Jason Roy has avoided suspension, and only been slapped with a 30% fine of his match fees, for his animated outburst aimed at umpire Kumara Dharmasena after being given out – incorrectly – in the World Cup semi-final against Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday.Roy, leading England’s chase of Australia’s 223, was batting on 85 when he attempted to pull Pat Cummins’ short delivery and missed by a fair margin, as replays later confirmed. Alex Carey dived to his left behind the stumps and pulled off an excellent collection and went up in appeal along with the bowler and some of the Australian fielders. Umpire Dharmasena looked uncertain but raised his finger, and with Jonny Bairstow having wasted England’s review earlier in the innings, Roy had to go.He stood his ground at first and then walked off clearly unhappy, remonstrating with the umpires – Marais Erasmus was the other on-field official – on his way out and making his displeasure obvious. The stump mics even caught a furious Roy yelling “that’s f***ing embarrassing”.It seemed that he might draw the ire of the match officials for his show of dissent and cop a serious sanction, but was allowed to get away with the fine and two demerit points.Demerit Points stay for a period of two years on a player’s disciplinary record from the date of enforcement. If Roy is handed two more demerit points, he will run the risk of a suspension point, two of which will then lead to a ban of one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whichever is scheduled first.Roy’s performance with the bat – 85 off 65 balls with nine fours and five sixes – made a big difference to England’s cause as they crossed the line with eight wickets and 107 balls in hand, reaching their fourth World Cup final and first since 1992.Roy is a key member of their plans, his blazing starts, which have so far added up to 426 runs in six innings, a big part of their success in recent years. So the fact that he has been let off with a rap on the knuckles and not handed a more severe punishment, perhaps even a one-match suspension, will make the England camp happy.
Top of the Premier League and on course to reach a League Cup final, things can't get much better for Liverpool at the moment. But with the January transfer window well underway, Jurgen Klopp could still solve his defensive injury crisis with the arrival of a player that the Reds have already held talks about.
Liverpool's defensive injury crisis
After losing Joel Matip to an ACL injury which not only likely ended his season but also perhaps even his Liverpool career, with his contract due to expire in the summer, Klopp has been left with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and the young Jarell Quansah to choose from. Further injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas soon forced the Liverpool boss to shift Gomez over to left-back, however, leaving him with just three central defenders.
calum-scanlon-andy-robertson-liverpool-opinion
Given Konate's injury history at Anfield too, already missing four games this season, the Reds could do with finding another option this month. And that has seen them linked with the likes of Goncalo Inacio, Ousmane Diomande and Jean-Clair Todibo in three options that could instantly hand them a boost. Instead, though, Liverpool's attention has reportedly turned towards Feyenoord's David Hancko.
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According to Branislav Jasurek, the player's agent, Liverpool are in contact about a potential deal for Hancko. Jasurek told TN: “As an agency, we are in contact not only with these two clubs (Liverpool and PSG), but also with others who are looking into David’s situation.
"I estimate that, 80 to 90 per cent, David will stay in Rotterdam, because Feyenoord is fighting for the Champions League and the people at Feyenoord know that David Hancko will be sold even in the summer. It would have to be one of the big clubs. He will certainly not go from Feyenoord, which is going to play in the Champions League, to a club that will play in the bottom half of the Premier League.”
Hancko's versatility could be key
Hancko's versatility certainly makes him an ideal option for Liverpool to turn to either in this month's transfer window or during the summer, which seems more likely given the words of Jasurek. The Feyenoord man can play as both a centre-back and left-back, meaning that Klopp would have himself another player able to provide cover in similar fashion to how Gomez's invaluable ability does.
Hancko's stats, meanwhile, represent a player at the top of his game this season, despite Feyenoord finding themselves behind in the Eredivisie title race. Here's how his numbers compare to those of Van Dijk, Gomez and Konate this season:
David Hancko
50
143
13
27
Ibrahima Konate
16
74
14
40
Virgil van Dijk
17
94
13
92
Joe Gomez
23
44
16
20
So, the Slovakian appears to have the ability to keep up with Liverpool's current central defenders, with his passing ability particularly impressive. Hancko's reported price tag of £39m could yet see the Reds make their move, though his agent believes a summer switch is more likely.
Gareth Southgate insists England are not reliant on Jude Bellingham as he warned against putting too much expectation on the 20-year-old's shoulders.
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Bellingham won La Liga and the Champions League this season
England lost to Iceland without the 20-year-old on Friday
Southgate's side face Serbia next SundayWHAT HAPPENED?
After England suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Iceland in their final Euro 2024 warm-up match, Southgate has insisted that while Bellingham will lift the team, it is not his responsibility to solely carry the nation's hopes. The 20-year-old did not feature at Wembley on Friday as he continued to recover from Real Madrid's Champions League final win at the same venue six days earlier.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT SOUTHGATE SAID
Following the reverse to Iceland, Southgate said: "We are not putting everything on Jude. We've got a lot of good players and it is a collective thing to go and try to win this tournament. If we are relying on one person that isn't going to be a team that wins. Jude is, of course, a player with a fabulous mentality – and he will have a big impact on the whole group.
"I'm sure Jude will give the squad a lift but it is not his responsibility to do that. It is for all of us to get the focus right, to make sure individually our mentality is right – and as a coaching team we will make sure we are working on the areas that need to be better than they were against Iceland."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
After a season that saw him score 23 goals and take home La Liga and Champions League winners' medals, plus the La Liga Player of the Season award, it's only natural that fans are pinning their hopes on the 20-year-old this summer.
The former Birmingham City starlet has been a regular in the England first-team for more than two years and will view this summer's Euro 2024 tournament in Germany as an opportunity to announce his arrival on the international stage.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND AND BELLINGHAM?
Southgate and England will undergo their final Euro 2024 preparations this week ahead of next Sunday night's Group C opener against Serbia. Bellingham will now link up with the Three Lions squad as they look to put a disappointing run of just one win from their last five games behind them.
New Zealand concede pitch turned ‘more than we though it would’ as Babar Azam and Harris Sohail take game away
Melinda Farrell at Edgbaston 26-Jun-2019New Zealand are arguably the best side when it comes to reading pitches in tournament play but on a slow Edgbaston track that turned considerably there were admissions after their loss to Pakistan that they had missed a trick by picking just one frontline spinner and omitting Ish Sodhi from the team.In the absence of Sodhi’s legspin, New Zealand turned to the part time offspin of Kane Williamson to partner Mitchell Santner, as they tried to defend 237 and break up the key partnership between Babar Azam and Haris Sohail. After the match, Santner admitted they were deceived by pitch and thought it would offer more for the pace bowlers.”Obviously there was a bit of turn out there, probably more than we thought there would be,” Santner said. “Obviously at the toss, only going with one spinner, we thought it might be a bit better than that.Babar Azam shouts to Mohammad Hafeez•Getty Images
“It’s the spinner’s role to take wickets on a surface like that but I think credit has to go to the way Pakistan batted throughout the middle. That partnership through the middle there was pretty special. There were a couple of chances there but it’s about trying to build up pressure from both ends and stuff like that, but the way they were able to manipulate the field, and get their ones, when you’re only chasing 230, is the way to go about it.”I think we fought pretty well to the end and I guess they only got it in the last over. It was obviously a tough surface and we just had to stick at it. If we could put a couple on it, a couple of wickets on throughout that chase it might have been a little bit different.”After New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat, James Neesham made an unbeaten 97, his highest ODI score. He was one of eight bowlers used by Williamson, highlighting the desperation with which New Zealand were seeking a breakthrough.Watch on Hotstar (India only) – Neesham’s 97 not outBefore their previous match at Edgbaston, a final-over win against South Africa, New Zealand had spoken to Warwickshire captain and former Black Cap Jeetan Patel for advice on the pitch. Colin de Grandhomme has also played for the Birmingham Bears in the past two seasons.But Neesham suggested the information they gleaned before playing Pakistan was not especially accurate.”I think we can only obviously work on what we’re told leading into the game,” Neesham said. “We probably selected the team based on the information we had. In hindsight, it’s easy to say an extra spinner would have been useful, but I think with the balls we had, the quality we had at the bowling crease was enough to defend that total, and unfortunately, it just didn’t fall our way today.”
سقط نانت في فخ التعادل أمام ضيفه سانت إيتيان بنتيجة 2/2، مساء اليوم، في إطار منافسات الدوري الفرنسي.
وواجه نانت نظيره سانت إيتيان ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من الدوري الفرنسي على ملعب “لا بوجوار”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. سجل وصنع وتصدر ترتيب الهدافين.. بالفيديو | ماذا قدم عمر مرموش في مباراة آينتراخت فرانكفورت وهولشتاين؟
افتتح ليبنانت التسجيل لصالح نانت عند الدقيقة 10 من عمر الشوط الأول، مستغلاً دربكة في دفاعات سانت إيتيان.
وعزز نانت تقدمه بتسجيله الهدف الثاني عن طريق بينجامين سوريا بحلول الدقيقة 49، بعدما تلقى تمريرة حاسمة من ليبنانت.
هدف تقليص الفارق للضيوف جاء من رأسية إبراهيم سيسوكو، بعدما تلقى تمريرة عرضية من دافيتاشفيلي بالدقيقة 57.
وعاد سيسوكو من جديد ليوقع على ثاني أهداف سانت إيتيان من علامة الجزء في الدقيقة 67.
الدولي المصري، مصطفى محمد، شارك في اللقاء بديلاً بحلول الدقيقة 79 من عمر الشوط الثاني.
وشهدت الدقائق الأخيرة من عمر اللقاء سيطرة من جانب نانت، لكن جميع محاولات أصحاب الأرض انتهت بالفشل.
وبهذه النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد نانت إلى النقطة 9 في المركز السابع بترتيب الدوري الفرنسي، بينما ارتقى رصيد سانت إيتيان عند النقطة 4 في المركز السابع عشر. ملخص لمسات مصطفي محمد في مباراة نانت وسانت ايتيان بالدوري الفرنسي
Tottenham are said to be eyeing a 26-year-old defender, coming after reliable reports he'd be willing to make the move to north London.
Spurs set sights on another centre-back signing after Dragusin
While the Lilywhites sealed a much-needed deal for centre-back Radu Dragusin from Genoa in the January transfer window, it is believed Spurs are aiming to sign another central defender later this year.
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Indeed, manager Ange Postecoglou is said to be plotting a further restructure of his backline, with the likes of Napoli defender Leo Ostigard, Bologna's Riccardo Calafiori and Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite all sporadically linked in the last month.
Eric Dier left north London for Bayern Munich on loan in the January window, and with his contract set to expire in June, the Englishman won't be returning to play a role under Postecoglou next campaign.
All confirmed Tottenham deals for January
Transfer
Radu Dragusin
Arrival (permanent)
Lucas Bergvall
Arrival (buy-to-loan-back)
Timo Werner
Arrival (loan)
Alejo Veliz
Exit (loan)
Djed Spence
Exit (loan)
Ashley Phillips
Exit (loan)
Sergio Reguilon
Exit (loan)
Japhet Tanganga
Exit (loan)
Eric Dier
Exit (loan)
Ivan Perisic
Exit (loan)
Tottenham may need to source a long-term replacement for Dier, as even with the addition of Dragusin, Postecoglou has gone from potentially having four natural senior centre-back options to just three.
As we've seen from van de Ven and Romero's injuries this term, just a couple of blows can leave Spurs desperately short in certain areas. Signing another defender could therefore be the right idea for technical director Johan Lange and the wider recruitment team.
Fulham star Tosin Adarabioyo is another option who's regularly mentioned in regards to a potential switch. Tottenham have been repeatedly linked with a move for Tosin since last summer's transfer window, and the colossal 6 foot 5 defender could now also join as a free agent given his contract expires in June.
Tottenham eyeing summer Tosin move
According to Calciomercato, Spurs remain in the hunt to sign Tosin but face stiff competition from both AC Milan and London rivals West Ham. The Englishman, who's been called "magnificent" by members of the media (Muhammad Butt), has made 11 appearances under Marco Silva this season but spent the vast majority of early 2023/2024 out with a groin injury.
Fulham defenderTosin Adarabioyo.
Perhaps most interestingly, a very reliable transfer source in football.london journalist Alasdair Gold said late last year that Tosin would be up for joining Tottenham if Postecoglou's side came calling.
“We’ve spoken about Tosin Adarabioyo at Fulham, Spurs have certainly retained an interest there," he explained on the Gold and Guest Talk Tottenham podcast.
"He’s an interesting one, like Eric Dier, he’s available in the summer, I understand that if all parties were able to agree a deal he would be up for the move to Spurs, but financially it probably wouldn’t benefit him as much."
Formerly of Man City and Blackburn Rovers, signing a player of his proven Premier League ability for free would arguably be a prudent move by Lange and co.
West Ham United are "now in talks" to sign an "exceptional" player for manager David Moyes, according to Sky Sports this morning.
Hammers yet to make January signing
Despite the club being linked with a new midfielder and attacking additions, West Ham are yet to do any business so far this month, but that could be about to change very soon.
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The Hammers' transfer plans have changed after injuries to the likes of star midfielder Lucas Paqueta and striker Michail Antonio, who recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee problem.
While star winger Jarrod Bowen could be back to face Sheffield United this weekend, Paqueta's long-term absence and Antonio's unreliability hand Moyes real squad conundrums.
West Ham's lack of depth behind their traditional eleven has been somewhat exposed, and Mohammed Kudus being at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana is also leaving Moyes pretty short of options – both in the middle of the park and further forward.
West Ham are being linked with a number of attacking stars, including the likes of Santiago Gimenez and Serhou Guirassy, but it's believed they have a serious interest in Man City outcast Kalvin Phillips for the midfield area.
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
West Ham enter negotiations to sign Phillips
West Ham are touted as contenders to sign the 28-year-old, who has found game time very difficult to come by under Pep Guardiola since joining City from Leeds in 2022.
Dropping a Friday update, Sky Sports have shared some breaking news "this morning", and they claim West Ham are "now in talks" to sign Phillips and offer him a way out of Eastlands.
"What we're hearing this morning, West Ham are now in talks with Manchester City over a move for Kalvin Phillips", said the broadcaster.
They add that the England international, lauded for his "creativity" by Paul Robinson to Football Insider, is being chased by a host of clubs both in Europe and abroad – but it's West Ham who are making the first moves.
Kalvin Phillips about to come on for Manchester City.
Moyes has publicly expressed his admiration for Phillips before, so it is little surprise the Scotsman is attempting to take advantage of the player's dwindling City career.
"I'm a big admirer of Kalvin Phillips and have been for a long time," said Moyes in 2021.
"Every time I went to watch Leeds, and when I was out of work and they won the Championship, I was always thinking he looked a really influential player and a real prospect.
Kalvin Phillips injury record since 2020
Games missed (via Transfermarkt)
Shoulder injury – 2022/2023
18
Hamstring injury – 2021/2022
16
Calf injury – 2020/2021
6
Shoulder injury – 2020/2021
7
"I think he has stepped up really quickly, I think he got into the England squad when maybe other people were suggested in front of him but I think he's done well."
On a reported £135,000-per-week wage packet (Sky Sports), it will be interesting to see if West Ham manage to whittle down his salary and still sway him to east London.
Tottenham Hotspur bolstered the ranks during the January transfer window and with Heung-min Son soon to return from the Asia Cup, Ange Postecoglou will be confident that his side can achieve their goals by the close of the campaign.
What exactly is the Australian's objective? Well, Spurs were in ruin when he took the helm last summer and after an eighth-placed Premier League finish it was clear that Harry Kane, club record scorer, was going to depart after many years of service.
It was a blow but Tottenham prepared for the daunting eventuality and spent shrewdly to give Postecoglou the best chance of succeeding, and while there has been much promise throughout the 2023/24 season, much work has yet to be plied.
The winter market presented the perfect opportunity to strengthen the existing crop and chairman Daniel Levy whirred into action, replacing Eric Dier with tough-tackling Radu Dragusin and boosting the frontline with Timo Werner, formerly of Chelsea.
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Now, the onus is on crafting a purple patch that will secure a spot in the top four by the close of play, with Champions League qualification pivotal for the narrative of Tottenham's summer spending.
Spurs' summer transfer targets
One player who has recently been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is Barcelona star Raphinha, who would likely only entertain a transfer if Postecoglou could present the allure of Europe's premium competition.
Barcelona star Raphinha.
According to Spanish outlet Sport, the La Liga champions have already received a €70m (£60m) offer from Spurs ahead of a possible summer move, with Liverpool also interested amid uncertainty surrounding Mohamed Salah's future.
Barcelona has financial issues and could be convinced to recoup funds through the Brazilian's sale, with Tottenham in need of more depth if they wish to challenge across multiple fronts next season.
Why Spurs are interested in Raphinha
In 2022, Barcelona signed Raphinha from Leeds United in a £55m deal, beating off interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, having been hailed for his "unplayable" displays in the Premier League by presenter Oscar Marrio.
Winning the Spanish top-flight under Xavi's wing last season, Raphinha impressed while never looking like the most important member of Barcelona's squad and given the club's monetary problems it's not far-fetched to assume cashing in might be an attractive option.
23/24
Barcelona
20
4
7
22/23
Barcelona
50
12
10
21/22
Leeds United
36
11
3
20/21
Leeds United
38
8
11
Source: Transfermarkt
This season, as per Sofascore, the 28-year-old has only started eight matches in La Liga but has posted three goals and five assists, completing 80% of his passes, succeeding with 59% of his dribbles and averaging 1.7 key passes per game.
A right-sided winger, Raphinha is not the most prolific but he is technically proficient with pinpoint delivery and natural creative flair that would certainly open up a new dimension to the Tottenham attack.
Indeed, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for passes attempted and the top 5% for progressive passes received per 90.
That final metric is particularly important, noting his high position up the right channel, looking to latch onto passes and thread balls into the box from the wing; with James Maddison the playmaking conduit at No. 10, this could work a treat.
It seems pretty clear that Barcelona will want to recuperate the outlay to bring Raphinha to Camp Nou a year and a half ago, however, and whether Tottenham should spend such a large sum on the player is questionable, especially since he would rock the boat as far as Dejan Kulusevski is concerned.
Bad news for Dejan Kulusevski
Kulusevski has been crucial under Postecoglou's leadership this season and has been praised as the London club's "unsung hero" by The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare, working tirelessly to pump energy and flair into his team.
Across 21 Premier League matches this year, the 23-year-old has scored five goals and supplied two assists, averaging 2.2 key passes, 1.7 tackles and 4.3 ball recoveries per game while completing 83% of his passes.
Kulusevski has played centrally on occasion this season and looked good while doing so, but with Maddison now returning from injury it's unlikely that he will get regular minutes in that role.
Passing
Discipline
Key passes
Dribbling
Source: WhoScored
While Raphinha, described as a "magician" in the past by former Leeds teammate Dan James, has attributes that would improve Tottenham in certain phases of their attacking play, he doesn't offer the rounded skill set that the Swedish Kulusevski does.
For example, Raphinha is averaging 0.5 tackles, 2.6 ball recoveries and 2.4 successful duels per appearance, and merging these numbers with his high placement up the pitch suggests that he lingers in areas where he knows he can wreak havoc.
In some ways, this is fine, effective, but Postecoglou's system demands fluency and application of the highest order, and given that Kulusevski is already doing such fine work, with Brennan Johnson, signed from Nottingham Forest for £47.5m in the summer, boosting the options and dynamic on that flank.
Dejan Kulusevski.
Moreover, Kulusevski ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers for touches in the attacking penalty area but also ranks among the top 17% for tackles and the top 21% for interceptions per 90, highlighting his robustness and tenacity across the different facets of his game.
Ultimately, Spurs may well maintain their interest in Raphinha but given that he is not actually going to be an upgrade on Kulusevski and would require a big sum to procure his signature, it's just not worth it.
Especially given the importance of signing the right players to benefit the system come summer.
It has been quite the month for Everton, who were hit with the news of a second Financial Fair Play charge this season following a 10-point deduction earlier in the campaign. The Toffees now await punishment, hoping to avoid a mountain to climb when it comes to securing their Premier League status. With the transfer window also open, things could have quite easily got worse for those at Goodison Park, who have had to field interest in Amadou Onana.
Onana transfer news
Onana's name has been at the centre of the headlines since the start of the window. The main clubs mentioned in pursuit of the Belgian have been Arsenal and Newcastle United. According to Sacha Taviolieri, an Arsenal sale could still see them make a last-minute move to sign Onana this month. Meanwhile, recent reports have claimed that Newcastle are eyeing a move for the Everton star in the hope of replacing Joelinton, who is set to miss the rest of the season through injury.
Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
Both Premier League sides look set to face disappointment, however. According to Belgian outlet DH Les Sports, via Goodison News, Onana has decided to stay at Everton this month and help the Toffees avoid relegation. In a major boost for Sean Dyche and his side, the former Burnley boss will now hope to get past the transfer window unscathed and ready to push into the comforts of mid-table.
Given that Everton are yet to welcome a single reinforcement, keeping hold of Onana so late in the window should prove to be crucial. The last thing that those at Goodison Park need is a scramble to land a replacement for their star in the remaining days of the January transfer window. Now seemingly able to breathe a sigh of relief, Everton will hope that the good news just continues to come.
"Exciting" Onana crucial to Everton survival chances
As things stand, Everton sit just one point above the relegation zone, having played one game more than Luton Town to leave them in a precarious position. If the Toffees want to gain control of their fate, however, then Onana could quickly prove to be the key. The 22-year-old has more than earned the interest of Newcastle and title-challenging Arsenal and will only continue to showcase his talents in Dyche's side.
Amadou Onana's stats (via FBref)
Rank vs positional peers in comparable leagues
Tackles per 90
81st percentile
Aerials won per 90
94th percentile
Expected assists per 90
78th percentile
Former Belgium and Everton manager Roberto Martinez was full of praise for Onana when the midfielder first arrived at Everton. He told Sky Sports via HITC: “Really exciting footballer. I know that sometimes when we speak about players, it’s very difficult to measure their potential. I think we are talking about a 20-year-old boy, who is probably one of the most talented at that age in European football, and that’s how excited we are in Belgium.
“He’s got the physicality and the presence of a player that the Everton fans know very well in Marouane Fellaini. He can become anything in that central area, so I can understand the excitement around Everton – this is one of the most exciting prospects in European football at this present time.”
Michael Beale's short-lived stint in charge of Sunderland was nothing short of a car-crash to watch, the divisive manager never winning over the Black Cats masses before being put out of his misery just two months into the post.
Picking up just four wins from his 12 matches in charge, Beale couldn't galvanise his youthful troops into ever putting together a positive sequence of results, with a brilliant victory then often followed up a crushing loss.
Now, the assistant manager to Beale in Mike Dodds – who was already at the club before Beale and acted as interim manager when Tony Mowbray exited late last year – will take the reins until the end of the season whilst the Black Cats hierarchy methodically go about finding the perfect long-term boss.
They could well have this name on a list of potential successors to replace the unpopular former Rangers boss, with the out-of-work manager in question even boasting a promotion up to the Premier League on his CV…
Sunderland's plans for the summer
Dodds occupying the Stadium of Light dug-out for the remainder of the campaign gives the Black Cats ample time to find the best possible Beale successor, with a few names already being talked up.
TEAMtalk are reporting that the likes of left-field choice Marek Papszun and ex-Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom are potential targets when the vacancy opens back up in the summer, but one name really sticks out from the speculated pack.
Steve Cooper is being touted to take over at the Wearside club, according to the report, with the ex-Nottingham Forest figure still searching for a new job after being let go of at the City Ground at the end of 2023.
With Cooper's expertise at second tier level clear for all to see – helping Forest return to the top flight via the playoffs during the 2021-22 campaign – it could well also be his glowing track record at developing youngsters whilst managing England U17s that further makes him perfect for the gig.
Regardless of all this being stacked in his favour, the Welshman, most importantly, would be a major upgrade on the outgoing Beale.
Steve Cooper's managerial record
Cooper, unlike Beale, has managed to be arguably successful wherever he's gone across his managerial career to date – with Beale notably earning sack at former club Rangers, prior to his dismal short stint at Sunderland.
Whilst managing the England U16s and U17s, Cooper managed to steer those youthful international England groups at his disposal to success – managing the U17s to World Cup glory in 2017, with Phil Foden and Marc Guehi excelling as teenage stars in the set-up amongst other now household names.
That would be music to the ears of Sunderland, with the Wearside outfit brimming full of exciting young talents currently such as Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg.
Cooper's managerial record
Club
Games managed
Wins
Draws
Losses
England U16s
2
1
0
1
England U17s
74
52
10
12
Swansea City
105
47
28
30
Nottingham Forest
107
42
27
38
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Never quite managing to win promotion with Swansea City whilst in charge of the Welsh side, Cooper learnt from those experiences with the Swans and immortalised himself into Forest folklore in his next job when helping the sleeping giants leap back up to the Premier League.
Cooper was responsible for Brennan Johnson coming through at Forest and dazzling, whilst also managing to get the best out of Djed Spence who has never looked the same since his blistering days at the City Ground on loan.
Not one for jumping ship quickly either, Cooper – who was once described as being an "incredible" manager by former West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce on his No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast – does seem to fit the bill of what Sunderland could be looking for in a lasting manager after Dodds' temporary time in charge is up.
Dodds could even throw his hat into the ring for the permanent job if he succeeds in the hot seat, with Sunderland just aiming to get the fans back on side now after such a topsy-turvy season.