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Liverpool have been given a massive dilemma on Deadline Day with an eye-watering £150m bid for Mohamed Salah being tabled from the Saudi Pro League, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential move for a replacement.

Who could replace Mo Salah at Liverpool?

According to Football Insider in the last few hours, Liverpool are looking at a potential late move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm.

As per the report, the Reds were already eyeing up a move for another high-quality forward before an approach for Salah, but have now identified the Bundesliga forward as the replacement for their superstar should the club find themselves unable to reject further advances from Saudi Arabia.

Will Mo Salah leave Liverpool?

There is no doubt that Liverpool supporters will be feeling extremely anxious about the unfolding developments surrounding their star player during the remaining minutes and hours of the transfer window.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Merseyside giants have already rejected a huge £150m approach for their Egyptian winger, however, CBS journalist Ben Jacobs delivered a new update revealing the Saudi Pro League's unwillingness to give up just yet:

"Al-Ittihad waiting to see whether Mo Salah will help push for a move in any way. Hasn’t happened to date with Salah committed and focused on Sunday’s game with Villa. Reports he may fly to Jeddah tonight are wide of the mark."

How good is Leroy Sane?

As a result, being prepared for the worst-case scenario would be extremely wise for both Jurgen Klopp and FSG in this particular situation, and a move for Sane could be a great opportunity to snap up the services of a high-quality winger who could either be a replacement for Salah, or push the winger for his position on the right wing.

The 27-year-old – once hailed a "world-class talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – is one of the most high-performing forwards across the top five European leagues – ranking in the top 15% of his positional peers over the last 12 months for shots on goal, non-penalty goals, pass completion and successful take-ons per 90 minutes played, as per FBref.

When comparing Sane's output to Salah's last season, the pair shared similarities in many of their attacking attributes including shots on target rate (37.2% v 37.2%), shots on goal per 90 (3.49 v 3.31), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.67 v 0.66), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.17 v 3.83) and pass completion (81.6% v 76.1%), proving that the Bayern star could in fact be a worthy heir.

It is unknown as to how much the Bundesliga champions would command for their forward – who joined the club for £55m in 2020 – but Football Transfers rate his current value at around €49.3m (£42m).

With that being said, a move for Sane will definitely be one to watch in the dying hours of Deadline Day as he could present a real solution to Klopp's biggest headache right now, which could only worsen if Salah follows Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho before time runs out.

Liverpool supporters will be desperate for a few more incomings before the summer transfer window closes next week, and manager Jurgen Klopp will be assessing his options ahead of that fateful day.

While the Reds missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, the astute if surprising signing of the experienced Wataru Endo at least provides some defensive stability after the acquisitions of creative midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai earlier in the window.

Bolstering the attack will not have been at the forefront of Liverpool's focus this summer, but following revelations regarding Saudi Arabian interest in Mohamed Salah, the Anfield side look to be searching for an heir.

Who could replace Mo Salah at Liverpool?

According to Calciomercato, Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane is being considered by the Liverpool hierarchy to replace the Egyptian phenom, with Federico Chiesa and Karim Adeyemi also on the shortlist.

Valued at £42m by Football Transfers, Sane has entered the penultimate year of his contract at the Allianz Arena, and Liverpool could look to take advantage by testing Bayern's resolve.

How good is Leroy Sane?

Liverpool will be hoping to produce a more successful season than last time out, as Klopp's side failed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

While they are adamant that Salah is not for sale this summer, the 31-year-old has also entered the final two years of his deal at Anfield and it is possible he would be sold next year to recuperate as much as possible for such a first-class forward.

Sane, who used to play for Manchester City, boasts creativity and incisiveness in abundance, having scored 40 goals and supplied 37 assists from 135 appearances for Bayern, having once been dubbed "incredible" by former Bavarian boss Julian Nagelsmann.

Having netted twice in the opening Bundesliga match of the current season against Werder Bremen, the 53-cap Germany international now ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals per 90, as per FBref.

Given that he also ranks among the top 10% of peers for pass completion, the top 11% for progressive passes and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, Sane's ball-playing and dribbling skills are showcased and hence underlining the dynamism he could bring to Klopp's team.

By maintaining his diverse attacking nature, he could find the perfect attacking partner in Cody Gakpo, with the Dutchman's all-encompassing approach on the pitch aligning with wide players such as Sane's skills.

Indeed, Liverpool's £35m January signing has been immense since arriving, and ranks among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe for assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 1% for tackles per 90.

Described as "something special" by Fabrizio Romano, Gakpo's selflessness, creativity and movement would allow Sane to weave inside and wreak havoc, and it truly could be the inception of a "world-class" duo – as the 27-year-old Bayern ace has been called by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Liverpool will lose an irreplaceable asset when Salah does exit Anfield for the final time, and while Sane does not boast the prolificness of his £350k-per-week peer – alas, few do – he does offer a superlative range of tricks and skills to cement a starring role under Klopp's stewardship and thrive.

And with Gakpo pulling the strings from the centre, the high-octane energy of Liverpool's frontline might just remain intact.

Retired striker Alan Shearer has hilariously commented on the possible summer transfer of Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich.

What is the latest Harry Kane transfers news?

In the last 24 hours or so, it has felt as though the long-standing questions over the Englishman’s future may finally be resolved.

Indeed, trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano even gave it the famous “here we go!”, noting on Twitter that a deal was “completed between all parties” as Kane was given the “final green light” over a €100m (roughly £86.5m) fixed fee, plus add-ons up to €20m (roughly £17m) package to join Bayern.

However, that wasn’t the end of it as things took a twist with a final “poker game” being played by Daniel Levy and co.

Read the latest Spurs transfer news here…

Romano again updated, noting that while Kane and his camp were waiting at the airport ready to fly to Munich, Levy and Spurs were now asking to change some small conditions of the deal.

Amid all the drama and uncertainty – on the same day the 2023/23 Premier League season begins, no less – former Newcastle United striker Shearer decided to comment on the situation,

Indeed, he took to Twitter to post a picture of himself as a pilot, insinuating that he would fly the Englishman to Germany himself in order to protect his goalscoring record with the comment: “Come on Harry it’s time to go!”

Come on Harry it’s time to go! 🤪 pic.twitter.com/rm284IXOXR— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) August 11, 2023

Who is the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer?

With 260 goals to his name, Shearer has netted the most times in the Premier League but Kane is only 47 goals behind him with 213 strikes of his own.

Wayne Rooney is next on the list (208), then it’s Andrew Cole (187), with Sergio Aguero fifth (184) – but with those three all now retired from football, only one man could steal Shearer’s record.

With that in mind, it’s little wonder the former Blackburn Rovers title-winner is so keen to see the Spurs ace leaving English football for the first time in his career.

Fellow TV pundit and ex-Arsenal striker Ian Wright loved the comment, taking to Twitter to share a number of crying laughing emojis – as you can see below.

And while opinion on whether Kane should leave or go has been spilt in some quarters, other fellow professionals have also commented on the situation.

For instance, Rio Ferdinand made his feelings known as he bluntly wrote on Twitter about how the Spurs striker shouldn’t be worried about “personal honours” if he can go to Germany and win major trophies.

In full he said: “You don’t start ya career saying you want to win the golden boot winner – you want to win things for ya team.

“You only make it personal honours when that’s ya only option!! Good luck Harry Kane.”

Of course, it appears Kane has decided he wants to join Bayern Munich but with some issues behind the scenes, it remains unclear if he will be able to complete a move this summer.

No doubt, Tottenham fans, Bundesliga fans, and Shearer will all nervously be keeping tabs on the situation as it develops over the coming hours.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with Spurs’ first game of the season on Sunday away at Brentford.

Liverpool remain in negotiations with Southampton for midfielder Romeo Lavia, but to the indignation of the Anfield support, progress is moving at a snail's pace with the 2023/24 Premier League campaign just one week away.

Who are Liverpool signing this summer?

The summer transfer market started so brightly for the Reds, with Alexis Mac Allister arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion in a £35m deal before Dominik Szoboszlai was captured from RB Leipzig for £60m.

But progress was hampered when Saudi interest led to the departures of industrious midfield duo Fabinho and – captain – Jordan Henderson.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Jurgen Klopp's side have since seen two bids for Lavia rejected, the second offer, £41m, still some way below Saints' £50m demand for the precocious engine room machine.

What is Romeo Lavia's style of play?

Lavia has been superb since joining Southampton from Manchester City one year ago in a deal potentially rising to £14m, and his performances on the south coast suggest that he boasts every ounce of quality requisite for success at the very highest level.

The 19-year-old would be a long-term project and the successor to Fabinho's role as the midfield anchor at Anfield, though given his Premier League displays over the past year there will be confidence at Liverpool that he could hit the ground running.

As per Sofascore, he recorded an average rating of 6.80 in the English top-flight, despite the tumult at St. Mary's Stadium and the discordant and disjointed harmony of Southampton's squad, resulting in a 20th-placed finish.

If Klopp succeeds in his pursuit, the £38k-per-week ace will be able to slot seamlessly into the Liverpool centre; the words of The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell corroborate the argument, as he said: in terms of technical quality and tactical understanding, he's more than ready to go right into that Liverpool midfield."

It is his innate ease and presence in the No. 6 role that will consequently allow teammates around him to flourish, with his ranking among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his tenacity and determination to stifle opposition transitions.

Szoboszlai would certainly benefit from Lavia's arrival at Anfield, with the 32-cap Hungary captain's creative capabilities requiring steel-clad framework behind him to ensure he can effectively contribute to the offensive efforts.

And the £120k-per-week maestro could aid Lavia in his work too, ranking among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers for blocks and the top 13% for clearances per 90.

Szoboszlai recorded an exemplary average rating of 7.42 in the German Bundesliga last season after scoring six goals and supplying eight assists from 28 starting appearances, creating 2.3 key passes per game, averaging 1.5 tackles per match and completing 83% of his passes.

Lavia is the "absolute monster" – as called by journalist Benjy Nurick – that Szoboszlai needs to thrive in the Premier League, while he can also utilise his own dynamism and defensive application to ensure that the workload is not too great for the teenage talent; it could be a partnership for the ages on Merseyside and Liverpool must ensure that they get this one over the line.

Manchester United have reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign Rasmus Hojlund, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Are Man United signing a new striker?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag have already bolstered the squad ahead of the new season with moves for Mason Mount and Andre Onana from Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.

Attention has since been on a move for a new centre-forward, with Anthony Martial the only senior option available to Ten Hag at this moment in time.

The Frenchman is reportedly one of a number of players up for sale, though, showing the need for a new forward to arrive at Old Trafford before the deadline.

Hojlund has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester in recent weeks and appears to be the club’s main attacking target. A player-plus-cash offer was reportedly made earlier this month, however, Atalanta have been holding out for a cash-only deal and turned down the bid, but it looks as if they will get their wish after a breakthrough was made.

Read The Latest Man United Transfer News HERE…

Romano took to Twitter in the last 24 hours to share a big development in regards to Hojlund and a move to Manchester United. A package worth around €70m has been agreed between the two clubs, with the player already agreeing a five-year deal.

“Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United, here we go! Agreement reached right now with Atalanta.

“Package will be around €70m with add ons, clubs preparing documents in the next 24 hours. Hojlund agreed 5 year deal ten days ago as he only wanted Manchester United.”

How good is Rasmus Hojlund?

Hojlund is only 20 years of age but appears to be a star in the making. The left-footed striker only joined Atalanta last summer, but his Transfermarkt valuation has rocketed to a career-high €45m.

The Denmark international contributed to 14 goals in 34 games during his first year in Italy and was labelled as “scary” for his pace by journalist Sacha Pisani. Hojlund has also been hailed Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who also picked up on the forward’s speed and described his technical quality as “remarkable”.

“Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also technical quality that is just remarkable.

"He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity and can move his legs very fast. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day.”

Therefore, it looks as if the Red Devils could be getting just what they need in both the short and long term with Hojlund. Compared to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, the forward appears to be going from strength to strength, and hopefully, he’ll continue to develop at a quick pace in England, where you’d expect he’ll be first choice under Ten Hag.

Man United may now push to finalise a transfer as quickly as possible, so Hojlund can have time with his new teammates ahead of their Premier League opener with Wolves.

Rising Pune Supergiant batsman Manoj Tiwary has taken “complete blame” for not finishing the game for his team against Delhi Daredevils on Friday night, which means they can still miss out on a playoff spot

ESPNcricinfo staff13-May-20171:49

I was not able to connect for boundaries – Tiwary

Rising Pune Supergiant batsman Manoj Tiwary has taken “complete blame” for not finishing the game for his team against Delhi Daredevils on Friday night, which means they can still miss out on a playoff spot. Supergiant were chasing 169 at the Feroz Shah Kotla and a win would have sealed a playoff berth, along with table-toppers Mumbai Indians. They needed 43 runs from 24 balls with Tiwary and MS Dhoni in a fifth-wicket stand but Dhoni was run out for 5 and the visitors were unable to strike a single boundary for 22 balls until the last over started.”I want to take the complete blame for that because I was the batsman who was set over there,” Tiwary said after the match. “And prior to the last over we couldn’t get any boundaries at that point of time and I was the man who was on strike and was not able to connect. But obviously, the match was in our hands at one point of time and that’s the way it happens at times.”We tried our best but we have to go back now and see what went wrong and how the batsmen could have scored more runs, find out what kind of strokes we could have played at that situation and come back harder in the next game. It’s going to be a pressure game because both the teams (Rising Pune and Kings XI Punjab) want to win and let’s see who comes best in that game.”Tiwary, who finished on 60 off 45 balls, said Dhoni “was not aware where the ball went” which led to his run-out in the 18th over, making the equation tougher for Rising Pune. Dhoni had top-edged a slower ball from Cummins towards short fine leg and had looked back immediately but only strolled for the first few steps. It was only when Dhoni realised Mohammed Shami had swooped in quickly, did he start sprinting down but a sharp direct-hit caught him a few inches short.”He (Dhoni) mentioned that he couldn’t see the ball where it went and that is the reason he couldn’t make it because [the] ball went behind [square] so he wasn’t aware where the ball went,” Tiwary explained. “But it happens, even the quickest of persons gets run-out and today was an example. It’s very rare, but yes, when things don’t go your way, things like these happen. But you must give credit to Shami as well because he took that risk of throwing and taking that chance because if that ball wouldn’t have hit the stumps [then] it would have been one more extra run.””It was a great effort by Shami to get him out,” Karun Nair said•BCCI

Shami later said he wanted to give it a try even if Dhoni is known for his quick running between the wickets. “You can say it was a game changer,” Shami said at the press conference. “Even though Mahi runs very well between the wickets I just tried that if, 50-50, it hits, then we can turn the match.”Daredevils’ Karun Nair, who top-scored with 64 off 45 and set up their score of 168 for 8, lauded Shami’s “great effort”, knowing what a threat Dhoni could be towards the end of the chase.”That was one of the turning points of the game because to get Mahi out at that time was one of the biggest moments,” Nair told . “Because if he’s there till the end he’ll finish off the game most of the time. It was a great effort by Shami to get him out.”Dhoni has struggled to get going this season and has managed only 240 runs from 13 innings so far, at a strike rate of 113.74, his worst in the 10 IPL seasons. His average of 24 so far is also his lowest in an IPL season. Tiwary defended Dhoni’s performances saying it was difficult for him to score a lot of runs since he came down the order, and still had a “lot of game left in him.””Dhoni still has a lot of time left,” Tiwary said. “And, more importantly, if he is doing so well in the present then why overthink. Obviously, in terms of runs, we should consider that he comes to bat down the order. In T20 cricket we only want the strike rate to be, say, over 120. But Mahi has done so well in the past and set such high standards that we feel that he should still be batting with the same strike rate of 130-160. But it is practically not possible.”You need to look at the circumstances too. He struck a good partnership with Ben Stokes in a game where Stokes hit a hundred. That game, if you see, what we needed most was a partnership and we got that partnership from the experienced player.”Mahi had that experience and he built that partnership. His strike rate might not have been that good but won us the game, so that is a match-winning innings, right? I always feel performances should be judged taking into account the situation of the game and then see what he is contributing to the game. That is more important, rather than the strike rate of the player. Obviously, the format is so fast that everybody wants to see sixes and fours and strike rates of 150 but it is not possible all the time. I feel he still has a lot of game left in him.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the first Test between New Zealand and South Africa in Dunedin

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan07-Mar-2017Match FactsMarch 8-12 2017
Start time 11.00am local (2200GMT)1:37

Moonda: South Africa’s quicks could heat up Dunedin

The Big PictureThis match-up has a one-sided history. New Zealand have only won four Tests against South Africa and two of those came in 1962 when they shared a rare five-Test series 2-2. Since then, they won the first meeting after readmission, at Johannesburg in 1994, and their only home victory was inspired by Chris Martin at Eden Park in 2004.South Africa also plunged New Zealand towards their most recent nadir. At Newlands in early 2013, they were bowled out before lunch on the opening day. Nothing so one-sided is expected this time. Since South Africa last visited for a Test in 2012, New Zealand have only lost one series on home soil, against Australia last year.For their part, South Africa have been one of finest touring sides in the last decade with last year’s defeat in India being their first overseas since Sri Lanka in 2006. They overcame Australia late last year (although given subsequent events that feels a lifetime ago) and despite New Zealand’s strength on home soil, start the series as favourites.The key will be whether New Zealand can put enough runs on the board because in Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner they have the bowlers to put pressure on South Africa. It should be a series of quality pace bowling with Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander leading the opposite line.Form guide(completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWL
South Africa WWWLWIn the spotlightTom Latham and Jeet Raval will face one of their toughest challenges: seeing off Rabada, Philander and Morne Morkel. Latham’s confidence has to have taken a knock after his horror run in ODIs which saw him lose his place. Raval has played just four Tests, although showed impressive composure against Pakistan before giving away a few starts against Bangladesh. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are the key to New Zealand’s batting, but they have a better chance if not exposed to the new ball too soon.Two of South Africa’s batting engine room, JP Duminy and Temba Bavuma come into the series under a little scrutiny but for different reasons. Duminy regressed during the one-day series, scratching around and wasting starts when he made them, but elevated his Test game against Australia and Sri Lanka. Bavuma, meanwhile, made just 21 runs in five innings against Sri Lanka so he could do with reviving memories of England at Cape Town and Australia in Hobart. The latter, given likely conditions, could be relevant.Team newsWilliamson kept the door open for two spinners, but it is also Colin de Grandhomme verses James Neesham so it would be a major surprise if they omitted one of the three frontline quicks.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Jeet Raval, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Colin de Grandhomme/James Neesham, 9 Neil Wagner, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultFaf du Plessis confirmed that Morne Morkel will play his first Test in more than a year, being preferred ahead of Duanne Olivier. They will also play a specialist spinner in Keshav Maharaj.South Africa (probable): 1 Stephen Cook, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Kagiso RabadaPitch and conditionsThis is the first Test surface for a new University Oval groundsman, but New Zealand don’t expect much different to normal. Dean Elgar termed the pitch “juicy” two days out but local knowledge from Neil Wagner indicated that the temperature was as important to the amount of movement on offer. The forecast for the first three days is good, but the weekend isn’t too promising at the moment.Stats and trivia Excluding series involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the New Zealand win-loss ratio against South Africa is the joint lowest in history alongside West Indies against South Africa.University Oval is New Zealand’s only unbeaten home venue. They have won three and drawn four at the ground. The final day of the 2012 Test against South Africa was washed out. Williamson’s average as captain of 55 is the best by a New Zealand skipper, fractionally ahead of Martin Crowe. The captain winning the toss has bowled first in New Zealand on 22 consecutive occasions. The last time a captain batted first was Daniel Vettori against Pakistan, at the Basin Reserve, in 2011.Quotes”I don’t get ahead of myself with silly ideas like that. We want to have a look at the surface, it can change. We don’t want to delve into that before we have any outrageous thoughts.”
Kane Williamson isn’t getting ahead of himself about what to do at the toss“With slower conditions here, our strongest team is the balance of three seamers and a spinner. If the wicket is slow, your spinner does become important.”

Northamptonshire have confirmed the signing of former England batsman James Taylor as part of their coaching team. Taylor, who was forced to retire from a playing career at 26 when he was diagnosed with a heart condition known as ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy) at the beginning of the 2016 season, will work as a consultant throughout the club’s Royal London One-Day Cup campaign.Since his enforced retirement, Taylor has worked as a pundit on television and radio, alongside various coaching commitments, which have included regular sessions with the academies at Nottinghamshire, his former club, and Yorkshire. Last October, he was invited to a training camp at the ECB’s National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough to share his expertise with England’s most promising talents as part of the Young Lions programme.”I’m excited,” Taylor said of his role with Northants. “They are a skilful side who have clearly done well in one-day cricket in the past. I spent a bit of time commentating at the County Ground last season and am keen to offer up my expertise to the squad. Whilst my focus will no doubt be on the batsmen, I will be on hand to assist across all areas. I can’t wait to get started”In the limited-overs formats, Taylor’s ability to assess conditions, analyse risk and play to the situation saw him excel as a captain and batsman. He averaged 43.23 in a 27-match ODI career, which included scoring a match-winning century against Australia in the summer of 2015, batting smartly on an Old Trafford pitch on which only three others passed 50 and no one else passed 63. On his last appearance for England, against South Africa A, he scored 116 (only two others passed fifty). He was unlucky not to register a century against Australia at the 2015 World Cup after a botched umpiring decision left him stranded on 98 not out.Domestically, there were few better. Taylor, who came through at Leicestershire, averaged above 50 in all but one of his eight English summers – the exception coming in 2009, when he averaged 46 – and he was a vital cog in a dynamic Nottinghamshire side that won the YB40 in 2013, contributing 585 runs at 73.12. Taylor’s List A career average of 53.11 from 131 innings, which included 15 centuries and five fifties, is the fourth highest of all time.Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely was effusive in his praise for Taylor. “He’s played all around the world and is one of the best players there is,” Wakely told ESPNcricinfo. Many of the Northants squad are familiar with Taylor, having played with and against him. Wakely also captained Taylor at England Under-19 level.James Taylor averaged 43.23 for England in ODIs•Getty Images

Northants’ white-ball success has primarily come in Twenty20 cricket, with the club winning the NatWest T20 Blast in 2013 and 2016, and finishing as losing finalists in 2015. While they did reach the quarter-final of the Royal London Cup last year, losing to Surrey off the final ball by one wicket, they have struggled to translate their 20-over form into 50-over success.But with the Royal London Cup now in a block at the beginning of the season – the group matches will be played between April 27 and May 17, with the knockout stages taking place at the beginning of June and the final on July 1 – Northants are keen to give the competition their undivided attention. They hope Taylor’s nous, added to an already vibrant and effective white-ball squad, can help win their first piece of List A silverware since the 1992 NatWest Trophy.”One of the things we, as a club, want to get better at is our 50-over cricket,” Wakely said. “Our record over the last 10 years is not great. We believe now we’ve got decent depth in all departments to be successful in all three formats.”Taylor will be with the club for most of their Royal London Cup programme and will work alongside former Northants stalwart David Sales, who took on a role as batting coach over the winter. Sales, who spent almost 20 years at the county as a player and is regarded by many as one of the finest English batsmen to never win an international cap, will work on a part-time basis over the summer alongside his commitments as coach at Wellingborough school.Northamptonshire’s head coach, David Ripley, said: “James has a fantastic 50-over record, averaging over 50 which is obviously outstanding. It’s very unfortunate for James not to be playing anymore, but it’s great to see his desire to still be involved with the game. I believe he can offer good advice, and relay his one-day cricket experiences on to our batsmen.”David has been working part-time with the batters since January focusing on improving more of the technical aspects of their game. I believe his cricket brain and experience are a real positive for the squad and will go a long way to improving their overall game.”

Emile Smith Rowe reiterated his intention to break back into the Arsenal side next season after scoring in back-to-back games at the Euro U-21 Championship.

The midfielder found the back of the net in England’s 2-0 victory over Czech Republic to seal all three points late on, before doing the same against Israel as the young Three Lions look to ease past the rest of Group C.

Up next, England square off against Germany, who lost to Czech Republic last time out after picking up a point in their opening game against Israel.

What’s the latest on Emile Smith Rowe?

As the majority of the Arsenal squad enjoyed a season to remember last time out, Smith Rowe endured his most frustrating campaign yet, struggling with injuries, form, and game time.

Left with no choice but to have groin surgery at the start of the season, the England midfielder missed 13 games as a result, while the Gunners got off to a flying start in the Premier League.

With Mikel Arteta’s side thriving even in his absence, Smith Rowe struggled to get back into the side – making just 12 appearances in the league.

His absence may have made people forget about his potential, but, ultimately, this is a 22-year-old who scored 10 league goals from midfield just the season prior. If Smith Rowe can get a run of games under his belt, then his top form should naturally return.

The academy graduate’s struggle for game time may not be helped by the reported arrival of Kai Havertz. However, even after this development, he has shown signs of life for England U21s.

There’s certainly going to be plenty of competition for places at the Emirates next season.

What Did Emile Smith Rowe say about Arsenal?

As you can see by the goal below, Smith Rowe – who is paid £40k-p/w – looks far closer to his best for the young Three Lions, perhaps ready to compete for his place in Arsenal’s side.

Speaking after the game, the midfielder told the press (via BBC reporter Alex Howell) about his desire to get back into Arteta’s team as well as winning this tournament.

He said: “My main focus is getting into the Arsenal team, but first we want to win the tournament.”

You can see the goal (via Twitter) against Israel and the interview that followed below:

Arsenal will now be participating in the Community Shield following the result in the FA Cup final, and their pre-season plans are set to be altered, Charles Watts has revealed.

Who do Arsenal play in pre-season?

The Gunners are set to travel to the USA for part of their preparations, and could even stage The Emirates Cup, a two-day tournament which has been held in north London on several occasions over the years.

Manchester City beating their rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final means that Arsenal are now set to compete in the annual season-opener at Wembley, as a result of their second-placed finish behind City, and this will now change their preparations.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts revealed that the Emirates Cup, which is typically played over the course of a weekend, could be staged midweek because of the Community Shield.

"Arsenal are going to be in the Community Shield, we know that is another fixture scheduled into the pre-season calendar, it's going to be Arsenal vs Manchester City at I presume Wembley," he stated.

"This one is going to be at Wembley on August 6th, whether that's Arsenal's final pre-season game of the summer, I'm not yet sure, and there's talk that they might have the Emirates Cup, I'm not sure it hasn't been confirmed yet.

"I heard that it might be squeezed in on a midweek, but I can't imagine they would do it on a midweek, I don't know.

"So you've got obviously the game in Germany, which we're expecting to be confirmed at some point against Nuremberg, I believe, and then the trip to USA with three games there against the All Stars, Barcelona, and Man United, then the Manchester City game in the Community Shield and potentially an Emirates Cup, but we'll wait and see on that, but certainly a pre-season now taking shape."

When is the Community Shield?

Although pre-season is mostly focused on fitness and preparation for the new season, the Community Shield played on could be a significant game for Arsenal as they aim to challenge for the title again.

The game at Wembley is expected to be played around 5/6 August ahead of the Premier League campaign kicking off.

The Gunners fell just short of Man City after leading the league for most of the season, and with eight losses in a row against Pep Guardiola's side, they can make a statement ahead of the campaign that they are going to build upon their progress.

Arsenal have beaten City in three of their last four encounters at Wembley Stadium, which included the 2014 Community Shield, as well as two FA Cup semi-finals, but they have found themselves on the losing side to the Champions too many times in the past few seasons.