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West Indies could be without captain Jason Holder for their must-win match against South Africa in Barbados on Friday after he injured his hamstring during the loss to Australia on Tuesday

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2016West Indies could be without captain Jason Holder for their must-win match against South Africa in Barbados on Friday after he injured his hamstring during the loss to Australia on Tuesday. Holder was able to bowl only two overs before he left the field, which forced West Indies to use occasional legspinner Andre Fletcher and stand-in captain Kieron Pollard to make up the rest of his overs.Chasing 283 to secure a place in the tri-series final, the Australians reached their target with eight balls to spare thanks in part to a stunning cameo of 46 not out from 26 deliveries from Glenn Maxwell. Friday’s match between West Indies and South Africa now becomes a straight elimination game, with the winner to take on Australia in the final on Sunday.”I’ve strained my left hamstring,” Holder said after the match. “Hopefully I’ll be ready for the game on Friday, still not sure at the moment. I think the bowlers made a very good attempt at trying to defend the runs. It was just unfortunate we were one bowler short.”Fletcher came on and slipped in three tight overs. In hindsight he probably could have gone on for two more. Having said that we fought right down to the end with a bowler short, so credit must go to the bowling unit.”West Indies were arguably a few runs short of par on a good batting pitch after being sent in by Steven Smith, although a 192-run stand between Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels ensured a strong total after they slipped to be 31 for 3.Samuels finished with 125, his first hundred against Australia in any format, and he was Man of the Match for the second consecutive game against Australia despite the losing cause. There was plenty of chat between the two sides over the course of the match and Samuels said he had been spurred on by Australia’s words.”I’ve been saying that over the years,” Samuels said. “Most times I come out to bat and nobody has anything to say, I don’t perform that well. But when somebody has something to say, I want to stay out there longer and see how long they can talk.”I’ve got a hundred against everybody in the world now [full ICC members]. It’s very satisfying. Nevertheless, we still have a game on Friday and that game is very important for us to win.”Coach Phil Simmons said he was proud to see his team – which is ranked at No. 8 in ODIs – competing well with higher-ranked opposition. Even if they did not win on Tuesday, he said, they gained a lot out of the game. “A loss is a loss but there are a lot of things we can take from it. When you’re up against Australia and you’re 30 for 3, to come back and make 280, you have to take that. Taking it to the second to last over, you have to take that, especially with our main bowler and captain missing. [And also] how well Shannon [Gabriel] bowled on his debut, to have someone in the 150s regularly, it’s great to see.”The work that the guys have put in over the past five or six weeks has been excellent. For us to be in a competition with No. 1 and No. 3 in the world, and still be in the competition and looking to be in the final in the last game, it’s what we spoke about at the start of the tournament, that we need to make sure we are winning games against these top teams in order to be moving up the table.”

Stuart Broad has said he does not harbour any ill will towards Mohammad Amir, who is set to make a Test return on Pakistan’s tour of England after a five-year ICC ban for spot-fixing

Alan Gardner06-Jun-20161:02

Quick Facts – Mohammad Amir set to play Tests again

As Stuart Broad prepares for his 16th Test match at Lord’s, starting against Sri Lanka on Thursday, he is asked to cast his mind back to his fifth. Over an extraordinary few days in 2010, Broad scored what remains his only Test century, putting on what remains a record stand for the eighth wicket in Tests (332 with Jonathan Trott); but it was the revelations about the activities of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir that left their indelible mark on the game.Amir, the youngest of the trio, was on Sunday named in Pakistan’s Test squad for their upcoming tour of England and is set to return to the scene of the crime – for which he served time in a young offenders institute – next month, although a decision on whether he will be granted a UK visa is still pending.Broad, however, does not harbour any ill will towards Amir, who is yet to play a Test match since completing a five-year ICC ban for spot-fixing. He is also still proud of his place on the honours board, next to a score of 169 – the second-highest tally by a No. 9 and, perhaps more importantly to Broad, eclipsing his dad’s Test best by seven runs.Broad backing for Finn

Stuart Broad believes that Steven Finn can find his form on his home ground after an indifferent return to the Test side. Finn has taken four wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka, having recovered from an injury-affected winter, but Broad said the surfaces in the series so far, at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, had not catered to his strengths.
“I think he’s been searching for a bit of rhythm but Lord’s is his home ground, he should find rhythm – he traditionally bowls from the Pavilion End and bowls really well there,” Broad said. “He can use the slope to his advantage, not try and swing it or throw it up there, just do what he does, throw it into the pitch and use the natural variations of that. Questions marks have been over his bowling slightly because he’s not got loads of wickets but, for me and him – particularly him as a real hit-the-deck bowler – those wickets haven’t suited our style of bowling.”

“It’s certainly not devalued in my mind, I still scored those runs and am still on the honours board,” he said. “I think the result was devalued. We couldn’t celebrate – we didn’t celebrate – it was all a very strange time. But I don’t think any feelings will be dragged into this Test match from that Test match. I think only three or four players are playing in the England team now who were then, and Pakistan have had a huge change over.”I don’t think any ill feeling or negativity from the players will have carried through – the crowd might be a different story. We know that Lord’s is a passionate crowd and they all have their own minds.”Amir made his international comeback with Pakistan’s limited-overs teams at the start of this year and, despite some initial resistance among team-mates, he has made an encouraging start to his second coming. Azhar Ali, Pakistan’s ODI captain, said last week that “toughest phase is over” for Amir and Broad said he had no issues with his inclusion.”I think he’s served his time and the ICC have got their guidelines to what the punishments are for certain crimes and people have their opinion on that,” Broad said. “At the end of the day as an England team to win a Test series like that is a brilliant feeling and you want to play against the best possible team you can and for quality of bowler I don’t think there is much doubt that he is up there with anyone.”I’ve not played him for six years but in 2010 he was a constant threat and he was Man of the Series I think. It swung round corners for him.”While Broad no longer has pretensions to become the genuine allrounder that 2010 innings suggested he might, he has grown in stature as a bowler in the intervening period, recently becoming only the third England bowler to be ranked No. 1 in the world since the 1980s. His rise, following a haul of 6 for 17 in Johannesburg that set up England’s series win over South Africa, was swiftly followed by that of his team-mate James Anderson, who last week emulated Ian Botham, Steve Harmison and Broad in reaching the summit.Despite taking ten wickets at 18.90 in two Tests against Sri Lanka, Broad actually fell to third, behind India’s R Ashwin – who has not played a Test since December, prompting Broad to joke: “So I would have been better off carrying drinks at the IPL.” Not that the famously taciturn Anderson has been moved to an outpouring of emotion. “He hasn’t actually mentioned it. I texted him when the rankings came out saying ‘having a drink for you – congratulations’. I think he is chuffed but you know what Jimmy is like – he’s certainly not given it a smile yet.”Stuart Broad is currently ranked the No. 3 Test bowler in the world•Hardy’sBroad is, however, already plotting how to regain the mantle and, alongside Joe Root’s presence at No. 2 on the ICC batting list, it seems a comment made by Trevor Bayliss at England’s training camp in Spain on taking over as head coach last summer has lodged in the team’s consciousness.”Getting to the No. 1 ranked team is the main aim but Trevor said to us in Spain when he took over ‘We aren’t going move forward as a team unless some of you players raise your games and get up those rankings – we aren’t going to be the best team in the world if you are sat at eight and you are sat at twelve.’ It’s quite an Australian way of saying it – it’s a sort-yourselves-out type thing.”We’ve put some performances in that have taken us up the rankings – as a team, we are lying fourth but I think we are a bit better than that. We are a really good team at the moment, we have a lot of bases covered.”That there is still room for improvement is something Broad quickly admits, too. First on the list will be rectifying England’s poor recent record of losing dead rubbers – even if the new Super Series concept has theoretically removed them – and securing a first whitewash in a series of three or more Tests since beating India 4-0 in 2011.”That is what all the talk will be about this week for sure,” he said. “I can’t even think about when an England last clean swept a series of three. Five years ago is a long time.”It is actually a bad habit we’ve got into. The performance against Australia at The Oval was awful, at Centurion we missed too many chances and fell away, so it is something we’re aware of and it is not good enough. With more focus on rising up the rankings then we can’t afford to make these mistakes.”Should England wrap up a 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka, it might be another moment of quiet satisfaction for Bayliss, who Broad said has “started to instill a bit more of his beliefs on the team”. The Australian is unlikely to be overflowing with praise, in any case. Asked if a “Well done” from Bayliss meant more, Broad replied: “I don’t think I even got one for my 8 for 15… I’m not sure I’m getting one.” The smile suggested he didn’t too much mind.Stuart Broad was speaking as a Hardys ambassador at 1853 Wine Shop in Weybridge. For exclusive wine offers, visit 1853wineclub.com.

Chelsea are back on their travels in the Premier League as they head to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth this afternoon.

The Blues are on a wretched run of form in a horrendous season – having only accumulated one point from the last 15 available to compound a miserable return to management for interim coach Frank Lampard.

Conversely, the Cherries have won five of their last seven games to provide a nine-point cushion between themselves and the relegation zone.

Gary O’Neil, who took over from Scott Parker at the beginning of the campaign, has instigated this unbelievable turnaround, and his side look set to retain their top-flight status.

To pile more embarrassment upon Chelsea, a win for the hosts would mean they leapfrog the 2021 Champions League winners into 12th place.

Lampard will be perplexed by his team’s abject display in their 3-1 defeat in midweek against Arsenal and will be expected to name a rotated lineup.

Here’s what we are predicting…

How will Chelsea line up against Bournemouth?

There could be as many as four changes from their last outing at the Emirates.

In goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to continue between the sticks as stories have surfaced that Edouard Mendy is to leave in the summer after rejecting the latest contract offer from the Blues.

Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell are expected to keep their places, but a change in the back four could see Wesley Fofana make way for Benoit Badiashile.

The former Monaco man has started eight Premier League games and the Blues have only conceded six goals in those outings.

Carney Chukwuemeka could be in line for a rare start too after Chelsea’s midfield was completely overrun in midweek. His athleticism could feature nicely alongside N’Golo Kante and Enzo Fernandez.

Meanwhile, the west London outfit’s frontline could be heavily altered as the last trio barely threatened on Tuesday.

Noni Madueke is expected to be the only surviving attacker after he netted his first for his new club in the London derby.

Lampard called out the majority of his players for their poor performances but reserved special praise for the winger, who was the only bright spark.

He said: “My job is to tell the players what needs to be done and the players have to do it. And if they don’t do it, they won’t start the game. People like Noni [Madueke] today, I thought he was great.

“Because he has been training like that all week, that is why he plays.”

On the other flank, Mykhailo Mudryk will fill in for £70m-rated Raheem Sterling, who was anonymous in north London and was labelled as "embarrassing" for his lack of contribution.

Then, the final change will see Joao Felix deployed as the central striker instead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Predicted Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell; Kante, Fernandez, Chukwuemeka; Madueke, Felix, Mudryk.

Chelsea signing Harry Kane this summer would be 'an absolute headline-grabbing transfer' as speculation continues to swirl over his future, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

As per talkSPORT, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is said to be expecting an offer from Chelsea for Kane this summer as the Blues continue their search for a new striker.

The report states that Levy is 'reluctant' to let go of his prize asset this summer; however, the fact that Chelsea are close to appointing ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager is likely to intensify their interest in acquiring the 29-year-old.

Tottenham are likely to demand a hefty fee if they sanction a departure for Kane, with The Times revealing that they could ask for £100 million upfront to deter prospective bidders.

The Daily Mail have detailed that Manchester United are also keen on Kane as Erik Ten Hag seeks to bring a world-class striker to Old Trafford ahead of next term. At the same time, Bayern Munich are ready to put in a 'persuasive offer' to try and entice the England international to the Bundesliga, as per The Independent.

Capology understand that Kane earns £200,000 per week in north London on a contract that runs until June 2024.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Kane moving to Stamford Bridge would be an 'unbelievable' transfer that would garner enormous attention.

Jones said: "It would be an absolute headline-grabbing transfer. There's no doubt about it. He'd also be risking tarnishing everything he's ever done at Tottenham in the eyes of their fanbase, but never say never.

"Football throws up some unbelievable plots at times and Kane's name will be thrown into the hat here. It'll start off with speculation. Who knows whether it actually comes to being something we could genuinely see?"

Would Harry Kane be a good signing for Chelsea?

Kane is a proven goalscorer with an enormity of Premier League experience and he would be a fantastic addition to lead the line for Chelsea.

In 2022/23, the London-born forward has hit the net 27 times in 45 matches across all competitions for Tottenham, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also shows that Kane has obtained an average match rating of 7.48/10 for his exploits this campaign, making him Spurs' most consistent performer in a topsy-turvy campaign for his current employers.

Whether he would actually choose to leave Tottenham for bitter rivals Chelsea is another question because he could completely ruin his reputation in north London; nevertheless, this summer will be intriguing for Kane as he decides the next step in his career.

Everton have made an approach to the entourage of UD Almeria striker El Bilal Toure regarding a move to Goodison Park, according to reports.

What's the latest on El Bilal Toure's future?

Toffees forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin is reportedly being monitored by Arsenal ahead of the summer and Neal Maupay is also on the wishlist on Salernitana, so with Ellis Simms the only other option for Sean Dyche, should one or both of the duo depart, senior reinforcements will be required.

The Mali international only joined the La Liga outfit back in September 2022 but has become a standout star during his 20 appearances to date, emerging as Rubi’s top-performing offensive player, and this form hasn’t gone unnoticed by the board on Merseyside.

At the Power Horse Stadium, the 21-year-old’s deal isn’t set to expire for another five years so naturally a move would have proved difficult to complete, but there is a way that he could leave before that time.

According to GOAL in Spain (via Sport Witness), Everton and Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers are both “chasing” El Bilal Toure ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Goodison Park outfit and the Old Gold are showing a “strong interest” in securing his services and are “on the hunt” for him at the end of the season. The Toffees have “already contacted” the attacker’s camp in “recent days” to discover what a deal would look like in the summer as a result of his current terms including a €40m (£35m) release clause.

Should Everton splash the cash on El Bilal Toure?

El Bilal Toure is still only in his debut season at Almeria and is at quite a relatively young age, but considering the positive instant impact he’s made, Everton should definitely cash out because he would be an extremely exciting signing for the future of the club.

The Adjame native, who has the ability to play with both feet, has scored six goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances since joining whilst receiving two man-of-the-match awards during that time, so is clearly recognised for his individual importance.

Standing at 6 foot, El Bilal Toure is also the ideal target man up top where he’s currently averaging 2.2 aerial wins per game so holds a strong physical presence, and with all these combined qualities having seen him lauded a “major talent” by journalist Graeme Bailey, he would be the perfect fit for Dyche on Merseyside.

Tottenham manager target Julian Nagelsmann and his agents have ‘reached out’ to Spurs and are ready for talks, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

What’s the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

The 35-year-old is one of a few young, exciting managers who Spurs are targeting to replace Antonio Conte – with Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim among the others.

Chairman Daniel Levy, after his side were embarrassed at Newcastle United on Sunday, make the big call to sack interim head coach Cristian Stellini – replacing him with Ryan Mason until the end of this Premier League campaign.

The result dealt Spurs a huge blow in the race for Champions League qualification, with rivals Man United and the Magpies both significantly out in front of Mason’s men with games in hand. Pressure is growing on Levy to nail his next decision, and it’s a big one – who will be Tottenham’s next manager.

Two big name free agent managers who have been heavily linked with a move to N17 lately are Nagelsmann and former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique. Both names could be attractive to supporters who want the return of attacking football and a coach with trophy-winning pedigree.

Nagelsmann has been mooted as a top target this month, with reporter Bailey sharing news on Twitter and in a collaborative 90min article with Tom Gott.

The journalist claims, in a big boost for Spurs, that the former Bayern Munich boss’ camp have ‘reached out’ to Tottenham with Nagelsmann now ready to speak with them over the manager role.

He explained:

Should Spurs go for Nagelsmann?

With Pochettino out of the picture, it makes perfect sense to throw the kitchen sink at trying to persuade Nagelsmann.

The former RB Leipzig boss was shockingly dismissed by Bayern, recently despite the Bavarians fighting on all fronts at the time, opening the door for Spurs to tempt him with an England move.

BBC Sport Writer Raj Chohan called Nagelsmann a ‘phenomenal’ tactical innovator after one of his Bayern solutions recently, stating:

“Switching to a 3 CB system to help solve Kimmich’s isolation issues in midfield as a lone 6, is another example of Nagelsmann being a phenomenal tactical innovator.”

This could be the kind of name needed at Spurs amid a very uncertain time.

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta is “back in the squad” for their Europa Conference League game against KAA Gent, according to David Moyes.

What's the latest injury news on Paqueta?

The Brazilian arrived in the Premier League back in August when he put pen to paper on a five-year deal from Lyon and during his 28 appearances to date, has been a real standout performer at the London Stadium. As per WhoScored, the Irons talisman is currently the E20 outfit’s top-performing defensive player and second overall with a match rating of 6.85, but he has recently been on the sidelines.

The Nike-sponsored star was missing from the matchday squad for Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Fulham, with the boss detailing that he picked up a minor knock to the ankle during the previous 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United, though a positive update on his situation has now emerged.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Moyes confirmed that Paqueta will be available for selection for tonight’s fixture under the lights against Gent. As quoted by West Ham’s official website, he said:

"Paqueta got quite a bad knock [against Newcastle] and he trained a little bit on Friday. We thought he'd be okay [for Fulham], but his ankle was too puffy. But he's trained a couple of days [this week] and he's back in the squad."

Will Paqueta's return be positive for West Ham?

Paqueta’s technical ability has been lauded a “total joy” by journalist Josh Bunting and it’ll be a massive boost for Moyes to have him at his disposal for West Ham’s highly anticipated European showdown.

The Brazil Soccer client has provided three assists and scored two goals across all competitions this season, including one assist in six Conference League outings, so is capable of stepping up to the plate and contributing to efforts in the final third (Transfermarkt).

Even when he’s not on the scoresheet, the left-footed ace ranks in the 96th percentile for shots at a rate of 2.29 per game – higher than any other Irons midfielder – when compared to other players in his position at the top level over the past year (via FBref).

Paqueta is additionally a wonderfully versatile operator, having played in defensive, central and attacking midfield over the course of the current campaign, so is a useful option for the manager to have available for selection and he will undoubtedly have a huge role to play should he be given the nod tonight.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements this summer following a tumultuous season that has seen their once-successful squad turn stale in recent months.

The Reds have been knocked out of every opportunity to win a trophy this season and are currently ten points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots inside the Premier League top four ahead of their clash with Arsenal this weekend.

Indeed, reinvestment into the forward line seems to have been the priority for FSG over the last two seasons, with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo all making the move to Merseyside to compete for a spot in the club's infamous front three.

However, this focus on forwards has left other areas of the pitch to decline, with several key players reaching the latter stages of their careers – including Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip, who are all well into their 30s at this point.

As a result, it will be absolutely imperative that the Anfield powerbrokers utilise the summer transfer window to spark a youth revolution by adding young and hungry talents into the centre of the pitch and defensive setup ahead of next season.

One player who has recently been linked to a Liverpool move is PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, a player who could not only be a cheaper alternative to fellow transfer target Matheus Nunes, but be a better all-round player than the Wolverhampton Wanderers ace.

Will Liverpool sign Ibrahima Sangare?

Liverpool have failed to permanently sign a midfielder since Thiago joined from Bayern Munich back in 2020, so new additions to the midfield personnel will surely be warmly welcomed by the Anfield faithful.

Not only that, but Naby Keita, Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all set to make an exit this summer due to their contracts expiring, which only adds more pressure to the Liverpool hierarchy's efforts to identify and secure the services of quality midfielders who can add depth to the heart of the team.

There is no doubt that the signing of Sangare would be a major coup for the Merseyside giants this summer and would be a much better addition than long-term Liverpool target Nunes.

When comparing his positional peer's outputs this season, the PSV star has outperformed Nunes comfortably in several attacking areas, including goals scored (4 v 1), pass completion rate (84.3% v 80.2%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.52 v 2.29) and progressive passes completed (158 v 73).

Meanwhile, Sangare has provided a much better defensive output with a better rate of successful take-ons (75% v 52.3%), more tackles and interceptions won (79 v 63), more ball recoveries (208 v 116) and a better success rate in aerial duels (62.7% v 45.9%) – as per FBref.

It is clear that Sangare – hailed "dangerous" by analyst Aad de Mos – is much more of a prolific and complete all-rounder in the centre of the pitch compared to the Portuguese ace, and would even cost Liverpool £5m less to sign with a price tag of £45m compared to the £50m fee reported for Nunes.

With that being said, it seems like it would be a no-brainer to snap up Sangare this summer, and if Liverpool could strike a good deal it could save the club millions to invest into other key roles that need addressing.

Insider Dean Jones has claimed that Mauricio Pochettino could reject any new approach from Chelsea as they didn't hire him in the past.

What's the latest on Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea?

The Blues suffered a fairly embarrassing Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge on the weekend against Aston Villa, which leaves them 11th in the table with just ten games to play.

That turned out to be the final straw for Todd Boehly and co, who sacked Graham Potter the following day after less than seven months in charge.

Understandably, the big question now is: who will be the next Chelsea manager? A number of big names have been touted already, such as Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique, while former Tottenham Hotspur boss Pochettino is also on that list.

However, while talking about the links to the 51-year-old Argentine on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones explained why he felt this appointment won't happen.

The journalist said (9:45): "Pochettino is on the list. Pochettino though was also spoken to and about before Potter got the job.

“Now if Pochettino didn't get the job then, I find it hard to believe that Pochettino would want the job now.

"Maybe he does, but I just find it hard to believe that. He'd be like, okay, you didn't want me last time. Why should I take it now?"

Would Pochettino take the Chelsea job?

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville actually tipped Pochettino as his favourite to become the next Chelsea boss.

Indeed, he explained: "They've got to appoint a manager who is going to inherit and like the squad that they've got – a lot of them are young – and I think that man is Mauricio Pochettino."

However, it remains to be seen if the Argentine wants the job. For one, seeing as he has an established relationship with Spurs and their fanbase, he may opt to head back to north London instead of joining a London rival – especially as they are currently on the hunt for a new manager too.

On top of that – as Jones points out – when Potter was hired this season, Pochettino was a free agent – having been sacked by PSG in the summer but the Blues put their faith in the former Brighton man instead, even though the 51-year-old was interviewed too.

With that being the case, Pochettino might not like the idea of being Boehly's alternative option. You never know, though, so it will certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out in the near future.

Much of the recent conversation at Newcastle United has been about the club's inability to put the ball in the back of the net.

Ahead of the 2-1 wins against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, Eddie Howe's side had failed to win any of their previous six Premier League games, scoring just twice in that run.

Callum Wilson deservedly came in for some criticism after a run of just one goal in 15 games for the Toon and was promptly replaced by Alexander Isak, who managed three goals in two before the international break.

With the 31-year-old striker misfiring and likely to find himself benched for the remainder of the season, Howe may be considering how he could be replaced in the long term.

Fortunately, the former Bournemouth boss could have an ideal candidate already at the club, as 18-year-old Garang Kuol looks destined to go to the very top.

Who is Garang Kuol?

Newcastle signed the Australia international from Central Coast Mariners in September 2022, having caught the eye with his performances in the A-league, with journalist Craig Hope labelling him a "wonderkid" shortly after his signature was confirmed.

The teenage forward managed seven goals and four assists in just 22 appearances in Australia before finalising his move to Newcastle in January, when he was quickly sent out on loan to Hearts.

Kuol first burst onto the scene when he impressed greatly in a charity match against none other than Barcelona. Aged just 17, he left both managers in amazement.

Mariners head coach Nick Montgomery said: "I put Garang in the first team midway through last season, and he was soon creating havoc against opposition defences in the A-League. Then an A-League All-Stars team managed by Dwight Yorke played Barcelona last May.

"Garang came off the bench for them with 30 minutes remaining and just completely ripped Barca to shreds. He literally ran past the whole team about three times and should have scored. Everyone just went, ‘Wow, this kid is unbelievable’ — including Xavi.

"Garang made some of the world’s best defenders look like mannequins. That’s not easy to do, but that is when the interest from Barcelona came. Xavi said, ‘This kid is really special’. When you’ve got someone like him talking like that then it’s pretty obvious these clubs are going to show some interest."

Although the 18-year-old's time at Hearts has so far been unsuccessful, with no goals or assists in his first seven appearances for the Jam Tarts, he did score his first goal for his country last week and looks set for a very bright future at St James' Park.

The teenager, who was named in the NXGN top 50 wonderkids in the world recently, could easily take over from Wilson in Howe's squad if he can live up to his immense potential.