Liverpool have held an “internal discussion” regarding the possibility of submitting an offer for Borussia Monchengladbach star Manu Kone, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Manu Kone?

Kone is a central midfielder who arrived at the Borussia Park from Toulouse back in 2021 and he’s since gone on to become a regular feature, clocking up a total of 60 appearances to date. Despite his contract not expiring for another two years, he was Gerardo Seoane’s top-performing defensive player last season so has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs revealed that the 22-year-old is a player that is “on the list” of targets for FSG, with The Guardian further reporting that the Reds are pushing to make him their next signing after Brighton and Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister.

The Frenchman further excited supporters and sparked rumours of a switch when he was pictured with Nice’s Khephren Thuram, who the Merseyside outfit have also been heavily linked with, and if the following update is to be believed, it sounds like the duo could both soon be making their way to the Premier League.

Are Liverpool signing Kone?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Liverpool have been in talks with the representatives of Kone and Thuram while pondering official approaches, with FSG telling both players' clubs they may make a move after signing Mac Allister:

“Liverpool have been in direct contact with both Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram agents again this week. Internal discussion taking place over official proposals. Liverpool asked for some time to close in on Mac Allister deal then decide on new midfielders.”

Should FSG submit a bid for Kone?

Liverpool are in desperate need of new central players following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo, and having been dubbed a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kone is definitely a candidate worth testing the waters for in an attempt to bring him to Merseyside.

The Classico client, who earns only £5k-per-week, is naturally stronger in the defensive aspect of his game having won 39 tackles throughout the previous campaign which was higher than any of his teammates, as per FBRef.

The France U21 international, however, can pose a threat going forward too, as he ranks in the 96th percentile for dribbles by central midfielders and did pitch in last term by scoring one goal and providing the same number of assists, so he’s an extremely well-rounded player and one that would only excel further under the guidance of Klopp.

Australia need to win all three remaining matches to take the series; their batsmen need to fire against a focused South African attack to help them do that

The Preview by Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2016Match factsOctober 5, 2016
Start time 1330 local (1130 GMT)Big PictureSouth Africa are a victory away from sealing their first bilateral ODI series win against Australia in seven years. They have already put on two perfect performances to get to this point. South Africa will be particularly pleased with its batting line-up, which had been hit by the absence of AB de Villiers, but has found other superstars. Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis have gone big, Rilee Rossouw has supported them strongly, JP Duminy’s finishing ability is being fine-tuned and the allrounders have not had to do much. But, they will be aware that those showings came against a side missing its frontline, and even some of its second-choice seamers, and on surfaces made for big totals.Daniel Worrall, Chris Tremain and Joe Mennie have endured a tough introduction to international cricket, but can expect things to relatively ease off as they head to the coast; on slower surfaces and in thicker air, the ball may not fly off the bat or to the boundary as quickly. More subtle skills will be required, and Adam Zampa could become even more of a factor, but for Australia to begin challenging in this series, they need their batsmen to come to the party in a big way. Converting starts will be one challenge for them, dealing with a varied South African attack that has found its focus is another.The home team’s greatest luxury is the number of options at their disposal, and that is without even taking into account those sitting on the bench. Kyle Abbott, a Durban home-boy, Dwaine Pretorius and Aaron Phangiso have not made an appearance yet, and while South Africa may not want to tinker with a winning XI, they will also understand the importance of looking at what everyone can offer.Durban may not be the place for that, and you would be forgiven for wondering if it is the place for cricket at all. The good news is that the outfield saga that resulted in no play on three of the five days of the New Zealand Test in August has been resolved, and Kingsmead is set to show off as much as it can to repair any reputational damage. The best way for it to do that is not even in its control. Fans will seek an engaging contest, and the neutrals would want the side that has struggled so far to turn things around. Effectively, every match from here is a final for Australia, which they will have to win to take the series, but as history would remind us, Australia are pretty good at finals.Form guideSouth Africa: WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: LLWWWIn the spotlightRilee Rossouw , who has reeled off two fifties in succession, kept Hashim Amla out of the XI in Johannesburg, and could do so again in Durban. Rossouw was made to front up before the media on match eve, a sign that he could play the third fixture. Rossouw’s form, which has been particularly pleasing to the selectors after he had spent the last two months recovering from a shoulder problem, is not in question, but how both he and Amla will fit into the team is. Stand-in captain Faf du Plessis explained that the selectors made the decision to stick with Rossouw after Amla recovered from illness even though team policy is that the incumbent should get his place his back. Rossouw may be under pressure to keep proving himself, especially if Amla has to carry drinks again.Although Australia’s young attack has appeared their weaker suit, former wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said he expects Australia’s batsmen to step up. “I think the batters were a little disappointing, to be honest,” Haddin told the radio. Steven Smith is likely to come under the most scrutiny. The Australian captain has scored just 22 runs in the first two matches, but seemed it good touch before the series. Aaron Finch, who has scraped together 34 runs, will also want to offer more at the top of the order.Teams newsThe Amla-Rossouw debate will be in focus. Faf du Plessis has indicated he wants Amla back, which could see Rossouw pushed down the order at the expense of one of David Miller, JP Duminy or Farhaan Behardien. South Africa may want to give Dwaine Pretorius or Kyle Abbott an opportunity. They could do that by resting Dale Steyn, but may want to wait until the series is decided before experimenting.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Rilee Rossouw/Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Dwaine Pretorius/Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Kyle Abbott/Dale Steyn, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran TahirAfter twin false starts, Aaron Finch may make way for Usman Khawaja while Australia will keep rotating their young seam attack. Joe Mennie took a pasting on debut and may be allowed to lick his wounds with Daniel Worrall coming back into the XI.Australia: (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch/Usman Khawaja, 3 Steve Smith (wk), 4 George Bailey, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Mathew Wade (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Chris Tremain, 11 Daniel WorrallPitch and conditionsMore eyes will be on the outfield than the pitch, especially after it received some rain on Monday. It has been dry since, and should stay that way for the match, which will prevent the problem of August from recurring. The surface itself will be slower than what was available upcountry, which could mean lower totals and more opportunity for bowlers, especially the spinners, to have their say.Stats and triviaThe last time South Africa won a bilateral ODI series against Australia was in April 2009 David Miller is 131 runs away from completing 2,000 runs in ODIsQuotes”It’s really important that we don’t, for one second, become complacent because we know we are very far away from winning this series.”

أعلن نادي آينتراخت فرانكفورت الألماني، تشكيل الفريق لمباراته أمام سانت جيلواز بمنافسات دوري المؤتمر الأوروبي.

ويستضيف نادي فرانكفورت نظيره سانت جيلواز في مراحل خروج المغلوب من منافسات دوري المؤتمر الأوروبي عن منافسات الدور الـ32، على ملعب “كومرتسبانك أرينا”.

جدير بالذكر أن مواجهة الفريقين في مباراة الذهاب، انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدفين لكل فريق.

اقرأ ايضاً.. مدافع إيفرتون: ما يفعله محمد صلاح “مخيف” لي.. لكنه ليس الأفضل في الدوري الإنجليزي

ويتواجد الدولي المصري عمر مرموش في التشكيل الأساسي لفريقه آينتراخت فرانكفورت. تشكيل فرانكفورت أمام سانت جيلواز في دوري المؤتمر الأوروبي

حراسة المرمى: تراب.

خط الدفاع: ويليام تينوريو، روبن كوخ، لوكاس سيلفا ميلو.

خط الوسط: إلياس سخيري، جوتزه، نيليس نكونكو، بوتا.

خط الهجوم: أنسجار كنوف، فارس شايبي، عمر مرموش.

Manchester United will find it "very difficult" to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane this summer, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Kane is facing an uncertain future in north London, as he has just 12 months remaining on his contract, and interest in his signature is growing, from a number of top clubs across the continent.

Bayern Munich are reportedly hopeful the England captain could be persuaded to move to the Allianz Arena, while Real Madrid have also identified him as a target, and the Spanish side are currently in the process of preparing their first bid.

Man United have made the 29-year-old their top target for the upcoming window, however transfer insider Dean Jones reports Daniel Levy does not want to let him switch to Old Trafford at any price.

Romano also believes the Red Devils do not stand much chance of signing the forward this summer, recently telling GiveMeSport: "Manchester United are aware of how difficult it will be to sign Harry Kane. It will be really complicated because Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will fight to keep the player and will make life very difficult for Manchester United to sign Kane, so that's not going to be easy for them."

Will Kane join Man United?

At this stage, it appears as though the only way the Tottenham star will be able to move to another Premier League club is if he runs down his contract, meaning he might not be on the move until next summer.

However, considering a new striker is a priority for Man United in the upcoming window, Erik ten Hag will probably be unwilling to wait that long, which indicates it is very unlikely he makes a move to Old Trafford, unless Levy softens his stance.

If the Red Devils do end up missing out on the £200k-per-week forward, it will be very disappointing, given his fantastc scoring record in the English top flight, currently second only to Alan Shearer in the all-time charts, having scored 213 goals.

Hailed as "incredible" by Tottenham coach Ryan Mason, Kane could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Ten Hag, and the Man United boss will be disappointed that he will seemingly be unavailable until next summer.

However, United still have some exciting alternative options on their shortlist, including Benfica's Goncalo Ramos, who scored 27 goals in 47 games last season.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has said that consistency will be their main target in the second Test against England

Mohammad Isam in Dhaka27-Oct-2016Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has said that consistency will be their main target in the second Test against England, even though their fighting performance in the Chittagong Test raised expectations of a better result in Dhaka. Recent history, however, suggests that Bangladesh have a hard time following up on a good performance in home Tests.Against Pakistan last year, they were hammered by 328 runs in Dhaka after earning a credible draw in Khulna in the first game. In 2012 against West Indies, they got close in the first game before going down in the second game by ten wickets. Three years earlier against Sri Lanka, they again fought well in the first game but were crushed by 465 runs in the second Test.”Our challenge will be to play consistently, especially against a good side like England,” Mushfiqur said. “We wouldn’t have become the No. 1 team in the world by beating England in Chittagong so our target remains to do well over four to five days in a Test, and afterwards if we get into a winning position, we will push on. We have many more performers in our side these days. So everyone has expectations from the players. Our performance and the fight we put up in the first Test wasn’t unexpected. We will also try to cope with the pressure of expectation.”Mushfiqur said that the loss in the first Test, and the bitter aftertaste as the margin was their closest in terms of runs, would spur them on for the second match. “We are still hurting from the loss in Chittagong so it is best to move on from that game,” he said. “We know that had we given 1% more, the Test would have been in our favour. We would like to take the positives from that game, and use them in Dhaka.”Mushfiqur said that the Bangladesh spinners’ attacking nature would keep them in the game for a long time, though heavy rain on the day before the first Test could have some effect on the Dhaka pitch, which was expected to be drier than usual.”The rain might have some impact on our plans,” he said. “The wicket is mostly prepared but if the sun was out today, it would have dried up further. If there’s a bit of moisture, the ball would be gripping on the surface for the spinners. Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam and Mehedi Hasan combined to take 18 of the 20 wickets to fall, and they will be expected to have a similar effect in this game as well.”Their spinners don’t have to attack because of their pace bowlers. For us, the spinners are the main weapon; they have to attack and take the wickets. I think in that sense, our spinners are ahead of them. They are natural at bowling with the new and old ball, defensive or aggressively. But I would still say that our spinners have room for improvement.”

TalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has been left thrilled by Tottenham Hotspur and their links to Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.

Which goalkeepers could Spurs sign this summer?

Spurs star and long-serving number one Hugo Lloris, by his own admission, could well depart north London this summer as the Frenchman declares that it is time for a new challenge.

Speaking to Nice-Matin recently, Lloris claimed that this could be the end of an era for him at Tottenham, candidly stating that he is looking for opportunities elsewhere.

"We are coming to an important moment, whether for the club or for me. It's the end of an era," said Lloris."I have desires for other things, I will ask myself quietly to study what will be possible. But I don't forget that I still have a year of contract with Tottenham and that in football it is always difficult to predict what will happen."

As such, the Lilywhites, lead by new manager Ange Postecoglou, are in the market for new goalkeepers and have been linked with a fair few names – including Everton's Jordan Pickford and Croatia number one Dominik Livakovic.

Raya has also been repeatedly mentioned as a target for Spurs with reports even suggesting that they're "desperate" for his signing.

The Spaniard is also apparently "ready" to make the move across London, but there is currently a gap in valuation between Spurs and Brentford.

The Bees are holding out for £40 million, but if Tottenham can reach a comprimise, Agboblahor has told Football Insider that he could be a brilliant signing.

"I really like Raya," said Agbonlahor.“They need someone with his attributes – good at playing from the back, good shot-stopper.“I always thought Jordan Pickford would suit Spurs, but Raya is a good option as well.“I think Spurs need to make a top goalkeeper like Raya their first summer signing, for sure, I can see it happening.”

Who is David Raya?

The 27-year-old has been an excellent shot-stopper for Brentford, even ranking among their top five best-performing players per 90 last season according to WhoScored.

Raya, in that time, featured over more league minutes than anybody in Thomas Frank's squad – emphasizing his importance to Brentford and why they're set to dig their heels in over price.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking all the way back in 2021, also hailed Raya for his distribution – claiming he could even wear the number 10 shirt.

Tottenham Hotspur's negotiations with Arne Slot to become their next manager collapsed because of a disagreement over his buyout clause, journalist Rob Dorsett has revealed.

What's the latest on Tottenham's manager search?

Spurs finally looked set on a candidate after months of speculation saw Julian Nagelsmann ruled out as a contender, and Feyenoord manager Slot appeared close to joining.

However, they were dealt a setback as Slot confirmed he would not be leaving his club, and will now sign an extension to keep him in the Eredivisie.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Dorsett claimed that it was Spurs who ended negotiations, rather than Slot turning them down, due to the nature of his buyout clause.

"My understanding is that it was actually Spurs who decided to walk away from Arne Slot and any potential deal with him because of disagreements about the terms of his buyout clause," he stated.

"It's my understanding that there were significant discussions with intermediaries, and that brought out the details of a £5m buyout clause for Arne Slot at Feyenoord, but crucially, that £5m buyout clause written into his contract doesn't come into effect until next summer.

"The price that Feyenoord wanted to charge for any club who takes on Arne Slot at this time, was up for debate. And it's my understanding that those intermediaries which Spurs were using, quoted £10m – double that buyout clause – if Spurs wanted to take on Arne Slot, and more than £5m extra if they wanted to take Slot's backroom staff with them as well.

"It was at that point at Tottenham felt they were being used, and they decided to walk away from the deal."

Who could Spurs go for instead of Slot?

With Nagelsmann and Slot now off the table, and former boss Mauricio Pochettino heading to Chelsea, options are limited as Spurs aim to replace Antonio Conte two months after he was sacked.

Celtic's Ange Postecoglou has been linked following another impressive Premiership victory in Scotland, whilst sacked Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has been mooted as an option.

Rodgers led Leicester to FA Cup victory and helped them finish within the top six of the Premier League, but was sacked after contributing to their downfall which could see the Foxes relegated this season.

His previous experience in the Premier League with Leicester, Liverpool and Swansea City could make him an attractive option if Spurs want someone proven, but without a sporting director appointed following the dismissal of Fabio Paratici, it is unclear what route the Lilywhites will go down.

RM Lodha, the chairman of the Lodha Committee, has said the BCCI has “misinterpreted” the committee’s email to two banks on Monday, asking them to not disburse funds from the board’s account to its state associations regarding two specific transactions.”This is a misinterpretation or misconstruing of the email that was sent to the BCCI yesterday,” Lodha told ANI on Tuesday. “We have not frozen any of the accounts… routine expenses for matches, cricket activities and administrative matters are not restrained.”

NZC chief David White on the cancellation claim

“We’re just waiting to hear back from the BCCI, seeking clarification from them. We haven’t heard from them as yet. As far as we are concerned we are planning to get on a plane tomorrow to travel to Indore to prepare for the third Test,” White told . “The article in the newspaper, that’s how I found out earlier this morning from our people in New Zealand. But it’s speculation, we’re just waiting to get clarification from the BCCI.
“I’m not quite sure of the process here with the Supreme Court and what the BCCI are going through at the moment. There’s been a lot going on obviously and it’s a tense situation I’d imagine, we’re just here to play cricket and get ready for the third Test.”

An unnamed BCCI official had been quoted by Indian media as saying that the board was considering cancelling the remainder of the ongoing home series against New Zealand. His reasoning was that with the accounts frozen it was impossible for the board to function.”Really unfortunate that all BCCI accounts have been frozen, there can’t be any tournament without money,” Thakur was later quoted as saying by the . “Cricket cannot run without money. We don’t take money from the government. We are not allowed to make payments. I can’t say anything about the India – New Zealand series. Team India is No. 1 today, when we are financing state boards, questions are being raised.”Lodha said that interpretation of the committee’s directive was inaccurate. “It is so clear,” he said of the email. “It doesn’t require any clarification.”There is no question of cancellation of any game or series. The directive which we issued to BCCI yesterday in our email is confined to disbursement of large funds to state association and banks have been directed to ensure compliance of that. Nothing beyond that,” Lodha said. “Routine expenses for matches, games, cricketing activities and other administrative matters, they are not at all restrained. There is absolutely no prohibition. There is no constraint.  The accounts of BCCI have not been frozen. This is not correct reading of our email rather I would say this is misinterpreting or misconstruing the email.”Lodha said no one from the BCCI contacted him or the committee for a clarification. “Had they contacted we would have clarified then and there. We find there is no ambiguity in our email. It is unequivocal. It is absolutely clear.”Some media outlets referenced a letter from a Bank of Maharashtra official to the BCCI on Monday, saying the bank was likely to stop transactions from the board’s account because of a court directive. Lodha said the banks might have failed to understand the committee’s email and that a clarification had been sent to them.”The banks, it appears, out of their sheer anxiety or I don’t know for what reason, they have not read the email fairly and passed an order for freezing the accounts,” Lodha said. “But that was absolutely wrong and in the morning, as soon as we came to know, I have already clarified. Even an email has been sent to both the banks to de-freeze the account and BCCI is free to operate. I am told that it has already been done.”Responding to the directive from the Lodha Committee to halt the two payments, various BCCI officials said the decision to disburse additional funds to states under the infrastructure subsidy, and the distribution of the claims received from discontinuing the Champions League T20, had been discussed in the past by the board’s finance committee, and only a formal approval from working committee was pending. The approval was given at the emergent working committee last Friday.Lodha said, however, that the BCCI had failed to follow the timelines set by the Committee. “Had they seen our timelines properly, we had asked them to formulate (a) disbursement policy by September 30. That was not done and some additional, huge funds was going to be disbursed to the members.”

Leeds United reportedly see Daniel Farke as a "serious" candidate to take charge at Elland Road this summer, according to a fresh claim.

Who is favourite to take Leeds job?

The search to be the next Whites boss is ongoing currently, with the club working diligently to ensure that the correct appointment is made this time around.

It could be argued that all three of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce were the wrong choices to sit in the Elland Road hot seat, and it has ultimately led to Leeds being relegated from the Premier League.

Since Allardyce's recent departure, endless names have been linked with the vacant Whites job, with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard arguably at the front of the queue, along with the likes of Brendan Rodgers, Carlos Corberan and Scott Parker, to name a few.

Farke is also a name that has recently been thrown into the hat, however, with journalist Phil Hay name-checking Leeds' interest in him on Saturday, and a new update further suggests that their interest is genuine.

Could Farke be the next Whites manager?

According to Sport1, Farke is a "serious" option to become the Whites' new boss, with "loose" talks being held over a move to Elland Road, having parted ways with Borussia Monchengladbach recently.

The takeover of Leeds by 49ers Enterprises has happened at the same time, suggesting they see Farke as more of a strong appointment that the previous owners, although the timing could simply be coincidence.

The former Norwich City manager could be a really shrewd choice as manager by the Whites, considering he has guided the Canaries to two title-winning seasons in the Championship in the past, showing that he is an expert at getting out of arguably one of the most competitive leagues in Europe.

It is imperative that Leeds make a fast return to the Premier League and don't allow years of good work to completely go to waste in no time at all, and Farke is a strong choice for that reason, compared to the likes of Gerrard and Corberan, who haven't achieved as much to date.

It feels like one of the most pivotal summers at Leeds in many years, in terms of picking the right manager and making key signings to take the team forward – in the 46-year-old Farke, the Whites have a reliable choice who could jump at the chance to return to English football.

Manchester United could ditch forward Anthony Martial as he is a 'symbol' of their 'bad recruitment' in years gone by, according to journalist Alex Crook.

What's the latest transfer news involving Anthony Martial?

According to The Sun, Manchester United will listen to offers for Martial this summer as he ticks into the final 12 months of his £250k-a-week contract at Old Trafford.

The report states that the Red Devils are targeting a move for Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane and will focus their efforts on trying to land the £100-million valued star in the off-season.

As per FootballTransfers, Aston Villa are said to be weighing up a loan move for Martial as Unai Emery looks to secure a versatile attacker in the transfer window.

Erik Ten Hag isn't believed to have any plans for the Frenchman moving forward and will look to shift him out if appropriate interest in his services arises.

In 2015, Martial joined Manchester United in a deal that involved paying an initial £36 million fee that eventually could rise to £58 million, as per BBC Sport.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Crook thinks that Manchester United will look to offload Martial in the summer transfer window.

Crook stated when asked if Martial would be sold: "Definitely. I think he's only got a year left on his contract, so they won't want to lose him on a free at the end of the season.

"They're not going to recoup anywhere near the money they spent on him. He is a symbol of United's bad recruitment over the years, where they have been paying over the odds for players and then having to sell them for a much-reduced fee."

Should Anthony Martial be sold by Manchester United this summer?

Martial has been a decent focal point for Manchester United this campaign when available; however, the 27-year-old has endured frequent injury struggles during the last year and should probably be moved on to avoid a scenario where he runs down his contract.

In 2022/23, Martial made 28 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, registering nine goals and three assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, Martial obtained an average match rating of 6.59/10 for his exploits on the field for Manchester United, pitting him 16th out of a 26-man squad, suggesting room for improvement, according to WhoScored.

FBRef also show that Martial ranks in the bottom 32% of forwards across Europe's top five divisions for shots per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, managing just 2.25 per outing.

If Manchester United can recoup some money for Martial, selling him on may be the best solution for both parties due to his inconsistent level of reliability.