Man Utd Could Repeat Weghorst Howler With £20m Dutch Target

Fresh from having sealed a deal for Andre Onana last week, Manchester United are reportedly still interested in making a move for Feyenoord stopper Justin Bijlow, as Erik ten Hag seeks to strengthen his goalkeeping department this summer.

What's the latest on Bijlow to Man United?

According to Dutch outlet, 1908.nl, the Red Devils are 'still exploring the market' in their search to find a backup option to £47.2m signing, Onana, with Bijlow a player that remains on United's radar after previously being linked with a move earlier in the window.

As per the report, the Eredivisie side are hoping to have the 25-year-old – who has been valued at around £20m – still on the books for the 2023/24 season, with a new contract offer seemingly in the works.

The need for a new reserve 'keeper comes amid real uncertainty surrounding a number of the goalkeeper's currently at Old Trafford, with Dean Henderson and Nathan Bishop having been heavily linked with moves to Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, respectively, while Tom Heaton has also been the subject of interest from newly-promoted side, Luton Town.

Who is Justin Bijlow?

With those potential departures in the works, it could well be all change for United in the goalkeeping ranks, with the Premier League giants having already allowed long-serving Spaniard, David De Gea to move on after 12 years in Manchester.

Netherlands goalkeeper Justin Bijlow.

While fresh faces are seemingly needed to help provide cover to Onana, it remains to be seen if Bijlow is the right option, despite the 6 foot 2 ace having previously been lauded as "brilliant" by ESPN's Cecilia Lagos.

Ten Hag's desire to look to the Dutch market to find new recruits has not been an overriding success during his time at the Theatre of Dreams, with Lisandro Martinez – who has been dubbed an "absolute monster" by teammate Luke Shaw – arguably the most successful Eredivisie arrival.

Martinez's Ajax colleague, Antony, endured a muted start to life in England after scoring just four league goals last season, while Rotterdam native Tyrell Malacia – who played alongside Bijlow at Feyenoord – has been a useful, albeit unspectacular squad option, having started just 14 top-flight games last term.

Amid those mixed fortunes, United were also seemingly stung by the arrival of another Dutch asset in the form of Wout Weghorst, with the 30-year-old striker having joined on loan from Burnley in January to help provide further depth to the forward line.

Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst.

While previously rather prolific earlier on in his career – having notably bagged 45 goals in just 86 games for AZ Alkmaar – the 6 foot 6 marksman was unable to successfully replicate that impact in the Premier League, having failed to score a single top-flight goal in the second half of last season.

With just two goals to his name in total in 31 games in all competitions, the one-time Wolfsburg man undoubtedly failed to have the desired effect, having been described as "not good enough" to play for the club – or for his country – by legendary compatriot, Ruud Gullit.

The fear then will be that United may repeat that transfer howler by bringing in another Netherlands international in the form of Bijlow, with the latter man having also been the subject of criticism for his displays for Oranje, as pundit Willem van Hanegem recently stated:

"I just thought he was very bad at goalkeeping with the Dutch national team. For him, it was blunders. You have to be honest. If he doesn’t keep (the goal) well, he’s not good."

That stinging assessment should have alarm bells ringing back at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils unable to afford a repeat of their Weghorst mistake.

Wolves Could Sign "Superb" Collins Replacement In £6m Swoop At Molineux

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Brazilian defender Lucas Beraldo, as the Old Gold prepare for a squad rebuild this summer.

Julen Lopetegui has bid farewell to seven players already this transfer window, in both sales and expirations of contracts at Molineux.

With almost £80m accumulated in sales, the Spaniard can set his focus to replenishing his squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, as Wolves hope for an improvement on last term.

Could Wolves sign Lucas Beraldo?

As reported by GOAL Brazil earlier this week, Wolves have Sao Paulo centre-back Beraldo in their sights.

The report claimed that the Midlands club are interested in the Brazilian, with it noted that they could offer Sao Paulo a fee in the region of €7m (£6m) despite no formal proposal sent as of yet.

Contracted until 2026 with the Brazilian side, Wolves’ valuation of the defender could be deemed too low, with his release clause reported to be set between €40m and €50m (£34m-£43m).

How good is Lucas Beraldo?

Lopetegui could snatch a bargain for the 19-year-old at a critical time at Molineux.

Having just sold centre-back Nathan Collins to Brentford, and Max Kilman’s future uncertain, it’s integral that the Spaniard hires in the central defence department this summer.

In 10 Brazilian Serie A appearances this year, the teenager has asserted his dominance on the back line in winning a monstrous 67% of his total duels, via Sofascore.

At just 19, the "gem" has been lauded as being a "superb ball-playing" centre-back by Kulig, signifying that he could be just the player that Lopetegui requires to rejuvenate the defence at Wolves.

Such praise is supported by his numbers, with FBref revealing the extent of the luxury Molineux could add to their ranks, with Beraldo averaging an impressive 5.85 progressive passes per 90 over the past year.

To highlight what the Brazilian could offer to Lopetegui, fellow centre-back Max Kilman averaged 3.46 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League last term, suggesting that the Spaniard could unlock a new dimension of play from the back.

While filling numbers are integral this summer ahead of the new season, Wolves must introduce added quality to make up for those lost in the transfer market.

julen-lopetegui-wolves-tottenham-hotspur-live-updates-manager-nuno-espirito-santo-levy

Nathan Collins fell out of favour with the manager which subsequently paved the way for his departure to Brentford, however, Lopetegui could land himself a player of the Irishman’s calibre in his replacement.

As per FBref, the 22-year-old averaged 3.18 progressive passes per 90, as well as averaging 1.34 tackles and 4.17 clearances per 90 in the Premier League last term.

While the teenager’s progressive outlet was an improvement on Collins’, his defensive stability over the past year suggests that he could be a talent of similar force to the Brentford man at Molineux.

As told by FBref, the Piracicaba-born gem averaged 1.75 tackles and 4.72 clearances per 90 for Sao Paulo, as well as making an average of 1.14 blocks and winning 1.75 aerials per 90.

At just 19, Lopetegui could integrate an influential talent to his back line, in a player that has the numbers to suggest he could adequately fill the boots of the departed Collins this summer.

Crystal Palace: Zaha Update From Someone "Close"

Crystal Palace are no closer to knowing where Wilfried Zaha will be plying his trade next season as the player has made "no decision" regarding his future yet, claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Crystal Palace transfer news – what's the latest on Wilfried Zaha's contract situation?

It has been a relatively quiet start to the transfer window for Palace this summer, with their only major incoming being Colombian international Jefferson Lerma, who joined from Premier League rivals Bournemouth on a free.

The biggest story for the club this summer has been and will undoubtedly continue to be the contract situation surrounding star player and club legend Zaha.

The Ivorian international's £130,000-a-week contract with the South London side expired on July 1st, and he has since become a free agent, something the Eagles have been trying to rectify over the last few months with big offers to keep the 30-year-old at the club.

The situation has been made all the more complicated after it was revealed that any final decision from the player was being delayed due to his contract with his current agency also expiring at the end of this month, meaning a final decision will likely come in August.

In the meantime, Palace have put their cards on the table and offered the dynamic winger a contract estimated to be worth £200,000-a-week to remain at Selhurst Park.

As a free agent, Zaha has attracted the interest of several clubs outside of the Premier League, with Serie A side Lazio said to hold genuine interest in the exciting attacker.

What has Sheth said about Crystal Palace and Zaha?

Sheth was keen to stress that nothing had been decided on by the player or anyone in his camp and that his new status as a free agent had unsurprisingly piqued the interest of other clubs.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "I've just spoken to someone, just before speaking to you, who's close to the deal for Wilfried Zaha. There is still no decision.

"You mentioned that he got married over the weekend, but there is still no decision.

"He is now officially a free agent after his Crystal Palace contract expired ten days ago. There is interest in him which you would expect to be the case."

Is Wilfried Zaha a Crystal Palace legend?

It is hard to argue against Zaha being counted amongst Crystal Palace's list of legends after his performances for the club over the last decade.

Since making his debut for the Eagles at age 17, back in 2010, Zaha has made 458 appearances for the club, scoring 90 goals and assisting a further 76 along the way.

As a local lad, he is a player that fans have genuinely connected with over the years, with Palace fan and podcast presenter HLTCO describing Zaha as "a club legend in every sense."

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.

As it stands, he is the Palace's third-highest appearance maker of all time, behind only Terry Long and Jim Cannon. His contributions to the side have been recognised by the board, who, earlier this year, commissioned a giant mural of their star player on the side of a house right next to Selhurst Park.

As the days tick down to the new Premier League season, the Palace faithful will be hoping that the new contract offer is enough to keep their "legend" just a little while longer.

India to tour West Indies right after Champions Trophy

India will tour the West Indies for five ODIs and one T20 international in June and July, with the trip beginning almost immediately after the Champions Trophy final in England.

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2017India will tour the West Indies for five ODIs and one T20 international in June and July, with the trip beginning almost immediately after the Champions Trophy final in England.The Champions Trophy final is scheduled for June 18 and the first ODI between India and West Indies is on June 23 in Trinidad. The second ODI is at Queen’s Park Oval as well, before the teams move to Antigua for the next two matches.The last ODI and the T20I will be played at Sabina Park on July 6 and 9.Unlike India, West Indies are not part of the Champions Trophy and will be hosting Afghanistan while the top eight ranked ODI nations compete in the ICC tournament in England.This will be the fourth bilateral series between the sides since 2013. India had toured West Indies in 2016 as well, for Tests and T20Is but no ODIs.

£120k-p/w Ace Would Consider Transfer To Celtic

An interesting update has emerged on Celtic and their chances of luring a former Parkhead star back to the club in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Kieran Tierney to Celtic?

According to The Scottish Sun, Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney would be willing to consider a move back to his boyhood club for the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the Scotland international will not rule out the possibility of linking back up with former manager Brendan Rodgers next season.

It states that a loan move could be viable if a big compromise is made on his £120k-per-week wages and the Hoops are willing to pay a significant fee for his services.

Would Kieran Tierney be a good signing for Celtic?

Signing the 26-year-old gem would represent the 50-year-old tactician’s first masterclass of his second spell in Glasgow due to his quality and knowledge of the club.

Tierney is a proven performer for Celtic, one who knows exactly what it takes to be a consistent winner, and he also has the quality to be an excellent player in the Champions League.

No Hoops defender averaged a Sofascore rating higher than 6.80 across their six group stages matches in 2022/23, whilst the ex-Parkhead star averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 in six outings during the 2017/18 season, along with 1.8 tackles won and 2.7 interceptions per game.

Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney.

Meanwhile, Greg Taylor's contribution of 2.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per match topped the charts for defenders at Celtic throughout the competition last term.

These statistics suggest that Tierney has the potential, if he can recapture his previous form for the club, to be a terrific player at that level in comparison to the rest of Rodgers' options in defence, due to his average performance level and ability to win the ball back consistently for his side.

The 38-cap fullback also knows how to dominate domestic football as he won 11 trophies between 2014/15 and 2018/19, before joining Arsenal, which shows that the strong stopper knows what it takes to win week-in-week-out in order to secure titles and cups in Scotland.

Tierney, who was once lauded as "outstanding" by former Gunners forward Paul Merson, made 170 first-team appearances for Celtic and would arrive with the know-how to hit the ground running next season.

Therefore, Rodgers being able to tempt the 5 foot 10 dynamo back to the club would be a masterclass from the ex-Liverpool boss as he would be using the pre-existing relationship with the left-back, who played 127 matches under his management, to land the Hoops an outstanding signing.

فيرمين لوبيز: لا نفكر في خصم برشلونة بـ ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا

أدلى فيرمين لوبيز، لاعب فريق برشلونة، بتصريحات عقب تأهلهم إلى ربع نهائي بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا مساء أمس.

جاء تأهل برشلونة بعد فوزه على نابولي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في إياب ربع نهائي دور الـ16 من البطولة على ملعب “مونتجويك”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. روبيرتو يشيد بلاعب برشلونة بعد التأهل إلى ربع نهائي دوري الأبطال.. ويؤكد: نحن في المكان الذي نستحقه

وقال فيرمين لوبيز في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “أنا سعيد للغاية لأنه مرت أربع سنوات منذ أن وصلنا إلى الدور ربع النهائي، إنها فرحة يستحقها المدرب، نحن، زملائنا المصابين”.

وأضاف: “لقد بدأنا النصف ساعة الأولى بشكل جيد، ثم ضغطوا أكثر قليلاً، أنا سعيد بمساعدة الفريق، نحن نثق دائمًا بالمدرب حتى النهاية، نشعر بمزيد من التحرر لأنه يمنحنا راحة البال”.

وواصل: “كان الملعب ممتلئًا ولاحظنا قوة الجماهير، نحن سعداء جدًا بهذا الأمر، هذه المباراة كانت لها أهمية خاصة، سعيد للغاية بالتأهل إلى الدور المقبل”.

واختتم: “نحن لا نفكر في منافسنا في ربع النهائي، نحن نفكر في الفوز، سنرى من سنواجه”.

Man United Have "Discussed" Deal For £78m "Top-Class Talent"

Erik ten Hag is looking to strengthen Manchester United’s attacking options during the summer transfer window, and Bundesliga forward Randal Kolo Muani has been eyed as a potential addition.

What’s the latest on Randal Kolo Muani to Manchester United?

The Red Devils are actually interested in both Rasmus Hojlund and Kolo Muani according to the Athletics’ Laurie Whitwell, who Tweeted:

“Erik ten Hag ideally wants a young forward plus an experienced one. Hojlund, 20, falls into former category. Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani also discussed.”

The Frenchman won't come cheap however, with Eintracht Frankfurt's CEO Axel Hallmann insisting that the striker is worth more than €90m (£78m) in the current market and this could perhaps be a challenge for the Dutchman, especially as he aims to bolster other areas of his team too.

What is Randal Kolo Muani’s style of play?

According to WhoScored, the versatile 24-year-old likes to dribble and can cut inside, while he can also play across the front three. He is predominantly a centre-forward, one capable of using his finishing skills to devastating effect.

Indeed, this season, the Frankfurt frontman has scored 23 goals and registered 17 assists across 45 appearances in all competitions, playing 43 of those games as a striker and Ten Hag could certainly form a deadly duo with him and Marcus Rashford next term.

Ten Hag has deployed the Englishman on the left wing for 31 games during the 2022/23 campaign, and he has been rewarded handsomely with 16 goals and six assists, with the 25-year-old registering 41 goal contributions overall from 55 matches, being revitalised by the Dutchman after grabbing just seven goal contributions the season before.

Rashford ranked first for successful dribbles (1.5 per game), third for assists (five) and ninth for key passes (0.9 per game) in the whole United squad in the league, and his ability to drive past opponents and set up opportunities for his teammates could allow Kolo Muani to thrive, considering that he would be receiving excellent service.

Ten Hag's current underperforming centre-forwards of Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst have both failed to score over ten goals during 2022/23 and this is an area that must be strengthened in order to lead the Old Trafford side to more glory, so signing Kolo Muani would be an excellent move.

kolo-muani-eintracht-frankfurt-premier-league-west-ham-transfers

Journalist Zach Lowy praised him following the 2022 World Cup, saying: “He’s left a positive impression on this tournament and at 24, he’s only going to improve. Top-class talent.”

If Ten Hag manages his development well, the Frankfurt player could become a big hit with the United faithful, given the evidence above. Just imagine his potential partnership with Rashford, heading into the new campaign.

Newcastle Set For Contract Talks With "Solid" £40k-p/w Star

Newcastle United have scheduled talks regarding a new long-term contract for Fabian Schar, according to reports.

Is Fabian Schar leaving Newcastle?

The Magpies centre-back first arrived in the Premier League from Deportivo de La Coruna back in 2018 and has since gone on to make a total of 141 appearances to date, establishing himself as a regular feature in Eddie Howe’s side having made 36 top-flight starts from 38 games last season.

The Switzerland international, however, will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that the upcoming window could be the northeast outfit’s last chance to cash in, should they not want to extend his stay, nor risk losing him for free, but it sounds like they don’t plan on letting the 31-year-old go anywhere for the foreseeable future.

Are Newcastle giving Schar a new contract?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle, and by extension owners PIF, are “keen to discuss” fresh terms with Schar and plan to open talks over the summer in a bid to tie him down at St. James’ Park. PIF are not only hoping to “protect” the defender’s value, but also “reward” him for his excellent standard of performances under Howe.

The 6 foot 1 titan can begin talks regarding a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs as of January 2024 due to his situation, but the board are no doubt hoping that he will decide to commit his future to the long-term project in the black and white stripes.

Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar.

Should Newcastle keep or sell Schar?

Newcastle are reportedly confident of agreeing a new long-term contract for Bruno Guimaraes, and having once been hailed a “solid” centre-back by journalist Josh Bunting, Schar is definitely another player that deserves to stay longer.

The Puma-sponsored colossus, who earns £40k-per-week, averaged 3.8 clearances and 3.1 aerial wins per top-flight game last season, via WhoScored, so was a real rock at the heart of the backline, but he can equally be a threat pushing up the pitch.

The Sports360 client, who has the versatility to operate in defensive midfield, ranks in the 99th percentile for three different statistics, including total number of shots, not to mention that he posted four goal contributions (three assists and one goal) last term in the Premier League.

The Magpies will know that Schar isn’t getting any younger, so there’s a chance that he could be offered more of a short-term deal, but regardless of the length of the contract, it’s still fully warranted for the positive impact he has on Howe’s side.

Have to remain vigilant over next five weeks – BCB

There was relief mixed with caution in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s reaction to the ECB’s decision to send England to Bangladesh next month

Mohammad Isam26-Aug-20162:39

Isam: More caution than relief for Bangladesh

There was relief mixed with caution in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s reaction to the ECB’s decision to send the England team to Bangladesh next month. England’s one-day team is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on September 30 for the three-match series in early October before the two Tests later that month in Chittagong and Mirpur.It was a nervous wait for the BCB, players, fans and journalists on late Thursday night and early Friday morning when the BCB was informed of the decision following which came the ECB’s media release. The BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said they welcomed ECB’s decision but vigilance over the next five weeks and during the tour will be more crucial.”We welcome England’s decision and we thank the team for their decision,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “We held meetings with the ECB delegation earlier this month where the security plan was shown to them in detail. At the same time, the government gave them assurance that the highest level of security will be provided to them.”Having said that, the ECB will constantly monitor the situation in Bangladesh till they arrive so we have to remain vigilant and continue our security standards. We will be in constant touch with them during this period.”The BCB, in conjunction with the Bangladesh government, provided high security to the teams during the World T20 in 2014, which was just after a spate of election-related violence. When Australia pulled out of their tour last year and then the Under-19 World Cup, the teams also got extra security in four cities across the country.BCB president Nazmul Hassan said that the board will also provide security to players’ family members, journalists and fans travelling from the UK for the series. The Barmy Army, which reportedly contacted the BCB showing interest in coming to Bangladesh, will also have their Bangladesh visas fast-tracked, according to Hassan.”We will make sure that not just the players but their family members, fans and the reporters will get security in the stadium and hotel. They have to inform us where they are staying and contact us. We believe that there won’t be any problem with regards to this England tour.”The Barmy Army had contacted us and we immediately told the Bangladesh high commission to ensure that their visas aren’t delayed. We also asked for a list of those who are coming so that we can help them out.”

West Ham Keen On Signing £60k-A-Week Ex-Liverpool Man

West Ham are believed to be interested in signing AC Milan forward Divock Origi in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer report from Italy.

Could Origi leave Milan this summer?

The Belgian left Liverpool to join Milan last year, having become something of a cult hero at Anfield, scoring some iconic Champions League goals against the likes of Barcelona and Tottenham, not to mention big Premier League strikes along the way, too.

Origi hasn't quite managed to have the same impact in Italy, however, struggling to become a regular for Milan throughout the campaign and having been nothing more than a squad player. The £60,000-a-week attacker has only started 10 Serie A games in total, coming off the substitutes' bench 16 times, with only two goals coming his way in the competition.

While the 28-year-old is contracted to Milan until the summer of 2026, it could be that they decide to cut their losses at the end of this season and allow to him to move elsewhere, which is where West Ham come into play.

AC Milan forward Divock Origi.

Could Origi join West Ham this summer?

According to MilanNews.it [via Sport Witness], the east Londoners and Aston Villa are "ready to believe" in Origi in the summer window, with both Premier League clubs eyeing a move for him. The report states that the ex-Liverpool man "could already leave" once the current campaign reaches its conclusion, and both teams have "asked for information" regarding his services.

While the 32-cap Belgium international has failed to repeat his past performances in a Milan shirt, he could still be a shrewd signing by the Hammers this summer, as they look to make key attacking reinforcements.

His big-game mentality stood out so often during his time at Anfield, with such nervelessness shown in key moments in massive games, and his pace and physicality could make him an effective part of West Ham's attack, not to mention his ability to play both out wide and centrally.

Jurgen Klopp once hailed Origi as "world-class", showing just how much he thought of him, and at 28, he would be coming in at a good point in his career, still remaining at a high level for the foreseeable future. A tally of 59 goal contributions (41 goals and 18 assists) for Liverpool shows the pedigree that he has, and he is a Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and EFL Cup winner.

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