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Mitchell Starc has admitted to feeling a little frustrated at having to sit out of matches in the ongoing tri-series in the West Indies, but said he understood that his workload management was important

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2016

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has admitted to feeling a little frustrated at having to sit out of matches in the ongoing tri-series in the West Indies, but said he understood that his workload management was important with a busy season ahead.Starc, who made his international return in this series after a long injury lay-off, played only two of Australia’s four matches so far, taking five wickets. He is expected to play against South Africa on Sunday.Khawaja acknowledges team support during Ramadan

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has acknowledged the support of the team management while he observes the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan. Khawaja told that he had been fasting whenever possible during the series, while managing playing and training.
“It’s been alright. It’s something that I really enjoy doing, but if it’s affecting my cricket or my training in too much of a negative way, then I probably won’t do it,” he said. “It just depends on the situation.
“They don’t force me to do anything. It’s a choice, it’s my personal choice. They know that at the end of the day I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the team in any way.
“And what I’m doing now, I’ve said to them before that when I fast, I make sure I do everything as well as I can. And if I’m not doing it as well as I can, I will stop doing it and catch it up later on, which is always an option.”

“It’s part of the plan unfortunately,” Starc told . “Being fit this time around and watching from the side can be a little bit frustrating. But I’ve got to look at the bigger picture and there’s a lot to come in the next six months, so I’ll stick by the plan and stick by what the medicos tell me to do. I don’t have too much say in it. I want to play every game.”The bigger picture (is) we have three Tests against Sri Lanka, a one-day series that follows that, a one-day series in South Africa and then we’ve got the home summer. It’s feeling really good, but I’ve just got to manage that at this point in time. That’s for the medicos to do and me to sit back, unfortunately.”Starc said he was accustomed to having the team’s medical staff determine his playing schedule to keep him fit over the course of a season, particularly after his previous struggles with fitness. Starc battled long-term ankle problems and the injury flared up again during the Ashes Test in Cardiff last year. He then underwent surgery on the ankle in December while recovering from a fractured foot he suffered during the Adelaide Test against New Zealand.Australia also have a packed calendar in 2016-17. After the tri-series, they will tour Sri Lanka and then play an ODI series in South Africa. They will host four teams over the home summer – South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka – before ending their season with a tour of India in February-March 2017.”I’m getting used to being told what to do,” Starc said with a smile. “It’d be really nice to play every single game, but the sheer amount of cricket we play these days, if you play every game, you’re going to break down at some point, so you have to be a little bit smarter about it.”At the moment, I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling strong and ready to go at every point. It’s about me getting right for the next game, and if that involves playing, that’s lovely. But if it means I have to rest or sit out here and there, I’ll have to cop that on the chin as well.”It’s about finding that happy medium, where you’re not bowling yourself into the ground and you’re injured every 12 months. But at the same time, you want to keep that rhythm and be fresh enough to play as much as you can.”Starc, who has played 48 ODIs and taken 95 wickets, is within sight of a record. He needs five wickets to become the fastest bowler to 100 ODI wickets, a record currently held by former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who got to the landmark in 53 matches.Incidentally, Australia have lost both matches in which Starc was rested. With two wins in four matches, they are placed second on the points table, behind South Africa, who lead with 10 points after their two bonus-point victories.

There are two potential scenarios for the proposed 49ers Enterprises takeover of Leeds United if they are relegated, journalist Phil Hay has explained.

What's going on with Leeds?

The 49ers Enterprises now own 44% of the club, and a full takeover has been mooted for some time, with the expectation that a deal could happen at the end of this season.

However, Leeds find themselves in a relegation battle, and with just four games left of the season, they have brought in Sam Allardyce in a desperate bid to stay up.

Should they go down, the potential takeover could be greatly affected, which will add even more pressure to their final few games given what is at stake.

Speaking on The Phil Hay Show (35.00), Hay revealed what could happen to the takeover if Leeds do suffer relegation, with two potential scenarios on the horizon.

"I feel like there are probably two more likely options in the Championship. One is that Radrizzani sits at 56% and tries to get back up as Burnley have using parachute payments, transfer funds, whatever else they can pull together," he stated.

"The other which seems to be that 49ers Enterprises do move into majority ownership without going close to 100%, with clauses or options or whatever else further down the line, to complete a full takeover if they're promoted back in the Premier League, perhaps at a price that was more suit Radrizzani and would allow them to do it."

Could Leeds stay up?

Given that the ownership could look very different depending on the division Leeds are playing in, there should be an extra emphasis on the squad to secure safety in order to help the future of the club.

If Leeds do stay up and the takeover is completed, then they could hope for better days in the Premier League after a couple of tough seasons. If they go down and Andrea Radrizzani stays, then they will likely have to hope for a quick return to the top flight in order for a full takeover to happen.

With a tough trip to Manchester City now behind them, Allardyce will have had the chance to assess which of his players are suitable for this high-pressure run-in, as he aims to stop a run of poor results and keep Leeds above Everton and Leicester.

Mikel Arteta’s transfer business as Arsenal manager has been excellent – as managing to sign players such as Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard have given the club an ideal chance to end their Premier League title drought this season.

Of course, not every signing has worked out quite how Arteta would have wanted. The likes of Cedric Soares and Willian perhaps failed to live up to expectations during their stints at the Gunners, while the jury is still out on Albert Sambi Lokonga following an underwhelming start to life at the Emirates.

But one of Arteta’s biggest mistakes so far in terms of transfer business is arguably letting striker Alexandre Lacazette go for free last summer, especially considering the club’s attacking crisis after Christmas and his resurgence at Lyon.

How much is Alexandre Lacazette worth now?

The Frenchman joined the Gunners in the summer of 2017 for a then-club record £46.5m from Lyon, and was looked upon as the striker Arsene Wenger badly needed in order to mount a serious title challenge.

This was a player who had scored 37 goals the previous campaign and was one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, so landing him was arguably a major coup for Arsenal.

His time at the north London side was successful in terms of goals scored, netting 71 in just over 200 matches, while also chipping in with 36 assists, showcasing his abilities as not only a pure out-and-out striker, but one who could link up well with teammates and create plenty of chances.

His exploits even led Charles Watts to describe him as “magnificent” in 2020, and although his final campaign saw the 31-year-old score just four league goals, it was perhaps time for him to move on, leaving for free when his contract expired at the end of the season.

Has it been a mistake, however? Lacazette has returned to form this term, scoring 21 goals in just 30 matches back at Lyon, and with Arsenal suffering a crisis in terms of attacking options when Gabriel Jesus was injured at the World Cup, they could have done with the Frenchman’s services.

Indeed, since his move away from England, Football Transfers has now valued the player at €18.6m (£16m) and if his goalscoring form continues, that value may well increase.

Arteta may have suffered a rare howler on the striker, and although Jesus has been an inspired signing, keeping hold of Lacazette may have been the better choice rather than letting him leave for nothing.

Glasgow Rangers are eyeing a move for Barcelona youngster Pablo Torre as Michael Beale aims to strengthen his squad ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Pablo Torre to Rangers?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Rangers are looking at signing Barcelona sensation Torre on a loan deal for the 2023/2024 campaign.

The report states that the Ibrox side were interested in luring him to Scotland last summer and could try their luck again at the end of the season.

With Sporting director Ross Wilson having recently left the club to join Nottingham Forest, Beale could be given more of a free rein when it comes to transfers and Torre may be the one to benefit.

Could Rangers sign Pablo Torre from Barcelona?

There is certainly a chance of the club managing to secure the young prodigy on a season long loan deal similar to the one that brought Bayern Munich talent Malik Tillman to the club last year.

With Champions League football a possibility, this could further entice Torre, who would surely be given a starting berth under Beale should he join. If the Light Blues did secure his signature, they could be repeating their Mikel Arteta masterclass from 2002, when the Spaniard signed from the Catalan club for a fee of just £5.8m and he enjoyed two seasons at Ibrox.

The current Arsenal boss scored the title-clinching goal against Dunfermline back in 2003 that is still fondly remembered by the Ibrox supporters and despite spending just two years in Glasgow, he was one of the clubs standout performers during that spell.

There is no doubt Torre would shine in Scotland having already experienced Champions League football with Barcelona this term.

Across three appearances in Europe’s premier club competition, the 20-year-old has scored once, averaged 29.7 touches per game, completed 90% of his passes and made 0.7 tackles each match, not bad for someone who has averaged just 32 minutes in these three matches.

Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie dubbed the 5 foot 8 Torre a “conductor” when he played for Racing Santander back in 2021 and his signing could be especially pivotal if Rangers can't agree to a deal to sign Tillman on a permanent basis.

The youngster could be given a free role behind the striker under Beale which would allow him to flourish and during his final season for Racing, he scored ten goals and registered 11 assists across all competitions, suggesting he could add goals to the Rangers attack.

With Tillman’s success, a year-long loan move would be the ideal scenario for both clubs and the Gers could potentially hit new heights next season.

Leeds United have a habit of picking up or forging their own top youth talent, hence why their squad is currently laden with such rich quality many of whom are 23 or younger.

They certainly have a knack for identifying the next big stars, and in Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, they had two managers willing to give most a chance, whether through desperation or a genuine belief that it was deserved.

However, what was particularly surprising was to see young Joe Gelhardt shipped out on loan in January as per the American's orders, despite Patrick Bamford being the club's only senior striker alongside Rodrigo, both of whom have suffered with injuries.

Joining Sunderland, it was expected the 20-year-old would continue his development at the Wearside club who were impressing under Tony Mowbray. Whether this was the right move or not remains up for debate, but what is certain is that the young forward is destined for the very top; and to think, Victor Orta snatched him from Wigan Athletic for just £1m.

How much is Joe Gelhardt worth now?

Capitalising on the Latics' well-known financial struggles, this marked one of the club's most impressive coups in recent memory as the man branded a "goal machine" by journalist Phil Hay was welcomed to Elland Road.

Having since gone on to feature 41 times for the club already, this outlines the importance he holds in being the future of the club's goalscoring.

His importance throughout last season was particularly imperative, as his late goal against Norwich City secured three vital points, whilst his late piece of magic to assist against Brighton and Hove Albion earned another valuable point. They escaped the drop by just three points.

There is a reason why writer James Marschment branded him a "special, special talent with ice in his veins."

With three goal contributions already at the Stadium of Light, he seems poised to translate his fine form to the Championship as he continues to outline himself as a top talent.

As such, his value has unsurprisingly skyrocketed alongside his rise to prominence. Football Transfers rate the apex of his expected Transfer Value at a lofty €11.8m (£10.3m), outlining a huge 930% increase from that tiny aforementioned fee used to acquire him, with Leeds having struck gold by acquiring his services.

Upon the youngster's return from his loan spell, which is sure to be a success, perhaps Javi Gracia might see the star power that Marsch snubbed and hand him a starting spot in his team.

Tottenham Hotspur are tracking Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili as a replacement for Hugo Lloris, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eyeing goalkeeper

With Lloris now at the age of 36, Tottenham have identified the need for a new goalkeeper, and they have been linked with several potential options, including the likes of Robert Sanchez and Jordan Pickford.

However, Pickford has now signed a new long-term contract with Everton and interest in Sanchez is high, with Chelsea also being named as potential suitors, so Spurs may have to look at players from abroad…

The Latest: Mamardashvili tracked

As per a report from Football London and reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, the Lilywhites have been tracking Mamardashvili for the past couple of seasons, and they could be presented with the perfect opportunity to bring him in this summer.

With Valencia struggling financially, it is detailed that they could be willing to accept an offer far lower than the marquee £88m release clause included in their goalkeeper’s contract, opening the door for a potential move to north London.

It’s added that the La Liga side’s ‘perilous position’ could also boost Spurs in their pursuit of Mamardashvili.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Hailed as ‘fantastic’ by members of the media, the 6 foot 6 colossus has featured in a struggling Valencia side this season, but he has still managed to put in some very solid displays, ranked by Sofascore as the club’s fourth-best performing player in La Liga.

Not only that, but there are signs that the Georgian would be an upgrade on Lloris, given that he has recorded a better save percentage and a higher crosses stopped percentage than Spurs’ current first choice over the past year.

Considering he is just 22-years-0ld, Mamardashvili would be an excellent long-term addition to Antonio Conte’s side, capable of being the number one for well over a decade to come, and the fact he could be available for cheaper than anticipated gives Tottenham all the more reason to pursue a deal.

Fabrizio Romano has said that Manchester United’s takeover suitors will be important when it comes to the club’s search for a new striker this summer.

The Lowdown: Weghorst at Old Trafford

Erik ten Hag managed to bolster his attacking ranks in the January window by signing Wout Weghorst on loan until the end of the season.

However, the Dutch striker has struggled at Old Trafford, scoring just one goal in eight appearances so far. There is also no option to make a move permanent in the summer, meaning United will more than likely be on the hunt for a new centre-forward over the coming months.

The Latest: Romano’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport about United’s transfer plans for a new striker, Romano said that the club are yet to make any decision. The transfer expert also said that proposed new owners will be ‘crucial’ in the club’s striker search.

“I think there are so many rumours, so many rumours, but at the moment, Man United will not make any decision.

“Also, the new owners are going to be crucial to understand how much they want to invest in a striker.”

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The Verdict: Qatari investors to spend big?

The Red Devils have been linked with big-money summer swoops for Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen, so the club’s new owners may need to immediately stump up some funds to bring in one of their top targets.

A group of wealthy Qatari investors appear to be preparing a bid for United and ‘want things done quickly’ in order to ‘inject funds’ at Old Trafford for transfers.

Therefore, should a deal go through, they could be the ones to make a marquee-attacking signing, in what could be the final piece of the jigsaw in Ten Hag’s squad.

Aston Villa remain in the mix to sign Universidad de Chile and Chile international Dario Osorio, although they face some illustrious competition for the teenager, according to reports from Italy.

The Lowdown: Osorio linked with Villa

Unai Emery is no doubt looking at new signings to bolster his squad, as he looks to bring in players who are ideally suited to his system and playing style.

Osorio is one player who has been linked with a move to Villa Park recently, having already won three caps for Chile at the age of just 19.

It could be that the teenager is eyeing up a new challenge away from his homeland, and a new update suggests that Villa could well snap him up in the near future.

The Latest: Milan also eyeing Osorio

According to Sky Italia [via Sport Witness], AC Milan are rivalling Villa for Osorio’s signature, but the latter are providing ‘strong competition’.

It is stated that there is interest from the Premier League but ‘above all Aston Villa’, which appears to suggest that Emery and co are front-runners to sign him, with the report also stating that Milan ‘must be careful’ of the Villans.

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The Verdict: Ideal long-term target

At 19, Osorio would clearly come in as a long-term acquisition at Villa, although he has already made a telling impact at senior level, having scored seven goals in 27 appearances for Universidad de Chile.

He would provide the attacking depth that Emery is currently lacking out wide, especially if Philippe Coutinho leaves this month, as has been mooted.

Planning for the future rather than just the present is imperative for Villa, and Osorio could be someone who matures into a future star at the club, with Universidad sporting director Manuel Mayo saying that the 19-year-old is a player who ‘shoots spectacularly’.

Villa must be wary, though, that Milan could be an attractive destination for the teenager, given the club’s illustrious history as seven-time European champions and reigning Serie A title holders.

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Crystal Palace’s reported hopes of signing Djed Spence on loan from Tottenham Hotspur this month have been given a significant boost and Steve Parish should now look to bring him to Selhurst Park.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Antonio Conte’s side are now willing to let the right-back leave on a temporary basis this month due to his lack of game time since his summer switch from Middlesbrough.

With Spurs hoping to bring in Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon before the transfer window shuts, it seems as if the 22-year-old’s chances of breaking into the first team will be even slimmer, so it makes sense that he gets a Premier League loan rather than sitting on the bench for the rest of the campaign.

It’s said that Palace, West Ham, Southampton, Bournemouth and Burnley all have an interest in the English defender, who played a starring role in Nottingham Forest’s promotion from the Championship last season.

Parish must act

Vieira will surely be looking to strengthen at full-back this season, as Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne have both struggled for consistent form, with WhoScored ranking them as the ninth and 15th-best performers at Selhurst Park, with dismal 6.54 and 6.27 ratings respectively.

When Spurs spent £20m to bring in Spence during the summer of 2022, he was regarded as one of the best in his position after his phenomenal performances in the second tier for Steve Cooper’s side.

The young defender would make 42 appearances in the Championship, contributing two goals and four assists, averaging a superb 7.05 rating from WhoScored across the campaign, way above that of both Ward and Clyne.

It demonstrates an attacking efficiency rarely seen from Vieira’s pre-prepared options at right full-back, with the aforementioned duo failing to contribute a single goal or assist this term.

Both in their 30s, perhaps a more energetic and vibrant presence on the right flank could take Palace to the next level. Certainly, words from Palace legend Ian Wright last term suggest he’d do very well at Selhurst Park.

After a win for Forest over Arsenal in the FA Cup, he said: “Let me say, that was one of the best right-back performances I have seen for a very long time. A very long time.

“If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we’re talking Reece James and Trent (Alexander-Arnold).

“But I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”

Spence is yet to start a game for Spurs since his arrival in north London and Palace would represent an ideal loan spell in terms of geography, as well as Vieira’s obvious need for another full-back, so Parish must act now and beat other suitors to the 22-year-old’s temporary signature in the coming days.

Newcastle United remain interested in a deal to bring Youri Tielemans to St. James’ Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Luke Edwards, with the journalist revealing in his latest article for The Telegraph that the Leicester City central midfielder ‘remains of interest’ to Dan Ashworth this winter, with the 25-year-old believed to be available for a figure in the region of £20m due to his current contract at the King Power Stadium being set to expire at the end of the season.

However, back in December, it was reported that the Foxes were keen to open fresh contract negotiations with the Belgium international, while the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea are also thought to be keen on a move for the midfielder this month.

Ashworth must move

Considering just how impressive Tielemans has been in a struggling Leicester side so far this season, the argument that Ashworth simply must do everything in his power to fight off the competition for the 25-year-old’s signature prior to January’s transfer deadline is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 19 appearances in the Premier League in the current campaign, the £44.5m-rated talent has been in fantastic attacking form, having already bagged three goals – outperforming his xG of 2.20 – registered one assist and created seven big chances, in addition to taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.6 dribbles per game.

The £35k-per-week midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, playing an average of 2.6 long balls, 2.3 chipped passes and completing 46 total passes – at a success rate of 84% – per match, in addition to making an average of 2.1 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, regaining possession 0.6 times and winning 4.2 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per outing.

These returns have seen the player who Jaquob Crooke dubbed both “exceptional” and “divine” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.17, not only ranking him as Brendan Rodgers’ second-best performer in the league but also as the joint 32nd-best player in the division as a whole – a remarkable feat considering the Foxes’ 15th place position in the table.

As such, with Tielemans quite clearly being a player who can do it all in the middle of the park, coupled with the fact the Belgian is reported to be available for a fee roughly £24.5m less than his current market valuation, should Ashworth be able to beat none other than table-toppers Arsenal to a deal for the 25-year-old this winter, it would undoubtedly represent an exceptional coup for the Magpies.