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According to reports, Southampton are making life difficult for Croatian Mislav Orsic to leave the club on a permanent deal.

How many goals has Mislav Orsic scored?

Orsic was signed by the Saints in January in a bid to save their season from resulting in relegation. The ex-Premier League side signed the Croatian international for £8million from Dinamo Zagreb.

The 30-year-old however failed to play, making only one Premier League appearance amounting to six minutes. Orsic did feature in the League Cup and FA Cup making four appearances across the two, but was an incredibly underwhelming signing.

This a far-cry from his 13 goals and eight assists in 27 appearances for Dinamo prior to the move, including two in the Champions League.

Orsic also featured heavily for Croatia at the World Cup, making six appearances with two assists in the process along with the winning goal in his nation's 2-1 win over Morocco in the third place play-off.

The only way to describe Orsic's time on the south coast is disappointing, a player who clearly has ability, but hasn't been given the time to show it or maybe the level is above him.

Therefore, it is no surprise that talk of a departure has been prominent. Despite this, reports from Sabah via Sport Witness have described Southampton's unwillingness to let the Croatian go.

The report mentions Turkish side Trabzonspor as the keenest party. However, the reluctance to agree a fee by Saints and owners Sport Republic means the suitors are beginning to look elsewhere.

It is explained by the outlet that the Süper Lig side 'want to add' Orsic however talks have 'not yet made any progress' in relation to a potential loan deal.

Orsic is described as a 'priority' for Trabzonspor, but the club are turning their attention to Guinean free agent François Kamano due to the English side playing hard ball and annoying the buyers.

What's the latest with Southampton's transfer news?

Southampton look likely to lose their prized asset. The latest report paints Arsenal as 'close to agreement' on a deal for midfielder Romeo Lavia. It has been said there are several top Premier League sides keen on Lavia, including Manchester United as reported by talkSPORT.

23-year-old winger Nathan Tella is another linked with departing Saint Mary's, with The Sun say the Saints will demand £15m for the winger who scored 17 Championship goals last season for Burnley. The Athletic have suggested a return to Turf Moor could be on the cards, with talks taking place between the two clubs, despite the asking price being a hurdle.

Sky Sports have also previously revealed that numerous Premier League sides and teams across Europe are targeting 21-year-old Armel Bella-Kotchap.

It appears a rebuild at Southampton will happen this summer, with quite a few talents set to depart as James Ward-Prowse also appears to be attracting Premier League interest.

Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum lit up the Gabba with entertaining half-centuries that helped Brisbane Heat chase down 174 with 22 balls to spare against Hobart Hurricanes

The Report by Alex Malcolm in Brisbane30-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsChris Lynn struck an unbeaten half-century and the winning runs for the second successive match•Getty Images

Fireworks are common place on New Year’s Eve, but 24 hours out from year-end celebrations, Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn put on a pyrotechnic display at the Gabba to guide Brisbane Heat to their third straight victory.Set 174 to win, McCullum and Lynn made light work of the chase with some extraordinary striking. The duo were brought together at 1 for 9 in the second over and lit up the Gabba. They put on 109 runs in just 53 balls before McCullum holed out.Lynn kept going to finish unbeaten for the second straight match, and struck consecutive sixes to run the total down with 22 balls to spare.The Hurricanes were never in the hunt as 173 was well under par on a superb batting surface. Some excellent bowling from Mark Steketee and Samuel Badree upfront reduced the visitors to 3 for 42, and they lost wickets at regular intervals thereafter.Anything Baz can do, Lynn can do betterFew players can hit the ball cleaner and longer than McCullum, but Lynn did so repeatedly in a partnership that essentially became a six-hitting contest. The pair cleared the ropes 11 times between them, Lynn managed seven compared to McCullum’s four. The former New Zealand captain laid down a marker when he charged down to Stuart Broad and launched him into the second tier, over long-off. Lynn raised the stakes with the biggest hit of the tournament off Shaun Tait, hitting him out of the ground with a strike that was measured at 125 metres. He winked at McCullum moments after it sailed over the Gabba roof. It was longer than Daniel Christian’s six at the same venue last season. Lynn miscued another six two balls later that went 90 metres straight. He also cleared the boundary over cover and wide third man, showing his range and versatility.When your luck’s in, your luck’s inLynn was dropped three times during his amazing 85 not out against Sydney Thunder on Wednesday. He was dropped again third ball of this innings. He launched one to deep midwicket, and D’Arcy Short had to cover a lot of ground to his left. He got his hands to it but couldn’t hang on. He was dropped again on 60, but in reality, Cameron Boyce saved four as the return catch was struck with such force that it could’ve broken his hand. Lynn also skied the ball multiple times only for it to land just wide of fielders and into gaps that could easily have found fieldsmen on another day. McCullum also led a charmed life, but when the ball is struck with such power, it requires some outstanding hands to hang onto the chances.Bailey bogs his batGeorge Bailey was run out under the most unfortunate circumstances at a critical moment in the first innings. The Hurricanes were 3 for 60 after seven overs with Bailey and Christian trying to start a partnership. Christian cut a ball through backward point and the pair appeared to be cruising to an easy three runs. Alex Ross fired a great throw from the deep, but Bailey was going to make his ground comfortably until his bat got stuck in the ground, just short of the crease, as he tried to slide it in. Jimmy Peirson, the Heat wicketkeeper, whipped off the bails while Bailey’s feet were in the air, his bat underneath his body, having bogged in the soft turf just to the side of the pitch. The run-out left the Hurricanes reeling with their three most experienced batsmen back.Sangakkara’s strugglesKumar Sangakkara is a modern great, and his international record in all formats is staggering. But he has not been able to get going in the Big Bash League since joining the Hurricanes last season. His struggles started in his first innings in the competition, last year, when he was out first ball. He made 43 in his second game. But in 10 innings since then, he has failed to reach 20 once. He has scored just 148 runs at an average of 13.45 in 11 appearances for Hobart. He looked in vintage touch early against the Heat, reaching 12 off seven balls with back-to-back boundaries against the offspin of Jason Floros. But his uncharacteristically lean run continued when Badree skidded a shorter ball through and trapped him in front of leg stump.

Leeds United are in talks with sporting director Stuart Webber and it is believed he is keen to bring Daniel Farke with him to Elland Road.

Who is Stuart Webber?

The Yorkshire club are on the lookout for their next sporting director following the departure of Victor Orta in recent weeks and it is believed they are in talks over a potential appointment.

Indeed, it has been reported that the Whites have held talks with Webber over the possibility of him moving across the Championship to Elland Road.

On Tuesday, it was confirmed the 39-year-old had stepped away from his role with Norwich City amid the speculation surrounding him and Leeds.

Webber is believed to be a Leeds fan and has overseen two Championship titles during his time in Norfolk with the Canaries and at Huddersfield Town.

The need to fill the vacancies at manager and director comes amid the club's takeover from the 49ers Enterprises who will be taking full control of the Yorkshire club.

But speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, Conor McGilligan has claimed he's been told Webber's potential appointment could see a quick managerial decision made:

"Massive news. I was prompted on this about three hours ago from a little contact that I've got down on the Norwich side of things. And we're going to be getting a lot of Norwich perspective on exactly what's going on now. But Stuart Webber is set to leave his role at Norwich City. Massive news, I was told that this was going to be happening at midday."

"From what I've been told, this could be wrong but one of his stipulations with having talks with Leeds United – he is in talks with Leeds we all know that – and that is official, one of his stipulations is that he wants to bring Daniel Farke with him. That's what I've been told."

Is Daniel Farke currently managing?

The 46-year-old has previously worked with Webber during their time together at Norwich between 2017 and 2021 which saw them operate in both the Premier League and Championship.

Since leaving his post with the Canaries, Farke has since managed at two other clubs including Krasnodar and more recently Borussia Monchengladbach.

However, he has since parted ways with Gladbach and will enter the summer as a manager looking for his next opportunity.

The German only lasted one season with the Bundesliga side where he was only able to guide them to a mid-table finish which was only 10 points clear of the danger zone.

But his time in England did come with some success which will certainly encourage Leeds given he has two Championship titles under his belt.

And given he has shown his ability to work alongside Webber, this could prove a smart move from the Whites as they aim to make their way immediately back into the top flight.

Given the Whites have been sent back down to the Championship, it will be important for them to get their affairs off the pitch in order ahead of the summer window.

Ideally, Leeds will want to have their sporting director and manager in place as soon as possible so they are able to map out their plans for the transfer market to give themselves the best opportunity to bounce back to the Premier League.

Following their gritty fight in the second innings in Dubai, Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, has said his team is confident of dealing with Pakistan at their “fortress” in Abu Dhabi

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2016Following their gritty fight in the second innings in Dubai, Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, has said his team is confident of dealing with Pakistan and their key bowler, legspinner Yasir Shah, at their “fortress” in Abu Dhabi. However, they would have to clean up their fielding and bowling going into this Test, he said, and readjust to playing in the daytime.”We are obviously very confident as we played a very good Test match in Dubai and it was very competitive,” Holder said. “We had some great positives coming from that game, and for me, it is just to transfer it to this game. Abu Dhabi maybe a fortress for Pakistan, but we have shown that we can compete in this series.”They have heavily depended on Yasir Shah and I think we coped with him very well. He was not that effective even on a day-five pitch.”Pakistan have not lost in any of the eight Tests they have played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, winning four of them. For West Indies to challenge that record, as Holder said, they would have to improve on their catching in the first match, where eventual triple-centurion Azhar Ali was dropped on 17 and again on 190. No-balls were also an issue, particularly for fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who overstepped 11 times in the game. Fellow pacer Miguel Cummins also bowled two no-balls, even getting a wicket off one – Babar Azam on four in the second innings; he eventually scored 21.”We need to sharpen up on the mistakes we made in the field,” Holder said. “And we should cut out on those no-balls as it cost us. We need to improve on small areas in fielding and tighten up when we bowl, and stick to our plans for lot longer.”The wicket was very good, both sides struggled to get wickets with their seamers. Spinners dominated in the Test. In such a situation, you [as a seamer] have to be very patient and accurate.”The main readjustment with regards to going from a day-night Test to a day Test, Holder said, would relate to the players’ body clock and not the ball. “We are accustomed to the conditions. However, our body needs to get accustomed to the clock, from bowling in the night and the afternoon start. Now, we have [to play] the whole day and it is a small adjustment. Playing red ball from pink will not need any major adjustment.”

Manchester United are believed to be considering a move for Brighton and Hove Albion starlet, Evan Ferguson, albeit with any deal not set to take place until next summer.

What's the latest on Ferguson to Man United?

According to journalist Melissa Reddy, the Red Devils – as well as rivals Tottenham Hotspur – are seemingly lining up a swoop for the 18-year-old sensation in 2024, with United having previously missed out on the teenager's signature despite taking him on trial in the past.

Writing on Twitter, the respected insider stated: "Manchester United and Tottenham have both earmarked Evan Ferguson as the forward that can lead their line long term, with groundwork having started over a future move…"

In her attached piece for Sky Sports, Reddy explains that the Republic of Ireland international – who recently signed a new deal with the Seagulls – is viewed as a '£50m-plus mistake' by those at United due to their previous failure to sign him, with Erik ten Hag and co now lining up the sparkling youngster as a target for the long-term.

Should Man United sign Evan Ferguson?

The former Bohemian striker has certainly caught the attention of late following what has been a real breakthrough campaign at the Amex, with the precocious talent having scored ten goals at senior level in all competitions this term.

The much-coveted striker – who also boasts a tally of five goals in just six Premier League 2 games this season in the youth ranks – has been earmarked as a potential "£100m phenom" of the future, according to Reddy, while Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has suggested that the 6 foot 2 ace could become one of the "best strikers in the Premier League".

Likened to one-time Man United man, Michael Owen, for his "ice cold" finishing prowess – as per talkSPORT pundit Scott Minto – Ferguson is deservedly earning rave reviews for his standout recent form, with it set to be no surprise if he kicks on again for the south coast side next season.

If the four-cap powerhouse does eventually end up at the Theatre of Dreams, Ten Hag could well have the makings of a truly mouthwatering, long-term attacking partnership involving Ferguson and fellow teen, Alejandro Garnacho, with the latter gem having also been a breakout star in the top-flight this term.

The FA Youth Cup-winning winger has netted five goals and provided five assists across all fronts at senior level to date, only recently marking his return from injury with a late strike off the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

While still only 18 himself, the Argentine speedster has already emerged as a real "game changer" for United – according to Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst – with Ten Hag hailing the "brave" youngster as a "huge talent" following his effort against the Old Gold.

Although the Madrid-born dynamo will need to maintain his initial, first-team impact next season – as too will Ferguson at the Amex – the signs are that Garnacho could well be a real star of the future for the Red Devils.

To think that the teen machine could be well be partnered with the clinical Brighton man at some stage over the coming years is exciting, indeed.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly set to allow a number of their B team prospects to depart the club at the end of their contracts this summer.

The likes of Tony Weston and Charley Lindsay, among others, are set to be moved on by the Light Blues but they could be on the verge of losing a talent who they wanted to keep hold of.

Robbie Ure's deal is due to expire at the end of the month and Football Insider reported, earlier this year, that the teenager wants to leave the club after being offered new terms for less money than he is currently on.

The 19-year-old prospect has plundered 21 goals and ten assists in 43 appearances for the academy and first-team combined in the 2022/23 campaign and his impressive statistics in front of goal indicate that it would be a blow for the Gers to lose him on a free transfer this summer.

Ure has scored once in two senior outings for Michael Beale's side to date and has shown that he has the potential to be a senior striker at Ibrox in the future, which could save the club from spending millions in the transfer market on a new number nine from elsewhere.

Whilst the possible exit of the prolific teenage marksman could lead some supporters wanting Rangers to invest in another young centre-forward, the Scottish giants may already have a future star who could make the step up to Beale's team further down the line in James Graham.

Who is James Graham?

The 18-year-old gem is another B team striker who has played a backup role to Ure in the academy side this season, having made the step up from the U18s.

He joined from Ross County in the summer of 2020 and then-Head of Academy Craig Mulholland claimed that the teenager was being eyed by clubs in the Premier League and elsewhere in Scotland, which suggested that it was something of a coup to land his signature.

Mulholland also described the ace as a "dynamic, quick and tenacious forward with excellent energy and finishing abilities" and the youngster has showcased some of these qualities in the Lowland League this season.

Graham has racked up five goals and one assist in just 1,066 minutes of action in the division, which works out as a goal contribution every 177 minutes – or once every 1.96 matches.

His form has clearly not gone unnoticed at Ibrox as the club recently rewarded him with a new contract until the end of the 2023/24 campaign, keeping him at the club whilst the likes of Lindsay and Weston are released.

This indicates that they see potential in the teenager and Ure's exit could allow him to flourish as the first-choice option at the top end of the pitch for the B team next term, which could speed up his development and lead to him breaking into the senior squad in the future, thus saving Beale and the club's hierarchy millions in future transfer windows.

Manchester United look like they might increase their efforts to sign Lautaro Martinez this summer, with reports from the Italian media, via Sport Witness, stating that he is now Erik Ten Hag's top target this summer.

Will Man United sign Lautaro Martinez this summer?

The Red Devils have already been looking at bolstering their forward line this summer, with the club's boss making it clear that he plans to snap up both a midfielder and a new striker when the transfer window opens.

It comes as no surprise, with United struggling to burst the net on a regular basis over the course of the current Premier League season. Marcus Rashford is their current top goalscorer with a haul of 16 goals but, after the England international, there is no other Red Devils player who has managed ten goals or more. The next best goalscoring attacker is Anthony Martial, who currently has five to his name.

The Premier League outfit then will be determined to add a fresh face to their forward line this summer and it appears as though that could be Lautaro Martinez. Whilst the club have been linked with other options such as Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen, a new report from the Italian media via Sport Witness states that it is the Inter forward who is at the top of Ten Hag's wanted list.

It mentions that United are prepared with a transfer "proposal" that could end up costing them 70 million Euros (or £60m). If they do launch that bid, then Inter could be forced to accept the offer and that might mean that Martinez heads to Old Trafford.

Is Martinez leaving Inter Milan?

If the striker does decide to switch countries and move to England with United, then it would be a blow for Inter Milan. With a 7.19 WhoScored rating in Serie A this season, he has proven to be one of the most solid attacking options in the division. His goalscoring backs that up, with the Argentina international producing 20 goals and five assists so far – as well as a superb seven Man of the Match awards.

Whilst that rating dips slightly in the Champions League (to 6.96) he has also helped his side to reach the final of that competition with three goals and three assists. Further to this, the player has also come in for some high praise from Lionel Messi, who called Martinez "an impressive forward."

Martinez then is at the top of his game right now – and he would no doubt add more goals to the Man United attack if they were to stump up the cash and bring in the player this summer.

Leeds United's embarrassing 6-1 defeat at the hands of Liverpool at Elland Road ensured that the Yorkshire outfit have now conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League.

Javi Gracia's men seem to be free-falling back towards the relegation places after back-to-back heavy home defeats, with fingers naturally pointed at the Leeds defence following the concession of 11 goals in just two outings at home.

Jamie Carragher labelled the back four as "really, really poor" following the thrashing by Liverpool and suggested that many weren't good enough to be regular starters in the Premier League.

Therefore, Gracia will perhaps be wishing that he could call on some of the Leeds defenders of old for the upcoming seven games, which will define which league the Whites find themselves in next season.

One man who could arguably have prevented this defensive mess, and perhaps still could, is 2016 signing, Pontus Jansson.

Could Jansson have saved Leeds now?

The Swedish defender joined Leeds initially on loan from Torino in the summer of 2016, joining Garry Monk's side for the upcoming Championship campaign.

He made an immediate impression with the Yorkshire outfit and a deal was struck to make his deal permanent in February 2017, ahead of his contract expiry at the Serie A side that summer.

The former Malmo man would go on to establish himself as a fan favourite at Elland Road, making 120 appearances in all competitions, in which he contributed nine goals and four assists before his exit in 2019.

The 6 foot 5 defender was also a regular under Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds narrowly missed out on automatic promotion in the 2018/19 campaign, in a side which conceded just 50 goals in the Championship, the second-fewest in the division, which immediately suggests that he could have improved Leeds' current backline.

Jansson would controversially move to Leeds' promotion rivals Brentford in the summer of 2019 and has been a regular with the Bees in both the second tier and the Premier League, making 115 appearances in all competitions for Thomas Frank's side.

Upon his signing for the west London outfit, Frank said: “Pontus is a top defender who brings immense professionalism, a great attitude, experience, defensive robustness, leadership qualities, and threat from set-pieces to our side."

While Leeds shipped 79 goals in the top flight last season, Brentford conceded just 56, which again suggests that he is a superior option than the likes of Liam Cooper, Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk, who have all been culpable in Gracia's side this season.

The skipper can't even get in the squad this term, suggesting his days are now behind him after previously establishing a bullish partnership with the Swede under Bielsa.

Although he is returning to Malmo this summer to finish his career with his boyhood club, Leeds fans will perhaps be wishing they still had the powerful centre-back at their disposal, as his no-nonsense defending in the Championship proved far more effective than Gracia's current set up in the Premier League.

Chelsea are "monitoring" the progress of Middlesbrough youngster Finley Cartright ahead of a potential move, according to journalist renowned Fabrizio Romano.

Has Chelsea's recent business worked?

The Blues have spent big in recent transfer windows, bringing in the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez, among various other signings. So far, their expensive business during Todd Boehly's reign hasn't paid off, however, with the west Londoners languishing in 11th place in the Premier League, following their 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton on Saturday afternoon.

It has been a bitterly disappointing season, with both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter sacked as manager, and only an unlikely Champions League triumph now left to play for, which is a grim position to be in so early in the campaign.

While big-money and big-name signings will always excite supporters, it is also vital that Chelsea plan for the future, too, looking to bring in the top British talent from the academy and lower tiers. It looks as though they are aiming to do just that, following a new update.

Will Chelsea sign Cartright?

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that the Blues are interested in acquiring Cartright's signature in the near future, as they continue to track his progress:

"Understand Chelsea are now monitoring Middlesbrough young midfielder Finley Cartwright, talent born in 2006. He’s one of many prospects in the list to improve the academy and bring in new talents."

Cartright certainly looks like an exciting prospect, with the 16-year-old already an England international at Under-16 level, highlighting his prestige in the youth ranks. The midfielder is someone who could blossom at Chelsea's highly thought-of academy, learning from some top coaches and potentially breaking into the first team further down the line.

The likes of Reece James, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher are proof that young players are given the opportunity at Stamford Bridge if they are good enough, so the Middlesbrough teenager could use the trio as inspiration, should the Blues end up acquiring his signature.

There is also the option of staying at 'Boro, of course, should he feel that more regular chances at first-team minutes is a better pathway for him, but the all-round high standards that would be afforded to him at Cobham means a move south would arguably be better for his growth.

It is refreshing to see Boehly possibly looking at bringing in top youth players as an important part of his reign, ensuring Chelsea build for the future and not just the present.

Journalist Lee Ryder has claimed that there could be a few Newcastle United absentees at the City Ground this weekend.

The Lowdown: Howe will be hoping for positive injury news

Newcastle will be hoping that they can make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time in 2023 when they travel to Nottingham Forest in the first kick-off of the weekend – although they could be walking wounded.

This is mainly because Eddie Howe admitted during his press conference that there were a few knocks and niggles after his side were part of a very physical game against Wolves last Sunday, which could be a cause for concern.

The Magpies aren’t the only side with injury woes, though, as opponents Forest are set to be without Brennan Johnson for the big clash, which will be a huge boost for Newcastle given the form he’s been in as of late.

The Latest: Newcastle players may face late fitness tests

After sitting in on Howe’s pre-match press conference, Ryder revealed on his YouTube channel that the Toon boss hinted at some potential absentees on Friday evening due to several small injuries.

He said: “Really, for Newcastle now going into this crucial period, they’re going to need everyone. Eddie Howe said today the majority of the squad should be available for Forest.

“So that is a little hint that there could be a couple of absentees. He did say that a couple of players haven’t trained this week, so we’ll have to wait and see exactly what squad turns up at the City Ground.”

The Verdict: Managing fitness and injuries will be key for Newcastle

With just 13 games left to play in the Premier League, we have certainly entered into the business end of the season, so keeping everyone fit to play in these crucial games will be very important for Newcastle’s chances of finishing in the top four.

It would be a huge shame for Newcastle and Howe if they were to miss out on European football altogether – which is possible given the form of Brighton and Brentford – so Howe’s side will need their top players fully fit to fight off some stiff competition.

Howe has had to deal with several major injury blows to his team this season, with the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak, Joe Willock and Fabian Schar all missing games so far, and they can ill afford to miss many more given how often they’ve featured this term.