Newcastle United need to bring in more signings this window to deal with the added prospect of Champions League football according to Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie.

What is going on at Newcastle United?

The Magpies are preparing for their first season back in the Champions League in two decades.

The club have already made a massive move in the transfer market, bringing in Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali from giants AC Milan for a reported fee of £55m. The 23-year-old has been regarded as one of the most promising midfielders in the world for a number of years, even being called the 'next Andrea Pirlo', and is a real coup for Eddie Howe's side.

He remains the club's only senior signing of the window so far, with the Tyneside outfit having missed out on English midfielder James Maddison to Tottenham Hotspur and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to Liverpool earlier in the window.

Newcastle are still working on deals for other players, with the club close to finalising a move for Leicester City forward Harvey Barnes. Reports have also linked the side with young Portuguese defender Goncalo Inacio, whilst it remains to be seen if the club will reignite their interest in Arsenal fullback Kieran Tierney as the window progresses.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Downie stated that he believes Newcastle have to "bulk up" the squad to deal with the addition of Champions League football, and they won't get away with using the same 14 or 15 players like last campaign.

"I think Newcastle need to add. I think anyone who watched Newcastle will be aware that they got through last season with a very thin squad, they were asking the same 14 or 15 players to go again and again every week.

"They've not just got the Premier League to contend with next season, they've got these Champions League matches as well so it's gonna be a difficult season as well in terms of the amount of games they are going to have to play so they do need to bulk up the squad."

"If they were to sell one or two players, they would then need to go back into the market and reinvest. So I reckon you're probably looking at another three or four players to try and bulk up the squad."

Why do Newcastle need transfers?

Newcastle enjoyed a memorable season last time around, but this time will be a lot tougher if they tried to use the same squad with minimal additions.

Last season, the Magpies were very lucky that their entire first-choice defence was fit for the whole season, with all five of Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, and Fabian Schar all playing over 3000 minutes.

This season with the added fixtures in the Champions League these five will end up in the "red zone" more often and will need to be rested. When you consider that Jamaal Lascelles is the clubs most recognised backup central defender, it makes the interest in Inacio seem obvious and a huge priority.

Unlike last campaign, due to the side's Champions League games, they will often be playing two games a week instead of just one like the majority of last season. In order for the club to achieve what they believe they can across the board next season, proper rotation and quality depth will be required across the board. The expected addition of Barnes would complete the attacking depth as it would leave Howe with six attackers to choose from. Midfield and defence are still areas that seem short in terms of personnel despite the arrival of Tonali so the club's focus should be on addressing those weaknesses.

Many Newcastle fans will be hoping that this upcoming season is just as, if not more, memorable than last season, but they could be left disappointed if the squad isn't filled out enough to properly cope with the demands that playing in the Champions League gives a squad.

It can be difficult for a new arrival to settle into a club sometimes, but on the odd occasion, summer signings simply slot straight in. And that's what Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to see happen in the case of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai at Liverpool.

From a player's perspective, attempting to read their new manager's mind over how things are going early can be a dangerous game, but one hint that their new boss can give is a nickname.

A nickname feels like the welcoming with open arms that everyone wants. It's the indication that you're now part of a Klopp team, in particular. See Naby Keita's "Naby lad" name, and Andy Robertson's "Robbo" as examples.

Now, Mac Allister has become the latest to get the official welcome from Klopp, who revealed the name he has already come up with for the Argentine.

Jurgen Klopp reveals Alexis Mac Allister's nickname

Some players get nicknames that stick, names that follow them around their entire careers. Ray Parlour, for example, will forever be known as the Romford Pele around North London. But, some players are stuck with names they'd rather leave behind, and something tells us that might well be the case for Mac Allister.

Revealing the nickname he first thought of for his new midfielder, Klopp said, via The Anfield Wrap: “I was immediately thinking about nicknames and I thought it would be great nickname for Alexis… Gary [McAllister]!”

We don't think this one will quite stick, somehow. The thought of an Argentine World Cup winner with plenty of style on the pitch being called… Gary, just doesn't sit right with us. But only time will tell, with the name paying homage to club legend Gary McAllister.

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

In the end, Liverpool got themselves a bargain deal for Mac Allister in what came as a shock, given the season he had last time out. Securing the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder for a reported £35m, the deal could turn out to be one of the best of the summer.

The arrival of the 24-year-old represents the rebuild of Klopp's midfield, which struggled at stages last season. Joining Mac Allister is Szoboszlai, making up an impressive new duo in the middle of the park for the Reds.

The Premier League giants could yet be forced to return to the transfer market for even more midfielders this summer, too, with Jordan Henderson reportedly edging worryingly close to a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq. According to Fabrizio Romano, the club captain has accepted a contract.

Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad have offered £40m for Fabinho, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

If both Henderson and Fabinho left this summer, Liverpool would suddenly be left short in midfield once again, despite their initial rebuild.

According to Ornstein, Klopp and co could make a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia if the aforementioned duo do decide to depart this summer.

As things stand, however, Liverpool are set to enter the season with new arrivals Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in the middle of the park.

Tottenham Hotspur have now "targeted" Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as an "ideal replacement" for Harry Kane, and they have already started to sound out a potential deal, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey has indicated that Tottenham are willing to pull out all the stops to keep Kane in north London, with the club willing to make him the highest-paid player by offering him a deal worth around £400k-per-week.

However, the talisman is yet to put pen to paper on a new contract to extend his stay beyond the end of next summer, and rumours about his future continue to swirl, with German champions Bayern Munich very much interested in signing him.

Bayern's honorary president, Uli Hoeness, is confident the Bundesliga club will buy the striker this summer, as he has signalled he wants the move, however Paris Saint-Germain are also now emerging as potential suitors.

Unlike two summers ago, when the England captain expressed his interest in joining Manchester City, he will not push to leave N17 this summer, but he is keeping his options open, amid interest from Bayern Munich.

PSG are willing to make a formal approach for the 29-year-old, but only if he changes his stance and makes it clear he is willing to leave Spurs, and now the club are starting to run the rule over potential replacements.

One such player is Vlahovic, with Galetti now reporting the Lilywhites have taken "the first steps" to sound out a potential deal, and to better understand the Serbian's current situation at Juventus.

With the possible departure of Kane, Tottenham have now targeted the 23-year-old as he is viewed as the "ideal replacement", presumably by new manager Ange Postecoglou.

They will have to hijack the deal from PSG however, as Galetti has since claimed the French giants have already agreed an €11m (£9.4m) per year salary with the player – though he reaffirms there is still competition from Spurs.

How much would Dusan Vlahovic cost?

The striker would not come cheap, as transfer insider Dean Jones has reported that he could cost as much as £70m, while there is also the small matter of offering him a suitable wage package.

In his current deal, the Serbia international brings home £216k-per-week, meaning Tottenham would probably have to be willing to make him one of their top earners to bring him to N17 this summer.

Despite being hailed as an "absolute monster" by members of the media, the Juventus striker has not been at his best over the past year, averaging just 0.35 penalty goals per 90, compared to 0.55 from Kane during the same time period.

However, at 23-years-old, Vlahovic is still very young, and he has previously demonstrated he is capable of finding the back of the net on a regular basis, scoring 38 goals in 58 Serie A games across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

Tottenham will be hoping that Kane decides to commit his long-term future to the club, but if he is tempted by a move to Bayern or PSG, then they may have already found a brilliant replacement.

Travis Head will no longer be representing Yorkshire in this summer’s NatWest T20 Blast competition due to international commitments

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2017Travis Head will no longer be representing Yorkshire in this summer’s NatWest T20 Blast competition due to international commitments.Head has been called up by Australia A for their forthcoming tour of South Africa from mid-July to early August.The left-handed batsman has been named in both squads, and he will captain Australia A in the one-day tri series with the A sides of South Africa and India.Yorklshire are currently assessing their options in terms of an overseas replacement to join Peter Handscomb in the Yorkshire ranks.This is the second blow for a county in 24 hours: Andrew Tye, another Australian, pulled out of Gloucestershire’s NatWest Blast squad on Thursday because of a shoulder complaint.

England have set-up a Test shootout for the role of Alastair Cook’s Test opening partner as four batsmen vie for the opportunity in the Lions squad which will face South Africa in Canterbury next week.Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings are the two men in pole position, but they will have to promote their claims alongside the Middlesex batsman Nick Gubbins and Mark Stoneman, who is having a fine inaugural season with Surrey since making the switch from Durham.Jennings is averaging a shade under 40, with only one century, in a Durham side that has been in the doldrums since relegation to Division Two of the Specsavers Championship with a 48-point penalty, but he also had an unproductive Lions tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year as he also came to terms with the responsibilities of captaincy, a role he has retained.Hameed has had a disturbing loss of form, averaging only 19.33 and still to pass fifty in six Championship matches for Lancashire as his inclusion in their 50-over side has coincided with a reduction in the ingrained concentration that won so many plaudits last season.The confidence surrounding England’s one-day side as they have advanced to the semi-final of the Champions Trophy has not been without its own uncertainty about the top of the order with Jonny Bairstow well placed to replace the out-of-form Jason Roy in the semi-final against Pakistan on Wednesday.The questions in the Test side ahead of a four-match series against South Africa, beginning at Lord’s on July 6, are equally pressing, yet with different personnel. Joe Root batted at No. 3 throughout England’s disastrous Test series in India last winter, which if that policy persisted against South Africa, and ahead of this winter’s Ashes series, would leave only a single place available.Somerset’s spin-bowling duo, Jack Leach and Dom Bess, a teenaged offspinner, are both named in the squad. Leach, who played in the Lions’ last four-day game against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla in February, is also joined by another Somerset team-mate in Jamie Overton.Stoneman and Bess, about a decade apart in age, are the only two members of the squad not to have played previously for the Lions. A separate Lions squad will be named next week for a three-day match against the senior South Africa tourists in Worcester starting on June 29.James Whitaker, the national selector, said: “We have had to delay naming that squad because the game clashes with the Royal London One-Day Cup final, and we will not consider players from the counties who qualify for Lord’s.”There were other considerations in selecting this squad – as ever, we were mindful of counties who have important fixtures in the Specsavers County Championship, while four members of the Lions squad who won the Royal London One-Day Series against South Africa A were unavailable after being selected for the full England squad for the NatWest T20 internationals against South Africa.”England Lions squad: Keaton Jennings (Durham, capt), Mark Stoneman (Surrey), Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire), Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Ben Foakes (Surrey, wk), Sam Curran (Surrey), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Tom Helm (Middlesex), Jamie Porter (Essex), George Garton (Sussex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dominic Bess (Somerset)

ScorecardLuke Wright made his first century since 2015 to give Sussex the advantage on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Hove.Wright, in only his third game since giving up the captaincy, made 118, his best score since he hit a career-best 226 against Worcestershire in September 2015. It was also his first hundred at Hove for two days shy of two years.With his successor as captain, Ben Brown, making 52 and Chris Jordan 50, Sussex recovered from 69 for 3 to post 358 for 9 declared.They then had seven overs in the twilight with the pink ball but Gloucestershire openers Cameron Bancroft and Chris Dent got through unscathed, reaching 31 for 0 at stumps.A crowd of 2,000 was boosted by around 650 local schoolchildren and they enjoyed an entertaining day with Wright leading an aggressive counter-attack by Sussex during the afternoon session when they plundered 173 runs.Wright was in the mood from the very start, lofting his first ball from off-spinner Jack Taylor for one of three sixes. There were also 14 fours including a straight drive to the boundary which brought up the 17th century of his first-class career.The way Wright, and later Brown and Jordan, stroked the pink ball over a fast outfield was in contrast to what happened at the start of the day and again when Gloucestershire took the new ball and immediately claimed three wickets.Fit-again Liam Norwell and David Payne were rewarded with a wicket apiece as Harry Finch and Delray Rawlins, opening after Chris Nash was struck in practice and suffered a concussion, departed cheaply.Luke Wells hit seven fours in his 36 before Taylor had him caught at slip, after the ball had deflected off wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick.Wright then transformed the day, first with Stiaan van Zyl with whom he added 99 in 19 overs before the South African was held at short leg off Taylor, and then alongside his successor as captain.If anything, Wright and Brown increased the tempo. Both attacked anything off line and the ball had to be changed after 54 overs after Wright had clattered it into the protective covers beyond the boundary.His hundred came up off exactly 100 balls while new skipper Brown, returning after six weeks out with a broken finger, matched him shot for shot as they put on 92 in 18 overs. Brown fell two balls after reaching 50 from 60 deliveries with seven fours and a six and Wright departed after tea to a brilliant one-handed catch at midwicket by Phil Mustard, his 118 coming off 129 balls.David Wiese and Chris Jordan took the attack back to Gloucestershire, adding 57 in 13 overs for the seventh wicket but the new ball swung markedly as the floodlights took effect and Gloucestershire picked up three quick wickets, Craig Miles taking two of them in the same over including Jordan for a 78-ball 50 with eight fours.Sussex declared shortly after claiming a fourth bowling point but couldn’t make a breakthrough before the close.

Rangers and Nottingham Forest are still working on a deal for Jonathan Panzo, but the proposed switch has not advanced much further in the past week, according to a recent report from Football Scotland.

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

Transfer insider Dean Jones suspects that Rangers may still have some work to do in the transfer market, despite already bringing in a number of players, recently telling GiveMeSport:

"I think it's seven they've got through the door already, at least a couple more to follow. The Cifuentes one is being held up a bit, but even with that, I don't think Rangers are finished yet. I'm expecting another forward player and another defender as well to be signed."

One defender the Gers are still considering a move for is Auston Trusty, who could be leaving Arsenal this summer, however, they now face a transfer battle, with English Championship side Ipswich Town also joining the race for his signature.

Panzo has been a target for the Light Blues for quite some time, with talks being held over a deal for the Nottingham Forest defender well over a month ago, and there has now been an update on their pursuit.

According to a report from Football Scotland, the deal is still being worked on by both clubs, but there has been very little progress in the past week, with Rangers aware it is likely they will need to pay £2.5m to secure his signature. Michael Beale is keen to add the 22-year-old to his squad, despite the recent arrival of Leon Balogun on a free transfer.

The player's salary has been put to the Light Blues, but there has been no recent movement while they are out in Germany for their pre-season training camp, and the deal does not appear to be edging any closer to completion.

Who is Jonathan Panzo?

Hailed as an "exciting young player" by Forest boss Steve Cooper, the centre-back started his career at Chelsea, making a handful of appearances at youth level, before going on to test himself in Ligue 1 with AS Monaco and Dijon, and in the Jupiler Pro League with Cercle Brugge.

Despite his age, the Englishman already has a considerable amount of first-team experience, emerging as an important player for Coventry during their push for the Premier League last season, making a total of 32 appearances in all competitions.

Forest U21s coach Dave Rogers has also praised the 6 foot 1 defender, who is represented by the same agent as Ben Davies, saying:

"He is a great professional. He's enthusiastic and has got good experience and energy too. He brings a great vibe to the dressing room too."

Over the past year, the former Monaco man ranks highly across a number of key metrics for defenders, when compared to players at a similar level, ranking in the 95th percentile for interceptions per 90, and in the 85th percentile for tackles. Therefore, Panzo could be a fantastic addition for Rangers, and Beale may well be hoping that more progress can be made in the coming days and weeks.

Arsenal continue to be linked with plenty of new potential summer additions, despite having already enjoyed a fruitful window of extravagant purchases. It seems Mikel Arteta will stop at nothing to ensure his side topple Manchester City in the coming season.

Is Axel Disasi joining Arsenal?

Their latest transfer conquest is denoted through a report by The Sun, who suggested over the weekend that despite Manchester United's desperation to sign Axel Disasi, the Gunners are one of two clubs ready to hijack such a move with a late bid.

With it also suggested that AS Monaco may be open to selling, this has likely put plenty of Europe's elite on high alert given the pedigree of the star centre-back.

The French outfit will look to command a £34m fee for his services, despite the 25-year-old only being valued at €20.1m (£17m) by Football Transfers.

How good is Axel Disasi?

Whilst it is easy to assume that the acquisition of a defender will help make a side more solid, in the modern-day climate it often has much farther-reaching repercussions that span across the whole team.

After all, centre-backs nowadays often pride themselves on their ability to stride out from the back with confidence, showcasing their newfound technical finesse to pass into midfield or out wide.

Attacks are forged from the back four, and within Arteta's system, such a claim is only emphasised.

Inverting his full-backs helps them to control the midfield, and thus the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes become the first line of creativity, who must find a key operator in space who can then do the damage further up the field.

Fortunately, in Disasi, the Spanish head coach would obtain the perfect forward-thinking stalwart to underpin his philosophy.

Especially considering, when compared against other centre-backs across Europe, the France international sits in the top 4% for progressive carries and progressive passes per 90 and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

That's not to suggest he abandons his defensive duties though, as last term in Ligue 1 he maintained 1.5 interceptions and a mammoth 2.9 clearances per game too, via Sofascore. It is, therefore, no surprise to see him branded as a "complete & dominant CB" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, given the latter figure would have ranked him third among Arsenal's squad last term.

With the 6 foot 3 ace striding into space, and boasting the requisite skillset to then find a man, someone of Declan Rice's quality, when dropping in to receive the ball, would surely benefit.

The England international has been evolving with each passing year at West Ham United, with last campaign seeing him bolster his creative figures. Six goal contributions and one key pass per game in the Premier League emphasise this (via Sofascore), which are figures only certain to improve under Arteta's tutelage.

With his new manager likely teaching him ways to operate between the lines he had never thought of, he could take his ball progression to new heights, especially with the quality of service Disasi would provide.

As someone who rarely accepts progressive passes, rather preferring to provide them himself, adding this facet to his game could see Rice become a truly world-class talent capable of propelling his new team to the title.

When compared against other midfielders across Europe, he ranks in the top 15% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 20% for progressive passes per 90. On the turn, the athletic 6 foot 1 star would be unstoppable, with the potential defensive signing in question set to kickstart the change that makes him a truly dominant and unplayable asset from the middle of the park.

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has backed Russell Martin's "delicious" football to succeed in the Championship and expects Southampton to be fighting for the title next season.

What's the latest Southampton news?

Following a season in which Southampton finished rock bottom of the Premier League, burned through three different managers and played some truly dismal football, it's understandable that there may be some caution among Saints fans.

The arrival of Russell Martin from Swansea City has been cause for optimism among sections of the fan base who are hopeful of a quick return to the English top-flight.

Martin's only game in charge so far was a 4-2 win over League One side Reading in pre-season and the 37-year-old has his work cut out to get the Saints into shape before their Championship opener against newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday on August 4th.

However, MacAnthony is a big fan of his former Peterborough player Martin, backing him to succeed with the Saints and mould them into a team capable of fighting for the title.

Speaking on talkSPORT about last season's relegated Premier League sides in the second division, MacAnthony said: "I honestly did think Leeds and Leicester would vie for the title. Southampton, now Russell's in there, and I had Russell Martin in 2021 as one of our signings at right-back, I fancy what he will do [at Southampton].

"Your two guys in here that do the news are Southampton fans and I said to them the football is going to be delicious. I honestly think Southampton and Leicester now for me for the title. Leeds need to do some business, it's a concern."

In relation to director of football Rasmus Ankersen's decision to bring Nathan Jones in last season as manager, he added: "The mistake for me was the move for obviously Nathan Jones. If Russell Martin had gone to Southampton instead of Nathan Jones at the time, Southampton would still be in the Premier League."

Southampton fans will be hopeful that MacAnthony's glowing praise of Martin is supported by results on the pitch when the season starts up again.

Martin still has work to do in the transfer market as well, with deals for Romeo Lavia, Tino Livramento and James Ward-Prowse potentially earning the club a fortune that can be reinvested across the team.

The Saints have two more pre-season friendlies on the calendar with home games against Bournemouth and AZ Alkmaar enabling Martin to fine-tune his tactical approach on the south coast.

Who are Southampton signing?

What Martin does in relation to incomings in the final month of the transfer window will prove pivotal for the Saints.

Martin has brought full-back Ryan Manning with him from Swansea already and has also added young Manchester City prodigy Shea Charles to his squad.

The likes of Mislav Orsic, Ibrahima Diallo, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Theo Walcott have all left, with many more outgoings likely.

Rumours regarding incomings have been remarkably sparse however, with Martin perhaps waiting for big sales to go through before addressing the areas of his team that require improvement.

One man that has been linked with St Mary's is Leicester midfielder Hamza Choudhury who has returned to the Midlands following a Championship loan with Watford last term. Martin is reportedly a big fan of the defensive midfielder but whether the Foxes would sell to a promotion rival is unclear.

Another midfielder on the club's radar could be Flynn Downes of West Ham United, who could be offered as part of a deal for Ward-Prowse, although reports have suggested the Saints are not interested in the 24-year-old.

Nottingham Forest have scheduled imminent medical tests to finalise a summer deal for Manchester United star Anthony Elanga, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Anthony Elanga?

Elanga is primarily a left-sided winger who has played his football at Old Trafford for the past eight years having graduated from the club’s academy to get promoted to the first-team fold back in January 2022, as per Transfermarkt, but there’s a chance that he could be on the move during the present window.

During the 2022/23 Premier League season, Erik Ten Hag only handed the 21-year-old five top-flight starts and he was reduced to coming off the bench as a substitute on 11 occasions, via WhoScored, showing how out of favour he is and highlighting that he needs to leave should he want to receive more regular game time elsewhere.

The Telegraph have reported that despite interest from West Ham United and Everton, the Sweden international turned down the chance to join David Moyes’ and Sean Dyche's sides and instead has opted to make the switch to Steve Cooper’s men, with The Athletic revealing that the Reds have had a £15m offer for the attacker accepted in M16.

So far this summer, the Midlands outfit have finalised a permanent deal for Chris Wood who initially joined on loan from Newcastle United and most recently they confirmed the arrival of defender Ola Aina from Torino, and the club’s third recruit could be about to walk through the doors at The City Ground.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Anthony Elanga?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Nottingham Forest have already agreed with Manchester United for a medical to take place for Elanga, whilst also providing an update on their pursuit of goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who Cooper is keen to secure following his successful loan spell last season.

“Nottingham Forest are insisting on Dean Henderson as negotiations are ongoing with Manchester United after loan bid sent earlier this week. Medical booked for Anthony Elanga after permanent deal agreed on Friday.”

How many goals has Anthony Elanga scored?

Whilst Nottingham Forest will know that Elanga wasn’t given a fair chance to prove what he was capable of last season, the left-winger has racked up a total of 50 goal contributions (30 goals and 20 assists) in 124 appearances since the start of his career, so should he put pen to paper, he could be reborn under Cooper.

The CAA Stellar client can pose a huge threat in the final third having ranked in the 92nd percentile for most attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area, whilst averaging 3.59 shot-creating actions per top-flight match last term was also impressive even though he was a bit-part player, as per FBRef.

The Malmo native, who has the versatility to operate in five different positions across the pitch, including everywhere across the frontline, also has bags of experience under his belt having previously played in both the Champions and Europa League competitions, so he would be able to instil a much-needed winning mentality and increase the level of performance in the Midlands.