Southampton will 'expect' the likes of defender Duje Caleta-Car to leave St Mary's Stadium this summer ahead of their return to the Sky Bet Championship, according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

Will Duje Caleta-Car leave Southampton this summer?

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, Caleta-Car could follow his ex-teammate Mislav Orsic to Trabzonspor this summer, with an initial loan deal said to be on the table for the £40k-a-week ace.

Pianet Genoa via Football Italia claim that Serie A side Genoa have approached Southampton over the possibility of signing Caleta-Car this window, with a loan deal including an option-to-buy floated as a solution to end his woes on the South Coast.

Caleta Car only joined Southampton last year from Marseille in a deal worth £8 million, signing a four-year contract at the club, as per The Daily Mail. Former boss Ralph Hassenhuttl spoke highly of the Croatia international upon his arrival, stating to the media: "Duje is already a very established and experienced player, who has done an impressive job at his previous clubs. 'He is a big presence on the pitch and he will bring even more quality into our centre-back group."

Nevertheless, Caleta Car couldn't stop Southampton's eventual relegation despite scoring twice in 20 appearances across all competitions in his debut campaign, as per Transfermarkt.

Now, the Sibenik-born defender looks set for a fresh challenge ahead of 2023/24 and it looks as if it'll only be a matter of time before his next destination becomes apparent.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express reporter Taylor agrees with the notion that Caleta-Car will be moved on and adds that he expects several other players to leave Southampton.

Taylor said: "I think there are some that will leave. I expect players like Caleta-Car to leave. Obviously, Lavia would be a great sell for Southampton because they can generate a lot of cash there.

"There's Walker-Peters as well. I think he'll get a Premier League move because he is a very solid defender. Ward-Prowse would also generate cash, so I think the future is bright for Southampton."

Who else could leave Southampton this window and where could they go?

In an unfortunate situation, it looks like open season has descended on the South Coast as several of their first-team players attract interest from the Premier League and beyond owing to Southampton's relegation.

The Daily Mail report that West Ham United have made a 'verbal offer' for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse as the Hammers look to replace ex-captain Declan Rice.

Examining the case of young Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, both Arsenal and Liverpool are set to push each other all the way in their attempts to land the Belgium international, according to Football Insider.

Telegraph Sport claimed last month that Ryan Fraser could be offered up to Southampton as part of a swap deal that would see Tino Livramento move to Newcastle United.

Of course, the Saints have made inroads into building a new-look squad for the upcoming season, with Shea Charles and Ryan Manning arriving at St Mary's from Manchester City and Swansea City, respectively.

Nevertheless, the next few weeks will prove to be telling for the Saints as several of their star players get set to walk through the exit door at the club.

Newcastle United are set to complete a deal to sign Leicester City's Harvey Barnes, according to reports. The winger impressed last season, even as the Foxes were unable to avoid relegation to the Championship.

Have Newcastle signed Harvey Barnes?

David Ornstein revealed on Wednesday evening that Newcastle have agreed a £38m fee to sign Barnes, and Fabrizio Romano has now shared more news on the deal, confirming personal terms are now agreed also.

Taking to Twitter, Romano said: "Newcastle are set to sign Harvey Barnes on permanent deal from Leicester, here we go!

"NUFC Deal sealed on £38/39m package and personal terms are also agreed now. Barnes wants Newcastle and deal will be completed soon. Saint-Maximin, now closer to Al Ahli move."

The deal will be the Magpies' second of the summer following the arrival of Sandro Tonali from AC Milan for a reported £55m earlier this summer. The arrival of Barnes may well see Allan Saint-Maximin depart the club, with the Frenchman edging closer to a move to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli, as per Romano.

It is a sacrifice that Eddie Howe may be willing to pay, however, given the clear quality of Barnes' end product – the winger certainly showed last season that he is far too good to be featuring in the Championship every week for Leicester.

Instead, he looks set to be making appearances in the Champions League, as Newcastle attempt to balance both domestic and European action in the forthcoming campaign.

Will Harvey Barnes suit Newcastle United?

Reportedly on the verge of completing a move, it's worth asking the question of whether Barnes will suit Howe's Newcastle side. It looks more and more likely that he'll replace Saint-Maximin, and, with that, it must be said, that Newcastle will have themselves a significant upgrade on the Frenchman.

As per FBref, when Barnes and the current Magpies winger are compared, there is only one winner. Last season, Barnes was involved in eight more goals than Saint-Maximin, with 13 goals and one assist bettering the Newcastle man's total of one goal and five assists.

Meanwhile, Barnes also made more progressive passes and surprisingly more progressive carries too, showing just how much of an upgrade Howe would be getting.

The Leicester man certainly has his admirers, earning the praise of Alan Smith, who said via Chronicle Live: "Harvey Barnes is a good player. I think he’s really dangerous when he's on song. He’s quick and carries the ball really well. He can finish well when he comes inside from the left-hand side.

"Newcastle have been linked with him and you could see that. He will be a big loss for Leicester but somebody like that won't want to stay in The Championship. I think whoever signs him will be getting a good player."

As the transfer window goes on, it will certainly be interesting to see just who else Newcastle move for. As of right now, though, Barnes represents a smart acquisition, as the Magpies look to compete on all fronts in the coming campaign under the guidance of Howe.

South Africa contrived to lose eight wickets for 51 runs from 140 for 2 in the 29th over on a used pitch, slower than the ones The Oval has laid out

The Report by Sidharth Monga11-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
1:35

Tait: South Africa lacked someone with calmness when batting

Faf du Plessis scored 36 in the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup. He scored 36 again in the virtual quarter-final of the 2017 Champions Trophy. On both those occasions, he was involved in the run-out of AB de Villiers. On both occasions the run-out proved to be the moment the match went away from them. Du Plessis went on to run David Miller out as well, and South Africa contrived to lose eight wickets for 51 runs from 140 for 2 in the 29th over.It will be all the more heartbreaking for South Africa that on a used pitch, slower than the ones The Oval has laid out, 275 might have turned out to be a pretty competitive total, but chasing 192, India could take their time when South Africa asked questions of them, and then Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli sealed their semi-final spot in style.India didn’t need to indulge in the mind games that New Zealand resorted to six years ago; they were just excellent with their defensive bowling in the first half, took the run-outs on offer, and then circled in for the kill with aggressive bowling changes. A measure of their discipline was how Quinton de Kock scored just five runs out of 53 square or behind square on the off side; one of them was a reverse sweep. India fell short of being magical in the field, but they showed they were not to be pushed around, reaching six run-outs, the highest in this tournament.Kohli was relieved when he won the toss and passed the onus of how hard to go in the middle overs when setting a target to South Africa. The ball refused to swing or seam once again, but India still thrived by bowling to contain. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah cramped de Kock up, giving him nothing outside off. Bhuvneshwar even brought the third man up to afford a deep point, which resulted in the batsman’s failed attempts to drag the ball to leg from just outside off. Hashim Amla struggled to time the ball, which was a sign the pitch was slow, and there was a need to recalibrate their total.By the time Amla walked across and took a risk to hit Hardik Pandya for a six – his first boundary in 25 balls – India had kept South Africa down to 52 in 14 overs. There were hardly any bad balls. Three of those 14 overs were bowled by R Ashwin, coming back into the side ahead of Umesh Yadav. Ashwin got Amla when he went back to hit a fullish ball square instead of hitting cover. MS Dhoni accepted the thick deflection coolly.Du Plessis made a fluent start to his innings, scoring off each of the first seven deliveries he faced. The energy rubbed on to de Kock, who showed remarkable patience in not playing low-percentage cricket. The run-rate gradually went up from 3.5 in 10 overs to 4.7 in 20 to 4.83 in 24. De Kock reached 50 for the sixth time against India – his previous five had been hundreds – and South Africa were back on course. Then Ravindra Jadeja, fresh from an ordinary game against Sri Lanka, began his fifth over. The room outside off remained elusive, and finally the low-percentage sweep arrived, claiming de Kock.De Villiers and du Plessis started promisingly, adding 24 off 23 without breaking a sweat. Then du Plessis hit to point, and de Villiers, coming off a hamstring niggle, didn’t shout no. The call here was the non-striker’s, de Villiers was well within his rights to send du Plessis back, but he didn’t. The big dive in the end did nothing for him.In the next over, du Plessis got a ball to the left of Jasprit Bumrah, India’s weakest fielder, at short third man. Du Plessis set off for the run, then stopped, then set off again, and by now David Miller just responded. Suddenly, though, du Plessis made a U-turn and beat Miller to the striker’s end. Bumrah’s throw was bad, but that worked in India’s favour as they completed an easy run-out at the non-striker’s.Du Plessis was on 27 off 31 when de Villiers was run out. He managed nine off the next 18 before chopping Pandya on in a manner identical to his dismissal against Pakistan. India could have easily set into template and bowled their spinners out. However, they bowled spin at one end and actively looked for wickets at the other. And the wickets arrived: Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo to Bumrah, and Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel to successive Bhuvneshwar deliveries.Just to sum up how dysfunctional South Africa had been, last man in Imran Tahir was run-out too, not clear enough in his mind that it was his job to give the strike to JP Duminy, who was left unbeaten on 20. South Africa were bowled out with 33 balls unused.Run-outs seemed contagious as India got off the mark with a suicidal run. Miller missed the stumps, and Dhawan batted on. Rohit Sharma played a rare loose shot early in the innings to bring Kohli out in the sixth over. A string of 17 dots followed as Rabada and Morkel found some spongy bounce from the slow pitch. South Africa packed the region behind square with two slips and a gully for Kohli. A bigger chase might have brought about a big shot but Kohli just dropped one wide of cover and went to the other end. Dhawan took charge of the chase, and as is his habit, Kohli remained not out at the end.

Manchester United are in the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, with a whole host of Premier League clubs now competing for his signature, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

Man United are now closing in on a deal for Andre Onana, with getting a deal done for the Inter Milan goalkeeper seemingly Erik ten Hag's priority at the moment, and there have been reports that a final offer in excess of €50m (£43m) is to be expected.

A deal for Onana would deplete nearly half of United's transfer budget, which is estimated to be around £100m, unless they are able to sell players, while the deal for Mason Mount has already cost them £55m, so they may not have much left to spend.

Ten Hag is yet to sell any first-team players, with Zidane Iqbal the only player to leave who has not done so on a free transfer, and so the manager may now be tasked with shifting some players on before any arrivals can be expected.

The likes of Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay could all leave before the transfer window slams shut, which would hopefully free up some funds for Man United to bring in some new additions to the squad.

Personal terms have been agreed with Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, and the Dane is not the Red Devils' only attacking target, with a report from The Daily Mail detailing they are in the race for Bayer Leverkusen's left-footed winger Diaby.

There may be fierce competition for the Frenchman's signature, however, as Aston Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle have all made their interest clear, with the former becoming the latest club to make him a transfer target.

Leverkusen are set to hold out for £50m if they are to sanction the departure of the 24-year-old, who is expected to leave the Bundesliga side this summer.

How many goals has Moussa Diaby scored?

The Paris-born winger scored 14 goals for Leverkusen in all competitions last season, while also recording 11 assists, in what was yet another impressive campaign for the winger, who has proven himself as one of the Bundesliga's top players.

Last season, the Leverkusen star averaged a WhoScored match rating of 7.06 in the Bundesliga, the third-highest figure in the squad, having scored the highest number of goals, while also receiving three man-of-the-match awards.

The former Paris Saint-Germain ace has been hailed by journalist Aaron Stokes, who praised him for his "electrifying" pace, ability with both feet, and fearlessness in possession of the ball last year.

Diaby could be a fantastic signing for almost any club in the world, however, there are question marks over whether he should be a priority for Man United, as you could argue that there are other positions that need strengthening first.

Ten Hag already has the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony to choose from in wide areas, and so the manager's main priority could be signing a new striker like Hojlund to compete with Anthony Martial, especially if funds are limited.

Chelsea look set to be ramping up their efforts to lure more talent to Stamford Bridge as Mauricio Pochettino aims to build a team which can challenge for domestic honours during 2023/24.

Having already signed Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, a move for Ajax starlet Mohammed Kudus could be next on the cards for the Argentinian as he continues his summer overhaul at the Blues.

How much could Mohammed Kudus cost?

According to The Daily Mail, Chelsea have ‘held talks’ with Kudus over a potential move to the Premier League this summer, although Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion may potentially provide stiff competition with regard to securing his signature.

He rejected a contract offer from the Dutch side back in April, expressing his desire to leave the club during the transfer window.

The Ghanaian attacking midfielder has been valued at around £40m, which is a fee that Chelsea could certainly afford, especially since they have raised £219m from player sales already this summer.

What could Mohammed Kudus offer Chelsea?

One of the more highly publicised departures from Stamford Bridge during the transfer window was that of Kai Havertz, with the German international moving to Arsenal for £65m following three seasons at Chelsea.

Although showing glimpses of his talent which convinced the Blues to splash out £71m for him in 2020, including scoring the winner during the 2021 Champions League final, he couldn’t quite live up to expectations in England.

Registering 47 goal contributions – 32 goals and 15 assists – does sound like a decent figure across 139 games, yet he failed to score more than ten league goals in a single campaign during his three seasons at the club, something which he did during his final two years at Bayer Leverkusen.

Kudus could be an excellent heir for the 24-year-old, not only due to his ability to operate in an attacking midfield role, but also because of his positional versatility, being able to play as a centre-forward or on the right wing.

Both players pose a danger in the final third, although Kudus did score more often last term than Havertz (18 to nine), while also grabbing more assists (seven to one) and these aren’t the only attacking metrics in which he held an advantage over the former Chelsea star.

Indeed, the Ajax starlet also registered more shots per 90 (3.09 to 2.61), more shot-creating actions per 90 (3.04 to 2.48) and succeeded with a higher percentage of successful take-ons (59.8% to 34.9%), not only indicating that he was a greater threat in front of goal but that he had more confidence when coming up against opposition defenders.

Former Ajax striker and Dutch legend Marco van Basten praised Kudus after comparing him to current Manchester United winger Antony, saying: "I find Mohammed Kudus a much better football player than Antony. Antony has his skills, but he is confused with the things he is trying to do!

"Kudus has much better technique and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team. In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He’s more fun to watch play."

For a fee of £40m, Pochettino could potentially sign one of the bargains of the summer in the 22-year-old gem, while subsequently turning him into an ideal Havertz heir.

An update has emerged on Liverpool's search for another addition in the central midfield position during the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Sky Sports journalist Melissa Reddy, the Reds have "looked at" signing Atalanta maestro Teun Koopmeiners ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, adding: "They do love a surprise, stealth signing."

The reporter has listed the Netherlands international as one of several players in that position that the club have considered following the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Joao Palhinha, Nicolo Barella, Romeo Lavia, and Ryan Gravenberch have also been named as manager Jurgen Klopp attempts to restructure his midfield options after the Merseyside giants failed to secure Champions League football for next season.

How good is Teun Koopmeiners?

The talented 6-foot technician, who has been valued at up to €40m (£34m) by Atalanta, has proven himself to be an excellent performer in the middle of the park during his time in Italy.

Koopmeiners is able to carry a significant attacking threat from a no.8 position and his presence in midfield could make current Liverpool star Mohamed Salah even better.

The Dutchman's ability to create chances for his teammates regularly could provide the Egypt international with more opportunities to punish teams at the top end of the pitch.

Salah scored 19 Premier League goals for the Reds last season after 23 and 22 throughout the previous two top-flight campaigns combined.

Bringing in a player with the quality to open up the opposition's defence week-in-week-out could allow the former AS Roma winger to work his way back to more than 20 league strikes next term.

No central midfielder – with at least five starts – managed more than Thiago Alcantara's 0.9 key passes per Premier League game last season for Klopp.

Koopmeiners, meanwhile, produced 1.8 per match for Atalanta throughout the Serie A campaign, which would have placed him second – only behind Trent Alexander-Arnold (1.9) – within the Liverpool squad.

These statistics suggest that the 25-year-old dynamo has the quality to be an excellent addition to the German manager's array of engine room options, due to his impressive ability to create chances regularly.

Therefore, Salah could subsequently increase his goal tally even more by being able to advantage of more opportunities falling his way thanks to the Dutchman's creative passing.

Koopmeiners, who was once hailed as an "orchestrator" by scout Jacek Kulig, carries a goal threat from midfield too, and could take some of the attention away from the likes of Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo as defenders would need to be wary of his attacking potential.

The former AZ Alkmaar star plundered ten strikes across 33 Serie A matches for Atalanta last season, whilst he also managed 26 Eredivisie goals across the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns before his move to Italy.

Meanwhile, only Salah (19) and Roberto Firmino (11) reached double figures for league goals last term for Liverpool, which suggests that £34m-valued target could be an excellent addition to bolster Klopp's firepower over the coming months.

Therefore, Koopmeiners has the serious potential to be a fantastic signing for the Premier League outfit, whilst also having the ability to help Salah improve his output in front of goal to get him back to his previous levels.

Throughout the Roman Abramovich tenure, the number of players that Chelsea used to loan reached unthinkable numbers.

At its peak in 2019, the Blues had a staggering 41 players out on loan as the club was accused of stockpiling youngsters and abusing the system.

One man who was out on loan that year and has been a continuous victim of this strange strategy is Ethan Ampadu.

The Welshman joined Chelsea back in 2017 but only managed 12 appearances for the senior team across all competitions in six years. This included four different loan spells as Ampadu’s development has likely been stalled by this criminal lack of direction.

However, in Mauricio Pochettino’s attempt to streamline the squad, Ampadu has been given definitive guidance on his future and recently completed a £7m move to Leeds United.

Upon his arrival at Elland Road, the defender outlined his admiration for Daniel Farke, saying: “When I spoke with the boss, as soon as I got off the phone call I knew what I wanted, he really impressed me.

“He told me what he liked about me and where he thinks I can improve as a player.

“That all helped me choose Leeds United.”

It finally signals an exciting new chapter for the 22-year-old, who now has the possibility of becoming a regular for a team on a long-term basis.

What can Ethan Ampadu bring to Leeds United?

Ampadu, who has been described as “versatile” by Rob Page, has played around 88 games as a centre-back and another 44 as a defensive midfielder, as per Transfermarkt.

It is clear to see why, as he possesses the ideal profile to excel in either position. This is demonstrated by his rank within the best 20% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries and progressive passes per 90, as well as the top 12% for blocks and tackles per 90.

The 6 foot gem’s ideal combination of incisive forward-thinking passing and defensive reading of the game makes him a well-accomplished asset, which has drawn the highest of praise…

Back in 2017 after making his Wales debut, then-manager Chris Coleman likened the 44-cap international to Rio Ferdinand. The former coach felt he could use the six-time Premier League winner as inspiration, by either playing in midfield or defence.

Coleman said: “He's capable of playing both [positions].

"His frame, athleticism, and understanding of the game, he's a great communicator for someone so young. So at the moment it's a tough one to call.

"He could end up playing holding midfielder or as a centre-back.

"He's got a long way to go before you can liken him to someone like Rio Ferdinand but I remember him coming on at West Ham in midfield, he gravitated into a centre-back.

"Probably, in the last 20 years, Rio has been the best centre-back in the Premier League.

"Your modern-day centre-backs start play and you need to be confident in possession. He's [Ampadu] a good communicator and a good all-round player."

Whilst Ampadu still has a tremendously long way to go to even remotely reach Ferdinand’s heights, this move could be perfect to ignite his potential and fulfil Coleman’s analysis. The 49ers may have struck gold early on in their first coup.

Liverpool are set to re-enter the race to sign Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo during the summer transfer window, a new report has claimed.

How much is Moises Caicedo worth?

The Seagulls star is arguably one of the most highly sought-after players in the Premier League currently, following a brilliant campaign on both a personal and a team level, as he consistently shone for the south coast outfit.

Caicedo is now pushing for a summer move away from the Amex Stadium, wanting to join Alexis Mac Allister out of the exit door, with the Argentine moving to the Reds in an exciting move for the club.

Chelsea have looked like the favourites to snap him up recently, with the Blues badly in need of midfield reinforcements, following the exits of N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, and the money is seemingly available for the west Londoners to spend big on new signings.

Liverpool have also been mentioned as potential suitors in the past, and their current situation could suddenly heighten the need to bring him in. That's because Premier League and Champions League-winning pair Jordan Henderson and Fabinho could both be off to Saudi Arabia in surprise exit, while Thiago could possibly return to Barcelona, according to another report.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding the future of Caicedo, who is valued at €75m (£64m) by Transfermarkt currently, even though Brighton are set to demand a lot more than that for his signature…

Could Liverpool sign Moises Caicedo?

According to talkSPORT on Twitter, Liverpool could look to bring in Caicedo this summer if some of the names mentioned leave Anfield, although Chelsea are again credited with interest:

"BREAKING: Liverpool will consider joining the race for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo if Jordan Henderson and Fabinho move to Saudi Arabia. Chelsea are also keen on the midfielder, who the Seagulls value at £100m. – talkSPORT sources understand."

This is a hugely exciting rumour for Liverpool supporters, with Caicedo someone who could be a magnificent addition to Jurgen Klopp's squad for many years to come. He would be an upgrade on Henderson and Fabinho if one of both leave, with the pair both looking past their best last season, and to have him, Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and potentially even Southampton ace Romeo Lavia added to the squad could be a masterstroke.

A pressing machine who is also strong on the ball – no Brighton player averaged more tackles per game last season – former Brighton manager Graham Potter has lauded the 21-year-old's brilliance in the past, saying: "He is not that old and is still adapting and learning but he has great qualities. He’s fantastic, he really is."

The fact that Liverpool can offer Caicedo European football next season could give them an edge over Chelsea, who finished 12th in the Premier League are very much in the rebuilding process under Mauricio Pochettino this summer.

The lure of working under Klopp can also never be underestimated, so it will be intriguing to see how this situation plays out, should a number of outgoings happen at Anfield in the coming days, as appears to be expected.

Everton are still interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, but the Blues will are unwilling to sell, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

How much does Conor Gallagher earn?

The £17,000-a-week Englishman has had a frustrating time of things at Stamford Bridge since returning there last summer, following an excellent spell on loan at Crystal Palace in 2021/22,

Last season, Gallagher only started 18 Premier League matches, and while he featured in a further 17 from the substitutes' bench, he found it tough to ever be a regular under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard.

The 23-year-old is contracted to Chelsea until the summer of 2025, but he could possibly look for a new challenge before then, depending on how Mauricio Pochettino views him, in terms of his squad status. Everton have been linked with a move for him in the recent past, including in the January transfer window, and it appears as though they are not giving up hope yet.

Could Everton sign Conor Gallagher?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that the Merseysiders are still pushing to sign Gallagher, but it won't be easy because of Chelsea's stubbornness on the matter:

"Conor Gallagher does not want to leave Chelsea so interest from Spurs, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Everton and Newcastle is all leading nowhere at this moment in time.

"I don’t think Everton will totally let go of that hope until the window is closed but from Gallagher’s point of view, it’s not ideal. He would leave London for the right opportunity but is that it?"

While it seems clear that Chelsea are reluctant to sell Gallagher, considering he is a talented homegrown player, he could be a superb signing for Everton if the west Londoners' stance changes.

At 23, he still has so much of his career ahead of him, and he has already made 99 appearances in the Premier League, won seven caps for England and been hailed as "fantastic" by Potter, who also called him an "absolutely top" person.

Gallagher would provide that ability to score goals and register assists from midfield at Everton – something that has been sorely lacking for too long at Goodison Park – with his productivity in the final third highlighted by eight and three respectively in the league during his loan spell with Palace.

It is clearly going to be hard for the Blues to get their man, but these are the level of players they need to be attempting to sign, in order to avoid another relegation battle.

Leicestershire’s dreadful start to the second day gave Northants the advantage at Wantage Road

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2017
ScorecardMohammad Azharullah took three wickets•Getty ImagesNorthamptonshire took hold of the pink-ball Specsavers County Championship match on the second day against Leicestershire, reaching 60 for 3 in their second-innings and a lead of 164 before rain curtailed play.With a first-innings advantage of 104, Northants were reduced to 12 for 2 before Alex Wakely’s unbeaten 34 – featuring a top-edged pull over the wicketkeeper – steered them to the close in steady shape. But setting a target above 300 will still be a challenge if cloudy floodlit conditions remain on day three.Northants were set for a much bigger first-innings lead when Leicestershire, having resumed day two 65 for 4, slumped to 86 for 8 before lunch but a stand of 60 for the ninth wicket between Lewis Hill and Matt Pillans ensured the follow-on would not be of concern.More pink ball theories

Richard Gleeson, Northants seamer: “I think with this pink ball it tends to bounce a little bit more so everyone has been saying you need to get the ball up there a bit more and not let players just hang back and that seemed to work.
“It’s more like the Readers club ball I used to use: the seam seems to stay up a little bit longer. The new ball has been very difficult but after that it depends on the conditions and the overheads have definitely helped the ball swing here.”

Conditions favoured the bowlers all day with the floodlights on under gloomy skies and Leicestershire responded with two early wickets. Rob Newton was lbw to Klein for the second time in the game and Ben Duckett, after a first-inning century, was taken at second slip off Clint McKay for a second-ball duck.Max Holden’s 37-ball stay featured countless plays-and-misses, driving McKay in particular to distraction. He eventually edged Pillans to first slip to give Leicestershire a third wicket and further hope. Their chances of getting deeper into the Northants middle order were denied by rain.It was the Northants’ bowlers who enjoyed the conditions in the opening session of the day – during the first 25 minutes, 33 balls were bowled, Northamptonshire didn’t concede a single run and took three wickets.The first of those was McKay, who was dropped to the final ball of day one but caught off the first ball he saw of day two – driving loosely at Richard Gleeson and edging to first slip Chesney Hughes, the same man who dropped McKay the previous evening.Gleeson struck again when Ned Eckersley tamely chipped a catch to point. Between those dismissals, Sanderson nipped a ball back into Colin Ackerman, forcing an inside edge into the off stump.When Azharullah trapped Neil Dexter lbw for 11 – the decision appeared to be a marginal call – Leicestershire were facing the prospect of being asked to follow-on. But Hill rode his luck and with Pillans, who found five boundaries from No. 10, avoided being asked to bat again and kept a finger-hold on the game for the visitors.The second session was delayed by 55 minutes by the lightest of drizzle but when play did resume, Northants took only six overs to remove the Leicestershire tail. Sanderson, who probed away without full reward before lunch – nine overs for just eight runs and one wicket – changed ends to send a ball from wider on the crease through bat and bat and into the bails of Pillans. He finished with 3 for 36 from 20 overs.Azharullah cleaned up No. 11 Dieter Klein and Leicestershire’s 157 all out still gave Northants a very good first-innings lead.