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Daniel Brettig13-Dec-2019A nearby grass fire wafted the unmistakable odour of smoke across Perth Stadium early on another enervating day in the west. By the close the only fire was that being breathed by Mitchell Starc, as Australia cornered New Zealand’s batsmen under lights despite the damaging loss of Josh Hazlewood to a left hamstring strain.Two grinding sessions in daylight saw Australia eke out 416 following the loss of early wickets before the pitch and the match burst into furious life in the third, floodlit session. Starc and Hazlewood blasted out Tom Latham and Jeet Raval in their opening overs, only for Pat Cummins to be drafted into early service when Hazlewood pulled up lame before delivering his ninth ball of the Test match.Ross Tayor and Kane Williamson threatened to form a pivotal stand with Australia’s bowling resources shorn by a quarter, only for Starc to coax an edge from New Zealand’s captain that was intercepted by the flying right hand of Steven Smith diving into where third slip might have been. Henry Nicholls and Neil Wagner were swiftly accounted for, and Starc had a hat-trick ball bunted away by Taylor before the close.Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head had earlier looked capable of dominating for the hosts, but both were dismissed in circumstances they would have been disappointed by as part of eight wickets shared between Wagner and Tim Southee.That meant the remainder of the innings was something of a slog for the Australians, as the captain Tim Paine forged partnerships with Cummins and Starc in an effort to not only advance the scoreboard but also ensure that New Zealand’s innings would commence in the harder batting conditions under lights at day’s end.Latham certainly looked to have trouble finding the Starc short ball that lobbed off the shoulder of the bat and back to a grateful bowler to the delight of a crowd of 20,018, and Raval was even further away from a Hazlewood in-dipper that clattered his stumps after several deliveries angled across him towards the slips.Williamson was fortunate to survive early on when a thin edge – picked up by snicko – evaded the attention of every Australian but Smith, whose strangled appeal and brief attempt to call for a review was ignored by Paine, who did not enjoy an entirely pleasant evening with a couple more painful blows to his troublesome right index finger. The early loss of Hazlewood from the attack even had Paine resorting to Matthew Wade’s speculative right-arm mediums inside the first 10 overs.Nathan Lyon’s extravagant turn out of a day two pitch pushed Taylor into a thrilling counter-attack, and at 2 for 77 the visitors had a toehold on the match. But Starc returned and beat Williamson with one superb delivery moving away from him, and then the New Zealand skipper fenced at a wider ball to give Smith the chance to make what is now a trademark full length dive to his right for a spectacular catch.Nicholls, never entirely comfortable, touched one of Starc’s few ordinary deliveries for the evening down the legside to Paine, and next ball Wagner was too crooked and late on a yorker that he dragged onto the stumps. Taylor and BJ Watling did well to survive the day’s remaining deliveries, but they will be starting the third afternoon with a yawning deficit of 307.Labuschagne had begun the second day with designs on a third consecutive score in advance of 150, after a fluent start, as he and Head asserted themselves. But he was left annoyed and confounded by Wagner, who found another way past an international batsman of strong repute when he angled a fullish ball into Labuschagne from around the wicket and snaked it behind the No. 3’s pads and into leg stump. Wagner’s celebration was prolonged, indicating that like most of his wickets, this was no accident.Head was then left with the responsibility for building the innings, but on 56 he leaned back to hammer Southee through the off side and picked out the fieldsman at cover. Head threw his head back in disgust at the dismissal, as did the former captain and sometime Australian team mentor Ricky Ponting in the commentary box.Paine, who had made a circumspect start, was joined by Cummins, and the pair worked their way to the long break in the hope of adding plenty more to the total. They re-emerged with a clear plan to bat for as long as possible, even to the exclusion of scoring, to keep New Zealand in the field and also to ensure that the home side’s bowlers would get to use a new ball once the sun had gone down.This made for some absorbing if not exactly pulse-quickening cricket, as the partnership soaked up 135 balls for 38 runs. Cummins was teased out by the part-time leg breaks of Jeet Raval, bowled around his legs trying to sweep after the bowling had convinced Kane Williamson to bring the deep backward square leg in from the boundary. The arrival of Starc brought a rise in the scoring rate, but Australia’s 400 was still their second slowest in a home Test since 2000.Starc ultimately fell when an attempt to hit Southee out of the stadium finished in Williamson’s hands, and Nathan Lyon hooked a couple of boundaries before picking out fine leg to hand Wagner his fourth wicket. Paine hooked Southee into BJ Watling’s gloves to end the innings on the stroke of the tea break. Fireworks would follow.

GOAL breaks down why this U.S. team, in the rare role of underdogs, is still among the contenders for gold in Paris

Few teams in sports can relate to the realities of the U.S. women's national team. Decades of dominance have led to decades of expectations. And while that may sound like a nice problem to have, it comes with pressure. Winning isn't a thing to enjoy, but rather a target to be met. Anything short of that? Failure.

That's why this summer feels different. As the Olympics kick off, those in the know understand that the U.S. women may not win gold. They are among the better teams in the Olympic field, sure, but almost certainly not the favorites. This is a team just starting a rebuild, a process that won't be complete until long after this tournament's over. Because of that, there's reason for doubt. This tournament may have just come a bit too soon.

And while the U.S. may not be favorite, overlook this team at your own peril. This may not be a finished product, but an in-progress USWNT is still better than most of the teams in this field. They see this summer as an opportunity to reestablish themselves on the world's stage, even as team isn't close to the best version of itself.

Can the U.S. win gold this summer? Yes. Will they? We'll find out. GOAL offers six reasons to believe in this USWNT group this summer.

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  Naomi Girma

  There aren't many defenders better than Naomi Girma. There definitely aren't any that make the game look so effortless or easy. Make no mistake, though: what Girma does is easy. In fact, it's key to everything the U.S. does.

  Girma is extremely smooth but, most important, she's consistently and completely reliable. The 24-year-old defender never seems to make the wrong play. Whether on the ball or off of it she makes the right decision every time, often bailing out teammates in the process to stop chances before they even get started.

  It's impossible to overstate how valuable that is in a tournament like the Olympics. It's so, so helpful to know that there's a defender with Girma's capabilities on the pitch. She's a bedrock, one thing this team will never have to worry about.

  Girma is the base of this USWNT and that is one hell of a foundation to build on.

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  Midfield balance

  From the start, the midfield never looked quite right at the 2023 women's World Cup. The No. 6 position was a problem. Rose Lavelle's injury shook things up, and then-coach Vlatko Andonovski never found the fix.

  This summer, things are different. In these Gagmes, the midfield has a sense of purpose.

  There are only four players listed as midfielders in the squad: Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Sam Coffey and Korbin Albert. That's a bit misleading, though, as this group also includes Crystal Dunn, Jaedyn Shaw and Emily Sonnett, each of whom offers something wildly different.

  Coffey is the primary No. 6, and her exclusion last year looks even worse now. Horan keeps her place as the do-everything No. 8, while Lavelle will be the big threat if she is, in fact, healthy. There's a balance there and, even if Lavelle can't go, Albert can fill in.

  In Shaw, this team has a game-breaking No. 10, while Dunn can play pretty much anywhere. Sonnett has experience as a No.6, central defender or fullback.

  The point is this: there are plenty of options, and all of them can create very different looks. That's something the U.S. lacked this summer but, this time around, Emma Hayes has no shortage of choices.

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  Veteran depth

  This is a young team, one led by a new generation of superstars but, make no mistake: there is considerable experience, too.

  Six members of this squad were involved in the 2021 Olympics, winning bronze. This team also has four members of the squad that won Gold back in 2016. There's Olympic experience here, and with experience comes calm.

  Those players are spread all over the field, too. Alyssa Naher starts in goal, and there will be no nerves from her no matter what's thrown her way. Mallory Swanson's game may be different than when she won Gold in 2016 as a teenager, but she can call on those experiences as she looks to lift an attack with several strike partners near that age. Lavelle played in all six games last time around – she'll know what she's in for at this competitive level.

  That experience is key. These games are grueling and they are nerve-wracking, particularly for young players. Every little big of experience helps and, thankfully for the U.S., there's plenty here.

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  Emma Hayes' brilliance

  The biggest difference between this year's team and last year's is on the bench. This time around, the USWNT has Emma Hayes.

  There's a reason that U.S. Soccer went out and hired her, and it's because Hayes is arguably the brightest mind in the women's game. They had no problem waiting for her, too. That's how convinced the federation is that she's the right person to change this team.

  That change will take time, of course, and it's impossible to expect her to put her stamp on this team with just a few camps. Hayes, though, is an effective, crafty tactician who can make a difference. In a one-game scenario, Hayes can out-think whomever is on the other side.

  Her ability to do that may just be the difference between success and failure for the U.S. The style of play won't quite be there yet, but that allows this team to be fluid and perhaps add a few wrinkles no one is expecting. It may very well be an opportunity to surprise opponents with a USWNT that they've never quite seen before.

Wrexham may be undertaking an intense training schedule while on their North America tour, but midfielder Jordan Davies says it could be much worse.

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• Wrexham doing two training sessions per day
• Getting in shape for USA & Canada matches
• Davies says facilities make workload easier

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons are in Los Angeles as they gear up for matches against Premier League teams Bournemouth and Chelsea in California before they head to Canada to take on Vancouver Whitecaps to conclude the tour.

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  Phil Parkinson has his players doing double training sessions to get them back in shape after their summer break – and a glitzy launch party in Beverly Hills hosted by co-owner Rob McElhenney – as they begin preparations on the grounds of the University of Los Angeles. The burden of the schedule has been made somewhat easier, though, due to the quality of the facilities, Davies says.

• WHAT DAVIES SAID

  "Two sessions a day and the facilities probably make those sessions a little bit easier when it gets tough because the facilities are brilliant," he told . "Chappell Hill University was one of the highlights of the trip last year, I thought it was a special place. It is UCLA this time around so it will be a similar experience. "It is brilliant and it probably gives you that five per cent more – it is better than running around a cow field I suppose! "You are over in LA, working hard and enjoying your job which is what it is about."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Beating Premier League opposition in the United States may be a tall order for the Red Dragons, but they will be hoping to lift their confidence ahead of their first season back in League One following their second consecutive promotion.

Soumya Sarkar also returns for the three-match T20I series in India following a request from Russell Domingo

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2019Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny and paceman Al-Amin Hossain have been recalled to Bangladesh’s T20I squad for their three-match series against India next month. Both of them had last played a T20I in 2016.Bangladesh T20I squad

Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Aminul Islam, Arafat Sunny, Mohammad Saifuddin, Al-Amin Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shafiul Islam

IN: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Arafat Sunny, Al-Amin Hossain

OUT: Sabbir Rahman, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Najmul Hossain

Along with them, Tamim Iqbal, who had taken a break from the game, will return to action in India, as will Soumya Sarkar, who was dropped midway through the T20I tri-series at home against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in September.Meanwhile, Sabbir Rahman, Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain and Najmul Hossain, who were all in the squad for the tri-series, were left out.Sunny was the top wicket-taker for Rajshahi Kings in the 2018-19 Bangladesh Premier League, taking 16 wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate of 7.68. Al-Amin had an underwhelming BPL stint, managing just three wickets in five games, but chief selector Minhajul Abedin said that his fitness had tilted the scales in his favour.”Al-Amin is in good shape and one of the few fit pace bowlers currently,” he said. “We want to make use of his experience of playing in the 2016 World T20 in India. For our spin options, we picked Sunny as a back-up, since Taijul will only play the Tests.”Minhajul also explained that Soumya had been picked following a request by the coach, Russell Domingo. “We didn’t pick him, but we selected him because of the coach.”Soumya was recalled despite scoring just 60 runs in the two innings he played for Bangladesh A and Khulna Division after being dropped from the national side. Soumya had struggled in the World Cup, too, managing only 166 runs in eight innings at an average of 20.75.As for Tamim, who had missed the one-off Test against Afghanistan and the subsequent tri-series, he is understood to be recovering well from a rib injury, and proved his fitness in the four-day National Cricket League by making 30 and 46 for Chittagong Division.

Two Tests into a pulsating Ashes series, and the notion of “redemption” is already becoming very tedious. One journalist at Lord’s even added the word to his listed of muted phrases on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, at the moment that Ben Stokes clipped Nathan Lyon off his toes to jog through to his seventh Test century and – lest we fail to notice the elephant in the room, let alone ignore it – his first since the events outside Mbargo nightclub on September 25, 2017.Before the Fall. After the Fall … can’t we all just move on? Just as Steven Smith is still being expected by some to keep apologising for events that occurred close to two years ago now, in spite a series of on-field performances that confirm that the sport is so much richer for his involvement than his banishment, so Stokes too can’t help but be judged by his returns in the context of that incident.And yet, it is clear that for Stokes in particular, that terrible night in Bristol and its career-threatening aftermath remain as enduringly relevant as ever, not because he feels he deserves to be punished for evermore, but because of his desire to bury those lingering bad memories between a mountain of new accolades.And so it wasn’t enough for Stokes to light the flame of the 2019 World Cup with that extraordinary outfield catch in the tournament opener at The Oval. Or to carry the team’s batting when the wheels started to wobble in defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia. Or to dig deep and refuse to falter when New Zealand surged in the early stages of England’s run chase in the final. Or to go beyond even his own exhausting limits, and do it all again minutes later in the Super Over.No, that was just the start for Stokes as he enters, at 28, his prime as an international sportsman. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo’s George Dobell in Jaipur earlier this year, Stokes said that his personal motivation for winning the World Cup was to ensure that the feat became the first paragraph of his rewritten player profile. That objective duly achieved, he’s making a play for the rest of the word-count.And so, in that context, a first Test century since Bristol feels very significant indeed. Not to mention, a first Test century at Lord’s since his riotously carefree 101 from 92 against New Zealand four years ago. And his first against Australia since in December 2013 when, in only his second Test, he went toe-to-toe with Mitchell Johnson on a Perth flier, scoring 120 from 195 in an exhibition of pugnacity that was entirely at odds with the timid tone of England’s overall campaign.Self-evidently he’s not the same cricketer that he was before his life choices became tabloid fodder. Prior to his recall in New Zealand in February 2018, Stokes’ international career been rattling along at a strike-rate of 98.74 in ODIs and 63.77 in Tests (or 3.82 an over, brisk by any standards). Now that he has placed a greater premium on his wicket, those numbers have slipped to 87.16 and 48.45 respectively. And if, in doing so, he has sacrificed a few top-notes of destruction, then he’s also sent self-destruction packing at the same time. That run of ODI form in early 2014, for instance – 0, 5, 5, 4, 0, 4, 0, punched locker, broken hand – isn’t going to be replicated in a hurry.Ben Stokes belts one through the leg side•Getty Images

And so it was fitting that Stokes’ first Test century of his new era was a hard-fought grind. He could have been out three times in his first six balls as Lyon ragged it out of the rough outside the left-hander’s off stump, and would have been out for 6 from 13 balls had Lyon again reviewed an lbw appeal that was hitting leg.But somehow, he found a means to endure, by sliding ever deeper into his crease, watching the turn and shelving the sweep, and taking it upon himself to be the sheet-anchor that this England batting line-up so desperately needs, as it attempts an urgent and cruelly abrupt metamorphosis from pro-active, hard-handed white-ball bullies to soft-power Test survivors.And on that note, it is also telling how Stokes’ name has been exempt from the mutterings of post-World Cup burn-out that have afflicted so many of his team-mates in that glorious campaign. Jason Roy looks lost at the top of the order, Joe Root’s form is in freefall, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow are fighting against instinct to make that transition. Moeen Ali has been canned, and is currently bowling seam-up for Worcestershire in a losing cause at Northampton. Aside from Stokes, only Chris Woakes and the new boy Jofra Archer seem genuinely unaffected by what’s gone before, though Archer may be facing exhaustion issues of a different type if 44 overs per Test becomes the norm.ALSO READ: Archer could be the weapon that turns the series – Root“It was a dogged hundred,” Stokes admitted of an innings in which his first fifty came from 106 balls, a notch below that post-Bristol strike-rate. “I’m proud of how I managed to get through from not feeling great to playing my shots. That comes from experience and knowing all kinds of situations, Tests, ODIs, just finding a way to get there, keeping an eye on how many overs, how many runs to get us there.””I looked at the score at 60-70 and I had no idea how I was still there,” he added. “I was speaking to Graham Thorpe [the batting coach], saying ‘nothing is working’, and he said ‘just find a way’. I know the bigger picture but sometimes you get annoyed. When it got to the stage where I could start playing my shots, everything felt a bit easier.”And it’s a measure of Stokes’ exhaustive groundwork that, once the time came to flick that switch, with England suddenly 200 runs to the good and scenting an opportunity to square the series with an aggressive declaration, he was able to up the tempo as surely as he had done in the World Cup final, powering Lyon out of the rough for consecutive sweeps for six, before calibrating his angles and options with a thinking-man’s swagger to rattle through to his second fifty from 54 balls.And in doing so, Stokes left a dent in one of Australia’s key weapons in the series. Lyon began the innings level with Dennis Lillee on 355 Test wickets, and ended it on the same number after an admittedly luckless but nevertheless expensive analysis of 26-3-102-0.”We kept out Nathan’s good balls and when we attacked we really committed to doing it,” said Stokes. “He could have had me five or six times to be honest, but I thought attack was the best form of defence by the end because every time I defended one I kept nicking it but finding the gap which was remarkable.”I was running down the wicket and laughing at some points, thinking I can’t be placing it any better. From a five-fer to none for 100 will give our batting unit a lot of confidence, especially on a pretty helpful wicket from spin. Not taking anything away from him, he bowled really well and probably didn’t deserve none for 100.”And as the teams regroup and head for Headingley with the series at an apex, Stokes’ quiet authority begins to take on an altogether new significance, especially if – as anticipated – Smith is deemed unfit to take his place in Australia’s line-up.In case it needs restating, Stokes missed the last Ashes due to those events he’d sooner not remember. He could be about to reach this series’ make-or-break moment as the most prized wicket on either side.

The ICC is considering cutting into the annual revenue it will give to the BCCI as it continues to find ways to recoup the money it lost as a result of the tax paid during the 2016 World T20 held in India.The 10% tax paid by the ICC to Indian tax authorities has resulted in a revenue loss of $20-30 million. The minutes of a Committee of Administrators (CoA) meeting held on July 6 states that while these events were previously exempted from taz, the Indian government’s stance changed in 2016, which forced the BCCI to withhold 10% of the amount payable by the broadcaster, , to the ICC.Early last year, it had emerged that India could be in danger of losing out on hosting the 2021 Champions Trophy (since replaced by the T20 World Cup) as well as the 2023 World Cup. The ICC management had been directed to seek alternative venues if the issue was not resolved.”The Board agreed that ICC management, supported by the BCCI will continue the dialogue with the Indian Government but in the meantime directed ICC management to explore alternative host countries in a similar time zone for the ICC Champions Trophy 2021,” the ICC had said in a release in February 2018.The minutes of the CoA meeting held last month say that the BCCI “made all efforts” with the government to try and ensure a tax exemption but three years on, the tax authorities have not budged. In the last decade alone, the Indian government allowed tax exemptions for the 2006 Champions Trophy as well as the 2011 World Cup.For the 2006 event, Ehsan Mani and the late Jagmohan Dalmiya had directly negotiated an exemption with the Indian government. On the basis of that negotiation, the government had passed a legislation in the relevant act, which allowed international sporting events to be exempted. This applied as recently as 2017, when the FIFA Under-17 World Cup got a tax break for broadcast equipment imported by FIFA’s host broadcasters.The BCCI will now seek the opinion of an English law firm about their legal options, since the 2016 event agreement between the board and the ICC was governed by English law.

Rasmus Hojlund cracked a joke on Christian Eriksen after the Manchester United midfielder scored a stunner for Denmark in a 2-1 win over Sweden.

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Denmark beat Sweden 2-1Eriksen scored the winnerHojlund takes a cheeky jibe at EriksenWHAT HAPPENED?

Eriksen showcased his brilliance once again, scoring a late winner to seal a narrow victory for Denmark against Sweden at a sold-out Parken Stadium on Wednesday. He had earlier set up Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at the near post from a corner to give Denmark an early advantage.

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At 32 years of age, Eriksen remains a vital creative force for Denmark, orchestrating plays and maintaining control in the midfield. His presence was acutely felt in attack and his influence was crucial in keeping the Danish side composed and focused.

WHAT HOJLUND SAID

Hojlund, who has been in top form and is expected to be Denmark's leading striker at Euro 2024, couldn't resist making a playful remark about Eriksen's performance. Taking to Instagram, Hojlund joked, "When it’s 'take your dad to work day' and he outclassed you. Always nice to beat Sweden."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Denmark will conclude their Euro 2024 preparations with a home game against Norway on Saturday. This match will serve as the final opportunity for the team to fine-tune their strategies and build cohesion before heading to Germany. In Euro 2024, Denmark will face tough competition in Group C, which includes Slovenia, England, and Serbia.

With the new year upon us, three big-name Liverpool stars are now into the final 18 months of their contracts at Anfield (Transfermarkt). The first of those is centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who is yet to be tied down even though he was appointed club captain in the summer following the departure of Jordan Henderson.

The second is Trent Aexander-Arnold, who was named as Van Dijk's vice-captain in the off-season and came through the club's academy. It may not be long before other clubs start sniffing round if his deal continues to tick down.

And the third is Mohamed Salah, whose future looks by far the least certain after a giant offer worth £150m from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad on transfer deadline day in September (Sky Sports). Liverpool, of course, rejected that bid, but it appears that the matter isn't closed.

New club emerges in Salah chase

Now, according to one journalist, a new, unnamed club in the Saudi Pro League have "joined the race" to sign Salah. While the team in question doesn't expect the 31-year-old to be available for transfer in January, they have "already started" contact with the player's camp to discuss the possibility of signing him in the summer.

It's also claimed that Salah "agreed personal terms" with Al-Ittihad last year, only to be denied the move by Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool. That would appear to indicate his willingness to play his football in the Gulf nation.

The stats that show how "unbelievable" Salah has been this season

When assessing Salah's importance to Liverpool, it's natural just to look at the goals. Indeed, his double in the Reds' 4-2 win over Newcastle United last time out took him onto 14 for the season, level with Manchester City's Erling Haaland at the top of the Premier League's goalscoring charts.

He's now found the net 18 times for Klopp's side in 27 games across all competitions this season, exactly double the haul of his nearest challenger Diogo Jota. But we shouldn't forget the assists either.

Salah set-up a goal for Cody Gakpo against the Magpies to reach eight assists for the campaign, which saw him move into a three-way tie with Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander-Arnold at the top of the club's leaderboard. No wonder, then, that analyst Josh Williams has called Salah a "joke" and the "ultimate attacker" (The Anfield Wrap), while pundit Gary Neville has sat back in awe at his "unbelievable" output (Sky Sports).

In a sense, the clearest illustration of Salah's value may be Liverpool's fortunes in his absence. After the win over Newcastle, he left to join his Egypt teammates at the Africa Cup of Nations. Depending on his country's progress at the tournament, he may not return to club action until mid-February, which, given his spectacular contribution this season, could have major ramifications in the Premier League title race.

If Liverpool's other attackers fail to pick up the slack during his absence, then perhaps it will strengthen the desire of Klopp and FSG to commit him to a new deal, even if it requires a record-breaking salary agreement.

Newcastle United have reportedly slapped a hefty price tag on Alexander Isak to fend off interest from Arsenal.

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Isak is not for saleHas a contract with Newcastle until 2028Magpies ready to extend it furtherWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners have the Swiss striker on their transfer shortlist as they prepare to bolster their attack ahead of the next season. Mikel Arteta happens to be a huge admirer of Isak and is reportedly ready to splash the cash in the summer for a goalscoring forward after missing out on Brentford's Ivan Toneyin January.

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According to the Magpies remain firm on their stance that Isak is "not for sale" and the club is already working on an extension for the player despite having four more years in his current contract. Although it was reported that a £90m bid could potentially test their resolve, insiders at St. James Park claim they would seek double that amount to begin negotiations with any suitor.

DID YOU KNOW?

Earlier in March, Isak dispelled all doubts about his future and insisted that he remains committed to the project at Newcastle, despite swirling rumours about a move to north London.

"Of course, I want to be here at Newcastle in the future,” he had said. “I came here for the project, I absolutely love playing here, I really feel at home. It doesn't affect me that much [transfer rumours]. It has been talked about many times, in many windows. I see it as just such a thing. Everyone knows that summer is coming and if things show up, things can happen, but I actually haven't even thought about it."

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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ISAK?

Isak ended the season with 25 goals in 40 appearances across competitions which saw his stock rise in the transfer market. And after firing on all cylinders with Newcastle, he will hope to replicate his form with the Swiss national team during the 2024 European Championship in Germany.

Manchester United are in need of reinforcements and are now believed to be targeting a former Premier League player, with a report dropping an update on the defender's availability.

Manchester United eye January deals

Following a stop-start campaign under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United fans will feel that additions are necessary this month to bolster a squad that has been hampered by injury and inconsistency over the last few months.

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner was linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier in the window; however, he is now closing in on a move that will see him join Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the remainder of the season.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the Red Devils missed out on the Germany international as they "decided not to proceed also because it’s not clear yet what kind of player they want" in the forward areas.

Former Manchester United man Louis Saha has now offered up a solution to his old side's striking problem and indicated that they should make a move for Al-Ittihad forward Karim Benzema, as he told Diario AS via the same outlet: "Benzema would change United’s attack, and that’s exactly what they need. He would score goals and ensure better team play. For now, it’s just a dream, but Karim is still very professional."

Nonetheless, new reports have now emerged claiming that Dutchman Ten Hag is actually keen to strengthen his backline instead with the arrival of an experienced defender.

Andreas Christensen transfer update

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen could now be made available for transfer this year due to falling down the pecking order at the Catalan giants under Xavi. This follows earlier reports this weekend that the Red Devils are interested in Christensen to replace Raphael Varane.

The new update claims the return of La Blaugrana youngster Chadi Riad in the summer will pave the way for the Denmark international to move on.

Five similar players to Andreas Christensen (FBRef)

Player

Club

Dayot Upamecano

Bayern Munich

Nacho

Real Madrid

Amir Rrahmani

Napoli

Eric Garcia

Girona

Kim Min-jae

Bayern Munich

Given that he arrived at Barcelona on a free transfer, former Chelsea star Christensen is viewed as a player the La Liga outfit can make a healthy profit on. Newcastle United are also believed to be keen on the 27-year-old; however, it has been made clear that he won't leave his current employers in January.

Labelled "very reliable" by former boss Thomas Tuchel, Christensen has still managed to rack up 20 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona this campaign, contributing with a single assist in the process (Christensen statistics – Transfermarkt).

Proven at Premier League level, the £198k-a-week Christensen could be an ideal signing for Manchester United that would provide stability moving forward at Old Trafford.