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West Bromwich Albion continued their fantastic start to the new Championship season with a 2-1 win away at Stoke City last weekend, as Karlan Grant and Josh Maja shared out the goal load on the road versus the Potters.

As much as Carlos Corberan will be overjoyed with his side's fast-paced leap out of the blocks, with seven points picked up from a possible nine in league action, there is still room for the Spaniard to play around with when it comes to incomings to really boost the Baggies camp.

Callum Styles is the latest capture, taking bodies in through the door at the Hawthorns this frantic transfer window up to nine, as a tenth new face is now being lined up to join the ever-expanding group at Corberan's disposal.

West Brom make Lorient man a top priority

According to French outlet L'Equipe, West Brom have made versatile Lorient man Theo Le Bris one of their priorities to get in through the door, as the transfer window starts to wind down towards its dramatic conclusion this Friday.

Also still being linked with a move for ex-Manchester United youngster Will Keane, this swoop for Le Bris might well have more legs at this stage over any deal involving the Preston North End attacker, with L'Equipe stating that enquiries have intensified between the Baggies and the Ligue 2 outfit over ironing out a late deal.

Used to competing with the likes of Paris St. Germain in the top French division, Lorient falling down to the second tier could see Le Bris pack his bags and move to England, where his uncle is coincidentally located, having recently taken over the reins at Sunderland as manager.

The promising 21-year-old would instantly give Styles some competition if a move was secured in time for Friday's deadline, with both assets known to be adaptable figures who can play in a wide range of positions all across the pitch.

What Le Bris would offer West Brom

The young Frenchman has starred for his current employers mainly playing down the left flank however, which is also one of Styles' stronger spots, with this goal fired in against Rennes last year coming from the left midfield position.

But, Le Bris will be able to line up in many different spots away from just this one specific area, which will be useful to the Spaniard, when you evaluate how many top players he's lost that has left his squad feeling somewhat on the light side.

Le Bris' career numbers by position – Lorient senior team
Position played	Games played	Goals scored	Assists
LM	19	1	3
RB	4	0	0
RM	4	0	0
CM	2	0	0
AM	1	0	0
DM	1	0	0
LW	1	0	0
LB	1	0	1
Sourced by Transfermarkt

The one-time France U20 international has lined up in a mind-boggling eight different positions for Lorient over his time with the French club to date playing at a senior level, as can be seen glancing at the table above, with one assist even picked up when Le Bris was playing in an unorthodox left-back role.

That could well come in handy, with Gianluca Frabotta the only recognised option at left-back available to Corberan at this moment in time, as new Nordic recruit Torbjørn Heggem has had to fill in here currently in league action.

West Brom might also be hesitant to rely too heavily on Styles, as the Hungary international did struggle last season in the second tier on loan with Sunderland, only managing 12 forgettable appearances for the Black Cats before returning back to Barnsley.

Whatever happens on the transfer front this dramatic week, Baggies supporters will be confident that a positive season is already underway though, as Swansea City come to town the day after deadline day is over and done with.

Report: West Brom now set to submit fresh offer for £2,000-a-week forward

He has 34 Championship goals to his name across a long career.

By
Henry Jackson

Aug 26, 2024

Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal will not attend the Golden Boy ceremony this year due to logistical difficulties.

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Yamal wins Golden BoyWill not attend awards ceremonyLogistical dispute between Barca and organisersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Spaniard has had a fantastic year — guiding his country to Euro 2024 glory and consistently lighting up La Liga for Barcelona — so the news that he had been handed the 2024 Golden Boy award did not come as a surprise. However, Relevo is now reporting that the 17-year-old will be unable to collect his prize due to a logistical dispute between Barcelona and Italian sports paper Tuttosport, the ceremony organisers.

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The ceremony takes place in Turin on Monday 16 December and Barcelona had planned on sending their three representatives — Yamal, Golden Girl winner Vicky Lopez and Ballon d'Or Feminin victor Aitana Bonmati — by charter. However, Tuttosport only offered a commercial flight and told Barca that the players would have to spend a night in a local hotel due to Turin airport closing early that evening. This hasn't gone down well with the Catalan giants, who have now refused to send their three stars to the ceremony.

DID YOU KNOW?

Last year's Golden Boy winner was Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham, who took home the prize after journalists and online voters combined to give him a whopping 97% of the vote. Meanwhile, Yamal won 2023's The Youngest trophy, and in following it up with a Golden Boy triumph he's emulated his hero Lionel Messi.

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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

Barcelona's huge match against fellow title challengers Atletico Madrid next Saturday is a key reason why Yamal wasn't permitted to attend the ceremony, with Barca concerned about the amount of rest and preparation time their stars would get before the fixture. Before that, Hansi Flick's side face another key test in La Liga, a must-win match against strugglers Leganes on Sunday.

Aston Villa are still expected to be active in the closing stages of the transfer window, and are eyeing up a late move for a Premier League player according to reports.

Focus on exits after winning start

Unai Emery's side got their 2024/25 Premier League campaign off to a winning start courtesy of Jhon Duran, whose 79th minute winner ensured that they picked up all three points against a stubborn West Ham United at the London Stadium. Now in the Champions League for the first time, it has been a busy summer for the Villans with eight new faces arriving at the club.

Amadou Onana, who scored four minutes into his Villa debut, was the headline arrival in a £50m move while Ian Maatsen also set them back in excess of £30m this summer. Elsewhere, they have utilised buy back options for both Cameron Archer and Jaden Philogene, while Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea arrived as part of the agreement to send Douglas Luiz to Juventus, albeit in seperate deals.

Aston Villa's new signings (summer 2024)

Player

Fee

Amadou Onana

£50m

Ian Maatsen

£37m

Cameron Archer

£14m

Jaden Philogene

£13.5m

Lewis Dobbin

£8m

Samuel Iling-Junior

£11.8m + add-ons

Enzo Barrenechea

£6.7m + add-ons

Ross Barkley

£5m

Now, they have turned their attentions to exits, and Archer has already departed once more to join newly-promoted Southampton. Meanwhile, Unai Emery revealed that left-back Alex Moreno is set to depart in the near future.

Another player that the club are open to offers for is Brazilian defender Diego Carlos, who still has two years left to run on his £100,000 a week deal in the Midlands but has been deemed surplus to requirements and has attracted attention from Fulham.

Should he depart, Villa will sign a replacement, and now they are in talks with a player who could well prove to be an upgrade.

Aston Villa in discussions over £45m England defender

That comes as HITC reveal that Aston Villa are among the clubs holding discussions over a potential move to sign Liverpool outcast Joe Gomez this summer.

The defender, who was part of the EURO 2024 squad with England but didn't play a minute, was left out of Arne Slot's squad for the 2-0 opening day win over Ipswich Town despite not being injured.

Aston Villa now keeping tabs on 6 foot 4 in-demand midfielder for Emery

He’s one for the future…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 17, 2024

Though the Reds are not actively looking to sell him, the decision has left Gomez "considering his future" at Anfield, weeks after the club accepted a £45m offer from Newcastle to sign him as part of a deal to take Anthony Gordon to Anfield, only for the move to collapse.

And HITC claim that Villa are a potential landing spot for Gomez, with the Midlands side having "already spoken with Gomez" through his agents as a potential replacement should Carlos depart, though they are also thought to be keen on Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida and would only sign one.

At 27-years-old, Gomez is in the prime of his career and is keen to play first team football, having appeared 51 times in Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge. Though he could be a costly addition, he would offer Unai Emery plenty of versatile cover across the backline in what promises to be a long season for the Villans.

Real Madrid are suffering from a lack of leadership in the dressing room as both Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham have failed to fill the void.

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Madrid enduring tough start to seasonEuropean champions lack dressing room leaderMbappe and Bellingham haven't filled voidFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite the addition of World Cup winner Mbappe to a team that won the Champions League and La Liga last term, Madrid haven't looked convincing at times this season – most notably in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in Europe.

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As well as concerns about the effectiveness of their playing style and Mbappe's difficulty in adapting to his new team, reports that the dressing room lacks a loud and encouraging voice. Despite his role as France captain, Mbappe prefers not to make big speeches and has stayed relatively quiet, while Bellingham's ability to command the squad is hindered by the language barrier.

Instead, the report says, Lucas Vazquez has taken it on himself to shout at his co-stars, while Antonio Rudiger has given guidance to the team's younger players and veteran midfielder Luka Modric shows his leadership in a more quiet manner by discussing issues with coaches.

DID YOU KNOW?

The absence of leadership in the dressing room is partly down to the loss of injured full-back Dani Carvajal, who may miss the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, as well as the summer departures of Toni Kroos and Nacho Fernandez

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?

After seeing Barcelona slip up for the third time in a row, Madrid have the opportunity to put more pressure on Hansi Flick's side at the top of La Liga in the coming weeks.

Rangers are believed to have made an offer for a 20-year-old defender, as Philippe Clement eyes his seventh permanent signing of the summer transfer window.

Rangers transfer news

This has already been a summer that has made Gers supporters sit up and take notice, with six permanent signings brought in by Clement so far as they seek to wrest the Scottish Premiership from Celtic's grasp.

Mohamed Diomande has joined for good after being on loan last season, while Rangers have also splashed the cash on Hamza Igamane and Jefte. Meanwhile, three free transfers have been completed, with Connor Barron, Liam Kelly and Clinton Nsiala all arriving at Ibrox ahead of the new campaign. Vaclav Cerny has also recently joined on loan from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg.

Away from those who have officially completed moves to Rangers, plenty of other players continue to be linked with switches, including Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri. The midfielder appears to be surplus to requirements at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag and could bolster the Gers' options in the middle of the park, coming in as a long-term signing.

Rangers table offer to sign “high potential” gem who can send Tav packing

Philippe Clement could be set to sign another South American talent…

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 27, 2024

Meanwhile, Clement appears to be keen on bringing in a striker before the start of next season, with Lyndon Dykes seen as a strong choice alongside fellow Scotland international Lawrence Shankland. Either would represent promising additions, although the latter was particularly impressive in 2023/24, scoring 24 goals in the league for Hearts.

Rangers submit bid for 20-year-old

According to a report from Spain, Rangers have submitted an offer for Atletico Nacional defender Edier Ocampo, who is described in the report as "one of the most talked-about names in Colombian football", which outlines his potential.

The 20-year-old has announced that he is leaving his current club even though his contract doesn't expire until December 2026, and Toulouse and Hellas Verona are also mentioned as possible suitors.

Considering how highly thought of he is back in his homeland and how he could be a long-term option for Clement down the right flank, this all points towards Ocampo being an exciting signing for Rangers.

While he is primarily a right-back, the youngster can also shine as a right winger, and such versatility could appeal greatly to the Gers manager, giving him a strong option in different positions.

Ocampo has won 20 caps for Colombia's Under-20s and will no doubt have ambitions of becoming a star at senior level over time, and joining a club of Rangers' stature could only boost those chances, putting him in the limelight more than he currently is at Nacional.With James Tavernier's Gers future up in the air, an excellent successor may need to be found, and even if the captain does stay put, the fact that he is now 32 years of age means that he will need replacing at some point in the relatively near future.

Big picture

This Test series, finally, is the sort that made Pakistan itch to get international cricket back home from the UAE. For perhaps the first time, the narrative will not be defined by the fact that it’s taking place in the country, where the venue matters more than the cricket itself. In South Africa, Pakistan have attracted one of the premier sides in Test cricket, a recent troubled run notwithstanding. And with the two sides far from perfect, both on the rebuild with young captains leading them out, this promises to be a series not quite shaped by cricketing excellence as engrossing human drama.Pakistan, not for the first time, are both a basket case and a team capable of great feats. They are at the start of a cycle, with the Babar Azam era promising to commence fully after a false start in New Zealand. There’s a new chief selector in Mohammad Wasim, who has brought in a slew of fresh faces, with at least a couple expected to make their debuts on Tuesday. At the same time, head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis need to be careful this series isn’t the last chapter in their stint with the side, after a less-than flattering PCB cricket committee performance review that has effectively put them on notice.Related

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South Africa, meanwhile, have enough worries of their own. They have been through enough headlines off the pitch to put their hosts – normally unmatched in that department – to shame, with financial worries, political wrangling at the board level, the firing of a CEO for alleged misconduct, all exacting heavy tolls. At the same time, they have had to manage a transition as nearly irreplaceable players like AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander have quit, and performances have gone south: South Africa lost eight out of nine Test matches before arresting the slide over Christmas with a 2-0 win at home against Sri Lanka.That series, and the shot in the arm it gave Quinton de Kock’s side, sets this contest up as a much more tantalising prospect than it might have been. With Kagiso Rabada returning and Anrich Nortje looking like he has the skillset to form an intimidating partnership with the frontman, South Africa may be up for some good things with the new ball. But given Pakistan have named as many spinners in their squad as they have won Tests against South Africa – four – there is a worry the pitch may neutralise the visitors’ biggest strength. Keshav Maharaj will have a significant role to play, and Tabraiz Shamsi, who has been refreshingly active on Twitter of late, may find himself having to walk the talk as well.

Form guide

“We’ve got the mindset that we are not scared to go out there and try something different. We can see they are going with a spin mindset. We’re coming with a mindset that if we want to win a series away from home, we’ve got to make a few brave calls.”

Whatmore has also previously coached Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2020

Dav Whatmore gives batting tips at a nets session•AFP

Nepal have appointed Dav Whatmore as head coach of the national side. The former Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Zimbabwe coach will have Raunak Bahadur Malla as general manager, while Binod Kumar Das will be taking over as cricket manager from the start of next year.Whatmore’s principal task at hand will be to secure qualification for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, with Nepal failing to secure a berth at the 2021 T20 World Cup in India. Whatmore’s appointment will bring a rich vein of experience to the national side, while also filling a vacancy that had persisted for nearly a year after Umesh Patwal stepped down in February.”Dave [sic] is extremely keen to take on this new challenge, as he strongly believes Nepal has great talent and a very bright future in international cricket,” said a press release by the Nepal Cricket Association. “Nepal is a beautiful country and Dave [sic] is looking forward to this new challenge with young talent in Nepal.”Whatmore’s highest honour as coach remains steering Sri Lanka to a World Cup title in 1996. He then went on to oversee Bangladesh’s rise from 2003-07, guiding them through to the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup where they knocked India out and also upset South Africa.In the past, he has also coached the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise for two seasons as well as Indian domestic side Kerala, who made their first Ranji Trophy semi-finals in 2018-19 under Whatmore.

Fast bowler Sreesanth will feature in Kerala Cricket Association’s (KCA’s) inaugural T20 tournament – the KCA President’s Cup – which is scheduled to begin from December 17, pending the state government’s approval. It will be Sreesanth’s first involvement in representative cricket since the end of his ban for his involvement in the IPL 2013 spot-fixing scandal. It will also be the 37-year-old’s first chance to push for a return to domestic cricket. His last competitive match was in May 2013. Sreesanth’s ban – initially a life ban – had been revised to seven years in 2019 and officially ended in September this year, following which he had expressed a keenness to play competitive cricket again. Kerala coach Tinu Yohanan had told ESPNcricinfo in September that the door is open for a Sreesanth return, subject to his form and fitness.ALSO READ: ‘Door is open’ for Sreesanth to play for us – Kerala coach YohannanSreesanth had been training with the Kerala Under-23 teams earlier this year, and has been on record stating that he has been working on his fitness from as early as last May. He is, by far, the biggest name in this six-team tournament that will be held in Alappuzha until January 3. He will play for the Kerala Tigers, captained by Sachin Baby. Sanju Samson will miss the tournament as he is on national duty in Australia.India’s domestic season is yet to be officially chalked out as the daily Covid-19 numbers continue to be in excess of 40,000 new cases. In a September interview with the , Sreesanth said that the uncertainty around the domestic season had left him “shattered” and on the verge of quitting cricket, before suggesting that he would look to play abroad if cricket in India wasn’t a realistic chance.”From last May, I have put my heart and soul into training,” he had said. “So when I read about domestic season being a non-starter, I was shattered. I even thought of quitting the game but thought I wouldn’t be doing justice to myself as all the efforts I’ve made to play the game would have gone down the drain. If the domestic season in India is cancelled, I will have to look at other options. If there is no cricket here, I might as well request the BCCI to allow me to play abroad.”

أشاد المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، بأداء اللاعبين خلال مباراة إشبيلية في الدوري الإسباني.

وحقق ريال مدريد الفوز على منافسه الأندلسي بنتيجة 4-2 في إطار مباريات الجولة الثامنة والعشرين من البطولة على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رجل مباراة ريال مدريد وإشبيلية في الدوري الإسباني

وتحدث أنشيلوتي في مؤتمره الصحفي، وقال: “اعتقد أن النقد الذاتي كان مفيدًا لنؤدي بالشكل الصحيح مرة أخرى بعد الهزيمة أمام ميلان”.

وتابع: “لقد خضنا شهرين صعبين للغاية ونتطلع الآن إلى عام 2025 وكيفية تحقيق أفضل النتائج الممكنة”.

وعن تصريحات مبابي بأنه وصل إلى الحضيض: “اعتقد أنني كفريق كنا في الحضيض بعد الهزيمة أمام ميلان، لذلك كان يجب علينا التحدث في غرفة الملابس، لقد عدنا من جديد”.

وأضاف: “من الجيد أن يكون مبابي ناقدًا لنفسه، الآن يظهر كل إمكاناته الفنية، قلت بالأمس أن فترة تأقلمه قد انتهت واليوم أظهر لي ذلك، في بعض الأحيان أكون على حق”.

وعن شائعات الإقالة: “لم أشعر بهذا الأمر أبدًا، كانت هناك ثقة متبادلة بيني وبين النادي، لقد أظهروا لي كل الدعم، أثق تمامًا في الإدارة”.

وعن كيفية تطور الفريق: “لقد قمنا بالمزيد من الالتزام على المستوى الدفاعي، لكن لا يزال يتعين علينا المزيد من العمل، لأن هناك غيابات مؤثرة مثل داني كارفاخال، ميليتاو وألابا وفيرلاند ميندي”.

وعدم الاعتماد على إندريك وفران جارسيا اليوم: “لم أرغب في إجراء أي تعديلات في الفريق، سيكون لديهم الفرصة للمشاركة في عام 2025”.

وأتم: “لقد قدمنا مباراة هجومية رائعة من خلال الخط الأمامي رغم غياب فينيسيوس، خاصة من إبراهيم دياز، كيليان مبابي وجود بيلينجهام”.

With a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly seemingly on the cards, Newcastle United have now reportedly turned their attention towards another free agent, as they look to add more firepower to Eddie Howe's attack.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies have wasted no time before getting their business underway this summer, taking full advantage of Kelly's contract expiry at Bournemouth to reportedly lure him to St James' Park this summer. The versatile defender will instantly ease Howe's defensive depth concerns amid long-term injuries to both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.

However, it's not just Kelly who Newcastle have been linked to, with Juventus' Dean Huijsen also mentioned in what could be the final piece of the puzzle for the Magpies' backline. Meanwhile, those at St James' Park are also reportedly seeking reinforcements at the other end this summer. And once again, bargain deals are the name of the game.

According to the Sunday Mirror (via Geordie Boot Boys), Newcastle are eyeing a move to sign Kelechi Ihenacho on a free deal following the expiry of his contract at Leicester City. The ex-Manchester City forward helped the Foxes return to the Premier League last season but failed to sign a contract extension and could now square off against his former side next season.

Newcastle submit first bid to sign "outstanding" £20m ace Howe admires

The Magpies have made their move.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 9, 2024

Earning a reported £80k a week and under the same agency as Joelinton, Newcastle would have room for Iheanacho's wages given the financial boost of his free-agent status this summer. A player with plenty of Premier League experience in front of goal, his arrival would be a true bargain.

What's more, with Callum Wilson's Newcastle future in doubt, Iheanacho represents the perfect potential replacement for the England man this summer.

"Fantastic" Iheanacho can ease potential Wilson blow

With Newcastle reportedly among the clubs that need to sell players before the end of June to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, selling Wilson and replacing him with a free agent in the form of Iheanacho would certainly prove to be wise business. The 27-year-old is capable of stepping into Wilson's role next season, as these stats show.

Goals

5

9

Assists

1

1

Expected Goals

6.3

8.8

Key Passes

15

8

Whilst Wilson is more of an out-and-out striker whose focus is primarily on goals and ability centred around clinical finishing, Iheanacho's ability to create is something that should only benefit Alexander Isak even more next season should the Nigerian complete a summer switch.

The former Leicester man has certainly impressed in the past, with Pep Guardiola once praising him following their time at Manchester City, saying via Goal: "Incredible. The quality was there, he was a young player here and I believe, at that moment with Gabriel and Sergio we didn't have much space.

“He is a fantastic person, we had a good relationship, and I'm delighted it's going well lately. He's playing for the injured Maddison and he links really well with the midfield. He's good in behind, he's fast and in the final third he has the right tempo, he is so clear in front of the goal."