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Leeds United are still ‘pushing’ to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien, according to talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on signing O’Brien

The Whites have had a relatively serene summer in the transfer market, with Junior Firpo the most notable addition given the prestige of Barcelona.

Someone who has been continually linked with joining Leeds is O’Brien, however, with Crystal Palace also thought to be interested.

The 22-year-old started 39 Championship games last season and is a key figure for the Terriers.

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The Latest: Pundit makes fresh claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor, a regular on talkSPORT, claimed Leeds are trying to get a deal for O’Brien over the line, adding that he will want to go there:

“He’s pushing to join Leeds. Yorkshire lads don’t want to leave Yorkshire. I didn’t want to leave Birmingham to go to London.

“He will want to stay in the area. It’s a big move for him and it makes sense.

“Bielsa likes his versatile players, just look at Stuart Dallas. O’Brien is like that, he can play everywhere.”

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The Verdict: Good squad addition

Given his lack of experience at the top level, it is unlikely that O’Brien would come in as an immediate starter for Leeds, but he is a midfielder with obvious long-term potential, averaging two tackles per game in the league last season.

Last weekend’s 5-1 thrashing away to Manchester United highlighted the need for midfield depth, with Robin Koch struggling badly in the middle of the park.

Marcelo Bielsa must have seen something in O’Brien to keep trying to sign him – it’s hard to argue against the Leeds boss, considering the success he has enjoyed at Elland Road.

In other news, one Leeds deal is reportedly unlikely to come to fruition this summer. Read more here.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced an umpiring-exchange programme whereby an official from the Caribbean will be employed for England’s first-class season next year

Cricinfo staff05-Nov-2008The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced an umpiring-exchange programme whereby an official from the Caribbean will be employed for England’s first-class season next year. In addition, an English umpire will officiate in the Caribbean’s forthcoming season.The proposal, suggested by Tony Howard, WICB’s chief cricket operations officer, is intended to aid Caribbean officials who “were at a disadvantage when it comes to international appointments because of a lack of exposure and experience”. The idea, presented to the ICC at their annual meeting in Dubai last month, has been accepted and welcomed.”We see this as an excellent opportunity to promote cricket umpiring as a career in the Caribbean,” Howard told the board’s website.The exchange programme will be an on-going exercise and the WICB is exploring further opportunities with Australia and Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to reinstate fast bowler Lasith Malinga’s central contract

Sa'adi Thawfeeq29-Oct-2008Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to reinstate fast bowler Lasith Malinga’s central contract. Malinga was earlier not handed the contract on the excuse that he had not represented his country for a sufficient period of time due to a knee injury which ruled him out for eight months. The decision was taken by the interim committee on Tuesday.Duleep Mendis, SLC’s chief executive, said Malinga would be given his contract from the period it was handed to the other contracted players and that he would receive the back payments as well.A media release from Austin Management stated Malinga hopes to regain full fitness and return to first-class cricket soon having recovered from the injury.”I am now pain-free and working really hard on my physical rehabilitation with the help of the Sri Lanka Cricket physiotherapists,” Malinga said. “I am really looking forward to bowling again and want to regain my place in the Sri Lankan team as soon as possible.”Malinga sustained the injury during the CB Series in Australia in February.

Southampton have been linked with a move for OGC Nice defender Flavius Daniliuc recently and the Austrian could be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, both Southampton and West Ham are interested in signing the Austria U21 captain this summer, with Nice reportedly willing to let him leave.

The centre-back, who has previously spent time with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, enjoyed a fine debut season in senior football with Nice last season, which has seemingly attracted the interest of the Saints.

Would Daniliuc be a good signing for Southampton?

The 20-year-old made 23 appearances in Ligue 1 last season for Nice, averaging a 6.40 rating from WhoScored for his performances, although eight of his appearances in the French top-flight came from the bench.

He could prove to be an excellent option for the future at Southampton and could work well under the coaching of fellow countryman Hasenhuttl, who suggested earlier this week that he was targeting another centre-back in the transfer window.

Considering Daniliuc is currently rated at £5.4m by Transfermarkt, he would arguably fit into two of Southampton’s key areas when targeting players so far this summer, in that he is young and would likely cost under £10m.

The youngster has also featured in every position across the defence, which suggests that he could provide excellent back-up at both centre-back and full-back, which is an area the Saints arguably need to strengthen in, as they currently have just Romain Perraud as a natural left-back in their squad.

It could definitely be argued that Hasenhuttl needs a versatile defender such as Daniliuc in his squad for next season, if he wants to strengthen a defence that shipped the second-most goals in the Premier League last season.

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Therefore, Martin Semmens should definitely consider bringing in the Austrian youngster this summer, as he could prove to be a very shrewd acquisition for the future.

And, in other news… Imagine him and JWP: Semmens should seal Saints deal for beast who “always performs”

Cricinfo has learned that the Zimbabwe squad will leave Harare on Tuesday afternoon for Toronto on a British Airways flight via Johannesburg and London

Cricinfo staff07-Oct-2008Cricinfo has learned that the Zimbabwe squad will leave Harare on Tuesday afternoon for Toronto on a British Airways flight via Johannesburg and London. They will arrive in Canada after a 30-hour journey on Wednesday afternoon, giving them less than two days to acclimatise before their first match at 9.30am on Friday.There had been reports that the side were having issues obtaining visas to enter Canada, but it appears that this was not an issue as Zimbabwe Cricket had submitted applications for all those likely to be named in the squad in good time.It will be a brief visit, however, as next Monday (October 13) the squad heads to Nairobi for the start of the one-day tri-series there on the following Friday.The booking arrangements suggest that Zimbabwe are not overly confident of making the final of the four-nation T20 Canada 2008 event. That match starts at 1.30pm on Monday and if it runs its distance will finish at around 5pm. Even if they skip the post-match ceremonies, they will have 55 minutes to get to the airport in time for their 7.55pm return flight.One certainty is that Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, Peter Chingoka, won’t be accompanying the team through London as he is banned from entering the UK as a result of sanctions imposed on those linked to Mugabe regime.

Ends speculation about playing for Rajasthan in the coming domestic season

Cricinfo staff04-Aug-2008
Manoj Tiwary: ‘I should try my best to guide the team back to the Super League’ © Cricinfo Ltd
Bengal top-order batsman Manoj Tiwary has confirmed that he will not switch states for the 2008-09 domestic season. Tiwary, who has played for Bengal since his Ranji Trophy debut in 2004-05, was believed to be heading for Rajasthan after his side was relegated to the Plate League following last season’s poor performance.Tiwary met the newly-elected Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya at the CAB club house on Sunday to convey his decision. He said although Rajasthan gave him a very good offer, his “conscience” did not allow him to leave the team reeling in such a sorry state.”I learnt to play cricket here and was picked for the national team while playing for Bengal. I feel I have some moral responsibility towards the state,” Tiwary told PTI. “Being a member of the Bengal team, which performed poorly last year, I feel I should try my best to guide the team back to the Super League”.He said his chances of being selected for the Indian team would not diminish because of the decision to play in the Plate League. “I don’t think so. If players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni or S Sreesanth could come up then why won’t I be able to do the same? My aim is to perform consistently,” he said.Tiwary played for the Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League and helped his team reach the semi-finals. At 21, he led Bengal to a Cooch Behar Trophy triumph and was asked to captain Bengal in the Twenty20 championships, despite the presence of Deep Dasgupta and Sourav Ganguly. He was drafted into the one-day squad for India’s tour to Bangladesh in 2007 and made his debut in Australia in February 2008.

Another source has named Everton as a possible destination for Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet this summer. 

Spanish media outlet Sport claimed (via Sport Witness) that the Toffees are in the frame for the Frenchman’s signature.

The lowdown

Transfer journalist Ekrem Konur reported earlier in July that Everton and West Ham were ‘in talks’ over a loan deal for the defender.

Lenglet started 29 La Liga matches for Barcelona last season, averaging 1.8 successful aerial duels, two clearances, 1.1 tackles and one interception per match (via WhoScored).

Perhaps the 26-year-old’s biggest strength is his passing. In 2020/21, he completed 69.7 passes per game at an accuracy of 92.1%. For context, that beats every Everton player who started a Premier League game last season.

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has been asked about the criticism Lenglet has received and urged him not to take it ‘too personally’. The Dutchman insists that the Frenchman is a ‘very serious-minded player’ and an ‘excellent professional’.

The latest

Sport identified Everton and West Ham as prospective suitors but added that Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma are also in the frame [via Sport Witness].

Regarding the type of deal which would be struck, it’s said that ‘everything is open’. Lenglet could leave the Camp Nou permanently or just on loan.

The player’s preference is to stay put in Catalunya, but if he were to leave, he would favour the Premier League.

The verdict

Everton ought to avoid this deal. They are right to look for a top centre-back who could improve their defence, but despite his impressing passing metrics, Lenglet doesn’t fit that bill. Instead, he could probably benefit from playing alongside one.

The 26-year-old’s seasonal WhoScored rating of 6.59 for 2020/21 was inferior to Everton defenders Michael Keane, Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate, so it’s difficult to feel that the Barcelona man would be an upgrade on what Rafael Benitez already has at Finch Farm.

The strategy of the Toffees recruiting players who have failed to convince at the biggest clubs can be hit and miss. For every assists king like Lucas Digne, there’s been an inconsistent Andre Gomes.

But why take the risk? Kalidou Koulibaly could be available for around £35m, and that looks a far more sensible solution, albeit a short-term one. Everton may have to sell players first, but that’s what may be needed if they are to bring in the targets who would genuinely strengthen their playing personnel.

In other news, these Everton fans fumed as a midfield target emerged.

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa could find his next Patrick Bamford in Sassuolo star Jeremie Boga.

What’s the story?

Now, The Daily Mail claim that Bielsa’s side have shown an interest in signing the Ivory Coast international, who was previously on the books at Chelsea in his earlier years.

The report adds that Serie A side Atalanta have made an offer for the now 24-year-old, while the likes of Everton and Crystal Palace are also said to be keen as they bid to lure him to the Premier League this summer.

Leeds’ new Bamford

Came through the Chelsea youth system, but didn’t get a real chance with the first-team? Sound familiar? Bamford of course toiled away at Stamford Bridge without really breaking through, and in the end, it was Leeds, and Bielsa in particular, who turned him into the fine Premier League striker that he is now.

The £18m-rated Boga has followed a similar path to the striker, spending time his in west London with the U23s or having to make do with loans elsewhere – in fact, the the forward played 60 times for Chelsea’s various youth sides, and made one senior outing that only lasted 18 minutes.

Since his permanent move to Serie A side Sassuolo however, the Ivorian has begun to show signs of his promise, and Bielsa will back himself to work his magic just like he did with Bamford.

The natural ability is there after all, with his former coach at Chelsea, Michael Beale, saying: “The most unique talent and I’m talking in a window of being 13/14 and he just beat the other team possibly on his own is a young boy called Jeremie Boga.

“He just beat teams on his own, such a lovely boy. I thought wow, this boy is a supreme talent. he can stop and go and over three or four yards, he can just drift past you.”

As per Whoscored, Boga averaged an impressive 3.2 dribbles per game in Serie A last season, which is higher than any Leeds player, even Raphinha (1.9).

He also managed 1.2 shots per game (that would rank him just outside the top five among Bielsa’s current squad), while he boasted a whopping 89.4% pass accuracy (the highest of any player that started more than five times for the Whites).

Given his career trajectory, Bielsa may feel that he could be the manager to really unlock Boga’s true potential, much like he has done with Bamford.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has dropped an exciting Leeds United transfer update…

Allen Stanford has said that the structure of West Indies cricket administration needs to be “streamlined” and that there were “too many players handling too few dollars” at present

Cricinfo staff24-Jul-2008Allen Stanford, the Antigua-based billionaire who is bankrolling the Stanford 20/20 for 20, has said that the structure of West Indies cricket administration needs to be “streamlined” and that there were “too many players handling too few dollars” at present.”How can you have the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the Leewards and Windwards boards, and the individual island boards running a programme that really ought to be run through one board with a representative from each island to streamline efficiency,” Stanford told the . “That is what makes business sense.””We have too many cooks in this little kitchen. We need to streamline this. None of this is disrespecting people. None of this is saying we are doing anything wrong in terms of any island, but we have too many players handling too few dollars.”The WICB comprises 18 directors, including a president and a vice-president. The six territorial associations have two directors each and the numbers are made up by four non-elected directors.Stanford’s view was supported by former West Indian fast bowler, Wes Hall, who is one of the 14 legends on the Stanford 20/20 board of directors. Hall was the WICB president between 2001 and 2003.”You need a board that is not 18 people,” Hall said. “You want a West Indies Cricket Board and not a West Indies business board with a cricket committee that has no clout. You don’t need 18 people. You need eight. We’ve said so for years, but nobody is listening.”The WICB and chief sponsors Digicel are currently heading to arbitration over the issue raised by the Irish telecommunication company that the Stanford five-year, US$100 million series – which consists of one All-Star match per year against an England team – encroaches on their exclusive sponsorship rights.

Sheyi Ojo has not been included in Liverpool’s 34-man squad for their pre-season training camp in Austria, as noted by the Liverpool Echo.

The lowdown

The 24-year-old has just reached the end of his fifth loan spell away from Anfield, this time at Championship side Cardiff City. He has previously had stints at Wolves, Fulham, Reims and Rangers.

The winger recorded 12 direct goal contributions (five goals, seven assists) in 25 starts for Cardiff, who narrowly missed out on the play-offs last term (via WhoScored).

Ojo has made 13 appearances for the Reds’ senior team, with his only goal coming in an FA Cup replay against Exeter City back in 2016.

The latest

The report points out that Ojo was ‘surprisingly’ omitted from the list of players travelling to Salzburg and Tyrol when fellow returnees like Taiwo Awoniyi, Marko Grujic and Loris Karius have been included.

The Englishman is contracted to Liverpool for another two years and the reason for his absence ‘has not been communicated’. There has been nothing to suggest that it’s down to injury, for instance.

The verdict

To speculate, it may be the case that Ojo is on the verge of sealing a long-overdue permanent move away from Anfield. He has proven that he can be a very good option for clubs in the Championship or in other European leagues, so you’d think there will be interest in him.

Ojo is valued at just £2.7m by Transfermarkt, and it would nonetheless be smart for the Reds to cash in on some of these assets with no prospect of a first-team breakthrough should any decent offers arrive.

In other news, the Reds are willing to pay £25m for this Premier League star.