Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, and Kumar Sangakkara, meanwhile, have been retained by Guyana, Trinbago Knight Riders, and Tallawahs respectively

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-20171:57

Excited to get back to the CPL – Dwayne Smith

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga and South Africa allrounder Chris Morris have been signed up as marquee players in the Caribbean Premier League, a day before the draft. The tournament is scheduled to run from August 1 to September 9.Williamson and Morris are set for their maiden CPL season, having been recruited by Barbados Tridents and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots respectively. Malinga will be part of the St. Lucia Stars (formerly St. Lucia Zouks) set-up in the upcoming season, having previously represented Guyana Amazon Warriors.Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, and Kumar Sangakkara, meanwhile, have been retained by Guyana, Trinbago Knight Riders, and Jamaica Tallawahs respectively. Chris Gayle, who led Tallawahs to the title in 2016, will now play for the Patriots, the side that finished bottom last season.England T20 specialist Tymal Mills and several Afghanistan players – including IPL-bound Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi – are among the big names in the CPL draft.Marquee CPL players in 2017: Martin Guptill (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Lasith Malinga (St. Lucia Stars), Brendon McCullum (Trinbago Knight Riders), Chris Morris (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots), Kumar Sangakkara (Jamaica Tallawahs), Kane Williamson (Barbados Tridents)

Arsenal look set to undergo a summer overhaul ahead of next season as Mikel Arteta aims to add some much-needed quality to his first-team squad.

Not only are the likes of Kai Havertz and Declan Rice being strongly linked with potential moves but there are also some players who could be saying goodbye to the club in the coming weeks.

Granit Xhaka looks set to leave Arsenal this summer, with Bayer Leverkusen interested in luring him back to the Bundesliga, while fellow midfielder Thomas Partey could also be departing the Emirates, with Fabrizio Romano stating: “Understand there’s concrete chance for Thomas Partey to leave Arsenal this summer. Clubs are interested and there are discussions about his exit.”

With two key players from last term looking like they won’t play again for the Gunners, it will now be up to Arteta to replace them properly. Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia could be the ideal replacement for the Ghanaian, with Romano claiming that “talks already took place” in regard to a potential move for the youngster.

Could Arsenal sign Romeo Lavia this summer?

Bolstering his midfield has to be the Spaniard’s priority this summer, especially with Xhaka and Partey potentially leaving, and a move for Lavia could certainly numb the blow of losing those two.

Despite the Saints being relegated from the Premier League, ending their ten-year spell in the top flight, Lavia was arguably one of their only bright sparks during a woeful season.

The former Manchester City starlet particularly showcased his defensive abilities, ranking second for tackles per game (2.1) and seventh for interceptions per game (1.1) across the Southampton squad, while also achieving an overall Sofascore rating of 6.8/10, enough to place him eighth in the first team, a solid enough showing considering he only turned 19 in January.

The teen also features alongside some fairly illustrious company in terms of winning possession in the midfield third across Europe’s top five leagues, finishing second behind Moises Caicedo, while ahead of Jude Bellingham having won possession 114 times in that area of the pitch, showcasing his ball-winning qualities.

Having this defensive solidity in the heart of the midfield could be key for Arsenal next term, and would allow the likes of Martin Odegaard to flourish, giving them more freedom going forward, knowing that Lavia will be there sweeping everything up and screening the defence.

The midfielder is valued at £45m by the south coast side, yet having been lauded as someone who is “always calm on the ball” by Jean Kindermans, the head of the Anderlecht academy, and dubbed an “absolute monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick, it’s evident Arteta should be making his move sooner rather than later.

Chelsea signing Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo in a £70m deal is still "possible" this summer despite the saga dragging on and on, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Caicedo a Chelsea target?

The Seagulls star stood out as one of his side's best players last season, proving to be part of a hugely impressive midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Pascal Gross.

Caicedo is widely expected to move on during the summer transfer window, as has been the case with Mac Allister moving to Liverpool, with one of the Premier League's biggest clubs likely to snap him up.

Chelsea have arguably emerged as the favourites to sign the 21-year-old this summer, with major reinforcements required after the exits of N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic. They may not have it all their own way, though, with Arsenal also seen as strong contenders to sign him.

What's the latest news on Caicedo to Chelsea?

Taking to Twitter, Jacobs said that a whopping £70m move for Caicedo could be on the cards in the near future, perhaps music to the ears of Blues fans starting to worry over a lack of progress in the saga:

"CFC focused on Moises Caicedo for now. Still told circa £70m plus add-ons is possible."

Caicedo could be a wonderful signing by Chelsea before the new Premier League season gets underway, bringing youth and quality in the middle of the park – something that felt lacking last season, with age and injuries beginning to catch up with both Kante and Kovacic.

The Brighton man could be the perfect foil for Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge, biting into tackles, providing energy and also bringing quality on the ball. Last season, he averaged 2.7 tackles per game in the league – only Marc Cucurella (2.8) averaged more out of Chelsea's entire squad – but he also enjoyed an 88.8% pass completion rate.

At 21, Chelsea would be signing someone who could be a mainstay of the midfield for a decade, and the fact that he can play as a right-back on occasions is an added positive, with versatility something that Mauricio Pochettino is likely to admire in any of his new signings.

While the mooted £70m amount is clearly a lot of money, Caicedo would be a long-term investment who could play a huge role in the Blues' change in fortunes moving forward after such a poor season, having been hailed as a "magnificent" player by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp in the recent past.

Manchester United are now targeting Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow, who could be brought in alongside Andre Onana, according to reports from the Netherlands.

Which goalkeeper are Man United signing?

Man United goalkeeper David de Gea officially became a free agent on Friday following the expiration of his contract, and it is now looking increasingly likely that the Spaniard will not return to Old Trafford for the upcoming campaign.

As such, Erik ten Hag is tasked with bringing in a suitable replacement, and Onana is at the top of the list, as the manager retains a good relationship with the Inter shot-stopper from their time working together at Ajax.

The Cameroonian is viewed as a huge upgrade on De Gea due to his distribution and reading of the game, however, he will not come cheap, as it is believed it will take offers in excess of £50m for Inter to consider a sale this summer.

Not only is Onana emerging as a key target, but Dutch outlet 1908 reports the Red Devils hold a concrete interest in signing Bijllow, who could arrive at Old Trafford in addition to the Inter 'keeper (via Sport Witness).

The report explains that United are looking to replace De Gea, though Feyenoord are apparently not interested in allowing the £6k-per-week goalkeeper to leave and are pushing for him to sign a new contract.

Voetbal International reports the player himself would love to make the switch to Old Trafford, but at the moment, it appears as though Feyenoord will stand in his way.

Who is Justin Bijlow?

The Rotterdam-born goalkeeper has played for Feyenoord throughout his entire career, and he has impressed enough to be called up for The Netherlands on several occasions, amassing a total of eight caps for his national side.

Hailed as "brilliant" by members of the media, the 25-year-old has recorded a very impressive average clean sheet percentage over the past year, placing in the 92nd percentile compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level.

Given his international experience and impressive performances at club level, it is unclear whether the Dutchman would be happy playing second fiddle to Onana, who would surely be first-choice if he costs over £50m.

If he is willing to accept a more limited role, Bijlow could be a fantastic addition to Ten Hag's squad, who could even be capable of pushing for a starting spot.

Finch, who was Australia’s T20 captain until last year, has been appointed in the absence of Steven Smith and David Warner, who will be preparing for the India tour

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2017Aaron Finch will lead Australia in their upcoming Twenty20 international series against Sri Lanka in the absence of captain Steven Smith and vice-captain David Warner. The remainder of Australia’s T20 squad will be named on Wednesday morning, and there will be plenty of space for fresh faces due to the timing clash with Australia’s Test tour of India.Smith, Warner, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh are among the players who will be preparing for the Test series and therefore unavailable. Australia find themselves in the highly unusual situation of playing a T20 international – the final match in the series against Sri Lanka – in Adelaide on February 22, and a Test in India the following day.The cramped fixture has left some members of Australia’s team unhappy; Warner notably described it as “very, very poor scheduling”. However, the situation means that Finch will take over the captaincy for the three-match series, a year after he lost the T20 captaincy to Smith as Australia sought to unite the leadership in all three formats.”It’s very exciting to be back and leading the side in Steve’s absence,” said Finch, who also led Australia in Monday’s ODI against New Zealand in Auckland after stand-in skipper Matthew Wade was a late withdrawal due to injury.With David Warner and Steven Smith preparing for the India tour, Aaron Finch will take over as T20I captain a year after he lost the role•Getty Images

“It’s been a rollercoaster from being captain leading up to the ICC World Twenty20 (in 2016), being injured and then Steve taking over the reins for that tournament but it’s something that, any time you get the chance to captain your country in any format, you’re very chuffed about.”We’ll be missing some big names, some of the biggest in world cricket, but you can’t dwell on that and it will be a fantastic opportunity for guys who’ve performed well in the KFC Big Bash League to push their case for further inclusion, and inclusion in the other formats too.”Interim national selector Trevor Hohns said: “In the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner amongst others, we believe Aaron is the logical choice to lead the side. He’s done it before and he has a great deal of experience in the format as both a captain and a batsman.”When the squad is selected for this series we, as selectors, will obviously have one eye on the present and also one eye on the future, with the next ICC World Twenty20 scheduled to take place in Australia. The KFC Big Bash League has given us the opportunity to see plenty of exciting talent and it means we will have plenty to consider when we chose the players to join Aaron in the squad.”The Test tour of India not only robs Australia of several of its best players but also of its coaching staff. Justin Langer will step in as acting head coach for the Sri Lanka series, with Ricky Ponting and Jason Gillespie as his assistants. The series begins at the MCG on February 17 and also incorporates the first ever men’s international match in Geelong.

Manchester United are interested in Benfica youngster Joao Neves as Erik ten Hag looks to add another player to his squad following the deal to bring Mason Mount to Old Trafford.

What’s the latest on Joao Neves to Manchester United?

The saga surrounding Mount is finally coming to an end as United eventually agreed a deal which will cost them £60m in total – and Ten Hag shows no signs of slowing down.

According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the Red Devils are keen on luring Neves to the club this summer as the Dutchman looks to bolster his midfield options.

One key stumbling block could be a potential fee for the player, as he could be set to see his release clause raised from €60m (£52m) to €100m (£86m) due to a new contract being proposed for the youngster, which could be signed once he returns from the U21 European Championship.

Who is Joao Neves?

The 18-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season during 2022/23, becoming another youth prodigy to burst onto the scene at Benfica having made his debut in December last year.

A move for Neves could be extremely similar to that of the deal to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford 20 years ago.

The United icon was also 18 years old when Sir Alex Ferguson signed him having enjoyed a breakthrough season at Sporting CP, with the Portuguese forward scoring 145 goals over two spells at the club.

Neves likely won't quite hit those scoring heights as he tends to operate as a central midfielder, although his adaptability could be a bonus for Ten Hag, as the teen gem can also sparkle in a more advanced role or drop slightly deeper if required.

Despite being in the embryonic stages of what could be a fantastic career, Neves is shining across a range of metrics for the Portuguese side, showcasing his passing and defensive skills.

Indeed, over the previous 365 days, Neves ranks in the top 4% for passes attempted per 90 (73.65), top 2% for tackles per 90 (3.83), top 1% for blocks per 90 (2.21) and top 6% for aerials won per 90 (2.06) of those playing at a similar level in his position within Europe, indicating that not only does he try and circulate the ball as often as possible, but he can utilise his aerial ability and tenacious nature to protect the defence on a regular basis.

Dubbed as “highly talented” along with a string of fellow Benfica youngsters by talent scout Jacek Kulig last year, his introduction to the first team has certainly garnered attraction from potential suitors.

Having enjoyed success in the Portuguese market over the years, with the aforementioned Ronaldo plus Bruno Fernandes shining since arriving from Sporting CP in 2020, it appears Ten Hag wants to replicate these success stories with a move for Neves this summer.

Players’ failure to adjust to foreign conditions – rather than sweeping flaws in the domestic system – are to blame for the Sri Lanka’s plight in South Africa, chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya has said. Sri Lanka won the T20 series 2-1, but have been clean-swept in the Tests, and are presently 0-4 in the five-match ODI series. Until Tuesday, no Sri Lanka batsman had made a century on tour, and only three half-centuries were hit in the Test series.”We should be able to play under any conditions, not just at home,” said Jayasuriya. “There’s no point giving excuses or blaming our domestic structure after we lose a series. Your success depends on how fast you adjust to these conditions but sadly we have taken too long to do that.”Sri Lanka’s domestic structure has been the subject of increasing criticism over recent years, not least from recently retired players. It has been repeatedly claimed that the Premier League Tournament – the main first-class competition, which features 14 teams – is too inflated to allow for adequate concentration of talent. It has also been suggested that domestic surfaces are too spin-friendly. Fourteen of the 15 top wicket-takers of the ongoing Premier League Tournament are spinners – the previous season’s final statistics had laid out a similar breakdown.”I wouldn’t say there’s a dearth of talent but we don’t produce those champion cricketers as much as we did in the past,” Jayasuriya said. “I don’t think it’s a problem with the domestic structure or the school structure, because it’s the very system that produced all those champion cricketers in the past. So, we need to assess this situation and find out where the problem is and correct it.”The problem I see here is not lack of talent but their inability to adjust quickly to situations and handle the pressure. You can’t play cricket, if you can’t absorb pressure.”Sri Lanka have, nevertheless, unearthed cricketers the team’s coaches and managers believe are capable of becoming world-class players. Two of those, Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Kumara, had had substantial exposure to overseas conditions before they were picked in the national side – Mendis having spent a season playing club cricket in Middlesex, and Kumara having toured England with the Under-19s side. Jayasuriya said this kind of exposure may mark Sri Lanka’s route to better overseas performance on future tours.”If we can do a player programme at least at the Under-19 level that will do a world of good for the players,” he said. “We sent Kusal Mendis to England and we all know how well he performed in England last year. We’ve also seen South African players being sent to India to get use to spin wickets. This is one area we could really look at in the future.”We really need to find a way to play outside of our comfort zone. We do better in our own conditions and win matches, but when we go out, we struggle. If we don’t change this situation fast, we will only be winning matches at home.”

Tottenham Hotspur are remaining calm despite rumours linking talisman Harry Kane with a move away from north London this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

According to The Guardian, Tottenham have made an offer to Kane to extend his contract in N17, which would see his current weekly pay packet of £200,000 per week increase significantly at the Lilywhites.

Despite this, Kane has 'no immediate intention to sign' a new deal while the transfer window remains open amid interest from Bayern Munich in his services.

As per Sky Germany, Bayern Munich executive board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is leading the Bundesliga champions' pursuit of Kane. The German giants are said to be trying to 'decipher' whether Spurs would be willing to part ways with their prize this summer.

Tottenham have communicated that Kane is not for sale at any price this off-season and look likely to resist any incoming bids for the England international; however, Bayern Munich hold an internal belief that Kane would pick them over any other potential suitors if he was allowed to leave by Ange Postecoglou.

The Daily Mail cite that Spurs turned down an opening offer from the German giants worth an initial £60 million plus add-ons taking the bid to just shy of £70 million.

Bayern Munich are expected to return with a second offer for Kane and believe that putting forward a proposal of £80 million alongside add-ons could tempt Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy into holding discussions over the terms of an exit for the 29-year-old.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones believes that Spurs are keeping level-headed despite high-profile interest in their star man this window.

Jones said: "There is a calmness around Spurs while this Harry Kane rumour flies around. Lots of sources are confused because they do not genuinely see Kane making this transfer but, at the same time, there is such conviction in the German reporting that there is definitely some substance to it.

"And people around Kane that would normally deny this stuff are not doing so. Will Bayern get towards £100m if they make a new offer? That’s the only way we find out how real this pursuit can become."

Should Tottenham Hotspur keep or sell Harry Kane this summer?

Tottenham should do everything in their power to keep hold of Kane this summer as he is one of the world's elite strikers and vital to their chances of progressing on the field under new boss Postecoglou, though making sure he stays put in N17 will be easier said than done.

Last term, the England international was in fine form for Spurs despite their underwhelming campaign, registering 32 goals and five assists in 49 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

As per Sofascore, Kane also managed to obtain an average match rating of 7.44/10 for his exploits in the Premier League, maintaining consistency even in the face of turmoil on and off the pitch at Hotspur Way.

WhoScored illustrate that the London-born star was a challenging prospect for backlines in the English top flight to contend with, taking on 3.4 shots per fixture.

It isn't surprising that sides like Bayern Munich are keen to land Kane this summer and Tottenham will need to match Kane's ambitions if they have designs on keeping him around for the longer term.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale appears to be building a team of players who could form the crux of the side over the next few years, with Jack Butland being his only signing over the age of 26.

This is an exciting thought for the Ibrox faithful, as over the previous few years, faith was trusted in players who had clearly moved on from their peak years, as the likes of Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield and Steven Davis were used on a regular basis.

Beale appears to be moving away from sentiment and building a team which could challenge Celtic for the Premiership title over the coming seasons and hopefully progressing in Europe.

With this new-found transfer policy in full swing, the Gers have been linked with a move for Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell and have even had a bid rejected by the Elland Road side.

Securing the centre-back could turn into a shrewd investment by the 42-year-old, especially as he could begin to forge what might turn out to be a future defensive pairing for the Gers in the future of Cresswell and Leon King.

Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?

With one bid already rejected for the 20-year-old starlet, it remains to be seen whether Beale will go back in for him, but signing another young defender could be a stroke of genius.

King made his debut for the club aged just 16 back in 2020 under Steven Gerrard, and he has made rapid progress ever since. Promoted to the senior squad in 2022 having signed a new contract, the defender got his big break during the first half of the 2022/2023 season, featuring 26 times in all competitions, including six appearances in the Champions League and this experience will stand him good stood for the future.

He didn’t see much action under Beale during the second half of the season, yet it’s clear he is the future for the Ibrox side and will surely see more game time during 2023/2024.

Cresswell enjoyed a solid loan spell at Millwall last season, playing 28 Championship games for the club while underlining his importance by ranking second across the whole squad for overall Sofascore rating and clearances per game, while finishing in the top three for interceptions per game suggests he more than exceeded expectations.

The £2k-per-week gem could become a mainstay in the defence in the coming years should he move to Glasgow and with Gary Rowett claiming the player has “amazing attributes” a future duo of him and King could nullify opposition attackers in the Premiership within the next five years.

Newcastle United have had a long-standing interest in Moussa Diaby and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player during the summer transfer window.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Moussa Diaby?

According to Football Transfers, Newcastle have rekindled their interest in signing the Bayer Leverkusen winger this summer.

As per the report, Eddie Howe is keen to make another attempt to reach an agreement to sign Diaby ahead of next season and is hoping that with just two years left on his contract that a lower fee for the player could be negotiated.

How much does Moussa Diaby cost?

The future has never been brighter at St James' Park and in Howe's first full season in charge he led his team to achieve the dreams many Newcastle supporters thought weren't ever possible to come true just 18 months ago.

The Magpies have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in over two decades after securing a top-four finish in the Premier League last season and now Howe is tasked with a new challenge of competing on the elite European stage.

As a result, the signing of players experienced in the competition would be massively advantageous to the club in their pursuit to make their mark on Europe next season and Diaby could be another player to add that much-needed experience in the team.

The Frenchman – dubbed "incredibly dangerous" by Freiburg's Nils Petersen – has tallied up 37 appearances across major European competitions with nine of those in the Champions League, delivering 14 goals and eight assists in the prestigious tournament and Europa League combined.

Now he could offer his impressive attacking services to Newcastle as they set out next season to deliver the desired trophy and success that the club are desperate to deliver to their supporters and could ultimately be the perfect upgrade for Miguel Almiron next season on the right flank.

When comparing the Leverkusen talent's output to Almiron's last season, Diaby comfortably outperformed his positional competitor in a number of key attacking attributes including goal contributions (17 v 13), shots on target rate (43% v 29%), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.67 v 3.14) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.53 v 0.47), as per FBref.

Not only that, the 24-year-old is an incredibly versatile prospect for the Magpies boss who is clearly keen to strengthen the wider flanks of his attacking threat, as Diaby boasts almost as much experience on the right side as he does in the left-winger role too, as well as tallying up multiple appearances in a second striker role and as a left-sided midfielder.

Whilst there is no doubt that Diaby would be an incredible asset to Howe, the stumbling block has always been his expensive transfer fee as Newcastle's hierarchy are extremely conscious of the FFP constraints they face at present.

In January the Bundesliga club reportedly quoted interested parties an eye-watering €100m (£88.5m) to sign their star winger, however, Leverkusen now are expecting a fee of around £65m if they are to part ways this summer.

With that being said, if Newcastle can agree a suitable deal for Diaby it would be a no-brainer to snap up his services ahead of next season, as his attacking presence and experience in Europe would be highly valuable in the next chapter of the club's journey for success.