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England’s new national selector has the challenge of trying to solve long-standing issues with the Test side

Andrew McGlashan20-Apr-2018Stick or twistEngland were thwarted by New Zealand’s lower order in Christchurch, falling two wickets short of ending their barren run away from home. In the aftermath, there was a sense that the signs of improvement – particularly from Mark Stoneman and James Vince, who both scored half-centuries – had brought the men in the spotlight some more time. It will be interesting to see whether Smith feels the same way or whether the start of a new season is the time for a blank sheet of paper.Find the x-factorMark Wood and Jack Leach were brought into the side for Christchurch in an attempt to shake up England’s attack. It nearly worked, but the reality is that England have taken 20 wickets just once in their last 12 away Tests. James Anderson remains the attack leader and Stuart Broad looked rejuvenated in New Zealand, but high on Smith’s agenda will be finding bowlers (pace and spin) who can provide a point of difference. Names suggested early season include Olly Stone and Richard Gleeson in the pace debate, but Smith’s desire to delve into analytics may throw up some interesting new faces.Home and awayEngland’s home record has propped up their Test standing in recent years, but that can’t be taken for granted. There is a balance to strike between winning in the here-and-now and having an eye on the types of players who will be needed to arrest the decline overseas. For example, if a certain pace bowler or spinner is viewed as a likely starter in Sri Lanka or West Indies, then do they need to be playing this summer to find their feet in Test cricket? And, also, Smith will need to decide how far ahead to look. The next away Ashes in 2021-22 is likely to be high on the agenda. Players for that need to be identified now.Horses for coursesWith Smith’s emphasis on analytics and a more Moneyball approach to selection, could we see an evolution of the way Test squads are selected throughout a series – especially at home, where there is no restriction on who is available and limited distances to travel. Even if a certain team produces an impressive victory in one Test, does it mean they are the best XI for the next match? How deep will Smith look at conditions and opposition when selecting squads? This, of course, has to be balanced with the dangers of chopping and changing, and the instability it could bring.If it aint brokeRejuvenating the Test side will be Smith’s biggest selection challenge (although the T20 side has also lost some direction in the last couple of years). But the 50-over side is shaping up very nicely ahead of next year’s World Cup – an event with an importance to the English game that cannot be overstated. An era has been staked on winning that tournament on home soil. Smith is a smart man and will know what is working well, but it will be important that he doesn’t feel the need to tinker for the sake of it. Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss probably already know 13 of their 15-man squad for 2019 – things would have to go badly pear-shaped for those selection meetings to stretch Smith too much.

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has told Football FanCast he believes there are three Premier League players who would be capable of replacing Andy Robertson.

Robertson struggling this season

Robertson has received his fair share of criticism this season, having not managed to reach his usual high standards, and there were even calls for the Scottish left-back to be replaced during the January transfer window.

Jamie Carragher urged Arne Slot to bring in a new left-back, with the 30-year-old club “legend” said to be “hanging on in every game”, and there has been no major turnaround in form over the past couple of months.

The Reds have been assessing potential targets for the summer, and they have identified a number of options from abroad, with Slot said to admire Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez, while Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies was also of interest prior to the Canadian signing a new contract.

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However, speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Pennant has stated he believes there are also three Premier League left-backs who could replace Robertson in the summer.

When asked where Liverpool need to strengthen in the summer, Pennant said:“This is probably one of the most important spots that Liverpool need to fill in and that’s left back.

“No disrespect to Andy Robertson, absolutely fantastic player, fantastic servant to the club, a left-back legend, probably one of the best left-backs Liverpool have ever had.

“But I think now he’s coming to the end of the tether, still can be a great Liverpool player and part of the team, but to be a top left-back at the moment, he’s coming to the end of that cliff.

“Out there now to replace him, Kerkez from Bournemouth, Robinson from Fulham or even the likes of Ait-Nouri from Wolves, he had a good game (on Sunday) and I think he’d suit Liverpool well.”

Slot must sign a replacement this summer

A good case can be made for all three of the players suggested by Pennant, with the trio perhaps like-for-like replacements in many ways due to their ability going forward.

Kerkez has picked up two goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, while Robinson has ten assists in 25 games, having emerged as one of Fulham’s best players, and Rayan Ait-Nouri has been a shining light in a poor Wolves side.

Robertson is no doubt a Liverpool legend, having helped the Reds win almost every major honour at club level, but there is no denying his performances have gone downhill, averaging his lowest average match rating in the Premier League since arriving at Anfield.

Season

Robertson Whoscored rating

2017-18

7.02 per game

2018-19

7.12 per game

2019-20

7.11 per game

2020-21

6.88 per game

2021-22

7.23 per game

2022-23

6.78 per game

2023-24

7.12 per game

2024-25

6.63 per game

The Scotland international has insisted he has what it takes to fight for his place, regardless of who Slot brings in this summer, but until then he still has an important role to play in helping the Merseyside club win a 20th English league title.

Newcastle United dazzled last weekend when dismantling a woeful Sheffield United side at Bramall Lane 8-0, but it was the stoical showing against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup that will have really set the fans alight as they dream of new levels of success this season.

Having fallen to Manchester United at the final stage of the competition last term, Eddie Howe's side have a chance for redemption as they await a trip to Old Trafford in the fourth round of this edition, having just defeated Manchester City with a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

It has extended a run of matches without conceding a goal – now four games strong across all competitions – that includes successive Premier League wins and an away draw at the San Siro against AC Milan, where the Magpies have started their return to Champions League football after two decades away.

Despite decimating Aston Villa 5-1 in August, on the opening weekend of the league season, with an incisive and unforgiving showing of attacking intent, Newcastle failed to overcome the daunting subsequent run of Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion, losing all three, thrown into the depths of the division and leaving rivals jesting at their expense.

But now, despite a bit of tardiness in clicking into gear, Newcastle look to have done so and done so with aplomb; cohesive and confident, sights are set on achieving success across all four fronts this season, and there is a high chance of doing so.

While £55m summer signing Sandro Tonali continues to flatter to deceive after joining from AC Milan, with the Daily Mail's Craig Hope stating that the Italy international was "wasteful on the ball" against Pep Guardiola's side, Newcastle are growing as a team, and fans must remember to urge caution.

Anthony Gordon certainly didn't impress over the latter phase of the 2022/23 season after joining from Everton for £45m in January, but now, he's an integral member of this thriving Tyneside outfit and an "outstanding" star this term, as was said by Jamie Carragher last week.

Against City, the 22-year-old was once again at the centre of the success after coming on at half time.

How did Anthony Gordon perform vs Manchester City?

Gordon endured a testing start to his Toon career as he scored just once – on the final game of the season, against Chelsea – before the summer, not quite making the resounding introduction to life at St. James' Park as he would have hoped after such a lofty fee.

After a starring pre-season that included winning Player of the Tournament with England U21s as he won the European Championship, the one-time Preston North End loanee is now making the increments to his game as he cements a regular starting berth on Newcastle's wing.

This season, Gordon has already scored two goals and supplied two assists from five starting appearances in the Premier League, and as the Magpies struggled against City's suffocating style on Wednesday night, his introduction at the break indeed paid dividends.

Hailed for his "untouchable" presence by one analytical writer, Gordon entered the fold and played a key role in turning the tide, making two tackles, one clearance, taking a shot on target and winning two duels, as per Sofascore.

It's also worth noting that the £60k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles per 90, as per FBref, illustrating the energy and application that prompted Howe to forge ahead with a bid in the first place.

Lauded for injecting 'pace and intensity immediately after coming on' by Newcastle World's Jordan Cronin, Gordon is proving to be an invaluable member of this Magpies team, and while he faded after being shifted centrally in the latter phase of the contest, he has shaken off the criticism of his past substandard showings.

While Gordon's performance was good, and a reflection of the role he has played this season, it was Tino Livramento who truly shone on the night, with the former Southampton and Chelsea full-back proving his worth and then some with a stunning display.

How good is Tino Livramento?

Signing from Southampton for an initial £32m in the summer, having spent the lion's share of last season out injured as the Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League, Livramento was handed his first start against the Sky Blues.

Waxing over Livramento's performance, The Times' Henry Winter said this: "Tino Livramento man of the match imo. Superb in subduing Jack Grealish. Calm, concentrated, mobile, fearless."

The winner of Chelsea's Academy Player of the Season in 2021, Livramento grasped his first start with both hands, shining down the right flank in a display that will be most pleasing to the Newcastle hierarchy, who have found a worthy successor to Kieran Trippier's position.

As per Sofascore, the 20-year-old recorded an impressive match score of 7.5, incredibly making eight tackles (including one last man tackle), winning 11 of 18 contested duels, completing 93% of his passes, succeeding with a dribble and losing possession only eight times.

It was truly an incredible performance, with the star rightfully bestowed the Player of the Match award after such an influential showing, and with Newcastle indeed still competing in every competition, his presence will surely be instrumental over the coming months.

Heralded for his "outstanding" performance and "match-winning" tackle to deny Nunes in the dying embers by Hope, Livramento's early performance certainly bodes well for his future success on Tyneside, and while he is young and inexperienced, Howe has clearly landed a prodigious talent capable of making the right-back role his own and then some over the coming years. Until then, however, perhaps a role on the left could be forged, proving a more attacking outlet than Dan Burn.

He has played on the left-hand side just once in his career, although boasts a goal and an assist. Promising signs indeed.

This level of depth is certainly a testament to the burgeoning of Newcastle's squad over the past few years, not only talented but suffused with players worthy of the badge.

India slip to No.2 as England’s annus horribilis in 2014-15 is taken out of the ICC calculations

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-2018Latest ODI rankings

1. England 125 (+8)
2. India 122 (-1)
3. South Africa 113 (-4)
4. New Zealand 112 (-2)
5. Australia 104 (-8)
6. Pakistan 102 (+6)

7. Bangladesh 93 (+3)
8. Sri Lanka 77 (-7)
9. Windies 69 (-5)
10. Afghanistan 63 (+5)
11. Zimbabwe 55 (+4)
12. Ireland 38 (-3)

England’s burgeoning status as a white-ball team has been confirmed by their ascent to the top of the latest ICC one-day rankings, with India slipping to No. 2 on the list.England’s ascent to the top spot was cemented by two impressive away victories this winter – they beat Australia 4-1 in January before seeing off New Zealand 3-2 in March.However, they owe much of their rise to the removal from the permutations of their dismal run of form in 2014-15, when they won just seven out of 25 ODIs and bombed out of the World Cup at the group stages following an infamous defeat against Bangladesh at Adelaide.That 2014-15 season, which also featured the removal of Alastair Cook as ODI captain in the wake of a losing tour of Sri Lanka, is now widely recognised as a watershed moment for English cricket.Eoin Morgan’s appointment as captain was unable to salvage their World Cup campaign, but England’s form in the subsequent home summer was revelatory. Against New Zealand at Edgbaston, in their first completed fixture of the post-World Cup era, England posted their first 400-plus total in ODIs, and have made 300 or more in 27 of their 60 completed innings.England, who last topped the ODI rankings in January 2013, have gained eight points and moved to 125 points. India, who were at the top before the update, have lost a solitary point and are in second place with a total of 122 points.South Africa, who were second, have dropped down to third place after losing four points, from 117 to 113, leaving them nine points adrift of India and only one point ahead of fourth- placed New Zealand.The remaining places remain unchanged, confirming that the current top 10 ranked sides are the ones who will be playing at next year’s World Cup in England. However, there have been some significant changes in points.World champions Australia have lost eight points to go down to 104 in fifth position and are only two points ahead Pakistan, last year’s Champions Trophy winners, who have gained six points.In other changes, Bangladesh (93 points) have gained three points, Sri Lanka (77) have lost seven points, the Windies (69) have lost five points, Afghanistan (63) have gained five points, Zimbabwe (55) have gained four points and 12th-placed Ireland (38) have lost three points.In the T20I rankings, led by Pakistan, there is no change in the top seven places but Afghanistan are now ahead of Sri Lanka in eighth slot.

Liverpool are progressing in talks to sign an exciting new defender in January, and a fresh report has revealed the exact price it will cost to bring him to the Premier League.

Who do Liverpool have at centre-back?

On Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp currently has Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah as his options at the heart of the backline, but with the former pair both 32 years of age, they aren’t getting any younger and will soon need replacing.

Furthermore, Anfield’s captain has recently been suspended, not to mention when extremely frustrating injuries occur that the club are seemingly prone to, so the hierarchy could look to bolster their defensive ranks at the start of the new year having failed to secure any players in that position over the summer, and they already seem to have highlighted their ideal candidate.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie first joined Xabi Alonso’s side from CA Talleres back in 2021 and he’s since gone on to make a total of 77 appearances, but despite still having another four years remaining on his contract, he’s been linked with a move to the top-flight.

Back in August, Ecuador’s international reportedly held talks with both the Reds and West Ham United, with RB Leipzig also credited with an interest, and whilst a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline, the 21-year-old could make it second time lucky in January.

Are Liverpool signing Piero Hincapie?

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool have entered "advanced talks" with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for Hincapie in January.

Klopp is claimed to be personally "pushing" to get a move over the line having made the centre-back position his priority area to target at the start of the new year.

The BayArena star is only valued at £30m, as per the same outlet, but it's stated that the two parties are negotiating a switch worth in the region of £55m, so this is definitely one to keep a close eye on in the weeks and months ahead leading up to 2024.

How good is Piero Hincapie?

As per football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hincapie is a defensive “wall” and that showed last season as he was averaging 2.5 clearances, two aerial wins and 1.7 tackles per game in the Bundesliga, via WhoScored, but whilst he can be a rock at the heart of a backline, he’s also capable of getting involved in the final third.

The Esmeraldas native ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive carries by centre-backs which highlights his desire to push his team up the pitch, and during his time at his current club, this has resulted in him posting five contributions (three goals and two assists) in 77 outings.

Furthermore, Hincapie, who is naturally left-footed, has the ability to operate out wide at left-back and even slightly higher up in the midfield alongside his usual role in the centre, so his versatility would be yet another fantastic attribute for the boss to have in the building.

England put in a more convincing bowling display with the red ball in Hamilton as wickets were shared around

Andrew McGlashan at Seddon Park16-Mar-2018England switched from pink to red ball for their second two-day match in Hamilton and it was another bowling day for them. It was a more convincing all-round effort as they kept the New Zealand XI to 232 for their first 10 wickets. Ben Stokes was named in the 12-man squad but did not bowl or field, although is expected to bat on the second day. Here are a few talking points.Encouraging from BroadStuart Broad was in good rhythm, as he was with the pink ball, which is an encouraging sign that the work he has been doing before this tour is paying off. Again he wasn’t given the new ball, Chris Woakes the latest to be allowed a chance with it, but when he came on he was soon posing a threat. There were catches dropped off him on consecutive overs – Martin Guptill in the gully by James Vince and Greg Hay at third slip by Dawid Malan – before he extracted Hay’s middle stump with a delivery which nipped back.Clues to the Test line-upEngland’s 12-man squad for these two days of red-ball cricket could have given a strong indication of the first Test line-up. If Stokes is able to bowl, and that still remains quite a big if, then Craig Overton would likely drop out of the 12 on duty. However, Stokes has not bowled in multi-day cricket since early September. At the very least his workload will likely have to be managed and Joe Root could, therefore, feel he needs another bowling option. That could leave Vince’s place under pressure with Overton, who bowled nicely here, and Mark Wood then vying for the extra pace-bowling slot.Guptill for the middle order?Last season, Guptill made the decision to move into Auckland’s middle order in an attempt to revive his Test career, having not made opening a regular success. However, then injury struck and he did not have a chance to start his role. Earlier this season he played one match for Northern Districts at No. 3 before a recurrence of his hamstring problem put him on the sidelines. These few days against England are his first opportunity against the red (or pink) ball since then. He made 2 against the pink ball, falling lbw to James Anderson. This time, batting at No. 3, he offered the early chance off Broad but then played positively for 73 before edging Anderson behind. Does he have the drive for one more push at first-class cricket or could he consider focusing on the white-ball game?Chapman’s spin issueNew Zealand hope that Mark Chapman can be part of their next generation of batsmen. On the evidence of recent weeks, he has some work to do against spin bowling. In the one-day series he twice fell to spin, chopping Adil Rashid to point in Wellington and being bowled by Moeen Ali in Christchurch. Moeen removed him again, here, as Chapman pushed forward and the ball flew off the face of the bat to Mark Stoneman.

Manchester United midfielder Donny van De Beek could still be on his way out the door, amid ongoing talks over a move to a Champions League club.

Who did Man United sign in the summer?

Man United strengthened the spine of their team in the summer transfer window, with goalkeeper Andre Onana arriving from Inter Milan, while Jonny Evans and Sergio Reguilon were brought in to bolster Erik ten Hag's defensive options.

Rasmus Hojlund was the Red Devils' marquee signing in attack, and there is good news heading into today's match away against Arsenal, with Ten Hag revealing the striker is fit to play, as the £72m star has recovered from a back injury which delayed his debut.

In central midfield, Mason Mount was the main addition, with the former Chelsea man joining in a £55m deal, and Ten Hag will have been pleased to get a deal for Sofyan Amrabat over the line on deadline day, with the Fiorentina midfielder joining on a season-long loan.

Speaking after Amrabat's arrival, Football Director John Murtough said:

“We have tracked Sofyan for a long time, so we are really pleased to bring him to Manchester United. His committed, high-energy approach to the game fits perfectly with the group that we are building here.

“We know that Sofyan’s mentality, dynamism and technical qualities will help the squad as we look to achieve success in all competitions this season.”

With the Morocco international completing a move to Old Trafford, Van de Beek may fall even further down the pecking order, having failed to make a single appearance for United in any competition so far this season.

As such, according to The Daily Mail, the Red Devils remain in talks with Galatasaray over the midfielder, who is deemed surplus to requirements by Ten Hag.

Despite having a £1m loan offer rejected on deadline day, the Turkish club remain keen on the Dutchman, and they are believed to be the front-runners for his signature, although there has been interest from elsewhere.

French side FC Lorient are also keen, as are the 26-year-old's former club, Ajax, but Galatasaray are out in front, as their transfer window does not close for another two weeks.

Is Donny van De Beek leaving Man United?

Given that the 19-time Netherlands international has fallen so far down the pecking order at Man United, it would not be surprising if he is keen to leave, and a move to Galatasaray could allow him to keep playing at a high level.

The Turkish side are in the Champions League group stages, so a move may well appeal to the former Ajax man, and it could be one of the few options he has on the table, considering the transfer window has now closed for much of Europe.

It is a real shame the central midfielder's move to Man United has not worked out, as he is clearly a top player on his day, having been lauded as "sensational" by journalist Antonio Mango just 18 months ago. However, a move away appears to be the best solution for all parties at this stage, and Van de Beek should try and reignite his career with Galatasaray.

England coach Trevor Bayliss hopes that Alex Hales is brave enough to reverse his decision to pursue a white-ball-only career if it does not work out for him

Andrew McGlashan in Christchurch09-Mar-2018England coach Trevor Bayliss hopes that Alex Hales is brave enough to reverse his decision to pursue a white-ball-only career if it does not work out for him.Hales and Adil Rashid halted their first-class careers last month in favour of limited-overs contracts with their counties, in the belief it would allow them to improve in those formats both for the benefit of their international careers and also to make them more attractive to T20 leagues around the world.Rashid remains a first-pick for both England’s white-ball sides, but Hales has been sidelined throughout the one-day series in New Zealand following Ben Stokes’ return, with Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy given the opening roles.Bayliss said that he did not have any involvement in the decisions made by Hales and Rashid, saying it was an individual choice, but he believed there could still be an overall benefit to maintaining a red-call career in order to further a players’ limited-overs game.”I said to him [Hales] when it came out, that not playing red-ball cricket, hopefully that doesn’t affect him,” Bayliss said. “If he plays red-ball cricket you get a quantity of balls, and that helps with any form of the game. He had to weigh that up with going away and having the extra time to work on his white-ball skills. Only time will tell. If it doesn’t work, hopefully he is able to make a decision to come back into red-ball cricket.”Bayliss was aware of the possibility of Rashid making his career move from last year, but he was not at the heart of the players’ discussions.”Rash mightn’t have said anything but he might have mentioned it in passing,” Bayliss said. “We didn’t have a long discussion about it if he did. I certainly can’t remember it. But both those guys have their people they speak to at their counties and other coaches here. With Rash we knew it was a possibility from late last season. It’s totally up to them.”Adil Rashid gets a pat on the back from his captain•Getty ImagesAlthough both players indicated they may reassess their decisions after the 2019 World Cup, any realistic chance of resuming a Test career has likely gone. The door had previously not been closed despite Rashid being overlooked for Mason Crane in the Ashes and Hales not featuring since the end of the Pakistan series in 2016. In the last English season, Hales tried to reinvent himself in first-class cricket by moving into Nottinghamshire’s middle and was briefly talked about as a potential option for the Ashes squad.”From that point of view it is a big decision,” Bayliss said. “Basically taking themselves out of the running for Test cricket. That might give us an idea of how they were personally thinking. We can’t do any more – that’s the decision they have to make and we have to move on.”Hales and Rashid will complete their current stint with England with the deciding ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch before the tour switches to Test mode. An important decision needs to made over the vice-captaincy following Stokes’ return. Stokes officially remains the Test vice-captain, having had the role prior to the incident in Bristol last September; when he was forced to miss the Ashes it was handed to James Anderson.Earlier in the tour, Test captain Joe Root said it was a matter that had still to be discussed and those conversations remain on the to-do list once the one-day series is concluded and tour moves to Hamilton for the warm-ups.”To be honest, that hasn’t been discussed as yet. I’m sure it’ll be something Joe and I will speak about very shortly,” Bayliss said. “[Stokes] was vice-captain because of his knowledge of the game and what he means to the team. But I thought Jimmy Anderson did a pretty good job during that Ashes series.”The next stage of Stokes’ legal case takes place on Monday following his plea of not guilty to a charge of affray – with the first hearing at Crown Court which he was given permission to miss because of the ongoing tour.Stokes has made a solid return to the international stage. He took the Player-of-the-Match award in Mount Maunganui, then battled against his natural instincts to score an important 39 off 73 balls on a tough pitch in Wellington, where he also took a super catch to spark New Zealand’s collapse.”We said before, there are always guys around the world who are able to put those things aside and get stuck back into it,” Bayliss said, “and I think we have seen over these games that he has put it aside and got on with it.”In terms of the reception he has received, New Zealand has offered Stokes a soft landing back into the England fold – a boisterous crowd in Dunedin as lively as it has got – but while it has made managing the situation easier, Bayliss believed he would have been able to cope in Australia.”It’s probably been a bit easier for him to sneak back in. With Ben, I don’t think it would have made any difference, it might have encouraged him even more to do well.”

Celtic are closing in on their seventh summer signing and he will arrive this week to finalise his move to the Scottish giants before their crucial Glasgow Derby match against Rangers this weekend.

What's the latest transfer news involving Celtic?

According to Honduran outlet Diario Diez, Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma has already said goodbye to his teammates and is in London to put the finishing touches to his impending move to Celtic.

He will then travel to Glasgow to be officially unveiled by the Scottish champions and will don the iconic number seven jersey at Parkhead, which has been worn by club legends such as Jimmy Johnstone and Henrik Larsson in the past.

The Scottish Sun detail that Celtic will pay a fee in the region of £3.5 million for the Honduras international and he could be the first of five late-window incomings to bolster Brendan Rodgers' underperforming side. Manchester City youngster Tommy Doyle has been mentioned as a potential arrival to bolster the Irishman's engine room before the deadline.

Several outgoings are also expected and it is believed that Benjamin Siegrist, James McCarthy, Albian Ajeti and Ismaila Soro could all be on their way out of the club.

Celtic have failed to score in over 180 minutes of football and were knocked out of the Viaplay Cup against Kilmarnock, followed by putting in a disappointing display in a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, as per Sky Sports.

Cited by The Sunday Mail (27/08 print edition, page 59), Celtic boss Rodgers has laid down the gauntlet to the Hoops' hierarchy to fulfill his wish for further recruitment in the market before the close of play, stating:

“We need to improve for sure. I spoke to the club when I came in and, assessing the squad, we need to improve the quality. It’s clear if you see the team, if you go back to my first time here the team was fast and dynamic, got through the lines quickly, created and scored goals.

"So this is what we’ll eventually get to. But we’re missing those certain profiles so hopefully we can bring that into the squad and be a lot cleaner and a lot quicker in our play.”

What could Luis Palma bring to Celtic?

Since Portuguese winger Jota left Celtic to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad earlier in the summer for a fee in the region of £25 million, the Hoops have lost a valuable creative outlet, which is something Palma could help to remedy due to his direct style of play.

During his time in Greece, Palma has been a live wire and regularly troubled opposition backlines, registering 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Dubbed a "huge player" by Aris manager Apostolos Terzis, Palma will be desperate to hit the ground running at Celtic and show that he can live up to the hype of his iconic shirt number.

Cited by Football Scotland, Terzis has confirmed that Palma is leaving Aris and stated in an interview: "I want to wish him the best of luck with his new club, Celtic. He worked so hard for our team and Aris also helped him a lot to develop."

The selectors have retained both Cameron Bancroft and Peter Handscomb despite underwhelming displays during the Ashes series.

Daniel Brettig22-Jan-2018Jhye Richardson’s rapid rise has been maintained by selection to tour South Africa with Australia’s Test squad, in which the selectors have retained both Cameron Bancroft and Peter Handscomb despite underwhelming displays during the Ashes series.Australia squads

For Tests in SA: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc.
For T20Is v England and New Zealand: David Warner (capt), Aaron Finch, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa

The panel chaired by Trevor Hohns could find no room for Glenn Maxwell – chosen as a standby batsman as recently as the Gabba Test against England in November – and also left out the Adelaide Test 12th man Chadd Sayers.At the age of 21, Richardson has played only five first-class matches, but took 17 wickets in four Sheffield Shield games for Western Australia prior to the start of the Big Bash League. Richardson has stated he takes inspiration from South Africa’s Dale Steyn.Those four appearances included some slippery spells against a full-strength New South Wales team at Hurstville Oval, where he impressed Australia’s captan Steven Smith with his pace and movement. “He has impressed very much so early days of this Sheffield Shield season,” Hohns said of Richardson. “He’s bowled very well, he’s got good pace, pretty good control we think. He’s certainly a player of the future. He offers a pretty good package too; he’s a good fielder and he’s pretty handy with the bat. We do see a good future for him particularly that he just seems to have that extra pace which may well be required in South Africa.Jhye Richardson receives his ODI cap•Getty Images”There’s no doubt about that [Sayers is unlucky]. Chadd is performing well as he always does, but with Jackson Bird there he has the jump on Chadd at the moment, there’s no doubt about that. We have him, Josh Hazlewood is a well-renowned seam bowler then we have the good pace of [Mitchell] Starc, [Pat] Cummins and Jhye Richardson.”Australia’s desire to have a high-speed reserve option in South Africa is long-standing. They rushed James Pattinson back from injury in 2014, and he played a substantial role in the pivotal third Test of the series in Cape Town, alongside Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris. Pattinson may well have come into consideration this time as well, alongside Nathan Coulter-Nile, but both men are injured.”I haven’t really expected to play for Australia, just having the amount of experience I’ve had in Shield cricket,” Richardson said. “I’ve only played five games under my belt. But having said that, I’m going in with full confidence. I’m learning so quickly, especially being around these guys, seeing how they go about their business and I’m certainly developing as a person and a player extremely quickly.”I had a relatively good domestic one-day competition. And, as I said, I’m really confident with how I’m bowling. Body is feeling good. Technique is coming along really nicely, being able to swing the ball at the top of the order is always nice. The message was just to go about the business as you do and just be myself around the group.”I’m only 70-odd kilos and 178cm tall so I’m not the biggest unit around, but it’s always something in your head, you always want to prove people wrong and I think that’s been my attitude from the start, If someone is going to beat me down, why not prove them wrong. There’s going to be a lot of people that put me down for not having the experience at this sort of level but if I can go in being as confident as I am right now I think I’ll be able to get the job done.”Cameron Bancroft had a few problems against the short ball•Getty ImagesBancroft’s technique was gradually dismantled by England over the course of five Tests, but his presence in the team was strongly endorsed by both Smith and the coach Darren Lehmann, who had pointed to his success in building partnerships with David Warner even though he did not always look comfortable. Handscomb’s retention as reserve batsman – having been dropped for Mitchell Marsh after the second Ashes match in Adelaide – is likewise a vote of confidence. The decision to retain the pair was simplified by a badly-timed injury to Joe Burns, while the Big Bash League has deprived Matt Renshaw of opportunities to press for a recall.”It’s a absolutely a vote of confidence in Cameron Bancroft,” Hohns said. “He’s the type of player we love having there at the moment. He’s the type of player that seems he could excel in Test cricket. We do have other options for openers if something needs to happen in that area. We’ve got the spare batsman, currently it’s Peter Handscomb.”We feel adequately covered anywhere in the batting line-up with the personnel we have available. There is no doubt Mitch has made the most of the renewed opportunity, that has to be said. I suppose at the moment Peter is the spare batsman and it’s up to the others to perform as they have out here.”Rather than choosing Ashton Agar as a possible second spin bowler, the role he filled in Bangladesh last year, the selectors also recalled 30-year old Jon Holland as injury cover for Nathan Lyon and also as a net-bowling approximation of South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj. Hohns said that the unlikelihood of needing to play two spinners meant Holland was preferred as Lyon’s back-up.”[Agar] is definitely still in the developmental stage of his spin-bowling career,” Hohns said. “He’s a different type of package. He offers us the all-round type of package when the need is there to play two spinners in the one team, probably like in the subcontinent when we’ve played two or three as well. But, in this instance going to South Africa, we don’t envisage the pitches that we will encounter will necessitate playing two spinners in the one side.”What we thought we needed there was actually a specialist spinner as back-up to Nathan Lyon if anything were to happen to him and he couldn’t play and take his place in the side on any given day. [Holland] is a wicket-taker, simple as that. You have a look at his record, it speaks for itself over the past couple of seasons. He fits that specialist role very well.”Of the Test squad, only David Warner will take part in the Twenty20 tri-series against England and New Zealand that begins on February 7. He has been chosen as stand-in captain to allow Smith a break after the current ODI series and also the chance to have a full preparation for the South Africa series, which begins on March 5 and takes place across four Tests in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg.”Steve has had a very big summer and will benefit from a short break both physically and mentally, before he leaves for South Africa,” Hohns said. “David is a very capable leader and has captained in Steve’s absence before and done a fine job. We wanted to ensure the T20 side had key leadership throughout this Series and we know the team is in good hands with him at the helm.”D’Arcy Short, the indigenous left-handed batsman, earned his place in the T20 squad through a series of outstanding BBL displays, while the left-arm swing bowling of the Sydney Sixers’ Ben Dwarshuis has also been recognised. Chris Lynn, who withdrew from the ODI squad due to a calf injury, was recalled, with a chance to prove his fitness by playing for the Brisbane Heat beforehand. The most curious omission was that of Fawad Ahmed, the leading Australian spinner in the BBL but deemed to be behind Adam Zampa in the selectors’ order of preference.