All posts by h716a5.icu

Twenty-one Pakistan players, including Saeed Ajmal and Imran Khan, found themselves in a pay dispute with the Afro T20 Cricket League organisers and decided to return home without completing the tournament

Umar Farooq21-Dec-2017Twenty-one Pakistan players, including Saeed Ajmal and Imran Khan, and commentator Aamer Sohail found themselves in a pay dispute with the Afro T20 Cricket League organisers and decided to return home without completing the tournament. The players’ return tickets were also cancelled at one point but according to Ajmal, their flights were rebooked for December 21 after talks with the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA).The Afro T20 Cricket League, featuring eight teams, is supported by the UCA and was approved by the ICC, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The tournament started on December 17 and was scheduled to run until January 1. However, a few days into the tournament, the organisers were not releasing payments for players. The league had reportedly set USD $50,000 for the winning team with each player having a contractual agreement. Ajmal said he got multiple verbal assurances from the organisers who later flew to Dubai with yet another promise that they were going to arrange the payments and return.”The organiser wasn’t paying us and we insisted for our payments as per the contractural agreement,” Ajmal told ESPNcricinfo. “But he deserted us with a promise that he is going to Dubai to arrange payments and will return but he hasn’t and we decided to return in protest. Our return tickets were blocked and we had informed Uganda Cricket Association and with some pressure we managed to rebook our return flight for December 21. But we are perfectly fine in Uganda, we are in touch with the Pakistan consulate as well and things are under control.”The PCB issued a press release saying the ICC had been in touch with the board about the availability of the players for the league, and things were firmed up by the PCB on that basis. The board said it is looking into the matter and will decide how to act once the facts are established, while also stating that it had been up to the players to negotiate their terms with the organisers.*”PCB received applications from players to participate in the Afro T20 League being played in Uganda. Upon inquiring of the bonafides of this League from ICC, we were advised by the ICC that Afro T20 League has been approved by them and that it is been played under the umbrella of Uganda Cricket Association (UCA). The ICC sent us a list of players which were provided to the ICC by the League organisers and asked us to allow them to take part in the tournament. Upon receiving confirmation from ICC, PCB issued NOCs to all Pakistani players who were mentioned in the approved list.”PCB is currently looking into the incident which has taken place in Uganda during the Afro T20 League and once complete information is received, further course of action will be advised.”It may be mentioned that it is the responsibility of the players to negotiate the terms of their engagement and not that of the PCB whose role is confined to the issuance of NOCs on the condition that the players are not required for PCB duty at home or abroad.”*

Everton have enjoyed a solid if unspectacular transfer window so far. Sean Dyche has signed Ashley Young, Jack Harrison, Arnaut Danjuma and Youssef Chermiti, marking a fine mixture of youth and experience.

However, their 2023/24 Premier League campaign didn’t exactly get off to the best start, with the Toffees losing 1-0 to Fulham last weekend, as despite having 19 shots in total, they couldn’t find the back of the net.

Dyche will be aiming to fix this key problem before the window shuts in under two weeks, and he is showing interest in a player who starred in Ligue 1 last season…

Will Everton make more signings?

Journalist Mike Minay provided an update on Everton’s interest in Troyes forward Mama Balde on Twitter, saying: “Burnley, Sheffield United and Everton are interested in signing Mama Balde from Troyes.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

“The Guinea-Bissau winger scored 14 goals last season in Ligue 1 including a double against PSG.

“It’s expected a deal could be worth around €8m.”

Although facing competition for his signature, a fee of €8m (£6.8m) could represent a wonderful piece of business for Dyche as he looks to inject some more firepower into his starting XI.

Who is Mama Balde?

Last season, Everton netted just 34 league goals as they narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship, and this is an area which badly needs to be corrected before too long.

Danjuma and Harrison will add a threat from the wings, whereas youngster Chermiti is perhaps too inexperienced to expect much of an impact straight away, hence the need for another striker.

Neal Maupay endured a shocker against Fulham, missing two big chances whilst having four shots during the match without scoring – and Balde could be a major upgrade on the former Brighton & Hove Albion forward should he join the Toffees.

Indeed, last season, the Troyes gem registered more domestic goals and assists (15 v 2), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.16 v 1.45) and succeeded with a higher percentage of successful take-ons per 90 (45.2% v 36.8%), clearly indicating that he could be a more dangerous attacking threat should he be trusted to lead the Everton frontline.

Balde also proved he could do it against the best teams, having netted a double against Paris Saint-Germain in an eventual 4-3 defeat, while also scoring against AS Monaco and Marseille last term.

This big-game mentality would stand him in good stead should he move to the Premier League, as Dyche could count on him to perform when it really matters.

Journalist Josh Bunting described him as Troyes’ “key man” in 2022, and he certainly delivered throughout the season. Maupay, on the other hand, has scored just once for the Goodison Park side since arriving last summer for a fee of £15m, and it’s evident that the move just hasn’t worked out at all.

They could land Balde for less than half the sum they shelled out on the Frenchman and find a player who is a much bigger threat in the final third.

It’s a no-brainer for Dyche, though he will need to act swiftly in order to secure his signature.

The former Australia bowler believes the visitors have enormous mental hurdles to overcome if they are to keep the Ashes series alive in Perth, even reckoning that Alastair Cook is contemplating retirement

Daniel Brettig11-Dec-2017Mitchell Johnson believes England have enormous mental hurdles to overcome if they are to keep the Ashes series alive in Perth, reckoning that Alastair Cook is contemplating retirement while the England captain Joe Root will be questioning his decision to send Australia in to bat in Adelaide.As the spearhead of Australia’s 5-0 Ashes sweep of England four years ago, Johnson watched Steven Smith’s team train at the WACA Ground on Monday and said he could see major parallels between that series and this one in terms of the escalating mental battles being fought by the visitors. The 2013-14 series ended in the resignation of Andy Flower as coach, plus the withdrawal of Jonathan Trott from the tour and the retirement of Graeme Swann. Kevin Pietersen, meanwhile, never played for England again.Having been in complete control of his mental and technical sides to dominate that series, Johnson said he could see England’s players doubting themselves and their decisions. “England will struggle mentally,” Johnson said about the remainder of the series. “You’ve got guys like Alastair Cook struggling. He can’t find form. And I’d say he’s thinking about retirement. He has played 150 Test matches; it’s got to take it out of you.”Joe Root is the skipper, and there’s a lot of pressure on him with what’s happening outside the game but also winning the toss and what he did last game was debatable and that’s got to mentally take its toll on him as well. He’ll be questioning and doubting himself. We’re still talking about [Ben] Stokes and then there’s [Jonny] Bairstow who I thought was a little bit up and down, whether he was going to be their next senior player to step up, and we haven’t seen that yet. They don’t really have a lot going for them to be honest, and I can say that now sitting on the outside – its’ easier to say. That’s just what I see.”Watching the series from the sidelines, Johnson also felt that the short ball in the hands of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins was also beginning to take an accumulating toll on the English psyche. “It’s not easy coming here [to Perth]. After seeing in the first two Tests, once the wickets had quickened up a bit – Brisbane, Adelaide – the short ball was really effective and this is not going to be any easier for them,” he said. “[From] what I’ve seen now the Australian team is focused on what they need to do. Very similar to 2013-14, we just knew we needed to prepare ourselves the best way at trainings and then get ourselves physically and mentally right for the game. And it wasn’t thinking we were 2-0 up, it was just starting a new game. Seems like they’re in that sort of mind frame too.”England seem like there is a lot of stuff going on off the field at the moment for them. I think there’s a lot of distractions. Think they’ll be deflated from the last performance because it was talked about that was their best chance of winning in Adelaide: pink ball, conditions suited them more. And we saw what Jimmy Anderson did for the team: he bowled 11 overs straight when the conditions suited him and his bowling, which I found quite interesting [and] his comments after that as well.”They were on a high and then to be deflated the way that they did, probably coming into the last day thinking they were going to win, and then for the Aussies to get that early breakthrough and roll through them, that’ll be mentally hard for them to come up into this Test.”Currently in preparation for the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers, Johnson admitted he chose not to bowl to the Australians because he did not want to disrupt their current rhythm. “I definitely would have had a bowl, I’m in my season now,” he said. “Been bowling with a red ball at training down at my club, so would have been nice to come and have a bowl but, at the same time, I think I would have been a bit nervous if I did slip a short ball in… especially not this part of the series, we’re going along really well.”I didn’t talk to the bowlers about much, more how they’re feeling and giving a little bit of feedback on what I’ve seen. Just rhythm and lengths and stuff like that. I still think they’ll get better throughout the series. They haven’t all clicked together and, I think, once they do click, we’re going to see a pretty potent attack.”The [quicks] all bring something different and the good thing about these guys is they’ve played a lot of junior cricket together, they know each other really well – which is a huge bonus, to be able to know your mate who you’re bowling with at the other end… you could sit at mid-on or mid-off and you’re helping your mate when he’s bowling in a spell, if he’s not going so well you know what to say to him, if he’s going well you know what to say to him.”

Aston Villa are reportedly on the hunt for further summer reinforcements, as Unai Emery prepares to finalise his squad before the close of the transfer window.

The Spaniard has teamed up with Monchi to welcome some impressive new arrivals already from the market, breaking the club’s transfer-fee record to capture the signature of Moussa Diaby in a deal worth £51.9m.

The Frenchman’s arrival added an immediate threat to the squad, with him scoring on his Premier League debut, however according to recent reports, another dynamic wide player could be waiting in the wings.

Who could Aston Villa sign this summer?

One name that circulated Villa’s transfer talk earlier in the summer was Wilfried Gnonto, who looks certain to leave Leeds United this window as he protests against playing Championship football.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

The Italian was a rumoured target for the Villans, however, the 19-year-old looks set to join Everton – as journalist Paul Brown recently told GIVEMESPORT that the youngster “clearly wants to join” the Toffees – or remain at Elland Road following his reintegration into Daniel Farke's squad this week.

Not getting Gnonto could be a blessing in disguise for those at Villa Park, with reports this week claiming that Villa have made an offer for Barcelona starlet Abde Ezzalzouli.

News in Spain stated that the Catalan giants would expect a price in the region of €20m (£17m) for the Moroccan, who could leave the club this summer due to his wishes for game time and to relieve financial pressures at the Camp Nou.

How good is Abde Ezzalzouli?

Having been dubbed as a “Moroccan flash” by scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old gem has earned himself 14 senior appearances for Barcelona so far in his budding career.

Deployable across the front line, the right-footed winger is best equipped on the left flank, where he is notable for terrorising defences with his direct approach to play in the final third.

Last season, the youngster spent the year on loan at Osasuna in a bid to gain further experience in LaLiga, where he netted six goals in all competitions for the side, registering impressive performances to gain attention.

For Villa, potentially capturing the Barcelona starlet could be a bigger coup than signing Gnonto, making the path that the two deals are going down an impressive piece of business in the window for the Midlands side.

When comparing their numbers in their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, their averages showcase their similarities in approach to play, and also the Villa targets superiority over the Leeds want away.

As per FBref, Ezzalzouli averaged 5.57 progressive carries and 3.53 successful take-ons per 90 for Osasuna, with his rate of successful take-ons placing him within the top 3% of wingers in La Liga in that area.

Having also been hailed for his “frightening speed” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the forward exceeded the averages recorded by Gnonto in the Premier League last season, who averaged 4.39 progressive carries and 1.40 successful take-ons per 90 for the Whites.

Emery could find himself getting the better deal in equipping his side with the promising Moroccan over the teenager, in a move that could prove to be fundamental for both the player and the club’s progression.

Chelsea are "really close" to completing the signing of a midfield star with "enormous potential" and could announce his arrival as soon as Tuesday, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea news – what is the latest?

It's been a ridiculous transfer window for the Blues this summer, and not in a bad way. The West Londoners kicked off their business by sanctioning what felt like a firesale of first-team players, with the club seemingly intent to ship off the squad that helped them win their second Champions League title only two years ago.

Players like N'Golo Kante and Edouard Mendy made their way to the absurdly wealthy Saudi Pro League. At the same time, others such as Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount opted to stay in England and joined Premier League rivals instead.

With the squad adequately trimmed and the wage bill freed up, Mauricio Pochettino's side turned their attention to incomings and began splashing the cash.

There has been a real focus on youth this window, with the likes of Nicolas Jackson coming in from Villarreal, Lesley Ugochukwu from Rennes, Angelo from Santos and, of course, Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

The Ecuadorian was involved in potentially the most entertaining transfer saga in quite a few years when it looked like Liverpool might've hijacked his move with a £111m bid on Thursday night, only for the 21-year-old to stick to his word and join the Blues for a Premier League record fee of £115m.

And now it looks like Chelsea have taken a leaf out of the Reds' book as they look to have successfully hijacked the Merseysiders deal for Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia, with the 19-year-old making it very clear now that he wants the move to Stamford Bridge over Anfield, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation around this £50m move and the influence of Joe Shields on his YouTube channel, saying:

"About Romeo Lavia, there is an important story, important news of the day, of the night, because Romeo Lavia communicated in a very clear way to all parties involved, Chelsea, agents, people from Southampton, of course, that he wants to join Chelsea.

"So, the decision has been made, and Chelsea and Southampton, in contact during the night, are really close to completing the agreement for Romeo Lavia; it's a matter of hours while I am speaking to see Romeo Lavia as a new Chelsea player.

"Chelsea's idea is to announce the signing this week. So after Caicedo, Chelsea also want to unveil Romeo Lavia as a new signing, and it could be Tuesday, the right day to make the deal happen.

"On this deal, Joe Shields has been absolutely crucial. Joe Shields is one of the directors at Chelsea and is the man who almost created Romeo Lavia as a player. He was a director at Manchester City Academy and signed Romeo Lavia, then joined Southampton as a director and signed Romeo Lavia for £12m, and now Joe Shields is at Chelsea, and he's going to sign Romeo Lavia.

"For Chelsea it's a huge deal because they will close this negotiation for something around £50m plus add-ons."

How much did Southampton pay for Lavia?

With the Saints set to sell their young Belgian for around £50m per Romano, they are set to make a profit of about £36m after deducting the £14m they spent to bring the youngster to the south coast and away from Manchester City last summer.

While it's undoubtedly a massive markup in price that the Blues are having to pay, he looks like he'll be worth every penny, and if he can reach the "enormous potential" that football talent scout Jacek Kulig believes he has, £50m might end up looking like a bargain.

According to WhoScored, in his 26 league starts last season, he scored one goal, took 0.4 shots per game, maintained a passing accuracy of 86.4% and averaged a match rating of 6.56, which considering he was tasked with playing in the centre of an incredibly dysfunctional Saints side is pretty impressive.

That said, it's his defensive awareness that elevates him above his peers, with the Brussels-born gem in the top 4% of players in Europe's top five leagues for making blocks, at 1.90 per 90, per FBref.

And then there's his mentality and determination, areas in which he has demonstrated real maturity, with Kulig hailing him as "the future midfield leader of Belgium NT and a top Premier League club."

If Chelsea can get this deal over the line, then with Enzo Fernandez, Lavia and Caicedo, they could have their midfield sorted for the next decade or more.

Moeen Ali has declared himself fit and ready to take on Australia in next week’s first Test at Brisbane

George Dobell in Townsville13-Nov-2017Moeen Ali has taken an innovative approach – and received a few blows in the process – ahead of the belated start to his Ashes preparations as he prepares to take on Australia’s fast bowlers.Moeen, who returns to the England side for the warm-up match in Townsville having recovered from a side strain which has sidelined him since arriving in Australia, has been using a wet tray and extra bouncy balls in an attempt to replicate the pace and bounce he anticipates he will receive.”I’ve been doing that recently to exaggerate the pace with the ball coming at you,” Moeen said. “It just sharpens you up.”It’s a tray and you just wet it. It’s an Indian drill. The balls I bring with me, they’re slightly different. It skims off it. You need a good thrower, which Paul Collingwood is. I’ve been hit before loads of times but the more I’m doing it the better I’m feeling.”It doesn’t mean you’re going to be the best player of fast bowling it just means you’re probably going to be better than you were.”I’ve been practising everything to be honest with you as much as I can – pace in general. I almost try and go over the top with it and then hopefully it’ll be a lot easier after that.”Moeen played a key role in the 2015 Ashes – his lower-order partnerships with Stuart Broad, especially at Edgbaston, giving England crucial late runs – but his technique against the short ball has occasionally been tested when batting higher up the order. With Ben Stokes absent, Moeen is expected to move up a spot to No. 7 where his runs could be even more important.”Some days I feel like I’m seeing it better. Some days I’m seeing it well but in the past I definitely didn’t have the technique to deal with it. But that’s something I’ve been working on. I am definitely a better player than I was in the 2015 Ashes series. I actually didn’t do that badly in that series but I feel like I’m a much better player than I was then.”While Moeen was understandably eager to get back to action after watching the first two warm-up matches, he felt that his time on the sidelines was not without its benefits. “It was a bit frustrating not playing but also not a bad thing,” he said. “You get a lot more work done than anybody else.”Sometimes when you’re playing you don’t get the chance to focus on yourself. Another benefit of not playing those two games is that it makes you hungrier to get out there and be with the guys.”I’m ready to go now. I can’t wait to put my whites on and start performing, getting a bit of game time in my system and then I’ll be ready to play at the Gabba.”Australia’s traditional venue for the first Test of their summer is one of the most notorious grounds for visiting teams – no side has won there since West Indies’ fast bowlers ruled the roost in 1988. However, Moeen said he was unconcerned by the reputation of the “Gabbatoir”.”I’m very excited and looking forward to the atmosphere,” he said. “Australians like to talk a lot, big themselves up. That’s part of the game. It’s not something that I haven’t had before.”That doesn’t faze me. It’s something you have to block out. You have to focus on your game and the situation that the team is in. I’m just going to come out and play like I always do for England and give it my best shot.”

Liverpool are interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion left-back Pervis Estupinan this summer, with manager Jurgen Klopp impressed by the Ecuadorian's performances in the Premier League.

What's the latest on Pervis Estupinan to Liverpool?

According to FootballTransfers, the Reds have expressed a concrete interest in signing Estupinan after raiding the Seagulls earlier this summer for the £35m Alexis Mac Allister.

There are believed to be concerns over Andy Robertson's fitness levels and form in Liverpool's tinkered system, and Estupinan could be the Scotsman's long-term heir for the Anfield side.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The report claims that Klopp's side were offered the opportunity to sign the 25-year-old from Villarreal last summer, but he ultimately chose to pen a £15m deal with the Seagulls.

How good is Pervis Estupinan?

It's something of a disservice to Robertson and all that he has done for Liverpool since signing from Hull City for just £10m to suggest that he is finished after a smattering of subpar showings, with the 29-year-old having played 267 matches for the Merseyside club, scoring eight goals and supplying 63 assists.

The 61-cap Scotland captain has played an important role in gleaning the full sweep of silverware under Klopp's wing, though admittedly was "poor" – as described by journalist James Nalton – toward the business end of the 22/23 campaign as the rest of the team unearthed a late purple patch.

He did record an average Sofascore rating over the campaign of 6.95, completing 84% of his passes, registering eight assists, making 1.6 key passes and 1.3 clearances per game, though his form suffered a discernible deterioration over the final weeks.

Estupinan has thrived on English soil over the past year, recording an average Sofascore rating of 6.89 during his maiden Albion campaign, also completing 84% of his passes, averaging 1.5 key passes, 1.7 tackles and one clearance per outing and scoring one goal and supplying five assists – hailed as the "complete player" by his boss Roberto De Zerbi.

As per FBref, the South American gem ranks among the top 17% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for passes attempted and the top 16% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.

Such a 'complete' skill set has drawn comparisons to Chelsea's newly-appointed captain Reece James, with FBref likening the two players.

The England international ranks among the top 17% of positional peers for goals, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting his superlative rounded qualities.

The £250k-per-week phenom has been described as "the best in the world" in his position by pundit Ian Wright and was instrumental in winning the Champions League in 20/21.

While the 23-year-old spent the lion's share of the past season out injured, he did showcase his ability across his 16 appearances in the English top-flight, recording an average rating of 7.19, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 1.3 key passes and 1.9 tackles per game, succeeding with 64% of his ground duels and 69% of his dribbles.

Estupinan is not quite at this refined level yet but he is definitely making the increments to lead toward a role as a first-class phenom at the highest level, and with Klopp a keen admirer, a move could be forthcoming, if not this summer, then perhaps during the winter or even in one year.

After all, the 35-cap international was praised to have "handled [Mohamed] Salah exceptionally" by football content creator and senior reporter Kendall Rowan during Villarreal's 3-2 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final second leg in May 2021, forging two clearances and interceptions, making three key passes and succeeding with both of his attempted dribbles.

Liverpool's Egyptian focal point did earn an assist and created two key passes, but mustered only one off-target shot and one blocked effort all game, marshalled well by the all-encompassing former Yellow Submarines left-back.

He boasts the full package, and if Klopp does decide to target a new left-sided full-back in the near future, Estupinan is the man for the job.

The South Africa captain suffered an acute lumbar disc injury in the third ODI against Bangladesh on Sunday

Firdose Moonda24-Oct-2017Faf du Plessis will be sidelined for six weeks after suffering an acute lumbar disc injury in the third ODI against Bangladesh on Sunday. Du Plessis had to retire hurt on 91 and could not return to lead the team in the field.He had already been ruled out of the two-match T20 series, which starts on Thursday, but will now also miss most of the domestic T20 competition with the aim to be fit for the inaugural four-day, day-night Test against Zimbabwe on Boxing Day.In du Plessis’ absence, JP Duminy will lead the T20 side, which also includes AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla.Du Plessis’ injury should not impact any international commitments with South Africa’s calendar empty until Boxing Day. Thereafter, they will play eight home Tests, including three in a full visit by India that also features six ODIs and three T20s. As South Africa’s all-format captain, du Plessis will be eager to be fully fit for that series.He was also due to captain the Stellenbosch Kings in the inaugural edition of the T20 Global League, which was scheduled to start on November 3, but the tournament has been postponed. Instead, CSA have moved the franchise T20 competition into the same slot.Du Plessis is the first high-profile player who won’t take part in that event. According to the timeline, du Plessis should return in the first week of December, by which time the competition will be in its final two rounds. He may be able to take part in the playoffs in mid-December.His franchise, Titans, are laden with international talent. Test opener Dean Elgar, recent international debutant Aiden Markram, de Villiers, wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock and limited-overs regular Farhaan Behardien all play at SuperSport Park, while they also have Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Chris Morris. All three quicks are expected to make their comebacks from injury in the T20 tournament, alongside Lungi Ngidi, who returned from a back problem to take 6 for 37 in an ongoing first-class match against Lions at the Wanderers.

Liverpool are expected to submit an offer for young Fluminense midfielder Andre in "the next few days", according to a new transfer update.

Have Liverpool been linked with Andre?

The Reds' incoming transfer business has gone quiet of late, leading to an element of frustration from the fanbase, considering the beginning of the new Premier League season is now just over a week away.

With Fabinho and Jordan Henderson joining James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of the exit door, Liverpool suddenly look short of options, especially in defensive midfield, where Curtis Jones has recently been filling in during pre-season.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield in that area of the pitch is Andre, who is considered an impressive young prospect in his homeland, making 145 appearances for Fluminense and winning one cap for Brazil.

The 22-year-old is seen as a strong option to come in, potentially as an alternative to Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia, but hopefully as an addition to him, should he complete a move to Merseyside in the near future.

Now, a new update has emerged surrounding Liverpool's interest in Andre – one that suggests he is a genuine target who could be on the way to England very shortly if Jorg Schmadtke and Jurgen Klopp get their way.

Are Liverpool signing Andre?

According to Gazeta Esportiva [via Sport Witness], the Reds are preparing to make a bid for Andre in "the next few days", with a €25m (£21.5m) offer set to be tabled. He sees the move with "good eyes", according to the report, and Liverpool themselves are confident that an agreement can be reached.

This is a positive update regarding the summer business at Anfield, with the club now needing to act quickly, in order to avoid a sticky midfield situation going into their Premier League opener away to Chelsea on August 13th.

Granted, Andre wouldn't be likely to be thrown straight into Liverpool's starting lineup for that game, considering he would need to take time to adjust to his new surroundings, but he would still come in as an immediate important figure who could make up for the loss of Fabinho and Henderson, hopefully along with Lavia.

The Brazilian has been lauded for being "capable of doing everything" on the pitch by a scouting report from Breaking The Lines, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed him as a "high-quality roaming playmaker".

At 22, there would be so much more to come from Andre, too, and he really could be an long-term signing, assuming he makes a seamless transition from Brazilian football to the Premier League.

If Liverpool can sign him and Lavia, it could solve their No.6 issue for many years to come, while a left-sided centre-back is also required – one who can shine at left-back, too, and be adept at thriving in a back-three at times, when Trent Alexander-Arnold moves from right-back into midfielder when Liverpool are in possession.

Should all three pieces of business be completed, the Reds will have had a very successful summer, but it remains to be seen if that will happen.

Round-up of the first set of fixtures from the 2017-18 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2017The Duke’s debutThe PCB inducted English Duke balls on their premier first-class circuit in a bid to prepare for the two-match Test series in England next year. However, several players – bowlers and batsmen alike – complained about the quality of the ball. According to players, it is ‘extraordinarily hard’ on the bat and in the hands for the fielders, specifically in the slips. Bowlers also complained that the ball was difficult to shine, with the leather looking somewhat coarse.At the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, in the opening round of fixtures, Water And Power Development Authority dismissed Lahore Blues for 198. The balls had to be changed no less than three times after losing their shape, supporting players’ accounts that the quality was substandard. Those who have played league cricket in England claimed that the balls used in the QeA over this week were much harder than the ones used on the domestic circuit in the UK.Departments dominate regionsThe PCB recently introduced a draft system for selecting players in regional sides in a bid to make the tournament more competitive. But the opening round saw departmental teams, boasting sizeable international quality, continue to be in command, beating regional teams by significant margins. Sui Southern Gas Corporation beat Islamabad by 360 runs, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited thrashed Peshawar by 154 runs, WAPDA tamed Lahore Blues by 120 runs, Habib Bank Limited thumped FATA by 335 runs, United Bank Limited toppled Karachi Whites by an innings and 73 runs, and National Bank of Pakistan saw off Faisalabad by 6 wickets. The only victories for the regions came for Rawalpindi and Lahore Whites, who turned over Khan Research Laboratories and Pakistan TV respectively.Sohail successWeeks after Mickey Arthur leapt to Sohail Khan’s defence following a tense defeat against the World XI in Lahore, the bowler repaid his coach’s faith, kicking off his QeA season with an 11-wicket haul, helping his side, United Bank, to an innings victory against Karachi Whites. He followed up a six-wicket haul in the first innings – including five of the top six – with a five-for in the second innings. It was a thoroughly all-round performance, too: in the one innings in which he batted, he scored 63 at No. 9, bolstering his all-round credentials.The comeback kidRaza Hasan, who was banned for two years for testing positive for a prohibited substance in 2015, returned with cracking match figures of 4 for 112 and 8 for 76 to help National Bank of Pakistan rip through Faisalabad’s batting line-up. He was the young sensation of the 2012 World T20, but hadn’t played first-class cricket since 2014 before being banned from playing all forms of cricket. The 25-year-old played 10 T20 matches and a solitary ODI for Pakistan, and remained in isolation before Lahore Qalandars director Aaqib Javed helped him revive his career. His contract with NBP – revoked after his suspension – was reinstated earlier this year, and he will be hoping to make up for lost time.Fawad WatchContentious selections often make the news for all sorts of reasons; Vernon Philander’s inclusion in the 2015 World Cup semi-final to apparently meet a transformation quota, James Pattinson’s brother Darren’s shock call-up to the England XI for a Test against South Africa in 2009. But you would have to wade through the archives to come up with a non-selection as perplexing as Fawad Alam’s from the Pakistan team. He played the last of his three Tests in November 2009 – the same series in which Umar Akmal made his debut.Over the last three seasons, he hasn’t so much been knocking on the selectors’ doors as barging in, helping himself to a cup of tea and putting his feet up on the comfy chair by the fireside. He ticks so many boxes for an international call-up you’d get bored if they were all listed. He’s averaged nearly 60 over the past three domestic seasons, has the experience Pakistan so require in the wake of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan’s retirements, and has come through the same domestic set-up the PCB uses for bowlers with alacrity.In the opening QeA game, as captain of Sui Southern Gas, he scored 23 and an unbeaten 43-ball 50 (his strike rate has been one of the reasons selectors have offered for overlooking him). He could be forgiven for feeling, however, that he should have been batting in the UAE capital against Sri Lanka, instead of Pakistan.