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Tottenham Hotspur are expected to make an imminent offer to sign Montpellier star Elye Wahi as Spurs and manager Ange Postecoglou target new strikers.

Who will Tottenham sign?

The north Londoners have made just three major signings so far, not including permanent deals for both right-wing-back Pedro Porro and forward Dejan Kulusevski.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, England midfielder James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon have all officially put pen to paper on moves to Spurs whilst making their debuts in pre-season.

Weeks remain of this year's summer transfer window but reliable media sources suggest that there could be a few more additions at Tottenham, with chairman Daniel Levy on the lookout for centre-backs, a midfielder to replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (if he leaves for Atletico) and a potential new striker.

The Harry Kane situation is one currently dominating the headlines in north London, as Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain and league rivals Man United take a serious interest in him.

Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, admitted he certainly isn't comfortable with the ongoing saga.

"Fair to say I am not relaxed about it," said the Australian.

“It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club.

“So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone. I don’t think it is good for Harry, I don’t think it is good for the club."

As such, Tottenham have reportedly been making contingency plans for if the 29-year-old does leave, with Juve's Dusan Vlahovic and Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani among the strikers recently linked.

Now, according to French news website Midi Libre, as translated by Sport Witness, a Tottenham offer for Montpellier forward Wahi could be in the offing.

Chelsea's latest bid to sign the player wasn't enough, as per Montpellier president Laurent Nicollin, with Midi Libre sharing that message and dropping an interesting line of their own.

Spurs are mentioned as an interested party with more offers for Wahi expected to arrive "in the near future", where the Lilywhites are named, and it's stated they could make an imminent bid.

There isn't much detail given on the nature of this proposed offer, but it appears a Tottenham approach is expected in France.

How good is Elye Wahi?

Scoring 19 goals and assisting five others in 33 Ligue 1 appearances last term, there is little denying Wahi was Montpellier's star player going forward.

The 20-year-old, who can play both as an attacking midfielder and wide forward, is also an intriguing versatile option for Postecoglou with plenty of shelf life yet given his age.

Journalist Andrés Onrubia Ramos, taking to Twitter, heaped praise on Wahi for his potential and says he is a "real beast" in the final third.

"Elye Wahi (2003). If he manages to polish the definition, we are facing a striker who is going to exceed ten goals per season," said Ramos.

"A real beast in space that, in addition, associatively also leaves interesting things. It should definitely explode."

Crystal Palace have made contact to enquire about a summer deal to sign Newcastle United forward Allan Saint-Maximin, according to reports.

Is Allan Saint-Maximin leaving Newcastle?

Since joining from Nice back in August 2019, the left-winger has been a regular feature of Eddie Howe’s first-team clocking up 124 appearances to date, but ever since last season, he’s started to drop significantly lower down in the manager’s pecking order.

The Frenchman was limited to just 12 starts in the Premier League, being forced to come off the bench on 13 occasions following the arrival of Anthony Gordon in January and shift of Alexander Isak into the left-wing role, so despite his contract not expiring for another three years, there’s a chance that he could be on the move.

Back in April, TEAMtalk reported that Magpies chiefs don’t believe that the 26-year-old is deserving of being offered fresh terms which was then further backed up by talkSPORT, who claim that the hierarchy are ready to cash in on him to keep on the right side of Financial Fair Play rules, and it seems that his situation has alerted Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles have so far only brought in Jefferson Lerma on a free transfer from Bournemouth so are yet to splash the cash on any fresh faces, but that could all be about to change because the boss has earmarked the black and white stripes attacker as a potential transfer target.

Are Crystal Palace signing Allan Saint-Maximin?

According to 90min, Crystal Palace have "checked on" Saint Maximin's situation alongside Everton ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Overseas, AC Milan and Marseille have also "shown an interest", whilst Saudio Pro League clubs Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli are additionally considering a summer swoop.

Newcastle's forward is "considering his options" after learning that he won't be tabled a new contract and it's believed that he would bring in a "big sale" should he depart.

How many goals has Allan Saint-Maximin scored?

For Newcastle in the Premier League last season, Saint-Maximin posted six goal contributions (five assists and one goal) in 25 outings, which shows that whilst he wasn’t given a fair amount of game time, he’s more than capable of producing the goods when handed the chance, so the left winger would be an exciting signing should he put pen to paper at Crystal Palace.

The Magpies’ £70k-per-week earner ranked in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons during the previous campaign and was averaging 5.22 shot-creating actions per top-flight game, which was the second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef, so he loves to use his quick feet, strength and pace to take on his marker and produce chances.

The Puma-sponsored ace would also provide Hodgson with plenty of versatility having operated in seven different positions around the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he’d be a great option for the boss to have at his disposal.

Wilfried Zaha has now become a free agent upon the expiration of his contract, and whilst he’s been offered a new four-year deal to remain in SE25, Saint-Maximin could be the perfect successor should he start a new adventure elsewhere having been dubbed “unstoppable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

So far, Liverpool’s midfield rebuild is taking a wondrous shape.

The club has completed the signing of Alexis Mac Allister, who is seen as a dual replacement for Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Whilst Dominik Szoboszlai is finally the attacking threat that mirrors Philippe Coutinho’s midfield creativity, whilst also possessing the attributes to play on the wing.

The Reds are also been heavily linked with Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, as the youngster operates from a deep-lying, defensive pivot berth and would be projected to take over from Fabinho in the future.

The next player tipped to be the latest part of this extraordinary revamp is Federico Valverde.

What’s the latest on Federico Valverde to Liverpool?

According to reports in Spain, the 24-year-old was tempted to depart Los Blancos last summer and Jurgen Klopp became 'obsessed' with this addition and did 'everything possible' to get the deal over the line, even tabling an offer of €80 (£77m).

However, that was never considered by Florentino Perez and was immediately rejected, without even the possibility to negotiate.

The player himself also shunned the move, stating that he didn’t want to leave the Santiago Bernabeu and was “comfortable with life” in the Spanish capital.

Nevertheless, 12 months later, a very different backdrop has reportedly formed as Liverpool is 'convinced' that a move could materialise.

Klopp firmly believes that the Uruguayan would 'fit perfectly' into his style of play and has tipped him to become the star of the team, alongside Mohamed Salah.

Therefore, the six-time European Champions are supposedly readying a new and improved bid to retest the waters.

Why would Federico Valverde be a good signing for Liverpool?

The 49-cap international made a mammoth 56 appearances in all competitions last season, recording 19 goal contributions.

He has established himself as one of Carlo Ancelotti’s most popular, trusted, and influential assets, proving to be an offensive threat and a formidable athlete. This is portrayed by his rank within the top 9% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, total shots per 90, and non-penalty goals per 90.

Chelsea legend Joe Cole feels that Valverde is an elite footballer and said: “He's standing right at the top of the tree with Bellingham in the young players, and he's on the verge of becoming the best.

“He's box-to-box, he scores goals, he's a technician.

“His stats this year are unbelievable, his goals, assists, goal involvements, incredible player and we talk a lot about Bellingham in this country, but this kid is every bit as good as Bellingham.”

The pundit also highlighted the South American as the “unsung hero” of the 2022 Champions League final, in which he provided the tournament-winning assist for Vinicius Jr against Klopp's side.

Valverde possesses an expertly curated profile that is capable of succeeding Jordan Henderson in the future. The 33-year-old skipper has been at Anfield since 2011 and has appeared on a mind-boggling 492 occasions for the Merseyside outfit.

Nevertheless, the Englishman is slowly declining, as in the 2021/22 season in the top flight he averaged more tackles (1.0 vs 0.9), interceptions (0.7 vs 0.6), key passes (1.1 vs 0.9) per game than in the most recent campaign, as his dynamism and energy are beginning to dwindle.

Whilst Henderson undoubtedly remains an essential component of the dressing room, it would be smart to gradually reduce his involvement in the side and pave the way for the dazzlingly exciting Valverde.

تحدثت وسائل إعلامية إسبانية، عن وجود حالة من القلق داخل نادي برشلونة بسبب ما يطمح إليه الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم.

وسيشارك منتخب إسبانيا في منافسات يورو 2024 في منتصف يونيو القادم في ألمانيا، فيما سيخوض المنتخب الأولمبي منافسات أولمبياد باريس في أواخر شهر يوليو المقبل.

اقرأ ايضاً.. برشلونة مهدد بخسارة أولى صفقاته الصيفية لصالح بايرن ميونخ

وأشارت صحيفة “ريليفو” الإسبانية، إلى أن الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم يفكر في استدعاء، لامين يامال، للمشاركة في بطولة أوروبا والأولمبياد، وسيكون لـ سانتي دينيا مدرب منتخب إسبانيا تحت 21 عامًا الحرية الكاملة في اختيار فريقه.

وتابعت الصحيفة الإسبانية، أن هنالك حالة من القلق داخل نادي برشلونة بشأن مشاركة يامال في يورو 2024 وأولمبياد باريس.

وبدأت بالفعل المفاوضات مع الاتحاد الإسباني حيث إن هناك مخاوف من أن الدقائق الزائدة ستؤثر على تقدم لامين يامال وسيتم الاتفاق على القرار النهائي قريباً.

وتعتبر إدارة برشلونة أن يامال لازال في مرحلة النمو، حيث يبلغ من العمر 17 عاماً في يوليو المقبل.

ومن المتوقع أن يصل الاتحاد الإسباني وإدارة برشلونة إلى اتفاق نهائي، حول عدد الدقائق الذي سيخوضها اللاعبون المشاركون في البطولتين خلال الصيف القادم.

وقال المدير الرياضي لنادي برشلونة ديكو في تصريحات لإذاعة الكادينا سير: “في الحياة علينا دائمًا أن نتحدث قبل الحظر، كنادي، لا نريدهم أن يلعبوا في كلتا المسابقتين، لا يمكن أن يكون لدينا لاعب يذهب إلى كأس أوروبا ثم يلعب على الفور في الأولمبياد”.

وأضاف ديكو: “أمر مبالغ فيه بالنسبة لأي لاعب كرة قدم أن يلعب مسابقتين في نفس الصيف، ولا نريد أن تتكرر قضية بيدري”.

Newcastle United will surely be looking to bolster their squad with talent ahead of their long-awaited return to Champions League football next season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Moussa Diaby?

According to French newspaper L'Equipe (via Sport Witness), Newcastle have been keen to make Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby the face of their project at St James' Park for a year.

As per the report, the Magpies remain keen on snapping up the services of the talented player this summer but will need to compete with Premier League club Arsenal who are now leading the race to complete a deal.

Who would Moussa Diaby replace in the Newcastle team?

There is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the rapid progress and quality his squad has shown over his first full season in charge at the North East club, however, there will be little room for sentiment when it comes to competing in the Champions League.

Indeed, the former Bournemouth boss already boasts some incredible talent with Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak making an instant impact on the performances, so now there is an opportunity to even further improve key positions on the pitch, especially in the wider attacking roles.

As a result, the signing of Diaby – who has a reported £65m price tag – would undoubtedly be a major coup for Newcastle, but could spell the end of an era for his compatriot Allan Saint-Maximin who could be even further pushed out of the team should Dan Ashworth seal a deal.

The Newcastle wide-man has struggled for consistency with injuries plaguing his tenure at St James' and recently spoke out in an Instagram post fuelling speculation about his future at the club next season.

When comparing the Leverkusen ace's output to Saint-Maximin's last season, it is clear that Diaby has outperformed his positional peer in a number of attributes including goal contributions (17 v 6), shots on target per 90 (1.13 v 0.88), pass completion (73.9% v 70.7%) and progressive carries (125 v 93), as per FBref.

It is clear that acquiring the services of Diaby – once hailed for his "electrifying pace" by journalist Aaron Stokes – could drastically improve the goal contributions from the wide positions in the final third which would be a great asset to Howe when competing in multiple competitions next season and could ultimately push them forward in their pursuit of trophies.

With that being said, if Newcastle can beat Arsenal to the signing of Diaby it could be a great opportunity to improve the attacking threat ahead of competing on the European stage next season, but could also be the final nail in the coffin for Saint-Maximin's future in the North East.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah this summer as they look to issue a rebuild after a lacklustre campaign.

What's the latest on Jonathan Tah to Tottenham?

That's according to Sport BILD, who claim that Tah could leave for just €18m (£16m) due to an exit clause within his contract, and Spurs are among the interested parties.

The 27-year-old has been a dependable defender in the German Bundesliga over the past several years and Tottenham could benefit from clinching his services, with only five Premier League outfits shipping more than their 63 goals this term.

With Clement Lenglet reportedly returning to Barcelona this summer after his loan spell in north London, space is indeed opened up for someone of Tah's ilk to forge a prosperous career with the Lilywhites.

Should Tottenham sign Jonathan Tah?

After pipping Arsenal to Champions League qualification in the dying embers of the 2021/22 campaign, the Lilywhites looked to be on the up under the tutelage of Antonio Conte, but as the recently-concluded campaign raged on, Spurs fell further and further into the abyss.

Two wins from their past eight matches resulted in a miserable slump away from Champions League contention into an eighth-placed finish, meaning caretaker manager Ryan Mason's side will not play in Europe next term.

There is now an opportunity for a carefully drawn-out rebuild, and Tah could certainly contribute towards the bolstering of the leaky backline, having been hailed as a "battleship" by former teammate Christoph Kramer when signing for Die Werkself eight years ago.

Ryan Mason is not expected to lead from the dugout next year and among the managerial candidates, Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou's name rises to the fore, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy hoping to enter negotiations after the Hoops' Scottish Cup final.

Having been dubbed a "genius" by pundit Frank McAvennie, the 57-year-old likes to dominate possession and play a positive, fluid game – which warrants the inclusion of centre-backs more than capable with their passing skills.

Tah is one of the most astute ball players of any defender in the game, ranking among the top 10% of positional peers throughout Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref.

Once praised for being "quick, technically gifted but still robust” by former Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Völler​​​​​​, his composure and aptitude for sweeping danger away – Tah averaged 3.5 clearances per game in the Bundesliga this term (as per Sofascore) – has drawn comparisons to Liverpool phenom Virgil van Dijk, who has been one of Europe's superlative centre-backs since signing for the Reds from Southampton for £75m in January 2018.

Indeed, his former Leverkusen head coach Peter Bosz once said:

“I certainly see parallels between Jonathan and Virgil van Dijk.

“I know Van Dijk well because he comes from the Netherlands. He has taken steps, but he too has had to master the aggressiveness in defence. I’m sure Jonathan will succeed in that too."

Van Dijk has been heralded as the "best centre-half of all time" by former Liverpool star Michael Owen and contributed enormously to his club's illustrious success under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage, winning the 2019 Best Player in Europe award; also gleaning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, among other honours.

The 31-year-old Dutchman has made 4.2 clearances on average in the Premier League this term and completed 91% of his passes, and while he boasts far superior aerial dominance to Tah, winning 74% of his aerial duels as opposed to the German's 55%, Tah could cement a commanding role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium regardless.

Tottenham need to bridge the gap to England's top outfits next term and could entice Tah with a central role in the reshaping of the club, and with Postecoglu potentially at the helm, it could be a match made in heaven.

The BCCI is unlikely to comply with the Supreme Court demand that it submit, on Friday, an undertaking saying it will “unconditionally” implement all the court-approved recommendations of the Lodha Committee

Arun Venugopal06-Oct-20165:13

Bal: Don’t see BCCI turning a new leaf in one day

The BCCI is unlikely to comply with the Supreme Court demand that it submit, on Friday, an undertaking saying it will “unconditionally” implement all the court-approved recommendations of the Lodha Committee. In the absence of such an agreement from the BCCI, the Supreme Court had indicated it would pass an order on Friday to replace the board’s office bearers with a panel of administrators.A top BCCI office bearer told ESPNcricinfo there was no way the board could submit such an undertaking at short notice and without the approval of its member associations. “Who am I to submit the undertaking?” he said. “The question arises only if the states agree to these recommendations. How can BCCI office bearers decide what members will implement?”I can only bring members to the meeting room; I can’t force them to adopt recommendations. They said they couldn’t adopt the recommendations in entirety. What can the office bearers do in this situation? I don’t even have a vote.”When asked about the BCCI’s next course of action, he said: “We will wait for tomorrow’s order. What else can we do? How can this be done in such short notice? Till the time I have nothing in writing, how can I ask the states?  Let the order come, we will make an official statement.”Several state association officials ESPNcricinfo had spoken to recently confirmed they were waiting for the BCCI’s decision on the recommendations before making amendments to their constitutions, as mandated by the first set of timelines laid down by the Lodha Committee. However, after the special general meeting on September 30, many of these state associations closed ranks ostensibly on the advice of BCCI. Only Vidarbha and Tripura decided to implement the recommendations approved by the court.The official said the Supreme Court should have passed an order if the recommendations were to be non-negotiable. “What do they mean by a timeline [for implementation of reforms]? Why didn’t Supreme Court pass an order under Article 142 [of the constitution] if they wanted to make it compulsory? Why are they saying that members should opt for the recommendations? These recommendations are forced upon us. They don’t understand the genuine compulsions that prevent us from implementing the reforms.”Desh Gaurav Sekhri, a sports law expert, said Article 142 gave the Supreme Court authority to pass a decree or make an order as necessary towards doing complete justice in a matter. “What is relevant to the current situation is that it gives the Supreme Court the power to punish contempt of court, and it has been used for that purpose in the past,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “The nature of this stand-off being unprecedented, the exact law and/or regulations that the Supreme Court invokes were it to pass an order on October 7 are not clear as of now. Invoking Article 142 would be an extremely serious step by the court, and would take this matter into a space from which conciliation or compromise may no longer be an option for either party.”Another BCCI office bearer admitted the board could have been less confrontational in its approach, referring to the tardiness in responding to the Lodha Committee’s correspondences. “This could have, and should have, definitely been handled better.”The latest developments in the tussle between the BCCI and the Lodha Committee took place in the Supreme Court on Thursday. The court was hearing the BCCI’s response to the status report filed by the Lodha Committee last week, which recommended that the BCCI office bearers be superseded because they were impeding the implementation of the recommendations passed by a Supreme Court order on July 18.

Sri Lanka Women head coach Lanka de Silva has criticised the country’s domestic format, which allows a maximum of five matches a season for a women cricketers. His comments came in the wake of Sri Lanka’s limited-overs capitulation to Australia Women at home; they lost the ODIs 4-0, and the one-off T20 by 10-wickets in what was a record win for the visitors.”How can you compete with countries like Australia, England and New Zealand when you play so little cricket? Where is the exposure and the experience?” de Silva said.One of the main reasons for Sri Lanka’s ODI losses to Australia was their batsmen’s inability to bat long periods or build an innings. They batted out the full quota of 50 overs only once in the four matches. Sri Lanka’s hasty approach cost them, de Silva said.”The difference between Australia and us was that we were quite content hitting boundaries rather than running the singles,” de Silva, a former wicketkeeper/batsman who played three Tests and 11 ODIs in the late 1990s, said. “If you run the singles and twos only can you build an innings and occupy the crease, that’s what Australia did. They would score a fifty but it would comprise only two or three fours, whereas our women would make a quick 30 with six fours and get out.”It all came down to Sri Lanka’s relative inexperience, he reiterated. “This happens due to our women cricketers’ inexperience and that can be countered by playing more matches. There are eight teams in the domestic tournament and they play in two groups. If you are lucky to reach the final, you will get a maximum of five matches. If not, only three for the entire season.”There are moves to make the domestic tournament matches two-day affairs, the sooner it is done the better for our cricket. Our women cricketers have the skill and the talent, what they lack is match experience.”Another obstacle for the women’s team, de Silva said, was the age at which the players take to the game, but he was hopeful of that changing with the current efforts being made in schools in a drive led by the wife of former Sri Lanka Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne.”On an average they start by the age of 18 and by the time they mature, they are almost 30,” he said. “It is not an age to start teaching the basics of cricket.”[But] there are moves to get schools to start playing [women’s] cricket and, at the moment, there are about 30 schools playing fifty-over cricket in a competition. Mrs Apsari Tillakaratne is spearheading the drive.”

Dambulla Stadium is set to become a viable day-night venue again, after Sri Lanka Cricket announced plans to beef up the ground’s floodlights ahead of the ODIs against Australia in late August. The lights upgrade will cost SLC roughly 50 million rupees (USD $352,000 approx), and will be carried out by DIMO.*Dambulla had hosted day-night ODIs until 2010, but players had been critical about the lights’ lack of intensity, which affected batsmen in particular. The venue’s floodlights were later ruled to be inadequate for international cricket, as they produced substantially less than the 2500 lux of light required as a minimum by the ICC.The upgrade will involve installing high-wattage lamps on the eight floodlight towers at the venue, as well as increasing the number of overall bulbs. Previous plans to carry out the necessary upgrades had not been carried through, but as the two Dambulla ODIs in the forthcoming Australia series have been scheduled as day-night encounters, SLC said it was committed to a solid deadline on this occasion. The first of the two games is set for August 28.The return of day-night cricket to Dambulla is significant because it is one of only two limited-overs venues in the island’s dry zone, and receives substantially less rainfall than grounds near Colombo and Kandy. The Hambantota Stadium is also situated in the dry zone, but is less accessible than the Dambulla venue, though Hambantota also has newer facilities.*03.40GMT, July 7: The article had erroneously stated that DIMO had provided the floodlights for the Hambantota stadium. This has been removed.

قدّم بيب جوارديولا، المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، تحديثات بشأن حالة لاعبه إيرلينج هالاند، بالإضافة إلى حارس المرمى إيدرسون ومانويل أكانجي وجون ستونز قبل مباراة الفريق المقبلة أمام توتنهام.

ويلتقي مانشستر سيتي وتوتنهام غدًا الجمعة في تمام العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، ببطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي.

وأكد جوارديولا أن هالاند يقترب من العودة للمشاركة مع مانشستر سيتي، وتحدث المدرب خلال مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الخميس.

وقال جوارديولا عن إيدرسون: “إنه بخير الآن”، وأضاف بشأن هالاند: “إنه على وشك العودة، لكن بالنسبة لمباراة الغد، لا يزال غير جاهز لكنه قريب”.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد 3 أشهر.. ماديسون يعود لتدريبات توتنهام استعدادًا لمواجهة مانشستر سيتي

وواصل عن هالاند: “لقد تدرب في بعض الدورات التدريبية في اليومين الماضيين، الأمر ليس مثاليًا لذا ننتظر أكثر قليلًا”.

واختتم: “أكانجي غير جاهز، وجون ستونز سيكون في المنافسة على مكان بالتشكيل، هو عاد معنا”.