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Southampton completing the signing of VfB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic would represent a big “improvement” according to journalist Peter O’Rourke.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke said:

“I think up front they’re maybe a bit light. So, I think Kalajdzic would be an improvement on what they’ve got already and a focal point that maybe they’ve been missing for the last couple of seasons.

“So, I think he could be a real good signing for Southampton, and I’m sure there’ll be other clubs interested in him as well.”

Saints are one of several clubs interested in signing the Austrian centre-forward, but face stiff competition from fellow Premier League clubs Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion as well as Portuguese side Benfica.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported their interest back in May, but a formal offer is yet to be made for the player who is rated at €25m (£21m) by his club.

He’s an”Ibrahimovic-Machine”

Kalajdzic produced some impressive displays in the Bundesliga last season appearing 15 times and being directly involved in seven goals. At only 25 years old he also has many years ahead of him to improve.

Given the clubs that have shown interest, it would be a real coup for Saints to sign him and he would offer them something different compared to their current options.

At 6 foot 6 inches, Kalajdzic is the tallest player in the German top division and it has led to him being compared to some notable tall players.

In an interview with bundesliga.com two years ago he was asked what nicknames he’s been given, and he said how he’s been compared with Peter Crouch as well as being called an “Ibrahimovic-Machine”.

Tall “lanky” players have had success in the Premier League in the past, with Ibrahimovic himself scoring 17 goals in 33 league appearances during his time at United.

Could Kalajdzic follow in his footsteps by moving to Old Trafford? or could he relish the chance to link up with his fellow countryman Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton?

Supporters of the south coast side will be hoping it’s the latter, and with the club in desperate need of reinforcements up front to ensure they don’t find themselves in a relegation battle next season, they should do everything they can to sign him.

AND in other news: Hassenhuttl can form “spectacular” Saints duo by swooping for “quality” £10m maestro…

Tottenham are enjoying a superb summer transfer window so far and may yet improve upon their four completed deals to date.

Fabio Paratici is wasting no time in adding to Antonio Conte’s squad and has snapped up Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, and Richarlison on permanent deals ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

They are still in the market to add further depth to their ranks as they continue to be linked with players across the globe.

ESPN Brazil recently reported that Spurs are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Lyon attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

It remains to be seen how much the Ligue 1 club are currently looking for, but previous reports suggest he could cost as much as £58m.

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FBRef list Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne as one of the most similar players to Paqueta in Europe’s top five leagues and this means that Paratici can land Antonio Conte his own version of the Belgian international by snapping the Brazilian up.

Like the Cityzens midfielder, the Lyon man is capable of providing attacking quality from the middle of the park and has proven that he can score and assist goals at the top level.

In the Premier League last season, no Tottenham central midfielder was able to chip in with more than two goals or more than four assists.

Conte is, therefore, not blessed with attacking quality in midfield and that is where Paqueta can come in to solve a key problem. In two Ligue 1 seasons in France, the Brazil international has produced an eye-catching 18 goals and 11 assists.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him a “joy to watch” and Spurs fans would surely enjoy watching him play if he consistently scored and created goals in the top-flight in the years to come, like de Bruyne does for Manchester City – with 15 goals and eight assists in the Premier League last term.

Paqueta’s statistics for Lyon suggest that he has the quality to make a similar impact in the final third and that is why he can be Conte’s own version of the Belgian.

He can be the midfield talisman to make things happen in transition, which would also take pressure off the likes of Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane whilst also providing them with more chances to score.

At the age of 24, he also has the potential to be a midfield star for Spurs for many years to come and bringing him in would be an investment for the future, as well as a player for the here and now.

AND in other news, Deal agreed: Fabrizio Romano drops big Spurs transfer claim, Conte will be buzzing…

Manchester United are ‘exploring’ a move for Ajax winger Antony, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Plenty of targets

The Red Devils are yet to make a marquee signing for Erik ten Hag despite seemingly having a number of apparent targets.

United’s priority is still a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while an offer has been made for free agent Christian Eriksen.

Defensive reinforcements could also be on the radar, with Ajax’s Jurrien Timber and Villarreal’s Pau Torres two potential targets, and Romano has added Antony to that list.

The Latest: Another one…

Talking to GiveMeSport, Romano was quizzed on United and Antony, stating that the club are ‘exploring’ a move and have held internal discussions.

The transfer expert also claimed that Ten Hag has done ‘incredible work’ in developing the winger in the Netherlands.

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“Of course, Antony is one of the players they are exploring and they have discussed internally. Erik ten Hag is a big fan of this boy.

“The Antony [we see] today is also thanks to the incredible work of Erik ten Hag. So, it’s absolutely normal to explore this possibility.”

The Verdict: Clever move?

Antony is a right-winger who contributed to 22 goals in 32 games under Ten Hag last season. The United boss currently doesn’t have a senior right-winger at Old Trafford, so a move for the Brazilian would make sense.

The 22-year-old is valued at a career-high £31.5m by Transfermarkt, so United would be getting a high-quality attacker who, you’d like to think, has the scope to improve on his already impressive game, making it a shrewd transfer in both the short and long term.

In other news: Man Utd make bid to sign attacking ‘storm’ after multiple phone calls. 

Tottenham Hotspur are now aiming to seal an agreement for one of manager Antonio Conte’s targets with his club ready to cash-in, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs making moves…

Spurs’ summer transfer window looks set to be a busy one with the Lilywhites having already confirmed both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster’s signings on Bosman deals.

Reports suggest even more additions could be in the pipeline at Hotspur Way as club chief Fabio Paratici is tasked with backing Conte in the market – coming after their £150 million equity increase.

A Premier League top-four finish and qualification for the Champions League came as an almighty boost for the north Londoners who are now seeking to bolster Conte’s options for his first full season in charge.

The Latest: Spurs aiming to seal agreement…

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Now, according to Football Insider, there has been a very promising development out of Tottenham involving one of Conte’s targets.

Indeed, as per the outlet, Paratici and co are ‘looking to secure an agreement’ for Middlesbrough wing-back Djed Spence after stepping up their chase ‘in recent days’.

Spurs are apparently in advanced talks to sign the 21-year-old with Boro now ‘ready to cash in’.

The Verdict: Big news…

The Englishman’s possible signing will not only help to balance Tottenham’s homegrown quota books, but Spence could also provide an injection of real quality down Conte’s right hand side.

Called an ‘exciting player’ by members of the press (Marc Williams, Basford United head of media), the defender shone on loan at Nottingham Forest over 2021/2022, becoming a mainstay for manager Steve Cooper.

He seriously contributed towards their promotion back to the top flight and finished the campaign as their sixth-best performing player by average match rating (WhoScored).

Spence also delivered the joint-second most crosses per 90 from out wide whilst completing their third-highest rate of successful take-ons (WhoScored) – highlighting his real threat as an overlapping full-back.

Conte will certainly be hoping to get this deal done.

In other news: ‘Being negotiated’ – Club now want their ‘sensational’ international to join Tottenham, find out more here.

Manchester United have been linked with Darwin Nunez recently and the Benfica forward could be Cristiano Ronaldo 2.0 at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to talkSPORT, United are pursuing a deal to sign the 22-year-old Uruguayan, with the youngster reportedly keen on joining Erik ten Hag’s side this summer as the Red Devils plan a squad overhaul.

Nunez has enjoyed a fantastic season with Benfica, contributing 26 goals and four assists in just 28 Liga NOS appearances for the Eagles, averaging a superb 7.62 rating for his performances from WhoScored.

It is no surprise that his performances have attracted the interest of a number of clubs across Europe, but if talkSPORT are to be believed, United might just have the edge on signing him.

Ronaldo 2.0

United have, of course, had a lot of success with Portuguese league signings in the past, with Cristiano Ronaldo the prime example.

The legendary forward initially joined the Red Devils from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and he went on to become one of the world’s best during his time at Old Trafford, contributing 18 goals and seven assists in his final Premier League season before his world-record move to Real Madrid.

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Unlike any of United’s players, Nunez was able to cause Liverpool some real problems last season, scoring in both legs in the Champions League against the Merseyside outfit, which was enough to earn the praise of Jurgen Klopp.

He said: “Really good, really good, I have to say. I knew him before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with these tough battles with Ibou Konate. Physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish when he finished the goal off.

Newcastle United reportedly now face an uphill battle to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the summer.

The Lowdown: Enquiry made

It has been reported that both the St. James’ Park faithful and Arsenal have now made an enquiry over the possibility of signing Calvert-Lewin this summer, as he is almost certainly going to leave Goodison Park if they end up getting relegated from the Premier League.

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Unfortunately for the England international, his season has been hit by constant injuries, but he has shown his credentials in previous campaigns at the Merseyside club (Transfermarkt), while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has even gone as far as to claim that the striker is ‘one of the best‘ in his position.

Thus, it is no surprise that Calvert-Lewin is subject to interest from a number of clubs in the top flight.

The Latest: Arsenal preferred

As per Football Insider, a recruitment source has now revealed that Calvert-Lewin has ‘told friends’ that he would prefer a move to the Gunners over the Magpies, and that he is ‘likely’ to leave the Toffees this summer, whether they end up relegated or not.

The Tyneside outfit may be able to compete with Mikel Arteta’s team in terms of how much money they can offer, but if the North London club end up qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, they will likely face an uphill battle to convince Calvert-Lewin to sign for them instead.

The Verdict: Don’t panic

There is no need for the Toon to panic if Calvert-Lewin decided to move to the Emirates Stadium ahead of St. James’ Park.

Given his injury problems this term, Eddie Howe may want to think twice about whether the 25-year-old would be worth the price tag, which should be heightened given his age and the fact that he is an English international.

Nonetheless, they will have plenty of other quality targets to look at, like Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike, and so the board should just take their time with regards to Calvert-Lewin’s situation.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ Champions League winner NUFC are now eyeing here!

Not so long ago, it seemed England had forgotten how to bat time, had few spin options and little idea how to strike with the Kookaburra ball

George Dobell in Port Elizabeth20-Jan-2020It’s amazing how a couple of weeks can change things.A couple of weeks ago, after defeat in Pretoria, it seemed England had forgotten how to bat time, had few spin options and little idea how to strike with the Kookaburra ball.Now? Well, you still suspect that, were this England side to arrive in Australia for an Ashes series tomorrow, they would struggle. Maybe they still will in 22 months. But it feels as if they are, at least, heading in the right direction.The basic statistics are these: an England team that has struggled to claim wickets in overseas Tests has now claimed 20 in three games in succession. An England side that has struggled to build substantial totals has now scored 391 for 8 and 499 for 9 in successive innings, while an England side that has struggled to win away from home has now won successive Tests in South Africa for the first time since 1956. And they’ve won an overseas Test by an innings for the first time since January 2011, too. These are significant achievements. They deserve credit for them.There are two key factors at the heart of this resurgence and, to some extent, the new coach, Chris Silverwood, deserves credit for them both. The first is the very obvious change of approach with the bat; an acceptance that all that talk of positivity and aggression that accompanied the previous regime’s efforts to build a Test side was naïve. This side, with Dom Sibley setting the tone at the top of the order, is much more inclined to take the old-fashioned approach to innings building: slow and steady, with an acceptance that the middle-order can accelerate far more easily if the shine has been taken off the ball and the bowlers are into their fourth or fifth spells. They are all the better for it.The second factor is the decision to trust young players. Four men aged under 25 have either scored a century (Ollie Pope and Sibley) or taken a five-wicket haul (Jofra Archer and Dom Bess) in this series to date. A couple of others, Sam Curran and Zak Crawley, have contributed important performances. In Pope and Archer, in particular, you would think England have found players who will represent them for years to come.Ollie Pope was player of the match•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesThis influx of new faces has had a secondary benefit. It has also challenged the more experienced players – the likes of Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow – to work harder to improve if they are to extend their Test careers. It has freshened up an England side which sometimes looked just a little cosy.Certainly the middle-order – from Joe Root at No. 4 to Ollie Pope at No. 6 – now looks strong and settled. You suspect Jos Buttler may need an outstanding Test at Jo’burg to prevent a change at No. 7 – there appears to be every chance that Ben Foakes could win a recall for Sri Lanka with Buttler’s future in white-ball cricket, perhaps as ODI captain – while Joe Denly needs a significant score to retain that No. 3 position. Bairstow made a century from there in England’s most recent Test in Sri Lanka, after all.Selection for that Sri Lanka tour will be intriguing. It seems, at this stage, as if England will rest several of their specialist seamers – including James Anderson and Stuart Broad – and leave the seam bowling in the hands of all-rounders such as Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Sam Curran. And while Dom Bess and Jack Leach, if fit, are assured of two of the spin positions, there are still decisions to be made about the other spot. Moeen Ali, at his best, probably still represents the best option England have – even though he, like Root and Bess, is an off-spinner – but Liam Dawson may come into the equation, too. Suffice to say, there are still issues with the development of spin bowling in England.We do have to acknowledge the modesty of this South Africa side, though. The weak state of the economy has led to a mass exodus of players from the country and, as a result, the international team looks as poor as at any time since readmission. And you could argue the words ‘since readmission’ are generous.There are no easy solutions to such challenges, but it might make sense to look at the costs associated with the Mzansi Super League – which isn’t especially super – and instead divert some of that money to better pay for players. One or two of those Kolpak refugees might well be ripe for return if South Africa can match their earnings in England or New Zealand or wherever else they may have flown. Either way, we have to accept this result has been achieved against a side in a state of something approaching crisis. Tougher opponents, much tougher opponents, lie ahead.ALSO READ: ‘It’s my team, guys are listening to my message’ – RootNone of that need concern England right now. Just as Australia or India or West Indies rarely paused for pity of poor England sides, it is now their turn to be ruthless. It felt as if the Stokes-Pope partnership was the tipping point of the series; the moment South Africa knew they were beaten. England have a great chance to seal this series in Jo’burg where South Africa will be weakened further by the absence of Kagiso Rabada and England may well be boosted by the return of Archer, possibly in place of the spin of Bess. An attack containing Archer and Mark Wood on one of the fastest pitches in world cricket is an attractive prospect for a team who have been crying out for a fast bowler for years. Suddenly they have two.Whether either man is available remains uncertain. Archer is bowling again in training but is not back to full pace while Wood last played back-to-back Tests in July 2017. He finished the second of them with none for a hundred and plenty. And if you had any doubt about the amount required of fast bowlers in these matches, just consider these statistics: Wood ran 38 km during this Test; that’s just under 24 miles. While his top speed was 30kph – somewhere approaching 19mph – he exceeded 25kph in 167 separate sprints and 3.4km was run at a speed of over 20kph. That’s beyond the maximum speed of most treadmills. The scheduling of back-to-back Tests is brutal and no doubt compromises the quality of fast bowling.On the subject of scheduling and administrative decisions, this was another Test that underlined the value of five-day Test cricket. Had this been a four-day game, the weather would have had the final word. Not for the first time, the thought occurred that those charged with a duty to protect and nurture the game’s future – in England, at least – are those most obsessed with embracing commercialism to the exclusion of other considerations.This England team will not worry about that. Not now, anyway. Many of them are still fresh to these experiences and are relishing every new challenge. Nobody is claiming they are anywhere near the finished article but they now have almost a year until the India tour and almost two years until the Ashes. They have something to work with and time to improve. Those might be the green shoots of recovery peeking through.

The stats and landmarks from a memorable day for West Indies in the second Investec Test against England at Headingley

Bharath Seervi26-Aug-20171984 – Last time West Indies had a bigger partnership in England than the 246 runs between Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope. Larry Gomes and Gordon Greenidge shared an unbeaten second-wicket partnership of 287 in their famous chase at Lord’s. This is West Indies’ first double-century partnership since Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin added 200 at Hamilton in 2013-14.2008 – Last instance of a double-century partnership at Headingley for any pair – 212 between AB de Villiers and Ashwell Prince. England haven’t had such a partnership at the venue since 1967 whereas visiting pairs have had seven such stands including the one in this match.6 – Centuries for Braithwaite in Tests. Since his debut, only Darren Bravo and Chanderpaul, eight each, have more hundreds for West Indies. He’s still 24 and only Graeme Smith (11) and Alastair Cook (7) had more centuries as openers before their 25th birthday.3 – Number of away countries in which Braithwaite has hit hundreds – 106 in Port Elizabeth in South Africa in 2014-15, 142 not out in Sharjah in UAE in 2016-17 and this one at Headingley. No other opener has scored centuries in more away countries in the last three years, although Cook, Dean Elgar and KL Rahul have all matched Brathwaite’s tally in that time.2004 – Last time a West Indies opener scored a century in England – Chris Gayle made 105 at The Oval. Brathwaite’s 134 is highest by a West Indies opener in England since Greenidge’s 223 at Old Trafford in 1984.147* – Hope’s score, at the end of the day, is so far the highest score by a West Indies batsman in England since Brian Lara’s 179 at The Oval in 1995.2004 – Last instance of West Indies getting a first-innings lead in England – although on that occasion, at Old Trafford, they went on to lose by seven wickets. The most recent occasion when they led on first innings against England was in Bridgetown in 2009.18.18 – Braithwaite’s srike rate against James Anderson, scoring eight runs from 44 balls. He had a strike rate of nearly 50 and above against all other bowlers. Hope had a strike rate of less than 35 against Ben Stokes and Tom Westley.1 – Number of bigger fourth-wicket partnerships for West Indies after being three-down for less than 50. Gerry Gomez and Clyde Walcott added 267 in Delhi in 1948-49. Against England, only Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford’s 388, which also came at Headingley, in 1934 is higher than the one in this match.

Plays of the day from the game between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils in Visakhapatnam

Nikhil Kalro15-May-2016Zaheer’s cunning change-upEarly signs of a slow Visakhapatnam surface were on display when Shahbaz Nadeem got the first two balls of the game to grip and spin. Zaheer Khan, returning from a niggle, started his spell with an offcutter that ripped past Rohit Sharma’s outside edge. In the fifth over, however, Zaheer deceived Martin Guptill with deceptive change in pace and length. He banged a bouncer on leg and Guptill, hustled for pace, was late on the pull and caught between trying to play the stroke and sway out of the way. The ball pinged him on the helmet and almost detached it.A sloppy forehand errorIf a long list of some of the best fielding efforts of the season were to be drawn up, it’s unlikely that Imran Tahir would feature in it. Krunal Pandya swiped an Amit Mishra delivery to Tahir’s right at deep midwicket. He scampered towards the ball and got there. All good so far. But instead of patting the ball back into the field of play, Tahir ended up parrying the ball over the boundary for four while trying to awkwardly swat it. Tahir’s apology didn’t soothe Mishra’s pain.Brothers in armsKrunal Pandya took apart Delhi Daredevils’ spinners in an exhibition of power hitting. He smashed seven fours and six sixes in his 37-ball 86. After almost every boundary, he wore a flashy smile and gestured effusively. After racing to a fifty, he imitated his brother Hardik Pandya’s stance and pointed in his direction. Hardik was seen applauding many of Krunal’s boundaries. Krunal’s blitz ended when he chopped a full delivery onto his stumps. As he walked into the dugout area, he went straight to Hardik and hugged him in celebratory embrace.De Kock’s unchanging fateKrunal hammered a 37-ball 86 to set up Mumbai’s fifth-highest IPL score of 206 for 4. His night was about to get better. Bowling to Quinton de Kock, he darted a slider outside off. De Kock rocked back for a late cut but missed the ball, and instead chopped his bat into wicketkeeper Jos Buttler’s gloves. A thin noise and a vociferous appeal resulted in de Kock being wrongly adjudged caught behind, again, for the second consecutive game. De kock had his hands on his head as he trudged off.

Even if it’s just for the World Cup, cricket has encroached on rugby turf in New Zealand. Take Wellington, for instance, where a crash course in cricket lexicon can be found on bus stops, lamp posts and even a church wall

Firdose Moonda in Wellington11-Mar-2015Wellington is a great city for distractions.It is reported to have more cafes, bars and restaurants per person than New York City, which makes for a good start. It is home to the country’s national museum – six floors that house everything from a selection of Maori instruments, that can be played at the push of a button, to a giant squid. It has a sea-side run that stretches almost 40 kilometres and a bicycle trail that goes on much longer.The South African team have taken advantage of all these things. AB de Villiers explored the city with his wife before playing a round of golf; Dale Steyn, David Miller and Kyle Abbott enjoyed sundowners at one of the many hotspots, and some of the management staff explored the terrain on two wheels.But as valiant as their attempts to get away from the cricket have been, there is actually no getting away from it even in a town where there seems to be enough of everything else, especially sport. In Wellington, as in most of New Zealand, the rugby side the Hurricanes are the headline-grabbers and billboard models but cricket has learnt to encroach on that space, even if just for the World Cup.A Learn the Terms poster clarifies that cricket’s Cabbage Patch has little to do with the dance moves•ESPNcricinfo/Firdose MoondaOn bus stops, lamp posts and even a church wall, posters have been plastered to help fans “Learn the terms” of cricket. I’ve spotted LBW, in which the bowler looks suspiciously like Dale Steyn letting out a loud appeal; stumped, where a wicketkeeper who seems to bear some similarity to MS Dhoni is shown pulling off some nifty work against a batsman, and a poster defining a cabbage patch.The cricket explosion has made it to bars that are advertising two-for-one specials during the games and extended happy hours, and to the pages of the ‘s OpEd section, where they published this cartoon.In Wellington, as in most of New Zealand, the rugby side the Hurricanes are the headline-grabbers but cricket has learnt to encroach on that space, even if just for the World Cup; that sentiment is captured best in this cartoon•ESPNcricinfo/Firdose MoondaSadly, it’s only made it as an afterthought to the Basin Reserve, possibly the loveliest cricket ground in either of the host countries. The gorgeous picket-fenced oval is merely a training venue this time, while matches are played down the road at the Regional Stadium – the only stadium at this tournament where teams choose not to train before their matches unless they want to get a feel for being under the lightsThere are no nets at the Regional Stadium – this is rugby country, remember – so for a proper bat or bowl, teams go to the Basin. Morne Morkel pointed out that the advantage of that would be to allow squads to simulate game situations on an actual cricket field but one wonders if it wouldn’t just want to make them actually play at the Basin instead.Havana Coffee Works – the aroma of fresh roasted beans can sometimes waft into the Basin Reserve•ESPNcricinfo/Firdose MoondaJust around the corner from the ground is Havana Coffee, so close you can smell when there’s a new batch being roasted from the Basin. Its name fits in with one of the sub-cultures of this vibrant city. There’s a Cuba Street and a cafe called Fidel’s. You get it?Perhaps South Africa have too, especially with their bullish attitude ahead of what is an entirely low-profile game against the UAE. “If I lose, it will not mean that it was impossible to win,” Che Guevara said. There’s a line for AB and co to remember.