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Newcastle United are nothing if not resourceful.

Eddie Howe has been under pressure this season, and his side have not been good enough, but two wins on the bounce in the Premier League have lifted the Magpies out of the bottom half, now only five points behind fourth-place Liverpool.

Technical director Ross Wilson is now settled into his seat at St. James’ Park, and it’s unlikely that Newcastle will splurge throughout the month, but there’s undoubtedly a desire to make a shrewd purchase or two if the right chance arrives.

A number of positions have been marked, but depth at full-backs has hamstrung Howe at times this term, so expect some movement there.

Newcastle set sights on new full-back

Lewis Miley has been something of a revelation this season, with the Geordie prospect standing in at right-back on multiple occasions, doing a job for injury-hit Newcastle and receiving Alan Shearer’s endorsement after a standout display against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Tino Livramento made it off the bench against Palace but has been unconvincing on the fitness front all year. With Kieran Trippier, 35, out of contract at the end of the campaign, it makes sense to move for a new star.

And according to Caught Offside, Newcastle and Aston Villa are prepared to battle for Celta Vigo star Oscar Mingueza’s signature this month, with the versatile defender out of contract at the end of the season.

It would take a small fee of around €10m (about £8m) to convince the La Liga side to sell, but it’s worth stressing they want to keep the 26-year-old, who has been engaged in discussions pertaining to a renewal at the Estadio de Balaidos this term.

Why Newcastle should sign Oscar Mingueza

Mingueza cut his teeth with Barcelona and played a squad role in the first team before signing for Celta Vigo in 2022, where he has since made 121 appearances, scoring seven goals and supplying 12 assists.

The Spain international’s natural aptitude as a defender could see him supersede Miley as Livramento’s understudy, and with Howe’s midfield already jam-packed and targeting additions this year, this could be bad news for the young Toon.

That’s not to say he will be cast aside, but his playing time may be limited at a time when chances have started to pick up. But, as we have seen this season, Newcastle have needed more across a range of positions, and Mingueza could help advance this up-and-down system.

Hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as an “underrated” player whose versatility means he can cover “the whole backline” effectively, Mingueza would certainly fit the mould that Howe likes, with both Miley and Livramento showcasing impressive tactical dynamism on Tyneside.

Oscar Mingueza – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals + Assists

Centre-back

86

2 + 7

Right-back

74

3 + 6

Right midfield

33

2 + 5

Left-back

19

1 + 1

Left midfield

8

1 + 2

Centre-midfield

1

0 + 0

Data via Transfermarkt

There is something Trippier-esque about this wide defender that underlines his ability to promote transitional play, thus aligning with Howe’s identity as a tactician.

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As per FBref, the La Masia graduate ranks among the top 4% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, emphasising the dimensions he would add to Howe’s on-the-ball set-up.

Spanish reporter Jacobo Buceta remarked in November that Mingueza is “back in [sic] his best version”, with the wideman’s “brutal” creativity really coming to the fore. Fellow journalist Vicent Burguete described him as a “hell of a player” for his “elegant & complete” skillset. It’s clear to see why he’s coveted, even as Miley makes headway.

If Newcastle wish to leap up a level and begin performing as a side capable of throwing down with anyone across Europe, this is the move Howe and Wilson must make, shrewdly layering the team before grander plans come summer.

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People close to a ‘genuine talent’ have reportedly admitted that Tottenham want to sign him, with the player also in huge demand across Europe.

Tottenham set for cash windfall amid Brennan Johnson sale

The big news coming out of Spurs in the last 48 hours is winger Brennan Johnson’s imminent departure, which comes just over two years after his £47.5 million switch from Nottingham Forest.

Johnson, who finished 24/25 as the Lilywhites’ top goalscorer in all competitions with 18, also scored the Europa League-final winning goal against Man United in May to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy.

Fast-forward to now, and the Wales international is closing in on an exit with Crystal Palace already agreeing a £35 million fee for Johnson prior to January.

However, the south Londoners still aren’t alone in the race, with Everton, Sunderland and Bournemouth all making calls to Spurs and considering moves of their own.

As the race for Johnson heats up, Thomas Frank and co are making recruitment plans of their own as we fast approach 2026.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and TEAMtalk, one man on their radar is AZ Alkmaar sensation Kees Smit.

Tottenham want to sign Kees Smit amid Frenkie de Jong comparison

The 19-year-old has taken Dutch football by storm and is already drawing lofty comparisons, with an unnamed Premier League scout telling TT that he’s the Netherlands’ answer to Adam Wharton and possibly a new Frenkie de Jong.

Bailey also says that people close to Smit’s camp have confirmed that every big club in England is after the teenager, including Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle.

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With Tottenham targeting Smit for 2026, the mystery scout has also called him a ‘genuine talent’ and one of Dutch football’s most exciting prospects who ‘everyone will be talking about’.

The Eredivisie starlet, according to TEAMtalk, could cost as much as £65 million — ironically a similar fee to de Jong’s Barcelona transfer in 2019.

If not that high, it is believed a minimum £52 million would be required to convince AZ to part with their rising star next year.

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Spurs are in the market for a new forward.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Derbyshire have called their £22,024 profit for 2007 an “excellent result” after a season that was severely hit by poor weather and produced a £40,000 fall in gate revenue. The club had two Twenty20 matches washed out and the Chesterfield festival was postponed from mid-summer to the end of the season.”To be able to announce a strong surplus in a year so badly affected by the weather is a testament to the strong foundations we have put in place at Derbyshire,” Tom Sears, the chief executive, said. “It was important to follow the excellent results of 2006 with another year of sound financial performance and we have done that.”The weather affected all our match day revenues significantly with gate revenue down by £40,000 and this had a knock on effect with our secondary revenue streams such as retail, hospitality, bars and catering. In addition we again invested significantly in our cricket and facilities as we will continue to do.”Derbyshire have made some significant signings over the winter, bringing in Rikki Clarke as captain and also signing his former Surrey team-mate Nayan Doshi. The overseas duties will be shared between Mahela Jayawardene and Western Australia batsman Chris Rogers.

Jacob Oram last played for New Zealand in December © Getty Images

Jacob Oram has been called into the New Zealand squad for the CB Series after recovering from a hamstring injury and Kyle Mills could also be a surprise addition, according to the New Zealand camp. Oram will fly to Adelaide on Sunday ahead of the team’s must-win match against England two days later.Lindsay Crocker, the team’s manager, said the selectors would assess Mills’ chances after his performance for Auckland against Canterbury today. “If the New Zealand selectors are satisfied with his fitness and form he will also head to Adelaide,” Crocker said.Oram, who hurt his hamstring during the Test series against Sri Lanka last month, returned to first-class cricket two weeks ago. On Thursday, he impressed with an unbeaten 70 and two wickets for Central Districts against Otago.Oram said he was looking forward to the trip despite New Zealand’s poor start to the CB Series. “The guys have played in Hobart and that’s the smallest of the four venues, so we’ll be at the better and bigger parks, with more people and more abuse,” Oram told the .”So it’s a massive challenge. I’ve played over there a couple of times already and you know you’re in a fight. But, at the same time, you look at it as being the ultimate challenge in cricket. I know it’s a cliche, but it’s kinda what you play for.”However, the news wasn’t all good for New Zealand as an injury scare delayed allrounder Scott Styris’s return. He was expected to join the team before their match against England on Tuesday but had to prove his fitness by playing against Canterbury. Styris withdrew from the game after feeling a twinge in his calf muscle and will not fly to Australia on Monday. However, he could join the team later in the Commonwealth Bank series.

Lendl Simmons’s place in the side was on the line and the opener responded with a fifty and a hundred © Trinidad & Tobago Express

Cockroach ain’t ‘fraid fowl no more … again. Success at long last for Trinidad and Tobago, and when it comes so emphatically against the most dominant team in the 41 years of senior regional first-class cricket competition, it is all the sweeter.Crushing Barbados by 265 runs – their worst loss since the inception of the then Shell Shield in 1966 – in their own backyard is an impressive enough feat in itself. To do it in a must-win situation, after being dismissed for just 259 on the opening day, and so close on the heels of a shockingly poor performance against the Windwards the previous weekend, are circumstances that place this success in a context that would favourably compare with their three previous triumphs in 1970, 1971 and 1985, along with the shared title (with Barbados) in 1976.More than anything else, however, particularly in light of the successes of the national footballers in reaching the World Cup finals and the men’s hockey team in making it to next year’s Indoor World Cup, this first title in 21 years reinforces just what is possible when team spirit, discipline and commitment coincide. Make no mistake, the talent is there as it has always been. Man for man, woman for woman, this country is often superior talent-wise to their counterparts in other Caribbean territories in most sporting disciplines. Yet for any number of reasons, most of them associated with selfless dedication, we often find ourselves lamenting what could have been at the end of so many tournaments and qualifying campaigns.Mervyn Dillon is a classic case in point. The Man of the Match in this critical encounter, he lifted his team with a decisive spell late on the first evening on Thursday and, with the exception of the pre-lunch session on the second day, remained a persistent threat, crowning his return to national duty with a five-wicket haul in the second innings to finish with eight victims in the match. Just listening to the analysis of Roland Butcher, Barbadian-born former England batsman, and Henderson Wallace, former Barbados youth pacer, during the radio commentary, it was obvious that Dillon still has a lot to offer at the highest level, so threatening was he with his accuracy, pace and purpose.He will not be on the plane with the squad leaving for New Zealand tomorrow, but there can be no doubt that the selectors will be taking another close look at the 31-year-old when the second stage of the competition gets underway with the semi-finals in April. Having been dogged by inconsistency in the nine years since his Test debut, so much so that he has been dropped more times than he would care to remember, no one can be so foolish as to rush the Toco-born pacer back into the regional side for the visit of the Indians in May. No doubt a recall for this decisive clash, when it seemed his career at the national level was over, gave him the motivation, the fire and desire to produce his best. His challenge now, as it has always been, is to achieve consistency instead of inspiring all too briefly. Just as Rawl Lewis has been recalled to West Indies duty after an absence of seven years, Dillon could yet become another example of a growing phenomenon in the regional game where players are slow to achieve their full potential and actually perform best on the other side of 30.Dave Mohammed is not yet 30, but the left-arm wrist-spinner must certainly merit consideration at West Indies level again especially if, like Dillon, he maintains his prolific wicket-taking rate in April. His prospects, of course, will be dependent on how Lewis performs in New Zealand. The success in Barbados, fully deserving of all the boisterous celebrations among the players and few supporters at the Carlton Club ground yesterday morning, was a real team effort, even if the epidemic of dropped catches from the Shaw Park fiasco hasn’t been completely eliminated.Lendl Simmons’s place in the side was on the line and the opener responded with a fifty and a hundred. Dwayne Bravo emerged from a desperately poor run with an attacking second innings half-century at the top of the order that set the tone for a period of dominance that few Trinidad and Tobago fans would have enjoyed against the Bajans in their lifetime, especially in Barbados.In the last session of the second day and the first period of day three, Bravo, Simmons, Daren Ganga and Brian Lara pulverised a hapless home side in a manner usually associated with recent West Indian bowlers at the hands of international top-order batsmen. It was wonderful to see such majestic, stroke-filled batting from a national team in pursuit of an elusive title. Conditioned by years of frustration and near-misses, it was almost natural to expect that, somehow, we would find a way to mess it up. But this was a team with a different mood and a different attitude, and those two sessions revealed a commanding ruthlessness that we need to see more of.Whether it was the domineering presence of Lara, Ganga’s leadership or the behind-the-scenes work of the manager, coach and physio, all must share in the credit for this enormously satisfying moment. There will be plenty time for further analysis and charting the way forward. For the moment though, let’s just enjoy the feeling.

Mike Hussey will stay on after the one-day series as Matthew Hayden struggles with a shoulder injury© Getty Images

Matthew Hayden’s slow-healing right shoulder has forced Australia to extend Mike Hussey’s stay to provide cover for the first Test against New Zealand starting on Thursday. Hussey was due to depart with the one-day specialists but will remain until at least Tuesday.The progress of Hayden, who strained his right AC-joint in the second ODI, is becoming a concern and he will continue to be monitored daily. “There’s no doubt that I’m getting better each day, and I’ve made plenty of progress since I first damaged the shoulder,” Hayden said. “I’m working as hard as possible to get the injury right and believe that I will be fit in time.”Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, said the move was to “cover all our bases”. “Hussey has the advantage of already being on tour with the squad, so he is familiar with the conditions and the opposition,” he said. “He is a quality top-order batsman in first-class cricket and we believe that he can fill a role in the Test side if required.”Hussey, who has played in the last four ODIs, was thrilled to stay on and if Hayden is passed fit he will re-join Western Australia for the crucial Pura Cup match against Queensland that will help decide the finalists. “Given there are plenty of top batsmen playing at home, it’s a nice feeling knowing that the selectors have picked me when, potentially, there is a gap to fill,” he said. “I guess I’ll have a better idea as to where I stand early in the week.”

Lancashire have reappointed Warren Hegg as their captain for the 2004 season. Hegg, 35, made his debut for Lancashire in 1986, and has skippered them for the last two years. In 2003 Lancashire finished as runners-up in the County Championship, and won the Second Division of the one-day National League.Next year Hegg, who won two England caps on tour in Australia in 1998-99, will lead a team bolstered by the recruitment of the England allrounder Dominic Cork from Derbyshire. Heggg said today: “I’m thrilled that the club have decided to award me the captaincy again. It’s a huge honour to lead the team and I’m looking forward to a successful season next year.”

It’s the halfway point of the Pura Cup season; the ING Cup campaign has moved beyond its midway mark; and two-thirds of the summer’s Test program has been completed.But the women’s cricket season is really only just beginning after South Australia’s stunning 27-run win over Victoria at the Adelaide Oval yesterday.The Victorians had entered the weekend as one of only two unbeaten teams in this summer’s National Women’s Cricket League series. But they left it having surrendered their joint billing with New South Wales and facing stiff competition from South Australia in the race for positions in the finals series.A convincing 77-run triumph over the Scorpions on Saturday had confirmed the Victorians’ edge over the South Australians on the table. And another win yesterday would have gone a long way to leaving New South Wales and Victoria out of reach of their rivals.But the early loss of captain Belinda Clark (4), Louise Broadfoot (13) and Melanie Jones (11) – in pursuit of a victory target of 157 – quickly compromised the Spirit’s plans of shutting the South Australians out of finals contention.”It was a fantastic win; everybody pulled together really well to get the job done,” enthused Heather Booth, one of the stars of the victory with a crucial 13 with the bat, two fine catches and a brilliant spell of bowling that netted figures of 2/11 off ten overs.”We’re a very young side but the girls have really stood up and taken on the challenge so far this year.”Everybody in the team has given 100% in every match, and it’s good for us to show the other teams that we have the talent to beat them.”And also to demonstrate that we’re potentially good enough to make the top two.”Captain Karen Rolton was in similarly outstanding form for the home team.The Australian vice-captain struck 65 in the morning to provide most of the impetus to the Scorpions’ innings and then complemented it in the afternoon with a haul of 1/24 from one delivery short of her full allotment of ten overs. Crucially, she was also responsible for the early demise of rival skipper Clark – Player of the Match on Saturday with a typically brilliant 84 – by having the Australian captain caught by Booth at mid on.Her influence in helping to restrain the run flow; building the pressure on the Victorians; and knowing exactly when to introduce the likes of Booth and Player of the Match Belinda Noack (3/37) into the attack, was also instrumental.Other results will still need to continue to fall the South Australians’ way over the next three weekends if their first finals appearance for four years is to become a reality.However events unfold, though, a New South Wales-Victoria match-up is now no longer the formality that many had imagined.

An unbeaten 140 by Ranji player KA Fayaz helped Andhra to score 324 for five wickets at close of play on the opening day of the three day KSCA Coca Cola South Zone (under-25) cricket tournament in Bangalore on Monday.Winning the toss, Andhra lost LNP Reddy (14) at 23. He edged medium pacer Sunil Kumar to wicketkeeper Rajasekhar Shanbal in the sixth over of the innings. But the other opening batsman KNV Krishna Mohan (40) and Fayaz added 74 runs for the second wicket off 21 overs. Krishna Mohan then edged a ball from Karnataka captain T Aditya to Shanbal. Balaji K Singh (4) did not last long and when Gnaneswara Rao (10) fell, Andhra were shakily placed at 124 for four.Fayaz and skipper I Srinivas (68) however set Andhra on the road to recovery with a fifth wicket association of 164 runs off 37.3 overs. Before Srinivas was caught by Shanbal off Ashwath, he had faced 120 balls and hit ten fours.The recovery process was maintained with Fayaz and H Vatekar (22 not out) adding 36 runs in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 36 runs off 11.4 overs before play was called off, about an hour before the scheduled close due to bad light. By close, Fayaz, who had batted 271 minutes and faced 210 balls had hit 14 fours and two sixes, both off spinner N Aswath. For Karnataka, Sunil Kumar took two for 49 while Ashwath, who was expensive, captured two for 104 off 21 overs.

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has received a huge Ibrox injury boost as the Gers gear up for another clash today.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Courier, the manager of Rangers’ opponents on Sunday has revealed a big boost for van Bronckhorst and co.

Mark McGhee, revealed that, following his withdrawal due to injury the 3-0 Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat to Rangers on Monday, Lee Ashcroft has now been ruled out of the second meeting with Gers this week – as the key centre-back looks as if he will require surgery on a recurring hamstring problem.

Speaking about the current condition of the 28-year-old, the Dundee boss said: “He has had a bit of relapse and he’ll probably end up having surgery again. He will be out for the season. It is a shocker for us and the boy himself, the implications going forward as well. We are gutted for him.”

Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing

While it is never pleasant learning players have been ruled out for a considerable amount of time due to injury, considering just how important Ashcroft has proven to be in the Dundee defence this season, the news the Scot has been ruled out of today’s fixture is sure to have left Giovanni van Bronckhorst buzzing.

Indeed, over his 16 Premiership appearances in the current campaign, the £315k-rated man has been a rock in the heart of the Dark Blues backline, helping his side keep two clean sheets, scoring one goal and providing one assist, as well as making an average of 0.7 interceptions, one tackle, 5.8 clearances and winning a whopping 7.3 duels – at a success rate of 67% – per game.

These returns have seen the centre-back average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as McGhee’s joint third-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football.

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As such, the news that Ashcroft will be sidelined for the visit of Rangers is sure to come as a huge boost to Van Bronckhorst and his side, especially as the Light Blues will be desperate to secure three points at the Kilmac Stadium in order to keep pace in the Premiership title race.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Rangers dealt late injury setback ahead of Dundee, GvB will be fuming