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Rangers are attempting an ambitious swoop for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

The Daily Mail reported at the start of this month that Rangers had ‘expressed their interest’ in signing Johnstone.

But they also claimed that Spurs, who considered a move in January, were in the frame as they look for a deputy for Hugo Lloris.

And Sky Sports have since named Manchester United, where Johnstone came the youth ranks, as a suitor too.

The Englishman is out of contract at the end of the season, meaning he’ll be available on a free transfer.

And Rangers may need to replace Allan McGregor, currently set to leave Ibrox in the summer when his deal expires.

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The latest

O’Rourke admits that it will be ‘a big ask’ for the Gers to win the race, but applauded their ‘ambition’.

He also believes they have an important advantage in the battle, with Johnstone’s minutes more likely to be limited at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium or Old Trafford.

“I think it would be a big ask for Rangers to try and land Sam Johnstone but shows the ambition the club have got,” he said.

“Sam Johnstone is going to be attracted to a lot of clubs as a free agent, but if he went to Rangers he would definitely be number one there, whereas if he went to Tottenham or Manchester United, there’s no guarantee that he would be first choice at either of those clubs.”

The verdict

Rangers do carry an appeal. Johnstone wouldn’t be competing with the likes of David de Gea or Lloris for a starting role. In fact, he’d be walking into a potential vacancy left by McGregor.

What’s more, the Gers could yet offer the carrot of Champions League football, having moved just one step away from reaching the Europa League final.

Transfermarkt value him at £7.2million, so picking up for no fee at all would represent great business.

The 6ft 3in ‘keeper, dubbed ‘unreal’ by pundit Paddy Kenny, is a three-times capped England international with 37 games’ worth of Premier League experience.

In other news, Heart and Hand react as an injury blow emerges.

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United transfer target Stefan de Vrij…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, a source has revealed that the defender’s future at Inter is up in the air as his contract is up in 2023 and the Italian side are in desperate need of money.

The report claims that they are set to demand a fee in the region of £15m for the defender, with Premier League sides Aston Villa and Tottenham joining the Magpies in being interested in signing him.

Newcastle’s own Leonardo Bonucci

Eddie Howe can land the club their own Bonucci by signing de Vrij, as current Tottenham boss Antonio Conte once compared him to the Juventus icon.

The Italian head coach managed the Dutchman at Inter and previously heaped praise on his talent. He said:

“The growth of this team comes from assimilating certain concepts. Stefan [de Vrij], like Bonucci, becomes an important player because they must inevitably leave him room. Stefan is doing well. My defenders must be the first to rely on, even Godin had made assists against Udinese. We have to try it.”

This is a big claim from Conte as Bonucci has been an elite performer throughout his career. He has been capped 115 times by Italy and won nine Serie A titles, along with the European Championship with his country last summer, which shows how highly de Vrij is rated by the Spurs boss.

The Dutch centre-back has also been dubbed a “monster” by his former Lazio teammate Mauricio and his statistics in the Serie A back up the high praise.

Since moving to Italy, he has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.85 or higher in seven of his eight seasons for Lazio and Inter combined. This indicates that he has been consistently delivering quality performances at the back in the Italian top-flight over the course of the best part of a decade, which is why he would be a fantastic signing for Newcastle.

The 30-year-old is a proven, experienced, performer who will be able to slot straight into Howe’s team at the back as he has shown that he is a reliable defender.

PIF must now take advantage of Inter’s need for cash by stumping up the £15m required to take him away from the San Siro, so that he can join the Magpies and be their ‘Bonucci’ at the heart of the defence.

AND in other news – Insider: PIF “aiming” to make major Newcastle signing that’ll leave supporters elated…

Glamorgan’s County Championship promotion charge gathered momentum as theybeat neighbours and arch-rivals Gloucestershire by 176 runs inside three days atCheltenham

01-Aug-2010
Scorecard
Glamorgan’s County Championship promotion charge gathered momentum as theybeat neighbours and arch-rivals Gloucestershire by 176 runs inside three days atCheltenham.Set a notional 345 to win, the home side were shot out for 168 in their secondinnings, undone by an inspired spell of swing bowling from England A star JamesHarris and a first-ever hat-trick from veteran spinner Robert Croft.The youngest player to be capped by the Welsh county, 20-year-old Harris rippedthrough Gloucestershire’s top order in a burst of 3 for 5 in 25 balls asGlamorgan accrued 20 points to move above Northamptonshire and into second placein Division Two behind Sussex.Gloucestershire must be sick of the sight of the Moriston-born bowler, whoclaimed 12 wickets in only his second first-class match to send the Englishneighbours tumbling to defeat in a match at Bristol in 2007. Croft erased the tail in one fell swoop, in the process becoming the first Glamorgan spinner to claim a hat-trick since Don Sheppard achieved the feat against Hampshire at Swansea in 1964. He finished with impressive figures of 4 for 20 in 6.3 overs.This defeat leaves Gloucestershire trailing behind in fourth place in the tableand still searching for their first Championship win at the Cheltenham Festivalsince Sussex were defeated at the College Ground in 2001. Upwardly-mobile Glamorgan were always in the ascendancy once wicketkeeper Mark Wallace had registered his ninth first-class century to propel the visitors to 371 in their second innings.Gloucestershire’s top-order batting has been their Achilles heel throughout theseason and so it proved on this occasion, a solid start evaporating in the spaceof 50 balls after lunch, during which time the home side lurched from 51 withoutloss to 60 for 5.Just as he did in the first innings, Will Porterfield played himself in,scoring a breezy 41, only to fall to a loose shot, the Irishman wafting outsideoff-stump and being caught at first slip via a thick edge to gift Harris abreakthrough.Having offered stubborn resistance in scratching 10 runs from 51 balls, JonBatty was put out of his misery by a Harris inswinger that clattered into hisstumps via an inside edge. Hamish Marshall departed in the next over, caught atthe wicket as Huw Waters got in on the act.Harris then trapped Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman in his crease, whileWaters, breathing fire from the College Lawn end, swung one into James Franklin,who became the game’s 16th lbw victim. Glamorgan captain Jamie Dalrymple then turned to his spinners to press home his team’s advantage and England Under-19 left-hander Chris Dent succumbed to temptation, giving Croft the charge and being comprehensively stumped asGloucestershire slipped to 94 for 6.Waters returned after tea to have Jon Lewis held at second slip for 24 andCroft engineered a premature end to proceedings, removing Vikram Banerjee,Gemaal Hussain and Steve Kirby with consecutive deliveries from the College Lawnend.Earlier in the day Glamorgan had added a further 88 in 21 overs during themorning session to establish a lead of match-winning proportions. Having contributed an innings-reviving 72 on the first day, Wallace again proved a thorn in Gloucestershire sides, realising three figures from 116 balls, with 13 fours and a six. He eventually fell to the second new ball for 113 -to give the impressive Hussain figures of 3 for 60.

Newcastle United have now been dealt an injury blow on Jamal Lewis before they play Norwich City away from home in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Long-term injuries

The long-term injuries seem to be piling up for the St. James’ Park faithful, as more players join Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson on the sidelines.

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Eddie Howe recently admitted to the media in his pre-game press conference that he is unsure whether Ryan Fraser will be able to play again this season, while he is hopeful that Isaac Hayden will finally return to full training soon.

The Latest: Lewis operation

In his pre-Norwich press conference, Howe also revealed that Lewis has had another operation recently, and is hopeful that he will return in pre-season:

“He’s had a few operations and recently had another one. We hope this one has fixed his long standing groin problem. It’s been frustrating for him because he’s not felt 100%. I’d love to see him back in pre-season and show us the player he can be.”

The Verdict: Blow

Given that it is not guaranteed that the North East club will sign Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, Lewis may still have a place on Tyneside, and so losing him to a potentially long-term injury is certainly a blow.

It works the other way as well, as if Targett is signed permanently, the Magpies will surely want to find a buyer for Lewis, but they may not receive any offers for the left-back if he is out on the sidelines.

Either way, the fact that he continuously has to have operations is not ideal, and the Toon will just be hoping that his latest setback is not serious.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ magician is now a serious option for NUFC here!

Ireland are set to benefit from a new ICC support programme, receiving a funding boost of $1.5 million through to 2015.

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2012Ireland are set to benefit from a new ICC support programme, receiving a funding boost of $1.5 million through to 2015.The new Targeted Assistance and Performance Programme (TAPP) includes five ICC members and is designed to develop more competitive teams at international level.Ireland are the first cricket board to agree a TAPP deal will use the financial support to launch an elite domestic competition, create an academy and facilitate more fixtures against full member teams.”We are extremely grateful to the ICC for instituting such a forward-thinking programme of support,” Warren Deutrom, chief executive of Cricket Ireland, said. “We’re delighted to be the first member to get to this stage. We have no doubt the support will help us to be even more competitive on the world stage.”ICC President Alan Isaac added: “Ireland provided an excellent submission to the ICC Board and I am sure they will do their very best to deliver those plans now that the organisation has the funding in place.”Netherlands, Scotland, West Indies and Zimbabwe will also receive support.

Marcelo Bielsa’s nightmare at Leeds United shows no signs of easing up as his side were thrashed for the second time in a week.

The Whites were beaten 4-0 by Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon, meaning they have now conceded at least three times in each of their last five Premier League outings, only increasing the pressure on the Argentine whose position is now under threat.

Indeed, his woes were further compounded by another disastrous backline display, in which Junior Firpo was an utter catastrophe. Time and time again, he has struggled up against the opposition’s wing option.

It was his involvement in Spurs’ second that was particularly eye-catching – for all the wrong reasons – and it drew heavy criticism from former shot-stopper Paul Robinson on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“[Dejan] Kulusevski picked the ball up in the corner, he was one-on-one with Firpo. All the defender had to do was put in a simple tackle. It is terrible, schoolboy defending. Inexcusable,” he said.

The summer signing, who arrived in a £12.8m deal from Barcelona, was Leeds’ lowest-rated starter, as per SofaScore figures.

He lost a whopping 70% of his ten duels, lost possession 11 times and was dribbled past three times by goalscoring duo Kulusevski and Matt Doherty before he was finally hooked by Bielsa in the 79th minute but by then, the damage had been done.

The 25-year-old defender also received a yellow card for his troubles, only reinforcing just how much he struggled to combat Spurs’ attacking threat and it was another moment in which he was lambasted.

“Junior Firpo with an amusingly stupid booking. Just picks the ball up and boots it away after a ref blew for a clear foul on Romero,” tweeted Evening Standard reporter Dan Kilpatrick.

It is performances like this that are quickly becoming Bielsa’s worst nightmare at Elland Road as Firpo picked up his eighth yellow card of the season – comfortably the most in the squad and proving that he’s a big liability to the manager.

Bielsa needs to save face by not starting players like the £55k-per-week dud, sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, 57% pass accuracy: Leeds lightweight who lost ball every 2.8 mins failed Bielsa again…

A number of West Brom fans have been reacting to Valerien Ismael’s comments following the 1-0 defeat to Derby County on Monday.

The Baggies missed the chance to go second with a poor display against Wayne Rooney’s side, with Colin Kazim-Richards scoring the winner shortly after coming on.

He netted after a mix up between Cedric Kipre and Sam Johnstone, with Albion missing a cutting edge in front of goal against The Rams throughout the 90 minutes.

The Baggies registered just five attempts on target from their 19 shots, while they created just one ‘big chance’ in the entire match, per Sofascore.

Ismael said he was ‘really upset’ with his side’s performance, hitting out at his squad’s mentality and lack of quality. The 46-year-old labelled the goal they conceded as ‘embarrassing’ and told his players to take responsibility for their own displays.

The defeat to Derby was West Brom’s final game of 2021, with Ismael hoping he can get the Baggies back to winning ways against Cardiff City on Sunday.

Baggies fans react

Ismael’s strong words had these Baggies supporters fuming, with one labelling the club’s official Twitter post as ‘laughable’.

“Start TGH and Tom Fellows please. This terrible starting XI is getting nowhere.”

Credit: @apmcmanus

“HE KEEPS PICKING THE SAME PLAYERS IN THE SAME FORMATION”

Credit: @dan7heman

“‘We can’t keep saying the same things every week’……… But we can keep doing the same things every week and expect to be saying something different?? What a strange thing to say after what I’ve been watching”

Credit: @MattMarson1

“TGH has been man of match every game he’s played, yet he doesn’t play him. Same tactics, same personnel, same result. 5 goals in 9 games we’ve scored! Shocking”

Credit: @cadders10

“How about saying GOODBYE. You’ve lost the plot mate. Livermore? Hugill? Total waste of space & time”

Credit: @carswell_andrew

“Laughable but not haha shocking performance front to back set pieces now we are no threat whatsoever how’s that happened only plus points for me TGH and Fellows well done boys rest of you do l and take Val with ya stubborn to the end gutted coyb get Sir Roy back now”

Credit: @DavidGo08427803

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has said he is concerned about the long-term repercussions the match-fixing crisis could have on the country’s cricketing establishment

Cricinfo staff30-Aug-2010Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has said he is concerned about the long-term repercussions the match-fixing crisis could have on the country’s cricketing establishment but feels it is a chance for the authorities to act in a manner that would discourage future cricketers from considering such activities.”If they are proved, not just in terms of the best players in the team being implicated but from the public point of view, they would not understand the finer points of the game and each time they lose they will think it’s a fixed match,” Imran told Britain’s channel.”Why should Pakistan cricket suffer if some players have indulged in a crime? Why should Pakistani supporters suffer because of that? The people who are found guilty should be removed from the team and replaced and should be punished as an example for future generations to realise that crime does not pay.”Reactions to the issue have come in thick and fast, especially from former cricketers. Matthew Hayden, the former Australia opener, said it was “not in Australia’s DNA to accept any kind of skullduggery”, and felt the scandal highlighted the different cultures that exist in the game. “You have a look at Pakistan which has been wiped out by the recent floods and you put yourself in the position that maybe you can try and get what’s left of your family and salvage the situation,” Hayden told . “We wouldn’t ever dare get involved in corruption but that’s in our country.”Hayden’s one-time Australia team-mate Ian Healy, felt that players involved in fixing did not care enough for their country, and was pleased that they may have been caught in the act. “We’d be stupid to think this is new,” he said. “How long has this lurk been going on? It’s a long time I’m sure, but it’s been caught which is awesome,” said Healy, who also recalled a dodgy victory against Pakistan in the 90s which later came under the match-fixing scanner.”This game in Sri Lanka we thought we were heroes – we were high-fiving fools. It came out a year later that that game was brought into question,” Healy said.Healy, however, said that he felt Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal did not deliberately drop catches during the Sydney Test, which Mahzar Majeed, the man at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy, claimed was also fixed to . Healy said Akmal came to him for advice because he was struggling with his keeping.”He was stiff as a board and extremely tense. You couldn’t drop those on purpose they way he was doing it,” Healy told the . “His technique had gone off, which he told me about two weeks before – the ball wasn’t going into his glove that well for the spinners. I said to him, ‘look, we’ll work on that in Hobart’. I wasn’t going to the Sydney Test. And then he did that. It didn’t look to me as if they were on purpose at all.”Michael Hussey, the Australian batsman who was let off by Akmal in Sydney, also said he felt the mistakes were genuine. “It all happens in a split second,” he said. “Especially the catches off me … they were all up to the stumps. With those sort of catches they either go in or they don’t. I don’t think you can try to drop those.”Former ICC chief Malcolm Speed said there was a “fairly compelling case” for suspending Pakistan from the ICC. “It looks as though it is endemic that several of the team members are involved and have been for some time,” Speed told . “So perhaps they need a rest.”Speed echoed Healy’s views that the unearthing of the scandal was a step forward for the game. “[It’s] great that they’ve been caught in England where there is a very sophisticated legal system that deals with conspiracy and specifically with cheating in sport. So I see that as a major positive,” he said. “I would have liked it to have happened when I was involved with ICC but it didn’t happen at that time.”Ehsan Mani, a former ICC president, called for the PCB to act swiftly. “The allegations have painted Pakistan cricket in a bad light and we need to take swift action to clear the situation, but I don’t think there’s any fear that teams will boycott us [Pakistan],” Mani told AFP. “Lack of action or any cover up will damage Pakistan cricket badly. Match-fixing allegations have been hurting Pakistan cricket and the latest saga is a poor reflection on the board, which has failed to deal with the matter as they have failed to control the players.”

Leeds United are considering a late move for Takumi Minamino…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Independent journalist Carl Markham, who claimed the Yorkshire outfit were interested in signing the Liverpool outcast before the January transfer window deadline on Monday evening.

“Takumi Minamino attracting interest from Leeds and Monaco but @LFC have rebuffed early approaches as they have no inclination to sell. Would take seriously really good offer to change their minds,” he tweeted.

The 36-cap Japan international is well behind the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota in the pecking order at Anfield, and could yet drop even further amid reported interest in FC Porto star Luis Diaz.

It remains to be seen exactly what a ‘really good offer’ is, with the 27-year-old currently valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt.

Aaronson alternative

Primarily a left-winger by trade, Minamino is capable of operating on both flanks and through the middle, where he can thrive the best when operating as a ‘half-winger’.

Just like fellow Whites target Brenden Aaronson, who doesn’t appear likely to be coming to Elland Road any time soon, at least in this current window.

Leeds’ two bids of £15m and £20m have been rejected but there is hope that a deal can be struck for the summer instead as RB Salzburg do not want to offload him before a crucial Champions League tie with Bayern Munich.

Instead, it appears as if Victor Orta and co are lining up a last-minute alternative in a player that also once played for the Austria champions.

Minamino’s growth has always been stunted in Merseyside due to the sheer volume of quality starting ahead of him but he’s still proven his worth in abundance whenever given the opportunity.

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For instance, this season he has provided six goals and one assist across 18 appearances, with those primarily coming in cup competitions as he’s yet to register a start in the Premier League, even despite Salah and Mane being at AFCON.

The Japanese attacker also impressed during a loan spell at Southampton last season.

“He’s a very special player for me – not because of his physical strength but more of his way of playing football,” claimed manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

“He is very quick in his mind, has good decision-making, knows about our pressing style and hopefully a lot of running. He knows when you come to me you have to run a lot, but that’s not a problem for him”

Right there is why he’s an absolute dream for Marcelo Bielsa. There isn’t a side that presses the opposition as intensely as Leeds, so his presence to do that from the front would be hugely beneficial to the Argentine, who must be desperate for additions.

Also dubbed a “machine” by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, Minamino could be an ideal alternative to Aaronson as we head into the final few days of the window.

Bielsa badly needs an option in the role and the Liverpool ace could well provide him with exactly what he needs for the remainder of the current campaign.

AND in other news, Leeds United eyeing late January bargain in £10m “phenomenon”…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Pau Torres to north London in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication La Razon (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite the Villarreal centre-back having rejected a move to Spurs last summer, Fabio Paratici will once again launch an offensive for the 25-year-old at the end of the current campaign.

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The report goes on to state that, now the Spain international has fulfilled his dream of playing in the Champions League with his boyhood club, Unai Emery will agree to part with Torres in the summer transfer window – as long as an offer of around €60m (£50m) is submitted.

Paratici’s next De Ligt

Considering how impressive Torres has been for Villarreal this season, in addition to it being reported that Tottenham will prioritise the signing of a left-sided centre-back this summer, it is easy to see why Antonio Conte and Paratici would be interested in a move for the Spaniard ahead of 2022/23.

Indeed, over his 28 LaLiga appearances in the current campaign, the £58m-rated centre-back has been imperious in the heart of Emery’s defence, helping his side keep ten clean sheets, as well as making an average of 0.6 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 3.3 clearances and winning 4.1 duels – at a success rate of 65% – per game.

The £126k-per-week defender has also impressed in an attacking and creative capacity, scoring four goals and creating three big chances for his teammates, in addition to completing 55.2 passes, 4.5 long balls, 3.8 chipped passes, 0.9 dribbles and taking 0.7 shots per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who journalist Simon Collings dubbed “classy” and Javi Calleja labelled an “extraordinary talent” average a fantastic SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Villarreal’s third-best player in the Spanish top flight.

The 25-year-old has been equally as impressive over his ten Champions League outings this season, helping his side keep three clean sheets, scoring one goal and creating two big chances, with these metrics seeing the left-footer average a SofaScore match rating of 7.08 – with the centre-back playing a crucial role in the Yellow Submarine’s run to the semi-finals of the competition.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Torres would make an exceptional addition to Conte’s current defensive options at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, leading us to believe Paratici must do all he can to get a deal over the line for the Spaniard this summer – especially if he is available for a figure of around £50m.

And, with the managing director having been the man behind Juventus’ €75m (£67.8m) capture of Matthijs de Ligt back in 2019, Torres could very well prove to be the Italian’s next seismic centre-back signing.

AND in other news: “Tottenham could consider…”: Romano drops huge transfer claim, Conte would love him