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Newcastle United are looking to add quality new additions this summer ahead of their Champions League campaign next season and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Axel Disasi?

According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle are set to compete with Manchester United for the signing of Monaco centre-back Axel Disasi.

Romano revealed on Twitter:

"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."

How good is Axel Disasi?

Newcastle have already confirmed the signing of Sandro Tonali this summer and are also in talks to sign another winger with a deal for Leicester City star Harvey Barnes also reportedly in the works.

Eddie Howe is clearly keen to bolster key areas of his squad to ensure they can continue to compete at the highest level and secure trophies as soon as possible, so opportunities to add talent are unlikely to be missed.

As a result, the signing of Disasi could be a great chance to add more quality into the defensive set-up and provide a position competitor for Fabian Schar next season, with the Newcastle titan now reaching the latter stages of his career at the age of 31.

The 25-year-old – who has a reported price tag of €50m (£43m) – is the perfect profile of player to fit Howe's attacking style of play as the former Bournemouth boss likes to play with two ball-playing centre-backs who are confident in progressing the ball forward.

As per FBref, Disasi ranks in the top 7% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for touches, successful take-ons, progressive passes, progressive carries, assists and non-penalty goals, proving he is one of the most prolific ball-playing prospects in Europe over the last 12 months.

When comparing the Monaco rock to Schar, Disasi outperformed his Newcastle counterpart in a number of key attributes including pass completion rate (83.3% v 77.1%), successful take-ons (72.4% v 30.8%) and aerial duels won (70.3% v 67.1%), further demonstrating his strengths in defensive traits alongside his progressive abilities.

The France international has been the recipient of high praise over his career so far, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig profiling the centre-back as "dominant" and a similar player to "Virgil van Dijk", as well as claiming:

"Disasi is one of the most underrated youngsters in Ligue 1 at the moment. A true hidden gem. We don’t talk about him enough. He would be an amazing signing for any top Premier League club. He was born to play in England."

With that being said, if the powerbrokers on Tyneside decide to make a concrete move for Disasi it could be the beginning of the end for Schar at St James' Park, but would also provide Howe with a worthy successor who could build a partnership with Sven Botman that could make Newcastle unstoppable for years to come.

Mark Boucher had taken over as Titans coach in August last year, with his initial tenure extending until the 2017-18 season

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2017Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher will remain Titans coach until the end of the 2019-20 domestic season, after signing a two-year extension with the franchise. Boucher, who was recently named CSA Coach of the Year, mentored Titans to both domestic limited-overs titles – CSA T20 Challenge and Momentum One Day Cup – while the team finished a close second in the Sunfoil Series first-class competition.Boucher, who has a Level 2 coaching qualification, had a stint as consultant with the national side ahead of their Test series last year against New Zealand, before joining Titans as a replacement for Rob Walter. His initial contract had extended until the end of the 2017-18 season.Assessing his performance over the past 12 months, Boucher was quoted as saying by : “It’s great to have done well in my first year. The culture in the team is one I’ve always looked up to as a player, and when I stepped into the role as coach, it was one of those ‘wow’ factors.”Titans’ assistant coach Mandla Mashimbyi, who has been in the role since 2013, has also extended his tenure until the end of the 2018-19 season. Mashimbyi is also the assistant coach of the South Africa A side and will tour with the squad for the series against England which begins on June 1.Heading into his second season with the franchise, Boucher acknowledged Mashimbyi’s role in helping him ease into the Titans’ scheme of things.”It’s a very successful set-up. I’ve related to the players really well and, thankfully, they accepted me in a very good way. Working alongside Mandla, with all his experience and knowledge of the franchise, has helped me fit into the structures and processes that were already in place.”Meanwhile, Mark Charlton has stepped down as Northerns Seniors coach, and been roped in as the High Performance Manager for Titans Cricket. In the newly-created position, Charlton has been tasked with the responsibility of coordinating the franchise’s pipeline structures in terms of player development.

Newcastle United could finalise the deal for Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes next week should all go according to plan according to Rudy Galletti.

The Englishman scored 13 Premier League goals last season and is appreciated by Magpies boss Eddie Howe.

Will Harvey Barnes join Newcastle United?

It looks like the Englishman is finally going to secure his long-awaited move to Tyneside.

It was first reported on July 7th by Matt Law that the Champions League side were closing in on a deal for the 25-year-old, who had recently just suffered a devastating relegation with boyhood club Leicester.

Newcastle reportedly became the player's first choice, with the side beating out fellow Premier League sides in West Ham United and Aston Villa in convincing the winger to join their club, with manager Eddie Howe being incredibly keen on bringing in the forward who he believes is "tried and trusted" at the Premier League level.

However, according to Sky Sports, the Magpies are yet to submit an official offer for Barnes, with reports stating that the club is waiting on the sale of French attacker Allan Saint-Maximin in order to provide the funds to get the deal over the line.

West Ham has remained in constant contact with Leicester and are in a position to make a move should the potential switch to Tyneside collapse. However, according to Rudy Galleti, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the deal could be finalised next week, with Newcastle willing to pay around £35m for the player that Leicester valued at £40m: “Unless there’s a twist, the next week will be decisive for Barnes to Newcastle. Discussions are ongoing at a good pace and Eddie Howe wants Barnes. Despite the talks being at a good stage between West Ham and Leicester, Harvey Barnes prefers to join Newcastle and he has already agreed the terms of his move. Now it’s up to the clubs, as Newcastle are willing to pay around £35m for the English player. As told, during the next week the deal could be finalised.”

Who else will sign for Newcastle United this window?

Once the side finalises the deal for Barnes, the club's focus should switch to defensive reinforcements.

Newcastle have already made a major move this window, securing the signing of AC Milan maestro Sandro Tonali for a fee reported to be £55m. The young midfielder who had been dubbed as the "next Andrea Pirlo" signed a five year deal and was a massive coup for the Magpies ahead of their first season back in Europe's elite competition in over two decades.

The club also pursued attacking midfield options, with reports linking them to both James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai, but both players instead opted for moves to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool respectively. However, that is a position to keep an eye on for the rest of the summer should a player become available.

Defensively, Newcastle lacks depth, with the club only having three recognised senior centre-halves available in Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar. Reports have linked Howe's side with a move for Portuguese centre-back Goncalo Inacio, who currently plays for Sporting CP. The player reportedly has a release clause in his contract for €60m (£51.5m), however the Geordie club intends to complete a deal that falls "well below" the value of that clause.

It is an important summer for Newcastle ahead of their return to the Champions League, but securing this deal for Harvey Barnes will be a very positive step forward.

Coach Russell Domingo also said that ODI captain AB de Villiers’ decision to opt out of Tests for South Africa has not affected the team adversely

Firdose Moonda13-Jun-2017AB de Villiers’ behind-the-scenes leadership skills are good enough to merit him continuing as ODI captain despite mounting calls for him to step aside. That was national head coach Russell Domingo’s endorsement of de Villiers, which added to a growing chorus from inside the team camp in support of the ODI captain following South Africa’s first-round exit from the Champions Trophy.”He has done a fantastic job as captain during this campaign. He leads from the front. I know there has been a lot of criticism about his leadership but a lot of it takes place behind closed doors, so what people see on the field, they will create their impressions from that. But the team and management all think he has done a wonderful job behind closed doors, in the preparation and lead-up to games,” Domingo said. “There’s a lot more that goes on than just making a bowling change. People can question his tactics, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. There is no right and wrong way in cricket. He has got to go with what he feels are the best decisions on the field and he has got to commit to that and that’s what he does.”De Villiers was appointed captain of the ODI and T20I sides in 2011, when Domingo began his work with the South African side. At the time, Domingo was Gary Kirsten’s assistant and two years later, he took over the main job only for de Villiers to hand the T20 reins to Faf du Plessis and set his sights on Test captaincy. Throughout that time, de Villiers was still said to be learning the leadership and slow over-rates, coupled with occasionally odd tactics, were proof of that. Domingo was among those who were patient with de Villiers’ schooling.When Graeme Smith stood down in March 2014, Hashim Amla was preferred over de Villiers but less than two years in, Amla did not want to do the job anymore. De Villiers captained two matches as interim skipper before being confirmed the permanent Test captain but never fulfilled the role after injury and then a Test hiatus kept him out of the whites.De Villiers’ absence from the longest format has now stretched to 18 months and could extend to as much as two years. He has opted out of Tests until the home series against India – dates have yet to be confirmed but it could start as late as January 2018 – to manage his workload ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England.Domingo on de Villiers’ choice to opt out of Tests: ‘By no means can we force players to play every single format’•Getty ImagesDe Villiers’ selective availability for South Africa – while still playing in tournaments such as the IPL – has not sat well with everyone, including former national batsman and current Cobras’ coach Ashwell Prince, who, in the aftermath of the Champions Trophy exit, tweeted: “Perhaps it’s time that @OfficialCSA dictates to players when they may have the honor of representing this country instead of other way round.”Asked whether de Villiers’ decision has affected the team, Domingo denied that it did. He said: “A lot of players have given up a certain format to focus on another one and that’s their choice. By no means can we force players to play every single format. You’ve obviously got to play them according to what they’re contributing in the particular formats and that’s what has happened. If he wants to just play one-dayers and T20s then that’s a decision he has got to live with and a decision he has got to make. You can’t force players to play every format if they are not committed.”Domingo went even further in his defence of de Villiers, pointing out that although de Villiers is not available for Tests, he has not missed any fifty-over cricket since recovering from elbow surgery early this year. After being unable to play against Australia at home last October, de Villiers returned against Sri Lanka, went to New Zealand and has now played in England, where he is also set to feature in three T20s ahead of the Tests. He is expected to play all of South Africa’s one-day series ahead of the World Cup.”He hasn’t sat out any one-day series where he hasn’t been injured. Whenever he has been fit, he has played one-day series. He’s sitting out Test cricket at the moment. His [lack of] Test cricket, in my opinion, would not be affecting his one-day cricket that much,” Domingo said. “So I can’t see the last time he missed a one-day series out of chance – it’s either been having a baby, or getting injured, and those are the main reasons. I wouldn’t say he has been picking and choosing one-day series.”

Pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to news from Celtic regarding a new deal for captain Callum McGregor.

What’s the latest Celtic news?

The Hoops have been busy so far this summer following a historic treble-winning campaign under Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian leaving Parkhead for Tottenham.

Celtic have since brought in Brendan Rodgers for a second stint as manager and look set to back the Northern Irishman by handing him a £30m transfer kitty.

New players have been brought in, with midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio joining from Valerenga and Melbourne City receptively, penning five-year deals in Scotland.

Meanwhile, star winger Jota has left Celtic for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m, with Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun a potential replacement.

The club have also acted quickly to tie down McGregor to a new contract, with Celtic confirming earlier in the week that the Scotland international has extended his stay until 2028 after signing a fresh five-year deal.

Talking to Football Insider, Hutton, who contributes for Sky Sports, was giving his reaction to a new contract for the midfielder. The former Scotland defender labelled McGregor as “outstanding” and said he could go on to win more trophies than former captain Scott Brown, describing it as “incredible”.

“I had no doubt in my mind that he would probably see out his career at Celtic.

“I think it was just a case of signing him long-term and at the end of the day I think he deserves it, that is the big thing.”

Callum McGregor’s Celtic career

McGregor is a product of Celtic’s academy and has been on the books of the senior side since 2013.

He went out on loan to Notts County during the 2013/14 League One season and scored 12 goals in 37 third-tier games, form which helped him break into Celtic’s first team plans.

In total, McGregor has now made a whopping 419 senior appearances for the Hoops, scoring 62 goals and registering 71 assists. Now 30 years of age, McGregor appears to be going from strength to strength and is currently valued at a career-high €8.5m by Transfermarkt.

The midfielder has won eight Scottish Premiership titles, seven Scottish League Cups and five Scottish Cups and is just three behind Brown’s tally of 23 major honours with Celtic.

Therefore, should he remain at the club for the next five years as expected, you’d like to think there is a huge chance McGregor will go on to surpass Brown’s haul of 23 major honours, and you’d expect he will once again play a key role in Rodgers’ side during the 2023/24 campaign.

Newly appointed head coach and former Sri Lanka batsman says six weeks of tournament time is enough time to make a team gel together

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-2017The build-up to this season’s Bangladesh Premier League for Khulna Titans will be similar to his stint with Mumbai Indians earlier this year, said Mahela Jayawardene, who was officially introduced as the franchise’s head coach in Dhaka on Wednesday. He said that his initial challenge will be to form a culture in the dressing room that is acceptable for both local and foreign players.”I think Mumbai [Indians] was pretty much the same,” Jayawardene said. “A lot of the international players arrived 4-5 days before the tournament started. I get an opportunity to work with the local cricketers at that time by going a bit early, get to know the local talent. It gives me time as a coach to understand who they are and what triggers them.”Apart from Junaid Khan, we’ve got a whole new group of overseas players coming for Khulna Titans. So the biggest challenge for us is to make sure that they understand Bangladeshi culture and the local players, and then getting familiarized with that environment, which I will try to create as quickly as possible. It is about creating a DNA for Khulna which started the franchise last year. It is about building on a culture for the team. It will be one of my challenges to make sure the foreign players understand that and become part of that DNA.”There is a growing perception that coaching becomes difficult in franchise-based domestic T20 tournaments these days, given the lesser number of training days fitted into schedules. BPL editions of the past saw teams getting two days to practice before hitting the ground running, with very little time available in between matches. But Jayawardene believes that players can catch up on many facets of the game during the length of the T20 tournament.”The game is very professional,” he said. “The younger Bangladesh cricketers will learn quickly how things are structured and operated. The tournament is almost six weeks, which is a lot of time for players to learn the planning, the roles and the execution of certain things.”It is enough time to gel a team. It is about how you keep the balance of the good times and bad. You have to be focused at the business end of the tournament.”

It has been a busy summer of transfer business for Glasgow Rangers as they have brought in seven new signings to bolster their squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign.

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

Michael Beale has attempted to improve his defence by signing Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, and Leon Balogun – who only left the club after his first spell in 2022.

The 42-year-old head coach has also added to his midfield and forward options with Abdallah Sima, Kieran Dowell, Cyriel Dessers, and Sam Lammers.

This influx of players has caused the club to consider possible sales and it has been reported that centre-back Ben Davies, alongside Glen Kamara, Borna Barisic, and Ianis Hagi, is one of those who could be on their way out of Ibrox if an acceptable offer comes in.

Beale could, therefore, be on the lookout for someone to come in as an upgrade on the former Liverpool enforcer, who signed from the Reds at the start of last season.

The Gers have been linked with a swoop to sign Arsenal central defender Auston Trusty, who has been touted with a possible price tag of £2m amid interest from English Championship side Ipswich Town, and he could be the player the ex-Chelsea coach is looking for.

How good is Auston Trusty?

He is yet to test himself in the Scottish Premiership but his performances on loan at Birmingham City last season suggest that the potential is there for him to be an upgrade on Davies for the Light Blues.

The left-footed ace, who can comfortably play out from the back on his stronger foot in the same role that the English defender is deployed in for the Gers, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 44 Championship outings.

Connor Goldson (7.29) was the only Rangers centre-back who averaged a higher Sofascore rating in the league last term, as Davies, John Souttar, and Leon King all averaged scores of 6.96 or lower.

The former Liverpool battler recorded a rating of 6.94 in his 27 Premiership matches for the club during his debut year in Scotland, whilst playing in a dominant team that only lost four times.

Whereas, Trusty averaged a higher rating in spite of Birmingham having struggled throughout the season. They lost 21 of their 46 league games, with only 14 wins, and the USA international was still able to produce consistently brilliant performances.

The 24-year-old brute made 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game for his side, in comparison to Davies' 1.7, and that is more than any Gers player, across all positions, managed in the league last term.

Trusty, who was lauded as "incredible" by Birmingham teammate George Friend, could provide more quality in the average standard of his performances whilst being capable of winning possession back for the team more frequently than the ex-Preston North End defender.

He is also three years younger and could, therefore, provide greater long-term value and have more room to grow and develop under Beale's coaching.

This means that the talented American titan could be an immediate upgrade on Davies whilst also having time on his side to make the gap between them even bigger over the years to come.

Pre-season is the perfect time for fresh faces to emerge and cement their place in the first team, whether that be through the academy or the transfer market.It is an ideal opportunity for young players to take their first step into the manager’s plans – to make their first, and perhaps long-lasting impression. With that pressure, however, a lot can go wrong.If players fail to grasp their chance, then they may have to wait an entire season until the next one comes along. Unfortunately, with youngsters so desperate to prove themselves, they may lose themselves a little in the heat of the moment.This was the case for Omari Forson, as he seemed a little overeager during Manchester United’s 3-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in pre-season, with the youngster lucky to avoid a red card, before being hauled off by an angered Erik ten Hag shortly afterwards.

What did Omari Forson do?

Tackled by Karim Adeyemi, Forson quickly became even more frustrated when Julian Ryerson blocked his run, before reacting by kicking out at the Dortmund defender.

Adeyemi quickly jumped to the defence of his teammate, going head-to-head with Forson, who pushed the Dortmund man who, in turn, grabbed the United youngster’s shirt.

Those more experienced on the two sides were quick to break things up, but the damage was done in the mind of Ten Hag, who hauled Forson off just nine minutes later.

The Dutchman didn’t waste time in explaining his decision to the teenager, either, giving him a lecture on the sideline as soon as he exited the pitch.

Speaking about the incident after the game, Ten Hag said, via The Sun: “When there is a VAR, he gets sent off.

“He played a good game and the opponent gets annoyed with him, so that is a learning curve but don’t take it into your own hands.

“You can’t be the judge, you have to play football, you have to beat your opponent, you have to net and that is the best way to react.”

What is the latest Manchester United transfer news?

Having already welcomed Mason Mount and Andre Onana this summer, spending £60m and £47.2m respectively, Manchester United have now reportedly set their sights on Rasmus Hojlund and Sofyan Ambrabat.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils will start preparing paperwork to complete the signing of Hojlund early next week, which will see the forward sign a deal until June 2028, with the option of one more year. The deal will reportedly cost around €70m (£60.05m).

Meanwhile, also as per Romano, once the deal for Hojlund is done, United will begin negotiations to sign Fiorentina midfielder Amrabat.

If the Premier League giants can get both deals done, they may see their summer transfer window as the perfect success. They would have upgraded their goalkeeper, welcomed a star striker, and reinforced their midfield options with Mount and Amrabat – though that might not be ideal for 19-year-old midfielder Forson who will have more competition to contend with as he looks to break into the first team.

The fact is, Ten Hag could go into the next campaign with a much-improved squad, ready to cause some major shocks at Old Trafford in both the domestic competitions and the Champions League.

In a relief to fast bowler Sreesanth, the Kerala High Court has ordered the BCCI to lift the life ban on him for his alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013

Arun Venugopal07-Aug-2017In a relief to fast bowler Sreesanth, the Kerala High Court has ordered the BCCI to lift the life ban on him for his alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013. The order was issued after he had moved the court challenging the BCCI’s decision to not lift the ban despite his being cleared by a Delhi trial court in 2015.”Many people supported me [through] thick and thin,” the quoted Sreesanth as saying. “They stood with me. I am really indebted to them and I will not let them down.”According to media reports, the Kerala High Court observed that the BCCI’s refusal to lift the ban was a violation of natural justice. After Sreesanth and two other Rajasthan Royals bowlers – Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila – were arrested for alleged fulfilling promises made to bookmakers in May 2013, they were banned for life by the BCCI.The court’s observations took into account that in 2015 Sreesanth was exonerated of spot-fixing charges by a Delhi trial court due to insufficient evidence under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a special law passed by the Maharashtra state government to tackle organised crime syndicates and terrorism.The BCCI, though, is yet to make a decision on allowing his return to cricket. The BCCI’s acting president CK Khanna said the board’s legal team would study the order and furnish a report on the matter. “Once we get their opinion, we will take it up in the appropriate forum,” Khanna told ESPNcricinfo. “There is no time frame as such but we will do it at the earliest.”Another BCCI official said the option of an appeal to the Supreme Court couldn’t be ruled out. “One has to see the order first. Before that, anything is a matter of conjecture.”The BCCI’s position in the past has been to delink its decisions from any legal proceedings. In 2013, the board’s investigation, conducted by the BCCI’s then anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani, only needed to focus on the conduct of the players and not their alleged connections to organised crime syndicates. The BCCI’s decisions were therefore “independent to any criminal proceeding” and “based on its independent disciplinary action, shall remain unaltered.”As a result, Sreesanth’s request for a no-objection certificate to play league cricket for Glenrothes CC in Scotland was shot down in January. With a similar request having been denied the year before as well, Sreesanth told ESPNcricinfo that he had not received any formal communication from the BCCI. He last played official cricket during the 2013 IPL.

West Ham are the only Premier League side yet to make a signing in the transfer window.

David Moyes, fresh from a Conference League triumph and preparing for a third consecutive year of European football, needs to act swiftly and add some much-needed quality to the squad.

A phenomenal way to kickstart this would be the acquisition of Hakan Calhanoglu.

Is Hakan Calhanoglu signing for West Ham?

According to Spazio Inter, West Ham are seriously targeting the Inter Milan technician this summer.

The Nerazzurri have endured a damaging summer – the club has already lost Andre Onana, Samir Handanovic, and Marcelo Brozovic, while Romelu Lukaku could be on his way to Juventus.

Therefore, Calhanoglu is thought to be at the centre of Simone Inzaghi’s project, and it would take an outlandish offer for consideration of his sale.

Nevertheless, the Hammers are looking to strengthen their midfield options after the talismanic Declan Rice departed for Arsenal.

The report details that an offer of around €50 (£43m) would force Inter into a decision.

How good is Hakan Calhanoglu?

Last season, the Turk, described as “exceptional” by Stefan Pioli, made 49 appearances across all competitions, including nine starts on Inter’s journey to the Champions League final.

During this period, he has been an integral cog within Inter’s efficient set up, averaging the second-highest rating (7.07) in Serie A.

The former AC Milan orchestrator is a player that excels in defensive and offensive areas. He averaged the third-most tackles last campaign (1.5) in the squad but was the midfielder with the best total.

Most impressively, the 78-cap international recorded the joint-most domestic assists (6) alongside Lautaro Martinez, Nicolo Barella, and Lukaku, but what separates him from the rest is his supreme creativity that wasn’t rewarded.

Calhanoglu registered 64 chance creations last year at a rate of 1.94 per 90, as Barella in second managed just 49, to emphasize how the 5 foot 10 sensation is the chief inventor within the side, whilst also protecting the backline.

Interestingly, as per OPTA’s player comparison tool, Calhanoglu’s style of play has been likened to Joshua Kimmich, with a similarity score of 76.5%.

This model reveals that these players rank within the highest 14% among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues who have played at least 1350 minutes for possession won, the best 18% for touches, and the top 4% for chances created.

The duality of both players to be able to operate in a deep-lying playmaker role, whilst also regularly retrieving possession has moulded them into formidable assets.

Throughout his career, Kimmich has always been known to be a defensive midfielder, renowned for his tough-tackling and technical ability. Meanwhile, Calhanoglu’s positional history has taken a far more unconventional pathway.

Between 2014-2017, the £183k-per-week man was at Bayer Leverkusen, playing 59 of his 115 games for the Germans as either an attacking midfielder or second striker. Since signing for Inter, he has appeared almost exclusively in the 'Kimmich role' as a central or defensive midfield, fielded in a more offensive role just twice.

But to his, and his manager’s credit, it has worked wonders. Calhanoglu’s seamless transition to a deeper role demonstrates his intelligence and adaptability. Moreover, his similar ranking to Kimmich indicates that he is one of Europe’s most accomplished within this framework.

Calhanoglu’s profile speaks for itself and a signing of this calibre would dramatically help arrest West Ham from their summer slumber.