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Nkrumah Bonner defied Sri Lanka for 173 balls on day five, Joshua Da Silva joined him for a 100-run, 44.4-over stand, but although the sky was swimming with dark clouds, rain did not arrive until minutes after Sri Lanka claimed the last wicket to clinch victory in Galle.Having scythed through West Indies’ top order on the fourth evening, Sri Lanka’s spinners were made to toil on day five, bowling 48.3 overs for the last four wickets. Offspinner Ramesh Mendis had begun the day with four wickets to his name, but it was left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya who finished with a five-wicket haul – the third of his 11-Test career – claiming all but one of the wickets to fall on day five. Praveen Jayawickrama took the other one. Between them, Sri Lanka’s three frontline spinners took 18 wickets in the 187-run victory.

Joshua Da Silva on…

The 100-run partnership with Nkrumah Bonner which started with WI 18 for 6
We had to rebuild. We had to think about how we were going to get ourselves out of a bit of a collapse. We had to bat balls, and we knew we had to bat until the end of the day, because the next day we’d try our best to draw the game or win the game. The pitch was turning a lot and the straighter ball was sliding on a bit. It was a difficult new-ball wicket. But once the ball got a bit softer it was a bit easier to get on top of the bowlers.
What WI did wrong with the bat
We played a bit in front of the pads I think. Not always. In the second innings when Sri Lanka were on top we just needed to fight.
How WI can improve for the second Test
I just think we need to fight. We need to believe in ourselves. We need a bit of application. You have a lot more time than you think. You have five days.

Bonner and da Silva battled hard during their morning resistance, trying few run-scoring strokes, and generally displaying a level of concentration and application unseen from West Indies’ batters so far in the match. They had contrasting styles – Da Silva more comfortable on the front foot, and the more likely of the two to sweep, and rotate strike.They each had good fortune. On a treacherous track, there were edges that fell short of slip, aerial mis-hits that landed in space, deliveries that barely missed the stumps and the outside edge, and missed chances as well. da Silva could have been run out on 19 when the pair attempted a quick single, but the cover fielder’s throw missed the stumps. He could have been caught on 23 when he inside edged a big-spinning Mendis delivery, but Pathum Nissanka could not hold on to a tough chance at leg slip, diving to his right. Later, Nissanka would grass another tough chance at short leg, this time off Bonner. But so long as the rain held off, it seemed as if Sri Lanka would continue to create chances, so rapid was the turn off the surface.With Da Silva’s dismissal in the half-hour before lunch, West Indies’ chances of securing a draw dipped substantially. He had completed a fifty off 121 balls, but was squared up by a turning Embuldeniya delivery a few overs later, with the resultant edge held by Dhananjaya de Silva at slip.Rahkeem Cornwall then joined Bonner, and put in a shift that lasted 46 balls until he ran out of patience, toe-edging a catch to mid off when he attempted to heave Jayawickrama down the ground. Warrican, the No. 10, saw out 20 balls before he gave a bat-pad catch to silly mid off. Shannon Gabriel, whom Bonner was trying desperately to shield from the strike, was also squared up and caught at slip off Embuldeniya, after a six-ball stay. Bonner remained unbeaten on 68 off 220 balls.The victory was perhaps just reward for Sri Lanka, whose top order led by Dimuth Karunaratne had dominated in both innings, and whose spinners used helpful conditions well. They earn 12 World Test Championship points in their first match this cycle. West Indies also have 12 points, but have played three matches.

England’s men will travel to Australia for the 2021-22 Ashes, “subject to several critical conditions being met”, the ECB has confirmed.Uncertainty has surrounded the series due to the stringent Covid restrictions applied by Australia’s government, but reports in recent days suggested that England’s players had largely been satisfied by assurances from Cricket Australia.A statement from the ECB said that “excellent progress” had been made, and that it had given “conditional approval” for the tour, for which a squad will now be selected. No further details were given on the conditions that are still to be satisfied, other than that the aim was to resolve them “in the coming days”.Related

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“Over recent weeks we have made excellent progress in moving forward on the England men’s Ashes tour,” the statement said.”To facilitate further progress and allow a squad to be selected, the ECB board has met today and given its approval for the tour to go ahead. This decision is subject to several critical conditions being met before we travel.”We look forward to the ongoing assistance from Cricket Australia in resolving these matters in the coming days.”Negotiations between the two boards have been ongoing for some time, amid concerns in the England camp at the length of time they could be apart from their families. Multi-format players such as Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Chris Woakes, as well as some members of the coaching staff, face being away from home for up to four months for the T20 World Cup, which starts next week, and the Ashes.Joe Root, England’s Test captain, had previously said he was “desperate” to tour Australia again but could not commit until the players had been fully appraised of the quarantine conditions they would face.An advance party is set to travel next month, to be joined by those players also taking part in the T20 World Cup, with the expectation of a flexible quarantine period on Brisbane’s Gold Coast that would enable them to train at the same time. Allowances are also understood to have been made for families joining the tour in December. Buttler, the Test vice-captain, is one player who had made it clear he would not be taking part in the tour unless his wife and two daughters – the youngest of whom was born last month – were permitted to travel.The differing regulations applied from state to state are a further complicating factor, with the Perth Test still thought to be at risk due to Western Australia’s hardline approach to those entering from elsewhere in the country.England have not won in Australia since 2010-11 and have already been hit by the loss of several key players. Jofra Archer was ruled out with a long-term elbow problem, Ben Stokes has not played since July and recently underwent follow-up surgery on his finger, while Moeen Ali elected to retire from Test cricket last month.The confirmation of England’s intention to tour is a significant boost for Cricket Australia, with some AU$200m believed to be at stake in broadcast revenue.England’s women are also due to contest the Ashes down under this winter. That tour, set to take place in January and February, has been considered less at risk due to rising vaccinations rates and the expectation of Australia increasingly opening up to international travel.

Hansi Flick heaped praise on Gavi for refusing to come on as a late substitute during Barcelona's 7-1 demolition of Valencia.

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Barcelona thrashed Valencia 7-1Gavi refused to come on as a substituteFlick heaped praise on the midfielderFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona crossed the 100 goals tally in the 2024-25 campaign on Sunday as they blasted seven past Valencia to register a thumping win in La Liga. Fermin Lopez scored a brace, while Frenkie De Jong, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski were also on target, as the Catalan giants reduced the gap to second-placed Atletico Madrid to three points.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Gavi, who has started in just four La Liga games since coming back from his ACL injury, was once again kept on the bench by manager Hansi Flick. The German coach was planning to introduce the midfielder in the final 15 minutes of the match, however, the Spain international refused to come on and instead recommended Pablo Torre, who has clocked only 373 minutes on the pitch this season.

WHAT HANSI FLICK SAID

Praising the 20-year-old's gesture, the German manager told reporters after the match: "The situation I'm most impressed with is when I spoke with Gavi. Normally I bring him on with 15 minutes to go and he said no, bring Pablo Torre in. You can see the team how they are connected. It's fantastic to see as a coach. I love Gavi for this. You know he wants to play every match and to say this in this situation, it's top."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

The Catalan side will be back in action on Wednesday as they take on Atalanta in their final league phase game of the Champions League at home.

Lynn makes run-a-ball 48, and Roy bats through for 53 not out, in low-scoring dogfight

Matt Roller31-Jul-2021

Adil Rashid ripped out three wickets in a fine display•Getty Images

Harry Brook is the leading run-scorer in the men’s Hundred and his third vital contribution in a row almost single-handedly dragged Northern Superchargers to a last-gasp win to get their campaign up and running on a sluggish Headingley pitch.Adil Rashid’s miserly spell of 3 for 13 had helped restrict Oval Invincibles to 127 after they chose to bat, with Jason Roy and Tom Curran’s unbroken stand of 67 for the seventh wicket leading a recovery from 60 for 6. Their late fireworks meant it looked like a par score on a two-paced surface which took plenty of turn, but Brook’s mature, controlled innings saw the Superchargers home.Brook came in at No. 4, the role he started to perfect for Yorkshire in this season’s Vitality Blast, with the Superchargers 23 for 2 after 21 balls. He gritted out a partnership of 64 off 59 balls with Chris Lynn, looking every bit the senior player as Lynn struggled for timing, before closing out the game with John Simpson, whose enormous straight six sealed the win with three balls to spare.Brook no argument
Brook was knocked off top spot in the Blast’s run charts in the final rounds of the group stage and looks determined to ensure the same fate will not await in the Hundred. He played crucial hands to keep their first two games – against Welsh Fire and Trent Rockets – alive, and at the third time of asking, dragged them home with the night’s most fluent innings, a cool-headed 47 not out off 30 balls.He was circumspect against Sunil Narine, rightly recognising him as the Invincibles’ main threat, but was confident in taking down Curran and Tabraiz Shamsi. He scored runs all around the ground, sweeping firmly but also hitting down the ground, through point and through extra cover, and batted with immense control to keep the required rate in check throughout.”There wasn’t many runs on the board so me and Lynny were just trying to knock it round and take the dangerman out of it,” he said. “It’s nice to win, especially in front of a home crowd with a few Yorkshire lads playing. I’ve said a lot of times I want to be a match-winner and that’s a good example of it there.”It is a sign of England’s white-ball depth that Brook – described by Mark Butcher as a “beefed up, modern version of Joe Root” – did not make their second-string ODI squad earlier this month. Given his control and range of shots against both pace and spin, he is certain to win wider recognition – either internationally or in franchise tournaments – before long.Harry Brook whips one into the legside•Getty Images

Invincibles’ slow start … and middle
Invincibles opted to bat on the assumption that the pitch would only get slower, but they eked out only 18 Powerplay runs, the fewest in the men’s competition to date. The openers managed six between them before Will Jacks nicked Brydon Carse behind, and pinch-hitter Narine’s leg-side thrash off Matty Potts was the only boundary in the first 25 balls as the Superchargers’ seamers kept their lines tight to cramp the top order for room.Narine came up against his biggest weakness – back-of-a-length high pace with no width – but managed to get two further blows away when the fielding restrictions lifted, twice slapping Carse over the leg side before holing out off Mujeeb Ur Rahman for a useful cameo of 22 from 11 balls. The value of Narine’s innings became increasingly clear as the innings wore on: between the 33rd ball (Narine’s dismissal) and the 79th, the Invincibles failed to hit a single boundary as the spinners took over.Rashid had Colin Ingram caught on the cover boundary, Potts bowled Sam Billings as he backed away to cut, and Rashid struck in consecutive balls when Laurie Evans picked out deep midwicket and Dane Vilas held onto a blinding slip catch to remove Jordan Clark. With Tabraiz Shamsi, a genuine tailender, carded at No. 9, Curran was forced to consolidate alongside the scratchy Roy, who repeatedly stared at the pitch in disbelief after balls stuck in the surface.The Roy-Curran show
At 72 for 6 off 78 balls, the Invincibles were deep in the mire, but some lusty late-innings hitting dragged them up towards a par score. Roy evoked the innings played by Alex Hales – his long-time England opening partner – in the Superchargers’ last completed game, gritting out 25 from his first 34 balls before slog-sweeping Mujeeb over the leg side, while Curran hit consecutive boundaries through midwicket before a sumptuous, checked straight drive flew down the ground for six.David Willey missed his length at the death, hitting the slot with each of the innings’ final three balls and was thumped for six, six and four as Roy cut loose at the last. The final boundary brought up his half-century, a hard grind that took 43 balls, and the unbroken 67-run stand in 42 balls for the seventh wicket helped them towards something they thought they could defend.Pitch imperfect
While the Hundred’s double-header structure this year has done great things for the women’s game in terms of greater crowds and exposure, an unintended consequence has been a number of slow-burning men’s matches on slow, used pitches. This was no different, with neither side able to hit boundaries regularly.Lynn was particularly slow-burning, top-edging a six off Saqib Mahmood when Billings opted to reward his early dismissal of Willey with a second consecutive set of five balls but otherwise struggling to find the rope. He eventually holed out to Evans at wide long-off, opting to attack the final ball of Narine’s spell, leaving a tricky equation of 31 off 20 balls.But the Invincibles struggled to cope with the greasy outfield as the chase wore on, a result of the rain earlier in the day, and were sloppy in the deep to help the Superchargers turn several ones into twos. Mahmood’s nightmarish drop of Simpson with 26 needed off 15 was particularly criminal, not least when Simpson sliced Curran for four through third man and then slogged him down the ground for six to seal the win, standing open-armed in celebration as the Superchargers completed their first win.

Jofra Archer made a low-key return from his elbow injury to help Sussex seal a quarter-final spot in the Vitality Blast by beating a depleted Kent side by four wickets at Canterbury.Archer was restricted to three overs as an injury precaution, returning figures of 0 for 20 as he bowled two overs with the new ball and then returned to bowl the 19th. It was his first appearance since May, when he aggravated an elbow injury during a County Championship match against Kent and was required to undergo surgery.

Vitality Blast quarter-finals

• Yorkshire vs Sussex (Aug 24)

• Nottinghamshire vs Hampshire (Aug 25)

• Somerset vs Lancashire (Aug 26)

• Kent vs Birmingham (Aug 27)

Sussex finished on 134 for 6, Luke Wright’s 39 and Delray Rawlins’ 33 steering them into the last eight with 2.5 overs to spare.Earlier Ravi Bopara took 3 for 15 and David Wiese 2 for 16 as a Kent side with 15 first-teamers still isolating struggled 130 for 7, Calum MacLeod – the Scotland batter on a short-term deal – their top scorer with 31.Kent had already ensured top spot in the South Group and will play their quarter-final against Birmingham Bears at the St Lawrence Ground despite tonight’s defeat, while Sussex will play Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street on August 24.Related

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Kent won the toss and chose to bat, but Wiese quickly removed the openers, getting George Munsey caught by Oliver Carter for 11. Zak Crawley was given a life when Harrison Ward fell over while attempting to catch him at deep point, but Wiese then deceived him with a slower ball, which he chipped to Ollie Robinson at mid-on for 19.Will Beer caught and bowled Heino Kuhn for four with his first ball, before Harry Finch and MacLeod partially rebuilt the innings with a stand of 44.Finch, however, fell for 30, caught by Ollie Robinson off Bopara and when MacLeod was lbw to Rashid Khan, Kent were 101 for 5.It was left to the lower order to nudge the score towards respectability. Dan Lincoln was caught by Wiese for 10 and the same combination removed Harry Podmore for 0, leaving Marcus O’Riordan and Safyaan Sharif unbeaten on 13 and 7.The target looked low and although Elliot Hooper bowled Phil Salt for a duck with the third ball of Sussex’s innings, Wright and Bopara put on 61 for the next wicket. There was a wobble when the former holed out to O’Riordan and was caught by Munsey for 39, and Bopara was out in the same over for 19, caught by Matt Quinn.However, Crawley stumbled when well-placed to catch Rawlins and by the time Wiese was caught by Kuhn off Podmore for 21, the run rate was down to 2.8.Just two were needed when Kuhn made a diving catch off Podmore to dismiss Ward for 8 and Rawlins skied the next ball to O’Riordan, but Khan hit the winning runs with a four through cow corner.

The clock is now ticking down to the end of the transfer window, and while they've had all summer to conduct their business, some in the fanbase feel that Arsenal haven't quite done enough.

Edu Gaspar and Co have sold incredibly well over the last month or so, with Emile Smith Rowe going to Fulham for a fee that could reach £34m, Aaron Ramsdale on his way to Southampton for up to £25m and Eddie Nketiah finally leaving to join Crystal Palace for up to £30m.

However, as things stand, the only new additions to Mikel Arteta's first-team squad have been Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino, and as exciting as they are, it feels somewhat inadequate in the face of Manchester City.

Fortunately, the club themselves clearly believe they need to strengthen their forward options, as recent reports have linked them to a top-class attacker who's been compared to Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Mail Online, Arsenal are still interested in Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman.

In fact, while Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are keen to sign the player, the report claims that the Gunners are eyeing up a 'last-minute move' for the Frenchman before the window slams shut.

A potential price is not mentioned in the report, but stories from earlier in the window revealed that the Champions League winner would be available for around £34m, or even on a season-long loan, which would be ideal for the North Londoners.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Coman's incredible ability, it's worth pursuing, especially as he's been compared to Saka.

Why Coman would be a great signing and his comparison to Saka

Okay, before we get into why Coman would be an excellent signing for Arsenal, let's examine this comparison to club poster boy Saka and where it comes from.

It stems primarily from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League. It creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this case, has concluded that the Englishman is the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Bayern ace.

Now, there are some apparent similarities between the two internationals, like their positions and goalscoring abilities, but to understand how FBref came to such a specific conclusion, you need to look at their underlying numbers and the ones in which they rank closely, such as expected assists and actual assists, progressive passes received, goals per shot, short passing accuracy, through balls, blocks, dribblers tackled touches in the attacking third, goal-creating actions and successful take-on percentage, all per 90.

Expected Assists

0.31

0.32

Assists

0.24

0.28

Progressive Passes Received

16.9

16.9

Goals per Shot

0.09

0.10

Short Passing Accuracy

86.4%

88.9%

Through Balls

0.08

0.12

Blocks

1.21

1.33

Dribblers Tackled

0.73

0.80

Touches in the Attacking Third

41.4

40.4

Goal-Creating Actions

0.57

0.65

Successful Take-Ons %

43.3%

40.2%

However, while a comparison to arguably the Gunners' most important player is undoubtedly an encouraging sign and a reason the club should consider signing him, it's not the only one.

For example, one of the other most significant advantages of signing the "unbelievable" attacker, as Rio Ferdinand dubbed him, is his versatility.

In his career to date, the former Paris Saint-Germain gem has started 171 games off the left and 118 off the right. This ability to play on either side of a front three could make him such an important player for Arteta, as he could act as cover for Saka one week and then compete with Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli the next.

Moreover, he's scored 64 goals and provided 66 assists in 296 appearances for Bayern over the years, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 2.27 games, meaning he wouldn't just be competing for competition's sake; he would contribute.

Personal terms done: Arsenal making last-gasp move to seal Merino repeat

The highly-rated ace would be a great addition to Arteta’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 29, 2024

Ultimately, Arsenal need to add to their attacking options before the clock strikes 11 tomorrow night, and given his impressive ability, positional versatility, and similarity to Saka, bringing in Coman on loan or permanently would be an excellent idea.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe could now cash in on a Manchester United “monster”, with a bid for his services received, even though Erik ten Hag wants to keep the player at Old Trafford.

Players to leave Man Utd this summer

It has been a fairly productive few months during what is INEOS’ first transfer window as co-owners of the Red Devils.

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In regards to incomings, United have brought in Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro arriving from Bologna and Lille respectively, whereas deals for two teenage gems in Chido Obi Martin and Samuel Lusale from Arsenal and Crystal Palace have also been agreed.

When it comes to departures, eight players have left Old Trafford, four of which have resulted in fees being paid to Man Utd.

Man Utd summer departures	New club	Fee (Transfermarkt)
Mason Greenwood	Marseille	€26m
Willy Kambwala	Villarreal	€10m
Alvaro Carreras	Benfica	€6m
Donny van de Beek	Girona	€500,000
Raphael Varane	Como	Free
Omari Forson	Monza	Free
Anthony Martial	Without club
Brandon Williams	Without club

Now, it looks as if another player could be on the way out before the transfer deadline later this month, one that may upset Ten Hag.

Fulham make new Scott McTominay bid

According to Romano on X, Fulham have submitted a new offer to sign Scott McTominay worth in the region of £20m. He states that the proposal is expected to be turned down, however, United could cash in for a fee close to £30m.

Reports in recent days from HITC have claimed that Ten Hag wants to keep McTominay at Old Trafford but does understand that sales have to be made for further signings.

The Scotland international has progressed through the famous Carrington academy and into a member of the first-team set up for the last seven years, making more than 250 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

He was called “a physical monster” by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, whereas Ten Hag hailed him following his display from the bench against Aston Villa back in February.

“This season, last season as well (McTominay made an impact), so I think he’s an example for many other players nowadays.

“There are not many players who can come from the bench and bring this energy. He’s ready for every minute, always contributing to the team. Football is a team sport and we forget that often. But Scott is the example, always giving the spirit, in the week when he is training, doing the right things, working on himself, gives max.

“He’s ready for one minute, he’s ready for 90 minutes, he’s always ready. I think it’s great to have such a player.”

Therefore, if Man Utd and Ratcliffe decide to sell McTominay, a midfield replacement will surely be required, with Manuel Ugarte of Paris Saint-Germain just one player who has been linked to come in.

Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has explained why he is not an “idiot” despite offering support to Manchester United and Liverpool.

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Dutch stars drew racing ace to Red DevilsCountrymen now impressing at AnfieldReluctant to "hate" any football clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutchman, who has just claimed a fourth-successive global crown in his profession of choice, is a keen follower of football when not sat behind the wheel. He considers himself to be a United supporter first and foremost, with historic ties to former Netherlands internationals bringing him on board.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT VERSTAPPEN SAID

Verstappen has told : "I just like the story behind when Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager. Initially, the Dutch connection with [Ruud] van Nistelrooy and [Robin] van Persie also came in. You become a fan and you start reading more into the club, how they have achieved a lot of their success. It just inspires me. I like it. I'm like, 'Yeah, that's really cool and it's a cool club'. Of course, they went through a tough time, but when I see them do well, it makes me happy.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite boasting emotional ties to the Red Devils, Verstappen is also happy to see their arch-rivals Liverpool doing well – with fellow countrymen Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo currently on the books at Anfield as they chase down a Premier League title.

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Verstappen added on following other Dutchmen: “Virgil keeps inviting me to come to a game and I will definitely do it. I'm not that idiot that hates another club. When I see Virgil play or Cody, when they do well at Liverpool, that excites me as well.

“When they're leading in the league, I'm like, ‘Yeah, that's great’. They're having an amazing season. It's cool. I'm also a fan of Barcelona. It's not like I hate Real Madrid. I'm a little bit more of a fan of Barcelona.”

Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a late window transfer hijack for one of their long-term targets as they finally look to flex their financial muscles ahead of the new Premier League season.

Newcastle see Marc Guehi bids rejected

Eddie Howe's side are looking to make statement signings after struggling through the first part of the transfer window thanks to financial fair play restrictions. They have identified EURO 2024 star Marc Guehi as one such statement, but are yet to reach an agreement with Crystal Palace over a move for the defender.

Indeed, Sky Sports report that the club have seen a third bid for the centre-back rejected, with their latest offer consisting of £55m upfront plus a further £5m in add-ons, and they add that "talks continue over a deal but Newcastle [are] looking at alternatives should the deal not happen".

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Earlier in the week, Palace chairman Steve Parish revealed no one had come close to matching their valuation on Guehi, who he dubbed a generational talent.

"Nobody has got to the valuation yet. If you want a superstar player you need to pay superstar money. It's not near the point where we have to make a decision. We love having him and would love to keep him. If someone else wants to have him they need to make it really difficult for us. He's a generational talent."

Now, Newcastle have been linked with an audacious late move for Guehi's international teammate.

Magpies reignite interest in long-term target

That comes as sources in Spain name the Magpies as the side pushing hardest to sign Conor Gallagher this summer. The Englishman was on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid this summer in a £33.4m move, and had even done a stadium tour in the Spanish capital. However, he is now in limbo after a deal fell through and has returned to London, where he is training with Chelsea's U21 side.

Down to the final 12 months of his £50,000 a week deal at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are determined to sell him this summer rather than lose him for nothing in 12 months time, and the report claims that Newcastle are "planning a move" to try and sign him should his move to Atletico not be re-structured.

Part of the England squad at EURO 2024, Gallagher appeared 37 times for Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino last season, who dubbed the midfielder "priceless".

Conor Gallagher's PL season 23/24

Appearances

37

Starts

37

Goals

5

Assists

7

Yellow Cards

7

"I think he is a player with a great commitment to the team," said the ex-Chelsea manager. "He is always trying to compensate in every situation, in offensive and defensive situations. It's priceless to have a player like him."

Now firmly out in the cold in west London, Newcastle are looking to take advantage of the transfer uncertainty surrounding him to land their long-term target, with Eddie Howe thought to be keen on the midfielder and the club having already seen offers rejected in previous transfer windows.

Chelsea have submitted a bid to sign a £70 million striker after manager Enzo Maresca personally welcomed the move, and they've received a reply to their approach.

Chelsea targeting new senior attackers despite busy early summer

The west Londoners have officially confirmed a flurry of early deals, spending around £105 million in total on the signings of defender Tosin Adarabioyo, starlet striker Marc Guiu, youngster Omari Kellyman, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Brazilian prodigy Estevao Willian.

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Chelsea helped to fund those moves by shaking hands on exits for Hakim Ziyech, Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson and Ian Maatsen, who have been sold for around £84 million in total.

Estevao, who is highly-rated but not set to join until 2025, and Guiu could be seen as ones for the future – rather than immediate upgrades to Maresca's first team attacking options.

Therefore, it is believed co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley remain in the market for new senior attackers. Chelsea missed out on a deal for Michael Olise, despite widely reported talks, with the 22-year-old instead joining Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.

A new wide player is still possible, though, as Chelsea maintain a rumoured interest in Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams among others. Chelsea are also believed to be in the market for a new striker, with Mauricio Pochettino relying heavily on Cole Palmer for Chelsea's output last term.

Cole Palmer

25

Nicolas Jackson

17

Raheem Sterling

10

Noni Madueke

8

Conor Gallagher

7

Napoli star Victor Osimhen is among Chelsea's striker targets, with the Nigerian said to favour a move to Stamford Bridge as his best possible option. Chelsea chiefs have held internal discussions over Ivan Toney as well, coming after his heroic extra-time assist for Harry Kane against Slovakia in the Last 16 of Euro 2024.

Another striker to be linked quite recently is Atletico Madrid starlet Samu Omorodion. The 20-year-old has just impressed on a season-long loan at Deportivo, scoring nine goals and registering an assist in 36 appearances.

While these numbers don't appear mind-blowing on paper, he is very highly-rated in Spain and viewed as a player with real potential.

"Omorodion is an imposing centre-forward blessed with great physicality, aerial prowess, speed and agility, a combination which has given many experienced defenders nightmares at the start of his career," wrote reporter Tom Olver in The Metro.

"The Spain U21 international has also been praised for his tenacious work ethic and has a reputation for tirelessly pressing his opponents."

Chelsea submit bid for Omorodion after Maresca green light

The Sun have an update on Chelsea's pursuit of the Spaniard, and it is believed Maresca personally welcomes the prospect of him joining the west Londoners as he green-lights a move.

Chelsea have also submitted a £42 million bid for Omorodion, but Atletico have replied by snubbing their approach as the La Liga side hold out for as much as £70 million.

Maresca has made clear he wants another forward to compete with Nicolas Jackson next season, with co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart identifying Omorodion as the ideal profile suited to his style.