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A new angle showed Christian Pulisic's brilliance to set up Gio Reyna for the USMNT's second goal in the CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico.

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USA beat Mexico 2-0 in the finalReyna scored the second goal But it was Pulisic's scorching pace and guile that set Reyna upUSA Today Sports WHAT HAPPENED?

In a thrilling showdown at the CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico, Pulisic showcased his brilliance by setting up Reyna for a pivotal goal, leading the USMNT to a historic 2-0 victory.

The defining moment came as Pulisic, the AC Milan winger, embarked on a mesmerizing run along the touchline, outmanoeuvring Mexican defenders. With precision and finesse, he delivered a pinpoint cross just beyond the reach of Memo Ochoa, Mexico's goalkeeper. Despite a defender's attempt to clear the ball off the line, it fell perfectly to the feet of Reyna, who capitalized on the opportunity with a stunning finish, extending the lead to 2-0.

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Celebrations erupted as the USMNT secured the win at the AT&T Stadium in Texas. Pulisic revelled in the triumph by donning beer goggles and clutching a drink in the locker room to mark his third consecutive CONCACAF title victory.

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Meanwhile, Reyna's performance further solidified his status as a clutch player for the USA. With two goals and three assists across three career finals, Reyna's contributions have etched his name in the annals of U.S. soccer history. His remarkable stat line surpasses that of any other men's U.S. international in championship matches, highlighting his significance to the team.

Looking ahead, the USMNT is gearing up for the upcoming Copa America this summer. Preparations are underway, with June friendlies against powerhouse teams Brazil and Colombia serving as crucial tune-up matches before the marquee event. The USMNT's first tournament match is scheduled for June 23 against Bolivia, as they aim to build on their recent success and make a mark on the international stage.

The BCCI has registered its new constitution with the Tamil Nadu Registrar of Societies in Chennai on August 21, following the Supreme Court order on August 9.The new constitution had some key tweaks from the one originally proposed by the Lodha Committee, including setting aside the one-state one-vote policy and allowing states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat to have multiple voting members.In its August 9 order, the apex court had directed the BCCI to register its new constitution within four weeks of the order.

Selection panel increased to five members

Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe will rejoin the selection panel that had been whittled down to three members after the original Lodha recommendations. The August 9 Supreme Court order restored the strength of the senior selection panel to five, while also setting aside the directive that each of the five had to have played Test cricket for India. The existing members of the selection panel are chairman MSK Prasad, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh.

The new constitution notes that while every full member shall have voting rights and that no state would have more than one full member, exceptions would be made for Gujarat and Maharashtra, with all six of Gujarat, Saurashtra, Baroda, Vidarbha, Maharashtra and Mumbai to continue to remain full members.Railways, Services and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) will also have voting rights, though it is explicitly stated that the voting representative for each of these has to be a former cricketer who has played for the association (or in the case of AIU, a first-class cricketer who has represented a university in the All India Inter-University tournament), and not a person nominated by the government or the association.As directed by the Supreme Court in its August 9 order, the cooling-off period terms have been relaxed, with officials now allowed to serve two consecutive three-year terms at either state or BCCI level (or a combination of the two) before a mandatory cooling-off term.Among other important points, the new constitution also makes a provision for a Players’ Association, to be funded by the BCCI, to make provisions for players’ families to accompany them for periods on longer tours in particular, and offering “appropriate remuneration of international standard” to international players. The last makes specific mention of “recalling that national representation has priority over club or franchise.”Vinod Rai and Diana Eduljee, who constitute the Committee of Administrators that is overseeing the board at present, said in a joint statement: “We thank the Honorable Supreme Court for their directions and are pleased to start the process today by the submission of the new constitution of the BCCI with the Tamil Nadu Registrar of Societies at Chennai. We are committed to implement the Supreme Court directive in its entirety.”They also said that the state associations have to conform to the judgement of the Supreme Court and report compliance within 30 days.

Glamorgan were denied their second win of the season by the Derbyshire tailenders at Swansea, where Tony Palladino and Duanne Olivier batted out the final 14.3 overs to earn a draw

ECB Reporters Network23-Jun-2018

ScorecardGlamorgan were denied their second win of the season by the Derbyshire tailenders at Swansea, where Tony Palladino – who faced 108 balls for his unbeaten 30 – and Duanne Olivier batted out the final 14.3 overs to earn the visitors a draw.When Derbyshire lost their eighth wicket, Glamorgan were favourites to win but, with stubborn resistance and some good fortune, the visitors held out.Glamorgan had resumed at their overnight score of 201 for 3, making rapid progress in the opening session as 107 runs were scored in the first hour at the rate of six runs an over. Kiran Carlson and Usman Khawaja shared a record partnership of 289 for the fourth wicket, the highest for any wicket for Glamorgan against Derbyshire, surpassing the previous record set by Mark Cosgrove and Michael Powell.Khawaja was to the first to reach his century, and he also became the first Glamorgan batsman to score successive hundreds in his fist two games for the club. Carlson reached his landmark shortly afterwards before racing to his next fifty from only 20 deliveries.Both batsmen surrendered their wickets in the quest for quick runs, and after David Lloyd had struck a brisk undefeated 43, Glamorgan declared to leave Derbyshire a target of 325 from a minimum of 63 overs.The visitors were soon in trouble as Harvey Hosein had his middle stump uprooted in Michael Hogan’s first over, then Ben Slater was lbw to Andrew Salter – also in his first over – with Derbyshire struggling at 18 for 2.Much depended on Derbyshire’s best batsmen Wayne Madsen, and he responded with some aggressive shots, notably against Salter, whom he struck for three fours in one over. However, Alex Hughes was the next to go when he edged Hogan, who had changed ends, to second slip.Derbyshire resumed after tea on 77 for 3, with 40 overs remaining, but there then followed a flurry of wickets. Ben Godleman was the first to go when he chipped Prem Sisodiya to midwicket, before the 19-year-old debutant took the vital wicket of Madsen, who was caught at backward point.When Matt Critchley became Hogan’s third victim, Derbyshire had slumped to 93 for 6, but Gary Wilson and Palladino provided stubborn resistance for 15.2 overs. Wilson faced 72 balls before he was lbw to Lukas Carey for 26, a decision he clearly didn’t agree with, as he stalked back to the pavilion.Hamidullah Qadri quickly followed for a pair in the game to give Hogan his fourth wicket – but there was further frustration for Glamorgan as Olivier joined Palladino to defend on a fourth-day pitch that offered little to the bowlers.

The team’s visit to the First World War battlefields of the Western front ahead of their England assignment was “a real eye-opener”, according to captain Tim Paine

Daniel Brettig04-Jun-2018If the timing of the Australian team’s visit to the First World War battlefields of the Western front was coincidental with the start of a new era for the side, it was still quite fitting for the group to be humbled by newfound knowledge of history, and to get a fresh perspective from outside the team “bubble”.A three-day tour of Western France and Belgium, culminating in the squad’s participation in the evening ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, had been a discussion point for team manager Gavin Dovey and former coach Darren Lehmann for quite some time, but the Newlands ball-tampering scandal ensured that it would be undertaken by the first touring team helmed by Justin Langer.This, in turn, provided a link to a couple of rather different Australian team trips to scenes of conflict – Gallipoli in 2001 and France in 2005 – that Langer participated in as a player. There had been criticism in 2001 particularly, as the team donned military slouch hats and re-enacted a photograph of cricket being played on Shell Green, but this time the visit was more immersive and low-key, devised to generate deeper understanding of events of more than a century ago.The image of the national team took an amighty battering in South Africa, costing Steven Smith and David Warner their leadership positions and alongside Cameron Bancroft their Cricket Australia contracts. But the sight of a humbled successor Tim Paine reading the ode taken from Laurence Binyon’s poem “For the Fallen” at the Menin Gate, before Aaron Finch, Alex Carey, Jhye Richardson and D’Arcy Short laid wreaths, presented a contrasting picture.”We’ve come over to have a look at the Western Front, something that’s been in motion for probably a couple of years now. We thought was a good idea for the team to come over as young Australian men to retrace the steps of some really brave Australians over 100 years ago now,” captain Paine said. “It’s been a really great exercise for us as young men to come and learn more about that, and there’s lots we can take out of it.”We’ve seen so much stuff that I think we’d never thought we would have seen. I think it’s been amazing to go through the cemeteries and the battlegrounds and see how well they’ve been maintained. It’s been a real eye-opener, just the magnitude of it and the size of the cemeteries, there’s so much we can take away from it individually and as a group.”As a group [we’re] coming over to England now to play cricket, we’re obviously not going to war, but I think the importance of the things we can take from the men who came over so long ago is the teamwork and the mateship and the hard work and the things they did for each other. So we’re very lucky to be here playing a game of cricket, they came over here in really trying circumstances and did their best, and I think that’s something we can take from it going to England this week.”Paine, Langer and the rest of the squad spent time at battlefields including Fromelles and Passchendaele, two sights of enormous sacrifice by Australian troops amid the wider bloodbath of Allied offensive operations. Also contemplated was the vastness of the Tyne Cot cemetery and memorial, Pozieres, Amiens, Villers-Bretonneaux, and the Menin Gate, dedicated to the memory of more than 54,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in the campaigns around the Ypres salient but whose bodies were never found.Some measure of the affect of these places came when Paine prepared for his reading of the ode as part of the nightly Menin Gate remembrance ceremony. “I was fine going down there because I thought it was a bit smaller than what it was. But once I got there and was introduced to the people who were running it, the lady said ‘have you got a hand card so you can read it out?’ I said ‘no I’m all good, got it in the mind’ and she said, ‘I think it’d be a good idea if you took a card up, we’ve had army generals here before who’ve forgotten the words’. So thankfully I took a hand card up with me, because as soon as I stood up there I actually forgot the first line.”It was a bit overwhelming to be honest, I was really privileged as a young Australian cricketer getting to stand where we were last night. To read the ode is a bit of an honour to the people who have come over here and fought so hard for us. I probably didn’t realise again the magnitude of that until we got there. I was expecting just us and a handful of people. To see so many people there, and something that’s done every night there, it was amazing, and the magnitude of it hit me when I walked out to read the ode. I realised how privileged and lucky I was to be given the right to go and do that.”After the trip to mainland Europe, the touring party returned to London for more typical training preparation ahead of their five-match ODI series against England, with two warm-up matches to be played against county sides. Paine reckoned that the experience would doubtless enhance his efforts alongside Langer to foster a new attitude in the Australian side, as they juggle the demands of performance but also respect.”The main purpose of the trip was young Australian men coming over and trying to learn more about our history,” Paine said. “But one of the things, certainly, we’ve got out of this trip is two days together as a team and getting to know each other and talking to people and each other about things other than cricket, which we don’t actually get to do. It’s been a really worthwhile exercise, not just learning about our history, but from a team aspect to get to know people [from the cricket set-up] outside of cricket.”

South Africa will play five home Tests, 13 ODIs and nine T20s in the 2018-19 summer, which will see incoming tours from Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Apr-2018

South Africa will play five home Tests, 13 ODIs and nine T20s in the 2018-19 summer, which will see incoming tours from Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The international fixtures, released on Monday, start on September 30 and end on March 24 but there is a 10-week gap between mid-October and Boxing Day, leaving room for the possibility of a T20 Global League, though the future of the tournament remains uncertain.After the busiest home season in South African history in 2017-18, which included 10 Tests – one of which was the first day-night, four-day long format fixture – South Africa will have much less of a workload next summer. They will only play half the number of Tests but more than double in ODIs and T20s, as preparation for the 2019 World Cup.That means the five major Test venues receive one match each, with a significant change in the hosting of the Boxing Day Test. Centurion’s SuperSport Park has been selected as the venue for the fixture, which will move inland after several years of being played on the coast. Previously, the match has alternated between Durban and Port Elizabeth, with the rationale that holiday-makers from up-country would fill the stadiums but poor crowds over recent years have forced a change. Though many Highveld residents flock to the sea over the festive season, a large number remain at home over that period and CSA have long spoken about trialling the Boxing Day match there.The New Year’s Test remains at Newlands in Cape Town while Kingsmead and St George’s Park will host Sri Lanka in the final tour of the summer. The Tests will not have the profile of the previous season, when India and Australia featured in two high-octane tours of South Africa, but with Faf du Plessis’ men ranked No.2, and the return of big names such as AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn (provided he comes through a county stint at Hampshire and away Tests against Sri Lanka in July), CSA are hopeful interest in the long format will remain high.”Following the outstanding Test match cricket played by the Proteas during the past season we can also look forward to plenty more world-class entertainment by our acknowledged stars during the five Test matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka,” Thabang Moroe, Acting CSA CEO, said.But the focus of next season is on white-ball cricket, with coach Ottis Gibson mandated to do everything he can to win the 2019 World Cup, a tournament that is likely to be a swansong for several players. Du Plessis, de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Imran Tahir and JP Duminy, amongst others, may end their international careers at the World Cup, giving South Africa extra motivation to try and break their major tournament drought.Moroe emphasised that South Africa will aim to get as much preparation in as possible, hence the glut of 50-over fixtures. “It is going to be a very busy period and a very big one for our Standard Bank Proteas who will be using the programme of 13 ODIs against three different opponents in addition to the away tours to fine-tune their preparations for the 2019 ICC World Cup,” he said.Though Zimbabwe did not qualify for the World Cup, they will be South Africa’s first opponents and the only ones who will play at the smaller venues around the country. Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Paarl, East London, Potchefstroom and Benoni will not have any matches against either Pakistan or Sri Lanka, with those concentrated at the big grounds.Fixtures

v Zimbabwe

September 30: 1st ODI, Kimberley
October 3: 2nd ODI, Bloemfontein,
October 6: 3rd ODI, Paarl
October 9: 1st T20, East London
October 12: 2nd T20, Potchefstroom
October 14: 3rd T20, Benoni

v Pakistan

December 19-21: Three-day tour match v SA Invitation XI, Benoni
December 26-30: 1st Test, Centurion
January 3-7: 2nd Test Cape Town
January 11-15: 3rd Test, Johannesburg
January 19: 1st ODI, Port Elizabeth
January 22: 2nd ODI, Durban
January 25: 3rd ODI, Centurion
January 27: 4th ODI, Johannesburg
January 30: 5th ODI, Cape Town
February 1: 1st T20, Cape Town
February 3: 2nd T20 Johannesburg
February 6: 3rd T20, Centurion
v Sri Lanka

February 13-17: 1st Test, Durban
February 21-25: 2nd Test match, Port Elizabeth
February 28: One-Day tour match v SA Invitation XI, Benoni
March 3: 1st ODI, Johannesburg
March 6: 2nd ODI, Centurion
March 10: 3rd ODI, Durban
March 13: 4th ODI, Port Elizabeth
March 16: 5th ODI, Cape Town
March 19: 1st T20 Cape Town
March 22: 2nd T20, Centurion
March 24: 3rd T20, Johannesburg

International cricket will arrive at the new Perth Stadium as the one-day series draws to a close with Australia looking to narrow the margin to 3-2

Andrew McGlashan27-Jan-2018

Big PictureAn historic day for cricket in Western Australia. It is not to the WACA that the players will arrive for the final ODI. Over the Swan River, the gleaming new Perth Stadium will make its international debut with 55,000 set to fill a ground that could hardly be more removed from its now second-tier neighbour. It adds a level of intrigue and significance to the final match of a series which England had wrapped up with room to spare.However, the whitewash is no longer on the cards after Australia were marginally the less rubbish side with the bat in Adelaide – although it threatened to be a close run thing, which was quite a feat given England were 5 for 8. Travis Head kept his while others around him lost theirs with 96, before Tim Paine finally put the chase to bed.It was not the first time this power-packed, world-leading, England side has come a cropper with dramatic results: against South Africa at Lord’s last year, also with the series safe, they found themselves 20 for 6 with the ball nibbling around. If there remains a question around this side it is batting first when there is some help on offer, although to still recover to 196 again highlighted their depth.Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins exploited conditions superbly and will hope to score a few more points in Perth. However, given Steven Smith’s comments after the faltering chase, the important issue for Australia is a more confident batting display. This is their last one-day international until they visit England for a series in June.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
AustraliaWLLLL
England LWWWWIn the spotlightJason Roy and Alex Hales could well be facing off against each other when Ben Stokes is available again – which may be for the series in New Zealand. Roy started this series with a record-breaking bang, making 180 at the MCG, but has found the going tougher since then while Hales has only hit his straps once in four innings and has been disturbed by Australia’s pace bowling. Although both will have a string of T20s over the next few weeks, they would like to finish this series with a score of note so that the selectors do not feel a decision is made for them.David Warner has had a lean series with 58 runs in four innings, kept quiet by some tight new-ball bowling and then the one time he did get set in Brisbane falling to Moeen Ali. Unlike a few other senior figures, Warner won’t be getting a rest after this series as he takes over the captaincy for the T20s which will mean a hurried lead-in to the South Africa tour. The Australia management will hope that fatigue is not becoming an issue.Teams newsSteven Smith has hinted that Glenn Maxwell, who was snubbed in the original squad, could find a place in the side having come in for the injured Aaron Finch. Cameron White would be the man under pressure given a lean run since his surprise recall. Mitchell Starc, rested in Adelaide, and home-town boy Jhye Richardson are the other pace options.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Travis Head, 3 Cameron White/Glenn Maxwell, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Mitchell Marsh, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Andrew Tye/Jhye Richardson, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodSam Billings, David Willey, Dawid Malan and Jake Ball are England’s squad players yet to get a game in this series and they will struggle to find a spot in Perth unless the view is taken that it’s worth some rotation. The first three of that quartet are also in the T20 squad. For Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Joe Root this is their last outing of the tour – they have been rested from the T20 tri-series.England (possible) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Alex Hales, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tom Curran, 11 Mark WoodPitch and conditionsThe pitch, a drop-in, will be largely an unknown for its first international. It may be expecting too much for it to be a Perth flyer. The forecast is for a hot day and this is the only day-game of the series so there won’t be much relief from the heat.Stats and trivia The Perth Stadium will be the 19th ground to host an ODI in Australia Perth (the WACA) was the venue for England’s only victory on the ill-fated 2013-14 tour. Chris Woakes needs one wicket for 100 in ODIsQuotes”We don’t want to wipe 10 overs out of the game and say, they bowled well but we only got 15-20 runs. We still want to take the game forward. I’d rather probably be 40 for 2 than 20 for 0.”

Amid what has been a mixed start to the season for Leeds United – having notably been dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Salford City on Tuesday evening – the newly relegated side have seemingly invested wisely in the transfer market in recent weeks and months, notably securing the high profile capture of Joel Piroe from Swansea City on a £12m deal.

A goalscoring debut from the Dutchman against Ipswich Town has likely sparked hope that the 24-year-old can be the man to drag Daniel Farke's side back into the top flight, while the club have also since recruited a figure who was a crucial part of Nottingham Forest's successful promotion push back in 2021/22, in the form of Djed Spence.

The 23-year-old full-back – who previously made 42 Championship outings during that year with the Tricky Trees – has been snapped up on a season-long loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur, becoming the sixth signing of the window thus far for Farke and co.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

That astute addition may not be the last of the Yorkshire side's summer spending spree, however, with further moves having been mooted of late…

Who will Leeds make any more signings?

One name that has been suggested as a potential target in recent days is Celtic midfielder, Matt O'Riley, with Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas having revealed earlier this week that both the Whites and Southampton are interested in the 22-year-old.

As per the Scottish Sun, the Old Firm outfit have already rejected a bid from Leeds for the Denmark U21 international, although the expectation is that another offer could arrive before the close of the window.

While it is not suggested how much the former MK Dons and Fulham ace would cost if he was to move to Elland Road, the playmaker is valued at around £9m, according to Football Transfers.

How good is Matt O'Riley?

It would appear that Leeds are in need of a new creative spark who can operate in an advanced midfield berth, with Farke and co having notably allowed Brenden Aaronson to depart for Germany on loan following what was a disappointing debut season in Yorkshire for the American.

Having been signed from Red Bull Salzburg on a £24.7m deal last summer, Aaronson went on to score just once and provide only three assists from his 36 Premier League appearances in the 2022/23 campaign.

As writer Zach Lowy noted, both the 22-year-old – and former Salzburg teammate Rasmus Kristensen – "failed to make the step up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League", with Leeds seeing little return on their sizeable investment thus far.

With Aaronson now out the door on a temporary basis, Farke could then find the playmaking option that he is likely craving in the form of O'Riley, with the latter man having notably been far more impressive last term, after contributing three goals and 12 assists in 38 Scottish Premiership games.

The elegant "magician" – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – notably created 16 big chances and registered 2.2 key passes per game as a marker of his ability to unlock a defence, with Aaronson, by contrast, creating just five big chances and averaging only 1.3 key passes per game.

O'Riley also shone defensively last season as he registered 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game in the league, with that again a superior record to what Aaronson achieved during that tumultuous campaign, after averaging just 1.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

That should suggest that after seeing the United States international flounder in a number ten berth last term, Leeds supporters could witness a big upgrade if O'Riley is brought into the fold.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a transfer window to forget, with the club yet to spend on new arrivals due to the financial difficulties in place at Molineux.

Battles with Financial Fair Play (FFP) have consumed any hope that the Old Gold will be able to bolster their squad for the 2023/24 season, with restrictions proving too much for former boss Julen Lopetegui.

Just five days prior to their Premier League opener, the Spaniard parted ways with Molineux, making way for new manager Gary O’Neil to battle the storm.

The Englishman may have the chance to welcome a new addition before the end of the window if latest reports are to be believed, however the player in question could be a questionable asset.

Who could Wolves sign this summer?

After welcoming Matt Doherty and Tom King on free-transfers earlier in the window, there was little promise that any further arrivals would prevail before the end of the transfer period.

There has however been some light shed on the situation, with Burnley’s Josh Brownhill linked with a potential move, as well as latest reports speculating that Barcelona’s Marcos Alonso could be eyed by Fosun.

Journalist Gerard Romero took to social media his week to relay that the Spanish champions could offload the defender this summer, with the former Chelsea man said to be ‘evaluating’ a proposal from the Premier League.

While Wolves were not explicitly named by Romero, some reports in Spain have named the Midlands side as potentially being the side interested in the 32-year-old’s services.

Should Wolves sign Marcos Alonso?

With 179 Premier League appearances under his belt already, theoretically, Alonso’s experience in the top-flight would make him a valuable addition for Wolves, however, his on-field performances tell a different story.

Deployable at both left-back and left-midfield, the Spaniard had a hand in 52 goals in all competitions for the Blues, scoring 29 and assisting 23, but was criticised frequently over his lack of defensive balance.

Having once been described as being “awful defensively” by BBC Sport contributor Raj Chohan during his time at Stamford Bridge, signing Alonso could be a disaster for Wolves, especially when considering their financial climate.

The lack of economic stability has hindered the club’s opportunity to endeavour into the market, making a move for an ageing and questioned defender a risky piece of business.

Added to that, the Old Gold have sufficient cover in such areas, with both Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hugo Bueno being impressive youthful talents to call upon at left-back.

If there is a chance that Wolves could sanction a move for Alonso, the Fosun should consider looking for reinforcements elsewhere, with a potential move having the ability to slow the progression of the likes of Bueno, who is currently second-choice to Ait-Nouri.

The 32-year-old was slammed during his time in England by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who shunned the Spaniard as a figure that “cost Chelsea” during a defeat to West Ham United back in 2020.

Wolves need points on the board, with the last thing required at Molineux being a previously slandered defender who could take up significant finances with Alonso currently earning £100k-per-week in Catalonia.

O’Neil could make his first big blunder in charge of the Old Gold by integrating the former Chelsea dud into his side this summer, should the Wolves hierarchy secure a move for him before the deadline on September 1st.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in Argentine forward Alejo Veliz, as Steve Cooper seeks essential reinforcements ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Welshman has already captured the signature of Anthony Elanga from Manchester United this summer, however, latest reports suggest that the Reds could be in the mix to recruit further attacking options.

Could Nottingham Forest sign Alejo Veliz?

As reported by Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Forest are interested in Rosario Central striker Veliz, who is also said to be on the list of AC Milan.

The Sky Italia reporter has claimed that the Premier League side have made contact with the teenager, who is said to be valued at €15m (£13m) by his club.

Contracted to his boyhood club until 2025, all interested parties are expected to have to pay a fee in the region of the asking price for Rosario’s star talent with Di Marzio explaining that a fee slightly lower may be enough to pry the forward away.

How good is Alejo Veliz?

Once dubbed as “dynamite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the starlet born in 2003 has caught the eye of clubs in Europe for good reason.

In 23 appearances in Liga Profesional, the teenager has netted 11 goals as well as impressing for his country this year.

At the U20 World Cup, the dynamic forward scored three goals in three starts for Argentina, securing an average match rating of 7.42 to showcase the importance of his presence for his country.

Praised by Mango for his “instinctive finishing”, the 19-year-old could be the perfect target for Cooper to aim for this window, in a hungry young talent that could hugely impact the scenes in the final third at the City Ground.

Last season, the Reds scored 38 goals in 38 games in a campaign that played out as a battle of survival up until the penultimate fixture in which they mathematically confirmed their stay in the top-flight following their promotion in 2022.

Integrating a player as lively as Veliz to the side could be fundamental for Forest to kick on and push away from being on the fence between the Championship and Premier League.

South American football expert Nathan Joyes backed the teenager to become one of the best, saying on Twitter that the natural goalscorer has “everything to make it to the very top”, adding that the club that captures him would pull off a “huge coup”.

For Forest, introducing the young striker could further the talents of key creator Morgan Gibbs-White, who shone in his debut season in Nottingham.

The 23-year-old averaged 1.91 key passes and 2.29 passes into the final third per 90 for Forest last season, as well as registering an impressive eight assists in a side lacking the spark to climb the table.

Also hailed as being the “complete forward” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 19-year-old could be the ideal forward for Gibbs-White to have ahead of him to explore further areas of his playmaking approach.

Kulig noted the goal machine’s strengths being in his finishing, athleticism, movement and link-up play, making him a potentially positive acquisition for Forest in the bid to get the most out of the talent they have on show.

The Reds must be more lethal next term if they are to progress up the table, which could be achieved in giving Gibbs-White a lively and clinical presence leading the line to point his wand at.

Fulham aren’t resting on their laurels this summer as they look to take that next step up the Premier League table. They may miss out on target though, a highly regarded Premier League youngster, and here is why, as per Dharmesh Sheth when he spoke to GIVEMESPORT.

So, what's going on at Fulham?

Fulham went above and beyond expectations last season as they came tenth in the Premier League table. The man at the helm was Marco Silva who has recently been linked with a move away from the English capital.

Silva was the subject of interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli at a ridiculous price of £35 million across two years, as per The Guardian.

The Portuguese manager isn’t the only man with the chance to move to the Middle East as star striker Alexsandr Mitrovic was also garnering similar attentions. His future is up in the air still whilst Raul Jimenez was brought in from Wolverhampton Wanderers to add further depth in that position.

Premier League youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi is another name who has been linked with the Fulham switch, a deal which would of course see him have to travel very little distance over from Chelsea.

The Evening Standard reported on the chances of Hudson-Odoi arriving at Craven Cottage ahead of the new season, but Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth paints a less rosy picture.

What has Dharmesh Sheth got to say on the transfer front?

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth told GIVEMESPORT exactly what the difference is between Chelsea and Fulham when it comes to the valuation of Callum Hudson-Odoi.

"One player we talked about before, Fred, but another player that they're edging closer to signing is Hudson-Odoi as well, from Chelsea. Talks are continuing.

"Still a gap in valuation on the fee, but a lot of that deal, I'm told, has been agreed in principle. Personal terms not expected to be a problem. It's just that all important fee now.

"He's entered the final year of his contract, hence why Fulham probably want to pay a little bit less. I think there's a willingness from all parties to get the deal done, it's just whether they can close that gap on the fee."

What other business are Fulham pursuing?

Willian has been at the heart of a lot of reporting regarding whether he will return to Fulham or not. A new deal was recently announced but it could all go sour if The Guardian’s report is to be believed. The former Chelsea and Arsenal man has “agreed personal terms with Saudi club Al-Shabab and has already communicated to Fulham and the manager, Marco Silva, his intention to leave and begin a new chapter in his career.”

Another name, also a winger, that has been regularly spoken about in the same breath as the Cottagers is Demarai Gray. The Everton man has been angling for a move away from Goodison Park for a while now and he is chosen destination is West London.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Jamaican international had agreed terms with Fulham as Silva’s side look to build on a very impressive 2022/23 campaign.