Everton have agreed a fee to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, the Liverpool Echo reported yesterday.
The 23-year-old is regarded as one of England’s most promising keepers and was one of the few successes in a Sunderland side who finished bottom of the Premier League last season.
Echo said the deal, which includes various add-ons could eventually rise to £30 million, just short of the world-record £35 million which Manchester City recently paid Benfica for Brazilian Ederson Moraes.
United table Morata offer – agent
Manchester United have made a “very important offer” for Alvaro Morata (picture), the Real Madrid striker’s agent has said.
United have been heavily linked with the 24-year-old Spain international as they look to add attacking reinforcements to cover the loss of last season’s top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Morata’s agent, Juanma Lopez, revealed that free-spending Milan have also shown an interest in the former Juventus hitman but says Madrid have rejected an “unsatisfactory” offer from the Italian giants.
Lopez said of United: “It’s a club with a lot charm, a very interesting option.
“I can say that there’s a very important offer and the decision now rests with Real.”
U-20 success a boost – Calvert-Lewin
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin hopes England’s Under-20 World Cup triumph will help the players get regular first-team action at their clubs, the 20-year-old has said.
Calvert-Lewin, who made just 12 appearances for Premier League club Everton last season, scored the winning goal as England beat Venezuela 1-0 in Suwon, South Korea on Sunday.
“I am sure everyone will be working as hard as they possibly can in pre-season just to kick on off the back of this,” Calvert-Lewin told The Telegraph.
“And they’ll be looking to get in the first teams of their respective clubs and do what they can to progress.”
Injured Jedinak out of Confed Cup
Asian champions Australia will be without captain Mile Jedinak for the Confederations Cup in Russia later this month after he aggravated a groin injury in a World Cup qualifier last week.
The 32-year-old Aston Villa defensive midfielder pulled up sore after the 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia in Adelaide last Thursday.
“I’m disappointed to miss the Confederations Cup as it is something we have been looking forward to and working towards since we won the Asian Cup,” Jedinak said.
“But we have some crucial games coming up over the next 12 months leading into the World Cup, which I need to be fit and firing for.”
League Cup draw in Bangkok
The draw for the first round of next season’s English League Cup, which has been re-branded the Carabao Cup, will take place in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, organisers said on Monday.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder and France World Cup-winner Emmanuel Petit will draw the balls for the 35 first-round ties from the home of the competition’s title sponsor, Carabao Energy Drink.
Seventy English Football League clubs (EFL), including Sunderland after their relegation from the Premier League last season, will be in the draw for matches to be held in the week starting Aug. 7.
Alvarez leaves U-21s for chemotherapy
Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez, who underwent surgery in December after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, needs chemotherapy.
An abnormality was discovered on Monday during a routine test to monitor the centre-back’s recovery from his operation, and the 22-year-old will now need to start a new course of treatment.
The news means Yeray has withdrawn from the Spain squad to play in this month’s European Under-21 Championship in Poland, and he is also expected to miss the start of the new La Liga season.