Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have held talks over a move to sign a £63m Brazilian ahead of Arsenal, according to a new report.
Man Utd targeting striker signing
Ratcliffe and INEOS are now officially into their first summer transfer window in charge of sporting decisions at Old Trafford and have already made a big decision.
The club decided to stick with Erik ten Hag as manager, with Ratcliffe recently explaining that call. “The coach isn't the central issue at Manchester United”, Ratcliffe said on keeping Ten Hag.
“It’s a sports club. It needs to be competitive, it needs a degree of intensity, but with a supportive side to it because you are dealing with players who are relatively young. It hasn’t had that type of environment historically.”
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With the club’s attention now on the transfer window, Ratcliffe has already hinted that United need two of three summer windows to complete a rebuild.
"I don't think the solution is to buy an Mbappe. We are more grassroots than that. One player is not going to solve the problem at Manchester United. The first thing we need to do is build a balanced squad and ultimately maybe top it off with one or two players like Mbappe. It will take two or three summer windows to get to a better place."
This summer, a centre-back and striker appear to be at the top of their to-do list at this moment in time. Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been at the top of the defensive wishlist, whereas a number of attacking targets have been on the club’s radar.
Bologna striker Joshua Zirzkee is one of those, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg stating there is a good chance Man Utd can hijack AC Milan’s deal to sign the Netherlands international.
Lille’s Jonathan David is another target, with talks advancing for the Canada international, who is wanted by a number of Premier League clubs.
There was also noise around Wolves forward Matheus Cunha, with Ratcliffe reportedly willing to double his wage at Old Trafford to £120,000-a-week. Now, a new update has emerged on the Molineux star.
Cunha to Man Utd update
According to CaughtOffside, Man Utd have now held talks with Cunha’s agents ahead of a possible move to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have received information about a potential deal, with the Brazilian also wanted by Arsenal. Wolves are demanding €75m (£63m) to sell the forward, and it remains to be seen if United and Ratcliffe are willing to pay such a big price.
Wolves striker Matheus Cunha
Cunha, Zirkzee and David appear to be the three main attacking targets to rival Rasmus Hojlund next season, with the Wolves star more expensive than David and Zirkzee who could cost around £30m and £34m respectively. It’ll be interesting to see if United can secure the services of one of the three attacking names mentioned, with a deal for Cunha once again one to watch.
Former Borussia Dortmund winger Kevin Grosskreutz has hit out at Jurgen Klopp for his move to head up Red Bull's football operations.
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Grosskreutz called out Klopp's decisionWill join Red Bull at start of 2025Dortmund and Liverpool fans slammed their former coachFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Earlier this week, Red Bull announced that they have roped in former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager Klopp as their new Global Head of Soccer. The 57-year-old has signed a long-term contract with Red Bull and will start in his new role on January 1, 2025.
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Right after Klopp's move was announced, fans of Dortmund and Liverpool called out the German's decision. While Reds supporters called their former coach a 'hypocrite and a sell-out', Dortmund supporters claimed that Klopp was 'dead to them'. Now, Grosskreutz has joined the bandwagon as he criticised his old boss for associating himself with an organisation who have a controversial history within German football.
WHAT KEVIN GROSSKREUTZ SAID
Speaking on , the 36-year-old said, "Somehow it still hasn’t really sunk in. I was hoping it was fake news. It was a shock, and sad too. But as a fan, I don’t have to see him in front of the Sud anymore. When we meet, I’ll tell him personally that I think it’s crap that he does something like that."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JURGEN KLOPP?
The new career path will see the German Klopp supporting the coaches of RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls, among other clubs in the Red Bull network. His focus will be on further developing the organisation's playing philosophy while leveraging his network in scouting to identify coaches and young talent.
The rise of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United last season was a joy to watch, with his quality on show instantly during his debut against Everton.
The 19-year-old was so impressive that he became an irreplaceable figure in the middle of the park, a player that Erik ten Hag could trust to perform consistently.
Throughout the Premier League campaign, United’s wonderkid made 24 starts, scoring three goals and providing one assist in the process.
However, another extremely talented youngster could be added to the Red Devils squad this summer as United look to sign a new defender.
Man Utd’s centre-back transfer activity
According to a report from Dharmesh Sheth of Sky Sports, Man United have now ‘made initial contact’ for Leny Yoro.
The French rock is among a list of potential centre-back targets as they look to find an alternative to Jarrad Branthwaite.
Man Utd transfer target Leny Yoro in Ligue 1 action for Lille.
The Everton defender was without doubt the first choice, but the Red Devils have already had a bid rejected for the Englishman this summer.
It’s said that United are now ‘unlikely to return with an improved offer’ due to the Toffees’ asking price being viewed as unreasonable.
Jarrad Branthwaite for Everton.
The 21-year-old is valued at £70m, hence why United are now looking to get the ball rolling for Lille’s Yoro.
Why Leny Yoro is just as talented as Mainoo
Last season, Yoro truly announced himself to the football world as one of the most highly-rated talents in Europe, let alone France.
Operating as a right-centre half for Lille, the 18-year-old performed to an extremely high standard alongside Alexsandro Ribeiro.
Lille's Leny Yoro in action
Across the campaign, the number 15 started 30 matches in Ligue 1, keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets while also scoring two goals.
Yoro also already proved that he would be ready to perform in the Premier League, having starred against Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa Conference League, winning 100% of his duels and completing a supremely impressive 94% of his passes.
Appearances
24
32
Goal contributions
4
2
Passes completed
31.1
54
Touches
49
67.6
Tackles
2
1.1
Interceptions
0.9
1.1
Duels won
5
3.2
Just like Mainoo, the fact that Yoro is so complete already while being a teenager is mind-blowing, with football scout Jacek Kulig describing him as an “11/10 talent.”
From an in-possession perspective, Yoro is already among the very best in France, possessing the ability to retain the ball well while also having the confidence to take plenty of touches, which is also an aspect of Mainoo’s game even if they do play in different positions.
On the other hand, the Lille superstar is just as composed off the ball as he is on it, only entering duels when the opportunity presents itself, as shown by his tackles and interceptions.
However, what makes Yoro and Mainoo so similar is their incredible mentality and maturity, which make them act like seasoned professionals week in and week out.
Kobe Mainoo
This has a direct impact on their performance, with no occasion being too overwhelming, as shown by their coaches always relying on them to perform despite their lack of experience.
As both players see the beautiful game through the same lens, it’s extremely difficult to see the two youngsters not developing into two world-class players.
Lille defender Leny Yoro.
Overall, the prospect of having Mainoo, Yoro, and Alejandro Garnacho in their squad must excite the Man United faithful, and the French defender would be the future of the Red Devils’ backline.
What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree
Tottenham Hotspur failed to qualify for the Champions League after looking nailed on for a return to Europe's elite club competition for much of the early days of the campaign, though there is little question that progress has been made under Ange Postecoglou.
Of course, that will now need to be shaped next season, but Tottenham's squad are blessed with a collective malleability that saw Postecoglou drill his philosophy in with efficacy and ease over the first few months – which saw him collect a three-peat of Premier League Manager of the Month awards.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou
This fast start had seen lofty dreams of title contention lift the previously beleaguered outfit, but after flattering to deceive throughout different zones of the campaign thereafter – a by-product of damaging injuries and a knock to the cohesion – Spurs have had to settle for fifth place.
After seeing Harry Kane sold to Bayern Munich in a £100m transfer last summer, Heung-min Son might have been forgiven for losing his way in the Lilywhites attack – indeed, the South Korean had not been at his best last year and had lost his long-time strike partner.
But, promoted to skipper after Hugo Lloris lost his starting spot last summer, Son has enjoyed an emphatic campaign, scoring 17 goals and adding ten assists in the Premier League.
He's had his detractors in the final phase of the year after seemingly running out of gas, but the club captain is still an elite forward and must serve a central role next year.
Heung-min Son for Tottenham
The same, however, cannot be said for Richarlison, who might have picked himself up off the wayside after a dismal 2022/23 season – his first after signing under Antonio Conte in a £60m deal – but must be brutally ditched this summer, lest Tottenham stagnate.
Richarlison's season in numbers
Richarlison has undoubtedly improved this term after his abject first campaign as a Spurs player, but he has bobbed up and down in the form rankings and is not quite proving that he is the man to lead the line over the coming years.
Matches played
27
28
Matches started
12
18
Goals
1
11
Assists
3
4
Pass completion
73%
71%
Shots per game
1.0
2.2
Key passes per game
0.6
0.6
Touches per game
18.1
26.2
Dribbles per game
0.4 (40%)
0.4 (30%)
Duels won per game
2.7 (44%)
2.9 (35%)
To his credit, Richarlison has come on leaps and bounds vis-a-vis goalscoring after suffering from a much-criticised maiden campaign in London, where he was but a shadow of his one-time vigour and vitality as one of Everton's focal frontmen.
The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare noted how much Tottenham had "missed his physical presence" during the closing months of the campaign. While he's only 5 foot 10 in height, the Brazil international is a fearsome and tenacious player, ranking among the top 9% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions, the top 1% for blocks and the top 8% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.
The thing is, Tottenham don't lack his physical presence as much as they lack a physical presence at the spearhead. Son is a wonderful footballer and one of the finest finishers in the Premier League, outperforming his xG (expected goals) for the past eight seasons in a row, as per Understat.
However, the 31-year-old's inability to exert his dominance up front has left Tottenham feeling somewhat toothless in recent months – this is one of the predominant reasons behind Spurs' late-season struggles, and indeed Son's.
Richarlison offers that angle to Tottenham's attacking arsenal, so to speak, but is he really the best physical dominator available to Postecoglou? The craggy-faced Australian deserves plaudits for the work he's doing at Tottenham but the direction the club are headed hangs in the balance.
It's imperative that Tottenham make the right choice this summer.
Why Spurs should sell Richarlison
Let's dig into the first, frankest reason that Postecoglou must ditch Richarlison: his hardly impressive injury record. Across his two campaigns in north London, the one-time Watford forward has missed 20 fixtures due to injury, equating to 21% of Tottenham's football.
Richarlison in anguish for Tottenham
This is a real problem heading back into European competition next season, with a heightened expectation to compete across multiple fronts. Tottenham only played four matches across the Carabao Cup and FA Cup this year too, and the manager will definitely expect his squad to wade deeper after the off-season.
Richarlison is also a player categorised by purple patches, which in itself is not a bad thing but his demonstrable failure to maintain scoring rates at a steady pace compounds the ebb and flow in results and performance levels that Spurs failed to shake under Postecoglou.
But most importantly, Richarlison earns a pretty penny at Tottenham, with a salary not reflecting his standing in the squad nor his point on the Spurs scale.
#
Richarlison
£90k-per-week
1.
Pedro Porro
£85k-per-week
1.
Radu Dragusin
£85k-per-week
3.
Ben Davies
£80k-per-week
4.
Destiny Udogie
£75k-per-week
4.
Guglielmo Vicario
£75k-per-week
4.
Fraser Forster
£75k-per-week
Above is a table comprised of first-team stars earning less than Richarlison. The fact that he is taking home greasier bacon than right-back Pedro Porro, who has been immense this season and one of Tottenham's finest players, hailed for his "outstanding" term by his manager, is remarkable.
But moreover, Tottenham's deserved Player of the Season, Micky van de Ven, is not even on that list, earning £50k per week after transferring from Wolfsburg for £43m last summer.
Micky van de Ven for Tottenham
Of course, Richarlison was an established Premier League striker when he alighted down N17 but there's no way that, in hindsight, he boasts a standing and quality in the squad to accurately reflect his earnings – and indeed the outlay to bring him to the team.
Postecoglou is understood to have identified a multitude of players to be sold this summer. Newly-crowned Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal are preparing a bid for Richarlison in what adds to news from GiveMeSport that Tottenham will now prioritise a move for Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez, who posted 26 goals and eight assists this season.
The Lilywhites must show their ruthless streak this summer to build from a promising foundation, and Richarlison must be sold.
Spurs lining up “priceless” Hudson-Odoi partner in £50m “monster”
Ange Postecoglou’s side showed promise this season but improvements are patently required.
Squad will go into quarantine at Worcester before heading to Derby for final preparations
Danyal Rasool26-Jun-2020
Pakistan’s players and support staff will be tested for Covid-19 every five days on their England tour•AFP
Ten Pakistan players who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week will not be part of the squad that flies out to Manchester on Sunday. The 18 players who tested negative, alongside the support staff who have been tested, will be the only ones to board the charter plane arranged by the ECB – provided the results of their second test, which the PCB will announce on Saturday, also come out negative.This was confirmed after the ECB announced in a press release that members of the Pakistan travelling party who had tested positive would “not be permitted to travel with the advance group”. Though it did not specify if those players would need to return two negative tests to be permitted to travel, the idea of an “advance group” implied there would be members of the Pakistan side not part of the original travelling group on June 28.That would appear to end any hopes the PCB harboured of sending all 28 players in the squad on the same flight, after they were understood to be considering dropping the requirement of two negative tests before permission to depart for England was granted.That would have had implications for the ten Pakistan players and one member of the support staff who returned positive tests for Covid-19 earlier this week, though all of them were asymptomatic. They were tested a second time on Friday, and if the two-negative test rule had been ditched, would have been able to travel with the other 18 players if the test results turned out negative. As things stand, the PCB will revert to the original schedule, which means those ten players will be tested a third time on June 29, and catch a commercial flight to England later on once they have provided two negative tests.ALSO READ: Pakistan may drop need for two negative Covid testsFive reserve players were called up as cover and tested for the virus on Thursday, with the results expected on Saturday. Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Musa and Rohail Nazir have all undergone tests, as has masseur Mohammad Imran. Nazir, the PCB announced, was called up as a back-up wicketkeeper after Pakistan’s first-choice Mohammad Rizwan tested positive for Covid-19. Rizwan was, according to the PCB CEO Wasim Khan, the only one of the ten whose result had implications for the Test leg of Pakistan’s tour of England, which will be played before the three-match T20I series.On Thursday, the 18 players who tested negative, as well as 11 support staff personnel, underwent a second round of tests. Should all of them return negative tests once more, they will be cleared to depart for England on June 28 according to schedule.The ECB also announced that the Pakistan squad that lands in Manchester on Sunday will undergo a 14-day quarantine period in Worcestershire before transferring to Derbyshire’s Incora Country Ground on July 13. That would reflect a change in plan from the original schedule, which would have seen the Pakistan squad quarantine in Derbyshire, although an ECB spokesperson said that the original itinerary had not been set in stone.The tour comprises three Test matches and three T20Is in August and September. All six games will be played behind closed doors.
Arsenal have had one major problem this season. You could argue they still lack a natural centre-forward capable of scoring 20 goals a term but that can be remedied rather simply, you'd hope, in the summer transfer window.
The issue we're talking about is Mikel Arteta's seeming lack of faith in the fringe players at his disposal.
This season, Arsenal's more trusted individuals have played far more football than any of their title rivals. William Saliba hasn't missed a game while midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard round off the top four alongside Virgil van Dijk when it comes to minutes.
Minutes played by outfield players at top 3 clubs
Player
Club
Minutes played
William Saliba
Arsenal
3060
Declan Rice
Arsenal
2871
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool
2818
Martin Odegaard
Arsenal
2745
Gabriel
Arsenal
2715
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal
2678
Ben White
Arsenal
2655
Julian Alvarez
Man City
2461
Phil Foden
Man City
2453
Rodri
Man City
2409
Data via Transfermarkt = Premier League only.
So, what is the solution? Well, Arteta either needs to pick the likes of Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe on a more frequent basis or get rid and replace them with players he does actually trust.
That's all easier said than done, of course, but one big boost from Arsenal that'll help is the return of Jurrien Timber.
The Dutchman caught the eye during the opening weeks of his time in north London having traded Amsterdam and Ajax in a £38m move.
However, his debut campaign was ripped away from him in cruel fashion after sustaining an ACL injury against Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Timber is now back training with the first team and has returned to action too. The full-back made an appearance for the U21s in a 2-2 draw with Blackburn last Monday and made quite the impact.
Just nine minutes into the game, the Netherlands international – who was fielded as a left-back – curled the ball deliciously into the top corner from the edge of the box. Not a bad return, eh?
It will be great to see the 22-year-old back in senior action soon but expectations must be tempered. It's unlikely he'll walk into the XI immediately.
What Alan Smith said about Jurrien Timber
Football FanCast sat down with Gunners legend Alan Smith this week to talk exclusively about all things Arsenal on behalf of Crypto Casino. One of the subjects discussed was the defender's return.
Asked how big a boost it'll be, the former striker said: "Yeah, it will be huge. I saw that goal – what a way to announce yourself coming back after a long time out!"
Smith then outlined the summer signing's best attributes, revealing what he could bring to the Arsenal team once he gets back on the field: "I just remember when he first arrived at the club, everybody was so impressed about his ability and his character and what he brought to the dressing room," the Sky Sports pundit stated.
"It was a huge blow to lose him and left back is a problem position, there's no doubt about that. They've tried three [Kiwior, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu] in recent weeks and none have said 'you know, that's me, that's who you should be picking' ,so Timber coming back would be great if he can return to league action. He will be a big boost."
Alan Smith hails Arsenal star who could be "mentioned" alongside Bergkamp
Speaking to FFC, Alan Smith hailed the performances of one Arsenal player who shone against Chelsea.
Nottingham Forest have deployed a scattergun transfer approach in the transfer market since their promotion back to the Premier League for the 2022/23 campaign.
Since the play-off final triumph at Wembley, the Reds have splashed the cash, with owner Evangelos Marinakis investing over £200m on new players in the hope of establishing the club as a modern-day Premier League outfit.
The club have unearthed some gems from all over the globe, with youngsters Murillo and Danilo joining from Brazil since promotion, with the duo proving excellent value for money – potentially bringing the club a hefty profit in the years ahead.
However, not all of the Reds' signings have been successful, with Emmanuel Dennis joining the club for £20m but failing to make an impact on Trentside – rejoining Watford, the club they originally signed him from, on loan for the second half of the 2023/24 season.
Despite Dennis' lack of impact at the City Ground, one player appears to have been a complete disaster after his big-money arrival at the club during last summer's transfer window.
Ibrahim Sangare's stats at Nottingham Forest in 2023/24
After splashing £30m on his signature, Ibrahim Sangare arrived at the City Ground with high expectations after Steve Cooper targeted the Ivorian for multiple windows following promotion.
He's since endured a disappointing first season in the East Midlands, featuring just 16 times in the Premier League, out of a possible 37 games.
The former PSV midfielder has fallen down the pecking order since the arrival of Nuno Espírito Santo, starting just three times following the Portuguese manager's appointment in late December.
Sangare has been unable to dislodge Danilo and academy graduate Ryan Yates, with the 26-year-old's market value suffering as a result of his lack of game time in 2024.
Ryan Yates
33
Danilo
27
Nicolas Dominguez
25
Orel Mangala
20
Ibrahim Sangare
16
Cheikhou Kouyate
11
Ibrahim Sangare's market value in 2024
Less than a year on from his move to the Ivorian's move to Nottingham, his market value has plummeted, with Sangare only valued at £20m, as per Football Transfers, a £10m decrease in just eight months at the City Ground.
In contrast, Callum Hudson-Odoi, who also joined the same day as the 26-year-old, has seen a huge rise in value after his recent run of form that has seen him score seven times since February – including two in the crucial win against Sheffield United last Saturday.
The former Chelsea talent now boasts a value of £23m, an astronomical £20m jump on the £3m that the club paid for him last summer, with the attacker finally finding a new settled home after a torrid time with injuries at Stamford Bridge.
Nottingham Forest player Callum Hudson-Odoi
Although Sangare's time in the Premier League has been disappointing, there's certainly time for the Ivorian to turn around his fortunes and become a key player under Nuno next season.
However, for the time being, he's failed to prove any sort of worth after his £30m move, with the club potentially able to save their money and stay within the confines of the league's PSR rules, had they not decided to sign the midfielder.
Nuno must offload Nottingham Forest dud who hasn't featured since January
The club have found this position a problem in recent months.
Everton could be on the end of a third points deduction after more financial breaches were reportedly discovered.
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Premier League potentially found financial breachesEverton could be on the end of a point deductionToffees already punished on two occasions last yearWHAT HAPPENED?
The Premier League could hand Everton a worrying start to the season after uncovering more financial issues surrounding Sean Dyche's team. According to , there was additional overspending linked to the points deduction they were hit with in April that could get Everton in hot water.
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Everton were docked two points by an independent commission for overspending in the 2022-23 season. They had already been hit with a 10-point deduction for breaches in the 2021-22 campaign, but it was reduced it to six on appeal, which helped them avoid relegation to the Championship. The independent regulator has found more issues with the Toffees' finances after another £6.5 million ($8m) payment had been discovered and left them in a sticky situation.
DID YOU KNOW
Everton are the only team to have been deducted points on two occasions and were the third team in history to get one with Portsmouth and Middlesborough being the other two. Since then Nottingham Forest have also received a points deduction.
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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR EVERTON?
The Merseyside team haven't had a third points deduction announced, but will be anxiously waiting on the result. There could be positive news to come still, as there are rumours of a new owner coming through, although no concrete offer has been made.
Opener goes one better than in Barbados as West Indies seal first home series win since 2014
The Report by Alan Gardner12-Jan-2020West Indies wrapped up a 3-0 series whitewash of Ireland, led to their target by another ruthless display of batting from Evin Lewis, to confirm the strides made under Phil Simmons’ guidance in his second spell as coach. This was West Indies’ second 3-0 win in a matter of months, victory over Afghanistan by the same score on neutral ground in India ending a five-year series drought in ODIs; success against Ireland was their first at home since beating Bangladesh back in 2014.Set a modest target on a pitch that had begun to play increasingly true after a damp start in Grenada had encouraged Kieron Pollard to bowl first, West Indies cruised to victory with more than 10 overs to spare, after a third rain delay had cut their requirement to 197 from 47. As well as the performance of Lewis, who recorded his third ODI ton, there were career-best figures for legspinner Hayden Walsh and an impressive showing from young quick Oshane Thomas for Pollard to savour.Having come so close to an upset in the second ODI, which was decided by one wicket with one ball remaining in Barbados on Thursday, Ireland could not rouse themselves to the same levels after a short trip across to the Windward Islands. Andy Balbirnie led from the front with 71, but he found little support throughout the innings and a total of 203 looked some way under par on a ground that saw an aggregate of 807 runs scored in the last ODI played here.Ireland needed early wickets, and athough they managed two during the initial Powerplay, Lewis quickly located the groove that saw him finish on 99 not out in the first match of the series, having narrowly failed to win the game with the six needed for his hundred. This time he was in no mood to fall short. Three times he cleared the ropes early on, to go along with several crisp fours, as West Indies reached 58 for 2 after 10 overs, Lewis having scored 46 of them.Barry McCarthy struck in his third over, pinning Shai Hope lbw – Lewis’ apparent support for the wasted review perhaps his only bad decision – and Simi Singh had Sunil Ambris caught behind trying to cut for another single-figure score, but Ireland’s bowlers had been left with too much to do. Brandon King stroked three of his first nine balls to the boundary and looked in formidable touch, helping Lewis add 75 in just 13.3 overs.With King showing flashes of the CPL form that led to his debut late last year, Lewis was happy to tick over, adding 12 singles from 25 balls before tucking into McCarthy again – a period of 6-dot-4-6 dispelling any notion that the opener was becalmed. And while King edged a cut against Andy McBrine in the following over, Lewis and Nicholas Pooran guided the chase either side of the showers.Lewis brought up three figures in an ODI for the first time since 2017 from his 96th delivery, pulling Craig Young for four with nine runs needed, but fell to the next ball as he tried to finish the match. Romario Shepherd was promoted up the order, only to hole out off McBrine, before Pooran’s fierce pull sealed the result.A sign of West Indies’ strength, albeit against the No. 11-ranked side in ODIs, came in the changes made for this game. Shimron Hetmyer was left out after making two single-figures scores in Barbados (but only five innings since smashing 137 from 106 against India in Chennai), though Ambris could not take advantage of the chance at No. 3; Sheldon Cottrell, West Indies’ most-successful bowler over the last 12 months, was also rested, allowing a run out for the towering Thomas.It was Thomas, 22 years old and capable of bowling 145kph, who undermined Ireland’s attempts to battle through against the new ball. He removed the openers, Paul Stirling and James McCollum, with both discomfited by his pace and splice-jarring lengths. Stirling started with twos from his first two balls but could only manage one more run from his next 21, before edging a skittish pull behind, while McCollum played tidily enough for 20 but was snagged by Lewis in the covers after driving without getting forward.Balbirnie held the innings together with his ninth ODI half-century, but Ireland struggled to build partnerships and his dismissal in the 38th over left them without a recognised batsmen going into the death. Walsh’s initial spell had seen him take 1 for 25 from five overs, but he switched ends and produced figures of 5-0-11-3, which included the wicket of Balbirnie, caught slicing to point, just when Ireland were looking to kick on. Only some impish hitting from McBrine, whose 22-ball 25 from No. 9 was Ireland’s second top score, got them above 200.Two rain delays did not overly help Ireland’s cause, with Roston Chase striking twice during an unbroken spell – although a brace of slog-swept sixes from Balbirnie dented his final analysis. William Porterfield was pinned lbw in Chase’s second over, struck low on the front pad trying to sweep, and although Kevin O’Brien drove his first and fourth balls crisply for four, a similar lofted shot saw him pick out deep extra cover.A deceptively flighted googly was the undoing of Lorcan Tucker, as Walsh found his range and some turn to beat the inside edge, the ball shivering off stump with just enough force to dislodge the bail. That left Ireland on Nelson with half the team back in the dressing room, and although they hopped along gamely they didn’t have a leg to stand on by the end.
There has been a suggestion that Tottenham have gone the extra mile to woo a summer transfer target.
Spurs set sights on new attackers for Postecoglou
Despite the abundance of wingers and forwards in their squad already, recent reports suggest that manager Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy wish to add another star wide player.
Tottenham think "pacey" striker is ideal for Ange, could now open talks
The Lilywhites apparently want a new forward.
By
Emilio Galantini
Mar 8, 2024
They're among the contenders to sign Wolves star Pedro Neto later this year (Fabrizio Romano), and it is believed they wanted to make a marquee winger move in January but didn't quite have the funds to facilitate it (Miguel Delaney).
They ended up bringing in Timo Werner on a loan deal from RB Leipzig, with his deal thought to include an affordable buy option. The German's start to life in north London has been solid, bagging a goal and two assists in the league so far, but his reputation as a wasteful finisher still precedes him.
He bagged his first goal in a Spurs shirt against Crystal Palace last weekend but squandered a glaring one-on-one opportunity, highlighting the weaknesses in his game.
Another more lethal attacking option that Tottenham have their eye on is Palace star Eberechi Eze. The £77 million Englishman has bagged six goals this season, and Spurs have been linked with a move for Eze by reliable media sources.
Suggestion Spurs have gone extra mile to tempt Eze
Journalist Tom Allnutt, making an interesting claim, suggests Spurs may have gone the extra mile to tempt Eze with a grand seat and nice day out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – with his family and entourage given the executive treatment last weekend.
“It was interesting to me that Eze and his entourage had basically a full box to themselves at Tottenham," said Allnutt on the Tottenham Way podcast (via TBR).
"I don’t know if that’s entirely normal for an opposition player to have a whole suite of their friends and family and presumably, a couple of agents. I know Eze belongs to Base who are an agency very connected with Spurs. But I did wonder if there was a bit of wooing going on there. I wonder if they gave Eze and his pack a very nice day out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me contemplating."
The 25-year-old's proven top-flight quality and status as a homegrown player makes him a very enticing prospect for Postecoglou. His personality profile has also been lavished by those who've worked with him before.
"I wish I could tell you that I taught him a lot but it is what he taught me," said Eze's former coach at QPR, Paul Hall, to Sky Sports.
"He taught me humility. He taught me to be patient with players and understand that it is a journey. He is definitely one of the best players that I have worked with. The best people, too.
Eberechi Eze's best league games for Crystal Palace over 2023/2024
Match Rating (via WhoScored)
Palace 3-2 Sheffield United
8.96
Palace 3-2 Wolves
8.48
Palace 2-3 Everton
7.83
Palace 3-1 Brentford
7.61
Sheffield United 1-0 Palace
7.57
"I cannot think of anyone in football who has reached those heights and remained so humble. He never takes the glory for himself. He always gives the glory back to God. You cannot not like that. It is just so endearing and you do not really see that every day.
"He is the most beautiful person I think I have met in football. His family are so balanced and all nice people. I have never seen him lose his temper. He is really geared up to making it and not just making it but everyone being happy that he is making it."