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Manchester City are set to battle arch rivals Man United for the signature of Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Champions flying high…

Spearheaded by Norway superstar and marquee summer signing Erling Haaland, the Premier League champions are one of just two teams who still remain unbeaten.

No top flight side has scored more goals than Pep Guardiola’s men, with their 3-0 demolition of Wolves at Molineux displaying City’s real firepower even when not at their very best.

This international break couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time for the Sky Blues given their real momentum, but as members of the Eastlands squad travel to represent their nations, it appears club chiefs are already mapping out City’s next transfer moves despite a busy summer.

The Latest: City set for Bastoni transfer battle…

According to reports out of Italy, Man City are set to battle Man United for Inter star Bastoni.

La Gazzetta dello Sport claim a ‘derby’ between the Blues and Erik ten Hag’s men ‘must be recorded’ for the 23-year-old’s signature, also not discounting Tottenham.

The Verdict: Make the move…

While the likes of Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake already make up Guardiola’s backline, if any of those men were to depart, Bastoni could come as a fantastic replacement.

Valued at around £50 million, members of the Italian press have labelled Bastoni ‘world class’ with Serie A expert Conor Clancy also calling the starlet a ‘defensive genius’.

It is also believed that Guardiola himself is an ‘admirer above all’ when it comes to the Italy international, something which clearly indicates Bastoni is a player of real pedigree.

Everton have reportedly reopened talks to try and close a deal for Idrissa Gueye.

The Lowdown: Deal stalled

It was reported earlier this month that the Goodison Park outfit were ‘closing’ in on the signing of the 32-year-old, but the deal seems to have stalled with just a few days of the transfer window remaining.

However, the Toffees will still be hoping that they can get this one over the line after working on it throughout the summer.

The Latest: Talks resumed

As per French news outlet L’Equipe, talks have now resumed between PSG and Everton for a Goodison Park return for Gueye.

After negotiations were cooled, they are now moving in the right direction once more, with hopes of a deal being completed before Thursday night’s transfer deadline.

The Verdict: Get it done

Given how long this proposed deal has been going on for, Frank Lampard’s team simply now have to get it done with the deadline looming.

Once hailed as a ‘monster’ by Tim Sherwood when he was managing Gueye at Aston Villa, his former team-mate Micah Richards even went as far as to call the Senegal midfielder a ‘machine’ with ‘frightening’ running power earlier this month.

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The industrious midfielder ranks in the 96th percentile for pressures and 92nd percentile for tackles among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 12 months, illustrating his attributes as a workhorse in the engine room. He is no slouch on the ball either, ranking in the 98th percentile for pass completion (92.6%).

Gueye became something of a fans’ favourite during his first spell with Everton, and with his added Premier League experience, he would be a shrewd signing which should please Toffees supporters late on in the transfer window.

Standard Liege are ‘interested’ in signing Celtic youngster Mikey Johnston, as are a number of other clubs, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Johnston not a regular at Celtic

The 23-year-old is a talented young figure at Parkhead but playing time has been hard to come by over the past 12 months or so.

Johnston played very little part in Celtic’s Premiership title triumph last season, making only three starts in the league and having to accept playing a peripheral role.

A move away from the Hoops has been mooted recently, and it looks as though it could easily happen before the summer transfer window ends.

The Latest: Johnston attracting transfer interest

Taking to Twitter, the reliable Joseph confirmed Standard Liege’s interest in Johnston, adding that Celtic are willing to let the 23-year-old leave on loan for the season.

The reporter tweeted:

“Standard Liege are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Celtic winger Mikey Johnston. The 23-year-old is attracting interest from the top leagues in Belgium & The Netherlands & also the English Championship. No offers have come in yet. Celtic would be open to a loan.”

The Verdict: Loan move only?

A loan move away makes complete sense for Johnston this summer, with Ange Postecoglou unlikely to guarantee him regular playing time for Celtic.

Instead, the winger could continue his growth as a player elsewhere, starting regularly, honing his all-round game and returning to Parkhead a more rounded footballer.

A permanent exit at this point would feel like a risk, given Johnston’s potential – he has been described as ‘sensational’ by Callum McGregor  – but a year away from Parkhead would probably be beneficial for all parties.

Tottenham Hotspur could include Giovani Lo Celso in an offer for Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo, according to Calciomercato Web. 

The lowdown

Lo Celso, as per Transfermarkt records, is one of the five most expensive signings in Spurs’ history, but just two years on from his permanent arrival, he’s seemingly been deemed surplus to requirements.

The news may not come as a particular surprise to Spurs fans given that the 26-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Villarreal.

Roma meanwhile are of course managed by former Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho, who may retain a fondness for Lo Celso.

Zaniolo, a 23-year-old right winger who can also play as an attacking midfielder or a second striker, is under contract at the Stadio Olimpico until June 2024.

The latest

The report stresses that Roma do not need to shift Zaniolo, even after the arrival of Paulo Dybala, and so they won’t reduce his €50million (£42million) price tag.

Fabio Paratici may then look to use Lo Celso, a player who could ‘appeal’ to the Europa Conference League winners, as part of the deal.

Lo Celso is seen as a €20million (£17million) asset, and so Spurs would only need to offer a further £25million to meet Roma’s valuation.

It’s also noted that Juventus are in for the Argentine midfielder, and have been alerted to this possibility.

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The verdict

Tottenham correspondent Jack Pitt-Brooke recently suggested that Spurs could do with an attacking midfield option that would enable Conte to move away from a 3-4-3 and towards a 3-5-2 in certain games.

And Zaniolo may fit that bill, as well as being able to compete with Dejan Kulusevski for the right-wing berth.

The Italian, who’s recorded 197 appearances, 50 goals and 27 assists to date (including 8G 9A last season), produced a moment of ‘magic’ to score the winner in the UECL against Feyenoord in the words of Corriere dello Sport.

It makes sense for Spurs to utilise an unwanted asset in order to reduce the price.

Sungmo Lee has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Kim Min-jae.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the South Korean journalist revealed that, despite a number of recent reports linking Fabio Paratici with a move for the Fenerbahce SK centre-back this summer, Tottenham are not currently believed to be pursuing a deal for the 25-year-old ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

In his tweet, Lee said: “RE: Kim Min-jae to Tottenham (for those stories of ‘hijacking’). In one word, ‘there’s no truth’ in those stories at this stage. The situation could change in the transfer window, but there’s nothing between the two parties at the moment.”

Supporters will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Min-jae was in Turkey last season, Lee’s suggestion that Spurs are not actively pursuing a deal to bring the defender to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer is sure to have left supporters gutted.

Indeed, over his 31 Super Lig appearances last season, the £12.6m-rated centre-back was in imperious form, helping Fenerbahce keep four clean sheets and scoring one goal, as well as making an average of 2.3 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 4.1 clearances, 53.9 passes and winning 3.7 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

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These returns saw the £39k-per-week talent average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.93, ranking him as Jorge Jesus’ 14th-best performer in the top flight of Turkish football last time out.

The 40-cap South Korean also caught the eye over his six outings in Fenerbahce’s 2021/22 Europa League campaign, helping his side keep one clean sheet, in addition to making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 1.7 tackles, 4.2 clearances, 40.3 passes and winning 3.7 duels – at a success rate of 63% – per fixture.

These metrics saw the 6 foot 3 defender nicknamed “the Monster” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as the Sari Kanaryalar’s seventh-best player in the competition.

As such, it is clear to see that Min-jae would have made a fantastic addition to Antonio Conte’s defensive options ahead of Spurs’ 2022/23 Premier League and Champions League campaigns – leading us to believe Lee’s update will come as a gutting blow to everyone involved with Tottenham, not least the centre-back’s international teammate, Son Heung-min.

AND in other news: In talks: Paratici closing in on Spurs’ 7th summer signing, it’d be an “unreal” coup

Arsenal’s interest in Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry has been made ‘more intriguing’ by the player’s contract situation, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Gnabry’s future

The former Gunner has only 12 months left on his contract with the German champions, and so far he has failed to commit his future to the Bundesliga outfit, opening up the possibility of a move away from the Allianz Arena this summer.

Bayern’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić has insisted that the club would love to keep hold of the 26-year-old: “We really want to keep him. We would love to extend with him. I think we showed him the necessary appreciation.”

However, with Gnabry’s future clearly uncertain, chief Bild journalist Christian Falk has now reported that Arsenal are interested in re-signing the Germany international.

The Latest: Jones reacts

Whilst Jones believes that a transfer will be difficult considering the Gunners missed out on Champions League football last season, he considers Gnabry’s contract situation a boost in Arsenal’s pursuit of the attacker.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed: “There has been some talk of Gnabry to Arsenal, and his contract situation has meant that’s more intriguing.

“I’m not sure it’s the level of club he would have in mind but let’s see if they can make inroads as a back-up plan.”

The Verdict: Good alternative to Raphinha

As Mikel Arteta’s side now look likely to miss out on Leeds United winger Raphinha, with the Brazilian reliably reported to be making the switch to Chelsea, the Gunners will need to look elsewhere if they want to sign a right-sided forward this summer.

Valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old Gnabry has gone on to establish himself as one of the most exciting attackers in world football since leaving north London, bagging 64 goals and producing 40 assists in 171 appearances for Bayern. With numbers like that, it’s no wonder the versatile forward has been dubbed ‘world class’ by Rio Ferdinand.

And as Jones alludes to, the Bundesliga side could be forced into selling the player for much less than his market valuation due to his dwindling contract, perhaps making Gnabry the cheaper option when compared with Leeds’ £60m valuation of Raphinha.

Aston Villa are eyeing up a swoop for Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards this summer as Steven Gerrard looks to build his own team in the Midlands.

What’s the word?

The Birmingham Mail have reported that the teenager has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs, with Villa amongst them.

The report added that an unnamed top-flight side have had a £2m bid rejected for the player, as Peterborough’s director of football Barry Fry appears to be demanding a club record fee of £15m in order for them to sell the 19-year-old.

Forget Tarkowski

Gerrard has already made a few signings ahead of next season, capturing Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara as the spine of his new-look team begins to take shape.

Another defender would be a welcome addition to the squad, with James Tarkowski being heavily linked with the Villans, although the manager could well go for youth and potential over signing the more experienced Burnley defender.

Edwards has already made his England under-19s debut against France last year and seems set to leave relegated Peterborough this summer.

His former manager Darren Ferguson lavished him with praise in the past, stating that the 19-year-old is an “incredible talent”; and with clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur sniffing around the youngster, Gerrard might need to act quickly.

Edwards has a slightly better temperament compared to Tarkowski, receiving only six bookings last season compared to 11 for the Burnley defender. The 19-year-old also committed just 14 fouls in 34 matches, an impressive number when you compare it to the 34 fouls for which the Clarets centre-back was culpable.

Edwards might still be slightly raw, but a move to a club like Aston Villa could prove to be the catalyst that he needs to kick on and reach his potential.

An outlay of £15m might seem a lot to Gerrard for a 19-year-old centre-back in the here-and-now, but he could well make Villa a fortune further down the line if they can persuade Peterborough to sell this summer.

AND in other news, Gerrard must axe “frustrating” Aston Villa liability in deal for “unreal” £10m dynamo

Sunderland are not interested in signing Tom Barkhuizen from Preston North End this summer, ending any hopes of a reunion with his former manager Alex Neil.

What’s the word?

When asked about The Black Cats’ interest in the winger on Twitter, journalist Alan Nixon confirmed that Sunderland weren’t interested in signing the player whose contract runs out at the end of this month.

He simply commented in four words: “Sunderland and Barkhuizen? No.”

He’s a player that Sunderland manager Alex Neil will know well, but it appears he’s not interested in bringing him to Wearside to help with their task in the Championship next season.

They recently defeated Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 in the League One play-off final to secure a long-awaited return to the second tier of English football.

Supporters will be gutted

Supporters of Sunderland will surely be gutted that Barkhuizen is not on their list for the summer. There have been many outgoings at the Stadium of Light recently as Neil looks to overhaul his squad in preparation for the challenge ahead.

The 28-year-old would have come with heaps of experience in the Championship, having made a total of 209 appearances for Preston North End where he was directly involved in 28 goals during that time.

He joined Preston for free in 2017 just before Neil was appointed, and he was valued at £180k. That has since risen massively to £1.35m which proves that he is a better player than when he arrived.

The Scottish manager regularly used the player and he clocked up over 30 league appearances in all three seasons Neil was at Deepdale.

Securing his services with no transfer fee involved seemed like a no brainer, but it appears Sunderland club are focusing on targets elsewhere. One of those players is Nathan Broadhead with The Northern Echo reporting recently that Sunderland want him to move to the club permanently following a successful loan spell.

It will be interesting to see the signings that the club make ahead of next season, will they be ambitious in the hope of achieving their ultimate goal of returning to the Premier League, or will they be cautious and look at establishing themselves in an already tough division.

IN other news: Sunderland can unearth their new Henderson by signing “exciting” £450k-rated EFL gem…

Celtic have had a storming campaign in the Premiership this season under the management of Ange Postecoglou.

Prior to Sunday’s Old Firm clash which could put the Hoops within touching distance of the title if they pick up a win, the Parkhead club have won 27 of their 34 league games.

Along with their impressive run of results, particularly since October, the Bhoys also boast the best attacking and defensive record in the top flight, with 80 goals scored and just 19 conceded.

However, one man who hasn’t been a particularly prominent figure for Postecoglou’s side is goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, who is currently picking up a wage of £20k-per-week. The 27-year-old has only appeared in one league game for Celtic, this season which came back in December during their 3-1 win over St Johnstone.

Last month, it was reported that the Greece international had demanded to be allowed to leave the club in the summer.

Having had his move to the Parkhead club labelled a “disaster” by Frank McAvennie, it seems as though the Hoops have their eye on bringing in a new goalkeeper during the summer who could well end up replacing Barkas.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Celtic are plotting a move to sign Bodo/Glimt ‘keeper Nikita Haikin this summer.

Having started his career in England at youth level, the Russian has played with clubs in his homeland, Portugal, Spain and Israel before eventually joining his current employers in Norway.

In the midst of moving to and from clubs earlier in his career, the shot-stopper had run into issues with his passport and work permits, which he described as “insane”.

Since arriving at Bodo/Glimt, the 26-year-old has played in 81 games across all competitions, keeping 28 clean sheets in the process.

In Celtic’s 3-1 defeat against the Norwegian club in February’s Europa Conference League clash at Parkhead, the Russian made five saves in total, including one punch and one high claim. This shows just how capable a goalkeeper he is against tough opposition.

Looking ahead to the summer transfer window, if the Hoops are able to finally get rid of Barkas, adding Haikin to their ranks as his replacement could be a good bit of business for the club.

In other news: Bid made as Celtic now eyeing swoop for “strong” 63 G/A dynamo, he’s their next Edouard

All the records that the South Africa batter broke on his Test debut against Zimbabwe

Sampath Bandarupalli28-Jun-202519 years, 93 days Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ age on Saturday, when he scored 153 in the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He became the youngest batter to score 150 in Test cricket, bettering Javed Miandad, who was 19 years and 119 days old when he notched up 163 against New Zealand on the opening day of the Lahore Test in 1976.4 Number of players younger than Pretorius with a hundred on their Test debut. Three of those four have done it in the second innings on debut.1 Pretorius is also the youngest among seven South African men to score a hundred on their Test debut. In fact, no man younger than Pretorius had scored a fifty in any format for South Africa in International cricket. His hundred off 112 balls is also the fastest for South Africa on debut.157 Balls that Pretorius needed for his 150 against Zimbabwe. It is the fastest 150 for South Africa in Tests, a record previously held by AB de Villiers, who had achieved it off 162 balls against Australia in 2012 (where data is available).
His effort is also the second fastest by a debutant in Tests, only behind Shikhar Dhawan, who got to his 150 in only 131 balls against Australia in 2013.4 Batters to have scored a century on their Test debut as well as their first-class debut. Pretorius had scored 120 on his first-class debut in December last year against the Warriors. Gundappa Viswanath, Dirk Wellham and Prithvi Shaw are the other players to have achieved this feat.38 Balls that Dewald Brevis needed for his half-century on Saturday, the fastest by a debutant for South Africa in Tests. The previous quickest was by Dave Nourse, who scored a fifty off 40 balls on his debut against Australia in 1902. Brevis’ 38-ball effort is also the joint-fourth fastest on debut in men’s Tests.95 Partnership runs between Pretorius and Brevis for the fifth wicket. It is the highest partnership between two debutants for South Africa in men’s Tests. The previous highest was 92 between Andrew Hudson and Adrian Kuiper, also for the fifth wicket against West Indies in 1992.