Giants fee-fi-fo floundered to 23 for 7 and then 64 all out after Mooney had to retire hurt

S Sudarshanan04-Mar-20236:29

‘Harmanpreet and Mumbai Indians gave the crowds something to cheer about’

Despite all the glitzy build-up, what the inaugural Women’s Premier League needed to truly blast-off was an I’m her performance. And it came from Harmanpreet Kaur.In many ways the Mumbai Indians captain’s 30-ball 65 could well be for the WPL what Brendon McCullum’s 158 was to the IPL.It was as if Harmanpreet wanted to vent the ire of that run-out that turned the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 semi-final in Australia’s favour. Gujarat Giants had filled all four of their overseas quota with Australians. And that was reason enough.Related

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Issy Wong grew up watching Mumbai Indians. Now she's one of them

Harmanpreet found herself in the middle in the ninth over, with Mumbai at 69 for 2. She saw a set batter in Nat Sciver-Brunt depart after a 54-run partnership with Hayley Matthews, who was also dismissed in the next over to leave Mumbai at 77 for 3. After her Player-of-the-Series performance in the T20 World Cup, Ashleigh Gardner had yet again left a mark.But Harmanpreet didn’t care. She just attacked the ball, like she has been doing for a long, long time for India. A fortunate outside edge in a attempted drive got her going before she timed a Sneh Rana ball through extra cover.But that was merely the prelude. The 12th over showcased Harmanpreet at her Harmanbest. And obviously it was filled with sweep shots – one through backward square leg and another through forward square leg. Georgia Wareham, the bowler, could do little to stop the runs. Even Gardner felt the full force – and range – of Harmanpreet’s sweep, one ball hit powerfully through midwicket, the next paddled deftly past short fine.By now, Harmanpreet was in overdrive. She hit seven fours off successive balls to bring up a 22-ball half-century, the first in the WPL. The famous bat-swing was on show. The confidence perhaps never left. Glimpses of her T20I hundred, ODI knock, or more recently the unbeaten 143 were all on show. Sweeps, check. Pulls, check. Slices and scythes, check. Courtesy her hitting and Amelia Kerr’s able support, Mumbai were able to score 46 between overs 14 and 16 that gave them a launchpad.And all this despite having little practice in the lead up.”Practice (I couldn’t get time to practice)!” she said about her training ahesd of the knock. “There was very little time and I had a lot of commitments as a player and a captain.”But the key for the “over-thinker” in Harmanpreet was to calm herself and bring clarity in her thoughts and get herself “in the zone”.”When I am calmer and be in the moment, it helps in giving clarity,” she said. “Being in that zone isn’t easy but when I am calm it gives me clarity. To be in that zone isn’t easy but I have to keep talking to myself and be in the present. When I am in that zone I am clearer in picking my areas and things become easy for me, and today was that day when I was relaxed”.All of Mumbai rose to applaud Harmanpreet when she finally fell, slicing one to short third off Rana in the 17th over, bringing the curtain down on an 89-run stand with Kerr off just 42 balls. Kerr then stepped up to lead the attack on the Giants as Mumbai added 41 off the next three overs to finish on 207 for 5. Their total of 207 for 5 was the joint-second highest across all major Women’s T20 leagues (WBBL, Kia Super League, The Hundred, Women’s CPL, T20 Challenge and now the WPL) behind Sydney Sixers’ 242 for 4 against Melbourne Stars in 2017-18.Much like that starry night in 2008, the opposition on the receiving end of a truly astonishing T20 innings just couldn’t cope. It didn’t help that their captain and top-scorer at the T20 World Cup final, Beth Mooney, retired hurt after seemingly injuring her knee before the first over of the chase was even done. Giants were 8 for 3 by the end of the fourth over. Then 23 for 7 by the eighth over. And finally bowled out in the 16th to lose by 143 runs.Matthews’ fireworks complement HarmanpreetIf Harmanpreet’s knock was the fire, Matthews’ quick start at the top was the spark Mumbai needed to announce themselves in the WPL. Matthews’ hard-hitting truly set them on their way to begin with a win. She played a pick-up shot off seamer Mansi Joshi’s first ball over deep square leg, before slicing one past backward point for four. She then drove left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar through covers to finish the powerplay on 22 out of Mumbai’s 44.Matthews then showed why she is rated highly with a display of hitting three sixes in the space of seven balls. She first flicked a full ball over long leg off seamer Annabel Sutherland before just pressing forward and lofting her over cow corner a couple of deliveries later. In the next over, she once again cleared her front leg, used her reach to hit Wareham well over long-on.Matthews then used the depth of her crease to slap Gardner through cover-point before the latter got the better of her for a 31-ball 47.Giants were never in the hunt in their 206-run chase especially after captain Beth Mooney hobbled off the field in the first over due to possibly jarring her knee. Sciver-Brunt then had Harleen Deol skying one to deep third off her first ball via a leading edge before castling S Meghana. In the interim, fast bowler Issy Wong’s pace undid Gardner for a first-ball duck as Giants lost three wickets in 15 balls.Bengal’s left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque then ran through the middle order to crush any hopes Giants would have had of a resurgence. Only Dayalan Hemalatha, with 29 not out, and Monica Patel finished in double digits for them.Turning pointMumbai had just started to find the next gear with Harmanpreet and Kerr in the middle and were 124 for 3 after 13 overs. But Monica’s second over truly helped them gain full control. She bowled full and outside off from around the stumps, which Kerr drove through cover-point. A single later, Harmanpreet tore the left-arm seamer’s bowling apart.Harmanpreet first drove her through cover-point, and when Monica switched to over the wicket, she pummeled her through square leg. Monica then went full and outside off only to be driven through covers. The last of fours in that over was perhaps the best of it all – Harmanpreet opened the face of her bat ever so slightly to drive it square through covers. A total of 21 were scored in that over.

Manchester United are unlikely to part ways with manager Ruben Amorim even if the club lose the Europa League final against Tottenham.

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• Man Utd's stance on Amorim revealed
• Red Devils face Spurs in Europa League final
• United next face Chelsea in the Premier League

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils have endured a nightmare journey in the 2024-25 campaign as they have lost 17 matches in the Premier League and are 16th on the points table, their worst league position since the 1973-74 season. Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag in November, failed to uplift the team's performance domestically as they also faced elimination from the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup after losing against Fulham and Tottenham, respectively.

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  In the Europa League, however, the Red Devils have shown consistency and have beaten some quality opposition like Lyon and Athletic Club to reach the final of the competition, where they will face fellow English club Tottenham. reports that irrespective of United's result in the final, the club will continue with the Portuguese coach as they believe the manager should get at least the summer transfer window to sign new players that suit his system.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  After the club's latest defeat against West Ham in the league, Amorim had sent out a message to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as he said: "We need to be really strong in the summer, we need to be brave."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Before the all-important Europa League final next week, United are scheduled to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Friday.

The transfer door has been shut for both AC Milan and Juventus after striker Lorenzo Lucca committed his future to Udinese.

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Lucca wants to honour his contract with UdineseForward idolises Zlatan IbrahimovicIsn't yet interested in joining one of Serie A's big gunsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In a recent conversation with Italian journalist, Carlo Garganese on , Lorenzo Lucca expressed his commitment to Udinese and shared that he is still under contract with the club. This comes as a huge blow to several Italian clubs who were interested in signing him.

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Lucca has been impressive for Udinese this season, scoring thirteen goals and providing two assists in 35 games. The Italy international's goals have come at some of the more crucial stages for the club. This caught the attention of several major Serie A clubs, who began scouting the player and expressed interest in making an offer. During the interview, the Udinese striker shared that Ibrahimovic is his idol and put the transfer rumours to bed, emphasising that he's still under contract with Udinese.

WHAT LORENZO LUCCA SAID

During a podcast with Garganese, Lucca said: “For me, it has always been Ibrahimovic, ever since I was a kid. I always watched videos of him, the plays he made, his goals. He was always my idol.”

He added: “I think that every lad who starts playing football wants to play for the national team and for a top team. But right now, I am only thinking about Udinese, I am under contract with them. They believed in me from the beginning when no other club was looking to sign me. I am happy to have this relationship with this club that is really extraordinary."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LORENZO LUCCA?

Lucca's contract with the Udine club runs till 30 June 2028. However, given the uncertainty that surrounds the transfer market, nothing is concrete. Udinese's season concludes on 26 May 2025, as they face Fiorentina in their final game of the campaign.

Mukesh Kumar and Atit Sheth dismantled MP’s middle order before Saurabh Kumar and Pulkit Narang ran through the tail

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2023

Mukesh Kumar and Atit Sheth dismantled Madhya Pradesh’s middle order before Saurabh Kumar and Pulkit Narang ran through the tail to help Rest of India complete a 238-run win and lift the Irani Cup just before lunch on the final day in Gwalior. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 213 and 144 across the game, was named the Player of the Match.Even though Navdeep Saini took just one wicket, he was the one who started MP’s slump. Himanshu Mantri resumed his innings on 51 but Saini had him caught behind with the third ball of the day. Mantri, however, expressed his disappointment with the decision, had a chat with the umpires and took a while before dragging himself to the pavilion.Yash Dubey, fresh off a first-innings century, started positively with a couple of fours but had his off stump cartwheeled by Mukesh. Aman Solanki joined Harsh Gawli, who was looking solid, and the two put up a 49-run stand for the fifth wicket. Solanki punished the odd overpitched deliveries, and the tiring pacers were removed from the attack. Then he hit Saurabh and Sheth for three boundaries in the space of five balls but a couple of overs later, Sheth knocked him over. In his next over, Sheth nicked off Saransh Jain to make it 151 for 6.Gawli and Ankit Kushwah took the side to 188 before Narang trapped Gawli lbw with an offbreak that turned viciously and kept low. MP lost their last four wickets, all to Narang and Saurabh, in 19 balls for just ten runs to end the proceedings.

Sophie Ecclestone hit the winning six against Mumbai Indians•BCCI

On a hot Saturday afternoon at the DY Patil Stadium, draped in blue and nearly three-quarters full, Mumbai Indians finally suffered their first defeat in the Women’s Premier League after five consecutive wins. They are already in the playoffs and are favourites to finish first in the league and go straight through to the final, but the other contenders now know that Harmanpreet Kaur’s team can be beaten.The two crucial points in the race for the playoffs did not come easy for UP Warriorz, even though laft-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone’s outstanding spell of 3 for 15 helped dismiss Mumbai for only 127 on a slow pitch that offered turn, their lowest score batting first. They needed Ecclestone’s batting skills too, as she launched Issy Wong over the straight boundary to seal a tough chase with three balls to spare.

Ecclestone out-spins Ishaque

At one point during Ecclestone’s spell, the broadcasters showed a split screen comparing her load-up and action with Mumbai’s left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque. While Ecclestone is considerably taller than Ishaque, on the day it was her bowling speed that made the difference.The pitch, baked under the hot sun, was aiding slow, spin bowling. Ecclestone, all of 23 years old, is a veteran at extracting assistance when conditions even remotely aid spin. Her first wicket was England team-mate Nat Sciver-Brunt, who went back to a straight ball and played across the line and was trapped lbw.Hayley Matthews is used to playing on slow surfaces at home in the West Indies and looked at ease on this pitch. She scored 35 off 29 balls before Ecclestone got one to grip, and Matthews top-edged her heave across the line and was caught behind by Alyssa Healy. She picked up her third wicket with a delivery that dipped under Amanjot Kaur’s bat to have her stumped. Ecclestone conceded only one boundary in four overs, when Kiran Navgire dropped Wong running in from long-off.Mumbai’s Ishaque, who Ecclestone drew level with at the top of the WPL wicket charts with 12 scalps, had an unsuccessful game in contrast. She finished wicketless for a second match in a row, and her lack of success against UP was because she darted the ball in rather quickly. Two of her faster deliveries – at 89 kph and 90 kph – were hit four boundaries by Tahlia McGrath during a crucial phase of the chase.Yastika Bhatia was bowled for 7•BCCI

Mumbai’s batting depth finally gets tested

Only once had Mumbai lost more than five wickets in their first five games. Their top and middle-order batters – Matthews, Harmanpreet and Amelia Kerr – had contributed so regularly that their strength after No. 6 had rarely been put to the test.In their previous game against Gujarat Giants, Mumbai were nearly in trouble when Wong was out for a first-ball duck, but Harmanpreet ensured they crossed 150. Harmanpreet was key against UP too, as Mumbai lost Yastika Bhatia, Sciver-Brunt and Kerr cheaply. After a steady start, she looked to accelerate against spin, clearing her front foot to slog legspinner Parshavi Chopra through midwicket and dabbing and slicing for boundaries behind point off Chopra and Rajeshwari Gayakwad. But her aggressive approach did not succeed against Deepti Sharma’s offspin and Mumbai’s lower order was exposed in the 14th over.They lost their last five wickets in 40 balls for just 49 runs, and most of those runs were scored by Wong, who smashed 32 off just 19 deliveries. Amanjot Kaur, Dhara Gujjar and Humaira Kazi bat in the top and middle order for their state teams while allrounder Jintimani Kalita is only 19 years old. The inexperience and lack of power down the order hurt Mumbai.

McGrath and Harris counter-attack

Warriorz slipped to 27 for 3 in 6.1 overs, and Mumbai suddenly looked good to defend their score of 127. Faced with doing a repair job without letting the asking rate rise too much, two Australians McGrath and Grace Harris joined forces with the match in the balance. They were the only Warriorz batters to score at more than a run a ball, and their 44-run stand in 5.4 overs brought their team back into the chase.McGrath was dropped first ball when the wicketkeeper Bhatia failed to hold on to a regulation catch off Wong, thereafter both batters feasted on the pace of Sciver-Brunt, Wong and Amanjot. Spin was clearly the order of the day – Warriorz used only two overs of seam – and Mumbai’s tactics of backing their seamers backfire, with Wong going at more than nine an over while Amanjot’s only over cost 11.McGrath and Harris were eventually both dismissed by Kerr’s legspin, and Warriorz needed Deepti and Ecclestone to steer them to victory in the final over.

Ireland fall well short in the second T20I, with four run-outs hurting their batting effort in a big way

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2023

Hayley Matthews was at it again, leading West Indies with the bat after chipping in with the ball, to take them to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Ireland in the second of three T20Is in Gros Islet to sew up the series.Like in the first game, where she was Player of the Match for her 3 for 22 and 42-ball 37, which took West Indies to a last-ball win, Matthews was Player of the Match again here. She first returned 1 for 24 to help restrict Ireland to a modest 113 for 7, and then scored 50 in 39 balls, with nine fours, to put West Indies in sight of victory before being dismissed.Chinelle Henry’s 12-ball 22 and Shabika Gajnabi’s unbeaten 29-ball 17 finished the job for West Indies in 16.4 overs, very different to how tense it got in the first game, where West Indies were chasing an almost identical target, of 113.”I think we’re pretty happy with the result,” Matthews was quoted as saying by Cricket West Indies after the match. “Coming into this tour, we wanted to be able to take home both series [West Indies won the ODIs 2-0], so just very happy that we were able to go out there and win convincingly today and secure the T20I series.”We had more intent going out today and we noticed early on that the wicket was a bit better on today and we went out with the intent to chase down the runs quicker. What really helped us today was the fielding, the catches and run-outs we were able to take, kudos to the overall team for the bowling performance they put on and the fielders for backing them up.”Indeed, more than Matthews or any of the other West Indies bowlers – Shamilia Connell and Cherry-Ann Fraser took one wicket each, too – it was the run-outs that stymied Ireland after they had opted to bat. The first wicket, that of Gaby Lewis, was to a run-out, and the collapse from 77 for 3 in the 16th over to 113 for 7 by the end featured three more run-outs.Amy Hunter, the opener, was the best of their batters on the day, scoring 33 in 35 balls with four fours, while Laura Delany chipped in with a 35-ball 20 and there were cameos at the end from Eimear Richardson (16 in 15 balls), Rebecca Stokell (15 in 11) and Arlene Kelly (13 in nine).Matthews lost her opening partner Rashada Williams (16 in 20) off the first ball of the seventh over after a 40-run stand, which put them on the road to victory. And after Matthews fell, Henry and Gajnabi took West Indies home with lots to spare.The tour-ending third T20I will be played on July 8, also in Gros Islet.

If Michael Neser’s exploits at Headingley invited discussion about how Australia could overlook a bowler perfectly equipped for English conditions, over in the other camp things are proceeding at a gentler pace.Nobody is about to panic over the fact that Stuart Broad and James Anderson had a wicketless day at Trent Bridge, not with a joint total of 340 Tests and 1261 Test wickets to their name, but England’s most celebrated new-ball partnership are building towards the Ashes not with spectacular exploits but with a patience borne of experience.Their season’s returns are eerily similar: Anderson has 11 wickets at 24.90; Broad has 11 at 24.54. Neser might be taking a hat-trick and replicating unplayable inswingers for Glamorgan, but Broad and Anderson’s figures are so close to identical that it feels as if it must be some sort of grand masterplan.Broad did have a minor strop on the second day at Trent Bridge, just to persuade all of us that he was feeling all right. His appeal against Josh Bohannon, on 20, when he jagged the ball through the gate indicated that Broad believed there was an inside edge where the majority saw a trouser-flick. Umpire Rob Bailey was unmoved as Broad stood motionless at the batter’s end as if he was unable to compute the decision.Anderson managed a few play-and-misses, but he was the lightest-used pace bowler, 13 overs in all, as Nottinghamshire stretched their overnight 119 for 5 into 249. Lancashire, 98 for 1 when rain and bad light closed in after tea, lead by 63.There is more cricket left in this match than many had supposed and both England bowlers will be calculating how many overs they should contribute for their own well-being. Nearly all England supporters will accept that this is a utilitarian judgment, and that the greatest happiness of the greatest number is best served by Ashes success. These days, it as pleasure just to see any England player, especially a fast bowler, grace the Championship.Such deliberations appeared to be much simpler for Haseeb Hameed. He simply batted, five unobtrusive hours in all, and he was ninth out for 97 early in the afternoon. Will Williams has been the most metronomic seamer in the match and the leg before decision was a routine one, leading Hameed to fling back his head in disappointment.Disappointment that he narrowly missed what would have been a first century of the season doubtless extended to both sets of spectators – not just Notts but those following his former county – because this had been a masterclass in safety-conscious batting on a bowler’s surface. His 1235 Championship runs at 58.80 last season, the captaincy of the Lions, and further consolidation this season all indicate a game in good shape again.Hameed was 57 overnight and once again he batted with an even tempo, his defence secure, his score predominantly moving along with little dinks and steers into the off side. Anderson forced an inside edge when he swished at a wide one, and a creeper from Tom Bailey also momentarily unbalanced him but that was about it.One imagines that Hameed likes predictability, which made Broad an unsettling figure to bat alongside with lunch fast approaching. Lose a wicket then and Notts would have been nine down and Haseeb would have had to recalibrate for an extra half-hour. For Broad to take a single and give him the strike with three balls of the session remaining might normally have been an unwelcome outcome on 94, but he was probably relieved to get the chance to pay out the session quietly.As it was, Hameed was the next batter to be dismissed, leaving Broad to be last out as he succumbed to a whirligig swing and a catch at the wicket. The ball appeared to have come off his hip. No wonder he felt the umpire owed him one with the ball later. Broad, incidentally, fell without a care in the world on 249, only one run short of a batting bonus point, an insouciant dismissal which all those of us who prefer to regard bonus points as a blight on the game fully relished.Hameed had shouldered the burden with great composure after Steven Mullaney had fallen to the 18th delivery of the first session, mistiming a ball from Williams to give an easy catch to mid-on, and Brett Hutton, squared up by Bailey, had edged a catch to the keeper.Nottinghamshire, outstanding in the field on the first day, did not help their cause during Lancashire’s reply with George Balderson surviving two slip catches, to Ben Duckett and Olly Stone, to remain unbeaten on 44.That being so, Lancashire would have felt slightly happier at the close after an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 82 between Balderson and Josh Bohannon left things evenly poised. After rain-hit draws against Somerset and Essex, the least they will hope for is a fair chance to set their season running. As for Bohannon, he is currently the leading run-getter in the Championship and is putting last season’s stuttering form behind him.

RB Leipzig are monitoring Leicester City's Bilal El Khannous to replace Xavi Simons, whose future appears uncertain amid Chelsea interest.

RB Leipzig shortlist El Khannous to replace SimonsChelsea advance in talks to sign Dutch playerCrystal Palace also interested in Foxes starFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea are reportedly advancing in talks to sign Simons from Leipzig. This has prompted the Bundesliga side to scout the market for a worthy replacement for their midfield vacancy. According to , the German club have identified Leicester's El Khannous as a possible replacement for the Dutchman. However, multiple clubs are monitoring El Khannous' situation, including FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace.

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El Khannous, 21, was signed by Leicester from Belgian side Genk for €24 million (£21m/$28m) last year. The Moroccan midfielder became a regular starter at the club and scored three goals and registered six assists in 37 games. With Eberechi Eze attracting interest from Arsenal and other Premier League clubs, Palace have also shortlisted the Belgian Pro League Young Player of the Year 2024 to replace the English midfielder.

TELL ME MORE

The 2025 Club World Cup winners are closing in on Simons and have reportedly advanced on personal terms with the Dutch star, who also wishes to move to Stamford Bridge this summer and play under coach Enzo Maresca. The German club have reportedly set a price tag of €69m (£60m/$80m) to part ways with the 22-year-old.

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Getty ImagesWHAT'S NEXT FOR LEIPZIG?

Leipzig are focusing on signing young talents to rebuild and strengthen their squad in key areas, aiming to improve stability, creativity, and goal-scoring for the 2025-26 season. The Bundesliga club also had a disappointing campaign last year and failed to qualify for the Champions League, prompting them to sell many of their key talents. Benjamin Sesko is another player Leipzig can lose out on, should a good proposal come their way.

KKR have brought in 16-year old Afghanistan offspinner Allah Ghazanfar

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2024Afghanistan mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been ruled out of Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2024 campaign due to injury and will be replaced in the squad by his countryman, the 16-year-old Allah Ghazanfar.Rajasthan Royals signed South Africa’s left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as a replacement for fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who is currently recovering from surgery on his left proximal quadriceps tendon.Ghazanfar, also a mystery spinner, made his international debut earlier this month during the ODI series against Ireland, though he went wicketless in the two matches he played. He was Afghanistan’s second highest wicket-taker at the recently concluded Under-19 World Cup, taking eight wickets at an average of 16.75. Ghazanfar has played six List A matches and three T20s. He joins KKR for his base price of INR 20 lakhs.Maharaj, a South Africa veteran, has played 50 Tests, 44 ODIs and 27 T20Is, with a total of 237 wickets in international cricket. Additionally, he has played in T20 leagues around the world, including for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, and Fortune Barishal in the BPL. Maharaj, who took 15 wickets from 13 matches in this year’s SA20, had arrived in India earlier this month, training with the Lucknow Super Giants squad.KKR, who opened their campaign with a four-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, face Royal Challengers Bengaluru next on Friday. Royals also began their season on a victorious note against Super Giants.

Newcastle are out of the running to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving Manchester United and Liverpool fighting for his signature.

• Magpies not willing to raise bid for striker
• Liverpool testing Newcastle resolve with Isak offer
• Red Devils will rival champions for Frankfurt hitman

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Eddie Howe's side were keen on adding the French striker to their attack after signing Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for £55m ($73m) earlier this month. But the Magpies have pulled out of the race to sign the 23-year-old.

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  The Magpies have been monitoring Ekitike for some time and had a €75m (£64m/$86m) bid for him rejected. It led to Liverpool upping their interest in the striker, who scored 22 goals for Eintracht last season. But Newcastle have now deemed Ekitike to be too expensive and are no longer interest in signing him, according to French journalist Julien Laurens.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Frankfurt are holding out for more than €80m for Ekitike and Man United are reported to be the only club ready to rival Liverpool for his signature. The Athletic reports that the Reds are not expecting personal terms to be an issue, with Fabrice Hawkins claiming that the striker has already agreed a six-year contract. While Liverpool advance in their pursuit, United have not yet made a formal offer.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  An agreement for Ekitike is reported to be 'close. Meanwhile, Newcastle are now turning their attention to signing Yoane Wissa from Brentford, according to .