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To Dare Is To Do. Tottenham Hotspur supporters are strict adherents to this way of football, and so they are at odds with Thomas Frank, given his pragmatic tactical identity.

Though it’s been another frustrating campaign for Spurs, it’s worth remembering that the 2024/25 campaign, for all the struggle, ended with a flourish after Manchester United were beaten in the Europa League final.

There has been something of a clamour for a new centre-forward, with all of Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke all struggling in different ways, but it is a dearth of creativity that is the true crux of Frank’s struggle, and ENIC Group are consequently prepared to invest in a playmaker this month.

Spurs lining up playmaker in January

Brennan Johnson’s sale to Crystal Palace had been in the works for a while, but Mohammed Kudus picked up a hamstring injury during Tottenham’s recent draw against Sunderland, thus putting a spanner in the works.

The Ghanaian winger has been one of the brighter sparks down N17 this season, having joined from West Ham United for £55m during the summer. His haul of five assists places him fifth in the Premier League playmaking charts.

But Kudus is not a natural ball-playing creative, and that’s why the Lilywhites have identified an exciting new attacking midfielder.

According to TEAMtalk, Spurs representatives have made checks on AS Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, who has a price tag of £50m and is also being chased by Manchester City, Newcastle United and a host of further European suitors.

Tottenham scouts have been in attendance at some of Akliouche’s games of late, and club-to-club talks were held last summer, so the groundwork has been completed if the Londoners now want to push and get the deal done.

Why Akliouche would be perfect for Spurs

Akliouche, 23, has become an increasingly important presence for Monaco in recent years, scoring 19 goals and supplying 22 assists across 119 senior appearances since graduating from their famed youth academy.

This season, he has scored three goals and supplied five assists from 23 fixtures in all competitions, with his artistry on the ball leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to hail him as a “magician” who has a “left foot made of gold”.

He is not blessed with Kudus’ electric pace, but the five-cap Les Bleus star has showcased his technicality and athleticism in the Champions League this season, ranking among the top 10% of positional peers for progressive passes and the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Moreover, he has created seven big chances from only 15 starts in Ligue 1 this season, thus underscoring a level of flair on the ball that could help lift Tottenham away from their playmaking rut.

Premier League 25/26 – Lowest xG Totals

Team

Goals Scored

xG

West Ham

21

20.5

Wolves

14

19.0

Tottenham

28

18.9

Burnley

20

17.6

Sunderland

21

16.8

Data via FBref

While Tottenham chiefs may want to sign a snappier winger after Johnson’s departure – and Kudus’ injury – this might be an opportunity that is too good to pass, with his particular skillset seemingly fit to dovetail into the system and instantly provide relief in the club’s attacking play.

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Kudus is a fantastic player, almost one-of-a-kind in his ability to dart past opponents and wreak havoc in and around the danger area.

But he’s not a natural playmaker, and that’s why Akliouche could prove an upgrade on him down the right, given the glaring deficiencies down N17 right now.

Akliouche is still at the start of a promising career, and having established himself as a future superstar in his homeland, Tottenham should take a punt and add to Frank’s squad the kind of creative talent who could make a real, lasting difference.

Related Their new Dembele: £87m "monster" midfielder has become a target for Spurs

Tottenham are clearly struggling for control and creativity in midfield under Thomas Frank’s stewardship.

Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair

Tasmania 6 for 291 (Di Venuto 144) v New South Wales
Scorecard

	Michael Di Venuto, who scored 176 against Queensland earlier in the season, picked up another century against New South Wales © Getty Images

Michael Di Venuto reminded his home state of his fine batting powers during a century that kept New South Wales relatively quiet on the opening day at Bellerive Oval. The Blues are trying to stay ahead of Victoria, who have also confirmed their finals place, and both teams sent in their opponents after winning the toss – and soon wished they hadn’t.The opener Di Venuto, who will retire from the Australian scene after next week’s match, fired against a young New South Wales bowling attack and his 144 was responsible for the Tigers making a strong start, but a lack of support led to them being 6 for 291 at stumps. While his partner Dane Anderson laboured over 96 deliveries for 28, Di Venuto sprinted towards his 45th first-class century in 121 balls.He has always been an aggressive batsman and he pounded 18 fours and two sixes in the 216-delivery stay, which ended when he pulled Beau Casson to short mid-on. A chance had come on 85 off Mark Cameron, but Di Venuto was not bothered by the lapse and continued to attack in an innings that was of vital importance for his team.Anderson went to Dominic Thornely shortly after lunch as the Blues started to hit back. Travis Birt (15) gave Burt Cockley his maiden first-class wicket and George Bailey (6) was run-out following a deflection from a straight Di Venuto drive, leaving the Tigers at 3 for 174. The captain Dan Marsh was bowled by Cameron for 15 and Luke Butterworth managed 13 before becoming Casson’s second wicket. Di Venuto left at 6 for 243 and Tim Paine and Jason Krejza ensured there would be no further damage in an unbroken stand of 48.

ScorecardNew Zealand suffered their first defeat of tournament as they failed to chase down 234 against Australia, falling 49 runs short in Chennai. Australia’s attack produced a team effort with Kirsten Pike claiming key middle-order wickets as they also earned a vital bonus point in their push for the final.The Kiwi batting had led them to victories in their first three matches, but this time came unstuck once Sarah Andrews removed both openers and Haidee Tiffin was run out by Cathryn Fitzpatrick. Rebecca Rolls and Sara McGlashan added 45 for the fourth wicket, but Rolls was caught behind off Pike just as she was looking dangerous. McGlashan and Aimee Mason then both fell with the score on 121 and Australia went for the kill.Lisa Sthalekar, who top-scored with 45 in Australia’s innings, said: “We had to win today to stay in the game and getting the bonus point means we are starting to get things right a bit. Where we still have to improve is the fielding. It has been dropping off a bit. I didn’t think 232 was a good enough score though in the end it proved to be much too many runs.”She praised New Zealand and said they are the best side on show. “Their bowlers have been really effective, it was fortunate for us that Sarah Tsukigawa was injured for this game,” she added. “Bowlers bring the fielders into the game by bowling right. New Zealand bowlers get their line and length right. And their batsmen have firepower. They are big girls who can easily go over the boundary.”New Zealand had made regular inroads into Australia’s batting, taking wickets each time a stand threatened to develop. However, the lower order scored at a decent rate with Fitzpatrick, Jodie Purves and Andrews hitting at more than a run-a-ball.Tiffen said missed chances cost her team: “We bowled well in the start but dropped catches and that let the Australian batsmen build partnerships. The score was not so high bit we just kept losing wickets and didn’t form any partnerships. The batsmen who have been doing well didn’t this time.”The tournament looks good. In international cricket you want the games to be challenging. You want to be tested in every aspect of the game and we want to go into the final winning the rest of the matches.”

England’s one-day squad will now go straight into the second stage of the Champions Trophy © Getty Images

England were given an extra reason to celebrate following their series-levelling win against India when the ICC confirmed they had qualified for the second stage of the Champions Trophy, due to be staged in India during October.Only sides in the top six of the ODI table on April 1 automatically reach that stage and England will now be at least sixth on that date thanks to Sri Lanka’s four-wicket loss to Pakistan in Colombo.They faced the prospect of an additional three one-day matches in India being crammed into an already congested fixture calendar had they finished outside the top six. Teams ranked seventh to tenth taking part in a round-robin series of matches before the Champions Trophy proper starts. England will now have a valuable extra couple of weeks break before the intensive period of the tournament followed straight afterwards by the Ashes series.Sri Lanka’s defeat in Colombo dropped them to 105 points and it means that even if England lose their two ODI matches against India before the cut-off date they cannot drop out of the top six. If that scenario happened, England would slip to 105 rating points but would still retain sixth place when the ratings were recalculated to three decimal places.

Moin Khan: in one day, out the next © Getty Images

Moin Khan has been omitted from the 17-man Pakistan squad for the tour of the West Indies. Moin had been picked by the selectors in the provisional squad announced on Saturday (April 30), but the squad was then sent for ratification to the Pakistan board, which decided to exclude him. The rest of the line-up remains the same.The PCB has opted instead for Bazid Khan, a 24-year-old opener who has played two one-dayers so far. Bazid, the son of the former Pakistan captain Majid Khan, was in excellent form for Pakistan A during their recent tour of Sri Lanka, scoring 336 runs in three innings, including two centuries and a half-century in the two Tests.Pakistan will play three one-day internationals and two Tests on the tour, with the first match to be held in St Vincent on May 18.Pakistan squad
Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Bazid Khan, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Yousuf Youhana, Asim Kamal, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Shabbir Ahmed, Shahid Nazir, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Arshad Khan, Danish Kaneria.

Close Australia 474 (Katich 125, Kumble 8-141) and 10 for 0 need 433 more runs to beat India 705 for 7 dec and 211 for 2 dec (Dravid 91*, Tendulkar 60*)
Scorecard

When Australia needed help, Simon Katich was the man for the job ©Getty Images

Once again bat dominated ball at the Sydney Cricket Ground. First, Australia battled back doggedly and added 132 runs to their first-innings score, largely on the back of an assured, graceful 125 by Simon Katich. They were all out for 474 in the middle of the second session, with Anil Kumble taking 8 for 141. But although Australia had failed to avoid the follow-on, they had batted on long enough to tire India’s bowlers, and Sourav Ganguly, not surprisingly, opted to bat again. Virender Sehwag then blasted a quickfire 47, and Rahul Dravid (91 not out) and Sachin Tendulkar (60 not out) added 138 runs, to take India to 211 for 2. Ganguly then declared, with India 442 ahead, and Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden batted out the four overs left in the day.Australia began the day six wickets down, and 363 behind, in grave danger of being made to follow on with India’s bowlers still relatively fresh. But Ganguly’s strategy, of getting Katich off strike and bowling to the tail, backfired. With the field spread and the pressure eased, Katich flourished, using his feet superbly against the spinners, driving elegantly on either side of the wicket, milking the bowling at will. Even though Kumble got rid of Brett Lee – via a superb bat-pad catch by Chopra at short leg – early in the day, Jason Gillespie was a stoic foil to Katich, and the two added 117 crucial runs.The resistance ended shortly after lunch, when Katich stepped out to Kumble and hoicked to the long-on boundary, where Sehwag took a well-judged catch (467 for 8). Katich had made 125, a potentially matchsaving century.The tailenders were desperate after that, as was obvious when Gillespie swung wildly at Kumble, only to get a French cut down to the longstop boundary. A few balls later Gillespie stepped out to Kumble, missed, and was adroitly stumped by Parthiv Patel for 47 (473 for 9). Nathan Bracken perished shortly afterwards, hoisting Kumble towards the square-leg boundary, where Ajit Agarkar held on to a good running catch.India were 231 ahead, but their bowlers had looked a ragged lot. Kumble’s lion-hearted 8 for 141 was his best performance overseas, but he had bowled 47 overs, and clearly needed a break. India’s decision to bat again opened up that familiar fourth-day calculation, between the extent of the lead, the perceived time required to get the opposition out, and the time left in the match. The ideal scenario for India was to take the lead to the mid-400s and declare so that they bowled a few overs before close on the fourth day, and had the full fifth day to take the ten wickets required.That was just what happened. Chopra was out early for 2, guiding Gillespie off the back foot to Damien Martyn at gully (11 for 1). But Sehwag was in an almost comically belligerent mood, and fortune favoured the reckless, as Lee found out to his dismay in a remarkable nine-ball over.First ball, short and very wide, Sehwag slashed, edged, caught behind. But wait … no-ball. Then, a couple of well-directed short balls. Then wide again, Sehwag flashed again, straight into Ricky Ponting’s hands at second slip … and straight out. Then a back-foot punch through point for four. Then a flash and a miss off another no-ball. Then a single, and a handsomely cover-driven four from Dravid.That was, in a microcosm, the story of the rest of the second session. Sehwag took a few risks and got a few boundaries; Dravid batted elegantly and correctly, and hit some sparkling drives. Sehwag’s aggression made for fine entertainment, especially when MacGill came on to bowl, round the wicket, and Sehwag played an outrageous reverse-sweep, from well outside leg stump, for four. His delightful unorthodoxy was in superb contrast to Dravid’s immaculate classicism, both a treat for cricket lovers.The partnership ended after tea, when Sehwag slog-swept MacGill to Gillespie at deep midwicket (73 for 2). Tendulkar came out to bat, and the Indians had a suprisingly quiet period of play after that, as Tendulkar settled in and Dravid was circumspect, a few of his strokes going straight to fielders. At one stage, both were on 22, when Dravid suddenly found his touch and started playing some enthralling strokes.He straight-drove Bracken for six, pulled Lee to midwicket for four, straight-drove Lee to the sightscreen, glided Lee to the third-man boundary, smashed MacGill over his head for four, and was approaching his hundred at the rate of a boundary an over, while Tendulkar had just about made it to 50. Tendulkar played fluidly – a reverse-sweep off MacGill for four was particularly memorable – and was quite content to milk singles, as Dravid got about his business. Ganguly might have waited for Dravid’s hundred before declaring, but Dravid was hit on the ear while attempting a hook off Lee, and was going to come off for treatment anyway.Langer and Hayden played out the four overs they needed to sensibly, as Australia ended on 10 for no loss. Ninety more overs, 433 more runs; there is an unlikely chance that Australia will go for the runs, and give Waugh a farewell to remember. But it’s more likely that the pivot of attention, on the final day, will revolve around the frame of Anil Kumble, bowling relentlessly on, driven by years of unfulfilled desire.Amit Varma is managing editor of Wisden Cricinfo in India.

The following players have been named by the WA Selectors to represent the Western Warriors in an ING Cup game v the NSW Blues next Wednesday evening (February 13) at the WACA ground.

• SIMON KATICH (Capt)
• JO ANGEL
• ROB BAKER
• RYAN CAMPBELL
• MICHAEL CLARK
• KADE HARVEY
• MICHAEL HUSSEY
• BRAD HOGG
• SCOTT MEULEMAN
• CHRIS ROGERS
• DARREN WATES
• BRAD WILLIAMS

SelectionsBrad Williams returns to the Warrior s line-up and will play his first senior game for the Warriors since suffering an injury to his right hand during his limited overs debut for Australia in the first game of the recent VB series.Brad Williams replaces Sean Cary who was named as an emergency replacement for Williams in the previous ING cup team v the Blues at the SCG on Sunday 3 February.Justin Langer, Adam Gilchrist & Damien Martyn have been ruled unavailable for selection by the ACB due to the pending Australian tour of South Africa. Simon Katich will resume the Warrior s captaincy in the absence of Gilchrist and Langer and Chris Rogers returns to replace Justin Langer.NSW BluesThe NSW Blues team to play the Western Warriors is scheduled to be named on Saturday evening.

• MANAGER: DAVID SINCOCK
• COACH: STEVE RIXON
• TECHNICAL ANALYST: TREVOR BAYLISS
• PHYSIO: PATRICK FARHART

Match Information

• Gates Open: 1.30pm
• Match Times 2.30pm – 6.00pm, 6.45pm – 10.15pm
• Umpires: IAN LOCK, ANDREW CRAIG & BRUCE BENNETT (3RD)
• Match Referee: RIC EVANS

Tickets for the game are available from Ticketmaster7 on 1300 136 122 or visit the WACA web site at www.waca.com.au

Pakistan levelled the npower Test series with a 108-run victory over England deep into the final hour of this gripping Test match. England lost eight wickets in the final session as Pakistan utilised the second new ball to perfection, and wrapped up a win that had seemed most unlikely just 90 minutes earlier.The intensity and theatre of the first four days at Old Trafford continued right to the end of a pulsating final session and a second England collapse. A sensational one handed catch by substitute fielder Imran Nazir off a full blooded Gough drive to bring Pakistan victory perfectly encapsulated everything about this cracking match.There was controversy too though. Television replays showed clearly that a couple of Saqlain’s victims came from deliveries that should have been called as no-balls as the off-spinner overstepped.It was with mid-way through the final session when the dramatic twist arrived to finally determine the outcome of this match. The new ball was taken, and with Waqar’s second delivery, he cleaned up Graham Thorpe, the England lynchpin and hero of the first innings, his off stump sent cartwheeling.Trescothick’s excellent innings was ended by a Wasim bouncer, the ball taking the gloves on the way to Latif, diving down the leg side. Stewart was deceived by Saqlain and dismissed lbw not offering a stroke, soon to be followed by the luckless Knight as Wasim assumed a mode Lancashire fans know well with a sudden change of gear.A Pakistan victory was in the air. Ward edged Saqlain behind, Caddick lost his off stump first ball to the ‘doosra’ and England were teetering on the edge having lost four wickets for one run with Saqlain on a hat trick and Darren Gough on strike. Close fielders crowded the batsmen, several appeals pressurising the umpire. Saqlain who had bowled 41 overs before getting a wicket was suddenly unplayable. Wasim, meanwhile, was spearing in at full throttle from the Stretford end. It was epic stuff.Waqar replaced Wasim and Gough and Cork dug in. The game plan was for Cork to take the spin, Gough the speed. A brief but exciting interlude followed before Cork pushed out to Saqlain and to Pakistan’s delight umpire Shepherd’s finger went up. Only Hoggard to come, and finally enter Nazir.The loss of Michael Atherton fifteen minutes before lunch was probably the pivotal point when England decided not to push for victory. Waqar Younis produced his trademark yorker to clean bowl Atherton after the England opener had recorded his 44th Test half-century. Marcus Trescothick had outscored his partner considerably in the opening stand of 141, and grows in stature with every Test.He moved inexorably towards his first Test century in England, and his second in all. That milestone was passed with a glide to leg off Waqar but Vaughan, meanwhile had looked uncomfortable. Waqar was taunting him but it was Razzaq who got him caught behind.The runs had dried up and England, settling for a draw and the series win, were content to score just 47 runs from the 29 overs bowled in the afternoon session. The match appeared to be meandering along until the spectacular finale.A magnificent Test match will be remembered principally for the centurions: Inzamam, Thorpe and Trescothick; for scintillating stroke play, vintage Waqar, Wasim, and Saqlain the emergence of Hoggard, wonderful crowds, a fabulous pitch and, above all the concluding suspense.Afterwards England’s skipper for this game, Alec Stewart, paid tribute to man-of-the-match and Pakistan’s man of the series, Inzamam-ul-Haq.”Inzamam was probably the difference. He played exceptionally well and took the game away from us,” he said.Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis was understandably delighted, and pointed out the quality of the Old Trafford pitch as a vital ingredient in the gripping encounter over the last five days, commenting that it was: “the best pitch we have played on.””We’ve had a bad year, year and a half, so this victory really pumps us up for the one-day series. It’s very good for the team,” he continued.”Pakistan have got a habit of coming back in the last session. Everybody bowled well, we fielded well – everything was perfect.”

Tottenham Hotspur are set to revisit their previous interest in Adama Traore this summer…

What’s the word?

The stocky winger swapped Wolverhampton Wanderers for his former club Barcelona during the January transfer window, rejecting Spurs in the process, but as the 26-year-old is only on loan, he’s a player that the north Londoners remain interested in.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness), the Catalan giants are unable to fork out his €30m (£25m) option to buy this summer due to the club’s finances, though they remain hopeful of some sort of player swap deal involving Francisco Trincao, who is currently on loan in the other direction.

At the current time, this seems unlikely to happen, making Traore potentially available again ahead of next season. Antonio Conte and co retain their interest and will hold out to see what situation emerges over the coming months.

Bergwijn in danger

Forgotten Lilywhites man Steven Bergwijn should be hugely concerned by these developments, as a move for any new winger would surely push him closer to the exit door as he’s already slipped down the pecking order.

Dejan Kulusevski’s arrival on January deadline day has seen the Dutch winger further limited to game time. He has played only 486 minutes in the Premier League and 811 minutes overall this season, in which just 337 minutes have been under Conte.

Eredivisie champions Ajax have regularly been linked with a move for the 24-year-old outcast, so if Traore were to walk through the door at Hotspur Way, then you’d imagine Bergwijn – who cost £25m in January 2020 – would quickly become expendable.

It would be something of a major upgrade, too, though.

Across 76 appearances, the £18m-rated winger has only scored seven goals and laid on ten assists, as per Transfermarkt. Those are hardly inspiring numbers for an attacking player in the Premier League and whilst Traore’s returns aren’t much better, it’s the eye test that clinches it.

Built like a brick wall, the Spaniard has been lauded as “unplayable” by Premier League-winning head coach Jurgen Klopp and a “monster” by Southampton forward Che Adams.

Traore is also capable of playing centrally up front, on the other flank and at right wing-back, ticking plenty more boxes than Bergwijn, so he could be of much greater use, especially if the 26-year-old’s natural role is being taken up by someone like Kulusevski.

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It remains to be seen whether Spurs would have to splash out £25m to sign Traore, although that is around his current estimated value of £25.2m, as per Transfermarkt.

Either way, this sustained interest in the Wolves loanee certainly spells trouble for Bergwijn heading into 2022/23.

AND in other news, Spurs leading race to sign £42m-rated “special talent”, could be Conte’s next Martinez…

	The Chennai Superstars won the inaugural tournament of the ICL © Cricinfo Ltd

While the BCCI-run Indian Premier League gathers steam, the second tournament of the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) gets underway on Sunday.Unlike the Twenty20 tournament conducted late last year in Panchkula, the second edition will be 50-over contests, and will be held in Chennai and Hyderabad. The hype surrounding the inaugural edition also seems to be missing, as are the overseas recruits who took part in the Twenty20 competition.The six teams – Chennai Superstars, Chandigarh Lions, Delhi Jets, Hyderabad Heroes, Kolkata Tigers and Mumbai Champs – will play each other once, and the top two teams head into the final in Chennai on February 10.The Chennai Superstars had triumphed in the Twenty20 competition, having beaten the Chandigarh Lions in the final. Among the ICL’s signings are former Indian players Dinesh Mongia, Hemang Badani, Reetinder Sodhi, Jai Prakash Yadav, Deep Dasgupta and Rohan Gavaskar, and promising youngsters such as Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and Ambati Rayudu.Schedule of matches
In Chennai:Jan 27: Chandigarh Lions vs Chennai Superstars,28: Chennai Superstars vs Hyderabad Heroes,29: Delhi Jets vs Mumbai Champs,30: Kolkata Tigers vs Hyderabad Heroes,31: Chandigarh Lions vs Mumbai Champs,Feb 1: Delhi Jets vs Kolkata Tigers,2: Delhi Jets vs Chennai Superstars,3: Kolkata Tigers vs Mumbai Champs,4: Chennai Super stars vs Mumbai Champs,6:Kolkata Tigers vs Chennai Superstars,8: Chandigarh Lions vs Kolkata Tigers,10: Final.
In Hyderabad:Feb 3: Chandigarh Lions vs Hyderabad Heroes,5: Delhi Jets vs Chandigarh Lions,6: Mumbai Champs vs Hyderabad Heroes,8: Delhi Jets vs Hyderabad Heroes.