All posts by h716a5.icu

He replaces Axar Patel, who sprained his left ankle during a training session ahead of the first ODI, which takes place in Chennai on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2017Ravindra Jadeja is back in India’s ODI squad. The selectors have named him as a like-for-like replacement for the left-arm spinner Axar Patel in the squad for the first three ODIs against Australia. Axar sprained his left ankle playing football during a training session ahead of the first ODI, which takes place in Chennai on Sunday.Jadeja had initially been rested from the squad, along with India’s other premier Test-match spinner R Ashwin. The two had also been left out of the limited-overs leg of India’s recent tour of Sri Lanka, and their prolonged absence from the ODI squad – despite chief selector MSK Prasad’s reiteration that both were only being rested – was viewed by some as the team looking beyond them for one-day and T20 cricket.While Ashwin has been playing for Worcestershire in the County Championship in England during his time away from the ODI team, Jadeja has not played any competitive match since the second Test in Sri Lanka in early August. He missed the third Test after earning a suspension for accumulating six demerit points within a 24-month period.Jadeja is currently ranked No. 2 in the ICC Test bowling rankings, but has endured a difficult time in ODIs of late. He took four wickets at 62.25 while conceding 5.92 per over in the Champions Trophy in June, and followed that up with two wicketless matches during India’s tour of the West Indies.

Fulham have reached an agreement on personal terms with Benfica star Morato with Marco Silva's side expected to lodge a third bid "in the coming days".

Who will Fulham sign?

The Whites, after a successful first full campaign back in the Premier League, will now be looking to bolster their ranks further after officially completing a deal to sign Wolves striker Raul Jimenez.

The Mexico international's arrival comes as their first signing of this summer transfer window, boosting Silva in his attempts to reinforce the attacking area.

Fulham's star striker from last season, Aleksandar Mitrovic, is edging towards a move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and there is a belief they'll pay his asking price of around £50 million.

Mitrovic himself has been agitating for a move to the Middle East, with the Serbian making it clear behind-the-scenes he wants to leave Craven Cottage.

Speaking on the matter recently, Silva admitted it was an unwelcome distraction to his pre-season preparations.

"It's not the ideal situation, I have to tell you. Not because he received an offer, it's the situation about himself," said Silva on Mitrovic recently.

"As you know, he's not going to play tomorrow, he didn't play last Wednesday. He's not working properly with his team mates and when I say this is not the ideal scenario, this is the situation.

"When it's out of my control as a manager, this is not something that concerns me, but I would like to have a different scenario in that situation … Sometimes you have individual decisions that is for them to take care of."

As for other signings in key areas of the squad, Fulham are believed to be closing in on Calvin Bassey from Ajax, with the defender set for a medical after the west Londoners reached an £18 million agreement.

Elsewhere, the Cottagers are also eyeing up a move for winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, with Fulham apparently pushing and in pole position for the Chelsea star.

While Bassey is edging nearer a move to Fulham, there are some reports that Benfica's Morato could join him.

Indeed, that is according to Sports Zone, who claim that the Brazilian has reached an agreement on personal terms with Fulham and a five-year contract.

Silva's side have already had two bids turned down for the 22-year-old, but there are suggestions a third will arrive "in the coming days".

Morato's representative, Giuliano Bertolucci, is apparently pushing for Benfica to let him join Fulham before the window shuts.

How good is Morato?

Called a "magnificent" centre-half by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, Morato only managed nine league appearances for Benfica last term and 14 the season before (WhoScored).

Each of those campaigns, though, he averaged an impressive passing accuracy of over 90 per cent whilst averaging over two clearances per 90 (WhoScored).

Still young, there is room for Morato to grow and improve in the English top flight, potentially as a back up before playing his way into Silva's plans.

While Bassey is close to joining the club, if Fulham were to sign two central defensive stars rather than one this window, it would be quite the statement of intent.

In his second coaching stint in Bangladesh, Champaka Ramanayake hopes to hand pick talent from different corners of the country

Mohammad Isam17-Aug-2017Champaka Ramanayake, former Sri Lanka fast bowler and the new head coach of BCB’s High Performance Unit, hopes to widen the search for fast bowlers across Bangladesh in his second coaching stint in the country. He previously worked as the bowling coach of the national team from 2008 to 2010.”The coaching will be the same but maybe I will look into the youngsters who have never been seen before,” Ramanayake said. “I am thinking of going around the country to find raw talent. Definitely there is talent, because cricket is big in the country. There should be lot of players with natural talent, so I am looking forward to finding them.”Ramanayake, the second high-profile appointment after Courtney Walsh, the bowling coach of the national team, underlined the importance of having a comfort factor in working with young bowlers to be successful at the job.”I have worked for SLC for 14 years as a bowling coach. Early on I was working on the development side; working day to day with the youngsters helped me build a relationship and their confidence level,” he said. “The biggest thing you can give them is confidence, that they can do the job. The biggest satisfaction you can get as a coach is when you develop someone.”In his first stint in Bangladesh, Ramanayake focused on working with natural actions, Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam being the most-notable names to come up around the time. “You shouldn’t make too many changes to natural ability. That’s my philosophy,” he said. “In Sri Lanka, we produced lot of freaks from nowhere because of their natural talent.”Sometimes, people try to change too many things and then you lose the natural ability. Everyone is different in this world, so you have to treat them differently. Actions are different so as long as they produce results and are effective, that’s the main thing.”

There appears to have been another twist regarding the long-running saga involving Harry Kane, with recent reports suggesting that Manchester United are still potentially in the running for the Englishman's signature.

What's the latest on Kane to Tottenham?

According to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the Red Devils remain in the background in the battle to land the 29-year-old, with Tottenham Hotspur seemingly ready to sell the prolific marksman this summer, rather than seeing him depart for nothing next year.

Writing on Twitter, the respected insider revealed: "Spurs owner Joe Lewis has issued Daniel Levy with an ultimatum to sell Harry Kane or tie him down on a new contract (unlikely). United circling on off-chance Spurs are suddenly receptive to selling him to a Premier League club."

In his attached piece for Manchester Evening News, Luckhurst went on to add that the England skipper remains Erik ten Hag's 'ideal striker target', albeit with United having turned to Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund as an alternative option of late due to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's apparent 'reluctance to sell' to another Premier League club – a fact the former Ajax boss may be hoping will chance.

The piece also notes that Kane – who was previously valued at more than £100m earlier in the window – is said to be demanding a salary of around £30m a year, ensuring it would prove a mammoth financial deal for the Old Trafford outfit.

Should Man United sign Kane?

For all the potential concerns there may be over financing a move for the long-serving Tottenhman man – with United having already spent over £100m on Mason Mount and Andre Onana – it is fair to say that Kane would be a dream option for Ten Hag and co.

While enjoying success at the Theatre of Dreams is never guaranteed for even the most high profile of players – with likes of Alexis Sanchez and Angel Di Maria prime examples of that – Kane's proven Premier League experience would surely raise the chances of him making a telling impact in Manchester.

Having finished behind only Erling Haaland in the scoring charts last season with 30 league goals, the £200k-per-week hitman now boasts an overall tally in the competition of 213 goals to date, with Alan Shearer's record total of 260 now firmly in sight.

Not only a "goalscoring machine" – according to Match of the Day host, Gary Lineker – the beauty of the 6 foot 2 ace is his all-round game, as he is arguably "one of the best passers in world football", according to pundit Jamie Carragher.

That playmaking ability has seen the Walthamstow native strike up a fine partnership with Spurs winger Heung-min Son at N17 in recent years, with the pair having combined for the most goal contributions between two players in Premier League history.

The hope would be that Kane could replicate that impact alongside Marcus Rashford at Old Trafford, with the 25-year-old – who scored 30 goals last term in all competitions – mirroring Son in wreaking havoc down the left flank.

As per Ten Hag, there is "almost no better player in the world" than Rashford when running in behind and threatening the backline, with the United academy graduate regularly looking to hurt the opposition in that left channel, notably ranking in the top 13% among European forwards for progressive passes received as evidence of that trait.

To then have Kane – who ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes – dropping deep to play his compatriot through on goal would be a dream scenario, with Rashford potentially set to prove somewhat unplayable if supplied with such regular, quality service.

With the pair already familiar with each other due to their time in the Three Lions' set-up, a link-up at club level could be a match made in heaven.

A marathon spell from captain Graeme Cremer has allowed Zimbabwe to seriously think about securing a first-innings lead over Sri Lanka in Colombo

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo15-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGraeme Cremer bowled 32 of Zimbabwe’s 80 overs on the second day at Khettarama•AFPGraeme Cremer spun them hard and his team-mates stretched, dived and hunted balls down in the field so splendidly that, at the end of the second day in Colombo, Zimbabwe finished with a good chance of taking a first-innings lead – Sri Lanka seven down, and still 63 runs behind.Where Craig Ervine held Zimbabwe’s innings of 356 together, Cremer performed a similar role with the ball. Thirty of Zimbabwe’s 82 overs were his, and rarely did batsmen appear to have his measure.The legspinner found increasing assistance from the surface, beat the edge regularly through the second half of the day, and brought himself on to break the hosts’ rhythm whenever they appeared comfortable at the crease. Figures of 3 for 100 do not flatter the impact he had on the day.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will rue two mini-collapses: the first just after lunch, which cost them their top three for 32 runs, and the second soon after tea, in which three further wickets fell for 26. This, after the openers had begun with such confidence. Upul Tharanga was regal at the top, racing to 26 off his first 14 balls, his delectably timed drives piercing the tight infield. He and Dimuth Karunaratne put on 84 for the first wicket, before that first stumble took place.Sri Lanka will regret their batsmen not having gone on to triple figures, and Tharanga will regret it most. He was perfectly at ease during virtually the whole of his 71, and was only dismissed because of a little carelessness while backing up at the non-striker’s end. The last wicket of the day – Dilruwan Perera’s – was also a run-out, and again it was of a batsman who had begun to get the better of the bowling.The tide began turning thanks to Zimbabwe poking holes in the hosts’ middle order. Barring a 96-run stand for the fourth-wicket between Dinesh Chandimal – who scored the only other half-century of the innings – and Angelo Mathews, there weren’t very many contributions. And as a result, Sri Lanka were left relying on Asela Gunaratne, struggling with a hamstring injury he picked up in the field, to take them closer to parity.It had been a loose Karunaratne shot that had set Sri Lanka’s first slide in motion. Having played cautiously through the morning session, he attempted to cut a ball angled into him by Donald Tiripano, and sent a thick edge to slip, where Hamilton Masakadza held the sharp chance.His confidence bolstered by that breakthrough, Tiripano stacked the offside infield, and delivered a disciplined spell, in which he dared the batsmen to take risks. There were no further wickets for him, but at the other end, Kusal Mendis nicked a bouncing, turning delivery from Cremer, which he perhaps did not need to play at. Mendis has often been jumpy at the start of his innings, and this knock was no different. In 15 balls at the crease, he attempted several pull shots and often found the fielders.The ever reliable Rangana Herath bagged his 30th Test five-for. But his batsmen couldn’t back him up well enough•Associated PressTharanga, meanwhile, who could not have looked more natural plundering the seamers and advancing down the pitch at the spinners, was the victim both of his own carelessness and a little bad luck. When Chandimal drove Tiripano straight, the bowler managed to get fingertips to the ball, which then clattered into the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Tharanga had not bothered to keep his bat in the crease, using it to lean on instead. His boot was on the crease, but not behind it.Cremer was the protagonist in the next big Sri Lanka stutter. The pitch had begun to sing for him in the second half of the second session, and switching ends after tea, he bowled himself into a fresh rhythm. Chandimal reached his half-century by then, but Cremer, ripping the ball more with each passing over, got it to dip and turn sharply. It flicked the shoulder of Chandimal’s bat and wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva picked up his second difficult catch of the day.Four overs later, another big turner from Cremer made a further dent in Sri Lanka’s innings – Niroshan Dickwella fell unable to handle one that pounced at him off a length. The well-set Mathews was the next to depart. Attempting to paddle-sweep Sean Williams against the turn, he offered only a top-edge to the legside, which Masakadza – running back from slip – snaffled up with a full-length dive.Sri Lanka were now on 238 for 6 and Dilruwan, having been promoted to No. 7 as a result of Gunaratne’s niggle, took on the responsibility of pushing the innings forward. He did so by taking calculated risks against the spinners – hitting Sikander Raza and Williams for one six apiece – but just as his partnership with Gunaratne, who came in at No. 8, began to look good, Zimbabwe managed to break it.Gunaratne cut a ball forward of point, and set off for the run. Dilruwan, however, was late to respond, and by the time a diving Tarisai Musakanda made the stop, flicked the ball to Malcolm Waller at cover in one smooth motion, and Waller then found Chakabva behind the stumps, Perera was caught short by at least a metre. It was a spectacular piece of fielding.Rangana Herath played a customary slog sweep to make the final runs of the day, but thanks to a doughty Zimbabwe performance, and Sri Lanka’s sloppy running, the hosts will begin day three in a precarious position.Early in the day, Sri Lanka had opened the bowling with Lahiru Kumara – the wilder, but more aggressive seam option in their team – and, thanks in part to the early pressure he created, Zimbabwe’s two remaining wickets cost only 12 runs.It was Herath, however, who made the first breakthrough. Tiripano attempted the reverse sweep that had brought him success on the first afternoon, but managed only to send the ball to Karunaratne at slip. That was Herath’s 378th dismissal, taking him past the tallies of Malcolm Marshall and Waqar Younis. He also wrapped up his 30th five-wicket haul, putting him clear at fifth on that all-time list, behind four bona fide greats of the game.

Limited-overs opener Danushka Gunathilaka made his first entry into Sri Lanka’s Test squad, thanks largely to his excellent ODI form over the past six weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2017Allrounder Dhananjaya de Silva has been dropped for Sri Lanka’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe, which begins in Colombo on Friday. Batsman Kusal Perera and fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep will miss the game with injuries, while fast bowlers Vishwa Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera return to the squad.Limited-overs opener Danushka Gunathilaka, meanwhile, made his first entry into a Test squad, thanks largely to his excellent ODI form over the past six weeks. Gunathilaka scored 323 runs at an average of 64.60 to top the run charts in the recent Zimbabwe series, and had also made 76 in Sri Lanka’s Champions Trophy victory over India, at the Oval.Angelo Mathews, who missed Sri Lanka’s previous Test series – against Bangladesh at home in March – due to a hamstring injury that kept him out for several months in the first half of the year, also returned to the squad. Having quit as captain in all formats on Tuesday, Mathews will not be leading in a Test for the first time since 2013. It will be Dinesh Chandimal’s first Test as captain.De Silva’s exclusion is surprising on two fronts. First, he had suggested he was a batsman of substantial promise when he top-scored in Sri Lanka’s triumphant series against Australia last year. Second, he has prospered against Zimbabwe in the recent past, making scores of 25, 64, 127 and 9 in four Test innings against them in October and November last year. De Silva was said to have suffered an ankle injury in the recent past, but is now fully fit and available for selection.Despite Pradeep’s absence, the return of Chameera adds an edge to the seam attack. Between him and Lahiru Kumara, Sri Lanka have, for the first time in years, two bowlers who can consistently clock 145kph on the speed gun. Suranga Lakmal is the sole experienced hand from among the quicks, with left-armer Vishwa Fernando having only played one Test as well.The spin attack, meanwhile, bore no surprises. Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan made up the frontline contingent. Asela Gunaratne and Danushka Gunathilaka also provide slow-bowling options.Niroshan Dickwella is likeliest to take the gloves, with Chandimal now captaining the side. The one-off Test begins in Khettarama on Friday, and follows Sri Lanka’s 3-2 defeat to Zimbabwe in the ODI series.Squad Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dimuth Karunaratne, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara

Manchester United look set to overhaul their goalkeeping department this summer. David de Gea has departed the Old Trafford side following 12 years at the club, while Inter Milan sensation Andre Onana has now arrived.

The future of Dean Henderson appears to be away from United, with Nottingham Forest keen on signing him permanently and this could happen once Onana arrives. Erik ten Hag could therefore be lacking in options between the posts next season, and he could alleviate this problem by signing Yassine Bounou.

Will Manchester United sign Yassine Bounou?

According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Ten Hag is keen on luring Bounou, more commonly known as Bono, to the Red Devils ahead of next season.

The report claims that a move would be ‘difficult, but not impossible’ and if United were to lose Henderson to Forest, the Dutchman would have to double his efforts to bring another ‘keeper into the squad.

The £15k-per-week titan has two years left on his current deal and Sevilla won't want to lose him cheaply, indicating that United would have to stump up a decent fee in order to sign him during the transfer window.

How good is Yassine Bounou?

Since emerging through the academy, Henderson has made a grand total of 29 senior appearances for United, with the majority of them coming during the 2020/21 season, where he played 25 times.

Talented as he is, given the fact he has already earned a cap for England, making his debut against Ireland three years ago, Ten Hag could soon forget about him with a move for Bono in the coming weeks.

The Canadian-born Moroccan international has enjoyed his greatest success at Sevilla, winning two Europa League titles during his four seasons in Spain. He has also kept 58 clean sheets in 140 matches.

Although not among the very elite across the continent, Bounou could certainly fit Ten Hag’s tactical philosophy of playing out effectively from the back as he ranks in the top 17% across Europe’s big five leagues for touches per 90 (41.8), suggesting that he is comfortable on the ball and is trusted during games to begin attacks from the back.

The 32-year-old became a household name during the 2022 World Cup as Morocco became the first African team to reach the semifinals of the competition.

Across seven matches at the tournament, he kept three clean sheets and succeeded with 100% of his run-outs, keeping his best performance for the last 16 tie against Spain.

The 6 foot 2 colossus made two saves in the penalty shootout after the game finished 0-0 and became an instant hero, with compatriot Romain Saiss praising him following the match, saying:

"It is amazing for him. He had a heroic game today, not only during the penalties. He just wanted to show why he was named the best La Liga goalkeeper last season. He is a great keeper, he proved it against Spain. We owe him a lot today."

Shining on the world stage should allow him to settle in well at United, and given his impressive performances for both club and country, he could certainly allow Ten Hag to forget all about Henderson.

Tom Latham’s third ODI hundred and first as captain gave New Zealand the tri-series title in Malahide

The Report by Mohammad Isam21-May-2017
ScorecardTom Latham hit nine fours and four sixes•Getty Images/SportsfileNew Zealand tuned up for the Champions Trophy by clinching the tri-series in Malahide with three wins in three matches. Their latest victory was set up by Tom Latham, who struck his third ODI hundred and first as captain, and Colin Munro, who threatened to break the record for the fastest fifty in ODIs. Their contributions and Ross Taylor’s fifty propelled New Zealand to 344 for 6. The bowlers then had a good workout in the defence, dismissing Ireland for 154 within 40 overs.The green pitch and overcast conditions tempted Ireland to bowl first, but they had to wait until the start of the 11th over for their first wicket. New Zealand opener Luke Ronchi made the early running, playing a variety of cuts and driving fluently on the up against pace. Spin could not slow him down either – he lofted left-arm spinner George Dockrell over and through the covers.Just as Ronchi threatened to kick into a higher gear, he was bowled by seamer Craig Young for 35. Latham then took charge and added 75 for the second wicket with Neil Broom, who contributed 38, before chipping Chase to mid-off.Latham, though, continued to keep New Zealand ticking. He reached his first fifty off 64 balls, and brought up the second off 45 balls. Latham had a life on 89 when he holed out to long leg, where Barry McCarthy completed an excellent diving catch. Young, the bowler, had overstepped though. Latham reached his hundred with a single to long-on off Dockrell, but he fell in the same over – the 36th of the innings – when he came down the track and missed the ball. Niall O’Brien, the wicketkeeper, took the bails off to dismiss Latham for 104 off 111 balls.The momentum, however, seamlessly switched from one batsman to another. Taylor made his 35th ODI fifty, while Corey Anderson and Mitchell Santner flickered briefly, scoring 20 each. Munro led the charge in the slog overs, hammering three fours and four sixes, including one over square leg that broke a spectator’s chair.He started the penultimate over of the innings with back-to-back sixes off Peter Chase and raced to 44 off 14 balls. AB de Villiers’ 16-ball fifty against West Indies in 2015 was in danger. Munro holed out off the next ball, though, but his blitz was instrumental in taking New Zealand to an imposing score.They plundered 72 off the last four overs. The visitors, in fact, could have got more if not for sharp fielding from Ireland. Five out of six Ireland bowlers conceded over six runs an over.Ireland lost Paul Stirling for a duck in the chase when fast bowler Matt Henry found the top edge with a sharp, rising delivery. Ed Joyce and William Porterfield then tried to offset the early loss by putting on a run-a-ball 51 for the second wicket. The stand ended when Corey Anderson struck in his first over to remove Joyce for 17. From thereon the innings unravelled: Ireland lost their last nine wickets for 102 runs.In his next over Anderson dismissed Andy Balbirnie for a duck. Scott Kuggeleijn then took the key wicket of Porterfield, having him caught at deep square leg, where Adam Milne claimed a brilliant catch. Milne, playing first international match since the World T20, then pinned Dockrell lbw to leave Ireland at 119 for 7 in 32 overs. Eight overs later, legspinner Ish Sodhi added his name in the wickets column and wrapped up the 190-run victory.The last match of the tri-series – a dead rubber between New Zealand and Bangladesh – will be played on Wednesday.

Everton are expected to improve their offer for young Almeria forward El Bilal Toure in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Who is El Bilal Toure?

The 21-year-old, who currently earns £4,000 per week, has been seen as a key transfer target for the Blues ahead of the new Premier League season. Last term, they once again avoided relegation to the Championship by the skin of their teeth, with a lack of attacking quality too often proving to be an issue throughout the campaign.

The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Neal Maupay both struggled to lead the line for different reasons – the former had constant fitness issues and the latter simply didn't look up to the task, scoring just once in 27 league matches – and it highlighted the need for reinforcements to arrive this summer.

In Toure, Everton have an intriguing target on their radar, with the Almeria ace scoring seven goals in 21 La Liga appearances in 2022/23, with only 15 of those coming from the start. He has also netted five times in 15 caps for Mali, showing that he is also becoming a handy scorer at international level and has a potentially big future ahead of him.

The Blues are yet to be successful in their efforts to snap up the young attacker in the current transfer window, but a new claim has now emerged regarding their pursuit of him.

Are Everton signing El Bilal Toure?

According to IDEAL [via Sport Witness], Everton are prepared to raise their offer for Toure, and it "should not take many days" for his sale to go through, assuming Almeria's valuation is met. The La Liga side seem relaxed about the situation, accepting that their forward is likely to leave and that the eventual move "will be very satisfactory" for all parties.

The amount in question that the Blues are ready to pay is thought to be €30m (£25.7m) – a fee that would be a club-record amount for Almeria.

Toure, hailed as a "major talent" last summer by 90min's Graeme Bailey, looks like a brilliant young prospect who could add some life to Everton's side in the final third, having already proven himself in one of Europe's top leagues. Granted, he is still very young, so it would be harsh to expect him to be an immediate key man and consistent performer, but he could be a good squad option from the off.

Very much at home in a central attacking role, the Malian could learn from someone like Calvert-Lewin, assuming he stays put and remains injury-free, and his 6ft frame should allow him to handle the physical nature of the Premier League.

Everton could also do with bringing in a more experienced attacking option, though, in order to take the pressure off Toure and allow him to settle at his own pace, with more squad depth required at Goodison Park moving forward. Another relegation battle simply shouldn't be considered for a club of the Blues' stature, but for that to happen, significant inroads need to be made in the summer transfer market, assuming the funds are available.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Monaco defender Axel Disasi this summer, but Manchester United are also in the picture, according to a new update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

How good is Axel Disasi?

The 25-year-old was an undoubted key man for his current side last season, proving to be an influential performer at the heart of their defence. He started an impressive 37 out of 38 Ligue 1 matches, winning an average of 2.6 aerial duels per outing – by far the most in his team – and also chipping with three goals and assists apiece for good measure.

Disasi is also a four-time capped France international, battling with the likes of Raphael Varane, Ibrahima Konate and William Saliba for minutes at international level, and he made three appearances at the 2022 World Cup, starting once and coming on as a substitute the other two times.

The Monaco man could well be a wanted man in the current transfer window, and while his contract doesn't run out until the summer of 2025, he could push for a move in the coming weeks as Champions League clubs snif around.

With Newcastle looking to potentially sign a new long-term centre-back partner for Sven Botman, it looks as though the Frenchman could be a target in the near future.

Do Newcastle want to sign Axel Disasi?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed Newcastle's interest in Disasi, also adding that United are equally keen on signing the defender, which was known previously:

"Newcastle and Manchester United are both exploring Disasi deal, no bids yet.

"Newcastle approached player side this week, expected to make contact with Monaco. Ten Hag approved Disasi — talks for weeks on player side but still waiting for approach with Monaco. More to follow."

Disasi could be a really strong addition to Newcastle's squad ahead of the new season, coming in as a possible immediate upgrade on Fabian Schar. The Swiss star has done an excellent job for the Magpies, but he is now 31 years of age and his very best days are arguably behind him, as can be the case with many players at the age. There is no issue with him as a squad player, but a younger option with his best years ahead of him makes complete sense this summer.

The Monaco defender has been hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for being part of a "crazy" group of talented young French central defenders who were present at the World Cup, while his "great qualities" as a player have been lauded by French coach Jean-Luc Vasseur in the past.

These are the sort of players who can take Newcastle to that next level moving forward, ensuring that last season was far from a one-off, and that the Magpies can build on their Champions League qualification by securing another top-four finish in 2023/24, gradually becoming a true force in English football.

It is also a testament to the progress made under Eddie Howe in such a short space of time that Newcastle are now in the mix to sign players who are linked with clubs like the Red Devils.