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John Percy has dropped an update regarding the takeover of Derby County.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Telegraph journalist revealed that Quantuma – the joint administrators of Derby County – are close to naming their preferred bidder for the club, with an announcement expected next week.

Percy went on to state that Wayne Rooney’s side are currently in talks with three potential buyers: the Kirchner group, a local consortium with who the Rams’ former chairman and owner Peter Gadsby is involved and one other unnamed party.

Finally, the journalist claims that, although there are still a number of factors that need to be ironed out in order to complete the club’s sale, Quantuma are in fact confident that Derby will secure a new owner in the not too distant future.

In his tweet, Percy said: “Quantuma close to naming preferred bidder, but not until next week at earliest. In talks with 3 parties: Kirchner group, a local consortium with former chairman/owner Peter Gadsby involved + 1 other. Still numerous factors to consider, but Quantuma confident of a sale.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how bad things have become at Derby in recent months, with the future of the club very much appearing to be up in the air, Percy’s latest update will undoubtedly have left fans of the Rams buzzing.

Indeed, Wayne Rooney’s side have been deducted a whopping 21 points as a result of being found guilty for breaching the EFL’s profitability and sustainability rules, as well as for being entered into administration – something which has all but confirmed that the club will be playing their football in League One as of next season.

Furthermore, with it being reported that the club is currently a whopping £83m in debt, questions were rather understandably raised as to whether any potential buyer would be able to afford the purchase of the Rams – something that appeared to cast serious doubt on whether or not Derby would indeed be able to get themselves out of their financial mess.

However, following Percy’s latest update, it now appears as if these doubts have been quashed, with the possibility of Derby County having a new owner by the turn of the year looking to be a very real one – undoubtedly fantastic news for everyone involved with the club.

In other news: “Very dangerous”: Alan Nixon drops big Derby County claim that’ll terrify fans

Trent Copeland produced a stunning debut with seven wickets, but Queensland were boosted by Lee Carseldine’s century as they reached 9 for 335

Cricinfo staff29-Jan-2010Queensland 9 for 335 (Carseldine 109, Swan 55*, Copeland 7-92) v New South Wales
ScorecardTrent Copeland was in outstanding form on debut as he knocked over seven Queenslanders•Getty ImagesTrent Copeland produced a stunning debut with seven wickets, but Queensland were boosted by Lee Carseldine’s century as they reached 9 for 335 on the first day. Copeland, a 23-year-old fast bowler, got his chance due to the state’s injury-hit stocks – and Josh Hazlewood being at the Under-19 World Cup – and he showed the same form that he displays for his grade side St George.He struck in batches, taking two wickets early in the day and another two shortly before tea, and came back in the third session to add three more. Copeland walked off with 7 for 92 in 28 overs, currently the third best return for the Blues on debut, and was the first to grab a five-wicket haul in his opening game since Glenn McGrath in 1992-93.Carseldine, the No. 4, was the main problem for the Blues as he registered his third first-class hundred, moving to 109 with 15 fours when he was Copeland’s sixth victim. The seventh came with Luke Feldman’s exit shortly before the end and he will chase an eighth on the second morning. He will have Chris Swan, who is unbeaten on 55, and Scott Walter (0) to aim at.Carseldine and Chris Hartley revived Queensland from 4 for 89 with a 108-run stand before Copeland intervened. He picked up Hartley for 38 and followed up with Chris Simpson before tea and Ben Cutting after the interval.Queensland started well after being sent in on a green surface, with Nick Kruger (32) and Ryan Broad (28) taking the score to 69 before they went in consecutive balls. Broad gave Copeland his first wicket when he was lbw and Kruger was taken at second slip off Grant Lambert, who quickly backed up by having Wade Townsend caught behind. The Bulls had lost 4 for 20 when Glen Batticciotto was taken by the wicketkeeper Daniel Smith, one of four catches to him, as Copeland continued his outstanding entry.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Borussia Monchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter…

What’s the talk?

According to Calciomercato, the Magpies have made a move to snap him up in the January transfer window to stop Inter from signing him on a free transfer.

The report claims that the Italian champions want to land him for nothing at the end of the season, but Newcastle have now put a plan in place to win the race for his signature.

Imagine him & Lascelles

Eddie Howe could form a solid defensive unit by landing Ginter as he could play alongside captain Jamaal Lascelles in the Premier League.

Newcastle’s struggles have been there for all to see in the top flight this season, as they sit 19th with one win on the board after 15 matches. They have kept a solitary clean sheet and are conceding two goals per game on average, highlighting their need for defensive reinforcements in January.

Ginter has proven his class in Germany and could be an ideal target to come in and bolster the backline in an attempt to improve the Magpies’ defensive record.

The £50k-per-week beast has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.98 in the Bundesliga this term, winning 66% of his duels overall. This is after he averaged a score of 7.11 last season, winning 68% of his individual battles and making 3.5 clearances per game.

German icon Lothar Matthaus previously compared him to Spanish international Sergio Ramos as he lauded his leadership abilities at the back. The former Bayern Munich stalwart told Sport Bild, via Bundesliga.com: “Ginter has become a leader at the back, in a similar way to Ramos at Real. He doesn’t just give instructions to his teammates, but leads them as well. That’s what Ginter is doing really well at the moment. He reminds me of Ramos.”

Lascelles has been one of Newcastle’s better performers this season, with an average SofaScore rating of 6.81 in the Premier League. The 28-year-old has won 65% of his duels and has made six clearances per game, suggesting that he is putting in solid shifts at the back and being let down by his teammates.

Therefore, partnering him with the reliable Ginter could make for a strong defensive pairing and increase Newcastle’s chances of keeping the ball out of Martin Dubravka’s net. It is now down to PIF and Howe to ensure that they can get a deal over the line for the Germany international…

AND in other news, Dream come true: PIF could leave the Toon Army buzzing with major NUFC appointment…

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says the club have no intention to recall Conor Gallagher from his loan at Crystal Palace in January. 

The lowdown

Gallagher has arguably been Palace’s standout player since he made the temporary move across London during the summer transfer window.

In 10 appearances, he’s scored a joint-team high four goals and provided two assists.

His average WhoScored rating of 7.5/10 is comfortably the highest in the Eagles’ ranks, with Christian Benteke the next best at 6.96.

His form hasn’t gone unnoticed at international level, with Gareth Southgate handing him a senior England debut in the 10-0 midweek rout of San Marino.

Pundits, like former Palace striker Ian Wright, have already begun to ponder his future at Stamford Bridge.

He says Chelsea simply ‘can’t ignore him’ on the back of his ‘unbelievable’ displays, while Joe Cole insists the Blues won’t make the ‘silly’ mistake of selling him.

The latest

Addressing the press ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Leicester City, Tuchel explained that remaining at Palace until the end of the season was best for Gallagher’s development.

And he also revealed that they’ll sit down with Gallagher in the summer to discuss his ‘goals’.

“I have not thought about bringing him back earlier, because it’s also important for him to be happy where he is, to stay in the moment and not change the next things,” he said, as quoted by The Independent.

“It’s important to be calm in his stage of the career. And I feel him happy there and I think everybody is happy and it’s good he has this kind of impact at Palace and now it’s about consistency.

“He had a game with the national team and we have to process all these things. Right now if you asked me today I don’t think it’s necessary to change everything for him again in the winter.

“And it’s too early to talk about next season and way too early to talk about it in public, and before we talk about it with Conor himself, what he wants and what his goals are.

“That will happen in the summer, because we all agreed to the decision that he wanted to join Crystal Palace and Patrick Vieira’s team.”

The verdict

If Gallagher keeps up this form, Palace will surely dream of keeping him beyond the end of the current season?

But will Chelsea agree to part with their £13.5million-rated asset? It seems increasingly unlikely, but the player himself is apparently having reservations over whether he will actually get a chance at Stamford Bridge.

With that in mind, the Eagles would surely be wise to at least test the Blues resolve with a bid. Either way, the fact Tuchel has no plans to recall the midfield maestro should be music to Vieira’s ears as far as this campaign is concerned.

In other news, fans react to these surprising transfer links.

Celtic-linked centre-forward Daizen Maeda would provide Ange Postecoglou with yet another exciting string to his attacking bow at Parkhead.

What’s been said?

That’s according to a claim made by Stuart Hodge, with the journalist stating his belief in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that the 24-year-old, who has been heavily linked with a move to Glasgow in the January transfer window, is a player who thrives when playing on the break, something that will prove extremely useful for the Bhoys when they face more challenging opponents.

Speaking about the ability of the Yokohama F Marinos striker, Hodge said: “He looks like a player that excels on the fast break. He seems to be really good on the counter-attack and in transition situations. I saw that he scored a hat-trick in a game not too long ago, so he’s obviously full of goals.”

Big coup

With Kyogo Furuhashi having done the heavy lifting in terms of goalscoring for Celtic so far this season – bagging 13 times over his 19 appearances for the Bhoys, six more than any other Hoops player – the addition of an out and out centre-forward to match the Japan international’s returns in front of goal this January would appear to be a very wise move for Michael Nicholson.

And, considering just how impressive Maeda has been in Japan this season, in addition to the fact that the centre-forward is already well known to Postecoglou – having played under the 56-year-old during his time at Yokohama F Marinos – the 24-year-old would very much look to be the perfect signing for Celtic.

Indeed, over his 34 J League appearances this term, the £990k-rated man has scored 21 goals, registered three assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the player who Kevin Muscat dubbed a “dream” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as his club’s seventh-best performer in the top flight of Japanese football.

As such, should the Japan international go on to continue this form following a potential switch to Parkhead in January, not only would he be a big coup for the club, his arrival would undoubtedly provide Postecoglou’s chances of securing the Scottish Premiership crown with a rather substantial boost – an outcome that would delight everyone involved with Celtic.

In other news: “Celtic will..”: Journo drops exciting Hoops transfer claim that’ll leave fans buzzing

Daniel Vettori has regained the No.1 spot in the ODI bowling rankings after leading New Zealand to a 2-1 series win against Pakistan.

Cricinfo staff12-Nov-2009Daniel Vettori has regained the No.1 spot in the ODI bowling rankings after leading New Zealand to a 2-1 series win against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. Vettori jumps back to the top-spot he lost in March this year by replacing team-mate Kyle Mills, who slips four places.There are three spinners in an unlikely top-five that includes Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, second and Ray Price, the Zimbabwe spinner, jumping three places to third. Both have enjoyed recent success with Price taking six wickets in the recently concluded 2-0 defeat in South Africa.MS Dhoni retains his No.1 batting ranking with Michael Hussey strengthening his second spot after both enjoyed a successful ODI series. Dhoni contributed 285 runs in his team’s 4-2 loss, while Hussey was the most successful batsman with 313 runs.Brendon McCullum, the explosive New Zealand opener, enters the top 20 batsmen for the first time, climbing 16 places to claim the 16th spot.For a full list of the rankings click here.

Both sides were content with the opening day of the ICC’s new umpire review system in Australia

Peter English at the Gabba26-Nov-2009Shane Watson didn’t use it when his team-mates thought he should have. The West Indies tried it once with Ricky Ponting and failed. They could have had another go but didn’t bother. Still, both sides were content with the opening day of the ICC’s new umpire review system in Australia that offers increased technology in an attempt to eliminate the awful decisions.Ponting was the only batsman under the extra spotlight when West Indies thought Ian Gould might have been incorrect with an lbw decision. Ravi Rampaul angled a ball in to Ponting on 30 and the original decision stood after the third umpire viewed the replays. Hawk-Eye showed the ball clipping the top of the bails, but in situations of doubt – where the centre of the ball is not within an imaginary rectangle inside the stumps – the choice remains with the on-field official.”Perhaps they should have that box there rather than the full stumps and it probably would have shown the ball would have gone over the stumps,” Michael Hussey said of the Ponting decision. “I guess it’s a little bit confusing at the moment for some players. I think they got them all right today and I think that’s what we want, the most correct decisions in the game.”The Australians don’t have a set procedure on how to employ the ration of two unsuccessful appeals an innings, but Hussey said the top order did have priority. “It’s more how you feel, or you have a quick chat with your mate at the other end,” Hussey said. “There’s no point having them left at the end so we might as well use them.”West Indies had another chance to try the system when Kemar Roach appealed for Ponting’s lbw on 53. It wasn’t a safety-first approach that stopped them risking their final review – they just didn’t think it was definitely out.”It was a touch-and-go situation,” Roach said. “We didn’t decide to go to the referrals. As a bowler you ask the keeper because he’s in line with the stumps and then you go onto the captain, who makes the decision.”The ICC’s Dave Richardson hopes one of the side effects of the process is an increase in walking and an improvement in the spirit of the game. Watson wasn’t exactly following that process when he decided against asking for a review on principle after being given out lbw in the third over. The ball hit him outside off and there was a slight doubt about height, but Watson wasn’t concerned simply because he hadn’t offered a shot.Hussey thought Watson should have had a go at the review. “Definitely,” he said. “But he was adamant, you gotta use your bat and I should have hit it.”

Former ICL players S Abbas Ali, TP Sudhindra and Shridhar Iyer have taken their first steps to getting back in the official fold

Cricinfo staff14-Oct-2009Former ICL players Abbas Ali, TP Sudhindra and Shridhar Iyer have taken their first steps to getting back in the official fold, after being included in the 15-member Madhya Pradesh squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Madhya Pradesh, who will be featuring in the Plate League, will be captained by Hrishikesh Kanitkar, while Jalaj Saxena has been named his deputy.While both the allrounders Abbas Ali and Sudhindra played for the Delhi Jets in the unofficial league, Iyer turned out for the Mumbai Champs. They made their return to the domestic fray after the BCCI granted amnesty to 79 Indian players who had ended their association with the ICL.Madhya Pradesh will be hoping to go one better than last season when they qualified for the Plate League semi-finals but lost to eventual winners Himachal Pradesh, who gained promotion to the Super League along with Bengal. They will have their task cut out when they take on Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Services, Assam and Haryana in Group B this season.Madhya Pradesh squad: Hrishikesh Kanitkar (capt), Naman Ojha (wk), Jalaj Saxena, Abbas Ali, Devendra Bundela, Mohnish Mishra, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Murtaza Ali, Sanjay Pandey, TP Sudhindra, Anand Rajan, Santanu Pitre, Shridhar Iyer, Ankit Sharma, Zafar Ali; Mukesh Sahni (coach), Rajeev Dua (manager)

Sky Sports journalist Pete Graves has delivered the latest update on Newcastle United’s talks to appoint Eddie Howe as their new manager.

What’s the story?

After finally axing Steve Bruce a couple of weeks ago, the Magpies’ new owners have hit their first real obstacle of this exciting era, seeing their supposed no.1 target Unai Emery stay put at Villareal.

That has since seen them turn their attentions towards former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, and Graves has now suggested that the Tyneside club’s hierarchy are hugely impressed with him.

He said: “#nufc talks with Eddie Howe intensifying. Hugely impressive with vision for the club and preferred candidate for some members of consortium. Fire fighter who took Bournemouth from LG2 to EPL. Howe been waiting for right opportunity and has turned down numerous jobs recently.”

Consortium left impressed

Whatever the dismay at seeing Emery turn down the offer of becoming Newcastle boss, the fact Howe is said to have been “hugely impressive” with his vision for the club should have fans delighted.

At just 43, Howe is still an incredibly young manager but already boasts a number of years managing a team in the top-flight, and Danny Mills has previously thrown his backing behind a Newcastle move for him.

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He said: “Eddie Howe is a great option. He would fit. There are three players there who he’s worked with before and like him. So he can go straight in and form a relationship with big players with big voices. That would help him settle in immediately.

“You’re going to have some money to spend in January which should help you bring in three or four players. That will help you get out of this situation.”

That sentiment was backed by Football Insider who claimed that “Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie and Ryan Fraser, who were all managed by Howe at Bournemouth, have given ringing endorsements of the manager’s credentials to the Amanda Staveley-led board.”

Wilson in particular might relish the chance to work under his former boss once again at St James’ Park, while Fraser will fancy his chances of igniting his career too.

This latest update from Graves will be a major relief and delight to Newcastle fans after a roller-coaster week.

Meanwhile, Craig Hope dropped this news about Newcastle United’s managerial pursuit…

Pundit Kevin Campbell believes Leeds United star Raphinha won’t be at the club next season, amid interest from Liverpool, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Brazil debut

The 24-year-old has starred in his first international stint with Brazil, providing two assists on his debut against Venezuela.

Raphinha is now poised to receive a full debut against Uruguay on Friday, and his displays for club and country have been catching the eye.

According to Football Insider, who were informed by an inside source on Wednesday, Raphinha is still on Liverpool’s radar following links last year.

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell, who features on Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider following Raphinha’s impressive Brazil display.

He believes that the Whites ace won’t be at Elland Road next season and tipped Leeds to cash in.

“His stock is rising all of the time.

“Let’s not forget, there was already some interest in him last summer.

“Whether you like it or not, Leeds are not where they were 20 years ago. They are not what they once were.

“If one of the big boys comes in for him, Leeds will sell. They will sell.

“I think it is just a matter of time. I cannot see him being a Leeds player at the beginning of next season. If he continues to perform like this he will be gone.”

The Verdict: In Leeds’ hands

Leeds have tended to complete most of their transfer business in the summer under Marcelo Bielsa, so you’d expect Raphinha to see out the current campaign at Elland Road.

At that point, he’ll have two years remaining on his contract, so the ball is certainly in Leeds’ court when it comes to the possibility of selling the winger.

If they receive an offer too good to refuse, then he might depart, and at this rate going off his 2021/22 performances, an eye-catching bid could be coming their way.

In other news: ‘He’s like Bielsa’s son’ – Pundit talks Leeds move for £16.2m-rated man; ‘Orta very big on him’.