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Pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to Celtic transfer update involving Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun.

Is Yang Hyun-jun joining Celtic?

The Hoops have made a start on their summer business, with midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio both signing five-year deals at Parkhead from Valerenga and Melbourne City respectively.

There have also been some outgoings, with midfielder Aaron Mooy announcing his retirement and winger Jota signing for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m.

New manager Brendan Rodgers is set to be handed a £30m transfer kitty by Celtic chiefs ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and it looks as if some of those funds could go on bringing Gangwon FC forward Yang to Glasgow.

The 21-year-old has been on Celtic’s radar in recent weeks, with an offer submitted last month. A fee in the region of £2.1m fee was agreed between the two clubs, however, it looked as if Gangwon were open to keeping the player until the New Year when their season came to an end.

There appears to have been a breakthrough over a transfer, though. Gangwon are now ready to allow the forward to leave immediately, adding that Yang's transfer "remained a matter of time". Yang himself is keen on a move and has previously said that he would give his salary in order to seal a move:

"Celtic is a good offer, so I want to go. I have to do my best as a member of Gangwon. But I think the desire to go will still be there.

"I want to go to Celtic this summer. I hope Gangwon will allow me to transfer. If the transfer fee isn’t enough, I’ll even give my salary."

What has Alan Hutton said about a potential move?

Taking to Football Insider, Hutton, who contributes to Sky Sports, was talking about Celtic and Yang and the fact the player is so keen to join the Hoops that he would give up his salary.

The former Scotland defender said he wouldn’t do that, adding that Yang must be “desperate” for the transfer, describing it as “amazing to read”.

“I wouldn’t. He must be desperate to make the move.

“We are hearing about people going to Saudi for millions a year and this player is willing to give up his salary to make a move which is the polar opposite.”

Should Yang get his wish and move to Scotland, he would provide Rodgers with a versatile option as he is primarily a right-winger who can also play on the left or through the middle.

He could be just what is required, especially following Jota’s departure, and by the look of things, Yang is willing to go far in order to sign for the Hoops in what could be another shrewd coup be the club when it comes to the Asian market.

Newcastle United may have moved their attention to defence in regards to their next transfer business, with Spazio Napoli, via Sport Witness, reporting that the Toon are now keeping close tabs on Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

How many games has Giovanni Di Lorenzo played for Napoli?

The right-back has spent the last four seasons with current club Napoli, and has long been an important player for the side. Even when he first linked up with the Serie A outfit from former club Empoli, he was thrown straight in and given 33 appearances in that very first campaign.

He has since managed to rack up 139 league outings for the now champions of Italy during his time there, and with ten goals and seventeen assists along the way, he has proven to be an asset going forward for the club too.

Having spent the entirety of his career in Italy though, it appears a potential change may be on the cards. That's because according to a report from Spazio Napoli, via Sport Witness, the right-back is now on the radar of Newcastle United.

The Premier League side are keeping a close eye on the player now, with the 29-year-old seemingly now on their transfer wishlist. It adds that this interest in Di Lorenzo has only materialised over the "last few hours".

It means that no bid has yet been made and no official approach has come forth but Napoli are "worried" by the interest due to the financial might the Magpies now possess.

How much is Giovanni Di Lorenzo worth?

It's unclear how much a potential deal for Di Lorenzo may cost Newcastle. However, Transfermarkt suggest that his value is around the 25 million Euros mark (or £21.5m). It means that a deal wouldn't break the bank for the Toon if it was that amount, especially considering their new ownership, but it would still represent a profit on the player for Napoli.

He could be worth that amount too when you consider how well he has played for Napoli. Football journalist Josh Bunting has previously stated that a goal from Napoli was helped by a "perfect" ball from Di Lorenzo and has also called the player "excellent" too.

The Napoli man has warranted these superlatives then and it means that his signing could represent good business for Newcastle. They already have Kieran Trippier on that right flank but he would provide a good battle for that spot and sufficient depth as they embark into four competitions next term.

If Ben Duckett was looking for an immediate pick-me-up on the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka after his disheartening time in India, he discovered that life can sometimes be less accommodating than that

David Hopps in Dambulla02-Mar-2017
ScorecardDuckett scored a double-hundred in Lions colours last summer, but found his trial by spin to be a tougher proposition•Getty ImagesIf Ben Duckett was looking for an immediate pick-me-up on the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka after his disheartening time in India, he discovered that life can sometimes be less accommodating than that. The teething problems against high-quality spin that abruptly stilled his Test career were again in evidence as Sri Lanka A strolled the first of five one-day matches.Sri Lanka’s 47-run win on a DLS calculation came in mildly farcical circumstances when play was suspended for bad light with England nine-down and still 60 short with five overs remaining. Vikum Sanjaya bowled a bouncer at the Lions’ last man, Josh Poysden, the light meters came out and that was that. It was a predictably unsatisfying end after no overs had been removed when the match had started half-an-hour late after overnight rain.Whether Duckett breaks into the Champions Trophy squad this summer will not entirely depend on his fate over the next 10 days or so – England in June does not bear too much relation to the challenges on subcontinent pitches and he has too much natural talent to be subdued for long – but England will want to see evidence on this tour that he has suffered no lasting effects from his exposure against Ashwin and co.Instead, first up was an uncomfortable reminder of his India issues. This time the off-break bowler was Danushka Gunathilaka, who might not have Ashwin’s reputation – indeed, he has five international wickets in 21 appearances – but who unpicked the Northants’ left-hander efficiently enough. Duckett was 17 when he advanced down the line of leg stump to strike Gunathilaka over the off side only to be stumped by a distance.England have given him every chance to get into one-day mode, omitting him from the four-day leg of the tour as if to stress that they want his rehabilitation to come with a strong one-day bias. They want the Lions players to feel the scrutiny, despite the tiny crowds, and even after one game he will know what they mean.It was Duckett’s prodigious form for the Lions last summer, backed by heavy run-making for Northants, which catapulted him into England reckoning. Four innings brought 448 runs at an average of 224, including an unbeaten 220 against Sri Lanka A in Canterbury. Not that Sri Lanka were likely to suffer any ill effects from those memories with only Thisara Perera, a veteran in A-team terms at 27, surviving from that XI.The presence not just of Thisara Perera, but Kusal Perera too, amplified the difference in experience between the two sides. Sri Lanka had 10 players with international experience, the Perera twosome accounting for more than half of their 400-plus caps. The Lions could point only to a handful of caps for Duckett and the captain, Keaton Jennings, all of them won in recent months.Jennings habitually got out when set in the two four-day matches, so his adept 64 from 70 balls to underpin England’s pursuit of 290 in 48 overs represented an improvement. A top-edged sweep against the round-arm offspin of Shehan Jayasuriya caused his downfall, the first of four Lions wickets to fall for 15 runs in 28 balls and, at 133 for 7, effectively sealed their fate.Sri Lanka’s winning margin was trimmed thanks to a defiant eighth-wicket stand of 73 in 11 overs between Liam Livingstone, who was on the back of two hundreds in a match in Pallekele, and Craig Overton, who had done little else than sit and watch them. Overton’s first match of the tour was an impressive one: an unbeaten 60 from 45 balls – his first List A half-century – plus two top-order wickets in Sri Lanka A’s 278 for 7, an innings ended 11 balls early because of rain. As a youngster, he was a batsman who bowled and to be carded at No 9 here is something that should cause him to aspire to better things.With Sri Lanka A fielding seven left-handers in the top eight, the Lions were grateful not just for Overton’s lead with the ball but also for Livingstone’s sound stint of offspin, only 28 conceded in a spell that allowed little width and, after he dismissed Sandun Weerakkody in his final over, caught at the wicket, rounded off with two legspinners to the incoming right-hander.But the Lions’ seam attack lacked variety, James Fuller had an off-day and Poysden dropped his legspinners repeatedly short and suffered as a consequence. Half-centuries from the openers Kusal Perera and Gunathilaka in an opening stand of 123, plus a hard-hitting unbeaten 56 off 35 balls from Thisara Perera, gave Sri Lanka A dominance they never relinqushed.Outplayed in England last summer, they are a different proposition here. Duckett is not alone in recognising that.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKane Williamson runs out Josh Hazlewood to win the game•Getty Images

Kane Williamson held his nerve, ran the last man out with a direct hit and stopped Marcus Stoinis seven runs short of pulling off the most miraculous of Australian chases in an Eden Park ODI.Stoinis’ unbeaten 146 turned a comfortable New Zealand victory into an utterly thrilling encounter. And yet he was only on the tour because the first-choice allrounder Mitchell Marsh was resting a shoulder problem. Stoinis joined a motley assortment of other second-choice players standing in for the captain Steven Smith, his deputy David Warner and the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade among others, but the innings he conjured was among the finest played for Australia in recent memory, showing equal parts composure and brutality. Stoinis was the first from his country to wallop a century and pick up three or more wickets in the same match.The visitors had slid as far as 54 for 5 when Stoinis arrived at the crease, and he took his time in the company of James Faulkner before taking the game on with immense courage and power even as Australia’s wickets started to run out. His tally of 11 sixes, most hit straight or in the arc between midwicket and mid-on, was the highest ever in an ODI at Eden Park. As a breakout performance it recalled Andrew Symonds against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup – Stoinis and Australia will hope so.The arrival of last man Josh Hazlewood pushed Stoinis into a corner from which he could only attack, and he piled up 54 runs in four overs without the No. 11 ever having to take strike. Ultimately it was the search for a single that ended things, as Williamson struck with an underarm from short mid-on to dismiss Hazlewood when only seven runs were required from 19 balls – a fair measure of how destructively Stoinis had played.Memorable runs followed up a fine spell with the ball from Stoinis, who bowled his 10 overs straight through the middle of the innings as the Australians held New Zealand to a manageable 286. While numerous chances went down, 29 extras conceded, and a Hazlewood one-hander on the boundary became six when the paceman’s foot brushed the rope, regular wickets throughout prevented the hosts from creating the sort of momentum required to pass 300.Marcus Stoinis’ 146 not out was the second highest-score ever made by a batsman at No. 7•Getty Images

In his second ODI appearance, Stoinis prospered with his muscular medium-fast bowling, beating Williamson and Martin Guptill for pace in the air and off the wicket on his way to a three-wicket haul. Travis Head was also handy with his part-time offspin, coaxing Ross Taylor to drag on onto the stumps.Guptill had appeared to be the New Zealand’s best hope of a big score before he fell to Stoinis, and it took an innings of impressive composure from Neil Broom to take them beyond 250. Eventually, his 73 off 75 balls proved just about enough.Australia had been forced into a hurried reshuffle on match morning, with Finch taking over leadership from an injured Wade after Smith and Warner both missed the tour. The resultant changes to the Australian top order left them vulnerable to intelligent New Zealand bowling, and the early overs saw a steady procession of wickets that suggested this would not be a close encounter.Finch and Head were out trying to assert themselves early on, via a pull to square leg and an upper cut to third man. Shaun Marsh’s return to Australian colours ahead of the India tour ended with dance down the wicket to Mitchell Santner and a comfortable stumping for Tom Latham. Either side of his dismissal, Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell both edged length deliveries behind, and when the debutant Sam Heazlett also offered up an edge, the score fell to 67 for 6 and New Zealand looked sure winners.What followed reflected tremendous credit on Stoinis, but also on how Twenty20 has influenced the thinking of batsmen around the world. Stoinis and Faulkner were happy to let the required rate blow out to near 10 an over, getting themselves in and working out the vagaries of Eden Park’s drop-in pitch and short boundaries before accelerating.Pat Cummins played his part by striking the ball cleanly to help Stoinis bring the asking rate down, before Santner earned another stumping with his slower pace, flight and spin. Mitchell Starc was unable to contain himself when presented with Santner’s last delivery and was caught on the midwicket boundary, before Stoinis caught fire with a barrage of sixes to take Australia so close to a win they had no right to expect for most of the afternoon.Tom Latham, with two stumpings and three catches, equalled the New Zealand record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper•Getty Images

Wade had been ruled out due to a back complaint he reported on match eve. His absence meant Handscomb took the gloves, and also that the young Queensland batsman Heazlett made his debut in the middle order. Heazlett was included in the squad without having played a single domestic limited-overs match for his state and was listed to bat at No. 7.There was next to no swing for Starc with the new ball after Finch sent New Zealand in to bat, and it was a short ball from the left-armer that brushed Tom Latham’s glove to offer Handscomb a catch behind the wicket. Guptill and Williamson appeared to be setting a sound platform before the captain squeezed a Stoinis delivery off bat and pad to backward point, and a similarly promising stand between Guptill and Taylor ended when the latter fell to Head.Stoinis then found a way past Guptill and coaxed Colin Munro to pop a catch to mid-on, leaving Broom and James Neesham with the salvage job. Neesham played with particular verve and was looking to accelerate further when he was well held by Head on the midwicket boundary for 48.Santner and Tim Southee did not last long, and Broom eventually miscued a length ball from Faulkner to long-on as the overs ticked down. Trent Boult connected with a couple of meaty blows, which in the final analysis gave Williamson’s men just enough breathing room to contain the Stoinis Hurricane.

ScorecardDarren Stevens’ century was a handy contract reminder•Getty Images

Kent beneficiary Darren Stevens hit an unbeaten century in what could transpire to be his final game for the county as the hosts posted 389 for 7 on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Essex.After a first day wash-out and an uncontested toss, the 40-year-old all-rounder – whose contract expires at the end of the match – hit a typically belligerent unbeaten 107 to give his side the edge in this contest between the top two sides in the second tier.Sam Northeast and Joe Denly also posted half-centuries as the hosts racked up four batting bonus points, leaving them to secure one more point from this final-round game in order to clinch second place, and with it the ECB’s prize money of almost £57,000.Stevens, who went into this final round game in the midst of protracted talks over a new contract, said: “There was a bit of anger, frustration and disappointment in that knock today, but I’m delighted we’ve almost got to 400 as a team, that we’ve virtually secured second place and we’re now in a good position to go on and win the game.”I love this place and I don’t want to go anywhere else, so my hope is that we can sort something out because I feel I’ve still got two years left in me. I still have passion for the club and for these lads and I want to be successful, so we’ll have to see what happens.”I always love scoring runs and get more satisfaction from scoring runs being that Kent signed me as a batsman. I’ve obviously turned myself into a bit of an all-rounder in the meantime, but my main job is to get runs and the past couple of months have been pretty enjoyable in that regard.”This summer for our batters has been exceptional and we’re all pretty much close to 1,000 runs now. I got a bit edgy against the second new ball because it was sliding on and dong a little bit more in the air. But I backed myself to play my shots and got over the line to my hundred in the last over.”Batting first on a pitch that spent much of Tuesday morning under wraps, Kent lost their first wicket after an hour’s play but only three overs after umpires Russ Evans and Graham Lloyd had changed the misshapen original ball.Having hit seven fours in an attractive 32, Daniel Bell-Drummond threw all but the kitchen sink into a wide cover drive against Will Rhodes, only to edge to slip where Varun Chopra took a sharp, overhead catch.Fellow opener Sean Dickson (16) soon followed when he nicked a defensive push at a Matt Dixon leg-cutter to be caught behind by a tumbling Adam Wheater to make it 50 for 2.Home skipper Northeast posted 109 for the third wicket with Denly within 25.1 overs either side of lunch. Denly posted his fourth championship half-century from 98 balls with eight fours, while Northeast reached his third 50 from 70 deliveries and with seven boundaries.Moments later Northeast’s late decision to shoulder arms to Rhodes saw him deflect the ball onto his own stumps via the face of the bat and depart for 56.Sam Billings marched in to spank a cover drive for four and pull a short one from Ravi Bopara to the ropes at square leg. But, with his score on 16, Billings’ cameo ended when he missed another attempted pull against Bopara to be sent packing lbw by umpire Russ Evans.With Kent’s first batting bonus point on the board, Denly’s stay for an excellent 74 ended when he nicked a back-foot force against Dixon to the keeper, then on-loan Nottinghamshire all-rounder Will Gidman fenced at Dixon’s next delivery to give Wheater a third catch and Dixon, the pick of the Essex attack, a third scalp.Stevens and James Tredwell combined to hoist a third batting bonus point courtesy of a sensible seventh-wicket stand. Essex took the second new ball in a bid to break the partnership, but Stevens lofted the third delivery with the new cherry from Dixon for six over mid-wicket to bring up his sixth 50 for 2016 from 83 balls and with seven fours.Dixon enjoyed a fourth success and ended the stand for 108 by snaring Tredwell for 39. The ball after having Tredwell dropped behind, Dixon snapped one back off the seam to trap the left-hander lbw.With Essex flagging, Stevens unfurled his big drives and cuts to reach an 83-ball 50 off Dixon with a six over mid-wicket, then mark his 125 ball century – the 31st of his first-class career – with a flat-bat six over backward point off Paul Walter. The veteran hit 13 fours and three sixes.

Jake Ball defied cramp and sapping humidity to mark his one-day debut with record figures of 5 for 51, as England snatched an extraordinary 21-run victory in the first ODI against Bangladesh

The Report by Andrew Miller07-Oct-2016 England 309 for 8 (Stokes 101, Buttler 63, Duckett 60) beat Bangladesh 278 (Kayes 112, Shakib 79 Ball 5-51) by 21 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJake Ball defied cramp and sapping humidity to mark his one-day debut with record figures of 5 for 51, as England snatched an extraordinary 21-run victory in the first ODI against Bangladesh at Mirpur.Powered by a brilliant century from Imrul Kayes, and with Shakib Al Hasan providing experienced support in a fifth-wicket stand of 118, Bangladesh appeared to be marching up a mountainous run-chase of 310, and living up to their newly minted reputation as a tough nut to crack in one-day cricket.But then, with victory in sight, Bangladesh suffered a throwback to their fragile old days to squander their last six wickets for 17 runs in 39 balls. The collapse of their resolve mirrored that of the atmosphere at the National Stadium in Mirpur, where thousands of fans had put aside the inconvenience of a kilometre-wide exclusion zone to cheer on a side that has not lost a home ODI series for two years and counting.For more than 91 overs of the 97.5 in the match, the mood in the ground had been akin to a national celebration, as Imrul confirmed the richness of his current form with an astounding display of clean hitting, particularly through the leg side, to take command of what looked certain to be their highest successful run-chase against a senior Test nation.His first scoring shot was the most startling statement of intent of the whole match – a murderous second-ball pull over midwicket off Chris Woakes that embedded itself so deep in an advertising hoarding that an BCB official had to reach through the hole to retrieve it. On his watch, there could be only one winner, as he brought up his hundred from 105 balls with his 11th four, before passing the baton to Shakib, whose volley of five fours and six in 12 balls seemed to have torched the asking-rate.But then, with the requirement a trifling 39 from 52 balls with six wickets still in hand, Shakib suffered a debilitating bout of cramp in his fingers, and, in a jolt of realism that popped the fans’ party mood in a trice, Ball capitalised to stunning effort. The very delivery after receiving treatment from the physio, Shakib miscued a pull to David Willey at midwicket to depart for 79 – and one ball later, the stands were in full panic mode as Mosaddek Hossain was bowled off the splice by a perfect lifting nipbacker.Imrul was still in situ at this stage, but having also cramped up late in his innings, he urgently needed someone else to stay with him and keep the boundaries coming. The captain, Mashrafe Mortaza, was unable to be that man – he guiltily grazed a loose cut to the keeper as Adil Rashid ripped an illegible legbreak out of the rough, moments after planting a seed of doubt with his googly, and the game was as good as over in Rashid’s next over, when Imrul charged out of his crease in desperate need of a boundary, and was stumped off a wide as Rashid speared the ball out of his reach.Next to go was Shafiul Islam – the hero of Bangladesh’s two-wicket win in the 2011 World Cup – who was run out without scoring, and victory was duly sealed from the penultimate ball of Ball’s spell, as Taskin Ahmed grazed an edge through to Jos Buttler, England’s stand-in captain, whose typically powerful 63 from 38 balls had earlier lifted his side to an imposing total of 309 for 8.Jake Ball finished the match and ended with a five-for•Getty Images

Ball himself could barely stand by the end of the match, and he was rightly named as Man of the Match after becoming the first England bowler to claim five wickets on debut. However, the foundations of England’s victory were laid by Ben Stokes, who anchored their innings with his maiden ODI hundred, and Ben Duckett, the day’s second debutant, whose 60 from 78 balls was a vital and mature contribution to an agenda-setting stand of 153.Stokes made 101 from exactly 100 balls – a performance that might pale statistically compared to some of the masterful feats of run-making in England’s ranks in recent months. However, given the brutality of the conditions – the humidity was measured at one stage at 90% – and his previous fallibility against spin, most notably on the tour of Sri Lanka in 2014, it was a formidable performance.It also began in some adversity, as he and Duckett came together following a collapse of 3 for 21 in 31 balls. James Vince had once again looked fluent without entirely convincing in his 16 from 20 balls, and when Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow departed in quick succession, the latter to a third-ball run-out, England were 63 for 3 in the 13th over and in need of some shoring-up.Bangladesh used seven bowlers in all, with the third seamer, Taskin Ahmed, held back until the second half of the innings as Mashrafe leaned heavily and predictably on his quartet of slow men. Aside from their drip-drip accuracy, the speed with which they burned through their overs was especially telling. There was little opportunity to think between deliveries, but Stokes was in the mood to trust his instinct, particularly on the reverse sweep, with which he picked off four of his eight fours.Duckett, meanwhile, was quite content to play the anchorman. After his eye-popping scoring feats for Northamptonshire and the Lions this summer, this was all about bedding into the international arena, and he passed his first test with aplomb.His five fours were timely pressure releases, including one cute scoop over the wicketkeeper’s head off a Taskin short ball, but after reaching his half-century from 63 balls, his battery visibly went flat in the final minutes of his stay. He managed one run from his last nine deliveries before missing a leg-stump full-toss to be bowled round his pads.By the end of their fielding stint, however, Bangladesh were visibly tetchy after letting several crucial chances slip through their fingers – most tellingly, two lives in the space of five balls to Stokes, on 69 and 71 respectively – a low drill to mid-on and an ugly skew to deep cover.Inevitably, the man best placed to cash in in such a moment was Buttler, who arrived at the crease with eight overs remaining and a licence to go loco, but it was a tribute to the efforts of his team-mates higher up the order that he was initially forced to rein in his aggression.In fact, it wasn’t until the back end of the 47th over that Buttler flicked on the Beast Mode. After 25 runs, including a solitary boundary, from his first 26 deliveries, he signalled his change of tempo with consecutive sixes off Shakib, before two more fours and an inside-out six over extra cover off Shafiul completed a startling 33-ball fifty, which became 63 from 38 balls all told.It wasn’t apparent then, but that switch of tempo would prove to be the difference between the sides in the final analysis. That, of course, and the temperament required just to get the job done, come what may. Bangladesh have come a long, long way in the past couple of years, and their proud home record is still intact for now. But, much as was the case in their devastating collapse against India at the World T20, there remains a fragility at their core that can crack in an instant.

Leeds United's shocking home displays against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, which has seen them ship 11 goals in total, mean that the Yorkshire outfit now officially have the worst defence in the Premier League.

No side has conceded more than the 60 goals against Leeds' name, and unless things drastically change, Javi Gracia's side could easily be on the end of some more hammerings in upcoming fixtures.

Right-back has been a problem position for both Jesse Marsch and Gracia this season, with Luke Ayling seemingly past his best and Rasmus Kristensen proving to be particularly "appalling" – in the words of Yorkshire Post writer Leon Wobschall – during the defeat to Liverpool.

It makes it even more confusing therefore that 21-year-old talent Cody Drameh was loaned out to Championship side Luton Town by Marsch in January, where his exceptional recent displays have been crucial to the Hatters' ongoing fight for promotion.

How is Drameh performing at Luton Town?

Drameh has been something of a revelation at Luton, given that they have only lost once in his 13 appearances for the club, which came in a narrow 1-0 defeat against runaway leaders Burnley.

Rob Edwards' side are remarkably still in with a chance of automatic promotion after Saturday's 2-0 win over Rotherham pushed them into third, and the loan addition of Drameh has been vital to their success.

Across his Championship appearances, the 21-year-old has averaged an incredible 7.38 rating from WhoScored, which sees him ranked as the best player in the squad.

For context, Pascal Struijk is the top-ranked player at Leeds with a 6.77 rating, which emphasises just how impressive Drameh has been, as well as how inconsistent those at Elland Road have been this season.

The English defender has averaged a phenomenal 1.4 dribbles and 1.8 key passes per game for Luton, which isn't bettered by anyone at Leeds, while his 3.2 tackles per game are only topped by Tyler Adams (3.7), which suggests how much the youngster could have added to Gracia's squad, from both an attacking and defensive perspective.

Did Leeds make a mistake in loaning Drameh out?

Leeds perhaps should have predicted Drameh's impressive form given he also caught the eye on loan at Cardiff City last season, with former manager Steve Morison singing his praises.

He said: "He'd never experienced anything like that and he came in with a couple of last-ditch tackles right at the death fo the game, which was phenomenal.

"It's a good thing they can't call him back after that because he was outstanding."

Given the struggles of Kristensen and Ayling this season, which have seen them earn 6.67 and 6.55 ratings from WhoScored respectively, Leeds surely should have considered handing the academy graduate more of a chance in the first-team.

Ayling, in particular, has been dubbed "horrendous" due to his ability, or lack thereof, on the ball and when you consider Drameh's contributions in the second tier, with two assists to his name, it seems fair to suggest that the Yorkshire outfit made a big error in loaning him out in January.

Chris Wood, the Hampshire left-arm seamer, has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a more significant knee injury than first thought.Wood picked up the injury during the County Championship match against Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl and subsequent investigations showed that he required surgery, which he underwent last week.Wood’s absence will be a blow for Hampshire’s NatWest T20 Blast campaign as he had become a key figure in that format.Hampshire have suffered a string of injuries to their bowling attack early in the season. They brought in Tino Best to bolster their resources and also signed Gareth Andrew on a match-by-match basis. However, they have Shahid Afridi and Darren Sammy – the latter arriving in June – signed up for the T20 Blast.Sean Ervine was on Wednesday named Hampshire’s limited-overs captain after James Vince’s call-up to England’s Test side.

Sky Sports commentator Alan Smith claimed Danny Ings looked angry to be substituted in West Ham's 1-0 at home to Southampton on Sunday afternoon.

What happened in West Ham vs. Southampton?

The Hammers faced an enormous Premier League clash at the London Stadium, as they hosted a Saints team similarly threatened by relegation. It looks set to be a thrilling but nervy end to the season for so many teams, especially when they come up against each other.

David Moyes' men took the lead in the first half, with Nayef Aguerd's header eventually awarded after a long and painful VAR check – his first-ever Premier League goal. Thankfully, West Ham held on in the end, despite their narrow advantage and the woodwork being hit, as they picked up a massive three points in the process.

The win lifts the Hammers to 14th place in the table and one point clear of safety – come May, it is an afternoon could feel so pivotal, even though the game was far from a classic, in terms of entertainment value.

What did Ings do?

Ings was replaced by Michail Antonio midway through the second half, as Moyes made changes to his personnel, but the striker didn't exactly looked enamoured to be taken off.

Speaking on Sky Sports' live coverage of the game, Smith reacted to the moment, revealing Ings' clear disappointment at his manager's decision:

"Ings doesn't look pleased but Antonio can give them some added energy up front."

In truth, it is never a bad thing to see a player show passion at being substituted because it proves they care about affecting the game they are involved in. Of course, showing too much dissent can be a step too far, but that wasn't the case with Ings on Sunday and he may simply have been frustrated at what was a quiet performance overall.

The 30-year-old didn't manage a single shot on or off target during his 65 minutes on the pitch, according to Sofascore, as he failed to add to his two Premier League goals for West Ham. He also completed just 47% of his passes, which is a fairly pitiful return, while he lost possession 11 times and played no key passes.

Better displays are suddenly required of Ings between now and the end of the season, with his vast experience and match-winning ability potentially so important in some tight upcoming matches in the relegation fight.

Joan Laporta has sent a message to Barcelona boss Xavi following the team's recent 'sporting disappointments'.

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Barcelona are struggling under XaviLost against Girona and AntwerpLaporta sent message to coach during Christmas dinnerWHAT HAPPENED?

The Catalan club hosted its Christmas dinner at the Palau Blaugrana, bringing together directors, coaches, and players. Laporta addressed the entire gathering and called for unity and support from the players and coach in the wake of the recent defeats in Spain and Europe.

AdvertisementWHAT LAPORTA SAID

Speaking at the event, Laporta said: "Despite the sporting disappointments that are also part of the world of sport, we will never give up as long as day after day we feel proud to represent the best club in the world. We will go out to compete in the four competitions; Super Cup, Cup, League and Champions League. I ask you to support, today more than ever, and more than ever these days, our players and our coach to accompany them along the way of victory. Together we can achieve it."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There have been reports in Spain which mention that Xavi is under intense pressure to deliver after two successive defeats in a span of three days to Girona in La Liga and Royal Antwerp in the Champions League. The dressing room is apparently losing faith in his tactician acumen and it is believed that four key players, including Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan, Frenkie de Jong and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are unhappy with his methods.

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Barcelona are currently in the fourth spot in La Liga and are already eight points behind surprising leaders Girona. Their upcoming match against Valencia on Sunday will be a test of their character and another defeat at Mestalla will raise further questions about Xavi's future at Camp Nou.