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Everton could secure Rafa Benitez’s next Sergio Ramos after being linked with a move for Barcelona defender Arnau Comas ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Sport (as relayed by the Liverpool ECHO), the Toffees are one of two Premier League teams eager to secure the 21-year-old’s signature, with Leicester City also credited with an interest.

Comas’ current contract is set to expire next summer, meaning he could be available on a free transfer over the coming months, although Barca have the option to extend his stay by two years.

Benitez’s next Sergio Ramos

Despite the fact that the youngster is yet to make his first-team debut for the Blaugrana, Comas is believed to be highly rated by key officials within his boyhood club, including new manager Xavi Hernandez.

It is also claimed that it’s the player’s desire to stay at the Camp Nou and force his way into the senior setup, yet at 21, time is quickly running out for the 6 foot 2 beast to do just that.

As a result, the possibility of Comas departing Barca in the upcoming winter window appears to be high, and Benitez may be tempted to make a move.

Everton have kept just three clean sheets in all competitions in the opening weeks of the current campaign, and with Yerry Mina continuing to be linked with a Goodison Park exit, a new defender is likely to be on the 61-year-old’s wishlist.

Throughout his 38 appearances for Barcelona B, Comas has illustrated his ability both on the ball and as a natural captain, taking the armband on a permanent basis at the beginning of 2021/22.

His mature displays saw journalist Albert Roge label him a “leader” before stating that he “stands out for his ball output” after lauding his quality on Twitter.

Comas’ arrival on Merseyside would see Benitez working with another talented Spanish centre-back after having Ramos at his disposal during his brief spell in the Real Madrid dugout, and the experienced tactician could be the ideal coach to extract the best out of his compatriot.

Like Ramos, Comas possesses a ball-playing ability and staunch leadership, attributes that outweigh his age. He would be a very intriguing signing for the Goodison outfit.

And, in other news…”I have been quickly informed”: Huge Everton revelation will surely leave fans worried 

Australia’s first Test preparations have been thrown into chaos with the fast man complaining of pain down his left side

Alex Brown06-Jul-2009Brett Lee has been ruled out of the first two Tests of the Ashes series with a low-grade abdominal tear and is no guarantee to play thereafter. As revealed by Cricinfo, the Australian fast bowler experienced pain down his left side following last week’s tour game against England Lions in Worcester, and will be sidelined for the Cardiff and Lord’s Tests at the very least.Lee was absent from Australia’s training session at Sophia Gardens on Monday after being sent to London for scans, which revealed a small tear in an abdominal muscle. His absence has thrown Australia’s planning into disarray ahead of the first Test, which begins on Wednesday, and will deny the tourists the services of their most decorated bowler.”There probably is a bit more disappointment that it is an Ashes Test,” Lee said. “I’m extremely disappointed. I’m gutted that I won’t be there for that first Test match. But I’ll find a way to bounce back. I’ve gotten back from five ankle surgeries so I’m sure one little muscle strain won’t keep me out for too long.”I still see myself hopefully playing a major role for Australia through the end part of the series, whether that’s the second, third, fourth or fifth Test match, depending on how things go. I’m very disappointed but it’s not the end of the world. I’ve got a couple of weeks now to get it right. I’ll be hopefully running in a couple of days if [the physio Alex Kountouris] lets me. I’ll be working on my fitness … and hopefully I’ll be back shortly.”Lee was comfortably Australia’s best bowler in the tour match in Worcester, claiming 6 for 76 in the first innings and displaying a mastery of reverse-swing, but his 35 overs have come at an immense cost.Prior to the injury, Lee seemed certain to partner Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle in Australia’s pace attack in Cardiff, with Stuart Clark and Nathan Hauritz duelling for the final bowling position. Precisely how the Australians will compensate for his absence remains uncertain, but Lee insisted the lessons from South Africa – in which Australia swept to a 2-1 series victory with a relatively untried pace line-up – would serve them well in the Ashes.”I was going pretty much as hard as I possibly could [in Worcester],” Lee said. “I suppose I had to prove to myself that I can do it again. I never doubted in my own mind but it was more me going out there and showing that I can get close to the 100 mile an hour mark again and take wickets, which I’ve done. I’m proud about that and obviously I have sustained a small muscle tear which has ruled me out of the first Test match. Yes, I’m disappointed, but it’s not the end of the world.”It gives somebody else in our team an opportunity. We’ve got a very strong bowling attack here. The guys did the job in South Africa while I wasn’t there. We’ve got a great bunch of guys, guys who are willing to go out there and do the hard work. I’ve got the utmost confidence in the guys that they can do the job out there.”Lee, Australia’s most senior bowler with 310 wickets from 76 Tests, only recently returned to action after undergoing foot and ankle surgery following the Boxing Day Test against South Africa. The tour matches against Sussex and England Lions were his first outings outside of Twenty20 competition this year, and his display in Worcester last week had prompted many to feel that he was nearing peak form.Kountouris said Lee could have faced 10 weeks on the sidelines had the injury not been detected so early. “We’re pretty thankful it’s not the more severe side of things,” Kountouris said. “It is a relatively good outcome. We got it pretty early. Brett’s pretty sensitive with his body and knows when things aren’t quite right. We got it nice and early I think.”Kevin Pietersen resisted the temptation of indulging in a spot of pre-Ashes schadenfreude by expressing sadness for Lee. “It’s a huge, huge loss for Australia,” Pietersen said. “Who knows with the Australian team? It could be cat and mouse… [but] it’s sad for [Lee] if it’s true. We keep in touch and are pretty good mates.”He’s a fantastic competitor and an amazing bowler. We’ve all seen how he’s bowled in the last couple of games. He’s a huge, huge, huge player for Australia. There’s his experience in the dressing room and also the intimidation he has on batsmen around the world, because he’s the fastest bowler in the world.”Michael Clarke, Lee’s Australian team-mate, expressed sympathy for his colleague. “He’s worked really hard over the last 12 months to get back,” he said. “I only found out this morning that he was having the scans, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me. The most important thing is to get Brett as fit as possible.”

An update has emerged on Joe Rothwell, regarding Rangers’ interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Rangers are weighing up a swoop for Blackburn midfielder Rothwell.

The report claims that he is out of contract at the end of the season and the Gers could snap him up on a pre-contract agreement in January.

Get it done

Rangers chief Ross Wilson must secure a deal to sign Rothwell on a free transfer in the January window. The Gers have a key advantage over any English side wanting to sign him as they are able to agree a pre-contract with the player in January, whereas teams south of the border will have to wait until his contract expires to speak with him.

36-year-old Steven Davis has been a regular this season, with 13 appearances to his name, and Rothwell could be seen as a long-term replacement for the former Southampton man. Davis has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.99 in the Premiership this term, winning 50% of his duels and making 2.3 interceptions and tackles per game.

Rothwell, who is ten years younger than the Gers man, has averaged a score of 6.90 in 11 Championship outings for Blackburn. He has won 54% of his duels and made 2.1 interceptions and tackles per game, suggesting that he has been performing to a similar level in comparison to Davis, albeit in different competitions.

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray once hailed the midfielder and urged him to get closer to the opposition goal. He said:

“He’s an exciting talent, he’s exceedingly fast, he keeps the ball really tight. We want him running towards the opposition goal rather than across the pitch.”

The £4.1k-per-week beast could be signed without Rangers needing to spend a penny on him in terms of a transfer fee and he could represent a bargain for the club.

This is why Wilson must work hard to secure a deal for him in the upcoming transfer window, so that he could potentially replace the ageing Davis heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news, 18x possession lost: Wilson sent Rangers transfer warning by dud with 44% pass success…

Southampton have been handed an injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League showdown against Chelsea this afternoon.

What’s the latest?

In his latest press conference ahead of the match against the west Londoners, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed that Jack Stephens will not be available for the clash at Stamford Bridge as a result of the injury he picked up during 0-0 draw at Manchester City which saw him forced off the pitch in the first half.

With Hasenhuttl previously revealing that Stephens ruptured a tendon in his knee and is expected to be out of action for around 10-12 weeks, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the defender will play no part in the Chelsea clash, but it’s still a blow for the Saints.

Hasenhuttl won’t be happy

Stephens, who is currently valued at £4.5m according to Transfermarkt, has made 139 appearances for Southampton across all competitions in which he has managed to chip in with six goals and provide five assists in the process.

Given how he played every minute of action in the Premier League for Southampton this term before picking up his injury at the Etihad Stadium, this shows just how vital he has been for Hasenhuttl and why it’s such a blow that he will now miss a considerable chunk of the season through injury.

Indeed, the 27-year-old has posted match averages of 1.8 tackles and 1.6 interceptions in the early weeks of the campaign, placing him third for both metrics among the Saints’ squad, as per WhoScored. That serves to illustrate how crucial he is as a defensive rock at St Mary’s.

Given how fellow Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu, who replaced Stephens in the City game, went on to play in the 1-0 defeat against Wolves and earn himself a respectable match rating of 6.8/10 from SofaScore, he should be given the chance to play alongside Jan Bednarek today to see if he can be the right person to fill in for Stephens while the 29-year-old is out injured.

In other news, “Now close”: Ralph makes claim on 21 y/o maestro which will leave Southampton fans buzzing…

Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka medium-pacer, has moved to the top of the ICC ODI bowler rankings, ahead of Australia’s Nathan Bracken and New Zealand’s Kyle Mills

Cricinfo staff16-Mar-2009
Nuwan Kulasekara is the No. 1 ODI bowler © AFP
Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka medium-pacer, has moved to the top of the ICC ODI bowler rankings, ahead of Australia’s Nathan Bracken and New Zealand’s Kyle Mills.Kulasekara has risen steadily up the rankings during the past 12 months after an impressive run of performances since his return to the team in April 2008. In that period, he has taken 47 wickets at 20.97 in 29 matches, with a strike-rate of 28.00 and an economy rate of 4.45.”It was great to hear about the ranking, as I have worked really hard this year, but I am just 26, I know I still have plenty to learn and I am determined to become a much better bowler,” said Kulasekara.Kulasekera also impressed with the bat at No. 8 for Sri Lanka, averaging 20.36 during the past 12 months. “I am working really hard on my batting as we need to have consistent contributions from the lower order,” he said. “My immediate target is pushing my ODI average over 25 by giving the team consistent runs.””Nuwan full deserves his No. 1 ranking after an outstanding year for us,” said Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara. “Since cementing his place in the side he has been extremely consistent and reliable for us, taking wickets with the new ball and keeping things tight.”Daniel Vettori, who previously occupied the top spot, has fallen to No. 5 after taking just two wickets at 53.50 in four ODIs against India. His team-mate Kyle Mills, who broke in to the top five in the bowler rankings after taking six wickets at 10.83 against Bangladesh last year, occupies the third spot behind Bracken. Mills took four wickets at 57.25 against India.Bracken was voted Australia’s ODI Player of the Year this year after taking 22 wickets at 24.50, with an economy rate of 4.09, from 16 games during the voting period. Jerome Taylor breaks into the top ten, displacing Australia’s Mitchell Johnson.

Name

Country

Rating

1K.M.D.N KulasekaraSL7242N.W. BrackenAUS7003K.D. MillsNZ6974M. MuralidaranSL6965D.L. VettoriNZ6946 Shakib Al HasanBAN6877S.C.J. BroadENG6738 Mashrafe MortazaBAN6719A. FlintoffENG66210J.E. TaylorWIN660Top 100

Leeds United have been handed a blow in their chase to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the story?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were unable sign the 22-year-old in the summer, with The Athletic’s Phil Hay reporting that the Whites simply did not want to pay the money that the Terriers were demanding – reported to be a fee in the region of around £8m.

And now, according to The Yorkshire Live, O’Brien is in talks with the Terriers over extending his contract at the club, amid speculation over that move to Elland Road in the summer.

The report added: “O’Brien signed his current deal in summer 2019 just before his emergence into the first team, and that deal is set to expire next summer – albeit the club hold the option to extend it by another year.

“Both parties would now like to ensure O’Brien’s deal is reflective of his value to Carlos Corberan’s side, which in turn would help protect his valuation in the transfer market should Leeds or any other club return with a renewed bid in future.”

Bielsa will be fuming

While Leeds managed to bring in a new first-team left-back in Junior Firpo, and a winger to challenge the likes of Jack Harrison and Raphinha in Dan James, one area of real concern on which they failed to deliver was a new central midfielder.

The decision to not match Huddersfield’s demands for O’Brien shines an even bigger light on the limited options Bielsa currently has, and the Leeds manager will be hoping and praying that the likes of Kalvin Phillips can stay injury-free.

This latest news that O’Brien is in talks over a new contract, in order to protect his value, is likely to ensure that the Terriers can demand a similar sort of fee that they were looking for in the summer, or even something much higher should they give him a much longer-term deal.

Bielsa has already shown that he is someone who will only sign players who fit his principles, and is quite willing to simply avoid players who he doesn’t fancy – Hay even recently suggested that while Victor Orta recommended Noa Lang, Bielsa wanted James, while the Leeds boss has also been understood to have turned down moves for the likes of Glenn Murray and Billy Sharp back in the Championship even when they needed a striker.

The fact that they were very interested in O’Brien means Bielsa is very keen on him, and thinks he would be a good fit at Elland Road. But, given the Whites opted against paying the fee needed to sign him in the summer, this latest update of a new contract is just another body blow and even bigger setback to their chances of signing him.

Bielsa will be fuming if O’Brien doesn’t end up at Leeds now.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign an ideal Kalvin Phillips alternative in this star…

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the West Indies batsman, could be sidelined from the second ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch on Saturday due to a hand injury

Tony Cozier02-Jan-2009
The absence of Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be a huge blow for West Indies © AFP
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the West Indies batsman, could miss the second ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch on Saturday with a hand injury. He sat out the first rain-ruined ODI of the five against New Zealand on New Year’s Eve as he was being treated for discomfort between thumb and forefinger in his left hand.”It’s just the constant jarring of the bottom hand against the handle,” Chanderpaul said. “It was becoming more and more painful every time I bat so I thought it needed a rest before it got even worse.”Virgil Browne, the team’s physiotherapist, has been treating it daily and an assessment on when Chanderpaul can play will be made on the morning of the match.His absence leaves a huge hole, either in the middle order, as has been the norm in recent times, or as Chris Gayle’s opening partner, where he has been so effective in the past. With 7,719 runs, nine hundreds and an average of 40.84 in 238 ODIs, Chanderpaul is irreplaceable in a batting line-up of severely limited experience and quality. And he remains hungry for runs, whatever the length of the game.His 13 ODIs last year – against South Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan – brought him 578 runs at an average of 64.22. His second most recent innings was an unbeaten 107 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in November.His absence places additional pressure on captain Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan at the top of the order. They are the only batsmen in the squad with more than 30 ODIs, the only ones who have hundreds to their name apart from Xavier Marshall’s 157 not out against Canada, an associate ICC team, in Toronto in August.The only batting alternatives are Brendan Nash, Shawn Findlay, Kieron Pollard and Carlton Baugh, the second wicket-keeper.Nash proved his worth in his vital innings in the Tests, but, much like Larry Gomes and Jimmy Adams, other left-handers of his method from earlier eras, his game is suited more to five than one day. Pollard and Findlay are feeling their way and don’t seem up to it at this level. There is not much more to say about the choice of two keepers.The situation supports Gayle’s point, made during the home series against Australia, that it is self-defeating to introduce so many new players at one time.One of Runako Morton (49 ODIs, average 33.25, two hundreds) and Devon Smith (26 ODIs, average 23.27) would have lent necessary experience, even if not backed by imposing figures. Surely, in the absence of Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy should have been here. The West Indies were happy to ring out the old year and hope for better in one-day cricket in the new.There were three whitewashes in 2008 – 5-0 to South Africa and Australia, 3-0 to Pakistan – against a 2-0 triumph over Sri Lanka (one with Chanderpaul’s four and six off the last two balls, the other by the Duckworth/Lewis method) and 3-0 in the Toronto tournament involving Bermuda and Canada.It is a shocking record. The first four ODIs of 2009 follow over the coming two weeks. Chanderpaul’s continuing absence would not bode well for an immediate improvement on 2008.

An update has emerged on West Bromwich Albion centre-back Dara O’Shea’s injury.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by the Express & Star, O’Shea has been ruled out of action for around six months, after it was revealed the defender had fractured his ankle, as well as sustaining ligament damage, during the Republic of Ireland’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal last week.

Initial reports had claimed that it was actually the 22-year-old’s knee that had sustained injury, while also suggesting the knock would keep O’Shea out for four months, however, these reports now appear to be wide of the mark.

Ismael will be devastated

Considering just how impressive O’Shea has been for West Brom so far this season, the fact that the centre-back looks set to miss up to half a year of first-team action, rather than the four months previously reported, is sure to have left Ismael devastated.

Indeed, over his five Championship appearances, the £2.7m-rated defender has helped his side keep two clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.2 interceptions, 2.4 tackles, 3.6 clearances and winning 10.2 duels per game.

The man Dan Watts dubbed a “fantastic” player has also impressed going forwards, bagging two goals and taking an average of 1.2 shots per match.

These metrics have seen the Irishman earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.26, ranking him as the club’s third-best player in the second tier so far this term.

As such, it would certainly appear as if the sooner O’Shea recovers the better for West Brom, however, with Ismael recently sealing the signing of free agent Kean Bryan, at least the club have made attempts to replace the 22-year-old in the Frenchman’s squad.

In other news: Ismael drops hint on “exceptional” £7.2m-rated ace, West Brom fans will be buzzing

Fulham manager Marco Silva has claimed that he wants to keep Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa at Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Mirror, who relayed the 44-year-old’s comments regarding the future of the Fulham midfielder, who has been heavily linked with a move away from the west London side in the summer transfer window, with Arsenal and Aston Villa both reported to be keen on the 25-year-old.

However, Silva does not appear willing to cash in on the Cameroon international any time soon, stating: “It’s something we will keep inside our football club. With Frank and all the others, I want them 100 per cent involved. I want all of them with a desire to work and win football matches in this shirt. All the other things are for us to talk about inside our club.”

Fans will be buzzing

Taking into account the considerable amount of interest from the Premier League in Anguissa this summer, the potential of the midfielder remaining at Fulham for their 2021/22 Championship campaign appeared incredibly unlikely – particularly as it was reported that the 25-year-old was left out of the club’s opening game of the season as a result of his desire to leave.

However, following Silva’s latest comments, it would seem as if the chances of Anguissa remaining a Fulham player beyond the transfer deadline at the end of the month have been given a substantial boost, something that will undoubtedly leave the Craven Cottage faithful buzzing.

Indeed, retaining the services of the former Olympique Marseille player would appear to provide Fulham’s promotion hopes with a huge boost, as the midfielder impressed for the club last season.

Over his 36 Premier League appearances last term, the £22.5m-rated man made an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.2 tackles, 0.4 clearances and won 7.3 duels per game.

The £70k-per-week midfielder also impressed in a creative capacity, providing three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, along with making an average of 0.8 key passes per league fixture.

These metrics saw the player Joachim Andersen dubbed a “machine” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.91, ranking him as the Cottagers’ 10th-best player in the top flight of English football.

As such, should Silva indeed be able to hold on to Anguissa in the summer transfer window, it would undeniably be a fantastic outcome for everyone involved with the west London side.

In other news: Silva drops claim on “important” hardly-seen Fulham gem that’ll leave fans buzzing

Glasgow Rangers fans are livid with Castore’s latest mistake, which has been doing the rounds on social media.

The Gers are currently embarking on their second season with Castore as their kit manufacturer. The first campaign was magnificent on the pitch as Rangers won the Premiership title, the 55th in their history, but the Liverpool-based company had their troubles, with there being complaints of damaged kits from Gers supporters who had purchased the shirts (The Scottish Sun).

Now, another mistake appears to have occurred. A fan has shared a photo of a piece of club merchandise which has the sponsor Unibet printed the wrong way round – not exactly what the Gers will have been hoping for when they signed off on the five-year deal with Castore (The Scotsman).

The photo was shared on Twitter by @EmpireFF, and it attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the matter.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Castore news below

“Castore are genuinely one of the worst football brands out there.”

Credit: @helander55

“Castore need to go”

Credit: @Euan_Sheppard

“Brutal. How long is the contract again?”

Credit: @Jed_Bartlet

“Even the most staunch Castore fan wouldn’t be able to defend that. Overpriced dross.”

Credit: @levi_stubbs

“Clearly we’re mugs”

Credit: @glasgowsportsfa

“We will be rid of them at some point. They were a necessary step in getting out from Ashley. With the sales figures we post there will be plenty of interest from more reliable brands who are happy to deal without all the legal risk that they would have had before.”

Credit: @GrantRfc89

In other news, this man reveals his Rangers regret.