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BBC journalist Simon Stone has shared his view as Leeds United signing Luis Sinisterra picked up an injury in the Whites’ pre-season friendly with Crystal Palace.

The Lowdown: Sinisterra joins Whites

The winger completed a move from Feyenoord to Leeds earlier this month, helping fill the void left by Raphinha, who has joined Barcelona in a big-money transfer.

Sinisterra is an exciting signing, having scored 12 goals and chipped in with seven assists in the Eredivisie last season, and fans have been enjoying watching him in pre-season action.

Unfortunately, things have taken a negative turn in that respect.

The Latest: Injury update

Taking to Twitter during Leeds’ friendly clash with Palace, Stone confirmed that Sinisterra had limped off after picking up an injury, which he believes to be a hamstring issue.

The reporter confirmed it was a non-contact injury and shared a brief moment involving manager Jesse Marsch before the player headed down the tunnel.

“Sinisterra went down with no-one near him. Looked like a hamstring injury. Had a brief word with Jesse Marsch before making his way slowly to the tunnel. Colombian one of LUFC’s big summer signings.”

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The Verdict: Big concern for Marsch

A new signing getting injured is always hugely disappointing and this is especially concerning, given the manner in which Sinisterra picked up the knock.

Nobody was around him when the incident happened, which can mean potential muscle or even ligament damage due to an awkward turn or landing, which will be of big concern for Marsch.

The hope is that Sinisterra’s setback is nothing serious and that he left the field as a precaution, but with the new Premier League season only two weeks away, anyone associated with Leeds will be sweating.

The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has revealed some positive transfer news on Anthony Gordon for Everton supporters.

The Lowdown: Offer made for Gordon

It has been reported that Newcastle United have made a £35m bid to try and lure the 21-year-old away from Goodison Park.

Tottenham Hotspur are also thought to be readying an offer for the England under-21 international, and it will now be up to the Merseyside club whether they sell to the highest bidder.

The Latest: Ornstein’s update on Gordon

However, taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for The Athletic, Ornstein has revealed that Everton have ‘no intention’ of selling Gordon this summer ‘amid enquiries’ from a number of clubs in the Premier League when ‘interest’ was expressed by them ‘during conversations’ with the Toffees.

The reporter tweeted: “Everton have no intention of selling Anthony Gordon amid enquiries from other PL clubs. Interest expressed during conversations but #EFC unwilling to consider 21yo’s exit. Likely new deal will be offered but not result of rival admiration.”

The Verdict: Positive for Everton

It is certainly positive to hear of Everton’s intentions to keep Gordon, and indeed potentially offer him a new contract.

The 21-year-old is a player who has come through their academy, so he would have that extra special connection with the club’s supporters.

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Moreover, he was one of their most important players last season, with up four goals, two assists and two man-of-the-match awards in 35 appearances in the Premier League (WhoScored).

Having already sold Richarlison to Spurs, the Toffees must do everything that they can to keep homegrown talent Gordon at the club for as long as possible.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte is personally ‘pushing’ to seal a ‘big signing’ for the club, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs show ambition…

Perhaps Spurs’ busiest transfer window in years has gotten off to a fine start with the confirmed signings of Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma and now Richarlison.

The quartet of arrivals signals a change in attitude at Hotspur Way as ENIC, chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici seek to back Conte whilst appeasing the Italian’s demands.

Ahead of the ex-Chelsea manager’s first full Premier League season in charge of the Lilywhites, supporters have much reason to be excited ahead of what will be a very interesting campaign.

Indeed, qualification for the Champions League has gifted the club a huge lift and helped them to financially compete in the summer market.

The Latest: Conte ‘pushing’ for another Spurs transfer…

As per reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Conte is personally ‘pushing’ to seal another Spurs signing.

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The reporter claims Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet is edging nearer a move with the ‘final details’ being polished.

Lenglet, as explained, is also ‘happy to join’, he stated:

“Tottenham have now reached full agreement with Clément Lenglet on personal terms. He’s happy to join Spurs with Antonio Conte pushing to have him. 

“Tottenham and Barcelona are still in direct contact to resolve final details of the loan deal, then… here we go, soon.”

The Verdict: ‘Big signing’?

Former top flight keeper Paddy Kenny, speaking to Football Insider on the 27-year-old, claims Lenglet’s likely addition is a ‘real statement from Tottenham’ and a ‘big signing’.

Despite the Frenchman’s lack of starts for Barca last season, you can see why Kenny has this theory given Lenglet’s real experience at the top level – having amassed 314 appearances across three clubs whilst lifting a Spanish title in that time (Transfermarkt).

Also racking up international caps in a competitive France squad, Lenglet’s composure and assurance is perhaps best exemplified by his impressive 91% pass accuracy out from the back over 21/22 (WhoScored).

This is a higher number than any Tottenham regular managed last campaign, and the fact they’re getting him on loan means this transfer is very low risk financially.

Lenglet’s highest ever market value of £54 million hints there is a player of real quality there and it’s certainly possible he could become a real asset for Conte.

Tottenham Hotspur will have to spend €40m (£34m) to sign transfer target Weston McKennie. 

That’s according to Italian outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare and Jack Pitt-Brooke wrote at the weekend that Antonio Conte and Spurs were hoping to strengthen in central midfield this summer. The north Londoners signed Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus in the winter but could do further business with the Bianconeri ahead of the expected departure of Harry Winks.

It was only last summer that Juve officially signed McKennie from Schalke for £18.45m after an initial loan. He is predominantly a central midfielder but has played in a vast array of positions, including both deeper and more advanced roles in the middle and on the right wing.

It’s worth noting that the American was missing from late February until the end of the season with a metatarsal fracture.

The latest

McKennie could move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, with Spurs scouring the Italian market once again.

As per Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), managing director of football Fabio Paratici ‘particularly likes’ the 23-year-old and could push for a move.

Juventus are reportedly demanding £34m for his services, and it’s unclear yet as to whether Spurs will be willing to pay that amount.

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The verdict

McKennie isn’t necessarily someone who will come up with big numbers of goals and assists, having only notched three direct goal contributions in 2021/22.

However, he does take up advanced positions, ranking in the 98th percentile among his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues for both progressive passes received and touches in the penalty area.

McKennie, who won his country’s Player of the Year award in 2020, was starting to ‘come alive after a stuttering spell’ prior to his injury, in the words of sports journalist Josh Bunting.

Squawka have described him as a ‘wizard’ at his best, and Paratici clearly has confidence that the 23-year-old can reach that level consistently.

After doing business with Juventus for Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, perhaps it’s time for the Spurs supremo to once again tap into that existing relationship with the Serie A club.

In other news, Alasdair Gold has dropped a promising claim on another Serie A target

Sunderland finally ended their spell in the third tier of English football with a 2-0 win over Wycombe at Wembley in the League One play-off final last month.

Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart sent the red and white half of the stadium into raptures with their goals and the Black Cats will now be returning to the Championship for the first time since 2017/18.

Alex Neil took over from Lee Johnson earlier this year and hit the ground running in the dugout as he secured a play-off spot and then masterminded wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe to get Sunderland back into the second tier.

Whilst Embleton and Stewart scored the goals in the play-off final, attacking midfielder Alex Pritchard was the star of the show as he put in a sublime performance in the number 10 role.

As per SofaScore, he completed two of his three attempted dribbles and created four chances as he set up both of the goals at Wembley. He was the glue in the attack as he pieced together moves and developed the play by making himself available for the ball before playing a killer pass to create an opportunity for a team-mate.

Pritchard played a major role in securing promotion for the club, and his displays for the Black Cats throughout the campaign show that Kristjaan Speakman landed a blinding deal by signing him for nothing from Huddersfield last summer.

Journalist Ash Bahrami recently dubbed the signing a “coup” for the Black Cats, and the 29-year-old’s statistics over the course of the season back that up. In League One, the ex-Spurs maestro was superb as he made himself a constant threat in the final third for Johnson and then Neil…

These statistics show that Pritchard made a big contribution in the final third as he consistently put chances on a plate for his team-mates to score – two of which won them promotion to the Championship.

Former Black Cats boss Johnson once lauded the 29-year-old’s ability to play key passes, saying: “Pritch is going to be important for us and I think you see that as well.

“We are still building him up. He’s 95 percent fit and I think he has that quality to unlock doors at this level that most people haven’t.”

Pritchard showcased his quality to open up defences all season and his exceptional performances prove that Speakman landed a coup in bringing him in on a free transfer.

Hopefully the Sunderland chief can secure similar deals to bolster the squad this summer with a view to attacking the Championship.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops four-word Sunderland transfer claim that’ll leave supporters gutted…

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has made a fresh claim on Leeds United winger Raphinha and his potential move to Barcelona, as per CaughtOffside.

The Lowdown: Summer of change?

Leeds are currently one point clear of the relegation zone thanks to Pascal Struijk’s late equaliser against Brighton on Sunday. However, Burnley still have two matches remaining and know that four points would be enough to possibly relegate the Whites, who travel to Brentford on the final day.

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Should Jesse Marsch’s side drop back down to the Championship, then a number of players could be on their way out. That includes star midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who reportedly wants out regardless over the coming months.

Robin Koch has been another name linked with a summer exit, and an update has now emerged regarding Raphinha and his possible move to the Nou Camp.

The Latest: Romano’s claim on Raphinha

Writing for CaughtOffside, Romano said that the 25-year-old and his agent Deco have been in ‘very advanced’ talks with Barcelona since March ahead of a five-year deal in Spain.

A €25m (£21m) release clause can be activated for the Brazilian if Leeds go down, with the reliable reporter even adding that Newcastle have explored a possible deal in recent months. Chelsea have also been keen, but it is Barcelona who are ‘leading the race’ for the attacker.

The Verdict: A matter of time

It looks as if Barcelona will approach Leeds at the end of the season regarding a move for the 25-year-old, who has now seemingly outgrown Elland Road and is ready for the next step of his career.

Without Raphinha, Leeds would more than likely be down already, with his 10 goals and three assists helping to keep the club afloat.

You could tell by the images after the match on Sunday that it looks as if Raphinha knows he has played his final game at Elland Road, but if he helps Leeds to stay up this weekend, they could receive a larger fee than the €25m release clause.

In other news: Orta holds talks to sign £20k-p/w ‘phenomenon’ for Marsch; same agent as 6 Leeds players

Shoaib Malik has been in and out of Pakistan’s side ever since he made his international debut in 1999. Have you kept track?

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2020An international career that began in 1999 is still going on. Shoaib Malik has been in and out of Pakistan’s side numerous times over that period. Have you kept track? Take our quiz and find out.

Steven Smith is only the second batsman to get 1000-plus Test runs in four successive years, while his 20 hundreds during this period is the best ever

S Rajesh16-Dec-20170:47

Quickinfo – Steven Smith, the run machine

When Steven Smith threaded another cover-drive for four to get to 112 at the WACA, he reached 1000 Test runs in a calendar year for the fourth successive year, a feat previously achieved only by Matthew Hayden. Hayden went past 1000 runs in five consecutive years from 2001 to 2005, but even he will agree that Smith’s run from 2014 has been truly exceptional.In each of these four years, Smith has scored 1000-plus runs at 60-plus averages, which makes him the first player to achieve this feat. Hayden averaged more than 60 in the first three years of his five-year streak, but in 2004 his average dropped to 43.19. Brian Lara and Kevin Pietersen are the only others to score 1000-plus runs at 50-plus averages in three successive years.Steven Smith has become only the second batsman to score 1000-plus Test runs in four successive years•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Since the start of 2014, Smith has scored 4826 runs at an average of 74.24, including 20 hundreds. These stats are among the best by any batsman over a four-year period. In terms of runs scored in four successive calendar years, Smith is in fourth place, behind Ricky Ponting and a pair of streaks by Hayden during his best years. Smith has a maximum of three more innings to go in 2017, which means he might climb even higher up the list.

In terms of averages in a four-year period, Smith currently averages 74.24, which is the best. Ponting averaged 72.52 in the 2003-06 period, while Kumar Sangakkara averaged 72.27 between 2007 and 2010. Steve Waugh and Jacques Kallis are the others in the top five.

And in terms of Test centuries, no batsman has scored more than Smith’s 20 in a four-year period; Hayden and Ponting have 19 in four-year periods. Smith has already reached 22 Test centuries in his career in just 108 innings, which is third-fastest of all time, next only to Don Bradman (58 innings), and Sunil Gavaskar (101). Sachin Tendulkar got there in 114.

Smith’s average of 74.24 since the start of 2014 is the best by any batsman during this period, even with a 300-run cut-off. (There are 132 batsmen who qualify with this cut-off.) With a higher cut-off of 2000 runs, the top four are the four most talked-about batsmen today. Even among them, though, Steven Smith is on another level.

Aphorisms, airplane selfies, pork cutlets – what more do you want from a Twitter round-up?

Alex Bowden08-Jul-2016We should probably mention the UK’s European Union referendum. Only, we’ll have to do it without expressing any sort of opinion, and finding some way to link it to cricket.

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That’ll do. Now let’s move on. There are plenty more burning questions to try and answer.

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And the result?

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We can probably guess how this one goes.

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He didn’t even bother asking the question.Elsewhere, Shane Warne has offered us his life philosophy.

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… which explains a lot.And Stuart Broad is another who’s apparently happy to be treated like a child.

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If you’re wondering what Sachin Tendulkar enjoyed and where…

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And if you’re wondering what Jimmy Neesham didn’t enjoy…

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But for serious whingeing, there’s only ever really one topic. Somewhere in the world there is always a cricketer complaining about air travel.

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Perhaps with a degree of justification on some occasions. This sounds like a busy day.

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Although apparently it could have been worse.

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But our cricketers can of course always entertain themselves by taking in-flight selfies. Farhaan Behardien only got his feet in shot.

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At the start of his trip, Dale Steyn managed both feet and one hand.

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Kevin Pietersen made use of a third party to ensure he delivered the goods. He also combined his effort with his new hobby of telling everyone just how much he likes wine, as if anyone’s in the least bit interested.

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You know the wine tweets. We mean this kind of thing.

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However, if we do have one criticism of the Pietersen in-flight selfie, it’s the distinct lack of sunglasses.As such, how about this effort from Shoaib Malik of which even Virat Kohli himself would be proud.

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Textbook.Kohli, meanwhile, is now so proficient that he’s even seeing fit to guest-star in other people’s in-flight selfies.

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ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2015Unmukt Chand struck eight fours and two sixes in his 37-ball 58 before falling to Yuzvendra Chahal, leaving Mumbai at 182 for 3 in the 18th over•BCCIYuzvendra Chahal managed to end with figures of 4-0-28-2 despite Mumbai scoring at 10.45 runs per over•BCCIRohit Sharma launched four sixes and three fours for his 15-ball 42 but got out playing a rash shot•BCCIDavid Wiese picked up three wickets in four balls but Mumbai eventually crossed 200 after a few meaty blows by Hardik Pandya to finish on 209 for 7•BCCIChris Gayle took 24 balls to score 10 runs and got out leaving Royal Challengers in a difficult position•BCCIDespite losing Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik and Rilee Rossouw, AB de Villiers looked like he could turn the tide as he smashed 41 off 10 balls…•BCCI… But Jasprit Bumrah had him caught at deep mid-wicket to end the onslaught•BCCINeeding 81 from 30 balls, Wiese wasted no time in attacking the Mumbai bowlers as he struck an unbeaten 47 off just 25 balls but he was left with too much to do in too little time•BCCIHarbhajan Singh picked up his 100th IPL wicket as he ended with match figures of 3 for 27. Mumbai hung on for an 18-run win to open their account for the season•BCCI