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Leeds United confirmed the appointment of Sam Allardyce as their manager until the end of the season this week, and the experienced Englishman will have to perform a minor miracle to keep the Yorkshire outfit up.

With a salary of £500k and a potential bonus of £2.5m on the table for the 68-year-old should Leeds remain in the top flight, Allardyce will have to do everything in his repertoire if he wants to pick up some results.

Games against Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are on the agenda for the Whites, with just goal difference distancing them from the relegation zone as it stands, so it seems certain that they will have to pick up a result in at least one of those games.

Although he only has four games and four weeks to work his magic with a demoralised Leeds squad, he will certainly call upon his vast experience when deciding upon how to get the best out of his new players.

One man who could prosper under the Englishman is Leeds' top scorer, Rodrigo, as if he is unleashed in an attacking-midfield role, he could perform a similar job to that of Kevin Nolan, who thrived in a shadow-striker position under Allardyce at Bolton Wanderers.

Could Rodrigo be Allardyce's next Kevin Nolan?

As per Transfermarkt, Allardyce's preferred formation is often a 4-2-3-1, which suggests that he could go with a similar tactic for the final four games of Leeds' campaign.

No player has featured more or scored more goals under Big Sam than Nolan, with 23 assists and 75 goals to his name across 430 appearances during his time at Bolton Wanderers and the Hammers.

The Englishman featured primarily as an attacking midfielder who supported a natural striker, forming a memorable partnership with Andy Carroll at both Newcastle and West Ham, which is a tactic that Allardyce could look to implement once again at Elland Road.

If Rodrigo can feature as a shadow-striker and link up effectively with Patrick Bamford, it could see him rediscover his goalscoring form, with no goals or assists to his name since the 4-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers back in March.

There is no doubt that the former Valencia man can be "brilliant" and a "class above" – as hailed by both Micah Richards on Sky Sports (via LeedsLive) and by BBC pundit Pat Nevin – when at his best, but he failed to build on his exceptional start to the season under Javi Gracia, so will be hoping that Allardyce holds the key to unlocking him for the final few games.

A tactical switch moving him to a deeper attacking-midfield role, in a similar vein to Nolan, could just do the trick.

Sunday’s match between Nigeria and Oman at ICC WCL Division Five in Jersey marked the first time that multiple female umpires have officiated in a men’s ICC tournament match

Peter Della Penna in Jersey 23-May-2016Sue Redfern of England and Jacqueline Williams of the West Indies created history on Sunday for their roles in Oman’s 181-run win over Nigeria at ICC WCL Division Five in Jersey. Redfern was one of the two standing umpires, working with Scotland’s Alex Dowdalls, in the game while Williams served as third umpire. It marked the first time that two female umpires have officiated in a men’s ICC tournament match.Though multiple female umpires have served in women’s ICC tournament matches – Redfern and Williams were two of four female officials at the Women’s World T20 Qualifier in Thailand last November and filled standing and third umpire roles respectively in a game between Ireland and Netherlands on the opening day of that event – Sunday was the first time it occurred in a men’s ICC fixture. Kathy Cross was the first women’s official to stand in a men’s ICC tournament match, serving at 2014 ICC WCL Division Five and Three, both held in Malaysia that year.Redfern, 38, is a former England Women’s Test cricketer who also works as the ECB’s inclusion and diversity manager. Williams, 40, made history earlier this year when she became the first female umpire to stand in the West Indies domestic 50-over competition, officiating in a Trinidad & Tobago win over ICC Americas on January 15 at Port of Spain.

Leeds United's time under Marcelo Bielsa was a roller-coaster, yet in the eyes of the fanbase, he could do no wrong.

As the man to finally return them to the Premier League after 16 long years of Championship football, his play style and commitment to the area helped him reach god-like status around Yorkshire.

However, that's not to suggest that the 67-year-old was without his failures whilst in the Elland Road dugout, as his eventual sacking does suggest that things simply had to have gone wrong. Andrea Radrizzani would not have been able to simply dismiss the revered boss without ample cause.

His final year in charge saw form take a dramatic nosedive, and for all their attacking prowess, their defensive deficiencies were irrefutable as they spiralled towards the drop.

Whilst tactical malfunctions likely led to such a torrid last campaign, questionable transfer dealings also played a part in such misery.

For example, the shambolic decision to unload £25m on Dan James, despite the Welshman having shown little evidence to suggest he would ever be worth such a fee, offered a glimpse into such failure.

It might be understandable to assume that the Italian supremo could have learned from such a blunder, signing wide men whose entire game relies on pace; yet with the Whites noted in the race to sign Rangers' Ryan Kent, it seems the Italian refuses to progress.

How has Ryan Kent played this season?

The season before he moved to Yorkshire, the Manchester United forward boasted just five goals in all competitions, three of which came in the league.

Although Kent naturally has enjoyed a more fruitful campaign this year, it must be remembered that he stars for one of two clubs that are so comfortably the best teams in their division.

His three goals and ten assists in the Scottish Premiership this season are somewhat bolstered by this lack of quality opposition, as he failed to record a goal contribution across nine Champions League fixtures, including qualifying.

The £18k-per-week trickster has been lauded in the past, however, the words of journalist Aiden McCartney actually stand to devalue the 26-year-old even closer to James' level.

He suggested the Gers star had "pace to burn" back in the day, when in fact it seems he could just be like the "pace merchant" that fellow writer Tom Dutton once branded the on-loan Fulham flop.

Having recorded 90 goal contributions across 218 appearances since moving to Scotland, it is clear that Kent possesses some degree of quality. However, pure speed alone will not be enough to command the requisite performances to star in the English top-flight.

James stands as miserable proof of this, with just four goals for the club across his two-year spell, and should therefore serve as a stark warning to Radrizzani.

Former Pakistan batsman Mudassar Nazar, who took charge as director of Pakistan’s national cricket academy on Thursday, has said that he chose to return to the country and to the PCB to “fix the broken cycle of development”

Umar Farooq16-Jun-2016Former Pakistan batsman Mudassar Nazar, who took charge as director of Pakistan’s national cricket academy on Thursday, has said he chose to return to the role to “fix the broken cycle of development”. Nazar was NCA director between 2006 and 2008, before he quit to join the ICC Academy as a coach, a role he fulfilled for the last eight years. Nazar will head the NCA for the next three years.”I might have been away from Pakistan cricket but, in the last eight years, I have always been the true ambassador of the NCA,” Nazar, who is also part of the PCB’s cricket committee, said. “I was approached many times in the past but it didn’t work out, but my eyes have always been here. We all know the system was made and it was broken, and now they intend to revive it and I realised that now they are serious and [will] work towards development. So I am here.”The cycle of development is very important and, due to many reasons, it easily disintegrated twice in the last 14 years, which has cost [Pakistan cricket] five to ten years. I don’t know what the reasons were. They may be financial or whatever the circumstances were, but now my biggest task is revive this cycle and make a plan to speed up this process of development so that we can cover up the lost time.”Nazar, 60, played 76 Tests and 122 ODIs between 1976 and 1989. Before he served as NCA director in 2006, he was also a coach at the academy between January 2001 and October 2002, under the tenure of then PCB chairman Tauqir Zia. After Nazar’s departure in 2008, a number of directors were appointed to the NCA but the academy became largely defunct. The development phase was put on hold as the academy struggled to fill coaching roles for all skills. The regional academies were also gradually terminated due to lack of funds, and the Lahore terror attack in 2009, in which Sri Lankan players were injured, was another setback for cricket in the country.”I will be reviving the NCA as it was earlier, and there is no rocket science in it,” Nazar said, about his plans to correct the system. “The plan is there, as the academies will have their role from top to bottom. It will similarly will be expanded from the NCA to the regional academies, age group [cricket] will come under development, the A team will be developed with emerging players and all the 16 regional academies will start functioning from August 1. So this cycle will be alive and running in due course.”One of the players to train at the NCA during Nazar’s two-year stint was fast bowler Mohammad Amir and Nazar is credited with helping the bowler recover from three stress fractures to the back in the early phase of his career. Nazar coached the Pakistan team in 1993 and 2001, and was also Kenya coach in 2005. During his time with Kenyan cricket he also served as director of the Nairobi Cricket Academy.

Bangladesh pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman starred with four wickets for 23 after only arriving in this country on Wednesday

ECB Reporters Network21-Jul-2016
ScorecardMustafizur Rahman had to wait for his visa but starred on debut•ESPNcricinfo LtdBangladesh pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman starred with four wickets for 23 after only arriving in this country on Wednesday, while Chris Jordan made amends for running out in-form New Zealander Ross Taylor with a match-winning 45 off 21 balls that contained five mighty sixes, to give Sussex only their second NatWest T20 Blast win in eight games.Mustafizur, whose arrival at the club had been delayed by visa issues, instantly impressed his new club with a match-sealing display.”It has taken some hard work to get Rahman here, and a lot of people have worked hard to make it happen. Now we can see why he was worth so much time and effort,” said Sussex’s captain, Luke Wright. “He is a very special bowler. He has put in a performance straight away that was very special to watch.”It is so hard to pick what he is going to do. In the warm-up we were trying to work him out and we couldn’t. Credit to our keeper Craig Cachopa who kept really well to him tonight – it is not easy when you’ve had no time to watch him before or to have faced him.”He got a flight yesterday so he’s come straight in and bowled like that. We have a very special talent on our hands.”Chasing 201 to win, Essex were ahead of Sussex’s comparative totals until the last four overs, and they had no one capable of matching Jordan’s late fireworks. Essex, losing for the second game in a row, finished 25 runs short thanks to the wiles of 20-year-old Mustafizur.Sussex had started well enough with fifty coming off the six powerplay overs. Chris Nash needed little help but received a dollop when Tom Westley’s shy from deep point missed the stumps, bounced up awkwardly off a matted wicket, wrong-footing Ryan ten Doeschate, and eluding two more fielders as it sped away for a five.Nash, who had hit Paul Walter for two successive fours through the off-side in the first over, was first to go when he scooped Matt Quinn into Browne’s hands at midwicket for a 16-ball 25.Luke Wright had just got into his stride when he was out. The Sussex captain nudged Lawrence almost out of James Foster’s hands for four and then cleared Westley on the long-on boundary for six. He tried again next ball but the ball dropped short and Westley took the catch diving forward. Wright’s frustration at going for 32 was palpable.Ashar Zaidi’s first two overs had gone for just 10, but the spinner’s third went for a match-changing 28 as Phil Salt got his measure. Salt moved from 12 to 33 in the space of a seven-ball over with two sixes over the offside boundary, plus two fours in the same area, before Taylor clubbed another maximum from the final ball.But Zaidi extracted a measure of revenge when he took the catch at short third man, two balls into the next over from Ravi Bopara, that saw the back of Salt for 33 from 19 balls. Bopara also stemmed the flood of runs with just two conceded from his second over.Bopara claimed his second victim when Westley took another catch on the long-leg rope to dismiss Matt Machan before Sussex lost Taylor, who went for a quick single from the non-striker’s end to Callum Taylor at midwicket only to find Jordan immovable.Jordan thumped a six to cow corner off Walter and then two more hooked and pulled off Bopara to give Sussex’s innings late momentum. Craig Cachopa also hammered Walter for six and had helped put on fifty for the sixth wicket in three and a half overs before he was pinned lbw by Graham Napier for 18. Jordan, though, kept going and belted two more sixes from Napier’s over.Essex’s reply got off to a bad start when Browne top-edged Tymal Mills to Rahman at fine leg in the second over before Lawrence and Westley set about righting the ship. They had the fifty up in the fifth over with Lawrence depositing Jofra Archer over long on and Westley taking two boundaries in three balls off Mills.The second-wicket partnership was worth 47 in little more than five overs when Archer trapped Westley lbw.Lawrence landed a second six over long-on off spinner Will Beer. But he was third man out, having just past his previous highest T20 score, when he played all around a delivery from Beer and was lbw for 36 from 26 balls.Zaidi had started slowly, but clobbered Beer through midwicket for four and then lofted him for six slightly squarer on the leg-side. But the former Sussex player was controversially run out for 18 when he appeared to be obstructed by the bowler Mills as he turned for a second run. The two players collided, Zaidi looking as if he barged into the fielder, and after a short debate the umpires upheld their decision.Bopara followed, hitting high but not too far as Wright pouched the catch at mid-on to give Mustafizur a first wicket. Crucially, that 16th over only went for two runs and Essex were still 66 from their target. Mustafizur took two wickets in three balls when he rearranged the stumps of James Foster and Callum Taylor, and then had ten Doeschate caught by Mills at backward point.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is very aware of the possibility that some of his current first-team stars will move on to other clubs in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The boss told the Daily Record:

“I think it’s fair to say we are in the second year and things are embedded, that includes the core playing group. But that also gives you the opportunity to grow as a team. Part of that challenge will be the more success you have the more likely it will be that some of your players will move on.

"They get the attention of other clubs. We have to be ready to fill those gaps with players who have the ability to take us to another level altogether. So there is always those challenges there."

Who could leave Celtic this summer?

One player who appears set to be on his way out of Parkhead is Israel international Liel Abada. Football Insider reported, last month, that the forward is expected to move on after rejecting a new contract from the Scottish giants and that the club could accept an offer of up to £10m for his services.

The 21-year-old, who was once hailed as a "revelation" by former Scotland full-back Alan Hutton, has proven himself to be a reliable attacking option for Postecoglou since coming through the door at the start of last season.

To date, Abada has racked up 27 goals and 18 assists in 97 appearances for the Hoops whilst mainly being deployed as a right winger and the club could find his dream replacement with a player they are reportedly interested in signing.

Celtic were recently linked with a possible swoop for Talleres winger Diego Valoyes and the whiz could be an excellent addition to the squad in place of the young forward.

Who is Diego Valoyes?

The 26-year-old is a right winger who currently plies his trade in the top-flight of Argentinian football and has been capped six times by Colombia at international level.

Since joining Talleres in 2018, the 5 foot 11 magician has scored 24 goals and assisted 17 in 130 outings in all competitions – including ten goals and six assists in 46 games since the start of 2022 – and has proven himself capable of delivering goals and assists from out wide in a similar fashion to the Israel star, who too is a right-sided option.

Valoyes has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 across 13 matches in the Liga Profesional de Futbol in 2023. In that time, the gem has scored two goals and created four 'big chances' – making 13 key passes – in just six starts.

These statistics show that the attacker has the quality to score goals and create opportunities for his teammates to find the back of the net, as Abada – who has registered 1.1 key passes per game in the Scottish Premiership this term – has for Celtic.

Whilst there is no guarantee that Valoyes will be able to adapt to football in Scotland, his similar form to the current Hoops ace in the final third indicates that signing him is a gamble worth taking for Postecoglou as he could be a dream replacement for the £10m wizard this summer.

Eddie Jones, the England rugby coach, was in attendance at Lord’s as the country’s cricketers prepared for the first Test against Pakistan

George Dobell12-Jul-2016Eddie Jones, the England rugby coach, was in attendance at Lord’s as the country’s cricketers prepared for the first Test against Pakistan. Jones and his assistant, Steve Borthwick, watched on as England trained indoors at a rain-soaked Lord’s and assessed the fitness of a number of players in and out of the squad.James Anderson and Ben Stokes bowled in the nets as they continued to recuperate from shoulder and knee injuries respectively. Both hope to feature in Championship matches for their counties starting at the weekend. Mark Wood, who has been added to the Lions squad, was also in attendance, although he decided not to bowl indoors.Steven Finn took part in the session despite a badly bruised right knee. Finn sustained the injury when he fell in his follow through while bowling at Scarborough a few days ago. He has had a scan, which showed nothing untoward, and was able to train with strapping over the bruise on Tuesday.Chris Woakes missed training, however. He felt unwell and remained at the team hotel. A spokesman insisted he would be fine for the Test and said he was expected to train on Wednesday.Jones and Borthwick had invited the England management – Trevor Bayliss, Andrew Strauss and Paul Farbrace – to dinner before the rugby union side’s successful recent tour of Australia and the cricket management reciprocated here with a view to sharing ideas and experiences. The knowledge of Bayliss’s fellow Australian Jones might be worth tapping into when England head Down Under to defend the Ashes in 2017-18.Also invited to the session was the 19-year-old Lancashire legspinner, Matt Parkinson, who last month claimed five wickets on debut against Warwickshire at Old Trafford and has played just three first-class game. The England management hope that, by monitoring and encouraging the best county spinners, they can accelerate their progress in the game.England Lions squad

Dawid Malan (Middx, capt)
Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Northants)
Joe Clarke (Worcs)
Brett D’Oliveira (Worcs)
Sam Billings (Kent, wk)
Liam Livingstone (Lancs)
Liam Dawson (Hants)
Tom Curran (Surrey)
Jamie Overton (Somerset)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancs)
George Garton (Sussex)
Mark Wood (Durham)
Sam Curran (Surrey) * to join squad for last two matches only

Wood was added to the England Lions squad for the Tri-Series against the A teams of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which starts in Cheltenham next Monday, after coming through a practice session at Lord’s ahead of Thursday’s first Test.Wood, who underwent an operation on his left ankle in April, is in the early stages of his comeback and picked up his first wicket of the season in a NatWest T20 Blast fixture for Durham against Leicestershire on Sunday.He has claimed 26 wickets in eight Tests to date, and played a significant role in England’s 3-2 Ashes win last summer. He will play in a second Blast game for Durham at home to Northants at Chester-le-Street on Friday night before linking up with the Lions.”The England medical staff have been working closely with Mark and Durham throughout, and a series of 50-over matches with the Lions offers a good opportunity for him to take the next steps in his return to cricket,” explained James Whitaker, the National Selector.”He is a great example of a player who came through the Lions with an outstanding tour of South Africa in the winter of 2014-15 to make his Test debut last summer, and his inclusion should give a boost to this Lions squad, as well as giving him the chance to work with the younger bowlers in the squad.”Meanwhile, the Lions are monitoring the fitness of Jamie Overton, who suffered a back injury when bowling for Somerset in their Specsavers County Championship game against Middlesex on Monday.

Everton are hopeful of having a takeover deal completed soon but a report from Football Insider has revealed that a deal for 777 Partners to take the reins is not yet close to happening.

What is the latest on a potential Everton takeover?

The Toffees are currently struggling to avoid the drop in the Premier League and will be hopeful of securing their top flight status soon. They are currently sat in 17th and any drop down to the Championship could be catastrophic both for their current finances and potentially for any interested buyer.

Everton are looking to try and secure some additional funding ahead of the build of their new stadium, which they plan to bring to life on Bramley Moore Docks. That could involve a new buyer coming into the club and current owner Farhad Moshiri is already looking at three prospective candidates ahead of a takeover deal.

It is 777 Partners that looked as if they could be the ones to secure a deal for the Toffees too, with some reports suggesting that a deal was moving along nicely and was even "close". However, a new report from Football Insider states that the idea talks could soon be completed is "premature" and that instead, it may take much longer for anything to go through.

Whether an eventual deal would be a full takeover or not is also unconfirmed, as FI say "reports suggesting Miami-based 777 Partners are on the brink of completing a deal are wide of the mark". Moshiri is holding talks over potentially handing everything over to a buyer or it could just be a small stake in the club – which would secure additional funding but wouldn't see a completely new owner at Goodison Park.

777 Partners are not the only interested party either. The Liverpool Echo reports that MSP Sports Capital are another firm that could potentially invest in Everton, with talks having already taken place between Moshiri and their two co-founders Jahm Najafi and Jeff Moorad. MSP though would only buy a 25% stake in the Premier League side.

What is happening with Everton?

It's not just off the pitch in which the Toffees need some help. They could use it on the field too, with Sean Dyche managing to drag the club away from the relegation spots by only a point currently. The side may not be in the bottom three right now but with two games left, it is still a very real possibility.

The club then need to focus on ensuring they stay in the top flight for now. Once they have secured their safety and can plan ahead for at least another season in the Premier League, they will then be a lot clearer about where they stand and can push on with takeover talks.

Tillakaratne Dilshan cast aspersions on the conduct of former and present team-mates -particularly Angelo Mathews – soon after his final ODI, against Australia on Sunday

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Aug-2016Tillakaratne Dilshan cast aspersions on the conduct of former and present team-mates -particularly Angelo Mathews – soon after his final ODI, against Australia on Sunday. Prompted to speak on the challenges faced in his 10-month stint as Sri Lanka captain between April 2011 and January 2012, Dilshan suggested he did not have the support of some team-mates. He also said he had been hurt by his sudden removal as captain, following the year-end tour of South Africa, in which Sri Lanka lost both series, but won a Test in South Africa for the first time.Dilshan had been named captain after Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene had both resigned from that post. It was Jayawardene who eventually replaced him after the South Africa tour.”I didn’t actually plan to take the captaincy, but the SLC president asked me to take over for six months until we find someone else,” Dilshan said. “Unfortunately, we had also lost two bowlers. Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan] had retired. Nuwan Kulasekara was injured. Ajantha Mendis was injured. I didn’t have great resources.”Angelo Mathews had a calf injury for a year that stopped him from bowling. That must be because of my misfortune, because after I had stepped down, we went to Australia after a week. In that week, Mathews started bowling. That must be because of Mahela’s good fortune.”Mathews did bowl during Dilshan’s captaincy, but had a reduced workload. He did not bowl in nine of the 20 ODIs under Dilshan, and never delivered more than five overs in a match. This workload did see a substantial increase when Jayawardene resumed captaincy.In Tests, Mathews did not bowl in 12 of the 16 innings under Dilshan, though at the time, he was not an integral part of the Test attack. Mathews had also suffered leg injuries even prior to Dilshan’s captaincy, most notably when he missed the 2011 World Cup final due to a quad strain, and has managed his own bowling load carefully since he became captain.Though Dilshan said the manner of his ousting did cause hurt, he insisted he did not let “personal issues” affect his cricket. Sri Lanka’s first assignment after the South Africa tour was the 2012 tri-series in Australia. Dilshan top-scored in that tournament, hitting 513 runs at an average of 51.30.”At the end of that South Africa series, I put everything aside. I went to Australia, scored 500 runs, and became Man of the Series. It didn’t matter to me who was captain. I wasn’t concerned about who ousted me as captain. I always play for my country. I didn’t worry about those personal things, but I was hurt.”Dilshan’s own first assignment as captain had been Sri Lanka’s tour of England, but broke his finger during his 193 at Lord’s in the second Test. He suggested it had been with some reluctance that Sangakkara took on the captaincy for one Test, after that injury ruled Dilshan out for the game at Southampton.”There actually wasn’t anyone who was willing to be captain. Everyone resigned after the 2011 World Cup. In England a ball hit my hand and I broke my finger, and the former captains were asked to lead, and they said no. After that only when it was talked about that someone like Sanath Jayasuriya or Thilina Kandamby be made captain that someone presented himself to be captain. But I guess there’s no point talking about those past things anymore.”But I am proud that it is players that I brought into the team at the time who are winning matches now. About six or seven of the players today are cricketers who I’d given a chance to. At the time it was a problem for me, because people asked me why I was giving young players so many opportunities. But today, we should look at players like Dinesh Chandimal.”Dilshan still has two more T20 matches to play before he becomes an ex-cricketer across formats. He said the decision to retire had been spontaneous.”I hadn’t planned to retire, before the series,” he said. “Whether someone tells me to keep playing or stop playing, that’s not what’s important. What is important is what I feel. I started the series thinking that I’ll play for another year – at least in T20 cricket. But when I woke up on the 25th I felt that it was time to go.”To be honest I could easily play for another year or two. But we have to look to the future. If I play for another two years and leave, there’s only 18 months before the next World Cup and that’s unfair to the team. A young player could be blooded in that time. Since I started opening six years ago, we haven’t found a permanent partner for me. I’ve opened with about 10 people – so that’s a problematic area for us. If I keep playing we won’t be able to get two batsmen settled in that place. I’ll be able to get some rest.”

Newcastle United have earmarked RB Leipzig sensation Dominik Szoboszlai for transfer ahead of the looming summer transfer window, with manager Eddie Howe looking to strengthen his thriving team.

Following the affluent PIF takeover in October 2021, Newcastle have returned to prominence in the Premier League and have confirmed their place in the top four with a game to spare after a tremendous campaign, but now must cement their newfound stature with quality additions.

According to Sky Sports, the Magpies have now sent scouts to observe Szoboszlai in action twice during the last fortnight, with an inevitable expectation to maintain levels and impress both domestically and continentally next term.

Sky Sports also claimed earlier this month that the 22-year-old is an 'internally discussed destination' for Howe's outfit, and with a €70m (£61m​)​​​​​​ release clause in his contract, it is a deal that might just be within the Magpies' capabilities, having spent a club-record £63m on Alexander Isak last summer.

How good is Dominik Szoboszlai?

Hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller, Szoboszlai has certainly lived up to such a tag with his exploits in Leipzig, having scored nine goals and supplied 13 assists from 45 outings for his side this term, including striking during a recent 3-1 victory away against Bayern Munich.

He has been heralded as the "complete" package by journalist Bence Bocsak, and demonstrates this by blending creative potency with unwavering tenacity, ranking among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers over the past year for assists, the top 14% for progressive passes, and the top 12% for blocks and the top 11% for clearances per 90.

The 30-cap Hungary captain would enrich a team already oozing with quality, perhaps offering an offensive threat of a different kind: Joelinton, forward turned penetrating midfielder, has impressed with his energy and intensity this term, but boasts just three assists; the imperious Bruno Guimaraes has been his team's nucleus and is a devastating threat, but occupies a deeper, all-encompassing midfield role.

Szoboszlai would thrive in-and-around the final third, with the £70k-per-week phenom efficient on both wings and from deployment behind the centre-forward.

He could forge a deadly partnership with the aforementioned Isak, who has earned plaudits for his predatory instinct despite a hindered maiden campaign in English football that has left him absent for 13 matches due to injury, dubbed "electric" by United's manager.

The £120k-per-week Swede has scored ten goals and provided two assists from just 17 starts for the Toon, ranking among the top 19% of forwards for goals, the top 12% for progressive carries and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, and there will be confident optimism that the best is very much yet to come.

With the addition of a superlative attacking midfielder behind the dynamic 23-year-old, Newcastle could achieve their goals, taking the next step in their meteoric ascension under Howe's leadership.