Southampton Could Hold Onto 24-Year-Old Talent Amid Premier League Interest

Southampton could soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief in regards to the future of Nathan Tella, with reliable journalist Darren Witcoop reporting that Burnley are now looking at former Saint Nathan Redmond instead.

How many goals did Nathan Tella score for Burnley?

The 24-year-old spent the 2022/23 season out on loan with the Clarets in the Championship, helping them to storm to the league title under the stewardship of new manager Vincent Kompany. Having never managed more than 18 league games in a season before his move to Turf Moor, he went on to feature in 39 games for the side in the second tier and was a key member of their first-team. He bagged 17 goals, with five assists along the way, and ended the campaign with a rate of 0.79 goal contributions per 90 – the best rate of his career.

Prior to this spell with Burnley, he had spent the entirety of his career playing for Southampton and their reserve side. He was handed his league debut for the Saints back in 2019/20 and has so far managed 33 games in the Premier League with them. However, his goal and assist rate at St Mary's Stadium hasn't been as exceptional as what he managed with Burnley, as he has just one goal and two assists over those fixtures with the club.

Are Southampton selling Nathan Tella to Burnley?

Having finally realised his potential and shown his ability in that Clarets team, Kompany has been keen to reunite with Tella again for the 2023/24 campaign. He has already expressed his interest in adding the winger on a permanent basis, but as of yet there has been no deal done to send him back to the club.

And it now appears as though Burnley could be moving on from the Southampton man. According to a report from reliable journalist Darren Witcoop, the Saints have whacked a large price tag on the head of the 24-year-old after his displays for Burnley.

It means that the Clarets are currently being "priced out" of a transfer move for the forward this summer. With no end in sight in terms of sorting out the financials, it appears as though they could now be looking elsewhere to boost their wings as the journalist also adds that they have turned towards Redmond. He also formerly played for Southampton, but has most recently spent time with Besiktas and is now a free agent.

It's no surprise that Burnley have been desperate to try and bring Tella back to Turf Moor, with their current boss Vincent Kompany viewing the winger very highly. During his tenure with the Clarets, the manager stated that the forward was a "raw diamond" and was able to help the side "in so many ways" because he "has all the tools".

Tella really did shine at Championship level then, so if Southampton can hold on to the 24-year-old, it could do their chances of an instant promotion the world of good next season.

Alex Morgan's absence, another chance for Jaedyn Shaw & seven things Emma Hayes will be watching as USWNT face China in double-header

The new coach hasn't officially started yet, but there's plenty to keep an eye on in this first camp since her hiring was announced

The first U.S. women's national team camp of the Emma Hayes era is here. Well, kind of. Hayes won't actually be leading the team; she's still got a Chelsea campaign to worry about. Still, this is the first camp with some sort of direction since Vlatko Andonovski's departure and there's finally some certainty around the USWNT after the World Cup disaster.

The U.S. will face China in a pair of friendlies, with interim boss Twila Kilgore remaining in charge. She'll hold onto her post until Hayes' arrival ahead of the Olympics and, in the months until then, the USWNT will be building and building towards their new coach finally joining up.

That makes these games the first of several friendlies the U.S. will play pre-Hayes, but her fingerprints will likely be all over whatever the USWNT does. The camp is already an interesting one, with several veteran faces being left out of the squad, while several young stars have been handed opportunities to impress the new coach, wherever she'll be watching from.

But what will Hayes be looking for? What sort of things will she be keeping an eye on on her way to the Olympics? GOAL has you covered…

GettyThe goalkeeper situation

Alyssa Naeher isn't here, which is a clear signal that the USWNT is starting to plan for the future.

Naeher has been the starter since the 2019 World Cup cycle but, at 35, her time is coming to an end. The bad news is that there's no clear-cut successor, but the good news is that there are plenty of good goalkeepers in the pool.

Casey Murphy, Jane Campbell and Aubrey Kingsbury are the three called into this camp, with the first two being particularly intriguing.

The 27-year-old Murphy has gotten some experience, earning 16 total caps and going to a World Cup, but has never really been the starter. She has started three games so far this year, though, indicating that the pre-Hayes regime saw her as next up.

Campbell, meanwhile, joins the team fresh off a NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year win. Campbell was outstanding for the Houston Dash this season, nearly setting a record for fewest goals conceded, but has just seven camps to her name. She was on the roster for the 2021 Olympics but seems due for another shot after a strong season.

As for Kingsbury, at 32, she doesn't seem like she'll be a long-term successor, although she could be the bridge through the Olympics next summer. The same could be said for Naeher, though, who you wouldn't write off ahead of one last tournament.

Overall, it's an interesting position with plenty of good choices, and Hayes will be keeping a close eye on the keepers as she prepares to choose a direction to go with when it comes to her No.1.

AdvertisementGettyAn inexperienced midfield

The three most experienced midfielders in the squad have 309 caps between them. The bottom five? Just 11. Knowing that, we're going to learn something new about several key players in the pool.

We'll start with Savannah DeMelo and Sam Coffey, the two we've actually seen before. DeMelo responded to her World Cup challenge in a big way and, despite having only six caps, feels like she's a part of this group. Coffey, meanwhile, is pushing for a spot, having been ignored for long stretches last cycle. Can she be the No.6 the USWNT has been looking for?

And then the final three: Korbin Albert, Olivia Moultrie and Jenna Nighswonger.

Albert joined PSG a year ago and has started to break through, while Nighswonger is fresh off an NWSL title with Gotham FC. All eyes will be on Moultrie, though, the Portland Thorns teenage prodigy who seems destined to play a part for the U.S. sooner or later.

Which of those three can join Coffey and DeMelo to push for an Olympic spot? It's one of the more fun positional situations in the U.S. pool.

GettyAnother go for Fishel and Shaw

We saw a hell of a lot from Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw last camp. Both newcomers scored goals to open their USWNT accounts, and the hope is that they were the first of many.

Now's the tough part. Can they do it again?

Fishel, of course, already has a relationship with Hayes as she plays for her at Chelsea. Hayes won't need to learn too much about Fishel's game, but she will learn about how she handles stepping into this USWNT environment. The international level is a totally different game and Fishel, who has scored goals in bunches in her young club career, has to prove she can carry that over.

As for Shaw, she faces insane competition on the wings, but can you really bet against her? The Olympics may come a bit too soon but, then again, maybe they don't. A strong camp here would put her right into contention.

Fishel and Shaw are the two youngsters with the best chance of breaking through by next summer, and both can take a big step forward with a strong camp this month.

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Getty ImagesA Morgan-less attack

Speaking of Fishel, it seems she'll get minutes as the starting striker. For years, those minutes have belonged pretty exclusively to Alex Morgan. She's not in camp though. What will that look like?

It's one of the biggest storylines of this camp, Morgan's exclusion. It doesn't mean the writing is on the wall with her, as she very well could be back in the picture by the Olympics, particularly if the young players don't prove they're ready. However, we haven't seen a USWNT without Morgan in over a decade, so it's hard to imagine what it even looks like anymore.

Her absence will leave a leadership void, particularly among the forwards. Who steps up there? Her creativity and composure, despite her goal drought, could leave a hole atop the field. Which striker can fill that?

Fishel, Sophia Smith or Ashley Hatch will be playing in that spot, and all three have different sorts of points to prove. So will Morgan, whenever she does come back into the fold.

'I'm lucky to be here' says Fletcher – and he fears it will happen again

Luke Fletcher ‘feels lucky to be here’ after his blow on the head while bowling in the NatWest Blast and he fears he may not be the last to be injured in this way

George Dobell12-Jul-20172:35

‘I’m lucky to be here’ – Luke Fletcher

Luke Fletcher feels “lucky to be here” after sustaining a ferocious blow to the head during Saturday’s T20 Blast match at Edgbaston.Fletcher, the Nottinghamshire seamer, sustained the injury when his first ball of the match was struck back at him by Birmingham batsman, Sam Hain and hit him on top of the head.While Fletcher didn’t lose consciousness, subsequent scans showed bruising and a small bleed on the brain with a decision taken to rest him for the remainder of the season. He will have a further MRI scan in the coming days to assess his recovery and currently sports a cut held together by eight stitches under the hairline.But while he is naturally disappointed to miss the rest of the season – Nottinghamshire are well-placed to push for promotion and are among the favourites in the Blast – and frustrated at being told he must not drive a car, he accepts his is a story that could have had a far more serious ending.Indeed, he has warned that something similar “will happen again” and said that, at Notts, the bowlers no longer take-part in net sessions with batsmen to avoid such injuries.”I’m really lucky to be here now and speaking to you today,” he said. “The doctors said I pretty much dodged a bullet. A few inches to the left or right and it could have been a completely different story. If it had hit the temple or straight in the face then…. I don’t really want to think about what may have happened.”In a weird way, I suppose I’ve been lucky. It’s hit me on a part of the brain or skull that the surgeon said you don’t use much.”He remembers every moment of the incident. And, having not seen the ball hit back at him – his head was down as he completed his delivery stride – or felt much pain, it was only when he saw the reaction of his teammates and then saw footage of the moment of impact that he started to realise how serious the episode was.”I remember letting go of the ball and I could see that Hain backed away,” he said. “The next thing I remember being hit on the head and thinking ‘I may be in a bit of bother here.’ I didn’t see the ball one bit. I just felt it.”When it hit me I went down and was waiting to go unconscious. When I realised I was all right, I had my hand on my head and the physio, James Pipe was asking ‘How are you?'”I said ‘I don’t feel too bad to be honest.’ And then I lifted my hand off my head. Steven Mullaney ran off – and a few other lads ran off – because of the bleeding. But I got to my feet pretty quickly and never really felt unstable at all and walked off. Which is absolutely amazing having watched it back. You’d probably expect a bit more, really. Having such a big ‘swede’ probably helped me out a bit.”In a weird way, I quite enjoyed watching it back. I quite like stuff like that. As long as I knew I was all right, it was quite good. It was just amazing how far the ball went. I couldn’t believe it. The first time I saw it, I was a bit like ‘off’ and that’s when I realised why everyone was so concerned.”The concern of Fletcher’s teammates was understandable. Not only is he a popular member of their squad, but it is only just over a year since the club was jolted by news of James Taylor’s illness.”Having spoken to a few of my mates – Mullaney and Jake Ball – that’s what was going through their minds,” he said. “And then there was Phil Hughes as well….”But once the lads came off the field and saw I was fine, they got on with the game. James Pipe has been unbelievable throughout; he stayed by my side for the next 48 hours, really. He’s been amazing.”Fletcher is guided from the field at Edgbaston•Getty Images

It doesn’t take long to understand Fletcher’s popularity. He has a good line in self-deprecating wit – “I don’t know how the ball is,” he says at one stage. “Someone had better check up on it; the lads said it was reversing a bit later” and, later “My mum and dad were a bit annoyed as they had paid £30 and they only saw me bowl one ball” – and knows many of his team-mates well having come through the club’s system from his teenage years.He didn’t have things easy, either. When he was initially offered a place on the staff as a 16-year-old, he was obliged to turn it down as it didn’t pay as much as the job he was currently in – he was a grill man at Hooters – so the club arranged for him to have a stint on the gates letting lorries come in and out as the Radcliffe Road Stand was redeveloped. “It was freezing,” he recalls with a smile. “It was much better in the kitchen.”But he has developed into a fine cricketer. While not an especially fast bowler – probably somewhere around 80 mph – he can move the ball in the air and off the pitch, is considered one of the best death bowlers in the county game and was recently run-out just eight short of a maiden first-class century. He is out of contract at the end of the season but the club will look after him: a new contract will be announced shortly.The worrying aspect of this incident is that it could easily have ended much worse. Indeed, Fletcher warns that in training, bowlers are already reluctant to bowl at batsmen practising their T20 skills.”I think it’ll happen again,” he said. “Most bowlers – certainly at Notts – in the nets tend to go away and do target practice on the side in one-day and T20, just because balls are coming back at a speed you can’t react to. You get hit all over your body. I certainly think the chances are it will happen again.”I’m sure after this people will come up with some sort of theories and some sort of technologies or protective equipment. You can’t be running in with a helmet, can you? But maybe something to protect your head?”I’ll certainly bowl again. I’d bowl now if I could.”There are huge questions here for the game. While some level of risk may be considered unavoidable, incidents such as this – coming on top of the incident that caused such devastating damage to club cricketer Alex Tait a few months ago – might be considered warnings. With bats better, batsmen seemingly more powerful and the aggression of the game having undergone a transformation since the introduction of T20, it seems inevitable that, sooner or later, we’re going to see a bowler killed by a return hit. The game, or at least the look of the game, might have to change radically to counteract such a threat.

Kusal Perera 77 aces Sri Lanka chase

Kusal Perera made a roaring return to Sri Lankan colours, cracking 77 off 53 balls to lead the hosts on a successful hunt of Bangladesh’s 155 for 6

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsUpul Tharanga and Kusal Perera struck a 65-run opening stand•Associated PressKusal Perera made a roaring return to Sri Lankan colours, cracking 77 off 53 balls to lead the hosts on a successful hunt of Bangladesh’s 155 for 6. That Sri Lanka had so few to chase was partly the work of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who made breakthroughs whenever a partnership threatened, though they were helped to that end by off-colour Bangladesh batting.Mashrafe Mortaza, who as it turned out, was playing his penultimate game in the format, was by a distance the visitors’ best bowler. He claimed 2 for 32 from his four overs, and only one other bowler – Taskin Ahmed – mustered a breakthrough. Sri Lanka sauntered to the target with seven balls and six wickets to spare.This match was Kusal’s first international since his unseemly Test outing in Port Elizabeth, for which he was dropped from the Test XI, then subsequently axed from the limited-overs squads altogether. Having returned to national reckoning via good innings for Sri Lanka A, Kusal outlined his value to Sri Lanka in an innings that showcased a little batting nous as well as characteristic brutality. The bludgeoned drives and whipped pick-up shots over midwicket did eventually come, but not before he had laid low for the first four overs; and the big shots were, in any case, well devised as well as nicely executed. Instead of trying to clear fielders as Kusal often does, he strove to hit even his most ambitious shots into gaps.Over-rate fine for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka were found to be one over short of their target in the first T20I, and have been fined by the ICC. While captain Upul Tharanga was fined 20% of his match fee, the rest of the team were fined 10%.

Having made only 5 off his first eight balls, Kusal smoked four fours and a six off his next seven, to help move Sri Lanka to 57 for none at the end of the Powerplay. Upul Tharanga, who had given the innings its initial impetus, departed in the seventh over, but Kusal stayed long enough to almost see the chase through. He reached his fifty off 31 balls, and when he fell in the penultimate over, Sri Lanka needed only nine runs, which they would proceed to gather over the next four balls. Seekkuge Prasanna was not out with 22 off 12 at the close.Though their bowlers responded poorly to Kusal’s shellacking, Bangladesh may reflect that it was with the bat that they made the more substantial mistakes. They had flown to 57 for 1 after five overs, for example, but then Sabbir Rahman ran a poor line to get himself run out, and Soumya Sarkar holed out in the same Vikum Sanjaya over. Suddenly, at 57 for 3, all that momentum they had developed was surrendered.Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan fell playing expansive shots to slow bowlers, who should, in fact, have been less effective on this track, which retained a little grass and had been rolled until hard. Mosaddek Hossain and Mahmudullah put on 57 off 42 together to lift their side from 82 for 5, but could not quite crack enough runs through the back-end of the innings to lift Bangladesh to a winning score.Lasith Malinga was especially good through this period, giving away seven and eight in his last two overs, in which he took the wicket of Mahmudullah with a searing yorker, having also done the same to Tamim Iqbal with the second ball of the match.Rain before play had delayed the start by 45 minutes, but no overs were lost.

South Africa seek top-order upturn after run ends

South Africa want more batsmen going on to a significant score after a number of loose dismissals in the previous match

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan24-Feb-2017Match FactsFebruary 25, 2017
Start time 2.00pm local (0100GMT)Big PictureSouth Africa are back to zero, but they didn’t let their winning streak go without a fight. New Zealand have only beaten them twice in nine previous bilateral series and it would have been very difficult to see them coming back from 2-0 down. Now, though, they prepare for the Wellington match with an air of confidence.The difference in Christchurch was that New Zealand had Ross Taylor take control of the innings while no one for South Africa could play the dominant innings. In their 12-match run, they had 10 individual centuries from six different players but there was an air of wastefulness about some of the shots during the run chase at Hagley Oval. Better now, though, than in the Champions Trophy.Mike Hesson said there were “more answers than questions” for New Zealand but added that you can’t tick every box at the same time. That was a reference to Tom Latham’s form, the one significant issue they have to decide on, and whether to retain him as wicketkeeper ahead of Luke Ronchi.Form guideNew Zealand WLWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LWWWWIn the spotlightNeil Broom shelved the relative security of his county deal with Derbyshire for another crack with New Zealand. It was a memorable comeback against Bangladesh with scores of 109 not out and 97, followed by a crucial 73 against Australia. In this series he has had two loose dismissals; cramped for room on the pull and then slapping a short ball to point. He could yet become the fall-guy if there is a reshuffle in the batting to retain the six-bowler balance.Is South Africa’s shot selection starting to let them down? Quinton de Kock has twice thrown his wicket away with a half-century to his name, Faf du Plessis fell to a big sweep in the opening match, and then left an even bigger gate in the second, and JP Duminy, although twice defeated by clever pieces of bowling, has been a little soft with his dismissals. There is immense power in the order, time for a touch more responsibility.Team newsHesson indicated that New Zealand were getting closer to knowing their best combination. That appears to signal maintaining the two quicks, two spinners, two allrounders balance.New Zealand (probable) 1 Dean Brownlie, 2 Tom Latham (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Neil Broom, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultKagiso Rabada is available after missing the previous match with a knee niggle. If he returns, Wayne Parnell could be the man to make way after Dwaine Pretorius’ impressive outing in Christchurch.South Africa (probable) 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Andile Phehulkwayo, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran TahirPitch and conditionsAfter the beautiful ground at Hagley Oval it’s back to a stadium. ODI cricket returned to the Basin Reserve for the first time in 11 years last January, but this match is at the Westpac – or Cake Tin as it’s known. It has one of the lower first-innings scoring rates of New Zealand grounds – 5.02 – but the totals can range from the sublime (New Zealand’s 393 in the World Cup quarter-final against West Indies) to the ridiculous (England’s 123 in the same tournament). The forecast is set fair with some warm sunshine.Stats and trivia AB de Villiers now needs five runs for 9000 (he has scored his 8995 runs from 9000 deliveries) The teams have played twice at the Westpac: New Zealand won by five runs in 2004, South Africa by six wickets in 2012 Tim Southee is the leading wicket-taker at the Westpac with 23 wickets from seven matches, one ahead of Daniel Vettori who claimed 22 in 21 outingsQuotes”It’s great to be involved in games that go down the wire and, as a death bowler, it’s something you look forward. It won’t come off every time, but when it does it’s very satisfying – especially in those very close ones.”
“As a batting unit we understood nobody in that top-six took responsibility. That’s the disappointing part of the result. Especially myself, getting in and not taking it home for the team. That’s something we pride ourselves on.”
JP Duminy was clear on one area of improvement for South Africa

Jeetan Patel added to New Zealand squad for third ODI

The offspinner, who last played an ODI in 2009, will be the second front-line spinner in the squad alongside Mitchell Santner

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2016New Zealand offspinner Jeetan Patel has been added to the squad for the third ODI against Bangladesh in Nelson on Saturday. Keeping in view the sluggish nature of the Saxton Oval track and the presence of three left-handers in Bangladesh’s top five, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said Patel’s was a horses-for-courses selection.Patel last played an ODI in 2009 – the Champions Trophy final at the Supersport Park.New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson had admitted that Patel was not on the radar of the selectors at the start of the season, but a side strain to Mark Craig in India in September 2016 paved the way for Patel’s Test comeback after more than three years. He claimed six wickets in two matches and found the optimum pace at Eden Gardens. In the same Test, he made a run-a-ball 47 to haul the team past 200.Right after the Indore Test, Patel took a match haul of seven wickets in Wellington’s six-wicket win over Auckland in the Plunkett Shield. He followed it with 11 wickets in the next three Plunkett Shield matches.So far, he has taken six wickets in eight games in the ongoing Super Smash at an economy rate of 7.51.”He has been bowling very well for the Wellington Firebirds in the McDonald’s Super Smash and will be a welcome addition to the squad,” Hesson said.Patel, who will join the team on Friday, will be the second front-line spinner in the squad alongside Mitchell Santner. New Zealand have already wrapped up the three-ODI series with a 67-run victory on Thursday.

Lionel Messi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the stars who were suspended by their clubs

After the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was given a two-week ban by PSG for his trip to Saudi Arabia, GOAL looks back on other similar situations…

Paris Saint-Germain shocked the footballing world on Tuesday when they announced that World Cup winner Lionel Messi would be suspended for two weeks without pay. It was subsequently revealed that the player had ignored his manager and club, missing training in order to take a trip to Saudi Arabia, who he has a lucrative sponsorship deal with.

PSG, determined to make an example of a player who seems increasingly likely to leave this summer, threw their Ligue 1 title hopes into slight jeopardy and banned one of their biggest names for a crucial two-week stretch.

But Messi isn't the only high-profile player to be sidelined by his own club or national team. Indeed, there is a rich history of stars who have been forced to miss time due to disciplinary reasons.

GOAL takes a look back at some of the biggest stars to have been suspended by their own team…

Getty ImagesLionel Messi

Messi jetted off to Saudi Arabia for a few days at the beginning of this week without the permission of PSG, fulfilling responsibilities associated with his lucrative sponsorship deal with the Middle Eastern country.

Messi reportedly let the club know about the trip in advance, and manager Christophe Galtier agreed to sanction his plans if the Parisians either beat or drew with Lorient on Sunday. However, they suffered an embarrassing 3-1 loss, their third in four home games. Messi, though, went to Riyadh anyway.

The club has subsequently banned him from entering any of their facilities, preventing him from both training and making official appearances. It is also expected to be the final straw in a drawn-out contract standoff — Messi will not be at Parc des Princes next season.

AdvertisementAAMesut Ozil

Once one of the best attacking midfielders in the world, Ozil's career declined sharply towards the end of his Arsenal tenure. The Germany international left north London on poor terms, with the club refusing to register him in time for the 2020-21 season.

He would eventually join Fenerbahce that January, but a series of injuries and poor performances derailed his time there, and Ozil was eventually suspended for the final eight league games of the season after getting into a row with his manager, Ismail Kartal.

Ozil, for his part, insisted that he had no problem with the club, though pointed out that he hadn't been paid for the first six months of his contract. He left at the end of the season, and retired in March at just 34.

Getty ImagesPierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Aubameyang has been something of a troublemaker at various points in his career. In January 2018, Borussia Dortmund suspended and fined him for failing to report for a team meeting after training. His decision not to show up, presumably associated with his desire to join Arsenal before the end of the transfer window, saw his time in Germany come to an end.

His exit from the Gunners around four years later played out in a remarkably similar fashion. Aubameyang visited his mother in France in December 2021, and returned to training a day late. The club swiftly stripped him of the captaincy and dropped him from the squad for their next game against Southampton.

Manager Mikel Arteta explained that he had decided to leave Aubameyang out due to a "disciplinary breach." It culminated with the star striker training alone and being banned from making any first-team appearances. He left for Barcelona within six weeks.

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GettyMario Balotelli

Balotelli's career has been a source of constant entertainment, for the right and wrong reasons. The immensely talented Italian has enjoyed his fair share of impressive moments on a football pitch, but will perhaps be best remembered for his antics off it.

It all started in 2009, when the immensely-gifted but admittedly mercurial Italian clashed with Jose Mourinho while at Inter. The manager publically criticised Balotelli for his lack of effort in training, and dropped him for a whole month in January.

And things didn't get much better when he secured a high-profile transfer to Manchester City. From visiting a women's prison to setting off fireworks in his bathroom, Balotelli became a media sensation during his time in Manchester. He didn't face an official suspension until early 2012, though, when he was banned for four games for stomping on Scott Parker's head during a Premier League clash with Tottenham.

He was at it again for AC Milan a year later, banned for using "intimidating and insulting" language towards the referee after his side lost to Napoli. He rounded it off in late 2014 while at Liverpool, being banned by the FA for posting an anti-Semitic picture on his Instagram.

Josh Davey left out of Scotland squad for Hong Kong ODIs

Cricket Scotland announced a near-identical squad from their previous campaign – the ICC World Cricket League Championship against UAE – for the two ODIs against Hong Kong in Edinburgh on September 8 and September 10

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2016

Fast bowler Gavin Main, uncapped in ODIs, has been picked for the second match against Hong Kong•International Cricket Council

Cricket Scotland announced a near-identical squad from their previous campaign – the ICC World Cricket League Championship against UAE – for the two ODIs against Hong Kong in Edinburgh on September 8 and September 10.Uncapped fast bowler Gavin Main was the only change in the squad, replacing Josh Davey. Main, however, is available for the second ODI only.Scotland coach Grant Bradburn was upbeat about the side’s chances following the 2-0 sweep over UAE at the same venue in August.”Our players will relish the opportunity to play two more ODIs before the summer ends and are eager to finish the home season on a positive note,” he said. “We have seen huge benefits this season from training hard as a wider squad and we now have more players than ever contesting selection in the national team.”Squad: Preston Mommsen (capt), Kyle Coetzer, Matthew Cross (wk), Richie Berrington, Calum MacLeod, Michael Leask, Mark Watt, Alasdair Evans, Safyaan Sharif, Con de Lange, Craig Wallace, Chris Sole, Gavin Main (second ODI only)

Petersen thrives as Lancashire feather Middlesex's nest

On a dead Lord’s track, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's27-Jun-2016
ScorecardAlviro Petersen racked up 191•Getty Images

What ingredients there were for a high-quality encounter at Lord’s look already to be heading for a bland conclusion. That may seem melodramatic – should Middlesex collapse tomorrow, it may enter into “misguided” or “facetious” – but there were few other conclusions to draw from a day in which eight wickets fell yet only one was taken.Lancashire’s seven were shed in the pursuit of quick runs to hammer a tiring Middlesex attack further into the dust. Even Tim Murtagh’s shoulders, constantly in a slumped relaxed state, plummeted to knee height. Even Murtagh, a bowler who can make the ball talk for fun could barely muster a whimper from a pitch that does the long-form more harm than good.What should have been a compelling day’s cricket, in near-perfect conditions, asked spectators to find their own source of amusement. The evening session hosted a low sun and with it the chance for them to shed some clothing, get some colour and indulge in the sorts of conversations with opposing fans that only beer and minor heatstroke encourages.”So you see, it’s those bastards across the way – they’re the tight ones,” concluded one such tête-à-tête. It’s those across the way that Lancashire are looking to build a lead over: level on points with Yorkshire going into this match but leading Division One by virtue of number of games won.Middlesex, with their six draws from seven, sat 16 points off the Northern rivals. This fixture between first and fourth felt like it could set the tone for the next half of the season, when captains roll the dice and each session weighs heavier on the nerves.The opening exchanges were very much in Lancashire’s favour as they amassed their highest innings score of the season. Alviro Petersen was thoroughly unflustered, picking up where he left off to add 86 to an overnight 105: perhaps the only surprise was his failure to bring up his double hundred. Looking to move the game on, he was caught and bowled by Toby Roland-Jones, whose 31-over toil was made relatively worthwhile by four wickets.Flanking Petersen were the offerings from the middle order cavalry of Steven Croft, Karl Brown and Liam Livingstone. It was with Livingstone in particular that the most damage was done: 103 runs put on together at six an over – 67 coming in 11 overs after lunch, as Livingstone brought up a 54-ball half-century filled with reverse sweeps and the odd wristy thwack through the leg side. To nitpick, 500 perhaps should have come up easier than it did: a scampered single between Lancashire’s 10 and 11 that nearly resulted in a run out.But even with scoreboard pressure and a 12-over session before tea bowled by Kyle Jarvis and Neil Wagner – perhaps the best opening duo in the domestic game at present – Lancashire were unable to land a telling blow on the hosts. Even the one wicket they managed looked a tad lucky, though that is simply going by Sam Robson’s forlorn expression after he had been adjudged caught at first slip off the leg spin of Matt Parkinson. The disappointment was understandable: he had looked on the cusp of one of those Lord’s vigils he embarks upon when he basically invokes squatter’s rights.If anything, Robson’s wicket sharpened Nick Gubbins’ focus, who gave up driving for a while and worked his way to 71 at the close. He will recommence tomorrow with Stevie Eskinasi, who goes to bed on a new first class best of 43.Lancashire will be hoping that when they wake up tomorrow the pitch might too. Unfortunately this is yet another Lord’s track that needs a defibrillator rather than a roller. The new ball brings something out of it but not for long. From then on, whatever movement there is comes once the ball had passed the stumps. Steven Croft found that out the hard way as he scrabbled around to contend with the late dips and swerves. The skip in his step at the start of the final session had slowed to a trudge when stumps was called.If anything, perhaps the Lancashire bowlers might leave the match with a bit of sympathy for their Middlesex counterparts, whose charge has consistently been hampered by these sorts of pitches. Still, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose. If they are not still bowling by this time tomorrow then they should consider that a victory.

Aston Villa Linked To £150k-p/w Ace This Summer

Aston Villa are interested in making a big-money move for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, according to a new transfer update.

How has Phillips fared at Man City?

The 27-year-old joined the reigning Premier League champions last summer in what looked like an effective signing. He had starred for Leeds United in the years prior, helping them return to the top flight in 2020 and also became a key man for England alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park.

Phillips' first season at the Etihad has been something of a disaster, however, with injuries curtailing his progress hugely, limiting him to just 65 minutes of league action spread across six appearances. He may also be finding it tough to adapt to Pep Guardiola's tactical demands, with the manager even calling him out earlier in the campaign, so it is difficult to see him featuring too much between now and the end of the season.

It could even be that the £150k-per-week Englishman is allowed to leave City after just one year at the club – which is where Villa come into play.

Manchester Cit's Kalvin Phillips battles with Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini as England play Italy in the Euro 2024 Qualifiers.

Could Villa sign Kalvin Phillips this summer?

According to Football Insider, the Villans are keen on bringing in Phillips over the summer as they look to make a significant midfield addition. It is claimed that Unai Emery "wants to add a top-class signing capable of running the midfield" and believes that the former Leeds star is exactly what he is looking for.

City would demand £45m for Phillips' services, which would surpass the £42m they paid for him last summer.

Granted, this has been a tough year for Phillips, who would have hoped to go up another gear in a City shirt, but he could still be an outstanding signing for Villa this summer. When fit and firing, we believe he possesses the quality to make Emery's side more formidable moving forward, enjoying a 93.3% pass completion rate in the league this season – albeit with a limited amount of playing time.

Meanwhile, as a regular at Leeds last season, he averaged 2.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per Premier League game – both values which would top the rankings among City's current squad (as per WhoScored).

At 27, he is also at a good age to come in and be a key figure at Villa for a number of years, while he has been hailed as "superb" by midfield legend Xavi, which is extremely high praise. Therefore, if City are willing to let him go, we think Villa should jump at the chance to sign him in what could be an inspired piece of transfer business.