An update has emerged on Chelsea and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Victor Osimhen to Chelsea?

According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Blues are one of a number of clubs pursuing a deal for Victor Osimhen from Napoli ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Mauricio Pochettino’s side have a meeting with the player’s representatives planned as they eye up a swoop for the Nigerian, whose priority is to move to the Premier League, in the coming weeks.

There is no mention of how much the Italian side are prepared to demand for their star number nine but Le Parisien recently reported that it would take a staggering €180m (£155m) to secure his services this summer.

How would Victor Osimhen fit in at Chelsea?

Pochettino typically lines up with a 4-3-3 system and as such, Osimhen could play through the middle as his starting centre-forward, with new signing Nicolas Jackson lining up on the right.

Chelsea are reportedly set to sign the £30m Villarreal attacker this month and the club’s head coach could utilise him off the right flank, despite him predominantly playing as a centre-forward in Spain.

Jackson has experience of playing on the right wing and he could form an exciting partnership with Osimhen in the final third, as both players have showcased their ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

The Blues only scored 38 goals in 38 Premier League matches and bringing in two forwards with the potential to explode in the final third would be a huge boost to Pochettino ahead of next season.

Osimhen, who was described as a "goal-scoring machine" by journalist Josh Bunting, enjoyed a fantastic 22/23 campaign as the Nigerian number nine plundered an exceptional 26 goals in 30 Serie A outings for Napoli, which is 19 more than any Chelsea player managed in the top-flight last term.

These statistics suggest that the 24-year-old, who has scored 59 goals in 101 matches in all competitions for the Italian ourfit, would be a phenomenal addition to the squad and one that could finally solve their woes in front of goal.

Jackson, meanwhile, struck 12 times in 16 LaLiga starts for Villarreal and created seven 'big chances' for his teammates, suggesting that the 22-year-old ace could offer a huge goal-scoring threat whilst also being able to provide Osimhen, and others, with opportunities to score.

Indeed, the thought of both effervescent forwards in the same front line must be a mouthwatering thought for everyone associated with Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola could be about to pull off another stroke of genius in the transfer market after winger Riyad Mahrez was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Man City transfer news – Riyad Mahrez

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Mahrez has been subject to an approach from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

Romano stated that the Algerian winger had been the target of a bumper bid from Saudi Arabia as clubs from the country target top talent in Europe with the help of the nation’s Public Investment Fund.

Mahrez has two years left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, so the European champions would look for a sizable fee from Al-Ahli to let the winger leave the club.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Italian journalist Rudy Galetti confirmed the approach and expects a decision on the future of Mahrez to be made soon.

"We know for sure he received a big offer from Al-Ahli three weeks ago that he rejected. But a few days before the Champions League final, the Saudi Arabian club presented a new huge bid. The response of the player has not yet arrived and is expected soon," he said.

Could Guardiola repeat his Gabriel Jesus masterstroke?

One of the reasons Man City and Guardiola have been so successful in recent seasons is their ruthlessness in the transfer market.

Unlike rivals like Manchester United and Liverpool, City don’t fear letting club legends and fan favourites walk before their sell-by date, and Mahrez – who was previously hailed as a "genius" by both The Guardian's Barney Ronay and his former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri – could be the next player to depart, despite still possessing much of the magician-like quality a treble-winning side needs.

The club continue to rebuild and reshape the team even while the team is performing on the pitch, as opposed to changing things once it is desperately needed.

Take the sale of Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal, for example.

City offloaded the Brazilian striker to their Premier League rivals for £45m last summer after signing him back in 2017 for an estimated £27m from Brazilian club Palmeiras.

The Spaniard let Jesus walk in his prime at the age of 25, and eyebrows were raised over the sale.

City wasted no time in replacing him, snapping up Julian Alvarez the same summer after agreeing a deal for the Argentinian in the January window.

Alvarez cost just £14m and has shown fantastic potential playing behind arguably the best striker in the world in Erling Haaland.

City legend Richard Dunne praised City for their remarkable work in the market.

Speaking to Virgin Media Sport, Dunne stated:

“The whole recruitment, they don’t make many mistakes.

“They did get it wrong at the start maybe with a couple of players here and there but now over the last three or four years every single player who has come in, you look at Alvarez, he was £15m, £16m so well affordable for the whole of the Premier League and most of Europe, but City were the ones who went out and got him."

The sale of Jesus not only made the club a significant profit but replacing him with the cheap option of Alvarez has worked wonders and created City more breathing room under the Financial Fair Play rules.

Mahrez, who cost £60m in 2018, could be another man who leaves the Etihad Stadium despite still having significant potential to help the side. It’s a smart business decision from Guardiola and City and allows more funds to be made available to City to spend this summer.

David Warner has said his game plan was to attack KKR, especially their spinners, and it is always important to have game plans against quality attacks

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-20172:01

Had a game plan to commit to my shots – Warner

When Sunil Narine was introduced in the fifth over of Sunday’s game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, David Warner was busy razing the visitors. If anyone thought Narine’s arrival would herald a period of watchfulness from Warner, he dismissed such thoughts first ball, switch-hitting a six over short third man to register a fifty off 20 balls, halfway to what would become the fifth-fastest hundred in IPL cricket. After Sunrisers completed their 48-run thumping of KKR, Warner said his assault was planned.”It was great that I went out there and had a clear game plan,” Warner said at the post-match press conference. “I just said to the guys ‘commit to your shots’.”Speaking to the IPL website later, he elaborated on this plan to apply pressure on KKR, especially their spinners. “When you got a quality spin-bowling unit bowling against you, you always have to have a game plan. I try and take that risk out by backing my strengths. The reverse-sweep is one of my strengths.”I thought, tonight, I had to have that clear plan while playing and I did. I wanted to try and mix it up by coming down the wicket and putting a bit more pressure on them. I tried to make them bowl faster into the wicket. They bowled faster on a few occasions and didn’t at times. But that is the kind of game plan you’ve got to have.”Warner finished with 78 runs off 30 balls against the spinners, and Sunrisers’ opening stand amounted to 139 in 12.4 overs. However, Warner’s partner Shikhar Dhawan accounted for just 29 off those, off 30 balls. Warner said that was the kind of batting required of Dhawan at that stage.”I have to make a special mention of Shikhar Dhawan – the role that he played tonight,” Warner said. “I had to play that role [at the start of] last game when he was going all guns blazing. And Kane Williamson is unbelievable, he just comes and knocks it and gets a 40. It just sums it up for us.”Warner also praised 23-year-old fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who made the first breakthrough for Sunrisers in their defence of 209, and then claimed a well-set and threatening Robin Uthappa. “Siraj is learning on the go and that is what we expect. It is fantastic. That is the quality of this Sunrisers unit. We are not harsh critics, but we allow the guys to get chances, and the way he has come out and taken his chances is fantastic.”And it is great to have Bhuvneshwar Kumar there always talking to him. An experienced bowler like Bhuvi is of great help.”

Liverpool are battling Tottenham to complete the signing of VfL Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

Are Liverpool signing a centre-back?

The Reds' squad needs some significant transfer surgery before the start of next season, with midfield the particularly pressing area of the pitch – although they have of course already added Alexis Mac Allister there.

It could also be that a new centre-back is required to provide stiff competition for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, with both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez arguably not at the level required anymore.

One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Van de Ven, who has impressed in a Wolfsburg shirt, starting 33 Bundesliga matches last season. The £20,000-a-week defender could well move on this summer, finding it hard to turn down strong interest from the Premier League, with Spurs also in the hunt to sign him.

Could Van de Ven be off to Anfield this summer?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are "prepared to battle" the north Londoners for Van de Ven's signature, having identified him as a "key target" in the summer transfer window.

The Reds have reportedly "begun laying the groundwork" for a defensive signing behind the scenes, with Jurgen Klopp "eager to bolster his backline". The Wolfsburg man appears to be at the front of the queue with Reds recruitment chiefs marking him out as the perfect fit.

Van de Ven could be precisely what Liverpool are after this summer, coming in as someone who can thrive at both centre-back and left-back, also meaning he can dovetail with Andy Robertson and be an upgrade on Kostas Tsimikas.

With Klopp tweaking his system late last season and moving Trent Alexander-Arnold into a roaming midfield role from right-back, Van de Ven's ability to play across those two positions could be perfect.

It would mean he could play at left-back and shuffle across to a more central position when Alexander-Arnold vacates space in defence, while his left foot would bring a balance that is currently lacking in Liverpool's squad. At 22, he would also very much be a long-term signing who could potentially be an eventual replacement for Van Dijk, although the hope is that his Dutch compatriot remains at a high level for a number of years still.

It is a move that ticks so many boxes – Niko Kovac has said the young defender has "great potential" as a player – and the fact that the Reds can offer Van de Ven European football next season surely gives them the edge over Spurs.

Kolkata Knight Riders have bought New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme as a replacement for Andre Russell, who is currently serving out a one-year ban for a doping-code violation.De Grandhomme, a medium-pace bowler and a lower-order batsman, made his debut for New Zealand in February 2012. In seamer-friendly conditions, he is capable of generating enough lateral movement to trouble the batsman despite his leisurely pace of 120 kph. He took 6 for 41 in his first Test against Pakistan in November last year. Making him a value addition is his batting strike-rate in all T20 cricket – a whopping 171 after 91 innings.Considering a relaid Eden Gardens pitch afforded surprising assistance to the fast bowlers in its first international match, Knight Riders appear to be stocking up on pace bowling options. They already have Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile, both known for generating swing and seam.Despite the reinforcement, Knight Riders would feel Russell’s absence. He was an important part of their title-winning run in 2014 and was Man of the Tournament in 2015.”We are not on the back foot,” the allrounder Yusuf Pathan said. “Russell was an important cog in our wheel not only on-field, but in the dressing room also. He is a great character to have. There are situations when players miss out. He will be missed in the dressing room. But we have to look ahead and work with what we have.”Captain Gautam Gambhir echoed similar sentiments. “Either we can see Russell’s absence as a challenge or look at it as an opportunity in bold letters,” he told . “I as an individual, and KKR as a group, are looking it as an opportunity.”Knight Riders begin their IPL campaign on April 7 against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot

Kolkata Knight Riders have taken on New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme, who has a strike-rate of 171 from 91 innings in all T20 cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-20174:33

‘Very happy with the players we’ve got’ – Gambhir

Kolkata Knight Riders have bought New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme as a replacement for Andre Russell, who is currently serving out a one-year ban for a doping-code violation.De Grandhomme, a medium-pace bowler and a lower-order batsman, made his debut for New Zealand in February 2012. In seamer-friendly conditions, he is capable of generating enough lateral movement to trouble the batsman despite his leisurely pace of 120 kph. He took 6 for 41 in his first Test against Pakistan in November last year. Making him a value addition is his batting strike-rate in all T20 cricket – a whopping 171 after 91 innings.Considering a relaid Eden Gardens pitch afforded surprising assistance to the fast bowlers in its first international match, Knight Riders appear to be stocking up on pace bowling options. They already have Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile, both known for generating swing and seam.Despite the reinforcement, Knight Riders would feel Russell’s absence. He was an important part of their title-winning run in 2014 and was Man of the Tournament in 2015.”We are not on the back foot,” the allrounder Yusuf Pathan said. “Russell was an important cog in our wheel not only on-field, but in the dressing room also. He is a great character to have. There are situations when players miss out. He will be missed in the dressing room. But we have to look ahead and work with what we have.”Captain Gautam Gambhir echoed similar sentiments. “Either we can see Russell’s absence as a challenge or look at it as an opportunity in bold letters,” he told . “I as an individual, and KKR as a group, are looking it as an opportunity.”Knight Riders begin their IPL campaign on April 7 against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot

Newcastle United were "keen" on signing Manchester United's Scott McTominay in the January transfer window, and "they will be again", claims journalist Alex Crook.

Newcastle United transfer news – What's the latest on Scott McTominay?

It has been a productive start to the transfer window for Newcastle United this year; despite dropping their interest in the now Tottenham Hotspur player James Maddison, they are on the verge of signing Italian international and AC Milan star Sandro Tonali.

According to Sky Sports, the tenacious midfielder will join his new teammates after completing his international duties with Italy's U21 side in a deal worth a reported £55m.

That fee still leaves the Magpies with a decent chunk of their supposed £75m war chest, a chunk they could spend on United's McTominay.

According to the Daily Mail, the Toon are still interested in the Scotland international's services after first registering an interest in the player back in January.

The biggest stumbling block for any deal might be the price, though, as the Red Devils have priced their midfielder at £30m, which would be slightly out of reach for the Magpies should they fail to shift any players of their own.

Journalist Alex Crook explained the situation between the two clubs and pointed out another potential problem that could cause doubt amongst the United board about selling the player to Eddie Howe's outfit.

Speaking on TalkSPORT's YouTube channel, he said: "There's lots of interest in him. I know Newcastle were keen in January; they will be again. The conundrum there is, do Manchester United really want to strengthen Newcastle, who are coming up on the rails as a genuine big four rival?

"I see West Ham, a side in mid-table as more his level."

Would Scott McTominay be a good signing for Newcastle United?

The answer to this question will depend on how Howe envisions utilising McTominay should he move to St. James' Park.

As a solid backup player who would start most games on the bench but could be relied upon to help see games out and give players a rest in cup games, he would be great.

However, if the expectation is that he would come into the starting lineup and help the team develop into a more free-flowing and entertaining side, it could be a disaster.

According to FBref, who compare players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the 6 foot 3 "monster" – as once described by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – is in the bottom 6% for progressive passes, the bottom 8% for assists, bottom 15% for expected assists, bottom 17% for attempted passes and the bottom 33% for shot-creating actions.

All of that strongly suggests that you won't be getting any kind of attacking nor progressive play out of McTominay should you be playing him regularly, which might be suitable for a mid-table team as Crook suggests, but for Champions League playing Newcastle, he may be viewed as a rotational option.