenal are the best option if this is the case.

Mikel Arteta's side are the only London team who qualified for European competition this season, and with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur having disastrous campaigns, they are in the best position on the pitch.

With Granit Xhaka set to depart, there is a spot in the team ready for Rice to fill. Chelsea meanwhile, are pursuing Manuel Ugarte to partner January signing Enzo Fernandez. Their chaos both on and off the pitch may make them a less attractive destination for Rice.

Unless the England international is keen to move abroad to Bayern Munich, staying in his hometown and joining Arsenal, who could challenge for the title again next season, may be the best option for Rice.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is personally "driving" a Spurs move for Leicester City playmaker James Maddison, according to reports.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

As the transfer window officially opens for business today, the time for a major Spurs rebuild is now upon us, with many players being tipped to potentially leave or come through the door.

Postecoglou's arrival marks the return of attacking football and a 4-3-3 formation, meaning chairman Daniel Levy must now scour for players who suit his system.

Of the players who could depart N17, there are many, with over 11 players being linked to leaving. Indeed, Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Lenglet, Eric Dier and Ben Davies have all been tipped to potentially exit, while Spurs are also apparently planning to offload Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks (The Telegraph).

Meanwhile, it is believed Postecoglou has green-lit plans to sign a new centre-back, with reports suggesting Spurs are also hunting for a new goalkeeper to succeed Lloris. Maddison, who looks set to leave Leicester following their relegation from the top flight, is a firm transfer target as well.

The Lilywhites, according to reports, are contending with Eddie Howe's Newcastle for the England international with reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella of The Evening Standard sharing an update.

According to his information, while the Magpies are confident of beating Spurs to Maddison, Postecoglou is personally "driving" a move to bring him to Hotspur Way.

The Foxes will apparently demand around £45m and he is set to be sold after Leicester's drop to the Championship, with Spurs targeting a creative playmaker this summer.

Postecoglou has given his green-light to moving for Maddison, but with Newcastle now "frontrunners", Spurs could face a tougher task of signing him.

Who is James Maddison?

The Three Lions ace was, by some distance, Leicester's best player last season.

According to WhoScored, he stood out as their best-performing player by average match rating, all whilst totalling an impressive 19 goal contributions in the league alone (10 goals, nine assists).

Maddison also averaged more attempts at goal and key passes made per 90 than any other Leicester player, highlighting why Postecoglou is so keen to bring him to north London.

Journalist Josh Bunting, taking to Twitter last year, heaped praise on the 26-year-old – claiming he can be "unplayable" when at his very best.

Whoever wins the race for Maddison will surely have a real player on their hands.

Everton ended the 22/23 campaign at Goodison Park, roaring in adulation, basking in a seasonal culmination that so easily could have written a different narrative.

The Toffees had defeated Bournemouth 1-0, Abdoulaye Doucoure the hero after unleashing a venomous volley during the second half, and needed to do so after Leicester City beat West Ham United – the Foxes would have secured survival themselves had Everton failed to win.

A shrewd move which could be taken to ensure the pit of the Premier League becomes a fugacious memory could be found in Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom, with the one-time Arsenal starlet enjoying a tremendous campaign in the Championship, and TEAMtalk state that the 27-year-old is of interest to Dyche and co, alongside a lengthy list of suitors.

Akpom has just one year left on his current deal, and Boro boss Michael Carrick is expecting several departures to fund the summer market.

Given Akpom is valued at roughly £20m, he seems to be the optimum choice for departure.

Should Everton sign Chuba Akpom?

Toffees boss Sean Dyche, who assumed the reins in January, will be delighted that his outfit crafted a successful end to the season but will be all too aware that the jubilance stands upon pillars of strife, with the club now seeking to avoid a third successive relegation dogfight.

To do so, signing a centre-forward is surely paramount; with just 34 goals scored in the top-flight this term, Wolverhampton Wanderers are the only club to have produced fewer net-bulging moments, and the crux of the club's malaise lies in the attacking potency – or lack of it.

Having signed for Middlesbrough for £3m from Greek outfit PAOK in 2020, Akpom scored just five goals in his maiden campaign and was subsequently loaned back to to PAOK.

Returning to the Riverside Stadium this summer, the 27-year-old whiz finally harnessed his prolific prowess and plundered 28 goals from 40 Championship appearances as his side reached the playoff semi-finals and has been hailed as "remarkable" by BBC contributor Oluwashina Okeleji for his exploits.

At Goodison Park, however, he would bring an imposing threat and a ball-playing assurance to coincide with his goal-scoring aptitude, with FBref ranking him among the top 3% of forwards across Men's Next 8 divisions – preceding the established European top five – for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 4% for pass completion, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.

He could form a deadly partnership with dynamic midfielder Alex Iwobi, who has been resurgent at Goodison Park this season, having found a home in a new, more central role, scoring twice and registering nine assists over the course of the season.

The £120k-per-week Nigerian ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for rate of assists, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90, and could work very well alongside his former Gunners teammate, both players heaping emphasis on surging into the final third and instigating promising pieces of play.

Akpom clearly has a striker's instinct to succeed, on top of his progressive presence and knack at keeping things slick and secure in the offence, he could be just what Dyche needs heading into next season.

ScorecardFile photo – Jhulan Goswami took 2 for 28 in 10 overs to lead India’s bowling charge•Getty Images

A tight bowling effort from India women set up their five-wicket win over West Indies women in the second ODI in Mulapadu. With the win, India took a 2-0 lead and sealed the three-match series, thereby extending the visitors’ wait to secure a direct entry for the 2017 Women’s World Cup.West Indies, asked to make first use of the surface, struggled for momentum and crawled to 153 for 7 in 50 overs. India struggled slightly towards the latter parts of their chase, going from 111 for 2 to 150 for 5, but managed to cross the line in 38 overs with five wickets in hand.West Indies lost their openers Hayley Matthews and Shaquana Quintyne in consecutive overs to be reduced to 20 for 2. Stafanie Taylor, the captain, and Kycia Knight scored 30 runs between them off 98 balls.Deandra Dottin and Merissa Aguilleira got together to repair the damage with a 70-run fifth-wicket stand, and though they used up 110 balls, their stand marked one of the quicker periods of scoring in the West Indies innings. Dottin scored top-scored with 63 and was the last batsman dismissed, bowled by Jhulan Goswami off the last ball of the innings.Goswami and Ekta Bisht, the left-arm spinner, took identical figures of 10-2-28-2, Gayakwad took 1 for 31 in 10 overs, while Deepti Sharma gave away just 19 runs in her quota. Barring Harmanpreet Kaur, who gave away 20 runs in three overs, all of India’s bowlers were economical, with Rajeshwari Gayakwad, the left-arm spinner, recording the worst economy rate (3.10).Thirush Kamini was given out obstructing the field in the fourth over of India’s chase, before Smriti Mandhana and Deepti steadied them with a 63-run second-wicket stand. Mandhana took India to 111 for 2 with Mithali Raj, before she was caught off Matthews’ offspin on 44. Raj took India to the brink with a 51-ball 45, and though she fell with her team four runs away, it was late compensation for West Indies.The final ODI will take place at the same venue on Wednesday.

تمكن نادي النصر من تحقيق فوز صعب في ديربي الرياض على حساب الشباب، في إطار الجولة 21 من الدوري السعودي “جولة التأسيس”.

تقدم النصر بهدف من ركلة جزاء سجلها هداف الفريق كريستيانو رونالدو في الدقيقة 21 من عمر اللقاء.

وجاء هدف التعادل للشباب عن طريق يانيك كاراسكو من ركلة جزاء سجلها في الدقيقة الثامنة المحتسبة بدل الضائع من الشوط الأول الذي انتهى بالتعادل بهدف لمثله.

اقرأ أيضًا..ترتيب هدافي الدوري السعودي بعد هدف كريستيانو رونالدو أمام الشباب

وفي الشوط الثاني تقدم النصر من جديد بهدف سجله البرازيلي القناص أنديرسون تاليسكا في الدقيقة 47.

وعاد الشباب للتعادل مرة أخرى في الدقيقة 67 بواسطة المهاجم البرازيلي كارلوس جونيور.

وبتمريرة سحرية في الدقيقة 86 سجل أنديرسون تاليسكا ثالث أهداف النصر وهدف التفوق لفريقه لينتهي اللقاء بفوز النصر بنتيجة (3-2) في ديربي الرياض أمام الشباب.

بهذا الفوز وصل النصر للنقطة 52 في وصافة جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي بينما توقف الشباب في المركز الحادي عشر عند 24 نقطة. أهداف مباراة النصر والشباب في الدوري السعودي