An ex-Everton scout has explained why Dele Alli signing for the club was always "strange", insisting he needs to up his game to earn a new deal.
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Dele's Everton contract expired in JuneTraining with Toffees as he targets new dealEx-club scout says Dele signing was "strange"WHAT HAPPENED?
The 37-cap England international swapped Tottenham for Everton in January 2022 but has only played 13 times for the Toffees since then. Earlier this summer, his contract at the Merseyside outfit expired and he is yet to sign a new deal with Sean Dyche's men, despite training with them in pre-season – after a string of injuries. Now, former Everton scout Bryan King has given his thoughts on this whole episode, while challenging the 28-year-old to "prove he wants" a new deal at Goodison Park.
Advertisement@Dele InstagramWHAT THE EX-EVERTON SCOUT SAID
King told Goodison News: “If Everton are prepared to get him fit, he has then got to get back to playing. It is one thing training and getting fit, but he has got to get back into match situations. Therefore decisions will still be pending. It is a strange situation. It has been strange ever since he went to Everton, I could never see him being an Everton player.
"I spoke to several people with big Everton connections, and they were also surprised the club had brought him in. He is not the sort of player who looks up for a relegation fight. However, he deserves a chance, if he is prepared to train then the next step will be matches and reintegrating into the squad. It will be interesting to see how the squad accepts him. For Dyche, if they can get him back, it could prove to be a very good free-transfer signing. Alli just needs to prove that he wants it.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Everton reached an agreement with Tottenham to waive paying a further fee when offering Dele a new contract. However, the former Spurs star may not be offered a new deal as he looks to get his career back on track. Dele made headlines in 2023 when he spoke about his childhood, time spent in rehab and mental health issues.
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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Everton manager Dyche has revealed Dele is still some way off returning to action, despite training with the squad during pre-season.
“Dele is getting fitter but only really just breaking into training. Forgetting about the contact situation. He’s generally with us and getting fitter," he said.
The Toffees are due to open their new Premier League campaign at home to Brighton on August 17.
Leeds United have dealt with the long-term absence of Pascal Struijk rather smoothly, with the first-team face's extended layover in the Elland Road treatment room inadvertently kickstarting a rock-solid centre-back partnership.
Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu have become an intimidating duo in the heart of defence for Daniel Farke's automatic promotion hopefuls with the 24-year-old out of action, making Struijk being sidelined since the end of December with a serious injury far easier to come to terms with.
When Struijk does eventually get back to full sharpness again, he could reappear and find he no longer has a settled spot in Farke's starting XI anymore especially if the standout Tottenham Hotspur loanee is kept around permanently after his loan switch expires.
There seem to be hints in recent reports that such a deal could take place this upcoming summer transfer window, with Leeds potentially tempted to sell on Struijk to make a profit on the former Ajax man whilst his transfer value remains high.
Ethan Ampadu
Pascal Struijk's time at Leeds
Struijk will go down as a transfer success from a Leeds perspective even if he is sold on soon, purchased when the divisive figure of Victor Orta was still present at the club.
The West Yorkshire titans played a blinder getting Struijk into the building, managing to get the Belgian centre-back in through the door on a free transfer in 2018.
The 6 foot 3 defender never looked back when he first burst onto the scene at Elland Road, going on to become a regular at the back during Leeds' recent Premier League hay-day after bedding in well initially into the U21 set-up.
Struijk has gone on to make 121 appearances for the Whites across five seasons in the men's ranks, helping himself to nine goals as a reliable converter of chances from corner-kicks including this bundled-in goal against Ipswich Town earlier this campaign.
Injury disaster would strike for the Leeds captain – with the armband now belonging to Ampadu – in the match directly after the emphatic 4-0 win over the Tractor Boys, with the Belgian very unlikely to feature again this season for Farke's men in the crunch promotion run-in.
Described as being "crucial" towards the start of this action-packed campaign by his German manager, Struijk being out for as long as he has been could've derailed the Whites.
But, the injury-stricken number 21 has almost been forgotten about now with Rodon and Ampadu heroically forming a staunch partnership to shore up the back four.
It's not out of the question, therefore, that Leeds could decide to cash in on the former Ajax man when he does return to action deeming the other options at the club as stronger than he is now.
A report from L'Equipe before the centre-back's major injury suggested that recent Champions League quarter-final winners Paris St. Germain were once interested in Struijk's services, with PSG known to have lavishly thrown about cash in the past.
pascal-struijk-leeds-united-premier-league
Whatever money comes Leeds' way potentially when Struijk is offered out, the Whites will know they will make a handsome profit on the once unproven youngster they signed for £0.
Pascal Struijk's transfer value in 2024
According to Transfermarkt, the Belgian defender's worth is now at a hefty €18m (£15.3m) – with the last valuation taking place in December – which is a far cry from the amount put next to his name in 2020.
Four years ago, when Struijk was still learning the ropes in English football, the 6 foot 3 defender's worth was only at a meagre €750k (£642k) which means his value has risen by a staggering percentage increase of 2283% in such a short time-span.
Year
Transfer value
2023
€18m (£15.3m)
2022
€20m (£17.1m)
2021
€9m (£7.7m)
2020
€750k (£642k)
The big bump-up between 2020 and 2021 was helped by Marcelo Bielsa continually starting the ex-Ajax man in his lineups even whilst Leeds were in the Premier League, giving Struijk his big Leeds break with 27 appearances amassed in the top-flight during the 2020/21 season.
Struijk didn't look out of place either in that high-flying Leeds XI, contributing to seven clean sheets that campaign from 22 starts as a brave warrior unfazed by the bright lights of the top division.
Yet, although the 24-year-old delivered consistently above-average performances that particular season, Leeds' disastrous 2022/23 campaign exposed a lot of his weaknesses at the back.
That could well be why Struijk's value took a slight dent when glancing at the table above, finishing that season with a dismal four clean sheets from 29 appearances which culminated in his side sinking down to the Championship after losing 4-1 to Tottenham on the final day in embarrassing fashion.
This could play on Farke's mind when assessing what members of the Leeds squad he wants at his disposal if they clinch promotion back to the level where Struijk was exposed frequently last time he lined up in that league, with Rodon more deserving arguably of a shot at playing in the Premier League with the Whites over the 24-year-old.
Leeds United's loan defender Joe Rodon.
Rodon as Struijk's replacement
Utilised sparingly by Spurs during his Tottenham career to date in the top-flight, with 15 Premier League appearances in total down in North London, it would be a no-brainer decision you feel for the much-loved Welsh figure at Elland Road to move permanently to West Yorkshire when the window opens up in the summer.
Arguably one of the best transfers in the Championship this season, with Rodon only missing two games of second-tier action as a trusted centre-back under Farke, the former Swansea City man has been imperious for large chunks of this season when his team have needed him to be forceful and imposing.
Rodon even won Leeds' Player of the Month accolade for March to recognise his efforts, but he won't want his journey to end with the Whites in the second tier.
With Rodon so well-liked alongside his trusted partner Ampadu at the back, there could well be a scenario this summer where Struijk is moved on to strengthen the Welshman's first-team spot even more.
It won't be an easy decision to make to part ways with the 24-year-old, considering he has shone brightly for the Whites previously in his long stay at the club.
But, Leeds will cast an eye over Struijk's high transfer value and feel the time is right to cash in especially with Rodon looking likely to stay put if the Whites are a Premier League team again next season.
Farke must soon ditch “important” Leeds star who earns 5x Gray's wages
Leeds United will look to get rid of some high earners this summer, which could even include this important star.
Seamer emerges from strength and conditioning camp lighter, leaner and ready to lead South Africa attack
Firdose Moonda02-Feb-2020Lungi Ngidi has lost “probably four or five kilograms,” and some of his youthful spark after spending three weeks at a CSA strength and conditioning camp, intended to give him and three others time to work on their fitness.Ngidi was sent to the camp on the back of a hamstring injury, sustained in the first week of December in the Mzansi Super League, and has emerged from it lighter, leaner and ready for a leadership role in the upcoming ODI series against England.In the absence of Kagiso Rabada, who is being rested, and Dale Steyn or Chris Morris, who were not considered for this series, Ngidi is the most experienced frontline seamer in the attack. Only allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo has more ODI caps, which means Ngidi will be tasked with spearheading the pack.That reality combined with the lifestyle changes he has had to make in a bid to have an injury-free run may explain why Ngidi had his game-face, and not his usual grin, on ahead of his first training session with the national side on Sunday.”To be leading the attack, doesn’t feel any different. I’ve done it before,” Ngidi, said, trying to play down the responsibility that lies ahead in the next week. “There is always expectation playing for the national side. I am pretty used to that.”What he is less used to is the rigorous routine he was put through at the High Performance Centre, which included everything from fitness to food.”You speak to dieticians, work with strength and conditioning coaches and try find the best way to lose weight and to maintain strength and fitness,” Ngidi said. “There is a lot that goes into it behind the scenes. You’ve got to limit a lot more things that are harmful to your body.”The guidance on how to live like an elite athlete was provided by Adrian le Roux, a sports scientist who has worked with the Indian, South African and Kolkata Knight Riders teams, and who was put in charge of the recently completed camp. In attendance was Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts and Sisanda Magala.Consider those names and their frames (and the fact that Smuts was withdrawn from the T20 tour of India and Magala is unavailable to play in this England ODI series because both failed to pass fitness tests) and you will understand the company Ngidi was considered part of.While not necessarily overweight, the frequency of Ngidi’s injuries was cause for concern. Since his international debut in 2017, Ngidi has missed matches and entire series because of hip, abdomen, knee and hamstring injuries and has battled a stress fracture and a side strain. He is only 23, so the wear-and-tear that comes with age is unlikely to be affecting him yet. So what is the reason?”It’s hard to pinpoint,” Ngidi said. “We do a lot of work as national players but everyone’s formula is different and every person is different. I’m a bit bigger than the other guys to it probably takes a bit more out of my body to try and bowl. I’ve got to get the formula right.”Ngidi believes he has found a way to stay fit in shorter formats, which is why making a comeback for the white-ball leg of the England tour, rather than during the Tests, is ideal.”The format we are playing now doesn’t require long spells,” he said. “I’ve got my formula in the shorter format, I’ve got that nailed down. It’s just trying to find that formula for the longer format.”Whether that means South Africa will need to be more selective about Ngidi’s workload management in future will only be known later in the year. For now, it’s about getting Ngidi on the park, especially as he last played at international level three months ago, and watched the England Tests series from the sidelines, knowing his presence could have made a difference.”It’s always frustrating to be watching especially if we are not doing as well as we wanted to be doing,” he said. “From the side, a bit of frustration but the Test series is gone now, we’ve got to focus on the one-dayers.”With the fifty-over World Cup three years away and much rebuilding to be done before then, South Africa’s approach to ODIs may appear to be experimental. They head into this series with a new captain, Quinton de Kock, four uncapped players (fast bowler Lutho Sipamla, left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and batsmen Janneman Malan and Kyle Verreynne) and an inexperienced attack. Beuran Hendricks, the other seamer in the squad, has played just four ODIs, leaving it to Ngidi to lead the attack.He spoke like someone ready to do it. Gone were the giggles of a boy just out of his teens, already living his dreams and in front of us was Ngidi 2.0, a man of maturity who would not even reveal which English wickets he would most value taking.”I would like all of them,” he said, barely cracking a smile. “To win this series would be a massive step for us, having not done as well as we would have wanted in the Test series. It’s a chance for us to redeem ourselves.”And a bigger chance for Ngidi, and his team-mates from the strength and conditioning camp, to do the same.
Phil Parkinson has been hailed for managing Wrexham’s “circus”, with questions asked of how Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will react to losing.
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Famous co-owners in North WalesOverseen meteoric rise up the EFLExperienced coach steering shipWHAT HAPPENED?
Former Stoke and Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis is, as a Newport native, among the interested observers of goings on in North Wales. He has been watching on from afar as Hollywood co-owners have overseen a meteoric rise for the Red Dragons.
AdvertisementGetty/FXTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Wrexham have clambered out of the National League and into the third tier of English football, with their every move being captured by the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary cameras. They now boast a global standing to rival many Premier League outfits, with Parkinson praised for handling life under the brightest of spotlights.
WHAT PULIS SAID
Pulis has told when saluting a fellow coach and wondering what happens next for famous faces in the SToK Racecourse boardroom: “Phil Parkinson and the coaching staff at Wrexham have been fantastic because it’s been like a circus at times with everything that has gone on off the pitch. What they've done and the way they've conducted themselves in respect of winning football matches has been fantastic and Phil deserves a lot of credit alongside his coaching staff who have so much experience.
“They deserve hell of a lot of credit for keeping all the players focused on those results, that's everything. It's a new challenge for them, it's another step up, it'll be interesting to see how they cope with it. What will also be interesting, it'll be interesting to see what the owners are like when they lose a few games and they might do that this year with the level of opposition going up.”
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
Wrexham opened their 2024-25 campaign with a 3-2 victory over Wycombe, before going down 4-2 in a Carabao Cup first round clash with Sheffield United. They will be back in action on Sunday when taking in a testing trip to Bolton.
Manchester United sporting director target Dan Ashworth has reportedly held a secret meeting with an "outstanding" manager over a possible Old Trafford move.
Man Utd manager rumours
Erik ten Hag‘s long-term future with the Red Devils appears to be in the balance, however, Sir Jim Ratcliffe isn’t planning on removing the Dutchman before the end of the season.
Ashworth could soon complete his move to Manchester from Newcastle United, joining chef executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox as boardroom additions made by Ratcliffe and INEOS.
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ByCharlie Smith Apr 23, 2024
Both Ashworth and Wilcox may have a big say when it comes to player signings, looking to overhaul the "spine" of the squad, and any potential change in the dugout, with a plethora of managers linked to take over from Ten Hag. Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, England boss Gareth Southgate, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou and Brentford’s Thomas Frank are just some of the names to have emerged in recent months.
More recently, Ratcliffe and Man Utd have reached out to Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel over a return to the Premier League, but another former Chelsea manager is attracting serious interest.
Dan Ashworth holds secret meeting with Graham Potter
There have been plenty of rumours over former Chelsea manager Graham Potter succeeding Ten Hag at Old Trafford, with Ratcliffe a big fan of the 48-year-old. Previous reports have claimed that talks have already been held with Potter over a move to Man Utd, with the 3-4-2-1 boss the leading contender to come in.
Chelsea's Graham Potter
Now, according to GiveMeSport, Ashworth has recently held a secret meeting with Potter, who will be under serious consideration to replace Ten Hag, should the latter receive his marching orders over the coming months.
Out of work for more than a year after being sacked by Chelsea, Potter is biding his time when it comes to a return to the dugout, even snubbing a move to the Netherlands with Ajax in recent weeks.
Chelsea
31
12
8
11
Brighton
134
43
43
48
Swansea City
51
21
11
19
Ostersund
224
109
56
59
He could be holding out for a return to the Premier League, and he came in for praise from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola while at Stamford Bridge, who urged the Blues to stick with the Englishman.
"I would say to Todd Boehly, give him time. I know in big clubs, results are important but I'd say give him time. The second half is what he is. What he's done at Brighton is outstanding, but we need time in the first season. I had (Lionel) Messi in Barcelona my first season so I didn't need two seasons because Messi was there."
As we know, Potter was let go soon after those comments from Guardiola, but who knows, next season, the two could be facing off in the Manchester derby, especially after this update on Ashworth’s secret meeting with the available manager.
Manuel Ugarte looks increasingly close to joining Manchester United from Paris Saint-Germain following an important update in his native Uruguay.
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Ugarte transfer in final stagesReport suggests imminent completionSet to boost Man Utd midfieldWHAT HAPPENED?
An update credited to major Uruguayan newspaper , via , suggests it is only a matter of "hours" before Ugarte completes his transfer to Manchester United. Seemingly "everything is on track" for the midfielder to move to Old Trafford from PSG, with only "minor details" that are not expected to pose any late problems left to be ironed out.
Advertisement(C)GettyImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
More than a month after Ugarte was first reported to have agreed personal terms with United, things have been edging closer to a resolution after the clubs were initially too far apart when it came to negotiating a transfer fee. Erik ten Hag didn't given any details away when he was asked about any outstanding deals in the wake of the weekend's defeat at Brighton, although he did state that United are "always" generally looking to upgrade the squad.
DID YOU KNOW?
Per , Ugarte led Ligue 1 in total tackles (98) last season, winning 57 of them. That's despite only making 25 appearances in the competition during the campaign. His passing accuracy across those games also came in at just over 91%.
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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Ugarte looks as though he will be the final new arrival at Old Trafford this summer, with only four days of the transfer window remaining. Scott McTominay could yet leave, with a reported fee agreed with Napoli for the Scotland interational.
Graeme Smith says six weeks preparation needed if men’s tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies are to go ahead
Firdose Moonda31-Mar-2020Cricket South Africa will advertise the positions of convener of selectors, national women’s coach and support staff, men’s under-19 coach and support staff, South Africa A coach and chief medical officer imminently – with current contracts coming to an end on April 30. All the incumbents will be able to apply to continue in their positions.That means Linda Zondi, currently the independent selector but previously the selection convener, Hilton Moreeng and Salieg Nackerdien, women’s head and assistant coach respectively, Lawrence Mahatlane, the under-19 coach, and Shuaib Manjra, the current chief medical officer, could all be replaced. The South Africa A job has been vacant since Russell Domingo left to take up the role with Bangladesh and had been filled by Ashwell Prince, the Cobras coach, and Malibongwe Maketa, the former national assistant coach, in interim capacities this summer with permanent appointment to be made in the next few months.Similarly, acting director of cricket, Graeme Smith, is set to be confirmed in the role, whether or not he needs to take time off to commentate on the IPL. Smith was appointed in December on a short-term deal because of his prior commitment to the IPL and had indicated his desire to sign with CSA on his return. With the IPL start-date uncertain and no international cricket for South Africa until at least June, Smith is ready to continue in his current role and an announcement on his position is expected next week.Zondi and Mahatlane confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they intend to apply for the convener and under-19 roles respectively while, at the time of writing, Moreeng had not responded to requests for comment. Zondi was South Africa’s convener of selectors from June 2015 until June 2019, when CSA sought to restructure under Thabang Moroe. When Moroe was suspended in December last year, Zondi was reappointed as an independent selector. His role in bringing through the bulk of the current squad and identifying talent such as Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Aiden Markram stand him in good stead for the position in future. Mahatlane, on the other hand, has had a tough time with the under-19 side, who exited at the group stage of the World Cup, hosted in South Africa this year.”It was always going to be the case that positions would be advertised in April when contracts came to an end,” Smith told the media during an online press engagement on Tuesday. “We’re busy drawing up the under-19 and women’s management and coach positions. It’s not stopping any of the people currently in those positions from putting their names into the hat, but those positions will all be advertised.”Smith confirmed that South Africa’s Test captain will be discussed following the appointment of the selection convener and that the women’s game will require increased emphasis with preparations for the 2021 World Cup front and centre of CSA’s agenda. “That is going to be a huge focus going forward especially with the World Cup coming up.”Mignon Du Preez and Dane van Niekerk lead their team in celebration after defeating England•AFP via Getty ImagesThe women’s team reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last month and narrowly missed out on a place in the final in a rain-reduced affair in the knockouts. They also got to the semi-finals of the 2017 ODI World Cup and have been mapping out a seven-year plan since professionalisation in 2014, which is aimed to culminate with success at the 2021 World Cup. Moreeng is a key part of that plan and given the timing of the tournament early next year, and the dearth of cricket expected between now and then, it is not unrealistic to imagine he will be retained, especially as the team qualified for the World Cup with a series to spare.The women’s team were due to host Australia this month but the matches were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. They are also scheduled to travel to West Indies and England over the South African winter, but whether those tours go ahead will depend on how soon international travel resumes. Similarly, the men’s team’s tours to Sri Lanka (a white-ball visit scheduled for June) and West Indies (July-August for two Tests and five T20Is) are also hanging in the balance with final calls to be taken in the next two to three months.Smith explained that CSA and the players would like at least six weeks to prepare for tours which means a decision on Sri Lanka will need to be made around the third week of April, and on West Indies by early June. “We need plus-minus six weeks to have our players fully ready for tours. Financially, with stuff like holding flights, around that six-week mark is the time away from the tour when decisions need to be made,” Smith said.Apart from logistics, the six-week period is also necessary to have players match fit, something which is impossible at the moment. South Africa is five days into a 21-day nationwide lockdown which prohibits, amongst other things, outdoor exercise. Players have been given individual training programs to follow at home and Smith emphasised that they need to take charge of their own conditioning. “A lot of it is going to be their own responsibility to maintain those levels through the lockdown,” he said.Meanwhile, South African cricket continues to prepare for a domestic season that will not start for at least another six months. As CSA table the fixtures for franchise and provincial matches, they also provided an assurance that the Mzansi Super League, the T20 tournament which has been played for the past two seasons, will go ahead, although it is not known whether it will be broadcast on the free-to-air provider SABC, as was the case previously, or if CSA have been able to secure a television deal.”We’re still in the final negotiations, but I can confirm that there will be MSL 2020. We’re working through the details and the final contracts. We cannot give too many details other than stating that a third edition of the MSL will take place,” Jacques Faul said.
Tom Harrison warns ICC may need to reassess Future Tours Programme to address post-pandemic world
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2020Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, has indicated that the World Test Championship may not prove fit for purpose in a post-Covid world, after warning that the sport needs to take stock of its priorities at international and domestic level to address the pandemic’s long-term implications.Speaking on the eve of West Indies’ arrival in England for their rescheduled Test tour, Harrison warned that a second wave of Covid cases could lead to further disruption to the international schedule in 2021 and beyond, and called on the ICC – which is due to discuss international contingency plans at its latest board meeting on Wednesday – to work towards creating a better “narrative” for cricket fans around the world.”Out of this we can develop an international and a domestic schedule which really appeals to people and they can really look forward to,” Harrison told the BBC’s Tuffers and Vaughan Show. “That’s the challenge that, frankly, we probably wouldn’t have had been able to address without Covid, but creating this kind of intervention enables us to take stock, and to think about what is really important in our game.”Let’s fix the Future Tours Programme. Let’s create a narrative for fans that makes sense to people that underpins cricket’s Test future. Let’s get the World Cup qualifying sorted out, let’s find a place for World T20 bilateral internationals and make them work for people. And then you start to piece together something that people can get genuinely excited about.”Harrison’s comments come barely a year after the launch of the long-awaited World Test Championship, which was unveiled at the ICC’s board meeting in June 2018 as part of the new FTP, which governs all major tournaments and bilateral engagements up until 2023. A one-day Super League, a two-year qualification tournament for the 2023 World Cup, had been due to get underway in May 2020, both of which had been intended to provide narrative and context to the international fixture list.ALSO READ: Players find themselves in the middle of history – CWI chiefAnd while the ECB had been prime movers in the establishment of the WTC – the first final had been due to be held at Lord’s in June 2021 – Harrison’s comments suggest their stance has now moved closer to that of the BCCI, which suggested in April that the tournament should be deferred until a sense of normalcy returns to the world calendar.In a separate interview with the BBC’s Today programme, Ashley Giles, the England team director, said that the ECB should be “incredibly grateful” to West Indies for taking part in a tour that helps to fulfil the host board’s contractual obligations to Sky Sports. However, Harrison warned that it would be difficult to expect similar commitments in bilateral series where there are fewer financial imperatives at stake.”We need to play more meaningful cricket against countries that people want to see us play cricket against,” he said. “We need to re-establish those Test series that are so important to fans in this country. And we need to be careful about the extent to which we’re forcing countries where Test cricket is not supported to play as much as they do.”These are issues that we can now tackle, knowing that we have the opportunity to do it for the first time in a very long time. All of these decisions can be the ones that the ICC help us, as international boards, take over the next few weeks and months.”The West Indies series will address a significant tranche of English cricket’s losses this summer, which Harrison had estimated would be in the region of £380 million in the event of no cricket being played in 2020. But he warned that the board will still be dealing with the fall-out for several years to come.”The reality is we’re facing a very uphill challenge, not just in this country but I think globally,” Harrison said. “Cricket’s got to try and find a way to navigate through this Covid crisis.”We are a sport that survives on media rights revenues. That doesn’t just fund the game at international level, it funds it at all levels, right away through in the ECB’s case to grassroots cricket, All Stars Cricket, club cricket. All of that is part-funded by what we’re able to get from our media rights value.”[The West Indies tour] helps us mitigate the impact of that, but I don’t think there’s a scenario that completely fills the hole of the crisis that we’re facing,” he added.”The reality is most of our counties rely on match-day funding to help their businesses survive and grow. And so, the reality is we’re looking at the most significant financial crisis in ECB history, and that is not an exaggeration. No question about that, we’re going to be facing and dealing with this for a few years.”
Newcastle United have invested heavily in the playing squad over the last couple of seasons, with the signings making a huge impact at St James' Park.
The Magpies finished fourth in the Premier League, qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League – an unimaginable feat given the club were in the Premier League's relegation zone at the time of the PIF takeover.
Players such as Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have been the most successful additions since their respective £40m and £63m moves – with the latter scoring 19 times in 26 Premier League appearances this season.
However, last summer, the club invested heavily once more as Eddie Howe's side bolstered their ranks, looking to build on the success from the season prior.
Nearly a year on from one player's arrival on Tyneside, the Magpies' talent has struggled to force his way into the first-team and is starting to look like a poor investment for the time being.
Lewis Hall's stats at Newcastle this season
After originally joining the club on loan, it was confirmed that Newcastle would complete the £28m deal to sign full-back Lewis Hall from fellow Premier League side Chelsea.
However, the 19-year-old has struggled to make the impact he would've envisaged at St James' Park, only featuring in 14 Premier League games this season – only four of which have been from the start.
Hall – who ranks in the top 16% among his European peers for touches in the opposition box – is a more attacking option than regular left-back Dan Burn, but Howe has often preferred playing the 6 foot 6 centre-back out of position for his defensive attributes.
The peripheral youngster has only managed to feature for 607 minutes for the Magpies this season, a tally that is 82 minutes less than £55m signing Sandro Tonali, who's been missing since October, after receiving a ten-month suspension for breaching betting rules.
Premier League
14
415'
Carabao Cup
2
119'
Champions League
1
45'
FA Cup
1
28'
Tonali has also received a further sanction in recent times, after betting on four Newcastle games after his move to Tyneside, which has resulted in a suspended two-month ban and a £20k fine for his troubles.
Despite his absence, the former AC Milan man has still featured more than Hall for Howe's side this season, whilst the 19-year-old's market value has also taken a big hit just months after his big-money move.
Lewis Hall's market value in 2024
Just a couple of months after his £28m move to the club from Chelsea, left-back Hall has seen his market value plummet to just £6.7m, as per Football Transfers.
Undoubtedly, his drop in value is down to his lack of game time under Howe, with the youngster still unable to obtain a run of games in a starting role despite the club's recent injury issues.
joelinton-hall-newcastle-opinion
The hope will be that the rising star will come good for the Magpies, with Howe claiming he's a signing for the "long-term" but he may not be at the level required down the line should he not consistently feature at St James'.
However, for the time being, it appears the club are being shortchanged for the transfer, with Mauricio Pochettino's side getting the better end of the deal at present.
Newcastle hit the jackpot on warrior whose value has skyrocketed 328%
He’s enjoyed a successful stint in the first-team under Eddie Howe.
Wrexham have been tipped for promotion from League One despite their Hollywood owners investing "very little of their own money".
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Hollywood co-owners oversee successRed Dragons eyeing the ChampionshipTravel to Peterborough on SaturdayWHAT HAPPENED?
Wrexham's rise through the ranks of English football has attracted plenty of controversy, but Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony doesn't begrudge the achievements of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney since they arrived in Wales in 2021. The Red Dragons recorded 111 points in the National League in 2022-23 before gaining automatic promotion from League Two the following year, and MacAnthony believes they are simply passing through League One.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Reynolds and McElhenney have turned Wrexham into a global phenomenon that has become the envy of every lower level football club. The club have travelled to the United States for their past two pre-season tours, playing in front of their soaring American audience, and their 'Welcome to Wrexham' Netflix documentary reportedly rakes in £430,000 per episode. Wrexham's commercial deals have meant Reynolds and McElhenney haven't been required to invest much of their own money into the club, according to MacAnthony.
WHAT MACANTHONY SAID
"They’ll be in the Championship and we could still be in League One because they can pay £7,000-£10,000 a week to players and we can't," MacAnthony said on . "That's the dynamic of the game. Fair play to the owners. They bought in to the club with a plan in mind and they've managed to finance it by selling documentaries, advertising, and doing deals with skincare companies, drink companies etc, when they've had to put very little of their own money in. I saw their revenues last season and it was £15-£20 million a year as opposed to £5 million when they first came in. It's probably even more now. Anyone who can do that while also winning promotions deserves credit. They are not breaking any rules and we'd all do it if we could."
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
Phil Parkinson's side will look to continue their unbeaten start to the League One campaign when they travel to fellow promotion-chasers Peterborough on Saturday afternoon.