West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady is pushing for the club to appoint an “interesting” replacement for Julen Lopetegui, with the Spaniard’s sacking still very much on the cards over this festive period.

Julen Lopetegui under pressure despite surviving West Ham axe

Lopetegui managed to keep his job after reigning supreme in the “El Sackico” against Wolves on Monday, but the 58-year-old is still hanging by a thread heading into Christmas.

Title-winning manager privately expressing preference to join West Ham

Julen Lopetegui remains under pressure at the London Stadium.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 13, 2024

Lopetegui’s early reign has been one of real disappointment after the club spent over £120 million on new signings in the summer window, having won just five times over their opening 15 Premier League games.

There are also suggestions that Lopetegui has been clashing with key West Ham players behind-the-scenes, so it has been far from easy for the ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss, who is facing weekly speculation revolving around his position in the dugout.

Former FC Porto boss Sergio Conceicao has privately expressed a preference over joining West Ham above the likes of Everton and Wolves, and there are numerous other candidates who’ve been linked with the potentially vacant post.

One of them is former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter, who has been out of work since his sacking by the former mid-way through 2023.

Potter is one of the West Ham managerial favourites, as per reports in the last fortnight, with the former Ostersunds boss also open to taking the job on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Karren Brady pushing Graham Potter for West Ham manager's job

That is according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, who also writes for TEAMtalk that Baroness Brady is pushing Potter for the West Ham manager’s job behind-closed-doors.

Jacobs claims there is still a very real possibility West Ham could sack Lopetegui over the next two weeks, depending on results, and Potter remains high on the shortlist alongside other names like Matthias Jaissle, Massimiliano Allegri, Edin Terzic and Conceicao.

What could give Potter an advantage over fellow contenders is his willingness to take the role on a short-term interim basis, a condition both Terzic and Allegri aren’t too keen on.

The tactician has undergone a very different pathway to most other elite English managers – first gaining attention by leading Swedish minnows Ostersunds FK from the fourth tier to Europa League last 32 – but this shouldn’t be seen as a deal-breaker.

“I spoke to Graham last year,” said Wayne Rooney on Potter in 2022, via an interview with The Times. “I had a few hours with him on Zoom, and he went through his journey with me. He was good, interesting.

“You look at Graham, or Arsene Wenger who went to Asia. [Jose] Mourinho has been in different places. Fergie started with small clubs in Scotland. Patrick Vieira managed over here [at New York City FC] and went to France.

“Everyone has a different pathway but they all did what they did to educate themselves and better themselves. Sometimes as a manager you just take the job that’s there, and work your way from there.”

Bruno Fernandes has seen a move from Manchester United to Real Madrid rumoured, but a £90 million ($116m) transfer is considered to be “impossible”.

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• Portuguese playmaker under contract to 2027
• Los Blancos in market for Modric replacement
• La Liga giants unlikely to spend big on a 30-year-old

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Portugal international Fernandes remains a talismanic presence at Old Trafford, with leadership duties being taken on as club captain, but the Red Devils’ ongoing struggles for consistency as a collective are seeing questions asked of their skipper’s future.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At 30 years of age, Fernandes cannot afford to hang around in the hope that another rebuild delivers an upturn in fortunes for United. He has a contract until 2027, but that could be broken if the right offer is tabled. La Liga giants Real are reportedly mulling over their options.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It has been suggested that Los Blancos could launch a raid for Fernandes as they look to counter the imminent departure of Luka Modric – with 39-year-old Croatian set to see his deal at Santiago Bernabeu expire in the summer.

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  Real are, however, unlikely to spend big on a player of Fernandes’ age – regardless of his creative qualities – with journalist Paco Gonzalez telling : “Today they published in England that Real Madrid wants Bruno Fernandes and has made an offer of £90m. He’s 30 years old, he’s very good. Maybe many teams ask for a pass to watch a game, but maybe it’s a scout that Real Madrid has for England or a man going to see someone else.

  “But for a 30-year-old guy, Madrid paying 90 million, knowing the calculations Florentino Perez has in his head, that signings have to be paid off and they have to be young, seems impossible to me. If they’re free, I mean, if they arrive for free, yes. If not, well, no way.”

Preparing to get their January business underway, Aston Villa are now reportedly prepared to pay the £17m release clause to sign one of their biggest transfer targets this month.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans have struggled to balance European and domestic responsibilities so far this season, falling outside of the Premier League’s top four as a result as they enter the second half of the campaign.

So it comes as little surprise that they’ve already threatened to steal the headlines more than once during the January transfer window, as Unai Emery looks to reinforce his squad to mount a comeback into the Champions League places.

What should undoubtedly aid their search for fresh faces is the pending sale of Jaden Philogene. Since returning to Villa Park in the summer, the winger has struggled to break into Emery’s strongest side and is now closing in on a mid-season switch to Ipswich Town, who are reportedly splashing out over £20m to secure his signature.

It looks as though those in the Midlands are already preparing to spend that money, too. According to reports in Spain, Aston Villa are now prepared to pay the €20m (£17m) release clause to sign Oscar Mingueza this month, with the deal already reportedly underway.

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The right-back currently looks destined for Villa Park and to hand Matty Cash alarming competition for his starting spot for the remainder of the season and beyond. Still just 25 years old, that £17m fee could quickly become one of the bargains of the window if Mingueza continues his Celta Vigo form in the Midlands.

"Revelation" Mingueza can replace Cash

Dubbed a “revelation” at Celta Vigo by journalist Zach Lowy, Mingueza’s potential arrival could signal the end of Cash’s starting role under Emery. The right-back’s attacking work is particularly something to look out for and a trait that should only add further excitement at Villa Park should he complete a mid-season move from Spain.

A player who began as a right-back more comparable to Cesar Azpilicueta at Barcelona, Mingueza is now a modern-day full-back who would undoubtedly aid Villa’s push to record back-to-back top-four finishes.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Oscar Mingueza

Matty Cash

Starts

17

12

Assists

5

0

Tackles won

11

17

Ball recoveries

71

37

While his creativity is impressive, Mingueza’s ability to recover possession is also a trait which should benefit Aston Villa if they manage to get their deal over the line.

Emery has already seen just how much competition for places can push his players to greater heights, with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran’s goalscoring battle a key part of the current campaign, and he could now see Cash and Mingueza endure a similar fight to start down the right-hand side for the remainder of the season.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been told he "has no limit" despite facing "over for him" claims, with the Portuguese backed to grace another World Cup at 41.

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Still going strong at the age of 40Remains a talisman for club & countryNo plans to retire any time soonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Having passed his 40th birthday, questions are being asked of how much longer CR7 can continue at the very highest level. He has made a career of silencing any doubters and producing exploits of the superhuman variety.

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Ronaldo has offered no indication that he is ready to consider retirement, as he chases down 1,000 career goals, and is set to remain part of the Portugal international squad through to another major tournament in 2026.

DID YOU KNOW?

Emmanuel Petit, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, sees no reason why Ronaldo cannot prolong his playing days. He concedes that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner poses some selection issues, but has seen nothing to suggest that he has lost any of his appetite for success.

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GettyWHAT EMMANUEL PETIT SAID

Ex-Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Petit told : "When you have Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, you don't know as a manager if you have to play him in the first 11 or as a substitute, because let’s be honest, at Euro 2024 his performances were not that good for Portugal.

"But I think this guy has no limit. He treats his body very professionally, and he's 40. People may think it's probably over for him now, his international career, but this guy has so much motivation and anger, which I think could have a positive influence if he's in the team.

"When you have Cristiano Ronaldo, what do you do? Are you putting him in the first 11 every single game, or are you using him as a substitute for 30 minutes, 45 minutes? This is my question.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is such a huge name that it’s complicated for any manager to put him on the bench. The Cristiano Ronaldo situation is a really difficult one for Roberto Martinez because he’s such a superstar. It’s very complicated for him – no manager wants to be the guy that tells Ronaldo you’re on the bench or you’re not playing anymore. Because of his profile, because of his status, he’s a very difficult player to manage."

Sporting CP manager Rui Borges has hinted that Viktor Gyokeres could leave the club in the future amid interest from English giants.

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• Gyokeres could move out of Sporting CP
• Arsenal and Man Utd remain interested in signing the striker
• Has scored 59 league goals in as many matches since 2023

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gyokeres has been the best player in Liga Portugal since he joined Sporting CP in 2023, having scored 59 goals in as many league appearances thus far. But manager Rui Borges has hinted that the start striker could consider leaving the club in future, amid strong interest from Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United.

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• WHAT RUI BORGES SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the Portuguese coach said, "Viktor is a player. I think there are no words. It is unlikely that another player of his quality will emerge in our league over the next few years. He is clearly above average. Sporting recognised his talent, and here we are. Fortunately, we have him at Sporting. We must make the most of the time we have with him because he is truly exceptional. I have said this before, and I will continue to say it: he brings a lot to the team, and his teammates are aware of what he contributes, which is why they look for him during games.

  "The collective effort also plays a role, as no one can succeed alone. Viktor is a game-changer, and he will continue to be, whether with us or elsewhere. His quality is undeniable; it is phenomenal."

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  He added: "He is the best in the league, clearly. There are no adjectives to describe Viktor. He is an extraordinary striker, very important to our team, he has helped the team to grow with confidence, quality of play, he passes it on to his team-mates.

  "He is a focused player, who pays attention to details, he is competitive, never lets his guard down, and doesn't want to rest. Maybe today he could rest. It is a young team, and he, as an athlete, player and teammate, instils confidence in his team-mates with what he gives to the team."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  reported last week that the Portuguese club are expected to demand a transfer fee in between €80-90 million (£68m/£76.5). The Gunners are expected to include one of their players in a player-plus-cash deal to secure the striker's signature.

A European giant are now in talks to sign one of West Ham’s first-team players this month as they look to raid Graham Potter’s side in the winter window.

Potter's West Ham debut ends in defeat

After taking over from Julen Lopetegui with West Ham sitting down in 14th in the Premier League, Potter’s first game ended in defeat as his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa.

Despite that, the new Hammers boss saw plenty of positives from that performance. “Our performance gave me a lot of encouragement, the way the players tried to do what we asked them to do. We’re just disappointed now because we’re out and wanted to go through.

“We just try to get the team into a good shape. The talent is there but it’s just about trying to get the team together as a collective. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

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However, the defeat is set to have longer-term implications for Potter, with Niclas Füllkrug having been substituted off after just 15 minutes through injury, and reports have claimed that he will miss up to three months after scans confirmed the significance of the issue.

That means that West Ham may well be forced into the transfer market, with Michail Antonio also sidelined indefinitely after a car crash last month, while Jarrod Bowen is still recovering from a broken foot, leaving Danny Ings as the only recognised option to lead the line.

But first, they will have to fight off interest in other members of their first team between now and the end of the January transfer window.

European club table bid for West Ham midfielder

Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, AS Monaco have made an offer to sign Mexican midfielder Edson Alvarez on loan this month.

The Ligue 1 side are third in France as things stand, and are looking to bolster their ranks to ensure that they qualify for the Champions League again this season.

To that end, they have made an offer to sign the West Ham man, tabling an initial loan offer for the 27-year-old for the remainder of the campaign.

Unsurprisingly, West Ham have rejected this offer, having signed Alvarez for £35m just 18 months ago and with the Mexican still having three and a half years left to run on his £100,000 a week deal at the London Stadium. He is considered an “important player”, as peer Romano, something that makes a move tricky for the Monegasques.

Handed a start in Potter’s first game in charge, Alvarez has been a regular when fit for the Hammers this season, starting 11 games.

Appearances

16

Starts

11

Goals/Assists

0

Yellow Cards

4

He could continue to figure for the new West Ham boss should he remain at the club. However, in news that may concern Hammers fans, Romano adds that talks continue “as Monaco want Alvarez and can offer UCL football”, while West Ham look on course to miss out on European football altogether barring a major turnaround in the second half of the campaign.

It’s not been the season Tottenham Hotspur fans would have been hoping for just a few months ago.

The positives are that the club have made it to the League Cup semi-finals and remain in contention for the Europa League, but the negative is their form in the Premier League.

As things stand, Ange Postecoglou’s side find themselves all the way down in 11th place, with more losses than wins to their name, despite being the league’s top scorers.

It has become crystal clear that the defence is the biggest problem for the team, and while they are missing players through injury, some of their regular starters are seriously underwhelming and, therefore, must be dropped ahead of this afternoon’s game against Nottingham Forest.

The Spurs ace who must be dropped

Unfortunately, based on the club’s recent form, you could argue for dropping any number of starters from the team ahead of this afternoon’s game.

However, given that defence is the biggest issue at present and that there is no depth to make changes at centre-back, Pedro Porro must be removed from the team.

The Spanish full-back has been an important part of the Lilywhites’ lineup since joining the club under former boss Antonio Conte, and while he still has a reasonably impressive haul of five goal involvements, he’s been defensively suspect this season.

For example, against Liverpool last week, the former Sporting CP star was all at sea for several of the Reds’ fast breaks and subsequent goals, leading to a rather dismal 4/10 match rating from Spurs writer Alasdair Gold, who added that ‘so many goals are conceded in his part of the Spurs box.’

While that might sound like a harsh appraisal of the defender, his statistics from the game prove it’s not.

Minutes

95′

Expected Assists

0.15

Dribbled Past

1

Duels (Won)

8 (4)

Lost Possession

21

Passing Accuracy

49/61 (80%)

Crosses (Accurate)

5 (2)

Shots

0

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (1)

He lost the ball 21 times, was dribbled past once, and lost 50% of his duels.

Unfortunately, it was a similar story against Rangers in the Europa League, for which he received a 5/10 from Gold and against Ipswich Town at home last month, for which he also received a 5/10 match rating and was described as a “horror show” by journalist Mitch Fretton.

Overall, while often brilliant in attack, Porro has been incredibly poor in defence recently and should, as such, be dropped from the team today.

The Spurs star who should start vs Nottingham Forest

So, to get straight to the point, the Spurs player who should come in for Porro this afternoon is Destiny Udogie, who missed out on Sunday through injury.

However, following the game, Postecoglu seemed optimistic about his chances of being back to full fitness for this afternoon, which wouldn’t be too surprising as he did make the bench against the Reds.

With that said, the eagle-eyed among you may be thinking how a left-back would come into the team for a right-back, and while that’s a good question, it’s not what we are suggesting.

Instead, the Spaniard should be directly replaced with the impressive Djed Spence, with the Italian then coming into the position vacated by the Englishman.

Now, it should also be acknowledged that the former Udinese gem has not been having the best of campaigns either, but he’s not been quite as suspect in defence as the former Sporting gem.

Moreover, it was only last season that the 22-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Travis Levison, was the first player in the club’s history to be nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Year award, so he’s certainly deserving of a chance to play himself back into form.

Lastly, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the Premier League, he is in the top 7% of full-backs this season for blocks, the top 9% for progressive passes and tackles and the top 12% for pass completion, all per 90.

Ultimately, there aren’t any perfect solutions for Spurs at the moment, but given how poor Porro has been in recent weeks and how impressive Spence has been, it makes sense to move the latter to the right and bring in Udogie to try and get him back to his sensational best.

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Visitors close on on 339 for 5 as Reece chimes in with fifty

ECB Reporters Network26-Jun-2022

Wayne Madsen became only the third Derbyshire batter to score three consecutive hundreds against the same county as his side enjoyed a good first day against Sussex in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Hove.Sussex, seeking their first Championship win since April 2021, had the better of the morning session when they reduced Derbyshire to 83 for 4, but Madsen didn’t offer a chance on an easy-paced pitch as he progressed serenely to his 34th first-class century for the county. Only Kim Barnett (53) has scored more.By the close Madsen was 171 not out – the highest score by a Derbyshire batter in Sussex – as they closed on 339 for 5 from 97 overs.Derbyshire elected to bat first but lost Billy Godleman and Brooke Guest during a lively opening spell by left-armer Sean Hunt. Godleman offered a low catch to slip after Hunt found some late away movement while Guest lost his middle stump off a big inside edge attempting an expansive drive.At the other end, Shan Masood became the first player to lodge 1,000 first-class runs this season when he reached nine and the prolific Pakistan batter looked in the mood to make another big contribution, especially when he was badly dropped by wicketkeeper Oli Carter on 43 in Tom Haines’ first over.Fortunately for Sussex it did not prove an expensive miss. Masood had added three more runs when he was pinned on his crease during an excellent spell down the slope by Steve Finn, who was making his first Championship appearance since the meeting at Derby in April. In his 12th innings Masood did become the quickest Derbyshire batter to reach 1,000, beating the previous record by Peter Kirsten of 16 in 1980.Haines was rewarded for his accuracy when he went round the wicket to Leus du Plooy and uprooted his leg stump as the batter offered no shot. Haines should have been celebrating again when Luis Reece, with just a single to his name, drove to mid on but Hunt failed to hold onto the catch as he dived forward.On this occasion it was to prove a costly drop as Reece and Madsen added 120 in 36 overs. Sussex’s seven-man attack plugged away but there was little assistance once the ball went soft and it took a misjudgement on Reece’s part to end the stand shortly after he’d reached his fifty, when he top-edged a sweep at Delray Rawlins and lobbed up a simple catch to Carter.Madsen drove Archie Lenham through the covers shortly after tea to bring up his 40th hundred in all formats for Derbyshire – only Barnett (66) has scored more – and Derbyshire’s 999th first-class century.Sussex took the new ball immediately it became available, but the remorseless Madsen soon had Sussex back on the defensive again as he was joined in another productive partnership by Anuj Dal, who has contributed 45 to a stand of 136 in 40 overs.

Bracewell became only the third New Zealand man to take a T20I hat-trick after Oram and Southee

Sreshth Shah20-Jul-2022A patient yet effective 55-ball 78* from Dane Cleaver, and a dominating effort from New Zealand’s bowlers handed the visitors a resounding 88-run win over Ireland in the second T20I in Belfast. The victory sealed the three-game series for New Zealand, giving them an unassailable 2-0 lead with one game still to go.For the second game in a row, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie’s decision to bowl first proved costly, as New Zealand posted 179 for 4 in 20 overs. Cleaver, playing only his second T20I, hit five fours and four sixes, and stayed right till the end after coming in to bat at No. 3 in the fifth over.Then New Zealand’s well-rounded bowling unit did the rest, helped in part by some unnecessary attacking shots or risky runs from the Ireland batters. If it wasn’t for a 37-run stand for the eighth wicket between Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy, Ireland’s total could’ve been far lesser than their eventual score of 91.The spin twins Ish Sodhi and Michael Bracewell were the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, taking three wickets each. Sodhi’s scalps of Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker and George Dockrell broke Ireland’s back in the middle overs, leaving him with figures of 3 for 21 but Bracewell had the widest smile by the end of the game. Bowling his first over in T20Is, the offspinner cleaned up the Ireland tail with three wickets in three balls, thus making him only the third New Zealand bowler after Jacob Oram and Tim Southee to achieve a T20I hat-trick.Spinners headline Irish collapse
Ireland’s chase of 180 began with some potential as Mitchell Santner was walloped by Paul Stirling for a six and a four in the very first over. Then when Lockie Ferguson was dispatched by Stirling for four more through the covers, it seemed like the Ireland opener could be the big-hitter around whom the rest of Ireland’s batters could rally.However, three balls after the Ferguson four, Stirling fell slicing a catch to mid off, and thereafter the floodgates opened. From the other end, Jacob Duffy had Gareth Delany bowled for a first-ball duck in the fourth over with the batter failing to get forward to a fullish ball, and Harry Tector then paid the price of being impatient, run-out to a direct-hit from Glenn Phillips at cover while trying to take the fielder on for a quick single.Having gone from 23 for no loss to 27 for 3 in the space of eight deliveries, it was up to the prodigy Campher and Balbirnie to stick a partnership together, but the latter was the next to go, becoming Duffy’s second scalp. Duffy went full and wide, got the ball to swing away under cloudy conditions, and all Balbirnie’s drive could do was take an outside edge to Cleaver wearing the gloves. After a quiet – and rare wicketless – over, Sodhi got among the wickets too in his first over of the game.Tucker tried to slog sweep the legspinner, only to lose stock of where the mistimed ball went. It had dribbled past him to the wicketkeeper, and as Tucker tried to pinch a single thinking the ball has gone elsewhere, he was stumped. Next ball, Sodhi brought a slip fielder for the new batter and Dockrell edged it to James Neesham in the cordon.With the score at 45 for 6, and ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster giving Ireland less than 1% chance of a win, the pressure was off the Ireland lower order. Mark Adair, in particular, hit a few lusty blows after Campher became Sodhi’s third (and Ireland’s seventh) wicket. Adair went 4, 4, 6 off Sodhi’s third over to ruin his otherwise tidy bowling figures and then drilled Neesham over his head for another boundary. His partner for the eighth-wicket stand, Barry McCarthy, tonked Neesham and Bracewell for a couple of fours too.But Bracewell’s offbreak had Adair caught at deep midwicket for a 22-ball 27, and with the batters crossing, McCarthy too was out next ball, slogging to the same region. On a hat-trick, Bracewell had better luck than Sodhi, taking his third wicket in three balls as the No. 11 Craig Young tried to clear cover, only to slice a catch behind point, and ending Ireland’s innings at 91.Dane Cleaver attempts a reverse sweep during his highest T20I score•Sportsfile/Getty ImagesCleaver follows his cousin’s footsteps
Having made his T20I debut at the age of 30 only two days ago, it was another chance for Cleaver to make the most of the opportunity of batting at No. 3 for New Zealand with senior batters being rested for the T20Is. Coming in at a position favoured by his first-cousin Kane Williamson – after the fall of Finn Allen’s wicket, Cleaver made a sedate start, but kept upping his gears right until the 20th over.Allen’s blitz at the top had allowed New Zealand to race to 40 for no loss after four overs, but he fell for a 20-ball 35 trying to take McCarthy on in the fifth over. With Martin Guptill struggling with his timing, and Cleaver playing but missing the swinging deliveries offered by the Irish seamers, it seemed like the hosts would provide yet another squeeze to the New Zealand top order like the first T20I.But Cleaver grew in confidence, in particular trusting the bounce on offer to play the pull on numerous occasions to finally get off the blocks. Even with Guptill falling for a 17-ball 11 in the ninth over, Cleaver motored along at a strike-rate of under 110 to move into his twenties in Phillips’ company for the third wicket. Together, they added 53 in 5.2 overs, and as Cleaver’s confidence grew, so did his choice of shots. He scooped McCarthy for an ingenious six over the keeper one time, and then played a sliced drive on purpose to beat the fielder at deep point.However, Cleaver did receive a reprieve on 40 when he skipped down the ground to a Dockrell slider, only to miss it. But the wicketkeeper Tucker failed to grab it, and Cleaver offered no further chances. He picked Adair’s two slower balls in the 16th over well enough to smack them for boundaries, then brought up his maiden half-century in 39 balls with a six over deep midwicket. Daryl Mitchell, the No. 5, contributed just 14 runs in his 48-run stand with Cleaver, letting the man in form enjoy most of the strike.Cleaver would go on to thump Young for a pulled six in the 18th, then tonked Josh Little for three fours in four balls in the 19th, and earned his final boundary off the innings’ penultimate ball by slicing a four behind square on the off side. In all, New Zealand made 50 off the last five and Cleaver finished unbeaten on 78 in 55 balls. His performance eventually eked out the Sodhi-Bracewell efforts in the second innings to also earn him the Player of the Match award.

Everton have a “good chance” of completing the signing of a “‘superb” young attacker and are planning an offer, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins.

Everton manager latest

It’s set to be a busy period at Goodison Park, following the sacking of Sean Dyche as manager on Thursday, following nearly two years in charge of the Blues.

Since then, Everton have been working hard on nailing the Englishman’s successor at Goodison Park, with David Moyes emerging as the most likely figure to come in. The Scot arguably feels like the safest pair of hands, considering his strong knowledge of both the club itself and the Premier League, only recently managing Wwst Ham.

The Scot isn’t the only option for the Blues, however, with former AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca also reportedly in talks. The Portuguese worked under The Friedkin Group during his time in charge of Roma, so they may feel that he represents a great choice who they know well.

Ex-Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri was also mentioned as a possible replacement for Dyche before his dismissal, in what would be a high-profile appointment. He won five Serie A titles during his stint in Turin, also reaching the Champions League final in 2017.

Everton prepare offer for "superb" ace

Taking to X on Friday, Hawkins claimed that Everton are preparing an offer for Lyon winger Ernest Nuamah, and have a “good chance” of signing him in January.

Nuamah is a young player with so much potential, which is exactly the type of footballer the Blues should be looking to sign moving forward.

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The 21-year-old is making a name for himself at Lyon, already making 49 appearances for Ligue 1, scoring four goals and registering three assists in that time, and he netted 20 times in 49 outings during his time at Nordsjaelland, too. His end product should only improve with age as well.

Nuamah has also scored three goals in 12 caps for Ghana, making an impact on the international stage, and journalist Bence Bocsak has described him as a “superb” player.

Primarily a right-sided attacker, Nuamah could provide a nice balance for Everton’s next manager, with Iliman Ndiaye on the opposite flank, and the fact that he would be a long-term addition means the Blues should see him as an exciting signing.