All posts by h716a5.icu

Chelsea are believed to be interested in bringing former defender Tino Livramento back to the club this summer before loaning him back to Southampton, according to a new transfer update.

How good is Tino Livramento?

The 20-year-old spent 12 years as a Blues player in the youth system, arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2009, before eventually departing in 2021.

Livramento joined Southampton at that point, and he has been a strong signing for the Saints overall, albeit unfortunately missing the vast majority of the 2022/23 season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, being limited to just 26 minutes of action in all competitions.

In total, the £8,000-a-week right-back has made 34 appearances for Saints to date, scoring once and registering two assists in that time, as well as averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season.

While Chelsea deeming Livramento surplus to requirements two years ago, a shock report is now suggesting he could be set for a return to west London with a view to forcing his way into the side further down the line.

Could Livramento sign for Chelsea?

According to The Daily Mail, the Blues are interested in a "surprise" move to bring the youngster back to the club in the current transfer window, but would bizarrely send him straight back to the south coast:

"Chelsea have held talks with Southampton over a potential deal for their former right back Tino Livramento that would entail loaning him back.

"Southampton value the 20-year old at £38million and have been rejecting offers from Newcastle United over the past week. They also wanted to have the England U21 international in their ranks for next season after his last campaign in the Premier League was blighted by injury.

"Chelsea sold Livramento to Southampton for £8m which also included a hefty sell on percentage. The approach comes as a surprise with Reece James and new signing from Lyon Malo Gusto already on their books."

This news certainly comes as a surprise to many of a Chelsea persuasion, especially considering the Blues look fairly well-stocked at right-back for the long-term future, as the report alludes to.

There is no question that Livramento is a talented young footballer with a potentially big future in the game, however, being described as "outstanding" by current England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley and also possessing an "aura" about him, according to Theo Walcott.

The Southampton youngster certainly won't want to be playing in the Championship long term, following the south coast's side relegation from the Premier League, so if they cannot secure promotion at the first time of asking he may well expect top flight football instead.

With Reece James unquestionably Chelsea's strongest right-back option and Malo Gusto also coming in to provide competition for the England international, however, it is difficult to see how Livramento is going to be able to enjoy regular football and continue his development as a player at any point, considering both of those players are relatively young themselves.

There would be a heartwarming element to his return to west London, though, having ultimately not made the grade at senior level, and if Mauricio Pochettino sees him as a shrewd addition to his squad in the future, the new Blues manager should perhaps be trusted in his decision-making.

Companies that handle the HawkEye technology and Spider-cam have also pulled out from the final, which will be televised without the supporting components

Umar Farooq28-Feb-2017Sunset and Vine, the UK-based production house that handles the broadcast of the Pakistan Super League, has withdrawn its services for the league’s final which will be played in Lahore on March 5. ESPNcricinfo understands that a Dubai-based company, Innovative Production Group, will handle production of the Lahore match. The PSL is also seeking to replace its overseas commentators: Danny Morrison, Alan Wilkins, Mel Jones are reluctant to travel to Lahore, while Ian Bishop, whose contract was until the play-offs, will leave to cover West Indies’ home ODIs against England.Companies that handle the HawkEye technology and Spider-cam have also pulled out from the final, which will be televised without the supporting components. A drone camera is likely to replace the spider-cam.Sunset and Vine, which had also handled the broadcast for the PSL in its inaugural edition last year, had informed the PCB through an email last week about its reluctance to travel to Lahore. Innovative Production Group was part of the PCB’s contingency plan.On Monday the provisional government gave a public go-ahead to the staging of the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, after week-long deliberations and assessments of the security situation in the country. The PCB has been working to get the ground ready for the match later this week.The stadium has been renovated extensively, and includes a new media facility at the College End of the ground, with a capacity to accommodate more than 150 journalists, which will be inaugurated before the final. Tickets for the final are also set to be released, with prices ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 12000.To ensure the final features foreign players, the PSL management has asked the four franchises who have made it to the play-offs to work on a contingency plan. The franchises have been asked to nominate a pool of foreign players from a list of over 60 said to be willing to travel to Pakistan, in the event – as seems likely – some of their own foreign players don’t go. Presently, Peshawar Zalmi are most confident their foreign contingent will travel to Lahore, while players from the other three sides are still undecided. Teams can field a maximum of four foreign players in their XI but the rules are flexible enough to allow teams to play with XI local players if necessary.Najam Sethi, the PSL chairman, is optimistic the final will feature foreign players.”First let the two finalists be confirmed, which will be by March 3,” he said on Monday. “I will be going back to Dubai now and once the finalists are confirmed I will again talk to the franchise owners and foreign players. We have also prepared a back-up list of foreign players in case the overseas signings of the finalist teams refuse to come to Lahore. “

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Fenerbahce ace Arda Guler, as Mikel Arteta bids to bolster his squad this summer following a title-challenging season.

The talk of the Gunners’ transfer window so far has focused on the future of Declan Rice, however, Edu could be eyeing more than just one midfield upgrade ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

With Champions League football confirmed for next term, it’s integral that the north Londoners introduced reinforcements to remain on Manchester City’s tails and produce a fight among Europe’s greatest.

Hailed as the ‘Turkish Messi’ by local media in Turkey, relayed by talkSPORT, Arsenal could land a generational talent in Guler, with the Gunners leading the race according to Football Insider.

Transfer expert Pete O’Rourke claimed via the site that Arsenal had leapfrogged fellow Premier League side Newcastle United in the bid to secure the teenager's signature, adding that Arteta’s side are ‘seriously exploring’ a deal.

The 18-year-old penned a new deal with the Turkish giants last year, with a release clause of just €17.5m (£15m) included.

What could Arda Guler offer to Arsenal?

In 20 total appearances in the Super Lig this season, Guler has shone playing among seasoned professionals in Turkey at just 18 years of age.

In his breakthrough campaign, the Ankara-born gem contributed to seven goals, scoring four and assisting three in playing an average of 46 minutes per game, as per Sofascore.

Hailed as “magical” by members of the media, the teenager could blossom under the guidance of Arteta, who has thrived in nurturing his young side that went toe-to-toe with treble winners Manchester City last season.

While Guler was the standout performer for his side last term, as per Sofascore, Arsenal’s skipper Martin Odegaard was a dominant influence on the Gunners, as highlighted by being named the club’s player of the season.

Playing in the same role as the Norwegian, Arteta could teach the Turkish superstar a valuable lesson in the art of playing in the Premier League, potentially even unearthing his next version of Odegaard in the process.

There is evidence to suggest that the duo could form a formidable force in midfield, attributable to their creative exploits in their respective campaigns, with the 24-year-old skipper averaging 2.1 key passes per game, a rate almost identical to the Fenerbahce ace’s two.

Learning the ropes at Real Madrid at the tender age of 16, Arsenal’s captain could be the perfect mentor for the teenager with his fellow left-fotter in Guler breaking through at a similar age. However, the youngster could also return the favour by aiding the £120k-per-week wizard's game.

Lauded a “sensation” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the teenager could give Odegaard added creative freedom as conveyed through his assured presence on the ball.

As per Sofascore, Guler maintained a stellar pass completion rate of 85%, while creating seven big chances in his debut season in the Super Lig.

The two talents could fuse to bolster each other's game, for the greater good of the Gunners who could see their attacking midfield set for years to come.

Danushka Gunathilaka inflicted a 65-ball hundred upon England Lions as Sri Lanka A strolled into a 2-0 lead in their five-match series

David Hopps in Dambulla04-Mar-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Danushka Gunathilaka sauntered to a hundred as Sri Lanka A went 2-0 up•Getty ImagesFor Danushka Gunathilaka, there was the grand satisfaction of a dashing hundred to bring delight to a run-of-the-mill Dambulla day. A day that was not particularly humid, nor particularly hot. The sort of day to which he has awoken without a second thought for most of his 25 years. What intensity there was, was felt only in his strokeplay as he inflicted a 65-ball hundred upon an England Lions side that was ill-equipped to resist.As the Sri Lanka A coach took him to the ground, Kandalama lake was at its best, the mountains and clouds reflected so starkly in the water that it would have been an unimaginative man who had not looked into it and wondered what the future would hold. Gunathilaka, who in January left Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa early with a back complaint, did his future no harm at all.Gunathilaka ensured a rout, Sri Lanka A threatening to hoover up the Lions’ 217 with all their wickets and around 20 overs to spare. As it was, rain and bad light intervened around 4pm and the winning margin was decided by the weather tables which always takes a little gloss off it.But you felt that, if he could have persuaded anybody to bowl to him in the eventual downpour, he could have done it all again. At 2-0 up with three to play, Sri Lanka will have ambitions to take the series in Kurunegala on Monday. England will have to bat brilliantly to stop it because the evidence of the first two matches is that their bowling resources are limited.When Gunathilaka reached his hundred by flaying Craig Overton for successive off-side boundaries, his leaping punch of the air told of unspent energy levels. His first-wicket stand with Kusal Perera was worth 123 in the opening match on Thursday, but ended in unfortunate fashion when he pulled a wide one down the leg side. This time, Gunathilaka and Kusal as good as saw it home, utterly dominant throughout, the most uncertain moment coming when Gunathilaka was 73, Keaton Jennings forcing a top-edged pull but James Fuller spilling the chance.For Liam Livingstone, whose upbringing has toughened him against the sharp sea air of Barrow on the Cumbrian coast, but left him somewhat exposed to a Sri Lankan climate, the heat was more exhausting, the most pressing question being whether his energy levels would be expended before the Lions’ innings was spent. It was a close run-thing – Livingstone was last out for 94, his ambitions of a third hundred on this ground in little more than a week thwarted by a diving catch at deep midwicket by Kithuruwan Vithunage.Liam Livingstone cools off in the changing rooms after making 94•ECBLivingstone first fell to his haunches soon after passing fifty and as he entered the 80s he needed treatment for cramp in both legs. At least England’s regular loss of wickets allowed him ample opportunities to take on fluid, the ritual duly enacted under a multi-coloured umbrella brought on by the 12th man, Graeme White, to protect him from the sun, which made him look like a member of an old colonial club. At Old Trafford, where Livingstone plays most of his cricket, they only ever put up umbrellas for rain.Livingstone is a violent strokemaker, not naturally given to energy conservation, although those who witnessed his two hundreds in the four-day match on this ground say that the second, where he pushed the ball around quietly, revealed a capacity to adapt. He favours a one-legged whip through the leg side which is vaguely reminiscent of Kevin Pietersen, a sort of flamingo on steroids. The umpires, kind-hearted souls, agreed that it was pretty hot and it is easy to look on from an air-conditioned media box and list many hotter and more humid days. He looks mightily impressive and the odds are that one day he will not cramp in conditions much more onerous and with more at stake.Livingstone’s plucky innings was one of the few redeeming features of a Lions effort in which Ben Duckett also looked more like his old self in making 59 from 45 balls – their counterattacking stand worth 81 in 10 overs – before he was well caught at deep mid-off during a canny spell from Thisara Perera, who took the pace off the ball to return 2 for 17 in six overs. Tom Alsop was his other victim, an aberration as he inexplicably chipped to long-on with only a single to his name.Joe Clarke, without ever looking fluent was the only other Lions batsman to reach double figures, one of four victims for the left-arm spin of Milinda Siriwardena. The Sri Lanka A captain, a veritable A-team veteran at 31, did not allow himself a bowl in the opening match but he finished with 4 for 40 here, with Livingstone the most satisfying of his victims.Livingstone was unable to take the field for the start of Sri Lanka A’s reply, which immediately undermined the Lions’ decision to omit Toby Roland-Jones and field an extra batsman. That realistically demanded a full spell of offspin from Livingstone, who had been the Lions’ most economical bowler in the opening match, with only Jennings’ medium-pace as a fall back.He emerged five overs late with the heavy-legged gait of a man who had spent all day fell running in the Cumbrian mountains. He came on to bowl the 12th over, the first ball revealed his vulnerability, Gunathilaka unsympathetically despatched his next ball over long-on for six and it was an air of resignation that he took refuge again in the pavilion after painfully completing the over. Jennings subbed himself in and a single over went for 21, Fuller’s drop followed by successive sixes.Gunathilaka, who toured England last summer, ended unbeaten on 121 from 88 balls, clearing the boundary on six occasions. This Lions attack has yet to command respect and when bad light descended it would have been sensible to put them out of their misery with only 17 runs needed from more than 21 overs remaining. Instead the players had to sit around for the inevitable defeat and only found out the match was off when they saw the match referee scurrying to his transport in the pouring rain.

Newcastle United are reportedly one of several Premier League clubs who are in the mix to sign Flamengo youngster Matheus Franca this summer.

Who is Matheus Franca?

The 19-year-old is an exciting young player back in his homeland of Brazil, producing numerous eye-catching performances for Flamengo currently.

Franca has already scored nine goals in 53 appearances for his current club, despite still being so young, and he is also a six-time capped Brazil Under-16 international.

The attacking midfielder's displays don't appear to be going unnoticed across Europe, meaning he could potentially move on for a fresh challenge during the summer transfer window.

The next few months are crucial for Newcastle, as they look to kick on after a superb 2022/23 season that saw them finish fourth in the Premier League and reach the Champions League, and it looks as though Franca could be a strong target for them.

Could Newcastle seal Franca signing?

According to Globo Esporte [via Sport Witness], The Magpies are one of three top-flight English clubs who are interested in signing the Flamengo man this summer. The other two teams in question are Crystal Palace and West Ham, with bids expected to be tabled in the near future and the Brazilian side ready to "listen" to offers.

Brighton and Arsenal also get a mention, as do Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, with the amount of interest seemingly highlighting what a talent Franca is.

Signing a young Brazilian footballer always has an element of intrigue to it, considering the likes of Pele, Ronaldo and Neymar have all burst onto the scene as superstars down the years, and the flair and fearlessness they possess can make them immediate favourites among supporters.

For that reason, Franca, called a “sensation” by journalist Aaron Stokes and a “great midfielder and great striker”, who “can play almost everywhere” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, could be a really eye-catching signing for Newcastle, not being considered an immediate key starter, but coming in as a long-term prospect with great potential.

Granted, he isn't yet remotely proven in Europe, but if Eddie Howe believes he has the attributes to shine in England, the manager should be trusted in the transfer market.

It has been claimed in the past that Flamengo have slapped a €200m (£171.9m) release clause in Franca's deal, which shows how highly they value him, but the hope is that the Brazilian outfit are willing to accept an offer way below that amount, with the funds there for Newcastle to go fairly big this summer.

Azhar Ali’s position as captain of the ODI side seems to be under threat after Pakistan’s 4-1 defeat in Australia

Umar Farooq26-Jan-2017Azhar Ali is likely to be removed as Pakistan’s ODI captain after his side lost the series in Australia 4-1. Pakistan were beaten in the final ODI in Adelaide, slumping to the same score line they had suffered in England last year, and the PCB is keen to use it as an opportunity to replace Azhar with the T20 captain, Sarfraz Ahmed.The move, ESPNcricinfo understands, could be the precursor to eventually appointing a single captain for all formats, though any such decision will have to wait until the Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq takes a call on his future.Leadership issues were discussed in a meeting in Lahore during the fourth ODI of this series by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mushtaq Ahmed, the head coach at the National Cricket Academy. They are thought to be united in their belief that Sarfraz should take over the ODI captaincy but will wait until Misbah retires to name a new Test captain.They differ as to whether Pakistan should move ahead with a single captain, but if they do go down that route it could mean that Azhar is overlooked as the Test successor to Misbah; Azhar is the Test vice-captain and, in Misbah’s absence, led Pakistan recently in a Test against New Zealand in Hamilton. It could also mean the end of an experiment begun after the 2015 World Cup, when, for the first time, Pakistan had three different captains – Shahid Afridi was then the T20 captain.If Azhar is axed, it will end a difficult tenure that began right after the 2015 World Cup. He was not in the squad for that tournament and had, in fact, not featured in an ODI since January 2013. What he did have going for him was a secure position in the Test side, and good form in List A cricket: in the domestic Pentangular Cup that season he was the leading scorer with 302 runs at an average of 60.40 and strike rate of 86.28. In the President’s Gold Cup, he scored 234 runs at a strike rate of 86.98.Under Azhar’s leadership, Pakistan’s slipped to a record-low ninth in the ODI rankings. They have since risen one place to at least be in the running for direct qualification to the 2019 World Cup, but they only scraped into this year’s Champions Trophy. Much of their decline in the limited-overs formats has been building for some time, but it has become much starker under Azhar.Pakistan have won only five out of ten bilateral series under Azhar, two of them against Zimbabwe, and one each against Ireland, Sri Lanka and West Indies. In all, Pakistan won 12 and lost 18 games.The PCB has been thinking of removing Azhar for some time. In September last year, following a 4-1 thumping in England, Shaharyar had asked Azhar to consider stepping down. Azhar decided to stay on, however, and led Pakistan to a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies in the UAE. That win left the PCB no choice but to retain him for the Australia tour. A day before the first Test in Brisbane, however, Shaharyar again raised concerns, telling ESPNcricinfo that Azhar’s place in the ODI side was on shaky ground and that they were considering replacing him.Azhar’s individual performances have not been poor in that time – he has scored 1152 runs at 37.19. He has expanded his limited-overs game, evident in the improvement of his strike rate. In his first 14 ODIs between 2011 and 2013, his strike rate was 64.84 – during his captaincy that jumped to 79.90. However, that improvement might not be enough to save his place as captain, or even in the side. Last year, Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalanders also removed Azhar from the captaincy.What the PCB will be weighing up is the potential impact such a move could have on his position in the Test side. He was Pakistan’s most prolific batsman last year, scoring a hundred in England, a triple hundred in Dubai and then crowning it off with a double at the MCG in the Boxing Day Test; he scored more runs in a three-Test series in Australia than any Pakistan batsman before him.

Liverpool could yet swoop in and try to sign Edmond Tapsoba from under Tottenham's noses, with 90min reporting that the Reds are monitoring the situation and have been "informed" of what is going on with the player.

How has Edmond Tapsoba played this season?

With 33 games and 32 starts in the league for Bayer Leverkusen over the 2022/23 season, the defender has now become a key player for the German side. He is a regular feature in their defensive line and is a reliable face at the back for them. In fact, since joining from Vitoria, the player has already racked up a total of 100 top flight games for the Bundesliga outfit. That's despite the fact he is still only 24-years-old – showing just how important he has become to the club.

In addition, he also averages 5.76 progressive passes per 90 and 1.46 progressive carries per 90. They rank him within the top eight percent for both categories amongst other centre-backs across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe – and it shows how crucial to a team's build-up he can be from his deep position.

Now, these showings have caught the eye of Premier League teams. Tottenham have seemingly been leading the race to bring him in, but it might not be so straightforward according to a fresh report from 90min. It states that there are several other English sides, including Liverpool, who have now been "informed" about the ongoing situation.

With the Reds looking for another centre-back option, they are now keeping tabs on the Spurs target.

What could Edmond Tapsoba cost?

There is no mention of what a potential fee could be for the player, but CIES Football Observatory suggest that he could cost around 30 million Euros (or £26m). If that is the case, then Tapsoba would earn current club Bayer Leverkusen a profit on what they signed him for, whilst also not costing whichever club does snap him up a fortune in transfer fees.

He could be worth that amount too if that does turn out to be his value. Football journalist Josh Bunting has stated that the defender's stock "keeps rising" because of how good he has been in Germany and also added that he is very "attack-minded" for a player who predominantly plays in a backline, while journalist Jack Collins has called him "sensational".

It means that, if Liverpool did decide to act on this interest and try and bring him in, they could land a player that could fit straight into their defence and contribute at both ends of the field.

Durham hope to complete the signing of Stephen Cook as an overseas player within the next few days

George Dobell06-Jan-2017Durham hope to complete the signing of Stephen Cook as an overseas player within the next few days.While Cook, the South Africa opening batsman, has not yet signed a contract and any deal is subject to approval from the ECB due to Durham’s straitened circumstances following their bailout last year, it is anticipated that he will be available to the county for the first three months of the English season before he joins his South Africa teammates for the Test series against England.There will be relief in South Africa that Cook has resisted the temptation to sign as a Kolpak registration. Aged 34, there might have been a temptation to secure his financial future with a long-term deal but, having waited a long time for his opportunity in international cricket – he made his debut only a year ago, scoring a century on debut against England – Cook has clearly decided he has not had his fill of it yet.Durham are not keen on the Kolpak option, either. Despite losing 10 players over the last few months – most due to their financial troubles that has seen their salary bill cut by 50% in five years – their head coach, Jon Lewis, told ESPNcricinfo that the club still took pride in producing players for England and would be reluctant to go down the Kolpak route.”We have taken a hit in recent times, but it doesn’t change what we are about as a club,” he said. “I’m not going to completely rule out the Kolpak option for us, but nothing is planned now and it isn’t something we would do in an ideal world. We are more likely to look at a loan deal to bring a young English player into the club.”2016 was a tough year for us. It was brutal. And we had to say goodbye to some good players – including some good young players – that we wouldn’t have done in other circumstances. But if there is any club that could cope, it was us and we are through that not. We are looking forward and we are optimistic about the future.”The club also lost one of their brightest young talents – Asher Hart – to Hampshire at the end of last season. “They offered him a lot more money,” Lewis admitted phlegmatically. “What can you do? We didn’t want to lose him at all, but you can’t blame him.”While declining to confirm Cook as the club’s new signing, Lewis did provide a brief character outline. “We needed the right character,” he said. “We needed the right quality as a player and the right quality as a person. We have scoured lone and hard and we think we have that now.”The club are also talking to overseas players about filling Cook’s position while he is on international duty. Tom Latham, the New Zealand batsman, is currently a favoured candidate though it is understood no contract has yet been agreed.Due to the loan agreed by the ECB in October to keep Durham afloat, any signing will have to be agreed by officials at Lord’s before it can be confirmed.But with the club having lost two of their top three (Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman both left for new opportunities with Surrey) and Hampshire, who finished below Durham at the end of the Championship season, having just signed two Kolpak registrations and one of Durham’s better young players, it would seem monstrously harsh not to allow them to sign a replacement. Having already been relegated, though, and facing a 48-point deficit at the start of the Championship season, some might suggest Durham are used to being treated harshly.

Burnley continue to be linked with a striker ahead of their first season back in the Premier League, with some faces more familiar than others.

El Bilal Toure is a name that is exciting Burnley fans after starring for Almeria last season, while Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres – who has lit up the Championship – needs no introducing.

There is potentially another option on Vincent Kompany's radar, as the Daily Mail reports that Metz striker Georges Mikautadze is being considered.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

Mikautadze may not be a "name" as such, but he is one of the rising stars of European football after scoring 23 goals in Ligue 2 last season to finish as top scorer.

The 22-year-old joins Olivier Giroud in finishing top of the scoring charts in the French second tier, the latter doing so in 2009-10 with Tours when aged two years older than Mikautadze.

Giroud would immediately go on to join Montpellier, where he continued his good form to fire the club to an unlikely title success, before enjoying triumphant spells with Arsenal, Chelsea and current club Milan.

It may well be that Mikautadze is on his own path to the very top, and those who have watched the Georgia international close up certainly seem to think so.

Football author Mohamed Mohamed has described Mikautadze as having a "unique skill set" and the "potential to become the next Ligue 2 starlet who performs well in a big five league."

Burnley may well prove to be a good stepping stone for the Lyon-born attacker, especially as Clarets boss Kompany has previously made his interest in the player known.

While the manager said last summer that Mikautadze was "probably out of our range", that is not likely to be the case this window following promotion to the Premier League.

With a goal return of 0.68 per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, Mikautadze undoubtedly has the pedigree to make an impact for Burnley. To put that figure in some context, Nathan Tella – Burnley's top scorer last season – scored at a rate of 0.61 goals per 90 minutes.

Mikautadze is not letting the hype get to him, either, as he showed on Saturday when scoring a crucial goal for Georgia in their 2-1 Euro 2020 qualifying win in Cyprus.

With Tella back at parent club Southampton, and Ashley Barnes leaving to join Norwich City, Mikautadze can be an ideal upgrade on both. Indeed, Mikautadze also outperformed Tella last season in terms of assists (0.24 v 0.18) and shots on target per 90 minutes (3.06 v 2.60).

Potentially available for £8m this summer, according to Football Observatory, moving for Mikautadze seems a no-brainer for the Clarets if they are looking for a rising star ready to make his mark in a major league.

Martin Guptill’s good form should work in the favour of the visitors as they face a must-win situation in Canberra

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale05-Dec-2016Match factsDecember 6, 2016
Start time 1420 local (0320 GMT)1:18

‘We need to take our innings deeper’ – Munro

Big PictureNew Zealand must have left the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday night thinking, “if only”. If only they had asked for a review when Steven Smith was given not-out by umpire Mick Martell after being trapped lbw on 14, the first ODI might have unfolded quite differently. Trent Boult’s fine delivery had swung in and trapped Smith in front, but New Zealand declined to refer Martell’s decision upstairs. “There was plenty of chat afterwards about that,” New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said. “There were two sounds and the possibility of an inside edge. We’re all well aware there wasn’t. That was the thinking and you could understand it. It was a little bit frustrating.” The reason it was frustrating was that Smith went on to accumulate 164 and set up a big win for Australia.The teams now move on to Canberra with Australia 1-0 up in the three-match series, so New Zealand must win at the Manuka Oval on Tuesday to have any hope of retaining the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. The good news for New Zealand is that they had one batsman who looked every bit as dangerous as Smith at the SCG, but unfortunately for them, Martin Guptill couldn’t go quite as deep into the innings as Smith, and fell for 114 off 102 balls. The toss may be particularly important in Canberra, where big runs are generally available, and the team batting first has won the six most recent ODIs.Form guideAustralia: WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LLWLW
In the spotlightA golden duck in Sydney was hardly the start Aaron Finch wanted in this series, but he will be pleased to arrive in Canberra for the second game. Take a look at Finch’s scores in his three ODIs at the Manuka Oval: 38, 109 and 107. His last two hundreds at the venue have come against South Africa and India, and Finch could use a big score again: in 18 ODIs since the end of the previous home summer, Finch has averaged just 26.25.After New Zealand lost Guptill, their hopes of chasing down the hefty target in Sydney faded. But, while Colin Munro was at the crease, there remained at least a tiny glimmer of hope. Munro struck four fours and one six in his innings of 49, and put on 50 for the eighth wicket with Matt Henry. While they were together, the required run rate hovered around nine an over, but at least it didn’t balloon too much further. But when they both holed out in one Pat Cummins over – the 44th of the innings – the dream was dashed. “It was a different sort of knock than what I’m used to playing,” Munro said. “Given that role to try and take things a bit deeper in the innings sort of suits my game. Hopefully, in the games to come, we can have a few extra batters around me at the end and have a bit of a hit.”Lockie Ferguson had a forgettable debut in Sydney and may make way for Tim Southee•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesTeam newsGlenn Maxwell and James Faulkner were the two members of Australia’s 13-man squad left out in Sydney, and the selectors may wish to retain the winning XI in an attempt to secure the series.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3, Steven Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Mitchell Marsh, 6 Travis Head, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Pat Cummins, 11 Josh Hazlewood.Lockie Ferguson picked up a wicket in his first international over, but the rest of his debut was rather costly: he leaked 73 runs from nine overs, sent down four no-balls and therefore four free hits, and also cramped up. Tim Southee might come in for Ferguson in Canberra. New Zealand may also wonder if their batting order could be strengthened by the inclusion of Henry Nicholls.New Zealand (possible) 1 Tom Latham, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Jimmy Neesham, 5 Colin Munro, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Colin de Grandhomme, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult.Pitch and conditionsManuka Oval is the kind of venue where big totals are on offer batting first, and chasing can be a challenge. The forecast for Tuesday is for a shower or two and a top temperature of 28 degrees centigrade.Stats and trivia In Sydney, Guptill became the tenth-fastest player to 5000 ODI runs, behind Hashim Amla, Viv Richards, Virat Kohli, Brian Lara, Gordon Greenidge, AB de Villiers, Sourav Ganguly, Dean Jones and Graeme Smith. This will be Kane Williamson’s 100th one-day international. Adam Zampa enters this game as the world’s leading ODI wicket-taker in 2016, with 30 scalps at 27.80. His feat is all the more impressive given he didn’t make his ODI debut until February in New Zealand.Quotes”We were a little bit frustrated with the fact we chased the game with the ball. We had some good plans in place and perhaps we need to back those a bit more. We weren’t far off.”