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Taking to Twitter, 90min journalist Sean Walsh has made a claim involving Tottenham Hotspur and a possible move for Brentford attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen. 

The lowdown: A joint reunion…

Having made a superb return following a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, Eriksen could already be eyeing the next step as the summer transfer window approaches.

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Out of contract at the end of the season (Transfermarkt), the 30-year-old has already been linked with a sensational move back to N17 to rejoin Spurs and in turn, reunite with Antonio Conte who he starred under at Inter Milan.

Sharing news on social media, Walsh has suggested that the move could now be edging closer than ever…

The latest: Walsh drops update

As per his information, the Brentford and Tottenham reporter claims that the north London club are now ‘confident’ of signing Eriksen this summer.

Walsh explained in a Tweet that the move could be dependent on whether Conte remains at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and whether the Lilywhites reach the UEFA Champions League.

The verdict: Get it done

This is a no-brainer for Spurs as transfer chief Fabio Paratici attempts to strengthen the squad in the summer transfer window.

The 111-cap Denmark international has been nothing short of a revelation since joining Brentford and has directly contributed to three goals in seven Premier League outings for a side that was floundering in February.

Overall, the man hailed as a ‘very special player’ by Spurs insider John Wenham, has earned an outstanding 7.49 average rating since returning to the English top-flight, creating three big chances, making 2.1 key passes per game and taking 1.9 shots a match (Sofascore).

These statistics bear out the star’s continued class and given the perceived stylistic similarities with Manchester City ace Kevin De Bruyne (Fbref), Tottenham should be desperate to land Eriksen.

In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he now really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.

West Ham have been excellent this season under David Moyes, challenging for a top-six Premier League spot and reaching the Europa League semi-finals.

This is partly due to the Scot’s excellent management since beginning his second spell at the Hammers and also his clever business in the transfer market, with one such player looking like he could make the club a fortune.

Tomas Soucek has been vital to the Irons in their chase for history this season, with the Czech midfielder featuring 47 times in all competitions, scoring six goals in the process.

Soucek at West Ham

The 27-year-old signed for the club on loan from Slavia Prague in January 2020 for a six-month period, before joining permanently the following summer for a fee of €21m (£19m).

Since then, his market value has continued to rise exponentially throughout his two-year spell at the club, reaching £40.5m in December last year and remaining at that figure since, proving that Moyes has worked wonders in the transfer market.

His performances have garnered praise from fans and pundits alike, with Sky Sports’ Micah Richards describing him as a “man mountain” following a match against Tottenham Hotspur in which he came back onto the field despite a nasty head injury.

Despite his growing importance to the team and West Ham’s style of play, a report stated that Moyes had halted contract talks with the midfielder, although they are looking to resume discussions over a new deal in the summer.

Soucek’s valuation will only continue to rise if he can maintain such wonderful performances, while West Ham could make a massive profit if they decide to sell him and invest in other areas of the team.

Until then, the Hammers have a fantastic player who just seems to be getting better all the time, and that is all down to Moyes and his eye for a bargain in the transfer market. One thing is for sure; he played a blinder with the 2020 capture of Soucek.

AND in other news, Moyes now plotting £21m West Ham offer for 18-goal “unicorn”, imagine him & Antonio

Manchester United have reportedly made contact with Juventus forward Paulo Dybala, who is set to leave the Serie A club as a free agent this summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to ESPN journalist James Olley, who claimed that United – along with Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle – have “made contact” with the Argentine’s representatives.

The 28-year-old has been at Juventus since joining from fellow Italian club Palermo in 2015 but is expected to be seeking a new challenge this summer.

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United supporters will be buzzing

The red half of Manchester already know that Ajax boss Erik ten Hag will be taking over as United manager in the summer, with the English juggernaut in need of a serious rebuild.

This season has been a major disappointment for the Red Devils, who currently sit sixth in the Premier League table but could plausibly go into next season without European football.

With numerous players set to depart upon the expiry of their contracts, a major overhaul of the squad will be required if Ten Hag is to have any luck making his first season in the Old Trafford dugout a success.

The likes of Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Edinson Cavani and Nemanja Matic are all expected to depart Manchester as free agents this summer, whilst further outgoings are also likely. Therefore, bringing a player of Dybala’s stature to Old Trafford would certainly be a wise move.

Playing as a second striker for the majority of matches, the Argentine has scored 14 goals and registered six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions for Juventus this season. To put that tally into perspective, United’s next-highest scorer after Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted 23 goals, is Bruno Fernandes with nine.

Moreover, the 28-year-old’s total goal contributions for the Turin club is impressive, with 114 goals and 48 assists in 288 matches, averaging one goal contribution for every 1.8 appearances.

Dybala’s availability on a free transfer will almost certainly be a factor in the Red Devils’ interest too, even though it is expected that Ten Hag will have a transfer kitty of around £200m at his disposal over the upcoming summer transfer window.

There is no doubt that the Argentina forward would add serious quality to United’s squad, and signing him would certainly have Red Devils supporters buzzing ahead of a massive transfer window for the club.

AND in other news: Ten Hag eyes MUFC move for “explosive” £29.7m-rated star, £215k-p/w duo set to be axed

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Marc Cucurella to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report from Spain (via BBC Sport), who claim that Antonio Conte has included the Brighton & Hove Albion left-back as one of his primary transfer targets this summer.

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The report goes on to state that the Italian is set to meet with Daniel Levy in order to discuss his vision for the Tottenham side heading into 2022/23, with the chairman expected to back the 52-year-old in order to give Spurs the best possible chance of competing for the Premier League title next season.

“Great signing”

Considering how impressive Cucurella has been for Brighton following his €18m (£15.4m) move to the American Express Community Stadium last summer, it is easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal to bring the 23-year-old to north London.

Indeed, over his 32 Premier League appearances this season, the £34m-rated defender has been one of Graham Potter’s standout performers, helping his side keep seven clean sheets, registering one assist and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, 0.8 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

These returns have seen the £42k-per-week full-back – who can also operate from left midfield and on the left-wing – average an incredibly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as Brighton’s third-best player in the top flight.

Furthermore, FBref also rank the former Barcelona starlet in the top 14% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90 minutes, in addition to the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 22% for progressive carries, the top 15% for pressures and the top 25% for shot-creating actions.

These metrics, as well as his overall impressive level of performance, have seen the Spain international come in for a significant amount of praise, with Potter stating of the 23-year-old after the Seagulls’ 0-0 draw with Arsenal back in October:

“His contribution has been brilliant on and off the pitch. He has settled in really well, the way he plays the game is so refreshing. He brings energy to the team, but I thought the whole team performance was amazing, and I don’t want to single anyone out as the team were fantastic.”

Meanwhile, former Brighton defender Dan Burn also appeared impressed with the impact Cucurella had made following his summer arrival, stating earlier this year:

“Marc Cucurella coming in and I think he has been amazing, technically he is very good but I was also surprised how good physically he is at getting up and down the pitch. He has been a great signing. I have not needed to give him any tips about playing left wing-back.”

As such, it is clear for all to see that the Spaniard would make a fantastic addition to Conte’s current options at the back, leading us at Football FanCast to believe that Fabio Paratici must do all he can to land the defender this summer.

AND in other news: Contact made: Spurs in talks for “outstanding” £53k-p/w signing, imagine him & Dejan

Aston Villa will hold talks over the potential permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho at the end of the season, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown

During the January transfer window, the Midlanders signed the 29-year-old from Barcelona on a half-season loan. They have the option to purchase the Brazilian for a fee of £33m, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.

However, the player’s wages could present an issue, with Coutinho thought to be earning a whopping £480,000 per week under his Barcelona contract. That’s exactly four times the amount that Villa’s highest-paid player Danny Ings is thought to be taking home each week.

The 29-year-old will therefore have to agree to a considerable pay cut if he wishes to join the Midlands club in the long-term.

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The latest

Romano took to Twitter on Monday morning to share a quote from Villa manager Steven Gerrard, who upon being asked about the Brazilian’s future at the club, said: “We want Philippe Coutinho here for sure”.

The journalist added that Coutinho’s ‘transfer will be discussed at the end of the season with Barcelona and his agent’.

The verdict

The case against signing Coutinho permanently has actually grown stronger in recent weeks. He made a strong start following his move to Villa, notching seven goal contributions in his first eight matches.

However, he hasn’t scored or set up a goal in his seven appearances since, and against Burnley at the weekend, he failed to make the starting line-up for the first time since his impactful Villa debut as a substitute against Manchester United in January.

It remains to be seen whether Gerrard made that decision with one eye on Tuesday’s clash against Liverpool, but Coutinho’s future isn’t looking as clear-cut as it might have midway through March.

Even a 50% pay cut would put the Brazilian very much out on his own and distort the wage structure, so Villa have to think carefully before they commit to signing him outright.

In other news, this Villa man incurred the fury of some fans against Burnley

Liverpool have already been linked with a number of new additions this summer, with a new update emerging on long-term transfer target Jarrod Bowen.

What’s the latest?

According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, Liverpool’s interest in the West Ham United star is “genuine” as speculation mounts on a potential move for the player this summer.

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Crook told GIVEMESPORT:

“I know Jurgen Klopp’s an admirer so that interest from Liverpool is genuine. But where does he fit in now that they’ve signed Diaz? They’ve got (Diogo) Jota obviously at the moment, Salah and Mane are still there, and so is Firmino.”

It comes as The Mirror reports that the FA cup winners could potentially offer a swap deal for Bowen that includes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Klopp would love him

There is no doubt that Bowen would fit right in at Liverpool but with a large number of attackers already in the team, it would be hard to see how he would pick up regular game time, despite the fact that Jurgen Klopp would love him.

Klopp has given the forward huge praise in the past, and recently complimented the player ahead of his team’s clash with the Hammers this season.

“Bowen, what a player he became!

“We saw him as well at Hull and he was really good at that time. I’m not sure a lot of people expected this jump, but unbelievable player.”

The £75m ace who was hailed “first-class” and a “genius” by Danny Gabbidon, has been having a phenomenal season in East London and has become one of the hottest prospects in the Premier League thanks to his performances for West Ham.

The 25-year-old has scored 12 goals and contributed ten assists in 35 Premier League appearances so far, creating nine big chances, making 1.2 key passes and taking 2.2 shots on average per game in David Moyes’ side, so it is no wonder Klopp holds him in such high regard.

When you compare him to his peers in the league too, the attacker has been ranking highly with the third most assists, sixth-most big chances and ranks seventh for chance creation in the Premier League, which is highly impressive when you consider his output compared to the other talented players in the top-flight.

Although it may be difficult for Liverpool to place exactly how they would be able to fit him into their already impressive attacking team, Bowen’s ability and talent is clearly hard to ignore for the club and could be a huge signing if the opportunity arises on Merseyside.

AND in other news: Klopp eyeing £150m “wonderkid” who “suits Liverpool’s style”, it may be bye-bye Salah

PCB patron and Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has nominated Ramiz Raja and Asad Ali Khan for the post

Danyal Rasool27-Aug-2021PCB election commissioner, retired justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, has set September 13 as the date for the election of the next PCB chairman. With Ehsan Mani set to leave the post after three years at the helm, PCB patron and Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has nominated former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja and Asad Ali Khan to the PCB’s board of governors for a three-year term.The board of governors, which also includes PCB CEO Wasim Khan and four independent members, will vote for a candidate of their choosing on September 13. Technically, any member of the BoG could be elected for the chairmanship, though historical protocol would dictate members vote for one of the two men nominated by the PCB patron.The ascension of Ramiz to PCB chairman is all but guaranteed, with Imran Khan having met him earlier this week and understood to have given the appointment his seal of approval. He had initially reached out to Ramiz for names of potential candidates, in line with his apparent preference for an ex-player to be at the helm. But in the absence of obvious candidates, he is believed to have told Raja to consider himself for the post.Related

• Ramiz Raja likely to become next PCB chairman as Ehsan Mani refuses extension

• Who will be the next PCB chairman? Decision after Imran Khan submits nominations

Asad, the other candidate nominated by Imran, was also the alternate nominee at the time of Mani’s appointment as the PCB chairman. He is set to serve a second three-year term as a BoG member.Ramiz, now a prominent cricket broadcaster, would become the 36th chairman of the PCB should the election go as expected. He served as the PCB chief executive from 2003 to 2004.

Xavier Marshall, Akshay Homraj and Timil Patel have all been dropped

Peter Della Penna27-Aug-2021Gajanand Singh, the former West Indies Under-19, Guyana and Guyana Amazon Warriors batter, is one of four debutants named in a USA 14-player squad headed to Oman in September for a six-match ODI tour that includes two games against Papua New Guinea before the start of a Cricket World Cup League Two tri-series against Oman and Nepal in Muscat.Gajanand first came on the USA radar in May 2018 when he was invited to USA Cricket Combine trials in New York. Earlier this year he was invited to a USA selection camp in Texas.Along with Gajanand, three other players will be making their touring debuts for USA: 20-year-old American-born medium pacer Abhishek Paradkar, 32-year-old batter Sushant Modani and 28-year-old batter Dominique Rikhi.Paradkar has most recently been playing for Silicon Valley Strikers in the new domestic Minor League T20 tournament alongside former India U19 captain Unmukt Chand and current USA national captain Saurabh Netravalkar. But Paradkar had spent part of his developmental teenage years training in Bangalore where he was on the radar of USA head coach J Arunkumar, who will be leading his first touring squad after being appointed to the role last year.Related

• J Arunkumar appointed USA men's head coach

• Xavier Marshall axed from USA contracts list

• Former West Indies player Narsingh Deonarine part of USA training camp

Modani is originally from India but has been a heavy scorer in local cricket after migrating to Dallas, Texas. Guyana native Rikhi has similarly risen through the ranks after consistent scoring in New York and New Jersey league cricket.Two other arrivals into the USA squad from the group who were bowled out for 35 in their last ODI 18 months ago at Kathmandu against Nepal are the recalled pair of medium pacer Jessy Singh and wicketkeeper Jaskaran Malhotra. Both have not played for USA since 2019.Xavier Marshall, Akshay Homraj and Timil Patel were all dropped from the group that went winless on the four-match ODI tour of Nepal in February 2020. Patel is USA’s all-time leading wicket-taker in both T20 and 50-over cricket prior to USA’s elevation to ODI status. The legspinner has taken 81 wickets in 68 matches at an average of 21.96, much of them taken along the World Cricket League pathway to ODI status when matches were not given List A designation. But 37-year-old Patel struggled to make the step up in class against elite Associate competition in ODIs and went wicketless on USA’s tour of Nepal in his two appearances while sitting on the bench for two more.Marshall, 35, was finally axed after paying the price for inconsistent form. He made a half-century in USA’s final match of their ODI tour of the UAE in December 2019, but collected just 54 runs in four innings at the top of the order in four ODIs in Nepal. Homraj similarly never produced with the bat in his opportunities for USA, failing to reach 50 in 11 innings during three consecutive tours after being called up to debut for USA at the 2019 CWI Super50 tournament in Trinidad.Ian Holland, who was USA’s best performing batter on the tour of Nepal in February 2020 with a pair of half-centuries, one each against Nepal and Oman, was unavailable for this tour while still on county cricket duty with Hampshire. Fast bowlers Cameron Stevenson and Rusty Theron were similarly unavailable due to personal commitments.USA squad Saurabh Netravalkar (capt), Aaron Jones (vice-capt), Karima Gore, Elmore Hutchinson, Nosthush Kenjige, Jaskaran Malhotra, Sushant Modani, Abhishek Paradkar, Monank Patel, Nisarg Patel, Dominique Rikhi, Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor (Traveling Reserve – Kyle Phillip)

Dhoni’s team is closing in on the playoffs but Morgan’s men are beginning to come together brilliantly

Sruthi Ravindranath25-Sep-2021

Big picture

These are two teams in red-hot form, and they come into the game having beaten Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, respectively, in their last games. So, when Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders face-off in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, it could well be a high-octane encounter.Knight Riders did not have the greatest of starts to the season. They had won just two out of seven games and were at the bottom of the table coming into the UAE leg of IPL 2021. And now, they are at No. 4 on the table and, given their current form, they are among genuine contenders for the playoffs.

Watch the IPL on ESPN+ (US)

You can watch the IPL 2021 live in the USA on ESPN+. If you want the English broadcast for the CSK vs KKR game, go here. And for Hindi, go here.

So, what has changed for them? One, the addition of Venkatesh Iyer, who has done well in both games so far – his 94 runs have come at a strike rate of 164.91 – and has significantly bumped up the Knight Riders’ scoring rate, especially in the powerplay. At the top, Shubman Gill had a good game against Royal Challengers and No. 3 Rahul Tripathi scored a 42-ball 74 not out against Mumbai Indians. Their bowling has been up to the task in the last couple of games too – Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine have been bowling frugal spells and the quicks have struck regularly.However, the middle order has continued to stutter. Eoin Morgan’s form, especially, has hurt them. Of the eight teams, the Knight Riders’ middle-order batters (Nos. 4 to 6) were the slowest during the first leg with a strike rate of 120. They have not had to worry about it in the last two games, as the top order has done the job, but their opponents will back themselves if they get the top three out cheaply.As for Super Kings, there doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about. They are in second spot on the table, the bowling is clicking beautifully, and the runs have been coming exactly as needed. They would want to keep the wins coming and seal the playoffs spot as soon as possible.Super Kings would like to seal their playoffs spot as soon as possible•BCCI

Likely XIs

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Moeen Ali, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Josh HazlewoodKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

Strategy punt

• Super Kings are one of Andre Russell’s favourite opponents: he averages 46.7 against them in the IPL overall, and has scored four half-centuries in the last six matches against them. Russell almost took the game away from Super Kings in the first leg, when he hit 54 off 22 balls before Sam Curran sent him back. Russell also has a superb strike rate against most of the Super Kings bowlers – 214 against Dwayne Bravo, 186 against Ravindra Jadeja, 327 against Shardul Thakur; Knight Riders might want to send him in earlier than usual, given a chance, to make the most of the middle overs, where the three of Bravo, Jadeja and Thakur are expected to bowl.

Stats that matter

• Super Kings have won four out of their last five fixtures against Knight Riders
• In the first leg of IPL 2021, Knight Riders’ run rate in the powerplay was 7.4, the third-lowest among the eight teams. They seem to have turned it around, thanks to the quick starts by Iyer and Gill. In the UAE leg of IPL 2021 so far, their run rate in the phase is 9.9, the best of the eight teams.
• Dinesh Karthik needs 54 more to tally 4000 runs in the IPL.

The CWI stated that the issues raised during Reifer’s hearing informed their decision to withdraw the charges against Campbell

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2025The four-match suspension previously imposed on Jamaica Scorpions captain John Campbell has been officially withdrawn following a recent meeting of the disciplinary committee on Friday, the Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced on Saturday. Campbell was handed a ban in December last year for not turning up for the toss against Barbados Pride, resulting in the Super50 final being forfeited for 2024-25.The rain-hit Super50 final was forfeited under extraordinary circumstances. The umpires had deemed conditions to be fit for a 20-overs-a-side match. But with neither captain making an appearance, no trophy was awarded for the 2024-25 edition. The fate of Barbados captain Raymon Reifer, who also faced the same charges, was not decided by the disciplinary committee in December.The CWI release stated that the committee took the view that “the procedure of bringing the charge was flawed and the matter therefore could not be heard” adding that the issues raised during Reifer’s hearing informed the body’s decision to withdraw the charges against Campbell. “It is important to note, the view is not pertaining to the merit of the charge but rather the process of the charge being laid.”Related

• Campbell handed four-match ban for part in Super50 final no-show

• No Super50 Cup winners after finalists forfeit rain-affected title contest

Miles Bascombe, CWI director of cricket, stated in a release: “We acknowledge the Tribunal’s observations and respect their role in ensuring procedural fairness. While Mr. Campbell’s expression of remorse and admission has been accepted, we recognize the concerns raised during Reifer’s hearing regarding the overall process and have decided to withdraw the suspension.”That said, this does not absolve individuals of responsibility where there have been serious breaches. No ruling has been made to declare a winner or overturn any match outcome–this is purely a matter of addressing procedural fairness. Neither has anyone been found guilty or innocent of charges. Our commitment to discipline, professionalism, and the integrity of the game remains unwavering.”Earlier, the board had confirmed that no match fees would be distributed for the final and neither would prize money meant for the tournament’s winners and runners-up be awarded. The committee also did not issue any ruling on the matter of prize money or match fees arising from the final.