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West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Lucas Digne to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim by Pete O’Rourke, who revealed in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that David Moyes will be considering a move for the Everton left-back this month, as the 58-year-old Hammers boss is looking to bring in greater depth behind the injured Aaron Cresswell.

In relation to West Ham’s potential interest in Digne, O’Rourke said: “I’m sure they’ll be looking at him if they are looking for a left-back. I know in the summer, they tried to get a left-back to provide cover to Cresswell. Obviously, that need is heightened even more now with Cresswell’s injury.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Digne has been for Everton in recent seasons, the news that West Ham will be considering the possibility of making a move for the France international this January is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 30 Premier League appearances last time out, the £27m-rated defender was in remarkable form for the Toffees, helping his side keep nine clean sheets, registering seven assists and creating a whopping 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes per game.

The 28-year-old also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of one interception, 2.1 tackles, 2.4 clearances and winning 6.5 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the £119k-per-week Frenchman earn an astonishing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.13, ranking him as Everton’s second-best performer in the top flight of English football.

Furthermore, with Digne and Rafael Benitez’s relationship believed to have broken down, it has been reported that the Toffees manager would be willing to part with the left-back in the current transfer window, as long as an offer of around £25m is lodged.

As such, not only would the former Barcelona defender make an excellent addition to Aaron Cresswell on the left of Moyes’ backline at West Ham, a deal for the 43-capped international would also appear to be one that the Hammers board could easily afford – something of a win-win situation for the East London side.

In other news: Big agent claim made on 16-goal “phenomenon” linked with West Ham, fans will be fuming

Phillip Hughes is likely to miss Australia’s Test series against Pakistan in July after dislocating his left shoulder while boxing

Cricinfo staff06-May-2010Phillip Hughes is likely to miss Australia’s Test series against Pakistan in July after dislocating his left shoulder while boxing on Tuesday. He will have surgery in Melbourne next week and is expected to target the home summer before he returns.Hughes was the reserve batsman on Australia’s trip to New Zealand in March and scored an unbeaten 86 in the second innings of the first Test after replacing the injured Shane Watson. A spot in the squad to face Pakistan in England would have been his even though he is stuck behind Watson and Simon Katich in the pecking order.His expected absence gives hope to the likes of Steven Smith, George Bailey and Usman Khawaja, who have done well on the domestic scene. The shoulder dislocated when Hughes was struck by a friend while doing boxercise training and it popped back in quickly.He will be operated on by Dr Greg Hoy, who has worked on Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee and Shane Warne, and is likely to be out for three months. Hughes was also hoping to play in the Australia A series against Sri Lanka A in June.

South Africa’s tour shifts a gear with the first Test at Port of Spain in Trinidad, but the disparity in current form between the two sides suggests that the hosts’ struggle for a positive result could become even harder in the longer format

The Preview by Liam Brickhill09-Jun-2010Match factsThursday June 10 – 14, 2010
Start time 10.00am (14.00GMT)Big PictureJacques Kallis has found West Indies’ attack very much to his liking in 21 Tests against them so far•AFPSouth Africa’s tour shifts a gear with the first Test at Port of Spain in Trinidad, but the disparity in current form between the two sides suggests that the hosts’ struggle for a positive result could become even harder in the longer format. The South African team is even stronger in Tests than it is in one-day internationals, and after their 5-0 drubbing of a West Indian squad that seemed to have forgotten how to win in the one-day series, it appears that the coming contest will, if anything, be even more one-sided.West Indies are in disarray, with several important players either injured or out of form, morale at rock-bottom, and disciplinary issues once again coming to the fore. It’s hard to see how they could possibly turn things around in this series, but they will be hoping that the introduction of a couple of fresh faces to the team will help to spark a revival in their fortunes. Offspinner Shane Shillingford and fast bowler Nelon Pascal have been included in the squad, and Darren Bravo’s good form on the A tour to Bangladesh – he was Man of the Series in the tri-series leg of the tour – lead to his call-up for the final three one-day games against the visitors. He wasn’t quite able to carry his form over, making 63 runs in three innings – including an unbeaten 45 in the fourth ODI in Dominica, but he, at least, has recent runs under his belt.Brendan Nash didn’t reach 100 in the unofficial Test series against Bangladesh A, but was dismissed only once in four innings on the tour. His obdurate occupation of the crease could be a vital buffer between Chris Gayle’s fireworks, Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s steely accumulation, and a vulnerable lower middle order, especially in the absence of Ramnaresh Sarwan through injury.The emphasis on occupation of the crease, rather than the pressure of trying to score runs quickly, could allow some South African players that have not been in the greatest touch on the tour so far, such as Graeme Smith and, to a lesser extent, JP Duminy to get back into the groove.South Africa have clearly been a class apart from their opponents on this tour, particularly in their batting. The West Indies batsmen haven’t displayed the application and shot selection necessary to compile big scores, as is evidenced by the disparity in the number of fifties and hundreds scored between the two teams in their limited-overs games. West Indies desperately need a something positive out of this series, but they face a mountainous task to overcome a South African Test outfit that has settled on a successful combination.Form guide (last five completed matches)West Indies LDLLL
South Africa LWWDL
Watch out for…Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the only batsman to perform with any consistency in the one-day series – albeit one slightly curtailed through injury for him – in making 157 runs in three innings at 52.33, including two half-centuries. He has also been the most reliable member of West Indies’ Test middle order for some time, and could be very tough for the South Africans to prise from the crease if he settles.Morne Morkel was South Africa’s bowler of the one-day series, picking up 11 wickets at just 15.90. The greater freedom given to fast bowlers in Tests, and the emphasis upon taking wickets, will only serve to emphasise the threat of his pace, bounce and menace, and he could well prove too much for a batting line-up that has already been traumatised by seven losses on the trot on South Africa’s tour.Team newsWest Indies get to try out another set of combinations as the first of three Tests get underway, although injury has ruled Sarwan, Jerome Taylor, Adrian Barath and Fidel Edwards out of West Indies’ plans. Travis Dowlin, who managed a half-century opening the batting against Australia in December, will slot in at the top of the order, while Brendan Nash will reclaim his place in the middle order. Narsingh Deonarine also managed some runs against Australia, as well as reasonable success in the ODI leg of South Africa’s tour, and should get a look in. If Chris Gayle and Sulieman Benn haven’t yet made up, Shane Shillingford could debut as the spinning option.West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Travis Dowlin, 3 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Brendan Nash, 6 Dwayne Bravo (vice-capt), 7 Denesh Ramdin, 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Sulieman Benn/Shane Shillingford, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Ravi Rampaul.The main contentious position in South Africa’s line-up is at No. 6, with Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy both vying for the position. Prince has recent first-class experience with Lancashire, but with South Africa highly unlikely to play both Paul Harris and Johan Botha, the added bonus of Duminy’s bowling could settle the question. The variation offered by Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s left-arm seamers mean he will probably get in ahead of allrounder and right-arm seamer Ryan McLaren, assuming Wayne Parnell does not recover from injury in time .South Africa (probable) 1 Graeme Smith, 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Hashim Amla, 6 Ashwell Prince/JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher, 8 Paul Harris, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Lonwabo TsotsobePitch and conditionsThere should be life in this pitch for both fast and slow bowlers, although recently it has been particularly helpful to the spinners. It was here that Zimbabwe’s battery of spinners kept West Indies to 79 for 7 in a Twenty20, and the last time a Test was played here – against England in March last year – spinners took 14 wickets in the match. The weather forecast is not good, however, and there is a good chance of interruptions until Sunday.Stats and TriviaThe last time these two sides meant in a Test match at this venue, in 2005, Makhaya Ntini bowled South Africa to an eight-wicket win with 13 wickets in the match. West Indies’ last Test here was against England last year, when the hosts just managed to cling on for a series-clinching draw.Jacques Kallis has plundered 2073 runs in 21 Tests against West Indies at an average of 74.03, including seven hundreds and 11 fifties. Quotes”Losing has become a habit, but we have to put that behind us and look forward to the Test series.”

“Winning is a habit, and when you get into tight games, and you are used to winning, you are able to limp over the line.”

Even though the 2022 January transfer window has now opened, allowing clubs to bring new players in where they see fit, it seems as though Aston Villa have made their first big decision of the year by bringing a familiar face back to the Midlands club.

According to a recent Twitter post from Villa journalist Gregg Evans, it appears that Villa have recalled young striker Louie Barry from his loan deal with League One club Ipswich Town.

Despite saying in his tweet that Barry will now “return to train with the U23s” at Villa and that “another loan move will be arranged before the end of the month” for the 18-year-old, it could be worth Gerrard giving the teenager his chance to integrate himself in the senior squad.

Even though he only made six appearances for Ipswich since arriving back in early August, it may be beneficial for the player to get used to the training procedures and overall feel of what it’s like to be coached by Gerrard from now until the end of the season rather than go out to another club and risk not getting much playing time again.

Although there wouldn’t be a big chance of him playing regularly at Villa this season ahead of the likes of Ollie Watkins or Danny Ings given their experience at senior level, it could be argued that learning from these players and the manager would be useful for the young attacker in the long-term if he wants to get closer to breaking into the team.

Having been praised by former Arsenal and Crystal Palace striker Ian Wright after scoring a “clinical” goal against Liverpool in Villa’s 4-1 FA Cup defeat last year in his first and only senior appearance for the club, Barry could even be a useful option off the bench in some games, especially with reports linking Wesley with an exit from Villa Park this month.

Moving forward, whatever the club decides is the best next step for Barry, it’s safe to say that getting him out of Ipswich early was a good move and that he can now do something more constructive with his time, whether that be with Villa’s U23s or in the senior squad or at another club.

But if Johan Lange wanted to help Gerrard save some money in potential transfer fees this month, it could be worth the teenager staying at Villa Park and learning what he can in the senior squad.

In other news: NSWE can blow AVFC fans away with swoop for £63m-rated gem who’s the “total package” – opinion

Ryan Harris, the Australian fast bowler, has undergone corrective knee surgery after an injury forced him to return home from England

Cricinfo staff10-Jul-2010Ryan Harris, the Australian fast bowler, has undergone corrective knee surgery after an injury forced him to return home from England. It is still uncertain whether he will be fit in time for the one-dayers against India in three months’ time.”Ryan Harris underwent arthroscopic surgery in Melbourne on Thursday to correct cartilege damage to his right knee,” Cricket Australia doctor Trefor James said. “His progress will be monitored in the coming weeks to determine his availability for selection for the VB Tour of India tour in October.”Harris has been one of the most impressive performers in the attack since his call-up during the one-day series against Pakistan in January, having taken 41 wickets in 17 ODIs since then. He was Australia’s leading wicket taker during the ODI series against England, when he claimed ten victims at 17.10 despite missing the second game with a groin strain.This is not his first knee surgery, having had two of them last winter as well.

Celtic have been dealt a late injury blow concerning Kyogo Furuhashi ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash on Monday evening.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by The Scottish Sun, the 26-year-old centre-forward, who suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in Celtic’s 3-1 victory over St. Johnstone on Boxing Day, looks set to be ruled out of action until at least next month, missing tonight’s clash with Hibs as a result.

The report claims that the Japan international is a doubt for the Old Firm clash on February 2 – despite the fact that Ange Postecoglou claimed after the St. Johnstone win that the striker’s injury was “nothing major,” leading us to believe he could return after the break.

The report went on to state that Kyogo will not link up with the Japanese national team for their World Cup qualifiers against China on January 27 and Saudi Arabia on February 1 due to his fitness concerns, as well as revealing that the forward has not been training with Celtic upon their return to Lennoxtown after the winter break.

Postecoglou will be fuming

Considering just how important a part of the Celtic side Kyogo has become since his £4.6m move to Parkhead last summer, the news that the centre-forward looks set to miss the fixture against Hibernian, as well as a number of other extremely important games in the coming weeks, is sure to have left Postecoglu fuming.

Indeed, over his 14 Premiership outings so far this season, the £4.95m-rated man has already scored eight goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

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These returns have seen the £18k-per-week striker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Postecoglou’s 11th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who remain in the Greek-Australian manager’s first-team squad.

The Japan international has also bagged a further two goals and three assists over his five Europa League appearances, three goals over his four Europa League qualifying fixtures and three goals in three games in the League Cup – taking his total to 16 goals and five assists over just 26 appearances for the Hoops.

As such, being without Kyogo for any extended period of time will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Postecoglou and his side, who will need to keep the 26-year-old fit and firing over the second half of the season if Celtic are to have any chance of going on to reclaim their Scottish Premiership crown come next May.

In other news: Ange must unleash Celtic’s £1.44m-rated “dream” on Hibs, he’ll give Maloney nightmares

Australia will hope to maintain their improvement in form after finally registering a win at The Oval, but Andrew Strauss has reminded his team of the importance of not slipping back into bad habits

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan02-Jul-2010Match factsJuly 3, 2010, Lord’s
Start time 10.45am (9.45GMT)Big pictureAustralia ensured there would be no first one-day whitewash for them with a much improved performance at The Oval as England slipped back into a few bad habits with the series safely in the bag. Both Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower have called for a big effort in the final match to ensure the scoreline finishes in emphatic style: 4-1 looks at lot better than 3-2.However, the visitors are starting to move through the gears having taken two weeks to shake off the rust from their recent break. With Shaun Tait back in the attack the bowling line-up has a much more threatening look with both Tait and Ryan Harris operating above 90mph, while Doug Bollinger has continued his consistent form. The batting, which let the side down in the first three matches, was anchored by 90s from Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke at The Oval as the two leaders led from the front.This final outing of the series will be a good test for England to see how deep they can dig now that a whitewash is no longer on the cards. It hasn’t often happened that the team has won a series with two games to spare, but they won’t want laziness to creep into performances. The batting has been led by Strauss and Eoin Morgan, but it’s about time Kevin Pietersen built a substantial innings and Craig Kieswetter needs a score.And, of course, this is the last meeting between these two sides before a certain encounter in Brisbane on November 25. Both teams will have gained some useful knowledge over the last two weeks, but a lot can change over the next five months.Form guide (last five completed matches)England LWWWW
Australia WLLLWWatch out for…For Steven Smith this is becoming a tour of great significance. The 21-year-old legspinning allrounder is now the team’s No. 1 slow bowler after Nathan Hauritz’s injury and is primed for his Test debut against Pakistan. He has shown his skills in all three disciplines during this series with useful contributions lower down the order, the ability to pick up important wickets and his speed in the outfield. England will be watching him closely over the next few months.Craig Kieswetter came into this series with great things expected of him after a successful World Twenty20 campaign. He was meant to provide the top-order power that has long been lacking in England’s 50-over cricket. However, it hasn’t quite work out that way and Kieswetter has been troubled by Australia’s quick bowlers. A player of his style will always collect a fair few failures, but in a series of five games at least one good score is required. A flat pitch and quick outfield at Lord’s provides him the chance to show what he can do.Team newsAs usual, Strauss gave little away about possible changes to the team. “We’ve got the series against Bangladesh coming up as well so maybe we can look to chop and change a little bit, but on the one hand the 11 players we’ve played so far have done a very good job and we’re 3-1 up in the series,” he said. Ian Bell and Ajmal Shahzad again played for the Lions yesterday to keep them active, while Ryan Sidebottom is still waiting for a chance. The form of Tim Bresnan with the ball and Luke Wright with the bat has dipped in recent matches, but Flower has faith in his group after their recent successes.England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Michael Yardy, 7 Luke Wright, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Now that Australia are finding some form it seems unlikely they will alter a winning line-up unless they want to give Josh Hazlewood another outing. The three-pronged fast attack has been impressive, while Steven Smith is a confident cricketer. Tim Paine has had a lean series and with his Test debut looming would like some runs to settle his nerves.Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Tim Paine (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Cameron White, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 James Hopes, 8 Steven Smith, 9 Shaun Tait, 10 Ryan Harris, 11 Doug Bollinger.Pitch and conditionsLord’s in midsummer for a one-day international should mean just one thing – runs, and plenty of them. Expect a surface with decent pace and carry, but there shouldn’t be much help for quicks if the sun stays out.Stats and Trivia The two teams have met 11 times in ODIs at Lord’s and it’s Australia who hold the edge with six wins to four. There was also a tie in the NatWest Series final of 2005. Despite the ground’s reputation for high-scoring, in the 11 matches only three 250-plus totals have been scored with England’s 278 for 7 (off 55 overs) in 1989 the highest.Quotes”We don’t want to finish this series 3-2 having been 3-0 up. To win a series against the number one team in the world 4-1 would be an outstanding achievement.”

Leeds United look increasingly unlikely to sign Torino defender Ola Aina in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Aina linked with Leeds move

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent weeks as Marcelo Bielsa looks at possible additions this month.

Aina could leave Torino in January but he is currently on Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) duty with Nigeria, where he has started two matches to date.

It now looks as though Leeds won’t be an option for the former England youth international, though, following a fresh update.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Journalist casts doubt over Aina move

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke said that he isn’t convinced a January move will happen between Aina and Leeds, with right-back not an area of priority for Bielsa.

The journalist claimed: “Ola Aina is another interesting one. Another right-back who’s over in Torino but I think for this month it’s not a priority position for Leeds, and I think his price-tag would be out of their reach as well.”

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The Verdict: Not an essential addition

While Aina has impressed for Torino on the whole, as well as at AFCON – he is averaging three tackles and interceptions apiece per game in the competition so far – it would be no disaster if Leeds miss out on him.

Luke Ayling remains a force as the Whites’ first-choice right-back, while Stuart Dallas can fill in there when required, as well as Jamie Shackleton, who has played there five times in the Premier League this season.

If Aina stays at Torino until the summer, then it could make sense to go back in for him then, but it may be the case that he has already moved on by that point.

In other news, Phil Hay hailed one Leeds player in the defeat to Newcastle United. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace could be boosted by the return of forward Jordan Ayew for Sunday’s clash with Liverpool after Ghana’s shock exit from the African Cup of Nations.

What’s the latest?

After travelling to Cameroon to compete in the African Cup on Nations with his native Ghana, which saw him miss Crystal Palace’s derby draw with Brighton last week, Jordan Ayew could be back in contention for the Eagles.

The Black Stars suffered a shock exit from AFCON, their first dismissal at the group stage since 2006, which therefore has seen Ayew return to south London.

Palace manager Patrick Vieira confirmed that the 30-year-old has returned to training ahead of the Reds’ trip to Selhurst Park and could be available for selection.

On Ayew, the Frenchman said: “We don’t know, we still have a couple of days before the game. He was in today [Friday] and took part in the first part of training. We will have a discussion tomorrow [Saturday] to find out how he’s feeling.”

Vieira will be delighted

Although he may not be fit to start, Vieira will be delighted to have one of his regular starters back available, especially after less time away than initially thought.

Before his departure for AFCON, Ayew had featured in all bar one of the Eagles’ Premier League matches this season. Although he has only scored once and assisted twice, the 30-year-old is a favourite of his manager for his work-rate and defensive contribution.

Last month, Vieira heaped the Ghanaian with praise, stating: “I think when he had his opportunity the focus was on what he’s doing for the team. He’s sacrificing himself for the team, working hard for the team. This is what we need and want. Goals will come.”

Moreover, the more players available the better for the south London side, who face the tall task of taking a result against a Liverpool side who have lost just one of their last ten Premier League matches and sit second in the table.

In other news: Reliable journalist gives update on Jean-Philippe Mateta

ESPNStar gets set for an aggressive campaign to showcase the breadth of global cricketing talent on offer during next month’s event in South Africa

Tariq Engineer06-Aug-2010With a couple of opinionated and charismatic cricketers on the commentary panel, and the biggest name in Bollywood as its brand ambassador, the Champions League Twenty20 is set for an aggressive campaign before and during next month’s tournament in South Africa to best showcase its breadth of global cricketing talent.The induction of Sourav Ganguly, Andrew Symonds and Amitabh Bachchan was based on the realisation that public perception of the tournament needed to change. Last year, the television ratings for the league suffered in comparison to that of the IPL, especially once the teams from India were eliminated.While Manu Sawhney, managing director of ESPN Star Sports (ESS), believed such a comparison is unfair – as the IPL is an “aberration” and most leagues take time to find their footing – he conceded changes needed to be made this time.”We went through a whole brand positioning research,” Sawhney said in Mumbai, following an ESS presentation of its newest stars. “We have an integrated campaign – across print, radio, TV, as well as the internet, to communicate the values and the essence of the tournament. The thinking is very focused and driven on the feedback.”The addition of Ganguly and Symonds is meant to add energy and freshness to the commentary team. “They add the dimension of great quality and incisiveness, and bring a current flavour to the tournament,” Sawhney, said.Bachchan is on board because he represents excellence and “is a source of inspiration.” He has already shot a number of promotional videos alongside Ganguly, Symonds and Herschelle Gibbs. The main thrust of the campaign is to get across the message that “this is something. This is the true competition. You just cannot afford to miss it.”Sawhney disagreed with the common perception that the Indian cricket fan only wanted to watch Indian cricket. According to him, the Indian fan is a “discerning” one who is prepared to watch a quality tournament. “It [the Champions League] doesn’t have all the Indian teams in it but they [the fans] do recognise there are many more talented teams here and the competition is the next level.”As a result of this focused marketing effort, Sawhney expected ratings to be significantly better than last year. The long term goal is for the the tournament to resemble the UEFA Champions League, which the best football clubs in Europe aspire to win.Ganguly said playing the tournament in South Africa would give some of the younger players in the teams from India an opportunity to to test themselves under difficult conditions against the best Twenty20 teams in the world.”Facing Shaun Tait would be a good experience,’ Ganguly said. “If someone like Shikhar Dhawan could get 50 or 60 against that sort of pace, it will make him a better player when he comes back.”Ganguly reckoned the bouncy pitches in South Africa will eliminate the 200-plus scores teams routinely put up in the IPL. “130 or 140 could be winning totals,” he said. He named Victoria and Royal Challengers Bangalore, with its coterie of South Africa players, as two of the stronger sides in the competition. He also thought Guyana could spring a surprise or two.”Guyana has nothing to prove and should go some distance in the tournament,” he said. “Teams won’t run through them.”