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One Celtic player has decided he wants to leave the club in the near future, according to a fresh update.

Which Celtic players could leave next year?

The Hoops continued their strong start to their Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday, picking a 2-1 win away to Motherwell, thanks to goals from Luis Palma and Matt O'Riley. The first goal came late in the day, prior to the hosts equalising in stoppage time, before Brendan Rodgers' men won it at the death.

It means that Celtic are still top of the table after only dropping two points in their opening seven league games this season, with another title looking highly likely, as Rodgers looks to make a triumphant return to the club.

There are endless important players at Parkhead at the moment, and some figures will see their contracts expire next summer, including David Turnbull, Joe Hart and Scott Bain. Meanwhile, players such as James Forrest, Greg Taylor and James McCarthy will see their deals run out in 2025.

Now, an important update has emerged over the future of another Celtic player.

Which Celtic player wants to leave?

According to Football Insider, Sead Haksabanovic wants to quit Celtic permanently next year – he is currently on loan at Stoke City – bringing an end to his time at the club:

"Sead Haksabanovic wants to agree a permanent Celtic exit next year, sources have told Football Insider. Haksabanovic pushed for a loan move to Stoke City that was completed on deadline day after talks with club chiefs, where he felt he was getting mixed messages.

"The 24-year-old is now keen to secure a move away permanently either in January or next summer. Haksabanovic’s current contract at Parkhead runs until 2027 after joining from Rubin Kazan last summer but he has struggled for game time. Football Insider revealed on 24th August that the winger was seeking a move away from the club before the close of the transfer window. A week later, he secured a last-gasp temporary transfer to Stoke.

"The Montenegro international had been surprised by his lack of game time earlier this season, particularly following the exit of fellow winger Jota, and was unhappy that he was continuing to be overlooked for selection."

It would arguably be a shame to see Haksabanovic leave Celtic next year, considering he has done well across 42 appearances, scoring five goals and registering four assists from his attacking midfield role, also being described as both "brilliant" and "excellent" by former Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou.

That being said, the 24-year-old's importance to the cause has arguably diminished in recent times, considering he only made one appearance in the Scottish Premiership this season before joining Stoke on a temporary basis.

If Haksabanovic is unhappy about his lack of playing time and feels that a full-time move away is best for his development, Rodgers is unlikely to stand in his way, and it could be that an exit is the best outcome for all parties.

His current deal expires in the summer of 2027, putting Celtic in a strong bargaining position, so they could get good money for him next year, making this one to watch.

Aston Villa were put through their paces by Bosnian side Zrinjski in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening, leaving it to the dying embers to grasp the win at Villa Park.

Unai Emery made it clear before the fixture that his team were entering a “must win” game, which the Villans eventually secured after a magnificent 27 shots on goal over the 90 minutes played.

It was John McGinn who broke the deadlock with less than two minutes of added time to play, causing the home crowd to erupt as the Midlands giants claimed their first three points of Group E.

How did Aston Villa play against Zrinjski?

It was a first half inspired by the electrifying energy of Nicolo Zaniolo, who was lauded as “dangerous” by journalist Tom Cowley in an affair that almost saw him clinch his first Villa goal with an audacious overhead kick attempt.

The opening 45 minutes was challenging for the hosts as they struggled to break down Zrinjski, who were superbly organised at the back and absorbed pressure to the frustration of Emery’s side.

A stalemate at the interval caused the Spaniard to make a decisive triple change, bringing on Douglas Luiz, Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash in the bid to fire the rotated squad towards victory.

Villa applied the pressure in continuous waves, which failed to fully break due to the solidity of Krunoslav Rendulic’s inspired squad and charged up goalkeeper Marko Maric who was almost unbeatable between the posts.

From an overturned penalty call in the 55th minute to a clashing of personalities around the hour mark, tensions began to rise within Villa Park, as the hosts were denied time after time by the Bosnians.

While it was McGinn who ultimately snatched the win in the 94th minute, the game was arguably altered at half-time, however, as Emery’s inspired substitutions proved critical to the outcome of the showdown.

How good was Matty Cash against Zrinjski?

Hailed by journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray as a figure that “changed the game” when he was introduced, Cash was formidable down the right flank, and was responsible for crafting the goal for McGinn to finish sublimely.

The Poland international maintained a passing accuracy rate of 95% during the 45 minutes he played, becoming a highly influential part of proceedings with 34 touches and constantly bringing energy to the right channel, via Sofascore.

Recording three key passes and one match-winning assist, the defender was dubbed “outstanding” by podcaster and writer Dan Clarke, echoed by him earning a Sofascore match rating of 7.0 for his second-half cameo.

Aside from being booked for arguing over a heated duel, Cash’s task on the pitch was to inspire and support the attack, which he did expertly as his defensive duties were almost disbanded due to the trajectory of the game.

The most integral part of the night was that Villa got off the mark in the competition, in what is a highly competitive group scenario with all sides now having suffered both defeat and loss after the opening two games.

Up next for the Villans are rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, with all the hope there for Cash to deliver a performance as electrifying as last night’s was.

Newcastle United have entered discussions regarding an improved deal for yet another one of their first-team stars, and he’s not the only one set to extend his stay in the Premier League.

Who has just signed deals for Newcastle?

At St. James’ Park, Callum Wilson has already put pen to paper on a one-year extension meaning that he will remain in the northeast until at least 2025, and he is expected to be followed by Bruno Guimaraes, who has reportedly agreed terms to commit himself to the club.

In addition, Joelinton is another player who PIF and Eddie Howe are opening talks with about keeping him in black and white stripes, as the same outlet have claimed that he is very happy in his current situation, suggesting that there should be no problem in the two parties reaching an agreement.

One of the Magpies’ longest-serving stars is Sean Longstaff, who has been with the club since his childhood days having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first-team in 2019 where he’s made a total of 143 senior appearances to date.

Despite still having another two years remaining on his contract, Tyneside chiefs appear to want to secure the services of the central midfielder for the foreseeable future, and if the following update is to be believed, they have already taken the first step towards doing exactly that.

Is Sean Longstaff signing a new contract at Newcastle?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are also “in talks” with Longstaff about signing an improved deal, alongside their Brazilian duo.

Howe is reportedly “keen to keep the spine” of his current squad to ensure that their success of last season can continue to progress in the future, and the 25-year-old has therefore been identified as a “key” player in that project.

How much does Sean Longstaff earn a year?

At Newcastle, Longstaff currently pockets £50k-per-week which he has more than earned for the constant hard work and effort he’s put in over the course of the career, so should he put pen to paper on fresh terms in the near future, it would be a huge boost for Howe.

The Gol International client already has two goal contributions (one goal and one assist) to his name in six top-flight outings so far this season, and he’s constantly a threat in the final third, where he ranks in the 90th percentile for touches in the opposition’s penalty area.

Furthermore, the academy graduate is a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions since the start of his career, including four roles in the midfield and even as a second striker, so his ability to easily adapt to the manager’s demands makes him a great option to have in the building.

Longstaff has been hailed an “excellent” player by Howe himself, so the fact that the boss has gone out of his way to publicly share his admiration for the player just shows how appreciated he is, no doubt as well by his fellow teammates and supporters at St. James’ Park.

Brighton & Hove Albion host Bournemouth this weekend and it's something of a unique Premier League fixture. After all, how many top-flight fixtures do you get these days where they've mainly met in the third tier?

That's the case here, though. Brighton and Bournemouth have undergone transformations over the last decade, rapidly climbing up the leagues and meeting one another along the way.

They met in League One as recently as 2011. Now they're ready for meeting number nine at the Premier League level.

So as they prepare for that, we at Football FanCast have had a little look into the history books to see what you can expect. Here's everything you need to know about Brighton vs Bournemouth.

Brighton vs Bournemouth: What's their head-to-head record?

While this is a relatively new Premier League fixture, the two clubs do have a history that dates a little way back. Only to 1988, mind, but there's at least something to look at here.

That first meeting as an FA Cup clash that saw Brighton run out 2-0 winners. They'd meet in the league for the first time the following season – in the old Division Two. Eight games came in what's now the Championship before the pair crossed paths in League One back in 2001.

That's the division where they've played most of their fixtures, 10 in total, so it's up to you whether you count them as particularly relevant ahead of the weekend's game.

By 2017, though, both were Premier League sides and that's where the really relevant stuff comes in. But these are two clubs who have competed five domestic competitions – and 30 times in total.

Their record is very even, too, with Brighton picking up 11 wins and Bournemouth 13. That leaves six draws, of course.

Brighton wins

11

Draws

6

Bournemouth wins

13

Brighton vs Bournemouth: What's their record at Brighton?

Brighton have only actually won 50% of their home games against Bournemouth – 7 of 14. Bournemouth have picked up three wins there in response.

Historically, then, you're just as likely to see Brighton drop points at home to Bournemouth as you are to see them win. That's not the case for the Cherries' home fixtures (which we'll get to in a minute).

The goal tally is surprisingly even, too. Brighton's 22 sees 19 Bournemouth goals in reply, which is as narrow as it gets over 14 games. Neither side really gets close to averaging two there but both comfortably push past one.

Brighton wins

7

Draws

4

Bournemouth wins

3

Brighton vs Bournemouth: What's their record at Bournemouth?

As we mentioned, Bournemouth tend to do a little better as the home side. They've played two games more in this fixture at home, thanks to cup ties, with 16 in total.

And they've won 10 of those. It means that historically – and unlike Brighton – you are more likely to see the Cherries win this one at home than for the Seagulls to get anything.

Brighton do have more wins as the away side, however. They've got four, albeit having played as the away side more often. It leaves only two draws – this one nearly always provides a positive result for someone.

Brighton wins

4

Draws

2

Bournemouth wins

10

Brighton vs Bournemouth: What's their Premier League record?

The entire top-flight history of this fixture has come under the Premier League banner and all have been since 2017. It's a relatively new one, then, certainly by the standards of some that date back to the late 1800s.

Instead, the history here is all just about relevant. Both clubs have players who have been around since that first meeting, even if the fortunes of both have changed.

Brighton, of course, have consistently progressed since 2017. They're now competing up in the European places, having just beaten Manchester United with style. Bournemouth, in contrast, are attempting to consolidate their place in the league after promotion in 2022.

What's quite surprising here, then, is that despite Brighton's rise and Bournemouth's fall, it's the Cherries who boast the better Premier League record. In eight meetings, they've won four to the Seagulls' three.

They've also scored a lot more goals – 14 to Brighton's nine. It means while Bournemouth are close to averaging two goals per game here, their opponents barely average one.

Brighton wins

3

Draws

1

Bournemouth wins

4

Brighton vs Bournemouth: What's the biggest win margin?

Once again, it's Bournemouth who come out on top here. They hold the record win in this fixture and it's still relatively fresh in the memory, too.

It happened in 2019 and, quite remarkably, was at Brighton. They traveled up there that April and absolutely smashed the hosts, winning 5-0.

And as is always nice, they did it with five different scorers. Dan Gosling, Ryan Fraser, David Brooks, Callum Wilson and Junior Stanislas all found the net in an emphatic win.

Brighton vs Bournemouth: What are the recent results?

Bournemouth's promotion in 2022 means only two results are really relevant here and that's last season's. Those certainly give us an idea of how these two teams match up – though, even then, Bournemouth have changed manager since then.

But these two met twice last season and Brighton came out on top both times. In fact, they didn't even concede a goal to Bournemouth.

The first was in February earlier this year and an 87th Kaoru Mitoma goal settled things at 1-0. They met at Bournemouth two months later and, once again, Brighton picked up a win. Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso both scored in a 2-0.

Including further fixtures means going back to the 2019/20 campaign – one where these two were slightly different sides. They split the points that time out, with both teams winning by two goals at home (Brighton 2-0, Bournemouth 3-1).

Brighton vs Bournemouth: How have they started the season?

Brighton have gone into this campaign with some big question marks on them. Alexis Mac Allister and Moisés Caicedo – key players from last year's charge into the European places – both left the club. Rebounding from that was never going to be easy.

But five games in, they have done. Brighton have beaten Luton Town 4-1, Bournemouth 4-1, Newcastle United 3-1 and Manchester United 3-1. The only blip was a disastrous performance against West Ham that saw the Seagulls lose 3-1.

They're conceding goals at a rate they won't like, of course – zero clean sheets. But Brighton appear to be a force once again this season. Three points off the top of the Premier League and the competition's top scorers after five games. Can't ask for more.

Bournemouth have come into this season differently, of course. They're looking to consolidate a place in the league under a new manager. Exactly how well they've started isn't clear.

They're yet to actually win a game – one of five teams to fail in that regard. Losing 3-1 to 10-man Liverpool was a blow, too, especially after taking the lead. However, a 2-0 defeat against Tottenham just is what it is.

Those are the only defeats and Bournemouth have drawn three times already. That's the joint-most, alongside Brentford, and it does suggest the Cherries just need a little more luck for things to look quite rosy.

Brighton vs Bournemouth: Who are the favourites?

Brighton will go into this one as favourites, certainly, given their current standing. There's a sense that they'll firmly compete for the European places this season, while Bournemouth will hope to finish a solid 13th or 14th.

But there is one factor here that must be accounted for – Brighton in Europe. They've never played in European competition before and will debut in the Europa League on Thursday. Exactly how their squad handles Thursday-Sunday football is anyone's guess – but it's a fixture list that can spring up some surprising results.

If Brighton don't handle the extra game well, then Bournemouth will fancy their chances of getting something. Possibly even their first Premier League win of the season.

Brighton vs Bournemouth: When is it?

Brighton host Bournemouth at 14:00 UK time on Sunday, September 24th. It'll be each side's sixth game of the Premier League season and one where a win would mean a lot for both teams.

Brighton will want to recover quickly from their European debut on Thursday. Beating Bournemouth will set them up with confidence that they can handle the extra football for the rest of the season. On the other hand, losing or drawing could cause a bit of a mental block – they certainly wouldn't be the first team to suffer from that.

Bournemouth don't have too much to lose. Few expect them to get a result and even just a point would feel very positive. They are still searching for their first win of the season, however, and could really do with that streak ending quickly. Sunday would be perfect.

This should be an interesting one, then. Either way, one of these two teams is making a little bit of a statement.

Two more editions of the burgeoning Women’s Big Bash League will help build anticipation for a standalone Women’s World Twenty20 tournament in 2020, with a showpiece final expected to draw the largest crowd for a women’s cricket fixture.That’s the view of Australia’s captain Meg Lanning, who was visibly enthused by the concept of the World T20 standing apart from the men’s event as a forerunner to further growth for the women’s game. The dual women’s and men’s tournaments were launched in Melbourne on Tuesday with Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney announced as host cities: both finals, the women’s on March 8 – also International Women’s Day – and the men’s on November 15, will be held at the MCG.In scheduling the women’s final at Australia’s biggest venue, organisers are hopeful of topping the record for a women’s cricket match – the estimated 70,000 who turned up to Eden Gardens in Kolkata for the 1997 50-over World Cup final won by Australia. The biggest attendance for a women’s sporting fixture of any kind was set in 1999, when 90,185 witnessed the women’s football World Cup final between the USA and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The overall attendance for that event was 1,194,215 – an average of 37,319 per match.Among other venues, the SCG will host both women’s semi-finals and one of the men’s semis, with the other to be held at Adelaide Oval. Perth’s new stadium has also been awarded matches. “I think it shows how far it’s come,” Lanning said of the standalone event, which will follow this year’s event in the Caribbean. “The support for the women’s game’s been great throughout the Ashes and been building over time and that’s not just cricket, it’s sport in general. To show that we want to play a final here at the MCG and fill it out, I think, it just shows where it’s headed.”For it to be a home World Cup I think that’s a very special moment as a player and we saw how successful the one in 2015 was here with the men’s, so the fact it’s a standalone tournament for the women and the final’s going to be here at the MCG on International Women’s Day, that’s certainly something we want to be a part of.”Cricket Australia has worked assiduously on the WBBL over the past two years, gaining greater television traction than first expected, and there are longer-term plans to move the tournament into its own October slot in the calendar rather than running concurrently with the men’s BBL as is currently the case. Fixtures for the WBBL semi-finals, in which first and second-placed Sydney teams will have to travel to play in Adelaide and Perth against lower-ranked opponents due to the matches being held as double-headers with the men’s playoffs, has highlighted the difficulties of running the vents side by side.”At the start of the year everyone knew the finals would be held where the men’s were and it’s a difficult one, I don’t think everyone’s going to win out of it,” Lanning said. “The fact you’ve got two of the same teams playing in the same state I think it makes a lot of sense to have them as true double-headers and I think that’ll help really build excitement and hopefully the crowds are bigger as well. WBBL is about the fans’ experience and hoping to bring new fans to the game … it’s probably not ideal for the Sydney teams but we knew that at the start of the year.”I think it’s something we could look at. I think we saw through the Ashes with that standalone series that it created a lot of interest and the crowds were really good, so it’s definitely something we can look to, especially with this T20 tournament being standalone it makes a lot of sense.”Australia currently hold neither 50-over or T20 crowns in the women’s game, while the men’s team have long been one of the shortest formats strugglers. This was acknowledged by the captain Steven Smith, who also admitted he could not say for sure whether or not he would be leading Australia at the 2020 event.”Who knows? A couple of years away obviously. I’d like to be,” Smith said. “I think playing in a World Cup here in 2015 it was incredibly special to be a part of, so I’d love to be a part of the World T20 and captain that side, but it is a couple years away.”[We need] the right balance of players and the right way to play the game. A lot of strategy has come into T20 cricket now and the right match-ups with the right guys bowling to the right batters and things like that. There’ll be a lot of strategy around it and I think the right personnel to get the job done.”

Southampton have endured a long summer of outgoing transfer business as Russell Martin’s squad has been picked apart throughout the window.

Who has left Southampton this summer?

The Saints have decided to cash in on a number of their players; including Romeo Lavia, Ibrahima Diallo, Tino Livramento, James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Salisu, and Mislav Orsic.

Centre-back Duje Caleta-Car has also been allowed to leave on loan, whilst Theo Walcott, Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Willy Caballero have all departed on free transfers.

Martin could now dip into the market before next week’s deadline in order to bolster his side, and the Scottish head coach has recently been linked with a swoop for West Ham United full-back Ben Johnson.

How good is Ben Johnson?

The 23-year-old dynamo is a versatile and promising young defender who could instantly replace Livramento at St. Mary’s Stadium, after his move to Newcastle United earlier this month.

Johnson is a right-back by trade but has played at least 13 career games as a centre-back, left-back, and right-midfielder to date, which shows that Martin could utilise him in a variety of ways.

Kyle Walker-Peters is the current first-choice right-back but the Hammers youngster could come in to put pressure on the former Tottenham Hotspur ace, which would provide healthy competition for places, or replace him outright as he has also been linked with a surprise move to Arsenal.

Last season, Johnson, who was once described as "immense" by former West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand, caught the eye with his Europa Conference League performances.

The £33k-per-week titan averaged an impressive Sofascore rating of 7.15 across six appearances in the competition as he made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and won 64% of his duels.

He only started nine top-flight matches last season. However, the talented youngster did average a Sofascore rating of 6.89 over 16 starts throughout the previous campaign.

Livramento, on the other hand, did not start a single Premier League match for Southampton last term but did average a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 25 top-flight starts during the 2021/22 campaign.

Walker-Peters, meanwhile, started 30 league matches last season and averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.59.

The ex-Spurs graduate made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match but only won 52% of his individual battles, which suggests that Johnson could offer more quality in terms of the average standard of his performances as well as his physical strength.

Walker-Peters has averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.37 across three Championship matches for Southampton so far this season, which is the seventh-best score within the squad.

This shows that the drop down to the second division has allowed the 26-year-old talent to thrive.

Now, imagine what Johnson could do with the same opportunity after his impressive Premier League and Europa Conference League displays in comparison to Walker-Peters' outings at the top level in recent years.

The Hammers ace could excel at a lower standard of football and be an excellent option for Martin at the back with his ability to consistently win possession back for the side efficiently, using his strength.

This is why he could be an excellent loan signing for the Saints to finally replace Livramento and provide Walker-Peters with competition before the deadline.

Shane Warne was critical of Australia’s selectors for the decision to recall Tim Paine, but former gloveman Ian Healy said that Paine “won’t let Australia down”

Adam Collins17-Nov-2017In response to a trio of shock Ashes selections from Australia, former legspinner Shane Warne has declared that England are in prime position heading into the first Test, which starts from November 23 at the Gabba. Australia picked Tim Paine, Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft in a 13-member squad for the first two Tests, leaving out Matthew Wade, Matt Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell.”Australia looks confused,” Warne said at the ‘s season launch in Sydney. “They’re picking wicketkeepers [Paine] that aren’t even keeping for their state. To me, I think England are in a better situation going into that first Test than Australia are.”Despite the loss of Steven Finn to injury and Ben Stokes’ unavailability before they had even boarded the plane, England are “going along just nicely”, according to Warne. The most important thing for the visitors, Warne believes, is a change in English attitudes from the seven successful Ashes campaigns he played in from 1993 to 2007.”They don’t fear Australia anymore,” he said. “[They] haven’t for a long time and hence that’s why they can beat Australia.”Discussing the Test selection with ESPNcricinfo, former captain Mark Taylor praised Trevor Hohns’ panel for making a “really tough decision” by dropping a badly out of form Renshaw.”They have come out and said that an Ashes series isn’t the place to find form and that’s probably a fair point,” he said. “They have been saying for a while that they wanted to pick guys who were in form at the start of the series and Cameron Bancroft has been.”Taylor’s then vice-captain and now television colleague, Ian Healy, was equally supportive of the decision to leave out the 21-year-old after ten Tests, in which he averages nearly 37. That was before Renshaw endured a horror run in the three recent Sheffield Shield rounds, tallying 70 runs for Queensland in six innings and never making it past 20.”The Australian cricket team is not a club side, it is a representative side,” Healy told ESPNcricinfo. “You need to earn your spot to get in and stay in it. He hasn’t coped well this summer.”The former wicketkeeper has also backed the decision to leave out Matthew Wade in favour of Paine, who had not so much as kept for his state, Tasmania, in the domestic season so far.”He [Paine] is very consistent, his technique is good so he should be able to cope with the pressure of being catapulted into this Ashes series,” Healy said.Healy also backed Paine’s glovework, saying it is comparable to Peter Nevill, the man he beat for the Test nod: “He will do the job and he won’t let Australia down.”Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

Turning to the decision to give Shaun Marsh a middle-order reprieve, Taylor argued the call was justified on the basis of Marsh’s time as an opener. Marsh had lost his Cricket Australia contract, following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March, where he scored 151 runs in eight innings in India at an average of 18.87.”Someone with Shaun Marsh’s experience at the top of the order coming in at six could be handy if and when England take a second new ball,” he said. “That’s why I think he’s been given the spot.”Casting an eye to England’s own batting line-up, another former captain, Ian Chappell, praised both Joe Root and Mark Stoneman. The latter, he thinks, is ripe for Ashes runs. Stoneman has shown good form in the tour matches, with fifty-plus scores in each of his four innings so far, including a century in the ongoing match against the Cricket Australia XI in Townsville.”Stoneman is a very good player,” Chappell said. “It won’t surprise me if he makes more runs in the series than Alastair Cook. He is a good player and I can’t believe England have taken so long to pick him as an opener when they have had so many false starts since Andrew Strauss’ retirement.”He advocated both Steven Smith and Root going up the order to No. 3 in this series – in classic Chappell style. “You are better off coming in at one-for-shit rather than two-for-shit,” he said. “That would be my approach. But neither of them wants to.”Chappell’s forecast for the series is that it will come down to pace. Specifically, whether Australia can consistently field a fit Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins combination.”In Australia if you are struggling for wickets you can always resort to a bit of short-pitched stuff and that is more easily done with genuine pace,” Chappell said. “England has a good attack but I am just not sure how they will go if the Kookaburra isn’t doing much. It is the extra pace of Starc and Cummins that I am basing Australia’s superiority on. If one or the other were to be injured, that would change the dynamics quite a bit.”Rounding out the contributions of the former Australian captains was the man who led the whitewash four years ago, Michael Clarke, who is watching for David Warner.”Warner is a key [player],” he said. “I know he’s changed his attitude and approach and softened since, as Davey says, he’s married Candice and had kids. But I think his attitude is the key to Australia’s intent. When he walks out and bats with that intent, he always has success.”

Leeds United have been strongly linked with a move for Nathaniel Phillips this summer, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Nat Phillips?

According to LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross, the Yorkshire giants remain interested in signing the Liverpool centre-back this summer.

As per the report, the journalist claims that although the noise around Phillips' move has fallen quiet, the Whites had made enquiries about the defender earlier in the summer and remain interested in securing his signature.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Will Leeds sign Nat Phillips?

There is no doubt that Daniel Farke is still in desperate need of reinforcements this summer, considering the number of outgoings already confirmed whilst the future is not promised for many others at Elland Road.

Several first-team regulars have left the club following relegation from the Premier League last season including Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Brendan Aaronson, Marc Roca, whilst more recently, Maximilian Wober completed a season-long loan move to the Bundesliga via Borussia Mönchengladbach.

As a result, Farke desperately needs to bolster the defensive depth, quality and experience in the Leeds squad to ensure they have the best chance of competing for automatic promotion in the Championship next season, something Phillips could help the side achieve if he makes the move this month.

Despite struggling to gain consistent first-team football over his career at Liverpool due to huge competition in the centre-back position with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate occupying the starting spots, Phillips became a cult hero during a huge injury crisis at Anfield back in the 2020/21 season.

Over 17 Premier League appearances, the 26-year-old titan scored one goal, delivered one assist, successfully completed 100% of his dribbles and won 61% of his ground and aerial duels combined, as well as keeping seven clean sheets to help Liverpool secure Champions League qualification in the final fixtures of the season.

His successful breakthrough for the Reds led to huge praise from many including ex-Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp who waxed lyrical about the defender in 2021 after he scored a goal against Burnley:

"The second goal really helps and Nat Phillips has had an unbelievable time, he's full of confidence. He's a throwback defender. He wants to make blocks, he wants to make tackles, he's got great anticipation."

Since then, the Bolton-born colossus has been rarely seen at Anfield but was given the opportunity to play regularly and gain more first-team minutes whilst on a six-month loan in the Championship with AFC Bournemouth during their promotion challenge of 2022, so such experience would be massively advantageous in the Leeds squad next season.

Phillips – who has a reported price tag of just £10m – tallied up an 82% pass completion rate, kept eight clean sheets, successfully completed 50% of his dribbles and won 65% of his duels combined over 17 appearances in the second tier, contributing massively to the South coast club's final push for automatic promotion success.

With that being said, the opportunity to sign Phillips should not be missed for Farke this summer, as his strong presence, consistency and domination in the defensive third would help Leeds achieve their dreams of instant promotion back to the Premier League.

In his letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, Lalit Modi wrote of his decision to resign as president of the Nagaur District Association and urged the national board to release the funds due to the RCA

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2017

Ahead of the 2017-18 domestic season, Lalit Modi’s exit has offered a glimmer of hope to the RCA•Getty Images

Lalit Modi, the former IPL commissioner, has announced his decision to quit all cricket administration “for now”, and has stepped aside from the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) by resigning as president of the Nagaur District Association.In his letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, Modi wrote that the system was bigger than the individual and requested the board to release the funds due to the RCA. Modi, 53, was expelled from the BCCI in 2013 and has been in exile owing to money laundering charges by the Enforcement Directorate of India.The RCA, on the other hand, has remained suspended by the BCCI since the election of Modi as the state body’s president in 2014. The board had warned that the RCA’s suspension would continue until Modi was removed from the post and also from the primary bodies of the state association. The suspension meant that RCA could no longer access BCCI’s funds. Cricket in the state suffered subsequently, with an ad-hoc committee of the BCCI running the show.However, while Modi continued to head the Nagaur District Association, his son, Ruchir Modi, contested and lost the elections for the RCA’s presidency to veteran politician CP Joshi. Eventually, Modi decided that it was time to move on and posted a copy of his letter on Twitter, late on August 11.”As I hand over the baton, I want to thank everyone in my team over the past two decades at Rajasthan and the BCCI,” Modi wrote in his letter to Johri. “We had some great times sculpting and putting together the future of Indian cricket. Now that the future is here, let’s hope BCCI and RCA set higher goals. But for Rajasthan to aim higher, we need funds from the BCCI which is our rightful share.”I have done my part for the betterment of Rajasthan cricket, and now it is your turn to honor your part of the promise. I repose my faith in you and the BCCI to do the right thing. I would, therefore, request you to release the funds due to RCA as soon as possible. I believe it was blocked precisely because of my presence. With my exit from all forms of cricket, at all levels, for ever, I think RCA deserves to reclaim their share and presence on the Indian cricket map. I hope the BCCI under your stewardship lives up to that promise.”Ahead of the 2017-18 domestic season, Modi’s exit has offered a glimmer of hope to the RCA, which seeks a return to the mainstream. While a BCCI official agreed that “it paves the way for it”, he said that there was a process in place that needed to be adhered to. “First, all the things for the revocation of suspension are to be done,” he told ESPNcricinfo.

Aston Villa are not looking to slow their pursuit of Nottingham Forest ace Brennan Johnson, with details emerging of a potential swoop for the promising speedster.

Unai Emery’s interest in the 22-year-old stems back as early as May, with FootballTransfers adding the Villans as one of the clubs eyeing the Welshman.

What is Brennan Johnson’s market value?

Valued by FootballTransfers at €36.7m (£31.4m), Villa’s long-standing pursuit of the forward could come to an end this summer.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Villa have held 'conversations' regarding a move for the youngster, with the piece suggesting that Forest may reluctantly accept an offer in the region of £40m in order to ease Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.

The initial report from FootballTransfers in May told of the Reds’ refusal of offers for Johnson, however the tides may turn as we delve into this window.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

Hailed as “unbelievable” by Wales coach Robert Page, via Wales Online, the 22-year-old has been a standout figure in Steve Cooper's side since their promotion to the Premier League in 2022.

In his first season in the top tier, the Welshman contributed to 11 goals in 38 appearances, scoring eight and assisting three as a versatile gem at the City Ground.

Forest value their forward highly, shown by him appearing in every Premier League game last term, as well as making 46 Championship appearances the year prior.

In the second division, Johnson managed to net 16 goals and assist nine times in the 2021/22 campaign, showing just how deadly he can be if equipped in a bright side.

Under Emery, the youngster could come to life and hit higher levels in the Premier League, in a side that has progressed massively since the Spaniard’s arrival in the Midlands.

One player that has elevated his performance and reaped the benefits since the 51-year-old’s appointment has been Jacob Ramsey, who could be a shining light for Johnson to play alongside.

The Englishman will miss the start of the season after suffering a broken metatarsal at the U21 European Championships, which is said to leave him sidelined for 10 weeks, however his return could be made brighter should the Villans capture Johnson’s signature.

Deployed in midfield, the Villa man highlighted his strengths going forward last season, scoring six goals and assisting seven in the Premier League.

As per FBref, the 22-year-old flexed his creative ability in the final third in recording an average of 1.43 key passes per 90, showing his playmaking capabilities in midfield.

The Birmingham-born ace could see his intricate vision and passing strengths pay off with the introduction of Johnson, who proved to be a livewire in attack last term.

Ranked as hitting the second-highest top speed in the league last season at 36.70 km/h, via OptaJoe, the Welshman is a lot for defenders to handle and could be a valuable asset for Ramsey to aim for going forward.

Lauded as a “great finisher” by Cooper, Villa could unleash a new level to the 22-year-old, just by integrating him into a more fluid, attacking side than what’s on show at the City Ground.

Emery could complete a strong deal in securing the signature of the Forest academy graduate,