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Leeds United continue to be linked with a man certain to ease the biggest issue emerging from Elland Road of late…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

Having already welcomed Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow to the club this summer, it could be argued that Daniel Farke has sufficiently bolstered a weak backline.

It seems like the German clearly feels that way too, given how reports are detailing their new pursuit of Swansea City striker Joel Piroe.

Football insider has offered a fresh update, suggesting that it will take a sum of around £20m to tempt the Welsh outfit to part with their star man, who has just one year left on his deal at The Swansea.com Stadium.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

They are set to battle with a host of Championship clubs for his signature.

How good is Joel Piroe?

Whilst acquiring the Dutchman would mark outstanding business in its own right, the current injury crisis plaguing Farke's front line is a point of serious concern that makes this move even more important.

Journalist Graham Smyth wrote on Twitter: "Bamford (hamstring) and Rutter (core muscle injury) now doubtful for Cardiff but Farke not yet certain of timescale."

To be without these key attackers for the opening day of the new campaign will be a worry for the new boss, which he will seek to ease before that deadline in just under a week.

Although both struggled last season in the Premier League, at present this would leave them with only youth team strikers to occupy such a role, or else be forced to play someone out of position.

That is where Piroe would come in as a star above all else, likely even the injured pair.

After all, the 23-year-old has shone ever since trading his homeland for England, scoring 22 goals and assisting six in his debut year, before posting a further 21 goal contributions in the league just last season.

Such form unsurprisingly has drawn praise, with Chair of the Swansea City AFC Foundation Andrew Rhodes having predicted something "special" from their new frontman. That has since come to fruition.

Russell Martin would later outline this, detailing his lethal scoring touch as a fine asset in April 2022: "If you wanted it to fall to anyone, it is him, he is so clinical with both feet, and he is a great technician. But the most important thing he has is the right mentality when he gets around the goal.

“He shows composure, he is calm, and he just focuses on his technique, something that all top strikers possess."

Whilst Bamford might have scored 16 during his last Championship campaign, and Rutter boasts immense potential that could thrive under less pressure their new level brings, Piroe would still represent a far more reliable source of goals given he has shone for two consecutive years now.

The former proved himself far from the requisite level last campaign in the top flight, missing 13 big chances as they fell to the drop. Meanwhile, the Frenchman would start just once following his club-record switch in January.

For just £20m, the young finisher would take the goalscoring burden off both of these struggling forwards, hopefully to fire Farke to an instant promotion.

Sabina Park might possibly provide the best batting pitches in the Caribbean, but it has not been the luckiest ground for India. Can the ninth-ranked West Indies pull off a grand upset?

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu05-Jul-2017Match FactsThursday, July 6, 2017
Start time 0900 local (1400 GMT)1:28

‘I’m a proper allrounder’ – Pandya

Big PictureA month ago, the lowest-seeded team went into a world tournament and came away with the championship. Now, in the era of teams cruising to targets of 300-plus, a total of 189 has been successfully defended and a series between the third and the ninth-ranked teams has come to a decider. Ladies and gentlemen, it has finally happened. Miffed at all of us writing it off, and all the talk of little brother T20 taking over the world, fifty-over cricket has decided the time has come to show off the crazy tricks it has up its sleeve. So, Sabina Park, are you ready?Since 2010, three out of nine totals batting first here have exceeded 300. Additionally, during the past seven years, the average run-rate of 5.00 is the highest across venues in the West Indies (minimum nine matches played). Kingston, and it’s fast-paced pitches, offers the best batting conditions in the Caribbean and that plays into India’s hands. (Or not, considering India have only won two out of their seven completed ODIs at the venue).Virat Kohli and his men like to construct their innings organically. They start slowly, build steadily and then only after a certain threshold of overs – in other words, making sure they will not be bowled out – do they vent their anger on the white ball. The first match in North Sound showed this approach in good light, the second not so much. If West Indies’ bowlers can maintain discipline stiflingly enough, things could come to a proper boil. What’s more, they’ve tasted victory – for only the fifth time in their last 20 completed matches – and it was remarkably sweet. Both the captain and coach – Jason Holder and Stuart Law – have already said they want more. Weather permitting, that is.Form guideWest Indies WLLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWLWIn the spotlightFast bowler Kesrick Williams has found great success with his assortment of slower deliveries. With no great pace, he relies on his accuracy and his ability to surprise batsmen with variations. West Indies must have wholehearted trust in his ability to deliver these variations under stress, as they have tended to deploy him in the slog overs.”Our shot selection wasn’t up to the mark,” said Virat Kohli in trying to explain how a veritable artillery of batsmen failed to take down a target of 190. The Indian captain himself has been guilty of that particular error, especially against the short ball in this series. Barring one innings, he has not given himself the time he usually likes to feel comfortable at the crease. Perhaps, with the trophy on the line, he’ll bring out his best.Team newsWest Indies might keep the same team, but they will want their batting line up to be a bit more conscious of scoring runs. In the last five years, and among Full Members, their average of 27.49 and run-rate of 5.13 are only better than Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Kyle Hope, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jason Mohammed, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jason Holder (capt), 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Kesrick Williams, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Alzarri JosephYuvraj Singh was left out of the last ODI in an effort to manage a hamstring niggle. If he is fit again, he might return to the XI. R Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were rested on Sunday, perhaps they might come off the bench for the decider.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh/Dinesh Karthik/Rishabh Pant, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Ravindra Jadeja/R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/ Mohammed Shami, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsOverhead news: the Kingston weather forecast suggests some rain both on the eve and on the day of the match. Underfoot news: it’s the best surface in the Caribbean.Stats and trivia MS Dhoni has 119 not outs in international cricket. If he can go unbeaten in one more innings, he’ll take the record, from Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan West Indies have lost the last six bilateral series against India. Their last victory was at home in 2006, a 4-1 demolition West Indies have won 24 of their 32 ODIs at Sabina Park – including the last nine on the trotQuotes”I don’t count myself as a one-dimensional player. I feel that I should see the scoreboard and play accordingly and that’s how I’m going to learn cricket.”

Liverpool's interest in Paris Saint-Germain and Italy maestro Marco Verratti is a worry for Atletico Madrid's efforts to sign him, according to a transfer update from Spain.

How much does Marco Verratti earn?

The Italian has enjoyed a fantastic career for both club and country, winning countless trophies and arguably standing out as one of the best midfielders of his generation.

Verratti has won an incredible nine Ligue 1 titles during his time with PSG, as well as tasting Euro 2020 glory with Italy, and he has always caught the eye with his ability to dictate a game and keep possession in tight areas in the middle of the park.

The 30-year-old, who currently earns £238,000 per week, only signed a new deal with the French giants back in December, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2026 in the process. Despite this, it could be that he leaves before the 2023/24 season gets underway, with his future up in the air.

With Liverpool very much on the lookout for new signings in the middle of the park, following the exits of so many players this summer, they have been linked with interest in Verratti, and it now seems their watchful eye is causing doubts in Spain.

Could Liverpool sign Marco Verratti?

According to Marca, Atletico Madrid are trying to sign the Italy star but could struggle to due to interest from England, namely Liverpool, who are looking to replace both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

PSG are looking for as much as £60m for Verratti, despite his age, so it remains to be seen if the Reds would be willing to pay that amount for the 30-year-old, but the report believes their presence is a "stumbling block" for Los Rojiblancos.

There is no question that the midfielder is a fantastic footballer who has undoubted experience and pedigree down the years, with Neymar once saying of his teammate:

"I knew Verratti was an excellent player, but I didn't realise he was so spectacular. He's a genius. He's one of the best midfielders I've played with, along with Xavi Hernandez and Iniesta."

For all of Verratti's brilliance as a player, though, it would make little sense in Liverpool signing him, given his age and the fact that he is so similar in style to Thiago. He is also similarly injury-prone, so it would feel like an expensive risk when the Reds have to be bringing in younger options who can cover ground and provide the dynamism that the likes of Fabinho and Henderson once did in their prime.

Frankly, it would be a big surprise if Liverpool ended up making a move for him – the only way it would make any sense is if Thiago also left this summer – and they should instead be turning their attention to options of youthful exuberance like Romeo Lavia, Cheick Doucoure and Khephren Thuram.

While Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have already come in as excellent No.8 options, it is vital that the No.6 position is also filled, so that has to be the main area of focus between now and the end of the summer transfer window, as well as bringing in a left-footed centre-back to add more balance to the defence.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are embroiled in a 'tug-of-war' with other interested parties as they try to land Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Alex Scott going to Wolverhampton Wanderers?

As per Football Insider, Wolves are set to make another bid for Bristol City playmaker Scott as they try to finalise a deal to bring the 19-year-old to Molineux.

The outlet claim that the Old Gold have already seen two offers turned down for Scott, with the second being at around the £20 million mark; however, they are preparing another attempt to land the England Under-20 international, who is valued at £25 million by Bristol City chairman Jon Lansdown.

Premier League outfit Bournemouth are also keen on signing Scott this summer and failed with an offer of £15 million for his services last week as Bristol City stand firm on their valuation of the Guernsey-born midfielder, as per The Daily Mail.

West Ham United and Inter Milan hold an attraction towards Scott; nevertheless, it is thought that Wolves and Bournemouth are frontrunners in the race to offer him a taste of English top flight football at present.

Last term, Scott enjoyed an impressive campaign for Bristol City, registering two goals and five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Scott also provided plenty of opportunities for his teammates over the course of the season, racking up 87 shot-creating actions in the Sky Bet Championship, according to FBRef.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signalled that Wolves are indeed set to up the ante as they try to sign Scott by bidding once more for the starlet.

Jones stated: "Wolves were not expected to go this heavy on Alex Scott based on the fact they are still having to tiptoe around FFP numbers. It shows big intent to make an offer that could reach £20million for a player of his age but at the same time, it was never going to be a deal that would be agreed.

"What they have done is retaliated to Bournemouth’s opening £15million offer and, in theory, we now have a tug-of-war between the clubs. Another bid from both Wolves and Bournemouth is very likely and I would actually edge towards Bournemouth feeling the most confidence about being able to strike a deal on this one.

"Other clubs have watched this in the background so we should be very aware of the fact someone else might come into the frame. But there is no doubt this £25m valuation is proving off-putting."

What other transfer business could Wolverhampton Wanderers conduct?

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is now at the stage where he is ramping up his interest in several stars as he looks to add some quality to his squad at Molineux.

Republic of Ireland international Matt Doherty is a free agent after leaving Atletico Madrid upon the expiration of his contract and is close to making an emotional return to Molineux. He is in the process of having his medical ahead of re-joining his former side, according to The Daily Mail.

Football Insider report that the Old Gold are 'set to complete' the signing of Borussia Monchengladbach central defender Nico Elvedi for a fee in the region of £7.7 million following progress in negotiations.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is another name being courted by Wolves as a potential replacement for Jose Sa, who is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, Mailsport understands.

Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Upul Tharanga has been suspended for his team’s next two matches in the 2017 Champions Trophy because of a “serious” over-rate offence

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-20173:56

Fleming: 12 overs an hour is unacceptable

Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Upul Tharanga has been suspended for his team’s next two matches in the Champions Trophy because of a “serious” over-rate offence in their first group B match against South Africa at The Oval.Sri Lanka took more than four hours to bowl 50 overs, and match referee David Boon ruled they were short of the target by four overs, even after making time allowances. Tharanga had been filling in as captain for Angelo Mathews, who did not make it through a fitness test on the morning of the match, and received two suspension points for the slow over rate.”Tharanga pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” the ICC said. “As two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player, Tharanga has been suspended from his side’s upcoming matches against India and Pakistan, while each of his players have received a fine of 60 per cent.”Tharanga admitted he had been warned on-field that Sri Lanka were falling well behind the over-rate. “I think we were too slow to change over between overs. The umpires had told us that we were lagging, after 10 overs that we were two overs behind. In the last few overs it’s hard to catch up, because you need some time at the death. “He was Sri Lanka’s top scorer against South Africa, making 57 off 69 balls as they fell short by 96 runs in the chase of 300. His suspension now makes it even more imperative that Mathews is fit to face India at The Oval on June 8 as Sri Lanka aim to keep their tournament alive.Speaking before the sanction against Tharanga was confirmed, Dinesh Chandimal, who would be the likely captain if Mathews wasn’t fit, said he had been close to make the opening match.”He just missed this game, but the thing is you can’t risk playing the first game and making it worst,” he said. “He’s got four or five days before the next game to get ready.”

Manchester United have already made their first midfield signing of the summer with Mason Mount confirmed, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of another target who could join him in the centre of the pitch next season.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in Romeo Lavia?

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United remain interested in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer.

As per the report, the Red Devils are just waiting to confirm outgoings before they make a move but are still willing to compete for the players signature in a battle with Premier League rivals Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

How much will Romeo Lavia cost?

Whilst Manchester City have a reported £40m buy-back clause on Lavia, Southampton are confident that they can command a £50m transfer fee from other parties interested in snapping up the young player's services ahead of next season – a fee that could present a stumbling block for Erik ten Hag.

Despite frivolous spending in the past, Man United are taking a much more cautious approach to their summer transfer window and are keen to offload a number of players who aren't up to scratch in order to bolster transfer funds and reduce the wage bill.

Donny van de Beek, Fred, Hannibal Mejbri and Scott McTominay are just some of the players reported to be up for sale this summer and should the club be successful in making some profit on the midfielders, it would surely pave the way for Ten Hag to secure the signing of Lavia this summer.

Despite being relegated from the top flight with the Saints, the Man City graduate has attracted attention for his standout performances in the heart of the team and alongside Casemiro in a deeper role he could be the key to making Mount thrive at Old Trafford.

The Belgian rising star boasts many ball-winning strengths; ranking in the top 30% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for interceptions, tackles, blocks, successful take-ons and pass completion over the last 12 months, as per FBref.

Lavia's efficiency in winning the ball from his opponents whilst also offering great accuracy in his passing range make him the perfect player to build attacking opportunities, play killer passes or feed shot-creating opportunities to Mount, which would be an incredibly valuable asset to Man United and to their new signing, who will be keen to impress next season.

The teenage sensation has captured attention from more than just the club's interested in signing him this summer, with high praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig who tweeted:

"Roméo Lavia is a very underrated passer. Born in 2004. Maturity and quality. 10/10 talent."The future midfield leader of Belgium NT and a top Premier League club."

With that being said, Lavia is definitely one to watch for the Red Devils in their pursuit to rebuild their squad for the future, as he could become part of the next generation of talent that leads the club to dominance and multiple trophies once again.

The hope would be that the 5 foot 11 ace – and Mount – could lead United's title charge next season from the centre of the park.

It was just after tea when the question arose in the Edgbaston press box: ‘Has any side ever lost their first three Championship games in a season by an innings?’

George Dobell at Edgbaston22-Apr-2017
ScorecardIt was just after tea when the question arose in the Edgbaston press box: ‘Has any side ever lost their first three Championship games in a season by an innings?’Whether they have or not*, the fact that the question came up provides a fair reflection of the mood around Warwickshire at present. Kumar Sangakkara had just reached his 50 with a pull so dismissive you half expected him to ruffle the bowler’s hair and ask him what he wanted to be when he grew-up and Mark Stoneman had just reached his second Championship century against Warwickshire this season. Warwickshire still had a first innings lead of almost 100 but the sense persisted that, if Surrey decided to make pelts from the Warwickshire players before the end of this match, there wasn’t much to stop them.In the grand scheme of things, the Warwickshire performances this season don’t even register in a ‘top 10’ of their shockers of the last 20 years or so. And, in a way, that is more of a worry. Because it’s not that they’re playing that badly. They’re just up against sides that are substantially better than them.The second day here exemplified it. Presented with a flat pitch and a strong batting line-up, Warwickshire’s bowlers might have been a fraction tighter. But, basically, they put the ball in pretty good areas, they showed their variations and they demonstrated their heart. But they lacked the pace, the skill or the assistance to break through against a strong side and might reflect that, playing against Sangakkara with one boundary as short as this is like covering yourself in bacon and going to pet a tiger.The truth is, Warwickshire failed to make use of a good batting surface in their first innings. While they undoubtedly had the more testing conditions on the first day, it is worth remembering that they were 126 without loss at one stage. And it’s worth remembering, too, that they were 290 for 4 when Surrey took the second new ball. The final six wickets added only 42 and that included a tenth-wicket stand of 28.Why? Because Surrey’s bowlers – younger, hungrier and yes, a bit quicker – gained a little bit more from the surface and in the air. And Warwickshire’s batsmen, all too often crease-bound and flirty, were not equal to it. Surrey will bowl much better than this in much more helpful conditions.Perhaps Warwickshire were a bit unfortunate. The weather was substantially brighter on the second day and there was no need for floodlights. But by losing their final seven wickets for 69, they pretty much forfeited the opportunity to bat in such conditions. Besides, they still had four wickets in hand when they resumed on Saturday.Most of all, they were unfortunate to come up against two fine batsmen. Stoneman, who has now scored three centuries in his last five Championship innings (he finished his Durham career with one against Hampshire), looked terrific. Having made 165 against Warwickshire on his Championship debut for the club a couple of weeks ago, he dealt with Keith Barker’s swing expertly and looks hungry to ensure this move to Surrey brings the rewards he wants. That career average – in the low 30s – is no reflection of his class.Maybe, on another day, he might have been dismissed without scoring. Certainly his first scoring stroke was his least convincing with Ateeq Javid, at point, flinging himself to his right but finding the sliced drive just out of reach, while later, on 83, William Porterfield at gully should have held on to a sharp chance offered off the admirably persistent Chris Wright.Those moments apart, he looked wonderfully solid and unhurried. He played within himself and, when the bowlers strayed, either picked them off with deflections – he took 18 off one Barker over without needing to play a shot in anger – or cut or drove without fuss or trouble. He added 116 with Scott Borthwick, the pair of them running so fast that it proved impossible for Warwickshire to stem the flow, and then 140 with Sangakkara. It was some surprise when he was adjudged to be leg before and not just because it seemed a little high.As for Sangakkara… to see him skip down the pitch and thread his drive off Jeetan Patel between the fielders in the covers; to see him pull and upper cut sixes when the seamers dropped short; to see him somehow cut Patel behind square so that the ball gained speed as it split the field… however many times you’ve seen him bat, however many centuries you’ve seen and whatever you think of the standard of county cricket, it was refreshing, it was classy, it was beautiful. If you’re in the Edgbaston area on Sunday – hell, if you’re anywhere near the Midlands – it may be worth coming to witness him reaching the 58th first-class century of his career. There won’t be too many opportunities and they really don’t come along like this very often.Not that Warwickshire will be thinking in those terms. They have to believe they can turn around this match – they do still lead by 33, after all – and this season. We’re not even in the last week of April. The sense from those watching, though, is that while they may not have sunk yet, they have struck the iceberg.*Admit it, you were wondering about sides which had started the season with a hat-trick of innings losses, weren’t you? Well, thanks to statistician Andrew Samson we know that Somerset (in 1899) and Glamorgan (in 1922) both lost their first four Championship matches in a season by an innings. But no team has ever lost three by an innings before the end of April. Warwickshire supporters will be hoping they are not on the cusp of history.

Leeds United return to action with a pre-season friendly encounter with rivals Manchester United in Oslo later today, with new boss Daniel Farke likely hoping to make a positive start to his preparations for the upcoming Championship campaign.

One potential concern that the German tactician will have going into that meeting with Erik ten Hag's side is the club's lack of transfer business so far, with no new faces having arrived at Elland Road following their drop into the second tier.

While that fact was likely impacted by the uncertainty over the managerial role prior to Farke's appointment – as well as the change of ownership – the hope will be that the Whites can now truly kickstart the window by making some much-needed additions in the near future.

According to The Athletic's Phil Hay, one man who has been a "long-standing" target for the Yorkshire giants is Coventry City sensation, Gustavo Hamer, with the former Netherlands youth international having been part of the side that reached the play-off final last season.

While Leeds are likely to face competition from Premier League side, Burnley for the 26-year-old, the hope will be that Farke and co can persuade the 5 foot 7 ace to aid in their push for promotion in 2023/24..

If a deal for the Brazil-born dynamo could be secured, it could well represent an upgrade on the club's midfield options of last season…

How many goals has Gustavo Hamer scored for Coventry?

The diminutive gem enjoyed a sparkling 2022/23 campaign after contributing nine goals and registering ten assists in 41 Championship games for Mark Robins' side, taking his total tally to 41 goal involvements in 130 games for his current club.

Previously lauded as "unbelievable" by Robins following his arrival in England from PEC Zwolle back in 2020, Hamer has no doubt warranted the admiring glances from those at Elland Road, with a high profile switch seemingly richly deserved.

With the likes of Marc Roca and Tyler Adams potentially set to be on their way this summer – according to Hay – and with Adam Forshaw having seen his contract expire last month, there is evidently a need to bolster the midfield ranks prior to the start of next term.

The Whites will also be looking to replace January loan arrival, Weston McKennie following the American's return to his parent club, Juventus, with that short-term move having failed to prove fruitful for either the player or the club.

The one-time Schalke ace was seemingly "out of his depth" in English football – according to pundit Jon Newsome – while journalist Dean Jones also suggested that the 24-year-old looked "slow" and "lazy" at times, such were his midfield woes.

Bringing Hamer into the fold could then represent a much-needed upgrade on the 6 ft dud, with McKennie's attacking shortcomings seeing him register to just one goal involvement in 20 outings in the second half of last season – a huge contrast to the Coventry's man displays in the Championship.

Equally, the Juve asset also failed to create a single big chance and averaged just 0.7 key passes per game after failing to offer much in the way of a creative spark, while Hamer was far more impressive after creating 16 big chances and averaging 1.8 key passes per game from his 41 league appearances.

In a defensive sense, the latter man also appears to offer more to the side having averaged 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game, with McKennie averaging just 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game, from far fewer appearances.

Those contrasting fortunes would suggest that Hamer would be a real improvement as far as Leeds are concerned next season, with the aim now to try and see off the Clarets in the battle for the £5.2k-per-week man's signature.

Sunderland must go again. The heartbreak of painfully losing the play-off semi-final will still be etched upon the conscience of the players and the hurting fans.

Meanwhile, their fierce high-flying northern rivals Newcastle have unbelievably reached the pinnacle of Champions League football leaving the Black Cats itching to create some success of their own.

Therefore, another hectic and gruelling season of Championship football beckons, as it now starts in just less than a month and the club still has much work to do in the transfer window to make sure that it's ready.

Last year, much of the goal-scoring firepower was bestowed upon on-loan Manchester United sensation Amad Diallo, who scored 14 league goals.

The Ivorian has already returned to his parent club, whilst Ross Stewart, who netted ten goals in 13 outings, had the best minutes per goal ratio (104) in the division, but his time was blighted by injury and he has been linked with a possible exit from the Stadium of Light.

Kristijaan Speakman, Sunderland’s sporting director, has spoken on Stewart’s uncertain future and said: “The situation is no different to where we have been: we are really keen to retain Ross and everything from his camp is that he’d like to stay. But we haven’t got to an agreement that both parties would like to sign off.

Whether Stewart stays or goes, there's still a gaping hole in the frontline that needs to be filled and there are still rumours circulating around a potential return for Ellis Simms.

What’s the latest on Ellis Simms to Sunderland?

According to the Northern Echo, Sunderland will “keep an eye” on Simms, but have no intention to enter a bidding war for his signature.

The striker only has one year left on his deal at Goodison Park, and the Toffees are open to letting him leave for a fee of around £10m.

The 22-year-old impressed on loan for Sunderland at the beginning of last campaign and was recalled by his parent for the second half of the season as Sean Dyche’s men battled against relegation.

The Wearside giants added teenage forward Luis Semedo last month, who Tony Mowbray revealed is the “only senior striker” in the ranks as Stewart is unlikely to be fit for the start of the season.

Therefore, Simms would be a pivotal addition to the club.

Why would Ellis Simms be a good signing for Sunderland?

The Englishman has already shown he has the capability to perform for Sunderland, having registered nine goal contributions in 14 second-tier starts.

Described as “brilliant” by Dion Dublin, Simms only scored once in the top flight and began just two encounters, as Dyche often preferred Dominic Calvert-Lewin or opted for a false nine approach.

It arguably showed that the youngster isn’t quite ready for consistent Premier League football and a move back to his former club could be the perfect antidote to resurrect his stuttering career.

If the attacker returned to the Stadium of Light, it would see him rekindle a partnership with the effervescent and deliciously talented Jack Clarke.

The former Leeds star notched a league-high 12 assists last year and created 66 chances in total, at a rate of 1.40 per 90.

Such numbers would no doubt benefit Simms, who although didn't receive any assists from Clarke last term, did find the net on seven occasions in 17 outings for the Mackems. Should the two finally combine, therefore, it could be a promotion-winning combo.

Indeed, these two are more than capable of being the spearheads to catapult this historic club back into Premier League prominence.

Australia’s batting coach Graeme Hick spoke about their disappointing day as they were bowled out for 137 to come close to losing the series on Tuesday

Melinda Farrell in Dharamsala27-Mar-2017The Australian players may have enough time to reflect on the missed opportunities that – barring a miraculous performance on Tuesday morning- will likely cost them a series victory.The game seemed finely balanced when Australia began their second innings, trailing India by 32 runs, but the batting line-up crumbled under a sustained assault of both short-pitched bowling and spin. Steven Smith’s dismissal – he misjudged the length of a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery and was bowled – was the catalyst for a collapse that gave Australia a meagre lead of 105 to defend.There was hope when Glenn Maxwell counter-attacked to score 45, but Australia lost five for 31, including his dismissal, with Matthew Wade running out of partners. By stumps, India had all 10 wickets in hand and now require a mere 87 runs to clinch the series and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”Just stating the obvious, you could hear a pin drop in the dressing room,” Australia batting coach Graeme Hick said. “A very disappointing day. There is always a chance until the final ball is bowled. But yeah, a hard day today. The boys are pretty down but they will give it a good crack in the morning and you never know. But it is a tough ask.”You know when you come here, there is the danger of losing wickets in clumps. The hardest part is getting yourself in, getting that first half hour out of the way and then making sure you do the job. I think if I look back over this game and one or two others in the series, I will say we missed an opportunity and left some runs there in the first innings.”From a 130 for 1 on the first day to only put 300 on the board… if we had another 100 runs, 150 runs in that first innings, then we are in the game tomorrow. So while today was very disappointing, it’s not the only reason why we find ourselves in this position.”Australia stuttered right at the start in their second innings when David Warner, after being dropped for the second time in the match by Karun Nair at third slip, drove hard at Umesh Yadav in the fourth over and edged to Wriddhiman Saha. It capped off a disappointing tour for the opener – he has averaged 24.12 for the series, compared to his overall average of 47.42. He did little to change a growing perception that he struggles away from home.”Obviously David will be very disappointed with his aggregate on tour,” Hick said. “He is a very aggressive player, that’s the way he likes to play and the way we like to him play. He was desperate to have a very big tour and to have a very big influence here.”Whether he put himself under a bit too much pressure to do so, only he can answer that. He will reflect on it, as champions do, and feel and assess it himself. But without a doubt, he is one of our major players and you would have hoped for a little bit more from him but he was challenged.”It is tough up front, [Ravindra] Jadeja into the rough, [R] Ashwin bowls really well at him. [They] certainly questioned him. That’s the beauty of the game, it puts these challenges up between great players and makes it very interesting to watch. David will obviously be very disappointed with the way things have gone.”But the critical blow was the loss of Smith’s wicket. The Australian captain has accumulated 499 runs in the series – more than anyone else – and his outstanding form has arguably papered over any weaknesses in Australia’s relatively new-look top six. He had just dispatched consecutive Bhuvneshwar deliveries to the boundary before his dismissal and there was no middle-order stand to provide a Ranchi-style rearguard action.”You’ll look back, and in hindsight in this series, and say that we have been a bit reliant on him, but there again, you’ve had some great contributions and performances,” Hick said. “Saving the game in the last Test, with [Peter] Handscomb and [Shaun] Marsh was as good as any hundred that Steve Smith scored, in those conditions and that pressure. Yeah, the scorecards will show that Steve Smith has had an amazing series and it has looked that way.”He’s just playing wonderful cricket at the moment. He asked me in the dressing room and I just said I think you’re just playing too well. You’re seeing the ball like a football and hitting it to all parts of the grounds. He’s just playing beautifully.”Steve Smith is a huge wicket for us, especially in the form he’s in. Yeah, he’ll be disappointed, as would anyone else. But yeah, very unfortunate for us because he’s had a very good series. He’s got seven hundreds in the last eight Tests against India. He’s got a lot of runs against them. In some respect, you think they haven’t worked out how to bowl to him yet. So that was a bit unfortunate.”