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An update has emerged on Sunderland and their pursuit of free agent centre-forward Jermain Defoe…

What’s the talk?

According to INews, the Black Cats have made contact with the player and are one of a number of EFL clubs attempting to sign him.

The report claims that he wants to continue playing until the end of the 2021/22 campaign and is seriously considering a deal to join Sunderland.

SOL rocking

Lee Johnson could get the Stadium of Light rocking with a deal to re-sign the attacker. Not only does he have a successful history with the club but he is also a recognised name in English football and has enjoyed a brilliant career for club and country.

This means that he would almost be a marquee signing in the sense of the fanfare that would come with it, irrespective of his age. In 93 games for Sunderland between 2014 and 2017, he plundered an impressive 37 goals and four assists, which is why fans would surely be over the moon to see him back as they were able to enjoy his immense goalscoring talents previously.

The English predator has scored 200 club career goals to date and found the back of the net 20 times for England at international level. This means that the Mackems could be bringing in a player who has 220 strikes to his name, with the majority coming at the top level for club and country.

Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson once dubbed him “wonderful” and his record in Scotland suggests that he still has something to offer on the pitch at the age of 39. He managed 32 goals and ten assists in 74 games for the Gers, showing that he still has what it takes to be a regular goalscorer.

Therefore, he could bolster Johnson’s squad and score a few goals in League One to help the club with their promotion push back to the Championship. Fans would surely be buzzing to see him back in red and white after his previous spell with the club and the stands will be rocking if he comes in and has an impact on the season, as his statistics suggest that he will be able to do.

He was also part of the coaching set-up at Ibrox before Giovanni van Bronckhorst came in and brought in his own staff. This means that he could come in and play his part on the pitch before potentially retiring and taking up a coaching role at the club moving forward.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops Sunderland transfer claim that will leave fans gutted…

West Indies have been hit by a bunch of injuries ahead of the third one-dayer against South Africa in Dominica

Cricinfo staff26-May-2010West Indies have been hit by a bunch of injuries ahead of the third one-dayer against South Africa in Dominica. The struggling home side, yet to win a match in the series, will be without experienced batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan (left hamstring strain), left-arm-spinner Nikita Miller (right side strain) and fast bowler Kemar Roach (left ankle soreness) at least for the next two ODIs.The West Indies selectors have also dropped the out-of-form Andre Fletcher from the 13-man list for the third and fourth one-dayers. Two players who weren’t picked for the first two matches, Jamaican allrounder David Bernard and 21-year-old batsman Darren Bravo, have returned to the squad.Bravo forced his way back into contention with a Man-of-the-Series performance in the recent A team tri-nation series in Bangladesh, where he scored a hundred and three half-centuries in five innings to make a tournament-high 309 runs. Bernard, who has been in and out of the West Indian one-day side since being selected last June after a six-year absence from international cricket, gets another chance to cement his place.West Indies are 2-0 down in the five-ODI series against South Africa, and lost both Twenty20s which preceded the one-dayers as well.West Indies: Chris Gayle (capt), Dwayne Bravo (vice-capt), Sulieman Benn, David Bernard, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Ravi Rampaul, Dale Richards, Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor

Celtic have seen a bid for Iran forward Mehdi Ghayedi rejected by Shabab Al-Ahli but intend to return with another offer, according to sports journalist Hatam Shiralizadeh. 

The lowdown

The 23-year-old is predominantly a left winger but can also play on the right and through the middle. His club compete in the UAE Pro League and currently sit in fourth place, just outside the AFC Champions League qualifying spots.

Ghayedi is under contract for another four-and-a-half years and is valued at just under £1.1m by Transfermarkt.

Ange Postecoglou already has nine forwards at his disposal, having added Daizen Maeda and Johnny Kenny to his ranks already this month, but it has been reported that Celtic could look to offload one of their existing options in Albian Ajeti during the current transfer window.

The latest

Shiralizadeh tweeted that Shabab Al-Ahli had rejected an offer from Celtic for Ghayedi, as they are relucant to sell him this month, but the Hoops are not set to go quietly in their pursuit of the 23-year-old.

The journalist outlined: “Shabab Al Ahli have turned down an official bid from Celtic for Mehdi Ghayedi. UAE side don’t want to sell the Iranian striker in January, however, Celtic are determined to sign the young talent, so they are planning to offer a new bid for the 23-year-old.”

The verdict

Ghayedi would arguably be a risky signing for Celtic if Ange Postecoglou were to raid Asia once more, having brought in Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi from the J1 League since taking the reins at Parkhead.

The Iranian’s record this season is reasonable – three goals and one assists in 11 league appearances, only six of them starts. Having been named as Iran’s young player of the year, he has also earned opportunities at senior level, scoring in just his second game against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Could he cope with the step-up in quality to Scotland, though? No club from the UAE Pro League features in FiveThirtyEight’s list of the top 645 sides in the world, while UEFA rank the Scottish Premiership as one of the 10 strongest divisions in Europe.

That said, Furuhashi joined from Japan – a ‘largely untapped’ market in the words of Kris Commons – and he is the Hoops’ top scorer this season, so perhaps we shouldn’t be too quick to make a judgement on what Ghavedi could do if he becomes Celtic’s latest Asian acquisition.

In other news, Celtic are on the brink of this £6m deal

Rangers have to be careful that Ryan Jack’s current injury absence doesn’t become a long-term issue, according to expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Jack sidelined by injury

Jack has been an excellent performer for the Gers since joining from Aberdeen in 2017, scoring 11 goals in 133 appearances.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has confirmed that the midfielder will be absent until after the winter break, however, having not started a league game since February. Injuries are unfortunately a massive talking point with the talented midfielder, as some fans were even ready to give up on him after this latest blow.

The hope is that Jack will be back on the pitch as soon as possible but a warning has been fired to the Scottish Premiership champions from Dinnery, who runs PremierInjuries.com.

The Latest: Expert fires warning

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery claimed it would be reckless to rush Jack back after such a long absence, risking him being out until near the spring:

“Rangers need to be careful with Ryan Jack. It doesn’t matter how much work you do behind the scenes, you can’t replicate the cut and thrust of playing for the first team competitively.

“Players suffering soft tissue problems are particularly susceptible in the first 28 days when they are reintroduced to the rigours of competitive football.

“So this doesn’t come as any great surprise. It’s very, very frustrating for the player, but it’s just the way it is. You need to manage them so carefully. A setback that can keep you out for two weeks could easily turn into eight.

“So you always have to err on the side of caution when it comes to muscle problems.”

The Verdict: Too important risk

Jack has suffered a hugely frustrating period in his career in 2021, and while there is a need to get him back on the pitch regularly, any rushed thinking now could be a disaster.

The 29-year-old must only return when he is fully fit, hopefully enjoying the same influence he did before his setback earlier in the year, with Steven Gerrard hailing him as ‘fantastic’.

Jack has enjoyed a 90.7% pass completion rate in his rare time on the pitch in the league this season, which bodes well, but another major setback in his recovery as he approaches his thirties could be the end of his time as a consistent option for the Light Blues.

In other news, three Rangers players struggled against St Johnstone. Find out who they are here.

An exciting Rangers transfer claim has been made, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst eyes up potential targets to arrive at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

Ligue 1 expert Adam White has claimed that a move to Glasgow is possible for PSG talent Xavi Simons at the end of the season.

When asked if a transfer to Scotland could happen, he told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think it’s feasible. I haven’t heard anything that suggests that that’s close or ongoing but I think there’s a lot of talk about Xavi Simons.”

It was reported at the end of December that Rangers were leading the race to land the midfielder, whose contract with the French giants is up in the summer. Although, there have been no further developments to the story between then and these quotes from White.

GVB will love it

Van Bronckhorst will surely love this news as it leaves the door open for Simons to end up at Rangers ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. It remains to be seen whether or not they would be able to bring him in for the second half of the current season, but signing him on a pre-contract deal and avoiding paying a huge transfer fee to PSG could be a fantastic piece of business by the club.

The Dutch head coach will be buzzing as the teenager is a talented young player who is reportedly regarded as one of the best prospects in Europe at the moment. This means that van Bronckhorst could work with him over the course of a number of months and years to hone his talent and ensure that he reaches his potential.

As a result, the ex-Feyenoord boss could enjoy reaping the rewards of his efforts on the training ground for a considerable period of time.

He has played three first-team games and registered one assist for PSG this season – with one appearance in Ligue 1 handed to him by Mauricio Pochettino. This shows that the 18-year-old is trusted enough, despite his age, to play at the top level in a team full of talent – with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Marquinhos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Neymar, among others.

Simons’ record at youth level also provides an insight into the quality he could bring to Rangers. He has produced five goals and six assists in 12 games for PSG’s U19’s, showing that he can score and create goals on a regular basis.

It remains to be seen whether or not he can do that in a first-team setting, but his involvement for Pochettino’s side suggests that they believe he has the talent to do so. This is why van Bronckhorst will love the claim that a transfer is possible for Rangers in the summer.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Rangers can seal ideal replacement in gem who scores every 1.7 games…

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has been dealt a gutting injury blow ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with West Ham United this evening…

What’s the latest?

As revealed in the Italian’s pre-game press conference, Spurs will be without left wing-back Ryan Sessegnon after he picked up a muscular injury during the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

“A little bad news that Ryan Sessegnon had a problem at the end of the game against Liverpool. He’s the only player, with Romero, is injured,” Conte claimed (via football.london).

He then added a time frame to the problem.

“Ten days to two weeks. He had a muscular problem at the end of the game against Liverpool. For sure, we have to find a good solution with Sess because I have seen in the past he has suffered a bit from this type of injury. So we have to find the right solution with the medical department. And also with the player.”

Huge blow

This will come as a huge setback to Conte and the squad as Sessegnon was more than holding his own in the absence of Sergio Reguilon, who was not fit to feature from the off against the Reds.

It once again leaves the 52-year-old head coach light on options as if the Spaniard is still not 100%, he may have to move Ben Davies out from his left central defensive role, meaning another switch would be needed to the backline – perhaps Japhet Tanganga or Joe Rodon, both of whom are struggling for game time under the new boss.

Sessegnon is also at risk of missing the Boxing Day clash with Crystal Palace and then the trip to Southampton, dealing Conte with a further blow.

Furthermore, as the manager mentioned, the England U21 international has regularly suffered from these sorts of injury niggles and that has restricted him to only 18 appearances since his £25m move from Fulham over two years ago.

This latest setback would take his total games missed (18) to the same number of his games played for the north London outfit – a very frustrating record that will undoubtedly leave Conte even more fuming.

So the Spurs boss is now without one of his first-team stars once again, ahead of what is a crucial encounter, with a place in the final four and a genuine shot at silverware on the line.

AND in other news, Conte must unleash Spurs’ £22.5m-rated “nightmare” tonight, he could terrify West Ham…

خاض فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، مرانا قويا صباح اليوم الجمعة، على ملعب مختار التتش بالجزيرة، ضمن مرحلة الإعداد للموسم الجديد.

وشهد المران مشاركة محمد مجدي أفشة ومحمد شريف في التدريبات الجماعية بشكل تدريجي، كما أكد أحمد أبوعبلة، رئيس الجهاز الطبي، أنه تقرر منح الثنائي فترة أكبر لحين المشاركة بصورة طبيعية وفقا لحالة كل منهما.

ويخضع أفشة لبرنامج تأهيلي بعد إجرائه عملية فتق في جدار البطن، بينما قام محمد شريف بتنفيذ برنامج تأهيلي، بعد تعرضه لإصابة في العضلة الضامة، وشهدت ‏الفترة الأخيرة تحسن حالة اللاعب بشكل كبير.‏

طالع | 3 مواجهات.. عبد الحفيظ يعلن عن مباريات الأهلي الودية ومواعيدها استعداداً للموسم الجديد

كما شهد المران تصعيد 3 لاعبين من قطاع الناشئين وهم أدهم محمد، حارس مرمى مواليد 2003، وإسلام عبدالله وحمدي موسى، مواليد 2003 للمشاركة في التدريبات بعد استدعاء عدد من لاعبي الفريق للمشاركة في معسكر المنتخب الأوليمبي الحالي وهم، حمزة علاء ورأفت خليل ومحمد أشرف ومحمد مغربي ومصطفى سعد المنضم حديثا للفريق.

وحرص الجهاز الفني بقيادة مارسيل كولر على تخصيص عدد من الفقرات الترفيهية بالكرة، قبل أن يواصل اللاعبون تنفيذ بقية فقرات المران بشكل طبيعي.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض اللاعبون مرانا ثانيًا مساء اليوم، في إطار سعي الجهاز الفني للارتقاء بالنواحي البدنية والخططية والوصول باللاعبين الى أعلى مستوى.

أثنى روبرتو فيرمينو لاعب فريق ليفربول بزميله فابيو كارفاليو، واصفًا إياه بـ”الرائع”، ويدرك جيدًا قدرته على مساعدة الريدز.

وكان ليفربول قد تمكن من التعاقد مع فابيو كارفاليو في وقت سابق من موسم الانتقالات الصيفي لهذا العام، من نادي فولهام.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ذا أثلتيك: الدوري الإنجليزي يدرس تغيير ملاعب مباريات الجولة الثامنة

وترك كارفاليو بصمته مع ليفربول بعدما تمكن من تسجيل هدفين في 6 مباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي، أحدهما هدفًا قاتلًا في شباك نيوكاسل يونايتد في الدقيقة 98.

وقال فيرمينو في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “جول” العالمية: “إنه لاعب رائع، أعترف أنني شاهدت بعض مبارياته قبل مجيئه إلى ليفربول، لذلك تأثرت بالفعل بالطريقة التي لعبها”.

وأضاف: “إنه نجم، لاعب رائع والآن هو أيضًا صديق مقرب جدًا، نحن سعداء بوجوده هنا في ليفربول”.

وواصل: “أعلم أنه سيساعدنا كثيرًا، من خلال التمريرات الحاسمة والأهداف وكذلك شخصيته على أرض الملعب”.

Newcastle United are among the teams interested in a move for Marcelo Brozovic this winter…

What’s the word?

That’s according to InterLive.it, who claim the Magpies are ‘crazy’ about signing the Croatian midfielder as he enters the final few months of his contract at the San Siro.

They’ll be battling Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature, so he’s certainly a high-calibre and coveted player to be in for.

The report does not mention any potential fee for the 28-year-old in January but other sources in Italy suggest that he could be available for as little as €20m (£18m).

Statement signing

In the past, Brozovic has been likened to Frank Lampard due to his playing style, with the Chelsea legend’s former manager Jose Mourinho a huge fan having dubbed him “the top of the top” and a “fantastic player” to talkSPORT during the summer.

The £36m-rated maestro contributed two goals and six assists in 33 league appearances as Inter clinched the Serie A title under new Spurs boss Antonio Conte last season. He also ended the campaign as their fourth highest-rated player on WhoScored.

Brozovic led the side for tackles (1.6) and key passes (1.4) per game and wasn’t too far behind for interceptions (1.2) either, proving to be that Lampard-like box-to-box presence in the heart of midfield.

But perhaps his biggest asset is his passing range. His ex-manager Luciano Spalletti once claimed the 28-year-old had a “compass in the foot.”

An average of 66.7 passes per game saw him rank third in the squad and that’s even more impressive considering his 89.6% passing accuracy, thus living up to Spalletti’s raving review.

That has continued into this campaign where he is averaging a phenomenal 92.2% passing accuracy – the best in the squad.

If PIF can beat some of Europe’s biggest clubs to the signing of Brozovic, then it would certainly send a warning to the rest of the Premier League that the Saudis mean business.

Securing Brozovic would be quite the statement indeed.

AND in other news, PIF can revolutionise Newcastle United by hiring 56 y/o supremo in “huge coup”…

Flocking to Twitter, many Manchester United supporters have erupted over a pre-Liverpool blow involving star midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already under pressure after watching his side drop a plethora of Premier League points over this last month.

The Norwegian has overseen losses to both Aston Villa and Leicester City whilst also dropping points in a home draw to Everton, coming as United aim to win their first Premier League title in nearly 10 years (manutd.com).

Ahead of a highly anticipated clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford today, many Red Devils fans have fumed as some team news emerges before they take on Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Indeed, as confirmed by Solskjaer, star man Fernandes is now a doubt for one of the biggest clashes of their season.

The Portuguese playmaker has four goals and two assists in just eight Premier League starts this season, marking himself out as a really key player.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder United supporters are worried he might not feature today.

Find all of their verdicts on the news down below.

Man United fans erupt over Fernandes blow…

“advantage liverpool”

Credit: @Ansh710839

“We are finished”

Credit: @martemmanuel_14

“Great.”

Credit: @Xire01

“OH GOD….we all know it will be Lingard at the 10 on Sunday!”

Credit: @OilDoug

“no bruno omg”

Credit: @rashy10_

“NOT BRUNO”

Credit: @MAX_DBN

“As if it couldn’t get any worse”

Credit: @Unit01773131

In other news: ‘Worse than Fred’, ‘Just sell’…Man United fans hammer ‘very weak’ player who ‘needs shipping out’, find out more here.