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Alec Stewart celebrated Surrey’s Championship win by saying: “If you produce your own players they fight together”

Jon Culley at New Road13-Sep-2018

Alec Stewart has supervised the building of a strong, largely homegrown squad•Getty Images

No one around the Surrey dressing room understands the spirit of the club more than their director of cricket, Alec Stewart, who made his debut as a player in 1981 but who through his father Micky has an association with the county that goes back virtually the whole of his 55 years.The spirit of the club was uppermost in his thoughts at the close of the 2013 season when, having looked after the team since midsummer following the sacking of team director Chris Adams, he was asked to consider becoming head of the club’s cricketing operations on a permanent basis.In his head was a vision based on that Surrey spirit, a vision that has come to fruition with their first County Championship title for 16 years, when he was still a player.”I met the chairman and the chief executive and I said ‘if I’m going to come back, please let me try and do it my way’,” Stewart said, breaking away from his team’s celebrations after a three-wicket victory over Worcestershire at New Road put the team in an unassailable position with two matches to go.”I said ‘if it doesn’t work kick me out, but if it does work then you can pat me on the back, even though it will be the players who have done it.'”Stewart’s way was to build a team based on homegrown players, which he believes had been the bedrock of Surrey’s 18 previous County Championships, including the three he enjoyed at the end of his career under Adam Hollioake’s captaincy.”I said from the start that we had to have a nucleus of home players,” he said. “It’s almost a unique club in that you’ve got to understand the club to work there I think.”If you produce your own players they fight together. If they come through the system, they understand what the club is about and they want to play for the club, which means that when things get tough they can find that little bit more, and when they win it means more to them.”So I decided pretty early on that I wanted to have that nucleus, to build a squad around homegrown players.”A clearout began almost immediately. Of the last team selected by Adams, only three – Jade Dernbach, Rory Burns and Arun Harinath – are still at the club. Meanwhile, Stewart was identifying the likes of Sam and Tom Curran, Ollie Pope and Amar Virdi as those he wanted to see rising through the ranks.Ollie Pope receives his Test cap from Alec Stewart•Getty Images

“I spoke to Gareth Townsend, the academy director, and said ‘right, who can we bring through?'” Stewart said.”I wanted to identify those players, and then supplement it with players coming in from outside. And that’s what we have done.”We brought in players like Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman and Rikki Clarke. People asked questions about Rikki Clarke’s age but I say it doesn’t matter, he’s a good cricketer.”We had Kumar Sangakkara, who scored eight hundreds but brought so much more that we now have a line that players ask themselves when they are in difficult situations: ‘What would Sanga do?’ And Morne Morkel, this year he has been the icing on the cake.”Stewart paid tribute to his squad but also to his team off the field.”It was important, too, to have the right people in place off the field,” he said. “So it was about appointing good people there, such as Graham Ford, an excellent person, and Michael Di Venuto, who has been outstanding and then people like Vikram Solanki making the transition from player into coach.”Under them this group of players have grown together. It’s a real shame Gareth Batty [Rory Burns’s predecessor as captain] is not here because he has played a massive part over the last four years and is running the second team today.”Of the side in action at Worcester, seven have come through the system. Clarke began his career at Surrey before leaving for Warwickshire. Stoneman, Morkel, Dean Elgar and Ben Foakes are the only exceptions.Surrey’s successes in their history have often sparked periods of sustained dominance and Stewart believes another could be in the offing.”It feels like this is going to be the start of something,” he said. “You don’t want this to be just a one-off and the toughest thing now is to follow it up with more success next year.”We will lose players to England so we have to make sure we have a good squad. We have already signed Jordan Clark and Liam Plunkett with that in mind. You have got to cover for what you are going to lose. We are going to lose the Currans, who will be off to the World Cup, Ollie Pope will be with England, Rory Burns will be with England – that’s for sure, I think.Burns is still awaiting that England call but clearly Stewart has faith it will come.”It’s nice to sit back now and watch this group grow together but the important thing is that they’ve got to continue to grow.”We will celebrate this success. I want the players to enjoy what they have achieved but we want to enjoy the next three or four years too.”

GOAL breaks down who stood out in both a positive and negative sense as the U.S. claimed yet another trophy

In the days leading up to the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, Antonee Robinson said that he wantsed a U.S. men's national team triumph to become an expectation. He wants other countries to find this competition boring. The result, in Robinson's ideal world, would be decided long before a ball was kicked; it would be owned by the USMNT.

Well, Robinson's dream is now pretty damn close to reality. The USMNT continues to dominate the Nations League, having now won all three editions in this tournament's short history.

The road to their latest triumph wasn't easy. The U.S. needed a last-gasp equalizer to survive their encounter with Jamaica before swarming the Reggae Boyz in extra-time. Mexico, though, wouldn't be anywhere near as strong, as the U.S. beat El Tri all over the field to dominate in yet another Dos a Cero under the bright lights.

It was a big camp for the U.S., who continue to prepare for the upcoming Copa America. Several big stars stepped up with big goals in big moments, namely Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, who silenced any doubters worried about their club situations.

Still, there's much to sort out ahead of this summer's Copa, with several spots still up for grabs. That's for a different day, though. For the USMNT, Sunday was about celebrating as they kept hold of their top spot in this region. It may get boring for everyone else, but the U.S. surely isn't tired of these trophy celebrations just yet.

GOAL breaks down the USMNT's winners & losers from the CONCACAF Nations League…

• WINNER: Gio Reyna

  The games were on late in England, but, Nuno Esprito Santo, were you watching? If the Nottingham Forest boss did indeed tune in, he'd have got a pretty good look at how to get the best out of Gio Reyna, as he put in two standout performances that belied his lack of club success this season.

  In the semifinal, Reyna came off the bench to destroy Jamaica. His two assists were fantastic; both perfectly-weighted through balls that few American players have the vision to produce, and Haji Wright was on hand to finish them off.

  Once he'd inspired the USMNT to reach the final, Reyna wasn't done. After a fairly quiet first half against Mexico that saw him dropping just a bit too deep to get the ball, he pounced in the second by scoring a goal of his own that put the game out of El Tri's reach.

  If that was an unfit, uncertain Reyna with very few minutes at club level to speak of, what could a confident Reyna look like? It'll be up to Nuno and Forest to try and figure that out, as surely he can't be ignored now.

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• Getty Images
  

  LOSER: Folarin Balogun

  It's still just not quite coming off for Folarin Balogun in a USMNT shirt. And, because of that, it feels like the race to start as striker this summer is wide open now.

  Balogun wasn't bad, really, but he was quiet. It's now been about a year since his USMNT commitment, and having spent most of that year as the top dog at the No.9 position, it feels like others have caught up.

  Part of that is due to the USMNT's struggles to get much out of him, while Balogun's struggles at Monaco suggest he is not a player in form right now. His biggest concern, though, should be those that are competing with him are really showing up.

  Wright scored twice in the semifinal, proving that Gregg Berhalter was right to call him into camp as a late replacement amid his god recent form for Coventry City. Ricardo Pepi, meanwhile, has had some big moments at club level with PSV this season, even if he didn't really shine against Jamaica during this break. And then there's Josh Sargent, who has scored goal after goal for Norwich City and was unlucky to miss out on this camp due to injury.

  Add in Brandon Vazquez and Jordan Pefok and you have a chaotic striker race. Balogun may still be in the lead, but that lead has shrunk mightily in recent months.

• WINNER: Tyler Adams

  He's back! Adams was 'Captain America' at the World Cup, where he led the USMNT on and off the field through their run in Qatar. Prior to this international break, though, that was the last time we'd seen Adams in a USMNT shirt. Injuries had kept him out ever since, and even as he returned to the team this week, there were justifiable questions about his fitness levels.

  The midfielder, though, silenced any doubters with his performances through the two games. He put in a strong shift against Jamaica, although he was frustrated to be substituted early as his return to full fitness is managed carefully.

  Knowing that there was a similar limit in place for the final against Mexico, Adams made the most of his 45 minutes on the pitch, scoring an absolutely stunning goal just before halftime to lead the U.S. to victory.

  Adams is a huge presence for the U.S., someone that lifts the group during games and everything in between. The Copa America is looming and Adams is building fitness; that's great news for the USMNT.

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• LOSER: Joe Scally

  The USMNT knows what to expect from Sergino Dest: high-flying, highlight-reel attacking play. Against many teams, Dest is a legitimate weapon, another dynamic body leaping into the attack to overload opponents.

  When playing higher-level opponents, though, Dest can be a bit of a liability. That's why many have called for Joe Scally to be brought in against more dangerous teams to provide a bit more defensive stability.

  Scally, though, didn't provide much of that stability against Jamaica, doing little to really raise his stock in the fullback race. He was hooked after 45 minutes and then wasn't used in the win over Mexico in the final.

  Scally was partially at fault for Jamaica's goal as he failed to track Greg Leigh's backpost run, although more of the blame should fall on Antonee Robinson on the other side for losing the ball to begin with. Scally, though, had a few nervy moments thereafter, too, leading to his halftime substitution.

  It wasn't a good window for Scally, who still is very much stuck as backup with little time left to fix it ahead of the Copa America.

Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz has chosen to represent Morocco at international level after reportedly feeling snubbed by Spain, the nation of his birth.

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Brahim Diaz to play for MoroccoQualifies through his grandfatherReal Madrid extend lead at top of La LigaWHAT HAPPENED?

Diaz, born in Malaga to Spanish parents, had dreamed of representing La Roja his whole life but, having grown tired of waiting for a call from national team boss Luis de la Fuente, he has changed his mind – as per Marca's Juan Castro

Castro details how the Moroccan Football Federation's president and Moroccan minister delegate for the budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, had put considerable effort in convincing Diaz to switch allegiance. Even after representing Spain at youth level, the Madrid player did not feel the same level of affection from La Roja and De la Fuente.

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Spain will now miss out on the talents of Diaz, who at just 24-years-old, could still turn into one of the leading players at Real Madrid. Diaz has had a stop-start career so far, but is starting to showcase his obvious talent – epitomised by his stunner against RB Leipzig in the Champions League. Morocco, meanwhile, will gain a gem to add to their plethora of tricky, attacking players.

DID YOU KNOW?

Diaz has qualified to represent the highest ranked African team in the world through his paternal grandfather, Brahim Diaz Abdelkader, who was born in Morocco. He will now play alongside fellow Spanish-born Moroccan superstar, Achraf Hakimi.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BRAHIM DIAZ?

Diaz will have the opportunity to make his international debut for Morocco against Angola on 22 March if he is called up to the Atlas Lions' squad as expected. After the international break, Diaz will return to Madrid where they will resume their hunt for the La Liga title; they sit seven points clear after Sunday's victory against Celta Vigo.

Kent have the Championship star performer of the season in Matt Henry – and surely Heino Kuhn deserves that accolade over 50 overs

David Hopps14-Jun-2018
ScorecardIn a consideration of the most influential overseas recruits in county cricket this summer, there are few reasons to look further than Kent. The area around the channel ports might be in danger of turning into a lorry park as Brexit talks drag on, but down at Canterbury the imports of Matt Henry and Heino Kuhn have been a remarkable success story.Henry, whose 43 wickets at 11.05 have left him streets ahead in the Professional Cricketers’ Association MVP table for the Championship, has gained most attention, but Kuhn has also had a major impact on Kent’s progress to the semi-finals of the Royal London Cup.Kuhn’s third 50-over hundred of the season possessed such authority that the holders, Nottinghamshire, were dispensed with by nine wickets with more than 14 overs to spare. Nottinghamshire’s 255 for 8 represented a respectable recovery from 34 for 4, but Kuhn swallowed it wholesale with an unbeaten 124 from 114 balls as Kent secured a semi-final meeting against Worcestershire on Sunday.Kuhn made little impression when he opened for South Africa in all four Tests on their tour of England last year, averaging only 14.12 with a top score of 34. A chance that perhaps he imagined would never come ended in a matter of weeks and in March, at 34, he accepted a Kolpak deal with Kent. If he continues batting in this manner, it will serve him for a good few years yet.”I thought 320 was par” – Mullaney

Steven Mullaney, Notts captain: “Obviously, from 24 for four you aren’t going to win many games. I thought it was a lovely wicket, maybe a little bit tricky early on. We would have had a bowl first but I thought it was around a 320-par wicket and even then, with the way they were batting, it might not have been enough.”

Notts had Jake Ball and Harry Gurney back in their seam attack, but Kuhn, aggressive from the outset, made light work of both on a pitch that had settled into a fine batting surface. Gurney’s first two overs cost 27 and Kuhn had 25 of them. No Nottinghamshire bowlers managed to contain him and, with Daniel Bell-Drummond making an inconspicuous but sizeable contribution alongside him, Kent’s opening stand stretched to 194 in 28.3 overs before Matt Carter had Bell-Drummond stumped.The match hurried to a conclusion with Joe Denly, who has stood in for Sam Billings as Kent captain for much of the season, lofting Carter’s offspin majestically for three straightish sixes in a showman’s half-century comprising five sixes in all and made in only 27 balls.Billings, released like Ball from England’s ODI squad, never got to the crease, and will have to turn his attentions to Worcester as he attempts to make his mark in a season that has brought him only 10 runs in four Royal London innings and no appearance yet in the Championship. This effervescent cricketer has many fine qualities and, as he marks his 27th birthday on Friday, the gift he most deserves as he enters the peak years of his career is to feel the sun on his back and the ball on his bat.Nottinghamshire had not met Kent in a knockout tie since the Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final back in 1989 – a year in which they went on to win the competition – but such good omens were forgotten on a windy morning as Storm Hector, the strongest June storm for 30 years, was joined by the less-forecast Storm Harry, in the shape of Harry Podmore, who would not have got a game had not Mitch Claydon tweaked a groin in training the evening before, but who took his chance with alacrity by removing four of the top six in returning 4 for 57.Steven Mullaney rebuilt for Notts with an innings of 90•Getty ImagesA poke from Tom Moores, a toe-ended drive from Chris Nash and a pull down the throat of deep square leg by Riki Wessels, who had been markedly restrained for the first 10 overs, gave Podmore unexpected riches. Henry’s sole wicket was an important contribution as fellow Kiwi Ross Taylor was lbw for nought to a full-length ball.Steven Mullaney orchestrated the recovery, his 90 from 108 balls calmly made and replete with his favourite forays over the off side. England Lions are about to gain a shrewd, if understated, captain for the triangular series against India A and West Indies A. He was Podmore’s final victim, an attempted heave down the ground arcing to short third man.Those who assumed that Notts were spent upon his departure had not reckoned with the bowling bulwark, Luke Fletcher. The 28 balls after Mullaney’s demise brought 57 and Fletcher smote an unbeaten 54 from 34 balls, his highest score in List A cricket, to the sort of cheers that identified him as one of the most popular players in the game.There was muscle, a little tomfoolery and a moment to put your heart in your mouth when he ducked into a short ball from Matt Henry, only to raise his bat in front of his helmet in defensive defiance. Notts fans chuckled during the interval over how Fletcher had hauled them back into the game; Kuhn soon proved he had done nothing of the sort.

Amid growing interest in Alexander Isak’s signature, Newcastle United have reportedly joined the race to sign a Champions League striker who could yet replace the Swede this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies saw their momentum come to a crashing halt at The Etihad last time out as Manchester City did in 90 minutes what Arsenal failed to do across 180 by easing past Eddie Howe’s side. On a rare occasion in which many in Tyneside would have deemed Manchester City a very winnable game in their current state, they soon endured a humbling afternoon.

It’s a result that they’ll want to forget about sooner rather than later and the visit of Nottingham Forest certainly gives those at St James’ Park the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

Meanwhile, as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast, so do the transfer rumours surrounding Isak. The in-form Swede has reportedly attracted the interest of several top Premier League sides, including both Liverpool and Arsenal to send the alarm bells ringing around Tyneside. Left with little choice but to consider their options, the Magpies have seemingly turned towards Italy.

Newcastle want "incredible" 25 y/o who can be their right-sided Gordon

His team won at St James’ Park earlier this season.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 17, 2025

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle are now battling to sign Dusan Vlahovic ahead of Tottenham Hotspur this summer amid concerns over Isak’s future. The Serbia international has fallen down the pecking order since Randal Kolo Muani’s arrival on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January and has seen his valuation fall to £50m as a result.

Whilst their spending power has been a problem in the past, the sale of Isak would likely turn a £50m deal into a routine transfer for all involved at Newcastle. Still just 25 years old too, Vlahovic could quickly prove to be a bargain buy.

"Important" Vlahovic could replace Isak

Replacing Isak will undoubtedly be a near-impossible task whenever Newcastle are forced to do so, but the potential availability of Vlahovic should ease their concerns this summer. Whilst the forward hasn’t endured an easy time at Juventus, he has shown in glimpses just how clinical he can be in front of goal at a time in which the Old Lady’s powers are waning in Serie A.

Starts

16

23

Goals

8

17

Assists

1

5

Expected Goals

10

14.2

The alarm bell that will be ringing for Newcastle when looking at the numbers is that Vlahovic has underperformed when it comes to expected goals, which is where Isak has thrived. In that department, the Serb would need to enjoy instant improvement if he is to be among the top candidates to arrive this summer.

Meanwhile, Thiago Motta may not be keen to show the door to his forward, having told reporters at the end of January when asked about Vlahovic: “How did he react? Very good, very positive guy, very positive leader for the team.

“He came back from a small injury. When he participated, he helped the team a lot. He knows that he can also be an important choice in the second half to have a different profile, a different characteristic and maintain or raise our level to play a full game of 95 minutes.”

Newcastle United have had scouts keeping tabs on an exciting new defender, and a fresh report has revealed the chances of him moving to the Premier League.

What's the latest transfer news at Newcastle?

Last week, Eddie Howe received an in-house boost when Callum Wilson put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension that runs until 2025, but outside of the northeast, there have been a few names doing the rounds as to who the boss could potentially target in the market next year.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs recently name-checked the black and white stripes as a possible destination for West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen should he be on the move, while other outlets have linked the likes of Paris Saint-Germain’s Hugo Ekitike and Royal Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren with a switch to St. James’ Park.

Now, a new name to have entered the fold is Boca Juniors left-back Valentin Barco who, having worked his way up through the academy ranks to get promoted to the first-team, has so far made 22 senior appearances for Jorge Almiron’s side.

In addition, Argentina’s youth international will be out of contract in December 2024 meaning that his club could be tempted to cash in should they receive a respectable offer to risk not losing him for free at the end of next year, and if the following update is to be believed, the 19-year-old has a whole host of clubs chasing him.

Are Newcastle signing Valentin Barco?

According to 90min, Newcastle, Chelsea, Manchester City, Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest have “all watched” Barco in recent weeks. However, Brighton and Hove Albion are currently in pole position to secure the defender’s services having already held talks with his representatives.

Celtic, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Porto, Roma, Juventus, PSG and Monaco have also been keeping close tabs on the in-demand teenager, but as previously stated, Roberto De Zerbi’s side are the favourites.

Boca Juniors are looking to get their prized asset to sign a new long-term contract to fend off interest, but with his current deal including a €10m (£8m) release clause, potential suitors have sniffed out the ideal opportunity to sign him.

How good is Valentin Barco?

Whilst Barco is still at a very young age, he’s already been dubbed the “Argentinian Marcelo” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and even though he might not be ready to be thrown straight into the senior action, he would be a fantastic signing for the long-term future of Newcastle.

Boca’s left-footed ace posted three contributions (two assists and one goal) in 19 outings across all competitions last season and loves to use his pace to burst down the flank and whip balls into the opposition’s box, racking up 48 crosses, which is the third-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef.

Sponsored by Adidas, Barco, who represented his nation at the U20s World Cup, even has the versatility to operate everywhere down the left-hand side of the pitch in defence, midfield and attack, so this really is a no-brainer of a deal to pursue.

Nottingham Forest's pursuit of Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel has been well-documented and a big update has now emerged, courtesy of journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Gonzalo Montiel?

The 26-year-old was something of an unknown amongst British football fans until relatively recently, even though he was a perfectly solid performer for Sevilla, having arrived at the La Liga side from River Plate back in 2021.

That all changed at the 2022 World Cup, however, as he tasted glory with Argentina, famously stroking home the winning penalty in the shootout victory over France in the final. It was a truly iconic moment for the country, as they won the competition for the first time since 1986, and it etched Montiel's name into Argentine folklore forever.

At club level, a move away from Sevilla – where he makes £20k-per-week – has looked increasingly likely this summer, however, and it is Forest who have emerged as the strong favourites to snap him up for some time now.

The Reds are still looking for defensive reinforcements and the right-back has stood out as a good option to battle the likes of Serge Aurier and Neco Williams for playing time this season, allowing Steve Cooper to rotate his squad and keep it fresh the longer the campaign goes on.

Now, a fresh update has emerged – one that suggests Montiel could be announced as a Forest player sooner rather than later, as the City Ground welcomes yet another new face to the club.

Will Nottingham Forest sign Gonzalo Montiel?

Taking to Twitter, Romano provided a significant update regarding the Reds' move for Montiel this summer, with the transfer now very close to being completed and medical potentially on the cards imminently:

"Nottingham Forest are closing in on Gonzalo Montiel deal – agreement on personal terms being finalised then medical on Monday. Deal will cost €11m (£9.4m), as @CLMerlo has reported."

This is great news for Forest, at a time when they need to build on last season's Premier League survival and become a genuinely established top-flight club again, rather than finding themselves battling for their lives come the spring.

While Montiel may not be the most explosive of full-backs, he is an experienced head with lots of defensive nous, having made 72 appearances for Sevilla and won 23 caps for Argentina, scoring once for his country, aside from his aforementioned penalty heroics last winter.

That moment back in December may have given him an extra winning mentality – he also scored the winning spot-kick in last year's Europa League final – which should stand him in good stead and possibly impact on the squad's mentality when he arrives, with World Cup winners a rare commodity in football.

Montiel could come in as a less flamboyant but more solid alternative to Aurier at right-back, having averaged 1.5 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game in last season's Champions League, as well as registering three assists in La Liga in 2022/23.

These are exactly the kind of signings that will make Forest strong moving forward, and at 26, there is no reason why the defender can't be a key man for the next five or six years.

Mumbai lose Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer early, MP bundle out Odisha for 147 and Swapnil Singh rescues Baroda after TN pacers strike

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2017

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mumbai started their quest to qualify for the knockouts by dismissing Tripura for 195 but stuttered in reply to end the day on 77 for 3 at Wankhede Stadium. The hosts lost Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer for one run each and Suryakumar Yadav for 30 even as Jay Bista kept their hopes alive with an unbeaten 43.Medium-pacer Akash Parkar – playing his fourth first-class match – capitalised on Mumbai’s decision to bowl with a maiden five-wicket haul. Dhawal Kulkarni dented Tripura with two early wickets before Parkar also struck twice and Bista effected a run-out to leave the tourists reeling on 96 for 5.Yashpal Singh halted the collapse with his 33. His 41-run stand with captain Manisankar Murasingh who went on to score 43 led the score past 150. But Parkar dismissed both Yashpal and Murasingh and was on a hat-trick in the 54th over to leave Tripura on 152 for 8. The visitors added another 43 for the last two wickets before Kulkarni took the last wicket to finish with 3 for 67 while Parkar had 5 for 32 from 16 overs.In reply, Shaw lasted only 12 deliveries as he was bowled by Rana Dutta and Murasingh had Iyer caught behind in the seventh over. Bista and Suryakumar counterattacked with a 50-run stand in less than 11 overs, Suryakumar handed a return catch to Abhijit Sarkar for 30 which made them stutter again.Led by Chandrakant Sakure, Madhya Pradesh’s pace attack ran through Odisha to bundle them out for 147 on the first day in Indore. Sakure’s four-for was assisted by three wickets from Puneet Datey and two from Ishwar Pandey, before MP ended the day on a stable 96 for 1, trailing by only 51 runs.MP’s bowlers cashed in on their decision to bowl as Datey struck on his sixth ball and Pandey in his third over. Only opener Ranjit Singh, captain Govinda Poddar and No. 5 Shantanu Mishra scored in double-digits as the MP bowlers did not allow any partnership to go beyond 44. Mishra resisted with 60 in over two hours even as Sakure troubled the middle and lower order. Odisha lost five wickets for only 33 runs to stutter to 138 for 9 before they were all out in the 53rd over.MP lost opener and debutant Aryaman Birla for a patient 16 off 67 when he was trapped lbw after an opening stand of 72 with Rajat Patidar. Captain Devendra Bundela and Patidar played out the next nine overs as Patidar did the bulk of the scoring with an unbeaten 72 with the help of nine fours.Swapnil Singh’s unbeaten 94 led the Baroda score past 250 while the Tamil Nadu medium-pacers helped remove eight batsmen in Vadodara. All of Baroda’s top five batsmen got starts with double-digit scores but only Swapnil converted and scored beyond 25. He was later assisted with a useful 42 from No. 9 Kartik Kakade, putting on 69 runs for the eighth wicket.K Vignesh started Baroda’s stutter by removing the openers and Washington Sundar dismissed Vishnu Solanki for 20. Deepak Hooda, the captain, then handed a return catch to Sai Kishore for 20. Baroda lost four wickets for 37 runs – two of those taken by J Kousik – leaving the hosts on 176 for 7. Swapnil and Kakade joined forces to steer them close to 250 before Kakade was run-out, but after hitting five fours and two sixes. Swapnil struck three sixes and 10 fours as he led the team to 254 for 8.

Manchester United are believed to be preparing a move for OGC Nice defender, Jean-Clair Todibo, with the Red Devils likely to be in need of further reinforcements amid the uncertainty over Harry Maguire's future at Old Trafford.

How much would Todibo cost?

According to the Daily Mail, the Premier League giants are planning a move for the promising Frenchman – as well as Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat – this summer, albeit with player sales needing to take place before any new signings can arrive through the door.

As per the report, United are looking to move on both Donny van de Beek and Fred at present, while the club are also said to be awaiting 'better offers' for both Eric Bailly and Maguire – with the latter man said to have been the subject of a £30m bid from West Ham United.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

With Todibo believed to be 'among their targets', prior reports have indicated that Erik ten Hag's side could be able to snap up the 23-year-old for a fee of around €30m (£26m), with four years still left to run on his current deal in Nice.

How good is Todibo?

Ten Hag does already have an established centre-back pairing at his disposal in the form of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, although with the ex-Real Madrid man having repeatedly been hampered by injury during his two seasons in Manchester, the signing of his compatriot could prove a worthwhile venture.

While Todibo's prior experience at a truly elite club failed to work out – as he made just five first-team appearances during his time at Barcelona – he has since recovered amid his standout displays in his native France, having arguably emerged as "one of the most underrated CBs in Europe", according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Rio Ferdinand

Described as the "complete package" who has "superb build-up and defensive attributes", in the words of Kulig, the 6 foot 3 rock could well prove to be the dream heir to ex-United man, Rio Ferdinand, with the now-retired ace having also been something of an all-round talent during his glittering stint at the Theatre of Dreams.

The six-time title winner was a truly formidable and elegant figure during his pomp, having been lauded as the best Premier League defender of all time by Liverpool colossus Virgil van Dijk, while also earning an inclusion in the competition's Hall of Fame.

As per the Premier League's official website, the former England international – who made over 450 appearances for the Red Devils – was notably 'one of the greatest ball-playing central defenders of his era', due to his 'ability to carry and play the ball, paired with his natural pace and relentless desire to win'.

Todibo appears to share that composure at playing out from the back as he ranks in the top 15% among his European peers for progressive passes, as well as in the top 5% for successful take-ons, proving just how regularly he looks to carry the ball forward from his defensive berth.

Not that the towering titan shirks his defensive responsibilities, however, as he also ranks in the top 10% for tackles made as a marker of his ball-winning prowess, with German legend Lothar Matthaus previously branding him "the best centre back I've seen in a long time" ahead of his move to Bundesliga side Schalke in 2020.

Also described as "incredibly calm" by Matthaus, the former Toulouse starlet appears to have the necessary traits to prove the perfect successor to Ferdinand in the backline, with the Englishman having left behind a notable void following his exit back in 2014, such were his achievements prior to that.

Liverpool have already had their first bid of £40m for Romeo Lavia rejected, and now a fresh update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's pursuit of the player.

How much will Romeo Lavia cost?

According to Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are "ready" to make a second bid for the Southampton midfielder.

Romano revealed on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon:

"Understand Liverpool new formal bid for Roméo Lavia is almost ready — around £42.5m guaranteed fee plus £2.5m add ons up to total £45m package

"Liverpool want to be fast as Chelsea are still interested in Lavia, keeping close eye. Arsenal gone quiet as Thomas [Partey] could now stay."

Southampton's relegation to the Championship has now made Lavia a prime target for many Premier League clubs and due to the increased interest in their youth prospect have slapped a £50m price tag on the Manchester City academy graduate's head this summer – a price-point Liverpool are yet to match.

Do Liverpool need to sign Romeo Lavia?

Despite having a successful transfer window with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, Jurgen Klopp is now being forced to consider adding more depth to the centre of the pitch ahead of the new season.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has confirmed his departure from Anfield after 12 years of service upon his imminent move to Saudia Arabia via Al-Ettifaq, whilst a move to the Saudi Pro League for Fabinho is looking increasingly likely too.

It was reported that Fabinho's £40m transfer to Al Ittihad was in jeopardy, however, The Times reporter Paul Joyce revealed yesterday that it is expected that the 29-year-old will leave.

This means that Klopp is set to lose two of his most experienced deep-lying midfielders, leaving behind break-out star Stefan Bajcetic and extremely injury-prone Thiago Alcantara, so there is definitely pressure for Liverpool to complete more signings to bolster that defensive presence in midfield.

As a result, the signing of Lavia – once hailed a "10/10 talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – is a much-needed piece of business for the Reds this summer, and if they can come to an agreement with Southampton in the coming days and weeks, it would provide Klopp with not only the perfect replacement for Fabinho but a future star to develop.

When comparing the 19-year-old sensation's output to Fabinho's last season, Lavia came close to his Brazilian positional peer in a number of key attributes including the percentage of dribblers tackled (39.6% v 38.7%), successful take-ons (56% v 46.7%) and pass completion (86.2% v 88.3%), as per FBref.

Not only that, the Belgian ranked in the top 30% of his positional peers in the Premier League last season per 90 minutes played for blocks, interceptions, tackles won in the middle third, successful take-ons and pass completion, demonstrating that he has been a promising prospect during his first season in the top-flight.

Those are all desirable attributes and with his chief holding midfielder Fabinho departing, they will be required greatly by Klopp and co.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see whether Saints will agree to part with Lavia for £5m less than their original asking price and if they can beat competitors to a deal, it would set up the next generation of Liverpool's midfield for years to come.