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While Pathirana replaced Nathan Ellis for CSK, Bhuvneshwar came in for Rasikh Salam

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2025Toss Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opt to bowl vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)Amid loud cheers ringing C-S-K, C-S-K, home captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to chase. Gaikwad said the pitch was going to be a little better than the first game when 155 was chased down in the last over.Both sides welcomed back their main fast bowlers. For CSK, Matheesha Pathirana replaced Nathan Ellis, who made an impressive CSK debut. Sam Curran was retained, which underlines CSK’s love for allrounders. He will need to be better than he was in the first game. Shivam Dube was expected to be their Impact Player in the chase.RCB brought in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who missed the last game with a niggle. He replaced Rasikh Salam in the XI. They retained Devdutt Padikkal, who is not the best out there against spin. Legspinner Suyash Sharma was their likely Impact Player for the defence.That made RCB captain Rajat Patidar the key batter. Him against spin is the contest that could direct the whole match. Noor Ahmad started off beautifully for CSK with figures of 4-0-18-4 against MI. RCB are a team of pace-hitters. If Patidar can attack Noor, he can set the cat among the pigeons, which could even result in Ravindra Jadeja not bowling out. If Patidar gets out early, CSK could choke RCB.RCB haven’t won a single game in Chennai against CSK ever since the first IPL in 2008. Even overall, their record stood at 11-22 against CSK.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Rachin Ravindra, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Sam Curran, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 MS Dhoni (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Matheesha Pathirana, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel AhmadSubstitutes: Shivam Dube, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vijay Shankar, Jamie Overton, Shaik RasheedRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Rajat Patidar (capt), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash DayalSubstitutes: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh

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According to reports from The Daily Mail, Leeds United are one of many teams looking to sign Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tashan Oakley-Boothe this summer.

Swansea are seemingly the front-runners for his signature as their new boss worked with him at England U17 level, winning the World Cup together, but Marcelo Bielsa’s history may help the Whites gain an edge in this deal.

What’s the story?

The 19-year-old is in high demand this summer as The Daily Mail’s report lists Swansea, Reading, Huddersfield, Derby and Stoke as teams that will rival Leeds for his signature.

The teenager has bags of potential as he was nominated for the European Golden Boy award alongside the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Bielsa’s history

The Argentine’s relationship with Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino may mean that he gets first dibs on the youngster if he is set to leave the London club this summer.

Poch and Bielsa have already done business together this summer. Jack Clarke left Elland Road for an initial £10m fee before he was immediately returned to the Whites on loan for the season.

It’s not too much of a stretch to suggest that the Spurs manager would be willing to help out the man who he once described in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport (via SportWitness) as his “second father”.

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The fact that Leeds and Spurs have already done business this summer bodes well for the Yorkshire club’s chances of signing Oakley-Boothe, but it may be Bielsa’s close relationship with the man in charge of the north London outfit which gives the Whites the ultimate edge when trying to secure his signature.

Australia’s men will begin their home season in the Top End during August before an intense white-ball period ahead of the Ashes

Andrew McGlashan30-Mar-2025Darwin’s return as an international venue for the first time in 17 years has been confirmed with the hosting of two men’s T20Is between Australia and South Africa in August while India will tour for eight white-ball matches in 21 days ahead of the men’s Ashes which begins in late November.Cricket Australia confirmed their home international schedule on Sunday which will see the men’s team in action from mid-August, a couple of weeks after completing a tour of West Indies, with three T20Is and three ODIs against South Africa stage in northern Australia across Darwin, Cairns and Mackay, the latter hosting Australia’s men for the first time.Related

• Darwin to host Australia A-Sri Lanka A series

• Ashes 2025-26: CA schedules Brisbane day-night Test after Perth opener

• Darwin set to host international cricket after 17 years

Darwin last staged international cricket in 2008 when Australia played Bangladesh. Its return means the men’s team will play in all state and territories during the 2025-26 season.Northern Australia is also due to host a two-Test series against Bangladesh later in 2026 – which has been moved from March 2027 due to the 150th anniversary Test at the MCG – with Darwin in contention for one of those games alongside Cairns, Mackay and potentially Townsville.India, who were beaten 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this season, will tour from mid-October for three ODIs and five T20Is before the Ashes, the fixtures for which had already been confirmed, starts on November 21 in Perth.The India series will also begin in Perth with the first ODI on October 19. Starting in the west is the preferred option to avoid a short turnaround into Perth matches with lengthy flights. One of the five T20Is will be staged on the Gold Coast in Queensland. There is also a larger gap between the India white-ball games and the start of the Ashes compared to they very short turnaround between the Pakistan and India series this season which gives a better chance of a full-strength home side being selected.Prior to India’s arrival, Australia will make a brief trip across the Tasman in early October for a three-match T20I series against New Zealand with those dates still to be confirmed.Following the Ashes, which concludes in early January, there will again be a window for multiformat players to appear in the BBL, dates for which will announced later in the year but it will fill largely the same window as the 2024-25 season.It is hoped that availability may extend to the finals before the T20I squad begins preparations for the T20 World Cup which will be staged in India and Sri Lanka from mid-February, although that will depend how much of a lead-in the Australia hierarchy decide on with an away series against Pakistan set to provide build-up. This summer, a number of internationals missed the BBL finals due to a training camp in Dubai ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests series.Australia A are also set for an extensive schedule, which will be confirmed at a later date, which is expected to feature a home series in the middle of the year. They are also due to tour India, with those dates to be announced by BCCI, as part of a new reciprocal arrangement for A tours across the men’s and women’s game.There are also expected to be Australia A fixtures against England Lions who will tour concurrently with the start of the Ashes series.

Australia Men 2025-26 home schedule

vs South Africa
August 10: 1st T20I, Darwin (N)
August 12: 2nd T20I, Darwin (N)
August 16: 3rd T20I, Cairns (N)
August 19: 1st ODI, Cairns (D/N)
August 22: 2nd ODI, Mackay (D/N)
August 24: 3rd ODI, Mackay (D/N)vs India
October 19: 1st ODI, Perth Stadium (D/N)
October 23: 2nd ODI, Adelaide (D/N)
October 25: 3rd ODI, SCG (D/N)
October 29: 1st T20I, Canberra (N)
October 31: 2nd T20I, MCG (N)
November 2: 3rd T20I, Hobart (N)
November 6: 4th T20I, Gold Coast (N)
November 8: 5th T20I, Gabba (N)Men’s Ashes (previously announced)
November 21-25: 1st Test, Perth Stadium
December 4-8: 2nd Test, Gabba (D/N)
December 17-21: 3rd Test, Adelaide
December 26-30: 4th Test, MCG
January 4-8, 5th Test, SCG

His absence would leave England short on death-bowling options; any of Curran, Wood and Willey could replace Mills

Matt Roller02-Nov-2021Tymal Mills will discover in the next 48 hours if he will play any further part in the T20 World Cup after he reported tightness in his right quadriceps during England’s 26-run win against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Monday night.Mills, England’s joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, left the field after nine balls of his spell, immediately calling for a substitute fielder, Sam Billings, to replace him and heading straight to the dressing room. He was assessed by England’s medical team after the game and will now undergo a scan to determine the extent of the injury.Related

• England show adaptability to all but seal semi-finals berth

• Mills comes full circle in his remarkable England comeback

• Slow Death back in the Fast Lane: How Mills rose again

With their qualification for the semi-finals virtually secured ahead of their final group game against South Africa on Saturday, England may opt to keep Mills in their squad if there is even a remote chance of him recovering in time to play a part in the knockout stages next week. Reece Topley – one of three standby players along with James Vince and Liam Dawson – is the most likely candidate to replace him in the squad if he is ruled out.

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A serious injury would represent a blow both for Mills and for England. Mills had not played for his country since February 2017 ahead of this World Cup after a long battle with injuries – including a stress fracture last winter which forced him to wear a back brace for three months – and had started the tournament brightly with figures of 2 for 17 against the West Indies and 3 for 27 against Bangladesh. He was expensive against Australia and Sri Lanka, but his pace, left-arm angle and ability to bowl through the middle and at the death helped him balance England’s attack.An injury to Mills would leave England short on death-bowling options other than Chris Jordan, with Tom Curran the only unused squad member who bowls a high percentage of his overs at the end of an innings. Any of Curran, Mark Wood and David Willey could replace Mills in a straight swap, or England may consider rebalancing their side, leaving out a batter and bringing in two seamers to give them more options with the ball.Wood is yet to play in this World Cup after reporting an ankle injury following England’s final warm-up game against New Zealand, and did not warm up with the rest of the squad in Sharjah. Curran, meanwhile, was unavailable for their win against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi but had a long bowl in the middle on Monday night.

Surrey batter commits to Ashes availability as Surrey rack up 722 for 4 against Glamorgan

Matt Roller24-Sep-2021Ollie Pope piled on the highest score of his professional career and took his first-class average at The Kia Oval to a Bradmanesque 99.94 on the final day of Surrey’s painstaking draw with Glamorgan, in which only 10 wickets fell across a dozen sessions. Surrey’s total of 722 for 4 declared was their third-highest in first-class cricket, and their highest since 1909.Pope, captaining Surrey for the first time with Rory Burns rested by the ECB, resumed unbeaten on 95 with no prospect of a result on the final day, and feasted on a diet of part-time spin, scoring freely throughout on his way to 274 before he was castled on the stroke of tea to give Hamish Rutherford – bowling left-arm orthodox spin – a maiden first-class wicket in his 115th game.With no sign of deterioration in the flattest of pitches and Glamorgan resting their weary seamers as the season approached its (anti)climax, batting was hardly taxing. Hashim Amla made 163, adding 362 for the third wicket with Pope before chipping Kiran Carlson’s offbreak to mid-on, while there was an unbeaten 53 for Ben Foakes in his first innings since he tore a hamstring in May.Rikki Clarke made 12 not out on his final day as a professional cricketer and was given a guard of honour by Glamorgan’s fielders as he walked out after tea, following his sign-off at Surrey’s end-of-season dinner on Thursday night. All 11 Glamorgan players bowled at some stage during their 196 overs in the field, with wicketkeeper Chris Cooke sharing the new ball with Carlson, trundling in to bowl medium pace with Michael Hogan, the veteran seamer, taking the gloves; the joke went round that the best hope for some excitement would be climate activists mistaking the pitch for the M25.Related

• Rikki Clarke begins the long goodbye as David Lloyd makes Surrey toil

• Chris Cooke's maiden double-hundred leads Glamorgan to mammoth total

• Kent seal Division Three title after morning of high drama at Canterbury

• Ben Slater seals five-wicket win over Yorkshire but Notts fall short of Bob Willis final

This was the second time this season that Surrey have played a Championship game on an Oval pitch offering no assistance for bowlers following their run-fest against Leicestershire in the second round of games, and while the surface made this final day of the summer a dreary spectacle despite the bright sunshine, Pope insisted that there was merit in playing on this sort of pitch.”Part of playing on these kinds of wickets is challenging yourself and being as mentally switched on as you can for as long as you can be,” Pope said afterwards. “It’s one of those wickets that allows you to try a few things and practise a few things with your movements, and see what works well for you as well. You can gain a lot from it as a batter.”I thought if I was going to get 300, I might as well try and do it in style, and I ended up with my poles knocked out, but that’s just the way it is. Because of the nature of the wicket it wasn’t necessarily the most challenging of circumstances to be in but I had good fun batting with Hash out there – he watches closely. If he sees anything in your game he’ll tell you, even the smallest fine details, and we had a lot of fun out there.”Pope will take two weeks off after this game in a bid to switch off from cricket ahead of a likely Ashes tour this winter, and the innings ended what has been a strange summer for him. He has been typically dominant in the Championship, finishing the season with 861 runs at 78.27, but played only three Tests through a combination of injury and selection.”I feel like from a personal point of view like I’ve been in good form all season,” he said. “I’ve felt constantly like I should be scoring big runs throughout and I’ve managed to put a few big scores together. It’s frustrating when you get an injury like that which puts you out of selection for one game and then you feel like you’re chasing your tail a little bit, but it’s always an honour to pull on an England or Surrey shirt whenever selected.”Coming from the England stuff into the Surrey stuff can be a challenge at the end of the season – just mentally switching yourself onto the different challenges that county cricket produces. It’s been a stop-start time which is frustrating because, as a player, you just want to play the whole time really.”Pope also confirmed that he would be available to tour Australia, with England’s players due to receive more information on the likely restrictions they will face in the coming days.”It’s been a long season – that India tour rolled into a long county season and international summer – so it’s going to be nice just to have two weeks away from cricket, not really picking up a bat, and then start training hard again for potentially an Ashes series,” he said. “Whenever you get a little break and a chance to mentally refresh and reset, you’ve got to take it, and use it to your advantage so you come back hungry and ready to go.”Talking as a guy who plays one format at the moment for England – and I don’t have a girlfriend or wife, kids or anything – I’m one of those guys that it doesn’t really matter for me, that time away from home. I would be available for the [Ashes] tour, but I’m one of the only ones in that circumstance without a family for myself and just playing the one form.”

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Liverpool stars Roberto Firmino and Alisson Becker took a major step towards winning another piece of silverware just weeks after lifting the Champions League final yesterday evening.

The pair were on top form as they helped Brazil beat South American rivals Argentina 2-0, putting them in the final where Peru await them after dispatching Chile by a 3-0 scoreline.

Alisson kept his ninth successive clean sheet by shutting out the likes of Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi, but it was Firmino who proved to Liverpool supporters and Jurgen Klopp that he can offer a different option in attack.

“It reminds me of a bus seat!” – Watch a damning verdict on Chelsea’s new kit in the video below…

Currently at Anfield, the former Hoffenheim forward plays in a ‘false nine’ role, starting deeper in more of a centre attacking midfield position and distracting the opposition centre-backs and defensive midfielder in doing so.

This tends to help wide forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah get in behind the opposition backline, but Firmino showed to Jurgen Klopp that he could potentially be used in a two-man attack thanks to his partnership with Gabriel Jesus.

Against Argentina, the Liverpool No.9 scored a goal and recorded an assist for Jesus, who returned the favour with a set-up for Firmino’s strike; the pair ran their opponents ragged throughout.

Firmino has never really played in a two-man attack under Klopp. He has played behind Salah at times when the Egyptian was thrust into a central role, but never alongside a fellow striker like he did with Jesus on Wednesday evening.

But now, he has proved he can be effective alongside a partner. This could offer Klopp the chance to play him up top with the likes of Divock Origi and Rhian Brewster, instead of choosing just one of them.

This gives Klopp license to switch it up. He could play a 4-4-2 with Firmino alongside Mane, Salah, Brewster or Origi, whilst fringe players such as Xherdan Shaqiri could also come into the side either on the flanks of the midfield four, or just behind the attacking two – it has been noted that the Swiss star needs to step up.

The free-flowing, efficient football on show between Jesus and Firmino should have had Klopp salivating at just how much his Brazilian No.9 can do in attack, and the 5 ft 11 forward has truly proven he can offer the Reds something different in attack with his newly discovered weapon.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter have been giving rave reviews after young midfielder Alfie McCalmont made his first-team debut in a friendly against York City.

The fanbase have been excited about the prospect of the 19-year-old becoming a part of Bielsa’s plans for some time now, and on his first appearance, he didn’t disappoint.

He has previously been named as one of Leeds’ brightest young talents, and he has been capped at under-19 level for Northern Ireland.

He looked calm and composed in the middle of the park against York, and fans of the club were impressed by his performance.

Of course, it was only against a National League North side, but the supporters still liked what they saw from the young man.

It remains to be seen whether or not he will be handed a league debut in the upcoming campaign, but if the teenager can continue to produce impressive displays throughout the rest of pre-season then he’s certainly got a chance.

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Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…

The defending champions begin CPL 2021 with a nine-run defeat, having gone undefeated for 12 games while winning the 2020 title

Saurabh Somani26-Aug-2021
Imran Tahir showed all of the nous of his 42 years, and none of the age, as Guyana Amazon Warriors pulled off a sterling defence of a competitive total, on a surface where run-scoring wasn’t the easiest. Tahir’s 2 for 12 in four overs derailed Trinbago Knight Riders’ chase, as the defending champions began CPL 2021 with a nine-run defeat, having gone undefeated for 12 games while winning CPL 2020.The Amazon Warriors had limped through most of their innings after being put in to bat, before a finishing flourish by a previously sluggish Shimron Hetmyer took them to 142 for 7. The nature of the surface at Warner Park in St Kitts though wasn’t typically T20-like. It offered bite for spinners, and extra bounce too, which made the total challenging. Given the Knight Riders’ batting depth, they would have still fancied chasing it down, especially after a reasonably bright start in the powerplay. But the advent of Tahir swung the momentum, and the Amazon Warriors bowlers then never let up.Tahir, who was bowling in the Hundred in England four days ago, seemed as bouncily fresh as ever, returning figures that would have done him credit even if they came in five-ball overs. He conceded only singles across his four overs and struck once apiece in his first two overs. The Knight Riders, who had kept the required run rate within reach till the powerplay, were suddenly forced into taking more risks. They did have captain Kieron Pollard still available though, and the knowledge that a steep run rate could be reeled in if he got going.However, Romario Shepherd struck the decisive blow when he got one to lift and move away in the corridor from back of a length, drawing an uncertain poke as Pollard was unable to keep hands from following the ball, nicking a catch behind. Once Pollard fell, with four wickets standing only and 57 needed off 36, the Amazon Warriors were in command. Shepherd ended with the best figures, having taken three big wickets with Lendl Simmons and Denesh Ramdin added to Pollard’s scalp, to return 3 for 15.The Knight Riders had ended up with a chase that was steeper than they would have thought, having kept the opposition on a tight leash for most of their innings. The Amazon Warriors started the tournament with a novel batting order, opting to send in Odean Smith at No.3. Smith had batted just four times in T20 games before this, never scoring more than 10 runs. However, the limited sample size was misleading, with Smith having a List A strike rate of 110.86 and a first-class strike rate of 102.08. The experiment proved reasonably successful with Smith biffing 24 off 15, but it also meant an overcrowded middle order was squeezed.The Amazon Warriors also opted to send in Pakistan veterans Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez ahead of captain Nicholas Pooran, who eventually ended up coming in at No.7, with only five overs remaining. No top-order batter had got going, and with two overs remaining, Hetmyer was still on 29 off 32. However, he belatedly found his range to loot 30 from the last two overs, ending with 54 off 41, and dragging the total into the defendable territory.

Hansi Flick has warned Lamine Yamal that there is no time to rest if the Barcelona wonderkid is determined to become a 'great champion'.

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• Barca coach believes Yamal can still 'improve'
• Flick brushes off concerns over rest for youngster
• Winger must 'keep going' after blistering start to season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Flick was full of praise for Yamal, having seen the 17-year-old continue to establish himself as a key player for club and country in recent weeks. However, the German coach insisted Yamal still had more to do if he wanted to fulfil his potential of becoming a Barcelona great, with the wonderkid having recently been compared to club legend Lionel Messi.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal played in 37 of Barcelona's 38 La Liga games last season, prompting concerns from some observers who are worried the teenager could suffer from fatigue and burnout without rest. Barcelona have already seen youngsters Gavi, Pedri and Ansu Fati suffer serious injuries at a tender age, having played a substantial amount of football upon their breakthrough in the first team.

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  WHAT FLICK SAID

  Flick said: "I think Lamine is at a high level but, at his age, he can and still has to improve. It's great to see him training day after day. But he has to move forward, improve, work hard. Champions don't rest. And I think that's good advice. If he wants to be a great champion, he can't rest too much, he has to keep going and going."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL AND BARCELONA?

  Barcelona face off against Girona on Sunday looking to continue their 100 per cent start under Flick, with Yamal likely to start as he has done for every game so far in the new season. Barca know a win against their local rivals would extend their lead at the top of the table to four points.

  Yamal, meanwhile, will be hoping to continue his own fine start to the season, which has seen the teenager score once and grab four assists in his opening four La Liga appearances.

Whilst Ange Postecoglou and his team prepare Tottenham Hotspur's players to take on Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend, work is going on behind the scenes ahead of the summer transfer window.

The focus of the coaching staff and first-team stars should be on the action on the pitch in their bid to secure Champions League qualification by finishing in the top four ahead of Aston Villa.

However, Daniel Levy and the Spurs chiefs behind the scenes are already laying the groundwork to manage the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

They are now reportedly pushing to ensure that one player – Giovani Lo Celso – remains part of Postecoglou's playing group moving forward.

Tottenham want to keep frustrated star

Earlier this year, it was reported that Lo Celso was pushing for an exit from north London as he was frustrated, and seemingly annoyed, with his current situation at the club given the lack of minutes the manager has provided him with.

Now, in a twist to the story, Spurs want to keep hold of the Argentina international and offer him a new contract, according to Tutto Mercato Web, as relayed by Sport Witness.

The report claims that Tottenham are hoping to extend his current deal, which is due to expire in the summer of 2025, by another two seasons to preserve his future in England.

It states that they are looking to adjust his wages to ensure that Lo Celso is happy and willing to remain with the club beyond the summer window.

Spanish giants Barcelona are said to be admirers of the central midfielder, along with fellow La Liga outfit Real Betis, and Spurs are now attempting to scare away potential suitors by pinning him down to a contract extension.

Why Spurs may want to keep Giovani Lo Celso

The Lilywhites may want to keep hold of the World Cup winner as he has shown glimpses of promise in his limited time on the pitch this season.

Lo Celso has seemingly been frustrated, per the earlier report this year, that Postecoglou has barely used him in the Premier League, and his statistics in the few games he has played suggest that the midfield star has reason to feel aggrieved.

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old whiz has provided quality in and out of possession, with four direct goal contributions in 17 appearances despite only starting four times.

His 63% duel success rate also shows that the left-footed maestro has held his own in physical battles to either retain possession or win the ball back for his side, whilst his pass accuracy suggests that the talented ace rarely gives it away.

These attributes make him an attractive player for a team that wants to dominate possession, as he has the quality to provide goals and assists as a box-crashing midfielder whilst being solid off the ball and a reliable passer.

Spurs lining up "monster" striker to end their no.9 problem

Tottenham would close the gap on those at the top of the Premier League by securing this signing.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 25, 2024

However, it now remains to be seen whether or not Lo Celso is willing to put pen to paper on an extension amid his frustration at the lack of minutes given to him by the boss.