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An update has emerged on reported Aston Villa transfer target Marcos Leonardo ahead of the start of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Roma have been unable to agree a fee with Santos for the Brazilian forward and their deal for him is on 'standby' for now.

The report claims that the Serie A side will continue to negotiate with them in order to find a solution to sign the talented number nine before the end of the summer transfer window.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Leonardo, who has reportedly been valued at €15m (£13m) by his club, has also attracted interest from Premier League sides Nottingham Forest and Villa, although he is said to prefer a move to Italy at this moment in time.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Villans will go in with an official offer in an attempt to beat off competition from the other two teams.

How good is Marcos Leonardo?

The 20-year-old striker is an outstanding young talent who could be the dream heir to Ollie Watkins at Villa Park if Unai Emery and Monchi are able to usurp Roma in the race for his signature.

Leonardo, who only turned 20 in May, has already scored 47 first-team goals for Santos, and his statistics since the start of last year suggest that he has the potential to eventually replace the England international as the Spanish head coach's first-choice striker.

The Brazil U20 international has scored 35 goals in 87 appearances in 2022 and 2023 combined for his club, which works out as a strike every 2.49 matches on average. He has also scored once every other outing for Santos in the Serie A this year with six in 12 clashes.

Watkins, meanwhile, is coming off the back of 15 goals in 37 Premier League games for the Villans last season, which is one every 2.47 appearances on average. That came after the former Brentford man racked up 11 strikes in 35 for Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard during the 2021/22 campaign.

This suggests that the Brazilian dynamo, who scored five goals in five U20 World Cup appearances this year, could offer a similar level of production in front of goal if he is able to translate his form over the last 18 months for Santos over to English football this season, or in the future.

U23 scout Antonio Manga claimed Leonardo has "frightening" pace and "plays without fear", which could also make him an ideal heir to Watkins due to the current Villa man's knack for using his pace to make runs in behind to stretch defences and to creates for himself.

There is no guarantee that he will be able to replicate his success in his home country in the Premier League but his superb statistics for Santos are eye-catching and the £13m-rated gem appears to be a worthwhile gamble for the club to make.

If Leonardo can adapt to football in England and chip in with goals on a regular basis then he could be the dream long-term heir to Watkins, who is seven years older than him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Brazilian gem Andre, as Julen Lopetegui eyes midfield upgrades this summer.

The Spaniard bid farewell to Portuguese duo Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves early in the window, with the task to replace them being an ongoing search.

Could Wolves sign Andre?

One man that could fill the void left by the duo is Fluminense midfielder Andre, who has been linked to Wolves by news outlets in Brazil.

As reported by Bolavip, relayed by Sport Witness, the Old Gold are ‘in the fight’ to sign the 22-year-old, who is valued at £35m by his club.

The Midlands club aren’t the only Premier League representatives in the race to capture the talent, with Fulham and Liverpool also listed as interested parties.

How good is Andre?

Previously lauded as a “serious talent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Andre could be the perfect addition to the side at Molineux in the absence of departed captain Neves.

The Portuguese midfielder departed for a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, in a deal worth £47m, after spending six memorable years in Wolverhampton.

Lopetegui could finally fill the gap left by the 26-year-old in capturing the Brazilian, who has similar attributes to the former Wolves sensation.

Once described as a “deep-lying orchestrator” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Neves was recognised for his strengths in distribution in central midfield at Molineux, an area that is equally praised in Andre’s approach to play.

As per FBref, the midfielder maintained an average pass completion rate of 93.2% in the Brazilian Serie A, securing almost perfect numbers compared to the Portuguese gem’s 82.1% in the Premier League last season.

Averaging 6.31 passes into the final third, the Fluminense whizz could replicate the level of performance on show at Molineux by Neves, who averaged 6.02 final third passes per 90 last term.

While the 22-year-old is a competent passer, the most prominent area to his game is his defensive approach, standing as a combative figure in the engine room.

Once tipped to become Brazil’s “next best defensive midfielder” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the enforcing presence of Andre could make him an assured asset for Lopetegui to add to his team.

The praise is supported through his numbers, where he averaged 3.66 tackles and interceptions per 90 in Serie A and made an average of 7.09 ball recoveries in midfield per 90, via FBref.

Based on these figures, the young midfielder drew more fouls than he committed for Fluminense this year, highlighting the controlled nature of his game paired with the energy he exerts in the middle of the park.

A player eager to be involved in play, Andre averaged a huge 84.55 touches per 90 in the league last season, conveying the influence he could bring to Molineux at a time that calls for a midfield rebuild ahead of the new campaign.

In signing the Brazilian, Wolves could identify the perfect player to take the place of Neves, in a talent that displays strengths in abundance similar to that of the departed skipper.

Somerset arrived just in time for the 6.30pm start at a sold-out Bristol but as Gloucestershire took West Country bragging rights they rather wished they hadn’t

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2017David Payne took three wickets•Getty ImagesGloucestershire gained derby bragging rights over their local rivals with an seven-wicket NatWest T20 Blast victory over Somerset in front of an 8,000 sell-out crowd at BristolSomerset could muster only 146 all out after arriving at the ground late due to traffic congestion. Johann Myburgh and Craig Overton were the main contributors, while David Payne and Benny Howell were the pick of the Gloucestershire attack.In reply, the home side never looked in trouble as Ian Cockbain, Michael Klinger, and man-of-the-match Kieran Noema-Barnett (33 off 12 balls) took them to their target with ten balls to spare.The match began 45 minutes late after Somerset’s team coach had only just arrived at the scheduled start time of 6.30pm.Somerset director of cricket Matthew Maynard said: “Some of our batsmen didn’t give themselves a chance to assess the pitch and there was some dull thinking at times. Johann Myburgh showed what was possible when taking a few balls to play yourself in.”We are not always going to play on perfect wickets and sometimes it is necessary to take stock of the situation. It was probably the poorest we have batted in the competition and we need to bounce back quickly against Surrey on Sunday.”As if their late arrival was not bad enough, Somerset lost the toss and their innings was something of a roller-coaster, openers Steve Davies and Lewis Gregory departing with only 13 balls bowled and 12 runs on the board. Payne was the successful bowler in both cases.Myburgh then looked to transform the match with a brilliant 18-ball cameo that featured 5 fours and 2 sixes. The South African took 24 off an over from left-arm spinner Tom SmithSkipper Jim Allenby offered solid support and at the end of the six-over power-play his team were well placed on 66 for two.From there some kamikaze cricket saw Somerset plunge to 90 for seven, James Hildreth perishing to a reverse sweep off only his second ball and Tom Abell running himself out attempting a suicidal single.Gloucestershire skipper Michael Klinger kept faith with Smith and was rewarded when the bowler conceded only 12 off his final three overs.Howell produced his customary changes of pace to flummox the batsman and did not concede a single boundary in his four overs.Overton gave Somerset some hope with some big hits at the end, but the total still looked well below par on a decent batting strip.So it proved as Klinger and Phil Mustard gave Gloucestershire a fast start, Klinger hitting Lewis Gregory over mid-wicket for six and Mustard clearing the ropes off Tim Groenewald.Klinger was struck a painful blow in the ribs by a quick delivery from Paul van Meekeren, in the sixth over, but continued after treatment. The opening stand was worth 48 when Mustard (29) drove a catch to long-on off Roelof van der Merwe.Ian Cockbain lofted Max Waller over long-on for six as Gloucestershire eased towards the required run rate and repeated the treatment off Overton. He and Klinger brought the 100 up in the 14th over and by then the outcome was all but settled. Klinger fell for 35, but with only 45 needed off six overs, the hosts were well in control.Noema-Barnett eased any suggestion of late nerves with successive straight sixes of the previously impressive van Meekeren and followed up with two more maximums off van der Merwe to the delight of home fans before holing out with the job virtually done.Jack Taylor finished the match with a six to complete a miserable night for Somerset, who were well beaten.

Arsenal chief Edu is personally in talks with Gremio to close a deal for Bitello this summer, according to reports out of Brazil this week.

Who will Arsenal sign?

It's been a busy, busy summer for the north Londoners as manager Mikel Arteta, after falling just short in his bid to win a title last season, attempts to mount another challenge.

There has been no shortage of ambition at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal completing marquee deals for Germany international Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax and England star Declan Rice in a £105 million move.

The latter agreement comes as a British transfer record for any English player, above the likes of Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham, with Arteta expressing his delight over signing top target Rice.

"We’re really happy that Declan is joining us," Arteta told Arsenal media.

"The responsibility and role he has taken on has been very impressive and we are really excited that he is joining us."

After Rice, Havertz and Timber, there have been reports that the Gunners could still add quality to their ranks before this season is out. Indeed, despite spending in excess of £200 million already, it is believed Arsenal want to sign Brazilian starlet Bitello from Gremio as well.

According to UOL, Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar is personally contact with Gremio as he attempts to close a deal for the 23-year-old.

It's added that a journalist from London has confirmed Arsenal's interest in Bitello, with the hopeful title contenders nearing a move for him this summer.

How good is Bitello?

Over his latest Brasilero season, Bitello has marked himself out as a key star for Gremio and their best-performing player by average match rating according to WhoScored.

The South American is among their top four in terms of shots at goal, key passes made and successful take-ons per 90 in the final third – highlighting his real potential to be a major threat for Arteta (WhoScored).

Scout writer Ben Mattinson of Breaking The Lines, writing on Twitter, says Bitello is Gremio's "main player" alongside former Liverpool star Luiz Suarez – who leads the line for them.

"With great technical ability and passing range, Bitello has become a key figure for Grêmio," said Mattinson on social media.

"If anything is probably their main player alongside Luis Suárez who leads the line for them."

Aaron Catterson-Reid, writing for football.london, also heaped praise on Bitello as a "press resistant" player – which could be useful for Arteta's build-out-from-the-back style.

"Perhaps Bitello's greatest strength is his versatility," wrote Catterson-Reid.

"Typically, he operates as an all-action number eight in a midfield pivot or as a no.10.

"But last season, he was also utilised as a false nine or right-wing on occasion. His ball-carrying is one of his greatest assets, frequently dribbling the ball up the pitch as a means of progression – making him extremely press resistant."

Somerset claimed their first win of the NatWest T0 Blast campaign by plundering 207 for 9 at Uxbridge and then restricting Middlesex to 186 for 7 in reply

ECB Reporters Network16-Jul-2017
ScorecardAdam Hose arrested Somerset’s run of defeats•Getty ImagesSomerset claimed their first win of the NatWest T0 Blast campaign by plundering 207 for 9 at Uxbridge and then restricting Middlesex to 186 for 7 in reply.Adam Hose top-scored for Somerset with a sparkling 59 from 28 balls, with two sixes and eight fours, and Craig Overton was the pick of the visiting bowlers with 3 for 24.The 21-run victory margin will be a huge relief to Somerset, who had lost nine of their ten previous T20 Blast matches, stretching back to last season. That unwanted run had only been cut short by a No Result against Glamorgan at Cardiff the previous evening, when rain swept in after 17 overs of the first innings. Both Somerset and Middlesex now have three points from four South Group matches.Middlesex’s reply got off to a stuttering start with captain Brendon McCullum continuing his poor run of form by chipping a slower ball from Josh Davey to mid off on 7. The New Zealander has now scored just 36 runs from four innings in the competition.Michael Leask’s off spin then accounted for the equally prized scalp of Dawid Malan, the left-hander dragging his back foot out of the crease when he attempted to flick to leg and being smartly stumped by 18-year-old debutant Tom Banton for 7. The delivery was signalled a wide but the dismissal left Middlesex 25 for 2.Eoin Morgan helped Paul Stirling put on 66 in nine overs for the third wicket but Middlesex still required another 117 from nine overs when Stirling skied Overton to deep mid wicket from the first ball of the 12th over to go for 39. He had pulled the first ball he faced, from Davey, over mid wicket for six and there were four legside sixes in all for the stocky Irishman – two of them off Max Waller’s leg spin and the other pulled off Roelof van der Merwe’s slow left arm.Morgan laboured to 33 from 31 balls before hitting Waller high to long on and although both James Franklin and John Simpson hit out defiantly the required run rate continued to climb.Not even taking 26 from the 15th over, bowled by Davey and including three sixes, a four and two wides, could resuscitate the Middlesex innings and soon afterwards Franklin lofted the impressive Overton to long on to go for 25.Simpson departed in the 18th over, caught at extra cover for 27, and Ryan Higgins thumped six fours in an unbeaten 35 off just 16 balls to give a good-sized crowd some extra entertainment in the last few overs. Overton finished the match by having Toby Roland-Jones caught at long off for 1 from the final ball.Earlier, Steven Finn struck twice in his first four balls to reduce Somerset to 19 for 2 in the third over, after they had chosen to bat first. Finn’s first ball was pulled low to mid on by Jim Allenby, who had scored just 3, and then Peter Trego was bowled for 1 by a beauty which trimmed the top of his off stump.Somerset’s innings, though, was revitalised by a third wicket stand of 56 in 4.3 overs between Lewis Gregory and Hose. Gregory, opening for the county for the first time in any format, drove Roland-Jones handsomely over mid off for six and also struck five fours in a 22-ball 37 before being bowled by leg spinner Nathan Sowter’s first ball at the start of the eighth over.At halfway Somerset were 99 for 3 and Hose uppercut Finn for six over third man on his way to a superb 22-ball first T20 fifty. Meanwhile, Finn was being scooped cleverly to fine leg for four by James Hildreth, who stepped outside his off stump to play the shot.Hildreth raced to 38 from 19 balls, slog-sweeping and pulling Sowter for successive sixes before the same bowler turned and sprinted fully 30 yards toward long on to bring off a magnificent running catch after seeing the batsman sky another attempted big hit. He and Hose had added another quickfire 56 in 4.4 overs, with Hildreth hitting three sixes and three fours.Hose drove Sowter over long on for six before being adjudged lbw to the Australian-born leg spinner to leave Somerset 143 for 5.The closing overs featured some more useful hitting by Van der Merwe and Overton, after both Leask and Banton had fallen cheaply. Van der Merwe made 17 before being caught at mid wicket off Tim Southee in the 19th over and Overton reached 19 off 11 balls, including a huge six swung off Southee, before being dismissed in the final over.That success was at least some consolation for Roland-Jones, whose four overs cost 51 runs, and it was a surprise that Higgins did not bowl more than his two overs of medium pace, in which he claimed the wicket of Leask and conceded only nine runs.

Krunal Pandya and Basil Thampi have been rewarded for their excellent form in the 2017 IPL with maiden call-ups to the India A one-day squad, which will tour South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-20170:52

Quick Facts – Krunal Pandya

Allrounder Krunal Pandya and medium pacer Basil Thampi have earned maiden call-ups to the India A side, for the tour of South Africa starting next month. Both players have been included in the 16-man one-day squad.India A squads

For the tri-series: Manish Pandey (capt), Mandeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda, Karun Nair, Krunal Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Vijay Shankar, Axar Patel,Yuzvendra Chahal, Jayant Yadav, Basil Thampi, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Siddarth Kaul

For the four-day games: Karun Nair (capt), Priyank Panchal, Abhinav Mukund, Shreyas Iyer, Ankit Bawne, Sudip Chatterjee, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hanuma Vihari, Jayant Yadav, Shahbaz Nadeem, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Aniket Choudhary, Ankit Rajpoot

Pandya and Thampi were in excellent form in the 2017 IPL in April-May. Thampi’s 11 wickets in his debut season were the second-highest for his team, Gujarat Lions, but it was more his ability to deliver yorkers that caught attention. Pandya established himself as an integral cog in the Mumbai Indians squad that lifted the IPL trophy for a third time, at one point being picked as the sole spinning option over Harbhajan Singh. He finished with 243 runs at 34.71 and struck them at 135.75 to go alongside 10 wickets and an economy rate of under seven.”The aim is not just to represent India for a couple of matches here and there but to play for as long as possible,” Krunal told . It would be a dream come true if I and Hardik [his brother who has already graduated to international cricket] can together play for India in the 2019 World Cup.”Hardik was ecstatic. He called me and said that ‘You are getting there’. Having already played for India, he has an insight about top-flight cricket and I always discuss with him to pick finer points. There can’t be a closer buddy than your own brother.”The squad will be captained by Manish Pandey, who has recovered from the side strain he suffered during the IPL, which kept him out of the Champions Trophy earlier this month.The 15-man squad for the four-day games has batsmen Hanuma Vihari and Sudip Chatterjee, and seamers Ankit Rajpoot and Mohammed Siraj, all of whom have never played first-class cricket for India A. Vihari had a fruitful 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season with Andhra, amassing 688 runs at 57.33, including a double-century. Siraj was Hyderabad’s highest wicket-taker in their run to the quarter-final with 41 scalps, while Rajpoot and Chatterjee also enjoyed good returns. Aniket Choudhary, the left-arm pacer from Rajasthan, who took four wickets in a tour game between India A and the visiting Bangladesh team last year, was also included. Karun Nair will lead the first-class team.The tour kicks off on July 26 with a triangular one-day series, also involving Australia A. India and South Africa will then play two four-day games in August, in Benoni and Potchefstroom.

Nottingham Forest are growing in “confidence” that they will be able to once again secure the services of Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson this summer, according to reliable journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United?

Henderson has been a long-term servant at Old Trafford having graduated from his club’s academy to become a member of the first-team fold, but he’s never been able to establish himself as Erik ten Hag’s number one.

Despite David De Gea having now left, Inter Milan’s Andre Onana has been brought in as the new first-choice, so the youth product’s game time may continue to be extremely limited, meaning that he’s likely to be tempted to look elsewhere to get minutes under his belt.

The England international joined the Reds on a season-long loan last summer and initially started his spell brightly before sustaining a thigh injury that kept him on the sidelines for the final 19 top-flight matches of the season, though that hasn’t stopped Steve Cooper from wanting to bring him back to The City Ground.

According to Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano last week, Evangelos Marinakis has submitted a new “proposal” for the 26-year-old in the hope of temporarily acquiring his services for a second time, and it would appear that the completion of a deal could soon be on the horizon in the Premier League.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Dean Henderson?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti has said that Nottingham Forest are feeling more than optimistic that they will be able to sign Henderson again before the end of the summer window, with talks "progressing".

“Following the signing of Onana, the talks between Nottingham Forest and Man Utd for Dean Henderson are progressing with confidence. Personal terms already agreed, it's up to clubs. Man Utd targeted Zion Suzuki as the new possible 2nd GK.”

Nottingham Forest losing Henderson to injury in 2022/23 was a massive blow for Cooper considering the positive impact he had on the side, but it’s this exact reason why they are correct in wanting to retain the goalkeeper’s services.

Man United’s £120k-per-week earner kept six clean sheets from 20 appearances during his time in the Midlands, where for two of those performances he was rewarded with a man-of-the-match award.

The 6 foot 2 titan recorded a total of 52 saves from 85 shots on target against, giving him a success rate of 65.9%, not to mention that he also ranked in the 92nd percentile for the most number of penalty saves, so he really is a very well-rounded shot-stopper, via FBRef.

Henderson, who was previously dubbed “insane” by his former Sheffield United teammate Sander Berge, finally has an extremely strong range of passing having completed 100% of his short dispatches and 98.9% of his medium dispatches whilst on loan, so bringing him back between the sticks is certainly a no-brainer of a decision for the hierarchy to make, and by the looks of things, it could be a matter of time until he joins Anthony Elanga at The City Ground.

Marcus Trescothick passed Harold Gimblett’s record with his 50th first-class century for Somerset as he helped ensure a draw against Warwickshire

George Dobell at Taunton22-May-2017
ScorecardThere is a rumour in Taunton that when Marcus Trescothick first visited the county ground, the Quantocks hadn’t been formed and the tower of St James’ church hadn’t been built: they were still waiting for the birth of Jesus and the formation of Christianity.While that is probably a slight exaggeration, it is certainty true that Trescothick has become as much a fixture at this old ground as the hills and towers that border it. Since his first-class debut, back in 1993 – the year there was a false start in the Grand National and the Princess of Wales denied any intention of divorcing Prince Charles – this ground has altered almost beyond recognition: the Colin Atkinson Pavilion remains, but the Botham and Somerset stands, and the Somerset, Caddick and Ondaatje pavilions (they like a pavilion round here) have all been added and the place has been transformed from something of a sleepy backwater to a thriving club that produces high-quality players and packs them in for T20 matches. And he now plays at a ground with a stand bearing his name.He is also now the only man in Somerset’s history to record 50 first-class centuries for the club. He equalled Harold Gimblett’s record of 49 against Nottinghamshire in July 2016 and passed it here to help his side to a battling draw. His status as a club legend is absolutely assured.He does not remain through sentiment, either. As he showed, he continues to justify his place in the side as a fine batsman and the most-prized wicket for the opposition. Without him, Somerset might well have subsided to an innings defeat. After his 106 and Peter Trego’s 52 – a stay that contained several strong leg-before shouts and what appeared to be a clear slip catch that was given not out – the next-highest contribution in Somerset’s first innings was 16.Even then, he was still obliged to come out once more to save the game. With Somerset losing their final five first-innings wickets for 22 runs, Warwickshire enforced the follow-on and Trescothick was the man – of course he was the man – who shielded an out-of-sorts middle-order to safety with another two hours of defiance. Tom Abell’s unbeaten innings of 35, easily his highest score of the season to date, might prove quietly significant, too.But this day was all about Trescothick. He batted for all but seven overs of it and the clenched fists and bat raised to all corners of the ground upon reaching his century hinted at how much the individual landmark meant to him. And the fact that it saved his side from defeat meant even more.You won’t hear a bad word about him in these parts. In any parts, really. And it is not just for his runs. It is for his obvious enthusiasm and commitment to the cause – his upset after Somerset finished as runners-up yet again a few years ago was painful to witness – his openness with supporters, his bravery in confronting his mental health issues and trying to help others with theirs. And, perhaps, his vulnerability, too. Somerset are as protective of him as they are proud.There are, as Trescothick accepts, aspects of his story and Gimblett’s that are “not too dissimilar”. Both were local lads who, for many years, plundered runs for their county but were then afflicted by dark moods over which they had no control. But while Trescothick, in time, found sympathy and understanding, Gimblett took his own life. One day, we may well reflect that it has been Trescothick’s work improving the awareness of mental health issues in sport that has been even more significant than his runs. Certainly, he has made life easier for those who come after him.”The cricket gets forgotten quite quickly,” Trescothick said. “The team and the club moves on. But hopefully the mental health work will be remembered a bit longer. Hopefully we have educated a few people and given them hope that they can talk about it and gain help. That will probably live on for longer. In 10 years, that might be what people remember.”Trescothick continues to battle his demons. “Even this week, I’ve had sleepless nights. I’ve not been feeling quite right. You have to manage those feelings and get through those periods. I can still cope and play cricket when I don’t feel right. I’ve learned to manage it a bit.”Such has been his struggle for confidence this season, Trescothick called his sponsors last week for a new batch of bats. Whether the change was real or psychological, 152 runs for one dismissal in this match suggest something clicked. He gave one chance in the second innings – a pull for six that Grant Thornton clung on to but on the wrong side of the boundary – but generally looked wonderfully assured against a ball that was turning sharply by the end of the match.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Of course I still doubt myself,” he said. “Absolutely I doubt myself. That will never go away. I felt a million miles away from form this season. I’ve been really battling for rhythm. But you fight through and I desperately wanted to reach this milestone at home. As a professional sportsman you pride yourself on days like this. It’s what I want more than anything. It’s why I’m still playing at 41.”There’s no reason why there should not be a few more centuries to come. His hunger for the game is such that, even in the last few days, he has been asking to play 2nd XI games to ensure he remains in form – an experience he describes as “brilliant fun”. His days as a white-ball player behind him – it is the fielding that has become the issue – he will appear a fair bit more for the seconds in the coming weeks as T20 dominates the domestic schedule. His young colleagues are lucky to have him.”He is a fantastic bloke and great role model,” Warwickshire’s captain, Ian Bell, agreed. “All the young players here can tap into him and this is a great achievement.”There was a moment in early afternoon when Warwickshire seemed far from convinced what a fantastic bloke he was. Trego, on 34, appeared to have edged to Jonathan Trott at slip but the umpires said they were unsure the ball had carried and Trescothick, naturally, backed his team-mate. He appeared to exchange a few words with Trott, in particular, and perhaps disturbed by the combination of that incident and reaching his century, he fell to a loose drive against a wide delivery a few moments later.His departure precipitated a collapse. Roelof van der Merwe was bowled first ball, attempting an oddly lavish drive, while with 38 more required to avoid the follow-on, Jamie Overton hooked straight to long leg. Thornton finished with four wickets on debut and looks certain to win an extension to his three-month contract. His action is far from pretty but, as Lasith Malinga proved, unusual does not necessarily mean unhelpful.So Warwickshire enforced the follow-on. But two hours was never going to be enough to force victory on this pitch. Still, this was comfortably their best performance of the Championship season and news that Boyd Rankin is back in 2nd XI action and Olly Stone is continuing to improve might encourage them further.Few who were present will recall many of those details, though. This was a day to marvel and celebrate Trescothick’s longevity and excellence. And don’t go thinking that he is coming to the end. A man who knew he required 29 in the first innings to reach 25,000 first-class runs will know he needs just over 2500 more to overhaul Gimblett’s record tally of 21,142 for Somerset. Few would bet against him.”That seems a long way off,” he said. “But I don’t envisage stopping any time soon. There are a lot more years yet to continue with what I’ve got to do. Hopefully I can continue to tape the body up. As long as I’m good enough, I’ll continue to play. I still love playing cricket.”

Ever since Sandro Tonali joined Newcastle United, the running joke has been his constant lack of smile, with many quick to joke that the Italian would much rather still be at AC Milan, rather than the Magpies.His debut display showed anything but an uncommitted player, however, with the Italian putting in an impressive first shift as a Newcastle player. We may not have got that big smile yet, but Eddie Howe certainly has reason to remain positive about his new arrival.With Champions League football to think about in the coming campaign, every player in Howe’s squad will have a job to do. And, given Tonali’s price tag of £55m, he, more so than others, will have the pressure on him to perform.Just 23, the midfielder has the chance to become a constant feature in a potential era to remember at St James’ Park.

Sandro Tonali impresses on Newcastle debut

And while not every new signing is having a great pre-season – check out Kai Havertz at Arsenal for instance – it appears the new NUFC man is settling in smoothly on the pitch.

As you can see from the video, Tonali’s performance, whilst not exactly flashy, was incredibly neat and tidy. Meanwhile, something to note was how physical the Italian was, which should see him settle into the intensity of Premier League football rather quickly.

He also played a part in the build-up to the first goal of the game, playing a fine first-touch pass to grab himself a pre-assist.

Newcastle ran out 2-1 winners at Ibrox against Rangers in what was Alan McGregor’s testimonial match. The Magpies initially took the lead through Miguel Almiron, before Sam Lammers equalised for the hosts after the break.

Securing the victory late on, Harrison Ashby found the back of the net in the 87th minute to hand Newcastle a solid second game of pre-season against the Scottish Premiership side.

Howe’s side started their pre-season against Gateshead, of course, winning 3-2 in a back-and-forth affair as they came back from two goals down.

The Newcastle manager commented on his side’s most recent display, saying: “Bits of the first half was outstanding, some really good football.

“Second half wasn’t as pretty and clean but there were a lot of changes, we managed to find a way to win again and that’s a great thing.”

What kind of player is Sandro Tonali?

Tonali is not a player that will necessarily leave you in awe. But he is a player that you’ll look back on as an important cog in a well-oiled machine, sitting at the base of a midfield three.

To get a better understanding of his talents, Football FanCast have done an in-depth profile on the player which you can read here.

The Italian’s arrival is particularly positive for Bruno Guimaraes, who will have a greater license to advance into a more offensive role next season, such is the discipline of Tonali.

Last season, the Brazilian was involved in 10 goals in all competitions, scoring five and assisting a further five. Suddenly, however, those numbers could increase even more if he is allowed to advance more often.

Tonali certainly has plenty of time to improve, too, given the fact that he’s just 23. And, with that, giving him time to settle wouldn’t exactly be a bad thing. After all, he’s not coming into a Newcastle side in desperate need of reinforcements.

After his debut performance, though, it’s clear that the Magpies have got themselves a player who is more than capable of stepping into England’s top flight, perhaps helping his new side to even greater heights than last season.

Here are some Twitter reactions after his eye-catching display.

Brendon McCullum’s injury reduces Lions’ pool of fit overseas players to four: Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch, James Faulkner and Chirag Suri

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2017Brendon McCullum will miss the last three matches of Gujarat Lions’ IPL 2017 season after suffering a left hamstring strain in the match against Delhi Daredevils on Thursday. Lions were knocked out of contention for playoffs after their seven-wicket defeat to Daredevils.McCullum’s injury reduces Lions’ pool of fit overseas players to four: Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch, James Faulkner and UAE’s Chirag Suri. Injuries had earlier ruled out allrounder Dwayne Bravo and fast bowler Andrew Tye, while Jason Roy has returned to England on international duty.In a tweet, McCullum stated that the “compressed tournament and long travel” had taken a toll.

Injuries are not ideal but part of our sport. Compressed tournament & long travel can be gruelling. Sorry for not being there all the way.

— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) May 5, 2017

With 319 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 147, McCullum is currently the second-highest run-getter for Lions this season, following up on the 354 runs he hit last season.The side, however, has struggled to match its performance from 2016 when they had reached the playoff stage. So far this season, they have three wins in 11 matches.They are also expected to be without fast bowler Nathu Singh for the rest of the tournament, reportedly due to back spasms.Lions are scheduled to play one away match – against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali [May 7] – followed by two home matches against Daredevils [May 10] and Sunrisers Hyderabad [May 13] in Kanpur.