Leeds United may have to brace for the departure of a “fantastic” player, who now wants to leave the club this summer, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed.
Leeds' summer rebuild well underway
Having been promoted from the Championship last season, Leeds have been busy assembling a squad capable of surviving in the Premier League, with centre-back duo Sebastian Bornauw and Jaka Bijol recently sealing moves to Elland Road.
Striker Lukas Nmecha has also secured a move to West Yorkshire, with Daniel Farke looking to bolster his options in attack, despite already having the 2024-25 Championship top scorer at his disposal in the form of Joel Piroe.
Lecce centre-forward Nikola Krstovic also remains of interest to the Championship title-winners, with it being revealed they are now pushing to get a deal over the line, which means one of Farke’s current striker options may need to make way.
"Done deal" as Leeds sell 6 foot 2 player who Farke called "great"
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In an interview with Leeds United News, Bailey has now revealed that Mateo Joseph could be on the move this summer, with the forward eager to seal an Elland Road exit and return to his home country of Spain, amid interest from La Liga side Real Betis.
The transfer expert said: “From what I’ve most recently been told, he does want to go back to Spain. But Leeds have got to be careful, in my opinion. You can’t just let Mateo Joseph go and do whatever and then be left short. That’s the consideration.
Mateo Joseph in action for Leeds.
“But I think Joseph will end up back in Spain. Betis have sold a forward in Jesus Rodriguez to Como and that’ll be used to help pay for Joseph.
“From what I’m hearing, he could be accelerated into the first-team squad for Spain very quickly. And I think that’s probably in his consideration as well.”
Krstovic could be excellent replacement for Joseph
Piroe was Leeds’ main man in attack last season, scoring 19 goals in the Championship, but Joseph also featured regularly, picking up seven goal contributions in the second tier, and his departure could be a blow for Farke.
At just 21-years-old, the £13m-rated youngster still has a lot of room to develop, but he has already caught the eye of scout/writer Jacek Kulig, who described the forward as “fantastic” a little over a year ago.
That said, Krstovic could be a solid replacement for Joseph, given that the Montenegro international was regularly amongst the goals for Lecce last season, netting 12 times across 38 appearances in all competitions.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Serie A
37
11
5
Italian Cup
1
1
0
Having already proven himself in a major European league, the Lecce star could be an instant upgrade on Joseph, so if the starlet makes it clear that he wants to leave this summer, Leeds should not stand in his way.
علق نبيل عماد دونجا، لاعب الزمالك ومنتخب مصر، على الفوز على إثيوبيا، في الجولة السابعة من تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.
وفاز منتخب مصر 2-0 على إثيوبيا، في لقاء أقيم على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، في الجولة السابعة من تصفيات كأس العالم.
طالع | أشرف صبحي: منتخب مصر “تقيل” حتى بعد خروج صلاح ومرموش
وقال دونجا في لقاء مع قناة “أون سبورت”: “الحمد لله على المكسب، خطوة هامة جدًا تقربنا من كأس العالم، اللاعبون والجهاز يركون منذ أول يوم ويعرفون أهمية اللقاء”.
وتابع: “خطوة مهمة جدًا تقربنا من حلمنا وحلم الشعب المصري وهو المونديال، ان شاء الله نستطيع حسم الصعود من بوركينا فاسو، وكلنا سعداء، وأي لاعب يأتي ويمثل المنتخب يكون شرفًا كبيرًا، ونلقي أي انتماءات خلفنا، وننفذ تعليمات المدرب، وكلنا زملاء وأهم شيء المكسب”.
وأضاف: “أهدرنا فرصًا كثيرة في الشوط الأول، وربنا كلل مجهودنا في آخر 10 دقائق، منذ بداية المباراة وحتى الدقيقة 45 ونحن مسيطرون، لو الفرص المهدرة دخلت كانت ستكون النتيجة 4 أو 5 أهداف في الشوط الأول، والشوط الثاني يوجد أكثر من انفراد”.
وعن مباراة بوركينا فاسو المقبلة، اختتم: “منتخب مصر كبير واللاعبون المتواجدون كبار، وهدفنا تحقيق الفوز والتأهل لكأس العالم”.
Chamari Athapaththu will not be available for Sri Lanka’s T20I series in Ireland due to her commitments with Oval Invincibles in the Women’s Hundred, where she is set to compete in all the group-stage games. Invincibles’ last group match is on August 14 while the T20Is will be played on August 11 and 13. She will link up with her national team-mates for the ODIs, which are part of the 2022-2025 ICC Women’s Championship cycle, starting August 16.Athapaththu, who was named Player of the Tournament in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, will no doubt be a considerable miss for Sri Lanka, but it will also serve as an opportunity for the younger members of the squad to show that they can step up in her absence. Harshitha Samarawickrama was the last designated vice-captain, though there was none mentioned for the Ireland tour. She could be in line to captain Sri Lanka in Athapaththu’s absence.Wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana has been included in the 16-member squad, in what is the sole addition to the one that lifted the Asia Cup last week. Nuthyangana, who is yet to make her ODI debut, will serve as backup to regular wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani.In terms of the batting, much of Athapaththu’s burden will fall on the shoulders of 18-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne – who has the fifth-most runs in women’s T20Is in 2024 with 416 in 17 matches – and Samarawickrama, who starred with a Player-of-the-Match effort in the Asia Cup final. Spin-bowling allrounder Kavisha Dilhari, meanwhile, has also begun to show more consistency with the bat, as showcased by her blistering 30 not out off 16 balls against India last week.It’s below those three, though, where some uncertainty may lie, though all of Hasini Perera, Nilakshika Silva and Sanjeewani have produced exciting cameos over the past year. With the rest of the squad made up of bowlers, Nuthyangana will also likely get game time as Sri Lanka do not possess another batting replacement in the squad for Athapaththu. Four frontline spinners and three seamers make up the bowling options.
After submitting a fresh bid to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United have already reportedly turned their focus towards their next top target.
Newcastle "optimistic" after fresh Elanga bid
Having seen their first offer turned down for the Swede, it always seemed possible that Newcastle could return with a second attempt to sign Elanga. And soon enough, that has proved to be the case with reports now suggesting that the Magpies have submitted a second bid worth around £55m to sign the Swede.
Now reportedly optimistic that they’ll reach an agreement with Forest, Newcastle could be about to kickstart their summer business by adding the final part to what could be a scintillating front three alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Elanga
Isak
Gordon
Minutes
2,501
2,756
2,434
Goals
6
23
6
Assists
11
6
5
Successful Take-ons
25
42
38
One of the quickest trios that the Premier League is likely to see next season, Newcastle could yet retain their Champions League place and more in the next 12 months.
Nottingham Forest will be well aware of the quality that they will be losing if Elanga completes a summer switch to Newcastle, with Nuno Espirito Santo full of praise for his winger throughout the last campaign.
When asked about Elanga after the Swede scored an incredible solo goal against Manchester United in April, the Forest boss told reporters: “He’s a special boy and he gives this team his speed. He does it by himself and we are delighted.”
PIF believe 22-cap international will join Newcastle as £55m bid submitted
They could get their man at long last…
ByTom Cunningham Jul 4, 2025
That said, Elanga is unlikely to be the last through the door this summer. If reports are anything to go by, Newcastle and PIF have already turned their focus towards another top target even as negotiations continue over the winger’s signature.
Newcastle now prioritising Scalvini deal
According to The Times’ Martin Hardy, Newcastle are now prioritising a deal to sign Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta once their deal to welcome Elanga is completed this summer. The 6’4 defender is reportedly valued at just £30m and is now among the Magpies’ top targets as they look to add another centre-back to their ranks.
Dubbed a “magnificent” centre-back alongside countryman Riccardo Calafiori in the 2023/24 season by scout Jacek Kulig, Scalvini could now join the Arsenal man in the Premier League.
Since the 23/24 campaign, the towering Italian has only pushed on and could hand Newcastle a bargain deal at just £30m. Given that Fabian Schar is now 33 years old too, it should be seen as a very real possibility that 21-year-old Scalvini could break into Eddie Howe’s best side if he completes a summer move.
Alongside Elanga and James Trafford, the Atalanta defender would make it three impressive signings for the Magpies in a summer which initially looked destined to be full of frustration.
Leeds United will now have to significantly up their offer for a defender this summer, having seen an initial bid turned down.
Leeds eye defensive signings for Premier League return
The Whites are preparing for life back in the Premier League, as they look to achieve the increasingly rare task of remaining in the top flight and avoiding a speedy return to the Championship.
Defensive reinforcements are essential for Leeds, with world-class players coming up against them next season, and Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has been linked with a move to Elland Road, being seen as an upgrade on the hit-and-miss Illan Meslier. The 25-year-old was on loan at Strasbourg in 2024/25 and could jump at the chance to join a new club permanently.
Atletico Madrid left-back Reinildo is another potential addition for the Whites before the summer transfer window reaches its conclusion, being seen as a strong replacement for Junior Firpo ahead of his expected move to Real Betis.
Meanwhile, it has been claimed that Leeds are preparing a bid for Udinese centre-back Jaka Bijol, and now, another rumour has dropped regarding the defender.
Leeds need to pay £21.2m to sign defender
According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Leeds and 49ers Enterprises could have to pay as much as £21.2m to sign Bijol this summer after their first offer of £13.6m was rejected by the Serie A side. A bare minimum of £17m will be needed.
The 26-year-old is seen as a priority option for the Whites ahead of next season, with Daniel Farke being backed financially by the club’s owners.
Bijol stands out as a brilliant defensive option to come in, possessing lots of experience but also still having years in him at the top level.
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The Udinese ace already has 63 caps to his name for Slovenia, meaning he has a great chance of reaching the century milestone at some point in his career, and analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “joke”, such is his quality.
Last season, Bijol shone at the heart of Udinese’s defence, averaging 5.4 clearances and 3.2 aerial duel wins per game in Serie A, with the table below further highlighting what a dominant campaign he enjoyed.
Appearances
34
Starts
34
Minutes played
2965
Clearances per game
5.4
Aerial duel wins per game
3.2
Tackles per game
1.3
Interceptions per game
1.1
Pass completion rate
83.8%
There are few negatives to Leeds signing the Slovenian, even though he won’t arrive on the cheap, and it is a piece of business they should be prioritising.
An “excellent footballer” could be “on his way” to West Ham United this summer, as he is now expected to leave his current club, reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed.
Major changes needed at the London Stadium
It is set to be a summer of change at the London Stadium, off the back of a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, with some long-serving players, such as Vladmir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell and Lukasz Fabianski needing to be replaced.
The trio have all been released upon the expiration of their contracts, and there could be some further departures, with the Hammers open to offers for Mohammed Kudus, while Lucas Paqueta has made it clear he wants to leave the club this summer.
Graham Potter may also be keen to inject some youth into his squad, given that his side were, on average, the second-oldest in the Premier League last season, behind only Fulham, and a new target has now been identified by recruitment chiefs.
West Ham now submit enquiry over deal for "phenomenal" £40m+ title-winner
The Hammers have made their first move to sign a midfielder.
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That is according to Di Marzio, who recently told Tipsbladet that the Hammers have now set their sights on Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
The reporter said: “Mads Hermansen could be on his way to West Ham. The club really likes him and it could be a good opportunity for him.
“I don’t believe he will stay at Leicester. And I think West Ham would be the right option for him.”
The report goes on to state that Hermansen is contracted at the King Power Stadium until 2028, meaning Leicester are in a position to command a good fee for the £10k-a-week goalkeeper, although it is unclear how much they would be looking to receive.
"Excellent" Hermansen could be solid Fabianski replacement
It is clear that West Ham need to bring in a new option between the sticks, following the departure of long-serving goalkeeper Fabianski, and there are some signs the Leicester ace could be a solid signing, at least as a back-up for Alphonse Areola.
Despite Leicester enduring a dismal 2024-25 campaign, Ruud van Nistelrooy was left impressed by the Dane before the turn of the year, with the former Foxes boss saying: “He’s having a very good season overall. He makes a lot of saves, we’re trying to reduce that amount. Mads is all around. He’s a good shot-stopper, excellent footballer.”
Perhaps most notably, the 24-year-old also became the first goalkeeper to deny Chelsea star Cole Palmer from the penalty spot, producing a top save at Stamford Bridge back in March.
Given his age, Hermansen could be a solid long-term replacement for Fabianski, and some of the goalkeeper’s performances suggest he may be capable of pushing for a starting spot straight away, so it is promising news that West Ham have now entered the race for his signature,
Celtic have been incredibly busy in the early weeks of the summer transfer window as they look to bolster their squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan have already been unveiled as new additions to the team, with both players set to officially join as free agents at the start of next month.
As you can see in the graphic above, the Scotland international is returning for a second spell at Parkhead, having left the Hoops to join Arsenal in the Premier League in the summer of 2019.
Celtic are also set to complete the signing of FC Nordsjælland winger Benjamin Nygren, who is due to put pen to paper on a contract that could last five years.
Brendan Rodgers is also in the market to land a senior number nine, after a deal for young Fulham forward Callum Osmand, having been left with just Adam Idah since Kyogo Furuhashi left the club in January.
Celtic sold the Japan international to Rennes for a reported fee of £10m at the start of the year, ending what was a very successful time for him in Glasgow.
Celtic hit gold with Kyogo Furuhashi
The Scottish Premiership giants paid a fee of £4.3m to sign the attacker from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, with Ange Postecoglou at the helm, and it is fair to say that they got their money’s worth.
Kyogo went on to rack up 85 goals and 19 assists in 185 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops in three-and-a-half years at Parkhead before his move to France in January.
That included a stunning return of 34 goals in the 2022/23 season, as you can see in the clips above, and these statistics show that the club hit gold by snapping him up for a fee of just £4.3m.
Kyogo also stepped up for the Light Blues in big moments during his time in Glasgow, as evidenced by his haul of eight goals in 17 games against Rangers.
Kyogo Furuhashi favourite Scottish opponents
Opposition
Appearances
Goals
Hearts
14
11
Rangers
17
8
St Johnstone
11
8
Aberdeen
13
7
St Mirren
13
6
Dundee
8
6
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Hearts are the only team the Japanese striker scored more goals against for Celtic than Rangers in his time at the club.
Taking all of this into consideration, and the £10m fee they got for him in January, it is clear to see that the Hoops hit the jackpot by signing Kyogo in 2021.
The Scottish giants did not sign another striker to take his place in the January window, but they are now reportedly eyeing a star who would be a dream replacement for the Japan international.
Celtic confident of deal for Premier League striker
According to Football Insider, Celtic are confident that they will be able to win the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Evan Ferguson this summer.
The report claims that they believe that they can strike a deal to land him on a season-long loan ahead of Premier League teams Everton and Nottingham Forest.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that Rodgers is pushing for the club to sign the Ireland international to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch for the 2025/26 campaign.
Former scout Mick Brown explained why the Hoops are a good option for the striker, telling Football Insider:
“Celtic can offer attractive opportunities to players like Ferguson. They’re going to be playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies, which would be valuable experience for a player of his age.”
Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson.
It is now down to the club to agree a deal with Brighton before convincing the striker that a move to Parkhead is the best next step in his young career.
Why Celtic should sign Evan Ferguson
The Hoops should sign the Premier League youngster this summer because he is a talented number nine who is more valuable than his 2024/25 campaign suggests.
On the face of it, signing a striker who just scored one goal in 23 games for Brighton and West Ham combined is not too appealing. However, it is worth keeping in mind that a knee injury kept him out from April to August last year, which meant that he missed all of pre-season and played catch-up all season.
Ferguson’s form in the previous two Premier League seasons for Brighton, with a pre-season under his belt, suggest that he has the potential to be a dream replacement for Kyogo at Parkhead.
Possibly the biggest problem Kyogo had at the end of his Celtic career was his finishing, as he missed 46 ‘big chances’ in his last 18 months, scoring 27 goals in that time.
The Brighton youngster, whose finishing was hailed as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has shown that he has the quality to be very efficient in front of goal at Premier League level in recent years.
Evan Ferguson’s Premier League career
Season
xG
Goals
Differential
22/23
5.67
6
+0.33
23/24
3.97
6
+2.03
24/25
1.36
1
-0.36
Total
10.29
13
+1.89
Stats via UnderStat
As you can see in the table above, Ferguson outperformed his xG in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns for the Seagulls, which speaks to his ability to find the back of the net effectively at the very top level.
These statistics show that the potential is there for him to come in as an upgrade on what they had with Kyogo in the number nine position, because he is a clinical finisher who may not miss as many ‘big chances’ as the Japan international.
The Premier League forward would also bring more physicality to the table than Kyogo, as he has won 44% of his aerial duels in the 2023/24 campaign – when he last played regularly.
Whereas, the former Hoops marksman won 33% of his aerial battles this season in the Premiership, and 26% of them in the 2023/24 campaign, which suggests that Ferguson would be more effective as a target man for the team to hit when they need to play a longer pass to break a press or clear the ball from danger.
Worth more than Kyogo: Celtic have hit the jackpot on "incredible" star
Celtic have hit gold with this star who is now worth even more than Kyogo Furuhashi.
By
Dan Emery
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Overall, the 20-year-old attacker’s finishing quality and physical attributes could make him a dream replacement for Kyogo, as well as being an upgrade on him. The largest sticking point could well be a price tag, however, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £21m.
Aston Villa’s 2024/25 season ended in disappointment. Unai Emery’s side failed to qualify for the Champions League after a final-day defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. It certainly seems like that, and another summer of PSR struggles has really affected their transfer plans for the next few months.
Indeed, they will seemingly not be signing the likes of Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, or Axel Disasi, who were on loan at Villa Park last term. The trio have now returned to their parent clubs and seem unlikely to sign for Villa on a permanent deal.
The transfer goings-on in the West Midlands might frustrate Villa supporters. Despite a couple of early deals, a dip into the loan market could be back on the cards.
Villa’s new loan target
Emery’s side have already made two new additions this summer. One of those is Yasin Ozcan, a 19-year-old Turkish defender who joins the club after signing a pre-contract over the winter. Young Dutch striker Zepiqueno Redmond also signed for the club for free after his contract expired at Feyenoord.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Now, the Villans could turn their attention to a former player, Douglas Luiz. According to a report from Sportmediaset via Tuttomercato, the Midlands side are ‘interested’ in bringing the Brazilian back to his former club from Juventus.
However, it could be a tricky deal to negotiate. Luiz, who has only been a Juve player for just over a year, is only wanted on loan by his former club, with Villa having made contact as they ‘proposed’ a potential temporary switch.
Douglas Luiz at the Club World Cup with Juventus.
However, that is ‘a solution that does not satisfy the economic needs’ of the Old Lady, with it yet to be seen whether a compromise can be met.
Why Luiz would be a good signing
It has not really been the season Luiz may have hoped for in Turin. He did not really play the weight of games he may have expected, and it was a turbulent year for Juve as a side, with Thiago Motta losing his job halfway through the campaign.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
In total, Luiz played just 27 times in the centre of the park for the Italian giants. That includes one game in the Club World Cup. Frustratingly, the Brazil international managed just 877 minutes, the equivalent of 9.7 full 90-minute games.
Yet, Villa fans will know the sort of quality that the Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder will bring to the club. He played 204 times in that famous Claret and Blue shirt, scoring 22 goals and grabbing 24 assists. It is moments of quality like this impressive trivela assist for Ollie Watkins in his final season at the club that he could bring back to the midfield.
That interest comes amid question marks over what the future holds for Villa midfielder John McGinn. Their captain has reportedly been of interest to Everton of late, as per BBC Sport, although Emery ‘is in no mood to part’ ways with McGinn this summer.
He was a crucial part of the Villans’ midfield last season, playing 49 games in all competitions, scoring and assisting ten goals in that time. That included a thunderbolt of a strike against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League at Villa Park.
Yet, whilst the Scotland international is capable of those major moments, and is a hard-working member of the Villa midfield, signing Luiz, an “engine” in midfield according to Statman Dave, could certainly be seen as an upgrade.
The stats on FBref from each player’s most recent season for Villa suggest that Luiz is a better option in midfield. For example, in 2023/24, he averaged 5.05 progressive passes and 5.53 ball recoveries per 90 minutes compared to 4.17 progressive passes and 4.05 ball recoveries each game for McGinn.
He also represents a greater goal threat and creative outlet than his former teammate, as his goals and assists average can attest to.
Goals and assists
0.42
0.2
Progressive passes
5.05
4.17
Key passes
1.59
1.26
Tackles and interceptions
2.43
1.9
Ball recoveries
5.53
4.05
Progressive carries
1.8
1.3
Luiz, who is on £138k-per-week at Juve, according to reports, is a superb all-round midfielder. In many ways, he is better than McGinn, and, as the stats show, would be a huge upgrade on the Villans’ captain.
Bringing him back to Villa Park for the 2025/26 season would be a bold move by Emery’s side, but there is no doubt about the quality he will bring to the centre of the park.
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A maiden century in only his third first-class innings from the 19-year old, locally raised left-hander Freddie McCann helped take Nottinghamshire’s reply to 405 at Trent Bridge despite a caree-best seven for 129 from Surrey spinner Will Jacks. Batting again, Surrey ended the third day of their Vitality County Championship match 133 ahead on 13 for 1.Play was soured in the afternoon, however, when Jacks, selected in both England’s white-ball squads for their games against Australia in September, smartly fielded a pull on the bounce at short mid-wicket and threw the ball hard and high towards the wicketkeeper causing McCann to take evasive action.Umpires James Middlebrook and Paul Pollard immediately summoned Surrey skipper, Rory Burns, and applied five penalty runs under Law 42.3.1 for “throwing the ball at a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner”. The matter will also now be referred to Surrey for any further disciplinary action they deem condign.Half an hour later McCann became the fourth victim in the innings of Jacks’s off-spin, slog-sweeping to long-on for 154. And Jack Haynes soon went for 68 to the same all-rounder but the follow-on target of 376 was passed just after tea with six wickets down.On 144 for 3 overnight after the nightwatcher had gone to what proved Friday’s final ball, the home side lost Joe Clarke in the morning’s fourth full over when, rashly, he advanced to launch a straight drive at Jacks only to be stumped as the ball spun sharply out of the rough trough thew gate. Clarke, gone for four, was Jacks’s third success in 11 balls after his breakthroughs the previous evening.He remained a threat at the end from which fellow off-spinner Farhan Ahmed had taken seven wickets on the opening two days. But, with Haynes surviving an early alarm when edging a Cam Steel leg-break between wicketkeeper and slip on three, resistance of some character brought lunch at 231 for 4.The partnership had added 154 when McCann departed after 268 balls of high application straight after Haynes had posted a sixth fifty in his 15 innings since joining from Worcestershire. None of these though has passed 77 and the pattern continued when, glancing, his thin legside edge was taken behind.Kyle Verreynne, the South Africa wicketkeeper in his maiden county innings after arriving as Nottinghamshire’s third overseas player this season, was joined by Lyndon James to see the innings to 369 for 4 at tea. But two overs after they had averted the follow-on, James, slicing a drive to backward point for 23, gave Steel his first success in completing 22 of the 110 overs.With bonus points decided as five to Surrey, four to Notts, Liam Patterson-White was leg-before, one run later, giving Jacks his only six-wicket bag since his success at Rawalpindi in the first of his two Tests, against Pakistan in 2022. He had bowled a mere six championship overs hitherto this year.Rob Lord, on debut, came and went for 10 to Steel and Ahmed to Jacks without score as the final four fell for 21 in 30 balls, leaving Verreyyne unbeaten on 50 from just 60 balls. Leading by 120 on first innings, Surrey then faced spin at both ends from the off.It took Ahmed eight balls to add to his match tally when Dom Sibley clipped to mid-wicket but after seven overs bad light intervened with eleven of the day’s quota left unbowled. Surrey’s pursuit of an eighth win in nine games and a third successive championship title was put on hold for the night.
Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland CEO, said the appointment is a step towards Ireland becoming a “fit-for-purpose Full Member”
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2024Graeme West, the current Cricket West Indies (CWI) high-performance manager, is set to take over as director of high performance at Cricket Ireland (CI).In his stint with CWI that started in 2012, West worked closely with young talent from across the West Indies, and in 2016 was coach of the West Indies team that lifted the Under-19 World Cup. After working with the U-19 and ‘A’ teams, his current role as high-performance manager included the setting up of academy programmes and building a pool of coaches. He is expected to have a similar profile in Ireland, starting next month.Before joining CWI, West spent five years at the Middlesex academy. There, he worked with Ireland internationals Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie, Andrew Poynter and Stuart Poynter. West has not played any top-flight cricket, but holds a Level 4 ECB coaching qualification.”I am delighted to be joining Cricket Ireland as the organisation continues to grow and strengthen,” West said in a statement. “The Strategic Plan for 2024-27 is incredibly exciting and I look forward to applying my experience and philosophy to the wealth of talent and expertise that has been assembled as we further establish Ireland as a major cricketing nation.”Warren Deutrom, the chief executive at CI, said the appointment was a step towards Ireland becoming a “fit-for-purpose Full Member”.”When we set out to create and recruit for the role, the profile, initiative and experience that Graeme possesses is exactly what we were looking for,” Deutrom said. “We knew that in order to be successful in this new role, the candidate required leadership experience, exceptional people skills and the ability to be a mentor as much as a manager. In Graeme, we believe we have found that candidate.”As an organisation, we are going through a process of reviewing and evolving our operations to ensure we are fit-for-purpose as a Full Member in a rapidly changing environment. One of the strategic decisions we made was to acknowledge the scale and scope of our work has outgrown our pre-Full Member structures.”The senior men’s team have a busy few weeks ahead, with a white-ball tour of the UAE to play South Africa later this month. The senior women’s team is set to host England for three ODIs and two ODIs starting Saturday.